Page 72 of Kai (Alpha Heroes #13)

“Are we ever going to stop hugging and crying every time we see each other?” I wondered, not quite ready to relinquish my title as the tough witch of the family.

“Nothing wrong with feeling deeply.” Thena drew back and tucked a blonde curl behind her ear. “It’s a good thing, Cece.”

“If only Affie was here, too.”

Missy flashed her toothy smile. “She’s going to love hearing how much you missed her.”

I wiggled my eyebrows. “I’ll pay you if you keep it a secret.”

“Nuh-uh.” She gave me attitude I never knew she had. “I’m no longer that shy, scaredy kid, and from now on, we don’t keep secrets from each other.”

“Agreed.” I squeezed Missy’s hand and then let go. “I hope we can get Affie back soon.”

“Levine told you the last location where she’d been detected,” Thena reassured me. “Obviously, she’s not there anymore, but the information has given us a head start, and Trev is following up on the leads. As soon as he has something solid, Tracker Team will be on the way.”

“I know.” Sandwiched between my sisters, I nodded. “I trust Kai and the guys. You said you had news?”

“Of the witchy kind first.” Missy lifted her eyebrows at Thena.

“Yes, of course.” Thena’s throat bobbed with a swallow. “Missy had a dream last night. Turns out, I read the stars a few nights ago and saw the same person she dreamed of.”

“I suppose that is witchy news.” My curiosity perked up. “Who’s the protagonist of your reading?”

“Micah Bozeman,” Thena said.

“Mount Massive?” I croaked. “Are you thinking… Affie?”

Thena shrugged. “I don’t know.”

I turned to Missy. “What about you?”

“I dreamed of Micah, too, but the experience was different. Hazy. Psychedelic.”

“Kind of like Affie,” I pointed out.

“Yes,” Missy said. “Have you seen Micah’s aura?”

“I did, but it was a while back and, to be honest, I was peeved. It was white, but static. I didn’t understand it then, but I didn’t give it a second thought, either.”

“Can you look again?” Missy asked. “Perhaps you can help clarify?”

“Honestly?” I grimaced. “I can’t think of two more diametrically opposed human beings on the planet.”

“I know, right?” Missy agreed. “It makes no sense.”

“As if any of this made sense,” Thena reminded us. “You and Kai are very different from each other, and yet here you are, our never-love sister, deeply in love.”

“That’s because Kai is a special person,” I shot back.

“He’s your person,” Thena pointed out. “That’s what makes him special.”

“Okay, you win.” She was right. “But Micah and Affie? They’re so far apart that they would probably murder each other at first sight.”

Missy bobbed her head. “You make a good point.”

“We don’t want to make a mistake.” My oldest sister worried her lower lip. “Maybe you can confirm or deny, or see something the two of us can’t?”

“I’ll do anything for Affie. Next time I see Micah, I’ll take a good look.”

“How about you do it right now?” Missy slid her cell out of her back pocket and fired a text. “Dash will need to choose a lead for the mission soon. We must ensure he makes the right choice.”

The new Missy wouldn’t back down.

“Let’s do it,” I said.

“I know it gives you a headache.” Thena squeezed my arm.

“Not always,” I said. “Some auras have a nourishing effect on me. Like yours. And Missy’s. And Kai’s, of course.”

“I’m glad I don’t give you migraines.” Thena’s grin softened.

“While we wait,” I said. “Missy said you had a couple of things to share, as in plural?”

“Nothing escapes Cece’s brain.” Missy nudged her head toward Thena. “Your turn.”

“I’ve been looking for a quiet moment to tell you since you arrived.” Thena’s eyes sparkled. “Only Dash, Missy, and Javier know.”

“Let me guess.” I grinned with total confidence. “You and Dash are getting married. Surprise, surprise. It doesn’t take a scientist to figure out you’re making it official.”

“We’re not getting married… yet.”

“Why wait?” I frowned. “You guys have been in love since forever.”

“I asked the same thing,” Missy said.

“Because when we get married, Affie, Missy, and you will be standing by my side,” Thena explained. “It will be sweeter, a true celebration, a circle coming to a close. We want to say our vows surrounded by our family. It’s my dream, and I’m not giving up on it.”

“The only one who won’t be there is Nix,” I mumbled, then kicked myself for making Thena wince.

“He’ll be there, keeping us company, like he does when I dream of him.” Missy saved the day. “We might not see him, but he’s with us, always.”

“You see Nix in your dreams?” I asked tentatively.

“Often.”

“The stars show him to me as well.” Thena took a deep breath. “Those blue eyes twinkle in the sky. You remind me of him so much.”

“I saw his aura in the picture on the photo box once,” I confessed, my voice wobbly. “And…”

“And what?”

“I saw his aura and heard him when I thought I was drowning.”

“What does it mean?” Missy asked.

“Nothing, probably,” I said.

