Together We Fall

Prologue: Jackson Whittmore

**Prologue: Jackson Whittmore**

It was the middle of summer. I sat there, in the apartment (they insisted I call it a flat- I told them I wasn't British), tapping my feet and watching my friend, Callie. She was the first beta in the pack that I was residing in. I had remained an omega, but stayed with the pack Callie was in.

"Are you ready for tonight?" She had said nevously. She had been nervous all day for no apparent reason. I figured it best for me not to voice my opinion in that her nerves were unwarrented.

I had laughed a small bit. "Of course I'm ready! What is there to not be ready for?"

There was going to be a pack dinner tonight, celebrating my time here in London, because I was going to go back soon. The alpha owned a small warehouse where we could all comfortably fit and have a nice meal together. It was actually the pack hangout, and was fully furnished. The warehouse was even in a really beautiful part of town.
They do say that gold never stays.

Time jump to the dinner. Everything was going well; we were all having a blast. BOOM!!! Everything is suddenly wrong.

I remember it in flashes. And somewhere along the line I was wolf-Jackson. Those are the parts I remember the most. Everything that was going on, every little movement. Every smell. Each sensation as it flashes against my mind or my skin.

FLASH. I was surprised that they would even think to give me a beer. Then I remembered that we have really heightened metabolism, and couldn't get drunk.

FLASH. As I twist open the top of the beer, the wall collapses toward the inside. Men - animals really - begin to pour inside the warehouse.

FLASH. I drop the beer. It's all but forgotten. I'll remember to apologize to Alpha Zander when this is all over. I see the rest of the pack begin to fight. The enemy doest identify me as a threat because I am not an official part of the pack.

FLASH. They sense me now that I am wolf-Jackson. A large one charges towards me. I slice behind his knees after I dodge his initial charge. He cries out as he bleeds. I spare only a threatening growl. It tells him that next time he will not survive to see his pack.

FLASH. Callie falls. A female has killed her. I snarl, and a flash of fear goes through the she-wolf's eyes. I kill her. My claws go through her heart, and she spits up blood.

FLASH. More fall. I avenge them as I can. The amount of blood on me is almost indescribable. And for each friend I see fall, I go into even more of a frenzy. I imagine this is what it must have felt like for me as the kanima. To kill murderers, only this time I am completely in control of myself.

FLASH. There are few left now. I am the only one left standing. The remaining enemies escape out of where they came, into the night. I think of going after them, but I hear a heartbeat.

FLASH. It's Zander. I walk to him and kneel where he lay. I rest my hand on his arm, he is extremely cold. He is barely conscious, but he notes my prescience and attempts to smile. "Jackson," I hear, "help a dying man out, would you?" "You're not dying." I say panicking. My fangs jumble the words, but he understands. "I've been wounded deeply by the alpha Jackson. He left because he knew I wasn't going to make it. I want you to be alpha Jackson. Lead my pack." There are tears running down my face. "There's no one left." I say sadly. "There's you. Please. End my suffering. It's going to take time for me to die, and I'm in pain. Jackson."

FLASH. My claws through Zander's heart. Sobs wracking my body. "Silver..." I hear him say, and he stops breathing entirely. Me falling back, my claws and fangs gone. I am numb. Only a dull roar in the background as tears silently roll down my face for my lost friends.

Blackness.