(Asher)
All hell had broken loose!
I'd come prepared to part a fight, though. Just not the one I thought would transpire based on events that unfolded on Saturday. Prepared one hundred percent to part a fight between Carter and Jaxon over what that jackass had said, it came as a shock to everyone that morning the fight that transpired between Carter and Bennett.
One of Jace's friends, her name was Sasha, had come running up to us that morning in the cafeteria. I was sitting with Sky, Jace, Dale and Laken, when she came up to us in a huff, panting and her hair ruffled from all her running.
"You guys gotta help! Carter's fighting!" she all but screamed at us, grabbing hold of Sky's arm and tugging at him to get up. "You gotta come or he'll kill that Bennett guy!" she added, grunting now as Sky refused to get up.
I, however, at the mention of Bennett, jumped to my feet. They figured it must be pretty bad if I suddenly jumped to the occasion, so they got up and followed after Sasha and I. Jaxon saw me on our way and raised his hand to wave at me in greeting. He didn't get the chance to, his eyes bugging out when I suddenly gripped his shirt and pulled him along.
A circle had formed out back where the picnic tables were laid out. Students had whipped out their cell phones and were taping it, while others had hopped up onto the table tops to get a better view and angle for video-taping. The crowd was going crazy as they cheered Carter on, some yelling at him on what next to do to Bennett.
It was clear that no one was on Bennett's side. Then again, what else was to be expected from the school's star quarterback and football captain?
The three dominants took the lead. Dale, Sky and Jaxon shouldering and pushing students out of the way as they forcefully created a path through the wall that these students had formed. I followed close behind Jaxon, with Sasha, Jace and Laken trailing behind. Laken looked overwhelmed by all the shouting, the noise and people pushing each other to see the fight, but no one was able to touch him. Sasha, being the tough chick she was, forcefully created a path, shoving people away and cursing them to hell and back so that they wouldn't trample Laken.
We made it through the crowd, Sasha and Jace falling in line at the front whilst keeping Laken close to them. It was no surprise to see what we found. The school's star quarterback was on top of Bennett, pummelling the shit out of him. It was an unfair fight since Carter clearly had the upper-hand, being stronger and taller, bigger than Bennett was. There was also the difference in their rank; Carter a beta, and Bennett a fourth-in-command.
He wasn't giving Bennett a chance to fight back or even defend himself against the blows that were being rained down on him. Dale and Sky moved in, prying their beta off of Bennett, who was hauled to his feet rather forcefully by Jaxon a moment later. I took my chance to hold Bennett back, just as Carter lunged forward trying to get back at him. Bennett tried to as well, but Jaxon got in between them, forming a barricade with his own body, while Sky and Dale restrained Carter who fought them bitterly.
"Get the fuck off me! He has to pay!"
"Carter, that's enough!" Dale commanded, but even that wasn't enough to make the angry beta simmer down. Carter shoved Dale, who mimicked his movements, forcing him back.
"He fucking took Kelly from me! The fucking bitch! I'll fucking kill him!"
Bennett then chuckled lowly, making us all look to him. A malevolent grin splitting his face, Bennett flicked his tongue out to lick at the blood on his busted lips. His nose was bleeding, and there was a nasty cut on his forehead just above his left eyebrow.
"That why you're pissed, Hayes?" he said, wiping away some of the blood with the back of his hand. "Because I stole your girl? I fucked her good too. Had her begging for my cock like a bitch in heat."
Carter roared, shoving Sky away as he tried to get to Bennett, but Dale was there to stop him. The same time, Jaxon turned on Bennett and pinned him with a menacing glare. "That's enough, Reid. Shut it, or I'll make you." he threatened. Bennett glared at Jaxon with such hatred that it took my breath away. But, after my conservation with Jaxon on Saturday, I could see something else underlying all that hatred.
Bennett spat at Jaxon's feet. "Fuck off, West!" he sneered as if Jaxon's title was a curse.
Suddenly, Carter broke past both Sky and Dale and in so doing, pushed Jaxon. He tumbled into Bennett sending us both to the ground, Bennett falling at an odd angle causing him to land on top of me, effectively squishing the life out of me. We may both be of the same rank, but he was a dominant. Therefore, he was taller, stronger, and bigger than I was.
I heard Sky and Dale shout at Carter, but before they could get to him, Carter had shoved Jaxon out the way and had gone right back to pummelling Bennett with a complete lack of regard for the fact that I was still trapped beneath Bennett's fat ass. I received a few elbows courtesy Bennett, and a few punches to my exposed arm, chest and face. Again, courtesy Bennett dodging and Carter catching me instead.
