tightened her arms around me. "Will this make Portia jealous?"
"No," she said. "Wolves don't cheat. It wouldn't even occur to her she should worry. And we're very open with touches and hugs. It is part of being pack."
"I like it," I said. "I was never a toucher, but I like it."
"Good." We stepped apart, and she smiled. "It is a little difficult. I am not jealous in the way you worry, but I am jealous of your happiness. I am not sure similar happiness waits for me."
"I'm sorry, Elisabeth."
"You gave your entire self, and it is my own fault."
"I am sorry anyway," I said. "Will this hurt?"
"No. As Portia said, she is mine, and as you are her mate, you are also mine. But I believe Michaela's claim on you is even stronger. You have made her very happy."
I smiled up at her.
"Now, your mate waits for you, and Francesca is waiting to announce breakfast." She turned me around. Portia was standing with Lara and Michaela, pretending not to be watching me. Elisabeth leaned down to speak into my ear. "Go to her and use your body to ask for a kiss."
I began walking, and somehow, the pathway between us cleared. She waited until I was half way before she watched me openly. And so I walked straight into her arms, closed my eyes, and lifted my chin.
She enveloped me in her arms and tipped me back further before her lips descended.
It was a long, thorough, amazing kiss, and I clutched at her. I forgot where we were. I forgot everyone was watching. I accepted her kiss and her passion, and I reflected it as much as I was able.
And I know I moaned.
The kiss ended, and she pulled me tightly against her. I laid my head against her shoulder and wrapped my arms around her.
And then the assembled wolves applauded.
When that died down, Francesca's voice rang out. "Breakfast is ready."
Michaela and Lara pulled Portia and me to the table. I found myself between Portia to my left and Michaela on my right. The other adult wolves took places, although there wasn't room for everyone. Then a bunch of the students brought platters of food into the room and set them onto the table.
"We have more in the kitchen, so you may eat in shifts or find a place to sit," Francesca said. "Zoe, everything is vegan unless it is clearly not vegan."
"Really?" I asked. "Pancake mix has milk it in."
"I did not make these pancakes from a mix. Everything is from scratch. You may safely eat."
I actually teared up a little at that. She had gone through a great deal of work to do that. Under the table, Michaela clasped my hand and whispered into my ear, "Pack."
"Wolves," said Francesca, "I will want to know what you think of the various dishes. Zoe is pack. She is part of us now. And pack shares. You all know what this means."
"They're going to eat vegan food?"
"It's pancakes," Portia said. "Everyone loves pancakes."
Of course, the entire meal wasn't vegan. They were carnivores, after all. There was bacon, eggs, and breakfast sausages, and around me, the wolves dug in. But they ate the pancakes and banana bread, although the bowl of fruit made its way between Michaela and me and stayed there.
"Scarlett's parents aren't here?"
"They have a quaint tradition," Michaela said. "They attend church."
I laughed. "That is hardly quaint."
"It is for wolves. We can be very spiritual, but religion is unusual. I don't think Tara believes, but Nick does, and she goes with him. They are mated, after all, and it makes him happy, so of course she goes."
It was a lovely meal. I ate more than I wanted, in part because Francesca had gone to so much work for me. I was deeply touched, and when she finally sat down, I told her that.
She cocked her head. "Zoe, you are pack. I adjusted a few recipes. I was going to cook anyway, and I had a great deal of help. But now I wish to know, wolves. What did you think?" She lifted her voice. "All the wolves. I want to know what you think of the food."
Several of the teenagers got up from their seats on the floor, and the adults let them
"No," she said. "Wolves don't cheat. It wouldn't even occur to her she should worry. And we're very open with touches and hugs. It is part of being pack."
"I like it," I said. "I was never a toucher, but I like it."
"Good." We stepped apart, and she smiled. "It is a little difficult. I am not jealous in the way you worry, but I am jealous of your happiness. I am not sure similar happiness waits for me."
"I'm sorry, Elisabeth."
"You gave your entire self, and it is my own fault."
"I am sorry anyway," I said. "Will this hurt?"
"No. As Portia said, she is mine, and as you are her mate, you are also mine. But I believe Michaela's claim on you is even stronger. You have made her very happy."
I smiled up at her.
"Now, your mate waits for you, and Francesca is waiting to announce breakfast." She turned me around. Portia was standing with Lara and Michaela, pretending not to be watching me. Elisabeth leaned down to speak into my ear. "Go to her and use your body to ask for a kiss."
I began walking, and somehow, the pathway between us cleared. She waited until I was half way before she watched me openly. And so I walked straight into her arms, closed my eyes, and lifted my chin.
She enveloped me in her arms and tipped me back further before her lips descended.
It was a long, thorough, amazing kiss, and I clutched at her. I forgot where we were. I forgot everyone was watching. I accepted her kiss and her passion, and I reflected it as much as I was able.
And I know I moaned.
The kiss ended, and she pulled me tightly against her. I laid my head against her shoulder and wrapped my arms around her.
And then the assembled wolves applauded.
When that died down, Francesca's voice rang out. "Breakfast is ready."
Michaela and Lara pulled Portia and me to the table. I found myself between Portia to my left and Michaela on my right. The other adult wolves took places, although there wasn't room for everyone. Then a bunch of the students brought platters of food into the room and set them onto the table.
"We have more in the kitchen, so you may eat in shifts or find a place to sit," Francesca said. "Zoe, everything is vegan unless it is clearly not vegan."
"Really?" I asked. "Pancake mix has milk it in."
"I did not make these pancakes from a mix. Everything is from scratch. You may safely eat."
I actually teared up a little at that. She had gone through a great deal of work to do that. Under the table, Michaela clasped my hand and whispered into my ear, "Pack."
"Wolves," said Francesca, "I will want to know what you think of the various dishes. Zoe is pack. She is part of us now. And pack shares. You all know what this means."
"They're going to eat vegan food?"
"It's pancakes," Portia said. "Everyone loves pancakes."
Of course, the entire meal wasn't vegan. They were carnivores, after all. There was bacon, eggs, and breakfast sausages, and around me, the wolves dug in. But they ate the pancakes and banana bread, although the bowl of fruit made its way between Michaela and me and stayed there.
"Scarlett's parents aren't here?"
"They have a quaint tradition," Michaela said. "They attend church."
I laughed. "That is hardly quaint."
"It is for wolves. We can be very spiritual, but religion is unusual. I don't think Tara believes, but Nick does, and she goes with him. They are mated, after all, and it makes him happy, so of course she goes."
It was a lovely meal. I ate more than I wanted, in part because Francesca had gone to so much work for me. I was deeply touched, and when she finally sat down, I told her that.
She cocked her head. "Zoe, you are pack. I adjusted a few recipes. I was going to cook anyway, and I had a great deal of help. But now I wish to know, wolves. What did you think?" She lifted her voice. "All the wolves. I want to know what you think of the food."
Several of the teenagers got up from their seats on the floor, and the adults let them
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