It's nothing

Karl's P.O.V



I held onto the steering wheel with a tight grip feeling the engine quietly humming underneath me.


There was a tension inside me that seemed to crackle. Next to me sat Jessy and she was looking out the window at the scenery passing by.


I could tell that she was focusing on the view but I could also feel her glancing at me every now and then. Her curious glances were innocent almost like she was trying to understand my feelings.


The winding road in front of us was taking us back to the Silverfang pack. This journey was something I was both looking forward to and dreading at the same time.


“Is there something that's bothering you?” she asked finally breaking the long silence. The tension in the air felt so tight between us like it was about to snap at any moment.


“It’s really nothing at all”


I answered in a voice that was flat and showed no emotion. I made myself concentrate on the road ahead of us trying hard to calm the storm that was raging inside me.


It felt like a powerful battle between my sense of loyalty and my instinctive feelings.


“Usually when someone is really quiet it’s not because of nothing at all” she replied her tone suggesting she was a little worried—or maybe she was trying to challenge him.


“Don’t you think it would be okay for you to talk about what’s on your mind with your future partner?”


When I heard the phrase “future mate.” my jaw clenched tightly. Those words echoed in my mind beating like a drum that just wouldn't stop.


The success of my time in power depended heavily on our partnership but the trust that should be there between us felt completely strange and unfamiliar.


I took a deep breath trying to stay calm and said “Just keep driving Jessy. We’ve talked about this already and there’s really no reason to go into it any further.”


“Okay that's fine.” She folded her arms across her chest looking clearly annoyed and upset about something.


However Jessy was not willing to drop the subject or let it go just like that. She leaned forward in her chair making an effort to bridge the gap between them and emphasize her point.


“You can't simply pretend that what I observed back at Ravensong didn't happen. I were sneaking around in Rian's territory and that is something we need to talk about.”


“I definitely wasn't being nosy or prying into things that didn't concern me” I replied quickly feeling a wave of frustration rising within me.


“What I was doing was just trying to understand what was going on around me—it's important for an Alpha to be aware of their surroundings and to evaluate the situation properly.”


“Okay.” she replied sounding a bit doubtful. “Can you tell me what specific situation you are talking about? Are you suggesting that you want to keep your choices available just in case something happens?”


I started to feel really annoyed and my patience was wearing thin. I said to Jessy “You need to be careful with how you speak. What were you doing over there? It seemed like you were going through Rian's personal things without permission.”


“I was really trying to figure out why he does the things he does!” she said her belief in what she was saying clear and strong.


“He has complete control over Becky Karl and you are well aware of that. The person who has authority over her has control over the whole group the entire pack.”


Her words really got to me. When she talked about Becky it was as if she was just a game piece on a chessboard and this made me feel something strong inside.


I couldn’t help but ask “Do you honestly think that Rian holds that much influence over her? Do you really think he is the one controlling her actions and decisions?”


“I’m not really sure” she admitted her earlier defensive attitude starting to fade away a little.


“But I have to say I really don’t trust him at all. There’s something about him that seems untrustworthy and his true ambitions are very clear and obvious. Please be cautious Karl. A person like an Alpha doesn’t just freely give up their power instead they keep it close and protect it fiercely. Rian would go to great lengths to make sure he stays in a position of power and control.”


“You talk about Becky as if she’s nothing more than a tool that you use” I said sharply the words bursting out of my mouth before I could stop them.


I noticed her flinch slightly and it made me realize that I had hit a nerve revealing a crack in her confident exterior.


“She's definitely not just an object!” Jessy replied quickly her emotions strong and intense.


“However that doesn't mean we should completely trust her either. Do you really believe that Rian cares about her and wants what's best for her? Just because you have fond memories of her doesn't guarantee that she is in a safe situation right now.”


Her accusation hurt me more than I thought it would. “Nostalgic? Do you really believe that I still have feelings for Becky after all this time? She made her decision Jessy—the same kind of decision that I am about to make now.”


A heavy silence came down between us making the atmosphere feel thick and uncomfortable. I could feel my hands squeezing the steering wheel tighter and tighter as frustration bubbled up inside me just below the surface.


Thoughts of happy moments filled with laughter and the love that we once shared felt like distant memories or haunting ghosts that I didn’t want to face.


This was especially true with Jessy sitting right next to me which made it all the more difficult to deal with those feelings.


“Perhaps I don’t completely trust the decisions you make.” she finally spoke her voice calm but quiet.


“I am concerned that your strong feelings for her are so intense that they might lead you to make choices that could put everyone in our pack at serious risk.”


“I am doing what must be done.” I replied my voice tinged with bitterness.


“I hold the title of Alpha which means I require a strong partner by my side to ensure that my place is secure. It's very important for me to form a union with someone who comes from a powerful lineage. It doesn't really matter if you grasp the importance of this or not—”