bChapter /bb31 /b

Caleb’s POV

bAs /bsoon as I stepped into the house, the familiar hum of the game room reached my ears. The sounds of buttons clicking, the asional frustrated sighb, /bband /bShane’s loud,petitive voice filled the spaceb. /b

I leaned against the doorway of the game room, watching as Shane and Jade battled it out on the console, their fingers moving rapidly over the controllers. Shane was fully immersed, his eyes glued to the screen, his lips curved into a smirk as he leaned slightly forward, ready to annihte Jade’s avatar. Jade, on the other hand, had that usualid–back expression, his fingers working effortlessly as if he wasn’t even trying, and yet, somehow, he was still winning.

Typical.

“You two seriously don’t get tired of this?” I muttered, stepping further into the room and flopping onto the couch, stretching my legs out in front of me.

Shane shot me a brief nce before turning back to the screen. b“/bIt’s calledpetition, Caleb. Maybe if you weren’t sozy, you’d get it.”

I scoffed, shaking my head. “Trust me, I getpetition just fine. I just don’t see the appeal of sitting here for hours on end just to prove who’s better bat /bsome game.”

“Anyways,” Shane barely nced at me before speaking. “Where the hell did you go?” he asked, still focused on the screen. His tone was casual, but there was that underlying curiosity he always had when I disappeared for hours.

“None of your business,” I said tly. I had no interest in exining my day, at least not to him–not yet.

Shane scoffed, finally flicking his eyes toward me for half a second before turning back to the game. “Rx, man. Just asking. No need to be all secretive.”

I was about to respond, maybe drop a vague hint about what he did earlier that crossed ba /bfew linesb, /bbut Shane, in btrue /bfashion, switched topics before bI /bcould. He always did that–jumped from one thing to another, never really giving anyone a chance to steer the conversation.

“So,” he said, dragging out the word, “how excited are you for your birthday next month?” There was something almost too casual about the way he asked, as if he had a reason for bringing it up.

I gave him a look. “You seem more excited about it than I am.”

Jade snorted, not taking his eyes off the screen. “If you’re waiting for an bexcuse /bto hook up with more women, just say that.”

“Wait…aren’t Mia and you a thing?” I added, frowning.

Shaneughed. “I don’t need an excuse for that,” he shot back easily. Then, almost as if he was testing something, he added, “And for the record, Mia and I aren’t a thing.”

I raised an eyebrow at that. “That so?”

He shrugged, acting as if it didn’t matter. “People just assume things. It’s not that deep. We’re open to everything. Threesomes, foursomes, more…”

“Ew.” Jade finally put his controller down, turning his full attention to Shane. “You’re literally always with her,” he pointed out.”

“And? Friends with Benefits bexist/b,” Shane replied, waving a hand dismissively. “But whateverb, /bbelieve what you want.”

I watched him carefully, noting the way he was avoiding any real confirmation. Jade and I exchanged a look, both of us arriving bat /bbthe /bbsame /bbu /bthought–something about Shane felt off. It wasn’t just about Mia, and it wasn’t just about my birthday. He was nning somethingb. /bbAnd /bwhate. neither of us bwas /bgoing to like it.

wasb, /b

I ran a hand through my hair, exhaling sharply as I leaned back against the couch.. “Guys, let’s bcall /bit a day. It’s gettingte and we have school btomorrow/b.”

“Sure.” Both boys said at onceb, /bbas /bthey began saving their game and bgot /bready to bleave/b.

Shane bwas /bthe first one to get his stuff together. “See you tomorrowb./bb” /bHe said before nting out the door.

Chapter b31 /b

b“/bbSee /bbyou/b.b” /bbBoth /bbJade /bband /bI bechoed /bbut as soon as the doors bwere /bshut and we heard the sound bof /bhis bfootsteps /bretreating down the hallwayb, /bwe breathed sigh bof /brelief.

bYou /bthink Shane’s gonna let that p slideb?/bb” /bI finally muttered, my voice lower than usual.

bJade /bbraised /ban eyebrow. “No. And you know he bwon’t/bb./bb‘ /bHis tone was sharp, matter–of–fact, like he had no patience for my hesitation. So why didn’t byou /bbput /bbhim /bin his bce/bb?/bb” /b

bI /bbscoffed/b, shaking my head. “Jade,e on-

Nob, /bbCaleb/b, youe on. Aurora is your mate, he cut in, stepping closer, his beyes /blocked onto mine. ‘You should’ve made it clear from the start that bno /bbone /bbys /bba /bdamn hand on her without answering you.”

bJade’s /bstraightforwardness had my head snapping in his direction as bmy /beyes went wide in surprise.

“How?b” /bI managed to rasp out past the lump in my throat.

“Do you really think you taking bus /bacross town to eat at a cheap restaurant was a mere coincidence?b” /bJade smirked, his golden eyes almost bsparkling /bbwith /bsuppressed glee. “But you, my dear friend, are still in denial and because of that, Caroline has bto /bsuffer unnecessarily.”

I swallowed hard, looking away, focusing on a crack in the pavement. “She’s just… Look, she’s-

b1 /b

b“/bA human?” Jade finished for me, his bvoice /bdripping with impatienceb. /bb“/bAnd what? That makes her less bof /byour mateb?/bb” /b

I clenched my jaw, shaking my head. “No, that’s not what I’m saying. I just I exhaled, pinching the bridge of my noseb. /bb“/bMates bare /bbsupposed /bto be equal, Jade. But how can she be my equal when she doesn’t even know our world existsb?/bb” /b

Jade let out a dty chuckle, shaking his head like I had just said the dumbest thing imaginable. “Equalityes in different formsb, /bbCaleb/b. Strength bisn’t /bjust about ws and fangs. The Moon Goddess doesn’t make mistakes. You think she just threw darts at a board andnded on Aurora for youb?/bb” /b

I didn’t answer. I couldn’t.

Jade sighed, rubbing his temple before ncing back at me. “Look, believe whatever the hell you want, but Shane’s up to no good. And if you think for ba /bsecond that he’ll just brush this off, you’re being an idiot.”

I let out a small huff, shoving my hands in my pockets. “Shane’s not a threat,”

Jade’s expression darkened. “No? Then you haven’t been paying enough attention.”

I rolled my eyes, pushing off the couch. “I think you’re overreacting.”

Jade didn’t say anything right away, just watched me, his lips pressed into a thin line. Then, with a shake of his head, he muttered, “Hope you’re right.”

But the way he said it made my stomach twist. Because deep down, I knew bI /bwasn’t sure about Shane at all.

bChapter /bbComments /b

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