The Heir

eighteen

JACE 

"You quit football?!"

A couple of weeks ago, I quit my high school's football team so that I could devote my free times to training for fights with the pack and Ryan. Dad never knew that I quit football, until now.

"Honey, calm down, just let him explain why he quit."

My mom was standing next to my father, her hand resting on his arm to try and calm him down. I could just tell that he was seeing red right now. "Bails, there is no reason as to why he quit football."

I sat in silence on the couch, wanting the couch to come and eat me whole. "Jace, sweetie, why did you quit football?"

I took a deep breath, "I quit so that I could spend all of my free time learning to fight. You guys know that I want to lead our fighters and become one of the strongest wolves in the pack. Ryan and a couple of the guys have been staying with me after practice to help me in human and wolf form. Football just wasn't the same for me anymore. I didn't enjoy playing it anymore. I'm sorry that I kept it from you guys but I didn't want to make such a big deal out of it."

Dad ran a hand down his face, taking a deep breath to try and stay under control. "You cannot be learning how to fight right now. You need to attend the Alpha classes so that you are ready in a couple of months to take my place."

Mom bit her lip, already knowing how this conversation was going to pan out. "Dad, Jamie will be back. She will come back before I turn eighteen and take her rightful place as Alpha of this pack. I have faith that Jamie will come back. For now, I won't be taking those classes. I know she'll come and do the right thing. Please let me fight."

Mom looked over at him with pleading eyes, already taking my side. Dad sighed loudly and rolled his eyes. "Fine, but if this is going to blow up in your face, and it will, you will be taking those classes and stopping the fighting training immediately. Understand?"

I nodded and watched as him and mom left the room. I let out the breath of air that I was holding inside of me. I am so full of stress and anxiety that I just needed to go for a run and so, that's what I did.

***

Out on my run with my wolf, I came across the spot where Isabella and I had first met. I could sense her there before I could see her. Her bow and arrows were laying beside her and she was leaning against a tree, reading a book.

"I was wondering if you were going to show." She closed the book and patted the spot next to her. I dropped the bag that was hanging from my mouth and went behind a tree to shift and put clothes back on. When I was done, I went to where she was sitting and sat beside her. My arm brushed her and I felt her jump a little bit, startled by the contact.

"My dad was being a dick. I needed to get out of the house. I remember you texted me earlier saying you would be here. I kind of just needed to see you and get away."

Isabella nodded, humming in response to what I said. She tucked a piece of hair behind her head. "I want to get to know you."

I sighed, hating this part of trying to get to know other people. My background is a little messy, especially with being a wolf. I was never the nicest to my older sister when growing up and I wish I had done everything differently. "What do you want to know?"

"Siblings?"

"I have an older sister and a younger brother and sister. Do you have any siblings?"

"Used to, she passed away a few years ago."

Something in Isabella's tone changed and I couldn't tell if she was telling the truth or just upset over the fact that she did lose her sister a couple of years ago. "I'm sorry to hear that. My mom was actually pregnant with triplets when I was younger and lost two of them. I never met them but I always wonder what if would be like with two extra siblings wandering around."

Isabella was silent for a moment before taking a deep breath. "This is weird, right? It's weird that I'm trying to get to know a wolf when my job is to kill them. It's even weirder that the wolf I'm trying to get to know is my mate and that I'm constantly lying to my father about my whereabouts and the information I have on you guys."

I looked down at my hands. She was right, I thought this was weird too. Humans and wolves do mate together but I never heard of a hunter and wolf becoming mates. It's strange and unfamiliar and I'm still very cautious around Isabella because I don't know if I can ever truly trust her. She's very closed off and sometimes I think that I will get ambushed when coming alone.

"I agree with you. I feel like it's so weird and I don't know how to go about this."

She nodded and then turned to me, smiling slightly. "What if we went out together? No labels? Forget about who we are and what we do. We just go out as Isabella and Jace, two people who happen to like each other. We go to the mall and maybe see a movie? Just do something to break the ice."

I smiled slightly, loving the idea. "I love it. Are you free tomorrow?"

Isabella unlocked her phone and went to her calendar. "Yes, I am. How does three sound?"

I leaned back against the tree some more, resting my head on the trunk. "Sounds like a date."

Why couldn't I stop smiling?

______

Sorry for the late update! I'm packing for college and applying to vet schools. Things are a little crazy right now.