He would do anything to save his mother. Seeing such a strong, independent woman lying comatose in a hospital bed was killing his psyche. In her prime, he could remember her standing at over six feet, strong backed, and with an air of importance that cloaked any room she stepped into.
The legacy of the ancient Druids ran through her veins, fueling each inspiring word that was said with white, divine light. Or maybe that was his mind building up the one and only woman he'd ever had the decency to love.
His animalistic side was in control half the time, working on instinct alone which made his role as pack leader that much easier. No one questioned him or his prowess. Hunter was stronger than any normal shifter because of the woman in that bed. He'd needed no one and nothing but her and his brothers. And now she was… He gritted his teeth, engulfing her shriveled hand with one of his own.
"Don't squeeze so hard," Eden admonished from her other side where he sat in a plastic chair, gently rubbing lotion into her skin.
Hunter glanced at him, emerald eyes locking with delicate crystal. As the youngest, Eden was considered the baby of the family at twenty four, and he looked it. Well, all the fae came across as forever youthful, thanks to their immortality. High, sharp cheekbones stretched with skin so fair and smooth humans often reached out to touch it before snapping back again.
"I'm not squeezin' too hard," he growled, fingers spasming around Mom's once more.
Eden made a sound of discontent, perfect ruby lips pressing together with distaste. They might have the same mother, but they didn't get along like other siblings. It was strained at best. In fact, Hunter didn't like anyone, not even his packmates. They snarled, fought in good fun, and followed his every order like it'd be their last, but feelings?
Stupid, fucking feelings?
Hunter would rather die than talk about them. Even now, when he was overflowing with fear and sadness, he kept them bottled inside with a look of firm indifference across his features.
"You are," Lock commented from behind them.
Hunter glanced at him over his hulking shoulder, growling. "Why do you always need a fucking wall to lean on, huh?"
His brother stood just inside the room and away from the filtered light of the windows, arms covered in vein-like curse marks where they crossed over his chest. Hunter's frown deepened at the sight of clinical, dark beauty as it always did. Sharp angles rigid enough to cut glass, and haughty lips to go with those thin ass limbs of his. All brain and no brawn.
Hunter's father often told him time and time again that a man was only as good as his effort. His strength. His will. Lock had nothing but sarcastic wit and fangs that could kill if he got close enough. As the oldest of them, Hunter used to comment on it when they were young, but the vampire wasn't interested in his advice, let alone help. They'd been at odds ever since.
Lock raised a delicate brow as if the glaring were new, voice slithering. "You know I can't stand the burning sunlight, and since your stubborn ass always insists we see mom bright and early, here I'll stay."
Hunter stood up, hands balled into fists, the coolness of mom's touch having done little to simmer his explosive anger. "So your skin burns a little in the sun, what the fuck do I care? You're not a nineteenth century pure blood just because mom being a Druid awoke old magic inside of you."
Lock stared at him for a moment, dark gaze narrowed but unreadable, as always. Vampires held the uncanny ability to look dead when they were, in fact, living breathing immortals born with the thirst for blood. The idea of someone being changed through a bite or after death was a myth.
Eden broke the silence with a loud, drawn out sigh. "You guys are giving me a headache. Can we please, for one moment, get along for mom? We're here to see her, yes, but we also need to solidify the plan."
As soon as their youngest brother began speaking in that small, tired tone, both men dropped their tense shoulders with equal guilt-filled visages. Hunter sat back down heavily, and the plastic hospital chair bowed under his weight, almost shattering at the legs. He couldn't see it, but Lock smirked at the sight, hiding a laugh.
"Okay, fine," Hunter began, flexing his hands where they hung between his knees. "The reason mom is dying is because she used her pendant to save a lot of people."
For centuries, the supernatural world and the human one were strictly separate. Vampires, fae, and shifters blended in easily, only coming together as who they really were in their innermost communities. However, their mother wasn't a part of any community. As a Druid, she was tasked to protect the overarching supernatural world with her inherited power.
By the time she met our fathers, she was already well over three hundred years old because of the trinity pendant strung around her neck. It was a source of magic and longevity from the very Earth she worshiped. As long as she wore it and it remained intact, she was an unstoppable force of nature.
Two months ago, it was shattered when mom utilized every ounce of her power to stop a tanker truck from exploding in the center of the city. It was the most terrifying and impressive display of skill he'd ever seen—a white glow encompassing burning fire, shrinking it into nothing through sheer force of will, a snarling scream on her lips, glowing emerald eyes blown wide.
He still had the broken pieces of her pendant in his pocket, carrying them around everywhere he went. Hunter was confident that she'd make it through, even if he had to drag her ass. She was Ronnie Shea, razorsharp leader and gentle caregiver all in one. There's no way she'd die.
