Page 144 of Dead Girls Don’t Forget

Then he spoke again, quieter this time.

“I’ve been looking at apartments outside of pack territory. Somewhere just for us. No roommates. No eyes.”

I waited for the familiar instinct to push back, to protect my space, to keep control. It didn’t come.

I lifted my head enough to meet his gaze and traced a finger along the edge of his jaw, feeling the stubble there.

“Just you and me?”

Jackson’s eyes darkened. His hand slid down my back, palm pressing me closer like he couldn’t stand even an inch of distance.

"Yeah. Just you and me. I want to fall asleep with you every night without worrying who's listening through the walls. I want to come home and smell only us."

“Okay,” I said simply. “Show me what you’ve found.”

Jackson looked mildly surprised for half a second, then that satisfied wolfish glint took over. His grip tightened on my hip.

“Good girl.”

Chapter 40: Lines Drawn

Monday was my first day back at practice. Jackson headed for the men’s training field the second we arrived, but even with distance between us the bond still hummed under my skin like a live wire.

The moment I stepped onto the track, the wolves noticed.

Heads snapped up from stretches and warm-up drills. Nostrils flared wide. One guy stumbled mid-stride and nearly went down. Another dropped a baton with a sharp clatter. Somewhere behind me someone muttered, “Holy shit.”

I kept walking with my shoulders loose and my face blank while I scanned the group.

Naomi wasn’t there. Cassidy was missing too. I noticed, filed it away, and forced myself to focus on practice.

The next two hours were nothing but drills and controlled aggression. By the time Coach blew the final whistle my body was tired in a way that felt useful again.

I showered quickly afterward. When I came out of the athletics center, hair still damp, Jackson was already waiting. He took my bag without asking, and we walked to the science building together.

The moment we entered the main hallway, conversations faltered. One wolf after another caught our scent, and within seconds half the corridor was watching us. Some curious. Some wary. A few openly hostile.

Lia stood halfway down the corridor, leaning against the wall like she’d been waiting. Her gaze landed on us, then immediately settled on Jackson. She straightened, a smile spreading across her face as she started toward us.

“Jackson.” She seemed genuinely happy to see him. “I missed—”

The words died abruptly. She scented the air, then looked from Jackson’s neck to mine. The smile vanished. For one heartbeat, she simply stared. Then she recovered.

“Wow.” A soft laugh. “I definitely didn't see that coming. Congratulations.”

Her gaze shifted to me, and the smile returned.

“Harper. I'm so happy for you. Really.”

She wasn't. We both knew it.

“Thanks,” I said.

She glanced briefly around the hallway before lowering her voice. “Jackson... does your father know?”

The concern in her voice sounded genuine. Thomas's opinion of cat shifters wasn't exactly a secret inside the pack, and Lia had spent most of her life watching Jackson navigate his father. The question made sense. But before he could answer, Rick and Jason rounded the corner. They caught the scent and broke into matching grins.

“No way,” Rick laughed, clapping Jackson hard on the shoulder. “About damn time.”