29

The smell of ozone hit Jackson’s nose. Sharp and crisp. It had been trailing him around town because by and large, the fae operated the town. They were everywhere, as was their smell.

It wasn’t unpleasant, necessarily, but made him homesick for his packlands. He wanted to be surrounded by the scent of the lake and the forest, the fresh-smelling new pups, and juicy barbecue. His mouth watered just thinking about the freshly slathered ribs, the sauce that would drip down his forearms. His stomach rumbled in reply.

“Mara, what do you want for lunch?” Jackson asked, tugging open the trailer door. His packmates told him where to find her and dutifully guarded her trailer door until he could arrive. They lowered their eyes in respect as he passed. He felt horrible that, in his haste, he hadn’t ensured she would be fed. It was a mate’s duty, and it was as ingrained in him as his Alpha status, which was why he felt so strongly about her cooking for him. No matter how much he struggled to remind himself that they were not destined to mate, his body and his wolf didn’t care. He shook his head. The more time he spent around Mara, the less he could find a way to avoid his natural instincts, and he had a horrible feeling that it would only get worse.

Once inside, he froze. Colton Ashby, the fae prince turned ruler of WolfHaven, was reclined on a fold-out chair across from his mate, a giant smile plastered on his perfectly punchable face. Exactly the male he was looking for in exactly the wrong place to find him. Anywhere alone near Jackson’s mate was the wrong place for Colton. If his reputation with women were any more well known, it would’ve bit him in the ass.

Jackson swore under his breath, his wolf suddenly standing at attention. That explained the smell of ozone so strong it made his nose itch.

“Oh thank god you’re back,” Mara groaned. “He’s been talking for twenty minutes straight.” She looked at Colton and cringed. “No offense.”

“None taken, love.”

“Don’t call her that,”

“Don’t call me that,” they said in unison.

Pride rippled through his chest, and Jackson couldn’t stop the smile that tugged the corner of his mouth. Colton’s eyebrows went sky high, his eyes darting from Mara to Jackson as if trying to work out a problem. When those pale eyes fixated on Mara, it pissed Jackson off all over again.

“Listen, buddy, you’re fine and all, but don’t get too comfortable. I don’t know you from a stranger on the street, and knowing Jax only gets you so far,” Mara said firmly, crossing her arms. “Don’t give me any more pet names.

Jackson almost laughed at the ridiculousness of his mate belittling one of the most powerful fae in the country. Except his eyes snagged on the empty takeout on the table.

“You fed her?” he growled, his eyes sharpening with his wolf’s senses. That went against the grain. Another male providing for his mate? No, he wouldn’t allow it.

“I did not,” Colton said, smirking and confused at the same time. The well of rage was stifled by Colton’s knowing expression as he subtly inhaled the air. The male’s eyes turned calculating, flashing lightning bright for a moment.

Shit. Could he smell their bond growing?

“Wait, you didn’t leave it for me?” Mara asked, breaking him out of his panic. “It’s exactly the same order as when we were at the hotel so I just assumed…” Her voice trailed off as they all suddenly considered the empty food containers on the table. Jackson’s stomach dropped, taking a step forward, but Colton was already there.

Jackson linked to his packmates spread throughout the town, ordering them to search for any rogue scents. How long had it been since the rogue was here? He inhaled sharply but the rancid scent from the hotel was absent. A breeze blew through the trailer window and he rumbled in irritation. It had to have been at least a few hours for the thick smell to dissipate under normal circumstances but with a window open, it could’ve been wiped away in thirty minutes or less.

Colton’s hands pressed into Mara’s cheeks, turning her face toward the light. “Do you feel strange at all? Any dizziness or stomach cramping?”

“N-no,” Mara said in a panicked voice.

“Get off of her,” Jackson growled, rounding the table to shove Colton out of the way.

“Would you rather me leave her potentially poisoned? Who the hell failed to check the trailer before entry?”

“My men wouldn’t have ignored protocol, but as you can see, the window is open,” Jackson muttered, pinching his nose.

“What?” She squealed, her skin growing pale. “Do you think that’s how he got in?”

“Your door wasn’t even locked, Ms. Luxe,” Colton said.

“Shut up, you’re scaring her,” he insisted, yanking the pale fae by the arm. “How long ago was it ingested, Mara?”

Her mouth opened and closed, but no sound escaped. She had that horrible frozen expression he’d seen in the hotel room. The one that told him whatever she was reliving made him want to kill something.

“No more than fifteen minutes,” Colton supplied, his tone turning clinical as he began inspecting the trailer. Jackson was on his knees in front of her before he could think better of it.

“It’s alright,” he soothed, running his large hands down her arms and over her trembling thighs. “You would’ve felt something by now. You’re fine. You’re okay. Everything is okay.”

The sound of rustling plastic signaled that Colton was searching the containers for evidence, but Jackson couldn’t move. His instincts wouldn’t let him. Her glassy eyes looked down at him. “You must think I’m such an idiot.”

Her whispered words made the rustling behind Jackson stop. “No one would expect a human to be equipped for—”

Jackson growled loud enough to startle Mara in his lap as the big-mouthed fae had the decency to look chastised. He’d almost shared their most important secrets with a human who was the public face of one of the biggest box office hopefuls.

“I could always—” Colton began, his eyes glowing.

“Absolutely not.” There was no way he was letting anyone glamor his mate to forget unless it was completely unavoidable.

One tear tracked down her face and she was in his lap before he allowed his mind to talk him out of it. She needed his comfort and safety. She needed all the things an Alpha and mate could provide. And as much as Jackson hated to admit it to himself, it felt good to hold her against him. Her warm, soft skin. The gentle breaths she exhaled against his neck. The feeling of rightness that came from providing what his mate needed.

His exhale shuddered out of him. The feeling was unlike anything he’d ever felt before. More fulfilling and calming than letting his wolf run free.

“There’s no scent… or anything else, really. It just seems like perfectly edible… oh, wait…” Colton trailed off, upturning the empty carton that once held the fries. He flipped it to face Jackson, and he could just make out a hasty note scrawled across the bottom.

'See you soon, dove.'

There was no way in hell Mara was staying on set today. He linked to the Delta in charge of driving them today.

“Colt, can you inform one of the set assistants that Mara is taking an early day? I’ve already informed my men to bring a car around. I assume you have some reasonable credentials to present?”

Colton studied them and nodded. He paused, his eyes tracking the way Jackson hugged Mara tighter. “Where can I expect to find you later? I assume we have things to discuss?”

“Yea, Porter told me the news. I guess congra—”

“If you congratulate me on my uncle’s demise, I’m going to make the next few hours of your life a living hell. Old friend or not.”

Jackson hesitated, looking at the woman in his arms. “We’ll save it for later, then. Where do you live, Mara?” He waited for her to get her throat working, and finally, when she told him her address, his stomach rebelled. He looked at Colton, who nodded and left.

“Come on, sweetheart, let’s get you home.”