Chapter 12: Chapter 11

“OK, what the fuck was that about?” Adam asked as they sniffed through the wood, looking for their charge.

“What was what?”

“That, back there with the Prince.”

“I dunno, nightmare or sommat,” Jaxson replied flippantly.

“No, you went in there like your fucking arse was on fire. Like you knew.”

“He linked me.”

“Only you?” Adam asked sceptically.

“Well… it seems so.”

“I heard him, Jax. I heard him.”

Jaxson went cold, having a suspicion of what he was on about. “The mind link? So why the fuck the third degree?”

“Not the stupid mind link, you twat. He called you ‘mate’.”

“He was confused, scared. He was terrified, you saw him.”

“Yet he calmed when he saw you.”

“I wouldn’t really-”

Adam grabbed his arm and yanked him to a stop. “He’s your mate,” he stated seriously, glaring at his friend.

“He’s a guy!” Jaxson protested, as if that meant he couldn’t possibly be his mate.

“And?”

“It can’t happen. Same gendered mating doesn’t happen. Therefore, you’re wrong.”

“No wonder he’s fucking the town! You rejected him! You dickhead!” Adam expressed.

“I ha-”

“He needs his mate more than fucking anything and everyone knows it!” He pointed to a random spot in the woods as if The Prince were stood right there. “And you’re saying his mate’s been under his fucking nose the whole time! Torturing him!” Adam bellowed, shoving Jaxson’s shoulder.

Righting himself easily, he glared at his friend in disbelief. “What the fuck, Ad-?”

“No! You fucking listen to me. I thought you were better than this. But you’re like everyone else!” Adam snarled.

“Will you let me talk!?” Jaxson roared, finally silencing Adam, “He rejected me!” His teeth gritted, no one really wanted to admit their mate had rejected them, it was an ultimate insult.

Adam stopped. “Huh?”

“His coming of age day, I felt him, we literally ran to each other. I knew it was him, his wolf fucking gave him away. He said ‘never’. So shut up with your high and mighty spiel!”

“Oh.” Adam’s face fell, blinking wildly in confusion.

“Yes, fucking ‘oh’. I don’t want him anyway. I don’t want to be a royal.” Jaxson turned away, somewhat ashamed and relieved it was in the open.

“From what I can gather… neither does he.”

“Well, we all know he’s weird.”

“Yeah, I know,” a new voice stated.

The two male’s heads snapped to the side, the guilt on both their faces evident as Chris stepped out from behind a tree.

“My Prince, we-”

“Save it. Heard it all before,” Chris muttered, he dropped his head and with his arms folded he made his way away from them.

Shame piled on Jaxson, “Chris, I-”

“It’s Your Highness to you,” Chris snapped.

“We didn’t mean-”

“I get it. I’m the fuck up. I’m the stupid little prince that got kidnapped and tortured for months. I’m the screw up who still wakes up screaming. I’m a Hunterson scared of his own fucking shadow. I. Get. It,” Chris snarled.

Jaxson’s chest tore open as Chris’ golden eyes filled with tears. In truth, he had no idea what Chris had been through. He remembered the young royals being kidnapped, he’d become a guard early around that time wanting to help with the search to bring them home. He remembered that that was all was spoken about for months, the fear around the packland of what was happening, the unknown. The guilt that enemies had managed to kidnap them from somewhere they should have been safe.

His mate was in pain, his mate was crying out for safety. Crying out for acceptance.

And he’d called him disgusting.

There was nothing he could do to comfort him. Jaxson wanted to stride up to him, wrap him in his arms and never let go. But he knew Chris wouldn’t allow that in the state he was. The only thing he could do was let him walk away.

“Go. After. Him.”

“I’m not good enough,” Jaxson breathed, ignoring his duty, he turned in the opposite direction, hoping Adam would do his duty instead.

He was surprised by Adam’s reaction, he had expected hate, repugnance, anything but what had happened. To say it had left him confused would be an understatement.

He wished he could speak to his sister. He wasn’t expecting acceptance but maybe… just talking about it would help.

He stopped.

When had he turned into a female?

He growled and punched a nearby tree, splintering the wood. “And what has the tree ever done to you?” an amused female voice came from behind him.

“Looked at me funny,” he grumbled, turning to see the Luna. He jumped and bowed his head “I’m sorry, I didn’t-”

“No need to apologise. Jacob?”

“Jaxson,” he replied subduedly.

“My apologies. Walk with me.”

“Uh, no… I’m meant to be with the Prince… I-”

“When the royal guards start harming trees, protecting isn’t on the forefront of their mind.”

Jaxson lowered his head in shame. Embarrassed the Luna had caught him.

“Walk with me,” she repeated, laying a gentle hand on his bicep.

He nodded in acceptance, allowing her to guide him through the trees until they hit a field. She was quiet, which he was glad for. With his hands stuffed in his pockets, he mindlessly walked, unsure what the Luna wanted from him.

“The young Prince is a handful,” it was a statement, a statement he hadn’t expected.

“No. He’s fine. Apologies for this morning.”

“What happened?”

“It’s not my place to say.”

“I know it’s not my place to comment, but I have noticed the string of females from my pack leaving my house in the morning.”

“His discretion needs work.” His fists balled into fists in his pockets, to say it was painful listening to his mate have sex with everyone but him would be an understatement.

His wolf was positively mourning.

He hadn’t spoken to him in a week.

“I can tell you care for him.”

Jaxson grunted.

“You look at him in a way-”

“I gotta go.” Jaxson turned on his heel.

“I overheard you, saying you were disgusted that you were mates. A mateship is a special bond. To reject that is going against the goddess, going against your wolf.”

“You were correct, it’s not your place to say,” he snapped before marching from the field.