The next morning, Chloe woke early, the sun barely peeking through the curtains of her childhood bedroom. She lay there for a moment, staring at the ceiling, her thoughts spinning. Her first day as a teacher was behind her, and though she'd made a good impression with her students and colleagues, a knot of unease settled in her chest. Something about the town felt different, as if it were a place she was supposed to know, but didn't.

She had always taken Charming for granted, like it was a place that would always be the same, like she could step back into it after years away and everything would fall back into place. But David's warning and the unnerving encounter with Jax Teller kept gnawing at her.

After a quick breakfast, she grabbed her purse, slung it over her shoulder, and made her way to the front door. The warm, comforting scent of home lingered in the air, but the tension in her chest made it hard to breathe easy.

"You off to work already?" David's voice echoed from the living room, where he was sitting, scrolling through paperwork at the kitchen table.

"Yeah," Chloe replied with a forced smile, trying to keep her voice upbeat. "It's going to be a busy day. I've got lesson plans to prep for the next week."

David didn't look up, his face strained as though there was something he wanted to say, but wasn't sure how to put it. Finally, he set his pen down and met her eyes, his brow furrowing slightly. "You okay? I know it's a lot, but you've been talking about this for years. I'm proud of you, you know that, right?"

Chloe's heart warmed at his words, but she could feel the weight of something unspoken hanging between them. She nodded, but before she could respond, his voice turned more serious.

"Just... be careful around here, okay? Some things are better left alone." David's eyes flickered to the window, and Chloe followed his gaze out to the street, her stomach tightening as her mind went back to the previous night.

"David, I'm not a child. I can take care of myself," Chloe replied, her tone firm, though the apprehension that lingered in her chest didn't match the words she spoke. It was clear to her now that her brother's protectiveness ran deeper than just a sibling's concern. It was as if he knew something she didn't—a secret about this town that she was only just beginning to touch.

David stood up and walked over to her, placing a hand on her shoulder. "I know you're strong, Chlo. But SAMCRO isn't the kind of people you want to get tangled up with. Trust me."

"I'll be fine," she reassured him, though she wasn't sure if she was trying to convince him or herself. "I've been away for years. I've learned a thing or two about standing my ground."

David didn't look entirely convinced, but he didn't press it. Instead, he gave her a small, tight smile and kissed the top of her head. "Just keep your distance from them. Promise me that."

"I promise," she said, though a small part of her couldn't shake the strange curiosity bubbling inside her.

The school day passed in a blur, the rush of teaching and the excitement of meeting new students filling Chloe's mind. Yet, even as she helped students with their assignments and chatted with colleagues, she couldn't stop thinking about last night, about Jax. She could still see the image of him—the powerful build, the quiet authority in his every movement—and the flash of his eyes when they briefly locked across the diner. It was like something had shifted in her, something she couldn't quite understand.

By lunchtime, Chloe found herself at Lumpy's Family Restaurant again. She had promised herself she wouldn't let David's warnings get to her, that she'd focus on her work and settle into life back in Charming. But as she walked into the diner, a familiar sense of tension welled up in her chest. Her eyes scanned the room, and her heart skipped a beat when they landed on him—Jax Teller.

He walked in with his usual confidence, flanked by two other men, all wearing the same black leather vests emblazoned with the SAMCRO insignia. His presence was magnetic, drawing the attention of everyone in the diner. The air seemed to thicken with his aura, and Chloe couldn't help but feel a strange pull towards him.

She quickly turned away, pretending to be engrossed in her menu, but her heart was beating a little faster than usual. It was impossible not to notice him, not to feel the weight of his presence. She tried to focus on the conversation David was having with a few of the town's regulars, but her thoughts kept wandering back to him—his long, tousled hair, his rugged face, and those piercing blue eyes that seemed to look right through her.

David must have noticed her distraction because he leaned closer, his voice dropping low. "Don't get too curious, Chloe. Trust me. The last thing you want is to get mixed up with someone like him."

Chloe shifted in her seat, her gaze flicking toward Jax and his friends again. They had taken a booth near the back of the restaurant, their conversation loud enough for her to overhear snippets of it. "It's not what you think," she muttered, but even to herself, her voice sounded uncertain.

David followed her gaze, his jaw tightening when he saw Jax. "It never is. But you don't know the whole story. And you don't want to."

Chloe wanted to argue, but before she could find the right words, Jax looked up and caught her gaze across the room. For a brief moment, their eyes locked. There was no warmth in his expression, just an unreadable intensity that made Chloe's breath hitch. He didn't smile. He didn't nod. He just looked—studied her—and then turned his attention back to his friends.

Her pulse quickened, and she quickly looked away, forcing her mind to focus on anything but him. But it was no use. The encounter had unsettled her in a way she couldn't explain. It was as if the weight of his gaze had left an imprint on her, a mark that she couldn't erase.

David, sensing her discomfort, shook his head. "I don't know what it is, Chloe, but something's off about him. About the whole damn club. They're not just some group of guys who love motorcycles."

"I know," Chloe whispered, though she didn't fully understand what he meant. "But why does it feel like there's something more to them? To him?"

David sighed, pushing his plate away, his expression dark. "Because there is. And you don't need to find out what."

Chloe nodded quietly, but deep down, a part of her wanted to know more. A part of her couldn't stop wondering about the man who seemed to live in the shadows of Charming, and about how much trouble—or maybe even attraction—lay beneath the surface.