Rise of the Underdogs: JACOB

Afterparty

My brother, the Beta, tried to freaking drown me!

Not really, but, yeah. That was just how we got along, though, so don’t get your panties in an Oliver Twist. Heh, see what I did there?

What? It’s called a play on words.

In all seriousness, it was a very fun birthday that ended with me in a tree and Paul in wolf form trying to take a bite outta my ass. By the time we made it back, sweaty and laughing, the actual party was in full swing.

Selene had taken control of ensuring everyone had a drink and a snack like the Luna she was. The pups brought by family members and friends from the neighbouring factions were giggling and running around with balloon animals Leo and his sister were making. Logan was laughing at something one of his brothers said, while his cousins and their guard kept a lax, but watchful eye on the party-goers.

Paul, his arm around my shoulder, laughed as I recounted that one time Valik and his team took me into the city for what Blaze called “Civvy Training”. Right, like I really needed to know.

Well, turned out I didn’t know anything about Russia and ended up running into a bear of a guy that laid me out when I accidentally insulted him with my jokes. While Samara and Peiter were panicking, Valik was laughing. Real best friend energy, right there. He did help me up when he was done laughing, though, so that counts for something.

By the time I got to the end of the story, Paul was laughing so hard he was wiping tears from his eyes. Not that I minded. I seriously and sincerely loved making my family happy, so it was nothing for me to do something completely ridiculous. Apparently, me getting my ass handed to me worked just fine.

Sitting on the back steps of the packhouse when the party calmed and everyone started either going home or going to bed, Paul cracked open an actual beer and handed it to me. “This is well deserved, little brother. Thanks, by the way. For making this a birthday to remember.”

“Don’t I always?” I asked, hoping he wouldn’t see the fear of disappointing him in my eyes.

“To be fair, you’re always the family clown while hiding your own pain from everyone around you,” he said softly.

Another shadow fell over us, and I glanced up at Logan. He ran a hand through his vibrant red hair – what actually drew me in when I was five because red was, like, my ultimate favourite colour – and sighed. “Hand me one of those.”

Paul barked a laugh, popping the top on another beer before handing it to our friend. He wasn’t an Alpha, not in moments like this. Just… a friend. Someone who had fought for his place and fought for his people while simultaneously working a pack, handling the Alliance, and being the bridge he was born to be.

In moments like this, we were just a group of friends living their best lives.

More of our original crew came out, their hands holding either non-alcoholic or some version of an alcoholic beverage. Sam and Devon started a tug-o-war with Wynter and Heaven, Ember was reading a medical journal, and Maria was giggling in Hunter’s arms like she never feared Fate.

While I looked away from the chaos, I grinned up at the stars. I knew that somewhere in the vast expanse of Russian wilderness, Valik was probably doing the same thing.

“Missing him?” Logan asked, easing onto the steps, his eyes weary and his ears trained on the darkened surroundings.

“Don’t you? I mean, he is your brother,” I shot back, savouring the rich, bitter taste of the beer on my tongue.

Logan laughed, a deep, husky sound that held traces of both his inner spirits. “All the time. I’m only sorry he made us promise not to say anything until he gets back. I keep thinking I could have done more, that I could have protected him better.”

“You’re powerful, but you’re not all-powerful. You’re not omnipotent, Lo-lo,” I answered. “I’m sure we all think the same thing, but what’s the point of what-if’s if they don’t solve problems?”

He stopped, his hand automatically reaching for his Princess (yes, I mean Selene) as she slid her arms around his neck. Blinking, he smiled gently, his red-ringed, blue-grey eyes softening just a little. “That, right there, is why the only position for you was ever going to be Delta, Jacob. The way you behave and react isn’t practical for any other position.”

Selene grinned, “He’s built for the position. Not just physically, but emotionally and mentally as well. Jakey does good work for the pack.”

“Always did,” Paul said, stretching out as Kaylene settled on his knee. “So, any word on when Val will be coming back?”

Logan’s throat worked like he was trying to swallow cotton. He took another swig of beer, letting out a breath before answering. “A year from the day he left. It was the only way I could protect him and help him at the same time.”

