Page 54 of Ethan
He glanced toward the clinic doors, then back to me. “Nick’s been discharged. I was going to do inventory, but… dinner sounds better.”
I grinned. “Great. Let’s go before you change your mind.”
The pack cafeteria was loud, the way it always was around dinner, voices overlapping, chairs scraping, the occasional clatter of silverware against metal trays. But tonight, it felt different. Better and lighter.
Warmth settled in my chest as packmates greeted us with nods or waves. A few even called out, “Hey, Ethan!” or “Dean, save me some dessert!”
Ethan chuckled beside me. “You’ve made a name for yourself.”
I raised an eyebrow. “That sounds suspiciously like you’re saying I’m popular.”
“More like infamous,” he teased, brushing his arm against mine as we walked toward the food line.
“You wound me,” I said, mock-offended, but I couldn’t help the smile tugging at my mouth.
We filled our trays. Steak for me, roasted veggies and pasta for Ethan, and grabbed two slices of cherry pie before heading to a quieter table by the windows.
Outside, the sun was just starting to dip below the tree line, painting the sky in soft oranges and purples. Inside, the chaos of dinner faded as we sat down and dug in.
“How’s Nick doing?” I asked between bites.
Ethan chewed, then wiped his mouth with a napkin. “Healing well. He’s young, resilient. Still sore, of course, but the worst has passed.”
“And Ben?” I prompted.
Ethan nodded slowly. “Physically fine. Emotionally… I think he’s still rattled.”
I didn’t blame him. “He’ll be okay. He’s got people looking out for him.”
Ethan’s gaze flicked to me. “That include you?”
“Of course.” I paused, then added more softly, “That includes you too.”
His lips curled slightly, but he didn’t look away. “I know.”
We ate in silence for a few moments, just the comfortable kind, where words weren’t really needed.
Then Ethan leaned forward, frowning a little. “I’m worried.”
“About?” I asked.
“The wild wolves. Even with the extra patrols, they’re pushing closer. First the border. Now I’m worried they’ll even come after kids.”
I reached across the table and laid my hand over his. “We’re not letting it slide. I promise. Cooper’s got the enforcers running new drills. Griffin’s reinforcing the perimeter with fresh scent markers. We’re ready.”
He turned his palm so our hands aligned. “It’s not the pack’s readiness I doubt. It’s… what if it’s not enough?”
I squeezed his fingers gently. “Then we adapt. We fight smarter. And we lean on each other.”
His thumb brushed mine. “You make that sound easy.”
I gave him a lopsided grin. “I’m a simple guy,” I told him.
He snorted. “Debatable.”
We finished our meals and polished off the pie. Mine disappeared in three bites. Ethan took longer, savoring every bit of the tart filling. I watched his mouth with far too much interest.
When he finally set his fork down, I asked, “So. Dessert walk?”
