First of a double chapter update. Ellie xo
Jackson POV “Pack members, distinguished guests, I welcome you all to the ceremony this evening, where we will install the Beta, and the Gamma couple,” I say. Surprising me were the cheers from everyone in the crowd. This was clearly a welcome change from the past Beta which caused me a moment of pause. How had I missed how unliked he really was? I would be more present in the day-to-day operations of our Pack, but by the response I could tell this was a welcome shift in power. Everyone was comfortable with the direction the Pack was going. Continuing, “I am more than confident we have selected individuals who will put the Pack’s protection first. Our Pack members will be treated fairly and justly. And finally, we will be a stronger Evergreen Pack. Our businesses continue to thrive, as do each of you. We are a strong unit and will only get stronger under the leadership of our Beta and Gamma couple,” I say to everyone. There are loud cheers u
Mandy POV My nerves were a mess earlier. I was afraid I would trip up the stairs and fall flat on my face. Now that the official ceremony was over, I was feeling a little more confident and able to mingle. Some of the women in the Pack had come over to introduce themselves to me. It was the first time I had someone, other than Carrie or Jessica, approach me. It gave me hope that I would be accepted fully into the Evergreen Pack. We had just finished eating and couples were starting to dance. I had never danced before. In reality, I had never been to anything like this before Carrie’s Luna ceremony and that went a little haywire. It was kind of nice to get through an event without a grand entrance of someone or other. As I sat there looking out at the floor of dancers, the music slowed down and suddenly I smelled the presence of Josh. I looked up to see him standing there holding his hand out. “May I have this dance?” he asks politely. I g
Carrie POV I could understand why Jackson was so upset about everything that was happening around us. I was disheartened as I watched the young woman try to help me clean the stains out of my dress. When I envisioned taking this dress off, it was with Jackson removing it from me. Not me removing it because it was ruined. But ruined it was. I heard Rosie’s friend being dragged away, as Pack members looked at me sympathetically. I simply smiled, “I did not care for this dress anyway,” I say as those around me chuckled knowing I was lying but wanting to help me by moving past the awkward moment. “I need to go change,” I say to Jessica. “Need any help?” she asks. “I could likely use a hand getting this zipper undone,” I say noticing that Jackson was still caught up in the drama. Nodding to her, we walk out together and head up to my suite. On the way to the staircase, I see Rosie’s doctor. “How is Rosie doing?” I ask genuinely concerned.
Carrie POV I look to Jessica who is watching me confused. I turned her away from the door and guided her to the mirror. Looking she looks at her dress and is confused until I pull her hair back and she sees what I see. “Oh, my Goddess,” she remarks. Turning she looks closer as I watch her stare at the mark on her neck. “What do you think it means?” she asks sounding scared. “I have no idea. Could it mean your wolf is still with you?” I ask as we both stare at her neck. The mark is only half complete. It shows the male wolf standing alone, howling to the moon. Half the circle is closed and the other half where the female would be is blank and the circle is incomplete. “I think this is a good sign,” I say trying to ease the panic in Jessica. “Or it means I should not have lived. I should have died and you bringing me back has confused the Moon Goddess” she suggests pulling her hair back around her neck covering the mark and stepping away fr
Jackson POV After we finished our dance, we made our rounds to see everyone thanking them for coming and wishing them a fun evening. I wanted nothing more than to get Carrie on my own. After we said our final good evenings, we went through to the lobby of the Pack house to find a red-faced Jessica and an amused Carleton coming out of a washroom. “What’s going on?” Carrie asks equally amused. Carleton smirks, while Jessica pulls back her hair, “Look,” she says as Carrie steps forward and gasps. “What is happening?” Carrie asks while I look at the half complete mark. “I do not know,” she replies while Carleton interjects, “I think it is my amazing …” but Jessica stops before he can finish what we all know he was about to say. Laughing out loud, Jessica hides her face in Carleton’s neck, as I ask them to explain what we are looking at. “Earlier, the mark was only half complete. Now it has filled in a bit more,” Carrie observes. “Perhaps the mar
