Two Healed, Five Broken

Two Healed, Five Broken
One Month Later

“Hey! Do not kick your father in the head. It’s rude!” Cayden said, wagging his finger at Anastasia’s stomach as they stood inside the new nursery. Feeling another kick to the head, he huffed and placed his hands on his hips. “I’m inclined to believe that our children are not a fan of mine.”

“Maybe because you’re always scolding?” Anastasia retorted playfully.

He pursed his lips. “They don’t kick Kano and he’s the definition of grumpy, just ask Luna.”

“Yeahhhh, but then again, it also was you who had a miniature castle constructed in the courtyard for Kanon two weeks before Kano was scheduled to return and have one built… so maybe it’s a little karma?”

“Whose side are you on?!” He scoffed. “If I knew my infractions were being tallied, I would have never gotten the moat built. Your highness royally kicked my ass good for that one.” He smirked. “But it was worth it knowing that Kanon wouldn’t tell him the password for a week, and he couldn’t get past the trained alligator guards.”

Anastasia rubbed her forehead. “Fucking hell, this rivalry is only going to get worse when the twins arrive, especially considering he and Essence are their godparents.”

“Speaking of, can we discuss that? I’m completely onboard with Essence; she’s all-around wonderful, but Kano”—he stomped his foot—“he’s going to upstage me!”

“You mean like when you purchased a complete wardrobe of princess dresses for Kanon’s castle?”

“They came included in the price!” he shouted. Anastasia glared, and he huffed. “Yeah, Kano didn’t buy it either. I can’t help it though, Stasia! I simply adore her, and our teatime. She sends me my own personal invitations. I can’t go to such a personalized event in my everyday wear, and I also can’t expect her to wear the same dresses each week. She’s the host!” He rolled his eyes in agitation. “I will not apologize for being a thoughtful guest. I don’t care how much her father gives me the stare of death.”

She laughed. “And that makes you a great uncle and godfather. Just keep the same attitude once our little ones are born and Kano gets their first helicopter.”

Cayden’s eyes grew to the size of plates. “What?! He wouldn’t. I told him that was to be my first gift to them.”

Shrinking, she handed him a paper. “He already purchased three matching helmets.”

Reading the order, his eyes tinged briefly, and then he shook his head. Reaching out, he rubbed Anastasia’s belly again. “We can’t wait to meet two, but you better like me more than your huge faced uncle,” he muttered.



Entangled in one another, Phil looked deeply into Ericka’s eyes. The soft glow of the lights in the room made them look iridescent, while the lust in them made him want to reach for her again. She smelled of him, and the more he stared at her, the more he felt sure about his feelings.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” she asked nervously .

“You’re really beautiful, Eri,” he admitted. “Don’t tease me for being corny for what I’m about to say, but I meant it when I said you really catch me off guard. I don’t want you running away from me again, but you’re almost surreal.” He scrunched his face, trying to find the word. “It’s almost like your magi—”

“Don’t say that!” Ericka shouted, jumping upward from his arms. Tying her hair to the top of her head, she got dressed. “I told you I hate it when you say stuff like that to me,” she said angrily.

Standing, Phil grabbed the hoodie from her hand and shook his head. “I don’t understand you. You’re upset with me because I think you’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen? I mean come on, Ericka, tell me what I said that was so bad.” He rubbed her knuckles with the pads of his thumbs, feeling her slowly calm. “Sometimes it feels like you’re hiding something. I know you can clearly see how I feel about you. I couldn’t hide it if I tried.”

Ericka jerked her hands away and folded her arms to her chest. “Don’t say it, Phil… please,” she whispered.

He ran his hands through his hair in frustration. “Are you saying you don’t feel the same? That you don’t lo—”

“Please, don’t say it,” she whispered again.

Eyes gold, he let out an angry growl. “Then what can I say, Eri? Hm? Because everything seems to be wrong. I can’t tell you I think you’re stunning or that I’m crazy about you even though both are true. I’m honest and open with you, and you just make me feel insane. Some days you look at me like you feel the connection between us too, and then other days you can’t even look me in my eyes.”

Ericka’s hand shook as she extended it to him. “C-can you please just hand my hoodie back?” she asked.

He nodded. “Yes, after we finally have an honest conversation. I’m trying to understand, Eri, but I’m not a mind reader. I think you love me. Sometimes I swear I see it all over your face, but just as quickly it’s replaced with something I don’t understand.” He walked over and caressed her face. With his thumb on her cheek, he refused to let her look away. “I know you don’t want me to say it, and I don’t want to scare you, but I need you to know. Just like I need to know I’m not imagining what your eyes say when you look at me. What they’re saying to me right now.” He felt her body shake against him, and Phil watched an array of emotions clash in her eyes. “I love you, Ericka. I have for a while,” he said.

Ericka felt her heart break in half. Sobbing profusely, she pulled away from him. “I asked you not to say it,” she said through tears. The hurt that plastered itself on his face seemed to sear into her.

He looked up at the ceiling and nodded. “Right… that you did, sorry.” Handing her the hoodie, he quietly dressed and walked out the door. She held her chest as she fought through her violent tears. Quickly putting on her hoodie, she froze the moment her hands went inside the pockets.

“Oh, God…” she murmured as she pulled out the diamond ring hidden inside the left pocket. Closing her eyes, she laid the ring on the bed before rushing from the room.



