23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

E ight months.

He had eight more months of this shit. At this rate, he would mark Layla before the month was out.

Jackson leaned back in the seat and drank a sip of his beer as he looked out over the balcony. Breakfast hadn't even been prepared yet, and he was already drinking. What he needed was sleep, but Layla's scent was stopping that from happening.

He knew Layla didn't fully understand the nature of his struggle, and even if she did, there was nothing she could do about this either.

"Fucking Fate," he grumbled as he listened to the sounds of the pack waking up.

Zach had already held his nightly treasonous meeting with a few more pack members. They would all then continue their day as if nothing was happening. As if they weren't backstabbing fuckers trying to find a way to kill him.

Zach's latest recruits included the loved ones of the people who had died in the last attack.

Guilt ripped through him again as he set his empty beer can down and picked up another. What was he meant to do in this situation? He'd let them down, so he deserved all their hatred, but he couldn't let them kill him. Not until Layla was safe.

And that meant finding that damned red wolf again and then finding the witch. For two nights, he'd scoured the woods looking for clues but there wasn't a hint of either. Layla's mother should have been easier to find. She understood the danger her daughter was in, and yet she still kept herself hidden. Was he meant to burn every fucking tree down to flush her out?

‘Alpha, are you awake?'

He snorted. As if Micah didn't know he'd been staying up all night.

‘Yes.'

‘I'm in the conference room.'

He sighed and stood from the chair. Micah wouldn't tell him anything he didn't know, but it was time for him to start his day. When he walked in, he didn't look at his bed. Layla was still awake. He hadn't told her anything new. She knew why she would have to leave, and he'd promised to figure this shit out before then, so why the fuck was she acting like he'd hurt her feelings? Especially since she'd not had a problem trying to leave him a few weeks ago.

He didn't bother putting a shirt on as he walked out of his room and continued sipping his beer. The Omegas scattered out of the way when they sensed his approach, something they never used to do before Layla had come into the picture.

He shook his head as he descended the stairs and walked towards the soundproofed conference room. He caught Dylan's scent and increased his pace. Dealing with him was the last thing he needed. He was too tired to hold Cain back if he decided to kill his Beta after all.

"Jax."

"I'm busy," he growled without slowing down.

"I know, but it's about Layla. The morning class is training in the woods today, so she can come out—"

"She's tired," he growled again as he reached the conference room door.

When he walked in, he stopped in his tracks when he noticed Diedre sitting on one of the sofas. Her shoulders were hunched, and she was looking at the floor. She looked even frailer than the last time he'd seen her.

"Holy shit, Diedre. I told you to stop," he frowned as he walked to sit next to her. "What are you doing to yourself?"

Diedre lifted her head, and shock ripped through him. Her usually vibrant eyes were dead, and her face was gaunt and pale.

"I have to do it. I have to take care of you," Diedre whispered. "I promised your mother."

He sighed and put his arm around her shoulders. He leaned back and put his head against hers.

"I'm not worth this, Diedre," he whispered, kissing her hair before he looked up at Micah.

As always, his head warrior stood with his head down and his hands behind his back.

"Anything new to report?" he asked Micah.

"The Hunter left the city. I have some men watching all entry points in case he returns," Micah answered. "Miss Britney will return to school today but they will keep watching the school."

At least that was some good news, but he couldn't help feeling that the Hunter had only left to regroup with his team.

"The hotel employees are being monitored. Nothing in their conversation or movements has suggested they know what's going on. Miss Townsend sent a message to the secure number you gave her to say a man came in to ask if they had seen any wolf sightings or attacks."

"But why did they go to the function room for that? I don't trust Miss Townsend, and Miss Roberts has proved to be sneakier than I expected. Keep watching them."

"Yes, Alpha," Micah said with a bow. "And I'll send a report to the other Alphas that we're clear of the threat but they should still be cautious."

He wondered how many other packs blamed him for the near disaster. Their home had been hidden for generations, despite the stories in the town about vicious wolves in the forest. If the Hunters found them, they would have to leave. Or worse still, the Circle would get involved and eradicate the packs before the Hunters got to them.

"After you do that, your job is to take care of Diedre. She's not allowed to do anything witchy; she'll drain herself."

"Jackson!" Diedre scolded, lifting away from him. "I'm older than you and capable of deciding for myself when I've reached my limit."

He pushed a lock of her hair out of her face and smiled sadly.

"I know. But I also know you'll only reach your limit when you're dead and buried," he sighed. "I'm okay, Diedre. And you'll be okay."

"Jax, I need to fix those wards. We're unprotected—"

"We never had those wards around the whole territory to start with," he said. "The packhouse is still protected; everyone knows to make their way here if anything else happens. Go and rest, Diedre. I don't want to see you until you've got that spark back in your eye. Micah will make sure."

Micah nodded to both of them before he walked out of the room.

"You can't make me do that, Jax. There are only nine months until your birthday," Diedre said.

Her voice shook, and she blinked back some tears. He had never seen Diedre look so broken before. She had always been the strong one. The dependable one.

"Do not worry about me," he said, pulling her back against him. "You know your powers will return once I'm gone, so I need you to rest and get better so you can look after my child."

Diedre sat up and put her hands to her mouth.

"She's pregnant?" she whispered before she hugged him. "Oh, Jax, that gives me so much hope. If Layla can do that for you when many others failed—"

"It doesn't mean she's the answer. Let this go now, Diedre, and help me make plans to protect my family when I'm gone."

Diedre wiped some tears and shook her head.

"You're too stubborn, Jax. We've tried everything—"

"I can't risk her. I won't," he whispered.

Just the thought...

He let go of Diedre and picked up his beer from the table, ignoring Diedre's probing gaze. He prayed to the Goddess that Diedre had been too preoccupied after the attack to understand what had happened right under this roof when all the critically injured people had healed by the morning. If she suspected Layla was involved, she would never stop nagging him to mark her.

"I have to go. I have a wolf to find," he sighed as he stood up.

He'd just thrown his empty can into the trash when Micah's panicked voice rang through his head.

‘Alpha. Three Circle members have just come through the main gate.'

Great. Just what he fucking needed.