by Belle Harper
“I love it, Lexi. We can take turns.” And he gave me a big hug, I reached down and hugged him back. God I loved this kid, he was too beautiful.
“I can teach you how to swim if you want?” Ranger offered, but Josh moved closer to me, he was still wary of him. I rubbed his back a few times.
“It’s okay, Ranger is a good swimmer, if you want to learn he would be a great teacher.” Well I hoped he would be, Josh finally stepped away from me and nodded, you could tell he was still nervous. He was considered an outsider too, he came from a different pack like Raff. But I thought he would feel more at home here in Kiba, he had Grayson and Jack and the pack. But everything isn’t always that easy. I know.
“Joshua, I think that was such a nice offer by Ranger, if you learn to swim then I’m sure they will let you swim in the pool here more often.” Jack spoke up from the chair he was sitting on nearby. That was encouraging, and Josh stood up straight.
“Yes please, Ranger.” I could see the huge grin on Ranger’s face. Like he had just won over the most important person in my life… and that would be true. Josh was my little brother, you didn’t have to share the same blood to be siblings and I claimed him as mine. The other boys who lived with him, Jaxon and Harry, they were cousins. They were from the same pack, and always stuck together. Like they were now, they were off playing football with Grayson, they didn’t want to get in the pool.
Ranger placed the lounger in the pool and helped me get onto it, at first I thought it silly him helping me, I could do it myself. Um… nope. That was a fail. It moved so fast on the water that I almost fell in. When I was safely onboard, wearing once again a tank top and boyleg underwear because I forgot to buy myself swimwear when I went to Walmart… or maybe I just liked being a little more covered up? I started floating away from them and Josh waved to me, like I was going somewhere far away. I smiled and waved back. This day was turning out to be the warmest and I was grateful the weather had been so good.
“Okay Josh, I’m going to show you how to get out of the pool safely, how to float on your back and then we will move onto some more swimming techniques. But there are rules and you have to promise me, that you will never break them.”
Josh’s eyes were wide, nodding, taking in everything Ranger was telling him, shit I was taking in everything too. He was so… commanding. It was then you could tell he was the son of the alpha. Even though I thought he was the least like his father, maybe he was more like him than I first realized. But just not as intense and scary but he could hold his own.
“The biggest, number one rule of them all is… never ever get into a pool alone. You must always have an adult with you, and you have to ask permission. You can’t jump in without their okay. You understand?”
Ranger stood up to his full height and looked down at Josh. I thought he was going to run away to Jack the way he took a step backwards. But then he put his fists on his hips and nodded.
“Yes. I got it. What’s rule two?” And then cheeky grin spread across Ranger’s face as he squatted down to Josh’s height, it had me gripping the sides of my floating lounger chair when Ranger turned to look at me with that glint in his eyes. Oh boy.
“We splash your big sister.” Tears welled up in my eyes at what he had said, not the splashing, but he called me Josh’s big sister and that hit me right in the chest. So bad. I tried to sit up and wipe my eyes without Josh seeing, but I didn’t need to worry about that. Ranger had him on his hip and now wading in the pool water towards me. The two of them stalking me then a huge wave of water hit me, I spluttered. Wiping water from my eyes, my hair was now wet and sticking to my face.
“Hey, that’s not fair.” I tried to splash them back and tease them back, but that was a fail. I splashed myself more than anyone. Jack was laughing now. Encouraging Josh to get me again. And when he did it only hit my foot, but it was so cute the cheeky grin and the light in his eyes that he splashed me.
“Ranger, get her.” He was tapping on Ranger’s chest, wanting him to splash me again, I was worried I would slip off this thing and into the deep end. I pointed my finger at the two of them, my grin just as wide.
“Don’t. You. Dare.”
That was all Ranger needed to hear, before he spun in a huge arc and a tidal wave of water came at me, but it was not as intense as before, it just rocked me around and had me screaming and holding on for life. Josh’s giggles were all worth it though, and I laughed too. His giggles were infectious and I loved to hear them.
