The old, cobblestone road is much bumpier and longer than expected. Jonas is holding his hands over his face, moaning. “I’m going to be sick,” he whispers.

The cab driver turns his head and angrily shouts, “Do not chunder in my vehicle!”

There is a protective side to me now that takes me off guard. “Hey, you’re yelling at my mate! If he wants to chunder, he’ll chunder!”

“What’s a chunder?” Jonas asks.

Henry makes a lewd gesture with his mouth. He pantamimes the act of puking his guts out. Jonas moans even louder. “Stop, please. I get it now. Thank you.”

I look at the signs and compare it to the map in my hand. “We’re almost there. It’s about one block away,” I announce.

I stroke the back of his neck, trying to find all of his sore spots. If there is something I can do for my omega, it’s massage his neck. I hate that he has to go through all this pregnancy crap. I know it’s entirely exhausting for him.

The car comes to a halt, and it’s faster than expected. Henry throws some coins at the driver before we all pile out of the vehicle. This whole operation is a mess. We look like a group of tourists, out on the town. Henry is our fantastic guide today.

“Alright, it’s just around the corner. Stay sharp. These aren’t the safest neighborhoods,” Henry warns.

My heart feels heavy. Are we ever going to reach safety? I guess this is what being in the Brotherhood is like. Constant danger. I’m starting to regret every getting excited about the title.

When you realize you’re going to become a father, everything in your psyche changes. You’re always on your guard to protect the ones you are connected to. Bonding is a sacred rite of the shifters, but it’s one of the most challenging jobs out there.

The flat is old and boarded up. It doesn’t even look like anyone lives here. Jonas and I share a fearful glance. Something doesn’t feel right, but we have no choice but to follow. My family is worried too. Luckily, there is strength in numbers.

Loke pats my shoulder. “Just breathe, son. Everything is going to be okay. The goddesses have staged this whole thing for us to grow.”

It’s hard to feel hopeful like he does. Though, I want to have some faith that we’re being watched over. It’s a nice thought to have. Only problem is I know the kinds of games the goddesses like to play, and they’re not exactly fun for us shifters.

As Henry knocks on the door, I prepare myself. I stand in front of my mate, just in case anything wrong is coming our way.

“Don’t worry. Tristan is a bit of a loon, but he’s alright,” Henry says.

Loud footsteps come our way. The door swings open, violently. A young man peers out at us. He has a long and skinny face that looks hollow, but you can tell he was once beautiful and charismatic. “Who sent you? I didn’t do nothing!”

Henry looks embarrassed. Shifting near the front door, he whispers, “It’s me, mate. Don’t you recognize me? It’s Henry.”

“Henry? Piss off!” The young and frightened man slams the door in Henry’s face.

I’m getting tired of the runaround with this guy. “I thought you said he owed you a favor. But it’s looking like he’s not going to give you anything,” I say.

Henry awkwardly laughs. “Don’t worry. This response is typical of Tristan. He has always been this way. He’s a shy bloke. Give me a few minutes to get him to warm up to you, and we’ll all be sipping tea near his quaint fireplace.”

The house is old and falling apart. The window’s have been boarded up. By the looks of this place, there is no quaint fireplace. I’m starting to get the feeling that this “Tristan” guy has been squatting here for a long time now. Henry knocks three more times.

Again, the door swings open. However, this time, Tristan is a bit more cheery. It doesn’t make any sense. “Well, hello, old chap! Are these your friends? Do come in! I’ve got tea boiling on the stove,” he says.

We’re all confused, but Jonas is the most hesitant. He whispers in my ear, “Uhh. He has to be crazy, right?”

I agree with my omega, but it’s looking like we have to go with the flow on this one. “What else can we do? If he has a car we can use, we might as well drink his tea.”

Slowly, the whole group steps inside. Drake keeps glancing down at his sock, in case he has to use that knife of his. Tristan dances toward the kitchen. “Tea for everyone!” he shouts. “I have the most wonderful lavender right now.”

“No tea for me,” Drake mutters. “I drank my fair share earlier.”

Henry looks alarmed, but he doesn’t dare say anything aloud to Drake. Instead, he acts as the ambassador and tries to keep the peace. “Oh, I’m sure Drake will have a sip. It’s so great to see you again, old friend.”

The inside of the house is old, dusty, and semi-frightening. On the corner of the kitchen ceiling are at least eight, grey moths. “Yes, well. We’ll talk about your friends later. Please, do sit down in the living room. I’ll bring the tea and crumpets.”

The chairs in the living room are crawling with cobwebs. My parents are silent, but I can tell they’re not happy about this. They would have rather stayed back than drink this man’s tea. My brother Gregory is livid. His whole face is red with anger.

“It’s fine,” I whisper. “Please, everyone, just be cool. Remember, we have a goal in mind here. Stick to the plan.”

Gregory’s eyes burn, and he clenches his fist. “The plan? What plan? The idea is absurd! I can’t believe I’m doing this right now,” he whispers.

Henry is beside himself with anxiety. His feet are tapping wildly against the front end of the dusty, red-velvet chair Within a minute’s time, Tristan walks in with the tea. He sets the tray on the center coffee table and claps his hands loudly. “Tea time!”

The crumpets are as hard as rocks, the tea looks stale, and Tristan’s eyes are practically swirling in his sockets. I don’t know if we’ve come across a reasonable person or if we’ve met the mad hatter!

Politely, I try and take a bite of griddle cake, but it’s nearly impossible to eat. I sip some tea and smile, but it tastes just like dirt. “Delicious,” I croak.

