Chapter Three
Hunger made Jalen peek out of his bedroom door. He glanced across the hall, wondering if Chase was awake or asleep while trying to ignore the fluttery feeling in his gut.
Chase was gorgeous—that jawline, those shoulders that filled out his T-shirt in ways that should be illegal—but Jalen kept reminding himself that the man wasn’t even human. He was a wolf. A literal wolf in human form.
How is that even my life right now?
His stomach growled louder than the wolves, demanding attention. Jalen hadn’t eaten since his lunch break yesterday, and after the night he’d had, he deserved at least a sandwich. Hopefully these wolf people kept their fridge stocked with more than raw meat.
The hallway stretched before him, dim in the early morning light filtering through tall windows.
Jalen crept forward like he was in some kind of horror movie, wincing at every creak of the hardwood floors beneath his feet.
Last night, he’d been too exhausted to take in much about the house, but now he noticed the high ceilings, the rich wood paneling, and the surprising cleanliness.
No taxidermy heads on the walls or animal pelts strewn about.
For a house full of animal-people, it smelled pleasantly of pine and something like cinnamon.
Reaching the staircase, Jalen descended carefully, trying to remember the way to the kitchen.
The stairs opened into a massive great room with comfortable-looking leather furniture arranged in conversation areas.
A stone fireplace dominated one wall, while floor-to-ceiling bookshelves lined another.
The place looked like something out of Architectural Digest , not a den of supernatural creatures.
He was impressed against his will.
“Right, because werewolves—sorry, wolf shifters—can’t have nice taste in furniture,” Jalen muttered to himself. “They probably hired an interior decorator. 'Yes, I’d like something that says modern rustic but also says I might turn into a wolf and shed all over your couch.”
Following his nose toward what smelled like coffee, Jalen walked into a kitchen that made his jaw drop. The room held gleaming stainless-steel appliances, granite countertops, and a center island big enough to land a small plane on.
Whoever these wolves were, they weren’t hurting for money.
“Can’t sleep either?”
Jalen nearly jumped out of his skin. A guy sat perched on a stool at the island, surrounded by bowls of fruit. He had tousled blond hair, bright green eyes, and a wide, friendly smile.
“Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you,” the guy said, popping a grape into his mouth. “You must be Jalen. I’m Preston.”
“How did you know my name?” Jalen asked, immediately suspicious.
Preston waved a hand dismissively. “Word travels fast around here. Plus, Chase came in at the crack of dawn looking like he’d won the lottery and lost his favorite chew toy at the same time. Zeppelin said you were his mate.”
“Right. That.” Jalen shifted from one foot to the other, rubbing his arm. The word still felt weird, like he’d suddenly been cast in some bizarre supernatural romance novel without auditioning for the part.
He also didn’t get the chew toy reference but didn’t ask for clarification either. Jalen was going to deal with one issue at a time, and right now, the chew toy thing didn’t feel important.
“Hungry?” Preston gestured toward the massive refrigerator. “Help yourself. Mi refrigerator es su refrigerator. Or something like that.”
Jalen hesitated. “Are you sure? I don’t want to eat someone else’s food and get mauled.”
Since he knew nothing about wolf shifters, it could be a possibility.
Preston laughed, the sound bright and genuine. “Trust me, no one’s going to maul you for raiding the fridge. Food is communal here. Besides, you’re Chase’s mate, which basically makes you pack royalty.”
“Great, I’ve been upgraded from potential vampire snack to wolf royalty overnight.”
To hell with it. Jalen moved toward the fridge.
He was starving, and Preston had just given him carte blanche of the fridge. Jalen wasn’t going to turn it down. Not when his stomach felt like it was about to eat its way out.
Holy shit. The refrigerator looked like someone had robbed a grocery store. Shelves were packed with meats, cheeses, vegetables, and more condiments than Jalen had ever seen in one place. He grabbed eggs, bacon, and cheese, setting them on the counter.
“So,” Jalen said, trying to sound casual as he searched for a pan, “are you a wolf too?”
Preston snorted. “Nope. One hundred percent human, just like you.”
Jalen nearly dropped the pan he’d found.
Preston continued. “Though living with a pack of wolves does rub off on you. I’ve gotten weirdly good at identifying people by their footsteps.”
“You’re human? But you live here with them?”
“Yep. I’m Zeppelin’s mate. He’s the pack alpha. You’ll meet him sooner or later.”
Not at all if Jalen was lucky. He was already overwhelmed and meeting an alpha just might tip him over the edge.
