26. Charlie

26

Charlie

Jackson looks so stoic looking up at the ceiling. I’ve never seen such a handsome man. I quietly enter the room and slip into his lap, “Alpha, do you want to talk about it?” His large hands wrap around my body protectively. He breathes me in. I’ll never get used to the softness he shows me in these quiet moments.

With a growl, he asks, “What do you know about the things going on between Emma and Hunter?”

I shake my head and pinch my lips. “Truthfully, I don’t know much, and I haven’t been in the bakery in so long I haven’t even had the gossip in a few days.”

Jackson’s laugh is quiet as he takes in my honesty. “The fact that you get your Pack news from the bakery is hilarious. Well, Charlie…” He runs his hand down my arm, “Where do I start? I’m worried there is something bigger going on. Call it my gut or intuition…maybe this baby has me worried or on edge.” He pauses and kisses my temple while his hand slides over my stomach. “I just need you to stay safe, and if one of my guys gives you or Holly an order, please do it and help where you can. I can’t do what I need to if I’m worried you’re not safe.”

“Okay. Do you want to tell me about it?” If I can do anything to ease some of this stress and some of his burden, I want to be that for him. He takes a deep breath, and I sit quietly, enjoying being wrapped up in his warm body. My fingers slowly trace the veins down his arms.

Finally, he sighs, “Emma has an ex who has been after her, and I think he may be willing to hurt my Pack…our Pack—to get to her, and I don’t want you in the crosshairs.”

“That’s why Emma and Hunter are staying here now?”

“Mmm,” he growls, “That and my gut. I don’t know, I don’t feel like this is over.”

“Alright, well, I trust you, I’m here for you…” I drag my hand up his jaw to his ear, looking into his eyes, “I love you, Jackson.”

He pulls me into his chest, and this moment feels right; I’ve finally found my place, my Pack, my person. ‘ Keep him’ is the gentle thought that ripples through me. I kiss his chest. “Should we go to the bonfire you put together, Alpha?”

“Little Mate, let’s talk about your wolf before we meet my friends again.”

As if she knows she’s the problem, she perks up and growls through our link.

‘Excuse me, Alpha,’ I roll my eyes at her sass.

Jackson’s wolf fills my head, ‘Yes, my team, my Pack, is your Pack. They respect you and want to protect you. Trust them. No one is ever going to hurt you, little wolf. ’

The growl in his voice has my wolf submitting.

I glance at Jackson’s eyes as his hand slides along my face. “No one in our Pack is going to hurt you ever. Trust me. If they do anything, they have to go through me…” He pauses, and a smile pulls at his lips, “Or Holly, and she’s fucking vicious.” The comment makes me giggle.

‘Little Wolf, we are always going to protect you. Trust us.’ Jackson leans his head to mine, and for the first time, my wolf meets him there.

‘I trust you.’

‘Good, let’s go meet my team,’ he says.

He stands effortlessly, holding me in his arms, and walks towards the door. “Hey, big guy, I can walk.” I protest weakly against his hold.

“I know, but just let me hold you. I need this. I need you to be close.” His soft tone makes me give up on my fight as he carries me through the house to the bonfire.

Holly yells a big hello as Jackson pushes into the small valley on the other side of the parking lot in the back. This side of the Lodge is usually for Pack functions. There’s a small crowd with just Jackson’s team, Holly and Will. All relaxed in wooden Adirondack chairs.

My cheeks flush as we sit, and I’m not even given my own chair. Jackson keeps me on his lap like I was in the office.

“Alpha,” everyone says as we settle in, Jackson nods slightly.

Our chair is next to Holly’s, Will is on her other side, and Wyatt, Reacher, and Killian are around the fire. The group is small, and my wolf has yet to act the way she did earlier in such close proximity to so many alphas.

Holly starts, “So Jax, do you have something to tell the class since you carried Charlie down here like she’s precious cargo?”

“Holly, oh my god,” I cringe as a flush floods my cheeks.

Jackson smiles and says through our link, ‘Well, do you want to tell her or me? ’

‘Oh. OH! I want to tell her,’ I respond.

“Holly!” I practically squeal as I pull out of Jackson’s arms, “You’re my best friend,” I take her hands in mine, and she gives me her biggest smile and stands up.

“You’re going to be an even better Aunt!”

Holly’s eyes widen as she jumps up and down, “Shut up!”She chants.

I hear the rest of the guys raise a beer to Jackson and congratulate him, but my main focus is still on Holly. I nod. A big smile filled my face. “Yeah, we found out a few days ago!”

“Oh. My. God. We need a nursery, a crib, and a baby shower. Does Mom know yet?” She turns to Jackson, and he shakes his head. A smile I don’t recognize fills his face. Pride fills the bond as he takes in his sister’s reaction, and I melt for him a little more. I climb back in his lap and let him wrap around me again.

He says, “We need to announce our mating and have a ceremony first, so this stays between us, but sister, I’m glad you approve.”

“Damn right, I approve. She was my Pack first, asshole.”

At her comment, Will chokes on his beer around a laugh, and I can’t help but smile at Holly’s no-nonsense attitude.

Reacher breaks the joy, and I’m mad we can’t bask for a little longer. “So, Jax, what do you know about the situation?”

Jackson’s body stiffens around me. His head shakes from side to side, “I don’t know. It’s been quiet after so much. I want to say it’s over, but I think we are just in the eye of the storm, boys.”

They each nod, “So what’re we going to do? I hate this passive shit,” Wyatt mumbles.

