Chapter 23

**Zoe** 

After helping Beth and Rebecca prepare the food for tonight’s barbecue, I make my way upstairs to find something to wear. I also want to take a shower; I have been sweating all day.

My three babysitters follow me as well. Dustin stands outside my door like he always does. I expect Max and Ryker to do the same thing, but to my surprise, they do not. Ryker stands inside my room. Max, on the other hand, comes in and makes himself at home.

I walk into the closet to get some clothes when I hear Jackson tell Ryker and Max to leave. I walk back into our room, and before I can say anything, he wraps his arms around my waist and lifts me up. I instinctively wrap my legs around his body.

A giggle escapes my mouth. “Miss me,” I say to him as he nuzzles my neck. He nips at my mark, causing a moan to escape my mouth. Then he chuckles and says, “You missed me too.”

I laugh again and tell him I need a bath to get ready for the party. He gives me his mischievous smile and says, “Hmm, what a coincidence. I need a bath, too.”

Do you want to take a bath with me? I ask as he walks us into the bathroom.

“Do not worry; I will make sure you clean for the party,” He says with a wink. I playfully smack him on the chest, but he acts like I just took his favorite toy away. “Hey, that’s not fair!” he protests, his eyes wide with mock. I could not help the laugh that left me; the look on his face was just downright colorized. He stops, sits me on the counter, and looks at me. He has the biggest smile as if he is now in paradise. He grabs my chin and says, “I wanna hear that laugh every day for the rest of my life.

Our bath is a peaceful moment; Jackson lovingly washes me and wraps me in an oversize bath towel, then carries me to bed. I was grateful that we took a break, as I was still feeling the effects of last night. Despite my enjoyment, I needed a rest, and Jackson, understanding this, didn’t push. The more time I spend with him, the more I see his incredible kindness. He’s always looking out for me, asking about my well-being and ensuring my happiness.

As I lay on the bed looking at my mate, I am lost in my own thoughts about how hot he is. He is just so sexy, and I wanna eat him up.

“I was thinking the same thing,” Jackson says to me.

I mentally face-palm myself and chastise my wolf for not reminding me that our mind link is open. Before I can even think, Jackson is on top of me, kissing me.

“ I want to taste you” Jackson says.

My cheeks turn red in embarrassment. I….. I um… I am trying to find my words when Jackson kisses me genitally again before looking me in the eyes and saying, “We do not have to do anything you are uncomfortable with. But you will enjoy it.” He winks at me as he pushes up off me.

I feel like a prude; I do not know why I got so freaked out over it. I was going to try to talk to Katelynn about it. I knew what they did; I just did not know what I was supposed to do. What if I did something wrong and messed everything up? What if I ruined it, and he did not want to ever have sex with me again.

“That will never happen, but talk to your sister,” he says in a husky voice next to my ear.

I say as he walks out of the room laughing, “This mind link is going to be the death of me. “I am enjoying it, however.

I dress casually. I choose leggings and a graphic T that I brought with me from home, and I grab my Converse. Unlike everyone, when we shift, I do not have to take my clothes off.

This importation was shocking to Jackson and Cole when I told them. They said they had never heard of that before. Cole joked that it would save a lot of money on clothes. I laughed at that one, too. I remember when we first found out that we all were werewolves. Tyler and Ryker, the hot-headed brothers, would shift whenever they got angry, they had no control over their wolves, and they went through a lot of clothes. Katelynn, our level-headed friend, kept telling them they needed to get their anger in check. It was a tough time, but thankfully, they finally got their wolves under control.

As I head downstairs, I find myself thinking about Aliza and Katelynn. I’ve spent most of the day with Aliza, helping her with her chores. She’s been venting about how overprotective Danny is about her pregnancy, and I can’t help but chuckle at the thought of him carrying her everywhere. She jokes, “Laugh all you want, I hear Alpha are worse.” It’s a perspective I’ve never considered, as I’ve never really thought about having kids. I’m not even sure if Jackson wants kids. We’ve never really talked about the future.

The backyard is a sight to behold, set up with an awe-inspiring beauty. Bouquets of fall flowers adorn all the tables, lights hang down like stars in the night sky, and a dance stage is set up with lights and flowers wrapped around the pillars and the roof. It’s a truly magical sight that I can’t help but admire.

Our food setup is a success. We’ve arranged tables to serve all the food in a buffet-style barbecue. The fall-colored tablecloths and the fake fall flowers scattered throughout the tables between the food add a touch of elegance. It’s a sight that brings a sense of satisfaction and contentment.

As I make my way to the playground, I spot Katelynn and Aliza chatting by the swings. The kids are having a blast on the play structure. Johnny is being the perfect dad, helping Piper conquer the monkey bars, while Junior has somehow convinced Danny to give him a push on the swings. It’s a heartwarming sight, seeing the kids and adults enjoying each other’s company.

