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“Why what princess?”
“Why would you give up being alpha? You love being alpha.” She really doesn’t get it; I walk over to her and crouch down cupping her face between my hands I don’t miss the way she flinches;. I want her to see the truth in my eyes when I say this.
“My priorities changed the moment you re-entered my life, I love being alpha but being a mate and father is more important to me. I will help you and your brother anyway I can, all I want is to be with you and our son, nothing else matters to me.” Tears cloud her vision, and her mouth opens and shuts but no words come out. I release her face and stand to face Cairo; I look him up and down and there isn’t a shadow of a doubt in my mind that Ro and Jess will lead our people fairly and never put their own needs above the pack. The council has ruled for decades, and everyone only follows them because they fear their wrath and the damage they can cause.
“I won’t take your pack from you.” The conviction in Cairo’s voice tells me he means what he says.
“Thank you, then as alpha of the Reeves pack I, Credence Reeves herby pledge my loyalty to the Cruz pack. My pack is at your service and will fight with you.” Jess climbs to her feet and looks to her brother, she seems terrified, and that look has me reaching for her, but she backs away. I drop my arm and stare at her, her gaze is still locked on her brother, I dart my gaze between them and when Cairo gives her a stiff nod, I hear a whoosh of air escape her.
“I-I can’t lead the packs; I don’t want to be an alpha.” Oh, she’s scared because she thinks she can’t do it.
“Sweetheart, you will be an amazing alpha.” I nod my head in agreement with Cole.
“The pack listened to you this morning, they will follow you Jess.” Jess shakes her head at my mom, I turn to Cairo hoping he will clue me in on what the hell is happening, but all I see is anger in his features.
“What’s wrong princess?” She still won’t meet my gaze; she claps her hands in front of herself and interlocks her fingers.
“I can’t be alpha.”
“Yes, you can, I’ll help you princess.” She finally meets my gaze and I try to smile reassuringly but it doesn’t seem to help ease the tension from her body.
“We’ll all help you.”
“Cole’s right, we will all help you Jess.” I appreciate my brother and sister so much right now.
“You don’t understand! I can’t lead a pack.” She snaps, then the first tear rolls down her cheek. She quickly swipes it away and squares her shoulders as she looks at me.
“Why not?” I push.
“Ever since I was taken, I… it’s like…” She swings her gaze to her brother pleading with him to help her, Cairo moves toward her and stands by her side.
“Jess hasn’t been able to access her wolf since she was taken, all the drugs are out of her system but still she has not been able to feel Sheba.” My eyes widen as I stare at her, is that the real reason why she has been hiding from me?
“Princess?” She ignores me, so I move forward but keep a small amount of space between us, as much as I’m dying to touch her, I know she wouldn’t appreciate me doing it. “Jess, will you look at me please?” She remains staring at the ground for so long, I think she won’t but then she finally lifts her head and tears roll down her cheeks, her eyes blaze with anger and I’m struck stupid as to why she is angry with me.
“I don’t have a wolf now, so I guess you can go find a new mate and rule a pack with her.” Her words have me stunned silent; her eyes narrow as she stares up at me. “Kayla’s probably free, go find her and mark her as your mate!” My mouth drops open and with nothing to say I watch as she turns and clasps Harlem’s hand in hers and brushes past me as she makes her way inside. I try to get my feet to move but my brain and body isn’t on the same page, I hear the roller door slam closed and cringe. My thoughts are reeling, Jess can’t access her wolf, what the fuck did Jacob do to her? That explains why her wounds and bones are taking so long to heal, with her shifter healing she should have been back to her normal self by now. I’m snapped from my thoughts when I’m shoved backward, I glare at Cairo and release a growl of warning, he does the same and bares his teeth at me.
“The fuck is your problem Ro?”
“You are Reeves, why the fuck did you stand there like an idiot and say nothing?”
“What the fuck could I say? She is the one who is ready to throw away what we have because she assumes shit. Your sister never gives me the opportunity to explain myself.
“You selfish prick! She is fucking hurting because she thinks you won’t want her anymore because she may have lost her wolf!” I stand there and just stare at him, fuck! Does she really think that little of me?
