JAX
“What’s got you smiling like that?” Theo asks, elbowing me in the ribs from his seat beside me at our usual table in the dining hall.
Your sister, dude.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I chuckle.
“Aw c’mon, what is it?” Theo presses.
Probably the fact that I was just making out with your sister.
“It’s nothing,” I insist.
I try to go back to my lunch, but the guy won’t let it go. He narrows his eyes, studying me. “Did you finally find your mystery girl or something?”
Yep. Turns out it’s your smokin’ hot sister.
“Nah, that’s a lost cause,” I lie.
Reid flicks a suspicious glance in my direction from across the table as he swallows the bite he just took of his sandwich. “Oh yeah? You sure?” he asks, ar
QUINN The forest is eerily quiet tonight as I slink around under the light of the moon, chasing the scents of other animals and relishing in the freedom that comes with shifting to my wolf form. I’ve always had excellent control over my animal side- I integrated quickly when she manifested years ago, probably because I’ve always embraced my wilder characteristics, my baser urges and desires. From my first shift, I’ve delighted in the liberation that comes with it. When my wolf came in, that’s when I really came alive. I love being a shifter. I love the tingling feeling on my skin when I shift, the way the air shimmers around me like liquid metal. I love the feeling of the earth under my paws as I run- and I fucking love how much faster I can run on four legs, how much more agile I can be. I’ve heard some other shifters say they resent their animal side, but you’ll never hear me say that. I’m completely in tune with my
JAXWhen I wake on Thursday morning, it takes a moment for my eyes to adjust to the sunlight streaming into the room. It’s bright- a little too bright, I realize as I try to roll over. I quickly discover that I can’t because my arm is trapped beneath a sleeping Quinn beside me, and as my mind starts to wake up, it registers that this isn’t my room; I’m not in my bed. I must’ve fallen asleep here last night, and if the brightness of the sunlight is any indication, we’ve both overslept.Quinn and I haven’t been able to stay away from one another for the past few days; it’s like now that we’ve given in, we’re both insatiable. Monday’s little romp in the forest only left me wanting more, and Tuesday night we went for a drive, parked, and did it in the back seat of my truck. I didn’t think I’d see Quinn last night- she said she was going to be hanging
QUINN“You and me?” Kyla asks as she turns to me, gesturing between us.“Sure,” I breathe, scooping my long hair into a ponytail and securing it with a hair tie.I made it to the practice field for training this morning without a moment to spare, still a little rattled after almost being caught with Jax in my room. He hasn’t even made it out here yet- perks of being one of the guys running the place, I guess. I, on the other hand, am still catching my breath while Fallon demonstrates the defensive maneuvers we’ll be working on today. She’s running today’s practice, and she’s brought two of her friends to help out- a couple of guys from Summervale that went to high school with us.Other than her twin, Davis and Boyd were Fallon’s closest friends in high school. The three of them went out for the squad together after graduation and they all made the cut after
JAX‘We need to talk’When strung together, I’m pretty sure those are the four most unsettling words in the English language.After I got Quinn’s text earlier, I re-read it over and over, trying to decipher her meaning. Then I racked my brain trying to figure out if I went wrong with her somewhere since waking up in her bed today. I mean it all started out good, right? I definitely wasn’t the only one enjoying the sex this morning when we were so rudely interrupted. At least I got her off before Brooke came knocking- I, on the other hand, was stuck with blue balls.She seemed fine when I checked in on her during training this morning, too. A little jumpier than normal after our close call, but I didn’t miss the seductive sway of her hips or her flirty little glances. Or the way she was staring at my mouth like she wanted a taste. Everything seemed good between us…
QUINN “How’s it going over here?” Brooke asks as she wheels her desk chair over to me. Our desks are both in the back of the IT hub, right across the aisle from one another. It would be pretty awesome, except Theo is a permanent fixture in the hub these days and my desk gives me a front row seat to his and Brooke’s constant PDA. “Good…” I murmur, the keyboard clicking under my fingers as Brooke moves in beside me and peers at my monitor. “Any luck getting in yet?” I nod, drawing my lower lip between my teeth. “Oh yeah. I’m just copying the files now.” I type in the last few functions, hit enter, and push back from my desk, folding my arms and grinning in satisfaction. “Done.” Brooke watches my computer screen, a smile creeping across her face. “You’re a genius, you know that?” I shrug, though I enjoy the compliment. “I’m so glad you decided to come up here and join us. Put your hacker sk
