Chapter 144
Jackson's POV
The next few days became a blur of logistics. Ellie and I spent every spare moment moving essentials from our dorms, setting up the house, and figuring out how to tell our friends.
The house itself was perfect—a renovated Craftsman-style home with hardwood floors, a modern kitchen, and most importantly, excellent security. Miles had it retrofitted with reinforced doors, impact-resistant windows, and a safe room in the basement disguised as a storage closet.
"Overkill much?" Ellie muttered when he showed us the panic room features.
"Hopefully," Miles agreed. "But if Caleb brings pack muscle, you'll want somewhere to hole up until I can get there."
The basement training space was Ellie's domain. She'd ordered mats, a heavy bag, and some specialized equipment that I suspect she researched specifically for teaching wolves to control shifted strength. Watching her take ownership of the space—our space—made something settle in my chest.
This was right. Challenging Caleb was right. Protecting what mattered was right.
Now I just had to survive the actual training to make it count.
---
On Saturday night, Ellie invited her roommates over for the "reveal." I did the same with Ryan and Jake, plus a few other close friends. The house was mostly furnished now, looking almost domestic—throw pillows on the couch, kitchen stocked with actual food, and Ellie had even hung some framed photos in the hallway.
Lily arrived first with Ryan, their fingers intertwined in that newly-official-couple way. She took one look around and squealed. "Oh my god, you guys are living together! Like, actually cohabitating!"
"Don't make it weird," Ellie said, but she was smiling.
"It's totally weird!" Lily bounced on her toes. "In a good way! This place is gorgeous!" She turned to Ryan. "See? This is what I'm talking about. Grown-up furniture, actual kitchen appliances—"
"Our dorms have kitchen appliances," Ryan protested.
"A microwave and a mini-fridge don't count."
Megan arrived moments later, immediately gravitating toward the windows. "The natural light in here is incredible. And is that a dishwasher?" She turned to Ellie with mock solemnity. "I'm officially jealous."
Jake showed up last, carrying a six-pack of craft beer and looking vaguely panicked. "Okay, so Brianna texted me 'hey stranger' with a winky face, and I have no idea what that means. Is she mad? Is she flirting? Why is there a winky face?"
"It means she wants you to text her back, you absolute walnut," Megan said, already pulling out her phone. "Here, let me see the conversation."
While Megan coached Jake through the intricacies of emoji interpretation, Ryan wandered over to examine the security panel by the front door. "This seems... extensive. Expecting a zombie apocalypse?"
"The landlord was really into home security," I said quickly. "We just kept what was already here."
"Uh-huh." Ryan's expression suggested he didn't quite buy it, but he let it slide. "Well, at least if the zombie apocalypse does happen, we know where to hide."
"Damn right you will," Ellie said, emerging from the kitchen with glasses. "I'm not surviving the apocalypse without my people."
Lily gasped. "Did you just call us your people? Ellie, that's so sweet!"
"I take it back. You're all terrible."
"Too late!" Megan grinned. "It's on record now. We're officially your people."
Jake looked up from his phone, where Megan had apparently crafted a response. "Wait, did I miss something emotional?"
"Always," Ryan said, draping an arm around Lily's shoulders. "You're genuinely the most oblivious person I know."
"Hey, I figured out Brianna liked me!"
"After she literally drew you a picture with hearts on it," Lily pointed out.
"I thought she was just being artistic!"
The easy banter continued as everyone explored the house. Megan found the basement training space and immediately started planning which corner would have the best light for her photography. Lily discovered the guest room and declared it "perfect for sleepovers when Ryan's being annoying."
"I'm standing right here," Ryan said.
"I know. That's why I said it."
Jake gravitated toward the kitchen, impressed by the actual counter space. "Dude, you could fit like, three people in here at once. That's wild."
"I know, right?" I followed him in. "Ellie's already planning to actually cook real food instead of surviving on dining hall meals."
"Living the dream." He paused. "Seriously though, man—this is big. You guys seem really happy."
"We are." And despite all the complicated, dangerous reasons behind this move, that part was completely true.
Ryan pulled me aside while everyone else migrated toward the living room, where Megan was now giving Jake a full tutorial on text flirting. "Seriously though—this is big. You're sure about this?"
"Very sure."
"And the mysterious family business you keep disappearing for?"
"Still complicated," I admitted. "But this—" I gestured toward where Ellie was laughing with Lily and Megan, her eyes bright and unguarded "—this is what matters."
Ryan studied me for a moment, and I could see him weighing whether to push harder. Finally, he clapped my shoulder. "Okay. But for the record, when you're ready to tell us what's really going on, we're here. All of us."
I know. And I wish I could.
---
The celebration lasted until midnight. As everyone left, hugging us goodbye and making jokes about "playing house," I felt the weight of the decision settle fully. This was real now. Public. Official.
Ellie and I stood in the doorway, watching our friends pile into cars and Ubers. When the last set of taillights disappeared, she turned to me.
"No going back now."
"Don't want to go back," I said honestly.
She leaned into my side, and I wrapped an arm around her shoulders. The street was quiet, peaceful. The kind of normal moment I'd been craving.
My phone buzzed. Miles.
M: Tomorrow, 4 AM. We're working on combat projection—teaching you how to suppress another wolf's transformation through sheer Alpha presence. Bring your resolve and your pain. You'll need both.
I typed back: Ready.
Ellie didn't ask what the message said. She didn't have to—she felt my posture change, the shift from relaxed to focused.
"Moon's waxing," she observed quietly, looking up at the sky. In another week, it would be full—when both Caleb and I would be at peak strength. When a challenge would be most likely.
"I'll be ready," I promised. Not just to her, but to myself. To my father's memory. To the responsibility I'd been running from for years.
We went inside and locked the door—new deadbolts, new codes, new life. Ellie went to check the security system one more time while I stood in our living room, taking it all in.
This was my line in the sand. My stand against Caleb, against Lennox's theft of my father's legacy, against everyone who thought I'd just keep hiding.
Upstairs, I heard Ellie moving around, settling into our shared space. Our home. Our choice.
Caleb wanted to play games? Fine. But he'd soon learn that Jackson Wilson wasn't some scared kid anymore.
I was done running.