“Jackson?” Izzy called softly.
Jackson shook then abruptly shifted into his wolf form and bolted. He headed straight to the darkest part of the woods.
“JACKSON!” Izzy called but within seconds, he was gone.
Izzy struggled against Aleksandr’s tight hold.
“Damn it, Izzy, stop fighting me!” Aleksandr commanded. Izzy grunted then stilled.
“I have to go after him, Aleksandr. He’s in pain,” Izzy said softly.
“I know he is. I don’t want you near him in this state. He might lash out at you. You’ve had enough obstacles to deal with. You don’t need another. Let me find him. I will bring him back to you, Izzy,” he promised.
Izzy nodded and Aleksandr released her.
“Izzy can wait with me inside,” Orin decided.
Izzy glared at her father before turning around and headed back to the Alpha house.
Chapter Thirteen
Aleksandr picked up Jackson’s discarded clothes and folded them so they were easy to carry, then jogged into the nearby woods. Jackson had fled in pain, not bothering to cover his tracks. Aleksandr easily spotted the broken twigs, disturbed leaves and paw prints in the ground. He increased his pace, following Jackson’s noticeable trail. He heard a loud yelp somewhere ahead of him and Aleksandr knew he was getting close. He came to a clearing where Jackson-wolf was pacing. Aleksandr stayed back, carefully observing Jackson-wolf as he paced back and forth. Jackson-wolf whimpered, indicating he was in severe emotional pain. Yet his tail was held straight out behind him, indicating he was angry.
Aleksandr slowly walked into the clearing. Jackson-wolf turned his head and snarled at Aleksandr. Aleksandr growled in warning as he approached Jackson-wolf. Jackson-wolf tensed and bent his front legs, as if he were about to pounce on Aleksandr. Aleksandr growled again and Jackson-wolf lowered the rest of his body, laying on the ground with his head on his paws, submitting to his Alpha. He whimpered again, a high-pitched whiny sound.
Aleksandr knelt beside him and stroked the top of his head once, a gesture of comfort and acceptance.
“I forbid Izzy from coming to you, Jackson. Shift so we may speak.”
He stood and waited for Jackson to shift. He handed Jackson the bundle of clothes and waited for him to dress.
“You have every right to be angry with me. As your Alpha, I should have realized what Orin had planned. I’m sorry, Jackson. I failed you.”
Jackson stayed quiet, nodding slightly to indicate he accepted Aleksandr’s apology.
“But you don’t have the right to be angry with Izzy.”
Jackson’s head snapped up as he looked at Aleksandr. He opened his mouth to deny it but his eyes reflected his guilt. He did blame Izzy. Inadvertently he agreed to kill his own twin brother to earn her father’s respect. To earn her respect.
“I understand why you agreed, Jackson,” Aleksandr replied softly. “You wanted your mate to be proud of you. You wanted the opportunity to show her that you are a good Soldier and protector. You are not responsible for your brother’s choices, Jackson. I am truly sorry that you had to dispense justice, but if you had not killed him, I would have. You need not feel guilty, Jackson. Remember what was done to those innocent women. To Mary Ann.”
“I know that, Sir. It doesn’t make my grief any less.”
“No it doesn’t. But your mate can ease your grief.”
Jackson finally confessed the real reason he ran.
“I am not sure I can face her.”
Jackson turned away from Aleksandr.
“If you don’t return to her, Jackson, she will realize that you blame her for your brother’s death. You will lose her. What will that accomplish? Your brother is dead because of his own poor choices. You might deny your mate to punish yourself, but you forget that your mate will suffer as well. Do you want to punish Izzy?”
Mated wolves needed each other. To separate them caused unbearable grief. It was well known among their kind that when one wolf of a mated pair died, the other usually followed, unable to bear the pain of separation. The only exception was if the mated pair had pups. Usually the grieving parent would suffer silently to protect their young offspring.
Jackson thought about this for a minute before Aleksandr continued, “You are a Soldier, Jackson. Man up. Your mate has done nothing wrong. What if she refuses you? After all, two of your brothers were rapists.”
