Sleep doesn’t come. When Aizen pokes my cheek, I’ve gathered everything that came over me last night and buried it deep down. I just have to remember that this isn’t about me. They’re shifters, and I don’t want to continue thinking about how things. would end if they shifted out of the blue. I would have freaked.
“Morning, momma,” he says sleepily.
“Good morning, my love,” I smile.
“Where’s D.A.D.?” Ayrie pats the spot he was in when she fell asleep.
“Why don’t we go looking for him after you brush your teeth and get ready for the day?”
“Okay,” she nods and turns away to go back to sleep.
“Looks like you’re first, buddy,” I tell Aizen.
I lift him and allow him to do his thing independently. When he’s done with his business, he comes out to ask for his toothbrush. Aizen has never liked me pampering him. He never really cried as a baby. Something always had to be very wrong for him to cry. He doesn’t mind letting Ayrie have all the attention and sulks when it’s on him.
“She should sleep more,” he says when he’s done brushing his teeth.
“What about you?” I ask taking his clothes off so I can change him.
“I sleep. Ayrie sometimes has nightmares. Chocolate Sprinkles helps her,” he takes his T–shirt out of my hand to put it on himself.
She does have nightmares and she’s very skeptical around new people. Not everyone. Just certain people she calls “the bad people“. Ruin was one of them. It’s the biggest reason why I never let him too close. She didn’t seem skeptical about Knight in the slightest. I understand now, that maybe she senses something the rest of us can’t in people. A tap at the door has my stomach in somersaults.
“Stay with her,” I say tying his shoes.
“Yes, momma,” he crawls back over to her. I open the door fully expecting Knight to be standing there but to my mostly pleasant surprise, it’s Grandma Shark.
“Good morning,” she greets me. “Am I too early?”
“Not for Aizen,” I wave her in. She tiptoes in and excitedly goes over to him. “Good morning, handsome boy,”
“Hello, Grandma Shark,” he grins.
“I’ll take it,” she laughs quietly and moves closer to him. “Look at you, huh? Up and ready for the day,”
Successfully unlocked!
“Yes,” he sweeps his hand down the front of his favorite shark T–shirt.
“You must love sharks,””
20
“Yes, they’re my favorite predators,” he nods.
“You want to know what my favorite predator is?”
“Yes, please,” he nods eagerly.
“Wolves,” she says gently.
“A shark can eat a wolf in one bite,” he shakes his head completely undeterred.
“Tough cookie, huh,” she glances back at me.
“You have no idea,” I nod.
“Grandma,” Ayrie mumbles.
“Good morning, sleepy head,” Maria greets her with equal enthusiasm.
“Mommy, peepee,” she wiggles out from under the blanket.
“Don’t just sit there. Go,” I help her off the bed. She runs into the bathroom.
“How old are they?” she asks.
“They just turned five last month,” I answer.
- co. cute,” she coos. “Who’s this?” she reaches for Chocolate Sprinkles.
“No,” Aizen stops her. “It’s Ayrie’s. She doesn’t like anyone touching him. He’s her knight,
“I see. I’m sorry,” she sits back taking no offense.
Once I get Ayrie ready and let Maria give her pigtails we head out to the breakfast table where Mr. Blake and two others are waiting for us.
“Oh, so it’s true,” the girl sitting with Mr. Blake says.
I recognize her. I mean after all I’ve designed several of her red carpet gowns. Tessal Blake is stunning. She’s small like her mother, but she’s very much her father’s daughter. The same baby blue eyes and ash blonde hair.
“Phoebe, this is my daughter Tessa. My son Elliot and you know my mate. Fredrick,”
“You can call me, Freddy,”
“Grandpa,” Ayrie shouts.
“That’s right,” he laughs getting up to come over to us. She doesn’t hesitate to go to
him.
“Pancakes,” she points at the stack on a tray.
“Join us,” he waves us over.
“Hello, everyone. My name is Phoebe,” I introduce myself.
“We know. You’re literally all everyone is talking about, Tessa says. “The girl replacing. Francis Gucci,”
“No one can replace Frankie. I hope rehab helps him,” I say pulling Aizen onto my lap
20
since Ayrie has made herself at home on Freddy’s lap.
“And who is this cutie?” she asks reaching for him.
“My name is Aizen,” he puts his hand up to stop her. “No touching, please,”
“Be nice. That’s D.A.D.’s little sister,” I tell him. His eyes immediately snap to Ayrie and then back to her. “Yup,”
“Sorry,” he apologizes to her. “I didn’t know,”
“It’s okay, little man. My name is Tessa. You can call me Auntie Tess. You both can,”
“Auntie Tess,” the two of them repeat. I serve him first asking what he would like to eat. He picks eggs, bacon, and toast. As always.
“That’s D.A.D.’s little brother,
“He has a brother?” Aizen asks looking up at him wide eyed.
“He forgets, but yeah. I’m his brother, Elliot smiles at him. “You can call me Elliot,”
“Idiot,” Ayrie tests the name.
“That works,” Tessa laughs.
“No, try again,” I tell her. “Elliot,” I sound out. She swallows her mouthful of pancakes. Elly–ot,”
“Elliot,” she says properly.
“Sorry, she has trouble with English, I say.
“I speak Spanish,” he says.
“Mommy too,” Ayrie points at me.
“They speak French. Up until now, we lived in France,”
“That’s the little accent I’m hearing,” Maria laughs.
“Wicked,” Tessa nods.
“Wicked,” Ayrie repeats making us all laugh.
“They repeat everything,” I inform them.
“So, watch what you say,” Maria translates.
“Where is D.A.D.?” Ayrie asks.
“Uh,” Mr. Blake clears his throat.
“Knight was called out for work,” Maria lies to her and Ayrie catches it.
“Ce n’est pas agréable de mentir, Ayrie say looking away. Maria looks over at me. “Il n‘ est pas ici?”
“No, he’s not,” she sighs.
“Quand est–ce qu’il revient?”
20
“I’m not sure,” she answers. “A couple of days, maybe,”
“He left?” I ask.
“Not because he wanted to. He’s having trouble with his wolf. He’s been dormant for a while,” she says quietly. “You understand, right?”
“He has a puppy?” Aizen asks before I can answer. Yeah, I understand perfectly. I used to live with a werejaguar.
“More like he is the puppy, Elliot says making the others laugh.
“That was funny,” I admit to myself. Yeah, I can use a little humor right about now.
“Very funny, Elliot,” Ayrie agrees.
“I understand,” I nod. “Um, I was wondering if there’s somewhere I can go change of clothes here? We were kind of in a hurry last night,”
“Big hurries, Ayrie proclaims.
“She is so cute, Tessa laughs.”
“You too, Daddy’s sister,” she points at her.
to get a
“Ah, Knight doesn’t stand a chance with you,” she laughs. “Sweet, sweet Karma,”
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