Carrie POV “What is the point in having powers if you cannot use them?” I ask annoyed. It made no sense. “The Moon Goddess will determine when you overextend those powers,” Jackson adds. That sounded pretty serious. “What does that even mean?” Jessica asks as she leans into Carleton covering a yawn. “It means that if Carrie is helping people without serious need, she could lose her life abusing her powers,” Carleton shares with us. “How will I know who is in serious need?” I ask hoping there was an answer in the book. “There is nothing more here,” Jackson says as he starts to look at the other books. “So, helping Jessica was, okay?” I ask for clarity. “I would suggest yes. You did not lose your wolf, and you are still alive. I would say that was a good save,” Carleton says with a small laugh. Jackson scowls at him, “No more using those powers,” he says as he finds the chapter he is looking for. Hearing a tap on the door, Jackson
Carrie POV The pain that raced through my heart had me staggering backwards. Jackson turns to me taking a hold of me and pulling me into his arms. “Just breathe, baby,” he says as he rubs my back. Dead. She was dead. I had no recollection of her. I had hoped, for a moment that maybe she was out there searching for me. Instead, she died and left me with the weak man in front of me. “You are lying,” I reply to him. My mind cannot believe she is dead. “Why would I lie?” he asks. “Who knows why you would sell your daughter? Yet, you did. You could easily be lying,” I say the words making sense to me. I feel Jackson tighten his hold on me, but it only serves to frustrate me. I push him away from me. I move closer to the rogue standing in front of me. “Tell me the truth,” I say coldly to the man. He steps back out of my grasp. I know it would take me seconds to destroy the bars of this cell. I felt the strength inside of me. “Carrie,” Ja
Jackson POV “If he were her father, wouldn’t he have saved her from Parker?” I ask. “Unless he thought Parker was a good guy?” Carleton suggests. “Everyone knows Parker is anything but a good guy,” I reply. “I do not know. I guess we need to find the mystery man to find out,” Carleton replies. “Now that you figured something out, can you let me go? And give me the money I need?” the rogue has the nerve to ask. I look at him in disgust, “The only place you are going is to sleep,” I reply to him as we turn to leave him. “What? Wait! I helped you, now you help me!” he snarls. “You hardly helped. You have created more questions and there was never an intention for you to leave,” I reply. “Carrie! How can you do this to the man who raised you?” he demands. Carrie looks at him coldly, “The same way you sold me off,” she says before turning and walking away. I smirk at him as he looks at me ready to try and rip me to pieces. “You ca
Carrie’s POV Jessica, Mandy, and I sat watching our pups. Jessica and Mandy each had a boy. We had thought one might be a female but had a pleasant surprise when two males were born to my two best friends. Colton, Rosie’s pup and my half-brother, were playing with the boys. It was easy to see they were best friends being born so close to one another. Unless Colton was upset about something. Then his temper showed through. We were concerned and already working with him to control his anger. Even at his young age, we knew we needed to build the capacity within Colton to control himself, at all times. It was challenging for Jackson and me. Having a gifted child when I was still learning my own talents was keeping us on our toes. He was going to be more talented than me. It is incredible but we now believe that my father had enhanced his powers in some way that resulted in Colton’s talents being enhanced. The challenge of trying to anticipate
Carrie POV Before I can move, Christian steps forward. I see tears in the doctor’s eyes as she looks at her mate, knowing her fate. “Please, I am sorry,” she whispers as Christians looks at her with hate in his eyes. He is owed this. She almost destroyed him and the fact that she is his mate is only a cruel twist of fate. He leans forward placing his lips on hers. One solitary kiss from his mate before he reaches his hands up to her neck and snaps it as her lips rest on his. He steps back, cradling her body in his arms. I feel tears of my own rise up as I watch helplessly at our friend being forced to deal with the crappy hand he had been dealt. Without saying anything else, Christian turns and walks out of the gala event with his dead mate in his arms. Nobody spoke. They simply watched the tragic event in slow motion. As Christian exits the building, I can hear people starting to speak softly. Talking about calling it a night. Sadly, I a
Carrie POV Christian cut off the words the doctor was about to say. “Christian!” I yell wanting to hear what she had to say. Christian was determined to snap her neck. Jackson was beside him trying to unwrap his hands around her neck. My mother kept yelling for Christian to do it. “Christian stop!” I command with all my power. Many surrounding us started to drop to their knees at the wave of power that left my body. Christian dropped his hands turning his angry glare on me. The female doctor leans forward gasping for air. “Why?” Christian demands. “We need to know who Rosie’s baby’s father is, Christian,” I say to him trying to reason with him. “It is my right to destroy her,” he says with anger. “I understand but this is important,” I say to him looking to Jackson. I know he is wondering as well and wants the answers from her. I feel a sense of trepidation as I move towards the woman. My mother is struggling to get out of Josh’s hands,
