10. James
TEN
JAMES
The weight of the day’s events and the revelation about Gregory pressed down on me as Sadie and I walked back to my motorcycle. The confrontation with Brian, the fight, and then the need to discuss something as significant as Gregory’s parentage had all taken their toll.
As I straddled the motorcycle, my thoughts were a whirlwind. The anger I had initially felt about not being told sooner that I was Gregory’s father was still there, but it had started to ebb. Sadie had admitted she’d kept it a secret out of fear, not just of my reaction, but for the well-being of all of us.
I couldn’t help but admire her strength and the sacrifices she’d made for her child and for me. It wasn’t an easy thing for her to do, to keep such a monumental truth hidden out of concern for the potential chaos it might create. Her worry about our happiness and stability was evident.
“James,” Sadie’s voice broke through my reverie, her hand gently resting on my shoulder, “I understand if you’re angry or upset. I should have told you sooner. I should have told you as soon as I saw you again, but I didn’t because I wasn’t sure how we would get along. I didn’t know if you would even want to know me again after Cancun. And I didn’t know what your life was like either, or if you’d even have room for a child.”
I turned to her, meeting her gaze. “Sadie, I won’t deny that I was initially angry about not knowing sooner,” I confessed. “But now, I see why you made that choice. I understand your concerns, not just for yourself but for all of us. You did what you thought was best. I get it. We did only know one another for a night basically, in Cancun, and you obviously didn’t come here looking for me, so I get that it wasn’t easy. And the more intertwined we became, the harder it became, I’m sure.”
She gave me a small, grateful smile, her eyes reflecting relief. “Thank you for being understanding, James. I was scared of what this might do to us. I hope you understand that I did want you to know right away, but I didn’t have any way of communicating with you.”
I reached for her hand and squeezed it gently. “I know. We left things on weird terms after our holiday, and I’m sure, like me, you didn’t think our paths would ever cross again. But now they have, and I think there’s a reason behind that. We’ll figure this out, Sadie. Together. One step at a time, okay?”
Sadie nodded, a grateful smile spreading across her face. “Thank you for understanding, James. Thank you for everything.”
I leaned in to press a gentle kiss to her cheek. “We’ll play this by ear, take one step at a time. I don’t want you to hesitate to call on me if you or Gregory need anything, though. We’re a team now, and that includes taking care of one another.”
She squeezed my hand in response, and the warmth of her gratitude flowed between us. While our relationship was still evolving, this shared commitment to facing whatever challenges life threw our way made me even more certain that we were on the right path.
I leaned in and lightly pressed my lips to hers, letting her know silently that I was going to do my best for her. We didn’t know how things would work out, because honestly, I wasn’t sure if I was ready to be a father. Especially to a five-year-old, but I was going to do what I could.
Ring, ring… Ring, ring… Ring, ring…
Shit, my phone shattered the magical moment. I pulled back and glanced at the screen and saw that it was one of the shifters who worked at the sawmill. My heart quickened as I answered, sensing that something was wrong. They didn’t call me like this in the middle of the day over nothing. I frowned as I hit the button to pick up.
“Hello?”
“James, there’s been a fire at the sawmill,” came the worried voice on the other end of the line.
Adrenaline surged through me as I started up my motorcycle. There was no time to waste. “How bad is it?”
“We’re just getting it under control now.”
“I’ll be there right away,” I said, ending the call.
Sadie watched me with concern in her eyes. “Is everything all right?”
“I’m not sure yet,” I replied. “There’s been a fire at the sawmill. I need to go and see what’s happened.”
I could see the unease in her expression, and I leaned down to press a quick but reassuring kiss on her forehead. “I’ll be back as soon as I can,” I promised before speeding off toward the sawmill. My heart was racing at the speed of light. We hadn’t had a fire in a long time, since I was in control. With everything going on with Brian, I couldn’t help but wonder if this was related. He didn’t seem to want to stop on his mission to overthrow me, and he looked like he would do whatever it took to dethrone me. Even if it meant going after my girlfriend–and the mother of my child as well–or my business.
If I found out that this was related to Brian, I didn’t know what I would do. The anger was already burning in my blood, I felt so hot I was almost dizzy with it. This was crushing me from the inside out, and the closer I got to my business, the more annoyed I became. This wouldn’t just affect me, many people relied on the sawmill for their work and everything. Brian was potentially playing with fire here, and he was about to get burned. Especially if anyone had gotten hurt in this.
Arriving at the sawmill, I was met with the sight of fire trucks and emergency responders working to extinguish the small blaze. I wasted no time in finding out what had transpired and what had caused the fire. The initial investigations pointed to something suspicious.
Two female employees, Emma and Lily, had been present when the fire started. They both claimed that they had set it intentionally, but neither could explain why they had done so. The strange part was that both of them had recently interacted with Brian, and they mentioned hearing his voice in their heads, compelling them to commit this act.
