The Wolf Within

Chapter Five: Ripples

(Ethan’s POV)

Jordan’s rock skipped four times before it sank, sending out tiny ripples across the lake’s glassy surface. I let out a low whistle, impressed.

“Show-off,” I muttered, tossing one of my own. Two skips. Maybe three if I squinted.

He laughed and clapped me on the back, but I barely heard him. My eyes were already drifting back to the shore. Back to her.

Serena sat with Kayla and… what was her name again? Jade? Yeah, Jade.

Kayla had waved me off earlier, insisting I go “let the boys be boys” while they sunbathed and talked about whatever girls talked about. So I had. But I’d been glancing back every few minutes, because I couldn’t help it.

Serena looked beautiful with her hair pulled up, skin kissed pink by the sun, a book resting open on her lap. But she wasn’t reading.

She was watching.

Not me, not Jordan—just… distant. Focused on something I couldn’t see.

Jade said something and Serena smiled, but it was that polite kind of smile. The kind she gives to nosy customers or people who comment on her tattoos. It wasn’t real.

A weird pang hit me in the chest. Not quite jealousy. Just… something.

She’d been quiet lately. Distant, even when she was right beside me. And now she was sitting next to some tall, gorgeous girl with perfect skin and legs that went on forever, and—okay, maybe I noticed. But it wasn’t like that.

I loved Serena.

Still, something about the way she looked at Jade, like she was bracing herself… it unsettled me.

I started walking toward them, pretending to casually wipe my hands on my shorts. Just wanted to check in. That’s all.

Just wanted to be near her.

“Hey” I sat down next to Serena and put my hand on her thigh.

“Hey” she smiled gently

I couldn’t help but notice jade glance at me, a twinkle in her eye.

“Hey, I’m jade” she held her hand out.

I didn’t take it but I smiled.

“Hey, Ethan” I replied.

(Serena’s POV)

I started to relax more, I felt my muscles loosen and let out a sigh of relief. I must be paranoid after having that Alpha come into the store. Maybe he’s just a runaway as well.

Ethan loves me. I know that, things have been off for a while but sometimes a relationship looses its spark.

After a few hours at the lake, we decided to head home. The drive felt better, we talked and laughed and I had a brilliant idea to reignite our relationship.

Ethan tapped his fingers to some indie song. I leaned my head against the window, watching trees blur by.

Tonight was going to be about us.

“You sure you’re not too tired for this?” Ethan glanced my way.

“I’m sure,” I said, sliding my hand over his thigh. “It’s been too long since just the two of us.”

He smiled softer now. “Yeah… it has.”

I needed this. Needed to remember us—the quiet, the easy love we’d built.

We arrived at our small little apartment and started getting ready for a night out.

I wore my favorite green dress—the one Ethan stumbled over words for. It hugged me perfectly and the low cut back showed just the right amount. Curls in my hair. Lipstick I only pull out when I want to be unforgettable.

We pulled into the city, the sky was dark velvet, streetlights flickering on like lazy stars.

“There it is,” I said, already unbuckling.

Ethan raised a brow. “Since when do you plan things?”

“Since I decided we need a night to remember,” I said, grinning.

He followed me inside, unaware of the wild thing barely sleeping inside me.