I might just be lucky, I don’t know, but I know that no matter what life throws at us, Jade and I will get through it.

  Together.

  She’s standing outside under the big tree, the one with the oversized tire swing. When her sisters were really little, they’d all fit on it together and I’d spin them until Scarlet, Hannah, and Melody would beg me to stop.

  Jade always held out though, she’d ask me to spin her faster.

  I’d smile and push her until she laughed from dizziness.

  I run my hand along the rope that holds the tire to the tree.

  “Have a seat.” I gesture to the tire.

  She turns to me, eyes wild with anxiety, but her shoulders relax a bit as she studies me next to the swing before nodding her head.

  I watch her climb into it, long legs dangling through the hole, feet barely touching the ground. I push lightly, the tire spinning slowly.

  “How the hell am I going to handle this?” She sighs.

  I push the tire rhythmically, watching her hair blow in the slight breeze.

  “You mean you don’t have a plan? What? Were you too busy planning your wedding to Dustin?” I joke with her.

  She rolls her eyes at me as she swings in my direction.

  “Very funny. You know damn well that isn’t the case.” I could see a hint of a smile on her face though.

  “Yeah, yeah. I know. He was the one planning out the whole thing. Since we were kids.” I let a laugh out.

  “Faster.” She looks at me, and it isn’t any different than she’d looked at me a hundred times over the course of our lives.

  But somehow, it was.

  I oblige, picking up the pace.

  “I’ll understand if you stay, you know.” Her voice is quiet.

  “Baby, I will follow you to the ends of the fucking Earth.” It was the truth.

  “I can’t ask you to give up your life for my mistakes.” I can hear the torment in her voice.

  “You don’t have to…” My own voice drops, and she gazes up at me again, that damn twinkle in her eye.

  “Faster.” The way she said the words… are dark and inviting, and I’d be lying if I said it didn’t travel through me straight to my cock.

  Well, that’s new.

  I take a deep breath, and push the tire harder, probably harder than I should. Jade lets out a giggle.

  “Too fast… too fast… getting dizzy!” I still the rope, slightly. When the tire slows to a stop, it's me who is spinning.

  I’d been with plenty of women in my short twenty-three years of life, and a few guys too. But I’ve never felt completely seen the way Jade is looking at me right now.

  I remember the moment when I first saw her, swinging higher and higher, unafraid of jumping off. She stuck her landing like a boss. Like a true alpha.

  And as far as I am concerned, she’s always been my alpha.

  I find myself taking a seat, legs in the tire hole, crowding her space. When we were little we could all fit on here, but now, with it being just the two of us, we are pretty crammed.

  “Jade, you don’t have to ask me, ever. You’re my home. I go where you go.” Her eyes meet mine and she leans closer, her fingers running up and down the top of my wrist. I close my fingers underneath hers, and this weird stirring feeling forms in my stomach.

  Like a full stomach, but better.

  “I’ll help you. You don’t have to do this alone. Besides, you’ve got Reverie, and I think he’s more than happy to go where you go too.” I smile genuinely at her. Jade shifts her body closer to me, and I don’t hesitate to pull her close.

  “Okay.”

  I use my feet to push us off the ground, slowly rocking us in a rhythm. Jade’s eyes flutter shut and she wraps an arm around my stomach.

  “Thank you,” she whispers, nuzzling into my shirt.

  “Don’t mention it,” I whisper back.

  “What are we going to do about Dustin?” She breathes deeply as she says his name. I can feel the tension his name brings, and I know there is nothing any of us can really do. This is his decision. As much as I don’t want it to be.

  “Try not to piss him off too much?” My voice is light, teasing but I'm only half joking.

  I don't really think Dustin would do anything to hurt Jade, but he’s never been put in a position to choose between her and his birthright either. There seems to be a lot of surprises going on lately.

  “That’s going to be pretty hard,” she says quietly.

  “We’ve been through worse.” I shrug, running my fingers in circles on her shoulder.

  I pray I am right.