Jackson turned around suddenly.
“Refuses me?”
The thought never entered his mind. His wolf became anxious at the thought of his mate’s rejection.
“Why would she refuse me?”
“Didn’t she tell you about Minerva?”
“Her business?” he asked, confused.
Jackson recalled the conversation they had over breakfast, when Izzy discussed Minerva’s Minions.
“No. Minerva was her mother. Izzy witnessed her rape when she was a child. Unable to help her mother, she internalized that guilt. As she grew older, that guilt drove her to become a Soldier.”
Jackson shook his head in disbelief.
No wonder Bella refused to give up her rank as a Soldier.
“I had no control over my brothers. They might be rapists, but I am not.”
Jackson began to panic.
“Will she refuse me, Sir? I’ve done nothing wrong. I didn’t pick my relatives.”
“Neither did Izzy.”
Jackson realized Aleksandr was right. Neither of them could be held responsible for another’s actions. Izzy couldn’t blame him for his brothers’ behavior any more than he could blame her for Orin’s. He had been separated from his mate for too long and his wolf’s anxiety was growing. His wolf needed her comfort and wanted her away from Orin.
“Thank you, Sir. I am ready to face my mate.”
Aleksandr and Jackson jogged back to the Alpha house.
Orin sat on the front porch, waiting for Aleksandr and Jackson to return to his house. As they approached, Orin stood and walked to the rail. Though his face was unreadable, Aleksandr sensed something was wrong.
“Where is Izzy?” Aleksandr demanded.
“She is very disappointed in you, Jackson. You are unworthy of being my daughter’s mate,” he informed Jackson, his voice dripping with contempt. “She refuses you. She asked for my protection and I have granted it. You will never see her again.”
“NO!” Jackson objected. “She wouldn’t refuse me. Tell me where she is!”
Before Jackson could run up the steps, Aleksandr grabbed his arm and commanded him, “Don’t.”
Jackson reluctantly obeyed his Alpha, staying where he was.
Aleksandr glared at Orin, who turned and entered his home.
“I don’t believe him, Jackson. If Izzy refused you, she would have come to me. She would never ask Orin for help. Let’s go. We can track her by her cell phone.”
To keep his mind off his missing mate, Aleksandr decided to let Jackson drive. On their way out of town, Aleksandr called the cell phone provider. Because Izzy had been a minor when she joined their pack, her cell phone was under his account. They never bothered to change it and at the moment, he was glad he didn’t.
“My name is Aleksandr Hoyden and I have an emergency. My daughter is missing and I need you to track her cell phone. I have reason to believe she is in danger. I’m on my way to the police station now.”
Aleksandr verified some information and several minutes later they gave him an address. The address was vaguely familiar. He thanked the agent and hung up. Aleksandr scrolled through the addresses in his cell phone and growled low.
“What is it, Sir?”
Aleksandr debated telling Jackson what he knew.
“Remember you are a Soldier, Jackson. You need to stay focused on the road. Make a left. We need to get on the interstate.”
Once they were safely on the interstate, Aleksandr gave him a brief warning to stay focused.
“I know where she is.”
“Where? Pleas
e, Sir. Tell me,” Jackson pleaded.
“She’s with Grayson, the Alpha of the Virilis Wer Pack.”
Jackson gripped the steering wheel tightly and said nothing.
“We’ll find her, Jackson,” Aleksandr said confidently.
But will we get to her in time?
Chapter Fourteen
Grayson, Alpha of the Virilis Wer Pack stood in the shadows of his bedroom, silently observing the naked woman lying on his bed. The lights were off but her body was illuminated by the soft glow of candles he had placed around the room.
I still can’t believe it. She’s finally here, after all these years....
His erection pressed against the front of pants painfully. He took slow, deep breaths, trying to suppress his erection. His fantasy was coming true and he didn’t want to rush it. He wanted to savor every moment with her.
