Jackson's Vengeance

Chapter 13

Jackson’s POV

I avoid heading to the hall to have breakfast because I don’t want to deal with Cayley. Lin I can deal with because I know what she is capable of, but Cayley, I have no clue what she could do in her anger. I head out to the newly set up war-room. This is where we meet to discuss the plans and all the first in command meet here and we plan training, who will be fighting, and everything that needs to happen.

Since we arrived, I pretty much handle all the training of the wolves, the scouting plans, the guards, and everything my father did and everything the male Alpha handles. Tori deals with the woman, children, sick, injured, and everything my mother handled, basically everything the female Alpha handles.

It only occurs to me at that moment that we are running the safehouse as a normal mated couple would. It’s no wonder Cayley and Lin have been so jealous and have been trying to take control of certain duties. Lucky for us Minnie is still with us and she puts them in their places. I find Minnie in the war-room. She is with the new wolf that was found in the ditch.

“Jackson, this is Lucian.”

“Lucian,” I say shaking his hand.

“Alpha, thank you for saving me, I am indebted to you,” Lucian says.

“No thanks needed, we have to stand together against Frans,” I say.

Bruce, Hilda, Caleb, Iva, and Tori come in, I make the introductions and we sit around the table to discuss the next attack. The moment he spots Tori, he stares at her and I don’t like the way he is looking at her.

“Lucian you don’t need to fight, you can stay here and keep guard, please don’t feel forced to go out there with us,” I say to get his attention.

“I want to, I was trained to fight, in my old pack I was meant to be the solider to the Alpha and I would much rather be out there fighting than here if that is ok.”

“Hilda, is he ready to fight?” I ask. Maybe I can find a way to keep him here.

“Yes, he is fully healed now.” She replies with a warm smile, she is so proud of what she does, and I think that is amazing, she goes out and fights with us and still heals everyone in here. Not what I wanted to hear but maybe it is for the better.

“Great then that is settled, you can go with us,” I say, is this a good idea I wonder to myself.

“Yes Alpha, it will be my greatest honour,” Lucian replies.

The scouts are out monitoring the vampires in all areas, for safety and to blend in the vampires collect supplies at night, the humans will handle the safehouse and the wolves will go out at first light to the next coven house. Playing fair isn’t working anymore and I believe it is time to do what needs to be done. A week from now, we will attack, we have word that a week from now Frans will come to the coven house on our radar. We will be waiting for him.

“Bruce, assemble the scouts I need to find out what is going on outside,” I say to Bruce.

Caleb, Fin, Mike, and three other wolves arrive, their names I don’t know but they seem very obedient to my commands.

“Where is Angelo, he was tasked to scout duty?” I ask Mike.

“I have no clue Alpha, I last saw him the day of our first attack at the coven house,” Mike says.

“Bruce, find out where he and Gail are?” I say.

Each scout gives me their feedback, I make some notes and then they leave, Mike lingers, and I ask,

“What is it?”

“Alpha, I am sorry about what happened at the lake,” Mike says, he seems sincere.

“Just forget about it, this is a strange time, just don’t let it happen again,” I say.

Mike looks at me like he wants to say something but stops himself and then leaves. Finally, I am done with all the planning, I make my way to the training area to see what Minnie is up to. On my way there I spot Tori, she is laughing with Hilda and Lucian. Lucian seems to be telling them a story and Tori is beside herself with laughter. She laughs so hard that she almost falls back, he grabs her quickly and steadies her. Should I go over to them and see what they talking about? No that would seem too weird.

I watch Tori for a few more minutes. The way the sun is shining on her hair makes her look like an angel and her eyes are twinkling like the stars in the night sky. I feel a jab of jealousy at her interaction with Lucian and I look away. I find Minnie and we talk for a bit, but she seems distracted and I decide to leave her. She hasn’t asked me yet if I plan to claim my chosen mate and I decide not to bring it up either. This new jealousy burning through me is confusing me and I need to calm down.

With all my duties done, I feel hunger wringing my stomach, I decide it is time to eat so I walk over to the hall. The hall is empty, Cayley is in the kitchen when she spots me, she walks over and says,

“I am sorry Jackson, I don’t want to fight with you anymore.”

“Good because I don’t want to fight with you either,” I say.

She says she has something special made for lunch and I sit down and wait for her, while waiting I notice Tori and Lucian deep in conversation, she hasn’t even looked up once, and normally when I walk into a room she senses me and looks for me but now she is staring deeply into Lucian's eyes and I am furious. Why are they talking in the first place? Why are they sitting so close?

“Jackson!” I hear Cayley’s surprised voice. When I look down my claws are out digging into the palms of my hand. Blood is dripping out, but I don’t feel anything. I stand up and walk out, leaving Cayley and the food that I was looking forward to.

Outside my mind is spinning and I tell myself to calm down, she is just talking to him and there is nothing wrong with that, I turn back to look at her and I see his hands on her shoulders, this is just too much for me to deal with and I stomp off in the direction of my room. Am I sulking? What is wrong with me?

I pace the length of my room trying to think about what to do next and all I can think about is Lucian holding Tori’s shoulder. Doesn’t he know that she is mine, that she is marked by me, how would he know, I haven’t completed the marking ritual yet.

There is a part of me that feels like I should march right back there and tell him to back off but then there is that part of me that needs to think like an Alpha that needs to think about this war and the people that are depending on me. I don’t just have a pack of wolves, there are innocent humans and good vampires that live here and all of them are looking to me, the Alpha to fix this.

I pace a few minutes more and then my body launches out the door, I head straight for the hall, she isn’t there anymore. I walk to the medical centre, Lucian is having a check-up with Hilda. I am glad that he isn’t with her anymore but the urge to find her is still pushing me. Where is she? I close my eyes and try to sense where she is and I feel her presence in her room, I walk quickly to her room. This feeling is new to me and I have no idea what I will do when I see her but all I know is I need to see her.

I knock a few times and she opens the door, staring at me like I am crazy. I am crazy! At this moment I have no idea why I need to be with her, but I must and the moment she opens the doors, I push her inside slam the door, put her against the door, and claim her lips with mine. The rush of heat that washes over me is so intense that I can’t even breathe. I press my body to hers and deepen the kiss. Her hands fly up and she buries her finger in my hair. She is tugging at my hair, she feels this intensity too and it exhilarates me further. I push my tongue further into her mouth and I can taste the cinnamon bun she ate. I want this moment to last, I slow down the kiss and gently massage her tongue with mine. When I open my eyes and look at her, she is surprised and wary, I know she thinks I will run in haste, haven’t I always done that. This time I know I need to leave but only because if I stay, I won't stop at just a kiss, instead I say,

“Stay away from Lucian!”

I open the door and pull it shut, I rest myself against the door and shake my head at myself. I have lost control, but one thing is for sure, she is mine and I am going to make sure she knows it.