“I hear you, but we really don’t have any leads. There’s no DNA, scent, or anything. All we have now is the cams we’ve set up in the dump sites, and hopefully, we will catch something.”

“Do you think this relates to the case we worked on a year ago?” Killian asks.

Jackson falls silent momentarily, and I wonder what they’re discussing now. “You know it would make sense that we didn’t find anything and didn’t get any good leads. Let’s stay alert. Oh, and Kill, you’re with Charlie and Holls if I’m not. ”

Holly’s voice is high as she says, “Hey, whoa, alpha-male much, I don’t need a babysitter.”

Will’s voice is a quiet growl, “Hellsbells, you stay with Killian.” The voice he uses with her is one I’ve never heard before, and it reminds me of the way Jackson’s possessive wolf talks to me.

For some reason, Holly mumbles an okay to Will’s remark, and I realize I need to ask her what is happening there. She’s never been one to give in. I do know Will was the one who took her into the clinic and stayed with her while she was sick, but something else seems to be happening.

I widen my eyes at my best friend, and she mouths, “Tell you later.”

It doesn’t take long for the guys to fall into a conversation, and I nod toward Holly to take a walk with me. However, when I go to slip from Jackson’s hold, he tightens his grip and growls, “Where’re you going, little mate?”

“To talk to my best friend. Apparently, I have a baby shower to plan with a mating ceremony,” his eyes soften slightly, and he lets me go.

Holly and I head away from the fire and feel all five men watching us. I call back, “We’re just going to sit in the garden. We’re fine.”

Holly grabs my hand as we head away from the fire pit and back to the large garden below the veranda. The bubbling fountain in the middle is the perfect spot to talk without every male hearing us.

The small splashes of water cool my warm skin. Even though it’s evening, the nights haven’t felt cooler like they used to.

“So tell me about your pregnancy!? How did you find out? How did you make up with Jackson!? I feel like I have missed so much.”

I cut her off, “Thank you,” I pull her body into mine as I squeeze her.

Her hands come up to my shoulders to hold me at arm’s length, “Thank you? Have you seen my brother? That burly asshole is a new man because of you.”

Mmmm, my wolf purrs, and we both giggle.

“So Holly, what’s with Will?” I don’t want to get into Jackson and me; truthfully, I miss my best friend. Since she’s been sick, she hasn’t been the same, and I’ve felt like I was bugging her. Now, though, there is a lot I need to bring Holly up to speed on regarding my past, but it doesn’t feel like the right time.

She sighs, picking at the end of her white blonde hair. I’ve always been jealous of Holly’s beautiful hair. It’s thick and gorgeous, and she looks like a queen every day. However, I feel like I have dark, dull black hair.

“Well, it started the day after you left; he found me in my room. I was not in a good place, Charlie. I had spiked a fever. I hadn’t eaten in days. Hunter and Jackson have been so busy…” She pauses and looks up at me, and I know she wants to add me to that list. A wave of guilt overwhelms me that I wasn’t there for her. I slide my hands in hers and nod to continue.

“Will came to my room, after he heard my wolf whimpering. I had shifted on my own, and I was stuck. I was so weak and malnourished, everything hurt.” She shakes her head, and some blonde hair comes loose from the braid, “Will came in. I don’t remember everything he said; it feels like a dream now, but his tone was worried and scared. He somehow…” She looks up at me and pinches her eyes, “He somehow used an Alpha bark on me to get me to shift back,” shaking her head. “I don’t know, I was so out of it. Maybe I dreamt that part up.”

I nod. The Alpha bark is significant; it’s a power only given to dominant men so they can help their Pack by overriding a wolf’s instinct. For her to say Will has one is something we’ll need to come back to.

Holly continues, “Once I was human, he scooped me up and took me to the clinic. I was in and out of consciousness for the next bit, but every time I woke up, he was still there. He never left my side.”

“Okay, but he’s your brother; that’s what siblings do, Holly.” The urge to tell her about my brother nags at my mind, but I don’t want to take away from her story.

Holly stands and starts to pace along the small gravel path, her hands fiddling with her loose braid. “This was different. He’s been different. He always shows up when I’m distressed or upset. I don’t know,”her eyes pinch like she’s about to tell me more.

“Do you like your brother as more than a brother?”I whisper.

Her eyes widen, “Charlie, oh my god… he’s adopted.” She paces a few more steps, “Maybe?” she finally says.

“Well.”

“Oh god. What’s wrong with me?” She turns and paces back. Her beautiful braid is now loose over her shoulder as she unwraps it with her fingers.

“I had a…” My words are cut off as Jackson walks into the gardens.

“Little mate?” he says.

Holly melts at her brother’s nickname for me. My cheeks flood with embarrassment.

“Little Mate? Goodness, that is so cute. Jackson, you big ‘ol softy,” she punches him gently on the shoulder, “I guess we need to come back to the fire?”

He growls a yes, and Holly laughs again as Jackson scoops me in his arms.

‘You know, carrying me around is not how this is going to work.’

‘Just give me tonight,’ he says as we settle back into our seats at the fire.

I look at Will and see that he’s watching Holly as she says something snarky to Killian across the weak flames.

Killian ignores her and raises his beer, “To Jackson, Alpha, and Charlie, the future Luna of Solaris. May your life together be full of adventure, laughter, and peace.”

As we all raise our drinks, I sip my water. At that moment, Jackson’s voice resonates in my mind, ‘You see how much you were meant to be mine; everyone here is here for both of us, our Pack Charlie, you and your wolf.’ His words are sealed with a kiss on my temple, reinforcing our unity and belonging.