“It’s all great,” he said, spooning a huge spoonful of steaming mashed potatoes onto my tray. “You don’t want to miss out.”
“Oh my god,” I said as we walked toward a seating area that had been set up. “I’m gonna gain a hundred pounds.”
Smirking, he sat. “Don’t forget about dessert. Tabitha told Rainier she baked at least five different options.”
I chuckled. “Make thattwohundred pounds.”
The foodwasdelicious—hot, savory, and comforting. I’d not helped in the kitchens yet, but it appeared those folks didn’t needanyhelp. I surprised myself by cleaning my plate, and I even had room for a piece of vanilla cake with chocolate frosting and a sliver of steaming apple pie. The music stopped as themusicians ate, then started up again. The sun was already down, but the square shone in flickering orange light from the bonfires. Plenty of wood sat beside each and random people kept feeding the fires. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d had such a good time.
“Come with me,” Levi said after we’d finished dessert.
“What’s wrong?” He had such an intense look about him, I couldn’t help but worry.
“I need to do something.” He took my hand and led me between two cabins.
There wasn’t even time for me to ask what was going on before Levi grabbed my hips, pulling me close. His movements were hungrier, more urgent, than they had been when he’d pulled me close to dance.
His face was partly concealed by shadows, the other half faintly lit by the orange glow of the distant fires. I could see what he wanted, and I wanted it too.
Grabbing his shirt collar, I kissed him with a fervent desire I could barely contain. Something about the environment, the laughter, the happiness, plus the relief at the meeting being over made it easy, effortless, to kiss him.
Levi unleashed a happy growl that rumbled deep in his chest as he ran his hands over my back. The delicious feeling of his mouth on mine made my knees buckle, and I sagged against the cabin behind me to steady myself.
Hands roving down my body, Levi clutched my ass, squeezing and kneading as he deepened the kiss. Hot, urgent need flooded me, and if there weren’t so many people a few feet away, I’d have given in to my desire to have him take me right here against the wall. Finally, with what felt like a soul-breaking force of will, I pulled my lips from his, gasping for breath.
“What was that for?”
Levi brushed his lips over my cheek. “No reason. Just wanted to do it.”
“Well, I’m glad you did,” I said. “It was nice.”
Levi trailed his thumb along my jaw, and a static electric charge pulsed down my neck and across my breasts.
“Let’s get back to the party,” Levi said, taking my hand again.
“Okay,” I said, almost sighing the words. As I followed him back to the music and laughter, I wished desperately that this night would never end.
At around nine o’clock Rainier jogged over to us.
“It’s time,” Rainier said to Levi. “You ready?”
Levi nodded. “We’re doing a pack run. I’m the alpha so?—”
“You have to go,” I said and smiled at him. “It’s okay. I get it. Go on. I’ll be fine. I can watch the kiddos or maybe get some more of that food if there are any leftovers.”
He hesitated. “You sure?”
Laughing, I shoved him out of his seat. “Get going.”
“Okay, okay, I get it.” He cupped his hands around his mouth and bellowed, “Let’s run!”
The pack responded with happy shouts, whoops and whistles, which were drowned out by howls as several people went ahead and shifted. The power and exhilaration of the sight burned through me, even as a spectator. Back home, I always stayed inside whenever there was a pack run, not wanting to see what I was missing out on. Now that I was in the thick of it, my heart clenched with a deep desire to join in—something I’d assumed I would never feel. With no inner wolf, I always thought I had no deep-seated need to follow. Now? I did want that. A tiny voice at the back of my mind urged me to rush into the forest with them.
Levi’s massive, muscular wolf stood a full head taller than the next biggest wolf. He met my eyes, and some unspokensomethingpassed between us—a promise of return maybe?Then, in a flash, he turned his head to the sky and unleashed a deafening howl that made my heart skip a beat. First in line, he pelted off into the woods with his pack on his heels.
As I watched, I was once again left with that melancholy feeling of being an outsider. For the millionth time, I wished I could figure out how to do what they did.
22
