“All right, let’s get to finishing the food,” Eira said, and jumped down from the stool.
A little while later, Kalli and a few of her friends came into the kitchen.
“What are you doing?” Kalli demanded in disgust.
“Making dinner for the clan and Caleb’s homecoming,” Eira answered, not taking the bait and starting yet another argument. Kalli looked Eira up and down and snorted.
“You do that. I’ll go get cleaned up and look beautiful when Caleb walks through that door. He won’t care about food, or anything else, once he sees me. You on the other hand, look like you’ve spent all day in the kitchen. You’re a mess. Thanks for making it easy.” With her last conniving comment, Kalli and her group flounced upstairs to make themselves beautiful.
Eira looked down at her jean shorts and short sleeve blue T-shirt. Her hair was piled on her head with a hair tie and her feet were bare. She rarely wore shoes if she didn’t have to. Living in a place where she felt relatively safe, she went barefoot all the time. She didn’t feel like she might have to run for her life, with Indi, at any moment. That was why Serena had surprised her enough to drop her guard, and end up on her back. She was getting comfortable, but she couldn’t bring herself to regret it. She had been running for so long she was happy to be in one place.
Eira would probably never win any beauty contests, and she did look like she had spent the entire day in the kitchen. Mostly because she had. She wasn’t wearing any makeup and she was a little sweaty from all the heat and cooking. Maybe I should go get cleaned up before he gets home, she thought to herself. I might not be six feet of golden goddess but he seemed to like it before.
Eira finished the last preparations on the meal, and asked Sade and Nia to set the new dining room table. As she was about to go upstairs and change, Serena came down the stairs with Kalli. Eira suppressed a groan of frustration at the two conspiring to get rid of her. She was really trying to act like the bigger person and wait out the hostility, but she was also dangerously close to blowing up. No one wanted to see that, least of all Eira. Her cranky side was not something to take lightly.
Before she could go around them and up the stairs they turned their attention to her.
“Eira, what is that smell coming from the kitchen?” Serena asked. Eira bit her lip and turned to the older woman.
“There are a few things. There is beef stroganoff, a couple of chicken dishes, lasagne, a broccoli and cheese soup, and a ham. There are other side dishes as well. Is there something in particular you were asking about?” Eira asked politely.
“Did you use mushrooms in anything?” Kalli asked with a smirk on her face, clearly knowing the answer.
“Yes, I did. Why?”
“Caleb hates mushrooms, you imbecile!” Serena snarled at her. She was dressed all in flowing white linen pants and a matching shirt. Despite her natural height of around six feet, she was wearing gold heels. “The smell even makes him sick. I knew I should have taken over, and made sure everything was done right. Now his homecoming will be ruined. We have to open all of the doors and windows to get the smell out of here.” Serena insisted, with an air of superiority.
Eira looked around at the open windows and doors. The other two women looked and realized that everything was already open. The clan members were watching the three women from the couches and all around the house. They had all started showing up a while before and were now watching the scene intently. Kalli got a nasty gleam in her eye and smirked at Eira.
“Well, we can always throw out the so-called food Eira made, and serve the meal I ordered to be delivered any minute.” Kalli took so much glee in giving Serena and Eira that information. Eira was starting to cross over to the pissed-off stage when Serena just pushed it further.
“Ooh, catering. That was a fantastic idea. That way everyone gets a wonderful meal and you can greet Caleb looking wonderful, and not being so tired.” The “looking wonderful” comment was clearly a jab at Eira’s current state of dress. Serena turned her back on Eira, and started speaking to Kalli. Lawrence had just come downstairs and was looking at Eira curiously.
“So, what did you have made, Kalli?” Serena asked.
“There is a roasted pig, a grilled half of a cow, and multitudes of fish. There are sides of fruits, vegetables, and some other things. There are no mushrooms and absolutely no chicken. Since Caleb isn’t fond of chicken, of course.” Serena beamed at her. They both turned to assess Eira.
