Chapter 53: EJ

*****EJ’s perspective*****

It has been three weeks since the battle with Khenzu. We have moved into the packhouse. It was kind of cool. I got to play with the other kids. My dad had guards around me all the time, the only downside to him being Alpha. I occasionally trained the guards. I was pretty sure I could take them. Plus I kept them on their toes.

The council meeting is tomorrow and Aunty Rose would be taking me. It is my first official meeting. There is a lot I want to discuss. As the new king, I also get to make laws. I am going to throw in a funny one for all the kids, but mostly the laws will be serious and have serious consequences if broken.

Mom says I will start school in a month. I am looking forward to that. I have never been to a real school, always home schooled by grandma, grandpa, and poppop. But they all died. It has been hard for mom, but I think she is finally getting past it, sort of. I know we will always be sad, but I will remember all the happy times we had together.

The council meeting was going very good. I was having fun. They liked my new laws, even the silly one about kids getting to have ice cream for breakfast. I told them that we serve those we rule over and that all laws should benefit the majority. They really liked that. And then the meeting was interrupted.

The moon goddesses appeared before us.

“You have done well, young EJ.” They said in unison.

“Thanks.” I said.

“Now you have a great responsibility.” Selene said.

“You ate our brother’s heart.” Cecelia said.

“You are even stronger now.” Celeste stated.

“Okay,” I said.

“You will start getting powers over this coming year. And you can now travel between realms with just a thought.” Selene said.

“Do I have to travel?”

“You do not, but it could be beneficial.” Celeste said.

“Taylor and Phoenix can train you when your powers begin to emerge,” Cecelia said.

“But we can train you also. Maybe better than your friends.” Selene stated.

“I will ask Taylor and Phoenix first,” I said.

“Very well, we will visit again when the time is right.” They said in unison. And then they left.

The other council members were still in shock. The looks on their faces were funny and I laughed. That snapped them out of it. We continued our meeting, but everyone kept interrupting me and asking questions. We got off track a few times, but I was able to bring us back on track. When the meeting was finished, Aunty Rose took me home.

*****Shawn’s perspective*****

All the funerals were done. We set up a widow’s and orphan’s fund to help them. We finally got everything settled at the packhouse. Zach and the guys had moved back to the Barnette estate. Kyle moved into the packhouse with us. Strix was still a little off but better. EJ was a bundle of energy just waiting to be unleashed on someone. He told us about the council meeting and said he wanted to do at least one a month. He asked if it would be okay with us in case he has to miss school to accommodate everyone on the council. Strix wasn’t very happy about him missing school, but we talked about it and decided it would just be one day a month, maybe two at most. We did tell him to try to schedule meetings on Saturdays but if an emergency meeting needed to take place on a school day we were okay with that.

We had decided to do a family game night once a week. We played Life, Sorry, and Monopoly this week. Scarlett won Life. EJ won at Sorry. And Scott won Monopoly. It was nice having everyone together. Eva would be coming back to attend school here and would be staying at the estate. We were all still getting used to life without our parents. It was hard at times. EJ though, he was a champ. I heard kids are resilient, so I guess it is easier on him. He seems almost unphased by it all.

Once a week I do a family check-in, Nathan Morgan helps me. We check on each of the Barnettes and Zack to make sure they are coping okay. Then I check on EJ. EJ says we need to stay strong for mom and that he is fine, a little sad but fine. The Nathan and I check on Strix. She doesn’t say much to me, just “I love you” and “I’m doing okay”. That’s all I get from her. But she does talk more with Nathan. I guess he has always been her go to when she needed to talk to someone. I totally get it. He is very easy to talk to. I talk with him also. I have told him he can tell Strix what we discuss. I am worried about her.

EJ starts school soon. I have scheduled extra guards for the school. He is going to hate me for that but he needs to be protected, even if he can defend himself. With him being king and son of the Alpha, he will need the extra security measures. I knew he had made a law saying that supernaturals are to be united as one, but I also knew that not every supernatural is going to agree with that. There’s going to be a lot of fighting. I’m not sure if EJ can handle it all on an emotional level.

*****EJ’s perspective*****

After the games, we went to bed. I was having a pretty good dream until it turned into a nightmare.

Mom had inherited a convertible. She took me out for breakfast. While we were at the restaurant, we ran into someone who said he knew poppop.He talked about the work he and poppop did on the car, how they customized it and stuff. Then he asked for a ride. Mom said sure we could give him a ride. I had an uneasy feeling as we all got in the car. I sat behind mom and put my seatbelt on. The guy said he needed to use the restroom real quick, could we wait. Mom said sure, we were not in a hurry. A few minutes after the guy left another one appeared. He just got in the car and started talking about the car. He said it was his and he had sold it to poppop. Mom asked him to get out of the car but he wouldn’t leave. The first guy came back and got in the car and the second guy got in the back with me. They both were telling mom that they wanted the car. Mom told them it was hers now and they needed to leave. The second guy leaned forward and whispered into moms ear. I didn’t catch what he said. Mom got out of the car and was arguing with the second guy. He took out a knife and threatened her. She got her phone and called nine one one. All she was able to say was help please before she dropped her phone. The first guy got in the driver seat and watched them. The second guy put the knife to mom’s neck. She looked at me and said close your eyes, baby. Just close your eyes.

That’s when I woke up screaming. Dad, Mom, and Kyle came rushing into my room. They looked like they were ready for war. I laughed and told them it was just a bad dream, sorry to wake them. They each gave me a hug and went back to bed. I went back to sleep. In the morning, I told them about my dream.

After breakfast, Mom and I watched some TV. I laid my head on her lap and I heard it. Mom had three heart beats. I looked up at her.

“Mom, I’ll be right back, I have to talk to dad really quick.”

“Okay,” she said.

I ran to Dad’s office.

“Dad, I think Mom is pregnant.”

“What? Why do you think that?”

“She has three heart beats.”

“Are you sure? Let’s go check again.”

We went back to Mom. Dad asked if he could listen to her belly. She laughed and said sure. Dad’s smile went from ear to ear as he listened.

“We need to go see the pack doctor. You’re pregnant!” He exclaimed.

“No way, again. I just had EJ like five months ago.”

“I’m going to be a big brother, yea!”

We left to go see the pack doctor.

Mom was pregnant with twins.