The Prophecy Series: The Black Wolf
Autore
H. Knight
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2,8M
Capitoli
41
Addison has been away from her pack after years of travel and training. Now she’s back with a newly emerged wolf. Coming home means facing past heartache, old friendships and pack dynamics - not the least with Jaxon, the future alpha. Long-buried secrets start to emerge.
Can Addison and Jaxon move beyond the pain of the past or will the weight of secrets and power struggles tear them apart?
Chapter 1
SIX YEARS AGO
Addison is eighteen and Jaxon is twenty years old.
ADDISON
I looked at myself in the mirror one last time. The red satin dress clung to my torso and flowed out at my hips, reaching down to my ankles. It was a real head-turner and completely out of my comfort zone. Luna Alaina and Hayden had selected it for me.
Luna Alaina and Hayden, her daughter, were dead set on my going to prom. I had tried every excuse in the book, but my uncle chimed in, stating that it was an important milestone in every high school career, and I couldn’t skip it. So, I gave in, reluctantly.
My long golden blonde hair was much shorter with the abundance of curls Hayden had given me, and it was much different than my normal long wavy hair. My blue eyes popped with the neutral makeup she had put on me, making me feel a bit uneasy as I had never worn makeup before. I looked like a totally different person all dolled up.
A gold chain sat around my neck with no pendant—it was simple, like me. It had belonged to my father, and he had worn it up until he passed. My mother didn’t want it after he had died, so I took it…truthfully, it was the only thing of his I had left. I only wore it on special occasions, and prom night seemed a special occasion.
I pulled up my dress to look at my red pumps. I had never worn heels before, but Luna Alaina and Hayden said they would come in handy since Jaxon was much taller than my five-foot frame. He was 6’5, and even with heels, I barely reached his shoulder.
I was still shocked that he had agreed to take me to prom. I knew that Alpha Hale and Luna Alaina had convinced him to take me, along with my Uncle Braxton, but the fact that he even agreed shocked me. It was embarrassing, to say the least.
I took a deep breath and tucked my hair behind my ear before exiting the room and walking down the stairs. My uncle’s laugh echoed through the house; I assumed he was speaking with Alpha Hale. When I entered the living room, Alpha Hale and Luna Alaina stood there with bright smiles on their faces. Braxton quickly turned around and smiled at me.
“You look beautiful, Addison,” Braxton said, pulling me into a hug.
“I agree with Braxton,” Alpha Hale said, nodding and smiling at me.
He was a man of few words—at least around me, but that didn’t mean much since I never spoke unless necessary. Luna Alaina pulled me into a hug; it was a hug only a mother could give. I hugged her back tightly, knowing the memory of hugs with my real mother had never been like this.
“You look stunning.” She smiled after stepping back.
“Thank you.”
“We are here,” Hayden said from the front door. I sucked in a breath and turned to face her. She had left twenty minutes ago to help Jaxon finish getting ready.
Hayden smiled and moved out of the way. I felt my heartbeat faster as our eyes locked. Jaxon…Goddess, he was gorgeous. He looked me over and blinked once, then twice. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say that he was shocked by my appearance.
“Hi,” he said with a nod.
“Hi,” I said, clasping my hands together in front of me. This was awkward.
“Let’s get a picture of you two in front of the fireplace,” Luna Alaina said, and Hayden was quick to pose us.
I stood in front of Jaxon with his hands on my waist. We smiled—or at least I did. Then Hayden made us stand next to each other with his arm around my waist and his other hand shoved into his slack pocket. One of my arms was on his back, and my other hand was placed on his stomach. After a few more pictures, we were free to leave.
I could feel myself growing hot by the closeness between us, but I quickly shook it off. I wasn’t used to the attention. It wasn’t that I wasn’t pretty; it was more that I was the pack joke.
“Shall we?” Jaxon asked, raising his brows. I could sense that he was also feeling uncomfortable, but I wasn’t sure if it was because of me. I nodded and followed him out of the house.
He walked me toward his large black truck and helped me inside the passenger seat.
“Thank you,” I said before he shut the door. He was quick to get into the driver’s side and drive off.
“Uh, I know this is awkward, but I wanted to thank you for taking me,” I said after a few moments.
“I think my mother was disappointed I didn’t go to my prom, so she is using yours to make up for it.” He shrugged.
“Why didn’t you?” I asked, glancing over at him.
He seemed tense. I wasn’t sure if it was me or if it was something else. As far back as I can remember, he had been tense and brooding. I knew why…he had witnessed his brother die right in front of him.
