Saturday 12th September, 2020.
I woke up entangled with Isaiah and Elijah. My right leg was over Elijah’s waist and his head was nestled in my bosom. Isaiah was spooning me from behind. His arm was over me and his face was buried in my hair as if he’d been sniffing me whole night. It was late Saturday morning so it was still my birthday. Most of my birthday was before me actually. I sighed.
I would need to make lists to keep up with all these mates. It was a good thing I was a journal fanatic with a decent stationery collection that I literally could not afford. I would use every dollar that wasn’t spent on food on pretty notebooks especially if I could get them on sale. Here was what I knew for sure:
Isaiah - the youngest. He definitely wanted me. He must have sensed our mate bond early on the day before my birthday when we “swam” together.
Elijah - the second youngest. His desire for me was sudden but strong. He was the most impulsive one. I could tell by his drinking habits and how he could go from sneering at me at the party to fighting his elder brothers over me with nothing in between. He was one of those alphas that wanted their mate. End of story. No questions asked. He even called Jonah’s non-mate girlfriend “his whore”. Alphas who were really pro mate thought other relationships were basically pointless.
Noah - the second eldest. The most confusing one. He was the first to be nice to me without reason and now that he had an excuse to interact with me, he wanted nothing to do with me. He seemed to have mysterious reasons for not wanting me around at all even as a friend. He said it was for my own good so he was the one with secrets.
Jonah - the eldest. He had the most straightforward reason for not wanting me. Angie, my evil cousin and his girlfriend.
I wrote my notes down and wondered what to do. Part of me wanted to get dressed and peace out but that would upset Isaiah and Elijah who were actually already fighting for me. This was horrible to admit but my Granny and I were on the brink of of being destitute and my mates were billionaires. Maybe I should at least see if I could help my grandmother. I knew she couldn’t afford groceries this month so I wasn’t sure what she was eating. The neighbours checked on her from time to time. I felt a pang of guilt. I was here sobbing over not having all four of my mates but I did have two and food and shelter. My grandmother needed me.
Elijah stirred. The impulsive one.
“Princess?” He said groggily.
I blushed.
“Um, yeah,” I murmured.
He sat up. “Hey, birthday girl!” He looked at me so intensely. His green eyes lit up. His light brown hair was ruffled. He looked so damn cute.
He frowned looking really sad all of a sudden. My wolf whimpered.
“Princess,” he paused looking ashamed. “My brothers were such assholes to you last night and ugh I was an asshole to you at that party earlier this week. I didn’t get you anything for your birthday. I didn’t know you were my mate!”
Elijah looked heartbroken.
“It’s ok,” I mumbled. I hadn’t been expecting anything. In fact I’d actually been expecting nothing.
“Let’s go shopping! As soon as the malls open!” He said.
I had a thought. “Um, do you have your own car?”
He laughed. “Several.”
“Fuck! We carpooled with my dick of a brother Noah. Lemme just message my chauffeur to come get us,” said Elijah.
“There’s no need!” Said Isaiah, startling us. He blinked, stretching.
“I had my car brought here last night after the fight,” he said, looking embarrassed too.
“Baby, I’m so sorry about that and I didn’t get you anything either and I was a huge asshole at the party too,” mumbled Isaiah, rubbing the back of his neck.
How do I ask for groceries for my birthday? Ugh. My cheeks burned with shame. Their elder brothers were probably already inclined to think I was a gold digger or something just because I was poor.
The guys got up and kissed my cheeks in unison: Isaiah on the right and Elijah on the left. I should approach them respectfully as Alphas. That was the sort of thing alphas did for any struggling member of the pack. I wouldn’t ask for it as a birthday present. That would be weird.
“Alpha Isaiah and Alpha Elijah, I...” I began but Elijah cut me off.
“Oh my God!” He exclaimed his face falling. “You’re rejecting us!”
Huh! He rushed over to me and literally got on his knees. Isaiah did too.
“Baby, don’t go! Just because Noah and Jonah are being cagey now. They’ll come around and you’ll be our Luna and everything will be fine! I know I was such a jerk before. I’m so sorry for telling you to fuck off. I’m just crass like that when I’m partying. I’m gonna make it up to you! You cannot leave! I would die! I’m gonna kill my brothers for this!” Isaiah said all of this so quickly and took my hands in his.
“Everything he said times two!” Added Elijah kissing the knee that was closer to him. “I have always wanted my mate. I know it’s corny but it’s true! Don’t let my elder brothers scare you. And don’t worry about Angie! She’s a ho. She’ll survive trust me! Plus do you think she’d reject her mate when she finds him for Jonah! No! Jonah is not thinking this through! He’s gonna regret it and come crying to you! He cries you know! He’s the eldest but he’s the most sensitive!” Said Elijah without taking a breath.
