Page 14 of Noah (Pecan Pines #4)

Chapter 14

Noah

The moment our lips parted, I became aware of the weight of countless eyes on us. Heat flushed up my neck, but I didn’t look away from Jackson.

I didn’t want to. I didn’t regret kissing him. Not one bit. Still, the reactions surrounding us were impossible to ignore.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Hudson glaring at Jackson from one side, his expression dark and seething.

A few feet away, Jackson’s father stood with his arms crossed, frowning, though his eyes were unreadable.

My own pack mates had a different reaction. Sawyer grinned and gave me a thumbs-up, looking entirely too pleased with himself.

Griffin, on the other hand, stood still, expression neutral.

That one made my stomach twist. If anyone would have something to say about this, it would be Griffin.

But to my surprise, he didn’t say a word. Maybe, just maybe, he was beginning to accept that Jackson and I weren’t some fleeting thing.

“You should probably put your clothes back on,” I murmured, lowering my voice so only Jackson could hear.

Jackson smirked. “Why? Jealous that someone might take a look and want me?”

I rolled my eyes. “You’re so full of yourself.”

Jackson straightened up, his smirk fading into something more serious.

His golden eyes softened as he reached for my hand, fingers brushing against mine before he curled them into a fist.

“You know I only have eyes for you. No one else,” Jackson said.

My wolf practically preened at the words, but I didn’t know how to respond. My throat tightened as something warm and unfamiliar settled in my chest.

I swallowed thickly, then nudged his shoulder.

“Get dressed,” I muttered. “And have fun explaining that kiss to your dad and Hudson.”

Jackson let out a low groan, rubbing his face. “Yeah, that’s gonna be a blast.”

I smirked. “Meet me in the dining hall after?”

“Wouldn’t miss it,” Jackson replied.

With that, we went our separate ways. I headed for the dining hall first, only to be intercepted by Griffin before I got there.

He was waiting by the entrance, arms crossed, brows furrowed.

“Why him?” Griffin asked, skipping the pleasantries. “Why Jackson?”

I sighed, already knowing this conversation was inevitable. “I’ve gone on dates, Griffin. You know that. I’ve tried. But my wolf never responded to anyone.”

His eyes darkened, his shoulders tensing. “And your wolf responds to Jackson?”

I didn’t even hesitate. “Yeah. He does.”

Griffin studied me for a long moment before exhaling through his nose. Then, to my surprise, he nodded.

“Just… be careful, Noah,” he said, voice quieter than before. “Adrian’s been watching you. He’s getting worse.”

A shiver ran down my spine, but I forced a smile. “I can handle him.”

Griffin didn’t look convinced, but he didn’t push it.

Inside the dining hall, the scent of grilled meats and roasted vegetables filled the air. The place was packed with shifters, some talking, others already eating.

I checked my phone, seeing a new message from Jackson.

Jackson: Might be a little delayed. Hudson and Dad have a lot to say.

Not surprising.

I grabbed a plate, loading it up with food, and made sure to save some barbecue ribs for Jackson. He liked them.

As I moved toward an empty table, I found myself thinking about breakfast, about the way Jackson had cooked for us.

How unexpectedly sweet he could be. I smiled to myself, setting my plate down.

But before I could sit, a hand clamped around my wrist.

My body tensed, instinct flaring. I spun around fast, heart pounding, expecting Jackson—but the scent was wrong. Familiar, but unwelcome.

Adrian.

Dread curled in my gut.

He stood close, too close, his grip firm but not bruising. His lips curved into a smirk that made my stomach churn. “Fancy seeing you here, Noah.”

I yanked my wrist free, stepping back. “What do you want, Adrian?”

Adrian chuckled, tilting his head. “What, no congratulations for my big win?”

I stared at him, unimpressed. “You mean the race you cheated in?”

His eyes darkened, but his smirk didn’t fade.

“Winning is winning.” He stepped forward, crowding into my space again. “You looked real good watching me, you know. Almost like you enjoyed it.”

My stomach twisted. My wolf bristled, not in fear, but in anger. “Back off.”

Adrian ignored me, eyes raking over my face, my body.

“You know, you could’ve had me, Noah. You still could.” Adrian’s voice dropped lower, smooth and coaxing. “You and I, we’d be good together.”

I clenched my jaw. “I already told you—I’m not interested.”

Adrian clicked his tongue. “Yeah, yeah. You keep saying that.” His gaze flicked to my lips, then lower. “But you and I both know you’d like it.”

My stomach churned, and this time, it wasn’t just anger—it was disgust. I took a deliberate step back. “Stay the hell away from me, Adrian.”

His expression flickered, something dark and possessive flashing in his eyes.

“That’s not very nice,” Adrian murmured. “You sure you want to talk to me like that?”

Something inside me snapped—no, not just me, my wolf.

Normally, I wasn’t the type to lash out, but even my pack mates, even Griffin, knew that when someone pushed me too far, I got scary.

The problem with jerks like Adrian was that they believed since they were on top of the food chain, they could do whatever the heck they wanted.

I could imagine Adrian acting like this around his pack all the time but this was Pecan Pines.

Our territory and the wolves in our pack didn’t let anyone else push them around. We learned our lesson after suffering a fool of an alpha like Ryder.

Before I could stop myself, I shoved Adrian, hard, sending him stumbling back. My vision narrowed, my pulse pounded, and a deep growl ripped from my throat.

A flicker of surprise crossed Adrian’s face as I advanced, forcing him back until his shoulders hit the wall.