“Well at least someone knows how to do something right.” Serena sneered and turned with Kalli toward the kitchen. Eira’s shoulders slumped before she drew herself back up.
“I’m sure we can find someone to take all of this to the garbage.” Serena surveyed the food Eira had spent all day cooking.
“No!” Eira all but shouted, drawing the attention of the two women. “You will not throw out anything from my kitchen. For the time being, this is my house and I will not be treated like a servant who has failed to please you. There is nothing wrong with that food. Between the foods Kalli has ordered, and what I have made, everyone will be able to eat what they want. If there is leftover food, I will take it to friends around town. I will make sure that Caleb knows which dishes have mushrooms and which do not.”
“Why?” The question came from Lawrence, who had joined them in the kitchen.
“Apparently, Caleb doesn’t like mushrooms, or chicken,” Eira stated. Lawrence looked surprised and then looked at his mate and Kalli. Lawrence sent them a stern look.
“Caleb loves mushrooms, and chicken isn’t his favorite but he doesn’t hate it.” Eira saw red. The looks on Serena and Kalli’s faces said it all. They were just trying to get to her and pick at her. They probably wanted to run her off but she wasn’t going to take it. Eira was about to let loose when the front door opened. Everyone turned their attention to the door. The alpha and betas walked through.
“Caleb, dear,” Serena said and glided to her son. Lawrence followed and then so did everyone else. Clan members welcomed him home as he embraced his parents.
“Mom, dad, I didn’t think you were going to be here for a few more days.”
“Well we thought we would leave a little early and just happened to get here today,” Lawrence informed his son after hugging him. Eira made her way closer to Caleb wondering at his reaction to the house, the food, everything really.
Kalli stepped up after Lawrence to hug Caleb.
“Hi. I missed you so much,” Kalli said in a throaty, flirty voice as she pressed every inch of her body into Caleb’s for a hug. To Eira’s dismay, Caleb wrapped both his arms around Kalli and pulled her against him. He even put his face into the crook of her neck and took a deep breath. Serena looked ecstatic at the exchange while Lawrence looked disapproving with a frown on his face.
When Caleb and Kalli pulled apart from their embrace, the caterers came through the door.
“Just set it up in the dining room,” Kalli told them, keeping her attention on Caleb. As the food passed Caleb he took in the scent.
“Wow. You did this?” Caleb asked Kalli, looking at her with a smile. “Thank you. This is wonderful. I’m glad you were here to welcome my parents.” Kalli beamed a smile at him and winked.
“Of course, Cale. I will always take care of you,” Kalli insisted. Eira slumped. No one was looking at her, so she didn’t have to act like it didn’t bother her. They were all looking at the happy couple.
“She wasn’t.” Everyone turned to Lena standing on the one side of her father. Caleb looked down at her curiously.
“What?” Caleb asked.
“She wasn’t here to greet Grandma and Grandpa. Eira was here. Kalli just showed up a little while ago,” Lena explained.
“I gave them a better welcome than Eira,” Kalli insisted, and everyone turned to find Eira. She stood straight, and looked back at Caleb. She walked closer to Caleb through the crowd. She stopped in front of him and looked up.
“Hi. Welcome home,” Eira sai
d and smiled tentatively at Caleb. Caleb dropped his arms from around Lena and Kalli, and stepped forward, bringing them closer together. Eira thought she might get a smile back, but instead he looked her up and down. Eira didn’t move a muscle at his appraisal. She hadn’t made it upstairs to change, and realized she still wore shorts and a shirt with bare feet. Caleb’s gaze met hers and narrowed.
“You welcomed my parents, looking like a slob?” he asked angrily. “This is how you treat the position of alpha-mate? You run around in clothes like this and let other members of the clan handle a welcome-home meal for me and my parents? You couldn’t be bothered with anything, could you? Did you even supervise the furniture delivery?” Before Eira could respond, Caleb turned to his parents. “Are there even sheets on your bed?” he asked them. Eira felt every comment like a slash to her skin. Actual knife wounds wouldn’t have been as painful.
