Page 93 of Taken By the Pack

Jake glances over his shoulder. “That’s cheating.”

I shrug, adjusting her. “She’s small.”

Grace flicks Jake’s ear as we pass him. “Jealous ’cause no one’s carryingyou?”

Jake laughs, shaking his head, but I can see a trace of… fear. And then we reach them.

The cliffs.

Jake slows. We all do.

This is where his sister fell.

No one says anything at first. The wind moves through the trees, the ocean shining in the distance. Jake stares at the edge, jaw tight, hands clenched.

Grace moves first, slipping off my back, stepping up next to him. She doesn’t speak, just slides her hand into his.

Jake exhales. Nods. “Yeah. It’s okay.”

She squeezes his fingers. “Yeah.”

I look at him, and something settles in my chest. A kindred thing.

He swallows. “All right. Let’s go.”

And thenfinally,another hour later, we make it.

The waterfall.

It’s fucking gorgeous. The water cascades down the rocks, mist catching in the morning light. Trees frame the scene, lush and wild. It’s peaceful.

Jake lets out a low whistle. “Damn.”

I shake my head. “Don’t think I’ve ever come this far.”

Ash, meanwhile, is vibrating. “You see those tidal pools?” He’s already digging through his pack. “I need samples.”

Grace plops onto a rock. “Nerd.”

He grins. “A hot nerd.”

She sips her cocoa. “Debatable.”

I chuckle, watching my pack—the people who have somehow become my everything.

This?

This isgood.

26

ASH

Icrouch at the edge of the tidal pool, carefully collecting water samples, my hands steady as I fill the vials.

The water’s clearer than I expected, untouched. It’s a scientist’s dream.

The virtual meeting with Dr. Lowe had gone well; she was satisfied with my progress so far. But this… She’s gonna lose her shit when I bring this back.

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