Escaping Death

Chapter 22

Ace

Solana walks into the kitchen wearing indecently short shorts and one of my shirts which is so long on her it covers the shorts and makes it look like she's wearing nothing underneath. While my wolf reaps sick satisfaction from my scent on her, he's also irritated at how delectable she looks in front of so many hungry eyes. All of which I can only assume are imagining serving her for dinner and feasting on her sweetness.

Tate sets the table as Dean and Solana bring over the food, Eli has already gotten everyone a drink so we're just waiting for everyone to sit down so we can eat. I don't have many rules for our pack. We carry no secrets and we never miss pack dinner. It's easy for us to get swept up in jobs and, especially as our pack expanded to include Eli and Hunter, easy for us to seclude ourselves and get lost in our own demons. Bringing us all together at the table helps keep us from falling apart on our own.

"Are we still on for tomorrow?" I ask the table but really it's directed at Tate and Hunter.

"Yup, Tate confirmed it yesterday." Hunter responds.

Solana fidgets in her seat. Her cheeks are stained pink and she is uncharacteristically quiet, no sarcastic remarks, no scowling at anyone from across the table, just hyper-focused on her food.

"Good. Solana is going with you." That should get her attention.

I don't think that's a good idea. Hunter immediately links me.

It's time to bury the hatchet somewhere other than each other's skulls. My command slips out across the entire table and I only notice it when I pick up on Solana's delicate whimper. I reel in my aura, catching Hunter's silent plea in my periphery.

The guys are hesitant at first but eventually conversation relaxes into normal topics – well, normal for us. Hunting, fighting, Underdark business. Solana remains quiet, she doesn't contribute to any of the conversation, she doesn't even lift her head. I can only watch her stare at her untouched food for so long. Add to that the increasing buzzing tinnitus in my ears, I'm quickly losing my patience.

I stare at her staring at her food, studying her features to give me some kind of clue as to what is going on inside that mischievous little mind of hers. Her face is pale but her cheeks are flushed with heat, and her breaths are quick and shallow. I swear I can smell her arousal. If the others smell her too they don't show it outwardly. In fact, Eli and Hunter are already digging into their second plates talking about adding an extension on the back deck since it needs to be re-built anyway.

The only one who seems to notice Sol's lack of appetite besides me is Dean.

"Not hungry, Sol?" He asks her kindly.

"Hm? Oh, no it's not that. My sister won't stop calling, so my mind is just elsewhere."

"Go call her now, I'll keep your plate safe from the wolves." Dean suggests while Eli and Hunter growl and sneer at his playful comments.

She bolts from the kitchen so fast you'd swear the devil himself was chasing after her. I swallow my urge to follow her and continue with dinner as if I'm not completely consumed by the fireball upstairs.

Tate's chair scrapes across the floor as he rises to stand and the other guys give him knowing smirks.

"Sit your ass down, Tate," I bark.

"Nature calls," he shrugs. "Or would you prefer I piss in the sink?" He makes a show of unzipping his fly as he walks towards the sink.

"Go," my eyes roll at his transparent attempt to go after her himself, "but you leave her the fuck alone."