Chapter 14 – JAX
JAX
The first pale light of dawn creeps across the horizon, and I know it’s time. My wolf stretches, joints popping after hours of keeping watch. The scarf around my neck shifts with the movement, soft against my nose as I sniff it for the hundredth time.
We trot back through the quiet forest, my wolf unusually content. His smugness radiates through our shared consciousness, tail held high, striding confidently. Whatever happened last night, he’s pleased with himself.
Too pleased.
The packhouse comes into view, most windows still dark. Good. Less chance of running into anyone while I’m wearing her scarf like a badge of honour. My wolf preens at the thought, and I take control, pushing him back as we approach the basement entrance.
The shift comes easily, and my wolf relinquishes form without the usual fight. I stand naked in the pre-dawn chill, the scarf now loose around my human neck, and punch in the code for the basement door.
Inside, familiar concrete and almost darkness greet me. I should take off her scarf, fold it neatly and put it somewhere safe to return to Camille later. Instead, I find myself stroking the luxurious fabric, breathing in our combined scents, unable to take it off.
What did you do? I ask my wolf, but he remains silent, content to let me back into my human form, and to end the blackout, but that’s it. He’s not giving me anything, not when I still refuse to claim her as ours.
Memories filter through slowly, hazily, and I can’t be certain what’s real and what’s a dream. We’re so disconnected, my wolf and me. It’s more like two people living inside one head than being two parts of a whole as I’ve heard wolves describe it.
The only image he is willing to share is of her coming outside in that thin robe, skin still glowing and pink from her shower. She’d been crying, her eyes red-rimmed and puffy from tears.
Because of me. The thought makes my chest ache.
But then, despite her sadness, her annoyance at my behaviour... she’d called me closer. My wolf purrs at the memory, letting me see her tie the scarf around my neck, but that’s it. He won’t show me the rest, and I growl in frustration. Goddess only knows what he did next.
Checking the time and realising I might be able to get at least a couple of hours’ sleep, I reach for the chains out of habit. I wrap the cold metal around my wrists, securing myself to the wall with a hiss as the silver burns my skin.
Later, I’ll talk to Dean. There can be no more midnight visits. Someone needs to watch over her while she investigates, my wolf will accept nothing less, but it can’t be me. Not when I know exactly what my wolf wants, and he continues to hide what he’s doing from me.
It has to be someone capable of tackling me if I do something reckless. Callum maybe? If Kain weren’t still involved in the competition, he’d be the perfect candidate. Unless, of course, by revealing how little control I have, I hand him the proof he needs to condemn me to the council.
His offer of help is tempting. I’ve never considered it before, but now, with a mate? Maybe once the competition is over, if he thought I could be helped…
My wolf huffs at the thought, clearly unimpressed, adamant that we are fine, and worryingly confident that we are the only ones who can protect her. And that deep down, she doesn’t want us to be fixed, that she likes our wild side.
But thankfully for now, exhausted after a long night standing sentry, he’s content with his scarf, and he doesn’t fight the chains.
Tomorrow though? When the reinforcements that Dean has called in arrive? That could be a different story altogether.