《The Alpha&#x27;s Unwanted Bride》


 Chapter 1: BASTARD CHILD

    <h4>Chapter 1: BASTARD CHILD</h4>

    "You imbecile!" Luna Maria said.

    The p was hurled at my face, and it threw me down to the floor.

    Shaken, I set my hand against my cheek to feel the bruise.

    I didn''t need to be told twice that her hand would imprint my face.

    "You useless girl!" She hissed at me. "Is there anything you can do?"

    I managed to set my palms against the floor to bring myself to rise in a position that I was bowing to the Luna, my body shivering.

    I looked up at her, and she spat on me.

    The salivanded on my face.

    I dare not wipe it off.

    "It is an honor for you to even feel the back of my hand or saliva on your skin." She sneered. "Thank me, you fool!"

    I felt the tears roll down my eyes. "Thann..k yo. You, your maj.. majesty."

    "You can''t even speak well." She snorted.

    She kicked me hard in the tummy with her heels, and I had to withstand the pain, but not without a breath escaping my lips.

    "When next you''re told to do anything, you will do it with haste! Even if my daughter wants you to lick her feet, you will do it!" She screamed at me.

    I nodded quickly. "Yes, Your Majesty."

    I had no choice.

    Then Luna Maria turned to her daughter Jessica and gently touched her hair. "If you want the dog to do anything for you, she will."

    "I hope so, Mother." Jessica screwed her face as she tossed her blonde hair over her shoulders. "But can''t I get another ve? Why her? She is so ugly! Look at the scar on her face."

    I felt a pang of hurt in my chest at the words she used on me.

    "I know my little pup." Luna Maria said as she kissed her daughter''s hair. "But we have to put her in her ce. She needs to be under our feet at all times. You can do as you wish with her."

    "Even kill her?" She asked.

    And I instantly stiffened.

    I heard her motherugh. "Unfortunately, no. Your father wishes to keep her around. But don''t worry. Very soon, I''lle up with a solution. I don''t like seeing the creature any more than you do."

    My entire body was shaking.

    They spoke as if I was not even present, as if I were nothing because, in fact, I was nothing.

    Nothing at all.

    Even a ve wolf was better than I was.

    I was the lowest of the low. And there was no changing that.

    Jessica sighed.

    "Alright, mother," Jessica said. "I hope the illiterate now knows how to do my hair to my liking. If she doesn''t, I''ll give her a beating."

    "That you can do." Luna Maria said.

    Then her footsteps turned, and she walked towards the doors, herdies-in-waiting following her.

    All my life, I had lived a life of misery.

    It was an honor to be part of the Moonlight pack and even to live in it.

    It was feared by almost every other pack.

    But I was different.

    I had been born in the dungeon neen years ago by my mother, who I hade to learn was a ve she-wolf in the pack.

    The rumor that I had picked from around the castle was that the Alpha of our pack, Alpha Bale, had had an affair with an enved person who happened to be my mother.

    His wife, Maria, had always known that Alpha Bale was never faithful, even though he had over fifty women in his harem.

    She had epted it, but when she discovered that he was also sleeping with a mere enved person and refusing to dispose of her, she grew furious.

    She threw my mother into the dungeon at the slightest opportunity when Alpha Bale was away from the pack.

    Six months pregnant, she went into forcedbor, and she gave birth to me.

    But she died in the process.

    When the Alpha had returned, it was toote, and from what I could tell, He had turned the hate on me for killing her.

    She had died giving birth to me, so it was my fault.

    It didn''t help the fact that me being born prematurely and with no mother made matters worse.

    I was sickly, and they all assumed and hoped I would die.

    I would have been abandoned if not for a very old servant and the healer in the pack, Urma, who took me and used a breastfeeding she-goat to feed me.

    To the utter shock of everyone, I survived.

    No one wanted to be around me, and as I grew up, they realized I was born with a scar on my face.

    I was the cursed red-headed girl, born with a mysterious scar who had also killed her mother.

    It didn''t help that I was the firstborn child of the Alpha.

    A bastard child.

    I only knew the life of very and nothing more. I was maltreated, beaten up frequently, and made to serve the royal family directly.

    I was also not to make contact with the King because I was a reminder of his past.

    A reminder he didn''t want any recollection of.

    My step-sister Jessica turned to a servant who was waiting to be attended to.

    "When you''re both done serving me, See to it that this dog gets punishment three." Jessica smiled sweetly.

    My heart stopped.

    Punishment three.

    That meant I was to be stripped naked in front of the training wolves and given thirtyshes on my back.

    All because I had not styled her hair to her liking.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    "Thirtyshes!"

    I was pushed down on the floor.

    When I looked up, all the male betas, Lycans, and omegas training turned to watch a disy of punishment three.

    I swallowed heavily, terrified for myself.

    I had never had punishment three before.

    It was a first.

    I was only whipped in the ve quarters to their amusement.

    But punishment three was meant for traitors or enemy packs and never members of the pack.

    I was going to be the first.

    Jessica was standing, watching with a smile stuck on her face.

    To believe that we shared the same blood.

    The fact that I was her elder sister and that she was supposed to be my younger sister ached my heart.

    She had the finest clothes, shoes, food, and rooms, while I had rags, ate scraps, and slept in a corner.

    Maybe in another life, she would have loved me.

    But not in this one.

    In this one, I was an abomination.

    The Lycan, meant to deliver the punishment, walked up to me.

    "Please don''t," I begged him, tears gathering in my eyes.

    But he ignored me and tore the back of my already filthy dress and exposed my bare back, ready to use his whip that was lined with thorns and the rough skin of a rope.

    The front bodice of my dress dropped, and my breasts were exposed; I could hear the excitement of lust in the man''s voice andugh.

    I quickly had to hold the front bodice of my dress to conceal my nudity.

    "I want her stripped bare naked. Everything exposed!" I heard Jessica scream.

    My body began to shake.

    Was she going to have me exposed to everyone? She didn''t hate that much.

    Did she?

    The Lycan made no move to do it, and Jessica grumbled.

    I heard her shoes match up to where I was and quickly tore my clothing apart.

    "Please," I begged, tears flowing down my cheeks. "Don''t do this."

    But she didn''t care.

    "Let go!" She screamed, dragging away the fabric that I still fiercely held to my chest. "Let go, you bitch!"

    She pulled at the fabric, and everything came off.

    Exposing my entire body.

    I was a ve and poor. I didn''t own undergarments except for the few dresses I wore, so everything was open. I was stark naked.

    I bit my lip and wrapped my arms around my body to manage to hide my nudity in the slightest way I could.

    The menughed, and I felt the tears that had been burning now flowing nonstop.

    Tah!

    The firstsh came at my back, and my entire body shook.

    The whip tore into my skin, exposing blood. I already had marks upon marks over my body.

    But the pain still was the same; even though I was getting used to it, it still hurt.

    Tah! Tah!

    Moreshes came against my back, and I felt myself burning up, my body telling me it was tired.

    I looked up and saw Urma.

    Her eyes were filled with tears, and she turned her face away as there was nothing she could do to stop the punishment.

    It was a packw to never interfere in any punishment on any ount.

    After the final thirtieth stroke, I fell to the ground, and that was when Urma rushed up to me and scooped me in my arms.

    "Shhh. Don''t worry. I''m here. It''s alright." She sang to my ears.

    I felt something fabulous drape over my body.

    I wasn''t sure who, but I knew that my naked body had been shielded.

    "Get yourself up and serve me, youzy swine!" Jessica ordered.

    Urma looked like she would burst into a burning rage.

    "Can''t you see that she is weak from theshes? She can''t get up in this situation." Urma snapped.

    "And that is supposed to be my business. How?" Jessica demanded. "My engagement to Alpha Dean ising in a few days. And I need this ve to start getting the arrangements ready."

    I have only seen Urma confront Jessica upfront about her attitude and never get punished.

    Why? I didn''t know.

    But Urma was referred to as the healer in the pack for years, and even the Alpha himself, I heard, didn''t thread her path.

    "I am going to take Jasmine to my quarters and treat her till she is fine," Urma said.

    Then Urma said to someone. "Carry her into my quarters."

    "I said I''m not done with the bitch!" Jessica hissed maliciously.

    "If you have problems with me, then tell your mother that I took her away," Urma said.

    Jessica looked like she wanted to explode, but she could do nothing.

    I felt someone pick me up from the floor; that was thest thing I remembered before everything went ck.

 Chapter 2: SEIGE

    <h4>Chapter 2: SEIGE</h4>

    I felt something warm against my back as I stirred awake.

    "Don''t move so much, dear." Urma''s voice cooed.

    I opened my eyes and saw that I was lying face-front on my tummy and that my back was exposed down to my waist.

    I watched as Urma dipped the water inside a pail of bucket and squeezed it, then she gently pressed it over my open wounds.

    "Ahhh." I cried out.

    Urma smoothed my hair. "My child, don''t worry; the pain will soon be over."

    I felt my throat choked up as I reminisced on my suffering.

    For neen years, that was all I had known.

    No happiness, no family, no future, no escape.

    I was trapped.

    "That useless girl." Urma snorted. "A good number of times, I want to give her a good beating."

    "You shouldn''t say such a thing," I managed. "What if they hear you?"

    I couldn''t afford to lose her or put her in trouble.

    I hade to learn that people had been put in trouble for helping me.

    When I was younger, an omega offered me some of his food.

    Luna Maria had used him of stealing and had his hands cut off.

    Everyone steered clear of me after that incident.

    The Omega had grown to hate me. This happened when I was only six years old.

    "There is nothing they can do," Urma said to me. "How long will they treat you like this?"

    I was silent.

    I had asked myself that same question, too.

    She picked up one of her ointment bottles and rubbed it over my back.

    The pain burned.

    If I had shifted, I could heal all my injuries.

    But I had not. That was another thing.

    It was a further abomination that I had reached the age of neen and still hadn''t shifted.

    It meant that you would never find a mate and that you were useless.

    How much more could fate be cruel to me?

    Urma picked up a knife and cut her palm.

    "Why did you do that?" I asked her in shock.

    She pressed the blood over my back, and I felt my back burn.

    I screamed in pain.

    But she held me.

    "I''m so sorry, my child." She said.

    Then, the pain slowly eased.

    "I had to use my blood to heal you, or you might not heal on time." She said. "The marks are bing too much."

    I couldn''t even tell her thank you.

    I was too weak for that.

    Loud bells were ringing around the entire castle.

    Urma turned to me.

    "The Alpha is back." She said.

    I swallowed.

    My father didn''t want me or anything rted to me.

    He had never openly acknowledged me as his child, and sometimes I doubted it, but Urma had confirmed the rumors and told me it was true

    Throughout my growth, he had ignored me and acted like I didn''t exist.

    I had grown to be so scared of him.

    When he would speak to the thousands of our pack members from his balcony with Luna Maria, his son Abel, and their daughter Jessica, I would cower, watching them.

    Wondering if one day I would be up there too with them.

    But I had grown up to realize that that dream would nevere true.

    I knew that he had gone to fight with some of the other enemy packs as usual.

    Our pack frequently sang his song of praises and how he made every other pack go down on their knees.

    They all feared him.

    Even the Wolf Council.

    I started to get up.

    "You need to rest." She stopped me.

    "But I have to attend to Her Majesty," I said.

    Urma snorted. "Ignore that spoilt brat. You need to rest. Don''t worry. She won''t do anything."

    Exhaustion took the best of me, and I nodded slowly and fell back asleep.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Alpha Bale paced his throne room.

    He was furious.

    He had just returned, and he had lost the battle. Horribly.

    It was his first loss in almost thirty years, and it had been to the Crescent Moon pack.

    And to put further humiliation to his name, it was to a young alpha.

    Xaden, who he had remembered to be a child when he had murdered his family, was now a man and had grown so powerful and hungry for revenge.

    It had shocked him as Xaden''s wolf army wiped <strong><i>all </i></strong>his men in a clean sweep. Only he had survived.

    Never had he witnessed such disgrace, and like a coward, he had had to run and beg for help from the wolf council, which had agreed to intervene.

    But Xaden asked for too much, and Bale was forced to agree.

    Or his head would have gone.

    The door was opened, and his wife Maria came in.

    "What happened? I didn''t see your party outside. Is everything al-

    "Where is Jasmine?" He asked, cutting her short.

    She stopped in her tracks, blinking at him in shock, and her face became grim.

    "You mean the bastard child you fathered?" She asked him.

    He red at her. "Do not push me, Maria. Not today. Where the fuck is she?!"

    Maria flinched. "She is down with that healer."

    He rubbed his face.

    "What''s happening?" She asked.

    "We lost the war." He said. Her mouth dropped. "We lost every fucking thing. We''re at the mercy of that bastard Xaden."

    "Xaden? Who is Xaden?"

    Then she paused, and it dawned on her. "Wasn''t he Orion''s son? Didn''t you kill him?" Maria asked.

    He hissed, ignoring her as he raked his hair. "I didn''t see iting. It was an ambush. I didn''t know he was alive. I had no idea that he had been growing his strengths for years."

    Orion and Bale had been best friends, but when it came down to power, Bale attacked Orion''s pack and massacred them.

    He had rendered the entire pack useless, killing Orion and his whole family.

    He had thought he had killed Xaden, too, but somehow, the child had survived, and when he saw him on the battlefield, he knew that it was over for him.

    "He would have killed all of us if I didn''t go to the council. They intervened, and the ord demands all my children to be handed over to him." He said.

    He banged a mirror with his fist, and it shattered.

    "Give out? What do you mean?" She asked.

    "Xaden is going to own them and the entire pack as his. We will be at his mercy."

    Maria looked like she was going to faint.

    She shook her head as she gripped his armor. "No, not my son. Not my daughter. Not my children! How could you let this happen?"

    "We have no choice." He said.

    "We can send them off away. To hide somewhere." She begged as she fell to his feet, crying.

    "They know what Abel looks like!" He said.

    It was his own son��his only son! Did she think he liked this, too?

    "The council and Xaden''s pack ising; they are already on their way here," Bale said. "We can save Jessica. Jasmine is my blood. They would sniff to be sure that she is mine and confirm it."

    "But she is a bastard," Maria said, tears in her eyes.

    "But they don''t know that," Bale answered. "You don''t understand. He is here for blood. And he will never stop. Where is Jasmine?"

    Maria blinked at him.

    "She was whipped today."

    Bale wanted to scream and kick his wife.

    <strong><i>"THEY ARE ALREADY ON THEIR WAY AND WILL HOLD US SEIGE. HOW WOULD THEY BELIEVE SHE IS A PRINCESS OF THIS PACK WHEN THEY SEE SHE IS SICK?????!!!!!!!</i></strong>

 Chapter 3: FORCED BRIDE

    <h4>Chapter 3: FORCED BRIDE</h4>

    I had never been called to Alpha Bale''s presence, not for once.

    So when Urma woke me up and told me he had sent it for me, I could hardly believe it.

    She gave me some medicine to ease the pain and a new dress to wear.

    As I walked down the hallway with two guards at my side to the throne room, which I had never been called to but frequently scrubbed its floors, I felt my tummy move with unease.

    What could this be all about?

    Were they finally going to kill me? Was he ready to announce my death sentence?

    They opened the doors for me, and I saw him.

    Luna Maria, Abel, and Jessica were standing by his side with the pack head advisor.

    In his sixties, an old Lycan named Leman had been in the pack for years.

    My eyes went straight to the man who had fathered me. Who had supposedly given me life but never acknowledged me as his.

    He was looking at me eye to eye for the first time in my entire life.

    I swallowed.

    "Your wounds." He said. "Are they visible?"

    I blinked, confused.

    Was this why he had called me? To ask about my wounds?

    "I''m not sure, Your Majesty," I said, bowing my head down.

    Alpha Bale nudged to Leman, and Leman walked up to me.

    "Turn around, girl, " the old man instructed. I did as he told me, and then I felt his hand undo the ribbons on my back.

    I yelped, but he held me. "Stay still, girl!"

    I froze, my heart racing.

    What was he trying to do?

    Humiliate me further?

    Then I felt my dress open at the back but not revealed below my waist, and I stiffened.

    "I could do it for you." Abel offered Leman

    I felt my whole body go cold.

    I knew what Abel could do.

    Times without number, Abel, the first legitimate son of Alpha Bale and also my stepbrother, had tried to force himself on me.

    He would look at me lustfully when I worked, and the only thing I could do was ignore him.

    I had once been cleaning his room when he had jumped in and ripped my dress apart.

    I had fled the room and steered clear of him ever since.

    He was almost the same age as me and had the same attitude as Jessica, except he lusted after my body.

    No one knew. And even if they did, nothing would be done about it.

    "Leave. Leman will do it." Alpha Bale said.

    There was silence when my back was in full view.

    "Gods." Alpha Bale said. "Why isn''t she healing?"

    "She is a Latent. She can not shift." Leman replied.

    "Gods." I heard Alpha Bale say, irritated. "Get me Urma."

    I heard footsteps leave, and I knew some guards had gone to give him orders.

    I felt my heart break. He hadn''t even bothered to know about me how I had fared. Did he even know how old I was? Did he even know anything about me at all?

    Even though I had lived in the pack for neen good years.

    I could feel their disgust towards me for what I was.

    I should have shifted when I was sixteen, but till today I haven''t.

    I wasn''t just atent wolf but an <strong><i>outcast</i></strong>.

    "How old is she?" Alpha Bale asked.

    Like Luna Maria, he regarded me as if I wasn''t even present.

    Leman turned to me. "How old are you?"

    "Neen," I answered.

    "She is neen." He replied.

    "Can they heal? Quickly? Her wounds?" Alpha Bale asked.

    I felt Leman''s hand over my back.

    I shuddered and wanted to throw them off, but I couldn''t.

    "It feels like there have been traces of healing," Leman said. "Urma must have used her blood on her back."

    The doors were opened, and I heard Urma''s voice. "You called for me?"

    She didn''t even regard him by his title.

    "The child. Istent. Why?" He asked her.

    "She is not atent," Urma replied. "Her wolf is just taking its time to

    "Goddess! How could I have birthed something that can''t even change? How much more of a disgrace can she be? Look at the scar!" Alpha Bale busts out.

    I felt the tears in my eyes burn.

    I hadn''t felt heartbreak before, not once, and this was my first. It came from my father.

    "Jasmine is a special child." She said, walking up to Leman and me. "She survived even though she was born prematurely. I don''t think anyone you know could do that."

    I felt she was referring to his wife and the children.

    She snapped at Leman. "If you''re done with your examinations, I want to cover her up."

    When he didn''t respond, she tied my dress back up and held my hand.

    "If she can''t even change, what would Xaden and the other pack members say?" My father asked.

    Xaden? Other pack members? What was he talking about?

    "Daddy, this is a mess!" Jessica screwed her face. "I am supposed to be getting married to Dean. How can I marry him when everyone thinks she is me? Just look at how ugly she is!"

    Everyone thinks I will be her? What was going on?

    "There will be no marriage." My father said. "Dean has been missing since the battle. I lost him during the entire fight with Xaden."

    "What?!" Jessica cried.

    She burst into tears.

    I was lost in abyrinth. Nothing they were saying made sense.

    Xaden? Who was Xaden?

    "We don''t have time." Alpha Bale said. "Urma, you used your blood on her. It deserves punishment, as it''s against ourw to heal a Latent wolf."

    "Atent wolf, ording to yourw, should be banished," Urma told him.

    I panicked. What was she saying? She wanted me banished?

    I watched the heated eye contact filled with tension between them.

    Did Urma have no right to contest with the Alpha, but he didn''t do anything?

    What hold did she have on him?

    "There would be no need for punishments." He said. "Get her dressed and ready. They would be here tonight. Maria would give everything she can."

    Get who dressed? Me?

    "I want you to tell me yourself, Alpha," Urma demanded. Why are these arrangements being made? I heard the rumors, but you have to tell me yourself."

    I had never seen anyone talk to him the way Urma did.

    His face was grim, and he seemed furious, but he said, "We lost the battle. Xaden, the Wolf council, and his army will be here. Xaden will take Jasmine as his prize."

    I balked.

    Xaden would take me as his prize?

    What battle had we lost?

    What was happening?

    "Get her ready. Her future husband wouldn''t want to be kept waiting."

 Chapter 4: CLAIMING HIS BRIDE

    <h4>Chapter 4: CLAIMING HIS BRIDE</h4>

    <strong><i>XADEN''S POV</i></strong>

    Xaden and his men stormed the castle with the seven lead members of the wolf council.

    He hated this ce.

    The moment he stepped foot in the moonlight pack, he spat in a corner.

    It was blood ground. He could remembering here as a child.

    His mother and father visit frequently.

    But they had betrayed them, spilled his father''s blood in the soil, cut off his mother''s head, pulled out his sister''s intestines, and proceeded to kill him before wiping out the entire pack clean.

    He would have punished him; he would have made him suffer before he begged for death, before cutting off Bale''s head on the war ground and flung it at the feet of his entire family before breaking it apart and using the bones with some diamonds on his throne.

    But the bastard had run off to the wolf council and begged for an ord they had given him.

    Now Xaden was forced toe to terms with the fuckingw.

    He could im Bale''s bloodline as his band, and the pack would belong to him.

    But ording to the Wolfws, he would spare Bale and his wife until the following purging for a new moon in one year.

    Xaden wanted tough! He didn''t give a fuck about Bale''s children! He wanted him! The fucking bastard had to pay for what he had done to him!

    As Xaden walked by, the people scurried away, with good reason. The Guards shook at his arrival, fearing him.

    He walked up to the throne room and sat down on it. His eyes looked around; he would tear this ce down when he was done.

    He didn''t even give a fuck about this fucking castle.

    When he returned to im Bale, he would tear down the castle to absolutely nothing.

    The same way he had done to his own home.

    "Where are they?" Xaden demanded. "My patience is trying. I will forfeit thew and murder all of them."

    "He will be here soon." One of the Leaders of the wolf council said.

    Xaden leaned back in the seat.

    He gave them five minutes. Five fucking minutes.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    <strong><i>JASMINE''S POV</i></strong>

    Jasmine saw herself in a dress she had never for once in her life thought she would wear.

    It was cream, with pearls and outlines made of the most expensive fabric.

    It gave a cleavage she had never taken note of, and her long, curly red hair was styled up.

    A veil was ced over her head, and she was made up so that anyone would think she was a princess.

    She turned to Urma. "What is going to happen to me?"

    She was scared of the truth and scared of what she was going to be told. She only knew bits and bits of it.

    But she didn''t want to be kept in the dark.

    Urma turned to look at Luna Maria, standing with the other servants, discussing what jewelry to give.

    "This is an ord," Urma whispered to me. "Alpha Bale and Xaden have met an intervention from the wolf council. I don''t know the details of this arrangement, but I do know that from thew, Xaden is given a choice to choose, but he cannot choose the Alpha and the Luna until the next new moon. But he can im anything else."

    I blinked. "An ord? Why did they give him?"

    "They didn''t just give Alpha Bale. He bought it. And only a few Alphas can afford to have an ord. I don''t know how he did it, but he did. And that gives you immunity in situations like these."

    "Why am I going as his daughter?" I asked Urma.

    She sighed. "He doesn''t want to lose his daughter. That''s why he''s setting you up with Alpha Xaden."

    I began to feel my heart flutter.

    Was I just an animal meant for the ughter? He had said my husband was waiting for me. Was I going to marry Xaden?

    "Am I to wed him?" I asked her.

    She shrugged. "That is up to the Alpha''s choice. He will decide what he wants to do with you and the rest of us."

    The door busts open, and Alpha Balees in.

    He looked at me and snapped at a servant. "For God''s sake, cover that ugly face of hers."

    I felt my heart crash instantly at his words.

    A servant brought down my veil to hide my face, and I felt ashamed of myself.

    I was so hideous my father couldn''t even look at me.

    "He is already waiting. Fucking bastard is making me be on my fucking toes! Who the fuck does he think he is?!" Alpha Bale barked at no one in particr, then turned to me. "I hope you know how to behave like a princess!"

    I flinched.

    I didn''t know what he was referring to, and he acted exactly like Jessica.

    I looked nothing like Jessica, who was beautiful with her flowing blonde hair and thin body.

    A woman was not supposed to have as many curves, hips, and breasts as I did.

    I was not plump or fat; I just had an hourss body, and it wasn''t in fashion or what I heard the wolves in our pack liked.

    "Did you hear me, you daft girl?!" He demanded. "If we fall, it''s all because of you! And what I will do to you will be worse! You better pray your curse doesn''t follow you today! You better don''t mess this up!"

    I jumped at how harsh he was at me, and the burning tears began to spring out of my eyes.

    Lucky for me, I was wearing my veil so that no one could see my eyes.

    "That would be enough," Urma said. "You never treated her like she was your daughter, and one day, do you want her to act like a princess? Jasmine is a good girl. And you don''t deserve her."

    There was silence in the room.

    Everyone turned to look at Urma, even Maria.

    Alpha Bale seemed to want to say something but closed his mouth.

    "Just because of the past does not give you the right to get away with this." He warned Urma. "I''ll deal with youter."

    I was scared for her. Why had she done that? Why had she challenged and provoked him so?

    She knew what he could do.

    Then he spun on his heel and marched out of the room.

    Two guards came to my side.

    "Don''t worry," Urma said. "I''ll be watching over you from a distance."

    I turned to leave my room.

    "Ugly bitch!" Jessica slurred. "She is cursed. Her dean is missing, and now I can''t marry him. I hope Xaden does to her what they do to captive women of war."

    Then she went to her mother''s arms and cried.

    I shivered.

    What had I done? I wondered as I walked down the stairs in the middle of the guards.

    Been born? Had the moon goddess made it my karma in a previous incarnation that I would suffer the life of a miserable wolf?

    Born a child who killed her mother? A father who abandoned her? Beatings day and night? Assault? Humiliation? And still be an unshifted wolf?

    Why? What had I ever done to be so cursed?

    Why was my fate destined to be in absolute misery and unhappiness?

    Who was this man I was being sold to now?

    What was he going to do?

    Behead me? Share me with his men, like the stories of she-wolves from enemy packs who had been captive?

    Was that to be my fate?

    And then I saw them all.

    In therge hall.

    Numbers of people.

    All the high-ranking members of my father''s pack.

    Luna Maria walked up beside my father as my false mother.

    There were men I had never seen, and one was sitting on my father''s throne.

    I couldn''t see him clearly because I was veiled.

    Abel and the other high-ranking members of the pack stood in lines of ten to thirty.

    I stood at their front.

    The man set his hand aside from the armrest of the throne and rose to his feet. I could hear his boot walk up towards me.

    I looked down at the floor, unable to face this man who had us all down on our knees.

    He took off my veil, roughy used his finely masculine hands, and caught my jaw, forcing it to look up at him, and I saw the most beautiful man, yet the most terrifying man I had ever met in my life.

 Chapter 5: A GIFT

    <h4>Chapter 5: A GIFT</h4>

    <strong>JASMINE''S POV</strong>

    He had short dark hair and a scar by his eyes in a straight line, but those eyes.

    They were onyx, and hisshes were thick and long. I knew every wolf would die to have them.

    His face was wless, with a smooth jawline and a nicely pointed nose. His brows were carved perfectly. His lips were full, and my eyes darted to them, slightly parted, showing a tint of clear white teeth.

    A head ced on a vast body that I knew was muscled and chiseled by war and years of training. He was nothing like the men from our pack.

    He was a true warrior.

    He was the most beautiful man I had ever seen, yet his entire demeanor and presence warned me.

    He told me he was a monster, told me he was dangerous, and I should fear him.

    My insides squished in fear and something I was unsure of.

    He caught my chin and eyed me up and down.

    I remembered that the left side of my eyes was scared and looked down in shame.

    My father looked at me and yelled at me for being ugly, the same with my step-sister and everyone else.

    He, too, must think I''m a monster.

    "So you are the one ." He said. "What''s your name?"

    He didn''t seem friendly at all. He seemed to harbor hate. So much I could almost taste it.

    "Jasmine." I managed.

    I saw my father standing from the corner of my eye, and I remembered that I couldn''t fail him.

    Even if this was the only way I could prove to him that I was not useless.

    "I have a gift for you." He told me.

    I paused. He had a gift for me?

    He stepped back, and without taking his eyes off me, he snapped his finger.

    A man I believed to be a member of his pack approached with a box.

    He collected the box and handed it to me.

    "Open it." He said.

    What was this? A test?

    The entire hall was quiet, watching us. No one said a word.

    A pin could drop, and you would hear it.

    My hands trembled as I received the box and pulled the ribbon to open it.

    Right in front of me was the decapitated head of Alpha Dean of the ck Wing Pack. Jessica would have been her future husband.

    Startled but without shouting, I dropped the box, and it fell down to my feet, and the head rolled out, dropping to the bottom of my dress, sshing a few drops of blood that remained.

    Jessica''s shrill scream at the sight vibrated through the entire hall.

    I looked up at the man, and he smiled at me.

 Chapter 6: SINS OF THE FATHER

    <h4>Chapter 6: SINS OF THE FATHER</h4>

    My heart was racing quickly now, so much so that I felt it would jump out of my chest.

    "I''ve heard of you." He smiled darkly. "Heard of the Alpha''s daughter who prances everywhere, spoilt, entitled, selfish, just like her father."

    He was talking about Jessica.

    His finger traced my jawline.

    "I killed your mate." He told me. "Castrated him first, though."

    My mouth dropped.

    I didn''t like Dean; he had been as proud as Jessica, but I was sad to hear he had sumbed to such a fate. No one deserved that.

    I blinked at him in shock, unable to say a word.

    "You don''t believe me?" he asked, and before I could say a word, he snapped his finger again.

    Another man brought an even smaller box.

    "Take it and open it." He ordered.

    All eyes were on me. All.

    My hands trembled, especially when I revealed my first "gift." I feared I would discover its contents.

    I pulled the ribbon, and then right in the box was a middle-sized penis and two balls.

    This time, it was I who screamed.

    I dropped the box, and its contents spilled onto the ground.

    I heard someone throw up in the hall, and then I backed out.

    Utterly afraid of this man.

    He smiled, walked back up the four steps that elevated the throne''s seats from the standard floor, and addressed everyone.

    "I, Alpha Xaden of the Crescent pack, defeated Bale in battle, but he absconded to the ord, " he said.

    My heart was still racing, and I could not believe what had just happened.

    "Your coward of a leader should have died in honor, but he ran to save only himself." He announced. "By my right, written in the wolf council, the pack belongs to me and to do as I wish with it until the next new moon when I return for vengeance."

    The wolf council stood listening to him.

    "Son of Bale. Step forward." He ordered.

    Abel, who seemed shaking and scared, walked up to Xaden.

    I had never seen Abel scared of anyone or anything in his life like he did right now

    It was swift and unexpected.

    In one second, Xaden''s hand became his wolf ws, and then he ripped Abel''s head out of the body.

    Everyone screamed; I could hear Luna Maria the most.

    She tried to run to him, but she was stopped.

    My father looked like a ghost, and his face was white and pale.

    Abel''s headless body dropped to the ground.

    Xaden had Abel''s head in his now human hands as he gripped it from the hair, and the blood dropped.

    "The children shall pay the father''s sins," Xaden promised.

    And I swallowed. I was next.

    "Cut the body parts and make sure you nicely chop his cock and wrap it for his father," Xaden instructed his men.

    Then he turned to Alpha Bale. "See it as an early dowry."

    Then they came in and took Abel''s body.

    Abel had tried to force himself on me, rape me; seeing his head, the way his body hade to a brutal end was terrifying.

    Luna Maria was crying.

    "My son!!!! My son." She wept.

    "Don''t worry," Xaden said. "Your daughter is next. And I''ll handle her well."

    My heart stopped immediately, and I could hardly breathe.

    He stretched out his hand to me. "Come you will be my bride."

 Chapter 7: CONSUMMATE THE MARRIAGE

    <h4>Chapter 7: CONSUMMATE THE MARRIAGE</h4>

    My heart stopped.

    Was I going to be his bride? This very same man who had beheaded my brother and castrated and decapitated Jessica''s mate.

    I swallowed, terrified of taking the hand that was open for me.

    I turned and saw my father.

    His face was filled with demand.

    He didn''t care what happened to me; I had to do it.

    I looked back at Xaden, and then I gave him my hand, and he led me up the few steps to the throne.

    I had never stood on the throne leverage in such a way.

    It had always and only been too clean.

    And even at that, for the enved people, we were not allowed to stand on the ground of the thrones.

    We were to crawl up and do the cleaning.

    We were only allowed to stand when we had descended the four steps that separated the thrones from the regr floor.

    We weren''t fit enough to even stand with the Alpha.

    But now, here I was.

    He pulled me to his side.

    One of the members of the Wolf Council came to stand between us with a book and started reciting it.

    I knew what these vows were.

    I had never attended a wolf ceremony except when it came to serving the Hugh-ranking couples in the pack.

    And I was always sent off once my job was done

    They were my binding to him for life.

    Wolf bond.

    In cases where the wolves getting married weren''t mates, a divorce could be possible.

    But for Mates, once bonded, it was for life. No matter what.

    I looked up at him; his face was expressionless, emotionless.

    There was nothing on it.

    Just a handsome man with no heart.

    I looked down at my feet, unused to staring at anyone.

    The older man recited the vows and picked out a sacred dagger. "Elinn veer gumi wurx iq xenni." I knew what that meant.

    "A blood together for one always." The man said.

    He picked out my hand, and then he cut it with the dagger.

    I cried in pain, and then he did the same for Xaden, who looked like nothing had just happened.

    Then, my hand was set against Xaden''s��the open wound meeting with mine.

    There was a light glow from our hands.

    It took me aback.

    "The marriage has been bonded." He said.

    I slowly took my hand away, looking at my palm and wondering where the light had radiated.

    Then Xaden caught my arm and pulled me as he led the way.

    He stopped at one of his men.

    A man with blonde hair. "Behead all the high-ranking male wolves. All of them."

    Then, the man turned to the men who had been standing waiting for their sentences.

    I was confused.

    What was going on, and where were we going?

    I fidgeted as his grip tightened on my arm.

    "Where are you taking me?" I asked as he dragged me along through the halls and up the stairs

    Confused.

    "Are you going to kill me too?" I asked him.

    Then he spun me around roughly to face him.

    "Kill you?" He asked me. "Goddess, no. What I have in mind for you so far is much better than what your brother got."

    My eyes widened, and I realized I was already at the door.

    He kicked it open and pushed me in.

    I fell to the floor, confused.

    I saw that I was in a veryvish bedroom.

    One that I had never cleaned in before.

    "Get up." He ordered.

    I did as I was told.

    Then he took off the front bodice of his armor and his leather shirt.

    I started breathing heavily.

    My eyes widened.

    I tried to run away, but he caught me and pulled me back to him.

    There were barely any few inches between us.

    "Do you know what your father did to my mother?" Xaden asked me.

    I looked at him, and our eyes made contact. There was an instant and sudden shock of electricity that I had never felt before.

    It was scary and confusing.

    He frowned as if he had noticed it, too, but his face crossed back to being terrifying.

    "When your father betrayed my family." He exined. "He brought my mother to this very room and forced himself on her."

    My whole body shook.

    I had never heard of this before.

    "But you married me." I managed.

    He threw his head back andughed.

    He was so handsome only if he wasn''t a monster.

    "I married you because I want to have a lifetime of making you suffer." He said.

    I shrunk.

    "Get on the bed." He snapped, cocking his bed to the wide bed thaty in the center of the room. "Let''s consummate our marriage. And when we do, everyone in the pack would hear how I am fucking Bale''s precious and spoilt daughter."

 Chapter 8: SPREAD YOUR LEGS (R18)

    <h4>Chapter 8: SPREAD YOUR LEGS (R18)</h4>

    JASMINE''S POV

    The blood drained out of my face.

    He wanted to consummate the marriage. He said my father had forced himself on his mother.

    In this very room.

    His eyes gleamed with rage, fury, and vengeance.

    I felt my throat go dry as I took a step back.

    No, this could not be my fate.

    This couldn''t be what was going to happen to me.

    "What? A barbarian who had lived in the woods for years is beneath you?" He asked me cruelly.

    And then he smiled, and it gave me chills.

    He walked up to me, I wanted to run away, but my feet refused to move.

    "Everything that I''ve gone through." He said. "Everything that your father did to me. You will pay for it. If I had killed you the way I had killed your brother, then it would have been much better for you."

    His big arms were on my dress, and he ripped it into shreds, exposing my nudity.

    I threw my hands over my body to cover myself.

    Heughed wickedly, and I felt shame, wondering how cruel he could be.

    "I will fuck you in ways that Dean would have never." He promised. "And pleasure belongs only to me. Your pain is all I need."

    He took off his pants, and I saw him standing naked before me.

    "Get on your knees." He ordered.

    My heart was racing, and I did as I was told.

    "Look up at me." He ordered.

    I slowly rose my head to his where his cock,rge and erect, faced me.

    Then, swiftly, I felt him force it into my mouth.

    I gasped in shock at what was happening.

    I tried to pull away, but he grabbed my hair and kept me in ce, and then he started to thrust into my mouth.

    I choked, groaning as I felt its weight going down my throat more profoundly.

    I felt the tears roll down my cheeks as he violently pushed in and out of my mouth.

    His hand was gripping my hair with such force my head hurt.

    "Cry!" He snapped. "Let your parents hear! Let them know what I''m doing to their daughter!"

    My mouth hurt, and I felt like the more he dug his cock down my throat I was going to throw up.

    Then pulled out of me, and I took in a loud gasp of air.

    He seemed angry and furious, and his recent actions had not quenched his anger.

    He pulled me by my hair and dragged me up.

    "Rise!"

    My feet were shaken; I did as he instructed, the tears rolling down my cheeks as I whimpered.

    Trying to control my tears.

    "Get on the bed." He said. "And spread those legs wide open."

    My eyes widened at hismand.

    "Move!" He ordered.

    My lips began to quiver.

    I couldn''t run away. There was no ce to run to.

    My father would kill me if I escaped this room because it meant that Xaden would find out that I wasn''t his bride.

    And what would happen to me then?

    My father would beat me and kill me equally.

    I had no choice.

    I rose to my feet, sobbing softly as I walked towards the bed.

    I sat down on it, and he came over me like a hawk pouncing on a chick.

    His sizeable muscr frame hovered over me.

    Hisshes are gazing over my body.

    His gaze made me feel sudden shots of electric bolts.

    Like what I felt when we made eye contact.

    Did he feel it, too?

    He seemed indifferent as he roughly pushed my legs wide apart.

    And then I saw his massive cock reaching to navigate in between my legs.

    "No." I cried as I stumbled out of his embrace.

    But I didn''t go anywhere. Not even out of the bed.

    He grabbed me and dragged me back to him.

    Like a caged bird, I fought and begged for him to let me go.

    A pnded on my face, and I stopped, stunned.

    For a split second, he seemed shocked that he had hit me and seemed as if he was going to let me go.

    But something took over, and whatever emotions I thought he had considered disappeared.

    He held my two hands over my head and used a single hand to keep it in ce.

    Then, he used one hand to hold my hips in ce.

    I wept, wondering what I had done to deserve this lifetime of endless suffering.

    I tried to squirm free, but he had caught me in a tight position.

    There was no escape.

    And then I felt his cock graze towards my center again.

    And a sudden well of warmth came between my thighs, from me.

    And then he plunged in with one sharp and brutal thrust.

    I screamed so loud I felt my ears shrill.

    It had been so fast and rapid. The size of his cock was times a hundred of what he had pushed himself into.

    He didn''t wait for me to recover from the pain.

    The moment he had thrust in, he pounded into me.

    Follow current novels on freewe(b)novel.c(o)m

 Chapter 9: NO PLEASURE (R18)

    <h4>Chapter 9: NO PLEASURE (R18)</h4>

    I tried to push him away, but with every single second he pulled out, he plunged back in, and the weight of him in me was overbearing.

    I felt my body shudder in response to his actions.

    Was this what it was to consummate children?

    Was this what Abel and other men in the pack who had lusted after me wanted to do?

    Something so hurtful.

    He continued, and I couldn''t help crying aloud, weeping.

    My inner thighs burned, and then I turned my head to the side as he drove further in, not sparing me any single second to adjust to his roughness.

    He was aggressive andpletely savage.

    I closed my eyes to take my mind away from what was happening to me, and then he caught my jaw and forced me to look at me.

    "You thought it was going to be Dean who would do this to you, wasn''t it?" He demanded.

    Beads of sweat were on his clear forehead, and his onyx eyes glowed.

    He thought he was punishing Jessica and me when, in fact, I was innocent of all his usations.

    "I''ve heard of you, " he said, pulling out and ramming back in.

    I cried aloud.

    "I''ve heard that you are the Alpha''s daughter, and you''re a slut fucking everything." He used.

    My eyes widened.

    "Why pretend that you''ve never done this before?" He demanded.

    I couldn''t even say a word.

    I had heard of Jessica''s private meetings with different men and witnessed her in dark corners of the house.

    But I had never believed that she had done this.

    It was so painful and hurtful. Why did Jessica even go around doing it? What was appealing to it?

    "I-I I''ve never done this before." I managed.

    "SILENCE!" He snapped, and then he resumed pounding into me even faster.

    My sobs and tears went unanswered.

    He squeezed my breasts, gave me a bite, and went on going rougher and faster.

    I felt myself dizzy, and then suddenly, I felt an explosion.

    Then he pulled out of me.

    I was scared he was going to force himself on me again, and so I shook in fear.

    He stepped away from the bed and frowned at me.

    I looked down at the sheets and saw there was blood.

    He looked up at me in disgust and strode to where his armor was.

    "So you are a virgin." He said.

    I couldn''t say a word, weak from what he had just done to me.

    "Doesn''t change the fact that you''re a filthy prostitute." He said as he wore his clothes.

    I sniffed.

    And then, when he was fully dressed, he walked up to me.

    I flinched in anxiety at his approach, and he caught my jaw and made me face him.

    "From this moment, you will regret being born." He promised me, and he pushed my head away.

    My throat went dry at his promise.

    "Get dressed." He snapped at me. "We''re leaving."

 Chapter 10: I FUCKED YOUR DAUGHTER (R18)

    <h4>Chapter 10: I FUCKED YOUR DAUGHTER (R18)</h4><subtxt> freew��bnove?</subtxt>

    I blinked at him, stunned by his words. "To where?" Even though I felt dazed, I managed to ask him; my head spun, dizzy and weak. He turned to me. "You don''t ask about my actions. You''re nothing to me. And when I make an order, you ept it, whether you like it or not! Do I make myself clear?" My lips were quivering, scared of him and his brutal and harsh words. I looked down at my hands. Why was I surprised anyway? Why would he treat me well? No one had? I wasn''t even good at anything. "Is that understood?!" He snapped at me. I felt the tears spill down to myp. "Yes, Alpha," I replied with a nod. The tears dropped, and I made sure I was looking down so that he wouldn''t be reminded how pathetic I was. "Get dressed!" He said he was folding his arms. "We''re leaving together. I want them to see how you look after me. I did what he did to my mother for you." I wished I could tell him that whether he killed me or not, it was not going to make any difference to my family. They hated me already, always had, and would never regard me as theirs. I wasn''t Jessica. It was Jasmine. I wasn''t beautiful; I was only in with scars on my face. I slowly rose from the bed. But my thighs bucked and shook weakly, and I instantly fell. My inner thighs were still left with traces of blood, hinting at his entrance. He wouldn''t even let me wash up. I sobbed as I struggled to rise to get my clothes back, but I felt down again. I heard an irritated sigh and some footsteps. I looked up, and my dress was flung at me. "Get it over with!" He snapped. My whole body shook as I struggled to wear them. I could feel his gaze boring into me. I finally managed to wear my clothes and then looked back at him. "Let''s go." He ordered. I tried my best to walk well, but I couldn''t. It was me moving, and it burned me. My inner thighs hurt. I was in so much pain. He opened the doors, and my father and Luna Maria were there. "Take the blood-stained sheets." He said that, and then he looked at me with a side-eye. "I forced myself on your daughter; she didn''t handle it too well." My father turned to look at me. "She is just a slut." Xaden said, and my father looked at me, and then his eyes lit with fire. Demanding what I had done wrong.

 Chapter 11: UNGRATEFUL BITCH!

    <h4>Chapter 11: UNGRATEFUL BITCH!</h4>

    Smack! "You stupid girl!" My father snapped at me right after he had pped me. I was so scared of him that my body shook violently. I tried to control the sobs that were hanging at my throat and looked down at my feet in shame. "I told you to do anything he wanted!" He snapped at me. I managed to look up at him. His face was fueled with anger and hate. I knew that he was pouring the anger of losing Abel and the entirety of all the high-ranking members of his pack on my head. "But father, "don''t call me that!" He spat. My body shook like thunder at how much his words stung me. Once Xaden left my side, my father pushed me into the room, furious, and unleashed his anger. "You''re a bastard!" He swore at me. "You''ve never even shifted. You should be dead instead of Abel." My heart raced at the cruelty of his words, pulse-raising at how he was exacting his power over me. I was nothing. Nothing even after I had been assaulted. "He forced himself on me." I stuttered, trying not to break down into tears. My entire body ached in between my legs, and I had to ce my hand against a wall to prevent myself from falling. "You ungrateful bitch!" Luna Maria snapped at me. "After everything we''ve done for you!" I flinched at her words. I was afraid she would hit me once again. "He raped you, so what?!" she demanded. I swallowed. "You should feel privileged that you are acting like my daughter!" She snapped at me. Her eyes were blood red, and I could see that she had wept for the loss of her son. She wasn''t looking as beautiful as she always did. Her eyes were tired and weak. As much as she had been horrible to me, I wanted to console her and tell her that I was sorry that she had witnessed her son being murdered because, no matter what she had done to me, I understood her pain. "Whatever he wants to do with you, you will do it withoutint." He snapped at me. "Do you understand?" I nodded quickly. Then I felt his shadow leave. I looked at my father with pleading eyes. He believed that I had made Xaden mad, and he, in turn, was angry at me. Somehow, the wrath of my father over the man who had just raped me was more terrifying. His eyes were on me, threatening and promising the consequences of my actions. "Now listen to me." He told me. "You''re going to be a spy on Xaden."

 Chapter 12: SPY ON XADEN

    <h4>Chapter 12: SPY ON XADEN</h4>

    "W-what?" I asked in disbelief. "You''ve be deaf too?" Luna Maria hissed at me. I closed my mouth and looked down at my hands. "He will take you with him to his pack." My father told me that his expression was strict. "In a different country. You will spy on him and send word to me about his ns to attack me with the next new moon." I gasped. Spying was a criminal offense in any country, and the punishment was death. Instant death. "But it''s a death sentence." I managed to tell him. "If you''re smart, you won''t get caught." My father told me. I swallowed ufortably what he was asking me to do. "Are you contemting that I, your Alpha, am the one who gave you life''s decision?" He demanded of me. "Are you thinking of betraying me?" I shook my head quickly, and my forehead was sweating profusely. "No, Alpha Bale," I said. He snorted at me, and then he turned to Luna Maria. An older woman, whom I had never seen before, came into the room. "Turn around, girl." She crooked at me. Confused but weak, I did as she told me, and then I felt a sharp pain in my shoulder. I cried in pain. And then it was gone in an instant. I looked over my shoulder to see what it was. It was a tiny tattoo, almost impossible to see. "Because you have not shifted," Alpha Bale told me. "You would have been able tomunicate with me directly, but you aren''t. You''re just an outcast and atent wolf. Nothing more. Useless. So better make yourself useful." "The mark is an owl speaker."

    The old woman said, "You now have an owl designated for you. You can send it information, and it will bring it back here." I had heard of such stores but assumed they were only a myth. "All you need to do is call its name, and it will fly to you after three days." She told me. "It will find you wherever you are during sunset. You will give it your message, and it will fly away." "What''s its name?" I asked. Then, I was scared to speak because I worried they would snap at me. "Eqiana." She said. I nodded. Then I remembered that I didn''t know how to read or write.

    I had been aplete ve in the pack; there was no reason for me to learn how to be literate. It was considered irrelevant. If I told Alpha Bale that I was illiterate, he might kill me on the spot out of anger. He was right; I was useless. "You better bring us information." He told me. "If we fall, it''s in your hands. And Xaden will kill you." I nodded quickly; well, I was scared of my father. He took a deep breath. "The scars on your back��did Xaden see them?" He asked me. "I hope he didn''t. Because if you let him see them, then you''ve ruined us all, and our blood will be at your hands." I swallowed. Had Xaden seen my back? The marks? Then it dawned on me that if he had, then that meant he would be suspicious of the fact that I was not his actual daughter. Why would an Alpha''s daughter have marks on her back? "Tell me you, you creature! Did he see the marks on your back?!" My father snapped in a rage of fury.

 Chapter 13: FILTHY PROSTITUTE

    <h4>Chapter 13: FILTHY PROSTITUTE</h4>

    I chewed my fingertips in anxiety, trying to remember if he had seen my back.

    It was something I did when I was anxious and scared.

    The p came unexpectedly.

    First, my hand was smacked off, and then a p was thrown on my face.

    Because of how weak I was from my assault, I fell to the floor.

    "You idiot!" Luna Maria screamed. "My daughter does not chew her fingertips like a goat! If you want to act like her, you better do it wisely."

    I could feel the blood in between my legs begin to drip down my leg, and my face seemed dizzy.

    "Stand up!" She ordered me.

    As I struggled, I fell on the floor again.

    Everything seemed blurry.

    "She is such a clumsy fool!" Luna Maria snapped. "Look at her! She can''t even stand on her two legs. She will give the excuse that it was because she was raped! As if she is the first person to be raped!"

    I looked up and saw the anger in Alpha Bale''s eyes.

    No, I couldn''t let him be angry with me.

    I would shame and disappoint him. I wanted to prove that I was not useless and that I was more than a ve. I was his daughter.

    I wanted to make him proud of me.

    So I ced my hand on the wall, and with all my strength, even though my head was spinning and my heart was racing, I got up to my feet.

    Then I looked down at my hands in shame. "No, he did not see the marks on my back."

    There was silence.

    "It''s good he didn''t see it." My father warned. "If he had, then it would have been all your fault. It is your fault that you''re atent wolf. You can''t heal! If you could heal, then none of this would happen."

    I choked down on the tears gathering in my eyes.

    "Make sure he does not see those marks on your back!" He warned me. "Urma said they have a week to disappear. So you better do something smart about it!"

    I nodded hastily.

    Then someone came in, and my father turned to see them.

    I saw Luna Maria looking out through the window.

    I knew she was grieving for the loss of her son.

    I walked up to her and touched her shoulder.

    "Your majesty. I am so sorry for your loss." I said. "I can''t understand the pain you''re feeling. Abel didn''t deserve that."

    She froze, and then she turned to face me.

    Her face was written withplete shock, and then it screwed up in rage.

    She flung my hand off her shoulder.

    "Don''t touch me, you prostitute!" She screamed.

    I was taken aback.

    I only meant to tell her how sorry I was. Why was she so angry?

    "What is it?" I heard my father ask from behind.

    "This bastard of yours just told me why Xaden was furious when he left the room." She said. "She isn''t a virgin."

    I gasped.

    "She has been sleeping around with men in the pack. Something my daughter, who she has been an impostor of, would never do!" She screamed.

    "That''s not true." I managed to speak up.

    But then the p came against my face.

    It was my father who hit me; he had never hit me once in my life.

    But Luna Maria had just lied, and he had believed her bluntly.

    She had lied because I told her that I was sorry for the loss of her son.

    Was it guilt? She had always been so bad to me, and now I was being kind to her.

    I felt my head spin. "You can''t even close your legs! And you''re here crying that he raped you!"

    This was from my father.

    I began to weep.

    Then, a shadow was in the doorway.

    "What''s going on here?"

    It was Xaden.

 Chapter 14: GOODBYE

    <h4>Chapter 14: GOODBYE</h4>

    My heart started racing so fast that it felt like it was about to jump out of my chest.

    Maybe they would just tell Xaden that I was not the legitimate daughter but an impostor and leave him to kill me.

    But Luna Maria reached out to me.

    When her hand first went over my head, I flinched.

    But then she caressed my messy curls and said, "My daughter, we love you. No matter what happens, we will find a way to save you."

    I was shocked.

    Why was she saying this?

    Then she pulled me into an embrace, and I could perceive her perfume and her feminine warmth.

    Then she let me go.

    "Are we not allowed to have time with our daughter before you take her away?" Luna Maria asked. "After what you did to my son,"

    Then, it dawned on me that she was pretending.

    They were all pretending.

    They couldn''t let him know that they had been abusive to me.

    "Your daughter hasn''t seen anything yet." He promised.

    I swallowed.

    I wasn''t just leaving the pack I had known my entire life, but the only home I had known to go to somewhere I had never been.

    "Let''s go!" He snapped at me.

    I jumped, and then I was freed from Luna Maria''s false embrace, and I went to him.

    I almost bit my fingertips in anxiety, but then I remembered what Luna Maria had told me.

    I quickly stopped.

    He frowned at me and led me out of the room.

    I managed to maintain his stride, but my entire body burned.

    He went on faster, and I followed him like a puppy while my inner thighs burned and an overwhelming headache came over me.

    "Don''t keep him waiting!" Luna hissed behind my ear in a whisper as she pushed. Me forward.

    I managed to rush ahead, but my thighs burned.

    What I didn''t know was that there was a trail of blood following me from under my dress.

    Luna Maria saw it but didn''t bother to tell me.

    Eventually, we went to where the horses were, and a carriage was waiting.

    I stood, tired.

    Then Xaden turned to my father.

    "I left a goodbye gift, " he said, nodding at the castle walls.

    I looked up and saw the heads of all the high-ranking male wolves staked on wood.

    I felt sick.

    "I leave my men under themand of this pack." He said. "This is now my property. I''ll see you in the next new moon to finish what I started."

    With that, he turned towards the horses.

    I was looking back.

    I hadn''t seen Urma; I couldn''t leave without telling her goodbye.

    "What are you looking for?" He asked me.

    I paused and looked down at my feet. "A friend. I need to see her before I leave."

    "Was that amand?" he asked me.

    I shrank in fear and shook my head.

    "No. Your majesty." I quickly bowed. "Please let me know if I can see my friend before I leave. If you will let me."

    I felt his gaze over my head.

    "You will do no such thing." He shocked me.

    "Let''s go," he said.

    And with that, he pushed me upward towards where the horses were.

    I turned to the carriage to get in.

    But two guards stood in front of the door.

    I was confused.

    "You didn''t think I''d let your filthy body ride in my carriage, did you?" He asked me.

    No, he couldn''t. I prayed he didn''t do what I thought he was about to.

    "You''re walking the journey." He said.

    But I heard his country was thousands of miles away.

    How could I walk all the way?

    Especially in my state.

    Mainly because I could hardly even walk.

    He got into the carriage himself and mmed the door shut.

    "Walk," he told me.

 Chapter 15: THE WALK

    <h4>Chapter 15: THE WALK</h4>

    The walk was horrible.

    Every single one of his men rode on their horses.

    No one was walking like I was.

    It was embarrassing as I trailed off in my white dress, which still showed seams of it being ripped after he had taken my virginity.

    I felt my head spin.

    I couldn''t tell how long I had been walking, but the only thing that remained in my head was that I couldn''t faint.

    If I did, I would disgrace my father.

    I shook as I feared him, even though he was now miles away.

    My inner thighs burned, and it felt like something was dripping down my leg with every step I took.

    The men chatted, and no one looked at me like I was a human being.

    I was insignificant, irrelevant, and their enemy.

    They all hated me, and no one wanted anything to do with me.

    Then, the ride came to a halt.

    The horses all abruptly stopped.

    I had to stop in my tracks, too.

    The door of the carriage opened, and Xaden stepped out.

    My heart stopped.

    He stood hovering over me, his entire height scaring me.

    I swallowed.

    Then he turned to his men.

    "Throw all the trunks filled with her possessions in the river." He said.

    I froze instantly.

    I turned to look at him in horror.

    They were the trunks and possessions that my father and Luna Maria had packed up for me.

    The men brought them down and threw them into the river.

    "No, what are you doing?" I shrieked, confused, and managed to rush towards the river as I watched them drop to the bottom.

    Xaden caught my arm and spun me around.

    "Don''t test me." He warned. "Your disgusting parents gave you your jewels and expensive clothes, didn''t they?"

    They hadn''t given them to me.

    They gave it to cement further the belief that I was Jessica, my stepsister.

    "Well, let me shock you, spoilt brat." He said. "I''m not here for any of your silly antiques. Your life will be nothing like your life in the castle."

    My heart raced, and I turned to see thest trunks of clothes, shoes, and jewelry being flung into the river.

    He smirked at me.

    "Keep walking." He said, and then he turned to a horse that had been empty throughout the ride and climbed on it instead of returning to the carriage.

    Then, I forced myself to continue the walk.

    My head began to spin, and I saw double this time.

    I held my breath, trying to rx, but my entire body was on fire.

    I wasn''t moving anymore.

    I pressed my fingers against my temple, trying to regainposure.

    "Alpha Xaden!" Someone said it behind me. "She seems to have left a trail of blood."

    I didn''t know what was happening again.

    I thought I heard Xaden curse aloud.

    Then I felt the gravity dissolve, and I fell.

    I didn''t feel as much impact on the ground as I should have.

    But it felt like someone had caught me right before I fell, and everything went nk.

 Chapter 16: AWAKE

    <h4>Chapter 16: AWAKE</h4>

    I felt something damp and warm on my forehead and stirred awake.

    I opened my eyes and saw that I was in a small room.

    I slowly got up and looked around to take in the environment and be sure of where I was.

    There was a glowing light in a corner, illuminating the entire room.

    A little window hung in the corner, and the room was sparse, with few items inside.

    A little bedside drawer and a cab.

    Where was I?

    I removed the little damp cloth from my head and set it on the bedside table.

    Thest thing I could recall was feeling dizzy after Xaden had thrown my jewelry and clothes into the river, and everything went nk.

    Oh no, had I fainted?

    I couldn''t believe it.

    If my father knew that I had been so careless as to faint, then I would be in trouble.

    How had I even gotten here in the first ce?

    I set my feet against the floor and tried to get up, but my body was so weak.

    I pushed myself harder, and just as I was about to rise, the door opened, and a woman came in.

    "You''re awake." She told me.

    She walked in with a tray and closed the door behind her.

    "I''m sorry, but who are you? How did I get here?" I asked her.

    She had curly ck hair and seemed to be in herte thirties.

    She came to my side and dropped the tray on the bedside table.

    "You''re still weak." She told me. "You need to rest up a bit."

    I shook my head. "No, I need to find Alpha Xaden. You don''t know what he will do if he finds me here."

    She shook her head. "Xaden was the one who brought you here."

    I stared at her in utter disbelief.

    I could hardly form any words from my words.

    "You had passed out, and he brought you here to heal." She said.

    Why would he do that? I wondered.

    I was irrelevant, just like a pest, and he didn''t care about me.

    All he wanted to do was punish me for the things my father had done.

    If only he knew that hurting me or whatever he did to me did not affect me.

    "You were bleeding." She said she looked me in the eye. "And your body was weak. Although I suspect your body was already tired from something else,

    The very same day that I had been beaten was the same day that I had been assaulted.

    "You took care of me," I said.

    "It was my job." She relied on picking up the cool cloth on my head.

    "How long have I been here?" I asked her.

    "About a week."

    "A week?!"

    I was going to be in so much trouble! There was so much trouble for what I had done.

    "I need to go," I said, getting up, but I stumbled back down onto the bed.

    "Stay on the bed!" She snapped at me. "Your body is tired! You can''t heal, and it''s healing at a slow pace."

    Yes, I was atent wolf. I caused all my misfortunes.

    "Xaden would do nothing." She said. "He and his men have been here for a week. And I told him you would stay here until you''ve fully healed."

    But that was going to be a problem. My falling sick had ruined the journey and slowed him down.

    Who knew what he was going to do to me? Or what he would do to my family back in the pack.

    They were my responsibility. Why wasn''t A shifted wolf? At least I would have healed.

    Luna Maria was right; I couldn''t even handle the fact that he had forced himself on me.

    I felt the tears burn behind my eyes.

    "I know who you are. You aren''t who you say you are." The woman said, "You''re not the one he wanted. You''re someone else."

    My heart seized instantly.

    How did she know?!

 Chapter 17: IMPOSTOR

    <h4>Chapter 17: IMPOSTOR</h4>

    I started to deny it quickly.

    "I don''t know what you''re talking about," I said.

    I had never lied in my entire life.

    But I had to do it this time.

    "You can''t lie to me, girl." She said. "I can see through you. He wanted someone else, not you."

    How had she known? How? No one knew, at least.

    Or did someone already know and then tell her?

    My head was racing.

    "No one told me." She said it as if she were reading my mind. "I''m a seer."

    I looked at her point-nk.

    I had heard of wolves who could see into the future but assumed it was a myth. Or I could see someone and instantly know anything about them.

    I dropped to my knees despite the burn in my thighs.

    "Please don''t tell him who I am," I begged at her feet. "He would kill them. Please. I will do anything you want."

    The tears were flowing.

    She drew me up to sit on the bed and gentlyy my head against one of the standing pillows.

    "Sit down, " she urged me. I told you not to get up."

    I shook my head. "No, please. You don''t understand. Back home, they are my responsibility. If I don''t keep up with this, he will kill them."

    "You are not anyone''s responsibility!" She snapped at me in rage.

    That surprised me.

    She had been so soft-spoken; seeing her snap at me angrily took me aback.

    She took a deep breath. "You look after everyone who looks after you? Jasmine, you are no one''s responsibility except yours."

    "How did you know my name?" I asked, bewildered.

    "I''m a seer. I told you that already." She said.

    "Oh," I mumbled, feeling foolish. "I''m not very intelligent."

    She gave an irritated sigh. "Goddess Jasmine. If you are anything, it''s intelligent."

    No one had ever told me I was intelligent before. I rarely gotpliments.

    Except for Urma, who had always said I was brave.

    "You just look out for everyone." She said. "I''ve never met anyone like you. You''re different."

    I gave a weak smile. "Yes, I''m an unshifted wolf."

    She smiled at me and tucked one of my loose curls in such a way that I had always seen Luna Maria tuck Jessica''s hair behind her ears.

    I had always wanted someone to do that for me.

    "You truly know nothing about yourself." She said. "And that''s sad. Fate would not let me tell you anything about you. But Jasmine, you are courageous."

    Herpliments hit me because I knew they weren''t true.

    I did not have any of these good qualities she called for in me.

    "Please do not tell Alpha Xaden," I begged her to return to her initial statement that she was an imposter.

    "I wouldn''t." She said that, and she seemed angry. "You shouldn''t be here. If anyone is to be here, it''s that miserable girl you''re pretending to be."

    I swallowed.

    Jessica hated me, but maybe she woulde to Like me.

    She was my younger sister. I was her big sister. I was doing this to protect her.

    "When are you going to start thinking of yourself?" the woman asked me, her eyes filled with worry.

    I looked away. "I''m not significant. If I can be useful like this, then it''s okay."

    I had never had an important role to y in my life.

    But this was different. I could finally show I was something.

    "At the expense of your own life?" She asked me.

    I was mute about that. My life didn''t matter. I was just a bastard.

    She sighed. "This food is for you. You have to eat it."

    I looked down at the food, taking a close look at it for the first time.

    There was chicken, bread, cheese, and what looked like wine.

    I didn''t get to eat food like this.

    If I did, it was Urma who sneaked food for me.

    I ate scraps.

    "Do not argue, " she told me. Eat! You need it. Everything will be fine."

    And with that, I watched her rise.

    I tasted the chicken, and it was so delicious.

    I had never had anything given to me with such intentions and in such a way.

    The tears in my eyes gathered.

    "Thank you, mydy." I was so emotional and embarrassed that I was emotional about such a thing.

    "My name is Elena, " she said. And you''re wee. Eat and rest."

    Then she closed the door after she stepped out. It

 Chapter 18: PROPHECY

    <h4>Chapter 18: PROPHECY</h4>

    Elena closed the door, came down the stairs, and walked towards where the men sat, eating and drinking.

    She knew where she would find him.

    He was outside with his horse, gently taking care of it, and the moonlight showed on them.

    She watched him and could see his heart��filled with hate and despair. But there was a part of him that could care. He could take care of an animal with so much affection, and yet he tried to take away any show of humanity in him.

    She walked up to him.

    He looked at her. He wouldn''t ask the question, but she knew what he wanted to know.

    "She is fine, " she said. She is awake now and resting."

    He said nothing for a while as he brushed off the hair on his horse.

    "Well, we''re going to be on our way now." He said.

    She stopped him right in his tracks. "You will do no such thing."

    "You said she was awake." He said. "We''ve been here for one fucking week! Doing nothing! Waiting for sleeping beauty to wake up, and now that she is awake, you won''t let me leave?!"

    "You were rough with her." She reminded him.

    When they had brought her almost to the brink of death, Elena had been so furious and disgusted.

    Especially after she had examined the poor girl! She had wanted tosh at him, but she had controlled herself and went on healing her with her abilities.

    "I didn''t get to speak to you, but now that she is awake, I can." She said. "How could you do that?! Rape an innocent girl?!"

    "Innocent?! Have you forgotten what her father did to my mother?! To my family?! To my mate?! To you?!" He sneered.

    She felt the pang, and when the memories returned, she pushed them away.

    "She isn''t her father." She told him.

    "To hell with that! She is his seed! And I will ruin her for the rest of her life! I bonded with her! She belongs to me till death!" He spat. "I will do whatever I want to do with her!"

    "You are bing Bale himself!" She said.

    His onyx eyes glowed, and his inner wolf howled so she could hear it.

    In a split second, his hands were around her neck.

    "DON''T YOU EVER CALL ME THAT!" He snapped at her.

    She could hardly breathe, and then his eyes dimmed, and as if realizing what he had just done, he quickly let go.

    Guilt was written all over his face.

    "I.... I....-

    She knew he couldn''t say sorry. But she knew he was. He had never said sorry in all the twenty years she had known him.

    She cleared her throat. "You need to control it. Or it will take over you."

    He said nothing and turned away. "You can''t deter me, Elena. Nothing you do will deter me. I''ve made my decisions."

    And that was what hurt her the most.

    She walked up to him and cupped his cheek.

    "You''re still the little boy that I found dead in those ruins." She told him.

    He had been such a child. He was dead, but his soul had been clinging.

    His wolf had refused to go, and she had brought him back and raised him.

    He had only been seven.

    Now, he was a man who had grown with a vengeance, and all her teachings of forgiveness had gone to waste.

    She knew that no matter what she did, he had already decided what hurt her the most.

    He had been like a son.

    The son she had lost.

    "Regardless of what you think," She said. "She is innocent."

    He pulled away from her and spat.

    She sighed. "The girl is nothing like her father."

    "Did you have a prophecy?" He asked sarcastically.

    She was quiet, and she said that to him. "You hate her, but one day, she will be the one you need the most. I promise you."

    And with that, she walked back into the house.

 Chapter 19: A SAD GOODBYE

    <h4>Chapter 19: A SAD GOODBYE</h4>

    After a few days of taking care of me and treating my wounds, I was well enough.

    She gave me some medicine.

    "You need to take these, " she advised. They will help you feel stronger and eat."

    She had helped me even though I was a stranger to her, even though she had known me for a couple of days when I had stayed back home in the pack, and no one bothered to help me.

    I swallowed heavily.

    "Thank you," I said. "I don''t know how to thank you enough."

    "You don''t need to." She promised me. "That''s what people do. Help each other."

    I hadn''t seen Alpha Xaden or any of his men all through the days I had been awake.

    I had remained in the room until I hadpletely healed.

    "Thoseshes on your back." She told me.

    I kept quiet.

    She knew who I was.

    At least from what she told me, she knew that I was not Jessica.

    I smiled weakly. "I was disrespectful, and I was punished."

    "You weren''t." She told me. "Even if you were, no one deserves this. Especially not when it''s their blood that orders it."

    I suddenly felt ashamed and embarrassed that she knew everything about me.

    How could I exin to her that I was a bastard and nothing good could evere out of me?

    I had killed my mother when I came back from this world.

    "I wish I could tell you, but I can''t." She said. "You have a destiny, Jasmine. Great one. Keep that in mind."

    Me? Have a destiny? All I had done alive was suffer, which I would do when I got to Alpha Xaden''s pack.

    He had made that as clear as day.

    "I can''t stop Xaden from anything he wants to do." She said. "He is a man who is fuelled by revenge. I wish I could. And I''m sorry you are suffering for something you''re innocent of."

    I bit my lip.

    "You kept my secret safe; you healed and cared for me," I said. "I have no idea how to pay you back."

    "You don''t need to." She said.

    Then she frowned and looked at the ne on my neck.

    "Who gave you that?" she asked.

    "It belonged to my mother. She died after my birth." I replied.

    She stared at it for a while and said nothing.

    "Alpha Xaden hates me." It wasn''t a question.

    "Yes," she replied.

    I nodded, and she led me outside the bedroom in the new dress she had gotten for me and my red curls made in a single braid.

    I took in the entire house because it was the first time I had seen it since I had been unconscious when I came in.

    Outside, the men were all waiting.

    All eyes are on me.

    Xaden was the first I saw; he seemed to look even more handsome.

    I looked down at the ground, aware that I was ugly and he was most likely disgusted by my appearance.

    The door to the carriage was opened as if inviting me.

    "You would ride inside. I''ve spoken to Xaden." Elena said she was surprising me. "You''re still weak and can''t even ride a horse because of what happened."

    I felt my face flush with embarrassment and go red. All the men would know what had happened.

    She led me into the carriage and helped me in.

    "Thank you for everything," I said from the bottom of my heart.

    She smiled at me and turned to say something to Xaden in a different wolf turn.

    He nodded and then turned towards the carriage.

    I assumed maybe he woulde in.

    But then he turned to a horse that stood beside the door.

    He hated me and wanted nothing to do with me. He would rather ride on his horse than with me in the carriage.

    "I''m sorry that I fell sick and made you waste your time." I apologized to him.

    He stiffened and said it without looking at me. "Save your falsehoods and keep your lies to yourself."

    And then he got on his horse and led the party on the continued journey.

 Chapter 20: CAMP

    <h4>Chapter 20: CAMP</h4>

    I sat in the carriage alone while horses and the other men in the pack drew it.

    I could hear the horses outside; the men were discussing andughing.

    They seemed so normal. I had never for once witnessed an attack on our pack and seen that these men, who had beheaded all the high-ranking male wolves in our pack yetughed and discussed, sat ufortably with me.

    I nestled my head against the seat, quietly wondering how my life would be in the new pack.

    I knew little about the Crescent Pack except that my father had taken over before I was even born.

    It was just a random story in the pack, but who would have ever thought that it would havee to haunt us?

    Haunt me.

    I had nothing to do with it.

    He had made it clear that I would not live a life of enjoyment in the pack as ''I had'' back home.

    I wondered if Jessica would have survived this entire ordeal as I had.

    Jessica had never known a hard life the way I had. It would have been entirely foreign to her.

    And that was why he was punishing me.

    Because he believed I, Jessica, would not be able to handle it.

    If only he knew who I indeed was.

    It was getting dark again, and then the men stopped.

    I heard theme down from their horses.

    I peered out to see what was happening.

    Were we making camp?

    We have been on the road for over a week now.

    No one bothered to tell me anything.

    I watched as the men made a fire,id out sleeping sacks,ughed, and drank.

    "Why don''t any of you know how to cook?!" One of the men standing in front of the fire, holding a rabbit, asked.

    "Give, Robert," he said.

    "Robert?!" The first man''s eyes widened. "He burned thest deer."

    "At least I did better than any of you." The one that Robert finally said.

    "I wish f wasn''t sick, " the first manined. He is the one who knows how to cook."

    They were quiet and seemed very hungry as they ate dried meat and cheese.

    I watched as the first man set aside the sizeable wild pig that had been killed and sat down dejectedly.

    My carriage door was flung open, and I jumped from where I had been peeping.

    It was Xaden, and he was not smiling as usual.

 Chapter 21: WHAT USE ARE YOU DEAD?

    <h4>Chapter 21: WHAT USE ARE YOU DEAD?</h4>

    He eyed me suspiciously.

    Then he looked at her window, which I had just been peeping from, and down to me on the seat with his eyes boring holes into me.

    "What are you doing?" He asked me. "Trying to find a way to escape?"

    My mouth dropped uneasily. "No, I was just looking out to see what had happened and why we had stopped.

    He eyes me, seemingly irritated at my presence.

    "Or are you trying to spy on me?" He asked, his brows furrowed together.

    I swallowed.

    "No. I''m not." I lied again.

    It was technically a lie.

    I had been trained to spy on them when I got into the pack, not now.

    "Don''t worry, " he promised me. We will make you unable to spy."

    My mouth dropped. "What do you mean?"

    "You''re a wolf. You can contact your bloodline through your wolf." He said.

    I looked down at my hands.

    "I can''t do that," I said. "I''m atent wolf. I''ve never shifted before."

    He just stared at me. Then he said, "You will take the test when you get to my pack."

    Test? What test was he talking about?

    Did that mean he could find out that they had marked me?

    If he found I was a spy, he would kill them back home before killing me.

    That''s if he killed me.

    I couldn''t let their death be in my hands.

    Then he flung a nket and a small bag at me.

    I looked down at the bag and rummaged through its contents.

    It was some dried meat and cheese.

    "Thank you," I told him.

    "I''m not doing any of this to help you." He warned me. "Elena said you would die if you didn''t eat or stay away from the cold. And what good use are you to me if you''re dead?"

    And then he mmed the door of the carriage so hard that my insides jumped.

    I wrapped the nket around my body and bit through the food he had given me.

    It was in, but I was grateful nheless for the food.

    Then I tucked into sleep.

    I looked back up through the carriage window. The men were asleep, and the wild pig that had been killedy down uncooked.

    I knew just what to do.

    Early the next morning, I would cook it for them.

 Chapter 22: A SURPRISE MEAL

    <h4>Chapter 22: A SURPRISE MEAL</h4>

    Early the following day, I woke up before any of the men.

    I got down from the carriage and saw that they were all asleep.

    When I walked up ahead towards the green forest we had found our way through, I saw the men keeping watch by the trees.

    It had not been on purpose, but they were asleep.

    I couldn''t find Xaden in sight.

    Maybe he slept elsewhere.

    I hurried through the forests and searched for mushrooms and spices.

    Once I found them, I put them in the little bag Xaden gave mest night''s food.

    I was careful not to pick the dangerous mushrooms.

    Back home in the pack, Urma, a healer, had shown me how to pick mushrooms and spices and differentiate them from poisonous ones.

    Also, I had been cooking in the kitchen and knew how to make meals.

    I looked for other ingredients, like pepper and onions.

    It was a vibrant forest; you would think someone farmed it while growing in the wild.

    When I returned, I quietly skinned the pig''s cousin and opened the stomach, cleaning it and washing it all out.

    Then, I mixed the spices and rubbed them into and around the meat.

    I set it aside and tried to revive the fire.

    When it hade back up, I put a stick through the meat and set it over the fire.

    As the meat cooked on a slow heat, I turned to arge can the men had used to boil waterst night and used it to make some gravy.

    It smelt delicious.

    I mixed some cheese with the meat and then added rosemary and herbs.

    It seemed to be cooking well.

    I tasted the gravy that had been cooking on the other fire, which tasted lovely.

    I used a small can to collect the oil and sauce seeping from the meat and pour them into the gravy can.

    Then I went back to taste it.

    It was perfect.

    I would have made something better if I were back home in the pack.

    As I watched over the almost-done meal, I felt someone grab the back of my dress and pull me up.

    I was hurled around and made to face a very angry Xaden.

 Chapter 23: A LIAR

    <h4>Chapter 23: A LIAR</h4><subtxt> free��ebnov��l.c?m</subtxt>

    I froze, and my heart was racing so fast.

    "Alpha Xaden, good morning.

    "What the fuck do you think you''re doing?!" He barked at me.

    His handsome face was rageful, and I could see his onyx eyes glowing.

    I swallowed hard.

    "I was just trying to cook," I said genuinely, even though I was scared to death.

    "Cool?!" He said he was confused.

    And then he looked behind me and saw the meal I had made.

    It was like he hadn''t even noticed that.

    His anger cooled to a tempo; then it went back to us.

    "You''re trying to kill me and my men?" He asked me. "Are you trying to kill me and my men?!"

    "No," I answered truthfully. "I just heard the menining about foodst night. So I came out to cook."

    He didn''t believe a word of what I had just said.

    His entire facial expression said it.

    "A spoilt brat cooking?" He asked me. "I don''t believe a word of what you''re saying!"

    Then he kicked one of the two cans of gravy, which toppled over and spilled its contents.

    All my hard work is gone.

    "No, please," I begged him as I tried to grab the can.

    But he hauled me back.

    His hand was firmly held at the neck of my dress and kept at ransom. "Tell me the truth, or I will take you here before my men!"

    I looked at him in utter shock and horror.

    No, he wouldn''t do that. He was trying to scare me.

    I felt my heart begin to pound and sweat grow on my brows.

    "And I think you vividly remember what I did to you thest time." He said to me,

    I just stared at him in horror and fear.

    "Now tell me the truth, or I will fuck you in the view of my men!" He spat out.

    The tears in my eyes began gathering, and my entire body shook.

    I had been such a fool. It was such a fool to think that they would think I was ever helping them.

    "It''s the truth." I stuttered, the tears almost flowing down my eyes.

    His eyes glowed in anger; his entire demeanour terrified me, and then he pushed me against the tree in the middle of the camp where all his men were and positioned himself against me.

 Chapter 24: VINDICATION

    <h4>Chapter 24: VINDICATION</h4>

    He proceeded to begin to rip at my dress, but I turned around weeping, trying to stop him.

    But he was so strong, and I was defenseless.

    I tried to fight and squirm free, but he pinned me down, and the tears were flowing nonstop.

    "You''re just like your father." He told me.

    "No, please," I begged as I wept.

    "What''s happening, Xaden?" A man''s voice said.

    I turned and saw that all the men were awake and looking at us.

    The tears were still rolling down my eyes.

    "What''s that smell?" Someone else asked.

    "This bitch tried to poison us," Xaden said. "A spoilt princess like her trying to cook?"

    The men were quiet, and then I heard footsteps, and then the first man''s voice said, "If she tried to poison us, I think the best punishment is that she takes the food. If it''s poison, then she should take it. If she dies, then we know it''s poison."

    I turned to see the man who was speaking.

    He had short, blonde hair and was as big as Xaden.

    Then I remembered him.

    He was the one Xaden had ordered to kill all the high-ranking members of the pack.

    Xaden stared at me and then let me go.

    "Go, take it." He said.

    I swallowed heavily and walked towards the food, past the men''s scrutinizing gaze.

    They all looked at me through the eyes of an enemy.

    They all hated me.

    I picked out the meat; it was so soft and tender, and then I took it to my lips.

    It was so delicious.

    Then, I took a spoonful of the gravy and ate.

    Then I turned to face the men.

    They all looked at me as if hoping that I would explode or something.

    I stood for a while and stared at them. Then, my throat felt ufortable.

    They noticed my difort.

    Had I identally put in a poisonous mushroom?

    This was how I was going to die.

    I had proved him right��I had poisoned them after all.

    I waited for the impact of the poisonous mushroom, and the unexpected happened.

    I begged.

    I quickly closed my mouth in shame.

    "I''m sorry." I apologized.

    They just stared at me.

    "She didn''t poison it." The man said,

    "She is just lucky, Erik," Xaden said.

    The men stood in their ces, refusing to go near the food, even though I had cooked it for them.

    "Please, I made it for you." I offered.

    They didn''t move.

    I sighed, knowing that I was their enemy no matter what, and they would never trust me.

    Then I walked back into the carriage and got in.

    When I peeped a whileter, I saw them eating the meal, and I smiled.

 Chapter 25: AMBUSH

    <h4>Chapter 25: AMBUSH</h4>

    After the meal, the journey continued, and I remained in the carriage.

    They had utterly eaten it all up and seemed to like it��more than six of them she had seen licking their fingers.

    Some of them had even argued over the food and its share.

    Xaden had not eaten it.

    When she turned to the carriage window, she saw Erik riding his horse beside her.

    He had saved her life.

    If not for him, what would Xaden have done to her again?

    This time worse, in front of his men.

    Her body shivered, and she pushed the thought away.

    She took some of her medicine and then rested for a bit.

    "Halt," Xaden said.

    She froze all the horses, and the carriage itself stopped.

    There was silence.

    The silence continued for a few minutes, and then I heard footsteps and someoneing down from a horse.

    There was a slicing sound as if something had been caught, and then something fell with a loud thud.

    "It''s a trap." Xaden''s voice said. "Rogue packs."

    Then, as if on cue, there was arge howling from multiple wolves.

    Wolves that I instantly knew didn''t belong in Xaden''s pack.

    Then shouting followed.

    I looked out of my window and saw wolves headed right our way.

    Immediately, they shed with us, and I saw blood spill.

    The men started fighting.

    Xaden was giving orders so loudly that I could hear.

    Then Xaden''s face came over the window in the carriage, and I jumped back.

    "Stay inside!" He warned. "Don''te out."

    I nodded hastily, and he moved away.

    I quickly moved back away from the window and shook in fear.

    It was an open ambush in broad daylight.

    Xaden had only coke because, just as he had said, what use was I to him alive?

    I remained inside, trembling in fear, as I heard the screams of the men shing. I could listen to body parts being pulled out of bodies.

    I hugged myself and kept quiet through the actual noise.

    Then, the door to my carriage was quietly opened.

    A stranger with crooked teeth and a terrifying face came in.

    I gasped and was about to scream, but he pointed a dagger at me.

    "If you make a single noise, I''ll slit your throat." He warned me.

 Chapter 26: HOSTAGE

    <h4>Chapter 26: HOSTAGE</h4>

    I swallowed instantly.

    "Now get out." He ordered me.

    I jumped at his demand and calmly got out of my seat.

    He opened the door for me and led me out.

    "You better don''t try anything funny, princess." He said.

    I didn''t say a word.

    As soon as I stepped out of the carriage, I saw the chaos of the attack.

    No one would notice if I slipped out and was taken hostage. There was blood and dead wolves on the floor.

    He grabbed me and held the sword to my neck.

    Then he forced me ahead of him, and all I did was walk. Soon, we were down in the forest.

    "Move!" He snapped at me and prodded me forward.

    I walked on, silent, wondering what to say.

    "Where are we going, please?" I asked him.

    "You don''t ask any questions!" He snapped at me.

    I remained mute.

    Then he took me to where the other wolves were.

    They were part of his rogue pack.

    "Who is she?" Someone asked.

    "She is important to them." He snapped. "I found her in the carriage. Waiting like a princess. Look, she is dressed as one!"

    "We need to leave." Another said. "We are outnumbered. We''re almost all dead. They killed us."

    "Yes, but we will take her along, " he said. "We can use her to exchange and bargain with Xaden. I''m sure she is important to them."

    "I''m not important to him," I said. "Whether you kill me or not doesn''t matter. He won''te for me or pay a dime over my head."

    "So why were you in a carriage?" He asked me.

    I went mute.

    "I thought as much." He gave a wry smile.

    Then he snapped his fingers.

    "We''ll leave with her, " he said. "Get her ropes and tie her. She ising along with us."

    I tried to flee, but I was dragged back. I struggled until a punch knocked me silent.

    Then, someone tied my hands and bound a rope around my body.

    I was forced to stay put.

    "Toss her on a horse; let''s get going." He ordered.

    A big man walked towards me in what seemed to be an attempt to lift me and toss me on the horses.

    I felt a sudden presence and bolt of energy.

    I didn''t need to turn.

    I saw Xaden standing in front of everyone.

    And he didn''t look too happy.

 Chapter 27: RESCUE

    <h4>Chapter 27: RESCUE</h4>

    "Let her go," Xaden hissed.

    "Just like that?" The man sneered. "You know I wouldn''t. She insisted that you weren''t important, but seeing you here ready to save her, I know she is. How fucking romantic."

    Xaden''s eyes glowed bright, and then, in a split second, he was at one of the wolves, and he ripped him apart without even needing to turn.

    The others quickly turned to their wolves and attacked him, but they were no match for Xaden.

    One by one, sometimes two together, he killed them off.

    With his bare hands.

    Then, there was onest man standing.

    The man who had taken me hostage and hurriedly grabbed me and used me as a shield against his body.

    "If you daree closer, I''ll kill her." He warned.

    Xaden looks bored. "She was right. Killing her means nothing to me. She is of no use to me."

    The man seemed to be taken aback by that statement, and Xaden grabbed an arrow that had been around one of the dead wolves and threw it right at me.

    I closed my eyes, ready for the impact, but I heard gurgling and choking behind me.

    There was a loud thud on the ground.

    I turned around and saw that the man had fallen to the ground, dead.

    By the time I turned back, Xaden was already at my front.

    "Didn''t I tell you not to go anywhere?" He demanded.

    I wanted to exin that he had crept into the carriage and taken me himself.

    I started to exin but stopped when I saw his facial expression.

    "I''m sorry." That was all I said, and I looked down at my hands.

    In a split second, he took off all the ropes that bound me and set me free.

    He didn''t say a word; he just walked ahead and didn''t need to tell me to follow him before I did.

    He returned to the party.

    "How many are dead?" He asked Erik.

    "About five of us," Erik said. "And almost all of them. At least all of them that were here."

    "I killed some of them behind," Xaden nodded to the forest we had just left.

    Erik handed Xaden a cloth. "I don''t think this is just a rogue pack."

    Xaden collected it. "Hermes?"

    "Who else?" Erik asked.

    "Bury the men," Xaden said. "We need to keep moving; we''re at enemy targets. Hopefully, we get home by sunset."

    They buried the men who had been killed and kept a one-hour silence for them before we continued on our journey.

 Chapter 28: FINAL DESTINATION

    <h4>Chapter 28: FINAL DESTINATION</h4>

    The journey continued ahead.

    I was getting tired. Most restless from sitting at the back of the carriage and doing nothing.

    After Xaden had saved me, he didn''t say a word to me. He ignored me, as usual.

    It was getting dark, and the horses and carriage stopped.

    I could hear mening down from their horses.

    I looked out of the window to see where I was.

    I saw we were insiderge walls, and I couldn''t see much.

    The only way I could was to stretch my head further out of the window, which I didn''t consider.

    The carriage door was flung open, and then I saw Erik.

    "We''ve arrived." He said. "Come down."

    I came down and saw that I stood before avish castle.

    I was nothing like our own.

    The entire wall was made of white.

    People were bustling around the castle walls.

    It was cold but beautiful.

    There were no flowers in sight, not even trees.

    I wondered why.

    "Xaden!"

    I saw a beautiful woman with brown haire down the steps.

    She had on male pants and a neckline that showed her cleavage.

    Then she threw her arms around him.

    I wanted to look away, but my eyes were stuck on them.

    Then she let go, and the look she gave him was that of a lover''s.

    "I missed you." She said.

    I shifted ufortably.

    "What happened? You took too long." She asked.

    "There was some dy." He said.

    Then she turned and noticed me.

    She looked me up and down, and her face screwed up. I knew she hated me.

    "Who is this?" She asked him.

    "It''s Bale''s daughter," Xaden said. "She is going to be staying with us for a while."

    Was he going to tell anyone that we were married? Bonded.

    The energy I received from this woman was like that of a lover.

    "You brought our enemies, daughter?! Here! And alive!" She said it in shock.

    "No, your ce, Aurora!" He warned her.

    She kept quiet and looked down at her feet.

    "I apologize," she said.

    He turned away.

    Who was she to him?

    "Take her down to her cell," Xaden said. She would be there until it was time for the test of her family bloodline."

    My heart stopped.

    He had said that he would carry out a test that would alter my blood connectors with my father to hinder anymunication.

    But there was no need.

    I was atent wolf.

    The girl walked up to me and sized me.

    "Your father killed my family." She said.

    There were so many things I was unaware my father had done.

    She grabbed my arm and dug her nails into it so much that it bled.

    "Wee to the crescent pack, " she said with a smile. You haven''t seen anything yet, and I promise to make your life miserable."

    I turned and saw Erik looking at me, and then he turned away.

    Xaden was already gone.

    She dragged me, and I looked upwards towards what was going to be my new home for a very long time.

    I was going to spy on Xaden for my father.

 Chapter 29: NIGHTMARE

    <h4>Chapter 29: NIGHTMARE</h4>

    XADEN��S POV

    "Xaden, Xaden, wake up." A familiar female voice stirred him awake. "Wake up, my love."

    He stirred in his bed to face where the voice wasing from, and then his eyes fluttered open, and he saw his mother looking up at him, seemingly sad.

    "Mummy, "Mummy, what��s wrong?" He asked.

    "We have to go," she told him.

    His sister Anna was on her hip, her hand still on her thumb.

    "I want you to be a good boy. Be the brave young boy you are." She said, tears filling her eyes. "Mummy loves you. Take care of Anna. I love both of you."

    "What��s happening?" He asked her, confused.

    His mom always told him that she loved him.

    Even his dad. Dad. Why was she saying it? It sounded like something was wrong.

    There was shouting and shouting and loud noises outside.

    Why was there such a lot of noise? Wasn��t it just bedtime?

    He looked out the window and saw that it was still dark.

    Or was there a festival happening?

    She dropped Anna on the bed.

    Anna was sound asleep.

    "I need you to wake up." She said. "I want you to protect your sister. She won��t be awake. I gave her something to knock her out."

    Anna wrapped herself around his neck. She was only two years old.

    "Where is Daddy?" He asked, hearing a familiar voice.

    "Your daddy is trying to protect us." She said. "And I��m going to protect you. If anything happens to me, I want you to run. Run as fast as you can."

    There were more noises, and they were getting louder. As if they were getting closer,

    There were tears now on her cheek, and she hurriedly wiped them.

    Some footsteps were approaching before he could reply or ask any more questions.

    "Hide," she said, pulling him up.

    His sister clung to his neck.

    "Don��t open the door, " she told him as she shoved him into a closet.

    "What about Daddy?" He asked. "Where is Daddy?"

    She went quiet, and her face went ashen.

    "Your father is protecting us." She assured him.

    He wanted to ask more questions, like what was happening.

    He wasn��t a baby like Anna. She could tell him, and he would understand.

    But she cut him off.

    "Don��te out." She said. "No matter what, Stay inside. Do you understand me, Xaden?"

    He nodded.

    And then she kissed his forehead and his sister��s.

    She looked at them slowly for a while and finally stepped away.

    Then she closed the door.

    The main doors were flung open, and he could hear Uncle Bale��s voice approaching.

    Uncle Bale! He was here to save them! Now, whatever was about to happen, he would save them.

    He wanted to jump out, but his mother��s voice stopped him.

    "How could you betray us?" She said. "How could you ambush us after everything?!"

    "You betrayed me the day you married Orion!" Uncle Bale snapped.

    Little Xaden was confused.

    Why was Uncle Bale shouting at his mother?

    "Is that what this is about?" She asked. "Is that why you��ve done what you just did? Because of me?"

    He heard someone spit.

    "You were supposed to be mine," Bale said. "But you went to him! You left me knowing that I loved you. I��ve always wanted power. Orion was more powerful than I am. I had to eliminate him, or I would never be the strongest Alpha."

    Then he said, "But about you and me, I can still forgive you. If youe with me, I will spare the lives of your family."

    "You liar!" She snapped. "I know you, and you will never turn away from blood! Not after what you��ve done!"

    "You can spread your legs for Orion, but not for me?!" He demanded.

    There was a hefty p, and Xaden knew his mother had given it.

    "Don��t you ever! Ever! Talk to me like that in your life!" She snapped at him.

    There was a loud p, and it was like a thud, and Xaden heard his mother cry in pain.

    She had fallen.

    He held onto Anna, scared. He was a little boy and didn��t know what to do.

    "You just have to make it tough, don��t you?!" He demanded. "Your husband is dead. And now I��ll have to handle you the hard way."

    What sounded like the tearing of clothes and then things breaking, his mothers weeping.

    More ps that Xaden knew were given to his mother.

    "Don��t touch me, you bastard!" She screamed in the struggle.

    After what sounded like more struggles and screams, Xaden started to hear some weird noises.

    His mother was weeping and making weird noises while hearing a man grunt over and over.

    Xaden hugged his little sister in the cab tightly to his chest and put his hands over her ears so she wouldn��t hear.

    He didn��t know what the noises were, but his mother was crying, and he couldn��t do anything.

    After a short while, it stopped.

    His mother was still weeping.

    "Filthy prostitute!" Uncle Bale��s voice said. "Join your husband!"

    And then there was the sound of a sword entering somewhere.

    Xaden didn��t know what prompted him to do so, but he flew out of the cab.

    Right in his very front was his mother��s dead body, her dress hitched up and her thigh exposed.

    He froze.

    "There is the brat." Bale��s evil eyes gleamed, and as he approached, the little boy shook, and everything went.

    "Xaden!" A feminine voice startled him awake.

    He looked around and saw that he had fallen asleep in his office.

    He had even spilled the quiz and ink on the floor.

    He rubbed his eyes and massaged his temples.

    They were filled with sweat.

    Those nightmares again. They hade back to haunt him.

    The knock at the door continued.

    It was Aurora.

    "Come in," he said.

    The doors opened, and she walked up to him.

    "You need to tell me why you brought that enemy��s daughter to our pack alive after what he did to all of us!" Aurora demanded.

 Chapter 30: PLEASURE

    <h4>Chapter 30: PLEASURE</h4>

    Xaden leaned back in his chair and looked Aurora up and down.

    "You don��t question my decisions." He told her.

    "I��m not questioning your decisions." She said. "But this is the daughter of the man who took everything from the both of us. They took your mate and killed my entire pack and family."

    He hated being reminded about his mate.

    When he was about five years old, he had found his mate.

    A little girl, Lydia, was the daughter of a high-ranking beta in their pack. She was three years old.

    But the mate bond clicked instantly.

    It was scarce for anyone to have found their mate so early.

    Xaden had known that she would be with him for life.

    Even as a child, he understood what he meant.

    But she had been killed along with her family in the attack.

    There was no second chance for him. He was stuck in life alone. Moreover, he had made sure he would never find a mate.

    No one in the pack except Erik knew what he had done to make that leap.

    "And you brought her alive?" She asked him.

    "There was an ord." He replied. "We couldn��t have interfered. Till the next moon. I took everything and will return for Bale in the next new moon."

    She went quiet.

    "Do you think I would bring someone like her into my pack?" He asked. "I hate her with everything in me. And I brought her here to punish her while we waited for the new moon. It��s only a year from now."

    "You can��t leave with a female member of the wolf you attacked unless you

    Then she stopped, and her mouth dropped in shock.

    "You didn��t bond with her!" She said she was hoping he would prove otherwise.

    "I married her," he said.

    He had no choice. His hands were tied. But what he had done to Jasmine was to make them suffer.

    "You said you were never going to marry anyone," Aurora said.

    He looked at her with a raised brow.

    "So?" He asked. "It��s just to keep her around me while I punish her. She hasn��t seen anything yet. I know you��re going to make her life a living hell."

    Aurora didn��t look happy that he had married Jasmine. But he didn��t care. He had done it because that was the only solution he had.

    Thews are different now.

    If it were the olden days, then he would have simply fucked her in front of everyone.

    Then he rose to his feet and leaned against the desk.

    "You would give her hell, wouldn��t you?" He asked her.

    Aurora looked at him with her big brown eyes.

    She was his main mistress.

    He had found her after Bale had raided her pack. She had been twenty then, and they bonded over their hatred for Bale.

    He brought her to his home and made her his main mistress, even though he had several women in the harem.

    But he had made it clear to her that he could never love her. Never love anyone.

    "Yes." She smiled at him.

    Then he drew her up close to him; he could feel the heat from her body.

    "I haven��t had my dick sucked in a while." He said. "Get on your knees."

    She smiled, and she did just that.

    Then she picked it out of his pants and put it in her mouth.

    She looked at him and pulled her tongue over it. She dropped saliva and rolled her tongue around its head.

    He didn��t want any teasing; he wanted to fuck her mouth.

    So he pushed it into her mouth and began to pound it in.

    She choked and gagged on it, massaging his balls, and he felt how warm his cock was in her mouth.

    He pounded through, and she kept it in with no teeth.

    Unlike Jasmine, whose teeth had grazed his cock.

    He had been so upset. He wanted his dick to be forced down the throat of the daughter of the man who had betrayed him and his entire family.

    I wanted her to cry out for more.

    It puzzled him that his body wanted to punish her; he hated her and was disgusted with her, yet his dick wanted to quell inside her.

    He frowned.

    This had never happened before.

    And when he looked down and realized that it was Aurora sucking his dick and not Jasmine, he got irritated and pulled himself out.

    She looked confused.

    "What��s wrong?" She asked.

    He said nothing and then pulled her up to her feet, positioned her against the table, and pushed down her pants.

    She was already dripping wet, and then he rammed inside her.

    Immediately, he pounded inside her back and forth, and she started moaning loudly.

    He saw her grip the desk, and then he kept thrusting back and forth.

    Her warmth spilled down to the floor, and then she hitched her ass up for him to take in more.

    He pulled it up towards him and pounded her roughly and brutally.

    He kept on going until he felt himselfing, and he pulled out.

    She quickly turned around and licked up all of his cum. Until he was clean and dry,

    He fastened his pants and went back to his seat.

    Aurora dressed herself up.

    "Am I going to please you tonight?" She asked him.

    He clicked his tongue as he buried himself back in his work.

    "No, I want to be left alone, " he said dismissively.

    She went quiet. "And the girl? What��s her work going to be?"

    "She is a ve to me. She will work as an enved person here." He said. "I��ve given instructions already."

    "You said you wanted me to give her hell," Aurora said.

    "And you will." He said. "Keep her upied."

    After that, he said nothing, and then he heard her footsteps as she left.

    He leaned back in the chair.

    And it dawned on him that seeing the bitch he had just brought with him to punish was affecting him.

    An effect he didn��t understand.

 Chapter 31: DUNGEON

    <h4>Chapter 31: DUNGEON</h4><subtxt> freew��bno��el</subtxt>

    JASMINE��S POV

    I looked around the cell that I had been locked in and hurdled my feet closer to myself.

    It was dark and cold, and I could hear some mice running around.

    I had never lived in a dungeon back home in our pack, but the living experience was hardly different from what it was like here.

    The woman who had taken hold of her arm had dragged her right into the dungeon and pushed her in.

    She had seen hate in her eyes����the hate that everyone else had had when she turned to them��but for her, it was worse.

    "Princess." She had said: "You would wish you were dead once I��m through with you."

    I had heard what she had said my father had done to me.

    She had made it clear.

    "Your father killed my family."

    I had felt pity for her.

    I could still see the pain in her eyes, and for that, it made me want to tell her how much I was sorry.

    But saying sorry did nothing. It was not even the least bit enough.

    I learned that when I told Luna Maria that I was sorry for the loss of her son.

    For the woman before me, saying sorry would only infuriate her, so I said nothing.

    Then, eventually, she left.

    Two guards, who had been standing watch, just looked at me.

    Hate was in their eyes.

    They knew who I was.

    And for that, they hated me, even though they did not know who I was.

    "I��m d that Alpha Xaden defeated Bale." One of the guards said, "At least we would find some justice."

    "He would have killed him, but I heard Bale run to the wolf council, begging for an ord." The other replied. "So, he had to agree and bring this thing here."

    I said nothing to their reference to me.

    In their eyes, I was just a thing.

    "In the next moon, I would join Alpha Xaden��s army to fight. Even if I die." The first said:

    "So would I." The other said this while looking at me. "And I would take part in murdering their entire bloodline."

    And it dawned on me that these people had sentenced me.

    Nothing I would ever do would ever make a difference. My fate had been decided even before I was born for who I was.

    They hated me and would die even to kill my family.

    I said nothing andid my head against the wall.

    Then I felt a pain that had been reurring and touched my side.

    Then, I noticed that I had been stabled on the side.

    Where did this evene from? I couldn��t recall.

    Then, I instantly remembered that when I had been taken captive, the rogue wolf had mistakenly sliced through me.

    I had ignored it and imagined it was just a simple cut.

    But looking at my bleeding side,

    I realized it was more.

    If I didn��t do something about it, I would die.

    I went up to the door and knocked.

    "Hello," I said. "Please, I��ve been injured. I would appreciate it if I could get some water."

    They ignored me and pretended like they didn��t hear me.

    "Please," I begged. "My wound could be infected, and I could die."

    "Then die." Came the only response I was given.

    "At least that would do us better." The other said.

    Then they turned around and ignored me.

    I turned away, weak to the bones, and sat back down on the cold floor.

    A few hourster, a young girl, probably around thirteen or fourteen, entered the cell.

    "What��s that?" one of the guards asked.

    She was holding a tray of something I could not see.

    "Food for the prisoner." The girl replied.

    The guard frowned at her. "Why is she being served? She should starve to death."

    "Go!" the second guard said. A dangerous enemy does not need food."

    "It was my order." Came the response. "They came from Alpha Xaden himself."

    I knew why Xaden was giving me food. It was because he didn��t want me to die.

    He wanted me to live through the entire punishment he had ready for me.

    The guard grunted. "Fine. The dog is in there."

    The girl proceeded to walk ahead, but they stopped her.

    "Hold on a minute." One of the guards said,

    Then he rummaged through the tray and picked out some cheese. "A dog does not need an extra delicacy," he said.

    And then he popped it into his mouth.

    The other guardined.

    "What about me?" He asked, annoyed, and then fished through the tray��s contents.

    He looked at the bread. "Aw, it��s disgusting! It��s got a mole in it! It looks like food for a dog."

    "It tastes like food for a dog, " the first guard said as he ate the cheese.

    "Go." The second guard sighed, and the girl left and approached me.

    She bent down, and I could see the fear in her eyes, and I felt weak.

    This little child, too, was scared of me.

    She said nothing as she took out the cup of water, dropped it on the floor for me, and, finally, the bread.

    I smiled at her. "Thank you."

    She looked shocked at first, and then she quickly withdrew.

    "Hey, no talking to that dog!" One of the guards ordered, and I jumped in fright.

    She said nothing, and she gathered the tray and quickly left.

    I drank some water and then used it to clean up my wound.

    I tore a piece of my dress and used it to wrap the side of my tummy where I had been cut to stop the bleeding.

    Then I fell to the floor, crossed my legs, and resumed eating the bread.

    It was small and had some green moles inside.

    I picked it out and ate it up. It was food, and I was still grateful for it.

    Once I had finished my meal, I thanked the goddess andy down on the cold floor to rest.

 Chapter 32: CELEBRATION

    <h4>Chapter 32: CELEBRATION</h4>

    XADEN��S POV

    There was loud cheering in the hall as they celebrated his victory over the Moonlight Pack.

    It was a massive feast for the entire pack, and they all danced and rejoiced.

    For Xaden, he wasn��t satisfied.

    He had killed Abel, and it had given him joy to see him the way he had died, given him the pleasure to see his parent��s hearts break.

    Although he knew it was possible that they would set up imposters to hide his children, Xaden had sniffed their bloodlines and was 100 percent sure they were children of Bale.

    It wasn��t enough.

    He hated the Wolf Council and their stupid rules.

    He knew that they were in some way partial to Bale. He didn��t want anything to ruin his ns to murder Bale, finally.

    The thought of Bale escaping once again within one year of the new moon annoyed him.

    He stalked off from the celebration and headed to one of the massive balconies overseeing his entire pack.

    His pack was like a whole new country.

    He had built it from scratch and with his entire sweat.

    When he was a man, after he had grown up under Elena, he had gone to look for those who would fight for his cause.

    Those who bore the same hatred he had for Bale had found them.

    At first, it was Erik. A wolf who had watched his mate, mother of his children, and then unborn child massacred to death.

    Erik, unlike the other pack members, was quiet and resigned.

    He had been known to be fierce in battles but ended up living a quiet life after he found his mate in his pack.

    The story was that Bale had heard of how powerful Erik was and asked to join him in taking down other packs.

    But Erik had turned it down, saying that life was behind him.

    But the power-hungry Bale had never forgotten it.

    One day, Erik had gone on a short journey and returned only to find his mate dead. The baby, whom she had been carrying for eight months, had been ripped out of her stomach.

    His pack is gone; their city is in ruins.

    And those who had survived were taken as captives.

    Erik had be wild with grief and hungry for vengeance.

    His daughter, who was only two years old by that time, had been taken too.

    Xaden found Erik, and together they took down one of the enemy��s packs that had assisted Xaden and found his daughter in a cell.

    Erik had been happy to be reunited with his daughter. He had lost his whole family, but thanks to Xaden, he had found his daughter safe and sound.

    Xaden knew how lucky they were because there were rumors that barbaric packs were forced on children.

    Erik had been his best friend, as had Gamma.

    A bond gang had been unbreakable.

    And like that, they had found like-minded people.

    He saved packs, and over a few years, he raised an army that no one could dare defeat.

    He had found his previous pack and rebuilt it in an attempt to savor the memories he had as a child.

    "You left the celebration." A feminine voice interrupted his thoughts.

    He turned around and saw Aurora advancing towards him.

    She looked beautiful and seductive in a low-neck dress that exposed her breasts, and her hair was styled with golden earrings.

    He smiled at her.

    Aurora was his favorite among all the women he slept with in his pack.

    Everyone knew.

    She was ruthless and cold, and like him, she hated Bale for what he had done to her and her family.

    It built the heavy chemistry between them.

    "I just wanted some air." He said.

    She sipped the wine on hand and walked over to the balcony to survey the entire pack.

    "You know they are celebrating you." She said. "There has never been an Alpha like you. You��re our savior."

    "I didn��t kill Bale." He said he was annoyed.

    "Yet." She said as she went to Hik and touched his cheek gently. "But you will soon. All those men and women in this pack are under you, believe in you, and will die for you. You brought different people together with one mission, and that��s to end Bale. This is the closest we��ve been, and that victory was all for you."

    He said nothing to that, and she leaned close to him as if trying to kiss him.

    He turned away.

    He didn��t kiss. It wasn��t a new thing. Aurora knew that already.

    She turned to the balcony and said nothing except drinking her wine once more.

    "Return to the party." He said it indifferently. "I wish to be alone."

    "But tonight is not a night to be

    "I said I WISH TO BE ALONE!" He snapped. "Do not make me repeat myself."

    She flinched and quickly bowed down to him.

    "Yes, Alpha." And with that, she walked away.

    He turned back to the balcony, deep in thought, when he felt a presence.

    Damn, Aurora! Did she like to see him lose it?! Was it till he gave her a beating?!

    He turned around and saw that it was Erik.

    "Woah." Erik raised his hands. "Take it easy. It��s just me."

    Xaden took a deep breath and turned to face the moonlight.

    "Everyone is missing the celebrant," Erik remarked.

    "So I��ve been told," Xaden said dryly.

    "Don��t worry, I understand. You��ve never been the type to celebrate."

    Erik walked towards him and leaned against the balcony.

    He didn��t say a word; he just stayed with Xaden and was quiet.

    Xaden was d that he had Erik.

    He understood him in ways no one else did.

    Then, after a short while, Erik turned to him.

    "What are you going to do with her?" Erik asked him.

    Xaden didn��t need to hear her name mentioned to know who it was.

    His teeth grated.

    "You are bonded with her," Erik said. "That will never go away."

 Chapter 33: WHY DOESN’T SHE ACT LIKE A SPOILT BRAT?

    <h4>Chapter 33: WHY DOESN��T SHE ACT LIKE A SPOILT BRAT?</h4>

    Xaden swallowed, swallowed, annoyed.

    He didn��t like remembering that he had been forced to bond with Bale��s daughter.

    His enemy��s daughter.

    He hated her so much, yet he was stuck with her.

    From the moment he embarked on his quest for revenge, he had sworn never to be bonded with anyone or even have a mate.

    Look at his parents.

    It was love that led them to their deaths deaths.

    He would never fall in love, have children, or have a mate.

    He had traded it for power from a witch long ago.

    Only Erik knew.

    He didn��t need it anyway.

    Was it fucking? He could get it? Was it money? He had it.

    He had it all.

    His sole and primary desire was to exact vengeance.

    He could never love.

    He had seen to that when he had ripped out his heart from the body.

    He could never have children when the witch hadpleted her sorcery.

    No one, absolutely no one, knew this except for Erik, and it would remain that way for life.

    "I��ll keep her here." He said. "Until it��s the new moon."

    He hated her so much! With his entire veins!

    "Xaden," Erik said. "There is something I��ve been meaning to say."

    Xaden raised a brow. "Yes?"

    Erik folded his arms.

    "She is nothing like we expected," Erik said. "She doesn��tin. She doesn��t fight. She doesn��t do any of that. She cooked for us Xaden! She cooked for us! From the day that I��ve seen her, she hasn��t acted like a spoilt princess."

    Xaden had noticed it, but he had been trying his best to think about it.

    He had heard about Bale��s daughter.

    The story was that she was spoilt, unruly, and selfish. Once he came up with the ord, he racked his head for a way to make them suffer, and she was the best option.

    He would bring her down to her knees and wipe that smile off her face.

    But she was nothing like he had expected her to be.

    Absolutely nothing!

    She hadn��t fought with him; she hadn��t even rained curses.

    She had apologized, remained calm, and was quiet, and it had driven him crazy when he saw that she had prepared a meal for him and his men.

    How the hell had she even learned how to cook?!

    It hadn��t made any sense to him at all.

    "Whatever it is," Xaden said stubbornly. "She is his daughter. She is just ying tricks on us. She is trying to act like she is so good and innocent. Her parents must have prepared for something like this."

    That was the only reasonable exnation, and he hated thinking about it.

    It only confused him more.

    "I hope you��re right," Erik said. "So where will she stay? In the dungeon?"

    Xaden looked at him with shock.

    "Erik, don��t tell me that you��ve be soft because she cooked a meal." He asked in shock. "You��re bigger than this."

    "It��s not that," Erik said.

    "Then it��s what?" Xaden demanded, annoyed. "You��ve all of a sudden taken pity on her because she has been sweet and quiet. Have you forgotten what her father did to you?!"

    Where the hell was thising from?

    Why had Erik all of a sudden be soft?!

    He frowned, remembering the day Erik had stopped him from forcing himself on her after she cooked.

    He should have gone ahead and done it regardless.

    "Of course I haven��t!" Erik said. "Every day I see Jade, she reminds me that I lost my mate and her mother, along with her brother, in the most gruesome way. I want justice for her! More than you can think. But she has done nothing but be obedient."

    "So you��re telling me to let her go?!" Xaden asked, bewildered.

    His fists were clenched.

    "Of course not. I��m just saying that we should keep an eye on her. The Dungeon is a bit too extreme for her." Erik stated further. "Have you seen her? She looks like she might break. What happens if she dies?! What was the point of bringing her all along?"

    Xaden was quiet.

    "I��m just saying that you should be careful with her," Erik said. "And if you let Aurora handle her, she will murder her."

    "I told her not to," Xaden said. "Just give her hell."

    "My goddess! And you think that would stop Aurora? You must not know her." Erik said. "Have you forgotten Aurora mistakenly pushed Dinah from this very balcony? And wasn��t it convenient that you were taking Dinah to bed a good number of times rather than regrly, and Aurora had just confronted you?"

    Xaden could remember the incident.

    Aurora had imed the death was an ident, and there hadn��t been much to go around with, so Xaden had let it slide.

    "So what do you rmend?" Xaden asked, annoyed that Erik was right.

    Aurora was unpredictable and did have some loose strings sometimes.

    "Keep her to sleep with the servants." He said. "No one would dare touch her. They will hate her, yes, but at least we won��t hear that she was all of a sudden poisoned. No one would risk incurring your wrath."

    Xaden hadn��t given it much thought.

    He had ns for the girl.

    He hated her, and he intended to bed her and also make her work hard as an enved person, but he hadn��t considered what Aurora might do.

    He was the Alpha, but there were too many instances where things had just "happened."

    And Xaden had been unable to do anything because there had been no ties to her.

    No direct link that she had anything to do with it.

    This could be an incident that urred

    Xaden turned to Erik. "You can see to it or order her to be moved to one of the servant��s rooms."

    He started to leave, stopped, and gave a wry smile.

    "Ensure that there are chains on her feet," Xaden said. "Under no ount is she to take them off."

 Chapter 34: POISONED

    <h4>Chapter 34: POISONED</h4>

    ERIK��S POV

    Erik considered ordering one of the guards to send Jasmine to be released and let up in the servant��s room, but then he decided against it.

    He would go himself.

    Erik didn��t pity the girl; he felt that Xaden was being a bit extreme.

    He sure as hell didn��t trust her��far from it. After all, she was the daughter of a monster, which meant she had her father��s traits.

    But her eyes were different.

    She was atent wolf, and that just made matters worse.

    S

    From the moment he saw her, he expected her to be rude and mean, but she shocked him by being extremely gentle.

    All through.

    Even when she had walked the journey and still been in pain, she had neverined.

    It had amazed him.

    She was quiet and gentle.

    Something seemed to be off, but if Xaden said that he had smelt her blood, then guessed maybe it was just one of the Moonlight pack tricks.

    He hated them, especially after what they had done to him.

    They had left Jade for him to raise all alone.

    He walked down the hallway and stopped in her bedroom.

    He stepped in and saw her sound asleep in her bed; the dark curls that her mother had had were over the pillow.

    He gently touched her cheeks.

    He would have probably never gotten her had it been for Xaden.

    She was safe and sound here, and he owed him that for life.

    It had been so horrible raising her on his own and watching her ask him where Mummy was and be unable to provide an answer for her.

    But now she was five, and she didn��t know better.

    She believed her mother was on a journey and would soon return.

    How the hell was he going to tell her that she would never see her again?

    He kissed her forehead, and she stirred and went back to sleep.

    Then he left the room and went down the hall.

    He kept on walking down the stairs until he was at the dungeon.

    "Gamma Erik!" The guards stood at attention.

    He nodded. "Where is the prisoner who was brought in?"

    "She is just down in her cell." One of the guards answered.

    This was the most heavily guarded cell in the dungeon.

    There were about three different doors, and each door held two other guards.

    Erik now stood at thest door with the previous duo of guards in.

    "She will be taken to the servant��s quarters." He said.

    The guards blinked at him.

    "I��m sorry. But Alpa Xaden was the one who instructed that she be brought down here." One of the guards said,

    Erik turned to stare at the guard, and the guard began to tremble.

    "Do not speak back at me." He warned.

    The guards nodded quickly.

    "Open the cell." He ordered.

    They quickly did.

    Erik didn��t need to go far.

    He saw her leaning against the wall.

    "Open the main cell."

    And one of the men did.

    "Missus, you will be taken to the servant��s quarters." The guard said, but she didn��t move.

    There was silence.

    She justy there.

    The guard became impatient and kicked at her. "Hey, get up! No one is going to carry you up, princess!"

    But she still didn��t move.

    The guard prodded here again, and Erik red.

    "What the hell is wrong with you? Stop that, you idiot!" He snapped.

    Then, he went into the primary cell.

    "Be careful; she might just be deceiving us." The guard warned.

    Erik ignored him and checked on her.

    She wasn��t conscious.

    He touched her hand and felt her pulse. It was almost gone.

    "She isn��t conscious." He said this as he lifted her into his arms.

    "Did anyone get in here?!" He demanded it quickly.

    The guards began to sweat in fear.

    Then his eyes caught something.

    It was a piece of bread.

    And he knew instantly that she had been poisoned.

    "Quick! Get the healer!" He ordered the guards as he ran ahead.

    Her tiny body was cold and limp in his arms.

    Goddess!

    Why was she atent wolf? The poison he suspected was a rapid one.

    How long had she been gone?

    He wondered where to take her. He couldn��t take her to the servant��s quarters anymore, at least not in this stage or any other room.

    Then he thought of Xaden��s room.

    No one would dare enter without permission.

    He quickly took her to Xaden��s room and kicked the door open with his boot.

    Xaden, who had been standing by the window, taking off his clothes, stood in amusement.

    "What the hell?!"

    But Erik ignored him and dropped the girl on his bed.

    "What the fuck is this bitch doing in my bed?!" Xaden demanded.

    "She has been poisoned, and she is about to die," Erik informed.

    Xaden��s face turned cold, unable to say a word.

    The healer was alreadying into the room.

    "Move out of my way." The healer, an older man in histe seventies, snapped.

    Erik gave him way, and he bent to examine her.

    "How the hell did this happen?" Xaden asked.

    "You��re asking me?" Erik asked. "You��re lucky I got there in time. Your torture pet would have been dead!"

    "Can you hold your tongues?" The healer snapped.

    The healer was an old, disgruntled man who did as he wished, regardless of who was present.

    The men kept quiet.

    "She has been poisoned with wolfsbane." He said. "She would have healed, but she isn��t a shifter."

    The healer opened his bags and brought medicine bottles and tiny, weird instruments.

    "She needs to be turned over." He said. "Wolfsbane remedy has to be administered at the nape of the neck."

    They all stood watching, tensed.

    The healer gave them a dirty look.

    "I should do it myself." He asked, irritated. "Come on, turn her over!"

    Xaden and Erik proceeded to turn her over while the healer ripped the back of her dress.

    And scars and marks of what seemed to beshes all over her back, to her arms, and even on her neck came into view.

 Chapter 35: WHO GAVE HER THOSE MARKS?

    <h4>Chapter 35: WHO GAVE HER THOSE MARKS?</h4>

    Xaden gaped at her back in shock, unable to believe what he saw.

    The lines were dark and seemed to have been on her back for a very long time.

    Probably since she was a child.

    Xaden watched in horror at the outlines of the marks that formed circles and shapes.

    She had been whipped.

    He instantly fell sick.

    He turned to catch Erik��s eye, who had been staring at the exposed back in shock and disbelief.

    The healer was the only one who looked interested.

    He used an instrument to cut her nape and then poured a tiny bottle of ointment into it.

    Then he went on cleaning her up.

    "This mark is recent." The healer showed the ce where she had been stabbed. "Probably about less than twenty-four hours."

    Then it hit Xaden.

    She must have been injured during the struggle when she was taken hostage.

    "I didn��t notice it. It must have happened earlier on." He replied.

    The man humped and went back to work.

    Xaden stepped away, unable to keep on seeing what he had just seen.

    Erik went to his side and went to his massive French windows.

    Neither of the men could even speak.

    Xaden was in a dilemma.

    "Where did she get those marks from?" Xaden asked.

    "You didn��t see it when you slept with her?" Erik asked.

    "No, I didn��t," Xaden replied.

    They both went quiet.

    "Are you sure she is his daughter?" Erik asked. "Those marks are marks of torture or punishment. I don��t even have those."

    Xaden couldn��t wrap his head around it.

    Things were getting more and moreplex. He didn��t have an answer to his questions, and he sure as hell needed one.

    The doors to his room opened.

    "Xaden!" It was Aurora. "That bitch escaped the dungeon! Erik betrayed us and took her out of the

    She stopped when she saw Erik and Xaden standing together.

    "You!" She used. "Xaden. He took that enemy��s daughter out of the dungeon and set her free! He betrayed us!"

    Erik wanted to snap Aurora��s neck.

    Xaden raised his hands, silencing her.

    "You would never speak to my next inmand in such a disrespectful manner in your life again." He warned her.

    Her mouth dropped in shock. "But, Xaden, you didn��t hear me. I just said that he

    "DID YOU HEAR ME, OR IS IT TILL I BEAT YOU FOR LARGE MOUTH YOU UNDERSTAND?�� He barked, and his onyx eyes glowed.

    The entire room went quiet.

    Even the healer, who had initiallyined about them being too loud, didn��t say a word.

    Aurora knew when she had overstepped her boundaries, and she went quiet.

    "No." She replied quickly.

    "Now apologize!" He snapped.

    "I��m sorry, Gamma Erik." She said, her eyes down to the ground.

    Erik folded his arms. He didn��t need her apology. He just wanted her to steer clear of him.

    "And when you speak to me, you regard me by my title." He told her. "Know your ce, woman!"

    "Yes, Alpha Xaden." She said it quietly.

    "Now tell me how the fuck Jasmine was poisoned." He demanded.

    It was then that she turned to the bed and saw Jasmine lying down, half dead, with the healer working on her.

    She looked at him. "I don��t know about that."

    "You��re lying to me." He said. "I told you that you would only put her through hell. I strictly told her not ever to attempt to kill her. Was that not my order?"

    She said nothing.

    In an instant, he was at her, and he gripped her by the hair.

    He hated disrespect.

    "WAS THAT NOT MY ORDER?!" He yelled.

    "Yes, Alpha Xaden." She begged in pain.

    He pushed her off.

    "You push me to the wall, Aurora." He warned. "If she dies, you won��t like what I��ll do to you. You better pray she doesn��t die, Aurora. Pray."

    She was mute.

    "Get out," he whispered, deadly.

    She hurriedly left.

    The healer turned to him.

    "She is going to live." He said. "I��ve cleaned the fresh wounds and then administered the wolfsbane to her neck. Her pulse has returned. I will be back to see her tomorrow."

    And with that, he gathered his things and started to leave.

    "She would have to be moved, otherwise

    The healer stopped. "If you n on moving her, then sorry to bust your bubble, but that��s not going to happen. Leave her as I have left her. If she moves, it could affect the administration of the drugs to her, and then she could die."

    "Leave her the way I��ve left her until she awakens. Even then, she isn��t to be moved from that space." He said. "The body is too fragile and exhausted. I don��t know what extreme method of torture you used on her, but it��s only so bad because she has already suffered for years."

    And with that, the healer left.

    "She is in my bed," Xaden said. "Where the fuck do I sleep?"

    Erik blinked at him. "Someone is probably half dead. The woman you��re supposed to torture alive is in between life and death, and all you��re saying is, Where are you going to sleep?"

    Xaden raked his hands through his hair.

    He hated this.

    His ns weren��t turning out well.

    The girl he hated with his entire being. The person who was supposed to be where he turned his frustration and hatred of her father was lying in his bed.

    In his bed!

    Wasn��t it convenient that this was happening for the second time?

    First, it was when she fainted and passed out for two weeks.

    Now, he was being forced to act friendly to her.

    Erik turned to leave.

    "Where are you going?" Xaden asked.

    "Stay with my daughter; what do you think?" Erik asked him.

    "I��ming with you," Xaden said goodbye. "I��ll stay in a spare room."

    "No, you��re not," Erik said, stopping him.

    Xaden blinked. "Excuse me?"

    "Xaden She is struggling to recover. You can��t just leave her like that." Erik said.

    "I wasn��t going to. I��ll put guards at the door." Xaden said.

    "That��s not enough. If Aurora could attempt to disobey you once, do you think she won��t do it again? Think about it," Erik said reasonably. "Stay here. Only you can protect her because you��re Alpha."

    "And where do I sleep?" Xaden asked, angry.

    "Look at that nice reclining chair," Erik said. "Just grab some pillows and a nket, and you��ll be fine."

    With that, Erik left the room, and then Xaden heard the lock turn.

    Erik had locked him inside with the second person he hated the most, after Bale.

    His enemy��s daughter.

 Chapter 36: XADEN, YOU’RE SAFE.

    <h4>Chapter 36: XADEN, YOU��RE SAFE.</h4>

    JASMINE��S POV

    Jasmine stirred slowly and tried to move.

    She could see that she was sleeping face down; her hair was against the pillow.

    She frowned.

    Pillow.

    She felt like she was on a soft bed with sheets that felt like silk.

    She had never slept in such a bed in her entire life before.

    Wasn��t she supposed to be down in the dungeon?

    Thest thing she could remember was feeling all weak after eating the food and drinking the water that had been brought for her and then passing out.

    She slowly got up and realized that her back had been exposed.

    What was going on?

    She gently felt the sheets by her waist and pulled them over her chest as she turned around to sit up straight.

    She looked around, trying to make sense of what was going on.

    She was in a massive, luxurious room with expensive furniture,rge paintings, and beautiful windows.

    The moonlight streaked into the room and radiated, being the only source of light.

    There were no candles on, nothing.

    She felt a sudden pain in her neck, gently touched the nap of her neck, and felt a stitch.

    When did that happen?

    She slowly got out of bed and walked towards the window, where the moonlight was shining. To her ultimate shock, Xaden was lying down on a couch.

    She froze, and her heart started beating so fast.

    Had he raped her again?

    She looked down at herself.

    But she didn��t feel an ache between her legs like thest time, and her body only felt weak.

    Then she turned back to look at him.

    His body had tattoos, and he seemed to sleep so peacefully.

    His short, dark hair framed his face, and his longshes were set in sleep.

    He looked like a child, so boyish and innocent.

    You would not believe that he could order the killing of an entire hierarchy of men or that he had beheaded her stepbrother.

    No, the way he was sleeping, it was like he was an angel.

    Jasmine didn��t know what had ovee her to do it, but she reached out to his face to skit the loose curls on his hair.

    As her hand was nearing his face, in a split second, he caught her arm, and his eyes were still closed.

    She jumped in fright, but she wasn��t fast enough, nor was she strong enough.

    He quickly pulled her down under him in the chair and pressed himself against her.

    He was growling, and his eyes were still closed.

    "Alpha Xaden." She begged. "Please let me go."

    But he wasn��t listening.

    It was like he was asleep and stuck in a slumber, struggling with her.

    He became rough with her as she struggled under him; he grabbed her neck while she fought.

    He growled, and then he howled.

    His wolf, Alpha,mands her to be silent under him.

    And she remained still.

    It was like her body was unable to move.

    What was happening?

    What was going on?

    It was like he had controlled her not to move an inch. She tried to move, but her body didn��t.

    She just looked at him in fear as he held her throat and pushed himself over her like he was going to kill her.

    Something was happening.

    She knew that it wasn��t him. It was like he was having a nightmare, or something had taken hold of him.

    "Xaden." She managed in a whisper.

    And he stopped struggling and growling.

    His eyes were still closed, and his entire powerful body covered her, but he didn��t fight with her.

    "It��s okay." She said. "You��re safe."

    She didn��t know why she had said those words, but it was like something hadpelled her to.

    And then his entire body became stiff.

    It was like whatever had ovee him was gone in an instant.

    Then his eyes slowly opened, and she looked into his big,rge, onyx eyes.

    The shock was written on his face, and then he jumped off her.

    She slowly sat up in the chair, her entire body weak.

    "What were you trying to do to me, you witch?" He asked. "Kill me?"

    She felt herself grow in anxiety.

    "No, I would never try to do that." She assured him.

    But he scoffed and took a step further back.

    "You were having a nightmare." She said.

    He stared at her nkly and said nothing.

    She looked down at her hands, unsure of what to do or what to say exactly.

    The sheets were still wrapped around her arms, and she became conscious of her nudity.

    She swallowed, still saying nothing.

    The silence was strained and ufortable.

    "Take back the bed," he said.

    She shook her head. "No, don��t worry. I��ll just go back to the dungeon."

    She had no idea how she had gotten in here, but he sure as hell didn��t want her around.

    She started to rise up to her feet, and he caught her.

    "Did you not hear me? Take the fucking bed and sit." He snapped at her.

    She shook under him, and when he realized he was gripping her, he let go of her arm.

    She slowly rubbed where his fingers had dug into her skin, and he looked away.

    She wanted to ask how she had gotten to his bed in the first ce if he was the one who had stripped her naked, or if he was the one who had stitched the back of her neck.

    She doubt he had done thetter himself.

    But the words could hardly form on her lips.

    She looked at him and without a word, walked back to the bed and had a seat.

    He walked back to the reclining chair and sat down instead of lying back on it.

    "Since you are now well awake." He started. "You will tell me who you really are and how you managed to get those marks on your back."

    She froze instantly.

 Chapter 37: DESIRE OR RAGE?(R-18)

    <h4>Chapter 37: DESIRE OR RAGE?(R-18)</h4>

    Xaden stared at her, annoyed.

    What had she been doing under him at first? She was lucky because he could have snapped her neck.

    It wasn��t the first time his wolf had been plunged into a nightmare, and there was no way anyone could heal it.

    Elena had tried to suppress it. He hadn��t even told her that they had gotten worse.

    It was a part of him that he was ustomed to.

    Once he had woken up, he found that there were mounds of people dead, and he was covered in blood.

    He didn��t remember what had happened, but he knew it was him.

    It had been different this time.

    A sweet voice had calmed him down.

    I told him he was safe, and his wolf instantly calmed down.

    He frowned.

    Whatever it was, he pushed on with the matter at hand.

    "I asked you a question, " he resumed. "I will tell you this once; this will be thest time I do. I do not like repeating myself. When I ask a question, I demand an answer immediately."

    She nodded.

    Then he leaned back in the chair.

    She was quiet for a while before she started.

    "When I was little, I was taken hostage by an enemy pack." She started.

    He just looked at her.

    He had never heard of this.

    "For how long?" He asked her.

    "Until I was fifteen." She replied. "It was someone in our pack who hatched the n. One of my father��s enemies. He took me to punish my father and used my nanny to hatch the n."

    Was this really what happened? It made sense. Because why on earth would Bale beat his own child?

    His only daughter. Why would he give her marks? He was 100 percent sure she was his daughter, but seeing the marks on her body baffled him.

    He went quiet; then, he asked one more question.

    "If you were taken, when usually pack leaders take a female captive, Worse an enemy child." He started. "They rape them. Just like I did to you."

    He thought he had sucked in her breath.

    He smiled, knowing that just him reminding her of what he had done to her made her scared.

    "Why didn��t they ever take you?" He asked. "You were a virgin."

    She was quiet again. "I don��t know why. All I know is that they never did."

    He took a deep breath, trying to analyze the story.

    Why hadn��t he been told about all of this? Why was he hearing about this now?

    It annoyed him.

    So this was the second time she had been taken captive by her father��s enemy pack.

    She had suffered the sins of her father, and now she was again.

    He didn��t feel bad for her.

    She deserved it.

    After all, she was her father��s child, which meant she was as evil as he was.

    "You��re lucky it wasn��t me." He told her. "If I had beat who ever had kidnapped you to it, you would not be a virgin by now."

    He heard her suck in her breath again, and then he turned on the reclining couch.

    Now that she was awake, he couldn��t sleep. He didn��t trust that she wouldn��t attempt to kill him.

    Although it was almost impossible to kill him, it would annoy him to see if he had a knife in his body.

    He heard her move on the bed and then cover herself under the fur duvet.

    Now that he had thought of it, no woman had ever slept in his bedroom.

    None.

    But now, his worst enemy��s daughtery down in his bed.

    Why was fate so cruel to him?

    "Thank you." He heard her soft voice say:

    He stiffened.

    After what he had done, after he had punished her brutally, was she thanking him?

    "For taking care of me." She said.

    A sudden emotion pricked him, and it horrified him that it was guilt.

    He got up from the couch in a split second and was at her.

    She sprung up and jumped to the wall behind the bed��s headboard.

    "You think I��m taking care of you?" He demanded.

    Her lips quivered, and his eyes went down there.

    They were full and soft; he resisted the urge to touch them.

    And when he realized where his mind was, he scowled, and it infuriated him further.

    "But you helped me." She managed quietly. "I know you hate me, Alpha. But you were good to me."

    Her words stunned him.

    Put him in a trance, and he just stared at her in amazement.

    What was it with this girl?!

    What the hell was it with this girl?!

    Why did she thank him, apologize to him, and ept his punishment towards her like he was a god?

    It didn��t make any sense to him.

    In fact, he was baffled.

    She swallowed.

    He could see she was scared of him, as she should be, cowering underneath him, but then there was something else.

    Something else he couldn��t ce his fingers on.

    He looked down at her and saw that the fur nket that she wrapped herself around was now loose around her chest.

    He saw a full cleavage and remembered how those breasts had felt in his hands.

    And he felt himself go hard.

    He ignored his sudden hardness and red his nostrils.

    "I��m not being good to you." He told her. "Don��t ever think that what I��m doing is to help you."

    She went quiet and looked down.

    He felt something in his chest. Guilt! Again!

    What was he feeling guilty for?!

    She deserved every punishment and every sudden form of humiliation she received from him!

    And then he was so furious at her that his hand caught her jaw and forced it back to look at him.

    Thoserge green eyes of hers stared right into his soul.

    He ignored his hard work and proceeded to rage at her.

    "Do you know how you got into my bedpletely naked?"

 Chapter 38: RAW DESIRE(R-18)

    <h4>Chapter 38: RAW DESIRE(R-18)</h4>

    I swallowed again and shook my head.

    "No," I said.

    I was trembling, scared of him now.

    He looked like he was going to kill me at any moment from now on.

    "You were poisoned." He said.

    I stopped and stared at him nkly.

    I knew that they didn��t like me in his pack, but to think that they would poison me, too?

    But how?

    Then I remembered the bread that had been served to me.

    "Your food was poisoned." He said. "You could have died."

    My heartbeat raced.

    That meant I couldn��t even eat.

    Then it urred to me. If I was poisoned, then that meant that everything else was poisoned, and the guard had eaten my cheese.

    My heart fluttered.

    What about him?

    "What about the guard?" I asked quickly.

    "<strong><i>What</i></strong> about the guard?" He asked me.

    I swallowed. "He took the cheese that was in the tray for me and ate it. The other didn��t really get to like it. If I was poisoned, then that meant that he was too."

    Xaden just blinked at me.

    "You have to do something," I begged. "He would die."

    I couldn��t let someone die because of me.

    "Aren��t you happy that your enemy is dying?" He asked me. "If it were you, they would be happy."

    I shook my head. "No one deserves to die, regardless of anything."

    He just looked at me.

    "He is a wolf who can shift," Xaden replied. "It doesn��t matter. The wolfsbane would probably knock him out, but he would be fine."

    I took a deep breath of relief to know that they would be fine.

    "You were brought here and treated by a healer. This is the second time this has happened." He said it, sounding annoyed, and I felt ashamed of myself.

    "I��m sorry for inconveniencing you," I said. "I don��t have any money to pay the healer. But I��ll look for a way to raise it."

    He just stared at me.

    I knew that healers were paid for their services.

    Even Urma back home had been paid for her services, regardless of the fact that she lived in the pack.

    It was a tradition.

    "What if I told you that you would pay for it now?" He asked me.

    I looked back up at him, unsure of what to say.

    "I don��t have any money," I said.

    His face was grim, malicious, and suspicious, filled with revenge.

    "There are other ways you can pay for the services I gave you for free." He said.

    Did he mean with my body?

    I wondered if he was still going to sleep with me. Since the day he took me, I wondered if he would again.

    But he had shown no signs of doing so.

    He had instead ignored me.

    And here I was in his bed, und, with him, demanding services paid for my treatment from the healer.

    "You were the one who offered to pay for the treatment." He said. "Not me."

    I swallowed.

    How would I get to pay him? Truly?

    Then he looked down at my chest, and I could feel his eyes gazing over my breasts.

    I unconsciously took my hands over my chest.

    But then he pushed it aside, and I held my breath.

    He pulled down the fur nket and looked at my breasts.

    I wanted to take my hands over them again, but he stopped me, and his onyx eyes glowed over me.

    He pushed my hand down on the bed, and then I was forced to lie down.

    His dark eyes were peering over me in raw and savage primal hunger.

    I closed my eyes when I remembered what had happened thest time.

    How he had forced himself on me.

    I felt myself tense as his body moved over mine, and a sudden bolt of electricity came over me.

    I tried to struggle, but he kept me firm under him.

    I began to shake so much, expecting him to inflict the pain he had earlier on me.

    I knew that he was my Alpha, and he had taken me captive, and I could not refuse him.

    Even if I did, he would still take me.

    But I still didn��t want him.

    shes of how much my thighs hurt clouded my mind, and then I shook in fear.

    But the strangest thing happened.

    His head went down over my breasts and took a lick at my nipple.

    I froze at the sensation.

    The first time had been so painful; how he had groped my breasts had hurt me awfully.

    But this was different.

    Why was he different?

    He took my nipple in his mouth and nibbled on it. A soft gasp escaped my lips.

    And then he took the entire nipple in his mouth and sucked.

    I felt my hands rise as if they would pull my fingers through his hair.

    But then his hands still held my hands up above my head.

    He sucked on the nipple, put the entire breast in his mouth, and I found myself not crying but rather gasping.

    Bolts of electricity fired through my body, and a sudden hunger overcame me.

    He took off one hand and secured both hands with a single hand, and then his fingers went down in between my legs.

    My eyes widened.

    But when his fingers dove in, they moved at a perfect pace.

    He massaged it, and my legs began to shake and quiver.

    There was something odd, as my legs felt damp.

    I didn��t understand what was happening or why my sensation was different.

    And it dawned on me that I was desiring more.

    His fingers moved softly in between my legs, and I wept in pleasure.

    His lips sucked on my breasts, and then his finger dipped into the valley between my legs and abandoned just massaging them.

    I screamed in shock.

    And then his finger rolled in and began to move fast.

    Why wasn��t I suffering? Why wasn��t I in pain?

    And then his onyx eyes looked up at me and glowed.

    When he saw me, as our eyes made contact, he stopped.

    It was as if whatever hade over him had gone in a split second, and he was back to normal.

    What I saw in his eyes was now hate.

    He rose to his feet and stormed out towards the door.

    He pulled at it, but it didn��t budge, and then he pulled it again and rippled the handle off the door.

    I gasped, and then he stormed out of the room, leaving me alone and confused.

 Chapter 39: AWAKE

    <h4>Chapter 39: AWAKE</h4>

    Early the next morning, I woke up in Xaden��s bed and was then tossed to the side.

    I watched as the sun��s rays lit up the room and took a deep breath at how nice it was.

    I had never been opportune to view the sunrise from such a glorious room.

    The corner I had slept in back in the pack was cold, dark, and lonely.

    This was the first time that I had witnessed such a thing.

    I stretched slowly, and memories of what happenedst night hit me.

    I had been so shocked to see him storm off and leave the room.

    I didn��t understand. He wanted to be out of sight so fast that he ripped the front door open.

    I sighed and turned.

    Was I to leave the bedroom? What was going to happen to me? Where would I even go to?

    All these ran through me as the already damaged door opened.

    It was an older man with a tiny box who came in.

    I pulled away, unsure of who this man was.

    "Don��t scramble from me, girl." The man said,

    He set his box by the bedside.

    Then he reached out and touched my forehead.

    "How do you feel?" He asked me.

    Then, it urred to me that he was the healer.

    "I��m fine," I replied. "You healed mest night. Thank you."

    "Meh! It��s my job." He said then that he turned to the bedside and began mixing things.

    "Is that Flungen dust?" I asked, taking out the green bottle. "I thought they were extinct."

    He raised a brow and looked at me through his sses.

    "How do you know what flint dust is?." He asked me.

    I smiled. "I was close with the healer in my pack."

    "What was his name?" He asked me.

    "Her," I corrected. "Urma."

    He grumbled. "That stubborn woman. I know her. Talented but extremely stubborn. You��re a wise girl."

    I blushed.

    Then he went on preparing the medicine when the door opened.

    I thought maybe it was Xaden, but this time it was Erik.

    "How are you?" He asked me.

    It surprised me that he cared.

    "I��m very fine," I said. Thank you. I found out that you saved me. My life is forever in debt to yours."

    "Don��t worry, I wasn��t doing it to save you," Erik said. "I was only doing it because Xaden would be very upset if his ything died."

    I shrunk.

    It was true.

    Xaden had said it.

    What use was I dead?

    He wanted to keep me alive so he could torture me before he dealt with me.

    I said nothing.

    Then he turned to the reclining couch.

    "Where is Xaden?" he asked.

    "He leftst night," I said quietly.

    Erik looked disturbed, and then he returned to his regr, nd expression.

    He turned to the door.

    "Was it him that did that?" He asked.

    I nodded.

    "And they said I have a temper." The healer spoke and turned back to his work.

    Erik didn��t ask me what had happened; he just stood.

    "You will take these medicines." He said. "After you��ve eaten, Morning, afternoon, and night."

    I blinked.

    I got to eat?

    Back home, I didn��t eat three times a day.

    Usually, it was just once, and if I were lucky enough to get some extra leftovers, then it would count twice, but never three times a day.

    "How do we know if they don��t poison her again?" The healer asked.

    Erik sighed. "We don��t. I would rmend that she eat her meals with you. That way, they wouldn��t be able to poison you."

    The healer said nothing and gathered his things.

    "Fine." He eventually said: "You can show her my ce. Take that medicine after you��ve eaten your breakfast. Come and meet me for the rest."

    "Is she strong enough?" Erik asked.

    "Yes," he said. "Just don��t try to kill her again, or I won��t save her the next time."

    And with that, the grumpy man left me with Erik.

    I was still naked, with the fur nket wrapped around my body.

    "You will sleep with the servants in their room," Erik instructed. "And work in the kitchens and on the ground floors to farm."

    I had done all these things back home. Especially farming.

    "You are also expected to wash armor and scrub the floors." He added. "I will take you to Belindater; she is the assistant head of housework in the pack."

    I nodded. "Thank you."

    He said nothing.

    A servant came in with a food tray, and I saw delicacies.

    The servant set it on the bedside table.

    "Taste it." He ordered.

    I knew why he was doing it.

    He wanted to check if it was poisoned.

    The servant seemed scared, but I saw him taste each te, and nothing happened.

    "You may go," Erik said.

    The servant bowed and scurried out of the room.

    "Eat." He said. "I��ll send Belinda to take you to your chores and room."

    I nodded mildly, and as he stepped out, I stopped him.

    "Please wait," I said.

    He turned around to face me.

    "Please, I have no clothes," I said, embarrassed.

    "I��ll tell Belinda to get you something." He said.

    I nodded.

    "Is Alpha Xaden going to be okay?" I asked the question that had been haunting me.

    Erik said nothing for a while, turned on his heel, and left.

    I sighed and turned to the food that was set for me.

    Never had I eaten such a meal before!

    I hungrily gobbled down the food. It tasted as impressive as it looked.

    When I was done, I couldn��t help but lick my fingers.

    Then I took my medicine.

    I turned to the doorway and saw arge buxom woman standing in the way, her hands on her hips.

    She had her hair tied in a bun, and I could tell she was a no-nonsense woman from her facial expressions.

    "Get up, princess; you have a long day ahead of you." She said.

    And I didn��t need to be told twice that she, like everyone else in the pack, did not like me.

 Chapter 40: FIRST DAY

    <h4>Chapter 40: FIRST DAY</h4>

    The woman walked up to me and handed me a dress.

    She tossed it at me.

    "Get dressed, and let��s be going." She said to me,

    I nodded. "Thank you."

    She ignored me, and I saw that she had no intention of giving me privacy to dress.

    So I wore the dress over my head and stepped out of bed before lining it over my body.

    Unfortunately, it was a simple and in cream dress that showed off my cleavage.

    Then the waist line heightened the curves at my waist, and the rest flowed down.

    "Well,e along." She said to me, "We don��t have all day."

    And I followed her out of the room.

    "What��s your name?" She asked me.

    "Jasmine," I replied quietly.

    "You will do as you��re told." She said. "Noints. You��ll be punished if I find out you��re making trouble amongst the other workers."

    I nodded. "I won��t give you any trouble, ma."

    She ignored me and led the way.

    I noticed that there were states from the passersby and also whispers.

    They all knew who I was, and like the rest of the people I had met, I had already been condemned as evil for what my father had done to them.

    I bit my lip and sighed to myself.

    She took me to a room. "This will be your room. You will be assigned a mat, pillow, and nket. There are five other girls in here. You will not give them trouble."

    It was a bare room, and then there was a medium-sized cab.

    I could see the mats that had beenid out neatly.

    "You would put your things in one of the empty cabs." She said that, and then she eyed me. "If you ever get around to having anything,

    And she proceeded with the walk.

    She showed me the farms and the healer��s quarters, where I would be eating my meal, and then took me to the kitchen.

    She finally took me to the floors where I would be scrubbing.

    She handed me a piece of paper.

    "This would be your schedule." She said.

    I froze.

    How was I going to read? I didn��t know how to read or write.

    "You are not to waste any time or be seen when your chores aren��t done! Do you understand me?" She demanded.

    I nodded. "Yes, ma��am."

    She started to leave, but I asked her a question. "When my chores are done, what do I do?"

    She looked at me, bewildered.

    She hadn��t expected that question.

    In fact, I was sure she had expected me to fight and grumble that I couldn��t do any of the work.

    "You can rest." She seemed not sure what to say.

    Then she turned to leave and stopped.

    "Before I forget," she said.

    She went down the stairs and returned with chains.

    "Alpha Xaden said you were to wear this." She said.

    I looked in shock as she wore the chains around my leg.

    I swallow heavily.

    I tried to move, and they made a loud noise.

    Anywhere I passed, they would hear me.

    What else did I need to be reminded that he hated me and ultimately wanted to humiliate me in the slightest way.

    "And you are never to take it off." She said. "Not even at night."

    I nodded, and then she handed me a bucket and sponge before she left.

    I went down on my feet and began scrubbing the floor.

    Lucky for me, I knew how to do these already.

    I had some tricks on how to do it faster, and then I went on scrubbing.

    As I scrubbed the castle floors, some girls passed by and kicked the bucket, spilling its contents.

    "Dirty enemy." A girl with bright blonde hair zed at me.

    And theyughed as they went past.

    I said nothing as I went on to start the whole process all over again.

    When I was done, I returned the buckets to where they were supposed to be and went on to the armory, where I began cleaning the amour of the wolves.

    The men gazed at me, and I tried my best to avoid their eyes over me.

    Once I was done, I went to the kitchen to work.

    I washed the tes, cleaned the chimney, and carried coal in a wheelbarrow to the kitchen.

    No one spoke to me.

    It was like I was not even present for them.

    I sighed as I went on with my work.

    Once I was done with the kitchen, I went up to the healer��s quarters to eat my lunch.

    "I was wondering if you��de at all." He said. "It��s almost evening."

    "I��m sorry, I was working." I apologized. "I lost track of time."

    He looked at me from under his sses and waved at a chair.

    "Sit," he said. "The food is almost getting cold."

    I did as he told me and ate hungrily.

    He didn��t say a word to me, and then, when I was done, he handed me the medicine.

    I took it and started to rise to leave after thanking him.

    "You can��t leave." He said. "The medicine needs to go down to your body well. Rest for a few minutes."

    "But I have work." I tried to exin.

    "And I��m the healer." He said. "If you fall ill again, I will not treat you."

    I said nothing to that and remained where I was.

    Once some time had passed, I was sure I was okay.

    "Please, may I go now?" I pleaded.

    He waved his hand off at me, and then I thanked him and disappeared out of the room.

    The chains were weighing me down, or I would have been able to get there on time.

    I made a sharp turn and crashed right into someone.

    I was scared.

    Maybe it was Xaden.

    But when I looked up, it was none other than Aurora, and she was ring down at me with hate in her eyes.

 Chapter 41: TAUNTS AND JEERS

    <h4>Chapter 41: TAUNTS AND JEERS</h4>

    I quickly looked down at my feet.

    "Good evening." I greeted.

    I could feel her gaze on me.

    I could tell how much she hated me.

    There was no distinguishing factor.

    "What are you doing alive?" She asked me.

    I looked back up at her.

    She seemed shocked to see me.

    Then I remembered what Xaden had said.

    I had been poisoned.

    Was she the one who had done it?

    She just gazed over at me.

    "How did you get out alive?" She asked me as she caught my dress. "You��re atent wolf, aren��t you? So that wolfsbane should have killed you."

    I just looked at her and wondered how she could sofortably tell me that she had tried to kill me.

    "I didn��t die," I said.

    She twisted her face, and her beauty was reced with a harrowing feature.

    "So because you probably managed to get under Erik��s skin to fuck me, now he is your ally, huh?" She asked me.

    I was insulted by thatment and drew myself away from her.

    I was angry because she had insulted Erik.

    Erik, whom I had seen, was loyal to Xaden and would never betray him.

    Moreover, the time Xaden had wanted to force himself on me, it was Erik who had intervened and stopped him.

    I was grateful to him, and seeing her insult him gave me a sudden surge of emotion.

    I looked her in the eye for the first time, facing someone without cowering.

    "Why would you suggest such a thing?" I asked. "He saved my life. And I owe him that. Not everyone would have to do something to get something else in return."

    The pnded on my face instantly and sent my face to the side.

    "You stupid bitch!" She spat at me. "You have grown wings, huh? You don��t know where you are, do you? You have so conveniently forgotten who you are."

    Then she grabbed me by my dress and hauled me to the wall.

    "Let me just get this straight into your head. You are here to suffer. And it hasn��t even begun. Xaden gave me the power to make your life miserable." She said. "And I will do that. I will make you pay for everything your family did to me. No one here likes you! We all want you dead! And the pain I��ll give you will be so much worse that you will beg for death."

    Then she pushed me to the ground, and I fell.

    "Filthy Latent." She hissed.

    And then she kicked my tummy, and I held it and howled in pain.

    She turned on her heels and walked away, leaving me holding on to the pain that she had inflicted on me.

    I managed to rise to my feet and lean against the wall, taking in deep breaths.

    I had received worse punishment.

    A single kick to my tummy wasn��t going to kill me.

    And what was wrong with me?

    Why had I faced her that way?

    I had never answered anyone back, but why her?

    I sighed as the chains nked together as I walked on.

    Then I went out to thend mass, which was the farm.

    I was given a hoe to weed.

    I greeted the others working there, but they all ignored me.

    I sighed and started my work.

    I raked the fields, hoed the weeds, and nted the new fields.

    "You are going to be assigned a plot ofnd." The instructor told me.

    He looked like he didn��t want to talk to me.

    My entire presence was revolting against him.

    He was a man in histe forties and buff.

    "You will clear thend and home and ensure it��s good for nting." He said. "You are to finish hoeing thend before preparations for the new nting before the end of today.

    When he took me to thend, I gasped in shock.

    Thend was massive, wide, and filled with weeds.

    He flung the hoe at me.

    "You start now," he said.

    The others startedughing at me, and I knew I had been given an impossible task.

    "If you don��t finish before the end of the day, you will be whipped thirty times." He said that, and he went away.

    Withoutining, I went ahead with my chores and began.

    I worked dutifully, as it was not the first time I had farmed.

    I cleared the weeds and hoed the soil to prepare it for nting.

    I worked tirelessly without stopping, and then a loud whistle rang in my ears.

    "Water break." Came the announcement.

    I sighed in relief.

    I had been so tired that I had toiled under the sun without stopping.

    I cleaned off the sweat on my brows and saw all the workers forming a queue to receive water.

    I could feel the stares on my back when I joined the line.

    Worse, my chains made it clear who I was.

    "Look at how ugly she is." Someone said.

    "Breathing the same air we breathe." Someone else said:

    "I heard she is a prostitute and sleeps with three men every night."

    "Just look at her! Incarnate of her father."

    "I hope Alpha Xaden muttes her body and hangs it for decoration."

    I heard the sidements and insults of those around me.

    These people didn��t know me but judged me, just like the guards and Aurora.

    I sighed as they didn��t even bother to lower their voices.

    When I reached my turn to collect the water, the man frowned.

    "There is no water for you." He said. "Get out!

    I looked at him, hurt and surprised. "Please, I am thirsty."

    I said to him: "Please, just some water."

    "I SAID THERE IS NO WATER FOR YOU! YOU ABOMINATION! GET OUT!" the man yelled at me, and those behind me pushed me out of the queue.

    They were jeering andughing at me.

    I felt the tears behind my eyes as I returned to my plot to work.

    I watched as others drank to their satisfaction, and I dejectedly resumed my work.

 Chapter 42: BLUE BLACK

    <h4>Chapter 42: BLUE BLACK</h4>

    The sun poured over my back as I worked tirelessly, and then I felt the sweat going down from my forehead to my entire body.

    I felt dizzy, but I shook my head to shake it off and resumed my work.

    It got extremely dark, and the instructor came to me.

    The whip was in his hands.

    I saw the other workers, who I knew were enved people, standing and sneering at me.

    They wanted to watch me receive the punishment.

    "You haven��t finished your work, have you?" He said. "Thirty whips of the cane."

    "But I��ve finished, sir," I said.

    He frowned, and then I stepped aside to show him the entire mass field that was clear of weeds and had been set up for nting.

    His mouth was open, as was everyone else who stood watching.

    "B-b, but that��s not possible." He said it in disbelief.

    I stood there, waiting for his following instructions.

    There was a murmur among the crowd.

    Then he frowned at me.

    "Fine, you may go." He said. "Your work will resume tomorrow."

    I thanked him, and he seemed surprised, and then I left the farm.

    I was exhausted, and my entire body ached.

    I went to the servants�� quarters and room where I had been assigned and picked out the nightgown that had been given to me.

    Then I went down to where the female workers bathed.

    I picked a bucket to have my bath, and I could feel the stares on me.

    I went to a far corner and had my bath.

    I could hear them make statements about myself and did my best to ignore them.

    It was soforting to have cool water on my body as I took my bath.

    It reduced the ache in my body, and I felt refreshed.

    I washed my dress and hung it to dry.

    Then I put on my nightdress after I had died myself.

    The girl eyed me maliciously, and I ignored them.

    I hurried to the healer��s quarters and sat at my meal.

    I watched him as he mixed medicines and wrote on his scrolls.

    Then I remembered that I still didn��t know how to read or write.

    And that meant I didn��t know the order of my schedule.

    If only I could get someone to teach me.

    I couldn��t trust the healer.

    How sure he wouldn��t rat me out to the entire pack?

    What would happen then?

    Xaden would know that he had been deceived, and he would kill my entire pack and family before finally killing me.

    Then I remembered all the men he had beheaded and hung their heads on the gates of the castle.

    I shivered at the thought of having my head there.

    I quietly ate my meal and watched the healer perform his duties.

    When I was done, I washed the tes.

    "Thank you," I said.

    He nodded and went on with his work.

    Then I took off down the hall to where I would sleep.

    When I entered the bedroom, the girls wereughing and chatting, and the moment my shadow was cast inside the room, they hushed.

    They all turned and looked at me with sneering res.

    I said nothing as I took my bedding, rolled it on the floor with the pillow, andid down on my bed.

    "What��s that awful smell?" A girl said,

    Someone chuckled. "It��s the smell of an outcast."

    And the other girls went into a groupughter, and I shook, knowing it was me.

    I tried my best to ignore them and went to sleep.

    But then I heard footsteps close to me and a kick at my back.

    I quickly turned around to see a girl with ck hair standing by me.

    "Why did you do that?" I asked, confused.

    "You��re an enemy and the daughter of that monster!" She said. "We can do whatever we want to do with you."

    I sat up in my bed.

    "I��m sorry for anything my father might have done to you," I said genuinely. "You don��t deserve it. None of you."

    Her nostrils red.

    "You think that by apologizing, we��ll forgive you?" She asked me.

    I bit my lip. "No. And I don��t expect you to. But believe me. I��m not the same as my father. And I��m just working here like you are now."

    The girl kicked me. "You stupid bitch! How dare you say you��re the same, huh?!"

    She kicked me again. "With that ugly scar on your face!"

    And she proceeded to kick me over and over again.

    I held myself back, trying to block her attacks.

    I lifted my hand to wave her off, and then she fell andnded on her face.

    When she got up, her bottom lip was bleeding, and she had arge bump on her forehead.

    It was bleeding, too.

    I gasped.

    "I��m sorry, I did not mean it." I apologized.

    She rose to her feet, jumped on me, and began beating me.

    "FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!" Came the chants from the other girls.

    The girl dealt me one blow and another.

    I knew that I could actually ovee her, but what would I prove to them if I did beat her up?

    They would have the proof that I was exactly like my father.

    "Please stop," I said to block the attacks.

    But it only infuriated her further.

    The punches increased until my eyes were hardly able to see.

    "Beat her up!"

    "Kick her!"

    "Drag her hair!"

    And then I felt someone drag my hair and then my leg.

    And then it urred to me that it wasn��t just me against one person.

    It was a full attack from all the girls.

    I sobbed as I begged them to stop.

    From a corner, I saw one girl standing, scared.

    Why wasn��t she joining them, too?

    Was she going to help me?

    She just stood there, and then she ran out.

    My heart fell.

    And the girls kept on beating me up.

    Pulling my hair and tearing my dress.

    I wept in anguish.

    Then, there was a loud bang at the door.

    "What is going on here?" There was a deadly and familiar male voice.

    It was Xaden.

 Chapter 43: SAVIOR

    <h4>Chapter 43: SAVIOR</h4>

    XADEN��S POV

    Xaden had spent the entire day going through assessments of the men in the pack, mainly because he had been away.

    He pushed his head into the chair and frowned.

    Some rogue packs were beginning to be more and more endearing.

    He had to get rid of them.

    His quest for power wasn��t over yet.

    His killing of Bale one day was just passive.

    It was going to happen one day, and he would be the most feared Alpha the world had ever seen.

    That was his decision.

    There was also the family of Dean, who was Jasmine��s betrothed, who had beheaded him.

    He had to handle them too.

    He had killed their son in battle and not only beheaded him but cut off his dick too.

    He knew that they held anger towards him.

    They wanted revenge, but it was the way of things.

    Dean had been unlucky toe in between them.

    He knew that the alliance between Dean and Jasmine was to further strengthen their bond, as every other marriage amongst powerful packs was.

    He knew they would attack one day, probably, and when they did, he would be ready.

    He had an entire year to prepare for his attack on the moonlight pack again.

    When it happened, he would be prepared, and then after that, he would get rid of Jasmine.

    He hated her, as was expected.

    But then, with the story that she had given him��that she had been kidnapped by another pack who had inflicted wounds on her��he felt differently.

    This was now the second time she was being taken from her pack because of her father��s sins.

    He gritted his teeth when he remembered how he had heard Bale rape his mother while he had remained locked in the closet.

    What it had done to him when he had been told his father was dead.

    Everyone in his entire pack was gone.

    Because the man they had trusted had betrayed them.

    His little sister.

    He flung the vase that was on his desk, and it shattered on the wall.

    Then he heard the voices in his head.

    The whispers.

    He started to stagger and try to breathe.

    What had happened to him?

    The consequences of being alive still haunted him.

    His wolf howled, and his head shook.

    He could feel his insides breaking, and he could feel himself begin to turn.

    His rage knew no bounds.

    He fell to the floor and then crawled up to where he had kept his special box.

    His body was already transforming; his teeth were baring out, and he could feel the foaming out of his mouth.

    He opened the box, pulled out the dagger, and stabbed where his heart was supposed to be.

    Once it pierced right into his soul, he took in a sharp breath and gasped as its powers worked through him, and he reverted back to his standard form.

    The reversion of him to his human body was an excruciating pain that had him screaming.

    His office was barred and made of steel, so it was impossible for anyone to hear him scream.

    Then, as he was now a human being, he began to take in heavy breaths.

    His conversion was bing too frequent.

    He had to visit her soon enough.

    He returned the dagger back to the box and locked it.

    Then he returned it to the safe he had hidden it in and drank a ss of whisky.

    When he was sure he was okay, he stepped out of the office and walked down the stairs ahead of a meeting he had with his men.

    He decided to follow a different route and went towards the stairs that would lead him past the servant��s quarters.

    He would get to the throne room faster.

    Then, a girl bumped right into him.

    He frowned at her and saw how she shook in fear.

    He knew how the members of his pack feared him, but he had sworn an oath to protect his people with his dying breath.

    Never forsake them.

    She started to shrink and quickly broke apart from him.

    "Alpa Xaden." She bowed down quickly. "I��m sorry. Forgive me. My life is yours."

    He hated it when they made thatst statement.

    "It��s fine." He told her gently, and then he noticed how she shook in fear. "What��s wrong?"

    She seemed tense, and her brows were matted with sweat.

    She bit her bottom lip; she was obviously hesitant.

    "Whoever you believe would harm you or you fear is no one above me." He promised.

    She paused for a minute and said, "I was just going to call out for help. I couldn��t leave her like that."

    There were tears in her eyes. Now he was really worried.

    "They are going to kill her." She shivered.

    He frowned. "Kill who?"

    "The new enved person. The enemy��s daughter." She said. "The girls in our room attacked her and have been beating her. I know we are supposed to hate her. And she is the enemy. But I couldn��t stand it. She isn��t defending herself."

    "Where is this happening?" He asked, trying to control his anger.

    "Just down the corner." She said. "In the third female servant��s room. Forgive my lord. I was a coward and could not save her myself."

    And then she burst into tears.

    Xaden touched her shoulder. "You did the right thing. Maybe even I could learn a thing from you."

    She looked at him.

    "I will handle it." He said.

    She nodded.

    Then he went off to the room and broke the door down.

    The sight he saw was beyond him.

    About twenty girls were over her like she was a piece of meat about to be ughtered.

    He controlled himself to see how much he wanted to rip the girls from her.

    They instantly froze once the door hadnded on the floor, and he could see the fear clouding their eyes.

    "What is going on here?" Was the only thing he could say.

 Chapter 44: REDEMPTION

    <h4>Chapter 44: REDEMPTION</h4>

    JASMINE��S POV

    When I saw him, I had a sudden surge of emotions.

    Surprised, confused, and ted.

    Why had hee? And how had he even known that I was in trouble?

    I knew that he didn��t want me dead because he tried to keep punishing me, but seeing him at the door.

    I didn��t know how to feel.

    The girls all froze once they saw him.

    "What is going on here?" That was all he said.

    They quickly withdrew from me and jumped off.

    I sat up slowly and weakly.

    I could feel the bruises and my bottom lip bleeding.

    Plus, my forehead hurt severely.

    The girls were vividly shaking and stood with their eyes downcast.

    "I asked a question." He said. "What is going on here?"

    His voice had only further scared them, and now they were shaking.

    "We were just teaching her a lesson." The girl who first attacked me said,

    "A lesson," Xaden asked as he walked further into the room.

    I slowly got up to my feet and adjusted my dress, which was now in shattered pieces.

    "Do you know what a lesson is?" He asked.

    The girls were still shaking.

    "She is an enemy��your enemies�� daughter. I brought her to the pack by myself. If anyone is going to punish her, it would be me and not you, " he said.

    There was a pregnant silence in the room.

    "Are you the Alpha?" he asked.

    No one could reply.

    "ANSWER ME!" He demanded.

    The girl who had been the first to beat me jumped and quickly said, "N-no Alpha Xaden. "You alone are the Alpha."

    "So now tell me, " he said. What possessed you to make such a decision by yourself?"

    They were all now trembling, and they fell to their knees.

    "Please forgive us, Alpha Xaden." They wept.

    He just watched their backs and gazed at them.

    "You know the punishment." He said.

    They shrank in fear.

    I quickly went to stand in front of them.

    "Please don��t punish them," I begged.

    He looked at me, surprised.

    And then I fell to my knees and pleaded. "Please do not. I am fine and alive." I said.

    "This has nothing to do with you." He said it without paying me any regard. "But with the fact that they disobeyed myws,"

    "It��s because of me," I said. "They disobeyed yourws. If I weren��t here, they would never have."

    He ignored me.

    "Twentyshes of cane." He said that, and the girls began weeping.

    "Please," I begged him. "I��ll take the punishment myself. Just don��t beat them."

    He stared at me. "They attacked you and could have killed you had I not arrived, and yet you don��t just want them to be forgiven, but you will take the punishment on their behalf."

    I swallowed, and the tears were already brewing in my eyes.

    "It��s because of hate that I came here. What my father did to your people." I expressed it to him. "How long will we all suffer because of the hate nted as seeds in our minds?"

    He just looked at me, and then I looked down at my hands.

    He had said after all that I was here to be punished that he would order them to whip me.

    "There are ten girls in this room, " he said. If you want to serve their punishment, it will be twenty times the ten."

    I swallowed.

    "Two hundredshes." He said. "You would receive two hundredshes to your back?"

    Could my entire body take that?

    Maybe I would die from the whipping.

    But thinking of them receiving it.

    They hated me because of what my father had done to them. How would I show them I was not the same as my father if I let them take the fall?

    Like the other people in the pack, I was unaware of the notorious stories my father had given them when he had gone through them like a breeze.

    I would tell these girls another story in my name, and they would only resent me more.

    They might never speak to me or attack me again after Xaden had whipped them, but they would never forgive me, and the seed of hate would only further grow in their hearts and be passed down to generations.

    I nodded. "I ept it."

    He said nothing, and just at the moment when I was waiting to hear him order a wolf to execute the punishment, he surprised me by saying.

    "I will pretend like none of these happened." He said. "And let this pass on to others. If such urs again, your heads would be on a spike. That I promise you all."

    The girls were trembling behind them, all scared.

    It was amazing to think that just a few minutes ago, they had joined to beat me up, and here they were, scared to their wits.

    "Forgive us. Thank you, Alpha Xaden." They chorused as their heads touched the floor to bow to him. "There is no one as merciful as you."

    "Get up," he said to me.

    I did as I was told.

    "You will sleep in Loren��s quarters." He said.

    I blinked at him in surprise.

    Who was Loren?

    As if reading my mind. "He is the healer."

    I nodded and followed him out.

    He went on fast strides, and I had to run up to meet him.

    "Thank you for what you did," I said.

    He stopped and turned short of me.

    "You think I did it for you?" He asked me.

    The hate was as explicit as Crystal��s and had returned to his eyes.

    I shivered and saw his onyx eyes glow.

    I took a step back.

    "I don��t know what games you��re ying." He said it to me, and I shrank. "But I��ll find out, and when I do, you will be begging for death."

    He turned to a guard. "Take her to Loren��s quarters. Tell him that she is to reside with him from now on."

    And with that, Xaden left me standing.

 Chapter 45: AURORA’S REVENGE

    <h4>Chapter 45: AURORA��S REVENGE</h4>

    AURORA��S POV

    Aurora was in her bedroom styling her hair while her servants brought in her bath filled with water.

    She was in a very, very bad mood.

    Ever since that bitch hade into their pack, she had caused absolutely nothing but trouble!

    Absolutely nothing!

    Imagine the audacity of her to even face her and talk back at her.

    It infuriated her, and to make matters worse, she had bonded with Xaden.

    Her Xaden.

    Something she had never gotten to do herself.

    Xaden had said clearly that he would never find a mate, marry, or be bonded.

    But he had done two of those so far!

    She knew that ording to theirws, no wolf, Alpha or not, was allowed to take a woman away from an enemy��s pack unless he had killed and taken ce as the Alpha.

    Xaden had been unable to kill Bale because of the ord, so even though he had defeated him in battle, he could not im Jasmine.

    Hence, marriage was the only reason he could take her away from her family.

    Aurora knew all these, but she couldn��t imagine them!

    But it was a bond.

    The only way he could break it was if Jasmine died.

    And she had tried to kill that girl once, but it had failed.

    Why was Erik scheming against her and even saving that bitch?

    Didn��t her father kill his mate and unborn child?

    Aurora hated this.

    And every n she made seemed to bring Xaden and Jasmine closer together.

    She had never even slept in Xaden��s bed before.

    He only fucked her, and she was to leave.

    No one had slept in his bed before, but when she found that bitch half-naked and covered in his sheets, she instantly lost her mind.

    She had made the farm instructor give her an impossible task, and yet she had ovee that.

    How did a spoilt brat know how to clear a farm or even how it so well for nting?!

    It was beyond her!

    She had told Liza, one of the servant girls who was in the same bedroom, to make her life miserable.

    Hopefully, she will aplish that.

    She sighed as she took off her robe and sat in the water.

    It was so satisfying.

    She gave a sharp re at the girls.

    "What are you waiting for?!" She barked. "Scrub my back!"

    The girls got up in fear and hurried to her.

    Aurora gave a snort and rolled her eyes.

    "Imbeciles," she said.

    The girls cleaned her body, and she closed her eyes to rest as they did her bidding.

    She hadn��t worked all this way for nothing.

    The truth was that Bale hade into her pack and butchered her entire family.

    She hadn��t been an Alpha��s daughter, but her father was the gamma of the pack.

    She had survived, but absolutely no one from the Alpha��s family had.

    Especially his daughters.

    There were only a few survivors from her pack, and she had lived with bitterness and hate.

    When she met Xaden, there was raw lust and passion.

    It was like no one understood him, as she understood him.

    He was like no man she had ever met, and he could fuck so well.

    He had taken her up, and she had fought by his side.

    But he had told her he would never make her anything more than she already was.

    It was painful.

    She was in love with him; she knew.

    And it was so difficult to pretend that she didn��t desire more than just fucking.

    There was a knock at her door, interrupting her stream of thoughts.

    She frowned.

    "Go and find out who it is." She ordered.

    One of the girls bowed and hurriedly left.

    When she checked the door, she came back and said, "It��s Liza, the serving girl."

    Aurora became excited.

    She had better have good news for her.

    Maybe she had seeded in killing that b*tch once and for all.

    "Tell her toe in. Quickly!" She told the girl.

    The servant bowed again, left, and then returned with Lisa.

    "You came to see me." Aurora said. "Especially it being sote at night."

    It was extremelyte, probably after midnight. What Liza had to say must be important.

    "Yes, mydy." She said. "I would havee since, but I had to sneak out quietly."

    "Yes, yes, go on, tell me what has happened. Did you do it?" Aurora asked, waiting to hear the good news.

    "No," Liza said, dropping a bombshell. "Well, we beat her up, but then Alpha Xaden came in and caught us. He almost gave us twentyshes of the cane each. She is a witch, and she has hypnotized him. She begged him to forgive us, and he agreed. He then said that she would no longer sleep in our room and took her out."

    Aurora could not believe what her ears were hearing.

    Xaden had caught them beating her up, and he had saved her.

    Not only that, when he had chosen to punish them, the prostitute had begged him to forgive them, and he had agreed??!!

    She wanted to die; she couldn��t breathe.

    Xaden had never once listened to a second opinion she had given him.

    She had never deterred Xaden from a thought!

    Not for once!

    And yet he had changed his mind when that enemy had asked him to?!

    Aurora screamed in anger.

    The girls jumped.

    She picked up a ss vase by her side and threw it.

    The girls fled away. Only Lisa remained, but she was hiding in a corner.

    "THAT BITCH!" She screamed. "HOW DARE SHE?!!!"

    She was so furious that her wolf was howling.

    Then, she managed to calm herself down.

    No, she just needed to think things through.

    "Where did you say she went?" Aurora demanded.

    "She is now staying in the healer��s quarters." The girl said,.

    Aurora took a deep breath.

    At least she wasn��t sleeping in Xaden��s room. She would never have been able to do that.

    "Can I say something, mydy?" Liza said.

    Aurora eyed the girl and wanted to tell her to go to hell, but she eventually said. "Speak."

    "She had injuries on her back," Lisa said. "If she is Alpha Bale��s daughter, shouldn��t she be perfect? Spotless? I hate her. I really do. After what he did to my family, I hate her. It just surprises me. People were saying that she did her work very well. It��s not normal. Even the normal servants adjusted to the jobs slowly, but she is doing it all so well within a day."

    Aurora started to snap. She already knew that.

    "SO WHAT DO I DO WITH THAT PIECE OF INFORMATION?

    And then she froze.

    It was true.

    It was unusual. Even she couldn��t do such work.

    She had heard rumors that she was most likely taken prisoner by an enemy pack when she was young, but the story was suspicious.

    She rose to her feet, and Liza quickly brought her a towel and wrapped it around her.

    Aurora thought to herself as she paced the room.

    What if? What if Jasmine was not Alpha Bale��s daughter?

    What if Xaden had been fooled?

    If Xaden found out that the girl had lied to him, then he would kill her.

    No one was allowed to deceive an Alpha.

    It was a crime with serious consequences.

    In rare cases, the person could be banished or killed.

    She liked thetter.

    Aurora gave a wicked smile.

    "You��ve given me an idea."

 Chapter 46: DUTIES

    <h4>Chapter 46: DUTIES</h4>

    Once I got into the healer��s quarters, the guard who had apanied me stood at attention and said,

    "Alpha Xaden has requested that she reside with you from now on." He said.

    Loren looked at me through his sses. I half expected him to grumble at how I disturbed his peace, but he said.

    "Alright." And then he went back to his work. The guard nodded and turned away, closing the door behind me.

    Loren resumed his mixing of potions and reading his books while I just stood by the door, unsure of what to do.

    Then he looked back up at me.

    "What are you waiting for?" He asked me. "An invitation?"

    I jumped up. "Oh no, uhmm no."

    "Thene on in." He invited. "Go down that door; you will find a small room with a bed. Take it."

    And after that, he returned to the work before him.

    "Thank you," I said quietly.

    He didn��t make anyment on my disgruntled appearance or what had happened��that I was being brought into the roomte at night.

    He just went back to his work.

    I didn��t see the need to disturb him, so I walked on ahead to the room that he had pointed to, and then I walked in.

    There was a small bed in it, and then I justy curled up in it and willed myself to sleep, but I couldn��t.

    I sobbed silently so as not to disturb him, and I wondered what the point of my life was.

    No one, not one single person, acknowledged me or cared about me.

    I was a nobody in the eyes of these people, the same way I had been back home.

    Eventually, I fell asleep.

    I woke up the following day before it was even breaking dawn.

    It was extremely dark, but I knew that it was already morning.

    I slowly got up from the bed and found a mirror facing me.

    My lip was swollen, and my head was bruised.

    If I were a shifted wolf, then I would have healed by now, but here I was with proof of what had happened to me the previous night.

    I arranged the bed and stepped out of the room.

    Loren was asleep on a bench.

    There was a makeshift pillow under his head, and he had no nket over his body.

    I turned back to the room that I hade out of and saw tiny personal things.

    Then, it dawned on me that I had slept in his room.

    I looked around the living space, which was filled with his desk and work table, along with his potions and a small couch.

    There was no other door to show that there was another room.

    I felt awful that he had given up his bedroom for me and even slept outside in the cold.

    It was rare for someone to extend such kindness to me��especially an older man.

    Why?

    I quietly swept the entire room and arranged it to what I felt was neat enough, and then I picked up the nket from the bedroom and put it over his body.

    I walked out of the room and went about my chores.

    The paper that was filled with my duty schedule was folded in my dress, and I still had no idea how I was going to read through it.

    I decided to do the chores that I had been given the previous day.

    I��ll find a way.

    I worked in the kitchen, scrubbing pots and washing the dishes. The chef came in and let me in.

    He was shocked.

    "What are you doing here?" He asked.

    "My duties," I exined.

    He just stared at me vaguely and went on to start his cooking.

    The chefs in packs were always the first to begin the day��s work.

    I knew he was stunned to see that I had even arrived before him.

    He turned to his work and ignored me, and then I left the kitchen as soon as I was done.

    I scrubbed the floors and mopped them clean, and then I went to the boiling rooms to set water for the baths.

    As soon as I saw the girls who were going to be the ones carrying the watere in, I left and went down to the farm.

    I began the nting and seeding.

    Once it was daybreak, I was already done.

    I bumped into the woman who gave instructions on work.

    "Where are you going, missy?" She sneered at me.

    "Oh, I was just going up to have my breakfast," I told her.

    "You haven��t even begun your work, and you want to eat?" She asked me. "Have you even had your bath?"

    I swallowed. "I��m done with my work."

    Her eyes widened in disbelief. "So you��re a liar too, and just as bad as they say you are."

    I chewed my fingertips in anxiety. "I��m not lying, ma��am."

    "You��re trying to take me for a fool, right? You think I don��t inspect the works, huh?" She demanded, and then she jacked my dress and dragged me down the hall to the kitchen.

    "Where is it done?!" She demanded.

    The chef looked at her and me.

    "She said she did her work? Have you seen her here?" She asked him.

    I expected the chef to say that I hadn��t done anything.

    But he quietly said. "I don��t know about her other jobs, but she is done with this one."

    Her mouth dropped in shock, and she closed it back and then turned to me.

    "You��re lucky about this one."

    She took me to all the ces where I had done my chores, and her face was written in disbelief when she discovered that I had indeed finished them.

    "Please, may I go now, ma?" I asked.

    She was speechless, and then she said. "Uhmm... y-yes, you can go."

    I nodded and went off to Loren��s quarters to have my breakfast while she stood dumbstruck.

 Chapter 47: OVERHEARING GOSSIP

    <h4>Chapter 47: OVERHEARING GOSSIP</h4><subtxt> fr��ewebno?��l</subtxt>

    JASMINE��S POV

    Once I finished my chores, I went into the healer��s quarters and found Loren awake and busy with his work.

    "Good morning." I greeted.

    He looked up from his sses. "Good morning."

    I took a deep breath and walked up to him. "Thank you forst night. You gave me your bed and slept on a cold bench." I told him. "Please, you��re an old man, and you must lie on your bed. I��ll take the bench."

    He rose from the herbs he was chopping and looked at me. "With those marks on your back, how do you intend to heal?"

    Hadn��t I suffered a much worse fate at home? I was sleeping on the bare floor even though my back still bled.

    "Yes, but it doesn��t matter," I said. "You have done more than enough for me."

    Didn��t he understand? I was grateful for what he had done for me, but my conscience would never let an older man suffer on my behalf.

    He took off his sses and looked at me. "I would expect the daughter of an Alpha to be foreign to suffering and such a life."

    He raised a brow and looked at me, and my heart raced quickly.

    I was blowing my cover with my attitude.

    I was supposed to act like Jessica. Was her bad attitude so rampant that everyone knew how she indeed was?

    I sighed and told a lie. "Yes, I lived well in my pack, but you��re my senior, and I was raised always to respect people. Regardless of who they were."

    He looked at me closely. "And who taught you this?"

    "Urma. She was my nanny." That was technically not a lie.

    He just gazed at me and then waved his hand at the table.

    "Come and eat your food and take your medicine, young girl." He said. "And you had better take that bed. I won��t treat you if you fall ill again."

    I said nothing as I sat on the chair beside him and ate the meal before me.

    I watched him read through his books and write.

    Something I could never do.

    If I could try reading his books, I might understand how to read.

    He was a good man, just like Urma had been, except he didn��t like showing it, so he pretended to be gruff and grumpy.

    Why were all healers like that?

    I ate my meal and then took my medicine.

    "Thank you," I said.

    He ignored me and went back to his work.

    Then I stepped down to the bathroom to find my water to bathe with.

    My chains hurt as they were stuck on my feet, and the friction with my ankles against the metal gave me some bruises.

    They also made noises, announcing my presence everywhere I went.

    I had to bear the pain.

    When I got to the bathroom, I saw the girls who had been in my room.

    Before I stepped into full view, someone spoke.

    "You��re telling me Alpha Xaden took her out?" One girl I had not seen in our room asked the girl who had been the first to attack me.

    The girl rolled her eyes. "Yes. Do you think I��m lying? Everyone was there. We saw it with our eyes. She is a witch!"

    "Oh, my Goddess." Another said as she scrubbed her back with soap. "She must have put a hex over him. I thought he brought her here to punish her."

    They were talking about me.

    Another girl snorted. "You haven��t heard thest of it. When he punished us with twentyshes of cane, she came down and begged him to forgive us."

    The girls gasped.

    "She said she was going to take the punishment." The main girl said: "It was all a show, of course. Everything she did was to gain favor in his eyes. And Alpha Xaden forgave us! Because she had begged him!"

    "That has never happened before! Only Gamma Erik has ever changed his mind!" Another girl said her mouth was hanging open. "Even Aurora can��t change his mind."

    "Shut up!" The main girl hissed. "Who told you that?!"

    The other girls went quiet.

    "Aurora is going to be thedy of this pack one day. You better watch what you say!" The girl said, "We just need to get rid of that witch!"

    "But how do we? You said it yourself; Alpha Xaden said we shouldn��t touch her, or we would be dead." Someone cried.

    "We don��t have to kill her, you idiots!" The girl snapped. "We just have to frustrate her until she goes! Do it smartly with no foul y. Teach her a lesson!"

    "But what if she is a good person?" I heard a quiet voice.

    I turned and saw the girl, who was the only person who hadn��t joined them to beat me and had been standing by the door in the room before running away.

    "She had agreed to take it when he said he would punish us. Two hundredshes." The girl said,

    There was a silence in the bathroom.

    "Mya, please stop ying the saint and always look for the good in everyone. She is Bale��s daughter. Bale is the destroyer. Do you think she is terrific? Huh? Her blood is ck! Bad! She is eventent!" The ringleader said

    There were further murmurings in the bathroom.

    "And we don��t even have atent wolf in our pack." Someone added.

    "An abomination. She is paying for the sins of her father already."

    "And have you forgotten what Bale did to your family? Your vige?" The main girl walked up to Mya. "HAVE YOU?!"

    Mya was visibly shaken, as if the reminder of the past was haunting her again.

    I felt so horrible for her.

    Soft and quiet. "No," was all she said.

    "That��s what I thought." She sneered.

    Then she turned to the other girls. "We will punish her. But we do it as quietly as we can. We all hate her. First things. Every morning, we put fire ants in her water. She would suffer."

    The girls erupted intoughter.

    I withdrew, sure that I had heard enough, and ran out of the bathroom, tears spilling.

 Chapter 48: SECRET LAKE

    <h4>Chapter 48: SECRET LAKE</h4>

    After overhearing their entire conversation, I decided I would never have my bath in the women��s bath again.

    I walked down the castle grounds and took myself on a stroll.

    Everyone stared at me with every turn I made. The chains around my ankles only made it worse.

    You could hear the nk against the metal as I walked, and people would turn to see me.

    Flustered, I went ahead and found myself going down a lonely path.

    I wasn��t in the castle anymore.

    There were ground floors away from the castle, beautiful trees, and a lovely forest.

    Back home in our pack, I had hardly had the chance to survey the pack because I was always busy.

    But today, I was done with my work, and I could stroll around without anyone asking if I had worked.

    I kept on walking down the path and past trees. In the distance, I saw a little deer hopping and some squirrels chatting.

    How I wish I could be like them. Free.

    I took a few steps forward, minding my path so that I would not forget the way I hade, and came across a beautifulke.

    It looked untouched, as if no one hade around.

    There were lilies above theke and swans swimming about.

    Birds sang, and a group of beavers were working.

    I hadn��t had the opportunity to swim in a very long time.

    There used to be a littleke back home in the pack where I frequented, but when Jessica found out I had somewhere safe to visit, she reported to Luna Maria, who destroyed the entire forest.

    I had been only nine years old, and I could remember it as clearly as day.

    Once I had finished all my chores, I went to swim as usual, and I had no idea that Jessica had followed me.

    Her mother came and caught me swimming naked.

    "You little prostitute!" She had hissed at me!

    I had jumped in fear and found her at the bank of theke.

    She had been standing with about seven wolves.

    I dove into the river to hide my nudity.

    "Look at you swimming naked! Your mother was always a slut, and I knew you would be one too, but you��re barely even nine years old!" She had raged. "And yet, look at you! Swimming naked so that a man cane and find you, ain��t it?! My little Jessica would never be like you!"

    I had been rmed by her words and usations. "No, Luna Maria, I just came to swim here alone."

    "Are you even a virgin?!" She spat at me.

    Her words surprised me, and behind her, Jessica��s face had a smirk.

    "Get out of the water!" Luna Maria had ordered.

    I had hoped they would leave for me to do that, but the men remained put, and I was forced to hurry out naked and wear my clothes.

    Eventually, shepletely burned it down to the ground, even though I had begged her not to.

    I promised her that I would never visit again.

    She ignored me, and I watched my beautiful secret burn down before my eyes.

    I shook the memory away, stripped off my clothes, and entered theke.

    The water was so soothing, and the swans came towards me.

    I saw about five mingos together by the other end of theke.

    I smiled as I watched the little animals y around, and nature was tranquil.

    Then, I saw a massive crocodileing towards me.

    I jumped in fright, but to my surprise, it only swam right beside me.

    I dared myself to touch its skin, and I slowly did.

    The crocodile didn��t resist, and I smiled as I gently rubbed its patterned skin before it swam away.

    I was at peace just swimming here. I wanted to stay here forever.

    I would always visit here.

    This would be my secret haven, away from the pack.

    In some ways, it was as if life was better here than even back home.

    And from how things were between Xaden and me, it didn��t seem he would touch me anymore.

    I sighed as I swam in theke, and after a few hours, I had toe out.

    I couldn��t risk staying here so long before they missed me.

    As I reached the bank of the river, I saw that my ankles had healed.

    It was supposed to be bright red and partly bruised because of the chains, but here it was clear.

    Was it theke?

    I quickly looked into theke to see my reflection, and I found out that my injuries fromst night��s beating had all gone.

    Well, except for the scar on my face that I was born with.

    I quickly turned to my back to see the marks on my back.

    It was gone, too!

    I looked back at theke, astonished!

    What had just happened? Had I discovered a magicalke?

    I wanted to take another dive when I heard loud bells ringing.

    I became alert.

    Back in our pack, it was usually good or bad when the bells were rung.

    Thest time I heard the bell ring was when Xaden invaded our pack.

    I quickly put on my clothes and hurried out of the forest.

    I walked back to the ground floor and then into the castle itself.

    There was a buzz of people rushing around.

    I was confused.

    What was happening?

    I turned to someone. "Please, what��s happening?"

    The person ignored me, and I asked someone else. They did the same thing.

    I saw Lady Belinda giving instructions.

    "There you are!" She was pointing at me. "You need to set your schedule aside. I��ll give you new duties. You will be servicing one of the packs when they arrive."

    I was confused.

    When did one of the packs arrive?

    I was more lost.

    "Please, what is happening?" I asked her.

    "It��s the festival." She said to me, "Ahead of theing hallo moon."

    I had heard of the Hallo Moon.

    It was a rare event. Thest one supposedly took ce seventy years ago, but the other was much longer.

    A lot of wolves went their entire lives without ever seeing it.

    The moon formed the shape of an exact hallo and was visible for three nights.

    No one knew when it would happen, just that it did, and a few days before it took ce, the group of wolves who dealt with the study of the moon would find it and inform other packs.

    It was the second-biggest festival, and I also knew that it was usually held at the location where the hallo reflected.

    If the other packs wereing here, then that meant that the hallo was reflecting here.

    I didn��t know much about it, but there were myths about it being a dark festival, and I had a sickening feeling in my chest.

 Chapter 49: PLANS FOR THE HALLO FESTIVAL

    <h4>Chapter 49: PLANS FOR THE HALLO FESTIVAL</h4>

    XADEN��S POV

    "Do you think we can amodate all of them?" Erik asked him.

    Xaden was in his courtroom with the high-ranking men in his pack, and they were deliberating over the sudden appearance of the Hallo moon.

    He had never witnessed it before.

    He had only ever heard of it before from his parents and Elena.

    And for the Hallo moon to appear in your territory was an honor.

    He couldn��t take that away, and because it was an honor, the Alpha of the pack had no choice but to participate in all rituals, especially thest one.

    The Rigai.

    "Well, we can��t kick them out. Or tell them to go elsewhere. Which, unfortunately, I would have loved to do." Xaden said as he rubbed his forehead. "A bunch of them are my enemies. I can��t dispute that fact. But the Wolf Council, as usual, would put in their two cents."

    He had just learned that the astrology wolf pack had seen iting and would appear in three days.

    "You are aware that the Silver Pack will being too." Aragon, one of Xaden��s other men, said.

    How could he easily forget?

    The silver pack was the family of Dean, who had been Jasmine��s mate and betrothed. How could he forget when he had beheaded Dean and even delivered his dick chopped up in a box?

    He knew his family would be vengeful, but it was war, and there were casualties.

    Dean hade in between and used his as an example.

    Moreover, Dean was very annoying.

    "Alexander woulde after you." Liam was another of his men, a Lycan said. "I��m sure he had made ns to, but the opportunity just presented itself to him."

    "I��m aware," Xaden said. "Let him. We��ll see how far he can go."

    Liam was Dean��s elder brother, and it was a verymon story that Liam was the incarnate of evil.

    Liam and Xaden didn��t frequently cross paths, and when they did, the energy between them was hostile.

    Liam didn��t like Xaden because he thought he was a blood-hungry savage who had lived in the wild and should remain that way, while Xaden didn��t want Liam because he felt he was a spoilt brat who knew nothing about what it meant to be an Alpha and was only found in between the legs of a woman.

    The end of the story was that both men hated each other, and what Xaden had done sealed their fate in blood.

    He would want to avenge his brother.

    "We have about fifty different packsing in," Xaden said. "Especially the Wolf Council. See to it that they are wee here. Keep an eye on our enemies and even those we trust."

    "What about the royal family?" Erik asked.

    Xaden gritted his teeth.

    He hated having to deal with them.

    The Royal family was the original bloodline of the first wolves.

    King Henry and his wife, Queen ire, were in theirte sixties.

    They had two children.

    Scarlet and Coral.

    Scarlet had been the first child before her sister Coral, but then Scarlet had gone missing on a boat trip and had never been found.

    It was believed that she had drowned and that it had broken the royal couple.

    Only Coral survived. Coral eventually got married and gave birth to a girl named Belle, who would be the next in line to the throne.

    Belle was wonderful, and times without number, she had made her intentions clear to Xaden.

    She wanted him in her bed and even wanted him to be her king, but he indirectly declined.

    There was no getting around it with her.

    Xaden hated being in Belle��spany because, as beautiful as she was, something put him off.

    "We will make arrangements for them, too," Xaden said. "Give Lady Belinda the orders. She will know what to do."

    And then the men left.

    Erik and Xaden remained.

    "You know, you could just marry her and be king," Erik said, folding his arm and giving him a crooked smile. "After all, you said you wanted to rule the world."

    Xaden shot him a look.

    Erik raised his hands andughed. "Hey, hey. Rx. I��m just messing with you."

    And then, they both proceeded to walk out of the courtroom.

    "Don��t worry when shees batting her eyshes and demanding where you are; I��ll send her to your room."

    "You wouldn��t dare," Xaden told his best friend.

    "Of course, I wouldn��t. I would be such a bad person to even do that to you." Erik said that and gave a wink.

    Before Xaden could attempt to strangle Erik, Jade came in.

    "Uncle Xaden!" She squealed, excitedly running up to him.

    He caught her in his arms and lifted her in the air.

    I bounced her up and down while she giggled.

    Then he kissed her all over.

    "How is my little princess?" He asked her.

    "Fine!" She said she was using her baby fingers to pull his face. "I missed you. You were gone too long."

    "I missed you too." He said. "But I had to work. Did anyone give you any trouble here? Tell me if they did. Cause I��ll eck* them if they trouble my little princess."

    *Eck is an expression he makes yfully, meaning he would kill them.

    She giggled.

    There were some metal nks at a distance that seemed to be approaching.

    "Hey, there will be no ecking of anyone!" Erik warned them from afar as they walked ahead.

    Jade now says on Xaden��s arm.

    "Your dad is such a party pooper," Xaden whispered.

    "Heard that!" Erik said.

    Xaden and Jade giggled.

    The metal nking got closer, and as they turned by the bend, Xaden saw Jasmine.

    The chains he had instructed her to be given made the metal nk so loudly.

    They clung to her feet and announced her arrival.

    Her long red curls were in a straight it, and she wore a simple, in dress.

    He hasn��t seen her since the night before.

    "Uncle Xaden? Why is this woman wearing chains? Don��t they hurt her?" Jade asked, breaking the silence.

 Chapter 50: PREPARATIONS

    <h4>Chapter 50: PREPARATIONS</h4>

    JASMINE��S POV

    I instantly froze when I saw Xaden and Erik with a little girl on Xaden��s arm.

    The girl said, "Uncle Xaden, why is this woman wearing chains? Don��t they hurt her?"

    I felt my heart suppress once I heard her call him Uncle.

    Why was I worried if she was his daughter? It was none of my business anyway.

    No one said a word.

    "Huh, Uncle Xaden?" The girl asked, tugging at Xaden��s top.

    Then she turned to me. "Don��t they hurt?"

    I gave a weak smile. "No, they don��t, dear."

    She frowned as if she suspected I was lying.

    Xaden was staring at me.

    I hadn��t seen him since the night before when he had saved me from the other girls in the room.

    He had steered clear of me; from what I saw, he didn��t want me an inch around him.

    "Jade, why don��t we let Uncle Xaden talk for a minute?" Erik said, breaking the silence.

    "Okay, Daddy." She said this as she extended her arms to Erik, who took her in his arms.

    Daddy? Now, I could see the resemnce. He was her father.

    If he was her father, where was her mother?

    She was such a beautiful girl.

    Together, they left.

    I started to walk away, but Xaden caught my arm and spun me back.

    "The Halo festival is happening." He told me.

    I nodded. "Yes, I��m aware."

    "Good." He said. "Then you must know that every pack will be here."

    What was he getting at?

    "Your mate��s brother would being along." He said,

    My heart stopped instantly.

    No! It couldn��t be!

    My face must have been stricken pale because he smirked and said. "So you still grieve for your lover, whom I killed?"

    If only he knew.

    I wasn��t worried about the fact that Dean had died but about the fact that his brother, Alexander, would arrive.

    And his brother would know that I was not Jessica.

    Everything would be spilled out in the open.

    Xaden would kill my pack and then kill me, but only after he had tortured me.

    He caught my chin and forced me to look at him.

    "Since they would be here." He said. "You��re going to put on a little show for us."

    "S-show?" I stuttered.

    "In front of everyone." He said. "Don��t worry when the timees. You will see."

    He pushed me away and then started to leave, but he stopped.

    He turned to me and said, "By the way, If you think that you��re going to escape with him, then I will show you that what I have given you isn��t even torture."

    And with that, I was left standing there.

    I held my chest and felt myself sweating.

    This wasn��t good.

    What was I going to do?

    He couldn��t know that I had deceived him.

    If he didn��t, he would kill me.

    Everything woulde out in the open.

    What was I going to do?

    After pondering for a few minutes, I decided to do my best to disappear and keep a low profile.

    That could probably help me. If I didn��t see Alexander, he would know I was here.

    And just like Dean and the other men in the pack, he had tried to persuade me to sleep with him.

    I had managed to turn him down and escape.

    Nothing was stopping him from exposing my secret.

    Dean was dead because of me and my family, and I had also humiliated him by rejecting his offer.

    Dean had a mean streak, but when it came to Alexander, he was ultimately a man fuelled with blood lust.

    Not even Xaden scared me as much as Alexander did.

    Or maybe both were the same.

    A girl came and met me.

    I saw her and instantly recognized her as the girl who had asked the other girls in the bathroom, ��What if I was a good person?��.

    What had her name been? Mya.

    "Jasmine," she said. "The guests have started to arrive. Lady Belinda has assigned the both of us to two packs."

    "Oh," I mumbled. "I had assumed it was only one person in a pack."

    She shook her head. "No, it��s three. Lisa is with us, too."

    "Who is Lisa, please?" I asked her.

    Mya was stiff for a short while. "She is the one who confronted you in the room."

    Then Mya turned and left, seemingly telling me she wouldn��t answer any other questions.

    We worked on cleaning the rooms.

    One was for a pack whose name I didn��t know, and the other was for the royal family.

    Mya and I worked clearing the room for the pack, and then Lisa came in.

    By this time, it was almost dark.

    I looked through the window and saw horses arriving in numbers.

    By then, we were already done with the work.

    "I see you girls are done with the work." She said.

    "We were supposed to do it together," Mya said softly.

    Lisa��s almond-shaped eyes sharpened. "What did you just say?"

    Mya sighed and mumbled nothing.

    "Yeah. That��s what I thought." Lisa answered rudely.

    I didn��t like Lisa, and I didn��t think she was nice, but seeing her speak so rudely to Mya agitated me.

    Especially after it was Mya who had spoken up for me.

    Lisa ignored us, sat on the bed, and looked at her nails.

    The door was opened, and then she quickly jumped to her feet.

    Some masculine voices came in, and I turned to tie the curtains to secure the cross venttion in the room.

    "Wee, my lords." Lisa and Mya chorused.

    I quickly joined and bowed.

    When I raised my head, Alexander of the Shadow Pack stood with about five men before me.

    This was Dean��s brother, the same wolf who had wanted to take advantage of me.

    He looked right at me, and my heart raced so fast that it felt like it would jump right out of my chest.

    This was it.

    My disguise was up.

