Page 341 of Pucking Feral: Part Two

I find the little camping pot in the pile and fill it from the water jug. Wraith takes it from me before I can lift it over the flames, setting it neatly on the metal grate Valek arranged across the firepit.

Mother hen strikes again.

“Thank you.”

He nods.

Valek returns several minutes later with the fish cleaned, gutted, and wrapped in foil.

I dump the noodles into the boiling water. Valek lays both foil bundles among the coals, then settles on the opposite side of the fire. Wraith sits beside me, knees spread, shoulders hunched as he watches the pot, spacing out.

Wait, no. He isn't watching the pot. He’s watching the reflection trembling across the metal.

I shift the pot so the handle blocks the worst of it. His eyes flick to me, and I pretend to be deeply fascinated by seasoning packets.

The noodles soften fast. I stir them with a fork, dump in two packets of seasoning, and split the results between the three metal bowls we brought. Wraith gets the most, by a lot, because Valek has two whole trout all to himself.

Wraith takes his bowl with a soft growl I know is a thanks.

Valek pulls one fish from the coals, unwraps the foil, and concentrates intensely on checking the flesh with his knife. He doesn’t look at Wraith.

Neither do I.

Not directly, anyway. I can still see him out of the corner of my eye. I blow on my noodles and take a bite. They’re salty as fuck, but they're perfect.

Beside me, Wraith lifts his bowl.

He hesitates.

My heart pounds so hard it’s ridiculous.

His jaws part.

He tips the bowl and catches a clump with his tongue, pulling the noodles between his teeth. They immediately slip sideways and hang through the side of his teeth where he can't bite all the way down without severing the noodles and getting them everywhere.

He freezes, his scent spiking with panic.

I keep eating. Valek takes a bite of fish, staring into the fire thoughtfully, tilting his head like he actually sees something interesting there other than flames and logs.

Wraith tilts his head back and his exposed jaws gnash twice, sharp teeth chopping through the noodles, and he swallows with his head still tipped back.

Like a wolf eating ramen.

He lowers the bowl and glances anxiously at me.

I shove another forkful into my mouth before I can make the embarrassing noise building in my throat.

Why was that hot?

The fuck is up with me?

His blue eyes narrow warily.

Valek clears his throat into his fist and Wraith looks sharply at him. Valek’s mouth twitches. “She thinks you’re cute.”

Traitor.

Wraith looks at me like I'm insane, and maybe I am, but he takes another bite.