Today, I recommend reading: The Mouse and The Wolf by bedinaz, it's a really great book!!

- Sian

The kitchen and living room were overrun with hungover bodies, sprawled across anything comfortable. The party ended in the early hours of the morning, and nobody attempted to clean anything, which irritated Margo when she entered the kitchen. Bottles had been smashed, spilt drinks covered the floor, food was everywhere and so were the stools.

"Wow," Anthony said as he walked up behind her, looking at the mess.

"Yep." Margo pursed her lips together, trying not to get too annoyed. She felt a little hungover, and that wasn't helping to find her tranquillity.

"Where's Hunter?" Anthony scanned the people in the room, knowing he didn't see his son or Jacota in their bed this morning. William and Sam were curled up together on the couch which had fallen backwards, Piper was fast asleep on the chair, the Omegas were still in the living room, and Pheonix was asleep at the dining table with his head rested against the wood.

Anthony picked up fallen stools on his way to the guest bathroom closest to the kitchen. The door was at an angle, and when he popped his head into the small room, he couldn't help but laugh a little.

Jacota was sprawled across the tiled floor with his head pressed against the base of the toilet. He had decidedly spent the rest of the night throwing up his guts. Anthony motioned for Margo to take a look at their son who was curled up in the empty bathtub, snoring softly.

"Eventful night, it would seem," she sighed with a smile.

"You wake them; I'll make breakfast." Anthony kissed her head and dodged the broken glass on his way back to the kitchen.

Margo stepped over Jacota and prodded her son in the shoulder. Hunter woke suddenly with an ache in his chest from not touching Jacota's skin in hours.

He winced at the light and ignored his mum while he reached over the bathtub to grab Jacota's arm. His warm skin filled him with instant relief and he sunk back into the bath, watching the room spin without his control.

"Hey," Margo nudged Jacota until he woke, knowing he was a little harder to wake up than her son. "I can't believe you both slept in the bathroom."

Hunter, with a hand on his head, asked, "What happened last night?"

"After your father and I went to bed, I have no idea."

Jacota closed the lid on the toilet and hauled himself up so he could sit on it. He remembered throwing up, but that's the only memory he could find from the previous night.

"I drank way too much," he mumbled, not feeling as bad as he expected, though the God did throw up the majority of the alcohol he consumed.

"I think everyone did." Hunter climbed out of the bath, rubbing an aching shoulder. "Is it messy?"

Margo left the bathroom without a word, and Hunter knew the answer.

"Are you well enough to help tidy?" Jacota asked with a foul taste in his mouth.

Hunter nodded and followed his mum as his mate vanished to their bathroom upstairs so he could clean his mouth.

"Sleeping down here was a bad idea," William groaned while Hunter and Sam helped him stand.

"Are you sore?" Sam asked, holding the human's arm around his shoulders to keep him steady.

William nodded, looking around.

"You wrecked the kitchen," he chuckled, remembering Sam's wolf running around until he was so out of breath he could barely breathe.

"I know, I feel so bad," Sam yawned, watching Hunter turn over the couch. "I'll take you upstairs before I help clean."

No longer than an hour went by before the kitchen was once again spotless, and the hungover werewolves either went home or to their rooms to sleep the day away.

Scott emerged for breakfast with only one thing on his mind, Veronica. He wanted to apologise for trying to kiss her. He didn't know what possessed him to attempt such an act, though he had another question to ask her too.

"Good morning," he said after pouring himself some coffee and sitting next to the demon at the table.

"Hey," Veronica muttered with her usual cold eyes and blunt tone.

"Um, I think I should-"

"Don't worry about it," she said, sweeping her frizzy hair over her shoulder. "You were emotional and needed to connect with someone."

Scott nodded while sipping his coffee, enjoying the harsh taste. He waited a moment until his head stopped pounding then spoke again.

"You related to my pain."

"We all have issues-"

"Yes, but you related to losing a mate."

Veronica's gaze diverted, and the reflection of the snow glistened a little brighter in her eyes. Scott then knew not to press the situation further. The demon didn't want to show her tears.

"If you ever need to talk," Scott said quietly, "you know we will listen. We may not be your family by blood, but we are here for you if you need one."

Veronica nodded, muttering a simple 'thanks' before disappearing as fast as raindrops hitting the ground.

