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Chapter 1 - Paige
The beeping from the microwave goes off, telling me that my leftover chicken alfredo has been successfully heated up by electromagnetic radiation…I’m such a nerd. Of all things, that’s what I think about. It beeps again before I open the door and put it on the table in the staff lounge. Right on cue, my phone rings. Flipping it over, I see my brother's name with a picture of the two of us, a Santa hat on his head and an elf hat on mine. It makes me laugh every single time. He looks so grumpy in the picture, but he loves me, so he did it. He calls me every Monday at lunchtime if he can. He actually calls more than that, but Monday is his sure-thing day.
“Hiya, big brother!”
“Sis.”
“So, where are we today? Flying over an ocean? In a vehicle sweating your balls off? Oh, the adventures you go on.”
He grunts because he always grunts. “I’m in my apartment, actually. Kinda nice not to be sweating my balls off or cramped on a damn airplane.”
“Wait, don’t you normally fly by private jet? That can’t be cramped.”
“It is when the council wants to cram a bunch of shifters who should not be in the air into a canister of death.”
“You’re so bloody grumpy for a guy who travels the world and sees the most amazing places.”
“Yeah, well.”
I take a bite of my alfredo during our inevitable silence. It’s not that we can’t talk; it’s just that sometimes Thorn needs quiet in a conversation. I used to hate it, filling the silence because it made me feel awkward, but I realized he needed those moments to think and breathe.
“What’s on the menu today?”
“Leftover chicken alfredo.”
“You make it?”
“Of course I did!”
He pauses. “You make good chicken alfredo.”
“I know I do; that’s why I froze you two helpings for when you come by next time.”
“Thanks, sis.” I can hear the smile in his voice. Over the past eight years, I have slowly perfected the ability to hear Thorn's emotions through his voice. He isn’t a man of many words, and his default mood is just grumpy or slightly less than grumpy. Still, he has always been there for me and saved me from a terrible future, so if he needs to be grumpy, I will bring some sunshine to his life, at least until he finds his own sunshine woman.
“So, will I see you this week?”
“Actually, you will. I'm going to be coming through tomorrow. I’m heading to the Twilight Meadows pack.”
“What? Why? Is everything ok? Is Quinn ok?” I’m getting a little panicky. Quinn is pregnant, and she doesn’t need any more shit to be coming her way. I swear, if those Clearwater pack members don’t step off, I’m going kill them—I’ve never done it before, but she is my girl, so I will.
“Calm down, Paige. There have been a few incidents, including the rogue Clearwater wolves, but nothing too crazy. Mostly vandalism, but the council wants me and a couple of the other guys to go check it out. So, I'll be going for a week to figure it all out. Plus, there are talks of Eli taking a position with the council as a consultant of sorts.”
“Wow, does Quinn know this?”
“I would assume she does.”
That woman has not been telling me everything. Well, I guess she is going to get a call from an irate best friend.
“Okay, well, what time are you going to be here tomorrow? I’ll make sure to have supper ready. I work eight to four.”
“I should be there for supper; I’ll stay and head down to Twilight Meadows the following morning.”
“Perfect! We can have a movie night!”
“I’m not watching Harry Potter again.”
“Spoilsport. Fine, we can watch something else, but the magical world of Harry Potter is still the best.” I’m probably a little too obsessed with the franchise, but I can’t help it! Who doesn’t love a little magic in their life?
