(Bennett)
Carter was still asleep, and it would've been wrong to disturb him when I knew that it was probably the first time, he'd had a proper nap since the raid. As quietly as I could manage, I lifted the duvet and slipped out of bed, carefully tucking my pillow under his arm to place my waist.
Last night was amazing. Even though it'd only been such a short time since the beach house date, it felt like an eternity ago. So much had happened since then, and not just with Carter and me. With our packs, friends, and families. With Jasper Falls in general.
It was truly amazing how a few seconds could turn everything upside down.
Things would be different now, and I sensed a change in the air. It was distinctly dissimilar. There was a bliss about the peace that had settled over Ivy Rose, something that hadn't been there before. Almost as if what had happened in the Valley Heights slum, and in Jasper Falls, had had a ripple effect that touched Ivy Rose.
It made me wonder how things were in Jasper Falls intensifying the urge to head there as soon as possible.
But other than that, I'd noticed something different about myself too. A weight had been lifted off of my shoulders and there was a peace within that wasn't easy to explain from where or how it came. But I'm pretty sure I'd figured out the why.
It was as if somehow there was an inkling that things had taken a turn for the better.
Last night's date was refreshing and that's when I'd first noticed the change within myself and with Carter. For once, he wasn't obsessing over my safety. He was able to breathe easily and enjoy our date. He didn't need to worry about keeping my mind off of darker thoughts. For that matter, Vince, and his betrayal to Black Rock, and all that it cost us, hadn't once crossed my mind. And even when he mentioned Vince's evasion of our units bothering him, I wasn't too worried about it.
It was Carter and me alone, as if we were the only two people in the world.
I thought happiness was what I'd felt when Carter had willingly accepted the mate bond. And that no matter what, he'd always be by my side. I thought that was what I'd felt when he'd placed his mark on me, but I was wrong. There was bliss in true happiness, and as I made my way around the suite, picking up our discarded clothing from last night after shrugging on a pair sweats, I'd left near the bed, I felt it full force. Especially when I looked up and glanced over at Carter's sleeping form.
I thanked the goddess for him because this boy had literally saved my life. Looking back at how things had been before our bond manifested, I wondered where I'd be. Repairing my fractured friendship with Jax and closing the gap between me and my family that seemed to be there all my life would have done some good. But I'd still be a miserable piece of shit anyhow because even after rehab, I was struggling to love myself.
Carter had changed that. Before he came along, I saw nothing in me worth liking, let alone loving. He saw past all the trauma and the negativity that constantly hung over my head like a dark cloud. He taught me that no matter how bad things got, there must be something, even one small thing, that I liked about myself.
Turns out, I do have a lot of things to like about myself.
He might be annoyingly overbearing with how protective he gets, and he might be aggressive from time to time. He's not perfect, but if he could wholeheartedly love someone like me, bet your ass I'd be happy and self-searching for the things that made him love me.
Gathering our dirty laundry, I slipped into the adjoining bathroom without waking him up and set the clothes down in the hamper basket before jumping into the shower and carrying out the usual morning routine.
We'd mated again last night, and I'd actually lost count of how many times we did it. All I knew was that we'd marked one another over and over again and done things that I never dreamed to do. Suffice it to say, my education and knowledge in that department had been significantly broadened after the events of last night.
For sure, there were definitely no scars on me. If there had been any, even lighter ones that couldn't be seen at first glance, they were all gone. Almost as if I'd never once been involved in a fight all my life, never been stabbed, shot at, clawed at, and almost gutted.
Nothing.
My skin was untarnished save for the only mark that would never go away which lay on my shoulder, having turned to a bright pinkish colour after being so heavily abused.
Rubbing at the mating mark on my shoulder, I finished my shower, towelled off, and dressed in loose joggers and a white tee. By the time I walked out, Carter was already awake. He sat, leaning against the headboard with his phone in hand, tapping away and scrolling through what I'm guessing, was his social media.
"Posting photos from last night?"
He'd taken a few, not nearly as many as he had on other occasions. And for once, I hadn't been scolding him for always whipping out the camera or shying away from having my photo taken. I was open about it and welcomed all his chances to take pictures because like him, I wanted to create newer, better memories, and I was not about to stop his documenting it.
Or maybe, my carefree spirit had something to do with the fact that I'd actually died. I'd realized, after waking up from the coma, that if death could come to me so easily no matter how much of an elite fighter I was, it was best to make every moment count.
I had to admit, though, I looked pretty good in some of the photos he'd taken. The first of my two favourites was with the two of us in the frame while we were on the Ferris wheel, and I'd snuck a kiss to his cheek. The other one was taken after we ended our date and returned to Ivy Rose. Preoccupied with my phone, messaging Jax and confirming that I'd meet up with him at the hospital in Jasper Falls, my mate had grasped at the opportunity for a mini photoshoot.
Of course, I knew Carter had other motives for snapping the photo since the bastard had pretty much fetishized me in a tank top and ripped jeans. He could've barely kept his hands off of me last night. Needless to say, the favour was returned, so we were quite even.
Carter grinned, putting the phone down and scooting closer as I sat on the bed. "About last night..." he drawled, his voice groggy and deep like how it usually was when he woke up. "Can we do more of that thing where you got on top? That was pretty hot."
The heat rushed to my face as vivid imagery assaulted my mind. That thing he was referring to...I'm embarrassed by it because till now, I still have no clue where that boldness had come from. I'd literally shoved him down on the mattress and jumped on him.
Not that the pervert complained. He was all for it.
"Not a chance. My hips are killing me."
His lips pulled to a smirk. "You looked like you were having fun up there."
It was my turn to smirk now as I leaned over and kissed him. "As tempting the offer, we can't. I've got a bunch of things I want to do today and I'm dragging you with me. Get up and go shower. I'll go see what's for breakfast."
"Okay." he replied with a pout, shoulders drooped but he was already leaning in for another kiss. Getting on my knees, I cupped his face and gave him a few light kisses brushing my nose against his. Carter shook his head and hugged me around the waist pressing his forehead against my chest.
"I still can't believe you're here." he whispered ever so softly.
We ended up cuddling for a while, with me straddling his legs, and him, content to hold me and pepper my cheeks with kisses ever so often. When he decided that he'd had his fill, he let me go splitting off into different directions. I, to the dining room, and him to the adjoining bathroom.
My mom and her mate were chatting and eating in the dining room when I arrived accompanied by my stepsiblings.
"Morning, everyone." I greeted, heading over to the dining table whilst surveying the breakfast menu spread before us.
One thing I absolutely loved about Ivy Rose, or the Wyatt household specifically, was that they tended to eat a lot. Hearty meals all round, breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and boatloads of snacks in between. Then again, I can't say anything because even though mom and Colton carry equal weights within the household and decisions concerning it and the food served, Colton was built like a damn mountain, so the man ate like four cows.
Unfortunately for kitchen staff at the Wyatt manor, whenever I came around, they had double the work since I tended to eat quite a bit from time to time. When I'd awoken from the coma around three this morning, they were both with me. Mom was cuddled up next to me with Muttsey at my side, and Colton dozed in a chair.
My wriggling around had woken up mom and Muttsey. Mom's sniffling and crying coupled with Muttsey's elated barking and scuttling awoke Colton. They'd phoned Dr. Garrick who showed within twenty minutes, medically cleared me but warned that I consume soft foods, and no liquids that were too hot or cold since my trachea was still healing.
Colton had pretty much woken up the entire kitchen staff and demanded they cook me up a hearty meal. I'd felt bad since they'd had their sleep interrupted.
My throat had been a little delicate from how deep Vince's claws went, hence the doctor's warning. That asshole didn't just puncture my windpipe. He almost ripped it out, so it was a miracle in the first place that Carter's healing enzymes managed to sustain me long enough to receive medical attention while my own rushed to repair the damage.
