Chapter 22

Jax

She’s looking at my lips, and without realizing it, she’s leaning in—just a breath away from kissing me. I hear her sharp intake of breath just before our lips meet. A rush of electricity shoots through me.

All thoughts evaporate from my mind, leaving only one: Hayley’s lips.

The way she gently moves her lips against mine, so shy and tender, sends me spiraling. I’m lost in a sea of ecstasy and desire. Pure, unadulterated desire.

I cradle her face in my hands, pulling her closer. Hayley’s lips are soft and full against my own, which are rough and dry.

“Jax,” she whispers. As she sighs, I run my tongue over her bottom lip, parting them. My body feels alive, like it’s on fire.

I’ve never felt this way before, but I never want it to stop.

My instincts take over, and I lose all control. I’m wrestling with the urge to claim my mate, right here, right now, but I manage to resist, for now.

I grip her hips, pulling her closer until there’s no space left between our bodies. Her hair brushes against my arms, sending a shiver down my spine, fueling the fire.

Our lips move together, as if we’ve done this a thousand times before. Our chests are pressed together as I thread my fingers through her hair.

She places her small hands on my chest, clutching my shirt. I tease her with my tongue before slowly pulling away.

A soft whimper escapes her lips, as if she’s already missing the feel of my lips on hers.

I keep my eyes closed, savoring the moment and feeling a wave of gratitude for having Hayley as my mate. I breathe in her quick exhale, keeping it for myself.

Nothing in my life has ever been as good as this moment, but I hope there are many more like it to come.

I love Hayley, and I’m never letting her go. With love, there’s no right way, or time, or place. That’s what makes it special—you can make it your own.

As I slowly open my eyes, I find her eyes waiting for me. She gently cups my face in her hand.

I’ve never felt so exposed before—it’s a strange feeling, but I think I could get used to it.

Our moment is interrupted by Dimitri. “Alpha, the pack is worried. They want to know what’s happening and why they're in danger.

“I’m doing my best to keep things under control, but it’s getting out of hand.”

My moment of vulnerability is over, and I’m back to being Alpha. “Okay, Dimitri. Hang in there, I’m on my way. Call a meeting for the usual attendees, i.e.

“the warriors, elders, etcetera, but try to keep it quiet. I don’t want the council hearing about this until I have more information.”

“Understood, Alpha,” he says before I end the link.

“I’m sorry, baby, but I have to go—duty calls,” I chuckle. Hayley gives me a confused look at my terrible joke, which only makes her look more adorable. “Don’t worry, kitten. Let’s go meet up with Axton.”

Hayley bites her bottom lip, something she always does when she’s thinking about saying something.

“Hayley, baby, what do you want to say?”

“Can I see Lily? I want to make sure... she's okay and... play with her,” she says, her eyes sparkling and a big grin on her face. I don’t think she’s ever been this happy to see me, I joke to myself.

“Of course, I’ll ask Axton to see if Lily is available. You two are the perfect duo,” I say, taking her small hand in mine and helping her to her feet.

I quickly mindlink Axton the plan, and he replies immediately that he’s on his way.

Hayley’s hair is tousled in a sexy way, and a beautiful blush is spread across her face. She’s stunning.

We walk downstairs slowly, hand in hand, completely consumed by the mate bond. When we reach the outside, Axton and Lily are already there waiting for us.

“You got here fast,” I say.

“Yeah, Lily and I were just hanging out in the playroom together,” he says, winking at her playfully. She giggles in response.

“I’ll fill you in later tonight, so don’t worry about missing the meeting.” After a few awkward seconds, I say, “Right, I’ve got to go.

“You’re in charge,” I tease, talking to Lily, as I ruffle her curly blonde hair. I quickly glance at Axton to make sure he knows he’s really in charge.

I bend down to Hayley’s level and whisper, “I’ll see you tonight,” before placing a soft kiss on the side of her neck. She holds her breath as I pull away, and a small smirk spreads across my face.

I give my mate one last look before heading back inside the packhouse to the meeting room.

As I walk in, I see my mother rushing towards me.

“Jax, baby! Is everything okay? Why were we under attack?” she asks, worry in her voice.

“Don’t worry, Mum. Everything is under control,” I say, my Alpha authority clear in my voice.

“I know you do, honey, without a doubt.” She pauses for a second before asking what she really wants to know.

“So, how have you been?” Before I can answer, she answers her own question, “I heard through the grapevine that you found your mate. Oh, honey, that’s wonderful news.

“I wish you would have told me, but I understand. When you first find your mate, you tend to stay in the bedroom for at least a week,” she winks.

She takes a quick breath before continuing, “When your father and I found each other, we didn’t leave the bedroom for over a month!”

Before my mom can dive into the nitty-gritty of her romantic escapades with my dad, I cut her off. “Mom, I really don’t need to hear about when you guys...you know...did it. And besides, it’s different with Hayley.”

“We’re taking our own path. And even when Hayley and I do get intimate, I won’t be sharing the details with you.”

I can see the confusion on her face. Most couples would have been intimate on their first day together, but Hayley and I aren’t most couples. And that’s not a bad thing.

Instead of voicing her questions, she raises her hands in a playful surrender. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” she says.

There’s a brief pause, then she casually asks, “So...when am I getting a grandpup?” This woman has no filter.

I shake my head, still reeling from her bluntness, while Aaron howls in agreement with her words...

Hayley

I’m still in shock. I just had my first kiss. My first real, consensual kiss. Someone loves me. Do I love Jax? Can I love Jax?

I’ve never been on the receiving end of love, so can I even give it? I don’t know what it’s supposed to feel like, or what I’m supposed to do.

I feel lost. There’s no guidebook for this, but maybe that’s okay. Maybe I’m not supposed to have all the answers. Maybe we're supposed to figure this out together.

Even though Jax isn’t here, I can still feel the tingles. I can’t get enough of this. Having a mate is so much better than I ever imagined.

But then, my anxiety starts to creep in, overshadowing my happiness. It takes the happiest moment of my life and turns it into dust.

What if he doesn’t really love me? What if he’s just using me for information? No. Jax wouldn’t do that... but what about his pack? They might not be as understanding. They might want to kill me.

That would cause a rift in the pack, leaving everyone vulnerable. Jax would have to choose between me and his pack. I don’t want to know what he would choose.

My heart can’t handle it.

One enemy down, an entire pack to go.

I push my anxiety to the back of my mind, deciding to deal with it later.

My thoughts drift back to Jax and our kiss. Those lips. Those perfect, sexy lips. He seemed to know what he was doing, which is both good and bad.

But either way, it was magical because it was with him. Anything with Jax feels magical. I’d gladly relive that moment over and over.

I’m snapped back to reality when I feel a tug on my jeans. Looking down, I see Lily. “Why is your face so red?” she asks.

I freeze, unsure of what to say. Finally, I mumble, “Because... it’s hot today,” trying to cool my flushed face as I think about my sexy mate...