She nodded, but her eyes looked almost longingly behind him into the woods, and then she turned to gaze in the direction that would lead them to the house. Lucien felt his breath catch, watching the play of emotions across her face. She really didn’t want to be here with the pack, with him.

Well, too bad.

Without thinking he gently took hold of her elbow and started guiding her back to the house. He let go when she complied and ignored the questions in her eyes.

7 - Friend or Foe?

The rest of the week passed in a blur for Caia. There were so many members of the pack that came over to discuss their problems with Lucien, some even to introduce themselves to her again. It eased her worries a little. With the exception of Alexa, who hadn’t spoken to her since their last exchange in the lunchroom, and Yvana, whom she hadn’t seen again, the pack had so far been friendly and welcoming. Ryder hung around a lot and always made her feel like a long lost sister - joking with her, bringing her some movies to watch. It felt nice.

By the end of the week, she was sure her exhaustion was unparalleled. But she had one more performance to put in because Jaeden and her family were staying for dinner that night. She was up in her room, beating her head against the wall over a problem in her calculus homework, when she heard the two cars coming up the gravel driveway. She glanced at her watch. It was seven o’clock. The aromas coming from the kitchen had been mouth-watering since she had gotten home from school. Again, Ella had refused her help.

“I’d like to cook sometime. Do anything to, you know, do my bit,” Caia had told her as Ella physically shooed her out of the kitchen.

“Oh of course, honey.” Ella had smiled brightly. “And you will. Just not today.”

“I could set the table.”

“Irini is going to do that.”

“I could tidy the sitting room.” She’d gestured towards said room from the hallway.

Ella had frowned at that. “I did that already,” she’d replied, sounding piqued.

Caia had laughed, abashed. “Of course you did. It looks great.”

“Go do your homework.”

She had obeyed the quelling look in Ella’s eye and left her to it.

Caia sighed and looked back at her calculus problem.

“Caia! They’re here!” Ella called from the bottom of the stairs.

“I’ll be back,” she growled at her homework. “Maybe, somehow by magik, I’ll have the answer when I do.”

Stopping to check her reflection before she left the room Caia was reminded once again, as her eyes washed over her jeans and plain white shirt, that no matter what she wore she really was the plain Jane of the lykan world. She glared back at her homework and then back into the mirror. Whoever came up with the phrase ‘you can’t win ‘em all’ obviously had at least one thing going for them; how about ‘you can’t win anything; nada; zilch’, hmm?

“Ugh.” She shook her head at herself. “Self-pity is not a good color on you.”

They were congregated in the living room. Dimitri with his family and there seemed to be a lot of them. And then Magnus. She grinned at him, feeling her nerves dissipate a little.

“Hey kid.” He grinned back.

This should be OK. Right? She glanced at Jaeden who smiled at her as she wrestled with a squirming toddler. Caia’s nerves began to melt away as Dimitri hugged her, followed by Magnus, and then pretty much everyone else. It was nothing like her experience with Yvana. Warmth emanated from them all, Magnus sticking protectively by her side. Dimitri’s wife, Julia, was introduced to her first. A gorgeous woman Caia presumed was ages with Ella - goddess knew how old that may be - Julia hugged Caia to her, and said it was good to have her back. Then there was Dimitri’s eldest, Christian, and his wife, Lucia, who both were friendly and sincere. And then Jaeden came forward and introduced the bubbly three-year old in her arms as her niece, Jaela.

Caia was surprised as Jaeden suddenly pushed the child into her arms. “Say hello, Jaela.”

“Uh, Jae …” Caia nervously wrapped her arms around the child. She tried not to blush as everyone watched her hold the little girl awkwardly, but then Jaela grabbed onto a strand of her hair and Caia’s eyes locked onto the little one’s big baby blues. She smiled sweetly at Caia and made some gurgling noises, trying to snuggle deeper into Caia’s arms.

“She likes you.” Lucien suddenly appeared beside her. He turned to Lucia. “I thought I was the only one she liked?” His disgruntlement amused everyone.

He was placated by the squealing Jaela when she realized he was there - she threw her arms out at him, hitting Caia in the face and crying out, ‘Luchy!”

Wincing Caia turned to him. “I think she wants Luchy,” she teased.

“Oh only Jaela is allowed to call me that.” Lucien grinned, taking the girl into his arms. “Ain’t that right, gorgeous.”

