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2

Jace

I loop my fingers around the necks of the empty beer bottles, gripping three in each hand as I head into the kitchen to toss them out.

“Thanks, man,” Ryder mutters, stepping on the pedal of the stainless-steel trash can to lift the lid.

The bottles clink together as I drop them in. “No problem. Shame those guys had to leave early. I could’ve used a few more beers after that disaster.”

We’re at Ryder’s place—the packhouse in Clearwater—after a particularly intense council meeting for the six-pack alliance. Ryder’s the Alpha of his pack, which makes him part of the council. Tonight, it was his turn to host the meeting, and while most of these gatherings are usually mind-numbingly dull, this one escalated quickly thanks to growing tensions over an incident involving the shadow pack in Denver.

Let me explain. The six-pack, as we like to call it, is an alliance of six shifter packs. The name started off as a joke but stuck—and I’d like to think I deserve some credit for that. The alliance was originally formed to boost our numbers and fortify defenses against the looming threat of the shadow pack—a massive pack that’s been growing over the last several years. The Alpha who leads them is relentless, hell-bent on taking over every pack in North America. When I was a teenager, my father made the tough decision to relocate our pack to Colorado and join the six-pack, believing it was the best move to protect us from the shadow pack’s expansion.

Now, our pack is based in the town of Westfield, so we’re known as the Westfield pack. My dad’s still the Alpha, but as his only son, I’m next in line. The original pack in this area was the Sommerdame pack, led by Alpha Anders. His son, Thomas, is one of my best friends. There’s also the Everhton pack, which my buddy Brody will be taking over soon, and then the Goldenleaf and Clearwater packs, run by my friends Gray and Ryder.

Notice a pattern? We’re all in our twenties, all future or current alphas, and we’ve been tight for years.

The security squad was the glue that bonded us all together. Gray launched the initiative when his pack settled in the territory, envisioning a trained team of fighters dedicated to ensuring the safety and protection of the entire six-pack area. He enlisted Ryder, Brody, Thomas, and me to help establish and manage the squad, and through that process, we quickly became close friends. That was years ago, and now we’re more like brothers. The only exception is Chase, the son of Alpha Vaughn from the Norbury pack. He’s just seventeen, but we hope he’ll join us at the squad complex next year so we can welcome him into our circle.

The six-pack council consists of the alphas and their betas from each pack, making twelve members in total. I’m not part of it yet since my dad is still the Alpha of our pack, but whenever security issues arise, the squad leadership is required to attend. That’s how I found myself at tonight’s meeting. We’ve been negotiating an alliance with the shifter pack in Denver, and they recently experienced a security breach related to the shadow pack. It’s a bit too close for comfort, so we’re all on high alert, strategizing on how to bolster our defenses.

You know the saying, “too many cooks in the kitchen”? Well, tonight it was “too many alphas in the living room.” The meeting turned into a chaotic mess since no one could agree on how to handle a potential attack or how to align our resources with Denver’s. After most of the council members left, Gray, Brody, Thomas, and I stayed behind to help Ryder clean up and share a few beers. I had hoped Thomas would want to hit the bar afterward, but he’s been a lot quieter since he started dating someone. That someone? None other than the twin sister of Gray’s mate. He made me promise to keep their relationship under wraps, but I have a feeling things are going to explode once it becomes public.

It’s disappointing since Thomas was always my go-to drinking buddy. With Brody, Gray, and Thomas gone, I’m now trying to convince Ryder to join me for a few more drinks to extend this buzz a little longer. He’s not usually the first one to jump at a chance to go out, but after tonight’s meeting, I think he might be up for it.

“What do you say?” I ask, turning to Ryder and raising my eyebrows playfully. “Want to hit the bar for a couple more?”

He exhales slowly, shaking his head slightly as a smirk spreads across his face. “How did I know you’d try to drag me out?”

“Because you know me,” I chuckle, brushing my hair back with my hand. “Come on, man. Don’t leave me hanging here.”

Ryder rolls his eyes and lets out a sigh. “Alright, fine.” He crosses his muscular forearms over his chest and raises an eyebrow. “Only because you look so pathetic. And just for a couple.”

