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What the hell does that mean?Anger and worry begin to soar inside me.
I can’t sense her wolf…at all.
I close the link and stare at Jess, Sheba should have been able to heal all her superficial wounds. Any broken bones would have taken a couple of days to heal but Jess isn’t healing at shifter speed, she’s like a…human.
“My name is Jessica Hastings, I’m Creeds…mate.” I detect a bit of hesitance in her voice admitting she is my mate, the pack look at her with pity and anger. They’re angry that someone they consider pack was taken and none of us could stop it. I’m so proud of her for doing this, I know leading isn’t something she ever wanted to do but watching her stand there with her head held high and the determined look on her face has pride swelling inside me. “I haven’t come here to demand anything of you, I will not force anything upon any of you. I may be the rightful alpha but that doesn’t mean I am the right alpha. I…I just want us all to be able to live in peace, I know some of you have guessed and some don’t even know but Creed and I have a son.” Murmurs break out and I release a growl of annoyance making all of them clamp their mouths closed. “I want to raise our son in a real home, I want him to go to school and have a normal life. But in order for that to happen we need to put an end to the council and their reign of terror. I know some of you are fearful and unsure at what happens next, honestly so am I. But if we have any chance of reclaiming our lives and pack lands, it’s imperative we work together, visiting other packs and asking for their help will be a start.”
“Why?” I can’t see who asked that question.
“Because we don’t have the numbers, I won’t lie to you. With Shelley and Dela being taken we don’t have the numbers Shelley had promised us, even with the vampires fighting at our side, it still isn’t enough. If we can get other packs to join us, maybe it won’t have to come to a fight––.”
“The council won’t back down, no one has ever done it. We may despise what they have done, but they are stronger as a whole than any pack.” Jess doesn’t seem angered by April’s question.
“No, they won’t, but we won’t either. They took our homes from us; they took our loved ones from us, and I don’t know about any of you but I sure as hell will not let them take anything from me again. This I promise, I will reclaim my father’s pack from Jacob and the council will be stopped even if it is the last thing I do. You all have a choice, fight with us or don’t. If you do, I cannot guarantee that you will make it out alive, if you choose not to, then all I ask is that you help the others by taking over their daily duties. When this is all said and done, everyone will be welcomed back to pack lands, not just those that fought for it.” Jess was born for this. “One more thing, if anyone and I mean anyone, shifter or vampire tries to use my son against me or his father to bargain their freedom from the council, I will kill you. I will not offer second chances when it comes to my son’s safety.” Corbin growls his approval and so do my siblings as well as Cairo. Cairo steps forward and eyes my pack with a fierce look.
“My pack will fight with you, so will the vampires, training is a must. We have six weeks before we leave this island, there will be round the clock guards scoping the area every second until we can get a ship here big enough to move everyone. You have until tomorrow morning to make your decision, if you choose to fight, then we meet behind the large hall.” When Jess and the others turn to leave, I quickly follow her, but Cole slaps a hand on my shoulder and shakes his head.
“Let her go brother, she will come back to you when she is ready.” Then it hits me.
“If Cairo was here then where the hell is Harlem?” Cole and I both take off after the four of them.
Chapter
Thirty Five
Jessica
“Princess!” I halt in my tracks with my back to him, I feel Zeke and Cairo move in closer to shadow me. I hate that I feel the need to hide from him but I’m scared. “Where’s Harlem?” I open my mouth, but words fail me.
“Davina is watching him.” Cairo answers, Creed releases an angry growl and I flinch.
“That wasn’t your fucking call!” I stay still as he moves toward us, shivers run down my spine, I’m shocked when I see him and Cole running right past us in the direction of Davina’s house. Guilt begins to gnaw at me, I sigh and follow after them at a much slower place. My body is begging for me to stop and rest but I refuse to give in, anger begins to build inside me. I refuse to lay in that bed any longer, I want revenge for what Jacob did to me. I will not let him break me, seeing Cairo today gave me the courage to face my demons head on and take back control of my life. Jacob didn’t break me, and I won’t let what happen to me dictate the rest of my life, I’ll face my fears and conquer every bloody one of them!
By the time we reach Davina’s house we can hear shouting from the inside, Zeke doesn’t bother knocking as he pushes the front door open and strolls in. We follow him in and head toward what I assume is the living room. The closer we get I can now distinguish that the two raised voices belong to Creed and Davina, I brush past Zeke when he stops to scan the room. Creed and Davina are standing at either ends of the room glaring at each other and Cole stands in the middle against the wall with Harlem clutched in his arms.
“He was perfectly fine with me!” Creed scoffs and rolls his eyes.
“How the bloody hell would you know how to look after a kid? Tell me Davina what experience do you have exactly?” I cringe, Creed is really angry and even if he is right, he shouldn’t be speaking to her like that in front of an audience. This conversation should be just the two of them.
“Cole, can I please have my son?” I can feel Creed’s gaze burning into the side of my head, but I keep my gaze on his brother. I can see he is hesitant and unsure, he heads toward me but is stopped when Creed blocks his path. I have no choice but to meet his gaze and when my eyes meet his something inside me cracks. I make sure to keep my face blank of any emotion.
“You are not taking him anywhere.” His words hit me like a whip.
“Creed––“
“No Jess, you want time to yourself then that’s fine, but you are not taking my son from me as well.” If I wasn’t in so much pain I would stomp my foot, instead I clench my fist and snarl at him, it is taking every bit of strength I have to remain standing.
“I just want to see him Creed.”
“Then see him, but he isn’t hiding away with you.” Zeke and my brother both release growls of anger.
“I’m not hiding!” I try to defend myself, Creed scoffs.
“Bullshit, you’ve been hiding since the day you woke up.” My mask falters, I feel tears begin to build in the back of my eyes. “Why the fuck are you hiding?”
“I am not, I came––“
“Don’t you dare lie to me! I know Cairo has been coming to see you, I am going to ask you again Jessica. Why the fuck are you hiding from me?” The heartache in his voice is my undoing, tears cascade down my cheeks. Creed mutters a curse and then closes the space between us, he cups my face gently and tilts until I meet his gaze. His hazel eyes swim with so much hurt and pain, I never wanted to hurt him. “Princess, please don’t shut me out, I need you.” My resolve cracks and the words start to tumble out.
