I nodded towards the shop. “They’re inside ordering food. Do you wantsomething?”
“No worries, I’m good. Just ate a couple wild rabbits while I was out in the woods.Yum.”
“You look like you’ve had a long day,” I said. “Were you huntingagain?”
He shot me a strange glance. “Nah, we already went hunting yesterday. I was out, uh - doing somethingelse.”
I wondered why he was being cagey, but decided not to press theissue.
A moment later, Flint and Casey emerged from the storefront with a tray full offood.
“Oh, hey, Jericho,” Flint said to his friend. “You here to joinus?”
Jericho quirked a brow. “Well, now that there’s a bunch of fries in front of me, it’s harder to say no.” He plucked one from the cardboard box and threw it in hismouth.
“Hey, those are my fries, mister!” Casey said, pointing a finger at him. “Get yourown!”
Flint and Jericho burst outlaughing.
“I told you, I love this kid,” Jericho said. “She should join the hunting guild when she’solder.”
I’d never even considered that before. I always thought Casey was a beta wolf - just an average shifter. But what if she was an alpha? It wasn’t always easy to tell before puberty hit. I knew that the mating between an alpha and omega was the most likely pairing to create more alphas, after all. I guess that was something I’d never really thought about in thepast.
“Did you know my daddy’s gonna take me hunting?” Casey askedJericho.
He snuck another fry. “Really,eh?”
“Uh huh.” She nodded. “We’re gonna get a big deer and make it intodinner.”
“You’re lucky,” Jericho told her. “My dad’s never took me out hunting. Flint’s a good dad, don’t you think?” He winked at his friend. Flintgrumbled.
Casey nodded seriously. “He is. And he’s my daddy, so don’t get anyideas.”
Jericho roared with laughter again, slapping his knee. “Flint, you better watch out or Casey’s gonna take over your role in the guildsoon.”
Not wanting our food to get cold, we all dug in. I took pity on Jericho, who kept eyeing the fries like a begging dog at the dinner table, so I let him havemine.
Flint growled at him. “Hey, stop stealing my pregnant mate’sfood.”
“C’mon, it’s just a couple fries!” Jerichoprotested.
Flint pushed his own fries towards his friend. “Here. Take mine instead. My omega needs all the food he canget.”
I chuckled. “Thanks,honey.”
“Why do you look like you got tangled up in the woods, anyway?” Flint asked him. “You’ve still got leaves in yourhair.”
“I do?” Jericho picked a dry leaf from his head. “Huh, you’re right. Anyway, I was dealing with the - uh. Youknow.”
There was Jericho being cagey and unclear again. This time I watched Flint’s face intently for a reaction. A stern expression crossed his face and his mouth tightened. Even his muscles went taut. As an omega, I was more sensitive to body language than the average shifter. None of Flint’s minute body changes got past me. Something wasdefinitelygoing onhere.
I narrowed my eyes at Flint. “What’s he talkingabout?”
A strange expression flashed across Flint’s face before he managed to keep it under control. “It’s nothing. Just a hunting guildthing.”
But Jericho blinked in confusion. “You mean you haven’t told him?” hemurmured.
“Told mewhat?” Iasked.
