I grabbed a tray and started moving through the buffet, making sure I checked under each hot cover. Before I’d even reached the end, my plate was overflowing. I glared at the three covered dishes I hadn’t gotten to. I refused to look under them, just in case they were better than what I had. Nothing worse than seeing what I couldn’t fit on my tray.
I mused as I moved toward my usual spot: Were they making these plates smaller? I swore I used to be able to fit more on them. I took a seat at my usual table, close to the council but not within hearing distance, except maybe for the vampires. My father would find me here. A tray landed next to mine. I grunted and flicked my eyes to the left, but I’d already scented who it was.
“Seat’s taken,” I mumbled, having started eating a piece of toast.
The lion shifter ignored my reticence and rested his hip against the side of my table. “I thought you’d come over last night.” Jerad, who had been my bed partner last month, leaned closer and locked on to me with his golden brown eyes. I swallowed loudly, before meeting his gaze.
He was a big alpha shifter, tall, with wild golden hair a shade lighter than his eyes. I’d been trying to get rid of him for weeks now, but he was like a reoccurring virus. Just when I thought he’d taken the hint to leave me alone, he’d pop back up again. Sure, our hookups had been fun, but I was done. Our little dalliance had run its course. He was … five shades of needy, wanting me over all the time. I already had too many demanding men in my life.
“I’m sure you heard about the family drama.” I reached for my coffee. The way I felt right now this cup was nowhere near big enough. I gulped a few large mouthfuls of the sweet, creamy liquid. Ah, gift from the gods. “And I’ve told you before, I’m no longer interested.”
On top of his neediness, lion shifters liked it rough and ready. I was sick of claw marks on my butt. Not that wolves didn’t occasionally leave them too, but lions were the worst. Claw-happy bastards.
I waved my coffee at him. “If you don’t mind, I’m meeting my father,” I said. “I’ll catch up with you later.” I had no real intentions of meeting with him later, but my words didn’t scream lie because I knew, in a town this size, we’d run into each other eventually.
He brushed back his mane with both hands. “I’ll be a little busy. You don’t show up, I replace you. You know the rules, Jessa.”
He had to be kidding me. Was insanity part of lion shifters’ DNA?
I narrowed my eyes as I slowly dropped my coffee onto the table. “Well then what the fuck are you doing over here interrupting my breakfast?”
He’d better go away now.
Tyson fell down into the chair beside me. “I believe the lady’s had enough of your shining personality, lion.”
I’d already lost interest in Jerad. Now I was trying to figure out how Tyson seemed to have even more food on his tray than I did. Must have used magic. Damn wizards were so lucky.
Tyson bared his teeth at the lion. “Time to hurry home and groom your mane.”
Lion shifters were not only delusional but really proud – kings of the jungle. It pissed them right off that the council leader was a wolf shifter. They hadn’t had a representative for at least the last four councils. Jerad straightened, the affable personality disappearing under the storm clouds crossing his features. He was striding toward Tyson right up until Braxton’s hand landed on his shoulder. “Move.”
It was enough for Jerad to grab his tray, turn, and stalk away.
Braxton dropped down on the other side of me. “You need better taste in men,” he said.
I glared before reaching across him and stealing his coffee. I needed more caffeine. Somehow my cup was empty. I didn’t even remember finishing it. “You know I gave him the boot ages ago, he’s just having trouble understanding how anyone could not want him.” I flicked my free hand at Braxton. “And you make it hard to find good men. You scare away any but the most alpha shifters and they’re always arrogant dicks.”
“We alphas are confident, not arrogant,” he said, as he picked up another cup off his tray and waved it in front of me. “Now give me back my coffee.”
I moaned as the scent of hot chocolate hit my nostrils. I love chocolate in any form. It was at the top of my food pyramid. In reality, it was pretty much my entire food pyramid.
I reached out my hand that wasn’t clutching the coffee. “Give me,” I said, waggling my fingers. “Don’t make me chase it, you know that only ends in tears.”
“Coffee first.” He held the cup just out of my reach.