JESSICA
A few <b>days </bter, everyone’s losing their minds over the damn party next week. It’s “tradition, apparently–our pack opening the vige to outsiders, to build alliances and whatnot. Strengthen bonds, show off our hospitality, h h.
Whatever.
Grayson’s been glued to themandants for <b>days </b>now and I’m kind of pissed because I haven’t seen him. Seriously? How busy can he be to
not show his face to me?
It’s not like I need him. <b>Obviously</b>. But…e on
twalk through the center of the vige, where warriors are drilling in formation and omegas are running around with crates of food and armfuls of decorations. Everyone’s moving fast, voices sharp, nerves stretched thin. You’d think the damn Moon Goddess herself wasing
spot Pierce talking to two warriors by the training posts. He catches my eye and gives me a chin–lit, casual and cool. Not what I need right
<b>пом </b>
“What’s with these preparations?” I snap, not bothering with a greeting.
Pierce’s mouth quirks like he’s trying not tough. “Stop pouting, Jess. You’re not cute anymore.”
“Really? I think <b>she’s </b><b>cute</b>”
My eyes widen and I quickly turn my back to see <b>Grayson </b>towering behind me. “What are you doing here, omega<b>?</b><b>” </b>
<b>“</b>Grayson.”
Pierce cough.” Alpha, Jess. Alpha<b>.</b>”
“Alpha,” echo tly, giving him a mocking little nod. “Didn’t see you there. Too busy barking orders from your ivory tower<b>?</b><b>” </b>
“Someone’s mouthy today,” he murmurs, hands behind his back, the kind of posture that s
at says discipline but his eyes are all mischief.
And I should <b>stop</b>. Should shut up. Should smile politely and back off before end up on Grayson’s hit list again. But no. Instead, I tilt my head, looking up at him through myshes like I’mpletely innocent, like there’s nothing in the world more pure than my expression.
“What? Just saying what everyone’s thinking.” I add the smallest, most yful smile I can manage, just to see how far I can push him.
<b>Pierce </b>chuckles low. “Stop it <b>Jess</b>”
<b>Grayson </b>eyes
<b>sdarkens </b>1
then he take step closer. “You’re needed in the training center, Pierce,” Grayson says.
Pierce blinks, <b>clearly </b>thrown off guard for a moment. There’s a brief, almost imperceptible hesitation before he shrugs, <b>a </b>smile tugging at his Tips. “Alright, alright,” he says, his voice a mix of amusement and resignation. “But don’t make her cry that much okay<b>?,</b><b>” </b>he adds over his shoulder as he heads toward the training center, still chuckling.
Grayson, however, doesn’t move his gaze from me. When Pierce is gone, he leans down, his breath ghosting over my <b>car</b>, making me hold my
breath.
*Pretend you’re scared baby. He whispered, eyes probably noticing that others are looking at <b>us</b>. “I miss you.”
My eyes snap to his, but his face is <b>already </b>cool <b>again</b>, unreadable to everyone else. To the pack, he’s still their <b>Alpha</b>. Stoic. Commanding
49.40
Tue, 5 Aug
Untouchable.
But to me?
To me<b>, </b>he’s the heat burning just beneath my skin.
“I thought you were busy,” I whisper, my tone sharper than I mean, but I’m still flushed from what he said. What he did. What I want him to do
again.
His hand brushes down my arm like it’s nothing, like it’s casual, and I nearly shiver on the spot.
“<b>Was</b>,” he says. “Now I’m not. Meet me after drills<b>.</b>”
I narrow my eyes. “You <b>think </b>I’ll just crawl back like that?”
He smirks, and it’s that soft, cocky kind of smirk that only I get to see. “No,” he says. “I think you’ll run.”
That’s not true. Grayson nodded before he walks away I was still holding my breath when Logan walk towards me. “You got scolded again<b>?</b><b>” </b>
Trolled my eyes, calming myself “As always”
He chuckles, nudging my arm with his elbow like we’re still kids and nothing’s changed, like I’m not one wrong word away from unraveling. “You’ll get yourself demoted to kitchen duty at this rate.”
“Better than being <b>alpha’s </b>chew toy,” I mutter
Loganughs. I don’t.
Because it’s lunch. Which means it’s still five <b>whole </b>hours before I see Grayson again. Five hours of pretending I’m not already counting down
every minute.
“You should stop pushing him, Jess
i bite my lip, unsure of how to answer. The truth is, Grayson has a way of getting under my skin. We’ve <b>crossed </b>a line I never thought we’d cross, and now I can’t go back. The chemistry between us is… destructive. And I’m not sure I <b>want </b>it to stop, even if it means keeping secrets from everyone around me.
The seconds tick by, and I find myself staring off into the distance, lost in thoughts of Grayson. My mind reys every moment–every touch, everymand–like it’s a soundtrack I can’t escape.
I didn’t realize I was staring so intently until Logan snaps his Engers in front of my face.
“Earth to Jess?” He says, his voice teasing, but his eyes still watch me closely.
I blink, startled, and shake my head. “What?”
“You’ve got that look again,” Logan says, his eyes narrowing. “Like you’re somewhere else entirely.”
I’m somewhere else entirely, alright. Somewhere I can’t admit to. “I’m fine, I mutter, my <b>voice </b>t. I know he’s not buying it. He never does.
He studies me for a moment longer before sighing “You can’t hide everything forever, Jess
I don’t respond. I can’t. Because he’s right hiding something that I don’t know how to face. Not just from him, but from everyone. Especially Grayson.
Logan smirks, <b>clearly </b>knowing I’m not going to open <b>up</b>. “<b>Suit </b>yourself,” he says, his voice light, but there’s a quiet undercurrent of concept
<b>09:46 </b>Tue, 5 Aug
“Just don’t do anything stupid, okay?”
I nod absently, but my thoughts are already elsewhere. I know I’m walking a fine line with him, and maybe that’s part of the appeal of the danger. I’m not sure anymore. I wonder how far I’m willing to let him go. How much of myself i’ll give up before there’s noing <b>back </b>Because there’s no denying it–the more I give, the more he takes. And each time, it feels like I’m sinking deeper, losing pieces of myself, and I’m starting to wonder if I’ll ever be able to find the surface again.
However, the closer I get to the edge, the harder it is to walk away. And if I’m being honest–if I’m being really honest–I think I <b>stopped </b>trying to save myself the moment I give myself to him.
AD