Page 28 of Running with the Alpha’s Son (The Alpha’s Son #3)

“So what did you see?” Omar asks as we trek back to camp.

My mind is still reeling a little from the whole experience. As the day has heated up, my drifting, calm state of mind has turned into more of a haze and I think the lack of sleep may be affecting me. I keep yawning and my eyelids weigh a ton.

“A whole lot,” I say.

“Did you at least get some clarity?”

I may be yawning and a little spaced out but when I stop to think about it, yes, I definitely have some clarity. In fact, I feel certain a demolition crew is on its way to break down the walls I’d built around my mind.

“Yeah, I think so.”

“That’s great. I’m happy for you, cuz.”

“What about you?” I ask. “You never told me what happened when you did the moonwalk. What clarity did you find?”

Omar scrunches up his mouth and shoos an invisible fly from in front of his face.

“I didn’t find much clarity,” he says, his tone darker than before.

We walk the rest of the way in silence.

The first thing I want to do when we get back sometime in the early afternoon is find Jasper. After everything I saw last night, every version of Jasper, and the distinct feeling like he was always just a hair’s breadth out of reach, I want to hug him and feel his solidity, to know that he’s real.

“Thank you,” I say to Yoki as we prepare to part ways. “For everything.”

Yoki doesn’t say anything. They smile wryly and bow a little before twirling and heading for their tent.

“I’m glad you found what you were looking for,” Omar says a little gruffly, trailing a circle in the dirt with the toe of his sneaker.

“Thanks, and—Omar?”

He looks up.

“Thank you too, for helping me and coming along with me and, you know, being there.”

“Anytime, cuz. I’ll catch you later. Don’t leave without saying goodbye.”

Oh. I hadn’t really thought about it, but I guess now that Yoki has done just about everything they can and I’m feeling good about my connection to my wolf self, Jasper and I should be getting back to the Elite Pack.

“Yeah, okay,” I mumble. Omar turns and something in me tells me to call out. “I’ll see you at dinner, right?”

His placid expression turns into a smile and he salutes with two fingers. “Be there or be, I dunno, human or something.”

Omar leaves and I wait until he’s out of sight. At least we’ll have tonight, I think, trying to ward off the encroaching sense that I still don’t quite want to leave this place. When he’s gone I make my way to the new school tent.

“Oh my moon gods.”

I stand at the edge of the lofty new school tent and can’t quite believe the sight I’m greeted with. Jasper is standing in front of a rapt audience of kids sitting cross-legged on a large carpet, a book in one hand, performing a lively interpretation of whatever adventure story they’re reading. He glances at the book, then hunches over, making his hands into witchy claws and giving the performance of his lifetime.

“I’ll get you, my wolfies,” he says in a creaky character voice. “You’ll never escape my labyrinth, not in a million—”

He stops short when he glances up and his eyes catch on mine. Instantly, his face is beet red.

“Why did you stop?” one particularly precocious kid calls out.

“Keep reading, Mr. Jasper!” another shouts.

I gesture for him to keep going, to which he purses his lips and huffs but then clears his throat and continues on.

“You’ll never escape my labyrinth, not in a million years, not until the moon can be seen in the daylight!”

I recognize the story suddenly. It’s called The Wayward Pup and the Pale Moon . It’s a children’s story, derived from ancient werewolf lore. A pup strays from his pack and as he tries to get home he makes friends with a bunch of other animals: a raccoon, a bear, a rattlesnake, and a hawk. But eventually they’re all captured by this evil witch—who I think is supposed to represent humanity—and in order to escape this giant maze they have to make the moon rise during the day. So the wayward pup recalls everything he learned about the moon gods from his parents and teaches the other animals and together they call on Selene and her family and she lets the moon stay in the sky even after the sun is up. It’s supposed to be an origin story of sorts, to explain why you can sometimes see the moon during the day, what we call a Pup’s Moon.

Jasper bursts into a maniacal evil laugh as the witch who’s trapped her prey in her maze, and the kids explode with screams and shrieks.

As he continues reading, Jasper takes on the roles of the wayward pup and his friends with the same theatricality and commitment as the witch. Who knew my mate had this outstanding acting talent?

