Jason’s POV
I lie still in the bed after arguably the most amazing sleep I’ve ever had in my life and I look down at the reason.
The reason why my nightmares didn’t surface the previous night, like her mere light was enough to chase away the terrors and free me from their clutches.
My mate now had her head on my chest, the heart beneath now racing from having her so close to me.
I don’t remember how we ended up in this position but I don’t feel the need to move.
I study her.
The peaceful look on her features, far from the terror she felt the night before.
Her black hair falls over her face, partially hiding her from me.
I can’t help but reach out and tug the strand away.
I can’t help but stare at the gift that the moon goddess had so gracefully handed me, a gift that I took for granted.
This girl in my arms saved my life yesterday.
If she didn’t snap me out from my trance when she did, I had no doubt that I would be dead by now and I’ve been treating her badly.
“I’m such a terrible person”, I whisper to a girl too trapped in the world of dreams to ponder over my words.
“You are”, I hear Jackson’s voice say in my head and despite the harsh bite in them I welcome the sound.
I close my eyes and reminisce in the feeling of being reconnected with my wolf.
Jackson had been silent for years not because he wanted to be but because he was too weak to form a connection.
I was grateful that we were able to even shift.
“I missed you” I admit with a sigh, not bothering to speak in my head.
“I missed hearing your voice”.
I felt him smile at the back of my head.
“You have her to thank for that”.
I smile to myself, I knew that meeting Cassandra had a hand in restoring Jackson’s strength, a wolf would always be stronger with his mate beside him.
Jackson grows silent and Cassandra begins to stare awake.
Her eyes squint as they adjust to the brightness of the room and they open to reveal silver orbs that glow in the morning light.
Stars.
That’s what her eyes always and will always remind me of.
A light that stands out in the darkest of nights.
They fit her perfectly.
“Good morning Starlight”, I greet and her brows furrow.
“Starlight? That’s new”, I was stunned for a moment because of how different she sounded.
When sleepy, her usual soft voice has a deep edge to it that was oddly endearing.
“I’m being open minded. Trying new things”, she laughed at my words.
“Being a decent person seems to be working out so far”, she smiles at me as she gets out of the bed.
“Glad you think so”.
Cassandra begins to walk towards the bathroom before she pauses and looks back at me.
“Thank you for staying”.
“Always”.
Cassandra goes into the bathroom to have a shower and I’m left sitting on her bed.
My eyes can’t help but drag along the table at the corner of the room and how untidy it was.
It was littered with papers, pens, pencils, markers and basically any writing material one could imagine.
I didn’t think before my feet moved on their own.
I was soon at her table, picking up papers to stack them perfectly.
I halted when I turned the paper around, it was a painting.
There were two people laying in the dry grass and looking up at the stars.
One had black hair that sprawled out under her while the man beside her had brown hair that mirrored mine.
A smile made its way unto my face.
Cassandra had made a painting of us from the previous night and every bit of it was outstanding.
The details were well captured, there were shadows in all the right places and the stars shone with the same brightness they had the night before.
There was a small scribble on the corner of the painting and my fingers trace over it as I read. This chapter was taken from g.com without permission.
“May the stars forever melt away the darkness”.
My smile grew wider on seeing the words, “you’re the star that melts away my darkness”, I whisper to the empty room and in that moment Cassandra leaves the bathroom.
“Oh, you saw my painting”, she smiled shyly as she walked towards me.
She was already fully dressed in a white skirt, pink sweater and thigh high pink socks, having taken her clothes into the bathroom with her.
“Yeah” I breathe.
“It’s amazing”, my voice portrays the awe I feel in that moment and she smiles widely at me.
“Really?” She gasps.
“That’s good to hear”.
“It’s amazing”, I repeat as my fingers once again run over the paper and the feel of paint on it and the indents of the message she had scribbled unto it.
Cassandra and I head downstairs for breakfast.
She sits at the table and watches me cook, her head tilted to the side as she inspected me curiously.
“Why do you cook?” She asked.
“You’re the alpha”.
I shrug, “I don’t mind doing it honestly. Cooking has always been a way for me to spend time with my mom while growing up, I love doing it”.
“Your mom?” She questioned before asking, “where is she?” She said this cautiously like she was afraid to cross a boundary that didn’t quite exist.
“She and my father are on a trip” I tell her with a smile.
“But I’m sure she’ll love to meet you when she gets back”.
I can’t say the same about my father.
“Bacon! Bacon! Bacon!” I hear Natalie chant as she runs down the stairs with a speed that only a supernatural could manage.
“So good”, she moaned as she put the pieces into her mouth, sighing in bliss like she had just tasted a piece of heaven.
I smile at her.
She became Caroline whenever she was near meat, she loved it too much.
It’s simply a clawing wolfish instinct.
“Oh good morning”, she greeted me and Cassandra as if seeing us for the first time.
We both laugh and greet her as well.
“Food!” I heard Caroline scream as she came bounding down the stairs with Preston following behind her looking like his rent was due.