I flash him a triumphant grin, pleased that I managed to convince him. Fifteen minutes later, we’re at a high-top table at the Clearwater Tap. I have to admit, I wasn’t expecting it to be this lively on a Wednesday night. The place is packed, with music blaring and drinks flowing. I’d wager it’s almost as crowded as the Goldenleaf bar on a Saturday night, which is impressive since the entire squad usually hangs out there on weekends.

“Is it always this busy?” I lean in closer to Ryder, trying to make myself heard over the music. This guy has been holding out on me!

He nods slightly, taking a gulp of his beer. “Wednesday night is ladies’ night. They drink for free, while guys pay a twenty-dollar cover to make up the difference. Seems to work out well.”

“I can see that.” I scan the room, still amazed by the number of people crammed inside. The center has quickly turned into a dance floor. “Why am I just hearing about this now?”

Ryder snorts. “Because if you knew, you’d be here every week.”

I laugh; it’s true. I’m always up for a good time, and this is definitely my kind of scene. Plus, I love being around women, and tonight there’s no shortage of them at the Clearwater Tap.

Ryder takes another swig of his beer, setting it down and fiddling with the label on the bottle. “My pack keeps pestering me about finding a mate,” he sighs.

“Better get on it,” I tease, glancing at the dance floor. “There are plenty of options.”

He rolls his eyes, his jaw tightening. “I’ve tried. Just can’t seem to find the right one.”

I wince internally, recalling how things ended recently with Ryder and Arabella. She’s a member of the squad, so he has to see her daily while she flaunts her new hookup in his face. Suffice it to say, she’s a bit bitter about their breakup.

“You have a few sisters, don’t you?” Ryder asks with a smirk.

My eyes widen in shock. “Oh hell no!”

He throws his head back and laughs.

I point a finger at him. “Anyone who touches one of my sisters is a dead man. Besides, they’re too young for you, man.” I say it playfully, but there’s a serious undertone. I’m fiercely protective of my three younger sisters.

“I’m just messing with you,” Ryder chuckles, reaching for his beer again. “But Thomas’s got a hot sister, too.”

I narrow my eyes at him. “You really have a death wish, don’t you?”

He laughs again, shaking his head.

Ryder’s an only child, so he doesn’t quite grasp the instinctual protectiveness that comes with having siblings, especially younger sisters. As a guy myself, I know how their minds can work, and there’s no way I’m letting any guys near my sisters.

Still, I see where Ryder is coming from with his question. It’s not unusual for the daughters of alphas to mate with an alpha from another pack. These alpha females not only help lead the pack as Lunas, but such unions can also strengthen alliances. However, that’s not really necessary for us since the six-pack is already united.

“Why don’t you just tell your pack you’re waiting for your fated mate?” I suggest.

He shakes his head. “I’ve tried that already.” He lifts his beer to his lips for another sip. “It worked for a while, but now that I’m getting older, there’s more pressure to settle down with someone.”

“I don’t envy you, man,” I say. At twenty-six, he’s hardly ‘old.’ He wouldn’t be getting this kind of pressure if he weren’t the Alpha.

“You’ll be in my position soon enough,” he replies, pointing his beer bottle at me and raising an eyebrow. “Then you’ll understand how tough it can be to satisfy everyone’s expectations.”

I finish my beer and set the empty bottle down. “I’m not in a rush. I look forward to becoming Alpha one day, but for now, I’m happy helping lead the squad—especially with all the recent issues involving the shadow pack.”

Ryder nods in agreement. “For sure.”

I get to my feet, scanning the crowd for the bar. “Want another round?” I ask, motioning toward his beer.

He shakes his head, finishing his drink in one swift gulp. “Nah, I need to head back and catch some sleep.” He sets the bottle down and stands up. “You stay if you want. I’ll leave the back door of the packhouse unlocked.”

I feel a twinge of disappointment at his departure, but I know it’s pointless to argue. Ryder isn’t one to be swayed by peer pressure—when he makes a decision, that’s it.

“Alright, thanks, man,” I say, reaching out for a fist bump. “I probably won’t be too far behind you.”

Ryder gives me a skeptical look, but I brush it off and turn toward the bar. He’s probably right—considering how many women are here tonight, it’s hard to imagine leaving without chatting with at least a few of them. As I make my way to the bar, I scan the dance floor, checking out the scene.

This is exactly why I’m so protective of my sisters: I find myself mentally undressing these girls with my eyes, and I have a strong feeling tonight could lead to some kind of hookup. The reality is, there are plenty of guys out there just like me.

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