“B-b-but…” My arguments fade away as logic kicks in. After seeing what Kady went through last semester with reporters due to her fake pack situation, I know the difficulties that extra media attention can bring. To my annoyance, Jagger may have a point. “Isn’t there another place we can go?”
“Our place is close,” Jagger replies. “And getting a hotel would probably attract even more unwanted publicity.”
The idea of being trapped in Jagger’s personal space, surrounded by his gorgeous pack, sends a fresh wave of panic through me. My core involuntarily constricts. How am I supposed to control myself around them without doing something I’ll regret when I want to roll around in their scents and make it my home?
“Okay,” I reluctantly agree. “I guess I can do that, but I’ll leave as soon as I can.”
There don’t seem to be any other options right now.
I stare straight ahead, focusing on the dark road. I’m doing my best to ignore the men around me, despite the fact that the heat radiating off their bodies makes me feel like I’m sitting under the midday sun at its most punishing peak.
Jagger nods. “We’ll take care of you, Delilah.”
I scoff, unable to keep my sarcasm at bay. “You’ve said that before.”
Jagger’s back straightens in a rigid position. “I deserved that.”
“Well, we mean it,” Tae chirps. “Don’t we, Nash?”
Nash grunts in response.
“Can you maybe turn down the heat?” I claw at my top, wrenching the cotton away from my sticky skin. The previously soft fabric now feels like it’s made from rough burlap, spreading a prickling sensation all over me.
“The heat?” Tae raises his eyebrows and holds up his arm which is covered in goose bumps. “Feels freezing to me. Nash always blasts the A/C, even in winter.”
“I run hot,” Nash growls.
Jagger sniffs the air. “Delilah… I think you’re…”
“No.” I grit my teeth. “Don’t say it. If you do, it’ll manifest into existence. The universe is always listening, okay?”
Kady thinks my manifestation stuff is bullshit, but I believe in the power of intention. And right now, saying out loud what Jagger thinks is happening is not going to cause a heat to come on. Not happening.
Tae looks between the two of us before a sudden realization blooms across his features. As a beta, he’s not as attuned to changes of scents. “You’re going into h?—”
“NO!” I rip open my purse to stick on a few heat patches, grateful that Kady makes sure we always carry them. I calm my voice before speaking again. “I’m not.”
Listen, universe! You’ve already screwed me over lately. How about you throw me a bone this time?
“Hold on.” Nash suddenly floors it. “We need to get you home.”
We’re thrown back in our seats as we accelerate down to Forestville. We’re right on the edges of town when we take a quiet dirt road, coming to a stop at what can only be described as a fortress. It’s difficult to absorb all of my new surroundings as I fight not to squirm in my seat. Not that I can see much anyway as there’s what must be at least a ten-foot-high fence around the entire perimeter, blocking any view of a house. I cringe at the ridiculous amount of moisture pooling in my panties, finding itimpossible to get comfortable as Nash rolls down the window to type in a code on a gate before it opens.
Nash keeps glancing nervously back in the rearview mirror, and I can feel Jagger and Tae watching my every move. I clench my jaw, trying to keep my features unreadable.
“We needed somewhere to stay that was discreet. No one can bother us here, and we have cameras installed everywhere.” Tae breaks the silence.
Safe? Well, I may be avoiding the paparazzi, but being so close to these men feels pretty dangerous to me.
Nash comes to a stop outside their place. It’s modest in size and set over two floors with what looks to be a separate outbuilding. Not exactly the type of home I imagined Jagger having after the luxury of the Grand Point Lodge.
“It needs some work, but properties with this amount of privacy are hard to come by around here,” Tae continues. “But Nash loves a project, so it’s perfect. He can fix literally anything. Can’t you, Nash?”
Nash doesn’t reply, but I’m grateful when he and Jagger climb out of the car to get a little reprieve from their scents.Come on, heat patches!Hopefully they’ll kick in soon enough to stop me from going into a full heat. Just getting through the next few hours without relief is going to be rough—especially when I’m surrounded by men who are literally sex on legs.
I remember similar heat spikes happening to Kady and Faye when they first met their scent matches. The only difference is they weren’t actively trying to avoid sleeping with the alphas who were destined to be theirs.
After Jagger springs out of the car like a rocket has launched underneath him, he opens the door and holds out his hand.
