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She felt his warmth as she snuggled closer, her arms resting on his toned chest. The thought that she might have to let him go again was positively nerve-racking, but he had to lead the charge, taking Cyrus down once and for all.
The only question in her mind was if Cyrus had gotten away, how much had they really weakened his forces? Did they still have as much to worry about now? Was he hanging out, waiting to ambush and overpower them, or was he clinging to his last inch of life?
During the next couple of hours, she waited with remarkable patience for answers, resolving not to bother Derek again until everyone had gathered for the pack meeting.
When the time came, Derek sat at the head of the table while she gathered more chairs with Mason.
“Everybody, gather ’round,” Derek called to a full room. “Now that we’ve all relaxed a bit, we’ve got things to talk about.”
Iris noted the questioning glances on everybody’s faces, especially those who hadn’t helped liberate the captives. Bruce’s parents wore weary expressions.
Once everybody had been seated, Ava taking her place next to Iris, Derek rose, placing his hands on the table and looking at everybody assembled. His attention shifted from left to right as he ensured he was heard by all.
It was a tight fit for everybody to gather, even in the rather large meeting room. Iris felt very boxed in among some thirty or forty people.
“So if you’ve spoken to anybody at all, you know Cyrus, unfortunately, got away,” Derek began.
Iris heard a gasp, then realized that Mason had made it mockingly. Derek tried to suppress a smile as he looked down at his beta critically.
“So you’ve all heard,” Derek said. “That’s good.”
“You might be wondering how I can guarantee your safety with Cyrus lurking somewhere in the shadows,” Derek continued before anybody could address the concern. “Thankfully, we weakened him significantly. He won’t be bothering us anytime soon, with his forces having dwindled so much. He really didn’t think things through when he messed with us.”
Looking around the table, Iris could see everybody’s full and undivided attention fixated on Derek. Even Ava, who sometimes had trouble concentrating and would fiddle with her phone, never let her gaze falter.
I hope I command respect like that someday, Iris thought.
“But that doesn’t mean we’re giving him an opening,” Derek said. “I’m calling for a brief night of relaxation and celebration because we’re all back together safely, and that means a lot. But we leave at first light to take Cyrus down once and for all.”
The resolve he spoke with made Iris envious. She was burning with need, hoping they might be able to break from the celebration.
Iris turned to Mason, expecting some off-color jokes or sarcasm to lighten the mood, but he was nowhere to be seen. She also didn’t notice any of the enforcers.
How had they all left the table with nobody noticing?
She gestured to Derek, who looked unconcerned.
“Now,” Derek said, “does anybody have any thoughts? Questions? Concerns?”
That’s when the front door opened suddenly, and Iris nearly jumped.
“Party time!” Mason exclaimed, flanked on all sides by enforcers. Together, they carried in a very large luau pig, garnished by tropical vegetables.
Iris wondered how they had even found a pig that large and whether they had been secretly working on it all day.
Everyone crowded into the kitchen, gaping at the sight of the surprise. Setting it on the counter, Ava took the initiative, pulling out the silverware and plates from the kitchen cabinets. Placing several glasses on the kitchen counter beside the plates, Ava then retrieved several wine and booze bottles, moving with remarkable speed despite her injuries.
“If you need anything made,” Ava said from behind the counter, “I’m your girl!”
Hardy masculine roars of approval erupted from within the room. Derek flipped on the stereo in the far corner of the room, and subdued but upbeat folk music played. It sounded a bit country to Iris, but she still found it tolerable.
But she still couldn’t wait to pry Derek away from his pack. Her mind ran wild with thoughts as she sat by herself at the dining table.
“Funny,” Derek said, seating himself next to her with a full plate. “Here, I thought you were getting along with everybody fabulously.”
She gave him a wry smile in response, watching as the parents took their children upstairs to put them to bed.
“I am,” Iris insisted.
