Dean doesn’t answer, his eyes still on me. Landon steps out right behind her, his gaze narrowing as he takes us in, clearly sensing the shift.
“We’re good,” I say quickly, flashing a grin. But I can feel Landon’s eyes lingering, sharp and suspicious, like he knows something’s going on but can’t quite figure out what. Dean stays quiet, his jaw still tense, but I can see the gears turning in his head.
We won’t be able to keep this under wraps for much longer, but until we’re all on the same page, it’s best to keep our mouths shut.
“If everything’s fine, why are you two still standing out here?” Landon asks, his voice low, but there’s a challenge buried in there somewhere.
I glance at Dean, straighten my shoulders, and take a breath. Maybe I can tell Landon something—at least part of it. “I don’t know how to break this to you,” I begin, and I can feel Dean tense beside me, like he’s bracing for impact. “But I discovered my pack today. And... it includes Dean.”
“Holy cow!” Dee’s eyes go wide, sparkling with excitement. “A pack? I thought you were going to be single forever! How did you figure it out? Who’s your omega? Wait, how did you know Dean was part of it? Why aren’t they here?”
She rapid-fires the questions, barely pausing to breathe. Only Dee could turn something like this into a game of twenty questions. I roll my eyes, but there’s a hint of amusement in it, even as what I just said settles between all of us.
Landon inhales, and I can see the spark of recognition in his gaze sharpens, the realization hitting him like a freight train. Hetakes one step toward me, his face darkening, and before I can react, I’m slammed against the brick wall. His fingers dig into my collar, yanking me forward so we’re nose-to-nose.
“Why the hell do you smell like you rolled around in my sister’s scent?” His voice is low, furious, like he’s barely holding himself back from tearing me apart.
Dee lets out a low whistle. “Lakelyn, Mase? Oh shit.”
“Landon, I can explain—” I start, but the words barely leave my mouth before Dean steps forward, his body moving before his mind can catch up. His arm shoots out between us, his palm pressing against Landon’s chest as he pushes him back, forcing him to release me.
“Back off,” Dean growls, his tone full of instinct and possessiveness, eyes blazing in a way that surprises even me.
Landon stumbles back a step, his hands dropping to his sides as his gaze shifts from Dean to me, and then back to Dean. It’s like the puzzle pieces start snapping into place all at once. He doesn’t need to ask anything else. He knows.
“She’s part of your pack,” he breathes out, stunned. “That’s what this is. That’s what you meant.”
I watch as Landon processes it, his hands flexing at his sides, his eyes darting between us like he’s trying to keep from losing it.
“Landon—” I begin again, my voice more steady this time.
But he shakes his head, backing away slowly, his face torn between anger and confusion. “No. I need some time to think.” He turns on his heel, heading down the sidewalk without another word.
Dee watches him go, her wide eyes swinging back to us, then shakes her head with a little grin. “Well, that could’ve gone worse.”
Dean sits rigidlyacross from me, his eyes fixed on the bottle in his hand, but at least he didn’t leave. That’s something. Dee found a few friends to keep her busy, giving us a moment of peace, though the tension between us still lingers, thick and unspoken.
I lean back, stretching my legs out in front of me, my gaze drifting to the dance floor as I take a long sip of my beer. “I didn’t sleep with them,” I say, keeping my tone casual. I don’t look at him, but I can sense him reacting, the way his shoulders subtly relax as he inhales deeply, like my words calm something raging inside him.
“I would have,” I add, my voice lower now, “but something… interrupted us.”
Dean’s gaze sharpens. “Interrupted?” His voice cuts through the noise, drawing my attention back to him.
I glance at him, his eyes narrowed in curiosity. “Someone broke into the shop while we were…” I hesitate, not sure how much I want to reveal about what went down between me, Lakelyn, and Chad. “While I was kissing them,” I continue. “Whoever it was knocked over some paint cans, made a mess, then ran out the backdoor. We found the door wide open when we went to check.”
Dean’s brows draw together, his focus completely on me now. “You’re telling me someone broke in while you were in the middle of…” he trails off, but I know he’s putting the pieces together.
“Yeah,” I say, shaking my head. “Whoever it was didn’t take anything, just made a mess and bolted. But it killed the mood pretty fast.”
Dean’s lips press into a thin line, his fingers tapping against the table. “You think it was just some random break-in?”
“Maybe.” I shrug, but the doubt lingers in the back of my mind. “Or maybe they knew we were there.”
Dean’s brow furrows, and I can feel his gaze burning into me, waiting for more of an explanation. I sigh. “I think they knew at least Lakelyn and Chad were there. Maybe they didn’t expect me.”
The words hang between us, but I can't help the tug of guilt. Lakelyn would lose it if she knew I trailed after her and Chad, watching to make sure they made it back to her apartment safely.
She’d probably tell me I was overreacting—that she’s fine and doesn’t need anyone's protection. But I wasn’t about to let them walk home alone after someone broke into the shop. Blue Ridge might be a small town, but there are always tourists, and who knows? One of them could have caught sight of Chad and recognized him. He could even have a stalker. He was on national television. It’s not like I’ve been around him much to know.
