Dark Woods

Chapter 7

Gabriel’s POV

When I finished training with the pack warriors, I hadn't expected to run into Jasmine in the pack house. The way she stood there, openly checking out my shirtless body, sent heat shooting through me. She looked at me like a predator eyeing its prey—and I'd gladly let her devour me. I couldn't hide my smile at the scent of her desire and the way her eyes ate up every inch of my physique. When I walked over to her, I found out she was there for Jamison's party. I'd had zero intention of going to that s**t, but now there was no f*****g way I'd miss it.

I hadn't planned on kissing Jasmine's forehead, but seeing her shocked expression and smelling that unmistakable scent of arousal coming off her made it totally worth it. I immediately texted the group chat to see if the guys were going to the party, and luckily, all of them said yeah.

The rest of the afternoon dragged by like torture. I couldn't focus on anything—not pack training, not the endless meetings my dad insisted I sit in on, not even the reports I was supposed to review. All I could think about was Jasmine and that look in her eyes when I kissed her forehead. The way she'd responded, the scent of her arousal, the way she'd looked at me like she wanted to devour me whole.

Get it together, Preston. It's just a f*****g party.

But I know it's not just a party. It's my chance to see her again, to figure out what this pull is between us. To maybe get her alone and see if she tastes as good as she smells.

A couple hours later, I show up at Jamison's house. Music's blasting so loud you can hear it down the whole street, and I can see wasted partygoers passed out all over the front lawn. I'm fashionably late, even though the party started at ten. Jamison's parents are loaded as f**k, judging from this massive two-story mansion and all the property around it.

The place is crawling with people—kids from all three packs mixing together in a way that only happens at neutral parties like this. There's an outdoor bar set up by the pool, string lights hanging everywhere, and enough alcohol to put half the school in the hospital.

I walk into the house and make my way through to find that the main party's happening in the pool area. Jamie and Max immediately spot me talking to some girls.

"Hey boss, what took you so long?" Jamie calls out, a beer already in his hand and looking like he's been here for hours.

"Yeah, the guys are over there in the cabana," Max says, pointing with his beer bottle toward a group of familiar figures.

"Thanks, man. Oh, and you should probably get back to those chicks you were talking to—I think they're getting bored," I say, nodding toward the girls who are now making out with each other.

Both Jamie and Max groan with excitement, give me mock salutes, and take off. I slowly make my way toward the other alphas while scanning the crowd, looking for Jasmine.

Where the hell is she?

"Hey Gab," Lucas calls out as I walk up to where he, Keaton, and Nick are hanging out.

"Hey guys," I reply as Keaton hands me a beer.

"Dude, there are so many hot chicks here. I didn't even know Jamison knew this many girls," Keaton says, his gaze already tracking a group of cheerleaders by the pool.

"I think daddy's money is what most of them are after," Lucas says, taking a big gulp of his beer.

"That makes total sense," Keaton laughs.

"Hey, where's Nick? Does he know his mate's here?" I ask, noticing our usually horny beta is nowhere to be seen.

"Oh, he knows. That's why he's been glued to her side all night," Keaton says, pointing toward the beer pong tables.

I can see Nick playing beer pong with a couple girls. The brunette must be his mate Kylie, and the other's the blonde who seems pretty tight with Jasmine. Where the hell is she? I wonder, and then I spot her.

Holy f**k.

Jasmine's wearing this skin-tight black dress that's molded to every curve of her perfect body. The thing's like a second skin, and it's short—way too f*****g short—showing off those long, tanned legs that I want wrapped around my waist. Her hair's in loose waves over her shoulders, and she looks absolutely stunning. My d**k gets hard immediately, and I have to shift around to hide it.

The dress hugs her in all the right places, showing off her incredible figure without being too slutty. But f**k, it's still short enough to make my mouth go dry. I can see the curve of her ass when she bends over to line up a shot, and it takes everything I have not to march over there and claim her right f*****g now.

She looks good enough to eat, and I'm completely obsessed with her body. When she laughs and turns to walk toward Nick, I notice every single guy checking her out. Those assholes are staring at what's mine.

The possessive thought hits me hard. Where the f**k did that come from? But I can't deny the jealousy and rage flooding through me as I watch guys openly staring at her ass. One dickhead even licks his lips while watching her, and I grip my beer so hard I'm shocked it doesn't break.

I should rip their f*****g eyes out.

"We should go say hi to Nick's friends," Lucas suggests, but I'm barely listening. All I can focus on is Jasmine and how that dress is painted onto her body.

The way she moves is hypnotic—confident, sexy, like she knows exactly what she's doing to every guy in this place. But there's also this innocence about her, like she doesn't realize how f*****g gorgeous she is or how many guys would kill to get their hands on her.

We all get up and walk over to Nick, who turns when he sees us coming. "Hey Gab, when'd you get here?"

