8. Claire

CHAPTER EIGHT

CLAIRE

I fidgeted with the hem of my sweater as we approached the weathered front of the Rusty Pine Tavern. Kai's hand at the small of my back was a comforting presence, grounding me as my nerves threatened to send me running back to the safety of Briar House.

"You okay?" Kai murmured, his breath warm against my ear.

I nodded, forcing a smile. "Just... a lot to take in."

Sure, it was easy to agree to meeting a man's pack while he had his head between my legs, but in the light of day—even the fading evening light of Mill Creek—the reality of the situation was hitting home.

I knew the bare minimum. Names, jobs, biggest personality quirks. Enough to navigate small talk, but not nearly enough to banish the flight of nerves. I was a stranger in a world I was just discovering existed.

They were important to Kai. That was all that mattered.

My wolf wrapped an arm around my waist and squeezed my hip reassuringly. "We don't have to stay long. It's just a monthly thing Rafe and Maddy started—forced fun, you know?"

The tavern door creaked as Kai pushed it open, a wave of warmth and the scent of stale beer washing over us. I blinked, letting my eyes adjust to the dim interior. A hush fell over the room as we entered, and I could feel curious gazes burning into my skin.

Kai's grip tightened slightly, steering me towards a cluster of familiar faces near the pool tables. Shifters, mostly, all of them my fellow townspeople and diner patrons. "Figured it'd be easier to introduce you here than at the pack house."

"Boy, you sure know how to cause trouble," a voice called out as the rest of the tavern resumed their chatter. I turned to see a ruggedly handsome man eyeing us with amusement. "Rafe won't like you bringing a human."

Kai snorted, gesturing to the slim blonde nearby. "You listened so well to that tripe with Brielle."

I recognized the name, but hadn't met her formally. She'd cleared out weeks before I decided to keep Briar House instead of selling, and I didn't know the etiquette for in-person, post-service, meetings.

"Ah, so you're the one who walked off with Grandpa's cufflink collection," I quipped, unable to resist.

Brielle's mouth fell open, her cheeks flushing. "I didn't... Something went missing? I assure you, I?—"

"Relax, relax," I laughed, waving off her stammering explanation. "I'm just kidding. I want to thank you for getting the place cleaned up and inventoried. Saved me a lot of work."

Relief flooded her features, and she offered me a tentative smile. But that was her only sign of discomfort as she answered a quiet word from her mate with a wide grin and cracked joke.

I felt a pang of kinship with her. Human, just like me, and she was entirely at ease with the shifters at her side and in her orbit. If she could find her footing among the beasts, then I only needed to conquer the mountain of new clique anxiety.

Kai's thumb stroked a soothing circle against my hip. I turned my face up to his, caught in the warm affection of his eyes. A gentle smile teased his lips. The ghost of a memory skated through my mind—impossible to pinpoint over the last week—of his mouth exploring my skin with reverence. Of my body arching beneath his touch.

"There you are!"

A warm voice cut through the memory, and I struggled to drag my thoughts back to the present. I turned to find the pair of home invaders weaving their way from the hall marked ‘Restrooms'. Shauna looked a great deal more refreshed than in my kitchen, her cheeks flushed with color and her hair hanging down her back in a braid.

"I'm so glad you came. I'm Shauna, and this is Phillip. Officially, nice to meet you!" she exclaimed, hands cradling her belly. "We wanted to apologize again for... well, breaking and entering."

I waved off her concerns. "Water under the bridge. How are you feeling?"

Shauna grimaced, her hand rubbing a slow circle. "Tired of being pregnant. This baby can't get out soon enough."

Phillip chuckled, pulling her close and kissing the top of her head. "Just another month, love. You've made it this far."

His hand joined hers over her swollen belly, and it was impossible not to see the tenderness and love there. Any lingering doubts I might have had about her relationship with Kai evaporated. She'd found her own happiness. Her own family. After what Kai told me had been their home and pack, she deserved the chance to start again.

Kai leaned in close, his lips brushing my ear. "I'm going to grab us some drinks. Want to come with?"

I nodded, grateful for the excuse to move through the crowd. As we made our way to the bar, I felt the weight of curious glances following us.

"So," I said, settling onto a barstool, "what's the go-to drink for a pack night out?"

Kai's eyes sparkled with amusement. "Depends. Are we talking about the drinks they serve, or the ones Orion tries to sneak in?"

I laughed, shaking my head. "Let me guess—he's the reason for the ‘No Outside Beverages' sign?"

"Got it in one," Kai chuckled, flagging down the bartender. "Two of the usual, please."

As we waited for our drinks, Kai slipped his arms around my waist, pulling me close. He nuzzled my neck, breathing deep. A shiver rippled through me, the softest of whimpers escaping my lips.

"I could get used to this," Kai murmured against my skin. "You, me, and our pack."

A sudden commotion from the pool tables drew my attention. Kai swore under his breath, turning to see what the problem was. The woman holding the cue ball was glaring daggers at Orion, who was refusing to take his turn in lieu of pleasuring his cue stick.

Despite their differences—in size, demeanor, even species—there was an undeniable warmth between the whole lot of them. They moved around each other with the ease of long familiarity, finishing each other's sentences and busting balls in turn.

It was... nice. Comfortable. Even with the unknowns hovering around me, my shoulders relaxed. A tight knot inside me began to loosen.

Maybe, just maybe, I'd found a new family.

