Sweet Dreams and Dark Things

Prologue

Prologue

Nolan's POV

"Where's your brother?" Dad asked as we both lingered on the tarmac. It was a pointless question. There could be numerous answers. Sleeping, drinking, smoking, hungover, fucking, anything free of responsibility.

"I forgot my charger!" Edith ran a frustrated hand through her hair, staring back at the car, contemplating driving back home.

"I have one on the plane." I calmed her anxiety. She sighed and patted my arm, rubbing her clammy hands on my nice suit.

"Don't, touch me." I spoke under my breath.

"Sometimes the stick up your ass comes in handy." She smirked before making her way to the plane. I glanced to our father, waiting for him to correct her vulgar language. He didn't. He's let Edith get away with murder since the day she was born. As Alpha I contemplated correcting her, but she was a prideful girl. I'd never hear the end of it.

"Yes, we are on the way. We're waiting on Deacon. He's... finishing up some paperwork, so he's running a bit late." Mom was on the phone with Aunt Tilly, lying for Deacon once again. They all lied for him. No one wanted to face the truth. That the Beta of this pack was a lazy waste of space.

"Is he picking up?" Dad made his way to mom as she tried calling him. She shook her head and sighed, running a hand through her dark hair. He looked up to me expectantly.

"I don't call on him anymore." I deadpanned. My fathers face hardened, it didn't do much to convince me, that is until my gaze landed on my mother. Her soft brown eyes melted me a bit. I scuffed at the both of them before turning.

I tugged on the mental magic of our wrist bands, immediately sensing he was in the car, moving toward us.

"He'll be here any second." I told them. Mom was relieved enough to join Edith on the Jet.

"Thank you baby." She kissed my cheek before making her way up the steel stairs.

"It's a vacation Nolan. Loosen up." Dad gave my shoulder a squeeze before getting on the jet as well.

"You're late." I grit out as Deacon neared, his clothing was tattered as he polished off the remaining liquor in his flask. He smirked.

"Loosen up Nol, it's a vacation." He repeated our fathers words in a mocking tone before slapping my back aggressively. I scowled at the back of his head as he hopped onto the plane.

"Hey mama." He leaned into mom and smothered her cheek with kisses. He always seemed to revert into a child around her.

"Nolan, come sit." Dad gestured to the chair in front of him. I walked past my siblings as they fought over the window seat. My brother acted like a child, at 25 you'd think he'd be grown enough to not fight with his teen sister. Deacon physically moved Edith to a different chair.

"Fuck you." She muttered under her breath at him.

"Language." I corrected her. She rolled her eyes before settling her glare on Deacon who was attempting to light a cigarette. I plucked the stick from his mouth and threw it at his chest.

"Act like a fucking adult." I seethed down at him.

"You're such a fucking hypocrite Nol." Edith muttered.

"Enough! All of you, fucking enough!" Dad raised his voice, his eyes going golden in a matter of seconds.

"And you wonder where they get it." Mom shook her head with a smirk.

"I've talked to them both about their vulgar mouths, nothing seems to help." Deacon spoke toward our mother as he cracked a shooter. I took a deep breath, calming my wolf. There's nothing I hated more than being in my brothers presence.

I sat across from my father, easing myself into a calm collected state. We were to be in Italy today, on a relaxing vacation with the Vercelis family. A family I haven't seen since I was a child. Dad thought it right to meet again since Deacon and I have taken over the pack.

Mom spoke of Tallulah and her big family often, there never seemed to be a dull moment in the undead kingdom. I hoped meeting the King and his heirs would be a relaxing experience. Goddess knows I needed a break. Deacon slacked his duties regularly. Too busy fucking anything and everything that walks, or getting high and drunk on a random weekday.

"King Vercelis has been focusing on handing his throne to his eldest son Angelo. He's a bit older than the two of you, but I'd like it if you got on well with him and his siblings. The alliance is being handed to you now."

"I hear Emilia is much like you." Mom piped from her seat, smirking as if insinuating something.

"I don't date." I told her stiffly.

"I think that's the issue." Deacon turned in his chair, stirring his mixed beverage.

"Then yours is quite the opposite." I seethed in return.

"Both of you need work." Dad interrupted the fight that was about to unfold. I narrowed my eyes at him. I did most everything right, I ran this pack practically alone, I made time for myself, I never drank or smoked. I wasn't the problem.

"Deacon, you need to get your shit together. And Nolan, you need to relax. Not everything needs to be this serious." He scolded the both of us as if we were still children.

"Need I remind you of your place?" I rose my tone at him. I was Alpha of this pack now. My father seemed to forget that.

"Need I remind you who birthed you?" My mother just about stood from her seat, her eyes blazing beneath her dark lashes. I fought my wolfs urge to surface. He itched my skin at the disrespect. But she was my mother, my sweet understanding mother. I took a breath before turning to my dad.

"I'm not apologizing. But I do most everything around here. To be criticized on my attitude is defeating." I admitted. Mom sighed at the confession.

"That's why we're taking this trip. So you can relax, and so your brother can get a good look at what is expected of him. Angelo is serious about his place in the Kingdom, all the Vercelis children are. I need us to be a unit. We all have a job to do." She comforted. Deacon remained silent, he didn't like when mom brought up his neglectful behavior, let alone compared it to anyone.

"And what is my job?" Edith spoke up, clearly feeling left out.

"To go to school sweetheart." Dad spoke softly, easing his tense face to a smile for her. That's one thing Deacon and I never fought over. It was evident that Edith was dads favorite.

I opened the shade on my window, choosing to dissociate to the view. This was going to be a long flight, and I wanted to take advantage of Deacon's silence while it lasted.

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