Chapter 8 - Jane

“Are you sure you wouldn’t rather wear your hair up?” Aunt Gwen asks, fluffing the back of my head with her expert hands, fingers moving too quickly to track. “I think you have such a lovely neck. If you’re sporting those earrings I gave you, why not show a little skin?”

I resist the urge to shrug her off and roll my eyes. She is far too giddy about me dating someone, and honestly, she is being completely over the top about it. This dress is the fifth thing she’s picked out for me to try on, and when I stand back to examine myself in the mirror, I’m just praying this is the last one.

But when I get a good look at myself… I see she’s got good taste after all. It’s an off-white, short-sleeved summer dress with a small, bright floral print. It hugs my curves ever so slightly, and the elastic waist sets right under my bust. It’s modest enough but still sexy in an old-school kind of way.

“I think this is the one,” I tell her, running a hand over my stomach.

“Of course, it’s perfect. Oh, I can’t believe you’re finally putting yourself out there. You have no idea how worried I’ve been about you, Jane.”

“Aunt Gwen, don’t. I promise you I am perfectly fine, with or without Reiner in my life. Promise me you won’t get too invested in this. I told you, we’re still seeing where it’s going.”

Gwen looks like she wants to say more, but there’s a light knock on the bedroom door. Uncle Richard calls out. “Gwen? Jane? You both decent?”

“Come in, darling,” she replies.

He slowly pushes the door open and steps through the doorway, taking me in with a skeptical expression. Finally, he shakes his head, closing his eyes. “Jane, you look lovely.”

Gwen chimes in excitedly, “Doesn’t she? Just like her mother.”

I wince at that, knowing I could never measure up to the woman she’s comparing me to. My mother was stunning. Absolutely gorgeous, truly a one-of-a-kind woman. When she died, a lot of people commented on how much I looked like her, and it always made me feel weird. Partly because I have never been able to see it and partly because, well, she was literally the most beautiful woman on the face of the earth, and I knew I couldn’t ever live up to that.

“Yes, indeed,” my uncle agrees. “I just wanted to let you know your gentleman friend is here, along with his friend.”

“His friend?” I question.

“Jack, I believe it was,” Uncle Richard replies. “Nice boy, very polite.”

Why on earth would Reiner bring Jack? After the things Jack said to me last time… I just hope, for my aunt and uncle’s sake, he behaves tonight.

I sigh and thank my aunt for helping me get ready. As I walk out of the bedroom, an all-too-familiar scent slithers its way into my nose. There’s something very… masculine about this cologne, and for a moment, I get flustered trying to place the flavor of it. Something fresh, woodsy… but with a bite of citrus?

The trailer we’re staying in is a triple-wide, so it’s not tiny, but it’s not huge, either. The living room and kitchen are open concept, with a little table tucked in the corner. My aunt and uncle have a nice, cozy setup, and it’s the first time I’ve seen Reiner out of jeans and a t-shirt. His hair is combed, and he’s wearing a button-down with the sleeves rolled up and a pair of khakis.

When I enter the room, Reiner’s gaze sweeps over me, and a slow smirk tugs at his lips.

“Hey, Jane,” Jack says, drawing my attention. “You look great.”

Okay, we’re off to a good start. No smartass remarks. “Thank you, Jack.”

Reiner takes a step closer. “You do look gorgeous.”

I can’t help the blush that stains my cheeks. “Thanks. You clean up pretty nice, too.”

“Well, aren’t you two just the cutest,” Gwen says, clapping her hands together. “Dinner will be ready in about thirty minutes. Please, make yourselves comfortable. Richard, can you give me a hand with the grill? I need to check the chicken.”

“Of course, dear. We’ll be outside.”

Once they’re gone, I gesture to the boys to take a seat on the couch. “Can I get you guys something to drink? Beer, soda, water? I can make you a mixed drink if you’d like.”

“I’ll take a beer,” Jack says.

