Axil threw a stack of deep blue clothes at me. "Put that on."
I picked up the human-sized robe. I narrowed my eyes at the werewolf. Why hadn't he gotten this for me weeks ago? Lifting up the other item, I wasn't too sure about the weird skirt. I glanced at Axil. He wasn't paying me much attention as he changed his clothes.
Pulling on the embroidered skirt, I was not impressed. This was way to free for me. I noticed Axil watching me and grabbed the robe with a silver design running along the edges. Sitting down on the bed, I gripped my knees. Every time we went somewhere I ended up being bedridden the next day. I was worried this might end the same way.
"Jedrek, come here."
I glanced over my shoulder. Axil wore a skirt and robe of the same make as mine. I stood and went to him. He lifted up a pendant with a blue diamond in the middle and put it around my neck.
I swallowed hard. "Where are we going?"
He lifted my chin and put another short chain with diamonds embedded throughout it on me. "Let me see your hand."
I held out my right one. He slid a ring onto my finger.
Axil turned my head from side to side. "Go to the bathroom and put some water on your hair." He turned back to his jewelry stand.
He was really making me nervous. I went to do as I was told. After closing the bathroom door, I went to the sink and worked some work through my hair. I glanced at the massive ring on my finger. Why was he dressing me up? My heart was beating so fast. I wanted to know what was going on. All of this seemed too formal. I patted my hair down. What if he was introducing me to the pack? We weren't mated yet. The alpha might force Axil to do it. I clutched the counter. I'd fight him. I'd fight him to the very end, but I was still scared. I couldn't win against a werewolf. I didn't feel like I was a small man by any means, yet Axil tossed me around like I weight the same as Jax.
"God." I sat on my heels and told myself to calm down. I'd be okay. I had fought to survive up to this point and nothing was going to change that.
The door opened. I snapped upright and turned to face him.
"Much better." Axil waved for me. "Let's go."
I left the bathroom. "Where are we going?"
"Come along." He led the way out of the bedroom to the elevator.
"Axil." I stepped inside and stood beside him as the guard pressed the button for the parking garage. "Where are we going?"
He folded his arms. "To see my cousin."
"Cousin?" I peered up at him. "What is all this for, though?" I lifted my arms. "Axil, just tell me."
He didn't. He just stood there. The doors parted and I was quickly ushered into the waiting car.
I sunk into the seat and folded my arms. "Why aren't you tell me? Are you taking me to the alpha? Going to make a public spectacle as he injects me with toxins again? Or is the patriarch going to do it this time?"
Axil sighed and rubbed his forehead. "We're going to your brother's First Appearance."
"My brother? Jax?"
"My mom said they were waiting until he was able to walk and stand on his own."
"Jax is walking." I shook my head in disbelief. "Oh my god." I covered my mouth. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"I didn't know how you'd react. I was trying to avoid another one of your tantrums."
I turned toward the window. My stomach sunk. How was Jax going to respond when he saw him? Our mom and dad might be there as well. I leaned over my knees and put my head in my hands.
"See," muttered Axil. "This is what I wanted to avoid."
"I don't want to talk about it," I stated.
"Fine by me."
What was I going to do? My last memory of my mother was her screaming at me. I left my brother, I abandoned my family. "Take me back." I sat up. "I don't want to go."
Axil grumbled to himself. "Too late. You're going."
"You have no idea what I've done! Take me back."
He leaned across the car, making me sink into the corner. "I don't care. You're going. You have a few hours to mentally prepare yourself because not even faking sick is going to get you out of this."
***
(Jax)
I untied the ribbon to the box Max had brought me. Taking off the lid, I looked down at the white silk robe with dark red trim. Designs had been embroidered around the edge.
I lifted it up and held it to my chest. "It's beautiful."
Max grinned. "All the design work was done by hand."
I swung it around me and put it on. "It feels very werewolf like," I laughed. "Human's never wear anything like this."
"We brought back some older traditions that died out. We wanted to differentiate yourself after the war."
I ran my hands down the fabric. "It's the most elaborate thing I've ever worn."
Taking out the matching skirt, I held it to my waist. I put it on and felt so official. I had seen Max wearing similar outfits to big meetings and events. It was fun to get to do the same.
"I have something else." He hurried off to his office and returned with two packages. "This is from my parents." He gave me the bigger one. "And this one is from my aunt and uncle."
