Page 67 of Noah

I glanced at him.

“Don’t screw this up.”

I gave him a tight nod before heading out. My phone beeped. Finally, a message from Noah, reassuring me was fine and that we would talk soon.

I texted him back immediately, telling him we should talk sooner than later.

No response, but my message was read. The uneasy feeling in my gut only grew stronger as I got into my car and drove back to town.

Chapter 18

Noah

The conversationwith Cooper had helped immensely, giving me a clearer perspective, but as I stepped out of his office and into the hallway, a strange feeling nagged at me.

Something was off.

Out of the corner of my eye, I caught movement—a shadow slipping away at the end of the hall. My brows furrowed as my wolf stirred uneasily.

I inhaled deeply, catching a scent I didn’t recognize. It wasn’t a pack mate. Another wolf, then. Maybe one of the guests here for the summit?

That would make sense, but something about the way they moved, so quick and quiet, sent my instincts flaring.

Were they eavesdropping?

I shook my head, exhaling sharply. I was being paranoid. With all the unfamiliar wolves wandering around, it wasn’t unusual to run into strangers in the pack house.

I’d even been stopped for directions a few times over the past few days. Nothing sinister about that. Still, my wolf remained on edge.

My phone pinged, pulling my attention away from my thoughts. It was a message from Griffin.

Griffin: Yeah. Let’s talk. Meet me at the bar.

Relief trickled in. At least he was willing to meet. Tucking my phone away, I left the pack house and climbed into my car.

The moment I started driving toward town, my hand unconsciously went to my neck, brushing against the mark Jackson had left there.

The spot tingled beneath my fingers, a faint heat pulsing under my skin. It wasn’t an unpleasant sensation, but it wasn’t whole either.

The bond was incomplete—I hadn’t given Jackson my mark yet.

Maybe that was why I couldn’t feel him through the bond. Why I didn’t know what he was feeling, and he didn’t know what I was feeling.

That connection, that deep link mates were supposed to share, hadn’t fully formed. I sighed. That was a conversation for later. Right now, I needed to focus on Griffin.

By the time I reached town, the sun was beginning to dip, casting the streets in a warm, golden glow.

I pulled into a parking spot across from the bar, noting that the place still looked locked up. Frowning, I checked the time. Maybe I was early.

I stepped out of the car, the pavement warm beneath my feet even through my boots.

A breeze rustled past, carrying the scent of old wood and lingering smoke from one of the nearby restaurants. Everything seemed normal.

Then my spine tingled.

The fine hairs on my arms rose as my wolf howled in warning.

Footsteps. Approaching from behind me. Slow. Deliberate.

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