“Same,” Reiner adds.

I walk to the kitchen and pull a couple of beers from the fridge, popping the caps off and taking a deep breath before heading back to the living room. I’m nervous. I’ve been around Reiner a few times now, and I’ve felt a sort of connection with him, but this feels different.

“I hope you don’t mind that I brought Jack along,” Reiner says when I hand him his bottle. “I thought since it was a family dinner, I should bring some family, and well… Jack’s all the family I’ve got, so…”

“Oh.” I pause, unsure of what to say. “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize.”

Jack chuckles, leaning back on the sofa. “It’s not a big deal. I was actually surprised he asked me to come, but I’m glad he did. I’ve enjoyed getting to know the wolves from Stardust Hollow.”

I glance between the two men, and I can’t help the smile that stretches across my face. They definitely do look alike, and I can see the resemblance in their mannerisms, too.

“You guys are really close, aren’t you?” I say.

“We’re like brothers,” Jack says. “You can’t choose your family, but I’d pick Reiner every single time.”

“That’s very sweet.”

“He’s a good guy,” Jack says, shrugging. “A pain in the ass, but a good guy.”

“Gee, thanks,” Reiner says, rolling his eyes.

“You’re lucky to have each other,” I comment. “When I lost my parents, I didn’t have any siblings. Piper’s family took me in, and I don’t know where I’d be without them. It’s interesting, though. I always felt like I had a different relationship with my alpha than the other kids in the pack. It was almost like he was my father, too. Ram’s father, Talos, was alpha back then, and he was a good man. He never seemed to mind stepping up to the plate.”

“It was a lot like that for us, too,” Jack replies. “We were both pretty young when our parents died, and we actually lived with the alpha for a while. Rafe and Evan were like brothers to us.”

Reiner doesn’t say anything, but I can feel his eyes on me. I turn to face him, and he looks away.

When Aunt Gwen and Uncle Richard come back inside, they take a seat in the armchairs across from us.

“Just a little bit longer,” my aunt announces. “So, tell me, boys, what was it like growing up in such a rural pack? You guys are really tucked away from it all, huh?”

“Yeah, it was pretty isolated,” Jack agrees. “But it was a good place to grow up. Lots of space, lots of land to run. We have a huge lake on the property, and a lot of the pack members have cabins there. It’s a nice little community.”

“It sounds lovely,” she says. “And your alpha. Rafe, is it? He seems like a good man.”

“Evan is the alpha,” Jack corrects. “Rafe is the beta. But yes, they’re both great. They’re our uncles, actually.”

“Do your parents live here, too, then?” Uncle Richard asks, and I press my lips together.

Reiner has been pretty quiet since we started talking about our pasts and families, but I can tell my uncle’s question strikes a nerve. He straightens up a bit before standing up. “If you don’t mind, I just need a breath of fresh air for a moment. Excuse me.”

I watch him walk out the front door, and I can’t help but feel guilty.

“Did I say something wrong?” Uncle Richard asks, looking to me.

Jack shakes his head. “No. It’s not you. His parents died when he was younger, and it’s a bit of a sensitive subject for him. I lost mine when I was a boy, too, but I was so young, I barely remember them. Reiner… he saw the whole thing. He’s never been the same since.”

My heart suddenly aches for Reiner.

“I’m so sorry,” my uncle says. “I had no idea.”

“Oh, the poor boy,” Aunt Gwen coos.

“Don’t worry about it,” Jack assures him. “He’ll be fine.”

“I think I’ll go check on him,” I say. “I’ll check on the meat while I’m out there. Be right back.”

I find Reiner sitting on the steps, staring off into the distance. I’ll say one thing about Green Lake. The stars are much brighter out here, and the night sky is a deep, rich black.

“Hey,” I say, taking a seat next to him. “You okay?”

“I’m good,” he replies. “Sorry, I just got up and left like that. I just really don’t enjoy talking about my family.”