“The room we were given is quite lovely, Caleb,” Lawrence said with a warning tone in his voice. Caleb must have recognized his father’s mood and remembered himself.
“Good. I’m glad something is acceptable,” Caleb replied.
“We should eat,” Kalli said and started leading Caleb into the kitchen. Caleb walked right around her, without acknowledging her.
Eira followed them into the kitchen. Caleb looked over the catered food, and the food Eira had made.
“Why is there so much food? Who cooked when there was going to be catering? This is just a waste of food.” Eira hit the ceiling. The food she had made all day for him was a waste!
“Don’t worry. Nothing will be wasted. There is a food kitchen in the next town over. I will take the food there, while the rest of you enjoy the catered meal that Kalli was so thoughtful to order! I’ll be sure not to show my face again without looking like a cheap whore like Kalli, so that your parents will be impressed! I realize I am quite an embarrassment to you, but I promise you that it won’t be happening anymore!” By the end, Eira was yelling and pushing into Caleb’s space. She let out a shriek of frustration and marched upstairs quite pissed off.
Eira was so mad all she did was grab a bag, put in a change of clothes and slip on shoes before heading right back downstairs. Everyone watched her warily as she started loading up the dishes of food. She took the first load out to her jeep and went back in for the rest.
“May I help you?” Owen came up and asked. Indi had already started helping, but there were many more trips for the two of them to get it all.
“Yes, thank you,” Eira answered, her anger deflating slightly at the kindness Owen always showed her. As Owen picked up some dishes, some of the other clan members did also. Eira loaded everything in the jeep and thanked everyone for their help. Indi went to get into the jeep but Eira stopped her.
“It’s all right Indi. You need to stay here. I need to be alone for a while.” At Eira’s statement Indigo didn’t look convinced. “I promise, Indi, it’s fine.” Indigo didn’t look convinced, but she let Eira go anyway.
Chapter Eight
“Well, son. I’d say you made a royal mess out of that,” Lawrence informed Caleb, as they stood on the porch watching Eira’s jeep peel away from the house. Caleb turned to his father bewildered.
“How was any of that my fault? She greeted you and Mom looking like an overgrown child who had been playing all day, there was wasted food, and to top it all off, Kalli said that Eira held a knife to Mom’s throat when you got here. What did I do wrong?” Caleb demanded, getting mad all over again. He was furious with himself the most, because as soon as he scented Eira walking into the house, all he wanted to do was take her to their room and bury himself in her for days. It had taken all of his restraint not to take back his words when he saw how much they had affected her. He was being a first class prick and he knew it. He was hoping that she would get fed up and leave before he did something really stupid. Like mate her.
“Don’t play dumb with me son. I know you too well. You were overly harsh with that girl and you know it. She wasn’t expecting us. She was in the kitchen cooking all day and was dressed for comfort. Besides, when did you decide that everyone had to dress to impress? Most of the time, you’re dressed in jeans and a shirt, too. And if I remember correctly, you aren’t a fan of shoes either.”
Caleb went over to a chair on the porch and plopped down, running a hand through his hair. Lawrence joined his son, taking a seat across from him.
“I don’t care what she was wearing. In fact, I think she looked as beautiful as the first time I saw her. She’s doing everything right, and I’m being a jerk to push her away. I don’t want to want her, dad. She’s human. She’s too weak to deal with the clan, and I can’t trust her.” Caleb let out a breath at the end of his statement, waiting for his father to speak.
“She’s your mate, isn’t she? Your true mate?” Lawrence asked.
“Yes. But I can’t take her as mine.”
“Well, she isn’t weak from what I’ve seen. The members of this clan respect and like her. When your mother took claws to her throat, Eira put a knife to hers. She yelled at you in a tone I’ve never heard anyone use on you, and she’s kind. None of that says weakness to me. She is also competing with Kalli for the clan and your affection. Your mother hasn’t been kind since we got here either. However, at no point was she rude or disrespectful, even when they deserved it. You should be proud to have such a mate.”