Somewhere toward the end of the story, as the pup and his friends call to the moon gods, Tomas appears at my side.

“He’s an excellent teacher,” Tomas says, watching Jasper attempting to play all five animal friends at the same time, resulting in him jumping from spot to spot, contorting his face in all sorts of disturbing ways. “There’s more of his mother in him than even I imagined.”

I glance at Tomas, who has this proud sort of look in his eye and just the first hint of moisture.

“You were close with her?” I ask, although I already know the answer.

He takes a breath and lets his head drop slightly. “She would have been very proud.”

The crowd of pups erupts into applause and I assume the witch has been defeated. When I look back, Tomas is gone.

As the kids jump up, run to Jasper with their little arms outstretched, overwhelm him with their sheer number and the force of their excitement, and tackle him to the ground, I can’t help but wonder if maybe Tomas knew Jasper had this in him all along. That maybe putting him to work at the school wasn’t so much about Jasper learning about his mother, but more about Jasper learning how much of his mother lives on in him.

Finally, Jasper manages to extricate himself from the pile of wolf pups and makes his way to me, a wide smile on his face.

“Enjoy the show?” he asks.

“I didn’t know you were classically trained,” I joke.

“Stop,” he says, a playful note of warning in his tone.

“Seriously, someone call the Academy! Get Scorsese on the phone!”

Jasper shakes his head and rubs his eyes. “You’re never going to let me forget this, are you?”

“Forget! How could I forget the performance of a lifetime? Seriously, I’m changed. The depth! The range! The physicality!”

“Insufferable,” Jasper mutters.

“Jasper?” a squeaky voice asks, and we both look down to find a kid has attached itself to Jasper’s leg. “Will you read us another? You do the best voices.”

He groans and rolls his eyes, his head flopping backward. But then he scoops the little girl up into his arms and says, “Just one more, okay?”

She nods emphatically.

He turns back to me. “Are you okay to wait a little longer?”

“Actually,” I say, “I really need a shower and maybe a nap. Meet you back at the tent?”

“Okay,” he says. “Great. Oh, how was your moon dance or walk or—you know?”

“It was…” I pause because it’s not a thing you can quantify quite like a movie or a meal. “It was pretty special. Intense but special.”

“You’re okay?” he asks.

“I’m good. And you can’t keep your audience waiting.” I gesture over to the waiting pups, their expectant eyes on Jasper like a pack of meerkats.

“I won’t be long. Oh and there’s this party tonight, to celebrate the completion of the new school. It’ll probably be lame.” He shakes his head dismissively but I know he wants to go. “But I was thinking we could go?”

“I’d love to.”

“Okay.”

The girl in his arms is squirming but Jasper just stares at me.

“Okay,” I say.

“Great.”

He keeps staring and smiling and then I’m smiling as well and we must look like two lovesick teens who don’t know how to act around each other.

“Yeah, great,” I say. “Shouldn’t you…?”

It’s like he realizes he’s holding an actual child at that moment.

“Oh, right! Yes. Okay, see you in a bit.”

“See you in a bit.”

He turns to head back into the school tent but spins around super quick to add one more thing.

“You look different,” he says, “good still, but different.”

For another beat he smiles at me like he’s lost his goddamn mind.

“Go!” I say and finally he nods and returns to his adoring fans.

As Jasper launches into a new story, all the energy I have left in me seems to flood out the bottoms of my feet and I know I need to find somewhere to lie down immediately.

I wake from a long nap to find Jasper’s arms wrapped around me.

“Hey,” he says as I hum and roll over to face him.

“Hey,” I say, noticing just how groggy I sound. “Have you been here long?”

“Just a few minutes.”

“How was the rest of the show?”

“The kids had a few notes, but they liked my Big Bad Wolf impression.”

“Mmm, I always thought the Big Bad Wolf was misunderstood. Wait, you read them that human propaganda?”

“We did the alternate version where Little Red and Big Bad team up to defeat the evil woodsman.”

“Ah! I see.”

“How are you feeling?”

“Sleepy but good.”

