Page 92 of Taken By the Pack

Grace looks half-dead, standing there in tiny-ass shorts and an oversized hoodie, her hair a mess, eyes barely open.

She squints at all of us, grumbling, “I wish this was gonna end with me getting laid, ’cause why the fuck are we up this early?”

Jake laughs, stretching his arms over his head. He’s wearing a black tank, showing off his inked-up arms, with cargo pants and hiking boots.

“No one forced you to come.”

Grace glares. “Yes, youdid.”

“This is for your own good,” I remind her.

“Pack loyalty and all that bullshit,” she grumbles, which results in all of us laughing.

Ash smirks, adjusting the straps on his backpack. He’s in a fitted dark green long-sleeve and khakis, looking like he belongs on the cover of someAdventurer Monthlymagazine.

“You literally requested adrenaline activities.”

She grumbles again, arms crossed. “Past me is an idiot.”

I hand her a thermos. “Hot cocoa.”

She takes it, sips, and lets out the kind of noise that makes me shift my stance. “Okay, maybe Idolike you.”

I snort, adjusting the straps of my own bag. Dark henley, jeans, boots. Simple.

Jake claps his hands. “All right, let’s move.”

We hike.

Jake leads. He knows these trails better than any of us.

Ash surprises the hell out of me, pointing out different plants and explaining their uses. “This one? Anti-inflammatory properties. That one? Some people say it’s an aphrodisiac.”

Grace raises a brow. “And you know this how?”

He smirks. “I read.”

Jake scoffs. “Yeah? What,Sexy Botanicals for Dummies?”

Ash flips him off.

Grace giggles, sipping more cocoa. “I like this side of you.”

Ash winks. “There’s a lot to like.”

I roll my eyes. “If y’all are done flirting, we’ve got a hike to finish.”

* * *

Grace gets tired halfway up.

I don’t say anything—just kneel in front of her. “Hop on.”

She doesn’t argue. She just sighs dramatically and climbs onto my back. She’s warm and soft with her arms around my neck.

Her breath tickles my ear as she mutters, “If you drop me, I’m haunting your ass.”

I grin. “Noted.”

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