Share
Chapter 27
Related chapters
Wolfbane Chapter 28
LUKE After I returned home, I was thrown right back into pack life and training. Blake and I followed the same training schedule as the warriors. Most warriors had to train ten to thirty-two hours and patrol eight to forty hours a week, depending on their seniority and rank. Because we were to become the alpha and beta, Blake and I were exempt from patrol duty. However, that didn’t mean a single day off for either of us. We were forced to sit with our fathers in the packhouse office, getting the last bit of wisdom crammed into us before the alpha ceremony took place in just days. Alpha James was eager to retire and move out of the packhouse—thank Goddess for that. He had always been a brute and showed no sign of changing in his old age. It would be nice to finally be able to work or eat dinner without listening to his appalling and vulgar opinions. I have no idea how my dad put up with him all those years. My dad was a nice, decent guy. When I’d asked him about it in the past, he had
Wolfbane Chapter 29
JASMINE On Sunday night, my parents and I were seated farther back than usual at the temple service, having gotten there later than normal that day. Partway through, the priest welcomed Luke back to the pack and invited Luke and Blake to join him at the front where they helped him lead a chant. It had been two years since I’d seen Luke in person. He had filled out and was much more muscular now than I had remembered. However, he still had that pretty boy, movie star handsome face, contrasted to Blake’s much more mature appearance. I looked between the two of them, wondering which one I preferred. They were both good-looking in their own ways. However, thinking about Luke made my chest ache. I was still very attracted to him and felt something drawing me to him, as if I should go stand beside him. While I had a steady, ceaseless longing throughout the years, it was somehow more powerful now that I was seeing him in person. My heart raced in my chest while my stomach did somersaults. I
Wolfbane Chapter 30
BLAKE After the service, we went back to the packhouse to sit down for dinner at the kitchen table. Connie had Sundays and Mondays off, so my mom fried up some bacon and put out ingredients to make sandwiches for my father, Luke, herself, and me. Luke grabbed a banana out of the fruit bowl to make his weird favorite sandwich. I, myself, preferred something meaty like roast beef. “So, Luke, I heard you’ll be leading some of the training sessions at the elementary school in the fall.” My mom looked over at Luke. “That’s right. I’ve volunteered to lead training for the young pups in the mornings before lunch, and I’ll be taking college courses in the afternoon twice a week, managing beta duties the rest of the week. Then I’ll be doing my own training in the evenings, three times a week.” “Sounds like a busy schedule. Any time left to spend with your girlfriend?” Luke eyes shot up, wide open, his mouth agape, practically gasping. Clearly his girlfriend was not something he was open ab
Wolfbane Chapter 31
BLAKE It was finally the day of the ceremony. My father was clearly anxious because he was ready to bite the head off anyone in his vicinity. He was barking orders at all of the event staff. My mom tried, unsuccessfully, to calm him. My poor mom, always putting herself in his way to spare others. She looked beautiful in a long navy gown. My mom had always been very pretty, with long brown hair and a tall, slim frame. She was now allowing her hair to gray naturally. It was about half gray now and done up in an elegant chignon for today’s event. I went over to kiss her cheek. She pulled me into a hug and said, “Good luck today, honey. I’m really proud of you, and I know you will do great as alpha of our pack.” Luke and his parents arrived shortly before we were to go on stage for the ceremony. It wouldn’t take long, but the whole pack was here, and the event would be projected on big screens so everyone could witness it. The priest of the temple would be leading the ceremony. He was a
Wolfbane Chapter 32
JASMINE My twentieth birthday was three days after the alpha ceremony. It was the perfect fall day—the trees in northern Vermont had turned into a palette of red, orange, and yellow, and the weather had now cooled. I had the day off from work and spent it on schoolwork. It wasn’t a very exciting birthday, but I wanted to be sure I stayed ahead in school. At four in the afternoon, while my parents were at work, I heard the doorbell chime. descended the stairs to the first floor and looked out the window to see that Blake was waiting on the doorstep. I took a deep breath and opened the door, wondering why he was here. “Happy birthday.” He smiled, engulfing me in a hug. I patted his back, unsure of his presence and confused by how he was acting as if he hadn’t ignored my existence for three weeksbefore he bumped into me at the gym. Four if we included the past week, especially after having been so intimate and confessing his secrets to me. I felt a pang in my heart, hurt by how he expe
Wolfbane Chapter 33
JASMINE I could see in my peripheral vision that Lucy was looking between us, completely unaware of what we were experiencing: a gravitational force pulling us toward each other. I suddenly wished I could mindlink in my human form, not wanting to create drama at my birthday party. After a few moments, I was surprised that a mindlink from Luke was able to come through. “Jasmine, please don’t say anything. We need to talk about this.” I looked at him, surprised that he was able to mindlink me not being in his wolf form. “I can mindlink in both forms now that I’m beta of the pack.” Drawing me out of my trance, Luke finally spoke out loud. “Nice to see you, Jasmine. Happy birthday.” He reached to give me a hug, spreading sparks and calm throughout my whole body. I was amazed at the feeling he caused, and he smelled so good—his divine and sensual scent much stronger now than what I had remembered. I didn’t want to leave the comfort of his arms, feeling like I couldn’t get close enough
Wolfbane Chapter 34
JASMINE As soon as I entered my house, my parents rushed over to encompass me in hugs. I stayed strong and kept the tears at bay, and told them I wasn’t hungry after having eaten at my party. They still forced me to have birthday cake with them. I humored them, putting on a plastered smile as they sang Happy Birthday. I blew out the single candle my mom had placed on top, not bothering to even think of a wish, still devastated from the one I'd made earlier that day. I had to find the strength to act normal as I made strained conversation with them, wanting to be anywhere but there. This had to be the worst birthday I’d ever had. After I was finally excused from the table, I rushed up into my room and shut the door, so many emotions flooding me. My limbs were weak and strangled sobs kept forcing themselves out as I struggled to steady my aching heart. How did I end up in this situation? Succumbing to the dizziness from overthinking everything, I collapsed onto my bed. I stared up at
Wolfbane Chapter 35
JASMINE Before long, Blake appeared and sat down next to me. “I know I asked you to text me when you were ready to celebrate your birthday with me, but I didn’t think it would be so soon. Won’t lie though, if I knew I could celebrate with me and my body, I wouldn’t want to wait either.” “This is serious,” I replied. His eyes searched mine. “Tell me.” “I found my mate.” “You did? Why do you look so upset then? Where is he? And why are you with me instead of him right now?” “My mate doesn’t want me.” “I don’t believe that for a second. What kind of idiot wouldn’t want you?” I choked out, “My mate is Luke.” “Luke? Like my beta, Luke?” “Yes.” “Your mate’s my best friend and beta, Luke Hemming?” “Yes.” “Well, shit. That’s a plot twist.” He took a seat next to me, his shoulders slumping. “And you never realized he was your mate until today?” I looked into his eyes, and if I didn’t know better, he almost seemed sad, his brows furrowed and the corners of his eyes downturned. “He
Latest chapter