  Chapter 41

  Reverie

  I exit onto the porch, almost feeling guilty. That look Dustin gave me before I walked out… it’s something I won’t ever be able to forget. It’s like I broke his heart with just a few words. Like I finally made a dent in his armor that he holds so dear.

  Maybe it’ll do him some good.

  I come to a stop when I find Jade and Ranger squished together on an old tire swing. Right in this moment, I wish I had a camera, or my phone to snap a photo. They look so peaceful, swaying back and forth, arms wrapped around each other, like no one else exists. Something in me stirs, seeing them together. Nothing like jealousy, but more like the feeling of being complete? Of being where I belong. After watching them for an amount of time that should be considered creepy, I make my way over to them.

  I know I have to be strong for them. Both of them. This is harder on them than it is for me. I never had anything in my life worth a worry. Sure, I had my parents, but I'm a grown boy. This is their life, Jade and Ranger’s, they don’t know anything different outside of their pack.

  “How about we head on over to that guesthouse and I’ll make us all some lunch?” I force a smile, and the spell they are under breaks.

  Ranger quirks up a brow at me. “You can cook?”

  “How hard can it be?” I flash him a grin. He opens his mouth to say something, probably something smart but I cut him off. “Of course, I can cook, Ranger. How do you think I’ve survived by myself all these years?”

  “Well, I know it wasn’t off pizza.”

  Jade watches our interaction with interest, a tiny smirk on her lips.

  What is she thinking? Whatever it is, I’ll figure it out eventually.

  I offer out my hand, and to my surprise, it’s Ranger who takes it before Jade does. My stomach does a little flip as I watch our hands connect, him gripping mine tightly. Flashes of him gripping something else has my dick twitching and my brain foggy.

  That’s… interesting. Can’t say I was expecting that.

  Ranger gets to his feet, letting go of my hand and helping Jade out of the swing.

  “Lead the way, Alpha.” The word is foreign to me, but somewhere inside my wolf knows it is the right thing to say. It knows her on a level I can’t even put into words, but knows it is right. I gesture towards the dirt road for us to start walking. Her eyes widen for a short moment at the name.

  She better get used to it.

  A slow smile spreads across her face, eyes darkening. “The first thing I’m making you do with my new alpha power is learn this land,” she says with sass. “The guesthouse is this way.” She points in the opposite direction and I drop my hand. She starts to walk that way, with Ranger beside her.

  “I’ve been here for like three days, Jade!” I shout playfully. “Can’t expect me to know it all.”

  She looks back at me over her shoulder, winking and then taking off at a run. It’s almost as if Ranger knows what she was planning to do because he’s right there with her. I let out a laugh before taking off after them, knowing I won’t win but it’s fine.

  This isn’t a race. This isn’t a competition.

  We are a team.

  After a filling dinner of steak, potatoes, and asparagus—which all came out delicious, by the way—the three of us curl up on the couch together with Jade in the middle. It’s the softest couch I think I’ve ever sat on, to be honest. There is a fire going in the fireplace, the only sound to be heard are the logs crackling away. The light flickers, shadows dancing across the walls.

  It’s nice to be sitting on a couch for a change. I mean, the treehouse was an experience, but it wasn’t very comfortable. Those mattresses looked like they’d gone through the ringer, but being as old as they are, I guess they’re in decent shape. Either way, I’m glad to be in an actual house, with actual beds, instead of that treehouse. I’m feeling spoiled and sated with a full belly and a comfortable couch, and Jade in my arms.

  We haven’t spoken in a while, instead just lying together, enjoying each other’s presence. No doubt we all have a million things going through our heads, but sometimes, the silence is needed. Sometimes you just need to get lost in your own thoughts, figure shit out for yourself.

  Jade must be terrified about having to meet with the Elders. I’m not entirely sure how serious it is but even I’m nervous. I know there is a lot on the line. What kind of punishment would they give though? I mean, they can’t like… put us to death, can they? That’s a little dated. I can’t imagine Maverick being so calm about the situation if that were an option. But what if we have to leave? That would devastate Jade. Especially if Dustin chooses the pack over her… over us.

