Page 33 of Stolen Choices

“What?” Jackson gently pulled Katia away from Nuka. His alpha had said he wouldn’t hurt her, but Jackson no longer trusted him as far as he could throw him.

“I’m afraid I have to inform you that you are expelled from my pack. You are no longer trustworthy, and I can’t have people close to me leaking secrets. Especially important ones like the resurrection of my grandfather. The headache that revelation must have given you, I can only imagine. I’ll have your belongings thrown outside the boundary. If you ever set foot on my lands again, I’ve given orders for you to be killed on sight.” Nuka folded his arms across his chest.

“You actually think I want to set foot anyway near your lands or pack anymore? You had a spell put on me to control me. You already had my loyalty after rescuing me from the people who killed my parents. You didn’t need to mess with my mind as well.” Jackson protested, his trust in the man who’d been his only family for many years was now broken. “Humans aren’t as bad as you say. Continue down the path you are heading, Nuka, and I believe you’ll fail in your attempt to destroy them.”

“I don’t need your advice, Jackson.” Nuka looked to Katia. “Kas will never trust him fully.”

“You don’t know your brother that well then,” Katia spat at him, her hatred of Nuka evident.

“I think I do. He’s my blood after all.”

Katia squeezed Jackson tighter. “Family isn’t always blood.”

Nuka laughed.

“The old doctrine. I’ve not heard it for a while. Makes me laugh every time.” As he spoke, Nuka’s face turned serious again. “I mean it, Jackson. You are no longer welcome anywhere near me. I made a mistake starting the fight that got your parents killed. You weren’t worth the trouble.”

Fire exploded in Jackson’s head at the words Nuka spoke, and he sprang at him with teeth and claws bared. He found nothing, though, as the evil polar bear had disappeared into thin air.

“I’ll kill him. He was the one who got my parents killed.”

Katia came up to Jackson and wrapped her arms around his waist. Her warmth calmed him, and the kiss she placed on his lips further stilled his rage.

“Nuka Lincoln will die one day, and we’ll all be there to see it. His downfall is coming, but we have to work together to outsmart him.”

Katia took his hand in hers and started to lead him from the room.

“Where are we going?” Exhaustion suddenly flooded into every one of his pores.

“Home.”

Chapter Eighteen

“Would you step forward, please?” Katia tried to keep a straight face as she watched Kas summon Jackson, the man she’d become incredibly close to over the last month since she’d been given to Weston for a second time—there would never be a third. She guessed she had to be grateful to Nuka Lincoln for that at least.

Weston was dead and rotting in an unmarked grave, and no one was mourning his passing. In fact, all the girls he’d captured were rejoicing. Some had returned to their own homes, but others had come to live on the Glacial Blood lands with the help of Jackson, who’d undertaken the task of re-homing them all. Katia knew he felt awful for his actions in taking her, but she saw how he was growing and thriving in this new world away from Nuka’s influence and Ciaran’s spells. She was as well, and it had surprised her. She was happy to be back with the pack and no longer feared the displays of affection between the other couples as she once had. It was as though she’d finally got closure on that part of her life and was able to move on. Maybe even be normal, if there was such a thing.

She’d spent a lot of time getting to know Jackson better and knew that his intentions were genuine and full of love. She felt the pull between them. She knew she should hate him, but she couldn’t. She wanted him, and that was the strangest feeling of all to her. She’d never wanted a man in the way her body reacted to Jackson. Every time he was near, her body would ignite with desire, and when he kissed her, she became putty in his arms. They hadn’t gone any further than kissing. He slept beside her and held her at night after she’d asked him to, but he’d made no advances other than that. It was as if he understood her need for time to allow her body to fully heal. The healing was complete now, though, and it was time for her to take the next step in the budding relationship developing between them.

“Katia, will you step forward?” Kas called her next, and the stern look on everyone’s faces told her they were taking the ceremony to initiate Jackson into the Glacial Blood pack very seriously. He’d been part of a rival pack, after all, but he’d worked tirelessly over the last month to integrate himself and prove his worth to them.

Katia stepped up onto the makeshift platform that had been erected in the woods surrounding the mansion. To the left stood another new piece of equipment: a pit of hot coals. Poor Jackson, this wasn’t going to be easy.

“Katia, you have put forward Jackson Gates for membership to our pack. Are you still of the opinion that he’ll be a trustworthy and loyal member, who’ll follow my lead and undertake any tasks set before him for the purpose of protecting everyone who lives on my lands?”

She held her head up high.

“I do. He’ll be a valuable asset to us.” When she looked at Jackson, she could see he was shaking with nerves. She gave him a reassuring smile, which he nervously returned.

“Jackson, do you recant membership to any previous packs that you’ve held?”

Kas’ voice was full of authority—it was one Katia only heard him use when he was doing business. She looked around at the rest of the assembled pack. They all had the same stern expressions on their faces. This was important to them all. It had to be done properly because of Jackson’s past.

“I do. From now on, my allegiance is only to the Glacial Blood pack.” Jackson paused and reached out to take her hand. “And, as soon as she’s ready, I will claim Katia as my own.”

Kas looked down at his feet and Katia heard him let out a loud sigh. It was one of relief and happiness, not sadness. But when he looked up again, the same stoic expression was in place on his face.

“You have one final test to pass. Brayden, would you prepare the pit please.”