The Four Beta Brothers
Chapter 117

JUNIPER

Doctor Tensen walked into the room, and the three brothers and I held our breaths, waiting for the news. Only a few days after Axel marked me, I was feeling strong enough to walk on my own, and I was quickly becoming stir crazy. My body was still stiff and not at the point I wanted it to be, but I hoped I was healed enough to go home. We were just waiting for the results from the doctor to find out if today was the day I'd finally be cleared.

The room was silent as Doctor Tensen looked through my charts. He looked up and made direct eye contact with me. "How are you feeling, Miss Johnson?" "Mostly better, just not one hundred percent yet," I said.

"That will take some time with the extent of your injuries," he said. "That kind of an injury would take humans a year to fully recover, sometimes longer depending on the extent of the damage. As a werewolf, I would expect you to be back to your normal self in roughly a month, but only if you keep up with your physical therapy."

"We'll help her keep up with that," Asher said.

Doctor Tensen looked between the three brothers and shifted his stance. "Yes, I'm sure you can. Just be... careful. Juniper shouldn't be doing any heavy lifting or any particularly extraneous activities."

"Of course," I said, trying not to let the blush creep into my cheeks. "So does that mean I can go home?"

"I don't see why not," he said.

Asher and Axel jumped and cheered at the news.

Ethan shook the doctor's hand. "Thank you for everything you've done for our mate. I couldn't be more grateful."

"I was only doing my job, but I'm happy I was able to help out our future beta's mate." He glanced at the twins, and his eye twitched. He never said anything against the twins, but I couldn't shake the feeling that he felt uncomfortable with the idea that I shared mates. He shook off the moment and turned to me. "If something feels wrong, don't hesitate to come back. Just try to avoid getting shot again."

"I think that's the goal of everyone in this room," I laughed. After everything we all had been through, I was sure none of us wanted to see another gun for a long time.

Doctor Tensen nodded, not finding my comment as amusing as I did. Then, with a nod, he left us to our personal business.

Axel was the first one to turn to me. "Are you ready to go home? We have a surprise for you."

"Is the blind fold really necessary?" I asked as I held Axel and Asher's hands. Ethan trailed behind us, and even though I couldn't see him, I could feel exactly where he was. He was hovering to make sure I didn't trip. "No," Ethan said.

"Yes, it is," Asher quickly countered. "It'll ruin the surprise if she sees it too soon."

"It'll be a surprise either way," Ethan countered.

"If you're going to be Mr. Grumpy Pants about this, then you can leave," Axel said.

Ethan sighed, but he didn't say anything else.

Axel stopped me from moving, and his hands went to my head, untying the blind fold. "Ready?" he whispered.

"Yes," I said. My heart thrummed in anticipation. I had no idea what kind of surprise the brothers had in mind.

Axel pulled the blindfold off, and I found myself staring at a door. I glanced at the brothers, trying to figure out what I was supposed to be looking at. "Where's the surprise?"

"This new apartment is your surprise," Asher said. "No more stingy dorm room for you."

"Do you want to know the best part?" Axel asked, beaming with excitement.

"Okay," I said, still processing this surprise.

"Since we're off campus, there are no rules about boys and girls sharing the room, so you're looking at your new roommates," Axel said. "It's a bigger space than Ethan's apartment, so you can have as much or as little space from us as you want."

"There is also a round-the-clock guard team in this building," Ethan added. "That way you don't have to worry about any surprise attacks. There are security cameras on every level, and if you have an emergency, just call the front desk, and someone will be there to assist in seconds."

"This apartment has to cost a fortune," I said, listening to the variety of security measures.

"It's complimentary of Winston. He wanted to make sure you were safe and well accommodated after everything you've been through. He also knows you're a potential target, and he wants to ensure your safety almost as much as us," Ethan explained. His lips twitched up, showing the slightest bit of excitement. "It was our idea to get a place big enough for the three of you to share for your final semester. That way you'll never have to be lonely."

