As unexpected as it was, Jude's visit lifted a weight off my shoulders I didn't even realize was there. Coupled with dinner with Claire and Xavier, I was feeling a lot more relaxed.
Part of me is still trying to come to terms with werewolves being real, but the other part of me has already accepted reality. It's hard to argue with something you see with your own eyes, and Claire had an answer for every question I had.
All at once, the day seems to catch up to me, so I call it a night. Once more, my mind drifts back to dinner with Claire and Xavier, thinking back on everything they talked about. The pride and respect they had when they talked about Chris is the last thing on my mind as deep sleep finally claimed me.
-----
As market day comes around, I have come to terms with most things. I sit chatting with Jude and everything feels normal again. As we talk about maybe doing dinner tonight, I pause, remembering Claire's invitation. I had never agreed, so I tell Jude lest he sell me out again, but make plans to have him over for a quiet dinner.
Just as I'm getting up to go, the pack's SUV pulls up. Xavier and Claire are here for their order.
"Hey, just the person I wanted to see," Claire declares, walking over with determination but smiles. "Hey, Jude."
"Hey, looks like you found me." I laugh and rub the back of my neck.
"Jace wants to know, chicken or ribs?" Claire pins me in place as Xavier proceeds to load their order. He's back to being the strong, silent type.
"Oh sorry, I kind of already locked her in for dinner plans," Jude says, coming to the rescue.
'Finally, he can be taught!' Enough.
"You're invited too, Jude. Nice try, but good effort," she teases, flashing him a mischievous grin.
Jude just gives me his best 'I tried' look and shrugs, leaving the ball in my court. "Are you sure it's not a problem? I can just come another day," I ask, trailing off.
"Bite the bullet and get it over with. You're getting worried over nothing," she reassures me, to which I nod. "Great! So what will it be?"
"Um, dealer's choice? What can I bring?" I ask.
"Jude, that's all. Just show up and have a good time." She beams, waving as she takes off before I can protest. "Don't be late!"
Jude just starts laughing like a madman.
Sell out.
"So what time do you want me to pick you up?" he asks when he finally regains his composure.
I can't help but frown. I'm feeling like I got played. Clearly, Trish is rubbing off on him, too.
"Four pm it is," he says before another fit of laughter takes him.
I flip him the bird as I head back to my truck.
-----
At a quarter to four, Jude rolls in, a goofy grin plastered on his face. "Ready to go yet?"
"Almost." I frown as I pack up some appetizers and whiskey.
Jude grabs the bottle and cocks a brow. "Liquid courage?"
I snatch the bottle and drop it back in the box. "Shush. Thought we were heading out," I say disapprovingly. He laughs as he opens the door for me and loads the box in the back seat before slipping into the driver's seat and heading out.
"Would you stop with this?" Jude says, tapping my temple. He gives me a sad smile, then says, "You're your own worst enemy sometimes, you know?"
I look away, focusing on the rural landscape as it whizzes by. "Well aware," I grumble.
I can't help the images that spring to mind as we get closer to the pack lands. This is my first time back since the attack, and I didn't leave on the best of terms. Based on Xavier's description, Chris was beyond pissed; livid didn't even sound like a strong enough description. I shudder at the thought; I'm not sure how I will face him today.
As we pull up, Claire exits the front door and walks toward us. "Thanks, Jude, I knew if anyone could get her here you could," she teases. He rubs the back of his neck as he flashes her a sheepish smile.
She leads us around the side where Jace is playing with fire, literally. He stops the moment he sees us and quickly makes his way over, pausing an arm's length away. He just stares at me, waiting for me to make the first move. I can't think of anything to say, so I just give him a bashful smile. Faster than I can blink, he sweeps me up in a big bear hug.
"Oh, my god!" I wheeze, "can't breathe," and tap out. He carefully sets me back down, just staring at me with his signature stupid grin.
"Welcome back, my little elf." He beams. His energy is over the top as his joy washes over me in waves.
I can't help but grin at his infectious exuberance.
I missed this.
"Hey, Jude." He shakes Jude's hand with a nod. It warms my heart to see Jude being accepted. "Oh, what did you bring me?" he asks, taking the box.
Xavier offers up beer, which Jude graciously accepts, while Claire grabs the whiskey and makes us a couple of mixed drinks. Before long, we are talking and laughing like old times.
The evening's entertainment is watching Jace tend the fire while trying not to catch himself on fire. Eventually, Xavier and Jude come to the rescue and help him set up the grill and coal bed. A new round of laughter breaks out when Jace pulls out a 'Kiss the Cook' apron.
"Wow!" I can't even keep a straight face for that.
I spot Ethan by the woods and head over. He's sitting on a log, kicking his foot on a stump as he frowns. I take a seat next to him, but he doesn't say anything, or even acknowledge I exist, so I go to what I know. Food. "Jace is making chicken and ribs. You hungry?"
"We're supposed to give you some space and not bug you," he grumbles, kicking the stump harder.
"Says who?" I challenge, drawing his golden gaze to mine.
"Alpha."
"Well, someone distinctly promised me that you were one of the guests at my welcome back dinner and yet you are here, and the party is there." I nod over to the firepit. His face brightens as a smile creeps across his face.
"But Alpha said-"
I cut him off before he could continue. "It's my party, after all. I think we've been through enough together to get you on the guest list," I say with a wink. He gets up, smiling, and heads back to the party with me.
Ethan pauses mid step and looks up at me with such emotion swimming in his eyes. "Thank you."
"Don't thank me, kid, Jace is cooking tonight," I deflect.
