Whistling as I'm going back up to the pack house, a huge smile on my face from Devaney's anctics. She still isn't talking yet, but I'm hopeful. Rin and Gryphon say her activity level and socialization has increased dramatically since I've been visiting regularly. This makes me so thankful to Romain for taking me to the orphan home in the first place. But this isn't the only thing on my mind while I'm in a good mood. Julian Damon Le Tourneau. Pesky ass is now in my system. But this brings up my questions about his fangs.

Luckily, I just happen to run into Scarlett while I'm coming in the front door, who looks like she is going to get herself some late lunch. It is apparent that she got a better nights sleep, which she deserves. Knowing how stressful these types of situations are when a pack plans on attacking, I'm glad she looks more rested today.

"Problems?" She inquiries - seeing the puzzled look on my face.

"No...yeah...shit, it's too complicated." I stammer out, not sure how to approach this subject, so I am struggling to come up with the correct wording.

"Life usually is." She concludes and turns to leave.

"Wait Scarlett, I have a question about fangs." I blurt out, not wanting to miss my opportunity to ask about this subject privately - well relatively private.

"Ask away."

"Do they only just descend when you need to feed or feel threatened?"

"There are many situations where they can come down."

"Cryptic much?" I joke but keep a somewhat serious look on my face to know that the answer isn't specific enough.

"Is there a specific event that has caused you to ask this question?" but she seems to be teasing me for some reason - like she already knows something.

"Well sometimes when Julian and I are talking or joking around I notice that his fangs have come out. I am really worried that I've says something wrong to make him mad. Honestly, at times, it is kind of scary because I don't have any experience with being around vampires. So I wanted to ask. Have I offended him in any way?"

"No I doubt it." She chuckles but continues. "Fangs can come out for feeding, but also when we feel strong emotions like fear and excitement."

"Excitement?" I question.

"Yes the fangs can come down when the male is excited - well a female, too. It's a perfectly normal response."

"Excited?" I mumble, but I feel the heat build up in my cheeks - probably turning a nice shade of pink.

"Seriously Eva? Like I don't know what goes on here." She smirks and winks before she walks off. Damn hormones.

Well I guess that lets me know that I do have an effect on Julian - damn fate and mates!

~~~~~~

Oh this one is going to be brilliant. Julian would be going to his bathroom momentarily to do his hair because he had a meeting today.

"Are you sure about this Eva?" Sienna asks seriously - like maybe I should rethink this plan - NOT!!!.

"Sure. What's the worst that could happen." I remark, as I put the baby powder in Julian's hair dryer.

Soon enough, we could see the puff of white dust from the hallway.

"Merde! Fils de pute!" I hear and can only imagine he's cursing. "Dammit Eva! Do you know how long it takes to do my hair! I have a meeting in an hour!!!" Julian's yells angrily, and me and Mariah high five each other as all three of us laugh.

"At least you'll be dry and smell fresh as a daisy!" I call back.

"Screw you!!" He growls.

"No thanks, your not my type!!" I smirk, while Sienna and Mariah are clutching their stomachs from laughing so hard. Actually I'm not going to admit that he is actually my type, because I know that we couldn't be together. Damn fate and mates!

Tyson and Grant chuckle from the other end of the hallway, and I internally thank them for being our lookouts. They are also probably very thankful they are not at the receiving end of my pranks - or Julians.

~~~~

After the extra training we completed today, this evening the gang decides to play cards - poker to be exact. Everyone is able to join but Romain since he has patrol duty tonight instead of Brazil. Not long after we all huddle around and start playing, I decide to satisfy my curiosity.

"How'd you get your name Brazil?" I question.

"It's where my mom's family is from. My dad met my mom when he traveled there."

"That's interesting."

"Yeah, all of us are named after our great-grandparents but my dad's grandfather who was said to be a real son-of-a-bitch. It's one of the reasons why we don't know anything about the Cavalier family. Well, that and the Cavaliers are still in France - as far as I know." He explains shrugging.

"What's your middle name then?" I ask before crunching into another potato chip.

"Jaume."

"For?" I tumble our after taking a drink of my Dr. Pepper.

"My mom's mom's dad."

"So I can call you BJ?" I ask nonchalantly, peering at the cards in my hand. I have 2 aces, a king and 2 10s, so I call and raise the bet - earning a fold from Sienna and Brazil.

"You can call me anything you want." He flirts with a wink, but I know he's relatively harmless. However, Julian has a scowl on his face. I want to ask why, but I don't want to embarrass him and have him leave the table while we're all having fun.

