Page 158 of Dead Girls Don’t Forget

“You two have been glued together since you mated,” she said lightly.

Rick snorted. “Understatement.”

Lia looked at Jackson. “The Harvest Hunt is this weekend. I’ve been waiting for it all year.”

Then she turned back to me. “Jackson always partners with me for the Harvest Hunt. Every year since we were ten. It’s our tradition.”

Rick nodded. “Those two have won it since they were kids. It’s kind of their thing.”

I had no idea what the Harvest Hunt was. Jackson must have felt my confusion through the bond, because he explained, “It’s one of the oldest pack traditions. A big group hunt before winter.”

Lia’s gaze stayed on me. “You don’t mind, do you, Harper?”

If I said no, I was the jealous outsider disrupting a pack tradition I barely understood. If I said yes, my mate spent an entire day alone deep in the woods with the woman who wanted him.

I shrugged. “If it’s tradition.”

For a split second surprise flashed across Lia’s face. Then she smiled. “See? I knew she’d understand.”

Jackson’s hand tightened slightly on my back. “Actually, I’m sitting this one out.”

Lia’s smile faltered. “What? Why? It’s our tradition.”

“I know,” he said calmly. “But I don’t want to be away from Harper for a whole day. Not right now.”

“You can’t spend one day apart?”

“Nope.”

Lia’s expression tightened, just for a moment. Then she pulled the sweetness back up, though it didn’t quite reach her eyes.

“Of course.” The words came out quiet. “You have your mate now.”

Something uncomfortable settled over the group. Thankfully Rick cut through it.

“Man’s been glued to Harper since they mated. Three days locked in an apartment will do that to you.”

Jason snorted. “He’s officially whipped. We’re never getting the old Jackson back.”

“When talking about apartments, I’m moving the rest of my stuff into the apartment tonight. You two still in?” Jackson asked.

Rick grinned. “For you? Always.”

Jason nodded. “Yeah. We’ll help.”

Later that afternoon, after track practice, I stepped out of the athletics center freshly showered, hair still damp. The air outside was cooler than it had been earlier.

Lia was waiting for me near the side exit, alone. She straightened the second she saw me and didn’t waste time on pleasantries.

“You really couldn’t let him have even this one thing, could you?” Her voice was low and sharp. “The Harvest Hunt. One weekend. One tradition that’s been ours since we were kids. But you just had to ruin that too.”

I raised an eyebrow, but stayed quiet.

She laughed once without humor.

“You’ve known him for what, a few weeks? And suddenly everything revolves around you.” She folded her arms tightly across her chest. “He leaves training early to walk you home. He eats lunch with you every day. He barely spends time with the rest of us anymore.”

"I wasn't aware he needed your permission."