OH, BITE ME ZACK

Jannie's Pov - Two Months Later

July passed quickly, and they were already midway through August. Jannie spent most of her summer working at the pub, trying to save as much money as possible. She needed to do this because she only had enough to pay for her first year of tuition and needed to start saving for the following year.

Becoming a doctor is expensive, and Jannie wanted to avoid taking out loans and going into debt. Fortunately, she had a scholarship that covered her college expenses, but she wasn't so lucky for Medical School. Jannie still had some money left from her parents, but she worked hard to save it when needed.

Though Tia had helped Jannie a little over the years, Jannie felt terrible about taking her well-earned money, especially since she knew Tia didn't make much from her teaching job.

"Hey, bartender, can I get another one?" Jessie asked with a wink.

"Coming right up," Jannie replied as she poured another shot of vodka.

"Woohoo!" Jessie exclaimed after taking the shot. "So, are we going to Twilight tonight or Euphoria?" she asked, smiling widely.

"I don't know. Going to Twilight might send the wrong message," Jannie said, serving a beer to another customer.

"What wrong message? You've been seeing the guy all summer!" Jessie replied.

"I haven't been seeing him, Jessie; he has just been insisting on driving me to and from work!" Jannie said calmly as she grabbed the tip lying on the counter.

"Yeah, for almost two whole months now! You can't tell me you haven't enjoyed his company. You have a gorgeous guy swooping in like a gentleman, eager to care for you and keep you safe. Gaaah, I think I might throw up!" Jessie said dramatically, and Jannie laughed.

"Fine. We can go to Twilight," Jannie agreed as she finished her shift.

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Jannie changed her clothes and rolled her eyes at the dress Jessie had brought. It was a daring, strapless piece of red velvet featuring a plunging neckline that ended just above her belly button, forcing Jannie to tape herself to keep everything secure. Thankfully, the dress stopped mid-thigh, so she didn't have to worry about anyone seeing her backside.

"Really, Jessie?" Jannie said, annoyed, as she emerged from the staff room at the back of the pub.

"Wow, you look stunning, babe!" Jessie exclaimed, clapping her hands and jumping on the spot.

"Really? Isn't it too much?" Jannie asked, feeling a bit uncomfortable.

"No, you look amazing. You really need to give yourself more credit, Jannie. You're a bombshell!" Jessie smiled and grabbed her arm.

"What did Zeke say when you told him you didn't need a ride tonight?" Jessie asked as soon as they reached the street.

"Nothing much. I just told Zeke I was going out with you."

"Didn't he invite you to come by his club?" Jessie continued, waving for a taxi.

"No, actually not. I don't even know if Zeke will be there tonight, to be honest!" They hopped into the car, and twenty minutes later, they arrived at the club.

"I love seeing the looks on everyone's faces when you walk right past them in line because you're on the guest list! Thank you, Jack!" Jessie chuckled as they passed through the entrance.

"Yeah, it's a little satisfying," Jannie agreed, taken aback by how crowded the club was when they entered the bar.

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Zeke's Pov

"Hey, lover," Lativa greeted as she approached Zeke at the bar.

"Lativa," he replied with a nod.

"I'm a little mad at you, Zeke. You haven't returned my calls in two months and didn't put me on the guest list? I had to wait in line for an hour!" Lativa complained in a frustrated tone.

"You know why I haven't called, and I won't be calling you either. And what makes you think you're special enough for me to put you on the list? Seriously, it was nothing more than sex between us." Zeke replied harshly and soon felt her hand slapping him across the face.

"You're an asshole; go to hell," She shouted and walked away.

"Aouch! What did you do to make Lativa slap you?" Hazel asked as she joined him at the bar, amused by the situation.

"She was upset that I hadn't returned her calls or added her name to the guest list," Zeke replied, sipping his whiskey.

"I don't know why you even got involved with her in the first place. She's such an entitled bitch!" Hazel continued and sighed, "Yeah, but she's a good fuck that knows how to have a good time!"

"Whatever," Hazel mumbled. Zeke then spotted someone he hadn't expected to see tonight.

