The Alpha Triangle

A Step Away From Home

“Is there something you want to share with the whole group?” I asked.

“We were just making small talk, love. I know Liam is the one person you can rely on in life, and now I’m the second. So we should probably learn to like each other,” Wes said without hesitation.

Something about his words felt off, but I didn’t have the patience to analyze it. Within seconds, Liam leapt from the porch without a word and shifted into his wolf midair. He landed a little clumsily, stumbling a step before catching himself.

From the corner of my eye, I caught a devilish grin flash across Wes’s face. He immediately shifted and lunged after Liam, clearly seeing it as an invitation to compete. I rolled my eyes at their antics but jogged lightly down the steps.

I reached inward, touching base with Ridley. Are you one hundred percent certain Wes is our mate?

Can’t you feel the sparks between us? Ridley snapped back instantly. I startled at the speed of her response and exhaled slowly. Alright, I told myself, and then I took off.

I sprinted forward, closing my eyes for a split second as my entire body morphed. The ground beneath me was cold and damp, branches snapping under my weight. Power surged through me, propelling me faster, the trees blurring past in green streaks.

It didn’t take long to catch up to Liam. With one final push, I surged past him. Startled, he jumped aside and nearly collided with a small tree. A smirk tugged at my lips as I glanced at Wes a few strides ahead. His massive wolf moved confidently, choosing a more challenging path through the forest, undeterred by the dense undergrowth. I focused entirely on my goal, pushing harder.

After a few more breaths, I passed him. His growl rumbled like distant thunder, his breathing growing heavier as he tried to catch up. My body thrummed with the thrill of leaving him behind.

Alex and Layla’s house appeared sooner than I expected, looming at the end of my run. Panic surged as I was going too fast. I shifted mid-stride, my human legs stumbling as I braced for impact. My palms slapped against the front door just in time to stop me from crashing through.

Behind me, the pounding of paws drew closer, two sets, both closing fast. My stomach dropped as the realization hit. Wes and Liam had witnessed every moment of my graceless landing, and me in nothing but my skin.

Heat shot through my cheeks as I fumbled with the front doorknob. I yanked it open so hard it nearly came off its hinges and darted inside, slamming it shut behind me. My heart pounded as I scanned the front room, making sure I was alone before bounding up the stairs two at a time.

My chest heaved, but I didn’t stop. I shut my bedroom door in a rush, pressing my back against it just as the front door downstairs opened and closed again. Two sets of footsteps echoed faintly through the house, heading toward the back room. Only then did I let out a slow, shaky breath as relief washed over me.

I dug through my dresser, yanking out clothes and tugging them on in a hurry. Then I pulled my old suitcase from beneath the bed and began stuffing it with shirts, pants, bras, bathroom essentials. Anything I could grab quickly. The case barely held a fraction of what I needed, but at least it was a start.

I hadn’t traveled much growing up, so the only suitcase I owned could barely fit a weekend’s worth of clothes. I wanted to make as few trips home as possible, and it showed in the way the seams strained as I tried to close it. After several futile attempts, I ended up lying on top of it, wrestling with the zipper until, finally, it gave in with a reluctant snap.

With a grunt, I dragged the heavy case out of the room and down the stairs. Each step thumped beneath its weight, the sound echoing through the empty house like a farewell. Now that I wasn’t rushing, I let myself look around. The place felt too quiet, too still. I breathed in the lingering scents. My mother’s perfume, my father’s aftershave. And my chest tightened. They hadn’t been home in a while, but their presence still clung to the air.

I glanced down to make sure the zipper held and the wheels hadn’t snapped off. When I looked back up, Wes was standing at the bottom of the stairs, watching me with an amused expression. He looked like he’d just stepped out of a shower, even though it had only been minutes since I’d seen him. His hair was slicked back, a few rebellious strands falling forward anyway. The stubble that usually shadowed his jaw was gone, revealing sharp, clean lines.

He wore dark-wash jeans that looked ready to rip if he moved wrong, and a dark-purple button-up clung to his chest, unbuttoned just enough to show more skin than I was comfortable with anyone seeing. Distracted, I missed the step in front of me and stumbled forward.

There was no thud. No crash of my body hitting the ground, because Wes caught me before I fell. Standing a step above him, I felt small, almost pathetic, compared to his effortless composure. My navy leggings and coral-and-white crop top suddenly felt childish next to his put-together perfection. My braid had come loose, stray strands sticking out in every direction, and the brown sandals on my feet were just whatever I’d thrown on.

Still, Wes looked at me the way I’d just looked at him. His eyes tracing every line of me. A chill ran down my spine, and I tugged at the hem of my crop top, trying to pull it lower, but it sprang right back into place. I caught the faintest smirk ghost across his lips before his hand brushed my hip. His touch was rough but deliberate, and the familiar sparks danced across my skin, leaving me breathless.

Liam appeared a moment later, exhaling. “Are you guys ready to grab something to eat? That run didn’t do a thing for me.”

He was dressed down from his usual sharp look. Gray joggers, a loose T-shirt, high-tops with untied laces. His hands were jammed deep in his pockets, shoulders slumped, eyes shadowed with something heavy.

I stepped past Wes, and he bent to lift my suitcase like it weighed nothing. “We’ll figure out what’s going on with you, Liam, I promise,” I said softly. “I’m sure it’s nothing serious. You’re always hungry. Maybe that’s all it is, right?”

Liam gave a small nod in response, then turned on his heel and headed for the door. The three of us stepped outside together, the morning air crisp against my skin as we descended the porch steps onto the gravel road. Wes paused just long enough to set my suitcase down beside the railing.

“We’ll grab it when we come back this afternoon,” he said easily, his tone casual but sure.

“Do you guys want to walk, or should I call a ride?” I asked, glancing between Wes and Liam.

They exchanged a quick look, some silent agreement passing between them, then both shrugged in unison. Wes reached for my hand, his fingers threading through mine with practiced ease.

“Whatever you prefer, love,” he murmured.

My heart skipped. Once at the word, twice at the touch. His grip was steady and sure, and even if I’d wanted to pull away, I wasn’t sure I could’ve. The familiar cold sparks raced up my wrist, a reminder that I didn’t want to anyway.

“The pack house isn’t far,” I decided quickly, trying to sound composed. “Let’s walk. I don’t want Alex knowing where I am. And let’s be honest, drivers around here can’t keep a secret when it comes to him.”