"Everything okay?" asked Angel, as our trio walked in with tired faces and reddened eyes.

"Yep," I replied with a soft smile. "We were just making important plans for the near future."

Angel ushered us over with one hand and, once I reached his side next to the couch, I gave him a small peck on the lips. Angel smiled and lightly rubbed his horn on the side of my head.

"Blaine and Damon should be back before dinner, so in about forty minutes, according to Alexandre." stated Angel, greeting Waltz and Dian with a hug when they bent down.

"Sounds good. Do you know where they went?" I asked, and Angel shrugged.

"I don't know. Blaine had been a bit more off after you left with Matteo, so Damon convinced him to go on a short vacation a few days before you went on the journey with Ambrose."

I nodded with a concerned expression. "They'd left the same day that I did."

"Indeed they did. And don't worry, sweetheart. I'm sure they're fine, but you should talk to them soon."

I hugged Angel again. "I will, I promise."

Waltz cuddled into Angel's left side, which made my unicorn chuckle. Dian leaned over the couch and gave Angel another tight squeeze.

"Goodness, everyone has become much more affectionate." commented Daddy from the doorway of the common room.

The trio to my left snickered. "You know why," they remarked, thumbing towards me. "The little wolf."

I giggled a bit and my tail wagged, which made everyone coo in soft laughter. Daddy picked me up a minute after, cuddling me to his side and kissing my face.

"I missed you, baby boy. You're wearing that scandalous outfit Zaire chose for you, hmm?"

I blushed and hugged his neck. "Uh-huh. I think I awakened the perv inside him, Daddy."

Daddy's honey-gold eyes gleamed with amusement. "Oh? But I think everyone can agree that if you were to wear this outfit with no panties on you will undoubtably get pinned to the wall and manhandled—most definitely more than that too, though."

I blushed. "Well, that is one way to put it. I don't think it'd be good for anyone's heart if I left my panties off for the rest of the day."

Waltz whined behind me. "Now I really wanna see Annie with no panties on! Dee got the idea stuck in my head earlier."

Dian blushed a bright red, which showed starkly on his porcelain-white skin tone. "Hey now, don't pin all the blame on me, Zee."

I giggled to myself and kissed my daddy's cheek. "I missed you too, Daddy. What have you been up to?"

"Nothing too exciting. Mostly boring paperwork." he grunted with a tired sigh, then nuzzled my ears. "It's so good to hold my baby boy in my arms again."

"And it's so good to be held by my daddy again." I replied with a grin, but I was still tired. I flopped my right cheek down onto his shoulder.

Daddy gently bounced me and petted my hair and ears. I weakly wagged my tail, but I remained mostly motionless. Ambrose came in, surprisingly, and immediately went to Daddy's side. He kissed my forehead and the mark of the King of Vampires appeared. Well, I allowed it to appear.

"Little wolf," he murmured, gently kissing my lips. "Vampires are coming here to meet you within the next few days."

I pouted. "Aww, okay. You're safe with me, Rose."

He chuckled and petted my hair, avoiding Daddy's fingers. "I know I am, little wolf." he murmured, then kissed me again.

I hummed my happiness from the chaste kiss, and the others seemed surprised when Ambrose took a seat on the couch nearby. Ambrose smiled awkwardly, which made me giggle. I was happy he was trying to get along with our family now.

Gavin also came striding in, looking giddy for the night. He must have something planned for either Zaire or me. The next person to come into the common room was Matteo.

"Mattie," I called softly, weakly clutching my daddy's pressed shirt.

Matteo's navy-blue eyes sparkled as he stepped over to Daddy and me. "Master, I've missed you. Come snuggle with me in my room tomorrow."

I giggled. "Okay, Mattie. Come gimme a kiss."

"Yes, Master." he responded happily, and Daddy moved me a bit so I could access Matteo's lips.

I firmly kissed Matteo and pushed my fingers into his dark brown hair. He exhaled through his nose and all remaining tension left his body.

"Mattie, have you started preparing for Blaine's and Damon's arrival?"

Matteo tensed again. "N-no..."

"Mattie, please, this is important and you know it. Can you do it tomorrow?"

He sighed and raked a hand through his hair. "This is hard, Master, but I'll do my best."

"That's my good bull." I praised, then gently pecked his lips again. "Thank you, Mattie."

He beamed and rocked on his heels, and remained standing next to Daddy while I petted his hair. Daddy exhaled harshly, clutching me tighter.

"Your father wants to come visit you, baby."

I turned my head and looked at his left honey-gold eye. "Does that upset you, Daddy?"

He clenched his jaw. "A bit, yes."

Angel snorted behind me. "It looks like you're quite pissed off, Alexandre. Are you worried your little wolf's going to be stolen away?"

Daddy sucked in his bottom lip and refused to answer. I sighed softly and lifted my head to kiss his cheek.

"Daddy, if anything, Papa would move down here. He and his family knows all too well I'm not leaving here."

"Why?" asked Waltz.

"Because I was proud to say that the people I love as both lovers and family live here."

Daddy lightly tugged on my hair, so I sat up in his arms and he met my lips with a fervor. I mewled and clutched his shoulders, unable to keep my composure as he gripped my nape. Daddy only let me breathe when I started squirming. I panted on his shoulder with my eyes closed.

"I am still wondering how my ex-wife botched the DNA test." he rumbled angrily, petting my hair.

I weakly shook my head. "She probably knew someone personally in that line of work. Whoever it was likely fabricated the results with a bit of under the table dealings."

"Sexual dealings?"

"Mmhm. She used her body a lot to get what she wanted."

Daddy sighed harshly. "I am happy you're not my real son, but at the same this pisses me off. I went all these years believing you were of my own flesh and blood, then suddenly I was told that—!"

