Chapter 30
I stare curiously at my cousin, waiting for my explanation.
“I mean he’s going to be possessive,” Jesse says, shrugging. “The same way
Rafe would be if he found his mate, and me too, to an extent. He just won’t want
anyone else’s hands on you, will want you all to himself. And, considering that
you’re taking a very independent and somewhat dangerous path in your life…”
“Oh,” I say, thinking it through. Luca — his instincts are going to be to keep me out
of danger. And if here I am, running off to war…
Jesse shrugs again, twisting his mouth to the side. “Maybe that’s another reason
why our dads decided, at least initially, not to let girls into the school. Wolf
affections — especially with our mates — they’re more complicated and aggressive
than humans.”
“Well, I certainly don’t want Luca to like…hold me back.”
“Or push you into things you’re not ready for,” Jesse says, raising an eyebrow at
me, and I immediately know he’s talking about s*x even if he’s not saying it.
“How do you know what I’m ready for?” I ask, narrowing my eyes at him even as
my red.
cheeks grow
“Because, Ari,” Jesse replies, leaning forward and grinning at me, “you blush
even at the inuendo. Which kinda suggests you’re not ready.”
I scowl and kick him a little, but Jesse just laughs at me and looks back to the
barracks. “We should probably go in,” he murmurs, “get some sleep.”
“Well now I’m all awake,” I sigh, leaning back on my palms. “So, thanks for that.
It’ll be your fault when I’m a mess at the course tomorrow.”
“Nah, that’s on you, Shrimp,” Jesse says, pushing himself to his feet and offering
me a hand up, which I accept. As we turn back to the barracks, he slips that arm
around my shoulder. “I really am happy for
you, Ari,” he says quietly, smiling at me in the dark..
“Thanks, cousin,” I say, wrapping an arm around my waist. “Since you like him so
much, it’ll be your job to protect him when I finally have to introduce him to dad.”
Jesse laughs at this and agrees, but even as I smile at the joke….
Something picks at the back of my mind. Because even if everyone likes Luca
and will be willing to convince my dad to let him have a chance…
Who would stand up for Jackson?
And…will I ever have the chance to introduce him to my dad as well? Do I even
want that?
Chapter 30
We’re all tense at breakfast, and I stifle a yawn even as I pick at my pancakes.
Even though they have chocolate chips in them today my favorite — I can’t really
convince myself to dig in. My stomach is already filled with anxious butterflies
Jesse and Rafe, of course, are chowing down across the table from me and Ben,
who likewise picks. at his food. I glance to my right at Ben and he rolls his eyes
towards the Alphas across from us, and then snorts like a pig, making me laugh.
But before I can add on to Ben’s joke, Laica slaps his tray down on my other
side, making me almost leap out of my skin. I scowl as I look up at him. “Do you
mind?” I ask.
“What, are we feeling jumpy today?” he asks, grinning at me and leaning close to
me so that only I can hear his words, “didn’t get much sleep after sneaking out in
the middle of the night with our
favorite cousin?”
1 gasp a little and then shove Luca on the shoulder with the tips of my fingertips,
which tingle as usual from the touch. “Creep,” I say, narrowing his eyes at him.
“What, are you watching me?”
“You were clomping your way down the aisle in the middle of the night!” he
counters, grinning at me as he takes his first bite.
“I wasn’t even wearing my boots!” I object, my jaw falling open.
“What’s this?” Rafe asks, suddenly narrowing in on our conversation.
Both Luca and I turn to Rafe, him grinning, me searching my mind frantically for
an excuse -But, both fortunately and unfortunately, a convenient distraction
arrives.
A mountain of a distraction, actually, his full tray balanced between his two
gigantic hands.
As I look up at Jackson, my mouth falls open because I honestly didn’t think he’d
take me up on my invitation to come to breakfast.
And…also because I kind of forgot that I issued it.
“Can I sit here?” he asks, his voice quiet but tense with what I now realize is
anxiety, not aggression.
“Sure,” I say, my face breaking into a hesitant smile at the same moment that
Rafe says “absolutely
not!”
I spin to look at Rafe, who is already glaring at me.
I narrow my eyes at my brother though, frowning, and then turn back to Jackson.
“Of course you can sit, Jackson,” I say, waving a hand to the last chair next to
Jesse.
