Heat Race - Tanya Chris Page 0,74

summer winding down, harvest was in full swing, which meant his day started early and went long, broken only by a quick midday meal to refuel. Sometimes Saul hitched a ride down to the farm to share lunch with him, but when Jasper didn’t see him Friday afternoon, he settled into a spot at the end of a long table by himself.

At the other end of the table, some jokesters were throwing shrewd glances his way. If he wanted, he could use his wolf hearing to pick up on what they were saying, but he didn’t really give a fuck. Maybe they thought it was funny that an uber-alpha was eating at the same table they were, doing the same work they did, but a true leader got his hands dirty. That was the example Jasper’s father had set, and it was the one he intended to live up to.

Nevertheless, the energy pouring off the guys at the end of the table had his hackles rising. He toyed with the idea of taking a quick ride into town before going back to work. He could swing by town hall to see if there was any news about Saul’s mother and peek into the dance studio to check on Jack Henry while he was there. But his mother forestalled him by coming over to hand him an envelope with Saul’s name on it.

“Guess he doesn’t have any other mailing address,” she said.

The return address was the town hall, which meant there was no need for him to go to Galvetta. Probably just as well. Jack Henry hated being watched over. But the back of Jasper’s neck itched the whole afternoon, as if the clowns from lunch were still watching him, were still laughing about something he ought to know and didn’t. When the bell rang to signal quitting time, he was more than ready for it.

He needed to be somewhere. He just wasn’t sure where. Home or town? The newly strengthened bond vibrated uncomfortably, extending both west to Galvetta and east to the build site. Saul would be surrounded by well-meaning townspeople, and even if trouble came for him, he could take care of himself. Which meant Jasper needed to go to Jack Henry. He hopped on his bike and headed for town.

JACK HENRY

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

With the bond humming strong in his chest, Jack Henry danced. Friday night was his late night, the night when his omega students came, and he always used the time between Dee’s last class and the start of his own to get in a workout. Tonight, he felt strong, healthy, at the peak of his fitness, his limbs eager to move, his core solid, his body so ready to dance he almost didn’t need music.

Dee had left for the day, trusting him to watch over the building, and Elias would be there to drive him home when class got out, but for now, it was only him and the mirrors. And so he danced, throwing all his energy into the moves, letting the beat take him in a freestyle mix he peppered with ballet elements just to have an excuse to jump. He made a flying leap that ate up half the floor, then another straight up, twirling as he soared.

Peak fitness. Prime of his life. Did he want to give that up to have a baby?

The moon thrummed through his veins with the music, calling to those places inside him that thrilled to be an omega—the bond where he shared his deepest self with his mates, the womb he hadn’t realized he carried but that felt as right as it did wrong, the heat hormones surging through his bloodstream. Last night’s fluid exchange was working its magic, coalescing his longing into something more insistent. Tonight, the moon would be full. He could already feel it.

He was so caught up in the music that when the bell over the door tinkled, he jumped half out of his skin. He pressed a hand to his heart, stilling its rapid patter. One of his students had arrived early, that was all. He took a deep breath before turning to face the door with a smile, but the figure backlit by sun was much too big to be an omega. It was an alpha, and the last alpha on earth he wanted to see.

“What are you doing here?” he asked as he snagged the towel he’d left hanging over the barre to mop his brow.

“Maybe I want some dance lessons.” The