20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

J ackson looked up at the broken security camera perched high over his wall and the footprints leading from the wall and back over.

Whoever it was hadn't gone far. His defences were better than a wall and flimsy camera, and the suicidal wolf must have realised that and turned back. But the fact that he had even dared to try had Cain ready to rampage. Again.

Rogues always tried to breach their boundaries, but Cain, as territorial as he was, always got excited because it meant he could go hunting. But now he was in a rage, just because his mate was within these walls and his over-protectiveness had gone into overdrive.

And because he had refused to leave his mark on her.

Pulling himself away from Layla before he'd bitten her had nearly killed him. He'd lost his head when he'd fucked her. He'd gone all-in, and she had taken all of it without inhibitions. Human or not, she had handled Cain better than anyone he had ever been with.

And she'd loved it.

She'd loved every second of it.

He'd been thinking of when he would get to do it again, even as he had found his release inside her. But that moment when Cain had taken over and almost bit her had reminded him of his dire situation. No attachments. No marking.

And now, he'd probably only sleep with her when necessary. He couldn't return to her bed until she was ripe for his seed.

"We tracked him to the river and then lost his trail," Dylan said. "I don't know if he had anything to do with the scouts attacked this morning; he might have followed them back."

If Cain had been there, he wouldn't have gotten away. Dylan didn't say it out loud, but he could hear the accusation in his tone.

"I've told you that you need to fix these situations without me, Dylan. What would happen if I wasn't here?" he said as he turned away from the fence. "Everyone will look to you to keep them safe."

"His trail vanished when he got out of the river. I couldn't catch his scent. I've got warriors going up and down the bank on the other side to try and pick it up again, but Jax... You know no one can track as well as you do."

They would have to know how to protect the pack without him by the end of the year, especially since they would then have his heir to care for. Dylan had to do better; there was no choice. That was why he'd already started delegating more tasks to him so he would be prepared.

"Make sure you find the trail, Dylan. Then find the bastard who dared to enter my domain and deal with him."

He whipped his t-shirt off and shucked his sweats.

"Are you going hunting?" Dylan asked.

"No. Just for a run. It's a beautiful day."

"Come on, Jax. You've been like this for months. I get it. I need to take my responsibilities more seriously. I need to act like your Beta and not your friend. But I need your help with this one," Dylan said as he followed him. "I'm trying to reschedule that meeting at the hotel, but for all I know, any of those fuckers were behind this morning's attack. I don't want them here if that's the case. Help me get to the bottom of this."

"I'm trying to make a baby. The stress is no good for me," he said, throwing Dylan a grin before he started off into the forest.

He didn't make the mistake of shifting yet because he knew where Cain would go. Back to his mate to finish the job.

‘She's our fate,' Cain howled.

He ignored the wolf and kept running. He didn't stop until he was deep in the forest, and when he was sure there was no one within earshot, he swore loudly and punched the tree trunk in front of him. One punch didn't do it, and neither did the second. He punched repeatedly, ignoring the pain and his blood on the wood before he realised it was pointless. Cain's rage was gone, but he was still a mess.

He couldn't work this one out.

Fate had decided to fuck with him one last time before he met his end, and there was nothing he could do about it.

But he had to look on the bright side. He would leave his legacy, his child, who would make better choices than he had. And Diedre would be there to make sure the child didn't repeat the mistakes of his forefathers. They wouldn't kill indiscriminately and get cursed with the darkest of magic. His blood would make them stronger than anyone, and their upbringing would ensure they used that strength for good.

There would be no mentally unstable parents leading their child down the wrong path.

He dropped himself onto a moss-covered rock and lay on his back. He'd gone so deep into the forest that he could hardly see the sky through the tree canopy, but it was so hot that a storm was on the horizon. He'd have to make sure Dylan knew he had to take extra precautions in case the next breach happened during all that commotion.

He sat up and looked down at his knuckles. He'd probably broken something when he punched the tree, but he had healed, and the blood had already dried.

"I can't keep arguing about this with you, Cain," he said out loud with a sigh. "I know she's ours. I know that in another life, she would have been good for us, despite her being human. But do you understand why you can't mark her?"

Cain remained silent, as he always did when he brought their past up.

He shook his head and stood up, ready to shift and return to the packhouse. Cain needed the run as much as he did.

"I want this baby. I don't want our legacy to be the things you did when we were younger. We are the last of our kind, but our pack deserves better than us. Don't fuck it up for everyone."

He was met with silence again.

He shook his head and turned to head back to the house when he felt something. Pain? Fear? He felt it through the bond as if Layla's voice was screaming her emotions at him. Cain forced his way out before he could tell him to and raced through the trees. His huge paws snapped twigs and small branches, and the ground shook. The rage returned in full force.

Someone had hurt Layla.

Cain didn't stop to shift once they reached the edge of the forest; he ran out and straight through the training ground. Some wolves jumped out of the way, while some unlucky ones got knocked over. He didn't stop until he reached the back door.

Once he shifted, he used his nose to guide him. He could smell blood. Not Layla's, though. Layla's scent was all over the lobby as if she had defied his order and come downstairs. But he no longer sensed her fear. He no longer felt any pain.

"Hey. What happened?"

He followed the sound of Dylan's voice and saw him coming down the stairs.

"Was there another breach?" his Beta asked.

And as he came to stand in front of him, he caught a hint of Layla's scent on him. He turned fully to his Beta and cocked his head.

"Where's Layla?" he growled.

Dylan's eyes widened, and he looked down.

"In her room."

"Was she down here?"

He sensed Dylan's hesitation and growled.

"She was. When Cassie took some food to her, she attacked her with a knife and then ran down here. I had just come in when I saw her. I just took her back to her room, I swear," Dylan said quickly. "I know you said I shouldn't touch her, but I was just trying to make sure she didn't run out and see the warriors training. I'm sorry, Alpha."

He said nothing as he took the stairs two at a time. He should have taken those damn knives from her. It was his fault.

He stopped outside Layla's door and listened. Her heartbeat was regular, and her breathing was even, almost like she was asleep. He sensed only calm and peace. His hand lingered over the door handle before he dropped it and stepped back.

Cain growled and tried to force him to enter, but he turned and walked towards his bedroom.

No attachments.

He needed to introduce her to the pack and make sure she could walk outside without seeing anything she wasn't supposed to. No one would touch her if he told them not to. And then maybe she wouldn't feel like she had to be armed all the time.

He was almost at his door when he caught Diedre's scent and swore under his breath. He walked faster, and Cain stopped arguing about being taken from his mate. The beast wanted no part of the witch, either.

"Running from me won't change anything, Jackson."

He opened his bedroom door and walked in before turning around to face the witch who was walking up the hallway.

"Now, why would I do that, Diedre?"

"You tell me," Diedre said as she paused by Layla's door.

"A room right next to yours and the only human visitor to this territory in generations," Diedre said. "It's her, isn't it?"

"I don't know what you mean. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to put some clothes on."

He closed the door without waiting for a response and swore again. Damn nosey witch.