It's Friday night.

Seth had invited me to go to his home in Texas for the weekend, so I hitched a ride on his private jet and came along for the trip.

After long hours, we arrived at a luxurious three-story mansion in the south of Texas. Luna Dahlia and Alpha Frederick welcomed us into their home with open arms.

We started talking, they asked questions and suddenly I was running my mouth about how their son Skylar had been bullying me about my relationship with Jayden.

Though mostly it was about Skylar and Jayden's relationship. Needless to say, the Alpha couple was not pleased when they learned the truth.

Skylar was mortified as the truth unfolded. Not only did I speak about it, but his brother did as well. He even told them about his recent detention. Their father was fuming.

He took his son to another room with his wife and ripped him a new one. By the time they left, it was time for dinner.

Later that night, Seth and I talked in his room for a while until he hopped into the shower and I went to my guest bedroom to do the same.

I soaked myself in the hot water of the marvelous bathtub and forgot all about my problems.

That is until I left the bathroom half naked and Skylar was waiting for me, lying on my bed, with an expression that clearly meant he was up to no good.

I glanced at the door and it was locked, just as I left it. How the hell did he even enter here? And more importantly why? What is he going to do to me?

"Hello, Jake." He greeted me with an ominous voice and a devious grin.

"Skylar, you can't be in here. Remember what happened the last time you were with me in a room alone?" I reminded him, desperately trying to persuade him to leave me be. What in the world could he possibly want with me? I cannot think of anything good at the moment.

"I am pretty sure you are not going to be struck by heat again so soon." He smirked.

"What do you want from me? Did you come here to sucker punch me for calling you out? Have at it! I am tired of your abuse! Just please don't rape me!" I blurted, almost desperately.

"Rape you? What kind of monster do you think I am?" He shouted at me, looking offended.

"I am not so sure, to be honest. All I ever get from you is a condescending tone. As if somehow the fact that you're rich made you better than me. It doesn't, F.Y.I." I mouthed off, annoyed at him and his threatening presence in my room.

"I know." He agreed with me in a complete change of stance. I was like...

"What?!" I gasped in shock at his change in demeanor.

"I did not come here to assault you, Jacob. I came here to thank you for calling me out. Nobody ever does that except for Seth, even my friends from high school were mostly 'yes, man'. Nobody ever questioned me because of who I am." He confessed and I was beyond shocked by his candor.

"It didn't feel nice to be told by my parents that a leader has to come from a place of empathy. Though this is the Stronghold pack, I am not a Prince or anything like that. The minute I start taking things for granted is the moment when I lose sight of who I am fighting for, and who I am supposed to lead one day. That is people, blue collar workers, who have no time for bullshit. People who have kids to feed and spouses to keep happy." He ranted, seemingly needing an empathetic ear.

"I am so sorry that I ever made you feel like you are not worth it. I got so jaded by money and people only interested in me because of my last name that I lost sight of what is really important. And that is finding someone who cares for us like you care for my brother. It is clear to me that he is the better Stronghold and the fact that Jay is right. I don't have any real friends and that in itself is a telltale sign that I am not doing things the right way." He continued, bearing his soul to me.

"I shouldn't let my vanity get the best of me. And I definitely should never have questioned your ability to find a decent prospective partner. I can only wish someone looks at me the same way you look at my roommate. I know why Victoria is with me, I am not stupid or blind. In reality, I should be championing your relationship with him, not tearing you down. That is the goal, not finding someone who wants the million dollar bonus for every heir she provides." He spoke the last sentence sarcastically.

This is the most vulnerability I have ever seen from Skylar. I could tell he was about to cry as he told me all these things. Sometimes we forget there is a human inside the werewolf. In his case, the privileged brat.

"I am really mortified that I made you feel so bad that you had to resort to telling my parents about it. I should be ashamed of myself, and I am. I don't know why my mind is so set on your relationship with Jay being impossible. I guess I was projecting my own insecurities on the two of you. Because we all know my father would never let me claim a person like you. I mean that in the nicest possible way, I promise." He admitted, painstakingly.

Who is this boy? Where is the arrogant asshole that I have come to know and hate?

"I am sure you did." I rolled my eyes in annoyance.

Skylar got up from the bed and moved to hug me tightly.

"I meant when I said I hope you will prove me wrong. I am genuinely rooting for you and Jayden." He looked deep into my eyes and it was so penetrating it was making me uncomfortable.

"Thank you, Skylar. I know you mean it, so I appreciate it." I told him with a modest smile.

"Again, I am sorry for everything. You are a great guy. I wish I could find someone like you, as genuine and honest as you. You have an amazing strength of character that I can only envy. It took balls to complain to my parents the way you did, most people wouldn't face off against the Alphas. I have nothing but respect for you. Good night, Jake. I hope we can become friends someday." He continued, before opening the door and exiting my room.

I am so beyond gobsmacked by all this that I am gasping for air. Who is that boy? Was that Skylar Stronghold thanking me for embarrassing him in front of his parents? Am I being pranked? Is this a practical joke of some sort?

I am so at a loss for words right now that I can't even process that late night visit.

