The Four Beta Brothers
Chapter 116

JUNIPER

Kalli hooked her arm around mine, giving my body much needed support. We took it slow as we walked away from everyone, but we didn't continue the path the twins and I had been on. Instead, she led me outside where the sun was shining so brightly I had to squint. It felt like a stark contrast to the winter temperatures. "It'll be good to get some fresh air," Kalli said. "Being locked up in a hospital can drive you mad."

"You sound like you're talking from personal experience," I said.

Kalli smiled. "Not my personal experience exactly, but experience still. I'm from a warrior wolf pack. They provide some of the fiercest warriors for Alpha Williams' army. That also means they deal with a lot of injuries. I spent a lot of time volunteering at the pack hospital. That's actually where I met Winnie. He was visiting the injured warriors on his tour, and the moment he walked into the room, the most wonderful smell filled my nose, and I knew he was my mate." "That sounds pretty romantic," I said.

"It was super romantic! He crossed the room and swept me off my feet, marking me as his that very night. I swear it was a scene that was right out of a novel." Kalli slowed her pace a little, giving me a small break. "How did you meet Ethan and his brothers?" "We met when we were children," I said. "My parents worked for the alpha and beta at the time. They ten gone for long stretches, so I stayed with the Burrells, sometimes for weeks at a time."

Kalli squeezed my arm as the excitement overflowed from her. "Childhood friends turned mates? Oh! That's just as romantic! Did you always know they were your mates?" James was the first person who came to my mind, and I suddenly felt queasy. "No, I didn't." I didn't feel like going into all of my history with her. "I didn't learn about it until recently."

"Is that why only two of them have marked you?" Kalli asked.

My hand instantly went to the nape of my neck. My hospital gown left my collarbones exposed, even with my sweater. "Sort of. It's been complicated. Asher and I were dating for a while, and then we broke up. We've made up-I think-but I haven't had a chance to talk to him about marking me."

My heart raced as I thought about every time he made a point to have someone else in the room with "It's clearly bothering you. If the opportunity hasn't come up, then make the opportunity," Kalli said. " "That's really good advice. You're going to make a fantastic luna one day," I said. The more I talked to al "I'm both excited and terrified. I just hope I can be what Winston and werewolves need me to be. It's j leaves. I wouldn't want to be separated from my Winnie for that long."

"What?" I said, looking at Kalli. Ethan hadn't said anything about him leaving.

ought after our conversation and the kiss, things would get better. It almost felt worse, and fear of losing him swept through my body. been my motto my entire life. I'm not the type of girl who sits back and waits for life to come to her."

e more I liked her. She gave off giddy and excitable energy like a puppy, but it was clear that there was more to her than that first look.

lief to know that you'll be there with me. Although, I'm a little sad you won't be joining me until after you graduate. I bet it's going to be hard when Ethan

Kalli's eyes widened. "I shouldn't have said that. Just forget it... You look tired. Let's take a quick break." She led me over to a stone bench and helped me sit down.

The stone was colder than the air, since it still hadn't warmed from the chilly winter night. I didn't mind the cold if it meant taking a break. My body was hitting its walking limit, and I was ready to rest.

"What do you mean Ethan is going to be gone?" I asked, knowing it would drive me insane not knowing more about her comment.

"I assumed Ethan had already talked to you about what's going to happen," Kalli said. She bit her lip and looked off to the side.

"Ethan has been busy since I've been awake. I've seen him, but we haven't had a chance to talk about much of anything. Please just tell me."

Kalli pursed her lips. "Ethan really should be the one to talk to you about all of this, but I guess it's his fault for waiting."

"I'll be sure to scold him about that," I said. Now that we were officially mates, we had to figure out how to live all together. This included expectations for proper communication.

"Go easy on him. He's been worried sick about you and Nathan," Kalli said. "Plus, he keeps harassing Winston to let him help with finding his father, even though Winston told him to take a few days off. I don't think that boy knows how to relax." "You're stalling," I said. "Please just tell me."

Kalli took a deep breath. "Winston wants Ethan to stay with him in Vinly City after he is officially the alpha, but Ethan says that you have to stay here to finish school."

My whole body felt like it was turning to stone, one muscle at a time. Everything finally felt like it was coming together with the brothers, even if there were a million questions we hadn't figured out. I didn't want to be away from Ethan for four months. Being away from Asher and Axel for a few days was excruciating, and that was before anyone had marked me.

