The Dark Thrall Mating Olivia

Chapter Eight

Heading into the house, I sat my beer on the kitchen counter. Already knowing better than to take any drinks into the rest of the house. Olivia and Jay liked things neat, and while they were fine with drinks in the living room, the both preferred that we keep them in the kitchen.

The twins had taught them too many lessons as they were growing up, and I think we all had a bit of PTSD from stepping into strange liquids. Or finding random cups around the house.

I found Everly and Olivia setting the table for dinner. Killian was rinsing off the spinach and putting it into a large wooden bowl for the salad. Jay had handed off the sodas to the twins and they were putting them away.

All in all, it was the picture of their family and how things worked; the only ones missing were Nick and the baby. They would be here soon enough. Family dinner nights were important to everyone here. They tried to do them weekly, but sometimes schedules didn't work out, and it was always felt when a person was missing.

I carried Everly's bag into the living room before walking over to the sink and washing my hands. Picking up the knife that Killian had left out, I looked at the vegetables, grabbing a carrot and the cutting board.

"Going to dice up veggies?"

"Yeah, I figure if I help you, I won't have to do dishes."

He smirked at me before shaking his head. "It's Cade and Nick's turn tonight."

I nodded, dicing up a carrot and adding it to the bowl of spinach. I made quick work of the

tomatoes and celery as Killian rinsed them off and handed them my way. When we were done,

he tossed them all together, picking up the big bowl and taking it to the table.

I cleaned off my hands, watching him as he rested his hand on Olivia's lower back. He grinned over at Everly and I could just see the ease he felt at having her home.

We all felt that way, and I knew after this weekend that I was going to make more of an effort to remind her that she had people who cared about her at home. Cade came into the house, discreetly tucking his empty beer bottle into the trash before making his way over to the table. Olivia's eyes narrowed, and her nose twitched, but Killian leaned closer to her.

"Let him be, little wolf." He rumbled.

"It's not him I'm mad at."

"Well, I can tell you that Jay will take you over his knee to get you over that anger." Killian chuckled, brushing his lips against Olivia's temple.

I shook my head, fighting back the smile as I watched the two of them. This was the kind of thing that Everly had grown up with her parents all loving each other. The way they didn't hide it, and I could never take that away from her.

Olivia looked up at him, pressing her lips together, before her gaze moved over to Jay, who was coming down the stairs. She glanced at Cade one last time before nodding. A twinkling chime sounded out, and Olivia pulled her cell phone from her back pocket. She looked at the screen, her full lips tilting into a frown, before she tucked her phone away.

"Nick's running late. He said to start dinner without him." She smoothed her hands over her hips, looking at Theo and Noah. "Dinner, you two, then you can go back to your games."

"We could always eat and play." Noah said, pushing his blonde curls out of his eyes. Out of all of Everly's siblings, the twins looked the most like her. Well, Noah did. Both of them had the same curling blonde hair that she did. But his eyes were the same rich brown color as hers.

Theo looked the same, but he preferred to keep his blonde locks short and closely cropped. His eyes were a bright shade of hazel, and his build was more lithe than his twin's.

"You're not gaming." Olivia growled.

"Mom, that's not—" Noah held up his hands, but his brother cut him off.

"Don't worry, mom." Theo said, walking around his brother to sit at the table. "We know the rules. Noah is just messing with you."

Everly ruffled her fingers through Theo's hair before taking a seat beside him. "Hey little bro." "I'm taller than you, Evy." He shrugged away from her, shooting her a glare.

"It doesn't matter, you're still my little bro." She teased back, and Noah moved to sit beside his brother.

"We missed you, Ev." He said, opening up his soda and pouring the yellow bubbling liquid into the glass beside his plate.

"Missed her enough to go to training tomorrow morning?" I asked. Raising an eyebrow at Noah

as I picked up my beer and took a sip before grabbing one for Everly from the fridge.

"I don't know that I missed her that much."

"Aw, come on. You guys don't want to go train with Sid?" Everly teased, leaning over to look at Noah just past Theo.

"No, thanks." Theo's nose scrunched up as he looked at me. "I don't want my ass kicked again." "Theo." Olivia scolded.

"Sorry, mom, but he pushes us too hard."

"You need it." Cade grumbled, and Jay shot him a look. He excused himself before going into the kitchen and cleaning himself up.

"Hey, Sid knows you guys need it. Your beasts are going to wake up soon, and you'll need that control." Olivia said as she sat down at the far end of the table.

Killian moved to join her, and Jay sat on her other side. I sat down beside Everly, passing her a beer. She smiled up at me, twisting off the lid and taking a drink. Cade joined us again once he had scrubbed his hands.

We helped ourselves to dinner, the conversations was easy and it felt like no time at all had passed.

After a while, the door to the garage opened, and Nick came into the kitchen. His little shadow followed behind him, and I couldn't help but smile as the brown-eyed little boy caught sight of his sister. His dark, wavy brown hair was brushed back from his face. He let out a squeal before launching himself towards the table.

"Evy, you're home."

"Ohmigod, Ian. You've gotten so big." Everly said, pushing away from the table to pick up her youngest brother. She spun the four-year-old around, and he laughed. Bouncing in her arms as he held her close.

"I missed you."

"I missed you too, kiddo." She kissed the top of his head before he squirmed out of her arms and made his way over to his mom.

Nick came to the table and hugged Everly before he moved over to Olivia. Kissing her cheek before he did the same to Killian. He squeezed Jay's shoulder as he moved to sit down beside him.

I felt an ache in my chest as I watched the four of them. I wanted that, and I hoped that soon the goddess would give Everly her mate.