It was after six o'clock in the evening when the whole pack assembled at the Lovell residence. The boys' dad came back earlier in the day, but they hadn't seen him until now. There were about forty men gathered in the living room when Zach and Jacob came downstairs. Most they recognized, but some looked new to the pack. Their dad and his beta, Luke, who was Marshall's dad, were standing in the front of the room, speaking with two other elders. Adam and his smaller group were off to one side, waiting for the meeting to begin. The conversation between his father and the elders stopped as soon as the boy's presence was noted."What's going on?" Jacob was always the first to speak. Although they'd been taught not to talk to the alpha, beta, or elders while gathered as a pack, unless a conversation was initiated with them, Jacon constantly pushed the buttons for confrontation.Their father gave Jacob a warning look, and he took a step backward away from the group. "Zach, yo

Jacob made it back home after the whole pack had finally left. He knew he'd have to answer questions from his dad and brothers, but that was the least of his problems. He quickly changed back into human form and grabbed the stash of clothes always available in the pool house. He crept alongside the shrubs and peeked in the windows of the main home. His father, Adam, and Zach were seated in the family room, waiting for him to return.'It's now or never. Might as well get this over.'Jacob opened the front door and knew he was going to get summoned in...three...two...one."Jacob, get in here now," his father bellowed out in a tone that shook the windows.As soon as Jacob got into the room, his father was in his face. "You have some questions to answer." His father grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and pushed him over toward the sofa. "Sit." He ordered, and Jacob obliged with attitude as he plopped himself down on the cou

Alex went over to Madison's house after school to get ready for the game and dance. The game started at seven, and the dance was being held from nine until eleven-thirty. Since it was a casual dance, the girls decided to wear skinny jeans and fitted T-shirts. They all had gone to the mall together last weekend and picked out similar attire to wear for the night. Each had classic colored skinny jeans, but Madison's shirt color was a deep dark blue, Alex's was bright pink, and Emily's was a midnight black, which they all said looked great on her porcelain skin coloring and dark-colored hair."Hey, what time is Zach picking you up?" Madison questioned Emily as soon as she answered her phone."Um, I think around six-thirty. Why?" Emily was a little nervous about Zach picking her up, meeting her aunt Maureen, and being in the car with him all by herself. They had time to talk alone before, like going to class together and at lunch, but this was like the actual first time th

Madison and Alex came running up and gave Emily a quick hug. "Guess Mr. Lovell here," Alex linked her arm through with Zach's, "had all your attention, and you couldn't remember about us lowly people." Alex jokingly hung her head, awaiting sympathy."No. I...just..." Emily stuttered. She tried to find an excuse as to why she didn't call.Zach came up beside her and put his arm around her shoulders. "Hey, she can't help it if she finds my company and presence more interesting than yours." He stuck his tongue out at Madison and Alex.Both girls started laughing."Oh yeah, Zach, you're so irresistible. You're as hot as..." Madison tried to think of the cute guy that played in the last movie she and Alex had seen. She looked behind the others and saw one person that could ruin her whole night. "Jacob.""I knew it. I knew it." Danny started to bounce on his toes. "I knew you had the hots for him.""No. He's behind you." Madison pointed to Jacob,

The group danced together until the band decided to take a ten-minute break. Zach took Emily by the hand and led her over to where they had the refreshments set out. "Having fun?" he asked as he handed her a cup of the fruit punch one of the chaperones was distributing.Emily took a big drink and nodded yes to Zach's question, which earned a big smile from him. She was having a fantastic time with everyone. Well, one boy in particular. His eyes never left her, like he was totally mesmerized by her presence. She felt the same way about him. It was such a natural feeling of always wanting to watch, be beside, or touch the other in any sort of way."How about you?" Emily questioned him after she got down the last swallow of punch.He nodded in agreement and was about to say something when the band broke out into another song. This time it was by the girl singer.Madison grabbed Emily's hand and pulled her to the dance floor. All three girls turned and starte