Chapter 10 - The Feast - Revised
"I'll change back first and go in. Everyone in the pack has seen everyone else naked but for now…" said Jacob, trailing off.
I turned and sat down on the other side of the sheets that we had left hanging on the line.
"Shout when you're in… or you're changed," I said, lying down so I couldn't see him as I was much taller than the line.
"Alright, I'll be quick," he said.
A moment later I heard human feet padding across the grass and the back door open and shut. A few minutes later the door opened again.
"I'm dressed, I'll go wait for you out front," said Jacob.
I walked around the line to face him, "Ok, thanks," I said.
He nodded and walked back into the house.
I waited until I heard the front door open and shut and dropped the load of wet clothes in my mouth on the back step, phased and ran swiftly into the house. I hurried into my room and shut the door. Then realizing the windows in the room were still wide open I closed the white curtains hanging around them. The cloth let light in and peeping eyes out, not that I thought Jacob would do that but I had been paranoid about it for the past couple of months now. I opened the top drawer and pulled out a clean bra and undies and then opened the drawer below that and grabbed a pair of black shorts and green camisole. Then I walked over to the closet and pulled out my baggy beige sweater with the quarter length sleeves and my grey Keds and closed the door again. I changed quickly and went into the bathroom. I towel dried my hair and tied it back into a messy bun. Then I walked out back and moving a sheet over I made room for the wet clothes to hang. Then I walked around the house to meet Jacob.
"All set," Jacob asked, I nodded, "Alright then, follow me."
He started walking towards the big house by the forest and I followed. Lights were on at the ground level of the house and from the chatter, I could hear the whole pack had to be inside already. Jacob opened the door and bowed me in smiling widely. I smiled too and walked in the door.
I was in a ginormous room; it had to take up most of the ground floor. In the corner, all the way to the far left was a large kitchen area with a big island in the middle laden with food. A big table with at least a dozen chairs stood in front of the kitchen and a small hall behind that which ended in a set of stairs. In front of us were three plush couches in a 'U' shape around a coffee table facing a fireplace to my left. There was plenty of space to move around; even if there were 20 people in here. Sitting on the couch facing the door where Leah, Seth, and Jared. Paul and Emma were seated on the sofa facing the fireplace. Sam was standing at the island facing a woman with a long jagged scar running along the left side of her face. It was visible even with the other side of her face facing me. I was shocked at first but then I thought, this must be what Jacob had been talking about. The woman, Emily, looked over at me and smiled warmly. She rushed over and hugged me. "You must be Arianna, welcome to the pack!" she said delightedly.
Sam laughed, "Let her breathe Em."
Emily smiled at him, "You two must be starving," she said to us, "Well, you always are," she added to the room at large.
"Not complaining now are you," said Paul.
I looked at Sam and saw a flicker of the wolf pass over his face.
"Shut up Paul," he said, a little aggressively.
"Don't you two start," said Emily before Paul could respond, a malicious smile on his face, "Dinner is almost ready, or should I say the feast. You two sit down and relax."
"Is there anything I can do to help?" I asked as she began walking back to the kitchen.
"As a matter of fact, could you pull out, let's see," she counted heads, "9 plates and glasses and forks and all that," she asked.
"Of course, just show me where to go," I said walking over to her.
"How helpful you are, unlike some of us," she said a smile creeping through her attempt at scorn. "You won't let us help, remember," said Jacob, coming over to help me find the dishes.
"Yes, well, not with the food; you almost burnt down our house the last time I let one of you cook," she said.
"That wasn't me, that was Paul, and we know he sucks at life to begin with so that shouldn't shock us," said Jacob, and I laughed.
Paul looked calm but he stood up and raised a fist.
"OH NO, not in here you don't; what have I told you? You want to try and kill each other you'll do it outside!" Emily yelled.
I laughed and took the stack of plates and glasses from the cabinet and brought them over to the table.
"Alright, Jacob, outside so I can crush you," said Paul.
"Let's eat first and then you two can have a go at each other, again," said Sam, and both Paul and Jacob lowered their fists.
We all sat down and Emily and Sam brought over huge dishes of potatoes, peas, corn, a large basket full of steaming hot rolls, and 2 big chickens that had been soaking in broth. It really was a feast and boy did it taste good. I loaded my plate along with the others and together we scoffed down a whole chicken in about ten minutes. In a little more than a half-hour all of the plates on the table were clean, glasses empty, but stomachs satisfyingly full.