Kevin’s POV
“Are you done packing?” Zeke asked in what felt like the millionth time.
I couldn’t count how many times I had heard that question today. He had been hovering around the room, doing nothing except frustrating me and getting in the way.
I sighed instead of responding to him and felt Ella’s hand on my wrist just as I was about to give him a piece of my mind and tell him to leave our room, the room I shared with Ella.
At first I understood him but I no longer wanted to do that again. Ella could continue to understand her father but I wanted him out of my room this instant. What was there in packing that we hadn’t been able to do for the past two hours? All and no thanks to Zeke.
I didn’t have up to ten outfits and it wasn’t like Ella came with a wardrobe of outfits either. The only reason we haven’t been able to do anything was because Zeke was being an annoying pest. I wasn’t sorry to use that word for someone who was about to be my father-in-law. That was how much my patience limit had been stretched.
“Dad, do you mind excusing us for a while?” Ella said. I admired her for how soft her voice was. I had no doubt I would have been tempted to snap at him. “We are trying to pack here.”
“I know you are.” Zeke sighed.
Then what are you trying to do by disturbing us? I scowled rather than yell as I wanted to.
“Dad,” Ella called again, arching her eyebrows.
He sighed. “I know I’ve been a nuisance, princess, but can’t you stay a little longer with dad?”
I sighed. Was he kidding? We should have been gone the second day after the war ended and Kenneth killed himself but we hadn’t been able to leave because of him so that he wouldn’t miss us suddenly. He had groaned that he would miss us so much if we leave immediately that we had had to stay behind for a while with him but that didn’t mean he stopped being clingy.
“You can always come to visit, Zeke. You know that.” I said to him, my words a sigh.
He sighed with me. “That is not going to be like when you are all around.”
“You know we have to go.”
“You know we have to go, dad.”
He sighed. “Knowing that doesn’t make me any more prepared or less dreadful of your departure.”
Ella sighed. “You know that we have to leave now. We have stayed here enough to please you, dad. You heard what Kevin’s dad said the other day that he should come home as soon as he can. Kevin has things to do at home and the men also do as well but they have to stay back because of us. They might end up resenting you if we don’t leave now and I’m sure you don’t want that, dad.”
I was amazed at Ella’s lengthy explanation. I hoped that it would work on Zeke because he was acting more clingy than a one-year-old boy.
Zeke sniffled. “I don’t want them to resent me. I should leave you alone to pack.”
I nodded. “You should.”
He snorted at me. “Don’t act like we both don’t know why you want me to leave. You want to be alone with my daughter and not because you want to pack.”
“I am a gentleman.” I said in my defense while grinning.
I was going to miss Zeke as well. I was going to miss the way he didn’t hesitate to tease me but I had to leave. I couldn’t leave my people for too long without their alpha.
“Dad.” Ella said, blushing. “Kevin wasn’t even thinking of anything like that.”
“How would you know he wasn’t?” He winked at her. “I should go and cook so I can keep myself busy. You would also need food for your journey.”
“You already gave us enough food for the journey.” Ella pointed out.
She was right. We would have to eat two to three servings at every meal times during our journey to finish what Zeke had packed for us.
“You should have more. I need to keep myself busy. Do you want me to leave or not?” Zeke said. “It’s not bad if you take food home and give to members of your pack.”
“Don’t you think that is going to raise questions that we can’t answer? How would we explain how we got cooked homemade food when we were meant to be travelling through a dry land? It’s not possible that we were able to cook all that with firewood.”
Zeke sighed at my words. “I guess you are right. No one should know yet that we have been together. I should still cook to keep myself busy or I would be tempted to pull Ella into my arms and never let go.”
“She belongs in my arms.” I teased him.
“Asshole.” He laughed and shook his head. “I’m off to the kitchen. If you don’t want my food, Caleb and I would eat it before we go back home tomorrow.”
“We will be done packing before you get back in here.”
“I won’t.” He pledged.
“I don’t trust you on that.” I said, laughing.
“I will surprise you.” He chuckled.
He was about to leave the room when Andre walked in. He actually rushed in and didn’t walk in.
“What is the problem, Andre?” I asked, raising my eyebrows.
“The alpha of the blue river pack is here with his soldiers.” He said.
What? I wasn’t expecting that. Were they here for Zeke and Caleb? I doubted that and I was able to confirm that when I glanced at Zeke and noticed the look on his face. He wasn’t expecting the soldiers here.
I remembered him telling me that no one knew that he had a house here as he had lived like a loner ever since he lost Ella and her mother.
Andre sighed. “He is asking of you.”
Zeke heaved a deep breath and glanced at me. “I’m sorry.” He apologized though he didn’t need to. “You would have been gone if it wasn’t for me.”
I shook my head. It was not his fault. He couldn’t have known that they were here. I was not going to blame him for what wasn’t going to change. The soldiers of the blue river pack were here and we would be rude as hosts if we keep them waiting.
“Let’s go.” I said to the people with me.
We had to find out what the breeze blew in and why it was here for us.