A HUNGER CALLED YOU

Chapter 2 The Party

By sunset, Sarah had decided that parties were invented by people who didn't have to clean up after them.

The courtyard had been transformed.

White lanterns hung from the trees, glowing softly as darkness settled over the pack grounds. Long wooden tables stretched beneath the open sky, covered with food, bottles of wine, bowls of fruit and enough desserts to feed half the territory.

Music drifted through the warm evening air.

Wolves laughed.

Children ran between the tables.

Couples danced near the fire.

Everywhere Sarah looked, people were dressed as though they had spent days preparing for this one night.

She looked down at herself.

The dark green dress she'd been given was actually pretty.

She hated that.

It fit loosely around her slender frame, falling just below her knees. The neckline was simple, and the sleeves stopped just above her elbows.

Her long brown hair had been brushed until it fell in soft waves down her back.

Someone had even given her a pair of shoes.

They were slightly too big.

Sarah had decided they were a luxury she could live without.

She carried a tray through the crowd.

“Careful!”

Someone bumped her shoulder.

The glasses rattled.

Sarah caught them before they fell.

She glared at the young wolf who had nearly knocked them from her hands.

“Sorry,” he said.

“You're not.”

He grinned.

“No.”

Sarah rolled her eyes.

At least honesty was something.

She continued toward the drinks table.

“Sarah!”

She turned.

Tessa hurried toward her.

The younger girl looked beautiful tonight. Her chestnut-blonde hair had been braided with tiny white flowers, and her blue eyes were bright with excitement.

“You're here.”

Sarah looked around.

“Unfortunately.”

Tessa laughed.

“You look pretty.”

Sarah glanced down at herself.

“Don't tell anyone.”

“I mean it.”

“That's worse.”

Tessa linked her arm through Sarah's.

“Come on.”

“I'm working.”

“For five minutes.”

“Tessa—”

“Please.”

Sarah sighed.

“Five minutes.”

Tessa dragged her toward the edge of the courtyard.

“Have you seen him?”

Sarah knew immediately who she meant.

“No.”

“Liar.”

“I genuinely haven't.”

Tessa looked toward the entrance.

“He should be here any minute.”

“Why are you so excited?”

“Because he's Alpha Liam.”

“That explains nothing.”

Tessa rolled her eyes.

“Blackridge Pack. Liam Blackwood.”

Sarah frowned.

“Blackwood?”

“His family.”

Sarah looked toward the large entrance.

“Is he Rowan's friend?”

Tessa hesitated.

Then her eyes widened.

“You really don't know?”

“Apparently I don't know anything.”

Tessa lowered her voice.

“Liam is Rowan's brother.”

Sarah froze.

“What?”

“His younger brother.”

Sarah looked toward the entrance again.

“Why didn't anyone tell me?”

Tessa shrugged.

“Why would they?”

Sarah opened her mouth.

Closed it.

That was a fair question.

Rowan didn't exactly talk about his family.

Sarah had never met Liam.

She knew Rowan had a brother who led another pack.

That was about all she'd ever heard.

Tessa suddenly grabbed her arm.

“Oh.”

“What?”

“That's him.”

Sarah turned.

The courtyard seemed to shift.

A black SUV had pulled through the gates.

The music continued.

People kept talking.

But Sarah barely heard any of it.

The driver's door opened.

A man stepped out.

He was tall.

Not just tall.

He was enormous.

Sarah had to tilt her head back slightly to take him in.

Around six-foot-five, perhaps, with broad shoulders and a powerful build that made the black shirt stretched across his chest look almost unfair.

His sleeves were rolled to his forearms, revealing strong, muscular arms and large hands.

His hair was thick and black, slightly messy rather than perfectly styled.

He had a strong jaw, high cheekbones and a straight nose.

A faint scar ran through his left eyebrow.

But his eyes caught Sarah's attention.

Blue-grey.

Stormy around the edges.

Lighter near the centre.

They moved over the crowd.

Then stopped.

On her.

Sarah's stomach dropped.

She couldn't explain it.

She simply felt—

Something.

A strange warmth spread beneath her skin.

Not the familiar discomfort she experienced around Rowan's bond.

This was different.

Quieter.

Deeper.

Almost like some empty place inside her had suddenly become aware that it wasn't empty anymore.

Liam stopped walking.

The man beside him said something.

Liam didn't answer.

His eyes remained on Sarah.

Sarah swallowed.

“Why is he staring at you?”

Tessa whispered beside her.

“I don't know.”

“You know what I think?”

“No.”

“He thinks you're pretty.”

Sarah snorted.

“He probably thinks I'm carrying his drink.”

Tessa looked at the tray.

“You aren't.”

Sarah looked down.

She wasn't.

She had forgotten to pick one up.

“Oh.”

Tessa laughed.

“Go.”

“Go where?”

“Talk to him.”

“Absolutely not.”

“Sarah.”

“No.”

Tessa grinned.

“You're scared.”

Sarah narrowed her eyes.

“I am not.”

“Then go.”

Sarah opened her mouth to argue.

Before she could, a familiar voice spoke behind her.

“Sarah.”

She turned.

Rowan.

He stood several feet away.

His expression was hard.

His eyes weren't on Sarah.

They were on Liam.

And Sarah suddenly understood.

Something was wrong.

Rowan looked—

Afraid.

Not angry.

Not irritated.

Afraid.

“Come here,” he said.

Sarah frowned.

“Why?”

“Now.”

She looked at him.

Then at Liam.

Then back at Rowan.

“No.”

Rowan's jaw tightened.

