《Masked》xlv.
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"What smells so damn good?"
I chuckle to myself hearing this from the living room. I knew it was Garret and I just shook my head at his random outburst.
As soon as the question was posed, I heard three pairs of footsteps making their way into the kitchen. Having looked up for the first time since I began cooking, I realized that Madam Pat was sitting on an island chair, watching me the whole time. Her face read of amazement and joy.
Not knowing what to say at this realization, I just smile.
I was then met by my mate's scent and instantly look over at him as he came into the kitchen. He easily makes his way over to me while his dad and brother join Madam Pat at the island. Wrapping his arms around my waist while resting his chin on my shoulder, I suddenly felt completely at ease.
"Not that I mind you cooking," he begins, "But what made you want to cook?"
I shrug my shoulders softly to mind his chin. "I wanted you guys to be able to catch up and, I don't know, I felt I needed a distraction from everything that's been happening these past few days."
"What's been going on?" Adam suddenly questions.
I had known he had been out of the loop and I wouldn't have thought that they would've brought it up on their first encounter back in each other's presence. I didn't want to be the one to explain it to him, at least not now. I had just been given some slight peace that I wanted to enjoy for however long it remained.
"Later," Garret responds truthfully. "Right now, I would really like to know what my amazing mate has made for us."
And just as he finished his sentence, the timer beeped for the Greek garlic chicken and potatoes and Spanakopita bites. Taking myself out of his arms, I went to the stove and opened it. Easily slipping on oven mitts as the hot air hit me in my face, I carefully took the pan of chicken and potatoes out of the stove and then the bites. Placing them both on the island in front of Adam and Darrel, Madam Pat having left, they all looked at it hungrily.
"It Greek garlic chicken and potatoes and Spanakopita bites, which basically is spinach and cheese bites."
As they continued to look at what I made, I grabbed a lemon and kneaded it into the counter, rolling it between the granite counter tops and my palm. Taking my chef's knife, I cut it in half and grabbed both halves in either hand. Easily squeezing the lemon juice out and over the chicken and potatoes, I was officially finished with the meal. I sighed of relief and slight pride.
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I never knew where my knowledge of Greek dishes came from. I was too young to remember all of what my mother had taught me when I was young. But whenever I had the items to make something from my heritage, it came naturally, as if I had been making it all my life. I didn't question this gift, I was glad for it. Glad to have something of my mom so close when she couldn't physically be here with me.
"So I would assume that your Greek," Adam says, breaking the silence.
Nodding my head, I respond, "My mom was full Greek and my dad about a quarter of it. So I about three-fourths Greek."
"And the other fourth?"
I shrugged my shoulders. "I'm not all that familiar with my family lineage, as shocking as that might sound." I knew to Darrel and Garret that I understood why but I knew it came as a shock to Adam.
In all werewolf packs, the family lineage is usually the first thing taught to cubs. To understand the family background and where we all came from and what legacy we were continuing to provide. I didn't know much about either of my family's lives before they met each other, only what Darrel had told me. Of course, it felt like I was missing a good portion of myself for not knowing it but given the circumstances, I couldn't be shocked.
"So... as much as I enjoy mentally eating this meal," Garret begins, "I would much rather physically eat it."
"It's not like you've ever asked for permission to dig in anyways," I say, mostly to myself but I knew that the rest had heard.
Darrel having grabbed the plates, we made our plates and sat at the round kitchen table. I sat in between Adam and Garret and across from Darrel and we all dove into our meals together, not uttering a word to each other. Our only conversation was our chewing and slight moans of the delight of how well the food had come out.
While they all were in their own worlds with their meals, I looked at them, smiling softly to myself. For the first time, in a long time, I finally felt at home. I finally felt like I belonged somewhere. And I wouldn't trade this for the world.
After dinner, Madam Pat had cleaned up after me, much my disagreement. She wouldn't take no for an answer, saying she was glad that someone else was bringing joy back into the kitchen and into the hearts of the people who lived here. I thought it was rather overdramatic but I wasn't one to disagree with elders. Promising her plate of the meal though for cleaning for me, I left it on the island and left before she could decline.
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Having been stuffed to the brim, glad I hadn't made dessert, I walked back to the living room where it was empty. I didn't exactly mind, a moment to myself was always recommended for me.
