His Spitfire Mate

Heart to Heart

My parents keep me busy for the next two days, so I barely have a chance to process everything. What I really want to do is talk to my brothers alone, but I can't call them at the Academy because there is no cell signal. It seems strange that we can't wait two more days until I can feel the bond for the mating ceremony. A small part of me is hoping we aren't mates, but why would they all be lying? At public events, my parents do everything they can to keep me from running into my brothers, always guiding them into other conversations when I get close.

I finally had to get creative and ask Elliot to help me out. I hear a knock on our suite door and know it's him setting the plan in motion. I stay in my room so as not to look suspicious.

"Josephine, please join me out here," my mother calls.

I'm dressed respectably but not in a way that would make her think I was going anywhere today.

"Elliot here says some of the younger girls are hanging out in the recreation room a couple of floors down and Lune Celeste suggested you join," she says uninterested, "How about you go join them. Just be back by 4pm so you have time to get ready for dinner."

"Okay mother," I say, and quickly follow Elliot out the door.

We walk in silence for a bit when Elliot asks, "So what is so important that you couldn't give me a hint?"

"You'll hear it in a couple of minutes when we are with my brothers," I answer, "I don't want to say it more than I have to."

"Cool, I get to stay?" He asks, a bit surprised.

"Of course," I insist, "I wouldn't be getting this time with my brothers if not for you."

We enter the recreation room but instead of it being filled with girls, there are only my 3 brothers and Elliot, who closes the door behind us so no one can get in.

"The room is soundproof when the door is closed," he assures me. Smart.

"What's up Josie?" Aaron asks. His worried tone makes me lose all semblance of control. I run straight to him and he catches me in a big hug.

"Stone says he's my mate and mother and father plan to hold a mating ceremony the night before the end of the celebrations." It all comes out like one long word.

There is silence in the room for a moment. Then my brothers are in a rage. Aaron stands in a way that looks calm but his eyes look like he is ready for murder. Elliot punches a wall and Jared starts pacing saying, "There is no way you are mated to that psychopath and they can damn well wait two days more until your 18th birthday to at least confirm it. Why would mom and dad agree to this?"

I can't help the guilty look on my face, so I look down while my brothers start making a plan. Elliot, however, remains observant, "What are you not telling them?"

My brothers stop to look at me and I have no choice but to answer, "They would agree."

"Why?" Aaron asks.

"They are different with me than they are with you," I respond, "You might not understand, but believe me, they would agree to this."

Jared says, "Sure, they are more protective and strict with you and they keep you very sheltered, but they still want what's best for you."

I sit on the couch and know that the moment is finally here when I have to tell my brothers what our parents are really like. I have always dreaded this moment because I know there is a chance they won't believe me.

I explain how my life has been for many years now, the daily schedules and how everyone reports to our parents. I explain that I have no friends in the pack and how they have me take ballet even though I want to train. I tell them about the fight we had a few days back after I visited them. I explain that all I am to them is a bargaining chip and that they have been training me to be a perfect Luna to get an alliance. I also tell them smaller details, like how they never acknowledge my birthday and how they pick all my clothes.

I look up at the end and see the devastation on my brothers' faces. Elliot even has a tear drop down his cheek. The room is silent for a few moments before Elliot speaks up, "Well good for you for getting this far. You aren't alone anymore. We aren't going to let your parents mate you to Stone against your will."

I smile at Elliot and say, "That's very kind of you but I'm not your responsibility, you don't have to help me."

"Are you kidding me! Your parents are awful. I definitely want to help and you deserve better."

"Thank you."

"He's right," Aaron says, "Our parents don't deserve you. You're the smartest and kindest of us all and they are wasting you on Stone. I'm sorry we weren't watching over you enough to see what was happening, but this isn't going any further. We will talk to mom and dad, you should be at the Academy with us. It's not too late to start."

I can't hold back my smile. I have always wanted to go to the Academy, I love learning and while reading books is great, it's not the same as having a teacher. I look at the determination on all my brothers' faces and feel that small sliver of hope I had grow a thousand times bigger.

"Thank you."

My brothers accompany me back to our suite, determined to confront our parents. We figured they would find out there wasn't a group of girls meeting in the recreation room and they didn't want me getting into any more trouble.

When we enter the suite, my mother and father are sitting in the parlour having a drink and are surprised to see the four of us together.

"Boys," my father says jovially, "We weren't expecting you."

My mother is slyly looking at me because she knows I had something to do with this.

"Honey, why did you bring your brothers here," she says in a lightly chiding tone, "they should be focusing on their studies?"

Jared shakes his head at himself, "We were blind to not see this."

Aaron steps forward and says, "We need to talk. Josie is not being mated to Stone."