Page 14 of Noah

I could feel Hudson’s anger radiating off him in waves, his breathing shallow, his temper on the brink of boiling over.

"You don’t have to clean up after us," Hudson snapped, his voice low but edged with defiance. "We handled it."

Our father’s eyes narrowed, his gaze sharp. "Handled it? Is that what you call it? You let them walk into our territory and provoke you. They walked out unscathed, and you think that’s handling it?"

Hudson’s fists tightened. "We didn’t escalate. That’s what matters."

"You shouldn’t have let it get to that point in the first place," our father retorted. "You need to think before you act. Both of you."

I tuned out the back-and-forth, letting my mind drift. The scenery blurred past as I found myself thinking about something, someone else entirely.

It had been years, but I could still remember the boy, a wolf from a different pack.

Noah.

I could still picture him as he had been back then, thoughtful and kind, with a smile that seemed to light up the room.

There had been something about him, something that made me feel alive in a way I hadn’t before.

It felt like another lifetime ago since we last met, last spoke, but I could still remember Noah’s smile, how it felt to be around him.

He was like a bright ray of sunshine, someone the world seemed to orbit around. I had never felt that way with anyone else before or since.

But Adrian had been there too, back in those days. The thought of him soured my mood.

Knowing Adrian, he would probably stir up trouble at Pecan Pines, the territory where Noah lived.

It had been under the thumb of Ryder, a vicious alpha, for years. Ryder had isolated the pack from everyone else, but now it was under a different alpha.

Still, despite all these shifting dynamics, my thoughts remained centered on that boy who felt like the sun.

Noah would be all grown up by now. Did he retain that same kindness, that same thoughtfulness? Or had time and hardship changed him?

"Jackson!" Hudson waved a hand in front of my face, snapping me out of my reverie. "We’re here. Stop daydreaming."

I blinked, realizing we had entered the town of Pecan Pines.

The narrow road was flanked on either side by towering pine and cedar trees, the scent of the forest filling the air as we approached the gated compound of the Pecan Pines pack lands.

"Hudson’s right, Jackson," our father said, his voice cutting through the quiet tension.

He continued, “All of us need to have our guard up. The Pecan Pines representative assured us that Cooper, their new alpha, isthe exact opposite of Ryder, but I want to see this alpha with my own eyes. I don’t need to remind you two and your brothers to be on your best behavior."

Hudson gritted his teeth but didn’t argue.

I knew our father had many things on his mind, the weight of leadership and the constant threat of conflict looming over us.

Still, none of us were children anymore, and sometimes he seemed to forget that.

"Of course, father," I said, my voice steady.

Finally, the car came to a stop. The moment I stepped out, a sweet, familiar scent wrapped around me, pulling me in like a siren’s call.

My wolf stirred, standing at attention, a low, eager hum vibrating through my entire being.

That scent. It was unmistakable, wrapping around me like a forgotten melody suddenly remembered.

I knew it, deep in my bones, a primal recognition that sent a shiver down my spine.

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