Jackson starts towards it, but Rafe throws out a hand. “No way,” he says, shaking
his head. “You can
Chapter 30
“Rafe.” Jesse interrupts, staring at my brother, his expression shocked and a little
appalled, “Aunt Ella raised you better than this.”
le’s eyes go wide with surprise and shame, but Jesse ignores him and turns a
warm smile Jackson. “Please,” he says, nodding to the empty chair. “Have
breakfast with us. I’m Jesse.”
up to
Jackson hesitates for one more second, but then puts his tray down and sits,
introducing himself and shaking Jesse’s hand. Jesse goes through a bit of a
farce now, introducing Jackson around to the table even though we’re all well
aware of who he is, especially Rafe, who glares at me again even as he mutters
a bitter hello.
But I just shrug at my brother, who has clearly figured out that I’m behind this but
hasn’t yet figured out why. I know I owe him an explanation, but…well, there’s
really no time for that now, is
there?
But it’s actually Luca’s cold voice that brings my attention away from Rafe.
“Hey, McClintock.” Luca says, looking Jackson up and down in a way that clearly
communicates his distaste. “We haven’t really had the opportunity to interact
since that first night, have we? Can’t really say that I’ve missed you.”
1 go very idea.
still as I remember yet another reason why this breakfast might not have been
the best
Jackson and Luca — they’re searching for the same girl, aren’t they?
Which, actually, is me.
And that…does not really make them potential friends, does it?
I sigh a little, turning my attention back to my plate, realizing that I have officially,
truly stuck my foot in it this time.
“I guess we haven’t, Grant,” Jackson says, his low voice rumbling.
“Cool!” Jesse says, too cheerful in the awkward silence that reigns at our table
now. But Ben laughs, and I look up to see — —
him shrugging because I mean what else is there to do? “So, Jackson,” Jesse
continues, using his skills as a natural conversationalist to drag us all back
together. “Anxious about the obstacle course today?”
Jackson replies that he’s not, and Ben asks Rafe something about best methods
for low crawling through the sand pit, and I exhale a long breath, thinking that we
might get through this breakfast without a brawl after all.
Visit Novelxo.org to read full content.
Luca stays tense and quiet beside
me, but eventually things get lighter
. )
as the minutes pass by. Rafe doesn’t
say anything to Jackson either, but
Ben and I do, and honestly by the
3 )
time breakfast draws to a close I’m
much more worried about the final
trial instead of whether or not my
brother is going to beat up my mate,
or if my mates are going to find out
about each other, or any of the other
thousand things can could potentially
” Ta
go wrong with my personal life.”Did
” 5
you eat enough?” Rafe The content is
on Novelxo.org! Read the latest
chapter there!
asks, breaking out of my reverie, and I look up to see him looking at my full tray
with concern.
T%
I glance down at my plate and realize that well, I probably didn’t. But I sigh and
push the tray away
from me
Rafe sighs and pushes a carton of chocolate milk in my direction, but I just push
it back, sticking out my tongue. “Rafe, unless you want me to barf chocolate milk
up all over myself in about half an hour…”
Laica, at my side, laughs a little, clearly listening.
Rafe just grins and takes the carton back. “I just want you to have enough energy
to get through the
course,
“We’ve got enough nervous energy to propel us,” Ben says, bumping his
shoulder against mine. “Don’t worry about that, Sinclair.”
Visit Novelxo.org to read full content.
Rafe just shrugs, opening his mouth
to say something else, but Luca
: PA 3
beats him to it. “What about Beast
” : :
Mode over here?” he says, his voice a
dry and honestly a little bit nasty as
he looks Jackson up and down. I
frown at Luca, not sure that I like this
side of him. The content is on
Novelxo.org! Read the latest
chapter there!
Visit Novelxo.org to read full content.
) . :
Jackson — he’s been quiet and a little
awkward during breakfast, though
not impolite. He answered who
questions when asked, and he did his
best — but overall? He just struck me
as kind of a shy guy is feeling out his
place in an established group made
mostly of Alpha males, which is not
the easiest thing to do. The content is
on Novelxo.org! Read the latest
chapter there!
And Luca? He seems quite determined to make sure that Jackson feels as
uncomfortable as possible.
“Come on, McClintock.” Luca says, smirking at him as he pops a grape into his
mouth. “You’re the only one giving Sinclair a run for his money on this course
today, what’s your secret?”