 Chapter 51: ACCOMPLICE

    <h4>Chapter 51: ACCOMPLICE</h4>

    (To my readers.) I can��t tell you how much I love you, especially for everything you��ve done and your patience. I was ill yesterday and couldn��t upload, but I��m recovering, and I��ll resume my daily uploads. I love you.

    ALEXANDER��S POV

    Alexander could not believe his eyes.

    Jasmine? What was Jasmine doing in Xaden��s pack, cleaning his bedroom?

    Had her father sold her out to Xaden?

    After all, it wasn��t news that Bale hated her.

    Alexander had even wanted to buy her, but Bale had turned it down.

    He would be furious if he found out Bale had given her to Xaden.

    She was still as beautiful as ever.

    No one had red curls that looked like zing fire over her head that caught the attention of any man as she walked past.

    No woman made his heart rave whenever he saw her.

    The angelic innocence.

    It was like everything she touched became gold.

    He had desired her from the moment he saw her.

    His blood boiled when he remembered how she had rejected him when he had asked her to run away with him to his pack.

    And yet here she was, in his worst enemies�� pack.

    Alexander had been looking for a way to take revenge on Xaden for what he had done to his brother.

    Not once had Alexander ever liked Xaden.

    He was a pig, a disgrace to the glory of his name, and a savage.

    Who didn��t know that a witch had raised poor Xaden in the forest after his parents had been killed?

    Thinking of him made him want to spit. He deserved to be in the wild forest with all of his friends.

    But Xaden had crossed his path and killed his brother, Dean.

    He had been so furious that he wanted to send his army immediately, but his father had declined and said that Xaden would defeat him in a second.

    So what? They were just to sit down, even though Xaden had cut off his brother��s head and cock.

    When the Halo festival was announced, and it was announced that it would be in Xaden��s pack, the opportunity presented itself.

    He was finally going to kill Xaden.

    When he killed him, he would wipe out the entire moonlight pack.

    That bastard Bale had abandoned his brother in the attack.

    He was the reason he was dead.

    Alexander frowned.

    He had heard the rumors that Xaden had taken Bale��s spoilt daughter as punishment for her father��s sins.

    So why was Jasmine here?

    Then it hit him.

    Had Bale reced his favorite daughter with his least favorite?

    It was possible because people didn��t know that Bale had an illegitimate daughter.

    His eyes roamed over her.

    He wondered if Xaden had touched her.

    "Your room has been prepared." A girl with blonde hair said she was bringing him back to the present. "If you wish for other services, call me."

    He ignored the slut.

    "I require the services of a bastard." He said. He saw Jasmine wince.

    Yes, he was right.

    He had called her what she was, and she had confirmed his theory that she was here as an imposter.

    This was good.

    The girl who had been offering herself screwed her face. "Well, I��m not one."

    "Jasmine, Jasmine." He said he was walking up to her and tucking her hair behind her ear. "It��s been such a long time."

    He could feel her shivering.

    He knew she was scared he would expose her.

    He had her under his thumb now.

    "That slut!" The blonde girl said that and left the room.

    The second girl followed meekly.

    Jasmine tried to follow, but he caught her and shut the door behind him.

    "Where are you going, impostor?" He asked. "I would like to know why you are here."

    She went down to her feet. "Please, I beg you. Don��t tell anyone."

    Heughed. "Are you telling me what to do?"

    She shook her head. "No, I would never. Please."

    As his men stood in the room, he turned to his trusted friend Sanjay.

    "Do you know what this slut did?" He asked him. "The first day I met her, I told her she should be mine, and she turned me down. Rejected me. And now here she is begging for her not to be exposed."

    Sanjayughed, and Alexander turned to her wickedly and said, "She didn��t think of me, so why do I think of her? After what you and your family have done, it would be right for Xaden to finish you. You know what they do to deceivers?"

    He saw the tears drop from her eyes down to herp, and then she wiped them.

    "Your entire family is the reason my brother was killed." He said.

    She said nothing, and then he threatened her. "Since I��m speaking to myself, I might as well go down and tell Xaden."

    He turned to leave.

    She quickly jumped up, grabbed his arms, and stopped him.

    "Please don��t, " she said. I��ll do anything."

    "Anything?" He asked with a dark smile on his face.

    She nodded fervently.

    "Kiss me," he said.

    She froze; her face had be aplete ashen and white.

    "W-what?" She asked him.

    "Kiss me." He said. "You better kiss me, or I will go down right to find Xaden and tell him what you and your family have done. Xaden isn��t one for mercy."

    He saw her lips quivering, and then she slowly stepped towards him.

    He smiled when he saw her rise on her tiptoes to lift herself.

    And then she ced a kiss on his mouth.

    He caught her hair and hands as he rummaged through the kiss.

    She tasted so soft and warm.

    God.

    He wanted to do more for her.

    He returned the kiss fiercely, and his hands went to her behind and pulled her up against him.

    He felt her protest, but it was hard for her.

    She struggled in the kiss as he began to manhandle her and rub his hands over her breasts.

    She tried to pull away, and he pped her.

    He caught her and jerked her up to him.

    "Xaden has fucked you already, hasn��t he?"

    She was quiet.

    He had gotten his answer.

    "From now on, you will do anything I want, " he said. And you are going to help me kill Xaden."

    She gasped as she quickly let go of him. I

    He held her in the palm of his hand and intended to use her to his advantage.

 Chapter 52: EAVESDROPPING

    <h4>Chapter 52: EAVESDROPPING</h4>

    Lisa was so furious.

    She had just been outright humiliated by that Alpha.

    Never had this happened to her before.

    No one had ever turned her down when she offered herself to him and saw that he had called for Jasmine.

    That ugly girl who was so wretched and fat.

    How did he even know her?

    He had called her by her name.

    This was very suspicious.

    She was going to have to tell Aurora.

    She stayed by the door and decided to overhear the gossip.

    Mya was looking at her.

    "Why are you doing that?" Mya asked. "It��s a crime to peek at your rank."

    Lisa gave Mya a very sharp re.

    "And how is that your business misses goody two shoes? Are you going to report me?" Lisa asked. "I��m Aurora��s favorite, and you don��t want to know what she would do to you."

    Mya turned away, and Lisa scoffed.

    "Good riddance." Then she returned to putting her eye in the keyhole and watching them.

    She couldn��t hear much.

    But she saw him talking to her, and she seemed scared.

    The words came but went with the wind, and she could barely pick them up.

    "Rejected me." She managed to hear him say. "Tell Xaden."

    She gasped.

    Tell Xaden what?

    She watched as Jasmine grabbed him and seemed to be begging.

    It was like he had something against her, and he was holding her ransom.

    Then he said something she didn��t hear clearly, and then she saw her walk towards him and kiss him.

    Lisa gasped and closed her mouth in shock.

    She watched as Alpha Alexander rummaged his hands over her body as he kissed her.

    He held on to her body, and then it seemed like they were engulfed in each other.

    She couldn��t believe it.

    Jasmine was having an affair with Alpha Alexander.

    If Alpha Xaden found out she was having an affair with Alpha Alexander, imagine what he would do.

    Then she smiled and quickly hurried away from the door.

    She ran up the stairs to where she knew she would find Aurora.

    Aurora was giving instructions on the arrangements of the packs and their movements down the hall when she saw her.

    "Mydy." She said it quickly. "Greetings to you. I have news for you."

    Aurora��s brows piqued.

    "Private news," Lisa added.

    Aurora sighed and waved off the servants who were waiting for her instructions.

    Then she turned to Lisa.

    "Yes?" Aurora said.

    "When we were preparing the rooms for Alpha Alexander, he called Jasmine by her name," Lisa said.

    Aurora rolled her eyes. "And how is that supposed to be any relevant information to me? He obviously knows her because his brother was her mate."

    Lisa shook her head. "That wasn��t all he did. He sent us out, and then I peeked in and saw them kissing."

    Aurora��s eyes widened. "When did this happen?"

    "A few minutes ago. I just left." Lisa said. "And that��s not all. I think he has something against her. Something that only the both of them know because he said he was going to tell Alpha Xaden, and she stopped him."

    She now had Aurora��s interests.

    Aurora turned around and paced the halls.

    "You say she was with Alexander, and you��re 100 percent sure?" She asked her.

    Lisa nodded. "I��ve never been so sure, mydy. When I left, he was undressing her, and I believe they were about to have sex. She was so happy to see him."

    Aurora smiled to herself.

    "I��ve already had people investigating Jasmine," Aurora said. "But with this tip, you��ve given me, we wouldn��t even need to go so far."

    She turned to Lisa and said, "You��re proving yourself useful to me. Put an eye on Jasmine for now."

    Lisa��s mouth dropped. "Shouldn��t we report to Alpha Xaden? He would kill her if he found out that she was sleeping with Alpha Alex since she was his ve."

    But Aurora was brilliant, and she knew it wouldn��t be so easy.

    Moreover, Xaden seemed to be differenttely.

    She couldn��t just tell him that Jasmine was sleeping with Alex. She needed hard proof��enough to get rid of the girl for good.

    "I��ve made my decision." She informed. "We are going to have to keep an eye on her for now. I��ll handle Alex myself. And you better don��t let anyone know what you know."

    Lisa nodded. "I wouldn��t."

    "Good." Aurora nodded. "You��re dismissed."

    Lisa bowed and left Aurora in a stream of thoughts.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    JASMINE��S POV

    There was no way Jasmine was going to attempt to kill Xaden.

    This was too much for her.

    "If you don��t kill him," He said. "The fate you will face will be much crueler than what you have. It seems here you are treated better than back in your pack."

    He sized her up. "Even yourrge breasts are fuller. Is it because of the food you now eat or the fact that Xaden and his men toss you around?"

    His words were callous, but she didn��t say a word.

    "Runoff." He said. "And you will tell no one of what we��ve spoken of. When the time is right, I��ll call for you to kill him."

    After that, Jasmine didn��t waste a second; she fled out of the room.

    Once she was out and down the hall, she panted so heavily.

    What had she gotten herself into?

    She couldn��t bring herself to kill Xaden.

    He would kill her before she even attempted to.

    What was she going to do?

    She closed her eyes and practiced some breathing exercises, then decided she would go on with her chores and try her best not to think of what had urred.

    When she finally got to her room, she would think of something.

    She adjusted her dress and turned the sharp corner, bumping right into someone.

    She looked up at the woman before her.

    Before she could even apologize, the older woman looked at her startled and said. "Scarlett?"

 Chapter 53: HALLUCINATIONS OR TRUTH

    <h4>Chapter 53: HALLUCINATIONS OR TRUTH</h4>

    I am so sorry for the dy. I had surgery, and I am currently recovering. Thank you for being patient with me. I love you.

    JASMINE��S POV

    The woman had a crown on her head and was probably around fifty.

    She had brown hair and beautiful blue eyes, and from her facial features, you could tell she was as lovely as she had been in her youth.

    She had about ten men in armor standing around her, and then a girl was beside her.

    The girl had fire-red hair, just like mine.

    The men with armor pointed their spears at me.

    "Kneel in front of the Queen!" Came with the order.

    I gasped, and it dawned on me.

    This was the queen.

    I quickly went down on my knees.

    "Please forgive me, your majesty," I begged her.

    But the woman didn��t even notice what was happening around her.

    She was fixated on me, and her face was pale and shocked.

    Like she had seen a ghost.

    "Scarlet?" The Queen said.

    Scarlet? Who was Scarlet? I was confused.

    "How dare you hit the Queen?!" The girl with red hair who was probably around the same age as I demanded.

    I looked at her. "Please forgive me. I had no idea. I didn��t mean it."

    "You will pay with your life, you ve!" She hissed.

    I felt my heart stop.

    Then, it seemed that they were going to attack me.

    But the Queen just walked away from them and towards me,pletely oblivious to what was happening around us.

    "Grandma." The girl said,

    But the queen wasn��t looking at her.

    She came right to me, cupping my cheeks and lifting me to see her.

    "Scarlet, is this you?" She asked, and the tears were brimming in her eyes.

    I was lost for words.

    Did the Queen think I was someone she knew?

    She had mistaken me for someone else.

    Then, at that moment, another woman came in.

    She had ck hair, just like the Queen, and I saw that all three resembled her.

    The woman was probably in her early thirties.

    "Mother, what��s going on?" The woman asked as she turned to see me, and she froze, too.

    Why were they all pointing at me like that?

    "Coral?" The queen said her voice was breaking. "Doesn��t she look like your sister?"

    I gasped!

    The woman named Coral��s face tightened. "No, mother. You��re mistaken again. Scarlet was dead a long time ago."

    Coral turned to me. "I suggest you leave this ce immediately if you want to leave."

    I bowed down, hurried up to my feet, and ran out.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    THE QUEEN��S POV

    The queen turned to Coral.

    "Why did you send her away?" The queen asked. "Maybe she is Scarlet."

    Cora shook her head. "No, Mother, Scarlet died when we were children. That girl is still a young girl. Probably neen or so."

    The Queen ces her jeweled fingers against her temples.

    "Maybe it��s just my imagination." The queen said to give in.

    After she had lost her daughter, she had seen her everywhere.

    I looked for everyone with red hair or even looked like her from far and wide to find her.

    She had seen her everywhere, but she had never been her.

    It had been so long.

    It had been almost thirty years since she had lost her little daughter.

    "I would like to retire to my quarters now." She said.

    Coral offered, "Would you like me to get you some medicine? You are tired."

    "I just want to rest, Coral." She said it softly and then let herself be led to her bedroom.

    It was the Halo festival; she hadn��t witnessed one in years. Thest one she had seen was very young.

    It has happened again and has been ordained to reflect in this pack.

    She had been excited.

    Maybe the powers of the Halo festival would help her find her daughter.

    She sighed as she walked to the bedside.

    The room was grand, almost as beautiful and spacious as the one in their castle.

    Her husband, the King, would love it when he came.

    She had wanted to retire after the long journey, while he had wanted to see the other.

    Packs

    Some servants came into the room with her things.

    "Hand me my box, Hildegard." She said it softly.

    Hildegard was her oldest and most trusted maid.

    She has known her since she was just a girl, and they have grown up like sisters.

    Hildegard brought the box to her.

    "I heard you saw her again," Hildegard said sympathetically.

    "It��s a servant girl." The queen said. "She looked just like her. That��s what my mind wanted me to see."

    She opened the box and brought out the other half of the broken ne they had found belonging to her daughter.

    After they had searched for her in the river, half of the Ruby ne resurfaced.

    The other half was still missing.

    The Queen closed her eyes, kissed them, and felt the tears roll down her eyes.

    The doors opened, and her other daughter, Coral, entered.

    "Mother," Coral said. "I brought in some medicine. It would help you wipe those hallucinations."

    "She is still grieving her daughter." Hildegard gave Coral a warning.

    "It��s been almost thirty years. How long will she grieve?!" Coral demanded sharply, then she turned to Hildegard. "You��re not a member of my family! It��s only a leech, so I implore you not to get on my nerves."

    Hildegard and Coral maintained a staring match.

    "This isn��t something to bring up in an argument." The kind queen spoke softly. "I��m fine, Coral. I wish to sleep."

    Coral pressed her lips, annoyed, and then she eventually gave in. "Of course, mother."

    And with that, she stormed out of the bedroom.

    The Queeny on the bed and held onto the ne, praying that her little girl would return home one day.

    It was all her fault! She should have never let them go in that boat.

    She should have known better. She hadn��t trusted her intuition when it warned, and here she was, almost thirty yearster, still being punished.

    She managed to close her eyes and fall asleep.

 Chapter 54: HUNTING

    <h4>Chapter 54: HUNTING</h4>

    Thank you for being patient with me. I hadplications from my surgery, and I had been away. My work was on schedule, and I had no idea I had not uploaded my mass release. I have returned, and even though I��m still healing, I��ll give my best to you. Thank you. I love you all so much. XADEN��S POV

    The king pointed his arrow at the bird that flew over the horizon.

    He pinned his eye and then let the arrow fly. It hit the bird, taking it down.

    The men cheered, and the king turned around with a smile.

    "Old, but I can still fire a shot with a bird��s-eye view." He boasted.

    A servant rushed ahead to find and pick up the dead bird.

    Xaden rolled his eyes at the king.

    "Xaden, is there a problem?" The king asked him. "You think you can perhaps do better?"

    They were out on the training grounds, where they frequently had the sport of hunting down birds and animals.

    Xaden had been appalled, but it didn��t surprise him that the King wanted to bounce around the pack instead of resting after the long journey.

    He did not, in the least, like the royal family.

    Where had they been when his family had died?

    When had the entire pack been ughtered?

    Especially after everything his father has done for them.

    Even if the King did not know about the attacks, he could have ordered Bale to die.

    The King could have used his veto power to put a halt and order Bale to stop, but he had instead turned their eyes away.

    Indifferent, she yed the devil��s advocate.

    He could barely stand them, and if it weren��t for this festival, Xaden wouldn��t even be inches away from the king.

    "I��m sure the King has well enough experience for this," Xaden said.

    The king gave a heartyugh.

    "Ahh, Xaden. No, I want you to show me what you can do." He said. "Let it be a little entertainment for me, yes?"

    Xaden was mute and wanted to snap and say something ridiculous until he felt an arm at his side.

    It was Erik.

    Erik closed his eyes and motioned for him to be gentle.

    Xaden took a deep breath and shined his teeth. "But of course."

    He collected a bow and arrow from a servant, and now all the eyes of the Alphas present were on him.

    He stood at the center and looked at the birds in the air.

    There was still silence on the grounds, and then he did something that confused the men.

    He walked to the little pond and faced it, turning his back to where his gaze at the horizon should be.

    Then, he watched the flock of birds from the pond and pinned his eye on his prey.

    He pointed the arrow right behind him and used his face to pay close attention to the pond, which reflected the sea above.

    Then he let the arrow go, and to all their shock and amusement, it caught the most significant bird and went down to the floor.

    The men gasped and murmured.

    Xaden turned and cocked his eyebrows.

    "Is that entertainment befitting for the king?" Xaden asked sarcastically.

    Instead of glowing in anger, the king pped his hands and beamed.

    "You see, men! That is why Xaden is the best!"

    The king said, "No one does it like him."

    The men murmured and joined the king in pping for him.

    Xaden could care less about their appraisal.

    Another servant ran ahead to pick up the dead bird.

    "My young and fearless Alpha." The King said he was walking up to Xaden as the other Alphas went on with their bows and arrows.

    Xaden didn��t hide his tight face.

    "I heard about your little im of attack on the moonlight pack." The king said,

    Xaden gave him a warning look.

    "What about it? Does it displease that king?" Xaden asked pointedly.

    "No, I just wish I had known before." The king said. "They probably informed me before the events urred. Just for knowing sake."

    "Thest time I checked, the King doesn��t have a right to interfere in matters within a pack." Xaden corrected.

    "Unless treason." The king was informed.

    "And unless the attack of a resident pack with allegiance and no cause to defend themselves." He added smartly.

    The king stared at him.

    Xaden knew he was right.

    His parents had been uwfully killed.

    It was cowardice to attack a pack from their castle. Only a battleground attack was epted; they could take ownership of the pack if they won.

    But what has happened?

    His family had been killed without even being given the chance to fight.

    The king��s lips tightened. "Not a day goes by that I do not regret my inactions that day."

    "With all due respect, your majesty." He started. "I don��t give a flying fuck what you regret or don��t."

    The king��s eyes widened further.

    "It��s toote to cry over spilled blood," Xaden said. "My family is gone, and no one would return them to me. The only thing that I have sworn to do is avenge them. And whether you approve it or not, that��s your fucking business."

    "I��m taking down Bale. And I will do it no matter how long it takes." He promised.

    The king blinked at him. It was a look of admiration and irritation.

    Like the King admired him and yet was irritated by him.

    "You never give up, do you?" The king asked.

    "No, I don��t," Xaden said.

    "And what about the girl you took prisoner?" The king asked. "I heard you killed his son and took his daughter as your prisoner. Although I wonder how you did that when the originalws clearly stated that no wolf can be taken from her pack unlessplete takeover."

    "So there are now originalws for me but none for my family?" Xaden demanded with authority.

    The king was quiet.

    Xaden turned to leave the grounds when he saw Alex stroll in.

    Another Devil.

    "Xaden, Xaden," Alex said. "My worst enemy. What did I miss?"

    Before Xaden could reply, Alexander bowed down to the king.

    "Your majesty." He greeted.

    "You may rise, good son of the moon." The king said.

    Xaden wanted tough at the ridiculousment.

    Good son, indeed.

    "I came to join the rest of the men," Alexander announced.

    "Have fun," Xaden said, turning away and walking off the fields.

 Chapter 55: A DEVIOUS PLOT

    <h4>Chapter 55: A DEVIOUS PLOT</h4>

    CORAL��S POV

    Coral gritted her teeth once she had stormed out of her mother��s bedroom.

    She fumed in rage.

    It had been almost thirty years, and yet her mother had refused to let go of her sister, who had died.

    What did it matter?!

    It was long ago.

    Coral had watched her mother withdraw from her when she was just a child the minute Scarlet had disappeared.

    Ideally, her mother would have turned to her; after all, she was herst and only child alive.

    But the grief has almost made her mother run mad.

    Her mother had seen Scarlet everywhere and had even gone partially insane for a while.

    Amid this, Coral had grown up to be ignored and forgotten.

    When she finally reached age 21 and was to be the Queen, she discovered that she was pregnant.

    It was terrible because there was a curse on the royal family bloodline.

    Only those with red hair could ever ascend the throne.

    A male or female born into the royal family was sometimes blessed to be ruler if they had red hair.

    But in Coral and Scarlet��s case, both girls had been born red-headed.

    Scarlet was the first child, so it has been quickly settled. She would be queen.

    But then Scarlet died, and then Coral became the queen.

    But she had discovered she had gotten pregnant because her hair had turned ck on her coronation as queen.

    It wasn��t new news that an heir with red hair would have their hair color change to ck once they were a child.

    It indicated that the child would be born with a redhead, so Coral had lost out on being the Queen by theirws.

    It was her daughter Belle who would eventually take on the throne.

    But that girl.

    She had been the spitting image of her sister, Scarlet.

    No. It was not possible.

    It could not be.

    Scarlet was dead. She, more than anyone, was 100 percent sure of her death.

    The girl just happened to look like herte sister and even had red hair.

    Plus, that scar was hideous.

    There was no way Scarlet could have...

    Coral shook her head, refusing even to consider it!

    She just needed to ignore the girl.

    Her mother was mad, after all.

    But then, she still had to be 100 percent sure.

    Just to be sure that such imaginations were true.

    After all, she knew her sister was dead, but she just had to be sure that there were no untied strings at the end of the rope.

    She took a deep breath andposed herself.

    She would make inquiries around to be sure.

    As she entered her room, she saw her daughter Belle sitting by the window, watching with love-struck eyes.

    "What are you doing there?" Coral asked.

    Belle jumped. "Oh, mother, it��s you."

    She turned away from the window. "Crescent pack is so beautiful, isn��t it?"

    "You should have seen it before Xaden returned here," Coral said dryly. "In ruins and very ugly."

    "I heard that it was Alpha Bale who had betrayed his family," Belle said sympathetically as she turned to look back at the window. "When I��m Queen, I will gift Xaden Bale��s head. I��m sure he would love that."

    "Xaden is eventually going to kill Bale. It��s just a matter of time." Coral said as she loosened the style of her hair.

    "That��s why he must marry me," Belle said. "There isn��t anyone as beautiful as me, and Xaden is just amazing."

    Her mother snorted at her. "If you were wise, you would have trapped him by now."

    Belle looked up at her mother, her mouth dropping. "But mother, I��ve tried my best to make Xaden look at me."

    "Aren��t you your grandfather��s daughter?" Coral hissed at her. "You��re the King��s granddaughter and the future Queen. Use your head for the goddess��s sake! Make your grandfather arrange a marriage between the both of you!"

    "But Grandma wouldn��t want that," Belle said, her lip quivering. "I begged her, and she turned it down."

    Coral rolled her eyes.

    Asking her mother anything was like talking to the wall.

    She believed in always doing things the right way. That was why she and Scarlet had been so close.

    She felt disgust at remembering her dead sister again.

    "Then, like I said, use your grandfather," Coral said she was further irritated with her daughter.

    "What if he refuses?" Belle asked. "Xaden doesn��t want to marry anyone. He wouldn��t even listen to Grandpa."

    "Sometimes I wonder if you are my daughter at all. You only have the looks, but your head is empty." Coral snapped. "When I was much younger than you, I got whatever I wanted, no matter how or what I did to get it. You should do the same thing."

    Belle pressed her lips.

    Belle was quiet for a while and then said. "Grandpa has never refused me anything. But for Xaden, he might decline."

    When she was cut short, Coral was about tosh at her daughter again.

    "But if Grandpa finds out that Xaden slept with me and took my virginity, then he would force Xaden to marry me," Belle said. "It would be a disgrace to the royal family. He slept with me before anyone else. Papa would want to kill him, but I would persuade him to let him marry me."

    Coral smiled at her daughter.

    "That is the most brilliant thing I have ever heard you say," Coral said. "Now I know you are truly my daughter."

    Then Coral walked to the window sill as she paced back and forth.

    Then, something hit her and snapped at her fingers.

    "I have an even better idea," Coral said.

    "Now listen, and listen close to what I have to say to you."

    Belle nodded, and her mother informed her in whispers about their secret plot.

    When Belle had heard everything, she smiled wickedly.

    "It��s going to work," Belle said with excitement. "Finally, Xaden would be all mine."

    Follow current novels on freewe(b)novel.c(o)m

 Chapter 56: LYRUN HERB

    <h4>Chapter 56: LYRUN HERB</h4>

    JASMINE��S POV

    Once I had left the presence of the Queen, I took in heavy breaths.

    I could hardly believe what had just happened.

    It seemed the Queen had mistaken me for someone else.

    Although the queen looked extremely beautiful, her face was sad.

    One I wish I could take away from the woman.

    The other woman with ck hair had called the Queen mother, which meant she was her daughter.

    The other girl with fire-red hair, just like mine, referred to the Queen as grandma. I believed that was Princess Coral��s daughter.

    I had met the entire royal family, all except the King.

    I had heard so many things about them: the good, bad, and ugly.

    But I had never heard that the Queen had lost one of her daughters.

    Since I also had red hair, it made sense why the Queen saw a resemnce.

    Maybe her daughter had red hair.

    I felt pity for her.

    I sighed, and then I went on with my chores.

    More and more packs came into the castle.

    It was a circus, with the servants trying to help them into their room.

    I tried my best to avoid Alexander.

    I was scared of him. He had my secret now and could use it at the slightest inconvenience.

    I then remembered the instructions my father had given me.

    I should call up the bird, Qitania, to get information.

    I had been in the pack for almost two months and had not given them any feedback.

    My father must be angry by now.

    "Qitania," I said.

    It was currentlyte in the morning. There was an old abandoned clock tower, and I could go there by sunset, where the owl would find me.

    I returned to my work and came across Lisa, giving me dory stares.

    Mya was quiet, and the other serving girls ignored me.

    I went to my quarters and found Loren mixing potions in anger.

    "Is everything alright?" I asked him.

    "No, it��s not!" He hissed at me. "Those bloody packs and their Alphas havee, and then along with them came their numerous ailments."

    "Why do they ask you for medicine?" I asked.

    "Because I��m the best." Loren boasted.

    All healers were the same.

    "But I can��t find Lyrun." He said. "It��s a nt for treating

    "I know what it is, sir," I said softly.

    It was a medicine that had many potent powers. As strong as it was, it was scarce.

    Lyrun, I knew, could be found growing in the corpse of a dead Lycan.

    Hence, where the name came from.

    But lycans were rare, and so the nt itself was scarce.

    It was used for everything, but most of all, it could help cast evil spells.

    He looked at me and then grunted. "Thest one I had, I mistakenly gave too much to Alpha Riddick. And now the Queen wants it to treat herself."

    My eyes widened.

    "The Queen?" I asked, my eyes following him as he picked through the different bottles.

    "Yes." He replied. "She has been my patient for a while now."

    The Queen looked healthy when I met her but was only sad.

    "What��s wrong with her?" I asked him.

    "She went weak in the mind after losing her daughter. Had dreams and hallucinations." He said this as he peered through his sses while mixing the potions. "You do know the Queen lost her first child, don��t you?"

    I had just found out a few hours ago.

    "Well, it affected her for a while, and I treated her." He said. "She got better, and I was able to cut the medicine. But then her arrival today came with news she wasn��t doing too well."

    It was all my fault.

    I had been the reason why the Queen had fallen ill.

    She had seen me and believed I was her king��s lost daughter, and instantly, her sickness had returned.

    "If I had known that the Queen would be unwell, I would have never given that Riddick my medicine. What a waste!" Loren was annoyed.

    I paused as I watched Loren scurry around, trying to make a substitute for Lyrun.

    I knew it was my fault that the Queen had fallen ill.

    The least I could do was help her get better.

    Something came to mind, and then I snapped my fingers and hurried out.

    "Hey, where are you going?" Loren asked, confused at my sudden flight.

    I didn��t reply as I hurried down the stairs.

    The chains at my feet weighed me down, or I would have already reached my destination by now.

    I rushed down the halls and towards the back door.

    Once I reached certain ces, I had to stroll to avoid letting anyone hear me.

    Then I made my escape out of the castle and towards the forest.

    I followed the route I knew, and I was in my secret swamp after a while.

    I slowly removed my dress and gently walked into the magical pool I had just discovered.

    I still had no exnation as to why and how it had healed my injuries.

    A little turtle swam, and I gently traced its beautiful margined back.

    Then I turned to do what I hade here to do.

    Completely naked, I dove down into the clear swamp.

    ording to some legend, Urma told me that Lyrun could be found on the sea��s surface or in a pond.

    Any pure water habitat.

    I hoped this one was pure; after all, it looked like

    It had been untouched by people.

    I swam down, my hair flying over my head, and I withstood the pressure.

    There were fish, some even squid, and other sea creatures.

    I didn��t bother them, and they didn��t bother me either.

    I looked around, searching for the Lyrun, hoping that I would find it.

    I couldn��t see it.

    After a while, I was eventually about to give up, and just as I was about to swim up, arge crab rose from where it sat and swam away.

    Right before me was Lyrun.

 Chapter 57: A DISCOVERY TO SAVE LIVES

    <h4>Chapter 57: A DISCOVERY TO SAVE LIVES</h4>

    I swam down to the nt and then pulled it out.

    It shocked me when I saw that the Lyrun has roots.

    Usually, Lyrun didn��te with roots.

    It had a t mouth at the end and could not be transnted.

    It cost one Lyrun per dead Lycan and was extremely expensive.

    Urma had told me stories of Lycans who had been haunted and killed because of the nt.

    So much so that they had even gone into hiding and concealed their identity out of fear of being killed for the nt.

    Hopefully, this one would be able to grow if we rented it.

    It would be the first.

    And then I swam back up to the top of the swamp.

    When I emerged, I took in arge gasp because I had been holding my breath for so long, and then I pressed my hand over my wet hair.

    I swam to the bank of the swamp, picked up my clothes, and hurriedly put them on.

    I had to wait a few minutes to dry up, even though I was in a hurry.

    I couldn��t tell people I was going to my secretke.

    I had no intention of letting them find myke out of fear of what they would do, and I had never really had a ce for myself.

    Luna Maria burned thest one I had.

    When I was dry, and my hair had returned to its frizzy curls, I hurried out of the swamp.

    I made sure to be confident that no one took notice of me as I walked back to the castle.

    Once the coast was clear, I hurried back to the castle.

    I went past the servants and the busy people in the hallways and went up the stairs.

    I caught sight of Aurora and Belle arguing.

    I didn��t even have the time to see what was happening.

    I hurried on my way.

    I flung the door open, and Loren shook so much that the ss in his hands almost fell to the floor.

    "My Goddess!" He shouted at me. "What is the rush about?! You ran off from the room first, then back in like the devil chased you."

    I hurried up to him.

    "If you keep on with that attitude, young she-wolf, I might have to send you to sleepouts.

    I showed him my hands.

    He stopped right in his tracks.

    His face was white with shock. "My God!"

    He pushed the sses he was holding aside and then wore his sses quickly.

    He collected it from my hands.

    His eyes were entering the nt.

    "Is that... is that?" He asked me, looking back at me in disbelief. "Is that what I think it is?"

    I nodded. "It��s Lyrun."

    His mouth was open.

    "Where did you find Lyrun?" He asked, still unable to believe what he was seeing.

    I looked up at him.

    Do I tell him the truth? If I told him where I had gotten it, then he might report me to Alpha Xaden.

    Myke would be taken away from me like it had been back home.

    But if I didn��t tell him, he would be suspicious. He knew that Lyrun could not be found anywhere.

    Then he looked at me. "Did you kill a Lycan a long time ago and hide the body?"

    That was the thing with Lyrun��it couldn��t grow on a fresh body. It had to be already decaying.

    "No," I said.

    I took a deep breath and eventually decided to tell him the truth. "There is a ce I found. It��s a swamp. I was going strolling one day. No one else seems to have visited. I swim them when I��m free with work to escape."

    He was watching me closely. "I remember Urma telling me it was a myth but that Lyrun could be found in pure water bodies. I went to the swamp when you said you had nothing to give the queen. I didn��t like seeing you distressed. And I found it."

    I finished.

    He said nothing.

    I was waiting for him to tell me he would report to Alpha Xaden.

    "It has roots." He said. "The Lyrun nt does not have roots that is why it is so scarce."

    I said. "I know. This is the first one I have seen myself. Hopefully, it can be transnted. That way, Lyrun can grow. Lycans can be free from the persecution they face. We could save them."

    "We have not even nted it yet." He told me. "One step at a time."

    I closed my mouth, ashamed of my over-excitement.

    He turned to me and said, "But you are right. It can save lots of lives."

    I beamed with a smile.

    Then I remembered that I had told him about my swamp.

    He turned his back to me, and I waited for his judgment.

    For him to announce that he would take me to Xaden.

    Then he shocked me by saying: "I do not know what you said about a swamp. But wherever you got this nt from is a blessing."

    I gasped. "So you would not tell Alpha Xaden that I have a swamp?"

    He frowned at me. "A swamp? What are you talking about? Stop saying nonsense, girl!"

    Then it dawned on me what he was doing.

    He pretended he did not know what I was saying and indirectly told me my secret was safe with him.

    "Thank you," I said softly.

    He ignored me and went on to be grumpy. "If you have had enough of just standing there doing nothing, then you woulde and help me prepare the medicine."

    I looked up at him. "Me?"

    "No, the ghost is behind you." He snorted. "Of course, you!"

    I smiled and went on to assist him.

    I giggled, and then he gave me a stare that told me to close my mouth.

    I suppressed the giggles and smiled.

    Loren was a good man, and I knew I could trust him.

 Chapter 58: GIRL FIGHT

    <h4>Chapter 58: GIRL FIGHT</h4>

    BELLE��S POV

    Once her mother had told her what to do, she left her bedroom, herdies waiting by her side.

    "Where is Alpha Xaden?" She asked.

    "He is on the training grounds with his men." One of them replied.

    She didn��t even know their names, and she didn��t care.

    They were only here to serve her.

    She sighed. "Fine, we will go there."

    Then she went on as the women followed her behind.

    There was no man like Xaden.

    From the first day she set eyes on him, she knew that she wanted him.

    He was powerful, fierce, and the most handsome man she had ever met.

    His entire allure was dangerous. I called her to him.

    The tattoos on his body, his masculine features, and the scar across his eyes only made him ten times more intriguing.

    She wanted him so much!

    He could be her king.

    She knew how much her father admired him, and tying him to the royal family would be ideal.

    Xaden ruled arge percentage of the wolf world. They didn��t just respect him; they also adored him.

    It wasn��t fear like she had seen in some other packs.

    But utter respect.

    She didn��t care. To her, fear was better than anything.

    If anyone feared her, then they would think twice about crossing her.

    And that was why she frequently punished her servants.

    It sent fear down their miserable spines.

    She was currently eighteen, and in three years, she would be queen.

    That was all that mattered.

    As she strode down the hall, she saw Aurora.

    Xaden��s slut.

    Belle hated her with her entire gust, and she was sure Aurora hated her equally.

    When he first arrived at their castle, he hade with Aurora amongst his men.

    She had been disappointed and furious to find out that he had a slut.

    Of course, she knew that he slept with many women, but discovering that there was someone close enough to him as Aurora had driven her crazy.

    "Xaden��s slut." Belle said. "It��s been such a long time since I saw you."

    Aurora turned around and took in the sight of the spoilt, pompous royal brat.

    She gave her a very false smile. "Same. At least I��m Xaden��s slut. I��m not the jilted woman."

    Belle��s face grew red.

    Aurora was happy to know she had hit a nerve.

    Belle took a deep breath. "I��m not jilted. You have no idea what you��re saying. It��s only a matter of time before Xadenes to me."

    Aurora nodded with a smile. "You keep reminding me that will never happen, princess."

    "Wait and see," Belle promised.

    "Honey, I��ve waited so long, and you��ve done nothing," Aurora said, shaking her head. "It��s such a shame. Look at you. You are beautiful, rich, and the next queen of this kingdom, yet he still does not want you."

    "And he wants you?" Belle asked. "Last I remembered, he was just using you to get tired. We both know that Xaden will never marry you. It��s just pure sex."

    Aurora��s face tightened. "At least it��s sex, and I��m not fantasizing about him in my sad bedroom, knowing he would never touch me."

    Belle was going to explode.

    Aurora smiled and walked to her. "Mind I tell you? It was a real whopper. He will never get tired of me."

    She walked away, but Belle pulled her ck and pped her.

    The hall went quiet.

    All the people who had been watching were now looking at both women.

    Aurora held her bottom lip and felt the blood that had been drawn.

    "You will never speak to me in such a manner," Belle warned her as she pointed a finger. "Know your ce with me, as I am your future-

    The blow came and sent Belle sprawling on the floor.

    "Mydy!" The servants said they were rushing to her.

    "How dare you?" Belle said it in utter shock.

    She had been so stunned.

    No one has everid a hand to her.

    "I��ve wanted to do that for so long, princess," Aurora said.

    She turned to leave, but Belle jumped at her back and began attacking.

    A full-blown fight ensued.

    The people tried to separate them.

    Even the guards came in between, but none could separate the warring women.

    Belle dragged Aurora��s hair, Aurora used Belle��s heels to smack her head, Belle used a side stool to blow Aurora��s tummy, and Aurora put her fingers in Belle��s eyes.

    Either way, both women were rolling in the fight, screaming and yelling at each other.

    Then, they were separated immediately by Xaden and Erik, who had happened to find the women as they came in.

    "What the hell?" Xaden demanded of both women as he pushed Aurora aside.

    Erik held Belle.

    "Let me have that stupid bitch!" Belle screeched like a cat. "Let me have her, and I��ll show her that she can never mess with me!"

    "You��ll be lucky once I get my hands on you! Lucky that I don��t kill you immediately!" Aurora retaliated, and both women struggled to be released and resume their fight.

    "Hey, hey, hey," Erik said.

    "Enough!"

    It was the King.

    There was a silence in the hall.

    No one said a word.

    "What is this?" The king demanded.

    Belle burst into tears. "Grandpa, it was her. She hit me first, and she said awful things about me."

    The king turned to Aurora. "Did you truly hit her?

    "Your majesty," Aurora said. "I did. But she started it! She used words on me! She had iting; everyone here was witness to it."

    The King turned back to Belle.

    "Grandpa, I am telling you:

    He raised his hand and silenced her.

    Belle couldn��t believe it.

    "That��s enough from the both of you." He said. "You��ve already disgraced yourselves enough."

    "To your bedroom now." He told her.

    She knew better than to argue with him at this moment.

    She grudgingly did as she was told and went away.

    He turned to Aurora. "Get out of my sight."

    And with that, she hurried out of the room.

    Then he turned and walked away.

 Chapter 59: TREATING THE QUEEN

    <h4>Chapter 59: TREATING THE QUEEN</h4>

    Jasmine��s POV

    Loren and I continued preparing the lotions, and I stayed up to date with him.

    After a few minutes, he was done.

    I sighed happily and looked up at him. "I think the potion is done."

    He nodded as he turned it into a little bottle. "I wouldn��t have done this without your help."

    I was silent.

    He handed me the bottle and a few other things in a basket.

    "Let��s go." He said. "We would deliver the items to her."

    He turned around to gather his things.

    My mouth dropped.

    I couldn��t go back to see the queen.

    Loren didn��t know that I was the reason why the Queen was ill in the first ce.

    He headed to the door and stopped short when he saw I was not following him.

    "What are you waiting for?" He asked me. "An invitation? Come on, let��s go."

    "The Queen is already familiar with your face," I said. "I think it��s you who should go see her."

    I couldn��t tell him the Queen had seen me and called me herte daughter.

    He frowned. "So you want me to carry all these things by myself?"

    I sighed.

    Loren had been good to me.

    Thanks to him, I was well and alive, and none of those girls had seeded in killing me.

    I eventually gave in.

    I followed him out of our quarters and went down the hallways.

    Eventually, we were at the door of the queen��s bedroom.

    The guards stood at attention.

    "I��m the healer." He told them. "The Queen is waiting for me."

    They took off their spears blocking the way and stood at attention.

    Then Loren opened the door and went in.

    I followed him right behind.

    The room wasrge and beautiful.

    Befitting for a Queen.

    I took in the room, admiring how it had been well arranged.

    Her servants were there, and an older woman was probably around the same age as the queen.

    But she was dressed in simple clothes, which indicated she was probably a servant too.

    She rose from the chair in which she was seated and walked up to us.

    "Loren, it��s good to see you." The woman said and hugged Loren.

    I stood with the basket in my arm while they exchanged pleasantries.

    "It��s good to see you too, Hildegard." He replied warmly.

    It was rare and unusual to see Loren being friendly to anyone.

    Not even me.

    But he seemed to be friendly with this woman.

    Then, after she had exchanged warm greetings, she turned and saw me.

    She froze instantly.

    It was like she, too, had seen a ghost.

    I couldn��t understand why everyone was suddenly startled when they saw me.

    I wasn��t supposed to be here.

    I bowed quickly.

    Then she came back to her senses. Even Loren was confused.

    "Mydy." I greeted you politely.

    "Yes....uhmm... er yes." She nodded at me.

    I smiled, unsure what to do, and the woman, still brazen, turned to Loren.

    "The Queen is on her bed."

    "How is she?" he asked.

    Hildegard sighed. "Tired. She has been feeling unwell since she came. Coral rmended her healer, but the Queen wanted you. You know you were always her favorite."

    "What healer did Coral want to bring?" Loren asked suspiciously.

    "I��m not sure yet. But if it��s who I think it is, it must be because." Hildegard said.

    "Mogause?" Loren said it with disgust. "We all know what she is good for. Dabbling in dark arts here and there."

    "That��s why I was wary, and that��s why the Queen isn��tfortable with her, even though she doesn��t know what she does," Hildegard said.

    He sighed and raised his eyebrows. "Let me see her. I had a potion made for her."

    Hildegard nodded quickly. "Good. She is here."

    Then she ushered us towards therge coach bed.

    The queen was there, lying down.

    Her beautiful ck hair was neatlyid behind her head, and she slept peacefully.

    Her eyes fluttered, and she saw Loren.

    She smiled and said, "Seeing a familiar face is good."

    "Your majesty." He bowed.

    "How long has it been?" The queen asked. "Ten years?"

    "I believe it��s been seventeen years." He corrected.

    She smiled at him.

    Then she turned and saw me.

    She gasped again and gently set her hands on her forehead. "I keep seeing her around again. I confused this poor serving girl with being my little Scarlet again.

    I stiffened, and Loren turned to look at me.

    "It��s okay. She has a redhead, just like coral." He said.

    "Am I crazy?" She asked him like a child. "Corral thinks I��m crazy. I��m starting to believe she is right."

    Loren gave a tight-lipped facial expression. Hildegard had one, too, and I thought neither person liked Coral.

    "No, you are not crazy, my queen." He said. "You are still grieving, and that is fine."

    She smiled. "You always make me feel better. Thank you."

    She gave him her hand, and he kissed it.

    Then he collected the bottles from me and made the medicine for her.

    The Queen was quiet and sometimes nodded whenever Loren asked her a question.

    He tried to soothe her, and I wanted to take the pain away from her.

    So the Queen had lost one of her daughters? And she had a redhead like me.

    It broke my heart.

    I wished I could bring her daughter to her.

    I didn��t know much about my mother except that she was an enved person who had been found in another pack when she was young.

    But I could imagine the hurt she must have felt living without family.

    Just like I had.

    After Loren gave her the medicine in her ss goblet, she drank it gracefully and closed her eyes to take a deep breath.

    "Thank you so much for your services." She said. "I wish you coulde and live with me in my castle and always be there to help me."

    Loren bowed. "Your Majesty is too kind."

    The door burst open, and the king himself came in.

 Chapter 60: CONFRONTATION

    <h4>Chapter 60: CONFRONTATION</h4>

    The king stepped into the room, and I took him in.

    He was handsome. Even though he was most definitely in his sixties, you could tell he was still an attractive man and much more handsome in his younger days.

    He had short blonde hair and a perfect jawline. His body was well-fit, and he was towering tall.

    He rushed to the Queen��s side andpletely ignored the rest of us standing.

    "Fiona." He said this as he gently rubbed his hand over his head and set aside the hair strands. "What happened?"

    She gave him a light smile. "I��m fine."

    "No, you��re not." He said

    Then he turned to the rest of us in the room.

    "What the fuck happened?" He demanded his eyes had be zed with fury, and you could tell he was out for blood.

    From his eyes, I could tell he was still in love with her. I am madly in love with her.

    "Your majesty, she fell ill." Hildegard began. "It was one of her previous illnesses. But Loren here has taken care of it."

    Loren bowed immediately, and so did I.

    He turned back to her, and she gently held his hand close to hers to pull him back.

    "I��m fine." She said. "I just thought I had seen her again. That��s all."

    He didn��t say a word, then gently pushed a hair curl behind her ear and kissed her forehead.

    "Don��t scare me like that." He said it affectionately.

    He held her hand to him and kissed it gently.

    Then he held on to her.

    "Your majesties, we would be on our way home." Loren bowed.

    The king turned around. "Thank you very much, Loren."

    Loren bowed politely.

    I did the same and hurried to leave because I didn��t want the king to see me.

    "Stop," he said.

    I froze in my ce, even though I was almost at the door.

    "You girl." He said. "Come here."

    I swallowed, knowing it was me.

    I turned around and walked up to him.

    He looked at me.

    He didn��t look shocked; in fact, I could not tell what he was thinking.

    He just stared at me.

    "What��s your name?" He asked me.

    "Jasmine," I replied. "Your majesty."

    "Who are you, and how did youe here?" He asked me.

    I stuttered, and before I could even reply, Loren came in. "Your Majesty, she is the daughter of Alpha Bale. Alpha Xaden brought her here as an enved person."

    I was unable to say a word.

    The King looked at me.

    The Queen did, too.

    "Oh." She said. "You are Alpha Bale��s daughter?"

    I nodded. "Yes, my Queen."

    Something was written on her face.

    I couldn��t tell what exactly.

    It seemed like disappointment that I was not the person she had hoped I would be.

    "He apanies me with my work," Loren said. "I��m getting very old, and I need an assistant. She has been very good to me."

    I looked at Loren in confusion.

    Why is he saying this about me?

    When had he made me his assistant?

    The King nodded. "You may leave."

    I curtsied and was almost about to leave when Princess Corral entered the room.

    She peered over me.

    "You." She said it with all malice and bitterness. "What are you doing here again?"

    I took a step back in fear of the woman.

    She domineered over me with her entire status.

    "She came with me to deliver medicine for the Queen, Your Majesty," Loren said.

    "What is your business with my family?" She demanded of me, tantly ignoring Loren. "You��re here to cause more harm. Someone sent you, didn��t they?"

    "No, Your Majesty." I pleaded.

    "Then why do I always catch you snooping around?" She asked me to walk closer.

    I was terrified of her.

    She scared the wits out of me.

    "Enough corral!" The queen said. "She is only Alpha Bale��s daughter. She is a servant here. No one paid her to do anything."

    "How do you know that, mother?" Corral demanded. "And you brought in this fraud called Loren. I told you I was going to bring my healer!"

    Loren became visibly upset at being called a fraud.

    "Enough Corral!" The queen snapped even though shecked the strength to raise her voice.

    Then, the queen fell back down weakly on the bed.

    "My love." The king said he held her to him.

    She massaged her temples.

    "I��m fine," she said.

    And then the King red at Corral, his eyes zing with fire.

    He rose to his feet, and we could all beat his wolf howling.

    "How dare you?!" He demanded of his daughter. "Look what you��ve done to your mother."

    "You��re yelling at me!" She said it in disbelief. "Father me! Your daughter! You are taking the side of all these peasants! Over me!"

    "They came to help your mother." He said. "You ought to be grateful to them rather than ridicule them!"

    "Mother always takes everyone��s side over mine!" Corral roared. "Ever since Scarelt��s precious daughter died, I haven��t heard thest of it! I try to help and protect my mother, but what do I get? Disgrace! Humiliation in front of some dirty peasants!"

    "Get out!" He screamed. "Get out!"

    "I��m already doing that!" She screamed.

    And with that, she stormed out of the room and mmed the door hard shut behind her.

    The whole room shook.

    The Queen broke down in tears, and the King started to follow after Corral.

    I was angry with Princess Coral; did she not see that she was hurting her innocent mother?

    "I��ll teach her a lesson!" He promised.

    "Don��t."

    The queen begged.

    The king hovered around briefly before going to his wife��s side.

    No one told Loren and me it was way past time for us to leave.

    We turned and hurried out of the room, leaving only the King and Queen.

    Hildegard shut the door behind her.

    "I apologize for what happened." She said.

    Loren nodded. "I��ve never liked Corral. Neither have I." Hidergard replied

 Chapter 61: WILL YOU MARRY BELLE?

    <h4>Chapter 61: WILL YOU MARRY BELLE?</h4>

    Aurora frowned as Xaden scolded her.

    She hated this.

    Xaden was supposed to love her, not be angry with her.

    "How could you be so stupid?" He demanded. "You hit Belle?"

    "She started it," Aurora responded.

    "Does it fucking matter?" He demanded.

    She shut her mouth.

    "She is the fucking princess and the next queen. You think she doesn��t have it for you?" Xaden asked. "If the King dies and she bes Queen, it won��t be long before shees for you."

    "I don��t care," Aurora said. "I can fight her."

    Xaden looked at her. "Don��t be stupid. Fight her?! You want to fight the Queen? Do you know that is treason?"

    She kept quiet.

    Xaden paced up and down. "You are lucky the king let you be. You��re really lucky. If he were in a bad mood, he would have had you sentenced to death."

    Aurora quickly got up to her feet. "You won��t let him do that to me, will you?"

    "It��s the King." He said. "You should have known better than to attack Belle. No one crosses him."

    She had gotten the answer.

    He didn��t care well enough about her.

    If the King ordered her death, Xaden wouldn��t fight for her.

    She also knew that he could never love a woman.

    "What were you two even arguing about?" He demanded further anger. "You better tell me."

    She couldn��t tell him that she was fighting over him.

    How could she make him understand that she wanted him only for herself?

    "Belle made some statements about you." Aurora gave in. "She said she would make you hers; eventually, I couldn��t stand it."

    Xaden was quiet, and when he turned, he gave her a cold stare.

    "Whether I eventually end up with Belle is none of your business." He said

    She knew he didn��t love her; he also didn��t love anyone.

    But she wanted him to love her!

    "You can��t end up with Belle." She told him. "You said you would never be with anyone!"

    "I told you that I would never love anyone." He retorted. "Is that a problem? And besides! Like I said, Whether I end up with Belle is not your concern. You will not be disrespectful to her during the entire festival."

    She snorted. "Then tell her to stay away from me!"

    Xaden raked his head. "You will stay away from her! I can address you because you are my subject, and you answer me! But not Belle!"

    Aurora was fuming.

    He has yelled at her because of Jasmine, and now he is yelling at her because of Belle?

    What was happening?

    Where was the Xaden that she had trapped with her body?

    Where had he gone?

    She started to imagine Xaden getting married to Belle.

    After everything she had done for him,

    The thought of him being with her made her body shiver.

    She wanted to tell him not to marry Belle.

    But she knew when she couldn��t cross the line.

    "You will apologize to Belle." He said.

    She jumped to her feet. "Xaden, you don��t expect me to belittle myself.

    "YOU WILL NOT ANSWER BACK AT ME! NEVER!" He barked at her.

    She went hush.

    And then he turned to face her, and his wolf howled.

    "And you will refer to me by my title as Alpha." He said. "I am your Alpha, and you will obey me and bow down to me."

    His wolf howling began to dominate her, and she felt herself go down on her knee.

    He caught her chin and forced her to look up at him.

    She was breathing heavily and could barely make her spine shiver.

    "If you ever talk back to me again," he said, "I��ll send you to Rumgal."

    Her body instantly began to shake.

    Rumgal was a prison for torturing wolves. Any pack could send its members there.

    It was dangerous and highly filled with the screams of people in pain.

    She fell to his feet and bowed to him.

    "Please, I would never do that." She said. "I will never disobey you again."

    She had been to Rumgal.

    Alpha Bale had sent her there after he had killed her entire pack and family.

    "You will stay away from Belle." He informed her. "You will not be in this pack during the Hallo festival."

    "What?!" She said she was jumping on her feet. "But I��ve never attended the festival before. This might be the first and only time I could see it, and

    He gave her a warning look, and she shut her mouth and looked down at her hands.

    As much as she had other plots up her sleeve, she didn��t want to miss the festival.

    It was a very special festival for her, like other wolves.

    It was essential to her.

    "This is the punishment for your actions, " he said. I will only allow you to be around during the final ritual. Pack your things. You should be gone by the end of the day."

    Aurora felt her heart bleeding, and then rage burned inside her.

    All because of that stupid Belle!

    That fucking bitch!

    Aurora gritted her teeth in anger.

    "Do you understand me?" Xaden demanded.

    "Yes, Alpha," she replied.

    Then he walked out of the room and shut it behind him.

    Aurora screamed as she began to break and scatter things.

    She growled as she upturned the table and ripped the curtains apart.

    After she had satisfied her need to destroy, she stood in the room, breathing heavily.

    Then she walked to the door and paced back and forth.

    She needed to get rid of Belle and Jasmine.

    She would face Jasmine first, then Belleter. Belle��s case was extraordinary.

    She had sent some men to investigate her original pack and find out as much as possible.

    And she still had Alexander to contend with.

    He had something on Jaamine.

    She massaged her chin.

    Lisa had seen them kissing if Xaden believed she was having an affair with Alex.

    He would go nuts.

    But she was leaving.

    How would she go about it now?

    And then a devious thought sprung into her head.

 Chapter 62: ROYAL DISGRACE

    <h4>Chapter 62: ROYAL DISGRACE</h4>

    "Mother I-

    The p silenced whatever words Belle had been about to speak.

    Coral looked hard at her daughter.

    Belle held her hand to her face.

    She was shocked that her mother had pped her.

    She could hardly even speak.

    This was not the first time that she had been hit by her mother, and she doubted that it would be thest.

    "You useless girl!" Coral screeched at her daughter. "How could you stoop so low as to fight amon slut?! Didn��t I raise you above that?!"

    Belle shook, tears gathering in her eyes. "Mother she humiliated me, and I had to-

    Another pnded on her other cheek and silenced Belle.

    Coral stared at her daughter.

    Why did she have such a child?!

    She loved her daughter, but did she have to do everything for her?

    Think about everything for her..

    It didn��t make any sense!

    "You are the crowned heir." Coral reminded her. "You are not to be seen dragging hair with a peasant!"

    It was not bad enough that Coral was furious about the incidents with her mother and especially that miserable serving girl still hanging around her mother.

    She had to be told that her own daughter had been in a scuffle.

    And unfortunately, her daughter hadn��t even won the fight!

    "You didn��t even win!" Coral spat. "You��re an embarrassment to yourself."

    Belle began to weep.

    "Stop that whining of yours!" Coral barked.

    And Belle hushed herself, and her silent crying could barely even be heard.

    Coral rolled her eyes and massaged her temples.

    "I believe that you were fighting over Xaden.." Coral asked. "You think a man would want to be with a woman who drags another woman over him? A queen at that?! Belittling yourself? My God!"

    Coral wanted to break something!

    Things were not going as nned, and her foolish daughter wasn��t helping matters.

    Belle didn��t reply.

    She was still whimpering like a dog.

    There were much more pressing matters at hand.

    Like how she needed to get rid of that red--headed girl.

    The one her mother had mentioned was Alpha Bale��s daughter.

    She wanted to know more about her.

    Because she was arge obstruction to all of her ns.

    Look at her doing all the work while her foolish daughter was in a cat-and-and-dog fight.

    In public!

    How more humiliating could it be?

    Coral rolled her eyes at Belle,Belle, irritated at her presence. "Just get out."

    Belle fled out of the room.

    Coral sat down and considered what moves to make for herself.

    She needed to be snappy about it.

    She was running out of time.

    She heard a knock at her door.

    She turned to one of her servants. "Go check who it is."

    The servant bowed and rushed to the door.

    Right before her was the number one cause of her troubles.

    The red-headed girl. The so-called daughter of Bale

    Coral raisedraised a brow.

    The girl bowed.

    "Your majesty." She said. "I havee to clean your room."

    It was like the stars had heard her pleas and delivered the girl right into her ws.

    She waved her hand off, indicating she could begin.

    She watched the girl dutifully work around the room.

    Coral watched her closely.

    Taking in every single movement she made and and every vase she lifted and reced.

    This truly was Alpha Bale��s daughter..

    When the girl was almost done working, Coral felt it was time for her interrogation.

    "What is your name ve." Coral asked.

    The girl froze and remained downcast. Her eyes were still looking at the ground, as was expected of a servant.

    "Jasmine, your majesty." She curtsied.

    "Jasmine." Coral said. "And you are the daughter of Alpha Bale?"

    She bowed her head again. "Yes, your majesty."

    Coral gave a hmmm. "But you act nothing like the daughter of an Alpha."

    Coral had watched her closely, and she hade to see that the girl was ustomed to the chores.

    It was not like she was trying to learn how to do it.

    It was like she already knew how to do it.

    She didn��t break anything, made no mistakes, and did the work diligently.

    Like she had been working her entire life.

    Jasmine said nothing to that, and then Coral rose to her feet, and she walked up to her.

    She grabbed the girl��s hands forcefully and opened her palms.

    They were rough and unusually hard. Like they had dealt with years and years of hardbour.

    "Your hands are hard." Coral remarked. "Your hands should be soft. Even if you��ve been working as a ve here, it��s not long enough to acquire such hard palms."

    She felt Jasmine stiffen.

    Coral smiled. "Oh, wondering how I know about these things? I cut off the hands of my disobedient servants from time to time."

    "So tell me now if you do not want yours cut off." Coral warned.

    "I was taken as a prisoner when I was young and kept for a long time by an enemy pack." Jasmine said. "There, I worked hard, and I knew how to do these chores before I was returned home."

    Coral listened to the story.

    "What pack did this?"

    Jasmine stiffened. "I don��t recall your majesty. Forgive me."

    It was possible that the story was true.

    After all, there have been so many instances like this.

    It was also very possible that her life in the pack had changed how she had been raised.

    "And your father and your mother?" She asked. "How do you feel knowing that they are about to be ughtered soon?"

    "I owe my people loyalty," Jasmine said.

    In those short words, Coral could hear a fierce tone of loyalty, and it was then that she believed that the girl was not a treat to her.

    She was just a mere ve, and unfortunately, her moment of reckoning woulde soon.

    She was not relevant.

    She had been worried when she had seen her, most likely because she hadn��t seen another lookalike of her sister.

    "You will steer clear of my mother." Coral said. "I do not want to see you around her. Do you understand me?"

    Jasmine nodded. "Yes, your majesty."

    Even though she was certain that the girl wasn��t a threat to her or any of her schemes, she knew that she couldn��t risk her being all over her mother.

    She didn��t want her going into one of those Scarlet Frenzies.

    Especially during this new festival.

    She turned around on her heels and waved her hand once again.

    She watched as the ve girl walked away.

    Coral prayed that this would be herst encounter with the girl.

 Chapter 63: A NEW GUEST

    <h4>Chapter 63: A NEW GUEST</h4>

    JASMINE��S POV

    After encountering Princess Coral, I was relieved to leave the room.

    Her interrogation had been intense, and it was like she had me caught.

    I looked up and saw that it was almost sunset.

    I had summoned my bird!

    I could not hang around with anyone or anywhere at all.

    I needed to be somewhere no one coulde.

    If sunset arrived, the bird would fly down to me wherever I was, and they would see I owned a summoning bird.

    I began to pace back and forth, wondering where I could go.

    I could not go to theke.

    It was quite a distance, and I could not risk going there too frequently.

    I needed to be somewherepletely different.

    Then I remembered that there was an old, abandoned castle near ours.

    It was an extension of the pack but abandoned and crumbling.

    I had even seen crows hovering around.

    If I went there, no one would suspect me.

    I hurried out of the castle, and after ten minutes, I found myself in the scary castle.

    The moment I stepped in, it became sunset, and I saw a beautiful white owl on the horizon flying to me.

    I looked at her in amazement.

    She was so beautiful.

    She came andnded on the railings before me.

    I looked down at her, and she, in turn, looked at me.

    "So you��re Qitania," I said.

    She just looked around.

    I gently touched her head, and she ruffled her feathers.

    Then I saw that there was paper rolled under her ws.

    I gently pulled it out and opened it.

    There were some writings in it.

    They had given me a message from home.

    How was I even going to read it?

    I still didn��t know how to read or write.

    And then, it urred to me that if I didn��t know how to write, I would not be able to deliver any messages to them.

    "How do I even read this or send it to you when I still have no idea how to read or write?" I said.

    The bird made its sound, and then I sighed.

    So much had already happened.

    I knew that my family would not be allowed into the pack for the Halo festival, so they would hear about it but not know about it.

    My father would be furious at me.

    I shook in fear at the thought of my father being angry with me.

    I shivered.

    He was very far away, but he was still able to instill so much fear in me.

    After much thought, I decided to send the little bird away and learn to read and write as quickly as possible.

    I couldn��t trust anyone to read or write for me. I was an enemy here.

    I dipped the paper into my dress and yed with Qitiana a little before letting her go.

    She swooped, and I saw her wings on the horizon.

    Then I went down from the old and abandoned castle and found my way back to the main pack castle.

    Fortunately, I had not had any run-ins with Alpha Xadentely.

    At least since he told me, I would perform as an entertainer at the Halo festival.

    I didn��t even know what that meant.

    I hurried past the busy hallways and went to my quarters with Loren when I saw arge woman.

    She was probably in her early sixties, had long raven ck hair, was extremely tall, and seemed terrifying.

    There was a resemnce somewhere.

    Like I had seen her before.

    She had an entourage with her.

    Several servants were carrying different boxes for her.

    Who was this woman?

    I decided to mind my business and make a sharp turn, but she saw me.

    She gave me a narrow re.

    She walked up to me.

    "Little girl." She said. "Who are you?"

    The way she gazed over me.

    As if she could see through my clothes.

    "I��m just a ve," I said.

    She didn��t stop eyeing me.

    She caught my chin and forced me to look at her.

    Why did she look so familiar?

    Her nails dug into my chin, and I shut my eyes in pain.

    I could feel my blood being drawn.

    Instinctively, I pulled myself free from her grasp.

    She looked at me in surprise as if I had dared to defy her, and even I was shocked that I had opposed her.

    She took a deep breath.

    And unlike usual times when I would stay and await judgment, I hurried away from her and ran up the stairs.

    Today was such a mess, and I wanted it to end.

    When I returned to the quarters, I saw Loren standing as if he were waiting for him.

    His arms were folded.

    I tilted my head in question.

    "Sit down," he offered.

    I began to panic.

    Had he known that I was betraying them for my pack?

    Did he know that I was an impostor?

    I did as he told me, and I sat on the bench, waiting for whatever he told me.

    "Jasmine." He said. "What happened to your mother?"

    I frowned.

    I am further confused about why he would care to ask about my mother. "My mother?"

    "Yes," he said.

    He was unusually calm, which was so unlike Loren, and it made me more suspicious.

    "My mother is Luna Maria," I told him.

    He frowned. "I can��t remember Luna Maria having red hair. Not Alpha Bale."

    My heart began to pound.

    Had I been found out?

    "I heard that my grandparents were red heads," I said. "And I inherited my hair from them."

    He looked at me suspiciously.

    He wanted to say more, but then he changed his mind.

    "The royal family has red heads." He said. "The Queen lost one of her daughters when she was young, and that��s why when she saw you, she thought you were a grown-up version of her."

    I felt my heart break for the Queen.

    "How did she lose her?" I asked.

    "In a boat ident." He said. "It was her younger sister, Coral, who had witnessed everything. They were just around the age of six."

    I couldn��t imagine how tragic it was for the entire family.

    And Princess Coral having to witness her sister��s death.

 Chapter 64: NIGHT OF THE HUNT

    <h4>Chapter 64: NIGHT OF THE HUNT</h4>

    Xaden watched as Aurora left the pack with her things.

    He had been thorough with her; she would return on thest day of the halo festival.

    Xaden knew what thest day of the HaloHalo festival was about.

    He was the Alpha of the pack, and as was mandatory, he was going to have to be the one to perform it so that they woulde as an offering to the moon.

    It was an old millennial tradition that every Alpha whose pack had been visited by the halo moon had to perform.

    He had three days until it was carried out.

    When he saw her and some of her entourage ride out, he turned away from the balcony and walked towards the hall.

    He saw Belleing in and wanted to make a quick U-turn, but she had already seen him.

    "Xaden." She called out to him.

    He bowed to her as it was mandatory.

    "Princess Belle," He said.

    "You don��t need to refer to me by my title." She batted her eyshes at him. "I think we should keep titles aside between us, don��t you think?"

    "Whatever you want." He said. "I have to be on my way now. I hope my pack is serving you well."

    He started to leave, but she held on to his arm, stopping him from going anywhere.

    "Xaden." She said. "I apologize to you for what transpired earlier this afternoon. It��s not in my nature to behave in such a manner."

    "I apologize for my subject being rude to you, too. If it pleases you, I have sent her away." He told her.

    Belle��s eye glimmered with light. "You sent her away?"

    "Yes." He replied.

    "To where?" Belle asked without trying to sound too excited.

    "Far from the pack. She won��t be here until thest day of the festival. She would not disturb you." He promised her.

    He started to leave again, and she still held on to him. "I was wondering if you could take me for a stroll around the pack. You��ve never quite shown me around."

    He knew what was being plotted.

    Belle wanted him, but regardless of how beautiful she was, he did not want her.

    He didn��t want anyone, for that matter.

    Especially a member of the royal family.

    He only tolerated them because it was his duty, after all.

    He smiled at her. "I have more important duties to attend to."

    He saw her smile fade, and he turned and left her standing there.

    One day, he woulde for the royal family.

    But not now.

    He had a whole year to prepare for his final attack on Alpha Bale, and that brought his thoughts back to Jasmine.

    He had gotten the reports on her work.

    She was always able to do them one way or another.

    She was a spoilt girl.

    She shouldn��t be able to handle all of this.

    He despised her with everything in him.

    And he was never going to see her differently.

    Her blood was cursed, and that was all there was to it.

    He felt his arm hurt, and he rolled up his sleeves and saw one of the tattoos on his vein, which was bright red and moving.

    He groaned in pain and managed to suppress it.

    Once he was done with the festival, he would go to find the witch.

    It was beginning to get worse.

    Once it was nighttime, all the Alphas were gathered in the forest.

    There were about thirty of them.

    It was the first event of the Halo festival.

    The three high priestesses of the Wolf World stood in white before the zing bonfire.

    The moonlight sparkled in its halo form.

    There were elevated rows and a structure simr to an amphitheater.

    Several pack members were to witness this great asion.

    There was a loud drum beat and women dancing.

    Xaden was shirtless, and his hair was tied in a ponytail.

    From the corner of his eyes, he saw Alex.

    Alex was going to try to kill him tonight.

    Erik stood by Xaden��s side.

    "I��ll keep a close eye on him," Erik said.

    Three rituals were to be performed.

    The first day was the hunt.

    The second was the feast.

    The third andst was the sacrifice.

    The first hunt was for all Alphas to prove their greatest strength.

    The prominent head priestess stood in the middle and said: "Wee wolves, great and small. We bring the hundredth Halo festival and the night of the hunt."

    There was an instant silence, and no one uttered a word.

    "The great Celine has released the halo for us to witness after over sixty years. For us to tell our children and for them to tell our great-grandchildren." She said.

    "Alphas before me, the great white elk has been set free into the forest for you to hunt and bring to us. The one bringing him to us shall be rewarded as the hunt winner."

    It was tradition that a white elk, one of the rarest creatures, be released in the forest on the night of the hunt for them to pursue until someone had caught it and broken its horns.

    Marking their status as the greatest.

    It was expected that the Alpha, whose pack had held the festival, would win to dere his supremacy.

    Xaden had no ns on losing.

    There were no rules.

    You were allowed to kill anyone.

    But there was only one leader.

    Even though he was his gamma, Erik was a rare breeder alpha who maintained his status even though he no longer owned a pack.

    Xaden looked around the theory with other Alphas.

    They mainly were his enemies, who would want his head in a split second.

    His only ally was Erik.

    The high priestess picked up the burning torch and stood by the white wood.

    As she set the torch to light the white fire.

    It was the signal for them to go!

    They shifted into their wolf forms, and all the Alphas howled and ran off into the forest.

    The crowd cheered.

 Chapter 65: A ROYAL VISITOR

    <h4>Chapter 65: A ROYAL VISITOR</h4>

    A FEW HOURS EARLIER

    Cherry turned and looked at the girl, who had just run off.

    She gritted her teeth.

    She might be old, but she knew who she was.

    She could smell her blood.

    She belonged to their bloodline.

    "Where is the royal family bedroom?" She demanded a buxom woman.

    The woman was Madame Belinda, the main castlekeeper.

    She bowed down at her.

    "Some guards will take you to your designated room." Belinda said, bowing down to her.

    Cherry made a sound of disgust.

    "Do that quickly!" She spat.

    Belinda bowed again and ushered Cherry to where her room was to be.

    A door opened as she entered the hallway, and she saw Coral, her niece.

    "Aunt Cherry!" Coral was excited.

    She ran to her aunt and hugged her.

    Cherry finally released her and smiled down at her.

    "My darling niece." Cherry said. "It��s been such a while."

    "I was worried you would not be able to make it." Coral said.

    "And miss a halo festival?" Cherry asked. "Of course, I would not. I would not miss a chance to see you."

    Together, they went into the room.

    "Where is that mother of yours?" Cherry asked if the tone of her dislike for her sister, the Queen, was pronounced.

    "She is in her bed." Corral said. "Resting. Being extremely annoying."

    "And your father?" Cherry asked.

    Corral shrugged.

    "I saw him barely a while ago." Corral said. "He came to report that my daughter, your grand-niece, was in a scuffle with a mere she-wolf over Xaden. How embarrassing!"

    "Xaden, this Alpha." Cherry said.

    "Yes," Corral said. "It has always been the n to join him with our bloodline, but Belle does stupid things."

    Cherry smiled. "Ah, my little Red Belle (Belle��s original name is Red Belle). All female royal bloodlines bear a name indicating red, which is quite shameful. But you can��t me her, though. A man like thatying me to bed would be the dream of the century."

    "Humiliating!" Coral spat. "Everyone is making fun of it now. And it was in public! In front of servants and dirty peasants."

    It had been almost five years since she hadst seen her niece, her granddaughter, or even been around any royal family member.

    At least ever since, her sister and her useless brother-inw had thrown her out of the kingdom.

    Her only home.

    She had been kicked out, like an outcast in a home she had been raised in all her life, and made an outsider.

    She was in exile and thus could not return to the royal home.

    But she coulde here for the Halo festival.

    "Coral." Cherry said. "I have been gone so long, and it is like you are letting loose ends be."

    Coral blinked at her. "I do not understand."

    "I am disappointed in you." Cherry said. "If you had delved into the ck arts like I had rmended, you would never have sniffed her."

    Coral swallowed.

    She did not like that her favorite aunt, the only family member who truly cared about her, was upset with her.

    "I do not understand."

    Cherry rose to her feet and showed her finger to Coral.

    "Taste it." She ordered.

    It was the dried-up blood of the girl she had bored her nails into.

    Coral initially hesitated, but she did it before further disappointing her aunt.

    She took a lick of the blood, and then she saw the space on her aunt��s finger where she had licked the blue.

    It turned blue.

    She gasped.

    "There is a royalty here," Cherry said.

    Coral��s heart began to beat rapidly.

    "No, that can not be." Coral said. "We are the only ones. It is only me, my mother, my father, and Belle. Now you. There is no one else here. Moreover, we have no other direct royal bloodline existing. Not anymore."

    "When I wasing in." Cherry said. "I sniffed a girl. And then I saw her before she even came to me. She is our blood. How is that even possible?"

    Coral began to shake in fear. "I... w-w, bb-ut I haven��t met an-

    "Stop babbling like a peasant." Cherry said it in disgust. "If you had delved into the blood arts like I told you to, you would have sniffed her. But you were such a scaredy cat."

    Coral began to sweat.

    "Who is this person?" Coral asked. "There are no other members of our bloodline. It was only me and Scarlet, and she is dead."

    "Then who is this ve who bears royal blood?" Cherry demanded.

    She massaged her chin.

    "Or did your father have an affair with another woman, and perhaps she had a child?" Cherry said. "Your father could never keep it in his pants, after all."

    Coral��s face twisted at that statement

    "None that I know of." Coral said. "He loves his mother enough to even think of betraying her. He doesn��t even look at anyone else."

    Cherry was furious.

    The n they had hatched secretly years ago was begging to reveal its fruits.

    Coral began to pace.

    "This could ruin everything!" Coral said. "You said a ve? Here? What did she look like?"

    Cherry crossed her legs as she sipped a ss of red wine and sipped.

    "She was looking very ragged." Cherry said. "She had red hair too."

    Coral paused. "An enved person? Did she have

    Cora stopped herself mid-sentence. "Never mind, it can��t be her."

    "It can��t be who?" Cherry asked.

    "There was a ve. Mother saw her when we first came. She looked so much like Scarlet. But she has a scar. It��s the reason Mother fell ill again, because of her sickness. But I asked the girl and others too. She is the daughter of Alpha Bale. Remember him? She is only here as a prisoner of war. I thought she was suspicious, but I confirmed she isn��t rted to us."

    "How can you be so sure when you don��t use dark magic?" Cherry asked.

    She pressed her lips together.

    She retook a sip of her wine.

    "If your mother wasn��t sick, she could have perceived her blood." Cherry said. "You never ascended the throne, so your powers never materialized."

    Cherry massaged her forehead and clicked her tongue as she thought of what to do.

    She couldn��t get to the bottom of this matter because there were limits to her powers.

    She rose to her feet. "Let��s go."

    "Go to where?" Coral asked.

    "Go to someone who will give us an answer to our questions." Cherry said.

    She walked out of the room and didn��t wait for her niece to follow her out.

 Chapter 66: THE WITCH IN THE WOODS

    <h4>Chapter 66: THE WITCH IN THE WOODS</h4>

    It was a good thing that they were in the Crescent Pack.

    It was not so far from where they were going.

    As they rode their horses, Coralined. "How long are we going to ride?"

    "Patience is a virtue." Cherry reminded herself as she held on to her reins.

    Coral frowned as her horses galloped faster.

    Cherry was born the first daughter of the King and Queen of the Royal family.

    She had been born with a zing red head, and as was the custom, she would be queen.

    But then her younger sister Rose was born and had red hair.

    Regardless, she was supposed to be queen.

    Then tragedy struck the royal family.

    The King and Queen, along with her other siblings, including her younger brother Crimson, had died in a shipwreck.

    Cherry had been made queen instantly.

    But the moment she sat on the throne, her wolf howled, and her hair turned ck.

    It had never happened before.

    The goddess had rejected her.

    Her younger sister, Rose, was ced on the throne, and her hair remained the same.

    Cherry had been furious and felt betrayed by everyone.

    She had grown to hate the entire kingdom, the kingmakers, the members of the council, and most of all, her sister, for stealing the throne.

    That is why, when Rose gave birth to twins, she set one sister against the other.

    Coral had grown to be jilted, and she had taken her into her enve and raised her in her way.

    Her evil ways.

    She was going to make herself queen.

    She had her ns, and her grand niece Belle would never sit on that throne as long as she lived.

    Finally, she came down with her horse and tied it to a tree.

    "Are we there yet?" Coral asked,ing down from her horse.

    "No, not yet," Cherry said. "We walk from here."

    "Why can��t we just keep on going with our horse? That way, we make it faster." Coral said sensibly.

    Cherry informed, "This is sacred ground. "You are not allowed to desecrate it."

    And then she adjusted her fur coat and went on leading the way.

    Coral followed her behind as they walked over stones and past little ponds.

    The forest creaked, but Cherry knew they were getting closer.

    Just as Coral was about toin, Cherry turned to her.

    "This is a problem you caused." Cherry warned her. "You better take it while I fix it."

    Coral went silent, and Cherry returned on her way.

    She knew this road very well. It had been years, but she was close by here.

    After a while, she saw the little cabin.

    Smoke came from the chimney, and Cherry walked towards the door. Coral was right behind her.

    Before she touched it, the door swung open.

    Coral jumped behind her.

    Cherry smiled and stepped in.

    The room was clean and trimmed.

    Everything has the perfect touch.

    "Where are we?" Coral asked.

    A beautiful brown-skinned woman with curly red hair came inside with her hands on her hips.

    "Cherry." The woman said, "What brings you to my cabin?"

    Cherry smiled. "Aren��t you happy to see an old friend?"

    And as the two women hugged, Coral watched on.

    "I like the new face," Cherry said.

    "It��s my original face." The woman said it with a smile. "I decided to return to my original beauty for a while."

    Then Cherry let go of the woman and turned to Coral.

    "Coral, this is Madame Maria Laveau." Cherry said. "The most potent dark arts witch that lives. Marie, this is-

    "Coral, daughter of the King and Queen, Jilted heir and murderer." Marie said, cutting in.

    Coral��s face became red instantly.

    "I know you. You forget that I know everything." Marie said to Cherry.

    Coral swallowed and said nothing.

    "Marie is a witch." Cherry informed. "The one who taught me all that I know."

    Coral looked around at the clean house.

    "Wondering how a witch has a clean ce?" Marie said she was reading Coral��s thoughts. "What were you expecting? Cobwebs and ck cats?"

    Coral began to stammer.

    "Don��t orry, I��m used to it, and all they said to you is a lie." Marie said. "I do have a cat."

    At that moment, a pitch-ck cat came into the room.

    Meow.

    She climbed up the table and rubbed her arm at Coral.

    "No helps?" Coral asked.

    "I had one," Marie said.

    "Had? What happened to her?" Coral asked as she began to pet the ck cat."

    "She stole from me, so I turned her into that car." Marie said as she turned a brewing pot over the firece.

    Cora jumped and took a frightened step back, away from the cat and Marie.

    "I take it you didn��te just to see me." Marie asked.

    "Yes." Cherry said. "There was a girl. I met her in the crescent pack. She is a ve, but she has red hair, and she smelt like royalty. I drew her blood, and sure enough, it emerged blue."

    Cherry showed Marie her finger.

    Marie examined it and licked the finger again. "Yes, this is a member of the royal family. Her blood is powerful."

    Marie frowned. "I��ve never tasted anything like it before."

    Cherry and Cora exchanged looks.

    "But we don��t know who she is. Or how shees to have my blood."

    Marie sighed. "Hmmm."

    She turned around and tossed her dreadlocked hair to the side.

    She walked to a cauldron and stirred it.

    Then she pulled out a dagger.

    "Bring your hand." Marie invited Cherry.

    Cherry handed her hand, and Marie dipped the tip of the dagger to where the dried blood had been and drew blood.

    Then she put it inside the cauldron.

    After that, she turned to Coral.

    "Give me your hand."

    Coral did as told, and Marie pulled the dagger over her palm.

    Coral closed her eyes in pain, and Marie put in the blood.

    Then she opened a bottle and tossed some other ingredients inside.

    "Man." She called, and then the cats jumped down from the table they had been sleeping on and approached her.

    "Come here, my girl," Marie said.

    The cat jumped into her arms, and she gently massaged its ears.

    "Such a good girl," she said.

    And she snapped the neck of the cat.

    Coral jumped and closed her mouth.

    Cherry red at her, and she quickly behaved.

    Then Marie tossed the dead cat inside the cauldron, and a puff of green smoke ascended.

    And then a skull showed its head, and it all returned in.

    Marie went to the cauldron and looked down at it.

    She frowned and looked back up at Cherry.

    "Who did you say you thought this child was?" She asked.

    "My brother-inw." Cherry said. "The King."

    Marie looked back in. "This is no daughter of the king."

    Coral sighed in relief.

    "This is original royal blood." Marie said. Then she pointed right at Coral. "This is the child of the one you killed!"

 Chapter 67: THE MURDER

    <h4>Chapter 67: THE MURDER</h4>

    Thirty-one years ago

    THE CASTEL OF THE ROYAL FAMILY

    Six-year-old Corral rushed past the servants in the castle.

    They gave way for her, and she continued, her prized treasure in her fists.

    "Princess Coral." Someone said. "Watch out where you��re going."

    She didn��t pay heed.

    She just went on her way.

    Her destination is way ahead of her.

    Finally, she saw her mother talking about some subject.

    "Mama!" She said she was excited.

    Her redhead was bouncing up and down.

    The queen turned to look at her and smiled.

    "Hello, my princess." The Queen said her attention was diverted to her daughter as soon as she saw her.

    "Mama, see, I have a gift for you." She said.

    She opened her hands and showed her mother the little bird.

    The queen bent down. "Corral, that��s lovely. You found a bird."

    "Can I keep it?" Corral begged. "She would look lovely in my golden cage. I could show her to my friends."

    The Queen turned to her subjects. "We will continue our discussionster."

    They nodded and turned away.

    Then, the queen squatted down with her daughter.

    "Sweetheart." The queen started. "Would you like it if someone kept you in a cage and waited for their friends toe around?"

    Corral gave her a dirty look. "No, mama. Of course not!"

    The queen gently massaged her cheek.

    "Exactly. This bird is a creature of the goddess." She said. "It should be left to fly and escape happily into the wild. Not trapped and made to stay for anyone��s amusement."

    Corral��s face twisted.

    "But Mama, it��s a bird! I��m a wolf! And I am also a princess! I get to have everything I want! It doesn��t have a say!" The spoilt six-year-old informed me arrogantly.

    The queen looked at her daughter, worried. "No, my love. We��re all equal. No one is above the other. The reason why I have this crown." The queen said she was taking off her crown. "Is it not to make myself elevated? Feel better than anyone else, but to serve. We are servants of the people we lead. So, if you look closely, they are bigger than us. I want you to understand this because you will lead whether or not you be queen."

    Then her sister Scarlet came in, and Coral rolled her eyes.

    She hated her stupid sister.

    "Come here, scarlet." The queen said. "I��m teaching your sister a valuable lesson.

    Corral frowned as her sister joined them as their mother taught them how to be good princesses.

    But Corral didn��t want to hear about good deeds.

    She wanted to do what she wanted to do!

    She snatched the bird from her mother when she was handing it over to Scarlet to see.

    "Corral!" The queen said she was horrified. "You will strangle that bird. Give it to your sister."

    She saw her sister, Scarlet, look hurt.

    She didn��t care. She wanted to hurt her stupid sister.

    "Give that bird now." The Queen said it in a much firmer voice.

    Corral looked from her mother to her sister.

    She would not give them because she gave them to her mother; she would give them to Scarlet, who likewise believed that animals would be freed.

    When she had been the one who found it.

    "It��s my birdy." Corral said. "If I can��t have it, then no one will."

    And she squeezed the bird.

    It squeaked, struggling in her grasp.

    "Corral, don��t!" The Queen gasped.

    "Corral!" Her stupid sister said.

    But it was toote.

    The bird was already dead.

    She tossed the dead bird on the floor.

    "Corral, why would you do that?" The Queen asked in shock.

    Scarlet bent down to the floor and picked up the bird.

    Corral��s face was twisted with hate and anger.

    Then Scarlet went to their mother.

    "Mama, look, it��s alive." She said.

    And to Corral��s most tremendous shock, the bird sat up in her sister��s palms.

    Like she had brought it back to life.

    "Scarlet." The queen gasped. "How did you do it?"

    Scarlet shrugged. "I don��t know, mama. It just happened."

    Corral watched in spite as her mother hovered over her sister and wholly ignored and forgot about her.

    It was always like that.

    Mother loved Corral more than she loved her.

    She stood in the dark corner, watching as they praised her sister, and felt the hate swell in her heart.

    She felt an arm around her, and when she looked up, she saw Aunt Cherry.

    "Your mother chooses your sister over you, doesn��t she?" Aunt Cherry said.

    Corral turned and looked back at her mother and sister, freeing the bird.

    "Don��t worry. I��m here." Aunt Cherry said. "There is nothing wrong with you. And I will never fore-sake you. Let me let you in on a secret. Did you know that your sister is jealous of you?"

    Corral looked at her aunt in surprise. "Jealous of me?"

    "Yes." She nodded. "Isn��t it obvious? You��re much stronger than her. You��re going to be queen instead of her. And she tries to take away the attention for herself."

    Now that her aunt had said it, she began to see it.

    She was still a child, so it was easy for her to be misled and deceived.

    After that day, knowing that her aunt always had her back, Corral grew to hate her sister.

    She despised her.

    She wanted her gone for the rest of her life.

    She wanted her parents to love her the way they loved her sister.

    And with the lies and deception her mother��s sister spun, it grew.

    One day, she and her sister went on their usual boat trips.

    They had done it over fifty times and were ustomed to it.

    The usual guard and nanny were in the long boat, rowing with them.

    She remembered what Aunt Cherry had said.

    "Just push her over."

    "Scarlet,e see." Corral called.

    Scarlet, who had been feeling neglected by her sister, was excited to have her sister want to y with her.

    When Corral had told them that they would have a boat ride today and they could spend time together, she had been ted.

    She couldn��t tell why, but her sister had been avoiding her.

    They now had the opportunity to spend time together like happy sisters.

    She loved her sister so much.

    "Come see," Corral called out.

    Scarlet went to the boat��s edge and looked down at what her sister had called her for.

    "Where is it?" Scarlet asked.

    Corral pushed her sister over, and she was already in the water before Scarlet could cry for help.

    When Scarlet tried to rise in the air, Corral pressed her down so much that she started to drown.

    She knew that her twin sister��s weakness was swimming.

    She could not swim.

    Corral watched as her sister went to the bottom of the sea.

    Before she screamed. "Help! Help! My sister fell into the water!"

    The guard and the nanny, who had been far on the other side of the boat, went alert and began to look for the princess frantically.

    The little princess was never to be found again.

 Chapter 68: THE RETURN OF THE DEAD

    <h4>Chapter 68: THE RETURN OF THE DEAD</h4>

    "This is the child of the one you killed!"

    Came the fiercest and sharpest usation.

    Corral��s heart began to race.

    "No, that��s not true." Corral shook her head vehemently.

    Cherry said nothing as Corral turned to look at her.

    "But you said you killed her." Cherry said as she was trying to control her anger.

    "I did." Corral was exasperated.

    She had pushed her inside the water; she had drowned; she had seen her go down to the bottom of the sea.

    No one had found her body. No one.

    "You saw it." She told her aunt Cherry. "They searched for her body, but no one found it. She was dead. I saw her drown. I remember pushing her in."

    She turned to Marie. "It must be a mistake. How can my sister have a child?"

    "The Cauldron never lies." Marie said, stepping away from the cauldron. "Come see for yourself."

    Cherry walked up to the pot and then looked down inside.

    Then she raised her head back up.

    Her face said everything that needed to be said.

    "I told you, the cauldron never lies," Marie said.

    Cherry looked at Carrol.

    "What did you do?" Cherry said. "How could you have been so careless?!"

    "Careless!" Carrol said in disbelief at her aunt. "I did as you asked me. Her body was never found."

    "There you said it. Her body was never found. Somehow she escaped long enough even to have a child." Cherry said. "Do you have any idea what that means?"

    Corral could not believe it.

    So all this while her sister had been alive, and they had been made to think she was dead?

    She began to shake in fear.

    "If she was alive, then why didn��t she return?" Corral asked. "Maybe this is just a stupid mix-up."

    Marie��s eyes zed like fire. "I have told you, the cauldron does not lie! Rechallenge it, and I will burn you in it!"

    Corral backed out.

    "I��m sorry, Marie." Cherry said, giving Corral a re that told her to shut up. "She doesn��t know what she is saying. Please, what can you tell us about her?"

    "After insulting my cauldron?" Marieughed. "No. The two of you get out!"

    "I will pay." Corral said he was trying to make amends. "How much?

    Marie folded her hand, looked away, and thought to herself.

    Then she turned to Corral. "I don��t collect money. I collect debts."

    Corral swallowed heavily.

    That meant that when Marie needed something, she would call on her, and Corral must answer her debts no matter what.

    She turned to Aunt Cherry, who said nothing, then returned to Marie.

    "Fine. I owe you a debt." Corral said.

    Marie eyed her, rose to her feet, and walked to the cauldron.

    "This girl, child of the moon, possesses great power." Marie said. "She has a star. A destiny no wolf has ever been able to survive. She is to be our making or our doom."

    Corral and Cherry looked at each other.

    "What happened to my sister? Where is she now?"

    "The bond between mother and daughter has been cut." Marie said. "Your sister is no longer alive."

    Corral closed her eyes.

    So her sister was dead, but somehow she had given birth to Jasmine, who had in turn been brought to the pack as a ve.

    "That isn��t right." Corral said. "Something isn��t right. Jasmine is the daughter of Alpha Bale and his wife, Luna Maria."

    "Then she must be an imposter." Cherry said. "She must have been brought here for a reason."

    Cherry turned to Marie. "Does the girl know who she truly is? Did her mother tell her?"

    "Not from what I see." Marie said. "The powers of the cauldron are limited. It only tells you what it wants you to tell you and what you need to know."

    Marie stepped away from the cauldron and ced a hand on it.

    She gasped and threw her head back as her eyes wentpletely white, and she spoke in a hoarse voice with multiple voices.

    "And the child born shall lead the way for all wolves, good or bad. And one side shall be chosen, for the goddess chooses her and will be the greatest Alpha ever lived."

    Then her eyes went normal, and she took in a loud gasp.

    It was obvious that it had been a spirit possession.

    Corral was unable to hear all of this.

    After all her efforts, What had she done?

    She ran out of the cabin.

    Cherry turned to Marie.

    "What can we do?" She asked her.

    "You didn��t follow my exact orders thest time."

    Marie informed her.

    "It was my stupid niece." Cherry said. "She didn��t do the job well."

    Marie sighed. "I will consult and speak to the spirits and see what they can tell me. But I assure you, that girl is not normal. She is nothing like I have ever seen or felt before."

    Cherry still wanted to be Queen Alpha.

    But now that this girl hade into y, her ropes are going to be different.

    She sighed. "Thank you, Marie."

    Marie smiled. "You��re wee."

    Then, she turned back to her duties as Cherry began to leave.

    "The girl with the royal blood." Marie said. "If she is a ve of Xaden, howe she is in the pack? No one, not even him, can defy thew, bring a female, and make her his unless he sessfully defeated the pack."

    Cherry went quiet. "There has to be only one thing. He bonded with her."

    Marie smiled.

    Cherry looked at her friends suspiciously. "Why are you interested?" Cherry asked.

    She knew Marie.

    She didn��t just make requests unless they had something to do with her.

    "In due time. You will know." Marie said, and she turned her back on Cherry, dismissing her.

    As Cherry went out, she wondered how she would take the crown now.

    Corral was haunted by the fact that her sister had been alive long enough to have a child.

    Marie sat in her chair, fantasising about when she would collect her very old debt from an old friend.

 Chapter 69: SACRIFICIAL LAMB

    <h4>Chapter 69: SACRIFICIAL LAMB</h4>

    Thank you for being patient with me. And I��m much better. We hit T1! Help me get T2!!! I love you, my readers.

    As Corral walked back to where the horses had been kept, she wondered if she was imagining it all.

    She kept praying to herself that this was nothing but a bad dream.

    A nightmare she wanted to wake up from with the snap of her fingers.

    But she couldn��t.

    This was, in fact, reality.

    It was like even in death, and her sister hade to haunt her.

    After all these years? Why hadn��t she evere back?

    If she didn��t drown, then howe she somehow resurfaced?

    They had searched everywhere for her body and couldn��t even find it.

    She started to rake her hair and bite her fingernails.

    This was bad.

    This was really bad.

    If her parents knew that the ve Jasmine was their granddaughter, then they wouldn��t just take her in, but they would do a thorough investigation of her sister and how she had managed to survive.

    Corral wanted to run mad.

    She kicked a pebble as she walked by.

    She needed to know everything about that girl.

    She was a threat to everything she had worked hard for.

    She got to her horse and saw her aunt Cherry already walking up to her.

    "I can��t believe this." Corral said this in disbelief. "I can��t believe an ounce of this."

    "This is all your fault." Aunt Cherry said. "I told you to do this carefully. I told you to make sure she was dead. If you are not sure, then inform me. But you assured me. Told me that you had seen her die."

    "I was six!" Corralined. "I swear I did see her die. I saw her drown, and when no one found her body, I just figured that she had been eaten by some dangerous fish like everyone else had."

    "Well, that didn��t happen!" Cherry snapped. "Look, she went on to live her life and even had a child. A child that even scares Marie. Do you know what it means for that woman to be scared of someone?"

    Corral couldn��t help it.

    It technically wasn��t her fault.

    She had done what she had been instructed to do and even made sure of it.

    "We have to do something about her." Aunt Cherry said.

    "Mother has seen her." Corral said. "And worse, she is Xaden��s pet. Do you even know what that means? Xaden doesn��t listen to anyone. Not even the King."

    "She is his enemy." Aunt Cherry said. "Didn��t he bring her here to torture her? And suffer for what her father and family had done to him?"

    "It��s different. From what I gathered, He protects her." Corral said. "He doesn��t let them

    Touch her. She is still a ve, but the others are prohibited from evening near her."

    "But he hates her?" Cherry asked. "Doesn��t he?!"

    "He does. Uhmm, er, well, idk. I��m not sure. It��s still confusing to me." She said. "I��m confused myself. He hates her, yes. I heard he does. But at the same time, he has saved her countless times."

    Aunt Cherry walked towards her horse, deep in thought.

    "Why don��t we just kill her?" Corral asked. "We could arrange it and have her killed. As bad as it gets, we could set the murder on another servant."

    "Really?" Cherry eyed her. "Another murder? So we get into much bigger trouble?"

    Corral went hush.

    Cherry rolled her eyes.

    "I didn��t think so too." She said to herself, Then she went on thinking.

    "Fine." Corral said. "I know I made a mistake. Like I said, I was a child. But I��m an adult now. If my parents find out what I did and what we did, Then it��s over for us. It��s the end."

    Corral sighed. "We could arrange a death."

    "You��re so stupid, you know that, don��t you?" Cherry said. "Haven��t you wondered what she is doing in the pack? Even though he didn��tpletely take over."

    Corral��s mouth dropped.

    She had thought of it, but didn��t put much mind to it.

    "He bonded with her." Aunt Cherry said. "It��s not going to be easy to kill her. And you know what that means."

    It meant that Xaden could sense her being in danger.

    He could feel her in danger.

    "How sure are you?" Corral asked, her heart racing. "Praying that it wasn��t true."

    "You��re much stupider than I thought you would be leaving the pce." Cherry said. "Your parents really turned you into a dummy."

    Corral swallowed.

    She was badly hurt that Aunt Cherry, whom she considered her mother, was belittling her so much.

    "Look here." Aunt Cherry said. "How else do you think he was able to bring her here? Xaden might be wild. But he is not stupid. He won��t break aw. The repercussions of it would be that he would be denied attacking the moonlight pack again. And God knows that��s what he wants most in this life."

    "Maybe when he finally kills Bale, he will break as manyws as he can. But not right now. Not when he is too close to what he wants. He had to have bonded with her to bring her here. And if we try to kill her, he will sense it."

    Corral was frustrated.

    It was like every n she came up with was an absolute disaster.

    "So what do we do?" Corral asked pathetically.

    "Since she is Scarlet��s daughter, then that means that she isn��t Luna Maria��s daughter." Cherry said. Then she turned to face Corral. "There is more to this. More on all of this. Perhaps there is another child that Bale hid from Xaden. Because I know that Luna Maria gave birth to a girl and a boy for sure."

    "And that means that this Jasmine must have been sent here." Corral said she was finally catching up to what she was being told.

    She gasped. "An imposter!"

    "If Xaden finds out, It would be betrayal all over again." Aunt Cherry climbed on her horse. "And that young man has been through enough trauma."

    Aunt Cherry smiled. "He is going to get more traumatized. I mean, after all, I was the main reason why the royal family didn��t assist his parents."

 Chapter 70: THE SIREN

    <h4>Chapter 70: THE SIREN</h4>

    XADEN��S POV

    MIDNIGHT IN THE CRESCENT PACK FOREST.

    "Awooooooooooo!" An Alpha��s wolf howled in the distance.

    Xaden, unlike most of the other wolves, was not in his wolf form.

    He didn��t need to fight or be a wolf because he was strong enough.

    He knew it would have consequences if he turned into a wolf.

    Especially since he knew his wolf form was taking a toll on him.

    As he walked into the forests, he could feel someone around.

    I could smell a wolf in his primitive form.

    Just as the wolf jumped on him from right above a tree, Xaden turned right in time and used his sword to sh him into two.

    The wolf dropped dead on the floor.

    And then two more came running at him.

    He bent down on his knee and dodged the first wolf, then used his fist to punch it into the wall.

    It cried like a puppy and fell to the ground.

    The other wolf growled at him, baring itsrge teeth at him.

    "Come on now." Xaden prompted

    The wolf raced up to him, and Xaden bent down so much that the wolf could not tear or attack him with his ws.

    Then he used his hands to lift him as he was in midair and haul him away.

    The first wolf he had tossed to the floor came running to him, and then he grabbed it with its arm, and in a split second, he strangled it and broke its neck.

    The wolf went limp.

    Then he dropped it, and the other wolf hauled across andy struggling.

    Xaden walked up to it and dropped his sword right into its body.

    It went dead.

    Erik came running in his wolf form, then turned back to a human.

    "Who are those?" Erik asked.

    "I suspect three alphas who didn��t like me very much." Xaden responded as he nudged their bodies.

    Erik sighed. "Well, the haunt has begun officially."

    Xaden looked at Erik, who stood covered in blood.

    "What happened to you?" Xaden asked as he cleaned the blood on his sword with the dead wolf��s fur.

    "Company." Erik said. "I don��t like these games. It��s already hurting my back. This running."

    "My Goddess." Xaden smiled. "What happened to you? You don��t desire the touch of war anymore."

    "You��re the one who pulled me into this."

    Erik said it pointedly.

    Erik had been one of the most feared Alphas. His name had sent chills down people��s spines, but as the old story went,

    He had fallen in love, married, and had a family. Then he decided that he didn��t want to fight anymore.

    Xaden wished he could give him back what had been forcefully taken away from him.

    The only thing that would appease Erik was Alpha Bale��s death.

    He hoped that would satisfy him at least.

    "I heard that Alex is leading." Erik said. "Turned the other Alphas against you."

    "Who told you?" Xaden asked.

    "A little bird," Erik replied.

    Erik had strangled a wolf and threatened to take his heart out if he didn��t tell him what was going on.

    The poor Alpha had given up everything in a split second, and Erik had rewarded him with a fast death.

    "He is getting the other Alphas to be on you." He said. "They know you��re stronger than them, but Alex has promised them things, or they side with him against you. This is Alex��s only opportunity to kill you, and he will utilize it."

    Xaden knew that Alexander would try something like this.

    "So what do they do to clear the road for him? He gets ahead and finds the white elk." Xaden asked.

    Erik shrugged. "That��s my best guess. Right now, I can��t tell who is with or against you. We��re in a forest filled with over fifty wolves who might all want to kill you."

    Xaden put his sword in its sheath.

    "Find as many allies as you can." Xaden said. "I��ll do the same. When they do, and they encounter each other, tell them to show the colors of their wolf eyes. That way, we know they are on our side."

    Erik nodded and turned around. "You��re not turning?"

    Erik still had no idea that Xaden��s wolf had be dangerous.

    If he turned, then he might lose control of himself.

    "I prefer to fight with my hands," Xaden said.

    "And what do I do if I find Alex?" Erik asked.

    "Just kill him." Xaden advised. "I��d like to get rid of him once and for all."

    Erik nodded and turned away.

    Erik stopped. "One more thing? Don��t die. I would hate to look for another Alpha."

    Erik turned to the big,rge, blonde-furred wolf and raced off in the distance.

    Then Xaden went on his own.

    He met about five Alphas on his way.

    Three of them were already loyal to him and wanted to die fighting for him.

    The other two he had to kill because they paid allegiance to Alex.

    He repeated the instructions onmunicating with the other wolves on their side, and they went on their way.

    It was such a long night.

    By about four in the morning, Xaden had probably met about twenty wolves.

    He killed a good number of them and converted a number, too.

    He had yet to meet Alex or the white elk.

    Once he found it, he would be done with all this drama.

    He kept walking and found himself in a ce he had never been.

    He was confused.

    Was this part of his pack?

    Howe he has never been here?

    It was a swamp and quiet.

    The halo moon illuminated the water, and it glistened like a diamond.

    It sparked so well.

    And then he saw some mingos going about.

    Fireflies buzzed around, and then the crickets sang.

    And then he saw someone in theke.

    Whoever it was had her back to him, and her hair was wet.

    She stood in the water to her waist.

    She was naked, and he could only see her back.

    Her figure was magnificent, and the moonlight reflected on her.

    He was fascinated by the beauty.

    This creature stood in the river so much that he could not move.

    As if sensing his presence, she turned around.

    And to Xaden��s shock, it was none other than

    Jasmine.

 Chapter 71: SECRET LAKE

    <h4>Chapter 71: SECRET LAKE</h4>

    JASMINE��S POV

    Once it was nighttime and almost time for the first ritual of the Halo festival, I was up in Loren��s quarters.

    I saw him repeatedly eye me at his work.

    He dropped his sses and turned to me when he couldn��t take it anymore.

    "Alright." He said. "What��s it?"

    I shook my head. "Nothing."

    "You��ve been staring into that wall for a while now." He said. "You better tell me what it is."

    I knew he wouldn��t ask again.

    So I sighed and gave in. "I was just thinking about today. I met someone else. I think she is a member of the royal family, too."

    He frowned and looked closely at me. "Yes?"

    "She kept asking me who I was, and then she dug her nails into my chin." I exined.

    That ce still hurt, and it was slightly bruised.

    "And what did you do?" He asked me.

    "I ran," I said. "I didn��t mean to buy everything; you just told me to run. She has ck hair and is probably a bit older than the Queen."

    He sighed and folded his arms on the table. "I believe that would be the Queen��s elder sister."

    I blinked. "No wonder she looked so familiar. I kept on wondering where I had seen her before."

    "That would be Princess Cherry." He said.

    "If she is the elder sister, why isn��t she Queen?" I asked.

    He shrugged. "It��s the royal family. There are always strings of drama popping here and there. Trust me, you don��t want to get involved, so stay away from them for these three days."

    Was he looking out for me?

    In the past few weeks, I have been staying with Loren, and I have noticed that he is a kind person.

    He just seemed hard on the outside.

    "Moreover." He said. "It��s almost time for the hunt. You should go."

    "I heard that they kill an animal," I said.

    "Ah, the sacred white elk. They have a close bond with our wolves. It must be hunted, and its horns must be presented by an Alpha who will be dered the winner of the hunt." He said.

    I shuddered.

    I was angry at the thought that they would kill such an innocent animal.

    "I think I��ll pass." I said it in all earnest. Then I turned to him. "What about you? Are you not going?"

    He put his sses on. "When they start bringing in the dead bodies and half-dead ones, I��ll be busy. So no point."

    I felt sick.

    They were going to kill each other.

    Then I thought of Alpha Xaden, and my heart raced. I didn��t want anything to happen to him.

    I knew he hated me, but still, he had been there for me when no one else had.

    I made a silent prayer to the goddess and decided that I would take a swim in my secret mage.

    As I descended the stairs on my way out, I saw the other servants.

    It was Lisa and the other girls.

    I tried to smile at them, but they red at me.

    No one. No one had spoken to me.

    They all kept away from me, and I could see their hate towards me in their hearts.

    "Something disgusting is in our presence." Lisa said it aloud.

    The other girlsughed, and I felt a sting in my heart.

    "Come on, girls. We do not want it to stain our pure blood." Lisa said.

    They allughed and followed her out.

    It was hard to believe that they were the identical girls. I had begged Alpha Xaden not to punish me.

    But what did I expect?

    That one act of righteousness would make them forgive me for the sins of my father.

    I sighed and turned away.

    Then I saw the other girl, Mya.

    The one who had run out of the room that night was assigned to clean rooms with Lisa and me.

    She stared at me.

    As if she wanted to say something.

    "Mya!" Lisa barked.

    Whatever she wanted to say, she kept it to herself and ran off to be with the other girls.

    When most of the wolves had gone to watch the hunt, I went out to myke.

    I tossed off my clothes, then bent down to learn the new trick I had learned to take off my chains.

    It took a while for me to undo it, but swimming with the chains by my ankles only made it hard for me.

    Sometimes, it felt cumbersome, like some weight was pulling me back, and I couldn��t swim well.

    So whenever I undid my chains, I would swim and return to them when I returned home.

    Home. What indeed was home to me? Did I even have a home?

    The pack back home had been the only sanctuary I had witnessed, but it was different here.

    I was aware I was caged and trapped once again.

    But this time, it felt highly different.

    It felt exhrating.

    I sighed as I slowly took off my clothes and stepped in, naked.

    No one would miss me tonight.

    There were hardly any more duties, and I had finished the ones assigned to me.

    I still had no idea how to read my work schedule.

    It seemed like a jumble. Literacy was harder than she had anticipated

    Also, most of the pack members would be at the arena, watching and waiting for who would appear with the elk��s horns.

    I sighed as I bathed and gently put the magic water over my lips.

    In almost an instant, I was healed.

    I smiled as I swam in theke, enjoying the peace and serenity.

    Then I rose up in the water, and under the moonlight, I ran my fingers through my wet hair as I looked up into the halo moon.

    Then I felt something.

    I felt a sudden presence.

    I froze, and without thinking or being aware of my nudity, I turned around and saw Alpha Xaden.

 Chapter 72: UNUSUAL EMOTIONS

    <h4>Chapter 72: UNUSUAL EMOTIONS</h4>

    GENERAL POV

    Xaden just stared in disbelief at Jasmine, who stood before him.

    She was thest person he had expected to see, and for a split second, he forgot that she was Jasmine.

    The daughter of his enemy.

    She was beautiful.

    Her face was written with shock, and he gazed at her lovely and full breasts.

    Her red hair wasn��t curly anymore, but slick from being in the water.

    The moonlight was over her, and she stood like a goddess in the river.

    Was this a dream?

    Was this real?

    He had heard stories that sometimes one could find other creatures that weren��t meant to be a distraction during the hunt.

    If you weren��t careful, they would kill you.

    Was this his distraction?

    And then, when it urred to her that she was standing naked in theke before him, she yelled and tried to cover herself before diving into the water.

    Hiding her breasts and nudity in the water and only revealing her head and shoulders.

    She was scared and ashamed of herself.

    What was he doing here?

    How had he caught her here?

    "Jasmine," he said.

    She froze and swallowed.

    "What are you doing here?" He demanded.

    She felt her knees go wobbly under the water.

    His eyes glistened with fire.

    "I asked you a question, and I will not repeat myself." He said. "What are you doing here?"

    She felt rapid shivers down her spine.

    "I came for a swim." She stuttered.

    He just looked at her.

    Bewildered at what he was seeing.

    "Get out of the water," he instructed.

    Her heart wanted to jump right out of her chest.

    She didn��t move.

    She was naked.

    He had seen her without clothes before, but she didn��t want this.

    "Out of the water," he said.

    She considered begging him.

    But he was standing only a few inches from her, and she suspected that if she did, he woulde in himself and drag her out.

    She sighed and slowly swam to the bank of theke where he stood, and then she built all the confidence to walk out naked.

    Xaden watched, astonished, as she shook gracefully.

    She was like a goddess.

    For some odd reason, his heart was racing.

    He couldn��t take his eyes off her, and he felt himself get hard.

    He swore, snatched up her dress from the floor, and tossed it at her.

    "Get dressed." He instructed, and he turned away.

    She hurriedly wore the dress and stood when she was done.

    "I��m done." She said it quietly.

    The way he had turned away from her.

    Probably disgust. He was disgusted with her; she knew and couldn��t even stand the sight of her.

    She felt her self-esteem waver, but she suppressed it.

    He finally turned back to look at her.

    "What the devil are you doing here?" He asked her. "And I don��t want lies. You better don��t lie to me."

    She swallows heavily. "I went strolling one day, and I found it. It seemed untouched. No one has been here, and I only came here to have some time alone."

    "Swimming naked?" He asked with a mean tone.

    She went blush red.

    "I just like to swim." She said.

    His eyes went dark, and he hovered over her.

    "Or what?" He asked. "You��re waiting for a lover toe and join you?"

    She stopped. "NO! Please. I met no one here. I just came here on my own. I swear it."

    "You want me to believe that you do not undress yourself and wait for another man to join you." He said. "Is that it? And that you happen just to enjoy swimming naked?"

    She wasn��t even sure how to respond.

    Xaden was angry.

    He didn��t know why, but he was angry.

    She was only here to suffer under him, and if he were ruthless, he would have tossed her to the other men in his pack, as was the custom.

    But the thought of her lying with anyone else other than him drove him crazy.

    It made him upset beyond words.

    Was it jealousy? Goddess no! It couldn��t be.

    He was Alpha Xaden; he could have any wolf with the snap of his finger.

    Including this one before him.

    So why was he so upset that she might be meeting someone else?

    "You��re bleeding." She said she was shaking him from his stream of thoughts.

    She shocked him as she reached out to his shoulder and gently set her hand against it.

    He looked down, and he saw that he was bleeding.

    It hasn��t urred to him that he had been injured by one of his fights.

    He jerked free from her touch, and his eyes clouded with anger.

    He didn��t want her fake pity.

    She was just as bad as her father, and he didn��t want her to pretend.

    "Keep your filthy hands away from me." He spat.

    He saw her jerk as if she had been hurt by his words, and she gently withdrew her hand.

    He felt a knot in his stomach.

    An unusual feeling.

    Like guilt.

    He swore.

    Her eyes were downcast, and he realised how tiny she was.

    How fragile she looked.

    He knew she was waiting for him to call out his punishment on her.

    But he just watched her from her small head down to her tiny feet.

    He felt a rush of emotions he did not understand, and he pushed them aside.

    He couldn��t even tell her to leave; this was the hunt.

    Most of the wolves here were wild due to the influence of the halo moon.

    If he let her go on her own, then she would be attacked, and much worse things could happen.

    Neither could he take her to safety.

    He needed to find that elk before anyone else did.

    If Alex or someone else mistakenly did, they could challenge him and take away his pack.

    He looked back at her and realised that she was, in fact, stuck with him.

 Chapter 73: AN UNWATED COMPANION

    <h4>Chapter 73: AN UNWATED COMPANION</h4>

    JASMINE��S POV

    I quickly went down to my feet.

    "You can punish me in any way you want." I said to him.

    My heart was racing so fast that it felt like it would jump right out of my chest.

    "But please spare theke." I begged, daring myself to look back up at him.

    How could I exin that I was scared of losing theke because of what had happened to me back home?

    My family had destroyed the one thing I had loved, and I had watched it burn to ashes.

    The entire ce was destroyed.

    I couldn��t go through the trauma of that again.

    "We will discuss thister." He said, sounding irritated. "Get up."

    I did as I was told.

    "I��m sorry for being in this. I will go on my own back home." I apologized and started to leave when he grabbed me and hauled me to him.

    "Where the hell do you think you��re going?" He demanded. "The people who didn��t attend the hunt are in their homes, and the doors are locked. Those in the viges near the castle are doing the same thing. Why? Because the wolves are wild. They run mad, and you don��t want to know what they will do to a female wolf alone. Especially after she just bathed naked. You��re lucky it wasn��t someone other than me who found you. You would have never been the same."

    I gasped and shut my eyes in fear.

    He was right. I had been so stupid.

    "Even if you��re out." He started. "Didn��t Loren tell you about the dangers?"

    "No, don��t put this on him. He didn��t know. I sneaked out." I pleaded.

    "You��re breaking a lot of my rules. And you��re testing me." He said.

    Then, I realized that we were inches apart.

    With just me moving up close to me, our lips would collide.

    I could feel the electricity in the air. The tension. The awareness that our bodies were almost conjoined.

    The sudden heat overwhelmed me just being this close to him.

    And I was scared.

    I was scared of what I was feeling.

    He let go of me as if on cue, realizing how close we were.

    "Stay close with me." He said. "Don��t try anything stupid."

    I swallowed. "I��m going to follow you."

    I was confused.

    "You want to stay here?" He asked me. "As much as I want to get rid of and punish you, I won��t let you be a feast for wolf wolves. Neither will I allow them to take over my pack if I waste time taking you to safety. So you bettere with me."

    I swallowed again, and I nodded, this time in understanding.

    I tried not to look at his muscled chest or chiseled body.

    Then there was his bleeding shoulder that he still wouldn��t let me mend.

    I said nothing as he led the way.

    We were walking for a while.

    He led the way, and I followed behind like a puppy, too scared to ask questions.

    I wondered how he knew how to even search for the elk.

    It troubled me to know that they would kill such an animal.

    "When you find the great white elk, would you kill it?" I asked, hoping he would give me a different response.

    "It doesn��t concern you." He replied.

    I said nothing after that, and then I heard him sigh and say.

    "I have to present the horns. So yes, I must kill it." He said.

    "It��s an innocent animal. And it deserves to live." I corrected him. "Not just be ughtered like a sacrificialmb. If only the horns were offered, then that would be fine. It didn��t say anything about killing the elk, did they?"

    He gave an exasperated sigh. "Why the devil won��t you know your thoughts to yourself? It��s just an animal; it doesn��t matter."

    "But I heard you grew up in the wild and were friendly with animals. Doesn��t it hurt you knowing that you would kill one of the animals you hold dear for sport?" I blurted it out without thinking.

    He turned to me sharply, and just when I was ready to receive a good p, he drew me up against me.

    I gasped, wondering what he was doing.

    "Don��t move." He whispered.

    I didn��t.

    We were close again.

    And then, in a split second, something jumped from a bush and attacked us.

    It was a wolf.

    Xaden turned behind me to fight the wolf.

    His sword was shed, showing expertise to fight the intruder.

    I gasped as I watched him rip the wolf apart.

    It dropped dead, but about seven more wolves were in front of us, and we were surrounded.

    He held me tight to him, protecting me from them.

    He looked around, and I could see them sauntering to us.

    Their tongues were hanging, and their teeth were dripping with saliva.

    "Stay close to me." He told me. "No matter what."

    My heart fluttered, and I felt weird knots in my belly.

    Just like how I felt the very first day I met him.

    "Do you understand me?" He asked as he looked me in the eyes.

    He was so calm.

    So soft.

    Like an entirely different man. A kind and gentle man who only wanted to protect.

    I nodded.

    Then he hauled me up against me and began fighting the wolves.

    He dodged and pulled out his sword, using only one hand to fight because he was using his other hand to hold me close to him.

    I felt horrible knowing that I was the reason why he was so handicapped.

    He managed to kill some wolves, and then I was dragged by my dress, and I was separated from him.

    "Jasmine!" I heard him say

    I was down on the floor, and the wolf crawled up to me.

    I gasped, and my heart was beating so fast.

    And then an arrow from nowhere went right into the wolf, and it dropped dead at my feet.

    I looked up and saw it was Xaden.

    "Run!" He told me.

 Chapter 74: A HERO

    <h4>Chapter 74: A HERO</h4>

    I couldn��t leave him alone.

    I watched him take on three wolves all at once.

    "I said RUN!" He warned me.

    And then, at that moment, he lost guard and a wolf.

    He jumped on his shoulder and bit him down.

    I gasped. "Xaden!"

    He used a de to tear through the wolf, and then it whimpered.

    He turned back to me. "I SAID RUN, AND THAT IS AN ORDER!"

    I realized that I was, in fact, a distraction, and I had no choice but to run away.

    I ran, and luckily, I did not put on the chains when leaving theke, so I was able to run faster.

    I gasped, taking different routes, and heard wolves howling in the distance. I made prayers for Xaden to be okay.

    I heard a closer howl, and I turned around and saw a wolf running towards me.

    I ran faster, trying my best to maneuver it.

    But I knew that it would catch up to me.

    As I hurried on, I hid through the bushes, and the wolf came to a halt, trying to find the way I went.

    I looked left and right, then made a choice and ran the opposite way.

    After a while, I slowly emerged from the bush and ran in the opposite direction.

    Right in the middle of the field and under the moonlight was the elk.

    It stood majestic as it grazed the fields and minded its business.

    I gawked at its beauty. It was so massive.

    Everything about him was white. He was probably around seven feet, five inches tall.

    I didn��t want to disturb him, but then I heard that same howl, and I knew that the wolf hade back in this direction to find me.

    I rushed to the elk.

    "Please go." I pleaded. "You need to go, Shoo. They will harm you if they find you."

    The elk did nothing and, instead of running off, sat on the grass.

    "Shoooo. You need to go." I said, waving my hands.

    The howl seemed to be getting closer, and I stayed to worry.

    It didn��t move an inch; it just remained still, watching me.

    It even tilted its head as if asking me what I was doing.

    "You need to leave right now.

    Then I heard a growl.

    I turned around and saw that the wolf had found both of us.

    I went to stand right in front of the elk to protect it.

    "Don��te any more inches near us." I said this even though my heart was racing.

    But the wolf didn��t care, and why would he? After all, I was just a ve, and it was evident from my simple clothes.

    I couldn��t even turn into a wolf.

    I was unshifted and useless. What could I even do?

    He kept on walking towards us; the elk didn��t move an inch away from me.

    I saw a stick lying by my side, and I grabbed it and swung it at the wolf.

    "Stay back! Stay back!" I warned.

    The wolf wasn��t deterred from it, and then he jumped on me.

    I struggled as he bit through my flesh.

    I screamed in pain at how hurtful it was.

    It growled, and I struggled to push it off of me.

    I kicked it in the stomach, and it yelled.

    I was already bleeding, but it wasn��t stopping.

    It attacked me further and pushed me down on the floor.

    I raised my hands over him to prevent his teeth from shing through me.

    He kept on growling and biting as saliva dripped down on my body.

    Just when I thought I was going to die, there was a sudden silence.

    Everywhere had gone still.

    Even the wolf above me sensed something was wrong, and he stopped.

    I looked up and saw the moon radiating from us.

    The elk stood tall and domineering.

    There was a figure beside him.

    It was too bright; I could hardly even see whether it was a man or a woman.

    The wolf growled.

    "Silence." Came from a feminine yet masculine voice.

    The wolf instantly went limp.

    I felt its body, and I saw that it was already dead.

    I gasped, and terror ran through me.

    "Do not fear." I heard the voice again.

    I gently got up and had to block my eyes from the bright effect of the light on me.

    I still couldn��t see who it was.

    Except I knew that it was a woman. Or a man. Maybe it was a man with a feminine voice.

    But whatever and whoever it was, he��d appeared from nowhere and carried a sudden energy of luminescence.

    "Who are you?" I asked. "Thank you. You saved me."

    "I didn��t save you." The voice said, "You saved yourself. You gave up your life to save one of my children."

    His children?

    I was lost for words.

    "I should thank you, daughter of the blood moon." He said.

    Daughter of the Blood Moon?

    I didn��t understand.

    "I��m confused." I said.

    "You don��t know who you are. But I have watched you. I have known you right before you were born." He said. "I��m your wolf guardian."

    Wolf guardian? All these things he was saying made no sense.

    "What are you even talking about?" I asked for further help.

    "I can��t tell you anything. You have to find out on your own. It��s the way it works." He replied.

    I still couldn��t see him.

    I tried to look at him, but it was too bright.

    I was forced to cover my eyes once again.

    "Don��t try to look at me in my true form." He said. "It will only blind your naked eyes."

    I looked down.

    "The elk thanks you." He said.

    I turned and saw the elk go down on one hoof and his head lower to me.

    He was bowing down to me.

    No one.

    No one had ever bowed down to me.

    Talk less about this magnificent creature before me.

 Chapter 75: WINNER!

    <h4>Chapter 75: WINNER!</h4>

    I just watched, stunned and unable to believe my eyes.

    The elk��s horns had been lowered to me, and even the way they bowed was so divine and majestic.

    Then, it lifted its head and took a step back.

    I turned back to the luminous figure.

    "You are not alone." He said. "When you need me, I have been there for you. At the right time, you will fulfill your destiny."

    "Fulfil my destiny?" I was rmed. "I don��t understand what you��re talking about. What do you mean you have been there for? Please help me understand."

    "Daughter of the red moon. You will understand." He assured me, and just as I was about to start begging, the light began to diminish bit by bit until it was gone entirely.

    There was no one there.

    I could have said that I imagined it all had it been for the white elk who still stood before me.

    It was now grazing the grass.

    Before I could determine whether I had dreamed it was real, I heard some noises in the bush.

    Reflex and I stood right before the white elk again, but this time it was Xaden.

    I breathed a sigh of relief.

    "You��re alive and well." I said my heart was in my chest.

    "You found it." That was the first thing he said.

    Then he came towards us, and then he stopped short when he saw the wolf dead at my feet.

    "You killed him?" He asked me.

    There was bewilderment and disbelief in his eyes.

    If I had told him that a person I hadn��t seen and only spoken to had been the one who killed the wolf, he would have called me insane.

    So I said. "It was tough, but I managed to. But he had a dagger, so I used it against him."

    He stared at the wolf, unable to say a word, and I prayed that he wouldn��t toss the wolf over.

    If he did, he wouldn��t find a stab wound.

    Fortunately, he didn��t, and I sighed in relief.

    Then he walked across the wolf and came up to me. Then I remembered that he was going to want to kill the wolf.

    "Move aside." He said. "I��m taking the horns."

    I shook my head.

    I had never, for once, defied him, not even for my own sake.

    But here I was, staring into his handsome face and the mark cut across his eye.

    Making him more dangerous and alluring.

    "Please, he doesn��t need to die." I pleaded.

    "You don��t get to decide." He told me, and then he took a step closer.

    My feet went wobbly instantly. "Mind, I remind you that you are already in big trouble."

    I looked down at my hands.

    Before I said anything more, the elk stood at attention behind me, and then he bent his head.

    I thought he was bowing down again, and then I saw what he was doing.

    I understood it.

    "He is offering his horns." I said. "He knows you need it. You need the horns. You don��t need to kill the animal."

    To our shock, the horns dropped from its head to the ground, and the massive creature stood tall before galloping away.

    Xaden turned back to me.

    I picked up the horns. "Isn��t it true?"

    He said nothing and then collected the horns from me.

    "I don��t know what just happened, and I��m not asking." He said it gruffly, and then he started walking away.

    The walk back to the arena was shorter as we followed a short route, and the moment he came to the view of the massive crowds,.

    A loud round of apuse and praise erupted in the crowds.

    They screamed and cheered.

    He lifted the horns right in the air, and it made them go wild.

    They rose to their feet, screamed, and pped for him.

    "XADEN! XADEN! XADEN!" Came the chants.

    He walked to where the priestess was and dropped the horns of the massive elk.

    "Where is the rest of the body?" The high priestess asked.

    "Too heavy to carry." I heard him say. "Decided only to bring the horns."

    That was an outrageous lie, but he already had what they needed.

    The priestess raised it in the air and said, "We wee our winner of the first ritual of the Halo moon, Alpha Xaden of the Crescent Pack."

    The crowd went on apuding and screaming for him.

    I stood in my corner and smiled at him as I pped for him.

    He had been injured enough.

    He deserved it.

    Then, my intuition told me to look up in the crowd.

    And as if my eyes knew where to go, they stopped at the box reserved for the royal family.

    The King and Queen were seated together, the Princess Corral and the one I now knew as Princess Cherry.

    Meanwhile, Belle was there, but she was staring right at me like she could see through me.

    She was pping for Xaden, but her face indicated hate and anger right at me.

    She must have taken note of me as I had walked into the arena by his side.

    I became flushed and used the massive crowd��s advantage to escape.

    When I finally reached the castle, I reduced my steps as I was exhausted.

    Then, I sat by the edge of one of the gardens and took some air.

    Had I dreamed what had happened? Or was it real?

    I could not tell.

    He had called me the daughter of the red moon.

    What did that even mean? And I had been watched over? For how long?

    What importance was it for me to even be watched over by a divine figure?

    I sighed, as I couldn��t think of everything at once.

    I was extremely tired and sore from all the running I had had, so I rose up from where I was seated and went in to retire.

    When I got into my room, Loren was asleep on his books.

    I smiled, and I used a nket to cover him.

    Then I went into my room andid down to sleep.

 Chapter 76: HEALING THE MEN

    <h4>Chapter 76: HEALING THE MEN</h4>

    Early the following day, I was woken up by Loren.

    "Is everything alright?" I asked him.

    I was scared that simply handing the horns over to the priestess was insufficient or that they had found the elk.

    Or the strange man who had spoken to me.

    So much was going through my mind.

    "Help me tend to the men that are still alive." He informed me. "You know the order of using the potions and what to use to treat them, don��t you?"

    I nodded.

    "Good." He said that, and I rose from my bed and followed him to where the vast space in the quarters was for treating the sick.

    There were so many men there.

    There are about twenty of them.

    Some had lost their limbs, legs, and eyes; they had been mauled. There were so many different casualties.

    There were groans of pain.

    Loren turned to me. "Just deal with the ones. I would handle the dead."

    "Okay."

    I started to leave when he held me back. "This is your first time working with me. You said you always helped Urma get back in your pack, right?"

    "Yes, I did," I replied. "I know how to treat their wounds and what to use."

    He seemed skeptical at first, but then he said, "Alright. You can take therge ck book, see through their injuries, and know what is for who."

    His book? I didn��t know how to read. But he did not know that.

    "Don��t worry." I said. "I might not need to use it. I remember them."

    "Fine. But use it in case. If you have any issues, I��ll be downstairs with the dead bodies." He said.

    And I wondered how many people had died.

    I nodded, and then I watched him leave, leaving me with significantly injured, grown men.

    It made me wonder why Loren was the only healer.

    With a pack asrge as this one, he would need assistants.

    What happened in cases of an attack on the pack? And war?

    Did he handle it all alone?

    I was not getting the answer anytime soon, so I continued.

    I grabbed the supplies, went to the men, and treated them.

    The first one was a man with a broken arm.

    "Let me, please." I said, asking for his hand.

    He let me take it, which surprised me.

    I had expected some reluctance from the men, especially since I was considered their enemy.

    But then he was friendly with me.

    I began to clean the wound where there was bleeding. When I was done and it was well-cleaned, I turned to face the broken arm.

    Fortunately enough, the bones were not sticking out of the arm.

    I picked out the already-made splints from Loren��s box of supplies and wrapped them around the arm.

    "This might hurt," I said.

    And then I hoisted them together, and he cried in pain.

    I heard the bones align, and then I used the stic bands to wrap and hold the splints secure.

    When I was done, I examined his arm and handed him a potion.

    "Take this." I said as he received it. "Twice a day. You will take one early this morning with your meal and then take the otherte at night. Just a teaspoon. It will reduce the pain. And make sure you don��t apply pressure to the arm."

    He nodded and began to rise from where he was seated.

    I quickly assisted him up, and the members of his pack��about three of them��helped him out.

    Then it dawned on me.

    I was not treating members of this pack, but of various packs.

    The different alphas.

    There was only one Alpha in our pack, and that was Xaden.

    These Alphas were the ones who attended the hunting ritual.

    No wonder they weren��t being cold to me as usual.

    They didn��t know who I was.

    Then, I went to the next Alpha and treated them.

    I was the only one with no one assisting me, so it took me a while.

    By now, I had treated almost eleven alphas and reached the twelfth.

    "Would you please let me examine you?" I asked.

    "Of course, I will let you examine me." A familiar masculine voice said. "You could even examine more parts of me."

    The man looked up at me, and I saw it was Alexander.

    I was so terrified that I jumped, spilling the items in my box of supplies.

    He was not smiling.

    Instead, he seemed angry. Angry at me.

    I quickly bent down to pick up the items and put them back in the box.

    My heart was racing. I didn��t want to even stand up and look at him.

    But he was there.

    I tucked my hair behind my ear.

    And I looked around him to find where he was injured.

    I didn��t want to have to ask him which part of his body was injured.

    There were slight cuts around him, but nothing serious.

    It was like he came unscathed.

    Like he hadn��t been injured in the fight.

    Regardless, I went on to clean up the little cuts.

    I could feel his eyes boring into me.

    But he didn��t say a word, and then I thanked the goddess.

    I put the spirits over his wounds, but he didn��t even flinch.

    Not even when I used the needle and thread to stitch a deep slice.

    It was like he was indifferent to pain.

    He was already used to it, and nothing could ever hurt him.

    I began to fear him.

    Once I was done, I rose.

    "Here are the potions for your treatment." I informed him personally, avoiding his gaze. "You can take them once a day since your injuries aren��t severe."

    I turned to leave hurriedly, and then he caught my arm and pulled me back.

    "Where do you think you��re going?" He asked me as he licked his lips.

    "But I��m done already." I said.

    That anger streak was still written on his face.

    "I have another injury." He said. "I was cut on my thigh. Right beside my dickens and balls. Fix it."

 Chapter 77: GET ON YOUR KNEES AND SUCK MY COCK(R-18)

    <h4>Chapter 77: GET ON YOUR KNEES AND SUCK MY COCK(R-18)</h4>

    My eyes widened in disbelief.

    I flushed red.

    "W-what?" I asked, unable to believe he had indeed said that to me.

    "I said that I have a cut close to my dick." He repeated. "Someone stabbed me beside my balls. Now, get on your knees and clean it. Isn��t that what you do, you whore?"

    My heart began to race.

    My first instinct was to flee from the room, away from him.

    But if I did, people would notice something was wrong and words would fly around.

    I couldn��t take that, and I knew Alexander. He would use that as an opportunity to give me up.

    I had tried my best and managed to avoid him for so long that I had begun to believe that I had seeded.

    But now, here I was.

    The other men were waiting for me, chatting with the members of their pack who hade along.

    Therge room was rowdy.

    People were here.

    "Are you contemting an order?" He asked me. "Aren��t you supposed to treat me?"

    I began to sweat.

    Then he started to rise to his feet. "Well, it seems that Xaden might have something interesting to hear from me about you."

    "NO!" I gasped as I held on to him and stopped him from leaving.

    He smiled, but the smile didn��t go all the way to his eyes.

    "Please,," I said, trying to push him down.

    I looked around to see if people had taken note of him.

    But luckily, they hadn��t.

    "Please, I will check." I begged him.

    He looked at me and then sat back down.

    I went down to my knees before him.

    He opened his legs apart for me, and I swallowed.

    My shaking hands went to the zipper of his pants, and I undid it.

    My eyes saw a prominent bulge and pushed my focus elsewhere.

    This was degrading.

    Insulting.

    Here, I was in public with other Alphas while his manhood was to my gaze.

    I looked to his left side, which was not cut, and then to his right.

    He had not lied.

    It was there a stab wound.

    I was relieved, as I had something to deter my mind from his penis.

    I turned to my supplies and cleaned them with spirit and cotton wool.

    When I was done, I picked up the needle and thread and began to sow.

    I was at it, and I tried my best to keep my focus there and far away from his very hard manhood.

    I was praying that no one was paying close attention to us.

    When I was done, I cut the thread and rose up with relief at being done with him.

    But he forced me down and pushed my face against his cock.

    "So you��re going to leave me there hanging?" He asked me. "Huh?"

    He held my hair in his hand with such malicious intent that it hurt me.

    I was in pain, but I reduced my voice so no one would take notice.

    "You��re going to suck my dick." He said it as he hoisted it towards me. "With the people around, or I will expose your little secret."

    My eyes widened, and I tried to back out, but he hauled me back down on my knees and forced it towards my face.

    "Take it!" He said.

    I struggled.

    I was not going to do this. There were limits to what I could take, and I could not let him use me this way.

    I struggled as I fought free of him.

    He pped me on both cheeks so hard that my face reddened.

    "SUCK IT!" He yelled.

    He forced it towards my face.

    He was beyond angry at me. For what? I had no idea.

    I pushed him away.

    Then I felt him let go of me, and someone kicked him down to the ground.

    He groaned hard, and whoever it was had his boots over his neck, pressing him to his ground.

    I was bewildered, and I had been forced to sit hard on my bum to the ground.

    I looked up and saw it was none other than Erik.

    "Don��t you every a finger on a member of this pack!" He warned Alex.

    When had hee? I hadn��t even noticed.

    Regardless, he saved me from him.

    I looked around and saw that the men who could stand were standing, and those who couldn��t were looking at me.

    I became ashamed.

    Had they witnessed what had happened, too?

    I slowly rose to my feet.

    "She is a slut." He said. "And I heard that she was a ve. ves are supposed to be passed around, isn��t it?"

    "This supposed slut you im belongs only to Alpha Xaden." Erik said he was pressing his boots further down Alex��s neck. "And under no circumstances will you touch her."

    Alex was choking.

    "I am a member of the royal family." Alex said. "The King is my uncle. I can have your head for this."

    "Till then," Erik said. "But for now, you are under my boot, and with one more pressure, you will be dead."

    As if to show he was not ying around, Erik pressed his boot a bit, and Alex choked; blood sputtered from his mouth.

    I was worried.

    Worried that he would spill my secrets there and then.

    Tell them who I indeed was.

    I started to fidget and sweat.

    "So now tell me, do you understand what I��ve just said?" Erik said. "She might be a ve, yes, but she is not your ve. She might be a slut, of course, but neither is she your slut. Do you understand?"

    Alex looked like he was going to murder everyone in the entire room.

    "Fine!" He spat.

    Then Erik took his feet off him, and Alexander drew a long breath as he turned.

    "I think she is done with you." Erik told him. "Your new injuries would be fixed by yourself, not by the slut. And, oh, one more thing. Your fly is undone. You should zip it up so no one sees your cock hanging out."

 Chapter 78: STITCHING ERIK

    <h4>Chapter 78: STITCHING ERIK</h4>

    I watched as Alex rose to his feet.

    He spat the blood out of his mouth and gave us all a dirty stare.

    I expected him to expose me there and then, but he didn��t.

    Instead, he stalked off.

    And no, he didn��t fix his fly. He left it open, not caring much about anything or anyone.

    All eyes turned to me once he was out.

    Extremely weak, I sat down on a bench.

    He could have ousted me.

    I made known his im about who I indeed was, but he hadn��t.

    Worse, he has told me that I will help him kill Xaden.

    I put my face in my hands.

    I was stressed and tired; so much in my head.

    Expectationse from everywhere. First, it was from my pack, and I was to deliver information about Xaden��s activities.

    I had not been able to do that because I was illiterate.

    Then there was Xaden, who had brought me here to torture me, even though he had no idea that hurting me did not affect my family.

    And then there was the fact that I also had to bear with Alex because he had my secret.

    Aurora was always staring down at me, ready to make another death attempt.

    And then there was Princess Belle, the future Queen.

    It was like everyone was out to get me.

    I was exhausted.

    Someone came and sat beside me, and I was jolted out of my thoughts.

    It was Erik.

    "I have some injuries." He informed. "You��re the one who is to treat them, isn��t it?"

    I hadpletely forgotten that I was still supposed to treat the men.

    I jumped up to my feet.

    "Yes, yes." I nodded. "Forgive me."

    Then, I rushed up to get the remaining supplies.

    He had cuts and marks all over him.

    "Thank you for what you did." I said this as I cleaned the wounds.

    He nodded. "You��re wee."

    I didn��t know why Erik was pleasant to me.

    Even without numbers, he has saved my life.

    I couldn��t take that out of my head.

    What he always did for me. When should he hate me?

    I knew he, too, would have a story about my father.

    But here he was.

    He was the kindest man I had ever met.

    There was a silence as I took care of his wounds.

    "Your wounds." I said. "How did youe about them?"

    I thought they had said only Alphas were fighting in the forest.

    "I fought in the forest. Although I��m Xaden��s gamma, I��m also an Alpha. My pack still belongs to me." He said.

    "I see," I said, then continued with the stitches.

    I didn��t say anything for a while.

    Neither did he.

    Then he cleared his throat.

    "You know, Alex, don��t you?" He asked me.

    I jerked, but I hoped he didn��t take notice.

    "Y-yes. He was my betrothed��s brother." I said.

    After all, I was an imposter, living in ce of my true daughter, Jessica.

    "Alex has always been a wild one." Erik said. "I��m sure he hates you because his brother was killed because of Xaden."

    "It��s expected." I said.

    I was relieved that Erik didn��t suspect anything.

    He saw it as Alex being himself and me suffering for what had happened to his brother.

    "Do you still love him?" He asked me.

    "Who?" I asked, absolutely lost.

    "You��re betrothed. Dean. The one whose head was given to you in a box." He went into details, and I remembered the grotesque scene.

    I shivered. "It��s a love gone. No point crying over spilled milk."

    And then I went on with the stitching.

    I cut the thread and went on to resume another.

    There were so many cuts on him that I wondered how many people he had killed tonight to get this many cuts.

    I also wondered why their wounds didn��t heal.

    The wolves, especially Alphas, had their wounds almost healed.

    They were not like me, who was unshifted and still had to deal with my injuries.

    "It��s the halo moon." He said.

    "What?" I said I was lost.

    "You��re thinking about how we all have wounds." He said. "It��s written on your face."

    He cleared his throat and began. "The halo moon is to show the wolves their true strength. It��s almost the weakest period in the life of a wolf. A slight mistake, and you could die instantly."

    That makes sense now.

    "How long does thisst?" I asked him.

    "About three days." He said. "It��s for the entire day that the moon is present after the final ritual, then it will revert. Don��t you know these things?"

    I flustered.

    Jessica would know. After all, she had been schooled on matters of being a wolf.

    I smiled. "No, not really. Wolf culture was never my favorite, so I always deterred teachings."

    The lies were bing too much anding out more smoothly.

    "Well, it��s not so dangerous��not as dangerous as a blood moon, " he said.

    I stopped what I was doing, and the needle dangled and pricked him.

    "I��m so sorry." I apologized.

    He had just said the blood moon.

    That was what the voice had said.

    She called me the daughter of the blood moon.

    "Blood moon?" I asked. "What��s that?"

    "It��s just a myth." He said. "A myth of an apocalypse. The end of the world."

    I swallowed.

    The end of the world?

    Before I could ask more questions, the door burst open and Loren entered.

    He walked up to me and Erik.

    He looked down at the cuts that I had stitched.

    He sniffed his nose and said, "It is much better than I imagined. How many are left?"

    "About eight." I said I was turning to look around and count the men. "Seven."

    He cut the thread from Erik��sst stitch and kept it secure.

    "How many more bodies?" Erik asked.

    "About thirty," Loren replied as he examined the wounds.

    I swallowed knowing there was still work to be done.

 Chapter 79: ERIK, FRIEND OR FOE

    <h4>Chapter 79: ERIK, FRIEND OR FOE</h4>

    "Thirty bodies?" I spoke aloud and closed my mouth.

    Erik said nothing and then turned to Loren.

    "I��ll inform Xaden and ensure they are assigned to their respective packs." Erik said.

    Loren nodded and started to leave when he stopped short and looked me over.

    There was a frown stamped on his face.

    "What happened to your face?" He asked, and then, when I realized he was talking to me, I covered my cheeks.

    Then I felt it damp and sticky.

    I lifted my hands down and saw that it was blood.

    When Alex pped me, he must have unleashed his ws on me.

    I hadn��t even noticed.

    "Nothing." I said quickly.

    He frowned down at me, but I said nothing.

    At that moment, a couple of the bodies of the wolves who had been killed were brought in.

    I caught sight of the one who had attacked me and the elk and jumped.

    But he was already dead.

    He was the only person who had heard the voice and seen the luminous creature.

    Now, I was the only one.

    "And what about the book I had given you?" He asked me.

    He went to the ce the ce where he had kept the book.

    It was still untouched.

    "You used some potions." He said. "I told you to read the book because there were much easier options. These potions are had toe by."

    I didn��t read the book because I was illiterate.

    "I��m sorry about that." I apologized.

    He sighed, closed the book, and returned it to its ce.

    He was about to leave when he stopped short and exonerated the mark on my face.

    "If you won��t tell me who did this, just make sure you use some of that Lyrun." He said. "It would heal faster."

    Then Loren frowned, turned to the men carrying the bodies, and instructed them.

    I turned back to Erik.

    "Handling Loren must be a handful." He told me, "You know he doesn��t have assistants because no one came to stand for him, or rather, it��s the other way around."

    Ahhh, that was why he had no assistants or apprentices.

    "But with you, he seems to be doing fine." Erik said.

    I smiled weakly. "I��m just doing what I can."

    He put his arm around his waist and said, "Your scar."

    I sharply faced him. "Please don��t tell Alpha Xaden about it."

    "Why shouldn��t I?" He asked me. "You want me to keep something from my own Alpha? Don��t you know that��s treason?"

    I began to sweat.

    If Xaden confronts Alexander, then Alexander will tell him everything about me.

    And I would be dead.

    Xaden would kill me.

    "No, I��m not saying you should keep a secret. The cut would heal." I assured him. "I��ve had far worse. I don��t mean to cause any trouble."

    "For how long do you cover up for people?"

    He asked me. "I don��t know what it is. But you should be delighted that I will meet Xaden to tell him. That way, Xaden would punish him."

    "It��s not important." I said. "Please. Like I said, I��ve received far worse."

    "You know what I said about it being the season of Halo? And wolves being unable to heal their wounds." He stated.

    "Yes." I was wondering what he was getting at.

    "At the end of the day, Jasmine," He said. "We aren��t the strong ones. An Alpha who easily gets stabbed would die in a second. We��re used to our bodies being healed after cuts. Unless it is deadly and we die. But now, with just a cut, an Alpha could die. Your body is resistant. You��re unshifted, and you��ve received far worse. And yet, you have survived. Without the things you��ve gone through, no one would have survived. Perhaps not even myself."

    Before he could say more or before I could even ask more questions, he rose to his feet and stalked off.

    I silently prayed, hoping he would not tell Xaden what had transpired.

    I went on cleaning the wounds of the other Alphas.

    Loren finished up for me, and then, finally, they were all gone.

    I was able to sit and rest.

    "You did well." Hemented. "You should have some meals."

    I looked up and saw that it was almost breaking dawn.

    I told him, "I��ll do that before I resume my duties."

    He frowned at me. "You��ve been working around the clock. No one will pressure you to do any chores. I can promise you that."

    Before I could protest, Loren was gone.

    I cleaned up the room and returned the supplies to where they were.

    The most I would do was do a routine check on the men to treat their wounds.

    After cleaning the entire room, I heard some loud noises, like merriment, and then I hurried to a balcony to oversee what was happening.

    The women in our pack were singing songs of praise for Alpha Xaden for how he had proved his might and been the winner ofst night��s ritual.

    They threw decorations, pped, and sang.

    It indeed seemed like a happy event.

    Then I saw Princess Belle staring right at me from a balcony.

    I froze and hurriedly backed back into the balcony before retreatingpletely and hiding my face.

    Why was I bing a person of interest to her?

    I could not understand.

    After that, I decided to hide from her, too.

    When I was done with the room, Loren came back in.

    "Here." He said. "Take this to the royal family."

    My heart began to race rapidly.

    I wanted to steer clear of them.

    I shook my head. "Please, I haven��t been feeling so good. I was hoping to rest a bit before I resumed my work."

    He looks at me suspiciously.

    I expected him to be harsh and tell me to return to work.

    But he sighed and said, "Alright. Just take some rest. But you can drop itter in the evening. Make a mental note of that. I would forget."

    He dropped the potions off.

    With no choice, I picked them up.

    This chapter is updated by freew(e)bnovel.(c)om

 Chapter 80: DRESSING FOR THE FEAST

    <h4>Chapter 80: DRESSING FOR THE FEAST</h4>

    BELLE��S POV

    Belle pped for Xaden, excited to see that his pack members were celebrating his victory.

    They sang songs in his praise, and she swelled with pride.

    She was proud that this man, who many people so loved, would be here to keep her one day.

    She had not doubted it once that he would emerge without the horns.

    Xaden was a fighter.

    Then, from the corner of her eyes, she saw someone in the distance looking over a balcony.

    It was that stupid serving girl.

    She felt the fury grow within.

    She red at her, and the girl saw her and hurried away from the balcony.

    She was angry.

    First, she had seen herst night on the balcony with Xaden when he had returned from the forests with the horns.

    What had he been doing with her in the first ce?!

    What had she been doing in the forest?

    Belle had seen her in her miserly dress and rumpled form.

    Why was such a nobody hanging around his lover?

    The man she was to marry.

    She was beyond words angry and just wanted to sh and destroy.

    Upset, she turned around and marched up to her bedroom, where her mother and her grandmother were discussing.

    "Mother! Aunt!" She shrieked. "I saw that girl! With Xaden!"

    "What girl, Belle? You��re going to have to be more precise." Her mother said she was sounding weak and tired.

    Belle frowned.

    Throughout yesterday��s event, it seemed that when they came back from their ride in town, they encountered a problem.

    Her mother and aunt had been gloomy.

    "What��s wrong with you two?" She asked them.

    She didn��t care; she was extremely selfish and only wanted her matters discussed, but she also wanted gossip.

    "It��s nothing." Aunt Cherry said. "Say what you want to say or leave."

    Belle jolted up.

    Aunt Cherry was strict and gave her chills��more than her mother.

    "The serving girl," Belle said. "The one who has made Grandma think she was seeing my Skype aunt��the ugly one with the scar.

    Both women turned sharply to look at her.

    "What did you say?" Her mom asked her.

    "That girl. The red-headed girl." Belle repeated, disgusted. "I saw herst nighting out of the forest with Xaden. She was standing not so far from him when he presented the elk horns. And then again, I saw her happy and smiling this morning when the women were singing Xaden��s praises."

    Aunt Cherry and her mother exchanged stares.

    "I��m worried it might affect our ns for tomorrow��sst and final ritual." She said. "There are rumors that he protects her. What does she have that I don��t have? She is ugly, and I am a royal princess. Everything about her is miserable. Why doesn��t he look at me?"

    And she started crying.

    "My Goddess, do you have to cry about everything?!" Aunt Cherry said. "No wonder he wouldn��t even look at you. No man wants a weeping woman. How did you even raise her?"

    Corral sighed and put her hands in her face.

    "Mother, you said we��re going to execute our ns tomorrow, didn��t you?" Belle asked.

    She didn��t want to make the mistake of losing Xaden.

    This was her opportunity.

    Aunt Cherry turned to look at her. "What ns."

    "Tomorrow is the night of the ritual, and he will look for the maiden. We will make some spells and make sure she is the maiden. When the moon��s power enters him, he will see Belle and go to her." Corral said. "Hmmm. I��m impressed." Cherry said.

    Then, her grandma mused for a while.

    "Forget about that girl." Aunt Cherry said. "She is irreverent to our cause. We can��t touch her because this pack currently owns her."

    Belle suspected something was amiss.

    They knew something and didn��t want to tell her.

    She sighed. "Alright. I��ll go get prepared for the feast tonight."

    "That��s much better." Her mom prodded. "Look your best. Go and check out the dresses. I heard Aurora is gone, which means you would have Xaden all to yourself. That ve is insignificant."

    Belle smiled even though her mind told her they were singing these praises to get her out of their hair.

    She sighed, turned on her heel, and left the room.

    She walked out of the room and down the hall to herdies-in-waiting.

    "Get me my dresses!" She snapped. "I��m going to look my best today!"

    Thedies bowed down and scurried off.

    She followed them to a dressing room and tried on the different hairdos.

    The feast was the middle ritual of the Halo Moon Festival.

    They were all expected to dine and feast.

    To dance and rejoice for their victory in the first ritual.

    Belle ensured she would be seated by his side and wanted to look her best so he would not miss her.

    She tried on her dress, which they stitched, fixing the ropes behind the corset.

    "Push the cleavage higher!" She swore.

    She looked at herself in the mirror.

    All her life, she had wanted Xaden.

    He was the only man who made her feel the way she did.

    He was everything she wasn��t supposed to have.

    He was wild, dangerous, and had a strong will.

    Even her grandfather��s father had limits to what Xaden could do.

    She wanted to look her very best.

    She tried to breathe as the dress was tightened over and over.

    But she reminded herself that beauty was pain.

    She saw a young girling in and remembered that she had been one of the girls in the room cleaning with that ve girl.

    "You." She called out.

    The girl bowed. "Your majesty."

    "What��s your name?" She asked her.

    "Lisa." She responded.

    "Well, Lisa, how long have you been in this pack?" Belle asked her.

    "Over five years, your majesty." She replied.

    Belle realized that she needed someone who would know about that ve girl.

    She felt something was amiss with her, and she would investigate to find the cause.

    "Do you know the ve girl whom you worked with?" She asked.

    "Yes, Your Majesty." Lisa bowed.

    "Tell me everything you know about her." Belle said.

    Belle didn��t know that Lisa was loyal to her arch-enemy.

    Aurora.

 Chapter 81: WE LEAVE JASMINE

    <h4>Chapter 81: WE LEAVE JASMINE</h4>

    Once the door was shut behind Belle, Corral jumped up.

    "We need to do something!" She said. "We can��t let this girl have Xaden. We need to get rid of her as quickly as possible. My mother is going to find out she is Scarlet��s daughter."

    "Rx." Aunt Cherry was reprimanded. "My God, you��re as unsettled as your daughter."

    "Rx? This whole thing is about to blow. We have no n on how to get rid of this." Corral said. "You saw her! She looks like Scarlet! Even with that scar! And if the truthes to light, then eventually, they will somehow find out that I was the one who killed Scarlet."

    Aunt Cherry rose to her feet. "Keep your voice down. If they catch us, it would be your fault! So now behave!"

    But Corral closed her mouth and resumed pacing the room.

    "We need to evaluate what��s going on and how we��re going to handle it all." Aunt Cherry said. "One step at a time. No need to rush anything."

    Cherry sometimes disliked her niece.

    She was so rash and could make the wrong decisions a lot of the time.

    Cherry would have let her take the fall, but she could inadvertently ruin her ns.

    "Why don��t we use the fact that she is an imposter?" Corral asked. "We could expose her, and she would be sent far away from here."

    "That��s a great idea." Cherry said. "Except that allows my sister and her husband to investigate her further. Don��t you think?"

    She snorted in disgust and went on thinking.

    If they exposed that Jasmine was not Luna Maria��s daughter or who Xaden thought she was, the King, known as nosy, would inquire about her urate background.

    And it wouldn��t be long before they discovered who she was.

    They needed toe up with something else.

    "Alright, so what do we do? I��m out of ideas." Corral was exasperated.

    "It��s simple. We let her be." Cherry said.

    "WHAT?! WE JUST LEAVE HER LIKE THAT?!" Corral balked.

    "Exactly." Cherry nodded and took a seat.

    "But she is going to be discovered; they will know who she is; they will find a way. We have to get rid of her." Corral stammered.

    "Don��t you know that when you try to prevent something from happening, you indirectly make that thing happen? If we try to deter her from your mother, she will somehow get to her eventually. She would get the spotlight if you tried to pin things on her. Don��t you see? But if we let her be, the chances of her finding out who she is are slim and low. We have only one more day left here."

    "But what if, when we leave, she eventually finds out?" Corral asked.

    "We only found out because I sensed her. I could see her blood only because she looked like a scarlet. But we��ve been able to deter that from your mother. She now thinks she is going mad again." Cherry exined.

    "And okay if we seed? One day, it��s going toe out. Somehow. I mean, Scarlet survived and somehow had this girl. She had even lived long enough for that. Then that means people would know. At least someone would know something." Corral said it in absolute frustration.

    "And we trace it." Cherry said. "We will trace her and find out how she came to live. I will use my spies."

    "We need to get rid of her. That��s the only solution. One day, she coulde and find out. She is under the very same roof as us!" Corral cried.

    "Did I say we wouldn��t kill her? Of course, we will. But we just have to do things smartly. And not in a state of confusion like the one you��re currently in." Cherry said.

    Corral was frustrated because it was going to be on her.

    Her mother would never forgive her if she knew the truth.

    "You��re not the one who supposedly killed her sister." Corral said she itched her arm in anxiety.

    She had fought for her mother��s love, but it had nevere.

    And if parents find out.

    It would be over for her.

    "And no one will find out." Cherry assured. "We just have to be smart about it. If you had done the job properly when you should have, none of this would have happened."

    "I did my best," Corral said.

    "It doesn��t change the fact that you still didn��t do it. There is no excuse for this, and now I have to be the one to clean up your mess." Cherry drank thest ss of wine and stormed out of the room.

    Since she had arrived, she hadn��t officially met her sister.

    The false queen. The one who had taken her throne and the man she had loved.

    The only man she had ever loved.

    The one who had even banished her out of her kingdom.

    What augh!

    There was blood to be spilled, and Cherry had sworn to torment her sister for life and take over everything.

    "Where is the Queen��s bedroom?" She enquired.

    The guards took her in, and she paused, taking a deep breath before stepping in.

    She went to her room and saw her sister watering a flower pot.

    Her sister was always the perfect one.

    The most beautiful and radiating.

    Perfect marriage, lovely children.

    She wanted tough.

    It seemed her sister was talking to a servant.

    "Sister sister." She said it with a wicked smile on her face. "It��s been such a long time. Miss me?"

    Her sister, Rose, stopped short and turned around to see her.

    Rose was still beautiful even with her now ck hair, and her age had done good things for her.

    Cherry hated it because she had had to use a lot of dark magic to make herself look younger and more beautiful.

    Her sister was a natural.

    "Cherry?" Rose said this in surprise and then rose up to hug her sister.

    Cherry looked down and saw the ve girl again.

 Chapter 82: CHERRY’S MANIPULATION

    <h4>Chapter 82: CHERRY��S MANIPULATION</h4>

    CHERRY��S POV

    Cherry watched the girl with a ring nce and did her best to avoid showing her actual expression.

    Then, finally, her sister let go of her.

    "It��s so good to see you." Rose said.

    Cherry gave a stiff smile. "I��d love to say the same, but then you��re the one who sent me out of my childhood home."

    She couldn��t hide the bitterness in her voice.

    "No, please don��t say that." Rose pleaded. "I begged Rnd to let you be, but he decided."

    "You��re the Queen. He is the king��s consort. It��s you who should make the decisions." Cherry pointed out with a snort.

    "I��ve missed you so much." Rose said it was just written on her face. "Please, let��s not fight after it��s been such a long time we��ve seen."

    Cherry hated her pathetic, perfect sister.

    She hated her so much!

    "I wrote to you, but you didn��t reply." Rose said. "I was always so worried."

    "Well, where I live, we don��t have the opportunity for things like that." Cherry said it maliciously.

    Rose gave a weak and ashamed smile. "Forgive me. That was insensitive of me to say."

    Cherry wanted to say you should, but she kept it to herself and gave a fake smile. "It��s alright. I��m here; that��s what matters. Let��s forget all about the past."

    Rose��s eyes lit.

    Then, the ve girl got up from where she had been seated.

    "I will give you some privacy, Your Majesty." The girl said,.

    "Oh, Jasmine." Rose said. "I��m so sorry. My sister��s presence took me away. Tell Loren that I appreciate the potion he gave me. I would greet you personally. I feel so much better."

    "Of course, your majesty." Jasmine bowed, and then she bowed down to Cherry and hurried out of the room.

    "You didn��t tell me you had a new girl." Cherry said.

    "No, that��s just a servant from this pack. She is quite a lovely girl. Her name is Jasmine." Rose said as she tended to her nt.

    "We��ve met." Cherry said it dryly. "I saw her when I first came in."

    Rose gave a weak smile. "You know, I saw her and assumed she was Scarlet. But that��s absurd because Scarlet would be the same age as Corral."

    "I see Loren is around," Cherry said.

    She didn��t like that healer.

    "Yes. Jasmine assists him." Rose said she was watering the nt and gently picking adybug from the leaf.

    This is Jasmine again.

    Was she everywhere? All at once? Cherry didn��t like the people she hung around with. Because these were people who, if they dug further, would discover who she was.

    "Forget about Loren." Cherry said. "I��ll give you some of my own potions. They will clear away the nightmares and hallucinations."

    Rose smiled. "I think I��m fine with what Loren has offered."

    "You��re turning down your sister again." Cherry said. "Even after all these years, you would pick a stranger over me."

    Cherry let a fake teardrop, and she turned away.

    She knew how well maniption worked on her sister.

    "No, please don��t." Rose pleaded, obviously worried that she had hurt her sister. "I know you mean well to me. I would take the potion you have made for me."

    Cherry sniffed the tear away and said, "I want the best for you. You can��t trust these people. I��m your elder sister; that��s what I��m supposed to do."

    Rose nodded. "I know. Believe me. I would have wanted you toe back to me. I begged Rnd, but he would not listen to me. He is still angry with you."

    Cherry gritted her teeth.

    Rnd, Rnd.

    "But don��t worry." Rose said, grasping her hands and holding them firm. "I will speak to him and make him take off the exile. I know you��re innocent. I��m certain of it."

    Cherry turned her face away.

    "I��m sure you, too, believe him. Took his ce over mine." Cherry said.

    "NO!" Rose said. "I would never think you��re guilty of such a thing. He is just upset. It was not your fault."

    Cherry smiled at her.

    She knew her maniption worked.

    She would keep her sister hanging, throw affection, and make her do whatever she wanted.

    But Rnd was the problem, and he had sent her far away.

    At that moment, the door was opened, and Rnd came in.

    He was still so handsome, and she still wanted him.

    "My love, how are you? -

    He stopped short when he saw Cherry.

    "Hi Rnd, miss me?" Cherry winked at him.

    He blinked over and over again to be sure he was seeing well.

    He marched to where Cherry was. "What are you doing here?! I exiled you!"

    "You exiled me from my home. Not from other packs. Moreover, it��s the Halo festival. Give me a break." Cherry said that and winked at him.

    Rnd turned red in anger.

    "Rx, Rnd. She is my sister. She just came to see me." Rose said. "She cares about me."

    "Cherry doesn��t care about anyone but herself!" He said it without taking his eyes off Cherry.

    "Wow. Hate me much?" Cherryughed as she sipped the wine.

    "Don��t say that, Rnd." Rose pleaded. "She is my flesh and blood. You need to understand that. Whatever you think she did wasn��t true."

    Rnd looked at her in disbelief.

    "My God rose." Rnd said, shaking his head.

    Then he turned to Cherry. "You are not wee here!"

    "Stop that!" Rose managed to say to him.

    Cherry, witnessing the confusion she had brought among them, sighed and got to her feet.

    There was a sullen expression on her face.

    "It seems I��m not wanted." Cherry said. "I��ll just be on my way."

    And she started to leave.

    "No!" Rose was rmed. "You��re not going anywhere. You haven��t done anything wrong."

    "But I don��t want to bring a fight between you too." Cherry pouted, and then she burst into tears.

    Rose hurried to her sister.

    "No, please." She held her. "Don��t cry. Please, no one is sending you away."

    "My God!" Rnd spat in anger! "You can��t see through her bullshit?!"

    But Cherry was smiling at him.

 Chapter 83: A CURSE

    <h4>Chapter 83: A CURSE</h4>

    XADEN��S POV

    Xaden pressed the cloth over his shoulder to ease the bleeding.

    "Where is Loren?" He demanded.

    "He is attending to the dead Alphas." One of his guards told him.

    Xaden tossed the bloodied cloth on a heap of bloodied pieces of clothing.

    He picked up a fresh one. "Dead Alphas? They are dead for a reason. He works for me."

    "He isn��t the one who is treating the ill Alphas. The ve you brought in, Jasmine, Alpha Bale��s daughter." The guard exined.

    Xaden didn��t know why he had to use all that description and remind him that Bale��s daughter was here.

    "What about her?" He asked as he pressed the cloth on the bleeding shoulder.

    "She is the one treating the wolves." He said. "Then Loren is the one taking away the bodies."

    Why was she working for Loren?

    Since when did that start? And the Loren he knew didn��t like working for anyone.

    "Would you like me to send for her?" The guard asked.

    Xaden remembered when she reached out to touch his shoulder in the forest, and he vehemently shook his head.

    He didn��t want her anywhere around him.

    "I want Loren! Get me, Loren! No matter what he is doing! Bring him here!" Xaden roared, and the guards scurried away.

    He pressed the blood, and when he saw it, it began to sputter ck blood.

    It was not closing up, and he was losing blood.

    He felt his veins begin to show, and then his head began to turn.

    He knew it. It was happening again.

    He gasped and struggled as he wrestled with the attack on his mind.

    His teeth began to change, and saliva dangled and foamed from his mouth.

    He crashed to the floor, and then he struggled to look for the safe where he kept the treatment.

    But he was too weak.

    He used his belly to move, and in the process, he pulled things down.

    The transformation was bing faster and faster.

    He growled and snapped, and his back began to form. Then, just as he was about to reach the cab, he saw his hands had be times five of the original wolf hand.

    No, he couldn��t change.

    He couldn��t.

    He had said he would meet her after the Halo festival.

    Just as he felt himself begin to do ck, he slightly saw the door of his bedroom open, and then footsteps ran in.

    He thought he saw Eleanor.

    But that was not possible.

    She was far, far away.

    She came to his face.

    She was saying something.

    Something he could notprehend.

    Was he dying? Or was the wolf taking control?

    She shook him, but he felt himself going.

    He felt something pierce through him, and he saw her lift a dagger from his body.

    Then everything went nk.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    ELEANOR��S POV

    Eleanor looked at Xaden as the transformation began to subside.

    He started to revert to his original self, and he screamed as she watched the bones crack back from extrarge to their standard size.

    The fur on his body slowly went back to his human flesh.

    "What have you done to yourself, Xaden?" She asked him as she gently brushed her hand over his hair.

    He was unconscious, but he was fine.

    She lifted his heavy body on the bed and gently dropped him��just the way she had when he was a little boy.

    She opened the windows for air and checked on him again.

    When she was sure he was okay, she left the room and left the castle.

    Her horse galloped out of the pack, and she raced faster and faster.

    She had intended toe to the pack right after the festival, but she sensed something was wrong and hade at the nick of time.

    He would have changed entirely if she hadn��te, and what would he have done? ughtered everyone and reverted to his old self?

    She came down and kicked the door open when she reached the cabin.

    "No need to break down my door." Marie said it from within.

    Eleanor went right at her and pushed her down.

    Then she hauled her right back up.

    "What did you do?" Eleanor asked.

    "It��s been centuries since you weren��t on earth at our first meeting." Marie asked,ughing.

    But Eleanor held on to her tighter. "You don��t get the chance to make jokes!"

    "Well, when you say what I did, you need to be more precise." Marie said.

    "Don��t y games with me." Eleanor warned. "You know what I��m talking about. Xaden. You know? The one you cursed."

    "Oh," Marie said.

    Then she pushed herself off of Eleanor. "Is that all you��re a buzz for? Rx. I didn��t curse him. I helped him."

    Marie chewed on an apple.

    "You helped him?! By what?! Putting a hex on him?" Eleanor raged in anger.

    "The man wanted it." Marie said. "He came to meet me and told me he had heard about me and wanted someone to make a trade."

    "You��re lying." Eleanor said. "You tricked him. He would never do that."

    "Oh, why? Because he didn��te to you?" Marie asked.

    Eleanor closed her eyes. "You used dangerous magic. It is the most dangerous magic that has ever existed. And you��re being calm about it?"

    "I didn��t use it. I helped him! There is a difference! You refused to help him! And so he came to me." Marie responded.

    "I didn��t help him for a reason." Eleanor said. "It��s a dark, dangerous magic. We can��t even predict it."

    "And so what?" Marie asked.

    Eleanor wanted to explode. "What did you trade?"

    "You won��t ask what he wanted?" Marie asked.

    There was no need for Eleanor to ask what he wanted.

    He had asked her before.

    He had met her and told her he wanted power to vanquish all his enemies.

    "What did you trade?" She asked.

    "I gave him victory. I assured him that he would defeat the ones who betrayed him and their bloodlines." Marie said. "I gave him power."

    "Power that he already had! You turned him into a monster!" Eleanor retorted. "So, what did you take?"

    Marie smiled. "I took his ability to have children. He can never have children. Moreover, he never wanted it in the first ce."

    Eleanore sat down weakly on a chair.

    She had tried her best to deter him. She told him to leave it alone, but he had been so hungry on his quest that he hadpletely ignored her warnings.

    "And one more thing." She said. "He doesn��t have a heart. That one he asked me to take out."

 Chapter 84: ELEANOR AND MARIE

    <h4>Chapter 84: ELEANOR AND MARIE</h4>

    "You took out his heart?" Eleanor barked in anger.

    Her sister had done it this time.

    She had finally crossed the line, and there was no going back, no matter what.

    "Please." Marie rolled her eyes withughter. "It��s not like I killed anyone."

    Then she stopped, and she smiled before saying. "Whoops. I always do that. How could I forget?"

    And she burst outughing.

    Eleanor and Marie had been born as special witches centuries ago.

    They were wolves, but their main line was witches, and it was their job to assist the wolves.

    And be good and kind; work with them.

    They had grown up with a sect of coven witches and gone about their usual duties with other witches.

    Eleanor was the elder, and Marie was the younger.

    Eleanor was the one with the wild streak, and Marie had been the kind and calm one.

    Things went wrong when Eleanor went to work once and fell in love with a man.

    He had wanted her, and she, in turn, had wanted him.

    It was forbidden for a wolf witch to be intimate with a natural wolf.

    But Eleanor was determined.

    She had given up her life as a witch and been more than intimate with the wolf; she had also carried a child for him.!

    On hearing about this, the elders banished Eleanor from their coven and turned their backs on her, taking away her powers.

    She had moved back to the regr world and lived with the man and her child.

    But tragedy struck, and she had lost both of them.

    It was a loss that had cost her.

    Her younger sister, Marie, had grown to hate her for abandoning her and her other siblings for a wolf. When Marie came to the regr world, she used dark magic, and its powers covered her eyes with greed.

    They were both cast away.

    When Eleanor found her sister, she begged her to return to the coven since she could still live, but Marie dabbled in ck arts and could no longer return home.

    "Why did you take out his heart?" Eleanor asked.

    She was so hurt beyond words that the young boy she had raised had turned his back on her.

    Xaden hade to meet her and begged her to help him with strong magic that would help him defeat his family.

    But Eleanor had told him to let it be, or instead, if he insisted on going to war with Aloha Bale, he should go like a man.

    Xaden had left and never returned.

    She had heard of his sess from people, and when he had coke with Jasmine, it was the first time she had seen him since he had run away.

    So he went on to find Marie, and she had helped him.

    He seeded because of Marie and the evil she had put on him.

    "He said he doesn��t want to love anyone." Marie said. "He said he doesn��t want anyone to do to him what they did to his parents. He wouldn��t let them use the ones he loved as leverage. It makes him a strong man. He can only be loyal and objective, but love will never ruin a decision."

    Eleanor felt herself go weak.

    How could he have made such a decision without meeting with her or talking to her about it?

    "It��s a lie; you were the one who did it." Eleanor used. "You��re the one who took it."

    Marieughed. "Honey, he came to me. He came because of the power you couldn��t give me; I gave him. I��m stronger than he is."

    "You��re dabbling in evil power." Eleanor used. "Evil power. There is a reason why it��s called the dark arts. Why it��s prohibited."

    "Please, you��re just scared to do it for yourself. You��re jealous that I was braver than you, and I chose to use dark arts." Marie said.

    Eleanor rose up to her feet and shook her head. "Oh no, Marie, what happened to you? What happened to that little girl I knew?"

    "She is dead." Marie retorted. "She died the day you abandoned her along with her entire family. Because of you, I can never go back home. I came down here to look for you. I left the coven for you and no one else. If there is anyone who would be used, it would be you."

    Eleanor felt her heartache. "And I��m so sorry. I��ve apologized many times without a number. I will do anything to take back leaving home."

    Marie bit her lip. "There is no need to cry over spilled milk. What is done is done. The coven would never take me back, and I��m stuck here."

    "You��ve done more than enough harm." Eleanor said. "And I��ve let you go on for too long."

    Marie rolled her eyes. "Oh, please, sister, there is nothing anyone can do to stop me."

    "I can stop you," Eleanor said.

    "We��re immortal. No one can stop us." Marie said. "It��s just a waste of time. Only dark magic can stop me, and you won��t even be able to do it. You��re too much of a coward."

    "Give him back his heart." Eleanor said.

    "It was a spell. Dark magic. You and all people should know that nothing can be done to

    It." Marie responded. "Once it��s done, it��s sealed."

    "There is always something that can break it," Eleanor said.

    "Well, there is one." Marie said. "He can only ever retrieve his heart if a child of love is borne to him.

    "Child of love?" Eleanorughed. "That is reay like saying the coven would ever ept me back. How Can a man who cannot have a child have a child borne out of love when he can never fall in love? You made sure of that when you made that curse. It is ridiculous and impossible."

    "Well, that is the only way." Marie said. "Until then, he is faced with his predicament. And I believe it��s permanent.

 Chapter 85: AN ALPHA WITH NO HEART

    <h4>Chapter 85: AN ALPHA WITH NO HEART</h4>

    Eleana just red at her sister.

    "And if he has a child from love?" She asked her.

    "Then it would be broken." Marie said. "He would gain his heart. But I assure you, it was he who wanted this. Not you or anyone else. He decided by himself."

    "And what about the fact that you��ve changed him?" Eleanor asked him. "What about that? I met him on the floor, already changing into that thing."

    "It was the consequences of his actions." Marie said it without even twitching. "I warned him there would be consequences. He said he wanted them regardless."

    "He needs something if he is going to turn into a monster." Elena said. "I know what he turned him to. You know what he was turned into, but he doesn��t."

    "Like I said, it was a price for him to pay, and he willingly epted it. You know no one can receive a hex from me unless willing." Marie said.

    "How can I stop it?" Elena asked. "You better tell me."

    Marie shook her head. "No, I can do it. I don��t know if there is any way that he can be healed. He is a warrior who would defeat his enemies; that��s all that matters most. I gave him something to subside the pain and transformation. It��s not a cure, but it will be managed."

    "You��re going to pay for this." Elena warned.

    "I��m here because of you." Marie informed. "You have nothing to say or do. Get out."

    Elena had nothing to say to her sister; she just looked at her in disgust and said, "That little girl that I knew��I don��t know what happened to her."

    And she left.

    As she headed to her horse, she heard breaking and shattering and knew her sister was destroying the ce in a rage.

    She got on her horse and went on her way.

    When she got to the pack, it was already almost sundown.

    She went straight to Xaden��s room.

    As expected, he was up and already getting ready for the feast.

    "Elena." He said it, looking surprised. "What��re you doing here? When did you get here?"

    She turned to Erik, who was standing beside her. "Could you please give us a minute?"

    Erik nodded and left the room, and then she turned to Xaden.

    "How could you be so foolish?" She demanded. "How could you?"

    "What are you talking about?" He asked her.

    "You went to Dale Magic to heighten your wolf powers?" She asked him. "You did that?"

    He groaned and strolled to the window.

    "How could you be so stupid?!" She asked angrily.

    "I asked you for help, yet you turned me down!"

    He snapped. "What did you expect? Someone else helped me."

    She gave a bitter chuckle. "Really? Do you think what you received was helpful? I found you on the floor, almost fully transformed. You don��t want to know what would have happened to you if I didn��t arrive just on time."

    "I was fine." He snapped.

    "Now you don��t get to snap at me!" She pointed his beautiful brown, slender fingers at him. "You don��t! You��re my son! I raised you as my own! And I raised you in the best way I could! This is not how I raised you!"

    "I wanted revenge for my family!" He said.

    "And I told you you deserved revenge, but if you must have revenge, you must have it as a true Alpha. Not some coward who runs behind some witch who performs dark magic!" She said. "You have no idea! I have no idea what you��ve done! You think you made the right decision but haven��t even begun to understand anything."

    "It��s my life." He said.

    She shook her head. "It��s not your life. Especially not when our desires are intertwined with those of others. You know this because I told you."

    She walked up to him and grabbed him by the arms, even though he was way taller than her and thirty times more huge.

    Nheless, she shook him fervently. "What have you done?" She begged. "You gave up your ability to love? To have children? Why?"

    "Because I don��t want anyone to have leverage on me, okay?" He sparked.

    She jumped in fright, and then he sighed.

    "I know what happened to my parents. My family. My father was not able to save us or be at his full wolf potential because of us, and he still lost us. I don��t ever want to be in that position." He told her.

    "And what about the people you love? Erik? The members of your pack? The ones who are loyal to you? What are they just coteral damage?" She asked him.

    "I don��t love anyone. But I care. Very much." He said.

    "What about me?" She asked him. "You loved me as a child. I raised you like my own."

    He said nothing, and then he pulled himself free from her. "I can never love anyone."

    Elena started to wonder where she had gone wrong in raising him.

    What she had said wrong to him had made him this way.

    "It wasn��t your fault." He said it as if he were reading her mind. "It was a decision I made for myself."

    "The de wouldn��t do anything." She said. "You can��t use it to manage yourself. You need to get out of this. There are things at hand that you cannot understand. They are at y, and I will not stand by and watch you be a pawn." She said.

    "I made my decision." He said. "I��ll be more careful from now on."

    She watched him put on the rest of his clothes for the mid-rite ritual.

    The feast.

    "Will you stay with me for the festival?" he asked her.

    She held her arms and said, "I��ll remain and leave after. But you��ve disappointed me."

    "Marie deceived you." She said. "She is not good. I promise you. Nothing from her can evere good."

    "I will have my victory." He said. "That��s good enough for me."

    And with that, he picked up his sword and strolled out of the room.

 Chapter 86: THE FEAST

    <h4>Chapter 86: THE FEAST</h4>

    XADEN��S POV

    Xaden strolled to the dining hall, where all the surviving Alphas, their gammas, and Lunas were waiting for him.

    He strode head-on, trying to forget what Elena had said.

    She had been the one who had raised him as a child, and she had found him lifeless. She had to understand that he desired victory.

    No matter the cost,.

    Even if it meant losing his head.

    She had not done it for him well; someone else had.

    That was enough for him.

    He remembered how scared and hurt he was when he saw his mother being forcibly raped.

    His father��s head in their strategy room, their pack members, and his little sister are dead.

    He knew that if his father had never loved them or didn��t even have them all, he would have defeated him in a split second.

    But Bale, his father��s best friend, knew and used that against him.

    He used his family as leverage to make him weak, and he still killed them after everything.

    Xaden did not want that.

    He didn��t want to fall in love or have children because he would care for them.

    He could never be vulnerable.

    He could not love, but yet he cared.

    There was a difference, and that was all that mattered.

    He felt his chest where his heart had been ripped out and then stitched back in ce.

    No one knew. Not even Erik.

    But they knew the consequences of being in his pack.

    He would die protecting his people, and that was it. He was loyal to them and did the most for them.

    He sighed, and the doors were opened for him.

    They were all dressed in their finest attire.

    Rich and exquisite ball dresses of silk and valuable jewelry dangled around their necks and ears.

    There was chatter as the guests spoke andughed together.

    "Alpha Xaden, Alpha of the Crescent Pack, and Victor of the Hunt Ritual!" Someone announced.

    They all bow at him��even the royal family.

    It was the only time the royal family could bow to him.

    The only other time they did was when a wolf had aplished an honorable act so much that it deserved a bow from the royal family.

    But that was far from happening.

    Xaden still hated them.

    He walked to the queen, took her hands, and kissed her.

    "Queen Rose," he said.

    She smiled. "Xaden. My favorite. The only wolf who can stand before my husband and disobey him."

    He smiled. She was the only one he liked. She was the true queen, and the king was only the consort because he had married into the royal bloodline.

    But she was frequently ill, and that made it hard for her to rule.

    "It��s good to see you well." He said.

    "I wouldn��t miss the Halo festival. Especially when it��s been so long." She told him.

    Then he bowed at the king, even though he did it reluctantly.

    He turned to the other members.

    The exiled Princess Cherry, sister of the Queen; Princess Corral, daughter of the Queen; and Princess Belle, granddaughter of the Queen herself, were the next heirs to the throne.

    He kissed their hands one after the other, and when he got to Belle, she curtsied lower than the others, disying a well-pushed-up cleavage.

    He kissed her hands, and she gave him a coy and inviting nce.

    She always gave him an inviting nce, and he, in turn, ignored it as usual.

    He was not in the least bit interested in her.

    She and the women in her family spelled trouble, and Xaden was too immersed in other issues to pay them heed.

    He turned around and saw Alex standing beside them.

    Alex was also a member of the royal family in rtion to the King. He was the king��s nephew.

    Xaden gave him a dull look.

    They still hadn��t met head-on, one-on-one.

    They only always passed each other.

    "If you think I��ll bow to you, you��re out of your mind." Xaden said.

    "I��m royalty, but I expect that from you." Alex said. "We have unfinished business."

    "Are you talking about your brother? He was coteral damage." Xaden said. "I should have sent his remaining body parts to you and your entire family."

    Alex��s face twitched, but he remained calm. "You think you��ve gotten away with it, don��t you? You think you have it all under control. But you have no idea what I have in stock for you. You have no idea what I have against you."

    Xaden��s brows piqued with interest.

    But then Erik came to his side and pulled him away.

    "The feast is about to begin," Erik informed.

    Xaden looked at Alex, who was grinning, and let Erik lead him away.

    "That smirk," Xaden said.

    "What is it?" Erik asked.

    "He has something. He knows something." Xaden pointed it out.

    "Who Alexander? It��s just an empty threat." Erik said, waving it away. "He always makes empty threats. This isn��t the first time you should know this."

    "Yeah, I do." Xaden said. "But this is different. Something is just off."

    Erik was quiet.

    Then he cleared his throat. "He wants to get to you, and he is winning. But if you feel like he is doing more and you aren��t safe, I��ll simply assign some men to him to keep a close eye on him."

    Xaden said nothing, freed himself from Erik, and walked to his seat at therge feasting table.

    He sat at the head, where he was expected to be.

    When all the wolves who were to be seated had arrived, he picked the duo

    The ss before him said, "Wee, my friends and enemies."

    Someone choked and began coughing, but Xaden continued.

    "To the night of the feast. The third ritual is to be held on the eve of the halo festival." He said. "It��s with my honor that I wee everyone to my table."

    "And don��t worry." He said it with a wink. "You won��t die, hopefully."

 Chapter 87: DESIRES TOO GORE

    <h4>Chapter 87: DESIRES TOO GORE</h4>

    There was a stunned silence, and Xaden sat back in his seat, seemingly satisfied with the speech.

    The room went quiet, and they all looked at each other.

    And then someone started to p, and they followed after.

    "Please join me and feast." He said.

    The ritual of the feast was held for all the wolves who were in attendance.

    Everything was in order.

    There was expected to be dancing, open sex, drinking, food, and anything else a feast could entail.

    Xaden didn��t have much interest in the feast.

    Unlike the hunt or the final festival, which was the sacrifice.

    It was optional.

    You did not have to join or stay till the end of the night.

    While they ate their meal, a servant replenished his wine.

    It was a different person from the young man who constantly replenished his wine.

    "Where is Cullen?" hehe asked.

    "He had fallen ill, my lord." The girl said quietly. "I was made to rece him."

    He looked at her.

    She was small in stature and had brown hair.

    He started to wonder if something foul was at y.

    He waved it off as paranoia and just went on to drink the wine.

    Nothing happened, so he told her to leave.

    The girl bowed and walked away.

    He went to the meal before him and began eating.

    The female dancers came to the center of the room and began dancing seductively toward the men.

    Their red dress allured the men and women to the pleasure they offered.

    Soon, some men were pulled away, and loud moans could be heard.

    They were already having sex.

    Xaden couldn��t rte.

    He didn��t want to indulge, but he couldn��t stop it, whether it was his pack or not.

    He watched on and saw a servant pass.

    He remembered Jasmine.

    He had wanted her to perform in entertainment as part of her humiliation for being the daughter of her father.

    He has wanted to mock her.

    He frowned.

    Where was she?

    She was nowhere in sight.

    He snapped a finger at one of his wolves.

    "Where is Jasmine?" He asked. "I had made clear instructions that she was to be here. So why isn��t she?"

    The guard looked around, did not see anything, and said, "I��m not sure I��ll go and find out."

    Xaden waved his hand off, and the guard ran off.

    "You seem to be distracted."

    He turned and noticed Belle standing beside him.

    "Princess Belle,," hehe said.

    She turned to the seat reserved for his gamma, which was none other than Erik, who wasn��t present.

    "May I, Your Majesty?" She asked, nodding at the avable seat.

    He waved his hand, indicating that she was free to.

    She smiled and sat down.

    "I said you seem distressed." She said she was battling her beautifulshes at him.

    "Just other things in mind." He said. "Nothing of interest to you, my princess."

    She blushed at the way he had referred to her as his princess.

    "And the organization does not interest you either?" She asked him.

    "I prefer my sexual liaisons." He said. "It would be much too gore for you."

    She blushed again.

    "You believe I will not be fit for your sexual fantasies." She asked him.

    "A princess is delicate and should be handled carefully." He said. "Not for a barbarian like me or what my tastes could handle. You deserve a soft prince."

    He saw her face go red.

    "And you believe I cannot be handled to your satisfaction?" She asked him.

    "Of course not. Why would I want to treat the princess in such a way when in my beast mode of hardcore fucking?"

    Someone coughed. The person had been overbearing in the conversation.

    She blushed in shame.

    "Forgive me." She said this as she took a sip of her wine.

    He turned back to his and sipped nonchntly.

    He was not interested in sleeping with Belle, which is why he was pulling her legs in such a way.

    Yes, he believed that she could satisfy him, but he was just not that hungry.

    Moreover, he had a growing hatred for the royal family.

    Marrying her would mean he would be controlled by rules and confused by strict regtions.

    He did not want that.

    And worst of all, he didn��t want a king to be his father-inw.

    Then he remembered that he was infertile.

    They would have no children.

    The royals needed to breed and have children.

    If he married her, then the bloodline would stop.

    It could be a sweet revenge for them after what they did to him.

    He could imagine how horrified they would be without other heirs.

    Xaden wanted tough at the face of the king.

    But regardless of how tempting it was, he was not interested.

    He watched her sip her wine, and her face sulked.

    "What��s wrong?" He asked.

    "My wine tastes a bit off." She said that someone begged for more pleasure.

    He frowned at that.

    Had something happened to his drink? Or did she have a soft tongue for wine?

    "Mind if I taste yours?" She asked.

    He handed her his wine, and she sipped it.

    She had the same sulky expression. "It tastes the same. Forgive me; I am unustomed to wine or alcohol."

    He sighed a sigh of relief. "It happens to the best of us."

    He turned and saw someone frantically riding an Alpha who could keep his hands on her bum.

    Where was Jasmine?

    As if on cue, the guard rushed back to his side.

    "My Lord, she had some men to treat." He said. "She assisted Loren in his quarters, and some Alphas had her detained with work."

    Xaden blew in a fury.

    Since when has Jasmine be Loren��s apprentice?! And what��s more, how dare she disobey an order?

    Xaden snorted. "Drag her here if it gets to that."

    "Alpha, you don��t understand." The guard said he was sweating. "It��s Loren. He flung a potion at the guard standing beside him, making his leg a nt. He said you shoulde yourself if you wanted Jasmine."

    Xaden��s face went up in mes.

    Belle��s face went up in jealousy.

 Chapter 88: JEALOUSY

    <h4>Chapter 88: JEALOUSY</h4>

    XADEN��S POV

    Xaden was angry.

    How dare she disobey an order? How dare Loren disobey him?

    He was the Alpha.

    He was used to Loren��s disgruntled behavior because he had worked with his family as a child.

    He wouldn��t take this disrespect seriously.

    When did Jasmine start working as his assistant?

    When had he given Loren permission to have her as his assistant?

    He rose from his seat in anger.

    "You told him I wanted her brought down here, and he said what?" Xaden asked.

    The guard was shaking.

    He seemed too scared even to speak up.

    "I beg your pardon, my Lord." The guard asked.

    Belle just looked at the scene.

    "What did he say?" Xaden asked.

    The guard swallowed hard. "My lord. He said that if you wanted to get Jasmine, you shoulde get her yourself."

    The hairs on Xaden��s body stood.

    He was now at his full height.

    "You don��t need to go." Belle said. "You have guests. And you��re the man of tonight. Why don��t you leave it? You could handle it tomorrow."

    "This has to do with my pack, and I prefer to confront circumstances like this head-on." He said this as he turned to leave.

    Belle jumped up. "Would you truly leave your princess all alone?"

    He turned to look at her. "Of course, I never leave a beautiful princess alone. Take my guards and my men as apany. They will make sure my leaving didn��t even ur."

    The guards gave him away, and he walked towards the door.

    But she was bustling right behind him. "I��ll prefer yourpany, my lord. Or if you insist that you will leave, I would love to follow you wherever you go."

    He looked at her hand, which clung to his arm, and smiled.

    He bent down and pecked her cheek.

    Her face went red.

    "A pauper��s ce is no ce for a princess." He said. "I will return."

    And then he gently took her arm out of his hand and walked away.

    He went back to his furious face and stormed up the stairs.

    He was going to face Loren and Jasmine.

    So Loren had told her to stay put, and she had disobeyed his order.

    He felt his arm hurt, and he groaned.

    He still had not treated his arm. He had waited for Loren, but he had been told that Jasmine was treating the wounds, and then he waved it off.

    He didn��t want her treating him.

    He kicked down the door, and then it flung open.

    Inside were a number of Alphas who had still sustained injuries from the hunt the previous night.

    He looked around and saw Jasmine bending down and attending to an alpha.

    He fumed and walked up to her.

    "How does your arm feel now?" She asked the Alpha.

    "Much better. Thank you very much." The alpha said: "You��ve helped me."

    She smiled back as she secured the wound and ced a neat band over it.

    "I was just doing my duty." She smiled back at him. "Now, just take these, and you should be fine."

    She handed him some potions.

    "What would I do without you?" He asked.

    Xaden felt a swell of emotions in his chest. He wasn��t familiar with such.

    He had never felt such.

    The only simrity to the emotion he had felt was a vague memory of when his mother had recently had his sister, and he had always wanted to be remembered by his mom.

    He had felt neglected and wanted more attention.

    That was the only simrity he could pick to these emotions.

    Jealous? Was it jealousy? Was he jealous?

    He saw how the alpha smiled at Jasmine and how she, in turn, returned his smile, and he felt overwhelmed by his emotions.

    He grabbed her arm and hauled her to face him.

    She jumped in fright, and the potions she held crashed to the floor.

    She gasped. "Alpha Xaden."

    "What are you doing here?" He demanded of her. "I instructed that you be present at the feast. Why did you not arrive? How dare you disobey me, your alpha?"

    "It was Loren. He told me not to go." She exined. "I truly wanted toe, but he wouldn��t let me."

    He stared at her. "You��re lying. You came to fraternize with the men here, didn��t you?"

    "No," she said in disbelief.

    "Like how I caught you swimming naked, waiting for your lover, right?" He asked her cruelly.

    To his shock, she jerked her arm free.

    She had never done that before, and she stunned him by facing him and saying. "I have no interest in any man!"

    He just gasped at her.

    I was unable to believe that she had answered him back.

    Then she remembered herself, and she quickly becameposed.

    "Forgive me, my lord." She said.

    The other alpha, with the broken arm, stood up with a frown.

    "She has only helped us here. She has spent the entire day treating everyone of us." He said. "I can understand that you had made some ns initially, but don��t berate her."

    The other Alphas murmured in agreement.

    He gave a coy smile.

    It was because they had no idea who she was. To them, she was just a servant who assisted the pack healer.

    "This is my pack." He said. "Mind your fucking business."

    And then he grabbed her arm and dragged her away.

    The Alpha went to his front and stood his ground.

    "It��s yours, but that doesn��t mean you treat her like dirt. Is this how Alpha Xaden treats his subjects?" He asked him.

    Xaden eyed the young alpha.

    He didn��t need to exin his behavior to him or any of it.

    He was going to do as he liked.

    "Get out of my way. It could get ugly." He warned.

    The Alpha stood on the ground, and then his eyes turned green, indicating that his wolf was waking up.

    "I��m not going anywhere." He repeated

 Chapter 89: WHO DID THIS TO YOU?

    <h4>Chapter 89: WHO DID THIS TO YOU?</h4>

    Xaden watched as the alpha stood his ground, and then heughed.

    "You��re ying with fire." Xaden promised him. "Get out of my way if you don��t want to get hurt. I��ll give you a fast death instead of being ripped to pieces."

    "Please." Jasmine begged. "There is no need for this."

    She turned to the Alpha, who was standing his ground.

    "I beg you, this is his pack; just let him go with me." She begged. "I��m notining."

    "You��re being dragged like an animal." The alpha snapped. "And I��m putting this dog in his ce."

    Xaden��s eyes zed with fire, and his ws came out.

    At that moment, all the other Alphas came and stood right behind the first Alpha.

    They had their wounds stitched, their arms bandaged, and their legs amputated.

    But he knew them.

    They were all men Jasmine had treated.

    The young alpha turned to look at those who had stood in solidarity with him.

    He turned back to face Xaden.

    "You cane for me." He said. "But you will also have to face them."

    Xaden felt the anger in him boil.

    "Please." She begged. "You��re hurt. No one needs to fight. I am fine, I assure you. He isn��t forcing me."

    He felt sick seeing her pleading for the alpha not to fight.

    She should be pleading with him, begging him for forgiveness.

    He felt a sudden turmoil of the emotion he was unustomed to boiling inside him.

    This time, it was mixed with something else.

    Jealousy and an unexinable sadness.

    Seeing how she wanted the alpha safe and seeing how the alpha didn��t mind dying to protect her.

    Then he felt rage take over, and he turned to her.

    "So he is the one you��ve been fucking." He said.

    Her mouth dropped in shock, and he saw her beautiful green eyes.

    It was mixed with hurt and sadness.

    "No, none of what you think is true. I am with no one." She said. "I only just met them while I was treating them."

    He didn��t believe her one bit.

    He was too angry even to see clearly, and he began to feel the pain of his transformation in his body.

    He suppressed it as he violently shook his head.

    "If you��re fucking anyone." He said he was trying his best not to imagine her with anyone but him.

    But his mind started ying games.

    He started seeing her by theke where he had found her, naked and und, with the young alpha.

    It began to mess with his head and send him into a rage of jealousy.

    "Let her go." The alpha said.

    He looked at them, ready to rip them into shreds.

    They knew they could not face him, yet they stood before him.

    He could kill them all in a split second, especially given that they were most invalidated due to their wounds.

    He saw someone among the men who stood behind the young wolf.

    It was Alpha Ermin. Alpha Ermin had lost his dearest wife and daughter to Alpha Bale.

    Did he know that she was Alpha Bale��s daughter?

    And then Xaden burst intoughter.

    They all looked at him in confusion.

    When he was doneughing, he wiped a tear and said, "You are protecting this ve, whom I own. But have you any idea who she is?"

    They were all quiet.

    "She is Alpha Bale��s daughter." He said.

    And then the chill silence dropped.

    He saw it written on their faces, turning into resignation and despair.

    Then disgust.

    "Now that you know who she is, do you have any different opinions?" He asked.

    They didn��t say a word.

    "If you still want to save her, step forward." He said.

    No one did.

    He turned to Jasmine, who already had her eyes in a well of tears.

    "You see. Once they knew who you were, they all rejected you. Your blood is tainted." He said.

    He felt her jerk, but the tears didn��t drop.

    He felt an ache.

    He felt guilty.

    He felt bad.

    At that moment, Loren came.

    "What in the devil is going on?" He demanded.

    "I sent for Jasmine." Xaden informed. "And you turned down my order to have her work with you?"

    Loren looked him up and down. "Have you seen the people in this hall? Are you aware that it was Jasmine who treated them?"

    "And I didn��t bring her to be your assistant. Know your boundaries." Xaden warned.

    Moreover, Loren didn��t work anywhere; he knew that, and no one, in turn, liked to work with him.

    So how had he managed to work with Jasmine, of all people?

    The one person that Loren should hate

    Loren turned to see the expressions on the faces of the men.

    Then he turned to Xaden.

    "What did you do?" He asked him.

    "I told them the truth," Xaden said.

    Loren gave a disgusted look.

    "That girl is nothing like what you think." Loren said. "Nothing like any of you. For your information, Alpha Xaden, it was she who treated the Queen and nursed her back to Heath. If not for her, the Queen would be hanging in between death and life."

    Xaden stiffened.

    He turned to her. "Is that true?"

    She nodded silently.

    He said nothing, and then he noticed something.

    Something odd happened when she turned her face in his direction and then away.

    He held her face in his palm and looked intensely at them, even though she tried to wriggle away.

    There were w marks on her face.

    Who did this to you?" Alpha Xaden asked calmly once he had assessed the fresh marks on her back.

    Too calmly.

    Jasmine��s eyes glimmered, unable to answer.

    "God damn it! answer me! WHO? WHO FUCKING DID THIS TO YOU?!" He fumed.

    She jumped in fear, but she was still unable to form words.

    "It was Prince Alexander," Loren replied.

    Xaden��s jaw clenched, and he turned on his heels and walked out of the room.

 Chapter 90: DO NOT TOUCH WHAT BELONGS TO ME

    <h4>Chapter 90: DO NOT TOUCH WHAT BELONGS TO ME</h4>

    "Xaden, please." Jasmine begged as she followed him all the way. "Don��t do anything."

    Jasmine was scared.

    If Xaden confronted Alex head-on, then he could get into a serious altercation, and there was no doubt that Alexander would expose her secret.

    If he didn��t, then Xaden would kill Alex.

    Most likely, both would ur.

    He didn��t answer her; he just went in fast strides ahead.

    "Please, I beg you." She begged. "I am fine; nothing happened to me."

    He wasn��t having any. His face indicated zero to no expression.

    She tried to hold on to him, but Xaden was already at the massive dining hall door.

    The crowd and chatter stopped to turn as he flung the doors open with a loud bang.

    Jasmine looked at the crowd of people dressed in beautiful ball dresses and the men in tailcoat suits.

    She saw someone onvish couches naked and in the process of having sex.

    Women who had been dancing were sharing drinks.

    Was this what the feast was all about?

    She shivered as she saw how unashamed they were of their nudity.

    "Alexander!" Xaden said. "Come out."

    Jasmine��s heart was beating rapidly, and she began to shake.

    Belle, who had been seated at the dining table waiting for Xaden to return, rose to her feet.

    She walked up to him and said, "Xaden, is everything alright?"

    But he ignored her, and then he repeated. "Alexander, step forward if you are an actual wolf.

    Belle frowned when she saw Jasmine standing beside Xaden.

    Then, out of the crowd, Alexander tilted his head, and a pretty naked man who had been kneeling in front of his manhood moved away.

    Jasmine turned her eyes away as he set his cock inside his pants.

    He rose to his feet, and then the crowd dispersed for him to pass.

    They were all quiet as if they knew what was about to ur.

    "Xaden," Alex said. "I finally came to join the party, I see."

    Then he gazed down over Jasmine, and his eyes rolled down her seductively, in lust.

