Chapter 33. Price of Protection
Alpha Jackson sat alone in his room, deep in thought. The atmosphere was still, heavy with silence.
A thick leather-bound book lay open on the table before him, untouched. He sat in his reading chair, eyes fixed on the book, though his mind was far from it.
Let all that has happened to me—and everything that has worked against me—be written in this book, he thought solemnly. One day, I won’t be here anymore. And when that time comes, no one will be able to tell Maria the full story. She’ll find this book at the right time. It’ll speak for me.
With a long, steadying breath, Alpha Jackson grabbed the book and rose to his feet. He knew what he had to do.
He walked out of his room and headed straight for his car. The moment his driver saw him approaching, he rushed forward.
"I’ll take the wheel today," Alpha Jackson said, waving the driver off before the man could say a word.
Without further explanation, he got into the driver’s seat and started the engine. It was a long journey ahead—one he had to take alone.
Three hours later, the road he traveled turned narrow and desolate. No other vehicles passed by, no signs of life. The air was thick with stillness, and the only sounds were birds flitting between trees.
He finally pulled over beside a dense forest. It looked like any ordinary patch of wild land, but Jackson knew better. He stepped out, locked the door, and took the book with him.
Without hesitation, he entered the tall bushes beside the road. As soon as he stepped through, the atmosphere changed. Darkness fell over the area like a thick curtain, despite the daylight outside.
Jackson didn’t flinch. He was familiar with the unnatural darkness of this sacred place.