***
Madison watched until she could no longer see the wolf as it ran into the thick, dense covering of trees. It felt he was still watching her, but she blew it off as her desire for him to do so.
Okay, she needed to get a reality check going on there. She was showing emotion for a wolf that not too many human boys had elicited within her.
There was something seriously wrong with her. Maybe she'd been by herself for too long. Everyone else seemed to want to hook up with someone. Emily, who'd been here the shortest amount of time, had Zach falling all over her. She decided she needed to find someone...like quick. She scanned the wood line once more, waved goodbye in case he was watching, and then left her once secluded place she thought of as only hers.
Chapter Thirteen
Jacob made it back home after the whole pack had finally left. He knew he'd have to answer questions from his dad and brothers, but that was the least of his problems. He quickly changed back into human form and grabbed the stash of clothes always available in the pool house. He crept alongside the shrubs and peeked in the windows of the main home. His father, Adam, and Zach were seated in the family room, waiting for him to return.
It's now or never. Might as well get this over.
Jacob opened the front door and knew he was going to get summoned in...three...two...one.
"Jacob, get in here now," his father bellowed out in a tone that shook the windows.
As soon as Jacob got into the room, his father was in his face. He knew he couldn't take on his dad, let alone the alpha of the pack.
"You have some questions to answer." His father grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and pushed him over toward the sofa. "Sit." He ordered, and Jacob obliged with attitude as he plopped himself down on the couch with a thump and kicked his feet up onto the coffee stand. "I'm speaking to you as your alpha, not your father.” Jacob's feet were pushed off the stand by a giant hand. “Sit up and show me you're not the immature child you're behaving like."
"I am still a child. Remember. I wasn't allowed to attend tonight's meeting."
"You weren't allowed to attend the same reason the others under the age of eighteen weren't permitted." Adam had to go and put his two cents into the whole ordeal. "I didn't see Danny, or Marshall, or even Will and Anthony throwing a two-year-old baby fit as you did."
Jacob smirked at Adam, which further irritated him.
"You know what. This is why no one wants you in the pack--"
Adam's words were cut short by their father's roar. "Enough!" He stood in front of Jacob once again. "You are wanted in the pack."
Jacob shot another antagonizing smirk at Adam.
"But, your attitude is not." His father finished his statement.
"I don't have an attitude." Jacob sat up a little straighter on the sofa. He was so tired of everyone dictating what he could or couldn't do.
"You." Their father pointed at Jacob. "Will learn to listen and obey what I say and your elders. And yes, that does include your brothers. If we are going to be strong enough as a pack to get rid of these bloodsuckers that killed your mother and Rose, then we need to work together, not against each other." His tone was strict, as in the boys had better pay mind to what he was saying, but it also had a hint of pleading in it.
Jacob rolled his eyes and stood. He gave a little curtsy. "May I be excused, your highnesses." His father shook his head and waved him off to leave. Jacob jumped at the chance and bolted up the stairs.
"I have to get back to patrol." Adam walked over to the main door. "Do you need anything else?" he questioned his father, who shook his head no. "See ya." And he was gone.
"Why is Adam on patrol? Are they getting close again?" Zach needed to find out these answers as he had friends and a possible mate who needed protection.
"As the elders and I said at the meeting, they aren't here yet, but we keep getting a sense the offspring may be close. If he's near, that means the others will follow. They are looking for him as diligently as we are." His father turned away from him, and Zach assumed the conversation was over. No real answers, but he knew more than he did before about this whole Orfeo matter.
***
Zach knocked on Jacob's door before he went to his room. He needed to ask him a few questions about the accusations he'd said before he had stormed out earlier. After thirty seconds, there was still no answer. Zach knocked once again, a little louder. He heard shuffling by the door, and then it flew open.
"What?" Jacob hissed at him.
"I need to ask you a few questions." Zach shouldered Jacob to the side and walked past him into his room. "What did you mean about Dad and a mistress?" Even though shifters had excellent hearing, Zach still lowered his tone to a whisper, hoping their father wouldn't hear.
"Nothing."
"Obviously you know something, or you wouldn't have brought it up earlier." Zach was frustrated with Jacob's lack of willingness to share information.
"I'll tell you what I know, but you have to tell me what went on at the meeting." Jacob sounded like a little kid trying to coerce someone into telling him what his Christmas presents were.
Zach knew there would be disciplinary action against him if he told Jacob anything the elders had said, but this was the only way to find out what he meant about their dad and a mistress. "Whatever."
Jacob got a satisfied look on his face. "You go first." He sat down on his bed and waited for what he asked to hear.
Zach blew a loud sigh out and leaned against the wall. "They talked about Orfeo and what they were going to do to stop them. They have patrols out," Zach motioned toward the woods surrounding their home, "Adam's out there now seeing if he and his pack can pick up a scent anywhere. They know the offspring is near, and Orfeo will come looking, just like we're supposed to be, except for different reasons. They want him alive, and we want him to suffer like his father made Mom and Rose." Zach felt his anger rise as he spoke about their mom and Adam's mate. He wanted to deliver his own sort of punishment when they found either the offspring or Orfeo. "Okay, spill." Zach motioned for Jacob to tell what he promised in return for the information.