Scott rubbed his temples, wondering why he didn't know much about Veronica's past. They have lived together for twenty years, and he never bothered to ask. Scott made a mental note not to exclude anyone like that again. He didn't think the demon had anything relatable about her, yet he was wrong in quite a shocking way.

"Jay," he said, motioning for his son to be with him. Jacota approached while stuffing a pancake into his mouth. "You know, it's up to you now to carry on writing the Enchiridion. If you have a child, they might need it one day."

Jacota nodded.

"I know, but what else should I write about?"

"Maybe sit down with Jeronah and the demons so you can focus on dedicating a page to each world. Write about this one, then write about the angel and demon world, then the vampire world because I don't doubt that you'll get a chance to meet a vampire when the war approaches. Then lastly, the world which consists of just humans. I'm not sure if they are a part of the war, I know nothing about that world, but I've been told it exists."

"Who told you?" Jacota asked, sitting opposite.

"Jeronah and Panuleon are not the first angels I have met. Elder angels are very wise and know almost everything humans find themselves questioning."

Jacota often caught himself feeling inspired by his father, this wise and loving man.

"You've met an elder angel?"

"Yes, though that's a story for another time. But you should get writing about the worlds; it will give you something to do." Scott smiled before his son returned to his mate, who was fast asleep upstairs.

* * * * *

Sam stuck to his promise about learning how to massage legs. It was now getting dark outside and after Sam and William took a long nap together, William urgently needed one. The beta wolf gently rubbed his hands up and around William's thigh, covered in olive oil with a hint of lavender.

"I'm sure if you stick to the physiotherapy, your leg will feel less stiff and painful in a few months," Sam said, avoiding watching William grimace from the pain.

"I can't wait for it to heal as much as possible. I know it won't be as strong as my other leg, but I can get it stronger than this."

"I like your spirit," Sam grinned, trying not to get the oil on the human's shorts. "Maybe we should get you a bike. We can ask your physio if that's okay."

"Maybe I should also start going to a gym. You've needed a gym buddy for about twenty years now," William chuckled.

"I did ask you, and you said no." Sam lightly jabbed his mate's sides, tickling him to hear his laughter. "But that is also a good idea. I bet your brother and Hunter will join too."

"That would be nice." William was looking forward to the future when he understood his leg's strengths and weaknesses, and how far he could push it and when to rest it. "Is there a gym for werewolves?"

"Yep."

"Do you think they'd mind if I joined?"

Sam stopped and looked him straight in the eyes.

"You're William Jones. Of course they won't mind. You and Hunter's family are wolf royalty. You know, Jacota mentioned that we connected a bond a few weeks ago at the city meeting and everyone looked at me with a little more respect." Sam's smile dropped when he remembered what else happened. "And my parents were there for the first time in years."

"Really? Did they say anything to you?"

Sam shook his head and said, "Nope. They watched me the entire time though and frowned when they realised my mate was another man. It was silly of me to think they'd be happy that I found my mate, who is the brother of a God, but it wasn't shocking to know they're still homophobic. I don't need them in my life. They also look old because they don't age like me and one day in the next thirty years they'll probably die." Sam paused when he caught himself rambling.

William could feel his hands trembling on his leg.

"It's okay to be sad," he said while cleaning the oil off his leg and Sam's skin. "They're your parents. It must be hard for you."

"I don't want it to be hard for me. My mum and dad have never cared. Margo and Anthony have been more like parents to me even when I thought my parents loved me. My parents used to send me to Hunter's house every day, even when they had nothing to do. I think I annoyed them, or they regretted having a kid. I don't know. I just never connected with them and that's strange, don't you think?" Sam couldn't control his voice. "They never felt like my parents. I don't even look like them. Maybe I was adopted or mixed at birth."

"Come here." William pulled him close, letting the werewolf rest his head on his chest. "It's not good to think too deeply about your parents. You're an overthinker, and you blow things out of proportion. Your parents are your parents, and they deserted you. You don't need their negativity, and by thinking about them like this, you're still letting them affect you. It's okay to be upset, but don't lose yourself obsessing over it."

"You're right; I am blowing it out of proportion. I wanted to talk to you about it on the day, but I forgot." Sam's body temperature connected with William's and he felt very comfortable listening to the sound of his heart. The rhythm soothed his troubles.

"I'm sorry that your parents were so useless, but thank goodness for Anthony and Margo, offering all of us a place to stay in their home," William said, knowing their generosity will never go unnoticed.