Celestial and the Alpha

Chapter 7 P.2: The Three J's

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Celeste's POV

"So. ." I said, probably very awkwardly. I never really had to put forth any energy into socializing so I don't honestly know the best way to go about it. "Three J's," I point out. They give me confused looks, Josh's is easier to read than Jacob. "Josh," I point to him, "Jacob," I point to the brooding male, "Jared," I point to the door. "Kind of like siblings."

"I've never really given that any thought." Jacobs eyebrow is quirked up. I hadn't stopped thinking about it really. Jared, Jacob, and Josh. Sounds like the name of three main brothers in an action novel where one of them very potentially dies at the end.

"You're right! I've thought of it before but when you're part of the coincidence I don't think it really hits you as much." I nod. That makes sense. Josh gives Jacob a smile before turning back to me. "So you're a runt!" My eyes widen at the bold sounding statement. "What's that like?"

Jacob harshly nudges him in the side. "You can't just ask someone something like that."

Shaking my head, "No, it's okay. No one's really asked about it before? But it's not like I find it a terrible thing. I've never really been happy with myself?" Josh's eyes soften at that while Jacob maintains his semi-harsh stare. "But I think that was maybe because of others more so than it's been my actual state," I echo off the reminder that has been said to me several times before. "I'm fast," my smile regrows, "I love to run. I can't run as long as other wolves but I'm so fast. I can get a good mile or two ahead of those I've run with before, before my energy depletes. It can take a good moment to regain my energy but I've dealt with it for so long that I'm pretty used to how much I can push myself. I love my wolf too, she's one of my best friends if I'm being honest. She's named herself Ancillary." My smile tries to falter as I briefly think about the lack of her presence but Josh's gasp brings me back to the moment.

"Your wolf has a name!?" I nod. "My wolf is called Barrett." Oh! Is he who Zay was talking about? She said it was apparently unusual for werewolves to name their wolves but that she knows someone else. And they're all decently close to Xavier it seems so it makes sense for her to have been talking about him. "He's the best." Jacob snorts loudly this time.

"If by the best then you mean gets you into bad spots then sure." Josh gasps at this supposed accusation. Jacob looks me dead in the eyes, the sight is intimidating but I think if I gave closer inspection then his eyes could be intriguing. "Josh," he lays a hand on his shoulder that slides down in a little too noticeable way, "is a goody-goody. Always has to listen to the rules, always has to follow up with Xavier right away, even gets irked when others mess around in training." Josh blushes and sputters. "But every now and then you'll find him in the most unusual situations. Stuck up in a tree, in wolf form in the human town, with his hand stuck in a nutella jar, getting caught in the middle of a pack party in nothing but a party hat and a not very well placed paper streamer. . ." Josh was raging red now. "And every time you can ask him, 'did Barrett think of this' or 'encourage this' and he'll nod. Nod, not vocally confirm because that's too embarrassing at the end of whatever situation he found himself in apparently." I can't help it; I laugh. I laugh loudly. Josh is stammering, not necessarily denying any of the accusations but trying to make it seem better. The door opens and Xavier stares right at me. I stop laughing, a smile not leaving my lips but perhaps wavering as giggles attempt to escape. Then the image of the awkward guy sitting to my right desperately trying to hide his full view as he wears a bright party hat on his head comes to mind and the giggles escape.

"What's so funny?" Xavier makes his way back to where we're all sat. At first I stiffen when he puts his hand on my back, quickly relaxing when my body registers the sparks his touch carries. I'll have to get used to that. I'm safe here.

"Barrett," Jacob says. Xavier nods, quickly looking at Josh then back to me. My eyes had never left him. I was busy studying him. He has a few small moles on his face, probably from his time spent in the sun. He has a scar under his jaw; thin, pinkish white, and not too long. There's a decent curl to his hair that looks so soft but is a little fuzzy. His bottom lip is bigger than his top lip. . . I look back at his eyes. Summer in the forest. He smiles, I return it. I quickly look back to the two sitting to our right. Josh had stopped stammering and resorted to a lazy pout as he mumbled to Jacob about deserving fun. Jacob met my eyes, saying nothing. I felt as if he was studying my inner thoughts, the way his eyes deeply starred into mine. It felt longer than I'm sure it was before he looked away to Xavier.

"So Celeste!" I turned to Josh. "I was thinking you'd need to go shopping. Zay and I would like to take you when you're feeling ready." He gave me a bright smile. I quickly glanced at Xavier who was frowning.

"I think that sounds nice," I comment, softly smiling at Xavier. He turned to me then back to Josh then back to me. "I can't recall shopping for anything besides groceries as a kid. Mom and I would go to the ice cream shoppe across from the farmers market." His eyes softened, I'd won whatever battle he'd momentarily brought up in his head.

"If you're referring to the boutiques within pack grounds then I suppose that's fine with me." He mumbled, not seemingly overly happy with the idea for some reason.

"Great! We'll figure out details once those things are gone," he points to the crutches.

"Josh and I have to return to the training grounds soon, the warriors lunch is almost over."

"I actually have some work for Josh, involving the rogue attacks. I sent you an email with everything you should need but if you need anything else, don't hesitate to let me know. Jared and I are arranging a meeting in a few weeks with a few neighboring packs as well as a few others dealing with this seemingly same string of occurrences." Josh nodded, straightening his form as if slipping into a different sense of self. All the men stand while I take a moment to prepare myself. Xavier is quickly there, offering an arm in case I need it. I take it, though I'm sure I could have managed. I quite like the sparks. I grab the crutches. "I'll see you two at dinner?" They both nod, bidding quite different tones of goodbyes before exiting the room.

"Dinner?" I ask, "How many people go to the dinners?" The thought of being the only new person in a room full of people who are like family makes my stomach drop. Them asking questions about me, knowing that any answers I'll likely have will make them pity me. Or the thought of them asking me nothing at all. Me just sitting there, being excluded in a room of laughing smiling people. It's a lose-lose situation and I begin to feel a bit queasy.

"Not many." He chuckles, putting a hand on my arm and giving a small reassuring squeeze. "Just those who live in the pack house and usually Zay. Sometimes my sister or Jared and his family join."

"And who does live in the pack house?" So far I hadn't heard too much noise in the pack house.

"Jacob and Josh live there, a few of the warriors, a family called the Martinez's who are expanding their house right now and have a few kiddos. Then there's you and I. If people visit, they tend to stay at the pack house and sometimes you'll find more of the warriors hanging around during lunch or after training. They like to hook up the consoles in the entertainment room since the screen is so big and this house was made this large for things such as that." I nod. It sounds cozy? They sound like a family. "What are you thinking, little one?"

"Just that you seem like a nice family." His smile softens. He hesitates for less than a second before his hand gently cups my cheek. I find myself letting out a gasp at the assault of sparks, my nose almost itching at the feeling.

"And now you're a part of it."

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