Markus P.O.V.
I wanted to go ask the cook to run away with me. I could imagine eating this all my life. These last two days were worth the trip just for the damn food. Putting up with Alpha Geoff’s pompous ass was irritating, but the moment I would put the food in my mouth, Atlas would just start wagging and running around like a mad wolf. For a grumpy wolf, he sure seemed to enjoy the cook’s food.
I looked at Gillian with a little bit of jealousy. He’d gone to see if he could find anyone willing to talk to us and came out with a second helping of eggs benedict. Now it was lunch time and he was still eating like he’d missed breakfast. Lucky bastard.
‘Stop being mad I got more food than you did. What else could I have used as a cover?’ He mind linked me when he saw me look at him eating the Philly Cheese steak.
‘You could have shared. It’s not like you got anything out of the girls,' I said.
‘Yeah, those girls look simply terrified. I don’t think they believe we can protect them. The only one I didn’t get a chance to talk to was the pretty cook.’
‘Pretty? Seems like a crime to be able to cook like this and be pretty at the same time,’ I said.
‘Yeah, she’s a cutey. Young. Probably not even of age. Curls that don’t seem to end and some pretty remarkable eye color,’ Gillian said.
‘Sounds like you’re smitten’, I teased.
‘She is pretty, but not for me. I will wait for my mate. I could tell it wouldn’t be her.’
‘You can tell without the full moon?’ I asked, genuinely curious.
‘My mom always said you should be able to feel some sort of pull towards your mate, some sort of attraction. Full moon or not. They are chosen for you at birth, so it’s always there. You can feel it to some extent. The Full moon just helps the bond snap into place’.
‘Hmm. Interesting,’ I could feel Atlas listening closely. His behavior lately was a little weird, but I figured he was just on edge from being in enemy territory.
‘I don’t think we’re going to get anyone here to help. He’s got everyone scared for their life,' he finished.
I sighed, ‘Yeah, I was afraid of that. At least we get two more outstanding meals out of this trip.’ I smirked.
‘Yeah. I can’t wait for dinner.’
‘Dude, you literally have lunch in your mouth right now and you’re thinking about dinner?’ I laughed at him while taking a bite of my own fish tacos. They were so good. I was eyeing another plate that seemed to not have an owner. I know there were extras, so I chose a seat pretty close to one of the straggling plates in case no one jumped on it.
‘And you’re not wondering what’s for dessert?’ he asked.
I smirked.
‘Thought so,’ he laughed.
Alpha Rhett approached me then. I thought he would say something but he just smiled, nodded and grabbed the plate of tacos. I gave him a low growl. He smiled wider and said, “Snooze you lose, Markus. You shouldn’t be so nice to the rest of us.”
I laughed, “Touché my friend. Next time I’ll be sure to challenge you for the extra plate.”
“If it’s by this same cook, I’ll gladly accept a challenge to the death. I already asked for the lava cake recipe.” He winked.
“Be sure to email that over.” I laughed again.
“It’s already in your email. Don’t think I didn’t see the look on your face when you ate it. You looked like you were in heaven,” he smirked.
“Looks like I owe you one then.”
“Well, you can ask for the next dessert. I don’t want seem needy,” Rhett laughed.
“Deal”
Dinner time came around. I couldn’t believe the food they had for us. When the sampling of desserts came out, I was absolutely in heaven. Even more so when I suddenly caught that wonderful smell of honey, strawberries and a winter’s night. I looked down, sure that the smell wasn’t coming from the desserts. I turned around to see the door to the kitchen swinging.
“Everything OK?” Gillian asked.
“Hmm? Yeah. It’s fine. I thought I smelled something weird,” I responded.
After dinner, I got up and went to the kitchen. There was only one small girl there working on canapes for later. She looked rather thin.
“Hello, can I be of service, Alpha uhhh?” she blushed.
“Alpha Markus. Did you cook all this food?” I said, looking at the canapes and thinking of all the food we’d just eaten. Even though I was stuffed, I was already salivating looking at all the food.
“Oh no,” she laughed, “ I could never cook like this. I am just helping Celeste. She’s the real cook.”
“Oh,” I said. Celeste. Even the name sounded as heavenly as the food “And where is she? I wanted to ask for the dessert recipes. Maybe my cook back home might be able to make something close to as good as hers.”
“She had a headache and went to wash her face. I’ll let her know and she can leave it in your room during the full moon run,” she said brightly.
“Thank you…..uhhh”
“Maya, Alpha”
“Thank you Maya. I guess I better be going. The moon is about to rise. Are you both not joining?”
“Oh no, we don’t have our wolf yet and we have to make the last of the food for tonight.”
“I see.” I said, surprised at my disappointment. “Well, please let Celeste know that the food has been phenomenal. I wish my cook at home cooked half as good as her. No wonder Alpha Geoff seems to be getting a little bit round around the mid area” I winked. She giggled.