**Moxie**

"Our cousin is coming to stay with us?" Zoe questioned that evening at the dinner table.
My thoughts were on Magna the entire time, but I couldn't help but think about Asta coming down to visit now.
It's been two years since we've seen him last.
And the last time we saw him?
He got in both Lexi's and Mistral's faces.
Despite being an omega.
We really think his results got mixed up and he should have been an alpha.
Especially since he has no problem challenging those in higher rank.

"Unfortunately." Dad answered looking at the newspaper frowning at it while his wine sat in front of him.
Zoe frowned in response to that.
"Maybe he's changed in the last two years of seeing him?" She suggested.

"Yeah right." Lexi spoke out almost bitterly.
"He has no respect for the alpha's whatsoever and you wonder why his little sassy ass has no mate yet-"

"Lexi, language." Mom scolded the other with a frown as Lexi rolled her eyes.
"I'm just saying, anytime Asta is here, he's always trying to start something. Why visit now after two years? I mean seriously, he chooses to show up after we're told more alpha's are coming and the fact the full moon ceremony happened. He's only showing up because he's nosy-"

"Right you are my sweet dear cousin." I blinked looking over my shoulder to find the very one no one besides me and Monty were thrilled to see, standing at the archway with a grin as he held his bags looking at the ones glaring at him.

"Asta dear, we didn't hear you come in." Mom spoke up with a soft smile.
Asta returned a smile of his own.
"You would have heard me auntie, if someone wasn't talking trash." His eyes fell on Lexi who glared harshly.
"What was that?" She growled.
"Oh you heard me." Asta smirked softly at her.
"That's all you're good for Lexi, is talking trash, I don't know how Bex puts up with it." He shrugged.

My eyes fell on the blond next to her who frowned softly.
"She only acts this way when you are around Asta, you taunt her because you want a fight. You should really learn your place." He commented.
Asta grinned, placing his hands behind his back.
"No I don't think I will? I don't like the idea of being talked down to when we're all equal. Just because we're omega's, we're supposed to bow down and obey our mates all because they're alpha's?" He asked.

"That's exactly what you're supposed to do." Mistral glared at him.
Asta smiled icily.
"I'd rather kill myself before I let someone control me-"
"Then what's stopping you?" Mistral growled.

"Okay." Zoe stood up frowning at everyone.
"Enough, seriously." She frowned deeply at the others before her eyes fell on Asta.

"How long are you staying, anyway?" She asked him now.
Asta shrugged.
"Just long enough for me to see something happen, I can't exactly spill the tea sis, that would ruin it for everyone else." He smiled softly looking at her.
"So you guys are stuck with me until it happens." He told her.

Lexi's eye twitched.
"Joy." She said bitterly.

Asta smirked at her feeling my dad's eyes on him, he looked to the other.

"Your parents, do they know you're here?" Our dad asked him.
Asta arched a brow.
"Well of course not, I mean why would I tell them I'm leaving for a while?" He gave my dad a dull look for a minute.
"Yes, I told them I was leaving, I'm not stupid." He crossed his arms.

My dad frowned at him.
"No one said that-"
"Really? Because we can change that." Lexi glared.
"Easy." Our dad smirked at her looking at Asta.

"How are they?"
Asta stuffed his hands into his jean pockets.
"Alive and kicking, still an only child, but that's what you get when your mom decides to die and your dad gets with a male alpha." He frowned.

"Your mom didn't decide to die Asta, she got sick." Our mom frowned at him.
"She still died! And now my parents are these selfish assholes who think I'm better off without any siblings, do you know how lonely that is for a kid? Oh wait, no one here would because you kept having them until auntie couldn't carry anymore." Asta glared now.

"Hey, I have a fantastic idea! Let's go to my room." Monty stood up leaving his plate and walked over to Asta grabbing his bags.
Monty looked to me to follow and just as I went to stand up.
I was forced back to sit down.
Alarmed I looked to Mistral who kept me there.

"Dad wants to talk to you, stay put." He told me.
My blood was cold looking to Monty who also seemed a bit alarmed by our brothers actions.
Asta was glaring.

"He doesn't have to-"
"It's fine, Asta." I looked at our cousin with a soft smile.
"I'll be in there in a minute." I told him.
Asta was hesitant before letting out an irritated growl, walking away with Monty.

It was quiet sitting there.
I could feel eyes on me.

