AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Who’re we to judge?” I mutter, thinking back on all the times I skipped my classes to hang out with my friends. “We’ve all been there.”
Jacob’s eyebrows rise high. “I never skipped school.”
A loud guffaw escapes me. “You never got rid of that stick up your ass, did you?”
Kai barks out a laugh. “That’s why you’re the leader and we’re the sidekicks.”
Jacob’s lips purse into a thin line. The familiar annoyed expression on his face makes me chuckle harder.
“I’d have whooped your asses if I’d been around,” Jacob mutters darkly.
“Hey, loosen up,” Kai says, sniggering. “Cole was among the popular kids, so he had to do that to be cool.”
“Yeah, right,” Jacob scoffs, glaring at the kids on the nearby bench.
“Hey, look,” Kai says, springing to his feet. “Our girl’s here!”
Looking down the pathway, I catch a glimpse of Winter in her white coat. With the Christmas lights reflecting off of her, she looks like a beautiful angel as she walks toward us.
Shrill whistles ring out from behind us, followed by loud jeering voices.
“Come sit with us, baby doll,” one of the kids shouts, waving at Winter.
Winter’s gaze falls on the boys. A sliver of confusion crosses her face as she moves toward us.
“Look, she’s coming over to us,” one of the kids gasps, thinking Winter is responding to their calls. “Move over to make some space for her.”
“That’s it,” Jacob growls, striding toward the boys.
“Shit,” Kai says as he chuckles hard. “Those boys are about to get their asses kicked.”
“What’s going on?” Winter asks the moment she reaches us. “Why is Jacob cursing at those boys?”
“He hates kids who skip school,” Kai explains, continuing to laugh.
“Also, they dared to flirt with you. So, yeah...Jacob’s going to bore them to death with a lecture,” I say, grinning.
An amused grin lifts the corners of her lips as she watches the boys slink away from Jacob. “He’s kind of strict, isn’t he?”
“He didn’t have a choice,” I tell her. “He grew up with troublemakers like me and Kai, so he had to grow up too fast.”
Jacob jogs back to us and grins at Winter. His bad mood with the loud brats evaporates the moment she looks up at him.
“Hey, did you enjoy your time with your friends?” he asks her.
“Yeah, it was amazing. I talked my heart out with Carol and told her everything that happened since the night I left home.” She looks at each of us in turn. “Carol wants to thank you guys for everything you did for me.”
“Tell her she has nothing to thank us for,” Jacob says, caressing her cheek. “We don’t want any thanks for keeping you safe. It was our luck we found our mate that night.”
Stepping closer to our brother, she hugs him.
Kai and I move in, wrapping our arms around both of them. Winter’s familiar scent wafts into my nostrils, warming me up immediately.
“So, what have you planned for us?” Kai asks.
“I’m taking you to On the Rise,” she says, grinning. “I’d love to show my little bakery to you guys.”
“Is it still operating?” Kai asks.
