Chapter 21

CHAPTER 21

HEY, COLORING CAN BE VERY THERAPEUTIC.

T he echoes of laughter still hung in the air as I sat on the couch with my arms crossed. Twenty minutes... All of them had been in a fit of laughter, unable to regain control over their bodies for twenty minutes. My chest heaved with a sigh as I acknowledged that nothing with my powers would be straightforward.

Beside me, Grayson took deep breaths, trying to stifle the last remnants of his own amusement. "Damn," he muttered under his breath, wiping away tears that had pooled in the corners of his eyes. "That was—" He choked on another peal of laughter, which sent a fresh wave of giggles through the team.

"Okay, seriously now!" Rhiot gasped, struggling to return to his usual sweet but sarcastic demeanor. "Parker needs paper and something to draw with."

I glanced at the others, who were still grappling with their laughter. Their cheeks were flushed with red-rimmed eyes and streams of tears starting to dry up. They looked utterly disheveled. It was an odd sight... this group of hardened supernatural badasses reduced to giggling messes by my chaotic powers and a simple card.

"Right," Trux huffed, wiping his face with the back of his hand. "Let's get her what she needs."

As the laughter slowly died down, the weight of my abilities pressed down on me. Even though I'd found a way to focus them, they were still unpredictable. Plus, they seemed to affect my Tsigos even when I didn't intend for them to. I didn't like that.

"Here." Seph choked out, handing me a pad of paper. Her hands were trembling slightly, betraying the lingering laughter she was trying to hold back.

"Thanks." I murmured, taking the items from her. I sucked at drawing. It had been a useless habit according to my mother who'd demanded I focus all my attention on business and being successful.

I turned my attention to Kearan, who quietly approached me with a box of crayons. My gaped open a bit in surprise at the sight of the clearly used colorful sticks, and I couldn't help but feel a spark of curiosity. Of all things, this stoic man was presenting me with a box of crayons?

"Uh, thanks." I said, trying to hide my amusement as I accepted the crayons from him.

Kearan's cheeks flushed a deep shade of red, and his gaze darted away from mine. He looked uncomfortable under the scrutiny.

"Hey, coloring can be very therapeutic." Seph chimed in defensively.

"Right." I agreed, still smiling. "Well, thank you, Kearan. I appreciate it."

Kearan's eyes met mine, and I saw a glimmer of vulnerability in their depths. He nodded slightly, giving me a small, almost imperceptible smile. "Coloring mandalas calms my mind." His voice was barely audible.

The more I learned about each of my Tsigos, the more I fell in love with them. They were all precious to me. "I hope you'll let me join you sometime."

Kearan nodded stiffly but didn't say anything more, retreating back to his usual reserved nature.

I took my new items and sat at a dining table on one side of the room. As I stared down at the paper and crayons, I focused on the task ahead, trying to push aside my lingering doubts and fears.

Trux, Rhiot, and Grayson began a heated discussion about what I should draw to test our theory. Rhiot waved his hands animatedly while Trux countered with a dismissive shake of his head. Grayson tried to mediate between them, but neither was willing to give in. Their voices rose until they were shouting over one another, eager to convince me of their point of view and demonstrate what my newfound abilities should create.

"Come on, Parker needs to draw something that won't destroy the house or kill us." Trux argued, his deep voice rumbling through the room. "Something like a thunderstorm or a raging fire will kill us!"

"Or maybe something that embodies her duality," Grayson countered quietly. "A symbol that showcases both her human and demonic sides."

"Symbols?" Rhiot scoffed, rolling his eyes dramatically. "And do something weird when her demonic powers activate it? No thanks. My ribs are still aching. Why not have her draw something practical and harmless, like a cup? We just need to understand how this works."

"Guys," I interjected, feeling a swell of determination rise within me. My fingers tightened around the crayons. "It doesn't matter what I draw. There doesn't need to be any symbolism, okay?"

The room fell silent, their gazes locking on mine as they considered my words. Eventually, Trux grunted in agreement, even though he looked irritated that he wasn't the one who'd made the final decision. The others nodded, their expressions softening.

"Alright." Rhiot conceded, a hint of a smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

"But we need to come to a decision. What do you think will best help us understand my abilities and won't risk anyone, or end in another laughing fit? I don't see anything wrong with a cup, right?"