“Alright, we better leave your sister alone, or I will be in the bad books and sleeping in the wolf house. Let’s get to work, and you will be swimming on your own in no time buddy. You got this and I got you.”
Yep… Ranger was a keeper.
Chapter Thirty-Five
Lexi
The last few of days since Ranger and I fooled around in my bed and had fun in the pool with Josh had been filled with the guys on patrol. There were no more fooling around, football games or parties, just more and more men at the Lovells’ house and a lot of howling, and it seemed to be an endless cycle. As much as they tried to shield me from it, I knew it was bad.
“Okay, give it to me straight. Pack Russet wants you back and they won’t leave until you leave with them?” I wasn’t dumb. Day in, day out, I always had one of them with me. Right now, Galen was in meeting with Pack Bardoul, since they had come to help out, which worried me even more. Why would they want to help Raff and me?
“The pack, they don’t want me. They want…you,” The words tumbling out of Raff in a whisper. Holy shit. This was what I worried about, and now it was happening. It had only been a week since Callum had bitten me and my blood healed Galen, making him strong, and now they wanted me.
“We won’t let them have you, Lexi, but they’re getting out of hand. Alaric didn’t want us to scare you so we were ordered not to tell you. I’ve struggled with this for days, but you need to know. My uncles haven’t come here for me. They want you, and they know what you are. It’s bad.”
My heart sank, as my hands shook. They wanted me for my blood, I had feared this… it was if I could sense it coming and I knew that they would kill anyone in their way for it.
“I should go. Hide out somewhere—” Raff hugged me tight, cutting my words off, and I could feel him trembling. “I don’t want them hurting anyone to get to me. I need you all safe.”
Galen came in the room just at that moment. Well, I guessed it was his bedroom. We’d been staying here since the accidental overshare that Ranger and I provided the other morning. Alaric hadn’t been able to look me in the eye for the rest of the day. But now I suspect it was this huge secret he wasn’t telling me, and that was why he was avoiding me.
“We aren’t running, Lexi, okay?” Galen said. “We will protect you. There’s a meeting today between the other packs. Rawlins and Kenneally, they know what is happening and are going to help, but that means you won’t be going back to school. Not for now at least. But you don’t need to worry about classes or homework. I may have played with your records a little before spring break, so you will graduate.”
My mouth dropped open. “You played with my record? Is that how I ended up in your history class to start off with?”
The sly grin on his lips told me that yes, he did. I shook my head and laughed.
“I can’t believe you,” I told him, but I could believe him. I wasn’t upset. Actually, I was impressed. Plus I didn’t have to go to school, and I would still graduate and everything, which sounded great to me. If only we could get rid of these assholes who wanted to kidnap me, then everything could go back to the way it was before. Right?
“Look, why don’t we have a little bit of fun today? Mav is off duty after one, and we could invite Ada over and swim a little, while the weather is nice,” Galen rubbed my arm as he kissed my forehead, and I grabbed his sweater before he could leave.
“What about you?” I asked, but he shook his head. I wondered if he didn’t want anyone seeing his bo
dy, the scars. I hadn’t even seen it, not all of it at least. And I wouldn’t push him, I told him that I wouldn’t. But I wanted him to still have fun, he could wear a t-shirt… a long sleeve one.
“No, I have to work. I need to be involved in the meeting between the packs,” he looked tired and worn out, so I nodded. I didn’t want to push him when he already had so much on his plate. He did work for Kiba, so it made sense that he would need to attend the meeting.
I curled into a ball, and Raff held me tight. All I could hear were the sounds of our breathing and the beat of our hearts. It was like the calm before the storm. And I needed this, just laying here. Doing nothing, not having something to do. The sunlight was streaming through cracks in the curtain and it was just perfect. The small dust motes dancing in the golden stream.
