Wolves of Enchantment

Chapter 18: One Girl, Three Hearts

Jax’s Point of View

Her eyes caught mine as she entered the room, and I couldn't tear my gaze away. I blushed because I could feel things … growing the longer I held her gaze, so I looked away. I can’t remember ever wanting to kiss someone more.

“Glad you could finally join us,” Jackson scoffed, and Mom glared at him.

“Manners, Jackson,” River said, clearly annoyed.

Jackson didn't bother to look at Lilith as he mumbled a half-hearted apology. River gave an exaggerated eye roll, unimpressed with Jackson's insincere gesture.

“Good morning, Lilith. We didn’t get much of a chance to meet you. I’m River, the father of Jackson and Ember. This is Phoenix, Jax’s dad, and over there is my big brother, Anton, who is Axel’s father,” River said.

Lilith flashed a smile and gave River a quick thanks for the introduction. As the adults chatted away, we teenagers focused on our plates, eagerly devouring the delicious food. We were hungry and weren’t used to waiting long for meals. I know it’s a luxury, and we were spoiled. My mom always made sure we had family dinners for sustenance and to bond as a family. We laughed and shared stories, and those moments were precious to us. I realized that our family was different from most of the kids at school, but I didn't care. It was something special that I treasured. Even Lilith seemed to enjoy herself despite feeling overwhelmed by our chaotic family dynamic.

I noticed Mom's intense gaze on Lilith, even though she tried to be subtle about it. Lilith started fidgeting under the scrutiny, thinking she had messed up somehow. Dad caught Mom's eye and shook his head ever so slightly. They communicated silently through their bond, and I could see Mom's expression change as she realized what was happening. Mom's eyes widened as she comprehended the situation. It must have been the lack of caffeine getting to her; since getting pregnant again, she hasn't been able to enjoy her usual multiple cups of coffee. She was missing her caffeine fix.

“Lilith, I hope you don’t mind. We asked Jax to ride back with you as getting turned around in this area is easy. It was nice to have you here last evening, and it was lovely to have a chance to get to know you a bit better this morning over breakfast. I hope that you’ll come over again. You are welcome here anytime,” my Dad said.

My nerves were on edge as I looked at Lilith. When my Dad asked me to do this, I agreed without hesitation. However, I couldn't help but worry about how Lilith would react. In the short time I've known her, I've noticed that she doesn't like relying on others. But my Dad was right - we purposely chose to live in a remote area because our family are werewolves, and we need space and privacy to shift. Lilith is still new to the area, and it's only natural for her to be unfamiliar with the surroundings. We didn't want her to get lost, so my Dad asked me to ride home with her.

“Thank you, Jax. I appreciate it,” Lilith said, flashing a smile at me while I couldn't help but stare at her.

"It's no problem," I replied quietly, feeling my cheeks grow warm as my dad raised an eyebrow.

Uh oh. He knows I have feelings for her. Please don't say anything. My mom caught my dad's expression and smirked knowingly. I sighed in relief, knowing that my dad wouldn't say anything in front of Lilith, but I was sure he would bring it up later when we were alone.

“Can I lend a hand with the cleaning?” Lilith asked, but my Mom just shook her head.

“Juniper and Terrance will be leaving soon, and Ember needs to explain why she thought setting her cousin’s socks on fire was a good idea. Ember can assist me with the cleaning, but thank you,” Mom replied with a smile.

“If you're comfortable with it, I'd like you to exchange phone numbers with my boys and Juniper. Starting your senior year at a new school where you don't know anyone can be tough, so having this crew to rely on will help,” Mom explained.

“If you don’t need to be back right away, maybe Jax can show you some of the great spots to ride through,” Dad added.

“Do you ride too, sir?” Lilith asked, and my Dad looked at her in surprise.

“I do, and so does my father. Jax came by his love for motorcycles naturally,” Dad chuckled.

Juniper, my brothers, and I exchanged numbers with Lilith before we left. My dad was smart enough to send Terrance and Ember out with Mom to handle the sock problem, so my young cousin didn't find a way to get Lilith's number. He had quite a crush on her, but the last thing Lilith needed was him calling just to hear her voice and then hanging up once she answered. That wouldn't end well for him.

When Juniper and Lilith left to grab her things, my brothers and I were at the table. The tension in the room was suffocating.

"Did something happen between you and Lilith?" Jackson prodded.

"What? No, why would you ask that?" I responded, genuinely taken aback. I hadn't told anyone about what had been happening in my head.

"You were acting weird around her during breakfast. The only time that happens is when there's a girl you're crushing on," Jackson pointed out.

"He's right. Did something happen? Do you have feelings for her?" Axel chimed in.

I didn't want to say anything. It was none of their business. But it seemed like my brothers wouldn't let the subject drop without an answer.

I muttered, "I kissed her."

"You what?" Jackson exclaimed, clearly taken aback.

Axel gave me a small smile, and from my brother's expression, I could tell I wasn't the only one with feelings for her. What was surprising was that I was the first one actually to do something about it.