Jax (A Neveah Short Story) Read Online Free

watched her. She was
so pretty, prettier than Annika if he was being honest. He watched
her and tried to feel it, the feeling he only felt with Annika, but
he couldn't. The want for her body was there, but the feeling in
his heart was not. He kissed her gently on the forehead before he
dressed and left her alone, without a goodbye.
    He went home that day, intending to tell
Annika everything. He had to tell her how much he loved her, and
that he wanted nothing more than to marry her. He would even
confess his night with Akayleah. She would forgive him as he would
her. She would realize her love for him, and they would be
happy.
    He had washed all evidence of Akayleah from
his body and put on fresh clothes then went to find Annika. He was
no further than his own path when she literally ran into him. He
could see she was upset and thought she surely had come to him
because that James Mender was a fool who broke her heart, and Jax
was happy for it. He would be there for her and prove his own love
to her. What she said took him by surprise. Her words would echo in
his head forever.
    “Have they told you? They plan for us to
marry! How could they?” Her voice was nearing a whine and Jax felt
his heart accelerate. This wasn't what he thought her reaction
would be. Yes, they had drifted apart recently, but she was still
his soulmate, his light in the dark. She was his best friend, and
he was hers. They balanced each other. He took a few steady breaths
before speaking.
    “Of course Annie, of course we are to be wed.
My parents told me the deal they made with your father all those
years ago. I couldn't be happier Annie. I love you. Don't you love
me?” It was the most vulnerable he had been with her in a very long
time. Of course, he knew of the plans, his parents told him a long
time ago. He waited and waited for the two of them to come of age
so they could be one. Even though he saw her with another man, even
though he ran to the arms of someone else, even though they had
grown up and apart, he loved her and foolishly believed that she
loved him back.
    He was waiting patiently for her response.
Her face, so beautiful and innocent, looked afraid and sad. He knew
what she was going to say before she did. He braced himself against
the words he knew would change him forever.
    “No Jax, I can't marry you. Of course I love
you, like I love Denali, like a brother.” He could see the sorrow
in her eyes and hear the sincerity in her voice, but it didn't
matter. He was trembling beneath his skin and when she laid a hand
on him, attempting to calm him down, his fury grew, but he could
control it.
    “Don't try to calm me Annika. It's not going
to work this time. I can calm myself.” He felt his body shake and
his skin tingled, but he controlled it, as he had practiced many
times in The Dark Forest. He tried to find the words to erase the
ones she had just spoken.
    “I'm sorry if I scared you, but that's not
really what I was expecting to hear from you. It's okay though. We
have time. You will learn to love me. We will be happy Annie.” He
could hear the pleading in his voice, the slight quiver that caused
his normally steady and strong voice to shake. She would see
reason. He would make her see reason.
    “I love someone else Jax. He asked me to
marry him today and I said yes. You see, I can't marry you.” The
words impaled his heart, and his stomach churned. It took every
ounce of self-control he had to keep from shifting. When she tried
to touch him, he pushed her away, fearing her touch would be the
end of him.
    “Please, Jax, understand. I had no idea you
felt this way. You can't be angry with me!” She said, and he heard
the anger in her voice. His entire life he was with Annika. They
grew together, and they learned together. They laughed together and
loved together. Almost every major life experience had been
experienced together including their first kiss. How could she not
know how he felt? He didn't try to hide it. As their