🩵 Chapter 12: The Table Watches
1000 Words
Dani
I made the mistake of walking into the Pack House breakfast a few minutes late.
Apparently, that was just long enough for everyone to get seated... and to notice exactly who I was walking in behind.
Tyson.
Six feet five inches of broad, tattooed, chest-stretching-a-black-tee intensity.
The room went dead silent for exactly three seconds.
Then forks scraped, conversations resumed—but eyes? They stayed on us.
Dylan’s mouth dropped open in slow motion like he was in a damn soap opera.
He actually gasped.
And then he mouthed, b***h, what?!
I pretended not to see him.
I also pretended I didn’t see Kade elbow Matt.
Or Matt give a low whistle.
Or Taylor bite her bottom lip like she was barely containing a grin.
Alia, from her usual spot near the head of the table, just gave me a knowing smile like, I’ve been there, sweetheart. Enjoy the ride.
Tyson, bless his oblivious (or maybe just unbothered) ass, walked me straight to the food bar like we hadn’t spent the night fusing our souls together.
“I made sure they saved you banana pancakes,” he murmured low, his voice like velvet heat sliding between my thighs.
I dropped my damn plate.
It hit the floor with a loud clang.
Half the table jumped.
Tyson just bent down, picked it up, and handed me another like it was nothing.
Dylan, now at my side, leaned close. “I swear to the Moon Goddess, if you don’t give me every single detail of that scent exchange, I will self-combust right here in front of the cinnamon rolls.”
I hissed, “Shut up.”
He smirked. “Never.”
---
Tyson
Breakfast at the Pack House was usually loud.
Laughing.
Chatter.
The sounds of warriors teasing each other and Alia’s mate keeping everyone semi-respectful while Matt snuck bacon off Kade’s plate.
Today?
It was pointed.
Every. Single. Eye. Was on us.
Or rather, her.
Dani moved like the goddess she was—long legs, glowing brown skin, hair up in a messy bun that made me want to take it down and watch it spill over my pillows again.
But it was her scent that kept my bear growling low in my chest.
Mine.
Every part of her.
And from the way Kade kept sniffing the air and side-eyeing me?
He knew.
Matt leaned in with a smirk. “Rough night, big guy?”
I grunted.
Xander arched a brow. “Or good one?”
Alia didn’t look up from her coffee. “Better than yours if you keep poking.”
I bit down a growl and focused on my food. Dani was sitting beside Dylan now, trying desperately to act like the world wasn’t watching her every move.
Poor girl was blushing so hard I could feel the heat from across the table.
She peeked up at me once.
That was all it took.
My c**k twitched under the table.
I immediately adjusted my seat and cursed under my breath.
This was going to be a long breakfast.
---
Dani
Dylan leaned over mid-meal, whispering, “They know.”
I groaned into my juice. “Of course they know. I walked in behind him like I was marked and mated.”
He sipped his mimosa (yes, mimosa—he somehow convinced Alia to allow “classy gays only” brunch drinks at the Pack House). “You smell like s*x and moonlight. They’d know even if you floated in on a cloud of denial.”
“Is it that obvious?”
“Babe,” he said gently, “he’s watching you like you’re the only prey in a forest full of wolves. And he’s the apex predator.”
I blinked.
“Also,” he added casually, “you have like three giant hickeys sitting by the collar of your shirt.”
I choked.
Matt laughed from down the table.
Taylor called over, “You okay, Dani?”
“Fine!” I squeaked.
Tyson’s chair scraped.
In a flash, he was beside me, handing me a napkin, palm briefly resting on the back of my neck.
Instant heat.
Instant bond buzz.
I swatted his hand away, eyes wide.
“You’re not helping!”
He gave a dark, quiet chuckle that made my toes curl.
And then he leaned in and whispered, “You were louder last night.”
I dropped my fork.
Dylan screamed.
---
Tyson
I couldn’t stop teasing her.
She was so damn cute when she was flustered.
Her cheeks pinked up. Her scent sweetened. Her pupils dilated.
And I knew—right there at the breakfast table—she was thinking about what we’d done.
What we’d be doing again.
Soon.
I caught Xander smirking at me from across the table.
Then Kade cleared his throat. “So, uh. Meeting at ten to discuss border patrol?”
Xander nodded. “Yep. Matt, Kade, and Tyson. Office. Sharp.”
Tyson.
That still felt strange.
After so long being the outsider, the threat, the failed mate...
Now?
They were pulling me in.
Treating me like one of their own.
And with Dani in my life, I wanted to belong.
I’d earn my place.
For her.
For us.
---
Dani
After breakfast, Dylan pulled me into a hallway alcove.
“Okay, listen. I have questions. So many. But mostly—how do you plan on hiding that walking slab of s*x muscle from the rest of the pack for more than five minutes?”
“I don’t.”
He blinked. “You’re claiming him publicly?”
“I… don’t think I have a choice. The bond's too strong.”
Dylan grinned like he’d won the lottery.
“Perfect. That means I get to start planning the claiming ceremony theme.”
“What?”
“Oh, honey,” he said, dragging me back toward our cottages. “You’re mated. Which means we party. Now spill—did he bend you over, pick you up, or both?”
“DYLAN!”
- Writer