As the room erupted into passionate debate once more, I couldn't help but feel a warmth spread through me. A sense of belonging I hadn't experienced in a long time. These people, who had once been strangers, were now invested in helping me... protecting me and committing for life. Even though it was annoying that they were arguing, I kinda liked it. They cared enough to argue over me.

Just as they seemed to be nearing a consensus, the shrill ring of the phone pierced the air, instantly silencing all conversation. The tension in the room skyrocketed as we exchanged uneasy glances, each of us aware that a call from the team handlers could only mean one thing: we were out of time and our lives would once again be thrown into chaos.

As the phone continued to ring, its shrill tone echoing through the room like an ominous warning, I felt my heart race in anticipation. What would they force us to do? I knew there was no way to prevent my fate as far as joining the team, but I wasn't sure of how the logistics would be. What would they make me do? Dread pooled in my gut, making me queasy.

"Who's going to answer it?" Seph asked, not moving.

"Trux." Rhiot responded with a nod toward the bossy Alpha. "You're the leader, so it's your job."

With one last glance at each of us, Trux stepped forward and lifted the receiver off the landline, bringing it to his ear. We all held our breath, waiting for the news that would inevitably change everything.

There was a long silence as Trux listened to whoever was on the other side of the call. His expressions were steel, not a single emotion flickering over his face. It was unnerving.

I desperately reached out with my mind, searching for any shred of feeling from him that I could latch onto. But all I was met with was a stifling silence. No emotion resonated through the mate bond, as if it had been inexplicably severed. Or he was cutting himself off from me. I didn't like it.

I felt a deep tug inside me as I tried to connect with Seph or Rhiot. Though I strained to make a connection through the mate bond, not a single emotion was returned. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get a single sliver of emotion through the mate bond. It felt like my heart had been ripped into pieces, with pieces belonging to all three of them.

Before them, I'd never imagined a bond like this, but I'd grown accustomed to it. Now that there was a complete absence, I hated the emptiness.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Trux hung up the phone and turned to us with a serious expression. His body was tense and his gaze was hard, leaving no doubt in my mind that whatever news he had just heard was far from good. I waited for Trux to break the silence.

"They want us to take on a mission." Trux's voice was devoid of any emotion.

A collective groan filled the room as we all registered his words. My heart sank and my mind went into overdrive as I tried to process the implications. While I knew that I'd have to join the team, I thought we'd discuss how that would work and expectations, not have a mission assigned to us right away. I wasn't prepared for it happening so soon.

Trux took a deep breath before responding with an answer that left us even more uneasy than before. "The target is a nasty demon. But they need to brief us more in depth. So we're reporting to the briefing room."

My heart stuttered at his words as my mind raced with all the possibilities. Would I be thrown into an unknown world full of danger and mystery again? So far, I'd struggled with everything that came with the secret supernatural world.

The silence was deafening, a storm of emotions brewing. I'd told Mr. Smith that I'd join them if it meant sparing my Tsigos' lives. But was I ready for the consequences of that decision?

Grayson's brows furrowed as he seemed to search for words, his eyes darting from me to the others in the room. Kearan stood stoic, his gaze locked on mine, silently offering support. Trux, Rhiot, Seph, and Ryker all exchanged worried glances, their tension palpable.

"Come on, Parker." Grayson finally spoke up, his voice low and serious. "Let's get this over with."

Rhiot slid my arm around his, holding mine as he guided me through the house. Something as simple as his touch filled me with confidence I couldn't find on my own.

They led me to a room that was out of the way. I hadn't noticed how big the house was when I'd gone to take a shower... I'd been too angry and distracted. Not to mention we hadn't really had time to relax since the fire. When would we have peace? Probably not anytime soon.

I glanced around the room, taking in floor to wall screens and technology and electronics that I couldn't even guess as to their purpose. Rhiot guided me to the table in the center of the room. It wasn't until I sat down that I realized I was still grasping the crayons and paper in the hand he hadn't been holding.

"Thank you," I whispered, my voice cracking with exhaustion. "I couldn't do this without you, all of you."

Trux grunted, crossing his arms over his chest. "Now, we wait for further instructions from the handlers."

As the others began discussing plans and contingencies, I stared into the dark screens, my mind racing with questions and uncertainties. There was no denying that our lives would be changed irrevocably.

But one thing was certain... I wouldn't let them take away my Tsigos, nor would I let them punish them on my behalf. Whatever they threw at me, we would overcome together.

"Do your worst." I whispered under my breath. "Because we'll bring nothing but our best."