Sitting down, I unwrapped the larger one and was shocked by the necklace inside. I ran my finger over the large diamond encased in gold at the bottom of the chain. "This is too much."
"It's time to start your own private collection."
Opening the alpha's gift, I didn't know how to respond to the armband inside. "This is way too nice."
"Well, you are mated to me." Max sat down on the bed. He took the necklace out and looped it over my head. He flicked my ear with a smirk. "It looks good on you." Taking out the armband, he moved my robe to the side. "I hope it fits rights." He snapped it around my arm and checked to see if it would stay in place. "Looks good. Andreas had me help him guess on the size."
"You can't see it." I ran my finger along the imprinted design surrounded by diamonds.
"If you take off the robe, you can. It gets hot in a room full of werewolves."
I pulled it over my shoulder and took a deep breath.
"Are you getting nervous?" He bumped my cheek with his nose. "I'll be right there with you."
"I don't know how everyone's going to respond to me, that's all."
"They'll love you because they're going to see how much I love you."
I smiled to myself.
Max started to laugh.
"What?" My ear fell to the side.
"I'm not the only one with an overactive tail."
***
Voices sounded from just around the corner. Max gave my hand a squeeze. I gave him an uneasy smile. I was ready to prove to everyone that I might be a sub, but I wasn't a weakling.
"How are you holding up?" whispered Max.
"Good." I stared at my feet. It helped we mated last night. It was the burst of energy I needed to get through this.
The noise died down. I looked up to see Andreas standing on the center landing of the stairs in front of the wall of past alphas.
"Welcome, we are honored to have so many of you come to celebrate the newest addition to the alpha family. It's humbling to see all the packs who took the time to leave their packs to join us today. My nephew as founded a beautiful mate to stand at his side when it's his time to lead Midfield."
I forced down the lump in my throat.
"My fellow werewolves, I'd like to introduce Jax of Midfield, the mate of the Successor of Midfield."
Max took a step forward. My chest tightened as I followed. We emerged around the corner to loud applause. He led me down the steps to the center platform. Andreas hugged his nephew before hugging me. The alpha presented me to the gathering. I peered out among them and spotted the only humans in the room. My parents stood toward the front. I smiled at them. This wasn't too bad.
Taking my hand, Max walked me down the steps. I noticed the camera flashes coming from the back of the room. Good, I wanted everyone to know I wasn't that helpless little werewolf anymore. I stumbled and grabbed onto Max to steady myself. He grabbed my arm as I smiled at him sheepishly. Maybe I was a bit too confident. We reached the bottom, and I took a deep breath. The hard part was over. I had managed to make it down the stairs. I just had to stand there with my mate.
My family was first to move in along with Max's parents.
"You look gorgeous, Jax." My mother hugged me. "I barely recognized you all dolled up."
I smiled and looked at Alice and Lorenzo. "Thank you for the present."
"Anything for our son-in-law." She put her arm around me and squeezed. "Welcome officially to the family."
Maggie stepped forward. "I saw you nearly fall," she teased as she gave me a hug.
"Stairs," I laughed. "I'm still working on it."
"You recovered fine." Ricky moved in.
I grabbed his hand and pulled him close as my parents talked with Alice. "Jed is here."
"What?"
Maggie looked concerned.
"Max's cousin tracked him down because our blood is so good."
"Who is it?" said Ricky scanning the crowd.
"The beta of Wolfsbane."
"Oh my god." Maggie covered his mouth. "Then he's..."
"Part of Wolfsbane now," I replied. "They haven't mated yet. Jed's always been a fighter. I'm really worried about him."
Ricky seemed a bit frantic as he looked for his twin. "Mom and dad can't see him. It'll crush him. They're still so angry about what happened." He turned to me and gave me a side hug. "I'm going to look for him. If anyone asked, I went to the bathroom." He looked between Maggie and me.
We both nodded.
"I'll try to keep mom and dad busy," said Maggie. She hurried off to do so as Ricky entered the crowd.
A line started to form.
Max intertwined his fingers with mine and leaned down. "What's going on?"
"I told them Jed is here. My parents are so still mad about what happened. My brother's going through enough right now. He doesn't need his own mother tearing him down."
"That bad?"
"She pretends he doesn't even exist."
His arm wrapped around my waist. "If I see Axil, I'll let you know."
"Thank you." I leaned into his side. "I'd rather avoid a family reunion. It's not something either of us needs right now."