I stare curiously at my cousin, waiting for my exnation.


    “I mean he’s going to be possessive,” Jesse says, shrugging. “The same way Rafe would be if he


    found his mate, and me too, to an extent. He just won’t want anyone else’s hands on you, will want you


    all to himself. And, considering that you’re taking a very independent and somewhat dangerous path in


    your life…”


    “Oh,” I say, thinking it through. Luca – his instincts are going to be to keep me out of danger. And if


    here I am, running off to war…


    Jesse shrugs again, twisting his mouth to the side. “Maybe that’s another reason why our dads


    decided, at least initially, not to let girls into the school. Wolf affections – especially with our mates –


    they’re moreplicated and aggressive than humans.”


    “Well, I certainly don’t want Luca to like…hold me back.”


    “Or push you into things you’re not ready for,” Jesse says, raising an eyebrow at me, and I immediately


    know he’s talking about s*x even if he’s not saying it.


    “How do you know what I’m ready for?” I ask, narrowing my eyes at him even as my red.


    cheeks grow


    “Because, Ari,” Jesse replies, leaning forward and grinning at me, “you blush even at the inuendo.


    Which kinda suggests you’re not ready.”


    I scowl and kick him a little, but Jesse justughs at me and looks back to the barracks. “We should


    probably go in,” he murmurs, “get some sleep.”


    “Well now I’m all awake,” I sigh, leaning back on my palms. “So, thanks for that. It’ll be your fault when


    I’m a mess at the course tomorrow.”


    “Nah, that’s on you, Shrimp,” Jesse says, pushing himself to his feet and offering me a hand up, which I


    ept. As we turn back to the barracks, he slips that arm around my shoulder. “I really am happy for


    you, Ari,” he says quietly, smiling at me in the dark..


    “Thanks, cousin,” I say, wrapping an arm around my waist. “Since you like him so much, it’ll be your job


    to protect him when I finally have to introduce him to dad.”


    Jesseughs at this and agrees, but even as I smile at the joke….


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Something picks at the back of my mind. Because even if everyone likes Luca and will be willing to


    convince my dad to let him have a chance…


    Who would stand up for Jackson?


    And…will I ever have the chance to introduce him to my dad as well? Do I even want that?


    We’re all tense at breakfast, and I stifle a yawn even as I pick at my pancakes. Even though they have


    chocte chips in them today my favorite – I can’t really convince myself to dig in. My stomach is


    already filled with anxious butterflies


    Jesse and Rafe, of course, are chowing down across the table from me and Ben, who likewise picks. at


    his food. I nce to my right at Ben and he rolls his eyes towards the Alphas across from us, and then


    snorts like a pig, making meugh.


    But before I can add on to Ben’s joke, Laica ps his tray down on my other side, making me almost


    leap out of my skin. I scowl as I look up at him. “Do you mind?” I ask.


    “What, are we feeling jumpy today?” he asks, grinning at me and leaning close to me so that only I can


    hear his words, “didn’t get much sleep after sneaking out in the middle of the night with our


    favorite cousin?”


    I gasp a little and then shove Luca on the shoulder with the tips of my fingertips, which tingle as usual


    from the touch. “Creep,” I say, narrowing his eyes at him. “What, are you watching me?”


    “You were clomping your way down the aisle in the middle of the night!” he counters, grinning at me as


    he takes his first bite.


    “I wasn’t even wearing my boots!” I object, my jaw falling open.


    “What’s this?” Rafe asks, suddenly narrowing in on our conversation.


    Both Luca and I turn to Rafe, him grinning, me searching my mind frantically for an excuse -But, both


    fortunately and unfortunately, a convenient distraction arrives.


    A mountain of a distraction, actually, his full tray bnced between his two gigantic hands.


    As I look up at Jackson, my mouth falls open because I honestly didn’t think he’d take me up on my


    invitation toe to breakfast.


    And…also because I kind of forgot that I issued it.


    “Can I sit here?” he asks, his voice quiet but tense with what I now realize is anxiety, not aggression.


    “Sure,” I say, my face breaking into a hesitant smile at the same moment that Rafe says “absolutely


    not!”


    I spin to look at Rafe, who is already ring at me.


