Eira’s POV
Thankfully, Alice came out from the kitchen and hugged me straight away, almost squeezing me to death.
"My love, you are finally here," she said, being so cheerful, and dragged me inside the kitchen. "See what my mom cooked. It’s my favourite, and she cooks it only on the next day of the Moon Festival. Taste it."
It was some old-fashioned traditional dish which was rarely available anywhere. I tasted it, and I could say it was my new favourite now.
"Isn’t it yumm?" Alice asked.
And I nodded quickly, my mouth full, my eyes brightening up with the lovely taste. Just as I swallowed, I said, "Aunty, I want to learn it as well."
Jennifer, still so beautiful for her age and hard to believe she had two big hunks like sons, offered me her usual most beautiful smile one could see. "Sure, dear."
She carried a true motherly warmth. Alice and her brothers were so fortunate.
"You two can start arranging the breakfast table," Jennifer instructed.
I liked it that she treated me like family and not like a guest. I started working with Alice. As we arranged the dishes on the table, Alice came close to me.
"What’s this?"
I looked at her, and she pulled the neckline of my top down. "Your skin..."
I moved back immediately, startled. How sharp her eyes must be, damn.
I collected myself quickly under her doubtful gaze. "There were mosquitoes last night in my room as I left my window open. I am allergic to their bites."
"Mosquitoes or just a mosquito, huh?" she asked, her eyes narrowing at me, her hands folded in front of her chest like a strict teacher enquiring her student.
"You have a boyfriend, right? And yesterday was a Moon Festival... so you two..."
"Alice, it’s not like that..." I interrupted her before she could reach some absurd conclusion.
Damn! I was caught. But I had to deny it. We had not yet decided on revealing it to anyone. I could feel the gazes of the other five on me. Alice was loud enough to alert their hearing senses.
"You have a boyfriend?" A familiar voice came through. "Whoa! What a great news! Congratulations, Eira."
Sophia. Top to bottom covered in high brand things. A stylist top, paired with mini skirt, knee length long leather boots in high heels and jewellery.
No wonder Alice always called her - Brand Factory.
And Damn, she had to hear it of all people. Now everyone would know about me having a boyfriend.
I shook my head to deny, but before that Alice stepped between us.
"What are you doing here, Sophia?" Alice asked, her tone displeased. Clearly, she wasn’t invited.
Meanwhile, I looked at him for a moment to know what he must be thinking. But he was calm. I let out a sigh of relief.
"Oh, I got to know Kael was here, so I came," she replied and looked at Kael. "Aunt told me."
He didn’t reply or react, as if unbothered with what she did.
"This bitch always comes sniffing here, as if a dog, not a wolf," Alice whispered to me. "And her sniffing always ends here, forcing us to bear with her nonsense. Bitch."
I smiled lightly, as Alice never liked having Sophia around but tolerated her for the obvious reason. Kael’s and his mother.
"Kael, what did you do for the Moon Festival?" we heard Sophia ask him as she settled in the chair, keeping her expensive branded bag on the table. "And you four as well."
"Slept!" all five of them replied together.
"With each other," Lucian added. "As no she-wolf is worth sleeping with."
Damn! That was a tight slap for her, as she was considered the most desirable. Her face twisted for a moment, but she smiled. "You friends are unique."
An usual way to get over her insult.
Alice chuckled. "Thank God I am their sister, so their words never hurt me." Then she looked at me. "Don’t feel bad. You are like a sister to them as well, so those words are not for you."
I hummed quietly as I thought, ’Sister? Maybe to other four, but to him. After the last night, we are close to being mates now.’
"Are you two done yet?" Jennifer’s voice came through.
"Yes, Mom," Alice replied, and we hurried to work.
All of us had breakfast together, enjoying the talk, but Sophia had to dig up what was buried.
"So who’s your boyfriend, Eira?" she asked. "What does he do?"
I almost felt choked with the food in my mouth. Alice patted my back and handed me water. I could feel all of their gazes on me. Damn! What should I do now?
I had a few sips. "Just someone you don’t know."
"Oh, so you indeed have a boyfriend," Sophia pressed on. "So did you spend the Moon Festival with him? Well, I hope you do remember you are still a minor..."
I looked back at her, my gaze displeased. This time she was clearly crossing her boundaries. "I don’t find it necessary to tell anything to anyone."
"Oh! I was just curious..." Sophia tried to explain, as no one asked Eira anything either.
"I think you should focus on eating, Sophia," Alice said. "It’s not every day my mom cooks it."
I had my head lowered, eating quietly.
Jennifer must have sensed my awkwardness, so as she served more soup in my bowl, she said, "It’s totally alright to keep your matters private."
I looked at her. She smiled and said, "Eat well. As Alice said, I don’t cook it always."
I smiled back. "Thank you, aunty."
Jennifer looked back at Alice. "I wished my daughter had something to keep private as well."
Alice turned to Jennifer. "Mom. I could have, but I can’t, thanks to you."
"What did I do?" Jennifer asked.
"You are the one to bless me with such two devil-like brothers who won’t let any boy wander around me. I wasn’t even allowed to attend the Moon Festival. If this continues, I am sure I will spend my life alone, mateless, and being an old nanny of my brothers’ kids. Such is my life."
It made others smile. She was always this drama queen, and we loved her for this.
"You can have a mate, but after a few more years," Lucian said.
"And only the one we approve of," Jason added.
She sighed helplessly. "That guarantees my eternal bachelorhood."
(Flashback Over)