Devon gave her like five high-tens in a row, which I thought might’ve been some inside scoop thing. Hell, even Daniel, Mona, Katherine, Lennox, and Warner were in there.
Emersyn and Deacon stood just outside the huddle holding each other and laughing. Whatever confusion Emersyn had before was clearly gone now, so I was on my own again.
I frowned and looked around – and then realized everyone hadn’t gotten in on the group hug. Tegan stood a few feet over from me, actually she hadn’t really moved at all. She had tears pooled in her eyes and her smile was wide as she gnawed on her thumbnail. Bettina and Jackson were straight across from me, on the other side of the huddle. Jackson chuckled and he had the cutest little dimples in his cheeks. Beside him, Bettina stared blankly and I wondered what she was thinking.
Cooper sighed and I hated that I could identify that simple of a sound. I also hated that I couldn’t stop myself from looking to my left toward the sound — and then I wish I hadn’t. His cheeks were flushed an adorable shade of pink and his green eyes were glassy. He was chewing on his bottom lip and staring at the pile.
And then I saw Tennessee and Timothy. Our current Coven Leader was being held up by the former, aka his uncle. Both were ashy pale and on the verge of bloody losing it. I wasn’t sure which was keeping the other together or if it was a joint effort.
Kessler glanced over to Tennessee, then did a double take. His face fell. “All right, all right, break it up. Break it up.”
Everyone reluctantly backed away from her.
Cassandra gasped and her eyes sparkled.
Tegan arched one eyebrow and shook her head. “Well, well, well, Miss Sibel.”
Miss Sibel? I thought her name was Cassandra?
“Yeah, I have some opinions on that,” Hunter grumbled.
She winked over her shoulder at him and then skipped over to Tegan. They wrapped each other in tight bear hugs and rocked back and forth.
A few moments later they pulled apart. Tegan grinned. “Oh, the things I wanna say to you right now.”
Cassandra, or Miss Sibel, or Rachel Troy – whatever her name was – gave Tegan a tight lipped smile and her eyes went sharp. “Where is he?”
Tegan looked pointedly over her shoulder. “A few special faces back there for ya.”
She took a deep breath then spun around.
Cooper groaned. “Cassandra?”
She giggled and skipped over. He caught her in the air and swirled her around and I wasn’t at all jealous. They laughed and then he sat her on her feet. She kissed his cheek and then gasped.
“Timothy!” She squeezed Cooper’s biceps and leapt toward our resident burly silver fox. She pointed her finger at him. “You had me worried there for a minute.”
He cursed and shook his head, then wrapped her in a hug. “Me too, kiddo. Me too.”
“I thought you were going to miss it…” She sighed and stepped back from him, her face flushed. She nodded her head toward Tennessee. “Does he know?”
Timothy nodded and put his hand on his nephew’s shoulder. “Yeah, he knows.”
As Cassandra turned to Tennessee I heard the whole group collectively inhale, like this was about to blow up.
Tennessee just stared at her like he didn’t know her. And then he reached out with one finger and pushed her shoulder. She swayed back and a strangled kind of noise left his mouth. Cassandra pulled him down into her arms and I glanced to Tegan before I could stop myself. But she was smiling with fresh tears in her eyes — then she vanished and reappeared beside him.
After a long moment, she stepped back but looked up at him like he was her own child. I didn’t understand the relation there but clearly everyone else did. “My, my, my Mr. Wildes. I leave and you get a soulmate, a sword, an uncle, a—” she gasped. “Hope? Did you find Hope?”
Tennessee nodded.
“I’m here,” Bettina whispered.
Cassandra spun around and then did a double take. Her eyes widened. “OH WOW, you two are practically identical.”
“Yeah, it’s kind of weird for me,” Jackson grumbled with a smirk. “Now everyone thinks I’m attracted to him too.”
Royce scoffed. “We all are, Lancaster. It doesn’t even count.”
Cassandra walked over to Bettina. She held her hand out. “Hi, I’m Cassa—” Her eyes widened. “I know you!”
Bettina grinned. “Hi, Miss Sibel.”
Cassandra spun around. “Hope is Bettina!” She squealed and then tackled Bettina.