49. Eva

Asharp rap on the door made me jump. I'd got used to it being just the four of us, and the thought of meeting someone new sent my anxiety levels through the roof. All three guys turned to look at me, registering my panic. Silas pulled me into his arms.

"You're safe, sugar. Tom is a friend."

I wanted to believe him, but everything here was so perfect that I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop. What if it was cops searching for me? What if Brent had tracked me down and sent his buddies to pick me up?

Rational me knew it was unlikely - the roads were still closed for one thing - but it didn't stop me from spiraling.

Silas's fingers brushed the back of my neck and he spoke in my head as Tanner reached the door. Nothing is going to happen, sugar. I promise.

His soft words calmed my racing heart. Cole stepped closer and grabbed my hand, rubbing his thumb across the palm. Being sandwiched between the two of them was comforting, and knowing Tanner was our first line of defense defused my panic entirely.

I took a deep breath, held it to a count of 10, and then exhaled slowly.

Good girl, Cole murmured in my head while rubbing my palm.

"Tom, what brings you here?" Tanner was saying when I tuned back in. I looked up to see an enormous mountain of a man with gray hair and a thick beard. He looked more like a bear than a man. Despite the biting cold, he was dressed only in jeans and a shirt, bare feet, with a small backpack slung over his shoulder.

"Been tasked with issuing y'all with an invite to the Full Moon Party." His gaze lingered on me for a moment, then his grizzled face lit up with a genuine smile. "Looks like you won't be looking for a mate anymore. I know a few ladies who'll be mighty upset about that."

Tanner shrugged dismissively. "They'll get over it. What's the real reason you're here? It's a long way to come when an email or text message would have sufficed."

Tom's eyes flicked back over me again, and Silas tensed. He walked me back into the kitchen while Cole sat down on the sofa with Tanner and Tom. Sprinkles of snow from Tom's backpack melted and dripped over the floor, leaving a small puddle.

"Coffee?"

"Please. It's bitching cold out today."

The guys carried on chatting while Silas messed with the coffee machine. I tried to listen, but once the machine started hissing, it drowned out their voices. I didn't miss Tanner's frown, though, or the way Cole kept glancing back at me.

"Is something wrong?" I asked Silas as he handed me a cookie.

"No, just pack stuff, I think."

"But I thought you weren't part of the pack?"

"We're not, but Rufus, the Alpha, likes to keep us in the loop. He calls on Tanner for some jobs his guys won't handle."

"What sort of jobs?"

"Messy ones."

I had a feeling he wasn't talking about shoveling shit, but Silas didn't elaborate.

When we walked back in with a tray of coffees and cookies, the mood had lightened.

"Have the boys told you about the Full Moon parties?" Tom asked as he sipped his coffee.

I shook my head.

"They're a social thing. Packs come together to shoot the shit, have a little fun, and for the single folk, look for a mate. We have a big party twice a year. Once in winter and again in the summer." He threw a crafty look at the guys and then grinned. "Most of the single females come to try their luck with these boys."

The thought of hordes of women throwing themselves at my guys made me want to vomit. The bite of cookie I'd just taken crumbled like ash in my mouth. I swallowed it with difficulty.

My imagination helpfully showed me images of sexy women making heart eyes and draping themselves over the guys while I watched. In my head, everyone laughed at me for believing I had a chance of keeping their attention. Some of the confidence I'd gained in the last week trickled away, leaving me with a deep sense of inadequacy.

Tanner snorted. "Then they'll be disappointed this year," he told Tom, clearly picking up on my distress.

Ignore Tom,Cole said in my head. He's just shit stirring.

Silas looked at me, concerned. I tried to smile back, but I had a strong suspicion it was more of a grimace.

"Don't worry, I'll be sure to pass the happy news on to Rufus and Cilla. I know Cilla will be delighted to hear you've found a mate at last. She was getting worried none of you would settle down and give her cubs."

A small kernel of happiness flared deep inside. Having kids was not something I'd allowed myself to dream about. My priority had been staying alive. Other than the dark days when even that was beyond me.

The conversation moved away from the party to more mundane topics, none of which I had a clue about, so I tuned it out and pictured what our children would look like.

Would they be dark, like the guys, or have my blond hair? I imagined a little boy with tousled dark hair and green eyes playing with a small girl who had my pale hair and Tanner's black eyes.

I caught Silas staring at me with a faint smile and realized I must have telegraphed my inner delight at the evocative picture painted by my vivid imagination.

Finally, after what felt like forever, Tom stood, murmuring about hunting together at some indeterminate point in the future, and then said his goodbyes. I wasn't sorry to see him go. While he'd been perfectly polite, I had a sneaking suspicion he was a gossipy old fart and news of my status would spread far and wide by the end of tomorrow.

Unfortunately, it didn't sound as if I could avoid this party. The guys had promised they would be there, and from the comment Tanner made about ensuring my safety, my attendance was compulsory.