“Look at you! You’ve gone red, what are you thinking about?” He winked as I blushed harder. Every one of my thoughts recently seem to have revolved around Jackson. I was about to respond when Blake was suddenly thrown backwards by an immense force I didn’t see. I fell sideward off of my seat and on to the floor, groaning as pain shot up my already injured arm.
I looked up in confusion as chaos rained down around me, with the few people in the street screaming, and trying to run with their children away from it. Glass littered the floor as tables shattered, and the sounds of animalistic growls sent chills down my spine.
“NO!” I screamed as I saw Blake struggling underneath three wolves that were brutally attacking him. My heart was pounding in fear as I screamed in my mind for Blake to shift so they didn’t have so much of an advantage. He was trying valiantly to keep them off him, even kicking one away with a strength I had no idea he possessed, but his struggles were becoming weaker and I was terrified by the amount of blood coming from wounds I could see on his throat and chest. The street had become eerily deserted, and without thinking about the consequences, I picked up the nearest thing to me - a mug - and threw it at one of the wolves. Oh great, a mug! That will help! It didn’t hurt the wolf - bouncing straight off it - but it drew his attention towards me, and my heart dropped as he started to stalk towards me, the intention to kill clearly in his eyes. He was getting ready to pounce, when suddenly he halted, a strange whining noise coming from his throat. The other two wolves that were attacking Blake stopped also, making the same noise before turning and running straight in to the trees, disappearing from view. I didn’t stop to think about what had made them run away; my entire focus was on getting to Blake. I ran over to him, before dropping beside him, sobbing when I saw the extent of his injuries. His throat and chest had gaping holes with blood pouring out. His eyes were open and focused on me, and my heart broke when I saw the fear in them. I cradled his head in my hands, and went to reach in to my jeans pocket to grab my phone, when he touched my hand to get my attention. His breathing was erratic and I could hear the struggle his lungs were going through to keep him alive. He can’t die, it’s not fair! I tried to shush him when he went to speak so he conserved his strength, but he touched my hand again, and I leant my head down so he could put less effort in for me to hear him.
“Don’t cry,” he said and it was only then that I noticed the tears covering my cheeks, as they fell on Blake’s face.
“I got to protect my new sister.”
I couldn’t hold back my sobs anymore, as Blake’s face paled, his eyes closed and his breathing slowed. I didn’t even notice when hands tried to pull me away from him; I just clung on for dear life. I was aware of movement and panicked voices around me, but it wasn’t until I found myself on the sofa in Jackson’s living room, that my full awareness returned.
****
I couldn’t breathe. I felt like my heart had been ripped from my chest, and my lungs were failing to work. I’d been sat, curled up on Jackson’s sofa for so long that my legs had gone dead but I couldn’t bring myself to care. Jackson was the man I was in love with, but I loved Blake and the pack like family. This community of shifters have managed to worm their way in to my hearts and they really were being honest when they said that being part of the pack is more than blood. The invisible ties between everyone were so strong; I would die for any one of them. Blake proved they felt the same tonight.
My chest physically hurt as I recalled Blake’s last words to me before he fell unconscious. I got to protect my sister. And that right there was why I would never be able to leave this place; family. It really did mean everything. Many people had tried to talk to me since sitting there, but it must have been obvious I didn’t want to talk, as they soon left me alone. I checked my watch to see that three hours had passed since the nightmare in town. Three hours since my world had been turned upside down. Jackson! It suddenly hit me that although my heart was breaking, Jackson had lost a brother, and would need me more than I needed him. I would have time to grieve and cry once I’d made sure that Jackson was okay. I understood how selfish I was being, and stood on shaky legs to go and find him, when he walked through the door, a grim expression that would forever be carved in to my memory. He spotted me walking towards him and his pace quickened; before I knew it, I was wrapped in his strong arms, and he was squeezing me as if afraid I’d disappear.
He rested his cheek on the top of my head, and breathed in my scent as I tried to conjure the right words to say to make this whole situation better. It turned out he managed to get there before me though.
“He’s going to be okay.”
My heart stopped beating - literally stopped - as I tried to process what Jackson had just said. I pulled away slightly, looking up in to his face with wide eyes, terrified that I’d read in his eyes the truth; that Blake is gone.
“He’s sore, and he’s going to be a lot quieter due to damage to his throat and voicebox; but he’s alive.”
I cried out in elation, and threw myself in to his arms, wailing in to the crook of his shoulder with joy.
“I thought he was dead!”
Jackson continued to hold me, using one hand to softly stroke the back of my head.
“A few people came in to try and talk to you about what was going on, but they didn’t have much luck.”
I laughed but it came out as more of a sob. “I was kind of lost in my own world, I’m so sorry! He’s really going to be okay?”
“Apart from the pain, he’s going to be absolutely fine sweetheart.”
My heart rejoiced as my mood did a complete 180 from where it had been just five minutes ago. I’d already begun grieving for Blake, when he was going to be okay!
“I’m so happy,” I said in to his shoulder, as he squeezed me even tighter.
“It will take more than that to get rid of Blake. He said about five minutes ago that he has to stick around to keep annoying us.”
