The TV behind them, long forgotten, played a movie that no one was watching. Jess sat cross-legged on Noah's bed, trying to do a core workout. She tightened her abdominal muscles, a bead of sweat tracing a line down her temple. The air in Noah's room was thick with the scent of popcorn and freshly laundered sheets. Moonlight streamed through the blinds, painting stripes of light and shadow across the worn rug. Jess tried to stay focused, her arms folded wide for stability, but a laugh bubbled up from her chest as Noah tried—and failed—to stack a pile of pillows on her head.
"Damn it!" she giggled, swatting his hand away as the pillow stack toppled around her. She fell backward, her head resting on a pillow while facing his smiling face. Her chest heaved, little chuckles escaping her lips.
He flopped down next to her, his even breaths ruffling her long black hair, revealing a hint of the blue underneath that hadn't quite been disguised by the dye. "I like this look on your face," he said, reaching out a large hand to cup her cheek, his thumb caressing her jaw. He knew this was a dangerous game. Nothing good ever happened when you started feeling something for someone other than your mate, but neither of them were naive enough to act ignorant.
She nudged him with her elbow. "My face? Stop!" Blushing profusely, she covered his face with her hands, unable to withstand his adorable expression. She couldn't remember the last time she'd been this happy with someone, where it wasn't complicated or hard. It was just easy with Noah, simple.
Shifting his tongue, his large wolf tongue licked the palm of her hand. Jess squealed, pulling her hands away in shock.
"Eww!" She frowned at her hands, picked up a pillow, and playfully hit him in the face with it. She wiped her hands clean of all his saliva using his shirt.
Noah chuckled, completely at ease with her. He pulled the pillow off his face and tossed it aside.
Jess scooted closer, her smile softening as she watched him. She reached out and gently brushed a stray curl from his forehead. He looked up, his eyes meeting hers. The playful glint was still there, but something else had joined it—a quiet tenderness that hadn't been there before. It was a look that had nothing to do with desire and everything to do with affection.
Jess ran her thumb along his lips. "You know, this is a lot more fun than just... you know," she said, her eyes wide as she tried to get her point across without being too specific.
He nodded, his voice low. "Yeah. It is." He reached for her hand and intertwined their fingers, his grip firm and warm. "But... we still—"
She squeezed his hand back, the unspoken words hanging in the air between them. The easy silence, the gentle touch, the simple joy of just being together without any other agenda—it was a new chapter for them, and one that felt surprisingly right.
He would rather live in their delusion for as long as he got to than ruin it with reality. There were a few surprises when living in a wolf pack. And she was his.
"Come on, I'll take you for a ride." He hopped to his feet and stripped off his clothes. Grabbing her by the wrist, he pulled her onto his back before pushing the window open.
"Hold tight!" Taking a few steps back from the window, he ran full speed and leaped out.
Jess held her hand over her mouth, a scream bubbling in her throat. She closed her eyes, fearing they would hit the ground and break all their bones, but she felt his skin beneath her thighs turn to fur. His solid body became bigger and wider. She opened her eyes just in time to see his wolf land on the grass before taking off into the forest at full speed. The only things breaking up the sound of the crickets were his pounding paws and her insatiable laughter.
They ran through the forest, Jess holding on for dear life as he zigzagged through the trees and chased after bunnies and birds, creating a memory she would never forget. Just as his body began to slow, a piercing scream broke up their jovial mood. The pair paused, unsure if they had heard correctly, only to hear another round of screams.
"Go back now!" Jess wasn't sure if this was a rogue attack or if something was going wrong at the warrior house, but either way, it seemed best to go back.
Nodding his big wolf head, he rushed back to the Warrior house just in time to see a large blonde wolf leap from the first-floor hallway window. Its massive body and powerful limbs took off, growling. The large wolf ran in their direction, its powerful claws swiping at Noah's smaller form. In a split-second decision, he tossed himself backward, shifting back into his human form to protect Jess from being crushed by his large wolf body. He landed with Jess cradled beneath him, growling at the unfamiliar wolf. The other wolf smelled like someone he knew, but he didn't recognize the blonde wolf.
He watched as the mindless wolf didn't even pay him any attention after the initial attack. It just kept running forward, seemingly attacking anything in its path.
"Who is that?" Jess asked.
Noah squinted after the wolf. Taking a deep breath, he tried to place the scent. It was as if he knew exactly who it was, but his mind wouldn't let him make the connection.
"I'm not sure. But we should go back in."
Author's note: I'm actually shocked it's been 5 days. Deepest apologies. Are we rooting for Jess and Noah?