Brotherly Advice

After school, I find Ellie in the bleachers near the football field. Although she has her homework open in her lap, she is so absorbed in whatever is happening on the field, she doesn't even notice me approaching.

I take this rare opportunity to sneak up on her, wrapping my arms around her shoulders from behind. She jumps in my grasp, "Cam!" She twists in my arms to throw a couple of punches at my chest. I holler, feeling light and playful. "That wasn't very nice," she pouts.

"What? Hugging my amazing, brilliant sister isn't nice?" I tease.

"No. It isn't," she says sarcastically. "Also, you totally threw your amazing sister's brilliant plan out the window by agreeing to go to the football game instead of shopping with Mom. What the hell, bro?"

I chuckle nervously. "Yeah… sorry? Addy and Alastair wanted to go, and I agreed to take them. It just sort of happened."

"So what you're telling me is, you are tired of watching your boyfriend play football, but, somehow, going with I'm-too-important-to-talk-to-you-Alastair Malum will make it less boring?"

"He—he talks to me," I weakly protest.

"What—" She quirks an eyebrow at me. "When he bullies you?"

"Alastair would never hurt anyone," I respond tersely. Ellie blinks in surprise at the forcefulness of my response. "I—I mean," I try to cover quickly, "it's just the warlocks on the football team that bully me. Not Alastair."

"But aren't the football players Alastair's friends?" she persists.

"Friends is a strong word," I joke. "I think they might be closer to subordinates."

Ellie doesn't pick up on my sarcasm. "See, this is exactly what I'm talking about. Just because he is High Priestess' heir doesn't mean he has to act like he is better than everyone."

"He's really not like that..." I really want to change the topic before I let it slip to my sister that I'm low-key into the guy. Ellie and I may share many things, but taste in men is not one of them. Not that she ever even suspected that.

When Mom gave Ellie and I "the talk" after our first heat, I realized that what was expected of me as an omega was... different from my expectations. I'm too afraid to admit it to anyone, and, as far as I know, Ellie has never even considered that I might want something different from her. I can only hope the Moon Goddess, unlike my sister, actually is omnipotent and pairs me with someone compatible. I mean, I've never heard of anyone not finding their mate attractive—soulmates are supposed to be your perfect fit in every way—but I've also never heard of an omega who didn't want to...

No. Shut down that thought. My role is set by the Moon Path and that is what I should want. All these thoughts about something—or someone—different, will disappear on Sunday.

"And now you're inviting him to eat lunch with you?" I zoned out for only a second, hoping Ellie would drop the subject by now, but to no avail. "And going to the game with him?"

"I didn't really invite him." That's right. Just deny everything. Deny that I want to spend time with him. Deny that I find him dangerously attractive. "It was actually Alastair's idea to hang out with us in the first place." Not a direct lie. "He thinks it would be a good idea for us all to be on friendly terms, you know, as future leaders of the pack and coven."

She still looks a bit skeptical, but seems to accept this answer. "After the drama at lunch, do you think they still want to be on friendly terms?"

I chew my lip nervously, but nod. "Yeah, I actually have precalculus with Alastair."

"You do?!"

I nod again.

She looks like she wants to ask more about that, but I hastily try to shut down the questions, "So anyways, he heard about what happened from Addy, and um… they are all cool with it... I think Addy has pretty thick skin and Alastair really isn't as stuck up as you think."

"Uh huh, and what about you? You left lunch in quite the hurry? Are you ok?" I hesitate for a minute, thinking about my panic attack. Of course Ellie senses my reservations. "Did you… have another attack?" I nod once and Ellie lets out a long breath. "I'm sorry I wasn't there for you, love." She wraps her arms around me, pulling me close to her on the bleachers. "I thought you might need some space, so I stayed behind to hold David back from following you."

I chuckle lightly. "Thanks, sis. I… really appreciate that. I did need a break. I actually skipped fifth and sixth period, so if the school calls the house, could you maybe pretend to be Mom for me? She would kill me if she found out I ran off without David again."

Ellie smirks slightly. "Of course, bro. Anything for you. How many times have you covered my ass with the same trick?" I smile weakly at her. "Seriously though, I'm just glad you seem to be feeling better. Surprisingly so, actually. You were grinning ear to ear when you walked up here." She nudges me playfully. "Did something good happen?" I blush slightly, thinking about my last conversation with Alastair and before that, when he fell asleep in my arms in the woods. "Ooooo, something did happen! Tell me! Tell me!"

