MEDIUM - Chapter 36: Chapter 36

Jax, Ari & The Family.
"Babe come on we're gonna be late!" Jax slightly yelled in his deep baritone voice that barely had a high pitch since the time he fought his uncle, which was two days ago. "Jax, can you at least be patient with me, I'm carrying your children." Ari scolds as Jax rubs the back of his neck in shame. "Sorry bebé." He whispered coming over to help Ari who looked more round and his tummy even bigger. "Now, why are you so excited, it's only a celebration." Ari exclaimed as Lizzie who walked up behind them snickered. "It's a celebration in his honor, he's meeting other kitsune and he's going to have you there, if I were him, —I'd be excited too." She explained as Ari was in awe.
"You're so cute when you're all hyper and childish, I can't believe it though, you're a clan leader, —we've got to change a lot of plans now." The witch began rambling. "Settle down my sweet love, we still have a lot of time, lets just enjoy today, where are pops and the boys?" Jax asked as Nik finally came downstairs with the boys. "They thought it was a formal event and none of them would wear a tux, monkey suits." Their father joked as the boys were now bickering behind him wearing somewhat acceptable attire since it was a party with people who were going to dress as if it were a red carpet event, like Adrian for example in his black designer sweater, pants that made his brother Johnny jealous and navy ankle boots that Lizzie begged to have, his hair glowed and styled to perfection with a sassy ponytail, all in all, he looked like a hot pregnant witch.
"Finally, can we go now?" Jax asserted as Nik just chuckled then nodded, Ari held out his hand and the portal opened with Jax telling Ari where the celebration was, Johnny and Enzo had gone with Renee to his parent's place, he had wanted to spend time there before the baby came, so Johnny and Enzo asked to go with since the concept of their pop's resurrection wasn't truly ingrained in Renee's parents, they were still adjusting. So they went instead of Nik. When the family walked through the portal to the other side they all gasped except Jax, he'd been there before.
"This is gorgeous." Ari marveled as he looked around at the many tents that had been pitched, the fairy lights that had been put in the trees making the whole place glow, it was magical. "I'm glad you like it." Jax told his mate as they walked toward the concentration of people. "Look here he is, the hero of the Feld!" A wolf called out to the rest of the guests and they all cheered to his call, it was alcohol, food and dancing, for wolves and most likely were-shifters amongst other beings,  it was a party, and true to that notion Ari danced a little with his mate as their family had gone to find a table to stuff themselves at, they loved their grilled food.
"So, I know you probably think that  everything is about to change because I somehow have a responsibility I need to see through, —and given by your almost panic attack, I take it you're not completely okay with the idea." Jax exclaimed as Ari sighed and looked into the man's eyes. "When did you start reading me like this?" Ari asked as he was twirled around just slightly and brought back to Jax's hold possessively. "I now have a fourteen yer old truth hound, —she's good at what she does." Jax proudly stated making his mate laugh. "So you've been getting tips from Lizzie huh, I train her to read a room and she's showing you tricks of the trade, —anyway, it's not that I'm not completely okay with this, it's the timing babe, the baby is less than four weeks away and I look like a bloated elephant ready to pop anytime, I'm just insecure, I know you'll never put anything or any one else above me, but I'm just insecure, and scared, what if they come early and we aren't prepared enough." Ari replied as Jax finally just held him and they slow danced.
"I promise you babe, it'll be okay, —things won't change drastically, and honestly I have so much to learn, so much to do and go though before I can even truly claim the leadership role so I was going to ask our patriarch, and also our grandfather, if he wouldn't mind stepping in on the major things, I want to be there when the baby comes, when they babble, when they roll, their first crawl, I want to be there when he randomly pops out his first tail." Jax assured and Ari was near tears. "Oh you and your words making me emotional again." He sniffled as Jax chuckled. "Thank you my love, I appreciate you, here, —I love you." Ari replied as Jax squeezed his mate in their embrace just a little tighter.