"Get off him!" someone suddenly menacingly growled, and the crowd fell silent as Carter was suddenly pulled away rather viciously. A second later, Jaxon's fist connected perfectly with Carter's jaw sending him flying into some of the students at the front. With only just one arm, he grabbed Bennett up by his shirt and shoved him back. He fell back on his ass. A moment later, Jaxon was helping me to my feet, his grip on my forearms firm but gentle. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine-"
"West!" Carter growled, and we turned to see him staggering forward, a hand clasping his face where Jaxon had punched him. "How many times do I have to fucking tell you?" he started, storming toward us, and I realized now that his anger and hostility had switched from Bennett and to Jaxon just like that. "Stay the fuck away from us, you piece of shit!" Carter screamed, coming at Jaxon with his fist raised, clenched and ready to fight him.
Without thinking, I pulled Jaxon behind me and I reacted, slamming my fist into the side of Carter's head. He was completely stunned, as much could be said from his expression as he stumbled back and fell to the ground. Several sharp gasps rang out around us. I glared down at Carter.
"No. You stay away from us." I said, indicating Jaxon with a tilt of my head. "You're being ridiculous, Carter. She was cheating on you, and instead of taking it out on her, you're blaming Bennett. So, what? He was with her. It's not his fault Kelly was a liar and a cheater." I said, and again, several gasps rang out. I heard someone chuckle from the side, and I turned to pin Bennett with a firm glare. He wore a malicious grin as he continued to lick at the blood on his lips from his squatting position. "And you, shut the fuck up. You should have known."
Bennett glanced up at me, the same grin plastered on his face. "What? That the bitch was a slut?"
"That she belonged to someone else." I retorted, groaning in irritation. "You're pathetic. All of you." Turning back to Sky and Dale, I nodded my head at them, and they snapped out of staring at me awe. They came forward and pulled Carter to his feet before dragging him away. He didn't fight back.
"Get up, and go to the nurse, moron." Jaxon ordered, glancing to Bennett as the crowd began to disperse, students whispering and pointing, and on multiple occasions, I'd heard my name being called. Rolling his eyes, Bennett mumbled under his breath but got off the ground and went his way, leaving me and Jaxon standing there, with Sasha who looked on at us. Laken, like the loyal little mate he was, scampered off after Dale, while Jace went off to help Sky cart our beta to the nurse.
Sasha then glanced around, as if finally noticing that students were leaving. "Oh...um...I'll go and give you guys some privacy." And just like that, she was running off toward the school building. I shook my head at her.
Glancing back to the dominant before me, Jaxon had his gaze focused on me, and there was a twinkle lighting up his sapphire gaze. It was strange in the sense that I hadn't seen it before, and therefore, was unsure about what he was feeling.
"That was some right hook." he commented, making me chuckle.
"Thanks." I said, shaking out my fist. "Hurts a little though. Dude's head is as hard as bricks." Jaxon then held up a finger, his face lighting up as he came up with an idea.
"Let's go to the nurse then and get some ice for it. I'll walk you." I gave him a droll stare.
"Not needed."
"You might have a concussion."
"Unlikely."
"Moral and emotional support then?" he fired back, grinning now.
"They are bruises. They will go away."
"What if you get lost?" he teased.
"Just shut up and take me to the nurse." I said, making him laugh. He gave me a two-fingered salute, dropping an arm around my shoulder as he led me to the nurse's office.
**
It was the hottest topic of gossip throughout the entire campus. The fight hadn't been forgotten, but it was as if everyone was too hyped to talk about the fight between Carter and Bennett. Instead, I was the hottest topic of gossip.
Ever since the fight this morning, wherever I went, people whispered and pointed at me, or stared out of curiosity. It was the same for when I walked into each of my classes that morning, and the only time I was spared somewhat was during Math. I was pretty good at it, hence making me a teacher's favourite. But I wasn't some teacher's pet.
As soon as I had walked into that class, everyone began whispering and pointing and staring until they were effectively shut down by the Math teacher. The man didn't tolerate bullshit. And it was only after the class ended, did I realize how much students had been talking about it. It reached the faculty, and because the principal was also a werewolf, but from Crescent Hill, he'd sent Carter and Bennett home for the day.
