My confusion mirrored in her expression for a moment. “What do you mean? Eat whatever…” Her expression changed, worry, replacing her puzzlement. “Oh, shit. Are you allergic to gluten or something like that? Is there nothing here you can eat?”
“No, that’s not it. I just?—”
“I’m sorry, Natasha,” Bjørn offered, mortified. “I didn’t know what you’d like for breakfast, so I made sure to have a wide assortment. It didn’t even occur to me that you might have any allergies. I can get you something else,” he assured as they all focused on me. “It will only take me a moment.”
“No. I…” My words faltered, once again feeling so overwhelmed.
I felt so stupid.
Glancing at the spread before me, it swiftly became painfully clear that here, in the human world, people truly had a choice over their lives. I saw it now in the different outfits those around me wore, in the unique furnishings of their rooms, and even in this array of food. I had spent an entire life being told what to do, so I thought everyone else lived that way.
We ate what we were given. Wore what we were given. Did what we were told by our Alpha…
It never occurred to me that it wasn’t that way for the rest of the world.
They had a choice.
Emotion clogged my throat, and I felt even more insignificant because this was all so normal for them. They’d always been in control of their lives. I was the only one who never was.
“Hey,” Dante cooed, standing in front of me to hide my emotion from the others. Placing a hand on the small of my back, he guided me a few steps away to give me some space to breathe. His darkness swirled around us too, giving me privacy. “It’s okay…” he soothed, his thumb gently rubbing circles on my back.
“I don’t think it is,” I whispered back, wondering why it was all so different for me. Why I’d never had a choice when everyone else did. Why I was treated the way I was. Why I was purposedly kept ignorant.
I’d often thought of myself as smart and capable so that one hurt the most.
“The Alpha would tell you all what to eat back in the village?” Dante guessed, calling my attention to him.
I nodded, finding it hard to look him straight in the eyes from embarrassment. Yet I did. Instead of pity or judgment, I found kindness and understanding glimmering in his forest-green eyes—though wisps of darkness and anger filtered into it too, like he hated the shifters for treating me this way.
“That’s alright. I know the human world can be a lot for you to get used to. Just remember, you are not alone anymore,Cuore mio.”
My breath stalled when he leaned in, his soft, pouty lips pressing against my cheek. Dante’s touch sent a wave of soothing magic through me, helping me relax.
Accepting my small nod as an answer, he turned to the others. “She’s just never seen so many delicious dishes fromaround the world. Everything looks so good that she doesn’t know what to eat.”
“Oh!” Bjørn beamed with the compliment. “No problem, dearie. It’ll be my pleasure to present to you today’s menu.”
As he began to explain each dish, I glanced up at the Dark Witch, grateful for diffusing the situation so the others didn’t see how foolish I was.
“These are French crêpes. Then we have Belgian waffles, Greekomeletta, Argentinian empanadas, Danish pastries, Venezuelan arepas, EmpanadaGallegafrom Spain, the typical American breakfast with eggs, bacon, and pancakes or toast, Brazilianpão de queijo,chole bhaturefrom India,jianbingfrom China, Italiancrostata, and eggs benedict.
“I love Indian food, but this is my absolute favorite,” Vanessa offered, taking the small bread her brother had bit into earlier. “They arepão de queijo, fluffy bread with cheese, and they remind me of home. Yum.”
“I’m trying to decide between thecrostataandtheomelettatoday,” Dante admitted, leaving my side, and walking around the counter.
“I’m a simple man, I’m havingpão de queijo,andeggs with bacon,” D added, walking to the eggs tray. “Would you like to try it?”
Intrigued by everything that lay before me, I nodded. I was also grateful they had all disregarded my reaction and were acting as though nothing happened.
Seeing D place an extra couple of bread with cheese on his plate, I took two of them too and turned to Bjørn, who was standing on the other end of the large counter, next to the ovens. “Everything looks delicious, thank you.”
“My pleasure, dearie.”
“How long did it take you to make all of this?”
Laughter escaped him, and he shook his head. “Gods, no! I only made the eggs, bacon, and pancakes. The rest I got from around the world.”
Wait. “How?”
