Jasper gives me some room to breathe, and I use it to freshen up in the bathroom. He’s promised to take me out, to make my last day alive a good one.
I run my fingers through my hair, smoothing down the unruly strands. If I had a hair tie, I’d braid it. But I don’t, so I just push it over my shoulders and hope it looks okay.
My clothes are a bit wrinkled, but I can’t conjure up new ones like Jasper can. And I’m not about to ask him for a fancy dress or anything.
This will have to do. I mean, I can still wear clothes when I’m a Phantom, right?
I push away thoughts of what’s going to happen tomorrow. Today is all I can handle right now, especially with Jasper’s intriguing promise of a surprise tonight.
I have no clue what it could be, but he’s hinted that it’s related to a secret he’s been keeping.
My curiosity is definitely piqued, and I know it’s going to keep me on edge all day.
I rinse my face, washing away the dried tear tracks on my cheeks.
I push thoughts of Luca to the back of my mind. I didn’t mean to freak Jasper out with my reaction to the painful memories of my past.
He’s the last person I should be thinking about, but it’s like he snuck into my thoughts without my permission.
When I head downstairs to find Jasper, I run into the Alpha of Love instead. I find myself in the main foyer—too scared to venture any further.
With all the hallways and similar decor, I’m sure I’d get lost in no time. The foyer is nice enough anyway, and it’s where the stairs lead to.
Malik is on the phone, his back to me. I freeze, my hands gripping the banister, stuck on the last step.
“I understand, Father,” I hear him say softly. He’s looking out the window. “You’ve made the decision for me.”
Oh no. I’m intruding on his privacy. I take a few cautious steps backward, staring at Malik’s back. What would the Alpha think if he knew I was eavesdropping, even if it’s unintentional?
He doesn’t seem to notice though, continuing his conversation without a second thought.
“Just because I don’t believe I’ll ever meet my mate, doesn’t mean I want to choose our next Luna through some sort of competition. That’s just absurd...”
I furrow my brows. What is he talking about? A competition?
Slowly, I take more steps backward up the stairs, keeping my eyes on the Alpha, ready to bolt if he turns around.
But he seems engrossed in his conversation, resting his arm on the window sill as he gazes out.
I hear Malik sigh, despite the distance between us. “Alright...
“If you can convince Mother this is a good idea, getting Packs to compete for something like this, then we have a deal.”
This is the first time I’ve heard Malik make a deal with someone, or sound so mature. It’s unsettling, making the hairs on my arms stand on end.
Whatever this is, I’m not sure I want to know, so I turn around and tiptoe as quietly as possible back up the stairs.
The moment I step onto the landing, Jasper is there.
His sudden appearance startles me a bit, but I’m slowly getting used to it.
The sight of his magic, swirling around him like smoke and shadows, is the only sign he’s used it, and it quickly fades away as if it was never there.
“I was looking for you,” he says, a small smile on his face. He probably enjoys seeing the color drain from my face.
I shake my head slowly at him. “I was looking for you too. Thanks for showing up.”
He ignores my sarcastic comment, flashing me a bright smile. His laid-back attitude always makes me a bit jealous.
I wish I could see things the way he does, or ignore the bad stuff instead of letting it get to me. Maybe that’ll happen once I’m dead.
Or half-dead, as Jasper sometimes likes to correct me.
“Come on. I have something to show you today.”
I nod, ready for whatever he has planned. If this is going to be the best last day of my life, I believe Jasper can make it happen.
“I think you really like the snow,” Jasper observes, breaking the silence in the car as we drive. I look at him and smile softly. He’s right.
Living in a Pack where the weather is as dull as the people, something as fresh and new as snow is exciting.
It’s so beautiful and magical, and even though it’s cold, I want to spend all my time in it.
Jasper notices my enthusiastic nod of agreement.
“Close your eyes,” he whispers. “We’ll be there in a second.”
Time manipulation. It might be my favorite part of Jasper’s powers. What he does while I’m frozen in time, I have no idea.
