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the past. No matter how beautiful she was, he didn’t yet trust her. Instinct may have urged him to keep her close, but logic told him to question whether she was friend or foe.
    The attractive little wolf caused him angst, an emotion he was not at all used to feeling. A curious pang of jealousy had stabbed through him when he’d observed the interaction between Katrina and Jake. His gut twisted as he speculated on the nature of their relationship. She’d told him that they were friends, but was she telling the truth?
    Jake was a good friend to his sister Gillian’s mate, Dimitri. He’d shown aggressive tendencies from the moment Jax had met him in New Orleans. While Jake displayed irritation toward him, it was clear the young wolf hadn’t tried to establish himself as Alpha nor had he challenged Finn. On the contrary, his new beta appeared entirely comfortable with the Acadian wolf, welcoming him as a guest.
    Jax turned on the kitchen sink spigot and submerged his head in the flowing water. The icy stream did little to thwart the churning thoughts of Katrina, Jake and the challenge. Jax reasoned he’d need a long shower to wash away the death lingering on his skin. Finn’s rough voice drew him out of his contemplation. He jerked his head upward, droplets spraying throughout the kitchen.
    “Jesus Christ, Jax. Do you think you could have taken five fucking minutes to ask me to take Nick’s place?” Finn glared at his Alpha.
    Jax caught the look of disgust that crossed his beta’s face and shrugged. While the debonair Alpha was usually the epitome of a gentleman, he had trouble shaking off the feral tendencies the challenge had brought forth.
    “This shouldn’t be a surprise.” Jax grabbed a dishtowel and wiped his face. “You’re my beta.”
    “What the hell is going on with you?” Finn gestured to the wet tiles.
    “What?” Jax glanced to the floor and chose to ignore the mess. “It’s just water.”
    It had been over a year since Jax had visited his private home. While the décor of the cabin was upscale, its exposed beams and soapstone kitchen counters gave it a slightly rustic feel. The great room, with its vaulted ceilings and skylights, soaked in the light of the moon. Despite not visiting there often, he’d utilized a service to keep the home well stocked with supplies.
    Naked, Jax strode across the room to the bar, where he reached for a bottle of Lagavulin. Setting four glasses onto the smooth surface, he uncorked the scotch and began to pour.
    “Seriously. Have you lost your shit?” Finn snatched a throw blanket off the sofa and wrapped it around his waist.
    “What is wrong with you?” The caustic liquor burned his throat as he downed a shot and poured another glass. Offering Finn a tumbler, he handed it off and fell back down onto the black leather sofa.
    “Really, you gonna just lie there? Letting it all hang out?” Finn took a swig and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.
    “What do you want me to say?” Jax closed his eyes and opened them, taking a deep breath. His mood grew dark and he continued. “It had to be done. I could not allow Arlo to challenge me further.”
    Jax lifted his gaze to meet Finn’s. He wasn’t waiting for judgment. They both knew what he’d done was in the best interest of the pack.
    “I’m not talking about that. He was an asshole. He’s been fighting me since the day you went missing, but Jax…fuck. How was I supposed to take over?”
    “Did Tristan show his face?” the Alpha asked, stretching his neck from side to side.
    “You kiddin’ me? After what went down with Katrina, you think I was going to tell him who I saw in the club? Fuck no. If he was lookin’ for her, I wasn’t volunteering information. He would have been up here tearing the entire city apart.”
    “Smart move.” Even though Jax and Tristan had established peace, a truce of sorts, the issue with Katrina had never been resolved. He still believed that Jax had gone after