The Mate Keeper : Everlee's Beginning

Chapter 11 - Everlee

Two months later

The days, weeks, and even months start flying by now that I got this college life down to a routine. The only difference in my schedule is lunch is now either spent alone, or at my brothers table with La La. I don't see my best friend as much as I would like too since my brothers tend to hog all her attention. If I want to spend time with her I have to make plans ahead of time, or hang out with my brothers and their friends as well. I feel like such an outsider when I am around her and the kings. La La seems to have just slid into the group of friends and I am left here on the outskirts of their inner circle. The only one I touch is La La, and on a rare occasion my brothers. So it is kind of hard to feel apart of their circle. Not to mention I have yet to have a heart to heart with my brothers, but I know it is coming. La La has been talking about it for weeks now. Telling me I would feel better hanging out with them if we just had it out already. Which is why it doesn't surprise me when I wake up and find my brothers and best friend waiting for me in the living room of my dorm.

Great I haven't even had my coffee yet, I cant deal with this. "I have coffee for you." La La says, as if she read my mind. "I made them pick it up for you, because I know you don't function well without it." She says standing up to give me a hug. "Just give them a chance to talk." She whispers in my ear as she passes by me on the way to the door, before she leaves, I yell out. "Wait. Where are you going?" I don't want to do this, especially alone. The idea of being alone with them after so long, is unsettling. "I have something I have to do, I will be back." She says quickly, before exiting our dorm room and leaving me with my brothers.

Ethan clears his throat and I know it unavoidable so I sit down. "We never meant to hurt you Everlee." My brother says while looking me in the eye. "A lot of people don't mean to hurt someone when they do, it doesn't make it hurt less." I tell him looking down into my lap trying not to cry. I feel Evan move closer. "Everlee when dad and father decided to send you away to school we begged them not too. You are a piece of us and when you left it felt like we each had a hole missing from us." Evan says before grabbing my hands to rub them. "They swore you were going to be safer if we didn't talk about you and limited contact. Dad was always worried that someone sent those men after you, and he couldn't keep you safe if they came back. They were broken Everlee, and because they loved you they took some terrible advice and did what they thought was best." He continues to rub my hands as he explains.

"We never thought we were hurting you by telling everyone we were twins. We thought we were protecting you. Every time someone called us the Stone twins, I hated it. We are the Stone triplets and nothing was going to change that. But if letting people think we were just twins kept you safe, it something we were willing to do. All any of us have ever wanted was to keep you safe." I let that sink in for a few minutes. Did I believe his words, they did make a lot of sense. I had to clear my throat before I could talk. "Just so you know those humans weren't sent by anyone. We were just in the wrong place at the wrong time, and they were very much no sober." Both of them were silent for a little while digesting that information. "They want to talk to you and see you, you know. Dad and Father. They keep asking us to get you to come see them in your free time. They miss their little princess and it would mean the world to them if you started going around again." Ethan finally says. "Tell them I will think about it. I am still very hurt, but I will unblock their phones from mine." Which is the best I can do for now. "You blocked them?" Evan looked shocked and I realized it was kind of shocking to block your packs alpha. "Yeah. After they sent a letter telling me they would only pay for me to go to the college they wanted me to go too." I say with a shrug.

"That's another thing they want to see you for, they want to fix that. But I will let you talk to them about all that." Ethan said with a sigh. "So can we work toward fixing our relationship?" Evan says with a voice full of hope. I am not entirely sure it can be totally fixed but I guess I am willing to give it a try. I mean they are the mates of my best friend, and I could probably see myself friends with their friends some day if I let those guys in. "Yeah, I think we can work toward that." I tell them and the smile they both have melts my heart. Evan practically tackles me to the couch in his excitement and I cant help but giggle. Ethan pulls him off me and offers me a hand up. I take it only to have him pull me straight up and into his arms. Having my older brother hug me again feels like home, and I glad, that La La made us talk it out. I know this was her doing because my brothers are terrible about saying they are sorry.

