Alpha Hole

Ch. 16

"I have questions," I admitted, my voice steadier now, the tears drying on my cheeks. "About all of this. About you. About me."

Jaxson's smirk returned, but this time it was softer, more inviting. "Ask away. I'm an open book."

"I don't really know where to start." I said truthfully. But started with the question that I really needed answering. "I know mates mark each other. Are you going to mark me?"

His gaze shifted to my neck. The area where I'd seen that mark on Aiden's sister and he bristled. "Honestly I'm having a hard time with self control right now, so maybe that isn't the best question."

A distant ruckus downstairs was a sudden and alarming shift. Jaxson's head snapped toward the door, his entire demeanor shifting into one of alert protectiveness. "Stay here," he commanded, his voice a deep growl of authority. Before I could respond, he was out the door, moving with the swift, determined grace of a predator.

The noises from downstairs escalated quickly — a cacophony of growls, snarls, and the unmistakable crash of furniture being overturned. My heart raced, fear and confusion swirling within me.

Despite Jaxson's clear directive, i needed to know what was happening.  Creeping to the door, I pressed my eye to the narrowest of gaps.

The scene was chaotic. Aunt Nora and Dominic, along with some members of what I assumed was my old pack, were engaged in a fierce brawl with members of this Jaxson's pack. Fists flew, teeth bared, and bodies collided with brutal force.

Before I knew it, my feet carried me down the stairs, drawn by a mix of concern and an inexplicable need to be part of the fray. As I descended, Alpha Delphi's voice, powerful and commanding, cut through the chaos. "Stop!" he bellowed, and for a brief moment, the violence paused.

"Dominic," he addressed with a mixture of disappointment and stern authority. "I would have thought you were smarter than this. I gave you the chance."

Dominic responded with a defiant growl, his body tense and ready for more.

"Layla!" Aunt Nora's shout pierced the tense silence, her eyes locking onto mine as I hesitantly made my way to the bottom of the stairs. All eyes turned to me, and the room went silent, every person frozen in place.

"Damn it," Jaxson cursed as he moved toward me, his eyes a mix of concern and anger. But Aiden stepped in front of him, blocking his path with a defiant stance. "All you need to do is reject him," Aunt Nora said, her voice filled with urgency.

The anguish and anger in Jaxson's eyes flared into a hot, palpable rage at the suggestion. The air was charged with tension, each person in the room acutely aware of the delicate balance that my next words could tip. I stood there, the focus of everyone's attention, feeling the weight of their gazes and the gravity of the moment resting heavily on my shoulders. My decision, or lack thereof, would shape the outcome of this volatile situation. And as I looked around at the faces before me, I knew that whatever happened next, there was no turning back.

In the thick silence, my voice was small, tremulous. "I— I can't," I whispered, the admission a mixture of confusion and a deep-seated reluctance to sever whatever was between Jaxson and me.

Jaxson's eyes closed briefly, a storm of emotions playing across his face before he regained his composure. When he opened them again, there was a flicker of something — pain, understanding, resolve — before it was masked by an impassive facade.

"Move," he commanded Aiden, his voice carrying the weight of authority, but also a warning. It was clear that he was holding back, keeping the beast at bay for the sake of what was unfolding.

Aiden, however, didn't budge. His loyalty to me, his protective instincts, or perhaps his own sense of duty, kept him rooted to the spot. His eyes, fixed on Jaxson, were defiant, challenging.

Delphi's voice cut through the remaining tension, authoritative and unwavering. "She made her choice," he stated, his eyes sweeping across the room to rest on me for a brief moment before addressing the others. "Isn't that what you wanted? For her to have the chance to reject him. And she chooses not to."

The words hung in the air, a final declaration that seemed to settle the matter. His gaze then shifted to Dominic and the others from my old pack, his stance imposing. "Leave, and no blood needs to be spilled," he continued, the underlying threat clear in his tone.

Dominic's expression was a turbulent mix of anger and resignation. He looked at me, his eyes searching for something, perhaps understanding or defiance, before he nodded stiffly and signaled to the others. They began to retreat, their departure marked by a heavy silence that spoke of unfinished business and lingering resentment.

The instant Dominic and his pack disappeared through the door, Delphi shifted into high command, his voice resonating with urgency and authority. "Extra security at each of the entrances. Call Eric and have the sentinels move near the main house," he barked orders to the remaining pack members, who moved quickly to follow his command, their movements swift and precise.

Then, Delphi turned his attention to Jaxson, who stood still amidst the dissipating chaos, his breathing heavy and labored. The tension hadn't left his body; it seemed to vibrate with a barely restrained intensity.

His father closed the distance between them in a few powerful strides, his hand clamping onto the collar of Jaxson's shirt. He pulled him close, his face inches from Jaxson's, the fury in his tone unmistakable. "Mark your mate. Now." The command was fierce, brooking no argument or delay.

Jaxson's eyes, which had been fixed on me moments ago, met Delphi's with a turbulent mix of emotions — anger, frustration, and a trace of something like fear.

As the seconds ticked by, the tension once again building, I realized that this moment was a turning point, a pivotal event that would define the future for Jaxson, for me, and for the pack. And as I stood there, body trembling, watching the two alphas locked in a silent battle of wills, I understood the gravity of what was about to happen. The world as I knew it was about to change, irrevocably and completely.

His next actions were swift and decisive as he grabbed me, pulling me close with a force that left no room for doubt or hesitation. His lips met mine with a fury, a passionate assertion of claim and desire that sent my head spinning. Instinctively, my legs wrapped around his waist, clinging to him as he moved us with powerful strides up the stairs.

He carried me effortlessly, the strength and certainty in his hold a stark contrast to the turmoil of thoughts and feelings swirling inside me. As we reached the top of the stairs, he didn't slow down, his purpose clear and unyielding.

He pushed through the doors to his room, a sanctum that suddenly seemed to be the only stable point in a world that was spinning out of control. The door closed behind us with a finality that underscored the gravity of the moment.

We were alone now, away from the eyes and ears of the pack, away from the conflict and the demands of the world outside. In that room, it was just Jaxson and me, the bond between us a tangible force that pulsed with every heartbeat, every breath.

As he set me down, his eyes never leaving mine, I knew that the decision he had made downstairs was irrevocable.