“I understand. I should’ve steered the conversation away from family, so I’m sorry. More than anyone, I know how hard it can be.”

“I guess you do,” he replies quietly. “But it’s not your fault, you know. You don’t have to apologize.”

I shrug. “I know. I just… I want this to work, and I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable.”

“I’m not,” he says, turning to look at me. “It’s not you. It’s me.”

“That’s a very cliché line,” I tease.

“I’m serious,” he says, and his voice is so soft, so vulnerable, I can’t help but lean in. “Do you know I still have nightmares about the day my parents were murdered?”

“Oh, Reiner…”

“I was ten years old, and I watched those assholes tear my parents apart. I can still hear their screams, and I can still see the blood. I can still feel the fear that flooded through me. I was powerless, and it was the worst feeling in the world. I swore I’d never let myself be that weak again. So, I trained, I fought, I pushed my body and my limits, and I got stronger. I worked my ass off to become the strongest, toughest wolf I could be. I had to. I had to make sure nothing ever happened to me or Jack, and I couldn’t let my parents’ deaths be in vain.”

“Who did it?” I ask.

He gives me a half-shrug and says, “Rogues. There’s a lot of ‘em out there. They’re lone wolves—no pack, no allegiance. They just roam the country, picking fights and fucking shit up. They’re just a bunch of low-life criminals. When I got older, I did a lot of hunting, but I never found the ones who did it. I don’t even know if they’re still alive.”

“I’m so sorry,” I whisper, and I reach out to touch his shoulder. “That’s horrible.”

“Yeah, it is,” he says, and his voice is tight. “And I’m not proud of a lot of the things I’ve done. I was a real asshole, and I’m still working on the whole anger management thing. But you know, when you’re younger, being pissed off is a lot easier than being sad, you know? I didn’t want to cry. I didn’t want to feel weak. So, I made a lot of enemies, and I didn’t care.”

“I can’t even imagine what that must’ve been like,” I whisper.

“It was a long time ago,” he says, and his tone is lighter, as if he’s trying to convince himself more than me. “I’m okay now. I’m not the same person I was back then. I just wish I could convince everybody else of that.”

“Jack seems to understand.”

“Jack’s always had my back, even when I was at my worst. Not long after my parents died, his did, too, and I’ve been looking out for him ever since. I didn’t have a choice. Even though he’s only my cousin, I was like his big brother, and I had to make sure he was taken care of. I had to make sure he was safe.”

“You’re a good man, Reiner,” I say, and I mean it. “You’re not the monster you’ve made yourself out to be.”

He scoffs. “You don’t know me.”

“Maybe not,” I reply, shrugging. “But I know enough. And I like what I see.”

He draws in a shaky breath and asks, “How did your parents die?”

The question catches me by surprise, and I feel my cheeks grow tight. “They died in a fire. No one knows exactly what happened. We were asleep, and all I remember is waking up to smoke. I couldn’t see a thing. I tried to get my parents, but a beam had fallen from the ceiling and blocked their way out. My mom told me to run, to get help. I did, but by the time I came back, the house was completely engulfed in flames. There was nothing I could do.”

“That’s terrible,” he whispers.

“It was a long time ago,” I say, echoing his own words.

“Yeah, but it still hurts, doesn’t it?”

“It does,” I admit. “I miss them. I miss them so much. But I know they’d be proud of me. I try to focus on that.”

“I hope my parents would be proud of me, too,” he says. “I’ve done some shitty things, and I’m not proud of a lot of the choices I’ve made, but I’m trying to be better. For Jack, for the pack, and for myself.”

“I’m glad,” I say, and I really am.

When he cranes his neck to look at me, his eyes are shining, and I can’t help the pull I feel toward him. I lean in, but just before our lips touch, I get a whiff of burning meat, and I jerk back.

“Shit,” I curse. “Dinner’s burning.”