Page 27

27

JACOB

M y heart thudded in my chest. I couldn’t believe what had just happened. We were safe… at least for now. Kelly wouldn’t be executed.

I could finally breathe again.

Not all of my worries were gone, though. She’d gone to the university without telling me. We still needed to have that conversation. But after almost losing her? It was hard to hold on to anger. If anything, the past hour had only cemented how much she meant to me.

Outside the Council chamber, Shane and Chad stood near the door across from one another, speaking in low voices. Garrick, the Pack’s enforcer, followed us out and stretched across a nearby bench like he owned the place. His golden eyes tracked Kelly with vague interest. He didn’t speak, and honestly? I preferred it that way.

Kelly smiled at him as we passed, and he gave her a small nod.

My jaw clenched. That didn’t sit right.

Garrick was intimidating, ruthless—not someone you got comfortable with. Not someone you smiled at. He wasn’t the welcome wagon anyone wanted introducing them to the Pack.

That should’ve been me.

Besides, he’d choked her. Struck her hard enough to split her lip and left finger-shaped bruises on her face and throat. And now he was eyeing her from that bench like he hadn’t almost killed her?

I slowed, my grip loosening on Kelly’s hand. My wolf roared inside me to protect my mate, to seek justice against the beast who had injured her. Something more than the quiet, too-casual look Garrick threw her way.

No matter what she’d said in there, I’d failed her. How the hell was I going to make that right?

Garrick’s gaze locked with mine. It burned with feral energy. But his stare was unreadable and calm. Like I posed no threat to him.

The low, guttural growl rose within me instinctively. I shifted my weight forward, stepping straight toward him. Then I took another step.

Chad’s hand clamped down on my arm, firm and unshakable. He moved between us, his jaw tight. His eyes flashed a silent warning—don’t.

Behind him, the bench creaked as Garrick’s weight lifted from it. Each movement was slow and deliberate. All six foot eight inches of raw muscle and menace loomed over us. He didn’t snarl or bare his sharp teeth. He just stood there, crossing his arms over his chest like a mountain that dared us to move it. Muscles rippled and flexed beneath his tight t-shirt, a testament of the power he contained. His gaze flicked from me to Chad, then drifted past us, like we weren’t worth his time.

I took shallow breaths, not moving or blinking. Chad’s grip on my arm tightened like he sensed the coiled tension within me, ready to strike at the first sign of aggression. Then Kelly held onto my waist from behind like she realized what was going on. Her face pressed against my back. Her warmth, her scent… The feeling of her wolf nuzzling mine through our skin. It pulled me back from the edge. I rested my hand over hers near my navel and closed my eyes briefly. With a soft exhale, the fury faded just enough.

We continued walking. The moment passed, but it stuck in my paw like a thorn.

“You good?” Chad asked as we moved down the mansion’s long hallway.

Kelly flinched at the sound of his voice, like she expected someone to leap out from one of the many doors at us. Her hand found mine once more.

“Better,” I said, gently squeezing her hand. “Kelly, this is Chad. He’s the Alpha’s son and second-in-command.” I nodded toward my brother, who walked to the other side of Kelly. “And that’s Shane.”

She cleared her throat, glancing between them. “Nice to meet you both.”

“Shane’s giving us a ride home.” The less time we spent here, the better. I didn’t want her having a panic attack at Pack HQ. Hell, I didn’t want her to have one at all.

But maybe I didn’t want to stick around here either. After all, I was the one who’d nearly lost control and wanted to fight the Pack’s enforcer. I’d always feared Garrick. He radiated enough menace to make the whole Pack shrink away. That man was a living weapon. I knew better than to cross him, but in that moment, all I’d seen was a bastard who put his hands on Kelly.

Good thing Chad had more brain cells than I did. He probably saved my life. I clapped a hand to his shoulder, drawing a small scowl from his lips. But he didn’t pull away. My best friend.

“That’s right,” Shane said, a smirk tugging at one corner of his mouth. “Good to meet you too. You must be pretty special.”

Kelly looked between us like she couldn’t decide whether he was teasing or serious. She finally offered a polite, if hesitant, smile and nodded. “Thanks.”

“See you around, Chad,” I said when we reached the long driveway. I pulled him into a quick hug. It wasn’t something we did often, but it felt right. “Thank you. I mean it.” If he hadn’t called me, I couldn’t bear to think about how today would’ve ended.

Before we could leave, Garrick reappeared in the Pack’s front door. He jogged down the steps and strode over to us, holding up a small plastic bag and a purse. His golden eyes slid over us before he held the straps out to her with a grunt.

“My purse!” Kelly’s face lit up. “Thank you.”

I wondered about the shopping bag. Had the girls gone somewhere beside the cafe? The scent of pine and wax caught my attention, but that didn’t matter right now. She was safe. Which reminded me of?—

Shit. Emma…

I pulled out my phone and fired off a text.

Jacob

Kelly’s fine. No accidents. She’s with me. I’ll explain later.

Emma

Oh my god! Thank you. I was worried sick.

Jacob

Same. Gotta go.

When I glanced up, everyone was looking at me, including Kelly. She stepped closer, trying to peek at my screen. “It’s Emma. I called her earlier when you didn’t show up.”

“Oh no. I bet she has been worried sick.” Kelly frowned and rifled through her purse, but I placed a hand on her wrist. “I should text her.”

“Don’t worry, babe. I told her you’re okay. We’ll reach out later. For now, we’re going home.” I opened the back passenger door for her, then nodded to Chad and even Garrick. He hadn’t needed to save Kelly’s stuff, but it was a decent thing to do.

She hesitated, like she wanted to say more, but her gaze flicked to the others standing around us. She sighed and climbed in.

Once we were in his muscle car, Shane threw me a sidelong glance with a raised brow. He subtly tipped his chin toward Kelly. What did he want from me? Did he expect I’d pour my heart out with him sitting right there?

I rolled my eyes as I fastened my seatbelt. Classic Shane. My fingers twisted the dial to his radio, needing music more than talking, even if I wanted to ask if he’d spoken to Alayna yet about his feelings, about everything. But this wasn’t the time or place. Unlike him, I knew when to keep my damn mouth shut.

The drive back didn’t take long, but the silence that stretched between us was thick enough to cut with a knife. It wasn’t unbearable, and that was a first with Shane. He didn’t fill the space with words or sarcasm. Just occasional glances that told me more than anything he could’ve said.

Maybe our earlier conversation had helped resolve things between us. The thought brought on a sense of relief. We were brothers. Things weren’t perfect, but they didn’t have to be. We were watching each other’s backs. Family was supposed to look out for one another.

Shane pulled into a parking spot near my building’s entrance and shifted into park. “Have a good evening, you two.” He adjusted the rearview mirror to look at Kelly. His voice was warm, offering her a genuine smile. “Welcome to the Pack.”