Red String {EDITING}

Chapter Seven | A Noisy Dinner

Cutlery was Lyra's worst nightmare, or so she found out that very evening. There were too many knives and forks littered around her plate, and they confused her greatly. Sure, she had seen plenty of sets like the one before her but that had been from further away – where she hadn't had to eat using them.

They were in the dining room. It was the room she'd been in only briefly before, and now that she had the chance to take another look around she realised how fancy it truly was. The crown moulding was plain that time, the wallpaper full of cream and brown damask patterns, and the flooring a rich mahogany.

"You work from the outside in," Rylan explained, sitting next to her cheerily. "It's simple, so you should get the hang of it fairly quickly."

Lyra nodded, biting her lip at the implications of that. He said it like she would be eating with them regularly. "Thanks," she mumbled, starting on the first meal of many set out in front of her. It had been a bit of a hectic day between Blu's questions and Rylan's preparations for helping her get settled into her new apartment. She was fairly certain she was now borrowing a number of household items from her mate. He didn't seem to mind – in fact, Lyra would go as far to say, he looked rather happy about that fact.

"You're welcome," he said, smiling for a few moments before he noticed Blaze's eyes fixed upon them. "Focus on your own dinner," he grumbled, glaring at the blonde and his purple-eyed companion.

Not all of the alphas who lived there were present – some being away on pack business or other matters which required their attention. Still, it was one of the largest dinners she had been to, both in content and company, but rather than feeling out of place Lyra felt content there. It was peaceful, despite the chatter around her and the squabbles over the various condiments.

"Want anything to go with that?" Rylan inquired, glancing between her plain meal and the tray of sauces and other toppings. "Tartar usually goes nicely with fish, though it is a bit sour."

"Uhh." Lyra blinked. "That sounds nice?"

"You can try some if you like," he said, offering out his plate, the proffered piece of fish ready for the taking.

"Lend her your fork too," Blaze said, eagerly eyeing them from where he sat opposite them. "Go for that indirect kiss!"

"Ignore him," Rylan grumbled. "He's just hyped because I found my mate," he explained, glaring at the blonde. "Feel free to ignore everything he says. It tends to be some sort of"—he pursed his lips—"lewd joke, or something of a similar nature."

"Lewd, huh?" Blaze purred, leaning forwards, hands steepled under his chin. "Still too much of a prude to say the word sex, are we?"

"You are absolutely disgusting," Rylan muttered, looking as though he had just swallowed a lemon.

"It's a perfectly natural part of life," he said. "The sooner you accept it, the sooner you and Ly-bear can get frisky."

Lyra raised an eyebrow at that. "Ly-bear?" she muttered, testing it out on her tongue as she swiped her mate's offering from his plate.

"Don't mind that – he comes up ridiculous nicknames for all of us," Rylan said, rolling his eyes at the other man. Though Lyra was tempted to call them all children for how they bickered. "I think I'm—"

"Ry-Ry," Blaze spoke, a smug, satisfied grin on his lips. "Or Ry-kins. Depends on how I feel at the time."

"Of course it does," he mumbled, shaking his head as he set his knife and fork down, finished with his meal.

"Blaze," Blu called from further down the table, sparing both her and Rylan from the blonde's antics. "I've got some work for you to do – Mister Public Relations."