Summer Camp Mates

The Bonfire 🔥

Melanie’s POV

As we stepped outside, I started walking up the trail, but the girls quickly stopped me.

“Umm… where are you going?” Elaine asked, standing by the golf cart.

“Umm… walking???” I said, giving her a dumbfounded look.

“Well, you’ll be walking for a long time,” Megan said with a slight giggle, already cracking herself an alcoholic beverage.

“Why… where is this bonfire going to be??”

“The old football field. It’s still in pack territory—just barely on the edge of the campgrounds,” Elaine explained as she started up the golf cart. “So come on, unless you’d rather walk…”

I paused for a moment, thinking it over. Then I sighed. I was way too lazy to walk that far.

As I climbed into the cart and we started driving off, I couldn’t help but think—I hope tonight goes well…

We drove for a bit, the cool night air brushing against my skin, until we reached the edge of the field. There were already a bunch of people there—at least thirty or so. Our camp wasn’t huge, but it was big enough to hold some pack members and camp kids, so honestly… we were doing pretty well.

The bonfire was already roaring, flames crackling and lighting up the dark field in flickering orange and gold.

As I made my way toward it, I realized I had somehow lost Megan and Elaine.

Great… where the heck did they run off to?

Before I knew it, I was surrounded by a bunch of people I didn’t recognize. My anxiety started creeping in, tightening in my chest. I pushed and squeezed my way through the crowd, not really paying attention to who I was bumping into. It was getting darker by the second, and the tall trees surrounding the field cast heavy shadows that made it even harder to see.

Voices blended together, laughter echoed, and the smell of smoke and alcohol filled the air. It was overwhelming.

Finally, after what felt like forever, I managed to push my way free—but just as I stepped out of the crowd, my foot caught on a discarded beer bottle someone had thrown on the ground.

I stumbled forward.

Before I could hit the ground, a pair of strong arms caught me.

As I slowly looked up to see who had grabbed me, my breath caught.

He was… unreal.

I couldn’t help but take in his god-like features. He wore khaki shorts that hung perfectly around his waist, and his shirt stretched just enough that I could almost make out what I guessed was an eight-pack underneath.

I bit my lip without even realizing it.

As my gaze traveled up to his face, my throat hitched, and for a moment, I couldn’t speak.

Then I saw his eyes.

Beautiful amber eyes… glowing faintly—his wolf just beneath the surface. The fire from the bonfire danced in them, adding a fiery shine that made them almost hypnotizing.

The next thing I knew, his grip tightened on my waist, pulling me just a little closer.

“MINE!!!” he growled, the sound deep and powerful, sending a shiver straight through my core.

My heart slammed against my chest.

Before I could even think—before I could question it—the word tore from my lips like it had always belonged to me.

“MINE!!” I said back, claiming his words as my own.

As we stood there for a moment, it finally hit me.

I found my mate.

And not just any mate… my old best friend—the one I never thought I’d see again. And now here he was, standing right in front of me.

Tears filled my eyes, blurring my vision as everything crashed over me at once. I couldn’t speak. I wasn’t prepared for this—for him—for any of it.

Before I could even process it, he let go of my hips, only to grab my hand, his fingers lacing tightly with mine as he led me away from everyone.

We made our way to the edge of the bank where all the ATVs and golf carts were parked. The noise of the party faded behind us as we walked up the dim path, the sounds of laughter and music slowly disappearing.

I couldn’t stop thinking—where is he taking me?

I needed to know what he was thinking.

So I stopped.

“Hang on, Jax’s!!” I said, a little too excited just saying his name for the first time. It felt so right. My wolf was practically purring, and I had to shake my head to clear my thoughts.

He turned to me, his expression intense.

“Listen, Mel… I need to get you away from this party. I don’t think I can handle all the guys looking at you… and I can smell how worked up you’re getting.”

A small smile tugged at my lips. He was already so protective.

“Okay… but shouldn’t I tell Megan and your sister that I left?”

“Nope. I already did.”

I blinked, then shook my head. “Right… I forgot. Mind link. Because, you know… werewolves do that.”

“Exactly,” he said with a slight smirk.

“Okay… so where are you taking me?” I asked, still a little unsure if we should really be leaving.

He looked at me like I should already know.

“Like you have no clue… after all this time? Where do you think I’d take you?” he said, that smug, sexy smirk tugging at his lips.

Ugh—that smirk.

It made my knees weak.

I forced myself to focus as we climbed into one of the side-by-sides—probably rented from the camp—and started down a narrow trail.

The trees blurred past us, the night air cool against my skin. Then it hit me.

