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“Because I’m aneggplant?” Her face remains blank, but I can see the anger swimming in her blue eyes. “I was just trying to help.”
“Help? You think your psychotic mother trying to kill my fucking brother is going to help? How would you like it if I took a knife to Cole’s throat?” I tense and dart my gaze to my brother; he looks like he wants his hand to beat up my face. “The thing is, I would never ever do that to someone you love. Cairo is supposed to be your friend and you used my brother as a pawn to manipulate me into shifting. You know what?” I pull my gaze from Cole to stare at Jess. “You are more like Davina than you think, you truly are your mother’s son.” I stumble back a step at her harsh words, I don’t get a chance to reply, she turns away from me and heads over to Cairo and motions for Sky and him to follow her. I’m a bastard, I watch her ass sway side to side until I can’t see her anymore. I grit my teeth when I see my brother and Zeke approach me, I don’t need Cole’s shit right now.
“How the hell could you do this to her? She went through something so fucked up and you let your mommy over there literally scare the wolf out of her.” I glare at my brother; he is still beneath me, and he clearly needs a reminder of that.
“You don’t get to judge what the fuck I do withmymate. I just helped save her fucking life, she wasn’t going to stay behind when we approached the packs, did you really think they would follow her without scenting her as a wolf?” Cole’s reply is cut off when Zeke’s fist connects with my face, the punch fucking hurts but I don’t let it show before the two of us can get into it Cole steps in the middle. Zeke points an accusing finger at me and glares as his chest rises and falls in rapid succession.
“You son of a bitch! You never change, you did this for yourself not her, you agreed to Davina’s help and never once thought to ask what her plan was?” he doesn’t let me answer as he continues his tirade. “You Credence don’t fucking deserve her or your status as alpha, Cairo and Sky could have been killed today and you couldn’t give a shit! You’re a selfish prick––“
“I did it to protect her! I didn’t know this is what Davina had planned, I just wanted Jess to have Sheba, so she wasn’t unprotected. Jess hasn’t been herself for weeks since she thought she lost her wolf; she has pushed everyone away. She won’t even spend much time with Harlem because she doesn’t think she is worthy of him without her wolf, call me whatever the fuck you want but I did this for her and our son, now get the fuck out of my way.” I nudge Cole out of the way and shoulder check Zeke as I pass, that fucker needs to learn to keep his nose the fuck out of my business. I still don’t trust him after he hit on Jess. I ignore Davina as she calls my name and shift, I let Corbin take control knowing he will take us to Jess I don’t know what I’m going to say to her, but I have to fix this. I never thought Davina would go as far as she did, but am I sorry?No, I would do it again if it meant Jess got Sheba back.
I shift back as soon as Jess, Cairo and Sky come into view out front of the house, they all scowl at me when I approach. Cairo looks like he wants me six feet under, and I honestly can’t blame him, I stop and leave a good amount of space between us knowing that the closer I get the more pissed off they’ll be. I raise my hands and focus on Jess, she is grinding her teeth so hard I think she may actually break them.
“Davina offered to help get your wolf back, she never told me what her plan was, only to trust that what she had planned would bring her back. I never meant for any of this happen––“
“How did you shift?” I turn to Sky and quirk a brow. “She said that only Jess and I could shift, but you shifted and stopped Jess.”
“I… I don’t know.” I can see they don’t believe me, so I press on. “I honestly don’t know, I just shifted.”
“What did you think would happen?” The sarcasm in Jess’s voice tells me she is going to hit me where it hurts. “Did you think because we fucked this morning that I would drop to my knees and worship you because your mommy figured out how to free Sheba?” I flinch and she scoffs. “You never learn, this isn’t a dictatorship it’s a partnership Creed––“I cut her off with a growl.