"Well." Jacob seemed to be stalling as he looked around his room. "This was years ago, like when Mom was alive. When we didn't live in West Lakes, we were probably about eight and ten, and I'd come back home from wandering around out in our woods. There was a strange car in the driveway, and Mom's car wasn't there. So, I didn't think much of it. I thought it was probably someone from the pack or something." Jacob walked over to the window overlooking the forest scenery. "I heard voices in the house, and one was a woman's." He turned to face Zach once more. "So, I snuck up to the room she and Dad were in and listened to their conversation."
"What did they say?" Zach was getting a little irritated with Jacobs's hesitancy.
Jacob shrugged. "Something like she's almost ten years old and doesn't know about her father yet. Then Dad said something to the effect of ''there is nothing I can do about that right now. We'll have to wait until she's able to understand better about all of this."
"Was it the only time you saw her?"
Jacob shook his head. "I saw her after Mom was killed. It was here at this house. The same lady and Dad were kissing out by Mom's garden."
Zach didn't know what to think. It could all mean nothing, or maybe something did happen between the mystery woman and his father. What if the girl they were talking about was his half-sister?
Nah, that wasn't possible. There had never been a girl shifter born since records had been kept. That was how the packs stayed so strong. Women were brought into the pack only by mating with a member. Then they were only able to bear baby boys. Those babies were raised to be fighters and protect the women, younger members, and the rest of the pack. Plus, wolves weren't like humans; they didn't cheat on their mates. This whole situation Jacob remembered had to be some kind of mistake.
"I don't think anything happened. Dad is Alpha, and he knows being such doesn't allow for being unfaith
ful to your mate. Plus, I don't think his wolf would allow any of that to happen." Zach went back out to the hallway. "I don't know. You were young; maybe you don't remember the details of what happened correctly."
"Whatever. You wanted to know what I meant from before."
"I wouldn't say any more about this until this whole other situation gets taken care of. We don't need everyone in the pack fighting or mistrusting any of us."
Jacob nodded. He understood.
Zach walked back to his room to sort through this whole mess of a situation he just heard.
Chapter Fourteen
The rest of the week went without incident. There were no sightings of either the descendant or of Orfeo's following. It was finally game day, and the whole high school was abuzz with excitement. Zach knew he had to pick up Emily this evening for the game, which Madison and Alex long established on the first week of school. It would give him more private opportunity to talk to her and maybe break through the barrier not allowing her to act as his mate.
The football banners hanging from the cafeteria walls and the windows all had team players and numbers written on them, courtesy of the cheerleading squad. Jacob had the front and center window all to himself, thanks to Brindle, Rachel, and Heather. And of course, his name and the number ten were centered on the front wall poster banner so everyone could see it first.
"So, we all ready for tonight?" Madison questioned everyone as she looked around at the group.
This was the first football game of the season and the first dance of the year. It wasn't like their semi-formal, which was held later on for homecoming, but a regular dance for opening game day. They all nodded in response to her question and went back to eating their lunches.
"I heard the DJ they hired canceled for tonight." Madison continued on her talk about the night.
"So, what are they going to do? Is the dance canceled?" Danny looked a little relieved.
"Nope." Madison laughed as Danny's bubble of excitement with the dance being possibly canceled was popped. "The people in charge of that stuff got some local band to come to play.”
"Wow. Cool. Like a real band and not some old guy playing CDs." Alex was the only one interested in the change of venues. “Do you know what kind of music they play, or do they play a mix of everything?" she asked Madison, who seemed to be on top of all the happenings.
"Um, I think the people in the office said something about them playing eighties music." The boys groaned while Alex and Emily appeared entertained by the idea. "It's not bad, guys." She turned to Zach and Danny. "I heard they played Poison and bands like that." They still rolled their eyes and went back to their more exciting task at hand, eating their lunch. "You know, you guys can show a little interest once in a while." Madison was getting a little irritated with the boy's attitude.
"Oh, I'm sorry for not having a big interest in going to another West Lakes dance. So tell me, Madison, who will be your man for the night? You know, since I'll be taking Alex, and Zach and Em are going together." Danny threw some sarcasm in to get her all riled up.
Madison felt her face becoming heated. She hadn't gone on a date in a long time, since like sophomore year or something. It wasn't she didn't get attention from any guys, but it always felt like the wrong one. Maybe there wasn't a wrong one. Perhaps she was being too picky and waiting on a guy who will probably never come. No knight in shining armor for her, just a big black wolf she couldn't get out of her thoughts.
"Danny, quit being such an ass." Alex came to Madison's defense. She shot him a look that made him seem to want to whimper away. "I bet Madison could ask the next guy that walks through the door to the dance, and he would jump at the chance."
Madison got a smug grin on her face. One, she had back-up from Alex, and two, she was going to do it. "I'll ask the next guy who comes in." Her mouth spoke before her brain had time to rationalize what she was going to do. The guy could say yes, right. Or he could laugh her off and embarrass her in front of the whole cafeteria population.
