Page 23 of Stolen Choices
“On my lands and almost undetected except for the fact we always have a lookout now when we’re outside.” Kas folded his arms across his chest and narrowed his eyes at Jackson. “You wouldn’t have happened to be here a few days ago, would you? Maybe at the cabins?”
The pain behind Jackson’s eyes started to throb again when he thought back to the moment he’d taken Katia.
“No.”
It stopped.
“I don’t believe you.” Kas continued his inquisition, “Tell me what happened and where Katia is?”
Jessica stepped up to the bars and held her hand out. Selene did the same, and her skin color changed to green with symbols decorating her body. They both started to chant, and the scene of his parents’ death was once again brought to the forefront of Jackson’s mind. Both Jessica and Selene gasped—the latter pulling her hand away and returning to her human form as she stumbled into her partner Brayden’s hands.
“It explains so much,” the multi-shifter said as a tear fell down her cheek.
“It explains why all humans should be killed,” Jackson responded.
He got to his feet and rattled the bars of the cage. Jessica stood in front of him. Her own tears falling down her cheeks.
“So young to have witnessed that.”
“Get the fuck out of my head, you bitch. You’ve already done enough,” Jackson screamed at her, and out of the corner of his eye, he saw the animal shifters of the pack take a more aggressive stance.
“What did you see, Jessica?” Kas questioned.
“His parents were murdered in front of him when he was young. Nuka found him and rescued him.”
“I said get out of my head.”
He rattled the bars again, gripping tight to the metal. He wanted to rip the cage apart and destroy the whole pack. Why didn’t they leave him alone to get his revenge on the humans? They killed his parents. They’d taken away everything he’d ever known. It wasn’t fair. Why did his parents have to be in the wrong place at the wrong time? He just wished he could go back and tell them he loved them one last time.
“Where is Katia?” Kas questioned him again.
“Rotting in hell.” He thrashed about in the cage.
This wasn’t him. The pent up frustration, the overwhelming urge for blood—this wasn’t the little boy his parents had raised. What the hell was wrong with him? He was turning into a monster intent on murder and destruction. What was this witch doing to him? He kicked and raged inside the cage before falling to the floor and looking up at Jessica with an urgent plea on his face.
“Please stop the spell. Make it go away. Get out of my head.”
Jessica lowered her hand to her side.
“I’ve never been in your head before, Jackson. Not until now. I think you know who’s been controlling you, though. You’ve suspected but denied it for a while now. Embrace the truth and help Katia.”
Jackson watched as Jessica exhaled deeply, trying to control her emotions. He’d always been good at reading people, or at least he thought he had. It was what had kept him alive while fighting for Nuka. In that moment, he saw in the witches eyes what he also saw in Katia’s—the innocence of her intention. Jessica meant him no harm and neither had Katia.
The tigress had been right.
The pounding in his head started again.
The pain cascaded through his body as he finally recognized the truth he’d been denying.
The agony only came when he wanted to do the right thing.
When he wanted to act against Nuka’s wishes.
When he planned to rescue Katia.
It prevented him from going against the only person he thought he could trust since his parents died.
The man who’d saved him.