~~~Emberâs POV~~~
I took one last glance at my cabin, nestled back in among the trees near the mountain. It wasnât much but itâs been home for 5 years. I have grown because of my circumstances. I know how to survive. I can hunt, build, care for myself with no assistance.
But now my home with be with Jax. It will be with my mate and newfound friends. Iâm nervous but honestly excited to be in a pack again. Maybe I can have some female friends. The guys are great, but I canât shoot shit about them if I get annoyed.
Even before the takeover of my pack, I was never really a girly girl. I enjoyed training and laying the men on their asses. I hated dresses. But I did enjoy talking with the girls about issues men wouldnât understand. I enjoyed the gossip and I loved being in the kitchen cooking. I wasnât ânormalâ in my pack but being the Alphaâs daughter, no one said anything. I was the only female permitted to train and thatâs mostly because I would disobey my father anyway and do it. The men thought it was cute, a little six-year-old wolf wanted to train with the men. They would laugh and teach me things, not actually expecting me to learn it. Once they realized I was putting what they taught me to practice, they stopped teaching me. I would watch them in secret, practicing the maneuvers I saw.
I earned their respect during a rouge attack when I defended the other children who were out playing. I killed two of the rouges that had attacked. I was ten. After that my father finally allowed me to train with the pack, although I was the only female he allowed, much to my aggravation.
I sighed as I heaved my satchel over my shoulders, glancing back one last time as we started the walk back towards town.
âYou okay, Em?â Jaxsonâs concerned emerald eyes shifted to mine.
âItâs just five years of my life. Itâs hard to leave it behind.â I smiled sadly. He reached over to squeeze my hand as we walked, not letting go.
Sean and Ash walked slightly ahead of us as we continued wandering down the path. I heaved my satchel again as it was slipping from my shoulder. Iâm lucky I donât own much. I packed my clothes but decided to wear my training gear minus the cowl. I had my knives attached and my bow and quiver on, so it was making carrying the bag a little awkward.
Jaxson kept offering to carry it but I declined. Iâm stubborn that way. I donât like asking for help or receiving it for that matter. Thatâs one of the things thatâs making it difficult for me to talk about my past. I know that to truly overcome it; Iâll need to ask for help.
My alert eyes darted around looking for any form of trap or danger as we walked. My fingers twitched to grab my knife so I would be prepared for anything.
About an hour into our walk, still deep in the forest, Seanâs head snapped up. He tensed, letting off a soft growl. He put his arm up to stop us as five men stepped out a bend in the trail.
Fucking Travis. I should have made a bet that he would show up. He canât leave me alone.
âWell, well, well. Taking your whore for a walk?â Travis sneered towards us. Jaxson growled as the words left his retched lips. I rolled my eyes at Travis and stepped forward past Sean, dropping my satchel and slinging the bow off my shoulder, drawing an arrow.
âNow, now Travis. Do you really want me to kill more of your men?â I smirked at his hateful glare towards me. The boys stood tensed behind me, ready to shift at a momentâs notice.
âYou bitch. My orders were to just watch you, make sure you lived alone and hated life. Iâve wanted to kill you for so long. Maybe I should just do it and face the consequences later.â I paled as I realized what he just said. âGuess you should say goodbye to your little mate.â Travis smirked, his eyes glinting with dangerous intention. Jaxson growled, trembling with anger.
âWhat are you talking about?â My voice broke as fear spiked my body. He would not take Jaxson from me.
âYour lover boy has been watching you.â A shiver ran through my body and I tried to contain the urge to glance around for those red eyes that haunted me. âHe enjoys it when you beg and plead to the heavens to end your miserable life.â Travis snickers and I clench my jaw, not wanting to know what Jaxson was thinking at this moment. I didnât want him to know how many times I begged for death.
âDoes your little mate know your past? How you tried for two years to end your life until you finally accepted it would never happen?â I grit my teeth. âDoes he know how many times you were with another-â I didnât let him finish his thought before I lunged forward, punching him in the nose. The sickening crunch resonated around the forest as blood seeped from his nose. Music to my ears.
âShut your mouth! You have no idea what Iâve been through! He may have you on his payroll, but did he really tell you anything? Do you even truly know?â I screamed at Travis. My body was shaking in anger. How dare he? It is bad enough he put me through torture. Now heâs been watching me to ensure Iâve remained alone and unhappy? Travis chuckled darkly, blood gurgling out of his nostrils as he breathed.
âYou can never escape him. No matter what. And neither can I. He gave me my orders. Your mate will die!â He stood to his feet motioning for his men.
Sean and Ash quickly shifted while Jaxson stood there trying to process all that was said. Travisâ men faltered and stalled, unsure if they really wanted to die.
âWhat are you doing? Kill them!â Travis shouted at his men. Using his distraction, I raised my bow and drew back my arrow. He will die by my hand. No one threatens my family.
Travis turned to me with steely eyes. âI will break you, more than you already are.â He whipped out a gun and aimed it at Jaxson. I watched his muscles bunch as he prepared to pull the trigger.
I smirked at Travis, watching him hesitate in confusion. âIâm faster.â I growled out before releasing my arrow. The world seemed to pause as I watch the arrow tear his skin and muscle, through his left eye lodging in his brain. He slumped to the ground, a shocked expression remaining on his face. The last two remaining men paused in their attack before meeting their end in the jaws of two large wolves.
I panted heavily as I stared at Travisâ body. I glanced around, sure that I would meet those horrid eyes somewhere in the trees. How has he been watching me? Sean and Ashton stared at me with worry as I finally realized that Jaxson was still stuck in a trance.
I met his eyes and the expression on his face ripped through my heart.
âYou tried to end your life?â He whispered in a broken tone. Tears pricked my eyes. Heâs now realizing he may have lost his mate years ago, at her own hand.
âJaxson, please. Iâm sorry but you have no idea what I was going through.â
âThen tell me!â He roared at me causing me to flinch back. His face morphed into regret as soon as he saw it. âEm, Iâm sorry I didnât mean to yell. Iâm just so frustrated that I donât know what happened and whatâs going on and you wonât tell me! I just want to help.â He pleaded with me to understand.
I shook my head, tears beginning to stream from my face. âIf you canât even handle this, how will you ever handle seeing my past.â I choked out a sob. âThis is exactly what I was afraid of.â He looked as devastated as I felt, uttering those words. He took a step towards me causing me to step back. I canât do this right now.
Shaking my head, I turned and walked away, tears slipping from my eyes. Ignoring Jaxsonâs pleas for me to stop. I need to think. I continued walking leaving Sean to comfort his distraught Beta. Ashtonâs wolf following me.
God, I hate myself.