    Jasmine shuddered.

    Then Alex disyed his dimple. "Is it that you have decided to offer me this one as a gift? Something to appease me before I eventuallye for you?"

    All the men and women partying turned to look at Xaden now.

    Xaden walked up to Alex, and in a sharp instant, before anyone could even see iting, his hand turned to his wolf ws, and he shed at Alex.

    Some women screamed, and then men gasped.

    Jasmine held her hand over her mouth in shock.

    Alex howled his wolf, losing control, and because the attack had taken him by surprise, he was mmed to the floor.

    The men who had escorted Alex and his pack members growled and quickly turned to their wolf forms.

    But they could not stand Xaden��s men.

    The guards stood at attention, and then all of Xaden��s men turned to wolves and howled.

    Xaden howled as an Alpha, and they were all forced to obey.

    They watched as their leadery helpless on the floor while they were unable to do anything.

    "Xaden!" Belle gasped. "Who would you do that to him?! For what reason?"

    Xaden ignored her, but she tried to hold on to him.

    "I am the future Queen; I demand to know why you have been pushed to do such a thing." She asked, bewildered by his behavior.

    It was the Xaden who turned to her, and he said, "He touched what belonged to me."

    And he turned his face away from her.

    Belle stopped short, searching for answers, and then she saw Jasmine standing right behind Xaden.

    And then she saw the bright w marks on her cheeks, and she knew Alex had given her.

    And it finally dawned on her that Xaden was protecting Jasmine.

    The rumors were all true.

    She looked at Jasmine with absolute hate.

    Xaden turned back to Alex and squatted down on him as he further pressed him to the ground.

    "This was what caused you to sin. It was because of the eyes that you viewed what belonged to me." Xaden said so calmly that it was terrifying. "It will be destroyed."

    At that moment, he stepped on the eyeball that had been on the floor, and it became nothing but pieces.

    Alex was struggling to be freed.

    But theck of one eye invalidated him.

    Then Xaden grabbed his arm, hauled him up to his feet, and forced him down to kneel before him.

    Xaden fiercely held Alex��s arms as he gazed right into his bleeding eye and Alex��s furious face.

    "This was what you did to harm what belonged to me. It shall be cut off." He said

    Xaden��s wolf ws came out, and he cut out Alex��s wrists.

    Alex screamed as the blood gushed out.

    Xaden tossed the hand to the floor.

    There was silence; no one said a word.

    The only sound that could be heard was Alex screaming in pain and swearing that Xaden was going to pay.

    Then Xaden turned to everyone else. As if on cue, they took a step back, even though they were distant from him.

    No one wanted to tamper with the Alpha.

    "This would be a lesson for everyone. Royal family or not, Alpha or Omega." He said. "You will steer clear of what is mine. Especially when it is in my own territory. In my pack."

    With that, he tossed the bloodied arm and walked away.

    Then he stopped and smiled at them all.

    "Oh, please." He said. "Return back to the party. A halo feast doesn��t happen every year. And if you��re worried about the bloody and half-dead man on the floor, just sidestep and ignore him."

    Then Xaden grabbed Jasmine��s arm and pulled her to him, holding her close.

    Indicating that she might be his enemy, but she was still his property.

    Jasmine felt all eyes on her back as she followed him behind.

 Chapter 91: RETRIBUTION

    <h4>Chapter 91: RETRIBUTION</h4>

    Once they were out of the dining hall, Xaden dragged Jasmine along.

    It was nighttime, and the castle��s hallway lit dimly, giving off a beautiful silhouette.

    The moonlight mainly illuminated it.

    He pulled her along, and she managed to keep up with him.

    "My lord, please." She begged him, but he still dragged her along, not caring what she said.

    Then he heard her tiny voice say: "My Lord, forgive me, but you��re hurting me."

    He stopped short, let her go, and saw that his ws had gone so deep in her arm that they bled.

    She rubbed her arm.

    He seemed surprised that he had done that, and then he looked like a young boy who had not intentionally caused trouble.

    As if he were sorry.

    "It��s okay." She whispered with a weak smile.

    He had not apologized, had he?

    He had never apologized in his entire life.

    He blinked at her. "Why did you say that?"

    She looked back at him in surprise. "My lord. You apologized. You told me you were sorry."

    Xaden felt a sting in his chest.

    She must be jesting him. There was no way that he would tell her sorry.

    He had only said that as a child with his family.

    And he considered that life dead.

    He had never apologized. I never used the word.

    Not even when Elena had raised him as his mother.

    So, who was she that he would apologize to?

    He jerked himself off her.

    "I never said such words." He said to her, even though he mostly tried to convince himself he couldn��t have.

    "But, my lord, you

    "I SAID I MADE NO SUCU WORDS!" He barked as he pushed her against the wall, his presence overpowering her.

    She closed her eyes, and then he felt a sudden pull towards her.

    A sudden I have an have an unusual and unique hunger.

    The type of hunger the day he had firstin with her, the day he had taken her virginity.

    He had felt the hunger and its need to be embraced, but he had had to suppress it, regardless of his feelings.

    Because of whatever possessed him, his anger and resentment must be more assertive.

    That was what he had told himself.

    He pushed himself away from her, then turned around to leave when Erik and another wolf named Damian came in.

    "Don��t even tell me I was wrong," Xaden said.

    "I was not going to say that." Erikmended.

    Damian stood. He was a wolf she had seen frequently around.

    He had also been among the wolves who had joined Xaden when her pack had been raided.

    It was mainly Erik and Xaden who remained in the pack.

    She hadn��t seen the others in a while.

    She wondered where they had all been.

    "My lord." Damian said. "We��ve just returned."

    It was as if only then had he noticed Damian��s presence.

    "And are all the packs in order?" He asked Damian.

    "Yes, they are." Damian replied. "We had no casualties. We could give you the breakdown if you��re ready."

    "Leave it till tomorrow." Xaden said, then he turned to Erik. "What? The King demands my presence because of what I did to his nephew."

    "You touched royal blood, Xaden." Erik said. "It has consequences."

    Xaden wanted tough. "So it��s an issue when I touch someone in the royal family but not a problem when my family is killed? He knows he can��t face me. King or not. Moreover, he isn��t of royal blood. Neither is Alexander. I should have killed him off when I had the chance."

    Erik sighed and looked at Jasmine, who, in turn, looked at her feet.

    Xaden saw the two of them.

    "You knew?" He asked Erik.

    Erik sighed. "Yes, I did."

    "So now we��re keeping secrets? That��s treason." He said.

    Jasmine remembered what Erik had been telling her about keeping secrets.

    She jumped in.

    There had already been bloodshed.

    She knew there would be more, but she wasn��t sure.

    Xaden was angry, and she could not predict what he would or wouldn��t do.

    "It was me." She said. "I told him not to tell you."

    "You again," Xaden said.

    "He didn��t mean to." She started. "I begged him. I didn��t want him to tell you because I was worried about what you would do."

    "You were worried I would separate you and your brother-inw, weren��t you? That scream you made out back there was because you didn��t want me to hurt him, wasn��t it?"

    "No."

    He hushed her with a raised hand.

    Then Xaden turned to Erik. "I��ll let this slide. If Alex starts whining, shut him up, and the King knows better than to confront me."

    Xaden was tired.

    His shoulder hurt, and he wanted to rest.

    He sighed as he turned around to walk to his bedroom.

    Jasmine followed him behind.

    "My Lord, why did you call me to the hall." She said. "You haven��t told me yet."

    He gave a mean smile. "You still want to dance for my men, half-naked?"

    She jerked back, and he saw the chill in her face.

    He said nothing as he went back to his bedroom.

    He stepped in and took off his shirt.

    He flung it aside and saw the wound that had begun to taint with ck blood.

    It felt sticky.

    He sighed.

    He would wait for Loren to treat him.

    He called for the water in his baths to be brought to him.

    He heard the servant bring in the bucket of hot water.

    He was tired and preferred having the maid wash him herself.

    He took off his robe and strode naked to the bathroom, where the bathtub was.

    Then he heard the servant pouring the water in until it was hot enough.

    He stepped in and closed his eyes as the water soothed his tired body.

    He closed his eyes, and when he heard the servant begin to leave, he said.

    "You will wash me tonight."

    What he did not know was that the servant was none other than Jasmine.

 Chapter 92: THE PLOT

    <h4>Chapter 92: THE PLOT</h4>

    BELLE��S POV

    Belle watched in humiliation as Xaden attacked another Alpha over a mere ve.

    First, he turned down her offer to be with him and went after the ve.

    And just as she stood watching him leave with her, she felt ashamed.

    She turned around and saw that all eyes were on her.

    He had disgraced her, all because of that mere servant!

    Alex groaned in pain as his men came to his assistance.

    She had never liked her cousin Alexander, so she didn��t feel so bad that he was hurt.

    What she wanted was for Xaden to take someone��s life for her.

    The way he had done it for this ve!

    She bent down towards Alex. "You��re so weak and useless!"

    "Better a weak Alpha than a jilted woman." Alexander said. "You would never have him."

    Her face went ashen white.

    "How dare you?" She started.

    His men assisted in lifting him.

    "Don��t be stupid. Spoilt daddy��s girl. You think everyone doesn��t see it?" And his voice went louder.

    She felt cold and ashamed.

    "Everyone sees how the King��s daughter and the future Queen parade themselves, chasing after a man who does not want her." He said.

    There were murmurs in the crowd.

    Belle instantly regretted pouring her anger on him.

    "Be quiet, or I��ll

    "And even fighting in front of ves," Alex said.

    She pulsed and took a step back.

    "Better a weak Alpha than a woman who, regardless of how many times she spreads her legs open," he said. "I would never attract a man."

    There were gasps among the crowd.

    No one in the royal family was there to support her.

    Her parents had retired, and her mother and aunt were off somewhere.

    She was d they weren��t because she couldn��t stand this shame.

    She went to the table, grabbed the goblet that Xaden had drunk from, and left.

    As usual, she marched out of the ballroom in despair and humiliation and ran to where her mother could be.

    She found her mother and aunt stirring a massive pot.

    They turned to look at her.

    "What��s the matter with you?" Her mother asked.

    "Something needs to be done about that ve." Belle said. "She is ruining everything."

    "What happened?" Her aunt asked.

    Belle narrated everything, and the women were both silent.

    Belle looked at both women.

    "She needs to go! He almost killed Alexander because of her! For her! What did she do to him?! I thought she was the enemy! I thought he hated her!" Belle wailed.

    "He does hate her." Her aunt said. "It��s just a littleplicated." He must have had to have married and bonded with her to bring her from her home. He would not disobey the rules and force her here."

    "B-bonded?" Belle stuttered. "So they are mates?"

    "Of course not." Her mother said this as she stirred the pot further. Bonded doesn��t mean mate. It��s just a way of being tied to someone. She is pulled to him, and he, in turn, is pulled to her."

    Belle wanted to throw up as she felt sick and overwhelmed by the news.

    "But bonds can be broken like anything else." Her aunt said. "Wipe your tears. It��s just temporary."

    Temporary? Belle didn��t feel it was temporary when he was fighting other Alphas over her.

    "I just want to see her gone." Belle said. "He stood me up in front of everyone. He didn��t even acknowledge that I was there."

    "Did you bring the goblet?" Aunt Cherry asked.

    Belle sighed and handed the goblet.

    Aunt Cherry received it and smiled. "This is the most important thing to us. Did he drink from it? And did you?"

    Belle nodded. "Yes."

    She dropped the goblet inside the pot and resumed stirring.

    The pot emitted green smoke and returned to the inside.

    "So what exactly is this going to do?" Belle asked impatiently.

    All she wanted to know was if it would get her Xaden.

    She didn��t care about how but wanted to know if it would work.

    "The drink was tainted with one of my potions." Aunt Cherry said. "He had to drink it, which was why you had to drink it too. You both must taste the challenge for it to work. Now that the goblet you bought drunk off is here, the powers will manifest tomorrow."

    Belle still didn��t understand.

    They had not entirely exined the spell and what it was for, but she had obeyed their instructions.

    "How is this going to get me Xaden?" She asked uninterestedly, going straight to the matter at hand.

    "Patience, my child." Aunt Cherry said as she continued stirring. Do you know what thest and final Halo festival is about?"

    Belle shrugged. She slept off when her teachers and schrs taught her that part.

    She hates learning about being a wolf. It was boring.

    "Well, the sacrifice is thest and most important festival. The victor who won the hunt, who is also expected to be the pack��s Alpha, is to perform this sacrifice. All the Alphas are to be present, as are other high-ranking wolves. The lower ss would return to their homes. When it��s time, the Victor will take in power from the halo moon, driving him insane. He is to find the maiden."

    "M-maiden? What maiden?" Belle asked.

    "What were you doing when your schrs were teaching you? A queen is supposed to be dull!" GrandAunt Cherry snapped.

    Belle looked down at her feet.

    "He will look for the maiden. The spirits would give him a maiden; even if she were a thousand miles away, he would find her in the blink of an eye. And when he does, he will mate with her. Release the power with the maiden, and then they release great and powerful magic that will sustain the wolves until the next halo festival." She exined.

    "Who is this maiden going to be?" Belle asked quietly.

    "We have no idea. But whoever she is, it��s going to be reversed. This magic we��ve made will make you the maiden." Her mother said this to her as she took the stirring pot from Aunt Cherry. "And then Xaden will mate with you and have no choice but to marry you."

    Belle smiled.

    She couldn��t wait for tomorrow night.

 Chapter 93: WASH HIS LORDSHIP

    <h4>Chapter 93: WASH HIS LORDSHIP</h4>

    Jasmine��s POV

    Jasmine hung hurdled in a corner in the bath as she watched Xaden sit in andmand that she wash him.

    His eyes were closed, and he still had no idea she was in his bedroom with him.

    After his confrontation with her, he stormed off to his chambers, and she, in turn, had gone in the direction of the quarters where Loren was waiting for her.

    Without saying a word, she had gone back to her duties.

    When she had approached the Alphas, she had been treated, and then they all moved away from her.

    She had been stunned at first.

    What was the reason?

    She left the injured Alpha and went to the one who had stood for her, even though Xaden would have killed him.

    Moreover, she hadn��t been finished with his injuries.

    "Let me give that the final touch." She said it with a smile.

    But he moved away, and she felt a sting in her heart.

    What was wrong?

    "It won��t take long." She assured him. "I just-

    "My injuries are fine." He said he was turning his face away from her.

    She looked up to see the other men and saw that they were doing anything but looking at her.

    No one wanted to make eye contact with her.

    Had she only imagined that they had wanted to die for her?

    They were treating her like an outcast.

    And then it hit her.

    What Xaden had told them.

    He had told them who her father was and whose child she was.

    She swallowed ufortably.

    When they did not know who she was, they wanted to fight for her, but once they knew whose blood she shared, theypletely ignored her.

    They utterly rejected her, and their need for protection turned to hate.

    She felt a cold shiver down her spine.

    Xaden had been right.

    No one would want her as long as she was Bale��s daughter.

    She was Bale��s daughter first before her own true identity.

    She felt herself weaken, bowed to the Alpha, and said, "I know you hate me now because of who I am. But I want to tell you, thank you for saving me. I don��t get much of that."

    The Alpha didn��t say a word; he kept his gaze elsewhere.

    Loren, from afar, noticed what was going on as he cleaned someone��s wounds.

    Jasmine turned around and left the room, knowing she was not wanted anywhere near these men.

    As she walked down the hallway, she came across Lady Belinda.

    "Finally someone." She said this to Jasmine. "Loren said you were working with him to treat the injured wolves."

    Jasmine bowed. "Yes. Ma��am."

    "I don��t know how you do it. But you must be a very understandable and easy-going person to be able to stand Loren. I��m sure he wouldn��t even be able to stand himself if they let him." She said.

    She sighed and wriggled her hands.

    "Well, are you free now?" She asked me. "All the women are working, and Alpha Xaden needs to have his bath."

    Jasmine choked.

    "Plus, he had an injury that Loren was supposed to treat." She said. "Loren said he had been busy, and I would have sewed the wound myself. But with the chaos in the dinner hall, I��m needed."

    "So you will have to take over." Miss Belinda said.

    Jasmine knew that she could not decline it.

    Neither could she exin to Miss Belinda that Alpha Xaden didn��t want her anywhere around him.

    She eventually sighed and gave in.

    "Of course, Miss Belinda." Jasmine said.

    "You know where the hot water is." Miss Belinda said: "And do whatever he wants. I don��t know why he is in a terrible mood. It probably has to do with the fact that he murdered another wolf. I wonder the reason why."

    Jasmine couldn��t say that it was because of her.

    "I have to go now. Do as he says and be on his best side. Like I said, he is already grumpy. He wanted Eyline. But she isn��t here." Miss Belinda said.

    She had heard of Eyline.

    She was the one who bathed Alpha Xaden. Not even Aurora did. The rumor was that Eyline massaged him and gave him more than just a massage.

    Even Aurora hated her.

    But she was currently not in the pack.

    The story was that she had stayed with her family in a different pack.

    She was not surprised because, back in the pack, servants were given to Alphas to assist in their baths.

    She had never done it because her father wanted no one to see her.

    Jessica had frequently given baths, as was the custom.

    "I better be on my way now." Miss Belinda said that and hurried off.

    She went to the boiling room and fetched the buckets of hot water.

    Fortunately for her, she no longer had the chains attached to my ankles so that she could walk well.

    Then she hurried to Loren��s quarters and fetched the first aid kit she would use to sew and treat his wound.

    Then she hurried back to where his room was.

    As soon as she stepped into the massive bedroom, she dropped the potions by the bed, and then I hurried with the water into the bathroom.

    He came in, and he didn��t take notice of her.

    He stripped out of his robes and strode into the bathtub with the water she had already mixed.

    She wondered how she would clean his wound when he finally discovered it was hers.

    Then she heard him say.

    "Wash me tonight."

    She swallowed, went down on her knees, and gently picked up the sponge and massaged it over his body.

    She heard a moan escape his lips, and her heart fluttered.

    This was the first time she was examining his chest.

    There were tattoos all over, and his body was well-chiseled and muscled, disying hisbat efficiency.

    She touched where the injury was, and his eyes fluttered open.

 Chapter 94: HEALING HIS WOUNS(R-18)

    <h4>Chapter 94: HEALING HIS WOUNS(R-18)</h4>

    Xaden��s eyes shed open, and he grabbed her arm before she even reached him.

    He gently but dangerously sat up in the water, and his wet hair dropped down on his perfect chest.

    She swallowed hard.

    "What are you doing here?" He demanded, his eyes zing with fire.

    For an instant, all Jasmine could do was admire his lean, well-muscled body, as if the goddess herself had taken her time to work on him so that he would look like one of the gods.

    His definitive body dispelled how much he had fought on the battlefield.

    And then she remembered that she was still staring at him, and she swallowed again.

    "I don��t like repeating myself. Don��t make me, or you will receive a beating from me." He promised her. "Now tell me. What are you doing in my bath? How dare you step into my chambers?"

    "I-I...dy B-Belinda instructed me to serve you your water." She exined that sweat was going down her forehead.

    "You are not instructed to work in my chambers." He said.

    "Y-yes. But all the maids were gone, and with what happened in the evening, She said she had to face things herself." She exined.

    He just stared at her. "Leave. I already have the water to bathe. I can bathe myself."

    She looked at him in surprise. "But my lord. You just requested that I wash you."

    "If you are a slut washing your father��s guests, then your hands would not touch mine." He shot.

    Jasmine flinched back without meaning to do so.

    The sting of hurt was present.

    She knew what he was saying, and even then, she still had not been allowed to bathe any alpha.

    Of course, he would not know this because he saw her as nothing but the daughter of his enemy.

    He seemed like a rat hiding from its predator while she was the cat.

    He was backed to the far end of the bath as a touch from her would burn him.

    "Please, your majesty." She managed. "Your wounds will be infected."

    "I said leave! I can handle it myself." He started rising from the bath but weakly dropped down in a ssh.

    She hurriedly went to his side and held him before gently easing him back.

    "You��re hurt." She expressed. "If you don��t let me heal you now, then the wound will go bad. You might not be able to perform thest ritual."

    He chuckled. "I assure you that whether I am wounded or not, I can perform thest ritual."

    She frowned. She didn��t understand what he meant.

    And he felt a smile creak up his face.

    He had always seen her face downward; she rarely made any expressions, but seeing her frown was the first.

    And it amused him to see her red brows gathered together.

    "You don��t know what the final ritual is about, do you?" He asked.

    She shook her head innocently. "No, my lord."

    That was odd; as the daughter of an Alpha, she was to know all about their festival and rituals.

    "It��s all about fucking." He said.

    He saw the horror in her face and stopped himself fromughing.

    Then he felt his arm burn, and he groaned.

    "Please." She begged him. "Let me heal you."

    He looked at her, and then he sighed, giving in.

    She rose and hurried out to get her supplies from the bedroom.

    When she returned, she set it aside as she cleaned the wound neatly.

    She opened the door, which was already slightly open, and saw it was already getting infected.

    Her face went grim, and then she sighed and gently cleaned the split ends.

    There was a pregnant silence over them, and I felt her hands shaking as she worked on it.

    "How did you learn how to nurse people?" He asked.

    "When I was young, I liked visiting our healer��s quarters to watch her. I picked the interest." She exined.

    "And so now you are here to heal us or find a way to kill me." He said.

    She flinched, remembering what Alexander had said.

    She would be his aplice in killing Xaden.

    "I wouldn��t do such." She said. "But I cannot deter your mind."

    He said nothing as she picked up a tiny bottle.

    "This might hurt my lord." She said.

    Then she poured its contents into the open wound, and he groaned in pain.

    "What the bloody hell is that?" He demanded.

    "It��s an elixir." She said. "It would kill the infection already growing. I��m sorry, my lord."

    Then, she neatly cleaned it and picked up the needle and thread to sew it.

    "What��re you doing in thatke?" He asked. "And naked."

    She swallowed. "No one was there. No one everes. I just wanted to be free. I swear my life to you. I awaited no one there."

    He saw a red lock go loose from her hair, and the urge to set it across her ear burned through him, but he withstood the temptation.

    He tilted his head away to prevent him from staring at her.

    He withstood the gentle motion of her sewing the wound until it was neatly secured.

    Then she picked up a pair of scissors and gently cut the thread.

    "Your wounds would be fine." She said. "But I��m afraid you shouldn��t put a strain on it. It could open up and get worse."

    His face remained facing elsewhere.

    Then she quietly said, "I would give you some treatments that would ease the pain and speed up the process."

    He still said nothing.

    She gathered her supplies and began to rise to her feet when she felt a hand stop her and pull her back.

    She fell into the bath with him, and there was a loud ssh.

    There were barely a few inches between them, and both breathed heavily.

    The hunger, tension, desire, and raw, hungry chemistry hung in the air so powerfully that you could taste it.

    And then he did what he had been holding back the night of the hunt when he had seen her naked.

    He took her lips in a fierce kiss.

 Chapter 95: TASTES LIKE HONEY (R-18)

    <h4>Chapter 95: TASTES LIKE HONEY (R-18)</h4>

    Xaden��s lips went over hers, and he felt overwhelmed with passion.

    Hunger and raw desire.

    So this was what it meant to kiss someone?

    He had never kissed anyone, but yet it was like he subconsciously knew how to.

    It was like he knew what he was doing.

    He tilted his head and let his tongue dive into her warm mouth, and he heard a soft moan escape her lips.

    It was what he had always thought she would

    Taste like.

    Honey. He instinctively wondered if she would taste that way down there, too.

    He pulled her face closer to him, and he felt her throw her arms around his neck and draw him closer to her.

    She flicked her tongue in his mouth, and she tasted his saliva, and then it was rage.

    Wanting and desire.

    It was like kissing her made him want more of her. It was like his body wanted more.

    He pulled her over him, and she was drenched in the cold water.

    As he lifted her to be on him, she gasped and said, "My lord, your arm."

    "Fuck it." He mumbled, and then he pulled her lips down on his.

    He tasted it, nibbled her bottom lip, and sucked on it.

    If this was what it was like to kiss, then he wanted to kiss forever.

    In his mind, this was what he wanted to do.

    There was no one else.

    He was no one.

    He was only Xaden, not an Alpha, not the child of histe parents, only him.

    And she, in turn, was Jasmine. She didn��t have any tainted blood.

    She was only Jasmine, the woman he hungered for.

    He pushed his hand over his breasts and felt how they had be so hardened.

    He had never examined her body before.

    The first time had been rash and quick.

    But he had the time.

    He felt how full they were and pushed his hands around them.

    He let his finger touch her pointed nipples, and then she threw her head back to moan in pleasure.

    He didn��t just want to feel it.

    He wanted to taste it and gaze at them. Bite them.

    He ripped open the front bodice of her dress and exposed her full and lush bosom to his gaze.

    He heard her gasp and began to cover her chest to hide herself from him.

    But he pushed her hands away, and he gasped.

    "Gods."

    Then he set his head over her chest and felt how warm they were.

    He heard her heartbeat, and he went down to her breasts and sucked on her nipples.

    She cried out in pain. "My lord."

    He rolled his tongue over her nipple and dragged it with his teeth.

    He felt her shiver, and he only pulled her further to him.

    Then he sucked on it.

    He touched the spare nipple with his fingertips and rolled them in perfect rhythm.

    "Please, my lord. Ohhhh." She cried in pleasure.

    He used his mouth to suck the entire breast in hunger, and she cried out.

    He let his hands roam down her skinny waist, and he felt how hard his manhood was for her.

    He wanted to move inside her until she begged him for more.

    She cried for him and writhed in pleasure at her orgasm.

    He didn��t just want to please himself, but her too.

    He nestled his lips on her neck, and she gasped louder than ever, and he knew he had found her weak spot.

    She cried aloud as he nibbled on her neck. Giving her such a fierce love bite made her crave more.

    As if he were drawing blood from her.

    The pleasure was unbearable because she cried and wrapped her arms around him, begging him to stop and begging him to give her more.

    He had never desired another woman the way he desired her��the way he hungered for her.

    No one, Aurora or the hundreds of wolves he had slept with.

    But her.

    It was like an unquenched desire that only made him hungry for more with the taste that he had.

    That was all it took��just one kiss from this forbidden apple.

    And then he let his fingers go down in between her legs and under the water.

    He caressed her in between her legs, and she cried.

    She was warm and hot, and despite them being in the water, he could tell she was dripping for him.

    He could tell that she was overspilling the liquids in between her legs.

    He gasped as he slowly began to massage her.

    "M-my l-lord." She pleaded. "O-h... o-please."

    He lifted his head to gaze up at her.

    Her face had gone red, and her lips were slightly ajar as each moan escaped.

    He wanted to plunge into her and run to her deepest spots.

    He wanted to im ownership of her and mark her as his because he had bought her; he was the first to have dived in between her legs.

    He wanted to feel that pulsating warmth.

    He put his finger in between her legs, and then he moved rhythmically.

    She cried, gasping, pleading, and scratching at his back.

    As if she were unable to believe this torture, as if she did not understand, yet she wanted more.

    Then she looked back down at him, and he froze.

    He saw her beautiful green eyes and her slick red hair with the bath water.

    The scar on the right side of her head.

    And then he stopped.

    It dawned on him.

    This was Jasmine, his enemy��s daughter.

    The one he hated the most.

    Her blood was tainted. She would never be with him. He sure as hell knew she was as bad as her father.

    She was seducing him only to get to him.

    Displeasure and hate filled his eyes, and then rage followed.

    She saw it quickly, and the beautiful smile that had been stamped on her face when they made eye contact fell.

    "Get out."

 Chapter 96: TAINTED BLOOD

    <h4>Chapter 96: TAINTED BLOOD</h4>

    Jasmine looked at him in disbelief.

    "W-what?" She stuttered.

    She had felt it when he had frozen; when she had looked him in the eye, they were zing red with hate.

    She knew hate. She had seen it in the eyes of everyone who had looked at her.

    She was familiar with it.

    But she had pushed it aside because there was no way he would hate her.

    At least not now.

    Not with the emotions she could feel or the way he had touched her.

    Not with the way he had made her feel.

    "I said, Get out." He said colder.

    Her body shook, and she remained frozen for a split second, and then she was stunned when he did the unthinkable.

    He pushed her off him, and he rose out of the bath.

    He didn��t bother wearing a robe as he yanked her to her feet and out of the bath with one hand.

    She gasped, and then she realized that the front bodice of her dress was in shreds.

    She was almost und.

    She felt so stupid.

    What had she been thinking?

    Did he genuinely feel anything for her?

    That he wanted her as much as her own body had desired him?

    She swallowed heavily.

    She had bared herself to him like aplete slut.

    He had just been using her how she should have known! She should have known better.

    Her body belonged only to him and only to him for pleasure.

    She knew that, as an Alpha who had bought her into captivity, she was subject to anything he desired of her.

    She had no say in the matter.

    But this had been different from the first time he had slept with her.

    She had wanted more of him, hungered for his touch, and felt her body do things she had never known she would do. Things she didn��t understand.

    And now look where that had gotten her��almost half naked, her wet dress clinging to her body.

    She knew that if anyone gazed at her flimsy dress, they would see what was underneath it.

    She gazed at him as she held the shredded front bodice.

    His face was unloveable.

    He had no expression; it was just cold.

    "Get out," he repeated.

    The words stung her, and she flinched.

    Ashamed of herself and knowing that he would kick her out of his chambers if she didn��t leave, she slowly picked up the bag containing her medical materials and left the chamber.

    Her feet felt highly wobbly.

    Whether it was from him touching her all over or from the fear and sudden shock of him kicking her out, she would never know.

    She could feel his irritation as he went ahead of her and, still without wearing any clothes, strode out of the bathroom.

    He walked to the door and swung it open for her.

    He turned his face away, refusing to look at her.

    With her hands fiercely holding the front bodice of her dress, she walked to the door.

    She looked at him, the water streaking down his beautiful hair and setting against his perfect chest. She wondered what she had done wrong.

    She wanted to ask him and tried until she found the voice within herself.

    "M-my lord, if I��ve done anything wrong to you, then please

    He raised his hand, silencing her.

    She closed her mouth immediately.

    He still refused to look at her, as he was staring at anywhere but her.

    Without another word, she stepped out of the room.

    As soon as she had left, she heard the door m so hard behind her that she jumped.

    She turned back, stared at the door, and felt the cold air wave against her body.

    The guards who stood at attention, guarding his chambers, remained unmoving.

    She felt the shame swallow her, and she hurried away from their lurking eyes.

    As she made the sharp corner, clutching her clothes to herself, she heard someone.

    "I��d like to see Xaden. Is he in? He left the dinner hall in a very bad mood, " the feminine voice said.

    Jasmine could not recall who it was, but it was familiar.

    "He is upied." Another set of guards who stood at the far end said:.

    "upied? Doing what? If he is with a maid, I assure you he would be very interested in seeing me." The female voice said,.

    Jasmine could not hang around anymore; she was drenched in cold, and she was still very naked in her thin clothes.

    "His lordship said not to be disturbed." The guard repeated.

    "Not to be disturbed? Who else would he want in his presence but me?

    Jasmine made the sharp corner and saw that it was none other than the future Queen, Princess Belle.

    Princess Belle stopped her conversation right away.

    She gazed at Jasmine all over, her eyes widening in shock.

    Jasmine felt the scrutiny as she pulled her hands more over her body as if trying to conceal her nudity in any way.

    Belle gasped, taken aback. "You?!"

    Before hearing what Belle would say, she held her clothes tighter to herself and scurried off.

    "Get back here this instant!" She heard Princess Belle snap behind her.

    But she kept on running; she didn��t stop her stride but ran all the way.

    "Get back here, or I will have your head on my te. I swear it!" Belle promised.

    But Jasmine didn��t stop running.

    She felt the tears roll down her streaks, and the fear twists her stomach.

    Once she got into the room, fortunately enough for her, Loren was snoring off on his new makeshift bed.

    She tip toed in and Loren grunted and snorted.

    She froze on her tracks and when she was sure he had gone back to sleep, she walked past.

    She quietly turned off the candles and went to her room.

    She stripped off her dress and wore her light nightwear.

    She gently climbed into her bed andy down to sleep, trying to forget how much she desired Alpha Xaden��s touch.

 Chapter 97: BELLE’S GRIEVEANCES

    <h4>Chapter 97: BELLE��S GRIEVEANCES</h4>

    BELLE��S POV

    Belle stormed down to Xaden��s room after she had waited for over two hours.

    Her mother had always told her never to do things in a rush because she was fond of that.

    It had been outright humiliating to see him ignore her for that, that ve!

    First, it was Aurora.

    Aurora was gone after so many trials and meddling, at least before the end of the sacrifice.

    She had wanted to see Aurora��s face when she discovered that Xaden had mated with her as the chosen maiden for thest sacrifice.

    And when she finally had him all to herself.

    But now she was faced with someone so insignificant that it was humiliating.

    Finally, she reached the first guard leading to his chambers.

    But they blocked her way with their spears, forming an X.

    She gasped. Didn��t they know she was the future queen?

    She took a deep breath and said.

    "I would like to see Xaden. Is he in? He left the dinner hall in a terrible mood."

    "He is upied." The guard said.

    "upied? Doing what? If he is with a maid, I assure you he would be very interested in seeing me." Belle said she was further enraged and in disbelief.

    She tried to move forward, but their spears remained in ce.

    "His lordship said not to be disturbed." The guard repeated.

    "How dare you?! Not to be disturbed? Who else would he want in his presence but me?

    Then, a figure came running right past, and the spears were removed so she could make her way.

    Princess Belle gasped in shock as she stopped right in her conversation.

    It was that ve! And AGAIN?!

    It was too much!

    Then Belle eyed her up and down and saw that she barely wore any clothes.

    She was dripping wet, and the material clung to her body.

    She could see the outline of her curves, and Belle grew jealous.

    Even her own breasts were not as full as that!

    The ve fervently held up the front bodice of her dress to her chest, making Belle notice that it had been ripped.

    Belle knew the ve wasing from a dead end; Xaden��s room was thest one by the far end.

    So she wasing from Xaden��s room!

    Belle felt the rage in her.

    "You?!"

    To Belle��s shock, the ve girl didn��t obey her but ran past her.

    What utter disgrace was this?!

    "Get back here this instant!" She screamed.

    But the girl didn��t stop!

    Belle was further enraged!

    The guts that a mere ve would ignore her own orders! How dare she?!

    She was a nobody!

    A dirty slut!

    "Get back here, or I will have your head on my te. I swear it!" Belle promised.

    But the girl was already gone.

    Belle was so furious that she was even breathing heavily.

    She turned back to the guards.

    They had returned their spears, blocking her from passing.

    Her eyes rained fire.

    "LET ME PASS!" She screamed.

    "The Alpha is not to be disturbed."

    The guard said.

    Belle gasped at the disrespect!

    She was the queen! She was going to be queen! And yet they had turned her down in such a way.

    I humiliated her in such a horrible manner!

    First, it was the guards, then the ve girl, who ignored her like she wasn��t even present, and then it was the guards again.

    "You infidels of low birth!" She spat vehemently. "I am your future queen! You just let a dirty ve go past, and now you are telling me that he is not to be disturbed?"

    "It��s just orders, your majesty." The guard said.

    Belle wanted to burst out in tears at the humiliation imposed on her.

    She didn��t know what to do.

    "Xaden!" She cried aloud.

    His room wasn��t so far; surely, he would hear her call out to him.

    "Xaden!" She yelled.

    But there was no response from his end.

    She turned to the guards, who still stood their ground.

    Further arguing with them will only make her look like a fool.

    Never in her life had she been so humiliated!

    "I will be back, and I swear your heads will be a gift from this pack!" She promised.

    And with that, she spun around and rushed down the hall.

    She went to her mother��s bedroom as usual and burst into tears.

    "What��s wrong, my sweet?" Her mother asked her.

    This time, her mother and grandma were not making any concoctions.

    Belle narrated the entire ordeal, and her mother gently patted her back.

    "There, there." Her mother said, "You shouldn��t have done such a thing a thing in the first ce."

    "Mother. He took out Alexander��s eyes and cut off his hand just for beating her." Belle eximed. "I am certain she put a hex on him!"

    Her mother turned to her grandmother, and then she said, "Well, in that case, you should have stepped away from the entire situation. You should havee to us. Now look how you��ve disgraced yourself!"

    Belle went silent, unable to say a word.

    "We��ve exined it to you. Xaden is not himself. The marriage bond makes him overly protective of her. I can promise you that he doesn��t care for her." Aunt Cherry said.

    Belle swallowed, trying to convince herself that they were right.

    But she still couldn��t.

    "If that��s the case, I want her head along with those guards!" Belle screeched.

    "You can have the head of the guards. That I promise you." Aunt Cherry said. "But not the girl."

    "But why?" Belle said, not understanding.

    She always got what she wanted. Why was this an issue?

    "Because if you kill her, Xaden will never forgive you." Her mother said,.

    "Tomorrow, once you two mate, the marriage bond will be broken, and then you can kill her. No one will stop you."

    Belle sighed and took a deep breath.

    She made peace knowing that all her problems would end by tomorrow night.

    She was never patient, but tonight, she will have to be.

 Chapter 98: THE DANGEROUS CONFRONTATION

    <h4>Chapter 98: THE DANGEROUS CONFRONTATION</h4>

    The next morning, Jasmine woke up with a banging headache.

    She pressed her fingers at her temple, slowly rose, and sat in bed.

    She decided to go out and get some medicine that would ease the pain when she saw her dress fromst night slung on a chair in a corner.

    Then, the events ofst night came shing back in.

    She shook her head to will herself to forget all that had happened.

    She got up and went out of her bedroom.

    Loren was already up mixing potions.

    "Good morning." She mumbled as she headed to a shelf where she would find some medicine.

    "Good morning to you, too." He nodded.

    She went on looking for an antidote to her new headache and barely even heard him greet her.

    "Someone is in a bad mood this morning." He said as he read his book. "You should be happy. It��s the final and most important day of the ritual."

    Her head throbbed more, and then she pressed her fingers against her temple to suppress the pain.

    "What? Am I that boring, or you don��t just want to hear me speak?" Heined.

    She shook her head. "No, it��s not that. I��m just having a terrible headache."

    She closed her eyes in pain, and then she heard him move his chair back before he instructed her to sit.

    She was forced to sit down and heard him move through something before returning.

    "Here," He informed her, handing her a leaf.

    She looked at the leaf in his hand before looking back up at him.

    "Take it. Put it in your mouth and suck on it." He said.

    Jasmine felt very ufortable with the instructions but went ahead with it nheless.

    She received it and sucked on the leaf, and to her utmost surprise, the pain began to ease bit by bit until it was all gone.

    She looked at him. "My headache! It��s gone!"

    He nodded. "I��m never wrong; keep that in mind."

    Then, he went back to his seat to resume his work.

    "Thank you," she said.

    He grunted and resumed his work.

    "Today is the day of the sacrifice. You should be in excellent spirits." He said to her.

    She swallowed. "I heard it��s for giving power to the wolves. But I��m unshifted."

    "That doesn��t mean you still can��t benefit from the power." He replied. "Do you know what the sacrifice is for?"

    Jasmine almost said she had heard it was about fucking, and then she shut her mouth instantly.

    Loren would raise his brows in question and she,she, in turn would be forced to exin who and when she had heard that from.

    She shook her head.

    "It��s the Alpha finding the maiden with whom he would mate, and together they will release great power into the earth, and every single wolf shall feel it." He said.

    So that was how it was done?

    She thought of Xaden touching someone else the same way he had touched her, and she felt a streak of hurt and disappointment.

    She quickly shook it away.

    "How does he know who the maiden is?" She asked curiously.

    "The powers of the halo festival will direct him." He said. "He would know when the time was right. And if you think that Xaden is a beast right now, then you would hate to see him."

    "Someone with that much anger bottled up in him is bound to go wild when the power overtakes him."

    Jasmine said nothing and turned her back on Loren.

    She didn��t want to hear any more details that would remind her that Xaden would mate with someone else who wasn��t her.

    After all, she was regarded as nothing.

    What foolish thoughts she had!

    After all, he had practically kicked her out of his bedchamber naked, and yet here she was still thinking of him.

    She returned to her room and wore one of her other serving clothes.

    She had so few of them, and for the one that had been tornst night, she would have to sew it when she returned home after all her work.

    By the time she was out of the room, Loren had stopped her just before she headed out.

    "I heard you stitched Xaden��s wounds." Loren said. "Belinda told me early this morning."

    Jasmine swallowed. "Yes, I did."

    "Be careful with Xaden." Loren said. "He doesn��t understand himself."

    Jasmine wasn��t sure what Loren meant by those words or why he had even said them.

    "I heard what happened," he said.

    Jasmine wanted to ask which one.

    Was it the fact that Xaden had almost killed another Alpha because of her or because she had outright disobeyed the future Queen?

    "Xaden almost killed Alpha Alexander." Loren said. "It��s not news with that. Everyone knew that was bound to happen because of how both men hated each other. But the story was that he did it for you."

    "You told him." She said this to Loren. "You told him it was Alexander, and you knew he was going to kill him."

    "It doesn��t matter." Loren said. "The bastard deserved what Xaden did to him. Even more. You can��t keep covering up for everyone. If you can��t tell the truth, steer clear of trouble."

    How could she steer clear of trouble when it always found her?

    She nodded and walked out of the room.

    She went on to begin her day��s duties.

    She did precisely what Loren said and steered clear of Alexander��s room.

    Fortunately enough, he had note looking for her.

    One more day, he would leave, and she could breathe without living in fear.

    She ignored the peering eyes of everyone else as usual, and this time, she was aware of how much they all hated her.

    After scrubbing some floors, she went down the hall and felt herself being grabbed into a tiny closet, and the door was mmed shut.

    She yelled, and then a hand came over her mouth, silencing her.

    It was a mean-looking wolf, and she knew him.

    He was one of the wolves who worked for her father back in the pack.

    What was he doing here??

    He pointed a dagger at her throat.

    "How dare you keep Alpha Bale waiting for your feedback? How dare you?" He demanded. "He sent me here to you."

    Jasmine��s body trembled.

 Chapter 99: A ROYAL INTERRUPTION

    <h4>Chapter 99: A ROYAL INTERRUPTION</h4>

    The man held his de to my throat, and I could hardly breathe.

    I had seen him only once in my entire life.

    Back home in the moonlight pack, he had been one of my father��s most prized assassins.

    I was only about seven years old and scrubbing the library floors when my father came in.

    I had gone to hide quickly because I knew my father did not like seeing me even though I was doing my duties.

    A man, almost like a shadow, appeared before me.

    He had rich olive skin, skin, and his eyes, I could remember, were hazel.

    He was dressed in clothing like something a desert wolf would wear.

    "Have you been discreet?" My father had asked.

    There was no one else in the room.

    The spy nodded.

    All through the conversation, I hadn��t seen him talk.

    He only bows or shakes his head, never uttering a single word.

    His entire being scared me.

    I had once seen him, and even though he stood before me yearster, I knew he was the one.

    "You were sent to bring tidings as soon as possible, " he told me.

    I swallowed, breathing heavily.

    "And yet you have not brought forth any to him." He said. "The Alpha is furious at you."

    I could feel the sharp end of the de pointing to my neck and begin to draw blood slowly.

    I couldn��t even speak.

    "I will release you. And you will answer to me. If you make any mistake in trying to outsmart me, call for help. I will slit your throat." He said. "Do you understand?"

    I nodded, knowing that he was not making jokes.

    Then he released the de from me, and I breathed a sigh of relief as I set my hand against my neck and touched the sticky blood.

    "Now begin," He said.

    I swallowed and looked at him.

    Everything about him told me to be scared. Just the same way I had been when I was a child.

    "I have been unable to send any messages because I cannot read or write." I expressed.

    He just stared at me. "Is this a joke? I told you no games!"

    And then he pointed his de at me again.

    I quickly stepped back, and my back roughly hit the wall.

    There was no escape for me.

    I shook my head. "No, it is not any game. I did receive the message that was sent to me through my bird. But I could not read it. Neither could I write another to send it to him."

    He just stared at me.

    "You, of all people, should know that I never lived a good life back home. I worked my entire life. I never had an education. There was no point in my life for me to have that."

    After a while, he said, "And you did not think to tell the Alpha about this?"

    I went quiet.

    The spy and I stood for a while as he debated how else to move on from me.

    "I will send word to your father." He finally said, "I don��t need to tell you not to discuss our encounter with anyone. Later at night, before thest ritual, you will meet me at the abandoned ruins. If you don��t know where that is, find me. Don��t keep me waiting if you try to y stupid."

    He gave a mean chuckle. "I don��t need to tell you what your father would do to you. Or better still, I might help him with the Job."

    And then he left me in the closet.

    Once he was gone, I gasped for air, breathing heavily as if I had been underwater holding my breath.

    My entire body was shaking in tremendous fear.

    I could feel it.

    The power my father had over me.

    Even though he was miles and miles away from me.

    He still had it within himself to send a chill down my spine.

    After I had managed topose myself, I took deep breaths and went out of the closet.

    Fortunately enough, no one had seen me leave or enter.

    As I hurried down the hallway, I bumped into Lady Belinda.

    I curtsied.

    "I saw Alpha Xaden." She said. "You did the work well. Treated his wounds."

    "I was only doing my duty, mydy," I said.

    She sighed and looked up at me. "He did say there was some disturbance. He would wish you didn��te to his rooms again."

    I felt the sting.

    "Did something happen?" She asked me.

    My lips quivered, unsure of what to say. "Did he say something happened?"

    "I am asking you if something did." She said.

    I bit my bottom lip. "Nothing, Your Majesty."

    I could feel her gaze on me.

    I knew he had not told her anything, so she asked me.

    It hurt to know he had told Lady Belinda never to let me into his rooms again.

    "I��ll steer clear," I said. I have some work to do."

    Then I hurried away before she could ask me any more questions.

    I went back to the rooms to resume my work.

    I went to the queen��s bedroom to do some of my work.

    As I opened the door, I barged into some people kissing.

    They jumped in fright.

    I didn��t see them clearly, so I quickly turned away and said, "I��m so sorry. Forgive me for interrupting."

    I don��t know what made me do it, but I looked up and saw that it was the King and none other than the Queen.

    They turned to look at me, and I saw that it wasn��t the Queen, in fact, but the Queen��s sister.

    Princess Cherry.

    I dropped the objects I had brought in to clean, and they fell, tumbling to the ground.

    I was unable to say a word.

    Then, I quickly bowed and apologized once again. "Forgive me, your majesties. Excuse me."

    I quickly picked up the items and ran out of the room.

 Chapter 100: SHE IS A WITCH

    <h4>Chapter 100: SHE IS A WITCH</h4>

    JASMINE��S POV

    What I had seen could have killed me. My head was on a te; worst of all, they knew I had seen them together.

    I hurried out of the room and attempted to go on my way.

    "Wait!" A masculine voice called when I had barely left the queen��s bedroom.

    I stopped short.

    My heart was beating so fast. It was like I would have a heart attack.

    I slowly turned around and saw the king walk up to me.

    I swallowed heavily; my entire body was reverting in fear.

    Then I heard his footsteps stop behind me.

    "Turn around," he instructed.

    I did as he said and came face to face with him.

    I heard a soft gasp from him, and he instinctively stepped away from me.

    He seemed dumbstruck, and then he recovered.

    "What��s your name?" He asked me.

    "Jasmine," I said quietly, and then I curtsied. "Your majesty."

    He just looked me over and said, "Who are your parents, and how long have you lived here?"

    I wondered why he was asking such personal questions.

    And then I remembered that he had never seen me.

    Although I had seen him without a number when I would pass by, he had never noticed me.

    I had already gotten used to the fact that I reminded all royal family members of their long-lost daughter.

    Which was impossible because she would be in herte thirties by now.

    "I��m the daughter of Alpha Bale, Your Majesty," I said, my eyes downcast.

    It seemed that that piece of information had made his tensions rx.

    Then he sniffed around me, and I knew he smelled my bloodline.

    "So you��re a ve." He told me.

    I nodded slightly. "Yes, Your Majesty."

    He cleared his throat. "What you thought you saw, you did not see. Do you understand me?"

    I nodded quickly.

    "If you utter a single word of what you thought, you saw." He started. "Then you would cease to live. I would say goodbye to everyone you��ve ever known or encountered. Do I make myself clear?"

    I nodded. "Yes, Your Majesty."

    "Your father has already put me in peril with Xaden. Push me further, and I might unleash the hate everyone else has for you on you. And mind you, I am king."

    He progressed towards me, and with reasonable fear, I took steps back.

    His entire demeanor was filled with pride, royalty, and then domination.

    It wasn��t like Xaden; this was a mix of true royalty.

    "I would make you suffer more than Xaden has." He said. "Do you understand me?"

    I nodded hastily.

    "Yes, Your Majesty," I said.

    At that moment, none other than the Queen stepped up to us.

    I didn��t even know when she had appeared or where she hade from.

    "Darling." She said so, and we both jumped.

    She looked at the both of us. "What��s wrong?"

    "No, I was just talking to this ve. She hade in to do some work."

    The beautiful queen smiled. "I see you��ve met Jasmine. Doesn��t she remind you of her?"

    I knew the woman they were referring to, Scarlett.

    His lips were pressed in a need to conceal his feelings. "There is barely any resemnce."

    She gave a lightugh. "I know you all think I��m going crazy, but I know what I��m telling you. She looks like Scarlett. Not Corral."

    "But they are identical. They would look alike." He said.

    "No," the queen said, shaking her head. "Well, yes, they were identical twins, but they didn��t look alike to me. And that��s why this girl here bears a resemnce to her and not Corral. Fascinating, isn��t it?"

    Then she turned to me and gently touched my chin.

    "I expect her to have looked like this when she was your age." The queen said it weakly.

    I looked down.

    At that moment, Princess Cherry came out of the bedroom.

    I swallowed.

    "Rose." Princess Cherry said. "I��ve been looking everywhere for you."

    "I was in the gardens." The Queen said as she waved her women away.

    They bowed and left.

    I knew I could not leave, at least not without being asked to.

    Princess Cherry red at me.

    "Isn��t it this ve who made Xaden almost hack Alexander?" Princess Cherry said.

    I tensed.

    The King, who seemingly had no idea of that, turned to look at Cherry.

    "What?!" He barked.

    "I don��t know the details. But your nephew is lying down without a hand or an eye for this ve. I am certain she is a witch. No one else can bring up so much trouble, and I��m not surprised by her dirty bloodline." Princess Cherry.

    My body trembled.

    "What does a ve have on an Alpha? I wonder." The king asked narrowly.

    "Oh, please. She can��t harm anyone. Don��t say things like that." The queen said this to her sister. Then she turned to her husband. "Let the girl be. Moreover, we are all surprised when we know that a confrontation between Xaden and Alex will happen eventually. It was only a matter of time. Don��t drag the poor girl into this."

    I just stood there, the object of their gaze and conversation.

    I wanted to get out of this entire royal squabble.

    Then I saw the Queen gently set her hands against the King��s chest as she set her head on him.

    I saw Princess Cherry ring at them.

    Her eyes were mixed with sadness.

    I was angry for the queen.

    She had no idea that her sister and her husband were betraying her.

    She was good, and she did not deserve this.

    "Let her go, please." The Queen said, and then she turned to me with a smile. "Go, dear. And tell Loren that his options have been doing me wonders. That I am grateful beyond words."

    "Of course, your majesty. I will ry your words to him." I said, and then I curtsied and hurried out of their midst.

    I had just escaped death.

 Chapter 101: AN ATTEMPTED ASSASINATION

    <h4>Chapter 101: AN ATTEMPTED ASSASINATION</h4>

    XADEN��S POV

    Early the following day, Xaden woke up with a throbbing headache.

    His head was revered like aplete vibration.

    He groaned as he put his hands over his head and tried to close his eyes to ease away the pain.

    He got up, poured a bottle of whisky into his ss, and drank the entire thing.

    Then he sighed as he dropped into a seat.

    The pain finally slowly eased down bit by bit until it was gone.

    He turned and saw his bed, and he rememberedst night.

    Jasmine and how much she had been with him.

    Her caresses and touch.

    He didn��t know what had ovee him to go along with her.

    Or why he was having an urge to be with her.

    He didn��t understand any of it.

    He rose and rang for water to be brought for his bath.

    After the water had been put in for him, the maid tried to bathe him.

    "Get out." He snapped at her and she fled out of the room.

    He didn��t want to have to deal with another she wolf again.

    He had already woken up irritated.

    He closed his eyes as he kept his head at the rim of the bath and let his mind wander.

    He gently eased his arms on the side of the bath, and then he felt that it did not hurt anymore.

    Jasmine��s treatment had worked on him. Then he remembered her again, and he groaned inwardly.

    He turned and adjusted to let his mind rest.

    He drifted off to sleep.

    Someone in the main bedroom entered through his balcony as he slept off.

    The intruder was flexible and buoyant with its body and barely made any footsteps.

    The intruder looked around the room, searching for its prey, but no one was in sight.

    The intruder saw the robes hanging at the edge of the bed and then looked up towards the bathroom.

    The intruder, walking on tiptoes throughout, very gently moved to the bathroom and found Xaden asleep.

    The intruder stopped and pulled out the dagger hidden in its conve.

    The dagger was as sharp as it could be, and it wasn��t about how sharp it was because an Alpha couldn��t just be killed by anyone, especially someone as powerful as Xaden.

    He had to be administered some poison.

    The assassin had received the de from the one who had sent it.

    It had been worked on, and a single prick from the tip of this de and you would be dead in a second.

    The assassin now went on its tiptoes and walked up to where Xaden was.

    As the assassin stood behind him, he lifted the de in the air and aimed at his heart.

    As the assassin was about to plunge it down, the bath chamber doors were flung open, stopping the assassin from being in sight.

    Xaden jumped up and turned to the doors to find out who had interrupted him in such a brutal manner.

    The man who had intruded flung a crossbow at the assassin, and it hit him in the shoulder.

    "Xaden behind you!" The man said,.

    Xaden turned quickly and saw the assassin.

    Seeing that his n was alreadypromised, the assant still tried to plunge the de into Xaden.

    But Xaden was faster.

    In a ssh, Xaden was out of the water and charging towards the assant.

    He grabbed the assant into the bathtub with him, and they both struggled in the water as they battled.

    The assant still had the knife in his hand, and Xaden struggled to set it away.

    He received a blow to his lip, tasted the blood, and then held on to the assant��s throat.

    The assant manoeuvred him with expertise, and then he was pushed back under the water.

    The assant was choking him and pressing him down so he would drown.

    He struggled, and Erik came to his rescue.

    But the assant screamed, and Erik was pushed backward with such force that hended on his back against the wall.

    Then, the assant continued to push Xaden back down.

    Xaden began to drown as he struggled, the water sshing on his feet in protest.

    He managed to gasp up for air, and then he saw that the de had been tossed near where Erik was almost lifeless.

    He looked back at the assant and pulled off the clothes that were neatly wrapped, hiding the assant��s face.

    To his most tremendous shock, it was a woman.

    "Xaden here!" Erik said.

    Xaden turned just in time for Erik to catch the de that Erik had thrown at him, and then he used it to stab her neck.

    She choked and held her neck, but blood sputtered out of it.

    And in a second, she fell dead into the water and onto Xaden��sp.

    He breathed a sigh of relief, and then he pushed her body off him.

    Erik came and stood by him and helped him out of the bath.

    Xaden stood over the dead woman in the now-turned-red bath water.

    She was looking right up at them, her eyes wide open.

    "Where the hell did shee from?" Xaden asked.

    "I have no idea." Erik said. Then he turned to look at Xaden. "You��re ass naked."

    Xaden snorted and ignored his friend.

    Then he went down to the body and looked her over.

    "A female assassin." He said. "Come to my room."

    "How the hell didn��t you even sense her?" Erik asked him. "You��re still sound asleep in the bath."

    Xaden tilted her face to the side to see if there were any marks.

    "I don��t know. It was like she blocked it. I blocked my senses. Because even when I was awake, it took me a while to awaken my sense." He said.

    "That scream sent me back to the wall." Erik said. "Only a few wolf tribes can do that."

    Xaden noticed something by her neck.

    A mark and he knew what she was.

    She was a desert wolf assassin.

 Chapter 102: AN ASSASSINATION INVESTIGATION (1)

    <h4>Chapter 102: AN ASSASSINATION INVESTIGATION (1)</h4>

    Xaden looked over the body as Erik returned.

    "I just called in Damian. He ising in," Erik said, and then he looked Xaden over. "You��re still butt naked."

    "My bare ass is barely the thing to be noticed. I have a dessert assassin lying dead in my bath." Xaden said.

    "It can��t be that bad." Erik said. "You could have died. But I didn��t."

    "Yeah, I didn��t, and youing in to save me was a waste of time," Xaden said. You barely did anything to her��if you did at all."

    "But at least I interrupted your murder." Erik said.

    "A de won��t kill me." Xaden said. Then, it urred to Xaden.

    He turned to face Erik, but he had already left the bath.

    Xaden followed him.

    "How did you juste at the nick of time?" Xaden asked suspiciously. "You burst in like you knew something bad was going to happen to me."

    "Of course I did. I��m your gamma, and we have telepathy," Erik joked as he picked up a robe and handed it to Xaden.

    Xaden snatched it and rolled his eyes. "Be serious."

    And then he put it on.

    The truth was Erik had been going down the hallway to keep everything in order ahead of thest and final halo festival when Jasmine hade running to him.

    "Where are you going to? Are you in a hurry?" He asked her with a brow raised.

    Even though she had helped them times without a number, he still resented her.

    She was, after all, her father��s daughter, and that came first before her.

    He wasn��t to me for how he felt towards her.

    "I��ve been looking for you." She rushed. "I had a bad feeling."

    But she was talking too fast and even sweating.

    "Wait." He said. "Take in deep breaths."

    "There is no time!" She said.

    He had never seen her act this way.

    She is usually obedient and rarely ever counters anyone.

    But now she was facing him, even challenging him.

    "Take in deep breaths". He further urged.

    She stopped and did as he asked.

    When she was done, and he was sure she was calm, he looked at her and said. "Now tell me why you��re looking for me."

    "Sir Erik." She started. "I just have this feeling. A horrible feeling in here."

    She touched her heart.

    "That something bad is about to happen to Alpha Xaden." She said. "I can��t exin why or understand it myself. But something is about to happen. I can feel it. In my bones."

    He looked at her like she was crazy.

    "I know you think I��m crazy. I know this sounds ridiculous. But you have to believe me, please." She begged. "And I know there isn��t a reason why you should trust. But you��ve vouched for me and saved my life times without count."

    He kept on staring at her.

    "Please." She said. "I don��t know how to exin it, but something is about to happen to Xaden. Very bad. And if you don��t go, he might not make it."

    "Go." Erik said.

    She shook her head. "Not unless you go right now. Not unless you tell me that you will go and meet him."

    "If Xaden truly is about to be in peril, won��t you be happy? Won��t it be right?" Erik asked, folding his arms. "I mean, you will be free to do whatever you want. You could just go on. You won��t be tied to him anymore. Isn��t that what you want?"

    She was quiet at first, and then she said. "Yes, I��d like to be free. But not at the expense of someone��s death."

    Erik eventually gave in and told her that he would check on Xaden.

    So he turned around and went to Xaden��s room.

    He went into the room and found no one. Then he saw the robe lying at the edge of the bed, and he knew that Xaden was having his bath.

    He went to the bath, and then, when he opened the door, someone was holding a de over Xaden, who was still fast asleep.

    That was how he had been able to stop it.

    "So, how did you know?" Xaden interrupted his thoughts.

    Erik turned back to him, crashing into reality. "I just came by to inform you of the incidents going on in preparations for thest ritual."

    Xaden looked him over and pouted as he tied up the robe.

    Erik didn��t want to tell Xaden because he knew he would be suspicious and have misgivings about it.

    But Erik himself was baffled.

    How had Jasmine known that something terrible was going to happen to him?

    It was she involved in it and had grown a soft side and decided to save him?

    If he could think Jasmine maybe he had a hand in it, definitely Xaden would.

    And Erik and Xaden were not the same.

    Xaden tended to act out on his suspicions.

    On the other hand, Erik preferred to watch and see how things went.

    Then Damian came into the room with Elena.

    "What is this that I hear of an assasin." She asked him.

    "You told him to call her?" Xaden asked Erik.

    Erik shrugged. "This is beyond us, and Elena has the power to find out what it is."

    "Keeping secrets from me doesn��t work, Xaden." She said. "You, of all people, should know that. How could you have been in danger and not inform me?"

    "I��m fine." He said.

    "You��re not," she said, pulling his cheeks and reprimanding him as she had when he was a child.

    He muttered to himself.

    "How did he get in?" Damian asked.

    Erik saw the expansive open balcony, and he walked to it.

    He looked down, and even though Xaden��s room was the highest in the castle, he was sure she had climbed up.

    "Through the balcony," Erik said. "This was the Work of a skilled assassin. They knew what they were doing."

 Chapter 103: AN ASSASSINATION INVESTIGATION (2)

    <h4>Chapter 103: AN ASSASSINATION INVESTIGATION (2)</h4>

    Elena walked to the balcony and looked down.

    "There are no ropes or anything." Xaden said, looking down.

    "You have no idea what you��re dealing with," Elena told him, and she went back into the room and went straight for the baths.

    She opened the door, stepped down on her knees, and examined the woman��s body.

    Xaden, Erik, and Damian joined her.

    The body was now partially pale, and her eyes were still wide open.

    Her olive skin was now almost white because it had floated in the red water for so long, and her ck hair hung in the water.

    Even in death, she was lovely.

    Elena looked over her and touched her head.

    "There is a spot under her neck." Xaden informed.

    Elena looked at it. "You��re right. This is a dessert wolf."

    "What��s a dessert wolf doing here?" He asked. "They are ouwed."

    "Ouwed doesn��t mean they don��t disobey and be in our presence." Elena said, further examining her.

    She looked at the injury. "She had a painful and fast death. The wound isn��t extraordinary. It��s like she was killed with some poison."

    She looked up at them. "How didn��t you notice that she was behind you?"

    "I don��t know." Xaden said. "It was like my senses were deadened while I slept. Even she was on her tiptoes, and I would have sensed her no matter how perfect she was."

    "She deadened your senses." Elena said.

    "And not just that, she screamed, and I was pushed to the wall. It��s like nothing I��ve ever felt." Erik said.

    Elena stopped and turned to Erik. "You said what?"

    "She screamed, and then I hit the wall." Erik said with a shrug.

    She looked back down at the body. "We��re dealing with a very reserved cult of desert wolves. I didn��t even know they existed."

    Damian went to the floor and picked up the de that had been tossed on the floor.

    "Was this with her?" He asked.

    "Yeah, she was holding it right over Xaden," Erik said. "And that��s what Xaden used to stab her."

    She collected it and examined it.

    She picked out her dead hand and pointed the de in to pierce it.

    There were veins of ck blood erupting from the sharp point, and then it erupted back in.

    "This is more dangerous than I thought." She said. "This de was designed for you. And he can kill an Alpha in a split second, no matter how powerful or protected he is. It takes much time to make and is almost impossible to administer. But if this de had grazed your skin, you would have been dead in an instant.

    Xaden felt a crawl on his skin.

    "So, who would dare send a desert wolf to kill me." Xaden asked.

    "It��s not who. You have more Alpha enemies than friends, Xaden. So it��s which of them." Damian remarked.

    "Alpha Bale more than anyone." Xaden said. "I��m sure he put his daughter up to this."

    "Jasmine had nothing to do with this."

    Erik said, and Xaden looked at him suspiciously.

    "Oh, what now? You know everything about her?" Xaden said.

    "Don��t even start." Elena stopped the brewing anger.

    "How did they know where you would be here?" Damian asked. "Becausest time I checked, you aren��t supposed to be here. You��re supposed to be getting ready for the ritual."

    "They must have known beforehand." Elena said. "Having a spy. You need to be more careful."

    "I��ll get to the bottom of this." Xaden swore.

    "No, you won��t," Elena said, stopping him from going out. You will keep this within, and you will only go out at night��when it��s time for the ritual."

    "Why would I do that?" Xaden asked. "You��re making me look like a coward, and they would think that they seeded in killing me."

    She nodded. "Exactly. Let them think that they seeded. Their misgivings would give away. Erik and Damian wouldunch a quiet investigation. I��ll try to find a way to go around her and know where she ising from."

    "So I��m just going to stay here?" Xaden asked, baffled. "And wait for you till whenever you get back?"

    "Yes." She replied as she patted him and saw that his shoulder was sown. "That��s a neat stitch. Who did that for you?"

    "No one." Xaden snorted.

    He couldn��t deny the fact that Jasmine��s sowing his arm the night before had actually saved his life.

    He would have been invalidated, and the wound would have grown to be infected.

    If she hadn��t been stubborn and sown and cleaned his wound, then he would probably have been too weak to fight.

    And then he might have been dead by now.

    "So what happens to her body?" He asked, and they all looked down at her.

    "I��ll sneak her up to Loren��s quarters. I��ll need some of his potions to work on her." She said.

    "I don��t want to just wait here like a child." He argued.

    "No one wants you to wait here like a child." She warned him. "But if you truly value your life, you will remain here. Do you even understand any of this and what it means? A desert wolf from a very dangerous wolf cult was sent to kill you. You Xaden. Who wants you dead isn��t making jokes. If they find out right now that you aren��t dead, then we don��t know what other measures they would use. You must wait here. Don��t do anything stupid. You��ve already done that."

    And he felt a sting as he winced.

    He knew what she was saying.

    She was talking about the fact that he had gone to see the witch who happened to see her sister help him gain victory over his enemies.

    She was still obviously angry with him.

    She turned to Damian and Erik and instructed them To carry the body out and wrap it in a carpet.

    They did, and soon they left:

    Xaden sat on the bed, and for the first time in a long while, he felt alone.

 Chapter 104: AN ASSASSINATION INVESTIGATION (3)

    <h4>Chapter 104: AN ASSASSINATION INVESTIGATION (3)</h4>

    ELENA��S POV

    She opened the door for the men and Damian and Erik came rushing in with the carpeted body.

    Loren jumped up.

    "What in the name of the goddess is going on?" He demanded rising to his feet as they brought in the wrapped up object.

    They dumped it on his long desk.

    "Hey!" Lorenined. "What��s going on? What��s this for?"

    "It��s good to see you loren." Elena said with a smile.

    Loren then looked up and acknowledged Elena.

    "Elena." He said softly. "What are you doing here? And you didn��t stop by?"

    She gave a smile. "Surprise surprise."

    At that moment Jasmine came out of her room.

    "Loren." She started. "I was thinking of going down to get some other treatments for the men who hade for-

    She stopped in her tracks when she saw the people who were in the room.

    "Jasmine." Elena said with a radiant smile. "It��s good to see you alive and well. How are you?"

    "I-I��m fine." Jasmine mumbled.

    Loren rose a brow but said nothing about their little interaction.

    He turned back to the table. "What is all this?"

    Elena went to the table and pulled it open revealing the face of the dead woman.

    "That��s what this is all about." Elena said.

    "Goodness! Great goddess above!" Loren gasped.

    He leaned down over the body and Jasmine herself peeped to view.

    "This is a desert wolf." He said. "Where did you find one?"

    Jasmine turned pale.

    Jasmine looked at him.

    "Loren what I am about to tell you will not leave this room. Do I have your word for it?" She asked him.

    He sighed. "You brought the body here in the first ce. You must trust me, if not you wouldn��t havee here."

    She sighed. "There was an attack on Xaden��s life. A desert wolf almost killed him, with this dagger."

    She tossed the dagger down on the table.

    Loren picked it up and smelled it.

    "This Can." He said.

    "You know it?" Erik asked.

    "Yes I do. It��s very dangerous poison. It can kill a man if he isn��t careful in an instant." He said. "Almost impossible to make. It��s lethal to anyone."

    "I said the same thing." Elena said. "What we want to know is why and how a desert wolf got into this pack unnoticed. It��s never happened before."

    "I have to agree myself. And is it a coincidence that it��s the halo festival? When all wolves are at their weakest?" Loren said examining the mark by her neck.

    "No it��s not." Elena said. "The ritual isn��t until midnight so I told Xaden to remain in his bedroom. Let them think they seeded. With time they wille out."

    "So what do you want from me." Loren asked.

    "Your potions are very good and you can find out how long she has been and where she came from in the past few days in under hours." Elena said. "That��s what I want to find out. Her body must have picked up traces of where she came from."

    Loren sighed. "I can do it. But it will take sometime."

    "But before midnight?" Elena said. "If they get wind of tha fact that Xaden never died, then I��m afraid that they could do much worse. And I��m here to give an extra hand."

    He sighed and said. "Alright. I could use your powers after all. It could speed it up."

    And then they both went to work on the dead body of the woman.

    Jasmine who had been listening in on the entire conversation was pale.

    Desert wolf?

    The man who had been sent by her father was also a desert wolf.

    That couldn��t be a coincidence.

    But she couldn��t tell them what she knew because that will expose everything and put her father��s life and the entire pack in jeopardy.

    He would never forgive her.

    But then again this is Xaden��s life at stake. Who could she save.

    Then again, she had the instincts that something bad was about to happen to Xaden.

    And it had been true.

    She didn��t want to believe what would have happened if Erik hadn��t stepped in.

    "Jasmine."

    She jumped up and then saw it was Erik before her.

    "Yes?" She answered.

    "Can I speak to you aside?" He asked her.

    Her lips began to quiver.

    Aside? What did he want to talk about?

    Did he now know that she had spoken to the desert wolf?

    Had they caught him?

    "Is there any where private in this room that I can talk to you?" He asked her. "I can��t risk speaking ti you outside. Someone else might over hear."

    She nodded numbly and then led him into her small room.

    "How did you know something bad was about to happen to Xaden?" Erik asked her.

    She swallowed. "I told you I just felt it. Had a gut feeling."

    "You shouldn��t have senses like this." He said. "You aren��t even a shifted wolf. Or do you have a hand in this?"

    She shook her head.

    "No," she said quickly. "Please I didn��t have anything to do with this. I know it sounds crazy but you have to believe me."

    "You��re right it sounds crazy." Erik said. "Whether you had a hand or not, it would be traced back to you. But nheless you saved his life."

    "Does he know that it was me who told you about it?" She asked.

    "No." He said. "And it��s a good thing he did, because he already suspects you and your father have to do with this."

    She felt the sting.

    Why was she surprised?

    He still hated her after all.

    "When we find out who did it." Erik said. "You will know. Tonight is the night of the sacrifice."

    "I know what it is." She said her face mes before he exined to her.

    How could she be jealous?

    He was an Alpha and he had women in Harem. He had also married her because he wanted to punish her no more than that.

    "Stay away from Xaden." Erik said. "The fact that you two have a marriage bond and you can sense things for him makes you a possible target."

    "Are you saying I could be the maiden?" She asked her eyes widened.

    "I��m not saying anything. But Goddess knows that a lot of crazy things have been going on in this pack even I can��t understand anymroe. Xaden won��t be the heartless Alpha he is when the power of the moon enters him. You think he is bad, but he is going to be a monster." Erik said

 Chapter 105: AN ASSASSINATION INVESTIGATION (4)

    <h4>Chapter 105: AN ASSASSINATION INVESTIGATION (4)</h4>

    Jasmine nodded, and then he turned and went out of the room.

    She followed him right behind.

    No one said anything about their little disappearance.

    Jasmine wanted to leave the room, but Loren stopped her.

    "I��ll need your help." He stated. "Stay back."

    Jasmine did as she was told, hoping it wouldn��t dy till dark.

    The spy her father had sent had instructed her that he wanted to see me at the ruins.

    She knew better than to make him wait or worse if she did not show up.

    "Hand me that clear ss te." Loren said.

    She brought the ss from the other table, and then he extracted some fiber from her skin.

    The woman was nowid naked, her body exposed to everyone��s view as they examined and worked over her.

    Loren dropped the fiber on the te.

    "This is Wurnga." He said. "Its only home to this side is the western part."

    "Western side?" Damian said. "That means ces like the fire pack, Hunter��s, and midnight pack."

    "Yes." Loren said. "But the moonlight pack is also an inhabitant of Wurnga."

    Jasmine��s face turned ashen.

    They had traced the roots back to her own home pack?

    "You see, the Wurnga nt tends to deal with certain weather conditions. Weathers that we here can not cope with." He said. "The hunter��s pack is humid and frequently cloudy."

    "But the moonlight pack isn��t." Erik said, crossing his arms. "It is rainy there. Frequently."

    "And do you know what this nt does? It tends to hover around people and sometimes interchange with the closest weather. They can withstand only waterlogged areas outside of their original habitat." Loren further exined.

    "So what does that have to do with anything?" Damian asked.

    "You are still not getting the image here." Loren said. "The moonlight pack is best known for camouging the weather of its nearest pack. It��s the only other ce a Wurnga can survive."

    There was a hushed silence.

    They were all thinking the same thing. It had been traced back to Alpha Bale.

    "But it can also mean it is from its original habitat." Erik said wisely.

    "Yes, it could. How many enemies does Xaden have there?" Loren asked. "He is in disputes with the hunter��s pack. The midnight pack and Fire��s pack are enemies, so Xaden has been ying Devil��s advocate."

    "Why are we considering other alternatives?" Damian asked. "It is definitely the moonlight pack. It is Alpha Bale, and he probably had some help with it."

    Damian said it with such a malicious sneer everyone knew it was directed at Jasmine.

    "Bale might be wicked." Elena said. "But he isn��t stupid. He knows better than to make a direct attack on our pack. He won��t jeopardize his only opportunity to save himself."

    "Moreover, desert wolves are hard toe by. They keep to themselves." Erik said.

    "Well let��s get the facts straight first." Elena said. "We can��t just point fingers yet."

    "She shouldn��t be here with us." Damian said. "She is an enemy. And we all know that. And for all we know, she could have nned this herself."

    Jasmine felt the involuntary jerk.

    It was like a p to the face.

    "I made her stay here for a reason." Loren said. "I won��t have you insult my assistant."

    "Oh, please, Loren. You, of all people, couldn��t have grown a soft heart towards her. She has evil blood. She is everything her father is, and she should not be here. Stop making it seem like I��m just saying lies."

    Jasmine jumped up from the stool she had been perched on.

    "I��ll just leave." She said, hurrying out.

    Elena stopped her. "You don��t have to go. You can stay."

    "But he isn��t wrong." Jasmine said wisely. "No matter what I do, who I help, or my actions, I would always be seen as Bale��s daughter. That��s never going to change."

    With that, she ran out of the room amidst Elena��s pleas.

    She ran without stopping and went to the only ce where she could be at peace.

    Her garden.

    Xaden had fulfilled her promise and not destroyed it.

    Shey down on the cool grass and curled in a ball.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    AURORA��S POV

    Aurora sat on her horse as she watched the mane from afar towards her.

    Her exile was ending today, and she could return to the pack for the halo festival.

    At least she was d that Xaden had given her that opportunity.

    She was going to make it up to that stupid royal brat. But not now.

    The man finally walked up to her.

    "Lady Aurora." He said. "Always fair and beautiful."

    With her lips pressed together and mouth seemingly thin, she said to him without smiling, "Do you have what I want?"

    "No jokes?" Heughed.

    She red at him, and then he nodded.

    "Alright, yes. I have what you want, " he told her. "The question is, do you have what I want?"

    She turned to one of her men on his horse and nodded at him.

    He threw the pouch at their unappealing guest.

    The man caught it and bounced the pouch in his hand. The coins within made sounds like bells, and then he looked back at her.

    "This won��t do." He said.

    She red at him. "That��s pure gold coins enough for you for your entire lifetime. How dare you demand more."

    "Because I can." He said arrogantly. "What I gathered for you could have had me killed. I risked myugh for you."

    Aurora��s beautiful face was fuming in anger as she tightened her hands around the reins of the horse.

    "If you feel like my demands are too much for you, then perhaps you should find another." He said.

    He turned around and started leaving.

    Aurora was angry.

    As much as she hated his man, she had to admit that she truly needed him.

    If he went, she might never get to have someone who would supply her such information.

    "Wait!"

 Chapter 106: AURORA’S SPY

    <h4>Chapter 106: AURORA��S SPY</h4>

    Aurora gritted her teeth after she had uttered those words.

    The man who was smiling, knowing he would be called back to his smile, turned back to face her.

    "Yes, fairdy Aurora?" He asked her.

    She nodded at her men, and the same man who had thrown the first pouch at him threw another.

    The man caught it and felt it.

    He put it into his satchel.

    "That��s much better." He said. "And I want an apology."

    She red at him, angry at this man for taking her for granted because she wanted his information.

    "You want what Apology?" She demanded in anger.

    "Your men vocally madements about me." He said. "I want an apology, or I will leave."

    Aurora was desperate, and when people were desperate, they would do anything.

    "Fine, my men will apologize to you." She turned to her men and spoke fluently in them in her wolf tongue. "This pig wants you to apologize to him, do it, and get it over with."

    "Oh no they aren��t giving me the apology." The man said. "You are. On their behalf."

    She wanted to explode In rage.

    "And oh, before I forget, " he said. You will have to secure and swear by your status as a gamma that you will let me walk free and alive from here."

    Her men drew their swords, angry at the insults the man hurled at their mistress.

    She raised her hand and stopped them from doing anything.

    As a wolf, honor was the most important thing to them.

    A wolf could be in his rags, but he never defied honor.

    A wolf��s honor was in their bloodlines. It was embedded in them.

    So, Aurora breaking her honor for a nobody who was not even in her ranks was an insult.

    Aurora with no choice bowed her head at the man and said. "I apologize on behalf of my men who may have disrespected you. Do forgive us."

    Aurora told herself that if this man came up with something else to mock her, she didn��t care what information he had and how precious it was to her; she was going to kill him.

    He smiled when she raised her head.

    "That��s more like it, isn��t it? " he asked her, and she gave him a sour look.

    "Now the promise." He said.

    She sighed, picked out her dagger, and cut her palm. "I��ve drawn blood, and I��ve drawn flood. I swear by the bonds that tie me, as I will not harm the man before me in any way, or my bloodline shall fail me."

    Then she dropped the blood to the ground.

    "Now, will you speak?" She asked. "My patience is being tried a bit too much."

    "I gathered the information for you, but I don��t have the actual information. I have someone who will give you the information, " he said.

    Aurora wanted to scream. "It was your job to get the information! What did I pay you for, you bastard?!"

    "Do rx." He said. "No one from the moonlight pack was willing to speak to me. No one. It was like they were under a spell, and then it urred to me. Absolutemand and obedience from their Alpha. It is rare, but it still happens. No one can speak against him. Even if they want to."

    Aurora wanted to rip her hair out.

    Was all the information that she had undergone for months for nothing?

    "So I just gave you this money for nothing? You told me you had valuable information you bastard!" She asked him. "You might have tricked me here, but I will find you and my men will rip you into shreds."

    "There is no need for such gruesome tales. I may not have the information, but I was able to find someone who has the information for you. You were right; Jasmine doesn��t belong where she is. There are too many things about her. But for one thing, I can tell you. She isn��t the one Xaden wanted in the beginning." He told her.

    The man was purposely withholding information.

    He knew that she wasn��t the one quite alright, but he had also learned the youngdy Jasmine had some other hidden roots.

    Her true identity was a mystery.

    He didn��t need to tell Aurora about that aspect because she didn��t ask him.

    "The daughter of Alpha Bale was betrothed to the wild wolf pack. They are the rtives of the King themselves." He said. "They can be the only ones who can confirm whether she is truly his daughter."

    She tilted her head. "You mean Dean, Jasmine��s husband. He is dead, and not just that, Xaden has barred members of his pack from going into their pack."

    "Yes." He nodded. "But isn��t Alpha Alexander, his brother, attending the halo festival? And his brother holds a grudge against the moonlight pack. It was because of that his brother was killed. He detests them. He will tell you if it��s true or not."

    "Alexander." Aurora said as she understood.

    He knew who Jasmine was, so he held her against her will.

    "Is that all you have for me?" She asked him.

    "That��s all." He said.

    Then he turned and left towards his own horse that stood magestically in the distance.

    "Oh, and one more thing. If you will return to your pack to meet Alexander, you better do it quickly."

    She stared at him. "Why?"

    "My spies told me that Alexander is in prison and he might be dead before tonight. And that he also has a missing eye and hand."

    "Missing eye and hand?" Aurora narrowed her eyes. "Alexander was okay when I left him."

    "Well, that part was a gift from Xaden. Alexander touched his property, and Xaden decided to give him souvenirs." The man said. "It seems that Xaden is smitten with another, and you are no longer interested."

    Aurora felt the insult like a p to her face, and she fumed in anger.

 Chapter 107: THE ULTIMATE DISCOVERY

    <h4>Chapter 107: THE ULTIMATE DISCOVERY</h4>

    Erik walked down the hallway.

    It was already almost dark.

    The Alphas had begun to murmur about Xaden��s no-show.

    Erik pushed open the doors and went into the strategy room.

    All the alphas turned around and saw him.

    "You requested my presence?" Erik asked them.

    "We requested Xaden��s presence. Not yours." James, the Alpha of the Cold pack, said. "Where is he? He has kept us waiting for too long."

    "I��m his gamma," Erik said. He is busy with other things. When he is ready, he will present himself. In the meantime, I am here to see to whatever you want."

    "We said we want to see Xaden! Not his puppet!" Alpha Brian, the Alpha of the sand pack, said.

    The entire crowd of Alphas cheered in agreement and uproar.

    "I��ve said it already. Xaden can not be seen." Erik said, ignoring their insult. "Whatever you have to say, say it to me."

    "We don��t talk to underdogs!" Another Alpha spat in arrogance.

    Erik took it in.

    He knew what they meant by underdogs.

    He was a scarce and almost extinct Breed of wolves called the Sefs.

    The other wolves and Alphas had looked down on them mainly out of jealousy.

    Compared to how the Lycan were hunted, the Sefs were made outcasts and looked at with disdain.

    Originally enved wolves, they had been bought by a King about three centuries back and had paid solitude to him.

    Eventually, they gained their freedom, but the rest of the wolf world kept the same mindset toward them.

    They were also jealous of them because, unlike other wolves, they could retain their status as Alpha even though they had been taken over.

    "If you won��t speak to me," Erik said. "Then I��ll send my regards to the Alpha."

    Another Alpha was about toin when the king, who had been watching the entire argument, lifted his hand.

    The entire room went quiet.

    The King sat up and said. "Where is Xaden? I want to see him. He has to answer to me. It��s within my power."

    "But it��s also within the rights of an Alpha when he is within his pack to dictate his own rules," Erik said. "Xaden is busy at the moment. What you have to say to him can be said to me. Here I am him."

    The King said nothing, and then he tilted his head. Alexander stepped from the shadows with a patch on his eye but no hand.

    Erik gave a coy smile.

    "I have enquiries about what happened to my nephew." The King said.

    "That��s a matter between Xaden and Alexander," Erik replied.

    "But you were present when this urred, weren��t you?" The King asked. "Xaden is beginning to lose his mind. He hurt my blood. Royal blood over her a mere enved person. ves are gifts and offerings to all sorts of wolves. Xaden himself has been party to ves whenever we are having an orgy."

    "This ve is special," Erik said. "She belongs solely to Alpha Xaden as the marriage bond ties them."

    There were whispers amongst the people.

    "No one is allowed to touch her except him," Erik said. And forgive me, Your Majesty, but with all due respect. You married into the Royal Wolf family. You, in fact, aren��t Royal blood, neither is Alexander."

    There were some gasps and murmurs from the crowd.

    "So Xaden didn��t exactly break anyw. He didn��t harm Royal blood." Erik said.

    He knew that he had beaten them at their game.

    The King��s face was expressionless, and then Alexander looked ready to burst into rage.

    "How dare you and your dirty underdog say that?" Alexander spat. "You��re not even a wolf."

    "That��s enough from you." The King said, and Alexander was forced to be silent.

    Then, the King turned to Erik.

    "Where is Xaden? If he isn��t present for the halo festival, this would be considered treason. We wolves wouldn��t be able to survive if the final ritual was performed, and I would be forced to follow my rules. I will kill Xaden and all of hismand, including you, and then I will annex the crescent pack. You already know this, don��t you?"

    "I��m aware." Erik nodded.

    "You��re dismissed." The King said.

    Erik bowed and walked out of the room, but not before holding firm eye contact with Alexander.

    Erik walked back into Loren��s room and found them still working on the dead assassin��s body.

    "Tell me you guys have got something," Erik said. "It��s already nightfall. We��re about three hours from midnight. The King has promised to kill us all if we can��t find we don��t bring Xaden."

    "Rushing me isn��t going to help or change anything," Loren said, prodding her lungs.

    "Wel, there wouldn��t be anything if we didn��t do something," Erik said.

    "It would have been better if I had more help than Elena. But someone thought it best to send away my assistant." Loren said, ring at Damian, who turned his face away.

    "Has she still not returned? I��ll go out and look for her," Erik said.

    "No, don��t." Elena said. "Leave her for now. She needs the space."

    They resumed working, and it was barely thirty minutes before midnight.

    "We��re dead." Damian said, giving up.

    Erik had been itching his hair and contemting sending his daughter away to safety.

    "No, we��re not." Loren said, getting all their attention.

    He pushed under her heart, and he pulled out a tiny object.

    "Is that what I think it is?" Elena asked, approaching him.

    They all circled him.

    "What <strong><i>is </i></strong>it?" Damian asked.

    "It��s payment. It��s a special mode for the desert wolves. They are assassins, so they hide it under their hearts. After their work, they turn into wolves, and they take it out." Loren said, then he turned to Damian. For someone who doesn��t know everything, you have a big mouth."

    Elena collected it and closed her eyes over it.

    Then she opened it, and it was white.

    She closed it and took in a deep breath.

    "I know who sent the assassin." She said.

 Chapter 108: THE APPREHENSION

    <h4>Chapter 108: THE APPREHENSION</h4>

    "Would you imagine the insult?!" Alpha Brain demanded to the other Alphas once Erik had left the room. "An underdog referring to us like we are his mates."

    "He is an Alpha." Alpha Cullen admitted. "If you think of it in a way, he is our mate."

    "Bah! Don��te here with all that silly talk of justice. He is an underdog! A sef, and whether or not he is an Alpha, who cares? So long as he is a sef, he can never be seen as an equal." Alpha Brian argued.

    "Xaden is keeping up waiting." Alpha Lockwood said. "I wonder what is going on."

    "Xaden is a barbarian. I��ll tell you! He must have returned to the wild where he truly belongs and left us here." Alpha James spat.

    "Xaden has left us to suffer for our deed for not stopping Bale��s attack on his family." An old Alpha called Williams said. "He knows that withoutpleting the final ritual, all wolves would be turned to mere humans, and we will suffer until the next halo festival."

    "if we even have another halo festival. If that happens, the goddess might never forgive us." The high priestess said. "She would plunge us with suffering beyond words. We can not let that happen."

    "Then, if he won��t be present, let��s find another one to participate in the ritual, " an Alpha said, and they murmured in agreement.

    "No." The priestess said. "You will do no such thing. I will not sit and watch while centuries of traditions are swept under the carpet. Try me if you dare!"

    They all went silent.

    "Xaden haspleted the first two rituals. He emerged victor for the first, and moreover, he is the Alpha of the pack where the halo appeared. It is he who is to finish what he has started. No one else." She said.

    They went quiet, and then reluctant murmurs could be heard through the hall.

    "None of you were fit to be victor that was why he won." She said. "And so shall it remain."

    "There are a few hours left till the tradition begins." The King said. "Let��s see how it goes."

    The Alphas were forced to be silent and agree with what the King said.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Belle was fidgeting in her room.

    "This has never happened before." Corral said.

    "Maybe he is just a bit unwell." Belle tried to convince herself.

    "Or maybe he is dead." Cherry drawled as she sipped her wine.

    Belle gasped and Corral turned to look at her aunt.

    "Why would you say such a thing?" Belle asked.

    "Because it might be true." Corral said. "An Alpha who was refused to appear all day? No one has made sight of him."

    "They said he is fine." Belle said.

    "And they also refused to disclose any other information." Cherry said. "When my parents died, they hid from everyone else. Until they were ready to announce me Queen. Those were the good old days."

    "But I saw him yesterday." Belle said. "Not as soon as our ns are getting together."

    "Something is up." Corral said. "Ignore your aunt. But he isn��t dead. She is just pulling your legs I��m sure."

    Belle already had tears in her eyes.

    How much she wanted Xaden. If anything happened to him she would go insane.

    "There are still a few hours until midnight." Cherry said siping her favorite wine. "He would appear, rx."

    "What if he doesn��t?" Corral this time asked the question they were all thinking.

    "Then we are doomed." Cherry said taking down all the contents of her ss wine.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    "Enough is enough." Alexander said stepping up. "Xaden isn��ting. I will be the one to take his ce."

    "We still have to be patient." The high priestess said.

    "For how long?" He barked at her. "Until it��s past midnights? We only have twenty minutes left to hit midnight. The moon is at its peak."

    She rose up to her feet. "You will do no such thing!"

    "Try and stop me. I��m not afraid to lose another eye in the conquest." He red down at her.

    At that moment the doors bust open and a body was flung down in the hallway.

    All eyes turned to the door.

    "What in the goddess?" Someone demanded.

    Xaden stood tall with Erik and Damian right behind him.

    "What is the meaning of this?" Alpha Brian marches to his front and demanded at the dead body of the woman.

    "I see I��ve kept you all waiting." Xaden said. "It was with good reason."

    "This is the body of a hired desert wolf assassin, sent to kill me." Xaden said and there was an uproar amongst the men. "The high priestess here can testify."

    The high priestess turned to king and he nodded.

    She walked to the body and put a hand over the body and closed her eyes.

    She opened them and looked up. "He tells no lies."

    There was further gasps and murmuring from the men.

    "Silence!" Xaden said and they all obeyed him.

    "And we have found the one who did it." Xaden said. "Guards!"

    The guards appeared behind him and marched towards the crowd of Alphas who in turn backed away.

    But they only went for one. Alexander.

    "What are you doing?" Alexander demanded a he was grabbed and pulled all the way to face Xaden.

    There was a loud uproar of shock and confusion amongst the wolves.

    "Do you have proof of this im?" The King stood up to his feet.

    "I expect you to support him. But of course I do." Xaden said and he showed the payment. "This is the payment that was made to the assassin, now this could be payment made from just anyone. But Desert assassin��s leave their own mark from who they have been paid from and it��sing from no one other than Alexander."

    Xaden tossed it to the King to see it for himself and then the wolves around peeked to take a look.

    "You know what the punishment is." Xaden said.

    "This is a lie! It��s a witch hunt! I had nothing to do with this! Let me go! Uncle! Uncle!" Alexander screamed in rage as he was dragged away.

 Chapter 109: THE FINAL RITUAL(R-18)

    <h4>Chapter 109: THE FINAL RITUAL(R-18)</h4>

    Xaden now turned back to the crowd.

    "Sorry to keep you waiting." He said. "But from what you could now tell. I had other urgent matters at hand."

    Then he turned to the King. "Or do you have something to say? Whether he is your blood rtion or not, the due course must be taken as it��s thew. Isn��t it?"

    All their eyes turned to the King, who was seen as angry.

    There was nothing he could do about what had just transpired. It was the ultimate judgment.

    "Of course." The King said.

    Xaden��s eyes twinkled, and his delicate cheekbones turned in the direction of the high priestess.

    "I believe it��s time for the halo festival." He said. "I do not wish to make any more dys."

    She bowed. "You shalle with me, my lord."

    And together, they went away out to the nes of the castle grounds.

    All the other Alphas and gammas stood present as he was led towards a massive and t stone.

    All the priestesses came up to him and seductively took off his clothes piece by piece and dropped kisses over him.

    They knelt and touched his feet and kissed his hand as his body glistened like diamonds until he was utterly und.

    A deer was dragged down by the other priestesses and made to beid down on the t stone

    The high priestess sat beside it and gently touched it.

    "Thank you for your sacrifice." She said to the bleeding.

    Then she picked out her de and stabbed it right in the heart.

    A bowl was handed to her, and she used it to fetch the blood.

    After that, she gracefully walked down to Xaden, who stood waiting for her.

    She dipped her hands inside the bowl of blood and used it to mark his body as she made some incantations.

    She marked it all over him as she recited the incantations repeatedly.

    The crowd of wolves were only Alphas and their gammas.

    No female was allowed to be present except for the priestesses.

    They were untouchable.

    However, if a female wolf was present, it could affect the transformation process, and Victor could pick the wrong maiden.

    Then, the halo moon lit down on him, and he felt his body stretching, the power influencing him.

    He growled and shook as he and his wolf fought for dominance.

    His veins were outlined, and you could see his bones plummeting from his skin but remaining inside.

    He growled and snapped as his teeth became more expansive and howled.

    He was aplete wolf now.

    His eyes were red and filled with fire.

    His beautiful ck skin and his massive countenance were where a wolf stood.

    His hoofs were so strong that the ground trembled as he set one down.

    Xaden��s true wolf was rarely seen, but when it was, he was almost always ready to exact his power.

    They all went down on their knees for him.

    Even the King set his eyes downcast.

    They bowed, and he looked around them.

    But Xaden wasn��t Xaden anymore.

    He was the Victor.

    The wolf, influenced by the god��s spirit, was looking for the goddess, who was somewhere waiting for him.

    The true story of Halo��s final ritual is that the moon goddess Celine had lost her god.

    She had searched for him but couldn��t find him.

    Eventually, she gave up but never knew that her mate and the god were trapped and imprisoned.

    After he was freed by the spirit high priestess, he went to look for her but he had been told she had gone to slumber and had given up on him.

    In agony, he had howled his wolf.

    But then they had told him that there was an alternative.

    Once the moon formed a halo, he could enter the body of a wolf, a true Alpha and Victor one who could withstand his spirt and this time be the one to search for the goddess whose spirit wouir be pushed to a maiden who could resist her influence .

    He agreed, and then, when the halo moon appeared, he entered the wolf worthy of his spirit and searched for her.

    When he found her in the maiden, he would transform from wolf to human and mate with her, and their love would strengthen all wolves.

    Xaden howled to the moon, and his senses searched for the maiden.

    He raced so fast, and every moment he leaped, the ground shook.

    The god directed him, and he snapped his saliva bleeding.

    He could feel her.

    Then he races up towards the castle.

    He ran down the hallway and headed straight for the stairs.

    His growling could be heard because the entire hall was silent.

    The entire pack and his territory were silent.

    He felt her drawing and pulling him closer, and then, he pushed the door open and found her.

    Princess Belle had been sleeping in her room and was woken by the crash.

    She got up and saw him snarling and growling as he approached her.

    She smiled, and then he turned to his human form and pushed her down the bed.

    She was shocked by his strength and desire.

    She looked into his eyes, but he was clouded.

    He ripped her dress apart, and she was so ready for him as she was dripping, spilling her warmth on the bed.

    He mounted her, and just as he was about to plunge into her to begin the mating, he stopped.

    He started to shake his head as he heard someone calling out to him.

    Belle looked up at him, confused.

    He struggled with the whispers and returned to Belle but was pulled back.

    His eyes went white, and then he got off her immediately.

    "What��s happened?" Belle asked.

    But he started to growl and turn back into a wolf.

    She tried to touch him, but he snarled at her, and she screamed and backed off.

    Hepletely reverted back to his wolf form, about ten feet tall, and then he ran out of the room, breaking down the wall more driven.

    "Xaden, wait!" Belle cried.

    But he was already gone.

 Chapter 110: THE MATING RITUAL(R-18)

    <h4>Chapter 110: THE MATING RITUAL(R-18)</h4>

    XADEN��S POV

    Xaden��s wolf could hear the whispers as he howled and ran down the halls.

    He was so fast, and it was like someone was calling him.

    It was like he was meant to be led elsewhere.

    The god was in full power, and Xaden was merely used as a medium.

    He howled as he looked for his goddess, Selene.

    He had never been in the parts before, but he knew them with the back of his hands.

    He raced down the trees and pushed past the path leading into the forests until he came to a swamp that radiated with moonlight.

    And then he saw her in the water, swimming perfectly.

    He howled, and then she was startled and turned to gasp.

    Once she was therge wolf, her heart began to beat quickly.

    She wanted to flee, but something made her not to.

    The giant wolf growled and majestically walked towards where she was.

    Then he turned to his human form, and she gasped softly at seeing him.

    He walked up to the beautiful swamp.

    As he moved closer to her, the lilies in theke cleared the way for him.

    He pulled her towards him, but she could not draw herself away from him.

    "Celene." He whispered into her ears as she cradled her body to him. "I found you again."

    At that moment, she was drawn to look up into the moon, and the power flowed down her, and she looked back down at him.

    "My love." She whispered, and he bent down to kiss her.

    She felt his tongue trail inside her mouth, and she released a soft moan.

    "Another eighty years I��ve been waiting for you." He said as he kissed her back, and their tongues intertwined.

    "How can you speak?" She asked him.

    He had never been able to speak during all the times they had met during the Halo festival.

    He had only been focused on the mating.

    "I don��t know." He said. "It must be this body."

    "And mine, too." She said, her eyes twinkling. "They are mates. This is the first time in a millennium that we��ve taken the bodies of two mates."

    She felt how much the power flowed through her veins.

    Then he pushed her red curls and said. "I��ve longed for you. I can not wait any longer."

    Then he let his finger part her lips and crushed his lips down on her.

    She held on to him, and he was fierce and hungry for her.

    They moaned as his tongue dived into her mouth and tasted how sweet she was.

    She grabbed his arm as he caressed her thighs.

    She threw her head back as he began to drop kisses down her neck.

    He had never been so gentle with her when they proceeded to mate; this was the first time.

    It was like it was because of these bodies.

    But the urgency that was in them was fierce.

    Then he went down on her and began to kiss her passionately once again.

    She cried out in pleasure as she was hungry for him.

    His fingers went down the path of her thighs as he touched her within and massaged her inner thighs.

    She held onto him, crying and weeping for more.

    He was so hard for her.

    He wanted to take her inside theke right there and then.

    He used his free hand to rub her nipples and caress her full and lush breasts.

    Then he pinched on them, and she cried in pleasure.

    But she desires more.

    She set her hands down to his manhood and felt how hard he was.

    Under the water, she yed with his cock and used her hands to move back and forth around it.

    He groaned in pleasure, and she looked up at him as he pressed his eyes tight in acknowledgment of her touch.

    "Please." She begged him.

    Without hesitating, he picked her up and set her on his waist.

    Her feet were wrapped and secured around him, firmly locked in their embrace as he kissed they kissed.

    With her on his waist and her legs wrapped against him, it was easy for him to find her entrance.

    He nudged the tip of his cock towards her, and he felt how tight she was.

    "Go in." She said to him.

    And with hermand, he plunged into her, and she cried aloud in pleasure at the full size of him in her.

    How much his cock filled her

    Then he began to move inside her back and forth.

    She cried. "Ohhh... yes. Please."

    She grabbed his back as he pounded inside her, filled with uncontainable thirst and hunger.

    He felt how her inside warmth contracted, dripping with juice as he went in and out.

    With every thrust, she cried to him, begged him.

    The water sshed at their sides as they mated.

    Then she was kissing him again, and he was plummeting harder and faster.

    Their kissespromised their moaning as when he plunged inside her, and she let out a moan, she moaned into the kiss.

    "Yes.. yes." He cried.

    And as they mated fiercely, they released great power unto the earth.

    They could both feel it being released from their body.

    She felt his release nearing, and then she held him crossed her legs tighter to make sure that he didn��t let go.

    He exploded inside her, and then there was a sudden calm.

    Their breaths eased until they were silent.

    She looked up at him. "You��re fading. Don��t leave me."

    He kissed her cheek. "I never left you. I��ve always been here."

    They gave each other one more passionate kiss, and then his spirit went towards the halo moon, and so did she follow.

    The moon reverted to its natural shape, and then it was calm.

    Xaden opened his eyes and saw himself lying by the bank of theke naked, with someone in his arms.

    He lifted his arm and wondered where he was. It

 Chapter 111: FUCK YOU SENSELESS(R-18)

    <h4>Chapter 111: FUCK YOU SENSELESS(R-18)</h4>

    Thest thing Xaden could remember was being marked by the high priestess and being prepared for the halo festival.

    As he moved gently, he felt the naked body, and his hand went up, and he knew it was a woman.

    So his wolf had found the maiden and mated with her.

    He gently released her arm and looked up to see who it was.

    He was shocked to see it was none other than Jasmine.

    He stared in amazement.

    How was she, of all people, the maiden?

    She was his enemy. The daughter of his worst enemy, and he had taken her as his ve and captive.

    Why was she the one chosen to be his maiden?

    He looked down at her and noticed the perfect curves on her body.

    She was turned in such a way she faced him, and then his breasts were full and faced him.

    Her long red curls were still damp from the water, so he gently touched them to be sure.

    His eyes went to the valley in between her legs and how her slender legsy against each other.

    She was sound asleep and oblivious to his presence.

    He wondered if she had been awake during the entire ordeal.

    He hasn��t been aware of it.

    Then her scar caught his eye, and he gently set his fingers against them.

    He had always wondered how she had gotten it, but he had never brought himself to ask her.

    After all, she was just a mere ve.

    He nuzzled her cheeks.

    He should leave and return to the pack.

    After all, his tasks had been fulfilled, and he needed to deal with Alexander and prepare for his execution.

    But then he couldn��t bring himself to leave her.

    He felt himself get hard with desire and longing for her as he set his fingers trailing down her curves.

    She moaned softly and turned in her sleep in such a way shey on her back.

    Hearing her soft moan made him desire her even more.

    He didn��t know what it was, but he was pulled to her. She dragged him like a ma.

    Her beautiful breasts were now left to his full view.

    He let his finger trail down further, and soon, they nestled at the V between her legs.

    She remained sound asleep, and then he went on to dove his fingers in between her.

    She moaned softly again in her sleep, and then he began to massage her softly.

    She began to move and then eased her legs apart a bit more for him.

    He smiled down and felt her juice drip and spill for him.

    His fingers barely moved, and she was already pouring for him.

    The fact that she was sound asleep and yet still receiving his pleasure made him hard.

    It made him want more. Urge more from her.

    His fingers moved in perfect rhythm, and she started to moan aloud.

    Then she opened her eyes, and she looked right up at him.

    "My lord." She said softly in surprise.

    "Shhh." He said gently as he went over her.

    She said nothing, and then he gazed over her and said what he had wanted to say from the first day he met her.

    "You��re so beautiful." He said.

    And then he tucked her curls behind her ear.

    But then she tried to stop him.

    "Your scar is beautiful." He said, and that stopped her mid-way.

    She looked at him, and then he hated himself for wanting her this way.

    He hated himself for the pull she had on him.

    And most of all, he hated himself for what he was about to do.

    He bent down on her and opened her lips to kiss her.

    Ever since the first day he had kissed her, he had wanted to kiss her even more.

    He found he loved kissing.

    It was something that he wanted from her and only her.

    He bit her bottom lip and dragged it before going down to kiss her once again.

    She threw her arms around him, and then he went down to kiss her corbone and neck and all over.

    "My lord." She wept in pleasure.

    Then he went down to her already hard nipples and flicked his tongue over them.

    She opened her mouth and cried out to the moon in pleasure.

    He set his knee to nudge her apart, and she was already overflowing with love for him.

    Her entrance was begging him to dive in.

    He pushed inside her, and she screamed.

    He looked into her eyes as if trying to make sure she was okay before he began to move.

    It was something he had never done with other wolves, but with Jasmine, he cared.

    She spread her legs for him.

    "Please, my lord." She begged. "Please Alpha Xaden."

    And then he epted the invitation and pulled out before ramming back into her.

    With every split second that he drove his stiff cock into her thick warmth, she screamed.

    Digging her nails into his back.

    Xaden had never felt anything like this.

    He wanted her more and more, and he thrust into her.

    They maintained eye contact as he fucked the life out of her.

    They were both breathless, and beads of sweat furrowed his brows.

    "Do you desire me?" He asked her. "Do you want my cock to fill you? Answer me."

    She nodded, tears of pleasure running down her eyes. "Yes, Alpha."

    "Swear it." He whispered darkly into her eyes as he pulled out and held her for a few seconds before driving into her.

    She screamed. "I swear it."

    And then he pounded her till she could hardly even think.

    He pounded her in such a way he had never felt the need to lie with a woman.

    And then he felt her shake, and then he felt his releaseing.

    He increased his pace, and her walls began to close.

    At the moment she released, he exploded inside her.

 Chapter 112: YOU WERE NEVER THE ONE

    <h4>Chapter 112: YOU WERE NEVER THE ONE</h4>

    BELLE��S POV

    Early the following day, once it was daybreak, Belle woke up.

    She itched her eyes and stretched slowly.

    Then she looked around, hoping to see Xaden by her side.

    But there was no one.

    She jerked up immediately.

    Where was he? Where had he gone, too?

    Hadn��t hee into her roomst night?

    And then the events ofst night yed in her head once again.

    And she remembered it all.

    He hade to find her.

    He had even mounted her, ready to mate with her, but then, for some reason, he stopped and ran off.

    She looked towards the door and saw it was broken down, supporting the vague memory.

    She jumped up.

    The spell hadn��t worked! Where had he gone?

    He hadn��t mated with her.

    Belle felt her heart crushed, and she began to weep in agony.

    She wore her dress as she wept, and her handmaiden came in.

    "Your majesty." The servant said. "Is everything alright? I heard some noises."

    The servant gasped at the door, seeing how it and parts of the wall were severely broken down.

    "My goodness, what happened?" the servant gasped. Then, when she saw the princess tear-stricken, she ran to her. "Your majesty, are you alright?"

    Belle grabbed a nearby vase and screamed as she threw it at the servant. "GET OUT!"

    Luckily, the servant dodged and ran out, bumping into another confused servant.

    Belle flung another object; this time, it was��a candle holder.

    "GET OUT!" She cried. "ALL OF YOU! GET OUT!"

    They all ran off, and she wept angrily as she broke down things.

    Then, she hurried out of the room.

    As usual, she returned to her mother��s room, hoping to find her mother and Aunt Cherry together.

    She kicked down the door.

    "Belle?!" The two women gasped. "What��s wrong?!"

    "Dear, you should never run down looking like you��ve been through hell and out. You��re a princess, for crying out loud. What would themoners say if they saw you like this?" Aunt Cherry said.

    "I have no desire or care in the world about my appearance." Belle was weeping like a spoilt child. "Oh, mother! Oh, aunt! It didn��t work! The spell didn��t work!"

    Her aunt Cherry looked at her in astonishment. "What do you mean it didn��t work, girl? That was a certified dark magic spell. There was no way in hell it didn��t work!"

    "It didn��t work!" Belle screamed, angry at always being talked down. "It didn��t work!"

    "What do you mean? That��s not possible. We did everything we were supposed to."

    "Mother, I said it didn��t work!" Belle interrupted her mother. "It didn��t bloody work!"

    "Language!" Cherry chastised.

    "Oh, go to hell, old woman!" Belle snapped, shocking them all. "I would bloody well say what I wish, and you will do nothing! Your spell didn��t work!"

    Belle sat down in the bed and began to shake.

    "Dear, can you tell us what really happened?" her mother asked her gently. They were now aware that Belle had be like a porcupine, ready to throw her spikes at anyone who darede near her.

    "He came into my room! We were about to mate! And..." she began to weep. "A-and he j-just ran o-of."

    She burst into uncontroble tears again.

    Her mother and aunt looked at each other, unsure what to say.

    Before they could speak, they heard the castle bells being rung.

    They all jumped

    "What��s that for?!" Belle asked.

    Before they could stop her, she ran to the balcony to see what was happening.

    They went after her and watched what was happening while her mother tried to pull her back in.

    "Don��t touch me!" Belle warned her mother, and her mother backed away.

    Belle watched and saw all the Alphas standing at attention and the high priestess waiting in white at their front, all facing towards the forest.

    Belle watched on, further confused about what was going on.

    "What are they all waiting for?" She asked no one in particr.

    Then she saw her father and mother walk and join those standing.

    Then she saw someone walking towards them.

    She frowned as she squinted well to see who it was and what they were doing.

    She couldn��t see from the so far distance because the balcony was high up.

    She rushed back into the room and searched for a pair of binocrs.

    She found it in a drawer and grabbed it.

    She rushed back to the balcony and used it to see clearly.

    It was Xaden!

    She gasped.

    Then she frowned and noticed that he was carrying something in his arms.

    She frowned and then used the binocrs again to zoom in closely as she approached.

    Xaden was shirtless with only his pants and no one other than Jasmine hung in his arms.

    She felt faint and took a weak step back, almost falling.

    Her mother caught her. "Belle. You must get a grip of yourself."

    "Don��t touch me!" Belle screamed, freeing herself from her mother��s embrace.

    She rushed to view them, and this time, she didn��t need a pair of binocrs to see him progress towards the castle gates.

    She wanted to rip her hair out.

    "No, tell me he didn��t!" Belle wept. "Tell me he didn��t."

    "You need to know the truth," Cherry said. "He ran off to her because you went strong enough for him. It��s not the spell that was the problem. It was you, and she was the maiden! He mates with her, and he didn��t even notice you."

    "Aunt!" Belle��s mother said.

    "She needs to know!" Cherry said. "Do you know why that girl is stronger than you even though she is a ve and she is poor and dirty and uglypared to you? Do you?! It��s Because she is your mother��ste sister��s daughter."

    Belle didn��t blink. "W-what? B-but I-thought she d-died."

    "She didn��t." Her mother sighed.

    "And do you know what? She is older than you by a year, and you know what that means?" Cherry asked. "She is the true heir of the crown. Not you."

 Chapter 113: THE TRUE HEIR

    <h4>Chapter 113: THE TRUE HEIR</h4>

    Belle watched her mouth widely ajar.

    In nothing but utter disbelief.

    "You��re lying to me," Belle said.

    No, they were definitely lying to her.

    They only wanted to scare her, nothing more than that.

    "It��s just a lie," Belle said.

    She tried to convince herself it wasn��t true, but her heart was beating so fast, and something within her told her that it was, in fact, the truth.

    She saw her mother and Aunt Cherry��s face and swallowed hard.

    "It��s not true!" Belle snapped in rage. "Why are you two looking at me like that? Mother, why is grand aunt telling me such absurd lies."

    "Belle, it��s the truth." Her mother said. "She isn��t lying. We wouldn��t lie to you about such."

    She closed her eyes to ensure it was a simple dream or joke.

    "Look at her." Aunt Cherry said.

    Belle refused to look down at the castle gate.

    "I said look at her Belle." Aunt Cherry repeated with such emphasis.

    Belle found herself turning down to look at the gate of the castle.

    There, Jasmine was still well nestled in Xaden��s arms as the high priestesses used something from a bowl to mark them both, and her grandparents watched on.

    "Her hair is red." Aunt Cherry started.

    "She isn��t the only one on earth with red hair, is she?!" Belle spat. "Or wait!! You are telling me these lies because of what happened with Grandma? She is a scam and a fraud! You, of all people, should know that."

    Aunt Cherry shook her head. "Look at her, Belle. Look at her. Take a good look at her."

    Belle was forced to look down at her again, and she saw her again.

    "She is what her mother would have looked like if she was alive. She looks like you." Aunt Cherry said.

    Belle shook her head, trying not to ept it.

    She pressed her hands down on the balcony, and then her knuckles went red as they pierced down the rough railing.

    "But you said that Aunt Scarlet died," Belle said.

    "I thought so too. We all thought so too. But we were wrong." Her mother said.

    Belle watched as shey nestled in Xaden��s arms.

    It was supposed to be her there, not that witch!

    It was supposed to be her!

    She couldn��t stand seeing any of this!

    She turned around and went into the room.

    Her mother and aunt followed her.

    "How long have you known?" Belle demanded, trying to maintain her calm. "How long?"

    "A while." Her mother said. "But your grand aunt knew it before I did."

    Belle swallowed, and then it urred to her! Did her grandparents know?!

    Were they already aware?!"

    She jumped and turned to the other women. "Do they know? Grandpa and Grandma? Do they know who she truly is?"

    "No." Aunt Cherry said.

    Belle breathed a sigh of relief.

    "And it will remain that way if you keep your mouth shut!" Aunt Cherry chastised.

    "What if they find out?" Belle asked.

    "They won��t find out." Aunt Cherry snapped. "Unless you give us up with these your attitude. We��ve managed to keep it secret, so keep it that way. Moreover, this is thest day of the ritual. We are leaving today."

    Belle swallowed. "Well, even though they find out? What? She won��t be made queen. She is nothing like me and doesn��t even know how to behave like royalty. Just look at how miserable she is."

    "You have reason to be scared." Her mother said. "You don��t even see it yet, do you? We made a spell that would make Xaden choose you as the maiden. It��s one of the darkest magic your grand aunt has made in a very long time, yet it didn��t work."

    "And my spell always works." Aunt Cherry said.

    "Maybe there was something wrong about it. Maybe you missed an ingredient, or perhaps you didn��t mix it well enough-

    "My spells are always perfect." Aunt Cherry cut in. "I��ve never made a mistake with any of my spells! Ever!"

    Belle fidgeted. "Yes, so?"

    "So?" Her motherughed in disbelief. "You��re really both long and short sighted aren��t you? Okay let me put it out like you. I will tell you this, and you will take it to your grave."

    "What do you want to tell me, mother?" Belle asked, scared of her mother��s tone.

    "I did it." Her mother said. "I killed my sister Scarlet. It was me."

    Belle��s mouth dropped.

    "Oh, shut up. You always order people��s executions, so how is this any different?!" Her mother snapped back, and Belle shut her mouth. "I killed her. Or so I thought. But somehow, she lived enough to have a child. And that child hase back into our lives to be a torn in our flesh."

    "The thing is. My sister. The perfect and almighty. The one without sin was meant to be Queen, as you know. The true power of the Crown resides with her. But I took it, and I passed it down to you when I had you." Her mother said.

    "Yes, but my powers only manifest when I hit the age of twenty," Belle said. "I��ve seen only neen summers."

    "And that��s where I��m getting at. Jasmine, even though they lived far away from us. Isted and unaware of who she truly is, she grew up with her powers. It grew within her. She is the same age as you, but yet hers manifested." Aunt Cherry said.

    "It��s because, just like her mother, she is the one who is supposed to be next in line with the throne. I suspect that that��s why the spell didn��t work. Her powers are already manifesting." Her mother said.

    "So what is going to happen to me?" Belle��s lips quivered.

    "If they discover that Jasmine is the true heir, they will turn their attention to her. She will be Queen, not you. You would be forgotten." Aunt Cherry said.

    And the words dropped like a bombshell on her.

 Chapter 114: WE GREET YOU AND YOUR MAIDEN

    <h4>Chapter 114: WE GREET YOU AND YOUR MAIDEN</h4>

    A FEW HOURS AGO.

    The birds chirped and sang, making for an early morning discussion.

    It was the blissful chatter that woke Jasmine up.

    She slowly opened her eyes and looked and saw that she was asleep in the swamp.

    Nature sounded so quiet.

    This was the first time she had ever had the opportunity to sleep on the sweet and natural grass outside.

    Back home in the pack, she had been strictly prohibited from staying out because she was to remain hidden.

    But here, even though she was a ve and the property of Alpha Xaden, she had never been so free and had even done things she had never had the opportunity to do back home.

    She felt the beautiful rays of sunlight on her naked body, and it wasn��t harsh but warm and alluring.

    She moved and then felt a firm arm around her waist.

    She froze, turned around, and saw Xaden sound asleep beside her.

    His arm was ced around her protectively in such a manner that he seemed reluctant to let go.

    Then the memories ofst night came back to her.

    How he hade to her in theke and been so gently with her.

    He had been nothing like the first time they had been together.

    She blushed when she remembered how intimate they had been.

    Her tummy flipped, and she felt a sudden strange wave of emotions.

    She looked at him soundly as he slept and admired him.

    She adjusted to seeing his face well, and even in sleep, he tightened his grip around her and held her close to him.

    She smiled at even how protective he still was despite not being awake.

    She watched him and closely watched his features for the first time.

    She noticed that his dark hair was almost as ck as a raven, and then she gently smoothed away the lock of hair that hung over his eye, and then his scar came into view.

    It was small but visible and had already healed as if it were over his left eye.

    It made him seem more dangerous even though, at the moment, he looked like a sound-asleep child.

    She smiled and wondered what he looked like as a child.

    His eyshes were long, and his brows were full.

    She saw his cheek move in sleep and noticed his deep dimples.

    Then she looked down at his chest and took in how perfect made they were.

    She gently set her hand on them and admired him.

    She wanted to stay like this forever.

    She and him were just here, far away from everyone else.

    She gently touched his face, and then his eyes fluttered open.

    She felt her heart skip, seeing his solemn face as he stared at her.

    At first, it had been a surprise, and then it had be expressionless.

    Then he sat up and looked around.

    "What are we doing here?" He looked down at her, and then she remembered that she was naked, and she blushed in modesty.

    "You can��t remember?" She asked him. He stared at her nkly. Then she cleared her throat and went on. "I woke upst night and found you by my side, and w-we h-happened."

    He looked at her and then put his hand over his face. "Damn it."

    Then he looked around as if trying to reassure himself.

    "What about the maiden?" He asked her.

    She looked at him in confusion.

    She had wondered about that, too.

    Why was he with her when he was supposed to be with the maiden?

    "I don��t know where she is. It��s just been two of us." She said.

    He stopped short as if something urred to him.

    "Shit." He swore.

    Then he got up to his feet, and she took in the gaze of his lean and perfect back structure.

    She quickly diverted her eyes in modesty.

    He looked around for his clothes, but there were none in sight.

    He swore to himself.

    He found her dress, and then he flung it at her.

    "Get dressed."

    Hands shaking, she hurriedly put on the dress and tried to get up.

    "Ooof!" She said as she fell back down.

    He looked at her with a frown as she tried to rise again, but she fell back down.

    "What��s wrong?" He asked.

    "I don��t know, and my legs just seem unable to move." She said nervously.

    Then she swallowed. "You can leave me alone, my lord. I��ll return to the castle."

    He looked at her, and before she could even say jack, he had gone down to her and scooped her in his arms.

    She looked at him, her face now turning red and seemingly shocked.

    He said nothing as he began to walk with her in his arms.

    He said nothing, and so she, in turn, kept her words to herself.

    She tried to ignore the fact that he was naked. After all, being a wolf and being nude was amon thing.

    She thought he probably had ripped it when he was turning ahead of the ritual and maybe left it with the maiden he had found beforeing to her.

    She wondered why he was even bothering with her when he could just walk ahead of her.

    All through the walk, nothing was said, and then, as They approached the castle grounds, arge bell was wrung.

    Jasmine��s heart skipped, but she said nothing.

    Then they were in view of the castle gates, and she saw that the high priestesses and all Alphas were standing waiting for them.

    She wanted to ask him why he was carrying her in such a manner, but she was too scared even to move.

    Then, the King and Queen came and joined the waiting crowd.

    Soon, Xaden came to a halt in front of the high priestess.

    "Wee back, Lord and Alpha Xaden." She said. "The true victor of the halo moon."

    She bowed to him.

    "We greet you and your maiden." She said

 Chapter 115: I WAS ONLY FUCKING YOU

    <h4>Chapter 115: I WAS ONLY FUCKING YOU</h4>

    My lips dropped in utter shock

    "Y-your maiden?" I asked, confused as to what they were referring to.

    The high priestess looked at me, her face still solemn.

    I realized I had blurted in the middle of a ritual and looked down at the floor.

    "His maiden." The high priestess said to me.

    "W-who me?" I asked in surprise.

    "But of course." She said. "I see no one else around."

    "No, he just brought me because I couldn��t walk well," I said.

    The man coughed, and then I realized what I had said.

    "N-no, I don��t mean I couldn��t walk because of anything we did. I just." I realized I was talking too much, so I stopped and took a deep breath. "He was just assisting me. I��m not the maiden."

    "But you are." She smiled as she gave away her left palm and one of the priestesses handed her a bowl of blood. Your entire presence is radiating. Can��t you feel it yourself? You��ve been bestowed with the spirit of the goddess, and because of your sacrifice and mating, we��ve been given great power."

    The high priestess dipped her hand inside the bowl and drew the blood on my forehead.

    "If you hadn��t, we would have plunged into great winter and had our powers taken from us, " she said, and then she dipped her finger again into the blood, this time putting it on Xaden.

    I looked up at Xaden, hoping he would exin that I was not the maiden.

    But he said nothing, and for a split second, it urred to me that I probably was her.

    Then, one of the high priestesses came around with a robe for Xaden.

    "I believe I can walk now, my lord," I said.

    But he ignored me, and then the Robe was ced for him regardless of him holding me to him.

    Then, the high priestess made some incantations, speaking words and using anguage I did not understand.

    Then, when he was done, he held unto her firmly.

    I saw the king and Queen looking at me, and then memories of how I had seen the King kissing the Queen��s mother shed through my mind, and I turned my face away to hide in the nook of Xaden��s arm.

    The high priestess continued with the incantations, and then I heard hoofs.

    I saw none other than Aurora approaching us with a few of the men from the pack.

    About six of them all in all.

    They rode down towards us, and Aurora got off her horse and walked towards the crowd.

    She was about to say something when the high priestess used their spears to block her way.

    She turned and saw the high priestesses making her incantations.

    Then, when she saw us, her mouth dropped in shock.

    I blushed as I saw her gazing at Xaden at me and how I was held firmly in his arms.

    She was unable to say a word.

    "You have given us the beauty of nature again. Renewed our world till the next halo festival. We are forever grateful for your sacrifice." The high priestess concluded.

    Then, the high priestess knelt to her knees. The other lesser priestesses followed her, and then the Alphas, before the King and Queen.

    Aurora was forced to kneel even though, from her face and countenance, you could tell she didn��t want to and was only doing it grudgingly.

    Were they bowing down to us? To me?

    I held unto Xaden as he was my only support from this foreign asion.

    Then they rose to their feet and gave way.

    I felt ufortable as Xaden passed the clearing given to us, and soon, we were inside the Castle.

    I could feel the eyes of all the other servants looking at me and them whispering.

    I waspletely ufortable, and when we reached the steps, I forced myself down from him.

    He looked at me with a frown.

    "My apologies, Your Majesty," I said, removing imaginary rumples from my dress. "But I am certain I am fit enough to walk alone."

    "You��re not strong." He said, trying to hold me.

    "I appreciate you caring for me, Your Majesty." I started. "But I am pretty well enough for-

    He startedughing, and it stunned me.

    I had never seen himugh before, but I could tell it was not genuine.

    But a mean one.

    "You said I am caring for you?" He asked me with a cocked brow.

    I was at a loss for words.

    "Isn��t that what you were doing, Your Majesty, when you assisted me with my weak legs?" I managed to ask him.

    "Gods know, " he said. I carried you so that I wouldn��t dy any time. You were stalling, and moreover, it would have been something else if they all saw me walking with a limping girl, wouldn��t it?"

    I swallowed, clearing my dry throat.

    What had I honestly thought? That he cared for me?

    "I only fucked you because of the effect of the night ritual." He said. "It was simply my male urges. What? You thought it was something more?"

    I said nothing, and he turned to focus on me and then said.

    "You thought it was something more than just me fucking you?" He asked darkly.

    There were only a few inches left between us.

    I felt my heart race like it would leap right out of my heart.

    "You thought I could have something with you?" He asked me. "That maybe it was just past fucking and serving my duties."

    Reflex and I took a step back, surprised by the hurt and impact of his words on me.

    "No, my lord," I said quietly.

    When I looked up, he had turned his back on me and was already gone.

    The tears burning behind my eyes dropped, and then I looked up and saw Princess Belle staring hard at me from the other end of the stairs. Hate was vivid in her.

    I quickly cleaned my tears and went my way.

    But she was already catching up to me

 Chapter 116: FINDING THE WITNESS

    <h4>Chapter 116: FINDING THE WITNESS</h4>

    GENERAL POV

    Jasmine wiped her tears even though they were already spilling down as she hurried towards the corner, and then Princess Belle ran after her.

    "Get back here!" Princess Belle snapped at her. "Don��t run from me this time! Get back here!"

    She caught Jasmine��s shoulder, grabbed her, and roughly forced her to turn and face her.

    "Get back here!" She said.

    Then Belle remembered that Xaden hadn��t gone so far away.

    She quickly looked up towards the stairs to see if he was looking at them, but he was already gone.

    She sighed a sigh of relief and turned back to Jasmine.

    Who had seemingly turned to look in the same direction she had.

    An infuriated Belle snapped Jasmine.

    Jasmine held her cheek as her face was sent to the other sight due to the impact of the p.

    "Look at me." Belle hissed.

    But Jasmine��s face remained downcast.

    Belle angrily dragged her face and made her look at her.

    "I said look at me, you little bitch!" Belle hissed.

    It was then Jasmine looked at her.

    She had tears in her eyes; she could see them, but none were going down.

    And it made her only angry.

    Belle wanted to see her in tears. I wanted to see her miserable.

    Belle looked her over and assessed her well for the very first time.

    It was different because when she had seen her, she had hated her, but now she knew that Jasmine was her blood.

    She looked her over.

    Jasmine had fire-red curls, eyes as green as the grass, milky skin, and an oval face.

    Belle gasped at the stunning resemnce between Jasmine and herte aunt Scarlet.

    Jasmine had never seen Aunt Scarlet, but there were portraits of her in the castle, and the resemnce was unbelievable.

    Even despite how unkept and miserly she looked, she was everything of herte aunt Scarlet.

    Belle could swear that if her mother, Princess Coral, had her now ck hair turned red, she would look exactly like her.

    Because the two sisters were twins.

    Howe she hadn��t seen it in the first ce?

    And it made Belle all the more angry.

    Here was a girl from nowhere who was on the road to ruin everything she had ever had.

    Take away her destiny.

    "You slut!" Belle said. "How dare you try to seduce Xaden? How dare you walk out on me when I spoke to you."

    Jasmine said nothing.

    "I��m speaking to you! When I demand a question, I expect a reply!" Belle hissed.

    "Forgive me, Your Majesty." That was all Jasmine said.

    And it only made her more upset.

    "I would have had your head had it not been for the fact that you are under the jurisdiction of this pack," Belle said. "You wouldn��t even have the opportunity to breathe. I would have cut out your tongue myself."

    Jasmine said nothing and then said. "Your majesty. You��re mistaken. I have never attempted to seduce Alpha Xaden."

    Belle��s beautiful face twisted. "So what? Are you telling me that he finds you! Of all she-wolves attractive?"

    Belleughed. "Please spare me that."

    Jasmine sighed. "I haven��t said that, Your Majesty. Moreover, you have said it. Who am I even to have the eyes of the Alpha bestowed on me? He hates me. Nothing more."

    "And you will steer clear of him," Belle said. "Don��t trample on me. Xaden is mind. Keep that in mind."

    "I never said he was mine in the first ce, Your Majesty," Jasmine said quietly.

    Belle was shocked so much she took a step back.

    She had never had someone so audacious to her.

    The worst part was that she had been so calm and not even rude when making a statement like that.

    "G-get the fuck out of my sight, you slut!" Belle screamed at her.

    Jasmine bowed and turned, and left.

    While Belle was still furious from that moment, she heard a familiar female voice.

    "Well, well, well. If it isn��t the spoilt heiress herself."

    Belle turned and saw Aurora.

    "What are you doing here? Weren��t you kicked out for fighting the princess?" Belle asked sarcastically.

    "Oh, I was. But you see, it was just for a short while. Xaden couldn��t do without me, so he called me back," Aurora said.

    "Well, you havepetition." She said to her. "There is already someone filling your space."

    "Does she fight with you? I hope she does." Aurora said with a smile

    "She can not bepared to me." Belle said.

    "Convince yourself." Aurora said. "The festival is over. You can also pack your things and leave. See you out."

    Aurora walked away her heels clicking the floor and Belle stomped away.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    AURORA��S POV

    After Aurora��s brief encounter with Belle, she went off on her way.

    She didn��t have time for the spoilt girl.

    There were other matters at hand, at least the ones she was supposed to face.

    She finally had it all.

    She finally had enough to get Jasmine out of the Castle and dead.

    She headed down the castle and found her way towards the dungeon.

    The guards bowed as she proceeded to thest holding cells, which held the most treacherous prisoners.

    Jasmine herself had been locked up here.

    She reached thest guard, and he stepped aside.

    She was not supposed to be allowed in but had bribed her way.

    "Is the prisoner in?" She asked.

    "Goes nowhere." He replied as he fumbled for the keys.

    They opened it, and she stepped in.

    "Make sure no onees in until I leave, " she said, and then she went on ahead.

    She strolled the empty cells until she got to her destination.

    She cleared her throat.

    "Wake up my dear." She said with a morous smile. "We have a lot to discuss."

    The chains jiggled, and then the figure in the dark rose up and came to light.

    Alexander with his eye patch came in to view and Aurora smiled.

 Chapter 117: AURORA’S DEAL

    <h4>Chapter 117: AURORA��S DEAL</h4>

    Even though the light radiated on him from where he sat in the cell, Alexander remained far away.

    "This is a new look," Aurora said. "Heard it was a gift from Xaden."

    He ignored her, and she smiled as she folded her arms. "Heard it came with a hand souvenir, too."

    He still said nothing.

    "You��ve always been talkative for as long as I��ve known you, Alexander." She said. "Surely being locked up in prison without a hand and an eye hasn��t affected you."

    He still said nothing. "Come on, don��t be a killjoy. You��re no longer fun and in a bad mood. I came to see you."

    "And I don��t want to see anyone." He snorted. "How is that hard for you to understand?"

    "God, you��ve be boring," Aurora said as she tapped the bars. "What I have for you is a way out."

    "You think because I��m held here, I��m trapped." He said.

    She chuckled. "Be serious, Alexander. You��re trapped here because Xaden locked you up. And I know what I heard. That you sent an assassin to kill him."

    "I didn��t fucking send a stupid assassin to kill him!" Alexander spat in rage.

    "Rich for you to deny it." She said.

    He sighed and leaned back against the wall. "Trust me. I didn��t send the assassin. It��s not my style."

    "Exactly." Aurora said, taking a seat on a chair beside her and crossing her long legs. "That��s what I don��t get about you. I expected better from you, you know? You always said you were going to end Xaden one day. I expected you to be the one to do it."

    "Sending an assassin is for cowards." Alexander said. "If I were going to kill him, I would have done it myself. Let me even tell you something you don��t know. I wanted to have Xaden killed; I and more than half of the other Alphas were present on the night of the first ritual. But he never got near my hands. I passed the order that if they found him, they were to bring him to me alive."

    Aurora cocked her brow. "So, are you admitting to nning an attack on Xaden?"

    He shrugged. "Who gives a fuck? Think I��m scared? I��m trying to say that you have the wrong man behind bars. You, of all people, should know that."

    And that was what had baffled Aurora.

    After Aurora first met her spy, who told her that Alexander had information against Jasmine, she returned home quickly.

    It had infuriated and disgusted her toe in and witness with her own two eyes Xaden carrying Jasmine.

    Seeing the Alphas, the High Priestess, and the Royal Family kneel to them.

    From that moment, she knew Jasmine had been the maiden and mated with him.

    She had been forced to control her anger; after all, she already had something to send Jasmine far away from Xaden��s arms.

    She had gone to the halls and been told that Xaden had taken out Alexander��s eye and hand for hitting Jasmine.

    Aurora had bitten down the boiling jealousy she felt.

    He had never done that for anyone! Not even her! And yet here he was doing it for Jasmine.

    She managed to tell herself that once she had told Xaden everything, he would want nothing to do with Jasmine.

    And, as expected, have her killed for her deception.

    As she stood with Alexander, she knew her offer would get him to open up to her.

    When she heard about the assassin��s story, she also knew that it couldn��t have been him.

    "Look, I��m here for you." She said. He scoffed. She cleared her throat and continued. "I scratch your back, and then you scratch mine."

    He eyed her. "You witch. It��s funny how Xaden hasn��t seen through you yet."

    "I��m his favorite, remember?" She asked with a wink.

    "What do you want?" He spat.

    She adjusted her pose. "I know that it wasn��t you who sent the desert assassin. I also know that you have a secret for me. I know that you know who Jasmine truly is."

    He said nothing.

    "Why are you keeping it a secret?" She asked him. " I know you know something more than all of us. Moreover, it��s because of her that your brother is dead."

    "Who told you this?" He asked her.

    She smiled at him. "I have ears everywhere. I don��t have an inner ear to hear what happened."

    "So you want me to give up on this supposed secret, so that what? If you inform Xaden, and he has her executed and your ce as his mistress, wouldn��t he threaten again?" he asked. "No thanks. I think I like Xaden being deceived."

    "If you tell me this, I will let you go free. I won��t give you Xaden��s head, but I will assist you in bing King," she said.

    He rose a brow, and she waved her hand.

    "Oh please, I know about your little ambition." She said.

    "And how do you achieve this supposed mission?" He asked her.

    She shrugged. "Simple. If Jasmine gets out of the picture, I will manipte my way to have Xaden marry Belle. Belle wants him. And if she marries him, she bes Queen. And then we will execute her. Xaden doesn��t want to be King. I can assure you that. Once Belle is dead, you can take over because you are the son of the King."

    "And all this would take ce in how long?" He asked.

    "Two years." She said. "Belle is bing Queen soon."

    "And you? Would stand Xaden married?" He asked her.

    "I won��t lie. I hate it. But Jasmine is a much more dangerous woman. Belle is morning. He doesn��t even like her. I would rather stand him in a false marriage with Belle than see him by chance with Jasmine." She admitted.

    Alexander held the bars that separated him from Aurora, and his eyes glimmered at her.

    "Swear in blood." He said.

    She picked out the dagger in her pants and then used it on herself before cutting him and making the oath.

    "Bring Xaden here, and I will tell you who Jasmine is." He said.

    "Why not just tell me now?" She asked him.

    "It��s better you both hear it from my mouth." He said, and without making a need for an argument, he went back and sat down on the floor.

    Aurora turned on her heels and left.

 Chapter 118: EAVESDROPPING

    <h4>Chapter 118: EAVESDROPPING</h4>

    JASMINE��S POV

    Once Jasmine had her conversation with Princess Belle, she went on her way to Loren��s quarters.

    Her heart was heavy and weak.

    She had already had more than one confrontation with Princess Belle, and she had been avoiding it all along.

    She slowly opened the door and stepped in.

    She pressed her back against the door and closed her eyes in deep thought as memories of her encounter with Xaden flooded back.

    What had she honestly been thinking? That someone like him would want to be with her?

    She was a nobody.

    She had been daydreaming.

    "Had a rough night, did you not?"

    She jerked and opened her eyes to see Loren reading his book.

    She hadn��t even noticed him when she had stepped in.

    "O-oh, I didn��t even know you were in." She stammered.

    Heughed. "Where else would I be? I��m an old working man who doesn��t have to be out during the halo festival."

    She smiled weakly and stepped down from the door.

    If he knew that she was the maiden, he didn��t make any reference to it.

    With Loren, you never could know.

    Neither did he ask her where she had been all night.

    He simply went back to reading through his book.

    "It is a good thing you are here." He said. "I will need you to take this potion to the Queen."

    He showed her the bottle of potion for

    Her ailment.

    Thest thing Jasmine wanted to do was be in the mix of being with the Queen, the cheating king, and the woman who was cheating on her with her sister again.

    Neither did she want to see Princess Belle and her mother, Coral.

    The entire family hated her.

    All except the Queen.

    "B-but Loren, I don��t think I should go and give her this." Jasmine said.

    "Nonsense!" He said. "I have work to do. Moreover, it seems the queen likes yourpany. You would look like herte daughter and even Princess Coral if she still had her red curls."

    Then he turned and said. "Look, you were right. The Lyrun is growing."

    She gasped and then looked at the little flower pot he had indicated.

    The Lyrun herb that she had harvested from

    Inside the pond had now grown an extra tiny leaf.

    She gasped as she stared at it.

    "It is actually growing." She said.

    He nodded with a smile. "I did not think it would work myself. But it seems you were right."

    "So this can save the lives of the Lycan." She asked hopefully.

    "Yes, it can." He nodded. "You should rest. You look exhausted. Your cheeks are red again. Did you go under the sun?"

    She quickly hid her face when it urred to her that the ce Princess Belle had pped her was revealing.

    "Y-yes, it was just impact from the sun." She said.

    She quickly picked up the potion he had given her and ran out of the room before he asked any more questions.

    As she hurried down the hallway, she gasped and saw the spy who had stopped her yesterday in the corner.

    She had utterly forgotten to heed his instructions.

    She wanted some air after Lycan Damian made statements about her bloodline and heritage.

    She hurried up to him.

    "I am sorry, please forgive me." She said.

    "You disobeyed me." He told her.

    She shook her head. "No, it��s not like that. I left, and there was an attack on Xaden��s life. Even had an investigation. I had to stay, or they would have suspected me."

    He looked at her suspiciously. "And what? So you were also chosen as the maiden."

    Her throat felt dry, and to that, she said nothing.

    "The next time that you disobey an order from me. Or your father, you will not die, no, but everyone you have met, anyone you have made contact with and taken care of you or shown you genuine love, will die." He said.

    She froze.

    Everyone?

    She thought of Elena, Urma, Loren, Erik, and Mya.

    The few rare people who had been kind to her.

    They would all be dead because of her.

    "Would you want that?" He asked her.

    She hurriedly shook her head.

    "I thought as much." He said.

    He pulled something from his clothes and said. "Take this. It won��t help you stop being an illiterate, but it would help you to transfer memories to the owl."

    She collected it and examined it.

    "You are to take a sip of it when you gain information that you believe would benefit Alpha Bale. You would call for your owl and touch him. Then, he would fly to the pack. You would feel it in your bones when he is sent to you. Touch the owl, and it will deliver the message for you." He said. "Do you understand? Or are you too illiterate to get that bit of information?"

    She shook her head. "No."

    He red at her. "You had better meet the Owl by nightfall. Your father has a lot of messages for you, and you must obey."

    She nodded, and then he passed like a ghost.

    She finally managed to breathe, and then sheposed herself.

    She felt the sweat pour down her forehead.

    Her father was bing more and more demanding.

    She told herself that this time, she would do what was requested of her.

    She knew her father, and I��d he said that he would kill the people who had taken care of her, he would do it.

    She hurried to the Queen��s chamber, but she heard some noises as she went along the hallways.

    She wanted to continue and mind her business, but something told her to stop.

    She did, and then she slowly pushed the door open.

    She peeped in and looked closely, and she heard some grunting and sex noises.

    She stretched her head forward, and to her shock, she saw the King ramming inside a bent Princess Cherry

 Chapter 119: A HEARTWARMING QUEEN

    <h4>Chapter 119: A HEARTWARMING QUEEN</h4>

    Jasmine��s mouth dropped open when she took in the sight of what was going on.

    Princess Cherry was moaning in pleasure and begging, gasping for more while the King kept on grunting and banging her.

    "Yes! Hit me like that!" She said as she moaned.

    He kept on grunting as he pushed in harder and harder.

    Jasmine felt like she should not be here.

    She should not be witnessing this, yet she could not bring herself to leave the room.

    "Fuck me better than how you fucked my sister!" Cherry groaned as he kept on thrusting in and out.

    Jasmine��s face went pure white, and she was shocked at her words.

    How could she say such a thing, and how could the Queen, who was always kind to everyone, have to deal with it?

    The princess openly mentioned that she was aware she was sleeping with her sister��s husband.

    And the King was doing nothing but obeying hermander.

    Jasmine felt the anger boil in her.

    The Queen didn��t deserve this.

    As she was still peeking, she mistakenly leaned in too much, and then a vase by a side table fell and broke, crashing down to a million pieces.

    She gasped and turned to look.

    Sure enough, they had heard and stopped.

    "Who is there?!" Came the deep King��s voice.

    Jasmine gasped softly and ran out of the room before they could find her.

    Why was she always the one who met the King and Princess when they were having a tryst?

    She hurried and hid behind a pole.

    She stopped breathing as she heard the King��s footstepsing closer.

    He stopped short around where she hid, and then she closed her eyes in fear and prayer that he would not find her.

    He frowned, looked around, and then turned towards the massive pole, which she hid behind. She closed her eyes in fear.

    She held her breath as his footsteps progressed further.

    This was it, Jasmine thought; she was going to be caught.

    Just as The King would have stepped closer and seen her, some voices stopped him.

    "Your majesty." Someone said. "We have been looking everywhere for you."

    "Your majesty, we haven��t discussed the trifling issues in our packs yet, " another voice said. And we believe it would be better if we discussed it all together before leaving for our respective packs. Don��t you agree?"

    The King sighed and said. "Of course. I most likely would not want to be disturbed when I return home."

    The King turned to look at the pole, and Jasmine still held her breath in fear.

    He sighed and turned around to go with the men.

    "Let��s go. We can discuss in the negotiations room. I��ll meet you there." He said.

    Only after Jasmine had heard his footsteps and had waited for five minutes before he might have magically appeared again did she step out of where she hid.

    She looked both ways, her heart still beating, and then ran to where she would find the Queen.

    Unknown to her, Princess Cherry was watching her from a dark corner.

    She didn��t stop Jasmine, but she let her go. She hoped the girl would report to her sister because she had other things up her sleeve.

    Jasmine hurried down to the Queen��s chamber, and the guards halted her.

    "I am here to deliver the Queen��s treatment potion." Jasmine said. "From Loren��s quarters."

    They stood aside and let her pass.

    When she went in, she saw the Queen��s painting.

    "Your majesty." Jasmine curtsied.

    The Queen turned and smiled.

    "Jasmine. Are you well?" She asked.

    She felt so hurt that this beautiful woman had no idea the deceit that was going on behind her back.

    "I am fine, Your Majesty. And you? How is your health treating you." Jasmine asked.

    "Quite well, I must say. Look, I��m painting again." The Queen said indicating to the canvas that held a beautifulndscape.

    It was so stunning, and it seemed almost real.

    "It��s lovely, your majesty." Jasmine said.

    "Are you certain?" The Queen asked. "Usually, my husband and everyone else apud my work and always say it��s the most beautiful they��ve ever seen. Although whether it��s just to make me as a queen happy, I can not tell."

    "Well, I assure you I would not lie to you." Jasmine said. "It is wonderful."

    The Queen smiled. "Thank you, but I feel it��s missing something. I tried all I could, but something seemed to be missing. I asked those around me, and they said it was perfect. Now I can tell that��s not true."

    Jasmine looked closely at the painting. "Do you want me to be honest?"

    "But of course." The Queen said.

    "It is missing something," Jasmine said, and then she didn��t know when she reached for the Queen��s paintbrush, dipped it into the paint, and added to it.

    She did this for about five minutes, and then she was done.

    It was then that Jasmine realized that she had taken something belonging to the Queen without permission.

    "Forgive me, Your Majesty." Jasmine apologized hurriedly.

    "Apologize? My dear, there is nothing to apologize for." Queen Rose said. "Rather, I must thank you. Youpleted the painting!"

    The Queen went on to look at it further.

    "How did you know how to paint? Or what was missing?" She asked her.

    Jasmine shrugged, surprised with herself also.

    "I don��t know. I have never painted in my life before." Jasmine said.

    "Maybe you��ve just not had the ce to execute your hidden talent." The Queen said. "Your father never trained you in the arts of painting? It is essential for anydy-like wolf of a high-ranking family. Especially an Alpha."

    Jasmine shook her head. "No, he didn��t. I was kidnapped when I was young, so things were different for me."

    The Queen sighed. "I am so sorry for what you went through. You see, I lost my daughter, too, a long time ago."

    Jasmine swallowed.

    Tears burned in the Queen��s eyes.

 Chapter 120: JASMINE THE IMPOSTER

    <h4>Chapter 120: JASMINE THE IMPOSTER</h4>

    The Queenughed. "She would have looked like you if she was around your age. She looks so much like."

    Jasmine smiled.

    She was happy that her presence could make the Queen smile.

    "Well, except my scar." Jasmine giggled.

    "Except for your scar." The Queenughed. "Very true. What happened there?"

    Jasmine touched the side of her head that held the scar. "I don��t know. I was just born with it."

    "Fascinating." The Queen said, examining the scar. She sighed again. "You look so much like Scarlett. She was kind, just like you, and she loved to paint. I��ve never seen anyone paint like her. It was just a natural talent."

    Jasmine smiled. "Maybe I could do better with painting."

    "Maybe you could." The Queen said.

    The door opened, and then the King came in.

    Jasmine began to shake in fear.

    "Honey, you��re back, " the queen said. You had been gone long."

    He came down to her and pecked her cheek softly.

    "My love." He said softly.

    "Where do you go?" The Queen asked. "I was waiting for you all along."

    "I have been at a meeting with the Alphas. It took hours." He said.

    She gently touched his cheek andughed. "Well, it must have been hot where you were because you seem to have been sweating like you were running."

    "It��s the humidity of this damn ce." He replied.

    Jasmine recoiled at the lie.

    "Well, you should have a bath." She advised him.

    "I would, but right after I know what my beautiful wife is up to, " he said.

    She turned to her artwork.

    "It��s beautiful." He said.

    "You always say that." She rolled her eyes dramatically. "But this time, I might believe you because Jasmine told me it was good."

    "Who?" He asked, confused.

    "Jasmine." She said. "You didn��t even notice her courtesy and greet you while you passed, did you?"

    The King turned around and made eye contact with Jasmine.

    Fluttered, she hastily bowed down to him.

    She had seen it in his eyes��the quick surprise and then his masking it.

    Jasmine knew he was recollecting that she had caught him kissing Princess Cherry.

    But she was unsure if he had seen her run off when he was with Princess Cherry again.

    "What��s a ve doing here?" He asked with disgust.

    "Don��t say things like that!" Queen Rose said. "ve or not, she is a wolf."

    "Well, she is Xaden��s wolf." He said. "And his property. We have more than enough issues with him already. I wouldn��t want to add more."

    "Well, the ve here is the one who did the paintwork." She said. "She was honest about my work andpleted it for me."

    "Leave us." He said.

    Jasmine jumped up and then bowed but progressed towards the Queen.

    "This is your potion. Loren said to give it to you, and he hopes you will do well when you try to pack."

    Jasmine said.

    "You don��t need to go." The Queen said after receiving the potion.

    "She does." The King said, but the Queen ignored him.

    "Ignore him. I am the one who is the ruler of this kingdom. You may stay with me in the meantime. Would you like that?" The Queen asked.

    Jasmine was tempted because it was a sweet and satisfying offer, but she couldn��t take it.

    She could neither tell the Queen about the King cheating on her because, from what she had heard, Princess Cherry was in exile, so she could not return to the castle.

    Whatever this was, Jasmine hoped it would end here. There was no need to break the heart of the Queen. She was already sad enough.

    "Thank you very much for the offer, but no, your majesty." Jasmine said. "Do excuse me."

    And Jasmine curtsied and hurried out of the room.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    <strong><i>AURORA��S POV</i></strong>

    After Alexander had instructed that he would only give out his secret with Xaden present, she had no choice but to hurry to find Xaden.

    She searched for him until she found him in his negotiation room with the other Alphas.

    They were done with the meeting, and she watched as they left the room one after another.

    He looked up from his scrolls and saw her.

    "Aurora, you��re back." He said.

    "Yes, I am." She said. "Congrattions onpleting all three tasks of the ritual. I saw the final one."

    He tilted his head and stretched his hand to indicate hering forward.

    Which she did.

    He held her hand, and then he pulled her towards him.

    "Are you jealous?" He asked.

    Sheughed. "Over a mere maid? Of course not."

    He had his fingers around his waist and pulled up against him.

    She could feel him already hard for her, and then she felt herself go wet down in between her legs.

    "I desired my mistress." He said, squeezing her ass.

    "And I desired my lord." She said, d to know that he still wanted her.

    He started to undo the front of her top, and then she stopped him.

    "I have news for you." She said.

    He rose a brow. "Fuck it. I want to fuck."

    She wanted to, but it would be better if they fucked after he had gotten rid of Jasmine.

    She shook her head. "It��s urgent and important. It��s about Jasmine."

    That stopped him in his tracks.

    Aurora hated what the name of that bitch did to him.

    How just hearing her name made him halt. She tried to convince herself that it was only a result of the mating bond.

    He frowned. "What about her?"

    "When I was gone, I did some investigations. I had been doing it for a while now." She told him.

    "On Jasmine?" He asked in disbelief.

    "Yes. Just hear me out." She said. "Jasmine isn��t who you think she is."

    "What does that mean?" He asked how confused he was.

    "Doesn��t she seem strange to you?" She asked. "Her attitudes? How does she behave?"

    He folded his arms, his erection now gone and reced with irritation.

    "She was kidnapped as a child, so what?" He asked with a shrug.

    "Jasmine is an imposter." She said

 Chapter 121: THE DEAD WITNESS

    <h4>Chapter 121: THE DEAD WITNESS</h4>

    He rose a brow.

    "A what?" He asked her.

    "An imposter." Aurora said.

    He sighed, leaned back at the desk, and folded his arms.

    "Jasmine is an imposter." He said with such sarcasm ringing in his word. "And where did you get all this information from?"

    "Alexander." She said.

    He looked at her in disbelief. "Alexander told you that Jasmine was an imposter, and you believed him."

    "It wasn��t from Alexander." She exined. "Well, at least not from him directly. Look, I had someone investigate Jasmine, and then I-

    "Investigate her?" He said further sounding surprised with sarcasm. "What are you investigating her for exactly?"

    "Look, Jasmine isn��t who you think she is." She said. "That��s what you need to know. I hired some people to investigate the Moonlight pack, and they couldn��t give me what I wanted, except they redirected me to someone else who knows what happened."

    "Alexander knows what happened. And it��s because his brother Dean was the one who was supposed to marry her. He knows them beforehand. We didn��t know much. And if anyone would know the truth, it��s Alexander."

    Xaden just stared at her. "I��ve had no cause to investigate Jasmine. She is an unshifted wolf and can��t transmit or send information to anyone."

    "Xaden we didn��t carry out her screening. We didn��t check whether she is truly an unshifted wolf." Aurora argued. "You were supposed to. We did do that for every ve we have, and you said we were going to, but for whatever reasons, we didn��t."

    He frowned, pushed himself back from the desk, turned to the table, and stared to roll up the scrolls.

    "Because she is. And if you haven��t noticed, I��ve been busy with many things in my arms." He informed her.

    "With all dire respect, my lord, it seems you have lost your direction." She said. "You don��t have focus anymore. I came back, and I heard that you had taken out an eye and hand of Alexander on behalf of Jasmine. Who the hell is she? You��re trying to convince me that there isn��t anything more going on between the both of you."

    He looked at her, puzzled. "If you believe that someone or something is amiss between us, then you are the one who has lost your direction."

    "You aren��t acting that way, at least not to me or any of your men. You give her validation. You��ve saved her and stood on her behalf times without number. You even took out the hand of another Alpha for her!" Aurora said. "Now tell me if that is normal."

    "You already know that Alexander and my altercation was inevitable." He said. "It was going to happen one way or the other, and well, moreover, since you��ve been exiled, you missed him sending an assassin to kill me."

    She sighed and shook her head. "I heard, and if you didn��t lose focus, you would know that Alexander would never send an assassin to kill you. He wants to do it himself. It was not him. You have the wrong man in a cell."

    "That��s not up to you to decide." Xaden said as he pushed the scrolls inside a drawer and locked it.

    He shoved the keys inside his pocket.

    "Then I ask that you give me a chance for you to hear me out." She told him. "All I ask from you is a few minutes, my lord. A few minutes."

    He stopped short.

    "If I do as you ask, will you let me be?"

    He asked her.

    "Yes." She nodded.

    She couldn��t let this get out of hand.

    He sighed. "Fine. Well, we have a few minutes before Alexander��s execution."

    She sighed a sigh of relief as he returned all the scrolls to the drawers and started walking ahead.

    "What makes you think I will be interested in what Alexander has to say." He told her.

    She shrugged. "Because he doesn��t have anything to lose. And it really won��t be such a bad idea."

    "And you believe him?" He asked as they made a turn and took the steps. "Aurora Alexander is my enemy. He is not going to tell me the truth and you bloody well know it."

    "Well we have to hear it don��t you? I just want you to hear it." She said to him.

    He stopped in his tracks. "Why didn��t he just tell you and get it over?"

    She shrugged. "I have no idea. He just told me to get you."

    He sighed and then walked ahead. "I hope this is not going to be a waste of my time."

    She said nothing about thatst statement and went ahead behind him.

    As they walked down to the dungeon, Xaden stopped short and held his hand, prohibiting Aurora from moving any further.

    "What?" She asked him. "What is wrong?"

    He took a deep breath and rushed in without saying a Word.

    The guards at the gates of the dungeon were dead.

    "What happened?" She asked, shocked.

    And then they went past the three spots that held each set of guards.

    They were all lying dead on the floor.

    Aurora looked on in shock. "How did this happen?"

    The guards who watched over the dungeons were the strongest men in the pack.

    How could they have been killed so quickly and without even sounding an rm?

    Xaden rushed up to the cell and stopped short at the bars, then flung it open.

    "Xaden, what has-

    She stopped short when she saw it.

    Alexander was not missing. He was inside the cell where he was supposed to be.

    Except he was lying down dead.

    "Oh my God." She said.

    She could not believe this.

    She had juste back from the cell.

    He had been fine.

    "B-but he w-was here when I came. He was fine." She said.

    Xaden looked over the body and saw where his throat had been slit open.

    "Ring the bell! Shut down the entire castle! Shut down the bloody castle!" Xaden shouted

 Chapter 122: A COVER UP

    <h4>Chapter 122: A COVER UP</h4>

    Xaden rushed out of the dungeons amid the chaos as the bells rang.

    Erik went up to him.

    "What��s going on?" He caught Xaden before he went past him and held him back.

    "Alexander is dead." Xaden said.

    Erik blinked. "What?"

    "All the guards that were stationed there are gone too." Xaden said. "They are all dead. Someone killed them."

    "What were you doing there in the first ce?" Erik asked. "How did you know?"

    "Aurora said that she had something that Alexander would tell me, so I just had to go see, and we found out he was dead." Xaden expressed.

    "Who could have done this?" Erik asked. "Gone past and killed all the guards without anyone knowing what was happening?"

    "Beats me." Xaden said, and he turned to go.

    "Wait." Erik stopped him. "Xaden, if someone killed Alexander, then that probably means Alexander wasn��t the one who sent the assassin first. We might still have them here in our midst."

    And it is Xaden. Erik could be right.

    "Lock down the castle. No one goes in or out until we discover who did this," Xaden said determinedly, and he strolled off.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Loren, who had still been in his quarters examining the body of the desert assassin, looked closely.

    The door opened, and Elena came in. "You sent for me?"

    "Yes, yes, I did." Loren said as he offered her a seat.

    "It seems that we might have made a mistake." He said.

    She raised a brow. "What do you mean?"

    He indicated for her toe closer to the woman��s body, and then he used some of his tiny equipment to pick out something.

    He showed it to her. "I found this inside her body."

    Elena leaned down to see it. "It��s just climate."

    "Yes, but that��s what I thought until I did this, " he said. Then he dropped it into boiling water, and it dissolved and changed the color of the water.

    He picked it back up and then ced it on a small te.

    "Now take a closer look." He advised.

    She bent down to examine it. "That��s Syuni."

    He took off his sses and looked at her.

    "What��s Syuni doing in there?" She asked him.

    "It must have been used to hide the Syuni. The Climan is very good at camouging other potent factors. I mean, it��s with thete King William that the Climan was used to alter the presence of poison. We all thought he had died a peaceful death until in-depth and it had been discovered." Loren said.

    "And now, in this case, it��s been used to hide the presence of something," Elena said.

    "Exactly." He pointed out.

    "But it��s Climan. It does its job well. It��s almost impossible to find it, and after even finding it, it takes a day or two to disappear and reveal what it��s been hiding."

    "So what you��re telling me is that Alexander, who was arrested, might not even be the one who sent the assassin," Elena said.

    "I doubt Alexander would leave Climan to hide his tracks andpletely forget his payment. If he did it we wouldn��t have believed it was him in the first ce." He told her.

    "So the assassin is still walking around freely?" Elena said,ing to the horrific conclusions.

    "Yes. And we have no idea who it might be." He expressed.

    At that moment, the bells were wrung, and they looked up.

    "Something has happened." Elena said.

    And both of them left the body and rushed out of the room in the direction of where the bell was being wrung.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    <strong><i>IMMEDIATELY AFTER AURORA HAD LEFT THE CELL</i></strong>

    A hooded figure watched as Aurora hurried out of the cell, and then the figure made its move.

    He had been hiding there, using his powerful wolf magic to overhear their conversations.

    Aurora was going to find Xaden, and then Alexander would spill everything.

    The figure could not let that happen.

    The figure stepped into the dungeon and used a spell to prevent anyone from hearing any noises.

    Then, the figure proceeded to enter the dungeon.

    The guards saw him. "Hey!"

    But the figure was faster and stronger.

    He attacked the guards by grabbing their arms and kicking them to the floor.

    Theynded with a thud and groaned, and then the figure used his sword and slit their throats expertly.

    The figure was small in height but waspletely strong enough to take down the men.

    The figure continued to sink, and then the guards tried to fight him off.

    The figure used his expertise and years of training in solitude to take down, tearing off flesh without even needing to harm himself.

    Thest and final set of guards were brutally murdered the same way, and then when a guard tried to groan and struggle to sound the rm for an intruder, the figure bent down on him and ripped him apart.

    Thest surviving guard fell dead before he could even aplish what he had wanted to.

    The figure stepped over the dead body and pushed open the massive gate only after he had inserted the key, and the figure went past the other prisoners in their cells.

    "Save us." Someone said.

    "Open the doors!"

    But the figure had only one mission, and none of them was of his interest.

    He went down to the ce that had been made for the most dangerous criminal.

    Then he pushed it down and turned sideways to now face to face with who he had been sent to kill.

    Alexander was inside his cell.

    "Aurora, you came back with you-

    Alexander stopped short when he saw the hooded figure.

    The hooded figure was inside the cell with Alexander in a split second.

    "Who are you-

    But Alexander never got to finish hisst words.

    The hooded figure slit his throat, and Alexander held the blood, but he couldn��t make it.

    He fell dead.

    The hooded figure waved off the blood from the blood of the dagger he had used.

    The dagger was among the few powerful enough to take down an Alpha.

    Then the hooded figure left as quietly as he hade in.

 Chapter 123: A COVER UP (2)

    <h4>Chapter 123: A COVER UP (2)</h4>

    Once Loren and Elena had run out to discover what was happening with the bells ringing, the hooded figure unknown to them had been watching and waiting.

    Amidst everyone running around, he waited until they were all gone.

    When the hooded figure was certain no one was present, he snuck into Loren��s quarters.

    The hooded figure very quietly closed the door and examined the room.

    Right on therge potion-making and medicine table was the body of a dead woman.

    The hooded figure had not been the one to send the desert assassin and could not afford to be caught.

    Desert assassins were rare, but if this one had done the job that she had been assigned to, none of this would have happened.

    The hooded figure looked over the opened body and saw that they had examined literally almost everything and would soon discover where the assassin had been sent.

    The hooded figure picked up all the evidence of Climan and Syuni and put it in his pockets.

    Then, the hooded figure now dipped his hands into his pockets and sprayed dust over the body, and it disintegrated almost instantly.

    It was like there had been nothing there in the first ce.

    Then, the figure looked around to ensure he was not leaving any evidence behind when he saw the Lyrun nt.

    The figure walked up to the pot and examined it.

    He could not believe it.

    Lyrun was growing from a nt.

    Lyrun was one of the rarest herbs ever to exist and one of the most expensive.

    Lycans were killed and buried just so that they would be harvested.

    The thing with Lyrun was that it could never be transnted.

    It only bared one leaf per dead Lycan, and that was that.

    So how had Loren managed to get his hands on one that could even be nted?

    The hooded figure walked to the run and uprooted it. Just as he was about to put it inside his pockets, he heard a noise and footsteps.

    He hurriedly pushed it down into his pockets and tried to run for the door, but then they wereing into the room; she rushed back in and tried to look for a ce to hide.

    The hooded figure rushed towards the windows and opened it wide

    The door was open, and then Loren and Elena came back in.

    "How could they have killed those many men?" Loren wondered.

    "I don��t know, but this ce isn��t as safe as we know it to-

    "Wait!" Loren stopped ultimately.

    Elena, too, stopped, and then she saw what Loren was seeing.

    There was nobody lying down on the table .

    Loren rushed to it while Elena strolled in, shocked.

    "B-but how?!" Loren demanded as he looked over and under the table. Where was the body?" He demanded. It was here where we left it! We just stepped away for barely twenty minutes."

    "The Syuni, Climan, they are all gone," Elena said as she examined the contents on the table. I can��t even perceive their aura. Whoever came in here did a clean job and left no trace."

    Loren turned around and saw the Lyrun nt was not in its usual ce anymore.

    "No, no, no, no." He muttered to himself as he hurried off to the nt.

    "What��s wrong?" She asked.

    He looked into the pot and dug the soil, hoping that at least fragments of the nt had remained

    "The Lyrun nt." He said. "It��s gone, too!"

    Then Elena saw the window open.

    "I think he jumped out through the window." She said.

    He looked down, too, and then turned d back into the room.

    "That Lyrun grew." He said. "Jasmine found Lyrun that could go. If it hadn��t been stolen, it could have changed a good number of things in our world."

    "We will find it." She assured him. "If there could be one then there most definitely be another."

    Loren shook his head. "You know that is almost impossible, and then the body. It had been just here!"

    Elena closed her eyes and tried to sense the wolf of the person who hade into the room.

    But then again, nothing.

    She sighed reluctantly.

    "Nothing up till now?" He asked.

    She shook her head. "Nothing. My powers are limited, and I can��t even perceive the wolf or even know what pack it came from."

    Loren was quiet.

    "Xaden is going to be beyond words furious once he discovers that the body is gone." She said.

    "Yes, yes, he would". Loren admitted.

    Erik pushed the door and came back in.

    "You came right on time." Elena said. "The body is gone."

    "I beg your pardon?" Erik asked in disbelief.

    "We just stepped out of the room for barely a few minutes, and when we returned, it was gone, and my room was ransacked." Loren said in annoyance as he lifted a broken potion bottle.

    "The castle is on lockdown right now." Erik informed. "They can��t have gone anywhere. Bloody hell what is going on?"

    "We just heard about Alexander��s death." Elena said.

    "Why would Alexander kill himself after he had already taken away the body." Erik asked. "We found his body in the cell. He had been slit. He didn��t even howl for his pack."

    "About that." Elena started. "There is something you need to know."

    He looked at her nkly.

    Elena turned to look at Loren for support.

    She sighed heavily. "We don��t think Alexander was the one who sent the assassin after Xaden."

    "But you said you had found enough evidence. The payment." Erik said.

    "Yes, we know, but we just recently found some things that disputed otherwise." She exined.

    Erik rubbed his face and then set his hand on one waist. "So what now? You know who did it?"

    "No." She said. "That is the thing. We were about to discover it when the bell was rung, and we went out. By the time we had returned, the body was gone."

 Chapter 124: A COVER UP (3)

    <h4>Chapter 124: A COVER UP (3)</h4>

    Erik massages his temple, unsure of what to say.

    "We believe that the person who killed Alexander is the actual person who sent the assassin." Elena said.

    Then Erik said the opened windows. "So this was how he went out?"

    "He probably carried the body out this way." She said. "Because there is no sign of it."

    "But carrying the body would be too heavy, wouldn��t it?" Loren asked.

    "Unless." Elena said as she walked down to the table. She touched it and fingered the top of the table.

    She smelled it. "It��s dust. She was disintegrated into nothing. There isn��t a body anymore."

    Erik stepped out of the room and returned with two guards.

    "Gather as many men as you can to search the down floors. He escaped through the window." He told them.

    They nodded and left.

    Erik paced back and forth, his hands on his waist.

    "This doesn��t make any sense." He said. "If the person had already gone through so much as using effects to cover up their tracks and set up Xaden, then why would he bother killing him? It doesn��t make sense."

    He looked at them. "If I set someone up and went through this much length to have myself hidden, then I won��t kill him. Because killing him just defies everything that I wanted done. Killing him is telling them that it wasn��t Alexander who sent the assassin. Killing him is telling him that it was someone else in the pack."

    Loren and Elena looked at each other.

    "I was thinking the same thing." Elena said.

    Loren was pouting and still mourning the loss of his Lyrun.

    "What��s wrong with him?" Erik asked, giving him an eye.

    "Something important to him was stolen, too." Elena said.

    "I��ll have to go down to meet Xaden, and Xaden wants everyone down in the hall," Erik said.

    "Look, I don��t know how it might be. But like you said, I won��t kill someone. I wanted to carry the consequences of my actions if I were in the real person��s shoes. But the only reason why I would kill Alexander is if he had something more on me. If there was something that was more threatening than even the gaze of the assassin shifted on someone else." Loren said wisely. "Alexander knew or had something, and it was much better to kill him than let that secret spill. That��s what I think."

    Erik resonated it with himself and it made so much sense to him.

    So did it to Elena.

    "We have to go. We��ll figure the rest of itter." Erik said, and they were all forced out as the bells continued to ring.

    Once they had gone and then Loren��s quarters had been locked, the hooded figure who had been stuck against the ceilingnded very gently on his feet.

    He had opened the windows to make it seem like he had gone out through the window.

    The hooded figure had heard everything and knew they were getting on to him faster and faster.

    He hurriedly went to the door and pulled at it, but it was shut.

    The figure used some tools to undo the key lock, and he seeded.

    The figure had learned this trick as a child whenever he was naughty and thereby shut up in the room.

    He would eventually fiddle with the lock and run out.

    Once the door was unlocked, he escaped and ran into the shadows.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    They went down the stairs to the throne room, where all the people In the castle stood angry and murmuring to themselves.

    "What the hell does he want now?" An alpha demanded.

    "The festival is over, so we should be set free." A woman said.

    "It��s Xaden. I��m sure his Barbaric ways are still in his head." Someone said.

    They all hissed andined bitterly.

    As Erik and the rest came in, other memebers of the royal family came in too.

    "What the devil is the meaning of this?" The King asked.

    The Queen sighed. "Something must have happened. Be patient."

    "We have a long ride ahead of us, and the wolf would know we would be returning. They willy wait." He said.

    "No such thing will happen." She told him. "Just let��s hear what he has to say."

    "Your wife does have a point." Princess Cherry said. "We should wait and see what is the issue."

    The King red at her. "I��m having a discussion with my wife."

    "Of course, my apologies." Cherry said, and with that, she turned away and left.

    The Queen saw it, turned to her husband, and said. "You do need to stop that. Why do you always turn on my sister and be rude to her."

    "She is in exile and isn��t who you think she is." He said to her. "You��re blinded by her, and I want you as far away from Cherry as possible.

    "Enough!" She snapped at him.

    What she didn��t realize was that she had shouted so loud that everyone in the entire hall was now quiet and looking at them.

    She went on. "I��m the Queen. Cherry is my sister. She was the one who was meant to be Queen. You have no idea how hard it was for me to take the throne from her. From my very own sister when it rightfully belonged to her. Yes, she may have made some mistakes in the past, but she is my sister! And I am Queen! So do not tell me what to do!"

    It was then the Queen noticed the silence and saw that they were all paying attention to her in the room.

    She held her head up and turned her face away.

    The doors were open, and Xaden came in with Aurora by his side.

    "What the hell is it you want now, Xaden?" An Alpha demanded from afar.

    The King held him and caught him to his side.

    "Will you tell me what is going on or not?"

 Chapter 125: A COVER UP(4)

    <h4>Chapter 125: A COVER UP(4)</h4>

    "With all due respect, your majesty." Xaden said. "I want to get to the bottom of what��s going on in my pack.

    "I am King, and it��s my right to be freed. You��re holding me hostage. What you��re doing is treason." The King said.

    "Just let him say what he wants to." The Queen said, annoyed at her husband.

    Xaden gave him a grin. "The Queen wishes to hear. And I am not holding you hostage on any ord. I am Simply holding an investigation."

    And without any more exnation, Xaden walked away from the royal couple and up towards his throne.

    He stood by it and faced everyone.

    They were all still murmuring, and the noise was everywhere in the hall room.

    "Silence." He said with a profound and powerful effect.

    They all went hush.

    "You��re probably wondering why I summoned you all here." He said. "Even I don��t understand what��s happening. You see, Alexander, as you all know, was going to be executed."

    He looked at all of them. "But before we went to his room, he was dead."

    There were gasps and murmurs, along with little whispers around.

    "Silence." He said, and they all paid heed. "Found him lying dead with all the guards protecting him dead. Someone killed him before I was even given the chance to."

    "Why would someone kill Alexander?" Someone in the crowd asked.

    "That��s what I want to find out." Xaden said.

    "This is bullshit!" One of the men from Alexander��s pack said. "You falsely used our Alpha, and then you killed him! You really think you��re going to get away with this?!"

    "My nephew was in your custody!" The King swore. "And he mysteriously died? We��re not fools, Xaden."

    "If I killed Alexander, then I would have owned

    Up to it by now." Xaden said. "Why would I be afraid of admitting it? I��m not scared of anyone, not even the Great King."

    "You don��t want to push me Xaden." The King pointed. "You do not want to."

    "Like I said, I had no hand in his murder. And moreover, my mistress was there with me." He said. "She can testify to actually being the one who led me into the cell where we both discovered the body."

    Xaden came down from the throne. "So it wasn��t me, I��m sure of that by it��s one of you here."

    "I wouldn��t take this insult!" The King kicked against it and turned to leave.

    But the guards at the doors stood with their spears blocking the way.

    "How dare you! This is treason!" The King��s eyes glimmered like fire.

    "This is my pack, and an attack on me is an attack on my entire family. And I don��t take threats from anyone likely." He said. "You will all remain here until I��ve fished out the person who did this. Trust me, it��s for our safety."

    The King started to kick against it, but Queen Rose stopped him and turned to Xaden. "You are certain that what you are doing is only to find the person who sent an assassin to you."

    "Yes, Your Majesty." He said.

    She looked at him and said, "Fine. Then I will give you five hours. Once the time is up, you will release everyone. If you don��t, then I will dere war on you and burn down this entire pack. Do you understand?"

    Xaden was taken aback.

    He had heard of Queen Rose��s days back then of being a warrior Queen and how she was feared by everyone.

    It was only when she had lost her daughter that she had lost the resolve to do anything so her husband had ended up being the one to take up the Royal roles.

    He bowed down to her. "I understand your majesty."

    And then she nodded her head, and with that, he turned away from his throne room and walked down to where Erik had been ncing his way and indicating him toe over.

    Once Xaden and Erik were out of the hall, they stood together.

    "Xaden, there is something you need to know." Erik said.

    "You��ve found the person who killed Alex?" Xaden asked.

    Erik��s face was grim.

    "No." He said. "Xaden, we don��t think Alexander was the one who sent the desert wolf."

    Xaden frowned. "How do you mean?"

    Erik swallowed. "I hate to be the bearer of bad news. But the body of the assassin, which we had found evidence that it was Alexander who had sent the assassin, showed that it had been manipted."

    "You��re not making any sense here." Xaden said as he gritted his teeth.

    Erik sighed. "Someone made it so that we would think that it was Alexander, and he would have died that way, and we would have never known, but the body began to show. Loren and Elena found it. When they were about to inform us, someone had stolen the body from the room."

    Xaden tilted his head and clenched his jaw. "Are you telling me that the body isn��t anymore?" Xaden asked coldly.

    "It was disintegrated into Ash." Erik said. "Elena said so. When the bells were rung, they ran out, and someone got in and got rid of the body."

    "So you��re telling me that we have two murderous people in my pack?" Xaden demanded.

    "No, worse than that. I am telling you that it��s possible that Alexander was not the one who sent the assassin in the first ce. I��m also telling you that it��s possible the real culprit was the one who killed Alexander and got rid of the body. The person is cleaning his mess," Erik said.

    Xaden wrapped his face, unable to believe what he was hearing.

    There was no way he would tell them back inside the throne room that it was all an error and Alexander was falsely locked up in jail.

    Xaden began to pace the room.

    Trying to think of something.

    Then it hit him.

    "Stay with everyone else." He instructed. "I��ll be back."

    Without waiting for a response from Erik, he was gone.

 Chapter 126: INTERLUDE

    <h4>Chapter 126: INTERLUDE</h4>

    <strong><i>A FEW MINUTES BEFORE THE BELLS WERE RUNG</i></strong>

    Belle, who had still been reeling from her newfound discovery of Jasmine being her cousin and rightful heir to the throne, could hardly breathe.

    After her humiliating confrontation with Aurora and even Jasmine, who had been so rude, she sadly sat down on her bed and mused while her mother made some potions.

    "Don��t pout." Her mother said. "It makes you look ugly."

    Belle pushed her face away. "You have no idea what it means to have everything you knew belonged to you threatened in a split second because of a nobody mother."

    "Oh, I do know what it feels like." Her mother said. "Remember that I killed my sister."

    Belle blinked. "Mother, you did that?"

    "Of course I did. Do you think that your family line would exist if some other rtives hadn��t murdered each other? You wouldn��t even be alive by now. It wasmon for a lot of our ancestors to kill each other to get their hands on the throne." Her mother said as she howled into her pot.

    "But in secret." Belle said. "Surely you were not allowed to do it in the open."

    "Of course. If one were caught, then they would be killed." Her mother said. "A good number of our ancestors had been caught attempting to kill their siblings and were beheaded. The trick is making sure no one finds out. That��s why what you know would be with you and only you, do you understand me?"

    Belle nodded. "Of course. Who shall I tell?"

    "You like to hang around with the other Royal children." Her mother reminded.

    Her mother was referring to their fat distant rtives who had royal bloodlines. None of them hade for the halo festival except Alexander.

    "I don��t care about them." Belle said. "Right now, I just want Jasmine gone."

    "And she would." Her mother said. "It��s a small problem, and we get rid of problems. The girl will die. So do not bother yourself so much."

    Then the door opened, and Grandaunt Cherry came in.

    "Your lipstick is smudged." Her mother remarked.

    "Oh, that." Cherry said as she touched the side of her red lipstick. "Was getting pleasure from someone."

    Belle wasn��t interested in hearing anything.

    "Why is that one all sulky." Cherry asked.

    "She is worried about Jasmine." Her mother said, "As we all should be. She beat down your most powerful spell. If Belle had slept with Xaden, none of this would have happened in the first ce. We won��t be debating all this."

    "Patience." Aunt Cherry said. "I��ve said this over and over again. Trying to avoid things only brings it further. We will be leaving this pack soon. Jasmine would soon be crowned, and then she could be Queen."

    Then Cherry walked to the mirror and began to reapply her red lipstick.

    "Speaking of Jasmine, I saw her in the bedroom with my sister. She is getting a little too friendly."

    "You see why I want her gone!" Belle hissed. "We already know she is an imposter and not the one Xaden wants. Then why can��t we just expose it and then let him kill her!"

    "Because if we do that, then we risk exposing that She is indeed your grandmother��s long-lost daughter." Princess Cherry said. "Bigger picture here."

    "Then we just let her hang out with them?" An annoyed Belle asked.

    They all had no idea of Cherry��s ns up her sleeve.

    She had wanted Jasmine to find her and the King fucking.

    She knew she had seen them because she had personally left the door open.

    It was just a coincidence that Jasmine had been the one toe into the room at those times.

    But the thing was, Jasmine hadn��t told them yet.

    Memories of how hisrge cock had rammed back and forth inside her rushed through her mind, and she felt herself drip for him again.

    It was like how she had always dreamed it would be.

    "Aunt Cherry!" Belle snapped her back to her thoughts. "I��ve been calling your name for a while now. Are you alright?"

    "Me? I��m perfectly fine. I��m more than fine." She promised her.

    And then she adjusted her hair and pushed up her breasts to be because of her dress.

    She wanted more and more of him.

    It was so satisfying knowing they were having sex in secret.

    "So on Jasmine?" Belle said. "You were saying?"

    "I said to let her be." Cherry said. "The girl isn��t going to do much harm to you from here."

    Cherry admired herself in the mirror.

    "She has slept with Xaden, even Aurora is threatened by her and I would rather Aurora than her. Xaden cut off the hand of one of his men because of her. Tell me why I shouldn��t be bothered." Belle asked frantically.

    "Corral, you had better do something about your daughter. Her fidgeting will get us in trouble and have our secrets spilled out." Cherry warned.

    Corral turned to her daughter. "You had better keep your anxiety to yourself. You would not like what I or your aunt would do."

    Belle swallowed.

    She knew her mother and grandaunt operated in dark magic.

    She was the only one yet to start using, mainly because she was scared.

    Then, the bells began to ring.

    "What��s that about?" Coral frowned.

    Cherry looked up. "Maybe some final announcement before we leave."

    Then some guards came to the door.

    "Your majesties." The guards said. "You are expected down in the throne room of Alpha Xaden."

    "Give it a few minutes." Belle said.

    "Forgive us your majesties but these are strict orders from the Alpha." One of the guards responded. "But we are to escort you down straits."

    Belle, who had not gotten over how she had been humiliated by the guard, began to burn. "How dare you speak back at

    "Patience, Belle." Her mother said as their maids wore their shawls for them.

    And Belle had no choice but to follow them.

 Chapter 127: JASMINE’S DILEMMA

    <h4>Chapter 127: JASMINE��S DILEMMA</h4>

    <strong><i>A FEW HOURS BEFORE THE BELLS WERE RUNG</i></strong>

    After Jasmine had hurried out of the Queen��s chamber, she went on her way.

    She felt so angry with the King for being unfaithful to the Queen.

    She wished there was something she could do!

    As she hurried past the hallway, she saw Princess Cherry approaching.

    Jasmine turned the other side and curtseyed for the would-have-been Queen.

    That was what Princess Cherry, the Queen, would have been.

    Jasmine waited for her to pass by, but the click of the princess��s heels stopped in front of her.

    Jasmine took in deep breaths, trying to control herself.

    Princess Cherry used her finger to lift Jasmine��s chin and stare at her.

    "Look at me." Princess Cherry said, and Jasmine did as she was told.

    It was like Princess Cherry was looking through her, seeing right inside her soul.

    Princess Cherry wished she had known Scarlet had survived and even had a child.

    It baffled her to know that Scarlet had ended up surviving long enough to even conceive before her sister.

    She would have used her if Princess Cherry had known that her niece was alive.

    Because Corral was nothing like Scarlet. Corral had been much more substantial.

    Cherry had initially tried to manipte the little girl, but that girl had been fierce and good. There was no spark of evil inside her.

    She had no choice but to turn on the neglected sister, who had every shade of evil growing from within her, and that was how she had easily turned her to her side.

    It had been straightforward.

    But just by touching her skin, Cherry could feel Jasmine��s power.

    She was more powerful than her mother.

    Marie had been right; this power was more potent than any of them had seen.

    "I know you saw us." Princess Cherry said. "You saw the King fucking me."

    Jasmine��s eyes were downcast, refusing to make contact with Cherry.

    "I do not know what you speak of your majesty. I saw nothing." Jasmine said.

    The King had told her that she had seen nothing when she had first seen them kissing, and so even though Jasmine had seen them having sex, she hade to see it as she had not seen them doing anything.

    "I know it was you who was peeking." Princess Cherry said. "You wanted to be fucked, didn��t you? Watching the King fuck me gave you desires you won��t understand?"

    Jasmine had no idea when she pushed her face away from the princess��s grasp.

    Then, she quickly apologized. "Forgive me, Your Majesty. But I truly do not understand what you are saying. Neither did I see anything."

    Princess Cherry rolled her fingers together.

    She had finally understood Jasmine, or so she believed she did.

    Jasmine was very calm and subdued. She has been raised as meek, yet in the girl, she saw the streak of Royal blood in her.

    In everything she did.

    Despite her meek nature, there was that streak of fierceness in her.

    A fierce spirit she had only seen in Scarlet. Never Corral.

    Jasmine might be meek and quiet, but one day, she knew that a fire would erupt, and she would be more potent than her mother.

    No one would dare take their cheek away from her grasp; not even Belle would.

    But Jasmine, even though she was a quiet and lowly ve, even had the guts to turn away from her.

    Cherry was merely surprised. It had been a while since anyone had stood up to her in such a way.

    She liked a bit of challenge.

    She wondered how Jasmine didn��t even know how much power she had within herself.

    She smiled at Jasmine.

    "You��re a feisty one, " she said. "I like you, and I��ll see you around. "

    Jasmine didn��t look at her, and Cherry clicked her heels as she passed.

    Jasmine heaved a sigh of relief and then went away.

    Someone grabbed her, and she saw that it was none other than the spy.

    "I was about to call for the owl." She said.

    "We have to do it quickly." He said. "Something is about to happen, and you can not let them suspect you."

    He pulled her all the way to secret tunnels.

    "What is it?" She asked.

    "You will send for the owl and report everything you can to your father." He said. "But the bells would soon ring, and then you would be sent for everyone. You need to be in the throne room along with everyone else.

    Not before, not after. But at the precise moment."

    "I don��t understand any of this." She said, freeing herself from him.

    He turned to look at her and said, "Telling you would be hard because they could torture you and extract information from you. Just do as I tell you."

    "Where will you return to?" She asked him.

    "I will return to the pack to see your father." He said. "If I don��t, tell when you send for the bird, tell him everything that has happened."

    "What do you mean if you do not return?" She asked, lost for words.

    He shook his head and then said.

    "Do as I have instructed." He said and then pushed her down the alert that would lead her straight to where other servants were, and she wouldn��t be instructed.

    He had learned of the plot to kill Xaden a few hours before it had happened.

    He had met his sister (the desert wolves refer to themselves regardless of whether rted by blood or not as brothers or sisters), and she had told him she had been sent to kill Xaden.

    He had tried to deter her against it, telling her it won��t be so easy but she had insisted she could do it.

    Eventually, Xaden survived, and he knew what had happened to her.

    She was dead.

    And now, someone was cleaning up their dirty paths.

    He made a sharp turn and bumped right into a hooded figure.

 Chapter 128: THE TRAITOR IN OUR MIDST

    <h4>Chapter 128: THE TRAITOR IN OUR MIDST</h4>

    The spy bumped right into a hooded figure, and then he shrunk back.

    "You��re the one who killed the man." The desert wolf said. "And you smell of my sister."

    "I��ve been looking for you." The hooded figure responded.

    "What do you want?" He asked. "I��ll never work for you!"

    Then, the desert spy spat in the face of the hooded figure.

    The hooded figure cleaned his eyes and then gave the desert wolf a mighty blow, and he fell to the floor, bleeding.

    For someone to hit the desert wolf and almost knock him out, making him nearly defenseless, meant that they were very powerful.

    The desert wolf coughed blood on the floor, and then the hooded figure kicked him in the stomach, and he groaned.

    It was as if something happened to his bones, and he was now rendered weak and immobile.

    It was like all his strength was drained.

    The hooded figure hauled him up and held him tight. "Of course, you wouldn��t work for me, but it doesn��t have to be willingly."

    Then the hooded figure��s hood fell off, and the desert wolf��s face grew wide in shock.

    "You." He said. "It��s not possible."

    The figure smiled and said. "You get to see me before you die. How lucky of you."

    Then, the figure pushed him against the wall as the bells chimed.

    "I know that Bale sent you here." The figure said. "I know everything that you don��t. And you��re the perfect liaison because you will be a deterrent for me. Bale sent you to spy on Xaden, and I wonder how that would be."

    The desert wolf struggled into his pocket to pick out a de and was about tomit suicide when the figure immediately stopped him."

    "Ah ah ah." The figure said, eyeing the de and then disposing of it. "You won��t be going anywhere. Thank you for helping and presenting yourself to me."

    And then the figure blew some dust into the face of the desert wolf, and he passed out

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Jasmine went into the throne room just in time with everyone else and witnessed themotion.

    Alexander was dead, and now Xaden was looking for the one who had killed him.

    She saw Loren and Elena whispering to each other from a distance and wanted to meet up with them.

    But she saw Damian ring at her.

    Xaden and Erik stepped out, and Jasmine hung on alone.

    Lisa and the other she-wolves hung to themselves together .

    They other wolves in Xaden��s pack where gathered in their small friend groups while Jasmine remained alone as usual.

    She sat down on the floor and leaned, tired of waiting.

    All the other wolves were voicing theirints about how they were forced to wait.

    "Your majesty, it just hit five hours now." Someone said.

    The Queen turned to look at all of them.

    They, in turn, were looking up to her for support.

    After all, she had said, she would burn down the entire ce if he didn��t return in five hours.

    Before she could say a word, the doors were flung open, and then Xaden stepped in.

    "Sorry for the wait." He said. "I had to bring some assistance."

    And right behind him was a woman Jasmine had never seen.

    As she passed by, the people cleared for her, and Jasmine looked onward.

    Then she went to the throne room.

    "This is Marie. She is a powerful witch." He waved his hand at her. "Marie will find who killed Alexander."

    She curtsied, and then she turned to face them.

    "My lords anddies, " she greeted. I will make prayers to the goddess, and then she will speak to me, and it will reveal who the enemy is here."

    Then she closed her eyes and began chanting and soon the air in the wind because fierce and then leaves flew from the outside of the castle.

    Then her eyes opened, and bright magic emitted from her, hitting someone in the middle of the room.

    There were gasps as the people separated from the one who had been hit.

    The guards immediately caught the dark-skinned man and forced him on his knees.

    Xaden came down from the throne and looked at him.

    "It was you." He said, and he looked him up and down. "You do not belong to my pack, neither does your wolf belong to any other pack here."

    The ck man looked up at him and spat in his eye.

    Xaden cleaned it off.

    "You people." He said. "You dirty people killed my sister! I would have coke for you head you were next."

    Xaden squatted down to the man.

    "Your sister did not beg for mercy." He said. "But when I start with you, you will be begging," Xaden promised. "Now tell me? Who sent you?"

    "You will have to beat it out of me!" The man said.

    Xaden sniffed by him, and then he smiled. "You are from the crescent pack. You smell of Bale."

    The desert wolf said nothing.

    Xaden gave a bitter nod and rose to his feet.

    "Bale sent you." Xaden repeated, nodding his head.

    He gave augh.

    "Bale is a great man, and he will soon bring you down to your knees!" The ck man said.

    Jasmine stood watching from afar and couldn��t believe what he was saying.

    "I put Bale down, and yet he sent an assassin to kill and also spy on me," Xaden said. "You are a dead wolf."

    "I already knew that long before I came here." The desert wolf said.

    "Is there anything else you would like to give?" Xaden asked. "Anyst words."

    Erik came up to Xaden.

    "Xaden. Wait, I don��t think we should do anything with him yet, he might know-

    But Xaden had already used his wolf ws to rip out his head from his body, and the crowd gasped.

    The head stumbled and rolled all the way until itnded right at Jasmine��s feet.

 Chapter 129: THE ACCOMPLICE

    <h4>Chapter 129: THE ACCOMPLICE</h4>

    Some of the blood sputtered on Jasmine��s face, and she jumped as the head stopped at her feet.

    All eyes turned to look at her.

    She knew what they were thinking, as usual.

    She, the daughter of the Alpha Bale, the one who had harmed almost everyone here, managed to hurt every pack present.

    Now, he has sent an assassin to kill Xaden.

    She saw the way he was looking at her from afar.

    She knew that she was in trouble.

    She knew that whatever moments he had been kind to her was the end of it with her.

    But it didn��t make sense.

    She breathed heavily.

    The assassin had been warning her to leave hurriedly.

    She knew he was not the one who had killed Alexander or even sent the assassin; someone else was present.

    And now that they had all believed that it was the desert assassin her father had sent, there was no way they would not think that she, too, had a hand in it.

    What baffled her the most was that the spy had given her and her father up.

    He had said that if he died, she would send information back home.

    She knew he was loyal to her father, so why had he ousted himself in such a way?

    Why has he told Xaden that it was Bale who sent him?

    She knew him; he would have died with the secret and never told a single soul.

    But rather him saying that it was Bale that had sent him would make them all point a finger at her.

    She could feel their eyes on her.

    "Xaden, I was trying to tell you that you should not have killed him," Erik said.

    "Why not?" Xaden asked, not taking his eyes off Jasmine.

    "Because we could have gotten more information from him," Erik said. "You are not usually like this. You know better than to make rash decisions."

    Of course, he was not usually this way, but Bale had a way over him.

    Hearing that Bale had sent the spy to kill him, despite his measures to keep him far away and await for the full moon.

    But his skin had crawled, shes of his dead family. shes of Losing his parents had driven him insane.

    He had lost his mind and ripped his head apart from his neck.

    And then seeing Jasmine.

    Seeing the head roll to her leg was fate telling him she was evil.

    That she was the Devil��s spawn and that all this while, she had had a hand in his almost murder.

    His hands grew to a first.

    He had not asked the spy if Jasmine had known him because he had been too scared to hear the truth.

    He did not want everyone to hear.

    He did not want himself to hear being told she had known that he was around.

    He walked up to her, and all eyes were on her.

    She looked up at him with those beautiful, big green eyes, and he felt his throat go dry.

    He strode up to her and then when they were barely a few inches away she diverted her gaze away from him.

    He saw her and thought about how he had already let her get away with so much.

    He had so many emotions burning inside him.

    He thought about how she had fooled him.

    He was certain that she must have sided with the spy against him to have him killed.

    He thought about the times he had saved her, which made him only furious.

    He clenched his fist In anger.

    "Look at me." He said so coldly everyone in the silent room could hear.

    But she did not; instead, her eyes remained downcast.

    Refusing to obey him.

    Then, he began to hear the whispers around him.

    "Can you imagine she is disobeying him?" Someone said.

    "Is he even truly an Alpha." Someone else said.

    "A mere ve disobeying her master, what a disgrace."

    Xaden could hear the whispers, and he was furious beyond words.

    She made him look like a fool! It made him feel like a fool!

    And Aurora had warned him about her!

    That she could be a spy bug; he had taken her word that she was simply an unshifted wolf!

    His ego and pride hung as the whispers of the wolves around sang in his ears.

    About how ipetent he was.

    "Look at me!" He barked, and she jumped.

    Without waiting for a response, he pped her, and she gasped, and then he forced her to look up at him.

    Her beautiful green almond-shaped eyes looked at him in disbelief.

    The loose curls on her face hung carelessly but yet beautifully.

    He closed his eyes away from her beauty, and then he opened it, and it was filled with anger.

    "You had a hand in this, didn��t you?" He asked her. "DID YOU NOT."

    Her lips were quivering. "No, my lord! I did not have a hand in any of this."

    "Lies!" He sneered at her. "All lies! All Fucking lies. The only words that evere from your lips are lies!"

    She shook her head. "I swear, my lord, I had nothing to do with this."

    He shook her so hard that for a second, he believed her head would fall from her neck.

    "You knew that he was here." He said.

    She went quiet, and then, to his horror, he saw her nod. "Y-yes. I knew he was here. But I swear I had nothing to do with the attack on your life. I would never harm you."

    He didn��t even bother to stay hearing everything she was saying.

    Instead, he closed his eyes and pushed her away from him.

    "Guards." He said without looking at her. "Take her to the dungeon and lock her up."

    Jasmine, who had dropped to the floor, had her eyes spewed with tears.

    The guards dragged her up and led her out of the courtroom.

 Chapter 130: ELENA’S GOODBYE

    <h4>Chapter 130: ELENA��S GOODBYE</h4>

    Xaden didn��t watch as Jasmine was dragged out of the hall room and down to the dungeon.

    He gave all the Alphas present a deathly stare that told them to keep quiet, and they did.

    Erik turned to him. "Xaden, you should not have killed him that way. There must have been more."

    "You heard her." Xaden said in disgust. "She knew that he was around."

    "Something is off about all of this." Erik said. "Do you think Bale would risk his cover of having Jasmine as his spy here? She was ousted out right in the bloody middle of everyone present."

    "So what?!" Xaden shot. "Don��t forget your ce. You��re my gamma, but that doesn��t mean I have to take orders from you."

    "Being your gamma means I prevent you from making rash decisions." Erik said.

    "Why are you protecting her? What, you��re fucking her now?!" Xaden said bitterly.

    Erik��s face glimmered in rage. "You will not insult me."

    The hair on his body stood at attention, ready to attack. Erik��s eyes brightened, and his status as Alpha heightened.

    The same thing happened to Xaden, who was already beyond words angry.

    But their men came in between.

    "There is no need for a fight." Damian said as he and the other guards separated their almost fight.

    Erik jerked himself free from their house and said.

    "I��m not doing this!" And then he stormed off.

    Xaden swore and walked back up to his throne room.

    He stood in front of them all.

    "The one who sent the assassin has been discovered." Xaden said. "You are all free to go."

    "And Bale?" The King said. "What will you do to him?"

    Xaden clenched his jaw.

    He knew that he could be allowed to deal Bale some blows for sending someone to spy on him.

    He had broken a rule.

    But it would be too easy.

    Xaden was going to follow up with his initial ns.

    Make Jasmine pay.

    And worse of all, she had deceived him.

    She had lied to him even after he had started to soften.

    He cursed under his breath and told himself that he would never be so stupid again!

    "I will leave Bale until the full moon." Xaden said. "And when it��s time, I will kill him."

    The king looked at him suspiciously, not believing what he was saying.

    "So after what Bale had just done and almost had you killed, are you going to let him get away with it?" The King asked.

    "Yes. I will. For the meantime." Xaden said, then turned to the Queen. "I am done with my investigations. I apologize for keeping you waiting. You may leave when you are ready to."

    "What about Alexander? My nephew." The King pointed out. "He died because of your false usations."

    "Alexander was damage control; moreover, it was out of my hands." He said. "He hasn��t been the best person here, so how did you expect me to believe him?"

    The King clenched his fist.

    "I have other matters to attend to." Xaden said.

    Then, Xaden turned away to face Marie. "Thank you foring on such short notice. We wouldn��t have discovered this without your help."

    She smiled. "It��s always a pleasure."

    And with that, she bowed and left.

    Marie made eye contact with Elena as she went past.

    It was a hostile state, and then Elena went up to meet Xaden.

    "I warned you about her." She said. "What am I here for you if you won��t seek me out to help you?"

    "Marie does not turn me down the way you do. And moreover, she is stronger than you." He said. "You couldn��t even urately find out who had tried to kill me.

    Elena involuntarily jerked back in disbelief at what he said, and then she cleared her throat and said, "She is stronger because she uses dark magic. You have no idea what it is. Dark magic is evil; once taken, it asks for something in return. I love you; that��s why I will never use dark magic."

    "If you loved me, you would have gotten all of this over with." He said rudely. "You don��t care about me or anyone else."

    She blinked in shock. "How can you say something like that, Xaden? This isn��t how I raised you."

    "I��m not a child anymore." He told her.

    She looked at him, hurt at his words.

    "That boy you raised is gone." He growled.

    He was upset with her.

    It was partly her fault.

    She had served him false information, and he had gone ahead to disgrace himself in front of everyone.

    "You don��t mean what you��re saying." She shook her head. "Stay away from Marie."

    "I am an Alpha not some half dead child anymore. Leave me alone." Xaden said.

    She was hurt by his words, and he could see it in her eyes.

    She licked her bottom lips, and her fingers shook.

    "You don��t mean that." She said.

    "I mean every word of it!" He spat. "Now leave!"

    She gasped softly.

    Then she nodded her head, turned away, and left the throne room.

    Once Xaden saw her leaving, he realized that she was truly going.

    She was the mother he never had. She was, in fact, his only mother after his family��s massacre

    He felt a squeeze in his chest.

    He wanted to tell her to stop, run, and tell her that he meant those words, but pride and ego filled him.

    After all, it had been her fault.

    It was Elena��s fault that he was hurting about Jasmine. He would have gotten rid of her from the first day he had met her had she used dark magic to read her the night they hade to the cabin.

    Instead of going after, Xaden let his pride win.

    He remained on his throne until she had left.

