A Warrior’s Second Chance novel Chapter 335

Faye rose from her seat once the laughter in the room had begun to settle again. She smoothed a hand lightly over the front of her shirt and glanced toward the hallway that led to the kitchen.

“I’m going to check what’s going on in the kitchen,” she said.

Alexander gave a small nod, already half engaged in whatever Cole was saying next. Irene acknowledged her with an easy smile, and Faye slipped away.

The room remained lively after she left.

Cole was leaning forward in his chair, continuing some comment that had Irene laughing again. Alexander sat back beside them, listening with that calm attentiveness he usually carried in gatherings like this. Helen had settled comfortably into one of the chairs, watching the exchange with quiet amusement.

Jeffrey sat beside Irene, one arm resting loosely along the back of her chair.

He hadn’t spoken much since he first sat down. He participated when spoken to, offered a comment here and there, but for the most part he observed.

He was good at that.

Still, the atmosphere here was easy enough that he had started to relax.

Then the front door opened again.

The sound of it cut gently through the conversation.

Footsteps followed a moment later, and before anyone could wonder who it was, a figure appeared in the doorway that led from the front hall into the living room.

Roman.

He had just come in from outside. His hair was slightly tousled from the breeze, and there was a faint trace of dust on his boots. He stepped into the room with the casual familiarity of someone returning home…

And immediately stopped.

Because suddenly every pair of eyes in the room was on him.

Roman hesitated in the doorway.

For just a brief second, he looked like he might turn around and leave the same way he had come in. Instead, he drew in a small breath and stepped further into the room.

His gaze moved quickly across the unfamiliar faces.

Then it landed on Alexander.

“Alpha,” Roman said respectfully.

Alexander inclined his head in acknowledgment.

Roman gave a small nod to the rest of the room after that, the polite kind offered when greeting people you didn’t know but recognized as guests.

“Afternoon.”

It wasn’t awkward exactly.

Just brief.

Roman clearly had no intention of interrupting whatever gathering he had walked into.

After the short greeting, he moved past them without lingering, heading toward the hallway that led deeper into the house.

Most of the room simply watched him go.

To them, it had been nothing more than a quiet interruption.

But Jeffrey had gone very still.

The moment Roman had stepped into the room, something deep in Jeffrey’s chest had stirred sharply.

It had been sudden enough that he almost didn’t understand it at first.

His wolf reacted before his mind did.

A strange awareness spread through him–strong, instinctive, impossible to ignore.

It felt eerily familiar.

Something powerful and deeply rooted.

Jeffrey’s shoulders stiffened slightly where he sat.

His gaze followed Roman without meaning to.

The young man moved through the room quietly, completely unaware of the effect his presence had just caused.

Jeffrey’s mind tried to make sense of the reaction.

It didn’t fit.

Jeffrey paused for a brief moment, realizing he must have looked more distracted than he intended.

He shook his head lightly, brushing it off.

“I’m fine.”

Irene tilted her head a little, clearly weighing that answer.

Jeffrey gave a small reassuring smile.

“Just zoned out for a second,” he added.

That seemed to satisfy her enough. She leaned back into her seat again, though she gave him one last quick look before letting the moment go.

Around them, the room had already returned to its earlier rhythm.

The brief interruption had barely registered for most of them.

Jeffrey tried to focus on the conversation again, but his mind still lingered.

Then footsteps approached from the hallway.

A moment later, Faye appeared.

She stepped into the living room with an easy smile, glancing between everyone gathered there.

“Food’s been served,” she announced.

That immediately drew attention.

Cole straightened in his seat.

“Finally.”

Faye laughed softly at his impatience.

“Come on,” she said, gesturing toward the hallway. “Before everything gets cold.”

She began ushering everyone toward the dining room.