Chapter 136


    “Jacks!”


    Jackson hears his name called behind him, but he doesn’t register it, or doesn’t care. Instead, he


    just continues to stride forward in the dark, not really knowing where he’s going, just needing to


    get…out. Get away. Disappear into the night, into the wilds, into… whatever.


    Any ce but that castle.


    Any ce but here.


    “Jacks! You asshole!” the voicees again, closer this time, and Jackson’s instincts make him pay


    attention to it, his wolf turning inside him to growl at whatever’sing. “Slow down! I know you


    can hear me!”


    Jackson moves on, determined, but inside him his wolf turns again, raising his nose a little, a whine


    in his throat. Jackson pushes him away, but the wolf persists, pressing his snout into Jackson’s


    hand. Come on, the wolf says, listen. It’s Jesse. We like Jesse.


    N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    Jackson is the one growling now, insisting that he doesn’t like anyone, but his wolf just nuzzles


    against his hand, sad, not wanting to run anymore. So Jackson sighs, and slows, and turns when


    Jesse’s footstepse near.


    “What the hell man,” Jesse says, bending over and panting a little, “I’ve been chasing you for like,


    twenty minutes!”


    “Should have been faster,” Jackson mutters, shrugging and looking away, shoving his hands deep


    into his pockets.


    “Don’t be a dick,” Jesse growls. “I’m trying to be nice to you, the least you could do is let


    me.”


    “Nice to me?” Jackson huffs, turning to re at Jesse a little. “Do you seriously think that’s going to


    fix anything?”


    “Yeah, Jacks,” Jesse says, standing up straight and crossing his arms, “I think that being nice to you


    is just going to make Ariel magically not have a second mate. Obviously, that’s what I think.”


    Jackson narrows his eyes. “You’re being a jerk, Jesse,” he growls, turning to walk away again.


    “Jacks!” Jesse groans, and Jackson tugs his arm out of Jesse’s grasp when Jesse grabs it.”


    Don’t you get it!? I am being nice to you! This is what people do!”


    “What?” Jackson asks, still walking but turning towards the slightly smaller Alpha to re at him.


    “Do what? You’re not doing anything – you’re just bothering me –”


    “Exactly!” Jesse exims, keeping pace with Jackson’s long stride. “That’s what people do! People


    who care about each other! When something shitty happens, you show up, and you’re just there!”


    “That doesn’t do anything,” Jackson grumbles, discontent – but honestly, nothing, really, would work


    for him right now. Nothing can make this better – nothing will make this better.


    Ariel – Ari – his mate. But she’s not really his, is she? He’d thought he’d had her, he’d thought for a


    blissful couple of days that she was his. That everything was going to be okay. That for once he


    had…like, a shot at this life, at this thing they call happiness.


    But he never really had it, did he?


    No, it was all an illusion. Because she was lying the whole time.


    “Jackson,” Jesse sighs, grabbing his arm again and making him stop.


    Or, well, Jackson agrees to stop – because Jesse…he’s not big enough to actually stop him. But


    they pause anyway, on the top of a hill, darkness all around. And Jackson hangs his head as he


    waits, because…well, where is there to go, anyway?


    “This is me trying to do something, all right?” Jesse says, his voice softer now, his hand. gentle on


    Jackson’s arm. “Something shitty happens, and even though they can’t do anything about it, the


    people who care about you show up. And they hang around. So, please. stop walking away from


    me and let me do that for you!”


    “Why?” Jackson growls, not getting it.


    To iu


    be there!” Jesse exims, throwing out his hands. “To show you that I care,


    are, that you’re not alone! To…stop you from throwing yourself into a ditch, or whatever!” Jesse


    pauses, staring at Jackson, waiting for him to respond, but Jackson just stands perfectly still, staring


    at him. “Or to throw you into a ditch, if you keep being an asshole about it.”


    At this, Jackson huffs augh.


    “So would you stop running away?” Jesse mutters, crossing his arms now, a little cold in the night


    air now that he’s not running around after the big devastated Alpha. “I’m trying to… be here for


    you.”


    “Fine,” Jackson says with a shrug. There’s a long moment of silence. “So, what do we do


    now?”


    “Whatever you want,” Jesse murmurs. “Walk. Sit. Just…exist, if you want to. Or you could…


    talk to me about it.”


    Jackson stares at Jesse like he’s insane if he thinks that’s going to happen, and to his surprise


    Jesse bursts outughing, taking a step forward and pping a hand on Jackson’s shoulder.


    “Jacks, seriously, I need you to tell me…did you grow up under a bridge or something? Why don’t


    you know how to let someonefort you?”


    And Jackson sighs, a long, deep breath, and just looks down at the ground.


    And Jesse sighs with him, realizing that…well, that the answer is because nobody ever has


    comforted him. And Jesse’s heart, like Ariel’s, absolutely breaks for this guy.


    “Come on, you weirdo,” Jesse murmurs, pushing on Jackson’s shoulder warmly and turning him a


    bit. “Let’s do a little walk. You don’t have to say a damn word to me. I’ll just…be here.”