    Then he felt a hand on his shoulder.

    "It��s for the best, my lord." Aurora said to him.

    Xaden wasn��t so sure.

 Chapter 131: The QUEEN’S MEMORIES

    <h4>Chapter 131: The QUEEN��S MEMORIES</h4>

    The Queen turned away angrily after watching Jasmine��s disy.

    She wanted to do much, but as Queen, she had limits.

    The royal family initially had unlimited power, but her tenth great-grandfather was too zealous with his powers and, in the end, was too much of a tyrant.

    Ultimately, the wolf council was made to put the royal family in check.

    She sighed as she went on. He was extremely unhappy.

    "What is going on?" Her husband asked her but she ignored him as she strode down the halls and her women in waiting all anxiously following her behind.

    Once she got into her bedroom, she sat, exasperated, and looked towards the horizon.

    It was alreadyte.

    There was no way in hell they would be able to travel back today.

    They would have to spend the night here.

    "Do you need anything, your majesty?" One of the servants asked.

    She wanted to say no, thank you, but then she realized that she was extremely tired and that a bath would be lovely.

    "I would like a bath, please." She said.

    The maids hurried away to bring the water for her to use.

    When they had ced the water in the bath, she undressed and went into the tub, where she was adequately massaged, and her body was treated well.

    By the time she was done, she felt utterly refreshed.

    She sighed as she wore a silk night dress and went to the mirror to brush her hair.

    "Can I do it for you, your Majesty? " a maid asked her.

    She hasn��tbed her hair in a while.

    She liked to do things for herself once in a while and not just be a queen who was treated like an invalid.

    "No I shall do this by myself. You may go." The Queen said and they did as she instructed.

    She didn��t have curly red hair; instead, hers was straight and long.

    It was Scarlet, who had had bouncy red curls that framed her beautiful face.

    She sighed as she thought of her dead daughter, and she shook her head to remove the memories.

    She knew how much pain and suffering she had endured.

    How much she had med herself.

    Then the doors opened, and her husband came in.

    Even at the age of almost sixty, Rnd was the most handsome man she had ever met.

    Of course, it had been an arranged marriage, but they had been lucky.

    It was love at first sight.

    It was a fierce passion for her.

    She could remember it like yesterday.

    She had been trying to flee from her marriage and climb a wall when a young man she had never seen had found her struggling in herrge dress as she hurried up the wall.

    "Goodness." He had said. "Where in the devils name are you going to dressed like that?"

    She freaked and fell down from the vines she was holding on the wall but lucky enough and just at the right time, he caught her in his arms.

    She gasped at his beauty and how perfect he was, and so did he at her.

    Later, when they were married, he would tell her that she was the most beautiful flower he had ever seen, and she knew that it was not a lie.

    She had eventually been put down to stand on her two feet, and then he had asked her what she was running away from.

    "A wedding." She clicked her tongue reluctantly. "You do not know me?"

    He rose a brow. "No, I do not; pray tell me."

    She turned away and lied. "I am only a servant here. A maid, I dare say. For the future Queen, today is my wedding."

    "Oh." He said his eyes wandering after discovering she was to be married.

    "I��m to wed someone I do not know or someone who would most probably never love me." She had ended up telling him.

    He had had no idea who she was, and she, in turn, had no idea who he was.

    Then she looked at him. "You are dressed all fancy."

    She said. "You must be here for the Queen��s wedding."

    His eyes sparkled. "Do you know the Queen?"

    She nodded. "Yes, I am her handmaiden."

    The lies were outrageous, but she wanted to make a fast escape.

    Then she turned back to her wall climbing, and he said. "Wait."

    She stopped.

    "You see, I am being forced into a marriage that I know nothing about, " he said.

    Sheughed. "Forced? But I beg your pardon as a man you could never be forced to do anything. All you do is beat your wife, drink, make sure she has as many babies as you want, sometimes beat her if she doesn��t give you the number of babies you want, and then go around looking for other women."

    She snorted and turned around to resume climbing the wall.

    "I assure you that I am not that kind of man." He told her.

    "Really?" She asked with augh. "Well, to me, a man is a man."

    "Is your father that much of a brute?" He asked her.

    She turned her head to face him, and she was angry. "My father is no such man! He was a rare one from all the men I had ever met. And if he were to be here, he would not force me to wed."

    And it was confirmed the only reason why she was being forced to marry was because she had lost her entire family.

    Her mother father and her young brother in a tragic ident.

    She and her elder sister had survived because they had not traveled but instead remained in the castle.

    She was never supposed to be Queen, but for something beyond her power, she had been made to take a power she had never prepared for.

    "I apologize." He said to her once he had seen how pale she had gotten. "Do forgive me."

 Chapter 132: THE QUEEN’S DEMANDS

    <h4>Chapter 132: THE QUEEN��S DEMANDS</h4>

    She felt the tears drop down her cheeks, and just as she was about to wipe them off hurriedly, he wiped them for her.

    She looked up at him in surprise, and he said the most shocking thing that day.

    "If I were to marry you, I would be a much better man than even your father." He promised.

    She would haveughed it off on a usual day and said he was lying as all men were but here he was.

    A dashing young man in a beautiful suit while she was in a regr dress.

    She was not even yet dressed in her wedding dress.

    Hence, he did not know she was even going to be queen.

    But she believed him.

    She believed every single word he had said to her.

    And then he did the most surprising thing to her.

    He met down and kissed her lips.

    She gasped at their lips�� soft touch and then the electricity.

    Their lips hooked together as he let his tongue into her mouth and she moaned in absolute pleasure.

    This was her first kiss, everything she had ever dreamed of.

    Fireworks, shooting stars, magic.

    She wanted to stay here forever but realized she could not.

    That no matter what, even if she could run from here, they would always find her and bring her back home.

    She did not want to get this young man into

    Trouble.

    She reluctantly let go of him.

    "Forgive me." She said. "But we should have not done that."

    He looked at her, his eyes green and fire.

    "I��ve kissed other women, but I have never felt what I just felt with you, " he said breathlessly.

    She should not have believed him, but she did.

    Even though she had never kissed a man before, she was sure that she would never feel this way with another.

    She turned her face away from him.

    "I beg and assure you that you will want nothing from me. You have said it yourself. You are to be with someone else." She told him.

    There have been instances where royal family members, kings, and Queens had tried to run off with other people, and they had had to watch them being murdered in their family.

    Especially of low bloodline packs.

    She would not want that to happen.

    The bells rang, and she knew they were looking for her.

    "I must leave." She said as she gathered her dress.

    "You were about to leave, weren��t you?" He asked her as he caught her arm, prohibiting her from running away. "Then I shall run with you."

    Her eyes widened in shock.

    "B-but I can not." She managed.

    "Tell me you did not feel something strong between us." He said as he cupped her cheeks

    She swallowed. She could not deny it.

    "I have enough money that will protect you from anyone." He said. "I assure you that no one shall harm you with me."

    How she wished it were to be that simple.

    That she could run away with him and forget everything.

    He still believed that she was simply a maid when, in fact, she was Queen.

    She was thest stop of royalty and no matter who he was noting could ever beat that.

    "I would treat you well." He said. "And even if we do not have arge number of babies, I will not hit you."

    Her eyes clouded with tears at his reference to having children because she had said a man would beat his wife for nothing, giving him the number he wanted.

    "I��m sorry." She shook her head. The tears spilled down her eyes. "I can not do this."

    And with that, she fled away from him and bumped right into her governess, who caught her and dragged her back to her dressing room.

    She had been made to wear her white wedding dress, and her head was downcast when she was walking down the aisle.

    Spewing with tears from under the veil.

    She didn��t see her future husband standing by the altar waiting for her until she had gotten there herself.

    Sadly, she looked up, and it shocked her to see that it was none other than the young man she had just fallen in love with.

    After exchanging their wolf bonds, he took off her veil, and when he saw her under the veil, he was so stunned he almost fell back.

    It was then she knew that he was the one for her. And that it was fate.

    All their years together he had never for once left her side and she trusted him.

    She knew him.

    He never would break her heart.

    She turned away from the mirror when he approached her and faced him.

    "I wish to speak to you about something." She said.

    "What will that be?" He asked her. "I, too, need to speak to you. I know that when we are-

    "I want the exile lifted off my sister." She said, stopping him in his tracks.

    He looked at her nkly.

    "W-what?" He asked in disbelief.

    "I want the exile lifted off cherry." She said. "Do you not see? She has lived in the castle all her life. This crown that I wear belongs to her. The least we can do is let her return home."

    "Cherry isn��t in the castle with us for a reason." He said. "We exiled her for a reason."

    "And she regrets it. She has changed, trust me." Rose said. "This is my sister. She was the one who was supposed to be Queen."

    "You never fail to remind me that." He said bitterly. "If she were Queen, I would never have married you in the first ce."

    And it was the truth.

    Cherry had been betrothed to him once she ascended the throne, but after the incident with her hair and the crown rejecting her, she had been forced to let it and him go.

    The wolf council had made it that it would be Rose who would be Queen and then eventually made Rnd marry her.

 Chapter 133: ARGUMETS OVER CHERRY

    <h4>Chapter 133: ARGUMETS OVER CHERRY</h4>

    "You know this." She told him.

    He turned his face away.

    "It��s not the same thing, Rose." He said. "We were meant to be together. Whether or not she would have be Queen, we would still have found a way to be together. It was fate."

    "So if she was Queen, how would you have felt knowing she had exiled me?" Rose said. "The same way we��ve exiled her."

    Rnd turned away and pressed his fingers to his temple as he breathed exasperation.

    "You are too kind." He said. "Can��t you see that she is taking advantage of you? Do you not see that all she does is manipte you into doing what she wants."

    "Thest thing you would ever call me is good or even say too good. You know what I can do, and you do not want to see my dark side." She said to him as she turned away.

    "Cherry is my flesh and blood. She is my only sister, the only thing I have closest to my immediate family. Corral has been distant from me no matter what I tried, Belle is her mother��s daughter and I��ve felt lonely. Cherry needs me as I need her." Queen Rose expressed.

    "Cherry was exiled for a good reason. My God! You know this!" He snapped. "Cherry is the reason why Xaden hates us. She is the reason why his entire family and pack were murdered. She got word from his father, yet she sat on it and did nothing. None of this would have happened if she had told us as expected. I have a very, very angry wolf who will not stop. Holding on to Xaden is like trying to cool a forever-burning fire. Of course, he does not know this piece of information himself. Rather, he believes I turned my eyes away from the attack."

    Rnd sighed heavily. "If Cherry had not done this, we wouldn��t be here in the first ce. Not a day goes by that I do not regret what happened! That I do not regret what I could have prevented."

    "She is sorry," Rose said.

    "Sorry?" Rndughed. "Did she tell you with her very own lips that she is sorry?"

    Rose bit her lip. "No, b-but she-

    "Of course." Rnd waved.

    "I know she is sorry. She tells me that she wants to return home. It��s her right. Believe me, I wish I had done something too. I wish she had never done what she did, but she exined to me that it was the fault of her men. Not her."

    "Cherry would never for once own up to her mistakes!" Rnd pointed angrily. "And that is why she best be kept far away from us! Far away from you!"

    Rose got up angrily. "I was friends with Lilian. She was my friend. You so easily forget. But it hurts me that she died. It hurts me that Bale killed her and left her boy alone while we had no absolute idea. We hadn��t even discovered that he was alive all this while until he came up only a few years ago. I would never wish to make Lilian be in harm��s way."

    She turned her face away and said, "But we can not keep up letting the past take over us when we have a future ahead." She said, "Cherry is sorry for what she has done."

    "Cherry will not be allowed into the castle." He countered in anger at his wife. "Nothing you say will change that. She will not be weed by me."

    She cleared her throat and adjusted herself before saying. "It was never your decision to make in the first ce. I was only telling you because you are my husband, my mate, and you are King."

    She gently touched his curly hair and she smiled knowing her little girl has also picked her curls from him along with her own mother.

    Then she looked at him. "But do not forget that I am Queen before you."

    She felt him go stiff.

    "Because I��ve been in the shadows and not willing to make them, it does not mean that I shall not make any." She said. "And now I tell you that Cherry would return to the castle. She is returning home, and I am sorry that you do not support it. But it��s a decision I��ve made."

    He withdrew from her quickly, pushing her hand that had hung around his neck away from him.

    She swallowed, hated the fact that he was looking at her like a stranger.

    "You make this decision." He said. "Truly you have decided."

    She said nothing, and he knew the answer already.

    Then she softly went to him. "Rnd."

    But then he pulled away from her.

    "Don��te near me, Rose." He said. "When we married. We promised always to consider each other in our decisions. I have had your best interest at heart for every single decision I��ve made."

    She felt weak. "And believe me, I have my best interests at heart. Keeping my sister far away from us would do us no good."

    She went to him, and even though he was pulling away, she held his hands with hers.

    "This is going to change everything. Bring peace back into our homes." She said whilst he shook his head in rejection and said no no no.

    Nheless, she went on trying to persuade him and assure him that all was indeed well.

    "It will make us stronger." She said.

    "No!" He said as he forced his hands away from her grasp. "Know this I would never ever support you bringing Cherry back home."

    Then he turned away and walked towards the door.

    He opened it and then he turned and said. "As you bring her alone, so shall you face the consequences of her alone."

    She felt a sudden chill down her heart and then he walked out of the room and shut the door behind him.

 Chapter 134: JASMINE’S DISOBEDIENCE

    <h4>Chapter 134: JASMINE��S DISOBEDIENCE</h4>

    Jasmine hugged herself as shey huddled in the corner of the dark cell she had been thrown into.

    Was this going to be the end of it all?

    Would he kill her?

    She felt the cold against her legs and shivered, pulling her dress up to her feet, trying her best to endure.

    Back home, this was nothing; she was used to sleeping on the cold, hard floor sometimes as punishment, and it was something she had gotten used to.

    But after being in the crescent pack for a while now and how things had been so different from home, she could not help but admit the fact that, to her, it was strange.

    She had be ustomed to a softer life where she could sleep under a nket without worrying about being kicked.

    This was where she was supposed to be a ve, but she had gotten so used to her new life that she had forgotten who she indeed was.

    She looked at the cold, dark wall that held nothing for her to see.

    All the guards were outside, and even though she was so tiny, they had concealed her in a box dungeon that had no lights to even give her air to breathe.

    It was like she was to be held hostage here forever.

    As shey down, she heard something.

    It was like a very low hooting.

    She frowned, and then she proceeded to turn around.

    To her amazement, it was Qitania, her little owl.

    She gasped, sitting up.

    She looked at it and then looked around the room.

    How had the bird even entered the cage? From where?

    She had forgotten that it was after dawn and had initially called for the owl.

    The owl must have gone looking for her and not found her, so she must havee here.

    It amazed her.

    She gently smiled and touched the owl.

    "It��s good to see a family face." She said weakly. "Although I wouldn��t lie, you look delicious."

    The owl pped its wings and hooted in protest as if it understood what she was saying.

    Jasmine ced her hand over its beak to hush it and then froze to hear if the guards were approaching or had listened to any noise.

    But after two minutes of being still, she finally rxed and released her hand from the beak of the owl who red at her telling her she did not like it.

    "Do forgive me." She said. "But if I didn��t shush you, we both would have been cooked, and you would be roasted for dinner."

    The Owl fluffed its feathers.

    It was fascinating that she couldmunicate with this creature.

    She reached out to touch it again, and this time, she touched its heart, and then she felt such a powerful force hit her.

    She was transported into a familiar room but could not ce her finger on it.

    "What have you been doing!"

    Her insides trembled just from her hearing that voice.

    She turned slowly around, her entire being shaking in fear, and then she saw none other than her father.

    Her heart raced, and the only thing she felt was absolute fear.

    "You have finally gotten my message now!" he said. "After over five months, we sent you away! Is this how you repay us?! After we spared your life!"

    She quickly went down to her feet.

    It was like she waspelled to do so.

    Like her entire being was forced to do so.

    She could not phantom it.

    But she was sweating, and she was shaking with fear.

    The terror that had been instilled since she had been a lonely child.

    It was like she had forgotten how scared she was of her father all the while she lived in the Crescent pack.

    And now it hase back and hit her with such force.

    "P-please forgive me." She said. "I-I could not send a message because I could not read or write."

    But then he said. "Whatever reasons you are giving me, keep them to yourself. This is a message I made for you so you can not have a conversation with me. You can only hear mine, and you will send yours through the owl."

    Then she rxed only a tiny bit because she knew that he was not, in fact, present with her.

    "You are ungrateful." He said. "Do you know how many people would die to be in your ce to be referred to as the only daughter of Alpha Bale? You are given the assignment to report, and my spy says that you can not read or write."

    He spat, and she recoiled so much she felt ufortable knots in her tummy.

    "It disgusts me to know that you are even of my blood!" He hissed. "You are to give me a detailed message of everything going on as I initially instructed. Do not let mee to you myself."

    Her hands trembled.

    Her father came to meet her himself. That was death.

    Instant death.

    "I am sparing your life only because I want to." He said. "If you want to prove yourself to be my daughter, you have better do as I say. You don��t need me to tell you what I can do. Or what my Luna and Jessica can do to you."

    Memories of how she had suffered, of the beatings and humiliation, came flooding through her.

    She felt the terror flow through her veins at an rming rate.

    She shook her head and found herself saying no, even though he could not hear her.

    That was how terrified she was of him.

    "I have told you that there are many great wolves of Our pack who would give their life to be in your shoes to carry out my orders. Who are begging me to let them serve our pack. And yet you have it, but you do nothing. I will not send a warning message to you again. The next time you disobey me, it will be with an answer. And believe me, I might be trapped in my pack. But I still have the power to hurt whoever I want to hurt."

 Chapter 135: AN UNLIKELY VISITOR

    <h4>Chapter 135: AN UNLIKELY VISITOR</h4>

    She remained on the floor in the memory that was in the mind of the owl, and she was led transfixed.

    "I also heard from my spy that you were the maiden for thest ritual of the halo festival." Her father said. And then she saw him smile or what seemed like it.

    She had never seen him smile; he had be such a stone that seeing him smile had seemed impossible.

    "Keep it up." He said. "Make the wolf fall in love with you. Use your body and offer yourself to him as pleasure every time. You are to learn his weak points and report back to me. After this message, I was hoping you could give me a detailed message about what you have learned about the Crescent pack. It��s now only seven months left to the new moon. Do not, and I repeat, do not fail me!"

    And then, with that, he turned around, dismissing her as he would a useless servant, and then she was hauled back to reality.

    She gasped as she looked around and saw that she was again in the dungeon.

    Once she realized that she was in fact in the cell and that all she had seen was a memory her father had installed in the mind of the wolf, she calmed.

    She breathed heavily as if she was recovering from almost drowning, and then she pushed herself back against the wall and gathered her legs around herself.

    She hugged herself, and with the effect and trauma of her father still fresh in her mind, she wept to herself.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Jasmine slept and finally woke up to a strange noise

    She didn��t know how long she had slept, but she had finally gone to sleep after she had recorded her message to her father as he had instructed and let the owl deliver it.

    However, after she had made the memory and put it into the owl, she looked around and wondered where on earth the owl would leave.

    But the owl hade In somehow, so it would leave the same way.

    Sleep hade to her, and then she finally slept.

    She assumed it was another day, but she was unsure what time.

    She heard the noise that had woken her up again, and then she jumped, turning around after remembering that the owl had still been in the room when she had slept.

    She looked around quickly as she heard a crooked and old key unlock one of the gates.

    But then, the owl was nowhere in sight.

    It must have already gone with its message.

    The door was opened, and then four guards came out.

    She looked up at them, and she wondered if they were ready to take her to execution.

    She watched as they came to her bars and unlocked her dungeon cell.

    They approached her, and she watched as they took her to her feet.

    "Get up, you bitch!" They said.

    She felt herself go weak in the knees, but she knew that she dared not fall.

    They dragged her out of the way, her chains around her neck, feet, and hand holding her in ce.

    They were so heavy that she had to struggle to move.

    As she went on, an impatient guard pushed her behind, propelling her forward.

    She turned around in shock.

    "What is a traitor like you look at me for?" He demanded of her. "Thinking you have a say, do you not, little whore?"

    Jasmine swallowed hard and closed her eyes as she turned around and went ahead.

    The wolf guard kicked her ass again and said. "I would hit that dirty behind, and you can do nothing! Once the Alpha is done with you, he will send you to all of us for our own party."

    The menughed, and she bit her bottom lip, counting numbers to ignore their presence.

    Eventually, they reached out of the dungeon, and right in front of her, waiting for her, was the Queen.

    She gasped. "Your majesty."

    She fell to the floor.

    But the Queen bent to help her.

    "Get up, you bitch!" Another guard said. "The Queen doesn��t bend for anyone!"

    The Queen stopped short, and then she looked up at the guard.

    "Cut out his tongue." She said to one of her men.

    The wolf gasped in shock as he saw a royal guard approaching him with a knife.

    Ready to have his tongue sliced out.

    "Forgive me, Your Majesty, if I have offended you." He said. "The soul of my wolf belongs to you."

    "You will apologize to her." She said. "For the words you used."

    He looked up in horror.

    Jasmine just watched in stunned shock.

    She didn��t for some minute ask the queen

    To stop because she had learned something about people in power. They did what they wanted to.

    "Beg her for forgiveness or I will personally cut off your tongue." She promised.

    Realizing that she was not joking, he went down on his knees in front of Jasmine and said. "I beg you for your forgiveness. This wolf is indebted to you."

    Jasmine felt a sudden satisfaction, but it was short-lived.

    For once she couldn��t believe that she had been delighted someone who had hurt her was giving her an apology.

    Even though it was a forced one.

    "You are forgiven." She said.

    He remained head bowed as he rose to his feet and then went back to his colleagues who were all wide eyed in shock.

    Then the Queen snapped at the men.

    "Get these chains off her! She is not a dog! We are wolves, not Monsters!"

    Then the Queen turned to her with a smile and said. "I do hope you can forgive me for dying so much. I should have been here earlier."

    And then the Jasmine felt her heart elope. The Queen asking for her forgiveness?

    Once the chains were loose, Jasmine burst into tears and threw her arms around the Queen as she wept

    This chapter is updated by freew(e)bnovel.(c)om

 Chapter 136: BREAKFAST WITH THE QUEEN

    <h4>Chapter 136: BREAKFAST WITH THE QUEEN</h4>

    The Queen gasped softly in shock as Jasmine threw her arms around her neck and hugged her.

    Jasmine wept nonstop.

    Even though the bruises on her arms, neck, and leg hurt, she held onto the Queen tightly.

    The Queen sighed gently and put her arms around her as she gently patted her head and held onto her.

    The Queen��s guards walked up to them in attempt to drag Jasmine off but the Queen rose her hand up preventing them froming any further.

    Then she gently patted her hair and whispered soft words into her ears.

    "It��s alright, child." She said. "It��s alright."

    Jasmine wept until the tears had dried away from her eyes.

    Then Jasmine reluctantly let go of the Queen once she realized what she had done.

    She withdrew and looked down at the floor, her eyes downcast.

    "Forgive me, Your Majesty," Jasmine said. "I was out of line."

    The Queen smiled and reached out to wipe a tear that Jasmine had missed. Then, she gently set her hand to cup her beautiful, framed face.

    "Do not apologize. You need not to." The Queen said softly.

    Jasmine managed to look up at the Queen and saw that her coat had been smeared with tears and some of her bruises from her neck.

    It wasn��t a pure white fur coat anymore; it was now tainted with red.

    "I do need to apologize for it. I have dirtied your coat." Jasmine said.

    She was going to get into trouble for this single act.

    The Queenughed. "What? This old thing?"

    She dusted the top of her fur coat. "It��s nothing. Simply just a coat, nothing more."

    Then she turned back to Jasmine.

    "Never apologize for expressing your feelings." The Queen said. "Never."

    Jasmine felt her eyes burning with more tears.

    She could not understand nor believe why the Queen was Kind and gentle to her.

    She could not phantom it at all.

    Especially after what had happened to her the previous day.

    She was a ve, the daughter of an enved person, and she was now an used aplice in the almost murder of the Alpha.

    She had been thrown into the dungeon, and yet here the Queen was, standing in her expensive and beautiful fur clothes while standing in her old, dirty rags.

    She had even been so lost in her mind that she had hugged her smelling body over the Queen, yet the queen had not rejected or pushed her aside.

    Instead, she had embraced her warmly.

    Then she felt the tears begin to gather down until she burst into tears again.

    She choked on the tears, and then the Queen opened her purse and pulled out a beautiful patterned hankie.

    She used it to clean Jasmine��s tears.

    Jasmine felt even more ashamed.

    "Here you can use this." The Queen said and Jasmine used the thick and soft wool material to clean her eyes.

    Once her eyes were dried up, she could face the Queen.

    "I apologize for my behavior, Your Majesty." She apologized again.

    "I have told you over and over again, you must never apologize for expressing your feelings." The Queen said.

    Then she turned to face the way towards the castle grounds.

    "Come, my dear, walk with me." The Queen said.

    Jasmine nodded, and then she followed the Queen silently down to a garden not so far away.

    There was a beautiful table with two charges facing each other.

    On the table was a very delicious looking meal that seemed to have just been freshly made.

    Jasmine then remembered she was hungry, and her stomach rumbled so loudly that she feared the Queen had heard.

    And then the Queen sat down.

    "Take a seat, Jasmine." She offered.

    Jasmine nodded numbly and sat down, too weak to argue.

    "The meal is yours." The Queen said. "I believe you must be very hungry. Was food given to you whilst you were down there?"

    Then, the Queen shrugged her shoulders. "Even if food was given I sincerely doubt that you would eat. Given the circumstances of yourst poisoning." She said.

    Jasmine tensed.

    "It��s alright. I��m the Queen, and I have all eyes. Go ahead, eat."

    Jasmine went down on the meal and could hardly even suppress her joy in eating the food.

    "Thank you, your majesty, for this." Jasmine said.

    The Queen smiled. "You��re wee. It��s just food. You must be starving. Eat to your satisfaction."

    For some odd reason, Jasmine felt that she could trust this woman.

    Trust this Queen who was always so kind and yet was being betrayed by the ones she loved the most.

    Jasmine felt the food in her mouth go sour when she remembered how she had caught the King cheating on the Queen times without a number.

    "Is everything alright?" The Queen asked, noticing her sudden facial expression.

    Jasmine regained herposure. "Yes, Your Majesty. I was thinking of how nice it is to have such a meal. But can I ask a question?"

    "Of course." The Queen nodded.

    "Why do you dine with me? Why did you free me from my chains, and why would you be so kind to me when you know that I conspired to kill the Alpha." Jasmine requested.

    The Queen sighed. "Because I don��t believe you conspired to kill him. I don��t think you have it in you to kill anyone."

    "Do you know I��ve gone to war?" The Queen asked. "Right after I became Queen, I went to my first war with ties aligning with my sister and her followers. I was only sixteen. The earliest Queen to have been because of the fact that I should not have been Queen in the first ce".

    The Beautiful queen cleared her throat and fiddled with a table cloth. "I��ve fought countless battles. Bloody battles. Ones you could never begin to fathom. I��ve seen a hunger, a thirst for blood in every wolf. But did you, Jasmine? I see purity. Something I have never seen."

 Chapter 137: THE QUEEN’S PLEA

    <h4>Chapter 137: THE QUEEN��S PLEA</h4>

    She gave a weak smile.

    "What I see in you." She said. "Is pure. I��ve never seen it anyone else."

    Jasmine swallowed hard.

    "But you know my father." Jasmine said. "I��m just like him. After all, I am his daughter. Perhaps, Your Majesty, you should stay away from someone who would do you no harm."

    The Queen smiled. "Is that a threat?"

    "No, your majesty." Jasmine said, her heart already skipping.

    The Queenughed aloud, but then Jasmine realized she was only ying.

    "I��m just joking around." The Queen said. "My kids hated it when I would be so mean with jokes. It gave me so much joy to scare them and tell them it was all jokes."

    Jasmine gave an uneasy smile.

    "I know your father." She said. "I know Bale. Although he wasn��t always this way."

    Jasmine was now interested.

    "What do you mean he wasn��t always this way." She asked, confused.

    "Your father. He wasn��t always bad." The Queen replied. "You know when someone says that someone just bes evil overnight? Yes, that��s what happened to him. I never thought I would witness it with my two eyes. He was the sweetest young man you would have ever met. Jasmine was shocked.

    This was the first time she was ever hearing something about her father in such a way.

    She had always only heard the hand stories of him rampaging and murdering packs, taking their women, betraying people.

    She had never for once heard that he was kind.

    Never at all.

    "You��re surprised." The Queen asked after notching her facial expression. "Well, I don��t me you. I would be surprised too if I were you. We��ve all heard how bad Bale is ."

    "I didn��t know my father has a good side." Jasmine expressed.

    The Queen shook her head. "Don��t get me wrong, my dear. Your father is evil. One of the

    the most evil and brutal men I have ever met. But he was not like that in the beginning. He was gentler, soft. You know, back in the day, parents used to bring their children around. Alphas, future gammas, and even Lycans. Back then, Lycans weren��t so haunted. They woulde so that I would acknowledge them as future Alphas. He woulde, and they would stay for about a week every year. And your father was among them. He and his brother will-

    "My father has a brother?" Jasmine said, interrupting the Queen without even noticing it.

    When she realized it, she hurriedly apologized.

    "Forgive me, Your Majesty." She said.

    "It��s alright. Yes, he had a brother��an elder brother. You see, your father was the obedient one, responsible, and his brother, who was supposed to be Alpha, was already being naughty and yful." She said. Well, in the end, he got into a brawl and was killed."

    "Howe I never heard of this," Jasmine asked. "There are no paintings of him at him, and no one speaks about it."

    The Queen shrugged. "Perhaps he doesn��t like being reminded of the past. A lot of men are like that."

    "It��s like many families ended up not having the original Alphas being the original Alphas." Jasmine said.

    "Like me?" Queen Rose asked, tucking her heed hair behind her ear. "I was not supposed to be Queen. But it happened either way. Some of us don��t have a hand in fate. Fate ys the cards, and it happens. But that does not mean we do not have a choice."

    The Queen smiled. "Who named you Jasmine?"

    "M-my mother." Jasmine replied

    It was not technically a lie.

    She had been told that her mother had given her that name.

    "My daughter Scarlet used to love Jasmines." The Queen said. "She always loved them. Royal families were made to love roses because they were red; they were our real color. It was our Identity. But Scarlet lover Jasmines. Even though they were in, she would pick numbers and bring them to me. One day, she told me she would defy the royal lineage of bearing red names and name her child boy or girl Jasmine."

    The Queenughed. "What a dream that did note true."

    The Queen��s lips quivered, and then she touched her hankie.

    It was like she was about to break down, but she quickly regained herposure and returned to a hidden wall within herself.

    "I brought a gift for you." The Queen said, and then she pped her hands.

    Some servants brought in a canvas.

    "This is for you." The Queen said. "You are very, very talented. You haven��t even practiced, and yet you were able to draw so perfectly. Able toplete my painting."

    "This is for you." She said. "I want you to practice and pursue painting. See where it leads you. I know there is a darkness that you are trying to forget and escape. Painting is my escape. And I hope it would be yours too."

    Jasmine was overwhelmed by the kindness being stretched out to her.

    She shook her head. "Your majesty, I can not receive such a gift. I am only a ve. You have done more than enough for me."

    "Please receive them." The Queen pleaded. "It would make me happy to see you happy."

    Jasmine couldn��t help but see that it hurt her to see the Queen of their kingdom beg her.

    She nodded. "I do. Thank you, your majesty."

    The Queen��s face lit up, and then she waved it off. The servants kept it aside.

    "You are most wee." She said. "You can paint whenever you want. I have spoken to Xaden, and he will give you hours to paint daily."

    Jasmine��s eyes widened.

    "And he agreed?" She asked.

    "He has no choice." The Queen said as she poured herself some tea. "I begged Xaden to let you go, but he wouldn��t let it go that far. There is a limit to his good, I am afraid. But I��ve spoken to him already. You cane out of your cell and work in the castle. But you will return there every night. That is his punishment."

 Chapter 138: BLOOD SISTERS

    <h4>Chapter 138: BLOOD SISTERS</h4>

    Jasmine nodded weakly.

    She knew that Xaden would not have so quickly let her go.

    He had believed her to have a hand in his attempted murder.

    Even though she told him she knew about the spy in the pack, she had had no hand in any of it.

    How was he supposed to believe her anyway?

    "Your majesty, forgive me, but Alpha Xaden would never let me go." Jasmine expressed. "He believes that I have a hand in his attempted murder and everything bad that has happened."

    The Queen touched her hand and held it firmly. "Believe me, nothing will happen to you. I made sure of it. Xaden has agreed."

    But how? Jasmine wondered.

    "Don��t worry, I had my ways." She said.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Her maids had dressed Queen Rose in preparation to leave the pack to return to her kingdom.

    Her husband still did not speak to her because she decided to bring her sister back home with them.

    But then he would get used to it eventually, so she believed.

    She put in her gloves and then her maids in waiting turned to her and said. "Would that be all your majesty?"

    Rose smiled. "Yes, of course. That will be all."

    Then Hildegard came into the room and stood by.

    Rose turned and saw her longtime best friend.

    The one who had been closer to her than her sister.

    Even though Hildegard was her maidservant, they had grown up together, around the same age, and loved each other.

    "Are you ready to leave?" Hildegard asked.

    "Yes. But I need to speak to Xaden." Rose said. "I need to discuss Jasmine before I leave. It��s unfortunate what happened to her, but I believe she had no hand in it."

    Rose fumbled with the top ropes of her coat.

    Hildegard walked up to her and helped her with it. "Let me do that for you. You��ve never known how to do it since we were children."

    Roseughed. "You��ve always been more equipped at these things."

    Hildegard sighed heavily, and Rose knew she was about to speak about something weighing down on her.

    "Rose. I want to talk to you about something." Hildegard said.

    "Go on." She prodded.

    Hildegard sighed. "Jasmine is a beautiful girl. Don��t you think it��s odd that she looks so much like what Scarlet would look like?"

    Rose tried to rebuff the idea. "She is just a beautiful girl with red hair. That��s all. What are you saying that she might be my daughter?"

    Hildegard shrugged. "I��m not saying that, but I��m just saying..... Ross, these things happen. We never even found her body to begin with or her-.

    "Please tell me what you want to discuss about Cherry." She asked. "My daughter is long gone, and she is nevering back. You, of all people, should know what losing her did to me".

    Hildegard sighed. "Of course I do."

    "Then tell me what you wanted to tell me about Cherry. Jasmine��s conversation is closed up." Rose said.

    Hildegard hesitated at first.

    She had been reprimanded about speaking on Jasmine and didn��t want to be reprimanded again.

    "Rose, I��ve known you since we were children, and you know that anything I say to you or any advice I give you is for your very own good." Hildegard said as she held her hands together with Queen Rose��s. "You are aware of that, aren��t you?"

    "Of course." Rose said.

    Hildegard sighed heavily. "Your Majesty, I have heard rumors about his majesty calling of Princess Cherry��s exile and whispers that she will return to the castle."

    Rose sighed. "Where did you hear this?"

    "From people. I would ignore but from everyone rumor or lie there is a basis of truth." Hildegard expressed.

    Rose released her hand from Hildegard��s, then strode to the beautiful mirror where she adjusted her hair.

    "The rumors are true." She admitted.

    Hildegard gasped.

    Utter horror filled her eyes. "Your majesty, you must speak to the King to restore this order. Cherrying back would only bring nothing but-

    "It was I who canceled her exile." Rose said, interrupting Hildegard.

    She saw the look of disbelief on her face.

    "My God." Hildegard gasped. "B-but why?"

    "Because she is just a sister, and she has learned what she did wrong. She has suffered enough for it." Rose emphasized.

    "Forgive me if I am out of line, but did Cherry not have her Allies attack you after you ascended the throne?" Hildegard questioned.

    "They were only her Allie��s. She had no hand in any of it." Rose exined. "My sources confirmed that they had turned against her when she had decided to ept me as Queen."

    Hildegard scoffed. "My God. And what about the fact that she is the reason why we are at war with Xaden."

    "She had meant to harm." Rose gave another excuse. "She had even told me herself. She hadn��t gotten the news directly. One of her men had received it and sat on it."

    Hildegard scoffed. "Oh my God. You do not see it, do you? She is ying you like she always did when we were children."

    "Do you forget that she was to have been Queen? That I am not supposed to wear the fire crown." Rose walked up to Hildegard. "That it belongs to her rightfully by birth."

    "If it truly belonged to her, it would have never rejected her when she sat on that throne," Hildegard said. "You are ying games with fire".

    "I am fire." Rose said. "My bloodline is fire. My fire is from dragons, i am a descendant of wolves and red dragon me. I am fire."

    "It is not going to work this way." Hildegard said. "I can see where we are headed."

    "She is my sister." Rose said. "My only sister. I have no one else. My daughter is distant from me. My grandchild is hungry for power. My husband doesn��t understand me. I need my sister."

    "What about me?" Hildegard asked. "Are we sisters no more?"

    Rose couldn��t bring herself to make words.

    Hildegard was stunned and hurt by her silence.

 Chapter 139: OPPOSITES

    <h4>Chapter 139: OPPOSITES</h4>

    Hildegard nodded and started to leave.

    "Hildegard, wait." Rose said, hurrying off to stop

    Her. "It��s not like that."

    Hildegard stopped moving but simply stood still and didn��t say a word.

    Rose went up to her and held Hildegard��s hand to make her face her as she stood.

    "Hildegard, look at me, please." Rose begged. "I did not mean to hurt your feelings you know that you mean the world to me. I would never have lived had it not been for you."

    Hildegard said nothing, and the guilt burned in Rose��s throat.

    "Please say something." She begged.

    Hildegard eventually cleared her throat and said. "But I am not your flesh and blood. I am merely a servant."

    Queen Rose took a step back, shocked at the impact of her words.

    She was shocked at how much it hurt her, like an arrow piercing her heart.

    Her lips formed, trying to say something. "Hildegard I-

    "Forgive me, Your Majesty." Hildegard said. "But if that is all, I have things that need my attention."

    It was like a p to Rose��s face.

    Something she was too shocked even to believe.

    The only time Hildegard had called her by her title was when they were children, and then they had gotten so close that she had made her stop.

    She had never used that title in over forty years. But for the first time, she just did.

    Rose swallowed hard and took a hard step back.

    "Of course." Rose cleared her throat after managing to find her voice. "You May leave."

    Rose tried to suppress the hurt in her face while Hildegard��s face was unmoving, returning to the subdued and obedient servant she was always supposed to be.

    Then, the door was pushed open at that moment, and Cherry gvanted inside.

    "Sister! I have been looking for you everywhere. You can not even begin to imagine where I-

    Cherry noticed the tension inside the room, and then she stopped.

    "Oh," Cherry mumbled.

    Hildegard who had never for once pretended to like Cherry ignored her and went out of the room right beside Cherry without saying a word.

    "What was that about?" Cherry asked, confused.

    "Nothing". Rose said, dressing her coat. And immediately changing the subject. "You came to see me?"

    "Yes, I did." Cherry said. "Is it a surprise that I came to meet my only sister?"

    Cherry extended her arms and hugged Rose.

    "Of course not." Rose said with a tight smile, even though her mind was still on Hildegard."

    Cherry let go and touched the fur on the white coat.

    "I also came to speak to you about that thing we discussed earlier." Cherry said. "I wish I had the time to stay, but I must leave now. My pack is far away from here, and the road is extremely dangerous. I can��t afford the luxury of leaving here at any time like you. I don��t have much guards. So I came to say goodbye."

    Rose��s attention now went to her sister.

    She couldn��t imagine how much her sister had endured traveling all the way to exile and how sad and lonely her castle was.

    "About that." Rose said. "Your exile is over. You don��t have to move back there anymore. You cane back home now."

    Cherry��s eyes widened. "What? You do not mean it do you?"

    Rose nodded with a smile. "Yes, I do. You can finally return."

    Cherry squealed in excitement and hugged her fiercely.

    "Oh, thank you so so much." She cried.

    Rose blushed. "You��re wee. There is no need to thank me. It is your home, after all."

    Cherry was giggling, and then she paused. "What about Rnd? What did he say? He won��t ever allow me back in."

    Rose shook her head. "I spoke to him and I made the decision, don��t worry he won��t be able to interrupt your ns of returning back home."

    Cherry squealed in excitement again and threw her arms around her sister.

    Rose was ted to know that she had made her sister happy again.

    "Now we can be one big beautiful family again." Cherry said.

    Rose��s heart swelled with joy. "Just like we had when we were kids."

    Cherry pecked her on both cheeks. "I have to go tell your daughter and granddaughter this news. Thank you so much for this."

    "You��re wee." Rose said.

    Then Cherry eyed her dress. "Are you already ready to go?"

    "Yes and no." Rose said. "I am dressed for the journey, but then I wish to see Xaden to discuss some things."

    Cherry rose a brow. "What things?"

    Rose shook her head and waved off her hand. "Do not worry, it��s nothing so serious. Would not want to bore you."

    But Cherry insisted. "Bore me? I thought you had just said we would be a big family like we had always been? And that means no secrets between us."

    Rose hesitated at first, but Cherry was right.

    Being a big family together meant no secrets.

    "Alright." She said with a smile. "It��s just to discuss about Jasmine."

    "The serving girl?" Cherry sneered.

    "Yes." Rose said. "I don��t believe she had anything to do with Xaden being attacked. She isn��t capable of that."

    Cherry sighed and massaged her temple. "Sister sister. Being too far away from you has made you too soft." Cherry informed. "Do you not see that she is just using you? She is a ve, nothing more I believe she deserves the death penalty."

    But Rose shook her head. "No, she does not. Fine she knew that Bale sent someone to the pack, but I do not think that she has a hand in any of what had happened."

    "You��ve been around the likes of Hildegard too much. You are royalty. You shouldn��t be hanging out with peasants too much. Your mind would be like theirs. Now, look at you making decisions about a mere enved person. The daughter of a betrayer." Cherry said, trying to make Rose feel bad.

 Chapter 140: XADEN’S BETROTHED

    <h4>Chapter 140: XADEN��S BETROTHED</h4>

    "She is not her father." Rose said. "She is just a girl who needs someone to show her love."

    Cherry snorted. "Show her love? That can be anyone else but not you. You��re a queen. You can��t be subjecting yourself to an audience of mere peasants. Mere enved people."

    "Being Queen means that I appreciate my great or small people. Rich or poor. Omega or Alpha." Rose said.

    Cherry shrugged. "Fine. But you have to be careful. When we return home, I will show you how to be a true Queen."

    Cherry flicked her ck hair. "You were never meant to be Queen, so you weren��t raised correctly."

    Rose felt a pang.

    A reminder that she was not the true ascended.

    "Don��t worry, since it was my birthright. I��ll manage to show you how to handle the ropes of being Queen." Cherry said. "You can thank meter."

    Rose gave a stiff smile and then excused herself. "Thank you. I must be on my way now."

    And then she left behind the uneasy feeling she had of her sister.

    Rose eventually shook it off with the belief that she was just being paranoid and imagining this.

    She was happy to have her sister back.

    ted in fact, this feeling was just her being anxious and that was it.

    Her guards escorted her as she went to Xaden��s room.

    The doors were opened for her without knocking and then she found a half naked Xaden still asleep in his bed.

    "Who the bloody hell dares wake me up." Xaden said, frowning at the way they had barged in.

    "It��s the Queen." Rose said, announcing her presence before her guards did.

    The two girls who were naked in the bed gasped and flushed in embarrassment.

    Xaden sat up in bed and scowled, but he was still awake.

    He was shirtless, and he had his waist covered in the bedsheets.

    "May I have a word with you?" She asked. "Alone".

    The girls got the hint, hurriedly escaping from the bed covered in sheets and scurrying out of the room.

    "Would Her Majesty give me a few minutes to get decent?" He asked.

    She shook her head. "No, that will be very unnecessary. What I wish to discuss with you will not take too long. After all, I am expected to leave for my castle."

    He yawned and remained seated on the bed.

    He nodded his head, ushering her to say what she wanted to. "I wonder what made the Queen find her way into my chambers. I am all ears, Your Majesty."

    His guards ushered a seat for her, and she sat gracefully.

    "It��s about Jasmine." She said.

    His eyes widened. "What has she done? Killed someone else? Attempted another murder? Or her bastard father nned a siege of my pack while I was fuckingst night?"

    Rose saw he was irritated, and if there was one thing she had heard of the young man, he never let his guard down.

    He was expressionless, if he lost something dear to him, you would never know because all he did was hide it.

    But here he was, showing his frustration. All because of Jasmine.

    "No, none of that happened." She said. "I wish to discuss Jasmine and the allegationsid bare before her. Have you decided what would be done with her? What will you do? Kill her?"

    "I will send her head to her father in a box." He said. "She is Bale��s only surviving and favorite daughter. It would be a blow to him when he discovers she is dead. He won��t have any reason to live anything. I heard he doesn��t even care about his Luna. But that girl? He does."

    The Queen sighed and crossed her fingers expertly together. "You will not be capable of killing her."

    "Why?" He said. "You have no right to make decisions in my packs unless I disobey aw, which I have not."

    "We both know that you will not be capable of killing her, Xaden." She said, holding up two fingers. "For two reasons. One, you are bonded to her. I know that you took her from

    Her father, and the only way you could do that was by marrying and bonding with her. And you know that being bonded with her means she dies, you die."

    "I have a seer who can sever the bond." He said arrogantly.

    She smiled. "You mated with her for the halo festival. Do you truly think the goddess would let you sever that bond? Do you?"

    He said nothing, and then she cleared her throat.

    "I thought as much." She said. "You can ask your seer to see if this plot of yours would work and wait for the results."

    Then he turned to her. "So what if my bond can��t be severed with her? What do you want?"

    "I don��t believe Jasmine had a hand in your attack." She said. "She is the daughter of your enemy. But I promise you, she is not the enemy."

    Xaden clutched his knuckles as he listened to her.

    Then she sat up in her chair.

    "I want Jasmine to be freed from her prison." She said. "I want her to be freed from all allegations. I want her to return to living in the pack."

    He blinked at her. "That is a reach. Even for you, your majesty."

    She sighed, knowing she had to bargain with him.

    "Then fine." She said. "How about we do it like this? She still gets to work and resumes her duties. But she does not get subjected to wipings."

    Xaden gritted his teeth. "She will remain in the dungeon. She shall resume her punishment as enved, but she has always slept in the dungeon."

    "Didn��t she get poisoned thest time she was there?" She asked him.

    "H-how did you know?" He asked.

    "I have eyes and ears everywhere, Xaden." She said to him. Then, she went back to their discussion. "No, Jasmine will not remain there."

    "Your majesty, her father sent a spy to kill me!" He snapped. "And she was aware! Do you truly expect me to let it go?!"

    The Queen��s guards stood at attention, ready to strike him.

 Chapter 141: AN AGREEMENT

    <h4>Chapter 141: AN AGREEMENT</h4>

    They stood waiting for the Queen tomand them to attack Xaden, but she waved her hands down, indicating that they should drop their weapons.

    They did so reluctantly.

    "And I have said that I am certain that she had no hand in what happened." She said. "She was aware, yes, but she didn��t try to kill you. Xaden, you are much wiser than this. Why didn��t she deny it all from the beginning? Why ept one and then deny another?"

    "Because she wants you to believe her. She wants her sympathizer to think like you��re thinking, Your Majesty." He said. "Your majesty, when my entire family was being massacred, you did not say a word. You had the power to stop it, and yet you did not."

    The Queen went quiet.

    "I remember you visiting us when I was only a child." He said. "You were my mother��s friend, and then, yet you let her be murdered, let my entire family be killed senselessly without a fair trial."

    She hated being reminded of the past.

    "Xaden, the past is the past." She said.

    He would never understand the truth if she had exined it to him.

    "Your mother was my friend, and I wish I could stop what had happened to her and your entire family." She said. "I swear it. But we can not look back."

    Xaden held the sheets in anger.

    "The only thing I will do is look back, Your Majesty." He said. "This is my pack, and you do not have a say here. You will not

    Interfere. I am ready to go to war with you."

    She saw how hard he was, and she did not me him.

    Her guard stood ready to attack, and she had to wave her hands down again for them to rx.

    She sighed.

    "What will you want?" She asked him. "I will owe you a royal favor. Whatever you want shall be given."

    She took off her ring and showed it to him.

    "You know what this is?" She asked him.

    It was made of wolf bones and, if handed to a nonmember of the royal family, meant one favor: a debt to be repaid.

    "Take it." She said. "You will let Jasmine live and free her from sleeping in the dungeon."

    He looked at it.

    "She will wear the chains wherever she goes." He said after a while. "And she will be subjected to merciless hardbor."

    "She will be given some hours to paint." She said to him.

    He looked at her in surprise.

    "Paint?"

    Rose smiled. "She has a rare talent that needs channeling. You will give her this opportunity. That is my agreement."

    He was quiet for snails, but then he finally epted it.

    "I agree." He said.

    And then he received the ring.

    "I also have another proposition for you." She said.

    He frowned.

    "I wish that you marry my granddaughter." She said.

    "I have no intentions of being tied to any woman." He said.

    "But you��re bonded to one." She said matter of fact."

    "It is not the same thing." He said. "I had my reasons, and I am sure you know them."

    "I want you to marry Belle because no one else is good for her." She advised. "She will ascend the throne when she clocks twenty-one, and I might not always be there. Even with me, Belle still runs wild. She needs someone firm. Someone who would make the right decisions for her."

    He scoffed. "Belle doesn��t listen to anyone."

    "Oh but she will listen to you." She said. "You wish to tell me that you are not aware that Belle is in love with you?"

    He said nothing to that.

    "You are the best candidate I have." She said

    "Why me?" He asked. "I don��t care about the crown or any of that fancy stuff."

    "And that is why I want you." She said. "You are not hungry for the crown. You are not interested in it. And yet, I have seen you with the people you care for. You will destroy a mountain for one lost sheep in your pack, Xaden. That is hard toe by, and that is why it is you I want."

    She cleared her throat. "Moreover we are only honoring the agreement between our families. You might have found your mate when you were a child, but Belle was always betrothed to you. You were always going to be King."

    "That was a long time ago." He said "times have changed."

    "Think about it." She said.

    She rose up from her seat.

    "Thank you for your time, Xaden." She said, indicating that they had finished this conversation. Then, her guards stood at attention, clearing the way for her out.

    "Your majesty." He said. "You said there were two reasons why I wouldn��t never kill Jasmine."

    She stopped and turned. "Yes?"

    "You only gave one." He said.

    She took in a deep breath. "Xaden, you never give a way of expression for anything. But whenever Jasmine is brought up, you give away. You feel."

    He looked at her nkly

    "I��ve never seen you feel." She said. "But you do feel. Goodbye Xaden.

    Without much exining, she left the room.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Then, the Queen resumed speaking to Jasmine.

    "I had a chat with Xaden." She said. "And he promised me. You will be allowed to paint, but he insisted that you carry on your duties as an enved person. He also insists that you never take off those chains."

    Jasmine nodded and went to her feet. "I am more than grateful for what you are doing for me, Your Majesty."

    The Queen forced her to sit back.

    "It��s the least I could do." She said. "Especially since you saved my life."

    Jasmine shook her head as she leaned to pick up her tea and take a sip.

    "It was nothing, your majesty." She said.

    The Queen frowned when she saw something on Jasmine��s neck glimmer.

    "What is that?"

 Chapter 142: AN ALMOST DISCOVERY

    <h4>Chapter 142: AN ALMOST DISCOVERY</h4>

    "I-I beg your pardon, your majesty." Jasmine said with a frown not of frustration but of habit.

    The Queen leaned in closer even though both women were still very much apart on the table.

    "I thought I saw something glow on your neck." Queen Rose pointed out.

    "Oh yes." Jasmine gently dropped her tea on the saucer and said. "It is a ne that my mother gave me."

    "Oh." The Queen said, leaning back, her curiosity taken away. "Luna Maria would give her child something that belongs to her."

    Jasmine smiled stiffly.

    "I��ve had it since I was a baby." She said as she touched the ne.

    It was good, and the pendant was hidden inside the front bodice of her dress so Queen Rose could not see it.

    "Family heirlooms." The Queenmented. "I��ve always admired that. We have in our family too. I gave both of my daughters different nes. Corral had a blue pendant, and Scarlet had a green one. They had belonged to centuries of our ancestors."

    Jasmine��s lips lifted in a smile. "Green. Mine, too, is a green pendant. Although it��s broken."

    "Broken?" Queen Rose expressed as Jasmine still fingered the ne. "Would you let me see? Perhaps I could get the Royal jeweler to fix it with a real emerald for you. And I do love to see what style of pendant it is."

    "Of course, your majesty." Jasmine said.

    Jasmine gently started to pull the ne away from it, which was hidden in the bosom of her dress.

    They were interrupted just as she was about to pull out the pendant to view.

    "Sister. Where have you been?" Cherry asked as she came into the garden with Belle and Corral. "We��ve been looking everywhere for you."

    Queen rose and turned to see her sister.

    Jasmine quickly got up to her feet and curtsied for them.

    They ignored her as usual.

    "I had told you that I would see Xaden and Jasmine." She said.

    "Yes, you did. I went to Xaden, but he has you and has already left." Cherry informed.

    "Grandma, is it true that you were speaking about that ve to Xaden?" Belle asked with a snort. "I do not understand it, Mother. She is evil. Why do you speak to such a creature?"

    Belle was speaking as if Jasmine was not even present.

    Then she saw the tea and open seat. "Goodness, grandma. Are you now dining with peasants? How dreadful. "

    "Who I speak to is none of your business, Belle." Rose snapped in rage. "Mind your tongue because before I am your grandmother, I am still your queen."

    Belle closed her mouth and then red at Jasmine as if to me her for being scolded.

    "Father has changed his mind about going by the roads after the attempted assassination, and with all that has happenedtely, he decided that we go by sea on the ship," Corral said. "We��re ready to set sail. We were looking everywhere for you."

    "I had no idea." Queen Rose said.

    Jasmine adjusted and pulled her hand away from her bosom, returning the pendant back in ce.

    Cherry looked at her sister. "Why were you doing this?"

    "Oh." Rose said. "Jasmine was going to show me a pendant she had on. Green, and it had broken. I just wanted to take a look."

    Cherry and Corral made sharp looks at each other, but no one noticed it.

    It had been as fast as lightning.

    "Let me see it, Jasmine." Rose said.

    Cherry jumped in quickly. "Rose, you do ought to leave. The tide is uncertain, and we may not know how the wind will take us. We can not afford to waste any more time here."

    Rose started to argue. "I know, but it��s just looking at a-

    "Grandma, grandpa is really upset." Belle said. "And I believe he was initially upset about something else."

    Then, it urred to Rose that her husband was still angry at the fact that she had allowed Cherry toe along with them.

    Rose sighed reluctantly.

    She didn��t want to make any further drama, and they were right; with the wind, they never could know.

    She rose to her feet.

    "Alright." She said.

    All the three women went on ahead and then Queen Rose turned to see Jasmine.

    "Will youe to pay me fair well?"

    "Of course, your majesty. It will be my honor." Jasmine curtseyed.

    And then she hurried went to the Queen and kissed her hand.

    "I owe you my life," Jasmine said.

    Belle turned and saw them and gave a disgusted scowl.

    "The only reason I am so happy to leave here is because I will no longer have to see that leech." Belle sneered to her mother and grand aunt.

    But then Queen and Jasmine did not hear

    The Queen smiled. "Come now."

    Together, they all went to the castle gates, where the party to take the royal family awaited.

    A crowd waiting to cheer for the Royal

    Family as they left.

    Jasmine quickly went to the shadows to hide away from prying eyes, and then she saw Loren.

    "Jasmine." He said, looking at her with so much relief that she was alive.

    Loren, who was usually grumpy, looked extremely happy and, most of all, relieved.

    "Thank the goddess, you are safe." He said. "I tried my best to get you out of there."

    She nodded. "I understand. And I do not harbor any ill feelings towards you."

    "Who freed you?" He asked.

    "The Queen. She spoke to Alpha Xaden, and he agreed." Jasmine opened up as the crowds cheered.

    "I know you didn��t have a hand in what happened." He said. "But we shall not discuss this here. When we get to the quarters."

    And then Jasmine noticed something odd.

    Princess Cherry was getting into one of the Royal carriages.

    She frowned. "I assumed that Princess Cherry no longer lives with the Royal family."

    He looked at Jasmine, puzzled. "You didn��t hear?"

    "Hear what?"

 Chapter 143: THE TRUE MASTERMIND

    <h4>Chapter 143: THE TRUE MASTERMIND</h4>

    "The Exile was annulled." Loren stated.

    "What?" Jasmine asked her mouth dropped open. "H-how? When?"

    Loren shrugged. "Since yesterday I believe."

    Jasmine just looked on in shock as Princess Cherry disappeared into the carriage.

    "Who lifted the annulment?" She asked in a whisper. "The King?"

    "God no." Loren said. "The King actually kicked against it furiously. He didn��t want her back."

    "Then who did?" Jasmine asked further confused. "Princess Belle? Princess Corral?"

    Loren shook her head. "None of this, it was actually the Queen."

    Jasmine just looked onward in shock.

    The only reason why she had kept the affair between the King and Princess Cherry secret was because she had believed that Princess Cherry would return back to her own pack.

    Far away from the royal family.

    But now princess Cherry was going back to the castle, to live with the royal family and most likely still resumed the affair she had with the King.

    What Jasmine did not understand was why the King had kicked against her retuning?

    Didn��t he want her to be with him?

    Wasn��t the obstacle between their rtionship the Queen?

    Because she has seen them on how different ounts together.

    It was not a wine time thing she knew.

    "What is it?" Loren asked her.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Meanwhile Cherry turned to her carriage and when she saw King Rnd walking up to the carriage, she licked her lips maliciously and went up to him.

    "So I see that you tried to deter my sister away from annuling my exile." She said.

    He red at her. "What do you aim to gain by doing any of this."

    She smiled at him. "I don��t know? Maybe have you a little threatened about letting my sister find out about us?"

    "You moving to the castle does not change anything." He said.

    She pouted. "Really? Rnd? Are you going to pretend like we won��t have more fun?"

    She licked her lips and looked down on him.

    No one was around.

    "Cherry not here." He said.

    She pouted. "Why not? We��re in between two carriages, no one will see us."

    And then she proceeed to but his bottom lip and pull at it in a seductive manner.

    She smiled as she pressed her hands down to his hardened cock.

    "How good it would be for you to fuck me." She whispered hoarsely as her tongue dangled over his lips. "Whilst my sister is just in the carriage not so far from us."

    She tried ro finally kiss him and then he held her hand stopping her.

    Without saying a word he pushed her off him and stormed off

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    JASMINE��S POV

    She bit her bottom lip.

    "You know something." He said.

    She looked at him.

    She eventually gave in and she was about to speak when she saw Xaden walk out from the crowd.

    She shrunk immediately at his sudden appearance.

    She had not seen him since had ordered that she be thrown into the dungeon.

    He stood with his men as he wished the royal family a very safe journey back home.

    "I will tell youter." Jasmine said. "But not here."

    So far Loren was the only person she could trust.

    He nodded and they stood watching the farewell of the royal family.

    -~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    As the royal family finally began to ride away from the Crescent pack, other Alphas followed behind retuning to their different packs.

    Cherry leaned back in her seat and closed her eyes with a smile on her face.

    "Now this is the dream." She said. "I can not wait to finally return home it��s been too long."

    Corral smiled. "The Castle has been gone for too long without you. With your arrival now you could easily help secure the throne for Belle."

    "Yes that." Cherry said. "We got to your mother on time. Jasmine would have shown her your sister��s ne and everything would have been blown over."

    "That bitch." She breathed. "Like Belle said. I am beyond words ted to not see her. Mother pressed for her release from Xaden and so she still poses as a threat."

    Cherry shook her head. "Do not worry. Baby steps. I have it all nned out. Let her enjoy this time for the mean time it��s going to end."

    "I hope Belle has the same patience as I do." Corral said.

    Belle was in a different carriage with her most personal guards.

    "She has no say in the matter." Cherry said matter of fact.

    Corral shrugged and they leaned back in the chair.

    Cherry was finally going to be with Rnd.

    She was going to resume her affair with him and they were going to fuck everywhere they could.

    The thought of them even fucking in the royal throne room enticed her.

    Fucking on the throne room that her sister sat in, in her sister��s bedroom on their marital bed.

    Rose was such a fool.

    Cherry could care less about her sister.

    She wanted the man that she had been originally betrothed to and that was it.

    The thrill of them doing everything in secret excited her and made her anticipate her return to the castle.

    She felt a nudge by her feet and then she lifted her dress and adjusted the de strapped to her thigh.

    "What��s that for?" Corral asked never noticing them before.

    "My security." Cherry replied. "Leaving all alone away from home I had to fend for myself and I picked up a skill in fighting."

    Corral gasped stunned. "I had no idea. What can you not do?"

    "Nothing." Cherry said dropping her dress back to conceal the de once it no longer provided her with difort.

    "So how good are you?" Corral asked. "Good enough to take down the royal guards."

    "Honey." Cherryughed. "I am good enough for even be a trained assassin."

    "Like the desert wolves?" Corral wondered aloud.

    "Maybe even stronger enough to kill one desert wolves, an Alpha and set up an enemy to take the me." Cherry said as a joke and Corralughed along with her.

    Cherry turned to watch the road and smiled to herself.

    It had not been a joke.

 Chapter 144: MARIE MEETS JASMINE

    <h4>Chapter 144: MARIE MEETS JASMINE</h4>

    Once the royal family had gone and the other Alphas followed behind with their carriages and entourage, the crowd began to disperse.

    Jasmine turned around to face Loren.

    "What do you know?" he asked.

    She sighed and swallowed. "When we get to your quarters, I��ll tell you. I can��t trust anyone overhearing us."

    "Did you eat anything from the dungeon?" he asked her suspiciously.

    Jasmine shook her head. "No, I didn��t."

    She had already learned her lesson ever since she had almost been killed from eating the dried bread on her first day there. She knew better than to ept anything from them.

    He nodded, and just as they were about to leave, the guards stopped them.

    They stood right in front of Jasmine, blocking her way.

    "What is the meaning of this?" Loren asked, extremely annoyed. "She has been ordered to return to my quarters, and she has also been made to��under no circumstances, by order of the Queen��return to the dungeon."

    The guard raised his hand. "But it was agreed that the ve is to wear her heavy chains no matter where she goes."

    Jasmine looked down at their hands and saw that they were holding the heavy, rusty chains.

    She swallowed heavily.

    "It��s the Alpha��s order that she wears these," he said.

    Loren started toin. "This is absurd. She can��t possibly be going anywhere, look at where��"

    "Loren, you don��t need to worry," she assured him. "It��s just the chains. Don��t get into any trouble over me."

    She turned back to the guards. "I will wear the chains willingly. No one has to get hurt."

    The head guard smirked, and she saw a streak of hatred in his eyes.

    "You were always going to wear the chains whether you liked it or not," he said.

    He snapped his fingers, and the other guards proceeded to roughly fasten the chains, binding her ankles together.

    She tried to move her feet and realized they were even heavier than thest ones.

    How was she ever going to swim in herke again with this much weight dragging her down?

    She would drown.

    She sighed, and just as she was about to turn and leave with Loren, the guards blocked her way again.

    "She is already wearing the chains. What else do you want?" an angry Loren asked.

    The guard turned to face Loren. "Mind your business, old man. This has nothing to do with you."

    Loren gasped. "Old man? Oh, once I turn you into an ugly little toad, you will no longer have the mouth to call me an old man."

    "Loren, please," Jasmine begged him.

    But he ignored her and resumed his heated argument with the guard.

    They began to attract attention as people whispered all around, watching the altercation.

    She blushed in embarrassment, unable to stop it.

    She wasn��t worried about Loren��she was worried for the guard, who had no idea what he was dealing with.

    As she stood there, she suddenly felt whispers behind her.

    As if someone was right behind her, breathing on her back, watching her.

    She made a sharp turn and saw a woman with long ck locs and beautiful brown skin.

    Where had she seen this woman before?

    She was certain she had seen her somewhere before but where she could not ce a finger on.

    Why did she look so familiar?

    The woman smiled, revealing her teeth.

    "Ahh, I see you can sense me," the woman said. "I have been doing this for a long time, but no one could ever sense my presence. You are quite special girl."

    Jasmine frowned. "Who are you?"

    "Oh, my apologies. I am Marie��an acquaintance of the Alpha," the woman said.

    Then Jasmine remembered her.

    It was the same woman Xaden had brought into the hall that afternoon��the one who had used the spy her father sent of killing Alexander.

    Jasmine��s guard went up in reflex.

    Everything within her told her not to trust this woman.

    It was the same inner warning she had felt when she first met Princess Cherry.

    "You," Jasmine said in acknowledgment. "You used him of killing that man. It is not true."

    The woman smiled. "Really? How would you know that? I am the seer, not you."

    The woman circled her, and Jasmine turned to keep her in view.

    "Because I know he didn��t kill him," she said. "You lied. Why?"

    "What makes you think so? The only way that would be possible is if you were the one who killed him yourself," the woman responded.

    "I had no hand in it," Jasmine said. "If you were a true seer and not a false one, then you would know this. I knew he was here, but I had no hand in anyone��s murder."

    "Fierce," the woman said. "It��s unbelievable."

    Then the woman grasped Jasmine��s jaw.

    Jasmine tried to pull free. "Don��t touch me."

    But the woman smacked her hand away and held on to her even more fiercely.

    She gasped. "So much power. You have no idea."

    Jasmine looked at the woman in disgust. "I said don��t touch me! Don��t touch me you dirty whore!"

    And then, surprisingly, the woman drew her hand away as if she had been burned.

    She gasped and held her hands together.

    Jasmine looked on in surprise as the woman breathed heavily.

    She wondered why the woman had pulled away so suddenly, as if she had been scalded.

    "Jasmine!"

    She turned around to see Loren walking up to her.

    She looked at him.

    The guards were huddled in a circle, looking at something on the ground.

    "What happened?" she asked him.

    He waved a hand dismissively. "Nothing. Let��s go."

    She turned back to see the woman, but she was gone��vanished into thin air.

    "What is the matter?" Loren asked curiosly

    She shook her head. "Nothing. What happened to the guard?"

    "He learned his lesson," Loren said as he pulled her away.

    Meanwhile, the guards were left staring at their head guard��who had been turned into a brown toad, croaking.

 Chapter 145: ALPHA XADEN DEMANDS YOUR PRESENCE

    <h4>Chapter 145: ALPHA XADEN DEMANDS YOUR PRESENCE</h4>

    Loren led Jasmine away into the castle amidst the res and whispers from people around.

    "She deserves to be beheaded." Someone said.

    "She is a traitor."

    "I heard she slept with the guards to free her."

    "She is just like her father."

    "She tried to kill our Alpha after he was good to her."

    "Well, I heard that she put poison in his drink to make him choose her as his mate for the halo festival."

    Jasmine swallowed as she passed.

    The people didn��t even bother to reduce their voices as they were gossiping.

    They were just loud to her hearing.

    "Ignore them." Loren said to her.

    He led her up the stairs and she was extremely tired as the chains weighed her down.

    As she reaches the final step she almost tripped.

    "Easy." Loren said as he held her arm to support her from falling down.

    He held her and assisted her as she managed to walk into the room.

    He helped her sit down on a chair and sheid her back down.

    She breathed a sigh of relief.

    "Here is some water." He offered.

    She received it graciously and drank.

    She was surprised and taken aback by Loren��s sudden generosity.

    "Would you like something to eat?" He asked her.

    She shook her head. "No thank you, the Queen actually gave me some food to eat."

    He stopped. "The Queen?!"

    "Yes." Jasmine nodded. "I don��t know why but she helped me out and she gave me food and still can not believe that she chose to help me out of the dungeon."

    "Well the Queen is kind." He said. "A true Queen with the true crown."

    "I heard that she was not supposed to be the Queen." She stated. "Rather it was her sister Princess Cherry who was supposed to be."

    "Ahhh." Loren said as he walked towards her with some cleaning towel.

    He bent down and gently patted the red spot where the chains had been wrapped around her neck.

    "Ouch." She said as the hot towel touched her neck.

    "You do have to be calm." He said calmly. "It might hurt you a bit but it��s better. You of all people know that don��t you."

    She nodded weakly.

    He helped clean her up, and it gave her memories of when Urma had taken care of her.

    She sighed.

    Once he was done he poured away the water.

    "Thank you." She said softly. "For what you��ve done for me."

    Loren mumbled something and she smiled weakly.

    He was someone that would never acknowledge the fact that he had helped someone or he was kind.

    "So now tell me what happened." He said to her.

    She sighed heavily.

    "I saw Princess Cherry and-

    The door was banged open and they both jumped.

    Two of the pack guards stood at attention by the door.

    Loren��s face turned to thunder. "What the hell is wrong with you? Can you not knock? It has a door for a reason."

    "We��vee for the ve." They said.

    "What for?" Loren said getting up. "I already told your frog head guard that she was allowed to stay with me. Under orders of the Queen. Go ask your guard. I turned him into a toad."

    "We won��t be intimidated." The guards said. "Alpha Xaden has demanded that the ve be in his chambers."

    Jasmine froze up.

    He wanted her in his chambers? Why?

    So many ideas came flying into her idea as to why he would send for her.

    They walked up to her and attempted to pull her up.

    "Don��t you dare touch her." Loren said rising up to his feet even though they were much taller and massive than he was.

    Jasmine quickly got up to her feet to stop Loren before he turned someone into a rabbit this time.

    "Don��t worry." She said. "I will go."

    "You are not strong enough." He informed her.

    She smiled weakly.

    "I am fine." She said to him. "I am fine."

    And then she managed to rise up to her feet and then they led her out of the room.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    XADEN��S POV

    Once Xaden had seen the Royal entourage leave, he turned around and saw Marie standing in front of him.

    "Not used to your surprising appearances." He said.

    "No one ever is." She said.

    "Thank you foring to the pack on such short notice." He said. "I had expected you to have left by now."

    "I wanted to just see around." She said. "I best be on my way now."

    And then she started to leave.

    He remembered what the Queen had said about severing the bond and then he turned back to see her.

    "Marie wait." He said.

    She stopped and turned to look at him.

    "Yes?"

    "The ve." He said. "I am bonded to her. How do I end it?"

    She looked at him. "Bale��s ve?"

    He nodded. "Yes the same one."

    She sighed. "I heard that she was the maiden you were assigned to for the halo festival."

    "Yes? What does that have to do anything?" He asked her.

    "It simply means that it��s moreplicated." She replied. "The halo festival usually only chooses random people, never bonded people never mates. You��re the first to have slept with a bonded person."

    He felt a pause in his chest as he was waiting for her final pronuncement.

    She still said nothing.

    "What?" He asked her. "What is it ."

    "I am not sure." She said. "And it is rare."

    He looked at her. "Get on with it!"

    She sighed heavily. "It��s possible that your wolf has been tethered with hers."

    "What does that mean?"

    "It means that if you sever the bond without doing it carefully one of you could die." She responded.

    "Well I need to get rid of her. We just choose the possibilities where she is the one going. I can��t afford to keep her around me." He said.

    "Xaden." Marie stopped him. "You do not understand. If you die, she might die. And if she dies, you might die."

 Chapter 146: SHE DIES AND YOU DIE

    <h4>Chapter 146: SHE DIES AND YOU DIE</h4>

    Xaden stopped in his tracks, his breathing suddenly tense and uneven.

    He turned back to face Marie.

    "What?" he asked.

    "You could die," she said.

    "I heard what you said," he responded through gritted teeth. "But I do not understand what you mean."

    "Walk with me," she said as she led him forward.

    She didn��t look back, but when she heard him following behind, she breathed in. Once they reached the garden, she began.

    "The Halo Festival," she started, "is a festival that one of the first gods gave as a gift to Selene. Selene fell in love with a mortal��the first wolf, Endymion. They wanted to be together, but as the story goes, he lost her and died searching for her. So one of the oldest gods granted him a chance to see her once during the appearance of the Halo Festival. His soul would enter the body of an Alpha who is his descendant and capable of hosting his immortal soul. Then he would search for Selene, and when they made love, their union would bring back the weather and refresh the season for the wolves."

    He was now walking beside her.

    "I know this story," he said.

    "And do you know that no bonded wolves have ever been with each other?" she asked.

    "Does it matter?" he asked. "We were bonded because we had to be. I would have never been able to take her away from her pack if I hadn��t bonded her to me."

    "And that��s where it getsplicated," she said. "You are already tethered to her. You cannot easily sever the bond. You are tied not just by the bond but by the gods. Their essence is still inside. I have never met an Alpha who mated with a bonded wolf. This is dangerous. If you hurt her, you might hurt yourself."

    Xaden could not believe what he was hearing. After what Jasmine had done��after he had barely even hurt her and she had set him up��now he couldn��t even sever the bond?

    "So what can I do?" he demanded. "Am I stuck with her forever? My enemy��s daughter?"

    He turned around and raked his hands through his hair in anguish.

    "Look, Xaden, I will find a way," she assured him. "But it is going to take time."

    He turned around and faced her. "Take time? Goddess, what bloody mistake did I make bringing her here in the first ce?"

    Marie said nothing as he paced back and forth.

    "Look, I will find a way," she repeated.

    "How sure are you that any of this is even true?" he asked. "Tell me��how do you know that if she dies, I die too?"

    She sighed and stretched out her hand to him.

    "Give me your hand," she said.

    He looked at her warily.

    "Give me your hand," she instructed again.

    He hesitated but eventually walked up to her and ced his hand in hers. She turned it over and pulled out a de before shing his arm.

    "Ah!" he groaned in surprise.

    Blood spilled out, and the cut was deep.

    "When next are you meeting Jasmine?" she asked him.

    "What was that for?" he demanded, withdrawing his hand.

    The wound quickly closed up due to his Alpha status.

    "When you see Jasmine," she said, "look at her arm. If you are truly tethered by your souls, she will have the same wound in the exact same spot."

    He folded his arms.

    "And if she doesn��t?" he asked.

    "Then I will return and carry out the disruption of the bond," she promised.

    He nodded and started to leave, then remembered something.

    "My wolf," he said. "It��s getting stronger."

    She sighed. "I will prepare something for you. When you have met Jasmine,e to my quarters."

    With that, she walked away. Xaden turned and strode towards his men.

    "Where is the ve?" he asked.

    He had almost called her Jasmine but held himself back, referring to her by the name that best suited her.

    "Loren took her to his quarters," one of the guards said. "Said it was orders from the Queen."

    "I instructed that she be taken to my chambers after the farewell," he snapped. "Can I not give an order and have it obeyed?"

    The guards became squirmish. Though they respected him as their Alpha, he rarely ever snapped at them.

    "Loren turned Albert into a toad," someone murmured.

    Then, stepping back, the guard revealed a brown toad that croaked.

    "But we did put her in chains," another added quickly.

    "Order for her to be sent to my room," Xadenmanded. "Even if she has to be dragged out of the room, do it!"

    The guards nodded and hurried off. Xaden looked at Albert, who still croaked.

    "For heaven��s sake, someone take him," he said, annoyed.

    A maid hurried forward, picked up the toad, curtseyed, and ran off.

    Xaden walked toward his chambers, and everyone steered clear of his path.

    Fortunately, Aurora was nowhere in sight. Erik still hadn��t shown his face since their argument the previous day.

    He pushed the thought aside and stepped into his chamber. He pulled off his shirt and set it aside. If there was one thing he was d for, it was that the festival was over, and he no longer had to worry about which of his fellow Alphas might be trying to kill him.

    The only good thing out of everything was that Alexander was dead. And he hadn��t even had to do it himself.

    But what he really didn��t understand was why Alexander had been killed in the first ce.

    To cover up what? What did he know that was worth risking their life and killing his for?

    The door opened, and Jasmine was brought in.

    "My Lord, the ve, as you requested," the guard announced his head downcast.

    Xaden turned and saw her standing before him, her legs bound with heavy chains. Her eyes were downcast, refusing to meet his.

    "Leave us," he ordered the guards.

    This chapter is updated by freew(e)bnovel.(c)om

 Chapter 147: ALONE WITH ALPHA XADEN

    <h4>Chapter 147: ALONE WITH ALPHA XADEN</h4>

    Once Jasmine heard Xaden say.

    "Leave us alone."

    She felt her heart jump into her mouth.

    She stood small in anxiety, her eyes downcast, made to look at her feet in submission.

    She heard the guards walk to the door and when she heard it m shut she jumped knowing that she was finally alone with him.

    It was at this moment that her heart began to race frantically.

    The deep cut in her arm that had all of a sudden appeared when she was being brought into the room still bled.

    She felt the pain, and she had to put her hand over it to ease the pain.

    She didn��t know how it happened, but it had just been an excruciating pain and then she had seen like an invisible mark slice deeply into her arm.

    The guards hadn��t seen it happen, so they ignored it and told her that she would still be taken to Alpha Xaden no matter what she attempted to fake.

    They had not even let her stop to tie or clean the wound.

    She sighed as she pressed her hand over the cut to manage to stop the bleeding.

    She heard his footsteps as he walked away.

    She looked up and instantly regretted it.

    He was shirtless and now taking off his pants.

    She looked down, and then she heard his movements.

    He still had not said a word to her.

    The veryst time she had met him was when he had pped her in front of everyone and then ordered for her to be thrown into the dungeon.

    "Look at me." He ordered.

    She knew better than to disobey.

    She slowly looked up at him and saw that he was still shirtless; the ridges of his chest outlined his muscles, and then he had on a new pair of nk pants.

    It hung loosely by his waist, and her eyes went down to the narrow indicating valley, and she quickly looked away.

    Her face became an instant blush.

    He was leaning against the wood of his bed, and his arms were folded.

    "Disappointed that you did not seed?" He asked her.

    She said nothing.

    "I bring you to my home, yet you still wish to betray me." He said. "Do you have any idea what other Alphas would have done to you?! You are the daughter of my enemy! Other Alphas would have tossed you to his men and taken turns on you, punished you, and made you suffer! Are you telling me that you never witnessed your father do that to ves he had taken from his attacks?"

    Jasmine jumped in fright because it was true.

    Her father was guilty and well-known for doing that.

    There were times without a number that she had witnessed her father bringing in the enved people and forcing them to do horrible things.

    How she had instead turned and pretended it was not happening.

    Once, she tried to save someone, and her father caught her.

    She had been beaten after that.

    She knew what he spoke of.

    "Your silence answers." He said. "You witnessed what your father did to innocent people, and I, for one, do not subject you to such misery, and how do you repay me?! How do you thank me?! How do you

    She fell to the floor and began to beg. "My lord, I had no hand in your assassination. I swe-

    "SHUT UP!" He barked, and every bone in her body halted her from speaking.

    His blue eyes glowed, and she knew that

    It was his wolf that was speaking this time.

    She looked down.

    "And you still lie." He said.

    She knew that nothing she said to him would make him think otherwise.

    Absolutely nothing.

    Then he walked up to her. "Show me your hand."

    "W-what?" She stammered.

    "Show me your hand!" He spat.

    She took off the hand being covered and gave it to him.

    He held it and examined her cut.

    "Where did you get this?" He asked. "From the prison? Did a guard cut you?"

    She swallowed heavily.

    Should she tell him the truth? That she had just magically gotten a cut in her arm? Would he believe her?

    "Answer me!" He said. "And no lies!"

    She could not tell him the truth. After all, he had never believed her for once.

    If she told him the truth, he would think it was a plot to deceive him, and she knew that he would believe her to be crazy.

    "I cut myself, my lord." She lied.

    He eyed. "Is this the truth?"

    She nodded fervently. "Yes, my lord."

    Why did he think that a guard had been the one to cut her? And why did he care so much?

    "You are sure that you cut yourself?" He asked.

    She nodded and went on to further cement her lie. "Yes, my lord. I had been in my quarters with Loren when I identally cut myself with a broken potion bottle. I would have cleaned it, but the guards came in to take me to your chambers."

    He looked at her as if searching for the lies in her eyes.

    Scared that she would give herself away, she looked down at her feet.

    Then he let go of her and walked away.

    She wondered if he would dismiss her now.

    Then he went away into where she lived was his washroom and then he returned with a bowl of water and sat down on a chair beside the bed.

    "Come here." He indicated softly.

    "M-my lord?" She asked confusingly.

    "Come here." He repeated, still soft.

    She was even surprised that he had been calm the second time.

    She knew that he had a breaking point, and she didn��t want to get to the point where he would get angry.

    She rose to her feet and went to him.

    She curtseyed, and when he said. "Sit down."

    She was shocked.

    He indicated towards the bed.

    "I said sit." He was still gently.

    "My lord, my dress is dirty." She said in shame. "I would smear your bed."

 Chapter 148: A GENTLEMAN

    <h4>Chapter 148: A GENTLEMAN</h4>

    "It does not matter, sit." He instructed.

    But she still shook her head.

    She hadin down in the dungeon and emerged very untidy.

    "I shall sit on the floor if you insist I am to sit down, my lord." She said, looking down at her feet in shame.

    "You will not sit on the bed even though I have instructed you to?" He asked in surprise.

    She shook her head, remaining adamant. "I apologize, my lord. And you are an Alpha; I am only a ve. I am not worthy of sitting on your bed."

    He looked at her,pletely taken aback.

    Xaden had witnessed a lot of things, but this was new.

    Jasmine had been beaten, she had been dragged, humiliated, and much worse had happened to her.

    And yet, here she was saying she would not sit on his bed because of who she was.

    When he expected her to fight, she would not. For instance, the moment the female servants beat her up, instead of her being elevated by his punishment to them. Instead, she begged him not to.

    He sighed, rose to his feet, went to his wardrobes, and pulled out one of his shirts.

    He returned to where she stood and tossed the shirt at her.

    "It is not a dress, but it would do, " he said to her. Your dress is untidy, is it not? You can wear that and return it to me."

    She looked at the shirt he had given her, and then she started to protest when he cut her short. "And do not argue with me again. Do as I have instructed you."

    She kept her mouth shut, and then she said.

    "Can you please turn around, my lord?"

    He had seen her naked before, and he had seen thousands of women naked before.

    Why would she be any different?

    He eventually gave in and turned around.

    He waited, facing the wall, as she hurriedly undressed and put on his shirt.

    So many things were running through her mind.

    Why was he even being kind to her?

    She did not understand any of it.

    Once she was done, she picked up the soiled dress and said. "I am done, my lord.

    He turned around, collected the dress in her hand, and walked away to throw it away.

    The weather began to go dark with dark clouds around.

    The halo festival had ended and then new energy was being evolved in the atmosphere.

    The first rain that would produce new crops and a beautiful green to the wolf world

    A great breeze came about, shaking the windows and then he walked to them and closed them shut.

    The room was now almostpletely dark, and yet the sweaty atmosphere of aing rain engulfed the room.

    He sat back in the chair and pushed her to the bed so she could face him.

    "You��ve been in my bed before." He remarked. "This would not be the first."

    She nodded numbly, still unsure why he was doing this.

    Then he stretched out and collected her injured arm.

    Then, he squeezed the water into the bowl and cleaned the open cut.

    She was shocked to see that he was doing this. But why?

    He said nothing and he cleaned up the blood and dipped the towel back into the bowl of water and squeezed it.

    Starting the process over and over again.

    Then he pulled a rope that was made specifically for him to request the presence of a maid in his room.

    She bit her bottom lip, trying to suppress the pain as he cleaned it over and over again.

    She winced once the towel went into the torn flesh.

    "I do not wish to hurt you." He said.

    Was that a way of him telling her sorry?

    "It is fine my lord." She said as the tears gathered up in her eyes.

    He returned to cleaning it, and soon, the rain started falling heavily.

    The atmosphere was calm and alluring to her.

    She wondered if he, too, could feel it.

    Then, there was a knock at the door.

    "Come in." He said.

    The door was opened by the guards and then only Lisa the servant came in.

    "My lord, you sent for a maid." She said as she came around to the bedside.

    Her mouth almost dropped from her face when she saw Jasmine with him.

    She eyed Jasmine her eyes refusing to leave her.

    She looked at Jasmine, who was seated on the Alpha��s bed and wearing the Alpha��s shirt.

    While Alpha Xaden himself cleaned a cut on her arm.

    She could not believe what her eyes were seeing.

    "Bring me some Anesthesia." He said. "Go to Loren and tell him to give you something that would suppress the pain."

    "Y-yes, my lord." She stuttered, her eyes unable to leave Jasmine.

    She could not believe it!

    Even after Jasmine had nned Alpha Xaden��s attack, he even sent an assassin to kill him, and yet he was in his bed, wearing nothing but his shirt while he took care of her.

    She needed to tell Lady Aurora immediately.

    "Will you not be on your way now?" Xaden asked her.

    She came back to reality, and she bowed. "Y-yes, m-my lord."

    And then she hurried out of the room.

    He resumed cleaning her wound, but they remained silent.

    All that could be heard was the heavy raindrops against the window.

    Jasmine felt herself go dizzy.

    She had lost too much blood from the cut.

    Once he was done he rose up from the bed and went to dispose off the water.

    While he was gone, Jasmine felt the cool weather of the rain enticing her to sleep as her weak and tired body demanded it.

    She told herself she would only close her eyes for a split second.

    But she went off to sleep immediately.

    He returned and saw her neck hanging down as she slept sitting.

    Then he very gentlyid her down on the bed and covered the thick duvet over her body

 Chapter 149: A MAN WITH NO HEART

    <h4>Chapter 149: A MAN WITH NO HEART</h4>

    Xaden turned away the remaining water that he had used to clean off the blood from her arm and set the bowl in the washroom.

    He told himself that he was not being kind or caring to her.

    She had been foolish to have such a deep cut.

    Moreover, it was good news that she had cut herself because that meant that he was not bonded to her the way Marie believed.

    He could now quickly sever the bond without worrying if he would die.

    After that, he would order her execution and then face finishing up her father.

    That was all.

    Then why did he feel uneasy? Why did he feel wretched when he thought about her death?

    It baffled him.

    After all, she had known that the spy had been here to kill him, and yet she had done nothing.

    She was terrible, just as bad as her father.

    She was lucky that he even took her captive because of what he had not let her endure.

    It was only because the Queen had told him not to hurt her, and he had made a deal with her.

    He told himself that that was it.

    He dropped the bowl aside and when he returned to the bed chambers he found her seated and her head dropping in sleep.

    He sighed, seeing how small she was in his shirt and how exhausted she seemed.

    Then he remembered that she had been served no food in the dungeon and had chains tied.

    He frowned, remembering that the chains were still stuck by her feet.

    He very gently set her to lie down on the bed, and then he examined her feet.

    The chains were heavy.

    When he remembered that it was he who had insisted that she be given the chains belonging to the most dangerous prisoners, he felt a chill.

    The door opened, and then Lisa returned with an anesthesia tray.

    "My lord." She said as she curtseyed. "Here are the drugs you had requested."

    He looked at her. "Are they poisoned?"

    She jerked, taken aback by his question.

    "No, my lord." She said.

    "Take a sip of it." He said.

    He knew Lisa and he knew that if she had not already told Aurora that he was alone with Jasmine, then she would right after she was done with this errand.

    Aurora was fond of trying to Kill Jasmine.

    He would not be surprised if Aurora instructed Lisa to poison the potion and make another attempt at taking her life again.

    Moreover, Jasmine had said that she had cut herself, but how could he trust anything that came out of her beautifully shaped lips?

    What if she still had an attachment to him, and then she got hurt, and he would right after?

    Thunderstruck, and she jumped.

    "M-my lord." She said her lips trembling heavily.

    "Drink it." He instructed.

    She nodded hastily and then she picked it up and took a sip her hands shaking.

    Then she set it aside and he eyed her cautiously waiting for any thing that would give away it being poisoned.

    But she stood fine.

    "You may go." He said.

    She curtseyed. "Thank you, my lord."

    She started to leave when he stopped her.

    "Hand me those bunch of keys there." He said, indicating his master keys.

    She did as he instructed, and when she was done, he dismissed her.

    But she was there long enough to see him unlock the chains and take them off her feet.

    He felt how heavy they were, and then he set them aside.

    Even for him, it was cumbersome.

    How did she even walk around with it?

    Then he adjusted her feet on the bed and set the thick nket over her body.

    Then, he walked down to the firece to keep himself busy and distracted.

    He tossed in the small logs of wood, and then he set it aze.

    The room very slowly became worm.

    She moaned very softly to herself in satisfaction of the warmth, and it made him pause.

    He watched her as the mes radiated over her from the distance.

    Even with her scar, she was lovely.

    He wondered how someone so beautiful and alluring could be so deceptive.

    He had grown ustomed to feeling emotions.

    Since he has no heart, he could feel every emotion, all except love.

    He could never love, which was the sole purpose he had made himself heartless.

    He cared for his people, he was loyal to his people and he would die for them.

    But he would never love them or anyone else.

    It was a price he hade to pay for the sins of Bale.

    What he had been forced to do.

    As the rain continued, he wondered what he was going to do or where he was going to go.

    A knock at his door finally relieves him from being distracted by Jasmine��s presence.

    He went to the door, and Damian stepped in.

    "Xaden." He said. "I came to just see you. The things have been cleaned up after all the guests return back home."

    Usually, Erik handled all of this; why Damian now?

    "Good." Xaden said. "By the way, when you��re done with everything, send word to the witch Marie that I require her presence in the pack."

    Damian nodded and started to leave when Xaden swallowed his pride and asked.

    "Where is Erik?" Xaden asked.

    Damian frowned. "I don��t know. He should be with Jade. Is anything the problem?"

    "No." Xaden replied quickly. "I was just asking. And I am not to be disturbed."

    Damian nodded and went on his way before Xaden shut the door.

    Then he went back into the room and sat down on the bed.

    He himself had been extremely tired from running up and down to make sure everything was in perfect condition.

    He told himself that he would only close his eyes for a bit.

    He did that and then he fell asleep beside Jasmine.

    Follow current novels on freewe(b)novel.c(o)m

 Chapter 150: LISA’S GOSSIP

    <h4>Chapter 150: LISA��S GOSSIP</h4>

    Once Lisa had shut the door behind, she hurried off.

    She still had to go and meet the wolves who sent the message to the witch named Marie.

    But Lisa was dumbfounded!

    How dare that enved person!

    She was sure that a hex was ced on Alpha Xaden. If not, why was he acting this way?

    Why was he taking care of her?

    Great goddess, he had even been cleaning her injury and requested that She, LISA, bring anesthesia for that nobody!

    She had heard the bell ring, and before Lady Belinda had assigned a servant, she had jumped up and said she would go.

    She had assumed that maybe he wanted a maiden to bed only to be given such an errand.

    Only for her to witness Jasmine being cared for by her own Alpha Xaden.

    It was UNBELIEVABLE!

    It infuriated her and made her sick to think that she had run an errand for Jaime

    Was she going to send for the witch Marie, or would she meet Lady Aurora first?

    She stood in the hallway weighing her options and which was going to work best to her favour.

    Eventually, she decided to go and meet Lady Aurora.

    She gathered her skirts and hurried off to Lady Aurora��s quarters.

    She knocked at the door, but there was no response, and then she peeped in.

    It was a servant who Was cleaning the room.

    "You Where is Lady Aurora?" She demanded of Mya.

    The servant snorted as she folded the bedsheets. "You ask as if I am her keeper."

    Lisa��s eyes widened in shock.

    She looked closely at this servant who had dared talk back at her in such a manner.

    Then she remembered her.

    It was a new servant who had been brought in a few days before the Halo festival.

    Lisa fumed, refusing to let this go.

    She had gotten a name for being Lady Aurora��s second hand, and she had gained fear and terror from the other servants.

    No one crossed her path, or they would face her, meaning she could say a word to Lady Aurora, who would deal with them.

    She walked up to her. "I do not know where youe from and frankly do not care. You will address me in this pack with nothing but absolute respect. Do you understand me?"

    The servant ignored her and proceeded to walk away, but Lisa blocked her path.

    "Get out of my way." The girl sneered in annoyance.

    Lisa gasped at her audacity.

    "You will not walk out on me!" Lisamanded.

    The girl set down the bedsheets she had folded on the bed, set hands on her waist, and eyed Lisa up and down. "I do not answer to anyone. Especially not a servant like you. Only the Alpha I answer to. And you look nothing like my Alpha."

    Then she picked up the bedsheets.

    "Now get out of my way!"

    With that, the new servant pushed Lisa out of her way, almost sending her down to the ground.

    However, Lisa was able to fall sideways on the bed.

    "How dare you!" She screeched.

    But the servant had already marched out of the room, the folded bedsheets in her arms.

    Lisa could hardly believe what had just happened to her.

    A mere servant.

    A nobody had just treated her with such disrespect.

    She nodded and told herself she would definitely teach that stupid girl a lesson!

    The type of lesson that they had almost taught that whore Jasmine.

    She got up to her feet and went to the next ce she suspected she would find Lady Aurora.

    She opened the doors to the training room and saw Lady Aurora taking down one of the wolves.

    She took him down on the floor with a thud.

    "Mydy," Lisa called out and then curtseyed.

    Aurora rolled her eyes and then rose up to her feet.

    She tucked loose strands of her beautiful brown hair that had been made into a single braid behind her ear.

    She collected a towel and proceeded to wipe off the sweat from her face.

    "Yes?" She asked.

    "Something has happened." Lisa said. "I was called to Alpha Xaden��s room. He requested me himself."

    Lisa had to lie about that because if Lady Aurora had found out that she had gone off to score a point in his bed, she would have had her beheaded.

    "Yes?" She asked as she stretched her body.

    "Mydy." She said. "He was with the ve."

    "What?!" Aurora stopped.

    She turned back to see the other wolves training to see if they had heard the conversation.

    Lisa knew that she now had her mistress��s attention.

    When Aurora saw that no one had taken note of her outburst, she caught Lisa��s arm and dragged her out of the training room.

    When they were outside and far from ear��s reach, she turned to her.

    "You said what?"

    Lisa sighed. "He had called me to his chambers, and then when I went in, I found the enved girl wearing his shirt whilst she wore nothing under. She was lying down, and he, too, was naked. I found her on his body; I believe that they had sex, mydy."

    "Go on." Aurora said through gritted teeth.

    Lisa went on with more of her lies.

    "As I went in, he requested that I bring him some anesthesia for her." Lisa said. "He was cleaning her arm of some cut. I did as he instructed, and when I returned, I found them intertwined naked, mydy. I was told to drop the drugs and then be on my way. He also told me to send for the witch Marie."

    Lisa could see the blood drained out of Aurora��s face, and she suppressed the desire to smile.

    She knew that she had touched the fire spot of her Mistress.

    Then, in a split second, Aurora screamed and mmed her fist into a ss window.

    At that moment, thunderstruck, and Lisa jumped in terror.

 Chapter 151: AURORA’S RAGE

    <h4>Chapter 151: AURORA��S RAGE</h4>

    Aurora went on smashing the wall over and over while a terrified Lisa stood with her knees trembling and contemting whether to make a run for it or remain.

    What if Aurora smashed her head? What if she turned her anger on her?

    "M-mydy." Lisa started to caution her as the blood began to drip from Aurora��s fists.

    But Aurora didn��t stop. She kept on smashing in anger and groaning in frustration.

    "Mydy." Lisa said, reaching out and touching her shoulder.

    Aurora jumped at her touch. "Do not fucking touch me, you idiot!"

    That was thest straw Lisa needed to hear.

    She quickly withdrew, took steps back from Lisa, and waved behind.

    By now, Aurora had stopped punching into the ss and was breathing heavily.

    Lisa started to move sideways and back off from Aurora, trying to make a run from it.

    Aurora turned around and saw her trying to leave. "Where do you think you��re going?"

    Lisa froze, instantly caught in the act.

    "Nowhere, mydy," Lisa responded.

    Aurora gave her a look and then shook her hand as the blood dripped.

    Lisa looked at the cuts as Aurora��s hand and her face became grim.

    Aurora took a deep breath, tucked her hair behind her ears, and then turned to face Lisa.

    "Tell me again what happened." She requested.

    Lisa was terrified whether to tell the truth or not especially after what she had just witnessed.

    "Speak!" Aurora snapped, and Lisa jumped in further freight.

    "I saw Jasmine and Alpha Xaden together. He was cleaning a wound she had, and I believe that they had slept together and then-

    "Believe? Did he fuck her? Yes or no?" An enraged Aurora demanded.

    Lisa jumped again and hastily lied. "Yes, mydy. They were sated with sex. She was in his clothes, and when I left after that errand, theyy naked together."

    Aurora seemed so calm now Lisa was scared.

    "After everything she did." Aurora said. "For some reason, he still calls her to his chambers. Even beds her."

    "Mydy, if I may," Lisa said, fanning the mes. When Aurora nodded, she cleared her throat and made more lies. "Alpha Xaden personally requested that I be the one who was called to his chambers. He made sure of it. He wanted me to see it because he knew I would inform you. Perhaps it was the ve who made him do this. His lordship does not do this, and he does not act this way unless she hexed him."

    Aurora was quiet, and after a while, she cleared her throat and said.

    "Where are they?" She asked.

    "They are still in the bedroom, mydy." Lisa said.

    Aurora tucked her hair behind her ear and took in a deep breath.

    "Alright." Aurora said and turned to leave.

    Lisa saw that she was going the other way.

    "Mydy, will you not see Alpha Xaden?" Lisa asked, confused.

    "I will deal with itter." Aurora said. "Let sleeping dogs lie for now."

    Lisa wanted to ask how to deal with the new servant, but Aurora had already left.

    Lisa grumbled and marched off in annoyance.

    She was going to have to handle thatter.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Jasmine turned in her sleep and felt a warm body beside her.

    She heard the thunder p and lightning strike.

    She slowly got up, confused about where she was, and then she looked down and saw Xaden sleeping beside her.

    His arms were wrapped around her and she froze.

    She felt a feeling in the pit of her tummy.

    It was like the time she had woken up to see him beside her at theke.

    Memories of that night shed through her mind, and she blushed red.

    She did not even remember how she had slept off.

    She tried to move away, but then he held onto her, trapping her in his embrace.

    She remained still, and then he even pulled her closer to him.

    She was unable to move.

    The only thing she could do was to look at him, and she did.

    She looked at his dark hair, examining how it fell across his face.

    She saw a trace of the scar across his eyes and wondered how he had gotten them.

    She saw his eyes flutter open, and then she jumped in fear.

    Thest time she has woken up with him, he had been highly furious with her.

    She wondered if he would me her for sleeping on his bed again.

    "Do forgive me." She apologized as she quickly began to withdraw from the embrace.

    He didn��t stop her from sitting up, but he sat up.

    "How do you feel?" He asked. "Your arm."

    She looked down at her hand, and she remembered that she had been cut.

    That was how she had gotten to his bed in the first ce.

    He had been taking care of her.

    "I feel fine, my lord. Thank you." She lied even though she had an awful headache.

    "Take the anaesthia." He said indicating to the tray that was on the bedside table.

    It was not a question; it was an order.

    She nodded numbly and did as he instructed.

    She took the potion and shook her head at how bitter it was.

    "If that is all, my lord, I would please return to Loren��s quarters." She said, hurried off, but she almost stumbled, and he caught her before she fell.

    She breathed heavily, overwhelmed by how quick and how close he was to her body.

    She looked up, and her eyes made contact with him.

    He stared down at her and she was unable to take her eyes away from him.

    It was like she did not want to.

    He lifted her in his arms and set her on the bed.

    "You are not strong enough to go anywhere." He said.

    Then he pulled the rope that indicated he was calling a maid.

    "I will ring for some food to be brought up."

 Chapter 152: BALE

    <h4>Chapter 152: BALE</h4>

    An owl flew on the horizon and finally saw itsnding point.

    It flew down into the watch tower andnded on someone��s arm.

    Leman pulled his hand down and gently ruffled the feathers of the bird.

    The door was opened, and a servant omega hurried in.

    "My lord." He bowed to Leman.

    "Go and find Alpha Bale. Let him know that message has arrived for him." He instructed.

    The boy bowed. "Yes, my lord."

    He started to head towards the door when Leman stopped.

    "And one more thing." Leman said.

    The boy turned around.

    "Be discreet. Just as always." He said.

    The boy bowed. "Of course, my lord."

    And then he opened the door and smelt out of the room.

    He hurried down the clock tower steps and raced onward.

    The boy has been in the Moonlight pack his entire life, and he was merely age twenty-five.

    Still an Omega, he was d to know that him of all other boys, even men had been chosen to Honor their pack.

    He hurried towards the castle stairs and once he was within sight he acted normal.

    Walking as if he was indeed not in a hurry.

    He knew that with the slightest mistake.

    If anything went wrong, he could be dead in an instant.

    He went past the new guards and saw the g that bore the pack of the Crescent��s pack invasion and grimaced.

    How much he hated them.

    It was well over eight months since the attack, and now they were running out of time.

    If the guards knew what he was doing, he would be executed.

    No one was allowed to trade information about Alpha Xaden or any sort of gatherings, which were strictly prohibited and punishable by death.

    So he, of all people, knows that he has to be as discreet.

    He hurried into the kitchen and picked up the tray of food that had been made for Alpha Bale.

    "Is it already time for his lunch?" The head cook asked.

    The previous head cook had been a member of their pack but Alpha Xaden��s second inmand garwick had reced him with one of their own.

    Every single member of their pack who had been the head over something had been pulled out from their stations.

    The head of the kitchen, the head cook, the head cleaner, the head trainer, the head gardener, every single one of them had bell forcefully taken out and reced by members of the crescent pack.

    It was their way of exerting dominance.

    That way, people would not be allowed to betray them.

    That way The leaders of the Crescent pack could simply monitor their movements at least until the new moon.

    The day of reckoning.

    "Yes." The boy lied as he collected the tray. "The Alpha was not feeling so well, so the Luna Maria requested that his meal be brought to him earlier."

    The head chef gave him a warning look. "You had better not be lying to me, boy."

    "I am not." The boy said. "You can ask the healer."

    The Chef sighed and waved his hand off.

    "Be off on your way then."

    The boy nodded and fetched the tray out of the kitchen.

    It had a splendid meal of bacon, cheese, and some baked potatoes.

    He would have carried the wine but as usual someone from the crescent pack was to go alongside with him.

    He heard the door open behind him and he saw a young girl probably around the age of twenty following him behind with a tray of a wine goblet and jug.

    He turned and went on ahead even though she was right behind him.

    He hated the fact that everything they did was on close watch.

    He slowed down when he finally reached the garden where he would find Alpha Bale.

    Alpha Bale was seated on a bench looking at the mingos swim about in the pond and then he was feeding the birds.

    "My lord." The boy bowed down to Alpha Bale.

    Bale turned from his birds, and the boy ced the tter before him.

    There were about six guards positioned nearby.

    There were three guards from the moonlight pack and three from the crescent pack.

    All positioned to make sure that Bale was kept an eye on at all times.

    "I brought you your lunch, my lord." The boy said. "Luna Maria and the healer instructed you to have your meal earlier today."

    "Thank you, boy." Bale said.

    And the boy felt an overwhelming pride within.

    A whole Alpha Bale was acknowledging him.

    He hated that Xaden had taken over their pack and made Alpha Bale look like a weak man.

    Alpha Bale took a bite of his meal.

    Then, the girl brought down the tray on the table set for him.

    "My lord, the bacon was new." The boy said.

    It was a coded way of him telling Bale that they had finally gotten new words.

    Bale said nothing neither did he react in way that said he knew what the boy had said.

    He used his knife to cut through the fresh meat and then said. "I womder it this new bacon has something good for me."

    And then the boy understood.

    Bale asked if the owl had brought good news about the Moonlight.

    "Yes your lordship . The best." The boy said. "His lordship would like this meat once he tastes it."

    Then Bale tasted the meat and said nothing.

    None of the guards would understand the interaction they had just had.

    Bale ate silently, and then once he was done, he used the napkin to clean his mouth.

    "You may go." Bale said after he dropped the napkin on the table.

    The boy and girl curtseyed and cleared the ce.

    Then Bale rose up to his feet.

    "Send for Leman. He is to carry out my usual back exercise. I am bing an old man."

    And with that, Bale turned and walked away into his room.

 Chapter 153: JASMINE’S MESSAGE

    <h4>Chapter 153: JASMINE��S MESSAGE</h4>

    Bale went into his room and sat down.

    He hated the fact that he was made to live a life like a prisoner.

    Like a prisoner? He was now a prisoner in his own home.

    He gritted his teeth in anger.

    When

    He had first sent Jasmine off to go with Xaden he had hoped that her fact that she was afraid of him would prove to be fruitful to their cause but that had not been the case.

    Jasmine has wasted her time letting well over eight months go without even sending word.

    For the first time in his life Bale had truly been scared because then he had no other alternative.

    The day of the new moon wasing and he was going to die.

    In a haste he had managed to get one of his assassins to go to the Crescent pack and find Jasmine and threaten her.

    He had been so furious how dare she not be able to give him information?

    He was more scared because he knew that his life would end.

    If he didn��t concoct new ns then on the day of the new moon All Xaden would have done was to arrive into their pack and find Bale and cut off his head.

    When the spy had sent word that Jasmine had not been able tomunicate because he was an illiterate, Bale had almost lost his mind.

    She was truly useless.

    Was this the best option he had had?

    He could have looked for another spy but the Crescent pack was difficult to prate.

    And moreover sending Jasmine would be obviously risky.

    He was using reverse psychology.

    She was thest person Xaden would expect him to send as a spy because of how much exposed she was.

    He did not care about how much she was suffering.

    After all she should be grateful to be alive.

    So many people would die to be in her ce.

    His own son had been murdered by that bastard.

    No amount of torture could be worse than that.

    And then the Spy had shocked him by informing him that Jasmine had been the maiden during the halo festival.

    Bale and Leman had been shocked.

    She was a useless nobody with no powers so howe she had been chosen by the goddess to represent her?

    But it did not matter because she could use it to their advantage.

    At least she had something to do.

    She was a useless she wolf at least she had a body and she could trade it for favor.

    Now Leman finally had news about her.

    He waited anxiously and then Leman came into the bedroom.

    It was one of the few times Leman could be allowed to stay alone with him.

    "My lord." Leman said.

    Since all the high ranking wolves in the pack had been killed Leman was the only person he had left in his pack he could trust with his life and was of high rank.

    "Are the guards paid?" Xaden asked not willing to take risks.

    Thest time that they had had a secret meeting one of the guards of the crescent pack had been undercover.

    Bale had watched as all the men in the meeting were ughtered by Garrick.

    All except for the guard who has betrayed them.

    He had been so furious and unable to do a single thing.

    Luckily enough for him Leman had been a bit ill and unable to attend he would have died that day.

    After murdering all the men, Garrick went to Bale with blood dripping all over his face.

    "I can not kill you unfortunately." He said. "That is for Xaden to do. But I can kill any of your men I find having a secret rebellion against us and you will do nothing."

    And it was the truth Bale had done absolutely nothing.

    He has just breathed heavily and stood as he saw the ughtered bodies of the men who had been nning to help me him fight back Xaden.

    So Bale was not taking any sides.

    "The guards are to be trusted." Leman said. "I am sure of it."

    They sat down together on the bed.

    "Is it good news?" Bale asked anxiously.

    He was running out of time and he needed something legit.

    Then Leman revealed the Owl who had been quiet inside Leman��s robes.

    "She sent word." Leman said.

    "Finally." Bale said.

    Bale touched the Owl and then he was transported to a dark room that smelled awful.

    He turned and saw Leman beside him.

    The owl could allow time presence to be in the message that had been delivered.

    "What is this ce?" Bale asked Leman.

    Then before Leman could reply, Bale saw Jasmine.

    She had on chains tied to her neck and hands.

    She did not look like she was suffering, at least not to him.

    She seemed to have even gained weight.

    And it had made him furious.

    He was here suffering while she was there conveniently forgetting about them and living well.

    Maybe she had betrayed them! Maybe she has told Xaden the truth about her!

    And that was why she had actually declined to tell him what was truly going on.

    He but his bottom lip in rage.

    She bowed. "Father I apologize for not delivering information to you on time. I was unable to write as I never received a proper education of any sort."

    Then she went on. "So far a lot has happened. I live in the quarters of the healer called Loren and then I work as a ve in the pack. The Halo festival came and Alpha Xaden hosted. The entire royal family arrived and so did Alexander, Dean��s brother. But he is no more. Some how someone sent an assassin to kill Xaden. Xaden initially believed that it was Alexander and so he threw him in the dungeon. But then Alexander was found dead and the spy you sent was caught and it was pinned on him. They knew that you sent him."

    Bale winced in pain once he heard that.

    She continued. "But I told them that you had nothing to do with any of it. Hence why I am in the dungeon. Xaden killed your spy. I do not know what he is going to do to you. I was chosen as the maiden for the halo festival. So far Xaden keeps his n to attack home private. I know nothing about it. But I would try my best to find out and send you further word."

    Bale listened to everything and she exined the situation more and more, by the time she was done, Bale was tensed and sweating.

    They were brought back to Bale��s room.

    And Bale got up to his feet and began pacing.

    "I sent no bloody assassin to kill Xaden." Bale swore.

    "Calm down your lordship." Leman urged.

    "You need to understand my frustration. In my own home I am trapped like a child and then when I do notmit a crime, I am med for it. My God."

    "Tensing about this and worrying will bring no solution." Leman said. "I do wonder why Xaden has not sent any word to us since he found out that the spy was sent by us."

    "That bastard." Bale swore. "I should have finished him up when I had the chance. He should not have lived past the age of seven."

    Leman took in a deep breath.

    "Well if Xaden knows that you sent the spy to kill him then he would also suspect Jasmine." Leman said. "But no matter what, he can not touch you. Xaden has too much to lose. He will rather wait till the finally day of the new moon before he strikes. At best he will tell Garrick but that would be it."

    Bale set his hands on his waist. "I told you that we should have tried sending some assassin to kill him. Someone else beat me to it."

    "And they were caught." Leman said. "And imagine even though it was not you in fact, the first hand pointed down to you."

    Bale shook his head. "Thank God Alexander is dead. I was getting worried when that one was going toe on my neck."

    Both men were quiet then Bale asked the question that had been baffling him.

    "Did you see Jasmine?" Bale asked. "She looked like she was living well. Even though she was in the dungeon she did not look like someone who was being held hostage."

    "Perhaps Xaden is treating her well." Leman said. "He has not killed her yet."

    "Or maybe she already sold us out to him." Bale said in rage.

    Leman shook his head. "No be reasonable. If she sold you out, then it would have been easier for him to buycott thews and have you killed. But we��re still alive."

    Bale signed deeply. "So what do we do next."

    "We send word to her." Leman said. "I think we��ve been looking at things from a different perspective. Why not make Jasmine go on a suicide mission?

 Chapter 154: LUNA MARIA’S SUFFERING

    <h4>Chapter 154: LUNA MARIA��S SUFFERING</h4>

    Luna Maria sat on the family dinner table as the servant served them.

    Her heart raced while her husband, Bale, remained at the table having his meal.

    Since the attack on their pack, she had been forced to adapt.

    She has been forced to mourn the death of her son!

    What mother would wish to bury their own son?

    It was unheard of.

    Watching his head being cut off while she had done nothing.

    While no one had done anything to stop him.

    Now, they were forced to act and pretend like nothing was wrong.

    Of course, Luna Maria pretended like she could bear it. She still retained her status as Luna of the pack. She was still addressed to us, Luna Maria. She still wore her dresses.

    She still had servants attend to her. But her life was notplete.

    The dining table was the only time she knew she was well enough to discuss issues rting to the pack with her husband.

    As they served the meal, she pressed her knuckles hard against one another in anxiety.

    Every single day since the day they had been attacked, she has anxiously waited for news from Jasmine.

    But Jasmine had proven to be betrayed, as she had always spected.

    She had made them wait for over eight months, and the day of the new moon was nearing.

    Eventually Bale had sent someone to find out what was wrong and then he had responded that he had made contact with Jasmine.

    Bale had refused to discuss it with her and said once he got feedback from her, only then would he tell her.

    The servants turned to her. "Is there anything mydy will want?"

    She gave them a disgusted look. "No! Leave us alone!"

    The servers hurried out and closed the door shut.

    It was the one ce that they were sure no one would ever over hear them discussing because there were no guards in the dinning room.

    They only waited outside the room.

    "I never thought they would leave." Bale said as he picked up a piece of soft bread and dipped it into his bowl.

    She red at him. "You promised me that if Jasmine had sent word, you would let me know. Have you received word?"

    "Is that why you��re all agitated?" He snorted. "Yes she has sent word."

    Maria wanted to lose her mind, so he had indeed received word, and he had left her heart beating so fast in anxiety.

    "And will you tell me or not what is to happen?" She asked him.

    He took a sip from his wine and said. "She could not send word because she was illiterate. She did not know how to read or write."

    Of all

    The most ridiculous and stupid things Maria had heard, she had not expected that.

    She looked at him nkly.

    "She is an illiterate? My Goddess, the girl was worse than I imagined our lives in her hands? We are doomed." She expressed.

    "If you had let her have some education, then we would not be in this situation." Heined. "I would have gotten word long ago, and then we would have gotten back at Bale."

    She red at him. "That is a ve whose mother��s legs you went in between. She does not deserve an education! What we offered to her was more than enough! She had a roof on her head!"

    "Well, she is already an illiterate." He said. "Does not change anything now, does it?"

    She bit her bottom lip in annoyance and then stuffed some vegetables in her mouth to keep herself from saying more.

    "The halo festival hase and gone. She was the maiden chosen by the goddess." He said.

    Luna Maria choked on her sd so violently she thought she was going to die.

    When she was sure she was okay, she took a sip of the wine.

    "You said what?!" Maria asked. "The maiden? Dirty and smelling Jasmine."

    She could hardly believe it.

    "Surprise me too." Bale admitted. "But

    It would be suitable for our cause. She will be closer to them. It seems Xaden might have a soft spot for her."

    "How sure are we that she has not betrayed us?" Maria asked. "How sure are we that she has not told him the truth? Perhaps I should have given her more beatings and punishments. She would be much more afraid of us."

    "She has not." Bale said. "And by the way, Alexander is dead."

    "Alexander? Which Alexander?"

    "You would have been son-inw." He stated. "Died in Xaden��s prison. I��m d he got rid of that one because Alexander would havee for me and med me for his brother��s death."

    Maria fumbled ufortably. "But he is the King��s nephew. Surely, the King would punish Xaden for that."

    "It was not Xaden." He responded. "So far, we are unable to tell who did it. But Xaden got away with it."

    "What ns will we make?"

    He rose a brow. "We? This is my pack, and I make the decisions. Not you."

    "My life is at stake!" She shouted.

    Bale��s fave became a mask of thunder. "Reduce your voice before I beat you! Our enemies will hear!" He warned.

    She was forced to, but she still argued with him. "I carried my son for nine months, and he died while you did nothing. At the same time, that monster killed our only son. I will not lose my daughter!"

    "Nothing will happen to Jessica." Bale said.

    "How can we know that? I have told you times without number that we sneak her out of the pack. After all, they believe that Jasmine is my own daughter. However, why they would easily believe I could bear such an ugly monster is beyond me. The girl is ugly and looks nothing like me." Maria said, and then she sighed. "He can never know about Jessica. Never. Or he will take her away from us, too

 Chapter 155: A SECRET WITHIN

    <h4>Chapter 155: A SECRET WITHIN</h4>

    "Xaden will do nothing." Bale said. "He will never know; that��s why he has to be careful. You need to calm down."

    Maria jumped up to her feet. "How can I be calm? Everything I know and everything I have has been changed and taken away from me. I watched that monster! Kill my son while you die nothing!"

    She said and her body began to shake anxiously.

    "What have I done to deserve this?! I wish to know what wrong I have done for such a thing to happen to me?" She raved on.

    And she held herself as she wept.

    Bale rose up to his feet and wrapped his arms around her.

    "We would get past this." He assured her.

    She dragged herself free from his grasp.

    "How? When?" She demanded. "When will we ever get past this?! It was your fault! You

    Should have left the Crescent pack, you should have never killed them! Now look at where we are!"

    "You speak like you did not want Hayley��s jewels." Bale said. "When I raided twice pack and brought back home the booty didn��t you demand that I give you Hayley��s jewelers. Because you coveted what belonged to her didn��t you?

    Maria became tensed, angry at the things that he now brought up.

    She turned away in anger.

    "You had always been jealous of Hayley. You wanted what she had for yourself. You wanted the gold and precious stones and admiration everyone had for her." Bale sneered behind him. "That��s why you requested that I take her ch-

    "Enough!" Maria whirled back at him.

    "And because you knew that you could never have the opportunity again to have what she had. You decided to steal it from

    Her and take it as your own. You decided to rais-

    "I said enough!" She barked and the windows mmed.

    The string wind blew all around and she looked at him fiercely.

    "Yes! I wanted what Hayley had. And I will not deny it!" Maria answered back. "She had everything, while I had nothing! I wanted it all! She had the perfect husband, the perfect son and the perfect daughter. Their entire pack loved them. But nobody loved me! After everything I always did! They would love her and I would never be loved! My subjects fear me but they do not love me! I saw it ! I saw the happiness she had and I took it away!"

    Bale looked at her.

    She gave a coy smile. "You think that you can only point fingers at me?! You think I do not know what you did?! How you forced yourself on her? I have ears everywhere too Bale. Two can y a game."

    Then she adjusted the wrinkles from her dress. "We have lost everything because you did not do your job well. You should have used a knife on that boy. Killed him. What? Were you afraid or killing a boy? Bale the terrible? Well we��ll look what that has done to us! I am forever wearing ck to mourn my son! While I am in fear of losing my daughter. I tell you Bale! I tell you this now nobody will take Jessica away from me. Especially with the circumstances of how she became mine."

    "And I do not want her gone either." Bale said defeated. "We will continue to hide her. No one has uttered a word to Garrick, he still does not know about her. And it would remain this way."

    Maria shook her head. "No, I have my family who will help us. We could send her to them. Sneak her out of the pack."

    "It will be too dangerous." Bale warned. "If they catch her, they would wonder why she is sneaking out. They would investigate and discover everything. That would be the end of us."

    "So what do we do now?"

    Maria demanded on the verge of tears. " we simply wait for that useless bitch to send word for us?! That bitch who would betray us in a split second. I knew we should have killed her like the dog she is!"

    "We wait." He said. "She will not betray us."

    Maria was not too convinced.

    But she has no choice.

    She simply told herself that she would pretend to go along with his ns but she would find a way.

    "Fine." She said.

    And then when he told her about the fact that Alexander had been killed she had wanted to lose her mind.

    Worse now Xaden knew that it was Bale who had sent the spy.

    "Why hasn��t he done anything?" Maria asked further confused.

    Bale shrugged. "I have no idea yet. This happened about three days ago. The other wolves working here would know and yet he did nothing."

    "And the King?" She asked. "Can��t he do something?"

    "It isplicated." Bale expressed. "There are limits to what he can do."

    Bale paced the room. "But from what it seems a number of wolves in the pack are against Xaden. I can bet who they are. But they have turned this pack to a prison. It limits me from doing things."

    "I know some people too." Maria said. "I can ask my sources for more information. I will not wait on your bastard child!"

    "Do not do anything without consulting me." He said.

    "You are the one who got us here in the first ce." She said in disgust. "Because of you my daughter is now dressed in rags like amon ve and is forced to even try to work."

    "She has to keep that up or they will find out." Bale warned.

    "Now it��s like she is Jasmine." Maria said. "Like amon ve. My own daughter."

    "Well Jasmine always worked hard." He informed her.

    She sneered at him. "Don��t ever try topare my daughter to that bastard! She should be grateful that we even let her live!"

    And with that Maria walked out of the room.

    Deep down she was scared because of the truth came out everything will be doomed.

    But the secret of the switch, but a much more deeper secret

 Chapter 156: HAS XADEN CHANGED?

    <h4>Chapter 156: HAS XADEN CHANGED?</h4>

    THE CRESCENT PACK

    Jasmine looked at him in shock.

    Why was he being so kind?

    He had cleaned her off her injuries and even tucked her into his bed; now, he was even offering her a meal.

    "B-but my lord." She started.

    He cut her short by ncing at her.

    "You are weak." He said. "Have you had anything to eat at all? Since you left the dungeon?"

    "Yes, the Queen offered me some snacks." She said. "I-I assure you that I am not hungry, my l-

    At that moment, her stomach rumbled loudly, and shame could be seen well written on her face.

    "Your body says otherwise." He said.

    She went red, and then he rang the bell for a servant toe in.

    Whilst they waited for the servant toe in, she scooted to the other end of the bed and became very conscious of the clothes she was wearing.

    The door was opened, and a female servant came in.

    It was one of the girls who had ganged up on her to beat her up.

    She turned her face away.

    "My lord." The girl said and then she saw the shock written all over her face just like when Lisa hade in.

    "Ask the chef to bring a well-made meal for a recovering patient." He said.

    "You are ill, my lord." The girl asked.

    "No, it is Jasmine who is unwell." He said.

    The girl��s face was written with further shock and disbelief.

    "M-my lord, I assure you it is unnecessary. I am fine." Jasmine started to plead.

    Her stomach rumbled loudly, and then he said. "I have decided that you will eat, which will be final."

    Jasmine was shut up after that statement.

    The girl had simply been watching the back and forth between them.

    "Ask the chef to serve the meal and bring it up here." He instructed.

    "W-what?" She asked,ing back to reality. "Y-yes, of course, my lord. Certainly."

    And with that, she bowed and hurried out of the room.

    Jasmine wanted the ground to swallow her whole.

    This was only going to make the other servants hate her more.

    Why?! Why Was he being so kind?

    "You said you were cut. How again?" He asked her.

    "C-cut?" She asked, confused.

    He frowned, and then she remembered her lie.

    "Oh. Yes. My cut." She tried to take her brain for how she had lied. "I had cut myself identally."

    "I know. I am asking how." He asked again.

    What had she said in the first ce?

    "Oh," she mumbled

    Before she could respond the door was opened and Aurora graced in.

    Jasmine felt her heart skip.

    First, Belle was gone, and now it was Aurora.

    Aurora from the moment that she hade in had her haughty gaze on Jasmine.

    "Xaden." Aurora said. "I wish to speak to you."

    He frowned. "I will be with you."

    "It is of the most importance." Aurora said.

    Jasmine remained quiet, trying to avoid Aurora��s gaze even though she knew Aurora was still looking at her hard.

    Xaden sighed and rose up to his feet.

    Jasmine made the mistake of turning to look at him, and then she saw that he was naked down.

    She gasped softly and turned away.

    Without caring for his nudity or feeling embarrassed, he strode down to one of hisrge cabs and put it on before leaving.

    "Let��s go." He said.

    Jasmine looked up, made eye contact with Aurora, and quickly looked away.

    Aurora gritted her teeth in rage, then turned on her heels and followed him out.

    Jasmine remained in bed, unsure of what to do or where to go.

    She wished she could leave, but she didn��t have the mind to.

    The door opened again, and she jumped.

    But it was not Xaden or Aurora.

    It was the servant who had been told to bring in their meals.

    Jasmine blushed up.

    The girl looked at her, sneering and with a mischievous gaze, as she set the tter down on the side table.

    "Thank you for the meal." Jasmine remarked.

    The girl red at her. "I did not bring it for you."

    "Oh." Jasmine said ufortably.

    She looked at the fruits that had beenid neatly on the tray and stretched to take one of the fruits.

    The girl snapped her hand away. "Do not touch it with your tainted blood! I said I had brought it for Alpha Xaden."

    Jasmine looked at her. "He asked for the meal to be brought for me."

    The girl spat at Jasmine��s face.

    Jasmine zed in disgust.

    She used her hand to wipe it off of her face.

    "That is what I think of you. Dirt! My saliva!" The girl said. "I don��t know what you have done to my Alpha. But your tainted blood will not move me. You might have used your witch hex on Alpha Xaden, but very soon, he will put you to death."

    Jasmine held her peace and then she slowly wiped off the remaining saliva on her face and pushed it away.

    "How dare you?" Jasmine said in a seemingly deep and calm voice.

    She slowly looked up at the serving girl.

    But it was like something had taken over Jasmine.

    It was like she was not the one present.

    Her eyes were zing red with mes.

    The serving girl gasped and took a step back.

    Jasmine rose up to her feet.

    And then it was like her red hair was on fire.

    The mes could be seen rising from it, and yet she was not being burnt.

    Jasmine rose to her feet and in a profound yet feminine powerful voice.

    "Who are you, mere mortal, mere wolf in sheep clothing" Jasmine asked.

    The girl fell down to her feet like she waspelled, down to her knees.

    "To degrade I. A goddess." Jasmine continued as she progressed forward.

    A red wolf howled and then her hands began zing red and yet it was not burning.

 Chapter 157: THE FLAME PRINCESS

    <h4>Chapter 157: THE FLAME PRINCESS</h4>

    The serving gurl who was now down her knees, her eyes in terror as she watched Jasmine go aze.

    She started to stammer in fear.

    It was like her entire body waspelled down to her knees.

    She had not done it if her own volition, but somehow her body had from that mere voice asking.

    Her heart raced as she watched Jasmine transform to her body lit with mes.

    What was happening?

    Was she truly a witch?! She had never seen anyone turn aze.

    It was like her red hair was meant to be on fire.

    And the wolf that have led was nothing she had ever heard.

    The moment she heard it how she found her would, being forced to bow down, her fore head was set against the floor in submission.

    "You are my subject, you are of my flesh. You were made of me. You are to bow before me. You are to kneel before me." Jasmine went on saying as if sounding possessed.

    With every word that Jasmine uttered the girl found herself in pains.

    She began crying and then her eyes burned.

    "P-please for give me goddess." The girl found herself saying.

    She was not crying because she was in pain but because she knew what she had done was wrong.

    Because it felt like a divine spirit hade down to punish her of her sins.

    She looked up very gently at Jasmine and then her eyes caught fire.

    She screamed as her eyes burned and everything went ck.

    The blood flowed from her eyes and she pressed down on her eyelids.

    Unknown to her, Jasmine��s was in a divine form.

    A full zing fire form that no mere mortal could see.

    The serving girl screamed at the excruciating pain.

    "You shall bear the consequences of your actions. I curse you, for I am the goddess, the wolf of death."

    The girl continued to scream and wail in pain.

    Jasmine��s divine form heard running footsteps running towards the rook from afar.

    And then she released herself and she fell down back weakly on the bed.

    By the time the guards had burst into the room, Jasmine was her normal self and weakly trying to sit up in the bed.

    The guards came to a halt as they stepped in.

    Xaden pushed through the crowd, Aurora in tow and then he came to stand in front of them.

    He too stopped in his tracks.

    Aurora did the same.

    Jasmine saw them and she slowly got up as she waved off the sudden dizzy feeling she had.

    "W-what is going on?" She asked.

    No one responded and then she turned down to see what they were all looking at.

    There in the middle of the room, was the serving girl who had been asked to bring the meal to their roomying unconscious, her eyes bled down with ck matter blood.

    Shey in such a figure that Jasmine wondered if she was still alive.

    Jasmine gasped in shock, her hands covering her mouth at the sudden ghoulish appearance.

    Xaden was the first to make a bold step forward towards her body.

    "My lord." Aurora warned.

    But Xaden ignored her and went down to the body.

    He knelt down on his knees and touched her to see it she was still alive.

    He touched her eye lids and slowly opened them.

    Where her eyeballs should be was gone burnt

    "She smells burned." He said. "But her heart still races. She is alive."

    He rose up to his feet and turned to his guards.

    "She is still alive, Take her body." He said.

    The guards hurried to her.

    "Take her to Loren." He instructed.

    They took her body away.

    Jasmine simply watched on in horror and disbelief at what had just happened.

    "You witch!" Aurora said breaking the silence and pointing at Jasmine. "What did you do to her?!"

    "I didn��t do anything." Jasmine promised. "I just woke up and saw her lying down on the floor."

    "Liar!" Aurora said rushing up to the bed, she stopped short when she saw the tray holding fruits and food.

    Her eyes narrowed. "She brought in your meal and you im that you did not see her?"

    Jasmine followed Aurora��s gaze to the bedside table and indeed there was a tray of food.

    Jasmine shook her head. "I swear it, I was asleep. I do not know what happened."

    "You lying bitch! You are a witch!" Aurora screamed as she rose her hand up to hit Jasmine.

    Jasmine closer her eyes waiting for the blow tond on her but surprisingly it never did.

    She opened her eyes and saw Xaden holding Aurora��s hand.

    Aurora glowed in anger.

    "Xaden." She said.

    "You will not touch her." He warned.

    She jerked her hand free and breathed heavily in disbelief.

    "What has this witch done to you?!" She cried. "You are choosing her over me."

    "Your words entirely." He said. "But you will not touch her. Remember what we discussed."

    Jasmine froze. Remember what we had discussed? What had they discussed?

    Aurora rubbed her arm to take away the pain of the grip he had on her hand when he had refrained her.

    But she was unable to say a word back at him.

    "And I have told you. I am Alpha Xaden." He said.

    She swallowed hard but was forced to say. "Of course my lord. My apologies."

    "Leave." He said.

    And Jasmine watched as Aurora gave her hateful re, but proceeded to head out of the room.

    Jasmine looked up at Xaden.

    "I swear it." She shook her head. "I do not know what happened to her."

    She was telling the truth.

    He smelled the room.

    "This is a wolf." He said. "You are unshifted and you could never be a wolf. It could never be you."

    Jasmine should be relived but there was way he said it.

    She was unshifted and she could never her be a wolf.

 Chapter 158: JASMINE’S APOLOGY

    <h4>Chapter 158: JASMINE��S APOLOGY</h4>

    Jasmine swallowed heavily, feeling extremely ufortable by his gaze.

    By his statement that she will never ever be a wolf.

    Like he reminded her of the curse that wasid on her head.

    Her throat went dry, and she looked away.

    Two other maids came into the room with mops and buckets to clean up the blood.

    Jasmine recognized one of the girls but did not recognize the other.

    She turned her face away.

    She had so many questions: what had happened?

    She could not even remember when the serving girl had gotten into the room.

    Her head hurt, and the memory was quite vague.

    Once the maids were gone, Jasmine blurted out. "What could have happened to her like that?"

    "It is probably witchcraft." He said. "Whatever it is, we would find out you say you do not remember what happened?"

    She tried to rake her brain, but there was nothing.

    She could not remember anything at all.

    Only a banging headache.

    She shook her head as she pressed her fingers to her temples.

    "No, I do not remember anything. I woke up, and that was where I saw her." She said.

    He nodded his head towards the food. "Eat your meal."

    She had forgotten entirely about the food.

    She turned around to see the tter that had been set by the bedside table and felt all appetite was gone.

    She shook her head. "I believe I am okay, my lord."

    She knew he would argue but then didn��t.

    She saw he did not look pleased, and then she took an apple and bit down on it.

    He raised his brows in question, and then she saw the scar across his eyese into view.

    She stared at him without even noticing how obvious she had been.

    "It was your father." He informed her.

    She blinked at him in confusion, cruising back down to reality.

    "I beg your pardon, my lord?" She asked, confused further.

    "The scar on my eyes, it was from your father." He said. "You were looking at it, and I could tell you had questions."

    Jasmine felt a chill down her spine.

    Her father had done this to him?

    She wanted to ask how, when, and why.

    As if reading her mind, he cleared his throat and said. "When I was a young boy, my entire family was killed by your father. He was my father��s best friend, and yet he betrayed us all. He killed my mother, father, little sister, everyone! All except for me. Well, he left me for dead before I was found by Elena and brought back to life."

    She grimaced and felt her stomach twist in an awful knot.

    "This scar." He said, touching his eye. "Was given as a souvenir, as a gift for me when he used his sword to hack my face."

    She closed her eyes in horror, unable to try andprehend what he had been feeling as a child.

    How it must have hurt him to be alone why such a brutal attack was carried on him, wondering what he felt.

    "The scars all healed after Elena worked on me. All except this one to remind me of what I had gone through, what I survived, and well, of course, the physical scars remained."

    She bit her bottom lip as her heart yearned for him.

    How she wished she could share her fears with him, tell him that she too had not lived such a good life.

    She, too, was bearing pains that no one else would understand.

    But she could not because she would be seen as a liar.

    A deceiver.

    She had been sent to deceive him; after all he would say, she could have told him the truth in the beginning.

    But instead, she had kept it all this long.

    How would he ever believe her? She was nothing but a liar to him

    Even if he did, would he even let her live?

    She had seen what he had done to her stepbrother, how he mercilessly killed people.

    Why would he not do the same to her?

    "I am so sorry for what you went through." She started to apologize for the sins of her father.

    Of course, she understood why he hated her.

    He raised his hands up. "Apologies would not make any changes. What is in the past is in the past. We only have the present, and what I want is your father��s head."

    He said it in such a soulless way she was terrified.

    She felt herself jerk back away, and she was reminded of who he indeed was.

    "The head of Alpha Bale." He said. "Along with his entire bloodlines."

    She swallowed heavily, and her heart raced.

    His entire bloodlines.

    That meant her.

    Did he mean he was going to wipe out the entire generation?

    Kill her, too?

    He rose up to his feet and said. "Get some sleep."

    And then he turned on his feet and started to head towards the door.

    "M-my lord." She stuttered.

    He stopped in his tracks.

    "May I ask a question of you?" She asked him.

    "Of course." He answered without turning to see her.

    She swallowed. "The serving girl. Do you think she will be alright?"

    "No." He said after a while and she felt a chill down her spine. "Do not leave this room until I return."

    He started to walk away again when she rushed out of her bed and ran to him.

    She held onto his sleeve fiercely, and then she said.

    "May I say something, my lord?" She requested.

    He looked down at how tight her grip was on him with her big green eyes looking up at him for Permission and he gave in.

    "You May," he allowed.

    She gently took his hand and kissed his hand.

    "I do not apologize to you, but I apologize to that little boy who lost everything."

    He looked at her in shock and then without saying a word, he walked out of the room leaving her alone to herself.

 Chapter 159: THE TETHERED BOND

    <h4>Chapter 159: THE TETHERED BOND</h4>

    Early in the morning, Jasmine woke up still in Xaden��s bedroom.

    She slowly got up and rubbed her eyes.

    When she remembered the events of the previous night, she felt her heart sink instantly.

    The serving girl who had been found almost dead in the middle of the room without her eyes in its socket and the Xaden��s small opening up to her.

    She wondered if the girl was okay.

    She hoped she was okay.

    Witchcraft, Xaden had said, but how sure could they be?

    And howe she herself had slept off through the entire ordeal without waking up?

    The only thing that had set her apart from being a suspect was the fact that she could never be a wolf.

    And Xaden had imed that it was also sneered with the blood of a wolf.

    Jasmine thought of how he had told her about what had happened to his family, and her heart leaped for Joy.

    He had opened up to her.

    It had not been much, but it had been a start.

    She wanted to keep it to herself, and then she remembered her father��s warning about how he had told her to report to him and also use Xaden if she could.

    She tensed up when she remembered and tried her best to push it to the back of her head.

    The doors were open, and Xaden came in.

    Her eyes lit up. "Alpha Xaden."

    It fell when she saw the people rather than the person behind it.

    It was the false witch.

    The one who had imed that the spy had been the one to kill Alexander.

    Jasmine��s grip tightened firmly into hard knuckles.

    The woman came to her.

    Xaden was not smiling back at her.

    It was like he had returned to his old self, maintaining a distance from her and hating her.

    She eyed the woman with dark dreads as she progressed forward.

    "We meet again." The woman said with a smile that Jasmine did not warm up to.

    The woman peeped at her hand. "What happened to you?"

    Before Jasmine could respond to her question, the woman caught her arm, pulled it to her, and examined the deep cut.

    Jasmine quickly withdrew her arm sharply from her grasp.

    "Nothing. I just scratched it." Jasmine said.

    "Are you certain?" The woman asked.

    Jasmine frowned. "Why would I lie?"

    "You tell me." The woman responded.

    And then she turned away to face Xaden.

    "Good morning." She said. "My lord."

    He ignored her and then turned to the guards who had followed him.

    "You may leave us." He informed.

    She assumed that it included the dreadlocked woman, but she was wrong.

    It was only the guards and the woman remained with her.

    Marie pulled out a dagger and headed towards Xaden.

    Jasmine jumped up on her feet, her heart racing.

    "Stop." She said, and then she found herself running to them.

    She used her body and hands to protect him from Marie.

    "Do not touch him. You are a liar and a wicked person." Jasmine said.

    Marie smiled. "Who said I was going to kill him?"

    Xaden set Jasmine aside, surprising her, and then she realized how much she had just embarrassed herself.

    She quickly stood aside and then watched as he handed his arm out to her.

    Marie pulled out the dagger and slit his arm.

    Jasmine jumped in shock. "Why would you do that-

    Then Jasmine found herself In pain.

    She screamed as she held onto her left arm and looked down.

    Only to see that it was tearing up like a de, slicing through her flesh and spilling blood.

    It was happening, just like it had happened the first time.

    She looked up and noticed that as Marie pulled Xaden��s dagger, it went down along with hers, spilling more blood.

    Jasmine screamed in pain.

    "That is enough." Xaden��s voice boomed.

    It was then Marie stopped.

    Jasmine was able to take in heavy breaths now.

    Once the cut on his own arm stopped, hers stopped instantly.

    Xaden��s arm healed immediately, but hers remained.

    She was still reeling in shock, still confused.

    "W-what just happened." She asked.

    But no one paid her any heed.

    "Why do you care? It is going to heal for you. It does not matter what happens to her. After all she is a ve." Marie said.

    "I said it is enough," Xaden said.

    Marie bowed. "Of course, my lord. Your wish is mymand."

    Marie turned to look at Jasmine��s cut, and she went to her and grabbed her other arm.

    "Do not touch me," Jasmine warned.

    Jasmine rarely ever confronted people, but for this woman who had so visibly lied, she wanted to fight.

    "Stay still." The womanmanded, and then she shed her dagger through the other hand that had been cut the previous day.

    Jasmine cried in pain and wrung herself free.

    Marie turned to see Xaden��s arm.

    There was a mark on where she had cut Jasmine. It was almost invisible, but it was there.

    "The two of you are tethered together. Just like I had feared." Marie said. "If you die, she dies. If she is hurt, then you are too. But it is

    Different in her case."

    "What do you mean?"

    "You are an Alpha. You saw that I cut you, and she immediately had the cut. But when I cut her, it hardly reflected on you. There was a small mark, yes, but no blood. It simply means that your mark as Alpha has made it harder for her pain to reflect on you."

    Jasmine was just breathing heavily, confused.

    Her arms were bleeding on both sides.

    Then Xaden turned to face her. "I asked you what had happened, and you said you had cut yourself. You lied to me. Just like you always have."

    She shook her head. "No, my l-lord. I did not mean to. I saw how you were caring for me, and I-

    "Caring for you?" He asked. "What made you think I was caring for you?"

 Chapter 160: I NEVER CARED

    <h4>Chapter 160: I NEVER CARED</h4>

    It was at that moment that her heart stopped moving.

    What did he mean?

    He had taken care of her throughout the entire night. He had cleaned up her wounds, ordered medicine for her, and sent the maidens to bring food for her.

    "B-but I thought-

    "You thought that I cared for you?" He asked coldly.

    He was so harsh she felt a chill down her spine.

    It was like he was attacking her like he wasing for her.

    "Why? Because I treated you when you cut your arm?" He asked her coldly.

    She took an involuntary step back and hit the wood of the bed frame.

    "Because I gave you my clothes to wear and because I let you sleep in my bed?" He asked her usingly.

    She did not understand what he was saying, nor had she imagined it all.

    "I treated you well because I knew you were tied to me. I suspected it. And if I had let you bleed to death, then I would have died." He said.

    So that was it?

    What was his true motive?

    He had only been kind and caring to her because he had only fared for his life.

    Because if she died, then so did he.

    "Xaden, I believe you should be calm with her," Marie said, touching his shoulder in an attempt to calm him down.

    Jasmine gritted her teeth in further anger to see that the liar Marie was trying to appease her.

    She wanted tosh at her and tell her that she did not need her pity or his refraining from her.

    She hated the fact that it was yelling at her in front of the woman she knew had lied about everything.

    But she said nothing.

    Xaden ignored Marie��s arm on his shoulder and said. "You are a liar. You have always been a liar, and I knew that I could not trust you. Maybe it has always been your plot to be tethered to me and kill yourself so that I, in turn, would die.

    "My lord, I would never do such a-

    "Silence." He ordered, and her lips went hush.

    "My apologies, my lord," Jasmine said. "I had thought wrong."

    She now felt very ufortable standing in the room, looking down at her hands with his clothes on.

    "I will make you watch when I kill your father." He promised her. "Initially, I had wanted to kill you beforehand for your

    Betrayal, but no. I will let you live. You will watch him die."

    Then a fake and coy smile yed on his lips. "Or perhaps your father should watch you die. His precious daughter."

    She grimaced.

    If only he knew that she genuinely meant nothing to him, he would let her go.

    She looked down at her hands. "May I leave, my lord?"

    "Yes, you may." He said.

    She started to turn on her heels and walk away when he stopped her.

    "Wait."

    She froze and turned around, hoping he wanted to tell her something swell.

    That he genuinely did not mean the words he had said.

    But when she turned, she only faced a cold man.

    "You will not return to Loren��s quarters." He said. "You will return to your former room with the other female servants."

    Her eyes widened in shock, but she could not counter what he said.

    "You shall eat your meals there. And you shall sleep there. You shall no longer live with Loren. I see that my giving you freedom has made you have the audacity to do the things you do

    She signed heavily. "But I assumed that you took me away from the servant��s room because they attacked. If I die, you die."

    "And you think that because we are tethered together you will get some special treatment?" He asked. "You are far from right. You will sleep in the servants from and endure whatever harshness they give you. It is a little punishment for a betrayal, do you not think? I mean, for someone who sent an assassin to kill an Alpha. Usually, the punishment is death."

    She tensed up.

    "But in your case. Lucky for you, you are tethered to me, and thus, you can live. Or will you prefer the dungeons, perhaps?" He asked.

    "No, my lord." She said. "Whatever you give me, I will ept gracefully."

    Then he rang a bell, and two guards came in.

    They had on even heavier chains than thest one he had given her.

    They went down on her and cuffed her.

    She felt so heavy.

    He ignored thatst statement and said. "You shall resume your chores as a ve. They shall be meted you to you times two."

    The guards ignored the bruising on her body and ced the heavy chains over her hands.

    Once they were done, she felt extremely heavy.

    She said nothing as she looked up at him.

    "Get out." He said.

    The only thing she hated was the fact that he had humiliated her in front of the one woman who had lied about her. Who had deceived him to think she had a hand in his attempted assassination.

    She felt the sting in his words, then bowed down and left his presence.

    Once she got out of the room, she walked out to where Loren��s quarters were.

    He was reading his books.

    "My goodness, gracious Jasmine." He said as he looked down at her hand. "Who did this to you?"

    She felt the tears burning behind her eyes.

    "Alpha Xaden insisted that I will not live with you anymore." She said.

    And she did something she had not done in a long while.

    She burst into tears.

    "No, do not cry," Loren said, leaving his book anding to her side.

    He guided her to a seat. "Here, take a seat."

    And she let herself be led on.

    Once she sat down, she gratefully received the handkerchief and wiped her tears away.

    "Thank you." She said simply.

    "I will go have a word with him." He said, starting to leave.

    She hurriedly held his arm and stopped him. "Goodness, please don��t, Loren. It is just going to make matters worse."

    "I must have a word with him!" Loren argued.

    She smiled weakly.

    "Why are you smiling? This is not a funny matter." He said.

    She shook her head. "I know it isn��t. But I��m just smiling at the fact that you had initially not wanted me around you when I first came, and now you��re ready to even break all her loose and Fight Xaden for me".

    Loren mumbled something inaudible to himself, and sheughed because he did not want to admit that he cared for her.

    At least she knew that he was being genuine.

    "Thank you, Loren. But I assure you shall only make matters worse." Jasmine advised him.

    "And where will you sleep?" He asked her.

    She felt her shoulders drop weakly immediately.

    "He said that I am to now sleep with the other servants like I had done before." She expressed.

    It was at that moment that Loren took off his sses in annoyance.

    "Curse him!" He swore! "I will go have a word with him! That is a death sentence."

    She held him back. "There is more. I am tethered to Alpha Xaden."

    He frowned. "What?"

    "It is a result of the fusion of the marriage bond and then the halo festival."

    She turned her hand to show him the cut on her arm. "You see this. I did not cut myself. It appeared on my hand. It waster, when Marie came and cut Xaden��s hand, I saw another part of my arm. The same spot he was being cut."

    "Marie is a liar and a very dangerous witch." He said.

    "I am aware of that. But I know what I saw. I was there." She said. "That is the only reason why I am still alive, of he would have killed me by now."

    Loren took in a deep breath. "But he knows that letting you stay in the room with the other servants puts you at risk of death. If you die, he too will die. He knows that, does he not?"

    She nodded. "He said that they will hurt me, but they will not kill me. And I can endure."

    "Will he not feel the pain?" Loren asked, annoyed.

    "No, his status as Alpha makes it incredibly hard for him to feel pain on my end." She said. "It is not the same thing."

    Loren cleared his throat. "I will discuss it with him. It is an insult to have you withdrawn from

    My quarters."

    She shook her head. "No, it was either that or

    I stayed in the dungeon, and he insisted that the Queen made a pact with him. She was the one who made him free me."

 Chapter 161: JASMINE’S REVELATION

    <h4>Chapter 161: JASMINE��S REVELATION</h4>

    Loren sighed very heavily as if weighing what was next to say.

    "The Queen has been very good to me." She said sadly.

    Loren smiled. "Yes, she is a just Queen."

    Then Loren��s smile fell. "You knew about the spy your father sent, but you did not tell anyone? Not even me?"

    Jasmine felt her knees go weak.

    She also could not tell him that her father had spoken to her, and she was now beginning to supply him with information.

    He was her father if only he knew how much fear he had instilled in her.

    "I did not think much of it." She lied.

    "You should have still told me," Loren emphasized in anger. "You need to understand that things are not the same here as in your back home."

    "I apologize for my actions." She said.

    "He has no choice but to spare you; moreover, there is no direct truth that you had any hand in the attack." He said. "The man probably had arranged for it since and then went on with the attack. You didn��t know."

    How could she tell him that not even her father��s spy had sent the person to kill Xaden?

    Was she one hundred percent sure of that?

    "I heard Xaden will not do anything to your father," Loren said.

    She blinked in shock. "He will let it go?"

    Lorenughed. "God, no. He is saving it for the first day of the new moon when he can be free to kill your father. It is like leaving the chicken free to roam until the night before a festivity. Your father will die when Xaden wants."

    She breathed better.

    Although she did not understand why, a part of her wished Xaden had gone after her father and ended it all for once.

    But she nodded and acknowledged Loren.

    "There was something that you said you knew before those noisy guards came in." He said.

    "Yes." She said, adjusting her sittingposure. "Princess Cherry and the King are having an affair."

    Loren blinked at her without saying a word.

    His silence terrified Jasmine out of her witts, and she instantly started to regret why she had told him.

    Eventually, he broke the silence. "Cherry and Rnd? The Kind and the Queen who would have been?"

    Jasmine was already misgivings from his initial reaction, but what had she expected?

    That he would believe her? A ve?

    And to make such a powerful usation against the royal family.

    She could be tried for treason and killed instantly.

    But then she nodded.

    "But the King despises Cherry. He can��t stand her, and he was the main reason why she was sent into exile." A perplexed Loren said. "Jasmine, are you one hundred percent certain of what you saw?"

    She wanted to shake her head and say no because of how he was reacting, but she nodded and said.

    "Yes. I saw them. Twice." She said.

    "Did any of them see you?" He asked her.

    "They both saw me the first time." She admitted. "They were just kissing. The king warned me and told me that I had not seen anything and threatened my life. And then the other time, I believe they were having sex. They did not see me, but they knew someone was present."

    Loren took a deep breath, folded his arms, and began pacing the room.

    "You believe that I am lying." She said in all earnest.

    "Of course not," Loren said. "I believe you. Although no one will. Because everyone knows that the King himself can not stand his sister-inw, it is not a new story, so if anyone else knows, they would report immediately."

    Then he looked down at Jasmine closely. "You have not told anyone what you just told me, have you ?" He requested.

    She shook her head. "No, I have not."

    "And do you think anyone apart from you knows?" He asked.

    She fumbled her hands together, trying to take her brain, then shook her head. "No, I do not think so. At least none that I know of."

    He nodded. "Well, let it remain a secret between the both of us. You can not tell a soul. At least not until we know more. Such an usation is grave."

    She nodded. "But does he love her? If you say he hates her, why would he cheat on the Queen?"

    Loren shrugged his shoulders. "Who knows with the rich? I am baffled. Are you aware that she was supposed to be Queen? Cherry? But then the Crown rejected her, and it was passed on to Queen Rose, and she became Queen. And not just the crown was passed to Rose, and Rn who had initially been betrothed to Cherry."

    Jasmine began to see the connection. "I had not known of that."

    "Well, that is what happened. Cherry was in love with him, but Rnd only loved Rose. At least that is what I assumed until his sudden revtion."

    Jasmine sighed. "When I saw the King and Princess Cherry together, I had decided I would not tell a would because I near princes Cherry was in exile and she could not return to the castle."

    "But then you told me that the Exile had been lifted, and she was now being allowed back," Jasmine said. "I had hoped it would end here since she would not be near the royal family, and the affair would perhaps end."

    "Rose fought tooth and nail to have her sister return to the castle." He said. "It was her who insisted that she go back with them."

    Jasmine swallowed hard. "And that means she will walk back into the Kingdom and resume her affair with the King."

    Loren massaged his beard. "You say you saw the King and her together."

    Jasmine nodded. "Yes. I am sure of it."

    "Then I wonder why the King vehemently opposed Cherry returning to that pce."

    Jasmine shrugged, uncertain as to where Loren was headed. "Maybe he just was trying to cover up so he wouldn��t seem excited that the Queen wasing along."

    Loren shook his head. "No, it does not work like that. He argued with her. They are strained, and she uses her veto power as the true bloodline as Queen to let her sister return to the Castle. He would never have let it get to that point if he were only making a show for it."

    "So what do you think?" She asked him.

    He shrugged. "Only time will tell. But Cherry is not someone to be trusted. She is very scheming, and usually, when things like this happen, she has a reason."

    "Do you think it is dark magic?" She asked.

    That idea sprung into her head.

    He shook his head. "You never can tell with these things. Like I said, only time will tell."

    Jasmine��s shoulders dropped. "It saddens me knowing that the Queen will face that back home."

    "Keep this information to yourself," Loren said. "At this point, there is nothing either of us can do."

    She nodded and then rose to her feet. "I came to take my things."

    He sighed. "Are you sure you would not want me to follow you and speak to him?"

    "He is not going to change his mind." She said. "He had a fallout with Erik, and Gamma Erik is his best friend. I would not want you to get into trouble with him."

    She went on and packed a few of her belongings.

    Thanks to her living with Loren he had given her some new dresses to wear and things to take care of herself.

    Once she was headed towards the door, he said. "I will find a way for you to assist me here. You may no longer be allowed to live with me, but then you can stille here."

    She smiled. "I would like that. How is the Lyrun herb doing?"

    "It was stolen." He said. "Along with the body of the female spy."

    She felt a jerk in her throat. "It is not over. If I could find one in theke, then I could

    Find another."

    Loren shook his head. "No, do not try that. Try to stay within your means. Keep a low profile; Aurora and everyone else have their eyes on you. The slightest mistake you make, they will use it against you."

    It saddened her to know that she would not be allowed to go back to the garden.

    She nodded weakly. "Of course."

    And then he did something that shocked her.

    He hugged her in a tight and warm hug.

    The way a father would hug his daughter.

    She froze at first, and then she let herself embrace him.

 Chapter 162: GIRL FIGHT TWO!

    <h4>Chapter 162: GIRL FIGHT TWO!</h4>

    Jasmine finally released Loren and looked at him with a weak smile.

    The one she knew she could manage.

    She was sad to see him go, but it was what she had to do.

    Letting him go off to confront Xaden will make things worse.

    Who knew what next he would do?

    Punish him by sending him out of the pack for defying his orders?

    She could not risk it.

    She gathered her things and finally left the room.

    She headed back down to where she knew the servant��s quarters were.

    On her way past, she bumped into Lady Belinda.

    "There you are," Lady Belinda said, peering over her. You are just the girl I was looking for."

    Jasmine curtseyed. "Mydy."

    Lady Belinda looked at her through her nose and remembered that no one liked her.

    They all looked down at her with contempt, and if it was left to them, she would be somewhere in the dungeons, perhaps even worse.

    "Master Xaden has instructed that you return to the servant��s quarters." She said.

    "Yes, I was just headed there." She responded.

    Lady Belinda then took note of the small box she had.

    She turned around and headed off in the initial direction Jasmine had been headed.

    "Follow me."

    Jasmine did as she was asked without question. As they passed the courtyards, she saw the servants passing by whispering.

    She knew it was about her, of course, and then the initial feeling of being unwanted came back, overwhelming her.

    She had stayed so long with Loren that she forgot what it was like to be rejected by everyone else.

    When they finally entered the room, Jasmine saw some serving girls there.

    They were seated on their beds,ughing and giggling.

    Once they both stepped in, the girls took note of their presence and went silent instantly.

    Lady Belinda cleared her throat and looked at the girls.

    "Jasmine, under instruction and order by Alpha Xaden, will be staying in this room." Lady Belinda said. "What happened thest time will not happen again. You shall not in any way touch her, or Alpha Xaden will execute you. To cross his orders will be the ultimate punishment. Do you understand me?"

    The girls mumbled to themselves and then eyed Jasmine.

    "I said, DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME?!" Lady Belinda repeated in a much more louder and authoritative voice.

    The girls were forced to reply.

    "Yes, Lady Belinda." They replied.

    Lady Belinda led her to one of the beds and surprised her by saying. "You will sleep on this empty bed, and then you shall have the little wardrobe to keep your things."

    "I slept on the floorst time," Jasmine said. "It must be a mistake."

    "You believe that after what you did, you should be meted out with harsher punishments, right?" Lady Belinda said with a brow up in question.

    Jasmine swallowed, unable to respond in shame.

    "Well, it beats us, too," Lady Belinda said. You should not even be alive after that stunt you pulled, much less be given a bed."

    Lady Belinda turned around and folded her arms, looking down at her.

    "Thank you," Jasmine said.

    Lady Belinda ignored thatst statement and then handed her a piece of paper.

    "Take this. It is your new schedule, " she informed. You are to strictly adhere to the new rules. If you do not, you will be whipped, starved, or made to serve as entertainment to the male wolves."

    Jasmine winced at that onest statement.

    Lady Belinda eyed her and rolled her eyes. "Now you seem to be scared? Especially after what your father did to us all? You should be grateful to Alpha Xaden."

    Jasmine looked down at her chains.

    "And anytime you fail to do as you have been told, I will not be the one to hash out the punishment you will get, but Lady Aurora, and I am sure you know how much she hates you."

    Jasmine did not need to be told twice.

    "You are to always have your chains on whilst you work." Lady Belinda instructed. "And you are to do as you are told. If you are caught without them, you shall be whipped again. Your chores shall resumeter at night ."

    And with that, Lady Belinda turned on her heels and left.

    The room went silent, and Jasmine saw that all the eyes of the servant girls were on her.

    She very quietly turned to her bed and arranged her things into her wardrobe.

    She did not know whether the instructions of protection Xaden had given her would make them stop bullying her physically.

    But she was one hundred percent sure that they would hate her even more.

    Then Lisa got up from where she was, and her group of girls followed her.

    As Jasmine arranged her things inside the wardrobe, she saw a shadow over her.

    She looked up and saw Lisa and her bunch of minions.

    She had expected this, hadn��t she?

    "Hello." Jasmine gently said.

    "Do not hello us, you ve." Lisa put her hands on her waist. "So it seems you have been thrown back down here."

    Jasmine said nothing.

    "And you even tried to kill our Alpha Xaden," Lisa said. "You have some nerve."

    "I wonder why she is still alive." Another servant said.

    "Maybe witchcraft. Can you not see how ugly she is? Hideous." Another responded.

    Lisa shushed the other girls. "When I am speaking, you do not speak unless I ask you to."

    "Sorry." The girls apologized.

    Jasmine wondered why they were all letting her treat them like that.

    "We do not care what happened. And we also do not care that you manipted the cards and became the maiden for the halo festival. You are nothing but a leech. And do not think that because we can not kill you or touch you does not mean that we will not be able to make your life miserable."

    Jasmine breathed deeply.

    "Watch out because we areing for you," Lisa promised, stalking back towards their beds.

    All the girls followed her behind.

    After that clear warning and show of superiority, they ignored her and continued to chatter.

    They were discussing how many Alphas they had slept with over the course of the Halo festival.

    Lisa boasted that all the Alphas were at her feet and she would soon be bought from this boring and miserable pack.

    Jasmine ignored them, although not by choice.

    They would not talk to her even if she tried to insert herself into their conversation.

    She saw the other serving girl, Mya, who had been the only person who had not joined their group beating.

    She also noticed that Mya had not joined them in openly confronting her.

    Mya was also stationed with Lisa and her when cleaning rooms during the Halo Festival.

    But she had noticed that Mya kept to herself.

    Jasmine managed a genuine wave at Mya.

    Mya saw it and then turned away from Jasmine��s gaze.

    Jasmine��s hand dropped weakly, and then she went back to work.

    The door was pushed open, and a girl came in.

    A girl that Jasmine had never seen before.

    Most likely a new ve.

    The girl, with her ck hair made in a single braid, walked straight towards where the beds were.

    Lisa then got up from her own bed and Cleared her throat.

    "Now look what the cat dragged in," Lisa said.

    The girl ignored them and went towards her.

    Jasmine could not deny the fact that as the girl progressed towards her, she was inward terrified.

    But the girl did note to her.

    Instead, shey on the bed beside her and napped.

    Lisa screwed her face up in the most unpleasant way and marched to where the girl was.

    "Get up, you silly girl!" Lisa yelled at her.

    Her entourage had followed her right behind.

    But the girl continued to sleep.

    Her hands under her head to show she was not listening to them.

    "I had warned you that there would be consequences for what you did to me and for how you spoke to me," Lisa said.

    She snapped her fingers, and one of the girls handed her a pole.

    Lisa collected it. "I do not know where you came from or who you are. But what you must know is that I rule here. I am the leader; nobody crosses me, not even you."

    The girl did not budge. Instead, she remained sleeping.

    Then the girl stirred and opened one eye and looked at Lisa.

    "You and your followers should best be on your way now when you are done with your boring speech, " the girl said and went back to sleep.

    It only further infuriated Lisa.

    Lisa screamed and used her full force to hit the pole on the girl, but Jasmine caught it in time.

 Chapter 163: CONSEQUENCES OF THEIR ACTIONS

    <h4>Chapter 163: CONSEQUENCES OF THEIR ACTIONS</h4>

    Jasmine held onto the pole that would havended on the girl firmly, stopping Lisa from hitting her violently.

    Lisa gaped at her in shock.

    "How dare you!" Lisa screamed.

    She tried to pull the pole away from her grip, but Jasmine held onto it, preventing it from reaching impact.

    "Don��t do it," Jasmine said.

    The girl Jasmine had been protecting took off the bedcovers and sat up in amazement as Jasmine held onto the pole as Lisa and she dragged for it.

    Lisa screamed. "Let go, you ugly bitch!"

    But Jasmine held onto it firmly while Lisa struggled.

    Then, Lisa finally pulled it free from Jasmine��s grasp.

    The force at which she dragged it away forcefully sent her propelling back on the floor, and shended hard on her bum.

    Lisa screamed as she scrambled up to her feet.

    She went straight for Jasmine and began strangling her.

    "I��ll show you never in your life mess with me," Lisa swore as she began throwing punches at Jasmine.

    The other girls cheered. "Yes! Beat her! Beat her up, Lisa!"

    Jasmine and Lisa rolled down on the floor as Lisa went on Jasmine and sat down on her body as she beat her.

    Jasmine tried to fight her off by restraining her.

    The other girls were screaming and cheering.

    "Fight! Fight! Fight!" They announced as the battle continued.

    Then, from nowhere, someone jumped on Lisa, and Lisa screamed.

    It was the girl Jasmine had saved from being hit with a pole by Lisa.

    "Get off of me, you bitch!" Lisa screamed.

    But the girl was already on her and dealing her more blows.

    The girls were still cheering even though Lisa was now getting beat up.

    The three ensued in a heated fight while the other girls chanted.

    Only Mya stood far away, watching, tensed.

    "I will show you that you do not test me."

    The serving girl said as she dragged Lisa��s hair.

    Jasmine tried to stop her. "It��s enough. She isn��t worth it!"

    "Like bloody hell, she is not!" The girl responded, pushing Jasmine away and resuming beating Lisa.

    Lisa��s face was now vibrant red, and it looked like she was about to explode.

    There was a loud m, and then Lady Belinda came in.

    "Enough! Enough." She screamed as she marched through the crowd.

    The girls quickly gave way, and the noise calmed down.

    Meanwhile, the three girls were still fighting.

    "Enough!" Lady Belinda screamed. "Enough, I say!"

    And then, she was forced to separate the three girls.

    She dragged the serving girl away from Lisa��s grip.

    "Let her go." Lady Belinda said as she pried her hands from Lisa��s hair.

    Lady Devine, who was Lady Belinda��s assistant, was right behind her and also dragging Jasmine and Lisa away.

    "I said enough!" Lady Belinda said.

    All the girls were a shriveled mess, with their hair and clothes all rumpled.

    Lisa was the worst of all three.

    Her front hair was almost uprooted from the scalp, and her dress was in tatters.

    "You stupid bitch if I get my hands on you!" Lisa swore at the serving girl even though they were now well separated.

    "Ha!" The girl scoffed. "Come fight me when you have grown back your hair!"

    Then Lisa put her hand through her hair and realized what had happened.

    She felt the hair and screamed when she touched it, being set apart from her head.

    "You stupid bitch! When I get my hands on you, you will know never to test me! I will ruin your life!" Lisa said, struggling to run off and fight the serving girl.

    "Bring it on, harlot!" The girl responded.

    Then Lady Belinda and Lady Devine had to hold on to each other as they struggled to be free and resume their fight.

    "I said Enough the both of you!" Lady Belinda��s thunderous voice said.

    Lisa fumed but was able to calm down.

    The other girl folded her arms and reluctantly maintained peace.

    Lady Belinda looked at the both of them, from one woman to the other.

    "What is the matter with you girls?" She demanded. "Just look at yourselves! You are an absolute mess!"

    Both girls sulked but did not counter what she was saying.

    "Just look at yourselves!" Lady Belinda repeated at them.

    Lisa tried to adjust her dress even though it was to no avail.

    "Lisa, you look like you have just been dragged through the face of the earth," Lady Belinda said, turning to the serving girl. And you should be ashamed of yourself for fighting like a barbarian."

    Then Lady Belinda looked at Jasmine.

    "And you!"

    She shook her head. "Why do I always have to find you in the middle of a fight."

    Jasmine said nothing.

    Then Lisa started to speak up.

    "Lady Belinda, she was the one who started it!" Lisa said, pointing at Jasmine. "We all know she is bad news! And then, the other girl tried to get in between us and began hitting me. The girls can testify to everything!"

    She turned to look at them for support, and they quickly began to nod in agreement and say. "Yes. We all indeed saw what happened."

    Lady Belinda rolled her eyes. "Please do not speak as if I do not know that you control all the serving she-wolves."

    Lisa��s face squeezed into a tight frown.

    "You three will be severely punished for what you have done." Lady Belinda said.

    Lisa gasped. "B-but Lady Belinda-

    "Silence!" Lady Belinda said. "You were strictly warned not to touch Jasmine. I had said it. Direct orders from the alpha himself, yet you disobeyed me. Directly disobeying HIM!"

    There was a silence in the room.

    Lady Belinda adjusted her dress. "Or maybe perhaps you want me to handle this matter himself!"

    The three girls all shouted, "No!"

    But Jasmine��s was the loudest.

    She had been in more than enough trouble with Xaden already.

    "That is what I thought." Lady Belinda said.

    With that, she turned back toward the other girls and said. "You all shall be meted out your punishments because pray tell how you can witness a fight and do absolutely nothing."

    The girls all looked down at their feet without saying a word.

    "You should be ashamed of yourselves." She said.

    There was a pin-drop silence in the room.

    She turned to the group of girls who had been chanting. "Lady Devine would handle you all in ordance."

    And then she turned and back to the three girls.

    "You threee with me this very instant!" Lady Belinda instructed as she headed out of the room.

    The three girls followed her as she led them down to the fields.

    "You will clear this entire field off of the weeds." She said. "I do not want to see a single weed lying around."

    "B-but this is going to take forever!" Lisa wailed. "W-what are we even going to use to clean this up?!"

    "There are a good number of rakes in that corner." Lady Belinda indicated. "Make your due choices."

    Lisa fumed as she saw Lady Belinda turn her back on them and proceed to leave.

    Lisa hurried off to pick up a rake and tried to begin raking the weeds off.

    It was useless as she barely did anything at all.

    "This is useless! This was not even my doing!" Lisa scowled.

    She angrily took a seat on the rock and folded her arms. "I am going to do absolutely nothing!"

    The serving girl and Jasmine had already picked up their rakes and began working quietly.

    When the serving girl saw what she was doing, she lost her cool and fumed.

    "Hey, you better pick up that rake!" She warned her. "I am here because of you, and I will not let this punishment because you are azy slut!"

    Lisa folded her arms and turned away. "Nothing you do will make me work." Lisa sneered.

    Jasmine spoke up. "Just ignore her. The earlier we are done. The better."

    "We are not your ves! We are all getting punished, so we have to do the work together! I do not want to spend any more second with you, any less than you do!" the girl red up.

    But Lisa maintained her sauces meh attitude and folded her arms, her face looking upward, obviously not listening to the conversation.

    "Why, you little!

    The girl was about to start fighting with Lisa again when Lady Belinda reappeared.

    "I leave for barely five minutes! Barely five minutes!" Lady Belinda eximed. "And you want to kill yourselves again!"

    The girl turned to Lady Belinda. "It is Lisa! Look at her! She is still sitting down while we work! She does not want to do anything!"

    It was then Lady Belinda turned to look at Lisa in anger. "Is this true?"

    Lisa squeezed her face.

    "That is it!" Lady Belinda snapped. "Up! You will be sharing your own space. And if this is not done before sunset, you will be taken to Alpha Xaden Himself!"

 Chapter 164: A FRIEND FOR LIFE

    <h4>Chapter 164: A FRIEND FOR LIFE</h4>

    At the mention of his name, they all behaved.

    Lady Belinda went ahead to give all the girls their own portion and stalked off.

    It was at this point that Lisa had no choice but tozily work on her portion.

    They all toiled endlessly under the scorching sun in silence.

    Well, all except for Lisa, who whined andined about how unfair it was for her to work as an enved person.

    She alsoined about the fact that none of her girls hade to work for her.

    Eventually Lisa realized that her unnecessary speech was only making her more tired so she kept quiet.

    Jasmine worked tirelessly as she cleared off the weeds.

    The sweat burrowed between her brows, and she was consumed by exhaustion.

    Her heavy chains attached to her legs and hands only made it heavier and more challenging to work than the other two girls.

    But then Jasmine was already used to working this hard, so she was able to work faster and more efficiently than the other girls.

    She turned and saw the other girl working.

    She seemed better than Lisa but was still having a tough time.

    Jasmine went to her side.

    "Do you mind if I show you a trick?" Jasmine asked her as she indicated to the rake.

    The girl looked at her in surprise.

    "Can I?" Jasmine repeated, indicating the rake.

    The girl gave her, and then Jasmine went on to begin raking.

    She twisted the rake and dipped it hard into the sand before twisting and then dragging it out.

    The weeds came out swiftly.

    The girl looked at it in shock. "Wow, how did you learn how to do that?"

    Jasmine shrugged with a smile. "Just something I learned."

    "Thanks." The girl said as she collected the rake back. "I did not get that chance to tell you, but why did you save me?"

    Jasmine shrugged. "I just felt like you did not deserve to be hit by Lisa in such a way."

    The girl sighed deeply. "Well, thank you very much for that. I owe you one. My name is Fiona."

    Fiona extended her hand out, and Jasmine took it. "I am Jasmine."

    "The infamous Jasmine," Fiona said. "I have head a thing or two about you."

    Jasmine blushed in shame, wondering whether Fiona was about to hate her for the atrocities her father hadmitted like everyone else.

    "It is nice to meet you," Fiona said.

    Jasmine looked up in shock.

    "What?" Fiona asked.

    "Oh, I just thought maybe you wouldn��t want to talk to me," Jasmine said.

    "Why?" Fiona asked, puzzled, as she resumed her raking.

    She used Jasmine��s trick and pulled out the weeds faster than she had done.

    "I don��t know." Jasmine shrugged. "Perhaps you are not aware that I am a ve."

    Fiona rolled her eyes. "I do not care who you are or if everyone else sees you a type of way. That is on them. But you are the girl who saved my life. That is all that matters."

    Jasmine could hardly believe it.

    This was someone who had refused to judge her because of who she was.

    Someone who had looked at her differently.

    She felt a soft feeling of calm within herself.

    "Thank you," Jasmine said, putting one of her loose curls behind her ear.

    Then, to prevent any further conversations, she went back and picked up her own rake to help Fiona work.

    "What about your work?" Fiona asked.

    "Oh, I am already done," Jasmine said.

    Fiona smiled, and both girls resumed working on the portion.

    Lisa turned and saw how they were both working together.

    She screwed her face.

    "You are cheating!" Lisa screamed.

    Fiona rolled her eyes and ignored her.

    "Come and work for me!"

    Lisa screamed at Jasmine.

    But Jasmine, too, ignored her and went on working with Fiona.

    Lisa threw tantrums, but none of them paid her any heed.

    Eventually, sunset came, and Fiona and Jasmine were done.

    Lisa, on the other hand, was barely done.

    When Lady Belinda came into the fields, she saw them.

    "It seems you two have finished your work." She said. "All except for you Lisa."

    "Lady Belinda, they cheated!" Lisa said, flinging her rake away and matching up to Lady Belinda. "Jasmine helped her clean her portion!"

    Lady Belinda eyed them. "Is this true?"

    "Yes," Jasmine said. "But only because I insisted on it."

    Lady Belinda eyed the three of them.

    "I don��t see how there was any cheating."

    Lisa gasped in rage.

    "You disobeyed me by not finishing before sunset." Lady Belinda said.

    Lisa tried to argue with Lady Belinda, but Lady Belinda raised her hand up.

    "Jasmine and Fiona you��ve served your punishment and I hope this is going to teach you to never ever fight again. Do you understand?" Lady Belinda said.

    "Yes, ma��am." They both chorused together.

    "You may leave." She said with a wave of her hand.

    And then both girls hurried out of the fields.

    Lisa screamed in frustration.

    "What about me?!" Lisa demanded in anger.

    "You are going to be given a much bigger punishment." Lady Belinda said.

    Lisa had no choice but to remain behind.

    Jasmine and Fiona ran off, and once they reached the castle, they stopped and breathed heavily.

    Then theyughed together.

    "Finally, she got a taste of what she deserved," Fiona said.

    Jasmineughed. "I saw you punched her. I wish I was the one who did."

    Theyughed together and then finally smiled.

    "You are new here," Jasmine said.

    "Yes, Alpha Xaden rescued me from a rogue attack," Fiona responded. "My entire pack was gone, and when I would have been killed, he saved me. And that is why I work here now."

    Jasmine smiled. "He saved you."

    "He did." Fiona nodded. "It is my way of paying him for what he did to me."

    Jasmine nodded, and then together, she and Fiona went off into the castle hallway.

    Then and there, Jasmine knew she had made her first true female friend.

 Chapter 165: BACK FROM THE DEAD

    <h4>Chapter 165: BACK FROM THE DEAD</h4>

    XADEN��S POV

    "How would you like to deal with Bale?" Damian asked as Xaden picked up his quill and dipped it into the ink.

    Xaden pressed his brows on his forehead. "I have chosen not to deal with it. I will simply let it go until the new moon. There is much on my te."

    "The Rogue packs are beginning to get heated," Olsen said.

    He was the leadmander in the outside watch of their packs.

    "We have lost over four more viges," Olsen said. "All burned down and destroyed. No one was left alive."

    Xaden was being confronted with all the things that had been left behind during the halo festival.

    They had been so consumed by the ongoing festival that pressing matters had had to be suppressed.

    Now that it was done for, he has a full te.

    Xadenced his fingers together. "Where is Erik?"

    The men looked at themselves, and another wolf said. "He still has refused to attend meetings. I believe he is back in his quarters".

    Xaden leaned back in his chair and sighed exasperated. Since their argument, they had not had a one-on-one conversation.

    "Tell him to report to me," Xaden said, faintly irritated. "He usually handles all these. Not me."

    "That is the thing." Another wolf said. "Erik is not someone to be cajoled. We all know that. He still retains his status as Alpha, and he gets to do what he wants. Only you can confront him."

    Xaden gritted his teeth, knowing damn right that Erik would not even listen to him.

    Xaden sighed and turned to the other side of his chair.

    "Fine." Xaden gave in. "Set about half of your men and use the second formation to push the rogue wolves back away from our territory. I will do nothing to Bale. We only have barely three months left now till the new moon. We will face him then. But in the meantime, ensure that Garrick tightens his control over them."

    Damian bowed.

    "If that will be all," Xaden said, returning to the workload before him. "I have other work to do."

    "I forgot." Derrik said, clearing his throat. "Lady Belinda said that there was an incident with three servants. A girl fight."

    Xaden stopped using his quill and looked up at Derrick. "And is a certain ve named Jasmine among them?"

    "Yes." Derrik nodded.

    Xaden swore in irritation. "Why the bloody hell is that girl always in the middle of a fight? And had I not instructed that she is not to be touched by anyone."

    Derrik shrugged. "Lady Belinda said she had supposedly tried to stop a fight."

    Xaden was further annoyed. "Is she attached to fights? Or that is perhaps all she does? I inserted herself in fights even when I instructed her to stay away from fights."

    "The instruction had been that no one fight with her, not that she stay away from fights." Roach, one of the wolves present, said.

    Xaden red at him, and Roach shut his mouth instantly.

    "She has received her punishment." Derrik finished. "Lady Belinda said she had handled it perfectly and not to worry. She had just wanted to report the situation to you."

    Why? Xaden wondered. Why did she always have to remain a pest on his side?

    She had her chains on, and she was restricted from many movements, yet she somehow got herself in the mix.

    If not for the fact that he was tethered to her and the fact that if she died, he too would, he would have sent her head back to her lovely parents in a box.

    He breathed heavily in annoyance.

    "Make sure that the-

    The door was mmed open, stopping him right in his tracks.

    "My lord!" It was one of the high-ranking wolves who was stationed outside their pack territory.

    "What are you doing here, Chen?" He asked.

    "Forgive me, my lord, for interrupting you," Chen said.

    Chen was breathless and seemed to have run over a mile on his feet.

    "But there is something you MUST see," Chen said.

    Then Chen told him, and Xaden rose to his feet in shock.

    "You lie!" Xaden said. "This is maybe a trick from one of my enemies."

    If he had a heart, it would be racing, sweat had overwhelmed his forehead, and his body trembled.

    "I swear, my lord," Chen said. "This is no trick. I saw it with my very own eyes, my lord."

    The chill was so powerful he almost stumbled down to the ground

    "Take me there," Xaden said, trying to stay calm.

    Chen bowed and then led him out.

    Xaden and Chen hurried down the hallway with his men right behind him.

    He was so tense he could barely even think for himself.

    He stopped short when he was finally in the room where his surprise awaited him.

    He stopped short when he saw one man backing him.

    "Face the Alpha," Xaden demanded.

    The man stopped and slowly turned around, and Xaden felt his entire being freeze.

    "Xaden." The man with full hair and a full beard said.

    The man who should not be alive.

    "Uncle." Xaden managed to utter.

    He stared at him, shocked, wondering how this was true.

    He had been dead.

    The first among the few to have been killed after the raid.

    His uncle walked up to him, and then, as if to take a step back uncertain, he wavered.

    Then, his uncle slowly engulfed him in a hug.

    Xaden froze, unmoving, and hung in his scent.

    And then he held unto him firmly.

    "How is it that you live?" Xaden managed. "You were said to be dead."

    His uncle let go of him. "I had no choice but to hide."

    Before Xaden could ask any more questions, his uncle stretched out his hand to the side as if beckoning someone toe to him.

    A small figure moved from the shadows and held his hand.

    The young girl looked up at him with her big brown eyes.

    She was around twenty-one and had her hair in a single braid.

    And then it hit him.

    It felt like a pang in his chest.

    "Xaden. It is I. Your first mate." She said

 Chapter 166: WHERE DID THEY COME FROM

    <h4>Chapter 166: WHERE DID THEY COME FROM</h4>

    Xaden just stood as she slowly progressed towards him.

    He knew those eyes, that face, he had seen them years back.

    It had been imprinted into his brain when he discovered she was his first mate.

    He instinctively took a step back.

    She reached out to him.

    "Xaden, it��s me." She repeated. "Lily."

    He could barely even swallow; his entire throat was dry, and he was void of words.

    First his uncle, and then now this?

    This was a dream.

    They were all ying tricks on him.

    Someone was ying with his mind.

    "You are not real." He said. "You were dead. I saw you."

    She shook her head. "You saw what you were meant to see."

    He rose a brow in confusion.

    He was baffled.

    What was going on here?

    He felt everything in his body shake with anxiety, with uncertainty

    Xaden, who was always certain.

    Xaden, who was never unsure of himself, was now at a crossroads.

    He still seemed in disbelief and turned to his men for support.

    As if to ask them if they were seeing what he, too, was seeing.

    They slightly nodded in silent answer.

    His uncle cleared his throat and said. "When Bale attacked, your father made quick instructions to get some people out. I was the one who chaired that battalion."

    Xaden blinked, and he reluctantly pulled his eyes away from Lily.

    He looked at his mother��s brother and said. "Are you saying that there are people who escaped the attack that night?"

    Then his uncle raised a brow and now looked confused. "Of course. There were about three battalions of people to be rescued. I headed mine; your father, Gamma Wilson, headed the one that was supposed to take you and your mother along with your sister. He was supposed to take direct members of the royal family."

    "You are so grown now." His uncle said as he touched his cheeks. "Little Xaden is now reced with a man surpassing even myself."

    Then his uncle said. "Speaking of your mother. I need to see my sister. Where is she? I know your father died fending Bale off, and for that, I am very sorry."

    His uncle touched Xaden��s shoulder and started walking towards the door. "Where is she? It has been goddamn too long."

    "Uncle, there is no one left," Xaden said, stopping him in his tracks.

    A stiff smile was stamped on his uncle��s face.

    "What do you mean there is no one left?" He asked, confused.

    Xaden looked to his men.

    It was Damien who spoke up for Xaden. "The attack was brutal. We had no idea anyone escaped. Xaden, too, was believed dead. It was by chance that he was saved." Damien said.

    Uncle Uther turned to look at Xaden; his smile had fallen.

    "What about the other battalion?" He asked. "They were in good formation right after I had left."

    Damien shook his head. "No one survived that attack. At least Xaden was the only one we were aware of. Few is known of what happened. Xaden was only a child when it happened and barely remembers the incident."

    Uther��s breathing stiffened. "My sister, your sister, Anna?"

    "They were all dead," Xaden said. "All gone."

    He had finally gotten the voice to speak up.

    Uther bit his bottom lip and almost fell to the ground when someone held him and set him to sit on the chair.

    Lily was beside him as she and a guard eased him down on a chair.

    "Easy," Lily said. "Please."

    Uther remained on the chair, his hands in his face as his emotions evolved.

    Xaden, on his own, could hardly believe what was going on.

    There was a silence, and then, when Uther finally spoke, his voice broke.

    "I just can not believe this," Uther said.

    Xaden went to him, knelt on his knees, and touched his uncle��s shoulder.

    "You are the only family I have seen since," Xaden said. "We do not weep over the dead, but we remember them."

    Uther nodded fervently as his entire body shook.

    Chen snapped, and a maid rushed in with a ss of water on a tter and put it before Uther.

    Uther managed to drink it, and his hands were shaking so fervently.

    "Why did you never show up." Erik��s voice said.

    Xaden turned and saw his Gamma.

    He had not seen Erik in a while.

    At least not since their fight the day he had thrown Jasmine in the dungeon.

    "I beg your pardon," Uther said.

    Erik folded his arms. "I asked why you did not return. It��s been well over twenty years, and you are just returning."

    "He has suffered enough," Xaden said without looking at Erik. "You do not need to ask him such questions."

    "He just came from nowhere, dering himself your king��s lost uncle, and yet you wee him with such open arms?"

    Xaden rose to his feet and turned to Erik. "I said that you will not question him. He is my flesh and blood. I can smell it. We all can smell it."

    "No, you do not need to argue over this."

    Uther said,ing in between the conversation. "The man is right. It is best that he asks such a question. You can not just ept someone."

    Then he turned to Erik. "Xaden��s father instructed us to remain where we had been told to stay until he sent information. We remained in one of the converted territories that were far away. We had to remain there."

    "And what made you return?" Erik asked without returning. "Because no word was sent to you, I assure you."

    "The Halo moon," Uther said. "We have astrologists, and they said it was here. We knew then we had toe."

    "That is enough exnation," Xaden said to Uther and looked at Erik.

    The tensions between both men heightened.

    "You do not need to exin anything to him," Xaden said, ring at Erik.

    Erik folded his arms. "Forgive me if you have let your emotions get the best of youtely."

    "You are my gamma, and you will not disrespect me." Xaden spat.

    "You forget that I am also an Alpha," Erik said, walking up to Xaden until they were almost head-to-head.

    Uther stood up. "Please, Ie in peace. Not for war."

    Erik said nothing, backing down from his already heightened wolf and walked out of the room.

    Then Uther turned to Xaden. "If you say you survived, how did you manage to get back this pack? When we arrived and saw the pack walls still standing, we were certain that your mother, at least, and everyone would be here."

    "I made my way," Xaden said. "Started from scratch and found my own pack. I grew, and then I built back the walls."

    Uther looked at him with pride. "Your parents would have been so proud."

    "We found them when we were far on the territory on patrol," Chen said. "He had insisted that he was rted to you and wanted to see you."

    "It is good that you brought them here," Xaden said.

    Then Uther turned to look at him. "The tensions between both men heightened.

    "You do not need to exin anything to him," Xaden said, ring at Erik.

    Erik folded his arms. "Forgive me if you have let your emotions get the best of youtely."

    "You are my gamma, and you will not disrespect me." Xaden spat.

    "You forget that I am also an Alpha," Erik said, walking up to Xaden until they were almost head-to-head.

    Uther stood up. "Please, Ie in peace. Not for war."

    Erik said nothing, backing down from his heightened wolf, and left the room.

    Then Uther turned to Xaden. "If you say you survived, how did you manage to get back this pack? When we arrived and saw the pack walls still standing, we were certain that your mother, at least, and everyone would be here."

    "I made my way," Xaden said. "Started from scratch and found my own pack. I grew, and then I built back the walls."

    Uther looked at him with pride. "Your parents would have been so proud."

    "We found them when we were far on the territory on patrol," Chen said. "He had insisted that he was rted to you and wanted to see you."

    "It is good that you brought them here," Xaden said.

    Then Uther turned to look at him. "Bale? What about Bale? Did you avenge us?"

    Xaden tilted his head. "No."

    And then Uther��s face fell.

    "But then I have him. I raided his pack, but he is under protection from the ord," Xaden said. In a few months, I will have his head."

    Before Uther could say another word, Xaden rose.

    "We all have questions. You have had a tiresome journey, and you must rest." Xaden said. "We shall speak more at dinner."

    Utter rose to his feet, and Xaden embraced him. "It is good to see you, uncle."

    "The same nephew." Uther said as he kissed Xaden��s cheek.

    Then Lily, whose beautiful eyes had been peering at them, looked up at him.

    Xaden pecked her cheek and looked down at her.

    "I shall see you too at dinner." He said.

    And then, hand in hand with Uther, they went out of the room.

 Chapter 167: SERVANT DUTIES

    <h4>Chapter 167: SERVANT DUTIES</h4>

    JASMINE��S POV

    As Jasmine and Fiona went down the hallways, chattering off like best friends, they heard some voices.

    Jasmine saw the other servants bowing down, and then she hurried and curtseyed.

    Jasmine dragged down Fiona who was still standing and gawking at them.

    It was then Jasmine curtseyed.

    The people passed by.

    "Who are they?" Fiona asked, looking up once they had gone ahead.

    "I do not know," Jasmine said with a shrug. "Perhaps new guests?"

    Jasmine watched as ady in avender dress went on with a man right beside her.

    A number of guards went right behind them.

    "I heard that she is Alpha Xaden��s long-lost mate," a servant gossiping to another said.

    Jasmine could overhear.

    "I thought everyone from his pack had been killed except for him." The servant responded.

    "So did I."

    Jasmine swallowed heavily.

    Alpha Xaden��s long-lost mate?

    Why did she feel ufortable? It was not like they had anything.

    She had feelings for him and was growing to ept that, but he most certainly did not care about her.

    She was curious to know if this was true or not.

    "Let��s go," Fiona said, pulling Jasmine away.

    Jasmine was dragged off as her chains ttered.

    "Are those not too heavy for you?" Fiona said. "Why would you be subjected to such?"

    "They are orders from Alpha Xaden," Jasmine said. "I am to wear this at all times."

    Fiona looked over the heavy chains in horror as she tried to fiddle with the chains.

    "Do not," Jasmine said, withdrawing herself from her grip. "You will be punished."

    "Those chains will make it difficult for you to work. How did you even get to finish work so fast?" Fiona queried. "Even a girl like me who worked on my father��s farm could not do it as well as you did."

    Jasmine blushed in shame. "It was a skill I had to pick overtime."

    "Whatever crimes you havemitted, these punishments are too grim for you," Fiona said without letting the matter go.

    "I have seen worse," Jasmine said. Then she tucked her hand behind her ears. "If you knew who I am or whose daughter I am, you will never speak to me again."

    Fiona shook her head. "Whoever��s daughter you are does not matter. Neither does the blood that flows through your brain. In my pack, they all believed that I would be the one girl who was a replica of her mother. Calm, poised, lovely. But I grew up to be entirely different."

    Fiona sighed and gently collected Fiona��s hands. "You do not know me, and yet you have helped me. Twice! You saved my life on both asions. Because of you, that awful girl didn��t get the opportunity to hit me. And because of you, I did not get an extra punishment. I finished my work on time."

    Fiona sighed heavily. "It does not matter whose blood flows through your veins."

    Fiona set her hand to point at Jasmine��s chest. "It is what is in here that matters the most. Not what everyone else expects or believes of you."

    Jasmine felt overwhelmed.

    Such kind words from someone she had only met today.

    Someone who did not judge her and would not even care to know who she truly was.

    She wanted to throw her arms and hug her.

    She felt her feet wiggle in excitement at the prospect that she now had a friend.

    A friend within her age was also a woman for the first time in her life.

    "Or do you mean to tell you you did not enjoy Lisa getting more punishment?" Fiona asked, giggling.

    Jasmine giggled in return. "It felt quite good to see her in trouble."

    "You can easily tell, right?"

    And both womenughed together.

    The bells rang.

    "Those are the bells for our evening duty," Fiona said, looking up. "Where do you work for evening duty?"

    Jasmine then recalled that she had been given her scroll with her work schedule, and she still had not read it because she was illiterate.

    She pulled out her scroll from the pocket in her dress. "I have not quite been able to read it."

    "Oh," Fiona said, confused. "Why? Do you have difficulty reading?"

    Jasmine nodded to the lie.

    She had not expected it to go that way but was delighted.

    "Let me see," Fiona said as she picked it up. "I can read because I was given an education."

    Jasmine knew that it was very hard to be literate. ves or servants did not know how to read.

    Fiona read the paper aloud.

    Once she was done, she looked at Jasmine.

    "Did you get that?" She asked.

    Jasmine nodded. "Yes, I did."

    "We have the kitchen and serving duty together," Fiona said. "Let us go."

    And then she held her hand and dragged her to the kitchen.

    When they got it in, Jasmine felt all eyes on her, but Fiona was too chatty to notice.

    None of the other wolves wanted to talk to her.

    Anything she touched, they spat or whispered and steered clear of it.

    "Such a vile creature."

    "An abomination."

    Jasmine swallowed the words, confident that they were not to me.

    Not everyone had the same heart that Fiona did.

    Moreover Fiona still did not know who her father was.

    When it was now dark, the head kitchen staff came in. "Serve the meals."

    Fiona was given her tter and went to the side to wait for Jasmine.

    Jasmine was handed her own tter even though it was given to her with a look of disgust.

    She received it quietly and met Fiona, who looked at her suspiciously.

    "Why did they look at you like that?" Fiona asked.

    Jasmine sighed. "I told you, they do not like me here. And I most certainly do not me them."

    "Hating someone for their bloodline is cowardice," Fiona said as she set down therge te of turkey on the table.

    Jasmine set down the roast potatoes and adjusted them in ce.

    Jasmine shrugged. "I am used to it."

    They went back and forth with other servants, filling the tables with different delicacies.

    Lady Belinda snapped fingers, trying to see if everything was in ce.

    "Put that there!" She instructed. "Do not be an idiot!"

    She turned to someone else. "I asked for red wine! Red wine! Not whiskey!"

    Jasmine and Fiona left for the kitchen, but Lady Belinda stopped them. "You two! Where do you think you are going?"

 Chapter 168: JASMINE’S JEALOUSY

    <h4>Chapter 168: JASMINE��S JEALOUSY</h4>

    "We are done, mydy," Jasmine said.

    "You want to go off and cause more trouble, do you not?" Lady Belinda asked. "I have gotten an earful from Alpha Xaden today thanks to all the mischief you caused earlier today."

    Before either of them could respond, she silenced them.

    "It does not matter. You two will stay and serve as extra hands." Lady Belinda said.

    "Jasmine, you will serve Alpha Xaden and the two guests by his side. Fiona you shall serve the other three high ranking wolves to his left the other servants will attend to the others."

    Fiona wanted to protest, but Lady Belinda cut her off.

    "No excuses. You had better do as I have said! If you test me then I would make sure your punishment is times two of what you got."

    And with that, she stormed off.

    Jasmine and Fiona were forced to do as they were expected.

    Soon, the guests started trooping.

    Jasmine held a jar of wine, like Fiona, and they stood by the wall, waiting for the right time to replenish the wine.

    "Look at them dressed all fancy," Fiona said. "You would think this a wolf ball."

    Jasmine giggled.

    Then Jasmine saw Xaden step into the dining room, and her heart stopped.

    His dark hair was tied into a neat ponytail, and his simple beard over his nose made him even more handsome.

    She felt her knees wobble in such anxiety.

    And then what she saw on his arm stopped him.

    There was a small feminine hand on his arm, and then she saw it belonged to a smallish girl, probably around the age of twenty-two.

    She had lovely brown hair and a dress thatplimented her dress.

    The woman said something, and heughed.

    Jasmine felt her stomach go aze with fire.

    "Jasmine, are you alright?" Fiona asked.

    "What?" Jasmine asked, not hearing what Fiona had said.

    "I asked if you are alright," Fiona repeated.

    Jasmine looked at her as if she were speaking some foreignnguage.

    Then she nodded. "Oh yes. Of course, I am fine. Why would I not be?"

    "Well, because your face is a mass of red," Fiona said.

    Jasmine said nothing as her gaze returned to Xaden and the young girl on his arm.

    She swallowed hard as her eyes followed them.

    The woman was lovely, and Jasmine, who was always so amodating to other women, felt jealous.

    Even with Aurora, she had not felt jealous. Or even if it was Princess Belle.

    But this woman.

    Something was different.

    She felt something off.

    She felt different as if she held a certain power over Xaden.

    Like Jasmine had good reason to fear.

    Jasmine watched as he led her to a chair, and then his eye made contact with her.

    She felt her heart flip right out of her chest, but he stared away from her, and his eyes returned to the beautiful maiden before him.

    It was like he had barely even noticed her.

    She felt her knees shake in shame.

    "Why does it seem like those two have some sort of connection," Fiona asked no one in particr. "I had believed that Lady Aurora was his main mistress."

    Jasmine did not respond because she genuinely did not have the heart to respond.

    Then, as if he had never even sighted Jasmine, he pulled out the chair for the youngdy, and she blushed and took a seat.

    The woman said something to him, probably a thank you, and then he replied with something else.

    Jasmine held the jar so much in jealousy she did not know she was gripping it so firmly.

    Then the woman gave him her hand, and he received it and kissed it.

    Jasmine��s heart was racing so fast.

    Was it perhaps true that this woman was his long-lost mate? She could hardly believe it.

    She did not want to believe it.

    Then Xaden returned to his seat at the head of the table.

    Jasmine watched all of these movements like a hawk watching its young.

    Meanwhile, Fiona was looking at her in amazement, but she said nothing.

    As Xaden was seated, all the other guests were in their seats.

    A man was to Xaden��s right, while the strange woman was to his left.

    Music began to y, and they began to eat and chat together.

    A jester and his followers performed their antiques, and everyone cheered.

    Jasmine just stood in her miserable servant clothes while she waited for theirmand.

    Jasmine saw the woman say something to Xaden��s ear, and then he whispered something back.

    Then he said. "Lady Belinda."

    Lady Belinda went running to him.

    "Yes, my lord." She said.

    "It seems the fair and beautiful Lady Lily praises your hosting skills, " he said as he rubbed his palms. She told me that I serve a perfect host, but I told her that all praises are to you alone."

    Lady Belinda Blushed. "The honor will forever be mine, my lord."

    Lady Belinda turned to the woman. "Yourpliments are too much of a lowly servant."

    "Even a servant deserves kind words, do they not?" The woman said in such a splendid and well-articted voice.

    Jasmine was in awe as she had no such concepts to herself.

    Lady Belinda curtseyed. "Of course, mydy."

    Xaden lifted his goblet to drink, but nothing went out of his mouth.

    "More wine."

    Lady Belinda bowed. "Of course my lord."

    And then she rushed to Jasmine and Fiona.

    "His lordship requires wine!" Lady Belinda whispered fiercely. "Do not just stand, go to attend to them! Now!"

    Jasmine and Fiona moved from the wall and hurried to the table.

    Fortunately, Fiona went to Xaden��s side to serve the wine while Jasmine hung on the other end.

    Then Aurora came into the dining.

    She saw the woman seated in her seat, and she fumed but took a seat beside the woman.

    She did not look quite happy.

    "How lovely to meet another woman." The woman said.

    "Can not quite say the same." Aurora rolled her eyes.

    Xaden red at her.

 Chapter 169: THE DINNER WITH HIS LOST ONES

    <h4>Chapter 169: THE DINNER WITH HIS LOST ONES</h4>

    GENERAL POV

    Lily��s face fell from the impact of Aurora��s words, and Xaden��s face was thunderous.

    Aurora saw that she had crossed a huge line and adjusted.

    "I mean." Aurora cleared her throat. "I just had quite a busy day fighting off some rogue packs."

    Lily smiled as she bit down on hermb. "I quite understand you. You are doing quite a good job yourself. I dare say I admire you. I can not fight."

    "Oh really," Aurora said, raising a brow. "And yet you remained hidden for a very long time without anyone taking note of you."

    Lily managed a smile. "It was not the best time. We had guards, and the rest of us who escaped were well-equipped to handle any future problems. Well, except for me. I barely made any such contributions. I grew up there and had to learn how to do womanly duties. I wish I knew how to fight."

