fault, Dad. This is no one’s fault.” He
wished things could have been different, but the fates had decided to give him
a mate that was at risk all the time.
“I’ve spoken with Tori’s family.”
“I know they’re not happy with me being near her.”
“Just remember the rules, son. Protect and care for
her but don’t cross any lines.”
“I’m not going to hurt her. I’m going to help her uncle
train her.” He’d told his father the truth, knowing David would want the truth
of what was going on.
“I wish there was something I could do.”
“Keep looking for an answer. I’ll stay in touch all
the time.”
“I don’t like you going,” Diana said, coming to the
doorway. “This is so hard. I never thought I’d have to say goodbye to my boy.”
“I’m going to help my mate, Mom. I’m not going to
never be here again.”
The only thing he’d not told his parents about was the
agreement he’d made with Marshall. They didn’t need to know that he was going die
if Tori didn’t make it. He hoped to God that she did.
“We better get you over there before they send Tori
off without you.” His father gripped his arm tightly. “I’m going to miss you,
son.”
“And I’m going to miss you both.” He hugged his father
before pulling his mother into his arms. “Please, don’t stop looking.”
“We won’t. I promise you, we won’t,” Diana said.
Grabbing his bag, he made his way out of the bedroom
with his parents following behind him.
He made his way out of the house to find Marshall and
Scarlett waiting.
“Go and take care of her,” Marshall said.
Jack shook his friend’s hand. This would be the first
time he was away from the pack for any length of time. He knew it was going to
be hard, unbearably hard to start off with, but it would get better.
“I’ll keep in touch.” He slapped Marshall on the back.
“I better go.”
They all walked with him toward Tori’s house. She was
hugging her mother, standing beside the taxi.
“You know you don’t have to come with me,” she said.
“I’m coming whether you like it or not.” Jack threw
his bag into the trunk of the car.
Rachel pulled him aside. “She doesn’t know who you are
to her,” she said.
He glanced over at Tori to see her preoccupied with
her parents. “I know.”
“I teased her about it that first morning you came
back from those pancakes. Do you remember that?”
“Yes, the pancakes.”
“I told her you were her mate. She denied it. I’m
pleased you’re her mate, Jack.”
“Why?”
“If anyone was going to find an answer to her
transition, it’s you. You’ve always been there for her. The fates have been
cruel right now. None of us know what the future holds, but I’m pleased she has
you.”
“I’ll fight to the bitter end, Rachel. If it turns out
to be the end, I’ll be with her. We’ve got two years together.”
“Doesn’t it hurt that she doesn’t know?”
He glanced toward Tori who was writing something down for Scarlett. “At times it does, but I also think this is
easier.”
“How?”
“She’s only concentrating on getting strong and
preparing for the transition. If I was to spring on her what she means to me,
it would hurt her. I can’t have her attention divided right now.”
Rachel hugged him close. “Go and take care of her. We
all trust you even if our father is being a pain. It’s because he cares just as
much as us.”
“I know he loves her.”
He smiled at Rachel before turning back to the taxi.
“Are you ready?” Tori asked.
Nodding, he waved at his family and friends before
climbing into the car.
“We’re ready to go,” he told the driver as he sat
back. This was his very first time out of pack grounds.
Paul had promised him that there were areas where he
could run when the need arose.
“What were you and Rachel talking about?”
“She was warning me to be a gentleman.”
“I don’t know why my family is so concerned. I bet
you’ve got
wished things could have been different, but the fates had decided to give him
a mate that was at risk all the time.
“I’ve spoken with Tori’s family.”
“I know they’re not happy with me being near her.”
“Just remember the rules, son. Protect and care for
her but don’t cross any lines.”
“I’m not going to hurt her. I’m going to help her uncle
train her.” He’d told his father the truth, knowing David would want the truth
of what was going on.
“I wish there was something I could do.”
“Keep looking for an answer. I’ll stay in touch all
the time.”
“I don’t like you going,” Diana said, coming to the
doorway. “This is so hard. I never thought I’d have to say goodbye to my boy.”
“I’m going to help my mate, Mom. I’m not going to
never be here again.”
The only thing he’d not told his parents about was the
agreement he’d made with Marshall. They didn’t need to know that he was going die
if Tori didn’t make it. He hoped to God that she did.
“We better get you over there before they send Tori
off without you.” His father gripped his arm tightly. “I’m going to miss you,
son.”
“And I’m going to miss you both.” He hugged his father
before pulling his mother into his arms. “Please, don’t stop looking.”
“We won’t. I promise you, we won’t,” Diana said.
Grabbing his bag, he made his way out of the bedroom
with his parents following behind him.
He made his way out of the house to find Marshall and
Scarlett waiting.
“Go and take care of her,” Marshall said.
Jack shook his friend’s hand. This would be the first
time he was away from the pack for any length of time. He knew it was going to
be hard, unbearably hard to start off with, but it would get better.
“I’ll keep in touch.” He slapped Marshall on the back.
“I better go.”
They all walked with him toward Tori’s house. She was
hugging her mother, standing beside the taxi.
“You know you don’t have to come with me,” she said.
“I’m coming whether you like it or not.” Jack threw
his bag into the trunk of the car.
Rachel pulled him aside. “She doesn’t know who you are
to her,” she said.
He glanced over at Tori to see her preoccupied with
her parents. “I know.”
“I teased her about it that first morning you came
back from those pancakes. Do you remember that?”
“Yes, the pancakes.”
“I told her you were her mate. She denied it. I’m
pleased you’re her mate, Jack.”
“Why?”
“If anyone was going to find an answer to her
transition, it’s you. You’ve always been there for her. The fates have been
cruel right now. None of us know what the future holds, but I’m pleased she has
you.”
“I’ll fight to the bitter end, Rachel. If it turns out
to be the end, I’ll be with her. We’ve got two years together.”
“Doesn’t it hurt that she doesn’t know?”
He glanced toward Tori who was writing something down for Scarlett. “At times it does, but I also think this is
easier.”
“How?”
“She’s only concentrating on getting strong and
preparing for the transition. If I was to spring on her what she means to me,
it would hurt her. I can’t have her attention divided right now.”
Rachel hugged him close. “Go and take care of her. We
all trust you even if our father is being a pain. It’s because he cares just as
much as us.”
“I know he loves her.”
He smiled at Rachel before turning back to the taxi.
“Are you ready?” Tori asked.
Nodding, he waved at his family and friends before
climbing into the car.
“We’re ready to go,” he told the driver as he sat
back. This was his very first time out of pack grounds.
Paul had promised him that there were areas where he
could run when the need arose.
“What were you and Rachel talking about?”
“She was warning me to be a gentleman.”
“I don’t know why my family is so concerned. I bet
you’ve got
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