I panicked. My hands started to feel shaky and sweaty. This happened quite a bit when around Easton. It had a lot to do with me being so awkward around him because that was how mostly everyone was since we didn't know if the Were's short fuse would be set off any moment. And then with the conversation I had with Easton earlier was coming back to me—how he was a little too close for comfort, his fingers touching my hair and how his eyes changed to his wolf's when commenting about my eye color. My face felt hot all over again. Shit... I was done for!

"How close is he?" I whispered, switching gazes between the pair. "Do I have a chance to run?"

Dennison deadpanned, "Nope." before nodding, "Easton."

I stiffened, raising my shoulders towards my ears. His presence was hard to miss. I would get this overwhelming warmth on one side of me but I refused to look his way. It didn't help that he accidentally(?) brushed against the side of my arm when he greeted both Dennison and my cousin. Then i heard, "How's it going, Red?"

Gulping, I stared wide-eyed at my cousin who shrugged silently. Thanks, Thea. So helpful.

I bit my lip, glancing Easton's way before actually turning to him narrowing his eyes at me. He was taller than me so we weren't exactly eye-level, but his gazes were still intense. Easton's brow rose, waiting for my response and I was just standing there gaping like that googly-eyed little shit.

Easton's arms lifted to cross in front of his chest and I glanced down a second to see that the flannel tightened around the bicep area making him look a lot more bulkier than I remembered. He wasn't as robust as Dennison—because I mean, it's fucking Dennison—but still... When the hell did Easton start to look like this?

It was almost a whole minute before I realized that I hadn't said anything back. I cleared my throat, frowning as I shrugged that I was alright, glancing at the couple beside us. It was my silent plea for help. And Thea sucked at it.

"Thanks so much for getting the food for Maddox's fish, Easton! It was awfully nice of you to take the time to do that when you didn't have to."

Goddammit, Thea.

Easton's brows furrowed as he stared at her. He blinked a few times, jaw tightening before glancing my way as he directed to her, "No problem."

I raised a brow, silently wondering why he looked at me when he said that.

Dennison (who was much more helpful) changed the subject. "Who exactly is my older brother trying to entertain over there?" he nodded in the direction Easton came from.

The blond, with his arms still crossed, looked over his shoulder and then back to us. I peered over to where Jonah was waving his hands wildly as the others were laughing—minus Valentine and Violet whom both lacked the facial muscles.

"Just some new pack members Alpha Brown invited to join when they moved here a few weeks ago. Your brother seems to think that he's... funny. Fucking God knows where he got that idea!" Easton huffed through a grin. "Though we'll see how funny he'll be once Con gets a hold of him."

My cousin frowned at Easton while her husband's eyes widened a fraction. When Thea asked why her son would be getting a hold of her brother-in-law at all, the Were beside me shrugged that he had spotted Connor behind one of the buffet tables with a small bucket of water and filling it with bits of now mushy food.

Immediately, Thea's brown fiery gaze locked on Dennison whose brows furrowed as he growled at the smug blond across from him.

"What is he talking about, Auric?" she demanded, hands on her hips.

"Nothing," Dennison growled in reply.

"Doesn't seem like 'nothing'! What are you two up to?!"

Dennison scowled, grumbling back that he wasn't up to anything, but that whether his brother was randomly sabotaged was not because he gave their son permission to do so.

My cousin's eyes widened, dropping her hands to her sides. "Auric!"

"What? You act like this is something new— Don't look at me like that, Thea. You know that my brother has made being annoying an art. Therefore, he must suffer the consequences."

Thea grumbled, shaking her head as she was already storming off and shouting as she weaved through the crowd, "Conall Ryan Dennison! You step away from that bucket immediately! I don't care that your uncle started it! You will behave yourself, young man! Ohhhh, yes! I'm very aware your father is responsible and he's in for it, too!"

My eyes widened when Dennison rolled his eyes upward, sighing, "I'll be back. I have to go..." he glanced in the direction Thea disappeared. "Save Connor." Aaaaaaand then I was alone. With Easton. Again.

"Well, don't you look awkward," Easton noted.

I shifted my gaze to his, those blue eyes of his as icy as his personality. His gaze lingered, narrowing slightly as he asked, "Something bothering you, Red?"

Pursing my mouth to the side, and stuffing my hands into the pockets of my sweater, I shrugged a shoulder. I don't understand how he likes having these strange conversations with me. I don't really say much unless prompted, and knowing that I'm awkward as hell, he still engages to get words out of me. He must be really bored.

Realizing that Easton wasn't leaving any time soon, I cleared my throat and faced him better. Crossing my arms, I asked, "Why'd you tell me that Dennison made you to buy the fish food?" Well, damn. That was subtle.

Easton looked surprise, brows rising a moment. Tilting my head, I prodded, "So...? Why'd you lie?"

Now Easton looked uncomfortable. For, like, a second. He scoffed, rolling his eyes, "Fine, whatever. So I said I'd go get it. It's not that fucking big of a deal. I had nothing to do today other than come to this fucking gathering we have every year. So sue me if I wanted to get out a little."

