Cricket (Cricket Kendall Book 1), page 11
She pulls back and frowns at him. “Why haven’t you called me?”
“We broke up, remember?” Cas grimaces, his nostrils flaring like crazy as he continues to dart glances in my direction.
He looks so uncomfortable. I’m starting to feel bad for him. Sara is gorgeous with long, dark brown hair and a perfect creamy complexion. She’s wearing an A-line skirt, a cute blouse, and tall wedge sandals. Her style is super girly, which seems to work for her.
“Oh Cas, don’t be ridiculous. Every time you break up with me, I know you don’t really mean it.”
What? I furrow my eyebrows and meet Cas’s eyes. His relationship with this girl is obviously more complicated than I realized, but he’s making it obvious he wants nothing to do with her right now. Killian’s had his fair share of crazy girlfriends, so I’m not totally unfamiliar with this type of scenario. The flare of jealousy I feel at seeing Sara stroke Cas’s chest is something new to me, though.
I give Cas a wicked grin and shove Sara away without looking at her. I bring my hand up to softly caress his hair. I let my fingers slowly trail down his cheek and neck, and he looks at me with crazy bright eyes as his lips part.
“See you after school, cutie.” I wink at him before I swiftly turn around and walk into my astronomy class.
“Is that the girl from the coffee shop!? You told me you didn’t know her, you lying asshole!” Sara yells.
Chapter Fifteen
“So, how was your first day of school here?” Cas grins at me.
“Fantastic, actually! I was super nervous this morning, and I’m not used to a block schedule. But I love my English and astronomy classes. It was nice having you and the guys with me for most of the day too. That made it easier.”
We’ve barely taken two steps out of the building when Theo runs and tackles me in a hug. He bends down and picks me up with one hand on my thigh and the other just under my butt.
“Fuck, I missed you,” he whines as he presses his cheek to mine.
Running my fingers through his russet hair, I laugh. “It’s only been a couple of hours.”
He sniffs and nuzzles against my hair and neck as he groans dramatically. “I don’t care.”
Cas and Hollis stand a few feet away. Hollis appears thoughtful, but Cas looks like he’s trying to decide whether to be furious or heartbroken. I widen my eyes at both of them as Theo carries me to the parking lot.
“Theo, you’re not carrying me to the fucking car. Come on, put me down.”
“Aww, please! I’ve barely been able to touch you all day. I’m having Cricket withdrawals.” I roll my eyes, and Theo tosses our backpacks to Hollis. “Here, just ride on my back.”
Sighing in defeat, I move to his back and wrap my arms loosely around his neck. He slides his hands underneath the backs of my thighs, his fingertips brushing the backs on my knees. It tickles so much that I kick my foot out and giggle. Theo gets a mischievous grin on his face and turns to raise his eyebrows at me.
“Stop it, I will fucking kill you,” I say. I try to sound threatening, but I’m still squirming and giggling wildly.
He scrunches his nose up and chuckles. “You’re ticklish! I’m totally saving that for later.”
When we get to the jeep, Hollis and Cas toss our bags into the back. Theo lifts my feet up one at a time, takes my shoes and socks off, and tosses those into the back too.
“What are you doing?” Hollis asks curiously.
“It’s easier for her to feel her magic when she’s barefoot.” Theo sets me down. Hollis holds the passenger door open for me, and I smile at him as we all get in.
From the back seat, Cas grumbles, “How do you even know she’s really a witch?”
I don’t get why he’s being all grumpy again. I can’t keep up with his mood swings. I’m about to retort with a smartass remark, but Hollis beats me to it.
“Can’t you smell it on her?” He furrows his eyebrows in confusion.
“What?” I squeak. I swear, this smelling debacle is going to be the death of me.
“I can only smell it when she’s using it,” Theo muses.
Hollis visibly flares his nostrils. “I didn’t know what it was exactly until you guys were fucking around with that pizza at lunch, but I was pretty sure you weren’t entirely...human? Okay, that does not sound like how I meant it. Um...”
He’s way too adorable, and I’m too curious to be offended over that not-human comment. “What does it smell like?”
Hollis and Theo share a look, and Theo answers, “You know how I told you it feels kind of warm and tingly? It smells like that too, and sort of wild? It’s hard to describe.”
