Jackson stared after Jordan’s retreating figure, his fists clenched tightly at his sides. He didn’t want to move, couldn’t move or else—

Or else what?

He let out a frustrated growl. Whether that was him or his wolf, he couldn’t tell. Just calm the fuck down. Why his animal was acting this way, he wasn’t sure. All he knew was that he wanted to rip Carter’s head off for touching Jordan.

“Jackson?”

The sweet voice jolted him, and he spun around so fast that Liz staggered back. “I—” He cleared his throat. “Excuse me.” He turned around and began to walk toward the house, ignoring Liz’s calls and cursing at himself as the distance between them increased.

Just as he thought, Liz was perfect—wasn’t afraid of work, beautiful, and was very interested in him. Normally, he wouldn’t waste time getting a willing female into bed, but he kept hesitating.

It was that damn woman. Jordan and her perky little tits. When he went to her room this morning, the sight of her nipples poking through that paper-thin shirt had him fucking hard as steel.

I’m thirty years old. I’ve seen dozens of tits. But the image kept popping into his head. They weren’t overly big and he’d be able to cover them with his hands. But those perfect nipples … he wanted to see them naked and suck them in his mouth.

“Goddammit.” He kicked the dirt. It wasn’t supposed to be this way. He was supposed to want Liz, not Jordan, the hypochondriac weirdo.

“Jackson? Are you all right?”

He’d been so caught up in his thoughts that he didn’t realize he was already back at the house. Lily was standing at the top of the porch, hands on her hips.

“Yeah, I’m fine.”

“You seem tense. Did something happen?” His mother’s face was drawn into a mask of concern. When he said nothing, she sighed. “All right then. Get washed up and come in for breakfast.”

“I will.” He trudged up the steps and headed to the small sink by the door, twisting the tap so hard that he felt the steel creek under his fingers. He splashed himself with a healthy amount of water and dried off with the towel hanging from the rack. His shirt got wet, and he cursed again.

“Jackson, you silly man,” Liz said as she caught up to him. Behind her was Karen, Blake, and Keith. “Didn’t you hear me call you?”

“Sorry, I was in a hurry,” he said, trying to muster up a smile but failing because of his foul mood. “Let’s go in and get some food. You all earned it.”

With a deep breath, he walked into the kitchen, the rest of the retreaters filing in behind him. Breakfast was laid out on the table and much to his surprise, there were already two people seated, their plates piled high with pancakes.

“No way you can eat all that,” Austin said to Jordan.

“Oh yeah, I can.” Her stack was twice as big as his. She reached over to the serving plate and put a healthy amount of bacon on top. She smashed her fork into the pancakes and popped an enormous bite into her mouth.

“Jeez, you really can eat!” Austin said. “Hope you don’t barf all that up.”

Jordan swallowed. “Ha! You’d think that would be cool, don’t you?”

“Definitely.” Austin laughed. “Gross, but cool.”

Liz sat down next to Austin. “That would be wasteful though.” She took some fruit from the bowl in front of her. “Austin, you need healthy food for breakfast, too. Wouldn’t you rather have some strawberries and cantaloupes?”

“I’m a wolf and I’m gonna be Alpha someday. I don’t need no fruit! I need meat.” Austin grabbed a fistful of bacon strips and bit into them.

Jordan snorted, making her choke on her food. She grabbed some juice and downed it, cackling as Austin continued to chew his way through the bacon while Liz looked on, appalled.

“Austin, make sure you finish your breakfast,” Jackson snapped. “You’ve got to leave for school soon.”

“I will, I will,” Austin said with a pout, but dug into his food heartily.

Jackson felt the irritation gnawing at him. It was bad enough that the annoying she-wolf had gotten under his skin, but now she was getting to Austin too. He’d never seen him act so carefree and happy with anyone but Evie and Lily. Goddammit, his son should be getting close to Liz, not Jordan. “You’re not even dressed yet,” he said. “Garland will be taking you to school in twenty minutes.”

“Give him a break, will you?” Jordan’s fork clattered on her plate loudly. Around them, the conversation went silent, and all eyes went to him.

“Excuse me?” Now she was crossing a line. “How—”

The door suddenly opening and slamming against the wall made him stop. The door swung back, but a hand shot out and stopped in from completely closing. Jesse’s face, covered in sweat from exertion, poked through the opening “Alpha. You have to come now.”

“What’s wrong?”

The younger man’s brows furrowed. “Just come. Garland’s truck is out front.”