The path… I recognized it.

“The falls…” I whispered.

That’s where he was taking me.

As we got closer, I could hear the water rushing in the distance, growing louder with every second. When we finally stopped, I went to get out—but before my feet even touched the ground, Jax’s rushed around, scooping me up into his arms.

I let out a small laugh. “You know I can walk, right…?”

“I know,” he said, his voice low and husky as he held me close. “But you’re my Luna… and I’ll do anything for you.”

My breath caught.

“Wait—Luna…?” My head started spinning. “That means—”

“Put me down!!” I said quickly, suddenly overwhelmed.

He immediately set me down, concern flashing across his face. “What’s wrong, baby? Are you okay?”

“Am I okay?!” I stared at him. “I didn’t know you were a freaking Alpha! I knew you were from a high-ranking family, but you never said—and your sister never said—ohhh that sister of yours…!!”

I was mid-rant when everything stopped.

Jax’s gently cupped my face, his hands warm against my skin, and pulled me closer.

And then—

He kissed me.

My mind went blank.

I melted into him instantly, warmth spreading through me like fire, sparks racing across my skin. The world disappeared—the party, the noise, everything. It was just him.

Just us.

The kiss lasted for what felt like forever… and not long enough all at once.

When we finally pulled apart, I could barely breathe.

“Wow…” I whispered, still dazed. I felt like I was floating—like I was on cloud nine.

“I’m sorry… was it bad?” he asked quickly, worry creeping into his voice. “Because I thought it was amazing—you’re amazing—”

“No! No, it wasn’t bad,” I said, my face heating. “It’s just… um… that was my first kiss.”

He blinked. “Like… ever?”

I nodded shyly. “Yeah… I mean… I haven’t really done anything like that.”

His expression softened, then slowly turned into a wicked grin.

“Oh, baby… that just makes this even better.”

My stomach dropped.

“Oh… I’m in trouble,” I muttered under my breath.

Heat flooded through me, every nerve alive from his touch, his words. I could feel my emotions spiraling, getting stronger by the second—and he knew it too.

“Melanie…” his voice dropped, strained. “I don’t know how much longer I can last with you feeling like this. It’s getting really hard to control Draco. He wants you—your wolf—so bad… hell, I want you so bad.”

My heart pounded.

For a second, I actually considered it.

I mean… what the hell, right?

But before anything could happen—

A noise echoed from the tree line.

Jax’s instantly went rigid, stepping slightly in front of me.

“WHO’S THERE? COME OUT—NOW!!” he commanded, his Alpha tone sharp and powerful.

Wow… okay, that was hot.

Mel, get it together.

We waited, the tension thick in the air, until a couple of guys stepped out from the shadows.

One of them…

His scent hit me first.

Familiar.

But I couldn’t place it—until he spoke.

“Well, well, well… look who we have here,” he said with a wicked laugh. “If it isn’t little Miss Melanie… long time no see, baby.”

My stomach dropped.

Oh no.

SHIT.

I muttered under my breath, my whole body going tense.

“What are you doing here, Austin? I thought you moved to Canada?” I said, my voice laced with annoyance.

He let out a loud, mocking laugh.

“HAHA—that’s where you’re wrong, baby. I said I was moving closer to Canada. You see, my dear old brother dragged me to this piece of sh!t camp…” He paused, his eyes dragging over me in a way that made my skin crawl. “…but now that I see you, I might actually have some real fun. Looks like you’re ready to spread your w***e legs for someone.”

Before the last word even fully left his mouth—

Jax’s snapped.

In a blur of movement, he was across the distance, grabbing Austin by the throat and slamming him hard into a tree.

“LET ME MAKE THIS F@CKING CLEAR TO YOU,” Jax’s roared, his Alpha voice shaking the air around us. “If you ever think about touching her—or even looking in her direction again—I will end you. Do I make myself clear?!”

Austin’s cocky expression vanished instantly. All he could do was nod, his face pale as he struggled to breathe.

Jax’s held him there for a second longer… then released him with a shove.

“Get the hell out of here. All of you.”

Austin and his buddies didn’t hesitate—they backed off quickly, disappearing into the trees.

As soon as they were gone, Jax’s turned and rushed back to me, his eyes scanning me for any sign I was hurt.

“Are you okay?”

And honestly?

I was more than okay.

I was staring.

I couldn’t help it—him being all Alpha, protective, dangerous… it did something to me.

I shook my head, snapping myself out of it.

“Yeah, I’m okay… are you okay? I’m sorry about him. I didn’t realize he’d be here,” I said with a sigh. That jack@ss really just ruined our night.

