Chapter 120

“Midnight!” Orion gasps, leaning forward to stare at her. “What – what are you doing here!?”

“I swear to god, Orion,” Midnight snaps, holding up a finger towards him in warning. “If you try to kiss me, I’m going to flip out –“

Orion groans, leaning back against his pillows and covering his face. But honestly, I barely spare him any attention as my eyes fix on my family –

I just gape, staring over at Rafe and Jesse – and Ariel and Jackson – and – and –

Well, at the little girl who for a second I think is Seraphina. But this one is bigger, more sturdily built. Who – who on earth is this baby held high on Jackson’s arm? She peers back at me, equally curious.

But my head spins to the left at the sound of Anton’s reverent whisper. “Ariel?”

My sister’s eyes move in an instant from Orion to Anton, going completely still as her mouth falls open. As I watch, she begins to shake from head to toe. “Oh my god…” she whispers, falling back hard against Jackson. “T-…”

But she doesn’t get any further before my stupid boyfriend lets out a wordless shout and leaps up from the bed, passing completely through me and dashing for my sister. She cries out too, rushing for him, and I snarl a little, my jealousy only appeased when Ariel tries to throw herself into Anton’s arms and passes right through him.

I grin, laughing a little as she gasps and turns, trying again to hold her friend – the man who saved her life – and again runs right through his blue sparkly body.

“Ari!” Tony laughs, reaching out his hands towards her, grinning his widest, happiest smile. “Ari, wait, you’re –“

But she just does it again, fully sobbing now, desperately trying to hug my transparent boyfriend and clearly not understanding what’s going on.

Jackson, Jesse, and Rafe all grin, watching her, the little girl frowning with misunderstanding as she, too, looks on.

“Oh, go easy on her, June,” Laila says, crossing her arms and giving me a little scowl. “That’s your sister, I’m assuming.”

“Who hasn’t even said hello to me yet,” I say, casting out a hand towards my sobbing sister, who finally has the sense to stand still and just let Anton come as close as he can.

But Laila just raises a judgmental eyebrow at me and I sigh, turning back to my sister and waving a hand, turning Anton corporeal again. Immediately he throws his arms around Ariel, holding her close, murmuring soft and comforting things as she sobs into his chest.

“Well, things certainly seem to have changed since I was last here,” Jesse says, sauntering over to me in his cocky way. Rafe moves to say hello to Faiza and introduce himself to Orion and Laila. Our Selkie Princess blushes furiously and stares at my brother’s face with shock and wonder. Jackson laughs for a moment and then comes to stand at Jesse’s side, bringing the little girl with him.

“Yes, I’m immensely powerful and am in the process of taking over the world,” I say, lazily stretching my hands over my head. “Nice of you to come visit, though.”

Jackson raises his eyebrows at me. “Are you…serious?”

I drop my arms on a blissful sigh. “I’m always serious about world domination, puppy. That’s something you’ll come to learn about me.”

“Puppy,” the little girl whispers, turning to grin at Jackson. I smile as I look between the pair of them, something snapping together in my mind as I see the very true similarities of their features, the clear affinity between them.

Well well. Looks like our Jackson had more of a life before Ariel than I gave him credit for.

“Who is this?” I ask, standing and grinning at the girl. “We haven’t been introduced.”

“Oh, that’s just a little rabbit we found out in the garden,” Jesse says, stepping close to Jackson and ruffling the little girl’s hair. She laughs and turns to look at Jesse adoringly, as most children do. “It eaten us fully out of our carrot supply, but we’ve grown fond of it despite that –“

The little girl laughs and swats his hand away. “Marigold!”

“Yes, this is Marigold,” Jackson says, smiling at the girl, his voice ringing with clear pride. “Marigold, this is your aunt Juniper.”

“Hello, little bunny,” I say, happiness ringing through me as I reach for the little girl and wrinkle my nose. “I’m incredibly interesting and powerful and am sure to be your favorite aunt. Plus, I also love carrots.”

“You’re her only aunt,” Jesse says, dry.

Marigold smiles at me and leans forward, clearly accepting my invitation for a hug. I gather her up into my arms and hug her close, pressing a kiss to her hair and taking a deep sniff of her little kid scent.

“Oh, you’re already my favorite niece,” I whisper, swaying back and forth as I hug her, instantly falling in love. “I’m going to give you so many presents.”

To prove the point I hold out a hand and conjure up a little ghost stuffie, presenting it to her. Jackson gasps when it appears but Marigold just giggles and takes it, pressing it to her chest and smiling at me.

“Wow, June,” Orion says. I turn to see him still sitting on the bed, grinning at me, Midnight, Laila, Rafe, and Faiza standing at his side, squirrel-Blythe still held closer to her stomach. “Will you be angry at me if I imply that I never expected to see you so maternal?”

“I’m very nearly always angry with you, Orion,” I say, quite lofty, tossing my hair back over my shoulder and turning my eyes back to Marigold. “And yes, now my rage is unfettered. Kids are great! Jackson, have you been introduced to this jackass Prince?”

