"Come, guys. What have you eaten? I will tell a maid to bring food over for you," Mia said and walked the trio to the dining room.
"Before I forget, where's Cade?" Mia asked as they walked to the table.
"I do not know," Steph said, shrugging her shoulders.
"Do not be so nonchalant, Steph," Rain said, smacking at her arms.
"What? Has it not been a while since he has been with us? It has just been the three of us since Mia left, " Kal added, expressing their displeasure at Cade.
They all sat while a maid walked over to take their orders.
"I will be back in a while, my ladies." The maid bowed curtly and walked away to the kitchen.
Mia and the rest sat on their respective seats, chattering above each other, trying to get Mia to listen to them first.
"Guys, you do not have to be on each other's throats to talk to me. I am here, am I not? And besides, we still have till Mother's birthday, we can still have whatever fun we want to," Mia stated to the three who were still on each other's throats.
The food was brought over by the maid, and they all settled to eat, still chattering with each other.
"Alright. guys. Where do you want us to go? What fun do you want us to have together?" she asked, rubbing her palms against each other excitedly.
"How about we go camping, Mia? We should go to the outskirts like we used to before and have fun," Kal said, popping up with an idea.
"No, that is not a good idea. Have you not heard about wolves being killed in large numbers every night?" Steph argued, rejecting Kal's idea.
"We can have fun on the island, guys. A lot of people are coming for Mother's birthday, which gives us more people to spend time with," Rain chipped in.
Mia nodded in agreement with what Rain said. The two others also nodded in agreement.
"Alright, guys. I will be back in a while. I just want to change and see if Alex needs anything," Mia said, standing up from the dining chair, heading to the bedroom.
"Our regards to the alpha of the crystal moon pack," Cade said, walking into the dining room, making the group of five finally complete.
"Cade, for how long have you been there?" Kal asked?
"You all were so engrossed with your little chattering that you did not notice my presence," he stated.
Kal and Steph shrugged, paying no attention to Cade, who was walking in.
"What's up, guys?" He said to Kal and Steph, trying to ease the stern look on their faces.
"We are not going to buy your slyness, Cade. For goodness sake, where have you ever been since Mia got married? You have always been busy, too busy to even make time for us, Cade. Who does that?" Kal vented to Cade, not giving him the chance to speak.
"I know, guys, but I have been busy, and things are not easy on my end. I have a lot of work to deal with," he explained, sitting on the chair beside Kal, throwing his arm around her neck.
"You see, guys. He has been busy. I trust that Cade never to desert you guys, " Mia chipped in, walking back to the table.
"I bet he has not been busy," Rain spat, not giving in to his excuse.
Steph reclined into the chair, putting on a stoic expression.
"Why are you not saying anything, Steph?" Cade questioned, trying to get her attention.
"Because you annoy me, Cade. I want to hold you in my arms and choke you until your eyes bulge out from their sockets," Steph said through gritted teeth, holding her hands out to choke the air.
"I will leave you guys to your arguments," Mia announced, turning on her heels and striding to the staircase before afding, "I will be going to check on my husband."
"I hope you return in one piece and not covered in sweat and something milky," Rain teased, and the rest of them laughed, joining Rain to torment Mia.
"You are all crazy!" Mia blushed, raising her hands in mock surrender and jogged up the stairs.
Mia stopped jogging when she reached her room door. Pushing the room door open, her eyes fell on Alex, who was already awake. He sat on the bed lazily, his back against the headboard.
"You are awake," Mia said, waltzing into the room. "I-"
"How are you friends?" Alex inquired, interrupting the words about to come out from her mouth.
"Um, they are fine, " Mia replied, "How did you know they are here?" she asked, puzzled.
"A maid came into the room and told me you were with your friends in case I was looking for you, besides I can hear your loud chattering right from here," he patiently answered her questions.
"Oh, okay." She lifted her brows and got a paid of clothes out of her dresser, and changed into them.
"I will be going out with my friends, and I hope you will be fine. With that," Mia said as though asking for his approval.
"I will follow you down to see them, and you can leave," he stated and got up the bed to walk to the closet as well.
They both changed into another set of clothes and walked down the stairs to meet the friends when Mia's eyes sighted her cousin.
"Zayn!" Mia screamed out loud, leaving Alex by the walkway, running to meet Zayn, who was walking into the room with a box in his hands.
" Mia!" Zayn exclaimed and ran up to meet her. They both met halfway, and Zayn held her in his arms, engulfing her in an embrace.
"How have you been?" Mia said, still in Zayn's arms.
"I have been fine, Mia. What about you, how've you been?" He questioned and then pinched her cheeks, saying, "Look how beautiful you have become."
"You have become more dashing, Zayn. Look at how handsome you have become," she commented, holding on to his arms.
Alex stood by the walkway watching the drama unfolding. A dangerous aura surrounded him as though a volcano was about to erupt when he saw Zayn's hands on Mia's waist.
Steph took a look at Alex from where she sat and saw that there was a fore brooding danger from his gazes at Mia and Zayn.
"Mia," she called out to her, distracting the duo's moment of meeting. "Can I get a glass of water?"