Page 83 of The Denver Alpha
Jax heaves a relieved sigh. “Good. I mean, you don’t strike me as the kind of guy who’d risk an alliance just to get laid, but I had to make sure. You know I’ve always liked you, man. Respected you. I mean, I like you a little bit less now, but…” he trails off with a chuckle, scrubbing a hand over his face before drawing a deep breath, his serious expression returning. “You care about her?”
I nod.
“Then I hope you can work things out. Stop her from leaving.”
Wait, what?
I shoot to my feet, eyes wild as I snap my head toward the doorway. “Leaving?”
“Yeah, why do you think she called us here?” Jax sighs as he rises from the couch.
I shake my head in confusion, rubbing a hand over my buzzed hair. “But she starts classes tomorrow…”
“I know, but she said she wants to come home. That she misses Westfield.” Jax steps closer to me, his lips turned down in a frown. “I knew it was bullshit right away, because Juliet isn’t one to give up when things get tough. She thinks I don’t see through the whole nice girl act she tries to put on for me, but I know my sister. Even if she was homesick, she wouldn’t throw all of this away to come back. She fought so hard to get me and my parents to let her come out here for school. She’s always wanted to get out of our small town.”
He sighs again as he glances toward the doorway, then back at me, a flicker of anger in his eyes. “Right when she called, I knew it had to be about a guy. I mean, why else? I guess I’m glad it’s you and not some dickhead who just wants to play with her emotions.”
I arch a brow. “Really?”
Jax cracks a smile. “Yeah, well my mate went to great lengths on the way here to talk me down. I was ready to straight up kill someone for touching my sister, but she kept going on and on about how Juliet’s a grown ass woman now and I need to lay off when it comes to her dating. I’m still not sold on it, but…” he shrugs, “I guess she made some good points.”
“Remind me to thank Quinn later,” I mumble, cracking a smile of my own.
“Only if you fix it,” Jax says sternly, pointing a finger at me again. “Otherwise, I may have to make good on that threat.”
I hold up my hands in surrender. “Hey, I get it. I’ve got a sister too. I wasn’t thrilled when your buddy Brock turned out to be her mate…”
“Whoa, whoa, slow down,” Jax interjects. “I said you coulddateher, not mate her.”
I wince. “Little late for that.”
Jax’s eyes fly wide, his mouth popping open in surprise. “Are you saying…?”
I give him a tight nod. “The moon last night.”
All the air leaves Jax on a heavy exhale as he throws his head back, burying his hands in his hair and tugging at the strands. “You’ve gotta be fucking kidding me,” he grumbles as he tips his head forward to stare at me in disbelief. Then he points that damn finger at me again. “Fix this, Cole,” he growls, narrowing his eyes on me angrily. “Whatever happened, make it right, or so help me…”
“You think I don’t want to?” I snap, my agitated wolf rising to the surface. “I’m trying. I just don’t know how, she won’t talk to me!”
His own wolf comes forward, shimmers of silver appearing in his blue irises. Jax’s jaw ticks as he works to shove his inner beast down, shaking his head as he turns away from me and paces toward the doorway. “Fucking figure it out,” he growls, and I’d laugh at how similar his temper is to Juliet’s if things weren’t so bleak right now. “If you don’t, and your bond breaks…” he trails off, shaking his head again. “I’ve gotta go talk to Jules.”
He disappears through the doorway as my heart plummets. I hadn’t even considered what’ll happen if Juliet and I don’t work things out. If we don’t mark one another to seal the fated bond before the next full moon, we’ll lose it forever. I’ve never personally known anyone who failed to seal a fated bond in time, but from what I’ve heard, it’s fucking agony. Enough to break someone.
Fuck.
I have to fix this, before it’s too late.
33
I have no idea what I’m doing. I’ve never been the type to run away from my problems, but I was so overwhelmed last night that I couldn’t see any other option. So I called and asked Jax and Quinn to come get me, blaming it on homesickness.
I should’ve known they’d see through my lie.
As soon as Quinn and I get into my room, she pulls me over to sit on the bed with her and asks me what’s really going on, and I come clean about all of it. About the crush I had on Cole and the way I pursued him. How I kept flirting with disaster until he finally caved. How I fell for him, gave myself to him completely, and how much he hurt me when he said I wasn’t what he wanted. How I ended things between us the night before last, then we discovered that we’re fated mates.
I didn’t think I had any tears left to cry, but somehow, they still come. It’s cathartic in a way to let it all out. I tell Quinn everything, and when I’m done, it feels like a massive weight has been lifted. She doesn’t respond with judgment or say I’m a fool for falling for someone like Cole. She just hugs me tight, offering her love and support when I need it most. Then she draws a deep breath, pulling her legs up underneath her to sit cross-legged on the bed and taking both of my hands in hers.
“Word of advice?” She stares deeply into my eyes, her hazel ones intently focused and unblinking. “Talk to Jax. Tell him what you told me. He’ll understand.”