Last Chance (Book Two In The Kingston Series)

Chapter Seven: Nerves

Chapter Seven: Nerves

    “Do we really need to leave for two whole days?” Kol asks me. I nod. Knowing Sebastian’s feelings. Sebastian wants me to meet his kin, alone. He doesn't care if Christian stays. Christian and he have grown closer. A lot closer. Sebastian talks about old stuff, Christian takes notes and asks questions.

    “I need to meet his kin alone.” I tell him quietly. He shakes his head. Killian, Kaden, and Keith are all upstairs packing bags. Kol is the only one who tried to convince me longer.

    “They could try to hurt you.” Anger flares up inside of me. Fire dancing through my bones.

    “Are you doubting both my strength and my leadership?” I growl out. Lately, my temper has gotten worse. Kaden asked me why I had gotten eggs instead of yogurt… I threw a blender at him.

    “Ma douce, you have to calm down.” Kol coos. I scowl at him. Taking deep breaths. Every morning Killian takes me on a run around the entire property. It usually calms me. Today, my temper is always getting the best of me. Kaden still watches me warily.

    “I don't have to do that.” I growl out. I think it's nerves. I am nervous to meet Sebastian’s kin. But it's not only my feelings. It's my whole pack. Everyone is nervous. And they all look at me like I’m crazy all the time. So, I throw blenders at them. And they think I’m crazier.

    “Jasmine,” Kol says quietly. Trying to drag me back. I bite my lip. Taking deep breaths.

    “Just, get a bag packed. We say goodbyes tonight after dinner.” I tell him. Walking out of the dining room and going down the hall to my bedroom. It's where I spend most of my time. I close and lock my door. My mind going crazy.

    When I could hear Zara. I thought I was insane. I wanted to tell the guys, my pack. But she told me they would put me in a mental institute. I didn't believe her. I decided to let one of them know first. It was only two days after Zara died. But then she told me how she could take control of my body. The third night, she had me sneaking from Killian’s bed. I woke up in my own bed. But I hadn't moved a muscle. My arms and legs were sore, like I had run and burned out.

    The next night it happened again. I knew she could take control. I tried not sleeping at first. If I didn't sleep, she couldn’t use me. But the longer I went without, the longer I slept in the end. The longer time she had with me.

    I had to tell. I had to. So I worked myself into going to Kaden. Walking toward him in the kitchen. He had his back to me. He didn't turn, I imagine he knew it was me. My legs stumbled and I knocked into him. He accidentally sliced his arm.

    He told me it was nothing. It healed before my eyes. I still sobbed myself to sleep. Then suddenly she isn't here. I can feel her. In the back of my mind. Sebastian had a witch friend come and suppress her. Once I truly lock down my alpha status she is gone for good.

    But now, everything is achingly silent. She’s gone. But all I feel is anxious, waiting for her to come back.

    “Alpha?” I hear Christian’s take at being timid. He’s tall and his voice is deep. Which makes his nerdy, soft personality adorable. I flip around. I had zoned out again. I feel a wave of worry rock over me. Not my feelings.   

    “My name is Jasmine.” I remind him. Not liking how scared he looks. I have been snapping a lot. My fingers tap against my leg. Energy pumps through me. Lately, I can't waste a minute. The alpha inside me doesn't feel like wasting time.

    “I know.” He blushes. His eyes on the ground. I squint. Walking forward. Placing a hand on his shoulder and catching his eyes. He shouldn't feel so submissive toward me. Though a new part of me loves that he is. Alpha Jasmine is sick.

    “What did you need, Christian?” I ask quietly.

    “Well, uh, Sebastian wants to know if you’re ready for dinner. He’s a little anxious for the guys to leave.” He says lowly. His chocolate eyes are green with sun shining on them. I nod. Understanding. Of course Sebastian is anxious. He has been worried about his kin all the time these last two days. He wants to impress them. The guys don't know how much turmoil he’s going through. All they see is his nasty smirk and harsh words.

    “I’ll walk with you there.” I tell him. No longer angry. I guess cooling down and zoning out is something normal now.

    “Great.” He smiles sweetly. His eyes lighting up. The green brighter. Then he blushes again. “I mean that's cool.” He is nervous. His thoughts float into my head. Touching them makes their thoughts impossible to ignore.

    She’s so pretty. The most beautiful girl. No, the most beautiful woman….

    I pull my hand away. Giving him a tight lipped smile and taking the lead toward the open door. His feelings toward me are growing. But I’m not worried. It's hero-worship. Not romantic. I hope.

    “Darl,” Kaden smiles as I walk through the large new doorway to the dining room. I hate this room. But we use it often. Flashes of my guys, bloody, flash through my head. Kaden used ‘darl’ instead of love. Which means that he’s trying to be sweeter than usual.

    “What?” I snap out. Okay, so the blender incident was this morning. It wasn't what he said. It was the way he said it.

    “I don't want you to be mad at me anymore.” He tells me. His bottom lip pouting. I go back to the first time I saw that cute pout. Thinking he was too tall and built to be sporting an adorable face. The same airy laugh leaves me.

    “I’m not mad. I just don't have a handle at this new set of emotions. It's really overwhelming. Mostly because it's more than just my own now.” I feel guilt six ways. Killian’s is the roughest. He doesn't say anything though. His steel blue eyes glaring at Sebastian’s plate. Keith is tucked into the corner. Staring right at me. His ‘I love you’ hasn't been answered. He is really torn up about it. But everytime I think I’ll just be out with it. I freeze then yell at someone.

    “I’m sorry, lover girl.” Sebastian says. His face mostly blank, save for a slight twinkle in his eyes. He doesn't let his guard down with the guys around. So his eyes are a bright, deadly red.

    “No need for sorrys. I am an Alpha now.” I tell them. Sounding sure. Acting. They don't get much back. From our emotional bonds. I only hear their thoughts, feel what they feel. They don't get that back. It's going to dull. Or so Keith tells me. He has been very distant with me lately. Only speaking when he has too. He is haunted with images of his dead parents and he sleeps alot.

    “I made pasta.” Kol motions. His pretty blue-green eyes focusing on me. He smirks. “I cooked for you. Now just ask nicely in Italian and I’ll give you some.” The inside joke has me hiding a grin. Remembering back to when we ordered Italian and then he left. He had seemed to light up at the thought of me speaking a different language to him.

    “You don't want me to eat?” I ask. “You know my thoughts on trying that out on you.” I tell him. He winks. But nods at the food and settles in a seat next to Sebastian, with Killian on his other side. Silently telling me I get some pasta free of Italian words.

    “Let's sit.” I order. Eyeing Christian, Keith, and Kaden. Christian blushes and pushes at his glasses stumbling to his seat. Kaden moves away from his spot a foot away from Keith’s corner.

            They all sit across from where Sebastian, Kol, and Killian sit. I resist a grin at how they all look at me. It's this Alpha gene, it makes the feeling of having them around all at once make me happy.

              “I hope everyone's packed. Dinner will be rushed. They're on their way.” Sebastian says after looking at his phone quickly. Breaking the calm atmosphere immediately.