Page 39 of Noah

Determination solidified within me. I wasn’t going to let him down again. No matter what it took, I’d make sure Noah knew how much he mattered.

Instead of wasting the night away in this room, I dressed and headed out.

The bar was alive with energy as I stepped inside. Griffin’s place was packed, and I scanned the room until my eyes landed on the small stage.

My heart thudded in my chest as I spotted Noah, his guitar slung over his shoulder, his head bent as he adjusted the mic.

He looked confident, handsome and completely in his element.

The first chords of the song filled the room, and I was immediately mesmerized. His voice, smooth and rich, carried over the crowd, drawing them in.

But I barely noticed anyone else. My gaze was locked on him, every note, every strum of his guitar pulling me deeper under his spell.

My wolf stirred again, emotions rushing to the surface—admiration, longing, and a fierce protectiveness.

The song ended, the final note hanging in the air before the crowd erupted into applause. The sound of cheering filled the room, but I couldn’t bring myself to clap.

My hands remained motionless at my sides. My mind was a whirlwind of thoughts and feelings I couldn’t fully comprehend.

As the show wound down, I lingered near the bar, nursing a drink and stealing glances at Noah.

His energy on stage had been captivating, his presence magnetic, drawing everyone in, including me.

I wanted to approach him, to say something—anything—that would bridge the gap between us.

But the words wouldn’t come, and the longer I waited, the more hesitant I became.

Before I could summon the courage to speak, Griffin left the bar and approached me, his expression unreadable.

He looked calm, but there was a seriousness in his eyes that made me stand a little straighter.

Without a word, he gestured for me to follow him to a quieter corner of the room, away from the noise and the lingering crowd.

“I see the way you look at him, Jackson,” Griffin said.

I opened my mouth, then closed it.

“Just remember, Noah’s important to me, to my entire pack and if something happened to him…” Griffin trailed off.

His words hit me like a punch to the gut. Griffin was acting like any big brother should. He silently assessed me and I wondered what he saw.

I decided to be honest with him.

“I care about him,” I said. “I’d never hurt him, not in a million years.”

Griffin’s eyes softened, just a fraction, but the caution remained. He was being protective and I couldn’t fault him for that.

“Just make sure of that,” he replied. “He doesn’t need any more heartache.”

The tension between us crackled like a live wire, but I respected Griffin too much to dismiss his concerns. He was right to be cautious.

Up until this summit, I haven’t seen or spoken to Noah since we were kids. Griffin had every right to be worried I didn’t have the best intentions towards Noah.

“I won’t,” I promised. “I swear, Griffin, I won’t hurt him.”

Griffin studied me for a moment longer before nodding.

“Good,” he said simply. “Because if you do, you’ll have me to answer to.”

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