His cold eyes fixed on Izzy and she stood straighter, refusing to be intimidated.
“Sir?”
“What is it, Jackson?” Damian demanded, impatient.
“Izzy explained the circumstances surrounding Thor’s death.”
“Oh? What did your mate have to say?”
“Three women were attacked near Hoyden Territory. They were raped. DNA tests they did confirmed that Thor was one of the rapists.”
“Thor would never do such a thing. How dare you malign your brother’s name?” Jackson lowered his head and his eyes in submission.
“They have evidence, sir. Aleksandr of the Hoyden Pack ordered my brother’s death. And they are still searching for the second rapist. That’s why Izzy’s here. She’s trying to find—”
“You were sent here to spy on me? On my pack? This is unacceptable, Jackson. My clan are not degenerates. They don’t need to force women into their beds. So what if the DNA matched? How do you know they didn’t ask for it?”
“Ask for it? You didn’t see these women. They were brutally attacked.” Izzy said heatedly.
“Some women like it rough.”
“Like it rough?! You didn’t see the scratches and bruises on these women. They didn’t agree to anything. They were attacked and blindfolded, raped by two of your men. The DNA we have shows that the rapists are relate—”
“Enough! I will hear no more of this nonsense.”
Damian turned away, focusing on the fire.
“Take your mate back to your cabin. I suggest you spend the rest of your time fucking instead of spying on my clan.”
“Yes, Sir.”
“If you want to remain one of my Soldiers, I strongly advise you to put your mate in her place—”
He turned around, his cold eyes burning into Izzy.
“—before I do.”
Taken aback at his statement, Jackson recovered quickly and gave him a curt nod. He turned, took Izzy’s hand and led her back to their cabin.
Chapter Seven
Furious, Izzy paced in front of the fireplace as Jackson watched her with a slight frown. His mate was furious at his Alpha and his Alpha was furious with his mate. Poor Jackson was caught between both.
“The nerve of that—”
She stomped past him.
“Put me in my place? In my PLACE?”
“They like it rough? ROUGH?”
“They asked for it?”
“Asked for it? What the FUCK?”
“ARGH!”
Izzy felt like pulling out her hair in frustration and anger. She also felt like taking out her frustration on Damian. He might be an Alpha but she was angry enough to take him. A fight between them wouldn’t last long. She had never been this angry in her life.
How could he excuse what his males had done and place the blame on women? What kind of leader was he?
“Bella.”
“Honey?”
“Isabella!”
“What?” Izzy asked as she spun around to face Jackson.
He stood and held her arms.
“You have to calm down, Honey. I know it didn’t go as you expected—”
Izzy pulled away from him, stepping back with a look of pure disgust on her face.
“Didn’t go as expected? Not only is he refusing to help me identify the second rapist, but he actually blames the victims!”
“Bella, please.”
“Are you taking his side?”
Jackson didn’t answer. Izzy stepped back, disappointment and disgust evident on her face.
“I don’t believe you! How can you take his side?”
“I’m not taking his side, Bella. He’s my alpha. I have to follow his orders. He isn’t making me do anything.”
“No, he’s not. But doing nothing while a rapist is planning his next attack is just as bad.”
She turned away from him, shaking her head.
“Bella?”
Jackson walked up behind her, placed his hands on her shoulders.
“Bella, please.”
He slipped his arms around her, holding her close.
“He gave me a direct order. We’re not to gather DNA evidence from my Pack mates. I don’t see a way around his order, Bella. Do you?”
“I don’t have to follow his orders, Jackson. He’s not my alpha.”
She turned around to face him.
“Come with me to my pack, Jackson. If you renounce him as your Alpha, you don’t need to follow his commands. You can help me stop this rapist.”
“Leave here? But...this is my home...I’m a Soldier here....In your Pack...I’ll be nothing....”
“It didn’t seem to bother you when the shoe was on the other foot.”
Izzy pulled away from him and left the cabin.
