Her Cursed Mate

Chapter 18 (unedited)

Beta Jay's POV

"So how was your day?" I asked Natalia and her brothers as we sat at the dining table. I had just got back from Thaddeus's house.

She mumbles something but doesn't bother repeating when I ask her to. I take a bite out of the teriyaki chicken the cook made for us. I glance at her brothers who are too busy eating to answer.

"What did you guys do while I was gone?"

"We watched T.V," answers one of her brothers. I nod once and stare at Natalia who isn't even eating. She plays with her food and let's out continuous sighs.

"How do you guys like dinner?"

Kasin, swallows and turns to me. "It's really delicious."

"Yeah," I say. "It's one of my favorite dishes."

"I looove chicken," he replies with. I grin agreeing with him.

"What else do you guys like to eat?"

"Cheese pizza, noodles, and bacon," he bites into the chicken before continuing. "Kasin loves bacon more than me though. He's obsessed."

I glance at Kerin who shys away from my line of sight. He's been very quiet lately and I think it has something to do with his sister who is grumbling under her breath.

"Natalia, what do you like to eat?"

She bites down on her bottom lip and stops playing with her food. I wait for an answer and watch as the younger siblings watch their sister.

"Spicy chicken wings," she says without looking up.

"She LOOOOVVEESSSS them with a passion."

I grin at the young kid and glance at Natalia. "If you want, I can get someone to make them for you."

She shakes her head no. "Well whenever you want them just ask me," I tell her. She nods, the corner of her lips going up.

We eat in silence for the rest of the time. Sometimes the boys would ask me questions about how the Alpha, Beta, and Third-in-command, positions were ran and I'd just tell them it wasn't easy along with a few other facts. They seemed fascinated while Natalia continued playing with her food.

"So what pack did you guys come from?"

All three of them tense up at the same moment. It's Natalia who ends the conversation. "I think we're done with dinner."

The boys follow suit and I'm stuck watching them all get up and grab their plates and utensils. They walk into the kitchen where Natalia is already rinsing her plate. "You don't have to do that."

"I want to," she says placing her wet dish away. Her brothers watch the exchange. She grabs another dish and cleans it. Sighing, I take a hold of her wrist stopping her from continuing. "I told you, you don't have to do this."

She yanks her wrist away from me and doesn't respond. Instead, she goes back to doing the dishes. Sighing, I watch as she cleans all of the used objects. After she's done, she wipes her hands with a nearby dish towel.

"Natalia," I say.

"I think that's it for the night," she says glancing at the boys. "How about you guys go to bed?"

They nod and awkwardly glance between me and their sister. When they leave, Natalia turns to me. She doesn't say anything but I know she has a lot to say. "Natalia what's wrong?"

She crosses her arms over her chest and I'm tempted to shake her to get answers. She looks up at me. "My brothers and I," she starts taking a deep breath. "Have been through a lot. You can't expect us to open up with some kind words and great gestures."