Chapter 6
“Wait!” Jackson stammered, wondering how the hell he was going to work his way into Hayley’s good graces. This was definitely not the way he had planned to spend his day. After the tip about a potential job from Cam, he drove out to Henry’s cabin to see what kind of work it needed. He never once expected to find a sexier-than-hell Hayley. He most assuredly did not expect to find that Hayley was his mate.
Mind fucking blown.
The second her scent drifted into his nostrils and filtered into his brain, his world turned upside down. What had started as a typical shitty day turned into a dream come true. It didn’t matter how much attitude she gave him. She was his destiny.
“What?” She turned and asked with a hand on her hip.
“Tell me about the place. What kind of work needs to be done?” He spouted off the first words that had popped into his brain, wanting to keep her engaged.
“I really don’t know what all needs to be done, to be honest. It’s dated but in decent shape. I want to update a few things as quickly as possible.”
“So, you can get it on the market?”
“Exactly,” Hayley replied before opening the door and inviting him inside. “Have a look around. Everything seems solid, just horribly outdated. Calder mentioned something about the roof and the windows, along with the outlets,” she explained.
“Wow! I don’t know what I expected, but this wasn’t it. I’ve never been in here before. I wouldn’t have thought old Henry was such a tidy guy.” Jackson was impressed with the cleanliness of the place and with the fact that it was filled floor to rafter with old crap like some of the other places he’d seen around the territory. This cabin, if you wanted to call it that, was well-maintained and in great condition. Henry had clearly taken care of it and seen to many of its updates, including the large addition to the back of the house.
“I see Calder’s concern about the windows. They will definitely need to be replaced. I’ll have to get up on the roof to check it out,” Jackson said as he continued to look around the cabin. “Anything else you can tell me about this place?”
“Not really. I’ve never been in here before now. Or if I have, I certainly don’t remember it. I’ve been gone from the pack for a long time.”
“What made you leave? If you don’t mind me asking.
“Seriously? You have to remember what Griffin put this pack through. He killed my family. I barely escaped with my life. The only reason I’m even here right now is because a very good friend of mine promised the new Alpha was nothing like Griffin.” Anger and hurt dripped from Hayley’s voice.
“I remember. It wasn’t a good time for the pack.”
“Wasn’t a good time? You make it sound like we’re talking about rolling in the hay or going to dinner. He killed my family. Yeah, I’d say it wasn’t a good time.”
“Sorry, I didn’t mean it like that. Of course, I know Griffin was a piece of shit. He was to everyone—even those in his inner circle. I didn’t mean to sound like a jackass. I’m sorry if I came off that way. It’s just…the pack has really changed since Griffin was taken down. It’s nothing like it used to be. I wouldn’t still be here if it was. Whoever the friend is that told you Calder is nothing like Griffin is absolutely correct.” Jackson scrambled to explain his thoughts. Jesus Christ! What the hell was wrong with him? Being able to articulate his thoughts was a skill he normally excelled at. Clearly, in Hayley’s presence, it wasn’t the case. He mumbled like a fucking idiot instead.
Jackson stared at the floor, unable to look Hayley in the eye. He knew he had handled things poorly, and the last thing he wanted to do was make matters worse. Taking a deep breath, he finally met her gaze.
“I”m sorry for what I said. I didn”t mean to minimize what happened or your experience. I know how horrific it must have been witnessing Griffin”s brutality firsthand. All I can say is that Calder is not like him—not at all—and that”s why our pack has been able to heal and move on without fear of violence or retribution from our Alpha.” He spoke sincerely, hoping she”d believe him and trust his words.
The tension between them eased as Hayley softened slightly. She offered a slight nod before speaking again. ”Thanks for understanding,” she said quietly, her voice carrying a hint of gratitude. ”I know it must be strange—me coming back after all this time.”
Jackson shook his head adamantly. ”No, not at all,” he replied reassuringly. ”You are part of this pack, and you”re always welcome here, no matter how much time has passed.” His own words shocked him. He hadn”t expected them to come out so easily or sound so genuine.
Hayley smiled at him, and some of the ice between them melted further still. She seemed relieved by his answer and less guarded than before, although she still kept her distance physically—a sign that she wasn”t ready to let her guard down just yet, despite Jackson”s effort to reassure her.
He respected that. It would take time for trust between them to be fully restored if it ever could be after everything, they”d both been through hell during Griffin”s reign over the pack. However, one thing was certain: as long as Jackson was an active member of this pack, Hayley would never have to worry about being mistreated again due to her identity or past experiences with the former Alpha.
Hayley”s smile was gentle, but her eyes still held a glimmer of fear as if she were worried that the happiness she felt would be fleeting. He stared into her gaze, attempting to read into her expression—an unreadable mask concealing the emotions she kept hidden inside. It would take time for her to open up to him and even longer for her to feel safe in her environment.
