Page 56 of Season of the Wolf

We took the stairs by two, racing to the bottom where I was swept up into his arms and braced against a broad chest as he carried me into the kitchen. There was so much going on—so much noise, so much laughter, so much life.

A kiss to the cheek and my feet were lowered to the tile again where I fidgeted with my hair for a second time, noting how it doubled in size after my shower last night. It was no use, so I left it for now.

Seated around the island counter and at the table beside the sliding glass doors, the guys shoveled forkfuls of food into their mouths, showing no signs of stopping.

I glanced up at Liam and he gave a knowing smile. He was right to get me up and downstairs when he did.

Hilda and Dallas seemed to blend right into the craziness. With a wave of her hand, Elise ushered us over, her expression revealing how much she was enjoying the chaos. She grabbed two plates from the cabinet and began filling them for Liam and I.

“Find a seat where you can,” she laughed, “and I’ll be whipping up more while you all eat, so bear with me.”

I accepted my plate and thanked her before turning to search for a seat. Preferablytwoseats, so Liam could sit with me.

I still hadn’t quite warmed up to them yet—to my brothers who seemed so close to one another while I still felt like an outsider. Standing there, holding my plate, it was like the first day of school all over again. It was like that dreaded moment when lunchtime finally came and it was thrown in your face that you didn’t quite fit in.

Only, it didn’t go quite like that.

From the table, a large hand lifted into the air, waving Liam and I over. He went right away, but I was slower to move.Nervousto move.

Ivan grinned big as he brought a half-full glass of orange juice to his lips. When he lowered it, the grin only grew. We approached, and before Liam had the chance to pull my seat out, it was nudged from beneath the table by Ivan’s foot. On the one hand, it was sweet he bothered, but on the other it was totally something a sibling would do—a halfhearted gesture I still considered kind.

Yeah, I was a girl, but to him I was mostly just a sister.

Sensing how comfortable he felt around me, I smiled. Seemed I was the only one nervous about interacting.

I sat and he promptly zeroed back in on his pancakes.

“Did you sleep well?” he asked in a deep, booming tenor, a voice wrapped in the rich undertones of an accent that didn’t sound so peculiar anymore. “I hope we didn’t disturb you.”

He was so polite, almost proper. I imagined Liam used to speak with the same old-timey quality to his voice, but it had likely faded with time, with how much he traveled and experienced. At the thought of what it would have been like to know him in his prime, I smiled.

“I slept okay,” I said, answering Ivan’s question. I sounded so timid. Hopefully, he didn’t notice.

“Things can get somewhat rambunctious when we’re left to our own devices,” he added, still chewing. “It didn’t help that Mother shared quite the story about you while she prepared this meal.”

I paused with my fork halfway to my lips. “About … me? What kind of story?”

In my head, I imagined the many faux pas I had over the months and wondered how embarrassed I should be.

Had she told them I had to be taught how to fly again?

Or how I nearly passed out from the pain of shifting into my wolf for the first time?

I was certain she hadn’t shared any of these experiences for the purpose of humiliating me, but what was cute and entertaining to Elise, was potentially devastating for me.

My stare was glued to Ivan while he swallowed another load of food he’d stuffed in his mouth.

“Well,” he sighed with a coy grin, wiping his mouth before continuing. “According to our mother, you went up against the Sovereign and his men on your own.”

My stomach sank when I realized the inkling of fear wasn’t warranted.Thiswas the information Elise divulged.

Ivan’s gaze lifted to Liam for a moment before coming back to me.

“To savehim,”Ivan added.

I swallowed before answering. “He would’ve done the same for me,” I said, amending the statement right after. “Actually, hediddo the same for me. The Sovereign only captured him because he offered his life in exchange for mine.” I glanced toward Liam while still responding to Ivan. “If he hadn’t acted to save me, I never would’ve gotten away.”

It was still difficult to talk about, especially seeing as how Liam was still suffering the consequences.

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