Lying my back on the arm of the couch and outstretching my legs in front of me, I rested my head on the back of the couch. Having closed my eyes and, again, getting lost in my thoughts. I tried not to focus on the things that would make me anxious and nervous about what was to come, to focus only on what was currently happening in my life.
As I began to feel myself drifting off, I heard footsteps approaching and suddenly felt Adam walk into the living room. I kept my eyes closed until I felt him sit on the coffee table in front of me. Slowly opening my eyes, they met his and then what was in his hand. Which was a bowl of ice cream.
I laughed.
"You're not full from dinner?"
"As delicious and appetizing as your dinner was, I think I was only full for five minutes."
I laughed again as he offered me a spoon. Knowing I shouldn't but ignoring my inner conscious anyways, I took it and dipped it into the vanilla ice cream. Easily bringing it to my mouth, I sighed with the cool taste of the vanilla bean. It was a good way to end the night.
"What's on your mind?" I question after finishing my spoonful.
The look of confusion crossed his face. "How did-"
"Your dad and brother haven't told you anything?" I interrupt. He shook his head. I sigh, not knowing if this was the conversation for tonight.
Deciding that he had the right to know, at least the basics, I place my spoon down and completely face him. Placing my elbow on my leg, I hold my palm face up. He looked at it, not sure of what was happening.
Suddenly soft lights emerged from my hands. Purple, pink, soft electric blue, and gold. Just random colors that I thought up for this moment. The twirled along with each other, engulfing themselves in the color and separating themselves. It was something that I had first learned with Jemma, it is one of the easiest yet most awestruck things I could do.
The look of shock and amazement read on Adam's face. He was speechless. When I began to stop this show by closing my hand, I waited patiently for his questions.
"I thought... I thought you were a wolf?"
"I am. My dad was a werewolf and my mom was a witch. Making me half wolf, half witch."
"Wait... was?"
I sighed, softly rubbing my temple. We were getting into more than I thought we would tonight. "Yes," I say softly. "They passed away when I ten."
The look of shock and sadness then crossed his face. He was very expressive with his facial expressions, even with me being able to read body auras and language. His face did most of the work for me.
"I'm so sorry, I had no idea."
"I know," I say softly. "You couldn't have known."
"I... wait... forgive me for being nosy-"
"You're fine," I interrupt. "I know what you're going to say. Am I any relation to Rose and Michael Taylor? And the answer to that is yes."
You would've thought his eyes would've popped out of his head. "I... I mean... there were rumors of your existence but no one knew for certain. No one mentioned you at their funeral, not even your brothers."
I winced at the sudden topic change that was bound to happen but I couldn't allow myself to talk about it. Not after the fantastic dinner, I just had.
"I want to explain everything to you, I do," I begin. "I just-"
"It's okay," he then interrupted, placing his hand on top of mine. "I can tell that this is a lot of you and I thank you for opening up to me, someone you just met."
"If it means anything," I say softly. "I feel as if you're the brother I never had."
I knew it was saying a lot, and I didn't know how he would react to it. But much to my surprise yet liking, he smiled. A wholehearted smile.
"And you, the sister I never had."
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Jun Xiaomo, notoriously known as “Lady Demoness”, finds herself chained and bound in a dungeon. Her hard-earned cultivation has been completely crippled, and she has no means of escape. Qin Shanshan, a lady she used to called her “close friend”, mocks Jun Xiaomo, revealing that Jun Xiaomo had been used by the people around her. Even her lover, Qin Lingyu was one of the masterminds scheming against her. Jun Xiaomo watches her life flash before her eyes and realizes that she had indeed blindly placed her trust in people. Her naivety had led to her current predicament. Jun Xiaomo wanted to end it all. However, she is determined to deliver a swan song. Over the hundreds of days tormented in that very dungeon, Jun Xiaomo had painstakingly painted a complicated formation array with her own blood. With a determined look, Jun Xiaomo burns her life force to activate the array. Her sole intent? To bring with her as many schemers to the gates of hell as she could. The bright red light from thearray intensified, and the end was nigh.…or was it? Jun Xiaomo opens her eyes and finds herself alive again; time had rewound right back to when she was sixteen years of age, albeit only at the eighth level of Qi Cultivation. Armed with the knowledge and memories of her previous lifetime, Jun Xiaomo is determined to learn from her mistakes and bring retribution to those who so deserve…
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