Chapter 27

Stacy’s POV

Walking out of Mason’s room and leaving the pack house like I did, felt fantastic, liberating in a way. My car was parked around the corner, and I couldn’t get to it fast enough.

“Get the fuck off of me”, a rough voice roared across the grounds. Turning my head, I saw the three overly sexy Chase brothers in some scrap. Usually, I would stop to watch, what with all the sex appeal they have going on, and right now, they were practically bursting out of their clothes. Goddess knows why Ayla; the attention-grabbing whore was able to bag all three of them. They were the kind of guys you would get wet over just looking at them for too long, and she was nothing.

“Maybe I will make them mine once I rule this place”, I muttered as I turned towards my car. Jacob was waiting for me; frankly, I couldn’t wait to get over there.

Nerves were kicking in as I rounded the corner to Jacob’s street. I had been here so many times before, but this time felt like the first time all over again. It was dark now, but I knew the way by heart. I could get here with my eyes shut if I needed to.

Parking a few houses away, I pull down the visor and look in the mirror. I looked tired and drained still but not awful. Reaching into my bag, I pull out my emergency makeup kit. It wasn’t much, but it was enough when I was on the go. Looking at it, I try to muster the courage my war paint always gave me, but today I didn’t feel like covering myself up. Jacob had seen me with and without my make it many times, and he never complained. He always seemed to be all over me, more so without much makeup on. So I opted against it. At the last second, I tug on my hair tie. Letting my hair full down my back. I had it tied up the whole time with Mason. One less thing for him to moan at me about if my hair was out of the way.

“You got this”, I whisper as I press the lock button on my car keys and make my way back down the street towards Jacob’s garage. He said it would be open, so let’s hope he wasn’t messing with me to get his own back.

I pressed the button on the side of the door as he had shown me. I waited. The door lifted like he said it would, slowly granting me access to my ex-boyfriend. The last time I had been here was full of pain and anger. I swallow hard, pushing those thoughts from my mind.

Walking through the garage, I click the other button on the inside to shut the door again. I could hear the tv playing in the other room. Jacob had the whole ground floor and his parents had the rest of the house. My heart pounds as I push the door inward and walk into his living room, but he isn’t there.

“Maybe this was a trick after all” I feel the disappointment sink in as the words leave my lips quietly. But before I go, I hear the shower turning on. Feeling foolish, I sit down on the couch and wait. Jacob is a good guy; he wasn’t usually the type to prank or play other people unless it was that Ayla bitch; we all did that. So I shouldn’t have thought he would do it to me. He has always been upfront and honest; if he didn’t like or want to do something, he wouldn’t do it.

“Scrub, scrub, scrub, I love taking a shower”, Jacob’s voice sang out through the closed door; my heightened hearing, granted me the joy of hearing him when I normally shouldn’t be able to. He no doubt had his waterproof earbuds in. He always had to have them going whenever he was on his own or doing something he needed to focus on. Apparently, the music helped him concentrate.

Smiling to myself, I sit back and wait. It was a bit colder tonight, much colder than when I left home. Sinking into Jacob’s couch felt good; it smelt like him, like safety. I find one of his hoodies thrown over the arm, most probably the one he had just discarded before his shower. Pulling at it, I found it was still warm and loved it. I couldn’t help myself; I was cold and so comfy here waiting; I pulled it over my head and snuggled down into it. I tell myself I’ll take it off before he comes back.

“Damn, he smells good” my mind drifts over the treasure trove of memories we shared, and I enjoy getting lost in them.

Jacob’s POV

I don’t know what possessed me to tell Stacy she could come over if she wanted to. Not that she would take me up on the offer. She was undoubtedly wrapped up in her new boyfriend's arms. If he weren’t the future Alpha, I know she wouldn’t have been interested in him; he’s a massive dick. Granted, most girls adored him, but I honestly believe it’s mainly for the power his name brings.

Training today had been brutal. Training to be a pack enforcer was tough. Even though we were in our last year of school didn’t mean we were let off any easier. If you wanted to be an enforcer or the Alpha saw potential in you. Then you had to start as soon as your first shift had happened. Alpha Michael had told me he wanted me on his enforcer team, so I had been training for months, and I was getting tougher. My body was changing with it; I was stronger, faster, and much broader than before. I started getting a lot of attention from the girls, which was great, but I wasn’t interested. I couldn’t get my ex and Ayla out of my mind, not that Ayla would ever be mine, I burnt all those bridges with her years ago, and now she has those fucking huge brothers as her mates. It still boggled my mind how she had three mates; it was so weird.

