Chapter 459 Chapter 459
Noah walked out into the kitchen to see half the clan was already there. He paused, debating ongoing right outside. Changing his mind, he forced his feet to continue. The late-night vigorous run had allowed him to get some actual sleep but had charged the others if the chatting and smiles were any indications.
He went over to the counter and opened the cupboard to look for a cup when Emersyn came over and poured coffee into the one beside the pot. She put a teaspoon of sugar in it and then held it out to him.
As he lifted the cup to his mouth, he caught the ‘see’ look Cooper was giving him and scowled back. It was a cup of coffee for crying out loud it didn’t mean they were a perfect couple and ready to mate.
Everett shook the long hair back from his face and grinned at Noah. “Sorry about last night.” He didn’t look sorry at all.
Noah shrugged, “it was a good run.” He leaned on the long island, not feeling like he could go sit at the table with the others. The distance was better for him. “Once you get used to it, you’re going to give everyone a good race.”
“Even Calum?” He looked to Cooper, then back to him, “I heard he’s fast.”
Noah smirked over at Cooper, “if you can beat Jesse or Evanna, then you’ll be the fastest.”
“Are they jaguars too?” Julian stopped eating and looked at him.
“Leopards.” Noah took a sip of his coffee.
“I think the one to beat is Thera,” Cooper said quietly.
“Whose she?” Everett glanced between them.
Noah straightened up and grinned, “she’s a real leopard.”
“Like real, real?” Everett’s eyes were huge.
Noah nodded. He watched Emersyn go over and lean down and kiss the top of Aspyn’s head and then set a cup of juice on the table for her.
“That’s the darndest thing I’ve heard yet.” Harrison said softly, “I can’t wait to see her.”
“You should get Kobie to work with the boys,” Cooper looked over at McKenna, “and girls, bring them up to speed on tracking and hunting.”
Noah dragged his gaze from Emersyn and then nodded, “it’s a good idea. I can ask her when I go over there today.” He shrugged, “unless she comes here first.”
Cooper leaned back in his chair, “can you give Emersyn a hand before you go?”
He paused his cup halfway to his mouth.
“Show her how to tape off the trim and windows before she paints.” Cooper made a face, “my leg is aching something fierce today.”
Noah set the cup down on the counter and looked at him, he knew exactly what he was trying to do. Aching, his butt. He’d watched him hop in and out of rigs when he was supposed to still be in a wheelchair. “I can.”
Cooper nodded, then smiled at Emersyn, “he can’t hurt anything with a roll of tape.”
Noah gave him a blank look and hoped the older man got the hint of what he was really thinking. When he put his hand over his mouth, he knew there was a smirk behind it because Cooper’s eyes were crinkled at the edge and sparkling with humor.
“You can show me after you have some breakfast,” Emersyn said and turned back from the counter and set a plate in front of him.
Noah looked down to see eggs, toast, potatoes, and bacon on his plate. He hadn’t even registered the smell of any cooking. His stomach rolled, reminding him that the light snack after the run last night was long gone. Nodding, he leaned over and opened the drawer, and grabbed a fork. He looked at the long table, there were few seats with empty chairs. Looking back down at the food, he picked up a piece of the bacon and popped it into his mouth. It was hard enough to stand in a room with so many bodies, sitting among them was something he wasn’t sure he would ever do. As he dipped his toast into his egg, he looked up to see Emersyn standing at the other end of the counter eating hers. No one was behind her either, she had her back to a wall so it would stay that way. The similarity had him glaring down at the plate, but he wasn’t ready to admit it.
“When the thing gets hooked up today, will you show us how to play those games?”
Noah looked over to see Liam was looking at him. “The internet is being done today?” He nodded. He set his fork down and picked up the cup, “I’m not exactly the best gamer, guys,” he glanced at Cooper briefly, “but if Jake or Blair isn’t around, I can show you how to play,” he toasted his cup in the air, “badly.” The boys grinned; they didn’t care how he played.
“I can show them.”
Noah jumped and turned to see Gage and Kelsey standing in the entrance hallway. Noah shook his head, “crushing the controller because you lost isn’t really the way they need to learn how to play.”
Gage waved him off, “it wasn’t on purpose.”
Kelsey smiled up at him, then patted him on the chest. “You shouldn’t play competitive games and you know it.”
Gage frowned down at her, then smirked and leaned down and hugged her briefly. When he straightened, he jerked his hand behind him. “Shouldn’t you at least keep the door locked if you’re not going to keep the gate closed?”
“We don’t need to lock the door.” Harrison stood up and motioned to the chair he got out of in case one of them wanted to sit down, “we have Noah, he’ll keep us safe.”
Noah couldn’t mask the surprise on his face, so he turned his back to all of them and went over to the coffee pot.
“No one knows their clan was even in existence,” Cooper said quietly, “so chances of them being…”
Noah turned around, “Gage is right. We’re relaxing too much.” He gripped the mug tight in his hand, the heat of the cup gave him something to focus on so he wouldn’t panic and do something stupid like telling these people he was the last thing he needed. He looked at Cooper, “see if you can fix the wiring on it today and we’ll get Blair over here to wire a new box.”
Cooper nodded and stood up slowly. “Probably best,” he reached over and ruffled Everett’s hair, “with the poor direction this one has, he’s liable to run right out the gate next time.”
“You had your first shift?” Kelsey moved away from Gage and went over to sit in the chair that Cooper had been in, “what was it like?”
“Scary at first,” Everett shook the hair back from his eyes, “then Noah talked me through it, and it was,” he looked over at Noah, “a little crazy for a while.”
Gage came over and opened a cupboard for a cup, “crazy how?”
Julian started laughing, “his front and back weren’t communicating very well.”
Gage glanced at Noah, “sounds like he has a lot in common with Gary—I think he backed up for half a mile his first shift.”
Noah almost choked on his coffee. “Really?” He coughed.
Gage nodded, “there’s a reason we don’t get him to drive the rigs that twist or have too many levers.” He winked over at Everett, “I’m sure you’ll be able to outrun us in no time.”
“How old are you?” Kelsey leaned on the table.
“Twelve,” Everett said with pride, even though his face was red with embarrassment from all the attention.
Kelsey spun in the chair and looked at her mate, “how is that even fair?” She scowled at him, “boys shift that early, and we,” she waved at Emersyn and then McKenna, “have to wait until we’re in our twenties.”
Gage toasted her with his cup, “because we need years of practice to keep up with you ladies.”
Even Noah smirked at that one. He was smooth, not Blair-style smooth, but he knew how to smooth the ruffles. He lowered his head to look at his plate. He had no idea what to do with ruffles, hell he couldn’t even handle a slight wrinkle. Taking a big bite, he forced himself to chew it, even though his appetite was gone.