Jackson’s instincts made him sprint out to the front porch. Garland’s red, dust-covered pickup was already backing up toward him. “What’s going on?” He stopped short in front of the driver’s side window.

Garland got out and then jerked his thumb at the cab of the pickup. “Found it way out in the middle of the valley.”

He walked over to the back of the truck, Garland right behind him. He grabbed the tailgate and pulled it down. “Jesus fucking Christ.”

The metallic smell of blood instantly hit his nose. He wasn’t squeamish, but the sight of the dead animal in the truck bed made his blood freeze in his veins. There was no other word to describe it except a slaughter. From what he could tell it was, or rather, had been, a goat. But it was hard to recognize the form as the neck had been twisted around and the torso was nearly ripped in half. Again, like the chickens, there was something malicious about this killing.

“What do you think?” Garland asked.

Jackson didn’t want to say it. But he didn’t have to. They both knew what this could be. Feral wolf. No control, only an appetite for destruction.

“Oh my God! That’s horrible!” Liz cried.

Jackson didn’t realize everyone had followed him outside. Lily, Austin, and their guests were standing right behind him.

“What the hell is going on?” Keith eyed the carcass. “Is that a baby cow?”

“Oh, Jackson!” Liz exclaimed. “Who could do such a thing?” Tears formed at the corner of her eyes.

“Hey, it’s okay.” He reached out, and she immediately clung to him, pressing her face to his chest. Of course Liz would be upset. She’d grown up on a farm, so she understood. Every animal was precious. That goat provided their farm with milk, not to mention kids that could be sold or continue to supply them with dairy products. To have it mutilated in such a manner was not only a waste, but disrespectful. He wanted to put his arms around her and pull her close, but for some reason, it felt awkward. It didn’t feel right. Her scent was cloying, and he couldn’t breathe. His wolf too protested at her touch. So instead, he reached up behind her and stroked her back in a soothing manner.

“Oh. God.” Jordan’s face was pale. “I—” Her eyes went wide and she dry-heaved. “I need to … I have to …”

“It’s okay, dear.” Lily patted her on the arm. “You do what you need to do.”

Jordan sprinted toward the bushes and bent over. The sounds of her retching made everyone wince.

“Holy moly!” Austin had followed Jordan. His face was full of glee. “I told you you’d barf all that up!”

Thanks to that morning’s excitement, Jackson had to delay the rest of the activities he had planned for the retreaters. He had to help get rid of the goat. According to Garland, he said he was out checking to make sure the fences at the edge of the valley were still holding up when he found it. It was hidden under some bushes, which was another thing that made it more suspicious. Any other animal wouldn’t have taken the time to hide their kill.

“Do you think it’s Samuel?” Jackson asked Garland.

“I’m going to ask around and try to find out where he’s been the last couple of hours,” the older man had replied. “For now, let’s keep a lid on things, and you do what you need to do.”

Finally, after lunch, they had resumed their activities. There was more work to be done after all. With calving season almost done and the snow fully melted, they could now start building all the new pens and cowsheds. While Jackson’s crew could take care of most of the heavy lifting, he thought it would be a good idea to include the New York Lycans in some of the building, allowing them to work together as a team and also interact with other Lycans from the Shenandoah clan.

At least, in theory, it had been a good idea.

“I told you, girly, you go over there and help out with the painting.” Marsden, one of the oldest ranch hands on the farm, stood toe to toe with Jordan. He had a frustrated look on his face as he towered over her.

“Painting? Do you know how toxic those fumes are?” She waved her hands up at him. Marsden was over six feet tall and probably around two hundred and fifty pounds. But Jordan didn’t look intimidated one bit. “Where is the safety equipment? The mask, gloves, and—”

“What the hell is going on here?” Not that he really needed to ask as it was obvious the lunatic was causing trouble again. Damn woman. If she wasn’t arousing him, she was annoying the shit out of him.

“Alpha.” She turned to face him, crossing her arms under her breasts. “I really don’t see the point of this exercise. Painting barns? Building fences? What does this have to do with the work I do at Fenrir?”

Jackson narrowed his eyes. He didn’t take the time to read Jordan’s file or to check if her supervisor had even sent one. According to Grant, he and his team had picked candidates they thought would be suited for their project and would benefit from the training. Jordan, being a last-minute addition, should have sent alarm bells ringing in his head. Why the hell she was here, he didn’t know, but Jackson was sure that she was being punished. Either that or he was the one Grant was punishing.