  “You know you’re going to shift soon?” Ranger asks from out of nowhere, pulling me from my dark thoughts.

  Honestly, I’ve barely even thought about that. It’s been nonstop for the last couple of days, and even though I can feel my wolf, I guess I forgot about the whole shifting thing.

  “Full moon?” I ask. It’s what makes sense.

  “Yep. Night before the ceremony. That should be interesting.”

  “Tomorrow.” Jade chimes in.

  Is it really that soon?

  “Can I shift and tear Dustin’s throat out with my teeth?” I ask, raising a brow at them.

  Ranger laughs. “You could, but I’m not sure Jade would be too happy with that.” His voice is light, and I look at her face, trying to gauge her reaction.

  I don’t think I would be either, to be honest. Something changed between Dustin and I in that shack. Part of me, a big part of me, is angry with him for choosing the pack. I’m not only angry for Jade, or for Ranger, I’m angry for myself. How could he do that to us? I guess he hasn’t made that decision official yet, but… the ceremony is in a few days and Dustin isn’t here.

  I think about the shift, wondering what it’ll be like. I’m worried, but deep down, I can feel how excited I am. How badly I want this.

  And as if the thought could force it, I’m suddenly exhausted. Like my body is already preparing for this in advance. As if just my thoughts can trigger such a reaction.

  “You okay?” Jade asks, looking concerned.

  “I’m good,” I say, brushing my hand up and down her thigh. “Just suddenly tired.”

  “The shift will do that to you,” she says.

  “Yep, we usually get a little weird before the moon. Mood swings, going from exhausted to energized in minutes. The longer you’ve been shifting, the less intense it is, though we still have a bad month every now and then,” Ranger explains.

  “I think I’ll go find myself a bed. It’ll be nice to sleep in a real one for a change.”

  We haven’t talked about who is sleeping where, or who is sleeping with who. I hope Jade will sleep with me, but she may need Ranger for comfort. And I’m okay with that if it’s what she needs.

  I did a quick look around the house when we arrived, curious about where we would be staying but no bedrooms were claimed. I guess it’s better that way. For a guesthouse, the place is pretty big. Five bedrooms, all with their own bathrooms, as well as a main bathroom probably bigger than the one in my townhouse times two. Not to mention the open concept living room with the rustic fireplace, and a pretty big kitchen.

  I lean forward and grip Jade’s chin with my thumb and forefinger, turning her head towards me. My lips meet hers and she lets out the softest of moans. The sound that comes from Ranger, some sort of satisfied sound deep in his throat, it vibrates through me, but I don’t say anything about it. When I pull away, his eyes are on me. They flick to my lips for a moment, and I run my tongue along the bottom one, Jade’s taste lingering.

  “Good night.” The words come out raspy and I clear my throat before walking away.

  I’ve never been attracted to men before, so why am I getting these little jolts of excitement over Ranger? And why doesn’t that thought bother me?

  I’ve known him for years and never thought twice about it. But now? Since waking up as a wolf, everything is different. I let out a sigh, and head upstairs. I walk into the first bedroom I find, opting to take a nice, hot shower in the en suite bathroom before crawling into the bed and falling into a deep, much needed sleep.

  Chapter 42

  Ranger

  Sweet Jesus.

  I have no idea what just happened, it’s like my brain completely misfired.

  I’m not one to steer away from a good show, but watching Rev kiss Jade, right in fucking front of me, how his lips moved slowly against hers, tongue slipping through the cracks, the sound of her moaning in response has me fucking harder than a slab of marble.

  My arm is still wrapped around Jade as I shift my position, trying to hide the major erection I’ve just sprung. I really hope she doesn’t notice.

  I’ve never told her about my… attractions. It’s just one of those things I preferred to keep to myself. I don’t really have a preference. It’s not like I’m ashamed I find men attractive, or sexually pleasing, I just… feel like some things don’t need to be said out loud.

  Especially if said things are awkward at best where attractions are involved.

  “Well, that was fucking hot. I can see why you bit him.” I let out a low whistle.

