Chapter 26: Chapter 27

Chapter 0027 +25 BONUS Noah watched as the servants transformed his dining room into an elegant hall for the family banquet. With the most elite werewolves of the Pack and their families coming to this intimate gathering, he wanted to ensure that everything was perfect.

Besides, anything that kept him away from Hannah at the moment seemed like a blessing.

Ever since he had seen Hannah at that party, dancing with that man, Noah had been constantly irritated with her.

Technically, she hadn’t done anything that he didn’t agree to. She had warned him that she planned on dancing with other men, and he had begrudgingly agreed to it. But still, it bothered him.

He had been finding fault with everything she did and being overly critical overall. He had even snapped at her that morning just for wearing a dress that he thought was the wrong color for this event.

Noah had told himself that it was just because she was his Luna and he was not used to seeing her with other–admittedly handsome–young men like that. Yet something deep inside him told him that there was something more, something that he did not want to admit. Something that he did not even want to think about.

“You there!” he yelled to a servant hanging up a blue banner. “We agreed on red and gold, not blue and gold!”

I stood by Zoe’s side as she prepared the dinner for the family banquet. Adam sat in the middle of the kitchen, playing with his Transformer toy while the adults worked and talked.

“Could you chop up the garlic for me?” Zoe asked as she stirred an enormous pot simmering on a burner, “Of course.”

I cut into my first clove of garlic, my nose wrinkling as the smell wafted up into my face. I had never liked the smell of garlic in the first place, and I liked it even less now that I was struggling with an eating disorder. Nevertheless, I persisted.

“You know, I was surprised when you and Noah invited me to this banquet,” Zoe said as she added some sort of spice to the pot.

I supposed that I should pay closer attention to what she was doing if I wanted to learn how to cook.

“Oh?”

“Yes, especially after...well...”

I knew what she was talking about. I wasn’t sure how much of the argument she had overheard between Noah and I at the charity ball, but I was sure that it was enough. I waved my hand dismissively before I returned to chopping the garlic.

“Bygones,” I said. “Really, I appreciate the help with the cooking. I don’t spend much time in the kitchen.”

Zoe smiled slightly.

“It’s no trouble at all. I love it.”

She paused.

+25 BONUS Chapter 0027 “I’m grateful for the company, honestly,” she continued, “It seems that Drake Nightcrest Pack soon.”

Zoe said that with such disdain that I hesitated.

“He is, is he?” I asked.

Zoe nodded, a scowl spreading across her delicate features.

is planning to visit the “It worries me.” She glanced over at my small pile of garlic on the cutting board. “Go ahead and pour that into the stew.”

I followed her instructions, my hands trembling a little as I tried to ensure that nothing fell onto the floor or into the burner. Zoe smiled approvingly as I backed away, and she began to stir the stew. She took a sip and exhaled contentedly.

“Delicious.” She held a small spoonful out to me. “Want a taste?”

My stomach knotted. I shook my head.

“No, thank you.”

Zoe shrugged, though she looked disappointed.

“You know,” she said as she moved to the opposite end of the kitchen, “one of the best things about cooking is that you get to sample your creations while you’re working.

My stomach tended to disagree with that.

“I’ll have to take your word for that.”

Zoe frowned at me as she took a pie tin out of a cupboard.

“Would you mind getting out the mason jars of peach slices that I brought for the peach pies? There should be three in my tote bag on the counter.” 2