72. Chapter 72

Chapter 72

L ayla watched Jackson spar with a young girl and wondered how he could still go about his day as if he hadn't completely nuked her heart.

How could he even smile like that?

"Are you here to train or to ogle your boyfriend?"

She ignored Dylan and watched Jax show the girl a complicated hold. He was dedicated to giving the best of himself. Though most of the pack members were wary of him, they were eager to train with him and learn from him.

Dylan sat beside her and pulled at a blade of grass.

"It sucks, doesn't it?"

She pulled her attention away to look at the man beside her. And his new attitude finally made sense. He knew. All of that pain that he couldn't hide... he was hurting for his best friend.

"What am I supposed to do?" she whispered.

"If I knew that, we wouldn't be sitting here."

When she looked back at Jackson, he had stopped training and was looking at them. The smile was gone from his face as he looked at both of them. Briefly, she felt the pain he was hiding. But only briefly. He turned back to the girl he was teaching and put a smile back on his face.

Her mind wandered back to the conversation she had overheard a week ago. Diedre thought she was the key, and that was why they were constantly being attacked. Could that be true? Was the witch trying to kill her so Jackson wouldn't have a way to break his curse?

Diedre was up in her little clinic, back to healing the pack members like she had done before she got stuck down. She was getting stronger each day, looking younger each day. She had no idea how magic worked, but that was some strong stuff there. It was a little bit scary that the witch trying to kill her was more powerful than that.

"Where's Hope?" Dylan asked.

"Faith is watching her while she does her college applications."

At least life was heading in the right direction for some people. She was at a loss for what to do. Hope's future wasn't secure. Jax was going to die, and then Hunters would come back to hunt her, so her precious little girl would be left all alone.

"You have to take care of her."

"Jax already asked me months ago," Dylan said gruffly.

It hurt to hear that he had been making such preparations for so long. Like it did a million times a day, her heart stopped. She had to remind herself to breathe.

"I'm going to check on Hope," she said quickly as she stood up.

"You'll train later?"

"Yes," she lied. She wasn't up to doing much these days.

There were only three weeks until Jackson's birthday. The next full moon was a blood moon. And she had to play happy families until then. She had to pretend she was okay and enjoy her time with Jax until he took her heart with him to his grave.

She bit her lip to stop herself from crying out at the injustice.

The moment she walked into the house, Diedre came into the lobby as if she had been waiting for her. The older woman took her hand and pulled her along the hallway to the conference room.

"Did you try?" Diedre asked the moment she closed the door.

"He doesn't want to talk about it."

When she tried, Jax used his body to mess up her mind. If she'd thought their sex life was phenomenal before, Jax had ramped it up to one hundred. He was making every touch count. Every kiss. Every look. He gave her everything except the one thing that could save his life. His bite.

"I've told you he's the most stubborn person you'll ever meet. But you're his match, Layla. Try harder."

Diedre was pinning all her hopes on her shoulders, putting a lot of pressure on her. But she could understand where the witch was coming from. No one wanted Jax to die.

"I'm doing my best, Diedre, but I think he knows what I'm trying to do."

"Of course he does. But you still have to do it. You still have to make him mark you. Fate will take care of the rest."

She looked at the older woman and the confidence in her eyes.

"What makes you so sure it will work?"

Diedre walked over to the drinks cabinet and poured herself a shot of something. She wished she could drown her sorrows, too, but she was still breastfeeding.

"I spoke to the doctor who delivered Hope," she said as she turned back to her. "I heard the little princess was weak and wasn't expected to make it through the night."

Her heart hammered. She stepped back as the shock hit her.

"What? He said she was fine."

"He had to say that; otherwise, you would have worried yourself sick over something you couldn't control," Diedre stated.

"But Hope is fine. She was breathing by herself by the end of the day."

"After you held her in your arms and told her to get better," Diedre said gently. "The same way I got better when you willed me to."

"That's ridiculous."

Wasn't it? She had no magic; she was just a wolf, like all of them. She wasn't even a werewolf yet, so she was nothing like them. How could they even think she could do something like that?

"I know you don't believe me, but I need you to have confidence in yourself. You are the only one who can break his curse."

The door opened, and Jax walked in. He was shirtless, straight from training, and didn't look surprised to see them in there.

"Are you two conspiring again?" he asked as he dropped a kiss on her lips before he went to pour himself a drink.

"How can you act like everything is okay?" she asked.

"Because, my sweet mate, the alternative is to break down and die," he said before he drank the shot in one go.

"Can't you fight for me? For Hope?"

"I've fought. And I lost," Jackson sighed. "Let's just enjoy the time we have left."

Diedre muttered expletives under her breath as she walked out of the room.

"Just focus on me, Layla. Focus on being happy. Life will bring you so much heartache that I won't be able to soothe, but I'm still here now," Jax said as he came forward and pulled her into his arms. "You chose to stay. You chose to be with me and see this through to the end. Have you changed your mind?"

"Of course not."

"I won't blame you if you do. You've already given me more happiness than I deserve," Jax said.

"I won't leave you."

It was physically impossible. She was tied to him, whether he bit her or not. And his death would be her death, whether she joined him in the ground or not.

Maybe that was the answer after all. Perhaps she was meant to follow her love, her fated mate, wherever he went.

But Hope...

She pushed her thoughts away when she remembered the innocent child she had brought into the world. If Jackson said he had a bond with her, she also had a bond with her child because she couldn't bear the thought of leaving Hope alone.

Jackson brought his lips down to hers in a gentle kiss.

"You'll be okay. Layla," he said when he lifted his head. "You're magnificent, and I bet when you shift, you'll be unstoppable. I have faith that you'll accomplish everything you set out to, and you'll live your best life for both of us. Until we meet again."

His words hurt.

How unstoppable could she be if she couldn't do anything to save the love of her life?

"Don't be sad. You know I'll be obligated, as your mate, to wipe that sadness away."

Jax lowered his head again and backed her up against the conference table. When he lifted his head, his eyes were blood red.

"Mine. You'll always be mine, even in death," he whispered. "I'm sorry that fate chose me for you, but I'll forever be grateful that it chose you for me. I love you, Layla."

She couldn't stop the tears from falling down her cheeks as Jax went to his knees and pulled her leggings and panties down.

She could feel his words. Since he told her the truth, she knew that he was telling the truth because he was wide open. He loved her the way she loved him.

And she would never be able to live without him. It was a truth she knew deep down in her soul. There would be no life after Jackson King.

So she had to take the risk for both of them.