Page 13 of Midnight Hunt
Thoroughly distracted by the cuteness, I almost forgot what I came in here for. Just as I was about to speak, someone else stood from their seat to hug me.
“Welcome home, Vi,” Brielle murmured, her tropical-scented, honey-brown hair brushing my face as she enveloped me in a warm embrace. Like most werewolves, the newest turned-werewolf of Midnight Pack showed affection through physical touch. The only exception to that rule was Jagger, who was still in his chair and silent as a tomb. I could practically count on one hand how many times he’d initiated physical contact with me. “Have you eaten yet? You feel thinner.”
At her words, the laughter in the room abruptly stopped. I pulled back to wave a hand dismissively. “I was too busy catching up with work. I had coffee, though.”
“There’s leftovers in the kitchen. I’ll go get them,” Mom said, already moving toward the kitchen.
“No, Mom, it’s okay,” I hurriedly said, ignoring the looks everyone gave me. “I actually don’t have time for breakfast right now. Kolton, I need to speak with you.”
“Privately?” he asked, raising one dark brow.
Seeing the expectant faces around me, I sighed and shook my head. “No. It might not be a big deal anyway. Mrs. Bailey just wants us to check on her new ward.”
“Desirae?”
“Yeah. She didn’t come home this morning, and Mrs. Bailey’s getting worried. Apparently, Desirae likes to wolf out every night and roam the woods. Something might have happened.”
“I’ll go look for her,” Jagger finally spoke up, rising from his chair.
“Me too,” Griff said.
“And me,” I quickly said before Kolton could say anything. At the penetrating look he gave me, I stood taller and stared right back at him. Almost immediately, the weight of his dominance threatened to pull my gaze downward. Sensing my struggle, Sable pushed to the surface, and I gladly accepted her help in staring my brother down.
After several long moments, Kolton’s mouth curved into a faint smirk. “Fine. But we’re taking the truck.”
“I call shotgun!” I sang, grinning when Jagger grunted his displeasure.
“I need to change my shirt first,” Griff groaned, drawing my gaze to him once more. At the sight of spit up running down his shirt front, I snorted out a laugh.
“Told you,” Nora murmured, struggling to keep a smile off her face.
“I’ll clean him up,” Brielle said and rounded the table to take Luca from Griff.
As soon as his arms were free, Griff yanked the soiled t-shirt over his head. Before I could stop them, my eyes dropped to the golden expanse of his chest and stomach. Every inch was familiar to me, a sight I’d seen countless times before. He didn’t possess an ounce of shyness when it came to nudity, and he often walked the halls butt naked in the evenings. Still, I couldn’t help but take in the hard, lean muscle, tracing each swell and dip until his jeans blocked me from seeing more.
Realizing too late what I was doing, I jerked my gaze away before anyone could notice.
As Griff left the dining room to change his shirt, I made sure to look everywhere but at him. In doing so, my gaze collided with Nora’s. Something flashed in them, and I knew she’d seen. Quickly playing it off, I grinned at her and hurried over to give my baby niece a quick nuzzle goodbye.
“I’m so sorry you were alone during the attack last night,” Nora quietly said before I could pull away. “You okay?”
The question was light and unobtrusive. A simple show of concern.
Although Nora was the alpha female of Midnight Pack, her dominance level equal to Kolton’s, she didn’tpushfor answers. That respect for personal boundaries was one of the things I loved most about my sister-in-law.
“A little shaken up,” I admitted, knowing the others in the room could hear. I hadn’t told her what happened, but Kolton had no doubt filled her in. News didn’t stay hidden for long in our pack, so the entire household probably knew the gist of it all by now. Gently swirling one of Lily’s fiery curls around my finger, I finished with, “I’m fine, though. I hurt them more than they hurt me.”
Before she could question me more, I let go of the soft curl and straightened.
“Meet you in the car, boys,” I called, forcing myself to leave the dining room and head for the front door. A pack member was missing, and that was all I wanted to focus on right now. Dealing with any trauma I’d experienced from last night would have to wait.
The boys joined me in the garage minutes later, Kolton hopping into the driver seat of the dual-rear-wheeled white truck while Jagger and Griff jumped into the back. Not a second after the engine roared to life, a hand materialized over my shoulder and dropped something onto my lap.
“You need to eat,” Griff said, leaving his arm propped on the back of my seat while Kolton eased the truck from the garage.
I glanced down at my lap to find a blueberry muffin, several strips of bacon, and a handful of breakfast sausages jammed inside a baggie. “Thanks, but I don’t think I can eat right now,” I replied.
“Eat,” all three males said in unison.
