Chapter 14 #2
Cassian’s lips parted and his fangs lengthened, the werewolf within making his appearance. An instant later, his face started to lengthen—classic first sign of someone losing control of themselves. Shifting was fine. Shifting as a result of losing control was not. That was how innocents were hurt.
This wasn’t happening.
Not on my watch.
I shot to my feet and snatched the nearby pitcher of water from the middle of the table. Then, before either of them could start tearing the other apart, I threw it on them both. Chunks of ice and chilled water hit them square in the face.
The entire restaurant froze with all eyes—once again—on us. The enchanted jalapeno lights turned a panicked, flashing crimson, and the mariachi band literally fell to pieces, collapsing into three neat piles of bones.
Just great.
I turned back to glance at Cassian and Calder, only to find them both glaring at me. I wasn’t sure why, but the sight of their flashing eyes sparked a fresh wave of rage.
“Are you two quite finished?” I snapped, my voice echoing through the dead-silent restaurant.
“Because if you want to keep measuring dicks, I can go ask the kitchen for a meat cleaver to cut them off so we can see once and for all whose is the biggest. Otherwise, turn off your fucking eyes, unhand each other, and sit down. You are embarrassing me.”
Chagrin colored Calder’s cheeks, and he immediately released Cassian’s wrist. My twin, on the other hand, took a second longer.
His jaw locked and the muscles in his thick neck strained as his wolf rejected my dominance.
But after a moment, he finally released Calder’s jacket and sat back, water dripping from his hair.
“You are acting like feral pups,” I snapped, giving up on all decorum since everyone was listening now. There’d be no keeping this a secret. Gossip would spread like wildfire. “This is the last thing I need right now. I don’t have the time nor patience for any of your melodramatic shit.”
I pivoted my body toward my brother. “You listen to me, and you listen good, Cassian. You have no fucking idea why Calder left. I do. And before you ask, no—I’m not going to tell you right now. Thanks to you two idiots, we have everyone’s attention. So now, it’ll have to wait.”
“One could argue that you throwing the water attracted most of their attention,” Ricky chimed in.
I spun in the other direction and snapped my teeth at my oldest brother. His eyes instantly widened and he backed off, clearly intimidated by whatever he saw in my expression.
A quick glance around told me dinner was a total casualty. Not only had Felix eaten most of the chips and salsa, but the waitress had never actually returned to take our order. I didn’t blame her either—if I had a choice I wouldn’t want to be here either.
The rest of the restaurant still sat in silence.
There really wasn’t any point in staying. And I didn’t relish the thought of giving the townspeople more fodder to use against us.
I returned to Cassian, whose snarl had morphed into a frown.
“We’re leaving right now,” I announced, slamming the empty water pitcher down. “We’ll continue this conversation at home, where I expect to find all four of you within the next fifteen minutes.”
“Thornicle—”
“Do not Thornicle me,” I snapped, glaring at Cassian. “I’m beyond pissed right now. I didn’t even get to eat any fucking tacos.”
I shoved Ricky out of the booth. He hadn’t expected it and toppled over. “Thorne!” he grumbled as he scrambled to his feet.
“Outside. Now,” I barked.
His throat bobbed as he swallowed, but after a moment’s hesitation, he nodded and stalked out of the restaurant.
Guess out of the five werewolves in this mess, I was the most dominant. Teach these little shits the proper hierarchy.
I slid out next, followed by my other brothers. Cassian straightened and whipped a hand through his wet hair. A few of the nearby patrons groaned and dabbed at their faces.
When Calder rose to follow, I shoved him back down by the shoulder. “Wait five minutes. Pay the tab. Then meet us at my parent’s estate.”
“Thorne—”
“I don’t want to hear it, Calder. You had a chance to be the bigger wolf here. Yes, my brother was being an asshole, but he still thinks you abandoned me for shits and giggles. There was absolutely no reason for you to egg him on like that, except for your own perverse satisfaction.”
I glared at him until he fully sat.
“When you show up at my parents, it better be with an apology in hand.”
I didn’t wait for his response before I turned and stalked through the restaurant, holding the gaze of anyone brave enough to meet mine. Most winced sympathetically.
I reached the door, then stopped near the hostess desk, where I took a moment to apologize to Valentina. She waved me off with, “Happens all the time, love. Taco Tuesday isn’t for the faint of heart.”
I smiled, but it faltered at the sight of a menu hovering above the desk.
Right at the top, rotating in a tantalizing, three-dimensional illusion, was the Hex Mex signature platter: three perfectly crisped carnitas tacos with a side of queso and a mound of seasoned rice. Everything a growing werewolf needed.
My stomach let loose a hollow, mournful wail.
Yeah, I felt that. I was so hungry, I could eat that damn werelion.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered to the holographic tacos. I knew from experience they were absolutely delicious, and it broke my heart that I’d have to wait seven whole days before Taco Tuesday came around again. Just another reason to be mad at my family.
With a heavy sigh and a soul-crushing lack of deep-fried carbs, I turned my back on dinner and followed my chaotic, violent family out into the night.