Chapter 24
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Emmett wasn’t willing to let Jonah go into work hungry, so before they left, he ushered them both into The Lodge for something quick.
Normally if he was hungry and unwilling to cook, he’d go to his parents’ house, but he didn’t want to introduce Jonah to them yet.
Not after what happened with his own parents.
He didn’t even know the full details but whatever happened was obviously devastating and bringing Jonah around his family felt cruel.
The lodge was less crowded this early, most people in their homes as they got ready for the day, but there were few hanging out, and, just like he’d hoped, Ronan was in the kitchen cooking while Harlem sat on the counter beside him, kicking his legs and accepting bites from his mate with a smile on his face.
Ronan didn’t always cook for the pack, but he tended to treat them all when someone in the pack needed special care and attention.
Since he knew Jonah arrived upset enough to need the pups to help him, Emmett assumed he’d make breakfast. He was right.
“Good morning!” Emmett greeted them cheerfully, steering Jonah onto one of the stools at the island. He’d seen little peeks of Jonah throughout the morning, but he’d also smelled the waves of grief. No one was going to judge him for being a little quiet when he smelled like that.
Ronan turned to glance over his shoulder, taking in Jonah’s uncomfortable expression.
He dipped his chin in greeting, giving a significant look to Harlem to take the lead.
The move didn’t surprise Emmett in the slightest. Ronan could be a little intimidating sometimes.
Meanwhile Harlem was adorable and he knew it, and he was a chatterbox to boot.
He was better with people than Ronan was.
Hopping down from his perch, Harlem leaned across the island, offering Jonah his hand. “You must be Jonah. I’m Harlem, Ronan’s mate. It’s nice to meet you. The pack has told me a lot about you.”
Jonah shook his hand politely, a confused frown on his face. “They… did?”
“Yep. Not just Emmett either. The pack who’s been working at Spellbound really likes you.
I had to talk a few of them out of kidnapping attempts.
I think someone mentioned adoption.” He tapped his chin thoughtfully, then shook his head.
“Doesn’t matter. They think you’re adorable, and they want to keep you. ”
For some inexplicable reason, Jonah shot Emmett a dirty look.
“What’d I do?” he pouted.
Jonah immediately covered his eyes. “Nope. No using that face. I know the kidnapping idea was your thing. I’ve heard you and Taron arguing over who got to kidnap me first.”
Emmett gave him his most innocent smile. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
He totally did. It was absolutely him who brought up the kidnapping idea.
He thought of it after the last family dinner Jonah had been forced to go to when he showed up smelling like unhappiness and exhaustion.
He wasn’t the only one who agreed with the plan, most of the pack who’d met Jonah were on board, but he didn’t think mentioning that right now was a good idea.
He didn’t want Jonah to think bringing him to the pack last night was for any reason other than helping him.
Ronan pointed a wooden spoon at Emmett. “Don’t listen to him. That innocent act is a farce.”
Emmett gasped, mock outraged. “Alpha! I can’t believe you!”
A light chuckle from Jonah made Emmett’s tail wag, though he was quick to sit on a stool to hide it. He didn’t always sit on his tail, it got uncomfortable, but it felt necessary around Jonah. The stupid appendage wouldn’t stay still when around the adorable human.
Ronan rolled his eyes at Emmett’s antics, turning to slide a plate of food across the island in front of Jonah.
“Don’t worry. I wouldn’t have let them keep you hostage.
I probably couldn’t have stopped them from dragging you here, this bunch is a handful, but I would’ve made them bring you back. Eventually.”
Jonah’s head jerked up, and he gaped at Ronan, a smile ghosting across his face when Ronan winked at him.
Ronan snagged Harlem around the waist, plopping him back on the counter where he’d been perched before, and handed him his own plate with an affectionate lick on his cheek.
Harlem hummed a happy noise, doing a happy little wriggle as he scooped a forkful into his mouth.
Emmett felt his mouth fill with saliva as he took in the scents coming from their plates.
Buttery scrambled eggs, crispy bacon, sausage, hashbrowns, and toast. He couldn’t stop the whine, and Ronan snorted from his spot in front of the stove.
He turned, raising an eyebrow at him. “Did you really think I’d leave you out? Come get your own plate.”
Beaming at his alpha, he slid out of his seat and hurried around the counter.
Ronan was a busy man, and his cooking was a treat whenever he was in the mood to feed the pack.
Now that he was paying attention, Emmett saw that his alpha had made plenty and the scents would definitely draw in the pack in a minute or two.
He made a heaping plate for himself before the rest arrived, humming a happy sound as he rounded the island again to sit next to Jonah.
“Are they normally that cute, or is it a food thing?” Jonah commented.
“A little of both, actually,” Harlem replied. “They’re cute in general, but when it comes to food, they all turn into big happy puppies. Piece of advice—if you want leftovers, make enough to feed an army.”
Emmett nodded around a bite of food. Harlem had a point. Werewolves ate a lot in general, but if the food was good, they’d put themselves into a food coma to enjoy it.
One by one, members of the pack came in, their noses leading them straight to the stove.
Ronan stepped aside to let them make plates, taking bites from Harlem’s plate when he offered it.
The little kitsune didn’t eat nearly as much as werewolves did, and Emmett was pretty sure Ronan piled his plate high so they could share instead of getting a plate for himself.
“Jonah, I don’t want to pry, but I need to know what led to you coming to the pack last night. Are you in some kind of danger?”
The scent of pain and sadness hit Emmett like a pile of bricks, and he saw Jonah put his fork down, his shoulders hunched by his ears.
