"Rose," I heard behind me.
I was in the hallway getting ready to go to train a little since dinner was already over, but the voice stopped Jackson, Olive, and I from going to my room to change.
Because the only people I seem to be able to be friends with are kids.
But I wasn't complaining.
I turned around to Alex, "Yes?" I asked carefully.
I haven't spoken to him since the whole bed scandal.
People could only imagine how hard it was for me to ignore his piercing gaze during dinner.
He walked up to all three of us.
Olive giving Alex a sweet smile, Jackson giving him his daily glare, and me trying my hardest not to squirm.
"It's finished," he told me taking out his hand to give me something.
I carefully brought my hand out and Alex dropped a familiar necklace onto my hand.
"Maria's necklace, it's fixed," I said astonished.
"What?" I heard Jackson beside me. He probably heard me say his mother's name.
I showed Jackson the necklace and he stared at it with wide eyes.
"How?" he asked grabbing the necklace with caution.
"I..." I thought about it for a while and decided it was best I tell him the truth, "I asked Alex to fix it for you."
With that, his eyes darkened, "Seriously?"
Crap.
"Come on Jackson," I said trying my hardest for him not to start a scene, "He is the only one who can fix it, he is an Alpha. Only Alphas can fix Luna necklaces," I told him.
He quickly put the necklace in his pocket. With narrowed eyes, he walked in front of Alex.
Jackson I am going to beat the crap out of you if you start anything with him.
Don't. Be. A. Damn. Idiot.
He looked up at Alex with a strong posture, only seen in people with a high status.
Sometimes I forget Jackson has status because he never shows it around me (just how I don't do the same) but clearly he was showing it now.
Jackson took out his hand forcefully.
"Thank you."
My eyes widened.
What the hell did Jackson just say?
I looked to see what Alex's reaction was and unlike me, he was calm. Copying Jackson, Alex pulled his hand out and shook Jackson's eleven-year-old hand.
"Your welcome. It was my duty to make my guest happy," he gave me a side glance, "And my mate," he added.
I turned away with a blushed face. Which made me face Olive, who had a knowing look on her face.
Damn it.
She starting wiggling her eyebrows a little and it was making me blush more than I could ever imagine.
"Where are you three headed?"
I swallowed nervously and turned back to Alex, hopefully, my face was back to its normal color. "We are going to go change real fast, I am going to go train Jackson."
Alex raised an eyebrow, "Train? Why are you only training now?"
Before I could answer, Olive jumped in. "Jackson can shift now! Isn't that awesome!" she smiled brightly, this girl was just the cutest thing ever.
"I can't wait till I can shift," she sighed as she was probably imagining how it would be like, "Do you think my wolf would look like yours Alex? I wish that it isn't spotted on the bottom, like Roy's. I like yours Alex, I hope mine turns out like yours," she looked up to Alex with a hopeful look.
I saw something flash through Alex's eyes but I didn't mention it. Maybe a question for later.
He gave Olive a forced smile, "Yes, I bet your wolf would be just like mine. And maybe just a little bit more appealing."
His joking around was pretty sweet to see, almost making me ignore the fact that he was finding something from Olive.
"Duh," she said amusingly, "Well anyway we need to get going I want to go see--"
Out of nowhere the lights went out.
"What the--"
I was interrupted by a loud noise and red flashing lights coming from the lamps at the corner of the hallway.
"Alex."
"Rose."
"Olive."
We were all panicked.
I tried catching an eye for Alex who I could hardly see with the flashing red lights, "What's happening?" I asked.
"We're being attacked!" I heard someone yell from outside, followed by some bloodcurdling screams.
...no.
No. No. No. Not again, why does this have to happen!?
"Jackson get over here!" I yelled through the alarm. Immediately I felt Jackson come close to me and I grabbed onto his shoulder. I even felt Olive right next to him and held on to her too.
They were both breathing hard. No matter how much I could feel Jackson trying to calm his breathing he just couldn't, neither could I.
Because we were both re-living our nightmare.
"Olive, guide Rose and Jackson to the safe house. I'll go get you three when everything is clear," Alex yelled.
He's leaving us?
"Alex, your not coming?" I asked frantically.
"I'm the Alpha, I have too," he said like it was the simplest answer.
I knew Alex would do anything to keep this pack his. Neither Roy nor Daniel could become the Alpha, and everyone knew it. Alex was the best this pack has, as weird as it may be, I was starting to understand why Alex wanted to knock me up so badly.
Knock me up, secure his line.
Strange but understandable, this pack meant everything to Alex. You could just tell.
Soon the alarms got louder, "Olive, take them now!" Alex ordered his little sister.
She didn't need to be told twice, she grabbed us both and shot forward.
I don't think I've ever seen her run so fast in my life, but I couldn't be happier.
We were all the way to the basement when we reached a tunnel at the side on the wall that had been blocked with boxes.
"What is this?" I asked Olive who walked in without a care.
She didn't look up. "A tunnel to the safe house," she said with a plain tone.
I was going to try to comfort her, try anything to make her feel better. But she jogged in the tunnel before I could.
Jackson ran inside after her and I covered the tunnel with the boxes.
But as I was doing so, something came to mind.
What would Maria think about me leaving my mate?
A mate wouldn't leave a mate behind.
I looked at the box in my hand and hesitated. Even if I didn't love Alex, I still felt something. It was small but still there, and I should at least be a little nice about it.
"Rose?"
I turned around and saw Jackson behind me, watching me with a questionable look. And right behind him, about 4 yards away, was a shaking Olive.
"Jackson, I have to go with him," I said giving him a sad look.
Without hesitation, his emotion turned into shock. "Rose! What the hell are you thinking!?"
I let go of the box and grabbed Jackson's shoulder. "I know you want to protect me Jackson. I understand how it feels to want to protect someone but you are too weak to do so," I said looking straight to his eyes.
He knows about Sophie, he knows how I let her down. And he knows I wake up every day constantly thinking that I will do the same thing to him.
"You know I'm weak Jackson, I can't bear to see you go. Sophie, she could have become someone, she had her whole life ahead of her. If only--" I looked away not wanting to think more about it, "But you Jackson," I turned back. "I know you can survive, with or without me. You're a fighter, a strong one at that. But right now I'm not the one you should be protecting," I said as I made a slight glance at Olive who was rubbing her arms, waiting for us to follow her.
Even if she was scared and probably wanted to get as far away from here as possible, she still waited for us.
Jackson turned to Olive and understood what I was trying to say, "Protect her."
I stood up and let go of his shoulder.
"Run as far away from here as possible, you understand?" I asked Jackson.
"I understand!" He yelled as he ran forward grabbing Olive's hand during the process. Hand-in-hand the two ran off into the tunnel.
For the first time ever, Jackson let go of me without arguing.
He's growing up.