Chapter 9

**Jaxson**

I watched her as she slept in my arms. I brushed her hair away from her neck to admire my mark. It just made her look even sexier with it on her skin. I slept a total of three hours, and here I am watching my mate sleep.
Does that make me a creep?
Probably, but I can’t help it.
She’s just so damn beautiful.
I never thought after Tara died that I would fall for another woman, but I did. I remember the first time Natalia brought her over for dinner like it was yesterday. I felt something inside of me burning, and I had no idea what it was. Now I know what that was, it was the mate bond just starting to form. I never told Natalia I remembered who she was because I knew she would make a big deal about it. I was angry that night, but not at her. My anger was directed towards the unmated males looking at her body, and the thoughts they were thinking.
My phone ringing pulls me out of my thoughts. My father was calling me. I picked it up, and held it to my ear. “Well?”
My father answered. “Her last name isn’t Delecruz. Her name is Lana Bishop Jaxson. I don’t know how to tell you this but she’s Tara’s blood. I don’t understand it. I’m coming over right now.”
Tara never spoke about a sister.
Did this mean Tara was a part witch too?
Is that why she died having our son?
“Lana, I’ve got to talk to my dad. He’s coming over with some news. I’ll come back and let you know what he tells me.”
Her beautiful eyes open and she smiles. “Alright. I’ll see you later.”
***
My father is sitting at my desk holding a file. “Son, I don’t think Tara’s death was because of the pregnancy. I think someone had her killed.”
This was too much to handle right now. My wolf was angrier than he’d ever been right now, and clawing his way to the surface. I’m glad I found my mate, but hated the fact Tara had died. Maybe she didn’t even know she had a sister.
“Jaxson, I don’t think she even knew about Lana. Her file said that she was adopted when she was just a baby.”
If she was adopted, her real parents knew that she was born a hybrid.
“Where are the real parents now?”
My father gives me a sad expression. My heart dropped when he gave me that look. It was the same look he gave me when Tara passed. Lana would never get to have the privilege of meeting her biological mother and father. “They died a little over a year ago.”
My head snapped up at him. That was about the time Tara died. “There’s a connection! Gabriel’s mother, and Lana’s biological parents died around the same time. How is that a coincidence?”
“I know, and that’s why I’m going to see what my witch knows. She should be showing up at my house in an hour. I’ll talk to you later, and son…I would tell your mate soon. Nobody wants an angry Luna around here. I should know.” He says with a sheepish grin.
I have to tell Lana everything, and I’m dreading it. This is going to hurt her and I hate that there’s nothing I can do or say to help her.
“Lana. Come with me. I have something to tell you.” Her eyes meet mine as she waits for my news. “My father handed me this file about you, and according to this your name isn’t Lana Delecruz, it’s Lana Bishop.” I blurt out.
“I don’t understand. I was adopted? Wait, where're my real parents now?”
I shake my head at her, and her eyes begin to well up with tears. I can feel her pain and suffering at the news of her parents. It was the same pain I felt when Tara died. I pull her to me, and hold her as she breaks down in my arms. I need to tell her about the significance of her parents and Tara’s death.
“That’s not all baby. Gabriel’s mother, her name was Tara Bishop. She was your sister by blood.”
I wait for her reaction, and she yanks her body away from mine and looks horrified. The look on her face just broke me even more. Now she probably doesn’t even want to be mated to me.
“She. I. Oh shit!” She says swaying back and forth. Her body starts to fall and I catch her before she falls to the floor. I carry her to the bed and Cole comes in just as I laid her down.
“Jaxson. What happened?” He asks as I stroke her face.
My poor Lana, I’m so sorry you’re going through something like this.
“She is going through some issues and needs to rest. I’ll get Natalia to check on her. I need to fill you in on what I found out from my father, but not here. My office.” I say hesitantly walking away from her.
I pace back and forth in my office trying to find the right words to tell him what I now know. “She was adopted, and her real name is Lana Bishop.”
His eyes widened in shock.
“She’s related to Tara? Wait, does that mean Tara was a part witch?”
I don’t know.
“I can’t tell you that Cole because I don’t even know the answer to that. The only people that held any answers are dead now. Her parents were killed around the same time Tara passed, and something tells me that wasn’t an accident. ”
My head hangs low and I feel his hand rest on my shoulder. “I’m sorry. Is she going to be okay?”
