Page 121 of Power Shift

Now isn’t the time to be trying to figure out if I’ve been a fool all this time.

The rejection that fills her eyes bites, but it’s better than taking attention from what Landon wants to talk about.

“Hi, Dash,” she says.

“Hey.”

“I like that colour on you.”

Jasper chuckles as I glance down at the peachy T-shirt I threw on after practice. It’s got a lame quote on it that says, “Need Vitamin Sea?” with a cartoon starfish waving an arm. I’m pretty sure it was a gag gift at Christmas a couple of years ago.

Still, the compliment makes my chest swell. “Thank you.”

She slips past me, disappearing and leaving me with nobody to look at besides Landon. His glower is intense, almost threatening.

I lift a brow in a silent question.What?

Careful, his glare says.

It’s clear what happened between them changed more than any of us are prepared to learn. I’m happy for him, but if he’s decided to accept Briar, where does that leave me?

I’m not only the only beta in the pack but the only one of us without a scent match.

The demons I’ve been ignoring from the moment I said yes to joining the Montgomery pack howl in triumph. The deep-rooted doubts of not belonging somewhere I need to be eat at me no matter how many times I tell myself that I’m here for a reason.

“Come with me,” Landon says, the demand shot in my direction.

I push away from the island without looking to see which man Briar’s gone to first and trail behind him as we move between rooms. By the time we reach the living room, my chest is tighter than it has been in a long while.

“Do you want to tell me what’s going on?” he asks, taking a seat on the sectional.

The living room is wide and open with a skylight in the ceiling above us. If it weren’t after sunset, I’d be able to feel the warmth from the sun on my face when I sit beside him.

“Do you?” I return.

Even his posture has loosened, his shoulders dropped and jaw relaxed.

“You’re the one staring into space like you’re waiting for a miracle to pop out in front of you.”

I lick my lips, shaking my head. “Have you ever wondered why I was in our pack?”

“Are you being serious?”

“I am.”

“Fuck, Dash. You’re in our pack because we’re brothers. It was set out to be this way from the moment we were born.”

“If that were the case, I would have designated as an alpha.”

Landon spreads his legs before leaning over them, elbows digging into the meaty part of his thighs. “Why does it matter what designation you are? Alpha, beta, fucking labradoodle, you’re pack. That’s never going to change.”

“I’d have recognized her, Lan,” I croak.

“Not if you didn’t want to.”

I drag a hand through my hair, meeting his stare. “What do you mean?”

“Do you remember when we were in twelfth grade and the four of us were asked to go to Kale River’s house party?”

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