“Jordan, do you know why we Lycans have survived this long without humans hunting each and every one of us down?”

“Because we’re much stronger than them and can snap them in half with our teeth?” she retorted.

“True,” he conceded. “But not the whole picture. We’ve survived because we work together. Each and every clan, working as a unit. A pack, if you will.”

Jordan raised a brow at him, but he continued, pointing to a group of ranch hands who were putting together a new cowshed to accommodate all the new calves. There were only four of them working, but they managed to raise the frame upright and were now securing all the posts together.

“Together, we’re stronger. We get things done. And to do that, we must work as a team. We need to communicate, know our place in the hierarchy, and contribute. Like a real wolf pack. If you want to continue to live and work within the system, you need to know that.”

“My boss said I should learn to play nice with others,” she scoffed.

“Clearly.”

“I prefer to be on my own.” She scowled. “Maybe I should go rogue and become a Lone Wolf then. Bet that would be easier than dealing with this bullshit.”

Jackson winced. Did she even know what she was talking about? Or realize that she was pushing all his buttons? “Fine. Do whatever you want.”

He turned his back to her, his jaw clenching as he tried to control his fury. It was bad enough she was being annoying, but to have that thrown in his face—did she know what she was saying? Or what life for a Lone Wolf was like? Because ever since Connor showed up at his doorstep, it was the only thing he could think of.

It was a damn twist of fate that the man who had kidnapped them dropped him and made off with his twin. What if he had been the one who had been taken? What if Connor had stayed and become Alpha? Or what if he had worked harder to find his lost brother? Lily had always believed he had been alive all these years. And Connor had survived, but he had suffered through horrors no one should ever have to.

“Fuck.” He punched the nearest thing he could—a tree trunk he recognized as the oak that grew on a hill behind the main cowshed. Shit, how had he walked this far and not realized it?

“J-Jackson?”

He froze. How long had she been following him? “What are you doing here?” His throat felt tight, and he hoped his voice didn’t sound too hoarse. “I said you could do whatever you wanted.”

“I’ve upset you,” Jordan said in a quiet voice.

No shit. “You didn’t.”

“Then why does your wolf feel like it wants to rip out of your skin?”

How the hell did she— “Look, just go, okay? If you need me to sign off that you finished the retreat, I’ll do it.”

“That’s not … you don’t … I mean.” She let out a frustrated groan. He thought she was marching away, but instead, she had circled around to face him. “Look, you’re right. I know you are. And you’re a good Alpha for keeping all these Lycans safe and protected.” She sighed. “I just … ever since I was young, I’ve never liked being around other people. I’m different. My wolf is different. And it was like everyone knew it and stayed away. But my dad would always say how proud he was that I was so smart, which is why I excelled in school.”

Jackson said nothing, though his shoulders relaxed.

“I caused an accident. In the lab.” She took a deep breath. “And Dr. Creed said I had to learn how to be around people. Not just tolerate their presence, but also learn to work with others. If I don’t complete this retreat, I won’t be allowed to go back to work.” She looked up at him with those eerie eyes of hers. “Look, for what it’s worth, I’m really sorry. I was disrespectful to you, especially as the Alpha of this territory.”

She looked really sincere, which was why he couldn’t bring himself to tell her to go take a hike. “It’s fine. I mean … what you said about Lone Wolves …” He really shouldn’t be telling her this. But when she reached over and placed a hand on his arm, he knew he couldn’t stop it. Like a valve that had been shut tight for months, his emotions were threatening to burst out if he didn’t open up. “I have a brother.”

“You do?”

He nodded. “He’d been lost to us. Probably could have been Alpha.” Lily never revealed which one of them was older because she said it didn’t matter, but her silence had been enough. Besides, Connor’s wolf was stronger, bigger, and more dominant. It was also a nearly feral creature that scared the living shit out of any animal in its presence.

She gave his arm a squeeze. “What happened?”

“He was kidnapped when he was a baby and then when he was old enough, forced to fight in a cage for sport. He escaped, but since he didn’t have a clan, he became a Lone Wolf.” It felt good, to have someone listen like this. Even if it was this strange, weird woman who had somehow wormed her way under his skin.

She sucked in a breath. “Oh, Jesus Christ. I didn’t realize. Of course you’d be upset.” She slapped herself on the forehead. “I’m a jerk. A great big jerk.”

