CHASEThere’s something about fire. The way it ignites from the smallest spark, bursting into creation. The way it destroys. The way it can be contained one minute and uncontrollable the next, raging and spreading as it scorches the earth. Sometimes that’s how I feel, on the verge of cascading over a barrier into something I can’t come back from. Raging and burning until there’s nothing left but ash. The boys and I dug this firepit years ago, seeking a place to hang out away from the ever-watchful eyes of our parents. We thought it was some clever fucking secret, but after coming home reeking of bonfire smoke, my dad figured out pretty quickly what we’d done. He didn’t take it away from us, though. Instead, he came out and helped us dig it deeper, drilling the rules of fire safety into our heads until he was satisfied we weren’t going to burn the damn forest down. From then on, it became our spot; our own little dominion right near the edge of our pack’s territory.At first, we were
CHASE “How the fuck did he get away again?” Theo spits, face screwed up in an angry scowl. He and the other alphas of the six-pack alliance- Gray, Jax, Brock, and Reid- rushed out here to meet me shortly after receiving my text, bringing along the two best trackers on the security squad, Leo and Adrian. We’d all hoped the incident at the lodge was a fluke, but now that the same rogue is skulking around our border days later, that doesn’t seem likely. He must be hanging around for a reason, and none of us want to waste any time in finding out what that is. “The border sensors never alerted?” Jax asks, still catching his breath. We are circled up in the woods in all our naked glory after shifting back from our wolf forms- a sight that would be odd for humans to stumble upon, but for us, public nudity like this is a regular occurrence. Our clothes are left behind when we shift, and the others were able to get here so quickly because they came as their wolves. “No, I checked them twice
VIENNAFrom the way that Chase storms off, it’s clear that something I said must’ve struck a nerve. Not that he’d admit it. The more I get to know him, the more curious I am about what he’s really hiding beneath all that false bravado- though it’s hard for me to have sympathy for someone who devotes so much energy into being a complete and total prick.I get that he has trauma, but these days, who doesn’t? I’ve got my own share of problems, but at least I’m trying to do something about it. Chase just wants to sit around and wallow in his own self-pity at the expense of everyone else. As someone actively trying to better their situation, I don’t have the patience for his brand of bullshit. I’m not going to walk on eggshells or tiptoe around him like everyone else.I climb out of my car, giving it a wistful glance as I look to Chase’s monstrosity of a truck parked beside it. Of course someone like Chase would talk shit about my car, given how shiny and new his own vehicle is. I saved up
VIENNA“How about this one?” Fallon asks, pausing as she thumbs through a clothing rack to pull out a particularly risqué little black dress.We’re at a cute little boutique in Goldenleaf, surrounded by overflowing racks of clothes for every occasion. Many of them boast designer labels and have the price tags to match. It’s the type of place that Fallon and Serena can shop at without batting an eye, while I doubt there’s anything in here that I can afford. As far as I’m concerned, I’m just along for the ride today, here for the girl talk and gossip rather than the intention of actually buying anything.Serena dubiously eyes the garment in Fallon’s hands. “Not unless you want Reid to haul me out of there within the first half hour.”Fallon chuckles, sliding the strappy dress back onto the rack. “Fair point. And your man has the self-control of a saint! I doubt Gray would last ten minutes if I showed up in that dress.” She winks and the two of them exchange devious, knowing glances befo
CHASEMy boys and I roll into the Stillwater Tap shortly after 9 p.m. on Saturday, the large interior of the building already slammed with patrons and the scent of sweat, booze, and bad decisions hanging heavy in the air. The grey brick exterior of the building is deceptively dull compared to the atmosphere inside- on nights like this, the music is cranked up, the dance floor is packed, and the girls are dressed to the nines like they’re going clubbing in the city. This place is the local watering hole in Stillwater’s territory, and since Serena is Luna of the pack that resides here, her birthday celebration has drawn in quite the crowd tonight.A scene like this should excite me more than it does. I’m a teenage boy, I should be out on the dance floor drowning in a buffet of tits and ass right now, not slumped in the corner of the bar downing shots of cheap whiskey like it’s my fucking job. The truth is, only one thing has excited me enough lately to tug me from the fog of self-induce
VIENNAThe outside of Nessa’s house looks like it’s straight out a brochure for an idyllic suburban community, complete with an actual white picket fence. It’s the kind of place that you can tell is warm and inviting from a single glance, the perfect home for a big, loud, loving family like hers to reside. It’s one of my favorite places, because when I’m here, I feel like I’m part of it all- just another member of her big, happy family.Nessa’s pulling open the front door before I’ve even made it up the sidewalk from the driveway, her wide, sympathetic eyes meeting mine.“It’s only for a few days,” I mutter, wrapping my fingers around the strap of my duffel bag and adjusting it on my shoulder. “Just until I can figure things out.”“Stop it. You know you can stay as long as you want to,” she says, ushering me inside.As always, the interior of the house is full of commotion- two of Nessa’s brothers are chasing each other around the living room with foam swords, while the other two play
CHASE So many things about Vienna Vega frustrate the hell out of me. The way she rolls her eyes whenever she sees me, like my presence has just ruined her fucking day. That little hair toss she does when she folds her arms across her chest in indignation. Her constant smartass responses to whatever I say, like she’s figured out exactly how to push my buttons. That ever-present flicker of defiance whenever I get close. But the worst, by far, is that despite all of that, I can’t stop thinking about her. It’s beginning to border on obsession. I keep thinking of those lips, so full and soft, and how perfect they’d look wrapped around my cock. How those big brown eyes would probably swim with flecks of bronze while she looks up at me, eyes glassy as I bump the back of her throat. I could twist that long black hair into a rope, wind it around my hand and pull. And those tits… I haven’t seen them bare yet, but the dress she was wearing Saturday night gave me a damn good mental image of wh
VIENNAChase blinks down at me, still out of his mind but slowly coming back into it. His knuckles are ripped open and dripping blood, and between the splatters of blood covering his face and the feral look in his eyes, he looks like a savage beast of a man, the mere sight of him enough to scare anyone off.I’m not just anyone, though.“What the fuck?!” I repeat, adrenaline pumping and heart pounding as I throw my hands up. “Are you crazy? That guy was human, he…”“Had his fucking hands on you,” Chase snarls, cutting me off. His eyes are glowing gold, his wolf dangerously close to the surface.“I had it handled! I can take care of myself, Chase, and you know the rules at the lodge. The last thing we need is to draw attention to ourselves. If I lose my fucking job over this, I swear to god…”His fists clench, a splatter of blood landing on the tile wall as he points wildly toward the door. “What the fuck did you expect me to do?! You screamed, and I…”“Nothing!” I shout back as I watch