“How was the moonwalk? You didn’t tell me much before.”

“Well, you were busy giving the performance of a lifetime.”

He punches my arm softly.

“Stop. Tell me about your experience.”

“It was…I saw a lot of things. You were there.”

“I was?”

“Uh-huh. Actually you were kind of everywhere. Except the lunar plane, that was just me and…I think I met Selene.”

He pulls back, sitting up just a little.

“You met…Selene? The Selene?”

“I think so.”

“Wow.” He lies back down, wrapping his arm tighter around me. “What’s she like?”

I give a casual little shrug. “She was nice.”

Jasper cups my face and runs a thumb over my cheek.

“You do look different,” he says, reiterating his point from earlier.

“In what way?”

“I don’t know.” His eyes dart about my face, taking in my features, and I imagine him running them through his mind, comparing them to what he remembers from before I left yesterday. “You seem older.”

I throw my head back sarcastically. “Oh great! Thanks!”

He pulls me closer. “Not in a bad way. You just look more like you.”

“So…good change.”

He licks his bottom lip and nods. “Good change.”

I breathe a breath of relief and Jasper nuzzles his face into the crook of my neck.

“I feel different,” I say, sitting up slightly. “It’s like all this time there’s been something blocking my connection to my wolf-self and now…now that blockage is gone, and I feel…”

“What?” he says, his eyes wide in genuine excitement.

“I feel connected to everything, every wolf, and––I feel powerful.”

Jasper tilts his head back to take another look at me, gently moving a strand of hair from my face.

“What?” I ask when he doesn’t say anything, just stares with this amused sort of smile.

“It suits you.”

He kisses me once then holds me close.

“I missed you,” he says, and I love the way his breath feels on my skin.

“I missed you too.”

He lifts his lips from my neck to my mouth and kisses me again. We stay like that for a long time, and after everything that’s been going on these past few days, it feels so good—like kissing for the first time, or like we’ve unlocked some new level of kissing, the big boss of kissing.

When we come up for air I run a hand through Jasper’s hair.

“I think we should try again,” I say.

“Okay.” Immediately Jasper tries to kiss me but I dodge his lips.

“I meant the mind-link,” I say, laughing. “We should try to mind-link again.”

“You think it’ll work this time?”

“I’m not a hundred percent sure. But with this new access to my blood wolf abilities, I think I’m closer than before.”

“Okay,” he says and kisses me once more.

This time I don’t avoid him.

A short while and a whole lot of making out later, Jasper and I are washed and dressed and ready to attend the school-opening celebration.

“You look…like, super fresh,” I say, eyeing Jasper, whose hair is still wet from the shower.

He’s wearing a loose, cream-colored linen shirt and a pair of khaki shorts. He’s really made an effort. The moon gods only know how he’s managed to keep a set of smart clothes clean this whole time.

“Thanks. You look pretty great too.”

I roll my eyes. “Whatever.” I’m in the cleanest T-shirt I could find, which isn’t saying much—although I do like the scent of this earthy handmade soap they have in the showers here.

“Ready?”Jasper seems eager to get to the party, which is very cute.

“Sure.”

“So when can I hear more about your moonwalk?” Jasper asks as we make our way through the Sanc.

“Woof, maybe in like ten years’ time?”

He eyes me sideways with a smug grin. “I’ll hold you to that.”

“And what about you? You seemed to be having fun earlier. Helping out with the rogue school wasn’t so bad in the end?”

Jasper keeps his eyes forward as we move through the tents.

“I think perhaps I understand now—why my mother cared so much about these people.” A couple of kids run by us, one kicking a ball and one waving a ribbon. Jasper turns as they pass. “There is no difference between a rogue pup and one from a pack.” After the kids are gone he turns back to me. “Except the privilege they were born into. We should do more,” he says, nodding gently. “To help. The packs should do more.”

“I bet that’s what your mom would have said.”

He stops suddenly, the hint of a smile cracking his pensive expression.

“I think you’re right. And…” He takes my hand and gives it a squeeze. “I am glad we came here. I’m glad I got to see this place she cared so much about.”

“You feel closer to her than before?”