JAXIt’s the first night this week that I haven’t seen Quinn, and honestly, it feels a little weird, like I’m already accustomed to the pattern that we’ve started to fall into. Discontent to go to sleep without at least touching base with her, I send her a quick text as I slide between the sheets to let her know that her car repairs are done. Then I try to be smooth and offer to pick it up for her, but it turns out that Brady gave her a call, too, and she already picked up her car this afternoon.It’s not a total loss, though, because we spend the next hour sending messages back and forth, chatting about the unreliability of cars and the day we each had and the best and worst pizza toppings. I completely lose track of time, hanging on Quinn’s every word as the conversation flows easily like we’ve known each other for years, not weeks. The truth is, we still barely know one another- but th
QUINN It seems that every autumn, there’s a random day or two that’s unseasonably warm, a little glimpse back at summer. Today is one of those days- the sun is shining, the air is hot, and in a surprise twist, the afternoon training sessions were called off for recruits and squad members alike. We’re all at the swimming hole instead, and I’m not sure who pulled this thing together, but it’s turned into a real party- there’s kegs of beer, endless plastic cups, and a speaker playing music. Whether the squad leaders knew we all needed a break or some rogue squad members took charge of planning this impromptu gathering, it has drawn quite a crowd- there’s a sea of bodies both in the water and on the bank, girls clad in skimpy bikinis and cutoff shorts and guys outfitted in nothing but board shorts showing off their muscular chests. The water in the swimming hole is cold, but nobody that’s swimming seems to mind as they splash abou
JAXLife at the complex is so structured that occasional days like this are necessary to boost squad morale and maintain our sanity. We put it to the squad members and recruits as a last-minute thing, but in truth, me and the other squad leaders have been planning this for a few days now. At our meeting earlier this week, Theo pointed out how unseasonably warm it was going to be on Saturday, and from there the idea for an ‘impromptu’ party at the swimming hole started to take shape.This isn’t the first time we’ve done this, so it didn’t require a whole lot of planning on our part. All we really needed was a hot day, a big speaker for music, and booze. It’s not easy to get the kegs out here- the owner of the Goldenleaf bar drives them out on an ATV, and then me and the guys have to haul them the rest of the way from the trail down to the swimming hole. It’s worth the inconvenience, though
JAX I lift my nose in the air, catching her scent again. It’s the faintest hint of strawberries and vanilla, carried on the breeze from somewhere to my right. I veer in that direction, paws pounding the forest floor as I take off running again. My adrenaline is pumping, my wolf frenzied with the thrill of the chase. I’m getting closer, I can feel it. It’s not only her scent that I’m following, but the pull of the bond. Over the past few weeks, I’ve learned how to reach out for it, to tug on the connection between us to get a sense of where she is or how she’s feeling. Since we sealed the bond, it has only continued to develop and grow stronger. The more it does, the more I feel like we’re becoming two halves of the same person. I must be getting closer, because I can feel her excitement through the bond- it’s palpable, and it only serves to rile my wolf up even more. I see a flash of silver fur ahead and I know that I’
QUINN “I’ll get it!” I call out in response to the knock on the front door of the packhouse. It may seem strange for me to be answering the door of the packhouse in Westfield, but this place already feels like a second home to me thanks to Jax’s family. That, and I already know who’s waiting on the other side of the door. I grin as I pull it open and am met with Brooke’s shining smile, Theo’s classic smirk, and Dad’s stiff, inscrutable expression. “Hey, you guys made it!” I chirp, waving them inside. It has been just shy of two weeks since the full moon confirmed Jax and me as mates, and his mom wasn’t kidding about wanting to have my family over for dinner soon. With the battle in Denver drawing closer, there’s no time like the present. The danger of the fight and the uncertainty of the outcome has been weighing on us all over the past couple weeks. “Nice place,” Brooke comments as she slides her black
JAX“So you’re going to Denver to fight, huh?” I ask as I pull my t-shirt on overhead and tug it down my torso.We made it a whole three steps inside of Quinn’s door before we ripped each other’s clothes off. I set Quinn on the edge of the dresser and spread her thighs, bringing her to orgasm with my tongue before I fucked her senseless. Good thing these rooms have cinderblock walls, or I might’ve shoved the dresser right through it.Quinn slides her leggings up her long legs and turns to me, resting her hands on her hips. “If you’re going, I’m going.”There’s a determined glint in her eye, her wolf showing herself to me by way of shimmering copper swirls in Quinn’s irises.I can’t help but crack a smile. “Hey, I never said I was gonna stop you.”“Good, because you couldn’t stop me if you tried,”
