Page 9 of Noah (Pecan Pines #4)

Chapter 9

Noah

The final strum of my guitar rang out, the sound echoing through the bar as the crowd broke into cheers and whistles.

Zack’s drums faded into a low rumble, and Ethan’s bassline ended with a smooth slide. My heart raced, but not from the performance.

I stepped up to the mic, forcing a grin that I hoped hid the tightness in my chest.

“Thanks for listening tonight!” I said, my voice slightly hoarse from singing. “We’re taking a short break now, but stick around—the main act’s coming up next, and you won’t want to miss it.”

The crowd clapped again, their energy buzzing, and I gave a small wave before retreating to the side of the stage.

Ethan and Zack were already tidying up, untangling cables and packing up gear. Zack tossed a drumstick in the air, catching it casually before sliding it into his bag.

I slipped the guitar strap off my shoulder and brushed my hair back. I couldn’t help but look back at the crowd one last time, scanning the faces under the dim lights.

My lips pressed together tightly when I didn’t find who I was looking for.

“Noah, you okay?” Ethan asked, coiling a cable as he shot me a look.

“What do you mean?” I asked, unhooking my guitar strap.

Ethan smirked, brushing his hair back in an exaggerated motion. “You’ve been doing this all night,” he said, mimicking me. “What’s up? Did your hair get longer or something? You need me to grab you a scrunchie?”

Zack laughed from behind the drum kit. “Or is it your new thing? Like, the ‘mysterious lead singer’ vibe? Let us know if we all need to start doing it to match.”

I rolled my eyes, their teasing barely registering. “Ha ha. Very funny,” I said. “It’s just… getting in my eyes, that’s all.”

They didn’t stop there, though. Ethan flicked his hair back with dramatic flair, and Zack followed suit, both of them pretending to fix their hair in the most exaggerated way possible.

Was that how I looked earlier? The thought made me want to bury my face in my hands.

I turned back to my guitar, my fingers lingering on the strings. Like hell I was going to tell them the real reason.

It wasn’t the hair at all. It was the damn spotlight blinding me.

I couldn’t exactly stand there, constantly shading my eyes like a kid peeking into a dark room, so brushing my hair back had been my only option.

And really, what else could I do? How else was I supposed to see if Jackson had shown up?

I’d been looking for him since before our set began, my gaze flicking to the door every time it swung open.

But he hadn’t come. My chest felt tight just thinking about it.

Was something keeping him? Had he changed his mind?

Ethan flicked his hair back again, this time even more dramatically, and Zack joined in, both of them acting like they were starring in some shampoo commercial.

I sighed and ignored them. Maybe he wasn’t coming after all.

“Noah! Someone’s here to see you!” a voice called from behind me, cutting through my thoughts.

My heart jumped. Finally. I turned quickly, scanning the room. But I still didn’t see Jackson.

“Didn’t know you were in a band.”

The voice that spoke wasn’t Jackson’s. It was smooth and clipped, with a sharpness that made my chest tighten again, but for an entirely different reason.

I turned, narrowing my eyes. Adrian.

“What are you doing here?” I said, my tone sharp.

Adrian leaned lazily against a nearby table. “What? No warm welcome?”

Adrian’s smirk widened as he looked me over, his eyes flicking briefly to Ethan and Zack, who were still clearing their equipment before settling back on me.

“Heard there’s a great band playing tonight,” he said, his voice dripping with faux curiosity. “Do you know when they’re coming on?”

I didn’t take the bait. If I didn’t acknowledge him, maybe he’d lose interest and leave.

No such luck. Adrian chuckled lightly. “No need to be shy, Noah. I’m sorry. Look, tell you what—I’ll buy you a drink.”

My instinct screamed to walk away, but I hesitated. Cooper’s warning rang in my ears: Don’t escalate. Diffuse. Keep the peace.

As much as I wanted to avoid Adrian, I also didn’t trust him enough to let him out of my sight.

With a sigh, I plastered on a neutral expression and turned to face him. “Fine.”

Adrian flicked his hand toward the bar, catching the bartender’s attention.

After placing our order, he leaned casually against the table behind him, his eyes sweeping lazily over the room before returning to me.

“Busy week, huh? Summit and all. It must be a lot of work pulling everything together.”

“It is,” I said shortly, not giving him any ground.

He nodded, his lips curling into a knowing smile. “Well, you’ve been doing a great job. I mean, I’ve seen you and Jackson together a lot these past few days—grabbing lunch, going over plans, running around. Really seems like you’ve got a good system going.”

