The next day, those of us who are able went out to patrol again. It was an uneventful day, which was fine by me because I wasn’t sure I was ready to go up against another of the Midnight Reaper’s soldiers so soon. No one seemed to be except for Eli. I’d never seen him more determined.

By the time mid-afternoon rolled around, we’d opted to take a break for a couple hours and return once night fell. Eli wasn’t happy about the break, but he understood the needs of his pack. We needed rest and nourishment. Plus, some of us wanted to check in on members who had been injured the night before and see how they were doing.

Dorian had been bandaged up good enough by the time we brought Tate and the others to Gran. She had had a long night mending everyone, but it wasn’t anything she couldn’t handle. Gracie had woke and helped as much as she could, and Violet had stayed to help too. Tate would be okay, but his injuries would take his wolf longer to heal than some of the others.

The scent of burgers grilling made its way to my nose as I stepped out of the woods and into the trailer park. I followed my nose until I spotted a large table in front of the party building. The Bell sisters stood behind it with drunken grins plastered on their withered with age faces. I wondered how many of their special drinks they’d had today.

In front of them was a tasty-looking buffet. Sheila stood beside the old women, filling a plastic bowl with chips. Dorian was nowhere to be seen. I imagined she had him laid up in their trailer, healing even though I was sure he was probably feeling much better.

“What’s all this?” Eli asked when we neared the sisters and Sheila.

“A way to say thank you for what y’all are out there doing,” Sheila insisted. She wiped her hands on a napkin and passed Eli a paper plate. “There’s more than enough food here, so take what you want. We’ve got Philly cheesesteaks, hot dogs, and cheeseburgers.”

As soon as she said hot dogs and cheeseburgers, I spotted my dad off to the side, manning the grill. It was good to see he’d found himself a place in all of this. A way to help. I knew it was important to him.

When we returned to the trailer park last night, I’d been unable to sleep and had slipped outside to gaze at the stars. I’d spotted him in front of Gran’s with a bottle of whiskey in hand. He hadn’t opened it, but it was clear from the look on his face he’d been in a dark enough place to. I was sure it was because the conversation between him and Mom earlier had made him feel worthless, even if that hadn’t been Mom’s intention.

When he slipped the bottle back into the bushes and headed inside the tension in my muscles melted away, but the pain in my heart lingered.

“Hey, sweetheart,” he said when he noticed me staring at him. “Hot dog or cheeseburger?”

I shook my head. “No, I think I’ll have a Philly cheesesteak.”

“Suit yourself.” He grinned.

A wide smile stretched across my face as he whistled to himself while continuing to flip burgers. I was glad he’d found something to busy himself with. He needed a purpose within the pack. Something to feel proud of himself for.

Manning the grill today was a good place to start.

“Everything looks delicious,” Eli insisted as he glanced at the food covering the table.

“Oh, good,” Violet said as she walked toward us carrying a case of water. “You finally came back. I was getting ready to send a text and let you know the food was ready.”

“I think my subconscious knew there was something waiting,” Max insisted as he took a paper plate from Sheila and reached for one of my Dad’s cheeseburgers.

I accepted a plate from the oldest Bell sister and piled on barbecue chips before reaching for a Philly. I noticed Mom grab a plate and a hamburger bun before she headed to Dad at the grill.

“Are these your famous cheeseburgers?” she asked as she placed a kiss on his cheek.

“They are.” He placed a burger on her bun and grinned.

I’d forgotten how much he enjoyed cooking. It had always been a passion of his. Something he had learned from Gran for sure. I remembered them taking turns cooking dinner during the week when I was little. Mom never cooked. I wasn’t sure if it was because she didn’t enjoy it, or if she didn’t know how.

“I’ve missed your cheeseburgers,” Mom insisted.

“I’ve missed cooking them.” Dad flipped a burger high in the air and caught it on the spatula before placing it back on the grate of the hot grill. “I’d forgotten how much I enjoyed it.”

“You used to love cooking. I’m surprised you put away your spatula for so long,” Mom insisted as she squirted ketchup on the top part of her bun.

“I was in a dark place,” he said without looking up from the grill.

I wondered if he was remembering last night and how he’d almost allowed himself to return to that dark place again. I hadn’t mentioned anything to anyone about what I’d seen, not even Eli, because I felt it wasn’t my secret to share.

Dad was happier today. Maybe it was because he was cooking, or maybe it was because he’d fought an old demon and won.

Either way, I was glad to see him smile.

Once I made my plate, I stepped to where Eli stood and ate. Gran came into view, followed by Gracie. It was odd to see her not with Cooper. From the basket Gracie was carrying, I knew she was helping Gran tend to the pack members who’d been injured in last night’s epic battle again. I was glad to see her spend time with Gran, even if it was for something so horrible.

“Did you get another one today?” a soft voice asked, jarring me from my thoughts.

Jonas had come out of nowhere. He looked up at Eli, begging him to say yes.

Eli shook his head. “No. We’ll get another one soon though. Trust me.”

“I do.” Jonas smiled.

Eli ruffled Jonas’s hair. “Good. Did you get something to eat?”

“I had a hot dog.”

“What? No chips?” Eli teased.

“I wasn’t really that hungry,” Jonas said with a shrug.

“I know barbecue chips are your favorite. There were some over there.” Eli pointed to where the youngest Bell sister was dishing out giant handfuls of them. “Better get some before Ms. Bell passes them all out.”

“Here, you can have some of mine.” I grabbed a handful and held them out to him. “I got too many. I won’t be able to eat them all.”

“Thanks,” he said as he grabbed them from me.

He crunched on one as he walked back to his trailer. The windows were dark, as though the trailer was in mourning. It had me thinking of June.

“How’s your mom?” I asked Eli, knowing he’d taken a moment to check on her this morning before we began patrol.

“She’s doing okay,” Eli said before he took a bite of his Philly. “She’s supposed to go to the funeral home tomorrow morning to pick up my Dad’s ashes. It’s got her all shook up.”

His voice was cold and unfeeling as though he wasn’t truly processing the words he was saying. In fact, I wasn’t sure he’d processed his father’s death at all yet.

“I’m sure,” I said. “Does she need anyone to give her a ride? If so, I’d be glad to.”

I still felt bad for not visiting with her sooner than I had.

Eli glanced at me, his bright green eyes glittered in the sunlight. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” I said, not understanding where his sudden declaration came from.

“You care so much about everyone in this pack.”

I shrugged. “Doesn’t everyone? We’re family.”

“Not as much as you,” Eli insisted. “No. Mom doesn’t need you to give her a ride because I’m taking her. I feel like I should, you know? I need to be there for her.” His voice shook when he spoke, and I was glad to see an emotion besides anger surrounding his father’s death trickle through him.

“I think it’s great you’re taking her.”

“Thanks.” Eli wiped his mouth with his napkin. “I’m thinking about making all of my brothers come. It’s something we should do as a whole family.”

“That’s a good idea.” I smiled. “I’ll probably give Ridley a call in the morning while you’re with your family to touch base and make sure the witches are still on track in putting up that ward.”

Eli pulled me into him and placed to sloppy kiss against my lips. “Beautiful, compassionate, and brilliant. How the hell did I get so lucky?”

“Oh, whatever,” I said as I playfully slapped him away.

He grinned, and I felt like I’d won the lottery. The last few days Eli had turned into a hard, cold version of himself with everything that had happened, a version I didn’t recognize. I knew it was because he was dealing with a lot, and I hated to see him seem so cold.

This smile, though. It was golden.