Cas crosses his arms and pouts like a little fucking kid. “Well, I can’t smell it. I think you guys are all just fucking with me.”
“Just show him something, little witch.” Theo rolls his eyes and glares at Cas in the rearview mirror. “Apparently, he’s going to act like a fucking crybaby otherwise.”
I ignore the way Cas glares at Theo and look around the car for an idea. Theo’s only seen me use my affinity, so I want to do something different. I still haven’t had the chance to show Theo everything I learned from my lessons with Aurora. My eye catches on a pocketknife sitting in the cup holder, and a triumphant grin spreads across my face.
“Can I use that?” I ask Theo, pointing to the knife. He shrugs and smiles, probably assuming I’m going to make it fly around or something predictable like that.
I smile at him, pick up the knife, and flip open the blade. “I’ve been wanting to show you this, anyway.”
Theo blinks in confusion, and I quickly slice the blade across the palm of my hand. The guys freak out, shouting in complete shock and horror. The wound on my palm stings, but I can’t help grinning at them like a maniac. Theo’s gaping at me like I’m insane while he tugs at his hair. Hollis reaches for me, his fingers barely brushing my shoulder. Cas leans over the center console, his eyes never leaving the cut on my hand as he grimaces and flares his nostrils.
I mutter the words for the spell under my breath, lick my thumb, and slowly press my thumb down at one end of the cut I’ve just made. I slide my thumb across the entire cut, mumbling the words over and over until the cut is healed. There’s no scar or any sign of the cut at all.
“There, see?” I hold my hand up for the guys to inspect. Cas darts his hand out to grab mine. He pulls my hand closer to his face and lightly runs his finger along my palm. I try very hard not to shiver or show any outward reaction to his touch.
Theo glares harshly at me, his pupils dilating as he continues to flare his nostrils. He snatches the pocketknife from my grasp, and I widen my eyes at him. I’ve never seen him look so pissed before. Not even when I stubbornly used up my magical energy and passed out.
“You’re mad at me? Come on, I worked really hard to be able to do that.”
“Fuck, Cricket! I mean, yeah, that was fucking amazing and badass. But please, a little warning next time.”
“Surprising you was supposed to be part of the fun,” I mumble.
He narrows his eyes at me, flips the pocketknife open, and slashes the blade across the palm of his hand. I make an awful, choking sound and my heart fucking stops. But faster than I can blink, I watch in sheer incredulity as his skin heals itself. In a matter of seconds, just like with my magic, his palm is completely healed.
In a squeaky, high-pitched voice, he mockingly says, “Surprising you was supposed to be part of the fun.”
It’s so insane, I burst out laughing. I nearly forget about Cas and Hollis until I turn around to see them staring at me and Theo like we’re from another planet.
“Okay, you made your point. I’m sorry,” I admit. “How does that work for you guys, anyway?”
Theo smiles at me, so I know he’s not mad anymore. He finally pulls out of the parking lot and begins driving toward his uncle’s house.
“Werewolves have enhanced immune systems, so if we ever get sick or hurt, the healing process is incredibly sped up,” Hollis says. “That’s why we rely on your aunt so greatly. If someone in the pack gets sick or hurt enough that their immune system shuts down, regular medicines don’t work at all.”
“Does that happen often? It looked like she gave Theo a lot of stuff the other day.” I turn around in my seat enough to see Hollis. I’d asked Theo plenty of questions about werewolves whenever we hung out, but he’d never given me such detailed answers.
Hollis smiles, his eyes lighting up when he sees how interested I am. “Not very often, no. It’s more common for pups to get sick or hurt. But Elsa, Theo’s cousin’s mate, is pregnant again. So, that’s probably why Hawthorne asked Aurora for some extra supplies.”
“Mate?” The word feels strange and tingly on my tongue.
Theo growls and gives Hollis a warning look in the rearview mirror. “His wife. That’s what he means.”
The word mate is ringing inside my head over and over, and something urges me to press the subject. The expression on Theo’s face makes me hesitate, and Hollis clamps his mouth shut without another word. My eyes land on Cas. He’s staring at me thoughtfully, biting the inside of his cheek while he rubs the underside of his wrist almost subconsciously.
