Chapter Twelve
Jackson Blake's POV
My head can't wrap around it. I've been lay in a spare room staring at the ceiling for hours, my brain unable to compute what I've been told. I need to see it to believe it. But if I saw it would I believe my own eyes? Would I think I'm hallucinating? How do you fathom something unfathomable?
I stalk the lonely corridors, the night looms over the castle, rooms locked for the evening as people sleep behind them. Can you even call them people? I find myself drifting to the library, the crack beneath the door glowing, an indication someone's still awake. As I creek open the door, the same old man stands in the middle of the room, a book pressed against the now fixed glass table as he skims the pages.
"I was waiting for you to come back," he announces, his eyes never once lifting from the book, his voice echoing as he disturbs the crisp silence.
"I have some questions," I state warily. He nods for me to come forward, closes the book as his eyes stray towards me.
"I figured as much. After everything you've been told I'd be surprised if you didn't at least have one question." You can hear the amusement in his tone, his classes are perched on the tip of his nose and a slight smirk raises the corners of his lips.
I step forward, preparing to ask my first question. "If humans all have dormant wolves, how do we get them back?"
"If someone has a dormant wolf, they need to be woken again. You know that voice in your head? The one that answers you back, generates your thoughts, the one you might refer to as your sub-conscience? Well, that voice is your wolf, and if strong enough, there is a chance we can get them back. But only an Alpha can give you that option back, they're the only wolves whose bite is strong enough to call back to your wolf and bring them out from hiding. Only their bite has the right chemicals to shock your wolf back into your mind. Only they can sense whether your wolf still lurks beneath the surface. That is why you were chosen to be part of the Fraternity," he declares.
"Wait so what your saying is the Fraternity is just a front to get humans to become wolves again?" I suggest.
"Absolutely, it's the whole purpose of the Fraternity. A few hundred years after people had started suppressing their wolves, our numbers were declining, so to avoid extinction, we had to recruit. It's true that many wolves find their mates as human and bring them to the castle to be transformed. However, the number of humans vastly outweigh the number of wolves. We have to sustain our numbers. This is why once you're in, you can never leave," his ominous word linger and I shiver slightly.
"So the bite on my neck, why hasn't that changed me?" I ponder.
"The mark on your neck is not a mark of transition, it's the mark of a mate, they're very different. The mark of a mate can be done at any time, but the mark that will transition you must be done on a full moon. It typically isn't done on the neck, although there are no rules against it," he affirms. "However, your transition should not be your biggest worry, the new moon is coming," his tone forbidding.
"What does that mean?" Unsure of whether I want to hear the answer.
"You must mate with Alpha Slater on the new moon, if not, his wolf will go mad and it's unlikely he will survive," he explains bluntly and it took me back. His voice is dark, the hint of sadness shining through as he recalls Slater's animosity to the idea. If I don't mate him he'll die?
"Mate? As in, have sex with him?" My face must be a picture as he nods, the blood draining from my face. I have to fuck Slater? The day couldn't get any wilder. He's destined to love me and now I have to fuck him. And I don't even get a chance to think about it? Yes, I've wanted to, ever since that night in his office, but I never thought it would be a reality.
"The new moon is tomorrow Jackson. I told you we were short on time," he mutters, his voice low and sympathetic. So I have to have sex with him tomorrow or what? I indirectly kill him?
My mind was fogged, cramped with thoughts of wolves, packs and mates. But most important, stinging with the thoughts of Slater. I couldn't take anymore, I bid farewell to the wise old man, my questions answered and yet I don't feel satisfied. I feel anxious and fearful. I can only hope when my head hits the pillow, I'll wake up and this will all be a dream.
~
It wasn't a dream. I woke up staring at the same castle walls. Whether it was pending doom or pending pleasure, I wasn't sure, all I knew is that tonight I was going to have Slater Devor balls deep inside me.
I woke to find shopping bags covering the floor at the foot of the bed. Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Ralph Lauren, Tom Ford and Dior. He's bought me designer clothes? As I peer inside, there are clothes and shoes all...my size? They must be for me. Who else would they be for? I've never owned a designer brand in my life. Everything I've owned before coming to LA has been hand-me-downs or charity shop purchases. It feels surreal to even hold one of these brands, never mind owning one.