“I do. Thank you.” He pulls me in for a soft, meaningful kiss, and while we have our eyes closed music begins to play nearby, an upbeat song heavy on the drums and the horns.

“Sounds like the party is underway,” I say. “Shall we?”

The party is in full swing when Jasper and I arrive. Under the new school tent and all around the surrounding area wolves are gathered. Balloons and ribbons have been strung up on every tentpole. Off to the right, one of the large industrial barbecues has been set up and Miss Sammy is the grill-meister. She’s flipping ribs, stacking cheese on top of burgers, and piling sausages high on a platter, bellowing for people to come and get it. Music is blaring from a number of speakers set up around the edge of the tent, and as I glance around I spot some familiar faces in the crowd.

Mal is sitting in a foldout chair with Kairos next to her by a campfire just outside the tent. Tomas is talking with some of the rogue teachers we saw the first day we were here, pointing out areas of the floor space, I assume discussing how best to use the space once the kids start attending classes. Yoki is swirling a long rope on a couple of sticks on the far side of the tent, making giant bubbles out of soapy water, while kids jump and dance around them. The other council members are knocking about as well, as are a few of the rogues who apprehended us at our campsite. The only person missing is Omar.

I squint harder to try and find him but come up short.

“Let’s get a drink,” Jasper says, keeping my hand in his and leading me over to a table with a very full punch bowl.

As Jasper pours and hands me a solo cup of pink, sweet-smelling liquid I take a closer look at the inside of the tent.

“Looks pretty sturdy,” I say. “Must be well constructed.”

“It’ll stand.” Jasper turns to face into the tent, looking proud of his accomplishment, which makes my chest all warm and fuzzy. Then his attention catches on something and a growl rolls in his throat.

I follow his eyeline to where George Peng has just entered the tent.

Jasper takes a small step forward and instinctively I put a hand on his arm to stop him.

“What’s he doing here?” Jasper asks.

“I’m sure he just wanted to help celebrate.”

Mr. Peng wanders farther into the tent, seemingly lost or looking for someone. When he spots us, his and Jasper’s eyes lock. I can just about hear Jasper grinding his teeth, which I’m pretty sure are fangs by now. Then to my astonishment George steps in our direction. Is he…? He can’t be seriously coming over here? Can he?

“Keep calm,” I say. “Remember this is a school.”

George stops a couple of meters short, probably being careful not to get too close. Then he drops to his knees.

“Mr. Apollo,” he begins, speaking to the dusty ground. “I submit myself to you and beg for your forgiveness. I have had a lot of time to think during my time in exile and I know now what I did was wrong—the actions of a deranged man driven crazy by the hierarchies of the society he was born into.”

Jasper edges forward and I squeeze his arm tighter.

“And I don’t mean to make excuses. I did what I did of my own volition. But it has cost me everything. My life and my daughter. Please, accept my apologies. I do not expect forgiveness, but…”

“But?” Jasper rasps, incredulous.

“But I would ask one thing of you.”

Jasper’s teeth are the most clenched teeth I’ve seen. “And what would that be?”

“Eleanor, my daughter. I have no way of knowing if she’s healthy, or—alive. Could you please, tell me…is she okay?”

For a minute I remain terrified Jasper is about to shift and tear this poor guy’s throat out. Yeah, he did almost have me killed and he kidnapped Aisha, and he nearly toppled the whole Apollo dynasty, but looking at him now, he seems so small, frail. His hands are digging into the soil, tears wet his wrinkled face. I shift my gaze from him to Jasper and realize that Jasper’s jaws are no longer snapped tight, his face is loose, his expression somewhat bemused.

From the corner of my vision I spot Mal watching us and Tomas as well. They’re both waiting to see how Jasper will react. In fact, more and more eyes turn to watch the spectacle as Mr. Peng waits to see if Jasper will rip him to shreds or…is it possible he’ll offer forgiveness?

“For the things you have done,” Jasper says, sounding every bit the young alpha, “I can offer no forgiveness. You tried to destroy my family and taint our legacy.”

Tomas takes the smallest step forward and Mal sends him a warning glance, telling him to stay back, just a moment longer.

