The Bite (Book 1)

Original Edition - Chapter 33: Doorstep

Elliot placed two grilled cheese sandwiches on a plate with Caesar salad and pushed it to me. He then took a big ladle, scooped out some chunky tomato soup, and poured it into a bowl before pushing it to me as well.

My stomach grumbled on cue. "I hope you made plenty of grilled cheeses."

Elliot chuckled as he made a plate for Derek and himself. "Why do you think I used the oven?"

I smiled as I bit into my sandwich. It was the perfect amount of cheesy goodness that I needed to bring joy to my soul. I dunked an end in my soup then took another large bite out of it when there was a knock on the door.

I stilled. Derek quickly zipped over to the door and looked through the peep-hole, then smiled wickedly. "Damn, your mate does have some nice hair."

"Really?!" I groaned out.

"Char," Elliot gently scolded. I gave him a weary shrug which earned me a small smile. "Go to him and let him talk. Give him a chance."

I huffed out a nervous breath then walked to the door. The mate pull started to stir, it knew he was out there. It was so damn strong, like a hundred hands trying to pull me through the door.

My wolf perked up. I let out a shaky breath and tried to collect myself as Derek walked back over to Elliot. My wolf gently reassured me. She was with me, but I needed to do this. He wasn't Marcus; it wasn't fair for me to let those demons taint this.

I opened the door handle, pulled it slowly open, and almost stilled after I did. He was so handsome; what I saw from the tree didn't do him justice. He had a strong jaw with light stubble covering it, defining it in a way that made me want to trace the edges of it with my fingertips. I couldn't help but admire the way his skin had a healthy glow, a glow from being outside in these mountains.

He was not a small man; he was strong and tall, but grown into his height. His reeked of an alpha male, and definitely looked the part. In that moment I so wanted to let my fingers run through his chocolatey hair that had light curls and waves in it.

I flickered my eyes to his lips. Dangerous. The moment I felt my wolf ogle at them, I snapped my eyes back to his and immediately wished I had not. They drew me in slowly, like a slow moving undertow that I could not escape; swirling of blues and turquoises that I thought I was about to drown myself in willingly.

He coughed a little and I flushed quickly at how absurd I must have looked. He looked at me and opened his mouth, then closed it again. I knew I should have said something, but my lips couldn't move. The pull was clouding my brain, and tossing all logical thinking out the window.

Ethan looked at me again and sighed nervously. "I um... Well I... I... Shit," he hissed out before turning on his heel and walking away from the house.

I turned back to the vampires who were biting back laughter with my mouth hanging almost to the ground. "What was that?"

"That," Derek said as I walked back in and shut the door. "That was rich. I wish I had that on camera."

"Nice work Char," Elliot chuckled out.

"I bet he comes back in ten minutes give or take a few," Derek mused as I slid back onto my bar stool.

"Is it always like that?" I bit into my sandwich while my mind swirled.

Derek chuckled as he sipped his soup. "I think Elliot's first words to me were something like, 'I really like your vest.'"

"I was nervous!" Elliot threw his arms up while I laughed a little.

"Babe it's fine, it was a nice vest," Derek teased.