But after Carter and I consummated our bond several times last night, healing was officially complete. Once again, I was in tippy-top shape and health.
Grabbing up a cappuccino breakfast muffin, I plopped down in the chair next to Dash who sent me a wave in greeting, and a smile made greasy from his egg-sandwich breakfast. Ruffling his hair, I return to my muffin.
Carter's parents had left earlier and taken Nathaniel with them since their mom needed to go grocery shopping, and Beta Chad needed to visit the Council's headquarters to inform the other members of what was happening. Particularly, with my recovery and that Black Rock wouldn't be left without a functioning beta, and that the apprehension for Vince was to be made a top priority.
"Before I forget, something was left for you." Colton spoke up then, taking a sip of his coffee. Mom gave me a small smile, reaching across the table to place her hand over mine as her mate briefly stepped out. He returned after a few minutes with a small-sized orange envelope in hand that he set down near my hand.
"Who's it from?" I asked, picking up the envelope to inspect it especially when I saw that there was no stamp, or return address. Or really, anything of the sort to indicate the sender.
Colton shrugged. "I was told it's for your eyes only."
I narrowed my gaze at the mountain of an alpha walking back to his seat. He was lying and not because he was terrible at it, or his chemo signal gave anything away. The corner of his mouth was slightly turned up in an amused grin such that it might have been missed by many who didn't know Colton Wyatt very well.
Or sucked at reading people because he was no walk in the park to read. That dude was a tough cookie.
Finishing off my muffin, I dusted the crumbs off my hands using a napkin to wipe away any oil or food residue, the envelope holding my attention hostage. It was sealed indicating that it hadn't been opened by anyone which surprised me because here I thought that Mr. Snoopy over there would've been all up in my business.
Like mom and Aunt Zoe.
Instead of making like he didn't know what was going on. Sitting there, pretending to obliviously sip his coffee and munch on a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Sensing my stare on him, Colton glanced up and grinned toothily.
Ah...see, I know. He knows who the sender is.
Rolling my eyes, I opened the envelope taking a peek inside. There was a smaller envelope inside, and the one other item was a blue, 1GB flash-drive attached to a lanyard string. Setting the envelope back down, I returned to my breakfast, the contents of the envelope plaguing my mind even as I ate, making idle chitchat with my family. It stayed on my mind even as Carter came into the dining room, kissed my cheek, and started with his own serving of breakfast.
Deciding that curiosity had won and waiting for Carter to finish his breakfast was taxing, I excused myself and headed to the alpha's study where Colton was already inside scrolling through something on his iPad. He looked up when I entered, and I gestured to the envelope in my hand.
"May I borrow your laptop?"
He nodded and I made my way over, grabbing up the device from his desk and moving over to the couch jammed against the wall on the left side of the room. Settling down, I booted up the laptop and set up the flash-drive.
When the application opened up, it turned out to be a single file which had me frowning.
An audio file?
Glancing over to Colton, I expelled a puff of air realizing that he was using his headphones that was connected to the iPad. Setting the laptop down, I went in search of someone who could let me borrow theirs, finding Daisy on my way out. She let me borrow hers and soon, I was back to the laptop with Carter following after me since my busy energy had roused his curiosity.
He sat next to me on the couch while I opened up the audio file and stuck in the headset.
It was quiet at first but in the background, the gentle noise sounded a lot like the whirring of an air-conditioning unit as well as the bump and jolt of a car on the road.
"What exactly are you planning to do with him?" a male voice questioned, the familiarity momentarily startling me as my heartbeat skipped. Carter slipped an arm over the couch's backrest, and then around my shoulders.
"Kill him, of course. He's a fucking thorn in my ass."
Vince.
Well, daddy dearest! I have a surprise for you.
"So, why didn't we just kill him back there?" This voice I recognized as Hush's. His voice was significantly deeper than anyone could guess. "Why have me kidnap him when we could've avoided all this trouble?"
Someone snorted indignantly, and if I had to guess, it was probably dear old dad. "Those fools were so driven by lust and greed that they ended up killing the other one when I'd given them clear instructions. Unlike last time, it'll be me who kills this one off. Both of them should've been nothing but a cum stain."
Love you too, Pops.
It was silent for a few moments again before someone else spoke up. "We're in Pymbrooke already. Shouldn't we wake him up for whatever you have planned?"
There was shuffling around and the sound of Vince calling out to me, ever so mockingly and condescendingly as he tried waking me up.
"Where the hell are you taking me?" came my voice, tight with controlled fury and suddenly, I was there all over again. In that car, squashed between Hush and the rogue from Pymbrooke, restrained under the influence of wolfsbane. Too weak to fight back on my own, but witty enough to anger dear old dad with a few comebacks.
I was pissed. Probably more than I had been in all my life up to that point because once again, that bastard had found a way to get in between my mate and me. As if taking me away with the hopes of offing me and dumping my body somewhere in the overgrowth of Pymbrooke Creek's woodland would suddenly solve all his problems.
Hypothetically, his conquest to Black Rock's alpha throne would be made easier. His adoring daughter would finally have a mate she wanted. And with Black Rock Canyon under his thumb, he'd launch an attack against Tobias and snatch the alpha rank once Tobias had taken over Marcana.
He was a damn fool. If Black Rock didn't revolt for the lives his betrayal cost, Carter would've killed him. And assuming Tobias even managed to kill of Marcana's alpha family, he would never allow my dearest sister to be his luna. She'd destroy everything he worked for and her only purpose to him would be the child she carried. His heir.
Tobias was smart. Vince may have led the attack against Black Rock, and even helped orchestrate the first one, but he was merely a pawn on Tobias' chessboard. A puppet in his quest for power. He'd know the kind of person Vince was and killed him off the instant dear old dad no longer served any importance.
The entire audio file was only a few minutes long and had recorded everything. Vince's monologue about his wish to kill me and backstab Tobias once the guy had taken Marcana. The audio had solid evidence, from Vince's own mouth, that he was working with Tobias, and had had a hand in orchestrating the first attack that cracked Black Rock's foundation. An attack that claimed the lives of my twin, Jax's first mate. Evidence that by offing me, his daughter would get Carter.
The evidence in the audio, if it were testified in court, would send Vince to the execution chair almost immediately for the many higher-up names his crimes, and those of his wife and daughter, had implicated. And I knew for a fact that if Hunter ever woke up while the case was in progress, he'd push for justice. His parents', Chester, and his family, and Jax's sanity because of his bond to my twin. Mom and Grandpa Kosta would push for justice, the domestic abuse against both me and Bentley, and the murder of my twin. Andre would pursue the case for his family.
And no matter how small, Beta Chad and his mate would press the court for compensation over the defamation of Carter's name. And now that Carter was legally of age, he could pursue the case and press for Vince's execution given his attempts of murder against me.
Either way, Vince had drawn the short end of the stick, and it was covered in layers of shit. He was done for so he could either turn himself in and retain some form of dignity or choose execution by suicide to save himself the walk of shame.
Knowing him, he'd probably choose the latter if cornered.
The audio eventually came to an end and a feeling rose up within me. A combination of excitement and uncertainty for many reasons.
"What's on there?" Carter asked, his question drawing my attention away from the thoughts rolling around in my head. One question, and I was struggling to find the answer.
Should I give this to Beta Chad?
It was evidence we could use against Vince. And Tobias. Mandy's name had also been mentioned, and given the proof of her carrying Tobias' child, it would all aid in building a case to decide her fate.
But that was the positive side. There was one major downside to all of this and if the Council heard the entirety of the audio tape, it was a price I was not willing to pay.
Handing over the headset, I let Carter listen from the beginning, taking hold of his hand and placing it on my thigh allowing our bond to ground him. I knew without a doubt that listening to the audio would elicit a range of negative emotions. Everything from anger and rage to uncontrolled bloodlust.
