Chapter 6

JAX:

The pressure I felt from killing off the ignition was worse than what I felt from driving into the pack. It has always been the same feeling in the last five years whenever I am summoned. Except for this time, it was a strong feeling of dread.

Right through the front view window of my car, I could see the massive building that housed the Alpha family. The same building that I happened to live in most of my life.

Seeing the extravagant number of warriors around the building as compared to the amount I know to always be around there made me wonder if there was something huge I was not told of before I came over. As usual, I'm in the dark about situations around here.

I take out the key from the ignition and then walk out of the car slowly after that. The cool breeze of the morning swept on my face like I just welcomed it for the very first time today.

I was not one to savor the feelings that came with this so I just ignored it and carried on with what I wanted to do. And that was to get into the building ahead and find out the reason I was summoned in the first place.

Being me was a whole lot more complicated. On the outside among the humans, I was human like them. But if any of them knew what I really was, I'm certain they wouldn't even want to take a step close to me.

I'm not a monster. But to them, I will be. Which is why I call myself an extraordinary being. So it was best to keep my identity a secret just to avoid any complications that I'm sure I will be unable to handle when the time comes.

The warriors all bowed their heads as I passed by them. It was a courtesy greeting to acknowledge me as the son of the Alpha. Or rather one of the sons.

The two warriors stationed directly at the entrance instantly pushed the wide door open once I stepped up the stairs leading up to the balcony. And with that, the interior of the building was revealed which I took the chance to walk into.

I pause first after coming in sight of those in the large parlor. Two familiar individuals with one of them oozing a type of pressure that could easily overwhelm me if I let my guard down.

I noticed that both individuals had their eyes fixated on me as they awaited my next step and I do not intend to keep them waiting so I proceed into the living room, taking a seat in a position that gave me a good view of both of them.

"You're late..." said the being that I mentioned was capable of overwhelming me.

"I'm sorry, father. There was no way I could beat the traffic in the human territory," was my response in defense of my tardiness.

Asides from him being my father, he was also the Alpha and ruler of this pack, the Silver Falls pack. A pack that was among the numerous wolf packs that were kept discreet away from the humans.

Yes, I said wolf pack because that is what we are — Wolves.

For many years now we have been coexisting among humans without them having knowledge about our existence. This is because of our physical appearances that look nothing different from theirs.

Just to ensure that nothing goes wrong with our identities, we have all been warned not to have any form of cordial relationship with humankind. It was the only way to keep our existence a secret and it has been working for us.

As if on cue, I find myself thinking about the mistake I made some nights ago. I only hope Manuel is looking after that human girl as planned.

"I called you two here because I believe it's time the process began," my father's voice takes me out of my reverie and I was quick to place my attention on him just so I would be able to hear what he has to say to me and the other individual with us.

The look on my father's face told me that the information he was about to pass across might be the turning point of a lot of things in my life. The question now is: Am I ready?

"I have waited for the both of you to evolve into mature wolflings as expected and I can see that you two are growing well," my father says, pausing for a while before he continues, "Now it is time that you both get to decide among yourselves on who is going to take over from me as the Alpha of the Silver Falls pack."

My eyes shift to the third individual in here with us. I notice that he was staring right back at me when I do so and I waste no time looking away from him after that.

It was weird that this same individual that I cannot stand to look at his face for too long was my brother. And it seems we might be going against each other soon just to ensure that one of us gets a taste of power.

"I know you have businesses to attend to in the human territory, but it's time you moved back into the pack, Jax."

That instruction that came from my father put me on an edge instantly. I wasn't prepared for this. Not even ready to leave the human territory when there was a critical situation I have to look into.

"Father," I call out after taking my time to think it through, "I don't think I will be able to do as you asked me to. As important as this is, there are a lot of things I cannot abandon at the moment. If you could give me some time to fix them all then I can do as asked,"

"This shouldn't be a conversation. It's already decided. Come back to the pack and do the necessary."

And that was all from my father who stands up after that. I couldn't even try to argue because he was walking away already and I dared not to stop him from leaving.

My mind was in disarray. And as much as I hated the feeling that came with it, I knew there was nothing I could do about it.

The timing was not perfect. Why did it have to happen now? Makes it feel like everything was working against me during this period of my life.

Feeling the eyes of my brother on me, I look in his direction. And my intuition was right because he did have his full focus on me.

Something tells me this was all his idea. He might have done something to persuade our father to get the next Alpha position process started.

If I had it in me, I would confront him. But it would only lead to him calling me insecure and shit. So, because of that, I was going to let the confrontation slide. There was going to be another day for that.

I'm up the next minute as I prepare to leave the room. I haven't even taken more than a step forward when my motion is cut short.

"What are you so worried about, brother?" I hear the voice of the one seated right across the room.

Slowly, I turn my head to look in his direction. "What?" is what I ask him.

He stands up to his feet, adjusting his clothes as he did so which looked a bit rumpled from sitting in the same spot for a long time.

Then he says to me, "You claim to have a lot of things that you're looking into, but do you also realize that I'm also abandoning affairs that concern me just to see to it that the pack's next Alpha is chosen? Why then can't you do the same?"

I give him a once-over and in a stern voice, I respond, "It's none of your business what I do,"

I didn't wait for him to even speak to me again because I was out of his presence the next second and out of the house too.

In haste, I walk up to my car, getting into it swiftly. I already inserted the key into the ignition when I notice a presence right beside the window.

I have a choice to ignore the being but I wound down the window instead. My brows are raised questioningly as I wait for the words of the being who turned out to be my brother.

"If you're going to forfeit, do it now," he says without mincing the words.

I shake my head as I grip tight the wheel. "Like I always say, Wade, I never run from a battle. So don't expect me to run from this one,"

"Not even if there's a chance that there's something that can bring you down?"

I didn't like the sound of that. So much so that I have no response to it. To make sure I do not have to go through an altercation with him, I ignite the car and zoom off.