Chapter 3: Trials Begin-Aspen’s POV

We walk down the hall passing the Beta that just came out his office and towards the living room. The smell of the ocean is full force once again and I do not understand why. When we make it to the main living room, I am greeted with all four children, the man who I now know as Dimitri and three unknown people. Dimitri is already looking deep into my soul. I shift on my feet feeling completely uncomfortable with his stare.

"Children this is Aspen and she's going to be doing a trail." Aphrodite says getting everyone's attention.

"Aspen these four are who you would be the nanny to. And these four here well you met this one. Well actually you only seen him. That is Dimitri. To his left is the young man's soon to be Beta Luke and their soon to be both Gammas Landyn and Sebastian." Thanos adds.

"Dude!" Landyn says.

"That's the girl you were talking about?" Luke asks in a whisper.

"She's hot!" Sebastian says in a low voice. I am startled when I hear a hellacious growl coming from Dimitri. Which makes all three guys throw their hands up in surrender.

What the hell is his problem?

Please tell me I didn't say that out loud.

"I just love her!" Aphrodite says.

I did.

"That's quite a vocabulary she has!" Sebastian says while he laughs.

"Good luck because I like you." Aphrodite whispers in my ear when she walks by me.

"Children! She is your guardian for the next two hours. Mind her!" Thanos says in a low deadly voice.

"So, who wants to play hide and seek?" I ask nervously.

"I do!!" Three children yell out while one just shakes her head yes.

She must be Shiloh.

"Do you know sign language?" I ask her. She shakes her head yes and looks down towards the ground.

"Would you prefer we communicate in sign language instead?" I ask while squatting in front of Shiloh. She shakes her head yes again as she smiles brightly.

Hi Shiloh. My names Aspen. But most people call me Brielle or Asp. You can call me which ever one you want.

Hi, I am Shiloh, but my family calls me Shy.

Shy? How about I give you your own special nickname. How about Shy Bug?

Shy Bug! I like it!

Shy Bug it is then! Ready to play?

Yes!!

I will count to 30 and you all hide. Okay?

"Okay guys, lady, and Shy Bug. I will count to thirty and you all will go hide." I say looking at the children.

"What's base?" Dovelin asks.

"How about the couch." I say unsure of the answer. The children nod their heads in agreement.

Couch it is.

Is that even safe?

Probably not.

"1 2 3....... 30. Ready or not here I come!" I yell out. I know they haven't gone far. I walk towards the curtain that is moving and spot little feet.

"Gotcha!" I scream out.

"Ahhhhh!!!" Rowan screams out. You can hear running, but I am not paying any but of attention. I finally glance behind me and see all the remaining kids running towards the couch.

"Asp got me!" Roe calls out. I walk off laughing my head off.

"1 2 3..."

Shiloh takes my hand and has me run with her. She hides beside the desk crouched down. You would totally miss the little girl. I crawl under the desk and pull the chair towards me. I can see Rowan's little feet running fast as they can carry him. I crawl out my hiding spot run and scoop up Shy in one arm as I run by a slow moving Dovelin. I scoop her up in the other and haul us all towards the couch.

Sounds like cheating to me.

"Safe!!" Dove yells out while giggling.

"Ahhh!" I hear a scream.

"That's bullshit!" Tyson yells out.

"Quit being a sore loser!" Rowan yells back. They happen to be in a full-on shoving match. I sit the girls on the couch cushions and run towards the boys. I try to separate them, but they will not separate. So, I do what I could do. I take the flowers out the vase and let the flower water dump on the boys. This makes them instantly shut up and let go of each other.

"One, you do not cuss young man. You are not old enough and it is horrible language to learn. Two, you do not call people names; it is rude, mean, and uncalled for. You're teaching the girls bad habits. You wouldn't want them speaking like this, would you?" I say with my arms crossed. Each boy stares at me wide eyed and in shock over the cold flower water that had been poured onto their head.

"Now tell each other sorry." I say with my brow raised.

"Do we have to?" Ty asks.

"Yes, now say sorry and hug it out." I say with my brow raised and arms crossed.

"I'm sorry!" They both say in unison.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" I ask.

"No. Don't make me hug him." Roe mumbles.

"He has cooties!" Ty yells.

"Now boys. Hug." I say with a stern voice.

"Fine!" Ty huffs out.

"Sure." Roe says as the boys eventually hug. Thank God or I would have had to move them towards each other to get them to hug. I turn towards the girls and Shy has started to sign to me.

Come sit with me Brielle.

I am coming love.

Can we color?

Certainly!

The boys are playing a video game, and I have the girls in the floor coloring. Thanos, Aphrodite, Dimitri, and the other three come walking back in.

"Oh wow! She has them so... So... Behaved." Aphrodite says shocked.

"You're hired!" Thanos says.

"No, she isn't." Dimitri yells out.

"Yes, she is." Aphrodite snaps back.

"Those boys are my brothers. I say no." Dimitri growls out.

"We're their guardian and we...." Thanos says while pointing between Aphrodite and himself.

"Say yes!" Aphrodite finishes for Thanos.

"Whatever. She will quit in a week's time anyway. Why can't you get a werewolf, witch, hell I would even settle for a damn faery." Dimitri growls out low and deadly. Dimitri walks out heavy footed. I turn towards everyone and ask.

"Who shoved a jousting rod up his as...... Rear?" I mumble out.

"Human..." Sebastian says lowly.

"Mate..." Landyn whispers low. The three boys walk out behind Dimitri. Both Thanos and Aphrodite get my attention back.

"Next week you start." Aphrodite says.

"It gives you a week to move to your room here and get settled in." Thanos says. A small figure gets my attention by tapping my leg. I look down to see Shiloh at my legs.

See you tomorrow?

Most definitely Shy Bug.

Goodnight!

"Did you see that?" Aphrodite says shocked.

"I believe I did. I am in our living room. Correct?" Thanos says.

"Shiloh just communicated with her. She doesn't do well with strangers!" Aphrodite says stunned.

"Tomorrow, we'll get you moved in. Lets talk about the pay." Thanos points out.

"Okay?" I say confused.

"We been discussing this for two hours while you were watching these four. We decided every week we will put 1,000 back into an account for college and pay you 1,000 a week. So, in reality you are getting paid 2,000 a week." Aphrodite says.

"I... What?" I ask, shocked to my core.

"Is that salary not high enough?" Thanos asks.

"We can increase it." Aphrodite offers.

"No. No. The amount is more than enough. Thank you." I squeak out. I wave to the children, and I ended up tackled to the floor by four strong children.

"See you tomorrow!" Three of them say. Shiloh has tapped my arm. So, I look towards her. She does some pick me up hand motions. This makes me instantly melt. I scoop up the little girl. She puts her arm around my neck and hugs me.

"See you tomorrow, Brielle." She whispers.

She talks!