"Ten minutes ago," I say, immediately looking for Jasmine. Her face goes red when our eyes meet, and she quickly looks away, making me smile. Good. She remembers what happened earlier.

And she's definitely affected by it.

"Aren't you gonna introduce us, Nicky?" Keaton asks with a smirk while Lucas chuckles.

"Oh, s**t, sorry guys. This is Kylie, and the blonde over there is Sarah," Nick says. "And that's Jasmine, my childhood friend."

Childhood friend. I want to growl at how casually he talks about her, like she's just some random girl when she's clearly so much f*****g more.

"Hey ladies, I'm Lucas, this is Keaton, and that's Gabriel. Nice to meet you," Lucas says, putting on his charming voice.

"Yeah, we know who you are," the blonde Sarah says, not really paying attention to the game.

Lucas narrows his eyes as he watches Sarah dancing and laughing at Nick, who just missed a shot. There's something in his expression I've never seen before—like he's actually interested in someone for once.

"Oh Nicky, do you need glasses? 'Cause that was absolutely terrible," Sarah says, laughing, which makes Jasmine crack up too.

The sound of Jasmine's laugh goes straight to my d**k. I shift around, trying to hide my hard-on as I watch her move. Every little thing she does is driving me crazy—how she flips her hair, the way her tongue darts out to wet her lips, how her dress rides up when she leans over the table.

I find myself completely obsessed with watching Jasmine. The way her body moves to the music, how her hips sway and her ass moves in that tight dress—it's driving me f*****g crazy. I can't stop picturing what it would feel like to have those hips grinding against me, her body pressed up against mine while I show her how a real man moves. She's magnetic, pulling my attention like nothing else in the room matters. I want to get my hands all over that body, feel every curve while she moans my name. The thought hits me harder than I expected, and I take a long drink, trying to shake the images of her naked and writhing underneath me.

"Let me show you how it's done, Deluca. If I make this shot, you owe me," Jasmine says with this cocky smirk.

Fuck, that attitude is so sexy. I want to bend her over this table and show her what happens to smart-ass girls who tease me.

"Let's see you try then, Armstrong," Nick says, taking the challenge.

Jasmine throws the ping pong ball, and it lands perfectly in the cup. Nick groans.

"That's my girl!" Sarah cheers.

"Drink up!" Jasmine says. "Don't hate the player, hate the game. You thought you could come here and play with the big leagues without getting schooled? This isn't amateur hour." She does this little victory dance that makes her dress ride up even higher.

Christ, she's gonna kill me. Seeing this playful, competitive side of Jasmine is hot as hell. She's adorable when she's like this, but also sexy as f**k. It's making it impossible to think straight.

I catch another guy checking out her legs and have to stop myself from grabbing him by the throat. Keep your f*****g eyes to yourself.

When some asshole from Howling Moon starts approaching their table with obvious intentions, I feel my hands clench into fists. But Jasmine handles him like a pro, shooting him down with a sweet smile that somehow manages to be both polite and dismissive. The guy slinks away, probably too intimidated by her confidence to push it.

That's my girl. She can handle herself.

Wait, my girl? Where the f**k is that coming from?

Keaton starts cracking up as the girls mess with Nick, but Lucas seems totally mesmerized by the blonde. It's weird—I've never seen Lucas get interested in anyone before, and now he can't stop staring at her.

"Hey, um, Sarah, I think someone's looking for you," Kylie says, wiggling her eyebrows and pointing behind her.

Sarah turns and blushes. "I'm thirsty. I think I'm gonna get another drink."

"Yeah, sure you are. Would Jacob count as a drink or a meal? I'm so confused," Jasmine says, teasing, and I have to bite back a groan at the way her lips move.

"Shut up, I'll be right back," Sarah says, still blushing.

Lucas's face gets dark as she walks away toward Jacob. The jealousy coming off him is almost as intense as what I'm feeling watching every guy here undress Jasmine with their eyes.

"Yeah, I need another drink too," Lucas says, getting up fast.

"Me too, I'll come with you," Keaton says, following Lucas.

As they walk off, I'm left alone with Nick, Kylie, and Jasmine. This is my chance to get closer to her, but I'm struggling not to lose my s**t. My hands are clenched, my jaw's tight, and my c**k's so hard it hurts.

The music's loud, the party's in full swing around us, but all I can focus on is the girl standing a few feet away from me. She's talking to Kylie about something, gesturing with her hands, completely unaware that I'm watching her every move.

Get it together, Preston. Don't f*****g lose it in front of her.

But with how she looks in that dress, and the way she keeps giving me these shy looks when she thinks I'm not watching, I don't know how much longer I can keep it together.

Especially when I catch her stealing glances at me when she thinks I'm not looking. Those blue eyes of hers are doing things to me that I don't understand, making me want things I've never wanted before.

This girl's gonna be the death of me.