SLEEPSONG (BoyxBoy)✔️

Chapter 158

I sighed heavily and leaned forward, cupping his cheek. He twitched, seeming surprised by the gesture of affection, but I simply brushed the dark skin beneath his eyelid with my thumb.

"Because without it, this world would be total chaos," I whispered. "Please, Jak... just give the idiot his well-deserved ass kicking and make him apologize for doing what he did. You don't need to kill him over it... I mean, the guy has a brother and he's also part of your pack."

"Why should I show him mercy when he intentionally inflicted a killing blow on me?"

Confusion filled me. "Killing blow?"

"It's what we call attacks that would most certainly kill a normal human being," Jak explained, carefully raising a hand and gesturing to his neck. "Snapping someone's neck, for example, is considered a killing blow among our kind. We have rules within packs against using them... and not only did he snap my neck on purpose, he repeatedly bashed my skull in with a lamp."

"Do whatever you want to punish him as long as its not cold-blooded murder or torture," I said simply, shaking my head. "Please... there's already so many things happening. The last thing anyone needs is to grieve the death of someone who made a stupid choice because of the sexual frustration Bash's rut caused."

Jak let out an exasperated sigh.

"Fine... but heaven take you, you're a very irritating individual," he muttered, and although he sounded decidedly unimpressed he still pulled the blanket higher around him. I hummed an agreement, settling back on the floor.

"So I've been told," I murmured, rubbing my tired eyes; when I lowered my hand, Jak looked more resigned than annoyed. His eyes were staring straight up at the ceiling.

"How is Sebastian?" he asked, and I stared. "Has his rut ended yet?"

"No, its still going strong," I told him, grimacing. "It might be a few days."

"And what of you...?" he asked, glancing at me. "You have been crying. I can see it in your face and smell it from your body."

"Broke down about my sister," I said simply, not wanting to think about it. "With everything going on all at once, I haven't been able to think about it very much. A wave of it just hit me at random, but Horst and Woody were here to help me through it."

Jak turned his eyes back on the ceiling, but his features had twisted into a grimace.

"And Jasper?" he lowly quipped. "What do you intend to do if he comes back?"

My stomach plummeted at the thought. "I... I'll... I'll rip his eyes out and make him leave."

"Will you really?" he harshly demanded. "Because I don't think you have it in you to kill him if he comes back. You're fragile, Aerin... physically and emotionally, you are fragile. The fact is, if he's stupid enough to come back, you will likely wind up getting hurt again if your pack fails you."

I lowered my eyes and my hair slid across my shoulders, a stark reminder - more than the low iciness of pain - of what had actually happened.

All of their memories, replaced. Wiped away.

Every moment I'd spent fighting to prove myself, worthless within seconds.

Every touch, every glance, every step taken to stand as equals in life, gone.

When I didn't respond, Jak rubbed at his bloodshot eyes. He looked tired in that way that only trauma and grief could beget, a gauntness to his face that spoke of extreme prolonged stress. Hell, injuries aside, he looked thoroughly exhausted.