The Mate Keeper : Everlee's Beginning

Chapter 12 - Ellis

Ethan and Evan come back with huge smiles on their faces and lighter moods. They had told all of us they were going to go have a heart to heart with Everlee and invite her out with us later tonight. "By your happy moods, I take it the talk went well?" I ask them as they come strolling into the living room. The rest of us were sitting around watching a football game waiting for them to come back. While those two were gone we discussed how we hoped they worked things out with Everlee, because it would be nice to actually have her hang out with us and not just out on the outskirts of our little group. So really we weren't watching much of the game. I am fairly certain that all four of us are crushing hard on this girl so having the Stone brothers fix their relationship with her is going to make the four of us happy campers if she starts coming around more.

"Yeah bro it did. She is going to be coming out with us tonight." Evan says clapping me on the shoulder. Yes! That was the outcome I was hoping we would get. Now I need to figure out what I am going to wear. Maybe she will be bad at bowling, and I can pull that move, where I use teaching her to bowl as an excuse to her close to her. I am in the middle day dreaming about it, when my thoughts are interrupted when Ethan says, "On one condition. No one touches her." "That is a weird condition." Devin says with his eyebrows bunched up in frustration. "Well it's more like you have to ask to touch her." Evan says as if that clears anything up. "Look, Everlee doesn't like to be touched without asking. If you can't respect it, don't come." Ethan says before storming out of the room. We all flinch as he slams his bedroom door. "Tell him we will respect her Evan." Ryder says. Which is true we totally will. Not only do the majority of us, (If not all of us) have a thing for her, but she is our best friend's sister and their mate's best friend. Wow that's a mouth full. "Thanks guys, I really want my sister to be around more again. I can't even tell you how much we have missed her." Evan says before heading up the stairs towards his bedroom.

"I don't know whether to be happy she is coming-" "-or to find it weird there is conditions." Devin says with Dominick finishing. "I am just happy that the triplets figured things out." Ryder says shrugging. "Yeah, things are going to be a lot better now." I tell them, and I really hope I am right. It's only lunch time when the game finishes, so I grab some food and go into my room to get some homework done. It may be Saturday, but I don't like to put things off. Besides, I have to do something to pass the time before we go out. I am pretty much done with my homework when a thought pops into my head. There is probably a reason Everlee doesn't like to touch people and it may be the result of a gift. It would explain a lot. I start researching gifts and which ones involve touching. The more searching I do the more worried I get. If Everlee has some of these gifts it's not going to be good. Around dinner time, Ryder calls up that he called in dinner and it has arrived. I stretch out my back from sitting still too long and put away my work and research. I still have some finishing touches to do on one of my essays, but I am fairly happy that I pretty much got my work done and I have a better understanding of gift that involve the need to touch.

When I make it down stairs and into the dinning room, I find everyone at the table already digging into the food. Ryder ordered Chinese, which makes me happy because I love Chinese food. Then again I don't know many people who don't like Chinese. Filling up my plate, I look to the Stone twins to ask them a question. "So what is the plan for the night? Who is riding with who?" Ethan looks surprised, like he didn't even think of that and Evan responds. "The girls are going to ride with Ethan and I, in Ethan's jeep. You guys can take my SUV and follow us." "Okay sounds good. What time we leaving since we have to pick up the girls?" The twins roll their eyes as I ask my questions. Dev and Dom are the kind of guys that just go with the flow, only being serious when it comes to taking orders, where as Ry and I like things to be planned.

"Bowling starts at ten, so we are going to pick the girls up at nine." Ethan says. He understands, being an alpha he too likes to make plans. "Okay so be ready by eight forty five. Got it." I say before digging in. We fall into a comfortable silence as we enjoy the food that I jump when Ethan clears his throat. Knowing he has something to get off his chest, I put my chopsticks down and give him my full attention. The other guys do the same. "So, as you know we made up with Everlee." He says and he sounds a little nervous. There is an awkward silence that fills up the room. Eventually I can't take it anymore. "Just spit it out bro, what ever it is we will handle it, together like always." I tell him and the guys all nod their heads in agreement. "We aren't allowed to tell you everything, we made a promise to Ever." Evan says looking worried. "So, tell us what you can tell us." Ryder suggests. Which surprises me because Ryder hates secrets and this is them keeping yet another secret.

"Ever has a gift. A gift she won't let us tell you what it is, and she doesn't want people to even know she has a gift." Ethan finally spits out. I knew it! I am very observant and it was the only thing I could think of that was the reason for her behavior. "That's cool." Dev says, but I am already thinking of how Troy has been following her around like a lost puppy dog, and his packs love for gifts. "No it isn't Dev. Are we forgetting that Troy Stark has been following her around? Or how about the fact his pack likes to collect wolves with gifts. If he finds out she has one, he won't ever leave her alone." I say putting my thoughts out there for the others. "Bingo." Evan says. "This is why we are telling you guys even though she asked us not too. We have thought about it all afternoon." Ethan says looking like he is desperate for us to understand. "We need to protect her, and we can't fail this time." Evan says driving the point across. "And we will." Ryder tells them with determination. "Please don't let her catch on to the fact you know she has a gift. I honestly can't stand her shutting us out again." Ethan pleads and I don't think I have ever heard him plead for anything before. With a resounding promise "Of course" around the table we all continue to finish our dinners. I eat but I am not sure I tasted anything after that conversation. I am so lost in my thoughts and wondering exactly why the Stone twins are so scared of Everlee's gift being found out. If my observations and research is right, than I know why they are so scared for their sister. Hell I am scared for her too and I don't even have all the facts yet.