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23

JACKSON HALE

I studied my beautiful mate, her long hair cascading down her shoulders and her plump glossy lips enticing me. I loved the way she took charge in that room, just like a Luna would do in her pack. Would the Blood Moon pack accept my Spencer as their queen, someone to follow? It's more of a need than a want by now, my father is slowly reaching the age of retirement and I can't take up the throne without a strong independent woman by my side. The pack would surely crumble with only one leader.

After my father left the room, Tori approached the two of us with a slightly panicked look pained on her tan smooth face. She looked bothered and anxious like the problem was more than it seems. That this mystery man wanted more than we can give and she had an idea about it all.

"Something about this feels bad, Jackson." She murmured in a low whisper. "Why us? Why now?"

"That's what we're trying to figure out," I told her but she just looked at Spencer.

"Why did this start when we moved to the human high school?" She asked and Spencer's eyes widened.

"You think I have something to do with this?" Spencer exclaimed in a hushed voice. She stared at Victoria was an exasperated expression as if my mate was upset by the insinuation. 

"What? No!" Tori combated trying to calm her down. I knew Tori would never blame her future Luna for any harm like that. "I'm just saying, moving to the human world, and then a human begins to attack us. Hell, he's using one of our own kind."

"Derek is not a part of us," I growled warningly. I would never see those disgusting bloodsuckers as one of us. Even Diego; even he wants to protect Spencer. 

"He's part of the supernatural and our city which means he's one of us. They all are." Tori commented. She twirled her brown thick hair nervously as she scanned the room around us. Her fingers trembled against the skin of her shoulder.

"That man isn't killing vampires or mermaids or fucking witches. He's targeting werewolves, specifically our pack." I argue.

"Tori, are you okay?" Spencer asked as she took Tori's shaky hands into her own. Victoria looked at her finding warmth in Spencer's presence. 

"I just have a really bad feeling," Tori whispered and I looked at her with concern. I haven't seen her this freaked out in years. The last time she looked like this was when my mother had her accident, she's better now but Tori was so worried she almost passed out. It was like she could feel impending doom.

"Spencer, maybe you should go home," I told her, I don't want anything to happen to her. She's the only person that could anchor me back from everything. Without her, I wouldn't know how to stop myself. Who would I live for?

"What, why?" She questioned, a look of hurt expressed in her deep green eyes even if she was trying to hide it from her face. She dropped Tori's hands and turned to me.

"It's getting really late and I'm sure your father is wondering where you are," I explained, she looked conflicted before softly nodding her head. Spencer wrapped her thin arms around my torso and hugged me tightly. I immediately engulfed her and held on for dear life. I didn't want her to leave but she's only human. She can't handle all of this right now.

Spencer pulled away from the hug and looked up at me. I pressed my lips against her forehead at the root of her silky hair. As I pulled away, she caught me off guard by plopping a quick kiss on my lips making me grin.

"I'll talk to Diego tomorrow and then come back here to help." She says. I can't push her away too much so I nod my head in understanding. With that, she walked away from Tori and me to the front door. Once she was out of the house, Tori turned to me.

"She's perfect for you... and for this pack." She comments. I smile and get a strong feeling of pride in myself.

___

I couldn't breathe, it was so dark and empty and I couldn't breathe. I felt a sense of panic wash over me as I got lost in this emptiness.

Why couldn't I breathe? My head throbbed against my skull making me want to throw up. I couldn't think with this painful pounding in my skull.

It's because I can't breathe. There's this funky smell clogging up my nostrils, I could quite place it. What is this? Where am I?

I could hear a mumbling voice from far away in the darkness. It wasn't familiar to me but every time it spoke the pressure on my lungs increased. Whatever it is, it's taking my voice away.

It mumbled again. And again. And it got clearer every time.

I start to panic, even more, I tried to yell but my voice was gone. My lips trembled as I wanted to cry. Tears fell down my cheeks terrified.

The voice mumbled again. Every time it got clearer my panic increased. I started to run blind just to get away. It was so dark, I could even see my own hands. Where am I? I just need to keep running even if I can't see what's ahead of me.

It spoke again, I cried out. Again, my chest tightened. Again, it was so much clearer that I could almost understand it. Again, I fell to my knees. Again, I was ready to give up. Again, I tried to scream until... "Wake up!"

I shot up in my bed with sweat beading down the sides of my face. I was having trouble breathing which started to panic me. Was that my alpha wolf? Was that his voice? Was my wolf warning me? I looked around my room until I saw smoke creep through the crack under my door. 

I jumped out of my bed and ran to it, grabbing the metal knob. I hissed as it burned me, taking a few steps back, I looked around my room. I could climb out of my window and survive the fall. With that thought, I ran to my window ledge. Looking down I could easily jump out, maybe break a few bones but with my werewolf genes, I'd heal faster.

I looked back at my bedroom door and grimaced. There could still be people in the house. My mother, sister, and father. Some other pack members could be trapped right now. Looking back at the window, I sighed. I wouldn't be able to save anyone with a broken leg even if it's temporary.

