Chapter 36: Brothers

Chapter 36: Brothers
Sydney
“What?” Silas keeps trying to look at his own back.
“Goddess, help me. I think his ceremony fired his damn brain.” I raise my head to plead with Selene herself. Watching him, I let out a sigh. “You look ridiculous. Stop it.”
“Well, you said I had a star. I want to see it. Take a picture with your phone.” He spins around, and I swear Bram’s tail is out wagging.
“Yeah, this damn dress has a place for pockets. I’ll do it later, but we seriously need to figure this out.” I pinch his arm to bring him out of his happy daze.
“Ouch!” Silas rubs his arm. “What the hell.”
“Silas! Focus!” My temper is starting to show.
“OK. I’m sure it’s just part of the connecting pattern, and it doesn’t mean anything.” Silas waves me off.
“I don’t think it’s part of the connecting pattern. I don’t know what it means if it means anything.” I sigh and turn him around to take a good look at his mark. It is pretty cool with the dark background and realistic clouds. No matter how I looked at it, I just knew that the star meant something; I just wasn’t sure what. I trace my fingers over his waning crescent. Silas’ skin is warm, and he flinches at my touch.
“Hey, we are not deep enough in the woods for you to be touching my marks like that.” He turns around and pulls me close. I feel his breath on the crook of my neck before he inhales deeply. “I’ll never get sick of your scent.” I’m still not entirely used to having someone attracted to me.
“Alpha, Lumiere, everyone is looking for you.” Kyler mind-linked us.
“We will be right there,” I answered back.
“We’ll have to talk to Alpha John and Alpha Gideon later about this.” I can see the disappointment in Silas’s eyes but now is not the time or place. Silas releases me, and I quickly turn and head back to the packhouse. I feel Silas go for my hand, and I pull away before he can grab me.
Maybe it’s the lingering effects of my heat, but when he touches me, even in the most non-sensual way, I feel… weird. I hear inaudible grumbling behind me, but I don’t stop. During my heat, I didn’t feel like myself at all. When we are together, just the two of us, I get all giggly and say whatever’s on my mind, and it makes me feel like I have a personality disorder.
I rush back to the packhouse, and Silas is a half-step behind me. The party had just started, so we slipped back in, but Silas and I were hard to miss. “Alpha Syd, Lumiere Silas, just the two we were all looking for.” Alpha Conor shouts while raising his glass.
“Son, I mean Lumiere Silas. Let’s see that new mark of yours.” Silas’ dad David Sr. roars and slaps Silas on the back. I’ve never really seen Silas wince before, but he did when his dad slapped his back. I look, and there’s a giant handprint on his back.
“Oh, honey, stop. He’s a grown male with a mate and a pack now.” Christine Silas’ mother playfully slaps her mate. “Oh, my baby is all grown up now. Soon you will have a family mark and make me a grandma again.” She pinches Silas’ cheek, and I hold in my laughter.
“Mom, Dad! Stop, I’m a Lumiere now, seriously. You didn’t act like this when Davy or Cody took their positions.” Silas grumbles to his parents.
“But… but.. you left home, and you’re my little baby.” I can see tears well up in Christine’s eyes.
As I watched the exchange, I could see where Silas got his personality and looks from. Christine was honestly the quintessential sitcom mom. A modern June Clever, I swear she smells like chocolate chip cookies. She was in contract with her Mate, David Sr. He looked like those guys who compete in strong man competitions. If I didn’t know any better, I would say he was a bear, not a wolf.
“Come on, little brother, come, have a drink with your brothers. Let mom spend some time with her new daughter.” Davy Silas’ eldest brother came up and put him in a headlock. Cody, the middle brother, just glared at me like I was an unwanted guest.
“What’s his problem,” I murmured under my breath. To be honest, it was odd watching these families exchange. I still didn’t know how to interact with them.
“Oh, it’s so nice they always got along so well. Now tomorrow, you must show me the rest of the pack territory. Oh, my grandbabies are going to be Alphas.” Christine grabbed my arm as she started to walk over to some chairs nearby. David Sr. slipped away to speak with Beta Lucas. I really needed to talk to Alpha John.
“Christine, I would be more than happy to show you around the pack tomorrow, but I need to speak to Alpha John for a moment if you don't mind.” I could see the disappointment in her eyes, and I froze. “I promise I will spend the whole day with you.”
Her delicate features glowed with a smile. “Remember your promise, dear.” She patted me on the shoulder and walked away. I feel like I was just coned.
I make my way through the crowd exchanging quick greetings as I make my way. I found Alpha John talking to Alpha Conor.
“Alpha John, Alpha Conor, thank you both for all you have done so far to help my pack and me. I will forever be in your debt.” I bow to show my respect to my elder Alphas. They both come from long lines of Alphas. Only in their and Alpha Gideon’s presence did I ever feel intimidated.
