Livie
The crowd quieted down. And after his members came and smothered him, joyful to see him back and safe with them, they went about their business to give him time to be with me.
My brother pulls away slowly, after the umpteenth hug. We both seemed to just want to hold each other and frankly, I was very much ok with that. He cups my face and smiles. "I'm never losing you again, understand?" He says, making me smile through joyful tears.
He hugs me around my shoulders, placing his palm over my head and kissing me on top of my head. "Alarick, thank you... for all that you've done." Brandon tells Ricky as they shake hands firmly.
Ricky purses his lips, nodding in recognition. "And thank you, for taking such good care of my little sister." He says, making Ricky smile as he looks at me and winks. Ricky's beautiful blue orbs glistened. Truly, I had the best mate our goddess could have ever given me. And now, the best brother as well.
"Like I said before, King, it's my pleasure. I'd do anything for Livie and her family. She's my life." He says as I pull away from Brandon and grab Ricky's hand, kissing his lips and pressing my head against his chest as I engulf him in a tight hug. The all-too-familiar sparks of our mating bond filled me with the comfort and contentment I needed.
"I love you, Ricky." I said lovingly, hugging him tightly. I could feel him smiling as he pressed a kiss on the top of my head.
"You're welcome to stay as long as you want. Your pack members as well." Ricky says as the word gets out that Brandon has arrived and his members still keep coming to greet him. Everyone surrounded him in awe, hugging him, older ladies kissing his cheeks as if they were his mom, and kids jumping to his arms and grabbing him around his legs. He was obviously a good leader, and I felt so proud of him.
I won't lie, my pack was a little scared, worried, and skeptical about my brother's pack and his arrival. I mean, who wouldn't? The thought of having rogues in their pack always meant trouble. Danger.
And here we are, having the hopes to see them stay a while with us. Most seemed to be coming around little by little in such little time. But I can't help but realize that many of them look so familiar.
They couldn't help but stand around looking everywhere I went with my brother and Ricky. They watched him with wondering eyes, unable to believe they were in the presence of the notorious rogue King himself. "You are like a celebrity here, brother," I said smiling, making him chuckle. "I'm not. I'm just... another ordinary guy, just like everyone else. I'm no one special." he says, looking down at the floor and kicking a tiny pebble.
I could tell he was blushing, not being used to the praise my pack was giving him. Dad and Brandon had hugged from our reencounter a while back, but he was eager to look around. I think Dad was doing it on purpose to give Ricky and me some time to be alone with Brandon though. He had left while winking at me.
I was at ease knowing Dad had left to explore our pack's territory with Zane and Tate. They had gotten along right away, and Zane had offered to give dad a tour of our pack.
As for Ricky, my brother and I- we have been talking nonstop.
It wasn't until now, that I realized many things. As I sat next to my brother, watching him carefully... I couldn't help but see his many scars. He was no longer the little kid I once remembered. He was a man full of scars. Scars that almost cost his life many times. I cried during my first months in this pack, knowing Ricky was out there fighting, hoping he came back alive.
It was even worse to see him return. Having to clean all that blood which was mainly from the wolves he fought, but some of his own as well. I treated his battle wounds, which always shattered me. To even think that Ricky and Brandon fought against each other many.... many times... It's so overwhelming.
"Shhh.... No...." I hear a group of girls say.
"You!" a boy says, gesturing to the girls.
"No, you ask him."
"What?