Chapter 4 #2
“Oh…okay, then.” I could make Brick a pie as well.
That would be okay. I’d fit it in somehow after work tomorrow, though I’d probably work late again, and it would mean another long bus ride back to the clubhouse.
My eyes started stinging again, but I refused to let the feeling of overwhelm win.
We approached the main door, and Brick jogged forward and opened it for me.
“I like your dress. You look pretty,” he said.
My face burned. “Thank you,” I said as I stepped inside.
Several huge hounds stood around a tall table, and they all looked my way. Then, one by one, they tilted their heads back and scented the air.
“What the fuck is that?” Warrick, the alpha, said. “Smells amazing.”
“Temp made pies,” Brick said.
“Yeah?” another said, a hound who I’d never met.
In minutes, I was surrounded. “These are actually for Fender,” I explained. “But I can make more, if you’d like?” I didn’t know what else to say. They were moments from taking Fender’s pies and eating them themselves.
Requests were thrown at me, and I quickly made a mental note. I was going to be busy every night this week. I bit back my whimper.
“Ah…could someone please let Fender know I’m here?” I said, my nerves shooting higher. I took several steps back.
“Back up,” Warrick said to the other hounds and gave me a kind smile. The alpha was scary as all heck, but he knew it, and he was trying to make me feel at ease. If Fender could sense my fear, then Warrick could as well. “You can take her down to the den,” he said to Brick.
Brick’s brows lifted, but he nodded. “Follow me. Fender’s just down here.”
I followed him to a door. He punched in a code, then we descended a wide set of stairs into an underground cave system. Wall sconces lit the way, their flickering light a warm gold against the stone. It was cooler down here but not unpleasant.
“This part of the den is where the alpha and the other mated couples live,” Brick said.
“They used to be smaller rooms, but now with a few brothers mated, we busted down some walls and made them bigger,” he said.
“Now the single males, like me, have moved down there.” He motioned to a tunnel as we passed.
“In case you were ever looking for me.” He winked.
“Oh…right.”
The tunnels were impressive and vast from what Brick was telling me as we walked.
“That’s the gym,” Brick said as we passed another door. “And this is the common room, where we all hang out, usually in the evenings, and once a week Wills does her movie nights.”
We walked in and all heads turned my way. Mags’ cousin Jasmine and her mate, Ren, were in an alcove with Roman, who looked to be tattooing her. She waved and I waved back.
And on the other side of the room, Fender and Jagger stood at a green fuzzy table covered in smallish balls, and they were both holding long sticks.
Fender straightened.
Jagger tilted his head back and breathed deep. “What’s that smell?”
I lifted my carrier. “Pies,” I said. “For Fender.”
Fender put down his stick, an odd look on his face, and started toward me.
He didn’t stop until he was towering over me. “You brought me pies?” he said all deep and growly.
I smiled. “As promised.” I held out the pie carrier.
He took it and frowned. “How many are in there?”
“Four. Peach lattice, caramel peach crumble, peach maple bourbon brown butter, and peach and custard,” I said and hoped he was happy with the flavors I’d chosen. “I’m sorry I didn’t get them to you yesterday, something came up, but I made them as soon as I got home so you’d have them tonight.”
His head kind of pulled back, and his amber gaze got sharper. “I didn’t expect you to do all of this, Temp. We were just talking. You didn’t need to make pies. This must have taken you hours.”
I bit my lip. Dammit. I kept getting it wrong.
I didn’t know how to do this. I didn’t understand what was expected of me or how to make friends.
Mags had obviously just taken pity on me, or maybe it was only a matter of time before she told me to get the fuck away from her like Raiden had.
I was probably already annoying her. How would I know?
I didn’t know anything. My eyes stung again.
What the heck was wrong with me? I did not cry. Ever.
It was hard, but I kept the smile on my face.
Never show when we’re hurt, never let anyone see.
My mother’s voice filtered through my head again.
“I’m sorry. I must have…I misunderstood.
” I reached for the carrier. “You don’t want those, of course you don’t.
” I tried to take it from him, and he pulled the carrier out of my reach.
He was studying me intently, then his brows shot up. “Are you gonna cry, Tempest?”
“What? No, of course not,” I said, mortified.
I never cried. I never ever cried. Especially not in front of anyone.
“Why would I do that?” I reached for the pies again, and again he pulled them out of reach.
“You can just keep those, it’s fine, but I need to get going, the next bus is in twenty minutes and if I run, I can catch—”
“You came here on the bus?”
“I did.” The humiliation was becoming too much.
I should have never come here. I should never have left the cottage in the first place.
I’d been wrong to ever leave. I didn’t belong here with these people.
I was a Matilda. Matildas didn’t need anyone.
They weren’t supposed to be doing the things I was doing.
“I’m going to go now.” I spun and rushed from the room, walking as quickly as I could along the cavern.
I just had to get out of here, away from Fender and the clubhouse, and I’d be okay.
Then I could breathe. Then everything would make sense again.
“Temp, hey…hold up.” Fender grabbed my arm.
I jerked back, pulling away. “I’m sorry,” I said again, backing up. “I’m not trying to…I didn’t mean to…I promise, I’ll leave you alone.” I spun again and walked quicker.
He grabbed my arm again. “Tempest, hang the fuck on a minute.”