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“Not more furious than I am.” Isaiah flexed his fingers, his cat hissing at the memories of last night. “He almost got her, Dad. If she’d been stood just a few inches to the—”
“But she wasn’t. She’s alive, and she’s fine.”
“But not safe. And I hate that.” Isaiah cricked his neck. “I hate the idea of her living in fear.”
“She’s a tough one, your black-foot. Not in a feisty, confrontational, in-your-face way. It’s a quiet strength. It’s part of what makes her soothing to be around.” Koen paused. “Personally, I think the only one of you letting their worries get the better of them is you.”
Isaiah sighed, loathed to admit his father might be right.
“Forget all that for now. Enjoy your first Christmas with your mate.”
He set about doing exactly that.
Appetizers were eaten. Gifts were exchanged. Dishes were served. Christmas crackers were pulled. Visitors came and went. Evening snacks were passed around.
And yet, when the evening was almost over, his mate was again shoving food in her mouth. It didn’t seem possible that anyone could eat so much that regularly throughout the day.
Beside her on the sofa, his belly so full he felt like he’d burst, he watched in fascination as she devoured a sticky toffee pudding. “I don’t know how you’re still eating.”
She sniffed. “You’re just jealous that you have no room left for extras.”
“I mean, you’re not wrong. But I still have no clue how you aren’t full yet.”
Koen laughed under his breath. “I heard that you and Alex are going to go head to head in a burger-eating contest,” he said to her.
Isaiah felt his brows draw together. “A what?”
Quinley spooned more of her pudding. “It was Bailey’s idea.”
He sighed. “Why am I not surprised?”
“Alex stupidly thinks he’s going to win,” said Quinley.
At the other end of the sofa, Andaya slanted her head. “How do you know he won’t?”
“I’ve gone up against a wolverine in an eating contest before. I won.” Quinley shoved her spoon of dessert into her mouth. “Trust me, I have this in the bag.”
The doorbell rang for about the thirtieth time that day.
Andaya stood. “I’ll get it.” She disappeared.
“I’m going to answer a call of nature,” said Koen before walking toward the bathroom.
Isaiah turned his attention back to his mate. His gut clenched as she idly licked the back of her spoon. A frisson of heat worked its way through his blood and surged to his cock.
She stilled. Blinked. Met his gaze. “I felt that.”
“Felt what?”
“You know. It was just a flicker of heat, but I felt it.”
Another sign that imprinting was starting. “You’ll be feeling a fuck of a lot more when I get you home later.”
It was honestly killing him that they hadn’t yet left, his mind filled with all sorts of plans. Going by her expression, she sensed it just fine.
He let out a pained groan.
Her lips kicked up. “You really shouldn’t have looked in that bag.”
