This set off a debate about the ethics of dating humans. She noticed they were very careful not to actually use the word human - it was always ‘them’. Jaeden and Sebastian were obviously dead set against the whole idea so she had the feeling that it was definitely ‘frowned upon’ by the pack. As they argued among themselves, Caia noticed Alexa wasn’t saying anything. Instead she was watching Caia with her dark eyes narrowed in dislike. Caia found herself flushing under scrutiny. If she didn’t know any better she would guess that this lykan was threatened by her. Funny, how she worried only about returning to pack life - it had never occurred to her that she was returning at a time when many of the females were in competition with one another to snag the male of their choice. She sighed and looked at little Finlay who sat across from her watching the goings on. She caught his eye and shrugged as if to say she was sorry for causing the argument. He merely blushed and looked away.
“Ignore Mal,” Jaeden finally spat, turning to Caia. “We’re allowed to be friends with one of them, but nothing more.”
Caia just nodded, while Malek chuckled at having so thoroughly annoyed the group.
His next question caused even more of an undercurrent, “So, Caia, you got your eye on anyone in the pack, yet?” He leaned back in his chair, puffing his muscular chest up and grinning at her, his eyes turning blacker than black with heat. She squirmed, completely uncomfortable with such blatant attention, but before she could say anything the table jumped and he let out a growl. Someone had kicked him hard and she had a feeling it was Sebastian.
Jaeden grinned. “Be warned.”
Caia hid her smile. Oh boy was she in for a ride with this lot.
At least, she thought somewhat happily, she had a two lykans who were on her side.
As she climbed into Jaeden’s Buick, Caia felt like she could breathe again. Her first day of school had gone as expected, except for the overwhelming sense of ‘pack’ that was being thrust upon her. It was strange but even when one of them hadn’t been in a class with her she had felt their energy throughout the school.
She threw a tired smile at Jaeden. “That was interesting.”
For once Jaeden didn’t laugh. “Cy, I’m sorry about Mal.”
“Don’t be. I mean, he’s harmless, right?”
“Oh yeah,” she agreed quickly. “But, well, it can’t be easy for you coming back to all this. You don’t need a jerk like Malek sniffing after to you. It’ll only cause you more grief.”
Caia smiled at her. “Thanks.”
“For what?”
Caia shrugged embarrassed. She had never had a friend so she wasn’t quite sure how you were supposed to talk to one. “I don’t know. For being cool I guess. You and Sebastian.”
“Cool? About what?”
“Um... I don’t know. You’ve just been really nice to me.”
“Oh.” She smiled, seeming to understand. “You mean because every other bitch at that table thinks you’re a threat?”
Caia snorted at her bluntness. “Yeah, maybe.”
“As long as you leave Ryder alone, we’ll be cool my friend.”
“Ryder?”
Jaeden turned to look at her quickly with a quizzical tilt to her brow. “You know, the big guy who was with Lucien last night. He’s Lucien’s best friend, and a Rogue Hunter.”
She honestly hadn’t noticed any big guy next to Lucien last night. She’d kind of been occupied with that big guy all by himself. “Nope. Sorry.”
Jaeden laughed. “Well, you’ll meet him soon enough. But things look good for us if you didn’t even notice him last night. He’s pretty hard to miss.”
Jaeden grumbled away about French class and projects and, for what had to be the hundredth time that day, made Caia feel like she had been her friend forever. So lost in Jaeden’s warm chatter, she was surprised to realize the car had come to a stop, not at the house, but in town.
“Why?” she asked, indicating their unfamiliar surroundings with a sweep of her hand. Jaeden nodded to the store they were pulled up outside of. It was called Luar Furniture. Moonlight Furniture. Caia snorted. “That’s subtle.”
Giggling, Jaeden reached into the back seat for Caia’s backpack. “Yup, well Lucien’s not exactly a subtle kind of Alpha.”
“This is Lucien’s place?”
“Yup. He asked me to drop you off after school.”
“Why?”