Page 10 of Jesse
I stepped away and called Cooper immediately.
He picked up on the second ring. “Report.”
“It was a shifter kill, Coop. Torn-up throat. Preston’s unconscious but alive. Beck’s in shock. It’s… bad.”
“Damn it,” Cooper muttered. “Bring them both in. We’ll have the healers look them over. They’ll need to be questioned too. And Jesse, get them here quietly. No scene.”
“You got it,” I said.
I hung up, shoved my phone into my pocket, and finally turned toward the truck again.
Beck hadn’t moved. He still sat there, looking like someone had ripped the ground out from under him.
For a second, I just stood there, watching him. Feeling that stupid pull in my chest again, fierce and protective. Then I walked over and crouched down next to him.
“Hey,” I said gently. “I’m Jesse, from the Pecan Pines pack. I work the Brisket Delight truck. You probably don’t remember me.”
Beck didn’t respond right away, his eyes locked on the pavement. But he blinked slowly and gave the tiniest nod.
“I’m gonna be straight with you,” I said. “This whole thing? It sucks. And I’m sorry you had to be the one to find it. But you’re not alone, alright? The pack’s going to take care of you.”
His mouth opened like he wanted to say something, but nothing came out. I rested a hand lightly on his shoulder.
“We need to get Preston and you to the pack house. You’ll be safe there. We’ll figure everything out. Can you help me get him into my car?” I asked.
Another long pause, then a shaky nod. His movements were stiff as he stood, like he was still trying to wake up from a nightmare. But he helped.
Together, we carefully lifted Preston from where the EMTs had left him resting on a stretcher, wrapped in a blanket. The guy didn’t stir. He was still out cold, but breathing.
I opened the backseat, helped Beck guide him in, then shut the door gently. When I turned back, Beck was standing there like he wasn’t sure what to do next.
“You did good,” I told him. “Come on. Let’s get you to the pack house”
And with that, he climbed into the passenger seat without a word. I took the wheel, started the engine, and pulled away from the flashing lights and the curious crowd.
Chapter 3
Beck
It was ridiculous.Absolutely ridiculous. After calling Jackson and the festival security team, I still had no idea what to do next.
My mind spun, tangled between panic and the need to stay in control.
Why had it taken me so long to step away from the truck? To look around? To see if I could pick up any scent or clue?
Every time I tried to focus, I got that prickling sensation at the back of my neck, like someone was watching me.
It came and went quickly, leaving me second-guessing if it was real or just nerves.
Even when the feeling faded, my wolf told me to stay alert. I couldn’t tell if I was being paranoid or if someone or something was actually there.
The whole situation felt off, but what shook me most was how shaken I actually was.
I’d seen bodies before. With my brothers working as enforcers and the pack’s dangers always close, it was something I’d grown used to. Still, this felt different.
Maybe because it was my freezer, my truck, my responsibility. Or maybe because Preston was lying there, unconscious and vulnerable in a way shifters rarely appeared.
I didn’t want to leave him, even though my instincts screamed at me to do something more. Why had I made him come back?
