Chapter 58 #2
"What're you whispering about?" Carter interrupts. He has an arm draped around Jace's shoulder, grin lopsided. His cheeks are rosy and his eyes droopy, but he doesn't seem to care as he narrows a skeptical glare onto Ash and me. His gaze flicks between us, then to Jace, and back again.
Carter points an accusing finger. "You assholes aren't plotting to sneak off are you?" His intonation suggests something promiscuous in nature.
The earlier amusement and good-natured smile dims on my mate's face. Doubt flashes as he curiously – worriedly – glances between me and Ash.
I'm tempted to pull Jace back to my side. As much as I trust Carter with my life and know that he won't hurt Jace or put him in a situation where his trust or safety can be compromised, I do not trust this version of him around my mate.
This version he's rounding to is unpredictable. When he's hurt or angry, it's people around him who pay.
Luckily, I don't have to say anything because Ash jumps in with, "Dude! Are you for real?"
Carter shrugs nonchalantly. "What?" His grin is lazy. Arrogant. Bordering on his face looking invitingly punchable. "It's no secret you two used to fuck."
"Had a bit to drink, buddy?" Jace interrupts coolly. His hands are tucked into the pockets of his jeans, his posture relaxed, the lazy smile on his face almost mirroring Carter's if not for the twitching muscle.
"I'm just saying," Carter starts but is cut off again when Jace pats him on the shoulder.
"You should stop. Go get some water instead."
And that isn't a suggestion.
Carter holds up his hands, accurately reading the tension and realizing he's overstepped and spoken out of turn. "Sorry. I didn't realize you'd get mad."
My mate keeps a polite smile. "We're good. Just don't do it again."
"I should go get him some water for real," Ash ponders, reaching for Carter and plucking him away from my mate.
"I'll come with," says Jace. He glances at me briefly and I nod, knowing he won't stray from my line of sight.
I follow them across the dance floor into the kitchen, Carter and Ash bickering quietly between themselves about the former's earlier remark. By the string of reprimands from the latter, maybe it's wrong to assume Ash is more lenient.
Asher chucks Carter into a corner, leaning him against the counter with a bit of struggle because he's so wasted, he barely can stand.
He's warned not to move, flipping Ash the finger.
It goes unnoticed since Ash's back is turned for all of a few seconds until he returns with a bottle of water and a sandwich wrapped in paper towel.
"I'm not hungry," Carter protests, but accepts the water and takes a few sips.
A cup is pushed into my hands. "It's not strong," Jace says, leaning in close so I can hear him over the pounding music.
When I look back at my friends, Carter's bowed over backwards on the counter while Ash rams the sandwich into his mouth. Carter struggles only to get a slap to his forehead. With no other choice, he shuts up, deflates, and accepts his fate.
Yeah. It's best not to test Asher Stone and it seems like the night should run smoothly from here where Carter is concerned.
OUT ON THE DANCE FLOOR, my friends have managed to rope my mate into their madness. Carter is less wasted, returned to a state where he's his usual easygoing self after two bottles of water and seven sandwiches.
He's apologized for his out-of-turn remark and the three of them banded together – now in good graces – to steal Laken away from Dale.
Laken went willingly and now he, Carter, Ash, and Jace are in the midst of dancing bodies, having the time of their lives, screaming pop and EDM lyrics.
For now, there haven't been any incidents. Blake, Katy, and Harper are all here. I've spotted them a few times, but all they've done is whisper amongst themselves, point, and stare.
At my mate.
I'm tempted to break fingers and gouge out eyeballs. Maybe rip out tongues but then I look at Jace and remember why I'm here. Tonight is important to him.
For that reason, I haven't strayed far, floating between the couch jammed under the bar counter and the kitchen for drinks. He hasn't left my line of sight, and I could watch him dance with carefree abandon all night.
There's a light tap on my knee and the couch dips beside me. Dale crashes onto it, leaning his head back. He gives me a giddy, drunken smile.
"I see you're having fun."
He laughs. "If I knew parties could be this fun, I'd have missed a lot less."