It was now lunch, and the cafeteria had not only been crowded, but the many pairs of eyes on me in there made me uncomfortable. I was about to eat. I didn't need people staring at me like I'm some zoo animal. Instead, I made my way out back to where the picnic tables were laid out, and I found a group of familiar faces.
Sky, Dale, Laken, and Sasha were seated around one of the tables. Dale and Laken were quietly eating their lunch, while Sky and Sasha seemed to be engrossed in an argument. Expelling a deep breath, I walked up to them ignoring the few glances that came my way from the other few students seated at various tables.
"I'm telling you, it was a complete let down. It didn't even follow the storyline from the cartoon." Sky argued, and Sasha rolled her eyes whilst scoffing. She held her hand up.
"And this is why I don't go to the movies with you. Why can't you be like me and just go to the movies with zero expectations? You might actually enjoy the movie, ya'know." she shot back.
I quietly plopped down next to Sky, and Sasha was seated next to Laken, the sub in the middle. Laken smiled and gave me a small wave in greeting. I returned a smile of my own while Dale nodded and tuned back into the argument between Sky and Sasha.
Sky grunted. "The fairies didn't play as big a part. Her father was a dick. The prince was just some guy she ran into in the woods. And it didn't end like it was supposed to. She was supposed to die. The prince was supposed to kill her." Sky argued, counting each off on his fingers. I turned and raised an eyebrow at him.
What in the world is he talking about? And why is he so upset?
"It was more realistic, and not to mention, the ending was beautiful. Besides, no one's just evil for nothing. The movie gave a reason for why she was so cruel and evil. The animation version did not therefore giving the audience a chance to sympathize with the villain." Sasha argued.
Seriously, what are they talking about?
Sky groaned in disgust. "I don't care. I still think it was shitty." he fired, and Sasha flung her hands up in frustration. Then, her eyes brightened when she saw me.
"Asher. What did you think of Disney's Maleficent?"
"Oh, I liked that movie a lot." I answered without thinking, and Sky turned to stare at me with a look of ultimate betrayal. "What?" I blinked at him owlishly. "It was a good film."
"I cannot believe you." Sky whispered, as though I had stabbed him in the back. He shook his head quietly, as if refusing to believe I could betray him so. It's a movie for fuck's sake.
"You are just being like this because you don't like Angelina Jolie. I think she did a good job." Sasha continued, reaching across the table to poke Sky's nose. The dominant groaned in irritation and gently swatted her hand away.
"Where's Jace?" I asked, finding it odd that he wasn't with Sky. Ever since those two mated, they'd been stuck together like glue. The only time they were actually apart was during classes, because they didn't have all of the same classes.
"In the gym, with Ashton. My baby's gonna knock Brent off his pedestal and take his spotlight back." Sky beamed pridefully. And I couldn't help but smile. Even if Jace had his asshole moments before he and Sky became a thing, he was much preferred on top of the school's social pyramid than Brent.
Harper was a bully. He was mean, and not nice to anyone who didn't fit his stereotype. At least with Jace, everyone had a chance. He was much more easy-going and tended to help people instead of destroying their hopes and dreams like what Brent loved doing.
I had personally witnessed Brent single-handedly destroy the hopes of a little sophomore who had hoped he was good enough to make the basketball team. In short, Brent made the kid cry and told him he'd never amount to anything. Poor kid had run out of the gym crying his eyes out, and now, alongside my little Syl, Blake and Brent bullied this poor kid.
I hope Jace manages to recapture his position as the team's captain. Maybe then, that little sophomore might have a chance.
"That's awesome. And I hope he decimates Brent in the process."
"Wow!" Dale whispered in awe. "You really hate Brent." he observed, making me snort as I bit into a fry.
"Hate is putting it nicely." When I said this, Sasha and Sky snorted, rolling their eyes simultaneously as if agreeing with me. We settled into a comfortable atmosphere afterward, which mainly consisted of Dale and Laken sitting quietly, the sub quietly eating his lunch while his dominant mate was too wrapped up in watching him. Sasha and Sky had resumed to their friendly arguments over trivial nonsense and Sasha, when she couldn't get Sky to agree, would try to sway me to her favour.
It was as if she saw me as a reliable ally in her trivial war against Sky. Those two were forever disagreeing on something, but not enough that it would create an unfixable dent in their friendship. This was their way of bonding, I suppose.
In the midst of our arguing, we heard a small, timid voice say, "Excuse me?" The person sounded unsure if not rather uncomfortable. The arguing ceased, and we turned our heads in the direction of the voice to find a freshman boy standing there. A smile broke out onto my face when I recognized him.