And sure enough, his emotions fluctuated, and I felt it setting a course through me like poison. Halfway through the audio, his jaw was tightly clenched, eyebrows pinched in vexation. His fists were clenched tightly, and a low, barely audible growling could be heard reverberating in his chest. He looked seconds away from smashing the laptop to bits.
I couldn't let that happen. One, the laptop wasn't mine. And if he destroyed the headset, Daisy would probably be pissed since it was one of the first things, she'd bought herself with her savings, and she treasured her wise spend.
Colton had stopped scrolling through his iPad upon hearing the growling coming from my mate, the sound growing louder as the audio continued. The alpha male raised an eyebrow and glanced over, a clear warning to do something to avoid Carter going on a rampage and possibly thrashing his office. I'd heard from Jax and Asher all about how Carter looked like a rabid animal after he'd shifted in the slums and disappeared off into the night.
I was also quickly reminded that I had yet to thank him for what he'd done. Killing Lyle and Teddy without hesitation, and no remorse whatsoever when it seemed to be the one thing that forever evaded my grasp. Jax and Asher had recalled in detail, the state of Lyle and Teddy when their bodies were found. And if Teddy's condition was deplorable enough to make Jax of all people almost throw up, I can only imagine the carnage as we, both, had seen our fair share within a span of almost two years.
Leaning over, I gently pressed my lips to Carter's cheek. As if suddenly remembering I was there, he blinked rapidly and expelled a deep puff of air before glancing over. The anger was gone, and his gaze softened considerably almost like he hadn't been thinking about ripping Vince to shreds just heartbeats ago.
He removed the headset and handed the laptop back. Disconnecting the flash-drive and headset, I powered off the device and returned it to Colton's desk. We left the alpha's home office, and I returned Daisy's headset.
We proceeded to the suite afterward, with Muttsey hot on our trail, the pit pup having spotted us on his way in from outside as he came bolting up the steps.
"You should give the flash to my dad. It has evidence on there we could use against Tobias and Vince." Carter informed. I already knew this.
Setting the flash down on the dresser, I reached into the envelope and grabbed up the smaller one. This one wasn't sealed like the other, but it contained only a single slip of paper, folded in half.
Flipping it open, I read the words scribbled there in black ink by someone with a neat handwriting.
'You'll have questions. Meet me at your pack's old cemetery at noon. You'll know the spot.'
And it was initialled with a 'D. A.'.
Colton knew the person who sent this. No doubt, the very person had handed him the envelope with clear instructions to make sure I received it.
"What's that?" Carter queried, coming up behind me. He hugged me from behind, resting his chin against my shoulder, eyes scanning the slip of paper. I felt him frown. "Who's D. A.?"
"Hush." Turning about to face my mate who had his lips pursed in thought. Possibly wondering why of all people, the ninja assassin rogue would be communicating with me when we didn't have the best of histories. "His name is actually Dakota Atkinson."
Carter's frown deepened and he glanced away. I could see the gears in his head turning but over what, I couldn't be quite sure. All I knew, based on the emotions I felt, was that he was questioning something.
"What's with that face?"
He shook his head. "Nothing...it's just..." he trailed off, thinking some more, and taking the slip of paper from me. "The name Atkinson. It's the same as Ezra's."
Oh yeah! I hadn't thought of that.
"Yeah? Why? Is there some sort of special meaning behind it?" I prodded, crossing my arms over my chest, waiting for him to continue. To hash out whatever was plaguing his mind.
"Before Black Rock moved here, we'd just ended a lengthy feud between Marcana and Lativa. Their former alpha had beef with Sky's dad."
I remember Carter telling me about that when I had asked why Marcana only had one rep for the Council whilst other packs had two, and even the human population of Jasper Falls had two persons on the Council to represent them. He'd told me all about how Jessop and his firstborn- Ronan- had had an obsession with Sky's mom and sought to make her the next luna of Lativa. They caused a lot of problems and after a death match between Steven and Ronan that ended up claiming the life of Lativa's future alpha, things had quieted down.
Everyone thought it was over until a few years later when Sky was about five. Jessop had broken into Marcana and the Daniels' home in the dead of night. He'd killed Diana- Sky's mom. And that's why the Council petitioned and passed the county-wide law that death matches among werewolf communities and packs were banned and made illegal.
It hadn't stopped there, though. Jessop returned years later with the intention to finally break Steven. He wanted to take everything away from Marcana's third-in-command and to do that, he targeted Sky and Jace knowing that losing them both, particularly Sky, would devastate the man.
"It's just...when you were kidnapped that night of the game and we were trying to find you, I sort of had this theory." Carter started to explain.
"We considered who our most formidable opponents might be, and Hush was among them. I thought about how my dad said that given his exceptional skillset, he might've been an elite warrior gone rogue, or at least hailing from a higher-up or elite bloodline. I could only think that I didn't know any higher-up bloodlines that'd had a wolf go rogue, so I assumed that maybe he was born a rogue but came from a higher-up or elite bloodline. And then on the night of the attack on Black Rock, when I found you in Pymbrooke, that was the first time we saw him in person without a mask. It's only hit me now, but there's definitely a resemblance between Hush and Ezra."
Oh...
"So, you think that Dakota Atkinson might be a direct relative of Ezra's. That maybe, he was born into an alpha bloodline and that's why he's so vicious." I surmised and he nodded.
"I could be wrong, though. As far as we know, Jessop only had two kids, and Hush is older than Ezra."
I shrugged. "Maybe he had a kid with someone else." I suggested, grinning up at my handsome mate.
"Maybe, but at the same time, maybe not." he commented, ruffling his hair in exhaustion when he caught the questioning stare on my face.
I didn't know a whole lot about Marcana's history with other packs within Jasper Falls or outside of it. Before, I had only known that they were a strong pack, marked by strong elites and that they were considered one of the wealthiest packs throughout Schrattner's County, and were well-known and even revered in the neighbouring counties of Murdoc Province and Berkel County.
After moving to Jasper Falls, I learned a few other things. Marcana's higher-ups could be scary bastards, and my loving mate was also a high-ranked dominant and by far, one of the scariest despite his playful, perverted sides, or his caring nature. Whatever else I knew about Marcana's alliance with other packs had come from my mate, other higher-ups of Marcana, or through the channels of gossip I used to tune into to at least be aware of current happenings.
Back when I was intent on holding everyone at arm's length, gossip was a trusty news source and a powerful weapon.
The past feud between Marcana and Lativa was deemed taboo now that Ezra had found his mate in Alpha Isaiah's daughter. Based on what I'd heard at Nathaniel's birthday party, yesterday, and the gossip among the ladies in the kitchen, the two had consummated their bond after almost an entire year, maybe more, with Alpha Isaiah's blessings.
Jessica was roughly one month pregnant, and she and Ezra were now expecting their firstborn.
I glanced to Carter as he continued to hash out his thoughts.
"Jessop's mate was a submissive female, and he was probably the most unfaithful, ruthless bastard to her. Growing up, we used to hear stories about how he'd often beat her and sleep with other women simply because he thought, she didn't fit the stereotype of a strong luna. There's no way he'd entertain the possibility of fathering a sub if he could do that to his own mate. We saw the effect his ruthlessness had on Ezra, and we know for a fact that Jessop used to beat Ezra almost daily. Mind you, he's a dominant male. If Hush is a submissive and Jessop's secret kid, then there's no way he would've lived past the age of five."
Damn. That bastard's almost as cruel as Vince.
But hey, at least he's dead now so Ezra didn't have to worry about his abusive dad. He'd been working hard to rebuild the very pack Jessop destroyed with an iron fist made of fear and brutality. And now he had more to think about. Within a year's time, he'd be a father, and hopefully, he'd be a million times the father Jessop was to him.