I looked between the three of them. They all came up with this solution together, and they all looked just as excited as the brother standing next to him.

"This is a wonderful surprise," I said.

"Want to see inside?" Asher asked.

I nodded, and he opened the door for me. Axel kept his hands on me as we entered. The entire room was filled with light, and the plants placed around the room made the place come to life. The furniture looked elegant and comfortable at the same time. I knew, under normal circumstances, this wasn't something I could afford on my own, but I didn't want to worry about that.

This was a place I could see being a home with the twins, and it made staying at school more exciting.

"I love it," I said, unable to take in all of the details at once.

"Just wait until you see your bedroom," Axel whispered in my ear.

A shiver went down my spine, and I knew he had plans of a naughty nature.

Ethan cleared his throat. "Unfortunately, I can't stay. Alpha Williams has asked me to join him and Winston at CUW for a meeting before Winston goes back to Vinly City to start preparing for his ceremony." "Will I see you later?" I asked.

"I should be home for dinner," Ethan said. He walked over to me and placed a kiss on my lips, as if it was the most natural gesture in the world. "I hope you enjoy your surprise."

"It's wonderful. Truly."

Ethan smiled, lingering a moment before he headed towards the door. "I'll be back as soon as I can."

"I'll be waiting," I said.

The door shut, and then I turned back to the twins. "So which room is mine?"

Axel was the first to grab my hand. "I'll show you.

He gave me a small tour of the apartment, showing me two other bedrooms before finally reaching my own. There was a California King sized bed in the room. There was enough space on the bed for three people, but I wasn't sure if that was the intention. I walked over to the bed with the twins hovering over my every move. As I sat down, my body sank into the mattress, and I could see myself getting lost in the comfort of the bed.

"We made sure there was a desk in here so you can do your school work here instead of the library," Asher said, gesturing to a black, wooden desk in the corner.

"You guys really thought of everything," I said, unable to stop smiling. It was still weird thinking about how many people cared about me. Just a few months ago, I was fighting for myself with no help.

"Well, with three of us, we were able to come up with some half-decent ideas," Axel said, leaning against the door frame. "And if there's anything else you need, don't hesitate to ask."

"No, this is too much already. I don't know how to thank you guys," I said, taking in the space that was now my own. I knew it was only temporary, but it felt nice having a space to myself.

"Well, I can think of one way you can thank us," Axel said with his evil grin. I wondered if he knew what that smirk of his did to me.

"I'll give you two some space," Asher said as he started to head towards the door.

My heart raced as I watched him practically run away from me. I couldn't take it anymore. I jumped up and grabbed his arm before he could make his escape. "Wait, why are you leaving?" I asked.

Asher licked his lips. He didn't fight against my grip, but he wasn't eager to stay. "I just thought I'd give you and Axel your space. I didn't want to get in your way."

I grabbed Asher with my other hand, refusing to let him go. I knew he could pull away from me easily if he wanted to, but I hoped he wouldn't. "Why do you think you're going to get in the way? You're my mate, too."

Asher's shoulders fell, and he took a breath before responding. "I messed things up with you once. I don't want to do that again."

"Is that why you haven't marked me?" I asked.

"I'm going to go get a snack," Axel said.

"No!" I snapped, making him stop in his tracks. "I'm tired of keeping everything separate. You're both my mates, and I don't want to tiptoe around either of you." I looked back at Asher. "I hate this tension between us. I know things have been messy with us, but you promised me that you would do better and be better, and that's the Asher I see in front of me. You're my mate, and I love you. I have never stopped loving you, even when you hurt me, so I want you to mark me, and I want us to start clean. No more worrying about what happened. Let's just look at what kind of future we'll have all together."

Asher's eyes started to glimmer as he looked at me. "And this is what you want? Both of us? Together?"

My mouth started to water as I thought about his words. "Yes," I whispered, unsure of what kind of response I was going to get. "And I want you to mark me. I don't want to wait any longer." Asher stepped closer to me and brushed the hair off my shoulder, revealing the nape of my neck. "Your wish is my command."