“So humans can be mates to... them?” Jalen started the bacon, placing the pieces in a neat row inside the pan before turning on the burner.
“Not just humans,” Preston said, biting into an apple with gusto. “From what Zeppelin told me, other shifters can be their mate too. But trust me, I was just as freaked out as you when I found out.”
“How did you find out?” Jalen asked, cracking eggs into another pan.
The sizzle sent a thread of saliva pooling beneath his tongue at the rich, smoky scent.
He watched the bacon strips curl and crisp, fighting the urge to pluck one from the pan before the fat had fully rendered. Not yet. Three more minutes of torture.
Preston leaned forward. “My ex was stalking me. Turns out there are scarier things in the world than psycho exes, though not by much. When I found out about shifters and vampires, I nearly had a meltdown in my bedroom.”
“At least you had your meltdown in private,” Jalen said, flipping his eggs. “I had mine in front of Chase, the vampire who broke into my place, and two deputies.” Jalen pursed his lips. “But mostly just in front of Chase and the vampire.”
It all felt like a blur now. Jalen couldn’t remember who was in his apartment when his brain started to fracture.
Preston laughed. “Classic. Mine involved swiping my jeans at Zeppelin like denim had the ability to slay monsters.”
“Mine involved contemplating whether I should check myself into a mental hospital.” Jalen still might. None of this seemed real. He felt as if he’d wake up at any second to discover it was all some bizarre dream. Sure as hell felt like one.
“Been there.” Preston pushed a bowl of strawberries toward him. “Try these. They’re amazing.”
Jalen popped one into his mouth, surprised by the burst of sweetness. “Wow. These are good.”
“Right? Zeppelin takes me to the farmer’s market every weekend and buys enough fruit to feed a small country.” Preston grabbed another handful of berries. “I think he’s trying to fatten me up.” He pointed at his small love handles. “Do I look like I need any more weight?”
“Is that a wolf thing?” Preston looked perfectly normal, if you asked him.
Honestly, he didn’t get what the guy was grumbling about.
Jalen wished he could put on weight. He’d tried, over and over again, but the numbers on the scale barely budged, always wobbling five pounds up, five pounds down, never any more, never any less.
He found where the plates were hiding in the cupboard and slid his food onto it, ready to eat every last bite.
“Heck if I know. But it seems feeding their mates is like hardwired into them. Though, so far, I’m the only mate here. And now you.” Preston gestured around the kitchen. “Notice how well-stocked everything is? They’re providers. It’s both sweet and slightly overwhelming at times.”
Before Jalen knew it, he was laughing, the tension he’d been carrying since last night finally easing from his shoulders.
“So Chase is your mate, huh?” Preston asked, popping a grape into his mouth.
Jalen nearly choked on his bacon. “Apparently. Though I’m still not entirely clear on what that means.”
“Join the club. One month in and I’m still figuring it out.” Preston leaned forward conspiratorially. “But between you and me? It’s pretty great once you get past the whole ‘my boyfriend sometimes grows a tail’ thing.”
That pulled another laugh from Jalen. “I haven’t even processed the claws yet, and you’re talking tails.”
“Oh, honey, you’re in for a wild ride.” Preston’s eyes twinkled with mischief. “But seriously, Chase is one of the good ones. Loyal to a fault.”
Jalen found himself relaxing into the conversation, surprised by how comfortable he felt with Preston after just minutes of meeting him. There was something about the other man’s openness that made everything—even this bizarre new reality—feel less daunting.
Plate in hand, Jalen joined Preston at the island. “So how did you... adjust? To all this?”
“Honestly?” Preston shrugged. “One day at a time. It helps that they’re not actually that different from us, except for the occasional fur coat and heightened senses. They still leave wet towels on the bathroom floor and forget to put the cap back on the toothpaste.”
Jalen laughed, surprised by how normal the conversation felt. “And the vampire thing? That’s real too?”
“Unfortunately.” Preston made a face. “They’re not like the movies though. No coffins or garlic allergies. Just fast, strong, and way too interested in human blood.”
“Great. That makes me feel so much better.” Jalen took a bite of his eggs. “So Chase wasn’t lying about the vampire coming back?”
“Definitely not lying. But you’re safe here. Got an entire pack of wolves always on guard.”
Jalen nodded, trying to process everything. The food helped ground him, giving him something normal to focus on. “This is just a lot to take in.”
