The moment the gate slides open, Charlotte gasps, her eyes darting around as if she's stepped into a dream.
"Woow! This looks like heaven for real, do you own this? I love it! Please let me come here when I feel down," she exclaims, her voice brimming with genuine awe, her words tumbling over each other in excitement.
Her gaze takes in the manicured paths, the graceful curves of the house, the tranquil aura surrounding the property.
She talks and talks, her presence momentarily bright and intrusive, a jarring contrast to the storm brewing inside Tanner.
But Tanner doesn't say a thing. His silence is heavy, weighted by the pounding of his heart that suddenly echoes in his ears.
Jess's scent_ delicate, familiar, and unshakably his, hits him like a gust of wind, wrapping around him before he's even close.
It brings with it a flurry of emotion: longing so intense it burns, guilt that coils in his stomach like a vice, possessiveness that tightens around his chest, and something deeper he refuses to name, something that borders on desperation.
He stops the car with jerky stiffness. Every muscle in his body is taut, bracing for something he just doesn't know what.
Charlotte bolts out, oblivious, her voice trailing behind her as she gasps again and praises the serenity outside, her joy stark against the chaos simmering within him.
Tanner remains in the car for a second longer, his fingers gripping the steering wheel so tightly that his knuckles turn white.
When he finally steps out, his legs feel unsteady, as though the very ground beneath him is unstable.
Still, he walks forward, every step an effort to hold himself together. He reaches Charlotte and gently takes her hand_ mechanical, rehearsed, and guides her toward the front door.
"Can you stay put for a second?" he murmurs, the words quiet and low, as if muffled by the storm inside him.
There's an odd strain in his tone, almost a tremor, like he's trying not to crack open from the pressure of all he's bottling up.
He places his fingertip against the scanner. The door slides open smoothly.
His heart hammers violently now, every beat a warning. He steps aside for Charlotte to walk in, trying to keep his breathing even, trying to not think about what he's doing, trying to pretend the torment inside him doesn't exist.
Suddenly Footsteps echo,
Quick, light, approaching fast. His blood turns to ice.
In seconds Jess stands there, Infront of them.
Everything seems to stops.
Time collapses.
Jess stands at the edge of the hallway, barefoot, clothed in nothing but Tanner's shirt.
The soft cotton dangles just below the swell of his thighs, exposing smooth legs and fragile vulnerability.
His brown hair is tousled, his lips still faintly pink and swollen, as though the memory of their kiss is etched there.
Tanner's breath vanishes. His pulse becomes a roar in his ears. He still doesn't move. Doesn't speak.
His eyes devour Jess in silence. He wants to be furious, to lash out, to demand why Jess would wear that, why he dared put on his clothe.
But all he does is stare.
Stare at those thighs_ bare, smooth, maddeningly visible beneath his own shirt.
He stares at the soft, pale skin, the curve of muscle, the vulnerability tangled in every inch of him.
His eyes move higher... At the beautiful confusion on his face, at the wide, startled eyes that still shimmer with innocence despite the heartbreak swimming in them.
His throat tightens. He forces himself to look away, his jaw clenched so hard it aches.
He wants to look, but the more he looks , the more he drowns.
Inside, he curses, sharp, bitter curses, swallowed until one breaks free and slips aloud from his mouth.
Jess flinches slightly at the sound, but remains frozen. He doesn't speak. Doesn't move. He just stands there, exposed in more ways than one.
Charlotte finally seems to register the tension in the room. Her gaze flicks back and forth between Jess and Tanner before settling on Jess.
"Who's this?" she asks, eyes narrowing, voice tinged with curiosity.
Tanner's response is slow. His mind is still fogged, his soul stuck somewhere between emotions. He finally speaks, his voice stiff and unnatural.
"Just… some omega I saved the other day in the woods. Was being chased. He doesn't even have a memory of where he comes from. I don't know how to help him. But don't worry, he was going to leave today now that he feels perfectly fine."
He lies. The words flow too easily, too coldly, like a pre-written script. But he doesn't look Jess in the eye.
As if he's too afraid of what he'll see there. Disappointment. Heartbreak.
Charlotte studies Jess, her suspicion sharpening. "Tanner, how sure are you that he is not some kind of danger to the pack? That he is just pretending to be done innocent omega?" she asks, folding her arms.
Tanner's response is immediate, clipped, defensive in its cruelty. "The only danger he can cause is ruin reputation and bring nothing but disgust."
Charlotte frowns. "What do you mean?"
"Never mind. It's not important. Come on." His voice sounds like someone else's, distant and hollow. He grabs her wrist and pulls her forward.
Toward the room Jess came out of.
Jess doesn't turn to watch them. He doesn't speak. Still frozen.