Jaded Hearts (Book 2 of Blue Moon Series)
Jaded Hearts Chapter 68

Unknown

"Lawrence, we need to move forward with the plan. How is Andrew coming along?"

"His recovery's on schedule. Still no sign of his wolf, but showing him the picture of the baby did a lot to fuel his fury. I'm sure he'll be malleable to any ideas you might have, sir." "Have him contact his brother. We need information that only he can provide," I quickly said.

"His brother? What could he possibly know that would help you?"

I allowed Lawrence in on the bare minimum of details, so he could have some understanding of what I was trying to achieve. I still wanted to keep everything as quiet as possible, but he needed to know something if I expected him to follow along.

"Sir, I think this is a bad idea. I have to advise you against it. Andrew's unstable, and Blue Moon is extremely powerful. The only pack stronger than theirs is Opal Moon, and it's their sister pack. You would essentially be going up against them both. If he's unable to do whatever it is you have planned, it'll be you left in the line of fire. As your lieutenant, I can't allow this to happen."

"Yes, you are the lieutenant, so that means you will do what you are told when you are told. Have him contact his brother and gain the information I need, then report back. I don't need you to do any thinking. That's my job.

He looked as if he had more to say, but instead nodded his head and left the room. He was my closest thing to a friend, but I had no time for friends now. I needed results, and close relationships always hindered results. Lawrence would do what I wanted him to do, or I would dispose of him and find someone else who would.

***

Drew

"Good afternoon, Mr. Witt," Lawrence coldly stated as he entered my room.

It seemed that every time he saw me, he liked me less and less. I made no attempt to hide the fact that I felt the same way.

"To what do I owe the displeasure, Lawrence?"

"The boss has a request, a way for you to show your appreciation for the gift he gave you."

"I didn't ask him to do anything, so to now come demanding payment is bullshit. What does he want?"

"It's simple. Even you can handle it. Contact your brother."

I scoffed and rolled my eyes. "You'll need to be more specific. I have three brothers."

"The Alpha, of course."

"Colton?"

"Did you have more than one brother ascend to the rank of Alpha?" He asked with a sneer.

"Screw you, snowflake. What do you want with him?"

The "snowflake" jab pissed him off big time, exactly what I wanted it to do.

"We need information. He has it, and you need to get it."

"That's too f*****g bad because Colton banished me. I felt my pack link break over six months ago. I can't link him, I don't have a phone, and if I ever step foot on Dark Woods territory, I'll be burned alive. So, you'll need to get your information from another source." He tossed a phone at me that almost went crashing to the floor, but somehow, I was able to catch it with my pitiful excuse for a hand.

"Call him and find out what we need to know. If you succeed, the boss will give you another gift. One of a more cosmetic nature."

"If you're trying to make me look like you, I'll pass. I'd much rather rock the Frankenstein look."

"Dental implants to replace the numerous teeth that were knocked out of your idiotic head. That, and the prosthesis for your arm."

He had my attention now. I'd only seen my reflection a few times since that night, and I hated what I saw. This was major and would really help to make me look and feel normal again.

He passed me a sheet of paper with a list of questions and topics on it. None of this s**t made any sense to me, and I didn't think that Colt would tell me anything anyway. He'd probably hang up as soon as he heard my voice.

SIXTY-SEVEN | TIME AWAY

Unknown

"Lawrence, we need to move forward with the plan. How is Andrew coming along?"

"You have until tomorrow night. Alpha Witt's number is saved in the contacts, and that is the only number that can be reached. There's also no internet connection nor any way to receive inbound calls. Just do what you're being asked to do, and you will stay in the boss's favor. Understand?"

Taylor

Walking into the playroom the next morning, I felt like a celebrity. Alaia and Morgan were waiting with bated breath to hear about my night. They barely gave me time to place the baby down before they attacked me with a barrage of questions. "I'm so excited! How was it? Did you and Tyson bone? You look like you got it good last night."

"What is wrong with you? It was just dinner, that's all. All 'boning' as you so crassly put it happened after I got home," I replied.

Morgan pouted but quickly recovered. "Fine. But did you at least have a good time?"

