The First Time

Lexi

I pushed away the ridiculous thought of Jax wanting me and focused on something that actually mattered. Why was Jax still here? Even if Dean insisted on keeping rogue hunters, did it really have to be Jax? After everything?

I stepped away from Dean while he watched me with concern.

“What’s wrong, Lexi?”

I stared at him, amazed that he still needed me to explain. Wasn’t it obvious that Jax hated me? and that I hated him? Dean had known this long before he became Alpha, so why was he suddenly pretending not to understand?

“Is it Jax?” he asked.

“Yes!” The words flew out before I could soften it.

“Lexi…”

“Why is he still here? He worked for your father. He shouldn’t be anywhere near you. You know that,” I said, pacing back and forth from across him.

Dean sighed. “I know we never liked him, but with Dexter on the move, Jax is needed. He’s the head rogue hunter… and my beta.”

“Your beta?” I stared at him in disbelief. “Dean, he’s a ruthless murderer. You’ve seen what he’s done to innocent people before.”

“That was under my father,” he said calmly. “Things are different under me.”

“Still…”

“Lexi, I need him. Dexter could strike anytime, so we need someone ruthless leading the hunters. Jax is the only one capable of that.” He hesitated before he added. “Besides… he saved your life.”

I stopped pacing. “He what?”

Dean met my eyes slowly.

“That man gave me to the crowd to kill me,” I said. “He didn’t save me.”

“He did.”

I blinked at him, stunned that Dean would say this. “You know what? Fine. Humor me. Tell me how Jax of all people saved me.”

Dean exhaled. “For starters, he stalled your attackers, made sure to delay them before he let them pursue you. That’s why you were able to make it that far,”

“You have got to be kidding me. They still caught up to me in seconds!” I said and he sighed.

“Okay, but that’s not all. Jax was never under Vanessa’s spell. I guess my father trusted that Jax would play along anyway.”

“So?”

“So, he found out about my father and Vanessa’s plan to frame you, but by then he had already released you past the border. He knew that saving you in front of witnesses would’ve been defiance and he knew that if I ever realized what I’d done, I wouldn’t forgive myself. When the pack tried to kill you… he found another way.”

“How?”

“He mimicked a rogue’s howl,” Dean said, looking visibly fascinated. “It’s a common hunter’s trick used to lure Rogues. But when the men heard the howl, they panicked and ran. During my recent visit to Kloud, Max eventually told me that he found you on his way leaving Dane pack and he took you to Kloud pack. I never even thought you’d be in Kloud pack.”

My mouth went dry. “I see.”

“Look. I know you hate Jax. so did I – until I realized how far Jax went to help me. If he hadn’t saved you, when Raven to undid the spell, I would’ve been miserable.” Dean shook his head. “I couldn’t hate Jax after that. And since he was the last person to see you, I needed him close in case he remembered something helpful.”

I rubbed my forehead, feeling a headache forming. All of this still didn’t sit right.

“He could’ve at least taken me somewhere safe,” I muttered. “After scaring those men off.”

“He couldn’t hide you,” Dean said. “He’s loyal – to a fault. It was better if he didn’t know what happened because if he tried to help you, my father would’ve dug into his mind and found the truth.”

No matter what angle I pushed, Dean defended Jax. It was pointless. Jax and Dean now had Alpha and beta relationship, of course he’d trust him.

Dean stepped forward and pulled me into a warm, tight hg.

“Come on. Do we really want our first real moment together to be about Jax?”

I let out a small laugh. “No.”

“Good.” His voice softened. “Come to my room. Tell me what life was like in Kloud pack. Oh… you need to eat something – real food. Not Raven’s magic meal.”

**********

I spent the whole day talking with Dean like old times. I told him all about Gayle and Keith, how they protected me everywhere, and how Max and Phoebe tried their very best to be patient with me. He listened to every word with a quiet smile, never interrupting me.

By evening, I was lying on the couch with my head on his chest. It felt like a dream. One I didn’t ever want to wake from.

“You seemed lonely,” Dean murmured, shifting me effortlessly so I sat on his thighs, facing him. “Even with everyone trying to fill the void in your heart,”

I melted under his gaze again. It had been so long since I saw him that it felt like the first time all over again.

“That’s because I missed the real you,” I said quietly, fiddling with the fabric of shirt instead of meeting his eyes.

“Well,” he whispered, “I’m back now, and I’m never leaving your side.”

He titled my chin up with his index finger, slow and deliberate, guiding my gaze into his hazel eyes. He was giving me that look, the one that showed how badly he wanted to kiss me. His grip tightened at my waist as he pulled me in, his breath brushing faintly against my lips.

Then he kissed me.

It wasn’t rushed. It was desperate, like he’d been holding himself back all day and finally let go. His lips moved against mine with so much desire, the kind of kiss that made my fingers curl into his shirt for balance. He kissed me like he was afraid I might disappear again.

A loud gasp exploded behind us.

“What the hell is going on here?” Gayle sputtered. She stared liked she’d just walked in on a crime scene. Keith stood behind her like his soul had left his body.

“What are you two doing here?” I asked, stumbling off Dean as he exhaled a long, irritated sigh.

“Well, um… Max said we should info you two about an emergency meeting being held in Dane pack right now.” Keith said, his eyes never leaving Dean who gave him a dry look.

“You could’ve called,” I muttered.

“We did, for three days. He never answered.” Keith folded his arms. “We thought we’d come see for ourself if he’d killed you or something,”

“Keith!” I scolded.

“What? Can you blame him us? He said he was going to kill you. Now you two are –” Gayle waved wildly between me and Dean. “Making out? Wait, did he cause all that chaos just to force our brother to release you? He was never going to kill you, was he?” Gayle asked.

Dean stood up abruptly. “I’m going to get ready for the meeting. Lexi, will come with me. Before we leave, you two should be gone.” His annoyance was practically radiating as he went upstairs.

“What an asshole.” Keith muttered. I elbowed him hard.

“You have so much to tell me!” Gayle said, shaking me like an overexcited puppy.

“Lexi, get dressed!” Dean called from upstairs.

“Okay!” I yelled back, sharing a knowing smile with Gayle.

“Great, who’s this guy?” Keith asked.

Jax stood suddenly at the doorway. Silent and unreadable as always. There was something so incredibly unsettling about him.

“You heard the Alpha,” Jax said coolly. “You two should leave. We’ll be right behind you.” Even I felt shivered a little.

“Wait, is he coming too?” Gayle asked, her eyes raking Jax up and down. He gave her a look that basically said, “Obviously.”

“When we get to Dane, you better tell me about this one. He’s hot,” she whispered before Keith dragged her out.

I faced Jax, unsure whether to thank him or pretend he didn’t exist. Eventually, I chose to be the bigger person and said, “Look, about that day –”

“I was doing my job. Go get dressed.” He cut me off and walked away.

The audacity!

Half an hour later. Dean and I were on the road to Dane pack. There were no more crowds gathered for my arrival. Thank goodness. But Jax kept doing this strange thing. He kept closing his eyes, like he was fighting something internally.

“Try focusing om the road,” I snapped. He rolled his eyes.

“Did you see that?” I said, turning to Dean who seemed to be asleep. He must’ve not rested much since I came.

When I turned back, Jax’s eyes were shut again. He barely dodged an oncoming car.

“Are you trying to get us killed? Watch the road” I shouted.

His eyes flew open, and he swerved – but another car slammed into us from the side with a deafening crash.

Everything spun. My ears rang as blood slid down my face. I blinked, disoriented, reaching instinctively for Dean, but he was gone, and so was Jax.