I ran back to the door, covering my nose with my shirt so I don't breathe in the smoke. Taking a deep hesitant breath, I grabbed the door nob with my hands. I groan as the heat seared through my skin but I turned it anyway with a gripping determination. The door opened to reveal a huge tall wall of flames. Shit.

Running back into my room, I pulled off my bedsheets and ran to my bathroom which was connected. I drowned them with water from my shower until it was dripping. The palm of my hand stung with every action I took. I tried to ignore it as I ran back to the flames.

Wrapping the soaked sheet over my body, I looked at the rising flames with pure adrenaline. Ready, I pulled the sheet over my head and charged through the fire. I felt the heat engulf me until it didn't. Poking my head out, I looked around.

"Mom! Dad!" I screamed through the noise. My face burned from the heat. "Claire!" I coughed.

"Jackson!" I heard my father's voice yell back. "Jackson!" It came from Claire's room. I pulled off a piece of fallen wood from my sister's bedroom door. This must have trapped them in there.

I endured the searing pain again to open her door. I could smell my burning flesh making me want to puke. Creeking the door open, I saw my father hovering over my little sister to protect her from the fire. The grey smoke filled the room making everything unclear and blurry. I heard them cough harshly as I did.

"Dad!" I called out to him. I felt strong warm hands grab my arm pulling me to him.

"Jackson." My dad said with relief. I immediately pulled off my sheet and wrapped it around Claire who was whimpering on the floor. I kneeled down next to her and cover her head with the rest of the fabric.

"Claire, it's Jackson. This blanket will help with the smoke and flames. Do not take it off." I said into her ear as I pulled her closer to my body. "I'm here, Claire. We'll guide you out of the house."

My sister let out a chilling sob into my chest. I guided her up and kept one of my arms wrapped around her. I tried to look at my father but the smoke burned my eyes making them water. So instead, I blindly waved my hand out until I felt him grab onto me. He pulled me closer to him and I guided my sister along with me.

"We need to go out the back, the flames are high in the front." My dad yelled.

"Where is Mom?" I asked as I grabbed onto Dad's forearm tightly. 

"I think she made it out." Dad coughed as we continued through the living room. I let out a breath of relief.

I could see the glass door to the backyard. We're almost there, the flames were low. We are going to make it. I dragged my tired body closer and closer until... my body collapsed under a heavy object. My back stung like a mother fucker and I screamed in pain as I tightened my hold on my fallen sister.

Claire stuck her head out for a moment before she grabbed onto my hand and help me out from the pillar that fell on us. I took her into my arms protectively and searched the room for Dad. I barely caught him, he was wedged underneath the cement of the pillar. He struggled to push it off him as the flames began to engulf around him.

"Claire, when I say now... I need you to sprint straight until you hit the glass. Go to Mom, the fire is getting worse and I need to help Dad." I instruct her.

"No! Jackson-"

"Shut up, Claire, and listen to me!" I yelled, please just listen to me this once, little sister. "Go to Mom! I'll be fine!"

"Okay. okay." She muttered tiredly. I positioned her body the right way and looked at her cloaked form. I need her to survive this.

"Now!" I signaled her. I saw her begin to sprint forward as I instructed. She swept across the room like a panicked ghost through the rising flames until she slammed into the glass door. Claire fell to the floor and threw off her sheet rubbing her red forehead that slammed into the glass. I watched as she made it out of the house.

Relieved, I sprinted to Dad without worrying about my sister. "Dad!" I screamed through the flames. I couldn't see him anymore. The fire surrounded him and the smoke fogged up my vision. "Dad!" I erupted into a scratchy coughing fit, the smoke stung my eyes. I bend over trying to stop but it was no use, the tears fell from my eyes and my lungs felt as if they were on fire every time I breathed. The fire was getting worse, and no one behind that could survive it. My father was lost in the flames, he was gone and it looked like I was next.

I screamed in anger and frustration as the tears streamed down my cheeks. I fell to my knees as I looked around for my alpha, the tears and screaming not slowing me down. But, I knew that I had to leave him behind in order to get out alive. So I got up from the floor, turned on my heels, and sprinted across the house, I felt my body burn as I ran through the flames and out the blurry door. I felt my feet hit the cool grass and I stop, dropped, and rolled. I could feel that I was definitely on fire. I did that for a few seconds before I could feel the flames disappear leaving me a mess on the floor.

Cool small hands pulled me to them as my back hit a petite feminine body. I held on to her arm, most of my body on the lawn but my upper part struggled in the welcoming arms as I sobbed into the air. I couldn't stop the waterfall coming from my eyes, I couldn't stop the snot and slobber running down my lips and chin. 

"Alpha!" A pack member was in the house while it was in flames. He was covered in black soot and burns on his hands. He must have helped my mother out of the house when my dad went to get Claire.

I looked for my sister and I could see Claire kneeling on the ground with her hands buried in her lap and her shoulder bobbing up and down as she cried at our burning house. She knows that Dad didn't make it, she pieced it together making me sob harder.

"You're alive. You're alive. You're alive." My mother whispered over and over in my ear as she held onto me tighter.