I wave a casual hand at Orion.

Jackson’s eyebrows go up and I grin to see the big alpha immediately shrink, feeling awkward. “Um, no?”

“Hey,” Orion says, slapping on a princely smile that rival’s Ariel’s for its gorgeousness, getting to his knees and holding out his hand. “I’m Orion, Prince of Death. It’s nice to meet you, man!”

“Hi, I’m…Jackson,” Jacks says, making me burst out laughing as he gently takes Orion’s hand, almost as if he’s afraid Orion is going to evaporate into a cloud of darkness or something.

“Congratulations!” Orion says, continuing to smile that stunning smile as he gives Jackson’s hand a hearty shake. “I guess you’re going to be giving this one a sibling sometime soon?” He glances over at my sister and Tony with a big smile.

“Aaaand I’ll be taking this,” Jesse murmurs, stepping close and slipping his hands beneath Marigold’s arms, lifting her away from me.

“Two, actually,” Jackson says with a little laugh, glancing over at my sister, his face shifting into happiness and pride even in the face of a deathly monarch.

“WHAT!?” I shriek.

The room goes quiet as everyone stares at me, but I just fly past Jackson, storming over to where my stupid sister is all wrapped up in my boyfriend’s arms, looking up at him with big shining eyes like he’s the god damn best thing in the entire world.

Which, obviously, he is.

But still –

“You’re pregnant!?” I bite out, grabbing and tugging at her arm.

“Wait, what?” Tony gasps, staring at me and then smiling wide and true, turning his eyes back to Ariel. “Ari, that’s amazing! When did -”

“Oh, go away,” I snarl, snapping Tony back into incorporeality and then flicking my fingers at him, pushing his ghostly form a few feet backwards like a kite in the wind. He bursts out laughing, grinning at me and shaking his head.

I ignore him, though, turning to Ariel and snapping my hands to my hips. “Are you seriously pregnant!?”

“Well, it’s nice to see you too, June,” she says, giving me a shitty little grin that rivals Jesse’s when he’s feeling extra wicked.

“You’d better tell me right now,” I snarl, clenching my teeth and glaring up into her face. Stupid sister, older and taller than me.

“Oh, chill out, June,” Ari says, laughing lightly and shaking her pretty hair back. “Yes, all right? Two little girls, coming to us in the fall!”

A little cry breaks from me and I hurl myself at my sister, wrapping her up in my arms. She gasps and stumbles back before wrapping me up in a hug. “Well, I wasn’t expecting that.”

“That’s so amazing!” I murmur, tucking my face against her shoulder. “Also, insane! What the hell are you doing with three kids!?”

“I don’t know,” she says on a sigh. “Goddess decided, I guess, that it was time for motherhood to smack me in the face.”

I sniff, tears stinging my eyes, and pull back a little. “I’m really happy for you, Ari.”

“Thanks, sis,” she says, her own eyes getting misty as she presses a kiss to my cheek. “I missed you, you know.”

“Lair,” I grumble, laughing and dropping my gaze down.

“I did!” she says, hugging me tighter. “And I was worried about you. Have you been okay?”

“She’s more than okay,” Anton says, walking back over with his stupid ghost hands in his stupid ghost pockets. I sniff, letting my sister go a bit, wiping at my face as I turn to him slightly. He reaches for me and I turn him corporeal again, letting him tuck me in close to his side. “Juniper kind of developed an immense set of powers and claimed the Underworld throne as her own.”

It’s time for Ariel’s mouth to fall open this time, her eyes flicking between me and Tony.

“I’m sorry, what?” Rafe snaps, sounding so much like dad that I immediately grin and turn my head to him. He strides over, Jesse and Jacks coming with him. The rest probably follow too, but considering the bulk of these three, I can’t really see anything beyond them.

I’m used to it, after all, being the short girl in a huge Alpha family.

“I claimed the throne of the Underworld,” I say, shrugging one shoulder and looking up at my big brother. “I mean, I haven’t got it yet – we still have work to do, but –“

“Juniper, you’re fucking eighteen!” Rafe snarls, leaning down to glare into my face.

I twist my face in mock dismay. “Oh no, I forgot about that! Hey, do you think I could do it when I’m nineteen? Would that be all right, big bro!?”

“June, you’re way too young –“

“She’s more capable than you’re giving her credit for, Rafe,” Anton says, frowning over my head at my brother.

Rafe starts to say something but then his face falls slack. He goes rigidly straight, his eyes flashing between Anton and I – his arm around me, the way I’m leaning against him.

“What is…what is happening here?” Rafe whispers, apparently afraid of the answer.

I just grin, delighted to see my brother so freaked out. Anton just pulls me tighter, letting everyone figure it out, not backing down or letting himself feel any shame.

Rafe’s eyes flash with rage. “She’s fucking eighteen, Tony!”