AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I am fine,” I said, shrugging off what I’d seen while visiting my brother.
“You’re sure?” Celeste pressed, sliding her hands down my arms before taking my hands in hers. “I know last time…didn’t end the way any of us expected things to. How is your brother doing?”
I paused, taking a moment to study her. Most would have simply accepted my first answer and moved on, but my mate was genuinely concerned with how I wasfeelingafter visiting my brother, not just whether I’d been physically harmed. She cared if Lyka was alright, too.
I sighed, looking down into the space between us. “Lyka is not doing well,” I finally said, shaking my head before meeting her eyes once more. “I don’t know what Sabine did to him, but…he was vacant, for lack of a better word. He looked quite skinny.Sickly.” I pressed my lips together. “I was wondering, perhaps once you’re stronger, if you could peer into his mind the way you did Abigail’s and see if there’s a way to help him.”
“Of course, Fenris,” Celeste agreed at once, giving my hands a little squeeze. “I’ll do whatever I can to help.”
Despite the seriousness of the situation, I found myself smiling at my mate, enraptured by her kindness.
Chapter15
Celeste
Fenris’s Private Villa
Isla Lobo, Panama
Later that evening, Walter made dinner for everyone on the island. As the five of us sat down, I couldn’t help but be pleased to have a big group meal like this. Fenris’s knee brushed against mine as he tried to look interested in the conversation, but I could tell he was having difficulty concentrating. Given everything going on, I couldn’t exactly blame him, but I wasn’t going to be distracted from my mission, either.
“This is great,” I told Walter, trying not to laugh as Abi nodded enthusiastically despite her mouth being full. “What is this called?”
“Lomo saltado,” Walter replied, and I couldn’t help but feel a little jealous of how easily he pronounced Spanish words. “A traditional dish from Peru.”
“Oh!” I glanced down at my plate. Marinated strips of steak, onions, and French fries had been dressed with a delicious sauce and served on rice. It didn’t seem like it should work, but the smell alone had been more than enough to convince me to try it. “I didn’t really get to eat anything except a quick breakfast when we were in Peru last.”
“We should fix that,” Walter said gently, smiling down at his own plate. “If Fenris doesn’t mind, of course.”
“This is a great intro,” I replied, still grinning. “I didn’t know you cooked Peruvian food! What other tricks do you have up your sleeve?”
I got him to laugh, and I didn’t miss how Val’s smile widened a little at the sound. “Fenris has a fondness for that particular cuisine. I do my best to make sure he wants for nothing.”
“It’s just like being there,” Val said a moment later as she took another bite. Walter finally looked up, watching her for a split second before going back to his own meal. The two of them were impossibly cute, like children with their first crush. Except they were the only ones who didn’t realize it.
Abi looked over at me, and I nodded, understanding her meaning at once.Clearly, our two favorite lovebirds needed a little nudge to get the ball rolling between them. My best friend smirked and flashed a quick wink at me before returning to her meal.
“What’s with all the faces?” Fenris murmured, giving me a raised eyebrow.
I snorted. “Hush.”
His expression only darkened. “No one has shushed me in over six hundred years.”
My cheeks went a little pink as I realized he must be referring to his parents or perhaps his older brother. I leaned in. “Walter and Val are clearly crazy for each other,” I whispered, glad no one else at the table was a wolf shifter. I would’ve been mortified if they overheard me. “Abi and I are trying to get them to talk more.”
Fenris snorted and sat back in his chair a bit. “Is that all?” he asked, raising a brow at me again. He looked thoroughly unimpressed. “That’s easy.” Before I could stop him, he turned and addressed Walter and Val. “Do you remember when we traveled to Italy back in the 1980s?” he asked them. “We were tracking a problematic shifter pack down in Italy. They were causing quite a ruckus amongst human villages.”
I frowned, about to elbow him—this really wasn’t romantic talk—but Val was already nodding. “Oh, yes. We had the perfect weather the entire time—and that wasn’t even my doing,” she said, sighing fondly. “Those two days in Venice were incredible, even if it was mostly spent searching.”
Walter hummed, looking over at Val with a smile. My pulse quickened, and I tried not to stare at the pair of them. “The following night in Florence was quite nice, too,” he added. “I’ve never been able to replicate the pasta we had there.”
Val smiled warmly at him. “Oh, but your attempts are the closest I’ve ever tasted,” she said, and Walter flushed a little red. “It certainly outranks some of the ‘Italian food’ I’ve had in the cities we’ve visited.”
Walter nodded, looking like he wasn’t sure if he should keep looking at Val or stare his plate down. “I seem to recall a lovely vintage shop as well. You bought some Italian operas, yes? Records?”
Val turned bright pink.
Walter’s smile grew a little more. “It was an entire collection, if I’m not mistaken.”
