Chapter 6 - Ava #2
By the time we exit the coffee shop and cross toward the park, I know my opportunity to escape today is narrowing.
What I haven’t anticipated is Ronan’s beta, Jacob, waiting for us at the far end of the green.
He’s sitting on a bench, back to the sun, long legs sprawled comfortably, but his careful relaxation is just for show.
I recognize the set of his shoulders, the way his gaze flickers up as soon as he senses movement in his periphery.
Pack betas are always alert, even when pretending not to be.
I should have known Ronan wouldn’t let us out unchaperoned.
Jacob stands as we approach, and even though he’s not as physically imposing as Ronan, he’s still very intimidating.
His wolf is just as old, just as dangerous, and I know that if I tried to run, he’d have me pinned in seconds.
He regards me with a look that’s both polite and faintly amused, like I’m a puzzle he’s in no hurry to solve.
“Morning, Em,” he says, easily. Then to me: “Nice to see you out, Ava.”
There’s no malice, not even curiosity, just a bland observation that makes me feel invisible and hyper-visible at once.
I nod, unsure what to say, and watch the way Emily looks at him, her face full of nerves for the first time.
Interesting. Emily’s cheeks blush pink, all the way to her ears.
“Hi, Jacob,” she says, and there’s a little stutter in her voice that almost makes me smile.
Jacob’s mouth twitches as if he, too, notices it, and for a second, the air between them is so charged that I feel like I’ve intruded on something private, an electric field I’m not supposed to enter.
He turns his attention to me, but I see the way his eyes flick back to Emily every time she moves, like she’s a thread tugging at his wolf’s attention.
I wonder if there’s something between them.
Would Ronan tolerate his beta and his sister being together?
Or is the tension just my imagination? Perhaps Jacob is merely being polite.
Jacob clears his throat. “Alpha said you could have an hour out, but after that, it’s best you stick close to home for now.” He says it like a suggestion, but it’s clearly not optional. “If you want, I can walk you both back. I’ll wait over there until you’re done.”
Emily breathes a sigh of relief as he turns to walk away, and I can’t help laughing as I ask, “Does he make you nervous?”
She nods, “He’s so serious and intimidating. " She sighs. “I always say something stupid around him; it’s like I’m still a pup.”
“Do you like him?” I push.
Emily blushes even deeper and glances around. He’s still staring at us, and I can see the effect it’s having on her, but she shakes her head in denial. “Goodness no, I’ve known him all my life. Besides, Maddox has asked me out.”
I almost choke on my coffee at the mention of Maddox. I remember him from growing up and saw him at the ceremony. He was always a complete jerk. “I hope you said no,” I mutter.
Emily looks surprised, “Why? He’s a real catch. My father loved Maddox, so it seems right to at least explore it?”
“That isn’t a good reason to date someone,” I reply, even though I’m the last person who should be giving advice about mates. “Maybe just give it some more thought?”
Emily nods, but I don’t think she’s taken my advice to heart, and why would she?
She barely knows me. We continue chatting on the bench for a while, until I notice Jacob check his watch and rise from the park bench across the way.
The subtlety of the gesture is lost on no one, least of all Emily, who whispers, “I think our hour is up.” As she stands, her elbow bumps my bag, which topples to the ground, scattering the contents in every direction.
A tube of lip balm, the house keys, a battered notebook, and, worst of all, the only photo I have of Sophie, flutters out and lands face-up on the gravel.
I freeze, the shock of exposure rooting me to the spot, but Emily is quick to crouch and gather my things.
She picks up the photo last, pausing to study it.
“Oh wow,” she says, squinting at the little girl captured mid-laugh on a patch of dry brown grass. “Who’s this cutie? She looks just like you.”
I snatch the picture from her, too fast, too desperate, and instantly regret it when her eyes widen, reading something in my reaction that I wish I could bury. “She’s, um, my cousin’s girl. I used to watch her a lot.” The lie is clumsy and obvious, but I can’t think of anything better.
Emily pauses for a moment before smiling. “You must miss her a lot, then.”
It’s such a simple statement, but the truth of it hits hard, and I feel my eyes fill with tears I absolutely cannot shed. Emily seems to notice and puts her hand on my arm. “Hey, don’t be sad. Is your cousin’s family from a different pack? They weren’t banished, so perhaps she can visit?”
I force myself to smile as Jacob falls into step behind us, and I walk the rest of the way, clutching the photo of Sophie tightly in my hands.