Every Were Gets A Mate

Chapter 26

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Cade scented the air and moaned. "Roast lamb with garlic and herbs. You smell that?"

I didn't, so I partially shifted and took a sniff. Earthy charred meat, caramelized garlic, and a mix of bitter and sweet herbs tingled the back of my sinuses. "Ye—"

He grabbed my arm, swinging me towards him by stopping abruptly, and almost dropped the cake container balanced on his other hand.

Alarm shot through me, and I glanced around, looking for the danger that prompted this move. I didn't see or sense anything, so I looked at Cade.

He stared at me with awe.

"What?"

A smile spread on his face, and he moved his hand from my arm to my cheek. "I've never seen you shifted before."

"Oh." He seemed delighted as he studied my nose and ears, so I let him look his fill. A low hum of pleasure filled me.

He pressed the side of my upper lip up. "Show me your fangs."

The grin on his face, and the way he said that, felt naughty. He may as well have asked to see my breasts. "If your reaction to my fangs is anything like my reaction to your fangs, then we wouldn't make it to dinner if I do show you my fangs."

He laughed and dropped his hand. "Valid. Okay. Later?"

"Yes." A scene of us in Cade's van rushed into my mind. I was lying on the bed with Cade on top of me, squeezing me between the mattress and his body as he had done with the log. Heat washed over me, but I pushed the images away and walked on.

Sounds reached my ears.

Shouts: amused, teasing, objecting.

Laughter: loud, soft, deep, high, fast, slow, free, controlled, suppressed, mocking.

Voices, movement, and cooking sounds from a distance reminded me to shift back and disappeared when I did. They returned as we entered an enormous party scene. Traveler Pack, or most of it, was gathered at picnic tables surrounded by bonfires.

I halted and stared at the scene, struck again by how happy and free this pack was. The prospect of fighting Fury Pack hadn't put a damper on morale, and I was grateful for that.

Cade stopped three steps ahead of me, turned back, and took my hand. With facial expressions, he asked if I was okay, I said I was, and we agreed to keep going. He led me into the crowd, heading up an aisle between tables.

Weres shouting Cade's name grabbed my attention. A group of them rushed towards us, making me tense and grip Cade's hand harder. I lost his hand amid the chaos as his friends hugged, patted, play-punched, and shook Cade. Many of them rubbed their hands in his hair, messing it up even more than it naturally was. If he hadn't been laughing, I would have jumped to his defense.

An instant personality change came over each of Cade's friends when they turned to me. They became calm and gentle, slowly bringing me into tender hugs after introducing themselves. These were Cade's squad members: Clink, Torque, Fender, Thumb, Ratchet, and Tank. I quickly realized they were giving me their nicknames and wondered what Cade's nickname was.

Cade's sergeant, Laura, was the last to hug us. "We're all so happy for you."

Cade said, "It doesn't look like everyone is happy."