Jacob woke up and looked around the room. He was confused as to where he was, then remembered he’d spent the night at Madison’s house. The clock on her wall read that it was almost six-thirty in the morning. Madison was still curled up in a little ball in front of him, looking oh-so peaceful as she slept.
This was one of the best night sleeps he’d gotten in a while and he was feeling quite energetic. He traced his hand down her cheek, onto her neck, and skimmed the length of her body. He watched as she shifted and stretched out fully, lying on her back. Her stomach was bare from her shirt rising and his fingers automatically started to make small circles, causing her back to arch upward. The couple didn’t waste any time, as they undressed each other.
“Good morning,” Jacob whispered in her ear as Madison lay on his chest, completely exhausted from their five-minute cardio workout.
“Can’t we go back to sleep?” Madison kept her eyes closed.
Jacob chuckled. “Nope, we have school, and if you don’t get some clothes on, we’ll never get there.” He felt himself start to get hard again but he knew they would never make it out of bed if they had another early morning activity. He slapped her bare butt and flipped her over so that she was now underneath him. “I’m gonna go home, shower, and change.” He glanced once again at the clock. “I’ll be back over to pick you up in thirty minutes.” He jumped off the bed and opened the window. He jogged back to Madison, who was still lying on the bed, and gave her a quick kiss, then jumped out the bedroom window and shifted into his wolf before hitting the ground.
Madison leaped off the bed as soon as he did that and watched her big black wolf disappear into the woodlands. She ran over to her closet and grabbed whatever was clean and readily available. She had less than a half hour to get showered and ready for school before Jacob would be back.
Zach had to leave a little earlier than normal. For some unknown reason, Madison had called Alex and told her she wasn’t driving today, so maybe Zach could pick her and Danny up for school. So, there he was, going to pick those two up before he picked up Emily.
Jacob ran past him on his way out the front door.
“Hey, where’re you going?” Zach yelled at his brother before he got too far up the stairs.
“Get ready for school,” Jacob yelled back down to his brother before he slammed the bathroom door shut.
Zach knew he was probably part of the reason his whole morning schedule had been screwed up. He got into the truck and headed over to Danny’s so they could go pick up the girls.
“She was just acting all weird.” Alex was describing Madison’s behavior this morning on the phone. “She said she’d meet us here.” Alex looked up at Emily, who was in the front seat with Zach. Both questioned each other with their eyes, wondering if it had to do with yesterday.
“Her car isn’t here.” Danny noticed Madison’s little punch buggy car was nowhere to be seen when they pulled into their usual spot in the student parking lot.
All four of them got out of the truck and the girls went to their mates to get some warmth. The sound of Jacob’s truck pulling into the lot and parking next to Zach’s was an attention-getter. He never drove his truck, always his bike, and never, ever parked near their cars. He and his crew had their own section of the parking lot that they favored.
All four had their eyes focused on the tinted windows, watching what little they could see. Finally, after thirty seconds of anticipation, they got to see what the whole ordeal was about.
“What the hell is going on?” Alex stared open-mouthed at Madison and Jacob, who exited the truck together. He was holding her hand, and she seemed quite content about him being so near her.
Madison knew this reaction was going to happen to them, but then again, everyone else was probably going to have the same response. “We’ve been together, like dating each other, for a couple of months. We were seeing how it went before telling anyone.” She couldn’t tell them about being mates because she was unsure of how much they knew. Jacob let go of her hand and she walked over to where her two girlfriends were in obvious shock. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. It’s a long story.” She was hoping they would forgive her.
“Are you happy with him?” Emily whispered, glancing over at the boys, who were talking among themselves.
“Yeah, I am.” Madison tried not to be too excited, but she couldn’t help the big smile that formed and the number of times she’d already snuck glances at him. As if he could feel her looking at him or the happiness she felt, Jacob looked over at Madison and saw her staring. He shook his head with a smile and went back to talking with Zach and Danny.
“I don’t know, this is all just really weird.” Alex felt like something was off about this whole situation, like all the pieces weren’t fitting together.
“Well,” Emily gave Madison a quick hug, “I’m just happy that you’re happy, even if it is with Jacob.” She knew she’d ask Zach later if he knew before that Madison and Jacob were mates, or if he was just playing her.
“Jacob.” Brindle’s whiny-sounding voice echoed across the parking lot. The whole group looked toward the sound and then all eyes focused on Jacob to see what he was going to do. “Why are you over here?” Brindle looked around at everyone with an obvious fake smile.
Jacob stepped away from Zach and walked right past Brindle and her little playmates. “Ready?” He reached for Madison’s hand and pulled her close to him. Everyone watched as he leaned down and softly kissed her on the lips. “See you guys later.” They both walked off together toward the school, holding hands.