No way.
It didn't matter how cold she felt afterward, or the blood leaking from her lips to slide down pale cheeks, the freckles stark in contrast. Hunter swallowed hard, staring at the bright chestnut mop of curls framing her face that Eden made sure to keep lovely and fresh, the slow rise and fall of her chest, the rapid aging of her skin…
"No shit, Sherlock," Lock snapped, tearing him from his thoughts. "We know why she's here. Mom was so good, so righteous, that she didn't care about her own life or the happiness of her family."
Eden stiffened, flashing blue eyes wavering with frustrated tears. "Shut your mouth."
With the words came a rumble of the entire building. Their youngest, most terrifying brother had to clench his fists to curb the well of power that rushed through him to tinge the room with his magical signature.
Clove and wisteria.
Hunter didn't say anything, letting the scent dissipate along with the room's tension. Eden took a breath to speak, not looking at either of them and hiding behind his hair as if embarrassed he'd lost control.
"I started watching a streamer late last year, Sagely. The pendant on her neck looks sort of similar, but much more elaborate than Mom's and she seemed human, so I didn't think anything of it. But then the accident happened, and I remembered, you know? And despite the mask, Sagely wears an old sweatshirt of the local university on stream all the time, practically announcing where she lives. Using her handle and some back handed tricks, I was able to grasp an address—"
Hunter cut him off. "And he fucking gave it to me. I've been watching her routine for the last two weeks. She goes to Merrells and Barrels every Friday night for a burger with her cute dog. We'll go there and convince her to give us the necklace in the vain hope it's at all magical. Does that cover it?"
Eden blinked at him, eyes wide. The silence boiled for an unbearable stretch of time until Hunter shifted and snarled, half heartedly snapping his teeth.
"What are you staring for, eh?"
"I've just, uh, never heard you call something cute before. What kind of dog is it?" Eden asked.
Hunter sighed, some of his irritation fleeing. The kid had that effect on him. "I don't fucking know. It looked like a loaf of bread."
"Yasuo!" Eden shouted, eyes sparkling as he leaned in, gripping mom's hand with both of his in excitement. "Her corgi! Aw man, I want to meet him too."
Hunter was baffled. He didn't realize just how much Eden knew about this… What did he call it? Streamer? This shit was making him feel old as hell for only being thirty two.
"I never met the loaf, alright? I only saw it. And that's not the point. She's clueless, which is in our favor. Maybe if we threaten her a bit she'll give it up."
Lock was scrolling through his phone, brow furrowed as he looked over the data sheet Eden compiled. It was a little thin for Hunter's liking, but with their ever-shortening timeline, it would have to do.
"I still can't believe we've resorted to attacking a human woman who looks like she has a pendant that could save Mom. Who has, by the way, already lived a long, full life."
Eden locked his jaw, staring daggers at Lock that the other man didn't bother to look up and see. They knew how much sarcasm was a defense mechanism for Lock ever since his father died five years prior, let alone mom being in a hospital bed. He'd grown from chilly to downright frozen solid, closing himself off from everyone, even them.
"What, so we shouldn't even try to save her?" Eden cried, throwing up his hands, sparkles of silver, glinting magic shooting from the tips and cutting little holes into the ceiling.
"Calm down, emotional Joe," Hunter told him, glancing between them before Mr. Cold and Gloomy could say anything else. "He's just antagonizing you because he doesn't know how to process his emotions."
Lock scoffed, high and full of disdain. "Look who's talking. I'll be there, but down the street, listening in. Don't blow your top in this place, alright? Our father's just got this city to stop suspecting our existence. Secrecy is key between supernaturals and humans, otherwise a lot of people die. And we all know how sensitive you are right now despite your macho attitude. So, I'll say it once more—even if she's unresponsive, we don't fight with humans no matter the circumstance. Got it?"
Hunter clenched both hands over his knees, staring holes into the speckled floor. "Whatever. But if she proves to be supernaturally hostile, I'm getting that pendant even if I tear it from her corpse."
Eden sighed. "Please don't kill her. I like her content."
"That's hardly a good reason to spare her life," Hunter pointed out.
"Again, human!" Lock replied, shoving his phone in his pocket. "If she turns out to be an unregistered supernatural, which is highly unlikely, only then will you use force."
Hunter could tell his brother was on the verge of fleeing, and he kind of wanted to join him as he stood, snarling. "Don't tell me what to do, Fuckwad. Now, let's get out of here and stop screaming in Ma's ear."
The two of them met at the doorway, shoving and pushing each other out of the way with a little too much force. Eden was slower to leave, fixing mom's hair and placing a soft kiss across her brow.
"Don't worry. This time, we'll be your heroes."