Page 23 of Awakened and Betrayed
Mave smooths out her maxi dress, grabs my hand, and pulls me along behind her. Pebble, my ever-present and obnoxious shadow, falls into step right behind me. We make our way from the cluster of houses that the pack resides in, through the trees, and toward a clearing. The meadow I’m half dragged to has fairy lights crossing high above it. The strands of twinkling white bulbs have been strung up in the tall branches of the surrounding trees. It’s beautiful and creates a laid back, intimate vibe. Tables of food and drinks border the large crowd of people all standing and socializing in the center of the clearing
I see Kaika’s big frame with a group of younger looking shifters. He’s playing with them, which surprises me. The one and only time I met him at the cliff diving outing, he was the wolf shifter version of Grumpy Cat. I run my palms over my jean-clad thighs, feeling a little uncertain as we approach the large gathering of shifters. Mave insists it’s fine that I’m here, and her family has been nothing but welcoming since I showed up on their front porch, but I can’t help but worry that at any second my welcome’s going to get worn out. I know that things are usually tense between shifters and casters, and I don’t quite know what to expect tonight.
Mave’s parents wave at us from across the clearing, but they stay standing with their friends chatting and laughing. Mave’s family is everything she described them to be: loud, chaotic, rowdy. But they’re loving and supportive, bonded in a way that I’m envious of. Spending the afternoon with them while they joke and harass each other has me missing my guys more than ever.
I went outside later in the afternoon to try and call them again, but there was still no answer from anyone. When I stole my small bit of freedom this morning, they were the first calls I made. None of them have been reachable all day, and no one has called me back.
I’m starting to get a little nervous about it, but every time I go to use my runes to contact them, I talk myself out of it. They have lives and are probably just wrapped up in something. I keep telling myself not to bethat girl. The one who needs to know where they are and what they’re doing every second of the day.
Mave tugs on our intertwined hands when I’m apparently not moving fast enough for her.
“I’ll introduce you to the Alpha first. Once we get that out of the way, we can start the debauchery.”
She tugs me straight towards a group of males, each taller and more ripped than the next. Mave elbows and shoves her way through, and they chuckle and slowly move aside to make way for her. She stops in front of a man who looks like he could be Idris Elba’s brother. He’s big and radiates a raw gruffness. His clothes are clean cut, he doesn’t have a beard, and his hair looks like he just came from a barber, the lines and fade are crisp and clean. His black eyes land on Mave, and I notice that she looks at him, but their gazes don’t actually connect.
“Alpha, this is my friend Vinna. She is the one who helped Tru out when he ran into trouble. Vinna, this is Trent Silas. Alpha of the Silas pack.”
Mave steps back from the large imposing figure of her alpha and lowers her head respectfully. Unsure of what to do exactly, I wait for him to say or do something that signifies a greeting; offer a handshake maybe, or give a grumpy nod of tolerance at least. But he stands there quietly. I take in his navy blue chinos and his short sleeve denim shirt that’s buttoned all the way to the top.
His eyes rake slowly over me, eventually making their way up to mine. When his black irises meet my seafoam green ones, he stills. I have a sinking suspicion that I’m committing some kind of shifter faux-pas, and I want to punch myself, and then Mave, for not going over what was appropriate when meeting the Alpha of the pack.
I suspect eye contact with certain members of the pack is a big shifter no-no. But, fuck it, it’s already happening, and there’s nothing much I can really do about it now. A fleeting thought flashes through me that maybe I should play nice and drop my eyes, but he’s not said a word to me or made any effort to make this introduction less awkward. He’s looked me over like I was some chewed up dog toy covered in drool, and it bothers the shit out of me.
So, I keep my eyes fixed on his.
“Are you challenging me for my pack, Vinna?” He asks, his body language calm and self-assured.
His voice is smooth and accent-free. Bummer, I was really hoping he’d sound British.
“No, sir. I’m simply challenging you for your respect.”
He lifts one brow in question.
“I saw what you thought of me when you looked me over, or maybe it’s just my kind that pisses you off, but I’m not them,” I explain, my easygoing tone matching his.
His nostrils flare, and the hint of a smile twitches at the corners of his mouth. “I suppose time will show if that’s true.”
He gives me an almost imperceptible nod, and I drop my gaze immediately. The strained silence that was cocooning us shatters, and the shifters surrounding us relax and pick up their conversations. The alpha gives a deep rumbling chuckle.
“Vinna, allow me to introduce you to my Betas.”
Trent Silas puts a large hand on the shoulder of a big man in a green t-shirt. The large man ends the conversation he’s currently involved in and turns around at the touch.
“This is my second Mateo--”
“Torrez?” I interrupt.
Torrez’s face shows his surprise, and I’m shocked at how different he looks from the last time I saw him. His mohawk of dreads is gone. His ebony hair is short now and trimmed cleanly in a stylish undercut rockabilly look. His beard is also missing, leaving a light dusting of sexy scruff in its place. He’s wearing dark jeans that look like they were made for him and a t-shirt that saysRipped for her pleasure.
I turn to Mave after seeing his shirt and glare daggers at her. So he can wear t-shirts that say shit, but I can’t? Following my train of thought, Mave rolls her eyes and smirks, mouthing the wordpuppy pileat me. I try not to snort and turn back to Torrez. His dark brown eyes light up, and a smile takes over his face.
“Bitchless witch? Of all the gin joints, in all the towns, in all the world, you walk into mine?”
I chuckle at his butchering of the famous movie quote. “Well, you look a hell of a lot better than the last time I saw you.”
Torrez laughs, and the eyes of everyone around us ping pong from him to me and back again.
“What am I missing here? How do you guys know each other?” Mave asks, the confusion in her voice matching the look on the Alpha’s face.