"It was just like old times. I'd really missed him."

"Aww, that's so sweet. You seem really happy this morning," Alaia said.

"I am. We had a really good talk, and I let go of some past issues and resentment that were weighing me down. I don't know for sure if we'll be more than friends, but at the very least, we have a clean slate."

"Last night didn't sway you one way or the other? I thought that was the whole point, to try and figure out what you want to do?" Morgan asked.

"It was just one night, and only five hours. I can't decide something like that in such a short amount of time. But if I'm being honest right now, I think I'm still in the friendship mindset. I do love Tyson, and he's obviously sexy and attractive, but I feel complete with Matt. I don't need anything else; he gives me everything and more. Right now, I just want to be with him."

"If that's how you feel, great. This isn't something you would want to force; it would be a disaster for all three of you. Maybe at some point down the line, you may feel different, but listen to what your heart is telling you to do now," Alaia told me.

"We'll probably hang out again. Well, we planned to, and I really hope he won't want to distance himself from me after I tell him how I feel. I really love spending time with Tyson and don't want to lose him."

"I doubt he will. You're not rejecting him; you're just still unsure. If anything, it's just more opportunity for him to try and woo you. That Frederick charm is hard to resist," Morgan said with a smile.

"If you say so. So, what's new with you two? I feel like all we do is talk about me and my drama."

"Xander and Alexi are going to the Northwestern Wolf Summit next week. I think Matt is interested in going too. It's being held at the Gray Sky pack in Washington this year. I'll have three whole days without my husbands, so I think I'll have a party," Alaia said with a smile.

"Matt didn't tell me about that."

"They just ironed out the details this morning. He probably hasn't had the chance yet. Kade hates Washington for some reason, so he opted to stay behind."

"Well, I guess that's exciting. What's a wolf summit, though?" I asked.

"Just a big meeting, for the most part. The top-ranked members of the pack are usually the only ones who attend, so they can all focus on business. Packs who are aligned with one another discuss ways they can strengthen their ranks, build their businesses, grow their numbers, things like that. Packs who maybe are not on the best terms try to find a common ground and see if they can settle their differences. Quite a lot happens in those three days-it's a big deal. My old pack, Opal Moon, hosted it when I was a kid, and Blue Moon is scheduled to host it next year."

"Sounds boring, but I can see the necessity in it. It'll be good for Matt to get away for a few days. I feel like everything going on is burning him out, and I hate it."

"They'll have time to chill and relax while they're there. They spend a ton of time outdoors in nature to help them reconnect with their wolves so that they can be better leaders. I guess Alexi will just have to sit on the sidelines for that part. But it'll be good for all of them."

"So, it will just be Kade and Tyson for a few days. That will be interesting."

"Kade is insane, but he's a damn good Beta. We'll be in good hands while the others are gone," Alaia advised.

"And you can spend some time getting to know Tyson better. Much, much better," Morgan said with a wink.

"I really miss the old Morgan who swore that men were nothing but trouble and that we were all better off without them. She wouldn't be pushing me to screw her cousin."

"That Morgan had never been delicately folded into a pretzel and plowed into delirium. That right there would sway even the hardest feminist to the other side. I've seen the light. It's p***s-shaped and glorious."

***

Matt

I was nervous about leaving to go to the summit, but I knew that the ladies would be safe here with Kade and Tyson. And I also saw it as a way for the two of them to spend time together to finally see how they felt about each other. I hoped that by the time I got home, it would all be figured out, and we could just move forward with our lives, however that would be.

Taylor walked into my office as I was thinking, bringing a smile to my face. Just her mere presence made me happy. I was crazy about her.

"Hi, beautiful. What are you up to?"

"I spent some time with the girls, then had a quick meeting with the house staff. Our daughter is being entertained by the twins, so I figured I'd come see you," she said. "You left her with the twins?"

"Yeah. The twins and Morgan. They're in diapers. Besides a bit of drool passing between them, not much can happen. And she smiled at Alex this morning. It was so sweet."

"He's already working his magic on her! I'm telling you, babe, that kid is trouble."

