**Episode 4! What are Devin and Ellis up to? Let’s find out. Enjoy!**
The throat clearing made me jump. I whipped around toward the noise only to see Ellis standing in the doorway. Which given I’d been using the upper room of his shop for more than a week now, wasn’t shocking. The surprise came from the fact that he was holding a plate and a glass. He’d never come up here to eat before.
“I’ll clear out if you want to eat in peace,” I said immediately, setting down the awl, ready to move out of his way.
Ellis’s lip quirked. While I hadn’t seen much of him, I had learned quickly that was his version of a smile. He held out his offerings.
“This is for you.”
I stared, unable to help it. “I’m sorry, what?”
Ellis tutted. “There’s no reason to apologize. Except, perhaps, because you’re terrible at taking care of yourself. Really, your self-preservation is atrocious. How you’re not more than skin and bones…” Ellis shook his head. Then gestured with the glass toward the sofa under the window. “Come sit.”
I followed him because I wasn’t sure what else to do. When he held out the plate, I took it automatically. He set the glass on the small table beside the sofa, and then took a seat next to me. But all I could do is blink at him, thoroughly confused.
“Devin, you need to eat. You know that right? Your brain and body need fuel. And if you don’t eat enough, then you won’t have good control over your wolf side.”
“I know that.” Why was he telling me this? Every shifter knew that.
Ellis quirked an eyebrow, and I was fascinated by that for a second, because I couldn’t get my face to do that. I liked his eyes, because even in his human form, they were the yellow of his animal, and against his tan skin, it looked really cool.
“Do you?” He asked, his voice soft. “Are you sure you know that? Because Trey seems to think you only eat breakfast, because Duncan makes it for you, and dinner, when you sit down with Trey and Asher. The Alpha claims you never bring lunch from the house, and wondered if perhaps I was feeding you during the day. Or if you were going out. He was quite shocked to learn neither were true.”
“I’m busy,” I muttered. I didn’t know I was allowed to bring my own lunch. Okay, the Alpha had said I was welcome to anything in the kitchen, whenever I wanted it, but still. And I had money, but the one and only time I went into the Mercantile, everyone had stared at me. Logically, I knew that it was because I was new. But I still didn’t like it. It stopped me from visiting the restaurant or the café.
With a thoughtful hum, Ellis leaned back. “You do work hard. And that is an admirable trait. But you need to take care of yourself.”
“I’m fine. I eat. I—”
“To that end,” Ellis said, as though I hadn’t even been talking, “I will make sure you’re fed when you’re here during the day. I expect you to take a break and eat. Do you understand me?”
There was something in his tone that shot straight through me and to my core, taking root and sticking there. For a few seconds, I could only stare at him. Ellis did not blink—was it because he was an owl and they didn’t need to blink very often? —and it was a bit unnerving. I broke first, unable to keep eye contact. When I dropped my gaze to my sandwich, Ellis tsked softly.
“Answer me, please.”
My entire body jolted and I mentally cursed it for betraying me. I’d long ago learned to keep my emotions and reactions in check. It was too telling, and that could be used against me. A dominant but kind persona though? That had always been my undoing. And Ellis was displaying that in spades.
“I, uh. Yes. I understand. But really sir, I can take care of myself and you don’t need to feed me.”
He touched me then, a warm, reassuring hand on my arm. My gaze shot to his, and his eyes were kind, but there was also no denying the determination there. He would not be swayed. I had a choice of course. I could refuse and there was little he could do about it. He wasn’t part of the pack exactly, just under the Alpha’s protection. But so was I, and if I went to Trey, he would make sure Ellis respected my boundaries.
But the thing was, I didn’t want to refuse. There was something about this man that made me want to roll over and show him my belly, and my wolf didn’t normally like to do that. Yes, I was a submissive wolf, timid even in my human form, but my wolf side was more protective of me than that, and only showed true submission when I had to. This was something else entirely.
I didn’t know if it was a change in my expression, or maybe my scent, but I saw the moment Ellis realized I would comply with this command. That I was happy to do it. He arched that eyebrow again, then gave a pointed look at my sandwich. I hastened to eat it, and with the first bite, I realized how hungry I was. I devoured it, then downed the glass of iced tea as well.
“Good boy.”
I shivered. At the words? At the tone? Maybe both together. But I’d pleased him, and that warmed me. Ellis took the plate and then held his hand out for the glass. I passed it to him, and he nodded, that hint of a smile graced his lips.
“I’ll be back in a couple of hours with a snack.” It was a statement and he didn’t wait for my agreement before turning and heading for the door.
“You don’t have to—” I began, but at his sharp look over his shoulder, I shut my mouth. Those yellow, unblinking eyes stared me down until I nodded. “Thank you.”
Ellis winked and left the room. When he was gone, I slumped back against the cushions. I was in trouble, and if I didn’t nip this in the bud, he would get ideas. Ideas he shouldn’t get. Ideas I shouldn’t get. Because I wasn’t staying, and in fifty-one weeks, I’d be gone.