Chapter 37
Jackson
I try to keep control of my wolf, but it’s getting increasingly harder.
Kayla backs into me a little more; I wonder if she’s even aware she’s doing it.
She’s been doing it since the blonde and her mate started talking to her.
I know it’s because she feels insecure right now in a big way.
Having her vulnerable and feeling insecure is nearly my undoing.
I want nothing more than to get her out of here, upstairs to our room, where I can take care of her.
I get another wave of pain through the bond, and I grit my teeth.
I’ve already decided I'm going to hate this week each month, but I vow to do everything in my power to make it easier for her. A growl rumbles through my chest, but I manage to keep it contained. Or at least, I think I do. But the blond shifter’s head jerks up, and he pins me with a dark look.
I don’t miss how he moves closer to his mate.
It used to bother me when shifters did that; now I’m just used to it.
“Don’t do that,” Kayla snaps, and the sound of it jerks my attention to her. I'm instantly on edge, trying to figure out who made her upset. “Don’t look at him like he’s dangerous.”
“He is dangerous,” Liam says in return. I growl in response because he’s correcting my mate.
“If I understand things correctly, you all are as well,” my mate says, not backing down. “Jackson is a good man, and he doesn’t deserve for you all to treat him like he’s second-class or like he’s a monster.”
Hearing my mate defend me does something to me.
My blood heats, and I resist the urge to pick her up, throw her over my shoulder, and get her out of here.
I find her hand instead. “Let’s get upstairs to check on Noah.
” My voice is gruff, and I do nothing to hide that fact. I really want to get her out of here.
“How about you ladies walk Kayla inside?” Liam asks. My gaze moves to him, assessing him. I know exactly what’s going on right now. They’re trying to get the females inside and my mate away from me. My wolf rises to the surface, but I keep him contained...for now.
Raechel laughs, drawing our attention. “We get when we’re not wanted. Come on, Mama, let’s go.” She links her arms with the blonde, who pauses and looks at Kayla.
“You coming?”
Kayla looks up at me, and I don’t miss the question in her eyes. Go ahead, Baby. I’ll figure out what they want and be up soon.
Are you sure? Her gentle voice in my head is a jolt to my system, nearly as much as it was the first time I heard it.
I know right now I’ll never tire of hearing her voice in my head.
I take in the tension in her gaze and know I’m doing the right thing, getting her out of here.
She’s uncomfortable, and I don’t want that for her.
I’m sure.
She surprises me by wrapping an arm around my waist and giving me a quick hug.
I recover quick enough that I don’t let her get away with a quick hug.
I wrap my arms around her and pull her close.
The feel of her soft body in my arms calms my wolf just enough to be able to face what’s coming next.
I kiss her temple and then release her. “I’ll be up soon. ” My voice is deeper now.
She looks up at me, and I hate the uncertainty in her gaze.
But I have to deal with whatever has this pack on edge before I can go upstairs with her.
She gives me one last long look and then starts towards the entrance.
Raechel and the blonde fall into step alongside her.
Emma and Sage do as well, and I watch her until she’s out of sight.
Only then do I turn my full attention to the men standing before me.
I've rarely come up against another wolf as dominant as me or one that’s an actual threat to me.
But I have no doubt that several of these pack members are just that.
And together? I wouldn’t stand a chance on my own.
Still, I let my wolf come close to the surface.
I’ve never lost a battle yet, and I don’t intend to now.
Suddenly, a scent hits me. I don’t turn my head, but I know Lucien is somewhere nearby.
His scent grows stronger, and then I see him out of the corner of my eye.
He walks towards us with the confidence of a rogue wolf that no one can control, which is exactly what he is.
Soon, he’s standing at my side. “Your mate is beautiful,” he says in a low voice, even though the other shifters can easily hear him.
My growl rumbles through my chest, and I remind myself I probably shouldn’t kill him. Understanding finally dawns. “Are you what has them all riled up?”
“You failed to tell us there were more rogue wolves with you.” The alpha’s voice is sharp, much sharper than when his mate is around.
I keep my voice even. “This is Lucien; he’s with me.”
Another scent hits me, just as Ransom steps outside. He eyes the Northwoods Pack and strides towards Lucien and me before standing next to me, shoulder to shoulder. Noah? I ask through our pack bond.
Kayla took him to her room.
And you thought leaving them alone, unprotected was a good idea? I am aware of how harsh my voice sounds, even through our pack link.
It was better than staying, and you get killed by these guys. Then your mate would die; figured you didn’t want that.
A harsh growl reverberates through me. Are you trying to get me to kill somebody?
No, but if the need arises...I’m your backup.
“Jackson!”
I turn at the sound of the familiar voice as yet another scent hits me.
I take in the sixteen-year-old jogging towards me.
He’s grown a lot in the last several months; he’s finally starting to grow into his gangly body.
He’ll be a strong wolf one day. Not an alpha, but he’ll make a great pack member.
But seeing him here now doesn’t compute.