“Sarah.”

“I've been working since this afternoon.”

“I need to speak with you.”

“Then speak.”

His eyes flicked toward Liam again.

Sarah noticed.

“Is this about him?”

Rowan didn't answer.

That was answer enough.

Sarah folded her arms.

“You're going to have to do better than that.”

“Not here.”

“Then where?”

“Sarah.”

She sighed.

“You're impossible.”

“So I've been told.”

The voice came from behind her.

Sarah turned.

Liam had approached without her noticing.

Up close, the difference in their size was almost ridiculous.

Sarah had to lift her chin to meet his eyes.

He looked at Rowan first.

Then at her.

“Sorry,” he said. “I didn't mean to interrupt.”

Sarah glanced at Rowan.

“You're not.”

Liam's mouth curved slightly.

“I like her already.”

Sarah blinked.

Rowan's expression darkened.

“Liam.”

“Brother.”

The two men stared at each other.

There was history there.

Sarah could feel it.

Not hatred.

Something more complicated.

Liam looked back at Sarah.

“I'm Liam.”

“I know.”

His eyebrow lifted.

“So you've heard of me.”

“Mostly that you're terrifying.”

He smiled.

“That's disappointing.”

“I didn't say I believed it.”

His smile widened.

And Sarah hated the tiny flutter in her stomach.

He was attractive.

Annoyingly attractive.

There was no denying it.

His black hair fell slightly across his forehead, making his blue-grey eyes look even lighter. His jaw was rough with the faintest shadow of stubble, and there was something about the way he stood that made him look completely comfortable in his own skin.

Sarah looked away.

She didn't need to be noticing things like that.

Especially not about Rowan's brother.

Especially not tonight.

Liam's eyes followed her.

“You're Sarah.”

“Yes.”

“How do you know my name?”

“Your brother talks about you.”

Liam looked at Rowan.

“He does?”

Rowan said nothing.

Sarah frowned.

“He doesn't?”

“No.”

Liam looked amused.

“That's my brother.”

Sarah smiled despite herself.

For some reason, the moment felt easy.

Too easy.

She'd spent years feeling uncomfortable around Alphas.

But standing beside Liam didn't make her feel small.

He didn't look at her as though he were trying to decide what was wrong with her.

He simply looked at her.

Like she was a person.

“I should get back to work,” Sarah said.

Liam nodded.

“Of course.”

She started to walk away.

“Sarah?”

She turned.

“I'm glad I came tonight.”

She didn't know why that made her heart beat faster.

“Why?”

His gaze held hers.

“I haven't figured that out yet.”

Sarah stared at him for a moment.

Then shook her head.

“Goodnight, Alpha Liam.”

“Goodnight, Sarah.”

She walked away.

She could feel his eyes on her.

And she could feel someone else's too.

Rowan.

Later, Sarah was carrying a tray of empty glasses when she heard laughter behind her.

She turned.

Three women stood near the drinks table.

She knew all of them.

They were some of the prettiest unmated she-wolves in the pack.

And they were all looking at Liam.

One of them glanced toward Sarah.

Then whispered something.

The others laughed.

Sarah sighed.

Not this again.

She put the glasses down.

“Is there something funny?”

The tallest girl smiled.

“No.”

“Then stop looking at me.”

The smile disappeared.

“You seem awfully confident tonight.”

Sarah shrugged.

“I'm always confident.”

“You're wolfless.”

Sarah's expression hardened.

“And?”

The girl blinked.

Sarah stepped closer.

“I've been wolfless for eighteen years.”

She smiled.

“I'm not sure why you think mentioning it is going to suddenly ruin my evening.”

A couple of people nearby laughed.

The girl's cheeks flushed.

“You think Alpha Liam is interested in you?”

Sarah opened her mouth.

A voice interrupted.

“I am.”

The courtyard went silent.

Sarah turned.

Liam stood several feet away.

His expression was calm.

But his eyes were fixed on the woman who had spoken.

The girl went pale.

Liam walked over.

He stopped beside Sarah.

Not touching her.

Just close enough that she could feel the warmth coming from his body.

“I don't know Sarah well enough to know what I think yet,” he said.

His gaze moved to Sarah.

“But I know I wanted to come over here.”

Sarah's heart stumbled.

Liam looked back at the other woman.

“And I don't particularly care whether she has a wolf.”

The woman's mouth opened.

Nothing came out.

Liam turned away.

“Come on.”

Sarah stared at him.

“Where?”

He pointed toward the table.

“You're holding a tray.”

She looked down.

She was.

“Right.”

He smiled.

Sarah shook her head.

“You're strange.”

“So I've been told.”

She walked beside him.

Neither of them noticed Rowan standing across the courtyard.

Watching.

His expression was unreadable.

But beneath it was something far more painful.

Because Rowan knew exactly what Liam didn't.

He knew the look in his brother's eyes.

He had once looked at Sarah that way himself.

And that was the problem.

Rowan loved her.

He had loved her for years.

But he'd never been brave enough to choose her publicly.

He had told himself he was protecting his position.

Protecting his pack.

Protecting her from becoming a target.

But watching Liam stand beside her made one terrible truth impossible to ignore.

Liam didn't care what anyone thought.

And Rowan was beginning to realize that his brother might have the courage to give Sarah the one thing Rowan never had.

A choice.

Sarah looked up at Liam.

For the first time that evening, she smiled without forcing it.

And Liam smiled back.

Neither of them knew what was beginning.

But Rowan did.

And for the first time in a very long time—

he was afraid of losing her.