My chest heaved, anger scorching through my veins like wildfire. I was so angry, I could barely think, let alone string two sentences together.

Adrian’s gaze darted to my hands—my left one had partially shifted without me even realizing it.

Sharp claws glinted under the dining hall lights, betraying just how much control I’d lost. My ears rang, the world blurring at the edges as my fury took over.

Someone was calling my name, but it was distant, unimportant.

The only thing that mattered was making Adrian understand—once and for all—that his advances were not welcome.

Adrian’s surprise melted into something colder. His lips curled back, his own wolf bristling beneath the surface.

He pushed against me, but I didn’t move, too far gone in my anger to back down. Then, realization crashed over me like a wave—I was humiliating him.

A proud alpha like Adrian wouldn’t take this lightly. The moment I stepped back, shame mixed with my fury. What had I just done?

Well, it was too late to have regrets now. Besides, someone really did need to put Adrian in his place.

Adrian stared at me now, his expression unreadable, his golden eyes flat and lifeless in a way that sent a chill down my spine.

I knew I should be wary, maybe even scared, but I wasn’t. Not yet. Anger still pulsed too strongly in my veins.

"The little wolf has claws," Adrian said, voice quiet, but edged with something I couldn’t quite name.

I didn’t like the eerie light in his gaze. It wasn’t anger, wasn’t frustration—it was something else. Something calculating.

I swallowed, recalling Griffin’s warning. Adrian wouldn’t take kindly to what happened today. Then again, he should’ve have pushed me.

Before I could say anything, Jackson stormed into the dining hall, his presence immediately commanding attention.

The second Adrian turned and walked away, Jackson was there, grabbing my shoulders, spinning me to face him.

Jackson’s grip was firm as he scanned me from head to toe. His jaw clenched so tight I could see the muscle jump.

"I’ll kill him," Jackson growled, voice thick with barely restrained fury.

Still emotional, still raw from the confrontation, I shoved Jackson away. “Don’t do that. I handled it just fine,” I told him.

Frustration welled inside me. Couldn’t Jackson understand he was making things worse and not better?

Hell, he ought to be better than this. Where was the patient and level-headed wolf I admired?

Jackson’s dark eyes burned into mine. "Adrian is dangerous, Noah. You shouldn’t be alone from now on."

What was he saying? I shouldn’t be alone? Who was Jackson to decide something like that? I wasn’t some compliant and submissive wolf he could just order around.

Some part of me knew Jackson was just reacting to Adrian’s words and actions but at that moment, I was just so…mad.

I scoffed, stepping back again when he reached for me.

"I don’t need a damn babysitter. You’re being too overbearing, Jackson. It’s suffocating,” I told him.

The words were out before I could stop them, but I didn’t regret them.

The dining hall was too small, too many eyes watching, too much tension pressing down on me. Damn it, Jackson.

I felt caged, the weight of Jackson’s concern tightening around my ribs until I couldn’t breathe.

"I just want to keep you safe," he insisted, frustration lacing his voice. "Why won’t you just?—"

"Because I’m not the helpless boy you knew thirteen years ago!" I snapped, my anger cresting again, spilling over before I could contain it. "I can fight my own battles, and maybe it’s time you learned to listen."

Jackson flinched like I’d struck him. He opened his mouth, but I didn’t wait for whatever excuse or explanation he had.

I decided I had enough. Lingering here any longer would push me into saying words I would regret later on.

My chest ached, my pulse hammering as I turned on my heel.

"I need time," I said, voice quieter but no less firm.

Time was good. I needed to cool my head, we both did.

I started walking. The dining hall blurred around me, the weight of Jackson’s stare burning into my back.

I heard him move, ready to follow, but I spun sharply, my voice cold and final. "If you follow me, we’re over."

Jackson froze. I saw the way his breath hitched, the way his face twisted in shock, in hurt.

I didn’t mean those words. They simply slipped out without warning but at that moment, I couldn’t tell him that.

I walked away, out of the dining hall, away from Jackson, away from the heavy weight of everyone’s stares.

My hands clenched into fists at my sides, my nails biting into my palms, but the sharp sting was nothing compared to the ache settling deep in my chest.

The last of my anger drained away, leaving a hollow, aching exhaustion in its place.

My body still thrummed with the remnants of adrenaline, but instead of fueling my rage, it only emphasized how empty I suddenly felt.

Could I have handled things differently?

Definitely.

But I wasn’t perfect. I never had been.

And right now, all I could think about was the raw hurt in Jackson’s eyes, the way his expression had cracked when I’d told him to stay away.

The image of him standing there, stunned and motionless as I walked away, was burned into my mind, looping over and over until I thought I’d go crazy from it.

My vision blurred, but I refused to wipe at my eyes. I wouldn’t let anyone see. Wouldn’t let anyone know just how much this moment had gutted me.

The dining hall was behind me now, the chatter of pack mates a dull hum in the distance.

I’d been so desperate to escape, but now that I was alone, I wasn’t sure what to do with myself.

The ringing in my head started to fade, but my wolf stirred restlessly inside me, pacing, growling, clawing at the edges of my control.

He wasn’t angry anymore. No, he was grieving.

And then, softly—too softly—I felt it. A howl, low and mournful, curling deep in my chest, wrapping around my ribs and squeezing tight.

What have you done?

My breath hitched.

I didn’t know.

But I was afraid—so afraid—that I’d just broken something I wouldn’t be able to fix.