Chapter 5
CHAPTER FIVE
Hunter turned his head and shot Chasen a look before looking back over his friends.
Their eyes were wide, and they looked very uncertain.
Hunter felt the tiny body next to him shift herself deeper in his side.
She wanted to be accepted. When she’d first brought up that she was a demon and then again now, she seemed almost ashamed of who she was.
Hunter nudged her side gently. Her green gems flicked up at him and he gave her a reassuring smile.
“We are not a pack that discriminates here. Never have been, and we will not be starting now. Jin is welcome here. I won’t tolerate any mistreatment, especially from any of you.
” Hunter’s alpha voice sounded out to his close pack members.
He still would need to address the rest of the pack, but these were those he was closest to, and he expected them to welcome Jin just as she was.
Sam noticed the reaction of the tiny girl and immediately smiled at her. “You won’t be mistreated here.”
“That’s right. Besides, we need more girls around here.” Renee’s sweet voice rang out, coaxing a timid smile from Jin.
“How about that cake, then? Hold the five second rule, thanks to Jin.” Adam winked at her and set the cake down on the table. If his alpha was okay with the girl, then he was, too.
“Come on, Jin. Let’s have a slice and I’ll introduce you to everyone.” Hunter flashed her a bright, welcoming smile.
Chasen leaned back against the wall as their little group exchanged stories and interacted with Jin.
He watched as she would laugh and join in the conversation with everyone.
A quiet sigh escaped his nose. He was bothered by this girl.
She hid behind a smile and a laugh, but he recognized what she was doing.
How could he not? His own sister Reiya did the same thing.
But Jin’s sadness felt more wounded and hidden.
She was better at hiding things than his sister.
And secrets, especially with a stranger, made him nervous. What was her story?
Chasen pushed off from the wall and strode over to the table. He took the empty chair next to Jin and sat beside her.
Jin slid him a piece of cake and tilted her head to him. He grabbed the plate, pulled it in front of him, and slowly began to fork at the dessert.
“Hmm, let me see. There’s another room on the second floor at the far end that’s empty. We can make that your room, Jin. You can sleep there tonight,” Hunter said as he thoughtfully stabbed at his cake.
“No,” Chasen said tersely. “She’s sleeping in my room tonight.” He continued to eat his cake casually and then glanced up, noticing the silence. All eyes were on him. Winston and Adam had smirks playing on their lips and gave him a couple of eyebrow raises.
Jin giggled. “So, you really were jealous of that kiss earlier?” Chasen grunted and looked at her with unamused eyes.
Sam snorted milk out of his nose and started coughing. “K-k-kiss?”
Winston smiled and rested his elbows on the table as he stared at his alpha. “So … which room should she be sleeping in?”
Jin giggled again and tilted her head over to Hunter. “In all seriousness, that wasn’t really a kiss, right? That doesn’t count, does it?”
Hunter smiled at her and shook his head. “No, I don’t think so.”
“Phew, good. I mean, nothing against you, but that would have been my first kiss and it would have felt wasted,” Jin said shyly.
Winston leaned closer toward Jin from across the table. “You’ve never been kissed, huh?”
“Time out. I’m confused here. What is this kiss/non kiss thing? And Chasen, care to explain yourself, pervert?” Sam grinned at Chasen, who only rolled his eyes.
“It was how I transferred the element to Hunter. I had to transfer it through his lips. It wasn’t a kiss in that sense. Our lips touched and that was all,” Jin explained, and Hunter nodded his head.
“Well, that’s disappointing,” Sam said, then directed his attention to Chasen. Meanwhile, no one noticed the look of relief that washed over Susan’s face.
“I don’t trust her. I don’t know anything about her. I’m standing guard over her tonight. I’m keeping her in my sights at all times, and that includes at night,” Chasen said as he finished up his last bite of cake.
“And that is even more disappointing.” Sam frowned at the boringness of it all.
“Chasen, that is hardly necessary.” Hunter scowled at his brother. She didn’t need to have her privacy invaded at all times.
“I’m to stay in your sight at all times?” Jin giggled and turned to look at Chasen. “Does that include undressing and bathing?”
Adam and Winston snickered, keeping their eyes on Chasen. He only shrugged. “If I think I need to,” he replied emotionlessly.
“No, he doesn’t.” Hunter glared at Chasen. “Sorry about him, Jin.”
“Mmm, it’s okay. He already explained himself earlier.
But I also explained myself. It’s just up to him to believe it or not.
But for someone with awesome chocolate eyes, his personality bitters him up.
” Jin looked at Chasen from the corner of her eye.
Chasen didn’t react at all to what she had just said.
She then eyed the cake in front of her. “I’ll have another slice of cake.
” She grinned sheepishly. “Chocolate is sort of a weakness for me.”
