Wildling

~~~Jaxson’s POV~~~

I am so proud of her. My courageous mate faced one of her tormentors and came out the victor. I almost felt sorry for him when Sean proposed the fight. Almost. She took him down with precision. She had a counterattack for every move he made. Ares almost forced a shift when I saw him draw a knife, but she handled it like a pro. She didn’t even seem to be trying.

I had to hold back my amusement when I saw the look on my warriors faces. Their nervousness and awe in clear display. Now that they had gotten a taste of her fight, they were nervous yet still intrigued. Just wait until I tell them that she will be heading up their training. Ha!

My dad must be right. Her father must have been that alpha friend of his. The way she took charge and actually ordered Sean around just makes it that much clearer. She was alpha material.

My dad’s stern look showed that we clearly had to explain what just happened. But I don’t know what to say. It all really revolves around Ember’s past and I still don’t know much.

I grip Ember’s hand in mine as we walk to Sean’s office. He and Ashton would be present for moral support. We had barely shut the door when my father turned to Ember.

“You look different. But it is you. You’re Ember Rose.” My eyebrows shot up at her last name. Wait, I have never asked her last name? The Rose’s had overseen the Shadow pack. The same one I was meant to be visiting. I glanced at Sean who also seemed to notice the significance.

“Your father Damien was a good friend of mine. Why didn’t you admit you were her?”

Ember bowed her head a bit, embarrassed that she had lied.

" I know. I’m sorry. It’s hard reliving the past.” Her eyes held her sincere apology. I know it’s difficult for her especially since there is so much, we don’t know. She would be reliving it all again by telling it.

“How do you smell human?”

“Dad, now isn’t the time. Ember has a bad past and has been through a lot this week. I’m sure she-”

“It’s fine, Jax.” Ember interrupted me giving my hand a slight squeeze. I stared at her in disbelief.

“Em, you haven’t even told me your past!” Dad looked shocked at this.

“Wait, you haven’t marked her yet?” I glanced at him awkwardly.

“I have asked to take things slow because of certain aspects of my past. Jaxson agreed to give me time.” She stepped forward, closer to my father. “When he marks me, he will see my past, feel my pain, and know all my feelings.” Dad’s eyes softened a bit at what she was trying to tell him. “I don’t wish that upon anyone. Ash here had the first taste. You can ask him how it felt. I don’t want to cause your son pain.” My mom looked confused and on the verge of tears.

“Why did Ashton see your past if you don’t want Jaxson to?” Ember sighed, knowing there wasn’t a way around this situation without revealing at least a bit of herself.

“I have night terrors. Reliving what I went through. Once Jaxson met me,” she gestured towards me as my Dad’s eyes widened in realization, “he felt everything I went through.” I grimaced, remembering the pain of being whipped, my mom caught my expression.

“What happened?” She whispered not sure she wanted to know. Ember glanced up at me in silent question.

“It’s easier just showing them.” I nodded to her back. Ember gulped and took a deep breath, removing her corset and then black hoodie, leaving her just in her bra. My parents looked slightly embarrassed by her show of skin, but it was necessary. She took one more look at me and turned around so her back was facing my parents.

They gasped in shock. Seeing the lash marks littering her skin. Some thick, some thin. Some were bright pink while others were pale. Every inch of her back was covered, save a few bare pieces of skin by her right shoulder. She turned back to face them, showing off the three claw marks that spread from her stomach around to her back. She straightened her shoulders as she stared at them head on.

My mom was openly crying now, muffling her sobs with her hand. My dad couldn’t remove the shocked and angry expression on his face. Ember quickly redressed.

“One night, I was reliving one of the times I got whipped. Jaxson unfortunately felt it too. Ashton wanted to bring forth a happy memory but was sucked into the deepest part of my mind instead. He saw everything.”

"One of the times you got whipped?” My mother gasped out as she choked on her tears. Ember looked away.

“To answer your other question, I no longer have a wolf. She was killed. So, for all intents and purposes, I am human.” My dad’s eyes widened.

“Not many can survive that.” His eyes glistening with concern and intrigue at what my mate must have gone through yet still survived. She leveled her gaze on him, eyes flashing with anger.

“I didn’t have a choice.” She snapped. My brows furrowed at that. She did say she tried to kill herself but was unsuccessful.

“I was kept in confinement, tortured daily for a year, before he finally let me go. He decided my punishment was to endure life.” Ember scowled. “So, he placed a spell on me. One that meant I could never die from personal intent. Only natural causes. Lord knows I tried the first few years.” I moved forward and grabbed her hand, sensing her distress.

“What happened Ember. How was the pack overtaken? You were one of the strongest in the region.” Dad pounded out questions, thankfully ignoring her talk of suicide.

“We were betrayed.” Ember snarled. “He was too powerful and had made allies with the rogues. We never even had enough time to call for help. And that man I just beat up, played a large role in all of it. Which is why I will keep him alive, putting him though all the torture he laid upon me, until he begs for death. And then? I will deny him his peace.” My parents glanced at each other a little put off by Ember’s blood-thirst.

Ember saw the glance and turned to me, smiling sadly before she turned to speak to them again. ” I understand if you don’t want me to be mates with your son.” They looked at her in shock, as did I. “I wanted to keep him from all this. To live a happy, normal life. One full of laughter and peace and family.” A tear slid from her eye. “But I can’t give him that. Not anymore.”

My dad shook his head furiously. “We would never want you to deny each other the gift of being mates. Your past does not make you less valuable in our eyes. You are a strong woman, wolf or not, you will make a great mate for Jaxson. I can’t lie and say I’m not saddened or worried that he will endure pain, but I am also furious that you went through that in the first place. We will always accept you. It sounds like you both have already talked about it to one another and communication is one of the biggest tools in a good relationship. It’s clear to me that he is aware it will be hard. But he still wants to be with you despite that. What you both have is incredibly special. Plus, I may have always wished you both would be mates when you were younger, even if I never had the chance to have you both meet. You were always so willful. A perfect match for Jax.” He smiled. “You have grown up so well. Your father would be immensely proud, even if he didn’t want you fighting at first.” He winked at her causing her to chuckle lightly and the tension in the room give a little.

“I didn’t give him much choice, did I?” Ember giggled. My heart soaring at the beautiful sound.

My dad turned serious again. “But tell me, who betrayed you, Ember? Who betrayed the pack and tortured my daughter in mating for a whole year? Tell me and I will do everything in my power to make them pay.”

Ember raised her hardening eyes to my father’s.

“My cousin.”