Autumn glared up at him. “I’m not avoiding you, Jacob. I’m tired. That’s all. You don’t have to make it into a big deal,” she snapped.
Jacob frowned. “I’m not making it into a big deal. I just want to make sure you’re okay,” he told her.
“Well, I am. So can you please let me go to bed?” she said, trying to pull away from him again.
Jacob didn’t let go. He held onto her, his frown deepening.
“Tell me the truth,” he said, his eyes searching hers. Autumn glared up at him again.
“I am telling you the truth. Now, will you please let me go?” she snapped again. Jacob hesitated for a moment before finally letting go of her arm.
“Fine. Go to bed. But this conversation isn’t over,” he warned her. Autumn didn’t say anything as she pushed past him. She ignored him as she made her way down the hall to the bedroom. She opened the door and stepped inside, slamming the door shut behind her.
She took a shaky breath and let her wolf push forward. She shifted, feeling her body change into that of a wolf.
She walked over to the bed and jumped up onto it. She lay down, resting her head on her paws. She closed her eyes, trying not to think about Jacob or anything else.
She let sleep overtake her.
Autumn stood with her back pressed against the wall, her eyes scanning the room. She couldn’t see anyone, but she knew they were there.
She could feel eyes on her. She knew they were watching her.
She clenched her hands into fists, her heart racing. She knew she should run, but she couldn’t move. She was frozen.
“Get her,” a voice said, and Autumn let out a whimper. She pressed herself against the wall, trying to put as much space between herself and whatever was in the room as she could.
She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to block everything out. She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down.
She felt something touch her, and she let out a scream.
“Autumn. Autumn, wake up,” a voice said. Autumn’s eyes snapped open, and she sat up, her chest heaving.
Her eyes found Jacob’s, and she stared at him for a few moments, trying to remember where she was.
“What happened?” she whispered, rubbing her eyes.
“You were having a nightmare,” Jacob said. He was sitting on the edge of the bed, watching her.
Autumn nodded. “Yeah. I remember now,” she mumbled.
“Are you okay?” Jacob asked.
Autumn took another deep breath and nodded again.
“Yes. I’m okay,” she assured him. She looked down at her hands, remembering the dream.
She had been running. Someone had been chasing her, and she knew that if they caught her, she would be in trouble. She just didn’t know who it was that was after her.
“Autumn,” Jacob murmured, his voice bringing her out of her thoughts. She looked up at him.
“Yeah?” she whispered.
“Do you want to talk about it?” Jacob asked her. Autumn dropped her gaze again and shook her head.
“No. I’m fine. I just need to go back to sleep,” she told him. She heard Jacob sigh.
“Okay. If you need me, I’ll be down the hall,” he told her. Autumn looked up just in time to see him stand.
“Wait. Will you stay?” she asked before she could stop herself.
Jacob turned to look at her.
“Are you sure? I don’t want to crowd you,” he said.
Autumn licked her lips.
“I just… Please don’t leave,” she whispered.
Jacob hesitated for a moment but then nodded.
“Okay. I’ll stay,” he promised.
Autumn let out the breath she didn’t realize she was holding. She watched as Jacob walked around the bed and climbed in beside her. He lay down and pulled her close, and she buried her face in his chest.
His scent washed over her, and she felt safe. She knew nothing could hurt her while he was with her.
She closed her eyes and let sleep pull her under once more.
Autumn’s eyes fluttered open, and she rolled over to look at the clock on the nightstand. Her eyes widened when she saw the time, and she jumped out of bed. She quickly brushed her teeth and then ran a brush through her hair.
She hurried out of the bedroom and made her way downstairs to the kitchen. She stepped into the room and froze.
“What are you doing here?” she asked, her voice coming out sharper than she had intended. Her heart raced as she looked at the three men standing in the kitchen.
Jacob’s head snapped up, and he frowned as his eyes found hers.
“I’m making you breakfast. Why are you yelling?” he asked, dropping the pan he had been holding.
Autumn’s cheeks heated, and she looked away, dropping her gaze to the floor. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to yell,” she muttered.
“You didn’t know we were here, did you?” one of the men said. Autumn looked up and nodded.
“Yeah, I didn’t. Who are you?” she asked.
She glanced at Jacob, who was watching her.
“This is Jasper, Peter, and Paul. They’re my betas,” Jacob told her.
“Oh,” Autumn said, glancing back at the men.
They were watching her, their eyes calculating. She shifted uncomfortably under their gaze and looked back at Jacob. He gave her a small smile, which she returned.
“Here’s your breakfast,” Jacob said as he placed a plate in front of her. Autumn looked down at the plate and then back up at him.
“You made this?” she asked.
Jacob nodded, looking a little unsure of himself.
“Yes. I hope it’s edible. I’m not much of a cook,” he admitted.
Autumn looked back down at the plate. She could smell the scrambled eggs and bacon, and her stomach growled.
“I’m sure it’s fine,” she told him as she picked up her fork.
Jacob sat down across from her and watched as she took her first bite.
She chewed and then swallowed. “It’s good,” she said with a smile. Jacob smiled back, looking relieved.