Chapter 7

• Saturday 12th September, 2020.
• I woke up entangled with Isaiah and Elijah. My right leg was over Elijah’s waist and his head was nestled in my bosom. Isaiah was spooning me from behind. His arm was over me and his face was buried in my hair as if he’d been sniffing me whole night. It was late Saturday morning so it was still my birthday. Most of my birthday was before me actually. I sighed.
• I would need to make lists to keep up with all these mates. It was a good thing I was a journal fanatic with a decent stationery collection that I literally could not afford. I would use every dollar that wasn’t spent on food on pretty notebooks especially if I could get them on sale. Here was what I knew for sure:
• Isaiah – the youngest. He definitely wanted me. He must have sensed our mate bond early on the day before my birthday when we “swam” together.
• Elijah – the second youngest. His desire for me was sudden but strong. He was the most impulsive one. I could tell by his drinking habits and how he could go from sneering at me at the party to fighting his elder brothers over me with nothing in between. He was one of those alphas that wanted their mate. End of story. No questions asked. He even called Jonah’s non-mate girlfriend “his w***e”. Alphas who were really pro mate thought other relationships were basically pointless.
• Noah – the second eldest. The most confusing one. He was the first to be nice to me without reason and now that he had an excuse to interact with me, he wanted nothing to do with me. He seemed to have mysterious reasons for not wanting me around at all even as a friend. He said it was for my own good so he was the one with secrets.
• Jonah – the eldest. He had the most straightforward reason for not wanting me. Angie, my evil cousin and his girlfriend.
• I wrote my notes down and wondered what to do. Part of me wanted to get dressed and peace out but that would upset Isaiah and Elijah who were actually already fighting for me. This was horrible to admit but my Granny and I were on the brink of of being destitute and my mates were billionaires. Maybe I should at least see if I could help my grandmother. I knew she couldn’t afford groceries this month so I wasn’t sure what she was eating. The neighbours checked on her from time to time. I felt a pang of guilt. I was here sobbing over not having all four of my mates but I did have two and food and shelter. My grandmother needed me.
• Elijah stirred. The impulsive one.
• “Princess?” He said groggily.
• I blushed.
• “Um, yeah,” I murmured.
• He sat up. “Hey, birthday girl!” He looked at me so intensely. His green eyes lit up. His light brown hair was ruffled. He looked so damn cute.
• He frowned looking really sad all of a sudden. My wolf whimpered.
• “Princess,” he paused looking ashamed. “My brothers were such assholes to you last night and ugh I was an a*****e to you at that party earlier this week. I didn’t get you anything for your birthday. I didn’t know you were my mate!”
• Elijah looked heartbroken.
• “It’s ok,” I mumbled. I hadn’t been expecting anything. In fact I’d actually been expecting nothing.
• “Let’s go shopping! As soon as the malls open!” He said.
• I had a thought. “Um, do you have your own car?”
• He laughed. “Several.”
• “fvck! We carpooled with my d!ck of a brother Noah. Lemme just message my chauffeur to come get us,” said Elijah.
• “There’s no need!” Said Isaiah, startling us. He blinked, stretching.
• “I had my car brought here last night after the fight,” he said, looking embarrassed too.
• “Baby, I’m so sorry about that and I didn’t get you anything either and I was a huge a*****e at the party too,” mumbled Isaiah, rubbing the back of his neck.
• How do I ask for groceries for my birthday? Ugh. My cheeks burned with shame. Their elder brothers were probably already inclined to think I was a gold digger or something just because I was poor.
• The guys got up and kissed my cheeks in unison: Isaiah on the right and Elijah on the left. I should approach them respectfully as Alphas. That was the sort of thing alphas did for any struggling member of the pack. I wouldn’t ask for it as a birthday present. That would be weird.
• “Alpha Isaiah and Alpha Elijah, I…” I began but Elijah cut me off.
• “Oh my God!” He exclaimed his face falling. “You’re rejecting us!”
• Huh! He rushed over to me and literally got on his knees. Isaiah did too.
• “Baby, don’t go! Just because Noah and Jonah are being cagey now. They’ll come around and you’ll be our Luna and everything will be fine! I know I was such a jerk before. I’m so sorry for telling you to f**k off. I’m just crass like that when I’m partying. I’m gonna make it up to you! You cannot leave! I would die! I’m gonna kill my brothers for this!” Isaiah said all of this so quickly and took my hands in his.
• “Everything he said times two!” Added Elijah kissing the knee that was closer to him. “I have always wanted my mate. I know it’s corny but it’s true! Don’t let my elder brothers scare you. And don’t worry about Angie! She’s a ho. She’ll survive trust me! Plus do you think she’d reject her mate when she finds him for Jonah! No! Jonah is not thinking this through! He’s gonna regret it and come crying to you! He cries you know! He’s the eldest but he’s the most sensitive!” Said Elijah without taking a breath.
• I was in shock at having two arrogant future alphas literally grovelling before me.
• “I…it’s ok… I…I’ll stay but um I just have to do some groceries but I uh forgot my wallet and…” I managed to lie halfheartedly.
• Elijah took his wallet out and produced his credit card, handing it to me. Isaiah gave me cash. I looked at it. It was a thousand dollars. What the f**k!
• “I can go to the ATM for more…take one of my cards too,” Isaiah said, handing me another platinum credit card.
• “Ok I’m fine with this! Thanks!” I said quickly before they could give me anything else. I ran out of the room. My hands were trembling. Then, like an i***t, I remembered I needed a ride. I sighed.
• Jonah appeared in the hallway. He had rushed out of his room. Had he smelled me? He looked at me with wide eyes. His hair was ruffled and there was a hickey on his neck that I didn’t remember being there yesterday! He gave me a guilty look. I glared at him coldly. Angie appeared, looking smug but her eyes looked tired. She put a hand on Jonah’s shoulder, her fingers caressing his neck. I felt emboldened by Isaiah and Elijah and their very generous behaviour. They would defend me for sure. Noah entered the hallway as though he had been waiting too.
• “You need to leave,” Noah said, fixing me with a determined stare.
• Elijah and Isaiah followed me out of the room. Isaiah growled at those words.
• Jonah added, “Now! Sorry, Star.”
• “I am leaving!” I said boldly.
• Jonah and Noah winced like I’d slapped them. Isaiah and Elijah looked heartbroken. Noah was eyeing the money and credit cards in my hands. I blushed but quickly recovered.
• “Isaiah, Elijah and I have some business to attend to and we’ll pack up my stuff one time so you won’t have to see me around ok, Noah and Jonah. That should make you happy!” I snapped at them.
• Elijah and Isaiah grinned, looking so relieved. Noah and Jonah both sighed.
• “I’ll explain later at school,” mumbled Jonah.
• “No need to explain to that low life,” said Angie.
• Jonah flinched but didn’t defend me. Isaiah and Elijah weren’t listening they were just looking at me as though kinda turned on by my sudden sassiness.
• “Yeah later, but go now,” said Noah sternly.
• “There will be no later!” I pronounced.
• Everyone gasped.
• “You two stay away from me until I am ready to talk to you,” I said to Noah and Jonah.
• They looked crestfallen. Noah paled and Jonah’s eyes looked glassy. I remembered what his brother had said about him being a cryer.
• “Angie, my cousin!” I said. She growled. The Quads looked shocked. I wasn’t keeping that secret anymore.
• “You stay away from me indefinitely!” I said.