Neither Reed nor August broke eye contact. I could see how August held Diana in his arms. His wolf was on the surface. His eyes showed possessiveness and sincerity.
It was only nine in the morning, and I don’t know how many surprises were packed for the day. Diana looked shyly toward me for her rescue. I smiled and winked at her. Her cheeks reddened more if possible.
After god knows how long, Reed finally shook his head and said something incoherently. Something about the moon goddess and sprinted to his room, leaving all of us surprised. August didn’t break his sight until Reed closed the door behind him.
“You stupid idiot, you are choking her.” I slapped him on his arm to get his attention. August looked at me and then at Diana, and for a moment, his eyes softened. As if he didn’t believe how he could get something so precious.
He looked adorably at her as if he had already fallen for her. Diana blushed crimson red under his intense gaze. He pulled his arm away painfully slow, as if he did not want to.
I crossed my arms at him, tapping my foot on the floor patiently. “You are already scaring her,” I said, finally hugging Diana again.
August scratched his neck in embarrassment. “Umm… I guess I have to check on the borders,” he said and sprinted outside, not before glancing in Diana’s direction.
Diana looked like she could melt any second. She was already mesmerized by my brother’s charm. I cleared my throat, and she blushed again.
“Oh dear, welcome to the family.” My mom hugged her tightly.
“Mom, please leave her. You are already terrifying her.”
“Oh god, you must be hungry dear, let me make something for you.” With that, my mom ran towards the kitchen, completely ignoring me. That’s what happened when you suddenly found your daughter-in-law; you forget your own daughter. I shook my head at the thought and gazed back at Diana.
“Oh D, now we really are sisters.” I pulled her again into my arms before dragging her back to the couch to sit. She sat beside me.
“Why didn’t you tell me you had an elder brother,” she said, trying to be angry, but the color on her cheeks and the glint in her eyes failed her.
“Maybe, because you didn’t ask me.” I shrugged innocently. Suddenly, a thought crossed my mind. And I looked at her, surprised.
“You didn’t know he was your mate? You didn’t see him coming?” I asked in bewilderment.
She bit her lip and looked away shyly as if I had caught her mistake.
“I don’t know; I just didn’t see him coming.” She tucked her loose strand of hair behind her ear. “Even I tried to see again when he hugged me, but I saw nothing except feeling strange sensations from his touch.” Her cheeks turned bright pink, and I bit my lips, suppressing the giggles trying to escape my mouth.
“Those were the sparks,” I said, trying to explain. “Only your mate can have that effect on you just by his touch.”
“WHAT WILL YOU PREFER, DEAR, COFFEE OR TEA?” my mother hollered out from the kitchen.
“Anything, Mrs. Rockwood,” Diana replied softly. I could bet they would team up quickly in the future. I grinned as soon as the thought crossed my mind.
We ate in silence before again being interrupted by August’s arrival. He didn’t say anything but kept looking at her as a hungry wolf would look at his prey. Diana shifted on her feet in front of him. It was my time to laugh at both of their misery.
“Stop ogling her. You are making her uncomfortable,” I snapped at him and took Diana to my room, and closed the door behind us. She looked through the room before collapsing on the bed and visibly relaxed.
“Now, I know what happens to you in front of Reed.” She sighed. I laid down beside her, and in no time, we were giggling like schoolgirls.
“This is….” She opened and closed her mouth several times, searching for the appropriate word to describe her feelings.
“Intimidating?” She nodded and looked away shyly.
“I know,” I said and leaned on my hand beside her.
“Well, you are always welcome here, but tell me, what brings you home this time?”
Her posture changed within seconds; one moment, she was a shy and blushing young girl, and now her whole personality had changed, her expression cold and giving nothing away. She was back to being a witch.
“You talked to Hecate, right?” I nodded. Her eyes were alive with emotions. There was confusion, frustration, anger, and on top of that, worry. She looked lost, deep in thought.
“What did she say?” she asked after a momentary silence.
“Why did you give me the talisman knowing that it wouldn’t work?” I asked her instead, and for the second time, she looked away from me as if I had caught her mistake.
“I…” She opened and closed her mouth several times before finally speaking. “I want you to understand Reed first, to live with him and get to know him more. I don’t want you to make an opinion before you know him,” she said hurriedly as if she had wanted to tell me this for a very long time.
I nodded and remained silent. Maybe Diana was right. She already knew I would use the talisman two times. And god knows I was regretting it still now.
Diana looked through the room in awe, and I smiled. She was a witch and all, but she was still a teenage girl who was thrown into this madness unwillingly.
“Hecate said she wouldn’t attack our pack or any other packs. She wanted to talk to me in person.” She looked straight at me, hearing her name.
“And…” She pressed on the word to encourage me to tell further.
“And she gave me another talisman,” I said finally, and saying that Diana looked surprised would be an understatement.
Her face turned white as if she had seen a ghost. She tried to speak but soon closed her mouth, struggling for her words.
“I will not use it if you don’t want me to. Not now.” I tried to assure her, and she finally nodded in understanding.
“No, you should. It is inevitable; sooner or later you will know it,” she said, and her eyes fogged over. Then she smiled her delightful smile, and I knew cheerful Diana was back.
“I like your room,” she said finally. We giggled more before we were interrupted by a knock on the door. I smiled knowingly at Diana.
I was so sure that it was August standing on the opposite side of the door. He was desperate to talk to Diana. I signaled Diana to shut up and pushed her behind my closet.
I opened the door, and there he was, standing, leaning against the wall, looking nervous and excited at the same time like a school kid eagerly waiting for his crush. He looked past me, trying to search for her. I bit my cheeks to subdue the laughter.
It has been ages since I last messed with him.
“What do you want, August?” I tried to remain passive. He didn’t say anything and tried to search for her. I was standing at the door, blocking his way. After he was sure that there was no one in my room, he finally acknowledged me.
“Where is she?” he asked breathlessly, and I bit my lip to suppress the smile.
“Who?” I asked innocently. He narrowed his eyes but didn’t say anything.
“Your friend, Emmy,” he said, and I could feel the edge in his voice. “Diana.”
“Oh, she is out talking to Asher. Any message you wanted to give her?” August’s ears turned pink, and I smiled a toothy grin. August blushing was a sight for sore eyes.
He scratched his back in embarrassment and looked everywhere but me.
“Can you tell me more about her,” he said after a pause. His face was turning pink with every passing second. I put my hands on my hips and stared at him for a minute.
“She doesn’t like boys who mess with their sisters.” I stuck out tongue at him and closed the door at his face with a victorious smile.
“You shouldn’t have done that; that was very rude,” Diana commented, walking back from behind the closet. I rolled my eyes but didn’t say anything.
“You could have called me if you wanted to know about me and Hecate’s meeting. What is it, Diana?” I asked, voicing my thought which had been bothering me since her arrival. She already knew I would meet her and return safely, so why bother coming in person? She didn’t know August was his mate until now.
All the color from her face disappeared, and her body posture tensed, and I looked anxiously, trying to gather myself. Preparing for the worse.
“What is it, Diana?” My voice sounded harsher than I meant to. The silence was killing me.
She looked everywhere but me. She closed her eyes as if in pain. As if even saying it pained her.
“You…” She gulped, the bile rising in her throat.
“I…” This time, she looked straight into my eyes; her eyes filled with unshed tears. She held my hands and pressed them lightly.
“I saw your death, Emmy.”
“What?”
The world stopped for the second time in a day.