Slowly and with the ferocity of an Elizabethan-era sea captain, Ethan's mother whipped her misfit crew towards the goal of getting dinner ready.
"Where's Emily?"Ethan asked, finally noting her absence.
"Kyle is showing her around town," Eri answered.
Confused, he frowned. "Really? On Thanksgiving? Everything is closed."
Eri elbowed him, and Ethan cottoned on. Showing Emily around town was probably an excuse to spend time alone with her.
"Remind me never to tell him anything," Brent whispered to Eri.
"You don't have to worry about that. Your sister will tell the whole world."
Breanna shot Eri a scathing look.
Towards the end of the meal prep, Emily appeared, sporting a flushed face and slightly puffy lips. And for some reason, she could not meet their eyes as she joined them at their workstation.
"So Emily, where did you guys go?" Eri asked, the casual note in his voice sounding a little forced.
Emily shifted a bit, eyes glancing around to see who was listening. "Um... just here and there."
"Did you see the McHannon Stadium?"
"Um.. yeah."
Brent and his sister sniggered. Zyga and Dr. Kim stared at them, with curiosity painted their faces as they handed over their trimmed Brussels sprouts to Mrs. Bane.
Eri nodded sagely. "Oh yeah, the shade under the oak trees in the car park has the best view of the city landscape."
The three Canadian wolves burst out laughing while Emily blushed furiously. Ethan arched an eyebrow at his friends, not getting the joke.
The tracker-in-training leaned closer and whispered, not so softly. "Hookup spot."
Ethan snorted, giving his chemistry goddess an appreciative eye. Emily had not wasted time.
"If you boys don't stop picking on my daughter, I have a very special needle primed for werewolf buttocks," Dr. Kim warned.
They all straightened up, swallowing their mirth.
After all the jokes and teasing, dinner was finally made. While laying the table, Ethan tried Jan's phone again, but it went straight to voicemail. So he sent a text.
<< I'm worried about you. Let me know when you wake up. I need to know that you're okay.>>
The meal was a feast fit for a king, and the slow-roasted pork was even more tender and delicious than it had smelled. But Ethan could not fully enjoy the food. The sun had set, and he had still not heard from his mate. By the time they cleared their plates, he was tapping his foot, beating a steady staccato against the polished floor.
Mrs. Bane suggested they move to the lounge for a nightcap since it was snowing too heavily for a bonfire or walk outside. Everyone agreed, patting swollen bellies and shuffling heavy feet. Zyga sidled up to him, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"Indri said he looked okay this morning. So things might be better than we think," the tracker said under his breath.
Ethan nodded, grateful for the news. Some of the tension oozed out of him, but he could not get rid of the need to see his mate with his own eyes. "It's almost six. I'll go up in a few minutes to see if he's awake."
Zyga squeezed his shoulders and then left to walk Dr. Kim to a chair.
"Who wants to play catch?" Breanna asked, holding up a package of large fluffy marshmallows.
YOU ARE READING
Blooded Mate
Fantasy[[MATURE CONTENT]] Pack, family, mate. Loyalty, respect, honor. These are the words that form the foundation of the wolf society. At six years old, Ethan had to choose between his Alpha title and his survival on the night of his father's death. As a...