"I love you more father, —or is it mother of my children." Jax teased and Ari kicked his leg but he sighed. "Everything that goes on in me and with me, I'm not even offended, father, mother, they are still our children, and I think that's what matters the most to me." The witch confessed as he sniffled just a bit and snuggled into Jax's heat. "You still feel scared?" Jax asked. "No, —I know I'll always have you, it's just nervous energy at this point that makes me uneasy." Ari replied as Jax smirked happily, he knew what his mate was going through, any pregnant mother would be insecure if things suddenly changed and the planned course of action had to be altered, honestly who wouldn't panic when your set plan starts to change and you have little control over it, he was just glad to have assured his mate that everything would be okay.
"Hello love birds." The patriarch greeted them as they finally left the cleared out dance floor to find their family, the largest man Ari still ever met greeted them when they got there. "Hello, —you must be, Sanya." Ari replied as he greeted the woman who sat next to the patriarch. "That's right, no one ever gets it right on the first try, —thank you Adrian." She replied as the two smiled toward each other. "This is Jax, I don't believe you've met." Ari went on as he brought his grumbling mate closer, only that he was grumbling for a reason, Ari had pulled him away from the meat he was eating. "Jax!" Ari scolded, his jaw had dropped realizing his mate was already eating.
"What, —its grilled pork babe, it's so good." He protested as his mate just facepalmed. "I'm so sorry, clearly I need to train him again." Ari apologized as Sanya laughed at the pair's antics. "Put the meat back, and come greet our grandmother." Ari curtly told Jax who chuckled comically before doing what he was told, he put his palms together and bowed his head. "Thank you Jax, it's nice to meet you too, my husband has told me a lot about you, and you're what's what in the mystic community right now, I doubt it'll end if they find out who your mate is." The woman mused surprising both of them. "You're telling me we're famous." Jax muttered and Sanya chuckled to herself. "You've never told them have you?" She cheekily asked her husband.
"I didn't find value." He replied. "You never find value, —anyway there is a hierarchy among the mystics, we all know my husband rules, and he's supposedly at the top but a while ago, another power emerged, stronger than him, his grandchild, then people started talking, realizing that there are mystics out there who could be stronger than my mate, of course they would never try usurp his power, to get where he is, —its a hard road, anyway about a few days ago another power emerged another grandchild of his again, with the power to destroy everything, his successor, —in the days that followed a third power emerged an almost equal to him but we're yet to determine, a clan leader blessed by the Goddess, so all three have caused a lot of buzz in mystic community, to see who will be what." Sanya explained and it all seemed sensible to Ari and Jax, they just hadn't known mystics knew them.
"I hope not to disappoint them." Jax mumbled making all of them laugh. "Thank you for indulging us, but you need your own rest and to eat, plus your grandfather wants a word, —Jax dear where did you get that pork." Sanya asserted and Jax grinned. "Right this way, —see you in a minute babe." Jax replied placing a kiss on Ari's cheek before leaving. "That boy is head over heels for you." The patriarch mused. "I'm just as in love with him as well." Ari supported as the man beside him chuckled. "That I know, otherwise you wouldn't be having his children, two very strong creatures." He retorted and Adrian was perplexed.
"What do you mean two?" He asked and the wolf was surprised. "You can't feel it?" He asked and Ari shook his head in refusal. "Feel what, —the intake on my magic increased but I just thought it was because I was nearing the last month." He explained and the patriarch chuckled. "Adrian, —truly feel inside you, there are two budding seeds in you, I'm sure Nik knew." The patriarch replied as Nik turned to them from where he was dancing with the boys. "It was supposed to be a surprise!" He groaned glaring at the wolf. "Uh, —now I understand, I apologize." The wolf mumbled with a chuckle.
"I love surprises, the good kind, even the ancestors know that, that's why they did this to me, you almost ruined it." Ari accused as the wolf laughed. "I never meant to dear one and what do you mean almost." The patriarch asked. "I'm not going to tell anyone, and I'm most definitely allowing my pops to erase my memory of it." He replied as the wolf laughed heartily. "You want it to be a surprise that badly?" He questioned as Ari nodded but then he felt weird, someone had slipped through his mental guard and just gently touched on his mind, the feeling wasn't foreign, it was warm so he didn't panic then it was gone.
