*Three years earlier continued*The large black wolf skirts the edge of the summer pack, just as he is about to head to the main entrance to be allowed in by the border patrol, he has a strange feeling down his spine.He has been to the summer pack many times before. Technically, the alpha, Valen, is his uncle. He is a couple of times removed but they all like to play on it. At one time, in Jaxson’s great-great grandfather's time, this was all one pack. The seasons pack, Jaxson’s great-great grandfather had four sons, which was incredibly rare for an alpha. The sons were very close in age, one set of twins and two separate on either side. The season's pack was incredibly large, to the point where it was nearly too difficult to protect the borders. All the sons were very similar in abilities, which made it hard for him to choose who was going to take the pack.The only logical solution was to split the pack into four smaller pieces and allow each of his sons to have a pack of their own
Driving up to the summer pack now is much the same feeling as that first time he re-entered the summer pack and found out the depth of the betrayal. The people that he thought would be there for him, the ones that he considered family. The ones he considered good people. He thought it was bad then. But the more he learned, the more he thought about it, the worse it became. Jaxson's hands move without him releasing his grip in the slightest, the cheap plastic steering wheel making a sort of screeching sound under his hands. Alaska finally looks up from the radio and places a soft hand over his. "It is all going to be fine" Jaxson is like this every single time. It is like that same feeling of dread and clarity washes over him and then every time he has to swallow down all those intense feelings and smile at the scheming bastards that caused him to lose so much, the ones he actually went to as a savior were the ones that took it all away.He believed that this trip would help, but
Alaska just puts one sandal-clad foot in front of the other on the bitumen-paved driveway. Her hand brushes against Jax's large hand, grounding her just that little bit as hatred washes over her, it's so thick and fast. Sometimes it's a little harder to swallow down than others, but she manages to push it all into the pit of her stomach and put on her token fake smile. Back before all this, she didn't even know that a fake smile was a real thing she didn't understand what someone would even use such a thing for. She spent so much of her time smiling and having fun. No matter the workload or what life threw at her, she could still smile happily. Now it has just become a piece of her mask, a necessary item, better than any makeup at hiding the true feelings inside. A smile can hide a million truths. It is as necessary mask in her workplace as it is here. She looks up at the one dark-haired man that stands between his four golden blonde sons. There is no doubt that all five of them ar
Valen smiles as the sweet girl kisses his cheek. She is skinnier now, but that is the only real difference he notices, maybe a little bit more hollow in the eyes, they just don't have the same glitter they once had, but that is to be expected. It is impossible for such an innocence to survive in such conditions. Everything is crushed, the beautiful flower is wilted. He feels silly for even suspecting them. It isn’t even like it is two together, it is one male and a weak female that, even though she could’ve had the talent and the bloodline to step forward and take her birthright, she chose to sit back and watch her mate claim the glory. She was pathetic then and while it is admirable that she pulled herself together to this point, expecting her to come out of those depths with anything more than a basic need to survive is overreaching. She couldn't take the title then and now she is the same, happy to sit back and let others lead while she hangs on for dear life desperatly trying no
As soon as they returned home, Alaska disappears into her room and Jaxson is left to sit on the sofa alone. She didn’t speak anymore on the drive or subsequent run back to the warehouse. They didn’t feel as if they were followed, but they will never take a such chances always making sure ro cover their tracks. They have tried and keep everything hidden within the space, but if the warehouse was found, the rest would unravel quickly.Jaxson has the television on, playing some series that fails to spark his interest enough to allow him to focus on anything other than Alaska’s closed door. He craves to hear her voice, to feel her touch. He knows that the whole experience hurt her, but right now it feels like it hurt him a whole lot more. The word friend still bouncing around his head telling him everything he already knows but cutting him to pieces at the same time.Hours move slowly by but still a closed door separates the pair. He is in no mood to workout. He looks briefly at the kitch
Jax grits his teeth, he wishes he had her confidence, he would like to take the cowards way out on this one, but he knows that he would never talk her into such a thing unless they have at least tried. The more he has thought about it and just witnessing the five today, he saw Valen’s suspicion fade throughout the visit, but he knows that is only fleeting, he knows that at least one of his cousins would rather just eliminate them.Every word he said is true, it is only a matter of time and they cannot live indefinitely with a dagger hanging over their heads."I hope you are right"Alaska nods as she looks down at her phone. She was not expecting this to be so easy, this is a big hurdle passed. But from now, it only gets harder. Her fingers move swiftly across the screen of her phone. Words that she never thought that she would write to another man come out as forced as she expected they would. Seeking justice for Torin by seemingly betraying him in such a way is torturous. After a few
Alaska only manages to just swallow back her laugh as she subtly elbows him in the ribs, all the tension leaving her body with his self-assured words said in such a natural way. Jaxson keeps his arm around her for the whole rest of the night and Alaska is amazed at how comfortable it feels. They have always been close and he has done things a whole lot more personal than this, but that was more in a caring role to now actually acting as if they are really in a relationship. That dynamic is so different.Jaxson and Alaska laugh as they exit the building, even though her metabolism easily works off the alcohol. For the first time in a long time she is feeling relaxed. She jumps on Jax’s back and he naturally catches her legs, her black stiletto shoes dangling from one hand which are crossed around his neck."Who would have thought I managed to miss the fact that I have been dating someone for three years, according to my colleagues"Jax walks casually, his suit jacket is open and his ti
It has been an entire week of back and forth, Alaska seeming a little more open to possibilities with each round of text exchanges. Hayden is persistent, she has to give him that, but that was what she has been counting on. It doesn't change her opinion of him and the whole thing is far from noble, considering he has probably had a different girl each night in his bed on every single day of the week. Alaska just takes this as his new hobby. Every time she has to say something a little more suggestive than the last, her level of disgust grows, but she is surprised how quickly she can fall back into the habit of knowing how to flirt. Yet the knowledge doesn't save her from the replusion of it all. Torin had been in her life for as long as she can remember, her first with everything. They were young and learned a lot from each other, but she never missed that flirting stage. Torin never once wanted her to miss out on any of that, even though they knew each other better than they knew th