"She's here," he whispered in Hazel's ear, unable to take his eyes off her.

Jannie looked stunning, with her hair cascading perfectly down to her waist. The neckline of her dress was daring, and Zeke noticed that other men were staring at her. Both she and Jessie were beautiful, making it impossible for others not to notice.

Jannie's Pov

"He's here," Jannie said to Jessie, nodding toward Zeke by the bar.

Jessie looked up and waved awkwardly. "Hey, be cool!" Jannie mumbled, grabbing her arm. "Come on, let's say hi."

Jessie insisted, pulling Jannie along after her.

"Zeke, it's so good to see you again! I never got the chance to thank you for getting us home that night," Jessie said, giving him a half-hug.

"Hey, Zeke," Jannie said with a smile. "Hey, Zeke? Come on, give the man some love," Jessie urged, pushing Jannie into his arms.

"There you go! Stop being such a wuss. Hey, are you a friend of Zeke's?" Jessie then turned her attention to the girl standing next to him.

"Yeah, I'm Hazel, Zeke's best friend forever. You must be Jessie, and you're Jannie?" she said, looking at Jannie.

"Yes, I'm Jannie; hey," she replied, shaking Hazel's hand. Jannie was taken aback by Hazel's beauty. With striking brown eyes, long wavy auburn hair, plump lips, and a tall, slender figure, she looked like a model from Vogue.

Zeke's hand rested on Jannie's hip while his other was on her back. She enjoyed being this close to him, feeling his warmth against her skin.

They had talked a lot over the summer, and Jannie felt a connection with him that she hadn't experienced with anyone before, not even with Jessie. She knew about his brother, Zack, and his strained relationship with their parents. Jannie had heard much about Hazel but hadn't seen her until now. Zeke even told her about losing his sister as a child, which had a significant impact on his upbringing. Jannie guessed that's where they truly understood each other—sharing their pain from similar experiences.

They were close now, and Jannie sensed he wanted more from their relationship. However, she was scared. Could she trust him? Did he really care for her? Despite her feelings, Jannie knew there was something he wasn't sharing.

"Can I please get two vodka shots?" Jessie called out to the bartender as he passed behind the counter.

"I really need to get more drunk, Jannie," Jessie said, looking directly at her. "Yeah?" Jannie replied, distracted and not fully listening.

"Do you want something to drink?" Jessie asked.

"Yeah, I could go for a shot."

"Hey, bartender, make it four," Jessie shouted while rummaging through her purse.

"Don't worry; it's on the house," Zeke insisted.

"Oh, thank you, but I can pay for it myself," Jessie replied, reaching for her credit card.

"There's no point in arguing with her," Jannie said to Zeke, then grabbed the shots.

"Here, take one," Jannie said, handing one to him.

"Hazel," Jessie added, giving her a shot as well.

"Here's to an awesome summer!" Jessie shouted, and they all drank up.

Zeke's Pov

The night continued as they lingered at the bar, drinking and laughing. Hazel liked Jannie, which was more than Zeke could have asked for. But things took a turn when his brother happened to show up.

"If it isn't my big brother," Zack called out as he approached them at the bar.

Zeke's arm instinctively tightened around Jannie, pulling her closer.

"And the lovely Hazel," Zack continued with a grin.

"Oh, bite me, Zack," Hazel replied, clearly annoyed.

"With pleasure," Zack said, playfully pretending to bite the air.

"Jannie, Jessie, this is my brother, Zack. Zack, this is Jessie and Jannie," Zeke introduced them.

"Wow, beautiful names for beautiful girls!" Zack exclaimed, and Jessie giggled, winking at him.

"You two seem to be close," Zack said, shifting his focus to Jannie while Zeke shot him a warning glance.

"Yeah, I guess you could say that," Jannie replied, leaning against Zeke's chest.

"Why do you ask?" she continued, and my brother tilted his head, intrigued. Zeke could tell that Zack was trying to figure out Jannie's relationship with him, and Zeke knew that if Zack discovered she was his mate, she could be in danger.

Zeke loved his brother, but Zack cherished the idea of becoming Alpha more than anything else.