20. Jackson

20

Jackson

My wolf is on edge, watching our mate as she plays with the two pups. At five years old, shifter children can have their first shift. These times can be scary for parents, so we encourage them to move into the Lodge. Clover is nearing six, and she is very capable at shifting. But little Kyler is our newest, and he struggles to go between forms. The bond created when you shift is initially weak but grows as the children age.

My frustration at Charlie moving out of the Lodge has caused a massive shift between me and my wolf as I’m pulled to be here and the need to be near her.The target on our Pack has only grown over the last few days.

I melt as her soft giggle floats on the breeze from down the hill. When Killian knocked on my door earlier and told me she was here, I had to see her. The day she moved out, she did so without telling anyone, and Holly, hell-bent on making trouble, helped her sneak her stuff from my room.

It’s probably better I didn’t find Charlie in our room because I would’ve locked the door and kept her there until she let me talk to her. I realize trapping a scared wolf would’ve won me no brownie points. Having her out of reach is messing with my head and my wolf.

The wolf hasn’t spoken to me since the night we held our first fight club. He helped me defend against Killian but has stayed silent since.

“Hey, boss,” Reacher’s hand lands on my shoulder as he stands beside me. “This is her, huh?” His tone is soft, and I give him a slight nod. “She’s beautiful,” he adds, “How did you fuck this up again?”

My laugh is humorless. “I’m a fucking idiot.” My broken ribs are a reminder of that. I’ve held a fight club every night in the basement to work out my anger. Will shows up when he hasn’t been with Holly. Reach and Wyatt rolled into town two nights ago and have kicked my ass a few times now, but I hold my own against the two bear shifters.

“What do you need from us, boss?” Reach asks as we watch Charlie shift into her beautiful black wolf. The two little pups follow her lead and chase each other through the lawn. My wolf presses at me.

‘Let’s shift. We should be down there with her.’

‘We can’t. She’ll leave, and those little pups are the first things to bring her joy in days.’

I only know that because I force Killian to give me every torrid detail about her day. Then Wyatt goes and stays outside while she sleeps. I couldn’t leave her unprotected, and I’m lucky to have friends willing to watch her for me.

My wolf settles, but I can’t help but wonder what she hasn’t told me. I’ve repeatedly replayed that conversation with my Dad, and I must be missing something for her to think she isn’t my pack.

“I need to find out why my mate hurts so much. I need to protect my Pack. I’m pulled in several ways and don’t know what to do.” My eyes are pleading as I turn to my friend and confidant. Reacher has always been the man I turn to when I need advice. He’s not much older than us, but he’s lived a tough life, and that kind of hardship shapes a man differently.

Reacher stands just a touch taller than me, his jet-black hair is styled slightly, and his soft eyes feel like they are reaching into my soul as he puts his hand on my shoulder. “I’ll secure the Lodge and help Killian make a schedule for protection for those who need it.”

That’s an entirely different weight. Emma cured the poison, but she and Hunter are now living in the Lodge, and it’s been several days without concern. I know the danger is hiding in the shadows. I nod and try to hide my smile as Charlie’s small wolf lets the two pups overtake her.

“She’s good with them. Her wolf, you said, was aggressive, but she seems fine.”

“She’s only aggressive towards men.”

“Well, there’s a big clue to her hurt. Or, I mean, who hurt her? What hurt her?”He shakes his head, fumbling with his words.

Pulling my gaze from her, I turn, “What’d you say?”

He shakes his head, “Someone hurt your girl. It was a man. Maybe learning about that can help you help her.”

Her small wolf lets off a little yelp as Kyler’s puppy teeth are around her throat. “That small puppy is very dominant,” Reacher says. “Do you want me to head down there?”

I give a huff as I push my wolf back down. My instincts are fraying, not only being this far away from her but also hearing her hurt. I clench my hands over the railing. My claws digging into the soft cement. Charlie slowly and gently dislodges the little guy and lays her paws on him to stop his advances. Her tiny white paw is the cutest thing, the only white part of her wolf. She bares her teeth at the little puppy as Clover’s tiny red wolf tackles Kyler from the other side.

The two pups continue to wrestle. Charlie’s head slowly turns to me, and I hear the whimper as clearly as her giggles.

“You need to fix this, man; that mate bond will continue to hurt both of you until you fix this.”

I rub gently to my chest— Don’t I know it?

“Right,” I turn to my friend. You take care of security here, and I’m going to do some digging on my girl. Sound good? If you need help, talk to Hunt or Will. Killian is around, too.”

With renewed determination, I head into the Lodge to learn more about why Charlie came here and about her past.

It took digging, but I found a letter buried in my Dad’s cabinet. The letter, the one my father received, asking for sanctuary. The handwriting is messy, and it’s signed by Ryan. My wolf growls at the idea that there was another man.

The letter reads:

Alpha,

My sister is set to be sold to Ax as his newest bride. The future for her is bleak. He has a history of murdering his wives. I can’t let that happen to her. She is all I have in the world, and I’m risking my life sending this letter against my pack.

Please let me know if you will offer us sanctuary so I can save her from this future.

Sincerely, Ryan Griffith.

‘ She has a brother.’

I should've remembered her brother. She’s only mentioned him once. The letter makes it sound like he was coming with her, so where is he? The question nags at me. Is he the reason for her hurt? It would make sense.

“Dad?” I hear him in the kitchen as I shout down the hall for a word.

“Yes, Alpha.” Since my brother’s mate has helped immensely, my Dad has fought me less. He’s probably hoping I’ve forgotten his sins in the mess that has been the last week.

“Tell me about The Auction .” I shake the letter in the air—frustrated that I have little insight into Charlie’s life before Solaris.

My dad's jaw clenches. “Son, you don’t…” He looks to the window, and I follow his gaze. Charlie is outside playing with the pups again. She’s come to the Lodge daily over the last week, and I love that she’s stayed close. However, I fear it’s because the mate bond has made life miserable for us to be apart.

“Tell me,” I growl.

“The Auction is an event that takes place yearly in Umbra. You can list any woman up for sale. But it's known for the Virginal Auction, where the twenty-one-year-old virgins are sold to the highest bidder. Ax is involved in many things, but their Pack is the worst. He is willing to sell anything: their children, their women. He deals with every dark side of our world.”

“What do you mean about the women?”

My Dad’s hand runs over his face. “Jackson, I’m sorry about how you learned about your heritage.”

I snarl, “It’s not the time; now tell me what they do to their females.”

“At twenty-one, Charlie was sold to him in the Virginal Auction. Her brother helped her escape the Pack house. I don’t know where he is. She showed up in an unplated black SUV at one in the morning, completely distraught. She never spoke about what happened. I have no idea if she was hurt or where her brother is. We tried to help her, but…”

“You don’t have to finish.” I have many more questions to ask him, but I want to get my girl back right now. The mate bond has been like an open wound the last few days.

The last question I ask as I walk out of my office is, “Why did you choose to work with Ax?” My voice is hushed, aware that Hunter is here, and I’m desperate to keep the truth from slipping out.

“Your mother, she couldn’t bear a child—we tried—for years. I feared losing my position as Alpha if we didn’t appear healthy and fertile. So I made a deal with the devil; I’ll never regret it. But I felt like I had no choice. I wouldn’t change the children I have. But I’m sorry that we weren’t honest from the beginning.”

I shake my head. I have no words. My growl is uncontrolled as I finally push out of the office.