Charlie and Ella 6

Charlie POV:
All things that I thought would happen I didn’t really expect my father to have my back in such a way and I didn’t expect my mother to become a reformed saint. She did her best to make peace with my wife and try to find good in the situation.

I could still tell that she was mad at certain things. I knew she wanted James Home, but I don’t think she had much say in the subject.

I saw her waiver and get frustrated with my wife from time to time wanting to correct her and snap, but my father was always looming like a shadow waiting for my mother to slip up. I couldn’t blame him she crossed the line she had forced us to do the unthinkable.

I didn’t realize what it was like for him to lose out on that memory, here we were and I saw the way that it pulled at him. I felt horribly guilty for the pain I had caused him but I still couldn’t find regret in my heart I was married to the woman I loved. Nothing could take that away from me.

Today though I was sure nothing, not even my wife could dampen my mother's spirits. Theo was coming home, she would have another child of hers to push around and that would make the world brighter.

Theo was always the best when it came to people, he knew what to say and do to get them to calm down. That’s why when he and Cea sprung their engagement on everybody it went over so smoothly. I remember the way my parents smiled so proudly on his wedding day. I hated it but a part of my heart stung with jealousy.

My father had convinced me to do a second ceremony so that the people of our pack could celebrate and join in that way would be more official to them. Of course, they all knew already but none of them really acknowledged it. How could they? I had done it behind their back and I was supposed to be their alpha the only way to make it right was a second ceremony.

Ella was all for it, she got to invite her parents and her friends from her old pack. When I realized I would get to see my sister and made it a little bit easier.

It was still odd the way that Home felt different now that not all of us were here. I didn’t know what it would be like to see her come here husband by her side, baby on her hip, when the last time she was here, she was just a teenager.

Things tend to move quickly in our world sometimes it still shook me to my core. Theo would come home and we would let him adjust before we started the planning process. Ella was learning from my mother now along with our beta on how to run things.

My sister, it’s been her whole life, knowing that she was going to be a Luna so she had been trained many things on how to run a pack, how to lead. Ella was only a warrior and a healer. She didn’t know how to do that. She didn’t know how to make sure we had enough food for winter and how to talk to people and get them through things. And she just didn’t say the right thing when it was necessary.

For once in my life, I had somebody who understood who knew what it was like to try and fit into that mold when you weren’t made for it. We struggled, but we struggled together and it made it easier having someone there side-by-side. We could help bolster you and listen to you.

I now Understood why my sister defended her husband to the hilt. She will always be there for him, and he would always be there for her, having a relationship like that now there wasn’t a thing I wouldn’t do for my wife.

We were still in that honeymoon phase of enjoying, waking up together and seeing each other I couldn’t get enough of her face of her smile of her laugh I wondered if there would ever come a time when I would be.

They had kept Theo there for a little bit longer, just to make sure that he was in tiptop shape before sending him back home. It was a long journey for someone who had just woken up from a coma.

I was getting dressed, and I could still picture my brother bloodied and battered underneath that gremlins fist. Instead of staying there like I normally would, my wife came over and wrapped her arms around me, didn’t have the bond, but she knew exactly what was in my head.

“He’s home do not focus on it,” she reminded me.

I nodded and finished buttoning up my shirt, I don’t think I’d ever be able to forget that day. It changed to we were and made me into the man who didn’t care what my mother had to say. I married my wife when I did because life was too short and you didn’t know what villains were around the corner.

We had it downstairs and waited for the car to come around. People were gathering around our house like they always did when big things happen. He was returning home with triumphant hero, and once again that moment flashed into my head the moment where I didn’t know if he was alive or dead. None of them were there. None of them knew what it was like, but they cheered him anyways.

I wondered if they knew what he had been through as hard would they be more sympathetic? Would they be quiet when they saw his face and the bruises and marks still on there or would he look just like he always did. Our alpha blood did a good job masking the pain that we had endured, we never scarred, we never broke, but we had hurt.

My mother jumped up and down and squealed a little bit when she saw that black SUV coming down the drive. My father even showed off a bright grin. Spite myself and the war inside my head I couldn’t help but smile as well. He was home. He was healthy. That was all I cared about. Ella held my hand tightly and I could tell she was excited too, he was now her brother after all.

The door opened and cea came out first she carried herself differently, the party girl who had smart mouth and a dirty mind was much more solemn. Then came my brother, a few bruises and a cut here and there but he was far better looking then when we had left him.

Cea held his hand and watched him like he would disappear as he turned and waved to everyone who wooped and hollered for him. He was different too, now I think he knew he was indestructible.

My mother hurried down the steps and threw herself around him, crying, shaking with her happiness. Theo patted her back and told her was alright but still she sobbed. I did understand my mother when I think about all the things she had to endure watching her kids go through all this without being able to help. It almost made me feel bad for her, but she’d made it all that more harder too.

Eventually, Theo untangled my mother’s arms from around his neck and headed up the stairs, grabbing his wife’s hand again. I saw that flash of fury come across my mother’s face, but she pushed it down.
Patted his arm and said something to him, I couldn’t tell the way he’d behave anymore.

He walked up to my father who gave him a hug, told him he was proud of him, and that he was so happy he was home. My brother turned to me and gave me that same grin he had before he had stolen our fathers car for joyride into town when he was fifteen.

“I go unconscious for one week and you think it’s a good idea to elope. Remind me never to leave you unsupervised again,” he clapped me on the arm before we met in a bear hug.

I thought to myself I hope he never did leave me again. I was nothing without my family, especially my siblings.

He backed away from the hug and turned to my wife. “Mrs. Maloria you must understand you’re too beautiful for my brother you could have done way better,” he jabbed me before hugging her.

Cea bounced over taking her away from Theo. “Finally another sister oh this perfect I won’t be alone!” She squeaked.

Ella was wide eyed with her warm welcome from her new siblings. I gave her that it must have been a change of pace from my mother.

We went inside to settle in and I hoped that this meant we were on the right track, that Ella and I would have our ceremony and once that was over it wouldn’t be so bad anymore. Our house would be filled with love and laughter again.