“Bullshit Princess, this hasn’t been a partnership since you shut me the fuck out, you never gave me a choice! You chose to try and end things with us and shut us all out, you left me no fucking choice!” I scream at her; I want to stop but the words just keep flowing. “You made decisions without me, you put words in my mouth and doubted my love for you. I tried to be there for you ever since we got you back and you have done nothing but push me away and you have even started to pull away from our son.” She recoils but I’m not done yet, I bend so we are eye level. “I don’t fucking regret what happened, maybe now that you have your wolf back you might actually start to be the Jess I fell in love with. Until you can be her again, I’ll be taking Harlem with me to my mom’s.” I don’t stick around; I brush past her but stop when Sky and I are shoulder to shoulder. “I’m sorry for what they did to you.” I head inside to pack me and Harlem some things for a couple days. I think it’s best for all of us if Jess and I take some time apart, I won’t push her anymore. If she wants to be with me then she needs to show it, my chest aches and Corbin is howling inside me at the idea of leaving her, but I don’t see any other way. Once in the room I pull on a pair of jeans and forgo a shirt, I start grabbing clothes out of the draws for me and Harlem. The bedroom door slams open, If the smell of rotting wouldn’t assault my nose, I would scent air rather than peering over my shoulder to see Jess standing there in another man’s shirt––again. I growl my disapproval but say nothing as I continue to grab clothes out.
“Relax, it’s my brother’s shirt.”
“I didn’t say a word.”
“You didn’t need to, the growl said it all. You are not leaving with my son––“That does it, I slam the draw shut with more force than needed and it slams back against the wall. I spin and face her seething with anger, my hands are clenched into fists at my sides as I stare her down.
“He isn’tyourshe isours! I get to make decisions for him as well, we have had this same argument repeatedly, and I am tired of it. I’m tired of fighting Jess, all my life I have had to fight to prove myself to my father and the pack. My dad’s gone, the pack has turned to shit and I’m not even really an alpha anymore, you are not the only one who has lost shit. You walk around and act like you are the only one who has suffered, we all have Jess. I’m asking you now to step aside and let me leave.” Seeing the tears gather in her eyes guts me but I can’t back down, we need space–– I need space. Her and I living like this for the past month isn’t healthy for us or for Harlem, I drop the clothes on the bed and move toward her cupping her face between my hands.
“Don’t go.” A loud exhale escapes me as I see the tears trailing down her cheeks.
“I have to little alpha; you need time to process shit and I need time to think. I’m sorry that Davina did what she did today, but I would do it again if given the choice.” I release her and grab a duffle from the walk in and stuff mine and Harlem’s clothes into it, Jess stands in the same spot unmoving. I zip the bag and sling it over my shoulder, I can’t bear to look at her as I head for the door, just before I can exit her words have me halting.
“I’m sorry, I swear I never meant to hurt you.”
“I know, princess.” Hearing her sobs nearly breaks me but I know this is the best thing for us, I spot Sky and Cairo in the kitchen and decide to speak to them first before leaving. Both of them look at me like I am shit under their boots and I don’t blame, they would have heard everything that was just said upstairs.
“She needs you and you decide to leave?” That isn’t what I expected Cairo to say.
“I have to, we have been living like strangers for weeks and it isn’t healthy for us or for our son. I think a few days apart will do us the world of good––“
“We leave this island in a few days, what then?” My shoulders droop.
“I don’t know… I love her Ro, but I also can’t live like this. I’m not like my dad; I can’t live with a mate that doesn’t love me.” Saying that out loud hurts more than I ever thought it would.
“Men are so dumb.” Both Ro and I glare at Sky. “She loves you so much, she is just in a dark hole after what happened. You leaving will be the best thing for her.”
“How?” Ro asks.
“Because then she is forced to face her trauma head on in order to get her family back. Jess isn’t good to anyone let alone the packs being in this depressed state, don’t give up on her Creed.”
“Never, I’m sorry you were both caught in the crossfire today. I swear I had no idea Davina was going to pull a stunt like that.” They both nod and I take that as my cue to leave.
Chapter Forty
Credence
