Greatest Curse (Book 2)

Peace Interrupted (Part 2)

Jason had his eyes cast down his head lowered.

"Anything you want to tell us about your buddy?" Carter interrogated arms crossed stiffly over his chest as though he were sizing Jason up for a brawl.

Jason then shook his head. When he finally lifted his head, his expression was pinched with worry.

"I don't know what's going on with him. I've messaged and called. He doesn't answer. And even when I see him around school or Blackwater, he runs away like he's afraid of me or something." he explained, then scratched at his forehead out of frustration.

"I'm worried about him. This sort of thing doesn't usually happen." he continued. I glanced at him with an arched eyebrow.

"But it has happened in the past." I stated as an observation given his previous statement. Jason nodded stiffly.

"And it's usually tied back to his dad."

"You think Lyle is behind it?" I questioned, knowing a bit of Lance's encounters with that abusive jerk. I didn't know as much as Jason, and sometimes I felt as though not even he knew the full story.

"I know he is. Their absence from school could mean that Tobias is plotting something. And I know Lance. He wouldn't tie himself up with Teddy and Davin unless Lyle had something over him."

We were silent for all of a few moments until Carter broke it.

"So...Tobias is planning an attack."

Jason scoffed. "Obviously. That's how the fucker works. He lets you know he's going to attack but the killer is never knowing when."

**

Almost two days have gone by in relative peace.

There was not a single piece of news concerning an attack, a threat, or even news of Tobias' movement. We still hadn't heard anything from Tucker's guy concerning the looming threat.

But we did hear something.

We knew now that even he was at risk of exposure. They were suspicious of him, his motives and his loyalty. He was certain he'd been in the dark over their plan of ambush.

"You're certain? Between Friday and this morning, you've heard nothing." I said, wanting to be sure.

"Yes, Jaxon." Hunter replied in a tone of voice that said he was growing impatient with me. That made me angry.

I pinned him with a firm glare, feeling my eyebrows pinch together. My anger toward him had boiled over now. "You would be the same way if it were Maia!" I gritted. Hunter frowned, lifting his head to stare at me.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me! If they were targeting Maia, you'd be doing exactly what I am. I'm trying to protect my mate. To stop him from dying like Bentley did, and you're pissed off about nothing at all! Am I annoying you or something?" I shouted, moving my arms about to illustrate my anger toward his nonchalance.

"Jaxon..."

"Asher's life is in danger. If it were Maia, I would do everything I could to help protect her and she is not even my mate. I'd at least appreciate it if you could show some empathy."

"I know you're afraid, Jaxon-"

"You can't even begin to understand, Hunter! I know what it's like to lose a mate. To be so helpless and disgusted with yourself because you couldn't save them. I'm not about to let it happen again. So I would really appreciate it if you dropped the attitude."

I left him with that, hoping he could see how much his lack of empathy was bothering me. My mind was a mess. There was so way to describe how scared I was knowing that Tobias and his followers would launch an attack against Marcana.