“Y’all just don’t give a fuck about me trying to walk around presentable,” Brenda grumbled as she fluffed the curls in her hair. She huffed. “I get that we do some nasty stuff up in here, but I’m tired of leaving the room looking like Wanda from Holiday Heart.” Taking one more stab at her hair, she settled for the best she could do. “Okay, think I go—” Her words jumbled in her throat and fear lined her face. Staring at the large black diamond on her finger, she whipped around to see both Stephan and Fontaine smiling at her.

Stephan laughed. “That’s exactly how she looked when she first saw us, remember?” He scrunched his face, teasing her. “She said, ‘Fontaine, I like your-uh…’ it was funny as hell.”

Joining in the fun, Fontaine nudged him. “Hell yeah! And when she said, ‘as if I don’t already have a bite fetish’and our wife was telling the truth, she definitely does.”

“Yeah, but it’s cool with me. Marriage is all about give and take,” Stephan said, his face falling slightly when they both realized she was still staring in shock at the ring. Rubbing the back of his neck, he looked at her bashfully. “You know we were just teasing, right?”

Fontaine nodded. “Yeah, we just like how big your eyes get when we do stuff that makes you happy.” He looked from Stephan to her. “Um… Brenda?”

“Huh?” she said, finally coming out of her trance. Backing away from them, she shook her head. “T-this… I...”

“Hey, hey, hey,” Fontaine said, quickly grabbing her. Seeing the panic on her face, he beckoned Stephan over. “We really didn’t mean to freak you out.”

“Yeah, well, you did!” she said, laughing too loudly. “You two got me though, I’ll give you that!”

Stephan cocked his head back. “What? No, I think there’s been a misunderstanding. We were teasing you about the sex stuff, not about marriage.” His face reddened. “Fucking hell, we really messed this up. I know proposals are supposed to be serious—and we are serious—it’s just the way the three of us vibe, it made sense at the time. The jokes just kinda came out by accident.”

Fontaine’s face practically matched his, and he cleared his throat. “Look, can we start over? Go back to fussing at us about your hair—which looks really nice, by the way. Stephan, have you ever noticed how she always looks so”—he snapped his finger, trying to find the right word—“so...”

Stephan pointed. “Perfect? I was just thinking about that! Like I didn’t know what would come from under that sheet that day in the courtyard. I honestly was prepared for something from Night of the Living Dead, but this? Yeah, I want to grow old with this. Combined with the personality, I mean, how could you not fall in love?”

Brenda’s eyes enlarged, and Fontaine punched him in the arm. “You idiot! We were supposed to tell her we love her at the same time!” he shouted.

“I forgot, okay?! I’m nervous, and don’t fucking hit me while we’re proposing!”

“Fucking hell, we’re horrible at this!”

“I know!” Stephan screamed, and the two sat on the bed, their faces lined with exasperation.

Letting out a deep sigh, Fontaine shook his head. “Bren, what we’re trying to and horribly failing at saying is we’re both in love with you. Stephan and I have been friends since we were kids, but I think we can both say we would have fought like two bums over a sandwich if only one of us could be with you.”

Stephan smiled. “Yeah, but fortunately for us, that’s not the case.” They both stood and walked over to her, making her eyes grow even larger. “Kinda need you to say something here though. No pressure, but you’ve been staring at us like we’re mutants for a while now. At the very least, can you address the part about us loving you?”

Brenda looked from one to the other, then down to the ring. Unable to hold it in, she let out a loud sob, causing Fontaine to panic instantly.

“Fuck! Stephan, I’m not sure, but I don’t think that’s the right kinda cry. It didn’t look like that when Luna or Savina did it,” he said.

Hearing him, she shook her head and inhaled to calm herself. “No,” she said, refusing to look up. “To both things you said.” Raising her head, she instantly regretted looking when she saw the hurt in their eyes.

“To both?” Stephan asked her, “Even about loving us?”

She took the ring off her finger. “You’re both really sweet, and we had a lot of fun together, but this was really supposed to go a different way.” Her throat dried, seeing their hurt switch to anger.

Fontaine seethed. “Wow… fun… yeah… okay, then.” She started to speak, but he silenced her. “No need. I finally heard you,” he said. Kissing her on the cheek, he let out a small growl and stormed from the room.

Hands shaking, she tried to give Stephan the ring, but he just stared at her. “I-I didn’t mean to hurt you, either of you,” she murmured.

“Guess that’s the silver lining then, huh?” he said and chuckled sadly. “At least you didn’t mean it. I couldn’t imagine how terrible it would feel if you did.” Kissing her other cheek, he ran his fingers through his hair as he left the room.

Brenda jumped, hearing the door slam for the second time. Covering her mouth with her hand, she screamed into it until she heaved from crying. She laid on her bed and held herself tightly around her waist. Sensing Ericka enter the room, she folded her lips. Ericka laid beside her on the bed, and she whispered through tears, “I knew it was coming the night of the coronation. I felt our wolves connect and I know I should have stopped it, but I was already in love. I knew it would be bad, but I didn’t think it would hurt this much.”

“I know, me too,” Ericka said as she wiped her own tears. “His eyes. I’ll never forget the amount of pain in them.”

Nodding in agreement, Brenda turned her shaking body and buried herself under Ericka as she sobbed. “I-I was happy, Eri. Really, really happy.”

“Me too,” Ericka said and the two held onto one another and cried the entire night.