Chapter 21: Chapter Twenty-One - Jessica

Jacob must have felt bad for the night before.

Even though I didn’t harbor any feelings against him, he had been rude to agree to answer questions and then jump on me for asking them.

Now he wanted to cook me dinner, which was a relief for me since I had to cook every night. The biggest downfall was the lack of a food delivery service in town.

I’d do anything to have some sushi delivered to me right about now. Instead, I was heating up leftovers to avoid cooking myself lunch.

Jamie emailed me that morning requesting I send over the questions and answers from the interview with Jacob.

She agreed to let me come in tomorrow. I didn’t want to ask the boys for a ride every single day. It was exhausting and uncomfortable.

I pulled open my laptop on the porch of the house and positioned my feet against the railing. My tabby cat that I named Daryl because of my love for The Walking Dead, lay beneath my feet licking his paws.

He was a quiet houseguest and I appreciated him being with me.

I spent most of the morning writing the article Jamie requested and scrolling my job search engine. None of the jobs I’d applied for had reached out which was equally depressing.

I’d spent the last four years slaving to pass college. Now, no one but The Eagle wanted me. At least I had them, but on the other hand, I felt butt hurt about it.

I shut my computer that afternoon before washing clothes and getting ready for Jacob to come pick me up.

I slipped into a white and pink summer dress and a pair of pink wedges. Maybe I was overdressed but he made it seem like everyone would be there.

When he knocked on the door, I opened it and smiled. He looked nervous which surprised me. “I’m ready,” I said, grabbing my keys. “What’s wrong? You look like you’re going to puke.”

He chuckled humorlessly, his gaze shifting over the forest and the field across the road. I had no idea what he was looking for. I climbed into the passenger seat and looked at him. “A farmer said something killed every one of his animals last night. He ate some and just killed the other.” I cringed. “Yikes. Is that normal?”

He looked over as he backed out of the driveway. “No, it’s not.”

We drove in mostly silence to get to his house. I hadn’t been there since we arrived, and part of me was anxious. When he pulled down a dirt road and down a small trail, I gave him a sideways look. “Is this the part where you kill me?” I asked.

“What do you mean?”

“Are you a serial killer? Why do you live down here?”

“There aren’t very many options in Slade Springs.”

That was vague. I’d seen an apartment complex on the outskirts of town on my way in. There were other options.

When the canopy of trees cleared, I gawked. The house was giant. It looked like an old plantation-style home with giant pillars and vines climbing up the three stories.

“Jacob, you live here alone. How many rooms are there?”

He parked and I noticed the other boy's vehicles. “I don’t live here alone. I live here with the boys.”

I blinked several times. “You all live here? Why? Isn’t that weird?”

“No weirder than a dorm room,” he said, getting out. “Come on inside. They are finishing dinner. I hope you like lasagna.”

He started toward the house while I sat in the passenger seat. This was strange. I was beginning to think that this wasn’t just an apology dinner. Why had he called me here?

Reluctantly, I got out, because he was my cousin and I wanted to see Mason. The door was cracked when I made it inside. I pushed it all the way open and stepped into the giant home.

A grand staircase led to the second story of the home. To the right was a dining room where I saw everyone moving around. The smell of food wafted over, and my stomach growled. To the left was a living room with a big TV and gaming consoles.

I stepped into the dining area and noticed Mason first. He was setting the table with Liam and looked up at me immediately. “Hey,” he said. “Glad you could make it.”

“Lucky for you I didn’t have any plans in this hopping town.”

He smiled, while I waved politely at Liam. My nerves grew as Seth and Aaron began to bring enough lasagna and garlic bread out to feed an army.

“Come on inside, Girl,” Seth said. “We won’t bite.”

I begged to differ. Mason seemed good at that, and the thought made me blush. I tucked my hair behind my ear and walked toward an empty chair. I sat down swiftly and Mason sat on one side of me.

I immediately felt safer. It was the oddest thing I’d ever encountered. The pull he had on me.

Jacob came out with two pictures of iced tea and sat them on the table. “I’m impressed,” I said. “All of this smells delicious.”

“We worked on it all afternoon,” Liam said. “We hope you like it.”

Everyone began to make their plates, and Mason took the liberty to make mine for me. I scooped up a bite, feeling everyone’s eyes on me. I took a bite and gave them a thumbs-up. “It’s great. Thank you.”

They seemed relieved.

Clearing my throat, I took a crunchy bite of garlic bread. “So. Why did you invite me over? I can’t imagine it was just to be nice, was it? Am I wrong? I feel like there is something hanging over us and I am the only one that doesn’t know what it is.”

Mason sipped his tea, his gaze on his food while Jacob stared at me from across the table. “Let’s eat and then we can talk.”

Irritation flooded me though I nodded. They chitchatted with each other, asking about The Eagle while I sat on the edge of my seat.

Mason reached over underneath the table and touched my thigh gently. It soothed the ache in my stomach, and I smiled at my food.

I was the last one finished. Pushing my plate away from me, I looked up and met Jacob’s gaze.

“Tell me,” I said, interrupting the side conversations.

Jacob leaned forward and intertwined his fingers on the table. I waited, my heart thumping in my chest.

“Is someone sick?” I asked. “Is it Aunt Tasha?”

“No,” he said, shaking his head. “No one is sick. Everything is fine, but we haven’t been completely honest with you since you arrived. Not out of malice but out of protection.”

I leaned back in my chair, feeling everyone staring at me like I’d grown two heads. “Protection for who? Me or you?”

“Both,” Mason said beside me.

Jacob agreed, sliding his palms up and down his face. “You’re making me really nervous, Jacob. Just tell me. I’m a big girl.”

He sighed. “We were searching in the woods for the monster because we protect this town.”

I lifted a playful eyebrow. This was sounding more and more like the Scooby Doo Club. “Oh, yeah? You’ve taken it upon yourselves to protect the town and you couldn’t tell me that?”

Jacob looked at Mason for several short seconds and Mason nodded. What was going on?

“Our families have passed down a gene that gives us the ability to protect the town.”

“So, you don’t run around with guns shooting blinding into the forest?” I asked, sipping my tea.

“No,” Jacob said. “We…”

“Just tell her,” Seth leaned forward and glared at him.

Jacob growled at him. I watched the exchange carefully. “Did you just growl at him?”

Jacob sighed. “We shift into werewolves, Jessica. We all do.”

I blinked slowly, watching Jacob for any indication of a lie. He didn’t look away like he had at my house. He stared at me with the strangest look on his face.

It was honesty.

I didn’t like it.

Because how on Earth could this be the truth?

I laughed. “Come on, Jacob. I’ve been waiting all night, and this is what you give me? Werewolves.”

He stared. I looked at each of their faces. Either this was one big joke, or they weren’t kidding.

“Well,” I said, sliding my chair away from the table to stand up. “Come on. Show me then, big guy. I want to see this shift.”

Jacob stood slowly along with the other boys. They were all so big, so tall and strong-looking. Jacob led them out of the house and into the night. Mason touched my lower back, escorting me toward the door when I felt the electricity again.

I stopped, my mind racing with every werewolf romance I’d ever read.

Electricity. Werewolves. Strong. Big. A pack. A giant house that they shared.

Suddenly the weight of the world slipped onto my shoulders. My legs felt like rubber as I walked outside with them.

Jacob looked at me and his eyes shifted a golden color in the moonlight.

It was then that I realized none of this was a joke.

I’d landed myself in a group of werewolves.