The tavern door swung open with a gust of winter air, and the atmosphere shifted. I watched as pack members subtly straightened, conversations quieting. A tall, broad-shouldered man with intense blue eyes strode in, his gaze sweeping the room before landing on us.

Kai tensed beside me, his hand finding mine. "Here we go," he muttered.

Rafe reached us just as the bartender set down our drinks. He ignored me completely, focusing his stern gaze on Kai. "I said no more surprises," he said, his tone brooking no argument.

Kai's posture was pure defiance as he tucked me against his side. "There was no avoiding this one, alpha."

I felt a thrill at the way he stood up for me. Silly, probably. Idiotic, sure. But he picked me. Over taboos and orders against humans, Kai chose me. Human, clueless, still adjusting, me.

I slid my hand into the back pocket of his jeans and felt a smirk tug at my lips.

He squeezed my ass, flashing me a mischievous grin before facing Rafe.

Rafe turned his stare on me, assessing. I stared back, doing my best not to squirm under the weight of it.

For a moment, I thought he might press the issue. But then he sighed, some of the tension leaving his shoulders. "We'll discuss this later," he muttered, before turning to me with a forced smile. "Welcome to the madhouse. Try not to let this lot scare you off."

Rafe cast one last meaningful look at Kai before moving to join the others near the pool tables.

"How's Maddy?" I heard Brielle ask.

"About ready to gnaw her own leg off," Rafe said wryly. "Or mine. Tara is sitting with her while I make my appearances."

Kai lifted a glass from the countertop behind me, taking a healthy sip before handing me mine. I followed suit, enjoying the burn of alcohol down my throat. He kept an arm around me, holding me tight, as we joined the others.

Despite the tension with Rafe, the night progressed more smoothly than I'd anticipated. The initial awkwardness melted away as I found myself pulled into various conversations and activities.

Orion, true to Kai's words, was a force of nature. He challenged me to a game of darts, his boisterous laughter filling the air as I managed to hit everything but the board.

"Not bad for a human," he teased, earning a playful swat from Brielle.

"Don't mind him," she said, handing me another dart. "He thinks he's charming."

I grinned, taking aim again. This time, the dart stuck firmly in the outer ring. "I'll take ‘not bad for a human' as a compliment."

As the night wore on, I found myself chatting with different pack members. Phillip used me as practice for his terrible dad jokes, each one worthy of a groan and an eye roll. Even Elise, who'd been eyeing me warily all night, seemed to thaw slightly, her curt nods becoming less hostile as the evening progressed.

Kai stayed a constant presence at my side, his hand often finding mine or resting on the small of my back. His eyes shone with pride every time I successfully navigated a pack interaction.

Suddenly, a sharp gasp cut through the ambient noise of the lively group. All heads turned to see Shauna, her face contorted in discomfort, one hand clutching her swollen belly.

"Shauna?" Phillip was at her side in an instant, worry etched across his features. "What's wrong?"

She took a deep breath, her eyes wide. "I think... I think it might be time."

The pack erupted into a flurry of activity. I watched, frozen in place, as Phillip helped Shauna to her feet. Her face was pale, a sheen of sweat glistening on her forehead.

"Hospital bag," she gasped, her eyes wide with panic. "I didn't put it back in the car after washing everything."

Kai stepped forward. "We can get it. My car's just outside."

Shauna looked at us gratefully, relief clear in her eyes. "Would you? That would be amazing."

"Of course," I said, nodding. I hurried towards the door, Kai hot on my heels.

We rushed out into the frosty night air, the wind biting at my cheeks. As we climbed into Kai's SUV, I couldn't shake the surreal feeling that had settled over me. Just minutes ago, we'd been laughing and playing darts. Now, we were racing against time.

The drive to the pack house was quiet, the darkness pressing in around us. I glanced at Kai, his profile illuminated by the dashboard lights.

"Do you want children?" The question slipped out before I could stop it.

"Pups," he corrected with a twitch of his lips. "And... I never really saw myself as a parent. Bad influence uncle, sure." He chuckled, a full grin spreading across his face. "Rafe is going to banish me for all the trouble I teach that pup."

I reached over, slipping my hand into his. His fingers laced with mine, squeezing tight. "They'll need a tempering aunt. You know, to teach them deviousness and subterfuge."

"I knew you were a kindred spirit," he purred, stroking the pad of his thumb over the back of my hand.

His eyes darted to the rearview mirror, and he stiffened.

"Kai?" I asked, concern coloring my tone.

Suddenly, a figure stepped out in front of our car, materializing from the darkness.

"Kai, look out!" I screamed.

Kai slammed on the brakes, the tires screeching against the asphalt. The car swerved, and my stomach lurched as we careened off the road.

The world spun, a sickening crunch of metal and the sharp scent of pine filling my senses. When everything finally stilled, my head was throbbing. I blinked, trying to clear my vision.

"Kai?" I croaked, turning to look at him. My blood ran cold. He slumped against the door, a trickle of blood running down his temple. "Kai!"

Movement crunched in the darkness. I squinted into the night. Fireflies, I thought. Prayed.

Only fireflies didn't blink.

Someone yanked open my door with inhuman strength. A figure leaned in, their face hidden in shadow. I pressed myself back against the seat, trying to get as far away as possible.

The figure sniffed the air, then muttered, "It's not her."

Another voice, from Kai's side of the car, responded, "But this one will lure them right to us."