“I did something wrong, and I owe apologies,” Jess said.
“What did you do?” Wreck asked.
Jess blew out a shaky breath and began. “The other day, when Tammy called you, and I asked if I could take care of it,” she said to Wreck. “I took care of it.”
Confusion swirled in the Alpha’s fiery eyes. “As you said you did. So?”
“I didn’t tell you how I took care of it.” She cleared her throat, and said, “I wanted Tammy to be at this meeting so she can keep me accountable. Lately, I’ve been wanting to hide what I’m going through, or omit parts of the story.” Moisture rimmed her eyes and she ducked her attention to the flames. “I did well when I was being mentored by Clara, and Vyr. But Lucia Novak got me into contact with a spell-caster named Serena, and I started training with her. Only I’m not built like her,” she said,her voice going thick. She lifted her gaze to Wreck and admitted, “I’m bigger. Serena said it’s because I come from a powerful lineage, and paired with being a shifter, I’m having some…side-effects.”
“What side effects?” King asked.
“I lose…” She glanced up at Tammy and then back down to the ground. “I lose track of right and wrong.”
“Oh shit, are we in the beginnings of your villain story?” Cash asked.
“I did something the other night that felt natural, and was fueled by my anger,” Jess explained. “I saw Connor and his missing hand, and I saw my brother and I knew they were here to hunt me, and I just…I just…”
“Say it,” Wreck gritted out.
Jess inhaled deeply and said, “I took over Tawk’s mind, and put a story there that wasn’t happening, and made him feel like he had to kill Connor.”
“Holy shit,” Reed murmured. “You can get into minds?”
Jess nodded. “It’s new, but it comes very naturally to me. And when I’m angry?” She shook her head.
“Did Tawk kill Connor?” Garret asked.
“No, but not because I pulled him off.” Jess’s glowing eyes darted to Tammy and away. “Tammy stopped him.”
Beside her, Dylan jerked his attention to her. Everyone was looking at her now.
“Serena had explained that no one would be able to stop me, but Tammy did. And when it happened, I could see it.”
“See what?” Tammy asked. “The horror on Tawk’s face that is now burned into my mind for eternity when he realized he’d been betrayed by someone he knows? When he figured out he was used?”
“All I saw was the bond,” Jess said quietly. “It was tethering you to him. Bright purple. Thick. Strong. He could see you andfeel you while I was doing everything in my power to make him only see and feel what I wanted him to.”
“Jess,” Timber murmured. “What the hell?”
“I know! I know. Tawk lit me up yesterday and I can’t freaking stop thinking about it now. I wasn’t sorry. You should all know that. There was no guilt. Only a feeling of complete power, and a little frustration that Tammy had stopped Tawk from doing what I wanted him to do.”
“You were mad that she stopped you from forcing Tawk tomurdersomeone for you? Dude, you’re the worst,” Cash said, arms crossing over his chest. Tammy had never seen him look so serious.
“Come on, man,” Kade rumbled, standing.
“Oh what?” Cash said, straightening up. “You gonna fight me for saying it’s fucked up what she did?” Cash barked. “Fight me then.”
“No, no, no,” Jess said, jumping between them and pushing Kade back by the chest. “Cash is right! Kade, Cash is right. And Tawk was right. I can feel the changes in me, and I don’t want them. Please. Sit down and let me finish this.”
Kade sat slowly, his furious gaze on Cash.
Jess dragged air into her lungs and turned to Tammy. “You had a bond that is one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen, and I pushed Tawk out of the territory, and I’m sorry. I messed up.”
Tammy couldn’t hold her gaze. Her eyes were burning with tears, and she didn’t want anyone here to see her cry. This meeting was so clear now. This was Jess’s apology meeting. It was her accountability meeting.
Tammy could respect it. She inhaled a shaky breath and stood, made her way around the fire pit and hugged Jess up. “No more,” she said thickly.
Jess’s shoulders shook and she sniffed. “I already told Serena I won’t be working with her anymore, and asked Clara and Vyr and Lucia to go back to mentoring the way we were doing it before. I was happy and steady then. I want to keep learning control, not power.”