"You still have a couple of weeks with him. Don't look so glum," Kalli.

"No," I said, shaking my head. "If Ethan has to go back to the alpha's pack house with Winston, then I want to go with him."

***

I sat in the hospital bed, staring at the wall. I was tired, but I couldn't relax, knowing Ethan kept a big secret from me. I tried to give him the benefit of the doubt. He had responsibilities aside from me, and his brother and treacherous father were missing. I tried to wait patiently for him to talk to me about what our future looked like, but I couldn't wait any longer.

Ethan, I need you now, I linked, hoping it was enough to get his attention. I had last seen him with Winston, and he hadn't come by to check on me since.

I'll be right there.

I took a deep breath and held it, trying to organize my thoughts. I still didn't know what to say to Ethan when I saw him.

It was only a few minutes before Ethan rushed through the door, jolting Asher and Axel awake from a nap. "What's wrong? Are you in pain?"

I looked at Ethan, and there were distinct bags under his eyes from lack of sleep. I couldn't let that be an excuse any longer. "When were you planning on telling me you have to stay in Vinly City after the alpha ceremony?" Asher and Axel looked at each other and then jumped to their feet. "Asher, want to get some coffee?"

"Coffee sounds wonderful."

The twins scurried out of the room, having the good sense to know this wasn't a conversation they wanted to be a part of.

"Chickens," Ethan muttered under his breath.

I stared at Ethan, waiting for him to answer my question. I didn't want to ask a second time.

Ethan waited for the door to shut behind the twins before approaching me. "I swear I was planning on telling you. I was going to tell you everything that night before you were kidnapped."

"You rescued me days ago. Why haven't you said anything since?" I asked, not accepting his excuse. I understood why he hadn't said anything sooner. Before, we weren't anything. I was with his brothers, so he had no reason to tell me he had to leave the school so soon. However, after he marked me, this was one of the first things he should've told me.

Ethan sat on the bed next to me and grabbed my hand. His touch was enough to disarm me, but I held steady. I deserved the truth.

"I could come up with a million reasons why I didn't say anything sooner," he said. "You were recovering from major surgery. I've been busy trying to find Nathan and figure out details of my responsibilities with Winston, but none of that would be the entire truth. I didn't want to tell you, because then it would make it real. If I had a choice, I swear to you, Juniper, I would stay right here with you. I wanted to pretend for a little longer that we wouldn't have to be so far apart."

"You should've told me still," I said, my voice growing quiet. I understood his reasons, but it didn't make everything okay. "You may not have a choice about whether you can go or not, but I have a choice about whether I stay." "No," Ethan said without hesitation. "You only have one semester left of class. You have to finish."

"Why?" I asked, feeling myself grow defensive. "You're my mate. Where you go, I go. I don't care about this school anymore. All it has done is tear me down over and over again. What does it matter if I have a degree or not?" "Because you have been working for this for the majority of your life. You've been through too much to give up now. You're right at the finish line. I won't let you give up now."

"Won't let me?" I repeated, furrowing my eyebrows. Ethan had never talked to me like that before.

"That's not what I meant," Ethan said. He grabbed both of my hands and pulled his lips tight. "If you truly don't want to finish school, then of course the choice is yours. However, I don't want you to base this decision off of me. Don't give up your dream just to follow me across the country."

"Four months is a long time to be away from you, though," I said. I hated how the idea of being far away from Ethan made me feel. I felt like a helpless little girl, and I wanted to crush those feelings.

"It is, but I will call you every chance I have, and we will visit each other on weekends." Ethan tucked a piece of my hair behind my ear. "Plus you'll have Axel and Asher with you. They'll keep you company, so you're not lonely. Time will fly by, and then you and my brothers will join me at Vinly City, and we'll be together forever."

"I don't like this," I said. I felt the tears building up. I looked up at the ceiling to try to stop them from coming.

Ethan pulled me into his chest, and the contact made the tears spill over my eyes. "I don't either, but I don't want you to give up your dream for me. Finish school so you can show everyone that they were wrong about you. When you're giving your valedictorian speech, I'll be in the front row cheering you on."

Part of me still wanted to give up on school and just go to Vinly City with Ethan. Too much had happened here in the past few months, and I was ready to move on. However, I thought about my parents and what they would think about me giving up on my dream because things got hard.

Ethan was right. Four months was doable.

"I'm going to miss you," I whispered, sniffling.

"I'm going to miss you, too, my little siren's song."