“Why are you being so quiet?” I ask.
“Sorry.” Cas chuckles. “I’m still wrapping my head around this witch thing, and it’s weird to be talking about the pack to an outsider.”
“She’s not an outsider.” Theo frowns and taps his fingers against his steering wheel.
Cas rolls his eyes. “Obviously not now.”
God, he really doesn’t like me. I just know it. He was fine with me being a normal girl, dating his friend or being someone he could flirt with. But it’s obvious he doesn’t want me to be close to their group. I glance over at Hollis again to find he’s still giving me an open and friendly smile. He’s such a cutie, and he’s being an absolute sweetheart. At least he wants to talk to me.
I smile at Hollis. “Tell me about your wolves?”
His eyes light up. “Well, Theo wasn’t wrong earlier when he said that he’s bigger than we are. I’m not sure how noticeable it will be to you when you see us all together. Cas is the smallest of the three of us, but he’s also the fastest.”
Theo proudly adds, “Hollis is too modest to say, but he has the best hearing and the strongest sense of smell between us.”
My heart races when Theo turns onto a narrow, dirt driveway. I understand why their alpha wants to meet me. I’ve been spending a lot of time with Theo, and I’m learning all of their pack secrets by being around them. So, yeah, I totally get it. But it’s still nerve-racking. I don’t even know the guy, but I want him to like me.
“Don’t worry, you’ll like Hawthorne. He’s not so bad. Just picture an older, wiser Theo,” Hollis says.
Theo gives me a cheesy grin, and I laugh. We park in front of a huge, two-story, cottage-style house. It’s stunning, and the surrounding landscape is just as breathtaking. Hollis hops out and opens my door for me. Theo walks around the front of the vehicle and smiles warmly.
“Do I look okay?” I uselessly run a hand over my witchy hair, trying to smooth it down.
Theo and Hollis laugh and grin at each other. Cas stands a few feet away from the rest of us, and he glowers at me as he growls, “Don’t be stupid.”
My cheeks flush and my mouth parts. What the hell does that mean? Theo places his hand on my lower back and glares at Cas. “What Cas meant to say was, ‘Cricket, you look beautiful and there’s no reason to worry.’ Right, Cas?”
Cas winces and widens his eyes at me, but he doesn’t say anything. Theo sighs and leads me to the front door. Hollis stays close on my other side, and Cas trails behind us. I expect Theo to knock on the door, but he walks right in.
“Hello!” he shouts, his voice echoing through the house. A pretty, middle-aged brunette woman walks into the front entry and smiles at us.
“Hey! Everyone’s in the kitchen. I made some sandwiches if you’re hungry.”
Hollis thanks her and gives her a hug as he walks past her into what I’m assuming is the kitchen. Cas does the same.
Her eyes land on me, and her grin widens. “You must be Cricket! I’m Margot.”
She holds her out for me to shake, and I take it as I smile back and say that it’s a pleasure to meet her. She puts her arm around me, pulling me away from Theo, and leads me into the kitchen. It’s gigantic with a large island in the center. Hollis and Cas are standing around it, laughing and eating the sandwiches Margot mentioned. There are two other men and a girl a few years older than me there as well.
“Everyone, this is Cricket.” Margot squeezes my shoulders, and I wave awkwardly as the three strangers stare at me appraisingly. “This is my husband, Hawthorne, Theo’s father, Holden, and my son’s wife, Elsa.”
Hawthorne steps forward with a friendly smile and offers me his hand to shake. I smile back and try to appear confident as I shake his hand firmly in mine. “Lovely to finally meet you, Cricket. Aurora always speaks so highly of you.”
He and Holden share the same auburn-red hair as Theo, and they’re both covered in freckles. Hawthorne is broader and more muscular, and Holden has a full beard. Elsa is tall and lithe with smooth, dark brown skin, and an adorable pixie cut.
I’m too intimidated to say anything in response to Hawthorne’s comment. I still don’t know the full story of how Aurora became friends with their pack, and I don’t know if there are rules to follow when it comes to speaking with an alpha.