Carter then paused and expelled a deep breath before speaking the one thought on my mind.
"I'm just thinking. If Jessop isn't Hush's father, who is?"
I was about to blurt out that maybe we were over thinking, and Hush was either adopted or maybe one of those people with those kind of faces. But then I quickly remembered that Carter was certain of the resemblance between Ezra and Hush. Maybe they were blood-related.
Question was, how? And who did who to pop Hush out?
"So, are you going to meet him?" Carter followed up, indicating the note.
"Of course. He's right but it isn't questions that I have. It's a proposal of sorts. Come with me and maybe you can ask him why he looks so much like Ezra."
"Funny, Beehive. What, should I just go up to him and ask, 'Ey, Blondie! Who's your daddy?'"
His retort made me laugh but it was cut short when he reached over me grabbing up the flash-drive, chucking it, and the slip of paper back into the larger envelope. "On a more serious note, are you giving the flash to my dad?"
I was considering to but not yet. Maybe when I had gone through it a second time and snipped off certain parts.
"Err..." I stuttered, wringing my hands together out in front of me.
Carter's confusion and disapproval washed over me, singing the air between us. I felt him grow angry, and for the first time in a while, it was actually directed toward me. Honestly, he hadn't been this angry with me since the day that meeting at Uncle Beckett's house had gone down where he was in strong disapproval over me contesting the commander rank.
"What 'err,' Beehive?" Carter snapped. "Don't you want Vince gone for good?"
More than anything! I just wanted that bastard out of my life. Away from my family and friends, and even further away from my mate.
But at what cost?
"I don't want you to get in trouble." I mumbled under my breath, refusing to meet his gaze as I shook my head. "You listened to the audio, so you know you're on it. I said your name, Carter. Hush said your name. And I don't want you getting in trouble because you killed a bunch of rogues trying to get me back. If they tie Teddy and Lyle's deaths back to you, you could be in serious trouble. I mean, there were signs of clear overkill from what Jax told me."
When finally, I managed to look him in the eyes, his gaze was soft, and a small grin played at his lips. Silently, he stepped forward and chucked the envelope back onto the dresser before cupping the sides of my neck, soothingly rubbing his thumbs against the underside of my ears just like how we'd always done to comfort the other.
"You worry over nothing, love." He kissed me gently on the lips. "The Council knows that for us werewolves, mates are sensitive issues, so they have to treat it differently. If I had gone on a rampage and killed those rogues in Pymbrooke for the hell of it, then yeah, I would be in a whole lot of trouble. I'd probably be sentenced for manslaughter. But the worst that will probably happen is that I have to commit time to a lengthy community service or something. A slap on the wrist and it's because of you."
He paused and shook his head, catching the expression on my face which pretty much told him that I wasn't as convinced as he'd hoped.
"Even the humans of the Council's board know that the mate bond isn't something fickle. It isn't something to be taken lightly and it's very different from building a relationship like humans would. Factor in the war those rogues started with us, and that Vince tried to kill you multiple times. I'm not going anywhere, Beehive."
I scrunched my nose. "You better not because if they throw you in jail, I'll be in the cell next to you."
Carter laughed, dropped his hands to my waist and pulling me closer so that he could give me a proper kiss, followed up with a butterfly kiss to my nose. "Maybe we could arrange it for us to be in the same cell. Wouldn't that be a fun sentence?" he commented, wriggling his eyebrows suggestively and making me laugh.
"I don't think prison would put two accomplices in the same cell, love."
"Maybe. But hey, hypothetically speaking if we do end up in jail, maybe we should get married."
Oi! Here, we go again.
"We are married, Carter." I deadpanned with an eyeroll, stepping out of his embrace, and moving over to the nightstand where his phone lay charging. I checked the time to see that it was minutes to eight in the morning.
Purchasing a new phone was on my 'to-do' list for the day. Mom had managed to retrieve the SIM and memory card from the last one that was obliterated when I lost it over grandpa's condition. She'd given it to me this morning after I'd woken up from the coma, making my job all the easier.
And speaking of jobs, maybe I should find myself one. Same old routine, I was starting to get bored.
"Well, yeah. But the town doesn't know it. I'm talking an actual wedding with a best man and everything. We'll find a pastor and rent a church for the day. Invite some people, order a cake, and hire a catering company. You know, the whole package with the vows, and wedding rings, and the marriage certificate." he rambled, making me smile in amusement as I watched him go on and on about wedding themes and whatever else.
Gods! I love him.
"Calm down, crazy pants. Ask me again in about six years."
Carter turned to look at me and grinned. "So, you are thinking of saying yes."
"I don't think we have a choice in the matter, babe." Besides, why on earth would I say no?
**
The hospital was our first stop.
Now that the Council in Jasper Falls had gotten those in the surrounding towns involved in the manhunt for the wanted rogues, including Vince, driving through that lonely stretch of road in Pymbrooke Creek was as easy as pie. Even the town, as broken down and a hovel of a place as it was, seemed to breathe easier and with new life and purpose now that the wanted rogues were in hiding and being pursued by law enforcement.
With Lukas' apprehension in Starlight City, and now that Tobias was headed to custody until his trial and hearing, things would be different now. Law enforcement would probably be able to crack down on crime in the area and control it so that large companies like Aegean Industries, and Vander Wal Technologies that was looking to invest and develop the town could break ground on those plans.
Jasper Falls was no different. Though there was a glum atmosphere hanging over the town with all the misfortunes that had befallen us, it was nowhere as oppressing as it had been the last number of months. It was lighter, and I had a feeling that Jasper Falls, Black Rock Canyon, and Blackwater would be able to bounce back.
The hospital, upon our arrival, was rowdy but not with the expected chaos of families wailing over the deaths of loved ones. Our packs had reached capacity and with too few pack doctors to oversee everyone severely injured in the attack, the pack doctors attended to the wolves with non-life-threatening injures while others were rushed to the hospital.
As Carter and I got Hunter's room information from the front desk, and proceeded to make our way through the hospital, some families were downtrodden with worry wondering if their loved ones would make full recoveries. Some wolves were being discharged, their families and friends carrying huge grins and a radiant aura surrounded them as they were able to take their recovered loved ones home.
A few of them, having spotted Carter and me, waved in greeting. It took longer than usual to get to Hunter's room as I'd stopped to speak with some of the pack members, informing them that until things were back to normal, I'd be functioning as their beta.
There was no opposition. Only gratitude and relief that they hadn't lost their beta, that the pack wouldn't be broken up with measures already being put in place to rebuild.
As temporary as it was, I was going to do my absolute best to help Jax rebuild Black Rock before Hunter woke up. It would be one less worry for him and who knows, if he did wake up at all, what would even be his condition?
When finally, we arrived at our destination within the building, we found Maia and Darcy seated on the cushioned chairs closer to the window. But that wasn't the only thing that greeted me as soon as we stepped across the threshold. Other than the two women and Hunter's comatose form, there was one other body in the room, decked out in black and leaning against the wall on the other side of the room. I recognized him as an elite warrior of Marcana.
I had noticed, scattered throughout the hospital, on the floors we passed through, and even around the building, were men and women dressed similarly, and all of them were warriors and elite warriors of ally packs. They had come through, realizing the importance of safeguarding Black Rock Canyon's alpha and luna.
There was also a frail scent in the air that I recognized right off the bat making me turn my attention to Maia who had paused her conversation upon our entry. She stood, brushing a stray lock of blonde hair out of her face, pulling the rose-coloured knitted cardigan closer around her stomach. My gaze lingered there with her approach.
"Carter. B. Nice of you to pop by." she greeted, giving us both a hug. "It's nice to see you up and about and healthy as ever." she stated with a smile, passing her thumb on my cheek before stepping away, the relief that I was standing before her, prominent in her gaze.
