“She,” I correct, my chest tightening with the memory of Lakelyn’s laugh. “Her name’s Lakelyn.”
Her brows shoot up, and she grins wide. “An alpha?”
I shake my head again, the words slipping from my mouth like a prayer. “Beta. A perfect sunshine beta.”
“Sounds like a safe choice,” Lilah says, her tone teasing but gentle.
I huff out a laugh, shaking my head as I kick at another stray pebble. “Not safe at all, actually.” My voice comes out rougher than I intended, and I feel the truth pressing down on me. “She’s… she’s not like anyone I’ve ever met. When I’m around her, it’s like… nothing’s in my control. And all I can think about is her happiness.”
Lilah raises an eyebrow. “That bad, huh?”
“Worse,” I say, rubbing the back of my neck, trying to find the right words. "She makes me feel things I didn’t know I could still feel. It’s—” I pause, swallowing hard. “It’s terrifying. The way she pulls me in, without even trying. I can't think straight when she's around. It's like everything else fades and there’s just her."
Lilah is about to respond when headlights sweep over me, growing brighter as a car slows down on the road. I squint as the driver’s side window rolls down. Jenny leans out, her blonde hair spilling over her shoulders, lips painted a little too bright for someone casually driving by. Her eyes linger on me, too much interest in the way she says my name.
“Chad, honey, need a ride?” Her voice is sweet, but there’s a little something extra behind it, like she’s been waiting for an excuse to catch me alone. “I was just thinking about you earlier.”
I stiffen. Jenny’s been doing this more often lately—popping up in convenient moments, asking too many personal questions. She’s my mom’s friend, but the way she looks at me makes my skin crawl. I can feel her eyes raking over me, and it takes everything in me not to visibly shudder.
“No, I’m good. Just out for some air,” I reply, my voice polite but cold, waving her off with a forced smile. The last thing I want is to be stuck in a car with her, and the invitation hanging in her words is obvious.
Her eyes narrow a bit, but she doesn’t push it. “Well, alright, honey. But you know where to find me if you change your mind.” She flashes a too-sweet smile, and it lingers as she drives away slowly, like she’s giving me one last chance.
I breathe out once she’s gone, feeling her gaze finally lift. Lilah’s face is still on the screen, and she’s giving me a knowing look.
“Jenny,” I say with an eye roll. “My mom’s friend… I mistakenly flirted with her the first time I met her.”
Lilah laughs, shaking her head. “She’s got a thing for you, huh?”
“Yeah. It’s… uncomfortable,” I admit, rubbing my temples. “She’s relentless. I’ve tried shutting it down, but she keeps ‘checking in’ like that.”
“She’s just thirsty,” Lilah says with a grin, trying to lighten the mood. “But seriously, be careful. Older women can be... persistent.”
I huff out a laugh, though it comes out strained. “Don’t worry. She’s not my type.”
“Anyways…what were we talking about? Oh yeah,” Lilah drawls, her teasing dropping to a murmur, “are you telling me you're in love?”
I flinch at the word, an uncomfortable twinge settling in my gut. Instinct has me wanting to deny it. “No… yes… I don’tknow.” I exhale sharply, dragging a hand through my hair. My mind effortlessly conjures Dean and Mason, adding them to the picture of what my life could be. "It's not just her, Lilah. I don’t know how to explain it, but… there are others, too. People who mess with my head. There’s Dean and Mason—" The names slip out, and I stop myself just before saying more, heart pounding in my chest.
Lilah is silent on the other end for a beat, her lips quirking up as though she can read between the lines. “Oh, Chad… looks like you’ve got yourself into quite the mess.”
“Yeah,” I breathe, eyes on the road ahead, the darkening sky casting everything in soft, muted tones. “More than you know.”
“I think this mess is going to be good for you. Don’t fight it.”
I flick my eyes back to her. “No promises.”
CHAPTER 20
Dean
All I can thinkabout as I climb into my car after another long day at the club is unwinding with Landon at the bar. It’s been a few days since I had his sister pinned up against my door, and the memory won’t leave me alone. Her scent and Chad’s mixed, the warmth of her skin—it’s all tangled up in my head, and I know I won’t be able to look him in the eye without blurting out something stupid.
Maybe I should tell him. Let him take a swing. It’d be what I deserve for wanting things I can’t have.
I let out a frustrated sigh, gripping the steering wheel tighter as I hit the quiet stretch of road out of town. The night’s falling fast, shadows stretching out long, and my headlights cut through the gloom. That’s when I see him.
Chad.
