{First published Early June 2016}

{Edited 6-19-2016}

|| I Think ||

}Avery{

I smile as I dig my toes in the warm sand. Happy to be sucking up the summer sun while I can. Soon Fall will be here. I can already see it. The leafs are starting to change their color.

I look up across the lake watching the wind ripple the surface water gently. I'm grateful that I snuck off with out anyone realizing.

I snort knowing I'm kidding myself. They let me think I sunk off.

I dig my toes deeper in the sand thinking.

They've been smothering me. Dean and Kayden. Constantly by my side never letting me be by myself for long. Its not like their company is bad or the touches. I feel a blush come to my face. Lets not think about their touches.

Always being in their company is hard. Especially for someone who's been by their selves for two years. It will take time to get use to it, to them I suppose.

I don't blame them. We, all three of us seem to just gravitate towards each other and what happened two months ago only made their wolves want to be that much closer to me. Something I'm still coming to terms to with. How they can be both, a human and a wolf at once. Its confusing.

Just thinking about that day still has my heart ponding in fear. A nasty feeling slithering over my skin.

To know that guy, Loral isn't even the one we should be worried about. To know that there is someone above him. That's just as creepy, is a scary thing to think about. To know there is six plus their packs that would like more than anything to get their greedy paws on me is nauseating to think about.

Dean said Loral is just the Beta to one of Alpha's on the council of Six.

Dean gave his history lesson. A much needed one it seems as even the others were surprised to hear most of it. Their history being wrapped in lies.

The council of Six is not what it use to be. With power comes corruption as Dean put it.

Dean was angry and I even felt his guilt about the whole mess. He blames himself that the council turned into something greedy and dis honest, because he left.

He left and finally let the rage take over not caring an inch of what became of his blood right. I don't blame him either. It must me extremely hard to hold off the Rage. And knowing it is a disease is even more worry some. It could evolve.

I bit my lip thinking about Rain. That his blood runs somewhere in mine. I vaguely remember Nick telling me about Rain when I first came to live with Jeff. I shake my head, digging my toes deeper in the warm sand. Its weird that Dean killed off any known Rain blood line and yet here I am. Somewhere, someone missed one and I'm here, a Rain descendent mated to the one who tired to kill of my ancestors. Fate has a funny way of coming back around and biting you on the bottom.

Is that why I can turn my emotions off. Turn into this cold, twisted thing because of Rain?

I jolt as a body flops down beside me. Dean stretches out on his side. His head propped up on his hand laying down by my feet. I feel a heat rush my body as he curls one long muscular arm around my legs, under my knees. He leans his head up against my leg, those copper eyes taking me in.

"Hi." I smile and watch as his eyes sparkle and a smile come across those plump lips.

I feel Kayden dropped down beside me, on the right. His arm twisting around my waist, fingers slipping up under the edge of my shirt, curing on my belly.

My face flames as I look at him, "Hi."

"Avery." He breathes my name, leaning closer, rubbing his nose across my neck breathing me in.

I squirm, still not use to how they both like to do that. My smell, yes you heard me, my smell somehow makes them feel at ease.

"What are you doing love?" Dean asks softly, his hand moving slowly on my leg.

Between him and Kayden, I feel my toes start to curl under the sand.

"Thinking." I mumble looking out at the water.

"About?" Kayden asks his fingers trailing along my side.

"Leaving tomorrow." Kayden grunts his fingers stalling. Dean snorts, rolling over on his back, he picks up my legs, putting the right one on his chest, his hand rubbing at my left foot, while the other leg stays on the ground his right hand holding onto my ankle. I feel heat pool in my core, but I tire to ignore it.

"There's nothing to worry about love." Dean says softly, bringing a moan to my lips as he moves his thumb across a sore spot on the bottom of my foot.

"I know, but we're going into a den of vipers." I mumble leaning on Kayden.

They both laugh at that. It makes me smile. They make me smile. I've learned so much about each of them and even myself. Dean's the quite cocky guy and Kayden's the talkative one, well only when he's around us. They both are extremely sweet and just plain amazing.

"Everything will be fine. I promise." Kayden says lifting my chin with a finger, looking me in the eyes.

I nod. Shifting in the sand. My lower back has been killing me for two days, and my freaking boobs hurt. I groan knowing my period will be any day now and we're getting ready to leave. To go to the mountains and the Six. It's time for the selection and my presence is wanted. They've sent three formal letters stating so. Letters I tore up and tossed in the trash.

I just want to forget that its even here. Forget the six. But I can't. I feel Dean's need to fix everything and it has became mine and Kayden's need also. Plus we need to stop the forced empath bonding. The only person with enough power is Dean. My gut is telling my that my fathers killer is there too.

I jerk when I feel warm lips on my foot.

"No more thinking love." Dean says dragging his nose across my foot and up my leg.

Thinking. Its hard to stop thinking. Worrying.

Dean places a kiss on the inside of my knee as Kayden nips lightly at my shoulder. My eyes close and I bite my lip. I think, I'll stop thinking now.

Thanks for reading.