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Chapter Sixty Two: Never Miss Breakfast

Roll.

Thumb indent.

Place chocolate chunk.

Fold over.

Roll.

Place on plate.

Pick up more dough.

Roll.

Don't think, just do. Focus on the doughnuts.

With more precision than strictly necessary, I prepared the next doughnut and refused to let my mind think of anything else. I couldn't let my mind wander. It would only lead to spiralling and I couldn't do that today. Not to Emily, after all of the preparations she was making herself. It would be selfish to spiral and spoil today. But my mind felt like needles were picking threads of insecurities out. I couldn't control it, but I was trying to ignore it.

"It smells incredible in here." Sam announced as he strode in from his night patrol. He strode over to Emily, intent on greeting her with a kiss.

"Ah." She held her hand up in warning, the flour dusting her palm creating a small cloud to float to the floor, "You need to shower."

"And I will." He tried to lunge for her, but she jumped away.

"Don't come near me, you're dirty, and I'm cooking!" She screamed the bit as he swooped her up in her arms and spun her away from the counter.

"Problem solved." He chuckled and I could hear him kissing down her scarred cheek, as he regularly did as penance.

"You need to shower." There was a pause, presumably while Sam whispered in her ear, "No. You need to shower and I need to cook...Sam, go!" She appeared at my side once more, giggling and gesturing him away.

"Fine!" He sighed.

"Sorry, Bella." Emily touched my shoulder, before turning next to the fruit platter she was constructing, "I think the oil is hot enough now."

"Thanks." I muttered, preoccupied with finishing another doughnut. Grabbing the mound of doughnuts I had accumulated on a plate, I began lowering several into the cooking oil carefully, watching the oil bubble.

"Morning ladies!" Paul crowed as he barrelled through our front door.

"Food smells good!" Jared thundered through the door after him, pulling Kim along.

"Do you need any help?" Kim offered, leaving Jared's side.

"Oh, Kim, it's so good to see you. It's been too long." Emily greeted her enthusiastically and I could see them hugging from the corner of my eye, "We're nearly done here, but you could set the table." She suggested, motioning to the pile of plates and cutlery ready and waiting on the parallel counter top.

"Glad to be of help." She replied.

Kim had settled into Pack life with remarkable ease over the past few months. She was shy, but once she grew comfortable, she showed her true nature. Her soul was full of joy, that was tempered with a humbleness her mate lacked. She grounded Jared and he brought out her fun side. Emily and Kim had struck up a firm friendship, as Emily shepherded her through the abnormal reality she now found herself in. They talked about their relationships, how they differed from 'human' relationships, how the secrecy of Pack life was sometimes difficult to juggle, and how the Pack was like their own family. She had slowly bloomed into a life that seemed perfectly matched for her, especially with her ideal mate.

"Hey Emily." Embry said as he joined us, "Hi Bella."

"Don't even think of scavenging; go sit at the table with your brothers." Emily tutted and pointed at him sternly, but the towel also clenched in her fingers ruined her threat. Embry just laughed and moved away from the plates of food. Emily nudged my hip with hers, a move of solidarity and reassurance, "Hi Jacob." She called over her shoulder.

"Hey." His deep voice was more subdued than I had heard it in a long time and my heart ached for him.

"Why don't you sit with the rest of the Pack?" She said gently, as she looked over at him properly, "Before your brothers take up all the room."

"Sure sure." He replied and I heard shuffling as everyone made room for him, moving their habitual spaces to include him, the metaphor not lost on anyone.

"Brothers, eh?" Jared teased him, "Finally made the Pack."

"He's more Pack than any of us, he was born to be a wolf." Embry bragged on behalf of Jacob, "Wolves on both sides of the family – of course, he's a natural."

"He didn't stand a chance." Jared chuckled, "Too bad buddy, no normal life for you."

"Pipe down." Sam called good-naturedly, as he jogged down the stairs.

"Food time!" Emily announced, quickly serving the various dishes she'd prepared, "Ladies first!" A chorus of complaints went up, which Emily expertly hushed away. There was soon a clamour of people helping themselves to food.

"Where are these doughnuts, Bella?" Paul demanded, mouth partially full already, "The way Jacob remembers them is near orgasmic!"

"Paul." Sam warned him in a low tone.

"Hey, you've been in his mind. He drools over them." Paul defended himself with a hard laugh.

A blush painted my cheeks pink and I finished fishing the last of the fried dough out of the oil. Coating them in sugar, I carried the plate of the delicious, warm doughnuts over to the table and placed them in the only space available. Quickly, arms shot out to grab handfuls of them, and I briefly wondered if I had made enough. Soon, the breakfast table was filled with the sounds of forks clanging and people talking and food being chewed. It was a strangely calming environment to sit in, as I nibbled at one of my own creations.

"These still taste as good as they used to." Jake's voice startled me from my right and I realised he was sat beside me, "I've missed them."

"Yeah?" I couldn't help the small smile threatening to break across my lips, as I watched his muscular leg move closer to me under the table.

"Yeah." He replied, "I'm glad to have them back in my life again." And somehow, I realised he wasn't talking about the doughnuts any more and I found myself glad too.