Two hands envelop my waist, sending a surge of electricity through my body. His kiss on my neck, a whisper of beauty, ignites a romantic tension. The world around us fades, leaving only our shared moment.

“Get a room,” I hear Katelynn say.

Amidst our romantic moment, Tyler’s unexpected arrival breaks the spell with a playful ‘Ewwe.’ His interruption, though unwelcome, adds a touch of light-heated banter to the scene.

Jackson laughs and winks at me.

“We can go back to our room.”

As I push his chest, I am sure my cheeks are tomato red. He grabs my hand and kisses my palm, and everyone around us laughs.

The sound of laughter fills the air as Max, Piper, and Junior play. Their joy is infectious, and I find myself laughing too. I turn to Jackson, the love of my life, and ask, ‘Do you want kids?’

He smiles as he watches the kids. “Yes,” he says, “but not until you are ready.” We all stand there, basking in the joyous atmosphere, until we are told dinner is done.

After dinner, the girls and I retreated to some chairs by the playground to have some wine. The guys had joined the kids; they even got Eric and Chris in the game of monster tag. Watching Jackson with the kids sent a warm feeling through my body. He seemed so relaxed and in his natural element. I started picturing him and me having our kids. It was a moment of shared warmth and connection, a feeling that we were all part of something special.

I was brought out of my thoughts by my sister Katelynn.

“So, how was your first time at the new restaurant?” my sister Katelynn asked me, a mischievous glint in her eye.

I am sure my face was red as I shrieked Katelynn’s name. I could not believe she had just asked me that.

Beth follows up with, “Hun, we are all women, and we are doing it; there is nothing to be embarrassed about.”

Katelynn, perhaps feeling the wine, giggled and said, “I do not have two kids for no reason.” Her comment, delivered with a hint of mischief, sparked laughter among us all. It was a moment of shared humor that added to the warmth and connection we all felt.

We all laugh, and Aliza throws in a me-to-me as she rubs her belly.

I look down at my hands and fiddle with my wine glass. Jackson wants to go down there, and I do not know how I feel about it. I do not know much about it. I mean, I know what it is, but I do not know much more about it.

Beth pats my leg and says, “oh sweetheart”

Before she can finish, Katelynn, who is now clearly buzzed, oh girl, goes for it. It will be the best thing ever.

I am nervous about being so exposed before him.

Erica interrupts and says, “Hun, if you can think about your body, why is he doing that?” He is not doing it right.

We all erupt into laughter again, and this time we see the guys watching us. I swear, I think Jackson was listening to us cause he winked at me and gave me that sexy smile he does.

Johnny walks over and takes Katelynn’s wine glass, and we all keep laughing as she pouts at him. He tells her he is going to put the kids down before the run.

He hands Tyler the wine and tells him to watch his sister.

Tyler says, “Can I have the kids instead.”

I can not contain the laugh that leaves my body. Jackson raises an eyebrow at me, and Ryker takes my wine glass away.

I followed everyone over to the staging area, where everyone was already getting ready to shift. I quickly change into my white wolf. She is bursting with excitement to run; this is the first time she will be with her mate. I know white wolves are rare, which is why everyone is looking at me, but it makes me uncomfortable. I hear Jackson growl as everyone looks elsewhere and gets ready to run. Jackson walks over to me; my wolf is like a love-struck schoolgirl. She starts rubbing on Jackson like she is in heat.

“You are beautiful,” I hear Jackson say through the mind link.

I apologize for my wolf, which gets me a growl from my wolf and Aries.

Jackson chuckles, “It’s normal,” he says. Wolves, even females, are territorial. She puts her scent on my wolf so everyone knows that I belong to you.

With a howl from Jackson, we are off, running and jumping through the forest. My wolf, in a joyous mood, playfully looks at Aries, gives him a come-get-me look, and takes off. The playful interaction between us is a testament to our bond, a joyous dance in the moonlit forest.

“Oh, someone wants to play,” I hear Jackson say in my head.

“Come get me,” I say.

I push myself faster, trying to get away from him. I should have known that wouldn’t work cause he came from nowhere and tackled me to the ground, pushing his body weight on me and nipping at my neck. My wolf is in heaven; she is ready to submit when I tell her we can not give up that easily. I stop struggling; Jackson thinks I am submitting, so he lifts some of his weight off me, just enough that I can slide out from under him and take off. After a few more escapes, I think Aries is letting Athena get away now.

We reach the lake, where most of the pack have gathered for a drink. We are all lying around, mind-linking each other, when the alarm goes off and the mind link comes through. ‘Rogues, Alpha, we have Rogues on the land,’ a border patrol tells Jackson. Jackson starts barking orders; he tells Max and Dustin to get the women to the pack house, and Ryker is summoned to help. All available guards are to follow him to the border. I watch my mate run off, a surge of worry and love filling my heart, unsure if I’ll see him again. Our bond, tested by the impending danger, only grows stronger.