We go to the kitchen. Sam and I quickly figure out what to make. We decide on lasagna. We made a couple of different options while the others filled in those that stayed home.
Elena asks, “So why try food?”
I answered confidently, “Because you'll taste it now!”
Elena seeks clarification, “Because I'm not just a vampire now.”
I shake my head, “No, because I cooked it.”
Katie begins our dinner conversation, “So Egypt?”
I nod, “Yes, but home first for a bit.”
Vincent beams, “You said home, Eva!”
I shake my head, “Enough already!”
Vincent grins smugly, “Nope never!”
Sam chuckles, “Yes, Elena this is normal.”
Elena asks, “How'd you know I was going to ask that?”
Sam explains, “Eva gets the same look right before I tell her everything this fine.”
Katie exclaims, “You owe the jar!”
Vincent snarkily replies, “I'll tell you where you can stuff your jar!”
Katie giggles, “Oh you can but I'm far too tight for it to fit!”
Eric chuckles, “You walked right into that one!”
“I trained her well,” I answered in pride.
Katie winks, “Sure did, mistress.”
Vincent quirks his eyebrow, “Care to explain, my love?”
I shrug, “College.”
Eric smirks in amusement, “So the wallflower that lurked in the shadows carried a freak flag. Hmmm, someone has been holding out.”
“Sometimes it's better to feel than to see,” I say seductively as I sip my drink.
Vincent rubs his hands together, “Now that's an idea for later!”
Katie yells, “It had better be in your room!”
Sam sighs, “You know we couldn't help it during the full moon.”
Katie challenges him, “Oh you couldn't help it on the way back from the Pack House either, right?”
Eric sighs, “You know we tried as long as we could.”
Sam adds, “Be happy there was just one detour!”
“And we kept it under three hours!” Vincent cockily replies.
I know my face is red right now and I'm biting my lip. Elena asks Vlad, “They are talking about the Haze, aren't they?”
He nods and she continues, “How bad is it?”
Vlad runs his hand through his long black hair, “Like every cell in your body will burst if you don't find your release. Apparently, it's even worse during the full
moon.”
“Shit!” she exclaims.
Vlad sighs and nods. Artemis looks at him and asks, “Is that why there's a new door to the East Wing?”
Vlad smirks, “I kinda exploded the old one.”
Elena gasps, “You what?”
Vlad sighs, “I didn't know I was doing it until Eva calmed me down.”
Artemis looks at all of us in awe, “So much we need to learn.”
“She thinks it's linked to her being part wolf,” Elena tells him.
Artemis thinks for a second, “Is possible. We need to find out what you are now too, Elena.”
Elena nods, “We will! We share the same father.”
“Either he was a cheating bastard or had multiple mates as I do. Apparently they knew nothing of each other though. I'd need to see more or get something of his to really know for sure,” I say.
Sam explains, “Well there isn't wolf in Elena at least we don't think so. Maybe she needs her mate and the full moon to bring it out in her since she's not an Alpha but a Beta.”
Steven gasps, “The flower scent!”
Sam nods, “Yeah, Eva has it too but it's extremely intensified.”
Steven laughs, “Plus she bosses you all around!”
Sam snaps, “Zip it, Steven!”
“Sam! He's a part of this group. He has just as much say. If you don't like it take a walk to cool off!” I say as my eyes flare scarlet.
Vincent smirks so I glare at him, “Vincent!”
Vincent chuckles, “Sorry love, just amused he's getting chastised for once.”
“Keep it up and you can walk too!” I warn.
“Now I get why I could never get Vlad to see things my way,” Elena responds.
“What do you mean?” I ask her.
Elena explains, “Well I'd tell him that we needed to work together and he'd go off on his own. They work with you. You got them to stop and think by just saying their names. That never worked for me!”
Sam nods, “In a pack, much like any group, you have alphas, betas, and sometimes gammas in leadership roles.
The alphas have the final say but never should act alone. Those alphas that do tend to die quickly.”
Now it is Katie’s turn to explain, “Like our group, Eva and those idiots are the alphas because they're control freaks!”
I huff, “I just like order. I give up control when it suits me.”
Katie shakes her head, “Took you long enough after Victor is all I'm saying.”
I sigh, “I needed time to relish taking him down in style.”
Katie scoffs, “Not nearly two years!”
“Just stop!” I say with a laugh.
Katie giggles, “Nope, was a good thing that Vincent likes old things because he didn't mind dusting off your cobwebs!”
We laugh as I reply, “Oh dear sis, this thing might've needed dusting but it's so powerful it causes earthquakes!”
Katie gasps, “Shit I forgot about that!”
Artemis murmurs, “The southern half of this country didn't.”
“Really?” Elena asks.
Marcus answers, “Yes.”
Vlad adds, “I had to send a small group to augment the epicenter and those that reported it initially.”
Elena cocks her head at Vlad, “You weren't with her?” He shook his head no and she asked “Why?”
“Eva wasn't sure you'd understand. She didn't want to hurt you. So we fought against the pull and still are,” Vlad explains.
Elena asks, “What's the pull like?”
Vlad sighs, “You're only focus is her. You try to distract yourself but eventually you seek her out. Apparently during the full moon you can't fight it at all. The seasonal, like it is now, you can fight a bit.”
“Until you burn down steel and hardwood doors!” Artemis yells.
“Doors don't fare well in this group,” I reply.