Maia was pretty close to Jax and me. Kind of like the big sister we never had. I remembered hearing how distraught she had been when I'd fallen into a week-long coma following the first attack on Black Rock. And even now, as I thought about it, I could remember her ceaseless worry and helplessness as she watched me spiral into complete and utter chaos, wishing she could do more to help.
But I hadn't let her. I'd pushed everyone away especially after those foul words Jax had screamed at me. It was probably the one thing I will never forgive, nor will I ever forget. His words had messed me up pretty badly, and even to this day, it still hurt thinking about it.
Glancing over to the person laid on the bed with an oxygen mask over his nose, a moment or two was spent in silence going over his condition.
His wounds, though not very severe, were healing slowly and maybe it was due to the fact that he and Maia hadn't consummated their bond for a few days. That was the most likely reason. His bruises were still showing, faded to a bluish-purple hue and would eventually go away altogether. His head was bandaged but his breathing was steady.
"So..." I started, turning back to Maia, and I knew Carter had also caught a whiff of the same scent. He stood next to me, with a raised eyebrow, eyes following her movements as she pulled the cardigan close as if discreetly protecting the area. "How far along are you and when were you going to announce it to the pack?"
Maia's face tinged red, and she looked away bashfully as a grin crept across my face. Maia rubbed at her stomach with a gentle smile. "About seven weeks. And we planned to do it this week but then..." she trailed off and I nodded in understanding. Placing my hand on her shoulder to make her look up, I gave her a hug.
"Congratulations, Maia. I'm sure Hunter's thrilled."
"Yeah..." Though she wore a smile, it didn't reach her eyes as she glanced back to her mate. I can't imagine how hard this must be for her. "I just want him to wake up and be alright." came her quiet voice, and anyone could hear how hard she tried to keep it steady.
"He will. He has every reason to wake up." Stealing a glance at Hunter's comatose form, an idea formed in my mind. "Maia, I know that you want to make the announcement with Hunter by your side, but honestly, I think the pack could use some good news. You should tell them so that even if Jax is currently holding down the fort, there won't be a wavering loyalty when Hunter wakes up. They'll know he has an heir and that Jax's position as alpha is only temporary. They'll swear their loyalty to you, Hunter, and the pup."
She nodded and smiled; her gaze teary. No doubt, over the predicament she had found herself.
"Maia, you're our luna. You need to be strong for the pack, and for Hunter. No matter what, Jax, I, Andre, and Alister will stand by you."
"I'll try. Thank you, B."
"Is there any change in his condition? What did the doctor say?" a voice boomed from the doorway making all of us look in that direction. Jax stood there, his face pinched tight with worry and trace amounts of fear that he tried desperately to hide away behind a mask of stoicism. Unfortunately, he wasn't doing a very good job in front of people who knew him well enough.
And he didn't look so good. His complexion was paler than usual, and under his eyes carried dark circles. His hair was dishevelled and unkempt and even his attempt at stoicism had severely failed him.
His behaviour was jittery. Unbecoming and rare of him.
Jax stepped further in and approached the bed, reaching out a hand and lightly pressing a hand against Hunter's. Almost as if he were seeking to reassure himself that Hunter was still alive by the warmth on his skin.
He then turned away and his fist clenched tightly with a subtle tremble. Even though he wanted no one to see, myself and Carter had picked up on his chemo signal.
Maia expelled a shaky breath, and her mother came up behind her, reassuringly patting the pregnant female's shoulders like a mom would. Maia took a moment to strengthen her voice.
"He's healing. But slowly since we haven't consummated our bond in a while. These last weeks have been pretty chaotic."
That's understandable. In the midst of all the trouble Tobias' rogue faction, and dear old dad stirred, consummating the mate bond wasn't at the top of everyone's priority list.
"Is his injury extremely severe?" Jax reiterated with an impatient edge to his tone. He glanced over his shoulder to where Maia was just in the corner of his vision. His question confused me momentarily, but I'm guessing that with Black Rock thrust into chaos, he had reassured himself that Hunter was okay so long as Maia was with him while he threw himself into looking after the pack.
For all I knew, today was probably the first time since the attack that he got a breather to visit Hunter.
Maia's lips trembled and she covered her mouth to steady the shaking, tears already brimming in her eyes when she looked away to her unconscious mate. It was heart-breaking to see her like this when she had always tried to be a firm pillar of support for the people she loved and cared for. This girl was falling apart at the seams and without having to question myself, I reached forward and pulled her into a hug.
Just as she had always tried to be there for me, even when I pushed everyone away, I'd be there for her too.
I held her, listening to her cry her heart out over the glum reality we were all faced. The fear of the unknown had returned, and honestly, every Black Rock wolf probably felt it to varying degrees, no one else more than the higher-ups who carried the weight of the pack's future on our shoulders. It was up to us to ensure that they were safe. That the pack had somewhere to call home, and to be reassured that their future would no longer be in jeopardy.
After a few minutes had passed by, Maia's crying had been reduced to sniffling.
Carter had taken to leaning against the wall where the Marcana warrior stood, quietly chatting with him. Jax had remained standing near the bed where his brother lay, breathing through an oxygen tube. Though he kept his emotions in check, and his expression mostly blank, there was definitely something off about his entire aura and the way he carried himself.
I cannot even imagine what he must be feeling right now but I could guess what he was thinking. The anniversary of his parents' death, and of Bentley's was only months away and it would make two years since we lost them. He was hoping with everything that he didn't lose Hunter, too because honestly, I don't think Jax would be able to handle burying another family member before he turned eighteen, even if his birthday were just days away.
Maia stepped out of my embrace and Jax moved away from the hospital bed. He gave a forced smile in greeting since his arrival. However, he quickly looked away and scratched at his nose, perhaps, not wanting me to see how void of hope he was quickly becoming.
It seemed as though I had more than the average job of a beta cut out for me. Jax needed my support as both his best friend and beta. With the uncertainty of what would become of Hunter hanging over our heads, he was already caught in a tug-o-war battle of having to align himself with all the responsibilities of an alpha whilst entertaining the possibility that Hunter may never wake up.
He was already entertaining the idea of permanently accepting the position as alpha.
We couldn't lose our alpha. Jax will not take well to it. He was already barely holding together as it is. He threw up a brave face that made everything look fine and dandy on the outside, but he was crumbling away on the inside and even that had begun to show itself.
"They said that given the head trauma, it's possible he might suffer a case of amnesia. They can't tell yet whether it's for good or if it'll only be temporary."
Maia ended her sentence with Jax's hasty retreat. Excusing myself from the room, I went after him with Carter following close by and we found him outside of the hospital, crossing the street toward the parking lot. His movements were frantic, and he was set on a power march toward wherever his car was parked.
"Jax!" I called, jogging the short distance to catch up with him.
"Not now, B! I need to be alone." Jax broke into a sprint rather suddenly, bolting through the parking lot, past rows of cars, building distance between himself and us. He disappeared after some time, his frame no longer visible among the many cars, but we followed to where we'd last seen him until we came across his metallic blue Prado.
Gasping sounds emanating from the driver's side met my ears prompting me to run around to the other side where Jax was on the ground, crawling away on his hands and knees. He crawled to a stop and plopped down, the gasping becoming louder and more frantic while tears began forming in his eyes that were wide with fright and panic. He scrubbed at them, rocking back and forth trying his hardest to regain control over quickly spiralling despair.
Before Carter could walk around to this side of the Prado, I gestured for him to stay back. Jax was in a volatile frame of mind right now, his emotions everywhere. Unlike minutes ago, when he appeared reserved and relatively well put-together, he wasn't holding back now. Everything he was feeling and had been feeling since the attack had come rushing to the surface over the news that Hunter would possibly suffer from amnesia upon waking up.