Boredom is a terrible feeling. I don’t know how he handles it. But he never hesitates to offer it to me.
Trying to hide an excited smile as I anticipate where Jasper is taking me, I close my eyes and place my hands in my lap.
When Jasper says I can open my eyes, it feels like no time has passed.
At first, I’m blinded by the brightness. I have to shield my eyes for a moment before I slowly lower my hand and take in the sight that takes my breath away.
Snow, of course—there’s no escaping it here. It’s thick and fluffy, covering the lawn and cascading down what looks like a cliff.
We’re on top of a mountain. I didn’t see any snowy peaks before because of the low clouds that hang over this place, so this is a total surprise.
“What is this place?” I ask Jasper.
This place is like a dream, almost too beautiful to be real. If I had any breath left in me, I might have something more to say.
Instead, I take in the sight of the frost-kissed trees and the snow-capped mounds, itching to step outside for a closer look.
“Malik recommended it,” Jasper shares, his warm voice contrasting with the chilly air inside the car. “He said it was a romantic spot he always wanted to take his mate.”
Romantic. Jasper wanted to bring me somewhere romantic?
I glance back out the window and realize he couldn’t have picked a better place.
The mountain looms over the main suburbs of the Love Pack, its beauty undeniable with twinkling lights and snow-dusted rooftops. I yearn to be out there, to see it up close.
I can’t imagine how anyone living here could ever tire of this view.
“Go on,” Jasper encourages. “Take a look, but don’t tumble down the mountain.”
I don’t hesitate, shooting him a glare before I swing open the door and step out. My coat does little to shield me from the cold that wraps around me, but I don’t mind.
My shoes sink into the snow, leaving footprints that anyone could follow. I quickly cross the untouched blanket of snow until I’m standing at the edge of the cliff.
I could slip and fall, just like Jasper warned, but I don’t.
The bottom is blanketed in more snow, leading straight down to a few houses. It’s a potentially dangerous situation, especially if there’s a slip or something worse.
Suddenly, something hits the back of my head.
It’s a familiar feeling, courtesy of none other than the Alpha of Devotion. Snow coats my hair, trickling down my back and making me arch backward, my face cringing.
This isn’t the first time I’ve felt this …
Jasper shakes his head at me, standing a few meters away, his feet buried deep in the snow.
His hands are dusted with snow, all the evidence I need to prove he’s the one who threw that snowball at the back of my head.
“I would have caught you if you’d fallen,” he declares, and I roll my eyes.
I bend down, gathering snow in my hands, and throw it at Jasper. He ducks, having seen it coming, and it hits his car behind him with a soft thud.
The Alpha doesn’t seem to mind, as he beckons me closer.
I follow his hand gesture, eager to get away from the edge of the cliff.
As I approach, he opens his arms, as if expecting me to run into them and be swept away into the small cabin behind us. I stop just out of his reach.
“Shall we go inside?” he asks, raising an eyebrow.
I shake my head. “There’s so much left to explore. I haven’t even looked at the trees yet.”
Without missing a beat, I trudge toward one of the large trees that form a canopy over the ground, shielding it from the worst of the recent snowfall.
I hear Jasper following me, and I wait until he’s right behind me to execute my plan. Consider it... a little payback for Thea.
I reach up and shake the branch above me. Snow falls directly onto his head.
He pauses, letting the snow slide off his head, dusting his shoulder and back with the cold stuff. He looks mildly amused, and slightly annoyed, like he’s about to pounce on me.
I, on the other hand, burst out laughing, reveling in his obvious discomfort, remembering he did the exact same thing last week.
“Aren’t you funny,” Jasper murmurs, tilting his head so the melting slush slides off and back to the ground.
Seeing his fingers twitch slightly, I can almost predict his next move. Giggling, I dash toward the cabin, toying with the idea of locking him out.
I make it to the door, right outside the wooden exterior, when he materializes in front of me again. I growl in protest.
“That’s cheating,” I declare.
He chuckles, and grabs the sleeves of my coat to pull me against him. I can feel his warmth through our clothes, and I savor it.