Izzy moaned and moved slightly on the bed. Gradually she regained consciousness and was aware she was naked and on a bed. But whose bed? Her head ached and she groaned.
Did I drink a whole bottle of cheap Tequila? Then get run over by a truck? Twice?
Judging from the pounding headache, she might have. Slowly she sat up and became aware that she wasn’t alone in the room.
“Isabella—” the voice was deep and gravelly and Izzy turned toward the sound.
Grayson stepped out of the shadows.
“I’ve waited a long time for this night, Isabella.”
He unbuttoned his shirt as he stepped closer to the bed.
“Grayson? What the fuck?”
Her memory returned with shocking speed.
Jackson. Jefferson. Orin. That son of a bitch tranquilized me!
“I’ve wanted you from the moment I first saw you, Isabella. Imagine my disappointment when your father told me you had run away. I offered to find you, Isabella. I would have returned you to him then taken you as my mate.”
He tossed his shirt onto the bed. He was physically fit, as most alphas were. He was in his forties and his face reflected every hard year he had survived. His salt and pepper hair would be attractive to most women, as would his soulful blue eyes.
“I was sixteen, Grayson. You were in your twenties. What?—Why did you want me?” She reached for the pillow behind her and moved it to cover herself.
“Because you were a virgin. So young and full of joy. Untainted by...life’s disappointments,” he answered honestly.
“I...don’t understand.”
“You were so pure, untouched. I wanted you, Isabella. I wanted to be your only lover, the center of your world. You were young, yes, but it was the perfect age to train you.”
“Train me?”
Izzy’s voice became strained as she tried to contain her anger.
“Yes. I would have trained you to be my perfect mate. You would depend on me for everything. For protection, for a home,” he spread his arms, indicating his home. “And of course, in exchange for being a good mate, you would reward me with sex. Often. Whenever I desired. However I desired.”
“I...honestly don’t know what to say to you, Grayson.”
Izzy was floored. She was more confused than angry.
“If you just want a submissive woman, why didn’t you just find one?”
“There is only you, Isabella. Other women are...unappealing. Besides, at my age, I don’t want a virgin lover old enough to be my daughter. Over the years, I have tried to find a replacement for you, Isabella, but no one compares to you.”
He reached out, intending to caress her face, but Izzy scooted away from him.
“I’m no young virgin, Grayson. Your fantasy girl doesn’t exist. Besides, I have a mate, and you should know better than to interfere with a mated wolf.”
“I am aware that you were recently mated, Izzy. I will help you overcome the pain of losing your mate,” he assured her as he reached for his belt buckle.
“What the fuck do you mean, ‘losing your mate’?”
“Orin told me your mate is...deceased.”
“He WHAT?” Izzy shouted in disbelief.
“He called me last night and told me you were available. He mentioned that your mate was dead.”
Izzy sat on the bed, speechless.
That. Manipulative. Bastard.
Loud sounds pierced the silence in his bedroom. They heard it, a booming crash as the front door was kicked in, then several men shouting.
Through all the noise, she heard a faint, “Bella!”
Izzy stood quickly on the bed, dropping the pillow in her haste.
“It’s Jackson, my mate.”
Even Grayson heard the relief in her voice.
“JACKSON!” she shouted as loudly as she could.
Grayson turned and growled as his bedroom door was kicked in a minute later. Jackson, still covered in dried blood, rushed in, followed by Aleksandr. Seeing his mate, naked on another male’s bed infuriated him and he roared. His claws extended and his body tensed as he moved closer to Grayson.
Realizing he was about to attack Grayson, Izzy called out, “Jackson, NO!”
Jackson snarled and swung at Grayson. Grayson stepped out of the way, but did not reciprocate. Izzy ran to place herself between Jackson and Grayson.
“Jackson, STOP! Please.”
Jackson froze and she stepped closer to him. He opened his arms and she stepped closer, hugging him tightly.
“Nothing happened, Jackson. Orin manipulated Grayson, like he did the rest of us.”
Hearing that his mate was fine, Jackson finally calmed and gently asked, “You’re sure?”