“It’s very strange,” Abe told me as he came to the end of his explanation. “I’ve never seen anything quite like this before.”
“What should I do?” I asked, more to myself than him, but someone answered me anyway. Only, it wasn’t Abe.
“I think we need to contact the Patron about this,” Jesse declared with a nervous edge to his voice. “He needs to know.”
I sighed heavily. Maybe he was right, and we really did need help with this. The decision to contact the Patron weighed heavily on my mind. The Patron, an enigmatic figure, had welcomed shifters onto his land, but his true origins, history, and intentions remained shrouded in mystery. It was a matter that had long intrigued the clan and left us with many unanswered questions.
The Patron’s conditions were clear: shifters were welcome as long as they did not bring chaos and suffering to one another or to the humans who shared the territory. The rules were fair, but the motives behind them remained elusive.
Most in the clan believed that the Patron himself was a wolf shifter, a powerful figure who held sway over the supernatural world. But I couldn’t help but harbor a different theory. To me, the Patron seemed more like an eccentric human billionaire, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that he had welcomed shifters onto his land for a more self-serving reason. So, we could protect him, and he would never get hurt. So that other humans wouldn’t dare go anywhere near him.
“You might be right.” I nodded slowly as I grabbed my phone. I mean, I couldn’t ignore the unsettling connection to Brian, and my concerns deepened. I needed to understand how he could have influenced these two women and what his motives might be. As an Alpha and the leader of my clan, it was my responsibility to protect my people and uncover the truth. Perhaps Jesse was right to mention the Patron. Maybe he would know something. “Okay.”
An odd flurry of nerves zig-zagged through me as I listened to the phone ring, I wasn’t sure how the Patron would take to this. I didn’t know if he would want to get involved with any of this, but I had to try. I would just have to hope that he didn’t shut me down instantly.
“Hello?” he answered in his typical stoic, cool tone. He always sounded disconnected from everything, but that didn’t mean he was.
“Patron, it’s James,” I greeted him when he answered the call. “I need your help with something, something very unusual that’s happened in the clan.”
“Hey, James, of course, I’ll help in any way I can,” the Patron replied, his voice filled with sincerity.
I took in a deep breath before I began. “We had a fire at the sawmill, and it seems like Brian was involved. But that’s not the most troubling part. He appears to have a peculiar influence over two of our members, Emma and Lily. It’s as if he can manipulate them. Actually, it’s as if he can manipulate a lot of women, and I don’t know how.”
The Patron spoke gravely when he responded. “I see, James. That is indeed a troubling situation. The safety of your clan and the balance within the supernatural community must be preserved at all costs.”
“I couldn’t agree more. I need your insight and advice on how to proceed. What do you suspect could be happening?”
“I have my own suspicions about the kind of influence Brian may wield, but I cannot act without concrete evidence.” There was a heaviness to his tone which weighed down on me. “It is essential that you investigate this matter thoroughly and discreetly. Ensure that the truth is uncovered, and if Brian poses a threat to the safety and unity of your clan, take the necessary steps to protect your own. See what this man has. See if he has access to some kind of magical artifact, an object that allows him to influence women’s minds.”
A magical artifact. I didn’t know much about that, but pack elders would, and others in my pack might too.
“Thank you, Patron. Your guidance is invaluable. I’ll do everything I can to safeguard my clan and the balance in our community.”
“I have faith in your leadership, James. Keep me updated on your progress, and if you ever need further guidance, do not hesitate to reach out.”
This whole conversation sent a shiver down my spine. The thought of Brian wielding such power was unsettling, and it raised countless questions. How had he acquired this artifact? What were his intentions? I needed to get to the bottom of this. There was only one person I could think of who might be able to help me.
I made my way to the pack’s headquarters, where Helena often worked, and found her hunched over her desk, engrossed in her research. She looked up as I entered, her eyes reflecting a mix of curiosity and concern.
“James, what brings you here?” she asked.
Taking a deep breath, I began to explain the situation, recounting the events at the sawmill and the Patron’s suggestion that Brian might possess a magical artifact that influenced women’s minds. Helena listened intently, her keen intellect processing the information.
“Brian… influencing women’s minds with some magical artifact?” Helena mused, her brows furrowed. “That’s quite an unusual situation.”
“I know,” I replied, my frustration and worry evident in my voice. “I need to find out more about this potential artifact. We need to understand how it works and how to counter its effects. Before Brian gets too powerful.”
Helena nodded, her determination matching my own. “I’ll start digging into Brian’s background, any connections he might have, and any oddities that might point to this magical item. It won’t be easy, but we’ll get to the bottom of it.”
Her dedication and expertise reassured me. We had a task ahead of us, and it was essential to protect our clan and uncover the truth. I watched as Helena immersed herself in her work, confident that her research would lead us to the answers we sought.