I stiffened. My mind raced as I replayed the last few days.

I hadn’t even noticed Adrian anywhere nearby. Had he been watching us the whole time? Why? My stomach churned at the thought.

“We do,” I replied, my voice steady despite the tight knot forming in my stomach.

Adrian’s expression didn’t shift, but there was something sharp behind his eyes that put me on edge. “Good to hear. Always nice to see packs working together so smoothly.”

There it was—his words sounded harmless, even friendly, but there was an undercurrent to them I couldn’t ignore.

Adrian tilted his head. “The summit’s been interesting so far. You know, these gatherings are a good way to foster trust between packs. Especially when there’s so much at stake.”

I kept my face neutral, even though every muscle in my body tensed, wondering if he was trying to get at something.

“Trust is important,” I replied, keeping my voice even.

Adrian nodded slowly, a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth. “It’s good that this summit is happening here. Pecan Pine’s done well hosting it. Cooper must really need the support of the other packs, though. I can see why. His position isn’t an easy one.”

I clenched my jaw but forced myself to stay calm. Diffuse. Keep things neutral.

“He’s worked hard to earn that support,” I said, choosing my words carefully.

“Of course,” Adrian said smoothly. His voice dropped slightly. “Especially with all the changes. It can’t be easy, especially after Ryder. A lot of pressure to keep things stable. Wouldn’t want history repeating itself, right?”

My fingers curled into fists at my sides before I forced them to relax. He was digging, but I wasn’t going to let him bait me.

Adrian watched me, his smirk widening. “You’ve changed. The old you would’ve snapped back by now. Where’s that fire?”

I ignored him, reaching for the untouched drink in front of me.

The burn of the alcohol didn’t come close to the fire simmering in my chest. I refused to give him the satisfaction of a reaction.

Adrian straightened suddenly, closing the distance between us. His voice dropped into something sickly sweet, like poison coated in honey.

“Maybe you just need something to bring it out of you,” he murmured, his hand settling heavily on my shoulder.

A shiver raced down my spine, not from fear but from the tension in the air.

My wolf stirred restlessly, every instinct urging me to do something. Push him away. Show him he wasn’t welcome.

“Adrian—”

“Sorry I’m late.” Jackson’s voice sliced through the air, sharp and clear.

Adrian’s hand dropped from my shoulder, and both of us turned toward him. Jackson stood a few steps away, his gaze locked on Adrian, expression unreadable.

Adrian leaned back against the table, a smug grin returning to his face.

“Just keeping Noah company,” he said with a shrug, his tone light, almost teasing.

Jackson’s eyes flicked to me briefly before narrowing back at Adrian. “Meetings ran late,” he said evenly. “Back-to-back sessions aimed at resolving tensions with hostile packs. One of the other pack leaders didn’t even bother showing up. Made everything longer than it needed to be.”

His tone was casual, but the way his gaze lingered on Adrian was anything but.

Adrian scoffed, shaking his head. “Discussions at these things are always useless. Just talk, talk, talk. Nothing ever gets done, and even if it does, it changes the moment the summit’s over.”

“Maybe,” Jackson replied, “but since your second, Carter, was there, we were able to draft a preliminary plan. A good one, actually.”

Adrian’s smirk faltered, but only for a second, before it came back sharper than before. “Carter’s thorough. Probably overkill, though. That’s just his style.”

“Overkill is better than chaos,” Jackson countered smoothly, taking a step closer.

The air between them thickened. Adrian leaned in slightly, eyes gleaming. “You’ve got a lot of faith in a process that barely works.”

“It works when people actually put in the effort,” Jackson countered.

Adrian’s eyes narrowed, golden irises flickering with something dangerous. “Effort? That’s rich, coming from?—”

“Stop.”

I cut through their escalating argument, stepping between them before things could go any further.

“Pecan Pine town rules,” I said firmly. “No pack business in town. Disputes go on pack land. You both know that.”

Adrian’s gaze flicked to me, and for a moment, I thought he might argue. But then he looked around the bar, taking in the watchful eyes of the crowd.

Slowly, his eyes faded back to their usual brown, and he straightened, almost reluctantly.

He smirked again, but this time it was strained. “I take it back what I said earlier,” he said, his voice dripping with mockery. “Maybe Cooper’s tougher than I thought, keeping you all on such a tight leash.”

He tilted his head. “No, scratch that. Looks like it’s the town that’s got you on a leash.”

