A Wolf's Pride (38 page)

Dipping and
weaving her way through the crowd she eventually made it to his
side, barely resisting the urge to whoop in triumph once she was
beside him.

“
Excuse me?”
she called hesitantly. The man turned to look at her, his brown
eyes wandering over her assessingly, but said nothing in response
to her question. “Can you help me?” Silence again met her question.
“I need some food for my,” she paused for a moment, “my mate.” His
eyes narrowed and an eyebrow rose in disbelief before he turned
away from her and went back to work as though she hadn’t spoken at
all.

“
Excuse me?”
she repeated. The sous chef didn’t even turn to face her this time.
Grabbing his sleeve in frustration, she tugged to get his
attention. The man didn’t turn from his work as he pulled his
sleeve sharply from her grasp, his hands never missing a beat in
his work. “Fine. If you’re not willing to help me I’ll find someone
else.”

Turning from
his side, she once again entered the throng of activity, this time
moving towards one of the other stoves manned by someone of less
importance. Taking their cue from the sous chef, the kitchen staff
refused to talk to her or even acknowledge her presence. She
flitted from station to station only to be met with the same
silence. Groaning aloud in frustration, she watched as the kitchen
continued to move around her, anger building quickly.

“
Are none of
you going to help me?” she screamed, hoping that the rise in the
volume of her voice would finally force someone to look. Her hopes
were immediately dashed as work continued uninterrupted around her.
“Fine,” she huffed. “If none of you will help me, I’ll do it
myself.” She made a move towards the back of the room aiming for
the preparation tables when a loud, booming voice stopped not only
her, but the entire kitchen in its tracks.

“
What is wrong
with this kitchen?” the voice demanded.

Chloe turned
to look for the source of the question, her eyes instantly coming
into contact with a tall, thickly build man wearing the pristine
white uniform of a chef. His dark hair was cut close to his scalp
and his brown eyes were aflame with anger.

“
When a Lady
asks for assistance you drop whatever you’re doing and help her.
Colin?”

The sous
chef, turned to look at the chef. “Yes sir.”

“
Get out. In
the absence of a chef you’re in charge, others follow your example
and what you did wasn’t befitting of a chef of the royal clan. Do
you know what Lord Ryan would say, no, do, if he found out about
your actions towards his mate?” Colin gulped in apprehension. “I’m
damn well tempted to tell him after what I’ve just witnessed. Lady
Chloe has done nothing to merit such treatment. She’s trying to
help her injured mate and this is the reception she receives? Get
out!”

“
Yes sir,”
Colin acquiesced, removing his hat and fleeing from the
kitchen.

“
The rest of
you get back to work, I’ll see to Lady Chloe’s needs myself but if
I ever see or hear of her being treated in such a way again, heads
will roll.”

“
Yes chef,” the
kitchen hollered before throwing themselves back into work,
studiously avoiding looking in Chloe’s direction.

The chef
walked towards her making Chloe realise just how much larger he was
than she and she mumbled a word of thanks that he was on her side.
“Thank you chef.”

He smiled and
the frightening visage he had worn while chastising the kitchen
fell away. “There’s no need to be so formal.” He held out his hand
in introduction. “I’m Stuart, head chef of the southern
clan.”

She frowned
in confusion. “Isn’t that Ryan’s clan?”

“
You’re
learning quickly,” he beamed with pride. “That’s a good sign. I’m
sure after a few months you’ll fit right in. Yes, I’m from Lord
Ryan’s clan. I’ve known that troublemaker since he was a
kid.”

“
You wouldn’t
happen to be the chef that he took from when he was a kid? The one
that taught him how to cook?”

“
Yes, our first
interactions were over food he had
stolen
from my kitchen. He ruined
more meals than I thought possible, he sure was a difficult brat in
the beginning. He refused to see what he had done as wrong you
should have heard the excuses he made up to justify his behaviour,”
Stuart laughed, the sound booming through the kitchen.

Chloe didn’t
even bat an eyelid at his statement. Despite the fact that Stuart
looked no older than Ryan, she was quickly learning that looks were
deceiving in this place. If Stuart said he was older than Ryan then
she would believe that to be true.

“
If you’re the
head chef of the southern clan the what are you doing
here?”

“
The chef
that’s meant to be in charge here had to stay home today, family
issues, so I offered to come in her place. Now come,” Stuart
instructed, placing a guiding hand on her shoulder and directing
her through the kitchen. “I’m going to teach you how to make some
of Lord Ryan’s favourite meals. His mother may think that a smack
to the head is likely to make him cooperate but I know different.
One of his favourite meals is much more likely to get him to do
something.”

“
Ryan can
cook,” Chloe protested, she had tasted his cooking before and could
personally attest to its high quality. Ryan wouldn’t lie to her,
she knew this with the same certainty she knew that the sun would
rise in the morning. He was far too direct, if he were to do
something good or bad he would tell her honestly, bluntly. “He
doesn’t have to do anything in exchange for food that he can make
himself.”

“
Yes he can
cook but there are some things he can’t get to taste exactly how he
wants it to, exactly how I make them. Now come, watch and learn so
you’ll know the secret.” Stuart’s hands were already moving,
grabbing ingredients, already prepared items and beginning the
intricate dance that cooking involved. “Step one to learning about
a wolf’s diet,” he began. “We’re all meat eaters, every one of us.
The degree to which meat forms the basis of our diet does differ
from person to person though. In Ryan’s case he’s a meat eater
through and through. The more meat on his plate, the happier he is.
But the secret to preparing a meal for him is in the herbs,” he
whispered conspiratorially, throwing a wink in her direction. “Two
herbs specifically…sage and rosemary. If you add these two herbs to
anything you make for him, I personally guarantee that he’ll love
it.”

