Chapter 1: Losing It

-Jackson-

The rain poured down on me, but I barely felt it. I pushed my body harder than ever. My wolf was clawing inside me, growling and pissed off. He would not be quiet these days. He was always grumbling and demanding I did more to get our mate back, to win her over. I wanted to. I wanted nothing more, but Daphne was no ordinary wolf. She was not even a wolf. Daphne was a lycan from a high-status family, and… she was engaged to someone else. It filled me with anger when I learned.

I woke up, feeling groggy, but when I opened my eyes, the most beautiful sight appeared before me.

“Daphne?” I whispered.

She smiled at me, still holding my hand.

“How are you?” she asked.

“I’m okay. Roman’s cousin?” I replied.

“Dead.”

“Good,” I said softly. “Though I must admit, he was harder to take down than I thought.”

She nodded slightly, squeezing my hand. Despite the pain in my body and being confined to a hospital bed, everything felt so perfect in that moment. But I sensed something was wrong with Daphne.

“What is it?” I inquired, concerned.

“I’m sorry, Jackson,” she whispered.

“What?” I asked, confused.

“I can’t... stay.”

“Why not?” I insisted, feeling panic rise in my chest.

“I just... can’t.”

“Of course you can!” I replied.

“No... I can’t,” she whispered, letting go of my hand.

“Why not?”

“My family… they... they’ve found someone else for me.”

“What?” I asked, feeling my heart sink.

She looked away, avoiding my gaze.

“But you’re saying no, right?”

She didn’t answer.

“Daphne, you’re saying no, right?” I pressed, my voice trembling.

Tears welled up in her eyes, and before I could reach out to her, she stood up.

“I’m sorry, Jackson. Really. I am...” she said, her voice breaking.

“Daphne!” I called, but she didn’t turn around.

Let me out! I will go get her!

I shook my head at my wolf. He was dangerous to let out these days. Too on edge, and I was an alpha. Alphas on edge were not a good thing.

“No.” I stopped and looked up at the rain that came pouring down on me.

Let me OUT!

“No!” I shouted.

He growled at me so loudly my ears rang, but I would not let him out. Not when he was acting like a fucking ass.

Who are you calling an ass? Ass!

I rolled my eyes, not wanting to get into another childish discussion with him.

Then maybe stop acting like a child and be the alpha we are and go get her!

“Yes, because we live as cavemen again and we throw the women over our shoulders while growling ‘mine’,” I said sarcastically.

Maybe it was time we went back to the old days. At least this once.

“She made herself clear.”

She said nothing. All she did was come to our hospital room, stay with us, and then she was gone.

“You heard what she said. She made herself clear,” I reminded him.

I heard her. I heard the broken tone in her voice, the ache behind her words. You heard our cousin too the last time we spoke with her. She knows Daphne doesn’t want this engagement. She wants us to stop her—to chase her.

“You lost your mind,” I snapped.

You lost your mind! my wolf countered. What the fuck are you doing out here when we could go get her right now? Ana thinks we should fight for her too.

“Ana doesn’t know what she is talking about. Her mate actually wanted her.”

But she didn’t want him. She ran!

“I’m aware,” I replied.

Then how can I get it through your thick head that we should go get Daphne?

“You can’t…” I whispered.

Because your head is that thick?

“Because it is complicated. Often lycans and werewolves stay away from each other.”

I’m aware, but our cousin has begun something else. Soon things will change. They have already begun changing.

“I don’t know…” I admitted.

You’re scared.

“Shut up,” I snapped at him.

What the fuck is the problem?

“What if we just get our heart ripped out of our chest? What if Daphne doesn’t want us to interfere? Or what if this is her choice?” I asked.

Then we show her why it’s an awful choice.

“That’s your solution?” I snapped.

Yup!

“You’re crazy.”

Stop calling me that.

“No, because you need to see it yourself. You do not kidnap a high-status lycan female. Are you insane?” I retorted.

Stop calling me that!

“No, answer me,” I demanded.

She is our mate. It changes things.

“Explain how!” I snapped.

A mate is above law and statuses. It means everything.

“I don’t think it counts when it is between lycan and werewolf.”

It does. You need to go get her before we both lose our minds. I can’t stand being away from her. Let’s go find her!

“No.”

Why are you so stubborn?

“Why are you so annoying?” I countered only for my wolf to growl at me again.

I groaned and rolled my eyes before I ran back to the house. My dad was coming down the stairs and saw me enter. He stopped for a moment, then shook his head.

“Tell me I shouldn’t be worried,” he said.

“Why should you?” I asked as I untied my dirty shoes.

“Because when someone is running in a storm, they have issues,” my dad said.

“Maybe someone likes the rain.”

“Maybe someone needs someone to talk to.”

“Is that you?” I asked with a little smile.

“Can’t I talk to my son?” he challenged.

“Maybe he doesn’t want to talk,” I said.

“Maybe he should be less of an ass.”

“Why is everyone calling me an ass today?”

“Who is everyone?” my dad teased.

I smiled a little, shaking my head and pushing my hand through my dark hair, a color I had inherited from my dad.

“I’m fine,” I lied.

“Daphne hasn’t made any contact?”

“You think I would be running in the rain if she had?” I inquired.

“Jackson—”

“I know… I know… I’m not doing that good,” I said. “But what choice do I have? She is my mate and I can’t be with her.”

It was impossible to hide everything between me and Daphne because I was slowly going insane.

Our mate is the cure…

I ignored my wolf and looked at my dad, who was looking me up and down and probably seeing how I had lost a bit of weight. My appetite was just gone.

“Jackson—” he began.

“Can we not?” I asked. “We have already talked.”

“And you don’t seem to listen.”

“I hear you!” I exclaimed.

“No, you don’t.”

“Dad…”

“Maybe it was time you considered a rejection,” my dad said, shocking me.