"Jax?" I called gently, warily moving closer and getting on a knee in front of him. Jax shook his head, full on crying now, and it was probably one of the most painful things to watch. The last time he'd been this broken about something was when Bentley had died. He'd wept more for my twin than he had done for his parents, or so it seemed. Perhaps then, it was the culmination of losing both his parents, and also his first mate that brought about a mental breakdown.
His chemo signals were all over the place and my experienced nose picked up on his most prominent emotions. Fear and despair.
"Jax, look at me."
He shook his head, curling further into himself, sobs taking over completely until there was no stopping it. It was good that he was finally letting it all out instead of always trying to be the image of strong and unfazed.
"Um..." came Carter's wary tone from the front of the Prado, and I glanced over to find him peeking around to where we were. "Can I do anything?"
"Get Asher on the phone." If he wouldn't listen to me then maybe hearing Asher's voice would break through and help calm him down. At this rate, he was driving himself closer to a full-blown panic attack. I knew from experience it was not a nice feeling.
"Jax, please listen to me." I started, the mild panic starting to set in when he refused to respond or react to my words. Moving closer, I gripped his shoulders lightly shaking him, hoping that he would look up. "You have to stop crying. Try and regulate your breathing or else you'll pass out. Jax!"
"I can't..." he stuttered out, his voice trembling, gaze downcast as he continued sobbing. The hyperventilating increased as he fell onto his side, gasping for air, teary eyes wide with fright.
"Shit! Jax, don't!" Moving over to where he'd fallen over, I grabbed his shoulders returning him to a sitting position, his head falling limply against my arm.
"I can't...I can't...breathe...B..."
This was so different than the last time. Before, he'd been under the influence of alcohol which prompted him to be so violent and out of control, with no lid on his mouth to filter what was appropriate to say and what would only succeed in further isolating him from everyone who tried to help.
Unlike before, he was sober, feeling the brunt of the pain, the fear, and the confusion. Suffice it to say, he had no idea how to deal with it.
"Beehive." Glancing over to Carter, he stood near my crouched form, phone in hand. Taking the device, I put it on speaker and quickly asked Asher to talk to Jax in hopes of stopping his panic attack.
"Jax, baby, I need you to calm down. Please listen to my voice and do exactly what I tell you." came Asher's voice from the other end of the line.
Before now, I was always the victim of a panic attack, and someone had been there to help me. I had little experience in helping someone overcome one. I only knew that the mate bond and being close to one's mate would have a faster effect that any other method we could try.
I could've probably slapped him hard enough, or even plugged his nose. That momentary lack of oxygen might've helped in curbing the panic but there was also the risk that it'd only escalate the panicked trance.
With Hunter already in a coma, I didn't need Jax falling unconscious and his body shutting down from stress.
Asher's voice was calm like a breath of fresh air, and the confidence in his tone said that this wasn't the first time he'd helped Jax overcome a panic attack. He was completely confident that his words would work.
"Remember those grounding techniques you told me about and how they worked when you tried it? I need you to use one of them. I want you to slowly rub your palms together and match your breathing to the rhythm. Can you do that for me, Jax?"
It took a few seconds but slowly, Jax responded, and he pulled his hands together. Leaning away from me and closing his eyes as he focused on controlling his breathing, matching it to the pace of movement he kept with his hands, just like his mate had suggested.
"Very good." Asher spoke again. "I can already feel you calming down."
When he said that, I immediately glanced over to Carter, the only thing jumping out at me in that moment was how amazing the mate bond was.
In the past, I used to consider that aspect of the bond to be a curse and a nightmare because even over a large distance, it wouldn't stop me from feeling Chester's betrayal. But now, I could appreciate it for what it was because it had allowed Carter to find me in Minerva. And just a single touch, or even just being near one another, caused our emotions to reach out to the other, mingle and soothe the other.
That was what was happening between Jax and Asher. Even though they were in different parts of the town, just hearing Asher's voice was pulling the reigns on Jax's emotions and subsiding his panic.
"Thanks, Asher. He's better now." I said into the phone.
"No problem, Bumblebee. Just, bring him back, please, and you assholes better have an explanation for this or so help me, I'll fucking rip you all a new one!" Asher thundered, and then paused. "I mean, after I make sure my baby's okay, of course. But still..."
Jeez...I can imagine that Jax has his hands quite full with this one. I mean, Bentley had his moments, but Asher Stone was a foul-mouth firecracker twenty-four seven.
"Gotcha, Firecracker. See you in a few."
I handed Carter's phone back and turned my attention to Jax's slumped form leaning against the side of the Prado, tears silently streaming down his face. Sensing my gaze on him, he blinked, and looked at me.
"I can't do this again, B. How am I going to explain this to JJ?" he swallowed, the sound audible even out here in the open parking lot with vehicles passing by on the street, driving in and out of the compound, and voices of people passing by. Jax shook his head.
"You know, it was hard enough watching him explain to her that mom and dad were never coming back. When I told her, I was going to see him this morning, she asked me if I was going to bring him home. How could I tell her that the next time she sees him awake, he might not recognize her? How do you explain that to a six-year-old, B? JJ's been through so much already...how..."
His voice trailed away, unable to handle much more. He was right, of course. JJ was only six, and she'd already seen her pack attacked countless times and its size continuously dwindle. She'd seen both her parents buried, and now, her pack was separated until further notice. She threw on a tough façade, making like she was the happy-go-lucky kind of kid when the truth was that her innocence, her childhood, was tainted black with pain, grief, death, and suffering. Even if she were too young to comprehend it, it had certainly affected her some way or another.
If Hunter's condition suddenly took a turn for the worst, I knew now for sure, that Jax would not cope. JJ would definitely act out as she'd always been closer to her brothers while their parents were busy being the best alpha and luna to Black Rock Canyon whilst ensuring that there was a strong bond between their children. Almost as if, all along, Joshua and Cate had been subliminally preparing them for the worst.
A life where Hunter would become alpha at a younger age than expected. One where Jax would be forced grow up and take on more responsibilities, not having to rely on Hunter. And one where JJ grew up without her parents.
Jax leaned forward, cradling his head in his palms. "And Maia...gods!" He snapped his gaze up to meet mine. "She's pregnant, B. How's she going to raise that kid without Hunter? If something happens to him, she could get sick and lose the pup. And the pack-"
"Hey, enough of that!" I scolded, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves, okay?"
"How are we going to bounce back without him?" He fumbled for words, shaking his head as fresh tears sprung to his eyes but did not fall. "I can't do this without him."
I completely understood his thinking. Jax wasn't even eighteen yet. He was still trying to figure himself out and what he wanted from life. Now, he was being forced to take on more responsibilities than he could've ever imagined. It had all happened without warning, so naturally, he felt cornered and lost.
"Jax, you're not alone. This isn't like last time where you could've pushed everyone away. Unlike that time, I'm here and I'm not going anywhere. I'm not letting you push me away, and nothing you say is gonna make me leave. You've got me, Andre, and Alister and we're going to help you rebuild Black Rock as best we can. And we don't know if Hunter's going to wake up and forget. For all we know, he could remember everything."
"Yeah, but what if he doesn't? What do we do then? How are we going to get through this?"
"You get through it together, duh!" Carter advised, leaving me a little taken back. While I knew he and Jax were on far better terms than before, I honestly didn't think much of it until now and the fact that they were both finally getting along, meant a lot to me.
Glancing over to my mate, his gaze was focused on me when he continued. "It's not wrong to expect the worst in cases like this. But it also never hurts to hope that things will turn out for the better."
Carter then slipped his gaze away from me. "You can't think so negatively, Jaxon. You don't want to end up comatose too, do you?"
Jax said nothing, just stared at the ground with a forlorn expression, shoulders drooped with an invisible weight. He quietly shook his head.