“I can’t, Dad.” Caleb whispered out. He couldn’t risk himself or his clan like that. If she turned out to be like Rachel, his former human lover, who had tried to turn him over to hunters, he would never be able to forgive himself. His clan looked to him to protect them, and mating a human was not conducive to that.
“Well, son, I don’t believe that will be a problem then. I have a feeling Eira isn’t going to be coming back to stay here for any reason.” Lawrence got up to re-enter the house, but Caleb stopped him with a hand on his shoulder.
“What do you mean? She’s supposed to stay for the three months. It’s tradition.”
Lawrence let out a sigh and turned to his son. “Caleb, as strong as that girl is, how much do you expect her to subject herself to? Everyone who matters to her is treating her as an unwanted pest. Would you stay and be treated the way you and others have treated her? I certainly wouldn’t. As kind as she is, she isn’t a doormat. Now let’s go inside and eat.” Lawrence steered his son inside hoping that what he said got through to him so that he could be happy.
“What if she’s like Rachel? Or Sila?” Caleb asked his father in a small voice.
“I can’t guarantee you that she isn’t. However, with her sister being a shifter and nothing harming her, I doubt that she is anything like Rachel. You have to let it go Caleb. You were nineteen years old and you made a mistake. Don’t punish others because of that.” His father stated matter-of-factly. “As far as Eira being like Sila is concerned, I can guarantee you that girl would never leave her children. I can sense her longing for family deep inside her. She would be a fierce and loyal mate and wonderful protector of anything and anyone she considers hers.”
“Maybe you’re right.” Caleb breathed, and felt a weight lift off his shoulders.
“Of course I’m right. I’m an alpha lion who has lived twice as long as you. It’s a good thing we don’t age quickly because I would look terrible at seventy.” His father’s joke made Cale smile. He stood up and hugged his father then followed him inside.
* * * *
After most of the clan had returned to their homes, and the others went to bed for the night, Caleb was wondering where Eira was. He hadn’t seen her come back, but it was almost three in the morning, so she had to be there. His parents had already retired to their room, and Kalli was looking for an invitation to stay. He knew he should say no, but he wondered if that could be the final straw that would send Eira away.
Caleb’s chest ached when he thought about her leaving, but he had to drive her away. He wouldn’t last three months in the same house with her, without
claiming her. Before Caleb asked Kalli to stay, he went upstairs to find Eira. As he neared his bedroom door, Owen’s door opened at the other end of the hall. His friend and beta walked out and regarded Caleb.
“What’s up?”
“Nothing. I was just going to check on Eira.” Caleb made the statement and saw how his friend’s eyes narrowed.
“Why?” Owen demanded. Caleb bristled at the beta’s tone but tried to brush it off.
“That’s my business. Good night.” Caleb went for his door handle again and caught the scent of something odd in his room.
“No it’s not,” Owen said from right behind him. “You’ve been treating her like crap and I will not have you making it worse. That woman is the classiest thing you have ever come across and you’re too dumb to see it. But don’t worry, because I see it just fine. And when this bullshit Induco period is done, or she gets smart enough to tell you to kiss her ass, I’ll be there.” Caleb couldn’t control his rage at his friend’s statement, and turned, grabbing the other man by the throat and pinning him to the wall.
“You go near her and I’ll rip your throat out. She’s mine!” Caleb snarled in his face and Owen got a huge smile on his. Caleb realized he had been duped and dropped his friend.
“I knew you wanted her. So why are you fighting it so hard?” Owen demanded.
“It’s complicated,” Caleb said.
“What’s going on?” Indigo joined them from another bedroom.
“Nothing. I was just looking for Eira,” Caleb answered. Indigo looked at the door behind him, and her brow furrowed in confusion.
“But that’s your room.”
“Yeah. So?” Caleb asked, wondering what the issue was. Indigo explained.
“Why would she be in your room? Her room is next to Lena’s, and mine at the other end of the house.”
“Why?” Caleb asked like an idiot. Indigo just raised her eyebrow at him.
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