Rise of the Equinox

Chapter 1

Jackson stared for a moment, it was a missed call. Danny had been trying for days to reach him since that night. They did not expect to come across werewolves at a funeral (especially his grandfather's funeral) out in the middle of nowhere in Washington State.

The phone rang again…it was Danny. Jackson through the phone on the bed, staring at it from a distance, wishing Danny would stop calling and just get a grip. Then suddenly Jackson starts to feel odd, what is this feeling? He thought. I've felt this way before…when…me and…Danny, Jackson tries to remember when he had the strange sensation. Then the phone rings again; Danny chill out already, he thought.

Jackson sighs plopping down on the bed landing haphazardly face first next to the phone. "Jackson" he hears a voice calling him from the stairs below. In a soft resonating tone, like music being played. "Jackson dear" the voice calls again, "Yeah mom" he replies loudly. "Come down here," the voice says loudly, "Derek wants to see you."

And then Jackson remembered what that sensation was all about, he sensed another werewolf. I should have known, from the sent earlier. He thought, Derek has been following me all day long and now he's down stairs in my house, great my dick head brother want to see me after all these years.

Lost in his thoughts he hears a knock at his door but it is the scent of his brother that lets him know who it is. After bolting up out of bed he drags himself to the door but resists the urge to open it. And after standing there silently he answers, "What!" in a gruff tone.

"Can we talk," goes the voice on the other side "face to face I mean?"

Jackson rolls his eyes' sighing despairingly at the thought, "Now you want to talk?"

"Where were you when I was ten, where were you a few years ago or how about during the holidays" Jackson pauses a minute, "I'm busy come back say never" he gestured with his hands while he talked then sat back down on the bed in a big huff.

"Please Jackson" Derek says pleadingly "I just want to talk." Jackson lets out a moan sighing again and crossing his arms. He sits up inches closer to the edge of the bed then whines, "Come in." Derek enters the room casually looking at everything before his eyes land on Jackson sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Nice room" he said, "nice windows are they new?" he asks staring at them. Derek realizes just how nice Jackson's bedroom is before he asks any more questions. The fresh scent of pine in the room distracts him, and for an instant it takes him back to being in the woods after it rains.

"Umm hmm" Jackson said staring at his school work.

His phone goes off again this time it's a text from Danny; he reads it as Derek starts to speak, Derek asking questions…knows about us being werewolves….sorry could not get away from him.

"So" Derek began "sorry to hear about your grandfather, your mom told me he was a great guy."

"Yeah he was" he said dully putting his phone away he looks at Derek "What do you want Derek?"

"To see you, why else would I be here" Derek said coolly but Jackson had an odd look on his face, he hoped Derek did not expect him to believe that. "No you're not" Jackson said irritably "what did Danny tell?" he insisted.

Derek smiled mischievously chuckling, "Oh nothing much" he said walking over to a chair and started to sit but stopped when Jackson growled, "all he said was that you and he got bit by some wild animal and now you have all these amazing gifts" Derek still looking at the chair sat down any way annoying Jackson further, He leaned back in it crossing his legs and feet then announced "I told him you two must have been bitten by a werewolf."

Jackson rolled his eyes again still bothered by Derek's presents, unfortunately Jackson knew he needed to get rid of Derek somehow "So what do you want Derek" he said bluntly, "And what did you do to Danny to get him to join your pack?"

Derek looked at Jackson squarely tilting his head to one side. He cleared his throat, "I did nothing to him I simply told him how good he would have it if he joined the pack"

"Right" Jackson mumbled. "My big brother is such a people person who knew" he said sarcastically.

Derek scowling at Jackson takes a deep breath, "believe what you want but I didn't hurt Danny in any way."

"Shocking," he said mockingly "that you didn't hurt anyone."

"Look Jackson I came here to help you" he looks at Jackson dead in the eye "you and Danny are going to need someone to show you the ropes of being werewolves," Derek at this point can see he's losing Jackson for some odd reason. He can tell because Jackson is looking the other way his body half turned away from him all signs of Jackson being disinterested.

Then after an awkward moment of silence between them Jackson veering his head around to face Derek, "You want me to join your pack?"

"Uh yeah Jackson I want you to join my new pack" Derek said smiling.

"No!" went Jackson, watching Derek's face turn as he said "Hmm"

"You heard me alpha boy, I'm not interested" Jackson quipped. "At first I was going to give you a chance to redeem yourself, but if you only came over here to get me to join your stupid little pack, then the answer is NO. The answer will always be no and no a thousand more times after that."

He sighed rubbing his forehead as he got from the chair. It was clear this was not something he anticipated. Jackson stared at Derek fiercely it made Derek somewhat uncomfortable for him to do that after all he was the alpha, but the intensity of Jackson's emotions made it hard to continue.

"I think after the last few months you may need some time to think things through so why don't I just give you some space" Derek said leaving the room, but he stopped short when he got to the door he turned facing Jackson, "Oh just so you know," Derek said standing in the doorway "If you had said yes to joining the pack we could spend time together, but I guess being a brat is more important."

Jackson laid back down on the bed as Derek walked out leaving the door half open. Jackson heard Derek rant to his mom before walking out the door. He heard him getting into his car and driving off. He heard his mom marching up the stairs then coming down the hall until she came to his room. Knocking gently on the door she pops her head in "Sweetie is everything ok?" she said concerned.

"Everything is fine mom" He said grimly.

"Are you sure...Derek said that you gave him a hard time, he seemed disappointed. Did you boys' get into a fight or something?" She looked worried but Jackson watched the lines on the ceiling trying to make out the figures and designs which was more interesting then talking about Derek.

"Yes mom everything is fine between me and my butt head brother" he scoffed.

"Douglas Jackson Whittemore," she said scolding "I do not want you to say that about your brother" she gave Jackson a stern look.

"Yes mom, ok I get it" he said sorrowfully.

"Look mom, I need to catch up on my classes so can we talk about this later?"

"Fine Jackson" she sighed leaving the door cracked open.

Jackson continues resting on the bed staring at the ceiling after a while he dozes off to sleep relieved that he can rest finally.