"Syl!" I greeted, smiling up at the little freshman who stood there, unsure of himself as he gripped his food tray tightly and chewed his bottom lip. He slowly approached, coming closer as all eyes watched his every move, the two dominant males sitting at the table carefully scrutinizing the small human.
Typical!
"What's up?" Syl twisted his lips, unsure if he should even speak. A freshman approaching a group of juniors was something of an anomaly in this damn school. Everyone stayed within their year groups and cliques, yet I didn't understand why it should be anyone's damn business if someone broke that stereotype.
"U-Um..." he started, then made the mistake of glancing up and taking note of the four other pairs of eyes on him. I rolled my eyes at that, directing my next words at Dale and Sky in particular.
"Quit it, both of you. He's a freshman. Stop trying to size him up." Dale's stoic exterior broke for only a split second as he cracked a smirk before quickly averting his attention back to his mate, and Sky rolled his eyes and scoffed.
"I wasn't. He's tiny and has nothing on me." Sky retorted, earning him a sharp stab in his side from me as I jabbed four fingers into his side. He grunted, grabbing my wrist and trying to pry my hand away.
"Then stop making him uncomfortable. Mind your business. He came to me, not you." I shot back, hoping to at least make Sly feel slightly relieved of the tension he was suddenly placed under. Sly was obviously shy and introvert. It didn't take a genius to figure that out, and I was truly shocked that he was as open with me as he'd been. Turning my attention back to Syl, I motioned for him to come closer to me as I scooted closer to Sky and shoved him around. Sky groaned in irritation but didn't fight me or protest as I patted the spot next to me.
He reluctantly took the invitation and plopped down next to me, perhaps way too uncomfortable about being seated with a bunch of junior students. Dale and Laken paid no mind to anything else, the sub too engrossed in his food and blushing over the fact that Dale was watching him so closely.
They were an adorable couple. But did Laken ever stop blushing? I mean, they are mates and have been together for a few months now. Is he not yet accustomed to Dale's love-struck stare?
Sky was silent, and by his quiet demeanour, I knew he just wanted to be with Jace if that far away look in his eyes was anything to go by. He was probably thinking of his mate.
Sasha, however, was staring at Syl with hearts in her eyes. She was just gushing over him, and I understood why. Syl was small and adorable, like that small puppy in the pet shop window that just stole your heart. I could tell Sasha wanted to talk with him, and perhaps, hope to make him comfortable.
"So, Syl. What's up?" I asked again.
"I-I heard about the fight. A-And I wanted to make sure y-you were alright." he admitted honestly, glancing to me, puppy brown eyes inspecting my face for the bruises. I shrugged my shoulders, and Sasha awed and cooed at Syl, saying that he was adorable.
"Nothing more than a few bruises. They will go away. What about you? I know we haven't hung out in a while, but I hope Brent didn't hurt you."
The moment I said this, Sasha and Sky perked up, immediately being drawn into our conversation. Dale also perked up, but he didn't seem as interested. Either that, or he was just being a stoic motherfucker again.
"Brent's after you, kid?" Sky spoke up first, taking Syl by surprise. The freshman glanced to me as if unsure, afraid even, but I gently patted his shoulder for comfort.
"Brent found out Syl likes one of his friends. That's why Brent has it out for Syl." I explained, keeping the story short and straightforward. Dale hummed as if understanding something.
"So, he's the reason why you and Brent have been fighting so much, lately." It wasn't a question. Rather an observation of Dale piecing together the puzzle as he glanced to Syl out the corner of his eye. I nodded my head quietly, hearing Sky hum from the side of me.
If there was anyone who hated Brent Harper more than I did, it was Sky. Not just because Brent tried to turn the whole school against Jace when he was forced to quit the basketball team because of his cancer, but because Brent had attacked Jace while the cancer was in effect. It was during a party Ashton was hosting, where Brent's then girlfriend came onto Jace. The bitch lied about the encounter, said that Jace came onto her. Brent got mad, and instead of listening to reason, attacked a defenceless Jace.
Wolves were territorial bastards, but they got extremely violent when it came to their mates. If Dale and Carter hadn't been at that party, Sky would have ripped Brent to shreds for even daring to touch Jace.