“I’m fine,” he said, but his jaw was tight, his expression unreadable. “Who was he… and how do you know him?”

I stepped closer to him, gently wrapping my arms around him, hoping to calm him down.

“Jax’s… he was like my boyfriend for maybe a week. We did nothing. I dumped him because he was trying to force me into things I didn’t want to do.”

The second I said that, his body softened, his arms instantly wrapping around me.

“I’m sorry, Mel,” he said quietly. “I hate that you had to go through that… and I wasn’t there. But I’m here now. I promise—I won’t ever do anything you don’t want.”

I swallowed, my heart pounding.

“Just… know this,” he added, his voice lower now. “It might be harder to resist the mate bond… and eventually, I will have to mark you.”

My breath caught.

Yeah… resisting him was already feeling impossible.

I looked down at my feet for a moment, trying to gather my thoughts. When I looked back up, his eyes were closed, like he was fighting for control.

Slowly, I stood on my tiptoes and pressed a soft kiss to his cheek.

The sparks.

The heat.

It was enough to drive any unmarked she-wolf insane—but I forced myself to push it down.

“Jax’s…” I said softly, “in this short time, I already can’t imagine my life without you. And trust me—I would love to mate with you right now if I could…”

His eyes snapped open.

“But I want this to be special,” I continued, giving him a small smile. “Even if it’s hard… I think it’s worth the wait.”

He studied me carefully.

“So… I was thinking… my 18th birthday. Before the big games start.”

He let out a slow breath, running a hand through his hair.

“Baby… I’ll do anything for you. But your birthday is only a few weeks away,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck.

“I know,” I said quickly. “And I know what you’re worried about—with me not being marked. But I can wear your shirts… and maybe the pack witch could make something with your scent on it? A necklace or something…”

I could see the conflict in his eyes.

“Mel… I don’t know…”

He paused, then looked deep into my eyes.

“…Okay. We’ll try it. But if anything happens—if you’re in danger—I won’t be able to control myself. I just want you safe, okay, baby?”

Then he leaned in, kissing all over my face, making me laugh.

“Okay, okay—stop!” I giggled, pushing lightly at him.

I glanced up at the stars, my smile fading just a little.

“I think I should get back to my cabin…”

“Yeah… you’re probably right,” he said, pressing a soft kiss to my forehead before lifting me up again.

“Jaxson—I can walk,” I laughed, nudging him.

“Baby, get over it. You’re mine, and I want you as close as possible. If that means carrying you everywhere, I will,” he said, setting me into the side-by-side.

I rolled my eyes, smiling.

“So… did you rent this, or—?”

“It’s mine,” he said with a proud little smirk. “Bought it last year. You like it?”

“Yeah, it’s pretty awesome. Maybe one day you’ll let me drive it,” I said with a wink.

He laughed. “Maybe one day. But for now, let me get you back to your cabin before we get into trouble… or before I take you back to the falls and rip your clothes off.”

“JAXSON—stop it!” I said, shaking my head, trying to calm my racing thoughts.

As we drove back, the night felt quieter now… heavier.

When we finally reached my cabin, I turned to look at him.

Those amber eyes.

God… leaving him was going to be impossible.

I closed my eyes for a second, trying to steady myself

But then he pulled me in again.

This kiss was different.

Hungry. Deep. Consuming.

A soft moan slipped from my lips before I could stop it, and I knew—I had to stop or I’d lose every ounce of control I had left.

“Fck…” he muttered, pulling back and running a hand over his face. “Mel… this is going to be so fcking hard…”

I pressed a hand to my chest, feeling the same fire burning inside me—but I forced myself to push it down.

“Jax’s… I know it’s going to be hard. I know. But we have to try, okay?”

As I turned toward the cabin, something caught my eye—

The curtains moved.

I narrowed my eyes slightly.

“Well… looks like I need to go. We’ve got peeping toms,” I said, leaning in for one last quick kiss before stepping out.

“Mel—one last thing,” he called. “Call me tomorrow. I’ll pick you up for breakfast, okay?”

“Alright… goodnight. Dream of me,” I said with a smirk, already knowing the answer as I turned toward the cabin.

The second I walked inside—

I was stopped.

Two very obvious peeping toms stood there, practically vibrating with excitement.

I tried to walk past them toward the stairs, but I knew they weren’t going to let this go.

Sure enough, they followed me straight into my room, the door shutting behind them.

I turned around, crossing my arms.

“Okay… who’s first?” I said, already done with the silence.

Megan practically exploded.

“Okay, so you guys did it, right?! How did it happen? Are you two going to have pups?! Oh my gosh—are you getting married?!”

