Third Wheel

Jaxon

I stood there, dumbstruck, staring at my former lover who I’d believed was dead until just now. My current mate was right beside me. Both were very much alive.

~What the hell is going on?~

Katherine’s voice was soft, almost secretive. “Welcome to Fort Vulpes.”

Quinn was shaking next to me, on the verge of exploding. “You’re one of… Them?!”

Katherine tilted her head. “One of who?” she asked, feigning innocence.

“You’re one of Vulpes!” Quinn shot back. “One of the monsters who killed my dad and ruined my life! Maybe even holding my aunt hostage!”

Quinn was ready to unleash on Katherine, who looked utterly confused. Quinn knew about Katherine, but Katherine had never met Quinn.

A few pack members passing by paused, their curiosity piqued. We were attracting a crowd.

I groaned inwardly. I wasn’t used to drama like this. It felt like a damn soap opera.

~How is this even happening?~

I tried to calm Quinn down. “Okay, let’s take this one step at a time—”

She whipped around, glaring at me.

~Guess not.~

“I don’t care what my mom or anyone else says. No one in my family would willingly stay here with you blood-thirsty murderers!” She looked around the fort, her voice dropping to a whisper. “No matter how beautiful and mesmerizing this place is.”

She had a point. The lanterns casting a soft glow in the evening light made Fort Vulpes look enchanting.

Katherine shot me a knowing smile. “You can tell she’s a night person.”

I couldn’t help but grin. That was true.

With a playful glint in her eyes, she said, “I’m too tired for this. It’s almost my bedtime!”

I chuckled.

~Classic Katherine.~

I remembered the sheer, peasant-style nightgowns she used to wear... She always said she was an old soul...

Quinn’s cough brought me back to the present.

“Um, excuse me?”

She was looking back and forth between Katherine and me. “Is this some kind of inside joke? Are you two… having a moment right now?”

Quinn hardly ever cursed. She was livid.

A mix of guilt and discomfort churned in my stomach.

As Katherine finally grasped the situation, an awkward silence fell over us.

Katherine opened her mouth, but no words came out. The endearing habit didn’t charm me as much as it used to. Now she looked like a fish out of water, gasping for air.

I felt helpless, not knowing what to say or do. I felt sorry for all of us.

~What should I say? What should I do?~

Thankfully, Katherine found her words.

“Let’s go to our headquarters. I think our Alpha would like to see you.”

Their Alpha.

I assumed she meant Carl.

Fear, worry, and anger surged through me, as they always did when my so-called brother was involved.

Quinn seemed to share my feelings.

“We just spoke to him,” she said, her tone haughty.

Katherine looked utterly baffled. “Um, okay then. Right this way, Quinn. Follow me, both of you.”

She turned around, her long red hair flipping over one bare shoulder.

Wait—had she just said my mate’s name?

Hmmm. So she did know who Quinn was.

But how?

I swallowed hard as I followed them.

This was about to get even stranger.

***

Harper

Sky had been flirting with guys at the party for the past hour. She called it making the rounds. She had a way of charming everyone she met.

She was the life of the party.

At first, it was a party. Great food. Fantastic music.

But as the night wore on, the atmosphere shifted from festive to messy.

Small arguments between friends and couples started to break out. The arguments turned into fights. The palace was getting trashed. Garbage was piling up everywhere.

“It's 2019. Who doesn’t recycle?” I muttered, picking up a crushed can just inches from the bin. “Seriously, people!“

I’d somehow lost both Sky and Zara and was wandering around the party alone, feeling grumpy.

I stepped outside into a courtyard for some fresh air. We’d hung white lights in the trees, and it looked pretty nice.

Most of the partygoers were in smoking circles or pairing off along the window ledges or under the trees.

Feeling awkward standing alone, I pulled out my phone to text Sky.

Harper

Yo, Sky

Harper

Where the hell did you go dude?

Harper

I’m

Sky

omg HARP!!!!

