Page 9 of Found: Denver Alpha

“The pack would take care of you if you needed protecting Jade, you have to know that,” Jace says, tension filling his body as he moves to sit on the edge of his chair.

“I can’t,” I say with a sigh knowing that he means Silas and Bellamy would take care of me because of this whole mate debacle.

“You should know Silas isn’t doing well. I know you said you don’t want to be his mate but that’s not how it works. Once you exchange bites and have sex that’s it the bond is there, so whether you want it or not Silas is your mate and it’s killing him that you rejected him,” Jace says and my heart hurts for Silas, I mean he was so good to me in the cage and I just broke his heart, but it’s the only thing I can do. He has a life and I have one too and the two just won’t work together.

“I’m sure after some time he’ll be fine,” I tell him but Jace just shakes his head.

“He’s not eating, all he does is sleep and today he punched the mirror in the bathroom and hurt himself. I’m actually not sure how long he’ll survive like this,” he responds and I can see that he clearly loves Silas as he tears up talking about him like this.

“I don’t know what you want me to do about that Jace,” I tell him with a sigh of exasperation. This isn’t my fault! I’m not even sure what the hell to do about my own problems let alone someone else's.

“Is there any way you could just come talk to him? I don’t know, tell him it’s not his fault you rejected him. Really anything to get him to want to live again, I’m fucking desperate Jade I don’t want to lose my best friend,” he pleads and I feel the tears fill my eyes and I look over to Darius to see how he’s feeling but of course his face is blank.

“I’ll think about it okay, that’s all I can promise,” I say, hoping that will be enough to stop this conversation. Silas is a good man and I don’t want to see him hurting but part of me thinks that if I see him I won’t be able to reject him again. Another part of me thinks that I would just make it worse if I saw him and chose to leave again.

Turning back to the girls I watch as Mila and Scarlett laugh and sign back and forth. For a few moments I let myself forget about everything else and just enjoy the fact that we saved her and now she gets to have a good happy life with people that will care about her.

Maybe this Sam guy and his mate will adopt her, if nothing else she would be safe with an assassin as a dad.

* * *

After a couple of hours we fix some food, apparently Darius was so sure that he was getting me back he kept the fridge stocked for my return. One of the many reasons I love Darius is because of his thoughtfulness.

Scarlett smiles a lot and I can’t help thinking everything we went through in the cages was worth it, just to give this little witch a chance. The only one of us that can sign is Mila so she interprets but if she leaves the room for a second Jace hands her his phone so she can type out her answers.

It’s sweet and not something I would’ve thought of off hand but it works well. He’s not quite what I expect either. He’s nice and takes Mila’s snarky remarks like they’re nothing. Unlike Silas, he doesn’t get upset or yell or even get riled in any way. He’s calm and it actually makes me feel a lot more comfortable having him here.

Well that and the fact that he didn’t shout about how I’m his mate and try to molest me. That wasn’t fair to think about Bellamy. I don't know him but I’m sure that he wouldn’t have kissed me if I’d said no. I should’ve said no, but my head just wasn’t working and when his lips touched mine so softly I have to admit something felt right.

It’s fucking ridiculous, I can’t just go around letting all these damn wolves kiss me because they feel like it. I know it’s more than that to them with the whole ‘mate’ thing but still, I’ve never been that damn easy in my life.

Jace is different though, he doesn’t look at me like the whole world will end if I don’t love him right now. He just acts, for a lack of a better word, normal. I’m thankful, because I still have things I need to discuss with Darius and I really didn’t want him worrying about other men. Even if everything he said last night is true, that he’ll still love me no matter what, I didn’t want to put that on him.

“It was nice to see you again Jace, and nice to meet you little witch,” Darius says as we walk our visitors to the door.

After giving Scarlett a hug I give Jace a wave before turning and heading back to our bedroom. My limbs all feel heavy and I stumble around a bit before finally falling face first on the mattress. I really should have taken that nap earlier but I just couldn’t give up the chance to see Scarlett one more time to make sure she’s okay.

My body is now making me regret that, as all my energy feels like it’s just been zapped out of me. Groaning to myself I roll over onto my back and stare up at the ceiling wondering how my life got this messed up.

It’s Ruby’s fault.

Even as I think it I know it’s not true but boy does that bitch owe me for taking her shift that day. I’m actually glad it was me even though I intend to guilt her obnoxiously. Her and her kids have been through enough hard times to last a lifetime.

Not only had she lost her mate and her cubs father but Ruby had to move here because the pride her mate was from was harassing her and threatening to take the twins. She would burn down the world before she let that happen, so instead of mass murder she moved them here under a false name.

“What are you thinking about kitten?” Darius asks, laying down in the bed next to me.

“Ruby and the girls, and how I’m glad if it had to be one of us taken it was me,” I tell him with a sigh.

Dar pulls me close to his body and kisses my cheek, making me relax into him. The familiar feeling of his hard body against mine makes me feel like I’m finally home again. I learned a long time ago that home isn’t a place, it's the people you surround yourself with.

“I love you and your big heart,” he says, kissing me once more.

I believe him but a part of me still wonders if he will when I tell him everything that happened in that cage and how even though I’ve pushed Silas away, my heart yearns for him.

Chapter Five

JACE

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