Page 22 of A Nest of Maple & Mist

“Don’t let Shane ruin it,” Lily said, passing out milkshakes before pulling up her baggy sweatpants. “Focus on getting to know Jason and Ty. Build something with them first. See where it goes.”

“Your omega may try to demand the bond, but you’re the one in control. You decide if the pack is worth it. If there’s any hope of reconciling with Shane,” Hazel said, long nails tapping on the table.

Wood creaked as I leaned back in the chair. My chest heaved with a slow breath. I would have to face Shane eventually. A scent match wasn’t something I could just ignore. My omega demanded it, and I craved it.

Things with Jason and Ty already felt charged in a way that was undeniable. And with Ty and Shane bonded, I’d either have to find a way to forgive Shane and move forward, or step aside completely.

I wouldn’t be the omega to break up a pack. Not with a bonded beta in the mix.

The image of Shane’s face floated to the forefront. I thought about the way Jason anchored him, how Ty’s eyes found his the moment he walked into the room. They were everything a pack was supposed to be.

Everything I’d ever wanted.

I reached for another chocolate, the phantom scent of caramel tickling the back of my throat. Maybe was already starting to turn into when, and it terrified me.

EIGHT

JASON

My hand flexed along the leather hilt of the axe, the material supple beneath my fingertips. A puff of hot breath misted in front of my face; the early morning air was cool now that mid-autumn had arrived.

Red and orange leaves fell from the tree with another gust of wind. I adjusted my grip on the hickory handle, my muscles bunching. I split another log in two, cording a section of wood for later.

The physical strain, the mechanical precision of each swing, it was the only thing that quieted my alpha. He’d been unruly since the explosive reveal of Shane in the kitchen.

That hadn’t happened how I planned. I knew about Shane and Mia’s history, and I wanted to ease her into it.

Shane showing up early and Mia chucking a plate at his head were not part of my carefully crafted plan. I shifted, the dirt moving under my feet. I didn’t like this.

The lack of control.

It made my skin itch.

The thing I did not want was for my lovely omega to feel cornered.

After spending a day locked in her suite, she disappeared to spend an evening with Fern and her friends. The only reason I knew was because Fern texted me, telling me not to blow it with Mia.

I palmed the back of my neck, brushing away the debris clinging to the skin there. My discarded shirt sat in a rumpled pile on the ground. It lasted a few minutes before I tore it from my torso.

A blur of russet darted between my boots, making me check the next swing of my axe.

“Careful, Little Hunter,” I grunted.

The fox flicked its feathery tail, stalking a stray wood chip.

“If you’ve come looking for treats, I don’t have any.”

I swore Umbra glared at me, cocking her muzzle and then darting into the forest as if I offended her. I probably did. That little menace was going to make me pay for it. I just knew it.

The back of my hand grazed over my forehead, no doubt leaving a path of dirt and dust in its wake. My alpha’s protective edge demanded more from me.

He yearned almost as much as I did to crawl into Mia’s bed, to hold her against my chest and take away all her problems. I’d spent my entire life taking care of things. And it made my skin burn with an unpleasant tingle to not do that now for Mi.

But I knew she needed space. That she would come to me—to us—when she was ready.

The last two days had been a mess. Ty spent both nights in Shane’s bed. And the second night, I crawled in to join them, wanting to feel my beta wrapped in my arms.

Movement on the porch caught my eye.