I didn't miss the quiet warning in Dale's eyes though. He was telling me to tone down on how many fights Brent and I had been involved in. It wasn't just Dale trying to keep the peace in the school, but he was also warning me not to get too passionate in my fighting for fear that I may lose control and expose our entire species to the unsuspecting humans crawling about a town predominated by werewolves.
"So, who is it that you like so?" Sasha suddenly asked. Sky shot her a glare which he completely ignored. Laken was now listening in on our conversation, now that he had finished his lunch, and Dale, even though he seemed to be preoccupied with his mate, I knew he was also curious about Syl's little crush.
Glancing over to Syl, the freshman blushed the colour of scarlet at the attention drawn to him, prying eyes and awaiting ears, and also, because of the question he was asked. He was so bashful, it was a mystery the kid was still single. I knew werewolves were all about waiting for their mates, but there were more than a few dominants crawling around who wouldn't mind a fling or two before their mate popped up, and Syl would fit their fling criteria perfectly. Human or werewolf; small, timid, adorable guys like Syl often tended to drive dominants mad with lust.
Syl glanced to me, as if asking me with his eyes, for permission. It wasn't my secret to tell about his crush. If Syl was brave enough to admit to me whom he liked, then surely he could do it again. Of course, I hope he could brace himself for the negative comeback he would receive once he disclosed that information.
"B-Blake Dalton." Syl responded quietly, cheeks crimson, and he lowered his head allowing his black, silky locks to dip down and hide his flushed face somewhat. And as expected, the negative reactions erupted from Sasha and Sky, Dale even expressed his displeasure in a non-verbal manner, in the form of an irritated eyeroll.
"That piece of shit? He's no better than Brent!" Sky's voice boomed, as though he were scolding Syl for even having a crush on Blake. Next, was Sasha as she vigorously nodded her head in agreement.
"You could do so much better than Blake Dalton." she said, before she and Sky trailed off on their own conversation talking about how annoying Blake was and how much they disliked him. Blake was an asshole, yes. But he wasn't half as bad as Brent. And also, they were being inconsiderate seeing as Blake was the source of Syl's affection, and they didn't seem to respect that or bothered by how their negative commentary might affect Syl.
I wasn't the only one who noticed it. That with each negative comment Sasha and Sky spat, the lower Syl's shoulders drooped. Laken noticed and he tugged at Dale's shirt, motioning his head to the little human freshman. Dale eventually spoke up.
"Knock it off, you two." he barked, though his voice was calm and quiet, it demanded their obedience. Syl's gaze shot up as he turned to look at Dale with a shocked expression. "If the kid likes Blake, then he likes Blake. It's that simple. He doesn't require your approval."
But even as Dale said this, I knew that he was also disapproving of Syl's choice for a source of affection. In short, Dale found Blake irritating and not worthy of his beta rank. Crescent Hill was a strong, respected pack and with an attitude like that, many wolves in the town wondered if Blake would be the downfall of his pack.
But who knows? Maybe in time, he'll grow to become the beta Crescent Hill deserved.
"I still think he could do better." Sasha muttered, making me glare at her. I would really appreciate it if my asshole friends would get off my little Syl's back.
"Leave him alone. Go jump on someone else's case." I spoke, gently patting Syl's shoulder before ruffling his hair. Syl smiled softly, and picked at his lunch, taking tiny bites of his sandwich.
Sasha then, rolled her eyes, rolling her neck in a sassy manner. "Well then, I'll just pick on you." she said with a serious expression, as she placed her elbows on the table. "What is up with you and Jaxon?" she asked, successfully turning the tables on me, a smirk on her lips. I noticed Sky immediately lower his head out the corner of my eye, picking at his lunch as if it were the most interesting thing in the world.
I rolled my eyes. "Nothing. We're just friends." I assured, taking note of Dale's sudden interest in the conversation as he flickered his gaze from me, to Sasha and then Sky. As if Sky couldn't get more obvious that he was hiding a secret from his future alpha.
Sasha didn't believe a word of it as she arched a well-shaped, well-plucked eyebrow. "Yet you leave with him every day after school. I'm not oblivious to what's going on, ya'know." she said, and I just shook my head. She was making a big deal out of nothing.
As I've said before. Jaxon and I are just friends, and so far, the only person who has a problem with that was schooled quite well earlier today. Dale didn't seem to have an issue with my friendship with Jaxon, and he never brought it up in the few times we actually spoke outside of pack politics.
