Hunted (War of the Covens 1)

“Hi.” They waved in sync.

She knew she’d most likely met them last night but was grateful Magnus thought to reintroduce them.

Ella had laid out a beautiful dinner—filet of beef and all the trimmings. Caia smiled secretly, thinking Irini hadn’t inherited her mother’s culinary abilities. For the longest time, the two of them had enjoyed many a microwavable meal until Caia was old enough to start experimenting with cooking. From then on, she had prepared all their meals.

She tried to offer Ella help but was shooed into a seat between Magnus and Irini, and proceeded to watch the males pile incredible amounts of food onto their plates. She hadn’t touched her own plate yet, her eyes jumping from Lucien to Ryder to Aidan to Magnus as they wolfed their dinner down. Irini chuckled and then elbowed her. Stop staring and eat, her expression said.

Ella laughed. “Don’t mind them, honey. They’re just animals. You’ll get used to them.”

Ryder choked in amusement as he took a swig of water, and Aidan and Magnus grinned.

Lucien was oblivious. “What?”

This set them off again.

“We’ve frightened Caia with our nonexistent manners,” Aidan explained, smiling at her.

“No, no—” she tried to protest.

Lucien frowned. “We’re just eating.”

“Caia’s not used to eating at the watering hole.” Irini smiled flirtatiously at Aidan, who winked in response.

“You will get used to us, Cy,” Ryder assured her. “Eventually.”

She blushed, afraid she’d made them uncomfortable. But as their amusement lingered, she realized it would take a lot more than that to offend them. Finally, she turned to her own plate.

“This is delicious, Ella, thank you,” she praised between bites.

“Why, thanks, honey.” Ella preened, and then flicked her fork at the others. “This lot never say thanks.”

A rumble of muted thank-yous swam toward her as the men spoke with meat in their mouths.

“Ugh, guys,” Irini complained, “save the thanks and just chew.”

“I don’t remember you being so cheeky.” Aidan smiled appreciatively at her.

“I grew up.”

“I noticed.”

Magnus cleared his throat, his eyes darting to Lucien. The Alpha had stopped eating, his narrowed gaze fixed on his sister and Aidan.

“Sooo,” Ryder drawled, breaking Lucien’s scrutiny and saving his brother, “Caia, you like movies?”

Everyone but Caia and Irini grumbled at the subject choice.

“What?” Ryder huffed.

“When Ryder isn’t mutilating rogues with his bare hands, he’s strapped to an armchair in front of his Blu-ray player,” Lucien explained to Caia with exaggerated weariness.

Ryder shrugged. “I love movies.”

Caia decided she liked this amiable lykan. “I love movies, too,” she offered, grasping any opportunity to bond with another member of the pack, particularly one who was so highly regarded.

Ryder’s eyes lit up. “Yeah?”

She nodded, stupidly pleased with the warmth in his expression.

“Who’s your favorite director?”

She mused for a bit as she chewed on a piece of exquisite beef. “Truth?”

“Shoot me with it.”

“I can’t quite make my mind up between Tarantino and Tony Scott.”

The lykan let out a delighted laugh and clutched his chest dramatically. “Well, I think I might be in love.”

Caia’s cheeks grew hot. She’d never been a blusher before returning to the pack.

Now she bit the inside of her cheek, willing the redness to go away.

Her eyes caught Lucien’s and he scowled, turning toward Ryder. Something rattled in his chest, something an awful lot like a growl. What the hell?

Everyone, including Ryder, ignored him. “Have you seen Underworld?”

Shaking off Lucien’s weirdness, Caia chuckled. “Yes, I have. I swear it was written by one of us.”

“I think we could take those CGI lykans.”

She laughed again, and he leaned conspiratorially across the table toward her. “Who do you think would win in a fight? Lucien”—he indicated their Pack Leader with a tilt of his head—“or Lucian?” He referred to the “lycan” leader of the film franchise.

“What?” Lucien asked. She suspected he didn’t like being out of the loop on anything.

“Hmm.” Caia pretended to think. “Lucian is pretty tough … he can squeeze bullets out of his head. I don’t think even Lucien can do that.”

“Yeah, but silver hurts Lucian. Lucien would just laugh at a silver bullet.”

“That’s true.”

“What the hell are they talking about?” Lucien grumbled to the rest of the table.

Magnus smiled. “I don’t know, but it looks like Ry has found a fellow movie buff.”

“Ry and Cy.” Irini snorted like a teenager.

Aidan laughed with her and then quieted down at the dirty look Lucien threw them.

Ryder smiled at Caia and returned to his food. She, however, was confused. She’d been trying to bond with a member of the pack—wasn’t that what Lucien wanted?

Weird, moody, beast of a lykan.

He would have to learn to control his animal responses.

Lucien stared surreptitiously at everyone around the table. He was being overbearing, and he knew it. His only excuse was that Caia’s presence left him feeling unbalanced. He was glad she was getting along with the pack, that she’d taken a shine to Ryder.

Really. He was.