THE NORD BROTHERS

CHAPTER 21

Mariana's POV

"Another!" 

The shot glass slammed down on the kitchen island with a cluttering bang. Empty whiskey bottle siting next to her bounced off the table surface and tipped over. Instead of deafening clash a relieved sigh came from besides her. Matt, her sister's husband had successfully caught the bottle before it fell, cradling it to his chest like a baby. "Whew..Close call." For a human that man had some reflexes. 

"Will you stop using my husband as a bartender?!" Sophia stormed into the kitchen, her small fists swinging violently back and forth. "It's your second bottle. Since when is my sister an alcoholic!?" 

Well, since I no longer can control my wolf, run away from my mates, and did the mature thing of hiding in my sister's apartment. Yup, probably since my life came down to occupying newlyweds couch.

Mariana kept the inner monologue of pity to herself. It had been three days since she showed up at her sister's place, drenched from rain and begging for place to crash. And of course her soft hearted sibling allowed it. She had considered going back to Samuel's bar, but that was far too many miles ahead to do on two feet. So, there she was. 

"He doesn't seem to mind. Barkeep, another!" 

"Aye, ma'am!" Matt straightened, turning towards there near empty minibar like a robot. 

"No aye ma'am! That's enough alcohol for one night!" Sophia junked her husband away from the bar, her cheeks puffed and red. "You should know when to start cutting back the drinks." 

Matt paled. "Sorry, sweets." The poor guy genuinely looked like a kicked puppy. 

"I swear." Sophia sighed, slumping down on the kitchen stool. "With you two around I'm staring to crave a drink myself." Flipping back her gorgeous, long hair, she schooled her expression into a disapproving frown she had learned from their mother. "Mari, you need to go back to The Nord pack." 

"Don't wanna." 

"I don't know what happened, but this can't continue forever."

"Not forever. Just few more days." 

Sophia's defenses wavered, but only just. "Not happening." Her resolve was back on the second her sister reached for a new whiskey bottle. "You are going to have to face whatever happened sooner or later."

Damn. I wish I was a cute kitten, then maybe this woman would have mercy. 

"I choose later." Mariana whined, watching the precious whiskey bottle being taken from her reach. 

"I'm afraid it's too late for that. Since you don't tell me what happened and I want private time with my husband-" Her finger stabbed the air, "I called Logan and told him where to find you." 

One dot. Two dots. Three dots. 

"I see-WAIT YOU CALLED LOGAN!?" The bar stool she had been balancing on tipped dangerously backwards. The room whirled upside down and a loud crash of her body slamming into the tiled floor echoed through the kitchen. "Ugh." Mariana groaned. I swear if I bang my head one more time I'm going to lose brain cells. 

"Are you alright!?" Matt and Sophia exclaimed in unison, both wearing matching expressions of horror as they peered over the kitchen island at her sprawled figure. 

Their mutual concern went ignored. "Evacuate the perimeter! I repeat - evacuate the perimeter!" Mariana scrambled to her feet with all the grace and poise one could summon after two bottles of whiskey. 

"I have to-" 

Ding Dong. 

Mariana froze. The cute ding of door bell had never been quite this ominous.