He shrugged. “My wolf is always hungry.”
I looked around at them. “So, you’re all wolves?” I asked.
For a moment, they all looked at each other with uncertainty. “I don’t mind,” I said quickly. “I know some humans…feel differently, but I don’t.”
“We are,” Jasper finally answered. “We’re from the Enski Mountain pack.”
“I’ve never been out that way,” I said, tearing off a piece of naan and dipping it into the thogayal the server had left. “I’ve heard it’s beautiful.”
“There’s some nice spots,” Leo jumped in. “And some amazing waterfalls. You have to hike, though,” he added with contempt.
Jasper scoffed. “There’s nothing wrong with hiking.”
“So you’re the hiker,” I noted.
He smiled. “I love it.”
“Well, I don’t,” Leo said. “It’s boring. You stare at a bunch of trees until you get to something pretty, have a snack, and turn around.”
I giggled. “Not to mention it’s always too hot,” I added.
“Exactly!”
Jasper huffed, but an amused smile touched his lips. I looked to Hawthorne, who’d stayed very quiet, watching with an amused expression. “What about you?” I asked him. “Do you hike?”
His eyes shifted to me, and once again the breath left my lungs. It was odd, he was so quiet, but he could make you feel so much with just a gaze.
“I go with Jasper so this one doesn’t complain,” Hawthorne said, gesturing to Leo, who sputtered in disbelief.
The waiter arrived with our appetizers, and we continued eating and chatting. I found out Leo was a home baker who made small batches for events, and Hawthorne was the leader of the pack.
I blinked when he said that. “What does that mean?”
Hawthorne looked a bit sheepish, but no one else stepped in to answer for him. “Every pack normally has a line of alphas,” He explained. “Mine has ran the Enski Mountain pack for about four generations, and it was passed to me about five years ago.”
“So you’re like a king?” I asked.
Jasper laughed. “He wishes.”
Hawthorne bumped him lightly. “Smartass,” he chided. There was such care in his voice it almost made me long for that.
“I do technically lead the pack,” Hawthorne clarified. “But I more keep things running smooth and manage communication with other packs.”
“Sounds like a king to me,” I joked. They all laughed. I was relieved it seemed to be going well, but I was still curious. “If it’s appropriate, can I ask, are you guys all…dating?”
Jasper fielded the question easily. “We are,” he confirmed. “We’ve been together since high school.”
I wanted to ask more questions. I had about a million swirling in my head, but I couldn’t bring myself to ask any of them. Why did they decide to date when they seemed very content? And how would I fit into their relationship that’s gone on for so long?
I forced myself to shut those feelings down. This was a first date. It wasn’t anything serious, so I didn’t need to worry about all of that right now.
The rest of the date went smoothly. They were all kind and fun to be around. It didn’t feel like I was fourth wheeling in any way. Any time they brought up someone I may not have known, they looped me into the conversation easily.
As the check came and I was full with curry, they insisted on paying.
“Would you like to come out with us?” Leo asked. “We were thinking of going to the bar down the street.”
I looked down at my phone. It was already ten thirty, and though I trusted Kristen, I didn’t want to leave her there all night. “I’m sorry,” I said. “I would love to, but I have an early morning tomorrow. But I would love to go out again.”
