The Alpha Twins and their Runaway Witch

83

Pandora silently suffered through breakfast with her parents and family, at home after arriving late in the night. Not having breakfast in the pack house. No one wanted to be seen with Pandora, not even her parents. That was why they had offered private breakfast. They were ashamed of Pandora and of what had happened to her. Or Penny wanted Pandora kept out of sight. 

Tom was good at making small talk with her dads. Mom had asked to hold Chuck and Pandora had hated watching her son look happier and more relaxed with her mother than he did when he was with his actual mother.

Even her own son picked Pandora's parents over her. Thankfully Tom was steadfast in his devotion to Pandora. Pandora had not known that male lions were so submissive until she had finally given in to the connection she had with Tom. Now Pandora knew that Tom wouldn't ever take another mate, he was hers, unless she wanted more.

Which was not going to happen. Pandora hated having a large family. Too many people always on top of each other at home. No secrets and no privacy. Pandora liked her quieter life with just Tom and their son. Pandora had a protective hand over her large yet still expanding baby bump. This was going to be a daughter, and Pandora was going to make sure her daughter loved her. Pandora could not wait for Bee to arrive later today. She wanted a friend who was on her side before all her siblings also descended on the pack.

Holland noticed Pandora's sour expression, and hand on her belly. "You feeling alright Pandora? Anything we can do? The maternal health ward is top notch, Hannah hired the best doctors-" Holland's words stopped short as Pandora turned spiteful eyes on him. Glaring at her father.

"I don't need anything from Golden Green." Pandora said. All conversation came to a sharp halt. None of her parents dared to say anything, and all were glad that none of Pandora's siblings had decided to join them for breakfast today. Pandora's brothers and sisters did not have much patience left for their sister.

Thankfully, Tom had grown a little braver with practice standing up to Pandora. "Princess, they are your family and we wouldn't be able to afford the apartment or daycare without their help." Tom gently prodded his mate to turn away from the darkest, most pessimistic outlook. Pandora pouted. She hated having that pointed out.

She had been Luna of an entire pack. Had once had a wolf all her own, had known what it was like to run on four paws through the woods under the light of the full moon. Now she was just a human living in a small apartment with a lion shifter mate. No pack, no riches, no status, no wolf.

Pandora felt the tears start to well in her eyes. Stupid pregnancy hormones. To avoid crying and looking weak in front of her family, Pandora fled from the table to her untouched childhood bedroom. Everything just as she left it. Slamming the door. Loudly. Tom turned red. "If you don't mind watching Chuckster, I'll go calm her down." He said quietly. A chorus of I don't mind and we're happy to watch him echoed around the table as Tom went to the love of his life. Telling himself it was the pregnancy hormones. Things would be better after their daughter arrived.

Tom spent well over an hour trying to coax Pandora out of her mood. He only managed it when he saw a message from Lumi on his smart watch that they had a reservation at the most exclusive restaurants at Rose Gold. Tom managed to sweet talk Pandora into doing her hair and makeup so he could show off to all the rich shifters and demons that he had the most beautiful mate.

Pandora, ever weak to offerings of luxury and finer things, reluctantly agreed that a nice dinner would be enjoyable. "A private dinner?" She had questioned as she headed to her vanity to begin preparing herself.

A buzz on his watch from Lumi. YES. with an emoji frowny face. "Of course my love, you deserve the best and a chance to enjoy yourself in peace today. Let me give you this." Tom could never tell anyone, but Lumi was his lifeline. Pandora only ever said negative things about her sister, but Tom would not have been able to manage without Lumi's help. Lumi always knew how to tame Pandora's moods, and how to get what was needed. Lumi was the unseen Cyrano holding the relationship together.

Tom didn't care that Lumi responding in real time meant she was listening. Lumi had not done a single ill intended thing in her life as far as Tom knew. He was just grateful for the help keeping his beautiful, strong, temperamental mate happy. Lumi was Pandora's sister and Lumi loved Pandora. Tom would take all help offered. He needed it.

***

Lumi was feeling anxious while sat at a vanity that had once held the reflections of princesses and queens of Italy. Brushing out her long copper hair in anticipation of the stylist who was going to come and finish her hair and makeup.

The Greenrivers family had booked out the barn turned ballroom and event space. Everyone was going to come home and come together for a family meal like they had not done since before Penny had moved into the main pack house.

It wasn't going to be a fancy party. A barbeque dinner, with a flown in chef. Lumi knew it wasn't a fuzzy sweater and leggings party which meant she needed help. Cassi was taking a human flight, so she could catch up on paperwork while in the air and be unavailable by cell phone. Cassi was giving living by human rules a try for a while. To better understand how they actually lived. Otherwise Lumi would have just gone to where Cassi was to get ready.

Cassi had probably already looked fabulous by eight in the morning, worked a half day in the office, went directly to the airport and would arrive at dinner straight from landing looking flawless. Lumi had even managed to arrange for everything that should be needed to keep Pandora occupied and happy and hopefully in as good a mood as was possible for just a little while tonight.

Cassian was making his way home from the Dragon Court. Oran would come out from hiding in the forest and join everyone. Penny, Branson, Nova, Drew, Jules and the three week old baby Hunter had managed to clear their schedules for the event.

Even grampie Colton and grammy Judy and their children Kyle and Freya had agreed to return home for tonight. It was hard for the Greenrivers siblings to explain how two friends they grew up with were also technically their aunt and uncle. No one would have predicted that Hannah's widower Father, would be a second chance mate for Max's widowed mother Judy. Though as Lumi went through the motions of brushing her hair, no one would have predicted Lumi, or that Alex and August would be fated to the same woman. Maybe unexpected was just their family legacy.

Pandora would arrive fashionably late to the party with Tom, after being well fed and pampered and glammed at the resort. Before the meal, Lumi would heal Pandora's physical scars. Give her sister back all her vanity so she would hopefully manage to be well behaved, if self centred for one night.

Little Chuck having had a banner day with his many grandparents. Would hopefully be in a good mood and agreeable for Pandora and Tom to stay a good long while. It was all planned. Almost to the second. Lumi, Penny, and mom had all worked really hard to make this family dinner happen. They were all so excited to welcome Ariel into the family. Especially after the pack house dinner had not gone well, everyone one of the invested Greenrivers family were anxious for tonight to be a good time.

All wanting to help August and Alex welcome their mate into the fold of the large, loving Greenrivers family. Ready or not, Fate had already decided she was one of theirs, and they took care of their own.