Chapter 0028

I walked over to the counter and retrieved the mason jars. One jar was sticky on the side; the lid was loose, and juice leaked down the side. Fortunately, none of it had spilled onto Zoe’s bag. I tried to tighten the lid, but had to open it to realign it. Looking into the jar at the fruit, I couldn't help but salivate at the juiciness of the plump peach slices. Before I knew it, my fingers reached in, pulled out a slice, and popped it into my mouth.

To my surprise, my body savored the sweetness. Instead of revulsion, I chewed slowly and swallowed with relish. My stomach didn't sting but sang in relief at the small piece of food. Was my appetite improving? Could this be a blessing from the life blossoming inside me?

Quickly, I screwed the lid back onto the mason jar. I turned to take them to Zoe, who was preparing the dessert crust. Her eyes met mine, and she smiled slyly before returning to her work.

As the guests filed into the dining room, Noah stepped into the kitchen to survey the meal's progress. Zoe had her back turned, stirring soup on the stove, as I arranged deviled eggs on a plate. Noah was silent, watching me with his arms folded across his chest. I could feel his gaze. “Is something wrong?” I finally asked.

“Is this really edible?” he blurted, picking up a deviled egg and inspecting it closely.

I placed my hands on my hips. “What do you mean by that?”

He shrugged. “You’ve never cooked before, and you hardly eat anything. How could you possibly prepare this meal?”

“Can’t I try something new?”

Frowning, Noah popped the deviled egg into his mouth. He made a show of chewing slowly, as though contemplating the food’s quality, but I knew he'd already judged it before swallowing.

“Well, it isn’t the most delicious thing I’ve ever tasted,” he said with a chuckle. “You know this is for a family banquet, right? Not a lowbrow party filled with men who’ll eat anything.”

I gasped. Whirling around, I saw Zoe stiffen by the stove. She hadn’t turned; she didn’t see Noah’s expression. But I did. The sharp look in his eyes and the biting smirk told me this was jealousy, a lingering resentment from Viona and Amber’s party.

Asshole.

“It was Zoe’s cooking,” I said. “I’m just helping to serve.”

I walked over to Zoe, gathered her in my arms, and felt her tremble as she fought back tears.

“It’s okay,” I told her. “He didn’t mean it that way.”

As Zoe buried her face in my shoulder, I shot an angry glance at Noah. He glared back, and I met his gaze defiantly. He’d intended to mock me in front of Zoe, but it backfired. Maybe that would teach him to pick on me to inflate his ego.

“Well, since the two of you seem so close suddenly,” he said, “you might want to know that Drake is coming as a member of the Alpha Council.”

Adam, who had popped his head in to check on his mother, smiled broadly at the news. “Daddy!” he exclaimed.

Zoe pulled away from me. Her face paled. “Drake… he’s really coming.”