I blinked at her.

“Okay—slow down, Megan. You’re about to fall over.”

“To answer your questions—no, I’m waiting until my birthday. And how it happened… I literally tripped into his arms. And for the other two—can I at least get a real first date first? I’m not ready for all that right now!” I said, a little annoyed.

Megan opened her mouth to say something else, but Elaine cut her off.

“I agree… but I’m glad you’re mated to my brother. Honestly, I always had a feeling you two would end up together.”

“Thanks, El…” I said softly, giving her a small smile.

I pulled both of them into a hug.

“Alright, I think it’s time for bed. We’ve got a big day tomorrow—activities and everything.”

“Goodnight, Mel. Try to sleep… I have a feeling it’s going to be a long night for you,” Elaine said with a knowing sigh before closing my door.

The room went quiet.

Too quiet.

As I plugged my phone in, my mind instantly went back to him.

Jaxson.

What was he doing right now?

Was he thinking about me too?

I let out a slow breath, laying back on my bed, staring at the ceiling.

“Yeah… this is going to be a long night,” I whispered.

The thoughts wouldn’t stop. The bond… the pull… it was overwhelming.

Before I knew it, tears were sliding down my face.

I wiped at them quickly, sitting up—

Knock. Knock.

My heart skipped.

I slowly walked to the door, my hand hesitating on the handle before I opened it.

And there he was.

Jaxson.

Standing there… shirtless.

My breath caught.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, his voice soft but filled with concern. “I can feel you getting upset.”

I quickly wiped my tears.

“I—I’m fine… I’m just having trouble sleeping,” I said, my eyes betraying me as they drifted down his torso.

Focus, Mel.

I shook my head.

“Did… did you run here?” I asked, stunned.

He stepped inside, closing the door behind him.

“Yeah. I was worried about you,” he said quietly. “I can’t have you hurting… it hurts me too. Me and my wolf—we feel it.”

My chest tightened.

“Mel… do you want me to stay?” he added, his voice dropping, sending a shiver down my spine.

I hesitated, placing my hand lightly against his chest.

The sparks.

God—the sparks.

I pulled my hand back quickly, swallowing hard.

“I… I would like that. But only to sleep, okay?”

He smirked slightly.

“We’ll see about that, baby.”

I looked up at him, really taking him in—his dark hair, his sharp features, the way he looked at me like I was everything.

He was… perfect.

“Ahem.”

I blinked.

“Baby… you’re staring. You gonna be able to behave?” he teased, running a hand over his chest.

“I—um—”

Before I could even respond, he stepped closer, and I instinctively stepped back—until the back of my legs hit the bed.

I fell backward—

And pulled him down with me.

He landed above me, catching himself just in time, a low laugh escaping him.

“Well… if you wanted me this bad, you could’ve just said so.”

“I didn’t mean to!” I said quickly, my face heating.

“Aww… but I kinda like it here,” he murmured, his voice softer now. “You look beautiful like this…”

My breath hitched.

The air between us changed.

Slower.

Heavier.

I lifted my hand, brushing it lightly against his cheek, pulling him just a little closer.

“You’re making this really hard…” I whispered.

“Good,” he murmured back.

Our lips hovered—barely touching.

The tension snapped.

He kissed me.

Soft at first.

Then deeper.

More intense.

The bond flared between us, heat rushing through my veins, making it hard to think, hard to breathe.

“Mel…” he whispered against my lips, his voice strained. “You don’t know what you do to me…”

“I think I do…” I whispered back, my fingers gripping his shirtless shoulders.

Everything felt like too much—and not enough at the same time.

The world faded.

It was just him.

Just us.

Then—

Everything shifted.

The warmth.

The closeness.

It all started slipping away.

⸻

I blinked.

My room.

My bed.

Alone.

My heart was racing, my chest rising and falling like I had just run a mile.

“…It was a dream,” I whispered, pressing a hand to my chest.

But it didn’t feel like one.

The bond still buzzed under my skin.

The memory of him—his voice, his touch—it lingered like it was real.

I laid back slowly, staring at the ceiling again.

“If that was a dream…” I whispered, a small breathless laugh escaping me, “…I’m in serious trouble.”

I turned onto my side, clutching my pillow.

“Morning needs to come faster…”

And with his name still on my lips…

I slowly drifted back to sleep.

************************SORRY it’s been so long for me to get caught up life has been all over the place I hope all my readers will understand I will be continuing this story don’t worry it just might take me a few days so stay tuned on more chapters of camp mates agin thanks for readying.!!*************************************