"What about the rest of you? Well except for you Sienna and me."

"Hey, I have a nice name." She huffs.

"You do, but you got your name because it fit in with your siblings - whose names were picked first." I remind her.

"What is your name?" Mariah asks politely.

"Sienna Michelle. My brother was named first before we were even conceived - Samuel Matthew. So when they found out they were having triplets, two of which were girls - Sophia Marie was named next, then me." Sienna explains. "And you aren't any better, Evangeline Leah." but then she sees the sadness in my eyes. "Oh gosh, I forgot."

"Forgot what?" Julian pries, of course.

I look at the people around the table hesitantly, but begin. I'm amongst friends, so they might as well know. "Well Evangeline was just a name mom and dad liked because it went with the my twin's name, Ethan. However, the name Leah is after a girl who died in an attack on my mom's old pack. Ethan got graced with the name of her twin brother, Lucas, who also died in the attack" I explain, but I decide to finish the story. "Lucas is...was the biological father of my oldest brother, Asher."

The table falls silent, and I guess Tyson wants to break the awkwardness.

"Those aren't bad names. It sounds like me, well kind of. My parents just liked the name Tyson - no other reason for my name then that." Tyson says before he thinks he wins the hand. "Pay up." He shouts as he throws down a full house, and Grant and Mariah just groan. I try to hide my amusement, as I throw down my own full house - with my 3 10s beating his 3 5s.

"Not tonight, Ty." I beam, trying to continue the good mood of the table.

"What about you Grant?" I initiate the conversation because Grant is a little more shy than the rest of the group.

"My parents thought it was a fitting name. Grant is a Scottish name with the meaning of 'large'. They thought I was a large baby so they imagined it was fitting to name me Grant." He all but mumbles, a slight pink tinge to his checks.

"You were a large baby." Tyson jokes.

"Hold up I wasn't that big of a baby!" Grant whines.

"You are a big baby." Tyson tells him.

"Now Tyson, we all know who the big baby is around here." I comment cheekily.

"I have a big one baby. Want to see?" Tyson teases, but Julian growls. What the hell is up with him?

"Yeah sure." I shrug, and with that Tyson stands and starts unbuttoning and unzipping his jeans.

"Tyson!" Sienna screeches, and I just laugh because I know Tyson isn't really going to strip completely in front of everyone - at least I think

.

"So what about the rest of you?" I ask hinting for Tyson to stop and sit down.

"I'm like Tyson, no reason for my name except my parents liked the name Mariah."

"My mother is a witch, and she thought it fitting to name her child after a medicinal plant, so I got stuck with Juniper." Juniper scoffs.

"Not due to gin?" I tease.

"Nope - mom isn't a drinker." she replies sardonically

The table goes quiet, so I look at Julian.

"You know my name Eva, what else do you want to know?"

"Does everyone here know why I call him JD?" I question and a few shake their heads "no". Julian doesn't continue so I do it for him - pouty asshole.

"I call him JD because his name is Julian Damon Le Tourneau. Lately I should call him asshole though." I answer for him with a frown.

"Hey!" Julian sneers.

"So what's your problem tonight?" I holler back - my temper boiling below the surface. I just want Julian to be able to relax tonight and enjoy something with the rest of the group.

"Nothing. Never mind. It's been fun everybody, but I'm out - I have to get up early anyway." Julian states before he excuses himself.

"What's up with him?" Sienna whispers in my ear.

"I have no idea, no idea at all." I reply, and I didn't. Well, I hope it's not for the reason I think, but I'm not going to let on I think anything of the sort. Only problem: Tyson giving me the 'I know what the problem is.' look from across the table. How much does he know or suspect?

We continued to play until Tyson and I had almost all of the chips and it was getting pretty late. Sunrise would come too soon, so we all cleaned up and went to bed.

Seeing as Sienna and I eat here at the pack house, I volunteer to go on the grocery run. So after morning training, I get in my car one day to go to the store. It is a super hot day, so I start the car and hit AC. So why am I surprised when confetti went all over me and my car. I guess this is payback for the baby powder. He didn't get points for originality, but I am still funny. Luckily this mess is just inside my car, although I am sure there is some in my hair. At least the confetti is prettier than having baby powder in my hair. I am sparkly. This made me chuckle again at us.

Looking out my window up into the trees nearby, I see Julian chuckling at the mess in my car and on me. I just widely smile at him and wink. He seems taken aback at first, but just sends me that beautiful grin of him to me - making the butterflies in my stomach go haywire. At this I decide it's time to go - no time to ruminate on what can't happen or what could be.