I hope so.
“Yes.” I lie to him the best I can. “We’ll get to the bottom of this. Did you tell my sister about being mates?”
He shakes his head in embarrassment. If he doesn’t tell her soon, there’s going to be hell to pay. Pointed directly to Cole, and possibly me, since I did know about it.
“You need to tell her.”
A voice behind us makes my body run cold.
“Tell me what? Care to elaborate, Cole?” My sister says with her hands on her hips with her golden eyes glowing brightly. She’s pissed and has a right to be.
I warned you Cole, but you just didn’t listen.
Now she’s going to own that ass.
“Nat, baby. I’m not going to lie so here it is, we’re mates.” He reveals, but she just laughs in his face. She thinks he’s messing with her like he always does. She doesn’t believe him and it’s killing him on the inside. No, it’s destroying him. Tearing him, and his wolf in half.
“That’s a good one Cole. You got me that time.” She laughs, holding her stomach from laughing so hard. “But really, what are you supposed to tell me?”
He looks at her with sad eyes, with his eyes glistening then looks back to me. “I’m sorry for what I’m about to do, Jaxson. I hope she doesn’t beat me too bad.”
Sorry for what?
Before I can even register what he just said, he stalks towards her in a predatory state of mind. He grabs her by the hips and pushes her face by the back of her head crashing his lips on hers.
She pushes him away, punching him in the face and bitterly laughs.
“You jerk! All this time you claimed to need kinks worked out of your neck, but the truth is you only wanted to get in my pants. You lied to me.” She whispered out, before running out with tears streaming down her face.
Cole doesn’t say anything as he watched his mate run away from him. Running away from your mate is just as painful as being rejected by a mate. My sister can be just as stubborn as Lana can sometimes.
“Just give her some time. She’ll cool down eventually.” I try to reason with him, and he nods trying to believe it will work itself out okay.
He holds his jaw in pain.
I need to take care of my other problem, and that problem is my brother Duke. What the hell was he doing here, and more importantly what was his interest in Lana? When he had his hands all over her, I couldn’t see anything but red, and my body full of jealousy.
My brother and I never have been close, and never got along with each other. He was constantly trying to take things from me, and wanted to take Tara from me. I only assumed he wanted to do the same thing with Lana. It didn’t work with Tara, and it isn’t going to work with Lana now.
“I’m not going to ask you again. What the hell are you doing back? Why now?” Silence. “I asked you a question, and I expect you to answer me, brother.”
“What, I can’t pay a visit to my baby brother?” He laughs at me, and sniffs the air. He’s trying to get a whiff of Lana to provoke me. “Now where’s that tasty snack at? I’m hungry, and she’s just what I need right now.”
Don’t let him know he’s getting to you.
He wants you to lose it, and attack him.
He’s up to something, and I have a feeling whatever his plan is, Lana is involved in it.
“Leave now, and if you touch Lana again, I’ll fucking kill you!”
His smirk never leaves his face letting me know he’s just toying with me for now. He turns and walks away without saying another word. His silence is bad. If he’s quiet, he’s forming a new plan in his evil head, and it’s getting me worried for my mate.
This is bad.
Very, very bad.
“Cole, follow Duke and see what he’s up to,” I tell my beta as I walk up to my room to see if Lana has woken up. Her body lays limp with sweat pouring down her face, slightly jerking in her sleep. Something is happening to her, and I have no idea what to do. She begins to convulse, and blood drips from her nose.
“Natalia! Get the doctor!” I scream out worried for my mate.
The doctor works on her trying to figure out what has happened, but fails.
“Alpha, we need to get your father over here with his witch. Someone has spelled her, and the only way to find out what spell it is, is to get a witch over here.” He says worriedly with fear.
Now, I know why Duke was here. It wasn’t to rile me up, it was to distract me so someone could cast their spell on her.
My gut feeling about Duke earlier was right. When he walked away without a fight; his plan had already been put in motion.
“I promise baby, I’ll make him pay,” I tell her, even though I know she can’t hear me. All I can do now is wait for my father and his witch to show up, and hope she can tell me what's going on with Lana. She has to know what spell someone cast on her.
Please baby, just hold on a little while longer.
Be my strong mate, Lana.
My sister looks at me in sympathy and the doctor gives me a sad smile letting me know they're all here for me. I won't be okay until I see those beautiful hazel eyes open up.