He has a choice to make and he most certainly will choose his Pack over me.
Izzy left Jackson’s cabin, determined to find a way back home. She sought and found Harley in the small bar at the edge of town. She sat next to him at the bar and ordered a drink. He still had the box of envelopes with him and she nodded to it. He nodded slightly and moved the box closer to her. They chatted about the weather and the small town, comparing it with other towns they had visited. Harley told her about his new assignment, escorting Lanie and Carina when they leave Last Hope, Harley’s hometown.
Izzy laughed, earning a few stares from some wolves sitting in the bar. Between chortles of laughter she managed to ask, “D-d-do you have to cha-cha-change diapers?”
She guffawed.
“I’m so glad my pain amuses you,” Harley said drily with a twinkle in his eye.
“What did you do to piss him off?” She asked, wiping a tear away.
“Nothing. Hell, I’m honored that he trusts me to protect his mate and child,” he replied, taking a sip of his beer.
“I didn’t think of it that way. You’re right. You’re moving up in the world, Harley.” She raised her glass to his then sipped her drink.
“You insult your mate by flirting with this unmated male,” one of the wolves said as he stood and walked over to them.
“Why don’t you mind your own business?” Izzy replied.
“Jackson has been neglecting to teach you manners. Never mind, I will be happy to teach you the proper way to act when your superior addresses you.”
He reached for his belt, unbuckled it and pulled it out of the loops. Izzy made a show of glancing around.
“My superior? Funny, I don’t see my Alpha anywhere.”
She slid off the bar stool, ready for the wolf’s attack.
“Smart mouthed little—”
He swung the belt and Izzy grabbed it with her left hand, pulling it toward her, unbalancing him. At the same time, she swung with her right hand, punching him in the face, connecting with his jaw. He staggered backward, releasing the belt. She dropped it to the floor and kicked him squarely in the groin with her steel toed leather boots. He doubled over, falling to his knees, gasping for air and she extended her claws. She scratched him on the face. She growled at him before bringing up her knee, hitting him the chin. He fell backward, flat on the floor and Izzy walked around and stepped on his throat.
“Stop moving or I will end your life.”
He froze.
“I hope the marks on your face will be a reminder of today. Mind your own business and keep your fucking hands to yourself.”
He nodded and she removed her foot and stepped back.
“Bella! What the fuck is going on here?”
Jackson glanced at the wolf on the floor then back at Bella. She shrugged.
“He hit me with his belt. I hit him back.”
Jackson’s eyes went wild as he turned to the wolf on the floor.
“You hit my mate with a belt?” he growled and clenched his fists, ready to attack the wounded wolf.
“She was flirting with that wolf,” he pointed to Harley.
“I was not flirting. Just because we’re mated doesn’t mean I can’t talk
with other males. Harley and I were sitting here having a perfectly innocent conversation.”
“Were you planning on leaving again?” Jackson asked.
“That’s not what we were talking about but now that you mention it, that depends on you, Jackson,” she replied honestly.
Her phone beeped, indicating a text message was received. Harley’s phone beeped a second later. They checked their text messages and exclaimed, “Fuck!”
They exchanged glances and Harley asked, “What are you going to do about Jackson?”
Izzy took a deep breath, closed her eyes and shook her head. She muttered to herself then opened her eyes and turned to Jackson.
“Another woman has been attacked. She’s at Second Chances General Hospital.”
“Attacked? Like the others?”
“Yes. Looks like your Alpha was wrong. If he had helped us, we might have been able to prevent the attack on this female.”
She didn’t bother to hide the anger in her voice.
“You can stay here and kiss his ass if you want to, but I’m going to see the woman and do what I can to find that Son of a Bitch.”
She raised her voice so that the rest of the patrons could hear.
“My duty as a Soldier is to protect the Pack, not look the other way because an Alpha is too weak to do his job.”
She marched past Jackson, Harley following close behind. The wolves in the bar began to murmur to each other.
“Another woman was attacked?”