“Move your arse; if you sit here any longer, you won’t want to move, so get up and get in that shower,” I told myself, using my drill sergeant’s voice as motivation. It didn’t work, it only pissed me off, but at least I was up and moving towards the shower.

Stacy kept running through my mind as I undressed and turned the shower on. She hadn’t said barely two words to me in weeks, but now she texts me, and I invite her over, sometimes I could do with a whack around the head. It had taken me ages to stop pining like a broken-hearted puppy; now I’m setting myself up for pain again.

“She’s not going to come, so don’t get your stupid little hopes up,” I tell myself sternly, and I step into the almost scolding water.

Pressing play on my earbuds, a gift from Stacy for Christmas last year, I let the water wash over me and the music drown out all thoughts. I needed to get my head together and focus on other things.

After ten minutes of letting the water wash away my pain, I shut it off and started to dry myself. Pushing the bathroom door open to let the cool air rush in, I smell her.

“Great, I’m even smelling her now” will this ever end? I want to hit something, but I know my mum would kill me if I broke anything else down here.

Tying my towel around my waist. I headed for the living room; I had left my hoodie and my phone in there. My mind was cruel; the scent of her was getting stronger. Balling my fists, I try to ignore the intoxicating smell. I missed her more than I would allow myself to admit.

The living room light was on low, and the tv still blared whatever I had left playing when I got in. Everything was the same apart from the fact that my ex was indeed here and asleep on my couch, in my hoodie. My heart slammed into my ribcage. I couldn’t stop staring at her. She was beautiful. Yes, she was a massive bitch to most people, but with me, she would let me see her sweet loving side, the venerable part of her that hardly anyone knew about.

Her long blond hair fell over her face and shoulder, and she was gripping hold of my hoodie like it was her only lifeline. What I could see of her face looked exhausted. She was pale, and her head was creased like she was thinking about things that she didn’t like. She didn’t look like the normal painted, nothing could touch me, self. She looked like she hadn’t slept in weeks, and this was most probably the soundest she had slept.

Kneeling down before her, I contemplate what to do. She needed the sleep, that was sure. But if Mason found her here. I would receive the beating of my life. that was when she shifted and I saw the marks on her neck. My blood boiled. Had she been on the receiving end of Mason’s anger? We had all been there once before at least, and trust me; it’s the worst kind of beating. He was ruthless, and he enjoyed the pain he dolled out. The sheer thought of her being put through that had me worse than angry.

“Fuck it”, I thought to myself”, she is staying here with me tonight where I can keep an eye on her.” reaching down, I scooped her up with ease. She whimpered but didn’t wake up; her head lolled and landed with her cheek pressed against my bare chest. She was cool against my heated skin.

“Hmm, Jacob”, she murmured, making my blood pump fast and sending it south too quickly. Tucking her closer to my chest, I carry her to my bedroom. I hadn’t bothered to make my bed that day, my mum would have called me a lazy asshole, but tonight it served me well. Laying Stacy on my bed, I could pull the blanket over her without any trouble. It was removing my arm from under her that was harder.

“Jake”, she reached up her hand and grabbed hold of mine, sleep still fogging her mind. “Stay with me.”

“Okay, Stace”, I sighed, knowing I would regret this in the morning, but there was no way I was going anywhere tonight. The closer to her I could get, then he closer I would be.

I couldn’t lie in a towel; if we were seen, that would go against us badly. Grabbing a pair of joggers, I drag them up my legs and climb onto the bed next to her. Within seconds she wiggled over to me and rested her head on my bare chest again. She smelt so good, and this felt right. I had craved this for so long, missed her touch and how close we used to be. It was only when she got that insane idea that she was meant to be the next Luna that she started to drift away from me; in fact, Mason hadn’t ever interested her before, so it came out of the blue.

“I missed you”, she whispered, her eyes closed and her breathing slow. She had lost the worried look she had worn earlier; she just looked peaceful.

“I missed you too, Beautiful”, I replied and rested my head back against my head bored.

This was going to get interesting. If I found out he had hurt her as I expected, then I don’t think I could control my anger; there was no way my wolf Storm would let it slide, not for a second.