"Good." Carter encouraged. "Then look at the brighter things. Maia's pregnant and Black Rock Canyon will have an heir. The pack is slowly beginning to recover. Your pack members are leaving the hospital and returning to Marcana until renovations are complete, renovations which are already beginning. Even if Maia and Hunter can't physically consummate their bond right now, it doesn't mean her healing enzymes are useless. She can still mark him over and over again like she would an engagement mark. It may not be as powerful, but just even a little would help him heal faster."
I pursed my lips, glancing over to my mate in absolute awe. Regret filling me over telling him to ask me again in six years. I should've just said yes.
Carter never ceased to amaze me and just by his tone of voice, I knew he wasn't looking out for Jax simply because he knew our friendship meant a lot to me. He could be incredibly caring when he wanted...
And I think I just fell for him again.
Jax kept quiet for a few moments more before nodding slowly, having processed, and understood Carter's words, accepting that in bleaker times, it was the good moments and the people around us that got us through.
"You're right. I don't have any time to sulk. There's things we have to do."
"Well..." I started, "nobody ever said don't sulk. Just, too much might not be healthy." Jax chuckled at my words, his reaction making me grin since his mood had been improved even just a little. "Are you going back to the beach house, now?"
Jax wiped away the stray tears attempting to appear more presentable and not like he'd had a panic attack only moments ago. Even though it was probably best he got back to the beach houses, not only for safety purposes, but also so that Asher didn't go crazy and beat everyone into a pulp, I did need to run something by him, beta to alpha.
He'd told me that so long as he knew of how I intended to execute his orders, he'd never be in opposition. For that matter, I intended to honour that and keep nothing from him, as a beta, or a best friend.
"Not particularly. I'm still thinking of what to say to JJ. Do you need something?"
"Hush left something at the manor for me." I informed, drawing Jax's full attention to me, a change in attitude coming down over him as he turned his head toward me. "Evidence that we can use against Vince. I want you to take a look at it. Hush also knew that I may have concerns and he left a note saying where and when to meet up."
Jax nodded slowly, carefully considering my words, the gears in his head turning as a calculative expression came over his face. He flicked his gaze over to me. "And do you have any...concerns?"
"Not necessarily concerns."
"Questions, then?"
I scrunched my nose. "Yes, and no. It's really a proposal of sorts."
Jax was clambering up the side of the Prado by then, standing on his two feet as he cast me a look that was a cross somewhere between sceptical and uncertain. I rolled my eyes at that. Seriously, I wasn't cooking up some evil overlord master plan.
Just thinking outside the box of the usual law enforcement.
"What're you planning?"
"I going to ask Hush to hop on our little team. He might be a rogue, but if anyone knows the county, bet your ass it's a rogue."
"Beehive?" Carter called, and I glanced over to find him watching me with a raised eyebrow. "What makes you think he'll even help?"
I smirked. "That's why it's called a proposition." I turned to look at Jax again. "Come with us. We're meeting him in a while."
"Where to?" Jax queried.
I expelled a deep breath. "Our old territory."
**
The wind blew softly with a distant, silent howl, kicking up fallen dried leaves, pushing along empty plastic bottles and snack wrappers left behind from loiterers and stragglers who had wandered through in the past months. Charred wood, chipped and peeling paint, rusted rickety iron gates and fences clinked noisily against the light breeze.
Once well-maintained yards dotted and decorated with pretty flowering plants and trees were now overrun and overgrown, home to waist-high weeds and brush. Wild vines had taken root, climbing, and twisting over iron, wood, and wire, gates, and fences, creeping up columns, pillars, over balconies and stairways, stretching over walls like long, eerie, tapered fingers, cracking windows open. Doors were becoming rotted and undone from it hinges faced up against sun and rain, not a lick of maintenance. They creaked and groaned, some others that had been left open knocked against the hinges and doorframes in a continuous, eerie tempo.
We had parked our cars just a short distance from Black Rock's old burial ground, at the last house before we had to turn down the street to where the cemetery was located. Upon our arrival, as usual, the pack's old territory was more eerie than its usual ghost town vibe and appearance. At the last house, we saw a Harley-Davidson parked there and right away, knew that Hush had already arrived.
"Yeesh!" Carter exclaimed as we passed by the old tool shed that had the door wide open, the inside of the shed completely dark. "As if this place wasn't creepy enough to look at, add some breeze and make the place make noises. All I need now is to look at window and find some scary old lady or some kid staring back." Carter shuddered as we approached the entryway of the gate to the cemetery.
The rusted, iron bolt of the gate clinked and creaked as it knocked back against the bars.
"Oh..." Jax drawled lamely. "I forgot B mentioned how much of a wuss you are."
"You, shut up. Come at me when you can walk down the stairs properly." Carter snapped, eliciting a chuckle from me.
"You started it." Jax shrugged in return as we crossed the gate's threshold and into the old cemetery. Most of the graves were covered in vines and tucked away behind overgrown grass. Only a few saw a lick of maintenance and those graves mainly consisted of the wolves Black Rock had lost in the very first attack.
From beside me, Jax expelled a shaky breath and I glanced over to find him standing taller, shoulders squared as a mask of stoicism suddenly came down over his face. This was probably the first time in months that he'd been back here, and I can only guess what thoughts were running through his mind.
Especially when he turned his head and gazed off across the cemetery toward the plot of land where my brother was buried. Then, he looked off elsewhere to where his parents' graves lay side by side. His Adam's apple bobbed, and his shoulders drooped for a moment.
"Are you going to be okay, Jax?"
He didn't respond right away, gaze cast to the ground and flitting over the grass beneath our feet. Jax turned to look at me giving a tight-lipped smile, a stark contrast to his next words.
"Yes."
"Hey, people." Carter's voice suddenly piped up, capturing our collective attention as we glanced over. My mate gestured to somewhere off in the distance with a nod of his head. "He's over there."
Expelling a deep breath, I nodded over to Jax silently confirming whether or not he'd be fine walking through the cemetery because we'd have to pass by Chester and Bentley's graves in order to meet with Hush. He returned the gesture.
We crossed the distance between us and where Hush stood several gravestones away, further inside the cemetery closer to a tree. We weaved around gravestones and carefully navigated the grounds to avoid stepping onto the graves of our fallen comrades and disrespecting the dead lest Carter had a heart attack because we disrupted the eternal slumber of the souls resting here.
Hush was tall for a male politically labelled as a 'sub' in our culture although with each passing generation, those terms were becoming more and more redundant when we had subs like Asher Stone who could probably go head-to-head with an alpha-ranked dominant and probably win. Hush was almost as tall as Asher, if not an inch or two taller. His was easily six foot solid, on the leaner side and I'm guessing that only enhanced his ability to be so brutal and agile in combat since that allowed him to move faster.
Decked out in all black, if it hadn't been for the head of blonde hair sitting atop his head, he could easily scare someone given his statue stance.
Who am I kidding? This guy made me incredibly uneasy. His reputation as a rogue was enough to make anyone uneasy especially when he was pretty much an assassin for hire and if someone with enough cash wanted me dead, he'd no doubt betray Colton.
As we approached Hush's statue frame, his hands tucked into the pockets of his black leather jacket, my gaze flitted lower to the headstone he stood in front of, dashing over the words engraved there.
In loving memory of Aurora Summers.
Daughter. Sister.
1994-2018.
I remembered her. She was one of the Black Rock wolves who had died in the second raid but since generations of her family had been born and raised and buried in Starlight City, out of familial tradition, her family had had her body transported back here and buried. She was killed three months shy of her twenty-fourth birthday. Had she survived, she would've probably been entering her final year of her studies to become a doctor.
I remember that she'd been gone for a while at one point, following the first attack. Nobody had really spoken of it and her parents had refused to disclose anything to a lot of people and I hadn't cared to query about her absence or the fact that she'd disappear for weekends at a time.
