Bound by Spells & Regrets

Chapter 7: Jax

Drake's men don't see me as I watch Harper step off the plane at Heathrow Airport. I've always been a ghost, which is why Ashton used to make me gather intel on people. If I wanted to be found, I'd make myself noticeable, but normally, nobody sees me—not even wolves. 

Her hair moves in the cold England wind, and she looks beautiful in her skinny jeans and jumper that hugs all the right curves. She is more stunning than I remember. I almost kissed her in the car the other night; I wanted too so badly. But I can't let my feelings for her cloud my judgment anymore. I need to focus on the mission, but every glance at her pulls me back into her web of chaos. Witches and Wolves don't mix. Yeah, you keep telling yourself that – my wolf echoes.  

She lied. She betrayed us. She betrayed me. I want to forgive her? What the fuck is wrong with me? My chest tightens with a mix of hurt and anger. She isn't herself anymore, and it drives me insane to see her like this. My wolf is restless, pacing inside me, reminding me that we need to protect her, that she's still our mate. We need her back, but all I can think about is how much she hurt us. 

It's as if she senses my presence and glances my way. Her brown eyes scan the shadows trying to see me, and I know she knows I am there. "I am Harper, don't worry, I am here" I mutter to myself. 

I learned these skills from my brothers—all four of them. My poor mom had to raise five boy pups, all of us mostly Alphas. They taught me the right things to spray on myself, how to move silently, and when to hold my breath. 

We weren't really part of a pack until I came to Woodville Springs with my older brother, Galen, after my dad was killed by Kane. Cyrus Ashton's father was friends with ours, so he asked my older brother Galen to move to Woodville Springs to run one of the businesses they had there. My brother took me and Roman with him after Mom begged him to. We're only pups and were loose cannons, always looking for fights and causing trouble.

The first day I met Ashton, I realized we were exactly the same. I used to fight him all the time; he was strong—stronger than me by a slight margin. But he was my Alpha, and I respected him enough to never fight him again. Galen eventually moved on, joined the army, and is working in Australia at the moment. Roman, on the other hand, lives like a nomad, roaming the coasts. They don't fit pack life, never did. But I followed Ashton and would follow him to the ends of the earth if he asked. 

My other brothers, Kellen and Slade, stayed with Mom and found mates in other packs. Kellen just mated, and I promised to go and see him, but I've been so focused on Harper that I lost sight of everything else. Ashton and I have been gathering allies while my brothers are working to ensure their loyalty doesn't sway to Drake. That's why I have contacts everywhere and why I was able to get to the airport to watch Harper arrive before me. I can't let my feelings for her distract me from our mission, but it's getting harder with every passing moment. Especially when I see her walk away. Being around her again makes my cock hard, a reminder of just how much I crave her. It's fucken infuriating.

My brothers have established a vast network of contacts, which is also how I found Harper all the time. She was cunning; I would find her, and then she would disappear. Every step she took, I knew I was there, watching her. My wolf craved the chase; he begged me to find her and claim her, but it wasn't just about that. I needed to ensure her safety. When I saw her walk out of the elevator that day, the day Drake's men took Eden, I saw the scared look on her face, and knew she changed from the last time I was next to her. I knew she wanted to be with me, and I realized there was another reason for her leaving, not just because she was working with Drake. When she finally said she was bound to him, everything made sense—the messages, the constant running. That realization soothed me; it wasn't because she wanted to stay away from me. If Drake had found out who she was with, he could've killed her. He commands her, controls her every move. She could've killed me without hesitation, all under his orders.

Staying away was her best option. But I'm angry with her—why not tell me? Why not let us work this out together? But this is how witches think. They're loners, never working with anyone. She'd never understand what it means to be pack. Witches and wolves don't mate; they don't get along.

Yeah, keep telling yourself that—my wolf growls. Shut up! You keep saying the same shit, and it's annoying. Well, stop lying to yourself and claim her—he murmurs, the irritation in his voice only making my frustration worse.

Harper keeps glancing back my way, trying to figure out why the shadows are so intriguing, she knows, she turns away and smiles. "Yeah, I'm here, baby," I whisper in my mind, my chest tightening as I watch her. The moment I saw her again at the house, when we went to save Eden, standing at the end of that hallway, I knew our fate was sealed. She is my mate—my true mate. That day, it became clear: I'd never let her out of my sight again.

I was reckless to take her, but I didn't care. There had to be a reason why she left me. I picked her up and threw her over my shoulder like she was already mine. I wasn't thinking about consequences—only that she belonged to me. She could've zapped me, fought back, done anything to stop me—but she didn't. She let me take her, let me lock her away.

There were so many moments I wanted to burst into that room, grab her, and tell her that she was mine. Every day, I'd stand outside the door, slam my head against it, and sit there, just listening. The urge to hold her was unbearable. She knew I was there. Sometimes, she'd talk to me through the door. Just hearing her voice or catching her scent would drive me insane. I'd run off, jump in the shower, jerk off to the memory of her—desperate for some kind of release. But nothing helped.

Torture isn't even the right word, it was eating me alive. My wolf howled constantly, begging for her. I don't know how much longer I can hold out without touching her.

She climbs into a black car, and as it drives off, I follow, keeping my distance but making sure I know exactly where she's headed.

As I pass the time, I dial Ashton. He picks up on the third ring.

"Hey, I made it," I say. No need for pleasantries—our conversations are always short and to the point. I usually know what he wants before he even asks.

"Good. Can you scope out the werewolf packs there? We need to know who's involved with Drake," Ashton replies, his voice firm. I can hear Eden in the background.

"Yeah, no problem."

I'm about to hang up when Ashton says, "Jax, just be careful, okay?" The weight of his warning lingers, more than I expected.

"Thanks." I hang up and stare at the floor, the ache for Harper gnawing at me. I need to smell her, hold her—take her and make her mine. My wolf stirs inside me, growling with impatience, urging me to act now.