    "Lily did more than enough." Uther chipped in as he bit down on his chicken leg. "She took care of us, and it was lovely seeing her grow from a child into a woman."

    "And what of your mother? Have you none?" Aurora asked in a malicious tone.

    Xaden��s fuming anger could be smelt from afar.

    "That is none of your business," Xaden said. "Forgive her."

    Lily tucked her hair behind her ears. "No, it is quite Alright. My mother did not make it. She died on the way of an illness. So I never knew her. I was but a baby when we were taken away."

    Then Lily resumed digging through her tes.

    Xaden gently reached out his hands to touch and hold her firmly.

    She turned to look at him shyly, and then he said. "You are safe now. And you are here that is all that matters."

    She blushed. "I was only a baby when we were young. Forgive me, for I can not remember you. I wish I could have those memories."

    He gently let his hands massage hers. "You have no need to apologize. I am the one to apologize. I never knew that you and my uncle or others from my original family pack had survived.

    She smiled at him knowingly.

    Aurora was furious. She held her fork so hard that it snapped into two.

    Lily quickly withdrew her hand from Xaden��s, and then she turned to Aurora.

    "I see that you work quite hard here. And you are familiar with this ce. Perhaps you have a high rank in this pack as a woman heading the other she-wolves?" Lily asked.

    Aurora gave a very stiff smile and said, "A woman heading other she-wolves? Oh no, you have that all wrong. I am Alpha Xaden��s very own, one and only mistress."

    Utter choked on his wine

    Lily paused her eating, and Aurora took glee at her work.

    Lily gently patted her lips.

    "Oh, I had no idea," Lily said. "Well, he is an Alpha and, therefore, a man with needs. He would need a mistress."

    "An only one." Aurora dered. "Because all his needs are already being satisfied by <i>me</i>."

    The side where Xaden, Uther, Aurora, and Lily sat went calm.

    Even the other wolves who were seated could sense the energy.

    Then Aurora smiled. "Look at me. My bad mood has thrown you off the high road, has it not? I do not even know you."

    But it was a lie. Aurora had heard.

    That Xaden��s first and only mate was alive and hade to the pack.

    It infuriated her.

    She had finally gotten rid of Belle; now, she had only told herself she would handle Jasmine.

    What she was sure of was jasmine, who at most had very dark secrets.

    So powerful that Alexander had died with his mouth shut to conceal it.

    But then here she was again.

    With another woman.

    This was even worse.

    This was a supposed mate of his

    And everyone knew what a mate bond could do.

    But how had they just upped ande after all these years? After such a long time?

    And of all time, why now?

    "Do tell me about yourself," Aurora said.

    Lily smiled. "There is nothing special. My name is Lily, and I am from the old crescent pack. But then I grew up in the distant wolf because of my safety."

    "She is also Xaden��s mate," Uther said from afar.

    Aurora felt her throat clock together.

    So it was true.

    She eyed her.

    "His mate, I see," Aurora said. A very stiff smile sprung on her face.

    Xaden said nothing as he bit through his meal.

    It angered her.

    It was like whenever she solved one problem; another came tumbling down.

    It all started to go bad from the day Jasmine stepped into this pack.

    But she did not trust these people.

    Or was it that Bale himself had sent them here?

    "It would be an honor," Uther said, "To go with you on your final battle with Bale. Your parents would be proud of you. The Crescent Moon runs through our blood."

    Xaden sighed. "How could I ever deny you such an honor, uncle."

    Lily smiled at him as the music around yed.

    Aurora angrily cut through her meat and forced it into her mouth before chewing aggressively.

    Then Xaden picked up his spoon and touched the side of his cup.

    It went as a ding ding, getting the attention of everyone present.

    The music stopped, and all eyes went on him.

    "Dear brothers and sisters. To everyone, great and small. I want to make this toast to my family. Those that I believed I had lost a long time ago."

    Then he turned to them, saying, "It pleases me to wee you back home with open arms, and may the gods forever be in our favor."

    He drank, and then everyone cheered before he went back to his seat.

    Everyone else drank and resumed their chatter.

    Then they head another ding ding.

    This time, it was Uther who stood up.

    They all went quiet and turned to look at him.

    "It has been years since I have been here." Uther started his wine ss in his hand as he looked around. "So many memories here. I remember when my sister was brought here to marry Orion; you must have all heard about him, but only a few, if perhaps none, actually met him. He was a great Alpha. Feared and Just. Their union brought my nephew and his niece, who is sadly with us no longer."

    Xaden said nothing to that.

    "After a cmity, after a great betrayal, to see that this ce still stands firm, I have no words." He resumed. "To see that he followed his father��s footsteps and rebuilt what we once lost, we are honored."

    After thatst statement, a few yeses and sounds of praise and agreement from the wolves could be heard.

    "Join me in this toast." He lifted his goblet to the air and facing directly at Xaden. "to my Nephew who would be the best wolf of his bloodline there has ever been. And to his mate Lily, who will one day be by his side the way his mother once was beside his father, like Luna!"

    And then he drank, and they all drank and cheered for Xaden.

    Aurora turned and looked at Xaden, and her eyes lit with fire by the sudden announcement.

    She wanted to strangle Lily, who was by her side.

    His wife? His Luna?! And what about her, who had been by his side all his life?!

    What had happened to his saying that he would never wed a wolf?!

    She wanted to lose her mind.

    Then, as if on cue, right after the toast, a jar fell to the floor, and its contents spilled to the ground.

    It was none other than Jasmine.

    She had heard the entire announcement, and she was shocked at how much effect it had had on her.

    She could barely even breathe.

    She just stared, holding the jar as her hand shook in fear.

    And then it finally dropped.

    The entire wine spilled to the ground as the gold jar ttered, making loud noises.

    They all turned to look at where the noise wasing from.

    Unfortunately, she had been on her way out before Uther��s toast, and so she had been forced to pause.

    The wine had sshed right on Lily��s dress.

    Jasmine��s face was filled with horror.

    Aurora was delighted.

    It was the first time Jasmine had done something right.

    "Forgive me," Jasmine apologized as she went down on her feet to clean Lily��s dress with her own tattered dress. "Please forgive me. I was only a fool."

    "It is alright," Lily said. "We all make mistakes, and these things happen."

    Xaden did not look alright.

    His face was a mask of thunder.

    She wanted the ground to open up and swallow her whole.

    "Filthy blood." Someone on the table said.

    There were whispers and then a loud thud.

    "Xaden! Is it true that is the blood of Bale?!"

    Uther demanded in full-blown rage.

 Chapter 170: ANGRY WOLVES

    <h4>Chapter 170: ANGRY WOLVES</h4>

    Uther was standing on his feet; his hand had mmed down hard on the table as he breathed hard and began to growl.

    "Is it true that you let in the child of Bale?" Uther demanded.

    "Where did you hear this from, Uncle?" Xaden asked as he sipped his goblet.

    "Whispers." Uther��s said. "I can hear the wolves whispering and saying that Bale��s bloodline is present in this pack. I had heard the rumors, and I had dismissed it to be all false."

    Jasmine��s heart was beating as she hurriedly cleaned up the ce where the wine had been poured.

    "I remind you that you do not need to do this," Lily said to her.

    Jasmine, still jealous of this woman, felt ashamed that she was nothing like her.

    That this woman was the supposed mate of Xaden.

    This woman was not a tainted blood like her and had just been announced as his future Luna.

    Also, for the fact that his uncle had just risen in rage at the demand that Xaden had kept a child of Bale.

    She felt her heart beating.

    The sweat beads poured down from her forehead.

    "She is right, Jasmine," Aurora said. "You do not need to clean her."

    Aurora rolled her eyes at Lily, even though Lily did not take note of it.

    Meanwhile, the tensions on the table remained.

    "This is hardly the ce or the time to talk

    About this uncle." Xaden tried to calm him down.

    Uther banged the table, and everything nked hard.

    "I demand an answer!" Uther said. "You shall not teach me or regard me as a child! I may not have been in this pack in many years, nor have I been here to rebuild it, but that does not mean that I will stand and watch it being desecrated."

    Xaden sighed. "What you heard is true."

    There was further uproar and murmurs of anger from the crowd.

    Although it was strictly from the men who hade along with Uther.

    They all rose to their feet, and their eyes were bewildered by its wolf energy.

    They turned colors, began to frivolously foam by their mouth, and growl in hostility.

    They were angered, ready to change by all means.

    "This is a great sin," Uther said, his eyes now a zing red. You shall hand this bloodline of Bale over to me."

    Xaden was now up on his feet. "That would not be necessary."

    "It was not a request," Uther said, his jade eye glimmering in rage. It was an order. Your parents would be disgusted by what you have done!"

    At that moment, one of the wolves spat.

    Indicating their disgust and their Distrust in him.

    "Hand over this child of Bale," Uther said. "Whoever he is, and we shall forget all that has happened. We shall forget that youmitted a great sin, and we will return to our merriment."

    "I am afraid I have to decline." He said. "I do not want to have Bale��s bloodline here, but my intentions bode well."

    Jasmine felt the sting in her heart.

    "Is the child of Bale bound by the power of the ord?" Uther asked. "Thest I heard, ord only covers the Alpha and Luna, not their offspring."

    Xaden remained firm. "No, it does not. The child of Bale was my own decision."

    Uther��s face was a mask of thunder. "Hand me over this child of our enemy! Bloodline of the one who murdered your mother, your father, your sister, and your entire pack! Hand him over to me!"

    Xaden did not budge.

    "If you do not hand him over to me to beheaded, then I shall refuse my offer of your mate, and I shall disown you," Uther said. "I shall swear on my wolf and go to war against you!" The

    Jasmine��s heart was racing.

    Xaden was not even looking at her.

    She knew that he was going to give her up.

    This was his family, for crying out loud. The only family he had

    Why would he want to betray them over her?

    Especially after she was who she was.

    She was about to face death, and she knew it.

    This was indeed to be her end.

    Aurora, on her own hand, was weighing in her mind which was better.

    She hated Jasmine and wanted her gone, more than Belle in fact and this could have note at any much better time.

    But the thing was, Lily was now Xaden��s supposed mate.

    That meant that despite Jasmine��s bond with Xaden, Lily had the upper hand.

    Lily would always have the upper hand because she was his true mate.

    She would rather have Lily gone than let Jasmine die and face a more significant obstruction.

    So Aurora sat this one out.

    She said nothing neither did she give away the fact that Jasmine was right there.

    Before Xaden could decline, Jasmine��s hand shook, and she mistakenly cut her finger with the edge of the wine jar she had been holding.

    "Ouch." She said in surprise.

    It was but a drop of blood.

    At that moment, Uther and all his men howled and growled, and their eyes turned to face her.

    "A woman from Bale��s bloodline!" Uther screeched once they had smelled her blood.

    She backed away in fear as all eyes went on her.

    Even Lily turned back to look at her.

    Everyone was looking at her.

    "We shall bed her before we kill her!" One of the wolves said.

    "She shall pay for the sins of her father!" Another screeched.

    Uther��s teeth began to grow to his wolf teeth.

    "What insult!" He snapped. "You dare bring such a monster to our midst! Despite what its bloodline has done."

    Jasmine began to move back to the wall.

    Her newfound friend Fiona just looked at her in shock.

    The goblet she had been holding had toppled to the ground at the mention of her true bloodline.

    She knew it.

    She knew that Fiona would never want to speak to her if she knew now who she truly was.

    Jasmine felt her body shiver as they progressed towards her.

    They were snapping at her.

    She had no one toe to her defense.

    She hit the wall as they all came towards her.

    She had heard the awful things male wolves did to their enemies.

    Worse women.

    She had witnessed the things her father had done to ves he had won from conquests.

    She knew that she was about to suffer the same fate.

    No one came to her aid.

    Fiona just stood transfixed in shock.

    Then, she saw that one of the men had turned to their proper wolf form.

    He jumped on her, and then she closed her eyes, waiting for the impact.

    But it never came.

    Instead, she heard a whimper like a little puppy crying and a loud thud.

    She felt a dark shadow over her and then raised her hand away to see who it was.

    It was Xaden.

    She had not seen when he did it, but he hade to her very front and raised and blocked the wolf from hitting her.

    He flung the wolf to the floor, and itnded like a rag doll.

    She gasped.

    Unable to believe what he had just done.

    Fighting his own bloodline because of her!

    Uther and the other wolves looked at him in shock.

    "You just attacked your kin!" Uther said.

    It was surprising because Xaden��s kin no longer existed.

    The wolves that Uther hade with belonged to the original pack.

    "And I would do it again," Xaden said, his eyes glowing.

    "For a tainted blood! For someone who is of the bloodline of those who killed your own!" Uther said in disbelief.

    Xaden stood upright like the true Alpha he was, and then he used his hand to protect Jasmine from behind.

    "I have made aw in this pack," Xaden said. "Jasmine belongs to me. You shall not harm her. No one shall touch her."

    Uther was baffled in horror. Astonished.

    Even Lily was now looking at him in shock.

    Uther tried to speak again. "Your parents will be-

    "<strong><i>I AM YOUR ALPHA!" </i></strong>Xaden demanded.

    The entire hall went hush.

    It was like a spell had been cast on all of them.

    He breathed, and then they became subdued.

    "<strong><i>YOU WILL NOT DEFY ME!" </i></strong>He snapped.

    Everyone, except for Jasmine, waspelled to obey him.

    Those who had converted to their wolf forms began to whimper and cry as if the power of his voice had brought them pain.

    Even Uther had be subdued.

    His eyes were no longer red, and his teeth returned to their human.

    "NO ONE SHALL TOUCH WHAT BELONGS TO ME!"

 Chapter 171: IT IS JASMINE OR US

    <h4>Chapter 171: IT IS JASMINE OR US</h4>

    Uther and all the other wolves looked up at Xaden unable to speak.

    They were even unable to gaze at him.

    It was like he was making them bow down to him and only him.

    All except Jasmine waspelled to obey him.

    Because she stood by his side.

    The room was silent.

    And then his wolf eyes went back to its normal color and the people around began breathing normally.

    Then he looked at his uncle who had disappointment written in his eyes.

    "Uncle." Xaden said. "You are my flesh and blood."

    Uther turned his face away refusing to look at Xaden.

    It hurt Xaden to see his uncle hurt this way.

    He was thest tie that he had to his family and yet seeing him refuse to even acknowledge him.

    Xaden continued. "This is a decision that I have made. And it will continue to be a decision that I have made. You are not happy with them and I understand you."

    He swallowed hard.

    It broke him to see him let his uncle down, and also let the first original members of his pack down.

    "You stand for this tainted blood." Uther said. "It is her or us. If you insist to chose her side I will not make you deter your choice. But i will not remain here. It is her or us. Make your decision."

    If Xaden chose Jasmine that meant that his uncle and his mate Lily, people that he had only seen for less than twenty four hours of the day will leave him.

    He barely could remember Lily. They had both been children when he was young. He did not have much rtionship with her except for the fact that she was his true mate.

    He wondered how the bond of mate worked since he no longer had a heart.

    But then he could easily let Jasmine to be handed to the wolves and move on with his family.

    He will never have to deal with her again.

    After all she had imed that she had nothing to do with his attempted assassination but had been aware regardless.

    He did not believe her, one bit.

    She was also the daughter of his enemy.

    Everywhere she went she caused havoc.

    She was not worth causing a dispute between him and the only family he had.

    He could simply let her go.

    He sighed and said.

    "Do not make me choose uncle." He said.

    "It is her or us." Uther said.

    Xaden felt her breathing behind him.

    He should simply let her go.

    She was too much trouble for him.

    Then he said. "My decision is final. Jasmine will go nowhere."

    Jasmine swallowed heavily and she felt her heart stop.

    It was as if she had been hit.

    Xaden had first fought his entire family for her, hit a wolf from his own pack against the wall to protect her.

    She had not expected it.

    She had believed that he would simply throw her out.

    He would never chose her over his entire family, even over his mate.

    She now felt stupid that she had been so jealous this entire time.

    She made eye contact with his mate and then she saw that she had been looking at her for a while.

    Not hostile like Aurora and Belle, but very calm.

    She began to feel ashamed.

    She was separating him from his true mate.

    This was wrong. This was so wrong .

    She had been jealous for absolutely nothing in the first ce.

    Aurora too was looking at them and Fiona had been watching her eyes opened in shock.

    Fiona now knew who Jasmine truly was and of course she hated.

    She felt her heart drop.

    Uther��s face was grim.

    "You have disregarded not only me, but your father, your mother, your pack and your ancestors for this decision you have made." Uther��s face was cold and hard. "We shall return back to where we came from. Tonight. It is better for us to return to a ce of hiding than to betrayed by own kind."

    "Uncle." Xaden tried to stop his voice breaking. "Please do not do this. It is not safe. I have my reasons why Jasmine is here and-

    "I do not care for the name of that monster!" Uther backed silencing him.

    Xaden swallowed. "Uncle as your Alpha I beg you to remain here. There are things you can not understand."

    And then it hit Jasmine.

    Of course, he was keeping her because of the fact that they were tethered together.

    How could she even forget that?

    Did she think that he truly cared for her protection?

    He was only keeping her alive because her being dead meant that he was dead too.

    She swallowed heavily.

    Uther remained firm. "You have insulted me. Insulted all of us! Your parents would be disappointed!"

    Xaden jerked back as if he had been pped.

    What he had been told had hit him really hard.

    Uther turned to the other wolves.

    "Let us get out of here!" He ordered and then the began to proceed to leave.

    But then Lily stopped them by holding Uther��s hand.

    She pulled him. "No I do not think we should leave."

    "Lily this is not the time or the ce." Uther said. "I will not be insulted and made to remain in such a ce."

    He started to leave again but her grip on him tightened .

    "Please." Lily said. "You are the one who raised me. I beg you. Even if we are to leave, let us leave tomorrow it is alreadyte."

    Jasmine looked at her surprised.

    Uther seemed like he did not want to stay at all, but then he looked into lily��s pleading eyes and then he sighed.

    "Fine." He said. "We will leave on the morrow. As early as dawn."

    And then he stormed out of the dinning room his men right behind him.

    Lily remained looking at Xaden and then she curtseyed and followed them out.

    Everywhere was still quiet.

    Lady Belinda snapped at the servants. "What are you all doing?! Return back to your work!"

    They all quickly began to return to their activities.

    Jasmine breathed a sigh of relief as she still stood behind Xaden.

    Then Aurora gave her a coy smile and she swallowed.

    Xaden grabbed her arm and pulled her out of the dinning room.

    She was hardly able to catch up with him.

    He raced ahead with her while she stumbled on her feet trying to catch up with him.

    But he did not care for her.

    He simply ignored her very obvious cries of pain.

    It was dark and yet the moonlight illuminated the archway.

    He dragged her along down the stairs and followed stairways that Jasmine had never known existed or for once been to.

    Then finally he kicked a door open and pushed her in.

    The room was a simple but lovely room tjat had an elegant taste.

    There was arge poster bed in the middle and it seemed like a room for a guest.

    Why had he brought this ce?

    And she was certain that she had never ever for once been to this part of the Castle.

    She gasped as he mmed the door shut behind him.

    "What the hell is wrong with you?" He demanded. "Why would youe to the dinning when I had guests?! When I had family?!"

    "I had no idea I was not toe." She said truthfully. "It was Lady Belinda who had said she needed extra hands and insisted that I go along."

    He shook his head as his hands raked through his hair. "That is all you do, lie lie lie."

    "I swear it." She said. "You can ask her. She was the one who insisted."

    "Are you trying to ruin things for me? Because you know that I can not kill you!" He demanded. "Because by Gods you must know that if we were not tethered together then I would have never been with you in the first ce."

    Then it hit him and he rushed his hands through his hair.

    "This was a mistake. This was all a mistake. Bringing you into my pack was nothing but my mistake." He said.

    She felt her chest panting as her heart raced. Then he turned to her and went on his knees. "Tell me!" He cried. "Tell me what to do for you to leave me alone!"

    She was quiet at first and then she said. "You were the one who brought me here my lord."

    He looked at her and the tears had filled her eyes now.

    "I had never wanted toe. You brought me here to punish me for the sins of my father." She said her voice breaking but bing stronger. "Even though I am not my father. Did you ever think for once that perhaps? I am not like him?"

    There was a silence in the room and then she said. "Sometimes regardless of blood a child maye out different."

 Chapter 172: DESIRES (R-18)

    <h4>Chapter 172: DESIRES (R-18)</h4>

    She looked at him. "Sometimes regardless of bloodline a child maye out different from the parents."

    He looked at her in awe unable toprehend that she was questioning him.

    It had never happened before.

    "Your uncle said it." She said. "He said that you are not what your parents would have wanted you to be. Yet you are their blood. Does that not tell that you came differently? You saved me from being killed."

    He scoffed. "If you truly believe that was me saving you from being killed then you do not know what is the truth and what is the lie."

    She swallowed heavily.

    "I know that you only saved me because I am tethered to you." She said. "Because If I die, so would you."

    She breathed in heavily once again and when she looked back up at him, it was not fear or submission that hung in her eyes, but resilience.

    "You did note out the way your uncle would have expected you to regardless of who your bloodline is. Does that not mean that I can emerge different? That I may be different from mg father. I have tried to show you. But you would not look at me. Rather all you see is a monster."

    "You don��t know what you are saying." He said trying to invalidate her feelings and center himself around their conversation.

    She shook her head. "No listen to me!"

    His mouth dropped. "I may be an outcast, I might be a wolf that can never be able to turn but I have feelings. I have suffered. I have been subjected to so much! And yet you still see me as nothing but a monster."

    "If it were your father who were I, you would not even be alive by now." He cursed.

    "I did not appear to humiliate you tonight." She said. "I was only doing my duties to the pack. If I had known I was not wanted I would never havee."

    "Trying to get in between my mate and my uncle would do nothing." He told her.

    She felt the sting of jealousy hover in the pit of her stomach.

    "Your father is a monster and everything he touches is destroyed." He said. "In less than three months, he will be dead and you will have no one to face."

    "I pray that in your pursuit of vengeance, you do not be a monster yourself my lord." She said in the softest voice.

    It hit him, hard in his chest, as if he had been stabbed.

    He turned and looked at her as she left her eyes gazing down at her feet.

    He was so mad.

    How dare she?! Say such things about him?

    About his decisions?

    About his family?!

    Even telling hime that she hoped he did not turn into a monster.

    He grabbed her and caught her towards him, his entire being raging from within.

    A soft gasped escaped her perfect lips while he held her and she was staring right at him.

    Her chains made a loud noise as they ttered by her feet.

    And then he did what he had been holding himself from doing since the day of the final halo ritual.

    He set his lips against her neck and she let out a soft gasp.

    He trailed it with his tongue following her beautifully veined neck.

    She gasped as he kissed it hungrily.

    She wrapped her arms around him and then he fiercely pulled her up against him .

    She could feel his massive bulge and she gasped at how hard he was for her.

    He fiercely pulled her up against him and then she cried in pleasure.

    It was like he was sucking her entire being.

    He gave her a love bite by her neck and she cried.

    She wanted to wrap her arms around him but then her chains did not let her go so far so she had to simply manage by holding his arms.

    He bite her neck and then he moved to the side he had not touched.

    Once he touched it, she closed her eyes in pleasure and he feasted on them just like he had the other.

    He let his hands go over her full breasts and squeeze them from inside the dress.

    She gasped as she felt her entire bush vibrating in pleasure at his touch.

    He rolled her now hard nipples before pulling them free from the protective enve of her dress.

    She began to weep in pleasure as her body responded to him desiring more from him

    He trailed all the way to her chin and then he looked into her eyes before crushing his lips against her.

    She opened her lips for him willingly and the his tongue ventured into her mouth.

    He sucked on her as he tasted her sweet saliva and she tasted his.

    His hands held her head in ce as he kissed her fiercely whilst he rubbed his hard bulge against her open warmth.

    She cried for him as she held against him.

    "Gods you will be the death of me." He said through the kiss before going in for more.

    She cried as he fumbled with her chains.

    They were interrupting him from feeling her freely and it drove him crazy.

    "Gods what is this?!" He demanded as he angrily held the chains trying to remove it from their hungry embrace.

    She looked at him.

    "Who put this?" He asked demanded forgetting that it was he who had ordered she wear the chains at every given moment.

    She swalllowe heavily.

    "It was you my lord." She said softly.

    He looked at her his eyes zing with anger and rage as it finally dawned on him.

    Then he angrily broke it free wutn his wolf strength and they fell down to the ground .

    He freed her from all the chains he had ordered on her and then she was free, then he carried her in his arms as he ravaged her with kisses.

    He set her down on the bed and then he climbed over her.

    He dropped down her on her and he began to drop kisses all over her.

    He ripped open her dress and tossed it aside

    "Gods. You are so beautiful." He gasped as his eyes roamed her beautiful and immacte body.

    She blushed trying to hide her nudity with her hands but he caught her and then he stopped her.

    He held her hand an she gasped at him in disbelief.

    He kissed her hand and said. "Do not cover yourself. Not for me."

    Her eyes were wide open with question and then he took off his shirt.

    As if knowing what to do, she tempted herself by letting her hands trails his hard lean chest.

    He closed his eyes as she examined him and then she gently touched his nipple, she pressed it gently and then he let out a moan.

    She looked to him. "Did I hurt you."

    He shook his head. "No you were perfect."

    And then she put her other hand to his free nipple and began to work on it the way she worked on the first.

    Ut was like a child exploring a new gift.

    Then her hand trailed down to his pants and therge bulge.

    She gasped in shame when she felt it and she quickly withdrew her hand away.

    But he held her hand and brought it up to him.

    He used her hands to rub the top of it, even though it was still concealed in his pants.

    He moaned and she saw that it gave him pleasure.

    "God." He said.

    Then she began to rub it more and more, he was unable to take the anxiety he came down from the bed and took off his pants and then he went back to the bed.

    She could now see full view of his cock.

    It was hard for her and sorge.

    Was this what had entered her, filled her and yet rammed into her?

    She went to him and knelt down before him on the bed.

    She touched it, rubbed it, and yed with it and then she put her tongue on it.

    He threw his head back in pleasure.

    She only set her tongue on the tip letting saliva drop.

    He groaned Harder as his cock pulsed harder.

    "Fuck." He said.

    And then as if knowing what more to do, she delved further as she let her tongue glide around it more.

    She yed and kissed it.

    She let her saliva touch it and then he held her hair in his hands.

    She finally did it.

    She let the entire coxk into her mouth after all the mind games and Xaden belived he would die at the spot.

    It hung in her throat as she withdrew and went back in.

    She sucked it and then rolled it down in her mouth.

    She began to choke on it and Xaden moaned so hard

 Chapter 173: FUCK ME MY LORD (R-18)

    <h4>Chapter 173: FUCK ME MY LORD (R-18)</h4>

    He squeezed her hair as she put her mouth around it.

    It was not something she knew how to do.

    The first time she did this, he forced her.

    It was the first day they had met and the day that he had consummated their marriage.

    It had been so painful, and she had been appalled by it.

    But now it was different.

    She wanted it.

    There was no pain.

    Even when they were together for the first time, it was as if he had not enjoyed it himself.

    He had only done it to punish her, regardless of whether he enjoyed it or not.

    He moaned as he gripped her head and propelled her head forward.

    She set it down her throat and then choked on it.

    Whenever she saw him moaning more then

    She would capitalize on it

    She went down on his balls and rolled her tongue around it.

    She did not know what was bing of her, but it was like her entire shy being had flown through the window.

    And was now reced with a fearless woman ready to conquer.

    "Gods." He swore as she went back on his cock.

    She gagged on it, choking it down and then he threw his head back and rammed it inside her mouth.

    Then she saw him take her face away from his cock.

    She was surprised.

    Had she done something wrong?

    Did he not like it?

    But then he gently set her down on the bed.

    The moonlight illuminated her beautiful body, and he traced his fingers around her.

    And then he whispered into her ears. "How can something so deceitful be so seductive?"

    And then he bit her ear, and she cried out in pleasure.

    Then he slowly went down, and she gasped.

    "M-my lord, what are you doing?" She questioned.

    But he shushed her by going back up on her and dipping his tongue into her mouth.

    She wrapped her arms around him, indulging him further to her.

    But then he slowly withdrew away from

    She went back down underneath her.

    He spread her legs apart, and she gasped shyly at his view of her most profound part.

    And then he drove his tongue inside her.

    She screamed in shock at the mix of pleasure and disbelief at what he had just done.

    She tried to move him away from her, but then he retained hisposure and resumed licking her.

    He flicked his tongue inside her wetness, and she pulsed more juice for him.

    "Mmmh." He said to the room. "I had always wondered what you would taste like. Honey."

    She blushed and then he went down and resumed eating her out.

    He rubbed his tongue inside her walls and used his fingers to massage her clit.

    She could not bear it.

    She was out of the world.

    She wanted him to stop, yet she yearned more for his touch.

    She pushed her fingers into his soft, curly hair and let her fingers massage through.

    With her legs spread wide apart and hanging for him whilst he went down on her.

    She cried aloud in pleasure and hunger for him.

    Her Legs were shaking so powerfully with every moment his tongue delved into her sweet pink parts.

    "Xaden, please." She cried. "Xaden, please."

    And then she could no longer maintain her legs, she let them drop because of how weak they were and then he used his powerful hands to host them apart.

    And then she felt herselfing with a loud explosion of orgasm, and then she could barely control it as she spasmed.

    "Come, baby." He said. "Come for me."

    And then she gasped over and over again until she exploded by creaming out.

    He licked it all up while she spasmed, still recovering from the groundbreaking release.

    And then he let her leg go as he climbed up in between her legs.

    Then they made direct eye contact, and she did not know what made her do it, but she set her hand around his hair, pulled out the ribbon, and let it go free.

    His hair went loose, and then she gently touched his face.

    He did not kiss her, but rather, he lifted himself and went in between her legs, and then he rubbed himself against her.

    She began to moan as she wrapped her arms around him.

    He kept on running his hard cock against her will hike she cried.

    "Please." She begged.

    She needed it inside her, and she desired to have it filled inside her.

    But he kept on rubbing himself against her wetness, and she could not take it.

    She began to see, and then he kissed the tears away from her eyes.

    "What do you desire?" He asked as he rubbed his cock against her refusing to give her what she needed.

    But she was still sniffing the tears in her eyes as she yearned for him.

    "Tell me." He whispered. "Tell me what you desire."

    And then she looked at him, the tears hanging in her eyes.

    "You." She said.

    And then it was like she had cast a spell on him.

    Cast amand on him, and he instantly obeyed.

    Then he lifted himself and plunged right into her.

    She gasped, and he examined her face from the moment he plunged into the moment she gasped and felt the impact of his cock inside her.

    And then he began to move back and forth whilst filling himself inside her.

    She gasped at how much she felt himself inside her.

    He rammed in and out, and then she pulled, spilling her juice every time he went in and out.

    "Tell me." He said as he drove himself in and out of her. "Tell me do you like how I put my cock inside you?"

    She nodded hastily.

    "Speak." He whispered Cooly into her ear.

    "Yes, my lord." She said the tears hanging at the back of her eyes.

    "You will touch no one but me." He said. "I own your body. No one shall enter these parts. No one shall know these parts of you except for me."

    She felt she would lose her mind and run mad as he said those words.

    "You belong to me." He said.

    "Yes, my lord." She wept.

    Then he bent down and sucked her nipples and rolled his tongue around it whilst he pulled out and pushed back in.

    She cried, hungry for him.

    And then he went to what she knew was her weakest point.

    Her neck, and then he wrapped her leg around him and pounded the daylight out of her.

    "Say it." He said. "Say fuck me, my lord."

    Her eyes widened as her stomach kicked in excitement.

    He pulled out slowly, and then she quickly jumped and said. "Fuck me, my lord. Please."

    And then he hammered back in and began plunging and plunging.

    He did not want to have enough of her.

    Then he pulled out of her and set her down on her stomach

    He hoisted her ass up and pressed her face against the pillow.

    This was new and surprising. What did he want to do?

    And then he put his extrarge cock around

    She slid it over her wetness without entering.

    She cried at how hot it made her feel.

    And then he did it over and over again.

    Rubbing his cock around her wetness, making her drip more and more.

    It was unbearable for her.

    She cried, whimpering, and then he did it.

    He pushed it in when she least expected it, and then she gasped at the impact of how it had entered her.

    Despite how much size difference they had.

    Then he held her ass and began to pound in.

    She was crying, saying words. "My lord...please."

    Whilst she dripped more and more for

    Him.

    This time, he could see it.

    He could see as she spilled her white and silky self for him.

    His cock inside her made loud and sloppy sounds.

    He groaned as he pounded into her arched pussy.

    She cried even though she wanted more and she wanted him to stop.

    But she desired it to go back in every moment he pulled out.

    And then she exploded at the same time with him.

    He spilled his seeds right inside her, and she, too, orgasmed.

    They spasmed together, ovee by the weight and force of their mating.

    Then he dropped to the bed, and she became shy.

    She started to leave, but then he pulled her back to him.

    "My lord." She gasped, shocked.

    He wrapped his arms around her as he held her up against him.

    Then his fingers trailed over her shoulder and slid down her arm.

    He kissed her shoulder and said. "Why do you desire to leave when I would need youter at night?"

 Chapter 174: TOUCH OF DESIRE(R-18)

    <h4>Chapter 174: TOUCH OF DESIRE(R-18)</h4>

    Jasmine looked at him nkly.

    He would have need for herter at night?

    She just looked at him, stunned at his words.

    And then he dropped more kisses down her neck, and she threw her head back in pleasure at his touch.

    Then he cupped her face and looked into her eyes.

    She looked down at him, and all she could think about was what she felt for this man.

    This man hated her with everything from within, yet they created magic whenever they were together.

    He gently tucked her hair behind her ears.

    What was this feeling he was feeling himself?

    He did not understand it.

    He did not have a heart and knew his emotions were limited.

    But after his disy of action with his uncle and everyone in the dinner hall, he could not deny that he cared for her.

    He wanted nothing bad to happen to her, and it terrified him.

    But yet, he could not bring himself to admit it.

    There was something about it when he mated with her��something he did not understand.

    Something he was terrified of understanding.

    He decided to just y along with her.

    She would warm his bed until he fought her father, and then he would decide what to do with her.

    He could never have anything to do with her.

    She was a ve even though he had bonded her to marriage.

    Once he defeated Bale and killed him, he could finally rid her of him.

    He tried to convince himself that there was no ce for her in his life.

    He felt her Turn and then realized he had been ying with her red curls for a while.

    He let his hands go over her back as he felt her smooth skin, and then his handsced in between hers.

    And he felt how hard they were.

    "Your hands are tough." He said.

    "Oh." She mumbled.

    She sat up and then wrapped the shots around her as she tucked her hair behind her ear.

    "The princesses and daughters of Alpha do not have rough hands. Rather, they are quite soft, " he said as he gently rubbed her palms.

    She fumbled her lips and said. "Well, it was from work. I used to work hard when I had been kidnapped."

    He looked at her hands.

    Yes, she had told him that she had been taken captive when she was a child from her home pack.

    And now here she was.

    A prisoner in his own pack.

    How much of a twist it was.

    "Your brother." He said. "You never apprehended me for killing him."

    She stiffened.

    She had never anyone talk to her about him.

    She had never liked him, but she knew that watching him being killed had affected her.

    "We were not so close." She said, being earnest. "He was not so kind to me."

    He sighed a sigh of relief.

    "Do you miss your family?" He asked her through the dark.

    She was quiet for a while. "Why these questions, my lord? Do you wish to torment me so?"

    She had tears brimming in her eyes.

    He felt a prick in his chest, and shame overcame him.

    He rubbed his hand over her hair and pulled her face close.

    "You have no idea what I want from you." He said as he passionately kissed her neck, and she moaned in pleasure.

    Then he kissed away the tears.

    "But you have another, my lord." She managed through their hot and growing desire.

    It was true he had a mate.

    Lily hade back from the dead, but he was conflicted.

    "Alphas are allowed to keep more than one woman." He said.

    She swallowed, and he saw her look sad again.

    He did not like to see her unhappy, especially in such a manner.

    He went down on her nipples and began to kiss them, and soon, all sadness and tears were gone.

    "You shall warm my bed." He said. "When I have a need for you. You shalle to me. Do you understand me?"

    "Y-yes, my lord." She said, and then he smiled as he kissed her neck, and then he spread her legs wide apart for him to deliver in between her legs.

    He plunged into her, and he eximed at how wet she was.

    "See, you are already spilling yourself for me." He said as his cock went into her warm inner parts.

    It was warm, tight, and slippery.

    It drove him insane, like he was about to lose his mind from the pleasures of him buried inside her.

    Then he began to move back and forth inside her, and she began to cry out in pleasure.

    Her hunger for him.

    He gripped her hair, and then he set his hands around her throat as he plunged in and out of her.

    She did not know why it was all alluring.

    Why the moment his cock pushed into her sweet deepest parts made her swim in joy.

    She eximed, tears in her eyes.

    "Jasmine." He said her name so softly that she felt her body spill more on its own ord.

    "Oh, Goddess. What you do to me." He said, and then he resumed plunging in and out of her.

    He kissed her shoulder and corbone and then let his tongue trace her neck.

    "You belong to me." He said, and then he withdrew from her like he was never going to return, and then he mmed himself back in.

    Together, they resumed mating and the hunger and passion of their desires.

    All that could be heard was the moaning and pleading of Xaden and Jasmine as they rocketed themselves together in absolute pleasure.

    The moment of their final orgasm came, and they exploded together.

    And then they rested in arms together before they slept off.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    <strong><i>LISA��S POV </i></strong>

    Lisa leaned at the door as she overhead Jasmine and Xaden, moaning in pleasure.

    Lisa bit her bottom lip angrily.

    How the hell had Jasmine gotten away with this?!

    Alpha Xaden! The master, who everyone had tried, even Lasy aurora, had been unable to tame him.

    He did not even sleep with the Lady Aurora anymore.

    He bedded Jasmine.

    He had even turned down his entire only surviving bloodline for Jasmine!

    She must have done some witchcraft because what was it?!

    Lisa rakes her brain on what to do.

    She was the Queen of gossip, and she happened to be everywhere and had an ear on every wall to know what was happening.

    No gossip ever went past her.

    She did not think to tell Lady Aurora because Lady Aurora had be very uselesstely.

    She had sworn that she would get Jasmine down on her knees and finally out of the pack, but she had not done any of that!

    Lisa needed a new and more powerful alliance crew because Lady Aurora��s prospects did not look good.

    She paced the side of the hallways, wondering what to do.

    Lady Aurora was bing very weak in decision-making.

    Xaden did not listen to her anymore.

    She would rather be loyal to someone else than to be to Jasmine.

    And then it hit her!

    She rushed off and then gathered her dress. As she ran down the hallway, she came right across who she had wanted to see.

    She breathed easily so it would not seem like she had been running.

    Then she adjusted her dress and calmly went down to the woman who looked down at the balcony and saw the moon.

    "Mydy?" Lisa said in her most sweet voice.

    The woman jumped at the voice.

    The woman turned around, shock written on her face, and when she saw Lisa, she smiled.

    "Do forgive me, mydy. I did not mean to stare at you." Lisa apologized, drawing nearer

    "Oh, hello. You gave me quite a start there." The woman said.

    Lisa smiled. "My apologies."

    "It is alright." Thedy responded.

    Then, Lisa joined her on the balcony.

    "I hope you are loving our pack," Lisa said. The youngdy smiled, and she breathed a sigh of relief. "I used to live here as a child. I don��t quite remember the ce, of course. I was just a child. But it is beautiful."

    "I apologize for what happened to your parents," Lisa said.

    Thedy smiled again and said, "We are all sorry. I would have loved to stay here if I had the choice, but Uther is bent on leaving."

    "And Alpha Xaden," Lisa said. "I hope I am not out of ce, but is he not your mate?"

    Lisa sighed. "Yes, he is supposed to be. But it seems that he has different intentions. I can not stay here for that, you see."

    "How about I give you some advice?" Lisa asked.

 Chapter 175: THE AFTERMATH OF DESIRE

    <h4>Chapter 175: THE AFTERMATH OF DESIRE</h4>

    (FOUR ChapterS DAILY IN TWO BATCHES!)

    JASMINE��S POV

    Early the following day, perhaps around two in the morning, Jasmine woke up in Alpha Xaden��s arms.

    She looked at him, gently touched his hair, and tucked it behind his ear.

    He was so handsome.

    He had told her that he wanted her to be his alone and he wanted her toe to his bed every night.

    She had been terrified of mating, especially with their first time together when he had been rough with her.

    But this was different.

    He was different from her.

    It was like he was a whole new person.

    She did not know what her future held, but she knew that she wanted to be happy in this moment.

    She very quietly eased herself out of the bed. And then put on her clothes.

    She gave him a peck on his cheek, and she felt incredibly foolish.

    He only stared, and then he flung his arm around her, and she gasped as she was pushed back down on the bed.

    She froze instantly.

    He resumed breathing quickly, and then, very slowly, she could pry him away from her.

    And then she headed to the door. After onest look at him, she went back on her way out of the bedroom.

    She gently closed the door behind her and hurried down the hallways.

    It was still dark in the entire pack, and people were not moving around.

    Only the guards stood in ce.

    She hurried off to the servant��s quarters and found that, fortunately, they were all sleeping.

    She went to her side of the room andy down on her bed, and then she knew you tucked herself inside her nkets.

    She turned to face who was lying down asleep.

    "If the guards discover that you slept out of your chambers, you would be in big trouble."

    It was Fiona.

    She breathed a sigh of relief as she almost jumped up, startled.

    She gently touched her racing heart and set it to ease.

    "Lady Aurora came looking for you." She informed.

    Jasmine felt a knot in her tummy.

    "I told her that you were with the healer. So if she asks you, you can use that story. I do not want to get into trouble if they find out I lied."

    She did not know how to respond, so she said a soft thank you.

    Fiona said nothing, then she put her nket over her head and turned the other way.

    Jasmine could feel the shift in energy with Fiona, and she suspected that it had something to do with her announcement as the enemy��s daughter.

    She swallowed hard and said, "I am sorry I did not tell you who I was. I did not want it to cause a rift between us."

    Fiona did not move or say a word.

    Jasmine silentlyy to sleep.

    After a few minutes, Fiona turned over and faced. "I don��t get it. Why didn��t you tell me? Huh?"

    "I tried to," Jasmine said. "But you said it did not matter who I was."

    Fiona��s mouth snapped shut, and then she said something.

    "I knew I could never make a friend," Jasmine said. "I knew that this was all too good to be true."

    Fiona was quiet and said. "No, you are right. I did say that. And I should not change because I now know who your father is."

    Jasmine watched Fiona��s unease, wondering what her own story was.

    Wondering what trauma her father had given her never to forget.

    "A lot of the people here hate me," Jasmine said. "They have already painted a picture of who I am, and there will be no change. They all have a story behind my father��s actions, and I do not me them. What did my father do to your own pack?"

    Fiona shook her head. "I do not wish to speak about it."

    Jasmine recoiled.

    Just how bad was this?

    Why had her father done all of this? To so many people.

    She sat back and started to rethink if she was genuinely doing the right thing, helping him escape after he had hurt so many people in so many ways.

    What had they all done to him? To what gain has hemitted these atrocious acts?

    As if to add fuel to bed thinking, Fiona eventually spoke up. "We are friends, and friends keep no secrets. I shall tell you. Your father sent his men because he wanted my mother, and he was going to give me his son as a sex ve."

    Jasmine became appalled.

    "My mother was a Luna," Jasmine said. "Without an Alpha of a rogue but harmless pack, she ruled us. Because she was just, the wolf council let the pack remain. As you know, rogue packs are ouwed. They had a meeting with other Alphas, and then he saw her. He wanted to have her as his concubine. My mother took it as an insult. She had sworn a blood oath of chastity after my father had died, you see. She declined it."

    "But we did not know that he was not going to let it go so easily. When she returned home, he had his men raid our pack. Then he forced himself on her."

    Jasmine gasped and covered her mouth.

    There was a cold smile on Fiona��s face. "Oh, he didn��t kill her after no. He still wanted her, but this time as a ve, and then I would be made a sex ve for his son. Remember that blood oath? Since it was broken, it affected her brain, and she went mad and started killing them. Her wolf lost control, and then before she could kill him, he killed her."

    "I watched everything with my very own eyes. And I was unable to do a single thing. He took us like cattle and forced us to follow him. But he was ambushed by Xaden��s men. He got away, and Xaden saved me. I stayed in a safe territory before Xaden deemed it safe that I coulde to stay with him in his pack."

    Jasmine��s heart bled.

    She was short for words.

 Chapter 176: FIONA KNOWS THE TRUTH

    <h4>Chapter 176: FIONA KNOWS THE TRUTH</h4>

    Jasmine��s throat clocked together as she listened to every word she said.

    She knew that he had done things, but this was so gruesomely

    She was too ashamed, and she did not even know what to say.

    "I had lived in the safe territory for about six years before Alpha Xaden came to get me himself a few weeks ago," Fiona said.

    Every new revtion just made matters worse.

    "You were how old them?" Jasmine asked.

    "I was only thirteen," Fiona said. "If he had seeded in taking me away, then he would have delivered me to his son as a sex ve. Right at the age of thirteen."

    Jasmine closed her face as it dawned on her how much of a monster her father was.

    She did not deny it; however, she tried to appease her father.

    She had even tried to make him see that she was worthy of being his daughter.

    Now, she did not think she wanted that anymore.

    She was not sure she wanted to bear his blood.

    She was ashamed.

    "I was not let to even bury her," Fiona said. "I begged them to. But they just kicked me on a dirty carriage with all the loot and other women and killed the men. It was horrible."

    The scariest part about it all was that Fiona had no tears in her eyes.

    People like these were the ones to be afraid of and, most times, the ones who dealt with their pain from within.

    "I am so sorry. I am so sorry you had to deal with this," Jasmine said, her voice breaking.

    "He killed all of them simply because he wanted my mother. Simply because she turned him down." She said. "There arews set in ce against such tyranny, but the royal family did absolutely nothing. I hate them! And I hate anyone thates from that blood! I��ve seen them all; they are selfish and horrible people. And I will bring them down one day. They could have stopped it, but they did nothing."

    Fiona spoke with so much zeal and emotional turmoil that Jasmine understood where she wasing from.

    The tears still did not drop from her eyes; instead, it was Jasmine who was in tears.

    "You are the daughter of a Luna you are not supposed to be a servant like the rest of us," Jasmine said. "You are of High brow blood."

    Fiona shook her head. "Yes, but I wanted myself concealed. I wanted to be just a simple girl who had survived a rogue attack. I begged Alpha Xaden, and he agreed. Only he and Alpha Erik know. And now you."

    Jasmine went quiet.

    Why was Fiona telling her own secret when she had secrets of her own?

    How would Fiona feel if she found out that she was helping her father spy on the pack and discover everything?

    She would never forgive her.

    Fiona sat up and held Jasmine��s hands. "But you, you are different. And you are nothing like your father. At least you are not a member of the royal family."

    They giggled together and then went silent for a while.

    "I am going to tell you something that I have never told anyone in my entire life," Jasmine said.

    Fiona looked at her in question.

    "Do you promise not to tell anyone?" Jasmine asked.

    Fiona nodded. "I promise not to if you promise not to tell my own secret."

    Jasmine smiled. "Alright. I am not my father��s legitimate daughter."

    "What?" Fiona asked, shocked and confused.

    "My mother was a ve. Someone in the pack got pregnant, and she gave birth to me. She died right after I was born. But I was his first child."

    Fiona just stared.

    "I did not know." Fiona gaped.

    Jasmine gave a weak smile. "No one does. Life was not quite grand for me. The Luna did not like me. Worse, I was the first child. So she punished me in every way possible. Alpha Xaden thinks that he was punishing me, and therefore, it was punishing my parents: he was far from right."

    Fiona just looked then Jasmine gave a light chuckle.

    "If he had kept my brother, then he would have seeded in torturing them. He was the prize of the pack. The future Alpha and the only son. If he had taken him for

    Torture would have frustrated them

    Back home. But I am just here, and it makes no difference."

    Fiona finally found her voice. "Why have you not told Alpha Xaden this?"

    "Because he will never understand, " Jasmine said, matter of fact. "Because this is all a hoax. He already hates me. If he finds out that I deceived him, it is going to make matters worse."

    "Did you have a choice?!" Fiona snapped aloud.

    "Fiona!" Jasmine whispered quietly as she looked through the room.

    Fortunately, no one woke up.

    "Did you have a choice?" Fiona repeated but quieter.

    "No, but I did it because-

    "Then that solves it all". Fiona cut her short. "If you will not tell him, then I will tell him myself. I know Xaden. I am close to him. He will not harm you."

    Jasmine began to panic.

    This was all going wrong.

    "You swore not to tell him." Jasmine pleaded, tears in her eyes.

    Fiona looked at her in horror. "Why do you choose to remain silent for this monster? You are but a victim yourself."

    Jasmine bit her bottom lip. "Please."

    Fiona breathed heavily and then sat back down on her bed. "Fine, I shall not tell him, but you shall. One way or the other, or I will tell him myself."

    Jasmine swallowed. "Will you like it? If I told everyone about you. That you are not meant to be a ve?!"

    "It is not the same thing. If that is what you wish to do, then so be it. I would rather let you expose me than let such a monster get away with all of this!" Fiona said, and then shey back down in bed.

    Unknown to them, Lisa was overhearing the entire thing.

 Chapter 177: LISA’S PLANS

    <h4>Chapter 177: LISA��S PLANS</h4>

    LISA��S POV

    After Lisa had finished chatting and filing Lady Lily��s mind with doubts and lingering thoughts of Xaden and Fiona, she went back to her room satisfied.

    It was evident that Alpha Xaden did not care much about either Lady Aurora or Lady Lily, even though she was his mate.

    He had made that quite obvious already at least it was Lisa who could see through it. The other women were just too dumb.

    It was only Jasmine he cared about.

    He had shown it to everyone in the pack times without a number.

    They were just too stupid to see it.

    But Alpha Xaden had a duty to Lady Lily, and Lady Lily had said she was going to try to talk her uncle out of leaving the pack after Lisa had finished spilling so many lies.

    If Lady Lily indeed left, she would be left with Lady Aurora.

    Lady Aurora��s time wasing to an end very soon in the pack. She could smell it, and if she left, only Jasmine would remain.

    She would rather die than see Jasmine rise to the ranks of even being Alpha Xaden��s mistress.

    That spot was meant to be reserved for him and only her.

    But if Lady Lily stayed, she would have an anchor while she worked her way up to making Alpha Xaden fall in love with her.

    She was too bright, and she felt aplished as shey down in her bed to sleep.

    But then, a short while after, she heard their door creak open.

    She was facing the other side, so she was able to see who it was.

    It was Jasmine.

    That was true. No one had seen her since she had been dragged off by Alpha Xaden.

    Lisa walked as she went to sleep in her bed.

    She knew for sure that Jasmine had spent the night with their master, and Lisa boiled in fury.

    She was about to go back to sleep when she started hearing Fiona and Jasmine discussing.

    Her intrusive thoughts won; being the Queen gossip, she oversaw all the information.

    She gasped as she listened to everything they were saying.

    Secrets about Fiona being high-born and on a mission to kill the royal family.

    That one might be useful.

    But she doubted it; Fiona was fierce and did not let herself be intimidated so easily.

    She listened some more.

    Her wolf had the ability to use its power and was able to hear things from afar even though she was at the other end of the room.

    Then she heard Jasmine say she was the bastard child of Alpha Bale.

    She gasped.

    And quickly closed her mouth.

    The two women stopped talking for a few seconds and then resumed.

    This was big news.

    Jasmine was not Alpha Bale��s daughter?

    This was huge!

    This could send Jasmine out of the pack

    For good!

    Was this why Alpha Alexander was using Jasmine to his own side?

    Because he knew about her secret?

    So Alpha Xaden was being deceived all this while?

    Oh, imagine someone were to tell Alpha Xaden this before Jasmine had the chance. How disastrous, she thought to herself!

    Aloha Xaden would realize he had been taken for a fool this entire time.

    Aw would be broken, and then he would report to the wolf council and attack Alpha Bale before he even had the chance to defend himself.

    And who would be the one to do such an honor of telling the Alpha such truth?

    None but herself.

    Lisa smiled devilishly.

    She was not going to meet stupid old Aurora she would tell him herself so that she would gain favor in his sight.

    Things were working out for her!

    Then she overheard Fiona say.

    "Fine, I shall not tell him, but you shall. One way or the other, or I will tell him myself."

    Jasmine swallowed. "Will you like it? If I told everyone about you. That you are not meant to be a ve?!"

    "It is not the same thing. If that is what you wish to do, then so be it. I would rather let you expose me than let such a monster get away with all of this!"

    There was silence. "You will tell him before nightfall today, or I shall tell him myself. You are being puppeteered by people who betrayed you from the beginning, and I shall put an end to it."

    And then there was silence between both women.

    Lisa needed to meet Alpha Xaden! And she needed to do it quickly!

    At least before Jasmine had the chance to!

    Early the following day, Lisa was up.

    Fiona and Jasmine were making up their beds.

    She felt so fulfilled as she walked up to them.

    "Good morning, girlies." Lisa said.

    Jasmine and Fiona gave her a dirty look.

    "What do you want?" Fiona asked, irritated.

    Lisa smiled and put her hands on her waist.

    "Today is going to be a good day. Do you not think so?" She asked as she breathed in the air. "Shiny, and lovely weather."

    Thunderstruck as the rain that fell yesterday night resumed.

    "You are sick," Fiona said.

    Her girls were behind her. "Quite the opposite. It is a lovely weather."

    "It is raining." One girl informed her behind.

    "Did I ask you for your opinion on speaking?" She snapped.

    The girl quickly hushed then Lisa turned back to Fiona and Lisa.

    "Today will be a very good day." She repeated. "I know something great is

    Going to happen."

    She was not stupid.

    She was not going to tell them what she knew. If Jasmine were alone, she would have, but she now had that bully at her back.

    Fiona!

    And she knew that Fiona would probably lull her if she knew.

    She did not want to admit it, but she was scared of Fiona even more than Lady Aurora.

    All she had to do was go meet Alpha Xaden herself.

    She smiled at them and went on her way out of the room.

    "Did she hit her head?" Jasmine asked.

    Even her minions were confused and shrugged

 Chapter 178: AURORA’S PROVOCATION

    <h4>Chapter 178: AURORA��S PROVOCATION</h4>

    AURORA��S POV

    Aurora gave out instructions to the wolves who were headed out to the next territory guard and made sure that they had everything.

    Since Erik had pulled away from his duties in the pack things had been more hectic on her.

    Dumped on her in fact.

    Last night had been a nightmare.

    She had witnessed Xaden fighting his family for Jasmine.

    Something that he had never for once done for her.

    It tormented her beyond words. She had said Jasmine over his mate but now she was not so sure.

    It was as if he did not even care about his mate.

    His eyes had been on Jasmine.

    Exerted hismand as Alpha under all of them to obey him.

    She had given a tight face and realized that perhaps she should have done something.

    She was wrong to fear for the presence of his mate because it seemed she meant nothing to him.

    It was Jasmine she should be afraid of.

    Well today was the day she received news.

    She finally came to the conclusion of what Alexander had wanted to tell her before he died.

    Alexander had sent word to someone and supposedly given a letter about whatever was being concealed.

    The person would be here any minute from now and once she had her hands on it, she would finally be able to get rid of Jasmine once and for all!

    No more games.

    She gritted her teeth as she finished off hermand and the group left to the territory guard.

    She went towards the castle and headed down for the alley hallways.

    She saw Lisa dancing about all merry.

    What was she so happy about?

    She assumed that Lisa of all people would be furious for what had transpired.

    But here she was being all chatty.

    She had never seen Lisa in such a good mood before.

    Aurora went up the stairs and came face to face with Lisa .

    But Lisa did not even stop, rather she kept on walking ahead.

    A shocked Aurora had to go back and grab her arm.

    "How dare you not even acknowledge me?" Aurora asked angrily.

    To her amazement, Lisa rolled her eyes and sighed her hands on her waist.

    "What did you want, for me to kiss your feet Aurora?" Lisa hissed.

    Aurora just stared in shock.

    It was like a heartbreak.

    She had never ever for once expected such a reaction from Lisa.

    Such sudden disdain.

    She gazed all over Lisa.

    "How dare you?! What has gotten into you?" Aurora demanded.

    Lisa rolled her eyes. "Please I have other important things to handle, you will not ruin my sunny weather."

    The rain poured even heavier and Aurora wondered if she was perhaps insane.

    "It is raining." Aurora said matter of fact.

    Lisa started to fume.

    She jerked her hand free. "I said it is sunny! Do not ruin my mood."

    Had Lisa just jerked her hand free from her grasp?!

    Where had thise from?

    Aurora regained herposure and felt the anger through her bones.

    She pointed her finger at Lisa. "Look here you stupid brat! After everything I have done for you I can choose to have you dead in the split of an eye!"

    To her disbelief, Lisa pushed her hand away and pointed back at her.

    "You look here!" She dered taking Aurora more by surprise. "I am not your peasant! I am no longer your ve and I will no longer do your bidding. Look at you! How wretched you are. You have been in this pack for so long and yet been unable to gain favor in the eyes of Alpha Xaden."

    Aurora��s mouth dropped.

    "You are old and haggard." Lisa said. "You are a dying breed. Give way to someone else. Your time to shine hase and gone."

    Aurora was too stunned to even speak.

    She just looked.

    Then Lisa adjusted her dress.

    "I will have you hung." Aurora sneared.

    "You can do that after I have had my meeting with Alpha Xaden." Lisa said. "He requires my presence."

    Aurora took a step back too confused.

    "I need to look my best for him. After I have seen him then you can carry out your attack. Although by then I doubt you would be able to. I might be the new mistress of this ce."

    Aurora��s eyes widened in disbelief.

    "You stupid bit-

    "Ah ah ah." Lisa said. "We can resume fighting when I emerge from his lord��s chambers. As I have said, we are to have a word."

    And with that Lisa went off on her way towards Xaden��s office.

    Aurora just stood in shock.

    What had just happened? Had that just happened?

    She turned around slowly and saw that the servants were whispering and looking at her.

    They had been watching the entire thing.

    "What are you doing? Is this perhaps some y? Get back to work you idiots!" She screamed.

    They jumped and rushed on their way.

    "Idiots!" She screamed as she rushed on.

    Then she went fuming by the hallways she saw Fiona and Jasmine together.

    Without even taking note of Fiona she caught Jamaine by the chin.

    "You!" She hissed.

    The basket that had been in Fiona��s hands fell to the floor.

    "You are the cause of every bad thing going on." Aurora dered squeezing her face. "I know you are hiding something."

    "Let her go!" Fiona said struggling with Aurora.

    Aurora finally let go and then she red at Fiona and Jasmine.

    How had ite to this?!

    No servant had ever questioned her! None.

    Had they so quickly began to forget and disregard her?

    She turned and saw Jasmine. "Today is the end for you! I swear it! What you are hiding is going toe to light! Everyone will know that I was right!"

    And then after those words she stormed off in the direction of her bedroom.

    Leaving a confused Jasmine and Fiona wondering what and just happened

 Chapter 179: AURORA’S FINAL DISCOVERY!

    <h4>Chapter 179: AURORA��S FINAL DISCOVERY!</h4>

    AURORA��S POV

    Aurora panicked, rushed up the stairs, and headed to her bedroom.

    Once she got to her room, she put her head against the door and breathed heavily.

    What was happening to her?

    Why were they all disrespecting her?

    Before, no one would dare confront her or question her order.

    Not even the wolves that were in the army talk less of mere ves like Lisa.

    That stupid brat!

    She was going to teach her a good lesson.

    By the time she was done with her, she would wish she was dead.

    And what did that little slut mean that she was going to be the new mistress?

    That bitch knew something! But what?

    "Aurora." A deep, dark voice interrupted her thoughts stream.

    She opened her eyes quickly and saw a man standing in the room.

    She pointed her dagger at him.

    "Who are you?" She asked him. "How did you get into my room?"

    He raised his brow. "I see you do not want me around or what I have for you."

    And then he started to head out towards her balcony.

    "Wait!"

    She said, stopping him right in his tracks.

    She rubbed her forehead and set the dagger aside.

    "You caught me at the wrong time." She said.

    She was already having a throbbing headache.

    "You are the one Alexander sent." She said.

    She had paid good money.

    He nodded. "Yes."

    "Is it hard evidence?" She asked.

    He handed her the paper, and she received it.

    She opened it and read it.

    It was a letter Alexander detailing that Jasmine was the first daughter of Alpha Bale. But also a bastard daughter.

    Alpha Bale has another child who he had hidden away.

    Aurora could not believe what she was reading.

    She gasped in disbelief. "This is unbelievable. He hid his actual daughter. No wonder Jasmine was different. I knew something was off about her! I knew it!"

    Aurora could not believe it.

    Suddenly, her headache was gone.

    She was beyond words ted.

    She sat down on the bed as sheughed.

    She ced her head gently on her head and closed her eyes.

    "I can not believe this!" She said.

    Finally! Finally, she was going to have Jasmine gone from her life for good.

    This was beyond words amazing.

    She was going to regain back her ce in the pack.

    She looked down at the paper and read through its contents again.

    Sheughed. "It is all here. Xaden was betrayed and deceived. That is aw against the ord. Xaden can go to war the moment he sees this. He does not have to wait for the New moon."

    She was so happy.

    The man folded his arms. "There is something else."

    She looked at him. "What?"

    "There is something else Alpha Bale and his family have. Something else that they lied about and something no one knows." The man said.

    Jasmine raised her brow with interest. "What?"

    "It is something that will be of interest to Xaden. Personal interest to him." The man said .

    He opened his palm and showed it to her.

    She got up from where she sat and walked to him.

    She reached out to touch it, but he closed it immediately.

    "Ah ah ah, it is going to cost you." He said.

    "How would I know it was credible enough?" She asked. "How do I know it��s worth it if you one show me?"

    He withdrew and started to walk away.

    "Fine." He said. "You can make use of what you have for now. After all, you only asked for that."

    He strode towards the balcony and was about to start climbing down, making his secrets escape.

    She did not know what it was, but if he had given her something as credible as the letter disying the details of Jasmine��s identity.

    She did not know what this was about, but she could not throw it out of the window.

    "Wait!" She said, stopping him again.

    He stopped, and then he turned around with a smile on his face.

    She hated him: him and his stupid face.

    How much she wanted to p it off!

    She went to her wardrobe, opened it, and picked out her most prized possession.

    It was a diamond ne her mother had given her when she was young.

    Before she died.

    It was the only thing she had that belonged to her parents.

    She looked at it, fingered the beautiful artwork, and then handed it to him.

    He collected it and then smiled.

    "Is that worth it?" She asked, a frown on her face.

    "Yes." He nodded. "It is. Just the perfect equivalent."

    Then he put it in his pocket, and he opened his hand.

    She picked it up from his palm and looked at what she was holding.

    It was a lot of hair.

    She almost went crazy.

    "What sick joke is this?!" She screamed.

    Everyone was taking her for a fool! Even to the point of being an ordinary spy.

    "Are you crazy?!" She barked. "What are you giving me hair for? Did I say I did not have hair?! Huh?! Fucking tell me?! Trying to cheat me?! I will kill you before you leave here."

    She pulled out her de at him.

    "So feisty." He said. "Rx."

    She was breathing so heavily now.

    "Smell the hair." He said.

    "What?!"

    "Smell the hair." He said.

    "If you think that I would-

    "Just smell the hair!" He yelled.

    She sighed and gave in.

    She sniffed the hair.

    And then she stopped short.

    Her eyes widened in shock.

    "This is...t-this is..

    She was not even able to speak up.

    What she had just discovered was enough to bring everything down.

    It was enough to reinstate herself as mistress and make her his Luna.

    Xaden would love her forever if she told him this.

    He smiled. "No, I ask, was it worth it?"

    She smiled back at him.

    And then she saw a sword go through his stomach, and then he gasped.

 Chapter 180: THE AUGUST KILLER

    <h4>Chapter 180: THE AUGUST KILLER</h4>

    AURORA��S POV

    Aurora watched as the man gasped.

    The sword went straight through him, and then there was blood seeping down.

    He looked at his stomach, and then blood came out from his mouth.

    Aurora watched in horror as the sword was dragged out.

    The man fell dead to the floor.

    Aurora looked up and saw thest person in the world she would have expected it to be.

    It was none other than Princess Cherry.

    She gasped.

    "Your majesty." She gasped in shock.

    Cherry smiled at her. "Hello, Aurora."

    Cherry used her napkin to clean the de.

    "It is quite bad I did not get to see you until the final day of the halo festival."

    She expertly cleaned the de.

    "Is this really you?" She asked, shocked.

    "In the flesh." Cherry shined her white teeth.

    "Sorry about that mess," Cherry said, referring to the dead man on the floor. "He was coteral damage. He had to go."

    "H-how did you even get here? I thought you left already." Aurora said in confusion.

    "Oh, I had to use a portal," Cherry said. "The perks of using dark magic."

    "What do you want?" Aurora asked.

    Aurora had heard a few things about Princess Cherry.

    She was not to be trusted. That was the main thing.

    It was also known that she had been the one to sit down on Xaden��s family��s call for help when they had been attacked.

    Although this was known to probably only a handful of people.

    Aurora had known because of the insiders she had had to dig.

    Cherry was not to be trusted. She knew that.

    "Well, you have something that I want," Cherry said with a smile.

    Aurora swallowed. "I don��t have anything belonging to you."

    "Nonsense," Cherry said, tucking her ck hair behind her ears. "We both know that I know that that is a lie."

    Cherry began to circle her as she spoke. "I have been keeping an eye on you and your movements. Your little bid to gain your lost favor in the eyes of a man who will never see you."

    "You have been spying on me?" Aurora asked in anger.

    "Honey, I spy on everyone. It is what I do," Cherry said. You uncovered something, and I want it buried. Jasmine."

    Aurora scoffed. "Jasmine is a mere ve. What does she have on you that you want to remain buried."

    "You truly want to know?" Cherry asked. "Choose wisely, dear. Keep this to yourself. Swear a blood oath to me, and I will spare you."

    "You knew that Jasmine was an imposter this entire time?" She said in disbelief.

    "Yes, I found out just shortly after I came here," Cherry said. "And what you know must remain hidden."

    Aurora hid the hair behind her.

    "I will do no such thing." She said.

    She quickly tried to transform into her wolf, but Cherry was much too fast and powerful for her.

    Cherry used her hand and waved it up in the air.

    Aurora was thrown and hauled down on the floor.

    She was instantly reverted to her human form.

    She tried to change it, but it did not work.

    She tried again and again, but nothing worked.

    She looked up at Cherry in horror. "What did you do to me?"

    "I took your powers," Cherry said as she sat on the edge of the bed and looked at Aurora. "Gave you the chance to be loyal to me. You chose to make your own decisions."

    Aurora tried to turn again, but nothing happened except the nosebleed.

    She looked angrily at Cherry. "Why are you doing this?!"

    "You see, Jasmine, who you just discovered is the bastard daughter of Bale, is actually my grand niece, " she informed.

    Aurora looked at her like she was crazy.

    "W-what? How?" Aurora managed.

    "It is a dreadful and annoying story. The long and short of it was that my niece Corral listened to me when I told her to push her sister overboard. We all believed Scarlet had died, but somehow, that little fighter made it out. Even had a child. Can you imagine? How dreadful! And do you know who her daughter is? Jasmine."

    Aurora��s eyes opened in shock. "Jasmine is my grand niece. Jasmine is the true heir to the throne. She was born before crowned Princess Belle. Jasmine ispletely royal blood; to make matters worse, she is to be on the throne. You have no idea what you are dealing with."

    "Does Jasmine know this?" Aurora asked in shock.

    Cherry cleared her throat. "Of course not. She is very clueless, so her powers haven��t yet been evoked. Once she is aware, they will wake up fully. And Jasmine is very, very dangerous. You do not any to mess with her."

    Aurora could not believe what she was hearing.

    So Jasmine was not just an imposter but also the actual crowned princess.

    She began to shake.

    "Do you not see the resemnce? The hair? The features?" Cherry asked.

    And then Aurora began to actually notice it.

    It baffled her.

    This wasn��t good. This was really, really bad.

    "So you see if Xaden were to discover that Jasmine truly is a bastard child, the royal family might begin to inquire, especially Xaden and then they would unravel the truth of her real mother. It wille to light." Cherry exined.

    "So you don��t want Jasmine to destroy your ns. If they discover who she is, they would discover that you were behind all the evil." Aurora said.

    Cherry pped her hands. "Good girl. You add two and two together real fast."

    Then Cherry rose up. "I had been watching you for a while now, and I had to intervene to stop you."

    Her eyes glowed ck.

    "So what are you going to do? Go ahead and do it. Kill me." Aurora said, knowing that there was no escape.

    "Kill you? God, no, what I have in mind for you is much, much better." Cherry held her chin. "Right now, you will go and kill Jasmine."

 Chapter 181: LISA’S FAILED MISSION

    <h4>Chapter 181: LISA��S FAILED MISSION</h4>

    Lisa waited angrily as she tapped her feet on the floor.

    She had been waiting for Alpha Xaden for almost the past one hour and yet he had not allowed in.

    This was frustrating.

    One of the guards that she usually slept with for extra offers whistled at her, and she red at him and ignored him.

    He motioned to his co guard to wait for him and then he walked up to her.

    He grabbed her arm. "What has got you all upset? Usually, when I call you, youe

    Running like a hungry bitch."

    "Get your filthy hands off me!" She jerked free from his firm grasp.

    He looked at her in amazement and looked at his friend to see if he had seen it, too.

    "Seems Lisa the slut has now gotten a mouth." Heughed.

    His friendughed, too.

    Lisa rolled her eyes and looked the other way.

    The guard caught her shoulder.

    "Hey, I am talking to you!" He snapped at her.

    "Let go of me, you freak." She growled.

    The guard let her go, and she had to take in breaths to calm down.

    "Don��t ever touch me again!" She warned him. "By the time I walk out of that door, I will be a new woman, and you will be begging me for a favor."

    He looked at her. "What has gone into your head."

    She growled at him, her wolf teeth sprouting.

    "Crazy bitch! You will back begging me." He warned.

    She snapped at him, and then they both left.

    The guards who were standing watch at the door were just looking at them.

    "What?!" She hissed angrily.

    How much she regretted sleeping with that idiot.

    But then, she had had no other alternative.

    Once she told Alpha Xaden what she knew then she would be off the hook.

    She was so excited.

    Just what was taking him this long?

    After about ten more minutes of standing, the door opened, and then some Betas came out of the room.

    "You can go in now." The guard said.

    She hurriedly heeded and went into hisrge office.

    It was where he spoke to some of his wolves and went through scrolls.

    It was also different from the court room.

    She saw him writing down some things on a scroll.

    She smiled.

    How she could not wait to have him all to herself!

    "My lord." She curtseyed.

    He went on writing without acknowledging her.

    She just stood.

    Was he not going to say anything to her?

    She stood there for about two minutes as he scribbled, and then he stopped and looked at her.

    "You won��t say what you came to do?" He asked.

    "Oh...I had just assumed, perhaps." She started to stutter her words together.

    Xaden sighed heavily.

    He set down the quill aside. "I am listening. What do you want to say to me that is of high importance?"

    Why was she feeling so foolish all of a sudden now?

    She started to feel ufortable, and then she cleared her throat.

    "My lord,st night I was sleeping, and I overheard a conversation between-

    "You overheard?" Xaden raised a brow suspiciously. "Were you gossiping....what��s your name again."

    "Lisa, my lord." She said through gritted teeth.

    "Lisa." He nodded. "You were gossiping, were you not?"

    "No... actually, I happened to be asleep simply, and then I was awakened, and I-

    "You were gossiping." He said, waving his hand away, indicating that she had left. "I do not listen to such trivial matters about women. It is a waste of my time."

    "But my lord." She gasped, unable to believe he was simply kicking her out and not hearing what she had to say.

    "I have a lot of work, as you can see, " he said, dismissing her without even looking at her. "So you can see yourself out. Or perhaps the guards will help you."

    He snapped his fingers, and she turned and watched the guards approach her.

    They took a hold of her arm.

    "My lord, it is about Jasmine." She said.

    That caught his attention and stopped him short.

    He stopped using the feather quill and looked up at her.

    He motioned at the guards to let her go, and then they did.

    She jerked her hand free and red at them.

    He looked at her intensely as if now taking note of her for the first time since he had ever seen her.

    It was crazy what Jasmine did to him.

    Just the mere mention of Jasmine did to him.

    But, well, what she was about to reveal was unforgivable.

    Once he found out, he would send Jasmine out of the pack and murder her because she had fooled him, and she would be upgraded to a mistress.

    She smiled as she imagined it all.

    "What did you want to tell me about Jasmine?" He asked her. "And you better not waste my time."

    She nodded. "Last night, my lord, I was asleep when I overheard Jasmine and Fiona speaking to each other. They were talking about-

    There were some men shouting outside.

    Lisa frowned.

    Then it stopped.

    She resumed what she was saying. "Jasmine said that she was not the-

    There were more shoutings now, and the men were racing outside.

    Xaden got up on his feet.

    The guards turned and went to the door.

    Lisa was blowing in fury what was happening now?!

    Then Xaden went around from his desk and went to the door.

    Lisa followed him behind.

    The men were running, and she finally saw it when they hit the balcony.

    It was none other than Aurora in her wolf form tearing the men and women apart.

    The other wolves had transformed and were equally trying to fight her off, but it was as if she was more substantial.

    "What the hell is going on?" Xaden demanded.

    "We don��t know. She just started attacking." Another of his men who had just arrived to report to him said.

 Chapter 182: DEATH

    <h4>Chapter 182: DEATH</h4>

    Lisa watched as Aurora attacked them all, tearing them into nothing but pieces.

    She, too, was horrified.

    What could have gotten into her? Aurora would not jeopardize herself in the pack.

    For anything, no matter.

    So, what was going on???

    "She is not listening to anyone, my lord," Damian said. "We have tried. She is just attacking. Perhaps you can use your superiority as Alpha to stop her. It is like she has been possessed."

    Xaden looked on in horror as they tried to pin her down.

    "Wolfsbane." He said. "What about Wolfsbane?"

    "We tried that already. She is not submitting." Damian said he was growing weary.

    Wolfsbane was something wolves used to turn their enemies back into humans.

    For it to be very effective, it had to be admitted into the bloodstream.

    Which made it hard for people to use it inbat.

    Xaden turned around and walked towards the stairway leading to the ground floor, where her wolf was growling and screaming.

    Lisa jumped and followed him.

    "My lord, what I have to tell you is important." She said as she chased him right behind.

    She did not want to risk this.

    "Do you not see that there is a cmity urring in the pack?" He came to a quick halt and snapped at her. "I care more for the lives of my people than some gossip you heard. We shall discuss thister..."

    He went ahead, with his men following him right behind while Lisa remained standing.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    A FEW MINUTES BEFORE THE ATTACK

    "You will kill Jasmine," Cherry said, and then she began some incantations on Aurora.

    Aurora felt like a potent source hitting her.

    Her body began to sway from side to side on its own ord as Cherry resumed her incantations, her eyes ck.

    Aurora��s body began vibrating, and by the time her eyes opened, they were pitch-red.

    "You are now under my spell," Cherry said. "You have only one target."

    Cherry lifted a loc of Jasmine��s Jesus she had cut from the very first day she had seen her.

    Aurora smelled it, and she started to breathe heavily.

    "No one shall stop you." Cherry dered. "Anyone who shalle your way shall be terminated. You must meet your target no matter what anyonemands. Alpha or Omega."

    Aurora was now transfixed, listening to her.

    Then she handed her a dagger.

    "This is what you shall use to kill Jasmine," Cherry said. "It is only the thing that can kill a royal of such power. Stab her heart, and your mission will be fulfilled. After that, you will terminate yourself. Now go!"

    And then Aurora moved like she had been hit back with such immense power and she received the dagger,, turned around and went out of the room.

    Cherryughed as she returned to her portal, away from the Crescent pack.

    Aurora walked down the hall, her mind on her target. She had sniffed the bloodline, so she knew where to find her.

    She was not Aurora, and yet she was Aurora. The power of the spell was hovering over her, and it refused her the ability to make any other choice.

    As she walked down the hallway, one of her betas came to her.

    "Mydy, we needed to speak to you about-

    But Aurora pushed her so hard that she was flown back down to the other side of the wall.

    The people around me gasped.

    The guards around noticed this and went to her.

    She used one hand to set the guard down on the ground and used her shoe to smash his skull.

    The other guard came right at her. She dodged and used her head to hit his stomach, sending him propelling far down to the water fountain.

    They all started attacking her immediately, and she continued fighting them.

    She turned to her wolf and broke free of them.

    She did not care about them or was interested in killing them.

    She was killing them because they were in her way.

    And then they threw arge over her, pinning her down.

    She growled, howled, and bit at the.

    Then she felt something being injected into her side.

    But she bawled, broke free of her cage, and then started attacking them, ripping their bodies and even wolves into two.

    Then she smelled Jasmine��s wolf, turned in the direction, and started galloping towards it.

    She was racing so fast on all fours.

    As she advanced toward the forest,

    She finally reached her, and then she came to slow down as she sniffed, looking for her.

    The bloodline was much stronger and more alluring to her.

    She walked down a swamp and went, then saw her target.

    Jasmine was seated by the bank with Fiona.

    "Fiona," Jasmine said she was tapping Fiona once they saw therge wolf.

    They quickly stood up, and Fiona pushed Jasmine behind her.

    "Stay back."

    Then Aurora turned back to her human self.

    "Lady Aurora?" Jasmine said she was confused.

    Aurora started to progress toward them slowly.

    Walking straight to meet them head-on.

    There was blood all over her.

    "Mydy, are you alright?" Jasmine started to go towards her.

    But Fiona held her hand. "Stop Jasmine. That��s not her blood."

    Then Jasmine saw it and tensed up.

    Aurora finally was about seven paces from them, and then Fiona said.

    "Run!"

    And together, both girls stared, running.

    But Aurora was faster.

    She pushed Fiona out of her way, who hit a tree, and then she turned to Jasmine.

    She caught her, grabbed her, and as Jasmine��s eyes opened in question, she raised the dagger to stab her.

    "Aurora !" Xaden screamed as he put his ws inside her stomach and killed her.

    She turned to look at him.

    Tears were in her eyes as she reverted to her standard eye color.

    "Xaden?" She said as she fell into his arms.

    He cradled her, and then she died.

    He held her up against him and felt his entire body go weak and tremble with grief.

    "Aurora." He whispered.

    He might not have loved her, but she had been by his side.

    He heard his men catch up to him.

    Then he looked up and saw Jasmine.

    But the dagger was already in her heart.

    She looked at him, her lips quivering, then dropped to the ground.

 Chapter 183: STILL ALIVE

    <h4>Chapter 183: STILL ALIVE</h4>

    Xaden watched in horror as she dropped down to the ground.

    He just looked down at her in horror, unable to even utter a single word.

    And then it hit him.

    It was like everywhere became faint, like he wasn��t hearing anything at all.

    It became a daze all in slow motion, and yet it was all happening too fast.

    He set Aurora��s body aside and went to Jasmine.

    By the time he grabbed her and set her on his thighs, it was like it all hit him, and everything came shing hard on him.

    "Jasmine." He said. "Jasmine, wake up."

    He rubbed her cheek and held her close up to him.

    Her eyelids were dropping in half.

    They were blinking open and then closing.

    "Yes, stay with him." He said. "Stay with me."

    She was just looking up at him, and then they started to close back.

    "No, no, " he said, shaking her. "Stay with me, Jasmine. Stay with me."

    His entire being was shaking it was like every fiber in him was going.

    It was now like he was so ovee with grief and fear of losing her.

    And no, it was not because they were tethered together but because he cared about losing her.

    He did not want her to die.

    For the first time since he was a child, he was terrified; he was scared.

    It was like he was back in that awful ce when he had hidden in the closet as a child.

    "Jasmine, please." He begged as he cradled her to him.

    But her beautiful eyes were not fluttering anymore; instead, they were now

    Close.

    He did not see the men gather around him from behind.

    "Xaden." Someone said.

    But he was not hearing anything. All he could think of was Jasmine in his arms.

    Then, there were some hurried footsteps that went down over Xaden.

    It was Loren.

    Loren reached out to her, quickly put his hands through his little box, and pulled out a leaf.

    He quickly pulled out the dagger and then he put a leaf over it.

    Itpletely sped her bleeding chest and stayed still.

    Loren felt her pulse. "She is still alive. But she is dying."

    Xaden looked at Loren, his eyes already a bloodshot red.

    "You must save her," Xaden said.

    Loren��s face was solemn and weak. "I will do the best I can."

    "You will save her!" Xadenmanded him.

    "I can understand your grief, but we are wasting time discussing this," Loren advised him. "We have to take her up to my quarters while she is still alive."

    But Xaden did not move. Instead, he was still holding onto her so firmly.

    He started to shiver.

    His wolf began to wake up, and he just went on howling.

    His eyes went to mes, and then he started to growl, and the ground trembled.

    He was about to transform in his grief to his beast.

    The beast that he had created when he has used Marie��s dark magic was taking advantage of his weakness and then

    And then he felt a hand on his shoulder.

    He looked up sharply and saw that it was Erik who had touched him.

    He rxed when he saw it was him.

    "They are not taking her away from me," Xaden said, his eyes red.

    Erik nodded. "I know, and no one will. I promise. But we need to take her up to Loren��s quarters so we can see how we can revive her."

    Xaden went quiet as he firmly held onto her.

    Then Erik squatted down beside him on the ground.

    "You want her to live, do you not?" Erik asked.

    Xaden tilted his head and nodded very gently.

    "Good," Erik said. "Then we have to return back to the castle. She needs to be healed. And do not worry. No one will take her from you. You can carry her up yourself. Would that be okay? Are you strong enough for that?"

    Then Xaden nodded like a child slowly trying to process things, and his features began to rx slowly.

    Hisrge wolf teeth closed up, and then his breathing eased.

    His eyes went back to a standard color but still remained bloodshot.

    Then he was back to his human self, and his almost bestial transformation ended.

    They all heaved a sigh of relief.

    Then Xaden slowly rose to the ground with Jasmine in his arms and walked up the path that led out of her server garden.

    She scented like lovely flowers.

    Then her Friend Fiona, who was being helped up by some wolves, came back to consciousness.

    She rested her fingers against her throbbing head and felt the blood.

    And then it hit her.

    "Where is Jasmine?" She demanded as she ran up to them. "Where is my friend?"

    "Rx, you have to take it easy. You hit your head hard." The wolf told her. "If you do not slow things down, you could increase your

    Head injury. You are quite lucky to even be alive."

    "Where is Jasmine?" She demanded without listening to him.

    The wolf sighed and pointed to the crowd of wolves returning back to the castle.

    She got up regardless of the protests and rushed up to the crowd.

    Fiona saw Aurora��s body being carried along by a wolf.

    And then she became terrified.

    She began to run helter shelter looking for Jasmine.

    And then she found her in Xaden arms.

    She hurried up to him and tried to look at Jasmine.

    Xaden did not stop for her to take a look, so she kept on walking alongside.

    "Is she going to be okay?" Fiona asked once she saw her friend lifeless in his arms.

    Xaden said nothing.

    On his face, the only expression wasplete angst and sorrow, nothing more.

    Then Loren touched her shoulder. "We can only hope that she will be fine."

    Then It hit Fiona. "Where is the little girl that had been us?"

    Erik frowned. "What little girl?"

    Follow current novels on freewe(b)novel.c(o)m

 Chapter 184: ONCE HERO NOW VILLAIN

    <h4>Chapter 184: ONCE HERO NOW VILLAIN</h4>

    A FEW MINUTES BEFORE THE ATTACK

    "Today is the end for you! I swear it! What you are hiding is going toe to light! Everyone will know that I was right!" Aurora screamed.

    The people around turned to look at her, wondering if she was okay.

    "What are you looking at?! Get back to work!" She hissed.

    They went on and about with their business

    After Aurora��s confrontation with Jasmine, Fiona and Jasmine looked at each other.

    "What was that about?" Jasmine asked, confused.

    "I have no idea," Fiona replied.

    Jasmine shook her head. "I mean, I think I know what she is talking about." He is

    Fiona raised her brow. "I think Alexander was going to tell her about me before he died. You know? You heard about it, didn��t you? The Alpha who had been locked up in prison after he tried to hurt me. Either that or she went to find out by herself."

    Fiona red back at Aurora, but she was already gone.

    "That conniving witch. You see what I am talking about. You need to be the one to go and tell Xaden before anyone else because hearing from other people will be something entirely different." She states matter of fact.

    "Do you think she already knows?" Jasmine asked anxiously. "I used to think she suspected especially with her threats and all."

    "No." Fiona shook her head. "I do not quite think so. But I think she is getting there. If she knew, she would have already told him and used words in the sense that it was yet toe. But she is definitely getting there."

    Jasmine nodded.

    Jasmine had thought about it for a long time throughout the entire early hours of the morning.

    After Fiona had gone to sleep, she remained awake.

    Thinking about the decisions she had been making.

    Why was she supporting her father?

    Why was she afraid of him so?

    She remember the fear he had instilled in her as a child, how much she had begged for his love when she had discovered that he was her father.

    But he had turned her away.

    She treated her like she did not matter, because she truly did not.

    After the attack on the pack he had taken her and insisted that she be a spy to prove she was worthy enough to be his daughter.

    She had done that because she wanted him to see her as his daughter.

    She had also done it because she was scared of him. Terrified he was going to hurt her.

    But after seeing all the things he had done to people.

    How people instantly hated her because of what he had done to them, she no longer wanted anything to do with him again.

    She was going to send her next message to him and tell him that she was done.

    That he had hurt so many people.

    Innocent people.

    He was a monster!

    And she would no longer let him use her. She could see him for what he indeed was.

    She turned to Fiona.

    "Fiona." She started as they walked down the courts. "I thought about what you said, and I would do it. I will tell Xaden about everything that happened. I will tell him the truth. Every single thing."

    Fiona stopped, and then she hugged. "I am proud of you for making such a decision."

    Jasmine indulged herself in the hug. "I will do it today, this afternoon."

    "That is a very good and brave decision you made." Fiona apuded.

    Then they saw a little girl, probably around the age of eight, running, and then she tripped and fell into a ditch.

    Jasmine panicked and went right to her.

    She gathered her skirts and rushed to the little girl.

    When she got to the ditch, she bent down and shouted. "Hello? Are you alright?"

    "I think I hit my head." The little girl cried and sniffed all at once.

    "Do not worry, I��ll be right down there," Jasmine said, struggling to reach out.

    "Be careful, Jasmine." Fiona said as Jasmine reached out.

    Then Jasmine looked around and saw an old but retarded rope.

    She rushed and picked it up and brought it to Fiona.

    "What are you doing?" Fiona asked.

    Jasmine wrapped the rope around her waist and fastened it tight.

    "You will tie the other end of that rope to that end and make sure it is secure so that I can venture down," Jasmine said wisely.

    Without even waiting for a response, Jasmine headed down to the ditch.

    Fiona hurriedly tied it up, and Jasmine went down very slowly.

    She saw the little girl had injured herself terribly, and then she was bleeding.

    Jasmine bent over her and said. "Don��t worry. I am here."

    The girl nodded weakly, and then Jasmine picked her up and fastened her on her back.

    "Hold tight," Jasmine said.

    And then Jasmine began to climb up the rope.

    It was difficult, but she was able to climb up the rope with the child strapped to her back.

    By the time she reached the top, Fiona had assisted her up.

    She gently set the girl down and examined her wounds.

    "How do you feel?" Jasmine asked.

    Before she could reply, an angry woman came up to them.

    "What are you doing to my daughter?!" She screamed.

    She grabbed her daughter and looked her over. "What did that murderer��s daughter do to you? Tell me."

    Jasmine took a step back as if she had been pped hard.

    "You want to continue from your father, do you not? Finish what he started? I am sure you are worse than him! Monster! Stay away from my daughter!" She screamed.

    The other servants gathered behind her and then began chanting and insulting Jasmine.

    Fiona wanted to answer all of them, but Jasmine held her and stopped her.

    "Don��t." She said.

    And then Jasmine turned around and left.

    Her heart bleeding with pain.

    The women and men shouted in joy as she went away.

 Chapter 185: LANA SAVED THE DAY

    <h4>Chapter 185: LANA SAVED THE DAY</h4>

    A FEW MINUTES BEFORE THE ATTACK

    As Jasmine and Fiona walked away amidst the chanting of the crowd, the girl��s mother turned to face her.

    "What did that witch do to you?" She asked. "We need to take you to the healer. Who knows if she has put a hex on you."

    "But mother-

    The little girl tried to talk to her mother but was hushed.

    "Do not speak!" The mother admonished. "I have told you to get away from that witch! But you would do what you want to do now look at that wound on your head."

    The little girl tried to speak up and tell her mother that Jasmine had saved her when she had fallen in the ditch.

    But her mother hushed her immediately.

    "Something needs to be done about that woman!" Someone hissed. "Ever since she came to the pack, bad things have been happening to us."

    "The curse of her cursed blood when she became the maiden made the plight on us worse." Another she-wolf wept dramatically.

    "Before she came to the pack I had a bad dream and it rained so heavily that night! It was a sign!" Someone said with so much drama.

    All of them around nodded and whispered in agreement.

    "You need to take Lana to the healer." The woman said. "Who knows if the witch put a hex on her!"

    "I was just saying that to her. Look how she is being rude and disrespectful to me. I am sure it was that leech who did something to her." Lana��s mother said. "We need to speak to the Alpha. We do not want someone like her around us."

    They nodded in agreement.

    Lana��s mother grabbed her and pulled her daughter down the hallways and argued about how she was being naughty.

    Every time Lana tried to tell her mother what had actually happened her mother would ask her to shut up.

    Her mother told her not to question any of their decisions and was now one hundred percent that the witch had wanted to use her for sacrifice.

    After her mother cleaned up her wound and put bandages on it, she said she was going to take her to the healer.

    But then one of the other co-workers came around and said that they had some urgent work and her mother was forced to leave her.

    But not without saying. "Your father will definitely hear this!"

    And then she left.

    Lana was quite unhappy.

    The woman who had risked her life to save her was now being called names and made fun of why she did not understand.

    She had to find a way to apologize to the woman.

    She knew what to do!

    She will pick some wildflowers and give them to her in a bouquet.

    The little girl ran off down the massive hallways and headed in the direction where she knew she would find the prettiest wildflowers.

    She picked them up until they were a beautiful bouquet of various flowers.

    Then she looked around, wondering where the woman had gone.

    She knew that If she asked any adult where she was, they would not tell her.

    So she turned into her wolf, a very small pup, and then she ran off to find Jasmine.

    She sniffed her around, and it was easier for a baby wolf to find another scent.

    She sniffed it ahead and with the Flower bouquet in her mouth she ran off in the direction to where she knew she would find her.

    She ran down a little path and went into a forest she had never been to.

    But she was a tiny wolf, still a child and children��s freedom had no bounds of fear.

    So she ran off, moreover she always went to ces without her mother��s consent.

    If her mother knew all the ces she and the other little pups ran off to, they would all be in trouble.

    Including their own parents.

    She found a little swamp, and then she saw Jasmine and her friend together.

    She could hear Jasmine crying as she drew closer, and she felt that it was because of what her mother and the other people had done.

    She slowly went up to them, and then Jasmine looked up and saw her.

    She gasped softly.

    Lana calmly dropped the flower bouquet on the floor and sat down to look up at Jasmine.

    "Oh, hello." Jasmine said, the fright leaving her face.

    Then she wiped off the tears, but her eyes were visibly red.

    "Who are you?" Jasmine asked.

    Fiona sniffed. "That scent. Isn��t she the girl that you saved from the ditch?"

    Lana nodded her cute wolf head.

    And then Jasmine looked closer and saw the part of her head that had bandages.

    She reached out and then said. "Look at that, the little girl has a gash on her head. Her mother must have cleaned it up."

    "After she had created so much trouble," Fiona said, folding her arms in annoyance.

    Then Jasmine sighed. "It is not her mother��s fault she hates me."

    Then a tear dropped from her eyes, and this time, Lana went and climbed her and licked off her tears.

    Jasmine giggled as it was ticklish. "Thank you."

    Then the girl ran back to the flowers and, grabbed it by her mouth and brought it to Jasmine.

    "I think she is telling you thank you and perhaps sorry for what happened." Fiona shrugged her shoulders.

    Jasmine smiled at her and smelled the flowers. "Thank you very much."

    And then she rubbed the back of her ears.

    Then Lana felt a presence, turned back, and looked at a woman approaching them.

    A scared Lana ran behind the two women.

    "Go, Lana," Jasmine said. "Go run, hide! Now!"

    With a whimpering, Lana ran off from behind.

    She knew they were in trouble and then ran so fast she bumped into Alpha Xaden.

    She stopped instantly, and then she dragged him in their direction.

    Crying and howling.

    He stopped picking her up and perceived Jasmine��s smell on her fur.

    It was then he let her lead him to where they were.

 Chapter 186: JASMINE IS A SAVIOR

    <h4>Chapter 186: JASMINE IS A SAVIOR</h4>

    RIGHT AFTER THE ATTACK.

    "What little girl?" Erik asked, confused.

    Fiona looked around. "There was a little girl. There was a pup who was here. She brought Jasmine flowers, but then when Aurora came here, Jasmine told her to hide. I can not find her around." Fiona said, looking around.

    "You mean this pup?" It was Damien who

    Stepped up with the puppy in his arms.

    She turned and saw the little girl whimpering in his arms.

    "Yes, her!" Fiona said, relief was written all over her face.

    She looked down at her and saw that she was whimpering probably out of fear.

    "You poor thing," Fiona said, collecting Lana from Damian��s arms and gently coddling her.

    Lana��s little cries were reduced to whimpers and then sniffs.

    "Where did you find her?" Fiona asked. "I was worried something had happened to her."

    "She was the one who had led us to Jasmine," Erik said. "She actually came right into Xaden and then he picked Jasmine��s scent together with Aurora��s. She led the way."

    "Such a brave little princess," Fiona said, Kissing her head as they went with the crowd of warriors.

    "How did she get that bump," Erik asked.

    "She fell into a ditch," Fiona said. "It is a long story. But the long and short of it was that Jasmine saved her, and she came to give her flowers as a sort of thank you."

    Then Fiona looked down at Lana.

    "I still can not believe she risked her life going to look for help and returning back even though she knew there was danger," Fiona said.

    Fiona, who had been a child to a mother who had mocked Jasmine and called her names, had chosen to save the woman who had saved her life.

    She held her close to her and whispered words of assurance that she was now safe.

    Xaden leaving with Jasmine in his arms.

    Some of the warriors came with horses, and then Xaden climbed on one and rode off in a hurry to the castle.

    The others climbed.

    Fiona climbed another, too, and soon, they were riding up the path and finally got to the castle.

    There was a mammoth crowd of servants holding pitch forks and spears, stones and nks.

    The wolf guards were trying their best to stop them.

    Xaden came down from his horse with Jasmine in his arms.

    He gritted his teeth in irritation.

    "What the hell is going on?" He demanded in disgust.

    "The people are in uproar." One of the wolves said as they tried to hold them back.

    "Step back," Xaden said.

    The guards moved away in obedience, and Xaden went to the front of the crowd.

    They were all his workers, men and women.

    He looked at them

    Trying his best to contain his anger.

    He was still ovee with grief and struggling to suppress his wolf from exploding out.

    "What is going on?" He demanded.

    "That witch!" It was Lydia, one of the assistant head cooks. "She took my daughter away! First, she had her put under a spell and tried to sacrifice her, but I came right on time and stopped her. They were all there. They witnessed everything themselves. And now I can not find my child! She did not seed the first time but the second time, and now she is gone! We are tired of housing a monster! After all the things that her father did to us!"

    The crowd chanted in support.

    Xaden was so calm and when he looked at them.

    He said. "Silence."

    And they all dropped to their knees.

    It was his wolf speaking that had used his powers topel them.

    "How dare you?" He asked. "Choose to cause chaos in my pack."

    The ground began to rumble.

    "Have I not been a just alpha to you? To all of you?"

    He demanded, and then the floors began to shake more. "Have I not been a fair man to you all?!"

    They were silent.

    "HAVE I NOT?!" He barked, and a tree crashed to the ground, and it became windy.

    They all began to fear.

    Then little Lana jumped down from Fiona��s arms and rushed in between Xaden and the people.

    Then, she hurriedly reverted to her human form.

    Her mother��s eyes widened in shock.

    "Mother please stop." Then Lana turned back to Xaden. "My lord, please."

    And it was as if the child��s voice had brought down his rage and then he calmed down.

    The power that had been suppressing the wolves stopped.

    "Lana?" Her mother said, worry written on her face.

    "The woman did nothing to me!" Lana said. I tried to tell you, but you would not listen to me."

    Her mother went silent.

    "I fell into the ditch, and she saved me!" Lana said in her babyish words. "She risked her life, and she brought me up. She did not put a spell on me, neither did she try to use me as a sacrifice. But she saved my life. It is not a lie!"

    Her mother was tight lipped now and then shame was written on the faces of the wolves.

    "I only went to meet her in the forest because I wanted to apologize to her and thank her for saving me." Lana said sadly. "She did nothing to me."

    Then Fiona came to the front and spoke up.

    "She saved your daughter. She has done nothing but be good to us, and yet you decide to Lynch her over whose blood she is." Fiona red at all of them. "You should be ashamed of yourself."

    They all went quiet.

    "Get out of my sight!" Xaden said, and they cleared the road for him to pass. "By tomorrow sun down you will all be behaved for this act of defiance."

    The people fell to the ground in sorrow and misery. They began to beg and cry for mercy from him.

    But Xaden was not listening; instead, he was already walking up ahead to the healing quarters.

 Chapter 187: JASMINE’S LIFE LINE

    <h4>Chapter 187: JASMINE��S LIFE LINE</h4>

    Xaden very gently set down Jasmine in his bed.

    He had taken her to his room, and Loren and the other guards followed in.

    She was still, and then he sat down by her side while Loren hovered, trying to check on her.

    Then he turned to the men. "Where is the de that was used on her?"

    Someone handed it, and then Loren went back to examine it.

    He looked at Xaden with uncertain eyes.

    "I need space," Loren said. "I need a ce to clear up, and I need privacy."

    Xaden stiffened instantly. "I am not leaving her."

    "I did not ask you to." Loren shook his head. "I am just telling you to give me some private time with her. Your presence here is not easing any tensions, I assure you."

    Xaden was very much hesitant to leave.

    "I will be quiet," Xaden promised. "You will barely even notice that I am here."

    "That is not the point." a very frustrated Loren said. "You are waisting time. I just need to be able examine her in much more calmer environment. And that includes everyone around. Including you. This is critical!"

    Xaden still did not want to leave her side and then Erik came to him.

    "Xaden, we will not be gone far." Erik said. "We will just be by the door. If anything happens, we can easily go in."

    But Xaden was still refusing. He seemed as if he had not heard a simple word.

    He was just staring down at her, his face a death cold.

    "She is dying," Loren said in anger. "And if you continue to disobey me, she WILL die."

    That instantly caught his attention as he looked up at Loren.

    He began to growl, and his anger began to get the best of him.

    Then Fiona spoke. "Xaden, please! You saved me from an attack! Save her by letting him do his work!"

    Then, Xaden looked at everyone in the room before looking down at her.

    She was already beginning to bleed again from the leaf that had secured her cut.

    She was ghastly pale.

    He rose to his feet and then very slowly walked out of the room.

    Everyone else followed him out.

    He did not even move an inch.

    He stood by the door of his chamber and leaned his head against the wall, in a daze.

    "Just take it easy."

    Erik said.

    "She was stabbed," Xaden said. "In such a way. By Aurora, of all people. I should Uber known Erik. I should have known that Jasmine was her target. Aurora had never liked Jasmine in the first ce. Good goddess."

    Xaden took his back from the wall and began to pace in anguish.

    "Something happened to Aurora Xaden." Erik said. "That was not Aurora it was like she was an different person entirely. Aurora would never ever jeopardize her life in the pack for anything. Think about it, Xaden. Even when Aurora had tried to kill Jasmine, she had done it in secret, never in front of your ace or at the most to your knowledge. Something definitely happened."

    "I can not even think." Xaden said in all earnest. "Not one bit. I just want her to live. I should have gotten to her before she did. Fuck I should have known."

    Xaden was so distressed that it worried Erik.

    He had not figured that such an event would affect Xaden so tremendously.

    Then Xaden rose back up and turned to Damien. "Send for Marie. Tell her toe. In fact, bring her yourself here. You are toe along with her no matter what."

    Damien blinked, taken aback by the order. "W-what, my lord?"

    "NOW!" Xaden barked, and Damian rushed off to do what he had been asked to. Then Erik looked at him closely. "We already have Loren, why would we need Marie?"

    "There are things that you do not understand yet." That was all Xaden said

    And he resumed his pacing as he raked his fingers through his hair in anguish.

    Then Lisa rushed up the stairs to where they were.

    When she saw Xaden pacing the room back and forth, she knew that the rumors were true.

    So Jasmine had been stabbed, and Aurora had been the one to attack her?

    How was she going to tell him the truth if Jasmine was dead? How would she gain favor in his eyes?

    She decided she would tell him immediately.

    She adjusted her dress and rushed up to him.

    "My lord." She curtseyed. "I apologize for the great loss you have suffered."

    He barely even acknowledged her as he resumed walking back and forth.

    Then she made eye contact with Fiona, who was standing ring at her.

    Lisa red back and looked up at him. "My lord, I believe that what I had wanted to tell you is of great importance. It will relieve his lordship of the stress that he now suffers."

    He gave her a dangerous re that told her

    To mind her words.

    "Will such words you wish to give me make changes to the fact that Jasmine is dying? Will it bring her back to life?" He asked. There was lingering hope in his eyes.

    Lisa cursed under her breath.

    She sighed heavily before saying. "No, my lord."

    And then she quickly added. "But believe me, you will be relieved of all of this. You see, my lord, you are being deceived, and then Jasmine is-

    He raised his hands up, silencing her instantly. "Do you not see that I am in a state of rage? That is the slightest wrong mood, I could rip you apart? And yet You desire to give me petty gossip?"

    Lisa recoiled, now afraid of him. He was towering over her, and his anger and rage were looking for someone to manifest on.

    She sensibly went down on her knees. "Forgive me my lord. I only wished well."

    He looked her over and decided to himself that she was not worth it.

    Then he walked away.

    Lisa rose and decided to make other investigations for herself.

 Chapter 188: LISA’S ULTIMATE DISCOVERY

    <h4>Chapter 188: LISA��S ULTIMATE DISCOVERY</h4>

    LISA��S POV

    Lisa, heavy and weighed down with defeat, walked down the stairs sulking.

    How dreadful!

    All her ns had gone to ruin because of what Aurora had done.

    And now Jasmine was hanging between life and death.

    How was she going to be assigned her rightful ce as the mistress of the pack?

    How would Xaden now take her to be in his favor?

    She had to think fast, and for the first time in her life, she did not want Jasmine dead.

    She wanted her alive and well so that when

    Xaden found out the truth it would hit him well.

    If he found out when she was dead, it would be irrelevant because then there would be no one to face his wrath.

    Moreover, what good would a story be if the narrator was dead?

    She went down the stairs and saw some servants whispering about it.

    She went to them to overhear what they were saying.

    "What had happened?" Lisa demanded haughtily.

    The girl went quiet when they saw her and rolled their eyes.

    "I asked a question, and I demand an answer," Lisa said nastily.

    One of the girls folded her arms and looked at her while the others barely paid her any interest.

    "What is it to you?" The girl asked her nastily. "Do tell me?!"

    Lisa gasped in outrage at that disrespect.

    These were girls who kissed her feet.

    Why were they being nasty to her all of a sudden?

    "How dare you speak to me in such a manner!" She demanded in fueled rage and disgust.

    "Oh shut up, Lisa!" The other girls Hissed at her. "If you must know, then we shall inform you. Your lovey lovely mistress is dead. Yes, that is right. The one who gives you favors and Protection is dead. And now you know what that means, do you not?"

    Lisa was still taken aback, trying to piece two and two together.

    "It simply means that you are no longer our boss. We only respected or rather feared you because of your closeness with Lady Aurora and how she is gone. Who are you going to turn to for support?" The third girl hissed.

    Lisa just looked at them with her mouth wide open in disbelief and humiliation.

    How dare they?

    After everything she had done for them? All the favors.

    "You ungrateful little bitches!" She hissed, and to her surprise, they all burst outughing and giggling at each other.

    "Call us whatever you want to call us." The second girl said. "We will never answer you again. We are not afraid of you. We belong to the highest bidder, and unfortunately for you, you are no longer that."

    The girlsughed and pushed her out of their way before heading out.

    Lisa just looked, blinking in annoyance.

    She did what was the one thing she knew how to do when she was in doubt or anxious.

    She tossed her beautiful blonde hair over her shoulder and then stumbled away.

    Telling herself that she did not need them and, instead, they were the ones who needed her.

    Then she overheard some of the kitchen staff and a guard discussing.

    Not taking a chance to ask them what was happening, she hid behind a door and waited to hear their conversation.

    "How awful!" The chef said. "She died!"

    "Alpha Xaden has no choice." The female guard said. "I saw it with my own eyes. It was either she killed Jasmine and went on killing others, or he killed her."

    "Such a shame!" The other chef said. "I never liked Aurora. She was a nasty old bitch. But yet she never deserved that."

    "She did not." The other cool agreed. "I wonder what happened."

    The guard shrugged her shoulders. "No one knows. She just started killing the other wolves. She killed about nine men. We lost a number."

    "May the goddess lead them to the gates." The two chefs said in unison

    Then, one chef cleared her throat. "So what is Alpha Xaden doing now?"

    "He is currently with Jasmine." The guard said.

    "I wonder if she really saved Little Lana." The first chef said.

    The second chef sighed. "I do not know exactly what to say, but we all know Lana is a little troublemaker who gets into trouble. And she imed that was what happened. Perhaps Jasmine was not so bad."

    "Well Alpha Xaden has dered that they all be put to death for defying his orders." The guard said

    The women gasped, and Lisa stood overhearing them.

    "Where is Lady Aurora now?" Someone asked.

    "Last I heard, her body was taken to Loren��s quarters." The guard said.

    Lisa heard that, and that piqued her interest.

    She highly suspected that Aurora had not just gone on a killing spree.

    Just like that!

    She, too, had hated Jasmine and wanted to get rid of her!

    So what had happened?

    She decided she had heard enough gossip, so she hurriedly tiptoed up the stairs to Loren��s quarters to investigate for herself.

    She looked around sneakily and saw that no one was in sight.

    There were no guards around, so she hurriedly entered the room. Fortunately, the door was already unlocked.

    She stepped in, and then she found Aurora��s body on the table covered with a cloth.

    She opened it, and then she looked at her.

    She smiled wickedly. "What a waste. Look at you. I will be the one to take over. What made you do what you did? I hope you give me the answers I need."

    Then Lisa went off looking around and searching her body.

    For some clue or something.

    After a while, she found nothing, and she was frustrated.

    She knew that she could not be found here.

    She gave up in frustration, and she was about to leave when she moved from the body, and Aurora��s hand dropped.

    She frowned and saw that her hands were in a fist.

    She pried it open and saw a loc of hair.

    She picked it up and sniffed it, and then she gasped.

    This was going to bring everything DOWN!

 Chapter 189: SHE WILL DIE

    <h4>Chapter 189: SHE WILL DIE</h4>

    Loren Examined Jasmine as he worked over her.

    He saw the source of which her wound was bleeding, and then he used more of his leaf, which was more of a significantponent that could suppress bleeding.

    The leaf would simply be pressed against the wound, and then it would attack itself until it had spilled its nutrients into the wound and was worn out.

    Then it had to be thrown away and another one used in its ce.

    Loren kept at this, except it was happening at a fast rate.

    He tried to use his herbs and medicines to resuscitate her, but it was like she was just hanging.

    She was not dead yet, but she sure as hell was going there.

    And it baffled him. She should be dead for someone like Jasmine who was an unshifted wolf.

    But here she was, hanging between life and death, not getting any better.

    And he could tell that she was going to get worse.

    He had to admit it she was dying.

    He picked up the dagger that had been used to stab her.

    It was most definitely not normal.

    It wasced with something strong.

    If only he had that Lyrun herb that Jasmine had managed to nt, it would have kept her alive for a longer time.

    At least long enough to decipher how he would cure her.

    What exactly had Aurora used?

    It smelled of dark energy.

    He went back to his books, rushing through to see if there was a way he could bring her back.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Marie climbed up the steps with Damien and a couple of the other pack guards behind her.

    She saw Xaden, and she smiled.

    "You sent your men to get me." She said to him.

    He looked so distressed and frustrated.

    So, this girl had such immense power and influence over him.

    "I had to send for you, " he said, raking his hands through his hair. I apologize if I interrupted something you were doing."

    She tossed one of her beautiful dreadlocks across her shoulder and said. "Oh, please save the apologies; I had nothing to do. It is always good when someone calls me out of my shell. Moreover, you didn��t give me a choice."

    "Jasmine was stabbed by Aurora," Xaden said, his bloodshot eyes burning. "Loren is in there trying to handle it, but I do not know for how long. I needed to send for you. Please."

    She looked at him with a Frown. "How bad is it?"

    His face fell.

    She could not let anything happen to her!

    If she did, she would not end up collecting her payment.

    "You should have told me immediately instead of wasting time talking!" She said as she hurried off to the door.

    Loren was already opening the door, and everyone jumped up in anxiety.

    "Xaden, Erik, and Fionae in."

    He said quickly. Then he saw Marie, and he frowned.

    "Keep the frowns to yourself." She said as she pushed him out of the way and went into the bedroom chamber. "We can deal with our issuester."

    And then she walked to the bed where Jasminey white and unmoving.

    It was like all the color had drained out of her body.

    Like she had no single drop of blood in her.

    Marie examined her closely whilst Loren spoke.

    "She is dying." Loren broke to them. "And by this, I mean she is going. Unless we can do something."

    "Then you do something," Xaden demanded.

    "I have tried my best this is beyond me," Loren said sadly. Then he looked back at Jasmine. "She is supposed to be dead by now. The moment the dagger hit impact but, I do not understand it, her soul and body is fighting to be alive."

    Xaden rubbed his face and began to pace the room.

    He felt he was about to lose his mind.

    "Xaden, calm down." Erik urged him, knowing his best friend. Then he turned to Loren. "How many days do you believe she has left?"

    Before Loren could reply, Marie spoke up. "A week at most if we try to sustain her. But it would not go past that."

    Loren nodded because she was actually correct.

    "This is dark magic," Marie said. "Very dark Magic. She should have been dead already. She is a fighter. Let me see what was used to stab her."

    She was handed the de, and then she sniffed and examined it.

    "This is vulmer." She said. "It is very, very powerful."

    "Can it kill an Alpha?" Fiona asked, and everyone looked at her. "I was just asking."

    "An Alpha?" Marieughed. "This is Strong enough to kill a god. No one can survive this. If an Alpha was stabbed with this, then he would die immediately."

    "Then howe she is alive," Erik asked.

    Xaden was too weak to ask any questions.

    "That is an answer I do not know," Marie said.

    The room went quiet.

    Xaden believed that he was going to go mad from the silence.

    "There has to be something that you can do!" He screamed.

    They all went quiet.

    Then Marie said. "There is one way."

    All eyes turned to look at her.

    She swallowed and said. "The Isle of Lycanthrope."

    Everywhere went death silent.

    Because they all knew.

    It was only Fiona who was looking around, confused.

    Loren spoke up in disgust. "That is a death sentence!"

    "What is the Isle of Lycanthrope?" she asked. "I did not get the chance to be educated before my pack was raised. Plus, the little education I got, I always slept."

    "The Isle of lycanthrope is the birthce of the Lycans," Marie said. "It is where the goddess created the first Lycan. It is where they roamed before they lost their minds. At least the ones who remained. It is also where he originally came from."

    The he she referred to was none other than Erik.

    All eyes diverted from Marie to him.

 Chapter 190: THE ISLE OF LYCANTHROPE

    <h4>Chapter 190: THE ISLE OF LYCANTHROPE</h4>

    Erik eyed them but said nothing.

    "You are a lycan?" Fiona asked.

    "Half." He said. "I denounced that part of me a long time ago."

    "He is also from a long line of wolves who can, regardless of the fact when Alphas conquered can, remain as Alphas," Marie said. "He is one of the few hybrids to be born and live."

    "We are not talking about me now, are we?"

    Erik said wryly.

    He did not like being reminded of his Lycan heritage.

    "We need the Lyrun herb." She started.

    "We can easily get it," Xaden said. "I��ll pull my contacts to find-

    "No." She shook her head. "I am not talking about the Lycan herb. Even that one is hard toe by because their body has to have decayed. Hence why Lycans are very few. I��m talking of the original Lyrun herb."

    She cleared her throat. "A long time ago, when the Lycans were created, the goddess also gave them the ability to heal. The Lycans could heal people. Other wolves and even witches. Everyone. It was a gift from the goddess; she had seen them as her favorite. You see, the Lycan were the only ones who worshiped the Goddess whilst the other rank of wolves went astray, and for that, she gave them a favor."

    They were all intensely listening to her, even Loren, who always minded his business.

    "And then it was fine until the people grew greedy. They did not just want to heal people. They wanted to be immortal and live forever. The goddess was furious, and she cursed them. Cursed them, their children��s generation, and everyone with their bloodline. She cursed them all in a rage. She said that when they die, they will produce a healing potent so powerful that people shall haunt them down for it. It was a blessing and a curse. The Lycan king who had begun it, was struck dead and tended immortal himself. He haunts the lycanthrope��s isle and no one is allowed in except he and his people or the undead. If you can kill the Lycan king, then you will receive the greatest and first Lycan herb. Legend says it is not in form of a herb. I don��t know what it looks like."

    There was a silence and then an uproar from

    Everyone.

    "That is just a story they tell us," Loren said. "We are not sure how true it is."

    "I brought a solution better than you, who decided on nothing." She snapped back.

    "No one hase out of there alive," Loren said. "So how do we know if it��s true."

    "For God��s sake, he might wander off to his death and find nothing. We might just be wasting time." Loren argued.

    "Erik is an original indigene he knows how credible this story is!" Marie said.

    "Ha! How credible the story is! Thank the gods you called it a story!" Lorenughed at her. "It is nothing but a story."

    "Do not bring me into this." Erik said, backing himself away from their argument.

    "It is just a way for them to find something for her." Fiona said, annoyed at Erik.

    Erik red at her. "You will not speak to me in such a manner."

    "I will speak to you however I wish." Fiona said to him.

    Whilst Erik and Fiona steamed off in heat, Loren and Marie argued.

    Xaden had had enough.

    "ENOUGH!" He barked.

    And the room went silent.

    "How long will it take to go to the isle." He asked.

    "About three days," Marie said. "Three days to leave and three days toe back. You should be back on the seventh day."

    "This undead Lycan King." Xaden began. "How do I kill him if he is immortal."

    She was quiet. "Only an Alpha can face him. And you are one. I believe that your sword. That sword that I gave you will be capable."

    The room was quiet. "And if he dies, I will retrieve the healing treatment from him."

    "It will drop from him once he falls dead." She said. "But you can not do this alone. The entire journey is not an easy one."

    "Are you certain that such a ce exists?" He asked.

    "I am hundred." She assured him. "Ask Erik."

    Erik said nothing.

    He sighed and brought down his hands.

    "Then that is it. Erik gather the men. We will leave before dawn." Xaden said.

    "Yes, my lord," Erik replied.

    "Xaden. I need to tell you something." Marie said. "You are tethered to Jasmine, which simply means that as she is dying, you will be too."

    Then, the entire room looked at him.

    "But you said that it would go at a slower pace for me as an alpha." He said.

    "Yes, I did," Marie said. But that does not mean that you will not be rendered weak. You will begin to go weak as you travel, especially as you use your strength."

    "You are tethered to her?" Erik asked.

    Fiona was lost again. "You have me lost here again."

    "Because of their marriage bond, if Xaden dies, Jasmine will too. If Jasmine dies, so will he. Except the effect it has on him is not as adverse as hers." She said.

    "Are you sure that you can take this journey?" Loren said wisely. Something could happen to you. What if fighting makes you weak?"

    "I shall not remain like a weak man whilst my people fight on my behalf." He said. "I am not a coward."

    "But Xaden, this is not about being a coward," Fiona said reasonably.

    She was like the little sister he had never had since the day he rescued her from her pack, and her mother had made him promise to keep her.

    "It is better than nothing." He said.

    And they knew it.

    Xaden will not listen to anyone.

    He had already made his own decision, and there was no need to change it.

    "Then I suggest we go on our way now," Erik said. I will prepare the men, and he left.

    "You will take care of Jasmine until I return." Xaden said to Fiona

    "Just return safely." Her eyes filled with tears.

 Chapter 191: GOODBYE

    <h4>Chapter 191: GOODBYE</h4>

    Xaden pulled Fiona up to him and hugged her close.

    From the very first day he found her, when her mother told him to look after her, he had seen her as his little sister.

    When he let her go, there were tears in her eyes.

    "God, look at you crying. When I return, we are going to discuss your working as a servant; the risks are too much." Heughed at her.

    She managed a softugh as she wiped off her tears.

    "Come back so that I do not have to resume working as a ve." She held his arm. Shall we make a deal? If you promise to return home, then I will abandon my troublesome ways and stop pretending to be a mere servant."

    Heughed softly. "Is that a promise?"

    "I promise. Just you promise me that you will return." She said, her voice breaking. "Promise me you wille back safe and sound, and you will heal her. It will suck to lose the both of you."

    He kissed her forehead. "I promise, little monkey."

    When he found her, he called her a little monkey because she was fond of climbing trees and anything in sight.

    She had hated the pet name.

    But today and at this moment, she did not mind.

    Then Erik opened the door. "We need to be on our way. The men are ready."

    He gently let go of Fiona, cupped her cheek, and then pecked her warmly.

    "Just take care of her while I am gone. I will leave Damian and some other high-ranking wolves to take care of you, " he said.

    She nodded numbly.

    He turned to Marie and Loren. "Stay with her and protect her even if it is thest thing you do. I will be back."

    "Go well," Marie said. "You have the ability to be guided and be careful on your journey. Erik will know all about it."

    Then he let go and took onest look at Jasmine.

    He did not want to see her in such a state, but he could not bring himself to leave her without saying goodbye.

    He stood in the middle of the room, looking at her, and then turned and headed out the door.

    Fiona remembered what Jasmine had wanted to tell him when he was about thirty seconds gone.

    Something within her told her that she needed to tell him.

    "Xaden, wait, I need to tell you something." She ran off to the door.

    But he was already gone.

    She leaned at the door and sighed reluctantly.

    "We will have to pray for his return," Marie said to Fiona as she stood by the window.

    "You sent him to his death." A year-stricken Fiona confronted.

    "The moment that she had been stabbed, death had already been chosen for him," Marie said wisely.

    Fiona joined her at the window as they both watched Xaden and his men ride out on the new mission, which would either be good or bad fortune.

    Then she turned to Loren. "Someone stabbed Jasmine right?"

    "Yes , Aurora but she was killed by Xaden. It was his mistress who went on the killing spree. Brought down over seven wolves on the quest. Baffles us all." Loren said in all earnest.

    "I need to see the body," Marie said.

    "She is in my quarters." He said. Then he turned to Fiona. "Stay here with Jasmine and the guards. Do not go anywhere. We will be back."

    Fiona nodded diligently and sat beside Jasmine while they left the room.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    After Xaden left the chambers and closed the door hard behind him, Erik handed him his helmet.

    "Damian and the rest shall remain behind." Xaden said. "We still do not understand the tragedy that befell us, but we can not take any chances."

    "Yes, my lord." Damian said.

    As they headed down the stairs, he saw Lisa.

    "My lord-

    He red at her, and she knew to shut up immediately.

    He ignored her and kept on walking ahead.

    Then Damian asked. "Those whom you had ordered executed what is to be their fate."

    He had forgotten entirely that he had ordered some people dead.

    "We can carry out the orders when I return".

    Xaden said.

    They headed outside and then to where the horses were.

    "I leave this pack to your care," Xaden said. "Do not fail me."

    Damian bowed. "Yes, my lord."

    Then, just before Xaden was about to climb his horse, a familiar female voice stopped him.

    "Xaden!"

    He turned and saw Eleanor.

    Thest time

    They had seen since they had their very bitter argument and he had sent her out.

    Even though he had said he had not wanted to see her again, she was his mother. The woman who had raised him when he had no one.

    His entire being was filled with shame when he saw her progressing towards him.

    "Eleanor." He said.

    His pride, grief, and guilt would not let him show to her that he missed her.

    That he was sorry for all the awful things he had said.

    Instead, he maintained a persona of someone who had everything under control.

    "Xaden, I need to speak to you about something. It is quite urgent, " she said to him.

    He felt himself stiffen.

    She was really going to talk to him about Marie when he was going away to probably his death.

    He became angry at herck of concern for him and arrogantly went to his horse.

    "I have a journey to make." He said.

    "Xaden, it is of the utmost importance." She replied. Your journey will have to wait. I need to tell you something."

    He tried to climb his horse, but he felt a pain in his chest.

    He stopped and groaned.

    She gasped and reached out to him while his men looked down, worried.

    "Are you okay?" She asked him.

    He suspected that it was Jasmine��s wound beginning to affect him.

    It waved off, and then he shook her hand off.

    "Fine." He said gruffly.

    Then he climbed his horse and said to her. "Whatever you have to say will wait. Moreover, I said that I do not want to see you."

    He saw the hurt in her eyes, and then he turned on his horse and rode off, leaving her standing there before the guilt in him consumed him.

 Chapter 192: THE INVESTIGATION

    <h4>Chapter 192: THE INVESTIGATION</h4>

    (MY DEAR READERS I HAVE INCREASED MY DAILY ChapterS FROM TWO TO FOUR AND NEXT MONTH WILL BE FIVE ChapterS DAILY SO THERE WILL BE AN INCREASE IN PRICE BUT QUALITY AND ZERO ERRORS IS ASSURED THANK YOU! LOVE STEPHANIE KING)

    Loren and Aurora went up the stairs to where Loren��s quarters were.

    "I hope the body is well secured." She said.

    "I am not so sure. I was with Jasmine the entire time so I had no time to examine her. I simply told them to keep her in my quarters."

    Lisa overheard theming and then she hurriedly ran out of the room and headed down the stairs where she bumped into them.

    Marie rose a brow and looked at her suspiciously.

    "Lisa." He said. "What are you doing here?"

    "Oh I just had that alley to clean." She said pointing to the other end of the hallway

    "Without cleaning supplies?" Marie said not trusting her.

    "I came to survey the ce. But it seemed that I had been given the wrong ce to work. Some servants have already done it so I am going to report to the head of the house." She answered.

    Marie eyed her suspiciously her eyes keen with interest.

    Then Lisa dashed off right behind them.

    Loren went up the stairs to the room.

    Then he turned and saw that Marie was still looking behind her.

    "What are you looking at?" He asked. "Come on. We need to go back to Fiona and Jasmine." He said beckoning to her.

    She looked at the path Lisa had followed before she followed him up the stairs and into his quarters.

    He went to the body that wasin on the table and pulled open the sheets.

    They examined her body.

    She was still fresh and looked as if she was just asleep.

    Even in her death she looked beautiful.

    "How did she stop?" Marie asked gently touching her hair.

    "Xaden stabbed her." Loren said. "It is such a waste. Aurora was good in this pack. She had her shorings, but this was just different. Perhaps if they had tried to stop her."

    Marie shook her head. "No, there was nothing that they could have done. I can smell a dark spell. She was under a very powerful hex."

    "I thought that you were the only one who could use dark magic." He said with surprise.

    She shook her head. "No there are few others."

    Marie had an idea who had done this Aurora.

    There was only one other person she was aware of that knew this much magic.

    It was because she was the one who had taught her how to use the magic herself.

    She was certain that this was Cherry.

    She would deal with herter.

    "And do you know who could have done this?" Loren asked.

    "No." Marie lied bluntly.

    He went quiet as he went on examining Aurora.

    Trying to sniff around for anything that had been left behind.

    Any thing that would lead them to how to save Jasmine.

    "But I do not understand it." Loren said. "Why go for Jasmine. If Someone put a hex on Aurora to kill Jasmine, why even bother? Jasmine is not relevant. Quite harmless in fact. And we all knew already that Aurora hated Jasmine."

    "Perhaps someone with an agenda to kill her and revenge what her father did." Marie said trying to wave it aside.

    She was not covering for Cherry intentionally but she knew that if they discovered and ventured deep to investigate they might found out and then the royal family will also discover that she was the one who had trained her.

    She could sanctioned for that.

    "If you know dark magic. You can not find out who it is?" He asked curiously.

    She shook her head. "It does not quite work that way."

    That part was not a lie.

    Then she looked down at her hand.

    It seemed as if her hand had been gripping something firmly.

    She frowned.

    "Did she have anything in her hand?" Marie asked.

    "No." He said. "Not that I saw any."

    Marie pushed it aside and then Loren asked.

    "Are you sure of this isle of Lycanthrope? No one has been there ande alive."

    "I am certain of it." She said. "At least it is better than nothing at all. Onky the goddess knows what we can offer."

    Loren looked at her closely and said with all suspicion as she covered her body back up with the clothe.

    "You are a witch who uses forbidden magic. Why have you not gone after it yourself if you im that it can cure absolutely anything?" He asked. "Surely you are interested."

    Sheughed. "You still do not trust me."

    "I could never trust a witch with dark magic." He says gruffly.

    "And with good reason she said and then her locks rose up in the air as if they were snakes.

    And then he jumped back in fright.

    His heart was in his mouth.

    Then she dropped it down andughed.

    "That is why you should be scared. But we work together so you should not be worried."

    He looked at her and told himself that he was going to keep himself as far away from her as possible.

    She turned down to the hand an examined it again.

    She frowned.

    "Are you quite certain that nothing was here?" She asked. "The way her grip is. Like someone had pried it open and taken something from inside."

    Loren looked through his books as he packed some vials of potions that he knew would be able to help ease Jasmine until Xaden returned.

    "Well I am not so sure. You are the witch how am I supposed to know these things?" He answered gruffly.

    She set her eyes over where Aurora��s hand seemed to have been opened and then pushed it aside.

    She used her magic to reserve the body and then she looked back at Loren.

    "We would send the guardster toe in and take her to a chamber until Xaden returns." She said.

    "What did you do?"

    "I preserved her body. She won��t decay until he returns and handles her final rites." She said and together they left the room.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    As soon as Lisa had made her escape from Loren��s quarters she hurried down the stairs.

    Thank Goodness that she had chosen to leave at the right moment she would have been caught red handed and she did not want to imagine handling that.

    But Marie.

    That witch has kept on looking at her, probably suspecting something.

    But at least for now she was safe.

    She opened her hands and then she saw the loc of hair that was in her hand.

    She quickly dipped it inside her pocket.

    This was going to get her a ce secured as Xaden��s mistress and in his favor.

    She was about to bounce off when she considered the fact that Aurora probably had some other things in her room.

    If she had found this then only the goddess knew how much more she had unraveled.

    Cunningly she ran up the stairs and headed for Aurora��s bedroom.

    She opened the doors and stepped in.

    There was no one in sight.

    She closed it behind her and began rummaging through things like a criminal.

    Anything she touched she quickly reced because she could not afford to be caught.

    Or worse they would suspect that someone hade into the bedroom.

    After ten minutes looking and not finding anything she started to give up hope.

    Then she saw that the curtains to the corridor was well still open.

    She went to it and closed it shut.

    Then as she returned back she kicked a paper.

    She frowned and picked it up and saw that there was also some ash on the floor.

    Like something had been burnt recently.

    But there was no sign of any burning.

    She rubbed the ash through her fingers and sniffed.

    This was another wolf��s scent. Certainly not Aurora��s

    Someone else had been present. But who?

    Then she rose to her feet to examine the contents of the paper in her hand.

    Her eyes scanned through and when she was done she was beyond words ted.

    Now she had something to pin down Jasmine for good.

    This was a letter from Alexander detailing all that Jasmine was and how Xaden had been deceived.

    If Xaden discovered this was true alongside with the loc of hair it would be over.

    Now she had hard evidence,

    Hard proof against Jasmine.

    Sheughed to herself.

    Who would have known that all these would have dropped to her thighs without even needing to do anything.

    After Aurora had worked so hard, now she was the one reaping where she did not sow.

    She smiled to herself and then she gathered the papers into her pocket along with the loc hair.

    Now all she needed to do was wait for Xaden to return.

    Once he did, she would present it to him.

    Shove it his face even if he ignored her again.

    She stepped out of the room and closed the doors behind her.

    She felt like the new mistress of the pack already!

 Chapter 193: UTHER GETS A SHOCK!

    <h4>Chapter 193: UTHER GETS A SHOCK!</h4>

    BEFORE XADEN��S LEAVE

    Lily watched from her balcony, overseeing the entire pack.

    She had heard the words of the servant even though she was sure that she was only being malicious and deceitful.

    She had been told about the things that she did not know.

    How Xaden only had eyes for a particr ve named Jasmine.

    Lisa had said that now that his true mate being, her had arrived, Xaden would now look at her.

    But she did not think so.

    Especially after what she had witnessed the night before.

    After he had virtually fought everyone to protect Jasmine.

    No, it was something more.

    She had never met Xaden.

    She had just always known that he was her mate and she was going to be his Luna one day.

    That was what Uther had told her.

    Who had been the one to raise her.

    Now, Uther was threatening to leave.

    She backed away from the balcony and walked into her bedroom.

    Uther was there going through some luggage.

    "I do not wish to leave." She said to him.

    Uther looked up from what he was doing and then resumed rummaging through his bag.

    "I wish to stay." She repeated. "This was not what we nned."

    "Of course, it was not what we nned." Uther said. "The boy is an absolute fool. His parents would turn in their grave. Imagine! Choosing that ve! The daughter of the man who took everything away from all of us over us?!"

    He gathered his things and packed them up.

    "Never has my honor been so disregarded." He said. "We built this ce."

    She walked up to him. "Yes, but he is different. People are not quite the same."

    "You do not understand it, do you?" Uther said. "You are his true mate we are here to restore order. He will marry you make you his Luna and keep things the way your parents had ordained it."

    "Has he said that he would not?" She asked him.

    "My God. Your heart must override your emotions." Uther said. "Can you not see that he is under a spell? That witch put a hex over him! For only the goddess knows, he might not even be able to detect that you are his true mate."

    "Leaving is not the answer." She said wisely.

    "Well, then what is?" He demanded. "I sure as hell am not staying here."

    Before she could respond to him the door was flung open.

    Felix one of the men that hade with him came in.

    "My lord." He started. "Something has happened. Xaden��s mistress stabbed the ve."

    They both went quiet.

    "How did this happen?" Uther said smiling.

    Felix shrugged. "We are not certain. Ut it seems his mistress went out of control and began attacking people."

    "His mistress?" Lily asked in horror. "But she was fine just yesterday."

    "It seems all was not well. She killed a number of the other guards and now she is dead. Xaden had to stab her but then she had already stabbed the ve." Felix said. "She is unshifted and from what I heard the magic that was used is very strong. Fatal. From the reports I have heard. She is already dead."

    Uther smiled to himself. "So we did not even have to do anything. I should go pay my condolences."

    "Uther, you need to tread carefully," Lily said. "The Xaden that you knew as a child is not the same man. He was raised differently, and understandably so. If he could fight for that ve, who knows what else he could do?"

    Uther touched her shoulder. "This entire issue has been solved, and we did not have to do much��in fact, anything."

    Then Uther walked to the mirror and stood with his hands behind his back.

    This was his home.

    He hade to take it from Xaden.

    He did not care about the stupid brat, and quite frankly, the boy was a fool.

    A disgrace to the true Crescent pack.

    That was why he had Lily by his side.

    He would use Lily so that she would marry Xaden and then bend him to his own doing.

    There was no way in hell he was going to leave this pack.

    Goddess no.

    He was only feigning it because he had hoped that it would move Xaden.

    He knew what it meant for a wolf to have his first and original lineage to his true pack walk away.

    He was the only family he had alive, and no man would throw that away.

    But for some odd reason, this ve who had put a hex on him had a hold on him.

    Now that this ve was dead, all the roads were clear.

    He could do as he wished!

    Now, he could fully manipte Xaden.

    He sighed in relief, and then he turned to Lisa and Felix.

    "We should go and give our condolences to him," Uther said.

    When they were down the stairs and heading towards Xaden��s chambers, they found him already with an army of his men.

    His helmet was by his arm, and his wolf army uniform was on.

    Uther barely even took notice.

    "Xaden." He said. "I heard what happened."

    "Uncle, it is good to see that you stayed behind." Xaden said.

    Uther saw that his nephew��s eyes were a bloodshot red.

    So, Xaden truly felt a lot for this girl. It baffled him. But oh well she was dead already.

    "I apologize for the death." Uther said. "Even though she was our enemy I see that you had be attached to her."

    Xaden looked at Uther. "Death? She did not die."

    Uther could hardly even blink.

    "Hmmm?" Uther asked, confused.

    It was them. Uther took a step back and examined what Xaden was wearing.

    Gods, he was in his army uniform.

    "Where are you going to? But I thought....

    "I am leaving the pack," Xaden said, and then Uther almost choked. I am going to get a cure from the Isle of Lycanthrope. I shall return."

 Chapter 194: CHERRY’S SPY

    <h4>Chapter 194: CHERRY��S SPY</h4>

    Uther watched in disbelief.

    "B-but why are you going to the isle of lycanthrope?" Uther asked in horror. "No one has ever made it alive."

    "You have heard of it." Xaden said with hope of more information in his eyes.

    And then it urred to him that Xaden knew perhaps nothing about this ce he was going to and was going on a blind mission.

    "Yes I know it. It is deadly." He said taking the opportunity to scare Xaden and make him change his mind. "There is an undead king and his army. You need to understand that if you leave you will not make it alive. No one ever has."

    Xaden gave a weak smile. "I have heard of the legend. But what I need to retrieve is far more important."

    "You are looking for the cup of life." Uther said to him. "No man has ever found it. Perhaps the story is just a myth."

    "It is one risk I am willing to take." Xaden responded as he attempted to leave but Uther blocked his path.

    "Then if that be it why do you not send your men to go in this mission." Uther said smartly. "If you go and you die what will happen to this ce?"

    Xaden was quiet and then he took in a very deep breath.

    "If I die then so be it." Xaden said. "I have made protocols as to who shall take over the pack. But I will die trying."

    He tried to leave but his uncle stopped him again.

    "To what end Xaden?" Uther said. "You are risking your life for a mere ve! For the daughter of your enemy! The very same person who had ripped the bellies of your parents open and killed your own sister! Left you for dead took everything from you! If not for her bloodline then you will still be with your family. This is an abomination."

    Xaden breathed heavily again and then he said. "I will see you when I return uncle."

    Then he walked off leaving Uther standing confused as hell.

    He turned to Felix. "What the bloody hell was that all about? I thought you said the girl was dead!"

    Felix looked at him as the other soldiers followed Xaden marching behind.

    "She was not supposed to survive it." Felix said.

    Uther kept his hands on his temple massaging it and trying to figure out what exactly to do.

    Then Lily rushed after Xaden.

    He was already at the garden grounds that would lead out of the pack.

    "Xaden!" She said rushing up to him.

    He turned around and then she bumped into him.

    He looked at her over as held her by her waits to prevent her from falling.

    "Careful." He said as he hoisted her to her feet.

    She blushed and nodded. "Thank you my lord."

    He gently let go of her and she adjusted her wrinkled dress.

    "I apologize for my absence." Xaden said. "You have not quite had the chance to see me or for us to discuss. Also you have not seen me in the best light and I am certain that you must hate me."

    She swallowed. "These things happen."

    She gently touched the side of his cheek. "I am your mate. Do you ept and feel that?"

    He went quiet for a while and then he nodded. "I do."

    She smiled inwardly. "I will wish you journey mercies as you leave. I do not want you to die. We have much to know about each other."

    "This was not what you envisioned was it?"

    He asked her.

    She shook her head. "I have to be honest myself no. But I am willing to be patient and try and see how it goes. You are my mate and I am yours that is all that matters. The gods brought us together for a reason and they kept me alive to be with you for a reason."

    "I do not doubt the fact that we were meant to be together. That is why I trust you. Why I trust that you will do the right thing. I will pray to the goddess for your return so that we may be reunited." She said. "Promise me you will return safe."

    Xaden was not quite sure how to respond so he simply picked her other free hand and kissed them.

    "I promise you, I will return." He said.

    And then he took his lips from her knuckles and then she turned to stand in the balcony as she watched him get ready to leave.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    A frustrated Uther rushed up the stairs to his room and mmed the door shut behind him.

    He leaned his back against the door as he breathed heavy.

    This was not going <strong><i>how</i></strong> it was supposed to.

    He wanted to rip his head out.

    He needed to tell her before she found out before him.

    He hurried to his closet and then pulled out a box he kept hidden from everyone.

    He set it against his dresser and then opened it wide.

    He picked up the mirror and set it to stand.

    He spoke some incantations and the mirror began to circle in a fog motion.

    His heart raced until she appeared before him.

    "Your majesty." He said as he bowed.

    Cherry looked at him from the mirror.

    "Give me good news Uther." She said. "I did not take myself over there for nothing."

    He looked at her in shock. "It was you who possessed the woman to kill the ve?"

    "Yes and I take full credit for it." She said. "Now tell me what is happening."

    Uther swallowed scared to be the one to tell her the bad news.

    "I am afraid things are not going to n." Uther said and then her browr crossed in a frown. "Xaden is going to find a cure for her."

    "That idiot." She said in rage. "Why? What do you mean cure? Is she not dead?!"

 Chapter 195: CHERRY’S NEW PLANS

    <h4>Chapter 195: CHERRY��S NEW PLANS</h4>

    "No she is not." Uther replied.

    Cherry was already brewing with anger. She screamed and flung something at something and something else shattered into bits.

    Uther could not see what was happening.

    He only heard the noises.

    And then she began breathing heavily.

    "That fool!" She said in rage. "That dagger is one of the most dangerous things on earth. Why is she not dead yet?"

    Uther shrugged. "I am not quite sure mydy. But it beats me. I wish you had told me about this n of yours I would have known what to do and prepared for it."

    She sighed heavily her hands on her forehead as she massaged them trying to ease her anger and figure out what she could do.

    She gritted her teeth.

    "Did you perhaps try to stop him?" She asked Uther.

    "I did my best, but that boy will not listen," Uther said. "What he is doing to this pack is a disgrace to us and to his family. They would turn in their graves if they could see him now. All of this!"

    "And they will turn in their graves if they discover that you are about to betray them." She retorted and then he went mute.

    He hated the fact that she reminded him or trying to pin point facts.

    "I am just trying to bring back this pack to its original order." He said.

    She snorted. "Save the lies for someone else and try to convince those who stupidly believe you. You have always coveted your sister and brother inw��s crown so do not pretend like it is just today."

    He gritted his teeth in rage and she began to muse through her thoughts wondering what to do and say.

    Uther had been informed of the attack, and he had managed to escape with a few people.

    He had been the brother to the Luna, so he had heeded the battalion and told them that they would return for them or send a message when they were safe.

    They had been waiting for over twenty years, and along that twenty years, he had found a way out.

    He had discovered from Cherry that his entire family was gone and boy was he happy.

    He could now have everything to himself.

    But there was a catch.

    Xaden had now survived and Xaden was beyond words terrifying.

    At least, that was the word he had heard around.

    He had hoped that he could simply return and take over the pack, but apparently not.

    And that was when he had enlisted Cherry for help.

    She was his mistress and he did whatever she asked him to for his own benefit.

    And during the halo festivals when she had informed him to return back to the pack, he had obeyed.

    Of course no one in the pack knew of his evil schemes.

    Even Lily.

    But he was taking it all to his advantage.

    All he needed was Xaden under his control.

    Or perhaps even better, Xaden gone and he would rule.

    "Where did you say he was going to?" Cherry asked thoughtfully.

    "The isle of lycanthrope," Uther replied.

    "To retrieve the original lyrun herb, the cup of life," Cherry said. "From the original Lycans."

    "Yes." Uther nodded in agreement. "But no one has ever left there alive. He would not make it."

    "You do not know Xaden." She said. "Do not underestimate him. He is a lot stronger and fiercer than you think."

    Uther shut his mouth again.

    "There is no bloody way that he would make this decision on his own." She said. "Who told him about it?"

    "I believe there is a witch," Uther said. "There is something about them. Why would Xaden go and save a ve girl? If this is one of the most powerful weapons in life, then why is she alive?"

    "Because she is the true heir to the crown, you idiot!" Cherry hissed at him in annoyance.

    Uther��s mouth dropped.

    He had never known Cherry��s true agenda for sending him here. She has always kept it secret but now it hade to light.

    "The true heir to the crown?" He asked in disbelief. "May I ask how, mydy?"

    "No you may not!" She snapped at him. Then she calmed down. "That is all you need to know. Do not underestimate her. It seems that it is not fatal enough. She is dying but not yet dead. Her soul is fighting. The journey to the Isle of lycanthrope back and forth is perhaps around a week."

    She got up and began pacing the room as she was heavy in thought.

    "Which means that they estimate that she would still be alive till then or he would not have gone in the first ce." She said.

    Then she stopped and looked at him.

    "The cup of life." She said. "Has great power. One of the three things from the original legends. With that in your hand, you could never die. No matter what."

    She was quiet for a while, and then she said. "We shall let Xaden go."

    "What?!" Uther said in shock.

    "He will retrieve the cup for me. I belive that Xaden has the capability to." She said. "I do not like him, but that does not mean I do not admire him. Everyone does. If someone can retrieve it, then it is Xaden."

    "Once he retrieves the cup then I will still it from him." She said. "And take it for myself. This changes everything. Much easier for my ns."

    "And what about me?" Uther asked.

    "You will remain there. On the fifth day you shall finish off Jasmine." She said. "He would be on his journey back and they would be unable to send any messages to him. By then he would have retrieved the cup. Do this. I shall speak to you tomorrow when I have something at hand for you."

    He nodded and then she said. "One more thing. Stay away from the witch. She is not someone to be messed with."

    And she disappeared from the mirror.

 Chapter 196: THE JOURNEY BEGINS

    <h4>Chapter 196: THE JOURNEY BEGINS</h4>

    XADEN��S POV

    As Xaden traveled on the horse with his men all he could think about was Jasmine and her being safe.

    Was he going to make it in time?

    What had ovee Aurora?! She had always hated Jasmine, but she had gone to

    Attack her in broad daylight.

    It did not make any sense to him, and rightfully so, he did not understand.

    He was so deep in thought that as the men joked and made tales he barely listened.

    Then Erik, who had been riding in silence, looked at him and pitied him.

    They were not on the best terms, but they were still best friends.

    He was still his alpha.

    And that came first before anything.

    He sighed to himself and pulled his horse to Xaden side.

    "Xaden." Erik said.

    Xaden slowly turned to face his friend, and Erik saw that his eyes were still blood red.

    "It was not your fault." Erik said wisely.

    "Gods, I never thought you were one to say things like this."

    Xadenughed bitterly. "Stop trying to make me feel better."

    "But truly it was not. How were you going to know? No one saw iting." Erik said.

    Xaden said nothing.

    "You are grieving on both sides and we all understand." Erik said as he touched his shoulder firmly in a way of showing him manly support.

    It was then that Xaden was able to breathe in.

    Their horses stopped and the others went on ahead.

    "Even without a heart, I cared for Aurora," Xaden said. "I could have treated her better. I should have. She has been with me in the pack for so long. I am furious with her. I wish I could ask her why she would defy me. Why would she kill her own kin? Because Aurora helped us build the crescent pack from scratch. Despite the things she did, I can not take away the fact that she cared for the pack. I was used to her. And now I was the one who ended her life, so...."

    Xaden turned away unable to beat the weight of his words.

    "Exactly, you said it yourself" Erik said. "Aurora would never have done something like that. She did a lot of bad things. Left to her, Jasmine would have been dead, but Aurora would never put the members of our pack at risk."

    Xaden breathed in heavily.

    "For now we have to focus on getting this cure," Erik said. "Jasmine is a fighter. Loren and Marie imed that the stab wound was lethal, and yet she is still fighting. Even for an unshifted wolf, she is still excelling behind words."

    Xaden said nothing.

    "We need to find the cure," Erik emphasized. "For you and her. Because time is not on your side either."

    It was only Erik who knew that.

    The others still had no idea that not just Jasmine��s life was at risk but also their alphas.

    Xaden nodded. "Thank you Erik. I know what it means for you toe down here and help me."

    Erik was originally from the Isle of Lycanthrope. Although he had left when he was a child.

    His mother had snuck him out, and he had probably been around the age of seven back then.

    But he had not returned ever since.

    He did not like to speak about it but for the fact that he has volunteered toe along with them touched Xaden.

    Made him wonder why they had been fighting so in the first ce.

    "Are you two noting along?" Owen demanded, waving his hands over to them.

    The Xaden turned his horse and then he and Erik went ahead to catch up with the others.

    There were thirty men who apanied them.

    Thirty of his most powerful soldiers.

    They all knew the way that led toward the Isle of Lycanthrope.

    They would have to reach a bridge that led to the dead forest.

    And no one had evere out from the dead forest.

    All except Erik, of course.

    They had been on their horses the entire journey and it was almost sun down when they reached the bridge.

    It was a rickety long bride that had been made of wood and had been there for god knew how long.

    They stood by the cliff, and then the other end of the bridge was on the other cliff.

    "That does not look safe," Rowan said, looking down at the cliff.

    There were cliffs beneath, and it was obviously an instant death.

    As Rowan was looking down at the cliff.

    He felt himself being pushed and then pulled back.

    Rowan screamed, and then when he saw that it was just Didi, one of the other soldiers, messing with him, he grew mad in rage.

    "What the hell?!" He demanded in rage. "I could have fucking fallen down and died."

    "Come on, it was a joke," Didi said,ughing. The other wolvesughed, but Rowan did not find it funny.

    Then Rowan smiled. "If that is the case, why note by this side and see if I could y with you two?"

    Didi��s face fell, and then he shook his head.

    "Noe on." Rowan said, drawing closer to Didi. "Let��s do it. Let��s y."

    And the Didi ran off and then Rowan ran after him.

    The other men boomed withughter.

    "Cut it out." Xaden said not finding the joke.

    By then Rowan had already caught Didi by the neck.

    Rowan grumbly let him go and then they looked at the bridge.

    "Who goes first?" Percy asked.

    "I will." Erik said.

    "And I will gost." Xaden said. "Till at least every one of you has safely gone across. We will take the horses first."

    They all looked at the Rickety bridge and were all wondering if they were going to make it across at all.

    Erik went to the bridge and then took in a deep breath before he stepped on the nks and began going across.

 Chapter 197: THE BRIDGE OF DEATH

    <h4>Chapter 197: THE BRIDGE OF DEATH</h4>

    Erik stepped on the rickety wooden bridge and felt it shake under his feet.

    He did not want to look don but because he needed to weigh the bnce of how strong the wood was he was forced to.

    He looked down and he saw the rocks beneath and then looked back up.

    He climbed one after the other and felt his heart racing.

    If you fell it was instant death.

    He stepped on the wooden bridge with force to be sure it would be able to hold the horses one at a time. They were still firm.

    After about three minutes of going on the bridge he was able to cross on the other side.

    Then he looked over at them heavy with a sigh of relief.

    "You can begin crossing." He ushered.

    But they did not seem so convinced.

    "Bring the horses over Owen. One after the other." He said.

    The horses tended to be more attentive to Owen.

    No one knew why but yet they were.

    So it made sense that he would be the one to guide them back and forth.

    Owen was not so pleased because that meant he had to be going back and forth the horses.

    "Are you certain that there is no other way?" Owen asked.

    "There isn��t." Xaden replied. "And we need to keep moving. Time is not on our side."

    Owen reluctantly began to take the horses over the bridge.

    The first time had been extremely difficult for him, but by the time he was on the fifth journey back, he was used to it.

    He helped each other horses until they were all across.

    Then he waved for the others to follow.

    The men went in a single file, it being their

    First time they did not want to attempt to look downward.

    Rowan was fidgeting because he was scared of heights.

    But he kept on going on ahead.

    When he reached only two paces away from the cliff, he tripped and then hit the wood.

    Then he tried to hold his grip but the rope slid out of his hand.

    He screamed and then Xaden grabbed his arm.

    He kept on breathing hard as he held fervently to Xaden.

    Due to the impact of his almost fall, the rope that had cut extended to where Xaden stood and then he too fell.

    But Xaden held the other end of the rope whilst still holding unto Rowan.

    "We are bringing a rope that would hoist you up!" Erik called out as the men watched on top in horror.

    "My lord." Rowan said breathing hard.

    "Do not let go Rowan." Xaden said.

    But Rowan was breathing so hard and then his grip was slippery.

    "My lord Xaden." Rowan said as he held unto him.

    Xaden tightened his hold and then the rope that Xaden held unto dragged down threatening to be cut.

    Rowan gasped in shock as he felt himself drop lower.

    But Xaden gripped the far end of the rope.

    Rowan looked down and saw the cliffs.

    "Do not look down Rowan!" Xaden managed.

    Rowan held unto him but then it was obvious that Rowan was weighing Xaden down.

    The rope dragged down whilst the men hurried on to create the rope from vines.

    Rowan looked up at Xaden and Xaden knew what was going to happen next.

    He saw it in his eyes.

    "I shall not be the one who will cause the death of my alpha." Rowan said.

    "No Rowan hold on!" Xaden yelled as he strengthened his grip and then the rope dragged further.

    It began to pull at the ends.

    If he held unto him they would both fall he knew.

    And together they would die.

    There was no point.

    "It was an honor serving with you my lord. Alpha Xaden of the Crescent pack. Tell my wife I love her." Rowan said.

    And then Rowan let his hands go and Xaden screamed.

    "ROWAN NO!" Xaden screamed down.

    But it was toote.

    Rowan fell down but not before turning to his wolf form.

    To the wolves it was a great disrespect to their souls to die in human form.

    They preferred to be turned into a wolf and die a wolf.

    They were born a wolf and they would go as one .

    No one saw Rowannd to the bottom of the high cliff but they knew he was dead once a wolf howl he had yelped became faint.

    Xaden closed his eyes in pain as he acknowledged the death of one of his men.

    He howled and then all the other wolves howled, honoring his death.

    The vine was finally strong enough to lift him up and then it was tossed down.

    Xaden caught ut and climbed up the cliff his men helped him up.

    Their faces were solemn witn regret and pain.

    It was also evident with grief.

    Didi who had been very close with Rowan had his face ashen with pain.

    "Rowan was a good wolf." Xaden said. "We shall honor him!"

    And they made stones at the edge of the cliff from where he had fallen and stood before it.

    They all turned to their true wolf forms and then howled again and again.

    And soon they were all howling in harmony.

    Then after the small ceremony was over they turned back to their human forms and went to their horses.

    By now it was almost dark.

    "How far do we ride?" Xaden asked Erik.

    "A bit more far ahead." Erik responded. "We have not quite gotten into the dark forest. This is just the territory after it."

    Then Ss looked at the bridge.

    "We have to find another way when we return." He said. "That bridge is gone."

    They all now turned to look at tne bridge tjat had probably been there for centuries now empty.

    "If we return." Someone said what was in everyone else��s mind.

    And the hard truth hit them.

    They could all die and never return.

 Chapter 198: A QUIET NIGHT

    <h4>Chapter 198: A QUIET NIGHT</h4>

    XADEN��S POV

    Once they resumed their journey back into the forest, it got extremely dark and they could see the moon shining along with the stars in the sky.

    Erik who was leading the team put his hand out and said. "Stop."

    They all stopped.

    He sniffed and then looked around.

    "We rest here." Erik said. "We will continue the journey tomorrow."

    And then he came down from the horse.

    "Wouldn��t it be better if we went on with the journey?" Xaden asked.

    "No." Erik said and then he pointed up ahead. "You see that dark path. That is inside the dark forests. This line here is literally the only thing that separates us from it and I assure you you do not want to be headed in there. It is dangerous."

    Erik said as he led his horse to a tree and tied it up.

    "Plus the horses are exhausted and they need to rest." He said.

    Xaden felt tensed about even resting and then Erik walked up to him as everyone else came down from their own horses.

    "You need to rest." Erik said. "We all need to rest."

    "But is this not going to dy?" Xaden asked. "I do not even know how she i feeling. What if something has happened to her already."

    "God Xaden. You need to calm down." Erik chided. "Nothing has happened to Jasmine. I am pretty sure of that. You are alive. If something has happened then you would

    Have dropped dead."

    Xaden said nothing.

    Then Erik added. "Moreover what good would it do if we walk into a death trap? We have already lost someone we can not lose another. You will be putting the other men into a bad situation. The dark forest is not something you can handle with ease."

    "Rowan just died. I know you Xaden. You will never put your men in danger not on purpose." Erik assured. "Do not let your emotions override your logical thinking. And even if you choose to go to the dark forest, then how do you know you will not die? And If you die Jasmine dies. It will be all over for us all."

    Xaden was now much calmer.

    "I am here so that you can make other decisions. To assist you." Erik said. "Tomorrow we will continue tomorrow. I have no idea how safe being here is either."

    Xaden was quiet for a while and then he very gently said. "Thank you."

    Erik was seeing a much more subtle side of Xaden.

    He did not know what was changing him, but he liked and weed it.

    Or had Jasmine��s sudden illness shaken him so much to the point that he was bing soft.

    Everyone knew that Xaden cared for his people, would die for his people.

    He was a great leader and that was why they did not fear him but were loyal to him.

    There was a huge difference with being feared and being respected.

    But now Xaden was beginning to be affectionate. So much that he was apologizing and saying thank you.

    Erik had never seen Xaden said thank you. He was always too proud to.

    "Why have you not returned back here?" Xaden asked. "I know that it is a very shaky subject and I have never bothered to ask. But I am afraid I must."

    Erik��s face fell and became ashen.

    Xaden then realized that it was still not a safe ground for him to step on.

    "You do not need to speak on it if you do not wish to." Xaden said wisely.

    Erik smiled. "My memories there are not vague or they are not so pushed back in my head. They are vivid and to be quite frank I see them every day. See what had happened. It is not a ce I ever wanted to return to."

    Xaden paused. "And now I am making you return."

    "You did not make me." Erik said. "I chose toe along with you. That is what friends do. Moreover I doubt they will remember me."

    Before Xaden could ask any more questions Erik went off.

    Then the men gathered around and set down their sleeping bags after they had fed the horses.

    The fire lit and then they all ate from their pieces of dried meat and canned soup.

    "This food tastes awful." Greg scowled.

    "Then you should have cooked instead." Luli who was the only one who knew how to cook said in annoyance.

    "You needed to be there when Jasmine cooked for us." Ss said. "she made the best roast wild pig I have ever eaten."

    The men who had been there began to nod and murmur in approval.

    "Even though there was barely anything to use it to cook," Percy said. "It was perfectly made. I wish I could eat that again."

    "Well too bad we are eating Ss��s food." Erik said as he sat down and ate his own food.

    "I still can not believe that Rowan is gone." Didi said and then a very ufortable silence followed the entire room.

    "He gave up his life for me," Xaden said. "It is something that I should have done for him instead."

    The foods became sour in their mouths, and then Xaden turned to his spread. "You should all go to bed. We have things to do tomorrow morning."

    And then he closed his eyes to sleep.

    All the men went on with their little discussions before eventually retiring .

    The fire was turned off, and soon everyone else was asleep.

    Snoring could be heard.

    But Xaden remained awake.

    His eyes wide open as he thought of what he felt.

    Considered his feeling and how unsure of it he was.

    After a while, he fell asleep.

    Then he heard someone calling his name.

    "Xaden."

    He frowned.

    It was a soft feminine voice one that he knew.

    "Xaden."

    He opened his eyes and the he saw no one.

    He was confused and thought maybe his mind was ying games.

    Then he heard it again. "Xaden."

    And he saw a luminous figure standing near the path that led to the forest.

 Chapter 199: JASMINE IN THE FOREST

    <h4>Chapter 199: JASMINE IN THE FOREST</h4>

    "Xaden." Came the call again.

    He saw a luminous figure standing on the other side of the forest.

    He woke up and tried to open and close his eyes to be sure of what he saw.

    "Xaden." The luminous figure called out to him again.

    By now he was well awake.

    And it sounded like someone he knew?

    Sounded like someone feminine.

    "Jasmine?" He said.

    And then the luminous figure whispered his name again and then this time he was sure it was her voice. "Xaden."

    And then she began to dim her luminous light and then he could now see her.

    The way she said his name like she was calling him.

    And then she ran off away towards the forest and then he gasped.

    "Wait!" He said.

    But she was already running off.

    He jumped up to his feet and began to chase after her.

    Her beautiful red curls bounced in the air as her entire body glowed.

    "Jasmine." He said.

    But she was not stopping.

    Rather she was going far ahead.

    She ran through the woods and maneuvered her way past him and the trees.

    Then he saw she was going straight ahead so he cut corners and then he was able to catch up with her.

    He caught her, jumping on her and then together they fell and roll down on the ground.

    Till then came to a halt with her in his arms.

    He withdrew and looked at her.

    "Jasmine is it you?" He asked her.

    She blushed. "Of course it is me."

    He felt his heart ease, all the anguish, grief and sorrow disappear from within him.

    Then he gently set aside one of her red curls aside and tucked it behind her ear before he went back to looking into her eyes.

    They lit of the same emerald green he always saw in her almond shaped eyes.

    Her perfect curved face and the scar on her forehead.

    Everything was perfect.

    She was perfect.

    He hugged her tight and he could not believe his luck that she was here with him.

    He held her unto him and never wanted to let go.

    When he finally released her he just stared in awe.

    "I truly can not believe this is you." He said. "I almost lost you. I held you when you bled on me. I should never have treated you the way I did."

    "But it was not your fault." she said as she cupped his cheek. A kind and warm smile sprung on her face. "How were you to know that she would have done what she did?"

    "I should have protected you when I had the chance." He said. "I do not understand why, but you mean a lot to me. You truly mean so much to me. When I held you and felt you slipping away from me, it was then I became terrified."

    He sighed heavily as the guilt and weight of what had transpired was heavy on him.

    "They say you do not know what you have till it is gone." He expressed. "I almost lost you."

    She gently massaged his cheek in a soothing manner of affection.

    She titled her head to look at him, her ever bright and luminous body still glowing like amp.

    "But you did not lose me." She said.

    "I could have." He emphasized.

    "But you did not." She said getting closer to him. "You are here with me in this moment with me and that is all that matters. Right now."

    He frowned suspiciously.

    He had doubt lingering in his mind. Had he not held her in his arms dying.

    How had shee to be with him.

    It was as if she now saw the mistrust in his eyes.

    "What is it?" She asked him still nuzzling his cheek.

    "How sure am I that all of this is real?" He questioned. "That you are really here with me."

    She smiled and then she pulled herself to him. "This is how."

    Then she dropped her lips on his and then he tasted her in his mouth.

    She rolled her tongue in perfect harmony with his.

    Like it was something that she had always known how to do with him.

    Which was different as Jasmine had been

    So innocent when they kissed.

    This was different, this was fierce and seductive.

    This was powerful.

    He was ovee by the kiss and then he took over as he wrapped his arms around her and dragged her to him.

    He gently set her against the brown grass and set her legs around his waist as they began to kiss hungrily.

    He rubbed his hard self against her to indicate his hunger and desire for him.

    She threw her head back in pleasure, and then he went to her neck to kiss her.

    She moaned, calling his name as her fingers went through his beautiful dark hair.

    He started to rub himself against her wetness, and he knew there and then that she was the only woman who made him hungry.

    It was a type of hunger he had always known, and it had only been quenched when he had been in between her legs.

    He wanted to dive in, tell her, show her how much she meant to him.

    What she did to him.

    Then he felt her pull away and he frowned as she untangled herself from his embrace and got up to her feet.

    He looked at her in confusion.

    "What is wrong?" He questioned as he sat up.

    She stretched out her hand to him.

    "Come I wish to show you something."

    "Something?" He asked lost in the heat of her passion.

    "I wish to show you somewhere special for only you and I." She said. "It would be our private ce."

    He wanted to ask how she had known a special ce here but then it was like all reasoning over came him.

    "Come my love." She said.

    And then he found himself being drawn to her and then he rose up to his feet as she gave him her hand and followed her.

 Chapter 200: THE MONSTER

    <h4>Chapter 200: THE MONSTER</h4>

    Xaden followed her like an innocent child and then she led the way for them.

    "Where is this ce." He asked.

    "Just a bit far ahead." She replied. "Not so far. Only perhaps two minutes away."

    He looked back at where he wasing from.

    There was silence except for the gentle wind that blew across.

    Then his eyes went back to her as she led the way her hand firmly in his.

    Then he pulled her back to him and resumed kissing and caressing her.

    Touching her neck and blessing them with sweet and hungry kisses.

    "We do not need to go anywhere." He said through the kisses as his hands went over her breasts and rummaged them.

    He rubbed the tip of her nipples and trailed his tongue down her neck.

    "I desire you here as you desire me here." He said.

    She managed a smile. "But Xaden be patient. What I wish to show you is magical. Let me take you there."

    He was not happy as he felt her withdraw again.

    What game was she ying?

    He frowned and then she took his hand again dragging him upwards towards the dark trees.

    He stopped and she realized that he hadgged behind.

    "What is wrong my love?" She asked him seeing that he was uncertain of her.

    "Let us just remain here." He told her.

    She breathed in. "It is not far. It is a magicalke and we could swim inside and make love."

    He remained standing even though it was very alluring and seductive to him.

    "Come with me." She said.

    Something told him from deep down that all was not well, but then it was like the moment he wanted to think rationally or question all of this, his mind would be a fog, and he would see her.

    "Come my love." She said. "Come let me show you."

    And then it seemed like her voice had a gravitational pull to him.

    Endearing him to pay heed to her words.

    Then just as he was about to take her hands again and let her lead him onward, he heard Erik��s deep loud voice.

    "Xaden no!"

    He turned and then he saw Erik shoot an arrow.

    Xaden watched it in very front as it went past him and targeted Jasmine.

    It hit her chest and sent her down to the floor.

    She screamed, and then her luminous essence, the light that surrounded her like she was the daughter of the moon, began to dim!

    "NO!" Xaden screamed.

    And then it began to feel like Deja vu.

    It began to feel like all of this was happening again and again.

    As he grabbed her in his arms, she bled and her body began to shake and tremble with vigor.

    "Do not leave me again Jasmine." He pleaded. "Stay with me. I can not lose you again. I will let everything go. I will never take you as I did. I would never make you suffer. I promise to protect you from any harm thates your way. Just wake up for me."

    His voice was breaking down.

    He did not hear when Erik raced behind him and then dragged him away.

    "Xaden stay away from her!" Erikmanded.

    Xaden now remembered who had done this great evil.

    It was Erik and then his eyes went red with fury.

    "How dare you!" Xaden barked.

    Erik held unto him and said. "That is not. Jasmine! Take a look!"

    Xaden heard a noise, and then he slowly turned around back to face where Jasmine had been, but what he saw was not Jasmine.

    It was a dark, harrowing monster with lots of tentacles, and its teeth were sharp.

    The monster screamed and then took out the arrow.

    Xaden just stared in shock.

    "Jasmine?" He said.

    The monster screamed and just before it was about to lunge at the two of them, the monster fell down to the ground at their feet.

    And all was silent.

    Xaden could hardly breathe, nor could he understand what had actually just happened.

    He just stood in shock.

    "What the fuck was that?" Xaden questioned.

    Erik went passed Xaden and crossed over the dead creature.

    He checked through it to be sure it was dead.

    "It is a Ryt." Erik said as he pushed its dead body.

    Prodding it here and there.

    Then he bent down and tried to lift it up, but he did not do it fully, he turned to Xaden. "Here help lift it up."

    Xaden took a second to recollect his thoughts then Erik repeated. "Come on man. I need help here."

    Xaden then went over and assisted in helping Erik lift the creature, and together, they flipped it over.

    It thennded on its back with a heavy thud.

    Then Xaden took a closer look at the monster.

    "It is a creature of the dark forest," Erik said to him as he went over the monster. "They feed off of your greatest desires and use it to manipte."

    It still had not hit him until now what had just happened.

    "So Jasmine was not real?" He asked.

    Erik shook his head. "God no. It just yed with your thoughts and wanted to use you for dinner.

    Xaden felt vited.

    "What did it say to you?" Erik asked.

    "I-t... uhmmm.... I... Uhmmm." He stuttered unable to even speak as what had just happened shocked him to the core. "She wanted me to follow her somewhere. A magicalke."

    Erik nodded. "It was going to lead you into the dark forest. That was why I said we had to sleep outside the dark forest. They get really dangerous at night."

    "Is it dead?" Xaden asked. "The arrow you used?"

    Erik picked out his sword and said. "Was onlyced with some harmful poison. They only die when you-

    The creature screamed, and then Erik plunged his sword over the head, severing it.

    And then the monster went still.

    "Cut off their head." Erik finished.

 Chapter 201: BEHEADED

    <h4>Chapter 201: BEHEADED</h4>

    The blood spattered across the floor and then over their faces as the head became still.

    He just stared in absolute horror and gore.

    To think that this had been Jasmine .

    He felt his stomach twist with uneasiness, and he held it.

    "Do not throw up." Erik said as he now stepped back from the dead creature.

    Xaden manned up and swallowed it down to dissolve any feeling of nausea.

    "W-why did ite for only me?" Xaden questioned. "All the men were still asleep, and I was the only one who wandered away, was I not?"

    "The Ryt feasts on your deepest desires. Your desire to see Jasmine and have her with you was obviously very strong. Stronger than all the other wolves around." Erik said as he crossed over the decapitated body.

    "It was going to lure you into the forest," Erik said. "Thank the gods that I got you on time."

    "How did you know I was in trouble?" Xaden asked.

    "Elyon and I were on the night watch and when I returned you were already gone". He informed him. "I made Elyon stay and watch over the others while I went after you. It is rare for the beast toe out of the forest."

    Then he turned to the line that separated them from the forest and pointed it out.

    "You see that?" He asked Xaden. "That is the only thing that protects us from things like the Ryliat. They can not cross out we can only enter. But in rare cases ones pull for the desire of a lost one can drag one toe across. It is rare but it happens."

    Xaden was quiet.

    "Come on." Erik titled his head towards a different angle of their own forest. "That ryliat blood can stick if we do not wash it off. There is a stream nearby."

    Erik led the way and Xaden followed him behind.

    They walked down a path that did not cross towards the dark forest and descended a small, steep hill.

    Then they saw ake.

    Erik followed the other side, and Xaden went down.

    The moonlight shown against the beautiful and quietke glistening like diamond sparkles.

    He knelt by theke and set the water against his face.

    "You care for her very much Xaden," Erik informed him after a short silence.

    "I have no idea what you are talking about," Xaden said feigning confusion.

    He rubbed the water over his face and washed off the ryliat blood.

    "God, this smells so bad," Xaden swore.

    "I told you." Erik said with augh then he cleared his throat. "Do not skip the question. You care for her. Before you pretend like you have no idea who I am speaking of, it is Jasmine. You care very much for her more than you are willing to admit it."

    Xaden said nothing as he resumed washing the smell off of his face.

    "You care for her, Xaden. You can not keep

    On denying it." Erik said

    Xaden cut him short with an exasperated sigh. "By the Gods! Yes! Yes ERIK! I CARE FOR HER! I CARE FOR HER BECAUSE THAT IS MY LIMITATION, AND I FEAR THAT IF I HAD A HEART, I WOULD LOVE HER!"

    Xaden breathed heavily and then sat on a rock dejectedly, filled with a sense of relief.

    It was like he was harboring those feelings for a very long time now, keeping them all choked in.

    Erik, who had just been the center of the words onught, went quiet and was simply staring at Xaden.

    Then he walked up to him and sat down on the rock beside Xaden.

    Both men were quiet for a while.

    Then Xaden spoke up. "I care for her. And that is what scares me. I feel for her. I do not understand it. I always pushed it, until I held her bleeding in my arms."

    Then Xaden gave a bitterugh. "Can you imagine that? How can a heartless man, literally heartless, feel to this extent."

    Erik aided him. "There is nothing that is impossible. You might not have a heart, but that does not mean you will be unable to feel. I feel it is perfectly okay to have exceptions."

    "How can I care for her?" Xaden asked. "She is the daughter of my worst enemy. I am expected to hate her. That is how it is supposed to be. I am not supposed to have such feelings for her or for the love of the goddess even care for her? How do I answer to my pack? Everyone in that pack hates Bale, it is expected that I follow up. I lead them all. I am not supposed to feel anything for her."

    Xaden sighed and rubbed his fingers through his hair.

    "It does not matter," Xaden said. "Nothing can evere out of it. Once I end Bale, I will get rid of her."

    Xaden came off the rock, and Erik held him

    Back.

    "Do not suppress your emotions." He advised. "It will not get anywhere."

    "So what do you think I should do?" Xaden asked. "Restore her from being a ve and wee her into the pack as our own. Marry her?"

    "Technically, you are already married." Erik pointed out with augh.

    Xaden gave him a nk stare that wiped off the smile from her face.

    "But I want you to think about it," Erik said. "On a more serious note. You should not care about what anyone says or how anyone feels. To bell with the pack."

    "I am their leader. My uncle, and then there is my mate Lily and-

    "I do not trust your uncle, but that is a story for another day. At the end of the day, how long will you keep on living for everyone and live for yourself." Erik asked. "You have already disappointed your uncle, so you might go ahead with it. But it is your life. Do not do something that is your responsibility. But do it because you want to."

    And then Erik came down from the rock and walked back towards where the men were.

 Chapter 202: DO NOT CROSS THE BROWN PATH!

    <h4>Chapter 202: DO NOT CROSS THE BROWN PATH!</h4>

    The following day, the other wolves woke up and were ready to start the journey.

    Xaden had spent the remainder of his entire early hours of the morning awake.

    He had been unable to go back to sleep since he and Erik had killed the beastst night.

    "My lord," Owen said snapping Xaden out of his stream of thoughts. "The men are ready to leave."

    Xaden got up to his feet and then climbed his horse before catching up to Erik who led the way.

    "Are you alright?" Erik asked him.

    "Sure." Xaden nodded even though he himself did not think he was okay.

    The others still did not know about the incident with the Ryliatst night.

    Only Elyon and that was because he had been awake in the early hours of the morning.

    Then Erik turned back to the men.

    "We are headed into the forest," Erik informed. "We stay together no matter what. It is dangerous. No matter what you see, no matter what you hear you do not leave the group that we are in. Do you understand?"

    "Yes, Gamma!" They all chorused.

    "If there is anything any of you wish to ask," Erik said, looking at the eyes of all the men. "You had better ask now."

    There were a couple of hands.

    Erik chose who he believed had the question all the other wolves had in their mind.

    He pointed him out

    "What should we be afraid of?" A high-ranking beta, Harry asked.

    "There are many creatures in the forest, but then most of them are harmless, or let me just say they have been dominated by the Ryliat. The Ryliat is a creature that takes the image of your greatest desire." Erik exined. "They deceive you into thinking that your family, lover, wife, daughter, someone you care about very much, is amongst them. You get called out, and then if you do not use your wolf powers enough, they can lure you away, and you will follow them into the forest."

    "What happens when you follow them to the forest?" Someone asked and then all eyes turned to Erik.

    "We never see you again," Erik said.

    The entire space went quiet.

    Then Erik added. "Once we enter the forest the brown path that we follow is sort of a protection from the creatures. We are in their domain, but they will be unable to cross the brown path in the daylight except at night. So the best they can do is turn into

    Your family or call you. Once you cross that line, no one. And I mean it, no one will be able to save you. We stay on the same path until I signal you. Obey me and we all make it out alive."

    The men nodded and murmured, but in general, they agreed.

    Then Erik climbed his horse. "Block your ears from the outside. We are all from

    The same pack as you know so only we canmunicate with each other. You can hear all wolves from our pack, even in the forest, but you can not hear from outside unless you block it. Do you understand?"

    "Yes!" They all answered.

    "And I repeat, under no circumstances, should you open your senses to the outside world, under no circumstances do you leave the brown path. If you do, you will not be able to be saved." He said.

    And they paid heed.

    Then he turned towards the forest and said to the men. "Let us go in shall we."

    And then he led the way with Xaden staying with them at the back and as thest to protect them.

    They crossed into the forest, and their horses made the journey.

    True to what Erik had said, there was a brown path, and then on the left and the right-handed sides were trees and flowers of different colors.

    From the outside when they had slept, it looked like a dead forest, but then now that they were inside it waspletely different.

    "Erik are you sure this is the same dark first?" Owen asked.

    Xaden would have asked the same if he had not witnessed the incident with the Ryliat himself.

    "Ignore the nts or how the entire appearance seems," Erik remarked. "It is just a camouge and a way of the forest deceiving you. You think that is safe when it is just a trap."

    "How do you know all of this?" Someone asked.

    "You do not ask a question like that." Another person hissed at the first interrogator.

    "Why not?"

    "Did you not hear that Erik originallyes from the Isle of Lycanthrope."

    "All Lycan wolvese from there."

    "Yes, but he is different. He was born and bred there. Good you need to know when and where to ask not."

    Erik smiled to himself.

    The men had forgotten no matter how much genuinely whispered he could still over beat them on an even much higher frequency because they had all tuned into their wolf.

    Erik smiled to himself and said nothing.

    "It is quiet," Elyon said. "Too damn quiet."

    "Oh they are around," Erik promised. "I am sure they are looking at us right now. We just can not see them yet. They probably have not seen any wolves in years now. They would be very hungry by now."

    "Why can they not just attack us?" Someone asked.

    "It is the redemption from the goddess," Erik said. "You can not just have it all bad. Where there is bad, there is good. Where there is good, there is bad. All you have to do is obey what she orders. You Stick with the pack and do not make the mistake of leaving no matter what happens. Even if I am separated from the pack keep In formation."

    Erik turned behind to look at Xaden who was literally thest of the men.

    Xaden��s mind was elsewhere and Erik was certain he was thinking about Jasmine.

 Chapter 203: THE RYLIAT

    <h4>Chapter 203: THE RYLIAT</h4>

    They went on riding down the path. The men were chatty because they had forgotten all their worries and a few minutes walking down the brown path the story of the Ryliats had now be like a myth.

    They were in the park for over four hours, and then they still had not encountered anything.

    "Erik are you sure there is any such creature here?" Harry asked with augh. "I can neither see nor hear anything dangerous. The ce looks so fucking good and simple."

    The menughed in unison.

    Erik ignored them.

    "Doe on Erik." Harryughed. "We are just making a in and simple joke. Not everything has to be so strict."

    "Fine." Erik shrugged. "Believe what you want to believe at your own risk then."

    They went on the journey for a few more hours, and when it was noon, the men were exhausted.

    "My God." Philip cried in horror. "Can we rest? This journey is excruciating. My bum hurts from sitting down here for so long."

    "Your bum?" Melo asked. "I��ve been meaning to take a piss."

    Lucky enough for the wolves, they could simply hold their pee for a very long time, unlike simple humans, also known as unshifted wolves.

    "Can we not bloody stop?" Melo asked, frustrated.

    The men were grumbling to themselves.

    "No," Erik warned as he continued to ride on ahead. "No one stops for any reason. Not until I say so. These parts that we are following are the most dangerous. We do not stop under any ount."

    He kept on walking ahead.

    As they progressed, it was as if the flowers were bing more beautiful.

    "Gods." The men murmured.

    They kept on being on the path and then it was like with every step they took, when they believed they had seen the most beautiful trees and blossom there were more beautiful ones up ahead.

    Soon, they began to hear chirping, and it was like birds were singling.

    Like the trees themselves were singing in perfect harmony.

    The men kept on going, and then Philip heard someone call him.

    "Phil."

    He stopped his horse.

    "What is wrong?" His friend asked him.

    "I thought I heard something," Philip said. "Did you perhaps call me?"

    "No." His friend said. "You must just be too much in your head. Or one of the other wolves is calling you in your mind."

    Philip listened again, but then there was nothing.

    He concluded that he was actually possibly just hearing things.

    He shrugged it off and went on with the journey.

    Then he heard the calling again.

    "Philip."

    By this time it was not only Philp who was hearing his name being called.

    Other wolves could now hear their names being called by different voices.

    Philip turned around to see where he was hearing his name being called.

    "Philip."

    And this time he was sure where he had heard the voice before.

    It was his little sister who had died in a rogue attack.

    "Marina?" He spoke aloud.

    The entire party of wolves stopped short.

    "Where did you see Marina?" Someone asked.

    "Shut up!" A hysterical Philip screamed in terror. "Shush. Silence".

    He hissed at the men, trying to see if he would hear her voice again.

    The entire ce was quiet. Even Xaden and Erik were now quiet.

    But there was no other voice.

    Then Erik walked up to him. "You need to take your mind off this. There is no one here. It is the Ryliat. It is deceiving you and-

    "But I fucking know what I fucking heard!" Phillip said.

    He was already beginning to go insane,

    "It is the Ryliat deceiving you that-

    "Philip."

    This time, they all heard it.

    This time, they all turned in the direction where they had heard the voice call out, and sure enough, she was there.

    A young of probably the age of fourteen stood in a simple dress looking at them.

    Philip felt his heart stop.

    "Marina?" He asked her. "Is that you?"

    He could barely even speak he was swallowing so hard.

    Tensed from everything that was going on. Tensed from seeing his sister, who he had believed was long dead.

    Thest time he had seen her had been in such a cruel manner.

    "Marina."

    He came down from the horse, and he was already being pulled to her.

    By the exact type of force that has made Xaden void of emotions, that had made Xaden unable to think straight.

    "You came for me." She said.

    His eyes watered.

    "I thought I had lost you forever," Philip said.

    "Philip, stay away from her! That is not your sister!" Erik swore as he turned his horse from leading the way to block Philip��s path.

    "I am here. I have missed you so much." She said.

    Philip��s heart ached with pain.

    Because he had been weak and defenseless when she had died.

    He shook his head, weak with agony.

    "And so have I. I have." He said. "It was me. I should have protected you."

    She smiled. "It does not matter,e to me".

    Erik came down. "Snap out of it! Do not let her take control of you!"

    By the time Philip looked at Erik, his eyes were a harrowing yellow:

    "Get off me," Philip answered dangerously.

    He hit Erik and Erik was thrown back against his horse andnded barely a few inches on the brown path.

    With another kick, he would have crossed into the dark forest.

    The men took their swords, and some of them turned into their wolves.

    Xaden turned to his original wolf and then he howled.

    He did not speak to Philip with his lips but from his mind and status as Alpha.

    "As your Alpha, I demand that you obey me and return back to the pack!" Xaden backed.

    But Philip simply went on ahead like he had not listened.

    The men tried to gather around him and drag him back into the brown path.

    But then he stepped right into the forest.

    Follow current novels on freewe(b)novel.c(o)m

 Chapter 204: THE RACE FROM THE DARK FOREST

    <h4>Chapter 204: THE RACE FROM THE DARK FOREST</h4>

    In the split second that Philip stepped into the forest.

    He was engulfed in the forest and dragged inside.

    It happened so fast and yet they all saw it.

    The hands of the little girl who had been his sister turned into a stretch of ck and then turned into a horrifying monster that dragged Philip inside the forest.

    Philip screamed in horror as he was taken away from everyone.

    They all watched in horror as they heard his screams.

    No one said a single word.

    "Can we not perhaps go help him?" Owen asked stepping forward towards the forest.

    "No, do not make that mistake," Erik said, setting his hand on his shoulder and stopping him from propelling forward. "Philip is gone. We have to keep on moving. If we get caught in the dark in the forest, we are in it for life, and we will never leave here alive."

    Erik climbed back up on his horse.

    Then Xaden made some words in their tongue as he looked towards the forest.

    He was saying some words that would end Phillip��s bond and also help him cross him over.

    As soon as they climbed their horse, someone else crossed into the forest.

    "Wait no!"

    But it was toote.

    By the time they had all turned to see what the newmotion was about, another wolf in their party had turned into the forest.

    And then another and another and tenth were just getting in in their numbers.

    "What is happening?" Xaden asked.

    "They opened up their senses and then the Ryliat are taking over and making them cross over," Erik added two and two together.

    He turned back to the men. "Shut down your senses! Close it back! Do not let them get into you! If they do, then they will be able to control you and let you do what they want you to do now!"

    But they had already done it.

    A number of the wolves were now crossing across.

    Over seven of them had gone looking for their loved ones or the ones that the monster had used to deceive them.

    Xaden reinforced his power as Alpha and was able to suppress and curb those who had not yet been taken control of by the Ryliat.

    Erik began to feel his senses vibrate and he knew that his wall was weakening.

    He started to heat histe wife.

    "My love." She called out in pleasure.

    But then he turned his head and tried to suppress her voice even though it pierced his heart.

    They rode off away, and now they were left with only twenty-two men, including both Xaden and Erik.

    They raced down the forest.

    It was like an endless maze.

    But they kept on running nonstop.

    Soon, it was almost dusk, and the forest seemed not to be ending anytime soon.

    "Erik are you sure that this forest is closing up anytime soon?" Xaden asked. "It has been years are you sure that things are not different now?"

    "These ces never change," Erik said. "They have no reason and that is why they will always remain the same."

    The men said nothing as they went down the path.

    Inward they grieved for the ones they had lost.

    But kept on going ahead.

    The nts that had been calling out to them with their delicious fruits came into view.

    Owen stopped short. "Gods. These look like they were a gift from ten gods themselves."

    Owen tried to stretch and pick out the fruit.

    "Do not touch that," Erik warned him

    "It has been a while since I ate something fresh," Owen said, stretching out. "And look, the fruits are hanging out from the forest and into the brown path. Surely that would be a sign."

    Erik snapped at him. "Do not! You do not touch anything from the dark forest. It will find its way to drag you in. But you are free to if you want to wind up dead."

    Owen withdrew his hands quickly and swallowed hard.

    They returned on their journey.

    As they progressed further, they saw that all the beautiful nts and trees they had been hanging out to attract them were now rotting.

    The darker the weather got, indicating it was nighttime, the more the nts and flowers on their left and right fell dead.

    The fruits fell down to the floor rotting.

    "Still want those anymore?" Someone asked jokingly.

    Owen swallowed hard and thanked his stars that he had not touched the fruit.

    "It��s getting darker." Someone said. "And we are still here."

    Erik knew that by the eighth hour of the night, the monsters in the dark forest would begin to evolve and attack them.

    As they rode up, he saw a hill up ahead.

    He recalled that hill and knew that they were close to the end of the forest.

    "We have about twenty minutes before we arrive ." He said.

    And it was precisely twenty minutes for them

    To get to their destination.

    Would they make it in time?

    "Increase your pace men!" He snapped at them. "We have to race before the eight hour. When we reach the hill you will know we have escaped the dark forest. Go, go, go!"

    The men all obeyed as they put pressure on their horses as they rode on faster and faster.

    The cold air brushed against their face and enveloped them as every angle rotted and smelled of the dead nts.

    The creatures were now howling and screaming in a rush to break free from their hold and im their new victims.

    They raced on, Erik could hear the creatures screaming and feel theming closer and closer.

    The men went across the hill and passed the forest.

    Xaden was thest as he was behind protecting the men.

    Then eight hit and soon the creatures wereing after him right from behind.

    "Xaden fast! Hurry upe on!" The me screamed.

    He rose his horse galloping, and just as they would have grabbed him, he jumped right off the brown path.

 Chapter 205: MARIE VS CHERRY

    <h4>Chapter 205: MARIE VS CHERRY</h4>

    CHERRY��S POV

    Once Cherry was done talking to Uther she turned away from her mirror and sat down to deliberate.

    So Xaden was going to the isle of lycanthrope. No one ever went there and made it alive. Cherry herself had hired the best people and sent them out to hunt for the isle. But none had made it alive.

    Everyone who performed the dark arts or dabbled in it knew that the Isle of lycanthrope was a holy grail.

    Everyone wanted it. The average wolf had heard mere stories of it and it had be a myth to the regr wolves.

    But to the witches and those who were spiritual and had any form of magic knew better.

    It was craved to be important. Craved as something the gods themselves had left as a way for the people to find.

    In her wildest dreams, she had never believed this would fall into her arms, but here it was.

    With Xaden going she had a chance she was most certain of.

    That wolf loved that Jasmine.

    She still hung in between life and death. The royal blood was not easily killed.

    But Jasmine was the Heir��the actual heir��. She was not just royal blood, which is why she had used her most powerful spell to ensure that she died. But she had not expected her to hang on; she still struggled to be alive.

    And Marie had said it, Jasmine was extremely powerful. Her powers had not yet manifested.

    And yet she still struggled to live.

    She had to make sure that no one ever knew her ns. Or they would be ruined.

    She was also certain that it was Marie who had told Xade about the Isle of lycanthrope.

    She had to meddle with her ns before she did.

    She had seen Xaden and she knew the zeal he carried.

    He was an exception and she had a feeling that he would possibly make it out alive.

    She had to take advantage of this opportunity.

    If she had the Cup of life in her hands then she had the upper hand over everyone.

    She began to imagine herself as a ruler.

    She would finally take over the throne and im what rightfully belonged to her. Instead of still having to hide around while she made love to her sister��s husband

    The King was an apt lover.

    But she needed to secure her tie to him, and that was why she was doing her best to get pregnant.

    Once she was pregnant then, she would reveal her true self to her stupid sister.

    That thief!

    But it was fine Everyone else around her would know who she was. What belonged to her would soone to her.

    Then she felt a shift of energy In her room.

    She turned around and before she had even seen who it was, she already knew the person.

    It was Marie standing In the center of her bedroom.

    Her beautiful long dreadlocks hung behind her back in their usual fashion.

    And above all, she did not look pleased.

    "Marie what a pleasant surprise," Cherry said with a very fake smile. "What do I owe this sudden visit?"

    Marie was in front of her in barely a split second and then she held her throat and squeezed it hard.

    Cherry choked and tried to hold Marie��s neck so that she could be freed from her grip.

    She tried to use her dark magic to attack Marie, but Marie was way stronger than her.

    "Please you are killing me." Cherry managed from her firmly tightened throat.

    Marie used her power to raise her in the air; cherry was choking and could feel her life being taken away from her.

    "How dare you?" Marie demanded.

    Cherry choked bitterly trying her best to breathe.

    She used magic to try and hit Marie, but Marie wove her hand to the side without even looking back, and she focused on Cherry.

    Further pressing her neck.

    Cherry��s face became almost like her name, going red like a fresh cherry.

    Then Marie tossed her aside on the ground.

    Cherry breathed heavily, coughing brutally once she was down on the floor.

    She held her throat and massaged the ce Marie had so forcefully held.

    She looked up at Marie who was standing before her, her face emotionless.

    "I shall ask you again. How dare you?" Marie demanded.

    Cherry knew what she was talking about, but she made a frivolous attempt to y confused.

    "I do not understand what you mean-" Cherry tried to lie, but then Marie��s face turned to thunder and she looked at her with rage.

    "And yet you pretend like you have no idea what I speak of," Marie demanded, reaching out for Cherry again.

    But Cherry was terrified and scooted to the other end of the room away from Marie.

    She was breathing so hard, and she put her hands around her neck to protect them from Marie even though It would not stop her from attacking her if she wanted to.

    "You sent that girl after Jasmine," Marie said. "You knew how important she was to me. You know that I need her."

    "I did not mean to," Cherry said rising to her feet.

    She walked to her dresser and sat down by the ss, and then she very gently massaged her neck before waving over a beautiful white rose.

    The white rose withered and went dead, and then she put it over her neck; her neck healed instantly.

    For magic, if one thing was to be made, another was to be taken. Hence why, the flower had to die in order to heal her neck.

    Then Marie walked up to where Cherry sat down by the mirror.

    "You went too far," Marie said. "I taught you magic. Anything you did, I know. Anything you think you can do, I know. And anything you do, I can do it much much better."

    Marie turned Cherry to face her. "Now tell me, what the hell were you thinking?"

 Chapter 206: FIVE WEEKS IN THE WILD

    <h4>Chapter 206: FIVE WEEKS IN THE WILD</h4>

    Xaden along with the other men in their horses, watched as the darknesspletely overwhelmed the forest.

    "That was close ." Someone said what everyone else was thinking.

    "The way we are closing down and destroying the way we have beening in. Would we have a road back home? I thought there was only one way in." Someone else replied.

    "There is only one way in," Erik responded. "But that does not mean there is only one way out."

    He turned his horse down the roads.

    "It is still not safe," Erik said. "We have to ride down for a while."

    They all obeyed him as he led the way for them.

    Until they came to a bunch of trees and few nts.

    They came down from their horses and made camp.

    Two of the men who had gone out to look for the game returned.

    "You mean to say that there is no single life stock here?" One of the men asked.

    "You went to look for animals?" Elyon asked.

    "Not even one bloody rabbit or squirrel!" The other man said. "It seemed too scary for us to even venture further. I feel like we are the only ones in the forest."

    "That is because we are," Erik said. "There is no wolf life in these parts. Only monsters. That is why we need to stay closer to each other".

    Xaden was far away from the men setting up the stones to remember those who had been lost in the forest on their way out.

    "I can not believe we are here." Someone said. This godforsaken ce!"

    Then, there was a cry in the distance.

    It was not something wolf or human, and all the men went quiet.

    There were goosebumps on their skin. No one moved, and they heard other howling s from afar.

    It was like they were making a chorus

    "What the bloody hell is that?" Someone demanded.

    "It is wild sirens and Ryliats," Erik said as he fished through his already canned soup. "They are the ones who run this part of the wilderness."

    "So we only have to deal with them then?" Steve said. "That does not seem so bad. We can handle them all together."

    "I said they run this ce," Erik said. "I did not say they were the only ones. We are still a bit far from the isle of lycanthrope."

    "How many days left till we get there?" Someone else asked.

    "We have precisely five weeks left," Erik said as he drank his soup.

    All the men turned to look at him in shock.

    Filled with horror and their face white with disbelief.

    "What?!" Xaden asked, even stopping what he was doing and looking at Erik. "What do you mean by that?"

    The men all started grumbling and making so much noise.

    "We are to be in this ce for bloody five weeks?! How are we going to survive?!" Someone said.

    "I smell like shit! I feel like shit you did not say this!"

    "We lost so many men already. We are barely even twenty. Our strongest are dead. What makes you think we will survive."

    And so went on theints from the very many men.

    "You said that we were going to spend a week here ande out. Jasmine has only a few days left to live. She has barely a week! How the hell do you expect her to live."

    "Everyone calm down!" Erik snapped, and they all became quiet.

    Erik breathed in heavily. "When I said that we will be here for five weeks, the time here is different from. The time outside. One week outside is equivalent to five weeks here."

    Xaden looked at him suspiciously, unable to believe what he was hearing.

    "Are you certain of this?" Xaden asked. "You have barely been here for long, so now how do you know things are not different."

    "Ie from here," Erik said. "I know this ce like the back of my hand. I can assure you. When we retrieve the cup, we will be able to go back home. You will see for yourself."

    The other men began mourning the fact that they were going to be here for a very, very long time.

    Eventually, they came to ept it.

    After all, Xaden was their Alpha. They were only traumatized by the manner in which they had lost their colleagues.

    "I only ever heard stories of this ce," Brad said as he rolled his beard.

    They were now all gathered by the fire.

    "The curse of the Lycans!" Brad said.

    "Oh, please." Someone rolled their eyes.

    Brad was known for his over-exaggerated stories.

    "But it is true. The Lycans were special to the gods. They were created in the image of the gods. But their greed got to them, and that was why the goddess punished them. Cursed them to be the undead. Cursed them to be the ones that would be haunted by the immortality they provide. Thus, why do we have one Lyrun herb? The most powerful herb we havees from the carcass of a dead Lycan."

    The men murmured amongst themselves.

    "But how did the Lycans nowe to live among us?" Someone else asked.

    Brad opened his mouth to talk, but Erik spoke before him.

    "After the curse, those who had decided to leave ran away. Those who remained stayed behind and fell in line with the curse of them being undead." Erik said. "A lot of Lycans escaped but still bearing the curse that had been imposed on them. The Lycan king remains on his throne. Those who seek him shall be weed into the kingdom. But he requires a duel to the death. If the champion who has been chosen loses to the Lycan king then all who hade with him will be eaten alive in the most brutal way."

    The men swallowed.

    "Is it possible that anyone would win?" Someone managed.

    "Of course not. He is the immortal undead king of course he can never lose." Erik said rising to his feet and leaving the men to be terrified on their fate.

 Chapter 207: MARIE’S THREATS

    <h4>Chapter 207: MARIE��S THREATS</h4>

    Cherry looked over at Marie as she stood towering over her.

    "What were you thinking?" Marie demanded.

    "I needed to get rid of Aurora." Cherry eventually opened up. "She was going to find out that Jasmine was a member of the royal family. She would have told Xaden about where she came from and how she was not Luna Maria��s wife. And you know Xaden. Xaden would have dug deeper. He would have discovered the entire truth, and then it would have been the end. He would have discovered her mother everything would havee to the Open."

    "So bloody what?" Marie asked as she gently put her fingers against her chin and held it tightly.

    Cherry felt her teeth grind in pain as she tried her best to suppress how she felt.

    "I was the one who put you on. Everything you have is because of me." Marie said. "I told you when it was time to collect I would. Do not forget that I am more powerful than you are. And I would be the most powerful that you have ever met."

    Cherry breathed heavily.

    "Let us act like all you cared about was getting ride of Aurora." Marie said letting go of her chin and then walking to the window and overlooking the entire kingdom.

    "You put the hex on her. You could have easily killed her, but no, you left a trace down the entire mess. You ordered her to kill her because you know Xaden would go the extra mile for Jasmine. And then so you calcted it and added two and two. Xaden would rather lose Aurora than lose Jasmine. You wanted him to do the job himself. You wanted him to kill Aurora himself, but not before Aurora had stabbed Jasmine."

    She turned back to look at Cherry.

    "You nned this. All of it. And it worked in your favor." She said. "But you forgot something."

    Marie started walking up towards Cherry.

    Cherry, who feared no one, who never wavered before anyone, could now feel her heart racing in fear.

    "Jasmine is mine," Marie said. I told you no one would touch her��not while I was alive and close to immortal. You could not disobey me."

    "What does Jasmine have to offer to you?" Cherry asked. "She is useless and a pest."

    "She has great Magic. You do not understand it, do you? She is the one that the gods prophesied. She is the greatest ruler this world has ever seen."

    "But you only take things that will be of benefit to you. What does Jasmine have that I can not offer?" Cherry asked. "You know that from the moment I came to see you, all I wanted was my rightful ce. I will never get it if she bes queen. I will offer anything you want. I assure you that I will prioritize you over anyone and everything."

    "You will never be a powerful Queen. Not as powerful as Jasmine." Marie said.

    "We could use dark magic," Cherry said, trying to be smart. "I could fulfill it."

    "NO!" Marie snapped at her. "You had already made a mistake, and now it had to be cleaned up."

    Marie was not going to tell her neither did anyone know.

    But she knew the prophecy.

    She needed Jasmine��s power to be materialized because she was going to take what belonged to her.

    Because she knew that what wasing was going to be even greater than Jasmine.

    "If you were wise, you would have taken the offer that I gave you. Sat on the throne until it was the right time." Marie said.

    "But even if I do, she will stille and take it away from me," Cherry said. "I can not let that happen. You are aware that the prophecy says she will bring our doom."

    "Or our salvation." Marie finished.

    She smiled and winked. "I like the sound of salvation more."