He chuckled. “Jordan—”

“I’m like, the meanest stinking jerk in existence!” She really did sound upset. “I’ve probably traumatized you, haven’t I?”

“It’s not—”

“Are you going to need therapy because I’ve brought up those bad memories?” She paced back and forth. “I know some good shrinks in New York. Tons of them. One on every block. New Yorkers are neurotic, you know?”

“Jordan—”

“Oh, God. This makes sense.” She raised her hands. “Austin. You know, they say parents have a hard time connecting with their children when they’ve had a childhood trauma.”

“You don’t—”

“And then there’s—”

He grabbed her by the arms and pushed her back toward the oak tree, pinning her there. “Don’t you ever stop talking, woman?”

“I’ve been told that’s one of my better traits,” she said without missing a beat.

He laughed. A full, deep-bellied laugh that released the tension from his body. It was something he hadn’t done in a while. “Jordan.” He moved closer, trapping her with his body, but not quite touching. He thought she would push him away, but instead, she lowered her lashes, sighed, and slid her hands up his chest.

He moved his head down slowly, waiting for her to move or protest or do something. This close, he could smell her sweet floral and fruity scent, tinged with her arousal. Her hands gripped his shoulders tighter, and she leaned forward an inch. His lips were so close to hers, he could feel her warm breath on his.

Suddenly, she tensed, then opened her eyes. “Oh my God! What are you doing? Are you trying to make out with me?”

A sobering feeling washed over him. “What? No!” He braced his hands on the tree trunk and pushed himself off her. “You’re the one who came after me!”

“Came after—” She let out an undignified squawk. “I was trying to say sorry.”

“I forgive you.”

“Thank you.”

“—for trying to make out with me,” he added, which earned him a smack on the arm.

“I was not trying to make out with you.” Her eyes narrowed at him. “Wait a minute. You’re teasing me now, aren’t you?”

“Of course I am,” he said.

Her mouth formed an O. “You little shit,” she shot back, but her voice was filled with humor. “I’m glad we came to our senses. It wouldn’t have worked out, anyway.”

Wait—what? “Why the hell not?”

“We’re too different. You’re super-hot and probably fun in the sack, but in the long run this,” she waved her hand between them, “wouldn’t have been a good idea.”

She thought he was hot? Of course she did, she was creaming her little panties. His nose had told him so. “We don’t get along,” he added.

“We’d be driving each other up the wall in hours.”

An image of Jordan and a wall appeared in his mind, but probably not in the way she was thinking. “And there’s your hay fever and asthma.”

“Then we can agree.”

“On what?”

“That you can’t kiss me,” she said.

“I can’t?” That didn’t sound like a good idea. Even his wolf thought so.

“Excellent.” She stuck out her hand. “Let’s shake on it.”

Was she insane? “Jordan—” A vibration on his pocket interrupted the next words we wanted to say. Instead, he let out a curse, because this conversation was far from over. With a deep sigh, he dug his phone out from his jeans. When he saw the words “Principal Jenkins” flash on the screen, he felt that vein on his forehead pop. A call from Jenkins was never a good sign.

“Hello,” he answered.

“Mr. Forrest,” came the woman’s voice from the receiver. Principal Jenkins made an unhappy sound. “I’m sure you can guess why I’m calling.”

He rubbed the vein, which was now full-on throbbing. “What did he do this time?”

“You should probably come in and we can discuss this,” she said. “Now.”

“Can’t this wait?” He looked down at Jordan, who was looking at him curiously. “I’m kinda busy now.”

Principal Jenkins harrumphed. “Mr. Forrest. This is a serious matter. Austin has caused harm to another student. Peter Maycock’s parents are on the way now and I suggest you come right this instant.”

“He what?” Fucking hell. Just what he needed. “Fine. I’m leaving now. Be there in twenty minutes.” He hung up. “Goddammit.”

“Jackson?” Jordan asked. “Everything okay?”

He felt a headache coming on. “No, it’s not.” This was not how he wanted his day to go. Not that he was sure how it would have gone down even before the call came. He had nearly kissed Jordan—Jordan, of all people! He should have been cozying up to Liz, getting to know her and maybe showing her that he could be a potential mate. “I gotta go.”

“Of course.”

Damn, he felt like a heel, walking away from her now. He wanted to tell her … well he wasn’t sure what he wanted to say to her.

Pushing Jordan away from his mind from now, he sprinted toward the house, hoping to God Austin wasn’t in deep trouble. Highly unlikely.