Chapter 11: Family Dinner
752 Words
Kael leads me downstairs, and for once, he doesn’t hover behind me like a shadow. He walks beside me, close enough that I can feel his presence, but not close enough to touch. The house opens into a massive ornamented dining room with a long wooden table, and warm lighting.
Kiana spots us instantly.
She practically bounces in her seat. “See? I told you he’d soften up!”
I shoot her a look. Kael shoots her a different one. She ignores both of us.
There’s a man already sitting at the dining table with Kiana, he has black hair and a gorgeous face, just like Kael’s—- but about 2 years younger if I had to guess.
“You must be Jasmine, I’m Talon—Talon Sanguin—- Kael’s brother, and second in command to the Blood Moon pack.”
So that’s their last name then—- Sanguin.
I awkwardly wave my hand halfway in the air. “Hi…” Is all I respond with.
I’m internally facepalming.
Kael pulls out a chair for me. I hesitate, then sit. As he pushes the chair in, he gives me a kiss on the head.
“I’ll be right back,” he says.
Before I can ask where he’s going, he crosses the room and slips through a swinging door into what looks like the kitchen. I catch a glimpse of him talking to a serving girl. She nods quickly, almost nervously, and disappears deeper inside.
Kael returns a moment later and sits beside me.
I try not to stare at him. I fail.
A few minutes later, two servers bring out plates. One sets a dish in front of me — roasted chicken, golden potatoes, and a small bowl of vegetables. It smells incredible, and I can't wait to dig in.
The other server places stainless steel cups in front of Kael, Talon, and Kiana. They’re tall, heavy-looking, with lids and straws. No food. Just… drinks.
I blink. “You’re not eating?”
Kiana waves a hand. “We’re on a weird diet.”
Talon snorts. “Family thing.”
Kael doesn’t say anything. He just takes a slow sip from his metal cup.
I look between the three of them. “What kind of diet?”
Kiana opens her mouth, then shuts it. “A special one.”
“That’s not an answer.”
“It’s complicated,” Talon says.
“That’s also not an answer.”
Kael finally speaks. “Just eat, Jasmine.”
I stab a potato, still watching them. “You’re all drinking the same thing?”
“Yes,” Kiana says too quickly.
“And you’re all avoiding solid food?”
Talon shrugs. “It’s temporary.”
I narrow my eyes. “This is weird.”
Kiana laughs. “Welcome to the family.”
I choke on my chicken. “I’m not- I’m not part of your family.”
Kiana just smiles like she knows something I don’t.
Kael doesn’t smile at all.
He just watches me eat, quiet and unreadable, sipping from that metal cup like it’s completely normal.
But nothing about this is normal.
Not the pack, not the territory, not the guards.
Not the way Kael looks at me, not the way everyone else looks at me.
Not the metal cups.
Not the “diet.”
Not the word family.
And definitely not the fact that I’m sitting at a table with three werewolves who are pretending everything is fine.
I take another bite, trying to act calm.
Then, I figure this is the perfect time to say something.
“Kael?” I say.
“Yes baby?”
I ignore his insufferable use of pet names and nervously push my food around on my plate while I work up the courage to ask. “Um…Kiana said she would take me shopping and I was hoping we could do that tomorrow.”
Kiana smiles at me from across the table.
“No.” He says bluntly.
“What? Why?”
“Because last time I let you out, you tried to run away.”
I begin to raise my voice in frustration. “I know but, I’m not going to do that and I’m going crazy in here! All I do is spend the whole day in your room by myself!”
“It’s our room.”
“NO. IT’S. NOT!”
I slam the tines of my fork down into the wooden table, and stomp back up to my solitary prison.
- Writer