    "But you can not deny the fact that she will be the one who might bring our end," Cherry argued. "It was meant to be that I will be the one who rules over her."

    "Enough," Marie said. I have made my decision. You have overstepped your boundaries. If you do not steer clear of Jasmine, I will take away everything you are slowly beginning to have, and believe me, I will."

    Cherry swallowed. "For a mere ve?"

    "For the true Queen of this kingdom, I would," Marie said, and then the ce began to be windy, her wrath evident in the weather.

    There was thunder and lightning.

    And then, when Cherry believed that she was going to kill her, she closed her eyes and waited for the impact.

    But none came.

    She opened her eyes and saw that Marie was calm and that the wind was gone.

    She looked at her, surprised.

    "I will not kill you, cherry. Not now, at least." Marie said. "But you have to pray that Jasmine lives. If she dies, I will end you in the most brutal way ever. I will not just kill you; I will expose you and make you lose all that you had spent those miserable years working hard for."

    Cherry knew what Marie did to her enemies and she was wise enough to know that thest thing she wanted to be was her enemy.

    "You will stay far away from Jasmine." She said. "Are we clear? Do you understand me?"

    Cherry nodded. "Of course."

    Marie smiled. "Good girl. At least you have Aurora out of the way so everything is clear for you. No one wille your way and expose Jasmine. But you will stay away from Jasmine."

    "I thought she was dying," Cherry said, acting like she did not know what was happening.

    "Cherry you and I both know that you are on a day to day basis of keeping pads on everything that goes on." Marie said.

    She started to walk towards the balcony.

    A dark wind evolved her, and she disappeared.

 Chapter 208: JESSICA’S NEW LIFE

    <h4>Chapter 208: JESSICA��S NEW LIFE</h4>

    JESSICA��S POV

    Jessica went into her bedroom after a day��s work.

    She sighed exasperatingly, and then shey down on the miserly bed.

    It was hard, straight, and ugly.

    Oh, how she missed the old bedroom and her soft bed.

    She missed the pleasure of being a princess and how her parents had treated her.

    How the ves themselves had been under her.

    How they were all forced to do what she wanted. How she got away with everything because she was the daughter of Alpha Bale.

    But since they had been attacked, she had been forced to live such a miserable life!

    She had been forced to pretend like a ve.

    When her mother had told her that she was going to go into hiding, she had lost it.

    "What?!" Jessica had demanded.

    "Honey, my darling wolf princess, it would only be for a short while." Her mother cooed, gently touching her hair and pacifying her.

    "And be what a fugitive in my own father��s pack?" She demanded in rage.

    "No honey." Her mother said in a very soothing voice. "It would only be for a short time. Until gets worked out."

    Jessica stormed towards the balcony in anger.

    Her mother ran to her and pulled her back in.

    "Do not go anywhere near the balcony." Her mother said. "Not like that! They will see you."

    "I thought that was e we��re going to send Jasmine off." Jessica wept. "I thought we were goin to use her as recement. Is she not supposed to attain for us? Is she not supposed to be me? She should be happy that she was made to act like me."

    Her mother gently massaged her hair and brushed it. "Things did not work out the way they did."

    It was then she looked at her mother��s eyes and saw that her mother had been crying.

    "Mama." She said holding her. "What happened? Please tell me what happened?"

    Her mother pushed back the years that had been about dropping.

    "Your brother is no more. He killed him. That monster!" Her mother said.

    Jessica gasped and felt herself go faint.

    Her own brother was dead?

    This was too much for her to take in.

    It was like it was a dream, all a haze. Like

    Everything was going bad for them.

    "You are the only one we have left and we can not afford to lose you." Her mother aid holding her tightly.

    "What about my husband! Yes my wolf to be!" Jessica said recovering from yen shock and having an epiphany. "He could save us. I could run to him and he will protect me. He is the wolf I am supposed to marry, after all."

    Her mother shook her head. "No. Honey, I am sorry to tell you, but he was killed too.

    On the battlefield. He is no more."

    Jessica thought she was going to lose her mind.

    She sat down on a chair, her entire body weak.

    Her whole being paralyzed and in disbelief.

    Jessica was busy and into tears.

    She began weeping, and her mother forced her to reduce her voice.

    "Am I not allowed to weep for the man I would have married?"

    A frustrated Jessica said.

    "Not in this situation." Her mother said. "Your father took an ord. He is now immune. I along with him, but unfortunately an ord does not provide protection for the rest of the family too. So we have to wait until your father gains his strength and fights back."

    Jessica could hardly even think.

    "I had believed that that was what Jasmine was for. I thought she was impersonating me so that we could make it alive."

    "Yes, and he took her away. He believes it is you that he is taking away. He wishes to punish her and, in turn, punish us because he believes we love her. He thinks she is you."

    "This means she is going to suffer does it not?" Jessica asked.

    "A very cruel fate that she truly deserves." Luna Maria��s said as she tucked her hair behind her ears. "How could I let my own beautiful daughter suffer in such a manner? Jasmine is a sort of ve. Let her bear the consequences."

    Jessica��s face twisted as she said. "She should be grateful. She has our bloodline in her veins."

    "Exactly what I had said." Her mother said. "We do not care what he does to her. After all, he has already started torturing her."

    Jessicaughed.

    This was the only good news that she had heard.

    She had hated Jasmine ever since genus were children and learnt that Jasmine was he father��s child.

    She had envied her so much because everything about her was filled with elegance.

    Whenever the eligible wolvese to the pack for an asion, they will all be staring at Jasmine andpletely ignore her.

    Jessica would buy the most expensive and most borate outfits and jewelry.

    Then, she will dress up and walk around the dining hall.

    But they still would not look at her.

    Their eyes were always on Jasmine regardless of the fact that she had on dirty rags.

    They would follow and pursue her.

    It had made her furious.

    She knew that her husband, to be himself, had been in lust with Jasmine.

    It had all infuriated her, driving her insane with rage and anger.

    And with that adding many mes to the fire, she hated Jasmine more.

    "I can��t believe people would think she is me," Jessica hissed. Look how ugly she is. She can not even act like me. She should appreciate it and do what she is supposed to!"

    "So, how long will I hide?" Jessica asked her mother.

    "You will not hide. Well, I mean, you will hide in in sight."

    Jessica frowned. "What do you mean, mother ?"

    "You will have no choice but to act like a servant in the pack." Her mother said.

    Jessica��s mouth dropped, and Her face went red.

    "What?!

    Follow current novels on freewe(b)novel.c(o)m

 Chapter 209: JESSICA’S NEW LIFE 2

    <h4>Chapter 209: JESSICA��S NEW LIFE 2</h4>

    "What?" Jessica screamed in shock.

    "Reduce your voice." Her mother chastised her. "Please. You can not let them know you are here. They will take you instead."

    Jessica was forced to reduce her voice and she swallowed hard.

    "What do you mean I will act like a servant in the pack?" Jessica said.

    "It is the only way." Her mother said. "We have no choice. But to do as we have been instructed. Your father brought the idea and we all agreed on it."

    "Mother I can not be a servant." Jessica wailed.

    "But you have to," her mother said. "It is either that or they discover and I can assure you that they will treat Jasmine in the worst manner possible. What do you think they will do when genus find out we deceived them and that you are truly our daughter that we love?"

    Jessica went quiet.

    "I thought as much. We have to just do as he has said. At least until everything is alright."

    "But what about my dresses mother? What about my jewelers?" Jessica asked.

    Her mother bit her lips, reluctant to speak.

    "What is it, mother?" She asked. "What is going on?"

    "Your dresses are not here. They are all with Jasmine. We had to send her in your clothes and jewelry and expensive clothing. It was either that or they find us out."

    "So Jasmine is wearing my clothes? My jewelry? That ugly rat?!" Jessica demanded.

    "Reduce your voice!" Her mother chastised.

    Jessica swallowed as she was forced to reduce her voice.

    She sneered but in a sort of whisper. "How dare she wear my clothes? Why not in those rags?"

    "She has to, for them to think that she is you. We had no choice." Her mother said.

    It was all too much!

    She had lost her brother, lost her husband to me, and now she was losing her identity.

    To that stupid girl?!

    Her mother turned and handed her clothes.

    She collected it and then when she opened it, she hung it in the air and almost threw up.

    It was one of the wretched clothes that the servants frequently wore.

    "Mother surely you do not expect me to wear this," Jessica said. "This is disgusting and it smells."

    "You have to." Her mother pleaded. "It is the only thing we can do."

    Jessica had no choice and she was forced to wear the dress.

    When she had worn the clothes, her mother had toe to her side and take off her beautiful earrings and nes.

    Jessica wanted to weep.

    Then two servants came in and helped bring down her hair from its extravagant style andbed it down.

    It was made in a single braid and then she was given a pair of ugly shoes.

    Her makeup was cleaned off her face.

    When thest thing being her lipstick was cleaned off of her, she walked to the mirror to look at herself.

    She could hardly even recognize herself anymore.

    Her face dropped and she began to whimper.

    "Oh, mother." She wept. "I look like a servant. I look so ugly."

    She cried.

    Her mother rushed to her and hugged her.

    Cooing gently to her.

    She pulled her to her chest and then she held her very gently.

    "Take it easy my love." She said. "It is all only for a short while. Until we have things fixed."

    Jessica looked at herself in The mirror unable to console herself.

    Was this who she truly became?

    Was this what her life was going to turn to?

    "You will act like a servant." Her motels said. "So that they do not know about you. That way, they will think that you are a servant, and that is all."

    "Who is they?" Jessica asked confused.

    "The crescent pack. Their Alpha left, but he left his people to stay here until he and your father fight. Which we will win. It is only for a short time." Her mother assured her.

    But Jessica was not too sure.

    "You will have to sleep with the servants.

    Jessica��s face fell.

    "No, Mother, please, no." She wept in anguish.

    "We have to, you have to. It is the only way. You can not sleep in your room they will know who you are. They will suspect something so wrong and they will take you from us. We can not let that happen."

    "How sure are we that our pack will not turn on us?" Jessica asked. "That they will not sell us out."

    "Your father used his sovereign status as Alpha on the entire pack. At least on the members of the pack. They arepelled to never say the truth, so no matter what happens, our secret is safe. That is why you need to y your part. You need to act the part. I assure you it is only for a few months and then everything will go back to the way it was."

    "What about sneaking me out?" Jessica asked looking for an escape. "A way out."

    Her mother shook her head. "No, that will not be possible. We tried it, but then we found out that all guards were at all escape routes. Plus if we risk it and they find out, they will use it against us and report to the wolf council."

    It was then it dawned on Jessica that there was no way out.

    That this was what was going to happen.

    "I would find ways to see you." Her mother said. "But we can not meet or be affectionate in public."

    Jessica nodded numbly.

    Her mother hugged her and kissed her.

    "I will protect you no matter what." She said.

    And then she let herself be led out of the room by the servants.

    That was how she had gotten to be here.

    That was why she was now struggling in a single box with about ten other servants.

    "Hey, stupid, get up!" A servant snapped at her.

 Chapter 210: JESSICA RECEIVES A SLAP!

    <h4>Chapter 210: JESSICA RECEIVES A SLAP!</h4>

    Jessica had been lying down on her tiny bed, reminiscing about her life back then.

    How calm and how lovely it all had been before Jasmine has stolen her identity, a servant came into the room and snapped at her.

    "Hey, stupid, get up!"

    She looked up and saw it was on Wolf, the servant.

    She eyed her and then hissed at her. "Do not ever speak to me like that! I am the daughter of this pack. You will give me the respect that I am owed!"

    The servantughed at her. "Daughter of the pack indeed. If you were truly the daughter, then why are you here in the seventh quarters dressed like a miserable servant."

    Jessica swallowed the tears of humiliation burning behind her eyes.

    She had been enduring endless humiliation and bullying of all sorts from the people who had worked for her before they lost everything.

    Now, she was forced to even work here.

    When she hade she had believed that she would be given some special sort of treatment.

    Some sort of reverence.

    But to her horror, she had been made to do

    Menial chores.

    Scrub floors and wash tes��do things that she never, in her wildest dreams, thought she would fall victim to.

    She hadined to her mother, but her mother had assured her that it was because she needed to be kept undercover; no one was to know who she was.

    "You know why I am here." Jessica hissed. "I would never be in this smelling ce if not for circumstances."

    "Well, let us say that circumstances are the reason you are still here. You will continue to do the work until the so-called circumstances have gone, " she said.

    Jessica swallowed hard in disbelief.

    The servants bullied her, and she was treated so awfully.

    "Get up and do your work!" The girl named ire hissed.

    "But I have done my work already," Jessica said, evidently frustrated at the work she was being assigned.

    "The men desire their food; you are to go serve them." ir snapped.

    The problem was ire was a big girl. Way bigger than Jessica and anyone who was anyone knew better than to cross ire.

    "I already did my work. Get someone else to do it and leave me alone." Jessica hissed in anger as she turned in her bed and used her nkets to cover her head.

    She hoped that ire would leave him alone now.

    But barely a few seconds passed, and then she heard ire��s footsteps marching up to her.

    ire pulled her nket open, and then she grabbed Jessica��s hair.

    Jessica howled in pain.

    "Let me go, you stupid bitch!" Jessica cried as she scrambled to be freed from ire��s grip.

    But it was useless.

    ire was way stronger than her, and she dragged her out of the bed with one hand while Jessica cried and screamed in pain.

    Eventually, she was thrown and shoved to the side of the room.

    "Now look here missy!" ire pointed at her with an using finger. "You will get your little spoiled rotten behind down to the kitchen and do the work rant you are needed. Does it look like anyone here cares about you? You were once above us but as far as you are in the same ce with all of us, then you would do ask you are told".

    Jessica��s eyes widened, and her face went pink in rage and humiliation.

    Then ire pushed her out of the room and kicked her bum hard.

    "Now get!"

    The door was mmed shut, and Jessica was shamelessly thrown out.

    She went back to the door and was banging at it in anger.

    "Open the door! Open this bloody door this bloody instant!" She screamed.

    She banged at the door repeatedly, but irepletely ignored her and refused to open it.

    Then, when Jessica was tired, she turned around and dejectedly sat down at the door.

    What was she going to do now?

    She knew that even if she told her mother what was going on, she would be unable to do anything.

    Power was strictly ced in the hands of Garrick, who happened to be the caretaker of the pack.

    He was the representative of Xaden. The bastard who had taken over her home and was the cause of all that was happening.

    She sat on the floor musing about her feelings until the head housekeeper came in.

    "What are you doing on the floor?" She demanded. "Are you not supposed to be working at the moment?"

    But Jessica red at her and made her the scapegoat. "Get away from me, you dirty filthy bitch!"

    She turned around and faced the other side of the hallway.

    The woman gasped, and then Jessica felt relieved to have thrown an insult at someone.

    She heard angry footsteps, and then she looked up and saw the woman standing before her, breathing so heavily.

    And she did thest thing Jessica would have ever expected.

    She gave her a hot-sounding p.

    Jessica��s mouth dropped open in horror as she gasped.

    Her hand went to where she had been pped, and her face was written with disbelief.

    "You pped me!" Jessica yelled in shock. "H-how dare you?"

    But the woman said nothing. Rather, she pulled Jessica��s hair and dragged her up to her feet with it.

    Jessica writhed in pain.

    She was unable to believe what was happening to her.

    "You will not speak to me or anyone else in that manner ever again." She warned.

    Jessica felt the tears gather in her eyes.

    This was the she-wolf that she always triumphed over.

    She was always nasty and rude to her, along with the others.

    Before the attack no one would dare ever speak to her in such a manner.

    They did not even have the guts to regard her with disrespect.

    Their eyes were always downcast, and they were forever waiting for judgment.

    They were not even allowed to make eye contact with her.

    But here they were.

    With the very tiny opportunity they now had, they all bullied her.

    pped her, insulted her, and even maltreated her.

 Chapter 211: JESSICA THE MAID

    <h4>Chapter 211: JESSICA THE MAID</h4>

    Jessica��s mouth was simply agape. She stared at the woman before her.

    "Once I tell my daddy, he is going to have you beheaded!" Jessica said, sounding like the very spoilt brat that she was. "Just you wait and see. Do you dare touch me? I who is his favorite and currently only child. Once he has his hands on you for hitting me, you will regret your life. I swear it!"

    But Jessica received another sounding p that shut her up immediately.

    This was the most shocking and unbearable for her to take.

    She had truly been pped. AGAIN!

    The first time had surprised her but the second had shocked her, because she had never believed that she would do it again.

    Especially when she was threatening her with her status as the daughter of Bale.

    "Now look here, you spoilt missy, " the caretaker said as she walked up close to Jessica.

    Reflex action and fear made Jessica take a step back even though there was nowhere for her to go.

    She hit the wall, and then the woman stood towering over her while her entire being shook in terror.

    "I do not care who you are. All that you are to me and every other girl at the moment here is that you are a ve like us."

    Jessica��s mouth dropped whilst she trembled.

    It was then it urred to her that she truly had no power over anyone.

    All she had was a big mouth.

    She shivered in anxiety at the woman who still stood over her.

    "You are dressed like a servant, you sleep with the servants and you look like one. Nothing is going to change that at the moment." The woman warned her.

    "B-but I am Alpha Bale��s daughter. Surely you will respect me." Jessica said, hopefully. "You know that when my father gains back his rightful ce in the pack, I can end your life."

    She tried her best to remind her of her status.

    The woman clocked her tongue in irritation. "Till then, you spoiled brat. Now you better get going to serve all the wolves before I whoop your behind."

    Jessica��s eyes widened in shock at her words.

    "You would not do that to me," Jasmine tried to convince herself otherwise, even though deep down, she knew that she would.

    "Try me and see." The woman said.

    Jessica swallowed hard now inplete fear.

    "You always made fun of Jasmine, did you not?" The woman asked.

    Jesica��s face screwed up in irritation.

    The same Jasmine who had stolen her identity and impersonated her in the pack. She hated that bitch so much!

    "Do not talk about Jasmine." She yelled in rage.

    "Why? Because your sister Is and has been much better than you?" She requested.

    Jessica��s face went red.

    "Just look at you. Jasmine was a ve and very hardworking and yet she was the attention of every wolf. But look at you. You do not even hold a light in any slightparison to her.

    Jessica knew what she was doing. He was taunting her, trying to get to her.

    Jessica breathed in heavily. "Jasmine Is not my sister. She is a bastard, and she can not bepared to me." Jessica snappedpletely that she had been pped.

    "I can assure you that the things that Jamin is currently doing in the pack are nothingpared to what you will face one day. After how much you treated that girl." She said as he folded her arms over her extremelyrge bosom. "You are going to pay. What am I saying? You are already paying for it."

    The one thing she most definitely could not and would not take was beingpared to Jasmine. It was degrading.

    Jessica clenched her fist and fumed.

    Once she was reinstated back home, she would order their heads to be taken off, no matter what.

    It was only a matter of time.

    "I said get!" She yelled at her and then Jessica scurried off In the direction of the kitchen.

    She wiped her tears as she walked down the hallway.

    The other wolvesughed and giggled at her when they saw how she was crying.

    She walked into the kitchen and then she watched as the cooks put the foods into trays and sent out other servants and ves to take them out.

    The main cook that they currently had was none other than one from the crescent pack.

    Most of the duty leaders had been reced with members of the crescent pack.

    "What are you doing just standing there like an absolute idiot?" The head chef snapped at her, bringing her back to reality. "Come on and take this food to the dining table,"

    She said nothing, so she went off and picked up the tray.

    He carried it out to the dinner table amidst the giggles from the other girls.

    She was already used to how they all treated her.

    She walked into the massive dining hall where her parents used to eat their meals along with her and her brother.

    Th only difference now was the fact that it was not her family eating on the dinner table, but their enemies, top ranking members of the crescent pack.

    They were all seated eating delicious meals.

    And then again, instead of being served the food as the special daughter she was, she was the one not doing the serving.

    It was beyond words humiliating.

    She walked to the table and served the meals.

    Garrick who was the head of the pack was seated on the chair where her own father used to be.

    She gritted her teeth as she served them their meals.

    "Hey, you." One of the packs called to her.

    He snapped his finger at her, and she walked up to him.

    "Y-yes, m-my lord?" She forced herself to say.

    He snapped his fingers. "Go fetch me some wine. Mine is finished. Immediately.

    Her face went red, and then she curtseyed and did as she was asked to.

 Chapter 212: FLYER

    <h4>Chapter 212: FLYER</h4>

    Luna Maria paced up and down, frustrated at all that was happening.

    Her little girl was being humiliated, and she could do nothing.

    The only child she now had.

    She waited at her husband��s door until it was swung open and then she hurriedly stepped in.

    "Yes? Maria?" He rose a brow.

    She shook her head. "This not what I wanted. My daughter does not deserve such Cruelty. She can not live such a life!"

    Bale turned and saw that the men who were with him in his secret meeting were just listening to her.

    "You are interrupting us. This a very important meeting and of the most secret." He said. "I implore you to reserve yourments and questions untilter after this meeting."

    And then Bale turned his back on her and went back to discussing with his men.

    But Luna Maria refused to be ignored.

    She stamped her feet in rage.

    "I will not be going bloody anywhere!" She snapped at her.

    "For the love of the gods, woman, keep your voice down!" Bale said after he had rushed up to her and closed her mouth.

    She forcefully pulled it down.

    "I will not be going anywhere!" She snapped at him. "In fact, like hell, I will bring down this entire fucking building with my voice if that is what will bring you to listen to me!"

    "Do you understand what you are saying?" Bale said. "You will let our enemies and captors know that we have been nning in secret?! Do you have any fucking idea?"

    She looked him dead in the eye. "If that is what will take you to listen to me then so be it."

    It was then that Bale saw that she was not backing down.

    And what��s more, if their enemies found them, they would all be dead.

    But women were usually foolish when it came to such Matters.

    He sighed and eventually gave in.

    Then he turned around to face his men. "This meeting is over."

    They looked at him. "It took us a very long and dangerous time to n all this! If we do not discuss this here and now then I am afraid to tell you that it will take perhaps forever for us to n another meeting."

    "The risks!"

    And the men murmured in agreement.

    Bale turned to look at his wife, and then he understood that she was still not going to back down anytime soon.

    She had her head strung up and High.

    "I said the meeting is over." He said irritated more at himself for being a weakling in front of his men and unable tomander down his wife. "We will set another day for the meeting. That will be all."

    And then he turned his back on them, telling them that he had nothing more to say to them.

    The men all grumbled and found their way through atch and went out one after the other until they were alone.

    "What was the meaning of that unruly attitude!" Bale snapped at his wife. "How dare you step into a confidential meeting with me and my men! How stupid can you Be! You know how things are here! The walls have fucking ears! These meetings are important and the only way for us to get out of this fucking hell hole!"

    "I do not care about that!" She hissed. "I truly do not care for any of that! I just want my daughter out of here."

    Bale groaned. "Is that why you came all the way up here to interrupt a high-secret meeting?"

    Bale groaned, walked up to his table, and drank a ss of wine to dissolve his headache.

    "My own daughter is suffering. She is being maltreated! The very same servants who had served her are mocking her!" Luna Maria said. "How is she supposed to live when those dirty snakes are treating her like that in our own pack? While we do nothing! While you do absolutely nothing but remain calm and solemn."

    Bale gritted his teeth in annoyance. "Nothing is going to happen to Jessica. She will live well. Yes, the servants might treat her quite awfully, but they will not kill her."

    And Bale sat down on his seat and massaged his head.

    The headache was already so awful, and now Maria was making it worse.

    "Look at you! Just look at yourself! Do you hear the words that you speak?!" She demanded in rage. "That my very own daughter stays and manages with mere low-breed creatures called servants while they treat her like a monster?! Do you understand?! I, as a mother, watch my only daughter and child suffer under the hands of ves?"

    "For the love of the gods, do keep your voice down!" Bale said, annoyed. "They will hear us and know what we are talking about!"

    "I do not bloody care, Bale!" She hissed at her husband. "I do not care if they hear or do not. I want my daughter safe and away from those monsters. I want them punished to death!"

    Bale leaned back in his chair. "Alright, then, you. You are, in fact, right! They all need to be punished, and Jessica would be liberated! But how do we aplish that? Tell me. Give me your ideas on how we are going to punish those who so wrongly punished our daughter." He asked her.

    She was quiet now. Unable toe up with an answer.

    "Tell me how we will do it, and I will, in fact, make it happen, " he said.

    She was quiet for a while, and he leaned back in his chair as she hyped a goblet of red wine.

    "Just what I thought." He said. "You knew how to spill the words and give the order, but you have no idea how it will be executed."

    Maria felt stupid, but she pressed her yes short and sighed heavily, trying to make sense of it all. "I just want my daughter to be safe."

 Chapter 213: JESSICA’S ESCAPE

    <h4>Chapter 213: JESSICA��S ESCAPE</h4>

    Once Jessica was done serving the men at the table their meals, she wanted to leave and go to her, but the head chef stopped her.

    "And where do you think you are going missy?" She demanded.

    Jessica rolled her eyes at her in annoyance. "I am done with my chores! I served all the men! That was what you asked of me!"

    And Jessica started to walk away but she as pulled back with such a hard force that she almost fell down.

    "Oh no you do not!" The chef hissed. "It is your turn to go wash the pots."

    Jessica turned red. "Wash pots?�� I will never do such a thing in my life!"

    "Do you want me to beat you with a stick before you get your behind moving and doing some good chores?!" The chef demanded.

    Jessica gawked in rage. "How dare you speak to me! I will do no such thing! All the things you asked of me I have done and I will no longer listen to you! I have done everything! I look dirty, and I smell dirty! In fact, I smell like you!"

    The chef��s face went red.

    "If you are feeling miserable because you are old and the ugly whore that you are." Jessica went on.

    The chef gasped in shock.

    "Then I must tell you that you keep your jealousy to yourself! I will never be like you! And if you truly believe that you can make me run such errands, then you must be out of your work-infected mind!"

    Jessica was breathing so heavy it was like she would burst in any minute.

    The chef herself was red and very, very angry.

    The other servants were not even giggling anymore.

    They seemed to be all quiet and afraid of the chef.

    The chef picked up arge wooden spoon and grabbed Jessica.

    "What are you doing?!" Jessica demanded. "Get off of me, you troll! Do not put your filthy hands on me!"

    She whooped her bum, and Jessica gasped in shock at the harassment.

    Her face went a full red in disbelief.

    She was in pain quite alright, but she was more shocked.

    She was so shocked at what had just transpired that she had forgotten to cry.

    "Y...you...you just hit me," Jessica said in disbelief. And then she screwed her face in anger. "How dare you?!"

    She started to scream at the chef. "How dare you touch me!"

    Then she used her ws and started to attack and fight therge chef.

    "You are an awful woman!" She screamed. "You are a monster! You have no idea who I am! You have no idea who my father is, you whore!"

    But Jessica��s efforts were in vain.

    In fact, she barely made any impact on the chef.

    The chef grabbed her two hands with one hand and gave Jessica a hot p.

    Then she started to beat her all over.

    Jessica screamed and writhed in pain, trying her best to fight off her attacker.

    But it was all in vain.

    Her two hands were strung up, and she was fighting a war she would never win.

    Frustrated and exhausted, she began to cry.

    Soon, the other girls started to cheer up and chant in support of her beating while Jessica cried and cried.

    Then the door was swung open, and Garrick, who was the lord of the house, stepped in.

    "What the devil is going on?" He demanded.

    All the gist went quiet and stood in respectable ces.

    The chef finally let go of a year-stricken Jessica.

    Jessica sniffed, her face red and filled with tears.

    She weakly pulled the hand of her dress up to conceal her nudity.

    "I believe I asked a question." He said in annoyance. "What the fuck is going on?"

    Then, the chef quickly spoke up.

    "My lord, I was giving her a good beating. She needed it. She had been unruly and using names on me and also being rude andzy."

    While all the girls worked." The chef said.

    If this is true." Garrick began. "Did that warrant that you hold her defenseless and devote a jungle justice judgment on her head?"

    The chef looked down. "No, my lord. All

    Power belongs to you."

    "But that did seem the case," Garrick said, stepping further into the kitchen. "I and the rest of the men could well hear the chants and screams from the dining hall. And I did walk in to see that you had all ganged up on her."

    No one said a word.

    Jessica in particr simply her head bent down trying not to make eye contact and seem as sober as possible.

    Someone of the highest rank was looking at her and seemed to be backing her.

    "Is what the chef says true, girl?" He asked.

    Jessica looked up. "Me? My lord? I do not wish to make the chef look bad in your eyes, my lord. It hurts me to see that people will be punished on my behalf."

    The chef gasped, shocked at her sudden change of attitude.

    "No one has said anything about a punishment." He said. "Speak the truth, girl. No one will crucify you for that".

    Then Jessica cunningly looked up at the chef and gave a wicked smile that he did not see and said. "My lord. I am a prisoner here and the other treat me badly because I do not know how to do chores. I have told that I will learn but they always push the heap on me."

    They all gasped in shock and murmured Amongst each other.

    The most shocked was the chef herself.

    "The Gods hear this!" The chef said In bewilderment. "The girl lies, my lord! She spills lies, my lord! All lies!"

    "Did I ask you to speak?" Garrick silenced the chef.

    She looked down at her hands. "No, my lord. Forgive me, my lord."

    "The next time you interrupt, I will have you punished." He said.

    The chef nodded and looked at her feet.

    Then Garrick turned to Jessica. "You are of a high-born family."

    She nodded. "Yes, my lord."

    "Which family and pack?" He asked.

    "I do not remember my family." She lied. "My memory is only vague. As I moved from love to ce, but I was never made to work. I was only locked up. Since I came to the moonlight pack, all they have done is treat me horribly, my lord."

    The girls gawked in shock at Jessica��s outrageous lies.

    The chef, who was a member of the crescent pack, did not know if this was true or not.

    But the servant girls knew.

    "And they have treated you badly, you say?" He asked her.

    She curtseyed. "Yes, my lord. Yes, they did. But I understand that is only darkness that made them do it. Not themselves, my lord."

    The chef wanted to speak so much, but because she remembered how Garrick had reprimanded her, she tried her best to keep her mouth shut.

    Eventually, Garrick sighed and turned to the chef.

    "Do you have anything to say?"

    "My lord, she lied! She iszy! And I do not know whether she is high born or not! But she called me a whore! All the girls here can testify to it!" She said.

    The girls nodded.

    Jessica swallowed hard knowing that If she did not convince him, he would believe them over her.

    She hurriedly went down to his feet and knelt down.

    "My lord please do not punish them for hurting me." She begged. "I understand that they hate me, but my lord. I implore you that I have forgiven them and I hold not grudges."

    The women all had their faces red in rage.

    "Do you know what I see?" Garrick asked them. "I see a bunch of women jealous of another."

    The women whispered but knew better than to speak up or interrupt him.

    "What harm did shemit?" He asked. "You ganged up on her like cowards. While she was defenseless against you all. How could you?"

    The chef had had enough.

    "But my lor-

    "Enough!" He snapped at them, and she was forced to keep quiet.

    "I will let this go. You shall not be punished, but only because the victim begged for your forgiveness, " he said. "You should all learn a thing or two from her."

    Then he swallowed and looked at them. "You are all to apologize to her."

    They remained silent, and then Garrick growled.

    "I have told you to apologize to her immediately!"

    With no choice other than to obey, they apologized.

    Then he helped her up to her feet. "Rise."

    She slowly stood up.

    "If anyone as much touched you again, you are to let me know." He said. "Do you understand?"

    She nodded. "Yes, my lord. Thank you, my lord."

    And then he gave way for her to pass out of the kitchen ahead of him while the others stood in rage and betrayal.

 Chapter 214: JASMINE’S SURVIVAL

    <h4>Chapter 214: JASMINE��S SURVIVAL</h4>

    FOUR DAYS AFTER XADEN��S DEPATURE.

    Marie carried the towel, dipped it into the ice-cold water, and squeezed it before handing it to Fiona.

    "Here, take this," Marie said. "Press it over her head just as we have been doing."

    Fiona nodded as she received it and raced toward where her friend Jasminey.

    Fiona pressed it over Jasmine��s burning head.

    "My Goddess," She eximed once she touched Jasmine��s forehead.

    ��"What is it?" Marie asked.

    "She burns." She replied as she was terrified of touching her friend again. "Her entire body is burning like it is on fire. It is much worse than it was initially. Marie, who had been mixing some herbs, set it aside and checked on Jasmine.

    Once she touched her forehead, her hand burned, and she withdrew her hand as quickly as Fiona had. "You see."

    Marie looked down at Jasmine.

    "She is fighting the poison in her system." She stated.

    At that moment, Loren came rushing in. "I got the Lyrun herb. We can start making more potions that will stabilize her."

    Loren stopped short when he saw both of them looking down haughtily on Jasmine.

    "What is the matter? What is going on?" He asked, rushing to Jasmine��s side.

    He was worried dead that she was dead. "Is she alive?"

    He began to sweat.

    "W-what?" Fiona said, snapping back to reality and then understanding what he had just said. "Dead? Did you say dead?"

    "God, no. She is alive, still."

    Loren breathed in a heavy sigh of relief.

    "Thank the goddess." Then he turned his attention back to them as he dropped the Lyrun herb on the bedside table. "So what is wrong?"

    "Her body is burning up, and if we are not careful, her organs will burn. Along too."

    Loren frowned and went to touch her. "Are you not exaggerating a little bi-

    As soon as he touched her skin, he yelped, and then he withdrew his hands away. "The Gods."

    "She needs air. Cool air. I have seen rare cases like this. Her organs will go hot and burn up if we do not do anything." She said, and then she rushed to the windows and pushed the curtains open.

    Luckily enough for them, it was night, so the weather was remarkable.

    "We need to open everywhere, " she instructed. Her body temperature needs to be suppressed, " she said.

    And then Fiona and Loren raced to open the curtains.

    The room itself was beginning to get hot.

    Soon, they were all sweating. "I will go request for some freezing water to be brought," Loren said as he raced out of the room.

    Fiona kept trying to use the cold towel to bring down her temperature to no avail.

    "She is not getting any better," Fiona remarked. "I think she is getting worse."

    Jasmine was lying on the bed with no covers and only a simple night dress.

    It seemed the night dress itself would begin to burn.

    Loren opened the door, and some servants came rushing in with buckets of water.

    They tried to use it on her again, all to no avail.

    She seemed to be getting much worse.

    Marie knew that her entire body would catch fire at this rate, but then, because she knew her true roots, she was aware of why she was so hot.

    She was the true heir of the royal family. The red wolf that breathed dragon mes.

    Her body itself was ejecting her attempted murder.

    But it was something more.

    Was it because of how much of her powers were unknown?

    Or because of the prophecy?

    Marie could not quite tell.

    But what she knew and was sure of was the fact that if Jasmine��s body got to the point where she kept on getting hot, then not only would she burn, but the entire pack and castle would burn.

    They will all die.

    She could feel it because of how much the room itself was getting so hot.

    She thought of what she could do.

    This was spring, but it needed to be cold.

    "I can do something." She said. "I am not so sure it would work."

    "What is that?" Loren asked curiously.

    She looked at him and Fiona before saying. "I want to try and change the seasons. Make it winter."

    "W-what?" Loren and Fiona chorused.

    The servants who hade to assist were looking at her in confusion.

    "You can do that?" Fiona asked.

    ��It is rare, but I could try." She replied. "But gods, why winter?" Fiona asked.

    "This is currently spring. Jasmine needs a cold atmosphere. Winter, snow and the cold would help her suppress her body temperature. If we keep on just trying to manage the situation, she might get worse."

    "I thought that witches have their limits," Loren said.

    "Yes, we do. You are not supposed to temper with the forces of nature. There may be extreme consequences." Marie said.

    She wanted to thank the gods but was not just a typical witch; she kept it to herself.

    "What do you need to perform this magic?" Fiona asked.

    "Lyrun herb." She said. "Lots of it."

    Then she made a list for Loren, who, for the first time in forever, obeyed withoutining.

    When the ingredients were brought in, she mixed them and looked through a spell recipe book.

    After a short while, she finished and stood over the pot.

    Marie knew how dangerous this was. No one, except the gods, was allowed to dabble in things as powerful as nature. It was forbidden magic, but if the gods were pleased enough, then it would be allowed.

    Marie hoped that Jasmine would be the maiden during the halo festival and that because the goddess herself had entered her body, she would gain favor in their eyes.

    Not only this, but also because Jasmine was the true heir to the royal family��s crown.

    She closed her eyes and began her incantations.

    She chanted, and her eyes began to dte on its own.

    Fiona and Loren simply watched.

    "Do you think she is alright?" Fiona, who had never witnessed such a thing, asked.

    "She is, but that is not the right question to ask. I believe the right question is if the gods would ept it, " he said.

    Fiona looked up at him. "Do you think they will then? ept her proposal?"

    Loren shook his head and shrugged. "Honestly, I do not know. But I have heard of people trying to change the season to their favor."

    "And them? Did it work?�� She asked him. "Gods no. They died in gruesome ways whenever they tried. No one has ever dabbled in such magic. But Marie is something. I do not like her, but I respect her for her effort for Jasmine."

    Fiona turned back to look at Marie, who was now speaking anguage she did not understand.

    Then she turned to look at Jasmine, who had been lying still since she had been attacked.

    "I do hope Jasmine survives THIS." She said with all hope evident in her voice.

    "You care for her truly, do you not?" Loren said. "Jasmine seldom has anyone to care for her."

    Fiona smiled. "She saved my life twice already. The least I could do is pay her back In kind."

    "You are aware of who she is, are you?�� Loren asked.

    Fiona sighed, this time very heavily.

    "Yes, I am," She replied.

    "And with knowing this, you still insist on being friends with her." He asked.

    "Her father did a lot of awful things to people. He was a monster. It was he who made me an orphan. Took away everything from ME." Fiona exined. "But that Is bale. This is Jasmine. They are not the same and will never be the same, even though the same blood flows through their veins. And I will not punish her for a crime she is innocent of."

    Loren looked at her with a new set of admiration in his eyes. With acimed respect.

    "We need more people like you. More people are willing to believe in the good. Jasmine, I am sure, is honored to have a friend like you."

    Fiona gave a weak smile.

    Then they felt the weather change as Marie resumed her chanting.

    A calm wind blew, and dried spring leaves flew around circrly.

    Marie kept on reciting her incantations.

    There was a surge of energy in the air, evolving them, and Marie��s eyes began to dte even more.

    Then, everything became still. Marie dropped to the ground almost instantly.

    They rushed down to her and helped her up.

    She slowly got up and tried to gainposure.

    "Are you alright?"

    "I am fine." She nodded.

    "Did it work?" Fiona asked hopefully.

    They looked around and saw that it was still the same burning temperature. Nothing had changed.

    They sighed reluctantly and sad, knowing that they had exhausted theirst hope.

    Then Fiona saw something. She walked to the balcony and saw it.

    She gave a happyugh. "Snow!"

 Chapter 215: SNOW FROM THE GODS

    <h4>Chapter 215: SNOW FROM THE GODS</h4>

    "What?" Loren asked as he looked up to where Fiona was at.

    Fiona stretched her hand out and then a small piece of snow fell into her hands.

    She smiled as she felt the cold tingle in her hand and then soon it was snowing everywhere.

    She rushed back into the bedroom and Met Loren and Marie.

    Marie was now resting on a chair.

    It was evident that the magic spell she had cast had made her weak.

    She opened her palms and said. "See. It is snow."

    Marie touched the snow as it slowly began to melt.

    "The gods have epted it." She said with relief.

    "To think that they went against their rules in favor of Jasmine means she is a favored one," Loren said as he turned to look at Jasmine, who was still lying on the bed.

    Then Marie turned to Loren. "We should go and check on Jasmine and see how well the weather has helped her improve."

    Marie started to rise, but she fell down, and Loren quickly caught her.

    She breathed heavily.

    "You are still weak." He said wisely. "Stay here."

    "But I have to go see her for myself," Marie said, even though her head was spinning.

    "With the rate at which you are going, if you overwork yourself, you could wind up dead."

    He informed.

    She sighed, and then he pushed her down on the chair.

    "Rest, I will check on her myself." He said.

    And then he rushed off to meet Fiona, who was by Jasmine��s bed.

    "How is she?" He asked.

    Fiona shrugged. "I do not know yet. I did not touch her body because I did not want to make things any worse for her than it already is."

    He nodded. "You did well; you were brave."

    And then he reached out to Jasmine and he touched her forehead.

    She was not as hit as she was anymore.

    She was merely warm.

    You could still feel her burning, though, but it slowly decreased.

    He sighed in relief.

    "She is dropping her temperature." He shouted to Marie. "We thank the gods!"

    Fiona pped her hands in excitement and acknowledgment that her friend was alive.

    "It seems the gods did much more than giving snow." She said. "I think that the weather is treated."

    "It has been years since Ist saw snow," Fiona said.

    Snow in the wolf world was rare; when it happened, it happened for a year.

    Loren checked in Jasmine and then mixed the other herbs he had made for her.

    He ced them over her, and he held her now cold hands.

    "Stay with us, Jasmine". He said. "Do not go anywhere.

    Then Loren turned to Marie, who was resting in her chair.

    The doors bust open and then Eleanor stormed in.

    Even Loren, his lead, was stunned at his sudden appearance.

    "Eleanor." He said. "I had believed you had left since".

    "Why did no one tell me about what had happened to her?" Eleanor asked as she rushed to Jasmine��s side.

    "We believe you had gone, and Alpha Xaden had requested that we send it for Marie when I asked to send it for you," Loren said.

    Eleanor gave Marie a re.

    "You do not belong here," Eleanor said. "I have warned you."

    "I did not want toe, but be serious, Eleanor. Is it my fault your little boy, now turned man, requested my services instead of yours?" Marie asked maliciously.

    "You are tainted. Everything you touch is tainted." Eleanor said and then she turned to Loren. "What has this witch told you? Because I assure you nothing good can evere out of her."

    "I did not want her here either myself," Loren said. "It was you I had wanted but when I brought you up, Xaden had declined abruptly. He had said that Marie be brought here".

    Eleanor gritted her teeth.

    And then she turned down to Jasmine who stilly still in her bed.

    She very gently touched Jasmine��s hair and adjusted it.

    She tucked a loose curl behind her ear and sighed.

    She saw the stab wound that now had the leave fervently pressed against it so as not to release more blood.

    "This was a case of dark magic," Eleanor said, sniffing all over Jasmine. "The one who had attacked her had a dark magic hit. She was under some sort of possession."

    Fiona blinked her eyes in shock. "How did you know all that?"

    "Her body told me," she replied. " I asked her, and she told me."

    "You can actually get to do stuff like that?" Fiona asked in disbelief.

    "Of course," Eleanor said. "I may not be as powerful as a witch who dabbles in dark magic, but using pure and light magic can hold you a hand ahead."

    Marie rolled her eyes at the indirect shade her sister threw at her.

    Eleanor sniffed over her body and frowned before looking back up at her sister.

    "Very strong and precise dark magic was used against her," Eleanore said as she turned to look at Mare with zing eyes. "Magic that not just anyone should know."

    "I was not the one that set this up." She replied. "If I were, you would not even have a trace of me by now. You should know this about me by now. So take your eyes elsewhere."

    "But you know who did this," Marie told her sister. "You know."

    It was not a question.

    "There are so many people who use dark magic." She lied. "I could never be too sure."

    "You lie!" Eleanor hissed in annoyance.

    "Please don��t fight!" Fiona said breaking up the fight between both women.

    She closed her eyes and breathed heavily.

    "I apologize that I am about to speak very degradingly, but no one cares or gives a flying duck about your dislike for each other. All we need right now, and all that matters at this point, is Jasmineing back to life." Fiona snapped in annoyance at their childish behavior.

    This chapter is updated by freew(e)bnovel.(c)om

 Chapter 216: ELEANOR’S COMFORT

    <h4>Chapter 216: ELEANOR��S COMFORT</h4>

    It surprised all of them, but they were all quiet as if they silently agreed.

    Eleanor sighed. "So what are we going to do now? I might find some rare herbs and go through my magic book to see alternatives we have to revive her."

    Marie shook her head. "No, there is no need for that. We might not get anything on time. Those books are outdated. So I sent Xaden and his men to the isle of Lycanthrope."

    Eleanor��s eyes widened.

    She, too, knew a lot about the ind because the people from her original home were alive when the things had happened, and the goddess herself had sent her people to punish the Lycans.

    "No one makes it out alive," Eleanor said.

    "A few have," Marie remarked dryly. "when they first expelled them after the curse, a number of Lycans escaped, hence why we now have Lycans in our world today."

    Eleanor shook her head. "You know what I mean. Barely anyone escaped, and they only survived because they were pure, and the goddess had decided that they could be freed. That was the only time they had made it alive. No one else has tried to go and made it alive."

    "He went with Erik," Marie said. "And you know that Erik is a true Lycan. He had been a young boy when he had escaped with his mother. He remembers, and He will make it alive. You underestimate Xaden too much. He is much stronger than you believe him to be."

    "And that is what I am afraid of because certain people took advantage of him and lured him with worldly things. Deceiving them for their own selfish benefits."

    Eleanor was talking about Marie��s use of dark magic on Xaden in his quest for revenge.

    "I am not the best person. I might have never been the best, in fact, and I have never denied it, but I want Jasmine alive, too." She said.

    Eleanor scoffed as she folded her arms. "You. I know you like the back of my hand. You do not help or give freebies you only do things for your own benefit."

    "Come on, sister," Marie said, tossing her hair over her shoulder andughing. "What do you mean by that? Do you think you are the only good one? And that I am not capable of any good."

    "Sister?" Fiona said in shock. "You two are sisters?"

    "We were. Only a long time ago. That is why I know her well, and she is not to be trusted."

    Eleanor said.

    Marie sighed and got up to her feet. "Look, you said it yourself, did you not? Fine, you got me. I do not help unless it is for my gain. Jasmine and Xaden are tethered together. If she dies, he dies, if he dies then she dies. Either way, if something happens to either of them, then it will affect the other."

    Eleanor��s eyes widened in shock. "You did this, did you not?! This was your n from the beginning, right?"

    "Of course not! Moreover, I had no idea this was going to happen." Marie replied, rather annoyed. "They had a marriage bond when he took her from her home pack. They were possessed by the gods and consummated. There has never been a situation where an alpha and his mate were possessed by the gods under the halo moon and Mated. I believe that it was this urrence that heightened everything."

    "Then you let him go out into the wild! Regardless of the fact that you are aware he can die, too. She is incapacitated, and he would be soon, too." Eleanor raged.

    "The curse does not affect t them in the same way. If Jasmine gets hurt, it takes a while for Xaden to feel it, and it is very hard. He most probably is in pain right now, but he would not die. At least not until he has returned. From

    My calction is when Jasmine dies, he would die too." She said.

    Eleanor thought she was going to run mad.

    "You took my son from me! You let him go away! How dare you?!" Eleanor screamed, and then the floors began to tremble.

    Marie who was stubborn and wild knew better than to provoke her sister who was not just older than her, but stronger than her.

    "I had no choice. We all tried to talk him out of it, but he insisted that he would go and get it along with the men. If you truly know him as the young boy you raised, you will know that Xaden does what he wants to do regardless of the consequences."

    Eleanor stopped to breathe, and the shaking calmed.

    It was true.

    "And this was about Jasmine". Marie said. "He almost went mad."

    "So he will get the cup and return in time for her to live?" Eleanor asked hopefully.

    "That is the n." Marie said. "I will not kill Xaden. Not when he is extremely important to me. He has something that I will collect one day. He and Jasmine and I assure you that I will never bring him in harms way."

    Eleanor did not care to ask why she wanted to collect from Xaden.

    What she wanted to know was how it had happened.

    "If someone wanted to kill Jasmine. Someone possessed Aurora to attack Jasmine and kill her." Eleanor said wisely. "What did they aim to achieve? What gain would make them go this far."

    "I believe that whoever did it wanted Jasmine gone, but not Xaden. Most people , if at all anyone out of this room is aware of their bond." Marie said.

    "Aurora hated Jasmine, but she would never have betrayed the pack and killed anyone in it," Eleanor said. "Not even with the wisdom that Xaden would end her life if he discovered what she did. She knew better."

    "Wel, let us hope and keep watch that whoever came to get Jasmine will not return to finish their work," Marie said

 Chapter 217: JESSICA’S DILEMNA

    <h4>Chapter 217: JESSICA��S DILEMNA</h4>

    JESSICA��S POV

    Jessica walked back into the kitchen and then she dropped the tray she had used to serve the various delicacies and picked up a pitcher.

    "What is that for?!" The chef snapped at her. "ves are not allowed to take what belongs to the Alphas."

    Jessica��s face went red. "It is not for me but for one of your lords."

    She leered at him.

    She did not hide the fact that she hated the crescent pack and its members.

    That was normal because everyone else hated them for colonizing their pack.

    "He demanded that I bring him a meal." She said in annoyance.

    The chef looked her up and down and then snorted in irritation.

    "Fine, go ahead." He said.

    Then Jessica snatched the jar of wine up and stormed down the hallway to find them inside the hall.

    She dropped the jar by his side, but the wolf caught her arm and pulled her back.

    "Where the hell do you think you are going?!" He demanded. "Do you expect me to serve myself?"

    She gasped at him.

    Was this how they treated servants? What was wrong with their own hands why could they not themselves simply pick up the jar and serve themselves the wine.

    He red at her, and she saw the entire table looking at her.

    She swallowed and did as he asked before and had so much attention on herself.

    That was one thing that her parents had told her not to allow. For them to not really take note of her.

    They could not smell her blood because they had used some magic to cloud her and make her almost invisible to their scent.

    That way, they would never know she was their bloodline.

    She poured the drink for him, and then she stepped back, but the wolf caught her arm and pulled her to his side.

    she yelped in shock, but he shushed her.

    "Where do you think you are going?" He asked her.

    He then forced her down to hisp, and she gasped.

    By now, most of the men were chatty, and the dinner table was loud and noisy, so no one really paid attention to them.

    "My lord." She managed. "I have duties to attend to.

    She tried to get up but he caught her and restrained her from leaving him.

    Now, she was seated on hisp with nothing to do.

    His hands were on her waist now, massaging and makingzy circles.

    "I need a servant to warm my bed tonight." He said.

    Her face grew red.

    She had been dodging the wolves to ensure she was not noticed.

    And it had worked out for a while, but now she was here on thep of a wolf who wanted to sleep with her.

    She swallowed heavily, trying to work her way out.

    "I am afraid I have to retire early." She said to him. "My work has been quite a lot and it requires that I rest."

    She tried to rise, but he pulled her back down against him, and then she began to feel how hard he was.

    "Do you not feel how hard I am for you?" He asked. "You should go down and suck my dick."

    Her face went ashen immediately z

    He grinned at her and said. "Or will you prefer to go down under the table and do it for me?"

    Her mouth dropped at the horror of his words.

    He truly wanted her under the table, sucking his cock?

    She wanted to throw up.

    Then she saw how his eyes were all over her and on her bosom.

    She gave a nervousugh.

    She had to be smart about it because one mistake and he would be brutal with her.

    She knew about them.

    She swallowed. "My lord will you not enjoy this. I can assure you hang I can service you in a much much better manner."

    He looked at her with sudden and keen interest.

    Then she felt himself get even more hard, and she felt the disgust twist her stomach.

    She refrained from violently throwing up, and she managed to smile.

    "Why not service me in the hallway?" He asked. "It would be not there and very raunchy."

    Jessica weighed what sleeping with this wolf would do.

    He was a high-ranking wolf but not high enough.

    Sleeping with him would give her some simple passes, but not enough to go so far.

    Howe she had not thought of trading her body for a way out?

    She needed something to get out of this ce.

    And being she-wolf meant that you were the apple of horny wolves.

    But this one, she would not gain anything.

    Now that this idea hade into mind, she did not want to take it off.

    She looked at the tables to see who she knew she would gain from.

    She was aware that she was stunning and if not for these her ugly clothes, then she would look like her usual self.

    She was very well experienced in sex because she slept with any man she saw as handsome and who was rich.

    She had once slept with a man from the desert wolf pack because he had assured her that he would bring her jewels from his hometown.

    Which he did eventually.

    She did not necessarily love her previous husband-to-be.

    She had only eyes on his status because he was a nephew to the King, and they were quite wealthy.

    She looked at the ranks of men on the table and tried to weigh who she might gain favor.

    Her eyes made contact with Garrick.

    He was seated at the head of the table and was present as Alpha in ce of Alpha Xaden.

    If she could lure and seduce him, then she could get a good number of things from him.

    She could escape this godforsaken ce!

    She had no idea what her parents were thinking but she was not sure how long she would hang around till her father fixed whatever he belived he was going to fix.

    Then she felt the grip of the wolf who had hauled her unto hisps and how his fingers dug into her waist.

    "I said I��ll like to bend down your pink ass in the hallway and fuck you." He said:

    She went grim and then said. "My lord, I am on my bleeding period."

    His smile fell from his face, and he went ashen, and his eyes filled with disgust.

    He pushed her off him.

    Then he spat on her feet. She felt revolted, humiliated, and abused.

    "You stupid whore." He hissed in disgust. "You did not tell me: you knew you were on your bloody period, and yet you let me set you down on myp."

    He frantically began to look at hisp to see if there was any blood.

    He red at her with a new hate.

    All the desire, lust, and hunger he had for her had flown out through the window.

    "Get out of my sight, you filthy bitch!" He screamed at her.

    She just stood there, unable to believe that he was insulting her in such a manner.

    No one, no one, had ever made fun of her in such a way.

    Not even when the servants had begun to make fun of him for bing a servant in her father��s pack.

    But here was an outsider, an enemy, a man who had wanted to bed her now calling her a witch.

    Filled with humiliation, she turned around to go, knowing she could do nothing.

    "Wait! Take this along with you!" he spat as he pushed down the jar containing the wine.

    It sshed to the floor and then poured right over her face:

    Jessica could not believe this humiliation.

    She wanted to start crying at the spots

    But she bent down and quietly picked up the jar and with her red soaked servant clothes she went out of the hall.

    She dropped the jar in the kitchen and turned to go when she was stopped by the chef.

    "Get your ass back in that kitchen and do the damn dishes!" She yelled at her.

    Jessica��s eyes widened. "I already served! Look at me! I was even soaked with wine!"

    "Is that any of my business!" The chef who was a big woman demanded. "Now get your behind back in there and do them!"

    Jessica had no choice.

    She miserably went back into the kitchen, and when she saw the pile of dirty tes, she wanted to faint.

    She burst into tears immediately as she saw flies hanging around the pots.

    "And I want it nothing but slick and span. If you don��t, then you will do it all over again!" The chef threatened and stormed out of the kitchen

 Chapter 218: THE WAY TO THE ISLE

    <h4>Chapter 218: THE WAY TO THE ISLE</h4>

    XADEN��S POV

    They continued the journey for over two weeks.

    The men were all tired and exhausted but had to keep on going.

    So far only eleven men remained because they had been attacked so frequently by the wild beasts that led to the isle of lycanthrope.

    Their food supply was running out, and the days were beginning to turn into a year.

    Meanwhile, Xaden was now beginning to seriously feel the effect of Jasmine��s stab wounds.

    A lot of the time, he felt the pain begin to gnaw through him, but he would suppress it and pretend he was okay.

    It happened like a joke at first, with just slight pains, and then he would use his wolf to suppress the pain, and then it would subside.

    Whenever any of the men in the pack turned to look at him.

    He would fake a smile and suppress his pains.

    Erik saw him one day leaning against a rock and holding his side.

    Erik, who was talking to one of the men, tapped his shoulder and said. "I will be right back."

    And with that Erik went up to meet Xaden.

    Xaden was backing him and then he was apparently in pain.

    Erik walked up to him. He could hear fierce breathing and then a small sense of growling.

    He minded his steps as he headed up to him.

    Then he very gently touched his shoulder, and Xaden immediately turned around.

    Erik took a step back and almost stumbled but caught his bnce.

    "Whoa, do not fall." Xaden cautioned.

    Erik stood firm.

    Erik looked at him all over, trying to see a trace of anything wrong.

    But Xaden seemed fine.

    "What is wrong?" Xaden asked him. "Cape to tell me something?"

    "Yeah I thought that I had heard some noises like growing." Erik said still peering at Xaden taking him in.

    Xaden gave augh. "Gods I am fine."

    Erik felt something was wrong.

    Like Xaden was definitely hiding something.

    Erik paused and looked at him suspiciously but then said. "How is the pain? Is it getting worse?"

    "Pain? What pain?" Xaden feigned confusion.

    "You know? The pain that you got from Jasmine." Erik said.

    Erik had initially started noticing that Xaden felt pain from time to time. He had asked him about it, but he had insisted that he was fine.

    "Oh, that, I barely feel it," Xaden said with a shrug that was too reassuring for Erik��s liking.

    It was only Erik who was aware of the connection that Xaden and Jasmine had.

    He eyes him suspiciously. "But you have to tell me if things get worse. Marie said that as time goes on, the pain will process on you"

    "Trust me. I am fine." Xaden said as he climbed back up the small rock.

    Then Erik��s eyes caught Xaden��s wrist, which was bare due to his rolled-up sleeve.

    There was something dark like a tracing of a dark vein in a very ugly zig zag design leading into his arm.

    Erik could not see the rest of it because his upper arm, which was in turn covered by his sleeve, had hidden it.

    "What is that?" Erik asked.

    Xaden quickly pulled down his sleeve, and the mark disappeared like it had never been there.

    "Nothing," Xaden said as he hurriedly went past Erik to where the men were.

    "Xaden," Erik said, going after him, but Xaden had already gone to the circle of men and was talking to them.

    Erik sighed in defeat because he knew that there was nowhere he could confront him openly.

    Xaden went up to where they had arranged the stones for a wolf who had died in the afternoon.

    Xaden made his final prayers and sent them forth while they stood behind him in solidarity.

    When he was done, they opened their eyes.

    "Erik, how long will this journey take?" Aden asked.

    "We are almost there," Erik said. "We need to keep on moving."

    They got back on their horses and returned on their journey.

    "We are out of food supplies and even water," Ownined. "Where the fuck can we get food in this dried-out desert."

    "I remember the meal that Jasmine made." Someone said. "With absolutely nothing, she made the best wild boar and soup."

    "You forgot about the mushrooms." Someone chipped in.

    "Yes, those bloody mushrooms." Someone added. "Up till now, I have never had anything like that. It was as if she was not a wealthy aristocrat. Most of them do not even know how to cook or do anything."

    Peter grumbled. "My sister is an elite, and she served her purpose well."

    Xaden��s pack was not only filled with wolves who were abandoned, attacked, or betrayed.

    There were also people like Peter who had left their own packs and from elite wolf families that had joined Xaden��s.

    The man sighed. "The gods. I will die to have that meal again."

    Xaden said nothing, whether it triggered him or not.

    They rose in silence and soon came to a valley and a dark tower that hung in the distance.

    There were dark crows flying around it and harping in the air.

    The entire atmosphere was warning people toe closer.

    The ce surrounding it was deserted and alone, and from the distance, it all seemed dark.

    The sky over it was red and dark.

    "That is the isle of lycanthrope," Erik said.

    They all looked up and saw it.

    Their fates now hanging in the bnce of what they were about to face:

    "So we fight," Xaden said as he rose ahead.

    But Erik stopped him.

    "No, we do not," Erik said. "There is still half a day��s journey from here to there. By the time you reach half it would be into the next morning and those paths are filled with dangerous creatures. We rest tonight and ride tomorrow."

    Xaden looked skeptical.

    And then he realized that his anxiety was reaching up to him more than him being logical.

    He sighed and pulled his horse.

    "Alright."

    This chapter is updated by freew(e)bnovel.(c)om

 Chapter 219: IF YOU HAD A HEART YOU WOULD LOVE HER

    <h4>Chapter 219: IF YOU HAD A HEART YOU WOULD LOVE HER</h4>

    The men made camp and settled down.

    Owen and two other men went hunting to find anything to eat while the others stayed back to make watch and take notes on their surroundings.

    Erik and Xaden went up ahead to explore the surroundings to be certain that there were no creatures of the night again.

    Xaden felt the pain grip him and then he groaned.

    "Xaden." Erik said cing his hand against him.

    The pain hit Xaden hard again and Xaden struggled.

    Erik rushed up to him and held him up. "Xaden, what is it?" Erik asked.

    Erik could feel him getting harder and harder, his entire body weighing him down more than usual.

    Then Xaden looked up at him, and then his eyes went pitch ck.

    Erik stared on in horror.

    Xaden began to froth at the mouth, but it was not foam or saliva.

    It was blood, ck blood.

    "Gods." Erik said.

    Xaden started to snap and growl and then Erik pulled out what he had kept on privacy for long.

    He opened the top of his de, which had a secretpartment, and then steam emitted over Xaden��s face.

    Xaden growled and roared at it, but Erik forced him to have the steam engulf him.

    Xaden eventually conceded, and then he managed to be calm.

    The ck blood stopped spilling, and then his eyes returned to Normal.

    Soon, Xaden was breathing normally.

    But in the process of his short and swift transformation, Xaden��s clothes has been ripped apart and then was now Torn.

    It was then Erik saw how badly Xaden was ill.

    The ck marks that he had seen on his arm earlier had now extended all over his body to his neck and then to his arms, and they formed an intricate and magnificent pattern.

    It resembled the root of a tree that had stayed in the tree so long and dug its roots deep into the ground, taking a taste of every single side avable to it.

    "The Gods." Erik eximed in horror. "What happened to you."

    Xaden sighed and picked up the pieces of his shirt as if in an attempt to work it out and put it back on his body.

    But it was no use, and Erik had already seen it.

    "Do not bother," Erik said waving his hand away from the pieces of clothes. "There is nothing to hide I have already seen it."

    Xaden set his hands on his waist. "Fine, you have seen them, that is all."

    "Sweet goddess of all," Erik said. "You are clearly not alright. Look at yourself. That single mark has extended all over your body to the point that it is like you are a drawing. Gods, you were frivolously foaming ck blood in your mouth, Xaden."

    "I am fine," Xaden repeated.

    "Like bloody hell you are," Erik said. "Your eyes are pitch ck. The poison is beginning to consume you, and it only seems to have a much more adverse effect on you because of what you hate your wolf."

    "Leave it be Erik. We are already only half a day away from the isle anyways." Xaden said.

    "You think this is some sort of joke," Erik said. "The King will rip you apart if he discovers you are weak. And Xaden, you are not only weak physically but mentally In so many godforsaken ways. I know him."

    "I am a warrior and alpha, I would not be a coward and stay back while my men carry out missions for me," Xaden responded.

    Erik believed he would lose his mind from

    How stubborn Xaden was.

    "You truly think that you can do this in such a state you are in?" Erik asked. "He makes deals. I will tell you first what happens. The king will ask you three questions while you fight him. If you lie or perhaps fail any of them, then he will end your life. And no one ever wins. How do you even believe you can do such a task if you can not even stand." Erik said.

    "I need to save Jasmine. I did not have the chance to, but now I do and I will not throw that opportunity away." Xaden said starting to leave.

    "Will you be saving Jasmine if you were dead? If you were killed first then she would die. Her life would end even much earlier than that decreed time." Erik said.

    And that made Xaden stop.

    Then he breathed in and turned around.

    Erik shook his head. "I am your friend, and I will not let you go astray when I see you on that path."

    "So I am to wait behind?" Xaden asked with a bitterugh. "Like a coward? It is my life on the line here too."

    "Xaden we both know that you would give your life for Jasmine if you were given the opportunity to," Erik said, and that made Xaden stop in his tracks.

    His face went ashen and white.

    Xaden was about to speak.

    "You do not need to deny it," Erik said. "I see you, I know you. You care for her more than you should. You have no heart and yet you care for her. If you were alive you would-

    "Love ?" Xaden cut him short. "I would what love her? Yes. You are right. I would love her would I not? And I took my heart away because I never wanted to be capable of such emotions. Look what happened to my parents".

    Xaden looked for the words to say as it was eating him out.

    "My father gave up himself. My mother gave up herself, to save us. Because they loved us. Loved my sister and I. But look what happened?" He gave a bitterugh. "My sister did not even make it. Look at me. I am the product of the so-called love."

    Then Xaden��s face went white. "I can not love because I will not see what happened to my family happen to me."

 Chapter 220: LOYALTY FOREVER

    <h4>Chapter 220: LOYALTY FOREVER</h4>

    Xaden looked at Erik. "Jasmine is someone of whom I am afraid. She scares me because even without my heart, my feelings tell me otherwise."

    "Who said you could not be with her?" Erik asked. "I��ve fallen in love I would do anything to have her back. I carry the pain of what happened to her but never have I ever said I would rather have my heart taken away. The pain is what makes me alive. It makes me remember her, makes her alive in me. So much that there is barely any pain in here."

    And then Erik pointed at his own chest. "I will not give up my memory of the life I lived for any other reason."

    "She is a ve," Xaden said. "You know I could never. She is beneath me."

    "But you married her, did you not?" Erik asked.

    Xaden��s face changed. "You know that I had to."

    "Perhaps all of this happened for a reason," Erik said. "Every single step and action happened for a reason."

    "Why do you even support her the way you do?" Xaden asked with a frown. "Is there something that perhaps I should know?"

    Erik felt insulted instantly.

    Xaden knew that since his wife had died, Erik had been with no one at all and then he regretted his choice of words.

    "I apologize for saying such," Xaden said, genuinely sorry.

    Erik said nothing, and then he turned to his best friend and Alpha.

    "Even if you go, if you insist then we will all do it together." Erik said.

    "What is our mortality rate?" Xaden asked with a weak smile. "Do we even know what we are facing?"

    "All I can tell you is that tomorrow is going to be a big day ahead of us. But we will do it together. Why do you think we are all here? Because we are loyal to you, even if we die, we will die for you."

    Erik raised his fist and held it firmly to show his solidarity.

    Xaden was not even sure of what to say.

    He was overwhelmed by the acknowledgment of the fact that he had men who would die for him.

    He felt that he did not even deserve to have such positive and loyal subjects.

    He was their leader. He was the one who was supposed to protect t them not the other way round.

    Then Erik said. "So you assure me that we go together? As a pack."

    Xaden sighed and finally gave in. "Yes, I do."

    Then they turned to go back towards where they had made camp.

    "Wait Xaden," Erik said, stopping him.

    Xaden turned around and saw Erik taking off his shirt.

    "What are you doing?" Xaden asked.

    Erik pulled it over his head. "The men can not see that you are badly in pain or they will vote against you going after the antidote."

    In rare instances, wolf pack members were allowed to vote against their Alpha.

    If the vote was over eighty percent of the total hundred, then the Alpha could be usurped or whatever decision regarding the vote would be implemented instantly.

    Xaden knew how his men were, and they would most likely vote that he not go because of his injuries.

    Erik handed him his own shirt and then Xaden collected it.

    "Thanks." Xaden replied as he wore it.

    "You wee." Erik said with a smile and together they both went to where they had made camp.

    The men had brought in a creature and were trying to decide if it was simr to an animal or not.

    "Good goddess." Someone whined. "That is what you found for us to eat?"

    Owen that had been the one to bring in the meat frowned and said. "Come on it is not THAT bad. Just look at it. It looks like a rabbit and.... Uhmm.... Er some sort of bird."

    "What is that thing spewing from it?" Lyon said, picking at the dead carcass with a stick.

    "It is its blood, I believe," Rowan said, looking at the blue blood spilling from where they had cut it down.

    Lyon had to suppress the puke that was erupting from within.

    "Hey it is not that bad." Rowan said. "And it is what we could find. If you feel you could find something better then why do you not go ahead yourself."

    The men began to grumble.

    "What is with all the fuss, men?" Erik asked, getting into the middle of their argument.

    Xaden went and sat down to watch his men in their drama.

    "They asked us to get something to eat," Owen said.

    "Which we did." Rowan chipped.

    "Bloody, yes, we did. And this was what we found. No one has any idea how terrifying it was to find our way into that Godforsaken wilderness believing anything could kill us at any moment." Owen said.

    "And we had to kill it! Imagine how hard that was and now look at the men asking what type of meal we brought in?" Rowan added hyping us his partner.

    "You bet we did!" Owen joined.

    "You brought us poison," Elyon added.

    Then, the men erupted into another huge argument.

    "Hey hey," Erik said,ing in between them. "That is a rawscal. Simr to what I would say is a mix of a rabbit and a very ferocious turkey. Very hideous and thest animal you would want to eat."

    Lyon and the other men nodded at Rowan and Owen. "You see now."

    "But." Erik said, cutting them short. "Very delicious nheless."

    Then Rowan and Owen started cheering themselves. "We told you."

    In the end, they sat down at the fire and ate the meal together.

    No one wanted to admitted that meal was actually great.

    The men chatted and ate together, trying to forget whaty ahead of them by tomorrow morning.

    Erik and Xaden sat down together, and Erik handed him a piece of the meat, and Xaden epted a sign of him epting that he would remain with them.

 Chapter 221: ERIK’S PAST

    <h4>Chapter 221: ERIK��S PAST</h4>

    Early the next morning, at the break of dawn, Erik was woken up by his wolf.

    He sat up and saw that it was already dawn.

    He stretched and then got up to his feet.

    He saw Xaden and the other men still sleeping and decided against waking them immediately.

    They still had till about an hour before they began the journey.

    He went down to where there had been ake and went to have a bath.

    He thought of his daughter and wondered if she was fine.

    He was certain, above all, that she missed him. He felt himself release all the weight of the previous night as he undressed and went to swim in theke.

    What Xaden had said about him having something with Jasmine.

    It had triggered something in him, awakened memories of his wife.

    He was not allowed to think of his wife. After all, he saw her every day in his little daughter.

    The greatest gift he had received from her.

    As he soaked in theke his mind went to a distant memory he had had locked up in his mind.

    He had just returned from one of the routes with members of his pack and saw her cross her arms and frown at him.

    She had been heavily pregnant, and she was unlike any other pregnant woman he had met.

    She never threw tantrums, she never got upset, and she was delighted at everything.

    She only looked more beautiful than he believed she could be.

    As for her cravings, there was only one thing she desired: him.

    And whenever she did not have him, she got a bit upset.

    He did not mind that that was all the only cravings she had.

    In fact, if he could delve into it every minute of the day, he would be a much happier man.

    "My husband returns from his fights." She said.

    Then he hugged her and tried to kiss her neck, but she pushed him away and frowned.

    She turned around and folded her arms.

    "Why is my angel upset?" he asked as he set his fingers against her arms,zily tracing them in a way he knew she adored.

    She moved away from him. "I will not be seduced. I am furious, and dare I say that my fury is quite reasonable."

    The servants whispered and giggled as they were enjoying the scene between theirdy and master.

    "Of course, I will never say or believe that your reason to be upset is unnecessary, " he told her.

    She pouted her mouth, knowing that he was only teasing her.

    She scowled and stomped her feet, but it only made her look more clownish.

    Seeing her small and with herrge stomach protruding her beautiful dress and go red in anger made himugh so hard.

    Heughed so hard that tears began to spill from his eyes.

    She dropped her mouth open, and then she went red.

    Only making it worse.

    Now, he was trying his best not to die ofughter.

    "What is funny?! What did I say that was funny?" She asked him.

    He managed to stopughing. "Nothing, my love."

    And then he yfully touched her hair and rolled it in his fingertips.

    "Absolutely nothing, my love." He repeated as he drew close to him.

    "Oh you must take me for quite a joke." She cried and started to run away. "I must look ugly fat andrge."

    But he caught her and pulled her back to him. "Why would ever think that?"

    He was confused that she would say such a thing about herself.

    She sniffed over and over, and then he saw that there were tears in her eyes.

    What had so badly disturbed her to tears?

    She was usually very lively regardless of the situation.

    "My love, you are not fat and ugly or too round. You are perfect. In fact, you are more beautiful��the most beautiful I have ever seen you, " he said, and then she looked up at him with puppy-dog eyes.

    Then a thought urred to him. "Did someone perhaps tell you that you wererge and round?"

    He began to grow with anger, and she hurriedly shook her head.

    "No." She said, then she wiped her tears away. "I just believe I am quite emotional."

    He pulled her up to him.

    He knew that this time would surelye.

    It was bound to happen.

    "You are beautiful." He whispered to her hair. "And you are every shade of the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. You would NEVER be ugly to me."

    He held her so firmly until she had stopped crying.

    Then she let go and looked up at him, and then she touched herrge stomach.

    "Sometimes I fear for you." She said, and then she swallowed. "I have been having dreams."

    He frowned. "Dreams?"

    She nodded.

    She had been gifted by the goddess with the gift of sight, although most times, they did note to pass.

    "What type of dreams?" He asked.

    She shook her head and he saw how cold she had be. "We can not speak of it. If we do it mighte to pass."

    And then he frowned further more anxious.

    "I have called for the priestess toe by." She said as she cleaned thest bit of tears in her eyes.

    "We will make some prayer and sacrifice, but I desire you to promise me something." She said.

    "What are you even-

    "Tell me you promise no matter what I say." She snapped.

    That took him aback.

    He swallowed, and then he nodded and said. "I promise."

    She sighed and touched his cheek. "No matter what happens, you will be happy. You will be you, and even if I am not here, you will protect our daughter. Then you will find love if it finds you."

    Erik could not believe her words: "Nothing will happen to you! You are the love of my life, and that is all there is to it."

    She smiled weakly. "And that is true. You are the only man that I will ever love. You are my soul mate, even though that we are not mates."

    And it clenched him with the gnawing reminder that they were not bound mates.

 Chapter 222: XADEN RUNS AWAY

    <h4>Chapter 222: XADEN RUNS AWAY</h4>

    ERIK��S POV

    It was true that despite how much he loved his wife, the gods had not destined them to be mates.

    He could hardly ever imagine loving anyone else if it was not her.

    He felt whole with her,plete.

    Whoever his mate was out there, he did not care for her.

    It was this woman who stood before him, standing with herrge stomach he admired.

    It had also been unique because wolves rarely married people who were not their mates.

    The reason why they were advised to marry their mates and have their mating bond click was because a wolf would get stronger:

    Because he had just married his mate, he had not even yet unlocked his full potential as an Alpha.

    "Forget those dreams." He said. "Nothing is ever going to happen to you. Not while I am here with you."

    She sighed. "You have made a promise to me and you are bound by your words and you will never be allowed to break it."

    And with that, she hugged him, and everything returned back to normal.

    After she had given birth a few monthster, Bale hade baring his invitation for Erik to join his pack, but Erik had clearly refused.

    Unknown to him, it had all happened like her dream, and after about a week, they were attacked.

    She had been murdered, and he had held her dead body in his arms while their baby cried in the room.

    It had broken him and he had been haunted as to why he had not listened to her in the first ce.

    Perhaps if he had not been a coward and pressed for more of her about the dream then he would worked by it.

    She would most probably be alive by now.

    As the memories came rushing to him, he was overwhelmed by an unpleasant pain.

    One he did not wish to dwell on.

    And to think that he had disobeyed her wish.

    Her dying wish.

    She had asked him, touched his cheek, and told her to fulfill his promise before telling him she loved him and Jade.

    And then she died.

    Since her death, he had not touched a woman.

    He frequently went to Loren��s quarters to take some herbs that would suppress his sexual desires.

    His daughter was almost six years old now, and he had not touched another woman.

    He had withdrawn to his shell and refused to fall in love, because to him it felt that he was betraying his beautiful wife.

    Hence why, Xaden��s ims of him betting with his woman had triggered his pain.

    Because he had personally decided that having his daughter was enough.

    He did not need to sleep with another woman. And he did not frankly care about his true mate.

    He sighed heavily and opened his eyes as he began to wash his body.

    While still in his stream of thoughts, he was rudely interrupted.

    "Erik! Thank the goddess, you are here!" It was Owen standing up on the small steep hill, looking at him down at theke. "We have been looking everywhere for you too. We believed that something bad had happened to both of you."

    Erik frowned, now lost. "What do you mean looking and worrying so much to thinking that something happened to the both of us? Who is us?"

    Owen raised a brow. "Is Xaden not with you down there?"

    "No. I left him up when I came down to have my bath." He replied with a frown.

    "We can not find Xaden," Owen said. "He is missing."

    Erik shot up, and then he got out of the water before hurriedly wearing his clothes.

    He met Owen and the steep hill before they returned to the campsite.

    All the men that had survived were there except Xaden.

    "Gods, did you check where he slept?" Erik asked as he went up to where Xaden had slept the previous night.

    Erik bent down and opened the small nket that seemed as if someone was sleeping underneath.

    But pieces of clothes were inside and came out in such a way that indicated he had rolled them up in balls to make them believe he was still asleep.

    "My Goddess!" Erik eximed in horror.

    "That was exactly what we had seen." Someone said. "We searched everywhere for the both of you and worried that you had been kidnapped by one of the creature," Elyon said

    "He was not taken! He went off on his own. Who was on night watch?" Erik asked annoyed because there was no way that Xaden could have gone if they were active on night watch.

    "It was me and Raun," Luke responded. "I was standing here all through the night. And the Raun took over in the early hours of the morning."

    Erik gritted his teeth in annoyance.

    "Did you leave the night watch at any point during the night?" Erik demanded.

    Luke shook his head. "No, I stayed up until my shift was over, and then Raun took over."

    Erik turned to Raun now. "Did you for any second leave watching over us?"

    Raun swallowed. "No, I did not, but I just went to pee for barely a minute. It could hardly even be defined as me leaving, and I returned Immediately."

    Erik wanted to Explode. "What time was this?"

    "Around perhaps by three in the morning. Yes, there about." He said.

    Erik swore again. That was almost four hours ago from now.

    Erik swore and got up to his feet.

    He turned and saw that Xaden��s horse had gone, and he knew where he had gone.

    Now, he was one hundred percent sure.

    "Get the horses we are leaving.." He snapped at the men. "Xaden has gone to the Isle of lycanthrope, and if we do not make it on time, he would be dead."

    Erik said.

    Lucky enough for them, there was a short cut, but it was much more dangerous.

    They would take the risk because Erik knew that there was no way Xaden would survive this

 Chapter 223: THE ISLE OF LYCANTHROPE

    <h4>Chapter 223: THE ISLE OF LYCANTHROPE</h4>

    XADEN��S POV

    Xaden had been riding for a few hours ever since he had left the camp and was getting closer and closer to the Isle.

    He knew that Erik would hate him, but he had no choice.

    He did not want any of his men to die on his behalf anymore.

    He was the Alpha, but yet he owed his people.

    The pain had be more frequent, and even as he rode down the steep hill, he could feel it burning in his chest.

    He groaned in pain and then used one hand to hold where it hurt him as he continued to ride.

    He would have to find his way and he would return back to the camp.

    Then, he reached a ce where he knew it would be difficult for his horse to climb.

    He came down from the horse and tied it close by but not too tight so that he could walk freely.

    Then he gathered his things and looked up at therge rocks thaty in a well-arranged position before him.

    Then he began to climb.

    He went pace after pace as he dug his hands into the sides of the rocks and climbed up further.

    He ced his foot in an opening of the rocks to steady his bnce before he climbed more and more.

    Then he mistakenly put his finger inside a small stone caving, and then he felt something odd.

    He pulled it out and then when he saw it was a usual but gigantic looking scorpion, he freaked out and then threw it away.

    In this cause of action, he lost his grip and slid down.

    He hurriedly tried make his firm grip again before he fell down and fortunately enough for him, he did.

    He sighed heavily as adrenaline filled his entire body.

    Then he looked down at the rocks that had fallen when he, in turn, had almost fallen.

    They fell down into a mist beneath, and it was so far down that he knew that if he made a slight mistake, he would fall to his instant death.

    He looked back up and resumed climbing.

    Finally, he reached the top of the hill, and then before him stood a decaying and abandoned kingdom.

    He gawked at what he saw.

    It was very much obvious that this was once a flourishing civilization that had been now abandoned.

    He went through the vige that had homes that had once been beautiful but were now ugly and dpidated.

    It was quiet except for the asional birds they flew past.

    Erik had said that he had been thest to leave this ce since he was a young boy.

    And Erik was currently in his early thirties.

    The vige must have been abandoned at least twenty-five years.

    He ignored the quiet vige that bore no sense of life and headed up to where he saw the castle was overlooking.

    By the moment he was in the castle, it was already mid-afternoon.

    He reached the castle gates and then opened them.

    It creaked with its old rotting metal but invited him in nheless.

    Just like the vige, the castle was equally empty.

    Every single that indicated once a good life was now dead and Empty.

    The fountains were dry and filled with fungi; the ces where beautiful nts and trees had lived were now withdrawn and decaying.

    It was almost as if they had lived a beautiful life and had been forced to die the moment a dark cloud appeared.

    Everything was bleak and dry, and it smelled of death.

    There was no one in sight.

    It was all greying and old.

    As he walked towards the castle itself he saw that most of the walls were falling apart and then itself had grown to have ck fungi.

    He sighed and wondered if this was the ce at all.

    There was no undead present it was simply a ce where people had once lived in but no more:

    Xaden now began to fear that maybe perhaps there was no such thing as the cup of life and he hade here for nothing.

    After all, it was just a myth. Perhaps a story that the witches had spawned amongst themselves.

    He gritted his teeth in rage.

    It had been a total waste.

    Jasmine would die, and so would he follow her after.

    It baffled him, and he wondered if there was any point at all going into the castle.

    His instincts told him to proceed and investigate.

    It was better than simply concluding.

    He went into the castle.

    Surprisingly, everywhere was open as well.

    The main castle doors were wide ajar as if always wee.

    There were cobwebs everywhere.

    He saw beautiful furniture and touched them.

    Even though they were dusty and filled with bugs inside, he knew that they were costly and of great value.

    He looked up at the walls and saw portraits of a firm-looking wolf he suspected was the Alpha.

    He had blonde hair and seemed like someone who would not take no for an answer.

    He saw anotherrge picture.

    He went to it and pushed up the skin of the picture because it had fallen down and hidden the full picture.

    It was a woman with the man and this time there was a boy with Brown eyes in her arms.

    They looked happy.

    Happy before everything had gone wrong.

    Then he withdrew his hands and went around investigating.

    He went through rooms and libraries, which were filled with dust and cobwebs, and promised him False hope.

    He felt himself go weak from the pain and the fact that he had probably wasted his time here to find nothing.

    He finally found the chamber room.

    There was arge chair with different crowns on it and he knew that that must have belonged to the king.

    And to his horror, there was a figure seated in it.

    But the figure was in such a position, filled with dirt and smelled of death.

    "Wee Alpha Xaden." The figure said

 Chapter 224: TO THE ARENA

    <h4>Chapter 224: TO THE ARENA</h4>

    Xaden looked at the dark throne seat.

    He was now quite sure that it was from the figure on the throne seat.

    "Who are you?" Xaden asked. "And how do you know my name?"

    The figure adjusted in his seat, and with a wave of a shadow across the room, the curtains that were dusty and filled with cobwebs closed the opened windows firmly shut. And then he heard a snap of a finger.

    Candles instantly lit up the entire room and illuminated it.

    Then he started hearing some footsteps, and then he began to see people appearing one after the other.

    They were men and women with long white hair.

    There were cobwebs on their bodies, and as terrifying as they looked, they were alluring. It was like they were calling you to join them.

    Xaden now saw the figure for who it indeed was.

    It was a man, probably in his forties, like the rest of the people. He had long grey hair and pale skin.

    His eyes, despite their beautiful shade of green, seemed dead.

    There was no life in them.

    "Who are you?" Xade repeated as he pulled out his sword and pointed it at all of them.

    The man had a crown on his head. "I am the King of the Isle of lycanthrope."

    So this was the man that they were all gravely afraid of.

    A man who seemed to have no power. And most of all, the legend was true.

    There was, in fact, a ce called the Isle of lycanthrope.

    "State your business, Alpha, with no heart." The King said.

    "How did you know this?" Xaden asked, astonished.

    "Anyone who steps into my kingdom gives their information without knowing it." The King replied. "Hence why I know who you are."

    "Then you know what I came here for?" Xaden asked, still not trusting this huge man before him.

    The King waved his hand in the air, and a diamond cup appeared floating over their heads.

    "You came for the cup of life." He said. "You came to heal your lover, who in turn will heal you from your impending fate of death. Is it not Alpha of the Crescent Pack and Champion of the Halo Festival? I know everything about you."

    Xaden reached out to touch it, but once the king waved his hand again, it disappeared as quickly as it had appeared.

    "Every wolf who has stepped in here hase haunting for this." The King said. "You are one of the few to ever make it alive to my castle."

    "And where are these other wolves that came into this castle?" Xaden questioned.

    "If you followed the front gates there is a small valley not so far away, close to a wall, there are a bunch of bones fashioned as trees. Those are the wolves who hade visiting." The King said.

    Then he beckoned to Xaden. "Come closer I perceive something familiar on you."

    Xaden bravely approached him, and then the King sniffed him. "You smell of my son. Where is he?"

    Xaden wanted to protest, but then he realized that Erik was the only Lycan in their pack and the only one who had escaped the Isle of Lycanthrope.

    "TELL ME WHERE HE IS?" The King demanded.

    At that moment, the doors were barged open, and then Erik and the other wolves came in.

    Xaden was dumbstruck because he had left them over hours ago.

    Howe they had already made it here?

    "Erik." Xaden said.

    "I told you not to leave," Erik said. We were all going to do this together."

    "It is not your burden to carry." Xaden reminded.

    "The day you became our Alpha was the day you shared your burden with us. If you came here alone and died alone, then it meant that Luke and the others who did on their way here died for nothing." Elyon said.

    "If you die, then we all die together," Rowan said.

    "How did you get here so fast?" He asked.

    "I took a shortcut," Erik said. "You sometimes forget that I used to live here."

    "My son." Came from the man that was seated on the chair.

    Erik then turned to look at the Lyan king "My son has returned to me."

    There was cheering from the other group of people.

    "I am not your son," Erik said. "I came here only for the cup."

    "Your mother deceived you, spun lies about me, and took you away from the only true home you had. I do not me you for your decision." The King said.

    "You were greedy, and you were the reason why the entire kingdom fell," Erik said.

    Xaden was stunned, so it was indeed true.

    Erik was not just from the Isle of the Lycans but the heir to the Lycan kingdom.

    "Give us the cup, and we will be on our way out," Eik said.

    "I am sure that you know it does not work that way." The King said.

    "You strike deals, and I am ready to strike one with you," Erik said fearlessly.

    "What do you think you are doing?" Xaden asked, grabbing Erik��s arm and pulling him aside. "Are you willing to die?"

    "You are in no state to fight him," Erik said wisely. "Look at how much death has spread on your body. It is on your neck and will soon reach your face. I am the only one who can face him."

    "I challenge you to a duel." The King said. "Against me."

    "I ept," Erik said quickly before Xaden stopped him.

    "How could you?" Xaden demanded.

    "This is the best time for me to settle my issues with him. You do not need to get in the middle of it. I promise to do my best to retrieve the cup." Erik said.

    "We have a duel!" The King announced. "To the arena, everyone! It seems my prodigal son has chosen to challenge me."

    And they all cheered with glee.

 Chapter 225: THE CUP OF LIFE

    <h4>Chapter 225: THE CUP OF LIFE</h4>

    They were now in the arena.

    There were levels of rows of seats filled with the people of the Isle of lycanthrope.

    The members of the crescent pack, along with Xaden, sat up front.

    It was now dark, and the only reflection of light was the moon.

    Erik stood in the middle of the open circle without a shirt.

    He would turn to a wolf once the bell for themencement of the fight was rung.

    Erik watched as his father came into view, and there was cheering and jubtions from the people of Lycanthrope.

    "I still do not believe that Erik never told anyone that his father was the King of lycanthrope," Owen said.

    "Not just that he is also the heir to the throne of lycanthrope," Rowan murmured.

    Xaden sighed, feeling ufortable that he was seated in his chair like a king while his second-inmand and best friend was about to fight with an immortal being who happened to be none other than his own father.

    "Wonder how he feels fighting with his father." Someone else said.

    "He had no choice but to fight for Xaden," Owen replied. "How are you feeling, Alpha Xaden?"

    Xaden red at them, telling them he was in no mood for their shenanigans.

    And they all went quiet.

    Then they turned to look at the arena grounds.

    "At the sound of the bell, both champions shall begin the fight. If Alpha Erik, son of the King of the aisle of Lycanthrope, is to win, then he and his friends will leave Lycanthrope unharmed and safe with the cup of life in their possession. But if the King of the Isle of Lycanthrope is to win thispetition, then he would take all the members of the pack and do with them as he deems fit. He shall also bend his only son Erik to his will."

    There was serene silence in the atmosphere.

    "Begin!" The announcer said right after hitting the bell.

    At that moment, Erik turned into a massive wolf, and so did the King turned into his own wolf.

    His wolf was much, much bigger than Erik��s, and it had a few bones open.

    It had no skin around its left side, and you could see its bones, yet everywhere else that had skin was vividly fat, indicating how strong he was.

    Immediately, they began fighting and attacking each other.

    In the beginning, the King gains over Erik.

    Erik��s wolf did some damage in retaliation, but it was notparable to what was being vetted against him.

    "He is killing him," Elyon said in anguish as the king flung him against the wall.

    Erik��s wolf howled and had to scamper away to avoid being hit again.

    By now, Erik��s wolf was bloodied, and it seemed almost impossible for him to be able to win.

    Erik slowly stood up to his paws and was breathing heavily.

    By now, the King��s wolf was smiling, seeming happy with the knowledge that he was going to defeat Erik.

    But Erik pulled a surprise trick.

    When the King came to meet him.

    The king said, " I will finish you, and I shall bend your will. You will watch me rip apart the ones you love, and you will still be under my power."

    As he pulled out his ws to Mark Erik.

    Marking your opponent was the final way to be the winner.

    As he was about to use his ws on Erik, Erik rolled away and then The king mmed his ws inside the ground.

    Erik rolled and stood now as a wolf.

    He growled and howled ferociously in such a way no one had ever heard. And then it was like all the Lycans stood attention.

    It was now like, for an odd reason, even the Lycan king stood attention.

    He was unable to move.

    Like they had cast a spell on all Lycans present.

    What Erik did not know was that he had not only made the Lycans present in lycanthrope freeze in their steps.

    But also any other Lycan in other realms.

    It was something that had never happened.

    And then Erik jumped on him and used his ws on him attacking him brutally.

    His father howled, and then he dropped to the floor, the mark now well evident.

    It was then that other Lycans were allowed to move.

    They opened their eyes and saw that Erik had defeated his father and be a winner.

    There was a hush from everyone, and then, finally, cheering came from the members of the crescent pack and its<i></i>Alpha.

    It was evident.

    Erik had worn.

    Erik turned to his human form, and then, even though he was bloody, he was now standing over his father.

    His father turned into a human.

    "I have won and you will obey the rules of the duel you yourself had ced," Erik said.

    Eventually The king rose up to his feet and waved his hand in the air.

    The cup of life appeared, and Erik collected it.

    "In the right hands, that cup will bring great fortune and prosperity, but in the wrong hands, that cup will bring pain, grief, and ultimate destruction." The king said. "Guide it wisely."

    Erik nodded and turned to leave, and then the king spoke to him.

    "Wait."

    Erik stopped and then he turned and faced the King.

    "Your mother. What happened?" He asked.

    Written on the king��s face was fear and hope.

    "She died," Erik said.

    The King��s face was filled with emotion, but he said nothing.

    "Goodbye, son." He said.

    "I am not your son. Just because blood joins us together does not make you my rtive." Erik said.

    The King looked hurt, and then he said, " On your way out, follow the left route; it is a shorter way to the other realms."

    Then he turned around and went to them.

    All the members of their pack hugged him.

    "You finally got it!" They said in excitement

    Erik looked down at the cup. "Yes, we did."

 Chapter 226: THE JOUNRNEY BACK HOME

    <h4>Chapter 226: THE JOUNRNEY BACK HOME</h4>

    As they journeyed back through the oath that the Lycan king had given them, Erik was quiet.

    The others were all chatty about what had happened.

    "I am so happy that they gave us a different path." Rowan said. "I kept on thinking about how we were going to cross that bloody godforsaken path."

    "Especially the wooden bridge that had already been destroyed." Elyon nodded in agreement.

    Erik stayed behind with Xaden walking quietly.

    Their horses were now tired and so they had alle down from the horses and were strolling alongside with them.

    "You never told me that the king was your father." Xaden finally asked what everyone else was thinking. "You told us that you came from the Isle and you were born there but you somehow omitted the fact that you are the next heir to that throne."

    "It was not important." Erik replied. "And he is not my father. It was only a long time ago."

    Xaden was quiet again.

    It was obvious that Erik wanted to keep his thoughts to himself.

    After a short while of an unusual silence, Erik finally spoke up.

    "It was a long time ago." Erik said. "The king lived there for a long time ago, and then he met my mother. Together they had me. But that was not enough, by this time the Queen had already blessed the Lycans with their gift. He wanted more and tried to use the cup for his own selfish benefit. My mother warned him but he did not listen. In the end we all paid for it. She took me and a number of Lycans along away from the kingdom. We were the only ones that escaped. I have not been there until now."

    Xaden breathed in. "I thought the myth of the isle of lycanthrope had been on for centuries."

    "Yes it has." Erik replied.

    Xaden gave an awkwardugh. "Of course that can not be. If it were, then you would

    Be over-

    Xaden could not finish the words. It finally hit him.

    And then he looked at Erik with a new and keen interest and the sudden surprise.

    "Are you saying that you are-?" Xaden still could not finish the sentence.

    "Over a thousand years old?" Erik asked and then nodded. "Yes I am."

    Xaden was unsure of what next to say.

    Never in his wildest dreams had he thought that Erik who was his second inmand was the heir to a mythical lycan kingdom or that he was over a thousand years old.

    "I did not know that." Xaden managed eventually.

    "People don��t." Erik said. "The curseid on my father followed the son. He is immortal and i believe I am in a sort of way. Once I hit the age of thirty one I stopped agingpletely. It is not a past I am proud of. It is something I wish I could hide. And I had done a good job of it until now."

    "I am sorry that I dragged you into this." Xaden apologizes.

    Erik shrugged. "It is one of those things. And remember you did not drag me, I most certainly did it with my own volition."

    "What do you think is going to happen then? To all those people? Your people? Will they remain there for all eternity?" Xaden asked.

    Erik shrugged. "I have no idea. Perhaps Marie might know a thing or two. The only reason why I don��t look as derailed as them is probably because I left. All the Lycans that are in your world came from my kingdom. They multiplied and scattered. Our breed is very sacred."

    Xaden nodded even though he was still trying to wrap his head around what he had just learnt.

    The Erik quickly changed the topic. "Have you decided on what you are going to do to Jasmine?"

    Xaden sighed. "Yes I have. I want her. I want her with me."

    "Even if that means losing your status as Alpha?" Erik asked. "It is forbidden to have a ve be a Luna. Are you ready for the hate you are going to bring? To the both of you?"

    "Almost losing her just makes me realize that I want her. Even though she is the daughter of my enemy." Xaden said.

    He had thought about it hard and onlye to the decision when he saw Erik and his father.

    He was alone and that was something about Jasmine that filed him up.

    Made him look for a hunger he did not understand.

    He felt his marks give him pain and he groaned.

    By now the strain had gone through every muscle in his body.

    It was now at his chin.

    "You need to take it easy." Erik said.

    "Do you think I could drink the cup?" Xaden asked him. "Maybe she could be healed that way. Since we are bonded together."

    Erik shrugged. "We could try."

    And then they stopped and they poured in some water into the cup to drink it.

    After he had drunk it, they waited awhile to see if there were any changes.

    "Did anything happen?" Xaden asked. "Are the marks gone?"

    "No they are still the same." Elyon said.

    Xaden swore.

    "I don��t think it works like that." Rowan said. "I heard that some certain treatments can only be done by the affected person. So maybe the cup can only have an effect on you if Jasmine who is the one injured takes it."

    "That makes sense." Erik nodded and the other whispered in agreement.

    "How long do you think it will take before we get home?" Xaden asked .

    "This route is safer." Erik said. "But we should get back on thest day Marie stated".

    Xaden sighed and said nothing.

    The men continued their journey.

    On the final day of their journey when they would arrive the crescent pack in only a few hours, they were riding on their horses.

    When from nowhere they head a loud screech.

    They looked up and saw arge bird times five of a wolf and spitting fire swoon down on them.

 Chapter 227: THE ATTACK

    <h4>Chapter 227: THE ATTACK</h4>

    Cherry who had been watching the men through their entire journey was delighted when they had finally been able to retrieve the cup.

    This was something that she had been meaning to get her hands on.

    She now finally had it in her hands.

    She could not let it go.

    The route they followed was protected and for that she had been unable to send her minions after it.

    When they finally came to a more exposed road path she was now able to use her powers on them.

    But she had to be fast.

    They were very close to the crescent pack and once they were in the pack, it would be difficult for her to get her hands on it.

    She closed her eyes and said some magic words and then something appeared in her hand it was like a tiny bird.

    "I chose you because I know you can deliver your work." She said as she gently touched the head of the tiny bird.

    Then she blew it into her mirror that she used to overlook anything.

    "Go and you shall only end your mission when you die."

    The bird flew into the mirror and disappeared.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    "What is that?" Rowan asked.

    The bird screeched in the air.

    "Something is wrong creatures like that are not allowed in this territory." Xaden said.

    Then they saw it blow fire.

    "It blows fire!" Owen screamed and they started running off.

    The bird screeched and the men got on their horses and tried to run off into somewhere safe.

    Elyon was unlucky as just as he was about to go down under a cave, the bird blew fire from its mouth and instantly burned him.

    The smoke and fire was all they could see and once it was gone, they were gazing down at the burned up body of Elyon and his horse.

    Instantly it fell into ashy dust, the bones crashed all the floor and nothing was left of Elyon.

    "Sweet goddess." Rowan eximed in horror.

    The birds screeched blowing fire all around looking for them.

    Then itnded on the ground and was looking for them.

    "What the hell is that?" Xaden asked.

    "It is a mythical creature. Should not even exist. What is it doing here?" Erik asked as he looked at it.

    "After seeing your immortal home and learning about the people of Lycantnrope, I do not think anything could be mythical to me again." Xaden said with sarcasm.

    They were now hiding under trees.

    Therge bird was walking around screeching and dipping its head through the trees.

    It blew mes nad burning the trees into mes.

    "Gods that bloody creature is going to be the death of us." Rowan said.

    The bird screeched and looked around hoping from the other trees on its left and right.

    Erik looked at it closely. "It is what I thought it is. The bloody bird is blind. But it can sense things around."

    "Blind!?" Bryn asked as the bird was getting closer to his own side. "Can we just run out? It is getting closer to me."

    "Stay put." Erik said

    Bryn was hanging at a tree with his horse and the bird was getting closer to him.

    It kept on hovering around and Bryn was afraid.

    "Stay do not run." Erik mouthed.

    The bird got so close and just when it was about to leave, Bryan��s intrusive thoughts won.

    "Gods I can not stay this way!"

    Then he leaped up and ran away with his horse.

    "Shit!" Erik swore.

    The bird turned to Bryn who was now running off down the path.

    The bird did not use its mes on him to beyond else��s surprise.

    Rather it swooped up into the air and then it happened so fast.

    The bird flew back down and then grabbed Bryn and horse and swallowed him whole.

    They all watched in horror as they heard his screams.

    The death was so brutal as his blood spilled and then the bird full swallowed the horse.

    He looked around bavkw at them.

    "Blood hell." Erik swore.

    And that made all hell break loose.

    The men lost it.

    They began to flee and the bird began to eat and burn them into mes.

    Xaden turned to a wolf and snarled at the bird.

    Erik then ran off with his sword and climbed Xaden��a back as he eyed the next of the bird.

    He pulled out his sword.

    The bird screamed out and began to bring out mes.

    Xaden dodged on to the other side and then Erik pulled out the his sword and then cut off the neck of the bird.

    It dropped dead.

    Erik breathed heavily but with relief.

    They looked around and saw the other men who were still alive.

    All in all, they were only five left.

    Erik came off Xaden��s back and then he used Xaden��s fur to clean the sword.

    Xaden turned to Erik and gruffed.

    Erikughed. "Sorry mate."

    Xaden tried to rub of the blood off his fur but it refused toe.

    Then he turned back to his human form.

    "Where the hell did thate from?" Rowan asked looking down at the head of the bird.

    "I have no idea." Erik said. "But I think we should carry the body on our way back home."

    Xaden felt the pain be more intense

    "We need to return home. It is getting worse." Xaden said clutching his chest.

    They gathered the body of therge creature and saddled it to a horse of one of the men who had died and hurried in with their journey.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    As Cherry saw the bird being beheaded, she screamed and used her nails to destroy the ss of the mirror.

    She screamed in fury as she rose to her feet and began breaking things in fury.

    All her ns had failed. Jasmine woulde back to life, she would not have the cup.

    It was all ruined!

    She was going to get the cup!

    One way or the other.

 Chapter 228: CONSEQUENCES IN THE FUTURE

    <h4>Chapter 228: CONSEQUENCES IN THE FUTURE</h4>

    After Marie and Eleanor had treated Jasmine and it was snowing in the crescent pack, Eleanor called her sister aside.

    She simply made eye contact with her and then walked out to one therge corridors the pack had.

    She stood there admiring the snow that was man made but yet had been allowed by the gods.

    She stretched out her hand and then let some snow kes fall in.

    It had been such a long time since she had seen snow.

    When she heard her sister behind her, she spoke without turning back.

    "You are ying with dark forces much stronger than you could ever face."

    Eleanore said.

    Marie smiled and then went to put he hands against the railing of the corridor and looked out at the snow.

    "Do not tell me that some very simple and little snowkes scare you." Eleanor said. "Moreover they were a gift from the gods".

    "I am not talking about the snow god damn it!" Eleanor swore. "You invited cherry and you taught her things that she would never know. Very dangerous dark magic."

    "What I teach my students is none of your business." Marie said. "What I do with my own knowledge of dark magic has nothing to do with you. You were my sister in our realm but not here."

    Eleanor sighed heavily. "The decision you make have repercussions you should know that by now. And it is not just cherry. Something dark ising I can feel it in my bones."

    Eleanor swallowed heavily and then turned to her sister. "Jasmine is a power than I have never encountered that no one has ever encountered. In the wrongs hands she is very dangerous and can be our doom."

    "Because she is the heir of the throne?" Marie rose a brow and the waved her hand off discarding what her sister had said as irrelevant. "I already quite know this. No not make it seem too much. She is the true Queen of this kingdom."

    "So you knew?" Eleanor asked brewing in rage. "Does Xaden know?"

    "Of course not". Marie said. "It will ruin my ns."

    "What ns?" Eleanor demanded in rage then she caught her sister by the neck of her dress and held her to rage. "Tell me now! Why ns!"

    Marie freed herself and dusted off the imaginary lines on her dress.

    "None of your concern." Marie said. "But I make deals and when I make a deal I expect something in return."

    Eleanor shook her head. "Something dark ising and whatever you think you have that is better than-

    "Do you think I like it here? Do you?!" Marie cut her short. "Do you think that I want to be here?!"

    Marie gave a bitterugh. "I only came here because of you. You are the reason why I am here. Why I am trapped and I would do anything to find my way back home."

    Eleanor could sense that her sister had more in stock. More secrets than she was letting on.

    "What are you trying to do?" Eleanor asked. "You can not take any risk. Things are much more dangerous than you think."

    "What did you see?" Marie asked, knowing that it was a vision that Eleanor had had.

    Eleanor shook her head. "No I can not tell you."

    Marie began to roll her eyes.

    "But I assure you that once everything is

    Fine I will tell you." She tried to exin.

    "We are on different paths sister." Marie said. "Do not forget that."

    And with that Marie stormed away from the corridor leaving Eleanor standing alone.

    After hanging in the corridor for a while, Eleanor turned to leave when she felt a certain stained and dark energy hover around her.

    She slowly turned around and saw dark shadows engulf her.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    When Xaden and his men returned to the pack they were shocked to see that everywhere was snow.

    They were not due to see snow until how many more yearster.

    "Snow? In this season? How?" Rowan asked.

    "This has been a weird year. First the halo festival and now this?" Erik asked.

    The pack was still a bit far ahead.

    About five hours away and by the time they would reach it would already be night time.

    Hopefully it would not be midnight.

    "We need to keep going." Xaden said wisely. "We have but a short while to reach home if we desire to make it on time."

    And then they went of during the snow.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Back in the Castle, Marie, Loren and the others were pacing trying their best to keep Jasmine stable.

    "Gods what is the time?" Marie asked aloud as she induced Jasmine with some magic that will keep her alive.

    "Ten minutes to midnight." Lily said in horror.

    "Good goddess." Loren swore as he mixed certain potions.

    "Her body is burning up and I can feel her soul leaving her body." Marie noted in horror. "This is not good."

    "We should have looked for another alternative." Lily said in fear. "What if he did not make it."

    "If he did not wme it she will be dead by now." Marie said. "And I do beg you Lily to stop thinking the worst. It is not helping us around here."

    Lily shut her mouth in agreement to the fact that she was in deed making matter worse.

    "I��ll go get more snow." Lily said as the guards and other wolves brought in buckets of snow.

    Meanwhile they themselves were shaking in the cold.

    It was much too cold for them.

    "If it gets to midnight, I do not think Jasmine will be able to live to see the next hour." Marie said her forehead filled with sweat even though it was entirely cold.

    Marie wondered where her sister was, she would not abandon Jasmine even if she was having a fight with her.

    As Marie turned to keep on reviving Jasmine, the door was barged open and none other than Xaden himself came in.

 Chapter 229: THE CURE

    <h4>Chapter 229: THE CURE</h4>

    "Praise the goddess that watches us all above!" Marie said with pure delight as she saw Xaden and the remaining mene in.

    Xaden was groaning and struggling toe in.

    "Is she still alive?" Xaden asked.

    "Of course she is. If she was not you would be dead." Marie said looking him over. "What happened to you and-

    Then she saw the markings on his body.

    "Oh dear the infection is spreading all over you." She said as she traced the marking over his body. "Did you get it?"

    Erik opened up the big satchel bag and handed her the diamond cup.

    Marie wanted to burst into tears.

    This was one of the three.

    One of the most rarest relics to ever be found. And here she was holding it.

    Other witches and wolves even those from her original realm had never had their hand on it.

    Those older than her, but here she was with. She could not even believe her luck.

    "Are you not supposed to administer it?" Loren asked and then Marie snapped back to reality.

    "What? Huh? Yes of course." She said and then she set it on the table that was filled

    With different options and herbs. "We just need to make a few mixtures before it works."

    "I thought that it was the cup of life would it not be fine if you drank anything from it?" Lily asked already tired from the back and forth.

    "Of course not!" Marie said. "Why would you think such a thing. The mixture would not take so long. Just a few minutes and it would be ready. I would also need help to

    Make it faster. Lily help me with the brewing."

    And then they went off to work.

    Xaden staggered to Jasmine��s side and then he sat down on the bed and gently touched her hair.

    He set her loose curls behind her ear and he could barely even feel how hot she was.

    By now the marks he had had already extended to his face and was now on his entire body.

    "You are still alive." He said and then he took her hands and kissed the knuckles. "I will make sure you you live. Nothing will happen to you. You will be protected and under my wing. No harm shalle to you. I wish I could apologize for all the awful things I did to you. Seeing you in such a state just tells me how important you are to me. I never want to lose you Jasmine."

    "Why can the cup not just be used on Xaden?" Erik asked as he watched them work.

    "Why? Did you try it?" Marie asked him.

    "Yes we had hoped that him drinking from the cup would instantly heal the both of them." Erik said with a shrug.

    "First of, a certain type of ancient juice must be made and then secondly you can not take it if you were the unaffected. It had to be Jasmine."

    As she continued to work quickly against time, Loren went by and mistakenly touched the satchel.

    The head of the creature that they had killed fell out.

    "Sweet goddess!" He snapped in horror. "What is that bloody thing?"

    "That is a creature we found on the outskirts of our pack." Rowan replied.

    "Outskirts?" Loren said bewildered. "Such creatures should not even exist talk less of being in the outskirts of our pack."

    "We found a cup of life did we not?" Owen asked exhausted as he sat down. "I believe in the impossible now."

    "It is ready!" Marie announced triumphantly.

    She picked up the cup of life as she poured the liquid into the cup.

    They all now rushed to Jasmine��s side.

    Xaden was still seated by her side.

    "How is she going to take it?" Lily asked the question everyone had in their head.

    "She needs to drink it or it will not work." Marie said. "We are running against time."

    Loren tried to give Jasmine but she would not receive it.

    Her mouth would not be open.

    "Maybe you should try a spell?" Erik said baffled.

    Marie nodded and did some magic but it did not work.

    Jasmine remained lying still.

    "Nothing is happening." Marie said in horror.

    "Let me try." Xaden said as he very gently collected the cup.

    His hands were shaking because of how badly the poison was affecting him.

    He went and took it to her lips and very gently in a soft voice said. "Open your lips for me Jasmine."

    To all their shock, they watched as she very gently parted her lips and then he poured the drink into her mouth.

    "Now swallow." He said whilst his other free hand tucked behind her ear.

    And she did as he said.

    The clock struck midnight instantly.

    "Did she swallow it before midnight?" Marie who was fidgeting and filled with worry asked.

    Nothing happened and then the marks began to extend to Xaden��s eyes.

    They all feared the worst.

    Knowing that he would die.

    When all hope was lost, Jasmine��s body began to regain its color.

    The pale color disappeared and then even her cheeks went red in blush and she opened her eyes.

    They all gasped in joy.

    And then Xaden��s marks began to disappear until there was nothing there.

    The pped and danced in celebration.

    Jasmine who was still confused look at the in surprise.

    "W-what happened?" She asked. "What is going on?"

    Lily went to her and threw her arms around her.

    "Thank the goddess tang you are alive. I do not know what I would when some of you had gone". She said there were tears in her eyes.

    When Jasmine looked up she saw Loren was standing with tears in his eyes.

    "What is going on ?" She asked as she managed to sit up and and she massaged her head.

    "You do not remember what happened to you before youst out?" Marie asked.

    Jasmine shook her head and then she looked at Xaden.

    "I don��t quite. But you were thest thing I saw." She said

 Chapter 230: KEEPING JASMINE UP TO DATE

    <h4>Chapter 230: KEEPING JASMINE UP TO DATE</h4>

    All eyes went to Xaden now that Jasmine had said that he was thest thing she saw before going out

    No one said anything at all.

    Then it started getting clearer to Jasmine.

    "W-what... uhmmm.... I believe I can recall being with Fiona." Jasmine turned to see Fiona standing in front of her. "And then we were at theke i believe?"

    "Yes that is right." Fiona nodded in agreement.

    "It is all hazy." Jasmine said slowly trying to pick up the pieces.

    "You do not need to worry yourself over such boring details. You need to rest." Xaden said.

    But Jasmine went on. "And then Aurora came in."

    Everyone stopped.

    "She came to me as a wolf. Lana!" Jasmine snapped. "The little girl was there with us. Where is she?!"

    "Lana is fine." Fiona assured her. "All is well. Lana is in safe hands."

    Jasmine sighed in relief. "Thank the gods."

    "You do not remember anything else?" Fiona prodded.

    Xaden red at her and she shut her mouth.

    "No not quite why? What happened?" Jasmine asked.

    "You were out Jasmine." Fiona said. "For over a week. We were worried that you would die."

    "How?" Jasmine asked.

    "Aurora stabbed you." Loren finished exining. "We believe she was possessed when she did that. Because she attacked people in the cause ofing to find you."

    Jasmine set her hands against her chest.

    But there were no wounds.

    "And Aurora, where is she?" Jasmine managed.

    "She is dead. Xaden killed Her." Fiona said.

    It was all too much for Jasmine to take in.

    He had killed her to save her?

    And then it dawned on her.

    No, he did it because if something happened to her, then it would happen to him.

    "Why am I not dead? Why am I alive?" She asked. "If she seeds in stabbing me."

    "We do not know," Fiona admitted. "Even alpha would have been dead and not survived that attack. Talk less of you, who has not even turned into a wolf yet."

    Jasmine swallowed.

    "You need to rest." Xaden tried to dissuade her.

    "I need to know please do not hide anything from me." She begged. "How did I eventually wake up."

    "We found an ancient relic that can revive anyone on the verge of death," Erik said. "Xaden and the other men, along with myself, went to find it."

    She looked up at him. "If I was injured and unstable, I believed we were tethered together, and whatever happens to me happens to you."

    Xaden said nothing.

    "He was weakened by it, but he still searched through for the relic," Marie said. "He was a brave man who gave himself up for you."

    She swallowed heavily. "My lord, I know not what I did to deserve this from you."

    He did something that stunned them all.

    He leaned closer to her and kissed her forehead.

    The entire room went quiet.

    "Rest, Jasmine. You have been ill for days." He said.

    She tried to protest but then he silenced her. "As your lord, Imand you to rest. We shall all leave you to rest."

    "But I wish to tell you something." She said, tears at the brink of her eyes. "I need to confess something to you."

    Fiona became alert.

    Jasmine��s throat clocked, and then she tried to find the words or the way to tell him about all she had done.

    About how she had conspired with her family to have him killed.

    And how she was not the daughter he had wanted from day one.

    But he silenced her. "As your alpha, Imand you to rest. There will be time for you to say whatever you wish to."

    He took his lips away from her forehead and tucked her loose, wild curls behind her ear.

    Reluctantly, she nodded, and then some servant girls adjusted the bed for her and got her to be let to sleepfortably.

    Fiona started to leave, but Jasmine turned to her. "Please stay with me."

    Fiona smiled. "But of course."

    Xaden and everyone else walked out of the room to let her rest.

    "It is so good to see you alive and well," Fiona said. "I was so distraught and worried that I might never speak to you again."

    Jasmine gave a weak smile. "It is good to hear your voice, too."

    "You have no idea how mad Xaden was when you were unconscious," Fiona said. "I have never seen him like that... Everyone knew better than to Hang around him. They steered clear of his path."

    "Was he really upset about it?" Jasmine questioned, knowing that Xaden did not care for her.

    "He was! He was so mad that when he carried you in his arms back to the castle and a lot of the servants led by Lana��s mother who had wanted to murder us, he ordered all of them to be imprisoned." Fiona said.

    "He did what?" Jasmine asked at the bombshell that had just been dropped.

    "Yes, they had! Can you imagine? After we had saved Lana, she believed that we had somehow taken her captive." Fiona shook her head. "It was Fiona who stepped up and told them all that had happened. You needed to see the looks on their faces. The absolute shame and humiliation! But eventually, Xaden could not be deterred. Moreover, he was looking for someone to turn his anger to. Since Aurora was dead, he had them. He ordered them to be locked up in the prison and await their execution."

    "What?!" Jasmine sat up in shock.

    "Yes. I believe that was a bit over the top." Fiona nodded. "And it was not just Lana��s mother. It was all of them who hade to find you."

    Jasmine was dazed, unable to believe what she was hearing.

    She had witnessed Xaden��s anger on so many asions.

    After all, he had cut off Alexander��s hand when he had merely touched her.

    But this was too much for even him, in her own opinion.

    To execute so many people.

 Chapter 231: LISA’S NEW ALLY

    <h4>Chapter 231: LISA��S NEW ALLY</h4>

    LILY��S POV

    Lisa who was now well equipped with so much evidence against Jasmine and secrets to unveil was beyond words excited that Alpha Xaden had returned.

    How on earth was she going to get her gain if he had died from that useless expenditure he had gone to.

    But at least he was alive and well.

    And most certainly in a better mood since his precious Jasmine was now well and alive.

    She shorted in disgust.

    She was not going to be so precious when she revealed everything to him.

    She saw therge number of his men hovering around him.

    "My lord." She called out.

    She rushed up to him in the crowd.

    "My lord."

    She pushed through the crowd of wolves and managed to meet him.

    He almost rammed into her but he stood still.

    She breathed heavily when she caught her breath.

    "My lord." She said.

    "What is it Lisa?" He demanded.

    " I had something important to tell you before you left." She said.

    "And if I can recall it was some petty gossip about Jasmine." He said. "Some gossip that I am in not way interested in.l

    "B-but my lord." She stuttered knowing that she was losing his interest if he even held it at all.

    "Out of my way." He warned. "And do note to me again. It would be thest time I am warning you."

    She swallowed heavily and he had not just spoken to her, he had used his alpha tone and that had sent chills down her spine.

    She nodded numbly and then he went past her.

    When he had gone she leaned against the wall weakly.

    It was only Damian who remained standing.

    "Giving such silly ideas to his alpha." Damian said as he passed by.

    She quickly caught his arm knowing that Damian did not like Jasmine one bit.

    "Wait you have to believe me." She said. "What I have about Jasmine his majesty has to know. It is of the most importance."

    Damian snorted in disgust.

    "I am equally not ingested in such silly talks." He said as he proceeded to go away.

    "Jasmine is an imposter!" She shouted and then Damian stopped .

    "What did you say?" He asked turning back to look at her.

    "Jasmine is an imposter." She said again.

    He rushed up to her and closed her mouth firmly with his hand

    "Do you have any idea what you are saying?" He asked. "Any idea what the words you have just spoken can do to you or worse where it mightnd you in?"

    She pushed his hand away from her mouth.

    "Yes I am fully aware of what can happen to me." She said. "Hence why I am saying it. Do you truly take me for a fool and perhaps belive that I wouldy such a im without having any proof at all?"

    He eyes her skeptically. "You are cunning but that does not mean you are quite smart."

    She sighed. "Jasmine is not who she says she is. She is not the daughter of alpha bale and his wife Luna Maria. She not the daughter her has wanted and most of all she is not loved."

    Damian eyed her and then he folded his arms ."So let us say that this information you have is true. Where is your proof?"

    Lisa sighed deep with relief delighted at the fact that she had someone that she could finally tell.

    "Come with me." She said as she took his hand pulled him up the stairs.

    They went towards the servant��s quarters and kept on going until they went into a little room.

    She unlocked it with a key she has and he saw that it was a small store for working utensils.

    She pushed aside the mops and brooms and then she stood at the ground.

    He frowned, well angry and furious at her with the belief that she had fooled him and he had stupidly followed her.

    "You had led me here as a joke?" He demanded angrily.

    She went down to the ground and to us surprise she opened a secretpartment in the floor.

    Then she looked up at him.

    "Be patient will you?" She asked him her brow up.

    And then she pulled open the little box and removed arge box.

    She ced it beside her and then when she opened it an owl flew out.

    She caught it and then handed it to Damian.

    She pulled out a loc of hair and then a scroll.

    "What is all this?" He asked.

    "That is a message owl that Jasmine uses to discuss with her pack. She gives them information about us through it and then they in return give her messages." She nodded at the owl.

    Damian touched the chest of the owl and he knew instantly that it was true.

    She handed him the scroll and then collected the owl.

    He opened it and read through the contents. "Where did you find this?"

    "It was with Aurora before she died. She told me to give alpha Xaden if anything happened

    To her." Lisa lied.

    Damian was breathing so hard. This was so much to take in and he knew that it was legit. He had known from day one that Jasmine was a liar and a deceiver.

    Once Xaden discovered this he would be furious and that would be the end of her in the pack.

    This spoke of deceit and that gave Xaden the right to kill Alpha Bale without having to wait for the new moon.

    "That is not all." She said.

    And then she handed him the loc of hair.

    He frowned and received it.

    "What am I supposed to do with it?" He asked

    "Smell it." She said.

    He looked at her suspiciously.

    Or did she want to hex him.

    He gave it a try and then when he sniffed it, his face went instant white as a ghost.

    "MY GOD." He swore.

 Chapter 232: WHO SHALL KEEP THE CUP OF LIFE

    <h4>Chapter 232: WHO SHALL KEEP THE CUP OF LIFE</h4>

    Xaden was extremely exhausted from his journey and because he could not return back to his room where Jasmine now resided, he went into his study.

    He sat down on therge chair and took in a heavy breath.

    "Why are you staying here." Erik asked.

    Xaden rubbed his head to massage his pain.

    "Jasmine is in my room as you know." Xaden said. "And I can not disturb her. She needs to rest."

    "Then just go to any bloody room you want. There a thousands of them in the castle up for gives." Erik said.

    Xaden rose up from his chair and went to his wine shelf.

    He mused through it and the eventually decided on a two hundred centuries bottle of brandy.

    He took off the top and poured himself one cup.

    "Because I like to sleep in my own bloody room." Xaden snorted. "It will not do for me to wake up and find myself in a different interior wondering whether I was kidnapped."

    "No it would not." Erik said even though he believed Xaden was exaggerating.

    Xaden nodded at the empty spare ss. "You want me to fill yours?" He asked with a cocked up brow.

    Erik looked at the empty ss, to the Bottle of brand and then to Xaden and back to the bottle of brandy.

    He threw his hands up and sighed. "Why not?"

    He sat down on the chair facing Xaden and Xaden poured the brandy for him.

    Then Xaden picked up his own wine and then drank from it.

    "Good goddess. Old wine is really the sweetest." He sighed in relief.

    "It truly is." Erik nodded in agreement. "Especially when you just survived a long forgotten path of the wolfmunity for five weeks."

    Xaden nodded. "Yes that too."

    Xaden drank some of the wine again and sat down on his chair.

    He sighed deeply.

    "If you will not sleep in your room then how have you been doing those nights that Jasmine slept over on your bed." Erik said.

    Xaden rose a brow.

    "I mean when she was ill." Erik said raising his hand in defense. "Now do not me me. You are the one that has your mind there."

    "I slept on the couch." Xaden said with a shrug.

    Erikughed. "Ah yes! I was the one who rmended it the first time she spent the night."

    Xaden gave him a thunderous look and Erikughed it off.

    Then Marie walked into the study.

    "Hello boys." She said stopping at the table.

    They looked up at her.

    "How are you feeling now Xaden?" She asked him. "Any issues perhaps?"

    "I have a bad headache." He said.

    "That will probably be because of the excess wine you have been drinking." She said picking up the bottle.

    "Wine helps you feel better." Erik stated.

    "You don��t say now do you." She said as she read the contents of the wine.

    She set aside and then looked at the men.

    "Well now that I am done with your special event and helping treat you and your wifey." She said. "I belive that I am owed something."

    No one said a word.

    "The cup." She said. "You know?"

    "Yes the cup." Xaden��s sighed.

    "It can not fall into dangerous hands now that it is out into the real world." She expressed. "Different people wille after it. Much dangerous people than you have ever faced. In fact now that it is out they will know and they wille for it. And they can take it away so swiftly you have no idea."

    "So are you supposed to be safer hands?" Erik asked.

    She smiled at him. "No, but I am better hands. And trust me you will rather have me have it than anyone else."

    "How sure are we that you are better hands. The time you were given opportunity with something you wrecked itpletely. Courtesy of Xaden��s bing a beast." Erik snapped back.

    "He asked for it." She hissed. "And moreover he is grateful that I did it. He would have been unable to be the great powerful Alpha that he is today so yes, courtsey of me."

    She red at him. "And also coupled with the fact that I just saved Xaden��s life. I do not see himining so why should you?"

    Erik stood up from his seat and challenged her. "Maybe this is because sometimes Xaden does not like to say his mind and being his second I have no reason as to why I should withhold my true feelings. So here I am saying it. I amining."

    "Enough you two." Xaden said stepping in between their brewing fight.

    They were both already so heated in the argument that they were breathing hard.

    "Erik i belive we both owe Marie thanks." Xaden said and she smiled deviously. "Without her, we would never have had Jasmine treated and we would most likely have been dead by now."

    As Marie was all smug with a smile stuck on her face, Xaden added.

    "And also Marie you need to respect the fact that Erik is my second inmand. He was not too happy about the decision we made and of course we are dealing with the repercussions of the action now from my frequent pain."

    Erik smiled back at her and then Marie pouted in annoyance.

    "Now if we can all go past that." Xaden stated. "What do you request Marie?"

    She adjusted her posture and cleared her head. "I was the one who sent you on the mission to retrieve the cup of life. It is I who should would know best on how to keep it safe from outside hands. Because in the wrong hands the cup could bring the most dangerous harm we have ever seen."

    He sighed. "You are right and I will think about it through the night and make a decision. Once I have decided I will let you know. Both of you."

    Marie snorted and then Erik red at her but they both seemed to agree.

    "Now that you two are way past your little squabbling." He said rising to his feet. "I will like to go to bed."

    Then he escorted Erik and Marie out of the study.

    When he did not follow them out Marie stopped and turned to look at him in amazement.

    "You will note with us?" She asked in surprise.

    "No I will sleep in my study." He said. "There is a couch there for me. A few pillows and a nket will do nas make it well for me."

    She gazed at him like he was mad.

    Erik shook his head in agreement and said. "Trust me I tried to dissuade him." Erik said.

    Xaden chased them away and then they went off.

    As he began to close the doors, he saw Fiona approaching with a pillow and a nket in her arms.

    "Splendid." He said. "Just at the perfect time."

    He received the items from her.

    "Although I do not recall sending you to bring them." He said. "I thought you were watching over Jasmine."

    She sighed at him. "I was but when a servant girl came asking for pillows and a nket I knew that it had to be you. So I simply told her that I would take them to you."

    "How is she?" He asked as he walked back into the study.

    He set the pillow and nket on a plush long couch.

    "She is fine. She was asleep when I left." She said. "But she wanted me to ry a message to you."

    He rose a brow and then went to a private side of the study.

    He returned with arge robe that was tied securely by his waist.

    "About what?" He asked.

    "Lana��s mother and the others" she said.

    "Who?!" He asked genuinely confused.

    She rolled her eyes at him and sighed exasperated. "The woman who had protest with a crowd to protests about Jasmine staying in the pack. The ones that you locked up in the prison cell and ordered for execution upon your return".

    He sighed as he adjusted his pillow andy down on the chair.

    He adjusted for about five times before he found afortable position with his hands under the pillow.

    "Oh them." He said.

    "Jasmine has pleaded and wishes that you fo not kill them." Fiona said.

    Xaden himself hadpletely forgotten about all that had happened.

    He had been enraged and then once they had faced him he had used them as a scapegoat.

    He was not going to execute them, but seeing that that was the first thing that Jasmine had asked of him pched him.

    He had perhaps hoped that she would ask of him.

    "I personally believe that they are too be punished for what they did." Fiona nodded. "But a mass execution will be too much. Do you not think so?"

    Xaden sighed. "You are right. I��ll figure something outter."

 Chapter 233: ALMOST REVEALING THE SECRET

    <h4>Chapter 233: ALMOST REVEALING THE SECRET</h4>

    "But do you mean to say that she truly did not ask of me?" He asked uncertainty in his eyes.

    Fiona looked at him unable to even believe what he was saying.

    "Are you really asking me if Jasmine asked of you?" She asked him.

    His face turned to stone. "Bloody not. And you say it like it was such a bad idea."

    He pouted and dragged his nket over his head like a child.

    Fiona just did not understand what was up with him today.

    Or was Xaden beginning to truly care for Jasmine.

    She did not know much about their rtionship being that she had only joined the pack fairly recently.

    But Fiona was seeing that he had been soft and siding Jasmine.

    Especially with the incident where he had chosen Jasmine over his true mate.

    And then again in the room when he had kissed her forehead and spoken to her so tenderly.

    They had all seen that.

    Maybe, just maybe Xaden cared for Jasmine now.

    More than enough in fact.

    She could hardly even believe it.

    Fiona smiled connivingly and sat beside him and said. "I was only messing with you. I belive Jasmine said a few words about you."

    "You lie." Xaden mumbled from under his nket.

    She gasped. "Why would I lie about such a thing."

    "If she dis say anything about me then why did she ask about the servants first." He grumbled under the nket.

    Fiona gasped inward.

    He was jealous! And he had quite a horrible way of hiding it.

    It was point ck to everyone to see.

    "You know what I think?" She asked him as she used her bum to side him.

    "What?" He mumbled.

    She rolled her eyes and in a mischievous tone said. "I believe you are jealous."

    That sent him spiraling out of the nket: He pushed it over and sat up. "Jealous?! Bloody jealous of what?"

    She shrugged. "You are jealous of the fact that Jasmine asked about the servants you had orders for execution and not asked of you."

    He clocked his tongue and rolled his eyes In bewilderment she almost burst out inughter.

    "Such an outrageous thing to say." He red at her. "That I am jealous over servants?"

    He rolled his eyes andughed aloud.

    It was such an absurdughter Fiona held herself.

    "The servants serve me in the pack and I in turn serve them. They are seen as my equal in my eyes. Quite hardly in fact. I serve them as their alpha by providing them any sort of protection and safety. To think that I would be jealous that Jasmine asked about them instead of me."

    He snorted again. "That is hardly the case."

    She smiled to herself and got up to her feet knowing quite well that he would never agree.

    "Well Jasmine did ask me to check on you." She said.

    The light in his eyes went bright and Fiona was genuinely in awe.

    It was like just the idea of her thinking of him made him happy.

    His frown was still there on his face but now it was calm and regardless of a smile, he seemed to be lighter, seemed to be happier.

    "Did she really?" He asked.

    Fiona nodded. "She did. That was why I had collected the nkets from the servants first. She had wanted toe to you herself but I changed her mind."

    Then a frown came on his face. "Why the bloody hell would you do that?"

    Fiona sighed and went back to the couch and sat beside where his feety.

    "Because regardless of the fact that she wants to see you, she has to rest. She has been in aa for days now. And we were all worried. As you have been on a journey for a whole week looking for-

    "It was over a month." He said.

    She blinked. "What?"

    "Times moved faster in the other realm. We spent five weeks there while it was just one week here." He said.

    Fiona was shocked at this revtion. "I had no idea. More reason as to why you too should rest. You have been through things no one can imagine and what matters the most is that both of you are fine."

    The silence answered in agreement.

    And then she thought of what Jasmine had wanted to say to him.

    She cleared her throat. "Xaden may I ask you a question."

    "If you wish to ask me if you will be allowed to resume your pretense as a servant then the answer is no." He replied abruptly.

    She looked at him in surprise. "No I was not going to ask that."

    "Good. You could carry on." He said.

    She rolled her eyes at him and sighed before saying. "If someone told you something . Or might have done something that they had jo say in the matter or no choice in the matter and it was wrong....."

    She paused to see if he was following .

    "Yes? Go on". He nodded.

    She resumed. "Will you forgive them?"

    "It depends on what they did wrong." Xaden said truthfully after a while. "And it also depends on the person."

    "What do you mean it depends on the person?" She asked.

    He sighed and with his arms under his head, he sighed and said. "Look certain things happen and then there are the times when certain people do things. For instance I trust Eleanor with my life. She raised me up and she was the one person who brought me back to life and I was her son as she was my mother. If she did something awful, it would be for a reason. But then someone that has lied so much. Someone that is not to be trustedmits such an act. I will not let it go." He said.

    Fiona paused for a while and cleared her throat again.

    "But Xaden you need to understand that this person had no say in the matter. Had no other alternative to run to. This person was forced tomit an atrocious act of deception to survive." She said prodding further.

    He sighed. "Fiona who is this about?"

    "No one ." She said with a shrug. "I just want your opinion on something."

    If he knew that it was Jasmine she had no absolute idea how he would react.

    Moreover it was Jasmine who was going to be the one to tell him the truth not her.

    "You are a horrible liar. You have always been a horrible liar." He said.

    "Have not." She poured.

    "Fiona I am serious." He said. "Who is this about?"

    She sighed. "It is just an argument I heard tne other servants had when you were away. I was just wanting your own two cents from it so that one day when I take my pack back and rule as Luna I could make the right decision."

    He eyed her. "You are asking ahead of your not yet in ten years coronation as Luna?"

    She nodded. "Of course I am. It is never toote to start learning."

    He sighed. "Well if the person as you said a truly has no choice in the matter and was forced them a strict punishment would not be given."

    She looked at him with bright eyes. "Do you mean it?"

    "Yes." He said. "You said it. They had no choice in the matter and they were forced."

    "Yes." She nodded hastily and then she added. "And with anyone else this would be the same judgement yes?"

    He nodded. "It would."

    She sighed in relief knowing that this was going to be great news. That simply meant that now she could Be sure that Jasmine coulde and tell him everything without him blowing up.

    She threw her arms around him, surprising him with a hug. "Thank you Xaden."

    He froze for a few minutes and then he returned the hug.

    She rose up to her feet and adjusted the nket to cover his feet appropriately.

    Then she went ahead to adjust the head of his pillow.

    "Is that all you wish to ask?" He asked her.

    She nodded. Then she stopped. "One more thing."

    He rose a brow.

    "May I give a suggestion?" She asked him.

    "Of course." He said and then gave a wryly smile. "I had assumed I was the one giving opinions."

    She ignored him and said. "If I were you I would sleep together in the same bed with Jasmine."

    His eyes widened.

    "Yes I know that you have had sex with her and no I am not talking about that I am saying basically, you are tired and both endured the same pain." She expressed. "I belive it would be reassuring and she would be morefortable having you in the same bed. And also I belive that in as much as your sleep position will be better in your own bed. I belive you would enjoy holding her tonight. After such a long time."

    And with that she left the room.

 Chapter 234: DESIRES

    <h4>Chapter 234: DESIRES</h4>

    After Fiona had left, Xadeny down in his couch thinking into space of what she had said.

    Jasmine truly would not mind him staying with her?

    He felt like a teenage boy with butterflies, unsure of the right moves to make towards her.

    To his horror there were in fact mosquitoes in the room.

    It baffled him as he kept smacking them over and over trying to chase them away.

    At one point he turned to his wolf and snapped at them.

    He then reverted back to his human form and after lying back down with the nket by his neck, he started to hear the singing of the little insects.

    A few minutester, after so much thought along with him tossing and banging his head into the headboard of the couch along with the frequent mosquitoes disturbance , he summoned confidence and went out of the study.

    It was perhaps around two in the early hours of the morning as he went back to his bedroom.

    He was in his robe and then the guards who were standing watch saw him but made bo question as to where he was going.

    Xaden himself was feeling embarrassed and ufortable.

    He did not want anyone to know that he was going to stay with Jasmine.

    After all it was his room. Perhaps they would get the wrong idea.

    His face went red when he realized he was behaving like a foolish and scared cat.

    Why was he worried what they would think?

    He stood at the guards who were standing watch at his doors .

    "My lord." They greeted.

    He nodded and they stood away from the door, and gently opened it.

    He went in and they very calmly closed the door behind him.

    The snow of the night blew a cold breeze across the room.

    He had forgotten to ask them why it was snowing. He had had been stunned when he had arrived and seen that there was snow in thends.

    The candlelights were dim, but he could see his bed.

    He took off his robe and with only his draws, he went toy in his bed.

    He saw Jasmine, lying peaceful asleep like an angel.

    He gently went under the nket andid his back against the pillows.

    She breathed easily and then he reached out and touched her wild red curls.

    They smelled like the tropics.

    While she who wore the crown of curls of smelled divine.

    He gently trailed his finger in her hair, tangling and curling them in between his fingers whilst she slept.

    The cold weather the snow brought made situations worse.

    Made him want to draw him nearer to her and pull her to his warmth.

    He knew that she was most likely tired from the entire ordeal of being in between life and death and so should he be.

    But he could not help feel his cock slowly rise up in hunger and desire for her.

    It had been so damn long that he had her.

    He remembered thest time how he had been furious with her and then he had reasoned he had just desired her.

    He remembered how her body was more open to him and how she had spilled the warmth in between her legs.

    And then it urred to him, since she hade ti the pack she was the only wolf he had desired.

    He had hungered for no one else.

    Except for Aurora and that was because he had wanted to simply have sex.

    Meanwhile deep down he now knew that it was only Jasmine his body hungered for.

    He groaned in difort with knowledge that if he did not turn around and sleep, then he would be in pains the next morning and he did not want that.

    Just as he let go of her hair , he saw her eyes flutter open and she was staring at him.

    He was stunned at first and then he gently caressed her cheek.

    "My lord." She said in such a soft whisper.

    He touched her chin and then his finger traced her bottom lip.

    Good gods. He wanted to ravage those lips and suck the life out of them till they were swollen.

    He swallowed and suppressed his lustfull thinking.

    "How are you?" He asked cooly. "You should not be awake, rather you should be asleep."

    "It is not I who should be asked but you." She said looking into his eyes. "You traveled in pains and yet you came back home."

    "It does not mattter." He said. "You are a woman and you need to rest. Your body is tired. You do not understand the hard ways of a man, so you should sleep."

    He seemed to notice a small frown on her face and then she said. "You came. I had asked of you. Feared that I had chased you from your own bed."

    He gently touched the side of her neck and he swallowed.

    Every part of her body was warm.

    The further he went, the more he could feel her heat.

    "I only wanted you to restfortably." He said.

    "The bed is more than enough for the both of us." She stated matter of fact.

    He watched as she parted her lips after speaking and then he did not know when he set his finger inside her mouth.

    Reflex made her close her mouth together and then he felt the sensation of her sweet lips closing around his finger.

    "God you would not be the death of me." He said and then lost control.

    He went over her and began to ce kisses over her entire body.

    Jasmine��s body was on fire. She cried out in pleasure as her body weed him.

    He nuzzled her neck and then he sent his finger to the valley in between her legs, she cried out and her warmth flowed out.

    He smiled down at her and set his lips against hers as he gave her a longing kiss.

    She threw her arms around him only pulling him further into the kiss.

    She flicked her tongue into his mouth and moaned in pleasure as he further dumbed her into their hunger.

    Then he went down to her neck and spoiled her with kisses, he gave her love bites and she would moan so loud.

    He felt his urges for her increase and he didn��t want to hurt her.

    "My lord." She said through their kisses.

    But he was busy kissing every inch of her body like he worshipped it.

    "Yes." He mumbled absent mindlessly.

    "I need to tell you something." She said. "There is something of the most importance that you need to know."

    He ignored her and set two fingers further in between her legs, sending her to heights that she had forgotten even existed.

    She hadpletely forgotten how much his touch drove her insane, what it actually did to her.

    She felt her insides release more warmth and then now his fingers were wet and slippery.

    "Gods." He mumbled.

    He ravaged her breasts while his other hands teased the valley in between her legs.

    She was now so hungry for him. She wanted him to fill herpletely, but yet she knew that she needed to tell him the truth.

    She felt the tears that had gathered around her eyes ready to spill.

    She had no idea when they began to flow freely.

    And then he stopped and looked into her eyes.

    He cupped her cheeks and made her look at him. "Did I hurt? Did I hurt you my love?"

    Her heart stopped.

    Had he just called her his love?!

    Or was she dreaming it.

    She could hardly even speak.

    "Tell me." He whispered so gently she wanted him to stay this way forever and then she burst into more tears again.

    She was now well convinced of the fact that she did not deserve him.

    Now that he was being so kind to her, loving and now that he seemed sweeter than ever.

    She was going to be forced to reveal the truth to him.

    She swallowed.

    He became worried at her new outburst and proceeded to check All over.

    "Tell me have I hurt you Jasmine?" He asked with so much concern she began to weep more. "Gods."

    He was angry with himself, he had been so oblivious to her and cared for his desires tjat he had hurt her.

    He felt so terrible.

    "Do tell me what is wrong. I hurt you did I not?" He asked.

    She shook her head me he waspletely lost for words.

    "You are sure that I did not hurt you?" He asked.

    She shook her head still whimpering and crying.

    He was now very confused.

    "So why are you crying?" He asked her.

    "I have something to tell you and I-

    He wiped her tears and held her to him.

    She froze once her head remained on his chest.

    He asked no questions, he simply pulled her and cuddled her.

    "Whatever you wish to say." He said. "Troubles you and I would not want to see you sad so I ask that you forget about it and let it go."

    She was so stunned by his words and how gentle he was with her.

    She rxed as he cradled her and soon she was fast asleep.

 Chapter 235: THE ULTIMATE DISCOVERY

    <h4>Chapter 235: THE ULTIMATE DISCOVERY</h4>

    XADEN��S POV

    Early the next morning Xaden woke up to the cool breeze of the snow.

    Jasmine was lying with her head on his chest and then his hands were wrapped around her waist securing her firmly to him.

    He felt her shiver and then he frowned and saw that the doors to his wide balcony was very well open.

    He gently eased her away from him.

    She held on to him fervently and it was not only till he kissed her forehead gently that she rxed.

    As if her subconscious warmed to his kiss.

    He was able to pry her away from him and very slowly get out of the bed.

    He walked to the corridors and overlook the entire castle.

    There was snow everywhere but sunlight was beginning toe out.

    The staff were packing the snow off the paths with their shovels while little kids were dancing around in the snow.

    He began to wonder what it would be like to have children.

    And then a little thought came to his head.

    A little boy around the age of six and a little girl around the age of three.

    In his imagination they were ying in the snow. The boy had vibrant red hair while the girl had raven ck hair.

    He imagined them ying and giggling together in the snow and then in his wolf imagination, a woman with red curly hair came and wasughing with them.

    When the woman turned he saw it was Jasmine.

    It was then he came back crashing into reality.

    He shook the thought away.

    He was crazy for him to believe or even assume that he could perhaps have children.

    He had lost that right a long time ago.

    He knew that Alphas were allowed to have bastards in fact most of them had.

    Xaden admitted to himself that he wanted a special ce for Jasmine in his pack.

    To be his mistress and he would face anyone who defied him.

    He was ready by all means to make her his.

    He could never marry her because she was a ve but she could be his mistress.

    He wanted her around him always.

    And it weakened him knowing that he would never have children.

    That even if Jasmine could conceive that little imagination that had yed in his mind would nevere to pass.

    He took his mind off it and then he made a mental note to ask his men where the snow hade from.

    He closed the corridors by using itsrge and tall curtains to shut it.

    Then he turned back to the room.

    Jasmine was still sound asleep.

    He was tempted to snuggle back into bed but then he knew that he had pressing matters to deal with.

    He had been away from the pack for a long time.

    He needed to discuss issues.

    There was also the issue of Aurora��s burial.

    He went grim and then he went down to Jasmine.

    He gently set her curls aside and kissed her rosy cheeks.

    He tucked her in with the nkets around her to keep her warm.

    After that he went off to the candles and put them back on.

    He went to his drawers and found one of his fur coats.

    He wore it along with a pair of pants and then his boots.

    He tied his hair up and walked out of the room but not before looking at Jasmine one more time.

    When he emerged from the room the men at his doors bowed at him hurriedly.

    "My Lord." They greeted.

    "Good morning men." Xaden said with a smile.

    And then he began to whistle.

    The men looked at each other and said nothing.

    "Have my breakfast sent into my study." He instructed. "And send the men in."

    They nodded and went off.

    When he reached the Study, a very delicious meal of pancakes and eggs along with slices ofmb were there for him.

    He drank from the tea and smiled nodding at the taste.

    In fact Xaden barely ever noted his food or made remarks.

    He took a bite of the pancake and moaned.

    "This is delicious." He said to the servant who brought in the meal.

    And then Erik and the other men came in.

    They greeted him.

    But Xaden ignored them and called out to them.

    "Doe." He said. "Taste this. This is absolutely delicious."

    Erik looked at him like he was crazy.

    "Is everything alright Xaden?" Erik asked looking at him with suspicion.

    "What could be wrong?" Xadenughed. "Today of all days. Can you not see how the sun is out and how it is such a beautiful weather."

    At that moment thunder struck in ordance with the snow.

    Xaden��s arms were open with excitement.

    He extremely happy.

    Then he brought his hands down and indicated for them to have the meal.

    "By all means eat."

    Xaden said.

    Erik started to say he was not interested.

    But Xaden came to his side stubbornly and said.

    "No I insist." He said and led Erik to his seat and forced him down.

    Xaden handed him the te. "Have a bite. I insist."

    Erik look at him while Xaden looked back at him.

    Erik signed and took a bite of the food.

    "Mmhhmm yes? Is it not just made into perfection?" Xaden asked in excitement.

    Erik mumbled because he had a mouth full with food.

    "That��s the spirit!" Xaden said mming Erik hard at his back.

    Erik coughed brutally.

    Then Xaden turned to the servant. "I want more of these meals everyday."

    She smiled ufortably. "But this is your meal every morning my lord. You have had this meal since this pack was built."

    Xaden had a puzzled look. "Really? Well it seemed to taste different today."

    Erik stopped coughing finally after drinking water and his face was red.

    He rose up and Xaden sat down.

    "Now tell me what matters do we need to discuss." Xaden said.

    "You need to tell me why you are in such a good mood?" Erik asked.

    "I am always in a good mood." Xaden said.

    "You are never in a good mood." Phil one of his topmander said.

    The other men nodded in agreement.

    Xaden shook his head in disagreement.

    "No I am always like this. I think this has always been my mood." Xaden said. "So yes on to pressing things."

    Then he remembered what Fiona had said.

    "Yes where are the servants that I had ordered for an execution." Xaden asked.

    "In the dungeon." One of them replied. "They are awaiting your orders."

    "I will be pardoning them all. No punishments." Xaden said. "They are free to go. You can go see to it that they are now respectively released to their families."

    Someone nodded and went away.

    "The issue of Aurora." Erik said. "Her body was preserved by Loren until you came. She has not been buried yet."

    Xaden nodded. "She would be given a burial one only befitting of a Luna. We can not deny that only in thatst hour had Aurora rn insane. She was like tne luna of this pack regardless of herst actions. Those who were in cohorts to have her possessed would be shipped out. Mind my words."

    The men nodded and whispered in agreement.

    Then he added. "And to those who were lost in her attack. They will be buried as true wolves of this pack. What happened shall never happen again and I will find those responsible for wrecking havoc in this pack."

    And then he howled.

    All the wolves howled in unison.

    And then his radiant blue eyes went back to being calm.

    "Where is Damian?" He asked looking around.

    The men looked around each other and shrugged not seeing him anywhere.

    At that moment the door was flung open.

    It was as if a sudden dark shadow was approaching the room.

    "My lord."

    It was Quincy and he looked distraught.

    "What happened?" Xaden asked sensing danger.

    Quincy was breathing very hard and then he swallowed.

    "I have very bad news my lord." Quincy said.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Xaden was on his horse as they jounryed down the snow towards the path that led to to main gates of the Crescent pack.

    Each pack used walls to round his entire territory before having another gate that round his own castle.

    The first rounded wall consisted of the vige of the other wolves who lived in the pack.

    The people were out of their towns as he passed.

    Xaden��s pack was extremelyrge as he had a number of over five million people under him.

    And then Xaden saw it.

    He came down from his horse and at the gates of the first wall, there wa something hanging from above.

    His bones weakened and his body became frail.

    His chest was reaching and his breath became uneven.

    It was as if his entire body was about to shut down.

    On the spikes of the gates was nothing other than the head of Eleanor, his mother.

 Chapter 236: XADEN’S LAST MEMORY OF HIS MOTHER

    <h4>Chapter 236: XADEN��S LAST MEMORY OF HIS MOTHER</h4>

    Xaden dropped down to his knees instantly, and his entire being shook for a while.

    And then he became frozen.

    Like he was unable to look, his eyes were just locked on her head on the spikes/

    It was like all further joy that he had had earlier on vanished.

    Like they had never existed. Like this morning, he had not whistled like there had been no smiles on his face.

    He did not see her body anywhere; only her head, and then her king-ck raven hair hung from her head.

    "What is going on?" Erik asked from behind.

    He had just caught on to them.

    He stopped short. "Fuck."

    There was serene silence.

    The horses that had approached with the other wolves went quiet.

    As if they, too, were acknowledging the gravity of the loss.

    "How did this happen? How did you find out?" Erik asked.

    Xaden was barely even listening to them.

    It was like he was lost in his little world.

    "We received word from the men securing the wall," Damian said. "I came to investigate, and I found her."

    "What about her body?" Erik asked.

    "We found her on the eastern part of the wall," Damian said. "The men had seen the body earlier and had no idea who she was. She is being taken away now."

    Damian looked back up, her head on the spikes. "I could not bring her down. Xaden deserves that honor."

    And then Xaden became limp.

    He turned to a wolf, and he howled.

    He cried and howled, and you could hear him whimper like a child.

    All the men just stood still, unable to console him.

    Xaden was heartbroken.

    And thest time he had seen her, he had said awful things to her.

    It shed through his mind quickly and tormented

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    (FIRST FLASHBACK)

    "I warned you about her." Eleanor had said. "What am I here for you if you won��t seek me out to help you?"

    "Marie, do not turn me down the way you do. And moreover, she is stronger than you." He said. "You couldn��t even urately find out who had tried to kill me."

    Eleanor involuntarily jerked back in disbelief at what he said, and then she cleared her throat and said, "She is stronger because she uses dark magic. You have no idea what it is. Dark magic is evil, and once taken, it asks for something in return. I love you, that��s why I will never use dark magic."

    "If you loved me, you would have gotten all of this over with, " he said rudely. You don��t care about me or anyone else."

    She blinked in shock. "How can you say something like that, Xaden? This isn��t how I raised you."

    "I��m not a child anymore." He told her.

    She looked at him, hurt at his words.

    "That boy you raised is gone." He said angrily.

    He was upset with her.

    It was partly her fault.

    She had served him false information, and he had gone ahead to disgrace himself in front of everyone.

    "You don��t mean what you��re saying." She shook her head. "Stay away from Marie."

    "I am an Alpha, not some half-dead child anymore. Leave me alone." Xaden said.

    She was hurt by his words he could see it in his eyes.

    She licked her bottom lips, and her fingers shook.

    "You don��t mean that." She said.

    "I mean every word of it!" He spat. "Now leave!"

    She gasped softly.

    Then she nodded her head, turned away, and left the throne room.

    Once Xaden saw her leaving, he realized that she was truly going.

    She was the mother he never had. She was, in fact, his only mother after his family��s massacre

    He felt a squeeze in his chest.

    He wanted to tell her to stop, run, and tell her that he meant those words, but pride and ego filled him.

    After all, it had been her fault.

    It was Elena��s fault that he was hurting over Jasmine. He would have gotten rid of her from the first day he had met her had she used dark magic to read her the night they hade to the cabin.

    Instead of going after, Xaden let his pride win.

    He remained on his throne until she had left.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    (SECOND FLASHBACK)

    "Xaden!"

    He turned and saw Eleanor.

    Thest time

    They had seen they had had a very bitter argument, and he had sent her out.

    Even told her that he never wanted to see her again.

    She was his mother. The woman who had raised him when he had no one.

    His entire being was filled with shame when he saw her progressing towards him.

    "Eleanor." He said.

    His pride, grief, and guilt would not let him show to her that he missed her.

    That news sorry for all the awful things he had said.

    Rather, he maintained a persona of someone who had everything under control.

    "Xaden I need to speak to you about something. It is quite urgent." She said to him.

    He felt himself stiffen.

    Was she really going to talk to him about Marie when he was going away to probably his own death?

    He became angry at herck of concern for him, and then he arrogantly went to his horse.

    "I have a journey to make." He said.

    "Xaden it is of the most importance." She replied. "Your journey will have to wait. I need to tell you something."

    He tried to climb his horse and then he felt a pain in his chest.

    He stopped and groaned.

    She gasped and reached out to him while his men looked down, worried.

    "Are you okay?" She asked him.

    He suspected that it was Jasmine��s wound beginning to affect it.

    It waved off, and then he shook her hand off.

    "Fine." He said gruffly.

    Then he climbed his horse and said to her. "Whatever you have to say will wait. Moreover, I said that I do not want to see you."

    He saw the hurt in her eyes, and then he turned on his horse and rode off, leaving her standing there before the guilt in him consumed him.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~

 Chapter 237: XADEN FINALLY DISCOVERS THE IMPOSTER

    <h4>Chapter 237: XADEN FINALLY DISCOVERS THE IMPOSTER</h4>

    Present time.

    All those moments came tumbling through his mind, reminding him of how he had treated the one woman who had loved him.

    The one who had brought him back to life and raised him as a child.

    The only one who knew from inside and out was gone.

    And he had rejected her.

    He had kicked her out of his home.

    Discarded her Like a rag.

    And now he would never see her again.

    He would never apologize.

    His pride had ruined his life! His stupid ego had cost him his own mother!

    He howled, and then, when he had howled for over an hour, he reverted to his human form. His human form was, in fact, in tatters.

    His hair was a mess, and he looked like he had dropped from hell.

    His clothes were in shreds, and he had self-inflicted scratches on his own body.

    He rose up to his feet and climbed up the wall.

    He used his ws to cement his stance on the wall until he reached the top.

    He picked her head out of the spike and kept it in the cradle of his neck.

    He came down and began walking in the snow back home.

    He did not take a horse or run as a wolf he simply walked in his human form.

    The men were all behind him, and they gave him arge space away from him in respect.

    They walked for hours until they finally reached the castle.

    The entire castle was dead quiet.

    It was as if death had hovered around it.

    The women began to cry, and the men had their wolves howling because they all knew Eleanor.

    She had been like a protector to them.

    Marie pushed away from the crowd confused as to what was happening.

    She stopped short when she saw Xaden holding her sister��s head in his arms.

    She stood still, as if something had hit her.

    She screamed.

    Screamed so loud and powerful that all the sses began to break at once.

    The people had to put their hands against their ears to ease the shrill cry.

    Only Xaden remained undisturbed.

    Marie finally stopped and hovered around Xaden.

    She was now crying ck blood.

    "Who did this?" She demanded. "Who did this to my sister?!"

    She was hysterical, screaming and holding him, demanding a response.

    But he, just like her, was dazed.

    And he kept on walking.

    He walked all the way up the stairs and just kept on walking.

    It was not until he saw Jasmine that he stopped.

    Her eyes were filled with tears, and her face was puffy as if she had cried.

    His lips slowly set apart, and then he managed.

    "She is dead, Jasmine." He said, showing his mother��s head.

    "She is dead because of me."

    Jasmine, at that moment, walked to him and very deeply hushed him.

    "No do not say such words. You know that it is not true." She said cooing him.

    Erik used the opportunity to take her head away from him.

    He barely even noticed.

    Jasmine quickly put her hands around his hands.

    "But it is true." He said. "I sent her out. I told her I never wanted to see her again."

    She gently touched his cheek, and she saw teardrop drop from his eyes.

    She gently wiped it away.

    And then she pulled him to her and engulfed him to a hug.

    It was at that moment that Xaden broke.

    He cried and let it out.

    As a man, he wept in her arms and held onto her while he fell into pieces revealing his most vulnerable to her and only her.

    She gently sang to his ears and rubbed his back in a bid to pacify him.

    She sang so sweetly that all who were present fell in love with her."

    She gently sat down on a reclining couch and set his head against her bosom.

    She touched his hair repeatedly in a very calming manner.

    Until he stopped crying and was reduced to sniffs.

    At that moment, his mate Lily burst into the room.

    She stopped short when she saw Jasmine singing to him.

    After a while, Xaden became calm.

    He reluctantly let go of her.

    "It was not your fault." She said to him. "Your mother loved you. That I know and I know that until herst breath she still loved you."

    He said nothing, and then he gently got up from the bed and walked out of the room.

    No one said a word.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Xaden was in his study, still in a state of shock, trying to understand what had truly happened.

    And it hit him.

    Someone had murdered her. Someone had brutally taken her like how his birth mother had been taken away too.

    He tightened his fist in anger.

    His teeth began toe, and he began to growl.

    When he found out who did this!

    He banged his fists on the table and he got up and started to break everything.

    He flung bottles, pulled out centuries-old wine, and destroyed them. He broke down paintings, anything to quell his anger.

    It was at that moment that the door was opened.

    Damian came into the room.

    He merely dodged A furniture Xaden had thrown at him.

    "Get out." Xaden spat.

    "I know that this is not the right time or ce." Damian said, "especially with what had just happened. But if I hold this in me longer than I have, I would be disobeying you, my lord."

    Xaden gritted his teeth. "What could be more important than losing my own mother!"

    Damian said nothing and then pulled out a scroll and handed it to him.

    Xaden looked at him. "What the fuck is that?"

    Damian was about to exin when he snatched it and opened it.

    As Xaden read it, his face went grim and turned to a mask of stone Damian had never ever seen.

    "Where did you get this?" Xaden asked.

    "Aurora had had it. She gave it to the servant Lisa to give you in case anything happened to her. There was also an owl that came and went after receiving information. A message owl. And there is more, my lord."

    Damian handed him the loc of hair.

    As Xaden touched it, everything he had lived for came crashing down.

 Chapter 238: THE INTERROGATION 1

    <h4>Chapter 238: THE INTERROGATION 1</h4>

    "Jasmine, you are being called to Alpha Xaden��s throne room."

    Was the first thing the guards said to Jasmine when they came and met her with Fiona.

    She looked up at them with surprise.

    "Oh." She mumbled.

    Fiona looked at the cross. "What is going on? Why is he calling her like something is wrong?"

    "We can not give the details of our assignment." One of the guards simply replied.

    "But she needs toe along with us. Immediately." The other said.

    Jasmine gently put her hand on Fiona��s thigh.

    "Do not worry." She assured her. "Maybe he just wants to see me. He was really distressed about Eleanor��s death."

    Fiona looked at the guards with heavy suspicion.

    "Yes, but I��lle with you." She said.

    "Only Jasmine is invited." One of the guards said.

    Fiona got up from her seat and went to face him.

    "That story of me living here like a servant was all a hoax," Fiona said. "You know who I am. And I warn you to be careful with me. Xaden might just turn on you."

    The guards looked at each other and said nothing.

    Fiona took a hold of Jasmine��s hand and led her past.

    The guards walked behind.

    "Have you told him?" Fiona asked her in a whisper.

    "No, not yet. I wanted tost night, but he told me not to say whatever I wanted to say." Jasmine said. "He is different. It is like he came different."

    Fiona looked left and right as they walked by. "For the better or for worse?"

    "Better." She replied. "He was kind and gentle with me. A side of me I glimpsed sometimes but never saw its full potential."

    "Now that Eleanor is dead I do not think you tell him," Fiona said afterthought.

    "Why not?" Jasmine asked, almost stopping, but Fiona urged her to continue walking.

    "It might be too much for him. And it will all be difficult for him to digest at once. I think it is not the right time." Fiona said. "When all of this calms down, then you can tell him. He is unpredictable at this point."

    Jasmine swallowed hard.

    Fiona had told her that she had cunningly spoke to him about it and he had stated that he did not mind what happened.

    He will forgive and she had been more than ready to tell him the truth butst night he had stopped her.

    Now Eleanor was dead.

    "Whoever killed her in such a brutal way is a monster," Fiona said. "And I hope they get what ising."

    Jasmine herself had been shaken at the fact that Eleanor was no more.

    She was the only other person who had taken care of her after Urma, the healer back home.

    To think that someone must have done this to her was monstrous.

    The guards reached the throne room doors and opened It for them.

    Jasmine and Fiona stepped in.

    She saw Xaden, and she began to smile.

    When he turned back, his face was emotionless, dead.

    It was then she knew that something was wrong.

    She turned and saw Erik, Damian, Marie, Loren, Uther and other high ranking members of the pack standing in the room too.

    And then the one that shocked her the most was Lisa.

    What was she even doing here?

    Fiona, too, seemed to notice something was off because she, too, was suspiciously looking around.

    "You sent for me, my lord." She started.

    Xaden said nothing, and then he walked up to Jasmine.

    She began to fear him.

    It was as if a dark cloud hovered over him.

    He handed her a scroll, then he walked to his throne and sat.

    "Read it aloud." He said. Then he added . "everyone to hear."

    Jasmine was still confused as to what game this was.

    She turned to Fiona, who simply offered her a shrug.

    "I said read to everyone��s ears." He snapped as she jumped.

    Her hands shaking, she unraveled the scroll, and what she saw sent chills down her spine.

    It was a letter from Alexander stating about the fact that she was the bastard daughter of Alpha Bale.

    Her heart vehemently began to rate and she could feel the sweat at her neck.

    She looked away from the scroll.

    His face was grim, and had nothing written on it.

    His entire expression simply said that he would not ask her again.

    Her voice was shaken, and she started to read out from the scroll.

    As she began to read, she stopped short, and an instant chill went down her spine.

    This was a letter from Alexander informing whosoever the receiver was that she was the bastard daughter of Alpha Bale and not his prized daughter after all.

    She began to shake and sweat.

    She stopped reading and looked up from the scroll.

    "Xaden please I can exin-

    "Keep on reading." he cut her short.

    She felt her knees go weak as she was forced to read everything aloud.

    They all listened to her in in silence, and when she was done, the truth was out.

    They now all knew that she was the bastard daughter of Alpha Bale and not the prized one he had wanted in the first ce.

    All eyes were on her. They were judging sneering, she looked at Loren and Fiona they along with Erik were the only ones with a pitiful gaze.

    The rest were more or less happy about her.

    She saw Lisa standing with glee, and everything within her told her that she was responsible for it.

    But she did not even want to look at the others.

    It was Xaden she wanted to see, but he would not even look at her.

    He was avoiding gazing at her. He could not even withhold her presence.

    All he did was stare at the wall.

    After her little speech, he looked up into the wall, still refusing to look at her, and said, "Who are you, Jasmine?"

 Chapter 239: THE INTERROGATION 2

    <h4>Chapter 239: THE INTERROGATION 2</h4>

    Jasmine swallowed hard as his words hit her.

    How was she to respond to that.

    She began to stutter and then he snapped at her so bad that she jumped.

    Everyone else in the room jumped.

    "WHO ARE YOU?!" He barked like the wolf that he was.

    "Because that letter says that you are not the daughter of Luna Maria." He said. "I wanted Alpha Bale��s daughter. His prize as special and spoiled daughter and that letter says that you are not her so who are you?!"

    She began to shake, her entire body was vibrating.

    This was too much!

    This was not how she had wanted it to happen.

    She had wanted to be the one to tell him but it hade out blown this way.

    Then the doors were opened just before she was about to speak.

    She turned and saw that it was three members of the wolf council.

    Chills went down her spine.

    They went past her and headed straight to face Xaden.

    "Good. You all finally arrived." Xaden said to them.

    He had called members of the wolf council here too?

    She had not expected this.

    What was going to happen to her now?

    Usually when they called members of the wolf council into an issue it was very trivial and of the most importance.

    Then he turned back to her.

    When he turned to face her, he did not look at her rather he would look to the left or right.

    But he would not hold eye contact.

    "You seem surprised to see them." He said to her. "What you and your family have done ismit one of the biggest blunders and disobedience of the rules of the wolves."

    It was not just her now, it was her father, her stepmother, step sister, the entire pack.

    "Now tell me, who the fuck are you?" He asked her again. "And speak loud enough so everyone can hear you."

    She swallowed. "I...I am.... Alpha B... bale��s daughter."

    There was uproar in the crowd.

    Whispers of her being a liar and being a deceiver in the dying moment of being caught.

    She started to exin, but her voice was lost in the uproar.

    "Silence," Xaden instructed, and they all instantly obeyed.

    She swallowed hard and said. "I am truly the daughter of Alpha Bale. My mother was a servant in the pack. She died giving birth to me, and I was born before any of his children. I am a bastard."

    There were some more whispers but this time not so loud.

    Xaden waved his hand, and they all went quiet.

    "But you were not the one I asked for," Xaden said. "I had strictly requested for Alpha Bale and Luna Maria��s daughter. In fact, no one knows that Bale had a bastard."

    The way he said it made him flinch as if his words had pped her.

    "I was not." She managed.

    "And yet you came." He said through gritted teeth. "And yet you chose to deceive me. You chose to pretend like you were the one I wanted."

    She immediately dropped down to her knees. "Please, my lord. I had no say in the Matter. My father was the one who told me toe. He and Luna Maria."

    She was crying now, pleading with him.

    Fiona herself was on the verge of tears.

    "Let us say that you were held ransom by your parents. That you were forced to deceive me or face a severe punishment when you came to the pack, why did you not tell me the truth?" He asked.

    Her mouth dropped.

    How was she going to exin to him the emotional and traumatic hold her father had on her?

    How was she going to exin to him that even though her father was miles away, she had been so scared of him that she would have done anything for him?

    He Instilled great fear into her and treated them like a riff raft to the point that when he finally saw her as his daughter, she was willing to do just about anything for him.

    How could she exin that?

    He would simply say she was looking for an excuse.

    "Let us say that you did not know me." He resumed. "And you were afraid of the Alpha who had taken you from your home. You got used to me. You knew me better. All this

    The time you knew, and you chose not to tell me. You chose to choose every day and lie to me. And be an imposter. Take me for a fool!"

    Everyone felt it in their bones.

    His rage, his anger, and then fear of him.

    "I wanted to tell you." She broke down into more tears. "I was going to tell you, I swear it. But every single time that I tried to, I just could not bring myself to it."

    "You chose to lie to me. It was a choice you made by your own self." He said.

    She frantically shook her head.

    "N...no, please. I swear I did not want to lie to you." She wept. "I did want to tell you. I tried to tell you. Evenst night, I tried to tell you."

    Those words brought a chill silence into the room.

    They all knew that he slept with her sometimes, but the way she had stayed it.

    That she had tried to tell himst night, but she had been unable to indicated how intimate they were.

    Jasmine realized that she had only made him look foolish in front of his entire congregation and the wolf council.

    She held her tongue and managed to press down on the tears that were fighting toe.

    At that point, Fiona started toe in.

    "Xaden, please." She said. "Do not be so hard on her."

    "You do not have the right to speak here!" He snapped at her.

    "It was not her fault I was the one who told her not to tell you!" Fiona said.

    The room was quiet.

    "You did what?!"

 Chapter 240: THE INTERROGATION 3

    <h4>Chapter 240: THE INTERROGATION 3</h4>

    "You did what?!" Xaden demanded of his adopted sister.

    She swallowed hard, and even though she was now the one facing Xaden��s wrath, she stood firm and told him the truth.

    "I told her not to tell you," Fiona said. She was going to tell you, but then, after everything that happened with Eleanor, I told her to wait a while for you to calm down."

    Xaden looked at her with rage in his eyes. "You knew?! You knew?!"

    She nodded meekly. "Yes, I did."

    Xaden could hardly even believe his eyes or ears. "You knew all along and you refused to tell me! You, too, deceived me knowingly?! You kept it away from me! You knew something so grave and yet you decided to even tell her not to tell me?"

    "I did it only because I was worried for you, " she said. "I was not certain how you would take it."

    Xaden gave a bitterugh. "It seems everyone knows about what is going on. It seems I am the only one who does not know things in my own pack!"

    He gave a bitterugh once again.

    "I did tell you, though," Fiona said. "I used some ways to tell you about it.

    He blinked at her confused.

    "When I was asking you about the scenario." She said. "The one you said that the offender would not be punished."

    He raked his hands through his hair and said in amazement. "My good Goddess Fiona! Was it truly Jasmine that you were referring to? That you made that scenario?"

    She nodded. "And you said you understood. In fact, you said that she will not be punished because she was forced."

    Xaden was quiet for a short while and then his reaction shocked everyone.

    "You FUCKING think this is a game?! Our lives?!" He snapped at Fiona. "Do you have an idea who Bale is?! He was the reason why you lost everything! Why I adopted you! Why your mother made me promise to take care of you and then you go ahead to make such STUPID decisions on your own."

    Xaden had never ever for once yelled at Fiona and she recoiled.

    "I... was only trying to help." Fiona managed. In a small voice

    "Well, you have a fucking horrible way of showing it." He said.

    Jasmine stepped in having had enough.

    It was she he was mad at not her.

    "Do not yell at her like that," Jasmine said, surprising everyone. If there is anyone you would be mad at, it is me, not her. Fiona did nothing wrong. I was the one who got her involved. Please do not punish her for my own actions."

    Xaden now finally made eye contact with her and it was a cold re that spoke words.

    "And that is a mistake she will learn." He said coldly. He turned to the guards. "Take her to her room."

    Then he, In turn, turned to look at Fiona. "I should have never paid heed to that your game of pretending to be a servant and living amongst the servants. It was my mistake and I know better now."

    The guards went to take her arm but she jerked free and stormed out of the throne room.

    Now it was back to Jasmine being the center of attention.

    She swallowed heavily.

    "Please do not punish her." She begged him.

    "You have no right to make any requests. From the moment that your deception was discovered your rights were revoked. You have no right as even a living being. How I shall punish Fiona will be up to me you can be rest assured that you shall be punished."

    Then he went back to his throne.

    "What did your family send you here for? What did they intend you to aplish by sending you here?!" He asked.

    Jasmine��s throat hood instantly. She managed to swallow and then she said. "They sent me here because their daughter would not have been able to survive."

    "Is that all the reason why they sent you here?!" He asked her.

    She battled with her mind whether to tell him about the fact that she was also a mole.

    That they had sent her to retrieve information and watch them.

    She was quiet for a while.

    "Your silence says that is all then." He finished for her.

    Then he snapped his fingers and an object was brought in with a long cloth covering it.

    It was set on a table.

    And then Xaden went over it himself and pulled out the cloth.

    Jasmine gasped when she saw Kitana her Message owl.

    "Does this belong to you?!" He asked.

    She looked up at him and nodded slowly. "Yes, my lord."

    He turned to the wolf council. "This is a message owl. As we all know. A message owl can be used to send messages back and forth. Mainly by use of visions to document what the message is and when it goes back to the receiver, they will be able to see it for themselves."

    Then he turned to Jasmine. "This belonged to you."

    She swallowed so hard.

    She had not admitted that she had also been a spy, and somehow, he had caught hold of her little owl.

    She felt for it as it was so quiet in the cage and looked scared.

    "You own a message owl." He said. "Who gave it to you?"

    It was all up. Everything was up. Everything was over for her.

    She sighed and gave in. "It was my father."

    There was another uproar in the crowd.

    Xaden went back to his throne and sat.

    "You agree that you used this owl because, as an unshifted wolf, you can not make contact with your bloodline. An owl was given to you to send information from here back home. Is it not?"

    She nodded and started to speak. "Yes, but I was going to stop. I had already stopped even sending messages when-

    "Enough!" Xaden barked.

 Chapter 241: INTERROGATION 4

    <h4>Chapter 241: INTERROGATION 4</h4>

    He mmed on the table so hard that everyone shook.

    Even the owl itself was trembling.

    "I said enough." He said. "Enough of all your bloody lies. Enough with the deception. All of it. Spying is an offense punishable by death."

    She swallowed hard.

    All eyes were now on her.

    Triumph, relief, and a few stares of pity.

    "You knowingly gave out information about this pack to your family so that they could gain the upper hand when it was time for me to exterminate them." He said.

    She was crying so much now.

    Her entire body was shivering.

    It was like him being so kind to her was only a dream. It was like just a few hours had not happened when he had set his head against her chest and cried for the death of Eleanor.

    It was like how he was so tender to her the night before had not happened.

    It was as if he had not even kissed her forehead when she had woken up from thea.

    It was like none of it had urred.

    It all seemed like a faint dream.

    "Perhaps you are the reason why Aurora is dead." He said.

    She looked up at him quickly. "No. I had no hand in that."

    "You are a treacherous bitch." He snarled in anger, and his eyes were red. "You will do anything to get what you want. If you could do all that you did. Was stopping you frommitting more offenses."

    She shook her head. "No, I would never hurt you, Xaden."

    "I am now certain that Aurora found out everything about you." He began. "She was going to tell me when you informed your family, and they found a way to kill her. You nned the whole thing."

    She shook her head fervently. "No, please, Xaden. I had nothing to do with that."

    Xaden gave a bitterugh, and then he turned to one of the members of the wolf council.

    "You can see for yourself." He said to the woman.

    She has white markings on her face.

    She looked at him before going to the owl on the table.

    She touched it, and her eyes went white.

    Then she went back to her Normal state, and her eyes reverted to normal.

    She turned to Xaden. "The previous messages have been wiped out. But then there is something else. Thest one that she was to receive was still intact."

    She turned to Jasmine and said. "It was a message on how she was going to poison you, Xaden."

    The room went chill and quiet.

    Even the cool breeze of the snow stopped

    Xaden turned to look at her.

    It was as if he was broken from within.

    As if this sudden revtion had cemented everything about her.

    "Is this true?!" He asked in a hushed and hurt voice.

    Her lips parted, hoping to say something, but no words were formed.

    She had not received that message.

    She had been waiting for the owl to return so that she could tell them she no longer had any interest in doing her father��s bidding.

    She shook her head. Even though she knew that he would not believe her, she tried to exin to him, to make him understand. "Xaden, I will never hurt you. You need to understand this. Never."

    He turned away and it was as if he was swaying left and right trying to recover from the depths of his mind.

    She went up to him and knelt down. "Please, Xaden I would never-

    He raised his hands up, silencing her. "Enough."

    When he turned to look at her, it was no longer Xaden.

    It was a man who was fueled by rage and hate.

    Burning so powerfully that she could feel it. She could almost even taste it.

    He shook his head. "You deceived us. And you will pay."

    The weight of his words dropped on her head with such power she almost copsed.

    "Where is the original daughter of Alpha Bale?"

    She swallowed hard. "She is back in the pack. I believe they hid her there."

    Then Xaden turned to the members of the wolf council.

    "You now see that Alpha Bale has disobeyed thews of our pack," Xaden said. "The height of thews that he has broken. The height of deception. I married his daughter and took her as mine, and yet he gave me another. He has also used his deception as a means ofmunicating and spying on me. We do not even need to remember how much of a crime spying is."

    Then Xaden turned to them. "What is your judgment."

    The members of the wolf council whispered amongst themselves and said. "For breaking over fivews that have been ced in ordance with wolfws, Alpha Bale will be stripped of his ord. You, Alpha Xaden, are now in the right to exact punishment on the one who wronged you."

    There was murmur and uproar amongst the small group of people present.

    "So as a shortened section of the wolf council." They announced. "We decree that from this very moment. Alpha Xaden of the crescent pack is free to attack Alpha Bale of the moonlight pack as his initial ord is now dered void."

    There was now massive and serious murmuring in the crowd.

    Jasmine knew what this meant.

    It was all over.

    He would kill her father and everyone else.

    This was if he did not kill her first.

    "And so shall you be free to punish those who have offended you." The wolf council rounded up.

    Xaden stood without looking at her.

    "There is one more thing," Xaden said. "One more thing that the moonlight pack did to me."

    They were now all silent.

    Jasmine looked up, wondering why he had more against her.

    Or were there other things that her father had done that she was not aware of?

    "Alpha Bale when he was attacked by family years ago," Xaden announced. "Took my sister. Alive."

 Chapter 242: INTERROGATION 5

    <h4>Chapter 242: INTERROGATION 5</h4>

    Jasmine��s lips fell open.

    There was intense and serious uproar in the crowd.

    The bombshell dropped and shook everyone.

    Everyone was talking all at once.

    The members of the wolf council were transfixed and in absolute belief.

    Their leader stepped up and said. "Xaden, no member of your family survived that attack except for you and your uncle. We are just even learning about that now. Do you know what you are saying?"

    "Yes, I am," Xaden said. "They somehow made everyone believe we were all dead. My sister was a child. She would barely remember anything. And remember that it was only about five years ago i revealed that I survived the attack."

    "But yes, and that was because you were saved by Eleanor, the goddess bless her soul, " he said.

    "I do not know the circumstances by which she lives," Xaden said. "But Bale took my sister from my family! Stole her from us, and I have hard proof of it all."

    Xaden picked up a small box that had been lying on the table since the beginning of their meeting.

    Then he opened it and brought out a strand of hair.

    He handed it to the wolf council leader.

    "Smell it," Xaden instructed.

    The wolf council leader did as he had asked, and then, to his bewilderment, his eyes went wide open.

    "This is your family scent." He said in shock.

    Xaden said nothing.

    The people were all now talking.

    Jasmine was stunned.

    Xaden��s sister was in the pack? Her own pack at home? And she had not known all this while?

    It was not possible. It did not make any sense.

    "If your sister is alive and in the crescent pack, then howe we did not smell her when we arrived?" Erik asked, too, taken aback by the sudden revtions.

    "But it is embedded with some magic, " the man said, still smelling the loc of blonde hair. "They had used magic to suppress the scent of your family line."

    "Hence, we went in, and I was unable to perceive her," Xaden said. "She has been there all this while, and I never knew."

    The room went quiet, and then all eyes went back to Jasmine.

    "You knew this too, and you kept it from me." He said with such bitterness in his voice. "You knew that my sister was alive and being punished and tortured there all her life, and yet you said nothing?"

    Jasmine shook her head. "No, please, my lord. I have no knowledge of this. It is not even possible that she lives there. I have heard nothing of this!"

    Jasmine was equally bewildered because she had stayed in the pack, and her job being maltreated and being a ve gave her the opportunity to overhear the smallest gossip.

    "You are still lying to me?!" He barked at her.

    She shook her head, denying it. "There is no such person in our pack. No one is maltreated in the pack."

    She almost added, except for me, but she kept her mouth shut.

    "I swear it. Even female ves are rarely punished." She said. "Just those who are traitors. But I can swear to you that no one has been tortured ever since she was a child in the pack."

    He eyed her. "Your lies."

    She swallowed again.

    "Disgust me." He said.

    Then he turned to the members of the wolf council. "By first light tomorrow, we will travel to the crescent pack. We shall go by sea, for it is faster."

    "This changes everything." The members of the wolf council said. "We will also have to inform the royal family."

    "Do as you wish," Xaden said with a dismissal wave of hand. "But I will exact my judgment on Bale and his entire pack whether the king approves or not."

    No one said anything to change his mind.

    Then Xaden nodded his head to the door.

    "All of you leave." He informed them.

    They very slowly started to leave one after the other.

    "Jasmine remains behind." He said to her.

    All of them leaving looked at her before going on out.

    Jasmine dreaded being left alone with him.

    Was he finally going to kill her?

    Was it time?

    Once they were all out of the room, it was only Xaden and Jasmine left behind.

    He walked to his throne and sat down.

    He looked tired and weary.

    She wanted to go to him and pacify him.

    Talk to him and ease his pain.

    But she knew that she was the one who had inflicted more pain on him.

    He had lost his mother, discovered that Jasmine was an imposter and had betrayed him, and he had also seemingly discovered that his baby sister, who he believed was long dead, was actually alive and well.

    All of this had been revealed to him in one day.

    She very much understood the weight of his pain and how much he would be feeling.

    "You lied to me." Was the first thing he said to her.

    His voice was so small and quiet that it broke her heart.

    "Xaden, please, I did not mean to-

    "You will address me by my title of Alpha." He cut her short. "Do you understand me?"

    She was stunned, and then she curtseyed and said. "Yes, my lord."

    His face was filled with disappointment.

    With anguish and tiredness.

    Her heart broke for him.

    "I brought you in, " he said. "I risked my life for you. I broke rules for you."

    The tears that were gathered in her eyes were now brewing.

    "Alpha Xaden, please." She went down on her knees, begging him.

    "Do not touch me!" He snapped at her.

    She quickly withdrew her hand away from his clothes.

    "I was going to make you mine." He said with a bitterugh. "I was going to make you my mistress and bend thews for you."

    She looked up at him, shocked at his revtion.

    "I was going to do that all for you." He said bitterly. "And now you made me a fool."

 Chapter 243: JASMINE’S TRUE PAST

    <h4>Chapter 243: JASMINE��S TRUE PAST</h4>

    Jasmine��s hands began to shake in weakness and guilt.

    That all of this hade out this way.

    Some of it was not even true.

    Not the way she would have expressed it at least.

    And the revtion that he had wanted to make her his mistress was thest thing she would have expected.

    She knew that she was in love with him.

    There was no doubt that anymore.

    But Xaden, she had heard, did not have many feelings for women.

    Sex was strictly all that it gave him, and that was a pleasure.

    But here he was now telling her that he had wanted to hear his own mistress?

    She felt her head swoon.

    "I was going to give you everything." He said, and his heart broke.

    When she saw his face, she felt every part of her fall into absolute pieces.

    He had lost his mother, the very same woman who had saved him from death and, against all odds, brought him back to life.

    She had been his family after he had watched everyone he loved murdered.

    She had stayed with him and nurtured him as her own all those years before he eventually went on his own to find his pack and exact revenge on her own father.

    Eleanor had also been good to her.

    After how she had been treated when he took her captive, it was Eleanor who was gentle and loving with her.

    It was Eleanor who had taken care of him and made sure Xaden in turn was more gentle with her.

    And now here he was, alone with her being murdered in the most brutal way.

    And also, all her deception and secrets had been exposed now.

    Everything she had done, even the fact that she had yed a significant role in being her father��s spy.

    It was all on him.

    And what did he mean that his sister was in the pack? She did not even think of anyone who could be his sister.

    If his sister had been taken and stolen, then she would have even been treated worse than she had.

    But there was no such person.

    Or maybe he had gotten a false piece of information from someone.

    But regardless of whatever it was, to even believe that your own sister, whom you had assumed was long ago murdered, was now supposedly alive after all these years was enough to drive anyone insane.

    He looked so broken she wanted to hold him up close and tell him that it was alright.

    But she dare not even touch.

    "Why?" He asked. "Why did you ruin everything? We could have been happy."

    Just when she believed that her heart could not break any further, it did.

    She felt it shatter.

    We could have been happy, he said.

    She swallowed.

    "I swear I was going to tell you all about it." She begged him. "Every single time that I tried to let you in on it, I was unable to. I just froze. I tried so many times".

    "Why did you even do it?" He asked.

    "I had no choice." She said. "It was either I followed through to go with you or face the wrath of my father."

    "You are lying." He said. "I can hardly imagine Bale treating you like scorn. Trading his wok daughter out to his enemy to protect another."

    She shook her head. "You believed that I was a spoiled princess. My life here, even despite being a ve, is far better than the one that I endured at home. I have a roof over my head. I have food to eat. Yes, I am whispered about. Yes, every time I pass by, people say things about it. Yes, I am well aware of all of this. But here I made a friend. I met people that I could talk to. I met Loren, I met Eleanor, I met Fiona."

    She sighed heavily while he remained calm.

    "I was treated like an outcast back in the pack. They hated me for who I was and for being a bastard. The men lusted after me." She said.

    She saw him flinch when she made thatst statement.

    So he still cared for her? Despite everything.

    That simple revtion that the men back home had desired her had pulled strings in him.

    She saw how angry it was.

    She swallowed and said. "I had no friends. Only Urma took care of me. No one cared for me. Those scars you saw on my back I.....

    She stopped, not finishing up what she was about to say.

    He looked at her. "Those scars. How did you get them? If it was a lie that you were taken hostage as a child from an enemy pack."

    She swallowed again. "I said that because I did not want you to suspect I was not who I was meant to be."

    "So, how did you get them?" He asked.

    She swallowed.

    There was no point in hiding anything from him anymore.

    He had discovered it all, and why hide it when she never wanted to keep any more secrets from him?

    "Beating I endured from Luna Maria and her daughter Jessica." She said.

    He gritted his teeth.

    She went on. "Luna Maria hated me. With every slight chance she got, she would use it as an excuse to hit me. Punish me. She would frequently have me tied up and stripped naked in front of evoke and have me whipped."

    His teeth gritted.

    "She hated the fact that I was the first child and the reminder of her husband��s infidelity and perhaps was threatened that one day I would im the pack as my right. She hated everything about me and wanted me gone." Jasmine revealed at the brink of tears again.

    "Bale let you go through this?" Xaden asked.

    She gave a very weak smile. "He turned a blind eye to me and everything that happened. He never acknowledged me as his daughter. I knew from rumors and words going around."

 Chapter 244: JASMINE’S TRUE PAST (2)

    <h4>Chapter 244: JASMINE��S TRUE PAST (2)</h4>

    Who was your mother?" Xaden asked.

    "She was a ve," Jasmine said. "I never met her. She died right after she gave birth to me. I heard that Luna Maria heard about the fact that Bale got her pregnant and was enraged. When Bale was away on some n wars, she used the opportunity to lock my mother up in a cell. She fell into hardbor from her suffering, and then she gave birth to me. She died right after. When Bale came back and learned of all that had happened, he turned his me on me instead of Luna Maria, who had killed my mother. He hated me because I was the one who killed her after the birth. So he always turned a blind eye to me and anything that had to deal with me. He left me at the mercy of Luna Maria."

    Xaden assessed the situation before speaking up. "So you tell me that he was aware of all that was happening to you and did nothing to stop them?"

    She nodded weakly. "Yes. I heard the rumors of who I was and I asked the healer and she finally told me confirming everything they had said about me."

    "I can not believe that Bale would go to lengths to ignore you as his own," Xaden said She gave a bitterugh. "Urma said I am the spitting image of my mother. My hair is everything except for the scar on my head. I look like her, so when he sees me, he sees her, and I remind him that it is because of me that she is no longer alive. He mes me, and I do not me him for that."

    She reached into her dress and unbuttoned it.

    Xaden was about to tell her to stop when she simply pulled out a broken emerald ne. "This belonged to her. Urma gave it to me. She was with her the moment she died and she helped with the birth. My mum named me, and then she gave her the emerald ne to give me. That is the only thing that I have from her. And I have no idea who she was."

    She sighed and then put it back

    "My life was not swell." She said. "There is nothing for me to go back home to."

    Xaden finally spoke up. "So their daughter is Jessica. She is the one whose ce you took. She was the one who was supposed to be here."

    Jasmine nodded.

    And he went on. "And you took her ce even though they maltreated you from the beginning."

    "I had no choice," Jasmine exined, but she knew that he would not understand. "Jessica would never have survived staying here. She would have been unable to deal with the things that I suffered here, or any of the chores."

    Xaden began to pace in anger.

    "That was the point!" He snapped at her. "I brought you here so that I could punish you! I believe that they loved you, and seeing you hurt would have hurt them. Making you suffer would have brought turmoil to their hearts the same way they had made me suffer, knowing that I had no one."

    Xaden was frustrated, and he raked his hands through his hair.

    "So there was no point, " he said. "So your staying here was of no use."

    She swallowed.

    "If any of anything you said is true. You were surrendering yourself for no reason. You were helping people who hated you." He said.

    "It was either that or be killed, and I did not know you. But I know you now." She started to plead, and he was shaking his head, trying to ignore or push away any of her pleadings. "Xaden I do know you and love you."

    He stopped short when she said that.

    She was even shocked that she blurted it out, but she breathed in and said it with her full chest.

    "Xaden I love you." She said. "I care about. I have never loved another man the way I love you. I have never been in love. But being with you I know what love is."

    He still remained standing and then he slowly turned to her and said. "What did you wish to gain from telling me that? Using those words?"

    "Xaden I-

    "You perhaps hope that I desire love or that you telling me you love me will change anything? Anything that you have done to me?!" He demanded through gritted teeth.

    Now, his eyes were changing color.

    And something else told Jasmine to take a step back.

    She did.

    "You use those words in such a flimsy way as a means to torment me?" He demanded.

    She shook her head quickly. "No, I say it because I mean it. I have known this for a while now and I kept it to myself. The timing is not perfect, but I swear that I do."

    He calmed down his already-growing wolf transformation.

    "I never want to hear those words from you." He said. "I do not care for you I-

    She cut him short. "What about the things you said to mest night? What about the fact that you risked your life to save me? You turned down your mate for me. I know that you care for me at least, and perhaps you-

    "ENOUGH!" He barked at her. "You have it all wrong! I risked my life for me! Not you! If you died, I would die! And all those things meant nothing! And I promise you that I will never ever give you a reason to think that I care for you because I do not!"

    Then he walked up to her and gripped her arms so tight it hurt. "Your father must have been the one to kill Eleanor, murdered my parents, tortured my sister, deceived me. I will

    Never forgive you. Pack your things, Jasmine. We are going to be paying your family a visit."

    And with that, he pushed her away.

 Chapter 245: LISA’S BIG MOUTH

    <h4>Chapter 245: LISA��S BIG MOUTH</h4>

    By the time she looked down at where he had held unto her arms she saw that his ws had dug deep and she had not only been giving an injury but it was well seeping with blood.

    She looked up at him and she saw nothing.

    No facial expression.

    No remorse, no indication that he desired to go back to her.

    His face was emotionless.

    But it was not the fact that she was bleeding that hurt her.

    It was the fact that he had rejected her in such a brutal way.

    It was the fact that at the end of the day there was going to be no more him.

    It pierced her heart because I��m that moment she knew that she had lost him.

    And she did not me him.

    She put her hand against her bleeding arm and said. "I can swear that I never knew you had your sister in the pack. I would have never kept that from you. And I am sorry for everything that I did. I am also sorry that you had to find out this way."

    He did not even respond to her.

    He simple turned his face to look elsewhere but at her.

    She sighed and turned away and went out of the throne room.

    As she stepped out, she bumped right into the other guards.

    They cleared the way for her.

    She did not want to see the looks of glee or pity or relief on their faces.

    She just wanted to leave.

    She walked down the halls very slowly .

    Her heart was till racing in weary and disbelief at the weight of what had just transpired.

    The way it had all transpired.

    She was heart broken.

    No one said a word to her.

    As she walked to the door of the servants room, she met Fiona waiting for her.

    "Jasmine." Fiona said. "Are you okay?"

    Jasmine burst into uncontroble tears.

    All the tears that she had been holding back came down flowing her cheeks.

    She hugged Fiona and Fiona held her so close to her chest as she wept.

    "There there." Fiona said as she gently touched her hair. "You can let all the tears out."

    When she was done she slowly withdrew from her and wiped her tears.

    "Thank you." Jasmine mumbled. "It was not true Fiona. I was not spying or doing any of that. My father had forced me. He had also threatened me. When you spoke to me to tell Xaden the truth I made up my mind that I was going to finally severe all ties I had made with my father in helping him."

    "I know." Fiona said hugging her once again. "I know. Now you see why I had wanted you to be the one tell him yourself. If you had told him it would have never been your fault."

    "I tried to." Jasmine said as she began huping. "I swear I tried tost night. But he would not let me. He told me to keep it to myself. I really really tried to tell him all about it."

    She wiped her tears but this time it was Fiona who did it for her.

    "I believe you." Fiona said. "I believe you."

    And then she hugged her once again.

    "So what happened?" Fiona asked. "What judgement did he pass? You are not in chains or in the cell that is a good sign."

    Jasmine shook her head. "No Fiona he has not passed any judgement yet. He only said that I woulde along with him to return back to the moonlight pack."

    "The moonlight pack?" Fiona asked shocked. "But is that not your home?"

    Jasmine nodded weakly. "Yes. I do not know what he intends to do to me when we get there. But they hate me there too. My father hates me I am most certain of it. Because he would tell me that I made a useless job of being an imposter. He would me me for everything and he would kill me before Xaden even does. Either ways I am going to die.

    Fiona sighed. "Look here Jasmine. I know that Xaden is upset. But trust me you should

    Be more afraid of Xaden than your father and I know for certain that Xaden will not order for you to be sentenced to death."

    Jasmine swallowed still not sure of what coulde.

    Fiona gently tipped her chin so she could look up at her.

    "You told him all the awful things they did to you did you not?" Fiona asked her.

    Jasmine nodded. "Yes I did. But he does not belive me."

    "He won��t." Fiona said. "But it will make him curious and when he goes to the pack he would find out. When he knows that you were forced I am certain he would be more understanding. But I believe that his pride and hurt would not let him let it go so easily."

    Jasmine sighed and pushed the door open.

    Lisa was seated chatting with all the servants around her.

    She turned and saw them.

    Lisa who had a triumphant glee on her face.

    "Well, well well." Lisa said with a glint of mockery. "Look what the cat dragged out."

    Jasmine looked at her.

    Lisaughed and put her hand on her waist and said. "I told you did I not? Tjat you were going to pay for crossing me. For ever being so disrespectful to me. It was me who told him everything. About it all. I found out what had been going on and the crazy part of it is that I did not have to do too much. Everything found its way to me."

    Sheughed again and pushed away her blonde hair from her face.

    "And it gets funnier. I literally did no work." She said. "It fell right unto me. Aurora did most of it. It was she who paid people to investigate you and snoop around and all of that stuff. And when she died I took over. Just as she would have gained favor and spilled all your secrets, I found out and it became my own secret to tell. Except for the Owl."

 Chapter 246: LISA FINALLY GETS WHAT SHE DESERVES

    <h4>Chapter 246: LISA FINALLY GETS WHAT SHE DESERVES</h4>

    Lisa folded her arms once again and smiled. "That owl was the goddess Celine herself sent because how did I happen to just be around the clock tower and see a message owling in?"

    Sheughed.

    So that was how she had managed to get her hands on the owl!

    Jasmine thought to herself.

    Jasmine had called for the owl the day she had been stabbed because she had wanted to send a message to her father that she was no longer interested in working for him or doing his bidding.

    She had wondered where the owl was and now somehow it seemed the owl had answered to its regr call and gone to the old clock tower to look for her, but instead happened to have met Lisa instead.

    "And then again, I thought about it and remembered that I sometimes see you go to the clock tower in the evenings," Lisa said. "That was when I knew it belonged to you. See, I told you from day one. To be careful with me now look at you. Everything has been revealed. You are going to be sentenced to death while we all watch, and I will have Alpha Xaden for myself. I was the one who brought it all to him. Revealed such disgusting secrets that you had kept."

    It was then Fiona stepped. "And who told you that Xaden was going to make you "his"? I do not know but I am just wondering did he perhaps announce that he was going to make you your supposedly his?"

    When Fiona said this, she used her fingers to make two quotation marks in ridicule.

    The servants that had been trooping around Lisa and trying to gain favour from her whispered and shook their heads amongst themselves.

    "But Lisa, you told us that he had said it there, and then he was going to make you his mistress." One of the girls said, revealing her lie.

    "She said that?!" Fiona asked in awe. "Well, let me break it to you. Xaden made no such statement. In fact, Xaden did not even address the fact that it was Lisa who happened to have been the one who revealed it. I am just hearing that now."

    "You said he had already made you his mistress." Another girl said quietly.

    "Oh shut up you!" Lisa snapped at the girl.

    Then her face became fueled with rage and she turned to face Fiona. "It does not matter whether he announced it or not. He will. Because what other way is he going to thank me who happened to be the one that saved his own life."

    "He has not made any such announcement, so you are still very much a regr servant here. And Aurora is no longer alive, so you do not have an advantage over anyone." Fiona said. "In fact, I am the one with advantage over you now. I am sure that you all heard that I am

    Not actually a servant. But I am the daughter of a pack leader. A Luna and I am a high breed. I will no longer be staying here. But I can assure you that as Xaden��s ward and technically his adopted sister? I have a very high advantage over all of you."

    The girls all began to fear.

    Lisa waved her hand off to dismiss her and her threats.

    "It does not change anything because you, too, are in trouble. He sent you out of the throne room because you knew all about it, and you kept it from him. You are as much of a treacherous liar bastard as she is." Lisa sneered at Fiona.

    Fiona gave her a heavy p that sent her face turning to the left cheek.

    They all gasped.

    "Say one more thing about me or about her and you will face the full wrath of my wolf," Fiona said, and she growled at Lisa.

    Lisa jumped in fear and ran out of the room like a dog with its tail in between its legs.

    "That goes for all of you, too," Fiona said.

    The girls went back to minding their business very quickly.

    Then Jasmine turned back to Fiona with a smile.

    "I really loved what you did to her," Jasmine said. "She is so scared of you now."

    "She had better be," Fiona said as they went to Jasmine��s bed.

    "So you are leaving huh?" Fiona asked.

    "I do not know if I will return back. Or if you will see me again. I might be dead." Jasmine said after nodding.

    "Xaden will not kill you," Fiona said. "He is broken but I know that he will not kill you."

    "Well, he intends to find his sister," Jasmine said with a weak shrug.

    "Yes! That! Does he really have a sister?! You did not tell me this." Fiona said snapping back once she had been reminded.

    "I did not even know myself." Jasmine said with a shrug. "I am the one who gets treated the worst in the entire pack. Even ves taken from enemy packs are treated better than I am. If he had his sister living with us in that pack then she should be treated worse than even me. I mean, Bale took her away, and he would have hated her from the start."

    Fiona sighed. "Unless. Are you his sister?!"

    "Of course not!" Jasmine said quickly. "I heard she had blonde hair when she was younger. I have red and then I was already walking when the attack happened. And if that were true that would mean that I...."

    Jasmine could not even finish she shivered.

