In the Eyes

Thirteen

Thirteen

*~*~*~*

"I'm not a fan." Isabelle frowned as she, Alec, and I walked through the control room together, spotting our mother talking with the Clave envois, Lydia and Joseph Branwell.

"Jealous?" Alec glanced at our sister as she walked between us, likely trying to prevent an argument from breaking out between us.

"No." Isabelle fixed the collar of her dress as Alec's phone went off. "Maybe. How the hell did she catch that arrow?"

"I have something you need to see." Alec walked over to Mom, Lydia, and Joseph, putting pictures up on the screen in front of us. "Something attacked the Jade Wolf."

"The werewolves' headquarters?" Lydia frowned at the restaurant's name. "Where did you..."

"Where did you get these?" Joseph finished his sister's question, looking between us Alec and I.

"Leader of the New York wolf pack." Alec informed them.

"You're friends with Lucian Graymark? An ex-Circle member?" Lydia looked between all of us, until her gaze settled on Mom. I could feel my hands tighten into fists at my sides, not liking how she was talking about Luke, like he was some sort of monster.

"How about we send Isabelle, Alec, and Cecile to investigate?" Mom suggested. "I'm sure this is linked to..."

"Valentine." Joseph said, a hard look in his dark eyes.

"We need to see it for ourselves." Lydia said before she started to walk away, her brother at her side, leaving us all at the monitor. They stopped though when they realized no one was following them, looking back at us, Lydia's eyes zeroed in on Alec. "Are you coming or what?"

"Go with them." Mom told me. I only nodded as I started to follow after the trio, but she stopped me as I walked past her, grabbing my arm. "Behave. Do not embarrass this family anymore than you already have."

*~*~*~*

"I can see why all the girls in Idris are clamoring to meet you." I heard Lydia comment as we all walked through the pier, towards Jade Wolf. Joseph and I trailed behind her and Alec as they walked side by side a few feet ahead of us, as though we weren't even here. As she continued to walk though, she casted a glance back at me. "And all of the boys for you."

"What do you mean?" Alec asked, seeming to be just as clueless as I was.

"Rumor has it you're both looking to settle down, get married." Lydia told him, causing my eyebrows to shoot towards my hairline, surprised by this. I knew that my parents had wanted to start making plans for all of us, but I hadn't realized they had already started. Much less that they were planning to marry me off to someone.

"Damn it." Alec swore, glancing back at me. I kept my face void of any emotions as he looked back at me, not wanting to let my anger slip through, not right now where the Branwell siblings would see.

"Let me guess. Not your ideas?" Joseph guessed.

"Not even close." Alec shook his head.

"My parents tried to set me up, too." Lydia informed him.

"And how'd that work out?" Alec glanced down at her.

"Not well for them." She shrugged. "I made my own path. Married the love of my life, John Monteverde. Together we were going to run the Lisbon Institute. And then John was killed. Everything was ripped away. My love, my dream job... Piece of advice, in this line of work, the only thing worth falling in love with is the work itself."