I let out a deep breath, and snaked my hand under Raff’s T-shirt to his abs. I pressed my palm against his warm skin. Just needing a little more skin contact. I tickled his happy trail of hair and he chuckled a little and kissed my head. I realized he needed this just as much as me. I closed my eyes, and started dreaming about what the future held for me.
Chapter Thirty-Six
Lexi
Ada wrapped her arms around me as our feet dangled in the pool. We were watching Maverick and Saint doing laps, play fighting, and just having fun. It was nice to see the guys in the pool, relaxing, just being free. I still didn’t have any swim wear. It wasn’t safe to go out shopping, so I was back in the tank and boylegs. Not that any of the guys had complained.
Ada on the other hand, she was wearing a red bikini, and she looked hot. Oh, yeah she was nervous as hell when she showed me, but I told her she needs to go out there, show all of them how confident she was. Saint did a double take when he saw her. Actually, he stumbled into the pool and tried to cover it up like he was diving in, but I saw. So did Maverick and he just smiled while shaking his head. I almost wanted to push them to be in the same room together… alone. Play cupid, I knew she liked him. And he must like her… they just needed a push, in the right direction.
“That’s so bullshit you don’t have to go to school, but only ’cause I would miss you. I wonder if Galen would do that for my grades, then I can come hang out with you all day?” Ada said and I smiled. Maybe he could.
Maverick overheard—more like always listening— and swam up to me, pulling on my legs, and I braced myself on his shoulders.
“He won’t do it for us,” he told Ada. “Plus, he isn’t working at the school any longer.” Maverick pulled again and dragged me into the pool’s cool water.
“He quit?” I asked, but instead of answering, he planted his lips on mine and spun me around. The water splashed up at Ada, who just watched us with a smile on her face. I could see it in her eyes, she was happy for me. She wanted something like this too, and I really hoped I could maybe help make it happen.
“Can’t be dating a student. That’s a big no no,” Saint said as he swam past us and over to Ada, I could see her starting to blush from his attention. “Let’s have fun and not think about this bad shit for a while. Come and get on my shoulders, Ada. Lexi, you jump up on Maverick’s shoulders. We gonna play.”
I saw Ada’s eyes light up at that, and she didn’t need to be told twice. She wrapped her legs over Saint’s shoulders and held his head for balance as he made his way into the deep end. Maverick let go of me and dropped under the water. I let out a little squeal when his head came up between my legs and he pushed me up, my legs dangling over his shoulders my hands grabbing his dark hair for balance as he lifted me up in the air.
“Could have warned me,” I teased. He grabbed my hands and lowered them down his chest, my breasts pressing into his head. He took that moment to shake his head, the water droplets spraying my face as he walked down to the side opposite to Saint and Ada.
“We got this. We’ll be champions by the end of the day,” Ada cheered, then smirked as she patted Saint’s head, and I laughed. She was enjoying this, and it made me feel a little giddy inside, I wanted to play matchmaker so bad, but I think it was working itself out without me.
“Oh, you think you’ll be?” I taunted teasingly. “Bring it on.”
She put her fists up in front of her, then moved them to her waist as she wobbled slightly. “It has already been brought.”
Then we just peeled into laugher, and the guys had no idea why we were laughing at that, he needed to check out more chick flicks with us. They moved closer to each other, and we giggled and laughed as we wrestled each other. I tried to push Ada off, but Saint held her tight. Maverick wasn’t letting go either, and we just ended up high fiving each other.
“I know. How about you swim with us on your backs, and we’ll see which one is faster?” I suggested.
The guys thought that was a great idea, and it didn’t take long to be flipped over on Maverick’s back with my arms wrapped around his neck. I watched as Saint did the same with Ada. I looked over to her and winked, and she smiled as she plastered her front to his back and mouthed, “We are just friends.” Yeah, yeah…you tell yourself that. I knew better.
“One, two, thr—” I felt the muscles in Maverick’s shoulders flex as he dove down under the water and I went with him. I wasn’t ready and held my breath a little too late as he raced through the water, and when he came up and tapped the end, Saint and Ada were right beside us.