“What the fuck is this?” Brindle stomped behind him and pulled on his hoodie.
Jacob shrugged her off and turned to face her, pulling Madison tight against his body. “It’s over. We’re done. Leave me alone.” He point blankly told her that they were no longer together in front of a whole group of students. He and Madison proceeded into the school, leaving a shocked, angry Brindle in waiting.
She looked at everyone who was watching her, which seemed to be half the school by now since buses were unloading and students were coming up from the parking lot. An evil smile played across her lips and she gripped Heather and Rachel’s hands. “We’re not going to school today.” They all turned around and stormed back toward Brindle’s car in the parking lot.
“Danny, something’s not right.” Alex got this nauseous and bad feeling when Brindle walked past them. He pulled her away so that no one else could hear them talk. “She’s planning something and doesn’t feel like it’s going to be good.” Alex looked up at Danny, who seemed confused by her vision. “She’s like us. She’s something, but it’s not good.”
“What did you see? Is someone going to get hurt? What the hell could she be?” Danny was just rambling out questions that she probably didn’t have an answer for.
“I don’t know,” Alex hissed out at him. She was frustrated that she couldn’t see what was going to happen or what Brindle was going to do. Plus, Danny was asking her all these damn questions.
“What’s wrong?” Emily and Zach came over after they heard Alex yell at Danny.
She looked at Danny, who slightly shook his head. “Nothing.” Alex wanted to tell them what was going on, just to have a little more support, but obviously, Danny wasn’t ready for them to know everything that had been going on. “I’m going in.” Alex walked ahead of everyone and into the school. She needed to talk to someone about everything that was happening, but who?
Lunchtime went about as usual. Everyone seemed to have calmed down since this morning’s event. There was talk around school about Jacob and Brindle’s big breakup, and even rumors had it that Madison was pregnant with Jacob’s baby.
“So, when’s the new bundle of joy coming?” Danny just had to throw a wise-ass comment as soon as Madison sat down for lunch. “Shouldn’t you be eating a little more than that since you are eating for two?”
Jacob, who had a free period and came with Madison to lunch, picked up a napkin off of her tray and threw it at him. “There’s no baby.” He kissed Madison on the cheek and whispered in her ear, “Yet.”
“I heard that and Dad would kick your ass if you and her had a kid right now.” Zach knew their father and that type of nonsense just wasn’t permitted in the family or pack. It all had to follow rules and regulations and not start a family until school and training had been completed.
“Then maybe you should take your own advice.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Did his brother know something about him and Emily that he wasn’t letting on?
Jacob shook his head. “Nothing, I guess. But it’s apparent that you and Emily have done the big deed.”
Emily sat there, wide-eyed and stunned. She glanced over at Zach, who looked like he was having the same thoughts as she was. “Well, Jacob, maybe you should stay out of mine and Zach’s personal business.” Emily decided to take the upper hand with this since it seemed her mate was too distraught to say anything in rebuttal.
“I was just telling you guys to be careful, can’t have any little Lovells running around here yet.” Jacob picked up his backpack and leaned down to kiss Madison goodbye. “I have to go meet Anthony and Will, but I’ll see you right after school.” Madison nodded okay and watched as Jacob walked around to the other side of the table, where Zach and Emily were seated. “See, it’s all speculation with me and Madison and our big love adventure, but you just sort of admitted that it’s true with you guys.” He winked at Madison and walked out of the lunchroom.
“No offense, Madison, but Zach,” Emily turned toward her mate, “your brother is an ass.” She turned back to Madison, Alex, and Danny, who were all still giving her questionable stares. “Well, I don’t think it’s anyone’s business what we all do in our time together with our ma — ” Emily stopped herself before she said the word. There would have been a lot of questions asked if she had said, mate. “I just don’t think anyone should care what we do when any of us are alone with each other.”
Madison reached over the table and patted her hand. “Em, it’s okay if you’re having sex. We’re not your aunt or the sex patrol squad. I can tell you a few secrets or pointers. Jacob likes it when I — ”
“Okay, I’ve seen and heard enough.” Zach picked up his and Emily’s trays to take to the garbage. “I don’t want to hear about my younger brother’s sexcapades with one of my close friends. That’s where I have to draw the line.” Danny nodded his head in agreement. The girls just laughed at the boys. They were able to talk to each other about their wild times but seemed like they got a little disturbed when the girls were around. The lunch bell rang for dismissal, and the group said their goodbyes and parted ways.
