He’d stayed focused on the cheese he was slicing, knowing if he didn’t, his claws would come out. Every time he thought of what those sons of bitches did to Zoe and Chloe’s parents and intended to do to them, his inner wolf wanted to do some serious damage. Jake didn’t blame the beast. If he ever found those men, he’d tear them to pieces—with or without claws.
Jes gasped, butter knife poised above the slice of bread in her hand, her face pale. “That’s awful. What did they do after they got away?”
“They followed their instincts and ran.”
She frowned as she reached over to grab a few slices of cheese and assembled the sandwiches. She loaded on the cheese, too. He liked that.
“What do you mean, followed their instincts?” she asked.
“The trauma of seeing their parents murdered and getting kidnapped turned them into werewolves,” he said, not looking at Jes, afraid of what he’d see in her eyes. “The instincts they were following were their inner wolves nudging them toward their alpha, the werewolf who would protect and look out for them. In their case—me.”
When Jes didn’t say anything, he glanced at her out of the corner of his eye and saw her staring at him in shock as what he’d just said hit her.
“Zoe and Chloe are werewolves?” she asked. “I never would have guessed. They look so…normal.”
Jake bit his tongue to hold back the growl that threatened to slip out. “What, I don’t look normal? Is that what you’re saying?” He glared at her, the tips of his fangs coming out. “So, tell me. What exactly does a werewolf look like to you anyway?”
Jes sighed, her shoulders sagging. The breathy sound somehow calmed him down even though he didn’t want to.
“I didn’t mean it like that,” she said softly. “It’s just that you, Harley, and Caleb are all physically intimidating. There’s no mistaking that the moment you walk into a room. But Zoe and Chloe are nothing like that. They’re so cute and precious and the complete opposite of intimidating. You can’t blame me for noticing they aren’t like you.”
Jake let out a breath, his fangs retracting as the tension drained from his body. On some level, he knew he’d overreacted, seeing slights and insults that probably weren’t even there. But for some ridiculous reason he didn’t understand, he wanted Jes to accept him for what he was. Whenever it seemed like she rejected his werewolf side, it bothered the hell out of him.
“The twins aren’t like me,” he said softly, slicing the rest of the cheese. “They aren’t like Harley or Caleb, either. They’re beta werewolves, which makes them smaller and less…outgoing…than the rest of us. They have the fangs and claws like we do, but they’re less likely to use them except in extreme situations. Instead, they depend on the strength of their pack—and their alpha—to keep them safe. As you probably picked up during our conversation, Zoe and Chloe are pretty much the same as any other eighteen-year-old girls out there. They care about guys, music, college, shopping…guys. The only difference is they went through something traumatic and became werewolves.”
Jes was silent as she put together the rest of the sandwiches. “You said instinct brought you together, but how did you and the twins actually find each other?”
“Before I joined STAT, I was a cop in Santa Fe. After my shift one night, I stopped at a diner to grab something to eat before I went home. The moment I walked in, I smelled Zoe and Chloe. They had been there right before I was. I couldn’t have missed them by more than half an hour.” He shook his head. “I can’t explain it, but something told me they were in trouble. I used my badge to get the manager to show me the security footage, and as soon as I saw the twins on camera, I knew they were in trouble and that I had to find them. Luckily, my inner wolf led me right to them.”
Jes didn’t say anything as she placed three of the sandwiches she’d prepared in the frying pan, letting them sizzle there for a while before squishing them flat with a metal spatula. A savory aroma immediately filled the kitchen, making his mouth water.
“Did you ever figure out who murdered their parents and kidnapped them?” she asked, focusing all her attention on the sandwiches.
He shook his head. “Unfortunately, no. McKay is looking into it for us, but if I’m right about the human-trafficking angle, they’re probably not even in the States any longer.”
“You said you’re their alpha.” She glanced at him. “Does that mean you’re like their adoptive father?”
He grimaced. “I’m definitely not old enough to be their dad. I’m more like an older brother, I guess you’d say.”
Jes nodded. “It’s still pretty cool, though. There aren’t a lot of people out there who’d step up like that. It says a lot about you.”
He shrugged, not sure why it felt so nice to have her compliment him like that. “I’m their alpha. It’s something you’ll come to understand about werewolves in time. It might be complicated, but there are some connections out there that can’t be ignored.”
Jes looked over at him, her expression unreadable. Jake found her dark eyes drawing him in, and he realized he liked the way it made him feel when she gazed at him like she was right then. Like he wasn’t the monster she thought after all.
Giving him a half smile, she turned her attention back to the sandwiches, setting the finished ones on a plate and adding the uncooked ones to the skillet.
“What does your family think of you taking in two teenagers?” she asked, smashing the sandwiches down with the spatula until the orange cheese melted and started to ooze out.
He leaned back against the counter, resting his hands on either side of him. “I kind of had to lie to them a little. I told them that Zoe and Chloe are the daughters of a Navy SEAL friend and his wife, who’d both gotten killed, and that they didn’t have any other family. My mom and dad were sorry to hear about what happened, but they’re thrilled to have two granddaughters. I have four married brothers who all have boys. While my parents love them like crazy, they’re ecstatic to have two girls to spoil. Not only that, but they’re twins, which is like some kind of extra credit as far as my mom is concerned.”
While Jes transferred the remaining sandwiches to the plate, Jake headed to the fridge for ketchup.
“Can you grab mustard, too?” she asked.
He glanced at her over his shoulder. “On grilled cheese? That’s disgusting.”
She laughed and carried the plates over to the table. “Don’t knock it until you try it.”
