Chapter 10 Reason for Jacob's trip

• BRAYDEN
• I stare at Zack’s back as he storms out of the conference room. What in the heck has got him all worked up? However, his subtle jab with his words earlier still irritates me.
• My eye twitches as I turn my attention back towards Blake. “I was going to say he has been very professional and helpful, but after seeing his little tantrum, I may change my mind.”
• Blake glances over his shoulder at the empty doorway and sighs. “He has his moments. I’m hoping he can find his omega soon. He needs to get in his alpha position before his frustrations and waiting eat him alive.”
• My heart twists while I fight to keep a blank face. However, I quickly push this strange feeling out of my mind. “Well, he is old enough. I have to admit that I’m surprised he hasn’t found his mate yet. Maybe his mate is a lot younger than him, which is why he hasn’t found her. I’m sure it will only be a matter of time now.”
• Again, my heart twists along with my stomach as I force the words out of my mouth which taste bitter. What is going on? Why do I have this kind of reaction when I’m talking about the cocky jerk?
• Blake sighs and sits down in Zack’s chair. “That could be the case. Every year, I send him out to the various packs for work. I secretly hope he will be able to find his omega heir with each trip. Unfortunately, he always comes back with no mate.”
• He quickly shakes head and waves his hand in the air. “Enough about my brother and his mate. Do you have time right now to catch me up on what you have found so far?”
• I nod and turn my laptop around after I pull up my audit report. As I go through the report, my mind keeps wondering back to the jerk and wondering if he is alright. When is he going to come back?
• ***
• With a towel over my head, I rub my long, wet hair. I sigh at my reflection in the window.
• Flashes from years ago of my visit with the witch pop up in my head. My body tenses as the fear from that small, scared child rifles through me. An icy shiver runs down my back as my frantic cries ring in my ears. “No! I don’t want to be a boy!”
• However, I have come to live with the sad truth. I will never be a woman again.
• On the inside, I’m still a woman, which only a handful of people can see, tucked in behind my magical alpha man mask.
• I take a deep breath and sigh. Unfortunately, there isn’t anything I can do about it. As long as Jacob and Hunter haven’t found their mates, I should be alright.
• Ring…ring…ring…
• I turn away from the window and grab my phone off the nightstand. A smile instantly tugs at my lips as Jacob’s name flashes across my phone.
• I flip the phone on speaker and chime, “Hey, Jacob. How are things going with your father/son trip?”
• As I set the phone back down on the table by the window, he groans. “He had other plans. I honestly didn’t know about him. He said this trip was to go over some family stuff, but he has actually taken me around to several packs to try and find my mate. What the hell? I can’t believe he did this to me and to us. What was he thinking?”
• My breath hitches and my hands instantly stop still holding the towel while trying to dry my hair. What did he just say?
• My gut was telling me there was something more to the trip, but I didn’t want to believe it.
• Oblivious to my pain, he continues, “He just told me to not say anything to anyone. Something about it being a secret. Now, I know why. My mom hit the ceiling when I told her about it. My father is currently locked in his room with my mother giving him the third degree. I still don’t know what my father was thinking. If he wanted me to find my mate, then why did he agree so easily to the contract? I don’t understand.”
• Tears well up in my ears as I stare out the window at the dark night sky. The stars twinkle almost as if they as are asking me to smile, but I can’t.
• My smile has disappeared as soon as he mentioned them hunting for his mate.
• This can’t be happening to me. It has been a fear of mine for so long, but I keep hoping it isn’t something that will actually happen.
• I fight to keep my voice from cracking as tears stream down my cheek. “Me neither.”
• I bite my lip as he grunts, “I know. I’m sure he will regret this for a long time. Even though mom is yelling at him through their mind link, I can almost feel the anger pouring out of his bedroom. I’ve known for a long time never to get my mom mad, and he just pushed her to overload.”
• I dash over to the nightstand and grab several tissues before I sniffle. As I quickly wipe my face clean and my nose, my father’s harsh words from when I was child echo in my head. “Alphas don’t cry. Alphas must be strong. You can never cry, especially not in front of others. They will only think you are weak.”
• As I grab more tissues, Jacob’s voice gets softer. “Bry, baby, are you alright? You aren’t saying anything.” His concern is clear in his tone.
• I force a smile and shake my head as I walk back over to the window. “I’m fine.” However, no matter how hard I try, my voice cracks a bit.
• Jacob instantly asks, “Baby, are you crying? I didn’t mean to upset you. I couldn’t hold back my anger at what my father tried to do. Baby, I’m so sorry.”
• No matter how hard I want to let my sobs out, my father’s voice is there telling me to be strong and don’t cry.
• I shake my head. “You know me. Strong alphas don’t cry. I’m not crying.”
• “Oh, baby. But you aren’t an alpha. You are a beautiful, sweet omega forced to do something that goes against everything. The moon goddess can’t be happy. You have no idea how my mother wants to chew your father out about what he did, but she has kept her mouth shut all these years for the sake of the alliance. However, if she ever gets the opportunity, she will unleash her fury on him.”
• A small smile bubbles out of me as the image of his mother kicking my father’s ass plays in my mind. I would pay to see that someday.
• He chuckles. “It is only a matter of time before she gets her wish.”
• A light giggle spills from me as various images of her float through my mind. Each of them has her ripping into my father.
• Jacob’s voice softens again. “Bry, baby, can you come back home this weekend? Now that I know my father’s true intentions, I’ll be coming home. I want to spend the weekend with you and make up for what my father has done.”
• I shake my head. “No. I just got here. I need to get more work done before I take a break and go home.”
• “Please, baby. I’ll do everything you like. You know Hunter and I can make all your fantasies come true.”
• Gulp.
• “Please, baby. I miss you.”
• Should I find a reason to go home already?