The Heir

twenty four

JACE 

After getting off the phone with Jamie, I laid back in my bed and stared at the ceiling. Things were so weird lately. Lion was about to come over. I haven't seen him in a while and I really do miss the guy. Things were weird for a little while after he told me he used to screw my sister. It was weird and awkward and I didn't know what to do about it. But, in the end, he's my best friend and though I was mad at first, shit happens. They were just fooling around with each other before they found their mates. Lion is convinced that he doesn't have a mate but I know she's out there somewhere.

Mom, Dad, Hannah, and Ryan went out on a date night tonight, something they said they haven't done since before all of us. It's nice to see them being normal for once. Ben and Lilly were at grandma's house so I had the whole house to myself.

I looked at my phone to see the time, excited that Lion will be coming over within the next hour. When I looked, I also noticed that I had a notification with Izzy. Things were still a little weird with us but I knew that if we kept trying, we would make it work.

Iz: Can you meet me?

I frowned at the text, not wanting to ditch Lion again for her. Bros before hoes, am I right?

Me: Lion is about to come over. I'm free tomorrow if that works.

I sat up in my bed, waiting for her answer to come.

Iz: Please, it's important.

Iz: I'll only be a few minutes. I'm right outside the boarders.

Something was off with what she was saying. Izzy never came this close to my pack and she promised she would keep my pack a secret from her dad.

Me: North or south?

Her reply was almost instant, South

I quickly put some shoes on and grabbed a jacket. I put my keys and phone in my pocket and went downstairs, heading toward the direction of the south boarders. When I made it outside, a lot of people were outside. Kids were playing in the quad and there were a few families cooking on grills outside their homes. Mostly everyone nodded at me and waved and I smiled and waved back. I'll never get used to people treating me this way because they think I'll be the next Alpha in a few months.

When I made it to the south boarder, I passed a guard and continued walking so that I was off of pack grounds. I smelled Izzy before I spotted her. She smelled of lilacs and I breathed in her scent, following it. When I found her, she was pacing with her finger in her mouth, biting her nail. I noticed she does that when she's nervous. What could she be nervous about?

"Hey, what's up, Iz?"

She stopped pacing at the sound of my voice and ran over to me. She grabbed both of my arms and had a frantic look on her face. "You need to leave, right now!"

I held her at arms-length and looked her face up and down. "What are you talking about? Slow down and breathe."

Isabella shook her head. "There's no time for explaining. You need to leave right now with me. It's not safe. I'll explain on the way."

She began to pull my arm but I stayed put. "Iz, I'm going to need a little more information before I run away with you. What's wrong? Why am I not safe?"

There were tears in her eyes. "My father knows, Jace. He knows about us and he's coming to kill you and everyone here because we're mates."

Iz began to pull me away again but I pulled her back. "What are you saying? How did he find out?"