I pull the clothes from the bags, organising them into the wardrobe to keep the room neat. I chose to wear a burgundy shirt and some grey shorts, nothing too fancy. The fabric feels silkier against my skin, but it might just be the brand going to my head. I doubt it feels any different to any other item of clothing. I wander the halls, finding the sweet smell of pancakes in the air and the saltiness of what I presume is bacon. I find myself in a grand dining area, it's like a fancy restaurant. There are counters lining the centre with large plants and different ranges of food. Off to the right, the kitchen sits, large mental appliances which are separated by a counter with trays of hot food.
"Morning," a lady says as she approaches me, her eyes unable to help themselves as she glances at my mark. "Breakfast won't be served for another 15 minutes sir, but I'm happy to tell the chef's you're ready..." she trails off, waiting for my response.
"Um, no, I'm happy to wait," I mutter out and she nods, guiding me to a grand table off to the left.
"You will sit at the top, next to the Alpha, he's usually late but the other guests will accompany you shortly," she informs me before returning to her duties. I'm left to my own peace, a slight clanging in the background as the chefs continue preparing the remaining food.
It's not long before guests are arriving, I feel slightly awkward being caught sitting alone. They each bow their heads and take their seats. A familiar faces steps in, his eyes peer over to me and he swiftly steps forwards toward me.
"Good morning," Samuel's voice hums as he takes a seat to the right of where Slater would sit. My eyes gazing at him, it must feel like I'm burning holes into his forehead. "You don't have to stare, if you have a question you can ask me," he mutters, his eyes fixed to the menu in front of him. He didn't even need to look up to know I was staring.
"I don't have a question, I'm just surprised to see you here," I respond, my eyes moving from his and down to the menu. Soon enough the table fills as it reaches 10 AM, but just as the lady had said, Slater's late. The food is yet to be served, evidently expectant of Slater's late arrival. As he steps in, the room's chatter ceases. His eyes meet mine, they're dark and cold as usual, his muscles moving beneath his dress shirt as he strides towards me. He takes his seat beside me, his cologne reaching my nostrils and his warmth radiates towards my skin.
The servers bring out our food but I pay no mind as I glance towards the man next to me, thinking about the night that lies before us. Is it bad that I want him now? The nerves and doubt disappear now he's next to me and all I want is to feel his body against mine.
"Eat," he scowls as he snaps me from my gaze. Thankfully nobody is paying me any mind, their focus firmly on their plates as they chatter amongst themselves. My cheeks are warm from embarrassment at being caught, but I shake it off and turn to my food. The food is delicious, the textures and taste so perfect, it's as though it was prepared by God himself. Or Goddess I suppose...I dare not to speak to Slater, the fear of him getting angry and embarrassing me too hot on my mind to contemplate it. As we finish, Slater stands to depart the dining room. "Come," he mutters as he starts to walk away. What am I, a dog now?
But alas, I do as I'm told and follow the muscular back as he traipses through the corridors. As we reach the top of the castle, we enter a room, the smell of Slater overwhelms the room and it makes me dizzy with pleasure. The door closes softly from behind me. Slater moves past me, his eyes glance at me as he towers over my build. "He's told you then?" he asserts.
"Am I meant to believe it?" I raise my brow at him. "That everyone here are wolves? That you're destined to fall in love with me? That you have to fuck me tonight?" I chuckle. "If you wanted to fuck me so badly you could have just asked, you didn't need to make up some stupid elaborate lie. I must congratulate you for getting so many in on it though. That can't have been easy," I laugh.
His stare is pointed, it's blank and unreadable. He starts to pull off his shirt, his chest naked, tattoo litter across him which only adds the dark and mysterious persona. Then go his pants. He wants to have sex now? I can feel the nervous panic build inside me, as he stands only in a pair of briefs and I can't help my arousal. I shift my feet in angst, but nothing could have prepared me for what happened next.
His bones crack as they dislocate under his skin, his pores widen as thick black coarse hair sprouts from them, his face becoming misshaped and distorted. "What the fuck." I shout as my back hits the back of the wall, disbelief written across my face. Within ten seconds, a giant wolf stands on four legs in front of me. Its nose is wet, its paws tap against the tiled floors as it stalks towards me. "Holy shit, please don't hurt me. Please don't hurt me!" I beg as he snarls at me, his teeth vicious and I know with a single bite he could have my throat out. He moves closer, his nose sniffing my stomach and chest and that's the last I remember before the darkness closes over my eyes and I pass out onto the floor.