"Right," I drawl. "And it's got nothing to do with Laken's bold PDA?"
Dale shrugs and lifts a cup to his lips. "I'm not complaining." He takes a sip and returns his gaze back to the dance floor where our mates and friends are joined by two girls. "What the...I didn't agree to that."
"Dude, calm down. They're just dancing."
I don't like it either, but the girls aren't being inappropriate.
They're hardly touching Jace or Laken, staying closer to each other so it appears as if they're dancing near our mates.
Two more girls join the group carrying trinkets.
One of the girls slip paper-made crowns onto Jace and Carter.
Ash and Laken get shiny lengths of decorative tinsel tossed around their shoulders.
None of them seem to care. They're enjoying themselves, temporarily free of all the stresses they deal with otherwise.
"How was the date?" Dale asks, momentarily snatching my attention away from Jace.
"I think he had a good time. He's a better shot than I thought."
Dale was with me yesterday. On top of organizing my date with Jace, we both had a few things to prepare for the upcoming trip out of town this weekend. I'd gone ahead and purchased all the equipment Jace would need for the trip.
During breakfast at the Conners', I brought it up. Thankfully, they agreed. It's probably not the best idea to leave town while his family is being targeted but if he gets to enjoy living and away from the dangers threatening him, I'll take that chance.
We'll be leaving on Friday morning for the hiking trail in Berkel County and spend the night camping in the woods.
The morning after, we're heading to a seaside resort in the upscale part of Murdoc Province where we'll stay for a day and a half, returning in time for the start of my community service sentence.
I told Dale about the break-in attempt, and he reasoned it's best to take Jace away from Jasper Falls for the weekend.
He went with me to book the shooting range, and to a local security company to request a full surveillance installation at the Conners' place.
With Jace on the trip with us, and his parents between work and errands, the security company will have two days to complete the job.
While I'm gone, Dad will smooth things over with David and Kathryn and oversee the installation.
Dale knows how paranoid I am about Jace's safety.
"Are you going to tell him soon?"
He also doesn't understand why I'm taking my sweet ass time telling my mate the truth about Weres.
I take a sip of the liquor and coke concoction from my cup and grimace. I mixed this one too strong.
"I haven't figured out what to say."
Jace believes I'm human.
I fear for his life and while it's not a good idea to keep such a massive secret from him especially since the break-ins are directly linked to my world and my family's name, I see no outcome where he stays with me.
I've been lying to him. Keeping him in the dark hoping he stays safe but I'm beginning to realize that's no longer an option.
He sees the dangers. He's afraid for me. He wants to become stronger to protect me.
"Two break-ins within one week," Dale muses. "It's time to stop thinking about what to say and just bite the bullet. He has a right to know."
"What if he doesn't stay?" I ask, fearful of the answer. "What if I tell him, maybe he accepts, but I still lose him?"
"You'll lose him if you don't tell the truth. The dangers he's faced since your bond manifested will eventually become too much when all it brings is more confusion and questions than answers."
Dale drains his cup, crushing it between his hands. He looks out to the dance floor. The girls have left and now it's our mates and our friends by themselves once more, wearing decorative tinsel and paper crowns, dancing like there's no tomorrow.
"Let me ask you this," he continues. "Would you rather he be aware of what you are and the dangers of our world or would you rather he walked away because you didn't think he could handle it?"
"You know that's not it," I'm quick to argue but even that excuse tastes like dirt on my tongue.
It doesn't mirror what I think or feel anymore.
The risks and threats to Jace's life are becoming more and more real with each passing day.
With it, grows my fear that I won't be able to prevent a repeat of the night my mother died.
That nightmare that has plagued me for the last week is so vivid.
The blood.
The screams.
David and Kathryn slaughtered in their home, faces forever stuck in states of terror.
And Jace. His mangled body, the blood seeping out of the gash at his throat, pooling around him.
If my nightmares become reality...if Jessop succeeds...I'm never coming back.
"Then what?" Dale challenges. "Either way, he's going to face danger. It's better he knows what he's up against than to face it never knowing why. Tell him the truth, Sky."