"And done, —its easier to clear a small piece of information before it's truly been processed." Nik told the patriarch as Ari just shook his head slightly to get rid of the fuzzy feeling, when he turned he was surprised to see his mate and Sanya with piles of meat. "Godess they can eat." He mocked. "Says the pregnant man." Johnny senior quipped. "Touché." Ari retorted. "Here you go babe, I got you a plate." Jax exclaimed as he set the food down, then Sanya gave a plate to her mate aswell. "Thank you my love." He told Jax who nodded before grabbing Sanya's hand and they went back to the crowd of dancing were-shifters.
"Most of the people here are kitsune born, some have never had a manifestation of more than three tails, the power too much to handle, yet your mate can summon all nine and the pillars, summon a greater power beyond that aswell, even the sacred form although he hasn't shown it, —its why I believe he's the right person to lead them, teach them and train them, of course he himself must pass the trial of the elders, one of those he's passed since he spoke to the totem, the rest will be easy, —what I fear is Jax might become overwhelmed with this new role as time goes by, I wanted to ask of you, —if you'd help him, being the medium, it's a full time job, but lesser compared to parenthood, it will take a toll on you aswell, but I still need to ask you to help him, when he fails, when he falls, anticipate it and help him, —I know it may seem unnecessary but mating is tough, you'll fight, argue, separate but in the end your love will prevail, —so even when you or him are overwhelmed, be there." The patriarch stated as Adrian nodded.
"I promise, —and though I hate what you did, we'll need your help, my family, we all have lives, responsibilities, all of us and it seems destiny and fate are making a tendency of choosing us to be the strong ones, and carry the burdens, look at Lizzie, she's fourteen and yet she's manifesting powers not ordinarily for a fae or vampire, another destiny, Mark can literally feel chaos now, and I'm sure Martin will develop something else and so will Kent, it terrifies me sometimes." Adrian confessed as he ate more and more of his food, he hadn't realized he was that hungry.
"It's a sign, the reign of the Sovietro clan is coming to an end, unless Jonathan takes my surname but it's highly unlikely, he's a Brooke and a Milford, and your reign is just beginning." The wolf replied as Ari hummed. "How do you feel about that?" He asked and the wolf laughed as he held a chicken drumstick in his hand."Relieved, finally the burden is being shared, ages have come and gone with the Sovietro clan leading, the age must turn and end, so must the clan." He replied honestly but Ari had a different idea. "The clan can still be here to lead, to remain the pillar, only that when we're addressed personally, it'll be a different name, it'll all work out, —I have faith." The witch reassured his wolf grandfather, the man had a twinkle in his eye, there was no better faith than that your own children showed and gave you hope through, he believed in Adrian, he knew, —the world was safer with him in it.
"So do you want to get more, I see an untouched buffet table, self serve." Ari mentioned as the wolf smiled from ear to ear. "Come on then, let's see how fat we can get in one night." The wolf cheerfully replied as the music became louder and they ate with happiness.
"Are you sure, —you're sure?" Sanya asked as she looked at the large black diamond on a two way diamond and emerald encrusted ring. "I've had this since the beginning of the year, I wanted to propose then but Neill showed up, I postponed, then Jose showed up, I held up again, —grandmother, I can't keep postponing, I know I act like an idiot sometimes but I know the worth of what I was blessed with, my mate, he's real special, he's freaking carrying my child and has gone through so much for me and our family, he deserves to be acknowledged, to be seen by the world as mine, —I don't want it any other way." Jax told Sanya who had tears in her eyes.
"Oh I wish your grandfather still was a romantic like you kids, I wouldn't be looking so old." She mused as they both chuckled. "But, —if your heart is set on this, —wants this, then you have my blessing, just tell me what you need and I'll make it happen." She told him and Jax smiled telling her the plan after. "You know, your grandfather and I came here prepared to give you grand speeches, I guess I need you to hear this before you finally pop the question." She told Jax who nodded as they moved away from the music and tents a bit till Sanya gestured they sit on a rock nearby.
"Jax, this isn't to scare you dear one but to make you understand, you and Ari are both individuals with great duties, destined to do great things for all our people, and that at times will take its toll on your lives, on your time to be together, he's the freaking witch of protection, the medium, people and mystics will all look to him for guidance one too many times, and you are the next clan leader of a rebuilding species, it'll take time, —time you could otherwise give to be there with your family, —but Jax, being a clan leader, or the medium, that's a lesser job to being a parent, you are a parent first and foremost, you've seen and know how Ari struggled when Neill left him with the boys, he truly knows the struggle, —and being a parent means your family comes first, it doesn't matter if the world is burning, or a mad butcher is tearing people apart, family comes first, because in the end the world will forget that you ever did a good thing for them but good or bad, family remember, the unconditional love of a child remembers, and that's why you must cherish it." Sanya stated as Jax let her words sink in, truly sink in.
