Especially if you encroached on his personal space.
With my plate in hand, I dropped into the stool on the other side of Emme, scooting close enough to feel her gently flowing energy against my arm. “No track today,” Hunter said as he lifted his sandwich. “What’s the plan?”
As predicted, there was no way he’d let us get away with canceling family day. Releasing my cheeriness, I said, “I’ve got the perfect idea.”
“No.”
“Not a fucking chance.”
Slade and Finley answered at the same time, but it didn’t bother me. They could object all they wanted, but this was also a tradition, and we’d gone too long between games.
Hunter dropped his sandwich with a sigh. “Let me guess… family board games day.”
Fuck yes it was.
My smug as fuck smile told them everything, and this time I had dual reasons for the event. One: I needed to destroy my pack brothers and bring them down a rung or two. Two: I wanted to make Emmy smile after her heavy morning.
This was my new mission in life.
Chapter
Thirty-Three
I’d been trying not to laugh ever since Kellan suggested a board game day. For multiple reasons, but mainly it was the look on Slade’s face.
His expression indicated that he’d rather have his fingernails removed with pliers than take part in their games, but from what I’d gathered, Hunter was completely inflexible with these mandatory family events. No one skipped unless they were dead or dying. End of story.
After breakfast, Kellan ushered everyone into the games room off the side of the cinema. During my explorations of the house, I’d only ever viewed this room from the doorway.
It was so much larger than I’d thought. There was a pool table, air hockey table, multiple pinball machines, and other old school arcade games, along with three massive screens on the far wall, that looked to be hooked up to every gaming system imaginable.
“Hunter’s a closet nerd,” Kellan whispered near my ear. “Before the company exploded into this worldwide conglomerate, he used to playCall of Dutyfor days with Soren, and we’d have to pry his fried ass out of the chair to force him to eat and shower.”
As hard as I tried, I simply could not picture their entitled alpha as a gamer. The Hunter I knew was the epitome of polished businessman in a suit, always stern, bossy, and responsible. Although, every now and then he showed me a brief glimpse of his more primal side. A side which tattooed his claim and teased me to the edge of sanity.
“I have no doubt he’s an amazing gamer.” There was very little Hunter couldn’t deal with to an expert level. Whatever issue arose, he had it covered, while the rest of us—okay, except Slade—floundered around with our heads up our asses.
Today, for the first time, he was dressed casually in sweats, which gave less gruff bossman and moreDaddy Alphavibes.
Crap, now I sounded like Kellan.
All the alphas wore sweats, but at least none of them were gray, meaning I might even be able to concentrate on the games.
Yeah. Probably not.
We ended up near the wall of screens, next to a large table and a shelf of colorful boxes. Kellan perused them with a serious expression, tapping his finger against his lips as he walked up and down before finally grabbing a green box. “Let’s start with Scrabble,” he said, and I was fairly sure I didn’t want to know why he sounded so gleeful.
I also had no idea what Scrabble was.
“Uh, just as an FYI… I’ve never played a board game before.” Might as well tell them now. Once it got started, they’d definitely figure it out.
Four alpha gazes rested on me, and I was hit with a spotlight in shades of green, blue, charcoal, and whiskey. Not to mention the dominance and scents that surrounded me.
It felt like a swift kick to the vagina, and I had no idea if I would survive boardgame day.
Thankfully, two of the four hated me, so they removed their stares just as fast, giving me a reprieve from the overwhelming intensity.
Kellan dropped the game in the middle of the table and reached out to pull me to his side. “I figured, which is why I chose a game with only four players. You can be on my team.”