"Nothing's going on between us. It's as simple as that." I retorted, and Sasha rolled her eyes. It was becoming irritating though. First Carter, and now Sasha. But hey, at least she wasn't throwing hissy fits over it. As she began to babble about how I could keep on telling myself that and believing it, I saw Jaxon walk out onto the lawn with a food tray in hand. He stopped, his gaze swooping the area until sapphire orbs finally stopped on me.
He smiled but didn't come over. No doubt, it had everything to do with the future Marcana leaders not wanting anything to do with him. I watched as he walked over to a lone table and set down his tray. And almost immediately, he was joined by two girls, swooning over him and flirting. They surrounded him, on either side of him, like predators hunting prey. I couldn't help but roll my eyes and feel sorry for him. It was obvious by the pained look on his face- which these girls were too oblivious to notice- that he wanted to enjoy his lunch in peace. Or maybe, without the constant flirting and touching.
Jaxon met my gaze over the distance, and the silent plea in those sapphire orbs almost made me laugh. I didn't though, resorting to just a smile as I excused myself from the table after asking Syl if he would be alright staying with my friends. He seemed unsure but nodded anyway. The moment I got up and took two steps forward, I heard Sasha making a fuss as she shoved Sky around, claiming that she had to witness this exchange between Jaxon and me.
I swear. This girl...
Even as I approached the table, either girl stopped talking to Jaxon. They were currently trying to invite him to a party that was to be held on Friday, but the look on Jaxon's face said that he just wanted them to leave him alone. Of course, I think he might be too polite to be rude about it.
That's another thing that surprised me about him. And this little fact blew me away and blew my mind. He could be unbelievably nice when he wanted, but if he was irritated enough, he would be the Jaxon West I initially thought he was. If he was pissed off...well, I'm not sure. I don't believe I've seen him pissed off before.
"Ladies, if you don't mind..." I trailed off, arching a brow and hoping they would get the hint. Thankfully, they did and left quietly unlike some other girls who fought for his attention like never before. When I moved to sit down opposite him so I would be facing him while we spoke, he shook his head and patted the spot next to him.
"You look annoyed." I pointed out, plopping down next to him. He didn't react, his expression remaining neutral as he stuffed a fry in his mouth.
"Apparently silence means 'by all means, continue to pester and irritate me.'" he answered, making me laugh especially when he did that exaggerated eyeroll thing I noticed the West family did. I cracked a teasing smile.
"Then, am I pestering and irritating you?" I asked, motioning to myself. Jaxon arched a brow, eyes trailing over me in a once-over before he gave his answer.
"Absolutely. The worst kind of pest and irritation. A pain in my ass, really." he returned, a wide grin plastered on his face. I feigned anger at his words, scrunching my nose in a manner that gave the impression I was angry with him.
"Then fine. Maybe I should go back to my friends and leave you alone." I moved to get up, playing along, but I didn't get very far when I felt Jaxon's hand clamp down on my wrist firmly. Turning my gaze to him, I arched a brow.
"If you leave, those girls will come back. Or worse..." he trailed off, nose scrunching in anger- though I found it cute in a way- and brows knitting together, his lip curling with disgust, "Mandy might pop up out of nowhere." Jaxon sneered the girl's name as though it were a curse and given the way he'd spoken of...or rather reacted when she was near or spoke to him, it was obvious his hatred for this girl was otherworldly.
I had asked why he hated her, once. All I'd gotten in return was a scoff and a stern warning to stay away from her. She was obviously bad news, and Jaxon didn't like being near her. He openly displayed his hatred and disgust for her, yet she shrugged it off. I'm not sure if she was oblivious to it, or if she had some other agenda in mind that she took his attitude into stride whilst she tried to pursue him.
Returning to his side, I decided to chance it. This was a sensitive topic for him, but if he could let me in the way he has over the past number of weeks, maybe he would tell me. "Why do you hate her so much? What's so bad about her? I mean, she sticks to you like a blood-sucking leech but..." I trailed off, hoping he'd catch my drift and realize that I was waiting for him to finish my thought with an actual answer.
He expelled a deep breath, lightly scratching at his left forearm with his pointer finger, through the fabric of his shirt. He was wearing a black hoodie over a black wife beater. He was one for dark colours, and while it suited him wonderfully, his long sleeves were beginning to scratch at my mind.
"Her parents want her to become the next beta female." he replied, glancing away from me when I looked to him. I bet my expression displayed my incredulity after hearing that. How was I supposed to react after hearing something like that?
It seemed as though...
"But that's not how the mating bond works." I pointed out, lifting a finger to emphasize my fact check.