“What are you doing here, Jesse?” I ask when he gets close.
I know the second he scents the Northwoods guys.
His nostrils flare, and his eyes change.
“Jesse,” I say, blocking his view of the men behind me. “Focus on me.” His eyes flick to mine.
“What’s their deal?” he asks, his voice lowering. “I can smell their animosity towards you.”
His words don’t surprise me; he’s pretty intuitive for a teen boy. A lot of that is because of what he’s been through. I repeat my question from earlier. “What are you doing here?”
He meets my gaze head-on, not cowering before me. “We heard your mate had been taken, and we came to help.”
“You shouldn’t have come here.” My tone is harsher than I intend for it to be.
He shrugs. “We’re pack. You need us, and we came.”
I swallow hard. “We’re not pack,” I remind him.
He stares me down. “We are.”
It’s an argument we’ve had multiple times but not one I want to have with the Northwoods Pack at our back. “Who’s all here?” I ask in a growl.
“Everyone.”
I lift my head and take in the men and boys headed my way.
Their scents hit me one by one. Ezra, Hudson, Julian, Elias, Bryson, and more.
Twenty-one of them in total. I meet Martin’s eyes; I know he’s the one that led the charge in coming here.
“Hey, Jackson,” Elias says, and I put out my hand and shake his before pulling him into a hug.
At fourteen, the kid’s the youngest in our group.
I’m not old enough to be his dad, but it feels that way.
They gather around me, and I can’t help but feel my wolf settle some at the presence of this group.
Still not ready to call them pack?
I ignore Ransom’s annoying voice in my head and seek out Martin.
I put out my hand, and he puts his hand in mine.
I pull him close, grateful that he chose to take a shower some time in the last few days.
You never knew with him. Most of the time, he was more wolf than human.
At almost fifty, he was the oldest in our group; but he wasn’t the leader.
He was more a dad figure than anything to these younger ones.
I sigh. “Why are you here?” I ask quietly.
“You needed us.” He says simply, and something tightens in my gut.
I push my pride aside. Whether or not I think he made the right decision, the fact is he came and brought the rest of the group with him. “Thank you.”
He nods and tightens his grip on my hand. “Your mate?”
“She’s inside; safe,” I tell him.
“Good. Did you find them?”
I know he’s speaking about the vampires. “Not yet.”
He nods. “We’ll help.” He looks towards the men from the Northwoods Pack who have formed a nice little line, standing shoulder to shoulder.
I know I’ve put off the inevitable for long enough.
I’m met with more than one set of eyes filled with the presence of their wolves and know I need to tread very carefully here.
I know they’re just protecting themselves and their mates against what they perceive is a threat; I am also keenly aware that a few of those females are pregnant, carrying the unborn children of these shifters.
That makes them incredibly dangerous to anyone but especially to rogue wolves.
I step forward, and the alpha’s gaze snaps to mine.
I see his wolf clearly look out at me through his eyes, and I don’t take another step.
“We are not a threat to you.” I keep my voice as calm as I am able, which isn’t all that calm.
I am also aware that my mate is upstairs right now, vulnerable, and in pain.
I can still feel waves of pain coming off her.
It’s making both me and my wolf on edge.
I need to deal with this so I can get upstairs to take care of her.
My wolf gives his agreement, but he doesn’t back down in aggression.
He knows the threat standing between us and our mate as well as I do.
I decide to just rip the band aid off. “We’re all rogue wolves.
None of these wolves are under my control.
” Multiple growls sound around us, some from them and some from my group.
Are you trying to make them come after us?
Ransom asks, but I ignore him. I know he’s positioned himself right behind my left shoulder, and Lucien has taken my right shoulder.
I can feel the animosity coming off of Lucien, which isn’t helping our case.
Ransom, at least, is a little more in control.
I take a breath and force out the next words.
“Most of them were in the facility that I was in. We got free, but what they did stripped any of them that were in packs of their pack status. A few of us are rogue wolves by choice, but a lot of these guys are not. Some of them are still in their teens. Nobody should be taken from their pack but especially kids and teens; they should be protected at all costs.” The men from the Northwoods Pack look less than pleased at my words, but they’re silent...
for now. “We got free from that facility and for better or worse formed our own pack of sorts,” I put a hand up.
“Without an alpha claiming them and dominating them. They’re all in this pack by choice.
No, we can’t communicate mentally; and no, there is no chain of command.
But we work.” I meet each of their eyes.
“We’re pack in all the ways that count.” I let my wolf come to the surface now.
“And if you threaten any one of them, I will destroy you.” My words are nearly a growl.
“You won’t even see me coming.” There’s a darkness to my words that I don’t bother to mask. I let them feel the threat of my words.
“The same goes for him,” Jessie says from a few feet away. I turn to him, giving him a stern gaze. He ignores it. “Jackson’s our leader. If you mess with him, you mess with all of us.” There’s a chorus of growls and yeses backing him up.
Garrett gives me a contemplative look. “You sure you’re not a pack?”