“Alpha Sydney! No need to be so formal! Our packs our bound by blood now. We are family.” Alpha Conor’s cheerful demeanor was always refreshing. He was the least stuffy Alpha I had ever met.
“Yet another reason I am grateful to you.” Even though someone tells you not to be formal, it feels odd not to be. “Alpha John, do you happen to have a moment? I have a matter I need your assistance with.”
“Well, I’ll be moving along then. I think my Luna needs to dance anyway.” Alpha Conor raises his glass as he walks away. I think he’s feeling his drink more than most.
“Alpha Sydney, what seems to be troubling you this time.” Alpha john Raises an eyebrow, and I feel like a nervous teenager for some reason.
I take a breath and calm my nerves a bit. I look around, and no one is paying us any attention. “Alpha John, did you see Silas’ Lumiere mark?”
“I didn’t get a close look; no, is there a problem?” Alpha John leans in closer. He looks around as well. Bringing up abnormal marks can cause panic; he knows this all too well because of his daughter.
“Grandpa up!” Out of nowhere, Daisy Alois tugs on Alpha John’s pants. He picks up the little girl, and she latches on to her grandfather like a Koloa Bear.
“Please continue.” Alpha John acts like it’s no big deal, and I guess it’s really not. She’s just a kid and an Alpha’s daughter at that.
“There’s a star next to the waning crescent,” I whisper as low as possible.
“I like stars. They are pretty.” Daisy coos as she plays with Alpha John’s tie.
“They are pretty.” He kisses the little girl on the top of her head. “I’ll have to take a look at it. It may mean nothing, but I don’t know. I’ll have to research stars on ruling marks and see if this has happened before.”
“Grandpa, why are some stars brighter than others?” The kid was cute, but she kept butting in. I can’t criticize how the Ashwoods and Alois educate their children. I was raised that pups should be seen, not heard. My mother always seemed in a panic with ranked pack members were near me, hiding me behind her and telling me not to say a word.
“Stars are giant balls of gas burning billions of miles away. Some are big, some are small, and some. Some are close while others are really far away.” John bounced the little girl as he answered. It was odd that he seemed like an ordinary grandfather.
I exhaled a breath and decided to join in on the education of stars, hoping that I could move the conversation along. “Did you know if you are ever lost, you can use the stars to get home? A long time ago, sailors and explorers used the stars to navigate.”
“So, stars can help someone find their way home?” Daisy’s bright green eyes sparkled. “I’m going to go find Rose.” Alpha John put the little girl down, and she turned and smirked at me. I had this feeling like she knew something I didn’t.
“I think there are too many people around to discuss this tonight. Let’s met in your office in the morning.” Alpha John looked around, and people were starting to hoover, waiting for a chance to talk to the Alpha. He was right. Our time had passed.
“Yeah, that’s all we can do. I’m going to go find my Lumiere.” I bowed my head and excused myself.
“Alpha Syd.” Elder Pearl stopped me and bowed.
“Elder Pearl, I hope you are enjoying yourself tonight.” I smiled. Pearl’s scent of herbs with a strong forward note of sage claimed my mind.
“It’s a lovely celebration.” She took my hand in hers, clasping both of her around mine and squeezing. I know she wanted to give me a hug but didn’t out of respect for the environment. “You both shinned like the moon and the stars tonight. I’m so thankful the goddess bonded the most complementary match for our pack.”
I’m frozen. Maybe I’m just a bit more sensitive to anything to do with the moon and stars because of the Lumiere mark. I smile awkwardly at best and swallow hard. Did Pearl know something? “Thank you. I’m actually looking for Silas right now.”
“Well, don’t let me hold you up too long, child.” Pearl let go of my hand, and I continued looking for Silas in a slight haze. My mind ran through the best and worst cases scenarios.
“Shut up, Cody.” I hear Silas snarl from the game room. I stop right outside the door.
“What are you, the little bitch’s, bitch now?” Cody mocked Silas. My blood started to rise.
“Cody, if you forgot, I outrank you now, so I mean it when I say shut the fuck up.” I could feel Silas using his Lumiere aura. It was quite hot.
“Uhhh… You!” I could tell Cody was fighting it. By the way, his breathing was labored.
“Cody, bro, seriously knock it off. You are not just Silas’ brother but the Gamma of our pack. So as your Beta, I’m telling you to stop now.” It sounds like Davy is stepping in.
“Grrrrrr…” A low, defiant growl vibrates the door. “Don’t you start too? What’s your problem. The girly Alpha has your balls in her purse too?”
*Crash* I smell blood. I wait, but every second, my rage is burning.
“You’re still the little brother. Just because you’re the Man-Luna of this shit pack, don't think that you better than us.”