He could tell Jonah didn’t want to talk about it, but Ronan needed to know.
Emmett could make a guess based on what he knew of Jonah’s family from the stories he’d told, but he didn’t know the full story either.
It bothered him just to sit there and not help in some way, so he got up and dragged his stool closer until they were pressed together from shoulder to hip.
He projected comfort and support without pushing, hoping with him close by, Jonah would be able to get the words out. It seemed to help a little.
“I… I’m not in any danger. They won’t come looking for me.”
“Who’s they?” Ronan asked, his tone patient and not at all judgmental. He was a good alpha, and he knew when to push and when to back off. He wasn’t going to make demands when calm questions would do.
“My family,” Jonah murmured, frowning at his napkin as he toyed with it. “They don’t like supes, and when they found out I’m working at Spellbound, they threw me out.” He sank a little farther into himself. “I didn’t plan on coming here. I can go if I’m not supposed to be here–”
“No one is asking you to do that,” Ronan interjected. “I just needed to know if there was a safety concern we needed to be aware of.”
Jonah nodded, still not lifting his gaze. “I get that. I don’t think they’d come looking for me. They made it pretty clear last night they wanted nothing to do with me.”
The heartache in his tone made Emmett whine, and he couldn’t help wrapping his arm around Jonah’s shoulders, tucking the smaller man under his chin. Jonah was stiff for a long moment before he relaxed into the hold with a shaky sigh.
Werewolf packs were tied to their alpha through a bond that let Ronan feel how his pack members were doing and who needed his attention.
It didn’t often go both ways unless the alpha was feeling strong emotions.
Emmett felt the fury flash along their bond, making everyone in the room flinch for a second before Ronan took a deep breath and let it out slowly again.
Harlem rubbed his mate’s chest, a worried frown on his face, and Emmett mimicked the movement on Jonah’s back.
Both men settled, and Emmett shot Harlem an appreciative look for the help.
He wasn’t entirely sure what he could do to help Jonah, and helping like this settled him a little.
Clearing his throat, Ronan turned to Jonah again.
“Jonah.” He waited for Jonah to look up.
“You’re welcome here as long as you need.
I have a guest room in my home if you’d like—” He rolled his eyes at Emmett’s disgruntled noise “—or you can continue to stay with Emmett. Whatever you prefer. My only request is that if you ever feel your family is threatening you or that you’re unsafe that you tell me immediately. It’s my job to keep my pack safe.”
“But I’m not part of your pack,” Jonah pointed out, his voice a little shaky with emotion.
Ronan raised an eyebrow at him, gesturing to the room.
Emmett looked around as well, finding everyone from Spellbound’s security team standing nearby, their expressions ranging from angry on Jonah’s behalf to concern for their friend.
Behind them were a few parents from last night, their pups in their arms already struggling to get free and go to Jonah’s side.
Even the pack members who didn’t know Jonah, but had heard his story, were giving him encouraging smiles and nods.
He might not be a werewolf, but he was already becoming part of the pack.
“Consider yourself an honorary member,” Ronan said.
Emmett’s tail managed to wiggle free to wag wildly, he was so excited, and he wasn’t the only one.
The security team swarmed Jonah, patting him and ruffling his hair, making sure he knew he was wanted here.
When Jonah glanced at Emmett, his eyes were swimming with unshed tears, but a smile finally broke free, and Emmett knew with enough time and reassurance, he’d feel like part of the pack.
When Axel and Miguel got a little rough, trying to tug Jonah and claim they were closer, and therefore better friends with him, and Emmett saw Jonah wince, the snarl that ripped out of him was similar to the sound he’d made the night prior.
It startled him and the rest of his pack, who all looked at him like he was crazy.
Axel and Miguel immediately dropped their hold on Jonah, putting their hands up in surrender.
Only Ronan looked at him more consideringly before jerking his chin at the rest of the pack.
“That’s enough. Be gentle with the human. And get ready to go. We need to be at Spellbound in twenty minutes.”
They all dispersed to finish getting ready for the day, leaving Emmett and Jonah with Ronan and Harlem. Emmett grimaced.
“Sorry, alpha. I don’t know why I did that.”
“You did it because you care about Jonah, and those dummies were being too rough,” Harlem replied airily.
“I saw Jonah flinch, too. Jonah, all you need to do is tell them to stop. They won’t take it personally.
They had to learn to be gentle with me, too.
Werewolves like to wrestle, it’s how they play, but they forget sometimes that not everyone is okay with that. ”
Jonah, who had been busy frowning at Emmett, turned to the alpha’s mate and shrugged one shoulder. “I mean, I don’t mind wrestling, I grew up with an older brother. I don’t need them to treat me like glass.”
“No one said you did,” Ronan agreed. He reached for Harlem’s hand, tugging him around the island so they could all leave together.
“But Harlem is right. They need to go easy on you.” He pursed his lips, tipping his head thoughtfully.
“Think of them like big dumb puppies. Sometimes they get a little rough, and you have to correct the behavior or they’ll think they can do it again. ”
“Hey!” Emmett whined, offended. “We aren’t puppies!”
Harlem leaned closer to Jonah, his whisper loud enough that Emmett could hear him when he said, “Notice how he didn’t argue with the dumb part?”
Jonah snorted, and while Emmett complained, he was glad for the teasing.
Jonah looked more like himself as he and Harlem compared notes on learning werewolf behavior.
And when they got into Jonah’s truck to head to the office, the smell of heartache was only a low level thing.
It wouldn’t be fixed in a day, Emmett wasn’t na?ve enough to think that was possible, but if he could, he’d do what he could to make Jonah’s day easier.