Page 10 of The Wolf and the Chimera
I doubted he would possess such glee if he did.
“Sheislovely,” Ryder agreed and took my hand in his again. I stiffened, and his thumb ran soothing circles over mine. “But we need to discuss how to protect her.”
Ryder’s demands didn’t surprise Kai, and I wondered if hedidknow the truth about me. The Alpha nodded and gestured to us inside the cabin. As we walked up the steps and through the front door, the other wolves cleared a path for us then followed.
Throughout it all, Ryder kept my hand in his like it was natural. I wondered how much of it was for my protection and how much of it—if any—was motivated by his own desires, but those thoughts trailed away as I took in the cabin’s interior.
“Wow,” I whispered.
We walked through a simply decorated, but incredibly tall entryway. Iron chandeliers illuminated framed photos of the pack, which adorned the room's sparse tables. We stood on an incredibly colorful rug but under its corners, claw marks damaged the hardwood floors. Ahead of us, a pair of wide staircases led to the two upper floors.
“Hungry?” Kai asked.
He led us through the double doors under the staircases, and we entered a large dining hall. Long, wooden tables and leather-upholstered chairs filled the space. Through the tall,arched windows, light poured in.
“Of course,” Ryder replied.
“I wasn’t asking you,” Kai said. “You’re always hungry. I was asking Elle.”
As freshly baked bread and slow-cooked roast filled my nostrils, my stomach growled loudly. Ryder chuckled and squeezed my hand. He led me to the central table.
“I’d take that as a yes,” he said.
“Good thing you two arrived just in time for dinner,” Kai replied with a smile. “Have a seat. I’ll help carry it out.”
Ryder pulled out my chair then claimed the one beside me. Other werewolves crowded into the space, though they gave our side of the table wide berth. They chatted and laughed and appeared so human, were it not for their predatory eyes, no one would’ve suspected they transformed into deadly wolves.
“The Alpha carries in pack dinner?” I asked.
“Everyone takes turns cooking and serving dinner,” Ryder answered.
“Including you?” I said with obvious skepticism. I couldn’t imagine Ryder hard at work in the kitchen.
He smirked. “I’m an excellent cook.”
I rolled my eyes. “Of course you are. You’re humble about it too.”
“I’ll show you sometime,” he promised.
I smiled.
He’s the reason your parents are gone.
The insidious thought fractured the moment, and I averted my gaze to the table. As I remembered by parents, my chest hurt, and another thought drifted to me.
Could they still be alive?
“Ellie?” Ryder said quietly.
I swallowed. The hope was too fragile to voice—I didn’t want to hear him tell me such a thing was impossible. Besides, if my parents were alive, they were safer without me. I wouldn't look for them.
Luckily, Kai had incredible timing. He and a few other werewolves emerged from a white, swinging door. Their hands were laden with platters of steaming food, and my mouth watered.
More and more werewolves joined us, and the platters were passed along the tables for the food to be shared. Somehow, I found the patience to hold off digging into my meal until everyone got their plates.
The roast and bread and vegetables melted on my tongue, and it wasn’t long until I helped myself to a second serving. When I devoured that at breakneck speed, I hesitated to reach for a third helping. Ryder nudged me and poured more onto my plate.
“You spent three days unconscious,” he reminded me. “Eat.”
