“That’s correct.” He picks up a bullet and places it in my palm. They look like normal bullets, except these have a faint blue hue embedded into the metal. “They’re made with infused iron. The magic slows down vampires and fae, but it also slows healing in shifters.”
Forest stands. “Which means if one of us gets hit with them? We can’t just shift to heal.”
I nod. “I hear you. I’m a steady aim, and I promise you, none of you are my targets.”
“Or our neighbors,” he says.
I swallow hard. How will I know friend from foe in unfamiliar packs? “The only way I’m aiming for a wolf is if they’re attacking myself or Jericho.”
Grant pulls two boxes of ammo from the safe and hands them to me, then offers me a silver handgun. It’s smaller than the one I have at home, but far more deadly.
After ensuring the handgun is locked, I tuck it in the back of my pants then pull my shirt down over it. “Thank you. I know it’s a sign of trust that you give me this, and I don’t take that lightly.”
Forest squeezes my shoulder. We all walk out together, and when I see Jericho talking to Rowen, I make a quick exit to put the gun and ammo away in the van. Jericho wouldn’t like me having a gun, since it means I intend to fight. But he can’t expect me to just sit around when his life is in danger. He means too much to me to do that.
Way too much.
When I return inside, Jericho’s booming laughter stops me in my tracks. Rowen is doing some sort of charade in front of everyone, making Jericho, Ivy, and Red all buckle over. The way his eyes light up when he smiles knocks the air from my lungs. I’d do anything to keep Jericho that happy. Absolutely anything.
I take a seat next to him at the breakfast bar and reach for an apple in the basket. He still seems nervous around me after our near kiss, but at least he isn’t leaving.
Today has been the best one yet since he returned to my life, and I’m starting to feel connected to him again. But more than that, I’m starting to connect with the Clearwater pack too, which has been the biggest surprise of all. Ilikethem, even starting to consider them friends.
We—or rather, I—eat dinner with the shifters and hang out with them until dark, then Jericho and I retreat to the van. After kicking off our shoes, we scoot back to sit against the wall.
Nights in here have become my new favorite thing. Away from the stress and what-ifs, away from the ever-present eyes of the shifters. It’s where Jericho and I have been learning to be us again, talking until the late hours, just like we used to.
But tonight… tonight, something is different.
I can’t stop thinking about the way he’d almost kissed me.
Jericho reaches for a sketchbook but doesn’t open it. Instead, he gives me a shy smile. “Today was fun,” he says, sounding so much like his old self that my heart squeezes.
“Yeah, it was. Minus the whole, throwing me over your shoulder thing.Thatwasn’t as much fun.”
He laughs and bumps my knee. “Whatever. You loved it.”
I can’t help but smile.
When I don’t say anything, he opens the sketchbook and quickly becomes lost in his art. I play some games on my phone, trying to ignore the emotions stirring within. He’s just so… easy. So comfortable. He makes me feel truly relaxed and safe. And happy.
But I’m hyper aware of other things too. The heat coming from his skin, the tightness in my belly. The butterflies every time his kneetouches mine. Was I always this way around him and, if so, how did I not realize it? Did I ignore it because he’s a guy?
It doesn’t matter. Now that I’ve seen it, I can’t unsee it. I can’t ignore it.
I don’t even want to.
I turn to him, nerves twisting in my gut. “Jer?”
He turns.
I bite my lip before blurting, “Can I kiss you?”
His eyes bulge, but he doesn’t reply. He doesn’t even move.
Heat floods my face as I try to explain, but I’m not used to being so forward. I shove my emotions aside, reminding myself that this is Jericho. I’ve never hidden things from him before, so why start now?
“These last few days have been eye opening for me. I mean, these last few months have, really. It’s shown me how much you mean to me. And now that I know how you feel about me?” I shake my head, rubbing my palms against my jeans. I’m suddenly nervous, afraid he’s going to say no. “I can’t explain it. It’s like finding those drawings helped meseeyou, Jer. Like, really see you. And I…” I force myself to look up. “I really like what I see.”