“He’s awake?!” I jumped out of Jackson’s arms, and rushed towards the door. I heard Jackson’s laugh following me down the hall as I headed towards the bedroom at the end of the long hallway. Noah, Jasmine, Isaac and Ethan were all standing outside the door, and they smiled at me as I bounded towards them.
“Can I see him?” I said, as Jasmine came over and gave me a big hug.
“Of course, he’s been asking about you too.”
As I headed towards the door, Ethan grabbed me and pulled me in for a hug, kissing my forehead at the same time.
“Good to have you back in the land of the living, pickle.” He ruffled my hair, like one might a child.
“Hey!” I pulled away, smoothing my hair back down. “Isn’t pickle what you call Annabelle?”
“It’s really a universal name.” He laughed, and I slapped him playfully on the chest, my heart feeling so light I couldn’t help but smile. I opened the bedroom door, and I started to cry again as I saw Blake sat up in bed and tapping away on his mobile phone; proof that he was going to be okay. He spotted me in the doorway, and I ran over to the bed, pulling him in for a hug before I remembered his injuries and loosened my grip. I pulled back to see him smiling at me, and perched myself on the edge of the bed.
“I thought you were dead!”
“Please,” he scoffed. “Gonna take more than those mutts to put me down.”
I winced when I remembered how he looked on the floor of the street, and my eyes widened when I saw that he was pretty much fully healed, bar from a few bruises. The bruises were all across his chest and neck and looked painful, but the gaping holes I saw just hours ago were completely healed.
“How the hell?”
“Accelerated healing comes in pretty useful sometimes.”
“I’ll say.”
“How are you feeling?”
“Epic. Shifting was not fun, but it really does help in the long run. I ache a bit though. I’ll probably need a massage if you fancy it?” He winked and I laughed when I heard Jackson’s gro
wl through the bedroom door.
“You’ll have to get through the big, bad wolf first.”
“Jackson? He’s a pussycat.”
“You know he can hear you, right?”
He laughed and I felt elated at being able to hear it. I never thought I’d hear his laugh again, and the world would definitely have been a darker place.
“Exactly! Told you I couldn’t leave this place. Who else would take on the role of winding everyone up?”
“Well, that’s true.”
“How are you, anyway? Did those mutts get their hands on you? I kind of spaced out after a while.”
“They didn’t touch me. You protected me.”
“Well,” he said, with a smug grin on his face. “What else are big brothers for?”
I leaned over and gave him a quick hug, before standing next to his bed.
“You’re the best big brother a girl could ever ask for. Now, do you need anything? Food or drink?”
“Nah, I’m good thanks. A guy could get used to being waited on hand and foot though.” He winked and I laughed, feeling on top of the world that Blake was fine. Oh yeah, with comments like that I know he’s back to his old self already. My mind conjured a vision of how different today would have been, had we lost Blake, but I pushed those thoughts away. Blake was alive and with us, and that was all that mattered.
****
I was covered in face paint, glitter and sequins; yep, it was Annabelle’s 6th birthday party and she had spent most of the time showing me off - her new best friend - to her guests. It was lovely to see such a big turnout for the young girl’s party, but it also made me sad to see that hardly any of the guests were children her age. Unfortunately, shifter children were rare; just one of the reasons they were treasured and spoiled so much. Annabelle would never want for anything, but she wasn’t a typical spoilt child in the least, and seemed to really appreciate everything she had. Her eyes had lit up when she’d seen the whole town had turned out for the party, which was being held in the square in the town centre. There was a bouncy castle, a face painting stand, and a table piled high with gifts. Of course, each of the gifts were covered in bright pink wrapping paper. Nothing else would do for the birthday girl! There were a couple of children enjoying the bouncy castle, but the person who seemed to be enjoying it the most was Blake. Big surprise there. Seeing him interact with the young children made me smile, as he pretended to be hurt when they jumped all over him. Everyone was milling around, and in high spirits despite the tension surrounding the community over the past few days. The enforcers were on full alert for an attack from the Grove Pack, and it had taken every ounce of persuasion I had to convince Jackson to carry on with this party. His argument was that the whole town together would make us vulnerable, and a pack would be able to take us all out in one go. My argument, however, was that the people needed an event to lift their spirits and make them forget, even just for an hour, the drama that was unfolding. The party would show a unified pack, and we would be together in one place, meaning every single enforcer could be keeping an eye on everyone in the town, and not have to be split up throughout the forest. A few compliments about Jackson’s enforcer’s ability to be able to protect everyone, and a cheeky fumble in the kitchen, meant that he soon gave in and agreed to have the party. I was so glad he did, because seeing the happiness shining on Annabelle’s face made the whole thing worthwhile.She had not stopped smiling the entire day, and the joy that radiated from her was infectious to everyone else. Even moody pants Isaac had laughed along with everyone else at the party, and it was the first time I had actually seen him let his hair down. He had joined in with the party games, and even gave me a hug when I arrived at the party which was the most surprising thing. Turned out that he now trusted me, and the hostile glares and rude comments were a thing of the past.
