Page 50 of Power Shift

“She’s eighteen.”

“Well, suppressants are normal for omegas in their most hormonal years. It’s the same thing as rut blockers for teenage alphas. I designated at fourteen, and without suppressants, I wouldn’t have been allowed within a foot of an alpha. Your sister should be just fine.”

I take her reassurance and bundle it deep, using it to calm the protectiveness that I can’t ever seem to shake.

“Thank you, Petal.”

“You’re welcome, big guy. And I will call my landlord. Maybe he can just turn them down a bit so it isn’t so overwhelming the next time you come over.”

The next time.

A rumble sputters to life in my chest, and Briar giggles, brushing her palm across it. Jasper watches me with an open expression, letting me see the adoration that’s swelling inside of him. This right here means more to him than anything else, past, present, and future. Briar has given him the world, and they’ve only just met.

It’s all I’ve wanted for him, and I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure he gets to keep this forever.

17

DASH

“We don’t haveto go to this, Lan,” I offer for the third time in the last ten minutes.

Ever since he came down from his room dressed in the typical slacks and button-up that his father demands we all wear during dinner, he’s been uptight to the max. It’s somehow worse than normal but not completely out of character.

He’s always standoffish during the nights our attendance is demanded at his parents’ home. I think we all hoped it would get easier to go spend the evening with his parents as we got older, but nope. The tensions continue to run high.

Landon adjusts his tie, staring at his reflection in the hall mirror. “If we don’t, I’ll hear about it for weeks. It’s easier to give him what he wants.”

“At whose expense?”

“Not his, that’s for sure,” Jasper says, joining us with a tinfoil container of what I really hope are his famous potato skins.

Ronan steps into the hall, still refusing to dress up for these dinners. Every inch of him screamsfuck youandwhat you think you can make me do.

“The only reason he wants us there is to warn us not to embarrass the Riptide legacy.”

“The Montgomery name comes with a reputation. The world is watching,” I mock, dropping my tone to match Dean Montgomery’s.

Landon tongues his cheek before turning to face us. The bags beneath his eyes are almost staggering. His black hair makes the pale shade of his skin appear worse, almost sickly.

“When’s the last time you slept, Lan?” Jasper asks.

“I don’t remember.”

“Yeah, we can see that,” I mutter. Concern jabs deep. “Are you sure you don’t want us to stay home? Last chance to change your mind.”

He lifts his keys and jingles them around. “We’re going. I’ll sleep later.”

“I’ll make some tea when we get home. It might help,” Jasper says.

Landon acknowledges the offer with a weak nod and turns his attention to Ronan, staring him up and down. His following sigh is heavy.

“He’ll hate those fucking jeans.”

“Good,” Ronan says bluntly.

Lan lets it go, knowing there’s no point in pushing. “I don’t want to be late.”

We make it out the door and on the road quickly, not wanting to push him right now. It’s only been a few days since our blow-up about the omega, and things are still tense. Tonight is the first time we’ve all been together like this since Landon walked out the door instead of facing what’s happening to the pack head-on.

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