To Feel Again [Welcome To Wolf's Peak]

Chapter Seven - Owen

Owen

I was nervous when I heard the knock on my door. I'd told Ginny that friends of mine were joining us for dinner. None of the alternatives really worked. Niko lived at the pack house and I didn't want to risk Ginny seeing anyone shift. Adrian wanted us to go to his house for dinner but then I'd have to sit through an awkward dinner with Jacob and Kennedy and Ginny would ask questions that I wasn't ready to answer yet.

I asked Ginny to finish setting the table and went to answer the door. Both Niko and Adrian stood on the other side of the door and I couldn't help but beam a smile at them both. "Hi." My voice came out embarrassingly breathy.

"Hey." Niko stepped forward and after a look over my shoulder to make sure we wouldn't be seen by Ginny he pressed a quick kiss to my lips. When he stepped back Adrian surprised me by moving into my personal space and pressing a kiss to my lips. I clutched at the front of his shirt and held him to me for a little longer, flicking my tongue over his lips and savouring the first taste of him.

"Wow." I smiled dreamily.

"Hi," he said smiling shyly at me. "I hope that was okay?"

"Sure but," I looked over my shoulder and lowered my voice, "not when Ginny is around. I'll tell her about us soon but I haven't figured out how to tell her yet. It's going to be hard to explain that we're all in a relationship with each other but I really don't know how to tell her what you both are."

Niko threw his arm over my shoulders and said, "we'll help you figure it out." Adrian nodded his agreement. "Now, let's go meet your sister."

I led Niko and Adrian to the kitchen and found Ginny stirring the sauce on the stove. Sometimes she could be the helpful girl I remembered from when our parents were alive. I missed those moments, they weren't nearly as frequent as they used to be.

"Ginny," I said to catch her attention. She looked over and smiled at our guests. "This is Niko and Adrian. Guys, this is my sister Ginny."

"Hi." Ginny gave them a little wave.

"Hi Ginny. Owen has told me a lot about you." Niko tipped his head in greeting.

Ginny gave me the stink eye and took the sauce off the heat. "Don't believe everything he's told. My brother thinks I shouldn't have friends or a social life." She pouted.

"I'm sure Owen has no issue with you having friends or hanging out with them. He just wants to be sure that you're okay, safe." Adrian shrugged, "sometimes we don't really know people, even when we think we do. People can wear masks, metaphorically speaking, so your brother is just trying to protect you from getting hurt."

Ginny studied Adrian for a moment before replying. "I can understand that, but it's frustrating and embarrassing when I have to tell my friends I'm not allowed to go somewhere or do something with them. I feel like a little kid." She shrugged and turned her back on us to pour the sauce into a serving dish.

"We don't have any particular seats here so why don't you both take a seat wherever you'd like." I waved them to the table and moved in beside Ginny bumping her shoulder with mine. "I don't mean to make you feel like that. I'm just worried about some of the people you're hanging out with lately." 

"I don't need you to be my parent Owen. I need my brother, he used to be fun." She sighed and started taking the food to the table so I picked up a serving plate with roasted vegetables and followed after her. There wasn't a lot I could say to her comment, I had been fun once. Now, I felt tired and stressed and as far from fun as it was possible to get. 

We all started eating in awkward silence. There was nothing that could kill a mood faster than two siblings who didn't see eye to eye on things. The bowls and plates were passed around in silence, the only sound the occasional clang of cutlery against the side of a serving dish or a plate.