*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 has much the same feeling as that first time he re-entered it all those years ago 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, b
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 who stands between his four golden blonde sons. There is no doubt that all five of them are
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 not t
As soon as they return 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 to cover their tracks. They have tried to 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 kitchen t
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 are 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.It is strange but somehow not completely repulsive.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"
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 even if this feels a whole lot more unnatural.Yet the knowledge on how to do it 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 tha
Jax has a way of saying something so self-depreciating in such a light and airy way it is hard to take it as seriously as it should be taken. Alaska barks out a laugh, her hip moving quickly to hit Jax playfully. At the same time the tension leaves her body completely. Of all the things that she expected him to say, it definitely wasn't that, and it makes what was the start of a really tough conversation a whole lot easier. This is Jax, the same person she has known her entire life, she doesn't need to make it so strange. "Haha what?…" Once Alaska focuses on the whole sentence and not just the amusement at the end, her heart strains for him. She hasn't really heard him speak about himself in such a way, and she is not sure whether he is making a joke of it or he actually believes it, it is hard for her to think that he could think so badly of himself when there is no one in this world that she thinks more highly of. "...You have a whole lot to offer. Never sell yourself short like
"What can I do for you Trip?""Draven just wanted to meet to discuss some things at the club tomorrow night"Jax just shrugs at Alaska with a questioning look. Alaska’s shock has faded completely, and her razor-sharp mind is working quickly. It makes sense that Draven would suspect them, and maybe he came to the conclusion much quicker than she gave him credit for, but the request doesn’t sound much like a summons and if Draven really knew the truth it wouldn’t be an exploratory meeting, they would be hunted and killed much the same as the rogues that surround them. Alaska just nods, the plan was always bound to change, while she has done her best to anticipate her adversary there is always going to be some discrepancy."What time would he like us?""Shall we say ten?""We will be there""Umm Jax?""Yes?""I am sorry to hear about Torin"Alaska’s eyes which were bright and filled with excitement, dull significantly. Jax scowls, he has not even spoken to Trip since the undertaking, jus
Draven draws in a deep shuddering breath as his excitement peaks, saliva drips off his large teeth, his canines itch in his jaw, as desperate as he is for that kill. He feels every stick and every stone under his large paws. Every single kill is like this, every detail, which would be mundane in any other circumstance is stored in his memory, a trophy of sorts as he cannot risk having any physical trophies that could link him back to this. His breath is so loud that it is the only thing that gives away his otherwise stealthy approach. It doesn't matter anyway, he is too fit, his body a precision killing machine, while his adversary is gangly, malnourished, untrained and unorganized. They make so many mistakes in order to protect their own life, bumping and hitting into each other in an effort to get away, slowing their own escape as well as offering up others as the first sacrificed. The slowest and the smallest of the group, the one that got shoved to the side by numerous other s
Draven sits in his office, his mind halfway between the disappearance of Hayden and the mess in the businesses. Something about Hayden’s disappearance just isn’t sitting right, is he neglectful, yes, irresponsible, most definitely, selfish, no doubt. But he isn’t usually so lax on contact, even if it is just to rub it in Draven’s face? Never.Not that Draven would care in the slightest. Personally, he can’t think of anything worse than finding his mate, but his disinterest has never stopped Hayden before.Draven has little interest in anything and yet Hayden still finds a way to make everything a competition. It may be a way of including Draven in some sense of normalcy, whatever it is, it is the way Hayden has always been. This?….This isn’t.Hayden is the first out of all the Barrow boys to actually find his mate is an accomplishment. They are all of an age that it should have happened long ago and then there are the older set of twins who would be the more logical pick if the goddes
Jax watches Alaska closely. For a moment he isn’t sure if there is actually danger lurking, because her expression is somewhat strange, maybe it is just more forced than usual, but he can’t feel another wolf around and if there was something that urgent he knows she would have linked him."Jax who is this?"Jax hears the question, not even knowing who asked it and not even wanting to take his eyes off Alaska for a second in order to confirm. It doesn’t matter anyway, just as their faces swirl into one, they all have the same voice. He answers the question without directing it at anyone in particular."This is Alaska… My best friend"Jax moves through the crowd of girls easily, unlike their usual state where they can’t get enough, they are shocked in place, he doesn’t notice as he wraps an arm around Alaska’s shoulder and pulls her close to him, planting a large kiss on her forehead.Even a blind man could see that there is something more than just a best friend relationship. Jax has a
Alaska sits in the exact center of a fixed bench on the side of the road, her arms spread along the either side of the timber backrest, her face angled up to the sky, her eyes pressed shut and a slight smile on her face as the sunlight soaks into her skin. She hasn’t felt like this in a long time, every moment has been spent working. So to even take a minute to just enjoy life is so incredibly precious. Now that she is in the process of making those pay, there is a weight lifted off her. The guilt at even showing a smile is decreasing, she has spent the whole morning attacking the businesses under the seasons banner, concentrating most of her efforts on the autumn pack, which, of course, is the easiest as she had intimate knowledge of the businesses before they were taken and they have really changed very little in that time, extras added and wealth added due to Draven's ruthless mind, but nothing that Alaska cannot unravel.She hasn’t attacked them so obviously until now, because she
Jax stares at her back for a moment as she walks toward her room, holding himself back from running to her and holding her. He has been putting even more effort into the training, but even with the exhaustion that comes from giving it his all, it doesn’t stop his mind running wild.The relationship in his mind is evolving so fast, but he is not sure it is the same for her, from pretending to be her boyfriend at the work function to acting like a couple in the airport. It is all getting harder. Walking through the airport like a real couple, the wigs didn’t matter, it was still her, it was still her scent, her warmth, it didn’t even matter that they were playing others, that they were hiding their faces from the camera, all that mattered was having a very happy Alaska so close to him, having her scent around him, her gentle touches.A true sense of what it would be like to have the impossible, to actually be with her.He knows that he is blowing all of it out of proportion as she is jus
Draven sends everyone out of the security room except Trip, who still hasn’t offered a word of help. For now there is nothing to say. The evidence is there but all it shows is that this place is a dead end. The manager and employees don't argue even though Draven technically has no right to be within such a space. While the nightclub falls under the season's banner, it is not under the autumn pack, he has no authority, yet no one has the guts to argue the point, they value their lives too much.Just being in the same room as him is suffocating enough and they are glad to get the freedom."Trip, copy all that footage and we will review it later"Trip isn’t very knowledgeable at computers, but at least knows that much. Draven picks up his own phone and calls his father."Was there any purchases that could help locate him?"Valen scrambles to log onto the banking app."Sorry I wasn’t set to review it until tomorrow…"Draven swallows down the insults that would be spewed at everyone else i
Draven and Trip don’t talk on the way to the venue. Trip is used to Draven’s way of operation. Between him and his three brothers, he drew the short straw to be placed with Draven. Of course, it wasn’t such a lottery, they themselves were thankful to be able to be betas in their own right which they never knew was possible growing up, so when the reject of the family was the one that was able to take such a role it was a double blow. When they were deciding between themselves who would go where, Trip was considered the best option to be able to get along with the man who has the ice-cold aura and dry personality.It is just lucky that Trip also admires Draven’s ability to stand out on his own within the family like that, especially when he was tied in birth to Hayden.The two walk one in front of the other into the closed night club without caring about such things as open hours or even common courtesy. Most nightclubs in the area come under the seasons banner in some way and this one