Page 44 of Power Shift

Jasper’s swallow is audible. She passes by us in a flash, her energy all over the place. The intensity in the way Jasper stares after her is like looking in a mirror. He hasn’t even gotten the chance to touch her, and he’s ready to hand her his heart.

“I’m okay. What would you like to drink? If you give me a tour of the place and tell me where you keep your glasses stored, I’ll get you something. You don’t serve us, Briar,” Jasper says, grabbing hold of himself enough to follow her.

My alpha demands I join them, but I don’t. I grit my teeth and press my back against the wall instead, thinking of my packmate and what he needs.

I’ve had my time—for now. He’s already here, anyway. It’s only fair I share our omega for a few minutes.

JASPER

Briar.

Her name is as perfect as she is. The way it falls off my tongue has my skin tingling and the hairs on my arms rising. She spins to face me in the kitchen, causing a burst of lemon to pass between us. I grip the countertop for balance as my knees wobble, balance non-existent.

“You don’t have to get me anything, Jasper. This is my house, and I’m capable of serving guests,” she argues with no real venom in the words.

“I don’t doubt that you’re capable of doing anything you want to.”

Surprise flicks across her face, and I think about that too much. What did I say that was so surprising? Has she been told the opposite?

“That’s nice of you to say,” she murmurs.

With my fingers still clutching the counter, I hold her stare. “I know this is sudden. Really sudden. Ronan should havelet you know that I was coming with him so you didn’t feel bombarded. You’ve already opened your home to him, and I don’t want to overstep. I’m a stranger to you.”

“I can’t smell you in here. Not very well.”

I furrow my brows. “Do you . . . want to smell me?”

“Don’t you want to smell me? You’re just going off a hunch here, aren’t you? Hoping that you’ll like me because Ronan does?” she asks.

“I’m already familiar with how you smell, love.”

“How?”

“Ronan came home filling the air with your sweet lemon and warm cookies. I knew right away what you were to me. Who you were. The only thing I don’t know is if you want me the way I want you.”

I’m more than aware of how biology works for us. Scent matches are a rare and beautiful thing, but omegas themselves are something precious. An alpha will stop at nothing to be the one whom the omega decides is perfect for their pack. Now add in a scent match, and there was never a chance I wasn’t going to declare this perfect, beautiful omega as mine. I’ve spoken to her for five minutes, and I already can’t stand the thought of leaving without her.

How Ronan did it, I’ll never understand. And how Dash can deny what I know must be there somewhere . . .

Landon is something completely different altogether. He refuses to accept her without even a single glance. The past he’s tried so hard to forget is damaging his future, and I wish I knew how to shake some sense into him.

We need Briar, whether he and Dash are ready to accept that or not. She’s the gravity that could realign our scattered pieces, and now more than ever, I worry what will happen if that shift doesn’t start.

Briar’s gaze is heavy, thoughtful as she stands across from me. The silence is nearly too much with all the chaos in my head, but I’d suffer beneath it for hours if it meant I could stay this close to her.

“Do you want to step outside on the balcony with me, Jasper?” she asks, almost in a whisper.

“You have a balcony down here?”

“It’s not a balcony as much as it is a small dug-out patio, but I like to think it still counts. And there isn’t de-scenter out there.”

I nearly combust. “Yes, I’d like to join you on the balcony.”

“It’s this way, attached to my bedroom for some reason,” she explains, moving to slip by me.

I zero in on the lack of space between us as I forget to step back, blocking most of the walkway. Briar notices too, but not until she’s already attempted to pass. With her back pressed against the counter, she stares up at me, her throat slightly exposed. My shoulder is right in her face as I accidentally trap her.

My heart jumps, lodging itself in my throat when she reaches out with a hand and lightly touches my back. In a blink, all my blood rushes to press against the skin beneath her fingertips, making it come alive in a way I’ve never felt before. She might as well be branding me, claiming me with a simple touch.

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