Greykin Valley

| 45 | Final Warning

His mate was sitting between the pack, who were all standing around him.

"Jackson?" he asked worriedly, moving through the crowd.

When he set his eyes on his mate, pain and guilt struck his racing heart. Wilson's kick hit Jackson's face, and a ghastly cut slashed across his muzzle. Blood trickled down onto the snow, and there were tears in Jackson's blue eyes.

Damon frowned sullenly. "I'm sorry," he said, moving closer to him.

To his relief, Jackson didn't push him away. Damon nuzzled his neck and pulled him closer, holding him as he cried quietly.

"It's okay," he told him.

"I said stop," Jackson murmured, his voice muffled in Damon's fur.

"I know," Damon replied despondently. "I'm sorry. I won't let that happen again."

Bly stepped out of the crowd. "I should really put something on that," she said, nodding at Jackson's wound.

"Jack?" came Wilson's shaky voice.

Damon snarled angrily and carefully let go of Jackson. Then, he stood protectively in front of him as he lay down on the snow behind him. "Get the fuck away from him," he warned, ready to attack.

Wilson glared at him for a moment, but when he looked down at Jackson, the anger left his eyes. "I'm sorry," he said and then glanced around at everyone. "I just...lost control for a second."

Tokala scoffed at him. "For a second? You could have killed someone. What the hell was that?"

"Did you even ever learn to control yourself in your tiger form?" Wesley questioned, moving closer to Damon in order to defend him and Jackson if need be.

Wilson started stuttering. "I did, I just...I just...I'm sorry!"

"Sorry isn't gonna cut it!" Julian suddenly blurted. "You hurt Jackson! You're supposed to be his friend!"

"I think you'd be better off elsewhere," Lance snarled.

The entire pack moved closer, forming a protective circle around Jackson.

But that was when Jackson spoke up. "Guys, it's okay," he mumbled, slowly climbing to his paws. He moved out from behind Damon but stayed close to him. Then, he glared at Wilson. "I told you to stop. I asked you yesterday to stop this."

"I'm sorry, Jack," the tiger said shamefully. "I couldn't...stop."

Jackson shook his head. "You shouldn't have attacked him in the first place!" he exclaimed. "I don't know how many times I need to ask you or tell you or try to get you to understand. I'm Damon's mate, and I love him the way he is. I don't need you to act like my mom and try to save me from him!"

Wilson scoffed and frowned in confusion. "He's...I..." but he didn't snap back. He lost his frown and looked away. "I'm sorry."

"So you keep saying," Jackson muttered.

"Chief, what do we do?" Tokala asked quietly. "We can't risk something like this happening again. If he can't fully control his tiger form, none of us are safe."

"I can control it!" Wilson shouted. "I'm just sick and tired of being treated like a child! I'm here to help, so let me fucking help!"

"Calm down," Jackson growled but then winced and lifted his paw to the slowly healing cut on his muzzle.

Damon wanted to side with Tokala. He wanted Wilson gone...but the decision was ultimately Jackson's. He loved Jackson, and he cared about him, how he felt, and what he thought. He wasn't just going to banish his friend if he didn't want the same thing.

The Alpha carefully licked Jackson's muzzle to try and soothe his wound a little. Then, he quietly asked him, "What do you want to do? It's your choice."

Jackson glanced at him and looked down at the snow. A pondering expression appeared on his face, and after a few moments, he looked at Damon and shifted his gaze to Wilson. "Wilson, you're my best friend, okay? But I've asked you I don't know how many times to try and get along with Damon. He's not going anywhere, and I don't want you to go anywhere, either. But if something like this happens again...I...."

"You what?" Wilson asked with a frown.

He shook his head. "Just don't let it happen again."

Wilson didn't argue. "It won't." He shot a glare at Damon.

The Alpha snarled quietly and turned to face Jackson. "Are you okay?" he asked him, keeping his voice hushed. "Do you need to find somewhere to rest?"

"No," he mumbled. "It's just a small cut. We should move, right? We don't want Kane's wolves catching up."

Damon nodded and looked around at his pack. "Come on," he said before moving forward. He walked past Wilson, who he heard snarl quietly, but he did his best to ignore it.

As Damon led the way, he stuck closely to Jackson. He was going to do everything in his power to keep Wilson away from him. He didn't care if it made him look like an asshole; that muto hurt his mate, and he was certain he'd do it again. Wilson evidently didn't know how to control himself, and that made Damon feel an even stronger urge to keep him away from Jackson.

From this moment forward, as far as he was concerned, Wilson was his enemy; he couldn't leave him alone with Jackson, and he was going to keep a very close, very watchful eye on him. And the moment he so much as looked at Jackson in a way that seemed like he might attack, Damon wouldn't hesitate to put him down.

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