33. Jax

33

Jax

So Dean Hewitt wanted to be Anna's savior. Wanted to save her.

From me.

Fuck that.

Knowing damn well the offer that Dean had just made to Anna, I waited for the asshole to have the guts to say it again to my face. He had paled several shades, but he stood and nodded his head. "You have to know that I don't mean any disrespect," he said evenly. "My father was concerned that your pack would never accept her. On some level, you must feel that too. If she can't stay here, she should have some place to go. I can protect her."

"Your father has been dead for months. What took you so damn long to get here?" I demanded as I walked up behind Anna and put a hand on her shoulder. She didn't jump, and for that, I was grateful. My wolf, furious that someone else was thinking of taking her away from me, was lashing out. My power reached to every wolf within the vicinity, but she wasn't shying away.

Progress.

"I only just learned about it right before I left for here," Dean admitted. "I'd been gone longer than usual."

"And if she needs help, will it take you months to come to her? I just want her to know all the details."

"No, sir. I'll check in more often." Finally meeting my eyes, Dean frowned. "You want what's best for her, don't you?"

Dean had changed since I'd released him from my pack. Then, he'd been low in the pack, hurt that he hadn't lived up to his father's expectation, and angry.

The wolf before me wasn't angry. He'd found his power and grown a little harder in the world. The man before me was more like his father than he probably wanted to admit.

"You were told not to approach her. I could revoke your access to my land for this," I reminded him softly.

"You could. I do apologize. It was a risk, but I saw a female entering the bar and recognized her. I didn't know that Anna would have a bodyguard. I was worried."

"A female?"

"Kenzi," Finn said quietly. "She came to drop off an application."

Kenzi? Waiting tables? That was laughable. "I would not leave my mate without protection. Anna, a word? Finn, don't let him leave."

Even with her back turned to me, I knew Anna was rolling her eyes, but she rose and followed me into the restaurant. "You claimed me, so you're not going to go all crazy on me just because I was talking to him, are you? I'm not alone, and I'm not even inside."

No. She'd done exactly what she needed to do to make sure I didn't lose it. I was not proud that she even had to consider that.

"Do you feel safe and comfortable around him?"

Her face registered surprise at my question. "He's not threatening me or propositioning me. If you're asking if I'm ready to pack my bags and leave with him, the answer is no."

"But if he wants to approach you again and speak with you? Do you want me to allow that?"

"Allow?" She repeated and sighed. "Normally, I'd tell you that you shouldn't let anyone onto your lands who you think might hurt me, but then again, everyone here wants to hurt me.

Look, he's fine. I like talking to someone about Parker. I miss him, and he doesn't blame me for Parker's death, like you do."

"I told you that Parker's death is on me."

"For making him take care of me. Sure. That really shifts the blame." Tears filled her eyes, but she wiped them away before they could fall. My heart broke for her, but now was not the time to comfort her. "I like talking to him."

"Fine." I walked out of the restaurant and back to the patio. Dean and Finn were facing each other but not talking. Finn was doing nothing to hide the strength of his wolf, but if Dean was intimidated, he wasn't showing it.

"What's the verdict?" Dean said with a small smile. "I promise, I'm not here to cause trouble."

"You are welcome to continue to stay through our original agreement, but if you disobey another direct order from me, you will be immediately escorted out of my territory."

"And Anna?"

"She will be busy the next few days with the alpha meeting, but you may speak to her with Finn's permission when she has a chance," I said curtly. It shouldn't have irked me that he wanted to spend time with Anna. It was only natural considering how close she and his father were. Plus, I wanted the whole pack to be friendly with her.

But it did bother me, and not in the same way that her friendship with Finn bothered me. I didn't know Finn all that well, but I did know Dean. At least, I knew Dean before he left, and there was no reason to distrust him.

The mating bond was a real bitch. At least it was when the mate didn't feel the same way.

"Thank you," Dean said softly. "You're about to whisk her away, aren't you?"

"I am." There was a reason that I'd come to the restaurant to retrieve Anna, but I didn't need to tell Dean that.

He nodded his head in respect and left. Finn glanced at me with a frown. "Anything I should be worried about?"

"You're relieved of duty for now. Anna will be with me for the rest of the day. You should either go home and stay there or head to the guard station. No roaming today."

"Any particular reason why?"

"I need to confirm something, and then I'll give you a call."

He had a puzzled look on his face, but he didn't ask any more questions. I could tell that it was against his nature. He'd spent most of his life as a rogue, but he'd accepted me as his alpha, and his pack bond comforted him.

Opening the door to the restaurant, I cocked my head. "We're going home. What do you need to do to close up the office?"

"Home? I still have so much work to get done before tomorrow. Is this about Dean?"

There it was. The questioning that I would have expected from Finn but instead got from my mate. Because even though she'd sworn fealty, she didn't feel her pack bond. I could order her back from the ledge with all the power in me as her alpha, and she'd still jump just because she didn't want to obey.

No pack bond. No mate bond. She was never going to be mine.

"No," I said crossly. "This isn't about Dean. An alpha has arrived early."