Carrie POV I block the bolts of power coming at me with my arms. It is as if my arms have become shields of steel and I simply have the intuitive awareness of how to deflect her attack. She moves closer as I step back. Taking a chance, I flip my right arm and make like I am tossing something at her. It shocks her and she stumbles backwards with a smirk, “Just testing out your powers, I see,” she says as she steps closer to me pushing a stronger wave of force at me. Before I can respond I am pushed backwards. My shoes fall off and I land on my ass. I hear Jackson yell my name, but I cannot look to him. I have to focus on the threat. She continues to stalk towards me as I crawl backwards trying to get my bearings. I am working my way towards standing when she slams into me again this time knocking me back and winding me. “If you were smart, you would stay down. As much as I want you dead, your father would never forgive me for destroying you
Jackson POV It has been a week since Carrie received the email from her mother. After a few months reprieve I had started to wonder if they would just give up. I had hoped they would give up. They were after something. I simply did not know what it was. Carrie was too independent. She could live on her own without them. She had always wanted her mother but not like this. Not this woman who had seemingly abandoned her at a young age for the greater good, as she liked to imply. We were all getting ready for the Gala event we were hosting. We had spent every waking moment well into the wee hours of the night, planning for every type of attack we could imagine. Christian had gone darker if that were possible. Now that the end was imminent, I knew he would take out the female doctor, or die trying. And that scared me. He had no fear of death. It was as if he had looked it in the face once and he was prepared to die if it meant taking out his
Carrie POV It has been three months since we last saw my mother, brother, or his mate the female doctor. Everyone has been on intense alert since that fight. Our warriors were exhausted from all the additional training and extra shifts they have been taking to protect the Pack. Jessica has settled into her job working with Carleton for the Wolf Council. They continue to try and find leads as to where my family is but have had no luck. They are all wanted and considered dangerous. There are huge bounties on all of them. I do not want them captured. I want them dead. They are wreaking havoc with my family and my doctor is concerned the stress is impacting my ability to get pregnant. I am exhausted myself worrying about how much I have brought to Jackson’s doorstep. He continues to tell me to stop worrying. He will stand by my side regardless. But the Pack did not sign on for this either. They continue to be supportive, but I know they are
Hi Everyone Quick note to let you know I have had the flu all weekend and have been unable to post. I am starting to come around but wanted to let you know why you have not received an update this weekend. I figure there are only four chapters left in the story and hope to pick those off starting tomorrow. My apologies for the less than consistent posting in March. Fingers crossed this is the end of the craziness. Any questions feel free to post below and I will either answer in the story or here :) Hope you all enjoyed your weekend. Catch up tomorrow. Ellie xo
Carrie POV Jackson returned to us and shared what they learned so far. Which was not much. My mother had attempted to have Randy freed, but Jackson quickly replied, “It is out of my hands. The Wolf Council is taking him into custody, and he will be charged accordingly.”. “That is outrageous. We have neutralized the threat!” my mother exclaims. “Take it up with Carleton. He is making transfer arrangements as we speak,” Jackson says without sympathy. “Carrie you must do something to help your brother,” my mother pleads with me. Shaking my head, “I am sorry, but I cannot. He betrayed me and my Pack; had he succeeded it would have been the end of us,” I reply to her. Jackson looks at me with love and pride at my response. The rage that crosses my mother’s face surprises me, but she quickly contains it. That causes me to pause for a moment as I watch her. “You have his wolf, his powers … what more do you want?” she asks coldly. “It is not abo
Carrie POV “Do you sincerely believe he deserves to have his wolf, after all that he has done?” my mother asks. I sit with that question. Did I think he deserved his wolf? I had not been prepared to help save him, yet I worried about him being without a wolf. A wolf was so much a part of who we were. And having been without my wolf for so long, I could easily identify with the devastation. “I do not know the answer to that question,” I respond honestly. “Well, you have time to decide,” my mother replies. “What do you mean?” I ask. “You have taken his wolf into your care; you can give it back or let the wolf go to its resting place. The choice will solely be yours,” my mother says softly. I sit back in my chair and chew my food slowly. Mandy is sitting silent listening to the conversation. “What do you think?” I ask her as she looks at me in surprise. “I think it is as your mother has said. It is your choice; your decision,” she replies.