“But I understand the pressure that could lead a man such as you to drastic measures, and I too understand the power of the link between a parent and their child. As far as I know Eleanor is behind bars, but she is alive, healthy, and provided for. She is serving out her sentence in peace.”

“Thank you,” Mr. Peng says, bowing even lower. “You are very kind to tell me this. Your words soothe the ache of a broken man.”

“I do not wish to soothe,” Jasper continues. “Only to prevent more unnecessary suffering.”

“Thank you,” Mr. Peng says again, and again, and again, until finally Mal stands and whispers into the ear of a nearby wolf.

He and a friend move to either side of Mr. Peng and lift him from the dirt, helping him to walk away.

We watch until he’s gone, and the party closes ranks, the vibe shifting from a tense, somber one back to one of joyous celebration.

“That was—really nice of you,” I say, rubbing Jasper’s arm.

“It’s more than he deserves,” he spits to the side.

“Maybe, but also now we can maybe move on. That’s what you deserve.”

The girl from earlier, the one desperate for Mr. Jasper to read her yet another story, appears next to us.

“Jasper,” she says a little quietly, swaying from side to side. “Will you come and dance with us?”

He glances at me, as if I’m about to give him some sort of escape route, when in fact, there’s no way I would give up the chance to see him dancing with a gaggle of preschoolers. Besides, maybe it’s the tension release he needs. Instead of making excuses on his behalf I shrug, as if to say I’ve got nothing .

“Sure, Janie, I’d love to.”

She reaches up her little hand, which Jasper takes, and he’s immediately pulled across the floor.

Once he’s fully entrenched in a circle of four-year-olds I look around again, wondering where Omar could have gotten to and if everything is okay. But that concern vanishes when I look back over to find Jasper fully breaking it down, doing some cross between swing dance and the twist. A circle of kids is jumping around him, swishing their hips, meanwhile he’s spinning Janie under his arm and dancing up a storm.

He glances over, red-faced but smiling, and I lift my cup to him. Who would have thought my moody, rogue-averse mate would end up the belle of the preschool ball?

“Your mate is full of surprises,” Mal says, appearing beside me.

“Yeah, he is.”

“Maybe there is hope for the packs after all.”

She’s studying Jasper intently, as if she’s thinking something through.

“Of course,” she continues, “I have a feeling you will be instrumental in bringing about the necessary change.”

“I—uh—I…”

“One thing I may not have made clear just yet…” She sips her drink and moves her bottom lip in a weird half circle. “The rogues have always been a friend to the blood wolf.” She eyes me sideways. “And the blood wolf has always been a friend to the rogues.”

What is she trying to say?

“I hope this is a relationship that will continue to be fruitful.”

I turn to her and say as earnestly as possible, “I hope so too.”

“And I hope you found everything you needed during your stay here.”

“Yes, thank you. I think I did.”

“You’d be welcome to stay longer. I’m sure Yoki and yourself have made excellent progress these last few days but there is always more to learn, Blood Wolf.”

“Thanks for the offer.” I glance back over at Jasper, who is smiling like a complete goon and dancing like Fred Astaire. “But I have to go back with Jasper.”

Mal nods like she’s had something confirmed. “So I thought. Just know you are welcome here anytime.”

“I do. Thank you, ma’am.”

“Call me Mal,” she says, now with a cheeky smile and wink. “All my friends do.”

She pats my shoulder a couple of times and then moves off back to Kairos and her waiting chair.

For a moment I watch the party and feel like I’m floating just outside my body. I know there is more to learn about my blood-wolf powers, but I also feel ready to take that journey on my own—to explore what it means to be connected to wolfkind like this without guardrails, to fully dive in. And I feel ready to head home and tackle what’s waiting there, too. The friendships, the attention, the pressure, the people who would rather I wasn’t preternaturally linked to their future leader.

While Jasper continues to dance, I glance around in search of Omar once more. I would really like to speak with him before we leave. Then a sharp pang slices through the back of my consciousness. I double over, wincing in pain. And before I can try to figure out where it came from, a woman screams and chaos breaks loose.