Chapter 24 Chapter 24
ELLA
I opened my eyes to my alarm. I turned it off and lay there for a moment. Last night was horrible. I was so mad at him.
I was lost in thought when I just about jumped out of my skin as I felt movement beside me. I looked to my right to see Zane cuddled up in my bed, his large size making the bed look small.
He looked peaceful sleeping there. I had the weird desire to touch his face. To run my hand along his jaw.
My hand seemed to have a mind of its own, and before I knew what I had done, I lightly brushed my finger along his cheek. Zane’s eyes opened and I snapped my hand back, my eyes wide.
“Good morning,” he said with a sleepy smile.
“Good morning,” I replied quietly, hoping he hadn’t felt my hand on his cheek.
“Did you sleep well?” he asked, rolling over to stretch. I nodded and then sat up.
“What do you have going on today?” he asked as I stepped out of bed.
“The usual,” I replied calmly, hoping he wouldn’t know I was freaking out on the inside.
“Cooking and more cooking.”
Zane hummed before sitting up and looking at the clock.
“Geez, Ells, it’s five in the morning.” He threw himself back onto the pillow and closed his eyes.
I laughed.
“You act like that’s something new.”
“Yeah, but I don’t get up at five!” he replied.
“Oh, the charmed life of an alpha!” I teased, laying my hand on my head and pretending to faint.
Zane gave me a sarcastic glare before I smirked and walked into the bathroom. I enjoyed teasing him just as much as I had enjoyed waking up next to him this morning.
I could get used to this, my wolf purred.
“Oh, shut up,” I mumbled before hopping in the shower. I walked out of the bathroom wrapped in a towel, water still beading on my shoulders.
Zane was still lying in my bed, his eyes now wide and growing dark.
“I-I, uhm…,” I stammered, words failing to find me. I dashed into the closet and dressed quickly. Zane was gone by the time I was ready.
I was a little hurt that he had run away after seeing me half naked but shrugged it off and made my way downstairs for breakfast.
This evening was the monthly pack barbecue. The pack held weekly meetings, but once a month, we would all gather for a party afterward.
It was one of the few pack events I got to attend instead of work. But it also meant my day leading up to the party was extremely busy.
“Good morning!” I sang as I entered the kitchen.
“Mornin’, hun.” My mom smiled, handing me my apron.
“The barbecue is tonight, so we have a busy day. No running off to make out with your boyfriend, got it?” she teased.
I rolled my eyes.
“He’s not my boyfriend, he just…”
I shrugged. I didn’t know what we were.
We weren’t mates. We weren’t a thing. Were we dating? Were we friends? It was all too complicated to focus on right now. I had a lot of work to do today.
“Okay. Go over the list with me.” I crossed my arms and listened to my mom go over everything for that evening.
“We have six hundred burgers. Do you think that’s enough?”
“It should be plenty. And we have a bunch of chicken in the deep freeze if we run low on patties.”
“Oh, good idea.” My mother scribbled down on her paper. She began to list off the different sides and salads we needed to make as well as the desserts.
“I think we’re set, Mom.” I nodded my head and began on breakfast. We kept it simple today on account of all the other work we had to do.
Pack members began to trickle in as I finished the last of the pancakes. Zane walked down and gave me a warm smile. I offered him a plate and he gave me a wink before sitting down. Breakfast passed and I continued working. By lunch, I was tired and could feel the beginnings of a headache.
“You alright?” I snapped my head up to see Zane looking at me curiously.
“Yeah,” I breathed.
“Why wouldn’t I be?”
“You don’t look okay…”
“Well thanks, that’s a real confidence booster,” I replied sarcastically.
“You know what I mean, Ella. Have you taken a break at all today?”
I sighed and closed my eyes, rubbing my head.
“Ella?” I could hear the worry in his tone.
“Zane, I’m fine, I’ve worked through the day before. I just have a little bit of a headache coming on.”
Zane glared at me before taking my arm. He took me out to the hallway and bent down in front of me.
“Hop on.”
I laughed before jumping on his back and he carried me piggy-back up the stairs.
He set me down on the couch in his quarters and wandered to the kitchen, returning with a large glass of water and a couple of ibuprofens.
“Here, take these.”
I smiled up at him, enjoying being taken care of. I took the pills and drank the full glass of water, not realizing how thirsty I was.
Zane sat beside me and rubbed my shoulders. I rolled my head down and let him continue, letting out a long breath.
“You need to take care of yourself too, not just everyone else,” he whispered as he continued massaging my shoulders.
I hummed before straightening myself.
“Thank you.” I smiled warmly at him and then squeezed his hand.
“I should really head back down.”
The rest of the day was a blur of chopping and baking and sautéing. The other cooks and I made so much food. But we were ready for the pack, all four hundred of them.
We had an hour before we all needed to be in the meeting hall. Just enough time to shower and change into something other than leggings and a dirty T-shirt.
I showered and changed, deciding to make more effort than usual. I pulled out a yellow floral summer dress.
It was sleeveless and stopped a few inches above my knee. It was light and feminine and made me feel cute.
I threw on a light cardigan to ward off the evening chill and my favorite pair of strappy wedge heels. I fixed the few rebellious waves in my dark hair, letting it flow down my back.
After applying some light makeup, I looked in the mirror and smiled.
Damn girl! my wolf howled.
I laughed and walked out the door, checking the kitchen before making my way to the meeting hall.
I sat at the back as usual, saving a seat for my mom so we could make a quick escape once the meeting was done.
Everyone hushed as the alpha walked into the room, followed by the leaders of the pack, my mom included. This was a serious meeting if every department head was involved.
Declan jumped quietly into the seat next to me.
“Hey, Ells, am I late?”
I smiled at my friend.
“No, they’re just about to start. Where have you been?”
“Eh.” Declan shrugged.
“I’ve been giving you some space. I know Zane isn’t my biggest fan, and I don’t want to cause you more problems.”
“Welcome! Please be seated!” Alpha Daniel smiled, and everyone sat down, curious about what was so different about tonight.
“Alpha Zane and I have spent the last few days working on a new pack dynamic.”
My breath hitched.
“He didn’t…,” I mumbled to myself.
“We have decided that we no longer like the way some of our lower rank members live and we aim to change that tonight.
“Starting with higher-ranked families, we will be holding interviews to see if the families are still eligible for their rank.
Some members of the pack have not been acting in the ways a higher-ranked member should act. The omegas will now be given updated wages and a rotating schedule.”
I gasped, along with most of the other pack members.
Daniel continued, “Please see your specific lead to find out your new schedule. If there are any questions or concerns, feel free to speak to me or Alpha Zane. You are dismissed.”
I rushed out of the room, as usual, to be the first one down the hill to make sure everything was ready. I was still in shock when I felt hands wrap around me, and I relaxed at the familiar touch.