His Trouble Maker

JESSICA

A few days later, everyone's losing their minds over the damn party next week. It's “tradition, apparently-our

pack opening the village to outsiders, to build alliances and whatnot. Strengthen bonds, show off our hospitality,

blah blah.

Whatever.

Grayson’s been glued to the commandants for days now and I’m kind of pissed because | haven't seen him.

Seriously? How busy can he be to

not show his face to me?

It’s not like | need him. Obviously. But... con

twalk through the center of the village, where warriors are drilling in formation and omegas are running around

with crates of food and armfuls of decorations. Everyone's moving fast, voices sharp, nerves stretched thin.

You'd think the damn Moon Goddess herself was coming

spot Pierce talking to two warriors by the training posts. He catches my eye and givesa chin-lit, casual and

cool. Not what | need right

nom

“What's with these preparations?” | snap, not bothering with a greeting.

Pierce’s mouth quirks like he’s trying not to laugh. “Stop pouting, Jess. You're not cute anymore.”

“Really? | think she’s cute”

My eyes widen and | quickly turn my back to see Grayson towering behind me. “What are you doing here,

omega?”

“Grayson.”

Pierce cough.” Alpha, Jess. Alpha.”

“Alpha,” echo flatly, giving him a mocking little nod. “Didn’t see you there. Too busy barking orders from your

ivory tower?”

“Someone’s mouthy today,” he murmurs, hands behind his back, the kind of posture that s

at says discipline but his eyes are all mischief.

And | should stop. Should shut up. Should smile politely and back off before end up on Grayson'’s hit list again.

But no. Instead, | tilt my head, looking up at him through my lashes like I'm completely innocent, like there's

nothing in the world more pure than my expression.

“What? Just saying what everyone's thinking.” | add the smallest, most playful smile | can manage, just to see

how far I can push him.

Pierce chuckles low. “Stop it Jess”

Grayson eyes

sdarkens 1

then he take step closer. “You're needed in the training center, Pierce,” Grayson says.

Pierce blinks, clearly thrown off guard for a moment. There's a brief, almost imperceptible hesitation before he

shrugs, a smile tugging at his Tips. “Alright, alright,” he says, his voice a mix of amusement and resignation. “But

don’t make her cry that much okay?,” he adds over his shoulder as he heads toward the training center, still

chuckling.

Grayson, however, doesn’t move his gaze from me. When Pierce is gone, he leans down, his breath ghosting

over my car, makinghold my

breath.

*Pretend you're scared baby. He whispered, eyes probably noticing that others are looking at us. “I miss you.”

My eyes snap to his, but his face is already cool again, unreadable to everyone else. To the pack, he’s still their

Alpha. Stoic. Commanding

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49.40

Tue, 5 Aug

Chapter 28

Untouchable.

But to me?

To me, he’s the heat burning just beneath my skin.

“I thought you were busy,” | whisper, my tone sharper than | mean, but I'm still flushed from what he said. What

he did. What | want him to do

again.

His hand brushes down my arm like it's nothing, like it's casual, and | nearly shiver on the spot.

“Was,” he says. “Now I'm not. Meetafter drills.”

| narrow my eyes. “You think I'll just crawl back like that?”

He smirks, and it’s that soft, cocky kind of smirk that only I get to see. “No,” he says. “I think you'll run.”

That's not true. Grayson nodded before he walks away | was still holding my breath when Logan walk towards

me. “You got scolded again?”

Trolled my eyes, calming myself “As always”

He chuckles, nudging my arm with his elbow like we're still kids and nothing's changed, like I'm not one wrong

word away from unraveling. “You'll get yourself demoted to kitchen duty at this rate.”

“Better than being alpha’s chew toy,” | mutter

Logan laughs. | don't.

Because it’s lunch. Which means it’s still five whole hours before | see Grayson again. Five hours of pretending

I'm not already counting down

every minute.

“You should stop pushing him, Jess

i bite my lip, unsure of how to answer. The truth is, Grayson has a way of getting under my skin. We've crossed a

line I never thought we'd cross, and now | can’t go back. The chemistry between us is... destructive. And I'm not

sure | want it to stop, even if it means keeping secrets from everyone around me.

The seconds tick by, and | find myself staring off into the distance, lost in thoughts of Grayson. My mind replays

every moment-every touch, every command-like it's a soundtrack | can’t escape.

| didn’t realize | was staring so intently until Logan snaps his Engers in front of my face.

“Earth to Jess?” He says, his voice teasing, but his eyes still watchclosely.

I blink, startled, and shake my head. “What?”

“You've got that look again,” Logan says, his eyes narrowing. “Like you're somewhere else entirely.”

I'm somewhere else entirely, alright. Somewhere | can’t admit to. “I'm fine, | mutter, my voice flat. | know he’s

not buying it. He never does.

He studiesfor a moment longer before sighing “You can’t hide everything forever, Jess

| don’t respond. | can’t. Because he’s right hiding something that | don’t know how to face. Not just from him, but

from everyone. Especially Grayson.

Logan smirks, clearly knowing I’m not going to open up. “Suit yourself,” he says, his voice light, but there's a

quiet undercurrent of concept

09:46 Tue, 5 Aug

Chapter 28

“Just don’t do anything stupid, okay?”

| nod absently, but my thoughts are already elsewhere. | know I'm walking a fine line with him, and maybe that’s

part of the appeal of the danger. I'm not sure anymore. | wonder how far I'm willing to let him go. How much of

myself i’ll give up before there’s no coming back Because there's no denying it-the more | give, the more he

takes. And each time, it feels like I'm sinking deeper, losing pieces of myself, and I'm starting to wonder if Ill

ever be able to find the surface again.

However, the closer | get to the edge, the harder it is to walk away. And if I'm being honest-if I'm being really

honest-I think | stopped trying to save myself the moment | give myself to him.

AD