Chapter 115
Jackson's POV
December 24th, 2:45 PM. Christmas Eve.
I stood in front of my bathroom mirror, straightening my collar for the third time. The deep blue button-down felt right—formal enough to show respect for a Christmas Eve dinner, casual enough not to seem like I was trying too hard. Outside my window, fresh snow was beginning to fall, dusting the streets in white. Christmas lights twinkled from neighboring apartments, and somewhere down the hall, I could hear "Silent Night" playing softly.
On my dresser sat the carefully wrapped gifts: a bottle of premium non-alcoholic apple cider with a red velvet ribbon, and a box of handcrafted chocolates from that artisan shop downtown. I'd also picked up a small evergreen wreath—nothing extravagant, just something to show I understood the importance of the holiday.
Mate's family, Orion rumbled contentedly. Christmas with mate's family.
My plan had been to spend a quiet Christmas Day with Ellie's family, but when Sarah had extended the Christmas Eve invitation, I'd jumped at it. Christmas Eve dinner was more intimate, more significant. It meant I'd be there for the family traditions, not just a formal meal the next day.
I grabbed my car keys and the gifts, took one last look around the apartment and headed for the door.
I pulled it open and nearly collided with Miles.
He stood in the hallway, dressed in a sharp charcoal suit, his expression a mixture of confusion and irritation. In his hand was his phone, screen still lit up.
"Jackson." His voice was clipped. "Where are you going?"
I stopped short, every instinct suddenly on alert. "Mapleton. Ellie's family. We talked about this."
Miles's frown deepened. "You told me you were going tomorrow. Christmas Day. That's why I arranged tonight's dinner."
My stomach dropped. "What dinner?"
"With the Frost family." Miles said it like I should have known. Like it was obvious. "Seven o'clock reservation at The Oak Room. I told you about this a week ago, Jackson. You said Christmas Day was Ellie's family, so I specifically scheduled the Frosts for tonight."
I stared at him, my mind racing back through our conversations. Had he mentioned this? I'd been so focused on Ellie, on the mate bond, on preparing for meeting her parents properly—
"Plans changed," I said, keeping my voice level. "Ellie's mom invited me for tonight instead. I'm sorry, but—"
"You're sorry?" Miles's voice rose slightly. "Jackson, this isn't some casual dinner reservation I can just cancel. This is the Frost family. Alpha bloodline from Silver Ridge Pack. Do you understand what you're asking me to do?"
"I understand it's inconvenient," I said carefully. "But Ellie—"
"I had to call in favors to arrange this," Miles interrupted, his tone hardening. "Victor Frost doesn't take meetings lightly. His schedule is booked months in advance. I specifically told him my nephew—the son of Samuel and Miranda Wilson—wanted to pay respects during the holiday season." He gestured sharply. "And now you want me to tell him you're canceling? On Christmas Eve? For a girlfriend?"
The way he said "girlfriend"—dismissive, belittling—made Orion bristle.
"Ellie isn't my girlfriend," I said, my voice dropping to something dangerous. "She's my fated mate. There's a difference."
Miles waved a hand dismissively. "Fated mate, girlfriend—the semantics don't change the situation. You'll have a lifetime to spend with her, Jackson. One evening with the Frost family won't—"
"If I go tonight," I interrupted, my eyes locking onto his, "I might not HAVE that lifetime."
The words hung in the air between us, sharp and deliberate.
Miles's expression flickered—just for a second, something like guilt or alarm crossing his face before he masked it. "What are you talking about?"
"You know exactly what I'm talking about." I took a step closer. "This isn't just a social call, is it? This dinner with the Frosts."
Miles's expression flickered. "It's a diplomatic courtesy. Building relationships—"
"Their daughter." I cut him off. "Valentina Frost. She's what, twenty-one? Twenty-two? Same age as me." I took a step closer. "This isn't about me paying respects to Alpha Frost. This is you setting up a potential alliance match. You arranged a marriage meeting."
The silence that followed was deafening.
Miles's jaw tightened. "I arranged an introduction. A chance for you to meet someone from a prominent pack family who understands the responsibilities and pressures of—"
"I have a fated mate." My voice came out low, controlled, but I could feel Orion's rage simmering just beneath the surface. "You know Ellie is my fated mate."
"And I respect that," Miles said, though his tone suggested otherwise. "But Jackson, be realistic. The mate bond is powerful, yes, but it's not the only consideration when you're planning to challenge for Alpha."
"What are you saying?" I asked, my voice dangerously quiet.
Miles sighed, like he was dealing with a stubborn child. "The Greens are a lone wolf family, Jackson. No pack. No territory. No political alliances. When you become Alpha—and you will become Alpha—you'll need more than just a mate bond. You'll need connections. Support networks. The Frost family has three branches across the western territories. Their backing could be the difference between a successful challenge and—"
"And what?" I interrupted. "Ending up like my father?"
Miles's expression tightened. "Your father was careless, Jackson. And he refused to build alliances—maybe he needed to. Maybe if he'd had enough allies, enough friends in the right places, people would have thought twice before..." He trailed off, but the implication hung heavy in the air.
"Before what?" My hands clenched into fists. "Before murdering him? Is that what you're saying?"
"I'm saying that strength alone isn't enough," Miles said, his voice hardening. "Your father was powerful, yes. But he was isolated. He thought he could stand alone, and look where that got him. I'm trying to prevent you from making the same mistake."
"By using his death to manipulate me?" The words came out bitter, sharp. "Stop hiding behind what happened to him."
"I'm not manipulating you," Miles said, but there was something in his eyes—calculation, strategy. "I'm trying to protect you. To give you every advantage. Valentina has been trained since birth in pack politics. She understands hierarchy, diplomacy, the complexities of—"
"I don't care."
The words hung in the air between us.