"If you want to sneak out behind our backs, you really should learn to hide someone else's scent that's been on you, off better." Dad said as my heart began racing.
The color was draining from my face sitting there.
"How-"

"Last night when you claimed you were sick? Mom went and checked on you to only find out you weren't in your room, which then we were all told to wake up to see if you were somewhere else in this house. Which it turns out you weren't." Lexi was speaking irritably looking at me.
"Which leaves us with the burning question, who were you with last night and why were you desperate to get their scent off you?" She asked.

I couldn't think.
It didn't matter if I tried to lie or tell the truth.
I was screwed.

There was no one who could back me up.
My face was burning the more I thought about it.
Tears were burning my eyes sitting there.

"I.."
"He was with me." Evie spoke up and my eyes grew wide looking at her.
Everyone looked at the blonde, even Zoe seemed shocked.
"With you?" Lexi glared.
"Why was my brother with you when you should be resting knowing you're pregnant?" She growled.

Evie frowned at the other.
"Because Moxie is scared to meet the other alphas you have coming here." She looked to our dad now.
"I was going to let you guys know but it was last minute, and there's this cute little cafe between Crossroads and Cross Fade that is strictly for wolves, I would know because that's where I met Zoe." She smiled softly at my sister who smiled back.
"So around two yesterday morning, I woke Moxie up and had him come with me. You usually find the best alpha's in the cafe there and I was hoping he would find someone that he could connect to, and yes there were some who were being a bit more hands on and trying to feel Moxie up. But after a few hours up there and him being flirted with and asked to dance by another alpha? We came home around four." Evie frowned at them.

"I have the receipt to prove we were there if you need further proof." She said.

Everyone was quiet.
Her story sounded too real to be a lie.
And even though I know it wasn't true.
I found myself believing her.

"Well did you find anyone there?" Mom asked me in a soft voice.
I looked at her before frowning.
"Unfortunately no, like Evie said, they were being too much of flirts-"

"That's how alphas are." Lexi told me.
"Well I don't like that." I frowned at her.
"I don't like someone coming at me hard like that and expecting me to fall in love because they know how to flirt, I want to fall for someone who wants to talk first, who gives me cute nicknames after stunts I've pulled. I don't want to settle for someone just because they'll make you all look good! What about me?" I looked at them frowning deeply.
"Am I an accessory or your son, your brother?" I frowned.

They were all quiet again.
"You're both." Our dad spoke up glaring softly at me.
"And if I were you, I would stop this little rebellious act, I put up with it when it comes to Asta because I'm his dad's brother. But I won't put up with you acting like a brat over reality. You are an omega-"

"What if I don't want to be the omega you want me to be? What if I want to be with someone who isn't even a wolf?" I demanded.
"You have no other option than to be with an alpha!"
"What about a vampire?!" I glared and felt my heart stop at the sudden gasps and the air in the room grew insanely tense and I couldn't think.

My dad was on his feet with glowing hazel eyes locked on me.
"What did you just say?" He asked me.
He was letting out his pheromones that immediately made anyone who wasn't an alpha, feel really dizzy and unable to think.
"I don't think I understood you just now, did you just suggest to me that you would prefer a fucking creature of the night, over your own fucking kind?" He growled standing right in front of me.

My mom was at his side but trying to keep her mate from pretty much killing me right then and there.

"Ace, stop it, he's still your son." She told him.
Our dad was glaring harshly at me.
"Tell me right now who you were with last night-"
"I was with Evie-"
"DON'T LIE TO ME!" He roared and I could see Monty and Asta at the archway with wide eyes at the scene.

I couldn't breathe.
"Dad stop-"
Zoe was also there now frowning deeply at him as he glared at me.
"Answer me." He said lowly.
My brows knitted looking at him.

"I was with a vampire." I answered letting out a startled gasp at how fast I was ripped away from our dad the moment his hand swung.
I was shoved behind Rhys who glared now.

Dad glared at him.
"Why are you stepping into business that isn't yours?" He glared. 
Rhys frowned.
"I don't like it either but is hitting him really necessary?" 
"It is when he's this big disappointment!"

"Ace!" Mom screamed at him glaring now.

"Do not Ace me Laurie! Our son is hanging with fucking vampires! They kill our kind-"
"No they don't!" I yelled at him with tears in my eyes.
"Their ancestors were the ones who were blood thirsty vampires, not the ones who live today! You cannot assume they're exactly like the ones from before when you won't even try to know them!" I cried standing there with pain in my eyes.

