LOGIN~Brady~I smell him, that sly son of a bitch. “Brady? What’s wrong?” John asked me to take Lindsey home. He was tired from work and wanted to head in early. I took it as an honor that he trusted me with his daughter out late. After all, he originally didn’t want her out with me on school nights. Now I can’t help but wonder if he sent his nephew to spy on us. “Nothing’s wrong. The big bad wolf just isn’t my biggest fan.” Hunter appears from the corner, propping up against a White Fang vehicle. I don’t even have the energy to argue with this idiot. I can tell he’s up to something, almost makes me want to check my brake lines before we get into the car. I remind myself that he wouldn’t want harm to come to Lindsey. “Who can blame him? You’ve been a jerk since you got here. Dad even said he was disappointed in you.” Lindsey spits out with a sprinkle of malice in her voice. I can tell Hunter is hurt by her words, but he recovers quickly. “My apologies if I’ve caused offense. I was ju
~Lindsey~ The cool breeze hits my face the second we exit the door. It’s a bit refreshing after being inside with so many people. I take a deep breath in and let the night air soothe me. “You look beautiful, just so you know.” Brady looks at me, a boyish grin on his face.I can’t help but smile back. “Thank you. You don’t look half bad yourself.”He lets out a small laugh at my teasing and rakes a hand through his jet black hair. He looks away briefly before meeting my eyes again. “So what did you want to talk about?” He says, a bit apprehensive. I sigh. “It’s Jagger.”He grits his teeth and looks ahead of us as we continue our walk. “Yeah I assumed that was the topic.”“First off, you have nothing to worry about. I only see him as an old friend, nothing more.” I shoot him a look though he doesn’t meet my eyes. He knows there’s more. “But he confessed that he still loves me. He says he wants me to be happy even if it’s not with him, so I don’t think he will try anything.”“So what
~Brady~Jagger comes to dinner before Lindsey. A part of me is nervous; weren’t they supposed to be together? I search the room for Logan but can’t find him either. My brain is fighting itself: one side coming up with excuses for her and one side thinking the worst. That’s when I smell her: vanilla and lavender. I turn towards the door and see her eyes heavy with exhaustion. They brighten when she meets my eyes. She walks over to me and wraps her arms around me, laying her head on my chest. “Hey.”“Hey. You ok? You look tired.” I can’t help but sound concerned. “If it’s too much, I can-“She gently kisses my lips. “I’m fine. Can we talk after dinner?” I nod in approval. My parents come in shortly after and start dinner service. Lindsey sits with Deanna and Callie, planning Callie’s upcoming mating ceremony. I notice Willow is not with them. “She’s with Hunter. Apparently she’s not spending as much time with them anymore.” Logan interrupts my thoughts. “Who?” I ask, though I alrea
~Lindsey~ “Hmmm. What about this one? She hails from Dark Paw. That’s where Luna Maci and her sister Darla were from.” I point to a lively looking she wolf. Kiera Mavis: age 19, blue eyes, red hair, likes hunting. “I don’t know. She looks a little crazy.” Jagger focuses on her face, a worrisome look on his brow. “This feels insane. Like I’m going back to the olden days with mail order brides.” He collapses in a chair and buries his face in his hands. I want to walk over and encourage him, but I’ve been told no physical contact. Nothing that can be taken the wrong way. I sigh, hugging myself instead. “I know. It’s hard, but you and your pack need a luna. Remember, we’re just weeding out the candidates that you aren’t interested in.” “Make that all of them.” He mutters, looking down at the plethora of applications in front of him. So many she wolves wanting to be a luna. “Oh don’t be like that.” I sit beside him but keep a safe distance away. “Let’s keep looking. Give me your
~Brady~ One normal week would be nice. Instead, I’m dragging my mate and her friend to the packhouse because she’s needed in “finding Jagger a mate”. Allegedly. I can hardly believe that there’s no one more qualified than Lindsey to help him. Colton, in jest, suggested it, but now Hunter is using it as an opportunity to bring the two of them together. He’s convinced Jagger somehow that it will help him overcome his feelings for Lindsey. Sadly, allies are known to do this. My mother is old enough to be these girls’ mother, and no neighboring packs have young lunas. Lindsey is my claimed, and probably fated, mate. Thus she has the title of rising luna, making her the most eligible option. I explain the logistics of this to Lindsey and Callie as we drive. I notice Callie getting visibly uncomfortable. “I don’t like this. It seems like a set up.” Callie looks at me in the rear view mirror. That just confirms that my gut instincts are right. “Jagger would never hurt me or cros
~Lindsey~“That’s a wrap. Good job today everyone!” I crash onto the floor, gasping for air. “Holy shit my legs feel like they’re on fire.” I pant. “Yeah I have no clue how I’m going to get up. How did everyone from morning training survive?” Callie dramatically sprawls herself onto the floor like a starfish beside me. “Oh come on you two. It wasn’t that bad.” Callie and I both shoot Deanna looks of annoyance. Curse her for being in such good shape. “Ok it was rough, but that just means we’re better prepared! I hear shifters are getting a double dose today. We’re practicing in human form this afternoon.” She tilts her head as Callie lets out a groan. “You’re probably sore from other reasons, too. Huh Callie?” I nudge her playfully. “Oh my gosh. Shut up Lindsey. You’re so embarrassing.” She sits up and covers her face in shame. “Girl you smell exactly like Trey. There’s no denying it. You sleep over or something?” Deanna winks. “No. He’s finishing up some changes on our home.
~Brady~The redness on Lindsey’s cheeks confirm my suspicions. Knight was in an excellent mood after pouncing on Lindsey at practice, not to mention the attention she showed him in front of everyone. I happened to overhear parts of her and Callie’s conversation, which led me to believe my choice t
~Brady~ I’m fighting off Knight with everything in me. All he wants to do is jump Logan and beat the shit out of him, which doesn’t sound like his worst idea at the moment. The only way I’m able to hold it together is the look on Lindsey’s face, confirming that she does not approve of him or his a
~Lindsey~ The morning went by quickly; Fridays feel a little more chaotic for some reason. Mrs. Williams was back and screaming again. She seemed a little more angry than normal, that is, until she left for several minutes. A part of me wished she would meet her secret lover before my class just
~Brady~My tired brain feels muddled. Despite my resolve, I tossed and turned most of the night, feeling uneasy that Lindsey was keeping things from me. Now to hear that she and Jagger shared a mate bond, even if it was weakened by her not having a wolf, my head just continues to spin. I’ve got abo