Tristan smiles and sits himself down. Looking at Jonas, his body grows rigid. “So you’re here to ask a favor, are you? Don’t lie to me, everyone. I’ve lived a long life. I’ve read the literature. You’re part of the Brotherhood, correct? I knew you’d come eventually. Let’s just say I was tipped off.” He winks.

Henry pretends not to hear, but it’s evident that something is amiss. I drop my tea and angrily shake him. “What is this, Henry? Have you set us up?”

Henry gulps, anxiously, but he looks more confused than ever. He doesn’t know what to do or say. In the midst of all of this racket, Eric raises his hand to get us to shut up. “Tristan, how do you know about the Brotherhood?”

Laughter exits his mouth, but there is nothing hilarious about the situation. Once more, I shield my omega with my body, just in case.

Tristan says, “Henry told me nothing. He’s just a human, after all. Us shifters know more about the world than they do.”

“You’re a shifter?” I ask him. “No fucking way. What’re you doing out here by yourself? Shouldn’t you be with your pack?”

Suddenly, Tristan shifts into a beautiful fox. His eyes are still a bit wonky, but it becomes clear that he was a great being at one point. “I have been waiting for you for ages,” he says.

“Who are you?” Jonas asks. He is no longer scared but intrigued.

“I grew up in the inner regions of our world. This place we inhabit now is merely an illusion,” Tristan says.

Drake grows angry. “I have to leave. I can’t hear these lies.”

Reaching into his pocket, Tristan quickly pulls out a large blade. He strikes Drake directly into the heart. Drake looks up at Tristan with dying eyes. The blood begins to pour from his mouth.

“What have you done?!” Henry screams. I stand up and shift into my wolf body, growling with intent to kill.

When Tristan pulls the blade from his heart, Drake’s wounds slowly close. After a minute of silent suffering, he manages to pick his body up from the floor. The blood dries and disappears, along with his massive wound.

“Illusions.” Tristan reiterates his point.

Henry can barely believe his eyes. “And me? Does my body do that too?”

Tristan looks solemnly at the ceiling above. “Do you want to know?”

Jonas speaks up. He is amazed by this spectacle. “How long have you been waiting for us?”

Strange laughter echoes off of the walls of Tristan’s home. “Why, I’ve been here at least one hundred years! Back home, it’s more like five. If you’re wondering why I’ve been here for so long, stop yourself from wondering. It’s very straightforward. A teeny-tiny toad walked up to my home one night. He told me if I helped you, he would reward me with an omega. I would be blessed with great health and the pure wisdom of the goddesses. I suppose it’s selfish in a way, but he said the fate of our world depended on me. I had no choice. At that moment, my hands were tied.”

“Shit. I don’t even know what the pure wisdom of the goddesses is, but it’s probably pretty darn cool,” I mutter. “It seems like Gorbins has been everywhere. So what do we do to get back home?”

Tristan bites his lip and pauses to think. “Well, did you get the coordinates?”

The party nods. “Yeah. It took us long enough to find. The coordinates lead us to Scafell Pike. It’s the highest mountain in England,” I say.

“Good. You know your geography.” He smiles and takes a sip of tea. “Our best bet is to head toward it. Henry, you’ve been there before, correct? You remember where it is?”

Instinctually, he nods. “Yes, but it’s almost like I went there in a dream,” he says.

Tristan chuckles to himself. “I do love the humans in this world. They’re chock full of confusion.”

We all stare at him blankly. “Well, aren’t they?”

This whole time I thought Tristan was cuckoo for cocoa puffs. As it turns out, Gorbins himself instructed him to wait for us. This story seems outrageous. Then again, not so long ago we were fighting shamans and talking to strange, talking birds. Anything is possible.

“I think I read too many comic books,” Gregory groans. “My brain hurts.”

Breathing heavily, Jonas wipes his glowing forehead. “I hate to be a party pooper, but I think I’m getting closer to having these babies. If we’re going to leave, we better do it now.”

“Yes, well. I have everything in order,” Tristan says, shifting back to his human form.

Drake looks at Henry. His eyes have grown weary and dark. There is a slump in his steps now. “I don’t think I’m going,” he says. “My whole life is a lie.”

Tristan angrily turns around and points his finger at his chest. “Cheer up. You’re integral to the whole thing. I can feel it. You’re coming with us,” he says.

“You’re real here. In this world,” I mutter. It doesn’t really do anything to cheer the two up.

Reluctantly, Drake is forced to give in. We follow Tristan into the old garage, where his beat-up van is parked. Again, we pile into another vehicle. This time, it’s much more cramped.

A million questions come to my mind, but one sticks out the most. “Tristan. I need to ask you an important question. What about our babies? Are they real?”

Tristan kick starts the car. The engine pops loudly, and the smell of fumes floods in inside. Coughing, he answers. “They’re more real than both of you combined. When the triplets are born, Frisky Pines will be a completely different place. Just wait and see.”

Jonas’s ears perk up. “Triplets?!”

“That’s what Gorbins told me,” Tristan says.

The van peels out onto the street. Jonas looks at me with wondrous eyes. He’s happy, and for once, I am too. We’ve got some direction now, and knowing that triplets are on the way, floods my heart with hope.

But I still can’t understand why the goddesses created this place? It can’t merely be a test of strength. Something else is at play, but Tristan isn’t letting on. The door may be locked, but I’m going to open it and find the answers I need.