“I would never give her up, she’s mine!” My voice comes out gruff thanks to Corbin riding me so hard, he and I agree that we will never let Jess go even if she doesn’t get her wolf back. Why does she always doubt me? I just told her that I would love her no matter what at Davina’s, it feels like she is trying to find any excuse to push me away.
A month has passed, and Jess still avoids me, I have tried to make small talk and bridge the gap between us, but she refuses. We go to bed every night and she refuses to face me, she tries to sneak off to bed and be asleep before me every night. We’re only dignified when it concerns Harlem but other than that, she gives me the cold shoulder. I don’t know what else to do, Cairo, mom, the twins, fuck even Zeke have tried to talk to her and tell her that I don’t give a shit about her being wolf less. The little minx even went as far as asking Davina if she knew of a lawyer on the island that will help her with custody papers. When Davina told me, I lost my shit and blew up at Jess, she just stood there and stared at me, it was like she wasn’t even seeing me. All she could say was ‘are you done?’I’m at a loss as to how I’m supposed to fix things, when she won’t even give me the time of day. I know what she went through was fucking hard and messed her up a bit, but all I have done is try to be there and help her through it. Jess is self-sabotaging and there isn’t a goddamn thing I can do about it.
My mom has been trying to be there for Jess as help her however she can but I also know my dad being taken is weighing on her. The council has made no contact, we don’t even know if Shelley, Dela and dad are even alive at this stage. I have been working closely with Vince and Davina to try and formulate a plan to get them back, we leave here in 2 weeks to another safe location. My pack has been training daily, as the other shifters and vamps have. Jess trains with them in hand-to-hand combat whenever they shift to practice fighting in their wolf form she escapes to the beach with Harlem, he seems to be the only thing that is holding her together. Mom and Davina have bonded which is weird as shit for me and the twins, I had to rein in my temper when I found out Mom had taken Harlem to Davina’s house for dinner. When I confronted her, she said that Davina and I may have our issues, but Harlem is innocent, I have to say her words hit their mark. Ever since then I have allowed Davina to spend more time with Harlem but never on her own, thanks to Cairo insisting on my mom training with them today I’m stuck at Davina’s house so she can spend time with Harlem.
It still makes me feel weird watching Davina sit on the floor and play trains with him, a part of me hurts at the view. I remember when I was younger, she would play with me like this, losing her not only broke me but it hardened my heart. When dad came home and told me that he had found his fated mate I was apprehensive, but meeting Meg changed everything. She didn’t need to have my blood; she loved the twins from the start and even when I tried to push her away she never left. I cried every night for the mother I thought I lost and after the second week of Meg moving in with us, she gave up sitting outside my door listening to me cry. She pulled me out of bed and took me out into the woods into a clearing and told me to look up at the stars. I did as she asked, and she told me not to weep for my mom because she was the brightest the star in the sky and would always watch over me and the twins. From that night Meg became my friend and then before long she became the mother, I never thought I needed. If Davina thinks just by her being alive that we will ever desert our mom for her, she is fucking wrong.
“Creed!” I shake my head to clear my thoughts and look at Davina, from the frown on her face I can tell this isn’t the first time she has tried to get my attention.
“What?” That came out harsher than I intended but I don’t care, I didn’t want to be here today. I know my mom only agreed to train with Ro because everyone else was busy even Jess doing who knows what, which meant I was stuck with staying with Davina. She keeps her emotions from her face and tries to act unbothered by my tone, but I can tell from the way her shoulders droop forward slightly that she is hurt. Mom thought I was mad at Davina because she is a vampire but that isn’t it at all, I’m pissed at her because I don’t understand how she could abandon us–her kids! I could never leave Harlem.
“I’m going to put him down for his nap.” I look to my son and can see his eyes drooping shut; a yawn escapes him. I stand and Davina does the same, I quirk a brow at her in question, but she raises her hand to stop me from speaking. “He can nap in the spare room here; I have something to discuss with you about the move and the council.” I stare at her for a moment wondering if I’ll be able to tolerate being alone with her, but my need for information wins out and I nod. She picks Harlem up but before she can disappear to the room, I stop her and place a kiss on his head.