Jackson knew that in order for Hayley to truly feel comfortable within the pack, she had to build relationships with the other members and become a part of the social circle. He thought that attending a barbeque at Daisy and Calder”s would be the perfect opportunity for her to start reconnecting with everyone.
He cleared his throat before speaking. ”Hey, why don”t we head over to Daisy and Calder”s? They”re having a barbeque, and everyone will be there,” he suggested, hoping Hayley would agree.
”Umm. Do you really think that”s a good idea? I won”t know anyone there, and I really don”t want to cause any problems within the pack,” she said, twisting one of her long curls around her finger.
”I promise you, there will be no problems. Besides, you should probably see how much the pack has changed under Calder before you put this place on the market.
Hayley looked unsure but ultimately didn”t object—a good sign that she was willing to give it a try.
”Fine,” she said with a sigh. Just let me grab my purse.”
* * *
At the barbeque, Jackson kept close by Hayley”s side, introducing her to different people in the pack as they went around the backyard. Calder and Daisy watched from a distance, wanting to allow Hayley to make up her mind about the pack. They didn’t want her to feel pressured to stay.
Everyone welcomed her warmly, offering kind words of encouragement and support—a stark contrast from when Griffin had been Alpha of Twisted Tail.
As Hayley chatted with various pack members, she seemed more at ease than before—and Jackson could see that she was slowly beginning to open up. Each smile seemed more sincere than the last.
He grinned with satisfaction. It felt good seeing her so at ease among their peers after feeling so insecure when they”d first arrived at the barbeque. He wanted her to know that not only was she safe within the ranks of Twisted Tail, but he also needed her to see how much the pack had changed over the years. Gone were the drug-fueled parties, and public slayings for the slightest of infractions. Calder had worked hard to revive the pack, bringing them back from the assured destruction Griffin had been hellbent on bringing about.
“Are you having a good time?” Jack asked.
“Surprisingly, I am. Thank you for bringing me. It’s so different than what I remember. Everyone here is so different.”
“Yeah, it is. I remember when Calder ran the pack. It was awful. Everyone lived in fear of what would happen next. Everyone kept their mouths shut and heads down, not wanting to catch Griffin’s attention for any reason.”
“I remember,” Hayley said, wiping a tear from her eyes. “Every day was a new form of torture. It was absolute Hell.”
“It was. For everyone. I wanted you to see that it’s not like that anymore. It hasn’t been. It took everyone a while to warm up to Calder, but as you can see, he’s earned the people’s trust. They love him and Daisy. He may not have been born at Twisted Tail, but he is Twisted Tail. He’s made this pack everything we always knew we could be. He’s fair and honest. I didn’t want you to take my word for it. I wanted you and your wolf to see it with your own eyes.”
Hayley took another look around at all the smiling, happy faces. People joked and laughed freely. Everyone was having a good time. But it was more than that. The pack looked happy and content. She could see the people felt secure.
“Does Calder have these barbeques frequently?” she asked.
“Every week.”
“Really?” She seemed shocked by his answer.
“Yep. Daisy insisted on the pack getting together every week. She’s been a blessing here. You know, she was once human?”
“Get out! That can’t be right!” Hayley gasped.
“Swear to Odin. She saved Calder’s life. He was attacked by some of Griffin’s leftover thugs who wanted to take the pack back. Out of nowhere, she shifted and saved the day. No one had ever seen anything like it. One minute, she was fully human. The next, she wolfed out. It was like she had been touched by Odin, himself. It scared the hell out of her. She had no idea how to shift back to her human form. It was something to see.”
“Wow! That’s some story. I’m not sure if I believe it or what to make of it.”
“I’m sure you’ll hear all about it if you decide to stay.”
“How did they meet?”
“Willow Sprout set them up,” Jackson explained.
“Huh.” A look of surprise flashed across her face. “I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. That’s what she does.”
“You know Willow?”
“I do. She’s my best friend. She’s the one who talked me into coming up here and claiming the cabin. She also thought it would be a good idea to see the pack now that Calder is Alpha. I think she’s hoping that I’d make peace with my past.”
“Willow is well known around here. We’ve actually had a rash of matings, thanks to her.”
“You don’t say,” Hayley huffed.
Jackson tried to figure out what it was that Hayley had just realized. Was it something he said, or something else altogether? He let it go, not wanting to push his luck.
The night flew by quickly. Soon enough, it was time to go home. It had been a successful outing—Hayley appeared more relaxed and content than ever before, no longer fearful or anxious about being around others in the pack.
She thanked Jackson for bringing her along and promised they”d do it again soon—further proof that she was finally beginning to open up to the idea that Twisted Tail wasn’t the same pack she had left all those years ago.