Page 31 of Discover Me
"Thank you for being patient with me," Kellan murmurs against my mouth. "And for not laughing too hard when I almost set the kitchen on fire."
"I did laugh pretty hard though." I kiss him again, deeper this time.
We pull apart when the food starts to cool, settling at the table. Kellan cuts a piece of salmon and holds the fork up to my mouth. "Did I do good?" His expression is open and hopeful, like a kid seeking approval.
I take the bite, chewing slowly to give him maximum suspense. The salmon is cooked perfectly, tender and flaky. The teriyaki sauce has the right balance of sweet and savory. Even the rice is fluffy and not burned.
"It's perfect." I smile at his relieved expression. "You're officially a cook now."
"Don't tell Tom. He'll try to monetize it somehow." Kellan takes his own bite, looking pleased with himself. "Make me do cooking show appearances or release a cookbook."
Dinner is fantastic, both of us eating until we're pleasantly full. We clean up together, falling into an easy rhythm of washing and drying. Kellan asks for more insight into their last album, curious about my perspective as someone outside the music industry.
"What did you think of the overall sound?" Kellan rinses a plate. "Be honest. I want real feedback, not fan worship."
"I only heard it for the first time last night at the concert," I admit. "But from what I caught, it felt safe. Predictable in a way that was pleasant but not particularly memorable. The kind of music that sounds good in the background but doesn't make you stop and really listen."
Kellan nods, not offended. "That's exactly what it is. Safe, predictable, marketable. Everything Tom wanted and nothing I wanted to create."
"The new album with the love songs," I venture carefully. "Will that be the same?"
"Probably worse." Kellan dries his hands. "At least the last album was about freedom and independence, themes I connected with even if the execution was sanitized. This new one is forcing us into boxes we don't fit. Rex and Liam have to sing about their perfect pack lives. Jordan has to pretend his relationship is sunshine and roses when I know they struggle sometimes. And I have to fake being in love for public consumption." He pauses, looking at me. "Except maybe I'm not faking as much as I thought I would be."
My chest tightens at the admission. "We barely know each other, Kellan."
"I know. Doesn't make it less true." He turns away, finishing the dishes. "Come on. Let's watch another movie and not think about the album or Tom or any of it."
We settle back on the couch, Kellan finding some comedy that actually makes us both laugh. The day fades into evening, the light outside the windows shifting from bright afternoon to soft dusk to full darkness. At some point, I stop paying attention to the movie and just exist in the moment, comfortable and content in a way I haven't felt in months.
My eyes grow heavy as the warmth from dinner and the comfort of the couch pull me toward sleep. Kellan's presence beside me helps, his sweet rum scent wrapping around me like a blanket. I let my eyes close, just for a minute.
When I wake up the next morning, I'm laying on the couch with Kellan sprawled on top of me. His head rests on my chest, his body a warm weight pressing me into the cushions. One of his legs is tangled with mine, his arm draped across my waist. The TV has gone to the menu screen, playing the same three-second loop of music over and over.
I love being surrounded by the Alpha like this. His scent is stronger when he sleeps, sweet rum mixing with something warm and masculine that makes me want to bury my face in his hair. I gently reach up to run my fingers through his hair. It's softer than it looks, slightly tangled from sleep. Kellan stirs at the touch, making a soft sound of contentment. His eyes open slowly, unfocused and sleepy.
"Hey," he mumbles, his voice rough with sleep.
"Hey yourself." I continue running my fingers through his hair, enjoying the way he leans into the touch.
Kellan props himself up slightly and leans down for a small kiss. It's sweet and lazy, neither of us fully awake. His lips are warm and soft, moving against mine with unhurried affection. Then his phone rings, the shrill sound cutting through thepeaceful moment. Kellan groans, dropping his forehead to my chest.
"I've got practice today. Fuck." He doesn't move, just lies there like he can will the phone to stop ringing through sheer stubbornness.
"You should probably answer that." I pat his back gently.
"Don't want to." But Kellan pushes himself up anyway, fishing his phone out of his pocket. He answers without looking at the caller ID. "What?"
I can hear Tom's voice through the speaker, loud and demanding even though I can't make out the words. Kellan's expression shifts from sleepy contentment to resigned irritation in seconds.
"Yeah, I know. I'll be there." He hangs up without saying goodbye. "Tom's reminding me about practice. Like I'd forget. Like I haven't been showing up to practice for years without needing a wake-up call."
He stands, stretching with his arms above his head. His shirt rides up, exposing a strip of toned stomach covered in tattoos that makes my mouth water. I force myself to look away before he catches me staring.
"We'll swing by a store to grab you something to wear." Kellan runs a hand through his hair, trying to tame the mess I made. "Shit, I should have taken you home yesterday so you could get your own clothes. You've been wearing my stuff."
"Just take me to the venue where I left my car." I sit up. "I always keep another pair of clothes in there for emergencies. Extra shirt, jeans, work boots. I'll be fine."
Kellan looks relieved. "That's way easier than trying to find something in your size at a store. My stuff is too small on you anyway."