“Good morning”, they greeted and I responded with a nod and placed their plates in front of them.
“I’m going to be staying with my family for the week, Jay”, Natalie informed me immediately she swallowed the piece of meat she had been eating.
“I’ll have Davis take care of the work for the week until I’m back”.
“Alright”, I reply with a nod.
Natalie is always busy and barely gets time to see her family which was why I made sure they showed up yesterday for the bonfire.
It was nice to see Ella again but unfortunately I couldn’t get a hold on Eric or the kids.
Drake showed up later and I gave him his food before Cassandra and I headed upstairs to the top floor where I took her to the library.
As I pushed open the huge double doors, Cassandra’s eyes widened as she took in the large expanse of the room.
She looked from left to right, her face holding an expression of awe that made it impossible for me to tear my eyes away.
Every wall was lined from roof to ground with bookshelves containing all sorts of books ranging from supernatural history to magic.
It smells of wood and paper but it was a somewhat comforting scent.
The dark wooden accents gave the room a rich look, it was the opposite of the rest of the pack house which was coated in white, gold and marble.
“I’ve never seen so many books in one place”, she gasped.
“It’s beautiful isn’t it?” Our gazes snap to Anna.
She was sitting at the large wooden desk in the middle of the room, surrounded by all sorts of books.
Her palm was open and a small turnado spun in the palm of her hand.
She smiled at us and the turnado died in her hand.
“I’ve been coming here to practice”, she explained.
“You’ll be surprised how much the knowledge of spells can help one’s power grow”.
Cassandra nodded before taking a seat opposite Anna and I sit beside her.
“It must be so cool being a witch”.
Anna shrugged, “it’s okay, I suppose”.
She paused before adding, “it’s a bit more difficult when you live among vampires”.
Cassandra raises her head to give her questioning look.
Anna shook her head with a smile, “Don’t worry about it”.
She claps her hands in earnest, “so what brings you two here”.
I suddenly felt like a guest in my own library, possibly because I never really come in here.
I clear my throat before beginning, “something weird happened yesterday. I think I was affected by some kind of magic”.
“Magic?” Anna asked in confusion.
“But I’m the only one on pack grounds who can use magic. Not to mention, I didn’t sense anything off”.
“No one seemed to” I said honestly.
“I heard voices in my head that made me act differently, do things differently and no one noticed… well, except Cassandra”.
Cassandra nodded at my words.
“He was more aggressive than usual and pretty agitated. His wolf kept resurfacing”.
“Your wolf?” Anna questioned in shock turning to me to confirm this piece of information.
I nodded and her mouth hung open, “Jackson resurfaced, wow” she breathed in awe.
I nodded, “I was surprised as well”.
I hadn’t spoken to my wolf since I was fourteen years old, let alone have him resurface.
Our bond had been weakened, almost severed after what happened all those years back.
A situation that the girl sitting before me and her brother had saved me from.
“That’s incredible”, Anna whispered in astonishment before a frown took over her features.
“But deeply concerning”.
“How so?” I inquire.
Anna exhales, “the magic you experienced must have most likely been a curse, one that was so dangerous it was strong enough to wake up your deepest, most primal instincts to protect you from harm despite the weakening of your wolf”.
Anna paused in thought before continuing, “so Jackson smacked you out of the trance?”
“No” my gaze traveled to Cassandra.
“Not really”.
My mate looked back at me, her cheeks inflamed.
“I knew something was wrong and I had to step in”, then she had the nerve to shrug like she did nothing at all.
I gave her an incredulous look, “you saved my life Cassandra. We have no idea who cursed me and why they tried to lure me out of the pack, if not for you I might’ve been dead by now”.
She looked at me stunned, her mouth opening and closing but no sound was produced.
“Thank you”, I said with a bow of my head, a genuineness in my voice that I didn’t know I was capable of, at least when it came to her.
She smiled brightly at me and offered a nod.
“So let me get this straight”, Anna started with her voice laced with something like panic.
“You heard a voice in your head that tried to lure you out of the pack?”
“Yes” I respond.
“With images of the past and threats. It was messing with me and I couldn’t think clearly. It was some kind of mind magic”.
Anna’s eyes are wide with in panic and she shook her head continuously as if in denial.
“No” Anna stood up with so much force the chair behind her fell over.
Cassandra and I scramble to our feet, “Anna? What’s going on?”
She looked back at us with wide eyes doing nothing to hide her fear.
“Nothing. It’s fine”, she exhaled and a bit of her composure seems to return.
“I- I have something to take care of”.
She moves quickly towards the door but Cassandra is already in front of her, blocking her path.
“Annalise, is something wrong?”
Anna shakes her head and tries to bypass Cassandra who blocks her way once more.
“I can hear your heart beat, Anna” Cassandra bites out though her voice is laced with concern.
“You’re freaking me out. What’s going on?”
Cassandra and I wait for what feels like hours watching as Anna bites her lips nervously.
She finally speaks.
“We have a serious problem”.