Page 11 of Jasper

“Okay.” Damn, she looked exactly like he remembered, and his wolf wanted to help her in any way she needed, but his beast always had been a sucker for her.

So had Jasper.

Until everything went to hell.

Inhaling deeply, he rolled his neck and grasped the door, then walked inside.

Melody’s eyes lit up when she saw him. He saw her visibly stop herself from walking over to him, so at least she’d gotten the no-touchy vibes correct. The last thing he wanted to do was get a hug from her. He might never recover.

“Melody, this is Jupiter, head of park security, and Amadeus, one of the guards. They want to hear your story, and so do I. What are you doing here?”

Melody couldn’t getover how sexy Jasper was. It was hard to do anything but stare at him.

She’d always found him handsome, the sexiest guy she’d ever known.

Dark brown hair with natural coppery highlights, dark green eyes like the forest at night, and seven years ago he’d had muscles to die for that she’d loved tracing with her fingertips. But now? He was even more built, stacked with muscles upon muscles that strained against the fabric of his black uniform.

Holy hell.

Her wolf wanted him so badly that it was all she could do to focus on his words and how kissable his lips were.

He was her first everything. First kiss, first love, first first-time.

Even though there was a gulf between them of bad memories and betrayal, she couldn’t stop the base reaction of her body from wanting to touch and hold him.

Pushing away the lustful thoughts even though her skin was flushing and she knew the shifters in the room would be able to smell how affected she was by being near Jasper, she focused on why she was there.

But it bothered her that she had the feeling that Jasper was pissed. At her.

Why was he the one who was pissed anyway? He was the one who’d walked away, not her. She’d had dreams of a future with him and it had gotten destroyed.

She ignored his furious look and told them about hiding out in the root cellar and finding her parents in the prison.

“Dad told me where you were and that you could help him,” she said, meeting Jasper’s dark gaze.

“Your dad wants me to help him do what exactly?” Jasper asked.

“Set him free and fight the asshole who killed the alpha and imprisoned the high-ranked males.”

Jupiter said, “But why would Jasper get involved? He’s not in the pack anymore, he was exiled. That means that while the problem is upsetting for you, it doesn’t really involve him.”

“But…” she said, feeling the press of tears again. “You have to help. Dad said you were the only one who could.”

Jasper stared at her, arms folded, his lips pressed into a thin line.

Silence filled the empty cafeteria.

Three males stared at her without speaking and she wanted to scream.

“Did you think I wanted to come here? You’re the last person I would come to for help, but Dad said you were theonly onehe trusted to help. It’s not about me, it’s about getting them free.”

Jasper’s brows furrowed.

“I need to speak to my alpha.”

He turned and walked out of the room.

“We’re going to stand watch outside,” Jupiter said. “There are drinks and food in the refrigerators, and a bathroom down the hall too.”