“Teagan, you’re welcome to anything here. As far as I’m concerned, this all belongs to you as much as it does any of us,” Jasper said as he pulled three plates and cups down from the cupboard.
My stomach squirmed. “That’s generous and kind of you to say, but I can’t stay here, Jasper. I’m probably going to have to leave Grayhaven sometime today—at the latest, tomorrow.”
He watched me for a few seconds with those fathomless blue eyes, and then he stepped away from the counter. “What do you want to drink? We have beer, milk, and probably every brand of hard liquor on the planet.”
“I’ll stick to water. I’m not a morning drinker,” I said.
“It’s five-thirty PM if you want one of these,” Jasper said as he held out a beer.
“Five thirty? Fuck a fucking duck,” I muttered under my breath. Kane was probably one day closer to me, and I was still broke, injured, and at a loss on how to leave Grayhaven. “Yep, give me the beer.” I peered out the long windows at the sun approaching the forest. “I seriously thought the gray light meant it was early morning.”
Chad nudged my side with his cold nose and then pointed up at the steaks.
I pushed his nose away gently. “Chad here thinks I’ve never cooked venison before.”
“It’s not you. This is usually Chad’s domain, but I’ve ordered him to be a wolf for the next forty-eight hours, and he’s grappling with some boundary issues in the kitchen. I can kick him out of the house if you don’t want him hovering.”
“I don’t mind him here…” The wolf chuffed over at Jasper, but he was almost immediately leaning up to sniff my spices.
“I don’t mind so long as he stops pawing me,” I directed down at Chad as I flipped the steaks and seasoned the other side, to which Chad nibbled at my shirt, which probably meant to stop seasoning.
“You’re going to burn your chin,” I told him, but the wolf was still hovering right above the pan. I left the wolf to it. He might look like an oversized husky, but inside his head, he was a grown-ass man who could make his own mistakes.
“Do you want this IPA?” Jasper asked, still holding out the bottle.
“Sure…” I took the bottle from him and sipped it, wetting my suddenly dry throat. “So, I slept an entire day?”
“Meaning that you needed it.” Jasper cracked open the cap to his beer and took a swig of his dark brew, before setting it down on the counter. “Declan said he offered you a job,” he said.
“Yeah, Declan said you guys are looking for someone to cook and clean and garden for you…” I laughed and shook my head. “But this place is spotless, and you clearly already have a cook. I’m guessing that you either have gardening covered or that you don’t have one.”
“Chad does grow herbs and vegetables on the roof, but he’s even more territorial there than he is here.”
“Yeah.” I nodded as I pulled the steaks from the grill and set each on a plate. Turning off the burner, I set two plates on the kitchen island. “Where do you want me to put your steak, Chad?”
The wolf shook his head. Then he jumped up, and he was so massive that his paws hit my shoulders. He leaned up and gave my cheek a lick before jumping back down and walking out of the kitchen.
“Hey,” I said as the wolf climbed up the stairs. “Your steak?”
Jasper slid his plate onto the kitchen island. “He wants you to eat it.”
“These two steaks are probably a pound of meat each.”
“Three steaks.” Jasper cut a slice of steak off with his fork and knife and held it up toward my lips. The rich aroma of seared meat and spices filled my senses, and my stomach churned.
I leaned in and took the first bite off his fork, and the savory flavor burst across my taste buds.
“Why can’t you stay here?” Jasper asked as he cut off another chunk and held it up.
“Well…” I took his fork, “As of this moment, four supernaturals outside of this pack know who I am. It only takes one person knowing, and likely, the fae queen and those demons told others. Trust me, secrets like that don’t stay hidden for long.” I put the next slice in my mouth and closed my eyes, savoring the flavorful meat.
“Only supernaturals fleeing for their lives can find Grayhaven,” Jasper said. “Do you think Kane is going to be fleeing for his life any time soon?”
I examined the large man before me. “Kane will find a way through. I guarantee you that sooner or later, he’ll figure out a way.”
Jasper gave one decisive nod, and I was pretty sure that he was confirming my words. Kane would find a way around the enchantment.
“Lucas told me that you were the man to see if I wanted to know how to leave Grayhaven. You left before.”
“Lucas said that, did he?” Jasper snorted and took a swig of his beer. “I did leave, once, ten years ago. Can you guess why?”
“To challenge Kane?”
“No. I didn’t know that Kane had you, yet, but you’re close to the mark on the reason I left Grayhaven. It happened in the middle of the night, one night. You woke me, your fear and your pain, and just this sense of you. Feeling you for the first time, it was so…” Jasper looked off, remembering, “Visceral and strange. It was like waking up to a new kind of hunger or thirst, and not even knowing what I was yearning for. Your voice was in my head--”
“My voice? I was talking to you?” I asked.
