Jealousy Can Be Flattering

Chapter Eighteen - Joel POV

The barbecue was well underway when I finally made it downstairs. I ducked through the kitchen, hoping to avoid moms attention, but it was impossible. She waved me over handing me a platter covered in cheeses, crackers, olives and dips.

"What exactly am I doing with this?" I asked.

"Don't use than tone with me. Get out there and offer these to our guests mister." She quickly ripped open a packet of something weird looking and put that on another platter with more crackers and a tub of hommus. 

"Take this one too," She said, placing the second platter in my other hand. She knew I could handle it.

I rolled my eyes and headed out the back door, walking around to the pack members offering them the crackers, cheese, dip and... other stuff. One of the older pack members took a knife, smearing a sliver of the stuff mom had pulled from the packaging on a thin cracker. I watched him with disgust as he took a bite.

"What is that stuff?" I asked him. It was weird, it was like a paste that had been moulded and shaped into its rectangular form, topped with a weird sort of jelly that looked to be containing peppercorns. 

The man smiled at me. "It's called pâté, son. It's fat and ground meat with a few other ingredients."

"What kind of ground meat?" I asked warily.

"Usually liver."

I stuck my tongue out, much to his amusement. "Everyone has the same reaction when they find out. That's why it's better to taste it first," he said. He took another cracker and the little knife and spread some pâté on it, offering it to me.

"Oh, no thanks, I'm fine." I said, taking a step away.

"Nonsense, just try some."

I put one of the platters down on the table next to him and took the cracker in my now free hand. My face screwed up at the sight of the ground-up liver. But I took a bite, chewed and swallowed. My eyes screwed shut and my tongue stuck out of my mouth. The other man chuckled.

"Not your favourite? Ah well, it's not for everyone." He sent me a grin and waved me off. I took my leave, regathering the platters and wandering once more to offer the food to the pack. The guys didn't dare make fun of me, they knew they'd pay if they did. No matter how annoying it might be, I was glad my mom and dad had taken the time to be good parents and not just focus on being Alphas.

It came to a time where I'd offered everyone what was on the platters. It would be stupid to start going around again, so I placed the platters on one of the free tables, planning to head for the little picnic table where my friends were gathered. Instead I turned around to see my sister wolfing down three sausage sandwiches one after the other. I smirked, even a wolfs fast metabolism couldn't handle how quickly she was shovelling her food. Without a second of hesitation I darted over, tapping her on the shoulder before she could grab another.

"Calm down there. You don't want a stomach ache," I said with a laugh.