Youth ✿ Paul Lahote [1]

xviii. bite back

Harry Clearwater's funeral had been beautiful.

The service had been held outside, on the bank near the forest on the Clearwater property. It had been a place that Harry had once loved, with people that had loved him.

Alex didn't think it could have gone better—despite not knowing the man for long, even she shed a tear or two at the beautiful speeches from Sue, Seth, Billy and Charlie. Leah hadn't spoken, which Alex also understood. People dealt in different ways.

It was in the service afterwards that Alex found herself seated beside her brother. Jordan had come to the funeral for support of Alex and the pack, he had become fast friends with the majority of the wolves. Alex didn't realise how much that support meant to her until he sat beside her.

A lot had happened in between the time of Harry's death and the funeral. Bella Swan had pretty much rejected Jacob and gone to retrieve Edward Cullen from near death. Along with his return, came the return of the rest of his family. The Cullen's were back in town and that meant the pack had less work to do—they only had to protect their forest from Victoria now, the Cullen's had taken their side back.

Victoria hadn't shown her face since the day that Harry died. Alex had no doubt that she would come back though, but at least the Cullen's were back to hopefully take the brunt of it all. They started it, and that meant they should be the ones to finish it.

"Thanks for coming today," Alex said to her twin. The pair were seated together on the outskirts of the gathering, a lot of the pack were mingling and comforting the Clearwater's. Alex didn't think that was entirely her place—she didn't know Harry or his family that well. She was happy to just be there for Paul, and sit with her brother.

"I'm always here when you need me, Lexi," Jordan's eyes weren't on the girl as he spoke, but rather focused on the wolves in the middle. Specifically on Embry. Alex watched as his eyes roamed over him, not in a materialistic way but as if he was making sure he was okay. Alex figured he didn't even know he was doing it, but it made her smile nonetheless.

Alex chewed on her bottom lip as she watched Jordan now. There was no way she could let him go back to Ohio—not with how unhappy it had made him. Ever since he had told Alex everything, she had noticed Jordan was back to his usual self. She wouldn't let him lose that again.

It didn't matter whether she had to find another football scholarship for her brother, or whether she had to lie her ass off—Alex would do it. She would do anything for Jordan.

"You can't go back to Ohio," Alex's voice was low as she spoke. Even the slightest whisper got Jordan's attention however, as he turned back to his twin sister.

Jordan seemed to contemplate her words for a second. There was a silence between them.

Before Alex got ready to speak again to fill the void, Jordan grabbed one of her hands in his. "I love football, Lexi—like it's the one thing in the world I truly enjoy. The place is awful, the people are awful, but if I get to play football in a prestigious school then maybe it's worth it?"

"You can play football anywhere," Alex answered back quickly. Her hand squeezed Jordan's. "I'll help you apply to other scholarships, I'll get in touch with scouts and trainers, an—"

"Okay," Jordan was smiling down at his shorter sister now. A grin beamed off his face at her words, at the persistence of them. "I get it. You'll do anything."

"Anything," Alex reiterated to stress the importance. She truly did mean it, and she needed Jordan to know that.

Jordan squeezed Alex's hand that was in his. "Thank you, hermana. It means a lot. If we can find another team or club that'll take me, I'll move. But for now I stay here, alright?"