Page 11 of Chasing Secrets
“That sounds nice,” Jalen admitted, thinking about how many broken pieces he carried inside of him. “Terrifying, but nice.”
And a pipe dream. What happened to Preston wasn’t the guy’s fault. With Jalen, things were different. There was no way Chase would discover the truth of what Jalen held inside of him and decide he still wanted to be with him.
Life just didn’t work that way. At least not for Jalen.
“That’s pretty much the definition of mating.” Preston grinned. “Terrifying but nice. Should be on a T-shirt.”
They fell into easy conversation, Preston explaining pack dynamics while Jalen cooked more food. Despite having just met, he felt comfortable with Preston in a way he rarely did with new people. Maybe it was their shared human-mated-to-supernatural-creature status or maybe Preston was just that kind of person who instantly put others at ease.
Jalen shook his head, smiling despite himself. “This whole situation is insane, but somehow you make it seem almost normal.”
“That’s because it is normal—for us, anyway. New normal, different normal, but still normal.” Preston popped a blueberry into his mouth. “And honestly? Once you get past the whole ‘holy shit, supernatural creatures are real’ thing, it’s kind of amazing. They’re loyal to a fault, protective without being controlling, and they love with everything they have.”
Something in Preston’s words resonated with Jalen. The warmth in his voice, the genuine happiness in his eyes when he talked about Zeppelin… It was hard to see that as anything but real.
“So you’re saying I should give Chase a chance?” Jalen asked, surprised to find himself actually considering it.
“I’m saying don’t let the wolf thing be the dealbreaker,” Preston replied. “Get to know him. The human part, the wolf part, all of it. Then decide.”
Jalen nodded, feeling some of the tension he’d been carrying since last night finally begin to ease. If Preston could find happiness in this strange new world, maybe Jalen could too. Maybe.
“Thanks,” he said. “For talking to me. For making this seem less...”
“Batshit crazy?” Preston offered with a grin. “You’ll get used to things around here.”
That was if Jalen decided to stay. He wasn’t sure about anything, let alone staying under a roof with men who weren’t even human.
Mated to a wolf shifter.
A vampire who wanted to drain him.
And now a pack of wolves under the same roof.
Nope. Jalen’s life couldn’t get any weirder. Yet, he ached to see Chase, to be close to the guy.
“You should come to the farmer’s market with us sometime,” Preston suggested, tossing a grape into the air and catching it in his mouth. “The peaches alone will change your life.”
“If I survive that long,” Jalen joked, but the humor felt lighter now, less tinged with fear. Like he had an ally in the house with him. Someone who could relate to how he was feeling.
“You will.” Preston’s tone turned serious for a moment. “The pack protects their own. And like it or not, as Chase’s mate, that includes you now.”
Jalen considered this, thinking about Chase. Yes, the guy wasn’t human, but he’d also saved Jalen’s life last night without hesitation. Maybe being someone’s “mate” wasn’t the worst fate in the world, especially when that someone looked like Chase.
“Maybe I’ll take you up on that farmer’s market offer,” Jalen said finally. “Assuming Chase doesn’t lock me in a tower for my own protection.”
Preston burst out laughing. “Trust me, they’re protective but not controlling. Big difference.”
After talking with Preston, the prospect of facing Chase again didn’t seem quite so scary.
If Preston could find happiness in this strange new world, maybe Jalen could too.
Even if that happiness came with claws and canines attached.
* * * *
Regardless of what Jalen had just thought in the kitchen, he wasn’t ready for… this. He was still trying to deal with the fact that vampires were real.
One had broken into his second-floor bedroom for fuck’s sake.
