Page 60 of Alpha Jax

And you know what? I’m already over it.

CHAPTER THIRTY

Quinn

It seems that every autumn, there’s a random day or two that’s unseasonably warm, a little glimpse back at summer. Today is one of those days- the sun is shining, the air is hot, and in a surprise twist, the afternoon training sessions were called off for recruits and squad members alike. We’re all at the swimming hole instead, and I’m not sure who pulled this thing together, but it’s turned into a real party- there’s kegs of beer, endless plastic cups, and a speaker playing music.

Whether the squad leaders knew we all needed a break or some rogue squad members took charge of planning this impromptu gathering, it has drawn quite a crowd- there’s a sea of bodies both in the water and on the bank, girls clad in skimpy bikinis and cutoff shorts and guys outfitted in nothing but board shorts showing off their muscular chests. The water in the swimming hole is cold, but nobody that’s swimming seems to mind as they splash about, clinging to the last shreds of that carefree summertime feeling.

When I say most everybody from the complex is out here this afternoon, I mean it- all five of the alphas who run the squad are here, a bunch of the full-fledged squad members, and I’d venture to say all of the reserve squad recruits. Even some of the IT geeks came out- that bitchy girl Carly is here, strutting around in an ill-fitting black string bikini that makes her milky skin look even paler. If I didn’t know the girl was a shifter, I’d totally peg her as a vamp.

I’ve been sticking close to Kyla and Vienna since we arrived together, and even though I rarely drink anything but tequila, I’ve slugged down a few cups of keg beer. When in Rome, right? Or when in the woods with the squad, rather. I’m starting to ride a pretty decent buzz, and I suppose I owe it to the fact that I never drink beer. Vienna’s definitely on my level- not surprising since we all know she’s a lightweight. I’d blame it on her size, but Kyla’s as small as Vienna and that girl can hold her liquor like a champ.

Vienna doesn’t hide her enthusiasm when Logan makes his way over to join us, showing off his bare chest covered in lean muscle and ink. He’s turned his body into a work of art with all of his tattoos- you can’t tell where one stops and the next begins. I can’t remember the last time I saw him shirtless, but he’s definitely added to his canvas since I have.

“Hey Logi,” I greet affectionately as he approaches and wraps me in a hug. I wind my arms around him, pressing my cheek to his skin. My eyes slide closed for a moment as I breathe him in, enjoying the warmth of his chest against my cheek and his familiar scent.

Then my beer cup slips from my hands behind his back, hitting the ground and splashing our legs. Logan grunts, jumping back and looking to the ground to see what splashed him.

“Whoops,” I laugh. “My bad.” I stoop to grab the cup as Logan watches me with amusement.

“You a little drunk already, Q?” he teases.

I shrug. “Maybe. Hey, when did you find the time to get so much ink?” I furrow my brow, pointing to his chest. “How many are you up to now?’

Logan chuckles, running a hand down his front. “Too many to count.”

“I think they’re really cool,” Vienna gushes, stepping closer to Logan and tossing her long wavy hair over her shoulder. When the girl gets her buzz on, she gets extra flirty.

“Thanks,” he replies smoothly, smiling down at Vienna before he looks back to me. “I still remember when I got my first one.”

My lips curl into a smile at the memory as I slide my arm across my abdomen, my fingertips brushing the phoenix tattoo on my ribcage. “Me too.”

We were young- I was sixteen, Logan was seventeen, and I still have no idea how we talked Benji at the tattoo shop into inking a couple of crazy kids. He was risking the alpha’s wrath by tattooing his daughter, but Logan somehow convinced him to do it anyways. I was good at keeping it hidden for a while, and when my dad finally did see it, he was in the middle of a huge fight with Theo that overshadowed the whole thing. It was a bullet dodged for both Benji and I.

“I’ve always wanted a tattoo,” Vienna pipes up, reaching out to trace one of the tattoos on Logan’s stomach with a fingertip.

He smooths his hair back with a palm, peering down at Vienna again. “Oh yeah? What would you get?”

She shrugs, batting her eyelashes at Logan. “I have a few ideas. Does it hurt a lot?”

“Nah, it’s not so bad,” he shrugs.

I snort. “He’s lying. It hurts like a bitch.”

Because shifters heal so quickly, we can’t be tattooed with normal ink. A small amount of liquid silver has to be mixed into the ink to create a scar- and silver burns like a motherfucker. It’s not enough to cause any real harm, but it’s enough to be reminded why silver weaponry is deadly to werewolves.

“Anybody need a beer over here?” Boyd asks, coming up beside Kyla with a plastic cup in each hand.

“Me,” I grin, reaching out to take one and sliding the new cup into the empty one I spilled. “Thanks, Boyd.”

“Don’t mention it,” he says with a wink, turning to Kyla and offering her the other cup. “How about you, need one?”

Kyla smiles- and it isn’t a fake smile, either. It’s a real, honest smile, and given all that she’s been through lately, it’s nice to see. “I’m good for now, thanks though.”

Boyd shrugs, bringing the cup to his lips. “Guess this one’s mine, then,” he says before taking a sip.

I don’t miss how he doesn’t offer the drink to Vienna- maybe the tug of war between Boyd and Logan for Vienna is over?Or maybe…

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