“Time out.” Missy tapped her straight fingers against the palm of her other hand. “We went from joy to grief in a sec. If Nix is looking in on us right now, he’d be furious.”

“You’re right.” I looked at my older sister. “It’s back to guessing Thena’s news.”

A mischievous smirk hijacked Thena’s wide mouth. Her cheeks blushed, and she looked mildly embarrassed and very smug at the same time.

“Wait.” I caught her wrist and held on to it. “You’re not… Oh. My. God. Can it be?” I looked at Missy before I returned my shocked stare to Thena and gasped. “Are you… pregnant?”

Thena’s eyes filled up. She pressed her lips together and nodded.

“You and Dash are pregnant!” I seized my sisters again and clutched them to my breast. “I’m going to be an aunt!” I looked at Missy. “ We ’re going to be aunts!”

Missy laughed. “We are.”

“When?” I demanded.

“Five months, give or take,” Thena said, laughing at my reaction.

“I’m so happy for you!” I swallowed an emotional sob. “You always told us that what you really wanted in life was a family with Dash.”

“Yes.” A rueful smile curved her lips. “I almost missed out.”

“But you didn’t,” I reminded her. “And now we’ve got a baby on board. This is wonderful news.” I settled my hand over my joy-filled heart. “But I’m surprised your ultra-honorable baby’s daddy hasn’t dragged you to the altar yet.”

“Dash and I promised each other that we would wait until the four of us sisters are together again. Affie is not here. So, the wedding is on hold. However, Dash and I also agreed that, given all the time we’ve lost, not to mention the biological clock ticking in our heads, if we got pregnant, we’d be happy. ”

“This is so great. Things are finally looking up in Astor Land.” I tossed Missy a suspicious look. “Are you pregnant, too?”

“Not yet, but—”

“But?”

“Soon.” Missy’s brown eyes shimmered with anticipation. “Javier and I don’t want to wait too long. I want Thena’s kid to grow up with mine.”

Why did that simple statement strike me so hard?

Because Kai deserved an opportunity to live his dream of being a dad. And maybe, since I had blue eyes, the blue-eyed baby he dreamed about could one day be our child. The realization made me gasp. Perhaps if I bent a little, one day, our son or daughter could join my sisters’ kids—

A stern knock rattled the door exactly three times.

“Micah.” Missy got up and tossed me my robe on the way to the door. “I told him to come at his earliest convenience. He’s as literal as they come.”

I stuffed my arms into my robe and had it tied by the time Missy opened the door.

She waved him inside. “Come in.”

The man took a few steps into the room, braced on legs thick as trunks, and inclined his chin. “You wanted to see me?”

“Yes, would you like to sit down?” Thena suggested with her usual poise.

“I’m fine standing, but thank you, ma’am.” The man displayed impeccable manners. He cocked an eyebrow as he watched Missy settling down on the bed next to me, then roamed his cunning gaze over the three of us. “A bed is a highly unusual location for a meeting.”

“Yeah, sorry, it’s me,” I ventured. “You know, not a social butterfly and all of that.”

“I understand, Ms. Astor,” he rumbled in his low voice.

“Please call me Cece.”

“I shall try.” His tone said otherwise. “Was there something you all required of me?”

“We have a question for you.” Missy elbowed my ribs a little too hard. “Cece?”

“Oh. Yes. Well…” I’d been prepared to call his aura, but now I had to think of some questions to ask. “Err…”

“We have heard nothing new today,” Thena jumped in, ready as always. “Do we have a report from Trev?”

Perfect cover question.

I called up Micah’s aura. It hummed into place, so quiet I could barely hear it, and as white, blunt-edged, and static as I remembered. Even though I could use a pair of polarized sunglasses, at first look, nothing had changed since I’d last seen it.

“As you know, the mission is in progress.” Micah’s aura remained as inert as a cement wall. “We have not had a report from Druid since yesterday.”

“Nothing,” I murmured, mostly to myself.

A single fold appeared on the man’s forehead. “Excuse me?”

“Sorry.” I waved a hand. “I was talking to myself.”

He narrowed his eyes slightly.

“This is taking longer than we expected.” Missy deflected his attention from me.

“I understand your concern, ma’am,” Micah said. “I can assure you. As soon as we get an update. I’ll inform all of you.”

“Micah, for the millionth time.” Missy rolled her eyes. “We’re friends. Call me Missy.”

“I shall try,” he repeated.

I doubted he would ever succeed. He’d been part of the team from the beginning.

He knew Thena and Missy, and yet he still addressed them formally.

I let out a huff. He was reserved, cool, proper, remote, and disciplined.

Whereas Affie was outgoing, warm, vibrant, engaging, and chaotic.

This man was an introvert and a walking fortress.

Affie was an extrovert who didn’t know what a boundary was.

Yup . They were a disaster waiting to happen and a waste of everyone’s time.