    "It would mean you have been sleeping with your brother this entire time," Fiona said with sarcasm.

    Then, at that moment, the door was opened, and they all came alert.

    Two very muscr guards stepped in and stood at the door.

    And with dread, Jasmine knew that it was time for her to be taken away.

 Chapter 247: JASMINE’S GOODBYE

    <h4>Chapter 247: JASMINE��S GOODBYE</h4>

    "It is time for you to leave." One of the guards said.

    Fiona rose up to her feet quickly and was very obviously distraught.

    "So soon?" She demanded. "But she has barely even had the time to get herself together."

    "That is not for you or anyone else to decide." The guard replied to Fiona.

    The guards started to progress towards her in an attempt to take her willingly or forcefully.

    "There will be no need for that," Jasmine stated rising to her feet.

    She hugged Fiona hard.

    She felt the tears at the brim of her eyes and then could soon feel it go down her cheek.

    "Swear that we will see again," Fiona said. "Nothing will happen to you, and you shall return back to this pack."

    Jasmine swallowed. "I wished I could make such promises, but I cannot tell the future."

    She finally withdrew from her and Fiona cleaned her own eyes, then she put her hands on Jasmine��s shoulder and said to her. "I will speak to Xaden and make sure he does not harm you. It is better for you to return back here than to go and live in that godforsaken ce where you are not wanted. They do not deserve you."

    Jasmine, touched by her words, hugged her tightly again.

    When she finally withdrew she said. "Do not get yourself involved in all of this. I have already put you in so much trouble for having you keep those secrets. I will not want you in any more trouble."

    "I will speak for him, and nothing you say will change that," Fiona said stubbornly.

    "We need to leave." The guards said.

    Fiona red at him. "Can you not see that she is speaking to me. For the sake of the goddess have some heart and understand we are saying goodbye".

    "Do not fight with anyone Fiona," Jasmine said. "Do not fight. And this is not goodbye. Since you have said that I will return them let it be so. We shall see again. Let this be see youter. Okay?"

    Fiona nodded more appeased by the new idea.

    She hugged her once again and then she went out with the guards.

    She did not bother carrying anything because she wanted to believe that she woulde back.

    A few items of clothing and property that she would have remained here because she hoped that she would return.

    She thought about her talent for painting and wondered how she had never been able to exploit it.

    It was the Queen who had told Xaden to make sure she started painting.

    But she had never gotten the time to.

    She was led down the halls and walked on with the guards by her side.

    People whispered as she passed by and sneered at her.

    But she kept her head up high as she went on an ahead.

    When she got outside of the castle she saw that there were horses already waiting.

    About a hundred of them which meant that over a hundred wolves were going to be going along with them to the crescent pack.

    She watched as everywhere was buzzing with the pack wolves going back and forth securing their things and stashing them to their horses.

    Jasmine began to wonder why he was only going with a small fraction of people.

    "He already has a number of wolves stationed at the moonlight pack." A voice behind her said.

    She turned around and saw Loren.

    She gasped, excited to see him, and then when she remembered all the things she had been found guilty of along with her public humiliation, her self-esteem dropped.

    "Loren." She said in a low voice. "You must hate me."

    "Of course not." He said. "I had always known that you were not the daughter that Xaden wanted. It was too evident. Everyone should have been able to see that from the beginning."

    "What do you mean?" She asked.

    "Alpha Bale��s precious daughter was rumored to be spoiled rotten,zy, and insolent. You came as neither. In fact, I can say that I have never seen any servant in this pack work the way you did. Your injuries and your hands were rough and hard from years of hardbor. Spoiled girls do not have that." He stated matter of fact.

    "If you knew why did you not tell Alpha Xaden?" She asked. "Why keep it a secret?"

    "Because I liked someone for the first time in a very long time". Loren said honestly. "I will never say that again just so you know. I had no idea where you wereing from, but I knew you were better off here. You sing when you work. Even as a ve, you would be willing to work. Mere servants slouch doing their work but not you. And you seemed happy here. No spoiled daughter of Alpha Bale would be able to find out how to mix herb or farm that is for sure."

    She sighed with a heavy heart. "You should have told Xaden. It was no good use. If he finds out that you always knew something was amiss, he will punish you, and I can not bear to see that."

    He touched her shoulder. "The weight you carry is too much for you. If you keep on carrying for everyone then how will you carry yours?"

    That made her go quiet.

    He hugged her for the first time and said. "I know that everything you said was true, and I believe you. No more secrets."

    He finally let go of her.

    "And make sure you reveal everything those monsters did to you." He said to her. "They deserve to be ughtered the lot of them. And make sure youe back."

    "How do you know I will even be alive?" She asked.

    "Because I know. And do greet Urma for me. It has been a while. Ask if she has forgiven me." He said.

    And with that he stood back away from her, waiting to watch her leave.

 Chapter 248: XADEN’S HEARTBREAK

    <h4>Chapter 248: XADEN��S HEARTBREAK</h4>

    XADEN��S POV

    Once Jasmine had walked out of the room, Xaden kicked his fist into the wall and began smashing things.

    When he was through, he was breathless; very slowly, he crumbled to the ground and sat down with the mess and pieces of furniture surrounding him.

    He was breathing heavily.

    He felt like a fool!

    An absolute fool!

    She had taken him for a fool! He had gone through all those lengths for her, and I��ll tell you how she had instantly betrayed him.

    He was barely even able to believe any of it.

    When he asked her if all the usations being made against her were true, he had hoped that she would deny them.

    Hoped that she would tell him and try to convince him that it was all a lie.

    But to his greatest horror and disappointment, it had all been confirmed.

    The moment she began to plead to him to forgive her, he knew that it was true.

    It had shattered him.

    It was a nightmare he had wanted to wake up from.

    But it was reality.

    He had made ns in his head.

    He told himself that he would defy the order and make her his mistress.

    He could never marry her because she was a ve, but he would give her a spot as his mistress.

    He had even spoken to Erik about it, he had been excited and had even ordered that his room be made to amodate someone else living with him.

    His mouth felt sour and bitter.

    He raked his fingers through his hair violently as he rummaged through his mind.

    He was distraught.

    Distraught that all of this was true, he now had no one else to turn to.

    He had wanted to be with her, yet she had chosen to Betray him.

    He looked so stupid in front of his men!

    Thank the goddess that he had not announced to anyone else that he would make her mistress apart from Erik.

    He would have been made aughing stock.

    It was something that he would never have been unable to recover.

    The door opened, and Erik came in.

    Erik put his hands on his waist.

    "How are you holding up?" Erik asked.

    Xaden remained on the floor, too weak to even stand up on his feet.

    He did not even reply.

    Erik went to his side and sat down on the floor with him, and they sat together in silence.

    "I wish Eleanor was here." Xaden broke the silence. "She always knew the right thing to say or to do."

    Erik said, not letting Xaden express his feelings.

    "Can not believe she was going to murder me," Xaden said. "She was here as a spy and nted to find a way to kill me eventually."

    Xaden shook his head in disappointment.

    "First Aurora died, then we traveled to the isle and then returned. Now I meet my mother is dead, then I find out that Jasmine is an imposter and has nned to kill me, and then I discover that my sister is dead." Xaden ranted out all at once.

    He sighed in heavily and leaned his head back on the wall.

    It was truly all too much for him toprehend. It was too much for him to process at once.

    "What did you think is the first thing we should do?" Erik asked. "If we go one step at a time then I am sure that it would be easier for you toprehend."

    Xaden sighed weakly. "I want to put her to rest. She deserves it. But I want to do it alone. She always said that if she died, she would want to be sent away in a river."

    Xaden��s eyes went red, and then it hit him.

    He was nning her goodbye.

    Her burial.

    He was never ever going to see her again.

    He burst into tears, and Erik held him.

    He wept for the second time in his life since the day he had watched his family being murdered.

    It was as if he had been carrying a heavy weight on his shoulder.

    Erik stayed by his side all through, and when he had recovered, his eyes were bloodshot red.

    He was quiet again.

    "And that bastard took my sister!" Xaden said through gritted teeth.

    He knew what they did to women.

    He has, after all, done it to Jasmine.

    He did not want to imagine that his sister had gone through all that.

    If he had known this entire time, then he would have gone and looked for her from the beginning.

    But he had been here in this castle living life so swell and his sister had been suffering in the moonlight pack.

    "I believe that is the next cause of action," Erik said.

    "Yes. We will leave today." Xaden said. "We will go by sea. Going by the roads will take forever. Send word to Garrick about our arrival, and he will keep it to himself. I do not want to risk Bale finding out and making an escape. I will end his life."

    "And what about Jasmine? Have you chosen her punishment?" Erik asked.

    "You want me to pardon her? You have always had a soft spot for her." Xaden said.

    "Of course not. You should punish her. She lied to you and kept it from you." Erik said. "But I believe you should listen to her. I told you from the very first day she traveled with us that was something amiss. Her new story fills all the missing holes and makes more sense."

    Xaden did not want to agree, but it was true.

    It made more sense now.

    "She wille with us on the journey, and it is there that her fate will be decided," Xaden said, rising to his feet. "If I find out that Bale had a hand in my mother��s death. I will kill Jasmine whether she has a hand in it or not."

    And he left the room.

 Chapter 249: ELEANOR’S BURIAL

    <h4>Chapter 249: ELEANOR��S BURIAL</h4>

    XADEN��S POV

    Xaden had arranged for all of Eleanor��s body to be put in a small coat and she was dressed in a beautiful white dress.

    Loren had sewn her head back to her neck, and if you saw her, you would assume that she was asleep.

    Her beautiful long and ck hair had been washed along with her.

    Even some make-up had been done on her, and all around here, there were thousands of white roses.

    Xaden was the only one on the bank of the water.

    He had wanted only himself to be present. But then he eventually instructed Marie to be present.

    She was her sister, after all.

    Marie walked up behind him, Grief-stricken and distraught.

    "You camete to your sister��s funeral." He remarked dryly.

    "I was never early for anything." She managed. "Even my own birth. It would be a disappointment to my sister if I came early. She would not have wanted that."

    "No, she would not have," Xaden said quietly.

    As Marie walked to the river bank, she looked nothing like her true self.

    Her face was in and white as it could ever be.

    There was no makeup.

    Even her dreads seemed sad and hung down on her shoulders in a weak manner.

    "You know," Marie said after a tranquil time.

    "We fought a lot from the moment we came into this world, leaving mine. I was furious with her that I had followed her here, and she had ended up staying with you."

    She sighed and breathed through her dark fur coat.

    "We fought a lot. Never on good terms here. But it was not so back home. She always looked out for me, and I did everything for her. I was meant to take her home, but now she will really go home without me." Marie said.

    The tears began to spring out once again and she dapped her eyes to wipe away the tears.

    "I never got the chance to apologize to her." He said weakly. "I never told her I was sorry or told her thank you for Al the things she did for me. Thest time I saw her, I sent her away and told her that I never wanted to see her again. Her eyes were filled with hurt and disappointment. I know she never forgave me. I know she hated me before she died." Xaden said regrettably.

    Marie stormed up to him and forced him to look at her by grabbing his cheeks.

    "If you are going to say anything do not ever say that!" She warned him. "It she hated you then she would not havee to help you and Jasmine in the first ce."

    His eyes were now filled with surprise. "She came here when I was gone?"

    She nodded. "Yes she did. She came here when you were gone and without her I am not sure that we would have been able to conjure the snow or other things even though she was very Eleanor and argued that the weather was the natural weather and not to be messed with." She said clicking her tongue and they chuckled together.

    "Yes that sounds very much like her," Xaden said with a weak smile.

    "I rarely put my bet on things, but one thing I can assure you is the fact that she, on her own, loved you. I can put my life and whole money into that. She loved you the way your mother would have loved you." She promised him. "That I can promise you. So if you do anything, do not doubt her undying love for you. She gave up so much to be with you. Respect that."

    And then Marie let go of his cheeks and tucked herself inside her fur coat and looked out to the sea where Mariey.

    Then she walked down the small, steep beach and went to where her sister��s body was.

    She bent down and touched her cheek.

    "I hate that you are gone. I hate that I cannot get up and fight with you." Marie said. "But you are at peace. You will go and be with your son."

    Marie was referring to Eleanor��s son, whom Bale had killed.

    It was when Eleanor had been looking for her son and Bale to kill that she found Xaden dead, but his soul still clung to his body and decided to stay.

    "But what did you want to tell me before you were murdered?" Marie asked, remembering when her sister had said she had something urgent to speak to her about. "Xaden speaks of his own regrets, but I have mine sister. I should have been a better sister to you. I should have never dabbled in dark magic, and I should have stayed to hear what you had to say before you died. Perhaps I could have saved you."

    She swallowed.

    Her sister was quiet and still.

    "Why is it that we always have our regrets at the dying moment and realize that it is toote to say all the things we should have when we are alive?" Marie asked her sister.

    Then she very gently touched her cheek andid a kiss on her forehead.

    "Goodbye, my dear sister."

    And she rose up and went back.

    Xaden went down to Marie��s boat, and he touched her beautiful hair.

    He set aside one rose in her hair and gently arranged her hair.

    "I have so many things I wish to say. Things I should have said when you were here. Things that I should have done differently." He said to her. "But now you are gone. I will never stop until I find who did this to you, and then I will slit his throat."

    He kissed her forehead. "Goodbye, Mother. I love you."

    He gently pushed the boat away into the river, and she slowly began to go.

    He took a step back, and it hit him again that he would never see her again.

    "Will you do the honors?" He asked her.

    "Of course, little nephew." She smiled.

    And then she waved her hands, and the inside of the boat caught instant fire, and they watched as it went away.

    "Now, what is going to happen?" she asked him.

    "I am going to find out who did this." He said, and he went away.

 Chapter 250: LISA DOES NOT GET WHAT SHE WANTED

    <h4>Chapter 250: LISA DOES NOT GET WHAT SHE WANTED</h4>

    XADEN��S POV

    Xaden walked up ahead back into the castle and went straight into his room, where he began to pull out all the fur coats that he would deal with during the winter Journey to the moonlight pack.

    He barely even noticed the other female servants who were packing up his things in boxes until he turned after tossing one Turkish fur coat inside his trunk.

    He saw them standing in a corner with their head bowed down in submission.

    He looked at them in surprise.

    "Gods, what are you doing here?" He asked startled by their unannounced presence.

    "We were packing your things for you, my lord." The girls replied.

    "You can leave them. I will do it myself." He replied going back to his wardrobe and picking up hisrge fur coats one after the other.

    At that moment, the door opened, and Lisa stepped in.

    "My lord." She greeted.

    Xaden barely noticed her as he resumed stacking up his clothes and arranging them.

    Anything to get the things off his mind.

    Anything to prevent him from thinking of all the chaos that was happening.

    "Leave us," Lisa snared at the girls.

    They quickly bowed and left.

    It was amazing for Lisa.

    She now felt that she had the power to dismiss other girls.

    She, who had once been a mere servant, now felt like she was being elevated to the level ofdy of the pack.

    "My lord, I came to see how you were faring." She said.

    He weighed his options between a brown fur coat and a bright silver fur coat.

    "I am quite fine Lisa." He said.

    He ended up throwing in both fur coats.

    Then he looked up at her. "I had learned word that you were the one who had revealed everything. I am very grateful for your loyalty."

    She blushed, pleased that he knew that she was the reason why everything had been exposed.

    At first, when Damian had gone to report it all to Xaden, she had kicked against it.

    She had been the one to find out, so why was he going to tell Xaden all about it?

    Eventually, she relented, and Damian told him.

    But knowing that Xaden was aware that it was all thanks to her, made her happy.

    "I was just doing my job, my lord." She said. "This is my home and I will throw my life down for it."

    He picked up his sword and set it inside its sheath.

    "You will be rewarded handsomely." He said. "You shall work under my mate Lily. And I will also give you gold if you prefer to leave the pack, although it will be sad to see someone as loyal as you go."

    Lisa felt her throat clock together.

    Was that all he was going to give her?

    She could not ask him outright. It would be disrespectful, so she had to look for her way around it.

    "I wish to stay in the pack. This is my home." She said.

    He nodded. "Good."

    And then he went off to pick up one of his armor.

    "But my lord." She said. "Will there be anyone to handle the duties of Aurora? She was seen as thedy of the house, and now that she is gone, the pack needs someone to take over. The pack needs a woman��s touch."

    He nodded. "Yes that is true."

    He sighed and said, "For the meantime, I will leave the pack in the hands of Lady Belinda to manage. She has always been good at taking care of the pack and substituting for Aurora whenever she was not around."

    Lisa��s face fell down.

    Her heart broke into pieces.

    She wanted to confront him and ask why he was given the woman who had done absolutely nothing for him the right to take care of the pack.

    "That is very true." He said. "Thank you for reminding me, Lisa. I think I can also give it to my mate Lily. Lily is in charge of the pack. I was told that she did a splendid job of being a woman back from where she came here. And she is ady of high ss. I am certain that she would do better."

    She gave a stiff smile. "You are wee, my lord."

    "Of course, for what you have done, you will no longer be a servant here." He said. "You will be given your own room and an upgrade as a guest who lives in the pack."

    Lisa wanted to scream.

    The offer would have been wonderful to anyone else, but not her!

    That was not what she wanted!

    She wanted to be his woman!

    She had believed that he would make her his, but now he was giving it to his stupid mate, who had barely stayed in this pack for a while.

    She hung around hoping that he would say more, but his silence simply meant that that was all he would say.

    "Do you wish me to assist you in packing your things, my lord?" She asked him.

    He shook his head. "No, thank you, Lisa. I can do it on my own, and you have done more than enough."

    And then he turned and went on with his work.

    She felt dejected and stupid.

    More foolish that she had not been raised to the ranks that she deserved.

    She sighed and told herself that it was only a matter of time.

    She would make herself always be at his disposal.

    She would make sure that wherever he was she would be there.

    Now that Jasmine was gone because she was sent that he was taking her to kill her there, she would be able to focus on him.

    And, after all, she could easily kill his mate.

    And then another devious plot came into her head.

    She would get pregnant for him.

    "Have a safe journey, my lord." She said as she headed out.

    But he did not even acknowledge her.

    She frowned and closed the door shut being her.

 Chapter 251: LILY DESIRES HER MATE

    <h4>Chapter 251: LILY DESIRES HER MATE</h4>

    Once Lisa was gone Xaden weakly sat down on the bed trying to gather his thoughts over everything.

    It was all too much for him to process at once.

    Too much for him to understand and decipher.

    The deaths, secrets, revtions.

    He felt choked and ovee with all the events that had happened to him.

    It further frustrated him that he had no one to share his pains and frustration with.

    Erik had enough on his te with dealing with his daughter who was growing up without a mother and beginning to ask more and more when mummy would return.

    He hated to feel like he was bugging and even though he knew that Erik was there for him to open up to, Xaden preferred to keep his pain to himself.

    Eleanor had been the only person he had managed to open up to apart from that there had been no one else.

    And with Jasmine.

    He had begun to feel like maybe they would have a sort of understanding, that perhaps maybe he would be able tomunicate with her.

    Maybe he could open up to her about his fears.

    But she had destroyed everything.

    When he had heard that the message the owl was carrying was an order of how she was going to kill him he had almost gone insane.

    The penalty for treason was instant death.

    Beheading and being hung on the spikes.

    But he could hardly imagine himself doing that.

    It seemed like a too easy punishment for her.

    Too soft.

    He wanted her to suffer as she was making him suffer.

    And then there was Fiona who he had taken as his sister, and had back stabbed him by keeping it secret from him.

    He had felt so foolish like he was the only one who did not know while everyone else knew.

    He put his hands in his hair and then he heard his door open.

    He looked up and saw Lily.

    He hadpletely forgotten about her.

    Since her and Uther��s had returned he had barely had any chance to actually sit and talk to her or have a serene conversation with her.

    "My lord," she said. "May Ie in?"

    "Of course Lily." He said. He motioned to a nearby soft and plush couch. "Do have a seat."

    "Thank you my lord." She said as she took the seat he had offered.

    "I apologize for my being unavable." He said. "I have been very upied with a lot things going on here and there."

    She chuckled. "It is alright my lord. I have been in the pack here and I understand what has been going on."

    He didn��t say a word again.

    She sighed and said. "I apologize for the loss of the woman who became your mother. It was hurtful that you lost one before now and I can hardly imagine how it feels losing another."

    Xaden rose his head up and Leaned it against the headboard .

    Then he heard her rise from where she sat on the plus couch ande him.

    She now squatted before him in such a way that he was forced to look up at her.

    "And I want you to know that I am here for you. And not just as your mate, but as your friend too. I can hardly imagine what you are going through." She said looking him in the eye.

    "You deserve to be with someone better than me." He said cupping her cheek gently.

    She closed her eyes and felt the warmth of his hands against her palm. "I am never present and I always have so much on my head. You deserve someone who would be there for you at the slightest opportunity. Not someone like me who Carries so much baggage and deals with an attempted assassination every week."

    Theyughed together at hisst statement.

    Then his face went back to its original state and he said. "But you truly deserve someone better. Not me. I have nothing to offer you."

    She touched his hand and held it in ce of her face refusing to let him go. "The moon goddess celine chose you as my mate from

    The moment I was born. We discovered we were mates since we were babies. That is a

    Rare event that hardly urs. I was chosen ti be your mate for a reason. With your baggage and with your troubles, so shall I be with you until the final hour."

    He swallowed hard.

    He knew that she was his responsibility but was he ready for themitment of getting married to her?

    He was in reality still married to Jasmine and they held a bond together .

    A tethered blood bound bond for that matter.

    She could not just easily up and leave.

    And he in turn could not just simply get married to another.

    It was not allowed.

    He smiled at her as he rose up from his feet and went around her to avoid pushing her down.

    "You truly deserve someone else better." He said.

    He picked up his brown fur coat and wore it.

    Then he tied his hair up into a ponytail.

    "I shall prepare for you to be sent back to your home so that you will not dy in this godforsaken curse ce." He said. "This ce is filled with sadness and casualties. And I do not wish to see you hurt."

    She too turned and rose up to him.

    "Will you please my lord not be hasty about your decision making." She said to him.

    "This is the best I can offer you. We are mates but you can always find someone else. Someone who will stay and protect you." He said as he wore his boots.

    "Do you mean to say that you will not protect me my lord?" She asked him in surprise.

    "No of course not." He said. "I willy my life for my people and those who are under me, but I shall never be the man you want."

 Chapter 252: XADEN BANS FIONA

    <h4>Chapter 252: XADEN BANS FIONA</h4>

    Lily stood standing there, unsure of what next to say to him that would convince him to be with her.

    She had been, of course, humiliated that he chose a ve over her and not just any ve.

    But the daughter of the man who had murdered them all.

    Murdered her mother and sibling, the one who had separated her from her fated mate.

    She hated her.

    She was a treacherous traitor, and it shocked her when she saw Xaden take her side openly.

    Since she had returned, he had hardly had the time to entertain her.

    She had been with her maids in waiting, and she had been still perfecting her skills as his wife and mate-to-be.

    But throughout all the time she had been here, it had been chaos after another.

    Theplete p to the face was when he had made a dangerous journey of no return to find a cure for her.

    Lily had had to be her respected womanly self.

    She had been forced to control her feelings and be poised and understanding as any wife and future Luna would be.

    But when she discovered the scandal of the girl being a traitor, it relieved her.

    There was no way he was going to keep her around anymore.

    He would definitely kill her. It was known that the punishment for treason was death.

    And now, he was, still being withdrawn and telling her she deserved better.

    Like hell she did!

    She came to make her im and take her rightful ce by his side as his Luna.

    That was all that mattered.

    "I do not care about those things." She said. "I believe very well in our old religion. We were set to be together by the gods. That was not a mistake. The gods never ever make a mistake. What else could go wrong?"

    "I am not a man who can love Lily, " he said. You have to understand that first. There is no aspect of me that lets me love."

    She touched his cheeks desperately. "I do not care; we will work it out. You and I, the gods made a way for us as a second chance. We were once separated years ago, but fate has brought us together, and nothing shall stop that."

    He sighed and looked at her. "I am not the man that will give you what you want."

    "But you are the man that I want." She said looking into his eyes. "You are the man that I need. I am here to be by your side and I shall not leave you in this dire moment when you need the most. When will you understand that my lord?"

    He eventually gave in with a deep sigh.

    "You believe that you can take everything?" He asked.

    "I was born for this. Born to serve you, my lord." She told him.

    Then he gently put her hands down. "If that is what you wish for, then it shall be granted. We shall discuss more of this when I return from my journey."

    And then he turned away from her to finish packing his things.

    "What is going to happen to her?" She asked him. "The daughter of our enemy."

    She had purposely spread the word to remind him that it was not only his enemy but also hers.

    It was something they had inmon.

    They both shared amon enemy.

    "I will decide it when I have settled in the crescent pack." He said hastily.

    "Do you care for her?" She asked him, crossing lines. "Do you love her?"

    He was quiet for a while, and then he said. "I do not love, and I can not love anyone".

    And with that he put his sword by his side and walked away from the room leaving her standing alone.

    Then his guards at the door came in to

    Pack his items.

    He met Fiona waiting for him at the foot of the

    Steps.

    She was dressed in a fur coat that he suspected was for a very long journey.

    "Do not tell me that you intend on traveling with me?" He asked her with a raised brow.

    "I gathered my things already." She said. "I am going with you whether you like it or not".

    "You should be in your room mopping and trying to find a way to apologize to me and not infuriate me further. You crossed the line, Fiona." He warned her as he walked past her

    "I know I did." She said as she followed him. "And I am sorry. Believe me I did not tell you because I wanted her to be the one to tell you. I never meant to harm you."

    "Harm me, Fiona?" He demanded in anger. "You made a stupid decision to keep this to yourself. What was thest message Bale sent to his daughter? How to kill me? Do you know what would have happened if he seeded? The entire pack would have been rendered weak. They would have taken away everyone as their booty price. And you would have been rendered homeless. You have an idea of what they do to mothers and children during war, do you not? Pretty things like you in the pack."

    She tried to exin to him. "But I was only trying to hel-

    "You have done enough trying to help me." He said, and then he snapped his fingers and

    Two hefty guards approached them. "You are not to leave the castle walls under any circumstances. You are to remain and learn how to be a real woman."

    She growled at him. "But I am a fighter. Not some silly high-breed daughter who will obey her alpha all the time."

    "I made a promise that I was going to keep you safe," Xaden said, shaking his head. "Perhaps I am the reason why you became wild. I had thought that perhaps one day you would rule your mother��s pack like she had. But I was wrong."

 Chapter 253: I WILL CHOOSE A MAN FOR YOU TO MARRY

    <h4>Chapter 253: I WILL CHOOSE A MAN FOR YOU TO MARRY</h4>

    "I had hoped that you will be more responsible." He said with so much disappointment in his tone she was cringing hard. "You need to understand our enemies will use the slightest opportunity to get to us."

    "Jasmine is not the enemy." She said trying to make him understand.

    "You still do not understand it do you?" He asked further annoyed.

    "Jasmine was sent here as a weapon to end me. She lied and deceived me! Was an imposter in this pack. Was trading information back and forth for the man who killed your mother!" He snapped at her.

    That was what shut Fiona.

    She went instantly silent when she removed what had truly happened to her mother.

    The terrifying things that had urred when she was left with Bale.

    What bale had done to her.

    "Jasmine had a choice. Yes her father might have forced her toe along with us." Xaden said. "He might have forced her to act in ce of his real daughter. But she made the choice to hide it from me. She chose to deceive me and fear Bale more than I. And that was the worst decision she could have made. There is no turning back on what she did. Neither is there forgiving for what she had done."

    Fiona tried to speak up again but he cut her off.

    "Do you not understand that if you were not high born, then you would have been sentenced to death for concealing such information from my court?" He demanded. "You knew how ruthless your mother was. How she would have never take this from anyone. If someone had been caught she would have killed them at the spot."

    It was true.

    Her mother had been very cruel when it came to her enemies.

    She was merciless and rarely ever forgave.

    She would have killed Jasmine at the spot.

    Fiona had not approved but she had had no say in the matter.

    "For the things you have done you will no longer be able to rule as Luna over your mother��s pack when you are of age." He said.

    Her eyes widened in horror at his words.

    "You have to be joking about this and-

    "You will be wed to a man that I deem fit and well enough for you." He said ignoring her response. "And he will rule with you as Alpha while you shall be Luna. Your choices have made it clear to me that you will be unable to make the right chocies if you take back your throne as Luna".

    She gawked at him in disbelief at what he was saying. "You have no right to do this! It is my birthright and I was going to be Luna after my mother whether she was alive or not."

    "Yes I do have the right because you mother had handed me all her properties to my name." He said. "So you will take whatever decision I make for you."

    "And you belive that marrying me to some useless wolf who has no right will seat on my own fucking throne while I y wife and birth him his fucking children." Fiona raged in anger.

    "Your actions were foolish and rash! It is all my fault for letting you stay and act like a mere servant when you should have been learning how to be a queen." He said.

    "It was my decision to make! And because I care for Jasmine does not meant that I will forgive her father. I intend to kill him one day." She replied.

    "There will be no need for that. I will be the one to kill him myself." He said. "I will avenge us all. But I have made my decision and that is final. You shall be made to behave like a woman of good morals and learn a well suited education from a nurse."

    "You can not do this to me! It is my birth right!" She snapped.

    "Yes I can!" He hissed back. "And you threw away that right when you intentionally kept those secrets from me."

    He turned away her and then he called some guards to them.

    "Escort thedy Fiona to her bedroom." He said. "She is to remain there throughout today and when she begins her duties as ady you are to folllow her everywhere she goes."

    "Xaden you can not do this to me!" She cried in frustration.

    "Better still you can be a bit far from her. About ten steps to give her some breathing space. But you must always keep an eye on her." He told the guards.

    They bowed. "Yes my lord."

    And with that Xaden started to leave but she stopped.

    "What are you going to do to her?" She asked him.

    That stopped him in his tracks.

    "What are you going to do Jasmine?" She asked him awaiting his reply.

    "That will be up for me to decide when I reach the moonlight pack." He said.

    And with that he headed out of the hallway and walked down out of the main castle entrance.

    His men were already waiting for him.

    "The men at dock already got information about our travel and a ship is waiting for us." Erik said.

    "Good." Xaden nodded.

    Then he turned and saw Jamaine standing with a little girl.

    She was talking to the little girl and seemed to be in a deep conversation with her.

    "Who is that?" Xaden asked.

    "The little girl?" Erik asked. "She was the one that was supposedly saved by Jasmine and Fiona the day she was attacked by Aurora. Just around the same age as Jade."

    Xaden watched as the two of them discussed and Jasmine tucked a loose hair behind her ear.

    Then it made him remember the imagination he had of her being with their three children.

    The children he knew he would never have because he had take away that ability and because she had betrayed him.

 Chapter 254: TO THE DOCK

    <h4>Chapter 254: TO THE DOCK</h4>

    Xaden snapped his fingers and a that caught her attention.

    Jasmine finally turned and she saw him.

    The guards came up to him.

    "My lord." They greeted.

    "Why is the prisoner not in chains?" He asked loud enough for her to hear.

    She flinched at his words.

    The guards looked at each other unsure of what to say to him.

    "We did not receive orders that she should be chained." One of them said.

    "She is a dangerous criminal." Xaden said. "And she should be treated as such. Do not underestimate her, she can find a way to kill."

    The men looked at each other and then they went on to get her chains.

    Erik was looking at a Xaden.

    Xaden gave him a face. "What? You want ti say tnat I am doing too much putting her on chains? We both know that she is very dangerous and should be taken with wary."

    "I never said you were doing too much." Erik replied.

    "Good." Xaden mumbled to himself and then he turned to look at the horses.

    From the corner of his eyes, he saw his men use very heavy chains on her hands and legs.

    "I do hope that we will not have her walking as a means of you humiliating and punishing her." Erik said. "The ship is set to sail and the evening wind will not do us well. We need to get there on time."

    Xaden nodded. "She will ride a horse."

    "Why not she ride with you?" Erik asked:

    "I will not have that traitorous leech around me." Xaden said with disgust and Jasmine flinched at his words.

    Then the men began to get on their horses when Loren came.

    "We still have Aurora��s body in preservation." Loren said. "We were waiting for you to return so that we could conduct the funeral rites of her and all the other wolves she had killed during the attack."

    Xaden himself hadpletely forgotten about all that.

    "You can hold the funeral for her." Xaden said. "I do not trust when I shall return. I might take a while. I shall leave the pack in my uncles hands. He will handle things in my absence since Erik is toe with me. You will give her a befitting burial that she deserves. One fit for a Luna".

    Loren nodded.

    Then Xaden turned to his uncle uther.

    "Uncle." Xaden said. "I need to leave and fight for my parents and for those who were lost that fateful day Bale betrayed us. I need to finish it once and for all."

    Uther nodded and gently tapped his shoulder. "I understand son."

    "I know that you expected more from me. Xaden said. "Especially being that liky is around. But once I return we shall settle it all at once. And so I leave my pack in your hands. You shall act as my hand while I am gone and I am giving you veto power to make decisions as you will."

    Uther nodded. "I need to apologize too. I myself have not been on the nest nest behavior. This is an honor that you have given me and I will forever hold it to my chest with great honor. I also apologize for your loss."

    Xaden nodded slightly.

    "Thank you uncle." Xaden said. "I shall return with the head of our enemy."

    Then Loren stood back.

    He watched as Jasmine kissed the little girl on the head and then a guard led her to a horse.

    He saw that she had a Jasmine in her hair and then he remembered it was what the little girl had given her before Jasmine had kissed her.

    She had to be lifted up because of how heavy the chains weighed her down.

    Xaden ignored her and climbed on his horse.

    They all stood in solidarity as they watched them race out of the castle.

    Elyon was the man in charge of Jasmine��s horse so that she did not make a fast escape.

    Jasmine��s face was solemn and there was hardly any facial expressions written on her face.

    She was merely quiet as they rode down together.

    He ignored her throughout the journey and when they finally reached the dorks it was afternoon.

    The cool snow breeze blew in the air and then he snuggled into his fur coat.

    He turned and saw that all the men in the travel party had their coats on and were warm and cozy.

    But Jasmine.

    Jasmine was in her thin dress and he could literally see her shaking with cold.

    The snow was not so effective anymore since it was afternoon but it was still snowing very coldly.

    He started to feel bad but then when he remembered how she had been betrayed him, he did not care.

    Why should he care for when she had so evidently betrayed him?

    He snorted and ignored her for the rest of the ride.

    When they reached the docks it was colder because the sea itself was now nice.

    He went straight to the fat business man named Leonor.

    "My lord." Leonor greeted him as he sipped from a bottle of rum. "Greetings."

    "Greeting Leonore." Xaden said. "I can fro mg ship."

    "It has been ready for you my lord." Leonore replied as he showed him therge ship. "The Syrena is a beauty. Well made and will take you to your destination faster than other ships."

    "And how will we fare with this snow?" Xaden asked eyeing the ship. "The snow is not supposed toe in about five years but here it is now. Which means that you had not made an boat to ferry in snow."

    Leonor��s face fell because he knew that Xaden was right.

    "Well The syrean can withstand it better than other ships. We are not supposed to have snow in five years like you said. So we built all the present ships ahead of the season we face." Leonore admitted.

    After Xaden had seen the ship himself andpared her to the others, he chose that the syrena would fair well.

 Chapter 255: THE JOURNEY TO THE MOONLIGHT PACK

    <h4>Chapter 255: THE JOURNEY TO THE MOONLIGHT PACK</h4>

    "Good choice my lord." Leonor said.

    "Ready the ship." Xaden said to him and then he turned to his men. "Begin boarding. We are taking the Syrena."

    They bowed and went on their way.

    It was Erik who hade with him as his second inmand.

    Damian was actually fourth ce in ranks, but because Garrick who was the third ce in ranks was at the moonlight pack overseeing things and controlling it, Damien had taken his spot.

    So Damian had been left to man the pack along with his uncle Uther.

    He trusted them well enough.

    Speaking of Garrick, he wondered how things had been under his watch.

    How Bale had still found a way to send a message owl back and forth without his notice.

    Xaden watched as the things were taken up the ship and then the three members of the wolf council that had been there the day he dered judgement against the moonlight pack came up to me.

    "We have sent word to the King and we are awaiting word from him." The Leader Tywin said.

    "I do not care whether the King hears it or not or whatever judgement he is supposed to give. This is all that matters. Me dering judgement by myself." Xaden replied.

    Xaden��s truly did not care for what the royal family had to say.

    The King had done more than enough.

    He was the reason why Bale had been let to Betray them and go unpunished.

    The King had done nothing and now that Xaden hadplete freedom to do as he wished he would not let the king get in between them or any of the other pack houses.

    Bale was his to execute as he wished.

    He had also not informed Garrick that he wasing.

    That was because he wanted no one to know.

    He could barely risk it.

    If Bale got the smallest hint that his end wasing sooner than expected, then he might use the opportunity to flee the pack and that was something Xaden did not want.

    If Bale could give up his own supposed first daughter and child up to Xaden, then who knew what else he could.

    He wanted to catch him red handed and gods helped him that he was the one who had ordered for the murder of Eleanor, he would wish for death.

    For what he had nned for him was far worse.

    Xaden stepped on the ship and then he stood as the men shouted orders.

    The sails were released and the anchor was taken back up .

    Xaden had also been an experienced see captain and that was why he decided to be captain of the ship.

    The ship had its own captain but Xaden was determined to captain it.

    When he was tired, he would hand it over to the original captain.

    Once the anchor was risen back up, the ship began to sail.

    It was now evening and then it had gotten colder.

    Xaden now wore a fur cap and his coat was made of the softest animal fur.

    He was warm and cozy.

    Then he saw Jasmine was seated by the dorks and was hovering in cold.

    He started to feel guilty and then he took his mind off it and turned back to steering the ship.

    "Hands to star board!" The men called.

    Then from the corner of his eyes he saw Erik drape a fur coat over Jasmine��s shivering shoulder.

    Xaden gritted his teeth in rage and jealousy.

    She smiled at him and seemed to be shaking her head, obviously rejecting the coat.

    But Erik insisted and then reinforced the coat on he shoulders.

    Eventually she gave in and he saw her lips form what he suspected was a thank you.

    Erik nodded and then he took a step back.

    Even in her chains she gathered the coat around to take advantage of itsplete warmth.

    He said nothing and watched as Erik went down below.

    Xaden called out to one of his men.

    "My lord." The man bowed.

    "Take the prisoner down to one of the cabins and lock her inside." Xaden instructed to the Beta.

    The Beta bowed and went on about his order.

    When the Beta met Jasmine he seemed to be talking to her.

    She had some rows of conversation and then she turned to see Xaden.

    She nodded and then the beta took her away.

    Xaden simply looked away once she was below deck.

    Erik returned from below deck and went to stand by Xaden as he held unto the wheel.

    "This godforsaken snow is going to make the journey tedious." Erik said.

    "Well you have to admit that it is better than going by road." Xaden replied absent mindedly. "We would have most likely been dead before we even got to our destination. Alpha Xaden defied all odds of death until he was frozen to death."

    Erikughed. "That is not quite a bad thing to say though."

    Xaden smiled.

    "You did not send word to Garrick about the journey did you?" Erik asked.

    "No I did not." Xaden said. "I still wonder how a message owl was sent back and forth under his nose. If I inform him of my arrival, then who know if Bale will not catch wind of it and make his swift escape."

    Erik sighed and turned to stand on the other side. "That is true. Do you belive that maybe it was Bale who had a hand in Eleanor��s death?"

    Xaden shrugged. "I do not know. But I hope so. I want to end it all at once. I want to know that I have killed him for everything bad that he has ever done."

    "And Jasmine?" Erik asked. "What will happen to her?"

    "Her fate will be decided at the right time." Xaden stated matter of fact.

    "So all those things you had told me about her., all those ns that you had made. Is gone, just like that?" Erik asked.

    "There is no n for Jasmine in my future." Xaden ended the conversation.

 Chapter 256: THE KING’S DECISION

    <h4>Chapter 256: THE KING��S DECISION</h4>

    King Rnd sat on his throne as one of his men of arms read out the letter sent by the message owl.

    "And so being the deception of Alpha Bale of the moonlight pack, judgement in ordance to the order of wolves would be given to Alpha Xaden to execute. And in regards of this message being passed on shall be ryed to the Royal court of the wolves of Lun-Noire. Yours sincerely the members of the wolf council." He finished reading.

    There was a murmur from the members of the royal wolf court.

    "Silence." The king ordered and they all went hush.

    The Queen was not seated on her throne because she had taken I��ll and released from duties while he performed all the duties.

    It was now mainly on him seated on the chairs.

    Belle was seated down on the slower chair and her mother seated lower than her.

    "This is verified information from the wolf council?" The King asked.

    "Yes your majesty." The wolf in arms replied. "It was signed in their blood."

    The king leaned back in his chair. "Xaden is most definitely going to kill Bale."

    "Xaden can not take such decisions without his majesties approval." One of his advisors said. "This is why ourws were put into ce. Regardless of the fact that he is given the veto right to exact judgement on Bale, he should not be allowed to be exercise such powers carelessly. If he does then others will follow in his footsteps."

    There were murmurs in the crowd.

    "I agree with you." The king nodded. "But if anyone of us present would recall no one stepped in to stop him from his actions."

    The King leaned back in his chair exasperated.

    "Now we have unleashed a demon on the streets." The King said with a heavy sigh. "We created the monster that Xaden is today and we are going to have to deal with it whether we like it or not. It is all our faults."

    The main seven pack houses and their alphas or representatives went quite.

    "It is good to see that we all agree on something." The king replied helplessly.

    "So we will stand and do nothing while he goes on and kill bale who is a well respected member of the wolfmunity?" Edgar the Alpha of the ck side pack.

    Who also happened to be a very close friend of Bale.

    "You are talking in Bale��s favour because he is your friend." Ramsay who was one of the only true friend of Alpha Orion, the father of Xaden when he was alive and till his death .

    "Well you did nothing for him did you?" Edgar snapped back.

    Ramsay was one of the few desert wolf packs that had agreed to a peaceful pact to the royal family.

    "You fucking son of a whore!" Ramsay spat. "You purposely closed any way for the message owls to send messages across. It was you that wasdy of the reason why we never got messages on Bale��s impending attack on the Crescent pack."

    And it was true because Edgar��s pack was known to have a control on birds that were sent out with messages.

    Messages had been sent to Orion��s Allie��s for help, but they had never gotten it.

    They had only gotten word of the gruesome massacre.

    "You are using me of such treachery without any proof you bastard!" Edgar spat in rage.

    "Deny it and see if I do not turn you into sand!" Ramsay swore.

    Those who were in support of Orion chanted behind Ramsay while those who were in support of Bale chanted behind Edgar.

    "Enough!" The King silenced them before they turned into their wolves and began tearing each other apart. "I am in no mood to see bloodshed on my court floors so you will all seize these nonsense argument as if you are women."

    The men sneered at each other but said nothing.

    The King had his fingers against his temple as he sighed in reluctance.

    "Xaden has gone through a lot. I should have put an end to what Bale had done before it even happened. I take full responsibility for that and so should the rest of you present. Orion did not deserve what happened to him neither did the rest of his pack. Bale has been hiding under the protection of the ord for too long. It is time that he faces his own judgement. I dere that Xaden be free to handle the moonlight pack on his own."

    There were murmurs amongst the crowd but there were also people who nodded and belived that he had given the right judgement.

    "And what it Xaden does not stop them your majesty?" Someone asked aloud. It was Reinhardt alpha of the green pack. "What if he kills Bale and finds that that is not enough bloodlust for him. It is not new news to us that Xaden has desire to dress blood of everyone whom he belived had a hand in the murder of his family."

    "And to those who turned a blind eye." Someone added.

    There was a chill down their spine because they had not done anything to stop it.

    The King had thought of this himself too.

    Because he too was terrified of Xaden.

    He was not certain how Xaden would react once he had aplished his take of killing Bale.

    Perhaps he mighte for the rest of them.

    Bale sighed heavily. "Well all we can go is pray to the gods to that once he had killed off bale and revenged his family, then his desire to kill will end."

    Even though the King himself belived that this was quite unlikely.

    The looks on all the other men said the same thing.

    He cleared his throat. "Send word that I have approved the judgement of the moonlight pack in the hands of solely Alpha Xaden. The way we turned a blind eye when we needed him, is the way we turn a blind eye now that he does not need us."

 Chapter 257: THE KING’S JUDGEMENT

    <h4>Chapter 257: THE KING��S JUDGEMENT</h4>

    There was an uproar amongst the wolf pack.

    Some saying the judgement was wrong, while some said that the judgement was as rightly given.

    "Silence." The King announced. "I will hear not one more word about this issue. What I have decreed is what will be whether you like it or not. We shall see the oue of his actions and hope that that would set his heart at ease and put his quest for hunger to rest."

    "And what about this girl my lord?" Someone asked. "Was it really true that he gave up his own first daughter to purposely suffer under the hands of Xaden to save his second daughter."

    There was another murmur amongst the crowd.

    "Now what says you maester." The king called out to his maester.

    The maester looked from the king to the other men awaiting his response and said.

    "The message that I received was that Bale had a daughter in secret with a mere ve. She gave birth to a girl before the Luna Maria ever conceived." The maester. "Bale is said to be not quite fond of the girl and she was left to be forgotten in the pack for a while. This is the only bastard of his that we are aware of."

    The King sighed and rubbed his chin. "And the mother of the child?"

    "Died after childbirth. It seems that thedy Maria was very jealous and took the opportunity to lock the ve in a cell when Bale went away. She went into hardbor and gave birth to the daughter who we now know as Jasmine. The birth was very premature and the baby should have died. She was born at seven months, especially with the fact that its mother was dead."

    "But the baby defied all odds and survived." The Maester said.

    Then the court doors were opened and cherry came inside with her heels clicking right behind her.

    "Hello boys." She said winking at them and walking up to where the royal seats were.

    "Cherry." The King said in annoyance. "We are having a very serious and important meeting. You should not be here."

    "Do I have to remind you that what you are sitting on was supposed to be my seat?" She asked him directly.

    The King was dumbfounded.

    She went up to the seat directly beside the king and sat down.

    That was the seat for the Queen who was unwell to take her ce.

    "I beg your majesty but sitting on the throne of the Queen is forbidden by ourws." The maester said in horror:

    Cherry waved her hand off. "Do not be such a drag. It was my sister who told me to sit on this very seat and take over things on her behalf."

    She winked at him and said. "And moreover, sitting on the throne won��t kill anything. It is not like I am taking the throne for myself. And if the gods have an issue they shoulde down themselves and take over."

    They all went quiet.

    Even the King said nothing.

    She looked at everyone and said. "Come on, carry on with the conversation. It is not like I said anything to disturb the conversation. Carry on please."

    The maester still did not speak until the King cleared his throat.

    "And does anyone know anything at all about the mother? Where she came from? Who is she?" The King asked.

    There was a silence in the room.

    The maester shook his head. "No your majesty. There is no news about that. We only know that she was born by a ve. Nothing is known much about her."

    Cherry became alert. "And who is this she, we are talking about?"

    "It is Alpha Bale��s daughter. Apparently the one who was sent as his daughter was not the one he wanted." Alpha ke said.

    Alpha of the dead walkers pack.

    Cherry��s face tightened but managed to suppress her emotions.

    "This is news. And how did Xaden take it?" She asked.

    "Not well of course." The maester said. "She was nted as a spy and Bale broke the was of the ord. The King has given Xaden the free will to choose his judgement."

    Cherry turned to look at the King.

    "That is a rash decision to make." Cherry said. "You should have also debated this with the Queen."

    "This is the best decision either me or the Queen could have made." He replied to her. "Xaden has been put through more than enough and when I say that I truly hope that this will end his pain. I am sure the Queen would have made the exact same decision . She has never liked Bale for one. And moreover you are not the best person to decide on this matter considering your past history."

    She said nothing and they all looked at her with curious eyes as to what the King meant.

    Then the Maester brought down the letter that had been written by one of the king��s men in arms.

    The letter now contained the King giving right to Xaden to execute his free will in judgement of Alpha Bale.

    The maester took the letter to him open where it was waiting for the King to ce his ring on it.

    The King pressed his ring which held his seal and marked the letter.

    There was nothing anyone could do to deter him or change his new order.

    "Send the letter to all houses." He instructed "And also send the letter to the Moonlight pack. They will know my decision on this matter."

    "I still belive that other matters should have been taken into caution." Cherry said. "Perhaps consulting with all the other pack houses. This is a matter that will affect us all. How sure are we that letting Xaden free like a mad dog on Bale will not destroy us all?

    "If Bale could give up his own daughter for another daughter, then he deserves hell." The King said leaning back into his throne.

    "This meeting is over."

    The members of wolves turned around and went on their way discussing about what had happened when the king used the opportunity to give cherry a clear cut warning.

    "Now listen to me and listen good." He said to her. "Never ever will you make the mistake of interfering in such matters. You are not the ruling Queen and I will not take such disrespect every again do you understand me?"

    Cherry red at him. "Rx. Why are you so all into your feelings? And moreover it was your queen who asked me toe."

    He was going to ignore her and hope that she left him alone when she pestered him.

    "And also Rnd you should have made more investigations and asked for more counsel before making that decision about Xaden. He is dangerous and you could have possibly just signed our death threats."

    "You are the reason why we are in this mess in the first ce." He spat in rage at her.

    "And that is why I am here." She said with an evil smile. "To make up all my bad manners. I am here for a change and I am here to do everything right this time."

    His face fell sour. "So you really want to do everything right this time yes?"

    She j nodded. "Of course."

    "Then if you are sure that that is what you want, then I advise you to pack your things and leave us." He said.

    Sheughed at him. "And go where? Rnd this is my home. everything here belonged to me. I am not moving an inch. I belong here."

    He shook his head. "I womder what your sister sees in you."

    "She loves me." Cherry stated clearly.

    "And you?" He rose a brow. "Do you love her?"

    "In my own way." She said with an evil smile.

    "Very soon I will order for you to send you packing and there is nothing that your sister will do to save you. She is better off with you." He said.

    That seemed to make her upset as she turned to him in rage and said. "Now look here you. You of all people should not be acting like some kind of saint especially when you are guilty. Gods the gall of you to try to threaten me especially when I know what you are doing."

    She gave off a meanugh. "You are fucking the queen��s sister right under her nose. Imagine what will happen when I tell her this?"

    "You will not." He said.

    "Watch and see." She said. "And it will not just be me going down. But you too. She will never forgive you. So you can imagine the games you are ying."

    The doors were open and then Queen rose came inside.

    "Look Rnd." Cherry said aloud. "My sister just came in right as we were going to tell her what we were discussing,"

 Chapter 258: QUEEN ROSE’S JUDGEMENT

    <h4>Chapter 258: QUEEN ROSE��S JUDGEMENT</h4>

    Rose smiled at her husband and sister.

    She was dressed in a red dress to match her vibrant red hair and her hair was filled with some white roses.

    "Tell me what?" Rose asked.

    Rnd wanted to lose his mind.

    "Nothing we were just discussing matters..." he said. "A very boring but and I am sure you would not be interested."

    "But why the need to hide it anymore?" Cherry asked him. "She deserves to know. I can not put my sister in the dark for so long."

    Rose crossed her brows together confused at the way they were both contradicting each other.

    Rnd��s heart was beating so fast.

    What game exactly was cherry trying to y?

    If Rose found out that would be the end of it all.

    They will be thrown out of the Kingdom and set for exile. Perhaps even worse. Both of them!

    Cherry rose up to her feet and Rnd grabbed her hand and tried to pull her back.

    But she jerked it free from his grasp and went on to where her sister stood.

    Rnd himself rose up to his feet in anxiety.

    His heart was in his mouth.

    She looked at the both of them.

    "I was tired of this dark secret between us." Cherry said. "My heart is ever so heavy. It has me famished and exhausted. You are my little sister and you know that I will never keep anything from you."

    "Cherry stop this!" Rnd demanded. "Rose do not believe a word of what she wants to say. They are all lies!"

    "I believe that I can choose what I want to believe or not." She said in a very annoyed manner.

    Cherry smiled at her and gave a very deep sigh. "The truth is that.....

    Rose was leaning in waiting to hear what she had to say.

    Rnd was already sweating as his stood by his throne, Terrified that he was not going to he do anything.

    That this was his very end and Rose would never forgive him once she discovered the truth.

    "We were making a surprise snow party!" Cherry said in excitement.

    Rnd dropped back down in the chair from relief and put his head in his hands.

    Roseughed. "Really? Was that what you wished to tell me?"

    Cherry nodded. "Yes. What else did you think I was going to say?"

    Rose shrugged. "I can not quite tell. But I must say that it seemed like something more scary. The way you said it."

    "Oh nowe now sister." Cherry said as she adjusted one of the roses behind her sister��s ear. "You know that I will never do anything to hurt you."

    And then cherry pecked her cheek softly.

    Rose gave a very awkwardugh. "Well I do suppose that I might have been thinking a bit too far."

    Cherry gently nuzzled her cheek and adjusted the wrinkles off of Roses��s dress. "You need not let your head go so far. I assure you that nothing is amiss."

    Then cherry smiled back at her and said. "Your husband came up with the idea of making a little snow party for you to celebrate the sudden winter the gods gave us. Look at him all scared to Witt about me revealing it."

    "I suppose that a winter party is lovely." Rose said with a genuine smile. "And yes, he does look scared. Like he has seen a ghost of some sort."

    They both turned to look at Rnd who was still looking exhausted and tired.

    And then both womenughed together.

    You would believe that there was nothing but pure love in between them.

    And no betrayal or detest.

    She sighed and said. "But why did you reveal it to me though? You should have let it remain a surprise."

    "Dear sister, you have been quite exhausted. Everyone can see it in your eye.s." Cherry informed. "You are losing weight and your sickness has been badtely. I wanted to give you something to lighten your mood. And you do know that I am terrible at keeping surprises to myself."

    They chuckled.

    "The party will be held tomorrow evening in your honor." Cherry said.

    Rose gave a weak smile. "I do really appreciate this gestures."

    Cherry gently touched her cheek in affection. "There is no need to thank me when we are sisters. The love we have for each other is enough."

    Then Rose looked back up at her husband. "You can be calm now Rnd. I am not going to kill you." She said.

    He gave an uneasyugh and then she asked. "I meant to ask. What the meeting is about. My subjects informed me that something about an invasion from Xaden to Bale��s pack."

    Cherry cursed in her mind.

    She forgot that despite the fact the Queen had temporarily relinquished her legitive duties as Queen till she was well, she still had eyes everywhere that told her of what was going on in the castle.

    "Yes, it seems that Bale had used his daughter as a spy on Xaden." Rnd said .

    The Queen gasped softly. "The ve, Jasmine?"

    "Yes." He nodded. "And what��s more is that the girl Jasmine was an imposter. She was not his real daughter, or perhaps I meant to say that she was not the daughter Xaden had wanted. She was a bastard and it seems Bale had given her up instead of his daughter with Luna Maria."

    The Queen breathed in taking in all the information. "How dreadful."

    "The details are long and I assure you that they will only tire you." Cherry said Chirping herself in to try and prevent the Queen from

    Getting interested in the case.

    "And what was the judgement pronounced?" Rose asked ignoring her sister as if she had not even heard a word from her.

    Rnd gave in a very deep sigh and then said. "Bale has gone against thews of the ord. He disobeyed them. I gave Xaden the right to execute his own judgment and stepped away from the matter. It was the best thing I could do. My hands were tied up."

    Rose was quiet and then Cherry hoped that maybe she would revoke Rnd��s im.

    She was the only one who could revert the judgement that he had made.

    "I am not disputing what you are saying." Rose said. Cherry was delighted.

    This meant that Rose was going to change thews he had a made.

    "And you are right." Rose said.

    Cherry��s face went an instant white.

    "Everything that is happening now is happening because of Bale." Rose said. "He murdered those people and defied ourws. If thew of the ord wasn��t his shield then I would have personally ordered his execution myself."

    Cherry was so stunned at her sister��s words that all she could do was stare in amazement.

    She knew that her sister had been fierce fighter and ruler.

    She had been strict and just like how their parents had been.

    And that had irritated Cherry.

    What more was the fact that the people had always followed her like she was a god.

    But since she had been ill, she had stayed away from the legitive issues andw making rules in the court.

    Well since she had lost her daughter Scarlet, she had been weak and ill.

    But seeing her sister speak with so much conviction had shaken and surprised her.

    Rose sighed in heavily. "Bale had made a lot of decisions. Was cruel to people and mass murdered people under the guise of the ord. Laws need to be changed. People should not be let to go Scott free because of someone for it or preferential treatment . This decision is the only amendment we can make to appease the likes of Xaden who lost his family."

    The Queen sighed heavily. "I still wish we could have done something. I wish we could have changed what happened. I see tnat young man and all I see is rage and anger. I do not me him at all. His wrath is right."

    Cherry could not say a word to counter what her decision was.

    Because she was still trying to be a good sister and if she made the wrong statements then her sister could begin to get suspicious about her.

    "I think that is something we all agree on." Rnd said.

    "Do you not think so cherry?"

    That snapped her right back to reality.

    "What? Huh? What did you say? I beg your pardon my mind was elsewhere." She said .

    "I said that it was something we all agree is it not?" He asked.

    Cherry knew what he was doing.

    He goading her because of how she had yed tricks on him.

    She smiled her teeth and said. "Of course. Bale needs to be punished and Xaden needs to finally get judgement."

    Rose nodded in agreement but she was blind to see the little unspoken interaction between the both of them.

 Chapter 259: ROSE’S JUDGEMENT 2

    <h4>Chapter 259: ROSE��S JUDGEMENT 2</h4><subtxt> fre��NovelFire</subtxt>

    "Good." Queen rose nodded in agreement. "And has a message owl been sent?"

    Rnd touched the seat of his chair and nodded. "Yes."

    "Good." She said again. "And what about the girl? Jasmine?"

    Cherry stiffened as her sister made enquirers.

    "We do not know much about her. Just that she was a bastard." Rnd replied.

    The Queen sighed and walked back and forth as she rummaged through her thoughts.

    "The poor girl." The Queen said. "I can hardly imagine what she went through. We all know that Bale was cruel enough to do that."

    "We are not certain sister that he did that." Cherry said. "For all we know, she might have been the one who nned the whole thing. Perhaps she brought it up to her father because what girl will go through that ordeal."

    "She might." Rose said. "Yes you are right about that. But still we can not dispute the fact t that she might be innocent."

    "Oh sister." Cherry sighed shaking her head. "You are much too soft. It is not the old days anymore when people could be trusted. You have no idea how ruthless these girls can be."

    Rose shook her head. "Her mother? Anything about her?"

    "We only know that she was a ve who had been kept in their pack." Rnd said. "She got pregnant and Luna Maria had always been jealous."

    "That is not news." Rose said. "Luna Maria had always been known to deal with her husband��s whores who always seemed to be mysteriously always go missing."

    Rnd nodded to the maester.

    The maester cleared his throat to carry on the story.

    "Yes your majesty and she devised a way for Once Bale was out of the pack on of his terror attacks, she had the pregnant ve thrown into a prison and locked up. The ve went into hardbor and gave birth. The baby was premature. The mother died and the baby should have gone too."

    "But apparently a miracle happened and the baby survived and that is where the ve Jasmine came in." Rnd said.

    "Nothing is known of the mother and her origins?" The Queen asked.

    "None mydy." The maester replied.

    "You will find out more information for me on what is going on. And you will dig deep into the mother of this girl and you will find out everything you can about this girl." The Queen said.

    "Rose you are waisting resources on a mere ve there are other more pressing and disturbing manners that should be put to hand." Cherry said trying her best to dissuade. "And better at that you are quite unwell. You neee rest."

    "I have been resting more than enough." The Queen said. "I think that it is high time I resume my duties. I belive I am well enough."

    Cherry gritted her teeth in rage at her sisters words.

    Just as she was finally about to get away with things.

    Just when she had believed that things were going ording to ns now her sister nned on taking back her seat.

    Then Rose turned back to the maester. "Is that understood?"

    He bowed. "Yes mydy."

    And then he went away.

    Rose turned back to her sister and said. "Walk with me sister."

    Cherry gave a very ingenuine smile and curtseyed. "Of course your majesty."

    Rose smiled and extended her hand for her sister to take and together they walked towards therge court doors.

    Rose turned back to her husband. "Rnd you need to see what I have painted. It is up in our bedrooms."

    He rose a brow. "Something exciting I suppose."

    She shrugged. "Perhaps and maybe a little naughty too. You have a been quite absent and I have been unable to finish it."

    Heughed and walked frown from his throne.

    "Absent? I am the model?"

    He now stood on her other side.

    "You would see it when you do." She said as she softly kissed his cheek.

    Cherry��s face went grim and she withdrew and stood a pace away as she bowed.

    And then the King in turn kissed her

    neck and trailed his tongue down her shoulder line.

    "You should not do this." Rose said breathlessly. "We should not be doing this you know. We are in public."

    "And who cares?" He asked as he murmured.

    Against her neck.

    Then the King put his hands up against the front bodice of her dress and a she moaned in pleasure.

    Cherry was boiling in rage and jealously.

    How were they being so open about this? In her front?

    Was it not enough that she was the one who had been betrothed to him? Now her own baby sister was literally about to be fucked by the man she loved.

    When Cherry was sure that she could not take their disy of affection anymore she cleared her throat and said.

    "I should give you two love birds privacy." Cherry said.

    Rose pulled away from Rnd who still had his arms around her waist and held unto her firmly refusing to let her go.

    "Oh do forgive me sister." Rose said. "Rnd can be very bad."

    She tried to pull away but he he was still holding her firmly and nting kisses on her neck and the top of her bosoms

    "Rnd stop it!" She said through giggles and pushing him away.

    Cherry stood further in anger and rage but she was forced to suppress her rage down.

    Cherry just stood there watching the two love birdsughing and giggling together.

    Cherry was boiling in anger and hate!

    She cleared her throat once again.

    "Please I will like to give you two privacy ." Cherry said. "If you will please dismiss me".

    Rose snapped back to reality and then she finally was able to push Rnd away.

    "I am so sorry forgive me sister!" Rose said through giggles like a young girl again.

    She adjusted her hair and dress and then she pushed away him away.

    But Rnd only further tried to hold her bum.

    "Rnd stop that!" She rebuked yfully even though it was quite obvious that she did not want him to stop.

    Eventually he relented.

    He rose his hands up and said. "Alright I will let you be."

    She smiled at him and then he gave her a wink.

    Then he walked out of the throne room with his men behind.

    Rose turned around and faced her sister. "Rnd is finally gone. Now where were we?"

    Cherry was forced to give a stiff smile. "You had asked for me to walk with you?"

    "Ah yes." Rose said and extended her hand out to her sister . "Wall with me."

    With no other choice Cherry out hee arm in her sister��s and together they headed out of the throne room.

    They walked up towards the balconies that over looked the kingdom.

    There were a number of guards that were down.

    One of the Queen��s maidens in waiting rushed to her and got her a fur coat.

    "Thank you." Rose said sweetly as the fur coat was dropped over her very light coat. "You are so thoughtful."

    "It was his majesty the king that asked you be given this coat your majesty." The maiden said.

    Rose blushed.

    Cherry became grim.

    "We��ll do tell him that he spoils me with his affection and tjat was very thoughtful of him." Rose said tapping gently on the maiden��s shoulder.

    Cherry was red with jealousy.

    The maiden curtseyed all smiles and still stood there.

    "What are you waiting for?" Cherry snapped at the maiden. "Waiting to perhaps over hear some gossiping that you will useter to spin false tales to other servants? Or perhaps to the highest bidder?"

    The maiden bowed hastily. "Do forgive me your majesty. I meant no harm."

    "Get out! And make yourself useful by getting me a fur coat! It is bloody freezing here." Cherry snapped.

    The girl bowed. "Yes your grace."

    And then she hurried out of their presence.

    "Oh you did not need to be so hard to the poor girl Cherry she meant no harm." Rose said looking back at the girl who was now running off in fear.

    "I have told you this over and over sister you are much too soft in this kingdom. You need to be strict and firm so that they will fear you." Cherry said.

    "She was simply running an errand on Rnd��s behest." Rose countered her sister.

    "And the servant you choose to thrust can betray you in a split second. You need to understand that this is a cruel world." Cherry said. "I do not wish to see you be hurt or betrayed."

    "I know and I appreciate that." Rose said. "Sometimes I think about it and I understand tat you are my sister and my flesh of my flesh. I can trust my life with you."

    "Of course." Cherry said. "I will never let anyone bring any harm to you."

    Rose gave a smile.

 Chapter 260: ROYAL APPOINTMENT

    <h4>Chapter 260: ROYAL APPOINTMENT</h4>

    Thank you sister. I can trust you with my own life." Rose said with pride .

    Cherry gave a very fake smile but harbored wicked thoughts about her sister.

    When the servants finally returned with a fur coat for her she wore it in rage and disgust and she snarled at them.

    She didn��t even attempt to do anything she made them wear it through her hands and over her.

    She was jealous about the fact that Rnd hand gotten Rose a coat for her to wear in the cold weather.

    She was in rage.

    It was her that Rnd was fucking back to back , she felt a sense of entitlement over her sister.

    And all she wanted to do wassh at her sister and tell her all about what was going on between them.

    Nothing would make her happier to see her sister sad.

    In fact she wished that she could tell her sister all the awful things she had done and how much she hated her.

    How she had killed her daughter who had still somehow managed to escape.

    She had sown seeds of discord and disunity in her family.

    She wanted to boast about it all.

    But chrrry knew better than to reveal it all out in the open.

    She had to do it at the right time so for now she had to pretend that she cared for her sister.

    When Cherry had finished wearing her fur coat or rather had her fur coat worn by the servants she turned to her sister.

    "Now see sister." Rose said looking down at her people. "I have not been able to see them

    Since. The people wish to have the royals walk amongst them the same way they walk

    Around freely.

    "You should not do that." Cherry said. "It is unsafe and dangerous. We do not know when a rebellion my rise."

    "The people are hungry." Rose said. "The snow hase and despite how much of a beauty she is, she has brought blight and suffering. A famine is about to ensue."

    And it was true.

    Because the people did not expect snow until perhaps another five years they had taken no precautions to store grain.

    She turned to her sister.

    "How much grain do we have in the royal storage?" Rose asked.

    Cherry snorted in annoyance but answered. "I am not quite aware of these matters but the King should have better knowledge."

    Rose looked down as she saw little children ying in the snow and dancing around.

    "Look at them. So happy without a single fate to the world around them." Rose said with such deep sympathy. "If we do not do something fast and urgent they will begin to understand the ways of the word and tangughter will turn to tears."

    She sighed and turned away.

    Then she looked back up at her sister.

    "I desire something from you." She said.

    Cherry rose a brow interested in what her sister had to say.

    "What is it?" She asked.

    Rose sighed in heavily. "I have a special appointment that I wish to bestow on you. And I trust no one to do it any better."

    Cherry remained calmed waiting to here what her sister would say.

    "I wish to make you master of coin." She said. "You will also be given the well privilege to administer food storage and trade our gold for food. The people need it. We need to bring down the prices so that the people will

    Be able to fend for themselves."

    Cherry looked on in surprise.

    Being the master of coin was a very huge appointment that was not to be yed with and could as easily be tossed away as given.

    If ced in the good hands one could excel and a double the profits of the kingdom.

    If given to the wrong hands, all the money the kingdom had could be squandered and they could be well put into debt.

    It was a game of gaining or losing.

    And unfortunately for Rose she had ced it in the wrong hands.

    Cherry stuttered falsely and feigned surprise and appreciation. "But sister this is a very big decision to make. And there is already another master of coin."

    "He was sacked." Rose said. "He was caught stealing the food and money tjat he was supposed to use to the feed tne poor masses and refilling his wine goblet. He is no man worthy. But you my sister are."

    "This is a big decision. I have nothing to say." Cherry said now being honest.

    She was very surprised that her sister still had her hands in the Matters of the kingdom.

    "You do not need to say anything." Rose said. "Do please ept it."

    "What about Rnd?" Cherry asked faking being thoughtful.

    "Rnd is only king consort. I am the Queen he would take the decision that i made without question." Rose replied straight up.

    Cherry gave a weak smile. "Sister you did not tell him? You should have. I do not wish to cause any bridge of distrust and confusion between the two of you."

    Rose waved her hand away in a dismissive tone.

    "You forget tnat I am then Queen and what I

    Say will be willed." Rose said as she went to a small table.

    Hot tea was poured for her and she drank from it.

    "I trust you with my life." Rose said. "And I trust the life of my people with you. I desire for the children to be well fed. The snow has not even reached its harshest and yet see how things are."

    "Things can not be quite easy at first." Cherry said.

    "Yes, but I trust you to do a good job about it."

    Rose sighed heavily and looked at the disappearing sun in the horizon.

    "I gave birth to Scarelt and Col in the snowing weather. Can you remember?" Rose asked.

    She sipped her tea and set it down on her te.

    "Of course I do."

    Cherry said sitting down beside her sister.

    Rose smiled. "When I gave birth to Scarlet she was different. There was something about her. She was hot. It was unusual. All through the pregnancy I did understand that one side of me was warmer than the other. She was extra ordinary and then her sister followed. And there were sometimes that I would swear that I saw her hair on fire. Or perhaps it was all a dream now. But I remember that when I held scarlet up to my bosom in the snow, she would warm me up. It was unusual. Not even corral did that with me."

    "You should not dwell on such thing sister." Cherry said gently touching her sister��s hand to soothe her.

    Rose smiled and said. "You are right. And I am sure that she would not have wanted me

    Moping around all this yearster. I can imagine her saying "mother you musn��t be sad!"

    And then roseughed.

    Cherry was forced to join in theughter even though she did not find it amusing.

    Then Rose sighed heavily "Do not worry about Rnd I am most certain that he would wee the idea of you being master of tne coin."

    Cherry sipped some of the tea and told herself that she did not think so.

    "Sister there is something that I wish to discuss with you." Cherry said. "Are you certain that it is wise of us to have Jasmine investigated? Or even freed out. For all we know she might be worse than she seems."

    Rose sighed. "Why are you so against her? Is it because she is a pauper? A ve with no one to turn to for love."

    "Do not quote me wrong sister." Cherry said defensively. "But we both know why you are searching into her. You are hoping that she might be some missing link between her and scarlet."

    Rose went red and she bit her bottom lip unready to ept the fact that this was true.

    "I only hoped to hear something. I only hoped for.... I do not know but I know I hoped."

    Cherry gently held her sister��s hand in hers and said. "I am going to tell you this because you are my sister and because I do not wish to see you while away your life. And also because I love you. But you need to let Scarlet go. Bury her forever. She is dead and she will nevere back."

    Rose withdrew her hand Sharpnh as if being burned.

    She gently rose up from her seat and said. "Do excuse me sister. There are some Matter of urgency I desire to discuss."

    "Of course." Rose replied letting hee sister go.

    Cherry rose up from the seat and walked away.

    As she hurried off, she wanted to have one of her owl��s find out information about where Jasmine was.

    She needed to kill her off.

    Especially since her sister had personal instructed that an investigation be held on her life.

 Chapter 261: JASMINE BELOW DECKS

    <h4>Chapter 261: JASMINE BELOW DECKS</h4>

    The guard locked her chain.

    "Could you a bit more careful please." Jasmine asked. "My wrists hurt."

    The guard spat at her feet and sneered at her.

    "Careful? You have the tongue you traitor. But your father was not careful when he was raping and killing our women." He said.

    Jasmine was tired now.

    Everything was out in the open.

    Her secret was out there now.

    Xaden knew who she was, there was not reason to pretend anymore.

    She felt a sudden burden off her shoulders now that everything had happened.

    Of course she did not want him to know who she was because she knew he would never understand.

    But now that it has alle out in broad daylight there was no point in her hiding her feelings.

    She sighed heavily and looked the man square in his eyes. "Yes my father did those awful and horrible things to you and your family. I apologize to you for the sins of my father. Do not punish the child for her father��s sins."

    The man looked at her sharply and twisted his beard then before she even blinked her eyes, he put his knife at her throat.

    She gasped choking hard.

    The de was at her neck and she was almost cut.

    She had to press her head far back so that her neck will not meet her throat.

    "You think that I want you here?!" He barked at her. "You think that any of the men want you here?! If it were left to us, you would be dead. And you will die a very painful death. Each man will take a piece of you to atone for those they have lost."

    She was breathing so hard and her heart was racing.

    "You better thank the gods that Alpha Xaden has kept you alive." The man said. "For now though. You will not be living long when we make dock at the Moonlight pack. You speak about not being punished for the sins of your father." He said. "But you betrayed us. You deceived our alpha."

    Jasmine turned her face away.

    Then he pushed himself away from her and she quickly put her hand up against her neck to protect it.

    She breathed a heavy sigh of relief.

    There was blood on her neck.

    But it was not so much.

    The guard finished rounding up her chains and dropped them harshly.

    And then he headed up towards the steps when she stopped him.

    "What did my father do to you?" She asked.

    He stopped in his tracks and remained standing for a while that she thought that perhaps he had fainted.

    Then he finally spoke and when he did, she felt the chill in her bones.

    "Your father came to my vige." He said. "I was the head of the local pack while we had our own Alpha. He was fueding with an ally pack and because the ally pack had refused to help him in what he wanted, and helped us instead, your father swore revenge."

    Then he turned and saw her and Jasmine saw the face of a man who had so much trauma and had seen things he definitely should not have seen.

    "Do you know what he did?" He asked.

    Jasmine swallowed and tried to think of the most horrible things that her father could have done.

    "Answer me." He said. "Do you know what your father did?"

    Jasmine breathed heavily. "I do not wish to say."

    He smiled and gave a very bitterugh.

    And Jasmine because weary.

    "Your father came to my home and then he ughtered. I did not say he killed or murdered. He ughtered. Mother and children. The old, soldiers. And his men raped. I was forced to watch as my pregnant wife was killed and brutally stabbed. While I did nothing! He killed everyone in the entire town and left only me. He left me so that I could live through the trauma."

    Jasmine felt the goosebumps all over her body and she shivered unable to stomach the thought of what her father had done to this people.

    "And he wanted me to kill my self." He said. "He dropped a de and said if I was man enough I would kill myself. But he was right. I was not man enough. I could not bring myself to even do it."

    He smiled bitterly and said. "So look at me. I am alive. The only member of my pack who survived the attack. The only man standing."

    Jasmine started to apologize for what her father had done again.

    "It will never make me see you in a different eye." He said. "You will always be the daughter of a monster."

    Jasmine swallowed heavily unable to process what she had just been told.

    "You have heard what your father did to my family. This is just a first of many of the men here. This is just one of the many stories that the men have to tell you. No one wants you here. No one cares for you and we most frankly want you dead the same way we want your father dead. We want the entire Bale line gone."

    She jerked involuntarily.

    And then he walked up the steps and shut the door blocking off any single ray of lights she had to see.

    Then she simply turned away and hugged her knees together waiting for whatever judgment wiould be given to her.

    Later in the night a male guard opened the door and she moved back quickly.

    He came down the steps and then he flung a te of what was supposed to be food.

    "Good for the dogs." He said and he spat at her.

    She pulled her legs close to herself and then he went back up the steps and shut the door.

    Jasmine hurled herself together and leaned against the wall and willed herself to sleep even though she knew that she could not.

    It had been four days on the ship and the journey was still far ahead.

    Erik had not seen Jasmine in a while.

    He had not wanted to ask so mych questions because he knew how Xaden might react.

    But she had been nowhere on the decks.

    He has reserved his thoughts and curiosity to himself until it was a whole week and there was still not sign of Jasmine.

    He went to Xaden who was busy discussing with other members of his strategy arm on how to defeat Bale.

    In as much as Bale was now rendered powerless, he still had Allie��s and because Xaden had gone by sea, he would be forced to makend by one of Bale��s Allie��s.

    "We would have to send word to the men up there that we areing. Jared does not like surprises so much I am afraid." One of his advisors said.

    Xaden shook his head. "I do not want to risk letting Bale know that I am closing in on him. If he finds out that my ships areing then he could make a rebellion and attack the rest of the men."

    The men went quiet. "But Jared will not allows us to makend."

    "What about the fact that the Royal family is fully backing my im to attack moonlight pack?" Xaden asked.

    Erik walked to where was quiet and sat.

    "You arete." Xaden said.

    "My apologies." Erik said with a weak smile.

    "Jared will not put much on the royal family. He might defy them and give a false story tjat we attacked him. A lot of these pack hit answer to the royal family because they had no choice." Another of his men said. "The royal family is on the other side. So are we."

    "That gives enough leverage for Jared to cook up his own story." Xaden said after much thought. "But the royal family has eyes. Surely he will not risk losing his pack."

    "Jared��s pack had been there for century. One of the second after the first wolf families." The maester said. "He liked to see himself as being able to make a decision on his own."

    Xaden leaned against the table thinking of what to do.

    Then he finally said. "We will not inform Jared and his pack that we are on our way. If it leaks out that we areing then fine. But we will not. We shall simply go and a day before we reach we will send word to him. Bale��s pack is about two days away from Jared. Even if Jared sends word we would have gotten to the moonlight pack by them and he would be surrendered."

    The men nodded and murmured in agreement.

    Then he leaned away from the table and said. "That will be all for now."

    And with that he dismissed them.

    It was now simply left Xaden and Erik.

    "You camete." Xaden repeated. "These meetings are important."

 Chapter 262: ERIK’S WISDOM

    <h4>Chapter 262: ERIK��S WISDOM</h4>

    "I was not sent for." Erik replied tartly.

    "But I sent for you." Xaden replied. "Damian had said that he was going to get you himself."

    "Ah Damien." Erik nodded. "d you mentioned him. He has been more of your best buddy ever since he informed you of the incidents with Jasmine."

    Xaden leaned back in his chair. "Damien did the right thing you know? He found out what and he came to tell me. Did you know about this?"

    Erik was wise.

    He knew that if he has actually found out and not informed Xaden, when Xaden personally found out he would have had his head.

    "Of course not." Erik said. "But I was aware something was off about her. I did try to tell you She was not the rotten spoiled girl you had been looking for."

    "When?" Xaden snorted.

    "I told you times without number. Or rather I tried to tell you and every time you simply rebuked it and told me to let it be." Erik said folding his arms. "Because why was a girl who was supposed to be unruly and spiked knowing how to cook, excelling at errands that she was supposed to be daft at. Her hands were hard and rough for gods�� sake"

    Xaden rose an eye at thatst statement.

    Erikughed. "Good goddes above are you jealous that I mentioned her hands being hard. I didn��t touch her if you must know. Belinda mentioned it to me and I heard."

    Erik grunted and said. "But yes she was different and no matter what you say deep

    Down you knew it. You knew something was off but you just let your rage and hate for Bale blind you."

    Xaden said nothing.

    Continued looking down at the map and marking out the waters with apass.

    "I can only imagine what the poor girl went through back there." Erik said with a weak sigh.

    Xaden looked up at Erik, his eyes were almost getting red with rage. "Poor girl? A girl who almost had me killed? And you refer to her as poor girl? What she went through bavk there?"

    "Xaden." Erik said annoyed. "You heard her yourself. She was forced toe up here. She was a bastard and he switched her up with his respectable and legitimate daughter. Look what she endured."

    "And you belive here?" Xaden asked very upset.

    "You have to be honest with yourself about these things Xaden." Erik said annoyed. "Look at those scars at her back. Now tell me if it makes sense that she did that all to cover up for Bale."

    "After all she did. She spied on us and would have had us under siege by her own father!" Xaden said. "She lied and yet you still belive her? The gods are ying with your mind!"

    "I did not dispute the fact that she lied about who she was and kept it away. I am also not disputing the fact that she deceived us and could have told us. But you need to be honest with yourself. There were things that she had that raised question marks." Erik said.

    "She is a liar and an enemy that is all that matters." Xaden said looking back down at his papers.

    He picked up his quill and began to write then he looked back up at Erik. "Wait are you taking her side over mine? Over the entire pack��s."

    "Gods!" Erik swore irritated. "You are being very stupid and you know it!"

    Xaden stopped short. He started to speak but Erik cut him short.

    "Others might lie to you but I would not! Your ego and your pride will not let you see the truth! What the hell is wrong with you?! When we first men before you made me your second. Before you made me your head what had you told me?"

    Xaden said nothing. But he knew here Erik was going with this.

    "You had told me that you were going to end all injustice. You were going to end all tyranny and you were going to be an ear and a voice of those who do not have either. You promised that you will be fair and you will not judge a man until he has been trialed. You will not dere a man guilty until he you are sure of it."

    Xaden remained quiet.

    "Where is she?" He asked him.

    Xaden was quiet for a while and then he answered. "I had her locked up down below decks."

    "Gods Xaden." Erik said in shock. "Are you certain that there was a man giving her food? Seeing to her needs? It has been a blood week."

    "The men will do as I have asked." Xaden said even though he himself doubted it.

    "The men hate her." Erik said wisely. "Do you think that they will listen to you? Or handle her with care? She is a woman and look at how young treating her like a dog."

    "She is a hostage." Xaden said. "And a well

    Known enemy. She will be regarded as such. I am certain like I said that the men will obey me and-

    "Fuck that!" Erik snapped in anger. "What the hell is wrong with you?! You know it! You fucking know what they will do with her if you turn your eye just a bit and from my own perspective you are not even looking."

    Xaden sat back down on his chair. "I will not discuss this. It is over."

    "Like hell it is." Erik banged down at the desk. "You are acting worse like those ve masters that you so badly hate."

    "Do you know what her family are doing to my sister? Do you know how they are treating her?" Xaden demanded. "And here you are caring for someone who without the blink of any eye betrayed me! Almost had us killed! I have said it. I will discuss it no more and you will regard me with more respect."

    Erik rolled his eyes. "Oh please."

    "I mean it!" Xaden snapped.

    "Before you became Alpha we were friends."

    Erik said. "And it was you who who had told me that there would never be any difference between us being Alpha and second."

    Xaden was breathing heavily now.

    "And do not also forget that I am not like everyone else." He said. "I am also an Alpha."

    And after that statement Erik took his fist away from the table and stormed back up to the decks.

    He mmed the door hard and ut helped him ease down his rage.

    He sighed heavily and then he went to one of the men. "Who was it that was directed under the charge of the prisoner?"

    They pointed out to another wolf.

    "Where is the prisoner?" Erik asked him when he finally caught up to him.

    "Down in her cell my lord." The prisoner said. "Has she been fed day and night? And have her needs been met?"

    The wolf nodded. "Yes my lord".

    "Take me to her." Erik said even though he was a bit surprised that they had even obeyed him.

    The wolf took him and opened the door.

    When Erik started to go down the stairs he saw something disturbing.

    There was food on the stairs.

    Like it had been spilled.

    He saw that once the doors werepletely closed it was absolute darkness.

    He looked back up at the wolf. "Get me antern."

    The wolf ran of and a few minutester returned with thentern.

    Erik collected it and continued down the steps and then hee set it against the floor so he could see the entire cell .

    He looked around searching for her.

    "Jasmine?"

    But she did not answer and she was nowhere in sight.

    He sighed and started to go back up when he saw a dark figure hurdled in the corner.

    He pointed his light towards where it was and then the closer he saw, the closer he soon saw that she was the one.

    He set thentern down once again and called out to her.

    "Jasmine." He said.

    But she sat there. Not moving and definitely not answering.

    He tapped her very gently. "Jasmine."

    But she still did not move.

    He looked around for any signs of a te of food but there was none.

    That damned wolf had lied it him!

    When he was back up there he was going to give a good beating!

    Erik turned back to her.

    "Jasmine".

    He picked her hand and then she fell instantly but he was able to catch her in his arms.

    He gasped in shock.

    She was unconscious.

    He put his head against her chest and saw that she was still breathing.

    Then he hurriedly carried her up in his arms and race up the steps.

    The wolf that had been instructed in looking over her was still standing there.

    "What the hell did you do?" Erik snared in rage

 Chapter 263: ERIK A TRUE HERO

    <h4>Chapter 263: ERIK A TRUE HERO</h4>

    "I took care of the prisoner." The wolf said.

    Erik growled at him so loudly that the wolf had to take a step back in fear.

    "If she dies." Erik red at him. The wolf was so visibly scared for his life. "Your life is over."

    The wolf was now scared and his heart was racing so fast.

    Erik stormed off down to his quarters and set her down on his bed.

    He put his head up against her chest.

    She was still breathing.

    He turned to his wolf and separated his human body from his wolf body.

    This was a very rare and special technique that other wolves could not do.

    Even Alphas.

    But because Erik was from a direct line of the original first wolves, he was able to execute this skill.

    He had not done it in a very long while and it was a skill that he did not do to the eyes of people.

    The mind of the wolf and man was one.

    But because the wolves were ultimately made into the heart of mind, had been made into separate souls.

    There were rare case where men had used dark magic or tried to disrupt their soul by separating the wolf from the man and had ended up with their body and a wolf joined together in such an ugly and grotesque way.

    The bones will be seen peaking out from the body and their blood will ssh out.

    So the practice had died down and those who had the gift kept it to themselves.

    Like Erik.

    Erik growled and finally separated from his wolf and stood in his human form .

    He rose up to his feet and said. "Protect her."

    And then once he stepped out of the room, the wolf went and sat by the bed which shey on.

    It was ready to protect her to death.

    Erik stormed up the steps.

    "Where is the healer?" Erik demanded.

    There was usually one healer on the ship that went along with their journey.

    "Where is the fucking healer?!" He demanded.

    The wolves came and met him. "He is on the third ship way back."

    "Order for the ship to be slower and get him up here." Erik demanded.

    "That is going to slow down the journey." The second captainined. "And Xaden will not like that. He has specifically said that we take advantage of the best wind. Slowing that can make us arriveter."

    "I do not bloody care." Erik hissed. "There is a woman dying down there and you better stow the ships."

    "She is a fucking prisoner. And the daughter was of our worst enemy." The captain snapped. "Over my fucking dead body will I slow down this ship to amodate that monster."

    Erik stood over him and his eyes glimmered to another color.

    "I am second inmand. I am Alpha and I have been Alpha before your Alpha. Do you still choose to disobey me?" Erik demanded in rage.

    But the captain spat at his foot.

    "That is your bloody answer." The captain replied. "I do not answer to you or anyone else. And I say that this ship will not be slowed down got that stupid bitch I mean it!"

    Erik gave a mean smile and then he started to walk away, when the captain cheered at the other men.

    "Yes! We will not let any fucking bitch who was born to a fucking whore and fucked by a bastard he given a priority. Weather from the alpha himself. Or from his little errand pet dog." The captain said.

    Erik instantly stopped in his tracks.

    He knew that thatst statement had been made for him.

    He turned around to face him .

    "Take those words back." Erik said.

    "What can you do?" The captain askedughing to the men.

    But the men were notughing so hard anymore. In fact they all looked ufortable.

    "Take back those words or I will take them back for you." Erik promised.

    "You can do nothing to me boy. I called you an errand pet dog. Do you worst." The captain said.

    Erik grabbed him and mmed him down on the ground.

    The man was groaning and crying in pain asking for the others to help him.

    But no one did.

    They just stood down quietly watching as everything transpired.

    Erik pulled out his de and forced the captain��s mouth open.

    The captain was now crying and screaming.

    Trying to speak but Erik had him.

    "What?" Erik asked. "What? Are you trying to say something?"

    The man was shaking his head so visibly trying to beg Erik.

    But eventually Erik grabbed his head up and forced him to stay still then he cut out his tongue.

    Erik dropped the captain and the captain was screaming and howling away in pain as he bled on.

    "What happened ? Cat has got your tongue?" Erik asked him as the man writhed in pain.

    Then Erik dropped his tongue on the floor and said. "No, it is not. Just me. I did tell you that I would take those words back for you did I not?"

    Then he crossed over the captain and turned to the men. "Slow down this ship, signal the ship with the healer and get the healer on board."

    No one needed to tell the men twice.

    They hurried off to do what they had been asked.

    By the time the ship was slowing down, they signaled for the healer toe on board.

    Soon the young man came on board.

    Erik frowned. "You are tne healer?"

    "Not yet a confirmed one my lord." The young boy said who was probably at most in his early twenties. "But I am getting there."

    "Are you efficient enough to see someone?" Erik asked not in the mood or with the time for any further exnation.

    "Yes my lord." He nodded.

    "What is your name?" Erik asked him.

    "Ned sire." The boy greeted.

    "Ned I have someone you need to see save." Erik said.

    And then Erik led him down the steps to below deck.

    Before they finally reached the floor and while they were on the steps, Erik stopped him.

    "I did not get to ask. Do you care who you treat?" Erik asked him.

    He was not interested in dealing with someone who was like the other men who hated Jasmine for the sins of her father.

    "No my lord." Ned shook his head. "No I treat only a man or woman changed or unchanged of their ailment. It is what the life of a true healer to never look at who his patient is."

    "Even though the person is your worst enemy?" Erik asked him still not trusting him.

    Ned nodded. "I will not lie to you my lord. I will resent the person if it was someone who brought me pain and misery in my past. But I will never take a life presented to me. The most I will do is decline to treat the person." Erik sighed.

    He saw truth in what Ned said. That was good enough for me.

    Erik went down the stairs and ushered him in.

    "She is waiting for you down there."

    They went through Erik��s cabin and finally came to where the bed was.

    Jasminey motionless the very same way he had brought her in.

    Ned hurried to where she was and started to examine her.

    He held her wrist to feel her pulse and then he put his head up against her chest.

    "What happened to her?" Ned asked as he examined her.

    "I found her lying unconscious in her cabin." Erik said.

    Ned pulled out his instruments and little potions.

    "Her pulse is very weak." Ned said. "Has she eaten anything at all. When youst saw her."

    Erik was quiet.

    "My lord?" Ned repeated.

    "I have not seen her in over a week." Erik said honestly.

    Ned went quiet and sighed thrn he looked up at Erik.

    "Okay. That is understandable. You are a lord and have other responsibilities. What about those who slept in her cabin. Others that were present with her." Ned said hopefully.

    Erik shook his head. "She stated alone. No one saw her except for the man who gave her food morning and night."

    Erik frowned. "Although I very much doubt that he gave in to much thought of her. She is a prisoner. You don��t know her? Jasmine? Daughter of Alpha Bale."

    Ned��s face went grim.

    Erik thought he was about to rise to his feet and tell him that he had no interest in healing her.

    But Ned said instead. "Then I can understand that they hate her and did not care much about feeding her. Now I have much better understanding of her state. She was probably starving and dehydrated."

    "If his lordship will please ask the cook to make a very tantalizing meal to be ready for her." Ned said. "I will do my best to revive her."

 Chapter 264: ERIK’S AID TO JASMINE

    <h4>Chapter 264: ERIK��S AID TO JASMINE</h4>

    Erik gave a sigh of relief.

    "Thank you." He said.

    Ned nodded and then Erik walked up to where the steps back above the deck was.

    He stopped at his wolf.

    "Stay with her boy." Erik said to the grey wolf. "Protect her."

    The wolf sighed softly and then Erik brushed his fur hair and then the veryrge wolf walked up to where Ned and Jasmine were.

    Ned stiffed him when the wolf came up to him.

    "He will not do anything to you." Erik answered the question that he knew was already in Ned��s mind.

    Ned sighed in relief even though he was still tensed.

    "Unless you give him a reason to." Erik added.

    Ned became alert and then Erikfortable that he had delivered his message went up the steps above deck.

    He went across the ship and walked by the captain still lying down on the floor.

    The men had done nothing to help him and he was most definitely still alive.

    "Feel free to help him if you wish to." Erik finally grave the go ahead.

    And then he went down to where the cook was.

    "My lord." The cook bowed.

    "Davis." Erik nodded. "I need you to prepare a meal for someone who is unwell. But enticing enough."

    Davis nodded. "Yea my lord. Is it for his lordship Alpha Xaden. Is everything well?"

    "Yes all is well." Erik replied. "Just have the new taken down to my chambers when it is ready. How long will you take?"

    Davis turned to his assistant and shrugged. "Perhaps two hours; an hour depending on

    How urgent it is."

    Erik nodded. "Two hours is fine."

    Then Erik looked at the assistant. "How trusted is your assistant chef?"

    Davis turned and looked at the young girl standing beside him.

    "She is efficient enough my lord. A distant rtive by marriage." Davis said.

    Erik sighed heavily and the he walked up to the girl. "Girl. The food that you will assist Davis in cooking. Do not make that mistake of poisoning or adding some thing to it. Do you understand?"

    The girl was a bit shaken but she nodded. "Yes my lord. Of course my lord."

    Erik reduced his stance over her and stood back to face the chef.

    "Make sure that under no circumstances does anyone take the food that you have prepared. You will bring it yourself along with your girl down to my quarters. No one will assist you." Erik said.

    "Not even to assist my lord?" The chef asked with question.

    "Not even to assist." Erik finished. "If the food is many the you will lock up your kitchen till you return and carry the rest. You will allow no one but you and your girl in. Do you understand?"

    "My lord is there something that I need to know?" The chef asked.

    "No. Just do as I have told and do not disobey me." Erik said. "Now do you understand me!"

    The chef signed in heavil and eventually nodded. "Yes my lord. I understand."

    "Good." Erik said taking a step back.

    Erik did not want to risk the men poisoning Jasmine.

    They hated her enough to starve her, what could they not do to her.

    Yes she was a prisoner but she did not deeerve to die.

    He knew that Xaden was blinded by his rage and pain.

    If he had a heart he would have said heartbreak .

    But Xaden was hurting horribly and he was steaming from betrayal.

    He understood that and that was why he was acting the way he acted.

    But then again .

    From the very first moment Erik had set eyes on Jasmine he has senses something different from her.

    She was different and then her actions had shown it.

    He had seen how she had taken punishments.

    How she had obeyed them and not defied them.

    Her story of being taken hostage by an Enemy pack had been off to him.

    Anyone who could reason would have seen it.

    But most people were blinded by their hate for her and her family.

    For the likes of Xaden simply chose to turn a blind eye.

    The rotten spoiled girl was nothing like what had been expected of her.

    The people hated her enough to have her poisoned.

    Coupled with the fact that most people now knew that her family had almost nned to kill Xaden.

    "That will be all." Erik said and got up from the seats and then he walked up to deck.

    The chef and his girl bowed down.

    Once Erik reached the decks of the ship he saw that the captain had finally been taken away and they were now cleaning up the pool of blood that hey in.

    Then Xaden came up to him. "What the hell is going on?"

    Erik turned and looked at him.

    "You cut out the tongue of the captain? Threatened my men?" Xaden demanded.

    "The captain was the only who called for it. I would not have judged him in such a way if he did not demand in and you know it. You can ask the rest of the men. They were there to see it all Happen."

    Then Erik turned on him. "I asked you about Jasmine. And you had told me that she was fine. You had assured me that the men were seeing to it that she was alive and well below the decks."

    "And she was." Xaden said. "My men will never disobey me."

    Erik took Xaden��a hand and led him

    Down the decks to where his cabin was.

    When they were finally inside the cabin Erik let him be and then he motioned to Xaden.

    "See for yourself. Is she?" Erik asked.

    Xaden looked up saw that she was lying down weak on the bed.

    Erik��s wolf tnat had been lying down at tne foot of the bed stood up growling.

    "Stay down boy." Erik asked of his wolf.

    His wolf whimpered but still with his teeth out and him growling he gave way for Zaden to pass.

    But the wolf still stood by her side.

    Then he looked at her.

    Ned who had been treating her rose up once he saw Xaden.

    "My lord." Ned bowed hastily.

    "Why did you take her out of her cell?" Xaden asked turning back to face Erik.

    His face was hard and cold.

    Erik blinked at him In disbelief.

    "Are you joking?" Erik asked him. "Do you not see the state that she is in?"

    Xaden turned away from Erik and started to head towards the steps back up on the deck.

    "She is using her skills to deceive you noting is wrong with her." Xaden said. "My men will never disobey me. Take her back to where she was. That will be all."

    Erik walked up to him and angrily turned him around.

    "Look at him Xaden! You will not do anything." He snared at him. "Look at her! Your men?! Your men?!"

    Erik scoffed in a bitterugh.

    "Your men asked obeyed you alright. They gave her her meals day and night. But they tossed it down on the straits. Threw it for her the way they would feed a dog. So if you mean to say that they did not disobey you then of course they did not because gig did not ask or tell them specifically how to take care of her."

    "Look at her! She has starved for over a week! She would have died if I did not bring her down here." Erik said. "Regardless of who she is you of all people should know that she is incapable of surviving in such ways."

    Xaden started to walk away and then Erik stopped him.

    "If you treat her like this! If you insist that she is to be sent back to her cell! Then I will leave this ship and I will leave your counsel: because I will not stand and see you driven by your anger and despair and turn to hate." Erik said.

    Xaden breathed heavily and then he slowly turned around.

    He did not acknowledge Erik but the healer instead.

    "What is wrong with her?" Xaden asked him.

    Ned hurriedly bowed. "My lord. She was unconscious due to starvation and dehydration."

    Xaden sighed heavily. "Will she live?"

    Ned bowed. "Yes my lord: the dark hour has passed. If she has stayed any longer than when lord Erik found her then she would have been dead."

    Xaden sighed and nodded to Ned. "See to it that she is taken care of."

    Ned nodded. "Yes my lord."

    "She will be chained by her feet when shees to." Xaden said. "Because of regardless of her current condition it does not change the fact that she is an enemy."

    Erik said nothing to that statement.

    And then Erik��s wolf who had been charged to protecting her sensed his rising anger and threat, so he began to growl at Xaden.

    "Down boy." Erik said

 Chapter 265: ERIK’S WOLF

    <h4>Chapter 265: ERIK��S WOLF</h4>

    "You separated your wolf from your body?" Xaden asked. "For her?"

    Erik looked at him.

    Disappointment written on his face. "Look at her Xaden. Now tell me if you or anyone sensible should leave her unprotected after what she has been through."

    Xaden went quiet.

    "I know that you are grieving and this is your way of showing it." Erik began. "But do not let that ovee you or blind you to-

    Xaden rose his hands up cutting him right I��d sentence.

    "I asked for her needs to be met and yet someone still disobeyed me. He will be dealt with." Xaden said. "But if you wish to stay with her till we make dock then so be it. But you will have her life in your hands. Anything that happens to her will be on you. Do you understand?"

    Erik nodded. "I do."

    Xaden stood tall like the Alpha that he was.

    "I will see to it that the wolf who had disrespected me does not go unpunished." And without taking a look at her Xaden stepped up thedder and went away.

    Ned looked at Erik.

    "Keep on working." Erik said giving the go ahead.

    The healer nodded and resumed his work.

    Erik took a seat and waited for her toe around.

    His wolf remained sleeping at the foot of the bed.

    And then about an hourter, he had no idea when he had fallen asleep.

    He heard low whispers and then a feminine voice.

    He slowly opened his eyes and saw that Ned seemed to be interacting with Jasmine.

    She was finally awake.

    "The pain will definitely persist but I assure you it will ease over time." Ned said to her.

    "Jasmine?" Erik said peeking.

    She looked up and when she saw him her eyes lit up in delight.

    "My lord." She said with a weak smile. "Do forgive me. I wish I could stand up and pay you your proper respects."

    She had even started to get up when he stopped her quickly.

    "No that will not necessary." He said. "Text back. How do you feel?"

    "Exhausted." She said truthfully. "I can not remember what happened to me."

    "You passed out." Ned said. "And the good lord Erik found you just in time to save you. A few minutes away from when I came to find you you would have been dead."

    "You save me yet again. Thanks never seem to be enough." She said. "My life is forever indebted to yours."

    "That cer. All that matters is that you are fine." He said as Erik pulled a damp clothe over her forehead. "What do you remember? If anything at all."

    She was quiet and seemed to be deep in thought and then she said.

    "I do recall that day and night a young soldier would open the door of my cell." She said finally.

    "Did this wolf hurt you?" Erik said getting upset.

    She shook her head. "No my lord. He just tossed food down the stairs. That was all he did."

    Erik gritted his teeth in anger.

    "By the Time I will go to see if I was able to eat any of the food, I will realize that it was already smothered to the floor. It was always porridge so you can imagine what good it was. I kept going daily to see if I could spare bits to eat until I finally gave up." She said.

    "They fed you like a dog." He said.

    She smiled weakly. "They see me as a dog. All of them and I do not understand why you do not."

    Ned who has been quiet through their conversation cleared his throat and said.

    "Well I belive that will be all for now." He said. "I will give you some potions to drink. It will help make you feel much better. Once you have eaten you will feel better than before I am certain."

    She nodded. "Thank you very much."

    He nodded and then he packed up his things inside his tiny box and rose up to his feet.

    "That wll be all for now. I will make sure to

    Drop by and check up on you early in the morning." He said. "You seem to be in very safe hands."

    She managed a smile. "Yes I am."

    And then Erik looked up at him. "Thank you Ned. I understand how inconvenient it was for you."

    "No worries my lord." Ned said.

    "You will not return back to your ship tonight. Rather you will spend the night here." Erik told him.

    "Thank you my lord." Ned nodded.

    And then Erik stood up and escorted him up the docks and led him where to sleep in a spare cabin.

    After that Erik returned back to his own cabin where Jasmine was.

    The Cook and his girl were already there serving the meal.

    "My lord." The cook bowed.

    Erik looked down at the delicacies prepared. "You are done with the meal".

    "Yes my lord and I brought it all here jsut ask you asked." The cook said.

    The girl stood beside him.

    "You will eat a spoon of everything." Erik instructed.

    Jasmine frowned and her brows crossed together in protest.

    But the Cook was not offended.

    "Ah of course my lord." He said.

    And then he hurried and ate a spoon of the meals and

    Then he remained standing.

    When nothing happened Erik nodded to them.

    "Thank you." He said. "You may go now."

    The cook and the girl hurried out of the cabin.

    Erik sat down on the chair facing therge bed.

    "Eat to your content." He said. "Your body needs every bit of meal you can take down."

    "But this is more than enough. I could not possibly-she tried to protest.

    "Eat." Hemanded.

    She sighed and gave in to his orders.

    When she had eaten a considerable much amount of food and he was sure she was feeling better, he asked the question in his mind.

    "Why did you do it?"

 Chapter 266: THE MOMENT OF TRUTH

    <h4>Chapter 266: THE MOMENT OF TRUTH</h4>

    "Why did you do it?" He asked her.

    She froze and then swallowed hard.

    She stopped eating.

    "Do not stop eating." He urged her.

    She sighed softly.

    "I want you to tell me everything. And no lies." He said. "You have lied enough."

    She flinched as it hurt by his words but nodded.

    The wolf at her feet yawned and she was drawn to it.

    "Where are you from?" She asked sweetly.

    She gently reached out her hand to its ears.

    He put his head against her hand and began to act sweet.

    She smiled as she gently petted him?"He usually does not getfortable with people. Not even those that I have asked him to watch over." Erik said.

    "Oh but he looks like a sweet pie. Such a sweet boy." She said as she gently nuzzled him.

    He turned on his back and let her rub his stomach.

    "What is his name?" She asked.

    "Kire." He said as he watched in fascination and disbelief as she very gently petted the wolf like it was a simple pup and not a very dangerous creature. "He is my other half so his name is backwards of mine. Erik and then Kire."

    She looked at him. "Your other half? He is yours?"

    "He is my wolf." Erik said. "I separated him from my soul."

    She gasped at him letting her hand drop.

    Kire rubbed around her trying to reach lord for her sweet petting.

    "You separated him. I thought that that was just a myth." She said.

    "It does in fact happen." He said. "I do it. But asionally. Only when it is necessary."

    She looked back down at Kire who was still reaching out for her.

    "He is well...." She said.

    "Small?" He asked raising a brow

    "Yes. I have seen you when you turned to your wolf. It is almost about seven feet tall." She said. "I expected the same."

    "Oh he will get there." Erik said leaning back in his chair. "By tomorrow morning he should be his full height. The process of separating him from my body has to be subdued. After some hours he will go to his true size. And then at the same time he can drop down. It��s all up to him. He should have changed by now."

    Kire yed around and the sniffed at her te.

    She picked up the piece of steak that has been prepared for her to hand to him.

    "Bad boy." Erik reprimanded him. "You don��t go around taking things."

    Kire whimpered but sheughed and handed him the steak. "Oh let him. He probably hasn��t eaten in forever. He must be very hungry."

    And then she gave him and he ate it.

    Then hey at her feet and proceeded to sleep.

    She had been dreading the moment when Kire would rest and then the attention will turn back on her.

    "You brought him out for me. Why?" She asked.

    "I do not trust the other men on the ship." He said with all earnest. "They want you dead. But with Kire around you for a while. They will do nothing."

    She shook her long red hair. "That is not what I mean. I know the men all want me dead. I ask why you do not want me dead. You should."

    "Well I wonder too. I want to know why I should not want you dead like the other men." He said. "So tell me. Start from the beginning."

    She at thest but of bread in her hand and then she started.

    "I was born a bastard." She said. "I grew up without my mother and my father was the Alpha of the pack. I should have never survived. I was so sickly and premature. They had all belived that I would die the same way the angel of darkness took my mother. But I lived. My father never acknowledged me. He was so indifferent. Like I did not exist. But you see his wife Luna Maria? She hated me from the moment she set eyes on me. I was a reminder of her husband��s infidelity. I was a reminder that she had not borne him the first child but my mother who was a ve had. And so she used every chance she had to have me beat up. Punished. I had only rags as clothes and no one cared for me in the pack. Except for Urma the healer and she had her limits. Her daughter Jessica hated me as much and I was always taunted."

    "The marks that I have on my body and all the signs of beatings were from them. All their orders. I was under them and I had to do as they told."

    "Why didn��t you run?" Erik asked.

    "To where?" She said her voice breaking with a very bitterugh. "Where was I running to? Who did I know? Who will take me in. They hated me but it was the only family I had ever known."

    She swallowed hard and looked down at her hands as she continued. "And then Xaden came and everything changed. It was chaos. My father came and met me and told me that I was to present myself as his legitimate daughter."

    "I still did not understand what was happening. I only had one instruction. Not to disgrace tjem and act like Fiona. So I did. I walked down the aisle and met Alpha Xaden. Even when he took my virginity, I had to take it down and pretend to be their daughter. They knew what was going to happen and I was still cast to the ughter table."

    She smiled weakly.

    "When I went along with you and Xaden to the crescent pack, the punishment and the ways Xaden had instructed that I been punished was nothing like the way I had been back home. In the Crescent pack even though I was hated, I was treated better than home. I was happier. And then my father sent for me. He sent the assassin."

 Chapter 267: NO ANNA

    <h4>Chapter 267: NO ANNA</h4>

    She picked up a goblet of wine and sipped.

    Then she caught her breath again and resumed speaking.

    "He sent a desert assassin after me."

    "The one who attacked Xaden?" Erik asked.

    "No. That was someone else. I have no idea who sent that woman. But my father sent the male desert assassin. The assassin came straight to demand why I had not been sending word to my father through our lines. But I am unshifted and hence I can not send word to him. So he came back a dayter and gave me a message owl. The one you saw. He instructed that I send feedback on what was going on in the pack or I will be killed."

    "He would have not done anything." Erik said.

    "But did I know?" She asked honestly. "I had such low self esteem and I did not belive in myself. And I was badly craving my father��s love. He said he was going to finally take me as his daughter and I will no longer be a bastard if I did as he asked. I was torn between being afraid of him and needing to

    Please him."

    She sighed and adjusted her seat. "So I did it. I told him about the halo festival and how I had been made the maiden. Eventually he would have replied but I never got it. Things happened and when I saw my father for who he truly was, I decided that I was not going to obey him anymore. I was no longer scared of him. So I sent for the owl to tell him that I was done."

    "But you never got around to doing that did you?" Erik asked.

    She shook her head. "I was going to tell Xaden the entire truth the day I was attacked by Aurora. I was heading to him when it all happened. Fiona was there. She knew it."

    "Xaden is very angry with Fiona." Erik said. "I doubt that she will be able to convince him or that he will listen to what she has to say to him."

    She cleared her throat. "I do not me him. And I only feel horrible that i out Fiona in trouble. It is my fault."

    Erik shrugged and rose up to his feet.

    He began pacing the room.

    "So your father has his legitimate spoiled daughter somewhere in the pack." Erik said.

    "Yes."

    "And he used you as a sacrificialmb." He asked.

    She gritted her teeth in shame at his words.

    "Yes."

    "There is no need to be ashamed. You loved your family. People do stupid things in love." He assured her. "The only difference is that they did not move you back."

    "I know that now." She admitted.

    "And what about Anna?" He asked.

    "Who is Anna?" She asked lost.

    "That is the name of Xaden��s sister." Erik said. "What do you know about Anna?"

    She shook her head. "The story does not add up. There is no such person as Anna in the pack. If there was then Bale will not hide it. He would have openly abused her."

    "Are you sure?" Erik asked him. "Because there was some magic used to subdue her scent. That was what we smelled in her hair."

    "But that makes no sense." Jasmine said after so much thought. "If she was truly in the pack and maltreating her, then why while he bother to subdue her scent."

    Erik had thought about it too and it had made no sense to him.

    Xaden had been ovee with that fact that his sister had been maltreated all her life but it made no sense why Bale would still hide her.

    "You are sure that there is no such person in the pack?" He asked. "You are certain. Not even in the dungeons."

    She shook her head vehemently . "No. I am certain. I frequently cleaned the dungeons. There was no such girl. Not even through the hidden catbs. Look my lord. No one in the pack has been treated in the pack as badly as I have been. No one. If you ask the workers they will tell you. No one. And why would he hide her?"

    Erik sighed deeply. "Maybe to hide it from the royal family? Bale hadmitted a very serious offense. If they knew that he had still carried some people from the crescent pack massacre then he would have been punished. Even the ord has limitations you know."

    "Perhaps." She sighed. "But I tell you that there is no such person in the pack. If it were even true, I would have heard rumors about it. That was how I had learned that I was a bastard. People talk."

    Erik sighed. "When we get to the moonlight pack we will find out if it was true or not."

    She nodded.

    "And back to the topic of bastard. Did you know anything about your mother? Who she was?" He asked.

    She shook her head. "No I do not."

    Then she pulled out the broken emeral ne. "This is the only thing that I have that belonged to my mother. Urma gave it to me."

    "Can I see?" Erik asked.

    She nodded and then she slowly took it off. "I have never taken it off before."

    "It will be just a second." He said.

    He walked up to her and opened his palm out to her .

    She gently dropped it.

    And just at the moment it switched hands, the ship began to shake.

    "What was that?" She asked as he loooed around alert.

    But it became still.

    "Maybe some waves." Then he turned his attention back to the ne. "This is solid emerald. Must be over five hundred years old. Never seen anything like it."

    She looked up at him.

    And then the ship began to shake.

    This time it was more terrifying.

    So much that he had to hold the bed post.

    There were shouting from above deck.

    She looked at him warily.

    "What is happening?" She asked.

    "Stay here." He ordered her. "Kire stay with her."

    And then he Absent mindedly went away with her emerald.

 Chapter 268: THE KRAKEN

    <h4>Chapter 268: THE KRAKEN</h4>

    Erik rushed out of the cabin leaving Jasmine inside.

    She sighed sad that had she been left behind.

    Then the ship shook again and she heard smashing and breaking along with shouts from above.

    She became very anxious as she sat still unaware of what was going on.

    Then she turned to the Kire whoy at her feet.

    "Do you think we should check it out?" She asked him.

    He rose his brow at her sighed.

    "I take that as a yes." She said and she rose

    up to her feet and hurried up the steps.

    Kire went obediently behind her.

    Once she reached the top of the decks, she was shocked at what she saw.

    The men were all rushing and shouting and the ship was rowing amidst the storm.

    There was a very heavy storm and it rained everywhere.

    They were pulling and pulling hard at the sails and holding up the starboard.

    Trying to gain control of the ship.

    "Hold to starboard, free up the sails to the west!"

    She turned around sharply and she saw Xaden.

    He was at the wheel steering the ship.

    Their eyes made contact instantly and it was like electricity.

    Her heart skipped in the instant.

    And whilst she was looking at him she had no idea when a broken nk of wood from parts of the ship flew free.

    It would have hit her because as she turned around, she saw iting right at her.

    But she was pushed down on the floor.

    There was heavy body over her.

    She looked up and saw it was Xaden.

    How had even been so fast to save her on time.

    She was shocked.

    She looked up at him as the rain dropped heavy on them.

    Then he hurriedly got up to his feet.

    At that moment Erik and Kire rushed up to them.

    Xaden did not offer to help her up.

    It was Erik who extended his hand out to her.

    "What the hell is she doing here Erik?" Xaden snared at Erik. "You had said that you will be responsible for her."

    "I did." Erik said looking down hard at her. "I told you to stay below decks!"

    Then he turned to Kire. "I told you to stay watch over her! You almost killed her."

    Kire whimpered taking a step back.

    Jasmine stood in front of the wolf. "I forced him toe along! It is me you should

    Be mad at."

    "You have no idea how mad I am at you!" Erik barked. "You think I wasn��t?"

    Then Kire was growling and howled and began to do the two at once aggressively.

    Jasmine looked up and what she saw shocked her.

    "Erik look!" She screamed.

    All the men turned and looked up.

    There was what seemed likerge tentacles. What would have seemed like the body of an Octopus.

    Except each tentacle was almost as tall as the ship andrge.

    "What the hell is that?" Erik asked.

    "It��s a kraken!" Someone shouted.

    And then one of the tentacles dropped on the ship and the wood was breaking so hard and apart.

    Jasmine looked at amidst the rain falling hard against her face.

    And then Erik dragged her aside.

    "Is that a Kraken? I thought it was only a myth. At most they would extinct if they even existed." She said in awe.

    "Well since I saw a cup being a dead man to life I��ve stopped believing in myths." He snapped at her. "You are going to be going down below the deck!"

    He whistled and Kire who was at their side became alert.

    It was then Jasmine realized he had gotten bigger.

    About maybe four feet tall now.

    Then Erik lifted her up and set her on him.

    "Take her down and keep her safe." Erik said. "You are not to let her leave your side no matter what."

    Then Erik turned back to Jasmine herself. "And you yourself! You will note up snooping. Do you understand?"

    She nodded.

    Then she remembered that he still had her ne.

    "My mother��s ne." She said.

    And then he remembered and gave it to her.

    The very single instant that the emerald was back in her hand.

    The creature screamed and then it dropped down from the ship.

    The ship stopped rowing hard itself and began to slow down.

    Jasmine turned and looked around.

    Erik himself looked up, shocked at what had just happened.

    Then Xaden who had already been in his wolf

    Form turned back to a human and walked straight to the side of the ship.

    Jasmine came off Kire and raced to the sides too.

    There was no sight of the creature.

    It was gone as quickly as it hade.

    There was no single sight of it.

    Xaden looked back up from the side of the ship and turned to his men.

    Erik rushed to see for himself.

    "Is it really gone just as quickly as it hade?" Erik asked. "Just like that?"

    "So it would seem." Xaden said. "I have never seen anything like this myself before."

    The men were now all looking back at Xaden waiting for an order.

    He sighed heavily.

    "Look to the other ships." He said. "And see that they are all okay."

    "Yes my lord." Someone answered and rushed off.

    Ned rushed forward and ran to throw up across the sea.

    "You would think a healer would be sufficient enough to travel." One of the men said and they allughed together.

    Jasmine turned to her emerald in her palm and without a thought of anything odd about it, she wore it back on her neck.

    She gently rubbed Kire��s fur.

    The man who has answered Xaden came back.

    "Wel lost two ships my lord." He answered.

    Xaden swore and looked defeated.

    "Ready the men." Xaden said. "We will resume once we offer the funeral rites of those we lost. And we better leave before that goddamn creature changes its mind and eats us."

 Chapter 269: THE GOLD DUST

    <h4>Chapter 269: THE GOLD DUST</h4>

    And then Xaden went off.

    Erik turned back to Jasmine. "You best be on your way now."

    She nodded.

    "And don��te up unless I ask you to. Do you understand?" He asked her.

    She nodded. "Yes."

    He sighed and then she stopped short.

    "What was it that you said about Xaden��s sister��s hair?" She asked him.

    "Anna��s hair? The loc of hair we have?"

    She nodded. "Yes that. You said as if she were perhaps putting things in her hair."

    "Yes." He nodded. "Some old magic. It would take down her true scent. Maybe it was being woven into her hair in some type of way."

    Jasmine nodded and then Kire took her back down into the cabin.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    "I can not wait for all of this to end mother." Jessica said as her motherbed her hair.

    She was seated inside her mother��s bedroom on a small put plush stool while her mother sat down on a chair and brushed through her golden hair.

    It was something that she remembered her mother always did every week since she was a child.

    She would sit down and her mother would brush her very gently for up to twenty minutes.

    Even after the moonlight pack had been taken siege, her mother still found a way to do it.

    It was the only few times they had a chance of being together in secret.

    "Very soon." Her mother assured her. "Your father is handling things my dear. Very soon we will be rid of them once and for all."

    "And Jasmine?" She asked her mother. "What about her."

    "That stupid stupid girl." Her mother said. "She was of no use. Your father sent her a message since and she has yet to respond. She is acting all precious because she is now far away."

    "I told you mother." Jessica screwed her face up. "Leaving our fate in the hands of that stupid girl is just nonsense! She is ipetent! If it were to be me I will have delivered by now."

    "I know my love." Luna Maria told her daughter as she gently brushed her hair. "But such a work is not fit for you."

    "But mother she is living life swell! She is pretending to be me mother!" Jessica hissed. "Imagine that! Pretending to be me! I know that she is taking advantage of all my golds and jewels while I wear nothing but her ugly rags."

    "Oh no love." Luna Maria said as she gently snapped her fingers at B the servant who was standing obediently.

    The servant hurried and rushed through the drawers and brought out a small box.

    Then she brought it to Luna Maria.

    The servant opened it for her and gold dusty inside.

    "In due time my love." Luna Maria said as she fetched the gold dust and used it to brush through Jessica��a blonde hair.

    Jessica peeked in. "What is that mother? Oh the gold dust."

    "Yes gold dust." Her mother replied. "Only my darling daughter is fit to have gold dust in her hair."

    Jessica smiled to herself in pride as her mother brushed the gold dust through her hair.

    "Once this is all over we will get you someone better." Her mother said. "Someone worthy for you to marry than that absolute loser you were betrothed to."

    "But mother my finance had been the nephew to the King. What could have been better than that?" Jessica asked still quite upset at losing the man she would have married.

    Her mother pecked her cheek. "There will be much better prospects."

    "What can be better than royal blood mother?" Jessica demanded like a spoilt brat.

    Her mother sighed and then she red at her servant.

    Her servant was sworn to secrecy and would not dare speak about whatever she discussed.

    "If I tell you this." Luna Maria started. "You swear to keep it to you and only you."

    Jessica have a smirk. "Mother look at my life! I have no friends anymore from the other high brow families and I simply stay and live with the dirty servants. Who do you think I will tell?"

    Her mother nodded and said. "Good. But you give me your word."

    She sighed annoyed. "Alright mother. I give you my word."

    Her mother sighed and then turned around to look at her daughter.

    "There are ns from some of the ruling pack families to usurp the throne." She said.

    Jessica gasped in shock.

    "Your father is trying his best with the alliance. He will not rule as King. But there are others who hate the royal family and wish to separate. The Queen is weak and there is another Queen ascending the throne. We deserve an Alpha Wolf. Not a Luna. So imagine you getting married to the next King once he takes over."

    Jessica gasped in delight. "You do not mean it mother!"

    "Of course I do." Her mother kissed her cheek and went on brushing her hair. "Anything for you my darling and what is better, being the wife of the nephew of the King. Than being Queen yourself one day."

    "Being Queen mother!" Jessica said loudly.

    "Shhhh." Her mother shushed her. "Remember we have to keep these things to ourselves."

    "Yes yes mother:" Jessica replied impatiently. "But when will all this happen?"

    "It will take some time. We need to be patient and prayerful." Her mother said. "Do you understand this?"

    Jessica sighed and gave in. "Yes mother."

    Then her mother resumed brushing tneoygj her hair.

    Her hair was blonde so it was easy for it to disappear into her hair.

    Then hee mother wove her hair into a a very simple and single long braid.

    "There. Still looking like a princess. The further Queen." And her mother stretched and kissed her cheek.

    "A Queen in rags." Jessica squeezed her face.

    "A Queen nheless." Her mother said.

    Jessica rose up to her feet.

    "I wish I could stay with you. And not go back to that horrible servants quarters. Jasmine a so stupid. Once I get my hands on her! Look at me taking her ce."

    Luna Maria hugged her and said. "In due time."

 Chapter 270: XADEN’S MOTHER

    <h4>Chapter 270: XADEN��S MOTHER</h4>

    As Jasmine and Kire were below the decks now all the danger was gone.

    The ship was sailing much better and even though it was night time shey down on Erik��s bed awake.

    Kire remained down at her feet sleepingfortably.

    She simply looked up at the ceiling and touched at her emerald ne.

    The only thing that had ties to her mother.

    She held it close to her chest.

    She did not even know her mother��s name.

    She knew absolutely nothing about her and it made her feel horrible.

    The only true family that she would have ever had.

    But she wondered still.

    How was it that her mother had fallen in love with Bale.

    Who was such a monster! Did she not know the awful things that she had done?!

    It baffled her and drove her in sane.

    Because she felt that if she knew about someone as bad as her father she would never fall in love with him.

    The only ount that Urma had given her was that one the entire pack had called her red.

    She was kind and everyone loved her.

    And she also said that Bale had not forced himself on her.

    He had allegedly been very gentle with her and even to the view of everyone including Maria.

    So why?

    Why had she let him.

    How had she fallen with even.

    It made no bit of sense to her. None at all.

    She heard the door pull open and then she became alert.

    Kire was already up at his feet and began growling.

    She watched as the legs of the person came down the steps and then she saw it was Xaden.

    Kire was still growling at him.

    "Calm down Kire." She said gently touching his fur to ease him down.

    Then she looked back up at Xaden. "He won��t hurt me."

    "Who said I won��t?" Xaden asked.

    She looked at him in surprise and then Mire growled again at him. This time more aggressively.

    "Calm down." Xaden saiding closer. "I will not hurt her. I was only joking. Well for now at least."

    Kire kept on growing at him and then growling but he decided it was safe enough to stand aside.

    Eventually Xaden went and stood towards where Erik had sat.

    "May I sit?" He asked.

    She nodded even though she was just as aware and alert of him as Kire was.

    He sat down and then the tension seemed to be strained and ufortable.

    Kire was still alert.

    "Erik is your second inmand." She said. "Why does he not obey you."

    "Separted wolves tend to do what they want to do." Xaden said. "And if the firstmand Erik gave him was to watch over you, even I being Erik��s Alpha would not deter him away from it. And sometimes too, Erik himself might try to turn him away but he would not. He is Erik��s mind yes, but now he has a mind of his own."

    Jasmine looked down at Kire and resumed rubbing behind his ears and he began to calm down.

    "Have you ever had your own wolf separated from yourself?" She asked him.

    "No." He said.

    "Even as an Alpha?" She asked in surprise.

    "Even as Alpha. It isplicated. Erik is one of the few hybrids to exist. He can execute things that other alphas can not." He replied.

    "Why are you here? You hate me. Or do you

    Intend to kill me?" She asked him.

    He rose up from his seat and for a split second, she thought he was going to hit her or do something worse.

    But he Simply went around towards where Erik��s things were and looked through his wine cer.

    "Kill you? Not yet." He said.

    Then he pulled out a bottle of wine and picked out a ss.

    Then he returned back to the seat and sat down.

    He opened the bottle of wine and poured it into the cup.

    "I want to listen to what you have to say." He said.

    She sniffed him.

    "You are already drunk." She said. And then she became alert. "You have been drinking before you came here."

    "You have not seen drunk yet." He pointed at her. "Now start speaking or you want me to beat you out of it?"

    She shrunk back aware of how he was dangerous now.

    She knew better than to hang around a man induced by alcohol.

    "You said you were not going to kill me." She spoke up.

    "For now. And if you do not do as I asked then I will think of killing you earlier." He said.

    She went quiet.

    "So now I am ready to listen to what you have to tell me." He said. "Begin."

    "What do you want to know? And you do not belive me already." She said in all earnest. "So why do you want to hear it. I am just a liar to you."

    "Are you not?" He asked angrily.

    She went quiet.

    That part was true.

    She gently touched her ne and fingered it.

    He rose a brow.

    He had noticed that it was something she frequently did when she was angry.

    To touch and touch her ne.

    "Who gave you that ?" He asked .

    "My mother." She said. "The healer urma gave me. It is the only thing that I have belonging to her."

    "Another of one of your many lies?" He asked her witn heavy sarcasm in his voice.

    She shook her head. "No my lord. My real mother. Luna Maria is not my mother."

    "What happened to her?" He asked her now a bit sober.

    "She died giving birth to me." Jasmine said her eyes getting watery again. She hated how talking about her life made her very sad. "She was a ve in the pack i belive. And Bale is truly ny father. I am his first child. But I do not count because I was a bastard."

    He was quiet. "Do you remember anything about her?"

    She shook her head. "No, but I wish I do."

    "I remember somethings about mine." He said.

    It was the first time she had ever heard him mention any member of his family.

    Well except of his sister who happened to believe was in the moonlight pack.

    "She was the most beautiful woman." He said. "So peaceful and graceful and perfect. Everything about her was right. Sometimes I��ll just look at her in awe. Unable to belive that she was mother. She was mine. She used to sing for me and even when she had my little sister Anna, she never made me feel left out. Not for once."

    He smiled and it seemed thezy drunkness waved away from him for a short while. "When she would put me on herp and sing to me her hair smelled like perfection. She smelled like perfection. The people loved her immensely."

    He smiled weakly. "I thought I was going to be with her forever."

    Jasmine was quiet letting him feel how he wanted to feel before finally asking.

    "How old were you when she died?" She asked.

    "She did not die. She was murdered by your father." He said and his teeth became hard. "She was taken from me."

    Jasmine immediately went hush and then Xaden sighed before saying. "I was six when it all happened. My sister was just a baby. She was barely up to a year. She did not even get to experience life with my mother or my father. She does not have any memory of them. That is something your father took away from her."

    Jasmine went quiet.

    He had been just six? She could not imagine what he had gone though.

    How terrible it was for him to lose his family.

    "Do you want to know how it happened?" He asked her.

    She went quiet.

    She was scared of knowing about it all.

    He turned to her and his eyes were blood red.

    "He came to my home. Betrayed my parents. My father tried his best to hold him down but he put the sword through him. And my mother? My mother locked me and my siblings in a closet. And he came right in. She had been happy to see him because she had no idea that he had allied with their enemies to betray them."

    "So when she heard him call out to her, she was excited. He was my father��s best friend. She hurriedly opened the door for him and he walked right in with the enemies. It was then she knew. She couldn��t do anything. Could not even turn to her wolf because they had used dark magic on the entire pack. And I was there hiding in the closet when he raped my mother. Holding my little sister in my arm."

    Jasmine felt the cold shiver through her entire being.

    "He eventually found me because Anna was crying. And then he stabbed me."

 Chapter 271: THE EMERALD NECKLACE

    <h4>Chapter 271: THE EMERALD NECKLACE</h4>

    "I did not know," She said her voice breaking. "I swear Xaden I had no idea."

    "How were you supposed to know?" He asked her with a very mean voice. "What would knowing change? Would it bring back what he did to me? Would it change the past?"

    She looked down at her hands as she was absolutely weak and even unable to say a word.

    Then she looked back up at him. "No. It would not have. But it would have changed the way I looked at him."

    He was surprised at her words back at him.

    Then he straightened up and said. "It does not change what you did too."

    "You think I am proud of myself?" She asked him. "You think that I am proud of supporting my father who barely even looked at me from

    The moment I was born? Do you think that I am proud of myself?"

    She sighed heavily. "I have been through things. Those scars at my back were all my pack��s doing. Luna Maria hated me so much. I was a reminder of her husband��s infidelity. I was the scorn. I was the scapegoat. And she and her daughter used that against me. Bear me with every slight opportunity they had."

    Sheughed and looked at him. "I know you hated me. But if you had Jessica instead of me, then you would have wished you had me. Jessica never did anything for herself. The stories that you heard about the spoiled daughter of Alpha Bale is as true as it could ever be. Jessica portrayed that. And whenever I crossed her she would have me beaten."

    She sighed and resumed fingering her ne.

    "You always touch your ne when you are anxious." He said.

    She looked down and saw she was in fact touching her ne .

    "It was the only thing belonging to my mother that I had." She said. "My only memory of

    Her even though I had one."

    Then she looked up at him. "Do you want to see it?"

    She started to take it off but Xaden felt an uneasy feeling.

    "No it is yours." He said. "Yoh should

    Have it on you always".

    And then he rose up to his feet and started to head up towards the steps.

    "Do you belive me now?" She asked him. "Do you belive that I never meant to hurt you? And that all I did, I did because I was forced to. I had no choice."

    He stood standing.

    He held the railings of the wooden steps that led out of the lower deck, then he said. "No I do not."

    Then he started to ascend the steps.

    "Will you kill me?" She asked.

    He stopped short immediately.

    Her heart started to race heavily waiting to hear what he had to say.

    But then he simply said nothing and walked out of the cabin.

    Jasmine pulled herself together and then rolled on her side in a fetal position and began to cry.

    Then Kire heard her and climbed up the bed and cuddled himself around her.

    He slowly licked her tears.

    She managed a weakugh and then she rubbed his hair.

    Soon the gently rowing of the ship drifted the both of them to sleep

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Queen Rosey in her bed fingering her daughter��s emeral gem.

    Wondering and hoping.

    She still had not given up on her daughter.

    When she had found the broken emerald afloat it had been a message.

    That her daughter was no more.

    But Rose had refused. She had said that she had wanted to see her own dead body with her own eyes.

    The emerald was a very powerful relic that the royal family had for thousands of years.

    Its history went back as far as the first wolves.

    Even before the Lycans.

    It had been all where the wolves had begun.

    What their history was about.

    What their life was about.

    The future Queen was to always wear the emerald ne.

    It was embedded with great power and once it was unleashed it could bring about the end of the race.

    It could bring about the release of the first monsters that had walked this earth.

    But Scarlett had worn it as it was expected. And she had taken the weight of it.

    And when she had gone missing, they had all been worried about the ne too.

    And they had found a small piece of the emerald.

    They had all been worried that the creatures would be unleashed.

    But for some reason or the other it hadn��t.

    They had all been baffled.

    Even the castle city of magic had been confused.

    It was expected that if even a small

    Piece of the emerald broke that all hell would

    Be unleashed.

    There had been no opinion to back it up.

    Only one of the high celestial magicians had said something.

    Miria.

    She said. "It is what the gods had foretold. The red me is here. Only the red me can stop the monster from unleashing."

    It had fueled the possiblilty and rumor that Scarlet was the proposed one.

    The one that was waited for for over thousands of years ago.

    The one that had been foretold tolde and save them from the impending evil.

    "But if the red me is scarlet would I not have known since she was here." The Queen had asked anxiously while all the other magicians had waved it off and said it was all mere child��s tale and myth that had been used over the years to scare their enemies.

    Miria looked at her. "No. The red mes may not be scarlet herself. The red mes may be in her blood stream."

    The Queen was quiet for while and then it dawned on her. "You mean to say she was pregnant?! But she is only a child!"

    "No." Miria shook her head as she passed her side of the table and walked to where the Queen was. "In the future. When the daughter gives birth then she will have the red mes."

    "So you think my daughter is alive? She is alive is she not?" She asked her clinging to her as she was the only one that was giving her the hope that her daughter might still be living:

    Even her husband had told her that it was time for them to go past it and ept that Scarlet was most probably dead.

    "Yes your majesty. I belive she is still alive." Miria said and the Queen closed her eyes tight and took in a very deep breath.

    "Stop feeding the Queen nonsense." The other magicians said. "Your majesty do not listen to her."

    "You will dare not tell your Queen what to do!" Rose said and her eyes became red and zing.

    Indicating her own red wolf and status as Queen.

    They quickly went on their feet down af her.

    Then she turned to Miria.

    But Miria was gone.

    That was thest time she had seen the magician.

    And times had gone. Years had passed and the Queen was still holding unto the hope that her daughter was still somewhere out there.

    She had sent so many wolves out to look for

    Miria.

    But none had found her.

    It had been extremely depressing.

    Even the city of magic had no idea where she was. It was like she had just disappeared into thin air.

    As the Queen fingered her emerald she felt something was wrong.

    She felt the heavy night snow storming with a heavy storm.

    And then she jumped out of her bed and quickly put a fur robe and went out of her room.

    One of her maidens were at the door. "Your majesty please you are to rest."

    But rose ignored her.

    Since her best friend and closest hand maiden Hildegard had traveled to see her family in the country she had been forced to have other maidens that Cherry had chosen specially at her service.

    She hurried down the dark castle walls tang were lif with fire and guards standing at attention.

    And then she pushed the door of the throne room open and saw that her husband and some men were speaking.

    They were high ranking officials of the royal family.

    "What has happened?" She asked quickly.

    Rnd turned and saw her. Then he sighed and said. "A message owl came in. There seemed to be sighting of a kraken on the sea leading up to the south."

    "A kraken?" She gasped. "Krackens are supposed to be a mere myth."

    "And that is what we take them as." He said. "Probably some sailors saw one of the Marge sea creatures and over exaggerated."

    She turned to the maester. "What do you think maester?"

    He was quiet. "The Kraken is a very dangerous creature. It has been a creature that was used to instil fear in the first men. And it is also supposed to be one of the creatures that are held at arms length by the emerald gem."

    She stopped and her face went white. "The emerald. The one that scarlet had."

    He nodded. "Yes your majesty. If this story is in fact true then something must have triggered it."

 Chapter 272: THE DEAD DAUGHTER

    <h4>Chapter 272: THE DEAD DAUGHTER</h4>

    She went white instantly.

    It was like her heart stopped at that very moment.

    It seemed that all she had been hoping for, all that she had prayed for was true.

    "It is scarlet." She said in excitement. "She is alive!"

    No one said a word. The entire hall went quiet.

    She looked at one man to the other and looked at her husband.

    Disappointment was heavy in her eyes.

    "Do not look at me like I am crazy!" she snapped at them all. "I know what I am tellin you. It is scarlet."

    Then she felt a hand on her shoulder.

    "Our baby girl is gone." He informed her. "She died many years ago. It is high time we ept it."

    "Do not touch me!" She snapped in anger. "Remember what Mira said about the red me and the emerald. It is because of her that the kracken broke free."

    He shook his head. "If this was true, then why did the monsters not break free when..::"

    He paused and was quiet.

    He held his fist and managed to suppress the pain that he felt of being countlessly reminded of his daughter��s death.

    "When Scarelt died." He finished. "When she died and we found the broken bit of the emerald which you currently have in your possession. If she is alive all this time then why did it just happen now? Why did the monster just break lose?! Why how?"

    She shook her head. "I don��t know. Someone must have taken it from her that is why. As you know each member of our family must have the emerald ne on them at all times. No matter what."

    "Or the emerald ne is still with her longer with her body somewhere under theke." He said with reason.

    "Do not say that! We have checked everywhere! The sirens even searched for us and told us that they did not find her body." She said.

    He shook his head exasperated. "Thest thing we will do is listen to the sirens. They are not to be trusted. Anything from their lips are a lie."

    "And was that why you banished them?!"

    She demanded. Then he stopped. "Did you think I will never find out! That I did not know?!"

    Now it was bing like a private row between husband and wife and the members of court were ufortable.

    Eventually the maester spoke up. "We will give you two privacy."

    And they all proceeded to bow and started to leave when she stopped them.

    "You are not going anywhere!" She snapped. "You were all there when it happened and you will all stay and testify the truth."

    "Let then go for the sake of the gods Rose. They are obviously embarrassed." He said .

    "I do not care!" She snapped back. "I am

    Speaking only the truth."

    He turned to them. "You may leave."

    They started to go again and then she turned to them her eyes zing red hot. "Do you defy your own Queen the one with the royal

    Blood filled in her bones!"

    There was p of thunder and then all of them stood still.

    "I said you could leave." Rnd said .

    "We will stay my lord." The maester spoke for them as they were well afraid of the Queen.

    She turned back to him. "You banished the sirens because of what? You stopped them froming up tond why? Because you belive that they were the ones who killed scarlet?"

    "Yes!" He snapped at her. "How do we exin not finding her body. We searched every single path of the sea for an entire month and

    Nothing was found except for the tiny bit of the emerald! How do you exin that!"

    "They would never do that! She is alive and well! And you made such a rash decision without counseling me! Because what you are king consort!" She raged on.

    "I did not even want that responsibility."

    He said. "And you know it! You abandoned your duties in your distress and I was forced to take over!"

    She rolled her eyes at him. "I am sorry if I was grieving for my missing daughter!"

    "And do you think I am not grieving?" He demanded. "Do you think I did not grieve."

    She held her head up high. "You showed no indication that you were grieving. You went right ahead to take care of the castle."

    "BECAUSE YOU ABANDONED IT! Do you have any idea how hard it was for me?!

    How even as a man and King consort I was forced to see to the matters of the kingdom. I was not let to grieve! I was bombarded and left to handle it all on my own! How do you think that let me feel?!"

    The entire room went quiet.

    She started to speak up again. "You don��t know what you are syaing . You did not birth her! You did not carrry her for over twelve months! you did not bleed during-

    "And I never invalidated you!" He barked and even Rose was forced to keep quiet.

    The whole room went Quiet like a ghost of silence had passed through.

    "I never said that I birthed her not once did I say I carried her for twelve months! Not once did I say I bled!" And then his words became calm. "But I stayed with you. All through that time. I wanted to be there. And when you had the two of them at once I was there. I never invalidated your pains or struggles."

    Her eyes became clouded with tears.

    "Yes, I banished the sirens froming above sea water because it was the only thing I could do. Because I belived that they

    Were responsible for what had happened to our daughter." He said.

    "It was not your decision to make." She said.

    "Have you seen yourself?!" He demanded. "Have you seen yourself in the past over thirty years?! You look nothing like you."

    "Stop." She said.

    But he did not stop. Rather her went on further tormenting her.

 Chapter 273: ROSE’S REGRET

    <h4>Chapter 273: ROSE��S REGRET</h4>

    "You abandoned your people looking for our already dead daughter." He said. "You triggered all of our traumas. You disturbed it all. Look at Corral! You abandoned her! You let go of her! You were so obsessed with finding a story that you forgot the one the gods had left us with."

    "Stop! Stop! Stop!" She screamed in agony with her hands over her ears.

    He went quiet for a while and in a gentle voice he said.

    "Scarlet is gone. She is dead. She died a long time ago. If the kraken arose then it is possible that the sirens moved it from her body. That is the only exnation." He said. "The sooner you ept it the better for all of us. Because you are tearing this family apart."

    And after that statement he turned and walked away.

    The other members of court quietly left after him.

    And the Queen was left alone.

    She fell down to the floor and wept her eyes out.

    Meanwhile Corral had been standing in secret a ce in the court room where she and her sister Scarlet used to y hide and seek.

    It was a secret tunnel way but then it led out of to the imperial court where they would hide and watch their parents sit on the throne and listen to their people.

    Now it was only Corral that stood there and watched the entire scene.

    She had felt herself being touched by her father��s words that she had been abandoned and it broke her that she had seen her mother ovee with so much grief.

    Seeing her crying all alone.

    Corral too much of a coward to step forward pulled back into the darkness

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    There was a slight knock at Corral��s daughter.

    "Yes?" She answered.

    Her mother peeped in. "May Ie in?"

    "Of course mother. Doe in." Corral said motioning for her mother to move in.

    Then Corral came down from the bed and hurried to where her mother stood and closed the door behind her.

    "Come in mother." She ushered her in

    Her mother gave a stiff smile and stepped into the warm room.

    "Would you like tea mother?" Corral asked as she walked to where the tea had already bedn set by thest maidens.

    "No thank you." Her mother shook her head. "I was just passing by and I wondered if I could see you."

    Then her mother sat down on the bed and looked around.

    "It had been such a while since I was here." She said. And then she frowned. "Did you do some renovations."

    "I changed my rooms." Corral answered quickly.

    Rose nodded. "I see. But why? You and your sister shared the same room and you two loved it together ."

    Corral shook her head. "That was a long time ago mother. And the memories were too much. I decided I wanted one for myself. One that did not hold any of those old memories."

    Rose sighed in heavily.

    "I apologize for not knowing that." Rose said. "Still seems odd and new to me."

    "You do not know a lot of things about me mother." Corral said usingly.

    Rose��s mouth dropped in shock.

    And then Corral waved her hand away. "I apologize mother. I did not mean it to disturb you."

    Rose sighed in heavily. "No you are right. I do not know a lot of things about my own little girl. It is like time flew away so fast."

    She looked at Corral and realized that she had actually grown up.

    Was a fully grown woman.

    How had she let this happen?

    How had times gone so fast that she had not even witnessed her own daughter right in front of her?

    She pressed her hands together.

    Was it true what Rnd had said?

    That she had abandoned her daughter? She had left her alone and pursued the daughter that was no longer around?

    Her other missing daughter?

    She sighed in heavily. "May I ask you some questions."

    Corral crossed her brows in suspicious and then nodded. "Yes you may mother."

    Rose adjusted on her seat. "Do you still love blue berry pie?"

    Corral gave a littleugh and out her hand on her chest. "I had no idea that was what you wanted to ask me. You made it seem like it was something so bad."

    Her motherughed too.

    "Well." Corral said. "Yes mother. I still do love blue berry pie. The one that you made not the servants. It was and still is my favorite sort of pie."

    Her mother pped her hands. "Yes I still do know somethings. And pink? Is pink still your favorite? I remember your sister used to hate pink. She loved red instead and we had the entire room divided into two. One part pink the other red."

    Corralughed at the memory. "Yes mother. I do remember that. Scarlet was so territorial around her shade of red. I have no idea but she always hated pink. It made her sick I belive".

    Corral smiled lightly. "But you always had our hair in pink and red bows. You were always the one doing it. Even though my hair was red you would fit the pink bow in my hair and tell me I still looked beautiful. Scarlet��s hair was red and it matched together so I always felt out of ce."

    Her mother held her hands. "Of course you were different. You both came through me together. And surely you were both different. There was no way you could be the same."

    Corral dropped her head weakly.

    But her mother lifted her chin very gently up to look into her eyes. "But you were both special. In your own ways. And nothing would ever change that."

    Corral felt her eyes brimming with tears and then she hugged her mother.

    For the first time since the ident.

    When she finally let go, her mother said. "Your father said something. That I abandoned you. Pushed you away after what happened. Is it true? Did I do that? Do not lie to me."

    After a short while Corral nodded.

    Rose bit her lip and sighed heavily.

    "I am very sorry for all that had happened." Rose said.

 Chapter 274: CHERRY’S MANIPULATION

    <h4>Chapter 274: CHERRY��S MANIPULATION</h4>

    "So we shall see tomorrow then?" Her mother asked her with a smile as she hung at the door.

    Corral nodded as she forced herself to smile. "Yes."

    Then the Queen smiled and headed out of the room.

    Once she was done Corral sighed in heavily and then Cherry walked up to her.

    She looked her right in the eye and before she said a word or could even exin her actions, Cherry gave her a very hot p.

    A shocked Corral turned the other cheek and with her hands shaking she slowly rose up and put her hand on her face.

    She looked up at her aunty unable to belive what had just happened.

    "You hit me." Corral said.

    And then Cherry gave her another p this time on the other cheek.

    She was profound and in shock unable to believe what had just happened to her.

    She blinked at her as she rose her head up again and looked at her aunt.

    Her hand was now on the cheek that had been hit newly.

    "And I would hit you over and over if it will bring some sense to you. What were you thinking? What?!" Cherry demanded in rage.

    "I was just-

    "You were what?" Cherry demanded her eyes zing in anger and her lips pursed together determined to interrogate her.

    "I was just talking to my mother." Corral lied.

    "You were not just talking to your mother!" Cherry sneered. "You were about to tell her that you killed your sister."

    Corral��s face fell.

    "Lucky for the both of us, I had just been passing and I had seen the door to your room open. Heard you and your mother so I decided to stay and listen." Cherry said.

    "You were eavesdropping on us?" Corral asked in horror.

    "You damn right I was because thank to my eavesdropping and trying to see what wa going on we would have been born dead." Cherry said. "And just in time I heard you stammering and asking your mother if she would forgive you. How stupid are you?! What were you thinking trying to tell her something as grave as that?!"

    Corral turned away from her aunt and walked up to her bed.

    She sat down on it and gently put the covers over herps in attempt to reign to sleep.

    "I was thinking right." Corral defended herself. And then she looked her aunt right in the eye. "She wants to start afresh. She apologized."

    Cherry looked at her with amazement in her eyes and then she began tough.

    Laugh so hard that corral was worried she had run mad.

    "What is so funny?" She demanded in annoyance.

    "That you can be so stupid and gullible." Cherry said. "Because your mother came to you after what? A fight with your father to ask for forgiveness and seek validation from you you truly believe that she will ept you?"

    Corral went quiet.

    "Is that not it?" Cherry demanded. "Was that not what happened? Was that not what possessed you to do it?"

    "She did not just have an argument with father?" An exasperated Corral said.

    Her aunt rolled her eyes and said. "But please did they not?"

    Corral sighed and nodded. "Yes they did but that had nothing to do with it."

    Cherryughed and then gave a long hiss after. "I take Belle for the stupid one. Not you."

    Corral would have been offended if not for the fact the her daughter was truly unintelligent.

    She looked down at her hands.

    "Your parents had a fight and your mother came to you to search for someone to pacify. Do you have any idea how many times she meets me when they fight? She only came to you because I reprimanded you." Cherry said. "She is using you because your father is upset with her over the fact that she abandoned you. And she is trying to appear good in his eyes. Why do you not understand that?"

    Corral shook her head. "No that is not true. This is different. She wants things to be different."

    Cherry rolled her eyes. "Gods. Different?! She wants things to be different?"

    She shook her head at her. "Open your eyes. She only wants to use you that is All she has ever wanted. She never cared for you even after you pushed your sister out of the way. She neglected you."

    Then corral looked up at her aunt and said in a menacing tone. "You know what? Maybe I was wrong. I was a child. Did I even know better? I was an unruly child. Perhaps I was just jealous. Nothing else. Perhaps I truly did not understand anything at all."

    Then Corra looked up at her aunt. What did I actually know? Nothing. She was my sister. I killed her because of some foolish thought that mother preferred me when perhaps mother loved us equally. She always only reprimanded me when I behaved naughty. And scarlet?

    Then she thought of her sister.

    How her sister had always cared for her no matter the circumstances.

    She had saved her from trouble and sometimes taken the me.

    Why had she been so jealous of her to push her?

    Corral looked up at her aunt. "Perhaps the only reason why my mother neglected me was because of me."

    It hit her hard. Like a bombshell and she felt her inner soul go weak.

    Corral had never had the opportunity to turn to her wolf because her sister had gone and when she had departed from her her wolf had be weak.

    They were twins and it was not strange for a wolf to have its second half as his or her twin. Like in the case of Corral.

    But the only thing was that Scarlet had never died when she had dropped into the water.

    Jasmine was proof of it.

    "That is why. It was all because of what I did. What did I know making such decision by myself?" She asked in amazement .

    "You had wanted to rule!" Cherry hissed. "You had always wanted to rule. Of course they had treated her differently she was going to be the future Queen and you would have been tossed aside just like I was."

    Corra listened to her aunt but refused to abide by her words. "Have I? Have I truly? Did I want to be Queen? Did I care for it or was it your own dreams that you spun in my own

    Head."

    Cherry was taken aback by how fierce Corral was.

    How had she let Rose juste by and be able to manipte her to see things differently when she had a string hold on her from the moment she was a child.

    She felt her only power slipping from her grasp and then she could not let that be.

    "You think that your mother will forgive you?" Cherry asked. "Fine go ahead. Tell her that you killed your own sister and that you are the reason why she went grieving. You are the reason why she went mad. She said she could never hate you."

    Cherdy walked up to her and gripped her hard to shake her to her senses.

    "If that is the case then go ahead. But do not forget that was her child and you killed her."

    "But Scatlet did not die." Corral said. "She lived."

    "But where is she now? She had a daughter who is the one destined for the throne. Would you want to see you own daughter cast aside?" She asked.

    Cherry was quiet.

    "You as well as killed your sister, you need to understand that." She said. "Because if you did not push her then whatever happened to her that she fell into the hands of bale and then eventual death is all your fault."

    Corea swallowed.

    "So yes let us say you do in fact tell her." She nodded. "Fine. But have you forgotten what happens to royals who have been found guilty of killing another?"

    Corral felt the chill in her bones.

    It had been aw that one of her far back ancestors had made.

    It was one of the permanentws that he had been made and no matter what could not be changed by anyone.

    He had used very strong magic.

    Thew stated that any royal found guilty of attempting or murdering another was to be have his wolf soul stripped from his body.

    It was worse than death.

    And he had Made it a rule because a number of times when some royal had been caught they were eventually protected by someone within the family.

    So when someone was found

    To be guilty thew took its ce.

    There was a soul council that no one could bribe and would enforce thew.

    "Your mother will not protect t you. Not even from them. Not even if she could." Cherry said. "You will be the first to die by the soul council in years."

 Chapter 275: FALSE MEMORIES

    <h4>Chapter 275: FALSE MEMORIES</h4>

    The realization now hit Corral hard.

    "Do you want that?" Cherry pressured her. "To have your soul ripped right in front of the entire city while your family watches and does nothing."

    Corral swallowed unable to say a word.

    "I thought as much." Cherry said after a lengthy silence. "Everything I have done was for you. If you think that just because your mother came running to you for the first time because she had a dispute with your father then...."

    She shook her head. "You have disappointed you. Your mother never loved you. She abandoned you once she lost her favorite and perfect child. And even if you belive that she wants to start afresh do you think that she is ever going to forgive you for what you did? You are the reason why your sister is probably dead."

    When Corral had pushed scarlet into the river she had still felt her sister��s wolf.

    Because they were twins and bound to feel each other.

    But she did not tell her aunt that because she would have been angry at her that she had not seeded in killing her.

    Every single day had been hell because she had assumed that one day her sister would walk back in and tell them all that had happened.

    She had lived in absolute fear her entire life but her sister had fortunately nevere and she had kept it to herself.

    Which meant that as expected since her twin sister was belived to be dead her wolf could not materialize.

    But that was not the case.

    Coral��s wolf was well and fine and so was Scarlett��s so to keep her secret safe from everyone else she had told them that she could no longer feel her wolf meaning that her sister was dead.

    Even when her mother hade begging her to be sure that her wolf was still active she had denied it.

    Until neen years ago when she had felt her wolf go silent that was when she knew that her sister had truly died.

    Of course all of this she kept to herself.

    She had never told a single soul. To this day.

    "Cause only the gods know since her silly daughter showed up only gods know if that little animal is lied to us about her being dead." Cherry said.

    Corral looked at her. "I thought you had sent out your spies to find out if she was still alive."

    Cherry gave her a re. "This things do not just happen Corral. It takes time. And if you have noticed I am the one who does a lot of these things to keep things tied."

    Cherry signed after sounding too harsh.

    She went to Corral��s bed and sat. "Your mother does not love you. She does not care about you."

    Corral on her own path did not look too convinced.

    Cherry sighed and said. "I never ever wanted to tell you this but I have no choice."

    Then she opened up her hands and used some magic words and a small puddle of water appeared in her gathered Palm.

    "Deep your face in." Cherry instructed.

    Corral knew what this was.

    It was one of her aunt��s memories that she stored.

    She had visited some from time to time.

    She frowned still uncertain and Cherry brought her palms closer further urging her toe closer.

    Eventually Corral sighed and dipped her face in.

    Then she was looking inside the memory.

    It was her mother and Aunt Cherry together.

    And her mother was much much younger.

    Her mother was fervently crying in her garden.

    Her eyes were bloodshot red and Cherry was trying to pacify her.

    "Do not me yourself sister." Cherry cooed as she rubbed her back.

    "Why shall I not?" Her mother asked. "My own daughter has been missing for over three weeks! Three weeks! I begged the sirens and they said that they have seen nothing absolutely nothing of her."

    "We will still find her." Cherry said. "I am sure that we will."

    Rose was crying non stop.

    Her napkins were damp and she had to use new one after another.

    "The future Queen. My own child. Fallen from our hands. In such a careless manner." Rose wept. "Why? Why will this happen to me."

    "We can not question the will of the gods." Cherry said.

    "Fuck the gods." Rose swore.

    "You do not say such things lest they hear you." Cherry urged her. "Look you still have Corral. She is your daughter and she is alive and well. She does not understand what is happening."

    Rose shook her head.

    "Corral has the servants and everyone at her beck and call. She will be fine." Rose said.

    Corral felt her face grow tight.

    "She is your daughter." Cherry said shocked at her words.

    "The gods if they are alive forgive me but I wish it was Corral not scarlet." Rose said.

    Corral felt chills instantly and then as Cherry was reprimanding her sister Corral was unable to hear anymore of it.

    She quickly withdrew her face from the puddle of water and looked at her aunt.

    Her eyes were red and her heart was crushed.

    "I swear I never ever wanted to show you this memory." Cherry swore.

    Corral was defeated.

    She was now certain that her mother hated her.

    Certain that her mother truly never wanted.

    She turned away and swallowed. "I was foolish for thinking that she would ever care for me. Thank you. I will wish to go to bed now."

    And then Corral turned on her side and tried to go to sleep.

    "I wish you never knew this belive me. But I need you to understand." Cherry said.

    Corral did not say a sword

    Cherry sighed and kissed her niece and then turned of the lights before quietly leaving the bedroom.

    And then she went down the hallway smiling because she knew that she had sessfully aplished keeping Corral from spilling the truth and hating her mother more with a fake memory.

 Chapter 276: LAND SIGHTED

    <h4>Chapter 276: LAND SIGHTED</h4>

    "Land Ahoy!"

    That was what woke her up from sleep.

    She jumped up in her bed and for a short while she had been confused as to where she was and slowly it all began toe to her.

    She was in a ship being sent back to the moonlight pack and then she recalled the events of the previous night wondering if it had all been a dream.

    She itched her hair and then she saw that there was a very veryrge fur beside her literally up to the size of the bed.

    She jumped and saw it was Kire.

    "Kire." She said.

    The wolf woke up and looked up at her and then she smiled and rubbed his fur.

    It was when he started to rise because he had been resting that it urred to her that he had truly grown just as Erik had said.

    She was shocked at how huge and massive he was.

    His head even hit the ceiling of the cabin.

    He howled in pain and she gently calmed him.

    "So sorry about that." She said. "Try to keep your head down."

    And then he obeyed and remained bending.

    "Erik was not joking when he said you will grow big overnight."

    He wagged his tail excitedly and it swiped a ss bottle in a shelf and itnded into pieces.

    "Woops." She said. "Maybe we should be less excited."

    And then she heard the men saynd ahoy again.

    And then it dawned on her what that truly meant.

    They had madend.

    She came down from the bed and hurried to the steps.

    Kire followed her right behind, breaking things in the way.

    When she got to the top deck of the ship she saw that the sun had just been rising in the horizon.

    The men were going on about with their wooden nks and some mopping and cleaning.

    "Excuse me, sorry." She apologized as she dodged and rushed past the men to go to the side of the ship.

    Kire was nothing like her he bombarded through the men and theyined as he ran past excitedly after her.

    She reached the railing and held on to feel the air and watchnd from afar.

    Kire joined beside her and wagged his tail as if he was a little puppy.

    She breathed in the air and smiled at the feeling and sweet sounds of birds flying off.

    Unknown to her Xaden was stepping up

    On deck and discussing with the tongue less captain and stopped short when he saw her.

    He watched as she stood enjoying the air.

    And then he was drawn back to his discussion with the captain.

    Then she looked and saw thend that they were about to stop at.

    And chills came through her because that meant that she was closer to home.

    "I told you he was going to grow."

    She turned and saw Erik.

    Kire jumped up and down before attempting to climb his master.

    "Easy boy you��re too big." Erik warned his wolf.

    Jasmine smiled. "Yes you did. But I never expected him to be this big."

    He stood at his full height and she gawked in disbelief.

    "He is bigger than when you are wolf is he not?" She asked.

    "Yes." He nodded. "It is different because he is not just amodating me anymore but he is his full self now. So yes he is actually bigger than I am."

    "Hmmm". She said to herself as she looked at him.

    "Did I dream what happenedst night?" She asked. "The entire sea creature almost killing us?"

    Heughed. "I wish. It was as real as ever. We sent word to the people who need to know. Whatever that was it is not going to be hiding for long."

    She sighed and Then turned to back to the nearingnd.

    "You are close to home." He said.

    She gave a weakugh. "Home? Have I ever had a home?"

    "You are anxious." He said.

    "I am my father��s disappointment. He is going to kill me." She said wisely.

    "I think Xaden will beat him to it." He said.

    She smiled weakly at theme joke.

    "Whatever it is." He sighed. "You will be able to face it."

    Then Erik went away.

    Soon the Anchor was dropped and their ships were already at the ports.

    She swallowed heavily as she watched the men go down.

    Xaden stood looking handsome in his armor bearing the que of the crescent pack and there were other members of his army behind him.

    He led the procession down and went to meet a man who stood with a different wolf army.

    As she watched she felt someone stand behind her.

    She turned around and saw that four hefty guards were standing in her front and hold chains.

    Without saying a word they pulled her hands together and instantly put the chains on.

    "You will not be a sight away from us." The leader said.

    "The chains are heavy." She said.

    "Be relieved that you do not have chains on your feet." He warned her with an evil glint in his eyes. "Move."

    And with that she was forced to walk in the middle of all the four men.

    She looked down as she came down the temporary nk.

    Erik was standing beside Xaden now.

    She wondered if he was the one who had insisted that she not be in chains.

    As she looked back up to the crowd of the man Xaden had gone to see and he was so familiar that she could not ce her finger where she knew him from.

    "Alpha Xaden of the barbarian pack." The man said.

    Xaden was not smiling.

    He nodded at Erik who handed the man a scroll.

    The man collected it and opened it with a sour face before reading it.

    "That is an order from the King himself decreeing that you let us pass through your kingdom." Erik said.

    The man scowled and then just when they thought he would turn them down he smiled.

    "But of course." He said and stepped aside for them to pass. "Feel free to pass through my pack."

    Jasmine knew him.

    He was her father��s closest ally and one of the most malicious and dangerous men she knew.

    That meant that they were barely three hours away from her home pack.

 Chapter 277: THE BETRAYED ONES

    <h4>Chapter 277: THE BETRAYED ONES</h4>

    As they passed through the crowd Jasmine hoped that the men who were supposedly guarding her would hide her well.

    But Jared turned around to speak to someone and stopped short when he saw her.

    "Halt." He said.

    Everyone stopped moving and then he walked up to where she was standing.

    Xaden��s eyes followed him like a hungry wolf.

    "You are with Bale��s daughter. So the rumors are true." He said sizing her up and down.

    Jasmine hated him.

    He was one of the many disgusting alphas that had eyes for her.

    Had even made a passive joke about her father handing him to her.

    But her father had said nothing.

    Jared attempted to reach out to her face when Xaden cut him short immediately.

    "Cut that fake shit. We already know that she is not his legitimate daughter." Xaden said already stepping in.

    Jasmine was breathing heavily, looking him dead in the eye.

    Jared gave her a malicious look and withdrew his hand and touched his hands together.

    "Well you have the bastard." Jared said.

    Xaden��s face clenched together in anger but said nothing.

    Sensing the high tension but not willing to make any moves that will bring up immediate chaos, Jared stepped and turned to look at Xaden.

    "I do not have any intentions on fighting with you Jared." Xaden said. "Not today at least. So do not make me."

    Jared rose a brow. "Is that a threat?"

    "Call it what you would like." Xaden replied with a shrug. "But I have said what needs to be said."

    Jasmine wondered what the inner tension and unspoken words were all about.

    Jared simply ignored Xaden and went on ahead.

    Jasmine sighed in with heavy relief and they all resumed working.

    "Wait. Wait."

    Jasmine turned around and saw that it was a young man probably in his twenties running up to them with a veryrge bag on his back.

    Then he went to walk with her to her surprise.

    Her body guards became alert immediately.

    She did not even know who he was.

    "Hey I��m the healer." The manined.

    Erik who had witnessed the smallmotion waved his hand.

    "Let him he is who he says he is."

    The guard frowned at Ned and then reluctantly pulled away his sword.

    "Thank you." Ned said and going together with them.

    "How are you feeling?" He asked. "I wa one one who treated you, you may not quite recall."

    "Oh." She said in surprise. "Then that means that you saved my life. Thank you."

    "You are wee." He said.

    "Yoh seem too young to be a healer a lot of the healers that I have met are usually old." She said.

    "Yes but they all have to start from

    Somewhere don��t they." He said. "I have been meaning to train and be a healer. Help people and also discover treatments that I tend healers have been unable to. I heard that your healer in the moonlight pack is very very gifted."

    She nodded. Urma.

    "Yes she is. But I don��t think she will ept you in I am afraid." She admitted with a sigh.

    He shook his head and shrugged his shoulder.

    "No worries. I am used to their harsh words." He said.

    She smiled.

    He tripped and almost fell down and then one of her guards red at him.

    "Sorry." He said. Then he turned and looked at her. "I am a bit clumsy."

    She gave a light shrug. "No worry."

    This is was because her mind was already elsewhere.

    She was thinking about Jared and rightfully so she did not trust him.

    There was no way he would just give up and let them in just like that.

    She needed to forewarn Xaden. But he would not listen to her so her best best was through Erik.

    The guards did not seem to be ready to let her go anytime soon.

    So she whispered to the healer. "What is your name?"

    "Ned." He said. "Ned stark."

    She nodded. "Ned could you please find a way for you to meet Erik and tell him that he should be wary of Alpha Jared. He is not to be trusted and a very close friend of my father��s. He could be nning things up his sleeve."

    "Hey no whispering!" The guard snapped at them and she went hush.

    She looked at him signaling in a pleading motion for him to go.

    Eventually Ned stretched and said. "It was nice discussing with you."

    And with that he went straight ahead of the procession to where Erik was.

    She watched him discuss with Erik and then Erik turned to look at her and then he nodded and turned ahead.

    Ned simply went on ahead with the procession.

    Jasmine became worried that she had not exined how urgent it was and that perhaps Ned had not ryed the information appropriately.

    She watched as Kire had been ced in veryrge cage with wheels and was rolled away.

    The wolf whimpered when he saw her and Jasmine was said as she was unable to do a single thing to help him.

    She knew why Erik had locked him up.

    Kire would have ripped the wolves who had put her in chains in to shreds.

    As they walked on ahead, Evetually Jared led them out of his pack.

    His wolves were standing at the wall.

    Members of his pack all watching.

    With Xaden��s army fully out of his pack and now being less than an hour��s walk away from the moonlight pack, Jared turned to face them.

    "It seems that it is time for you to go in your own." Jared said. "Barbarious Alpha and his pack."

    Xaden started to take a step closer but Erik held him.

    "It was a joke." Jaredughed and then he turned and went back towards his own pack.

    Tney resumed their journery and by almost an hour since they went pat Jared��s pack, they were closing in.

    And Jasmine finally saw therge wall and gates of her home pack.

    What they saw stunned them.

    There were a number of arrows hanging by the fence with wolves pointed at them.

    Ready to attack.

    "That fucking Asshole." Xaden swore at Jared knowing he had betrayed them.

 Chapter 278: BALE APPEARS

    <h4>Chapter 278: BALE APPEARS</h4>

    Jasmine stood just as everyone else watched the wolves pointing their arrows at them.

    She swallowed heavily and felt her heart pound so fast it seemed ready to pop out of her chest.

    "Jared betrayed us." Xaden swore.

    No one said a word.

    Not a single person.

    Even those at the edge of the wall remained with their arrows pointing at them.

    Erik stood behind him.

    "Do you want me to give the order?" Erik asked Xaden.

    Xaden looked his eyes pointing in suspicion.

    "No. We still have the rest of the men. Garrick was supposed to be looking out for the pack." Xaden said. "Where is he?"

    "If you are looking for yourmander." A male voice said.

    Jasmine felt chills in her bones and everything in her wrote fear.

    She looked up at the verandah top of the wall and saw that it was none other than her father.

    Xaden on his own path gritted his teeth.

    "Then he is here." Bale finished.

    And with that he tossed a head over the wall and it dropped right at Xaden��s feet.

    It was none other than Garrick��s decapitated head.

    Xaden looked at him in rage.

    In boiling anger and fury.

    Bale smiled at him. "You thought that you could outsmart me. For what you did to my son I have ns for you."

    Then the wolf council members who had escorted them came to Xaden��s front.

    "Bale. This is monstrous." One of the members said. "You need to cease this immediately! You have out fully broken so many rules and disobeyed the order of the royal family. This is treason!"

    "I do not care." Bale spat. "This is for me to decide."

    "You can not do this! You will be putting an end to your life and all your people! Even if you seed in killing Xaden then you must be aware that the royal family will exterminate you without mercy."

    "There will be no royal family by the time I am done." Bale said.

    One of the other members gasped. "What do you mean by that statement."

    Bale turned away from responding to them and faced Xaden.

    "The way I ended your family is the way I will erase you." Bale promised.

    Xaden��s hand clenched in rage at the words that had been used at him.

    The reminder of the family he had lost.

    Then Bale saw her.

    She felt him see through her.

    She swallowed.

    "I see you have my bastard." He said.

    She flinched at his choice of words at her.

    "What? You think she is leverage against me? Kill her, do whatever you want with her. She means nothing to me."

    It felt like a bomb had been dropped on Jasmine��s chest.

    Like a heavy weight had hit her.

    He had rarely ever expressed his distaste for her.

    This was the first time and she felt horrible.

    She swallowed and felt her insides boil.

    Boil at the rage and anger that she had sacrificed everything within her and he had taken the will to use her.

    Even thrown her to the wolves.

    Their enemies.

    And see how he had paid her back.

    Then they turned around to see from where they hade from and saw that Jared��s men were already there.

    They were trapped.

    Even with their over one thousand men in their shield, they were surrounded.

    Xaden stood breathing and looked up at Bale with hate.

    "Give up. Surrender and I will deliver a less painless death." Bale told him.

    And then Xaden howled.

    Before Bale could react, it echoed through everywhere. Bale waved his order for the archers to throw their arrow down but a second before it made impact, there were shields that seemed to appear from nowhere block it.

    All the wolves of the crescent pack had one over their heads and then to the side and it formed such a powerful formation.

    Not even one prated through the shield.

    When Bale had exhausted all his archers, Xaden howled again.

    Taking him by surprise and before he could react, arrows lit with fire came from the trees.

    Going up to the archers at the wall killing then on impact and lighting the wall on fire.

    The same happened for Jared��s men.

    Eventually Xaden took down his own shield and set it aside.

    He howled.

    And instantly all of them went charging to the walls and attacking Jared��s men from behind.

    Bale who had not calcted this entire move was shocked.

    "Fall back." One of Bale��smanders said to the remaining men on the wall. "Use the bombs."

    "Fall back?" Bale demanded. "You are supposed to be fighting for us! Not falling back like cowards."

    "They used their tactics against us." Themander said. "We have to retreat back to the walls of the pack."

    The men were all shouting as the fighting resumed.

    Bale looked down his heart racing.

    "We need to retreat back down the wall and into the pack." Themander warned .

    Bale sighed inward and said. "This walls have been here for centuries. It will not break down. They can never get in."

    At that moment they heard a loud sound and then the wall tremble.

    "What was that?" Bale asked looking worried.

    Before themander could reply, they heard another one.

    To Bale��s horror there was arge wolf down below. Almost half the height of the wall and it kept on hitting the wall.

    "This is madness." He expressed in shock.

    "There is no way they think that will work."

    Jasmine looked as Kire hit the wall over and over again.

    "He is going to be hurt." She said worried and going ahead.

    Xaden caught her hand and pulled her back

    "What are you trying to do? Kill yourself?"

    "He is hitting the wall!" She jerked her hand free from him and Xaden was surprised at how she had just defied him. "He will die. Can you not see?"

    Erik shook his head and behind her said. "No, look."

    And then Jasmine angrily faced the wall and what she saw shocked her entire bones.

 Chapter 279: THE FALL OF THE WALL

    <h4>Chapter 279: THE FALL OF THE WALL</h4>

    Kire was growing taller and taller and every moment that he hit the wall it made such a great impact.

    "How is he doing that?" She asked.

    "How are we doing that?" Erik asked. "I am channeling my powers to him. So that he can use the both of us together at once. His bones and body bes hard like steel and he gets even bigger than he is. He will be able to make impact without being badly hurt."

    And then Erik almost fell down.

    She quickly caught him and held him against her chest.

    "You are weak." She said softly in the midst of all the chaos.

    She gently pushed his hair away from his face to check his temperature.

    Xaden felt his chest stiffen at her show of affection with him and for some minutes he was very jealous.

    He quickly turned away and hid his feelings so no one noticed.

    "I��ll be fine." Erik said.

    "You are bing cold." She said. "What if he doesn��t break through? That wall has been there for centuries. No one has ever broken it down."

    She knew this because she knew legend that their wall had been made over five hundred centuries ago by one of the first alphas of the pack and no one had been able to destroy it.

    Kire kept on hitting the wall and then by the tenth bump against the wall the middle of the wall broke open.

    She looked on in shock.

    There was a sudden silence.

    No one uttered a single word.

    They just stood transfixed at the fact that the wall had been brought down.

    And then the wolves of the crescent pack screamed in attack and they all went into the pack.

    Jasmine held unto Erik.

    Kire came around. He was not as big as he was anymore.

    In fact he was even smaller than his original height.

    She watched hime down to her as a tiny pup.

    "You need to rest." She told Erik.

    "I would be fine." He said bringing himself to rise to his feet.

    Xaden was no longer in sight and it was just in fighting and blood lust.

    Erik did something that she did not expect. He broke down her chains.

    Her guards had left her and two were already dead in the fight.

    "Go." He nodded towards the pack. "I assume you have unfinished business with your pack."

    Her eyes looked at him with glint of hope.

    She was about to say thank you when he said.

    "But don��t go alone." He said.

    Then he walked a few inches away and came back with Ned the healer.

    "You are going to look after her and make sure nothing happens to her do you understand this?" Erik asked.

    Ned did not seem so enthusiastic about it. "But I can not fight."

    "You will take care of her." Erik said looking down at him.

    Ned nodded quickly.

    Then Erik went off to fight.

    "So where are we going to?" Ned asked.

    Jasmine quickly picked up Kire and began to race from the wall.

    "This is not the way to the pack." He asked.

    "I know." She said. "I have a secret ce where we can follow without being seen."

    "Slow down." Ned said with his backpack slowing him down.

    But Jasmine was running far ahead.

    Eventually they found her secret space and then were down tunnels.

    "I hope there are not rats. Gods I hate rats." Ned said as they went past the dripping tunnels.

    It was dark and hollow and very hard for them to find their way through.

    "Just follow me." She said.

    Ned did as she asked and then when he felt like he had stepped on something he stopped.

    "What is that?" He asked stopping.

    Jasmine finally was able to pick up a torch and light it with fire.

    She pointed it at Ned who had just picked whatever it was from the floor.

    And they realized that it was a veryrge rat.

    It opened its teeth with spikes and hissed at them.

    Ned screamed and threw it away and ran far ahead of even Jasmine.

    She followed him.

    Once they were out of the tunnels he was still screaming and then she had to hold him and close his mouth.

    "Shhh." She urged.

    He obeyed and then she handed him Kire.

    "Hold him." She said.

    Kire gave Ned a face and Ned returned it back.

    "Look at you. You were bullying me when you were big now look who is big." Ned said like a child.

    Kire tried to growl but it came out like a tiny yowl.

    Nedughed.

    "Cut it out you too." Jasmine hissed at them.

    Then she went to the end of the tunnels.

    It was a road end.

    She gently ced her hands on the blocks, filling it.

    "Gods we are stuck." Ned said.

    She ignored him and then she gently touched a brick and pushed it in.

    And then the wall moved to the side.

    "How did you know this ce?" He asked her.

    She gave a light shrug.

    "It was the only way that I could escape the pack and have time for myself." She said quietly.

    "You did not have a happy life here did you?" He asked her.

    "No." She admitted. "You heard my father did you not? The bastard child."

    Ned and even Kire was quiet.

    "Come on. We need to be fast." She said as she led them out of the tunnels and into one of the rooms of the royal family.

    As soon as they stepped in, Jasmine led them to the door.

    They peeped down the hallway and aww litters of dead body lying down.

    Some guards of the moonlight pack passed and when the coast was clear she went to the only one person who had cared for her from the moment she wa a child.

    "Urma." She said when she opened the door.

    The old woman was sitting on a chair as if waiting for death toe to her.

 Chapter 280: I LOVE HIM

    <h4>Chapter 280: I LOVE HIM</h4>

    "Urma!" She said with such delight as she threw her arms around her and hugged her tightly.

    "My delicate flower." Urma said as she gently rubbed her back.

    Jasmine did not want to let go as she breathed in the scent of the woman who had loved her.

    The only woman who had loved her while she lived in the pack.

    Reluctantly Jasmine let go when she felt Urma pull away.

    "I never thought I��ll see you again." Jasmine said.

    Urma caught her chin. "My flower. It was not the end of the roads. I wish I was there with you when you went away."

    Jasmine swallowed and looked down at her hands.

    And then Urma put a Jasmine in her hair like she had always done from the moment she was young.

    She felt the tears at the brink of her eyes.

    "You look well." Urma said. "Look much better than how you did here."

    "I am sorry to break the family reunion." Ned apologized as he stepped in. "But we have to be fast."

    Urma looked at him. "Who are you?"

    Ned cleared his throats. "I am a healer. An apprentice I mean. I am still learning."

    "Hmmm." Urma rolled her eyes.

    "Don��t Urma. He saved my life." Jasmine chastised her gently.

    Urma sighed and said. "Well for that I thank you."

    Ned smiled.

    "Xaden is fighting the pack." Jasmine said. "They broke down the wall. He knows everything. He knows that I was an imposter and he belives that his sister who died a long time ago is here in the pack."

    Urma went quiet.

    "He belives that she was taken away by my father. There is no such person as that but Xaden is determined to proved otherwise." Jasmine said.

    Urma remained quiet.

    "Urma is there something that you know?" Jasmine asked with suspicion.

    Urma sighed in heavily. "The pack is falling. All the secrets should be falling too."

    "What?" Jasmine asked scared to what the truth might be.

    After Urma told Jasmine her face went white.

    "I need to tell Xaden." She said.

    Urma held her arm. "If you go back to him then he would take you his prisoner forever. This is your chance to run. Come with me."

    Jasmine stopped to think about it.

    She was right.

    If she actually went away with Urma then she could be free from everything.

    Free from all the cruelties she had faced and she could have a simple life.

    One she had never had.

    "We can go to the west where the free wolves live. The Royal family has no jurisdiction over there. You could do all the things you wanted to do. Away from all of this." Urma pleaded.

    Jasmine was quiet.

    And the Ned took a step forward. "Jasmine you really don��t."

    "Ned stop." She said and he stopped right in his tracks.

    What Urma was giving her was a fairy tale. A dreame true.

    What she had always wanted to do when she lived here.

    A life free of being a ve to her family.

    "Urma. What you have offered to me is the best offer anyone has ever given me. And I would love to go with you." She said.

    Urma was delighted and then Ned��s face fell.

    "But." She added. "I have another home. I have people who depend on me. The crescent pack is my home. I found happiness I never had. Perhaps I would run away with you if I never went there. Perhaps. But I have now. Ned vouched with his life to stay with me. I will not want him executed for losing me. But I need to go."

    "Do you love him?" Urma asked.

    Jasmine froze.

    Ned was quite unsure of who they were referring to.

    "Yes." Jasmine said after a while. "And I can not leave him. If we leave him now then he will make the worst mistake of his life. He will never forgive himself."

    Urma was quiet and skeptical.

    "Do this for me Urma." Jasmine begged. "Please."

    Eventually she gave in after a heavy sigh.

    "Alright Jasmine. Anything to make you happy my flower." Urma said cupping her cheek.

    And together all three of them hurried down the hall.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    XADEN��S POV

    Xaden and his men had raided the pack had literally made victory.

    What was left was for the head of Bale.

    To kill him once and for all, but not before he told him where his sister was.

    His men who had gone down to the dungeons returned.

    "Did you find her?" He asked heavy with anticipation.

    They shook their head. "No my lord. The prisoners there have no count of who she is."

    And then Erik came jogging up to them.

    "We have him. We have all of them". Erik told himself

    Xaden felt the moment of atonement had finnaly arrived.

    He went with them and there he found Bale, his wife Luna Maria and then a servant girl standing behind them.

    Xaden just looked at them.

    Bale was already at his knees.

    "Who is she?" Xaden asked.

    "She is Jessica. Their legitimate daughter." Erik replied.

    Xaden turned back to face Bale.

    "The man who took everything for me." Xaden said. "Do you remember what I told you when I was a child? Before you killed me. I said I would find you. And I would use my sword to sever you into two."

    Bale said nothing.

    Luna Maria was whimpering. "We had nothing to do with this I swear."

    "Shut up you bitch!" Xaden spat as he pointed his sword at her. "You. You of all

    People. You are nothing but a monster. You sent the bastard of your husband to me in recement of your own child".

    "I swear I tried to stop them but he did not listen to me." She said. "He was the one who forced them."

    "Liar." He sneered. "And you. You are going to pay. I heard of how cruel you both were. Heartless to Jasmine. And you will pay with your lives."

    "Xaden don��t!" Jasmine barged right into the room.

 Chapter 281: THE SIBLINGS REUNION

    <h4>Chapter 281: THE SIBLINGS REUNION</h4>

    They all turned to look at her.

    "Jasmine what are you doing here?" He asked surprised.

    And then the guards that she had managed to fight her way through came rushing in.

    Grabbed her arm and started to haul her back out.

    "I apologize for the disturbance my lord." The guard said.

    "Let me go." She said struggling to break free.

    Little kire was backing .

    "Let her go!" Xaden snapped at the guard infuriated that she was being hurt.

    And then the guard hurriedly did as he had been told.

    Then he bowed and hurriedly apologized.

    Jasmine turned and saw her father kneeling down to the ground, she saw Luna Maria and Jessica together.

    The resentment that they had always shed her with, and now they were cowering in fear.

    "Jasmine ." Luna Maria said quickly. "It is so good to see that you are safe and well. I have been so worried about you."

    Jasmine was confused.

    "Tell him. Tell him the truth that I never wanted you to leave the pack and go with them. But your father insisted I had no choice or say in the matter. You know that I have always looked at you as my own." She said.

    Jasmine could hardly believe the lies.

    The lies spiling from her lips.

    She looked at the people that she had been protecting.

    People that she has almost murdere Xaden for and all wave of emotions that she had felt towards them was built on by rage.

    And then Jasmine did something that shocked them all.

    She gave Luna Maria a very dirty p.

    Luna Maria gasped as she held the side of her cheek.

    She slowly looked up at Jasmine unable to belive what had just happened.

    Before she could speak Jasmine gave her another dirty p.

    No one said a word.

    Urma stood behind smiling.

    "You hit me." Luna Maria said holding her other cheek. She spat blood and was stunned at the force of the p that she had released. "After everything that I did for you."

    "You did nothing for me." Jasmine said boldly. "The first p? That was for my mother. The second. That was for me."

    Luna Maria just looked in at her unable to say a word.

    Amazed and wondering where Jasmine had all of a sudden grown her new found Witts.

    Then Jasmine turned to Xaden leaving Luna Maria still dazed.

    "Don��t harm them." She said.

    "Why shouldn��t I?" Xaden asked. "Just because what they did is now confirmed true does not change what you did and who you are."

    She sighed. "I know that nothing can take that away. But belive me when I tell you that can not harm her."

    "The bitch who betrayed my mother too?" Xaden asked breathing very heavily.

    "No, you can kill Maria." She said and Luna Maria quickly gasped in fear. "You could kill all of them in fact. But not before you find out."

    "Find out what?" Xaden asked.

    "Your sister. That you are looking for. She is here. Right in this very room." Jasmine expressed.

    Xaden��s face went white.

    They all went quiet.

    He finally found his voice.

    "Are you trying to tell me that you are mg sister?" He asked.

    "Gods no." She shook her head.

    And at that moment everyone breathed in relief.

    "Her." She pointed at Jessica who was still cowered behind.

    Xaden turned to look at Jessica.

    "What joke are you trying to y Jasmine? What new games?" He asked. "That a tire daughter the one that made you a bastard."

    Jasmine shook her head. "No. She is not."

    Xadenughed. "She does not even have my family secret. How could she possibly be my sister?"

    Then Jasmine turned to Urma and Luna Maria��s face began to go white.

    "Gold dust was used on her. It subdued her true bloodline." Urma said and she blew some dust in the air.

    Jessica was equally lost.

    Barely up to ten seconds after Urma blew the dust.

    The atmosphere changed and there was a different scent.

    It was powerful and yet feminine.

    And it came from Jessica.

    Xaden��s eyes went straight to her.

    His blood hounded and then his wolf howled and Jessica��s wolf howled too in response.

    "Gods." Xaden said in disbelief.

    Jessica who had been take over by the force of Xaden��s wolf call was still confused.

    "Mother what are they talking about?" Jessica asked.

    Luna Maria gently cupped her cheek. "Nothing. All lies. They are trying to take you away from me."

    "Why do I smell different from you mother?" Jessica asked in shock.

    "Because you were stolen." Urma announced.

    They all now turned to look at her.

    "When Bale attacked the crescent pack, he killed all the family members, and Xaden had been holding his baby sister when he was presumed dead. She was just a little baby and Maria had always wanted a girl. Had always envied Xaden��s mother and so she stole you and raised you as your own."

    Jessica was lost for words unable to evenprehend what was going on

    "You��re lying. She is my mother. This is my family. Bale is my father! You��re just evil!" Jessica screamed.

    "Your mother put gold through your hair every week didn��t she?" Urma asked.

    Jessica gave an ufortableugh.

    "Yes so? It was meant for me because I am special." Jessica replied.

    "That gold dust was mixed with herbs that would tamper with your scent and in ce make you smell like them. It was why when Xaden came here he could not scent you." Urma exined.

    Jessica put her hand through her hair and then she was shocked to see that her hair seemed to feel different.

    Unknown to her it was changing color from blonder gradually to raven ck.

    Xaden was too stunned to move.

    "You look like mother." He said and then he hugged her.

    Hugged her so tight to him.

    There was no doubt that this was his sister.,

    The only blood rtive he had.

 Chapter 282: DO NOT FOLLOW THE KING

    <h4>Chapter 282: DO NOT FOLLOW THE KING</h4>

    "I thought I lost you, Anna." He said once he let go and cupped her cheeks.

    Jessica was still shocked and dazed.

    She turned to Luna Maria.

    "Mother is this true?" She asked her voice breaking.

    "She is not your mother." Xaden sneered with hate at Luna Maria.

    Luna Maria saw that she had been trapped in a corner and began to panic.

    Finally, she let it out.

    "Yes! I did it! Yes, I took her!" She said. "But I was the best mother she would have ever had! Your mother had everything! Everything! The perfect family! Husband! Two children! She had it all."

    "I deserved it. Not her. She was a spoiled brat who had everything from the moment we were young. I always took her leftovers as her friend. But I was never given the love she had. And so yes! I took it! I took Jessica for myself because I was the best mother she could have ever had."

    Jessica began to cry at the revtion that sent chills through her bones.

    "Jessica you were only a child so you don��t remember a thing. I am the one you know. I am the one who was your mother." Maria said.

    "Stay away from from ME!" Jessica screamed as she wept uncontrobly.

    Maria was hurt by her outburst.

    It was thest thing she had expected.

    "You knew about this." Xaden turned to Urma. "And you did not inform the council or the royal family anyone,"

    Xaden was looking for who to now turn his anger on.

    "Yes, I did not." She said boldly. "But I did it to save Jasmine. When I found out and I wanted to inform the authorities, I was threatened. They knew how much I cared for Jasmine and so they told me that if I reported they would kill Jasmine. I could not take that risk."

    "You disobeyed aw," Xaden said in anger at Urma.

    "She is the reason we know the truth," Jasmine said in disbelief.

    "Stay out of this you!" He snapped at her.

    Jasmine was hurt at his use of words.

    "He is right stay out of this one ."

    Urma said facing him boldly. Then she turned to him. "Yes, I disobeyed a permanentw. But I did it to save that girl there."

    "Anna belonged with her family. She belonged with me. In her home. You took that away by sitting on this secret for so many years." He told her in anger as he held unto Jessica.

    "Then so be it! me me! But look at your sister! Ask everyone in this pack how Jessica was treated. Ask her how spoiled and rotten to the core she was raised. The rumors you heard about Bale��s spoiled daughter you hade looking for initially were about your sister." Urma said.

    Xaden swallowed hard at the realization.

    "But look at Jasmine. She was treated horribly in this pack. By her own family. If your sister was going to be petted and raised like their own while Jasmine lived then I preferred it. Because you have no idea any of the things Jasmine endured. Or you do and you choose to not believe it. Whatever it is, I made the right decision and if you are going to kill me for it then so be it."

    Xaden was quiet for a while.

    Then he said. "I will deal with thister."

    Before they could say a word, one of the guards grabbed Jasmine and put a de by her neck.

    "What are you doing?" Erik asked.

    "If youe any further I will kill her." The guard said stepping back.

    "My lord," Bale said speaking up.

    And then it dawned on them.

    Bale had performed a soul swap and entered into the body of a guard.

    "Step back!" He said pressing the de closer to her neck and cutting her.

    "Stand back," Xaden said to his men.

    Even though he himself could hardly control his growing anxiety.

    "If you follow me. I will kill her." Bale promised.

    "You know I can not let you go," Xaden said.

    "Well, I will kill this bitch!" Bale said.

    Xaden took a step forward and then Bale pressed the de by her neck and more blood came out.

    Xaden stopped in his tracks.

    "I am making no jokes. Come closer and I will kill her." Bale promised.

    And that was how he took her away using her as leverage.

    Once they were gone Xaden turned to his sister.

    "Stay with Erik and the rest of the men. I will be back." He said.

    She caught his arms. "Please do not go. She is only a servant. You are a brother I never knew I had. I can not lose you."

    Xaden��s heart swelled with love but he knew what he had to do.

    He kissed her forehead and simply said. "I will return."

    And then he turned into his wolf and he along with his men followed them.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Bale led her down a secret tunnel and this time he was pushing her head.

    "Move!" He urged.

    "Why are you doing this to me?!" She begged. "I am your own daughter. Your flesh and blood."

    He looked at her and she saw that his eyes were bing purple and then his hands were having streaks of purple veins.

    He began to growl and foam at his mouth.

    "You are.... You are...." And then his mouth started to foam.

    "My mother." She said. "Who was my mother? Tell me! I need to know where I came from!"

    He started to turn to his wolf but in a very abnormal way.

    It was like he was deformed.

    When his transformation was done, he roared aloud and then started to charge towards her.

    "You must be taken." His wolf spoke to her. "You must be taken to the King."

    And it sounded like multiple voices.

    And just as he was about to lunge at her, he stopped and then his eyes that had been purple were now Normal.

    And then he said. "No matter what. Do not follow the King. You will bring eternal doom. I am not the father. You are the daughter-

    And then before he could finish, she heard a fast swipe and blood sttered over her face.

    Bale��s wolf headnded on the ground.

    Xaden had killed him.

 Chapter 283: CHANGE OF HEARTS

    <h4>Chapter 283: CHANGE OF HEARTS</h4>

    She was breathing so hard as she felt the blood on her face.

    She was shocked, dazed and confused.

    Everything that bad just happened.

    It made zero sense to her.

    He said that he was not her father.

    What did that even mean.

    It was as if he had been fighting with his own self.

    When he had had the opportunity to attack her, why didn��t he?

    And what did he mean that she should not follow the King?

    What King? They had only one king and that was King Rnd.

    Was it he, he was referring to?

    What did he mean that she would bring eternal doom?

    Her father Bale was now truly dead?

    She felt like her mind was about to explode into very tiny fragments.

    She felt a hand touch her shoulder and she came crashing back down to reality.

    "Hey."

    She jerked and then Xaden caught her before she fell down.

    "It is okay." He said.

    She was still staring at him.

    Still trying to gather her thoughts and understand what was happening.

    He helped her stand well and then she gently pushed his hand away.

    "I am fine." She said as she proceeded to stand on her own.

    He let her go and then he pulled out a hankie that he had obviously had in his pocket and used it to wipe her face clean of the blood.

    She collected it from him and did it herself as she was still dazed and confused.

    "How do you feel?" He asked her.

    She shrugged. "My father��s blood is on my face and his dead body is divided into two on the floor right at my feet. I am not sure how I am supposed to feel."

    Xaden looked at her skeptically.

    "Did he tell you anything? Did he say anything to you at all?" He asked her.

    She looked up at him with her big brown eyes.

    Unsure of what to say and then he sighed heavily.

    "You need to have a bath and rest. It is over now." He informed her.

    It was all over now?

    Was it truly?

    She was angry with Xaden for killing him at the moment where he had almost told her something very important.

    She was tired and exhausted and she started to think that maybe having a bath would make her feel better.

    So she nodded reluctantly.

    And headed away from the other guards and everyone else.

    She went back to her previous room where she slept at the kitchen and for a few minutes it brought back haunting memories.

    Brought back trauma at the back of her neck.

    "So you really had a rough childhood."

    She turned and saw it was Erik who was leaning by the door of the kitche watching her.

    "I did not hear youe in." Shemented dryly.

    He gave her a smile.

    "I have a penchant for appearing and disappearing at will." He said. "It is one of my many techniques."

    "And Kire?" She asked. "How is he?"

    "He is fine. Being stubborn. I have tried my best to absorb him back into my body as my wolf." He said. "But the little monster would not even agree to that. He still wants to hang around."

    "Does that have any serious effect or impact with you?" She asked.

    He shook his head. "No not really. He can still do the things I want him to. I am his master. But then for some personal reasons that he has, he does not want to merge back with me. At least not yet."

    "If you are his master then can you not perhaps simply make sure that hees to join together with you? Order him?" She asked.

    "I could." He said tasting a dried fruit from the kitchen table. "But that can be risky. It can turn me into a deformed and crippled wolf."

    "Well that is better than being an unshifted wolf. Anything is better than being an unshifted wolf:" sheughed bitterly.

    "How do you feel?" He asked her noticing that she was merely hiding her pain underneath.

    "I have no idea. I should feel something. But I am just confused. For the longest time I had wanted validation from my father and at the same time I wanted my own freedom. And now that he is dead. I have no idea how to feel. I must be crazy." She started tough it off.

    He shook his head and then he put his hands on her shoulder and shook her gently. "No you are not crazy. Never ever say that. You are probably the bravest person that I have ever met. You need to understand that."

    She gave him a weak smile. "Everyone hates me. So should you."

    "Xaden does not hate you." He said. "If that is who you are referring to."

    She nodded even though it was very obvious she did not belive him.

    "Right."

    Erik massaged his forehead. "He just has a lot on his te. He had always believed that his sister was dead, that he was the only one. And then his uncle came back, his mate did, and now his sister. He is overwhelmed. Perhaps belived that he lost everything and now things are slowly beginning to make sense to him."

    "How is he and his sister?" She asked him.

    "It is odd for him. But he is excited at the fact that she has been alive and contrary to what he belived earlier. She was being raised as their own." He said.

    Jasmine nodded. "That is good to hear."

    Erik started to ask. "How was Jessica, I mean Anna. How was she to you?"

    Jasmine gave a very quirky smile. "She was what they raised her as."

    "Spoilt and unruly." Erik said with annoyance in his tone.

    "Yes. But I am certain Xaden will not believe that. She is his sister after all. Let him have her in the image he wants. Telling him what she truly is, he won��t belive." She said.

    Erik withheld the other things he wanted to say and turned to Jasmine. "You need to rest."

    "I was about to." Jasmine said.

    "No you have been given a room." Erik said. "Come with me."

    He walked to the door of the kitchen and opened it for her.

    "From who?" She asked surprised.

    "Xaden." Erik said.

    She swallowed hard and kept her words to herself.

    Erik led her out of the kitchen and together they walked past the hallways.

    It felt nostalgic, even though she did hate the memories that had enveloped her here, it was still her home.

    It felt like she was a different person walking past the rooms and floors that she had scrubbed.

    She felt like a stranger, even though she had lived her entire life in this very ce.

    Erik stopped at one of the rooms that had usually was assigned to guests.

    He opened it and stood aside for her to enter.

    She stepped in and looked around in shock.

    The room was befitting for a princess.

    One of the daughter��s of the greats packs had stayed in this room.

    She turned back to Erik.

    "Are you sure? I can not take this. It is much too grand for me." She started to say and take a step back.

    It was not like she did not want it.

    She had simply been through a very traumatic life in the pack and it triggered all levels of anxiety in her.

    All levels of fear.

    "Jasmine. Because you were a bastard did not mean that you deserved the life you lived." Erik said to her. "You were his daughter and he treated you like you were nothing, worse than a ve. Life was cruel for you. But do not let this new change make you the same. Revel in it. You deserve it. You have suffered more than enough for the sins of others. It is time for something new for you do you not think?"

    He was right.

    She had been through more than enough.

    He was dead and now things were different for her.

    She deserved this.

    She gave a lightugh. "You know I actually scrubbed this room for one of the Alpha��s daughters during pack games."

    "Damn. Which one of them?" He asked.

    She rummaged through her brain for the faint memory of the girl.

    "It was Casteel pack." She said. "His third daughter."

    "Alice. She was and has always been a whore." He said.

    And they both burst outughing.

    "It is just that me sleeping in the very same room that I served in." She said and sighed heavily. "Feels weird."

    "Change is always going to be weird. Embrace it." He informed her.

    She nodded slightly and then he patted her shoulder. "I will give you space now."

    And then he turned away from her and walked out of the room.

    Jasmine remained standing in the room still unable to belive her luck.

 Chapter 284: The Queen’s acceptance

    <h4>Chapter 284: The Queen��s eptance</h4>

    MQueen Rose stretched as she woke up in her bed.

    She gently sat up and smiled to herself as she looked at the rays of bright sunshine amidst the already falling snow.

    For the first time in a very long time very long time she woke up excitedly and began to loosen the long single braid she had on.

    When she was done she began toe through it.

    She was already half way through picking out her dress for the day when her maids came in.

    They were shocked to see her packing up and arranging her things.

    "Your majesty." The young girl who was named Mary and frequently attended to her needs said in rm. "You are already up."

    Then Mary and the other servant girl Jenny hurried curtseyed their eyes staring right down at the ground.

    "It was our mistake toete. We should have attended to you since. Forgive us your majesty." Jenny hurriedly apologized.

    Rose waved her hand to dismiss their apology.

    "Do not worry about that." She said with a smile. "How can you even apologize to me when you did nothing wrong?"

    The girls looked at each other.

    "Your majesty it is our duty to see to your needs and serve you." Jenny said.

    "But you came at the appropriate time." Rose said. "You did nothing wrong. I simply wanted to get up earlier and do things by myself. How were either of you supposed to know this."

    The girls looked at each other still unsure of what to say.

    Rose smiled as she picked up a candle that the was by her night stand.

    She blew the fire away and walked up to Mary and handed it to her.

    "I simply want to do things for a change today. And now that you both are here, you could help me get water ready for my bath."

    She bathed their shoulders and gave them a smile before heading to the closet.

    Once she was done bathing and now in her bathrobe, Hildegard came in.

    Hildegard was the Queen��s best friend and her handmaiden since she was a child.

    Both of them had grown up together and had been inseparable since.

    "Hello Hildegard." Rose said as she smiled and put her earrings to her ear.