Sky

so happy to hear from uuuuuu

Sky

i am SO drank

Sky

*drink

Sky

*DRUNK

Sky

i meant drunk ugh

Harper

Jesus are you okay??

Harper

Where are you I’ll come find you

Sky

no HARPER im fiiinnnnnnnne

Sky

i just have to tell u a SEXRET

Sky

omG i meant a SECREt

Sky

yikes

A secret? My heart skipped a beat.

~Calm down, heart.~ I told myself, feeling confused.

~What’s wrong with me?~

Harper

Okay, what is it Sky?

Sky

shhh don’t tell anyone but

Sky

I’m with a BOYYYYY

Sky

🙊🙊🙊

Now my heart sank. I couldn’t explain why, but I suddenly felt abandoned. Disappointed.

We'd come to the party together, and then she just ditched me as soon as more interesting people showed up.

Typical Sky. She was as wild and unpredictable as a storm. No one could control her.

Harper

Who???

Sky

Idk he’s from another pack!!!! he’s SO cute

~Jesus Christ.~

I put my phone back in my pocket and scanned the crowd for a familiar face.

Bingo! I spotted Zara’s head. She was sitting on a bench nearby.

“Zara!” I called out, relieved, as I pushed through the crowd.

But as I got closer, I noticed a pair of hands around her waist.

What the…?

When I moved to get a better view, I gasped. Those hands belonged to someone I knew.

~Alex?!~

Oh my God, Zara was making out with Alex!

I felt my face pale. This ~cozy get-together~ had officially spiraled out of hand.

Trapped, antsy, and now loaded with an excess of alcohol, we were all suffering from the worst case of cabin fever.

From inside the house, a loud crash echoed, the sound of something valuable breaking. Probably some royal family heirloom, a vase or something. Laughter followed the noise. Alex didn’t even bother to lift his head.

Sometimes, I really despised people.

I approached a small group of teenagers puffing away on cigarettes. “Can I have one of those?”

They handed one over and lit it for me.

“Thanks,” I muttered, walking away with the cigarette dangling from my lips.

Screw all of this.

I chose a vacant tree, slumped down against it, and tucked my legs under me as I took a long drag.

Was I feeling isolated? Yeah, I guess.

But more than that, I was anxious.

I felt like I was stuck in an episode of ~The Twilight Zone.~

Shadow Moon was falling apart right before my eyes.

Quinn

In a trance, I trailed behind this odd girl Katherine through a maze of cave tunnels. We twisted and turned, ducked under low ceilings and climbed up natural steps.

Like the rest of the Rogue Fortress, there was just so much to absorb.

Stalactites and stalagmites hung down and shot up along our path.

Water trickled down the painted cave walls and gathered in emerald green pools.

~Drip... drip... drip...~

The sound echoed in the vast space.

At least I had all the sights and sounds to distract me from the irritation Katherine was causing and the looming fear I had about facing Carl again.

~This time,~ I told myself, ~You’re ready for him.~

This time, I was ready for anything.

Meeting Katherine just moments ago had certainly raised the bar for surprises.

I could tell that Jax wanted to talk to her, but he held back. Still, they kept exchanging glances that clearly meant something. The kind of looks that were heavy with history.

She made me feel like I was the other woman or some cliché—as if we were about to start a catfight any second.

Had I suddenly become the damn third wheel?

We reached a heavy wooden door at the end of a tunnel.

“This is where the Alpha works,” Katherine declared.

She turned to me abruptly. “You may want to brace yourself for this.”

Brace myself for what?

I rolled my eyes. If I could handle ~her~—Jaxon’s supposedly dead, now not-dead ex—how much worse could it get?

Taking my silence as consent, she pushed open the door, revealing a plush, cushioned room draped in velvet and lit by candles and torches. A group of people stood around a large circular table, all hunched over a map.

When we entered, they all looked up, including a woman at the center of the table. She smiled at me, her eyes blazing.

My jaw dropped.

Could she be…the Alpha…?

“Hello, Quinn,” said my Aunt Jodie.