Chapter6: Pivotal

There was a pensive stillness that hung in the air. All eyes were still on Jaxx Lorient, the misfit daughter of the Alpha that had just been named his successor. Out of all the cruel and unusual pranks the universe had played thus far, this outranked them all.

How could she be the next Alpha? She was barely accountable for herself, and now she would be responsible for the entire pack? No. This had to be a mistake. Jaxx squared her shoulders and stepped forward to rebuke the decision but was beat to it by the roar of another.

“This cannot be the will of the Goddess!” Jessup howled as he turned from his position in front of the dais.

Richard laid a firm hand on his son’s shoulder to silence him, but Jessup jerked away and made his way toward the center of the circle. He pointed an accusing finger at Jaxx who simply stood there, silent.

“Jacqueline Lorient? Our next Alpha?” His tongue was like a viper bite, sharp and venomous. “Someone that has shown repeatedly she couldn’t give a damn about this pack, now chosen to lead us?”

A low rumble of discontent spread throughout the crowd, each member shifting uncomfortably, murmuring under their breath.

“Are you suggesting my vision was incorrect?” The Shaman spoke up, his cerulean gaze now squarely on the son of the Beta.

“There is no question,” Jessup continued. “This is a grave error, and if she is allowed to serve as Alpha, I fear for the destruction of this sacred pack.”

“Know your place!” The Shaman snapped in a low, menacing tone. He had patience, but only so much to spare for such insubordination. “The Goddess speaks her will through me, as it has been for generations. Who are you to question such decisions?”

“I am someone who cares!” Jessup growled, taking an almost challenging step toward the Shaman.

Unwilling to allow for such disrespect, the sons of the Shaman stepped out from the background and positioned themselves between Jessup and their father.

“Jessup…” Richard called tentatively; an arm outstretched toward his son. “This isn’t the way.”

“Father,” Jessup pleaded. “You can’t tell me you agree with this decision?”

“I trust the will of the Goddess, and those she speaks through.”

“This is bullsh*t!”

“He’s right,” Jaxx abruptly piped up. “There’s no way in h*ll I am the one that’s supposed to lead.”

Jessup’s brows rose high on his forehead, and his mouth fell open. Jaxx agreed with him? Well, that had to be the first time ever. He took a step toward the dais and pointed at her once more, determined to capitalize on her admission of doubt.

“You see?” he yelled, his voice cracking midway. “Even she knows this is a complete joke!’

“Enough!” Octavius Lorient’s voice boomed, drowning out every other sound.

The pack snapped to attention, heads bowed out of respect for the man that remained their Alpha, at least for a while longer. He stood there a moment, silent, eyes dark and brooding. His heavy gaze drifted between the pack, the Shaman, Jessup, and finally his daughter.

“My family has served this pack for three decades,” he began. “And while my reign is over, the Goddess has clearly deemed it fit that my lineage will continue to lead us forward.”

He paused to let his words sink in.

“Anyone that takes issue with that decision has but two options,” he continued. “Leave, and take your chances alone, without the support of the pack, or challenge the new Alpha to combat.”

At that announcement, several pack members began to bicker amongst themselves. Jaxx stared at her father, half unnerved by his willingness to give her up for combat, even if he was just following protocol.

“I demand the challenge!” Jessup shouted over the pack. “Right here, right now.”

Richard rushed forward and shoved his son backward, stabbing a finger into his chest.

“You’ll do no such thing!”

“You’d choose this lowlife,” Jessup barked. “Over your own flesh and blood?”

“That isn’t what this is…”

“I can’t say I’m surprised; you’ve always chosen her over me.”

Jaxx’s mouth cracked open slightly at the words Jessup spoke to his own father. Was that truly how Jessup saw his actions over the years? It was a Beta’s duty to see to the needs of the Alpha and their family and Richard, despite being a pain in her backside, had served his position well. Perhaps so well that it had led to the detriment of his relationship with his only son? She had never considered that.

“Son,” Richard began, but Jessup had already turned away from him.

“This is settled,” Octavius bellowed. “We will move forward to the coronation and solidify the will of the Goddess.”

“Wha…No!” Jaxx stammered and moved toward her father. “I don’t agree to this, and you can’t make me take on a role I don’t even believe I am qualified for.”

“Silence!” Octavius seethed, doubly annoyed by the rebelliousness of both youngsters this night. “We don’t always get delt the hand we desire, daughter, but you’ll come to learn that in time. Unless you choose to run away again.”

Her father’s words were like a dagger straight through the heart, and the shame that bled from the wound was profound. Unable to handle it, Jaxx turned and jogged down the steps of the dais, disappearing amongst the pack members.

Octavius shifted to follow her, but a firm hand on his shoulder caused him to turn. Helene stood toe to toe with him, eyes burning into his, telling him without words to stand down. He sighed and dropped his shoulders. Even an Alpha knew better than to challenge his wife on matters of children.

Helene tore her eyes from those of her husband’s and made her way from the dais, following her daughter from the ritual grounds. Octavius clenched his jaw, but deep down he knew this was a matter only she could tend to, so, instead of following her, he turned back to the pack instead.

“The coronation ceremony will commence three days from now,” he said. “I suggest everyone go home and work through any issues privately.”

He made his way down the dais, opposite the direction his wife and daughter had gone, and left the pack to disperse at their own pace.

