Lola stood in shock, frozen in the hallway in front of the bathroom, and she couldn’t take her eyes away from Melissa and Ash standing half-naked in his doorframe. She muttered incoherent sounds and turned her head.“Uhm…yeah,” she said and walked with a razor-sharp focus to the guest room.Lola opened the door and stepped inside, slamming the door shut behind her and shivering at the thought of her best friend and Jax’s obnoxious cousin being together.The door opened, and Melissa reached out her hands. The door closed behind her, and she looked at Lola with widened eyes.“Him?!” Lola screeched.“Let me explain,” Melissa defended.They stood in silence, staring at each other. Lola’s eyes were filled with disgust, and Melissa was trying to find the right words.“He’s really hot,” she said, landing on the argument that had gotten her into his bed in the first place.“Mell!”Melissa jumped on the spot and shushed Lola. “I was about to go to sleep. I got undressed and went to wash off th
Lola sat in the town square on a bench in the roundabout. She held her coffee cup and looked at the people roaming around in peace. The university students were jumping gleefully over the town’s annual Harvest Moon fest- they were putting up lights with various colors in the trees and decorating the benches. The town shops were all preparing their windows and facades.Lola smiled, watching everyone laugh. Dressed in coats with mittens and scarves, they took to town with a joy that only the small-town festivities could bring.Couples held hands and walked under the streetlights. The bakery had put on a pumpkin event for the children where they carved their own pumpkins, and a prize was given to the best one.“Lola.”She was pulled away from her thoughts and shifted on the bench. Jax stood behind her, his voice was low and a hint of fear seeped into her name when he spoke. He walked around and took a seat.“Hi,” she said and smiled.She hadn’t seen him all afternoon and tried her best to
Melissa and Lola were at the Clifton’s house- hiding away in Melissa’s bedroom. They sat cross-legged on the bed and Melissa hugged a pillow to her chest while thinking about Ed.“Did you see him, his eyes- I mean oh my god!” She said in glee as she squeezed the pillow tighter and screamed giddily.They had spent the good part of two hours at the cafe with Ed before he had to go. The girls went home to Melissa and it was clear as day how smitten she was with him.“He eyed you the entire time we were there,” Lola said and smiled so big that her cheeks were starting to hurt.She laughed at Melissa’s giddy response and the way her nose wrinkled when she did a little dance.“He did didn't he,” Melissa sucked her lip between her teeth.The pink floral covers moved in waves as she did a dance and Lola was so swept up in the contagious joy that she hadn't noticed her phone on the table.“You got his number, text him!” Lola urged.“No, it’s too soon and besides, he has my number too, he shoul
Jax stormed out of the bedroom. He stopped in the hallway and turned around, his eyes locked down on Lola who was still pressed against the wall as though someone held her there.“We’re going home.” He commanded, leaving no room for objections.Lola seethed when she walked out. Melissa stood in the door with the others and Lavina quickly scanned Lola when they walked out.“Are you leaving?” Melissa asked looking at Lola.“Yes,” Jax answered.“I wasn't asking you,” Melissa said and raised a brow.Ash was scanning Lola intently, watching how her lips turned and her eyes narrowed and he noticed the flushed cheeks gradually mellowing.“She’ll give you a call,” Ash said, mediating the conversation.“With what?!” Lola snapped.All eyes turned on her and she felt the burn from Jax’s scorching gaze. He was not the only one putting up walls to shield himself from the pain of caring about someone who hurt you.She felt the walls coming up one by one and soon he would be completely shut out. The
“You can't treat her like that, you’re going to end up pushing her away,” Lavina said.She and Jax were in the study, Lola was up in the guest room and everyone was coming down from the night's turbulent events.“You’re telling me I can't protect her?” Jax was on the verge of becoming Alpha and more wolves were starting to recognize the shift in his aura. His wolf was more present when he spoke and other wolves felt it.Lavina stood back. She looked around the room before mustering the strength to lock at him.“This isn't protection, it’s possession. You need to be gentle with her or you will lose her. After all these years you’ve finally found your mate, don't fuck this up, Jax,”“How am I supposed to protect her if I don't know where she is or what she’s up to?”“By trusting her!”The papers shuffled when Jax leaned his hands down on the table.His tall build towered and his hair fell in front of his face.“You’re not coming down from the high,” Lavina referred to the anger that ha
Lola and Melissa were walking on the streets in town, passing stores and cafes and listening to the music playing on the speakers. “Oh here, sweetheart, can you hold that?” Greta, the owner of the antique store, asked and handed a colorful light string to Melissa. “Of course, Greta,” she smiled and helped hold the string while Greta stood on the stepping stool and hung the lights across her windows. Greta was much like everyone's grandmother in Wild Cliff and refused to be talked to as Mrs anything even though she’d been married for thirty-three years to her husband. “Thanks, honey,” Greta said and took the last string from Melissa's hands. They walked past the street musicians who were studying music at the university, many of whom wanted to travel across the country. Beautiful guitar-strung notes traveled with the wind over the festive town and tonight was the night of the harvest festival- which meant laughs in plenty and everyone coming together. “I want to hear everything a
The mayor and his wife were standing ready by the stage that had been set up for them. The big red switch would soon be turned and the whole town square would be a light-filled park of colorful glory and joy.“Who is that talking to Melissa?” Jax asked and looked at the back of Ed’s head. A smile grew on Lola’s face from ear to ear and the giddy feeling returned.“His name is Ed, we met him yesterday. He and Melissa hit it off quite quickly, aren't they cute?”Jax’s brow raised.“You met him yesterday?”“Mhm, why?”“I don’t remember you telling me about it,” he said.She stepped back and raised a brow.“In between the screaming and the avoidance you didn't really give me a chance too.” Lola’s voice grew edgy, she crossed her arms, shielding herself off from him, and stared dumbfounded.Jax stared in silence, he rubbed his hands on his jacket and chewed down on his lip.“You’re right. I'm sorry,” Jax said.Ash joined them and pulled them both from the rising friction and yet another co
“Hi there,”“Do I know you?” Lola asked and tilted her head to the side.The smell of cotton candy filled the air as the machine started up next to them and her stomach let out a loud growl.“I doubt that but I sure know you. I’m Cyrus,” He said smilingly.The guy leaned in, he pointed behind Lola and her eyes followed his finger's direction.“There’s your friend, Melissa, and her new sweetheart. Over there is Jax and Ash Blackwood, we’ll try and steer clear of them,” he winked, “and behind that pumpkin waffle station is Melissa's parents, am I right?” He asked. Lola looked at all of the people she cared about, they could see them all clearly from where they stood.“Yes,” her voice hitched in her throat and the breath of fresh air stuck in her lungs reminded her of what it was like to not breathe. Her core clutched and her lungs shriveled up like raisins, at least that was the feeling of watching the people she loved being in the crossfire of her decisions.“Good. Here’s what we’re g