I coughed. I may have drunk a little of the pool.
“Shit, Lexi are you alright?” Maverick sounded worried as he held my hands. I nodded, then shook my head no.
“I didn’t think you were going to take me under the water. I thought I was going to ride you like a dolphin or something.” I could see he was concerned. He knew I couldn’t swim, even though he did try and teach me earlier, it was sweet that he tried. But I decided swimming lessons were best for another day. I wanted to have fun, not half drown the whole time.
“I didn’t even think about it. I’ve never had someone ride my back before.”
Saint laughed and said, “Hey, that’s not true. Alaric is always riding yours.”
Maverick turned and splashed water at him. “He rides everyone’s backs. He’s the alpha, that’s his job.” Maverick turned back to me, his hand ran down my cheek and he kissed me briefly. “Do you want to go again?”
I shrugged and looked over to Ada who was behind Saint nodding her head at me, her eye wide pleading me to say yes. Yeah…just friends, my ass.
“Best of three?” I challenged.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Lexi
It was weird spending the day without the guys. It was the first day back, and they had all left for school and I was here, alone. As alone as one could be with so many shifters surrounding the house to protect me. I had my phone with me and the chat was blowing up, mostly Ranger. Telling me everything little thing he was doing as if I wanted to know when he was taking a crap. Yes, he told me he was going to take a shit then go to English. Um… who writes that to their girlfriend. I didn’t need to know everything.
Galen really had quit, he told me he did it after the Callum thing, and I didn’t know. He didn’t want to tell me, so I spent the whole of spring break worried I was making out with my teacher. Who was actually not my teacher anymore.
He was working in Alaric’s office with some of the other alphas. Apparently, there was a breach last night, and a vampire had gotten through and close to the house before they could take him down. I didn’t ask what that meant, like did they bite him with their venom? Was he going to die? Or did they escort him off the Kiba territory.
I hadn’t been able to shake the feeling that something big was going to happen, and soon. Like this was my power, I could sense a war coming.
“Don’t worry Lex, we got you,” Jett said, I turned to him and glared, when he stuck his tongue out I slapped him across the arm.
“You can’t call me Lex. I barely let Ranger call me that.”
I heard a deep rumble and saw a very attractive guy
standing just inside the kitchen. He had long, jet-black hair that was tied up into a messy bun, his skin was a few shades darker than Jett’s, and he had the most beautiful eyes. Fuck, how the hell did Clare leave these two?
“Mekhi?” Like I had to ask. He held out his hand to me, and I walked over and took it. It was rough with calluses, but he gave me a firm hand shake.
“Glad to finally meet you. If ass here is giving you any trouble, just let me know and I’ll kick it,” he said, and I chuckled when Jett protested, holding his hands up in defence.
“He is a bit of an ass at times, but I’ll let you know if I need help kicking his.”
There was a bit of an awkward silence between the three of us, and I wasn’t too sure if it was me or the situation. But then I saw their eyes had darted to the side. They must be hearing something. Fuck, I wish I could hear like they did.
“Let’s get you some food, because Princess Lexi likes to eat, and we will set you up with your Kindle. Or you can come play some Fortnite with us. Either way, you have us until your mates get home from school, or Galen is finished doing whatever it is they’re doing in there.”
Food, reading…and watching to see if Mekhi and Jett were more than friends? Yep, sign me up for that. I had no idea what Fortnite was, so I didn’t know if I wanted to play it.
And yep, I didn’t want to play it. I gave it a go, and Jett laughed so hard, I couldn’t walk and shoot. It was so hard and they tried so hard to give me tips but after shooting at the sky instead of the person I was supposed to and I died, I gave up. That game was not in my skills, I turned back to my Kindle. It was hard to concentrate with them yelling and shooting people, but I didn’t mind too much. It was fun to watch them interact. I could tell Mekhi kept Jett’s toes on the ground, and the two of them balanced each other in such a beautiful way. Even when they were playing together, it was fun watching them.