He shakes his head and frowns. "No. Thanks for coming for me. I thought they were going to get me this time," he trails off as his breath hitches.
I guide him the rest of the way and smile. "Kid, I will always help you! When I saw them dragging you out, I couldn't help but try. I'm just glad it all worked out in the end. But come on, this is a happy dinner. No more about that." I pass him a pop and appetizer, feeling my own chest tighten. Jude comes to the rescue and starts chatting away with him.
"You're really good with him, you know," Claire states.
"It's odd. I usually avoid kids like the plague, but he's alright," I say, smiling to myself and chuckle. "He's easy though, just feed him and he's happy."
"Doesn't that apply to all males?" Claire questions with a mischievous glint in her eyes. The guys grumble, but don't deny it.
"So, no Sara either, eh?" I ask, scanning around for my number one fan.
"She's on patrol with Chris." I stiffen when Claire says his name. She gives me a reassuring smile and pats my shoulder. I know she says not to worry, but it's hard-wired into me. "They'll be by closer to dinner."
Before long, Jace is in his glory, grilling a feast, and joking with Jude. An invisible dark cloud comes over us and I see Sara walking over. I casually look around for Chris, but he's nowhere in sight.
"He went to shower up," Sara says, no doubt picking up my interest.
"Who?" I fake ignorance, which she meets with a smirk.
"Chris, I assume that's who you were looking for, as everyone else is already here," she replies, narrowing her gaze. Sara doesn't even try to hide the disdain in her voice. I hear Xavier growl, but Sara doesn't seem to take notice.
"I never had a chance to say thanks for bringing me those meds," I say, tossing out an olive branch.
She eyes me up and flashes a predatory grin. "Well, if you died, it would have made for some inconvenient questions, seeing as you were too stupid to stay here."
'I see she took your olive branch.' Yeah, and set it on fire; fuck, she's got it out for me.
"Enough!" Xavier booms. "Keep it up and you'll be running northern border patrol for the next two months."
She scowls but drops it, opting for a drink and better company as she heads over to Jude and Claire.
Okay, large and in charge, Xavier is a little scarier than I expected, but apparently quite effective.
"Making friends again, I see," Jude teases.
I flash him my biggest and fakest smile as he walks over, leaving Sara and Claire. "What can I say? I just have that effect on some people. She has barely tolerated me at best since day one and after the club, she's flat out hostile," I mumble with a shrug.
"Don't worry about her," Xavier states as he walks over. "She's always been a bit rough around the edges. If she wasn't as good as she is, she wouldn't have her position. When it comes down to it, she will always follow orders." Somehow that last part feels directed more at her than me.
"Except the ones she doesn't." He raises a brow when I say that. "When I left the hospital, she beat me home with a doggie bag from doc."
"She is excellent at loopholes. Keeping you alive trumped giving you space." He frowns. "Overall, she isn't bad. She's very loyal to the pack, just blunt."
"What is her position?" I ask, my curiosity piqued realizing they didn't mention it at the last dinner.
"Head warrior," Sara chimes in, clearly having eavesdropped. "Uncommon for a female to hold, and yet I won it fair and square." I do not miss the subtle warning. I knew she was dangerous. I just didn't realize how dangerous.
She turns back to her conversation while Xavier goes back to help Jace. I turn to Jude. "I was feeling better about this and things were going smoothly, but after her, I don't know if I can handle Chris tonight."
Sara's open hostility has shaken my resolve. Here I thought she was just being nice in her own way, bringing me the meds. Meanwhile, it was only to prevent the inconvenience of my death.
"Relax, she's one person. Jace, Xavier, Claire, Ethan and myself are all happy you are here," Jude says as he gives my hand a squeeze.
"They sure have a way of sucking all the fun out of it with their mere presence," I trail off with a nervous laugh.
A low growl snaps me out of my conversation. Xavier stands ahead of me offering a beer, but before I can say anything, I look behind me to see Chris' back as he heads for the woods.
'Smooth, you're on a roll tonight.' Oh, my god cut me some slack, will you?!
"Chris, wait," I call, to no avail. I grab the beer from Xavier and jog off in the direction Chris went.
"Where are you going?" I keep shouting at him, but he keeps walking away, just out of sight. "Chris stop! I'm going to get lost," I pout, trying to reason with him.
I'm too busy watching where my feet are going, trying to navigate the difficult path Chris has picked, to notice he stopped. In my haste, I slam into his back, hard, falling on my ass and spilling my drink.
"Fuck," I practically growl out. I sit there, defeated, on the ground, glaring at my feet as my own temper flares up dangerously.
"What do you want?" His hazel eyes are hard as he glares down at me.
"Has anyone ever told you that you're a hot-headed, temperamental ass?" I challenge with a glare of my own.
'You trying to die tonight!?' Nope, trusting Claire and I've had enough.
In a flash, he grabs my shoulders, lifting me up before roughly pushing my back against a tree. I hiss at the contact; it's rough enough to mean business but not meant to hurt me.
"Care to repeat that?" he asks lowly.
I swallow hard. He's moved in very close, and the proximity is clouding my ability to think straight. I snap my eyes to his, holding the challenge, and simply reply, "You heard me."
"Ever think you bring that side of me out?"
His words hit with an unexpected force that I can't help but flinch at. I drop my gaze, trying to hide the effect he has on me, but my cheeks still heat.
I struggled to get free for a moment before I feel his hips against mine, pinning me tighter against the tree. I gasp at the sudden contact.
"What's the matter?" He growls. "Cat got your tongue?" His face is inches away from mine, so close that I can see his hazel eyes flashing to brown.