“So, I guess we’re a pack now,” I said. Not the most subtle and smooth transitioning, but it worked. North’s head snapped up, eyes wide. “How do you feel about that?”
“I’m happy. She seems great. I’m excited to get to know her, and I want to court her properly. If you have any ideas of what worked for you, feel free to share them.”
“I’ll think on it.”
In reality, another big issue hit me. Now that they were her matches, too, we couldn’t exactly lie to them. Especially if we were putting work into fixing the issues already in our pack.
“Where were they?” I asked.
“The theater room.”
“My brother and his movies,” I muttered, tapping the table before standing. “I’m going to go check in on them. You coming?”
“No,” he said. “This feels like something you guys need to work out on your own. I have to get up early, so I’m going to head into town. Please tell them both goodnight for me.”
“I will.”
I watched him walk out. The way he and Jack constantly orbited around each other, stealing glances, but never quitegiving in, drove me nuts. Everyone in the world, and probably this town, knew these two belonged together.
Everyone exceptthem.
Maybe it was time my brother and I had a chat about that, too. We could air out all of our grievances and make peace in the aftermath.
I expected a movie to be playing or the two of them talking. Instead, I found Jack alone, his head in his hands, looking as small as he could make himself.
What the hell had gone down in here?
As I walked closer, I caught a mix of their scents. It must not have been long ago that Aspen had walked away.
“Hey, brother,” I said as I sat in the seat she must have vacated.
“Did you come to laugh about how your clown of a younger brother fucked things up?” Jack asked bitterly.
The pain in his voice made my chest ache. Fuck, how had I let it get this bad?
“I don’t understand. What didIdo to fuck up our relationship?” I asked.
He sat up and looked at me, shaking his head.
“What relationship? You left.”
“And you knew I would leave,” I said, trying to follow and failing. “I was never quiet about my plans. After high school and college, all I wanted to do was this magazine. I never expected it to become as successful as it did, but I never would’ve achieved that here. Ihadto leave.”
“Yeah, and you left without a word. You didn’t even say goodbye to me.”
“Itried,” I protested, frustrated now and trying my best to keep it out of my voice. “You shut me out the moment you heard I was leaving. You didn’t give me the chance. You and North ran off.”
He rolled his eyes and tried to stand, but I blocked him in and wasn’t about to move. Not when I needed answers.
“Mom never needed you to stay. I know that’s why you never left, but I offered for you to follow me.”
“You know I couldn’t. Somebody had to be responsible and stay behind. Mom gave us everything.”
“She did. But we have to trust that she chose this life with her pack, and not try to fix it for her or replace them.”
He glared at me. “I think I know more about her than you do at this point. It’s been the two of us for a long fucking time.”
“You’re always so stubborn. You assume you know everything and don’t stick around long enough to find out if it’s real or not. Hell, you and your best friend have been in love with each other for years and neither one of you has been brave enough to do anything. He’s probably waiting for his alpha to step up, and you haven’t even considered it, have you? Now that you have her are you going to keep ignoring that? Put all of your energy into competing with me?”
