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“Nope. We just ran,” I said, rolling my shoulders and stretching my arms. “It was good. I haven’t run around like that since we were kids.”
“Alright.” She looped her arm through mine. “Let’s go to the diner, grab some grub, and then I’ll take you back to my place so you can sleep. But we’ve got somewhere to be at two. So, you’ll have to eat fast if you want to bank some decent Zs.”
I stopped walking. “What happens at two?”
Maria winced. “We’ve been summoned to the house. Adrian wants us both on training rotation.”
“Training?” I arched an eyebrow. “I’m a little old for pup school. I think I’ll pass on that.”
“It was an order from the Alpha. We don’t have a choice. He wants you there.”
As her words landed, I felt the pack bond reverberate in my blood. The wordsorderandalphawere impossible for me to deny. That was what his status in the pack gave him. Adrian’s orders couldn’t be ignored, not unless I wanted to break with the only family I had left.
“Alright,” I said. “Let’s get some food.”
She nodded and we made our way to our respective cars. We didn’t need to talk about where we were going. There was only one diner the Cape wolves ever went to. It’d been run by old Leland James and his wife for years. They, like a lot of the old timers in town, knew what we were, knew that the pack had founded the town, and we were what kept it safe. They also had the best breakfast around.
It didn’t take long to get there either. Just a short drive into town. We passed the small shops lining Main Street, crossed the intersection where most tourists got off the bus, and then turned right towards the bay.
The diner,Loretta’s, was situated on the last full block before for the marina. We pulled into two spots at the end of the building, and I met Maria at the stairs.
“I am starving,” I said, smiling at her.
“We’re always hungry.” She laughed, leading me through the door.
The lobby smelled like old faux leather, and sugar that wafted in from the restaurant itself. Inside there were two cases displaying their dessert selections, and a waitress who looked up at us and smiled.
“Welcome, seat yourself,” she said. “A waitress will be right with you.”
Maria waved in thanks and led me along the side of the diner to a booth by the windows. Our booth. The one we’d sat in for years before I left. It was our sanctuary after pup school.
“I remember this place so well,” I said, plucking up a menu from the stack against the window. “I’m willing to bet the food hasn’t changed a bit.”
“Nope, which is why you shouldn’t even bother looking,” Maria said. “Leland will just send us out the usual stuff anyway.”
“You bet I will,” called an old man from behind the bar that lined the wall opposite us. “It’s a pleasure to have you back, Miss Evie.”
I hopped out of the booth and propped myself up on one of the stools, throwing my arms around his neck. “Lee!”
“Awe, I did miss you little lady.” He said, his chest rumbling with his laugh.
I leaned back and planted a quick kiss on his cheek as I sank back to my feet. “I’ve missed you too. How have you been? How’s the missus?”
“That old hoot owl?” He barked. “Oh, she’s fine. Busy at home watching the grandbabies.”
“Grandbabies? When did…”
“A lot has happened since you been gone, now go sit down, I’ll fix you and Miss Maria up the works just like old times.”
“You are too kind.” I smiled, returning to my seat.
He gave me a dismissive wave and disappeared back into the kitchen as I turned back to Maria.
“You know that man barely says two words to me when I come in here. You come back after ten years and suddenly he’s the happiest cook in the world,” she said twirling the sugar container around between her fingers.
“Eh, Leland’s an old softie. You just gotta flash him a smile. Listen to his stories, and you’ll be golden.” I shrugged.
“You were always good at that,” she said.
