JACE W.

-*-

White-hot pain stabs into my skull. I want to yell, but can only hiss through my locked jaw. Everything fucking hurts. My mind begins to haze, feeling as though the floor would slip away if I did not hold on for dear life. Then came the foul bitterness to my mouth. I hold back a gag, fearing the convulsion would only cause me more suffering. And so I remain utterly still. I hate how weak I feel, how stupidly helpless and fragile I must look.

Minutes tick by, when, at last, my mind begins to clear and memories return. I begin to recall everything following my visit to the village, from my sudden collapse in the woods to Kyra feeding me her disgusting mixture. Another gag convulses in my throat, my stomach's contents threatening to spill any second. I lay still when a cough rips into my lungs and I nearly fold in pain.

Had I been poisoned? Caught some sickness?

The thought sent my mind ablaze with worry. Perhaps I should visit Kyra...

I straighten myself into a sitting position, ignoring my muscle's screams of protest, and heave out a heavy breath. Looking around, I came to realize I'd been settled to rest in a small tent though there was barely enough space to sit down as it is. Feeling the fabric beneath me, I notice the thin mattress struggles to hold my weight, leaving little space between me and the floor.

Could explain the pain in my back.

I reluctantly crawl out of the tent. I'm assaulted by a blinding wall of light as I fold aside the thin fabric and I stagger to a halt. Seconds pass before my eyes begrudgingly adjust when a body suddenly slams into me and I nearly stagger to the floor.

''Shit-!'' My eyes snap to Zedekiah's frosty mane as he hastily gathers the supplies he'd scattered across the floor. ''Watch it, Scout.'' I snarl.

- Apologies, Jace.'' It was Zakary who spoke, arriving by his twin's side. ''My brother seems to be quite forgetful of his manners as of lately.''

I scoff. These boys have never had any manners to begin with. The reasons as to why my father accepted them into the pack in the first place eludes me to this day; it's as though he once saw a potential in them I would never fully understand. Or perhaps he was in need of a few extra lackies to do his dirty work.

Regardless of his reasons, they have yet to prove their worth to me.

Turning to scattered supplies, suspicion settles in my chest. ''Where are you two headed?''

Zedekiah stills and raises his eyes to mine. Uncertainty flickers in his pupils. ''There was a storm last night- most of our supplies got soaked.

- Didn't I assign you to watch over them?" I grind, my anger growing by the second.

"Cade needed our aid. When we returned, we had assumed someone else had secured the goods. We've salvaged what we could.'' Zakary cuts in. " a large portion of our food was lost to the rains, however. We must gather a hunting party if we are to avoid starvation."

The authority in his tone rubs me the wrong way- my wolf itches to bite and put him back in his place, but I remain steadfast. I push the mutt aside, reminding it of its place when I reply, :
"I will decide if a hunting party is needed. In the meantime, continue to gather whatever you can find. Report to me how much you've gathered when finished. And Zedekiah-" I turn to him as he finally stands, supplies clumsily held in his arms. "And this time, make sure the supplies are kept dry."

The twins reply with a synchronized "Yes Sir" before I hastily take my leave.

Reaching Kyra's tent within a few minutes, I stumble through the thin fabric with an unsteady footing and nearly barge into her supplies. As I steady my balance, a croaking laugh explodes from the other end of the tent.

''Had fun on your little trip, Jace?'' Unable to see much through my foggy vision, I give out a loud snarl.

''Shut it, woman. I'm not here to be patronized.''

She scoffs. ''You wouldn't be here if you hadn't run off to Goddess knows where and disappear for a day, you moron!''

She stands, rummaging angrily through her supplies. The ruckus sends my mind ablaze once more. I groan, sitting onto the nearest bench when a foul smell reaches my nose. My throat convulses with a gag.

''Drink this.'' Kyra croaks, shoving a thick, greenish mixture into a wooden bowl. I frown. She expects me to swallow that slop? She must've gone mad. To my horror, she hobbles over and hands me the wooden bowl. I stare into the mixture, my stomach already twisting at the mere thought of consuming it.