“Do you think Brindle is going to try anything, like get back at either one of us?” Madison was seated in Jacob’s truck as he drove her home after school. She knew Brindle was probably really hurt from the big break-up this morning, it was obvious because neither she nor her two cronies were in school. They didn’t seem like the type to go home and have a cry fest like Madison probably would have done, so they must be planning something and it most likely would be against her.
“Brindle sort of can’t think past her fingernails or her clothes, so there isn’t much to worry about.” He pulled the truck out of the school parking lot and turned toward Madison’s house. “I just love all the wild rumors that started to go around.” He chuckled to himself over some of the ones he had heard. There was the pregnancy one, then Madison was paying him to go out with her, their parents had arranged this when they were born. And another was that he felt sorry for her, and it was a joke and Brindle was in on it.
Madison punched him lightly on the arm. “That’s because you’re not the brunt of the joke, it’s always me.” She let go of his hand and slumped back in the seat. Of course, they’d make up rumors that would dis her and not him—he was the almighty king of the school.
“Stop it.” Jacob reached back over and grabbed her hand again. Madison looked at him like she had no clue as to what he was talking about. “You’re thinking that all the gossip is about you because of who I am, or was, or whatever it is that people think of me.” He squeezed her hand and brought it to his mouth to kiss. “Not true. They just don’t have anything else to do except worry about what everyone else is doing. How would you like to have everything that you do, whether it’s sports, grades, family, friends, and girls, watched by everyone all the time?” Jacob shook his head like he was frustrated just thinking about it all. “During football season, I can’t even go into a store without someone asking me if I’m going to bring it home once again with another state title. Now, I know how all those famous people in Hollywood feel. Their lives are never private. And then there’s the girls…” Jacob was trying not to smile at that last part. He knew that would get her going on something. It seemed every time she rolled her eyes, which she just did with the comment about girls, she would always have some kind of comeback answer.
“I don’t need to hear about all those others, okay? I know the whole story, you had many. I’ve had... well, none. End of the story.” She glanced out her window as Jacob pulled up her driveway and saw that once again no one was home.
Jacob put the truck in park and reached his hand over to caress her cheek. “The mark seems to be fading a bit.” He ran his finger down the lines on her face and the one on her neck. She leaned her head into his palm and closed her eyes. “I was only trying to get you to laugh a little like you used to do. I won’t bring up that word anymore, okay?” He kissed the top of her head.
Madison lifted her head from his hand. She gave him a weak smile and nodded. “Can you come in?” She motioned toward her empty house. She just didn’t feel safe being alone right now.
Jacob put his forehead against hers and shook his head. “I have to go tracking, pack orders.” He leaned away from her. “Now that they’ve done this,” he said, running his finger lightly over the gash on her cheek. “We know they’re targeting mates. We have to find them before someone gets seriously hurt. I want to find the offspring and the one who did this to you and make them suffer.”
Madison could sense the anger rising in him. She knew that when these vampires were caught, there wouldn’t be any mercy or leniency given to them. She was sure that Jacob would be one of the first to initiate an attack and wouldn’t stop until it was dead or he was. “Just be careful.” She leaned over the seat, kissed him on the cheek, and opened her door to get out.
“Madison.” Jacob grabbed hold of her arm before she got out completely. “I’ll be back over as soon as the hunt finishes, okay?” He got a genuine smile this time. “And.” He felt the lump form in his throat again but forced it back down. He felt her stare but looked right through it and concentrated on what he wanted to say. “I love you.” Now, he glanced up and met her eyes. Her tight-lipped smile seemed to have loosened up and her eyes seemed to have come to life.
Madison was trying to control her emotions. He had told her that he loved her last night, and all day, she waited to hear it again, but he didn’t say it. Now that he remembered and still felt the same way, she was having a hard time containing her feelings.
“I love you too.” She shut the truck door and felt as if she floated to the doorway. Once she unlocked the front door, she turned and waved. Jacob nodded, then backed down the driveway. Madison walked into the house and made sure to lock the door. Even though the chances of something happening to her again were slim, she wasn’t taking any chances.
The three girls watched as Jacob pulled away, leaving Madison home alone. They knew he’d bring her home, so they waited. They heard the ‘I love yous’ from both of them, which made Brindle’s temper boil even hotter.
In the two years that she’d spent with him, doing whatever he wanted, she never got one single ‘I love you.’ Now Madison came, and she’d been with him for however long, and he’d already told her that he loved her.
“We need to prepare. It might not be today or even next week, but she’ll pay for taking what’s mine.” Brindle turned and walked away from the other two girls, knowing full well that they’d follow. She was going to take away that white witch’s powers and hopefully kill her at the same time.
Brindle needed to start living up to who and what she was. She needed to follow in her mother's footsteps and become a feared and powerful leader of their coven.