Page 51 of Jackal's Pride

Prudence shoved some tomatoes she didn’t want onto Kitty’s plate while Joy kept her focus on Payne. I shook my head. When would she realize he wasn’t interested?

“Isabella,” Mom began with a soft tone. “There’s no way we could have saved all these lives without you with us.”

“Death, killing, blood, gore, killing, fighting—that’s our thing—”

“Shut up, Sloth,” Barron interrupted, cutting off Sebastian’s rambling.

“I’m just saying,” Sebastian went on. “We weren’t meant to take on the weather and climate changes. You were epic, Izzie.”

I couldn’t help but smile at the two of them. They were good together. If anybody deserved love, it was Sebastian. Come to think of it, all of my siblings—even the asshole August—deserved happiness because quite frankly they were the best.

“I was, wasn’t I?” Isabella placed a giant kiss on Sebastian’s lips and resumed eating.

They were right, of course. Without Isabella, the outcome would have been heartbreaking. My respect for the witch only grew despite my iffy first impressions.

“Maureen.” I stopped mid-bite at the sound of my father’s voice. His eyes were on the windows, and I knew without a doubt what—or rather, who—he was staring at.

“Yeah?”

He crossed his arms and motioned with his head to the window. “We’re all exhausted. He must be too, yet he’s not coming inside. He’s also not leaving.”

“I don’t know what he wants,” I admitted. “He broke the collar, so I don’t have control of him anymore.”

I didn’t know why he was here. He was just sitting on the curb. My heart had this awful strange pang in it when I thought of him being out there alone, but I couldn’t ask him to come inside. Honestly, I didn’t know what to make of his lingering. It was bad enough that he helped us. Jackal’s actions confused me and made meextremelynervous. I didn’t want to think about what it all could mean.

“You didn’t order that extra shake and meal for yourself, did you?”Busted.I eyed the cheeseburger and fries I had ordered. Dad motioned with his head again, and I dropped my shoulders with a sigh.

“Can I get a to-go box and cup?” I asked the waitress when she stopped by our tables. Dad didn’t say anything else since I was doing what he wanted me to do. “I don’t know why I have to do it,” I whispered childishly, and Mom squinted her eyes and shook her head at me.

What?

I ate quickly, placed the second meal into the box and poured the shake in the cup. I eyed the chocolate cake I’d ordered before placing it in front of Isabella without saying a word as I stood. All of them grinned at me. I wasn’t stupid. I knew my family understood the way I worked. And for that I was thankful. I could show my gratitude in my own way.

Isabella better realize how thankful I was. I didn’t give up chocolate cake easily, but it was the least I could do. I didn’t bother saying goodbye.

When I stepped out of the restaurant, distress crept its way inside my chest. Seeing Jackal alone made me weird and unhappy. Lifting his head from between his knees, his sad and exhausted eyes met mine. It was at that moment I realized we were abusing his power, wearing him out. Maybe he was just hungry.

I stopped next to him and offered the chocolate milkshake and the box of food. Neither of us said a word as he gently took it from my outstretched hands, then proceeded to scarf it down without restraint.

Shifting my weight from one foot to the other, I hesitated and finally said, “What are you doing?” There was no malice in my voice—only exhaustion, confusion, and a desperate attempt to understand the whole kidnap-rescue scenario.

“I’m eating.” He didn’t lift his head, simply continued eating. I should have ordered more. Jackal had a big appetite. After all, he was a big guy.

“You know what I mean.” There was a bit of bite in my words, but my voice remained soft.

“I don’t,” he murmured, lifting the cup to his lips. I watched as the milkshake disappeared into his mouth. After he finished it, he asked, “Are you going home to rest now?”

“I am.” I ran my hand through my hair, awkwardly standing there in front of him.

What was this weirdness?

Raising my hand, I lowered a barrier around us so that humans couldn’t see us. “I can’t take this anymore!” I finally shouted, stepping back and gazing down at him. He peered up at me. “Why are you doing this? You’re freaking me out. When are you going to do it, huh?” I gestured for him to get up. “Just come at me now and get it over with.”

“What do you want me to get over?”

His calm demeanor was infuriating. I was so flustered, I couldn’t stand myself. “You said the moment you broke free from the collar, you’d kill me—hundreds of times.” I waved toward his neck. “Well, you’re collar-free. What are you going to do now, huh?”

I materialized Ben and Jerry and assumed a fighting stance.