She laughed and came around to sit on the desk in front of me. "Alex is a sweetheart, but he won't charm us away from you. Well, not me. Genesis is probably deep under his spell by now. He gave her his stuffed dragon."

I had to laugh. I couldn't help it. "I'll give it to him. That's pretty smooth for a one-year-old. So, I'm guessing you've heard about the summit?"

"Alaia filled me in. Are you excited?"

"It's not my first time, but it's good networking. Plus, Logan and I could use the time to recalibrate, so I'm looking forward to it."

"Good. Just focus on that while you're there. We'll all be fine here, so take the time and relax. You deserve it," she said.

"You're not upset that I'm leaving so soon after everything with your parents, and with what's going on with Tyson?"

"Not at all. Remember when Tyson

Sunshine was on her way over to talk, and for the first time in my life, I was nervous when it came to a woman. She was breaking me down, and there was nothing I could do to stop it. When she walked in, I noticed that she was carrying two huge bags that I quickly took from her.

"What's all this, gorgeous?"

"It's dinner. I'm cooking for you tonight. You did say that we'd have dinner again, didn't you?"

"Yeah, but I figured it would be planned out, and not two days later. That's usually how this works."

"Not with me. You gotta stay on your toes. That's one of the rules."

I chuckled and placed the bags on the counter. "I'll remember that. So, what are we having?"

"Chicken enchiladas. Do you like Mexican?" she asked.

"I do, and I've got some Mexican beer in the fridge I've been wanting to crack open, so this is perfect."

She smiled at me, then began pulling everything out. While she worked, I just watched her. She really was effortlessly beautiful. I'd never admit it out loud, but I was extremely jealous of what she and Matt had. They had an entire life woven around one another. He found her and immediately knew she was special. He wasn't an i***t who took her for granted; he was smart, and he was reaping the benefits. "Did you hear me?"

"I'm sorry; my mind was somewhere else. What did you say?"

"The summit. Are you okay with being here with us? I doubt anything will happen over a weekend, but you'll almost be like the Beta, helping Kade out."

"I'm not going to be the Beta. Kade can handle this on his own. I'll just be looking out for you, mainly. You know I'd never have a problem with that." "So, you're not going to help?"

"If he needs me, sure I will."

She smiled again and turned back to the stove. "I've been wanting to ask you, how did you feel after the other night? How do you think things went?"

"I thought it went well. You didn't get sick from my cooking, and you didn't run out of here screaming from boredom when we were talking. I count that as a win." She laughed and looked back at me, pointing a wooden spoon at my face. "I'm being serious, you goof."

"Fine. Seriously, it was perfect, in my opinion. I enjoyed every minute we spent talking and missed you as soon as I dropped you back home."

"I wasn't so sure."

Damn. That hurt. "You didn't have a good time?"

"I had a really good time, and I felt a lot in those five hours I was here. But I wasn't so sure what those feelings meant. That's what I was trying to say."

"You need to work on your delivery, sunshine. You almost ripped my heart out just then."

SIXTY-EIGHT | TOUGH COMPETITION

Tyson

Sunshine was on her way over to talk, and for the first time in my life, I was nervous when it came to a woman. She was breaking me down, and there was nothing I could do to stop it. When she walked in, I noticed that she was carrying two huge bags that I quickly took from her.

She flicked a garlic clove at me that I skillfully dodged.

"You know I love you. I wouldn't just diss you like that."

I couldn't believe it. She'd said the words-she still held feelings for me. "You love me?"

She stopped what she was doing and looked over at me again.

"Yes, I love you. What that love means right now, I don't know. But it's there. I just have to take the time to figure it out. We have to take the time."

"I said it before; you take all the time you feel you need. And I will do whatever it is that you need me to do to help. No pressure-I want this to be something you actually want, not something you're doing for me. No relationship should be that way." "Thank you. Now help me with this oven; it's way fancier than I thought. Set it to three-fifty for me, please."

I moved to the other side of the island and did what she asked. It was a strange feeling, working in the kitchen with her. It was domestic, and that was never my thing. But time changes everything, and in this moment, there was nowhere else in the world I'd rather

be.