I walked over the drinks table and started to pour myself a glass of Coke, when I felt a pair of strong arms wrap around my waist from behind. I’d know those arms anywhere. I tensed as Jackson placed a soft kiss on my shoulder, and I tried not to melt from the burn of his touch. Things had been going amazingly way throughout the past few weeks. We saw each other every day and spent every night wrapped up in each other’s arms. I couldn’t believe how much time I had wasted on someone like Craig, and was so happy to have found someone as amazing as Jackson. It wasn’t just him who was having an effect on me though. Every person in the town, especially Jackson’s family, had all found a place in my heart and I was so grateful to them for including me in everything and making me feel like a part of the family.
“You were right,” he said, and I smiled.
“As always.” He turned me around so I was facing him, pulling me closer and leaning down so our noses were practically touching.
“The people needed this party. How did I get so lucky to find someone so much smarter than me?”
“I ask myself that every day.”
He barked out a laugh, before giving me a sweet peck on the lips.
“How soon do you think we can sneak off?” He said, and I blushed at what he was implying. God, he made me feel like a damn virgin.
“Well, considering Annabelle is standing over there and waving at me to have a go on the bouncy castle, I’d say not imminently.”
I smiled as I saw Blake stood holding Annabelle, while she tried desperately to get my attention. I waved back, and mouthed that I would be over in a moment, laughing at the pretty butterfly that has been drawn on Blake’s face. The pink glitter really suited him.
“Damn, I should have known.” Jackson said, pulling me in tighter for a hug. “That girl loves you so much, we’ll never be able to get away until she falls asleep.” He sighed as if annoyed, but the smile on his face betrayed him.
“Are you jealous of your six year old niece?”
“No way. She might get your attention during the day, but I get your undivided attention all night.”
“Hmmm, I can’t decide which one I find more fun.”
“I think I can help you decide a bit later.” He winked at me and kissed me again, before holding my hand as we walked towards Blake and Annabelle, who had been joined by Noah and Jasmine.
“Laura!” Annabelle shouted, jumping down from Blake’s arm and running in to mine. I picked her up and was surprised by how heavy she was for such a dainty little thing. Or maybe I was just extremely weak. Yeah, that’s probably it. I’d been curious as to if shifter children turned in to small wolves, and had asked Jasmine one night about how it all worked. She’d told me that all shifter children aged normally until they turned 18, when they would experience their first shift, and the aging process would automatically begin to slow. I was pleased that Annabelle would get to experience a normal childhood just like anyone else before dealing with the dramas that came with being part animal.
“Will you come on the bouncy castle?! Blake’s not allowed on it anymore because he’s too big!” I laughed as I saw Blake’s disgruntled face, and he quickly tickled Annabelle causing her to squeal, before striding over to the food table.
I let Annabelle down and she ran straight for the castle, screaming the whole way.
“I’m loving this party. She’s so excited she’ll be asleep soon, which means I might actually get a few chapters of my book read tonight,” smiled Jasmine, laughing when Noah yanked her in to his body.
“If Annabelle goes to bed early, there’s no way I’m letting you read your book.”
Jasmine blushed a deep red, before giving Noah a peck on the cheek, and wandered off to make sure Annabelle hadn’t been causing too much trouble.
“Any problems?” Jackson asked, and I felt sad to see his serious face back on. I lived for those moments where he let himself go even if just for a minute, and relaxed with everyone else. The situation at the moment though was dangerous, so I did understand his constant need to be on alert at all times.
Noah’s eyes narrowed as he focused his gaze on his mate and daughter.
�
�Everything is quiet so far, but that worries me even more.”
“I feel the same way. They have the perfect opportunity to strike at us when we are all together, and they don’t have to split up their own forces to do it.”
I went to walk away, feeling that this was a business conversation they wouldn’t want me privy to, but Jackson just put his arm over my shoulder, and held me firm against his side. The gesture made me confident enough to join in with the conversation, and reassured me that Jackson saw me as his equal in all things.
“Maybe they are put off by the amount of your guys everywhere. They know the people are protected here.”
“I guess,” Noah said. “I’ve got a feeling though that something’s going to happen. I’m not letting my girls out of my sight and as soon as Annabelle calms down and tires out, I’m wrapping up this party.”
“That’s cool,” Jackson replied. “My men are keeping an eye on everything, you just try and enjoy yourself and let me know when you’re heading out.”
“Sure.” They did that brotherly, man-hug that seemed to be so popular around here, before Noah strode with purpose towards his family. It was just Annabelle and Jasmine on the bouncy castle, and their joyous laughter carried across the street. A pang hit my chest as I realised that that was exactly what I wanted. A family as close as that, with beautiful children who light up your day just by being there. Shifter children were rare and it was even more difficult between a shifter and a human. Would I ever have any of my own? I knew I should be freaking out about even thinking of having children when my relationship with Jackson was so new, but it didn’t scare me as much as it should have. It felt right, and I prayed that one day we would have what Noah and his family had. Annabelle looked up and noticed me, shouting for me to join her, so I shelved my contemplation of wanting Jackson forever and walked in her direction.
Alpha (Wolves Creek Book 1) Page 11