QUINNI wish we could stay at the Westfield packhouse with Jax’s family and just forget the world for a while. Forget about the security squad and the shadow pack and Denver and just be together. But life doesn’t stop for anyone, and we’re already running late as we say our goodbyes to Jax’s parents and sisters, promising that we’ll be back for dinner on Sunday.I’ve always wanted a big family, and now I’ve got one. Jax’s family fits me like a glove- from the moment I met them, I know they were my kind of people. Guess it makes sense now, in hindsight. This is how fate designed it; the way that things were always supposed to be.Rather than heading straight back to the complex, we take a detour to Summervale to retrieve my stuff. It makes us even later, but I can’t return to the complex without my phone and computer, can I? Theo and Brooke have already left, but D
JaxI blink my eyes open as a wave of pleasure courses through me, pulling me out of my half-asleep haze. The first thing I see is Quinn- her hazel eyes peering down at me from above, the mischievous glint in them telling me that I’m in for some of her delicious brand of trouble. Her long dark hair is swept to one side, cascading down like a curtain, the ends tickling my chest as she reaches out to press a finger to my lips.It takes me another second to comprehend why she’s got her finger to my lips, urging me to be quiet. As I start to come to, I realize that her other hand is tucked inside my boxers, wrapped around my dick. It’s getting harder by the second as she strokes it, and holy shit what a way to wake up. My girl’s on top of me, jacking me off, and I’m… wait a second, I’m in my childhood bedroom?!The pieces start to click into place. The council meeting last ni
QUINN “Tonight?” I parrot, searching my dad’s face for answers. “But it’s late… what’s going on? Dad forces a smile, stepping closer and setting a hand on my shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “It’s not for you to worry about, honey.” His patronizing tone has resentment and frustration curling in my gut as he withdraws his touch and all but ignores my concern, turning instead to Jax and Theo. “You boys are coming too, Gray said squad leadership needs to be present. Cory took Ellie home, but he should be back any minute…” “Dad,” I interrupt, balling my fists at my sides and speaking through gritted teeth. “Please just tell me what’s happening.” He heaves a sigh in annoyance, casting me a sideways glance. I feel Jax step up behind me, his chest meeting my back as he slides his large hands to rest on my shoulders. “Respectfully, sir, it won’t do any good to keep her in the dark,” Jax says, h
JAX The way she says my name nearly makes me shatter. Even though I felt certain Quinn was my mate, confirming it is far better than I ever could’ve imagined. It’s earth-shattering, life changing. It’s everything- all I’ve ever wanted, she’s all I’ll ever need. My Quinn. My girl. My mate. Despite the chill in the air, our bodies are warm, slick with sweat. I slip a hand between them to seek her clit and push her over the edge, and it only takes a few gentle rubs of her sweet spot to get her there. Her body trembles, her head falls back- I hold her tight in my arms and watch in awe as she rides out her climax, doing all I can to prolong reaching my own. She’s so fucking gorgeous in the throes of bliss that I can hardly take it. My control’s hanging by a thread, but now that I know for sure that Quinn’s my mate, I won’t leave this spot until I mark her as mine forever and seal the bond between us. Slowly, beautifully, sh
QUINNWhen you’re in a new, exciting relationship, three days apart feels like an eternity. As the days pass slowly, I start to get nervous that something’s going to go wrong and Jax isn’t gonna show on Monday. Of course, the thought is irrational- Jax is the best guy, he has a heart of gold! There’s no way he’d stand me up. Still, I can’t help but agonize about all of the ‘what if’s’ while riding the high of something that feels too good to be true. Guess I’m my own worst enemy in that way.You’d think the downtime at home would be relaxing, but really, I’m just bored. Theo has been spending a lot of time with Dad- he’s teaching Theo everything he knows so he can transition him into the role of Alpha this spring- and while Brooke spends her evenings here with us, she spends her days at her parents’ house a few streets over. So basically, it&rsquo
JAX As Quinn and I walk back into the Summervale packhouse after our little ‘chat’, Brooke pokes her head out of the kitchen doorway, a smile spreading across her face when she sees the two of us. “So?” she asks excitedly, rushing over to meet us as Quinn pushes the front door closed behind her. The smug expressions that Quinn and I are sporting must give us away because Brooke lets out an excited squeak, clasping her hands together in front of her chest. I slide an arm around Quinn’s waist and tuck her into my side almost instinctively as she laughs, shaking her head at Brooke. “Please just play it cool in front of my dad?” Brooke nods, quickly reining in her enthusiasm. “Of course. I’m just glad you two figured things out.” I’m not sure if we ‘figured things out’, per se, but at least we’re finally on the same page with admitting we have real feelings for each other and wanting to give this th