You Rejected A Silver Wolf
Visit from Jaden

Chapter Fourteen - Visit from Jaden Chris POV

Why didn't they inform me beforehand as well? Jake Justin was already a sly fox who always got what he wanted. What emotional distress would his brother put me through this time?

I realized I hadn't responded to Jake Justin and cleared my throat. "Of course, I'm on my way. He is the new Alpha of your pack, right?"

Jake nodded. "Yes, and we'll be waiting for you."

There was something slightly sinister about the way he looked at me and then at my record book before walking away.

Slamming my book of affirmations shut, I exhaled deeply, closing my eyes. When I opened them again, they were red and flaming. I was drawing energy from my wolf, Zeke. "Let's go and rule those wolves," I muttered.

Upon arriving at the courtroom, I saw Jake seated beside a man covered in a big black hoodie. I paused before figuring out it was Jake's brother. Of course, he had to wear a creepy outfit. His aura was strong-I could tell. He was even eligible to be an Alpha King if not for their alliance.

"He's here," Jake said, patting his brother playfully. He jumped out of his seat with high spirits, acting like the youngest around his brother.

The young man slowly stood up and pulled down his hoodie. His green eyes pierced into mine before they relaxed. His hair was longer than Jake's, perhaps shoulder length, and he had a more feminine face structure.

Both his hands were behind his back. Jake noticed and copied him, like younger siblings often do.

"Alpha Chris, my greetings to you. I am Jaden," the young man said, bowing briefly.

Jake reluctantly bowed as well. I was pleased that Jaden had a less arrogant attitude and hadn't referred to himself as an Alpha.

I gestured for them to lift their heads, and they did. "Nice to meet you, Jaden. I don't recall seeing you at my coronation."

I rubbed it in. Why should I have been dealing with the youngest son when there was an older one? Jaden's expression darkened.

"I couldn't attend your coronation due to unforeseen distractions. My apologies," he said in a flat, low tone.

I nodded in agreement. "Yes, distractions happen. Welcome to my palace. If you'd like, you could stay for a few days." I didn't mean that, but courtesy demanded it. "Gladly!"

He agreed?! Even Jake looked surprised.

"I never got to develop a friendship with you, and I feel that staying for a while might help blossom that," Jaden said, his tone livelier.

He was excited to build a relationship with me? That was unexpected from anyone from Black Rose. I began to see him in a different light.

"Um, brother, you have a pack to run," Jake said sternly.

I smirked, knowing full well Jake didn't like the idea of good relations between us.

"Handle it for a while. At most, I'll stay for a day or two," Jaden said, patting his brother. "Honestly, this is the farthest I've ever been outside my pack."

He turned his attention to the architectural designs on the wall. "And as your closest ally, I think we should find common ground."

I was beginning to like this guy's positivity and openness. Jake had all the bad traits.

"Very well, I'm open to that. You'll be hosted here," I said.

Jaden turned away from the wall and gave me a big smile. "I appreciate the kind gesture."

Jake grunted and muttered under his breath, "This wasn't what I thought he meant by 'let's see our Alpha King."

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A smirk crept onto my face as Jake stormed off, returning to his pack alone. It felt satisfying to see him displeased.

With my knowledge of the Black Rose Pack, I knew them to be adventurous and always seeking a worthy challenge. This Alpha seemed like he was seeing things for the first time in his life.

"You said this was crafted by the Red Bloom Pack? And it's popular? Why haven't I seen it before?" Jaden asked, referring to a spoon I'd had since I was five.

"It was gifted to me five years ago. Very brilliant design," I said.

"There's hope for art in this world," he cheered, admiring an aesthetically pleasing plate.

Soon, I grew tired of showing off my plates and cutlery. If he wanted a tour, Sasha could do it. I had pending issues on my table.

It clicked in my head that Your Silver had attacked them recently, though I didn't quite understand why. Jake seemed to be hiding something. Hunters weren't important enough to be kidnapped by a fearsome warrior like Your Silver; he could have killed them if he wanted them dead. Jake's report that mere hunters were taken only meant he needed them alive, not with Your Silver.

I cleared my throat. "Mr. Jaden." He snapped his head toward me, dropping the knife he had been holding. "You don't mind me calling you that, right?"

"No, but Jaden will do," he replied.

His simplicity impressed me, though it would be frightening if it were an act. Of course, I trusted him.

"Your Silver is only known to free slaves. Why did he go after your hunters?"

His eyes dilated, and he looked down. Something was up.

"Apparently, he also targets omegas and hunters who aren't happy with where they are. He turns them into rogues," Jaden explained.

My face hardened. Your Silver took his hunters to be rogues? When did he start doing that? He could claim a lot of hunters and omegas, as many were unhappy in their current packs due to intimidation and abuse. "Either that, or it has something to do with the Red Moon hunters that attacked years back," Jaden added nonchalantly.

I snapped out of my overthinking and sighed in relief. "And why did he take those hunters?"

"Those hunters were warriors who fought him back then. I demoted them for their own safety, but he caught onto them," Jaden said.

"To kill them? That makes no sense. There must be something else he needs them for," I said.

Jaden hummed thoughtfully but shrugged. "I'm investigating the families of those captured to find out. It could be related to Red Moon, as Your Silver saved Red Moon hunters that year. No results yet."

I smiled. Jaden was easier to communicate with than Jake, so I asked again, "Could I be informed of the results of your investigation?"

"Sure. It might take a while, but I'll let you know," he replied simply.

I nodded amiably and placed an old golden spoon my mother had been obsessed with in Jaden's hands. "A souvenir from the kitchen."

His eyes lit up, and he folded his fingers around it. "Thank you. I'd like to get more from the market. Can you take me there?" he asked, walking away.

I was exhausted from the tour. We hadn't sat down for almost two hours, but I sucked it up.

As we moved toward the main hall, I spotted a figure resembling Jake climbing onto a horse. Wasn't he supposed to be gone, or were my eyes deceiving me? The figure seemed to be holding my record book. Jaden appeared in front of me then. "Alpha, is this palace designed with marble or bricks? I can't quite tell."

I was distracted and couldn't see Jake anymore. Perhaps I had seen wrong, but if I hadn't, something fishy was definitely going on.