Mrs. Blackwood turned her head and with a softened glare looked at Lola.
She swallowed and clenched her jaw; it was clear that this was a very difficult task at hand for her.
"Lola," she started and pinched her pearls between her fingers. She smiled, or at least she tried though it looked less human and more like the smile on a ceramic doll that stared in nightmares.
"I apologize if my behavior-"
"No." Jax interrupted, cutting off the strained apology and stepping in front of her.
"I told you to leave." He ordered.
"But I'm apologizing,"
"The only person that would believe that apology is Dad and that is only because he has been force-fed those half-assed apologies since the day you met him and not accepting them would give him more headache. You won't be poisoning my wife with those words but you can come back when it's sincere."
They all stood around and watched as Mrs. Blackwood shrunk but as soon as she caught herself and remembered that they weren't alone she lifted herself back and rolled her stiff shoulders to straighten her back.
"We will discuss this later," she said and twirled the pearls between her shoulders.
Jax turned around and looked warily at Lola, neither one of them said a word because what was there to say?
One moment he protected her and the other he was cooler than ice and wondered why she pulled away from him.
"You're giving me whiplash with your different personalities," Lola said tiredly.
She folded her arms tightly around her body like a protective barrier.
Jax took a deep breath, his eyes never left hers and they turned glossy the longer their gazes entwined.
His lip trembled, he sucked it between his teeth and bit down and his fingers coiled into fists.
"I don't know," he said. He threw a hard glare at his cousin who then took Lavina and walked out of the communal room.
They left Jax and Lola alone to talk, to fight, or to cry, nobody knew what would happen but they knew that the amount of emotion that filled the room suffocated anyone who stayed in it.
"I don't know what to say, Lola."
"Try the truth," she answered and took a step closer.
Everything around them stilled, time stopped and silence fell like a velvet blanket over their heads.
Everything that had happened the last couple of months led them here, to this moment, to a place that they never thought they would end up in.
Lola had fought against her new life, refused to admit that she was slowly falling for him until one day she realized that she had fallen all she could and was now standing on firm ground with a love she'd never experienced.
But it seemed now that they had fallen in different directions- for Lola, it was love, for Jax it must have been something entirely different for how he had treated her.
She couldn't put her finger on why the sudden change had occurred but it was crystal clear that love no longer played a major role in their marriage and that Jax had taken a different stand without informing her.
His eyes softened exponentially and he did not attempt to cover up the pain that he was feeling.
"I don't know," he said.
His brows furrowed and he looked down, receiving a mind link that needed his immediate attention.
'Alpha, the border guards spotted rogues. What would you like us to do?'
Jax sighed.
'Don't let them get away. Capture them alive, I'll be right there' he responded.
'Yes, Alpha'
Jax looked at his wife who knew already that this conversation was over before it had even begun.
"I have to go." He said apologetically and started putting up his walls one by one.
When she didn't answer- Jax straightened his back and remembered his role.
He turned to leave when her voice called out, anger laced her words and they rang in his ear causing his body to stiffen.
"Just answer me this," she ordered, standing tall with a narrow glare. Jax turned to face her, immediately wishing he hadn't when he saw the pain and the anger on her face.
"When you and Lavina were in New York, did anything happen between you two?"
Jax clenched his jaw and pulled his chin down, his eyes dangerously darkened on hers.
"I'm a married man, Lola."
"I'm surprised you remember." She sneered.
"Lola-"
"Did you kiss her?" She asked, cutting him off.
He stopped and raised his head.
"No."
"So nothing happened?"
"No, nothing happened."
She sighed and walked closer.
"Why is it so hard for me to believe you?" She asked, genuinely wondering as she looked into his eyes. The tears pressing against the back of her eyes were causing a painful burn and the more she looked at his defences rebuilding the more stubborn she became with not letting him see her cry.
Jax cocked his head to the right, taking in her features and locking down on her glossy eyes.
"I wish I could tell you the right thing, exactly what you want to hear but I can't because I don't know what that is. I don't want to hurt you, Lola, but lately, it feels like that's all I do."
It was clear that they were stuck in a place of pain and grief but neither knew how to get out.
She watched Jax lift his head and hold himself up as he walked out, leaving her alone in the same spot and she couldn't move.
She watched him until he was gone, and then she continued watching the same spot for over a minute.
"Lola?"
She didn't know how long she'd stood staring before she heard Lavina's voice.
She turned and watched as Lavina carefully entered the room. There was a softness to her expression and she moved slowly like she was afraid to spook her.
"I'm sorry about Margret earlier,"
Lola thought about the fact that Lavina called Mrs. Blackwood by her first name while she, Jax's wife, still had to use the formal pronunciation.
"Why are you apologizing for her?" She asked.
Lavina was taken aback and shrugged her shoulders.
"Because you didn't deserve that. I feel like you don't deserve a lot of the things that have been forced on you. And I apologize for my own behavior as well, I shouldn't have said all those things, I got defensive."
Lola was careful with her words because why was Lavina suddenly so kind and caring? It seemed that all she had done since coming here had been to nestle into Jax's space and slowly push Lola out.
"I'm not your enemy, Lola." She said.
They heard the clicking against the hardwood floors in the communal room- a sound that made Lola's nerves feel as though they were being tied together after associating the sound with Mrs. Blackwood's presence.
"Oh, you're both here, lovely." Mrs. Blackwood exclaimed with a menacing smile.
"I have good news. After talking to the mayor we agreed that two young girls such as yourselves would be the perfect team to set up the Winter Whimsy.
Lola's eyes widened and her jaw dropped.
"Margret, I'm not sure that's such a great idea." Lavina defended and glanced at Lola.
"How nice then that the choice has been made for you. You girls will be at the mayor's house tomorrow at noon to start this collaboration. And make sure to go there with a smile because we don't need to give these humans a single reason as to why we wouldn't be complacent."
The girls looked at each other, both with their own blend of fear, shock, and some distaste- something flashed in Lavina's eyes and she bowed her head forcefully before walking off.