Alexander’s POV
“I’m going with you!”
Jax’s voice made me stop dead in my tracks at the foyer door. We were ready to head out to rescue Emily and the other pack members.
I called in some help from our neighboring packs, and eight packs had agreed to join us on our mission. They were all waiting for me at the border for orders before we moved out.
With a sigh, I turned to look at Jax.
I did not want to argue with him because I was the one who brought him here in the first place with Mila’s approval. I called the hospital, and on the same day, Jax and his file were released and moved to our infirmary without any problems.
I gave the pack doctor instructions to assemble a small medical team to assess Jax’s injuries, review the hospital medical report, and provide me with feedback on his evaluation.
I have never seen a wolf in such critical condition after a vehicle accident, and to make matters worse, Jax’s wolf seemed to be struggling to heal him. Jax’s body was severely damaged; he suffered multiple rib fractures on his left and a broken shoulder on his right, and his left leg was crushed in two different places. The medical staff had already positioned the bones for healing before sending him over.
However, the most horrific wound Jax sustained was a large scar that ran down the side of his face and crossed his left eye. We were not certain if he had lost his eyesight in his left eye.
When, after some time, we saw indications that Jax’s wolf was beginning to heal him, we were thankful but were unable to identify the reason behind the process’s delay.
The doctor did some tests, but neither silver nor wolfsbane were present in his system.
“There is not much more I can tell you, Alpha,” the doctor said. “Aside from the fact that he is still in critical condition, at least his wolf has started to heal him. He should wake up shortly and be fine. If all goes well, he should be back to normal in a week or two.”
The doctor was right; Jax woke up sooner than we thought.
I was in the infirmary, looking for an update, when Jax decided to join us in the realm of the living. His moans caught my attention, and I made my way to his room.
“What am I doing here?” he asked as I walked into the room, his expression bewildered and confused.
Jax’s eyes fell on Mila, who was standing beside him, happy tears streaming down her cheeks.
“You and Emily were in a car accident,” Mila choked out.
“Who?” Jax asked, confused.
Jax turned his head to be able to look past Mila and at me, while Mila seemed shocked and unable to respond. “Alpha Alexander, perhaps you could tell me who Emily is?”
The doctor came over and took his vitals before I had a chance to respond.
Mila remained by Jax’s side, observing and reporting back to me any issues with Jax’s memory.
It was later discovered that Jax was able to recognize everyone, but when Mila inquired about Emily, he was unable to recall a single detail about her.
Luke theorized that perhaps Jax’s memories of Emily had been erased, and for some strange reason, I had to agree with him.
“Jax, you can’t,” Mila cried out, hysterical after him. “Please do not leave! You have not yet reached your full strength! The doctor said to wait a couple of more days! ”
My attention moved to where Mila stood on the verge of crying.
Ever since Jax opened his eyes, he has been very challenging. He started acting irrationally and aggressively, and he could not stop pacing tensely through his hospital room.
Even though Mila went above and beyond to try and make him feel comfortable, Jax’s actions were getting too much for her to handle. His outbursts included tearing out the IV tubes from his arm, flipping the bed onto its side, and completely ruining half of his infirmary room.
Because of his aggressive behavior, the doctor threatened to institutionalize him. Mila came to me, pleading with me to tell Jax to calm down.
I visited him as she requested.
“Jax,” I called from the door. “Can I come in?”
Jax paced back and forth while merely nodding.
“Mila requested that I visit you,” I uttered.
Jax stopped his pacing and turned to face me.
“Why?” he asked.
“Because she is worried about you,” I said, taking a seat in the visitor’s chair. “Could you please explain why you seem so upset?”
“It seems as though I am forgetting something,” he said. “As if something were erased from my memory. It is undoubtedly something significant. A potentially life-altering event.”
“Is there any way you could describe this and give me a clue?” I asked, shifting my gaze to the side. “Or describe its appearance or even its scent for me.”
Jax gave a dismissive shake of his head.
“All right,” I replied. “If you see this, will you be able to recognize it?”
“Yes,” he said, nodding and lifting his gaze toward me.
Lex suddenly appeared at the door, holding Lilly’s hand, and Jax immediately turned his attention toward him, narrowing his eyes in surprise.
“Y-y-you are her son?” Shocked, Jax stammered.
“I am,” Lex said, letting go of Lilly’s hand as he climbed onto the hospital bed. “And you, Uncle Jax, are Lilly’s daddy.”
Jax nodded.
How could Lex have known who Jax was talking about?
“Six senses,” Ghost commented.
“But I cannot remember her face,” Jax remarked.
That gave me an idea, and two minutes later Luke was at my side.
“Jax,” I called out, breaking up his and Lex’s conversation. The pups were chatting casually about their new school while seated on Jax’s bed. With the pups around him, Jax appeared more at ease and in control of his emotions.
Everyone’s eyes shifted to me.
“Yes, Alpha Black,” Jax answered.
“If it is okay with you, I would like to conduct a little experiment,” I said, getting closer.
“What kind of experiment are we talking about?” he asked, wary.
“It is something small,” I uttered gravely. “It would not hurt, I swear. I simply want to know if you are familiar with this smell.”
Luke gave me a bag, which I opened and observed Jax’s response while I took out the contents.
When the scent reached Jax’s nose, his nostrils flared, and his face nearly instantly brightened.
“T-t-that’s the scent!” With excitement, he called out. “Where did you find it? To whom does it belong?”
“It is Luna Emily’s scent,” Luke said.
“And she was in the SUV with you when you got into the accident.”
Jax shook his head and narrowed his eyes.
“When I had the accident, nobody was with me,” he stated.
“Uncle Jax,” Lex called, and we turned our attention to Lex. “Your wolf heard a woman calling out to you. Focus on him; he remembers her.”
Jax balled his fists as something flashed through his eyes.
Although I could not be certain if Lex’s words had triggered a memory about Emily’s, what I was certain of was the revolution burning in Jax’s eyes, which meant trouble was coming.
“I am fine, Mila!” Jax said, clearing the memory from my thoughts. “The doctor cleared me and said I was ready to go.”
Mila turned toward me, her eyes pleading.
“Alpha,” a warrior called from down the hall, and I momentarily turned my attention to him, hearing the distress in his voice. He looked a bit worried, as if something had just happened.
“Yes,” I answered, giving him my full attention.
“The pack members are being moved,” he said.
“All, or only some?” Luke asked anxiously.
“All,” the warrior replied.
“We had better leave,” Jax said, capturing my gaze.
“But?” Mila grabbed Jax’s arm and tried again. Her eyes gleamed with tears.
“Mila, I know where she is kept,” he interrupted, his eyes softening. He glanced down at his frightened mate and pulled her to his chest. “Even after they tried wiping my memory.”
****