“And she’s just dying to meet you,” Quinn adds with a smile. “Ever since she heard Iver found his mate, it’s all she can talk about.”
“Well, if she’s anything like Lo, I’m sure she’s great,” I reply, picking up my fork.
Jax and Quinn exchange a look of amusement.
“She’s nothing like Lo, but I’m sure you’ll still hit it off,” Iver remarks, winking.
“Harper will make sure of it,” Jax smirks.
“She’s aggressively friendly,” Iver tacks on.
“Can’t wait,” I chuckle.
The conversation continues to flow as we dig into our food, Jax and Quinn regaling me with stories about Iver when he was young and asking me questions about my own upbringing. They’re not judgmental about the fact that I’m an orphan from a nomadic pack, nor do they seem put off by anything else I have to say. They’re warm and friendly, even going so far as to compliment my new tattoo.
Tanner doesn’t have a whole lot to say, eyes focused on his phone screen as he inhales his food, but I chalk it up to typical teenage boy behavior rather than my presence. Javi and Lo finally arrive halfway through the meal, and the last of my nerves melt away as we all fall into easy banter around the breakfast table.
It’s so much better than I ever expected. I’ve never had a sense of belonging like this; an actualfamilyto be a part of. Javi and I exchange a look as we all get up to leave, and no words need to be exchanged for me to know exactly what he’s saying.This is whathealways wanted, too, and now webothhave it.How freaking lucky are we?
“Will you two be at family dinner on Sunday?” Quinn asks as she and Jax walk us toward the front door.
Iver looks over at me, arching a brow in question.
I turn to his mom, smiling so hard that it makes my cheeks hurt as I reply, “Wouldn’t miss it.”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
the bite
IVER
“It smells like it’s gonna rain,” I murmur, casting a wary glance toward the clouds swirling overhead.
Chey’s so in the zone right now that I’m not sure she even hears me. Her face is hidden behind her camera as she wanders the grove of scorched pines, snapping picture after picture of the charred tree skeletons. This is a far cry from the lush landscapes she usually captures while we’re on our hikes, but there’s something hauntingly beautiful about this desolate section of forest that was burned out by a lightning storm. I had a feeling it might be a nice change of pace, and from the excitement in her eyes when we arrived, I’d say I was right.
But now it seems that the weather is about to cut this little outing of ours short.
Her finger moves over the shutter a couple more times, then she lowers her camera with a frown, peering up at the sky. “Looks like rain,” she muses.
I chuckle to myself and she darts me a glance over her shoulder.
“What?”
“Nothing,” I smirk, beckoning her with a flick of my head. “C’mon, we’d better head back if we wanna beat the storm.”
Chey gazes wistfully in the direction she was just shooting, her shoulders slumping as she blows out a resigned breath. “Yeah, you’re right.”
“We can come out here again tomorrow if you wanna get some more shots,” I offer.
A coy smile tugs at her lips as she spins toward me. “Promise?”
Dipping my chin in a nod, I extend a hand to her.
Chey slings her camera strap over her shoulder and strides my way, reaching out to place her hand in my outstretched palm. I immediately close mine around hers, threading our fingers together.
“Can’t wait to see those pictures,” I remark, the two of us starting down the trail side by side.
“Me too,” she breathes. “I think I got some good ones.”