Caia sat with them, enjoying the peace and comfort that this small group of the pack enjoyed with one another. They were obviously a family within a family, and so warm to her she felt herself being pulled in, despite her concerns.

“Dinner’s ready folks.” Ella smiled, looking sweaty from her slavery in the kitchen.

Dinner with them all was probably the best time Caia had had. She hated to admit it, but as Magnus and Dimitri took turns light-heartedly teasing her and each other, as Julia jumped flightily from asking her questions about school to asking Ella about cooking, as Jaeden threw her affectionate smirks, as Christian and Lucia whispered lovingly to one another, and as Lucien ate his meal while playing with Jaela and making her giggle throughout the entire dinner, she realized that this was what she had been missing her entire life. Not the pack. Just a family. An ordinary family having a meal together. It was so humdrum and yet at that moment it was the most wonderful thing in the world to her.

When dinner was over the family decided to settle back in the living room with some coffee and cake.

“I’ll clear up, do the dishes,” Caia said to Ella as they got up from the table.

“No-”

“I’ll help.” Jaeden grinned, and managed to do what Caia couldn’t and shoo Ella out with the others. Lucien was the last to leave. He stood at the doorway, his eyes narrowed on Jaeden.

“All the times you’ve been over for dinner you haven’t once offered to clean up. What are you up to?” His glance shifted between her and Caia.

Jaeden laughed at him. “You’re so suspicious, Lucien.”

“Always. For good reason.”

She chortled at that and leaned past him, grabbing onto the door. “Bye, Lucien.” She began closing it on him.

“If she’s bothering you, let me know,” he said to Caia, and laughed when Jaeden smacked him on the arm and pushed him out of the door. She turned back to Caia once they were alone, smiling at the bemused look on her face.

“He’s not suspicious at all. He’s just plain nosy.”

They were standing together, Caia washing up, while Jaeden dried and put the dishes away.

“So how was that for you?” Jaeden glanced back at the table. “I know you were pretty nervous about it earlier.”

Caia smiled shyly, not meeting her eyes. “Honestly... and you promise you won’t tell?”

“Of course.”

She sighed and shook her head. “Ugh, this is stupid. I don’t feel like myself here at all-”

“Bu-”

“No, don’t get me wrong, I don’t mean that... I just... I feel really goofy because...”

Jaeden grinned. “Because?”

Caia shrugged embarrassed. “Because I’ve never had a better time,” she spoke so quietly even Jaeden with her lykan hearing had to lean in.

“Aw, Cy.” She laughed and shoved at her playfully. “Did you have A Little House on the Prairie moment tonight?”

At that, Caia splashed water from the sink up onto Jaeden’s face. She merely sniggered and pulled back as Caia narrowed her eyes on her teasingly. “Oh I am never telling you anything again.”

“You did.” Jaeden wouldn’t let up. “Aw, I think my heart hurts a little.”

“Oh, you’ve done it now,” Caia growled.

What ensued was a water/bubble/washing-up liquid fight that ended with the two of them slipping on the latter and landing hard on their butts, screaming hysterically.

“What the Hades...”

Giggling, and trying to catch their breaths after having chased each other around the kitchen - which now looked like the great flood had hit it– they glanced up at the kitchen doorway to see Lucien and Ella gazing around in wonder. Magnus stood chuckling behind them.

“What have you done to my kitchen?” Ella squeaked.

“It’s totally her fault.” Jaeden laughed, flicking bubbles at Caia.

“What...” Caia’s mouth fell open.

They turned at the sound of Lucien’s laughter. “If you were going to have a water fight couldn’t you have told us? Some guys pay to watch that stuff, you know.”

“Lucien,” Ella admonished.

“What?” He laughed innocently, and then turned back to look at Caia. “Need a hand up?”

She shook her head, wincing at the pain from her butt when she’d landed on the hard floor. She laughed breathlessly. “I think I can manage.”

“I might need a hand.” Jaeden smiled flirtatiously.

“A hand? You need something but it’s not a hand.” Caia groaned, getting to her feet. She pulled Jaeden up with her before turning to Ella. “We’ll clean it up, I promise.”

“Hmm,” she grunted, un-amused, and spun on her heel to leave.

Lucien and Magnus followed, and she could hear Lucien say, “Leave ‘em be. She’s just having some fun.”

Jaeden raised an eyebrow as she turned back to Caia. “Sounds like Lucien’s championing someone.”

Caia frowned distractedly, looking around them at the mess. “How did we do this?” She snorted.