Chapter 62

Alpha Jaxon.

"Who?" My curiosity was piqued. Scarlett sighed, lifting a barrier between us for a few seconds. I thought about my duffel bag with my tools and how Cane had gotten a hold of it. I was so ensnared in searching for Scarlett that I became lax about what was going on in my office. Anyone could have gotten inside and taken the bag, but I knew few had the balls to actually go through with it. In fact, I couldn’t think of anyone who would dare to cross me.

"Isn’t it obvious?" Scarlett heaved out another loud sigh, heading towards the couch. It was already dark outside, and my wolf wanted nothing more than to run under the moon beside his mate.

"It’s hard to guess, Scarlett. I mean, look at what happened with Cane when I trusted him as my good warrior. It could be anyone at this minute; tell me who’s on your mind." I felt like she was attempting to evade my question.

"Babe, have you noticed anything weird about any of your friends?" I briefly shut my eyes to stop myself from lashing out at her. She was beating around the bush, riling me up.

"If you’re going to remind me how much of a clueless alpha I am in my own pack, then please." I stretched my hands. “By all means," I finished the statement, pinching my nose.

"Don’t you dare start unnecessary arguments right now. This is not about you for goodness sake! Why can’t you just accept my help? After all, I went through what I got from Cane to get you answers." Scarlett stood, sweeping her hand through her hair. Her green orbs stared into space as she dropped her hands on her sides.

She had eye bags, and her lips were a little chapped, even though the women had helped her prepare for the ceremony. The herbs and makeup they had used couldn’t hide her tiredness. Looking at her, I knew deep down that I had caused it. Her lack of sleep was because of my actions, but what was I supposed to do?

"Listen, Scarlett, that werewolf needs to be caught and stopped before they cause more harm," I spoke, lowering my voice.

"I can hear your thoughts, Jax. You want to tear him into pieces and claw his damn eyes before ending his pathetic life," Scarlett growled the words out, her eyes beginning to turn a bright green. Her warlock side was pushing, and with the transition, I could feel a comforting heat enveloping me.

"I will make sure he pays for stabbing me in the back, for betraying this pack, and most of all, for harming you." My wolf too pushed to the surface, his insides burning and claws itching to elongate and slice deep into the werewolf in question.

"I doubt you’ll feel the same hunger you have right now for his blood once you find out who it is," Scar spoke almost in mockery, making the skin between my eyebrows crease.

"I can assure you right now that I won’t hesitate reminding him who the alpha is. Even if it’s my own father," I spat, the mere thought of the old man betraying the pack making my insides boil.

"Jasper," Scar spat, making me turn to look at the front door in confusion. I thought she had maybe seen him, but the anger and hatred in her eyes spoke a different story.

"What?" I stepped towards her, my wolf pressing to be let out.

"I think Jasper is the one working with Silas,” she elaborated, making me stop right in my tracks.

"Are you out of your mind, Scarlett?" That was the first thing that came out of my mouth. She stood unfazed for seconds before she let out a chuckle.

“See, I told you the hunger would dissipate." She pointed at me before turning to look at the staircase, then at the front door. She was torn between going up to rest or, going out for a run after her ceremony had been ruined.

"Don’t tell me you are suspecting him because of the way he acted the other day at the meeting," I spoke, remembering his reaction in my office. He no longer had the respect he was supposed to show me. That didn’t mean that he was scheming against the pack and my mate, though.

"Jasper was out visiting packs before the invasions," Scarlett spoke after staring into space for seconds. My wolf was already pacing on the inside, demanding to be let out. My human side stood its ground, though, aware of what the beast was capable of if unleashed.

"He started acting weird when he came back. He’s been spending most of his days and time alone when he’s not training the pups." As Scarlett spoke, my mind began to look into every word.

"I know something about him seems a little off, but that doesn’t mean he’s the one behind the betrayal!" I threw my hands up in time with a knock that sounded on the door.

"Expecting someone?" the luna asked, looking at the front door with her eyebrow raised.

"None." I took long strides towards the front door, my wolf taking in Jasper’s scent almost instantly as it wafted through the door.

"Alpha." Jasper bowed the moment I opened the door.

"Jasper?" I turned to look at Scarlett, her eyes squinting in skepticism.

"I’m so sorry, alpha!" Jasper blurted out, his voice rising an octave and breaking as he sank on his knees, right at the door. I was lost for words as the tall, muscular man looked past me, staring at Scarlett. I could have sworn his eyes changed color into his wolf’s.

"Hey, what are you doing? Get up." I tried pulling him up, but he wouldn’t move.

"What my cousin did,” Jasper sighed, hanging his head. I let out a sounding growl, the mere thought of Avery attempting to have my mate kidnapped making my insides burn.

"I would have personally killed her if you hadn’t." He ground his teeth as he spoke, making Scarlett question his actions through our mind-linked.

"I still don’t understand how she was working with the enemy without my knowledge." Jasper face-palmed and shook his head. His aura was palpable; after all, he was my beta. He was powerful and dangerous to play with. Of course, he was no match for me; no werewolf was a match for me. It had been like this since I took over from my father.

"Luna Scarlett, I am so sorry." My mate scoffed in our mind-link.

"It’s okay, you didn’t know." The woman forced the words out, her hands balling into fists.

"Avery is her own person; she made her own decisions and paid with a deadly consequence. So stop blaming yourself, beta Jasper, we are werewolves, not knowing mind-readers to know when one is plotting against us." I was watching him closely as he stood up while my mate spoke.

"It would be a shame if she was working with someone else in the pack." Scarlett added in a grave voice, letting a warning slip in her tone. His heart beat jumped before pounding a bit faster than normal. I could hear him swallow a gulp of saliva.

“Thank you, alpha, luna. I will be on my way now, Avery’s parents should be wondering where I ran off to." He forced a smile that didn’t quite reach his raging eyes. I watched him ascend the porch stairs, and only when he was in his car did I close the door.

“That was odd," Scarlett uttered, rubbing her chin absent-mindedly.

"His heart beat accelerated when I talked about the possibility of there being a mole," I added, pondering on Scarlett’s words before Jasper came. With every second that went by, both man and beast couldn’t help but question Jasper’s behavior.

"I know a part of you still thinks that my theory is far-fetched," I sighed when she sounded accusatory.

"He has no reason to betray this pack." I gritted my teeth when Scarlett chuckled in return, almost in mockery.

"You’d be surprised how much a person can bottle up inside and act all saintly on the outside,” she spat, turning and walking towards the staircase.

“There you go again, schooling me as if I were your equal." I didn’t appreciate when she acted as if she knew everything, belittling me.

"What did you just say?" She turned so fast that I thought she broke a bone in the process.

"A luna of the pack is equal to her alpha mate. They rule side by side and make decisions that affect the pack together." Her chest rose rapidly with every breath she took.

"What do you know about leadership? You have been a slave and an outcast for most of your life. I was born an alpha, trained to become one from a tender age. I have been a fucking leader all my life, it’s barely months since you became the Luna of this pack!" I threw my hands in the air, ignoring my wolf’s attempts to silence me.

Scarlett took a step, then another, her eyes looking straight at the door. I couldn’t feel what she was feeling, she had shut me out. She opened the door, then turned as she spoke.

"Who doesn’t know you wanted a warrior Luna? Don’t worry, I’ll give you what you’ve always wanted since you found out that we were fated."