"Okay, we'll wait and see who's going to be Madison's escort tonight. Maybe you'll get lucky too." Danny winked at her in reference to his last comment.
Madison rolled her eyes and shook her head at his provocative suggestion. They all waited good-naturedly, eyes fixed on the door, waiting for the next guy to walk through.
After several minutes of patiently waiting for the door to open, to no avail, they went back to eating and chit-chatting about the game and dance. The creak of the side door opening made everyone's eyes flash in that direction.
"You have to be freaking kidding me." Madison ranted like a drunken sailor as Jacob walked into the cafeteria. The rest of the group tried to control their chuckling, but that wasn't easily done.
Jacob heard the group's laughter and sauntered over to their spot. "What?" He glared at them, obvious to the fact they must've been talking about him.
"Go ahead, Madison." Danny teasingly patted her back. She shot him a look that would have struck him dead if bullets were involved.
"Go ahead, what?" Jacob was irritated because they'd said something about him and because he felt his wolf getting all riled up because another was teasing his mate.
"Forget it. Bet's over. Danny, keep your shit up and you can find your own way tonight." Madison was faking anger as she tried to hide away from having to confront Jacob about the dilemma she was in. Why was he the person that had to walk through the door? Why couldn't it have been someone none of them knew?
Jacob was happy none of the other 'weres' had picked up on his wolf's scent on Madison. Although it had been a couple of days since their encounter, the wolf's saliva and the scent would remain on her to ward off others. He knew he had to get out of there before Danny or Zach sensed anything out of the norm.
"Later." Jacob turned to leave the lunchroom. For the life of him, he couldn't remember what he'd come there for in the first place.
"C'mon, Madison was going to ask you to be her escort to the dance tonight." Danny started back on the Madison dare.
That piece of information made Jacob stop in his tracks. One, his wolf was curious to know if she was having the same feelings as he was. And two, the human side wanted this to end and her to not like him. He slowly looked back and glanced at Madison. She was sitting with a dumbfounded expression on her face, which was rare for her. She usually had a comeback or smart-ass remark within five seconds of anyone saying something to her. He scanned her body head to toe and then met her in an eye-to-eye stare match.
Jacob's lips contorted into a sneer. "I think I already did my charity work for football this season. Sorry, you're out of luck." He let the lunchroom door slam with a bang.
Madison turned toward Zach. "That's why I hate your brother."
Zach got up from his chair and came around the table to give her a small hug. As he leaned down toward her, he caught a faint whiff of a shifter smell, one he knew all too well. "I'll be right back," he told the rest of the group as he walked out the door after Jacob. He saw his younger brother was further up the hall and walking at a fast pace. "Hey," Zach yelled out, not caring if it drew attention to either of them not being in class.
Jacob stopped and turned around. He wasn't ready for this inquisition, but he knew it was bound to happen sooner or later. Why did his stupid wolf have to go and mark her? Why couldn't he leave things like they were when everything was going well? "What? I don't have time for a friendly talk with you right now."
"Cool, I want to get back to my lunch anyway. So, I'll get straight to the point. Why does Madison smell like your wolf?" Zach crossed his arms and stood in front of the door leading to the stairs, which was Jacob's only means of escape.
"How am I supposed to know?" Irritation vibrated in Jacob's tone.
"You have no clue as to why or how your smell, one only another wolf can sense, ended up on her." Zach knew he wasn't going to win this battle with Jacob. The only one that could make him talk would be their alpha. Then again, this was Jacob,
and not even their dad could get him to talk.
"Whatever. You can think what you want. Now, can you move so I can get back to class?"
"So, let's see. Your wolf snuck out of you, found Madison all alone, and marked her." Zach needed to get to the bottom of this.
Why all of a sudden were they finding their mates, and why these girls?
Except for Alex, Emily and Madison weren't showing classic behavior of being someone's mate. Even without the marking, they still should have this pull on each other, making it hard to be away from the other.
Danny and Alex always wanted to be around each other or have some type of physical contact with one another, even if it was only a brush on the hand or a small gesture like a pat on the back.
"Whatever. Move." Jacob pushed Zach out of the way and fled up the stairs like he was afraid of the questions. Or was he trying to escape and hide away from the answers?
That went well, Zach thought as he went back to the lunchroom to answer all the questions of where he'd gone.
***
Jacob made it up to the second level of the school before turning around and making sure Zach wasn't following. He didn't have the answers his brother was looking for. He had no idea why his wolf insisted Madison was the one. It wasn't like he could go up and say, 'Hey Madison, I'm a shifter, and my wolf decided to claim you as his own.'
There was no one to talk to about this. Will and Anthony hadn't been through the whole initiation ceremony, not that he would speak with them about it anyway. They were pack and part of the team, but it wasn't like they sat around and had confession talks with each other like girls did.
He slammed the wall with his fist and went to find Brindle. At least she would be able to take his mind off all this stuff and maybe help him get Madison out of his thoughts.
Revelations (Separate Worlds Book 1) Page 6