They all appeared to be in a stalemate, yet my brothers wouldn't dare touch Alijah, who, while I was unaware, had already shown them how strong he was. However, that didn't stop them from growling at him while I tried to steady myself.
Ah... It won't matter if I add to it.
After all, I wouldn't let him do as he pleased anymore, even if antagonizing my brothers seemed fun. I wish I could've done that too. Maybe I could try to provoke them all. I stood my ground, snapping out of my emotions that threatened to drown me.
After all, arguing with Alijah was one thing that felt normal—something unchanging.
"Okay... it seems you've forgotten your place in the month you've been free from me." I shook away all the fears.
That look doesn't suit me at all. What's happening to my usual self that faces everything head-on? Come on, Rem! You're a fighter!
I used to be the girl who didn't stay quiet, no matter what anyone said to her.
Ah... this gloomy me doesn't do me justice.
"What?" Alijah mumbled.
I grabbed his ear, tugging it down to my level since he was much taller than I. This simple action, though, surprised my brothers and my wolf, who didn't swat me away. Even though the original bond was gone, I had one advantage: he would never hurt me.
No matter what I do, or so I think.
However, this time, he was free to do anything he wished, regardless of what I said or did. After pulling him down, I grabbed onto his cheeks, pressing my lips against his before sticking my tongue into his mouth.
It triggered a surprised moan to leave him as I tugged away.
"Maybe I should teach you who is the boss again." I licked my lips after I separated from Alijah.
He blinked at me for a moment before bursting out laughing and turning my cheeks pink. It was genuine, but the way his eyes glowed also showed annoyance. Grabbing me by my chin, he drew me close to his face as my brothers were frozen in time because of what I had done.
It must've shattered their image of me since I wasn't the innocent girl who left the manor all those months ago.
"Oh, silly luma, there you go, stirring me up again. What I would give to fuck you right here at this very moment." Alijah smirked.
His grip on me was gentle, even though his words were rough. The look in his eyes left me feeling like he would devour me right where I stood. Not that I minded it.
"But that'll make you cry, and I don't want that. So, I'll save this conversation for when we're in the room alone again." He huffed, pulling away and leaving my heart in a full flutter.
I kind of want you to wreck me right where I am.
When he grabbed my hand, I noticed my speechless brothers, snapping me out of that desire. Everything I said didn't affect Alijah, who acted normally. However, my brothers remained silent for the rest of the night.
The moment I stepped back into the dining room, Mom engulfed me in her arms.
"I'm so sorry. I can't fathom knowing your feelings about this, but you aren't alone. I need you to know that." She assured me.
"Yes, you aren't alone, Rem. No matter what happens, you are my baby girl and our daughter." Dad added, joining the hug.
"It's probably like saying nothing to this blockhead, but they are right. Before anything happens to you, I'd rather die." Shade huffed, licking her paw from my mom's shoulder.
After all, in their youth, they had to face similar things that tested their wills. However, they were right, I wasn't alone anymore. Vera ate quietly after our discussion and was right about everything she said.
Everyone around me loved and supported me, including Sophie, who was once the only friend I had. Sadly, we had grown apart when she got more involved with Cerberus, cutting our time short.
"We'll always be here for you, too." The black lycan reassured as the mother and father smiled behind her.
However, after dinner, everything got serious again when we congregated in the living room. Everyone discussed things I could barely follow, but from what I caught, Tania was going to bring someone to help me learn to use a blade. The same one Midnight had forged for us.
Dad was going to prepare the council for what was coming with Mom. It seemed I would need to accompany them when they were ready to receive me. Sadly, this was something Alijah wasn't looking forward to meeting the council. It seemed the elders had been pushing to meet him, but he had avoided them to remain by my side.
He still wished to avert it altogether, although they weren't the same people from his era. After Tania returned with my instructor, Uncle Ben would travel with her to find any information about Edna. Vera would work with Mom to see if they could track anything from the soul cairn.
Apparently, the witch had been using the realm for her benefit, and we just had to find the links for it. Aunty Amelia and Melody would hold the fort for us as they weren't fighters, while Uncle Liam and his daughter would help Dad with everything needed for Cerberus. Alijah would train Caden, Aiden, and me for actual combat, and Vera would join us.
She had proved a weak point during the fight with Midnight—a battle I didn't recall at all. It felt surreal even to think she could've slipped so badly that Mom placed her back into training with us, something she wasn't happy to hear.
Unlike other witches, Vera owned no grimoire, and no one knew why; however, they theorized it was due to the Lycan blood within her. The union from which Red Moon Lycan seemed to have formed a new subclass of witchcraft that didn't rely on a book for their casting prowess.
Like my mother, Vera could memorize a spell by reading it a few times—something I lacked, even though I couldn't cast regular spells either way. Unlike other witches, she didn't have to chant it to make it a reality, yet she still needed the sacrifice.
Plants, blood, anything living... You always carry a knife and ingredients in that pouch.
This was what witchcraft, also known as sacrificial magic, was. Hearing her have to train with us, under Alijah as our teacher, was quite a shock.
"This is unnecessary! Why do I have to swoop low?!" She stormed out of the house.
Sophie went after her, but they never returned before everyone called it a night. My sister probably went to blow some steam somewhere and didn't need an airship to travel. Though it worried me, she dragged Sophie along with her. I was almost passing out on Alijah's shoulder on the couch by the time everything ended.
Instead of getting annoyed with me, he let me use him as a bed while everyone worked out the kinks of what was to come. Though something important came up when…
"I have no idea how any of us will react to this red moon, especially you, Alijah." Dad voiced.
The last one he had experienced was when he rampaged through the town that held him captive.
"Oh, Fenris, I'll be fine as long as I have Rem with me." My wolf reassured us.
"I'm not sure if I'll be fine myself. Love your confidence." He sighed, shrugging.
However, Caden, Aiden, and I are the only real wild cards. Perhaps Vera, too, since none of us knew how anything would affect her either. During the last phenomenon, Dad lost control when he got his powers or blessings, as Midnight called them.
So, there was no telling how they would react to this blood moon. When everyone was done planning, Alijah helped me, who was drowsy, from the couch to my room. Somehow, my brothers didn't follow us this time. Even so, he locked the door again and turned on the sigil, pushing me face-first onto the newly tended bed.
My wolf pinned me down with one of his hands while his chest was on my back. Breaking out in cold sweat, I focused on the wall before me.
Uh Oh...
I surely wasn't sleepy anymore.