“Tell me about it.” Preston reached for a peach, juice dripping down his chin as he bit into it. “God, I love these. Before Zeppelin, I lived on microwave TV dinners. Now I’m like a fruit connoisseur.”
He watched as Preston demolished the peach with obvious relish. There was something comforting about the guy’s enthusiasm, his easy acceptance of the bizarre situation they both found themselves in.
“So you and Zeppelin…” Jalen said. “You’re happy?”
Preston’s expression softened. “Yeah. Really happy. It wasn’t easy at first, but... there’s something about finding the person who fits you. Who sees all your broken pieces and thinks they’re beautiful anyway.”
“That sounds nice,” Jalen admitted, thinking about how many broken pieces he carried inside of him. “Terrifying, but nice.”
And a pipe dream. What happened to Preston wasn’t the guy’s fault. With Jalen, things were different. There was no way Chase would discover the truth of what Jalen held inside of him and decide he still wanted to be with him.
Life just didn’t work that way. At least not for Jalen.
“That’s pretty much the definition of mating.” Preston grinned. “Terrifying but nice. Should be on a T-shirt.”
They fell into easy conversation, Preston explaining pack dynamics while Jalen cooked more food.
Despite having just met, he felt comfortable with Preston in a way he rarely did with new people.
Maybe it was their shared human-mated-to-supernatural-creature status or maybe Preston was just that kind of person who instantly put others at ease.
Jalen shook his head, smiling despite himself. “This whole situation is insane, but somehow you make it seem almost normal.”
“That’s because it is normal—for us, anyway.
New normal, different normal, but still normal.
” Preston popped a blueberry into his mouth.
“And honestly? Once you get past the whole ‘holy shit, supernatural creatures are real’ thing, it’s kind of amazing.
They’re loyal to a fault, protective without being controlling, and they love with everything they have. ”
Something in Preston’s words resonated with Jalen. The warmth in his voice, the genuine happiness in his eyes when he talked about Zeppelin… It was hard to see that as anything but real.
“So you’re saying I should give Chase a chance?” Jalen asked, surprised to find himself actually considering it.
“I’m saying don’t let the wolf thing be the dealbreaker,” Preston replied. “Get to know him. The human part, the wolf part, all of it. Then decide.”
Jalen nodded, feeling some of the tension he’d been carrying since last night finally begin to ease. If Preston could find happiness in this strange new world, maybe Jalen could too. Maybe.
“Thanks,” he said. “For talking to me. For making this seem less...”
“Batshit crazy?” Preston offered with a grin. “You’ll get used to things around here.”
That was if Jalen decided to stay. He wasn’t sure about anything, let alone staying under a roof with men who weren’t even human.
Mated to a wolf shifter.
A vampire who wanted to drain him.
And now a pack of wolves under the same roof.
Nope. Jalen’s life couldn’t get any weirder. Yet, he ached to see Chase, to be close to the guy.
“You should come to the farmer’s market with us sometime,” Preston suggested, tossing a grape into the air and catching it in his mouth. “The peaches alone will change your life.”
“If I survive that long,” Jalen joked, but the humor felt lighter now, less tinged with fear. Like he had an ally in the house with him. Someone who could relate to how he was feeling.
“You will.” Preston’s tone turned serious for a moment. “The pack protects their own. And like it or not, as Chase’s mate, that includes you now.”
Jalen considered this, thinking about Chase. Yes, the guy wasn’t human, but he’d also saved Jalen’s life last night without hesitation. Maybe being someone’s “mate” wasn’t the worst fate in the world, especially when that someone looked like Chase.
“Maybe I’ll take you up on that farmer’s market offer,” Jalen said finally. “Assuming Chase doesn’t lock me in a tower for my own protection.”
Preston burst out laughing. “Trust me, they’re protective but not controlling. Big difference.”
After talking with Preston, the prospect of facing Chase again didn’t seem quite so scary.
If Preston could find happiness in this strange new world, maybe Jalen could too.
Even if that happiness came with claws and canines attached.
* * * *
Regardless of what Jalen had just thought in the kitchen, he wasn’t ready for… this . He was still trying to deal with the fact that vampires were real.
One had broken into his second-floor bedroom for fuck’s sake.
Jalen paused in the hallway and stared into the figurative void for a full five seconds, trying his best to find his sanity. Unfortunately, it wasn’t in there.
His brain was fried, his heart was sprinting laps in his chest, and he didn’t even know where to file a complaint about how screwed up his life was right now.
He would not fall for a guy he’d met less than six hours ago.