"They don't care about that. And neither does Mandy."
...as I thought; they've thrown the laws of Lycan nature out the window just like that.
Selfish turds!
"I suppose she's always liked me that way. But now that we're at the age to find our mates, she's become incredibly aggressive." he explained. I pursed my lips in thought.
"How aggressive?"
"Like...sabotaging her brother's relationship with me, kind of aggressive. She was the main cause of any problem between Bentley and I."
What.
The.
Actual.
Fuck.
Who the fuck does something like that? Then again, it wasn't like Jaxon was completely innocent either. He'd tried sabotaging Jace and Sky's relationship. Which is another thing I was confused about. I had remembered asking him once why he'd even tried to get in between them, and all I'd received was a shrug of the shoulders as a response.
He didn't have a straightforward answer. Either that, or he was in bad place at the time and was just looking for trouble. I had never asked about the incident since that one time and had just summed it up to him looking to cause trouble or trying to prove himself as the dominant male.
Realizing that our conversation was taking a route which I had a feeling Jaxon wasn't comfortable with, I decided to change the subject and move onto something else. Even if he did open up to me, I wasn't about to push him outside his comfort zone or bring up topics that would dim the light in his eyes. As cheesy as it sounds, I didn't like it when he was in pain.
It was clear as day to me now, that his past was filled with darkness and pain. And I'd rather distract him than have his mind wander to those places he'd rather forget. Eventually, I suppose he'd have to battle his past. It didn't take me very long after spending the first few days with him and in Black Rock to learn that Jaxon was practically a shade existing in the present. He was still traumatized by his past.
The conversation shifted to trivial nonsense and banter. Even the other packs in Jasper Falls came up as a topic which eventually led to Jaxon asking me about Syl. It wasn't that he didn't already know that I was protective of Syl for some unknown reason, but he wanted to know why I bothered with the freshman. I told him about Syl's crush and Jaxon couldn't understand why I was in disagreement with Syl's source of affection until I explained it to him.
"That's just my opinion though. I'll let you judge him for yourself." I pointed out, referring to Blake Dalton. "Did you know that Jace and Brent used to be friends?" I asked suddenly, and Jaxon scrunched his nose up in a manner that was adorable, but at the same, demonstrated his disbelief in that statement.
"You're kidding. They're nothing alike." he said as if pointing out the drastic difference in their personalities. I shrugged.
"Jace was pretty popular a few months ago, being captain of the basketball team and what not. Think you can guess why he's not as popular anymore?" Jaxon's gaze quickly flitted over to the table where my friends were situated. I noticed Sasha immediately look away when I glanced to her. As if she couldn't get more conspicuous about her spying on us. Jaxon glanced to Sky, his eyebrow raising.
"In part." I informed. "Brent's a homophobe." When I said this, Jaxon's face contorted into confusion. It was so cute how lost he was.
"But..." he started, pointing a finger at me. I shrugged. "Okay...so then if Sky's not the main reason, then what made Jace unpopular?"
"Brent and his jealousy of Jace. He used to say that he felt like their friendship was all about competition and there was really never anything genuine about it. I see why Jace says that. Brent kicked him down the social pyramid after Jace quit the team." Jaxon arched a brow.
"But, it's not like he could've helped it. He had cancer."
"Be that as it may, I'm glad Jace isn't friends with that turd anymore. He found better people." I said, and Jaxon turned to look at me. His body was turned slightly toward me, his elbow propped on the table top. We'd gotten physically closer by now, carried away by our conversation, I hadn't even realized we'd gravitated toward each other. If anyone saw us together, they would think we were in a relationship given how closely we sat.
"What?" I questioned, taking note of the way Jaxon stared at me. His gaze was gentle, tender even, and the smallest of smiles tugged at the corner of his lips. It was almost non-existent but since I'd been spending all this time with him, I could easily pick up on certain facial expressions of his.
Jaxon smiled, shaking his head quietly as he ran his fingers through his hair, messing up the front a little. A few strands lazily fell onto his forehead, almost dipping into his eyes when he removed his hand. His right hand moved to his forearm and he scratched at it through the fabric of his hoodie.
I twisted my lips. There he goes again, scratching at his forearms.
"Can I ask you something personal?" The words were out of my mouth before my brain could stop it. Jaxon turned his attention to me. He didn't give a verbal response but from the look in his eyes and the fact that he remained silent, he was waiting for me to go ahead and ask. Slightly unsure of what his reaction may be, I reached forward and took his wrist into my hand. I turned his left hand over so that the back of it was laid against the table top.