"I trust the vampires, I want to be friends with them because they're actually fun to be around! You're too afraid to trust them because of our ancestors! But if you actually tried to get to know one, you'd learn they are actually nice!" I yelled at him.

"How long have you been around the vampires baby?" My mom asked me as I stood there trembling with a flushed face.
"Since the night you told me to stop." I answered and there was so much rage in my dad's eyes as he stood there glaring at me.
"You've been seeing those monsters behind my back? Even after I told you to stop?" He growled.
"They're my friends!"
"Wolves cannot be friends with fucking monsters!" He yelled at me.
"Why not?!" The tears slipped as I stood there.

"Why can't I be friends with vampires? Why can't you stop living in the past and let your children be FUCKING happy?!" I demanded.
My blood was ice cold as his hazel eyes glowed a gold color glaring at me.

"I don't owe you an answer when you are a child, we're done here." He told me.
I glared at him.
"We're done? Seriously, you can get on my case about who I hang with, but you can't answer my question?!" I demanded and let out a pained cry the moment a fist swung and connected to my face, sending me into the wall.

"Mistral!" Zoe, Millie and my mom screamed glaring at my brother before they were running over to my side as I sat there with wide eyes.

"Who do you think you are to talk to our dad like that?" Mistral demanded looking at me.
"You want to be disgusting and disappointing by hanging with ugly creatures and then you demand answers from dad? Seriously Moxie, you are really starting to piss me off." He growled standing there.

Our family was splitting.
Mom, Rhys, Zoe, Millie and their mates were on my side.
Meanwhile Lexi and Mistral's mates were on their mates side.
Even though Devin seemed just as concerned about me, but he stayed still watching us.

"You'll stop seeing them." Dad said now as Hailey helped me to my feet, glaring softly at my dad.
My face throbbed standing there.
"And if I say no?" I asked him.
His jaw ticked in response.

"Then you'll leave me no choice but to start with him when it comes to killing the vampire race, if you do not stop seeing that vampire. I will make you watch as he's staked, you will NOT embarrass this family by hanging around disgusting trash like that. Do I make myself clear, Moxie?" He growled.
I didn't want to answer him.
My eyes were narrowed looking at the other.
And instead of answering him.

I just shoved past him despite hearing him yelling my name to come back.
I won't stop seeing Magna.
I was in love with him.
And if having him mark me destroys my entire relationship with my family?
Then so fucking be it.

"I can't believe he hit you." Monty growled, grabbing a cool rag for my cheek as I sat in his bed with Asta glaring softly.
"I can, he's a dick." He hissed.
I winced at the sudden coldness but relaxed as I stared at the blankets.

"We had sex." I blurted out.
Asta looked confused but Monty's eyes were wide.
"You.. did?" He asked me.
I wasn't even embarrassed before I was nodding.
"Yeah, last night, when I went out with your suggestion-"

"Ah, so that's how I could really smell you on that brunet I met today." Asta commented as I blinked looking at our cousin.
"You met Magna?"
"Not just him, a whole bunch of vampires." Asta smiled.
"Wait.. You met not just him but his friends, and you're okay with it?" I asked.
Asta smirked.
"Well yeah? I live in Moon Rose guys, we live in a society where vampires and wolves exist equally. I suggested it to your secret boyfriend before I left so I'll suggest it to you as well." He looked at me.

"If you two are serious about each other, like marking serious? You may want to consider moving out of Cross Roads and coming to where I live. No one cares who you're with, if you are a wolf wanting to date a vampire? Go for it, we support the hell out of that shit. It's cute seeing the impossible being possible, omega's have had a better chance of finding their mates that way, especially when no one is cramming it down their throat they have to be with the best." He explained.

I frowned at the other.
"If I moved to Moon Rose, I'm sure I would lose my last name for good." I told him.
Asta smirked.
"Then you can borrow my last name until your boyfriend marks you and you two get mated for life." He shrugged.
"Then you would have his last name." He said.
I was blushing despite how bad my face was hurting.

Could I really leave Crossroads?
And..
If Magna was serious about me.
Would he come with me..?

It made me smile softly.
It was a silly thought.
But.

What if it came true?
Would we be free from my dad?
Or would his wrath just be the very beginning?

Especially.
When the alpha's arrive tomorrow...



//
HAPPY THANKSGIVING LOVELIES, MY TREAT TO YOU!! NO UPDATE TOMORROW!
<3.
H.STOWE.