“You sure you’re ok with me shifting?”, he asks.
“Of course. When was the last time you were able to shift?”, I ask.
“The day of the trials and my wolf is raring to get out a little.”, he says with a boyish smile.
“Oh. I’m sorry Jaymes.”, I apologize, knowing he hasn’t shifted because of me.
“It’s not your fault sweetheart. I’ve been fine. I can go so much longer without shifting but it seemed like a good time. I can be here to protect you if needed and let him run free a little.”
“Well then, shift.”
Jaymeson looks at me again with a smile and the next thing I know, there’s a massive wolf standing where he just was. I hadn’t gotten a chance to really look at his wolf since the two times he’s shifted in front of me, we were defending ourselves in the heat of a fight. When I say he’s massive, think Twilight Jacob massive. His wolf is tall but also broad. He is all black but for the white boots on his paws and the white-tipped ears. He’s beautiful and the complete opposite of the lithe, ash-blonde man. He walks over to me and nudges my side with his snout. I pet him behind the ears, hoping it's ok. I look into the same steel-grey eyes I see in the man every day and then he licks me from chin to forehead, leaving slobber in his wake. His wolf titters at me.
“You think that’s funny?”, I laugh.
His wolf lets out a yip and does a circle. I can actually make out a smile on his face. He nudges me again, this time in the ass to get me moving. He finds the trail that goes around the length of the lake and I begin to jog, him on my heels. We run the entirety of the trail before I collapse on the ground trying to catch my breath. Jaymeson shifts back. Fun fact: Shifters don’t actually shred their clothes when they shift. They can actually shift into and out of those forms just fine. And what a fine form Jaymeson is. Like I said, he and his wolf are perfect opposites. Jaymes is tall but not overly muscled. He’s more lithe like a swimmer or a runner. His wolf is massive but muscular. The coloring is the easiest difference between the two. When he’s in his wolf form, you can feel his confidence and alpha power. In his human form, he’s more reserved.
I truly enjoy watching him be playful. I know he’s a force to be reckoned with but right now, the playfulness in him is making it easier for me to relax after the events of the past two weeks. I walk along the shore of the lake for a few minutes.
“I’m sorry I wasn’t able to protect you during the trials, sweetheart.”, Jaymeson says suddenly from behind me.
“It wasn’t your fault, Jaymes. It wasn’t anyone’s fault.”, I tell him while lying a hand on his arm.
He takes my hand in his and links his with mine. We walk together for a bit and then head back. Instead of running, we leisurely walk the path through the woods enjoying nature in all its beauty. It is beautiful here. The fog that sits in the mountains gives them a somewhat eerie look, like smoke rolling in over the peaks. That must be where they get their names, and I can see why supernaturals would feel at home here, why grandfather decided to build the academy here.
“You’re my mate.”, Jaymeson blurts. “Sorry, that wasn’t very tactful was it?”
“It’s ok. I know we’re mates, hun. I’ve just been trying to let things happen naturally. I didn’t know how you felt about it since you haven’t really talked a lot.”
“Yeah, I’m not very good at this relationship thing. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t apologize to me Jaymeson. I get it. And I think your shyness is adorable. The other guys are kind of larger than life you know. Trent is the jokester. Asher is the asshole. Bentley is, well Bentley is complicated and you? You are the one that grounds them all. You give them perspective. I’m still trying to determine where I fit.”
“You’re our heart. You give all our lives meaning.” he tells me and I laugh.
“I’m serious, sweetheart. Before you, we were just council heirs, broken pieces. After graduation, we’d all be going our separate ways not knowing if we’d remain friends or if council duties and those of our races would divide us. With you, we all now have the same thing, the same person to fight for. We’ve always been linked but you are the glue that will hold us together.”
I turn my face away. He’s giving me way too much credit. He puts his fingers under my chin and raises my face to his. Our lips meet in a sweet, slow kiss. I’ve never been kissed like this. Jaymeson puts all his emotions into this kiss and I can feel his love for me pouring through his lips to mine. When he releases me, he has a soft smile on his face and he takes my hand again.
“I won’t rush our bond. I’ll wait for as long as you need me to.”, he says. And with those words, he leads me back to the house hand in hand.
Chapter 6: Jaymeson
Once the words were out of my mouth, I knew I’d never be able to take them back. I didn’t want to. I meant everyone. This woman was something special and entirely unexpected. I can feel her emotions, I don’t know if it’s a wolf thing or the bond, but I’m not hating it. She feels rushed to take us all as mates so I told her I’d wait as long as she needed. It will likely kill me but I will do what she needs. My wolf growls. He doesn’t like the idea of waiting. When I told Reegan I needed to shift for exercise, I wasn’t lying. Not really. I just left out a small part. My wolf was hounding me. He wanted me to shift so he could see for himself that Reegan was ok.
He loved when she pet his ears and laughed at his antics. He felt like a pup again. I’ve dwelt on nothing else than my job as the future alpha, the council heir, for too long. Reegan makes me want to be more. I never really wanted to be the Alpha. I swore it would be my brother that gained that spot from our father but now I understand why I was born so much stronger than he was. I was born for Reegan. I was born to help her with whatever the future held for her. If she fights, I fight. If she hurts, the Creator help the person that causes it. If she cries, I will be the shoulder she uses as comfort, the arms that hold her steady. I will be what she needs.
I have a phone call to make when we get back to the house so I excuse myself to go grab my phone. As the future alpha of the pack, I have to let my dad meet my mate. I need to make the arrangements now. Marcus said he believes that Reegan’s parents are in Colorado so that’s where we start looking. I know she wants to go now but Marcus was right. We need to keep up pretenses for now. It won’t come as a surprise when we go over break to visit my pack. That should keep Senior off our trail a little.
My father was very receptive to a visit from us all. He is excited to meet my mate. I explain to him that we are waiting until break since this is Reegan’s first year at the academy. I don’t mention her parents as I’m not sure if their phones are safe from prying ears. I relay this all to Marcus who says he will make the travel arrangements. With that handled I go in search of my mate and my brothers.
I find them all in the game room surrounding the television as Reegan learns how to play Need for Speed. I take a seat behind her on the floor. She leans back into me and tries to hand me the controller. I refuse it but give her pointers on switching gears and modifying her car. Once that game is done, the boys pull up Call of Duty. Reegan really picked up on the controls quickly and by the end of the match she has kicked everybody but Asher’s ass.