“Right,” Calix grates through his teeth. “If you don’t have a successor, then you need to appoint one, unless you’re just planning on handing over your pack to the first shifter who challenges you.”
Torin leans back against the sofa, his eyelids sliding closed. “I hadn’t thought that far ahead,” he admits dejectedly.
“Well, you better. We aren’t baby-fucking-sitting a wolf pack for months. We have to stop a witch from killing Charmed,” Gunnar interjects, his aggravation clear in his tone. I think he’s feeling insulted that Torin implied they weren’t taking proper care of me.
“Alpha.” Kim’s voice is low, a little pleading. I watch the side of Calix’s face as he eyes her, trying to tell her to shut up with just a look, but she’s too focused on Torin to see Calix’s warning. “The pack needs you.Weneed you.” The way she says the word ‘we’ makes me think she’s speaking in more than the royal term.
Torin lifts his arm and uses his inner elbow to shield his eyes. Calix takes the opportunity to thrust his arm in the air to get Kim’s attention. “Shut up,” he mouths viciously. Kim’s face sours, but she holds her tongue.
“We have three days to get this handled. Your involvement isn’t an option,” Calix states. I can hear the frustration in his voice. I feel like he was having at least a little success at getting Torin involved in the pack before Kim opened her mouth.
I give her a scowl, but she’s not even looking in my direction. Three days isn’t a very long time to convince a man who seems ready to die that he has plenty to live for, especially if Kim keeps reminding him that he has an entire pack relying on him.
“You need to eat something. You can’t be passing out before we get some of this shit sorted,” Calix urges.
Torin lets his arm fall away from his face and flop to the side. “I’m not hungry, feed it to your dove.”
“What’s with the nicknames?” Gunnar snarls.
“Tell you what, Wolfy, I’ll make a deal with you. You eat, I eat. And no more of the dove crap. My fellas don’t like it.” The food really does smell good, and if I have to puke it all up in a little while, it will be worth it just to make sure Torin gets something in his system.
“Damiana.” Grim says my name as if he’s warning me.
I wave away his concern and talk to Torin. “I usually have a very special diet, you see, but I consumed a few souls” —I roll my eyes— “and now my system is all out of whack. But that fucking soup smells divine, and I’m feeling a little peckish, so what do you say?”
“Consumed a few souls?” Kim’s words are laced with horror.
“She’s kind of judgy for being a wolf shifter.” I hook my thumb in her direction then turn to face her. “They were witches—witches who were performing rituals on baddies to steal their powers. Should I have let them go around killing my friends?”
Kim’s curly dark hair slides forward from behind her shoulders when she looks around at everyone else as if she can’t believe she’s the only one who finds it offensive. She thinks I’m a monster.
I’m not sure if I should feel proud or pissed off. How would she react to Uncle or Dare? Hell, she would probably run from the room screaming if Bloody Mary showed up. A deviously nasty idea forms in my mind.
I tsk my tongue and dismiss her. “She’s not just judgy; she’s also an asshole. Let’s eat before I decide I want another soul instead of the soup,” I remark, and it only horrifies Kim even more. I have no intention of killing her, but she doesn’t need to know that.
“She’s still young.” Torin inches forward and grabs the large bowl of still steaming soup before extending it out to me. I can see a fine tremor work its way up his arm, but I ignore it, just like he does.
“Are you sure, Dami?” Calix softens his voice, taking a little of the weight of the bowl from Torin and making sure it gets passed safely to me.
“I’m sure.” I give him a reassuring wink then add, “A deal’s a deal. I eat, you eat.” The heat of the bowl feels good in my hands. My mouth actually waters a little when I cradle it in my lap. Damn, I think I really am hungry. What the hell does that mean?
I can feel Gunnar looming over my shoulder and Calix scooting closer like he might need to grab the bowl at any moment. Ignoring them, I stir it with the spoon and make sure I get just the broth. From experience, I know that passes through my system just like water. My first sip is tentative, but hell if I don’t moan in approval. It’sdelicious.
I lift the spoon and nod to Torin. “My compliments to the chef.” A small grin forms on his lips, and he reaches for the plate piled high with rice and what looks like ground beef in a rich brown sauce.
“As long as you don’t eat him,” Kim mutters under her breath. I hide my smile behind another spoonful. She’s got moxie, I’ll give her that.
Torin makes a low rumbling sound in his chest that has me looking up. I assumed he was appreciating his meal, but he’s glaring at Kim instead. I think that noise was meant as a warning. She lowers her eyes and her chin.
I keep my gaze on Torin as he gracelessly shovels a few bites into his mouth, barely even chewing before he has his fork loaded again. It seems his body is taking over for him. The dish is empty before I even get brave enough to eat a noodle. He reaches for the slab of meat next, his fingers pulling it apart as he shoves chunks into his mouth. It reminds me of Theius. Something on my face must betray my thoughts, because Calix reaches over, ready to take the bowl. “Everything okay?”
“Fine, I was just thinking it’s been a while since I’ve seen Theius,” I reply. He hasn’t been back since I asked about the witches and told him about Gunnar. “Can you let him know it’s okay to come back for a visit?”
“I’ll see that he gets word,” Grim volunteers rather quickly while eyeing me, his forehead furrowed in a slight frown. I’m sure watching me eat is as strange for him as it is for me, but I can’t seem to help myself. It’s too damn good. I stir the soup again, this time bringing up a small carrot with a spoonful of broth. Before I have the chance to overthink it, I eat it too. “Oh, yum. Why is this so good?”
“I don’t think you’ve been feeding her enough,” Torin comments, while tearing into another chunk of meat, still fully engrossed in his food.
Lifting the bowl from my lap, I hand it over to Calix, even though all I want to do is eat more. Not understanding why I want to eat it is making me hesitant. I’ve held up my end of the bargain though. I ate. Torin is still eating, so I can call that a win.
