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“What can I do for you?”
“Well, I’m being kinda nosey, but . . .” She poked him in the arm. “What was on that sheet of paper that you got? From the look on your face earlier, it was more than just instructions for the flag task.”
Ahh. Jason grinned and tapped his nose.
“Oh, come on.” She pouted, bottom lip sticking out, and Jason laughed.
He gave an exaggerated sigh. “Fine, I suppose I can tell you.” He offered her his arm. “Let’s get a coffee and go for a walk.” She slipped her arm through his and they headed downstairs to the kitchen.
“OH, WOW,” RACHEL clapped a hand over her mouth and stared at him. Jason couldn’t decide if she was hiding her shock or laughter. “Who gets to go first?”
“Daryl.”
Her eyes got even wider. “So tonight you have to blindfold him, lead him downstairs, and feed him dinner?”
“Yep.”
She laughed. “I’m sorry, but . . . Daryl? He’s about the last person I can see taking that well.”
Jason sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “I know.” The afternoon sun had long since gone, the forest surrounding their lodge making it seem even darker. With three days still to go, the tug of the full moon was only a mild feeling deep inside. It’d get more intense as the days passed, and Jason was suddenly grateful they were doing this blindfold thing now instead of Sunday. “I don’t think he’s overly keen, but the consequences of not doing it weren’t something either of us fancied, either.”
“I guess not.” Rachel nudged his arm as they walked. “And it’s only for one meal, right? As soon as you’re done eating and get back to your room, he can take it off?”
Jason tried hard not to imagine taking Daryl back to their room still blindfolded. All the things they could do with Daryl at his mercy. Rachel pointedly cleared her throat, and Jason realised with dawning horror that he’d been broadcasting those thoughts rather obviously. “Fuck, sorry.”
Waving away his apology, she shrugged. “Just be thankful we’re outside.” Then she grinned at him, and he rolled his eyes. “To be fair, I’d be the same if I was in your position. And not mated, obviously,” she added quickly when Jason raised his eyebrows at her. “Oh, come on, I’m not blind.”
She squeezed his arm. “I think I’m going to enjoy dinner an awful lot tonight.”
“Piss off. It’s going to be torture for me.”
Coming to a stop, she tugged on his arm until he faced her. “Is that because you’re worried about Daryl’s reactions, or your own?”
He glanced down at the ground, toeing the stones with the end of his boot. “Is it that obvious?”
Fuck, he hoped not.
“Only because I know you and we’re talking about it. I’m almost certain Daryl is clueless to anything that isn’t directly related to the safety of the pack.”
“Hmm.” Maybe, but Jason wasn’t convinced. Daryl was far from stupid, and Jason was apparently far from subtle these days. “What about everyone else?”
“Yeah, they’ve all noticed you mooning over him.”
His head shot up so fast his neck cracked.
“I’m kidding!” She held her hands up in front of her, fighting a smile. “Your face, though.”
“It’s not funny.” He started walking again, and Rachel fell into step beside him.
“It kind of is. A little anyway.” Her sigh had a wistful edge to it, and Jason nudged her.
When she turned to look at him, he asked, “How are you doing, anyway? With Sara so close, but not being together.”
Rachel glanced up at the sky. “It’s . . . manageable.” She smiled, albeit a touch sad. “I miss her. I know it’s only been a day since we saw each other, but . . . I don’t know. It’s weird.” She rubbed at her chest, and Jason wondered if she realised she did that a lot when Sara wasn’t around. “But I get to see her on the full moon run, so it’s not so bad.”
They both looked up then, going quiet as the moon appeared from behind clouds. Jason felt the itch under his skin, the urge to shift and run, but he shook it off. Now so wasn’t the time for that.
