Page 8 of Stolen Choices
“Slightly ironic really.”
He smiled sarcastically at Katia and went back to reading his book.
“So, the thing you said about a debt having to be repaid…what do you mean by that? What is Nuka up to this time? Whatever it is, Kas will foil it. I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but everything your alpha tries to do fails. He’s not the brightest spark in the box—he is the most insane, though.”
Jackson closed the book and placed it down on his lap. So much for assuming Katia wouldn’t be talkative. It seemed she was in the mood for insulting people. He rubbed his hand across his face.
“I wouldn’t call him insane, more of a pioneer. He sees the future his brother, your alpha, refuses to acknowledge and do something about. I refuse to be caged like a wild animal, because the humans think we’re a danger.”
“But you’ll quite happily see me caged instead,” Katia challenged. “What is Nuka planning?”
“Not my position to say.”
Jackson folded his arms across his chest and dared Katia to test him further. The tigress must have realized it was futile to carry on that line of inquiry because she pulled the blanket around her shoulders and laid down in a ball on the floor of the cage.
“Humans aren’t all bad. I’ve known many who are supportive and help shifters.”
“Humans are only out for themselves. I would think you’d already know that after your past.”
Katia’s eyes went wide, and she stared at him.
“How do you know about that?”
“Nuka made it my job to find out as much as possible about the members of the Glacial Blood pack. I probably know more than you think—maybe even more than you do. Tyler’s drug addiction issues were all my discovery. However, I’ve kept the fact he eats vegetables to myself. It doesn’t really impact on his ability to do his job, but I think it would lead to a lot of teasing from the rest of your pack if they knew.”
“You’ve been watching us?”
“Of course. I need to make sure my alpha is protected.”
“I’ll never understand why you support him. He’s got it all wrong.” Katia turned away from him. “Humans aren’t all evil. I’ll continue to maintain that, despite what happened to me. We can live side by side. You’re helping a shifter who seeks only power for himself. Nuka doesn’t plan to create a better world. It’s all about dominance and getting control of what his older twin brother inherited.”
Jackson chuckled at her adamancy. It was a naive way of viewing the world. She’d been blinded by her alpha’s views. Kas kept to himself—he didn’t venture into the real world where Jackson lived. The polar bear hadn’t seen the bloodshed Jackson had. He hadn’t seen his parents’ brains smashed over the ground by a gang of humans.
Jackson’s head started to ache again, and he rubbed at his temples. He wanted nothing more than to sleep. He got to his feet, causing the book to fall to the floor, and walked over and opened the door to the room. Noticing one of his deputies, he motioned for him to come. The lion shifter obeyed immediately.
“I need a run. Look after the prisoner.”
The lion smirked.
“Do we get to play with her?”
“You do, and Nuka will chop your dick off. It’s purely guard duty.”
“Fine but don’t be long.” The lion shifter took his place on the chair.
Jackson strode around to the other side of the cage. Katia was staring out, tears filling her eyes.
“I help Nuka because I owe him my life, and I’m committed to his plans. I’ve seen humans do terrible things to shifters. I can’t un-see them. They’ll destroy us all if we let them.” He touched his head as the thumping pain inside worsened. “I’ll not stop until every last human is dead and decaying.”
Katia turned her eyes away from him.
“Somehow, I don’t think that’s the real you talking.”
“It is, so get used to it. I’d get some sleep if I were you. Tomorrow will be a long day for you.”
Jackson didn’t look back at the cage. He left the room and had shifted into his black panther form before even making it out of the house. He nudged the front door open and ran as fast as he could over Nuka’s barren lands, but he still couldn’t escape the pain in his head. His parents death, and his blood thirsty need for vengeance on the humans, weighed heavily on him as he ran.
Chapter Five