CHAPTER ELEVEN
The lapping of the water against the river bank is a soothing backdrop to the chaos that churns inside me.
"Grace," Jackson's voice breaks through the silence, his tone gentle yet laced with an intensity that always seems to command attention. I turn to face him, the Alpha of the rival pack, who's never looked at me with anything but a peculiar kind of consideration.
"Jackson," I reply, trying to sound braver than I feel. His presence both intimidates and captivates me—a magnetic pull I can't quite explain. We're sitting side by side on the grassy bank, the distance between us negligible, filled only with the electric charge of unspoken words.
He takes a deep breath, as if gathering the strength for the confession he's about to make. "There's something I've never told yo
