"What do you think I want to do this? Hmm? I'm this pack's beta. I need to keep moving forward to protect the family, to protect you! Don't you think I'm angry? Don't you think I'm sad or frustrated? Jace's put a lot of hard work into becoming a better beta than anyone else." Jason roared, his eyes shifting to Henry, making the young teen step back in fear.
"I don't want it," Henry argued weakly, " I don't want to take his position away."
Jason took deep breaths and calmed down before explaining to Henry, "I don't want it either, but as a beta wolf from the direct line of this pack's beta position. Someone needs to become the next beta when Alaric takes over the pack. "
"No, I don't want to please! Dad, please Jace is right upstairs. He's right there. Please at least let it sit for two weeks. No, a week." Jason pursed his lips at Henry's pleading.
"Fine, I'll give you time to adjust but it will be only one week." Jason compromised with Henry before walking up to him and placing his palm on the boy's shoulder. "You need to be aggressive and assertive. You need to show the pack that you are challenging your brother for the position."
Henry trembled, his mouth ajar. Nothing would prepare him as his eyes clashed with his brother's. Jace was sitting on the staircase while staring at them blankly.
"D.Dad!" Henry shouted. Jason stiffened up as he turned his head to the staircase where Jace was sitting. Jace came downstairs and heard what he had just said. Jason thought he was in too much pain to move, but that thought was wrong.
"So that's how it is," Jace said softly, his voice was husky and dry as if he hadn't had water in days. "Do well little brother. I believe in you."
The father and son duo flinched as if they had been slapped. His words and expressions weren't anything like they had imagined they would be.
He smiled when saying it, a soft smile, yet his eyes were a bit empty as he had said it. His dream, the person he was meant to be, was being passed off to someone else and he had to smile and bear it. That's what was expected of him. Even if he wanted to fight for the position, how could he?
Not only is the person taking over is his little brother, his wolf was literally dying. He couldn't keep his position. And Jace understood this clearly. In fact, he had already made up his mind to help Henry to adjust to his new role.
"No! Jace, it's not as you think. I don't want to be a beta. I loathe it and hate that asshole Alaric. I'd never think of replacing you as beta." Henry pushed forward and moved to Jace while explaining in desperation.
Jace watched as his little brother scrambled to explain to him his intentions. And shook his head gently.
"I know little chick," Jace said, making Henry stop coming closer to explain. "I understand better than anybody, I can't become the beta, my wolf is dying. The pack needs the direct beta family to take control. The pack needs you, don't cause dad any trouble, and learn well."
"This, this. Dad, Jace he." Henry clenched his fist and unclenched it.
"You don't need to fill anybody's shoes but your own as you learn. I have a feeling you'll become a strong, powerful beta, even more powerful than myself and dad. " Jace continued as he weakly grasped the railings to help himself stand up.
"Jace," Jason called out to his older son, who looked at him when he heard his name. "Are you okay?"
Jace smiled and nodded to his father. "I just wanted to tell Henry that I heard you two talking. My super hearing is functional, you see."
He explained, Jason frowned and nodded in acknowledgment, making it known he heard Jace.
Jace nodded back and turned to head back upstairs. His smile slipped from his face as soon as he was certain they couldn't see his face anymore.
As Morel said, his spell made the regular type of pain tolerable but to a certain extent. They didn't know that he spent the night bearing the pain as it was just to appear normal in front of them.
"Then is it okay for me to take it?"Jace heard Henry ask. Jace put back a smile on his face as he turned to Henry.
"Better you than somebody else," he said. The young boy's pupils shook when he heard that.
Jason looked at his side in silence. It was that level-headedness that made him so desirable among the pack elites and elders.
Jace knew of the bigger picture and acted on it. He heard them from upstairs and came down to reassure his little brother who was resisting the role. Henry couldn't resist this role, it had to be Henry.
Once again, for the stability of the pack, Jason felt like he was jamming a knife into his son's already open and bleeding wounds.
"Are you alright?" Jason asked subconsciously after staring at Jace for a second. "This, I can't imagine how this must feel to you."
"Dad, Haha. This is nothing. What's one title? We are one family. All our glory and fates are tied together." Jace laughed as he answered his father. "So little chick don't worry about me and learn well from dad."
Henry gulped and nodded his head in response, which made Jace smile brightly at his brother. Jason didn't say anything anymore, so Jace told them he'd head back to his room first.
Jason and Henry replied to him and Jace turned, using the hand railing to stabilize his shaking body. He slowly made his way up the stairs, making sure to only show them strong steps.
Jace moved to continue upstairs when the front door opened. Who else was it but Hailey holding bags entering the house?
"Jace! You're up and about?" His mother's surprised voice stopped his slow movements to walk back up the stairs.
"Yes mom, but I'm a bit tired now." Jace forced himself to smile as he turned and told her. The pain was getting worse.
He couldn't bare seeing them watch him in pain or even let them hear his screams. He promised himself, once was enough.
He had to see the positive side of things, because if he didn't, the goddess knew what would become of him.
"Oh but you haven't eaten. I had the chefs in the pack house make us some food. Come down and eat." Hailey motioned towards herself cheerfully.
Jace could see through her smile and cheerfulness. She was forcing herself to be the usual upbeat mom she was.
Hailey shot Henry and Jason a side-eye. Jace knew she was berating them through the mind link.
Jace felt like his body was reaching its limits now. He didn't want them to see it anymore. He had to show them that he was okay.
"I'm not hungry mom, so I'll take a rain check," Jace told his mom, who frowned in response. Her cheerful expression slipped from her face.
"Are you not feeling well? Is it the pain? Is it bad? You haven't eaten in days. This isn't okay." Hailey placed the bags in her hand on the floor next to her feet and began to make her way up the stairs to Jace.
"No, I don't feel any pain right now. Remember what the witch said? I've grown accustomed to pain so it's not noticeable anymore." Jace's lips twitched, this was the opposite of what he wanted, but for the sake of the greater good, he held onto the railing tightly and said. " I'm feeling a bit weak. I guess I neglected myself a bit maybe it's because I'm hungry. Why don't you help me downstairs mom?"
Hailey studied his facial expression for a bit before smiling once again. "Sure, I'll help you!"