For a second, I have to think about my answer. Because it wasn’t as if the trip was the most successful. I came home with Mia and Olivia in tow but not with the support of the rogues. Still it was amazing meeting so many people and seeing how they live.
“They’re really inspiring,” I say. “Resilient. But you know, they could use our help. They’re surviving and they’re happy, but they’re isolated, even from each other. If they had some way of speaking or sharing resources ... But I guess that’s why they’re rogues. Because they don’t have a pack to call home.”
“Maybe when this is all over, we can do something to help?”
Jasper’s eyes are big and earnest, and I could just about die. Who is this caring, thoughtful, sexy-as-hell wolf in front of meand what did he do with the brooding, distrustful, stoic guy I met two summers ago.
“Yeah, that would be amazing.”
“And what about, you know, Omar? How was it traveling with him?”
I grin because there he is. Even though it’s unwarranted and I know I shouldn’t, I get a little thrill from the hint of jealousy in Jasper’s tone.
“Fine,” I say. “Chill. He’s cool. You know nothing would ever happen there, right? He’s sort of become like, I dunno, family or something.”
Jasper purses his lips, then nods. “Good. Good-good.”
I roll my eyes, readjust my head on the pillow.
“Anyway, what about here? Any updates since we last spoke?”
Jasper rolls onto his back, pressing his head into his super-soft pillow, blowing air out through his lips.
“What is it?” I shuffle closer, putting my hand on his chest, feeling it expand with each breath.
“We lost another ally. The Blackwater Pack, out of Delaware. They’re not huge but still we can’t afford to lose any more wolfpower.”
I rub his chest in wide, slow circles. “I’m sorry.”
He reaches up to take my hand, holding it to his lips before letting our entwined hands fall back onto his chest.
“It’s okay. We just have to hope that Mia can convince Morven to realign with us.”
“I have a good feeling,” I say, even though I have no feelings whatsoever. I just want to make Jasper feel better.
“Thanks,” he says, glancing sideways. “For saying that. Even though you don’t believe it.”
I drop my jaw in feigned offense.
“It’s okay,” he says, rolling back onto his side to face me once more, our joined hands coming to rest in the space between us. “All I really need is you. With you here I can almost believe we’ll get through this.”
“We will,” I say.
He blinks. His long, dark eyelashes fluttering.
“Just don’t leave me again, okay?”
I try to swallow but can’t.
“I’m not going anywhere.”
In the evening I meet Katie at this cute café in the East Village. The streets are full of sweating locals, on their way to dinner and drinks in their summer finest. We watch them from our seats in the window as we sip our iced matcha lattes.
“I didn’t think I’d like matcha,” Katie says. “But there’s something sort of addicting about it right? It’s complex and this banana bread syrup is freaking scrumptious.”
I shoot her a look and a raised eyebrow. “Did you just sayscrumptious?”
“What?” She gives me stank eye. “I’m a college girl now, my palate is more sophisticated.”