No one ever talked about it, but from what I had gathered, Jaxon had quickly changed from a vibrant boy to a quiet one. I had gotten here a year after the incident. Braxton had told me a little about it a couple of years later, and some of the pack members had whispered about the tragic event.
Rogues had entered the territory and attacked. Jaxon and his brother, Conner, were out running in the woods when one of the rogues found them and killed Conner before he could be stopped. Alpha Hale found them, attacked the rogue, and killed him, but it was too late, and Conner was gone. Jaxon was only thirteen at the time and hadn’t even shifted yet…there was nothing that he could have done.
I had heard many stories about it, and it was traumatizing. I wished I had met Jaxon prior to this. I wish I could have been there for him. I don’t know why, but I had always felt drawn to him. We never really spoke much prior to this evening, but I had seen him at pack events and with my Uncle Braxton a lot after I moved here.
“Didn’t feel like it was right. Felt like it would be disrespectful toward my mate,” he said with a shrug.
“Oh,” I said, nodding. I was surprised that he had felt that way. Most male wolves didn’t really care for their mates’ feelings prior to meeting them.
“Why did you stop searching for her?” I asked.
He had traveled for a year after graduation. It was typical of wolves to do this once they graduated and were eighteen, but he came back empty-handed…he said nothing. Braxton had said that he didn’t even want to go in the first place but went because of his parents.
“I found her.” He shrugged. I looked at him, shocked.
“Why aren’t you with her?” I asked softly.
“Addie, let’s talk about something else,” he said, shaking his head. Addie…that is what he had always called me whenever we did speak.
Jaxon had called me that when we first met. I was only twelve, and after my parents’ death, I hadn’t said much of anything to anyone. Surprisingly, Jaxon was the first to make me speak after a week of utter silence and thus gave me the nickname. I liked it.
“I’m sorry,” I said, looking away. I felt bad for pushing him.
“Don’t be. It’s just complicated. My family and the pack don’t know. I’d like to keep it that way,” he said, shaking his head.
“I won’t say anything, I promise,” I said, placing my hand on his arm. After a few silent moments, I pulled away.
“I wish I had my wolf so I could find my mate,” I said softly.
He didn’t say anything, and I didn’t expect him to. It was just a statement. A truthful statement, but there wasn’t much that I could do—if anything—to change it. After a few minutes, we pulled into the town convention center. It was the place where concerts or town events were stationed.
We parked and walked inside. The local high school was a mix of humans and werewolves, and the occasional random supernatural being that had been given permission by the alpha to attend.
We walked inside and took a picture together. Jaxon stood next to me and placed his arm around my shoulders. I smiled as the photographer took the photo.
Almost everyone looked at Jaxon and whispered. The future alpha was at prom with a she-wolf who wasn’t really a wolf. The human women just looked at him like he was a god—which he was. He was perfect, always had been in my eyes.
“I hate when people stare.” Jaxon rolled his eyes as we sat down at the table that was placed far away from everyone.
“Me too, it’s a constant when you are different though,” I said with a shrug.
“Just because you don’t have a wolf doesn’t mean that you are different or insignificant in the pack,” he said, looking into my eyes.
It was like his eyes held the world; the pale blue eyes were perfect and overwhelmingly so. I don’t think that I have ever held his eyes with mine before, not like this.
“Well, the humans think I’m a freak—a nerd. Just because I like learning doesn’t mean that I am a nerd, but what’s the point in trying to prove any of these people otherwise,” I said, shaking my head.
“I just don’t know why they treat you like an outcast.”
“Well, now that I am at prom with you, I’m seen as a sleazy whore,” I said, rolling my eyes.
“Why?”
“You’re the future alpha, and I’m not your mate. They know that and view me as a slut. Mostly because they want you themselves. Even the humans.”
“Well, I’m glad to be here with you and not one of them,” he said, sending me a soft smile.
I was shocked. The future alpha has never once smiled—that I saw at least. Yet, right now, here he was smiling. I smiled back, of course.
Goddess, he was stunning.
“Do you even want to be here?” he asked.
“No, not even a little bit. Braxton and Luna Alaina seem to think it’s an important milestone, but I don’t,” I said with a soft laugh.
“Let’s leave,” he said, standing to his feet.
“And go where?” I asked, looking up at him.
“I want to show you something,” he said, reaching out for my hand after buttoning his suit jacket.
“Okay,” I said, taking his hand.