"You are not the father!" interjected Waltz, then snickered. I think he was quoting some TV show.

"Yes, that." murmured Daddy.

"I understand. It was a shock for me, too. Once you meet Papa, though, you'll understand."

"Understand what exactly?"

I sighed. "I don't know, but you will."

Daddy pursed his lips and pecked mine, then set my feet on the floor. "All right, baby."

I hugged his hips, then hurried out of the room. I think Zaire was in his room for now. I peeked into the kitchen to see Briar working on heating up dinner. I hurried up to him and lightly patted his side.

"Bri?"

Briar gasped and backed away from the stove. "Ann!"

I raised my eyebrows. "What's wrong?"

"Oh, I was just making sure not to burn myself."

I giggled and hugged his waist. "You won't burn yourself, Bri. You're a good cook, too."

His black jaguar tail tip twitched behind him and his ears swung forward as I buried my face into his hoodie. Briar laughed and picked me up, gently kissing my cheeks.

"I saw you." he whispered, his fingers roving underneath the hems of my clothing. "I jerked off by the front door. I couldn't help myself, especially when I realized I could hear you moaning and mewling."

My cheeks warmed. "Zaire wanted everyone to hear."

Briar smirked. "Oh, I understand. I would love to take you right now, bending you over at the counter."

I whined, then exclaimed, "I knew this was gonna happen!"

He laughed and kissed my cheeks, then met my lips for a slow, luxurious kiss. I relaxed and slid my hands up into his hair. Briar shivered and his emerald-green eyes opened for a moment. They caught mine and I flushed beet-red. Briar guided my head closer and his tongue slipped deeper inside my mouth. I gasped and tensed, starting to feel a tingling sensation inside my core.

Briar pulled back and nuzzled my lips, giving them a soft, chaste kiss. I hugged his neck and squeezed his shoulders as he put me down.

"I love you, Bri."

Briar smiled, the happiness alight in his eyes. "I love you too, Ann."

I sensed Damon and Blaine's arrival, and so did Briar, so I knew everyone else knew that the last two members other than Russet were home. Russet was on another date with Walter, but he would be back before nighttime. Zaire hadn't minded Russet's absence since he was aware that the rabbit Emerged deserved as much affection he was getting from Walter, if not more.

"Go on," murmured Briar. "Blaine needs you more than ever."

I nodded and quickly walked out of the kitchen. I went to the left to get to the front door and opened it, stepping outside as Blaine parked the car and got out. Damon followed suit. Neither of them looked very happy.

"Day, Laine!" I called out with a big grin. "Welcome home!"

Blaine's dark expression softened and Damon looked happier as they approached. Damon's ice-blue eyes widened.

"What are you wearing?"

I blushed and tugged the skirt down in the back, but it lifted slightly at the front. "Zaire wanted me to wear this for the rest of his birthday. He had his way with me on top of his car out front, too."

Blaine's lightly tanned skin warmed. "I believe Mon and I missed something amazing."

Damon's face was flushed as he nodded. "Want to do a recreation?" he asked, which made my jaw drop a bit. I never expected Damon to say something like that.

I rubbed my burning face while they laughed. I looked up at Damon and Blaine again. They didn't have dark expressions anymore, but I knew they'd be back as soon as I left the two alone or if I brought up the unspoken topic.

"Laine," I whispered, "Day."

Damon and Blaine looked at me. Their expressions were no longer happy anymore. I teared up and Damon was a bit shocked when tears rolled down my face.

"I'm sorry." I whispered. "I neglected you both. I should have realized..."

Blaine lifted me into his arms and I clung to his shoulders while my tears soaked his hoodie. "I'm sorry, Laine."

He sighed softly as he leaned on the pillar at the front steps. Damon took his side and leaned into him. Blaine reached down and hugged Damon's shoulders.

"It haunts me, Anwyll. Every night I get nightmares of being taken and hurt again. Damon stays with me because he can draw me out of those nightmares. Every day I get sensations of being hit and being forcefully entered. And then I remember his face. He was so angry, but his eyes were glazed and he couldn't hear anything I said, as if he was in a trance."

"He kind of was..." I murmured. "He was like a walking ticking time bomb. You were the unfortunate one to have set it off."

Blaine gripped me tighter. "This was not my fault."

"I never said it was. It could have been any of us, but it happened to be you."

Blaine snorted. "Why was he a bomb anyway?"

"I'm surprised you want to know. Don't you hate him? Don't you want to curse him for ruining your life?"

"Yes to all of that, but I want to hear what his excuse was for raping me."

I sighed softly. "His father would repeatedly rape his mother in front of him and beat her. His father would beat him and torture him if he didn't perform like a good bull. His father even raped his next wife before and after Matteo's mother died in the hospital from cancer."

Damon and Blaine were both tense. I continued, "He had trauma, obviously, from his past. He's just as damaged as everyone else here, although he and some others are healing. Matteo knows what he did was wrong and he's just as traumatized by what he did to you as by what his father did to his mother. He can't forgive himself, but he will apologize and try to make things right."

Blaine hugged me tighter and buried his nose into my hair. "I'm a bit shocked that he had a past like that. I never would have guessed it."

"No one really knows a stranger on the sidewalk and no one knows the truth unless you tell them."

"I want to hear Matteo's apology, but I want to forget what he did to me afterwards. Anwyll, can you make me forget?"

Another tear rolled down my cheek. "If you want me to, I can make it all go away. And as Matteo's punishment, he will live with the reality of what he did to you."

Blaine nodded. "Please," he pleaded through a whisper. "Please, Anwyll."

My neck was wet with his tears and Damon was trembling at his side.

I inhaled deeply and let out a shaky breath. "All right, Blaine."