**

“This is crazy,” Jaxx murmured to herself as she trudged away from the ritual grounds, past a row of houses, and toward the woods. She wasn’t quite sure where she was going, she just knew she had to get away.

“You would leave your poor mother out here alone?” A soft voice called from behind.

Jaxx took another step, sighed, and then turned around to see Helene approaching.

“I don’t feel like talking, mom,” she said as she dropped her gaze to the grass.

“There has been a lot of talking already,” Helene replied. “Maybe we could just walk for a while?”

A pause passed between them, and Helene moved past her daughter, taking the lead as she passed from the village and into the forest that lay ahead. Jaxx watched the outline of her mother disappear into the shadows before she gave in and followed.

The two of them climbed over loose rocks, underbrush, and felled trees, steadily getting further and further from the village. Neither one of them spoke, though, they just wandered.

“We used to explore these woods for hours when you were a child,” Helene said after a while. “It’s nice to do that again.”

“It has been a while…” Jaxx mumbled as she side-stepped a thorny thicket.

“Mm,” Helen hummed in agreement and continued up the backside of the Crescent Mountain, her daughter only a step behind.

The two of them remained in silence, simply walking alongside one another, until they emerged from the edge of the forest and stood side-by-side on a rocky outcropping that overlooked a steep valley. It wasn’t that far from where Jaxx had ended up after her fight with Jessup.

Helene breathed out a deep sigh and took a seat on a large boulder. She smoothed out the seam of her dress and leaned backward on her palms, eyes cast toward the cloud-dotted sky. After a moment, she patted the space beside her.

“Come, sit with me a while.”

Jaxx didn’t feel much like sitting. In truth, every inch of her wanted to keep moving. Sitting still seemed like an invitation for discomfort to settle in. Eventually she did though.

“What are we doing here?” she asked as she gazed out into the vast nothingness.

“We’re enjoying the view,”

A long sigh passed Jaxx’s lips at that comment. It was clear where she got her attitude, but she didn’t much feel like sitting around and soaking in the scenery given everything that had transpired over the last few hours.

“You know,” Helene finally spoke up. “I ended up at this exact spot when I was about your age.”

“You did?”

“Mmhm,” Helene nodded, but didn’t meet eyes with her daughter. “I had just found out your father was next in line to lead as Alpha.”

Jaxx furrowed her brows, waiting for her mother to continue but there was a prolonged silence before that happened.

“I didn’t want that life,” She eventually explained.

“What? I thought you and dad were like, in love since teenagers.”

“In love, yes, but I had dreams that didn’t involve being the mother of an entire pack.”

“Really?”

“Before knowing your father was going to rule, I had asked him probably a hundred times to run away with me. Then after the fact, I asked him a hundred times more.”

Jaxx’s mouth dropped open. This new information seemed foreign, nothing like the mother she knew, but was that a fair assessment? Her mother was a person after all, an individual with their own dreams and desires. Had she ever considered that? Honestly, not until now.

“Why are you telling me this?” Jaxx asked pointedly.

A small smile tugged the corners of Helene’s mouth, and she cocked her head toward her daughter. No words came, though, because none were needed. Jaxx stared at her for a moment and then dropped her head.

“Because we’re the same…” Jaxx whispered, understanding now why her mother had drug her out here to share these secrets.

“Daughter,” Helene began softly. “You are free to decide whether you take on the burden presented, or if you lay it down for someone else to bear. But, whatever you decide, you must live with.”

“How did you decide?”

“I knew I would never outrun the bond I had with your father,” Helene replied with a smile. “He was my fated mate.”

Helene paused and stared out across the blackened expanse before them. Jaxx considered her, seeking out any ounce of regret about those decisions, but she couldn’t find not one etched on her mother’s face.

“I could have run; I could have pushed that bond down and forged on with my own desires…” Helene admitted. “But then I would have missed out on being a mother to you, to Tristan. I would have lost much more than I gained,” she finished.

“Do you miss Tristan?”

“Every day.”

“Do you blame me?”

Helene hesitated and brought her gaze to rest on the shadowed face of her daughter. Gingerly, she reached out and covered Jaxx’s left hand with her own, giving it a light squeeze.

“I blame myself.”

Jaxx furrowed her brows and brought her eyes to the soft hazel of her mother’s. A long moment passed between them, simply staring at one another, trying to understand, attempting in silence to repair damages long passed.

After a while, Helene released her daughter’s hand and stood up. She stretched her lithe form, rolled her neck from side to side, and then began walking toward the forest.

“What you decide to do from here on out is up to you and you alone,” she said. “But don’t leave yourself open to regret, and always know that no matter what, I love you.”

And with that she was gone, reclaimed by the forest, leaving Jaxx alone to ruminate on the conversation that had passed between them.

“I love you, too…” Jaxx whispered, her voice carrying on the breeze as she remained locked to that boulder, locked in her thoughts, locked into making a decision she wasn’t sure she could make. Alone, but not alone.

“Are you done with the pity party?” a voice from within Jaxx’s mind suddenly made itself known.

Jaxx’s body went ridged. She knew that voice, she’d know it anywhere, and the pain it brought filled her body to breaking. It was the voice of her confidant over the years, her respite through troubled times, her twin…it was Tristan.