Page 16 of Stolen Choices

What the hell was happening to him?

This wasn’t him?

Maybe he needed to see a doctor to find out what was wrong?

Katia bit her lip, and he could see that she was desperately trying to get to him—whether to kill him or check if he was all right, he wasn’t sure, but then he remembered she was under a spell and couldn’t do anything unless he commanded her.

“You can move.” he half whispered and half groaned in pain. She was instantly released from the position she was in and came scrambling across the floor to his side.

“What’s wrong with you?” Katia asked.

She stroked his head and searched for signs of trauma. All Jackson wanted to do was to sleep or start running to get rid of his headache.

“I tried to save you, but I failed. I couldn’t prevent it from happening, I’m sorry.”

“I don’t understand. Prevent what from happening?” Katia still searched his body for any injuries.

“Weston…he just killed your father.”

Katia stopped what she was doing and stared at him.

“He did what to my father?”

Chapter Ten

“He did what to my father?” I spat out at Jackson as he lay prone on the floor. “He killed him? But nobody knows where my father is…was? Jackson, you’re going to have to elaborate a bit because you’re not making much sense.”

Jackson curled over onto his side and tried to sit up, but Katia could see he was still in pain, so she forced him to lay back down. She retrieved a pillow from her bed and placed it under his head, hoping it would ease whatever pain he was in. The room was thankfully dark, the walls covered in a lurid red velvet to try and look appealing to the clients. Instead, it just looked cheap and nasty.

“Jackson, please. What’s going on? I know we’re in different packs, but it’s you who brought me here. I need an explanation about what you just said.”

“I’m sorry, Katia. This is all wrong.” The black panther shifter rubbed hard at his head. “I can’t seem to stop it, though. In fact, I think I’ve made it worse.”

“It’s ok. I don’t think any of this is your fault.” Katia put her hand on Jackson’s forehead, and he flinched away. “When did the headaches start?”

“A few days ago. I think it was the day I fetched you from the cabin. ”

Katia had her answer. She’d watched Jessica and seen the effects of magic, for a long time now. Jackson was under a spell. She wasn’t sure what kind, but she’d find out. She battled with the need to tell him, but the overwhelming desire she had to escape this place told her that she had to bide her time and play the game smarter than Nuka, Ciaran, and Weston.

“No, I really don’t believe this is your fault. Listen to me, Jackson. What happened with my father? No one even knew where he was.”

“He’s been living on Nuka’s land. My alpha gave him leave to do so as long as Kas didn’t find out. He didn’t want to risk starting a war, knowing what Kas wanted to do to your father.”

“Kas didn’t want to do anything to my father.”

“Believe me, your alpha wanted your father dead for what he did to you. He wanted to tear him apart and make him suffer as much as you did.”

“Yet, you brought me back here.” Katia got to her feet and turned away from Jackson. She wrapped her arms around her body. She knew that was a mean thing to say to him. He wasn’t at fault. Nuka was using a spell to control Jackson and ensure his obedience. It was this magic that was preventing him from being able to take her out of here, and it was why he was in so much pain with the headaches. His conscience was fighting the spell, but he wasn’t strong enough to defeat it yet. Whatever bound him to Nuka was strong.

“I’m sorry. I went to find your father and bring him here. I thought that if I gave him to Weston, it would free you. I’m so sorry, Katia.” Jackson tried to get to his feet but he stumbled and curled up into a ball holding his head. “Fuck,” he moaned.

Katia wanted to offer her comfort to Jackson, but she couldn’t. She’d been raped three times today. She could still feel the men inside her, their pleasure running down her thighs.

“What happened with my father?”

“Weston told me he’d lured him into a trap. It was a ruse all along to get to you. Your father had a penchant for a certain type of woman, human, and Weston played on that. He gave the women to your father on credit until Weston called in the debt. First of all your father offered your mother to him as payment.” Jackson managed to sit upright, still rubbing at his temples. Katia stepped farther back from him, not trusting her caring nature to overrule the anger twisting inside her at what was happening. She had to remember Jackson was as much a victim in this as she was. He didn’t control his actions. Nuka and Ciaran did. They’d brainwashed him in effect.

“My mother?” she questioned.