Greykin Valley

| 41 | A Missing Piece

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| Jackson |

Jackson must have been sitting around for hours thinking. The night grew later, and the pack started finding places inside the abandoned hut to sleep.

But he wasn't ready to sleep yet. He was too busy pondering. So much was going on and he couldn't help but feel a little overwhelmed. He was using power that Sebastien didn't understand, and he wondered if he should have fought harder to have Lucian train him. Surely, Lord Caedis' own nephew would know more about the inimă.

And then there was the fact that he'd heard that mutated human-like cadejo speaking the same way he'd heard the infected wolves speaking. What if he really could talk to them? Maybe he could...well, no. They were mindless killers. He couldn't bargain with them.

True Speech was rolling around inside his head, too. He wanted to be able to learn to hone it; then, he could talk to and understand other wolf walkers. It was true that he probably didn't necessarily need the skill while in a pack with an Alpha and Zeta who could talk to other wolf walkers, but what if there was ever a time when Damon and Tokala weren't around?

He sighed and glanced at Wilson, who found an old blanket and was curled up inside it over by the empty fireplace. Julian wasn't far from him, and everyone else was huddled close together against the back wall.

One thing he didn't yet understand, though, was how he could understand cadejo. If it wasn't True Speech, then what was it? Was it because he was a demon, and the virus was made using demon blood? No. If that were the case, then Sebastien would be able to hear them too, right?

"Are you okay?" came Damon's voice, snapping Jackson out of his thoughts.

He looked up at the Alpha, who was standing beside him. "Yeah."

Damon crouched so that he was at eye level with him. "Are you sure? You've got that look on your face—the one you make when you're overthinking," he said with a smirk, but there was concern in his quiet voice.

Jackson sighed and shrugged. "Yeah, I'm just thinking about True Speech and those weird creatures."

The Alpha nodded. "It's been a long, strange day." Then, he leaned closer so that his face was mere inches from Jackson's. "But we made a little deal before the fight, remember?" he whispered seductively. "And now that everyone's asleep, I think it's time for us to get some rest, too."

As he tensed up, Jackson stared into the Alpha's eyes. He did remember their deal, and all his thoughts swiftly faded, leaving him with a feeling of growing angst. He nodded in response, and when Damon took his hand, he got up and followed him to the door beside the old kitchenette.

Damon led him into the only other room inside the hut, and when he closed the door behind them, Jackson set his eyes on the bed under the window. The mattress looked a bit torn, and there was only one pillow, but he didn't care.

The Alpha stood behind him and kissed the back of his neck as he slowly dragged his hands down Jackson's body. Jackson tilted his head to the side, inviting Damon to nuzzle his neck, and as the Alpha did, he moved his hands into Jackson's trousers.

Jackson exhaled quietly when a shiver ran through his body in response to Damon touching his crotch. He reached back and gripped the side of Damon's ass, and when he squeezed it, the Alpha smiled against his neck.

Damon then turned Jackson around and pulled him closer. He started kissing his lips, and as Jackson kissed back, the Alpha slowly guided him back towards the bed. When they reached it, Jackson gradually fell on it and shuffled up towards the pillow, where he rested his head. Damon leaned over him, and as their tongues caressed each other, Jackson's heart started racing.