“I’m fine, Jackson. Really. I just want to go home. I want this fucking day to just end.”
Izzy felt so many conflicting emotions, she didn’t know how to process them. For the first time in her life, Izzy wanted to cry. She was angry with Orin’s manipulation. Sad that Jackson had to kill his brother. Relieved he was here. She even felt sorry for Grayson.
Sensing her conflict, Jackson kissed his mate gently and held her tightly against him. Aleksandr unbuttoned his shirt and offered it to Izzy. She smiled wanly as she took his shirt, buttoning it then turning to face Grayson.
Grayson sat on the edge of his bed, facing away from them, his head hung, shoulders sagging in defeat.
“You paid him for me, didn’t you?” Izzy asked softly.
“Yes.”
“How much?”
“One hundred and thirty thousand dollars. It was every cent I had,” Grayson replied sadly.
Izzy shook her head, understanding his sorrow. Grayson lost all his money. But more importantly, he lost his dream.
“Orin lied to you, Grayson. He used you. You have every right to demand your money back.”
“The money doesn’t matter, Isabella.”
“The hell it doesn’t. Orin understands only two things. Money and Power. He took your money and set you up. He knew Jackson would come for me and figured he would kill you. Then he would be free to take your pack.”
Grayson sat up straight as he realized Izzy was right. He stood and he turned to face them.
“Isabella, I’m sorry, for everything.”
Izzy nodded, accepting his apology.
“Jackson, I apologize for having your mate in my bedroom against her will. I did not touch her, but if you wish to challenge me to defend her honor, I understand. I will not fight you. I accept my punishment.”
Jackson thought for a moment before replying, “I agree with Bella. I just want this fucking day to be over. I accept your apology, Grayson. As nothing happened, there is no need for retribution.”
“Thank you, Jackson...Congratulations to both of you,” he replied.
They nodded and left Grayson’s house, relieved that the day’s drama was finally over. Izzy and Jackson sat in the back of his car and Aleksandr drove them back to the Hoyden pack.
Chapter Fifteen
“Welcome to my home, Jackson.”
Carrying his duffle bag and two bags of Izzy’s clothes, Jackson walked
into the small cabin and looked around. It was about the same size as his cabin and the layout was similar. Her home was much neater than his and it was cozy. A bright multicolored throw covered the back of the light-blue couch and a handmade quilt covered her king-sized bed. He set down his bags at the foot of her bed. Colorful paintings lined the walls and simple curtains covered the windows. He instantly felt at ease.
He took a few steps toward the small sofa table behind the couch and picked up the only photograph in her small cabin. It was a photograph of Isabella and Aleksandr. She grinned happily as she displayed her Hoyden Soldier tattoo for the camera.
Izzy watched Jackson warily.
“I’m going to take a shower,” she declared as she headed toward the bathroom.
She turned on the shower then stripped, tossing Aleksandr’s shirt into the laundry hamper. While the hot water cascaded over her body, Izzy thought about her mate.
Could he be happy here? Only being my mate? Or will he grow to resent me for making him give up his position? What would I do? Certainly not give up my identity as a Soldier. It’s who I am. I would be lost without it .Does Jackson feel that way? Aleksandr had a valid point. Can I juggle being a mate, a Soldier and run Minerva’s Minions? I really would like to see Minerva’s Minions expand. There are so many women I could help....
Izzy finished her shower, still preoccupied with the decisions she knew she had to make.
What is the right thing for me? For Jackson? For us?
Izzy dried off and walked out of the bathroom, naked and at ease in her own home. She walked past Jackson, opened a dresser drawer and took out some clothes. She dressed while Jackson ogled her shamelessly.
“I’m going to shower. Do you want to get something to eat when I’m done?”
“I’ll call out for Chinese.”
“Your pack has a Chinese restaurant?”
Izzy snorted, “Of course! That’s one of the benefits of being a Hoyden. The food is excellent and the best part is they deliver.”
Isabella's Dilemma: Wolf Secrets Book 1 Page 10