My eyes narrowed at him, lowering my chin as I eyed him warily. I had been trained all my life to read people. To know when they are lying. And Easton... as difficult as he is to read most of the time... was lying. But I didn't push. I was kind of... unsure if I really wanted to know the why. That would only make me think of the conversation I had with my dad earlier and I didn't want to go down that damn road.

Easton raised a brow, his eyes—I noticed, which made me frown and look down at myself then back up to him—grazed down my person slowly before looking up at me again. I blinked, asking what he was staring at, and the blond's eyes narrowed again. Not in a mean way, but more curious.

"So, listen... I've been doing some thinking, Red, and..." Easton bit his lip, staring at the space between us before meeting my gaze. "Well, I just wanted to say that I know you don't—"

"Eaaaasy Peaaaasy!"

I caught the way Easton scowled, scrunching his nose as he growled and the ice blue color of his eyes disappeared behind a shimmering gold.

My brows rose up at this sudden change in him as his growl only got louder when turning to his left. His jaw clenched, eyes narrowing further, and that's when I turned towards a guy approaching us who was about my height, and grinning with his arms up in the air; readying himself for a hug. I doubted if Easton was going to comply with the silent gesture considering that his chin lowered and his crossed arms tightened further.

Once the guy stopped in front of us, I could see that he was definitely my height. He wasn't of a bulky build like I was used to with the other Weres that I knew, but instead had a more lean figure. I'm going to assume that it was in Werewolf DNA to have some sort of muscular build regardless of the body type. Because that's all I happened to fucking see with these guys.

The guy grinned at Easton who was less than enthusiastic. He said nothing while the guy turned to me. His green eyes looking my face over, widening a little before doing as Easton had done earlier and looked me over. I frowned again, glancing at my person to the guy while wondering what the hell they kept looking at.

"Whoa," the new guy grinned, raising a brow as he stared at me. "Easy Peasy. Who's the gorgeous red-head here? Another conquest?"

I blinked, craning my neck forward as I frowned. "Con—what?"

The corner of the guy's mouth curled up into a grin, holding out his hand to me when Easton remained silent—other than growling again. "The name's Thornton Roman."

I glanced down at his hand before slowly placing my hand to his for a short shake, while he added that he lived in Sage Circle but had once been living in the pack grounds in the forest. "And Easy Peasy and I go way back, don't we?" He says that last part to Easton who growls through a sneer.

With a slow nod, I peered at Easton before focusing on Thornton to introduce myself. "Nice to meet you. I'm Kale. I'm the cousin to your former alpha's wife."

Not a lot of people could tell that I was related to Thea. Where she took on looking like her mother, I took on looking more like mine; hair color and features included. Dad passed on his height and eye color. That's about it. So when it gets mentioned my relation to Thea, I get the typical eyebrow-raised look. Thornton was no different.

Thornton's neck craned back, that expected look of surprise taking over. His green eyes scanned me over before chuckling that I didn't look anything like my cousin. I grinned a bit, nodding that I got that a lot. Shrugging my shoulders, I offered my only proof of relation being Thea's mother and my father who were siblings. Twins, in fact.

"No shit?!" Thornton looked impressed, grinning wider than before then crossed his arms as he tilted his head, asking if my father was just as handsome as I was. That once over was happening again and I frowned a bit, clearing my throat. Beside us, Easton stiffened, curling his hands at his sides.

"Damn... I guess I know why Easy Peasy has been keeping you a secret all this time." Thornton glanced at the blond giving him a clenched jaw glare.

Leaning forward, I raised my brows. "Sorry... Secret?" I glanced at Easton and Thornton did the same, that grin on his face despite my hearing Easton's knuckles cracking. Thornton nodded, replying to me that he figured that since I was quite the cutie, that Easton would want to keep me all to himself.

It was silent for a few seconds with Easton looking like he was going to tear Thornton's head off, my wide-eyed blinking, and Thornton unaware of the tension as he smiled at me. But then he did a double take at Easton's stare down and Thornton's brows furrowed, smile slipping off his face.

"Wait..." he frowned, shaking his head and turned to me. "Are you two...?" Thornton turned the rest of his question to Easton. "Are you two together now? I don't want to overstep or anything."

My neck craned back, shaking my head. "Wait, what? Together? What are you talking about?" I frowned at Easton sneering at the other Werewolf whose confusion refocused on Easton.

Thornton ignored the growling thrown his way and gestured to me. "This is the Kale, right? The one Jonah says you're so into?"

The fuck?

A snarl came from Easton, warning Thornton to stop talking. Even with Thornton shaking his head and raising his hands in defense, he pressed that Jonah had been telling everyone for years that Easton had a thing for someone named 'Kale' and that said person was a major reason for rather heated arguments between Easton and Leo—

"I don't give a fuck what Jonah told you," Easton cut Thornton off. His eyes narrowed, glancing my way when I tilted my head, raising a brow at him. He quickly looked back to Thornton to say that Jonah was talking about something or someone else but it wasn't Easton.

