“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.
6
With Jackson gone, Garland had taken over supervising the retreaters. Jordan had gone back to group after Jackson left and grudgingly took up the painting that had been assigned to her, if only to distract herself. What had happened earlier couldn’t happen again. Nuh-uh. She shook her head and let out a huff. They had been way too close. No more being alone with him, or getting close to him, and no more heart to heart conversations. And certainly, no more touching and definitely no kissing.
Her wolf disagreed and made its displeasure known by whining at her. When she ignored it, the animal resorted to clawing and growling at her, as if telling her, stop ignoring me and give me what I want. It was so ill-tempered that a few of the Lycans around her sent her strange looks when they walked by.
She dropped the paint brush on the ground and then wiped the sweat from her brow. Around her, people were already wrapping up their work, and she realized she’d been painting for hours.
“All righty, good work everyone,” Garland announced. “You all can go get cleaned up. We’re done for the day, so I’ll see you folks at dinner.”
After cleaning up her things, she trudged back to the house. She needed a shower and a nap. After saying hello to Lily, who was in the kitchen getting dinner ready, she headed up the stairs, but stopped halfway when she heard the sound of a truck engine roaring out in the driveway.
“… And don’t you walk away from me, young man, I’m not finished,” came Jackson’s angry voice.
Jordan stopped and pivoted. Austin was at the bottom of the steps, his father right behind him in the doorway. Jackson looked pissed. His face was red and his posture was as tight as a bow.
“Well what’re you gonna do now? Double punish me? Lock me up in my room forever?” Austin looked just as angry, and if it wasn’t for the tension in the room, Jordan would have thought it funny how alike father and son were at the moment.
“I can’t believe you’re starting fights now,” Jackson roared. “Getting into shit and destroying things is one thing, but you could have seriously hurt that boy!”
“He started it!”
“I don’t give a f—shit who’s started it.” Jackson raked his hand through his hair. “Shit got started and now you’ve been kicked out of school. You’re only in the third grade!”
“I hate that school anyway, I’m glad I ain’t studying there no more,” Austin screamed back.
“And where am I supposed to send you now, huh?”
“I don’t care! I’ll stay home. I don’t need no school to be Alpha!” Austin’s face was now red as a tomato.
“You think you’re going to be Alpha, acting this way?” Jackson’s lips thinned. “I’d sooner give the title to one of the cows!”
“I hate you!”
>
Jackson’s face darkened as he advanced toward Austin. Jordan didn’t know what happened, but in an instant, she was charging down the stairs placing herself between father and son. “Jackson! Stop.”
“What the hell are you doing?” Jackson rubbed a hand down his face. “You think I’d hurt my son?”
She glanced down at Austin, looking pointedly at the black eye he sported.
“That wasn’t me,” Jackson said defensively. “It was the other kid.”
The young boy also had what looked to be a swollen nose. Dried blood spotted his shirt and there was a rip in one of the knees of his pants. “He got you good, huh, kiddo?”
Austin’s face turned into a sly smile. “You should have seen his face.”
“For crying out loud.” Jackson threw his hands up. “He’s the one in trouble here. Stop looking at me like you wanna murder me. I said I wasn’t going to hurt him.”
“Then what were you going to do?” she asked.
Jackson looked at his son. “Austin, go up to your room and stay there.” When Austin opened his mouth to protest, Jackson gave him a steely glare that made him shut his mouth. The young boy marched up the stairs, making his steps as loud and as hard as his little legs could manage.
She gave him a freezing stare. “What are you planning to do now?”
“Ground him until he’s eighteen.” His shoulders sagged. “I don’t know what to do with him. He’s been getting in and out of trouble for the last year. But this … he nearly sent that other boy to the hospital.”
“What?” Oh dear. “What happened?”
A Mate for Jackson: Bad Alpha Dads: A True Mates Standalone Novel Page 6
