TWENTY-SIX
The next fewweeks passed by quickly. I started wedding-planning with Sab, who was spending a lot of time texting and calling Dax about the get-togethers they’d started arranging, but they were both still single.
Ev was added to a pack of kids who were born around the same time he was, and no one seemed concerned that it had seven kids instead of six, just like Elliot had expected.
We planned a get-to-know-you dinner with the parents of the other kids in Ev’s pack, leaving Evan with Ebony and Ford for the night, who were apparently considering having a kid of their own now that Ebony was done with school and working as a nurse at the hospital in town.
The dinner was taking place at the restaurant Sab waitressed at, which was also the one Zed ran. The meal was slightly awkward, since the other parents hadn’t spent much time together, but the conversation continued while we ate.
Near the end of the dinner, I noticed Dax sitting at the edge of a booth full of other male werewolves, and realized they were probably all single, too. Sab was working that night—covering for a coworker—so I kept looking around for her.
Dax eventually got up, headed for the kitchen. He’d probably been there a dozen times before, and considering he knew both Sab and Zed, didn’t seem concerned about walking right in.
As he reached the doors, they flew open, an excited-looking Sab stepping right out—and crashing into Dax.
He caught her easily, and their eyes met. She was grinning, saying something, and then stopped.
Her lips parted slowly, her eyes going wide as if she was in shock, and I heard a massive crack echo through the restaurant.
Were they mates?
How?
They were friends; they’d hung out a few times while trying to set each other up with other people and werewolves. Their eyes had definitely met before.
Why had his wolf waited so long to choose her?
My gaze jerked to Elliot’s, and I found him looking just as surprised as I was.
There wasn’t time to worry about how this was happening. Wolves were possessive, and Dax had brought a bunch of single guys in to meet Sab. “She’s supposed to meet all those guys over there—if Dax’s wolf…”
“Stay here.” Elliot was out of his seat, jogging across the restaurant in a heartbeat.
I followed him, hearing surprised murmurs go through the space as Dax’s wolf landed on all fours, turning toward the restaurant and snarling at the crowd.
Shit.
“Everyone out,” Elliot yelled. His voice was calm, but I saw how cautiously he watched Dax’s wolf.
No one moved immediately, and Dax’s wolf snarled again, louder.
Crap.
A few other men growled back, and I heard a few more snaps.
More men, shifting.
Planning to defend their mates or families, probably.
“This is going to be a blood bath,” I whispered to Elliot.
He swore under his breath, his arm snaking out around my back and tugging me up against him. “Stay close.”
I would definitely be staying close. Though, I was probably the safest person in the building considering I was both female and Sab’s best friend.
“What do I do?” Sab squeaked at us.
“Stick to the wolf’s tail,” Elliot said, still calm and steady as he raised his voice to the rest of the restaurant. “No one move. We’re getting them out.” He instructed to Sab, “Nudge him slowly toward the door. Liz and I can’t follow you, or he’ll think we’re a threat. No sudden movements; talk calmly, and don’t get stressed.”