***

Taylor

I didn't expect to tell Tyson that I loved him, but once I did, I was happy about it. He deserved to know. Whatever happened, it would be a mutual agreement between both of us. He was too important to me to leave him in the dark.

When the food was ready, I served him his dinner. It was so strange. I was used to doing this with Matt, but this was different.

"You okay, gorgeous?"

"Yes. I'm just understanding that you're not Matt."

He looked confused, so I explained as best I could.

"Hopefully, one day, it'll be second nature to you, regardless of whether you're eating with a friend or lover."

"The last time I cooked for you, I think I was fourteen, and it was a grilled cheese sandwich. This should be much better."

He took a big bite, then shook his head. "This is incredible, but so were those sandwiches. You'll have to make me another one day soon."

"I can do that."

We fell into a comfortable flow of conversation, where I was constantly laughing. I don't think anyone has ever had the ability to make me laugh the way he does. It's always been one of my favorite qualities of his.

"So, I've been wondering, and forgive me if this sounds stupid, but does your bear hibernate?" I asked.

"It's not a stupid question at all. He goes dormant for a few months each year. When he does, I'm not as strong and don't heal as easily. I can still shift if I need to, but it takes way longer, and it's much more painful, so I try to avoid it if I can. Also, I can only hold the form for an hour at the most before I'm drained of all my energy. It's like I become almost human during that time, so I like to lay low when it happens."

"When does it happen?"

"It begins the night of the winter solstice and ends the morning of the spring solstice."

"So in about a month. Do you miss him when he's gone?"

"No, I'm used to it. It's somewhat of a vacation for both of us. When I was working, I'd always take those three months off. That's when I would travel and just be Tyson."

"Kade will be happy to hear about all this. Maybe he can finally beat you at sparring."

"I doubt it, angel. I said I'm not as strong, but I'm still a bear. He'll be able to get in a few more clean shots, that's for sure, but I'll still come out on top."

"He'll just have to take what he can get, I guess."

He stood up to clear our empty plates, so I decided I'd help by packing the leftovers away. As I worked, my mind went over the past week or so. I was getting nervous because I wanted to tell him how I felt. The laidback nature of tonight cleared the fog for me. I finally knew what I wanted. I loved Tyson Frederick, but only as a friend. One day that could change, but today wasn't that day.

But I didn't want to lose him either. He was one of my favorite people.

"I'm okay with being your friend, Taylor. I know you don't need another man in your life, so I just want to spend time with you. A lifetime of simple meals like this together is more than I could ever ask for. I promise."

I spun around and looked at him, shocked. "How did you know?"

He shrugged a shoulder and looked down at the floor. "I'm a bear; we have the strongest sense of smell of any animal. I could smell when your mood changed, and you became nervous. There's only one reason for that."

"I'm so sorry, Tyson. I really am. But I just can't see you that way. When I think of the man who has my heart, it's Matt. It doesn't mean I don't love you, because I do, but it's not the same way I love him."

"You don't need to apologize. I was up against some tough competition, and Matt is damn near perfect. I can't see a man like him ever needing help to keep his lady happy. He nearly kills himself every day, making sure you're taken care of. You've got a good one, sunshine."

I walked over and wrapped my arms around his chest. I was beyond relieved that he understood. It was all I wanted in the world.

"I'll still be right here, so don't worry, alright? I'm not going anywhere."

I nodded my head and held him tight. "Thank you for understanding."

"Anything for you, princess." we went to Italy when Mitchell was in the hospital? I knew Morgan could probably use me with her, but she loved me enough to know that I needed the time away. Same thing here. I'll always need you, but you need to take care of yourself sometimes too. Go. I want you to."

"Okay. It's only three days, but if you need me to come home, just call me, and I'll be right back."

"I will not. I can survive three days without you," she said with a smirk.

I pulled her into my lap and rested my face in the crook of her neck. "Maybe it's me who can't go three days without you."

Her hands came up, and she ran her fingers through my hair. I loved it when she did that. "I'll be right here waiting for you to get back. Always."