A Queen Among Snakes: Chapter Twenty-Six - Chris

Before Evalyn can respond with some kind of retort, the knocking buzzer for my door sounds. I press the button under my desk, the door opens and in walks Amelia. This day just gets better and better.

“Evalyn, could you give Chris and me a moment please?”

Evalyn looks between us with a concerned look on her face, “Okay, but no fighting.” She gives my shoulder a squeeze and walks out closing the door behind her.

I rise to my feet, “Was there something we didn’t address in the meeting earlier?” I ask calmly.

“I take it you’re still mad at me,” she sighs.

“Look, I understand why you did it, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it,” I tell her as I tie my hair back up in its usual bun.

“I don’t expect you to like it. I get it, if that was Marcus and me, I would feel exactly how you did. She’s the other half of your soul, of course, you’re protective of her and I am sorry that I put you in that position and that it upset you, but I don’t regret my actions,” she says assertively.

“I know,” I say, rubbing my face tiredly. “And Mei was glad you held me back.”

Amelia walks over to the sofa, takes a seat, and pats the spot next to her. I walk over and sit beside her. She’s dressed lovely as usual. Her golden hair is in two Dutch braids, and she’s wearing a red off-the-shoulder sweater, black slacks, and black pointed-toe heels with gold straps. I noticed she’s started wearing more red since Marcus joined the pack.

“You know you can talk to me about anything. So talk,” she encourages.

I take a deep breath, “I’m terrified I’m going to lose her, Amelia.”

“You think she’d leave you?” She asks sceptically.

I shake my head, “No, not like that. I know she’s happy here. You know how much I want her to get stronger, and she’s doing amazingly, I couldn’t be more proud of her.” Amelia smiles as I say this. “But with everything she’s gone through I’m terrified that one wrong move will push her over the edge and she won’t recover from it. I don’t think she’s weak, I’m just…” I trail off unable to find the words. I’m trying to explain how I feel without sounding like an ass.

Amelia rubs my back soothingly, “I get it. She’s been through trauma, and she has triggers. She may even have triggers she’s not even aware of yet and they may never go away. I understand what you’re saying. You love and care for her and are just scared for her wellbeing. But that’s exactly how I know she’s going to be okay,” she says with a gentle smile.

“How do you figure that?”

“I remember what she looked like the day you brought her home. I’d never seen a person look like that and I admit I even cried,” she takes a breath as tears pool in her eyes. I reach out and hold her hand tight; my chest tightening as I remember that day all too vividly. “She was so small, and she looked so fragile. I saw this sweet, innocent person nestled in your arms, trembling as soon as you stepped through the door. My heart broke, I thought; how much must she have endured to get to this point and be so scared? But despite that, her response to being afraid of entering the packhouse was to curl into you,” she tells me as her waterline fills with unshed tears.

Tears fill my own eyes, “I was so scared of doing and saying the wrong thing. I just wanted her to trust me,” I croak.

“And she did. Her trauma was very present, but you soothed her soul, and you always will,” she squeezes my hand. “Whatever hardships come your way, whatever you two have to face, as long as you have each other, you can get through anything,” she says with a confident smile.

I pull Amelia into a bone-crushing hug and bury my face in her neck, “Thank you,” I whisper.

Her arms wrap securely around me, and I feel her nuzzle her face into my neck, “You have each other and we have you guys. We’re family, don’t ever forget that.”

Family.

She’s right. Ever since we were kids we’ve all been a family. We even used to tell the carers and teachers that we were all siblings. We never wanted to be separated and we were always there for each other. You hurt one of us, you hurt all of us. We always had each other’s backs. I love my friends and am proud to call them my family.

“Look,” she says as she pulls back. “You’ve been working hard, and there’s nothing you need to do that can’t wait till tomorrow, so how about you go and plan a relaxing evening for you and your woman,” she suggests.

“That actually sounds like a great idea. Oh, but before I do, I should tell you that the contractors are trying to rip us off. Overcharging us on supplies and workers hours. Peter was being a condescending prick the entire time I was talking to him.”

For a split second her eyes glow, “Then I guess I better go tell Peter that he and his workers can suck it. We’ll find someone else who isn’t a douchebag to do the expansion work.”

I chuckle, “Sounds good.”

She smiles and kisses my cheek, “Go and relax. You two deserve more relaxing nights together, especially if she’s spent the evening getting her ass kicked by Setia,” she chuckles.

I wince, “Yeah, I don’t enjoy feeling that, but I know this is important and Mei really seems to enjoy it.”

“Mark my words,” she says, getting to her feet. “One day that sweet woman is going to blow. I think we got a taste of it today with Jane and all I can say is, whoever is on the receiving end is royally fucked. I look forward to seeing it,” she says, giving me a mock salute and exiting my office.

I smile shaking my head, but Amelia does have a point. That was a lot of power that came out of Mei today, all triggered because for a brief moment Jane made Mei feel the way that disgraceful pack did. I wonder what it will be like at full strength.

“Come on, let’s go take Amelia’s advice and go back to the suite and put something nice together for Sweet One, and hopefully finish what we started in the tub this morning,” says Axel, wagging his tail.

“I’m going, I’m going. Since when are you so bossy?”

“Uh, since we met the love of our life, duh,” he says, rolling his eyes.

I just smile, shaking my head. I get up, save all my documents, shut down my computer and head back to my suite. Mei deserves something romantic. She loves food, so I’ll start by making her something delicious.