JASMINE Just before ten the next day, I saw his Jeep parallel park in front of the café. This time, much to my dismay, he came in to place an order. Lucy ran out from the back, flour dusting her arms and cheeks. “Well, hello there, Mr. Alpha! I knew I smelled your scent from the kitchen!” Lucy leaned over the counter, her low-cut shirt and loosely tied apron displaying her cleavage. “Seems you’re right on time for the end of my friend here’s shift.” “I am indeed,” he replied, smirking, looking between the two of us. “What can I get you today?” I asked, interrupting their conversation. “I’ll get a large, black coffee and what do you drink?” Blake looked at me. “Oh, you don’t have to get me anything,” I replied. “She likes cappuccinos.” Lucy pushed me out of the way. “Let me ring you in. Jaz, go make the drinks! Here, I’ll throw in some of my croissants on the house as well.” She pulled some out of the case and put them into a to-go bag as I began preparing the drinks, listening t

BLAKE I returned home around five thirty after spending the day with Jasmine. My father stopped me as soon as I walked through the door. “And where the hell have you been all day?” His face was red, brows furrowed. “Out,” I replied, not wanting to give any additional information. “In case you forgot, you’re going to be the alpha of this pack soon, which means you have a lot of responsibilities around here.” “And it also means I don’t need to answer to anyone.” “I’m still the fucking alpha, so you will answer to me! Where the fuck were you?” he bellowed, using his alpha aura, something he hadn’t used with me in years, probably since I was still in high school. I felt my neck maneuvering to bare itself in submission, feeling forced to reply to his question. But, for the first time, I found I was easily able to override the command. I could tell that I had grown much stronger than my father and would easily be able to overpower him if it ever came down to it. I replied, “None of you

LUCY After working a full-day shift at the end of August, I went home and spent the next few hours baking dozens of cupcakes, cookies, and brownies. I was now the designated family baker. Any time someone had a celebration, I was assigned to make all the desserts. At first, I enjoyed this appointment, feeling like I finally had a place in my family. It would bring me joy to watch as everyone ate my pastries and showered me with compliments. But, before long, it became more of an obligation than anything, my efforts forgotten just as quickly as the devoured cookies. The next day, my mom helped me package everything up, loading it into the car so we could go to my cousins’ house for a birthday party. I had dozens of cousins, all tall, blonde, and athletic. Everyone in the pack knew of the Owens—mostly positive things, but we also weren’t known for being as devout and religious as others, something that could be alienating. While I was grateful that my parents weren’t as strict and over

BLAKE After weeks of shoving Jasmine from my mind, she had hurled herself back into it. I hadn’t expected to be so excited to see her at the gym. Seeing her made me realize how much I had missed her. And, damn. I knew she was fit, but I had no idea that she could squat so much weight. Thinking about it made my cock rock-hard. I loved a tough woman. And now that I knew she could pump iron like a warrior, I was a goner. I wanted to stay longer and had an overwhelming desire to kiss her again. Hell, I’d love to have stayed and worked out with her. But there was just too much going on. The alpha ceremony was less than a week away, and Luke was due back home later today. I had just exited the gym and was striding toward my car when someone stopped me. “Blake!” she yelled, forcing me to turn my head. I felt a blistering pain in my chest as the person calling my name approached me. My hands turned into fists, digging what little nails I had into my palms, staving off the impulse to run th

JASMINE On Sunday night, my parents and I were seated farther back than usual at the temple service, having gotten there later than normal that day. Partway through, the priest welcomed Luke back to the pack and invited Luke and Blake to join him at the front where they helped him lead a chant. It had been two years since I’d seen Luke in person. He had filled out and was much more muscular now than I had remembered. However, he still had that pretty boy, movie star handsome face, contrasted to Blake’s much more mature appearance. I looked between the two of them, wondering which one I preferred. They were both good-looking in their own ways. However, thinking about Luke made my chest ache. I was still very attracted to him and felt something drawing me to him, as if I should go stand beside him. While I had a steady, ceaseless longing throughout the years, it was somehow more powerful now that I was seeing him in person. My heart raced in my chest while my stomach did somersaults. I