Forgotten Wolf

11 Tension

For the first time in a long time, I wake fully rested. Chris' house is amazing. His bedroom is the size of my living room, with the biggest bed I've ever seen in the center. It's a living room with a full-sized couch on one side and a flat-screen TV on the other, as well as a desk. The walk-in closet must be huge since he changed in there, and then there's the bathroom.

I could live there!

Chris' bathroom has an earthy feel like the rest of the house; the floor is warm-coloured water-worn stone, and the walls are a combination of stone and wood. The glass and granite shower alone takes up a large portion of one wall and is the size of my entire bathroom. I could have stayed in that shower all day if I didn't know there were likely people downstairs waiting for me.

After getting cleaned up and dressed, I make my way out of his room, looking around the massive place. The scale of the house is incredible! Substantial solid wood stairs lead down to the common area. To the right is presumably the living room with an army of couches, chairs and a giant flat-screen TV. The room's huge, with vaulted ceilings that only add to its impressive scale.

To the left is the kitchen, where everyone is already waiting. There's a large live edge table with a blue river-type detail down the center that everyone is sitting at. The kitchen itself is spacious and open, with a long granite island in the center. Claire is busy cooking on the far side while everyone else is lost in conversation. As soon as I walk in, I feel all eyes on me.

Chris's hazel eyes are soft but unreadable; he looks lost in thought. Sara, however, is glaring at me like I spilled a drink on her best dress, while Jace and Xavier are both soft and welcoming.

I waste no time, take an open seat next to Jace and get drawn into the conversation with Jace and Claire as he regales us with the details of his night after we left. Chris and Sarah stand, cutting our conversation short. One look shows them ready to come to blows as he yells at her to go.

Sara glares at me as she storms out the back door, assuring me whatever they were arguing about has something to do with me. If she wasn't warm and fuzzy before, I'll have to watch my back around her even more now. Chris drops back into his chair with a sigh and frowns.

"Sorry about that... Sara is well, Sara." His frown deepens, but Jace just snorts back a laugh.

The earlier lightness at the table is long gone, leaving me picking at my breakfast and wondering how to get home without making things more awkward. As if he senses my discomfort, Jace offers to drive me home. I practically jump out of my seat, eager to be back at my farm.

My gaze finds Chris' and my stomach twists, feeling guilty for rushing off after he's been so nice.

Something flashes in his eyes, but he shakes his head and gets up to leave. He pauses at the table and shifts his attention to Jace. "Thanks," he mumbles, clapping his friend on the shoulder.

I swallow hard as he turns to me, the frustration in his eyes slipping away. He gently takes my hand and runs his thumb over my knuckles.

Chris leans in and whispers, "Thanks for the dance." My lips move but words fail me, earning a parting grin as Chris slips away.

I don't understand why he has such an effect on me. It's unnerving.

The quick walk from the kitchen to the garage to Jace's truck feels like a daze.

"You're pretty quiet this morning, little elf," Jace says, cutting into my self-reflection.

"Yeah, just thinking I guess..."

"About what?" He raises a brow, teasing me. His aggravating smirk warns he has an entire conversation mapped out in his head.

"Nothing in particular," I lie. He's not buying it, so I deflect. "Your house is amazing."