Page 60 of Pack Rivals: Part Two
“Oh my God,” I shriek, “I love it!”
“You haven’t tried it yet,” he mumbles, “probably tastes like horse shit. Never tried to bake a cake before.”
I remember what Axel told me about Nate’s childhood. I wonder if anyone ever baked him a birthday cake or if he ever got to help make cookies.
“Let’s go try it,” I say, jumping to my feet.
“Now? It’s two in the morning.”
“Nate, you once pushed me into a pool in a twenty thousand dollar dress.”
He grins. “Shit, yeah I did.”
Carefully, I carry the cake into the kitchen and rest it on the counter. I turn to open the drawer and find a knife but Nate offers me his.
I’ve seen it in his hands before but I’ve never gotten to touch it. I examine it under the light. The sharp blade glints and the handle is worn. “Is it special?” I ask.
“Who, Mack?”
“You named your knife.”
He grins, flicking his lip ring with his tongue. “Just now.”
I laugh.
“I like it when you laugh, little bird.”
I raise an eyebrow at him and sink the knife through the mountain of icing and the sponge below. I’m not surprised to find it soft.
“I don’t like that we made you sad.”
“I don’t like that you did too.”
I hear him sigh and shuffle on his feet.
“It was a gift,” he says, pointing to his knife. “From Axel’s dad on my 18th birthday.” I turn it over in my hands, peering at the long worn-away inscription. “He said I could use it to keep myself safe.”
“Did you need to keep yourself safe?”
He manages one of those self-abasing smiles. “Always have a way of landing myself in trouble, little bird.”
I cut off a triangle of cake and lift it with both hands, icing, crumbs and candy tumbling off and into the box.
I offer it to Nate and he holds out his hand.
“It looks like shit,” he says and I drop the cake into his palm. He guides it up to my mouth. “You first, little bird. It’s your cake.” I shake my head. “Open up, Omega,” he growls.
My lips part automatically, and he feeds me the cake, allowing me a bite.
“Oh my god,” I say.
“Disgusting?”
“Sooooo good. Jeez Nate,” I groan.
His eyes turn darker and then dirtier as he watches me chew and swallow. His scent intensifies.
I know I’m in for it.