“Noted. Chocolate is the element of air’s weakness. So, if there’s ever a tornado, I’ll offer up a chocolate sacrifice.” Winston placed another slice of cake on Jin’s plate.
“Actually, if there’s ever a tornado, Hunter and I would be able to stop it.” Jin eyed the moist, chocolatey goodness in front of her as she placed a bite in her mouth.
“That’s pretty incredible.” Sam smiled and looked over at Hunter. The girl seemed very sweet. He didn’t feel any malcontent from her. He understood why Chasen was overly cautious over Hunter, but in this case, he didn’t feel he needed to be.
Hunter sighed and turned to look at Chasen. He could tell his brother was not going to concede over this issue. “Tonight, Chasen and I will both stay with you. It’s a new place and all, so maybe it’s for the best, in case you need anything.”
Winston smirked. “And the love triangle is formed.”
Chasen snarled as he looked at Winston, then he flipped his glare over at Hunter. “I’m keeping you safe. You don’t need to watch over her at night.”
Hunter let a crooked smile rise on his face. “Well, I’m keeping her safe from you.”
Chasen choked on his drink. He turned and shot his brother a venomous glare. “Protecting her from me? What exactly do you think I’m going to do to her?”
Jin smiled and bit her lip. “Umm, I would like to get cleaned up. Do I really need to have an audience?”
Renee shot up from her seat, along with Susan.
“No, you don’t,” both girls exclaimed in unison, glancing at each other and giggling.
Hunter stood up from his seat. “Of course you don’t. Chasen here was only kidding.” He shot his brother an irritated glance. “I’ll get you something to change into and show you to a shower if you’re finished.”
Jin nodded her head and stood up. “Thank you for the cake. It was delicious.”
Chasen immediately stood up with her, and she shot him a sideways glance. It was clear he didn’t intend for her to go anywhere with Hunter without him.
“We’ll see you all in the morning.” Hunter nodded his head to his friends and then led the way upstairs. “We’ll go to my room. It has a shower in it and a couch that pulls out into a bed.”
She followed behind Hunter up the stairs and then made a left on the second floor. Gazing over the railing at the view of the room they were just in, she noticed the house was very luxurious. She had never lived in a place like this. Not even close. The whole thing was actually very foreign to her.
SNAP.
Jin froze at the sound. She looked over the railing to see Winston snapping a wet cloth over the counter playfully. The sound it made echoed in her mind, and her insides froze as she continued to stare blankly.
Chasen watched the girl as she stopped walking, her green eyes twitching slightly at the sudden sound.
He furrowed his brows as he watched her body posture.
Her small fists trembled slightly at her sides, and his heart sank immediately.
She was … afraid. His eyes wandered back to her face.
She just stood there quietly, but it was clear she was having a flashback.
He watched as she shivered slightly from whatever she was deep in thought about.
“You coming?” Hunter asked, trying to pull her out of her memories.
Jin snapped her attention back to Hunter and plastered a smile back over her face. “Yep, coming.”
Chasen sighed and followed behind her. Something disturbed him over this whole situation. Something he was almost afraid to find out. He balled up one of his fists, then slowly released it. Jin being here was not a good thing, not a good thing at all.
Hunter led her into his large bathroom. He laid a shirt of his and some joggers on a stand near the shower. “I hope this works until we can get you some proper clothes tomorrow.”
Jin gnawed on her bottom lip and looked down at the ground, a bit embarrassed.
“Is this not okay? I can find you something else to wear?” Hunter asked, noticing her unusual expression. Chasen leaned in the doorway and watched her with interest.
“Um. No, this is fine. Thank you. I … do you think …” She sighed loudly. “I don’t know how to work the shower.” She clenched her eyes shut hard, afraid to look at anyone.
Hunter glanced over at Chasen with a wave of concern. She’s never had a shower before? He looked at Chasen’s unreadable eyes for a moment before a gentle smile formed on his face.
“Come on over here and I’ll show you. It’s pretty simple,” Hunter spoke to her in a calming tone. He watched her peek up at him, and he nodded his head in the direction of the shower.
“This knob here gives you hot water. And this knob gives you cold water. You turn them both together to get the temperature that you want. I’ll set it to a temperature that I think is comfortable.
Here, feel. Is this good for you?” Hunter leaned away from the shower and allowed her to reach her hand in.
He watched a genuine smile spread across her face. She looked up at him and nodded.
“Yes, it feels perfect.”
Hunter cleared his throat. “There’s a towel hanging here for when you’re finished. You can toss your clothes in the hamper here and we’ll get them washed for you.”
“Thank you,” she said in her soft, sweet voice.
“Chasen and I will be just out here if you need anything.” Hunter turned and walked out of the bathroom. Chasen shut the door behind him, giving her privacy to shower. The two looked at each other and Hunter frowned.
“What do you think about that, Chase?”
Chasen shook his head and stood there in silence. Something seemed off about all of this. Something seemed off about her.