"Mates are for life, no bond can be greater than being mated, —marriage is the solidification to a mating, you're announcing to the world that this person, body and soul is yours and you belong to them aswell, but with mating comes challenges, struggles, —you'll fight, trust me you'll fight and argue, separate and swear not to talk until the other apologizes, but whoever said love was easy, no two individuals are the same, you compromise, —thats how you make it work, like how Adrian accommodates your needs, —and you accommodate his penchant of going out to face trouble on his own because he's a badass, —don't try deny it, I'm experienced in that department, I'm married to the man who governs this city, —but that's marriage dear, it has ups and many downs too but it is beautiful if you are committed, Adrian will need you, —he serves everyone, he'll need someone to just be there for him when he comes home, to support and remind him that he's loved, and he'll always be loved, it's an old saying but it is true, never let dusk come and go to sleep angry, it breeds nightmares and discord, so same thing applies to marriage, it doesn't matter if he's the one who supposedly started it, go to him, sort it out, find a way to make it work, even if you have to spank him." She finished and Jax chuckled rubbing his neck sheepishly.
And yet, he hugged the woman. "Pops and dad gave us both a similar talk a while ago, but you really reinforced the ideals they gave us that day and I truly appreciate it grandmother." Jax explained and the woman laughed lightly hugging Jax. "It's why I'm here dear one, now go propose, you just give me a signal and I'll make it as bright as the moon." She told him as they separated and headed back. "Hey baby, oooh you look well eaten." Jax teased as Ari glared at him. "I feel so bloated, last time I challenge a wolf to eating." Ari groaned as he got even more comfortable on the chair. "Come on the fireworks are starting." Jax accosted as he helped his mate up, took the chair he was sitting on and carried it to where they were going.
Lizzie came up to them and Jax nodded to her, that was another sign as she quickly went to the dj and asked him to play a slow jam, also a favourite for Jax and Adrian. "Lord Huron, The Night We Met." Adrian gasped as he looked at Jax in surprise. "It's our favorite." He chuckled as the fireworks started. "I don't know what my life would be without you, if you hadn't come to my house that day to help pops cross over, it was as if I was pulled to you, and then we officially met by your door, I was drenched and you were worried that something bad might've happened, I never wanted to leave, —never wanted to let you go, you were my addiction, still my addiction and will always be my addiction, —you loved me despite knowing that I didn't have a proper life, gave me back my family without ever thinking about it, put my happiness and my family's first without ever wanting something in return, because that who you are Ari Brooke, you're a full well and you give to everyone, but I don't want to just take, I want to be devoted, committed and always by your side—." As Jax had said those words, he had tears in his eyes, tears that trailed down his cheeks.
"Jax." Ari cried as everyone gasped, the fireworks had been so bright and they asked the medium a question. "Adrian Brooke, marry me, —I want to give you all of me, all that I am." Jax whispered as he was on one in front of his mate and Adrian was breaking down in tears. "Say yes Adrian, —you deserve this." Jonathan junior whispered in Ari's mind and Ari never needed the coaxing, his heart, his soul, even the ancestors were screaming. "Yes, —yes I'll marry you." He cried as he accepted. "He said yes!" Nik cried out in cheer as everyone yelled their cheers, they howled, clapped, cheered, ululated, all in celebration of the two. "The clan has a luna!" The kitsune's hollered in joy as Ari chuckled, Jax slipped on the ring and pulled his mate into his arms and kissed him.
"Phew, for a second there I thought the babies would be born out of wedlock." Renee joked as Nik just laughed next to his husband. "It's not like I took you in wedlock." He wiggled his brows suggestively. "Stop it you horny man." Renee chided as they both laughed and celebrated the mates who would be wed. "I thought you would be in Cabert Creek?" Ari asked his brother through the mind link. "And miss this moment, never, the moment Lizzie called I had my mate open a portal, I'd never miss seeing you this happy, you deserve this."