ford

I want to hate the guy hugging on Juliet like she’s his long-lost best friend.

I want to believe he’s a selfish shit who didn’t care all that much when his girlfriend dropped off the face of the earth two years ago and was probably in bed with her best friend a week after she was declared missing. But that’s obviously not the case.

The guy is a f*****g mess and so overjoyed to see Juliet that I can’t blow him off and rush her out of the lobby.

As much as I want to.

We have very important phone calls to make and lives to save. But this guy deserves an explanation. He clearly cared about Juliet and went through the hell of grieving a person he believed had been taken from him through foul play.

“I knew you wouldn’t leave without saying goodbye,” Chase says, after Juliet’s given him the least horrific version of the “my father human trafficked me” story. Anger blazes in his pale blue eyes. “Your dad said you were overwhelmed by your course load and too homesick to stay at Pepperdine, but I could tell he was lying. When he stopped taking my calls, I drove up to Seattle and took the ferry over to Anderson Island to talk to him in person. I wanted to see for myself that you were safe at home like he said, but he wouldn’t let me onto your pack’s property. He sent two big guys out to threaten me. They said they’d make me disappear if I didn’t drop it. I went to the Alpha of Seattle for help, but he wasn’t willing to step in. He acted like he was afraid of your dad, even though his pack was five times the size of Hammer’s.”

“My dad’s a scary man,” Juliet says. “I’m so sorry he threatened you. And I’m sorry I didn’t reach out to let you know that I was okay when I finally got away from the people holding me prisoner. Things were so crazy. I was just focused on surviving to see tomorrow, not things from the past. Even the good things.”

Chase scoots closer on the couch they settled on once all the hugging was over and takes her hand, pressing it between both of his. “You have nothing to be sorry for. I’m the one who should apologize. I should have kept looking for you, kept pushing for answers.” He shrugs uncomfortably. “But there was this stupid voice in my head that said maybe you had decided to ghost me. I knew from the moment we started dating that your pack wouldn’t like it, especially if it went on for too long or seemed like it was getting serious.” His plush lips twist in a wry smile. “Badger shifters don’t end up with wolf princesses, even ones who don’t have a wolf form. That’s not the way our world works.”

Juliet sighs. “No, it’s not. And my dad is determined to keep things that way.” She gives him an overview of the situation at Lost Moon before adding, “And we only have about twenty-four hours to stop him before he executes the president of the college on the quad.”

Chase pales. “Shit. That’s insane.”

Deciding the catch-up part is over and it’s time for me to step in, I perch on the granite coffee table in front of them. “Exactly. So, we really have to go. We need to get Maxim Thorn on the phone and convince to help us ASAP.”

Chase nods numbly for a moment. “Okay, yeah. And I’ll help. I know Maxim.”

Juliet sits up straighter. “You do?”

“Well, my dad does,” Chase clarifies. “He helped with Maxim’s campaign for leader of the unified packs. After his sister was cursed, Maxim became a lot more open-minded about supporting Variant rights and causes. Dad saw it as our chance to build a more inclusive future for our clan.” His voice drops and anger tightens his jaw again. “Dad’s been worried about the rise in extremist wolves for years. I used to think he was overreacting, that there was no way we’d ever go back to the days when Variants had to hide from wolves and big cats to survive, but if these assholes have taken Lost Moon…”

“Can your dad get us a meeting with Maxim?” I ask. “Preferably within the hour?”

“Absolutely.” Chase stands. “Come up to my room and we can jump on my laptop. I’ll call the rugby camp organizers, tell them I won’t be able to make it to the awards party tonight, after all, and we’ll get my dad on a teleconference. You can fill him in, and he’ll reach out to Maxim on your behalf.”

“Thank you so much, Chase. That sounds like a miracle.” Juliet cuts a glance my way before gesturing awkwardly at my chest. “This is Ford, by the way. My stepbrother. I’m sure I mentioned him a few times back in school. My father sold him into slavery, too. He’s the one who helped me escape the people holding me captive and get to Lost Moon.”

Chase thrusts a hand my way. “Thank you, man. Seriously. Thank you so much.”

I grasp his palm, giving it a reluctant squeeze. I want to tell him that he doesn’t need to thank me because Juliet is mine. Mine to protect and defend and service with my c**k, but this isn’t the time for a pissing contest. We need Chase’s help, and he seems to be a legitimately good guy.

I settle for a brusque, “No need to thank me. Juliet’s family. I’ll do whatever it takes to help her.”

He exhales as he releases my hand. “Same. I’ll do whatever it takes to make up for letting her down in the first place. Come on. I have food in my room, too, if either of you is hungry. Coaching always leaves me starved at the end of the day.”

We head for the elevator and Juliet casts a look my way behind Chase’s back that seems to say “Just play along. I’ll break the news that we’re a couple later, after we have his dad and Maxim’s support,” but it isn’t necessary.

I know getting help for our friends and saving her mother’s life comes first.

And I’m not worried about the competition. Chase may be a rich, attractive, nice guy with important connections, but I’m her fated mate. I’m the one she begged to f**k her earlier. I’m the one who’s going to be by her side when she retakes Zion.

I’m also the one whose head feels like it might explode as Chase rests a gentle hand on the small of Juliet’s back as she steps into the elevator.

I want to cut that hand off and wear it on a chain around my neck as a warning to any other men who might think about touching my girl, but I’m sufficiently evolved to ignore that particular Alpha impulse.

For now…