Moon Dancer - Hidden Wolf 1

Jagger

Even as I hold Finley in my arms, stroking my hands in soothing motions down his back, I can feel his anger toward me. We are tucked into an alcove off the main hallway, behind a vending machine. We were hidden, but it didn't matter as everyone was still in their first class.

"Breathe," I whisper softly.

Finn was still gasping against my body, his chest rising and falling too fast.

He was having another panic attack.

Finn hadn't had one in weeks. He was doing great. We all were doing great, especially considering our direct involvement with The Society this summer.

Hearing Finn try to sort out his emotions toward Grayson these past few days has left me feeling more sure of myself. Like I wasn't crazy to be ensnared by her presence. I could feel his emotions, and I know that he genuinely cares about her.

Though Ares had always been the protector of our pack, Finley could sometimes challenge that title from him. Finn struggled controlling his possessive instincts, curbing the protective urges that came with being an Alpha.

He was always the first one to stand up for the bullied kid in kindergarten.

To step in when things were unbalanced.

To offer his hand to someone struggling with their voice. Ryker only appeared in our lives because of Finn's kindness.

He just couldn't sit by and watch something bad happening. It was his biggest strength and greatest weakness.

I gently ran my hand down the length of Finn's spine. "I've got you." I say softly.

His head was resting on my shoulder, slowly, slowly, his breathing was starting to regulate.

"Finn, I still don't know what exactly is happening with her." I say slowly. We both know the 'her' I'm talking about.

He shuddered.

"But I promise you," I say, trying to let as much emotion into my voice as I could, "We are going to do everything we can to protect her."

Finn brought his head up from my shoulder and gripped my bicep. His blue-gray eyes shifted between different shades as he stared at me. "Are you as confused as I am?" He asked in a small, quiet voice, the panic attack still clutching his mind.

I let out a breathy laugh. "About what part of it?" The corner of Finn's lip twitched up. "The breadcrumb trail of what's happening to her, or..." I swallow. "Or the way it feels like I'm breathing fresh air for the first time when I look at her?"

Finn's mouth twitches again and he drops his head back on my shoulder. "Yeah." His voice is slightly rough. "I feel the same."

Something in my chest lifts at his admission. Even though I already knew, hearing him say it out loud makes me feel better. It gave me courage. I would tell him a tiny truth that I hadn't even admitted to myself. I lift my fingers and brush them over his fluffy hair. "We wouldn't be in our right minds to not be confused. Maybe... I thought when I first met her..." I trail off and feel my subconscious throwing up walls.

Finn wraps his arms around my waist and tugs me in tightly against his body. I take a breath and quickly blurt out the words.

"When I first met Grayson I thought that she could have been our mate." The words come out as a whisper and Finn freezes with his arms around me. "Whatever she was going through, and what we were going through at the same time, she was always a bright light. Someone I would look forward to seeing at school. At motocross races. I felt like I was drowning. And Grayson somehow got my head above the surface, and air could fill my lungs again."