I was in shock at having two arrogant future alphas literally grovelling before me.
“I...it’s ok... I...I’ll stay but um I just have to do some groceries but I uh forgot my wallet and...” I managed to lie halfheartedly.
Elijah took his wallet out and produced his credit card, handing it to me. Isaiah gave me cash. I looked at it. It was a thousand dollars. What the fuck!
“I can go to the ATM for more...take one of my cards too,” Isaiah said, handing me another platinum credit card.
“Ok I’m fine with this! Thanks!” I said quickly before they could give me anything else. I ran out of the room. My hands were trembling. Then, like an idiot, I remembered I needed a ride. I sighed.
Jonah appeared in the hallway. He had rushed out of his room. Had he smelled me? He looked at me with wide eyes. His hair was ruffled and there was a hickey on his neck that I didn’t remember being there yesterday! He gave me a guilty look. I glared at him coldly. Angie appeared, looking smug but her eyes looked tired. She put a hand on Jonah’s shoulder, her fingers caressing his neck. I felt emboldened by Isaiah and Elijah and their very generous behaviour. They would defend me for sure. Noah entered the hallway as though he had been waiting too.
“You need to leave,” Noah said, fixing me with a determined stare.
Elijah and Isaiah followed me out of the room. Isaiah growled at those words.
Jonah added, “Now! Sorry, Star.”
“I am leaving!” I said boldly.
Jonah and Noah winced like I’d slapped them. Isaiah and Elijah looked heartbroken. Noah was eyeing the money and credit cards in my hands. I blushed but quickly recovered.
“Isaiah, Elijah and I have some business to attend to and we’ll pack up my stuff one time so you won’t have to see me around ok, Noah and Jonah. That should make you happy!” I snapped at them.
Elijah and Isaiah grinned, looking so relieved. Noah and Jonah both sighed.
“I’ll explain later at school,” mumbled Jonah.
“No need to explain to that low life,” said Angie.
Jonah flinched but didn’t defend me. Isaiah and Elijah weren’t listening they were just looking at me as though kinda turned on by my sudden sassiness.
“Yeah later, but go now,” said Noah sternly.
“There will be no later!” I pronounced.
Everyone gasped.
“You two stay away from me until I am ready to talk to you,” I said to Noah and Jonah.
They looked crestfallen. Noah paled and Jonah’s eyes looked glassy. I remembered what his brother had said about him being a cryer.
“Angie, my cousin!” I said. She growled. The Quads looked shocked. I wasn’t keeping that secret anymore.
“You stay away from me indefinitely!” I said.
She gasped and I flounced away. Isaiah and Elijah followed me.
I went back to my room and packed quickly. I put the money and credit cards in my little crossbody bag. I showered extremely quickly and put on a sundress. I put on some mascara and I tried to fix my long loosely curled hair that I had neglected to detangle last night. I sighed and left the bathroom. I saw Elijah and Isaiah sitting on my bed which Lana had begrudgingly made. The guys looked so handsome in simple grey sweatpants and black T shirts. Their hair was still a little damp from their showers. I had the urge to finish drying it for them. The mate-bond was in effect so I would want to nurture and groom them and they would want to protect and put pups in me. The mate-bond was pretty sexist but we were part wolf so what did you expect?
“I can’t believe our brothers would want you kicked out and on your birthday too!” Grumbled Elijah.
“That’s ok, Elijah,” I said brightly wanting to at least be happy about the good side of this. I had two boyfriends now essentially after having zero of them for my whole life. My wolf was angry though. She insisted I go immediately to try to entice my other two mates and break their resolve. She needed all four quadruples to feel complete. I placated her by telling her I’d take them back easily if they came to us. She was confident they would and I was pretty sure they would not.
“Call me Eli,” said Elijah. “Please don’t ever call me Alpha again! You scared the shit out of me. I thought you were giving me your official rejection statement.”
I smiled shyly and nodded. “Ok, Eli,” I said.
Eli walked up to me. He towered over me. I could tell he wanted to kiss me but I wasn’t ready. I wrapped my arms around his waist and buried my face in his shirt. Tingles ran through me. He massaged my back and held me close.
“You can call me Zaya instead of Isaiah,” said Isaiah. “Let’s get out of here. I don’t wanna be around those pricks right now,” Zaya said taking out his car keys.
I followed Eli and Zaya down the stairs. I spotted Jillian and Chet at the breakfast table.
“Jillian!” I screeched and launched myself at her.
We hugged. Chet smiled. He came over and ruffled my hair and then pulled Jillian close to him.
“Thanks for inviting me Jillian and for the birthday cake. It was delicious. Chet thanks so much for having me. Your vacation home is lovely! I’m sorry to leave early!” I said.
“Leave early?” Chet repeated sounding confused.
“But why?” Whined Jillian. “Are you ok? Aren’t you glad our mates are best friends?”
