Chapter Thirty-Nine
Rika had come by Staff Childcare earlier, pulling Lily out to speak without TraceyAnn “accidentally” overhearing. Rosa was improving, but she’d need to be there for at least a few more days, and it was safer if the twins stayed away for the time being.
It meant that Clover and Brady would be staying at the house indefinitely. Surprisingly, even Simon had insisted on it. Over the past few days, while he wasn’t exactly volunteering to babysit, he was comfortable around the two to even suggest baking cookies for them.
Lily was gratified to see that Simon was loosening up, or at least there was a marked difference in his formerly shy and awkward demeanor. Even now, he was hanging out with Tybalt in the massive living room, which was a large indoor playground for the twins and the boys. Barric and Merek in particular had gone through the most dramatic turnarounds with Brady and Clover. Lily never would have guessed that they would turn out to be the ones to enjoy romping around with the preschoolers, but they seemed to genuinely have fun.
Although maybe their playing hide and seek right now in this huge mansion wasn’t necessarily the best of ideas. Her imagination ran rampant with the thoughts of where a five year old might easily find him or herself wedged.
Lily forced herself to relax. It was helping take the kids’ minds off of wondering where their mother was, especially since the high pitched shrieks of laughter let Lily know that Barric and Merek kept easily finding them.
And when it wasn’t noisy, she worried as well. The quiet told her that the game had ended. And the two were— upstairs? She was about to get to her feet to go look for them, when she heard the thundering of feet on the stairs coming down. Barric and Merek emerged into the living room, each with one of the twins in a massive arm. Brady and Clover were holding pictures.
The two giant men knelt in front of Lily, depositing the twins so they could present the pictures to her, as Aylwyn entered through the door from the backyard.
“The two younglings have drawn wonderful portraits,” Barric said, with mirth distorting his voice.
“Exceptional likenesses,” Merek agreed, on the verge of laughter.
Lily took the pictures. Each had a crayon drawing of a large dog-like animal. The one that Brady had done was dark black, with heavy swirls of crayon for fur. It had sharp teeth and looked menacing. The one that Clover drew was brown, although when Lily tilted the sheet of paper she could see swirls of white crayon. The animal was obviously meant to have brown and white markings, although it too had sharp, pointed teeth and huge paws.
“These are great!” Lily exclaimed. She was impressed at the level of detail, and wondered where the twins had seen animals like these.
Brady pointed to the black crayon drawing. “That doggie’s Mewwic.”
Clover instantly chimed in about the brown and white crayon drawing. “That doggie’s Bawwic.”
Aylwyn’s laughter sounded behind Lily, but she thought it was adorable. “I’m sure that Barric and Merek are happy that you named your doggies after them.”
“No!” Brady protested. “That doggie’s Mewwic.”
Clover had to repeat hers as well. “That doggie’s Bawwic.”
Lily heard a snort, and it was Barric’s barely suppressed laughter. Merek was not even bothering, as a peal of laughter burst out, and then all three of the large guys were in hysterics. The two kids added their gleeful chortles.
Well, okay, then. Lily didn’t know what the joke was, but if the guys thought it was funny that two five year olds drew them as dogs, then far be it for her to rain on their parade.
She glanced over, to make a face and shrug at the two other sane people in the room who weren’t laughing. Except Simon and Tybalt had the weirdest expressions on their faces. Not the holding back laughter one.
The one that meant for some reason, they were shitting bricks.
* * *
“My bad,” Barric said, using an expression that obviously Aylwyn taught him. Merek repeated it as well, finding it funny.
Col had come back in time to hear the latest that had happened in the house while he was on patrol. Katie Cooper was upstairs, putting the two children to bed with their nighttime rituals. TheWaryeors, Simon and Miller were talking freely for the moment.
He had pieced together that in playing a game that involved hunting for the children who deliberately hid themselves, Barric and Merek had shifted in order to use their senses better. They saw no harm in doing so, for it added to great hilarity for themselves, and for the children.
And that was the problem, was it not? Barric and Merek saw no harm in showing their wolf forms, they had barely understood the need to cover up their human forms whilst in the house.
“It’ll be ok, if the kids talk about it people will take it as their imaginations being active. And over time the kids will forget, especially if I double down on getting them movies with talking animals and special effects.” Miller had already outlined a plan of action. Col had much admiration for the man. If he were aShiftwere, he would likely be aVixarof his ownWar-Pack.
“And what of Katie?” Simon asked. He was looking at Merek and Barric. “You two need to be careful that she doesn’t see you.”
“Whyfore?” Barric shrugged, a slight defensive tone in his voice. He tipped his head towards Col. “She is soon to know, if she does not already.”
“What?” Simon swung his eyes between the twoWaryeors.