Theo scoots by me, lightly brushing his hand against my arm. He stands beside Hollis and frowns at the plate of sandwiches. “Jesus, you guys, leave something for Cricket.”
“Dude, there are still, like, ten fucking sandwiches here,” Cas grumbles.
“I’m not really hungry,” I mumble. I’m way too nervous to eat right now.
Theo turns to me, concern taking over his expression. He glances down at the sandwiches, and looks back up at me with a mischievous smile and a maddening glint in his eyes. With no further warning, he picks up the very-breakable-looking sandwich plate and launches it across the room at me.
I reflexively reach out with my magic and stop the plate in midair less than an inch from my face. The sandwiches float around the plate, and I hold my breath when I realize everyone is staring at me in shock. What the hell was that? Breathing angrily out of my nose, I use my magic to set the plate and sandwiches neatly back on the island countertop while I glare daggers at Theo.
“Nice catch, little witch.” Theo smirks.
Gritting my teeth, I barely keep myself from screaming at him. “What the hell is wrong with you?”
“Did you just use your full power to throw that?” Hollis laughs in delight.
When Theo nods, Cas growls at him. His eyes are bugging out of his skull when he shouts, “You could have hurt her!”
Theo scoffs and holds a sandwich out to me. I stomp toward him and snatch it out of his hands before taking a bite, still scowling at him. He chuckles, giving me an affectionate smile. “I knew she’d catch it. What do you think we’ve been doing out in the woods all fucking week?”
Theo’s dad clears his throat and asks in a puzzled voice, “You’ve been throwing things at her like that?”
Hawthorne, Margot, and Elsa stare at me and Theo with wide eyes. Ugh, if Theo’s going to mess with me like this, fine. He deserves a taste of his own medicine.
“He tackles me too,” I whimper. “While he’s in his wolf form.”
Cas snarls and shows his teeth, his hands trembling at his sides. Everyone else in the room continues to gape at my idiot best friend, and Margot quietly hisses, “Theo!”
Theo grunts in exasperation and turns to me. “You little brat! That happened one time, and it was an accident!”
I try to keep my face blank, but I can’t hold back a grin any longer.
Elsa bursts into giggles. “Oh my god, I love her!”
“Wow! It’s one thing to hear Aurora describe your gift, but seeing it is something else entirely!” Margot smiles.
“Why would you do that, though? What if she hadn’t caught it?” Cas’s eyes dart between me and Theo as he continues to shake in anger. I don’t know whether I should be concerned at his reaction, or flattered that he’s so worried about me.
Theo ruffles my hair affectionately when he answers Cas. “Did you see her face when she walked in here? She was terrified. I was trying to distract her.”
“Can you do it again?” Elsa asks eagerly.
Before I can reply, Theo grabs my hand and brushes his thumb over my knuckles. The gesture causes butterflies to stir in my stomach, and I smile softly at him.
“Save your energy for now, little witch,” Theo says, the slightest growl in his voice. “We’re going to play with Hollis and Cas here soon.”
“Can we? Shift in front of her, I mean?” Hollis asks hopefully.
Hawthorne rubs a hand over his chin and jaw thoughtfully. He seems to be assessing me, and I feel embarrassingly desperate for his approval. Finally, he gives me a kind smile and tells Hollis, “Yes, of course.”
I beam at Hollis and Cas. I get to see their wolves today! Hollis grins back and reaches down to squeeze my hand. He pulls away almost immediately and bites his lip like he’s embarrassed. Cas doesn’t look excited. He looks like he’s confused and worried, and he stays silent.
For the next half hour, we stand around in the kitchen together talking and laughing. The boys and I finish the rest of Margot’s sandwiches. Margot and Elsa are the absolute sweetest, and they ask me a million questions about my family, school, and my magic. I learn that Elsa is twenty-three and that she’s been married to Theo’s cousin, Rylan, for almost four years now. Elsa, Rylan, and their daughter, Eva, are staying with Hawthorne and Margot while their house is being built. It should be ready in a few months, just in time for them to move in and get it ready before Elsa’s new baby is due. Eva’s taking a nap upstairs, and Rylan’s at work. Which is a shame because he sounds like a lot of fun from all the stories everyone keeps telling me.
