“Um, some of them have compromised eyesight and bright light hurts them,” I stumbled through a half-assed explanation but Leah seemed to buy it.
“They’re pretty,” she offered and I nodded gratefully.
“Yeah, they are.”
“I wanted to tell you,” Leah paused, glancing around, and I wondered frantically if someone had said or done something that tipped her off. “I appreciate you inviting me. I know the Pack is super private and they don’t like outsiders, except for you, obviously, but I really appreciate you including me. Like we’re friends,” she finished in a rush, her voice low as she hunched her shoulders.
“We are friends, Leah.” I hugged her awkwardly, quickly releasing her as she tensed. “I’m glad you came. I know it can be overwhelming.” I gestured to the members of the Pack, the party almost exclusively comprised of shifters and those in the know. Even my Dad was one of them, I acknowledged.
Glancing around, it was easy to see there was something different about them. It was how they moved and the way they looked, I added reluctantly, as I saw a few eyes reflect in the darkness, a trait not possessed by normal humans.
I gripped Leah’s arm, suddenly concerned that I’d invited her here with them. “Don’t mention anything you see tonight,” I begged, not sure if I was more concerned for Leah or the Pack. “Just don’t.”
She gave me a startled glance, but nodded. “I won’t,” she promised, easing my mind slightly as I met her clear gaze.
“Okay,” I answered, my grip relaxing as I pulled her into the party. “Let’s see if any of the food is ready.”
We headed to the tables laden with food and grabbed plates as we inspected what was offered. Someone bumped into me from behind and I tensed as I saw it was Caleb. His nostrils flared as his eyes grew bright and I stilled instinctively.
“Hey, Caleb,” Leah said brightly, smiling, but it slowly faded as he ignored her. “Okaaay,” she drawled, turning back to the table. “Be that way.”
“You need to step back, Caleb,” I warned him. “Remember what I said.” He twitched, his fingers curling as we stood there in a wary standoff.
“I believe it involved popcorn while I tore you from limb to limb,” Dominic said conversationally as he came up behind Caleb.
Caleb jolted and my eyes closed in relief. Dom smiled tightly and I offered him a weak smile in return. “Let’s take a walk, shall we?” Dom’s voice brooked no argument and Caleb nodded, his head hanging as Dom escorted him away, a firm hand on his shoulder.
“That was weird,” Leah mentioned, looking up from the table. “That’s one of those things I’m not supposed to talk about, isn’t it?”
“Yeah,” I replied, my expression hard. “That’s exactly what I don’t want you to mention.”
“You should try that,” Leah suggested, completely changing topic as she pointed to a little sausage wrapped with something. “It’s amazing.” I stabbed a couple with a fork, putting them on my plate as I wondered if anything else was going to happen tonight.
“Is something wrong?” Leah whispered, watching me carefully and I forced myself to smile.
“No,” I told her, fighting my urge to search out Dom. I hoped he didn’t take his frustration on Caleb, even though a small part of me hoped he did knock some sense into Caleb. “It’s been a weird day,” I offered as an excuse to Leah and she glanced around.
“Weirder than normal?” She asked with a grin and my mouth twisted. “Cause I have to say this is weird for me.” She bumped my shoulder. “Hanging out with you and the Pack on a Friday night? Never in a million years would have seen that coming.” I smiled involuntarily at her reference to the fact that I’d turned down pretty much every invite she’d ever issued and yet here we were at my invitation.
“Are you having fun?”
“Hell yeah,” Leah answered, beaming. “I might not be able to tell anyone, but this is awesome.” Her enthusiasm made me laugh and some of my worry eased.
We joined a table with a few other women and I caught Monster stuffing his pockets with cookies from one of the tables. I shot him a warning glare and he backed away from the table of goodies. I scanned the area for Anna, figuring Leah would appreciate a familiar face, but didn’t see her anywhere.
“Hey, Leah,” I waited until she glanced at me before continuing. “Will you be okay for a few minutes? I want to find Anna.”
“Sure,” Leah declared, smiling broadly, not put off at all by the fact that she was surrounded by people who regularly isolated themselves from those who weren’t Pack. “Go on,” she continued, making a shooing motion. “Don’t hurry on my account.”
I eyed her for a second before slipping from my seat, the need to find Anna overwhelming. I wandered through the guests, polite nods greeting me as the men gave me a wide berth. My usual amusement at the sight was absent as I searched the faces for Anna. After a half hour, I gave up, knowing she wasn’t lost in the crowd.