Forget about me

Chapter fifteen

Jeremy

Dylan easily flips the Boston shaker, showing off his skills for a couple of girls leaning against the bar and watching him with dreamy expressions. I'm pretty sure one of them is actually drooling.

"Dude, we're fine here. Head out, see your girl, stake your claim or whatever." He says tossing a wink at the girls. I need to leave for the pack house now if I don't want to be late. Something tells me that all four of us are going to have to be there tonight to keep Lexie from bolting. She's been an angry flight risk ever since she came back into town. I don't think what's going to go down tonight will put us back in her good graces. She seemed against the idea but we don't have much choice. We'll do anything to protect her, whether she likes it or not. In this case, not. Lexie will be pissed, but hopefully she'll get over it. Presumably the day it saves her life. Although I hope it doesn't come to that.

"Alright, I'm out. See ya tomorrow!" I call over my shoulder walking out the door. Starting up my truck I text Hunter to let him know I'm on my way.

As I pull up outside their gym, he's already waiting. A mumbled 'hello' is all I get. He's moody. Correction: he's moodier. Hunter's always been naturally grumpy, but he's been worse ever since Lexie left. Now that's she's back he is for some reason worse than ever. We're all assholes but he's a bigger ass than usual. Hunter might even be rivalling Ryder at the moment. Lexie did soften Ry up back then so it isn't hard to figure out why he's nicer now. When she's around we're all, save Hunter, in a generally nicer mood. So long as you don't cross us, piss off our girl or do anything to harm her we're sweethearts. The moment you do any of those things, Ryder will rip you to shreds. Whatever pieces that are left Shade and Hunter will deal with. Me? I don't normally do those things. It might be because I go kind of crazy when I do. So, I leave that to the others, while I remain the calm collected one who can charm information off of almost anyone.

Stepping through the front door of the den, we're greeted by the pack. It takes a while to move through the crowd to where I can see Ryder, Shade and Mr. Rux in the front. A lot of people want to say hello and chat. Since I am perceived as the most socially capable of our group of alphas people usually approach me for chit chat.

When I finally break through the crowd, I come to an abrupt halt. Hunter walks into me from behind making me stumble forward. Instead of the brown-haired ghost from our past I've slowly started getting used to seeing again, is a more adult version of the girl I used to know. Lexie's back to being a blonde. And she's fucking mesmerising. For fucks sake, I haven't gotten an uncontrolled boner in years, now in front of the entire pack is not the time for them to make a reappearance. The grey slacks I'm wearing won't do much to hide it. I should look away and think of something seriously off putting but can't seem to tear my eyes away from the work of art in front of me. I can't help but reach out and curl one of the short strands framing her face around my finger.

"I mean this in the most respectful way possible," I pitch my voice low forcing her to lean in slightly to hear me, "but I really want to wrap this hair around my fingers and fuck you." Her beautiful light blue eyes widen before darting around the room as if checking to make sure no one else heard me. With all the noise of people talking around us I doubt anyone did. Her gaze finds mine again and remains there.

Ryders voice interrupts our intense stare off and makes everyone else shut up. "As many of you probably already know, Alexandra Johnson is back in town." There's a mumble of agreement that quickly dies down. Ryder doesn't even have to raise his voice to be heard. He has that energy that makes everyone bow down and listen. "What you don't know, is that she nearly killed Sebastian Gild." A lot more mumbling follow that. Some people seem impressed, others chocked and a few scared. Ryder holds up a hand and they promptly snap their mouths shut.

"We," Ryder motions at Shade, Hunter and myself, "wish to make Alex a pack member to protect her from him. As you all know, that means he can't claim she belongs to him or force us to hand her over without repercussions. Since, there's no time to waist, we would like to put this to a vote right now." This time Ryder doesn't stop them when they start talking.

"She hasn't proven her loyalty!"

"Didn't she abandon Kings cove and you?"

"Why should we protect her and risk the packs safety?"

People start shouting their worries and thoughts. Lexie moves to answer, but I wrap a hand around her wrist stopping her. Once again, Ryder steps up to speak for all of us.

"Alexandra Johnson is mine. All fucking mine. I'll do whatever it takes to keep her safe, whether you vote to make her a member or not." That silences some people. Mostly those of our wolves who have girlfriends, boyfriends, wives or husbands they themselves feel this way about. Hearing him claim her publicly makes my blood start bubbling with rage. She belongs to all of us motherfucker.

Shade steps forward voicing my thoughts but in a more subtle way. Stating all of our claims on her without actually stating them. "All four of us will. Why Lexie left all those years ago doesn't matter, she's here and here she will remain."

Sonya, a red-haired older woman, steps out of the crowd and surveys us. "I suppose," everyone quiets down to hear what she has to say, "that if she hadn't left she'd already be a wolf. Besides, she'll become one sooner or later, when she marries one of you. I don't see why it cannot be sooner rather than later. Alexandra will prove herself in time, I have no doubt about that." A lot of people nod in agreement.

Lexie tries to tug her wrist out of my grip, failing to do so. We can't have her shouting about how she doesn't want the damn tattoo. It'll only make the people on the verge of voting yes become firm no's.

"I stand with my son. Little Luna is already part of the family, all that remains is to make it official." Mr. Rux has sway with a lot of the elders. With his and Sonyas agreement I have no doubt the vote will come out in our favour.

"What say you?" Ryder shouts.

My eyes seek out Cecilia, my little sister, in the crowd. She's standing amongst her friends, a bit too closely to a blonde dude who's one of the latest pups. Cecilia along with the majority of people shout out their votes and raises their hands in the air in favour of making Lexie a wolf. Cecilias electric blue eyes meet my steele grey ones. I nod at her in thanks. She shrugs and turns away like its no big deal. 

Leaning down I place my lips against the shell of Lexie's ear and murmur "now is when the real fun begins."

She turns her head toward me. The skin between her brows wrinkling. "What do you mean?"

Lips pulling up into a smirk I look between my brothers. They all want her and so do I. We were already fighting for her attention as kids, but the real fight for her has only just begun. She belongs to us now. The only question is, who will she claim as hers? "I mean that they might try to win your heart but it doesn't matter because you're mine. So, all the other guys can fuck off."

Laughing darkly Lexie leans away from me and turns. Her gaze pierces into me. "I am not and I will never belong to any of you. So, why don't you spare yourself from some rejection and go find some other bitch to disappoint." She twists her mouth up into a dark twisted smile before dropping it completely to glare daggers at anyone who comes into her view. 

Anyone else might believe her angry words but I know better. She's been hurt, so now she is scared and careful. Lexie won't simply fall into any of our arms. It might frustrate Ryder, hurt Shade and anger Hunter that she doesn't trust us or that she pretends she doesn't want anything to do with us at the moment, but me? I'm looking forward to gaining her trust again, fighting for her heart and watch as she slowly realises that I'm the one. That I always have been. I was her first kiss after all and she was mine. She's already chosen her wolf. It's going to be wonderful to watch the others realise it too.

They're going to be pissed. Up until they figure out that I would never ask her to choose between us, and am very capable of sharing her heart with them. If they aren't then they can piss off and leave me and my girl alone. But in that case that'll be their choice. I don't give a shit if I have to share her heart so long as I have a piece of it and she's happy. That is all that matters. Besides I couldn't give myself to anyone else either way. My heart has never belonged to anyone else. Lexie carried it with her when she's left. Now she's brought it back but I have no intentions of taking it away from her. It will only ever belong to her anyway.