Chapter 8: Time for Tea

“Let me take your temperature,” Sera says to June. June doesn’t look any sicker than she had when they’d left earlier, but Sera is still worried about her none-the-less.

          

“It was so nice of you to come back. Wasn’t it nice of her, Stephen? Just to look after me?” June asks, trying to talk with the thermometer sticking out of her mouth.

          

“Yes,” Sera smiles. “But please, keep your mouth closed so I can get a good read. I need to see if you have a fever.”

          

They are sitting in the living room, tea and snacks spread out before them. Sera had thought it was a little odd, the late night spread. If June wasn’t feeling well, then why had she made them all snacks like this?

And she really doesn’t seem sick. In fact, she seems happy. She was very enthusiastic to meet us at the door.

“Don’t worry about Miriam. Mathew will bring her home. Let’s just enjoy our snacks. And each other’s company.” June is perched on the edge of the couch, smiling, even with the thermometer in her mouth.

And even though it’s late and it’s been a long night, Sera is grateful for the warm comfort of a hot cup of chamomile.

          

“Miriam. I don’t know what you’re thinking, son,” Stephen says, eyeing Damion. “I’ll never accept Miriam as our young Luna. I’ve told you as much many times.”

          

“Stephen,” June says, aghast at his bluntness. “There are more subtle ways.”

          

“Subtle. Schmuttle,” he says dismissively. “Damion is my son and I’ll speak to him however I want. He needs to hear this. And so does Sera. The whole thing is ridiculous! Now, don’t get me wrong. I have nothing against the girl’s father. He’s not the problem here. Miriam’s father, Edward, was a real wolf. A pack hero. I have nothing poor to say about him. But her mother? Julie? Oy! That woman is a real piece of work.”

          

“Well, I suppose there is some truth in that,” June agrees. Sera gives June a stern look to remind her to keep her mouth closed. She looks at June sheepishly and snaps it shut.

          

“SOME truth? She’s vicious! She’s a damn lunatic! If not for her, Edward never would have died!”

          

“Stephen,” June exclaims. “You shouldn’t say such things!”

          

Sera reaches over and pulls the thermometer from June’s mouth. There’s clearly no point – June can’t keep her mouth shut.

          

“Do I have a fever, dear?” she asks Sera. Sera smiles warmly and shakes her head. “Oh good, then. Finish up your tea then, loves. This is enough talk for one day. It’s getting late. The kids need their rest.”

          

Damion rolls his eyes at his mother’s use of the word ‘kids’. Sera tries to hide a yawn behind her hand.

          

“Mom’s right,” Damion says, seeing the fatigue on Sera’s face. “Let’s get you to bed.”

          

Upstairs in the bedroom, the warm scent of eucalyptus aromatherapy wraps itself around Sera. She feels so content in the soft bed, with Damion beside her. It isn’t long before she drifts off to sleep. She sleeps peacefully, dreaming about a time before Miriam’s return, a time when she belonged to Damion.

          

Or at least, she thought she had.

          

                                                      

         

***

          

Sera feels the warmth of his body pressed up against her. His breath is hot on the back of her neck. She lays perfectly still, enjoying the way their bodies fit together, even from the side, like this. She blushes, thinking about how easy it would be at this angle for him to slip himself inside of her. She inches back into him, pretending to still be asleep.

          

He feels her move, though. He turns onto his back, releasing her from his accidental snuggle.

          

“You were talking in your sleep last night,” Damion says, getting out of bed.

          

“I was?” she asks. “That’s strange.” She sits up in bed, and watches him get dressed.

          

“I thought so too. That’s not like you. Sounded like you were calling someone’s name. I couldn’t hear whose though.” His back was turned to her as he put on his shirt.

          

“Oh. I, uh. I don’t know. Weird,” Sera stammers.

          

“Calling out someone’s name? In a dream. Yup. That’s weird all right.”

          

His tone is off. What is that? Annoyance? Frustration?

Jealousy?

Yeah right. As if he’s jealous. Jealous of what? Some random dream.

          

“Doesn’t matter,” he sighs, turning to face her. His shirt is snug, accentuating his biceps. His hair is messy from sleep and sticking up in weird angles. His blue eyes are as intense as ever.

          

He’s perfect.

          

“I gotta run. I’ll be back late tonight. If I don’t come back, just tell my father that there’s a pack emergency that I have to deal with.”

          

He’s going to see Miriam. Of course he is…

          

Sera just nods.          

          

She throws on some clothes and heads down to the kitchen. The scent of coffee is thick in the air. Stephen, June, and Mathew are gathered at the table, half-way through a hearty breakfast of eggs and bacon.

          

“Pull up a seat, dear,” June says. Sera can’t hide the look of disappointment on her face. Damion is already gone. June covers Sera’s hand with hers. “There, there, dear. Don’t you worry. Damion just isn’t seeing things clearly right now. We all know how good you are for him. He’ll come around.”

          

Sera takes a large gulp of coffee.

          

Nope. He loves her. That’s the end of it. She’s his mate. It’s time for me to move on. Sera believes this in her soul, but she doesn’t have the heart to tell June.

          

“Miriam,” Stephen says, his voice thick with loathing. “I can’t stand that one.”

          

“It’s hard to find anything nice to say about her, isn’t it.”

          

Sera looks to Mathew. His eyes are down and his hands are wrapped around his coffee mug.

          

“I’ve never liked her, you know,” June says to Stephen. “Not even when she was just a little girl. She was always selfish.”

          

“Entitled, really,” Stephen adds.

          

The conversation is clearly making Mathew uncomfortable.

          

Does he still have feelings for Miriam? Looks like he might…         

Mathew does not engage; he continues to focus on his coffee.

Just then, Sera’s phone buzzes. She doesn’t recognize the number, but she answers it anyway. She listens to the voice on the other end, nodding and ‘hmmm’ occasionally. The others at the table wait for an explanation.

          

“Yes, I understand,” Sera finally says. “I’m on my way.” Then she addresses the table. “You’ll have to excuse me. There’s an emergency at the house hospital. A patient that needs urgent care. They don’t have enough people to help. I have to go. Immediately.”

          

The table bursts into a flurry of action.

          

“Oh, yes, dear. Absolutely. Let us help you with your things. An emergency! Oh my.” Both Stephen and June talk at once over each other.

          

In a matter of minutes, Sera’s at the front door.

          

“Shoot,” she says, shaking her head. “Damion took the car. I don’t, I don’t have any way-“

          

“I’ll drive,” Mathew interrupts, keys in hand. Sera thanks him and they hurry out the door.