JAX

"You will always be mine, Echo."

I whispered to her and saw how much it affected her. On the inside, I smiled to myself even though she covered it up pretty quickly.

Tonight, even before entering the club, I felt it. My wolf went crazy when we caught her scent. All he wanted to do was get out and claim our mate.

But something was different about her. Stone mentioned that she was human, but my wolf knew she wasn't.

Even Echo thought that her wolf had died, but I begged to differ. There were so many things that made zero sense tonight and it had turned my wolf upside down.

When I saw her at the club, standing by the bar, everything in me came alive as if I had been dead all this time. I wanted to touch her, kiss her and claim her. I wanted to make her mine.

It made me furious when every wolf and human male ogled her. She wasn't aware of their lustful gazes, but I was and I wanted to claw their eyes out.

She was the most gorgeous woman in the entire club looking all sorts of sexy and badass in here tight jeans and black leather jacket with high heeled boots.

I couldn't take my eyes off her. I was in a daze being pulled towards her like a fisherman to a siren. When she started walking towards me with her gaze locked with mine, my wolf wanted to come out. He was urging me to run down and claim her. But I was rooted to my spot.

And perhaps, that was mistake.

I had completely lost it when Seth laid his hands on her. I wanted to rip his head off and I was going to hadn't it been for the fact that nobody could smell her wolf. Everyone thought she was human.

While a werewolf finding a human mate was not uncommon, it was still rare.

As a warning, I beat the shit out of Seth. Nobody had the right to touch what was mine. Nobody.

When I had turned around, for a fraction of a second I thought she was scared. But pride filled my chest to find out she wasn't.

I knew what my reputation was in the world out there and people weren't wrong. I was ruthless and I would always protect what was mine at the expense of others.

It was pretty late when I left Echo's house.

I could smell everyone's scent in the house and on the porch. But Arlo's scent irked me. I clenched my fist and gritted my teeth in anger. I didn't know what he was to my mate, but I was going to find out soon enough.

It was a bit of a drive from her house to the pack lands. Tonight, I decided to head to the pack house for a meeting, but I wanted to speak with Stone first.

Our pack's territory was a little secluded from the rest of the world. Outsiders were to stay outside. We didn't take too kindly when rogues or members of other packs entered our territory.

But this time you'll make an exception – growled my inner wolf.

I growled back. Of course I would! She was our mate for fuck's sake!

With a satisfied reaction, he retreated to the back of my mind.

A huge wooden house came into view as I pulled the car into the driveway. I felt everyone's presence in the pack house tonight. I could feel myriad of different emotions ranging from happiness to confusion to anger.

I entered the house and headed straight for the office situated at the end of the hallway on the other side of the house.

Everybody cleared the path for me and bowed their heads. I could hear them whispering. I knew they had questions because so did I.

One of the doors to my office was ajar and I could feel the heat from the fireplace. Without waiting for a second I stormed in only to be greeted by the biggest headache of my life. Great.

"What are you doing here?" I growled.

"Hello, brother."

"I am not in mood for any of your games, Cleo," I warned my younger sister.

She sat coolly on the chair with her legs crossed. I was suspicious of her demeanour because my sister was anything, but calm ever.

"Spit it out, Cleo."

"Ah, what happened? The big bad Alpha got rejected by his mate?"

I growled warning her to be careful of her next words. I won't hesitate to kick her out of my office. I didn't need her taunts tonight.

"Okay, okay. Relax, brother. You get a pass tonight because I am just a messenger. News of you having found a mate is travelling faster than we expected it to."

"What do you mean?"

"Two of our neighbouring packs – The Midnight Pack and The Shadow Pack – have been asking questions and reaching out to some of the rogues that we know."

I sat down on the opposite chair from Cleo and asked her if she knew whether Stone was back.

She shook her head, but excused herself to go check up on his whereabouts.

After I heard the door click, I slumped a little. I thought I would at least have a couple of days before this got out. I guess I was wrong.

Soon enough all the packs would be aware and they would come for us. If Echo decided to leave, they would get to her and harm her in order to get to me. I couldn't let that happen.

I didn't care if something happened to me, but I had to protect our mate at all cost. I would burn down the world for her.

A soft knock on the door pulled me out of my reverie.

"Come in."

The door opened, revealing my beta, Stone and his mate, Gemma.

He had mindlinked me in the club letting me know that he had found his mate. I couldn't have been happier. He deserved this.

I motioned for them to come in. Stone did not look happy.

What happened? I questioned him through our mindlink while he just shook his head.

"Alpha," his mate said while bowing her head.

"I would like you to meet, Gemma."

"Hello, Gemma," I said curtly.

She looked up and locked her eyes with me for a minute before looking away. I could see anger and pity in them.

I frowned.

"Gemma has a proposal," Stone uttered quickly.

"A proposal? What for?"

He opened his mouth to say something, but was cut off by his mate.

"If I may?"

I gestured with my hand for her to continue. I was curious after all.

"Make her stay – at least for a little while for her sake and yours."

I was dumbfounded and furious.

"You don't get to tell me what do to!" I snarled.

Her eyes widened with fear and she took a step back earning me a growl from my beta.

"Careful," he said.

"Hear her out first, Jax," Stone said.

I looked at Gemma with hard eyes letting her know that she was walking on thin ice here.

She gulped, but stood her ground before continuing.

"I was going to let Echo leave since we all have heard rumours about your pack. And I am not going to lie when I say she would be better off, but this could also be her last chance at survival and I would choose that over anything else."

"Last chance at survival?" I was piqued by her vagueness.

She pursed her lips.

"As difficult as it might be to trust me, please do. I know you have no reason to, but take a leap of faith. It's not place and my story to tell, but Echo's."

I could hear concern in her voice for my mate and that was enough for me.

"You and I need to talk," I told Stone.

He gave me a nod before escorting Gemma out. A couple of minutes passed by before Stone made an appearance again.

"Explain!" I roared.

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A/N:
As requested, I posted Jax's point of view!

What do you think of him? Angry much?

Qotd: Why does Gemma want Echo to really stay? What does she know that we don't?

Don't forget to vote, comment and follow, lovelies!

Love,
Grace Clarke xo