Chapter 25: 25. A single confusing dinner
AT THE SAME TIME
MICHAEL
Dinner should have been normal. You know, food, plates, maybe some awkward silence. Instead, it was a full blown circus. The dining hall was glowing with candles, the table long enough to seat a small army, and yet somehow it felt too small with everyone jammed in. Zavier took the seat next to me, obviously, dragging my chair closer to his like he was making sure there was no possible way I could escape. My wolf purred, happy little traitor.
Charlie sat directly across from me, still beaming like a sunbeam in human form. Rose flanked him on one side, regal as ever, while Selene sat opposite her, glaring like she was ready to throw the entire table out the nearest window. And then came the alphas. Adrian, Terrence, Xavier. They were all polished to perfection, literally. Golden hair tied, polished boots, shirts pressed, armor gleaming. And they were all trying very, very hard to impress Charlie. Adrian started first, of course. He leaned across the table with that too-bright smile of his, chin in his hand.
"So, Charlie." He said, smooth as honey. "What do you think of the pack so far? Comfortable? Safe?"
Charlie tilted his head, thinking, then nodded once, smiling sweetly.
"Yes! Everyone is so nice. Especially Michael."He said.
I nearly choked on my drink. Zavier smirked into his wine glass. Adrian blinked, visibly recalculating his strategy.
"Ah. Well. Good to know you’re... close."He said.
Before he could recover, Terrence jumped in, voice rough.
"You ever been hunting, kid?"Terrence asked.
Charlie gasped like he’d been offered the crown jewels.
"No! Will you take me?"Charlie asked.
Terrence’s storm grey eyes softened instantly, and for a horrifying moment, he looked like a puppy getting praised.
"Yeah. Yeah, I will."He said.
Xavier, of course, had to swoop in, his voice as calm and sharp as a knife.
"You’d probably prefer to learn strategy first. Hunting is meaningless if you don’t know how to avoid traps." He said.
Charlie giggled and actually patted Xavier’s hand.
"You sound just like Rose when she lectures me!"Charlie smirked.
Rose, sipping delicately from her goblet, hummed in agreement.
"And he still doesn’t listen."Rose grinned.
Charlie laughed harder, completely missing the way all three Alphas were practically vibrating with effort trying to one up each other. Meanwhile, I was shoving bread in my mouth just to stop myself from laughing. My wolf was purring so loud I swore the entire table could hear. Selene’s eye twitched.
"This is ridiculous." She muttered under her breath.
Rose leaned toward her, smirking.
"You’re just mad because he likes Michael more." She said.
Selene whipped her head toward her, scandalized.
"I am not-"She said.
But Rose just grinned wider, green eyes glinting like she’d just found a new favorite game. Across from me, Charlie leaned forward, chin on his hands, looking right at me like there weren’t three alphas currently fighting for his attention.
"Michael, you look different."He said.
I froze mid bite.
"..Different how?"I asked.
Charlie giggled.
"Shiny."He said.
Zavier’s hand slid onto my thigh under the table, squeezing once, possessive. I turned bright red. Charlie clapped his hands together.
"I like it! You look happy."He said.
My brain short circuited. Rose chuckled softly, clearly entertained, while Adrian looked like he’d swallowed a lemon whole.
"Happy?" Adrian repeated, voice a little too tight.
"Yes!" Charlie beamed, completely oblivious. "And Zavier looks happy too. It’s nice. You two look good together."
The table went silent. Terrence’s fork froze halfway to his mouth. Xavier’s jaw clenched. Selene visibly pinched the bridge of her nose. Zavier just smirked, leaned over, and pressed a kiss to my temple in front of everyone. My wolf purred louder. My face caught fire. Charlie squealed, bouncing in his seat.
"SEE?! SO CUTE!"He shouted.
Rose was actually laughing now, not even bothering to hide it, while Selene muttered what sounded suspiciously like a prayer for patience. Adrian drained his entire glass of wine in one go. Dessert was a nightmare. A nightmare wearing frosting and served on gold plates. The kitchen staff brought out honey cakes, berries, and cream, nice, safe things. I thought maybe we’d survive the rest of the meal without further humiliation. Then Charlie opened his mouth.
"So..." He said brightly, swinging his feet under the table. "How do mates usually... you know... do the thing?"
I choked on my drink. Zavier patted my back once, smirking, the traitor. Adrian actually coughed into his wine, eyes going wide. Terrence froze like someone had smacked him over the head with a brick. Xavier just stared, expressionless, but I could see the vein in his jaw twitching. Selene nearly dropped her fork.
"Charlie-"She started.
But Charlie just blinked innocently.
"What? Michael never learned! He was an orphan, remember? No one taught him anything about heats or claiming or-"Charlie begun asking.
"CHARLIE!" I snapped, face so hot it felt like it might combust.
Charlie gasped softly, golden eyes wide.
"Ohhh, you are shy. That’s adorable."He grinned.
I buried my face in my hands. I could actually feel Rose staring at me, her emerald eyes practically glowing with smug amusement. She sipped her wine, clearly not planning to save me. Zavier, of course, decided this was the perfect moment to open his mouth.
"Mates." He said casually, like he was explaining how bread worked, ’mark each other during heat. It’s instinct, primal, absolute. The bond is strongest then. That’s why-"He started.
He didn’t get to finish because I grabbed his sleeve under the table.
"Stop talking."I hissed.
He just looked down at me, silver eyes full of dark amusement, and leaned close enough that only I could hear.
"They should know." He murmured, lips brushing my ear, "That no one’s going to touch you now. Not after what we did."
My wolf purred so loudly my whole chest vibrated. Across the table, Adrian looked like he might shatter his goblet with how hard he was gripping it. Terrence growled low, the sound rumbling in his chest. Xavier’s glare could have cut through steel. Charlie, entirely unbothered, squealed.
"Oh my god, Michael, you let him mark you already?!"Charlie asked.
I wanted to evaporate. Cease to exist. Ascend directly into the moon and live there forever. Rose was laughing now, covering her mouth with her hand. Selene looked like she was two seconds from summoning holy fire just to smite us all. And Zavier? Zavier leaned back in his chair, looking smug as sin, one arm slung casually across the back of my chair like he owned it, and me. Charlie clasped his hands together, looking between the two of us.
"You guys are like, my favorite love story ever. I’m gonna tell the Goddess later, she’ll love it!"Charlie giggled.
"They did when Michael was in heat."Selene explained quickly.
"You’ll do no such thing!" I hissed.
"She already knows." Charlie said cheerfully. "She told me Zavier’s bite was very impressive. She said you purred."
I nearly died on the spot. The table erupted. Adrian slammed his fork down, Terrence muttered a curse so vile even Rose raised a brow, and Xavier stared at us pale.
"Unbelievable." He mumbled under his breath.
Charlie just giggled harder, clearly delighted with the chaos he’d just unleashed.
"See?" He said, pointing at the three of them. "They’re jealous. This is way more fun than I expected!"
Rose clinked her glass against Selene’s and smirked.
"I told you this would be entertaining."Rose said.
Selene groaned, rubbing her temple like she was trying to keep from throwing the entire table over. Meanwhile, I was busy wishing for the ground to open up and swallow me whole.