  Jade raises an eyebrow at me.

  “What?” I ask in defense.

  “Tell me the truth.” That fucking twinkle in her eye is back.

  I lean my head back on the sofa, eyes rolling back.

  Here it comes. I’m not ready for this.

  I know what she’s going to ask before she even says it, and I know somehow that I can not lie to her. Not now.

  “Please don’t do this, baby.” I plead.

  “Do you want to kiss Rev?” I feel her gaze on me, and I’m under such a damn spotlight, I actually feel nervous.

  I absolutely can not look at her right now. So I focus on the tiny swirls in the ceiling’s paint.

  “Yes.” My voice is much smaller than I want it to be.

  This is difficult.

  “I knew it!” She changes position next to me, the sofa cushions shifting with her movement, and I can feel her heightened energy.

  “I’m sorry...”

  “Do not be sorry.” She smiles as she pulls my head up from the cushions. She’s looking me in my eyes, and once again I feel completely seen. Understood.

  “Look at me, Ranger.” She pulls me to her, my body shifting slightly as I follow her direction. I’ll always follow her.

  I make it a point to not break her gaze. Her fingers brush over my knuckles, and I can feel her warmth in so many ways.

  “There’s nothing to be embarrassed about. You can be honest with me.” She watches me intently.

  “There’s nothing else to say, baby.” I wrap my arms around her and she shifts closer to me, her hands tracing the side of my face, pulling my gaze to her. Putting herself directly in my lap, right over my giant hard-on.

  Fuck me. Guess there’s no hiding it now.

  Her eyes widen, and her lips turn up in a smile. She doesn’t move away.

  Well, that is definitely a new development.

  “I made you a promise. You tell me your secrets… I’ll give you the sequel.” She raises an eyebrow.

  Oh no. Not now, Jade. Do not do this to me.

  I can see the spark of mischief in her eyes.

  “You know, I think I’m good…” I swallow hard, and turn my head away.

  “Dustin and I…”

  Well, that will kill a boner any day of the week. I twist my lips in amusement. I don’t want to hear about Dustin right now. Not because the thought of the two of them doesn’t turn me on, because it does—I can’t deny that, and my cock can’t either; but all I want right now is Jade. I want every bit of her.

  “Yeah, I don’t really need all the details. I know you two did the nasty. I could smell him all over you.” I let out a small laugh, and run my hand through my hair. Why am I so nervous all of a sudden?

  That twinkle sparkles, and suddenly Jade’s eyes are dark.

  “Rev made me come and then he fucked me.”

  Sweet fucking hell.

  I’m going to come right here if she keeps this up.

  I think I stopped breathing.

  The memory of their little sexcapade in the treehouse was still pretty fresh in my mind. I’m glad Dustin arrived when he did, because before that it was like a fucking symphony of sex up there.

  “Is that what you want to hear about?” Her voice was light, teasing. I can’t help the friction as my hips tilt upward, brushing against her.

  I’ve been in a lot of interesting scenarios, but this one takes the cake.

  Flashes of everything, of our life together, of the last few days push forward, and I feel on the edge of the precipice. I don’t want to leave her, leave whatever is happening between us, but damn it, I do not want to come in my pants right now.

  “I think I need, um… I’m just gonna—” I can’t find the right words to speak, which is a whole new feeling all together.

  I lightly shift Jade off of me—regrettably—and slowly make my way down the hall. Far enough away from Jade so I can get my bearings. I walk in one of the guest rooms, thankfully it is unoccupied and I shut the door.

  The world is spinning.

  What just happened?

  I sit down on the bed, closing my eyes, taking deep breaths.

  I’d always found Jade attractive, but so much of who we are is rooted in things deeper than that. I didn’t want to have sex with Jade then because she was my best friend. I didn’t want to ruin the best thing to ever happen to me because my wolf and my hormones were raging all the fucking time. Jade knows me better, deeper than anyone else on the planet. So I tried not to think about it, to control myself. And I managed pretty well. Because Jade’s always been important to me.