"Did you know her?" Jax spoke up first, slicing the silence surrounding us finally jolting Hush out of whatever trance he was caught in. For someone as alert and astute, the fact that he jumped and hadn't heard us approach indicated that maybe he did know Aurora.
Hush nodded his head slowly, still caught in some kind of daze. "Yes. But enough about me." And just like that, he was back to the person we had known as he turned to look at us, face like a mask of stone and silverish eyes cold and void of emotion.
"Since you showed up..." he paused and flitted a blank stare from Jax and then to my mate, before returning to me, "not without company but nonetheless, I'm going to hazard a wild guess that you have something to say to me."
I scoffed. "Granted, I have nothing but respect for your skills but you're still difficult to understand. You were working for Tobias, maybe, but that didn't stop you from accepting Colton's request to make sure I didn't die in this war. The Council knows next to nothing about you, only that you are a rogue and extremely dangerous. Quite possibly high-born. We've had enough close calls, but you didn't kill me. You did, however, help in my kidnapping but then went onto aid in my escape. You all too conveniently dropped evidence in my possession that could put Vince and Tobias away for a very long time if they aren't executed."
Crossing my arms over my chest, I kept my expression blank, much like how Hush did except, he let slip a smirk of amusement. The corner of his mouth curled ever so slightly for a fleeting second that it was easy to escape one's notice.
"And now you're here. Not because you wanted to use it as a meeting point but because it has something to do with her." I stated, indicating the grave of Aurora Summers with a nod of my head. Hush glanced to gravestone and for all of a heartbeat, his stoic expression fell and gave way to a full-fledged smile.
But it wasn't out of amusement or happiness. It was the type of smile you forced yourself to give in the face of tragedy.
"What is your endgame?"
"She is part of the reason I'm doing any of this." Hush replied quietly and his tone shocked me slightly. It resonated with a familiar type of grief.
"She was your mate, wasn't she?" Jax queried and once again, Hush nodded. Upon his confirmation, unconsciously, and without meaning to, I glanced over to Carter who shifted closer to me and placed his hand at the small of my back.
"I'm sorry." I said after a moment or two of silence had passed. To some degree, each of us could understand Hush's pain, but none, more so than Jax.
I once loved Chester and had grown to hate him. Of course, it hurt when he was taken away from me before I'd had a chance to prove my worth to him. To show him that I wasn't weak and despite what he thought, and what my sister would've said, I wasn't like that.
Carter had lost me, but thank the gods, I hadn't stayed dead.
Jax was the only other one here who had buried a mate he loved more than anything and was forced to find a way to move on.
"I can tell you loved her a lot."
"But wait!" Jax piped up, a frown forming on his face. "If that's the case, how come he's not dead? It's been a while since that attack and technically, he should've gone raging mad by now and at least gotten himself killed. And yet..." Jax finished his mini rant, gesturing toward Hush.
"Not if they didn't consummate the bond. Like how you still lived after Bentley." Carter pitched in.
Meanwhile, my eyes had gone wider than saucers from absolute horror.
"Guys..." I started hoping to nip this rather inappropriate conversation in the bud before it was too late. I mean, did they realize who were standing in front of? If they said anything remotely offensive, Hush could literally kill us!
We're standing in a fucking cemetery in front of the grave of his deceased mate and they're talking about it like if they were discussing Avengers: Endgame easter eggs!
Please don't tell me this is the day I die because these morons couldn't shut up.
Jax crossed his arms over his chest. "It's possible. I mean...he is a rogue."
Oh, my gods! Smite me where I stand.
"What exactly are you implying?" Hush returned, drawing their collective attention while I froze. "That just because I live the status of a rogue, I can't provide a stable lifestyle?"
Oh shit.
"No, no! Not at all!" Carter jumped in waving his hands about as if trying to diffuse a lead up to a possible triple homicide. "Let me rephrase. Basically, what this idiot is trying to say is that you're an assassin. A contract killer and that kind of lifestyle is not really...family friendly."
"Right." Hush drawled, flickering his steely silver eyes between my dumbass best friend and my idiotic mate, obviously amused by their bickering. "Well, Aurora and I did consummate our bond with a very small wedding to boot."
Fish. Hook.
"Ah-ha!" Jax blurted. "Then how come you're still sane?"
Reel.
"You are sane, aren't you?" Carter followed up uneasily.
I wonder if there are anymore shovels in the tool shed by the gate?
"That depends on how you define sanity." Hush returned, smiling in amusement almost like he was arguing with a five-year-old.
"I define it as being in a rightly-thinking frame of mind. How do you define it?" Carter returned.
"It doesn't matter." Hush replied with a smirk that made Jax and Carter step back. Hush chuckled. "Do you two always go off on a spiel like this about dead mates?"
"No...we're just trying to figure you out. You're not exactly an easy person to read." Carter replied making me shake my head.
"Enough!" I blurted then, having heard enough of these buffoons chattering and possibly drawing us closer to an early death. This guy has come pretty close to killing me before and that was when he wasn't even trying. I'd hate to find out what'll happen if he actually wanted me dead.
"Listen," I started as Jax, and Carter quieted down allowing me the chance to get the conversation back on track to what we had initially come here for. "I still don't know what your end goal is, and Colton might trust you, but you've got a long way to go before you gain mine. However, you want Tobias and Vince gone as much as we do and that works for me. So, I have a proposal for you. A favour to ask and we'll call it even and say we owe you one."
Hush said nothing. He flitted his gaze from Jax, then to Carter, and finally back to me. By his silence and that he didn't look elsewhere, it gave the indication for me to continue.
"You probably already know that Tobias is in custody. Vince, along with the ten other Black Rock rogues that left with him are also in the wind. Since there isn't much of a record of you, it's safe to assume you were born and raised a rogue, so you more than likely know rogue territory. Help us track them down."
"What makes you think I have the resources?"
"You don't expect me to believe that you don't have friends? Rogues don't stay in one place for very long if they have enemies. The Council's gotten everyone on board with this search so they'll probably stay far away from commercial areas owned by packs in the surrounding towns, and they'll lay low. However, they won't stay put for long which is why we have to move quickly."
"And if I choose not to help more than I've done?"
I scoffed. "Then we owe you nothing."
Hush shrugged. "I didn't kill you. Surely, that counts for something."
I shook my head. "That was what you were hired to do. Besides, we'll both benefit from this favour." I paused for a moment remembering what he'd said about his mate and that she was part of the reason for his involvement.
That was one thing that had puzzled me at first but just adding two and two together painted a very different picture. Hush was a skilled warrior and pretty much considered an assassin of sorts. He was tough and fearless and if he wanted revenge for his mate's death, it would have taken him nothing to kill off Tobias or Vince.
He was playing at something bigger. Plus, he clearly loved Aurora yet hadn't gone insane after her death which tells me that he has something to protect.
"Help us track them down and I'll vouch on your behalf for whatever it is you want. Aurora is only one part of your revenge. So, what do you say?"
Hush chuckled. Glancing over to Jax and Carter, they both shrugged. Because there was little, we knew about him, we couldn't exactly guarantee we'd won this negotiation.
"You talk a tough a bargain, Beta Reid." Hush returned, earning himself a sharp glare. No doubt he'd heard about that since it was no longer a secret about Black Rock's new, hopefully temporary, hierarchy.
And I've got plans, so, I hope the survivors of Black Rock Canyon are ready for a new kind of rule.
"How can you be confident that you're able to deliver on that?"
I smirked at that. "Well," I drawled, "if you give me an idea, I'd be able to make good on your behalf. So, what is it that you want, Atkinson?"
Hush laughed and shook his head before turning to look at each of us in turn. "You said it yourself, we're on the same side. You'll find out soon enough."
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Le me after dropping a new mystery:
Hush:
The Fandom: