#isaach lahey

On the way back from running an errand for your brother, you stop by an auto garage for a tune-up for your car. Once there, you run into a bit of trouble but it’s nothing you can’t handle. Unfortunately, the humans you’ve made friends with are dragged into the mess.

PART ONE|PART TWO | PART THREE

Words: 5.9K 
Author’s Note: Third and FINAL update to this little series. 
You guys get an early update because today starts my town’s local festival, and our cell service and wifi signal is about to be hit and miss starting tomorrow when everyone flocks to our town. 

Your first year in Charming was spent putting down roots and getting to know the men of the infamous Sons of Anarchy. A majority of them were hesitant to let you in since you weren’t an Old Lady or a croweater/sweetbutt, but since you had some of the most important members of their club in your corner, the men quickly learned to show you some respect. The sweetbutts had no idea about you or the supernatural world since it was top secret knowledge within the club, so it was a fun night for all when one overstepped the line with you, and you easily put her in her place.

Juice had found you the perfect piece of land away from any other dwelling, and you had bought it and put plans to have a house built on it as soon as you could into motion. The club thought that the five bedroom, three and a half bath house you had plans for was a little excessive for just you, but after explaining that it was a pack house, they understood. And when you weren’t dealing with the construction crew, you were jogging all around Charming to make sure your scent would saturate anything and everything you touched.

SAMCRO was filled with many members that you met with nearly on a daily basis, but you only ever found yourself drawn to a handful of them. Gemma, Jax, Juice, Chibs and Opie were the main ones you found yourself scenting as pack, and eventually Clay and Happy wormed their way under your wolf’s paw.

Over the months, the club got to meet many other wolves and supernatural creatures who were just passing through or congratulating another respectable Hale becoming an alpha. Fortunately, none ever challenged your authority which meant a majority of the club never got to see you in action. Then when your house was finally finished, you asked Gemma to help you decorate and furnish it. She was more than up to the task, loving every second of it and gloating in front of Jax and Opie that the house was just amazing. The men did their damnedest to get a glimpse of the house, but you refused them, even Juice who tried to wheedle his way in by suggesting he install a security system all around your property. He had a good idea, but it wasn’t something that needed to be installed just yet.

It’s been a week that you’ve now been sleeping in your own house and a week since Gemma told you she was throwing a housewarming party. She only invited club members, but club members that you usually found yourself speaking with, and you invited Derek and the betas.

Derek, Isaac, Erica and Boyd were the firsts to show up the day of the housewarming party- your brother prepping the grill outside for the steaks to be added as soon as everyone showed up. Gemma showed up next and you weren’t surprised she and Erica got along swimmingly. The three of you then ended up prepping and wrapping potatoes to be tossed onto the grill, and shucking some corn to be added as well.

As you follow Gemma and Erica outside to leave the corn and potatoes on a table, you find Isaac and Boyd settling two kegs into buckets of ice. “Jesus,” you mutter. “We’re not throwing a kegger, boys.”

Boyd flashes you a smile. “Brings back memories, doesn’t it?”

Your nose wrinkles. “Ugh. Graduation night, right? When Stiles spiked the punch?”

“You were so wasted.” Isaac chuckles. “Isn’t that the night Derek caught you in the bathroom with Brett?”

Your eyes widen as Derek growls. “Thanks for bringing that up, Lahey.”

“Wait a minute.” Gemma glances between all of you. “I thought you couldn’t get drunk?”

“You know how wolfsbane is lethal to us?” She nods. “Well mixed just right with some other herbs and then dropped into whatever we’re drinking, we’re totally fucked,” you say.

She slowly smirks. “I need to get my hands on these herbs.”

Everyone laughs and then the sounds of roaring engines meet your ears. You perk up and Erica smirks knowingly at you. “Your boy’s here.”

“He’s not my boy!”

Her eyes roll. “I don’t get why you don’t just bang him. The two of you are no strangers to casual sex.”

“Can we not talk about my baby sister banging Jax? Thanks.”

You mentally facepalm as Gemma’s eyes widen. “I knew it.”

“Knew what? There’s nothing going on,” you say while trying to also walk away.

“But you want there to be?”

You open your mouth to retort, but snap it shut and shrug. There was no use lying to Gemma. “I mean I wouldn’t be opposed to something happening, but I’m not gonna pursue it either. While casual sex between pack members is not unusual, your son is the Prez of SAMCRO who has every croweater throwing their panties at him. Us wolves are territorial in case you haven’t noticed. It wouldn’t work out ”

Gemma just cocks an eyebrow at you and you shrug once more before turning around and jogging ‘round the side of your house. Jax, Opie, Clay, Chibs, Juice and Happy are all standing before your house, staring up at it in awe.

“You think the outside looks good, then you should see the inside.”

Jax is the first to look at you and a lazy smile blossoms across his face. He saunters over to you, gaze darting between you and the house before he leans in to press a kiss to your cheek. “The house looks dope. We finally gonna get that tour?”

“Yes.” You laugh.

Clay and Chibs greet you with a kiss to the cheek as well, but it’s Chibs who mentions, “The housewarming gifts are all back at the club. Couldn’t exactly fit them on the bike, darling.”

“That’s alright,” you assure him.

Opie and Juice get hugs, and you stare at Happy long enough to gauge where his social meter is at today. You consider him pack, but he’s one individual that isn’t one for touch unless it’s a croweater he’s having his way with. But for you, you’ve noticed, he’ll allow touching to keep your werewolf tendencies at bay. So when you see him crack the faintest of grins, you move in and grab onto his forearm in greeting.

“Hey, Hap. Good day?”

The bald headed, heavily tattooed man shrugs. “Can’t complain.”

“Good.” Then glancing back at everyone else again, you gesture to the front door. “Well go on. Everyone’s out back already and the betas somehow produced kegs from thin air. Derek’s put the corn and potatoes on the grill, and he’s about to put the steaks on too.”

“Oh hell yes,” Juice exclaims, rubbing his stomach.

You shake your head and follow the men up the porch steps. They nose about the living room, making impressed noises about the kitchen, then peek into the dining room, washroom, study, the half bath, and the two bedrooms downstairs that share a bathroom.

You follow everyone as they stomp upstairs, chuckling softly to yourself as they file into every room. You nearly cackle at the way Happy puts a smiley face sticker on the door jamb to one of the rooms, then stoically meets everyone’s gaze and says, “Dibs.”

Jax and Juice immediately kick up a fuss, telling Happy he can’t call dibs on a room. When he doesn’t crack under their barrage, both men look at you in order to back them up.

Instead, you shrug. “I have four extra bedrooms. Did you think I had them built just in case you guys only wanted to crash here? I knew Jax, Opie, Clay and Gem wouldn’t since you all have your own houses, wives, and kids, but the others are free to do whatever they want.”

“So if I wanted to move in..” Juice starts, already thinking over it

“Then you move in.” You grin. “If there are any spare bedrooms after we’re all settled in, then they can be used by anyone else when they feel the urge to sleep over.”

Juice practically fist pumps the air, talking about not sleeping in his shitty apartment or dorm at the club anymore and Happy mentions the same thing. Chibs, Clay and Opie can only shake their heads in amusement as Juice and Happy start talking about moving their shit in asap.

“What if I hate my house?” Jax asks. “Then could I move in too?”

You eye the blonde biker until he slowly starts to grin at you and you roll your eyes. “Yes, Jax. If you don’t want to pay anymore on that mortgage of yours, move on in.” Then looking between all three of your roommates, you also mention, “The rooms are also soundproofed, so if your croweaters make an appearance, you’re cleaning that shit up as soon as you’re done. I don’t want this house reeking of spunk.”

“Yes, mother,” Juice mumbles.

You pin him with a glare and let a low growl reverberate through your throat. “Try me, Juicy. I will cockblock you if I have to.”

His eyes widen and Opie snorts before slinging an arm around your shoulders. “Come on, little alpha. I think I smell those steaks your brother’s got going.”

“Wait, what about this room?” Jax asks, hand already on the doorknob to the closed bedroom door.

“Don’t even think about it,” you tell him. “That’s mine and if you see it, I have a feeling I’m going to come home to one of you three neanderthals in it. Gemma’s already napped in it and she threatened to shoot me when I woke her.”

Clay chuckles. “Yep. That sounds like my old lady.”

Jax’s eyes sparkle and you take a step in his direction. “Jackson..”

“YN..”

Just as you lunge for him, he opens the door and stumbles into your room. “Holy shit.”

You close your eyes and groan as the rest of the Sons spill into your room. You know what they’re seeing- king sized bed with numerous fluffy pillows and plush comforter, large flatscreen mounted on the wall across from the bed, and the recliner and small sofa on the opposite sides of your room. Opie opens your walk-in and whistles appreciatively, and then Jax swears again as he enters your bathroom.

“You really went all out, huh?” He wonders.

“What can I say, I like my comforts.”

“Uh huh.” Jax continues to look around until his gaze lands on you again. “You know, this room is pretty fuckin’ fit for a president.”

“Yeah?” Your eyes narrow. “And my foot is pretty fuckin’ fit for a president’s ass. Wanna try it out?”

The Sons roar with laughter and then Clay’s slinging an arm around your shoulders, leading you out of the room. “Come on, sweetheart. Let’s go see what fresh hell my old lady and that blonde she-wolf are gettin’ up to.”

As you head outside, everyone but your brother is already seated at the table. Whoops and words of greeting are exchanged before Clay and Chibs make a beeline for your brother. You smile as they greet him, clapping him on the shoulders and then getting a peek at dinner. Juice and Happy make a beeline for the keg, and you head for the table. Just as you head for one of the chairs, you’re surprised when Jax pulls it out for you and gestures for you to sit. And apparently your surprise is still etched into your features after you sit, letting Gemma and Erica see a glimpse of it and snort with amusement. A moment later you’re scowling, but then smiling again as Jax passes you a cup of beer.

Eventually Derek, Clay and Chibs join the table, and everyone sits, chatting and laughing while the food cooks. Gemma is not happy to hear that Jax has plans to sell his house, but she doesn’t want to show how pleased she is that her son is moving into your house. The all knowing glint in her eyes lets you know you’ll be hearing more about that later.

Erica’s sharing the story of when a kanima was let loose on Beacon Hills, and you’d been paralyzed in a swimming pool with the human who’d had the biggest crush on you as the only person keeping you afloat, when your ears pick up on gravel crunching under tires.

The hairs on the back of your neck stand on end and you shift in your seat, angling to get better hearing when Derek says, “I might have invited a few more people.”

“Who?”

Jax and Opie tense on either side of you, but Erica’s words make you relax. “College kids are on break. Any guess as to who banded together to finally congratulate you on your new werewolf status and the house?”

Your eyes widen before you laugh and you stand up from your chair just as the pack of four round the corner of your house. “Batman!”

“Supergirl!” You laugh as you break out into a jog in order to meet Stiles Stilinski in a bone crushing hug.

“Who the hell is that?” Jax grumbles. Gemma hides her smile behind the rim of her cup.

“Stiles Stilinski,” Erica muses. “He’s the one who held our precious YN afloat in that swimming pool I was just telling you about.”

Jax tenses in his seat, glaring at the duo hugging it out before YN moves onto a laughing Asian girl.

“Relax,” Derek mumbles. “Stiles is dating that redhead next to him. Has been since the end of their high school career.”

“So who exactly are these kids?” Gemma wonders.

“Well Stiles is the first one YN hugged,” Erica tells her. “Kira was the second, Lydia is the one she’s hugging now, and the adorable puppy waiting his turn is alpha Scott McCall.” Gemma raises an eyebrow at hearing an alpha be called an adorable puppy. “What? It’s true. Scott’s the definition of pure and wholesome. He didn’t even have to kill an alpha to take their power, he just rose to his rank. He’s what we in the werewolf community call a true alpha, an alpha who rises to their power rather than take it from another.”

The Sons are kept from asking anymore questions as YN leads the McCall pack towards them. Introductions are had, handshakes are given, and you huff with amusement when Jax squeezes Stiles’ hand a little too hard though you have no idea what that’s about.

“So are we good to be nosy or are your alpha instincts still sensitive?” Stiles asks.

“Knock yourself out, Stilinski. Just don’t enter the room that has a smiley sticker on the door jamb. That’s Happy’s room and he doesn’t like people entering his space.”

“Which one is Happy again?” Everyone looks in Happy’s direction as the man in question stares Stiles down, sipping his beer without a word. “Right,” Stiles nervously chuckles. “Stay out of the scary biker’s room. Got it. Let’s go, Kira. I know you wanna look around too.”

As Stiles and Kira disappear into your house, everyone settles around the table once more.

“So..” Scott hesitates as all eyes are suddenly on him, but he only has eyes for you. “How are you settling in as an alpha?”

“It’s been good,” you tell him with a smile. “It helped that as soon as I met these fellas, I connected with them before I even turned alpha.”

“Is everyone human or..?” Lydia wonders.

“All human, all bikers,” you say. “Except for Gem, she’s Clay’s old lady and Jax’s mom, but she’s a stone-cold bitch and I love her all the more for it.”

Gemma raises her cup in cheers. “You know it, baby.”

Jax nudges your arm and when you look at him, he gestures to Lydia who’s rubbing her temple and flinching at something even though her eyes are closed. “Hey, Lyds,” you call out. “You okay over there?”

Scott immediately looks at her, placing a hand on her shoulder as she says, “Yeah. It’s just.. there’s so much death.” Your pack tenses. “Everyone’s talking at once and I can decipher what they want me to know.”

You gulp. “Lydia’s a banshee,” you murmur quietly, but still loud enough for everyone around the table to hear. “The voices of the banshees that came before her whisper to her every now and then, warning her about something on the horizon or replaying death echoes of those who lost their lives.”

The Sons wince and Lydia’s eyes open, though it’s easy to spot the tension in her frame. “I’m good. Promise.”

“Okay.”

Kira and Stiles step out onto the back porch then, and Stiles hops down eagerly as he makes his way to the table. “That bed is perfect for puppy piles. You guys get puppy piles, right?”

“Goddammit, Stiles, stop calling them puppy piles.” Stiles looks at you, eyes sparkling with mirth. “And to answer your question, no. The pack has not bonded that way. Three of them are married, two of them to each other, and the others don’t.. cuddle.”

“Hold up,” Juice says, slowly smirking. You groan at the look on his face. “Puppy piles?” He muses. “Have you been holding out on us, YN?”

“Fuck off, Juice.”

The table laughs, but Juice doesn’t let up. “What does a puppy pile consist of?”

“Stop calling it a puppy pile!”

Erica’s red painted lips stretch into a smile. “Puppy piles are just another way for a pack to become closer. It’s exactly what you think it is- a cuddle session. Everyone in the pack piles onto one bed or the floor and just sleeps. We usually have one when something traumatic happens and the pack just want to assure each other that they’re okay.”

Your pack looks at you, but you don’t meet their gazes. There have been plenty of instances when someone threatened your boys and you’ve hovered, but you never mentioned anything about a puppy pile to them.

Stiles snickers. “Who was it that woke up with their face pressed into YN’s chest and couldn’t look her in the eye for a week?”

“Isaac.” Erica reaches over and pinches her pack mate’s reddening cheek.

Derek finally chuckles then, standing up and gripping Isaac’s shoulder. “Come help me check the food. If you linger any longer, I’m afraid Jax is gonna shoot you.”

Gemma cackles and you groan, sinking into your seat. Your brother and pack were the worst.

“What am I missing?” Clay rumbles. You watch as Gemma leans over and mumbles something into his ear, his gaze then darting between you and his stepson. “Yeah, I can see it.”

“The fuck you can.” You get up, cheeks reddening as the table’s occupants laugh while you head over to your brother.

Isaac is pulling out the corn, laying them on a baking sheet before doing the same for the potatoes. You head inside to start bringing out the extra condiments for the potatoes and corn, and Gemma isn’t too far behind to collect plates and utensils.

“Grub’s done. Come and get it,” you call out.

You and Derek stand back to watch how everyone mingles with each other, grinning as your pack playfully shoves one another as they make a line. There’s more than enough steaks to go around, so everyone gleefully helps themself. And when everyone has their plates full, you go around the table and ask if anyone wants a refill on their beer.

You’re the last one to serve yourself, but you’re also the one everyone waits for to sit down before they all dig in. Then moments later, many are complimenting the chef and host, and wondering when the next pack dinner can take place.

Scott and his pack share a few stories about their college shenanigans, your pack shares a few stories about the club that can’t incriminate them in anything, and Derek’s pack shares a few stories that include you in order to embarrass you.

Food is eaten and a few more drinks are had since everyone was driving somewhere after the night was done, and all in all it’s a very good night.

Lydia zones out more often throughout the night, but eventually it happens too frequently to go ignored. Everyone is paying her more and more attention, and even the humans know something is really wrong. The redhead gasps and pushes herself away from the table, and all talking ceases.

“Shit,” you utter as Stiles stumbles after her.

“What’s going on?” Jax asks you.

“Remember how I said Lydia’s a banshee?”

“Yeah.”

“Well what are banshees known for?”

Chibs’ eyes subtly widen. “Screamin’ when death is near.”

“Yep.”

“Scream,” Stiles says. “Lydia, scream.”

“Cover your ears!”

Your hands slam over your own ears just as Lydia opens her mouth, jaw clenching as the banshee’s wail still irritates your sensitive ears.

She wails for several long seconds, and when she’s done there’s a hand immediately on your back. You glance to your right, meeting Jax’s astonished gaze.

“Crows cawing.” Lydia’s words make you snap to attention. Her eyes are filled with information that only she’s privy to. “Cawing crows.. and snarling?”

“Well the snarling can be any supernatural creature,” Scott says. “But I don’t know about the crows.”

“SAMCRO.” Clay’s words make you tense.

You glance around at your SAMCRO pack members, heart dropping into your stomach. “The clubhouse,” you realize. “They’re gonna attack the clubhouse.”

One moment everyone’s just looking at each other, and the next everyone’s scrambling out of their seats and running around the house to the front. Jax’s hand wraps around yours and you don’t even fight him when he makes a beeline for his bike. He doesn’t have to tell you to climb on, you already doing it the second he’s settled. You can see everyone scrambling onto their bikes or throwing themselves into a car, and then everyone’s racing towards Teller-Morrow Automotive.

When you pull up to the garage/club, you hop off the back of Jax’s bike and rush forward. In the lot, the SAMCRO members who’d stayed behind are all on their knees with several individuals standing behind them. Your pack forms a line behind you, guns being pulled from their waistbands or from some place they’d been stashed on their bikes.

The scent of the trespassing wolves fill your nostrils and your eyes flare red in annoyance. “What’s the meaning of this?”

Red and yellow eyes flare right back- one alpha, five betas- and the alpha chuckles. “You surprise us, lone wolf. Here I thought I could leave you a present, but then you come rolling in with human filth before we can finish.”

You snarl, teeth and claws elongating. “If you touch any one of them, I promise you, you won’t be walking off this lot.”

“Yeah?” The trespassing alpha smirks. “And how do you suppose you’re going to stop me, lone wolf? Your scent is the only scent stinking up this little town.”

“I might be the only supernatural being in my pack,” you say, letting your lips curl into a smirk, “but you picked the wrong day to attempt a takeover.”

“And why’s that?”

“Because us Hales stick together.” Derek steps forward, followed by Erica, Boyd and Isaac. All their eyes flare red and yellow.

“And I don’t like wolves who hurt humans on purpose.” Scott steps forward, eyes flaring red, followed by Kira. She grips the buckle of her belt and whips the entire thing off in one go as it snaps into a wickedly sharp katana.

The trespassing pack doesn’t look so confident now.

“What do you want to do, YN?” Derek asks. “This is your territory, your decision.”

“The less gunfire, the better. We don’t want the cops coming here. Subdue them.”

As if those were the magic words, every trespassing wolf shoves down a SAMCRO member who’d been on their knees and jumps over them. You, your brother, and friends meet them head on- wolf vs. wolf and wolf vs. kitsune.

The outcome of the fight should be a no-brainer- their six to your seven- but somehow in the middle of all the snarling, slashing and biting, the trespassing alpha gets the drop on you. You didn’t have to keep an eye on all the humans who had stood back, itching to shoot, but you did get momentarily distracted when two betas jumped on Derek after knocking Isaac and Erica out.

A metal pipe whips across your face, the momentum behind the hit causing your whole body to turn and stumble. A kick to the back of your knee sends you to your hands and knees, and then the pipe is being shoved into your back and out your chest.

Your head whips back as you roar in pain and rage, and the fight all around you comes to a halt.

Opie and Clay have to keep a hold of Jax the moment they see YN get whipped across the face with a pipe, everyone’s heart dropping into their stomachs when the pipe is then shoved through her body. The alpha standing over her chuckles, his red eyes scanning the humans in amusement.

“Hey. Hey!” Jax calls out, crouching a little so he can catch YN’s red gaze. As she pushes further up on shaky arms, a little bit of his tension bleeds out. “What’s the play here?”

Supernatural red meets human blue, top lip trembling in rage. “Kill them.”

“You heard her, boys. One and done, but that red eyed prick is mine.”

“If you’re with me, now’s the time to duck,” you mumble.

Just as Jax stands tall and takes aim, your brother and friends immediately fall to the ground. Opie, Clay, Chibs, Juice and Happy all take one shot, letting the alpha look around in surprise as his entire pack falls to the ground with a smoking bullet hole in their head, and then Jax pulls his trigger when the alpha looks back at him.

You fall to your side just as the alpha gripping the pole falls dead, groaning in pain at the metal still sticking out of your body.

“What the hell was that?!” Stiles exclaims.

You wince as pain wracks your body just as Gemma tells everyone you’d made SAMCRO switch to wolfsbane bullets in case of something like this ever happening.

Hands find your shoulders and you growl, but then Chibs’ voice is telling you it’s just him. “Easy, lass. Easy,” he says. He quietly swears, speaking to another individual who’s yet to touch you. “We might need to get her to a hospital.”

“No.” You grit your teeth, forcing yourself onto your hands and knees before sitting back on your knees. Immediately, you meet Jax’s wide eyes. “Pull it out. I’ll heal.”

“Bullshit.”

“It’s true.” Derek steps up behind Jax, smirking as he looks down at you. “Sucks, doesn’t it? Remember when I was in this exact position, and you mocked me?”

“Fuck. You.”

“Take a deep breath in because this is going to suck. A lot.”

Derek walks around you and places one hand on your shoulder, grasping the metal pipe sticking out from just below your breastbone with the other. He yanks before you can even inhale deeply. You roar, but your eyelids quickly flutter as you start to fall back.

“Oh shit.” Hands catch you and suddenly there’s pressure against your back and front. Your arms are draped around necks and then you’re being helped into the club. “Get more towels. Set her on the pool table.”

You’re in a haze of pain as you’re led inside the club, mumbling about buying a new pool table as you’re laid out on it. More towels or sheets or whatever they’d found are shoved under your back and pressed down onto your front, and you whimper in pain.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry.” Your eyelids flutter open and you see Jax worriedly staring down at you.

“M'fine,” you tell him, flashing him a faint smile. “Just hurts.”

He gulps. “I need to make sure my brothers are good. You better not die on our pool table.”

“Never.”

You grin and then wince when Jax turns around, yelling that the clubhouse is now in lockdown.

Pressure just under your chest lessens and you grimace when you feel your shirt being lifted.

“Oh god. Oh that’s so gross. Derek, stop looking into the gaping wound,” Stiles mumbles.

“Stop being a little bitch, Stilinski,” you mumble back and then swat at the hands holding your shirt up. “Put it down. Let me heal in peace.”

“You gonna be good here?” Your brother asks. “We have bodies to bury.”

“Yeah. Go.” You shoo him away. “Ask Happy for help. He’ll know the best locations to dig.”

“Alright.”

Your brother, his pack and Scott’s pack take their leave after having a brief conversation with Happy and Juice. And just when your eyes close, you feel a presence hovering over you.

Breathing in deep, you figure out who it is. “Gem.”

“Hey, baby. Are you really gonna be okay?”

You smile and briefly open one eye, nodding. “Yeah. I just need to rest up. It’s gonna suck, but I’ll be good.”

“Okay.” A moment passes and then, “I know I’ve seen you fight before, but tonight was pretty badass.” You huff a quiet laugh. “And that little Asian girl? She’s not human, is she? I thought I saw her eyes glowing orange.”

“She’s not. Kira’s a kitsune.”

“So a banshee and a kitsune,” she muses. “These are some interesting friends you’ve got.”

“You think that’s interesting, you should meet Deputy Parrish.”

You can practically hear the sneer in her voice as she asks, “A pig?”

“Don’t be rude. Parrish is a decent guy. He also happens to be a hellhound.”

When Gemma falls quiet, you open your eyes and find her looking a little surprised. “Huh. Those exist?”

“Yeah. He gets all glowy-eyed, fangy and claw-y like the rest of us.” She snorts. “But his body also erupts into flames.”

“Damn. I bet that’s a sight to behold.”

