A Werewolf After Dark (The Garrison Pack - Book 2) - Complete

Chapter 25

I feel normal, healthy, and more alive than I have in so long that I can't seem to sit still for very long. I think Jason knows it too. We're always going on walks, messing around, shifting once night falls. It's strange to only be able to shift after dark, but it's better than being ill like I had been for so every long. It's been a week since the night I'd shifted and although Kaitlyn had burst into tears as soon as she'd seen me, we'd spoken for hours after that and had agreed that although I was a complete and utter idiot, she knew I'd had to go with Jason, and I was forgiven, though it'd cost me a full week without any experiments as repayment.

As for Jason being my mate, both Kaitlyn and Zack had publically accepted knowledge that, while Jason had broken Pack rules, he was under stress at the time and I was his mate. It was a lie, simple as and everyone knows it, but no one cares. Jason is a much loved member of the Pack, regardless of his past and everyone wants him back.

Rules are, after all, meant to be broken.

So here we are, having come full circle in this odd, messed up world. I'm a full member of the Pack; Jason had regained his position as beta and I his mate. I don't mind not being able to follow all my dreams, but I am going to finish college via online courses and I'm happy to be a part of the Pack.

However, after over a year of no experiments, I'm raring to get back to work. I smile at Alex as he leaves the Pack house. I grip the dog ball behind my back and I can't help it, I grin.

                                                                       *

I don't think I've ever been happier in my life. I finally feel as if I'm whole. I know it's not been easy for Annie, not from the attack, the illness, losing her family, her place in college, any of it, but if there's one thing I do know, it's that I will do anything I can for Annie, so long as I can make her happy.

Coming out of the Pack house, I smile as I head toward my mate, who's talking to Alex about god knows what. My eyes narrow suspiciously as I eye the ball in her hands. Damn but my mate likes to experiment. She's going to make an amazing scientist one day soon.

"Go fetch!" she shouts, throwing the ball and jumping back slightly, waiting for Alex to run after the toy she's just thrown.

I reach her just a little too late. Wrapping my arms around her as soon as I reach her side, I pull her back, away from Alex, who has a look of horror on his face. I sigh and look down at my mate.

"You want to explain what you're doing?" I ask. She smiles.

"I want to see if you guys have the same receptive skills as a dog. Dogs can't help themselves," she says happily and Alex chokes on thin air.

"Please tell me she didn't just say that," Alex says hoarsely.

"What the hell," Maria snaps as she jogs over, glaring at Alex, "Did you just throw this at me?" she snarls, holding up the dog ball.

Groaning, I bury my face against Annie's neck as Annie burst out laughing. Alex looks shocked as he shakes his head. Smiling, I quickly pull my mate away, hurrying her into the kitchen of the Pack house.

"God woman, I love you, but you just can't help yourself! How in the hell did you manage to stay out of trouble when I wasn't around?" I ask jokingly as I trap her against the kitchen counter, my hands on her waist.

"Most of the time, I didn't. When I did, it was thanks to Kaitlyn," she laughs and I kiss her.

Happy that we're alone, although I know it wouldn't last for much longer, Maria will hunt us down eventually and if not her, then Alex. I can't believe how amazingly happy I've been this last week. I've even started looking into getting a small place for Annie and me to live. Nothing big, but I know we can't stay living in the Pack house forever and I want us to have our own place. It'll still be within the Pack territory of course and it won't be anything amazing, a simple two bedroom house with a kitchen, living room and bathroom, which I think Annie will love.

"Jason... I want to go home," she says softly. The words rip away the thoughts in my mind. A stab of pain hits my chest and I frown.

"Home as in...?"

"I want to go home, Jason. I miss my mum and dad... I miss my whole family," she says gently as tears shine in her eyes. I nod mutely before moving away from her, needing to put distance between us in order for her to not feel my pain.

She's leaving me.

"Jason?" she asks, her hand touching my arm and I turn around.

"Ok. I need to speak with Zack, see if he can agree to that, but I don't think there will be a problem. You can tell your parents the truth now, they won't be in any danger," I say, before turning quickly and leaving the kitchen. I force myself to knock on Zack's office door. Force myself to shove my emotions down inside of me, hiding any trace of pain from my expression as I enter his office.

"Hey, Jason, everything ok?" Zack asks as he looks up from the papers he's going through.

"Yeah, Annie wants to go home," I say and he looks up sharply, watching me carefully.

"As in, go home to her family? The people who think she's most likely dead?" he asks.

"Yeah," I mutter as he walks around his desk to look at me carefully, "Dude, you gonna kiss me?" I joke and he steps back.

"Bastard," he mutters under his breath and I paste a smile on my face, "You ok with her going home?"

"If that makes her happy, then I'll take her home," I say. I'm not ok with her leave me, how can I be? After everything we've gone through, it's going to kill me, yet I also understand just how painful it is to stay away from your family. I know that better than most.

"Ok. But Jason, if she stays there, are you going to be ok?" he asks.

I look at him blankly. Shit, but he's known me almost all my life, of course he knows when I'm hiding something, "It'll kill me, but I want her to be happy and seeing the tears in her eyes earlier when she asked if she could go home... that wasn't happiness," I growl.

"I'm here for you, man. Ok? You need help, you need to talk like women, you need to let of some stream and fight, let me know. Got it?"

"Yeah...Thanks, Zack," I force out and he nods silently.

I leave a second later.

"It was a joke... kind of... well it was an experiment. You see, a dog..." before she can say anything else to Maria, I wrap my arm around her waist, covering her mouth gently with my hand.

"An experiment! Are you calling me a dog?" Maria asks and I cringe. Yeah, Werewolves don't like being compared to dogs, but then again, who the fuck does?

"No, I meant to see if you chased the ball, like a dog would. You have the same sort of..."

"Annie, shut up. Best plan of action right now!" Kaitlyn cries out as she rushes into the kitchen.

"I was only..." I pull her out the kitchen, listening to Kaitlyn laugh through the apology she's giving to Maria on Annie's behalf.

"I think I'll lock you in our bedroom and keep you there, out of trouble forever," I say, more than tempted to do so.

"Not such a bad idea," she grins.

I push away the pain and lean down to kiss her hungrily. I don't want to lose her. I can't let her go, but I know I will. I know I'll take her home, kiss her, watch her family hug her and as she's surrounded by them, I know I'll slip away, unseen and unheard, back into the shadows where I'll watch her silently. Waiting for when she needs me or when she calls me.

"You want to go home?" I whisper against her lips.

"Yes," she breathes and I close my eyes, before letting my wolf take control as I kiss her once more. Possessively kissing her, enticing her lips to part for my tongue as I all but branded her; wanting her as my own forever.