    I narrow my eyes at my brother though, frowning, and then turn back to Jackson. “Of course you can


    sit, Jackson,” I say, waving a hand to thest chair next to Jesse.


    Jackson starts towards it, but Rafe throws out a hand. “No way,” he says, shaking his head. “You can


    “Rafe.” Jesse interrupts, staring at my brother, his expression shocked and a little appalled, “Aunt E


    raised you better than this.”


    le’s eyes go wide with surprise and shame, but Jesse ignores him and turns a warm smile Jackson.


    “Please,” he says, nodding to the empty chair. “Have breakfast with us. I’m Jesse.”


    up to


    Jackson hesitates for one more second, but then puts his tray down and sits, introducing himself and


    shaking Jesse’s hand. Jesse goes through a bit of a farce now, introducing Jackson around to the table


    even though we’re all well aware of who he is, especially Rafe, who res at me again even as he


    mutters a bitter hello.


    But I just shrug at my brother, who has clearly figured out that I’m behind this but hasn’t yet figured out


    why. I know I owe him an exnation, but…well, there’s really no time for that now, is


    there?


    But it’s actually Luca’s cold voice that brings my attention away from Rafe.


    “Hey, McClintock.” Luca says, looking Jackson up and down in a way that clearlymunicates his


    distaste. “We haven’t really had the opportunity to interact since that first night, have we? Can’t really


    say that I’ve missed you.”


    I go very idea.


    still as I remember yet another reason why this breakfast might not have been the best


    Jackson and Luca – they’re searching for the same girl, aren’t they?


    Which, actually, is me.


    And that…does not really make them potential friends, does it?


    I sigh a little, turning my attention back to my te, realizing that I have officially, truly stuck my foot in it


    this time.


    “I guess we haven’t, Grant,” Jackson says, his low voice rumbling.


    “Cool!” Jesse says, too cheerful in the awkward silence that reigns at our table now. But Benughs,


    and I look up to see – –


    him shrugging because I mean what else is there to do? “So, Jackson,” Jesse continues, using his


    skills as a natural conversationalist to drag us all back together. “Anxious about the obstacle course


    today?”


    Jackson replies that he’s not, and Ben asks Rafe something about best methods for low crawling


    through the sand pit, and I exhale a long breath, thinking that we might get through this breakfast


    without a brawl after all.


    Luca stays tense and quiet beside me, but eventually things get lighter as the minutes pass by. Rafe


    doesn’t say anything to Jackson either, but Ben and I do, and honestly by the time breakfast draws to a


    close I’m much more worried about the final trial instead of whether or not my brother is going to beat


    up my mate, or if my mates are going to find out about each other, or any of the other thousand things


    can could potentially go wrong with my personal life.“Did you eat enough?” Rafe


    asks, breaking out of my reverie, and I look up to see him looking at my full tray with concern.


    T%


    I nce down at my te and realize that well, I probably didn’t. But I sigh and push the tray away


    from me


    Rafe sighs and pushes a carton of chocte milk in my direction, but I just push it back, sticking out my


    tongue. “Rafe, unless you want me to barf chocte milk up all over myself in about half an hour…”


    Laica, at my side,ughs a little, clearly listening.


    Rafe just grins and takes the carton back. “I just want you to have enough energy to get through the


    course,


    “We’ve got enough nervous energy to propel us,” Ben says, bumping his shoulder against mine. “Don’t


    worry about that, Sinir.”


    Rafe just shrugs, opening his mouth to say something else, but Luca beats him to it. “What about Beast


    Mode over here?” he says, his voice a dry and honestly a little bit nasty as he looks Jackson up and


    down. I frown at Luca, not sure that I like this side of him.


    Jackson – he’s been quiet and a little awkward during breakfast, though not impolite. He answered who


    questions when asked, and he did his best – but overall? He just struck me as kind of a shy guy is


    feeling out his ce in an established group made mostly of Alpha males, which is not the easiest thing


    to do.


    And Luca? He seems quite determined to make sure that Jackson feels as ufortable as possible.


    “Come on, McClintock.” Luca says, smirking at him as he pops a grape into his mouth. “You’re the only


    one giving Sinir a run for his money on this course today, what’s your secret?”