I’m beginning
to think I’ll love it too,
her mind groaned
as the aromatic smell of what Stuart was cooking drifted to her
nose and her stomach began to grumble in response.

“
Come, come,”
Stuart urged, pulling her gently to stand in front of him and
directing her hands to move as he wanted. She quickly picked up on
exactly what he expected and he beamed with pride. “You learn
quickly, another point in your favour. The instinct couldn’t have
been more right in choosing you as Ryan’s mate.”

She blushed.
“Thank you.”

Under
Stuart’s guidance, Ryan’s meal was quickly prepared. The huge steak
was apparently not sufficient for Ryan’s needs and Stuart rushed
around the kitchen gathering people and plates of food as though he
were intending to feed ten people not one. Three different members
of the kitchen staff were recruited into helping her carry the food
to Ryan’s side, each burdened with a heavy tray of food.

“
Stuart? Are
you sure all of this is necessary? I’m not sure he’ll manage to eat
all of this.”

“
It’s fine
Chloe,” he reassured. “Some of this is for you, if Ryan hasn’t
eaten then I doubt you have either and Ryan will be able to finish
all of this or I’ll find him and skin him. Tell him that’s a
personal pledge from me. Now, off with you. Go on,” he shooed and
the kitchen staff rushed to leave.

The door
opened with ease beneath their hands and Chloe rushed to leave, not
wanting to try her luck with the door for the second time that day.
As soon as she reached the door she realised that there had been no
need to rush, one of the men sent to help her was holding the door
open for her.

“
Thank you,”
she smiled.

“
You’re
welcome,” he replied gruffly.

“
Do you know
where we’re headed?” she asked cheerfully, determined not to give
these people legitimate reason to dislike her.

“
Yes,” another
replied.

“
Well then
let’s head off.” They didn’t move. “Is something wrong?”

“
Aren’t you
going to yell at us for what we did when you came into the
kitchen?”

“
No,” she
answered simply. “I’m not going to tell Ryan either. He comes up
with the most colourful punishments for people he thinks have done
me wrong. There was the hanging via your own intestines one I heard
when I first got here and then there was yesterday’s ‘I’ll slit
your throat, rip your heart out, feed it to you and then tear your
head off.’” The three gulped simultaneously. “Come on,” Chloe
laughed. “He’s only joking, he wouldn’t do that.”

“
Yes he would,”
one of the trio replied. “He’d kill us and smile whilst doing it.
Lord Ryan has always been the volatile one, the one to be wary of
and now he’s mated.” They groaned in unison. “Lord Sebastian turns
from one of the calmest, most gentle people you’ve ever met to a
monster in a heartbeat when Lady Erica is threatened I dread to
think of what Lord Ryan is like.”

“
Don’t worry
about it. Like I said, I’m not going to say a word but next time
when I come into the kitchen help me out. Now, we really should be
going otherwise his food will get cold.” She strode off, clearly
expecting them to follow and after a moment they did.

“
You’re a lot
different to what we thought you would be,” one of them
commented.

This is really
beginning to annoy me, who do they think I am? Some sort of monster
who gets her kicks off hurting people?
“Just what were you expecting?” she snapped, annoyance evident
in her tone.

“
I don’t know,
but for someone raised by hunters you’re very nice.”

“
I’m going to
take that as a compliment but a word of caution, don’t say anything
about my family when Ryan is nearby, he goes a little crazy. The
merest hint of my family from someone’s lips and he thinks they’re
out to get me.” They gulped again and didn’t utter another word.
They were approaching the door that led into Chloe and Ryan’s rooms
and they were well aware of just how sharp his hearing was. The
door opened from within and Sebastian walked out, a grim smile on
his face.

“
Hey
Chloe.”

The look on
his face was worrying and her mind instantly presumed the worst.
“Is Ryan ok?”

“
He’s as good
as is to be expected considering what I just told him.”

She breathed
a sigh of relief before realising what he had just said. Her eyes
narrowed in suspicion. “What did you tell him?”

“
That I caught
Lucinda while she was trying to escape.”

“
Why did you
tell him that? He wanted to go after her, he’ll probably end up
hurting himself trying to do that.”

“
I think he’s
already started,” he mumbled.

Racing into
the room, Chloe dropped her tray on the nearest flat surface and
motioned for her helpers to do the same before rushing off to the
bedroom. As she had predicted, Ryan was no longer in bed. He was
standing in the bathroom doorway, leaning heavily against the
frame, dark red blood soaking the bandages around his waist. The
slight colour that had returned to his face before she left had
faded into a distant memory. He was breathing hard; sweat beading
on his forehead as he forced his body to do things that it was in
no condition to even be considering.

“
Ryan!”

He turned to
face her, the pain that had been etched on his face moments before
instantly fading. “Angel,” he beamed happily.

“
What are you
doing?” she scolded.

His
expression instantly became one of confusion in the face of her
question. It should have been obvious what he was doing. “I’m going
to deal with Lucinda.”

“
No, you’re
going to get back into bed and you’re going to do it
now.”

“
I can’t do
that angel. I have to deal with her after what she did to you. She
tried to kill you, if I’d been further away she may very well have
succeeded.” The thought sent a shiver of fear down his
spine.

She moved
towards him and placed a hand on the bare skin of his chest.
I have to remember that I have power in this
relationship too.
“Ryan please, I don’t
want you to do this.”

A low, angry
growl escaped his lips, echoing through the large space. “You can’t
expect me to free her?”

“
No, what she
did was wrong but you’re making your injuries worse. Please Ryan,
just come back to bed. Do this for me.”

He stared at
her intensely for a few long moments before sighing in defeat, his
eyes sliding shut. “For you angel, only for you.”