“Oh for sure. Especially since the only piece of clothing that’s left on him after a fight are his boxer briefs.” You and Gemma chortle with laughter, but then you groan in pain and shoo her away so you can get some relaxation.

                    - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Sometime later, you’re awoken when your hear quiet chatter all around. You attempt to sit up, groaning when every muscle in your body protests since you’d been laying in one position for so long.

“Hey. Careful.”

You wrinkle your nose at Jax, grinning a moment later as he sweeps his hair out of his eyes. “M'fine. I need a shower. And a bed.” You yawn. “I need to get home.”

“Sorry, sweetheart. Club’s on lockdown.”

“Jax,” you whine. “I don’t wanna sleep in any of your sex dens. The smell of stale cum wreaks havoc on the senses.”

He snorts. “Don’t worry. I had a prospect clean my room from top to bottom recently. You’re good.”

“I don’t have clothes here.”

“Lydia went to the house and picked up some stuff for you before she left.”

“So the packs left then?”

“Yeah. Your brother and his pack grabbed a motel room nearby though. He’ll check in tomorrow.”

“Joy,” you deadpan. You absentmindedly scratch at your wound, wincing a little before picking up your shirt to look at it. By now it just looks like a wet scab and you sigh. “So that shower?”

“Follow me.” Jax smirks and you hop off the pool table, following after him.

When you get to Jax’s dorm and he opens it up, you’re relieved that it actually does smell just like him and only him. One of your duffel bags is on his bed and you head over to it to open it up and rummage through it for an outfit. You don’t say a word as he leads you into the bathroom, starting it up for you and keeping a careful eye on you.

“I got it from here,” you say as the steam starts filling up the small space. “Thanks, Jax.”

Offering him a faint smile, you keep still as he steps into your space. On hand raises, hesitantly cupping the side of your face as his eyes trace over every feature. “You sure you’re okay?”

“Mhm. Just tired. I’ll be good by morning.”

“I’ll be right outside then.”

Jax leaves you be and as the door shuts behind him, you exhale a breath you hadn’t realized you’d been holding. Your heart’s even pumping a little quicker than usual and you mentally get your emotions in check before you start stripping.

The hot water feels phenomenal and you take a moment to rinse all the blood off before grabbing Jax’s bar of soap and lathering yourself up. Then once you feel a little more like yourself, you step out and dry off as much as you can. You run your fingers through your hair just enough until you can tie it up into a messy bun then pull on a sports bra. You pull on underwear and a small pair of sleep shorts, and then sleepily stumble out into Jax’s room.

You’re not surprised to find him there, but you are a bit surprised to find him in nothing but basketball shorts. He glances up at you and smirks. “Been texting with Erica,” he says while tossing his prepaid cell aside. “Says skin on skin is good for healing.”

“It is.” You narrow your eyes at him as his smirk widens.

“Sorry we can’t fit any of the others in my bed, but I’m hoping you’ll be fine with just me.”

“You encouraging this is only going to make the teasing worse.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Sure you don’t,” you say, walking over to his bed and climbing into it so you’re closest to the wall.

Jax chuckles as he climbs in after you and you don’t waste a second before you’re tucking yourself under his arm, laying your head on his chest and slipping a leg over his thigh. You let your body relax, eyes closing, only to pinch his stomach when he says, “So if this is a puppy pile, I honestly wouldn’t mind doing this every night. But just you and me. I don’t like to share.”

You huff a laugh. “But pack cuddles are for the entire pack, Jax. It’s a form of bonding.”

“Fine. Then only you and I get to strip down and bond like this. All clothes stay on when Juice and Chibs are involved.”

“And Happy?”

This time, Jax laughs. “You really think Happy’s gonna cuddle?”

“I don’t know,” you tiredly muse. “I managed to get him to let me hug him. I’m pretty sure I’ll at least get to sleep in the same bed as him, even if we’re a few feet apart.”

“Fine. If you manage to wear down Happy, clothes stay on.”

“You’re making a lot of rules for someone who’s basically just a beta.”

“Oh sweetheart, you and I both know there’s more going on between us than just the relationship of an alpha and her beta.”

You bite back a grin. “I’m pretty sure your mom wants me to jump your bones.”

His chest shakes with quiet laughter. “I’m pretty sure I want you to too.”

“Mhm. We’ll revisit this conversation after I’ve healed and go from there.”

“Done. Night, darling.”

“Night, Jax.”