There was a moment of silence, a look passing back and forth between the two males and I raised my brow higher, shifting gazes between the two. Straightening, I crossed my arms and settled my attention on Easton. He felt this because when his eyes shifted to me, they softened a bit and lowered his gaze. Bastard was hiding shit from me about me!

"Ah, well then..." Thornton cleared his throat, figuring out loud that he must have heard Jonah wrong. He chuckled at me with a shake of his head that Jonah tended to be too chatty and got things mixed up to sell a good story.

My brows furrowed, agreeing to a certain extent about what Thornton said of Jonah but I've known the guy for some years and he might be a chatterbox but he says things on purpose. To start shit for his own amusement.

I was thrown off a bit when Thornton took a step closer, startling me when he reached to grab my hand with both of his. He shook it again, nodding that it was a pleasure to meet me anyway. I weakly grinned, nodding and glanced at our close proximity between our bodies and my hand clutched in between both of his. Those green eyes got this twinkle in them when he says, "Well, if Easy Peasy isn't claiming you, I'd happily do the honors, Kale."

"That... That won't be necessary," I replied, my voice going up an octave as I tugged my hand out of his grasp. Just in time too since Thornton stumbled back, chuckling, despite almost tripping backward. Easton had placed himself in front of me, blocking me from Thornton's view.

"Why don't you go wag your tail somewhere-fucking-else, Roman?"

"Oo." Thornton chuckled, that twinkle still in his eyes. He raised a brow with a knowing look. "A little protective of someone who isn't yours, no?"

Then Thornton made show of looking around before asking Easton if 'you know who' would be okay with how overly protective the blond was over me. I glanced at Easton, from what I could see anyway, and noticed his jaw clench, gritting his teeth as he snapped, "Bite me, Roman." then tossed a curt nod behind Thornton. "Now beat it!"

The smug look on Thornton made Easton growl at him. The other Werewolf sighed, raising his hands in front of him and nodded that he would ease up now. His gaze shifted to me when I peered around Easton. Giving me a wink, Thornton says, "Pleasure to meet you, Kale. Really. And I look forward to seeing you again."

Easton growled, "Not likely," and clenched his fists so hard, his hands shook. I noticed this and wasn't sure why, but my hand wandered on its own to touch the space between Easton's shoulders. The clenching in his hands settled a bit, no more shaking. Realizing what I was doing, my hand retracted so fast and it was my turn to clench a fist, feeling an unsettling warmth from my palm.

Thornton walked backwards, sighing a goodbye to Easton who didn't return it. He just watched the former turn away, disappearing into the festivities. I stood there a moment longer, studying the way Easton remained in place, his shoulders rising and falling a lot slower now than before. Biting my lip, I glanced at where I'd touched him earlier then shook my head, swallowing before calling Easton's name.

The Werewolf whipped around, staring at me through narrowed eyes until seeing that it was me and that intensity lessened. That stare made my face heat up, feeling it crawl down my neck this time and I clamped a hand over the back of it. I glanced around, the others not paying any mind to us as they passed. But then I met Easton's gaze and muttered that his... friend... was friendly.

"He's not my friend," Easton clarified. "Never will be."

My brows rose, nodding slowly then lowered my hand to my side before crossing my arms instead. Raising my shoulders, I cleared my throat at the awkward silence between us then asked if Easton was enjoying the gathering.

A small tug at the corner of his corner made that intensity lessen a bit more, but those ice blue eyes lingered on my face which made the back of my neck, face and ears heat up again. Why the fuck did that keep happening?

Easton raised a brow. "Trying to make small talk, Red?"

I winced, shrugging a shoulder this time. "Maybe?" I glanced away then back to him. "Unless I'm keeping you?"

Odd. Not sure what possessed me to want to keep talking to Easton. The past years I've known the werewolf, I'd done everything I could to avoid him, but today was the complete opposite of my norm. What. The. Fuck.

For a moment, I thought Easton was going to take the opportunity to leave but then he sighs, running his fingers through the front of his hair, tossing it sideways and my eyes follow the motion. I blinked a few times, lowering my gaze as Easton mutters that it was not often that I wanted to be around him unless forced by Thea. I winced, meeting his gaze as he stared at me with a knowing smirk.

Easton looked around, taking in our surroundings then sighed once he faced me. He nodded, "Alright, Red. I'll take in some small talk." Much to my surprise at his answer, I straightened, dropping my hands to my sides. "I need to find a beer first, though." Easton started turning away, halting to glance at me and asked if I wanted one.

I shook my head, muttering, "No, thanks." and he did a once over of me again before grunting under his breath, giving me that smirk as he shook his head.

"Alright then. I'll find you in a few... okay?" Easton's 'okay' at the end was cautious, giving me a weary look and I figured it was because I would try to find any reason to get away from him. I guess that's valid.

"Okay," I say with a small nod. As I watch him go, I suddenly have to explain, while pointing in a specific direction, that I was going to talk to my family.

The Werewolf turned around, walking backward a few steps and chuckled through a grinned, "Sure thing, Red. See you in a bit." then turned away.

I remained there a bit longer, watching Mr. Moody Pants disappear and I swallowed hard, feeling anxious all of a sudden. All I figured was that after today... things would never be the same.