“Jake, how was he really? I mean, did he show signs?” Maria asked as she came over, her eyes reflecting her worry. Being the fiercest girl in the crew, she was one of the first to push for Valik to join the Howlers. “I was worried when Logan said he was rejected.”

I nodded, “We all were. I don’t think we have to worry, though. He’s…” I stopped, searching for the right word to use before continuing. “Stable. If you guys were worried about him going Rogue or not being strong enough to make it back, you were wrong. He’s stronger than even he knows.”

Her shoulders relaxed, her posture softening just enough to say the news made her content. “Good. That’s good. It was noble of General Blaze to offer his training services to help out.”

Hunter barked a laugh, his chalice of blood glimmering in the pale light of the Waning Gibbous. “Babe, Blaze is still terrified of ticking off a woman of your calibre. Not to mention his little Necromancer wouldn’t think twice about beating his ass sideways if he flunked being a good man and Mate.”

For someone who was only married and Mated to Maria for a few years, he went from stiff-talker to smooth-talker in no time. then again, it may have had something to do with the group chat I created for just us guys. A place for venting, bonding, generalized complaints, and solution sound boarding.

“You’ve come a long way from talking like you were trapped in the sixteen hundreds,” I commented, grinning at Hunter as he tried and failed to look like he wanted to kill me. “For a Vampire, you’re graceful when it comes to being adaptable.”

“Careful, Jacob,” Devon called in warning. “He’s got a certain someone in his ass pocket!”

My grin faltered, “Whut?”

“It’s Wyn!” Sam squealed, his face flushing as he bolted out of my sister’s reach. “Screw off, Trouble!”

Not to be outdone, Wynter let a feral smile cross her features, her eyes taking on a silvery hue as her equally troublesome wolf spirit rose to the challenge. “Go ahead. I’ll wait.”

Samuel paled, his eyes widening as he shook his head. “No. Nope. Not doing that.”

“Wise choice, bruh!” Devon called, “Hey, Mate?”

Wynter looked up, her eyes finding his. Her smile faltered at the word ‘Mate’, I knew I’d missed something while I was gone. My sister turned soft for a moment before her guard went back up. “What, Devvy?”

Devon tapped her shoulder, “You’re it!”

My own gaze flicked to Sam, who was watching his twin masterfully redirect Wynter. His eyes didn’t hold anything but the same zest for life and raw love for his brother. I called him over thought a private link. ‘What… happened?’

‘You were gone for two weeks. You missed mine and Dev’s birthdays, but that’s okay. We didn’t care because we knew you’d make it up to us. So, thing is, Devon and Wynter found out they were Mates, and it’s been freaking hilarious to watch ever since.’ He replied, his humour at the situation filtering through the link.

My mind ground to a halt. ‘Yeah, but what about you?’

He walked over, sitting gingerly on the steps as he leaned back on his elbows. “I’ve sensed her, scented her, but I haven’t met her yet. Dev ended up with someone who could match his strength and ability while grounding him in the moment. I’m… anxious about mine.”

“You’re one of the strongest Omegas I know, which is why you have one-third of the omegas under your leadership,” I advised, reminding him of just how powerful he could be.

Sam blinked, the ghost of a smile playing on her lips. “With both me and Devon being Obsidian wolves, having Wynter as a Greyback isn’t just strategically correct, it’s lethal wrapped in chaos and topped with velvet. Our pack isn’t feared. We’re revered for our unconventional, but workable, resolutions to things that would have historically caused territory wars.”

Yes, for those wondering, both twins were Obsidian wolves. Deeply distracting midnight black fur with unsettling eyes that seemed to look at and through their enemy at the same time.

While her human form had long deep brown hair that looked black in certain light, and her eyes were a deep, almost sapphire coloured blue with brown flecks, Wynter’s wolf was an ancient force marked by the Grey family line. Her fur was a luminescent greyish-silver and her eyes were the same. Yet, our female lead Warrior was an unpredictable force of feral nature wrapped in a complex emotional package and gifted an attitude of pure sarcastic chaos. An anchor to a family inheritance that only happened once in each generation.