Out the corner of my eye, I could see Jaxon's gaze on my face.
"Why do you always wear long sleeves?" My gaze met his, and he held his own to mine a moment longer before glancing to his forearm.
He shrugged his shoulders. "They look good on me and I'm willing to suffer even through summer." At this, I rolled my eyes. He was lying and avoiding answering the question by giving me some vain, ridiculous response. So, I decided to get a little more direct. Phrase my question in a way he could understand exactly what I wanted to know.
"Why do you keep scratching at your forearm, then?"
His gaze flickered and he looked away as if ashamed by the question. I had never asked about it before, but it never got past me that his arms were always covered right to his wrists. Even during the cage fight between him and Sky, I specifically remembered that he'd wrapped his arms in cloth, from his elbows to his wrists, and hands.
"I won't judge you, if that's what you're afraid of." I said, making him look at me. Jaxon expelled a breath.
"It's not that. I don't really like talking about it."
I could slap myself now. What did I say? That I don't like pushing him outside his comfort zone, and that I'd rather not let his mind wander to dark places? Yet, here I am, breaking my own rules.
"Sorry...we can just-" I started, already thinking of something else to talking about and removing my hand from his wrist. But Jaxon didn't let me. I was cut off from speaking when he suddenly grabbed hold of my hand.
"No, it's fine. It's you...so...I'll tell you."
"Jaxon, you don't need to." I retorted, hoping he'd catch what I meant. Even if we were getting closer, and he was opening up to me, I wanted him to understand he didn't need to tell me everything. There were some things he would want to keep to himself, or things that might be difficult for him to talk about. And I understood that. He didn't have to force himself to tell me just because I asked. I would always be curious where he's concerned, but, I can't know everything.
He shook his head, that small smile gracing his lips again, and that same tenderness entering his gaze. "I want to." he replied, his thumb gently brushing the back of my hand. And without withdrawing his hand from mine, he used his other hand to roll up the sleeve of his hoodie.
Just as I figured...
My eyes trailed over the multiple fine, pinkish lines scarring his forearm, from wrist go right up and stopping just before the crook of his elbow. They were uneven in length and the spaces between each, some even criss-crossed over each other.
My heart was in my stomach, and I had to fight down the boiling anger that suddenly rose up within me. He was in so much pain. He'd turned to self-harm just to ease the emotional pain. But what angered me most wasn't the fact that he'd hurt himself trying to get rid of the pain, but because no one in Black Rock seemed to care that their beloved beta was damaged to such magnitude.
But then, I remembered my conversation with Maia- their housemaid's daughter- when we first met. It seemed as though they did know about how much he was hurting, but that's what angered me. They wanted to care, but it was like they didn't care enough to help him. Maia said that Jaxon was completely different before, and now, they weren't sure how to approach him to help.
Bull-fucking-shit!
You don't abandon someone you love. Even if they push you away, and hurt you in the process, you don't give up on them. If that person means so much to you, you just have to become stronger.
Lifting my hand, I touched my fingertips to his forearm, gently tracing a few of the lines. "They're healing, going away. I guess you haven't done it in a while." I observed, a smile gracing my lips as I glanced to him for a split second before looking back to his arm.
He was silent for a moment, but I knew he was looking at me. I could feel his intense stare burning into the side of my head.
"Haven't had a reason to." he answered, his voice was low, soft and full of an emotion I didn't expect to hear from him. His tone caught me off guard, making me snap my gaze to meet his. The raw emotion in those sapphire eyes made my breath hitch, as his eyes bore into mine.
If I thought his eyes were tender just a few moments ago, how would I explain the way he was looking at me?
It was so familiar, similar but different all that same.
A second later, Jaxon moved in and as if I had no control over my own body, my eyes closed. The next thing I felt was something soft and warm melding perfectly with my lips as Jaxon cupped the side of my head, and my hand came to rest on his chest.
Everything seemed to go mute in that moment, as Jaxon's lips worked against mine.
And then the blissful silence was broken by Sasha's excited pig-squeal, and Sky's sharp 'Oh fudge!'
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｡･ﾟﾟ･(>д<)･ﾟﾟ･｡
Omg! Jaxon's past is so dark, and now my baby's self-harming.
What did you guys think of this chapter?
And also, I finally thought of a name for their town. It's going to be called Jasper Falls. And our boys attend Jasper Falls High School.