Hayley Blake
The day passed quickly as I continued locked in the room,
trying to keep me away from Jackson or your presence would stop me
to think clearly.
We had agreed on a relationship of convenience,
without love or any strong and dangerous feeling. I wanted it by
power, just as he wanted me to ensure continuity
of his lineage.
A game of interest.
I hated him so much when he came into my life. And now, just in
staying in a room far from him almost made me go crazy with desire
unbridled to be with him. I promised not to involve my heart in
our relationship so turbulent, but I realized I was breaking that
promise.
By the Moon! Who did I want to fool? It was obvious that I was
falling in love with Jackson and that thought terrified me.
Jack was the Alpha Supreme. A male known for his brutality,
ruthless and cruel. Filled with pride and dominance, I was not so
different, after all. And yes, it fit perfectly in those
descriptions, but it wasn’t for that male that I was myself
falling in love with Jack who smiled at me every time he saw me
as if I were a miracle of the Moon that arose in your life, by
male who stood beside me when fear and terror overwhelmed me,
who hugged me when I cried and kissed me when I felt alone.
I was falling in love with the male who organized a party for
me, and who stayed with me when we released the lanterns in the sky. I did not
I was afraid of what I felt for Jack, but I was afraid of giving my heart
for him and lose him, because it would destroy me.
I closed the book that was open in my hands and put it to my
side on the bed, watching the starry sky through the open window of the bedroom.
Touched the pillow next to mine, smelling the soft smell of Jack
impregnated in the fabric, as well as in the entire bed.
I could almost hear Aiden’s voice ringing in my ears:
— Be strong, Hayley, be strong.
During my life, whenever fear dominated me, my brother
repeated those same three words to me, our motto, the song
of courage that gave me strength to continue fighting, even when already
had given up hope.
I smile as I hold the necklace around my neck, the affective memory of home,
of who I was. The heart that beat in my chest was the heart of
a Labonair, a Pure Blood. I could not be afraid, cower.
— Be strong— I whispered to myself as I got out of bed. — And have
courage— I finished by opening the door, being struck by the smell of Jack.
I shook the necklace tighter in my hand as I walked down the hall,
following the trail of Jackson’s scent. I walked down the stairs with my heart
accelerated and found him sitting before the fireplace of the room, with a cup
wine in one hand and a white lily in the other. I saw a branch of
White lilies next to him, I swallowed dry.
I hugged myself as I walked slowly towards you, the room was dark,
illuminated only by the natural light of the moon and the fire that burned the
wood from the fireplace. If Jackson had ever felt my presence, no
demonstrated, just kept his eyes fixed on the crackling fire.
I pulled the air into my lungs.
— Jack?
He didn’t answer me. I got closer to him and sat next to him,
watching him carefully. There was a void in Jack’s eyes, a pain
so deep that it made my heart squeeze in my chest. It seemed
heartbroken, my pulse quickened as I imagined something had happened.
— Jack?— I called him again, trying to get his attention.
It took a few seconds but slowly he turned his face and his
Distressed eyes found mine.
— What happened?— I asked softly, getting closer to him.
Jack squeezed his lips in a hard line and turned his eyes to the
fireplace, as if he could not bear to look at me. I continued beside him and
I gave him space until he felt comfortable talking.
Silence lingered between us for long minutes, until Jack whispered,
— Her name was Lydia.
I blinked, surprised. I tried to ignore the twinge of jealousy when I heard him quote
another woman, but I just waited for him to continue, it wasn’t the
moment to allow the possessiveness of my wolf to interfere.
— She was my younger sister, a sweet girl, kind and cheerful.
My throat closed, Jack had never mentioned he had a
younger sister, I felt like an idiot for my stupid jealousy, but a
word in particular caught my attention.
— Was it?— my voice wavered when I asked.
Seeing the bitter pain reflected in his eyes was enough response, she was dead and it still hurt him deeply.
— What happened to her?
Jack closed his eyes tightly, as if driving something out of his mind.
Rubbed his face a few times before continuing:
— Lydia was one of the first werewolves to be kidnapped, she had only fifteen
years when she disappeared, kidnapped by strays they wanted
destroy me, after I assumed the supremacy of my father.
I took my hand to my mouth, my stomach wrapped with his confession. A
Sudden urge to vomit hit me, squeezed my lips hard,
feeling the weight of those words.
— For the Moon!— I opened wide eyes.
Fifteen years old, she was only fifteen when she was abducted by
strayed and by Jack’s shaken reaction, the worst part was still
for coming. I shuddered to imagine the continuation.
— I went crazy when she was kidnapped, it’s been days, weeks
no sign of Lydia. Until a body wrapped in a sheet
blood— stained white was thrown before my house, it was her,
Lydia, dead. My sister was full of wounds, marks, she was
raped and tortured to death by rebels and strays, had
only fifteen years and I let her die. I failed her, with my
little sister.
Tears ran down Jackson’s face, and dripped on the floor. I felt
my face wet by my own tears that escaped from
my eyes, held your hand and shook it, trying to show that it would be
there to help him, his skin was sweaty. Jack looked at me, squeezed the
lips to restrain the crying with the pain reflected in his distressed face.
— I messed up with her, Hayley, let the strays take my
sister, I let her die. You can hate me for it, but I’ll do any
thing to keep you safe, so they don’t take it, even
that it means hiding things from you trying to protect you.
I knelt beside you and held your face bathed in
tears with my two hands and forced him to face me. Jack put the
empty glass of wine on the floor, next to the lilies.
— It was not your fault— guaranteed. — Nothing that happened was your fault, me
heard? The kidnapping and Lydia’s death wasn’t your fault, but we’re gonna
find who did this.
Jack held my waist, a desperate touch, as if
needed to feel that I was real, that I was there, safe, with him.
— You won’t lose me— I whispered against your face. — I’m here with
And I’m not going anywhere.
Jack hugged me tightly and I reciprocated with the same intensity,
being crushed by his strong arms, just squeezed, breathing
his smell and his presence. Jack’s shoulders shook and his
tears wet my blouse.
It was the first time I saw him cry, he undressed and left his
heart in pieces vulnerable to me.
My heart was aching to see you suffering like that, a pain
acute and agonizing. Jack hid so much suffering behind that
indifferent mask he wore to protect himself, afraid to continue
suffering.
Just like me, he loved intensely and lost with the same
intensity. And yet he kept fighting every day to
keep our people safe.
Now I could finally understand your obsession with keeping
all protected, that need to keep me safe to
any cost, for fear of losing someone else, for fear of me
lose and let the strays take me.
But Jack wasn’t the only one scared, wasn’t the only one terrified of
something happen, to fail and allow those we loved to be hurt.
— Don’t leave me, Hayley— whispered, squeezing me harder.
— Never— guaranteed back, feeling him kiss my forehead. — I won’t you
let— repeated once again.
Jack pulled me to sit on his lap and held me in his arms,
tightening me tightly, as if I would disappear to any
moment. I leaned my head on his shoulder, after leaving a
soft kiss on her face. I took my hand up to her hair, the
caressing, I felt her body tremble with my touch.
We were silent for a few minutes, just watching the fire
crackling in the fireplace. I let Jack calm down completely and
relax before we start another conversation.
— Do not hide anything from me— I asked quietly.
— Hayley...— he sighed my name.
— I understand your fear— continued. — Believe me, I also fear losing
you, but we’re talking about our people and we need to work
together to end the strays, and save the females.
Jack turned his face to face me, his eyes were still
red and slightly swollen by the smell, but he was still so
beautiful that I could admire you for all eternity and not me
would tire.