Honey, nuts & lilies

Winding Down, Or...

Rout's POV

"Attention, everyone." Yelled Layla walking backwards, facing the four of us. "Rout and I made a decision to cook dinner for your stinky asses, so you will leave us in the kitchen and go take a shower. Deal?" everybody nodded.

The house was quiet. The living room, main hall and even the kitchen were empty. That was different from my old pack's house-Friday nights were filled with loud chatter and movie nights. As I was thinking about it, it was actually nice to not hear stupid arguments. Matteo helped me take of my jacket and took it upstairs together with my bag. And I didn't even have to ask. Which still baffled me.

"So, what are we cooking?" asked Layla with excitement.

"Well, that depends on what we find in here. I have no idea what even is in all those cabinets, I haven't had the chance to cook in here." I sheepishly said, but Layla silenced me with her giggles. She was just built differently. So many things have happened to her, yet she was still so lively and happy. Smiling all the time and for no good reason.

In the end we settled for a menu with pasta, chicken and ice cream for dessert.

Time flew by as we cooked and listened to music-some songs destroyed with Layla's singing. Suddenly I felt a presence of a stranger.

"Layla, wo the heck is this? Don't you know you can't bring your friends here this late?" this high-pitched voice belonged to a tall girl with long black hair and orange-brown-ish eyes. Her tan was on point. How was it possible for everybody to be this tan when it was only the middle of spring? I was genuinely taken aback from her tone. But Layla shrugged her shoulders and rolled her eyes at the girl.

"Nevada, this is Rout. And she is not just any of my friends she is not even a guest here-she lives here, because she is Matteo's mate." She flinched with Layla's last words and almost tore the fridge door taking out carton of milk. Both me and Layla had no idea what that was about.

"Well, still, I don't get it why you are here this late..." Nevada replied and stomped upstairs with the milk. I turned to looked at Layla with confusion written all over my face. She sighed and started cutting more vegetable.

"Nevada is not eighteen yet and Matteo didn't have mate until now, so everybody thought they would end up together. She was very clingy to him, but don't worry your man didn't do anything to return her feelings. And thank the Moon goddess that you are his mate, because I hate Nevada, but Matteo is like my younger brother. I wouldn't be able to stand her with him this close. We wouldn't be cooking and laughing together, but I would probably scratch her eyes out somewhere in the deep forest." I giggled at that.

I should probably get to know other pack members. Maybe I could ask Matteo later. With loud music we continued to prepare the dinner. One by one the boys came back, smelling much better. Nur was the last one and when he showed up, we started taking out the plates. Our creation of a meal was welcomed with cheering from the boys. I sat down next to my mate, facing Layla. Everybody was praising the food. Especially Matteo was smiling at me the whole time while he was stuffing his mouth. I felt good around those people and even though I am not that much of a speaker I actively got involved in the conversations. Every single time when Matteo glanced at me, I could smell his herbal shampoo. As I was collecting the empty plates, I felt the pain on my ribs alarming me I need to check on him.

We finished dinner with vanilla ice cream and Will telling stories from when the boys were young.

"And do you remember when Nur got lost in the forest after we pushed him into the river and ran off?" Will continued laughing at sulking Nur. "They had to send a Delta to bring him back at night."