I raise a fearful eye towards Kyra. ''You expect me too-

- Drink. It.'' Her voice drips with authority and I find myself unable to disobey.

Lifting the bowl to my lips, I gag as the slimey content slides onto my tongue. A vile, fermented taste coats my mouth. My stomach coils but I remain steadfast, close my eyes and chug down the bowl's mixture in one quick swoop. Only once the entire content has been swallowed do I allow myself to breathe.

''Fuck!'' I wretch and nearly vomit the freshly drank slime. A few minutes pass before I regain my bearings. ''Fuck! What is that---? Did it spoil!?

- What will keep your migraines tamed.'' She spats, ripping the bowl from my hands. ''I've already dealt with every excuse from your father when he began his treatment, I certainly won't take any bullshit from you.''

Her words quickly caught my interest; my father had never shared any word of a treatment- he's never shared much about him to begin with- but I would expect him to share if he had been burdened by some malady. ''Treatment? Treatment for what?''

- Migraines. You aren't the first Weston to have been afflicted by them.'' Although her voice projects certainty, something in her tone sends a shiver of alarm down my spine. I push it down to me missing my father and brush the thoughts aside; this is no time to let my emotions get the better of me.

Minutes ticked by and my vision began to clear. Whatever slop Kyra had fed me seems to be taking effect at last- only at the cost of my appetite. At that, I stand, ready to take my leave.

''Jace.'' I halt at the tent's opening, and turn to Kyra's sunken gaze. Her dark eyes pierce through me with a strange heaviness I couldn't explain as she speaks. ''Take care of yourself.''

Her words hung like fog in the air, leaving me to wonder what she meant. But, raising my eyes towards her, I came to realize she was already absorbed back into her work. I decide against prying further and take my leave.

Upon my exit, a peculiar sensation manifests in my chest- nothing but a light tug at first- quickly grows and tugs me forward. My wolf, dormant a second ago, is now wide awake and barking up a storm. The warm heat in my chest only grows as my gaze slowly rises to a brown haired girl- the Omega.

In a brief instance of what I could only describe as folly, I tap into the mate bond. Everything stills and she is all I see. My heart thrums wildly, its drowning rhythm booming into my ears. Faster and louder, faster and louder. Panic coils into my stomach as my wolf begins to claw at my skin, demanding to be let out.

Mate! Mate! Mate!

I quickly push away the bond. My lungs are briefly robbed of air and my knees go weak. A protesting growl rises from my Wolf's throat as it pours its desires to claim her into my mind.

"Jace." Cade's voice grounds me into reality. I raise saucer-wide eyes to his sky blue pools.

"What-?" I rasp, surprised my throat feels sandpaper dry as I speak.

My tone seems to surprise him because he staggers to a pause, blinking. "As you must already have heard, we've lost a good portion of our food supply to the storms and-"

Frustration swells in my chest. "Yes, yes, the twins told me everything." I pinch the bridge of my nose, feeling a headache settle between my temples. "What did you want?

- I had plans to lead a hunting party. I'll take Ryder, Angel and Ava-

- No." The word slips from my lips before I can think of it. "I need you to stay in camp. Send Winston, Ryder and the twins with the girl." I blurt as I suddenly find it difficult to think, my wolf's thoughts once again pouring into my own.

Keep away! Protect!

I clear my throat and sever the connection once more. "Winston will lead the party. Return to me when you've finished.''

Hesitation briefly flickers in his blue pools. Just as I am about to speak, he bows his head and turns heals.

-*-

Happy time zone readers! Hope you are all doing well, and enjoying the first day of SPOOKY MONTH :p
I sure am, hehe

With that in mind, I hope you enjoy this new chapter! Personally I am very proud of the writing in this one and hope I can keep this quality up for chapters to come :) What's your thoughts on this POV from Jace? Any ideas what may be going on with him?

Let me know in the comments! And as always; feedback is greatly appreciated :)
Take care!