Emerald Ashes

Favor

            The porch was lonely in the mornings without L around. She insisted on spending dawn watching the sunrise into the cerulean sky, a steaming mug of coffee in her hand while her other lay entwined with mine. Even though she was gone, I came out every morning, my palm up, knuckles resting on the armrest of the rocking chair next to me. My phone lay lit up on my lap, a message thread to Roddy open on the screen. With the medical center, namely the psych ward where Cole was being treated, on lockdown, I hadn't seen Ruby's Beta in several days. He opted to stay with Cole since his partner's condition had improved greatly over the last two weeks. With his system clear of MAD, Cole was sure to be released as soon as Lena's visit was over – whenever she decided to show up.

I expected her yesterday. Alpha Tyler Montgomery texted me with an update on her visit to Sapphire which went unsurprisingly well. With Mia inside Council ranks, Lena was sure to make quick work of Sapphire. But the longer I waited for Lena to arrive, the antsier I got about the whole situation. I had nothing to worry about; L was away with Ethel, and Cole and Roddy were locked down with Dean. But still, a dull ache in my gut urged me to stay on guard and keep conversation with her to a minimum. Something deep in my stomach told me something was sure to go wrong.

The morning air tasted like honeysuckle and the distant reminder of nearby bodies of water. In the distance, a thick gray cloud saturated with rain loomed over the mountains. The grass was thirsty, the sharp blades slicing into unsuspecting ankles with no mercy. But with the oncoming rain came the humidity. Sweat beaded just below my hairline on the back of my neck, and the dark cotton shirt I chose this morning started to feel a little too constricting.

I grabbed my mug of coffee and fled into the house. The heat I could handle, but the humidity was where I drew the line.

In the house, a flurry of activity originating from the living room echoed off the walls. I hung near the doublewide archway leading into the large room cloaked in emerald velvet curtains and sleek leather couches, with tasteful brass end tables and a coffee table that gleamed like a copper mirror. The hardwood was recently polished; a subtle sniff of lemon still lingering if you took a deep enough breath.

"We're not watching this again," Luis groaned, throwing his head back. A cartoon featuring a group of four kids in rural Colorado played on the screen. He was clad in sweatpants and a matching sweater, a tiny blue embroidered tulip on the right breast. If it weren't for Julianna's matching set I would've questioned – and possibly mocked – him about it.

"Get your own TV, then," Mattias growled possessively over the TV remote.

"Jules won't let me put one in our room," Luis muttered, his head resting on the back of the couch. His eyes passed over the room and caught me in his peripheral. When he didn't move I waved, my arms still crossed.

"You could just get one since she's gone for the weekend," I suggested and stepped through the threshold. Matty turned at my voice, dropping the controller only for Luis to snatch it off the couch. He scooted to the other end and started flipping channels. "What's she gonna do, rip it off the wall?"

"You're onto something, Corrie." Luis absently wagged a finger my way. I rolled my eyes at the nickname, a title I've grown to embrace rather than reject. What was once reserved for my mother only was now used by anyone close to me.

"Lena on the way?" Mattias asked, turning his attention back to the TV as the channels flipped too fast for me to keep up with.

"Should be," I shrugged and climbed over the back of the couch. My legs were long enough that I didn't have to strain to get over the couch. I plopped between my friends and set my mug down onto the coffee table, a few inches to the left of a coaster. I tossed my eyes over my right shoulder, halfway expecting Erin in the doorway with her hands on her hips, lasers pointed at my defiance of her house rules. But her figure didn't appear, and I grinned.