Jonah was looking at me from the breakfast table. Angie was massaging his shoulders. I tried not to look. Noah was staring at me. I was tired of covering for people who didn’t give a shit about me.
“I would be but Jonah and Noah don’t want me as their mate,” I said blatantly.
Chet immediately got angry. Jillian was furious.
“So my best friend isn’t good enough for you guys?” She huffed folding her arms.
Noah looked defiant. Jonah looked guilty.
“Of course she’s not. She’s fat and poor,” said Angie snidely.
That didn’t even hurt anymore. I was already numb from Jonah and Noah crushing me.
“We never explicitly rejected you, Star!” Said Noah.
“Please call me Hannah, Alpha Noah. Star is an informal nickname my friends call me,” I said with as much venom in my voice as I could muster.
Noah looked furious.
“That’s enough!” Roared Jonah. “You will have respect for all four of us as your alphas and mates!”
“Jonah, what are you talking about? You don’t want her as your mate remember?” Piped up Angie.
I wasn’t gonna stand there so a guy who had a girlfriend already could tell me how much he didn’t want me.
“I do respect you Alpha Jonah. I’m leaving now,” I said in a gentler voice.
I followed Eli and Zaya to the driveway. Zaya had a Lamborghini too but his was red not matte black like Noah’s.
Jonah came running after me. Was there no end to this drama? Noah trudged along behind him.
“Star!” Jonah said, out of breath. I rolled down the Lamborghini’s window.
“I’m not...we’re not rejecting you. There’s...it’s complicated...” Jonah said.
“Save it for Facebook profile, Jonah!” Yelled Zaya and he sped off before Jonah or Noah could say anything else. Eli roared with laughter. They were both up front. I smiled at them in the rearview mirror.
“Hey pretty princess,” said Eli looking back at me in a way that made heat flood my lower torso.
“I remember,” said Zaya loudly as if he were narrating a story, “a young girl, of but seventeen, one day shy of her eighteenth birthday.”
Eli grinned.
Zaya continued, “Who was saving herself for her mates down to her very first kiss.”
I blushed deeply and avoided their gaze.
Zaya drove really fast but both he and Eli seemed incredibly calm.
“She can only have one first kiss, Bro,” said Eli.
“Oh, you can have her first kiss, Bro!” Said Zaya. “That’s not the first I’m claiming. I’ll be her first alright.” Zaya winked at me in the rearview mirror switching from green to black eyes. They quickly turned green again. He had such good control of his wolf to do that at will.
Eli laughed. “Stop, you’re scaring her,” he chuckled.
“Don’t be ridiculous!” Said Zaya. “Our Luna is brave.” Zaya smirked and so did Eli.
My face was hot. I tried to look nonchalant. The younger two Quads were a lot wilder than their elder brothers. They were not the stiff snobs I was expecting. They were cocky but in a sort of fun way.
“Where to, princess?” Said Eli.
“Any grocery store, please,” I said softly, still feeling a little out of sorts.
“God, you’re so spoilt!” Snapped Eli suddenly.
I jumped then realised he was grinning. Zaya was laughing.
“When we said we’d take you shopping for your birthday, Baby, we meant like Dolce and Gabbana,” chuckled Zaya.
“Yeah, not like butter and bread!” Exclaimed Eli.
They laughed. I giggled a little.
“Aww, so cute!” Said Eli doing the same thing Zaya had done where he flashed me his black eyes on purpose for a split second. I was so amazed by this. I had been told the Quads were really powerful werewolves. Supposedly they all had unique powers but that was part of the rumour mill. No one knew what powers they had for sure. There was also a rumour that the Quinn family was cursed. I could never get details on the curse. Maybe it was another stupid rumour or maybe I just wasn’t popular enough to be worth telling. I felt bold all of a sudden.
“They say your family is cursed at school!” I said smiling at them slightly.
“Yeah the Quad curse,” said Eli seriously. “Half of us were cursed to be assholes for all eternity.”
Zaya burst into laughter.
“Only a beautiful virgin can break the curse with her tender love,” Eli said.
“So I should give your brothers a chance then?” I said grinning.
“No you break the curse by sleeping with the cooler brothers first!” Insisted Eli. “Princess you need to pay attention when I’m telling you stories.”
“You need to have respect for all of your mates and alphas, Star!” Roared Zaya, mocking Jonah’s words from earlier.
Eli was beside himself with laughter and I actually laughed too. A lot. I felt so much better. I couldn’t believe how fun the younger two were. They were always huge groups of pretty girls laughing surrounding the younger two but I assumed that was because they were rich and handsome not that they were actually funny. I guess I thought billionaire heirs didn’t need humour, they had cash and credit. However, Zaya and Eli were the full package. They definitely offset my other two dreary mates nicely.