Before I could respond, Adrian turned and pushed past a few people, the crowd parting to avoid him.

Jackson exhaled sharply beside me, his jaw tight as he watched Adrian leave.

The tension in the bar slowly faded, but a faint unease still hung in the air. I scanned the room, making sure things were returning to normal.

Most people had gone back to their conversations, though a few still cast curious glances our way.

I turned back to Jackson, who was still standing close, arms crossed tightly over his chest.

He didn’t speak right away, just staring at the doorway Adrian had exited through.

Then, under his breath, he muttered, “You’re too nice sometimes, you know that?”

I blinked, caught off guard. “What?”

Jackson exhaled again, dropping his arms and turning his gaze to me. “It’s the summit. I get it—you have to treat everyone... I don’t know, civilly. But did you really have to invite Adrian tonight?”

It took me a second to process his words. “Invite him?” I repeated, confused.

Jackson’s lips pressed into a thin line. He looked away, running a hand through his hair.

“Never mind,” he muttered, though the stiffness in his posture and the way his fingers tapped against the edge of the table gave him away.

It clicked then, and I almost laughed—almost. Was he jealous?

I tilted my head, studying him. “I didn’t invite Adrian. He just showed up.”

Jackson’s eyes narrowed slightly, as if trying to decide if he believed me.

“I’m serious,” I added. “Don’t let him get to you. That’s what he wants.”

Jackson didn’t respond right away. His gaze lingered on mine before dropping to the floor.

I hesitated, then leaned a little closer, lowering my voice. “I think he’s trying to stir things up. It’s no coincidence he’s here tonight. I’m not sure—maybe he’s up to something.”

Jackson’s expression darkened, but he didn’t seem surprised. “Did he say something?”

“Not much. But I can find out more?” I offered.

“No.” Jackson shook his head, cutting me off. “Forget it. Just... don’t spend any more time with him, okay?”

I couldn’t help it—a short, surprised chuckle slipped out.

Jackson glanced at me. “What’s so funny?”

I shrugged, the amusement fading into something more thoughtful. Jackson’s eyes softened slightly, but his posture remained tense.

“I better go,” he said quietly. “I don’t want to cause any more trouble here.”

I frowned, not liking the idea of him leaving. “Don’t.”

Jackson raised an eyebrow, and I smiled faintly. “I’ve been waiting for you all night,” I said. “The least you can do is stay. Besides…” I leaned back, crossing my arms. “You missed my set. The least you can do is stick around and watch the next band with me.”

His lips twitched, like he was fighting a smile. “Didn’t think you’d notice.”

“Of course I noticed,” I said. “So, what’s it gonna be?”

Jackson let out a quiet huff of laughter, shaking his head. “Fine,” he said, finally letting a small smile break through. “I’ll stay.”

We moved to a table closer to the stage as the bar filled up, the crowd swelling with energy as the next band prepared to play.

I was only half-aware of the noise, my focus drifting to Jackson, who settled in beside me.

The table was small, barely leaving enough space for our drinks. As the band struck their first notes, the crowd surged closer, pressing in on all sides.

Jackson shifted behind me, his arms casually bracketing me—one hand resting on the table to my left, the other on my right.

The air around me grew warmer, and I couldn’t ignore the feel of him so close. His arm brushed mine every time he adjusted his stance, sending faint shivers racing down my spine.

His scent, distinct and familiar, enveloped me—cedarwood with that sharp hint of bergamot.

Back then, I’d thought it was some kind of citrus, something fleeting and bright.

Now, it was deeper, richer, grounding in a way that made my pulse skip. Even with the press of bodies around us, his scent cut through, anchoring me.

I tried to focus on the band, but it was impossible. Jackson shifted again, his arm edging closer until I could feel the heat of him just inches away.

The faintest movement brought my back flush against his chest, and I swore I could feel the steady beat of his heart.

Time blurred. The crowd seemed to grow louder, but everything around us narrowed to just him—his warmth, his nearness, the way his breath ghosted over my skin when he leaned in, closer than before.

Slowly, he lowered his head until it rested on my shoulder. His hair brushed my cheek.

I tilted my head slightly, exposing my neck, an invitation to explore further. Jackson didn’t hesitate.

His nose brushed against my neck, and I felt the faintest inhale as he drew in my scent. His breath was warm against me, like a slow burn spreading beneath my skin.

My mind buzzed with the rush of the moment, but a quiet doubt lingered. Jackson’s steady presence slowly chased it away.

I didn’t need to define what this was—right now, I just let myself feel it.