POV: SAINT
I recalled her name was Evelyn. She had a slender figure, and her black hair was pulled back, with a few strands falling across her face. The things I remembered about her were that she worked at the nursery—the same place where the first woman who attacked me was employed. I also remembered that she had given Jackson information about that woman.
"What brings you here?" she asked, but her tone was not harsh. It sounded more frightened.
"Tom wanted to see Blake, so we brought him here," I replied.
She seemed relieved, then glanced down at Blake, who was looking at the ground. "I think Blake don't want to play right now. Why don't you come back another time? Or better yet, I'll bring Blake over when he's ready to play again, probably next week," she said as she moved Blake behind her.
Her behavior was really strange.
"Okay, we'll come back tomorrow then," I said, ignoring her suggestion. I noticed her frown deepened. "Tom, let's go," I said, taking Tom's hand.
"She was really odd. Does she have an issue with Tom? It seemed like she didn't want him near Blake," I said as soon as we were out of earshot from their house.
"Do you think she's helping Sam?" Tom asked.
"That's what I'm thinking too. Marcus did say it wasn't just one person."
"But doesn't it seem strange? Why would Sam, a delta, and his mate, an Omega, ask a witch to use their son to go after the Alpha? It doesn't make sense," Mateo reasoned.
"I don't believe their desire for power is why they'll go after Jackson. I think there's a different motive—maybe revenge?"
"I'm honestly confused. The deeper we dig, the more complicated things get."
I let out a sigh, feeling exhausted. I glanced at Tom, who seemed lost in his own thoughts, likely wondering what he did to upset Blake.
"How's Marcus doing?" I asked Mateo. Since he recovered, we haven't had time to catch up.
"He's doing okay. I think he feels really guilty that his sister is behind all this. He did stand up for her."
I frowned. "It's not his fault he has a terrible sister."
"I tried to tell him that. I'm sure everything will go back to normal once this is all over."
"I still need to apologize to him, though. I didn't trust him when I should have."
"It's neither your fault nor Marcus's. Ava is the one to blame for all of this."
"I really appreciate you always being there for me. Thank you for being my friend," I said sincerely. Since I came to this pack and found out Jackson was my mate, Mateo has been incredibly supportive.
"Don't get all mushy on me. That's what friends are for," he replied with a smile. Jackson had said something similar yesterday, and it made me happy that he recognized our bond.
"By the way, are both of you good now?" Mateo asked, raising an eyebrow playfully.
"Why?" Can he read my mind?
"Do you want me to spell it out for you?" he teased.
I let out an awkward laugh. "Spell what out?"
He rolled his eyes. "That he scented you?"
"Scented me?" I hadn't realized that Jackson had marked me with his scent.
"You didn't know? You really smell like him."
Mates do this for various reasons. One reason is to show dominance, while another is out of possessiveness, signaling to others to stay away from their mate.
Typically, this happens when they first meet or when one of them is in heat.
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When Tom and I arrived home, we found Samantha filling the fridge with fruits and snacks. "I heard you had a fight with your friends," she said to Tom. He nodded and walked over to her.
She laughed. "I brought your favorite snacks to cheer you up." She handed him a bag of treats. Tom forced a smile as he took them. With a quick "thank you," he headed to his room.
"Jackson told me the witch removed the voice in your head. Are you feeling better now?" she asked.
"Yes, although I had a bad headache afterward. But I'm okay now."
"That's great to hear. Jackson has been really stressed about it. It's nice to see that he cares." She laughed before adding, "When I suggested he take a chance with another mateless wolf, he acted like he didn't want to get close to anyone after Anto passed. Now, look at him caring for someone else. After all, he scented you."
Did she notice it too? I'm pretty sure everyone I walked past did. Do I really smell like Jackson? Wait, am I about to go into heat? It would make sense since he said I smelled different.
"Why don't you go rest upstairs? I'll keep an eye on Tom until Jackson returns." I nodded and headed upstairs. Midway, she called out to me, "I'm happy he has you in his life." She smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes.
"Thank you." I said and left to my room.
I sat on my bed, trying to remember the last time I was in heat. The alphas and betas from my old pack were always excited when I went into heat. I was very careful back then and had to take different suppressants to lessen my scent and keep my urges manageable. I usually stayed indoors during that time. My mom would lock the door for the entire duration of my heat.
That must be why Jackson noticed a change in my scent. With everything going on, the thought of going into heat didn't even cross my mind. It was always tough since I didn't have a mate to help me through it. But I managed just fine all these years.
Would I be alone this time, or would Jackson...?
I remember how I felt when he kissed me that night, and again yesterday when he scented and licked me. A warm flush crept up my neck and cheeks as I bit my lip and pulled my shirt down.
"Stop thinking about that, Saint; you're going to make it happen faster," I muttered to myself, but it was pointless. Thoughts of his hands on me, caressing and touching me just right, invaded my mind...
I flopped onto the bed, squirming as waves of lust washed over me. My body ached for him, and I gripped the sheets tightly to cope with the rush of intimacy and desire.
I could hear voices from downstairs, but since they weren't Jackson's, I paid them no mind. I fought hard against the urge to touch myself, fully aware that it would only make things worse.
Rising from the bed, I searched for my heat suppressants. Then it hit me—my mom had brought my things when I moved here. Did she remember to pack them?
Just then, I heard a knock on my door. "Saint, are you okay? I can smell you," Samantha called out.
"Y-yes, um, c-can you p-please call J-Jackson?" I stammered, my head falling back as another wave of pleasure surged through me, causing me to instinctively touch myself.
There was no answer, so she must have gone to find him. Meanwhile, I continued my search for the suppressants but had no luck. I opened my door and went downstairs, but it was empty.
Should I look for him myself? "I-I don't think we should go out, Saint. There are alphas outside," Alex warned. "Can w-we wait a bit? I told JJ a moment ago, and I-I think they're on their way."
But... I moaned again, my body still on fire. As I approached the front door, ready to open it, someone else did. An alpha stood there, looking confused as he stared at me, then sniffed the air. His eyes lit up, signaling that his wolf was taking over, and he stepped closer to me.
"What a lovely scent. And an unmarked omega, at that." He remarked, reaching out to touch me when suddenly, he was forcefully thrown back outside. Jackson growled as he moved toward the man, but he paused when Chris came into view.
"I think it's best if you take Saint inside," he said. Jackson glanced back at me, his grey eyes shining fiercely.
"Chris is right; we'll handle this. You should go inside with Saint," Samantha added. I hadn't even realized she was there. I was so focused on Jackson that I couldn't see anyone else. All I wanted was for Jackson to...
Jackson came over, took my hand, and pulled me inside. The heat between us intensified with our touch, and I couldn't suppress a soft moan. As he led me away, I heard Chris call out, "I'll take Tom home so you both..." I didn't catch the rest before Jackson pulled me into his room and shut the door forcefully.
"Did you let him touch you?" he growled.
I shook my head, wrapping my arms around him. "I d-don't want anyone else." I brought my face close to his and moaned, "Alpha, please touch me."