The next morning, I was reunited with all the Strongholds at the breakfast table. One maid was walking around the house while another one was setting the table. There was a plethora of choices to be made of what anyone wanted to eat or drink. From freshly squeezed juices to all that you can eat frittatas. I am in gourmet heaven.

"Good morning, Alpha. Luna." I greeted the beautiful couple, before Seth and I took a seat at the table. As usual, we came downstairs together. Skylar was already present. They greeted me back and so did Seth with his parents.

"Did you have a great night's sleep?" Luna Dahlia asked me, politely.

"Great, Luna. Your mattress is like sleeping on a cloud. I never want to go back to Ravenwood." I snickered. The Alpha couple laughed at my joke and Skylar surprised them all with a revelation.

"I have apologized to Jake for what I did to him. It wasn't my place to belittle him for his background." He admitted in front of his parents and brother, who gasped in shock.

"You did. When?" Seth questioned him, intrigued.

"I stopped by his suite last night. We had a heart-to-heart." He replied, honestly.

"Thank you for your words, Skylar. I hold no grudge against you. I hope we can move forward from the past and be better for it." I told him, not wanting to dwell on it.

"I am proud of you, son. That is how a man should behave himself. Own your flaws and learn from them." Dahlia told her son, looking prideful.

"Flaws?" Skylar pretended to be offended. She glared at him and we all laughed at that.

"What are your plans for the weekend?" Frederick asked his sons.

"I actually didn't make any, but I'll be sure to take Jake sightseeing." Seth responded with a smile.

"I am going to stop by the office quickly. Can I interest you in a ride, son?" He asked Skylar, inquisitively.

"Ride to the office? No, thank you. I would rather go sightseeing with Seth and Jake." He grunted, not excited at the prospect.

"You have nothing new to see. You know this town backwards and forwards." Frederick rolled his eyes.

"Dad, I am not going to the office on a Saturday. There's just no way!" Skylar protested vehemently. His father grunted in annoyance.

"Okay, how about a compromise? I'll take Jacob for a quick tour of the company since it's his first time here. Then all of us can go the park next, how does that sound?" He insisted, looking at his sons. I knew this wasn't about me but I'll take the tour.

"I am fine with it if that means anything." I chimed in, humbly.

"Of course you are." Seth smiled at me. "Let's go!" He surrendered, enthusiastically.

It's early in the morning. I am sure we can do something fun later. Right now let's humor the Alpha. I can tell he wants to show Skylar something important, so why not? This is the time when having a father can be both a drag and a blessing.

I wouldn't know anything about it.

The drive towards the company was not long. From afar, I saw giant machines drilling for oil. It is a massive undertaking, with hundreds of employees, to make sure everything goes well. Frederick's personal driver parked his Volvo at the private parking spot and we were escorted by warriors walking a distance from the Alpha. Wherever he goes, they go.

It was interesting to see all his employees bowing their heads to the Alpha as he walked with his sons. I walked next to Seth, who explained to me the scenery and who was who. A large building made for the company and security checks were everywhere, including his personal elevator which requires a key to work only Frederick possesses.

It is a new level of refinement.

"We are going to do a quick stop by the fifth floor. The engineer said he wanted to talk to me. I promise this won't take long." Frederick informed us, gently making sure that he didn't go back on his word to make this a quick stop.

"Not a problem, dad. Is Shawn here? I haven't seen him in a while." Skylar asked, not looking bored for the first time since this whole trip started.

"He is. And he has been asking about you, so it'll be good for him to see you. He wants to know if you already have a prospect." Frederick told him, suggesting he also wanted to know that.

"You're gonna love Shawn! He is my dad's Chief Engineer. He is like the coolest guy ever!" Seth informed me, sounding ecstatic about the prospect of seeing this person.

"Wow. Coolest guy ever? And he is an engineer?" I was a tad doubtful as we walked through the fifth floor towards that man's office.

"Good afternoon, Shawn. I heard you wanted to see me. This better be good to make me come here on a Saturday, but I brought some guests with me." Frederick told the man inside an office that only he entered at first.

"Are Sky and Seth here? Are they matched yet?" The man's voice could be heard from inside as we patiently waited for him to step out or for us to be invited in.

As the man walked out of his office to meet the boys, he gasped in shock at my sight.

He just stood there, jaw dropped. None of us understood why he was like that.

"Are you okay, Shawn? This is Jacob Anderson." Frederick introduced me to the man staring at me like he just saw a ghost.

"Jacob, this is Shawn Broderick, our Chief Engineer." The Alpha introduced his trusted man, to my absolute horror.

And then it hit me. Now I know why he is looking at me like seeing a ghost.

"Wow. You look just like your mother." Shawn commented, baffled beyond words right now.

"Wait, what? How does he know what your mother looks like?" Seth questioned me, positively intrigued by this. As were Frederick and Skylar.

"It's funny. She says I look just like you when you were my age." I rebuked him, gasping for air as I saw the man who abandoned my pregnant mother all those years ago.

https://youtu.be/hLQl3WQQoQ0

A|N: BOOM! 💥

The twists and turns are going to make your head spin.

You are not going to believe what comes next. Drama?

Get your tissues ready. It's about to go down! #DaddyIssues

Love,

Léo.