9

Jaxon’s POV.

Something about her was off.

I couldn’t just ignore the feeling, no matter how much I tried to convince myself it was all in my head. Keira was different—and not in a “she survived death and got stronger” kind of way. No, this was deeper. It was in her eyes, in her manner… it was difficult to explain.

She used to flinch when I raised my voice. But today she talked back to me whenever she felt like it. She used to tiptoe around me.

She used to be quiet, forgettable, somehow she always stayed hidden even though she looked good. Now, she was anything but that.

Now, I couldn’t stop thinking about her.

And maybe that was the problem.

I sat in my office chair, fingers drumming on the armrest. The memory of our last conversation played again in my head, her in nothing but a towel, looking so perfect, and then her palms landing on my cheeks like I was some pervert.

Not that I hadn’t deserved it, but she used to blush if I looked at her for too long. The change was a drastic one.

Was that really my wife?

And then she agreed to come to the meeting. Just like that. She had never come to the meeting so you’d think she’d take the news with a bit of surprise.

She did not. Just “Okay.”

What the hell?

I had expected more from her. Not more trouble, but shock, perhaps a hint of gratitude. Any sign that she still cared about me at all. But the woman standing in front of me that day didn’t look like someone who cared.

She looked like someone who didn’t even know me. Or someone who did but didn’t mind my presence anymore. She had changed.

“Well, can you blame her? You ignored her for so long.” My wolf Axel,growled inside my head, always quick to blame me for things I already felt guilty about.

“I didn’t ignore her.”

“You treated her like air. You pushed her away. You let the people tear her down before your eyes and you said nothing. You told her she was weak and treated her like a decorative object.”

“She was weak.”

“She needed you. She was, and still is your wife.”

I sighed and rubbed the back of my neck.

“She still needs me.”

“Then act like it.” He yelled.

He always got louder when he knew that he was right.

I stood and walked over to the window, looking down at the training field. The men were already gathering for their daily drills, and the air outside was sharp, cool, full of purpose. This was the reason I had this room over here. The spirit from the men always made me get up and ready.

I should’ve been out there with them, but my head wasn’t in it today.

I couldn’t stop thinking of Keira, and that one moment when she sneered at me. The face held for only a second, but I caught it. I didn’t even know that she knew how to do that.

She was hiding something.

I groaned, remembering how she looked in her bedroom, and the thoughts sent a rush of heat to my groin.

A knock on the door pulled me out of my thoughts.

“Enter.” I said, turning from the window.

It was one of the patrol guards, Derrick. He walked in with the most noticeable thing he had. His broad shoulders, dark eyes, and as usual, he looked like he hadn’t slept in days.

“Alpha.” He greeted me, nodding.

“What is it?”

He came inside and closed the door behind him. That meant that it wasn’t a routine report.

“I saw something last night.” He said.

I frowned.

“Oh really? Go on.”

He cleared his throat.

“I was finishing my midnight patrol, just before dawn, and you wouldn’t believe what I saw on the South ridge, right near the forest line.”

“I might believe it if you told me.”

He nodded slowly.

“It was a large white wolf.”

My brows shot up.

“A rogue? I mean, I believe that.”

He shook his head.

“No sir. There was no scent trail, no body, no blood. Just that it was there one minute, and it was gone the next. Kind of like a ghost.”

I crossed my arms.

“Really? Did it look aggressive?”

“No, Alpha. Not at all, it stood still and watched me from the trees. Then it turned and walked away.”

“Walked?”

He nodded again.

“Didn’t even run. It just came… and left, but I only saw it move a few steps in before it disappeared into thin air.”

I looked at his face for a while, checking for any signs of... Derrick wasn’t the type to exaggerate. And he wasn’t easily spooked either.

“Did you follow it?”

“Of course. But by the time I crossed the ridge, it was gone. No paw prints, no trail in sight.”

I walked around the desk, still looking at him.

“Oh? And you're sure it was a white wolf?”

“Pure white, Alpha.” He said. “And big. Bigger than any of us in wolf form.”

I was about to question his sanity, considering I had the biggest wolf around, but I simply nodded.

“Alright Derrick.” I said after a long pause. “Thank you. That’ll be all.”

He bowed slightly and turned to leave.

Just before he stepped out, I called.

“Derrick.”

He stopped and turned back.

“Yes, Alpha?”

“If you see it again, call for someone else before you chase it down.”

His face fell visibly, and if this wasn’t so serious, I would’ve burst into laughter.

“You don’t believe me? I’m not lying, I swear! I wasn’t even on…”

“Derrick.” I said. “You mentioned that the white wolf was the biggest you had ever seen, right?”

He nodded.

“So wouldn’t it make sense for you to inform others before you chase it? For safety reasons, if not anything else.”

He nodded once.

“Understood.”

The door shut behind him, leaving me with nothing but my thoughts.

A white wolf. The rarest type to ever walk the earth.