“By a wolf?”
“Damian didn’t prevent it?”
“This could expose us to the human world.”
“Why wouldn’t Damian have this wolf hunted?”
Their murmurs grew louder the angrier they became. It was Damian’s duty as their Alpha to protect the ways of the wolf first, then his pack. If he knew a wolf’s behavior endangered their lives and did nothing, he wasn’t fit to be their Alpha.
Izzy marched directly to Harley’s motorcycle and stopped next to it when she heard Jackson calling to her.
“Bella, wait!” Jackson called. “I’m going with you. We will take my car.”
Izzy turned to him. She regarded him thoughtfully before reminding him, “What about your orders?”
“You’re right, Bella. As a Soldier, my primary duty is to protect the Pack.”
“You do realize that Damian will punish you for this? He could strip your rank. You would no longer be a Soldier.”
“My duty is to my pack, not Damian,” he assured her once more.
“OK. Let’s go.”
Izzy followed Jackson back to his cabin while Harley left on his motorcycle. In record time Jackson packed a duffle bag with some of his clothes. He picked up the two bags of clothing that had been delivered to his cabin and tossed those into the trunk of his car. Without a second glance, he drove off, heading to Second Chances General Hospital.
While Jackson was in his cabin packing his bag, the wolves in the bar decided to have a meeting with Damian to find out whether Izzy’s accusations were true. A group of eight wolves marched to the Alpha House, demanding to see Damian. Tyler, Damian’s assistant, had them wait in the living room while he related their concerns to Damian in his office.
Damian slammed his fist on his desk.
“That bitch.”
Livid, he stormed into his living room to address his concerned pack mates.
“What has Jackson’s treasonous bitch been saying to you?” he demanded.
Anderson cleared his throat before answering, “Jackson’s mate said that another woman had been attacked and that you did nothing to prevent it.”
“She also said you were weak for doing nothing,” another wolf added.
“Weak? That cunt! This is the first I’ve heard about a woman being attacked by a wolf,” Damian lied. “Had I known, of course I would have done my best to find the wolf responsible and had him executed.”
“What else did that lying cunt say?” Damian could barely control his temper.
“They were headed to Second Chances General Hospital to check on the woman.”
“‘They’?”
“Yes, Harley, Jackson and his mate.”
“I will deal with Jackson and his lying mate,” Damian said with finality.
The wolves exchanged glances and left the Alpha House. Outside the Alpha House, a few wolves stood together, whispering among themselves.
“Did you smell it?” one wolf asked cautiously.
“I did. Damian was lying. He knew about the attacks.”
They nodded to each other grimly. Their alpha was weak. He endangered their pack and had flagrantly lied to them. To protect their kind, they needed to remove Damian from his position as Alpha. That meant someone had to challenge him, had to fight him to the death to become the new Alpha. But who?
Chapter Eight
Izzy, Jackson and Harley sat in the waiting room of Second Chances General Hospital. Although they had been waiting for an hour, it seemed much longer. Night had fallen and Izzy stared out of the window, lost in her thoughts.
Jackson, wanting to comfort his mate, stood and walked to stand behind her. He slipped his arms around her waist and she stiffened.
“I’m sorry I didn’t listen to you sooner, Bella. You were right.”
“Can I get that in writing?”
She turned around, placing her arms on his chest and tipping her head up to look at him. Jackson looked worried. She smiled wanly at him and brushed his hair away from his face.
“Jackson—”
“Izzy?” Izzy turned to face the nurse in the waiting room.
“You can see her now. Follow me,” the nurse said.
Izzy pulled away from Jackson and followed the nurse into the victim’s room. She sucked in a breath when she saw the woman lying on the bed.
“What the fuck?”
The woman turned to Izzy. Her eyes lit up with recognition and she began to cry. Izzy took two steps back, turned around and ran back to the waiting room.
“Jackson!” she called.
He stood immediately.
“What’s wrong, Bella?”
“Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. It’s Mary Ann, Jackson. You need come.”
Jackson just stared at Izzy, confused because she mentioned Mary Ann. Izzy grabbed his hand and pulled him to Mary Ann’s room. Jackson swore loudly when he saw Mary Ann lying on the bed, bruised and battered. To Jackson, it seemed that the world went from slow motion to fast forward and he found himself sitting on her bed, holding Mary Ann, offering comfort while she cried uncontrollably.
Izzy paced the room, full of rage. Eventually, Mary Ann’s tears subsided and she lay back on the bed. Jackson stiffened as he scented Izzy’s anger and he began to worry as he watched her pace back and forth.
“Bella, don’t be angry with me. I was only offering comfort to her. You’re my mate, the only one I want.”
Izzy stopped pacing for a minute to turn to them.
“I know that, Jackson, otherwise I wouldn’t have brought you in here. I’m not angry with you. I’m fucking pissed at the wolf that did this and at Damian for allowing it to happen.”
“You dare accuse me? You insolent wolf. I will teach you to respect your Alpha,” Damian responded angrily.
Damian stepped closer to Izzy and grabbed her by the arms, wolf eyes flashing.
“Get your fucking hands off my wolf,” Aleksandr snarled.
Damian released her and she gave him a smug look as she walked past him to hug Aleksandr.
“Are you all right?” Aleksandr asked gently as he looked down at her.
“It’s been quite an experience,” Izzy replied drily.
Aleksandr chuckled before reminding her, “Be careful what you wish for.”
He released her and she moved to stand beside him.
“Why are you here, Damian?” Aleksandr asked.
“Your little bitch has been causing problems in my Pack, spreading lies about me. She accused me of doing nothing whil
e this wolf was attacked. I came here to see for myself.”
“When she told you she was hunting a rapist, one of your clan, what did you do? What help did you offer?”
Damian clamped his mouth shut and glared at Izzy.
“You ordered them not to find the rapist. In fact you went so far as to suggest that these women weren’t raped but they asked for it,” Aleksandr said angrily.
“What? What kind of Alpha are you?” Mary Ann asked. “Look at me! Do you think I asked for this?”
Mary Ann sat up, raised her arms to show the claw marks on her forearms. She pulled down her gown to show the bruises and bite marks on her body. Damian glimpsed her bruised and battered body for a moment before she ordered him out.
“You’re despicable. Get out of my room,” she demanded.
Ashamed, Damian left her room.
“I’m sorry we didn’t find him sooner, Mary Ann,” Izzy said quietly.
“How long have you been hunting him?”
“There were two rapists. We’ve been hunting them for about three months now. The first one is dead. All we know is that the second rapist came from the Clodpoll wolf pack.”
Maryann frowned.
“He’s not Clodpoll. I ripped this off his shirt.”
Mary Ann opened her hand to reveal a patch with an odd insignia. Izzy took the patch to examine it closely. Her heart began beating at an accelerated rate, her palms became sweaty and she gasped for air.
Seeing her response, Aleksandr suspected he knew who the insignia belonged to, but needed to hear it from her.
“Izzy? Do you recognize this patch?” Aleksandr asked quietly.
“O-O-Orin,” she managed to sputter. “It’s his insignia. He makes his Soldiers in training wear it.”
Izzy held the patch and glanced up at Aleksandr. He pulled her into his arms and held her tightly.
“You’ve done enough, Isabella,” he said softly. “I won’t ask you to do this.”
“I’m a Soldier, Aleksandr. I can handle it.”
“You have nothing to prove, Izzy.”
“Not to you. To him. To the rest of the Pack. I want them to see what I’ve become.”
She looked up at him and stood proudly.
“I want them to know that I am a Soldier of Aleksandr Hoyden.”
“You’ve earned that right, Izzy. If you’re sure you want to do this, we will leave first thing in the morning. We should get there by tomorrow evening.”
Isabella's Dilemma: Wolf Secrets Book 1 Page 7