Page 62 of Power Shift

I’m going to hyperventilate.

I’ve never been so nervous for anything in my life. Not when I got my first Pap smear or was called to speak at an omega health conference last year. Regardless of how old I get, my nervous system still lacks the ability to be able to tell the difference between meeting my potential packmates for dinner and being held at gunpoint.

My scent is charred enough to choke me in the small confines of my car. It’s a good thing I told Clover not to chauffeur me around today because if she had, there would be one more person to witness how terrified I am. At least on my own, I can pretend to everyone else in my life that I handled tonight with grace instead of buckets of under-boob sweat and a damp neck.

It’s silly. Ronan and Jasper have been nothing but incredible to me. They’re my mates, and no matter what happens tonight, I have to put faith in their promise to fight for me. I’ve handled worse people than a doubtful beta and a scorned pack leader.

Sitting out here on this goliath of a driveway in front of the most beautiful piece of architecture I’ve ever seen doesn’t helpmy burning feelings of doubt or lack of self-confidence, either. I got here at least ten minutes ago, and I know how that must look to them if they’re aware of that fact.

A knock on my window has me screaming. My legs kick up into the steering wheel as I smack my head on the roof of the car and reach for the automatic door locks to make sure they worked properly. They did, and the face staring at me in the window isn’t one to fear.

Seems they were aware of me being here all this time . . .

I unroll the window immediately, struggling to catch my breath.

“I’m sorry, love. It’s just me. I wanted to make sure you were okay,” Jasper rambles, leaning his head into the car.

Shaking my head, I palm my throat and attempt a smile. “It’s okay. Thank you for looking out for me.”

“You’re welcome. Although, I can’t say I helped much. Can I open the door?”

“Of course.” I pop the lock and inhale the spiced laundry scent of him that comes in on the breeze. “I didn’t think I was so jumpy.”

The door is out of the way in a blink, and then he’s there, reaching for me. My nerves disappear the moment I’m in his arms. He slips a hand beside me to unbuckle my seat belt before I twist toward him and curl my arms around his strong body.

“Is it too early to say that I’ve missed you?” he mumbles, face finding my hair.

“No. I missed you too.”

“I want to know all about how the rest of your week was as soon as we get inside. Honestly, I tried to keep from overwhelming you with texts and calls, but I wanted to reach out so many times,” he admits.

“You wouldn’t have overwhelmed me. Not at all.”

I think we’re already past that.

“I’ll keep that in mind, then.”

When we reluctantly break apart, our arms linger, eyes immediately connecting as the space grows. It would be so, so easy to push up and bring my lips to his for even a brief taste of him. Just this once, I wish I was brave enough to take charge in that way.

With a soft smile, I drop my gaze and shift to turn off the car, successfully cutting the tension.

Jasper lets me take charge, leaning back to give me some more breathing room. I snag my purse from the seat beside me and join him on the driveway.

“This house is incredible,” I say while he extends an arm past me to shut my door.

His palm is warm as it settles on my lower back and guides me past the car. “I’m glad you like it. Really, we didn’t have much to do with choosing it. Landon’s father had his real estate agent send us options shortly after we made the pack official, and we just chose the one with the most room.”

“I can imagine with four of you, a smaller place would have felt too tight. None of you minded that you didn’t get to fully choose your pack house, though? Aren’t alphas really picky about that sort of thing?”

I can’t say I’ve ever heard of a pack allowing someone else to choose where they live. My mom and dads surely wouldn’t have gone for it. A pack house is supposed to be a sanctuary of sorts. The place they bring an omega to start a family in.

My skin flushes despite my best efforts.

Jasper spreads his fingers wide, expanding his touch. “That’s a great question, Briar. I’ve never spent much time thinking about that.”

I swallow. “The last thing I want to do is overstep, but your pack . . . seems strained. Like it’s been that way long before I got involved.”

His steps falter briefly. “It has been, and I’m sorry you have to deal with anything less than perfection. This isn’t the kind of pack dynamic I ever wished to bring our future omega into, but it’s the only one I’ve got to offer.”

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