Chapter 14

***Jackson POV***
The feeling of dread that settled in my stomach, at my fathers words. Was one I was not familiar with, and I didn’t like it.
‘Is it as bad as we thought, my love?’ My mothers delicate fingers flew to her mouth, covering the gasp that left her mouth. ‘Would someone please tell me what is going on? What on earth could be this wrong, to have you both in such a state?’

I didn’t mean to snap at my parents, but for goddess sake, I was starting to panic.
‘Watch your tone, pup. You do not address your parents in such a way.’ The low gravely voice of my father’s wolf always set me on edge. My father was the type of Alpha that commanded a room, as soon as he walked into it, respect was freely given, plus admiration for the way he ran our pack.
Whilst Brutus, his wolf, well; he just put the fear of Goddess into them.

My mother chided him, but her response was that of Crystal, mothers wolf.
‘Brutus, just tell the pup, this is something he will need to know. As the next in line for Alpha, Jackson will need to learn as much as he can about his pack. And all of the surrounding packs.’
Nodding at my mothers words, and giving her a loving smile, he agreed, ‘you are right, Lilian. As always.’

Goddess, I hope Eva and I have this type of relationship. It was so wonderful to see. I believe I must have had a happy smiley face on, for the bite in my fathers next words, almost slapped it from my face.
Taking in a deep breath, my father started to talk.

‘Before you were born, Jackson. The packs that are local to us were allied, pretty well with each other. There were two packs, in particular, that were very close. So much so, the Alpha and Lunas of these two packs were good friends. This was before any of us had received our wolves. As that time grew nearer, the mating bond started to stir. And to my delight, I was lucky enough to be fated with my beautiful Lilian.
Within a few weeks, your mother and I were excited to learn our friends were also fated mates. So, when he and I ascended to Alpha, it only brought our packs closer. As busy as life got, with new responsibilities and pack politics to navigate through.

Alpha Mic and I started our own business venture together. To our surprise and delight, it was an instant success. As the business started to grow and expand, so did our families.
We also became pregnant at the same time. And when you pups were born, it seemed to solidify the packs into the rarest of all werewolf lore phenomena. We became, what is known as a sister pack.’
I broke in to the conversation to quickly ask, ‘why have I never heard of a sister pack, father?’ Before I could carry on, my mother put one finger to her lips, shushing me. My eyes widened at her, having never been told to be quiet before.

I held my hands up in an apologetic gesture, my father continued.
‘I don’t know if there will ever be another sister pack, in my lifetime. With a different pack getting into a squabble, every other week.’
My father smiled sadly at that, as if the pain of remembering was something palpable.

‘When another child was added to their family, Alpha Mic came to me, to suggest he take a sabbatical from work, so he could support his Luna. I immediately agreed, and started to take over the day to day running of the company. Whilst Alpha Mic, would do the majority of the paper work from home.’

At this point, my father stopped abruptly, and my mother rushed over to him. She threw her arms around his waist and hugged him as tight as she could, all the while whispering to my father. I looked on at the scene in front of me with an incredulous expression on my face. It seemed my father had started crying? I was so overwhelmed at this, having never seen this side of my father before. That I stood up, and went to get myself a drink of scotch. The feel of the alcohol, as it seared it’s way down my throat and into my stomach, did the trick and took some of the shock I felt at seeing the powerful Alpha Maximus Forester, looking so vulnerable as my mother wiped a stray tear from his cheek. The moment between them, felt so intimate, I felt like I was intruding. Not sure wether to leave or not, I was edging towards the door when Brutus shouted at me.

‘Sit down, pup. You have not been excused.’
“Excused!”, “I have not yet been excused!’ I turned towards both my parents, and said, with a slight growl in my voice, ‘I am not a child. I am the next Alpha of this pack and would like some semblance of respect,,,,,!’ My voice, which had started out so strong and sure, dribbled to a stop when I saw my father’s eyes turn, from their usual sky blue, to a deep shimmering sapphire.
What emanated from my father was such a deep rumbling, guttural growl, I about shit myself. It was so loud I swear the walls of the pack house, shook under its power. I had never seen father Brutus this angry. I sat back down on the sofa. Deciding it was best to let the older man speak.

I bared the back of my neck, to show submission and respect. I heard a hmph! I had not the temerity to look up. Not yet, anyway.
‘Pup, you must know how dire the situation is. Your father Maximus wants to tell you, but doesn’t really have the words. Now that I am here, you will hear my words.’ For a second, I wondered where my mother had gone, until I saw the sleek and slender wolf, coming towards me.

She rubbed her beautiful white furred head under my chin, then walked back to my father. You could see the effect that Crystal, my mothers wolf, had on my father. The tension in the room seemed to drop quite a bit, just with her sitting next to my father, and the latter stroking her head, gently.
‘Jackson, my pup. I am going to skip to the pertinent part of the story. Back then, when you were a mere babe in arms, the surrounding packs were constantly fighting with one another. It seemed like every few days Alpha Mic’s pack and ours were being called upon to intervene in this or that one.

It all became rather repetitive, and I am ashamed to say, I became a little resentful of all the time it took away from the business. That was why, when I got the call from the high council, telling me of another breach of pack land, that I needed to assist with. I didn’t. Not at first, anyway.

It was when I heard from my Beta, or allowed him to contact me through the link, that I realised what a monumental mistake I had made. You see,,,,’
My father Brutus started, but didn’t finish. I had been watching my father like a hawk, and had seen the shimmering sapphire eyes begin to mute down to the sky blue. So the next voice to speak was my father Maximus.

‘You see.’ He continued. ‘The pack that needed assistance, was Alpha Mics. When I knew this I sent all the warriors I could spare, to help them defend their lands. But it was too late. By the time we got there. By the time we got there it was over. Alpha Mic was dead. And his family were missing. In my grief, I slain the last few werewolves there. Another mistake, as I didn’t have any alive to interrogate. To find out which other pack had done this.

We were about to leave, when one of my warriors linked and said they had found the Luna of the pack and her children. I immediately put them in one of the jeeps. And sent them back to our pack. There was nothing left there for them now. So I decreed, that my pack would look after them. That your mother and I would look out for the family.’
Surprisingly, my father started to smile. The sort of smile that radiates from within ones very soul.

‘What we hadn’t likened was just how much Alpha Mics heir was like him. Fiercely independent, loyal to a fault, and had such a sense of duty about her. It was like looking at her father. As soon as she became old enough to work, she found a job and to this day, supported her family. This is when I made the second biggest mistake. It was obvious to anyone who chose to look, that we had an extremely powerful Alpha Luna, on our hands. Although I had run this pack for many years, I feared that when the child would come of age, I would be challenged for my position. So, I did something diabolical.

I took away their memories. I took away, who they were, who their father was. Who they should have been. Maria, wether out of guilt or love, agreed it would be for the best.'