"I— it's nothing."

"Nothing?! You were grinning like a cheshire cat when you waltzed up to me. Did you make up with Davy? Goddess, I bet make up sex is amazing!"

"Ellie!" I roll my eyes. "When we would even have had time to have sex? We are at school!"

"Well, I'm a little bit skeptical that you spent two whole periods having a panic attack. Maybe he found you in the woods out back and you then you had hot forest sex! Goddess, I bet sex outside is amazing!"

I groan. "We did not have sex! And I haven't talked with David since lunch, so don't you dare suggest we were making out in the woods either."

"Hmmmm… Well, it's too early in the year for you to be grinning about grades. You were completely distracted during volleyball practice today, so there's no reason for you to be smiling about that performance...." she mutters.

I sigh, "Stop it, Ellie."

"Did you go for a run while cutting class? Catch some good venison?"

"Seriously, there's nothing to tell, I'm just… really happy right now. I wish things could stay like this forever." I wish Sunday would never come.

Ellie frowns. "Well I don't. I want a boyfriend, like yesterday, preferably one of those." She points to the football field where the guys run through hoops. I notice Davy standing with his hands on his hips, watching a prepubescent group running drills. I suppose those are the freshmen he is training.

"Having a boyfriend is overrated. What's the point anyways, when in less than a year you will probably be mated to a complete stranger?"

"Hey, you can't talk! Unlike some people, I haven't been sucking face for the past three years. Of course you think having a boyfriend is overrated, you're practically an old married couple at this point." I just shake my head. No matter what I told her, Ellie always grossly exaggerated my romantic life. Although, yes, David and I did start "dating" shortly after my heats started, we only began kissing last spring. So, was I "sucking face" at twelve? Ew, no.

"Listen, Ellie, take it from your big brother. Kissing is great, but you don't need the emotional investment of a boyfriend. I mean, what if you find someone you really like and then you find out your mate is someone else?"

Ellie gives me a sympathetic look. "I get it, bro." She places a hand on my shoulder, looking at me earnestly. "You're telling me to suck face just with no strings attached.".

"Wha?! That's not—"

A mischievous grin spreads across her face, cracking her serious facade. "And that's exactly what I plan to do on Sunday!"

"Sunday?"

"At your party, there will be tons of desperate, unmated werewolves, and if I haven't kissed at least three guys by the end of the night, then my name isn't Eleanor Jean Berkley." We both cringe at the mention of her full name. "On second thought, I hope I don't kiss three guys, because, Goddess, I wish that wasn't my name."

"Seriously, Ellie, I don't think—"

But she's no longer listening to me. "Thanks for the advice, bro! Welp, one good thing that came out of the Saturday will-you-won't-you-come debacle: we can go shopping together tomorrow instead! I need to pick out a bomb outfit for the party… and of course protect you from Mom's fashion sense."

Chuckling, I give up trying to change her mind. "You really are incredible, huh, sis?"

"That's me!" She winks. "The second most amazing, brilliant, incredible omega in the universe!"

"Second?"

"Well, obviously you're first." She shoves me playfully.

"Oh, that's obvious is it? From where I'm sitting, you're clearly number one."

She scoffs, "Might I remind you, you're the one with the boyfriend and you are going to be the Luna."

"Don't remind me," I grumble.

Ellie freezes, our playful banter paused abruptly. Shit, did I say that out loud? "You know…" she starts slowly. "You've been acting kind of weird lately."

"Have I?" I can't look her in the eyes right now.

"Yeah… you have." She furrows her brows and I can almost see the wheels turning in her head. "Like at lunch today… I know Davy can get on your nerves sometimes, but I've never seen you snap at him like that."

I scramble, trying to think of a way to distract her. "Hey, do you want to go practice our receives? I bet we could find some space in the gym, and I could really use some pointers."

"I know you're trying to distract me, but I can't say no to volleyball… so I guess you win this time."

I let out a relieved breath and smile at Ellie, glad to be leaving the lingering summer heat which makes sitting on the metal bleachers almost unbearable.