"So, is La La coming back? What are you guys up too today?" I ask to keep up conversation. "Actually we wanted to go cosmic bowling tonight with the guys and we were wondering if you would come?" I love bowling but I wasn't sure I was ready for being that close to the guys. I some how managed to avoid having to partner up with those four during combat class, which means I can pretty much tell you who everyone else in that class mate is. I just haven't touched those four. I can't help liking them and I think it would suck if I touched them and some if not all of them had mates that weren't me. Nothing like seeing the guy your crushing on with the love of his life in a vision. Trust me, I have been there. "Hello. Earth to Ever." Evan says waving his hand in front of my face. "Oh sorry. I kind of zoned out there. I don't know if that's a good idea guys." "Why not?" They both ask at the same exact time. I don't think I missed their freaky twin thing. "I can't say." I tell them. "Can't or don't want too?" Ethan asks crossing his arms. "Ever, you can tell us anything you know that." Evan tells me placing his hand against my arm in reassurance. I am not sure I should tell them, but I know if I don't they will just keep on digging and if they ask La La, she will tell them because they are her mates. She already told me she was having a hard not giving away my secret to them. She thought they deserved to know because all they have ever wanted for me is for me to be safe. It would probably be better coming from me than hearing it from someone else. I bite my lip trying to decide what to say and do. Finally agree to just get it over with. I might have been hurt by these guys in the past but I would still trust them with my life, they are my big brothers and they love me.

"Okay, I will tell you but we need to go into my room and turn on the music to keep people from snooping on our conversation." I tell them sternly. "Deal." They say together and follow me to my room. As soon as we enter I shut the door and blast some music before motioning for them to have a seat on the bed. Moving to sit between them on my bed, I take a deep breath before letting it out. "First I need you to promise me you won't tell anyone my secret. This very important guys." "Not even dad and father?" Evan asks and I shake my head. "No not even them. I will tell them when I am ready but not yet." Nodding their heads yes they both mime sealing their mouths with keys and it reminds me of when we were little I can't help but giggle. I take another deep breath and look them both in the eyes before I tell my brothers the biggest secret I have ever kept. "I am a Mate Keeper, it's why La La kissed you so easily. I told her you guys were her mates." At first they say nothing I wonder is they even heard and understood me. I just if just spit it out real fast. We are just sitting there while the loud music blares in the background and I am starting to wonder if I should repeat it when finally they snap out of it and start firing questions at me. "Whoa slow down. One question at a time guys." Ethan goes first. "Are you serious? Mate keeper is a dangerous gift to have Ever?" I can tell he is hoping I tell him it was all a joke but I just can't. "Yes Ethan, I have known since I was sixteen." "How many people know?" Evan asks. "Counting the two of you, La La, and my best friend from my old school, four people. Id like to keep it that way." I tell them making sure they know I am serious. "We aren't going to tell anyone." They say together. "Thanks guys." I say giving them each a hug. "We will keep you safe Ever." Ethan says as he holds me. As I let go they both look at me and at the same time say, "We love you." With tears in my eyes I tell them, "I love you both too."

More hugging follows, and hugging my brothers again feels real damn good. It feels like the piece of my soul that was broken when I was taken away from them is finally starting to heal. I told the guys why I don't want to touch their friends, explaining my past experience with Jason who they wanted to track down and kill for touching their little sister at sixteen. Of course that made me roll my eyes and the two of them ganged up on me with tickles, wet willies, and other tortures brothers like to inflict on younger siblings. They came up with the idea of saying I just didn't like to be touched without asking. So, I agreed with going with them to cosmic bowling tonight. Even though I was still nervous that the other kings wouldn't respect my wishes. They reassured that their friends would be on their best behavior and were going back to their house to tell the guys if they wanted to go they had to respect me wishes. I walked them to the door where they each gave me a big hug and a kiss on the forehead before leaving. I let out a big sigh of relief once they were gone. It felt like this big weight was lifted off my chest just like it did when I told La La.

Shortly after they left La La came back. We decided that since we were going out with the boys later we would make the day a girls day. We went out to lunch and hit the spa after, followed by dinner I made. It felt really good to have a girls day again and I think her and I need to make more time for days like today. After dinner, it was time to get ready for our fun night out together with the guys. I can't wait to go out tonight and have some fun with my brothers again. It was such a relief to start to mend the relationship with them. I eventually need to talk to my dad and father, but it can wait. Tonight, its going to be all about the fun.