    "Why are you in such a good mood today Hildegard eyed her suspiciously.

    It had been a very long time that Rose had been this happy.

    Rose gave in a heavy sigh.

    "Everything is just perfect today. Do you not think? The weather is nice. The flowers smell lovely. Everywhere is just amazing." Rose giggled.

    "Girl are you nuts?" Hildegard said looking at her like she was deranged.

    They were so close that Hildegard referred to Rose as if she were her equal.

    "First off, the weather is horrible. There is a blizzard outside and then there are no flower scenting because the snow has dealt with most of them."

    "You are boring." Rose said as she rolled her eyes and turned to face her mirror.

    "Maybe, but I also know you enough to know that something has you excited. And tell me what it is." Hildegard gave her a smile.

    "Alright." Rose said raising her hand up and eventually giving up. "I decided to start over."

    Hildegard crossed her brows. "Start over what do you mean by that?"

    Rose sighed as the maids sprayed scenting oils on her hair.

    "I have decided to let go of Scarlet." Rose raised after a short while.

    Hildegard said nothing.

    "I know that I am wrong and I am being a horrible horrible mother for letting go of my child and giving up when I promised to always search for her." Rose rushed her words as she was extremely heartbroken. "But I have done what I could and I realize that I-

    Hildegard hugged her quickly, silencing her words.

    Rose froze and then she epted the hug from her friend. She closed her eyes and delved in the warmth.

    "There is no need for you to say anything." Hildegard said through the hug and then she gently let go.

    She looked at Rose in the eye. "You are a great mother. You have always been. Do not see yourself as a monster for letting go of what you searched for Al these years and could not find. We all wish we could go back to that day and make some changes.

    We all wish that we could bring her back. Stop that ident. But we can not. No one can. And I have seen it drain and take the life away from you. Scarlet would have never wanted that for you."

    Rose pushed away a tear that was at the brink of her eyes.

    "What made you change your mind?" Hildegard asked.

    "Last night." Rose gave a weakugh. "Last night when I was in the throne room with Rnd. He said somethings."

    Rose looked down at her hands and fidgeted as the memories came back flooding.

    "He said I neglected my duties and abandoned it all for him. He also said that I never gave him the opportunity to mourn Scarlet. He said I abandoned Corral the exact same way I abandoned the kingdom."

    She sniffed and brushed away the tears at the edge of her eyes.

    "And you know what it is crazy? I have never seen Rndsh at me the way he did yesterday. Especially in front of thw other members of court." She said.

    "He did what?" Hildegard demanded rising to her feet.

    "No no it was not his fault." Rose expressed. "It wa actually mine. He wanted them to excuse us but I stubbornly insisted that they stay and so did."

    Then Rose threw a bitterugh. "And the best part of it all? He was right. He was absolutely right. Everything he said was true. Because I met corral myself and when we spoke I realized that there were so many things I did not know about her. We were living in this very same castle together and yet I knew little to nothing about her. I also noticedst night for the first time that she had grown. She was now a woman. I mean k always knew but no I knew knew. I did not even know she had moved out of her and Scarlet��s room."

    Rose went quiet and was fidgeting at her hankie.

    Then she turned to Hildegard who had been quiet all along.

    "You would not lie to me and tell me that I never did all those thing would you?" Rose asked as she blew her nose.

    Hildegard sighed heavily. "No. I would not. Al those things they said were true."

    Rose gave a heavyugh that sounded a lor like a whimper.

    And then Hildegard added. "But what I can tell you is that, it was not your fault. You were mad with grief. You had lost your child and you were distraught. It was not easy for you. If you had seen her body then perhaps it would have been different. Perhaps you would have mourned her and been able to move on from all the hurt. But you never can got that closure. You left with the what ifs. Anyone would have done the same thing in your position."

    Rose looked away but Hildegard gently touched her cheek and made her look at her.

    "And I tell you now." Hildegard said. "That I let you make this decision because you had to see it for yourself. You had to let go."

    Rose sighed heavily. "My kingdom needs me. I made so many mistakes. If perhaps I did not fail the wah I did. Xaden and his family would not have been lost. I should have been firmer."

    "Yes you should have." Hildegard admitted. "But what matters now is the fact that you have epted to bury Scarlet and move on. I am so proud of you and the woman you are."

    Rose hugged her friend warmly.

    "Even with the kraken getting out I had suspected that perhaps she had lost it." Rose expressed.

    "Now what did I hear about the rumors of a kraken." Hildegard said. "Is it true?"

    "That is what we heard about it." Rose said. "Not much but if came from the sea. If you remember the kraken is one of the creatures held by the royal emerald."

    "Yes, yes." Hildegard nodded.

    Rose shrugged. "Well I went a little crazy and assumed that perhaps scarlet had removed it or something. The creatures are only released when the holder of the emerald takes it off."

    "You thinks scarlet removed it?" Hildegard asked.

    "To be honest I don��t know anything. It was most probably just me being obsessed to believe that she was alive and I used that as a reason to cement my initial beliefs."

    Rose said.

    "But what if it true?" Hildegard asked. "The emerald has been quiet for years even after Scael

 Chapter 285: DELIVER ME

    <h4>Chapter 285: DELIVER ME</h4>

    "We heard nothing about the mythical creatures." Hildegard said.

    It was true.

    It made no sense that when Scarlet had gone missing the emerald remained intact.

    That was one of the reasons why Rose had even kept hoping that her little girl was still alive.

    And then she had found a piece of the emerald ashore and it further made no sense.

    That the emerald had broken off from its holder and the monsters had still been held captive.

    Roseughed. "Maybe there was really nothing to it. Maybe it was just an old wife��s tale. After all the story of the monsters are thousands of years old. It was probably just one of the many old lies our ancestors told."

    Rose was doing her best to wave it off away.

    "But this was something you had believed in." Hildegard said in surprise. "It was something you believed in. What could have happened?"

    "I was wasting my time." Rose said harshly.

    Hildegard took a step back.

    Rose sighed heavily and then she looked up at her friend. "I did not mean to snap at you. I am ready to bury scarlet. I have been holding on to her for so long it is high time I let her go."

    Hildegard was proud of how she was letting go finally.

    But the story of the Kraken was very suspicious.

    They had not heard of any mythical monsters in a long time.

    "But you were interested at first were you not?" Hildegard asked her gently. "That was what Bernice said."

    "Bernice should really mind her business." Rose said touching her forehead.

    "She is a member of court who happened to be there when you both had the altercation and she meant no harm. You did have a point if you belived that the Kraken was real." Hildegard said.

    But Rose shook her head

    "I was just obsessed back then about it. I should not have been." She said. "I am making things different."

    She stood up and the servants brought her arge coat and helped her wear it over her beautiful dress.

    "I want to request that a headstone be ced for Scarlet." Rose said her head held up high.

    "There is already one." Hildegard said surprisingly her.

    "What?" Rose said in shock.

    "Rnd erected one for her when he called off the search and dered her missing." She informed her.

    Rose stood breathing heavily.

    She even had no idea about any of this.

    "Howe I never knew?!" Rose asked heart broken that such a thing was kept from her.

    "Because you refused to hear about it." Hildegard said.

    Rose swallowed and felt shame and embarrassment overwhelm her.

    She swallowed hard and turned to Hildegard. "Will youe with me to the gravestone?"

    "Of course." Hildegard said.

    Andter her and Hildegard were walking to the royal cemetery.

    Rose did not need to go far.

    She saw a small and lovely gravestone beside her elder brother��s gravestone.

    Her parents and younger brother had died in a ship wreck when she was only a child.

    She sighed heavily when she saw the beautiful gravestone.

    She let the maids give her the bundles of flowers and one after the other she ced them on her father, then mother and younger brother��s gravestone.

    And when it came to Scarlet��s, she stopped and simply looked at it.

    On it was scribbled Scarlet the third, would have been Queen and ruler wizard Wolf world, gone too soon.

    Rose felt her heart begin to bleed as she looked down at her baby��s gravestone.

    "Your husbandes here you know? Every Friday. He never misses it, unless he is not in the castle. And even then he would tax me to bring roses to her." Hildegard said.

    Rose pushed away the dead pink rose petals.

    "If Scarlet saw the pink roses at her gravestone she would be furious." Rose said and then Hildegardughed. "I do not have the faintest idea. But she hated the color pink so much. Once a maid, made a mistake and helped her with a dress that had some pink floral designs at the bottom. Scarlet never knew until her sister pointed it out and she was so upset she fell ill."

    The two womenughed and Rose gently set aside the dead flowers and reced them with red roses.

    Hildegard did not need to be told what to do.

    She took a very gentle step back and let Rose have time alone with the gravestone.

    "It has been quite a while." Rose said. "I have never been here and all I did for the past almost thirty years was search for you. If I could even have your body and let you rest here it would bring me joy. I was told the the fatheres here every Friday. And I never even knew about this. If you are here with me. If you could see me now, then I truly beg for you forgiveness . Forgive me for neglecting you. Forgive me for finally burying you today. You were my baby girl. My little treasure, taken from me with no closure. Today I

    Give myself that closure. I tell myself that you are asleep with the gods. That you are in peace. I will always love you my darling."

    And with that Rose finished and gently rose up to her feet and turned back to Hildegard and her maidens in waiting.

    She saw her husband standing there waiting for her.

    She breathed in heavily before slowly walking up to them.

    When she reached him, she breathed in heavily and started to speak. "I am aware that I humiliated you in front of courts and that I

    Have been a horrible wife and mother and that I also abandoned you and-

    But He surprised her by silencing her in Avery wam hug.

    He pulled her up to him and she froze at his show of affection.

    She let herself feel the hug and then he gently let go.

    "Can you ever forgive me?" She looked up at him.

    He smiled kindly at her.

    "I was never holding a grudge against you." He said.

    "But those awful things I said. And the things you said yesterday."

    "Do not matter." He finished for her. He took hold of her hands and intertwined them with his. "None of those things matter. Today is a new day, the present and not the past matters. It is now."

    And then he gently pulled her up to him and kissed her forehead .

    Everyone smiled at the couple��s show of affection.

    And then Hildegard who had been smiling so happy for them felt something.

    She turned around and she immediately saw Cherry looking down at them from a window.

    And Cherry��s face looked like it was about to blow

    Unlike anyone else, she did not seem too happy with their love disy.

    Hildegard turned to the lovebirds.

    "It is getting cold, I should be away now." She said and she made a fast escape away from the cemetery.

    In barely a few minutes, she was with Cherry.

    "What are you doing stalking the royal couple." She demanded not so kindly.

    Cherry turned around to look at her. "Stalking. Ha! What a word to use. Not that it concerns you but u was simply enjoying the view of where my dearly beloved parentsy."

    "We both know that is not true." Hildegard said.

    Cherry��s face twitched to a very unusual and displeasing manner.

    "And what is the truth?" Cherry said.

    Hildegard cleared her throat. "I know you Cherry. I know you more than a lot of people in fact. Well at least those that you do not have in your pockets."

    "I know that you have your eyes on king Rnd." Hildegard said. "Be wise and stay away. I do not know why Rose never sees the true you."

    "I can have you killed by the snap of my fingers if I wanted to." Cherry hissed.

    "And yes you could, but you would not. What would you tell your sister?" Hildegard asked. "That you found me dead? I am a piece of the game of chess that can big be removed."

    Hildegard folded her arms together and red at Cherry.

    "I have warned you now. Stay away from Rnd and Rose. Stay away from me. If you push me beyond my limits I would pull out your dirty cobwebs and show it to the light of everyone."

    Cherry looked at her like she was truly scared and then she burst out intoughter.

    "Oh Hildegard." Cherry said. "I had really hoped you were wise. But it would seem I was wrong. My games have just begun. And you see my sister over there? She thinks that everything is going to work for her. Wait until she knows what I have against her. And I suggest that you be by her side at all times. She is going to need you very soon to wipe away her tears."

 Chapter 286: THE RETURN OF THE QUEEN

    <h4>Chapter 286: THE RETURN OF THE QUEEN</h4>

    QUEEN ROSE��S POV

    The members of court were seated deliberating the recentlyid matters, The conquest of Alpha Xaden as a top priority.

    "He killed them all. All of them." A representative of the green pack, Raymond said.

    He had never liked Xaden��s pack and had known to be a close friend of Bale.

    "Bale was a man who did us great honors and won battles." He said. "Why should we simply let his death go astray."

    Alicia, the representative of the Wind pack rolled her eyes. "Bale was a fucking bastard and you kissed his ass because of what he offered you."

    "Hold your tongue!" Raymond hissed.

    The other members of court started arguing.

    "Enough." King Rnd said already tired of their irrelevant arguing.

    They went quiet but not before giving each other cold res.

    "May I say something?" Cherry asked.

    Then all eyes turned on her.

    "May I have a word?" She repeated.

    Rnd rose a brow at her uncertainly and then vaguely nodded.

    "As much as I have to agree with the people here who believe that Xaden is owed his own vengeance for the sinsmitting against his family. The goddess bless all the lost souls." She said.

    Some closed their eyes to acknowledge the prayer.

    Cherry who was giving a fake silence looked up and said. "We can not dispute the fact that he needs to be punished as well."

    There was an uproar amongst the table. Someone and agreeing and some disagreeing it.

    "We can not simply let him walk away." She said amidst the loud noises trying to silence them so they could hear her. "He needs to be held ountable for the deaths on his head. The exact same way Bale has been."

    "He killed Bale that was not even enough!" Someone said. "Balemitted murder and broke our sacredws. Killing him was not even enough!"

    "Yes!" Some shouted in agreement while some screwed their faces in anger.

    Then the woman turned back at her. "Xaden owes us nothing. Rather we ow him and apology. All of us. For the things he suffered while we all watched from our seat!"

    There were nods and yes.

    "If we let him walk then the exact same thing that happened to him will repeat itself again." Cherry insisted. "How do we know that tomorrow, Bale��s only surging daughter will not rise up against us in a revolt to revenge her father. The very same way Xaden had taken it upon himself to avenge his family, if the exact same way she could do the same. Another monster at our finger tips."

    There were murmurings now.

    "And what is more? This very same Xaden took her captive and made her suffer for the sins of her father. Do you think that now that he has finally killed her family she would not take up arms and revolt."

    "Xaden will kill her." The woman who had been supporting his cause said. "There is no way he would let her live. He knows that too."

    "You will be surprised what Xaden can do and will not do." Cherry said. "We will have another wild animal freed. She would be roaming ready to spill blood just like Xaden. And what makes any of you think she will stop there."

    They were all quiet now. "Forgive me for making the statement more far ahead into the future. What makes any of you think that Xaden will stop with Bale. A man��s bloodlust such as his will only be driven to hunger for more. He hates us."

    She looked around to everyone on the table. "He hates each and every single one of us. Whether you are in his support now, he does not care. Where were you when he lost his beloved family? While they were being ughtered ."

    No one said a word.

    Even the woman who had been backing him went quiet with guilt.

    "I thought as much." She said standing tall at the table.

    "He wants all our heads. Including the Royal family with no exception."

    "So today it might be Xaden, tomorrow it might be Bale��s daughter on a blood revenge. But either ways the chances of them suddenly forgiving and moving on is very slim."

    No one said anything for a while.

    Then Lydia the wolf who had been backing Xaden said. "So if you already have this all in your head, then what do you have as the solution."

    "We kill Bale��s daughter." She said. "And then we limit Xaden. Put him on some firm ropes to restrict an abuse of power. If we kill her pff then we would be facing less problems. If we put him on restrictions, he would be forced to obey."

    "And what if he does not?" Luna Lydia said. "What if he defied the restrictions that you ce on him? You forget that Xaden answers to no one."

    "Then if he does not, we will be forced to put him down." She said with her head held up high.

    There was an uproar amongst the crowd of people.

    And then before anyone could say a word, the doors were pushed open, interrupting the discussion.

    "I said no were to be allowed in!" Cherry snapped at the guards and then went quiet when she saw it was her sister who had returned.

    Rose walked towards the long table.

    They all bowed to her and cherry��s face went red.

    She realized her ce when she saw they were all curtsying to her sister and hurriedly bowed.

    "Your majesty." She said once she lifted her head up. "Sister I had no idea it was you. What are you doing here?"

    Rose walked to where Cherry was.

    "It��s alright. I would expect not to be interrupted either." She said.

    And then she stayed looking at cherry who was confused at first and then it urred to her that she was seated on her own seat.

    Cherry quickly got up from her seat and hurried and mumbled apologies.

    Rose nodded and sat down on her rightful seat.

    Then cherry went to the only chair avable for her.

    It was far at the end of the table and most probably would not hear well.

    She took her seat and even before she got settled in, Rose began speaking.

    Cherry tried her best to hide her irritation at the fact that her sister had just barged in without any further notice.

    "So what are we discussing?" Rose asked looking around at the members of court.

    "We were just speaking on putting down Alpha Xaden." Lydia quickly took advantage of the opportunity before her.

    Cherry red at Lydia, but said nothing.

    "Putting Xaden down? Why, what do you mean. Why would you attempt to do that?" She asked now confused.

    She looked around hoping to get answers from the members of court.

    "We do not want to, your majesty. But ut is your sister who insists. She brought up the idea that it would be better we get rid of him." Lydia said.

    "Only if he does not obey our rules." Cherry added quickly still ring at Lydia.

    "Why would you do that?" Rose asked turning to look at her sister.

    "I understand what Xaden has been put through but letting him go after what he has just done will give him the impression that he is free to do as he wishes." Cherry said. "This is very reasonable considering the fact that-

    Rose lifted her hand in the air silencing her sister.

    "You can not understand what he went through. Neither can any of us. He lost everything. Ever single thing he had. With no family." Rose said.

    There were lurking eyes from everyone and Rose noticed.

    "What is it?" She asked with a frown.

    "We found out that Xaden��s sister is alive and well. She was raised by Alpha Bale and his wife Luna Maria as their own." Derrick a representative of the pack of west wind said.

    Rose lifted her brows unsure of how to react to that revtion.

    "What?"

    And then she demanded that review of the report be read out for her.

    Once Rose had heard every single crime that had beenmitted from the beginning to the end, she was furious.

    "All this while Bale has had a stolen child. What sort of monster is he?!" She demanded pounding her fist. "We should have put Bale down since before this. He did not deserve to live after what he had done!"

    "Write a letter," she said to her maester. "Informing all pack houses that Xaden has dered full right and ownership of the moonlight pack and those who had disobeyed the order of the royal family and supported Bale��s cause instead of delivering him to his enemy."

    "Each pack will step down from their ce as Alpha and be exiled out of thisnd!" She said.

    Cherry winced. "Rose is this not a rash decision that you are making? You need to think about it."

    "I have thought about it!" Rose said her eyes zing fire and then it was as if the whole

    Hall was burning with heat.

 Chapter 287: ROSE’S SECRET INVESTIGATION

    <h4>Chapter 287: ROSE��S SECRET INVESTIGATION</h4>

    They all went rigid on the table from her tongueshing.

    Rose adjusted herself on her seat and sighed. "Xaden has been treated horribly, by all of us. None of us was able to stop his family from ten pain that they witnessed. It is time that we redeem."

    She looked over at the table ready to listen to any questions or oppositions.

    But no one said a word.

    "Since there will be no additions or subtractions, it will remain standing that Xaden is protected by ourw." She said. "And the moonlight pack is rightfully his as is ourws."

    They were quiet again.

    Then she turned to the maester.

    "Maester is Bale alive?" She asked.

    "From the reports, not anymore." He said.

    She nodded. "Good riddance. I never liked the bastard in the first ce."

    There was some stiffened chuckles from the table.

    "What else?" She asked now heading the table.

    Cherry sat back down annoyed at her sister��s sudden appearance on the table.

    "There is the matter of the ve that Xaden had taken, who was supposed to be Bale��s legitimate daughter. Turned out she was his d daughter with a different woman. Ann was stolen and raised as their own and they named her Jessica."

    "He used his own daughter as a pawn in his games?" Rose demanded in anger at all of Bale��s crimes. "How did we ever let him get this far?"

    She shook her head. "Newws would be passed so that something like this would never happen again."

    "Yes your majesty."

    Then she seemed to be in thought. "So Jasmine is a bastard daughter?"

    Cherry stiffened at her sister being inquisitive.

    "Yes your majesty."

    "And what do we know of her mother? Why did he hate her so much? Even if she was a bastard to have her sent to his enemies while a stolen child remained as his?" She asked as she massaged her brows.

    Even her husband King Rnd was not saying a word.

    "We don��t know anything." The maester admitted. "About her mother."

    Cherry felt where this was going.

    "If I could give an opinion." Cherry said. "I do not think now is the time to snoop around for past bloodlines. As you have said We will need to make amendments to ourws and ensure that such things will not happen again. For instance her life is in danger. Who knows if Xaden will kill her. Who knows if sparing her would turn her to another version of Xaden or maybe even worse."

    "I have seen the girl. She is not capable of such." Rose snorted .

    "You will be surprised at what people are capable of." Cherry said.

    Eventually Rose gave in and any further investigation about Jasmine was swept j see the carpet.

    Cheesy breathed a heavy sigh of relief once the matter had been dropped.

    The meeting was ended and then Rnd went to where his wife was and began to give her a very warm massage on her shoulders.

    She smiled to herself.

    "You are in good spirits." He remarked.

    She turned to him and gently stood up from her seat.

    "Will you forgive me for all the things that I had done to you those years ago?" She asked him as she gently touched his cheek and looked in his eyes.

    He pulled her waist up to him and she felt his hard on.

    "I wish you could forgive me too for how I reacted towards you. You have every right to feel the way you do." He said.

    "And I?" She asked looking into his eyes like a child who was trying to beg her mother for sympathy. "I who abandoned you and let you carry the burden all alone?"

    He bent down and kissed her lips in front of everyone and then his tongue dipped into her mouth and she tasted his warmth.

    He wrapped his arms around her, further pulling her to feel his hardness.

    She moaned in pleasure, without a care that the members of court were all there.

    Cherry was red in envy about to explode.

    She was furious and in rage at their show of affection.

    She walked up to them her face a mask of thunder.

    But when it came to confront them, she had a smile on her face.

    "Sorry to interrupt." She said.

    They were still kissing and this time it was more fierce and passionate.

    Cherry just stood there are they either ignored her or didn��t acknowledge her.

    She cleared her throat.

    Nothing.

    By the third time she cleared her throat and this time the guards at the far end of the doors could hear, they finally broke apart.

    But it was Rose who drew apart forcefully from Rnd��s grasp.

    She cleaned her mouth and turned to face her sister.

    "Cherry." She said flustered and red from her husband��s touches. "I am so sorry. I had no idea."

    Cherry had a stiff smile on her face.

    Her eyes were dangerously warming Rnd not to push it too far.

    Then she gave a fake faint smile at her sister.

    "Of course." Cherry said. "I was saying-

    But Rose was giggling and Cherry frowned her brows cocked up.

    "Is anything funny?" Cherry asked her sounding a bit annoyed.

    "No no." Rose said with a serious face.

    But Rnd was behind her and giggling too.

    Cherry wanted to murder the both of them all together.

    "Yes you were saying." Rose said trying to maintain a straight face.

    Cherry said nothing for a while and pulled out the scrolls that she was examining and barely twenty seconds after she began speaking she saw that they were still giggling.

    Cherry ignored and went on speaking .

    She watched in anger as Rnd held her from behind, his arms wrapped around her waist and was obviously caressing her.

    "Are there other matters that you wish to attend to?" She asked. "More important than the matters of the kingdom?"

    Rose swatted her husband��s hand away from Behind.

    "No of course not." Rose said.

    But Rnd still pulled her back and cherry wanted to die of envy and jealousy.

    "Stop it." Rose said moving away from him :

    Eventually he rose his hands up and withdrew from her touch.

    Then what was supposed to be a whisper but Cherry heard it, he said to her ear. "I will be waiting for you in our bedchamber to finish what you have refused to finish."

    Rose went red in embarrassment and excitement while Cherry went red in rage.

    "Rnd!" Rose hissed at him.

    Heughed and stepped back.

    Cherry gave him a re, warning and threatening him.

    But he barely even noticed her.

    Eventually he walked away and Rose was able to finally breathe.

    "I am so so sorry." Rose said. The she began to fan herself. "Why does it seem hot in here?"

    Cherry turned to the snow that was still falling outside and snorted in anger.

    "Are you sure that you want any involvement in this?" Cherry asked.

    "Of course I do." Rose said.

    "But you had just made me master of coin." Cherry said. "I am your sister and I can trust you that the kingdom is safe in my hands. You are not too well."

    "I have buried scarlet. I am fine." Rose said. "I will be fine."

    Cherry gave a stiff smile. "Of course."

    Rose began to feel bad at how she had spoken to her sister.

    "I didn��t mean it like that. I don��t mean to undermine your efforts. You have been working really hard and who am I to just step in and take over after everything you have done for me?" Rose asked.

    Cherry gave a fake smile. "And I understand where you areing from we are sisters aren��t we? I am here for you and I support your ascension to the throne."

    Rose nodded and hugged her sister and watched her leave down the hallway.

    Once she was gone, Rose turned to a William who had been her personal and favorite guard.

    "Mydy." The guard said once he reached where she was standing.

    "William you were originally in dealings with parts of the south." She said .

    "Yes your majesty." He nodded

    What do you know about Bale and his family?" She asked

    "What the public knows I believe." He said.

    She massaged her chin.

    "I want you to find out everything the public does not know." She said. "And report back to me. No one must know about this."

    "Yes your majesty." Wim bowed and turned away.

 Chapter 288: THE REJECTION

    <h4>Chapter 288: THE REJECTION</h4>

    Once Will had gone, Rose remembered that she had nned the day to spend with her daughter.

    She rushed off down to the kitchen where she had already ordered for the blue berry pie to be made.

    Realizing she was notte, she was just about to personally call Corral when she saw her by the door.

    "Corral." Rose said with surprise. "I was just about to get you myself.

    She smiled and gave her a hug and did not notice the cold demeanor Corral brought along with her.

    Rose walked to therge ind here the bowls to mix and begin making the pie was.

    Then a maid proceeded to help her wear the over but Rose declined and wore if herself.

    Then she turned to Corral.

    "I decided that we do it just like we used to when you were a child." Rose said with a smile on her face.

    "Mother I am not doing this." Corral stated cleanly.

    "Doing what? What is wrong?" Rose asked confused.

    Corral waved her hand at the bowls. "This all of this. There is everything wrong with it. The whole you trying to recreate my childhood memories that you lost."

    Rose felt a pang in her chest.

    She gave a weak smile. "But you said you wanted this. You said you wanted us to start all over again."

    Corral shook her head in irritation. "Please I did not want anything of it! It was you who insisted. You were the one who barged into my room and began demanding if you had abandoned me!"

    The maids who were present and even the other kitchen staff had their head bowed trying to pretend like they were not listening.

    Rose��s entire face fell.

    "You had a fight with father didn��t you?!" Corral snapped rudely at her mother.

    "Corral I don��t underst-

    "YOU HAD A FIGHT WITH FATHER DIDN��T YOU?! ANSWER ME MOTHER!" Corral screamed.

    "I did." Rose sighed.

    And the corral burst intoughter.

    Sheughed so hard that they all thought she was insane.

    Rose just stared unable to understand what was funny or what was happening.

    Once Corral had finally caught her breath she turned to her mother.

    "So it was true. You only spoke to me be cause you had your little disagreement with father and you ran to me who you thought you could easily manipte just so you could be sure of yourself." Corral said. "I can not believe you mother. How low can you go?"

    "Corral the argument with your father had nothing to do with yo-

    "ENOUGH OF THE LIES MOTHER! ENOUGH OF THE BULLSHIT MOTHER!" Corral screamed breaking Rose��s heart even further. "You��re disgusting. To use me just for your gain. Take advantage of the fact that I was broken by you."

    "Baby this is not true." Rose said lost for words. "None of this is true. I am your mother, I gave birth to you. I love you. Yes I had an argument with your father and it helped me realized what I was missing. I have been missing you and I have been so wrong to have abandoned you."

    Corral scoffed and gave off a bitterugh.

    "Oh please Mother we both know that that is a lie." Corral waved her hand off. "You did not care about me. You never cared about me. You are trying to make me feel bad so that I could help you. That is all you wanted."

    "What happened? What changed? You wanted this." Queen Rose pleaded.

    "NOTHING HAPPENED!" Corral snapped. "And I never changed. You already thought that because you came up to mest night and gave me those silly little lies, that I would change? I actually thought that you were going to change. How stupid was I, to even think"

    Corral gave a bitterugh. "Everything wrong with this family is you. You are bad and you are a terrible wife as much as terrible mother."

    Rose took an involuntary step back as if she had been pped.

    "Your majesty." The workers said to Rose in reaction at her step back.

    She breathed so hard that she thought she was going to faint.

    At that moment, the door opened and then King Rnd came in.

    He just stopped confused at the way everyone was positioned standing.

    "What is going on here?" He asked after looking all around.

    "Ask your perfect wife." Corral said with malice in her voice.

    Rnd turned to look at Rose.

    Rose was wiping off the tears from her eyes.

    "All these things you tried to do, the little set up, making pies, trying to amend the time that you lost." Corral said. "You could have fooled me as a little girl, but not me."

    "That is no way to speak to your mother." Rnd said.

    "She is not my mother! She only birthed me! After that she abandoned me like scorn and thinks that she can simply walk up to me and I will ept her." Corral said eyeing her in disgust.

    Rose had had enough and was already crying.

    "Leave." Rnd said to the workers.

    They started to go but Corral stopped them.

    "Stay!" She snapped. "Let them know what true colors the lover Queen has."

    "Enough." Rnd warned corral.

    But she did not, rather she went further.

    "How much of a great mother and family woman she is. And perhaps maybe, how sure are we that she was not the one who made my sister so sad that she decided to drown herself than live with us." Corral said.

    The entire sentence did not finish.

    Rnd walked up to Corral and stood towering over her.

    She went instantly quiet.

    He gave her such a heavy p that she could swear that her kneck almost snapped.

    Everyone gasped.

    From the tear stricken Queem, to the kitchen staff and then the guards.

    Corral had her hand on her face shocked at what her father had just done.

    Her face burned.

    She tasted blood in her mouth. Sne had been pped so hard that she had been injured.

    "I SAID EMOUGH!" He warned her. "Even from you that is too much. I will not have you disrespect my wife in my front, in front of her subjects or in her absence for that matter. Do you have any idea what she has gone through? The sacrifices she had made for you? For all of us?!"

    Corral was too shocked.

    Her father had always had her back.

    No matter what.

    When she had been unable to turn to her mother, she would run to him and he would open his arms to her.

    He had never for once done anything harsh to her.

    She was dumbstruck.

    "No Ron." Rose pleaded softly/

    Then Corral turned to her mother and transferred all the anger and hate to her.

    "This is all your fault! Father hit me because of you!" She screamed. "She was right about you! You��re a monster! I hate you!"

    And like a spoiled little girl she ran out of the Kitchen , leaving a broken Rose standing with her legs too weak to even hold her.

    "Leave us." Rnd said softly to the workers.

    The servants who were free to finally began to troop out.

    Rose crumpled down to a chair and began weeping.

    Ronald went to his wife and pulled her into his arms.

    "It is all my fault." Rose wept. "I am a monster. She hates me and she is in her right to."

    "You are not a monster." He said. "Corral is simply behaving spoiled. She is much too old for such an unruly attitude."

    She sniffed unwilling to listen.

    "She is right. I am the reason why this entire kingdom is a mess. Just look at me. How could I have been so blind for so long? How did I let things get so bad?" She asked trying her best to dampen the tears.

    "Listen to me. Corral has no idea what you went through. I still don��t. You think if Corral

    Was in your ce she would handle things better?" He asked wisely. "You ruled this kingdom at a young age. You had it all on your shoulder. She would have never managed that. Corral would have never been a fit Queen that is why she says what she does."

    He sighed in heavily. "I will have a word with corral. I don��t care how much you tell me to let it go, there are limits to what I can take."

    "Ronald wait!"

    But he was already walking ahead angrily.

 Chapter 289: FEELING NOTHING TO DEATH

    <h4>Chapter 289: FEELING NOTHING TO DEATH</h4>

    Xaden watched Jasmime walk ahead, staggering in fact.

    He has just murdered her father.

    He had finally killed him, after all this years.

    And the worst part, was that he felt nothing.

    Absolutely nothing.

    Then Erik met him at the door.

    "What happened?" Erik asked.

    "He is dead." Xaden said.

    Erik took the information and then asked. "How do you feel."

    "Empty." Xaden replied.

    And then he looked back into the room and saw his sister.

    His heart swelled with overwhelming emotions.

    And then he went to her.

    He was about to throw his arms around her and give her a very tight hug.

    But then she seemed ufortable and so he simply stood.

    "Is he...?" She asked him.

    He nodded softly.

    And then there was genuine sorrow in her eyes.

    He understood, after all who could me her.

    She had grown up her entire life thinking these people were her family.

    And yet he was angry.

    Angry that she was sad Bale had died.

    She nodded unsure of what to say and seemed dazed by her surroundings.

    "You finally killed my husband." Luna Maria said.

    Xaden hadpletely forgotten about her.

    He nodded at a guard. "Lock her in the cells."

    The guards did as they were instructed and Luna Maria began to scream.

    "Jessica! Jessica! Jessica do not let them take me away!" She wailed as she was dragged away. "I am mother. You can not let them take me away."

    Jessica turned around and put her hands over her ears to block the screams of the woman she had believed was her mother all alive.

    It was then Xaden waspelled to pull her into his arms and hug her, shielding her from thosest horrible moments of Luna Maria��s voice echoing.

    When she was finally gone, Jessica looked up at him.

    "Is this all meant to deceive me? Is any of this true?" She asked him, her big eyes searching his. "Are you truly my brother?"

    "Can you scent? Me?" He asked her.

    She nodded. "Yes I can."

    "Do it again." He instructed.

    She did as he asked and she frowned.

    And then she sniffed her own self.

    "You smelled like you when you came in, but now it seems like your scent is on my skin." She said confused.

    "That is because when we first saw each other, your scent was hidden from me." He said. "Even after the spell was removed you still were unable to perceive your true scent. It has been over an hour now, it has returned. And now you scent like me because I am your blood and you are mine. You have always scented like me, it was just hidden."

    "You are my sister and I am your brother. We are one, scent and blood. Do you understand that now?" He asked.

    She nodded.

    Her lips quivered. "So... what you are telling me is that the stories about you and your family.... Is about my family?"

    He nodded. "Yes."

    "What really happened? I do not know what to believe anymore? Then where are our parents?" She asked him.

    "Gone." He said.

    Her face was nk mixed with grief and confusion at once.

    "Then who am I?" She asked him tears in her eyes. "My whole life has been a lie. Is my name even Jessica?"

    "No." He said maybe a bit too quickly and too harshly.

    He cursed inward.

    He was still upset with what the moonlight pack had done to his family.

    He was upset that they had stolen his sister and given her a fake identity.

    "No," he said much softly. "Your name is not Jessica."

    And then he tucked a loose blonde strand of hair behind her ear.

    "Your name is Anna. Mother gave you that name. It is who you are." He said.

    She nodded, even though she seemed genuinely confused and lost.

    "You do not need to understand it all today. Puppy steps." He advised looking down at her as he set his hand on her shoulder to

    Reassure her.

    "What is going to happen to her?" She asked making reference to Luna Maria. "Do not lie to me or sugarcoat it."

    "She will have to answer to her crimes." He said.

    She swallowed and nodded.

    Then Erik came to stand in front of the both of them.

    Jessica��s eyes twinkled when she saw Erik.

    Her heart skipped.

    She had never seen anyone so handsome. And her face went red.

    "Sorry to interrupt." Erik said to them. He turned mainly to Xaden. "What about Jasmine?"

    Jessica looked up sharply.

    "She is exhausted and I believe she deserves to rest somewherefortable." Erik remarked.

    "Yes. You are right." Xaden said. "See to it that she is given afortable bedchamber. I will see her tomorrow."

    "Jasmine?" Jessica asked aloud.

    Both men turned to look at her.

    "Yes, Jasmine." Xaden said.

    "Why is she being taken care of?" Jesica said with malice and jealousy in her voice.

    "She was the real daughter of this pack.. She can not be trusted."

    "You do not need to worry about anything." Xaden said his hands on her shoulder. "Jasmine will not hurt you."

    "You do not know her like I do." Jessica shook her head adamantly. "She has never liked me. What if she revenges the death of her father. Her parents have always treated me like I was their own and she hated me for it. She will be more furious that I am

    Not even their daughter and yet I was raised by them. She hates me."

    Erik rose a brow at her words, seemingly annoyed but said nothing in reference to it.

    He cocked his head. "I will see to it."

    And with that Erik left them.

    "You have nothing to worry about." Xaden assured Anna once Erik was gone. "Jasmine will not do anything like that. I will exin everything to you tomorrow.

    "You should rest." He said gently touching her fore head. "Would you wish me to see you to your room?"

    She nodded. "Yes please."

 Chapter 290: THE INTRUDER

    <h4>Chapter 290: THE INTRUDER</h4>

    Jasmine who had been left to sleep in a room she had never for once believed she would.

    A room she had simply washed and cleaned when she was a member of this house.

    Even though she was now the only living flesh and blood daughter of Bale, she was now the enemy.

    How the tables had turned, Jessica who had been horrid to her, had turned out to be the one and only Xaden��s sister.

    It made zero sense to her.

    She could notprehend how fate could be so cruel to her.

    That she had suffered at the hands of her family at the hands of someone who had turned out to not be a member of her family.

    She had suffered at their enemy.

    She had suffered at the hands of men who had lusted after her.

    She had been beaten bared with marks to serve as a reminder and a warning to her.

    And now look at where she was.

    Even if they now knew that she was Bale��s illegitimate daughter.

    There was no original daughter.

    Because now, Jessica was Xaden��s sister and her sins would be forgiven.

    Once again the hate would return because they all viewed her as the only surviving bloodline of Bale��s family.

    There were people her father had been monstrous to.

    People who would still want to avenge him and kill her.

    When did it end?

    She sighed weakly and took off her rag dress and tossed it inside a bin.

    Then she walked to the back chamber and saw that steaming hot water.

    She added the cold water into the hot tub and mixed it just like she had usually done when she was serving guests.

    Once it was done, she stepped into the room after and leg in the warm water spreading through her entire body.

    She moaned in pleasure and stretched into the tub.

    After a few minutes of letting the hot water flow through her body, she began to clean herself.

    She washed her hair with a soap that had only been reserved for the elite.

    Ones that she had reced over and over when one finished it, but never used herself.

    Then she went down to cleaning her body .

    And then she remembered her father in the guard��s body and his eyes being purple and seeming dangerous.

    His aura had changed and how he had been telling her that she should not follow the King.

    What had he even meant by that?

    It was as if he had been turning into a monster and ready to attack her.

    But then something in him changed, snapped and then she sensed a very gentle side of him she had never noticed.

    It was like he had been warning.

    Warning her not to follow the King.

    He had said something about her being his daughter.

    Was that supposed to mean something?

    None of it made any sense to her.

    At all.

    As she was almost done with her bath she head the door of her bed chamber open.

    She froze quickly as she heard boots walking into the room.

    Her heart began to race.

    Because she was an unshifted wolf, she could not perceive scents.

    She slowly got out of the tub and picked up a towel.

    With her hair still very damp and her eyes wary with distrust.

    She picked up a small dagger that Erik had given her to protect herself.

    And very gently began to advance towards the door of the bath chamber.

    She went very quietly towards the room where the footsteps had stopped.

    Then she waited for a while by the door before she heard the footsteps again.

    Once she was sure that the intruder was in a close range, she lounged at him, baring her dagger at him.

    It cut him by his cheek.

    But he quickly caught her and pulled her to him, but not before using his hand to knock out the dagger down to the floor.

    And then pinned her up against the wall.

    Shended with a bang and by the time she looked at her intruder who had easily been breathing as heavily as she had, she saw that it was none other than Xaden.

    She gasped in shock, her eyes confused and her brows raised in question.

    "W... wha... what?" She stuttered unable to believe her eyes.

    Then he freed one of her hands and used his other hand to secure the both of them together in the sign of a cross.

    And then he touched where she had cut him.

    Sure enough she has drawn blood with a line on his cheek.

    "Now where did you learn that?" He asked surprised and impressed.

    "On my own." She said afraid of telling him Erik had shown her a few steps to use a dagger.

    "Huh." He rose a brow. "And what were you thinking attacking me?"

    She sighed heavily. "I thought you were an intruder. I was scared and I lost it. Why did you attack me if you came to see me."

    Then it dawned on her that maybe Erik had lied about Xaden allowing her to stay in this room.

    It had just been him trying to be kind with her and now she had gotten into trouble.

    Xaden had not expected to find her here that was why he had attacked her.

    "Do not me Erik please." She quickly apologized. "He simply wanted me to get clean in a chamber. I tried to exin to him but he insisted. Please do not punish."

    Xaden looked at her like she was crazy.

    "What the hell are you talking about?" He asked her.

    She looked at him confused. "Did you note here looking for someone else? And are you not upset that I was using this room."

    "Gods no Jasmine." He said after augh. "If was I who told Erik to take you to one of the rooms here."

    "Oh." She mumbled.

    And at that moment, her towel dropped to the floor.

 Chapter 291: SUCKING HIS FINGER (R-18)

    <h4>Chapter 291: SUCKING HIS FINGER (R-18)</h4>

    She gasped.

    She wanted to bend down and pick it up, but Xaden still her hands held up against the wall in an X.

    He looked down at her beautiful naked body and his eyes glinted.

    She tried to break free from his head but he persisted and then forced her to remain against the wall.

    "Where are you running to?" He asked her coyly.

    And then his eyes hungrily scanned her body.

    "I have seen all this before. Touched them." He remarked as he looked at her perky and full breasts that stood looking up at him .

    Inviting him to touch and taste what he had once had.

    He went down against her neck sniffing her lovely scent.

    She was not like the other women he had been with.

    She used no oil perfumes but yet she smelled floral.

    Divine.

    As he gazed down on her, he realized that she was shivering with cold.

    He cursed and then he let her hands free.

    Then he bent down and picked up her towel from the floor before handing it to her.

    She seemed genuinely surprised, but she epted it and gave a small thanks.

    Before wrapping it around her body.

    She simply stood looking at him and then he realized that he was blocking her way so he stepped back.

    She swallowed anxiously and stood away from him.

    He started to go when she stopped him.

    "Your cut." She said looking closely. "It is not healing."

    He reached out to his cheek and touched the cut, it was still fresh and there was blood.

    "Oh." He mumbled softly. "It is my transformation. I used my wolf and it has made my healing dy. But by tomorrow it would be fine."

    "No don��t worry." She said knotting the towel securely by her chest and she walked well into the room and towards the bed. "I used toe in to this room and I remember always seeing wild herbs growing by the window."

    He wanted to ask what she had been doing in the room but then she returned with the herbs.

    "Sit." She instructed.

    And he did just that.

    He sat by the edge of the bed while she stood over him and began to peel off the herbs and align them on his cut.

    "Ouch." He said feeling the burning sensation.

    It felt like there were fire ants dancing on his cut.

    "Sorry." She apologized as she ced each herb on the cut neatly. "It feel like fire ants doesn��t it?"

    He rose a brow. "Yes."

    She smiled. "That is how they are. It burns and then instantly heals. After less than an minute you would have no cut on your cheek. Do you feel any pains anymore?"

    He was surprised to say that he felt nothing.

    Then she gently took out the herbs from his cut and then stood facing him.

    "There. See for yourself." She said.

    He touched his cheek and to his amazement, there was no more line indicating the cut.

    He looked at her in amusement.

    "How did you do that?" He asked.

    "Not me." She shrugged. "It is the herbs. They tend to do a lot more than we know."

    And then she looked down at her hands. "I apologize for cutting you. It was my fault in the first ce."

    "No need for apologies." He shook his head. "I have never had a woman attack me and seed. You are the first."

    "You said you used toe into this room frequently what for?" He asked.

    There was jealousy burning in his chest.

    He knew that she had been a servant in the pack, and she should not being to such a gracious chamber as this, unless there was a wolf she regrly offered her services.

    The thought of her being with another wolf in this same room sent him to levels of jealous he never knew he had within him.

    "I used to clean." She said innocently. "I cleaned this wing so this was one of the rooms I worked in daily."

    He calmed down.

    "How do you feel knowing that Anna is my sister?" He asked her.

    She seemed confused. "Anna.... Do you mean Jessica?"

    He breathed in heavily trying to suppress the name.

    "Her name is Anna but yes, what the kidnappers had called her." He said.

    She shrugged. "I have nothing to feel. It does not concern me."

    "It does not bother you, that you are now the only moonlight pack bloodline alive?" He asked. "And that there are a lot of people who would hate you?"

    She looked up at him and for the first time, challenged him.

    "You intend on killing me don��t you?" She asked him.

    He was turned on by how direct she was.

    He had noticed that she had somehow stopped being that overly submissive girl he had first been forced to marry.

    She was now beginning to have her own voice and even question him.

    It had horrified him, and at the same time it had interested him.

    He walked up to her and used his finger to gently touch her bottom lip and caressed it gently along her mouth.

    "And why would I do that?" He asked her as he still used his finger to rummage through her lips.

    He touched how soft they were and he hungered for her.

    He gently pressed his finger down on her, to give her a bit of pain and what he knew was also pleasure because she moaned.

    As if calling for more.

    Then he set his finger on her tongue as if instantly knowing what to do, she sucked on his finger and moaned.

    He looked down at her full breasts amd was hungry to pull down her towel and expose herself to him.

    He saw how much she sucked with pleasure.

    And then he withdrew his hand and she seemed shocked.

    "Why would I kill you when I have barely used you for my pleasure?" He asked. "I do not need to be asked, I know you are dripping down there for m."

    Her face went an instant red.

    He gave a coy smile.

    "Go to bed Jasmine. You are never escaping from me."

    And with that he walked out of the room, leaving her hungry and needing him.

 Chapter 292: JESSICA THE LUCKY BASTARD

    <h4>Chapter 292: JESSICA THE LUCKY BASTARD</h4>

    Early the next morning, Jasmine woke up in an extremelyfortable feather bed.

    She had slept so well, she was losing certain she had snored.

    For a split second when she had woke up, she was unsure of where she was.

    And then she looked around and the events of the previous day came shing twitch her with utmost speed.

    The conquest of their pack, her return home, Xaden��s discovery that Jessica was actually his long lost sister and the fact that her father was dead.

    The chills of his soul in the body of the guard was something she genuinely doubted she would ever forget.

    And then hisst words to her.

    Not to follow the King.

    She still had no idea what that meant.

    She had not met Urma since, once she was up she would.

    She gently got up from her bed and then rememberedst night when Xaden hade into the room .

    And now she had disgraced herself because of her lustful desires.

    He had said that she was wet and hungry for him and there was absolutely no lie in it.

    Because she was already slippery and dripping wet in between her legs just from the moment she had assisted in cleaning his cut.

    And when he had dipped his finger in her mouth?

    She would have done anything to feel him inside her once again.

    She shook her head quickly to shake off the thoughts from her head.

    She walked to therge windows and looked down at the pack .

    It had been so long and it seemed foreign.

    There were a lot of reconstructions going on the ground floors, she could see heads being left on the spikes and she felt sick.

    That could easily be her.

    But he had said that she was not escaping him anytime soon.

    He had made some insinuations, and from what she could guess, he meant to keep her for his pleasure.

    What would happen when he would eventually tire of her?

    Or perhaps he meant to keep her close so that he would not have to face rebellion from me.

    He truly did not need to worry about that, because it was never going to happen.

    She simply wanted a quiet life.

    After all she had had the chance to run away, but she had chosen to stay.

    She heard a knock at the door and as she was in a night dress she had found in the wardrobe, she as able to wee whoever it was.

    She adjusted herself quickly in case and hoping it was Xaden even though at the same time she did not want to see him.

    She walked to the door and opened it and was surprised to see a servant girl Leah standing in her front.

    Leah quickly curtseyed.

    "There is no need for you to go that." Jasmine said quickly

    Leah had been one of the girls who had made fun of her and treated her horribly when she was in the pack.

    Leah looked up at her and Jasmine could see guilt and regret clearly written on her face.

    "Alpha Xaden had been looking for you earlier on." Leah said. "Has asked to send for you."

    "Of course. Thank you." Jasmine nodded.

    Lean bowed and started to go when Jasmine said. "How are you Leah?"

    Leah stopped and then slowly turned around.

    "I am alright." She said and then she looked up at Jasmine. "You look lovely. You look like your life there was better than here."

    Jasmine was unsure of how to respond and then Leah quickly added.

    "What we did to you. Was horrible. How we treated you. You did not deserve it. I am sorry."

    "You are right. I didn��t." Jasmine said. "But why? Why did you do that to me? All of you. I had no friends. No one came to my aid. Rather you made my life a living hell. I want to know why?"

    Leah sighed. "You know, it is funny. Jessica has always yed with us. She hated you so much and made us put you through hell. Isted anyone who tried to be friends with you. Remember Winona who had tried to be friends with you?"

    Jasmine remember and nodded. "Yes I do."

    "Jessica had her beaten for treating you kindly before Winona got the memo." Leah said and gave augh.

    "What did I ever do to her?" Jasmine asked. "To make her hate me so much."

    "Because you were everything she was not. And she strived to have the things you wanted but you always got it easily. The men? The beauty? The poise? Your heart? Jessica could never be like you and she knew it. That was why she hated you. You were a threat to her."

    Jasmine could hardly believe what Leah was telling her.

    "I had and still have nothing inparison to Jessica. What you are saying makes no sense." Jasmine said.

    "And there you go again being innocent and modest. You are so oblivious to yourself aren��t you?" Leahughed and then she tilted her head as if to think into nothing. " Jessica has been a horrible girl, isn��t she supposed to have suffered a much worse fate than any servant who served this pack. Suffered a fate as bad as her parents. But look at it. Now Jessica all of a sudden is the Alpha Xaden��s long lost sister. Can life get any fucking funnier?"

    Jasmine had to agreed to that too.

    She had also questioned the fact that Jessica still had the upper hand despite how long she had been cruel.

    "And it is so crazy that nothing is going to happen to her." Leah said. "That absolute horrid monster is going to escape dancing to her own music."

    Then Leah adjusted herself.

    "I have to go. I have some work to do now." Leah said. "If you living above us is what happens, then it is a blessing you deserve."

    Then Leah turned away from Jasmine leaving her head with a lot of questions.

 Chapter 293: JESSICA BECOMES ANNA

    <h4>Chapter 293: JESSICA BECOMES ANNA</h4>

    Once Leah had left Jasmine went back into the room.

    She looked at her miserly dress and decided that she needed to wear something else.

    She went through the wardrobe searching for a dress.

    They were all filled with extravagant and oundish dresses.

    Dresses fit for women of the elite.

    Women who were not like her.

    She finally found a simple pale blue dress.

    She tried it on and despite the fact that it showed off her cleavage, it was better than all the other dresses that she could swear would have closed her breast��s with the slightest inconvenience.

    She brushed and braided fire hair into a single braid.

    Then she looked at herself in the mirror.

    Never in her wildest thoughts did she ever believe that she would have looked this pleasant in her father��s pack.

    She sighed heavily and built the confidence within herself and then walked out of the room.

    She walked away towards the hallways.

    She could still remember the way through the pack house.

    As she walked down she looked at the familiar doors, at the room she had cleaned and servants hurried past.

    There were a lot of sounds of people working on the pack to rebuild it.

    The servants who saw and recognized her, bowed their heads in shame as they walked on ahead to their work .

    She finally reached the dinner hall and there were guards standing at attention.

    "I am Jasmine. Alpha Xaden had sent for me." She said.

    They sniffed her, opened the doors and stood out of her way.

    "Thank you." She nodded.

    They ignored her and once she stepped into the dinner hall she saw Xaden seated with Erik having a meal.

    "Lord Xaden." She curtseyed.

    He gave her a faint smile. "Jasmine how are you?"

    "Fine my lord."

    She wanted to ask how his cut was and then Erik beamed at her.

    "Jas Jas." Erik said winking at her. "Good to see you looking swell."

    "Thank you." She blushed. Then she turned to Xaden. "You sent for me."

    "Yes I did." Xaden said and then motioned for a seat beside him. "Take a seat."

    Jasmine was wary and uncertain but she did as he asked and sat down.

    He snapped his fingers and then servants came bringing in meals before her.

    Once they set them down he said. "Eat."

    Jasmine was very surprised and confused.

    Erik and Xaden resumed eating and discussing matters while Jasmine just sat there.

    And then Xaden turned to see she was seated frozen and her face Pale.

    "Would you not eat?" He asked her.

    She shook her head.

    And then it urred to him that she perhaps thought that he had poisoned her food .

    He took her spoon and had a bite of her food and then handed it back to her.

    "Your food is not poisoned. Only a coward would sumb to poison." He said . "Now eat."

    She had no choice but to do as he had asked.

    She ate the food and it was delicious.

    Maybe he wanted to fatten her before he finally be headed her like everyone else.

    Then Kire came into the room.

    He jumped on Jasmine Excitedly.

    "Bad boye down." An annoyed Erik reprimanded him.

    Kire whimpered and did as he was instructed.

    "Please don��t be so hard on him." Jasmine said. "I am sure he did not mean to upset you."

    "He has refused to return back to me." Erik said slightly annoyed. "Of course he has upset me."

    Kire shood behind Jasmine whom he knew would Provide him protection.

    "But why doesn��t he want to return to you?" Caden asked confused.

    Erik shrugged. "I have zero idea. Hopefully it is a phase and he wille back to me."

    At that moment the door was opened and Jessica came in.

    Jasmine stiffened.

    "Good morning Alpha Xaden." She greeted.

    "Anna." He said. "You look well. How did you sleepst night?"

    She gave a weak smile. "Not the best I have had but it will do. And I mean considering the events of yesterday."

    "Call me Xaden:" he said. "There is no need to refer to me with my title if we are siblings."

    She turned to Erik and her face flushed red.

    Jasmine took note.

    "And you are?" Jessica asked him with a tone of curiosity.

    "No proper introductions were made yesterday." He said. "Anna this is Erik. He is my gamma and second inmand."

    She curtseyed. "It is an honor to meet you."

    "I feel the same way." Erik said.

    And then Anna turned and saw Jasmine.

    Anna��s face which had been blooming and seemingly happy fell once she set eyes on Jasmine seated on their table .

    "What are you doing here?" Anna demanded harshly.

    "Good morning." Jasmine greeted.

    "I asked what you were doing here." Anna saidpletely ignoring her greeting.

    "Jasmine is here because of me." Xaden said. "I understand that you might not be fine of her because of what her family and blood line did to us."

    "Not just that." Anna said ring at Jasmine. "She was awful to me in the pack. She hated me from the start and did such awful things to me I can not even begin to speak on them."

    Erik rose a suspicious brow up at her. "Were you not raised as their daughter and they kept their own illegitimate daughter as a servant?"

    Anna began to stutter. "Y..yes. That is true. But you see I did not really care for all the things that were offered to me. But Jasmine hated me so bad because of what her parents did and she turned on me. She hated me for taking her ce and when she was meant to serve me, she would hurt me and punish me. I was unable to defend myself."

    Xaden looked at Jasmine.

    "Is this true?"

    "No." Jasmine said slightly annoyed. "it isn��t."

    "Are you calling me a liar?" Anna demanded.

    "No. I simply denied what you said about me treating you badly." Jasmine said.

    "You are calling me a LIAR!" She screamed.

    "ENOUGH!" Xaden mmed hard down on the table.

 Chapter 294: PUBLIC LUST

    <h4>Chapter 294: PUBLIC LUST</h4>

    Both women went silent.

    "The past has happened and I hate so say this but we are all victims of Bale and his plots." Xaden said after a deep sigh. "He is gone and that is all that matters now."

    Anna who was seemingly angry that her brother who has just rescued her has snapped at her all because of Jasmine.

    She stormed to a seat and sat down annoyed.

    Then Xaden turned to Jasmine. "When you are done eating we need to discuss something��s in private."

    "Are you finally going to kill me?" Jasmine asked her head filled with curiosity.

    Erik choked on his food while Xadenughed at her.

    Jasmine looked at both men confused.

    Anna was equally as confused.

    "I don��t understand. What is funny?" She asked them.

    "The fact that you think I am going to kill you." He said wiping a tear.

    Then he put on a very straight and no nonsense face. "But Your father was a monster. And he treated everyone around him horribly. Not even you were an exception. I believe that is enough."

    Jasmine turned and made eye contact with Anna who was now ring at her with hatred.

    Then he turned to Anna.

    "I understand that this all seems like a rushed up work. Too much and everything is happening at once. But I assure you that this is for the best. By the time we return home, everything will be much better."

    Anna was choking through her own face, but she tried her best to maintain calm.

    "I just don��t want anything to Disrupt our new found

    Peace. After everything." She said.

    "And I can not begin to understand how you feel." He said. "You are my sister and I will take responsibility of you and protect you in the best way possible."

    She nodded her head and then when they had resumed eating, she cleared her throat.

    "Since Jasmine you are not terminating her life." Anna said coldly. "When will she be leaving us? Or Better still she will remain here and serve as a servant."

    All this Anna said staring right down at Jasmine without even the least bit shaking.

    Xaden looked at Jasmine and then turned back to Anna.

    "Jasmine <i>will </i>be leaving this pack." Xaden said.

    Jasmine��s felt a heavy weight drop at the bottom of her stomach.

    What had she been thinking? That he would take her with him? After everything? What a fool she was.

    Anna smiled triumphantly .

    "She will be leaving with us." He said.

    Anna looked at him. "What?!

    "What?" Jasmine equally said in shock.

    "But you said she will be leaving!" Anna cried.

    "Yes, but with us." Xaden finished. "She will resume her work as a servant and specially under me."

    Jasmine felt her heart race at his words.

    What did he mean by that?

    Anna twisted her face. "She had been horrible to me all my life I have been here. Is it fair that I hate the trauma of having lived with people who kidnapped me and still have their daughter around me? She will murder me when she has the slightest opportunity."

    "She will do no such thing." Xaden said. "You have my word."

    "why can she not remain here?" She asked. "Why must she go with us?"

    "I want to keep an eye on her." He said looked at Jasmine eye ball to eye ball.

    Jasmine suspected what he meant by that.

    He had told her, thest time that they had been together that even though he hated her, he was never going to let her go.

    Anna was so furious that all she could do was eat her food and say nothing.

    Jasmine knew that once again she had created a new enemy for life.

    "We will leave tonight." He announced. "I do not wish to be here any longer."

    Jasmine went on eating in silence.

    And then when she was certain she had had enough she slowly stood up from her seat.

    "If I could excuse myself my lord." Jasmine said.

    "I really hope she does not eat with us when shees along." Anna said in a disgruntled voice.

    Xaden was not the one who replied Anna, but Jasmine.

    "Do not worry. I desire to be far away from you as possible." Jasmine said.

    And Anna��s face went white in shock.

    Jasmine had never ever for once talked back at her.

    She could barely believe it.

    Erik suppressed a chuckle and then Jasmine turned to Xaden.

    "May I go?" She asked him.

    He looked at her and then Jasmine was fully aware that he was looking up at her cleavage.

    She wanted to throw her hands on her chest and cover her breasts from his view.

    But if she did that, it would alert everyone on what he was staring at.

    So she simply swallowed hard and stood her ground.

    "No." He said softly. And then he extended his hand to her. "Come here."

    She choked and it seemed that her ability to move had been taken away from her.

    "Come jasmine." He said adding her name.

    The way he called her name was almost like apulsion, like it woke something in her.

    She found herself walking up to him.

    She was fully aware that everyone on the table had their eyes on her.

    He took her hand and then as he stood he pulled her close to him and she was terrified of what he wanted to do until he brought her ears to his lips.

    "Did you dress the way you did for me or for my men." He said.

    She gasped at his words and involuntarily stepped back but he pulled her back.

    "Did you?" He asked and then she knew he was looking at her bust again.

    "My lord." She said breathless and her face bing hot and flustered. "There are people here."

    "Is it until I pull out your breasts with my teeth and suck hard in your nipples that you would understand what I just asked?" He questioned.

    Her face flushed red in shame.

    And then he reached out his hand to her bosom.

    In front of everyone else.

 Chapter 295: STAY OR LEAVE

    <h4>Chapter 295: STAY OR LEAVE</h4>

    She jerked but to her amazement and surprise he did not take his hand where she had thought he would.

    Rather he touched her shoulder and seemed to brush something off.

    Everyone turned to look at her.

    She mumbled a quick apology at her clumsy self.

    "Why are you agitated?" He asked in a mocking tone. "What did you think I was going to do to you?"

    Jasmine swallowed hard knowing quite well that he was mocking her.

    "Nothing." She said straightening herself up.

    She felt like an absolute fool.

    "Can I leave now?" She asked him. "Please?"

    He gave her a grin. "Of course."

    And then she walked away from the dinner hall with her heart in her mouth.

    Once she had escaped she was able to take in a very deep breath and then just as she was about to leave she felt a presence behind her.

    She jumped and pulled out the dagger that Erik had given her but a hand quickly caught her hand and pulled it away.

    She looked up and saw Xaden.

    She breathed in relief that it was him at least.

    Better him than anyone else.

    "You have be feisty." He said with a frown. "Are you pulling out daggers now with the slightest opportunity you get?"

    She sighed and pulled her hand away.

    She bent down to pick the dagger that had fallen to the ground.

    "I like to protect myself." She stated Mather of fact.

    "I see." He said with a brow raised up.

    Even though she genuinely doubted that he was seeing anything at all.

    "I need to reprimand Erik for giving you a dagger without my permission. Because now you��re cutting anyone with it." He used.

    And then she remembered his cut.

    She felt an inkling of guilt rememberingst night.

    "I am sorry about that." She said. "How is your cut?"

    "Gone." He said. "I healed."

    She nodded absent mindlessly.

    "Jasmine what do you want?" He asked.

    That took her off board andpletely aback.

    "What do you mean what do I want?" She asked lost.

    "I mean what do <i>you</i> want . Do you want to stay here? Do you want to leave? Or do you want toe with me back to my pack". He asked.

    She was surprised that he was even considering her opinion.

    That he was asking her about something like this.

    He must have seen how surprised she was and then he quickly said.

    "It was Erik who demanded that I ask you whether you wished toe along with us or stay here." He asked.

    She swallowed.

    She had made that decision a long time ago from when Urma had told her to run.

    But then she would have been on the run.

    Probably been a wanted woman with a heavy bounty on her head.

    But this was different.

    This time he was giving her her own free will.

    "If you stay with me. You will be my possession. You will be a servant and still a ve. But I have bought you. But you will serve me. You will let no other man see or touch you the way I do." He said.

    The way he said it terrified her and drove her to heights that she had never believed she would experience.

    "I need you to understand that." He said.

    And then he did something striking.

    He put his thumb on her bottom lip and drawed at it and she felt a sensation in between at it.

    She was thrilled at it and appalled at how he had such a hold on her.

    And then he gently grabbed her neck and pulled her up to him.

    Hest time that he had grabbed her neck in such a way, he had thrust his hard and massive cock into her deepest parts and she cried for more.

    At the moment her body was exposing her.

    Her nipples were had and there was a rush of adrenaline through her demanding his touch.

    And then moment that he pulled her up against him, she felt how hard and ready he was for her.

    He gently pushed her up against the wall and ground himself up against her.

    "Feel that?" He asked hoarsely but dangerously in her ear. "That is what you do to me."

    "People could see us." She said.

    That was the wildest part of it all.

    It was broad day light and they were only in the hallway.

    Anyone could pass by and see them.

    The dinner hall was a few paces away.

    Erik or Anna coulde and walk in on them.

    A servant or a guard could pass and see them.

    "Let them". He said as he kissed her neck.

    She moaned in pleasure hungry for more but hermon sense was advising her to

    Run.

    To flee.

    And then when he looked down at her his eyes were fire red.

    She was scared and at the same time she was curious.

    He pushed his hands up her breast and massaged them.

    Rolling his fingertips around her hard nipple and then he freed them from the hold of her dress.

    He bit down on her nipple with his lips and she almost cried in pleasure.

    He went down to the other one and sucked at it, using his teeth and twirling his tongue to the perfect movement.

    She shook uncontrobly and felt her body vibrating.

    And then he picked her up with her breast exposed and put her up against the wall.

    Then he gently patted her thighs apart and set his finger inside her.

    He smiled when he looked back up at her.

    "You are moist and ready for my cock." He said. "But no. I��ll tease you further."

    And then he put his head under her dress and began to deep his tongue inside her.

    She gasped and struggled not to cry lest people would hear and they woulde running.

    He flicked his tongue in her inner parts and she felt as he ate out her wetness.

    She began to cry and beg for more.

    His expertise drove her crazy.

    The fact that they were so well exposed and anyone coulde in and see them drove her insane.

    She began to cry and her legs began to shake as his finger joined his lips in between her legs.

    How much she desired him.

    She wanted his full andrge size in between her.

    She was willing to throw away her shame and have him plunge into her depths here and now.

    She began to cry and weep.

    And then all of a sudden he stopped.

    He dropped her down and helped her arrange her dress.

    She was shocked unable to say a word even as he put his breasts inside her dress .

    He have a grin.

    "Well now I know your answer." He said. "Just look at how much you were begging me to fuck you."

    She shivered.

    "I didn��t say-

    He looked at her. "You did not beg me? Have you forgotten so quickly?"

    And then she rummaged through her brain and to her horror she realized that she had in fact been begging and calling his name.

    Her face went red in shame and horror.

    Heughed. "You areing with me Jasmine. And you are forever going to be mine."

    And then with that he left her with her legs still shaking.

    She was so ashamed of herself and what had just happened that she sighed the ground would open up and swallow her whole.

    It took her a while to get back to her senses and then she finally gathered her strength and found herself at Urma��s door.

    She peeped in as it was slightly opened and then she knocked.

    Ned and Urma were working together.

    She smiled. "I had no idea that you needed an apprentice."

    Urma looked up at her. "I never do. But this young man was said to have saved your life. Decided to give him a little thank you by teaching him things he would never learn anywhere else."

    "Good morning Ned." She said with a smile.

    "Jasmine how are you?" He asked. "How are the drugs?"

    "Drugs?" She asked lost.

    "Yes I wanted to give it to you in person but Alpha Xaden said you would eat with him. I simply put it inside your wine."

    And then it urred to her.

    She had been wondering why her wine had been tasting funny.

    "Oh it was lovely," she said with pleasure. "I feel much better".

    Even though the share name of Xaden brought colors to her cheeks.

    "Are you sure you are alright?" He asked. "You seem red."

    "Huh?" She said and then she began to fan herself. "Oh yes, the weather has been a bit awful."

    Then she turned to Urma. "Urma may I see you for a moment please?"

    And tnen Urma joined her standing by the door.

    "What bothers you child?"

    "How many kings are there in our kingdom?" Jasmine asked her eyes narrowed.

    "Just one of course." Urma replied. "King Rnd."

 Chapter 296: PERHAPS HE WAS DELUSIONAL

    <h4>Chapter 296: PERHAPS HE WAS DELUSIONAL</h4>

    Jasmine looked around as if unsettled and if anyone would be over hearing their conversation.

    Ned was well into his books and barely even noticed them.

    And yet she felt ufortable speaking to even Urma who she trusted with her own life.

    Urma noticed her difort and took her arm and drew her away from the door of the room.

    Urma turned to Ned who was still reading through his books.

    "I will be back in a short while." She said to him.

    He nodded barely even listening to what she said.

    "Come." Urma said and took Jasmine away.

    Together both women headed to a very quiet corner down the hallway.

    There was no one in sight.

    Urma turned and faced her.

    "You may speak now Jasmine." She said.

    Jasmine sighed in heavily.

    Still reluctant to speak to her about what she knew.

    "I can promise you what you tell me will not escape this very tiny space we are in." Urma assured her.

    "That is not the issue." Jasmine said. "I don��t want to put you into trouble."

    "Look at me Jasmine. I am too old for you to worry about. Tell me." Urma prompted.

    Jasmine sighed. "Before my father died, I wanted to know about my mother. So I asked him. But he seemed to be acting strangely."

    Urma frowned. "What do you mean strange? He was already dying maybe that is why you mean".

    Jasmine shook her head. "No you don��t understand. He seemed to be acting entirely different. Like he was one minute him and the next he was entirely something else."

    Jasmine began to pace. "The very moment that he wanted to attack me, it was like something stopped him. Like he was fighting himself."

    "And he said something. That made no sense. He told me to not follow the King." She said.

    "Not to follow the King." Urma said to herself.

    "I know it sounds crazy." Jasmine said. "Trust me I know it. But I can not shake the feeling. At first. He said that I needed to be taken to the King."

    "Being taken to the King would be thest thing that Bale would do." Urma noted.

    "I thought exactly too. Because from what I heard, he was a fugitive of the crown. So that made no sense." She said. "And then his voice changed and He started to tell me not to follow the King, that I would bring eternal doom. He said he is not the father. And started to say that something about being a daughter and Xaden killed him."

    Jasmine looked up at her.

    "He never finished what he was saying." Jasmine said. "And that is why I am asking you now, how many Kings do you know, and I want to know everything about my mother. You knew my mother best. I want you to tell me. My father telling me an unshifted wolf that I would bring eternal doom? I don��t know what to think about it."

    Urma took her hand and held it gently. "My child. I only know one King. And that is King Rnd. Your father was not in his right state of mind hisst few weeks alive. He privately treated dementia. I believe that that is what made him say those things to you."

    Jasmine was very skeptical. "Are you sure?"

    Urma sighed and walked back into her room and then returned with a small potion.

    "You know what this is yes?" She asked holding it up to her.

    Jasmine nodded. "Yes it��s brawn leaves. It is used to treat mentally unstable and deranged people."

    Urma nodded. "I gave your father this every morning, afternoon and night. If he had not taken this he would have gone insane. Perhaps that is what happened. He was lost to it."

    Jasmine was not sure of what to believe.

    Perhaps Urma was right.

    Perhaps this was all in her head. And maybe he was running insane.

    After all he had tried to kill her.

    "There is only one King." Urma said. "And that is the King Consort no one else. And for your mother."

    Jasmine breathed in heavily ready to hear about her mother.

    "What I have told you about your mother is everything that i know about her." Urma expressed. "She was a woman with a kind soul. But she was simply a servant here. No one special."

    "Then where did shee from at least." Jasmine asked in frustration.

    "That I don��t know." Urma replied. "But your father would have known. He is the only one here who would know about where she came from. I think that is dead with him."

    Jasmine swallowed.

    "Do not worry about the words of a dying old man. Bale was a monster and it has done us good that he is gone for good. He is never evering back." Urma said. "You deserve a life free and able to forget all of this."

    "Forget all of this." Urma said wisely. "Leave this godforskaen ce."

    Jasmine managed a weak smile.

    "How about I do this." Urma said holding her hand firmly and reassuringly. "I will do my research on your mother and on any other King��s that may have existed in our worlds. Kings out of the crown lineage. If I find anything I will let you know. How is that?"

    Jasmine had no choice but to ept.

    Urma was like a mother to her and she was most certain that she would never lie or deceive her.

    "Okay." Jasmine nodded.

    "Can we do that?" Urma asked her.

    Jasmine nodded. "Yes we can."

    Urma smiled and then kissed her forehead.

    "There much much better." Urma said.

    "I should be going." Jasmine said. "I will be going with Xaden back to his pack. There will a life for me there. I am willing to try it out."

    Urma cupped her cheek. "Anything fate away from the monstrous ce, is a wonderful life. And you should know that I will support you in anything you decide."

    Jasmine gave a weak smile.

    And turned around and walked away.

 Chapter 297: DEEPER SECRETS TWENTY YEARS AGO

    <h4>Chapter 297: DEEPER SECRETS TWENTY YEARS AGO</h4>

    Once Jasmine had gone Urma breathed a sigh of relief and hurried back into her room.

    Ned was taken aback by Her abrupt burst in the room.

    "Is everything alright?" He asked.

    She nodded. "Yes it is. Get on with your work I need to check for something."

    And then he nodded and went back to fishing through the medicine recipes.

    She walked to the door that led into her bathing chamber and closed it shut behind her before locking it up.

    Then she picked up a stool and climbed it reaching for the roof.

    She searched through the roof and began to rummage hastily.

    At first she began to panic that she could not find what she was looking for.

    She began to sweat and her entire being began to shake with terror.

    And then finally it tumbled down from the roof andnded on the floor.

    She went down from the stool and picked it up and began to look through.

    It was arge brown file and it was old and intertwined with a brown wool.

    She unwound it and began to look through it.

    There were papers and writings and letters that were extremely old.

    Along with it, there ways some old antiques.

    She picked up one of the letters and looked through it.

    It was a letter from Bale to her, precisely almost twenty years ago.

    Before Jasmine had been born.

    As she reflected through the papers, she began to shake just like the first time she had read it.

    And she had almost gone insane.

    She had gone to you him and he had been panting all around, sweating.

    She hurried into his bed chamber and closed the door quietly behind her.

    Then Bale had still been very young. Had not married Luna Maria yet.

    None of the chaos that had befallen the moonlight pack had urred.

    His parents had recently only died.

    "What was that you wrote for me Bale?"

    Urma asked.

    Bale was walking around, panicking and breathing so hard.

    "The truth Urma." He said. "You are the only one person I can trust. I do not trust anyone."

    "Calm down Bale." She said gently. "Calm down."

    "You read the letters didn��t you?" He asked her.

    "I did." She nodded. "Is it true? Is he back?"

    "Yes." Bale said.

    Urma put her hand over her face.

    "Your parents had insisted that he will no longer return." She said. "Especially after what he did."

    "It is not even about what he did Urma. If is not even about that anymore." He responded. "It is about what he wants to do."

    "He has taken someone." Bale said. "Some dear to me and I will not see her fall with him. I will not have her heartbroken the same way he broke us all."

    "He is your flesh and blood." Urma chided.

    "Because he is my twin and identical brother does not mean we are the same."

    He shot back. "You raised the both is us together. You of all people should know this."

    Urma swallowed heavily.

    "What do you want me to do then?" She asked.

    "I want to stop him." He said. "Stop him before he ruins us all and leads us to damnation along with him."

    Urma swallowed. "And the woman."

    "I want him fat from her. I have no idea how he found her. Den has always had the nose to smell good things from afar." Bale said. "And that is the problem."

    "So where is she?" Urma asked.

    "I will bring her here and hide her from him and I will face him myself." Bale said.

    Urma grabbed his arm.

    "You need to be careful with him." Urma said.

    "That is why I came to see you first." Bale said. "He keeps on getting away with these things. I need to put a stop to it."

    Urma sighed. "What do you want?"

    "I want to know how to kill him and send him away from our lives forever." Bale said.

    "That is dangerous magic." Urma informed him.

    "I have no choice. He has already dabbled in ck magic. How do I protect myself?" He asked.

    "Report to the council. They will do something." She advised him.

    "What are they going to do? Dy him until he kills us?" Bale asked and shook his head. "No j am going to handle this myself. And my own way. And it is either you help me or I leave. Either ways I would do it, with or without your help."

    Urma dropped the letter back into the file.

    Jasmine could never know.

    She would be furious if she ever found out, but she was doing it to protect her.

    It was for her own good.

    There were things that were dangerous.

    Secrets that were never supposed to see the light of the day.

    She looked at another paper.

    It was a letter that Jasmine��s mother Red had written for her own daughter.

    She could never ever give any of this to Jasmine.

    Staying in the dark was the best solution she had.

    Moreover she had promised Bale that she would never let her know.

    She picked up the file and dropped it in a metallic box.

    And then she opened her hands and fire emerged.

    And then she threw the fire into the metallic pot and it burned instantly

    She watched as the fire cackled and every single thing in it burned.

    Perhaps Jasmine would never forgive her.

    But this was the past.

    When Jasmine had said that she would bring eternal doom.

    She had shaken in terror.

    Had Bale been so deranged that he has almost told her the truth?

    Thank the heavens that Xaden had killed hik at the exact moment or everything would have been exposed.

    Once Jasmine was out of the moonlight pack, she would be able to start her life afresh .

    She felt her palm burning and she saw where she had done the blood oath.

    It was burning mark that made sure she concealed whatever secret she had kept.

    She wondered if Bale��s own mark had almost killed him.

    Even if she wanted to tell Jasmine, she never would be able to.

    She waspelled to keep her promise and so would it remain.

    She sighed and when the fire waspletely gone, she used her magic to wipe away the burned ashes.

    "Urma." She heard Ned call. "Are you alright? I can perceive smoke"

    "I will be out in Just a bit." She assured him.

    And she hurriedly gathered her things and when she was certain that there was no trace of what she had done she put everything in ce and went out.

    "Are you alright?" He asked.

    She gave him a smile and went to his tablet I inspect his work. "Never better. Now where were we?"

 Chapter 298: YOU WILL OBEY ME

    <h4>Chapter 298: YOU WILL OBEY ME</h4>

    Once Jasmine was done talking to Urma she walked down the hallway.

    She trusted Urma with her life and she had been there for her when no one had.

    When everyone had turned a blind eye to all her suffering.

    But why did she feel like Urma was keeping it away from her.

    Why did she feel like she was lying to her.

    Like she was keeping something away from her.

    Jasmine had one more person to see.

    One more person who might the answers to her questions even though she truly did not want to see the person.

    She went down the stairs amidst stares of guilt and shame from her pack members.

    Guilt that they had treated her horribly and somehow she had gotten away.

    She had survived.

    The worst of all was Jessica who was now Anna.

    As kind as Jasmine was, it genuinely frustrated her that Jessica had had everything.

    Had had the life that she who had been his legitimate daughter had never had and now even after the pack had fallen, she was magically Xaden��s sister.

    And she could see, she could tell that Xaden was please and happy that his sister hade to him.

    She was fully aware of the fact that he would never letck anything.

    So Anna still won.

    One way or the other.

    She sighed heavily and then she found Erik talking to Kire.

    "Hello." She smiled at them. "What are you two up to?"

    Erik looked up at saw her.

    "Kire here has refused to return to me. I��ve done everything. But he simply wants to stay." Erik said annoyed.

    Kire who was wagging his tail excitedly at her whimpered when he saw how Erik was angry at him.

    "Is there any specific reason?" Jasmine asked as she bent and ruffled his ears.

    "I have no idea." Erik said his hands on his waist. "He is stubborn but he usually merges back to me at most in a week. This is longer than that."

    "Well. You could talk to Urma. She knows these things. And will probably be able to give you a solution." She said.

    "I never considered that." Erik admitted.

    She smiled at Kire and then stood up to face Erik.

    "I wanted to please ask a favor." She said.

    "Yes?" He rose a brow.

    "I want to see a prisoner and I am sure just anyone can not do that." She said wisely.

    "Who?" He asked.

    "My step mother? Luna Maria." She said. "I just want to speak to her about some things. I have questions that no one would know the answer to if not her."

    Erik sighed and folded his arms.

    "And please do not tell Xaden." She begged.

    "Alright I will give you a pass to see her." He revealed.

    She heaved a sigh of relief.

    "Thank you so much. You have no idea what this means to me-

    And then from nowhere Xaden was standing behind them.

    She jumped.

    He frowned.

    "What is going on and why is Jasmine thank you?" He asked.

    Jasmine and Erik exchanged looks.

    She held her tongue.

    Xaden frowned further.

    "Must I repeat to everyone that I do not like being kept in the dark." An annoyed Xaden demanded.

    "Jasmine wants to see Luna Maria." Erik blurted out.

    "Erik!" She gasped at how quickly he had ousted her. "You said you were not going to tell."

    Xaden looked at her sharply. "You were going to see a dangerous prisoner without my permission?"

    "She is a prisoner. And there are guards there. She is barely dangerous." Jasmine replied tartly.

    "You have grown a big mouth now haven��t you?" He asked.

    And it urred to her that she had been sharp.

    When this had happened she had no idea.

    Perhaps it was the moment she had faced her father and all her fears and all the pain and trauma had broken loose.

    Because never in her life would she had snapped at Xaden .

    And then Xaden turned to Erik. "And you were going to assist her without telling me?"

    Erik rose his hands up. "Hey. Don��t put me in the middle of your scuffle."

    "He was just trying to help." She said.

    "And why did you not ask me?" He asked.

    "Because you would freak out. Just like how you are doing right now." She said.

    He put his hands in his waists and sarcastically said. "Well me me if you are not guilty of running around and doing your own thing. Which has jeopardized a lot of my n."

    She sighed. "I just wanted to ask her some questions."

    Then he surprised her by saying. "Fine you can go see her."

    And then he added.

    "But I will have to follow you. are not going there alone Jasmine."

    She sighed weakly.

    "There is no way I can dissuade you?" She pleaded.

    "No."

    "How about I don��t go at all?"

    "Toote. I am interested." He said.

    "You really do not have to." She begged.

    "What if something bad happens to you?" He asked. "You always get into one trouble or the other".

    "She is in a prison where the bars are made of silver." Jasmine said. "If she touches it, she will be burned."

    "I don��t care." He said stubbornly.

    "This is private and personal." Sheined.

    "And I am the Alpha and your master." He said. "You obey me."

    "You said I now have a choice." She whined.

    "You told me that I had free will and I could make decisions."

    "Is that what I said?" He asked.

    "Yes." She pointed out.

    "Well then, I lied." He said.

    She dropped her mouth open and her face fell instantly.

    She wanted to murder him at the spot.

    "Well since everyone is happy. Kire and I should be going on our way." Erik said and made a fast exit.

    She sighed heavily.

    "Let��s go." He prompted

    And with no choice she was forced to follow him behind like an obedient puppy.

 Chapter 299: QUESTIONS FOR THE PRISONER

    <h4>Chapter 299: QUESTIONS FOR THE PRISONER</h4>

    As Xaden led the way and she followed him behind, a lot of things went through her head:

    One thing was certain.

    She was not going to be able to mention the king to Maria:

    Xaden would lose his mind if he discovered that she had kept such a thing from him.

    "What are you thinking of?" He asked her.

    She jumped. "Nothing."

    "You��re silent and musing along with mumbling to yourself." He said. "You are definitely thinking."

    She shrugged. "It is nothing important."

    "Are you terrified of seeing her?" He asked. "She has been a monster to you. Or did you lie about that?"

    "She treated me like I was not a human being. Hated me because I was a reminder of my father��s infidelity. If you think I am lying you could ask everyone else in the pack." Jasmine said exhausted at being called a liar. "I know that I was wrong. I know that I lied to you and kept a lot of things away from you. And I lied about myself. But I had no choice. I had a dagger to my neck. My father would have killed me. I was forced to do what he wanted. Either that or I lost my life. I know you hate me for lying to you and I am sorry for that. I am very sorry. And if I can take it all back I would. But I had no say in the matter and if you were in my shoes you would understand the hell I was in. Who would happily lie to be sent as prisoner to another pack?"

    He went quiet and she sighed shocked that she had said that much.

    She began to apologize. "I am sorry I did not mean to say that and-

    "That is the first time any woman has ever stood up to me and said such a thing." He said quietly.

    She decided to keep her mouth shut before she said something that would have him throwing her over the castle walls.

    "What are you going to say to Luna Maria when you see her?" She asked him .

    "She took my sister away." He said. "After everything. After what they did to my family. She still decided that taking my sister was the right thing to do."

    Jasmine went quiet.

    It was cruel.

    They had massacred his family and taken his own sister as their own.

    "I know I have never had the chance to tell you this, but I am sorry about what my father did to you. I truly am." She said.

    He gave a weak shrug.

    And she managed a smile .

    "On the good side, you have been reunited with her and she is open to you." She said. "She seems to want to bond with you."

    "I know ." Xaden admitted. "It is sort of awkward. And a bit difficult. I just want to know why they did it."

    She sighed to herself and said nothing as he led the way down the dungeon .

    She knew this ce like the back of her hand and it brought back trauma and hurtful memories.

    She had spent nights here.

    When Jessica and Luna Maria would torment her and have her sleep in the dungeon with the slightest opportunity.

    She knew the familiar scent and it made her shiver.

    She still could not bring herself to tell Xaden how much of a monster his sister was.

    Jessica was a dreadful girl who had everything at her finger tips.

    It would break his heart to know the horrible atrocities she hadmitted.

    How when she had gotten exhausted of her ves she would have them be headed while she sipped tea with her friends.

    Hopefully along time she would change.

    So she kept it to herself.

    They passed the guards and they finally went down to where Luna Maria was locked up.

    Jasmine stood before her and Luna Maria looked up from where she was seated.

    She looked deranged and nothing like herself.

    It felt strange to see her this way.

    Luna Maria who had always looked her neat self, her jewelry on her neck and then her hair styled perfectly to thetest fashion.

    While she looked the exact opposite.

    She looked like a shadow of herself.

    "Hello Maria." Jasmine said standing firm even though her knees felt wobbly.

    Understand that this was a woman who had traumatized her, her entire life.

    Maria gave a smile. "Jasmine my lovely girl. You came to see me. You came to save me from this ce."

    Jasmine swallowed. "No. I came to know the truth about my mother:"

    "But I am your mother." She said. "Speak to the Alpha. It seems you are close. Tell him how kind I was to you as a child and how I have always protected you from your cruel father."

    "If you were kind you would not need to say it. It would speak for you." Xaden replied harshly.

    Maria looked at Jasmine and saw that she had no intentions of letting her out.

    She switched her kind and gently demeanor to her true self

    "You filthy whore!" She spat at Jasmine. "Standing here acting all self righteous while you are spreading your legs wide open and fucking this monster."

    Jasmine sighed in heavily. "Alpha Xaden here intends to give you a very painful death. If I speak to him, perhaps I can convince him to be swift and painless. All you have to do is tell you about my mother."

    Maria burst out into augh.

    Sheughed so hard you would think she was insane.

    "So you are giving me ultimatums now huh?" Maria asked her. "Just so I can tell you about your whore mother?"

    Mariaughed. "What do you want to hear? That she was a whore? Who was fucked by every man in the pack? She was ugly and jealous of me that was why she was able to deceive your stupid father and conceive you. You are a bastard."

    "Where did my mothere from? She was a ve brought into the pack. Where did shee from?" Jasmine asked specifically.

 Chapter 300: THE BLOOD DEAL

    <h4>Chapter 300: THE BLOOD DEAL</h4>

    Maria leaned back and a devilish smile was spread back on her face.

    "A swift death is for a fool." Maria said. "Get me freed and I will see what I can do about it."

    "Over my dead body." Xaden swore proceeding to step forward but Jasmine prevented him by grabbing his arm and holding him back.

    And then she turned back to Maria. "If I promise that you will see it out of here safe and sound will you tell me everything that I need to know about my mother?"

    Maria frowned and eyed her suspiciously.

    It seemed to good to be true.

    "Jasmine what are you saying?" Xaden asked but she ignored him.

    "Will you?" Jasmine asked.

    Maria eyed her all over refusing to take the bait. "How do I know this is not some trick. How do I know that you will keep to your word if I tell you."

    Then Maria looked back up at Xaden.

    "I am sure He is it going to let me out especially after everything." Maria said pointing at Xaden.

    "You bet that right I won��t." He said.

    Jasmine then pulled out her dagger and then cut her hand.

    Her blood dropped to the floor and then she pressed her open cut in the palm of her hand.

    "I swear it to you. I swear by wolf that you would walk out of these bars alive." Jasmine started to say and then Xaden grabbed her arm and cut her short.

    "What the hell are you doing?!" He demanded. "You are making a making an oath to yourself do you have any idea what that means? You will die if you disobey this oath!" He snapped at her in anger. "And when do you get to decide whether she lives or not."

    "Trust me." She said through her eyes. And then she said aloud. "I am doing this for my mother."

    He looked at her still confused and still lit sure of how to take her actions.

    She looked at him, her eyes pleading and then she withdrew from his grasp and turned back to Maria.

    "This is a blood oath. I can not break it. If I do, then my wolf will die." Jasmine said. "You know this."

    Maria looked at her heavy with suspicion and then Xaden grabbed Jasmine��s arm.

    "She is wasting your time let��s go." He started to say.

    She quickly stopped them. "Okay fine!"

    And then she sighed and gave her palm across the empty space of the dungeon bars.

    Jasmine then cut Maria��s own palm and ced her open cut over hers and said.

    "You will tell me all that you know of my mother and keep not a single thing from me or you will die." Jasmine said.

    Maria nodded and said. "Agreed. And you will keep your word and I shall walk out of here alive."

    "Agreed." Jasmine said and then both women withdrew their hands.

    The bond had already been made.

    If either of them failed to aplish what the other had demanded then the one who had betrayed the other would die.

    "Now start." Jasmine said.

    Maria sighed and folded her arms. "I can remember the day your mother came to the pack. It seems like such a distant memory because it was twenty years ago and yet it seemed like yesterday."

    She sighed. "Your father had been away on a trip. We had been newly married and I was the pride of the pack."

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    <strong>TWENTY YEARS AGO</strong>

    Maria was in her bedroom with her servants brushing her beautiful long and blonde hair.

    "Your hair is very beautiful mydy." The servant said.

    "I have never cut it." Maria said. "I had always dreamed that my husband would be the one to put flowers in them when I married".

    Maria had just turned eighteen and she had been mated to Alpha Bale who was the Alpha of the moonlight pack .

    It was like a dreame true.

    He was the kindest man she had ever met and so handsome.

    His family had unfortunately died in ident and he had been forced to take over the pack as their Alpha.

    Never in her wildest dreams had she thought that she would be the Luna of a pack.

    Her father had been a simple Beta wolf and yes she had always known she was destined for greatness and a life of wealth, she had never believed that she would achieve such a height.

    She heard the Be ring and she jumped up.

    "Those bells are they not indicate that my husband has returned?" She asked the servants.

    They curtseyed. "Yes your majesty."

    And then she abandoned what she was doing and fled down to the balcony where sure enough he wasing with his entourage .

    She squealed in excitement as she ran as fast as legs could take her.

    She gathered her skirts to avoid falling down and the servants where shocked to see the newdy of the castle running bare feet to see her husband.

    And then when she finally reached the castle grounds her cheeks were red and her breathing was uneven.

    She had recently turned to her wolf so she was still new and unused to even running.

    "Bale." She screamed in delight.

    He turned around from his horse and then she jumped on him throwing him a hug.

    "I had missed you." She said through the hug.

    He held her warmly. "So had I."

    And then she finally let go and he gently set her down to her feet after almost two minutes of holding so tight to him.

    And then she held his cheeks and kissed him.

    "Your hair is wild." He said as he touched a loose hair strands.

    She realized how udy like she had behaved and she started to stutter .

    "Forgive me my lord. I am not in a good situation to wee you." She said filled with shame.

    He gave a hearty and genuineugh. "And who said I did not like it?"

    She looked up at him shock and a happy beam spread up across her face.

    And then it was tenn that she took note of something beside him.

    Someone beside him.

    It was like a dark cloud that hade over her bright sun and her face fell instantly.

    It was the most beautiful woman she had ever seen.

    She had a perfectly carved face.

    Her hair was red and frizzled and seemed to be full and fire.

    On Anyone else it would have been hideous but on her it made her stunning.

    She had sharp green eyes and beautifulshes.

    Her cheeks were red and natural in contrast to Maria��s which had been powdered with make up.

    She had full pink lips and just like unlike Maria��s again, they were an exact contrast to hers that had been painted with make up.

    She had on a very simple dress that a servant would wear, but it seemed that it made it look like a queen��s.

    It made her curves be more obvious.

    She had a full bosom and on top of it was an emerald ne.

    Maria had no idea how long she had been gawking at this beautiful woman that made her insides twist and her insecurities grow from within.

    "Maria." Bale said and she snapped back to reality.

    "Oh." She mumbled to herself and she apologized. "Forgive me my lord my mind was elsewhere."

    He gave a genuine smile and said.

    "It is alright."

    "Who is this?" Maria said and a hint of vivid jealousy could be heard in her tone.

    "Forgive my manners. I did not introduce her to you. This." He said turning to the woman. "Is..."

    And then it seemed as if he had forgotten her name and the woman spoke for the first,pleting his sentence for her. "Red. My name is red mydy. Please to meet your acquaintance."

    Maria wanted to lose her mind.

    Her voice was melodic as if mixed with pierced symphony.

    As if the see nymphs who sand the most beautiful melodies themselves would be extremely jealous.

    And the way she had even curtseyed.

    There was something about It.

    It dispelled royalty, it dispelled Elite, high ss.

    Maria was so jealous she wanted to lose her mind.

    "Yes, Red." Bale quickly said. "Red is from a rogue pack. Her family had been attacked by one of my enemies and then she was a survivor. I decided to take her in to our pack as a servant."

    Maria eyed the woman up and down unable to even believe it.

    "May I ask what you were whilst you lived with your family before they were butchered?" Maria said adding the word butchered in such a callous and intentional manner

    She did not notice Bale frown at her use of words.

    "Oh mydy. I was simply living with them. I took care of the goats and sheep and my family��s home." Red said with a smile.

    Even her smile made Maria FURIOUS!

    She had perfect white teeth.

    What? What was the one thing that this woman did not have?

    "She will be here with us. She has been through a lot out there." Bale said.

    "His lordship saved my life." Red said.

    Maria wanted to murder her at the spot!

 Chapter 301: THE QUEEN’s CHAMBERS

    <h4>Chapter 301: THE QUEEN��s CHAMBERS</h4>

    Maria stood there transfixed and unable to say a word.

    "I see." She said .

    But she did not see anything.

    At all.

    Rather she was green with envy and deceit.

    The need to tear and rip, ze and Destroy, but she simply stood where she was unable to do anything.

    Soon her rash excitement to greet her husband was ovee with shame in herself.

    And then Bale cleared his throat and said. "Well I need to show Red her room."

    And he walked past her with him indicating that Red go beside him.

    Maria was too shocked to saw a word.

    She felt like a fool and her cheeks went rosy.

    She turned and saw that everyone had noticed what happened.

    She swallowed and put her head up on her shoulder just like her mother he taught her.

    No one should ever see her emotions.

    So she followed them behind even though she had not been asked to.

    "Your pack is beautiful." Red said.

    He smiled back at her and said. "I hate being far away from home because of it��s beauty. It is the only thing that reminds me of that safe harmony when I was young and under my parents."

    Maria felt a sharp pain pierce through her heart.

    He had never told her that before.

    But yet here was telling a mere servant

    And worse, she hated the fact that he was saying his hated leaving not because of her but because of this ugly castle.

    She was so furious she jumped into the conversation.

    "Darling you must have had a tiring journey." She said. "You should rest. The servants set up a lovely bath and I changed the floral scents. You would love it. After that avish meal will be served."

    "Huh?" He said not sure what he heard and then he said. "Oh of course honey. But I need to take Red to her room."

    Maria wanted to scream .

    Since when did he personally take servants or ves to their own rooms?

    Was it not the same servant room as all the other servants?

    Why was she any different.

    Then she put her arm on his shoulder.

    "My lord." She said. "Why not let the guards take her to the servant��s quarters as usual."

    He shook his head. "No. Red suffered enough, she has been through a very tiring journey, I will see to it that I personally take her to her bedroom chambers. It will not be long."

    And then he went on to join them ahead.

    She sighed heavily.

    Wait? Did he just say her bedroom chambers?

    And then she had no choice but to follow behind.

    And then a door was opened to an extremelyvish bedroom fit for a princess.

    Even their bedroom was not as good as this?

    The closet wasrge and magnificent.

    The bed, she knew was soft andfortable without even climbing it.

    There was a beautiful rug carpet that she was sure if she stepped her toes inside, then she would feel sent to heaven.

    Every single thing about the bedroom was stunning.

    It was only fit for a Queen.

    "How do you like this?" He asked Red who was looking around and seemed to be as shocked at him.

    Red looked around with a heavy gasp and when her eyes finally made it to ground level she made contact with Maria was ring at her.

    "This is..." Red said unable to even finish her own sentence. "I have no words."

    Maria wanted to scream and demand why a servant was given such a bedroom.

    She began to feel her emotions filled with rage and jealousy.

    It was no obvious to her that there was something amiss.

    That she was more than just a servant.

    Because why the hell would he even do this?

    It made no sense.

    None!

    But Maria knew her limits.

    She knew that she could not disrespect him in front of his men.

    It was very udylike and as she hade to know a lot of alpha��s hated it when they were disregarded.

    "You like it?" He asked. "I made sure that the head house keeper did something special for you."

    Maria was burning red.

    The guards were looking at her and it seemed they were all taking notice.

    Even Red.

    All except for Bale himself.

    "It is wonderful. Fit for a Queen." Red managed.

    And it seemed those words made him even more excited.

    "Exactly!" He said in delight as he pped his hands together.

    It was as if the reference to her as a Queen only made him happy.

    "But my lord." She said with a modesty that Maria loathed. "I can not ept this. It is wonderful and perfect. But I am no Queen or any of such birth. I am a mere servant and I do please ask of you that I be given the same room with the servants."

    Maria even though she hated the fact that the witch had been modest and tried to portray herself as a good person, she was delighted that she had declined the offer.

    Bale just stood there unable to say a word.

    "Perhaps my lord she is right." Maria then chipped in. "She is a servant and she needs to know her ce."

    He ignored Maria and then said. "I assume you do not like it then."

    "No my lord." Red pleaded. "It is wonderful. Any girl would wish to stay in such a ce. I have dreamed of such a ce my entire life But it is not for me. Rather it would be fit for your mate."

    Bale frowned. "She has enough already. This is me giving you this."

    And Maria beamed in anger at the fact that he had spoken about her in such a callous manner because of her.

    Now she wanted to dly point the finger and say it was all her fault.

    She knew it already.

    She knew that this was her worst enemy

 Chapter 302: MARIA’S TANTRUM

    <h4>Chapter 302: MARIA��S TANTRUM</h4>

    "And I dly appreciate the offer my lord." Red said. "But there are so many other servants like me who had suffered cruel fates. I am no different. Please understand where I aming from my lord."

    All the pleading, all the pretense and all the fake attitudes of being genuine and modest only made Maria more jealous and enraged.

    she turned and saw that all who were in the room had seen how he had barely even regarded her and then felt it was shame and then rage.

    "So what would you desire?" He asked her.

    She shook her head. "Something simple my lord. Not too much. Something that regr servant would have."

    He seemed to be deep in thought and no one said anything.

    Eventually he sighed heavily and gave in.

    "Alright." He said. "But I will give you a room not with the other servants. A simple room as you have said."

    Red curtseyed. "Thank you my lord. I am truly grateful."

    Maria who had had enough of it would have loved to storm out of the room.

    But because of her decorum and because she knew better, she simply curtseyed and said.

    "My lord." She said. "I would please like to see that I attend to other matters of the pack."

    He nodded barely even acknowledging her presence.

    It further fueled her anger and rage to Red.

    She carried her head well over her shoulders and then put her nose in the air as she trooped out unable to stand what was urring.

    She stormed towards her bedroom chamber and came across Bernice, who was the head house keeper.

    "Mydy." Bernice curtseyed.

    It further fueled her anger.

    She was looking for somewhere to dispel her rage.

    Her anger and frustration and so she grabbed Bernice��s arm and hauled her around and gave her a very dirty p.

    Bernice and the other servants who had been passing around gasped.

    They had never ever seen the new Luna of the pack behave in such a manner.

    She was all always sweet and smiles.

    The truth was Maria was an up tight and self righteous and horrid young girl.

    She simply concealed her true self because she had moved to a new family.

    But now that the cat has been let out of the bag, all hell had finally broken loose and now they all saw her for who she was.

    "How dare you?!" She barked. "The Alpha addressed you on quarters for a servant before hand and you kept it away from me?! I am the wife and Luna of this pack! How dare you keep such secret for me."

    Bernice who had been seemingly very shocked and in absolute disbelief held her hand to her burning cheek.

    "Mydy." She said. "Servant? I do not understand."

    Maria red at her further enraged.

    "What?! Are you now calling me a liar?" She demanded.

    She was so angry that her face was red and her hair was sticking on her body.

    She began to growl and show her wolf teeth.

    Bernice shuddered in fear

    "No I am not mydy." Bernice said and then quickly fell to her knees. "Please forgive me your majesty."

    And then Bernice began to speak so fast at once."

    "I made no reservations for a servant mydy. It was his lordship who had told me to make reservations for a woman of high birth and an elite status. He had told me to make it something befitting of a Queen." Bernice wept.

    Maria felt further insulted.

    So he had truly given the order and he had even referred to her as a woman of high birth.

    She was enraged.

    "Still! How dare you not tell me! I am certain that he sent a raven ahead of time." She snapped at her. "Who are you to not inform me? When I am the Luna of this pack! How dare you you filth!"

    "Please forgive me mydy. I made a terrible mistake and it is one I will never make again." Bernice pleaded for her life so scared and shaken.

    "Get up you fool!" Maria snapped. "For this you will be severely punished! I will see to it that you are punished! And make no such mistake ever in your life again if you want to even have one! If anything happens! If you are told of anything! You are to report to me directly! Do you understand me!"

    "Yes mydy. Yes mydy." Bernice said visibly shaken.

    And then Maria stormed off into her room.

    Once she stepped in, she mmed the door shut behind her and her maids in waiting jumped up confused.

    "Mydy. Is everything alright?"

    "What is the matter?"

    "Are you fine?"

    These were the words of concern they spoke to her but she was in too much of a rage to even listen to them.

    "Get out! GET OUT ALL OF YOU!" She screamed using her wolf��s voice and then she broke a mirror.

    The girls screamed and ran away and Maria threw herself down on her bed and began to weep uncontrobly.

    Just in a split second and she had lost everything.

    She had lost her dignity to an absolute nothing that her husband had said was a mere servant but had told the house keeper that she was of noble birth fit to be a Queen .

    What were he odds that he had lied to her?

    And eventually showed her that she was not just a mere servant to him.

    After she had bawled her eyes out she sat on the bed and looked at the mirror.

    She got up to her feet and took a good look at herself at the mirror.

    Why did she look like a mess?

    Her? The new Luna of the moonlight pack.

    She had finally gotten what she wanted and now here she was wiping like a pathetic baby

    Her mother would be disgusted!

    She wiped her tears immediately.

    This chapter is updated by freew(e)bnovel.(c)om

 Chapter 303: DISASTER DINNER

    <h4>Chapter 303: DISASTER DINNER</h4>

    She took in a very deep breath and gathered her thoughts together.

    She had made it a long way to be here.

    She was not going to let just anyone take over her spot.

    This was where she belonged.

    Her mother has always said that a woman must maintain poise and stance.

    And you are never to show your emotions.

    Not once or your enemies will find you predictable.

    And this so called Red, was now dered her enemy.

    She washed her face to wipe off any trace of her tears and when she was done, she went back to her mirror and made her face up.

    She brushed her hair perfectly and took in her appearance in the mirror.

    She looked as if nothing happened.

    No single trace of emotions to show her displeasure for what had transpired.

    And then she marched out of the room.

    Her maids in waiting were all standing by her door.

    They had been waiting for her order and since she had not dismissed them fully, they still waited for her.

    She put her head well up on her shoulder and then said.

    "Clean the room." She instructed.

    They curtseyed and she went off.

    She went down to the Kitchens and saw the head cook.

    "My husband has arrived." She announced to all the kitchen staff even though they all knew already. "I want a grand meal. Pork,mb, gravy, pie, bread, fruits, everything set for his dinner."

    And the workers set off to work.

    She tried to put her mind away from the woman who hade into their lives.

    So she focused on inspecting the food and wine that would be prepared.

    She was the Luna of this pack and after her husband was her.

    No one else.

    This was her home.

    And she rather the devil kill her than for a nobodye and take her ce.

    Finally the food was ready and then Maria gathered herself and walked into her bedroom hoping to find her husband there .

    She frowned in annoyance when she only saw her serving girls still cleaning up her room

    "Where is my husband?" Maria stopped short whilst her hand was at her ear tugging at her earrings.

    "He has yet to return mydy." They replied.

    Maria was not happy.

    "But you were supposed to inform him that the water for his bath was ready." She said.

    "We did your majesty. But he has yet to arrive."

    Maria sighed in annoyance.

    Where could he be?

    She sighed na shad her bath.

    And then wore a lovely evening dress and made her face up again.

    Her girls dressed her hair and filled them up with lovely flowers to match the color of her dress.

    Once she was sure she looked beautiful and radiant, she rose up to her feet and marched down to the dinner hall.

    She was greeted by the servants and guards by the way who allplimented that she looked beautiful .

    And for a while, she forgot all about Red and the trouble she had encountered earlier in the day.

    The doors to the dinner hall was opened for her and she stepped in all smiles.

    It all came crashing down when she was that people were already dining on the table.

    She gasped in disbelief.

    It was supposed to be with her husband settled before he eventually allowed them all to join in the meal.

    They wereughing, drinking, eating, chatting and music was ying.

    She was horrified.

    How dare they?

    It seemed that they had been eating and at it way long before she even got here.

    Perhaps when she was having her bath.

    And then she turned and saw her own husband seated on his seat at the head of the table.

    And then right beside him, to his right, on her very own seat was the whore he has brought.

    She wasughing and had on a different dress that showed her very nice cleavage.

    A cleavage that she would never had.

    She screwed her face up in shock and horror as she saw Redughing and chatting with Bale.

    She saw Red touch his arm as they discussed and Maria wanted to rip the bitch��s face apart.

    How dare she?!

    How dare they all?

    Without a care to the world she marched straight to wards them.

    She cleared her throat but they seemed to not even notice her presence.

    Even though she stood right before them .

    They went on chatting andughing as if she were never even present.

    "I beg your pardon." She said loud enough for them to hear and still trying her best to control her anger.

    It was Bale who looked up first and Red followed.

    "Oh. Maria." He said all smiles and his world��s slurred.

    It was obvious that he was drunk.

    "I had been wondering when you were going to join the party." He said as he sipped more wine.

    "I had been making preparations for the dinner and went back to our matrimonial bedroom getting ready." She said with a very obvious tone of rage.

    "Your food tastes lovely mydy." Red said.

    Maria ignored and pretended she had not heard her.

    And then Maria turned to him sharply. "Where have you been? I had been worried sick about you."

    "Red was keeping mepany whilst she settled into her chambers." He said. "She had a tale or two for me."

    Maria red at Red who noticed everything and looked down at her hands .

    "And you started the dinner without me?" She asked hurt in her voice.

    "Forgive me." Bale said gently. "I was famished. Red did say it would not be proper for us to eat without you, but my tummy was more demanding."

    Maria ignored the obvious show to indicate that Red had been on her side .

    "She is a servant." Red said. "What is she doing in this table? This table is meant for the elite, us, our men, she is an outsider and and a servant for that Matter."

    Red flinched at her words and Maria reveled in joy to see that she had made her flinch.

    Follow current novels on freewe(b)novel.c(o)m

 Chapter 304: A VIOLENT PARTHER

    <h4>Chapter 304: A VIOLENT PARTHER</h4>

    "Maria." Bale said in annoyance. "You are not to say things like that."

    Maria fumed. "She is a servant and she knows her ce. How dare she sit down with the rest of us? A bloody servant."

    Bale seemed very annoyed and Maria knew she was testing dangerous waters but she didn��t really care anymore.

    "She sat down here because I was the one who asked her to." Bale said obviously with a irritated tone

    Maria saw Red shift ufortably on her seat and was brimming in anger.

    "And without me?" Maria blurted out.

    "I apologize." Bale said. "She was famished and tired. I insisted that shee and have some meal. She protested but I insisted. I said you wouldn��t mind."

    Maria wanted to explode and lose her mind all at once.

    She just stood there transfixed and uncertain of what exactly to say.

    "Please stay and eat." Bale said to Maria.

    Maria red her nostrils at Red who was simply picking at her table.

    Maria wanted to demand why he had told the head house keeper that a woman of noble birth would be living with them, but she swallowed it down.

    She stood hoping that Red would move from her seat.

    When she made no indications that she was going to, Maria spoke up. "And where shall I sit?"

    Red looked around ufortable and started to rise up.

    But Bale stopped her.

    "No stay." And then he turned to Maria. "It is just for tonight. She has been through a lot, sit by my left."

    Maria wanted to scream .

    She swallowed down the steam boiling in her head and then did as he had asked.

    Unfortunately for her, the first seat by his left was already taken by his second inmand.

    And then another.

    It was the third seat that was avable for her.

    She sat down, but she was a bit far from him.

    Her appetite was already gone as she watched her husband and mateughing with a woman who made her so insecure.

    She yed with her food unable to say a word and then it seemed Bale and Red were having a conversation about her

    And then Bale said. "She makes this pack the best."

    And then Red turned to her. "Mydy I am

    Highly honored to be seated at this table. The meal Is quite delicious."

    Maria had no idea when she blurted out. "I was not the one who invited you to this table. And the meal? Tell that to the chef."

    Red��s face fell and Bale��s became a mask of thunder.

    "Maria." He hissed.

    But she ignored because she had already begun speaking.

    "Quite frankly I do not even want you on this table or in this pack at all." Maria said.

    Red��s face became red and was unable to saw a word.

    "I should leave." Red said.

    "Maria." Bale hissed once again.

    Maria ignored her husband and snorted at Red. "Yes you should leave. You are not wanted and you do not belong here."

    "MARIA THAT IS ENOUGH!" This time Bale banged his fists on the table so hard that everyone jumped.

    And it seemed everyone had been waiting for the moment for a scene to ur because they all went hush.

    Even the music stopped.

    Then Bale turned to look at Maria.

    "Imanded that you stop why did you disobey me." Bale said as he rose up to his feet.

    "Look at her. She is trying to steal my ce." Maria hissed pointing at Red with malice. "How dare she juste from nowhere and try to take what belongs to me."

    "What belongs to you?" An enraged Bale demanded. "I had told you that her entire family had been massacred and she had lost everything in the most cruel way. She had been unhappy until we saved her and all I had asked was to keep herpany. Have you no heart forpassion?"

    It was with that statement that Maria realized where she had gone wrong.

    The servants all had their eyes on her .

    They were not saying words but she knew what they were thinking in their mind.

    That kind and gentle persona of her they had, had vanished from their minds.

    She had been able to win their hearts by pretending to be kind and gentle.

    Now that they knew who she was, they saw her for who she truly was.

    Maria turned and red at the bitch Red in anger.

    It was all her fault that all of this was happening.

    It was her miserable fault that she had argued with her husband.

    The ugly bitch was to me.

    "I have a heart. And there is a limit to what I can take." Maria started. "I have been humiliated from the moment that she stepped her foot inside this-

    Maria stopped short when she noticed something for the first time.

    She took a closer look at the dress that Red was wearing.

    Why?

    Why did that look so familiar?

    She looked closely at the tapestry and embroidery done on the dress and she gasped in absolute shock.

    "Is that my DRESS you are wearing?" She demanded of Red.

    Red looked down at the beautiful dress and her eyes went back to Maria.

    Her eyes said it all.

    Maria��s eyes went red with anger and disappointment even in the dress that it looked better on her that it ever had on her.

    "Where did you get that dress from?" Maria demanded through her tight gritted teeth.

    "I gave her." Bale cut in. "It was amongst the dresses that you had decided to give out. So I had the house keeper pack it up for her."

    The betrayal was too much.

    How could he have done this without telling her!

    And that bloody house keeper again!

    She snared at Red. "Take of that dress this instant before I beat the life out of you."

    Perhaps they all believed that she was simple threatening her, or they were still shocked at her sudden change of

    Behavior no one moved an inch.

    It was until Maria marched to Red and gave her a dirty p and began pulling at her dress.

 Chapter 305: YOU BETTER HOPE NOTHING HAPPENS TO HER

    <h4>Chapter 305: YOU BETTER HOPE NOTHING HAPPENS TO HER</h4>

    "I said take it off you stupid whore!" Maria said as she hurled ps at Red whilst she dragged at the dress.

    It was a scene that has shocked everyone.

    It was happening all too fast.

    Maria gave her more ps as Red struggled to gainposure.

    Maria ripped at the front police of the dress, purposely because she hated how the dress had showed Red her marvelous cleavage and she had look t chested like a pan when she had worn it.

    "I will show you never to mess with me."

    Maria swore. "I will send you back to the pits of hell and when you get there, I will join you and give you a good beating."

    And then all of a sudden, Maria felt someone grab her arm.

    She was spun around and came to face the monstrous and anger filled face of Bale.

    She knew it wasing but she did not think that he would bestow it on her.

    He gave her a dirty p and she fell to the floor like a piece of paper.

    They all gasped, shocked at what had just happened.

    Someone had been so shocked that he mistakenly lost his footing and his elbow hit a piano that it made a deep tone as if in rhythm to the events.

    Maria held her cheek and looked up at Bale shocked that he had humiliated her in front of everyone.

    She was too stunned to even believe it.

    He rose his hand again ready to hit her and then Maria pushed her face away to his and wait for the impact, but it never came.

    By the time she looked up, she saw that Red was on her knees pleading and begging him.

    "Please. I beg you. Do not hit her. She is your wife and your mate." Red said. "This is all my fault. Please just stop."

    Bale stood frozen in time ring at Maria who had heart in her mouth.

    And then his hand gently came down to his side.

    Maria could not believe that he had listened to the whore.

    The whore has changed his mind!

    That was something Maria had tried times and times without number, but he had never for once buffed.

    And then Bale pointed at Maria. "I did this only for her. Remember that."

    Those words were so chilling down Maria��s spine that she would have preferred the p.

    To see that her mate had openly chosen another woman over her.

    And then Red almost fell down to the floor weakly.

    But Bale caught her right before it.

    He held her and picked her up in his arms.

    Her arms dangled to the side and Maria realized that she had passed out.

    "Get her quarters ready." Bale said to his gamma. "And send for the physician. Tell her toe quickly."

    And then Bale turned to Maria and said. "You better hope that nothing happens to her."

    And with that, he walked away, leaving a tear stricken Maria weeping on the floor.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    By the time Maria had returned to her bedroom, she was extremely tired and exhausted.

    She weakly changed into her night dress.

    Her servants knew better than toe close to her so they went far away from her.

    She was restless and unable to even sleep for a while.

    Bale did not join her in the bedroom while she was awake and all she could think of was how the bitch was in his arms.

    She wished for the bitch to be dead and never wake up and yet when she remembered his words that she should hope nothing happened to her, she began to shiver in fear and pray for her to be alive.

    Because now that Bale had shown that she had no hold over him, she feared what he might even do ti her if she died.

    She was at a crossroads.

    Have her dead and be rid of her for life or have her dead and probably have Bale send Maria to meet her.

    She feared her husband terribly now.

    Eventually she fell asleep.

    The next morning when she woke up stretched her hand to his side of the bed, to see if he was there.

    But it was empty.

    He had not spent the night with her.

    Perhaps he had spent the night with his new mistress or perhaps he was preparing to murder her because Red was dead

    She started to think of what was going to happen to her when she heard the doors m open .

    She jerked up and gathered her dress to make sure she was modest.

    She started toin on who had dared barge in. "I had said no servants are to be allowed insid-

    She stopped speaking when she saw that it was none other Bale himself.

    She closed her mouth and stared at him .

    He said nothing, barely even noticing her.

    "My lord." She said. "You were not in our bed."

    He took off his tunic and said carelessly. "I wished to be alone."

    At least he was even talking to her.

    That was something at least .

    She wanted to speak more when there was a knock at the door.

    He went to the door himself and opened it.

    The servants came in with buckets of hot and cold water and headed straight to his bath.

    She heard as they turned it and then they eventually trooped out.

    The door shut and she knew that it was he and her left alone.

    Her heart was beating so fast she was terrified of him.

    She watched as he pulled down his breeches and walked to the bathing chamberspletely naked.

    Instincts told her to follow him and she did.

    She got up from the bed very gently and went to see him already inside the water and his head at the rim of the bath.

    He seemed to be taking a nap and when she was about to leave he opened his eyes.

    "What?"

 Chapter 306: MONSTER MATE

    <h4>Chapter 306: MONSTER MATE</h4>

    She jumped up in fright at how quickly he had responded to her.

    "My lord." She said.

    He closed back his eyes and rested his head well at the rim of the pool.

    "I asked you a question." He said. "What is it?"

    She started to stutter and speak at once. "M..my lor...d." she said. "You didn��te to bedst night."

    "After your behaviorst night, you expected me to spend the night with you?" He asked.

    Before she even had the chance to respond, he spoke for her.

    "By the Gods." He said. "If I had in fact spent the night here, the fury of my wolf would have known no bounds and you probably still won��t have your head in tact with your body."

    She touched her neck and swallowed.

    "I apologize for my behavior." She managed.

    But he did not even respond to her, which simply meant that he did not ept her apology.

    "Is she alright?" She asked. "The woman."

    Maria was now praying she was dead and she was alive at the same time

    He was quiet for a while and then said.

    "Why so that you can finish her off if she is alive or so that you can rejoice you killed an innocent woman?" He asked her. "Sorry to burst your bubble but she is alive."

    Maria sighed in relief and in annoyance at the same time .

    "Thank the Gods." Maria said falsely.

    As if He could read through her lie, he turned around and faced her.

    "Do not speak of the gods when you almost aplished the greatest evil of all time." He snapped at her. "Why the bloody hell did you do what you did yesterday? What fucking got into your head."

    He got up to his feet not minding his nakedness.

    "She is a woman that you saved and supposed to live as a servant. But yet you treat her like she is royalty. You disregarded me in front of her and you offered her a chamber much bigger than ours. You mocked me in front of everyone." She exined herself.

    "Still that was no reason for you to have attacked her the way you did." He hissed.

    "You even lied to me." She blurted out.

    "What?" He asked confused.

    "Yes." She nodded. "You lied to me. You told me that she was only a servant and yet you told the bloody house keeper to prepare a room fit for a Queen!"

    He looked at her and an expression she did not understand was well written on his face.

    "You went to badger Bernice?"

    He said in utter disbelief.

    Her mouth dropped open and then she closed it back unable to say a word.

    "You went to badger her so much she was forced to tell you the truth isn��t it?" Bale demanded.

    "I did not badger her." Maria expressed. "I was simply trying to have her tell me why she did not tell me when you wereing. I have every right to."

    "So you what? Forced the truth out of her? Beat it just like you had done to our guest?" He demanded.

    She gasped at him.

    "You call her our guest?! She is a bloody servant who is trying to take away my family and life from me." Maria stomped her feet like a spoiled child. "And you lied to me. You told me that she was a servant and you told the house keeper that she was a woman of noble birth."

    "How is that any of your business?" He demanded. "How is what I tell the house keeper any of your business at all?"

    "Because I am your wife?" Maria said enraged.

    "Don��t you dare tell me what to do." He stepped out of the bath and walked up to her his finger pointed well at her.

    She felt a shiver down at her spine.

    But she maintained her head and pointed her nose up in the air and asked. "Who is she? Your slut? If you have her as your mistress then so be it. After all every man loves to see other women outside. I hardly believe that you will be any different. But I will not have you humiliate me in the open.

    Not in my front where I can see it and everyone willugh at me. Do you have any idea what must be going through the minds of the servants now?"

    He looked at her.

    His face was weak and sad.

    It was as if he had just seen who she truly was in the inside and outside .

    "That is all you care about?" He asked her. "What people say about us. Not what happens to us. But what others think of us."

    She looked at him as she breathed hard.

    He shook his head and paced the room as his hand massaged his face.

    His hand on his waist and he did not care for his nudity.

    He gave in heavy sigh and looked at her.

    "I can not believe that I had an entirely different perspective of you." He said. "I married you thinking you were someone else. And I just realized how wrong I was. Hell I don��t even know who you are."

    He sighed heavily

    "You are my wife. And that is all that you are to me." He spat. "I thought you had some sense, some decency. But apparently I was wrong."

    Then he red at her. "You are going to meet Red and apologize to her for everything you did to her."

    "I will do no such thing." She said even though she was scared.

    He mad a growl.

    And her wolf instantly stood stiff obeying him.

    And then he walked up to her.

    "You will find Red and you will apologize to her and you would never do anything like that or I will throw you out and make sure that even after I reject you, no one will ever even look to marry or mate with you again?"

    Her eyes were gathered with tears.

    "Do you understand?" He asked in her ears.

    She nodded and then he walked out of the bath chambers.

    She burst into tears immediately he had gone.

 Chapter 307: SAND VALLEY INTRUDER

    <h4>Chapter 307: SAND VALLEY INTRUDER</h4>

    Maria was unfortunate because Bale had not told her where her bedroom was.

    So she had to ask around.

    It was already humiliating enough now having to ask her own maids.

    After a number of times trying to ask and dismissing it.

    She finally found out.

    She didn��t want to go but Bale��s threat had been so open and she was terrified.

    She knew that he was going to execute it and he had refused to tell her who Red was to him.

    She sighed as she stood at the door of the bedroom.

    It was not as grand as the first one was, thank the Goddess.

    But still she knew that it was not like a regr servant��s quarters.

    She sighed in and almost knocked at the door when she stopped herself.

    She was being forced to apologize, not being forced to behave well.

    She shook her hair over her shoulders and pushed the door open rudely.

    Red jumped up and Maria stepped in.

    Red who seemed to be dressing quickly pulled a robe around herself .

    Maria thought she had noticed a weird bump but it was gone so fast that she was not so sure again.

    Red wrapped the robe around herself.

    "Mydy." Red curtsied.

    Maria who was still staring at what she was not sure she had seen,pletely was unaware of the greeting.

    "Lady Maria?" Red rose a brow.

    "What?" Maria snapped at her.

    "You barged in and you are just standing there looking at me. Is everything alright? Do you need me to offer you anything?" Red asked.

    "Oh I am not sure. I thought I saw something." Maria said still eying her.

    She sighed and shook her head. "Forget about it."

    And then Maria eyed Red and got back to business.

    "I came to see you." Maria said. She folded her arms and looked her up and down. "I came to apologize for my behavior."

    Red looked at her suspiciously.

    "You came to apologize for your behavior?" Red asked.

    The guts of the woman to even speak to her like that.

    "Yes!" Maria snapped at her.

    Red looked her up and down and said. "I forgive you."

    Maria was relived she wanted to get out of this room.

    She made a quick survey of the room. Taking in the little furnitures inside.

    A nice andfortable bed that was more than enough for a mere servant.

    There was a lovely dresser and chair attached with a mirror hanging on the wall.

    There were art works on the wall

    A nice soft rug on the floor.

    A beautiful and simple cupboard and she finally spotted a small but lovely balcony.

    She walked up to it and saw that the view was breathtaking.

    Even she who lived in the pack as Luna had no idea that such a room existed .

    She was green with envy and she wanted it for herself too.

    And then she returned back to the room.

    She looked around and clicked her tongue.

    "Who are you?" Maria asked.

    "I beg your pardon?" Red asked.

    "I said who are you?" Maria demanded irritated. "You are not a servant. There is no way my husband will give you all this if you are who you both im to be."

    "He is only kind to me."

    "Enough of the lies!" Maria snapped. "Enough of the fucking lies. What? You are his mistress now? You are fucking him now?"

    Red��s face fell and Maria hated the fact that she did not look ugly.

    Rather she even looked more beautiful.

    "Your husband is a good man. I will never dream of taking someone else��s lover. He is kind and he is only helping me because I need a ce to stay. I was saved by him. You should be proud of him." Red said with a willful smile.

    Maria was irritated and annoyed. "Don��t lie to me. Tell me the entire truth."

    "I swear to you that there is nothing going on between me and you-

    And then Red stopped talking.

    Maria frowned.

    Red gently touched her throat and swallowed.

    "Excuse me." Red said.

    Maria eyed her closely.

    And then Red cleared her throat. "I am fine now."

    "Are you sure?" Maria asked closely.

    "Yes I am-

    And Red proceeded to make sounds like she was about to throw up.

    She quickly covered her mouth and Maria was quick to look a way in disgust.

    "Eeww. Do not throw up in front of me!"

    Maria hissed at her. "Go somewhere. Shoo!"

    And then Red hurriedly rushed to her bath chamber.

    Maria followed her and found out that she did in fact have a bath chamber of her own!

    Could you imagine that!

    She saw Red throwing up in her chamber pot and quickly turned her face away in disgust.

    She stood at the door of the chamber room and held her nose to keep the fowl stench away.

    After about five minutes while she was still at it, Maria had enough and went to the bedroom itself.

    She sat on a chair.

    And then Red came back.

    She still looked as beautiful as ever and it hurt Maria so bad.

    "I apologize for that." Red said.

    "What is wrong with you?" Maria eyed suspiciously.

    "Nothing I have just been feeling unwell. It is the journey I suspect and change of weather. It is quite different from where Ie from." Red replied with a smile.

    "Where are you from?" Maria asked.

    "Oh from the sand valley."

    "The sand valley?" Maria asked in disbelief. "That is far far away from us here. What took my husband there?"

    "No I mean I was kidnapped from the sand valley. It was my home and then brough here. That was when your husband found me and saved me from my carports. Everything is so different here" Red looked around.

    The stench of the puke overwhelmed Maria and took away any sense of reasoning.

    "I don��t care. Stay away from my husband. You do not want to mess with me." Maria said and with that she stormed off

 Chapter 308: PREGNANT

    <h4>Chapter 308: PREGNANT</h4>

    A couple of weeks after the new intruder had moved in, Maria had began to grow suspicious and still fight more and more for her territory.

    It was such a disgrace that she as the Luna T the pack was at odds with a mere ve.

    It infuriated her.

    She knew of course that she could not confront her husband because he wanted to hear absolutely nothing about it.

    She grew frequently angry with the other servants and no one wanted to cross her path.

    They all avoided her the best way possible .

    On the other hand Red was friendly and all smiles with them.

    They weed her, she worked andughed with them and it burned Maria to see that all she had worked hard for had simply gone in the blink of an eye.

    The woman was beautiful and everything she was not.

    Since Red��s arrival she had barely had the chance to sleep with her husband.

    Even though he was now much more frequently at home.

    He did not for raids andbat personally anymore.

    He sent his gamma and stayed more at home .

    At first Maria had been delighted that her husband was now spending more time at home and that meant that he would spend more time with her.

    But to he greatest horror, he barely even had any time for her.

    He was training and seeing to the pack and she highly suspected that he was even staying behind because he wanted to spend more time with Red.

    The one time she had tried to confront him, he had outright denied it and pointed out what she had done on Red��s first day in the house.

    So she poured her anger in the people she could and slowly began to reveal her tyrant self.

    One day she was marching past the halls to berate a kitchen staff for how she had handled Kitchen utensils when she passed by Red��s door.

    Something told her to stop and peek.

    The door itself was slightly opened.

    She hesitated for a moment and decided why not?

    Then she very gently walked to the door and put her ears.

    It was Red speaking with someone.

    Her gossip arose and she decided to do more and so quietly opened it a bit.

    She was shocked to find it was none other than her very own husband with Red.

    She froze but decided to still watch and overhear their conversation.

    "How do you feel?" He asked her.

    Red sighed heavily as she was seated on a chair and Bale was seated right across her pouring himself a drink like it was something he was used to.

    "Horrible." Red admitted weakly.

    "Which part?" He asked. "Your health or the new surroundings."

    Health? Maria wondered what did he mean by health.

    Redughed. "Both but the new surroundings in particr. I am worried about your wife."

    Maria stilled.

    Bale drank his wine and cleared his throat.

    "What about her?" He further asked.

    Red shook her head. "Everything. Can you not see she is angry and she has every right to be. I just came up from nowhere and now I am everywhere with her husband. She hates me."

    "She does not hate me." Bale said.

    Red rolled her eyes. "Please Bale."

    "She simply misunderstands you." He said.

    Red scoffed. "It is quite funny how men are blind to these things If I were in her shoes I will understand where she ising from. She hates me and nothing will change that. Worse if she finds out who I am then she will only hate me further. She is your wife, mate and Luna and I am just....."

    Bale grasped her hands tenderly.

    "You are everything to me." He finished for her.

    Maria��s heart broke into absolute pieces at his words. "I promised that I would protect and shield you. You willck nothing and I stand by that."

    Red shook her head. "This is dangerous Bale. This secrecy. I told you that you should put me to work like a servant or a ve. But no one really lets me work here. They are all extremely kind and turn down my advances when I offer to work."

    "And that is because I have told you not to work." He said. "Your condition is fragile and I expect you to not be stressed."

    What condition where they even both talking about?

    She shook her head and rose up to her feet and began to pace the room.

    "No Bale." She said. "It does not change anything. I came here because you were myst resort. If anyone finds out about us."

    "No one ever will." He said rising up from his seat himself and grasping her hands together with his.

    She was quiet for a while .

    "How long will this go on?" She asked him her voice breaking. "I don��t want to hide this. I want to be free."

    "And you will be." He promised. "It is just a matter of time".

    She said nothing more and then Maria saw him reach out to her and was wondering what he was about to do until his hand rested on her stomach.

    "And so how is the little on?" He asked with a gleaming smile.

    It was at that moment, at those spoken words that Maria felt her body shudder and her heart stop.

    She gasped heavily like she was lost for breath.

    It was as if something like ice had gone through her and pierced her entire soul.

    Red smiled. "She is fine."

    "She?" He asked.

    She nodded. "We always wanted a girl. So it��s going to be a girl."

    "We shall see." Bale said as he gently touched her stomach.

    Red looked at him and then they both looked down on her stomach.

    It all began to add up.

    The sickness, him bringing her to his house.

    Installing her as a woman of honor.

    She gasped and then ran away unable to hear anymore.

 Chapter 309: HATCHING A NEW PLAN

    <h4>Chapter 309: HATCHING A NEW PLAN</h4>

    Maria cried her eyes out at the turn of fate.

    Was it because she had not yet conceived?

    They had only been married a year and he had not really been able to mate with her because he had always been traveling .

    So was this now her fault?

    He had chosen to bed another woman and to make it worse he had gotten her pregnant.

    He had even brought her to the pack.

    Maria was furious hate filled her.

    Venom rage and anger.

    What was she going to do?

    She felt betrayed abused and angry.

    She felt humiliated.

    Her name was tainted her being was tainted.

    Her entire being was tainted.

    She hugged herself as she wept.

    She had no idea what exactly to do.

    After a while of weeping and being unable to sleep or eat, she decided to send for her mother.

    She had just finished writing the letter inviting her mother toe.

    But it was going to be a dy.

    And she needed to see her mother urgently.

    She sighed very heavily to herself and decided that she was going to go herself.

    She waved the servant away and got herself ready.

    She gathered a few of her bags and then went to find her husband .

    He was training with his men and she was furious that she had to pretend like she had no idea of what had happened.

    "My lord." She greeted.

    He was sweating and then he turned to her.

    "I desire to see my mother for a few days." She told him.

    "Is there any particr reason?" He asked.

    "She is a bit unwell and she misses me, so do I . I will like to see to her." She replied her hands by herself trying her best to keep her rage down.

    But he seemed to barely even notice anything.

    He nodded and waved his hands. "Of course. But whatever you wish for her and I��ll make sure that a good number of our men escort you and back when you return."

    She nodded numbly and turned away.

    Throughout the journey she wondered what her mother would tell her.

    She got to her home pack on the second day of the journey.

    Her mother had been very shocked to see her.

    "Maria!" She gasped. "What are you doing here?"

    "I had hoped that you would be more excited to see me mother." Mariained once she noted the hint of annoyance in her mother��s tone.

    "Of course I am." Her mother replied as she watched the servants carry her things inside the pack. "You should have just send word ahead of time to get me prepared."

    "There is nothing to be prepared mother. It is just me and that is it." She said. "if I am such an inconvenience to you then perhaps I should be on the way back."

    And Maria started to turn away.

    "Of course not." Her mother said holding her hand and cajoling her hand back. And she gave her a stiff smile. "I am very happy to see you. It makes me happy. Comee my dear. You must be exhausted and famished."

    After Maria had bathed and rested a bit she wasted no time in sitting with her mother and going to the matter at hand.

    "My husband is cheating on me." Maria stated.

    Her mother rolled her eyes as she sipped her tea. "Is that what has you all worked up? Because he simply cheated?"

    "He defied our matews and he is seeing another woman!" Maria cried.

    "All men cheat." Her mother snorted. "You think your father was loyal to me all his life? Of course not."

    Her mother cleared her throat and frowned heavily. "Is that why you came here? Because of a mere cheating scandal?"

    Maria said nothing.

    "My God." Her mother eximed irritated. "How stupid can you be? Do you realize that you traveling all the way toe see me and tell me that your husband cheated will send him further to the Arms of whatever whore it is. Apply Wisdom in whatever you do Maria."

    Maria sighed in heavily.

    She hated speaking to her mother because she was so much judgmental and could never be wrong.

    "He is sleeping with a ve." Maria blurted out.

    Her mother sighed and looked her up and down. "Our husbands would fuck a table of it had skirts on. Never ever expect more from a man."

    "She is pregnant." Maria said and that shut her mother up.

    Maria got up exasperated. "And he informed the servants that she is a woman of noble birth, gave her a bedroom, the bloody biggest in our pack. Even bigger than our room. He had invited her to eat at our dinner table. He treats her so well and in front of our servants. And he does not care about me."

    Her mother sipped her tea and Maria was baffled.

    "I traveled all this way for your help and you will not say anything?"

    Her mother sipped her tea calmly.

    And did not say a word until she was finished.

    Then she folded her arms and looked at Maria dead in the eye.

    "What you are telling me, is that a woman, a ve came from nowhere and is now assuming the role as your husband��s wife yes?" Her mother demanded.

    "He brought her to our pack barely two weeks ago. I had no say. I tried to confront him but he would not hear it." Mariained.

    "You have no idea on how to control your husband." Her mother said. "Someone, a mere ve came, someone who is way beneath your feet and yet she came and swooped your husband away from you."

    Maria started to argue and her mother rose her hands up indicating for her to shut up.

    And then her mother rose up from her feet and started to pace the room.

    "How many months is she?" She asked Maria.

    Maria shrugged. "I am not sure."

    "Perhaps there is still something we can do." Her mother said wickedly.

 Chapter 310: TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT

    <h4>Chapter 310: TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT</h4>

    By the time Maria returned back to the moonlight pack, she already had an idea of what she was going to do.

    She found him at the gardens ying chess with Red.

    She beamed in rage but remembered what her mother had told her and called down instantly.

    And then she faked a smile and walked up to him.

    "Honey." She greeted.

    He looked up and she gave her cheek for him to kiss.

    When he was about to kiss her cheek, she turned to face him, making him kiss her lips.

    "You are back safe and sound." He remarked. "I trust your journey went well."

    She smiled. "It was perfect. My mother sends her regards to you and appreciated the viftx

    He leaned back. "And her health? All is well?"

    She nodded. "All is well."

    Then she turned to Red who got up to curtsey.

    "Mydy wee back from your journey." Red said .

    "Thank you." Maria replied and then she turned back to face her husband. "I brought back some gifts for you, I was in the belief that you would like to see them".

    "Oh." Bale mumbled to himself. "Can I see themter?"

    She shook her head. "I am afraid not. It��s best you see it. And it is a surprise."

    He rose up from his feet and kissed her cheek and then he turned to Red.

    "Excuse me for a moment."

    And then with that he left.

    Red was about to rise up to her feet when Maria stopped her. "Sit back down."

    Red looked up at her and then eventually obeyed.

    Maria sighed in and then took the seat her husband had just left.

    Then she looked up at Red.

    "I know that you are fucking my husband." Maria said.

    Red��s eyes went open in shock.

    "I beg your pardon?" Red said.

    "I also know that you are pregnant for him." Maria said coldly.

    And Maria eyed the fur coat that concealed her pregnancy.

    Red rolled her eyes. "You are unbelievable."

    "Unbelievable for confronting the woman who came from nowhere to take my ce?" Maria gave a bitterugh and rolled her eyes. "You have absolutely no idea what I am."

    Maria waved her hand over Maria. "I do not know where my husband found you. But what I will not take is you openly prancing around like you own this ce. Like you belong here when in fact you don��t."

    "I am not sleeping with your husband." Red denied. "You have it all wrong. Bale is like a brother to me. Why would I sleep with him?"

    Maria threw her head back and started tough so hard tears cane out of her eyes.

    She wiped them away. "How rich of you to say that."

    And then Maria licked her bottom lips and said. "What? You are going to deny that you are not pregnant."

    Red��s facial expression changed.

    "I can have my guards strip you naked and reveal it to the world." Maria said.

    Red eyed her. "Yes, I am pregnant."

    Maria felt a pang in her chest.

    She already knew that Red was pregnant, but somewhere deep down in her hearts, she prayed that it was false.

    That it was all a lie.

    But hearing Maria say it with her own lips made her angry.

    Maria swallowed and suppressed her emotions.

    "But I am not pregnant for your husband. I will never take what belongs to someone else." Red promised.

    Maria gave a stiff smile. "How many months?"

    Red said nothing.

    "How many months?" Maria demanded.

    Red looked down at her stomach and touched it tenderly.

    "Six months." Red said as she looked down at herrge stomach tenderly.

    And then she smiled at her stomach as she rubbed it.

    Maria was filled with nothing but jealousy.

    It was supposed to be her!

    She was supposed to be the one with the the child and excited with her husband not this woman.

    Envy and rage filled herpletely.

    And then Red looked up at her and Maria took her face away and went straight to the matter at hand.

    "I will make a deal with you." Maria said. "You will take your things and leave this pack and never return. You will also write a letter to my husband telling him how much you miss wherever you came from and you can no longer stay here."

    "What makes you think I will take such a deal?" Red asked.

    "Because you will die if you do not." Maria said. "You and your unborn child. I promise you that if you stay here, you will regret the day you were born."

    Red sighed heavily. "Look. I know you don��t like me. And I don��t like you either. I don��t want to be here. It is your husband who has insisted that I stay here. My child does not belong to your husband. But circumstances are the reasons why I am here."

    "What sort of circumstances?" Maria asked.

    Red looked away. "I am afraid that is none of your business mydy. But I can assure you that I am not your husband��s lover neither is my baby his".

    "You stupid bitch." Maria said irritated as she rose up to her feet and eyes ten beautiful woman before her. "You have no intentions of ever leaving do you? You are going to stay here for the rest of your life and take away my ce."

    Redughed and held her stomach Maria was bewildered .

    "You think this is funny don��t you?" Maria demanded.

    "Yes." Red said. "Because you really think that I am interested in taking your ce. I have zero interest in being a Luna or the wife of a great alpha. I simply want a good ce for my child to live and if not for your husband I will be here."

    Maria looked at Red. "Will you take this deal yes or no?"

    Red looked at her and said. "No."

    Maria already fuming said. "Suit yourself and stormed off."

 Chapter 311: THE STOLEN JEWELRY

    <h4>Chapter 311: THE STOLEN JEWELRY</h4>

    Maria used the second alternative that her mother had informed if Red had declined her offer.

    Once she got to her bedroom, she made an invisible stitch on her husband��s favorite tunic.

    She knew how much he loved wearing it and she knew that it would be important to her cause.

    Her mother had given her a needle that was made of dark magic.

    Maria had never for once used dark magic, but her mother had dabbled in it.

    "Take this." Her mother said. "When the whore refuses to ept and leave the pack, you will use this needle to sew a strand of your husband��s hair together with yours on his favorite clothe."

    "What do you mean when? How sure are you that she would not take my first offer?" Maria asked

    "Because I am a woman and I know what woman can do" Her mother said.

    And sure enough Red had declined her offer.

    "And what will it do?" Maria had asked.

    "Your husband will turn away from her and face you." Her mother promised.

    She sewed the strands of their hair together so neatly that it was barely visible.

    And then she folded his clothes back in its ce.

    He joined her in bed when it was already past one at night and Maria could not help feeling the betrayal and deceit in her chest.

    She knew that he wasing back from that whore��s room.

    A few days after she had made the stitch, Maria could barely see any changes.

    It was still the same and especially with his attention on Red.

    And then one day the opportunity prevented itself.

    Word came in that they were having trouble with somewless wolves who were encroaching on their own territory.

    Bale had left it to his gamma but it seemed that it had be worse.

    And now since the day that he had brought Red to the pack, he was now forced to leave.

    Maria watched as he wore his clothes in their bedroom.

    It was almost dawn and he was leaving early.

    "I shall return." He promised her as he bent down and kissed her cheek.

    "I will be waiting here my love." She informed him.

    And then she watched as he walked out of the bedroom.

    This was her time to shine.

    She hurriedly rushed to her bedroom balcony and watched as he left with his men.

    She waited for about an hour when she was certain for sure that he had truly left.

    And then she went into her bedroom and got dressed.

    She made sure to look her finest.

    She wanted to feel and look more beautiful than the bitch when she was doing what she did.

    She marched to Red��s bedroom and the door was barged open by her guards.

    Red jumped up a frown on her face.

    Urma was together with Red too.

    Maria should have known.

    The old hag would be here with her, she had never for once liked Maria and neither had Maria liked her in return.

    "What is the meaning of all of this?" Red demanded.

    Maria looked at her and then nodded at the men.

    "Search her things." Maria said.

    The men proceeded to disrupt everything that had been put into ce.

    Urma marched up to Maria.

    "Seize this nonsense!" Urma warned her. "How dare you juste into her bedroom and tear the ce down."

    Maria ignored her and turned her face to the men.

    "Tear the ce down if need be." Maria instructed.

    Urma grabbed Maria��s arm and hurled her to face her.

    "How dare you do this?" Urma demanded. "In what grounds are you carrying out such search."

    Maria jerked her arm free. "If you just know. My most prized jewel is missing."

    Urma��s face fell sour. "What makes you think that she stole it? It is obvious you misced it."

    Maria twisted her face. "I received word that someone saw her enter my room when no one was within."

    "That is a lie!" Red jumped up. "I have never ever stolen anything in my entire life. Neither have I stepped into your bedroom."

    "And then why would someone lie against you? What could you have to offer that would make them create such a lie about you?" Maria demanded.

    "I have no idea but-

    Red groaned and her hands went to her stomach.

    "Easy my child." Urma told Red. And then Urma looked up at Maria. "She is unwell. You need to stop this nonsense. Your jewelry is not here. If your husband was here he would never allow it."

    Maria gave a wicked smile. "Thank the gods you said if he were here. But he Is not here is he?"

    Urma��s face was filled with rage and anger as she held Red.

    Maria turned her face away from their pitiful show.

    "Mydy." A guard called out.

    He walked to them and handed her a sparking diamond ne .

    "My NECKLACE!" Maria gasped. "You found it!"

    She collected it and held it to her chest.

    "I have never seen that ne in my life!" Red swore.

    "Don��t worry. She set it up." Urma said looking at Maria dead in the eye.

    Then Maria looked at her guards. "Arrest her."

    "No." Red said.

    The guards went to them and forcefully separated the two women.

    They roughly grabbed Red.

    "The punishment for theft in our pack, is fiftyshes." Maria stated. "And eventual exile."

    "You truly do not mean to do that to her! She is pregnant!" Urma gasped in shock. "She will not survive it. And deep down you know that she had nothing to do with it."

    Maria put her head well up on her shoulders. "There are no exceptions for the packws. She will received her punishment as expected of her. Take her away."

    And to the greatest horror of the women present Red was dragged away while saying that she had nothing to do with it.

    "How can you be so wicked to your fellow woman?" Urma demanded.

    "You have zero idea how wicked I am." Maria assured her and walked away with a smile stamped on her face.

 Chapter 312: THE FLOWER CHILD

    <h4>Chapter 312: THE FLOWER CHILD</h4>

    Once Maria had Red thrown into the dungeon she was able to breathe in properly.

    She walked back to the main pack and ate all the meals she had been unable to and drank wine to her feel .

    It made her feel so much better to know that her enemy was under her feet.

    She was so cold and wicked that she did not care that she was heavily pregnant.

    She had given her the opportunity to leave, but she had not listened.

    Her ns were going smoothly.

    By the time Bale returned it would be toote. She would tell him that she was a thief, call the guards who had gotten the ne from her bedroom.

    And she had simply followed the rules of the pack.

    There was nothing he was going to be able to do about it.

    She was his mate and his wife.

    Maria was the one who had nted the ne in Red��s bedroom.

    It had all been her n and Red had fallen right into her trap.

    Erica, one of Bale��s topmanders barged into the dinning hall.

    She mmed hard on the table .

    "What the hell did you lock that woman up for?" Erica demanded in rage.

    "How dare youe into my dining room and interrupt me in such an unruly manner?!" Maria hissed back. "Leave before I lose it."

    "I do not give a fuck about you." Erica pointed at Maria.

    Erica tossed away the goblet that was in Maria��s hands and it fell crashing to the floor and the she grabbed Maria��s face in her hands and pulled her to look at her forcefully.

    "I don��t like you. I have never liked you." Erica said. "I only managed with you because of my Alpha. Bale left me in charge of Red. I dot care whatever feelings you have towards her but you will note in between an order given to me."

    Maria forcefully pulled her face away and massaged her sore cheeks.

    Everyone here had turned her to aughing stock because of that whore!

    "I am the Luna. Once the Alpha is absent, I am next in charge." Maria spat out. "And your Red was found guilty of stealing. You can ask the guards. They were the ones who found it. I was simply obeying pack rules as it is."

    "That is not for you to decide." Erica warned. "That is for Alpha Bale. When hees, it will be he who would decide her fate not you." Erica said and walked away from the table and began to head towards the door.

    Maria panicked and followed her behind.

    "Where do you think you are going to?" Mari screamed at Erica. "Do not release that whore! Imand you not to!"

    But Erica was not interested in whatever Maria had to say because she was walking so fast that Maria was running up to catch with her.

    By the time they reached the dungeon, Maria heard Urma screaming. "Push. Push. We are almost there."

    Maria eventually saw that Red was on the floor and her legs were spread open .

    Her hair was matted with sweat and she was breathing so heavily while Urma was in between her legs.

    Gods she was giving birth!

    "Go on push." Urma said. "I can see the head."

    "Really?" Red stretched her head to look down.

    "Don��t stretch to look." Urma stopped her and Red threw her head back and began to push.

    "What happened?" Erica demanded . "She is not due by two months."

    "She went into hardbor." Urma said. "The situation she was thrown in today."

    Erica gave Maria a cold re.

    "Then we need to move her away from here."

    Erica said .

    "No." Maria argued.

    "No it is already toote." Urma said ignoring anything Maria had to say. "Just help me with the clothes over there."

    Erica went down to assist Red who was pushing.

    Maria just stood there transfixed as she watched Red give birth to her husband��s bastard.

    This child birth was supposed to be her. All her not this whore.

    "One more push." Urma begged.

    And Red pushed with all her might and Maria saw the babye out and begin crying.

    Maria watched as Urma cut the umbilical chord and then handed the baby to its mother.

    "You have a perfect girl." Urma informed her

    Red had tears in her eyes as she held her baby to her bosom.

    "She is so beautiful." Red said as she wept and held her baby to her.

    "What would you name her?" Urma asked. "Look she has red hair just like you.

    Red smiled. "Jasmine."

    "Jasmine?" Urma said in surprise.

    Red nodded. "Yes. I want something different from the names in my family. The first flower that her father gave me when we met, was a Jasmine. He gave me her."

    And then Red resumed weeping as she held the baby to her.

    And then Red became white.

    Urma noticed it and frowned .

    "What is the matter?" Urma asked.

    And then Red��s hand began to tremble weakly.

    Urma looked down and saw the blood that was flowing.

    "She is losing a lot of blood." Urma said and quickly collected the baby and handed it to Erica.

    And then she proceeded to work .

    She tried her best to make more stitches and put herbs over her head.

    But it seemed to be only getting worse.

    And then Red pulled Urma to her ear and said somethings to her.

    Urma nodded and then Red turned to look up at her baby and gave a very weak smile and then her eyes closed.

    Her hand dropped to her side and Maria knew.

    She had died.

    Maria felt the chills through her entire body. It felt like it was choking and overwhelming her.

    Erica looked at Maria. "I hope you are happy now. Because of you a child has no mother. Get ready to face Alpha Bale when hees."

    Maria could not stay any longer.

    She hurried out of the dungeon to shed her guilt.

 Chapter 313: MARIA’S RETRIBUTION

    <h4>Chapter 313: MARIA��S RETRIBUTION</h4>

    <strong>PRESENT DAY</strong>

    "So because of you my mother died?" Jasmine demanded tears in her eyes. "All because of your jealousy.

    "Your mother came into my life and chose to steal my husband away from me." Maria said. "I only wanted her out of the pack. I did not want to to kill her. That was a mistake."

    Jasmine bit her bottom lip. "So what happened when my father returned?"

    Maria took in a very deep sigh. "He seemed different. Like something had changed him. He was not angry at me. Rather he was angry at you. It shocked everyone."

    Jasmine could not understand any of it at all.

    It made absolutely no sense.

    He had been overly protective of her mother when she had firste so how had he turned out to be so wicked.

    "When he returned he was not so upset." Maria said. "It shocked us all. He did not punish me and I don��t remember much of it. But your father was not so upset as we all expected he would be. It was like a spell hade over him."

    Maria touched the side of her wall.

    "From that moment, he became evil. From then he was not the kind and gentle man that I knew. HE changed and everyone saw it. So a lot of the people fled from the pack in fear of his wrath. A lot of the stories about him became true. The rumors the tales that parents would spin to their naughty pups about him. Because true."

    Jasmine touched the silver bar and gripped it hard and then looked at Maria hard in the eye.

    "What you are saying can not be true." Jasmine argued. "My father from the first moment I saw him was wicked. The stories that everyone has about him were wicked tales. Murderous and atrocious. But never for once good. No one. Not even those servants and ves in our pack have anything good to say about him."

    Maria threw her head back andughed so hard that the entire dungeon halls could hear her voice echoing .

    "Ask your favorite Urma. She would yell you the truth." Maria said. "Meet the oldest members of this pack before they were reced with new ones and they would tell you about your father."

    "You tell more lies." Jasmine said to her.

    "Why would I lie? What would I gain from lying to you? I have nothing to bargain with you but what I know will be of good use to you." Maria said.

    Jasmine took her face away. "You sent a pregnant woman who had done nothing to you and locked her into a dungeon. You killed her with your bare hands."

    "I never denied it." Maria said.

    Jasmine��s jaw went hard and then she looked around the dungeon.

    "Look at this ce. This very same ce where you had thrown my mother in to die. And now look at you. Atoning for the sins youmitted."

    Maria looked back at Jasmine. "Yes, but because of that blood oath you swore fealty to me, I shall be set free."

    Then Xaden turned to face her.

    "And my parents?" Xaden asked. "How could you take my sister away from my parents after you murdered them. You already took everything from them and yet you still stole my sister and raised her as your own."

    Maria turned and red at Xaden. "I took her because she belonged to me. It was not fair that your mother had everything I always wanted. The man, the great pack. You think that I wanted to be in this pack?"

    Maria shook her head fervently.

    "Your father was my first love." Maria informed. "From the very first moment that I saw him. Your mother knew and yet she did nothing but take him away from me. After I wanted him to myself. So why should I not take the little girl and raise her as my own? She was a recement for what I did not have. A recement from what had been stolen from me. I do not feel guilty for taking her away. Neither do I feel guilty for any of my sins."

    And then Maria sharply turned to Jasmine .

    "Your promised me my escape." She hissed. "I have answered more than enough of your questions. Now obey your side of the agreement."

    Jasmine looked at her and took in a deep breath and then she took therge keys from the guards and opened it.

    Maria stepped out of the cell and smiled.

    She was excited to be free.

    Maria turned to smile at Xaden. "Goodbye sweet boy. Thank you for the freedom."

    And then Maria started to head out of the dungeon main gates before she turned around .

    "One more thing flower girl." Maria said turning to Jasmine and she flicked her tongue. "Bale was never your father."

    Jasmine��s face fell. "What do you mean by that?"

    "It turns out your mother was in fact right." Maria said. "I found outter that she was telling the truth. She died for nothing. That was my bad."

    Jasmine��s face fell. "You BITCH!"

    And then at the mention of those words, the entire Dunegon shook like an earthquake had struck.

    "You can not kill me!" Maria hissed. "I still hold more secrets that you would never know. You would never know who your father is or where your mother truly came from!"

    Maria looked up and Xaden who was equally confused looked up at the walls that were beginning to fall apart.

    "Jasmine we need to get out of here." Xaden said and quickly grabbed Jasmine.

    But it was like she was fire and she had burned him.

    By the time he looked at his hand they were red like he had touched a zing pot.

    She barely even noticed him.

    "You swore an oath now let me go before this cees down on all of us!" Maria Screamed as she covered her head.

    But Jasmine was not budging.

 Chapter 314: THE FALSE OATH

    <h4>Chapter 314: THE FALSE OATH</h4>

    "I swore an oath on my wolf." Jasmine said and then gave Maria a dead look, her eyes zing red as hot as mes.

    "Jasmine!" Xaden said as he struggled to get away from the crumbling dungeon.

    "I have never been a shifted wolf can you remember step mother?" Jasmine asked.

    It was at this moment that Maria known she had been lied to.

    She had been deceived.

    Jasmine was bound to no oath because she had never turned to a wolf hence why she would never be held to ransom.

    And at that moment, the walls came down on Maria smashing her to death.

    And then Xaden happened to grab Jasmine once her hand was no longer burning hot and he pulled her out of the dungeon.

    They managed to make it out, but their faces and entire being was covered in dust.

    He coughed as they stood at the foot of the dungeon and watched it all crumbling down.

    The guards around were equally coughing and struggling to breathe.

    Xaden grabbed Jasmine��s arms and forced her to look at him.

    "What the hell were you thinking?" He demanded. "You could have killed yourself."

    "I am fine." Jasmine said and coughed some more.

    "Like hell you aren��t." Xaden swore in annoyance. "You made a bet with her, how sure are you were you that the mini earthquake would have urred. There was no way in hell I was ever going to release Maria."

    "I know." Jasmine said as she dusted away the dust from her shoulders and coughed some more. "I swore an oath on my wolf. I am unshifted, and she happened to forget too. So that is why her ns to hold me ransom to the blood oath did not seed."

    Xaden narrowed his eyes at her. "So you are more cunning than I thought."

    She gave a light smile as she dusted her hair. "Yes I am."

    The remainder of the ceiling that had been hangingpletely fell and then Jasmine and Xaden turned to look back.

    "We could have been buried alive." Xaden said annoyed and then he looked around. "This entire pack is falling apart so badly who knows when next the pack building itself would fall."

    Jasmine sighed and remembered what Maria had said to her.

    That her father was not her father.

    That Bale was never in fact her father.

    She did not want to believe her, but Maria had been bound by an oath, she could not lie because unlike Jasmine she was a wolf.

    So who was her father?

    Who was her mother?

    Who was she truly.

    All she had heard from Maria was the most she had ever heard about her mother, nothing more.

    She had ever intentions on asking Urma why she had his this from us.

    Xaden looked at Jasmine and gently took her hand.

    "You have a cut." He said indicating to a her wrist.

    There was a mark of blood there.

    His eyes made a connection with hers and there was fire in the air, felt like thunder went through her.

    "What bothers you?" He asked so gently she was touched. "What did Maria say to you?"

    She took in a deep breath and after about a minute of thinking, she started to speak.

    "Brother! Brother!"

    It was none other than Anna.

    She was rushing towards them, her skirts in her hands to prevent her from tripping.

    She caught sight of them and raced towards Xaden .

    "Thank the goddess Selene you are safe." She swept as she threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly.

    She cupped his cheek in her hands.

    "Are you alright? Are you hurt?" She asked looking over. "We heard the noise and I came straight here. I was so worried that something might have happened to you. Something might have taken you away from me just when we found each other."

    He very gently touched his sister��s hand to his cheek and kissed her palm.

    "I am alright." He said.

    And then Anna turned around and saw Jasmine.

    "Is it a surprise that she is here when all of this happened?" Anna asked ring at Jasmine. "I know she had a hand in this.

    "No none of that Anna." Xaden said standing for Jasmine. "We were together when it fell apart. Even if she wanted to kill me, I am certain that she would not want to kill herself too."

    Anna snorted and said. "You have no idea how much I know her. You don��t and she will take advantage of that."

    He gently touched her cheek with his palm and said. "Well just so you know, it takes a lot more than burying me alive to have me killed. The dungeons are old and falling apart. The building itself must be in ruins. No one is safe around here."

    He looked up to gaze at the old castle walls.

    "We should be on our way back to our own pack." He informed and started to head up away from the debris.

    Anna stopped and seemed to freeze in time.

    "What��s that?" She asked.

    Jasmine turned around and saw that it was piece of Maria��s jewelry.

    Anna went down and picked it up before anyone could stop her.

    She pushed away the dust from the bangle and looked at it.

    No one said a word.

    Anna already knew what had happened.

    Maria was dead and there was no turning back.

    She started at it for so long that Jasmine wondered if a hex had been put on her.

    And then Anna finally moved a muscle and walked ahead of everyone the bangle in her hand.

    Xaden started to walk up to her, but Jasmine stopped him.

    "Let me talk to her." Jasmine offered.

    He said nothing at first and thenter said. "Alright. But we will be returning back to my pack by noon."

    Jasmine nodded and turned away.

    She dusted herself and went off after Anna who was already far gone ahead.

 Chapter 315: LIFE IS UNFAIR

    <h4>Chapter 315: LIFE IS UNFAIR</h4>

    Jasmine had two things to do.

    The first and most important was to meet Urma and discuss what Maria had told her.

    But first she knew that she had to face Anna.

    It was a chore she was dreading but knew she had to face

    She reached Anna��s room and then she knocked at the door.

    "Go away." Anna screamed.

    Jasmine stiffened and then proceeded to open the door.

    She peeped in and saw Anna seated by her window overlooking the entire pack.

    Sobbing, Jasmine assumed.

    Jasmine gently stepped inside and Anna turned to look at her.

    "I said GO AWA-

    She stopped short when she saw Jasmine .

    "You." She said usingly. "You are thest person that I ever want to see in my entire life! Get the hell out!"

    "I just want to talk to you." Jasmine said.

    Anna picked up a near by vase and flung it at Jasmine.

    "I SAID GET OUT!" She screamed.

    But Jasmine was able to dodge it and it went crashing at the wall and down on the floor into a thousand pieces.

    "I said that I do not want to speak to anyone! I just want you to be left alone!" Anna raged in anger.

    From her pink face and red nose, Jasmine knew that she had cried.

    She did not me her.

    She had lost the only mother she had ever known.

    Even though her mother had been a tyrant and raised Anna to be a little devil herself.

    She was still her mother and that was something that Jasmine had never had the opportunity of.

    Even though it was all so ironic that it was her moment who had been the reason why she had grown up without a mother.

    "I came here because of Xaden." Jasmine said.

    When it was apparent that Jasmine was not going anywhere, Anna dropped back to the window sill and sat down.

    She gathered she feet together and leaned her head on her knees, then she looked towards the pack .

    "I am sorry that you are hurting from your loss." Jasmine said.

    Anna let out a very cruelugh. "Oh please Jasmine, spare me the fake empathy. We both bloody well know that you hated my mother and you are happy she is dead."

    "You confuse me." Jasmine said as she drew nearer. "I came to sympathize with you and your loss. But I never said that I was sorry your mother died did I?"

    Anna��s face fell.

    "I knew it. You came to mock me! GET OUT!" Anna said even though thatst part came as a hoarse whisper because she had intact lost her voice.

    "I hated your mother." Jasmine stated. "She is the main reason why I had no mother and you along with her were monsters to me. I have not yet forgiven that. But I look at you and all I can just feel is pity."

    Anna��s face fell instantly.

    "You are all alone. Your father is dead, same with your mother and then you only realized that those who had spoiled you rotten and raised you as their own had stolen you from you only after they had murdered and the destroyed your real family." Jasmine began. "Your identity is a question mark because now you have no idea who you are and what to believe. You probably despise Maria for what she did to you along with Bale, but she was your mother and you still loved her. In a twisted way, none of this was your fault. The life you came to have. You are just a victim like I Am."

    "Stop it! I am absolutely nothing like you!" Anna screamed.

    "Deny it all you want. We are all victims of life. And if there is one thing that I have learned? Life is not fair to anyone. Life happens." Jasmine said. "Feel free to mourn her because as much of a monster she was still your mother. Xaden does not understand that. But it is something that I can understand because we were almost in the same shoes."

    Anna said nothing for a while. "So what now? You think your useless pep talk will make any new changes in my life? You think that I would speak to my brother and he will give you some special treatment?"

    Annaughed and got up for her feet and faced Jasmine.

    "Look at me you whore. You have always been raised as a whore and a ve. I was stolen from my parents and yet Bale and his wife took me in as their own over you. Boss as can that be you? All that pain, all that miserable life scrubbing my feet, those whips you received to your back. All of it, only for you to still end here. Only for fate to be so cruel to you that it turned out I deserved a good ce. That when you had hoped life will go well for you, it was revealed that Bale was your father. And now all that you worked for is being taken away from you by the snap of my fingers."

    And the Anna snapped her fingers alerting Jasmine to wake.

    "Gone. Just like that. And yet it is U who is here. It is I who has been given a special seat at my home pack. It is my who is the stolen daughter of my home pack. It is all me!"

    Anna stopped to eye her and then she began tough.

    Laugh so hard that her stomach began to hurt.

    "Perfect and obedient Jasmine." She said with a wicked smile. "Life simply did not go the way you wanted it did you? You will still be the one to serve me in my home. You were right about one thing though Jasmine. Life is unfair."

    Jasmine looked at Anna. "I have said all I can say."

    And with that Jasmine walked out of the room, her head held up high.

 Chapter 316: IN LOVE WITH SOMEONE ELSE

    <h4>Chapter 316: IN LOVE WITH SOMEONE ELSE</h4>

    Once Jasmine had left Anna��s room, she held her head way up on her shoulders and walked down the hallway.

    When she had reached a hallway where no one could see her, she immediately broke down into tears.

    She wept so much but tried her best to keep it down so that no one would hear.

    The tears that she had been holding back.

    The humiliating and hurtful things that she had said to her and the truth.

    The truth that she had no one.

    The truth that she had suffered and barely had any point of her life being good, but yet someone like Anna who had first been Jessica lived life well.

    Jessica had been cruel and heartless to Anna, even though she was not the daughter of the moonlight pack.

    The secrets were all out in the open and yet somehow Jessica had been reincarnated as Anna, and was still as cruel.

    Somehow she had managed to find her way to having a good well.

    Life was so unfair.

    Life did not care how good you were.

    Jasmine was proof enough that you could work so hard and yet still suffer.

    She wiped away her tears finally, sniffed and prayed that she did not look like she had cried before stepping out of the shadows.

    She hurried down the steps and came bumping into one of the other pack members.

    "There you are." He said.

    She had seen him a couple of times, he was an original member of the moonlight pack and an elderly beta.

    "Yes?" She answered.

    "Alpha Xaden has been looking for you." He informed her. "He said to get your things ready and packed. You will be

    Leaving."

    She nodded. "Thank you."

    He nodded and then said. "You are wee. I heard Maria died."

    Jasmine nodddd wondering if he wanted to me it on her.

    After all, all the pack members had been horrible to her and mostly avoided her.

    Which in turn defied what Maria had said that everyone had loved her mother.

    Because how did they love her mother and hate her eventually.

    "Yes she did." Jasmine said and started to go away.

    "You are free now." He said. "They are all gone."

    That stopped her right in her tracks.

    She slowly turned around and looked back at him.

    "Everyone in the pack knows you deserved that freedom." He said.

    Jasmine was unsure of how to respond to that.

    She was upset that it was after they had all died that they were now initiating conversation.

    They had watched her suffer and now all of a sudden she deserved freedom?

    He started to go back the opposite direction and then it urred to Jasmine.

    He was an elderly Wolf.

    And if she was not wrong, he was one of the original pack members.

    He should have been around when Maria had newly mated to Bale .

    "Dave wait." She said finally remembering his name.

    He turned around and then she walked up to me .

    "Were you in this pack when Maria first moved here?" She asked him.

    "Yes I was. Why?" He asked his brows raised in question.

    She breathed a sigh of relief. "I have some questions to ask you about my mother."

    He seemed hesitant but she held his arm.

    "You seem to believe that I deserve some freedom." She began. "No one would ever speak to me about my mother. Now is the chance to redeem. Now is the chance to make it real. So I want you to tell me what you know about my mother."

    He looked at her for a while and then he sighed in heavily and said.

    "What do you want to know?" He asked.

    "Is it true that my mother was treated specially in the pack? That she was not originally a ve. And that everyone loved her?" She asked.

    "Yes." He frowned. "Where did you hear all of this."

    "Not relevant." Jasmine shrugged her shoulders. "I just want to know if it is true or not."

    She looked at him, her emotional eyes burrowing into him.

    He sighed. "Yes. Your mother was a spectacr woman. She was kind and different from what we were used to. And yes, your father did not say that she was a ve. That was all what Maria enforced. They did not like each other so well."

    Jasmine sighed in very heavily.

    So Maria was indeed saying the truth.

    She nodded. "Thank you."

    And she started to leave when he walked up behind her and said.

    "You asked me if I was here the day that she was brought to the pack. I was not just here. I was there the day when your father found her." He said a

    Jasmine��s eye narrowed. "What?"

    "Yes." He said. "I was out with your father��s batch of guards when we found her."

    "This was at the sand city. The city where the free folks live right?" She asked.

    "No." He shook his head. "Well he said that she was from there, but then we met her at the deep forest."

    Jasmine shook her head. "No that can not be true. She came from the free folk. There was a raid and then she was found prisoner. Right?"

    "Where did you hear that story from?" Dave asked.

    "That is what happened right?" She asked.

    "No." Dave shook his head. "Not that I am aware of. From what the other wolves had heard and the story that went by, they already knew each other before he first saw her."

    Jasmine narrowed her eyes further. "Like they were lovers or something?"

    "Not really," Dave said as he put his hand on his waist. "It was more of like he loved her but the love was not the same."

    "What do you mean?" She asked him.

    "He loved her romantically, yes, everyone could see that. But she loved him more like you would love a brother." He said.

    "That makes no sense." She replied.

    "Only those closest could see that aspect. And it was like she was already in love with someone else." Dave said.

    "What?"

 Chapter 317: URMA’S GOODBYE

    <h4>Chapter 317: URMA��S GOODBYE</h4>

    "What?" Jasmine repeated and blinked heavily. "Are you sure about what you are saying?"

    "Yeah. I am." He replied.

    "Why would you say so?" Jasmine asked. "How would you know that she did not love him back? Did she do something? Or did she tell someone or say something that made you suspect that she loved someone else."

    "What? You think because I am old I wouldn��t know when someone was in love?" He asked her.

    Jasmine put her hand on her forehead and shook it. "No. That��s not what I mean. I just mean that. He is my father. You are telling me that my mother was in love with someone else."

    "Look I might be wrong." Dave rose his hands up. "But it seemed different. He adored her and then yet she loved him, I believe in the best way possible. But her heart seemed to be with another. When we found her in the forest and took her, you could see that they already knew each other from somewhere else."

    Jasmine swallowed hard.

    The stories were all a mix now. Confusing to her.

    She massaged her temple and then it hit her.

    At that very moment she had an epiphany.

    "How many months was my mother when she gave birth to me? Seven right?" Jasmine asked as she made some calctions in her brain.

    "Yes." He replied .

    And then she began to pace, her hands on her waist. "And how many months pregnant was she when she moved to this pack?"

    Dave shrugged. "I don��t know Jasmine. Look this was a long long time ago. The memory is almost fading."

    "Just give me a rough estimate. It does not have to be so precise." She said.

    He scratched his head and shrugged. "I don��t know maybe three or four months. She barely showed. Even in herst days the stomach was not so vivid."

    She paused and thought very hard. "I heard some things that he was a good man. That he was kind before he became cruel."

    Dave sighed and gave a light smile like those words had sent him down memoryne.

    "The best. There was no one like him." Dave said. "But then after your mother died, something in him broke. It was like he was under a spell. He became a monster. He just changed and no one knew why."

    "I can barely imagine him being a good man." Jasmine admitted.

    Daveughed. "If he wasn��t how do you think he was friends with his allies. How do you think he got to be best friends with Alpha Xaden��s parents."

    And then Dave��s face fell. "Some said it was because your mother died. That could have been it. But...."

    "But what?" Jasmine asked closely. "You don��t believe it."

    Dave shrugged. "My opinions don��t really matter."

    "You would be surprised how much they do. Please." She begged.

    He sighed and said. "It could have pushed him. But it was more than that. I don��t know. It was like he was under a spell."

    And then Jasmine remembered what Maria had said about stitching dark magic in his favorite tunic.

    But Jasmine made no mention of it.

    Jasmine nodded. "My father Bale was for about a year in the Royal Kingdom. Right? I remember this because Urma used to tell me stories of him working there."

    "Yes that��s true. But that has nothing to do with what we are saying." He said.

    "But it does." She said as she snapped her fingers and her eyes glowed like diamond.

    Sheughed .

    Sheughed andughed so hard that he though she had gone insane.

    "Jasmine is everything alright?" He asked as he touched her shoulder.

    She wiped a tear that had sprouted from her excessiveughing.

    "Alright? I am perfect." Jasmine said and then she smiled at him. "Thank you for everything."

    She started to leave when he stopped he Mr again and said. "You should speak to Urma she knows a lot more about these things than anyone else."

    "Of course." she said.

    And then she hurried off to Urma��s room.

    She knew it!

    There was no way in hell that her father, Bale had gotten her mother pregnant.

    He had spent over a year at the Royal Kingdom

    This was around the time when she should have been conceived.

    There was also no way in hell that he had made it out of the Kingdom because he was on his quest to attain the ord

    Well she doubted it was possible, not that it was impossible.

    But still from when she added two and two together, it meant that Bale was not her father.

    Dave himself had said it that he was far away.

    So what was it then?

    He had taken her mother in even though he knew that she was carrying another man��s child.

    She needed to meet Urma and tell her what she knew.

    She rushed up the stairs to where Urma was and pushed the door open.

    "Urma you would never believe what I just found out-

    She stopped right in her tracks when she saw about five people wearing whitepletely hiding their entire face and body.

    Not even a patch of skin could be seen.

    "What are you doing here?" She asked them but they ignored her and proceed to walk around the room very quietly.

    She saw Ned jumping up from a corner and walking up to her .

    "What��s going on?" She asked him. "Who are these people? What are they doing here?"

    "Urma is dead." He said. "They are the soul travelers for physicians. They are here for her final ritual".

    Jasmine shook her head. "No."

    Ned nodded slowly. "Yes."

    Jasmine felt her entire being shake and it seemed the wall was vibrating.

    Her ears were beating hard like a drum.

    She shook her head so fervently that she thought she was about to go insane.

    "No no," she whispered softly as she walked towards the shrouded people .

    Sure enough was Urma lying down on a make shift bed.

    Looking beautiful, like she was simply asleep.

 Chapter 318: MURDER

    <h4>Chapter 318: MURDER</h4>

    Jasmine watched as Urma��s final procession was held unable to believe what was happening.

    She slowly walked to where Urmay and her hand trembled as she gently touched the wood.

    "No but she was fine." Jasmine said. "She was fine when I left. She was okay."

    The funeral procession ignored her and carried on with their burial rites.

    The tears gathered in her eyes .

    How long was she going to suffer?

    How long was she going to lose people the moment she grasped them.

    "She was okay." Jasmine said reaching Urma and holding her.

    She began to shake her. "Wake up Urma. Wake up. You are not dead."

    And then Ned quickly grabbed her because the people holding the funeral procession were begin to get upset.

    "Let me go." Jasmine said the tears flowing down her eyes. "Let me go."

    And she finally managed to stop fighting.

    She simply let the tears spill.

    She watched as they resumed the funeral procession.

    The death of a healer was held in a very private manner.

    A group of people wearing white appeared from nowhere and performed the rights before finally taking away the body of the healer.

    No one was allowed to witness theter asion when the healer was taken away.

    They simply left.

    There were some rumors that a finally ritual would be held and then the powers and knowledge the healer had learned would go into the earth to be given to someone else.

    But no one really knew.

    Jasmine managed to stand up straight .

    "What happened?" She asked Ned. "She was fine when I left her."

    "She was fine too." Ned said. "We were just staying together and practicing the healing together when I found her dead."

    Jasmine frowned picking sudden interest in beta he had to say. "She did not slump or anything? You just came in and found her dead?"

    "I only left her for a minute." He said. "We were working on some medicine when someone knocked at the door and came in. She sent me to get some special herbs. So I left. I returned and seemed troubled. The person who hade to see her was already gone, I asked her what the issue was, but she shook it off."

    "Eventually I was sent to get something else. It was only for a minute and when I came back she was already dead."

    Jasmine��s mind began to race with a tunnel of thought.

    "Wait. Wait. Wait. Someone came in? Who are you speaking of" She asked him. "What did he look like?"

    Ned shrugged. "I barely even looked at the person. I am not sure if it was a woman or a man. He was well covered. Only the eyes showed. Urma seemed very ufortable. It was like the person had arrived and she had turned into an entirely different person."

    Jasmine massaged her forehead.

    Urma did not give a damn about anyone.

    So why would she be fidgeting over a supposed visitor.

    She pulled him aside out of the room and together they stood in a dark corner.

    "So she got a visitor and she sent you away. And when you returned he or she was gone yes?" She asked him.

    He nodded. "Yes."

    "And she seemed worried. Her demeanor had changed?" Jasmine asked.

    "Yes." He nodded. "I tried to ask her what the issue was, but she insisted nothing was wrong. I had been walking back to the room when I passed the visitor in the hallway."

    "And she did not say anything specific about it? Or anything at all?" She asked him.

    Ned shook his head. "No not at all."

    "I don��t think Urma just died." Jasmine said . "Something is wrong here."

    "I checked her. There is no sign of foul y to indicate that someone did something to her." He said and he added. "But u still believe that someone did something to her."

    Jasmine sighed in heavy d to know that she was not the only one

    She then sighed in.

    "Ned please I need you to try and remember anything out of the ordinary. Anything that seemed unique." She pressed on.

    He began to shake his head to indicate that he knew nothing.

    "Anything at all." She said to him.

    "No i-

    And then he stopped short.

    "What is it?" She asked him.

    He shook his head. "No I don��t think it��s any relevance really."

    She grabbed his hands and held them tight forcing him to look up at her.

    "Ned whatever you think is off. Even if it is the tiniest thing." Shemented. "It could be the most important thing right now."

    He sighed and put his hands on his waist. "Okay, i don��t think it will make any much difference or change." He said. "But she seemed to have something pressed to her hand."

    Jasmine frowned.

    "I told you it was irrelevant." He said.

    "What hand was she holding firmly," she asked him.

    He shrugged. "Is it really important?"

    Sge nodded hastily. "Of the most importance."

    "Her right hand." He said.

    "Urma is a left handed woman." She said. "She hated using her right hand.

    She only did that if she had zero options.

    "She was pressing on her right hand only and it all happened when I returned. After the visitor had left."

    Jasmine snapped her fingers. "What if he gave her something."

    Ned shrugged. "But if he did, then that should mean that it fell when she fell or she dropped it somewhere."

    "Or it��s still in her hand right now." She said.

    They looked at each other and opened the door.

    Urma was already being carried out by the burial procession.

    "Please wait." She begged. "It��s my mother."

    The procession gave it thought and left her.

    She pretended to hug Urma onest time and she reached for both hands to see if she had anything inside.

    She felt a small ss vial in Urma��s hand she she grabbed it and said someone words to Urma and stepped away.

 Chapter 319: THE SECRET MESSAGE

    <h4>Chapter 319: THE SECRET MESSAGE</h4>

    Jasmine reached out to see what was inside the vial and then Ned shed her a warning look.

    She equally adjusted herself and then stood well beside Urma��s body.

    If they found out that Urma was poisoned, then they wound abandon her personal burial and burn her body somewhere.

    She stepped back away and watched as they walked away with her body .

    Once they were out of the room, she quickly turned to Ned.

    She opened the small palm of her hand as they saw the vial.

    "What��s that?"

    Ned picked it up had sniffed it.

    He pushed it away and began to cough and sneeze so violently.

    He resumed coughing and howling so hard that Jasmine was unsure of what to do.

    "Are you okay?" She asked as she ced her hand on his shoulders and assisted him to get up.

    When he finally cleared up, his eyes were bloodshot red.

    She helped him to sit down on one of the chairs in the room before getting him s cup of water.

    Once he had drank it, he looked up at her.

    "Do you know what is solid band?" He asked.

    Jasmine tilted her head to think for a few seconds.

    "Yes I do." She replied nodding her head. "It is a dangerous nt. If not used carefully, it could be fatal."

    Then he pointed at the small vial in her hand and said. "That contains solid bane, along with other herbs I was am aware of."

    She looked at the palm of her hand.

    Other herbs?

    So they were allpletely fatal,

    "This changes everything." Jasmine said as she wiped away the tears that were gathering at the back of her eyes. "She was killed. Murdered in cold blood."

    And then she started to go away but Ned grabbed her am.

    "Where are you go Jasmine?l he asked .

    "After the man who did this to the only woman he ever considered me as a woma!" She spat venomously.

    But he stopped her once again and wisely said. "I can understand how you feel. Angry, pain , every negative feeling and you have every right to feel the way you feel. But do you really think that whoever did it would still be hanging around here?"

    She was breathing so heavily now, but she was listening to him at least.

    "No." She said softly.

    "Good." He said. "And we have no idea who did this, they may be very dangerous."

    Jasmine slowly came back to her sense and she felt so much anger.

    After everything!

    Why had they killed her?

    Even her own father had never had the head space to afford to Kill Urma .

    She scared him, and they seemed not to like each other but he never attempted to kill her.

    With all her enemies gone, there was absolutely no reason why anyone would kill Urma.

    Unless she had made new enemies.

    Just when she had questions for Urma .

    Just when she had learned Maria��s story, just when she was beginning to piece everything together.

    They only person who had a secure tie to who she truly was.

    The one person who could dispel the rumors and tell her who she actually was, was gone .

    How could she know now?

    And then it hit her hard, did someone kill Urma to cover up something because they knew that Jasmine was getting closer.

    "Urma did not deserve this." Jasmine stated.

    Ned sighed and said. "I hope this gives you inner peace, but while we worked, all she could talk about was you and how much she adored you. She loved you."

    Jasmine managed a weak smile .

    "But there is no way that Urma would have gone just like that. She always worked before hand. She was always prepared. And if she died, if someone killed for something that I wasing for, then she must have left something for me to discover."

    And then she stopped.

    It baffled her and she looked around the room wondering where to start.

    "Help me." She said to Ned. "Search for anything odd. We don��t have much time. We would be leaving this pack soon."

    And together they started to tear down the room.

    They pulled open cupboards and snooped through her books trying to perhaps find something that would give it away .

    Ned called out somethings he had discovered but they were unimportant.

    Jasmine herself checked things that she had hoped would bring out something relevant, but turned out to be nothing .

    By the time they were done snooping through the room they were exhausted.

    "Jasmine I believe that Xaden would be leaving soon." He said.

    "What?" She asked and went to meet Ned who was looking through the window .

    They were already packing up their things into the carriages .

    Jasmine began to itch her hair like fire .

    Her entire mind was a disarray .

    "No we can not leave now." She cried. "I still have found nothing.

    She dropped to the floor weakly and leaned her back against one of Urma��s book shelves.

    Ned turned around and said. "That��s quite a fine walking stick Urma had."

    "What?" She asked.

    "Urma��s walking stick." He pointed out.

    Jasmine frowned and said. "Urma didn��t have a walking stick. She was old and her pride refused to let her use one."

    "I am a hundred percent sure that is a walking stick". Ned emphasized as he walked over to where she was seated on the floor .

    He reached out to the cupboard and picked up a t stick that Jasmine had never for once noticed.

    "I always thought that was just a design on the book shelf." She remarked in awe.

    He picked it up and then let his hands run through it and he pressed something on it.

    He opened a small notch thaty secretly inside the stick and tried to remove a hidden content inside.

    Jasmine was amazed.

    A paper dropped out of it.

    She hurdled around him and tried to read it.

    "I can��t read." Jasmineined.

    He gave her a wry smile. "Really?"

    She looked at him and then Just as he was about to start reading someone banged the door open.

 Chapter 320: GOODBYE MOONLIGHT PACK

    <h4>Chapter 320: GOODBYE MOONLIGHT PACK</h4>

    Xaden came into the room and looked around from left to right.

    "What the hell are you doing here?" He demanded annoyed.

    Jasmine quickly hid the paper in her sleeve ad they had both turned to face him.

    She gave him a tight smile .

    "You��re here." She said.

    "Of course I am here." He said. "I had bloody sent out all the men in the pack looking for you. I ept final goodbyes but you are dying our travel."

    She smiled weakly at him. "Urma died. The souls took her body for her funeral."

    He stopped short and seemed to be looking for the right thing to say.

    He eventually managed to say a. "I am sorry for your loss. She seemed like someone who genuinely cared for you."

    "She did." Jasmine remarked.

    And then she felt cold remembering that Urma had truly died and was no more.

    Ned turned and looked at her.

    "Are you alright?" He asked.

    She nodded numbly and began to hate the feeling of pity they all felt for her.

    She rubbed her arms and walked ahead.

    Xaden stopped Ned as he was about to follow.

    "What happened?" He asked.

    Ned gave a light shrug. "She just fell."

    "That was it?" Xaden asked. "Nothing it of the ordinary?"

    "No." Ned shook his head. "She is an old woman and I guess it was her time to go."

    Xaden said nothing and Jasmine who had notpletely left and was still overhearing their conversation breathed a sigh of relief before finally walking ahead.

    She reached the ground floor of the pack and turned around to look at what she had known as home for a very long time.

    She saw the pack members standing by windows, doors, alleys, looking down at her.

    As if watching her go.

    She knew that this might probably be herst time here.

    There was no one to say goodbye to.

    Her father and his wife were dead.

    The only one person she had ever cared about was dead and gone.

    There was nothing left for her here.

    This was no longer her home.

    She took in the ce one more time and headed to where the party was.

    Anna snorted when she saw hering close to the carriage.

    "I hope you have no intentions of getting into this carriage with me." Anna hissed at her.

    Jasmine turned and red at her.

    She was genuinely getting so irritated of her.

    Especially since she had just lost someone dear to her.

    "I��m not in the mood." Jasmine said and walked away, leaving a very frustrated Anna looking back at her.

    And then Xaden came behind.

    "What took her so long?" Anna asked him. "Perhaps she does not wish toe with us anymore. You don��t need to enforce it."

    "Her healer just died." He said.

    Anna��s face sulked.

    She wanted to say thank goodness that old hag was there and she stopped herself quickly.

    "She does not have anyone here to stay with." He remarked. "She will being with us."

    His finally statemenf had not been ament but amand.

    Anna pulled a fake smile. "Of course I understand."

    Then Xaden got on his horse and Erik pushed one of the spare horses to Jasmine.

    "I am sorry for your loss." He said.

    She nodded weakly and gently caressed the hair of the horse.

    She did anything to get her mind away from her loss.

    And then they finally began the journey.

    Jasmine was quiet all through without saying a word.

    Xaden was worried about her and kept on looking back, but Jasmine was simply on her horse looking nk.

    "Jasmine." Ned said. "Jasmine."

    He had road up to her side and caught up with her.

    She turned to her left and saw him.

    "I managed to read what was in the paper." He said. "And I believe it is in the old wolf tongue."

    She blinked hard .

    "The old wolf tongue?"

    "Yes. It was ten firstngue the wolves used when they ascended." He said. "It is almost extinct."

    "You said almost. That means there are others who still read it." She said.

    "Yes but these people are old mages." He said. "They use thenguage for their magic and secret conversations. Moreover it is could be a myth. A mere false story being told around by people. No one has credible information of it still existing."

    "So if no one knows what the old tongue looks like, then how sure are you it is what it is?" She asked him .

    "Because I am a healer and when they were teaching us as students, we learned allnguages. And the Old tongue had about only two existing pages written. We had no idea what it meant but we knew what it looked like. That is why I could easily tell."

    She was quiet. "And where are the mages?"

    He shrugged. "Probably off somewhere causing mischief. The mages are not as great as you think. It is usually corrupt with dirty politics, drinking, violence and sex."

    She looked at him shocked.

    "Okay maybe I am exaggerating a little." He said. "But believe me when I tell you that the mages are thest people you want to ask for help. They are very selfish and conceited and prefer to do things only for themselves."

    "We have to try," Jasmine stated. "At least not all of them can so bad."

    Ned gave a face and finally said. "I will send word to my contact.

    She nodded and smiled at him. "Thank you very much for everything. It means a lot to me that you are keeping this a secret."

    "If Urma wanted to leave a message for you." He said. "Then I will make sure I do everything I can for you to find the truth."

    She stopped her horse and smiled at him.

    "Thank you."

    And then she reached out from her horse and gave a kiss on the cheek .

    Ned went an instant red and Xaden turned and saw them and became furious but swallowed his anger.

 Chapter 321: MAKING CAMP

    <h4>Chapter 321: MAKING CAMP</h4>

    It was almost night time when they finally dered it was time to make camp.

    "We will rest here for the rest of the night." He announced.

    All the members of the travel party came down their horses, watching them over and setting their things down.

    Tents were set and they all began to chatter andugh together.

    Xaden went to Anna��s carriage where she was still seated.

    He turns and see Jasmineughing with Ned and the other guards.

    He stopped and watched her preparing food while the men even offered her some assistance.

    Not for once did the men ever want to cook or even offer to do anything involved in cooking.

    But seeing them assist Jasmine while she cooked some local animal and make soup infuriated him .

    Kire was hopping around and Xaden hated to admit the fact that he was jealous of their bonding and happiness.

    He felt left alone.

    Jasmineughed and she seemed so beautiful and young then she made eye contact with him.

    He turned around and faced Anna��s carriage

    He knocked at it.

    "Who is it?" She asked.

    "It��s me. Xaden." He said. "I wanted to check on you to see if you were okay."

    "I��m fine." She said.

    "Do you want toe out?" He asked. "And stay with some of the men. We would love to keep youpany?"

    "No I think I am fine here on my own." She said. "Thank you for the offer."

    He nodded and turned away having a sinking feeling inside him.

    He saw Jasmine and the rest of the men chattering away and then he went to take a seat by a tree a bit away from them.

    Jasmine who was now cleaning her hands with a cloth turned and looked at him.

    Her smile came to a normal facial expression and she resumed talking to the men and then began sharing the food in bowls.

    After that she had two bowls in her hands and was walking up to him.

    She sat down beside him and handed him a bowl.

    He contemted collecting it from her for a second.

    Sheughed. "You do not need to worry I didn��t poison you then so I most certainly would not poison you now."

    He collected it from her and she used her spoon to fetch the bowl of soup.

    "Shouldn��t you be in your tent having all your meals served to you?" She asked him.

    "I wanted the fresh air." He said dryly and the turned to look at Anna��s still closed door.

    Jasmine noticed it and said. "You��re worried about her. Give her a short while, she woulde around."

    "She doesn��t even want toe out and stay with the rest of us." He said.

    She touched his arm and said. "Give her time. She wille around eventually. It is not so easy to wake up and realize that your entire life was a lie and that your family murdered your real family, kidnapped you as a baby and then you meet your long lost brother and you are expected to digest that all in one day."

    "You��ve had an equally very hard life yourself haven��t you?" He asked her.

    She smiled at him. "Yes I have. But you know the difference between Anna and I?"

    He shook his head.

    "I��ve always known my life was a lie." Jasmine said. "That��s the difference. I have been aware of who I was and I have survived because I always saw iting. But your sister?"

    Jasmine shook her head. "She had the perfect life. She had everything done right for her. And so when everything came crashing down, she had no idea how to handle it. How to lose everything she had in one day. It could have been worse? She could have been the one taken to your pack instead of me."

    His entire being shivered as he realized that he could have actually taken his own sister and treated her the way he had treated Jamsine .

    He had never seen it from that perspective before.

    She smiled and gently nudged his elbow and said. "Give her a break. She wille around eventually."

    He nodded and then went on to eating his food.

    He noticed that it tasted way much better than even the food cooked in his pack.

    He had never eaten any of her meals because his pride would not let him.

    He enjoyed the food but refused to say how good it was.

    After he had finished his meal she collected his te and got up to his feet.

    He started to try to thank her but she waved him away.

    "Don��t mention." She said with a smile.

    Then he went on speaking. "About Anna I was wondering if-

    "Don��t worry." She winked at him. "I will not let her go hungry .

    And she finally walked away.

    Xaden got up to his feet and walked into his tent.

    Hey down on his make shift bed and Kire came into his room.

    He rubbed therge wolf and he in turn rubbed his body in warmth around Xaden.

    Xaden smiled at him.

    "You still refused to go back to your mate didn��t you?" He asked him.

    Kire yawned and then Xaden got up with a light stretch.

    "There is that bad boy I��ve been looking for" Erik said as soon as he came into the room and saw Kire still hovered around him.

    "Still refused to merge." Xaden asked as he ruffled hisrge ears.

    "Yeah. I was thinking maybe when we get back to the pack we could send for one of the mages." Erik said. "So they could see what is going on themselves."

    "That could take almost three weeks for them to reply." Xaden said.

    "That is if they reply." Erik remarked. "All the mages know how to do is drink, fuck and dirty politics."

    "And if that��s the case we��re going south of ridges, mage city is not so far from here." Xaden said. "We could make a stop before we leave. Send everyone else ahead."

    Erik had a grin on his face. "Not a bad idea".

 Chapter 322: THE SIREN IN THE LAKE

    <h4>Chapter 322: THE SIREN IN THE LAKE</h4>

    "I just hate their dirty politics." Erik said. "They are so messy even worse than they were once before now."

    Xaden gave a shrug.

    "So is your sister and Jasmineing along with us then?" Erik asked.

    "Gods no." Xaden said as he adjusted himself infort of his make shift bed. "She would remain with Jasmine and the rest and they would go up together."

    "You think that��s a good idea?" Erik rose a brow. "I don��t think they like each other."

    Xaden rubbed his arms and said. "Doesn��t matter. As far as they won��t kill each other then I am good with that."

    Erik said nothing for a while and then cleared his throat. "I got word from my men that the royal family has asked for an enquiry into the attack of the moonlight pack. When we get back to the pack they will be waiting for us."

    Xaden looked up at the camp tent thinking for a few seconds.

    "They were right behind us when we attacked so what��s the goddamn enquiry about?" Xaden asked extremely irritated.

    Erik shrugged. "Who knows. But the rumors are that the Queen has taken back her seat."

    "She has not been in power for over years now. Her getting back on the seat is something I never expected." He said. "Neither did I. But you want to know the truth? I suspect that they are scared of you. On one hand there is relief that Bale is gone. You rid him of their problems. And now they are worried that your lust for blood and revenge isn��t over. And that you wille for them too."

    "If I wanted toe for them I would have bloody well done it a long time ago." Xaden said.

    "Maybe bring up the idea of you marrying Belle." Erik said with a wink.

    "God no." Xaden said frustrated. "I have zero interest in ever marrying her.

    "I know that but most frankly they don��t care about it. She is going to be Queen one day and you seem like the best prospect as King consort over the hungry leeches that try to snoop and bed the Queen." Erik said.

    "I will never get married and I already have a mate." Xaden swore. "Fuck."

    He hadpletely forgotten that his mate and his uncle were in the pack by now.

    Xaden rubbed his face in frustration.

    "You forgot about them didn��t you?" Erik asked him .

    "I want to forget that even I exist." Xaden said as he got up and stretched his body.

    "So what��s next for us Xaden?" Erik asked him "Bale is gone. You have your sister. You have everything you ever wanted. Do you think you are going to go after more blood?"

    Xaden shrugged uncertain for himself.

    "I didn��t think about this." Xaden said. "I never thought this far. I never actually thought that I was going to kill Bale one day. It was one the thing I was so obsessed to be doing that now that I��ve aplished it, I��m not sure of what��s next."

    Erik walked up to him with a smile and patted his shoulder. "Whatever decision you make, I will be here with you. I told you to the end."

    Xaden said nothing and started to walk out of the tent.

    "Where the hell do you think you��re going to this bloody time of the night?" Erik asked curiously.

    "I need to take a walk. I can��t sleep."

    Xaden said and he headed out of the tent.

    He strolled by the camping grounds.

    Few of the men were still up chattering, while some were already sleeping.

    Some of the fires were off while some were still on.

    He went to the carriage where Anna had stayed in and hung around wondering whether she had left or was still there.

    Then he turned and saw one of his men.

    "Where is she?" He asked. "Did shee out? Did she have anything to eat."

    "Yes she ate. Jasmine gave her some food and left. Although it was a bit of a tussle between both women". The guard said.

    "I see." He said. "So I reckon she is still inside?"

    The guard nodded. "Yes she is."

    Xaden decided to let her be and then he walked away.

    He strolled down he used the sense of his wolf to trail anywhere for any water bodies.

    And his wolf was quick to find one.

    He followed the trail and then went on along going past trees and walking on ahead until he came across a beautifulke.

    He had already taken off his tunic while he was in the tent and so all he had to do was take off his pants .

    He walked down to theke and it was glistening like diamonds as the goddess��s moon simply sparkled on theke.

    And then he saw Jasmine in the water.

    She was swimming naked andughing with Kire.

    Kire was by the banks while she was discussing with him from afar.

    She looked so beautiful that he was inplete awe of her.

    She was like rare Jem that he had no ess to.

    Aplete beauty and seemed like a natural habitat at sea.

    He wondered what the sirens would say when they saw her.

    How they would be fascinated in her and perhaps call her their own.

    He slowly walked down the small rough bend that led to the bank of theke.

    Then Kire took note of him.

    "Shhh." He said softly as he put his hands on his lips.

    Kire said nothing bad Jasmine who was backing them continued to y with her hair.

    She set the water against her lovely hair and gently patted it and massaged the back of her shoulders.

    She sighed softly and then as she gently turned around seemingly to speak to Kire and then she yelped when saw him.

    She quickly threw her arms around her chest to cover her breast.

    "Lord Xaden." She said.

 Chapter 323: JASMINE’S DEFIANCE

    <h4>Chapter 323: JASMINE��S DEFIANCE</h4>

    After Jasmine had left Xaden and returned the empty tes to the pile that was already avable, she turned and saw that Xaden was already gone.

    She gave a light shrug and then bent down to start washing the tes.

    She knew that Anna was still salty and she decided to give her time and a more hungry stomach before she gave her food.

    So cleaning the dishes would give her some more time.

    As she washed, one of theughing men dropped their dirty tes and began to walk away.

    Jasmine groaned in annoyance that she had cooked and was still washing the tes.

    By the time she was done, she was already filthy and exhausted.

    She desired a bath and some nice sleep .

    She looked up and saw Anna��s carriage still there.

    She had still refused to step out.

    Jasmine sighed heavily, dusted herself and fetched some food for Anna and walked to the carriage.

    She knocked at the door.

    Anna did not respond.

    She knocked harder again.

    "Who is it?" Anna hissed in rage.

    "It��s me Jasmine." She replied.

    "Go away!" Anna hissed in disgust. "You are by far thest person I even want to see."

    Jasmine knocked again and said. "I will not leave until you open this door. I will keep on knocking until you finally decide to open it."

    Jasmine kept on knocking and knocking.

    Anna was so furious.

    "Stop. Stop and just leave me alone. Why will you not leave me alone?" Anna demanded from inside the carriage .

    But Jasmine ignored her cries and kept on banging.

    Eventually a very frustrated Anna had no choice but to open the door of her carriage when she under the knob and flung it open.

    "What the bloody hell do you want from me?" Anna hissed at her. "I told you to leave me but you insist! Why? Is it because you are no longer a ve to your own people?"

    Jasmine swallowed Anna��s awful words without even the barest of flinches and sighed in heavily.

    "Xaden said-

    Anna rose her brow and said. "He is lord Xaden. Or do you now believe that because he fucks you, you can now refer to him like he is your equal?"

    Jasmine looked down and sighed. "Of course not."

    "Better." Anna hissed in arrogance and distaste.

    "Lord Xaden insisted that I serve you your meal. He does not want you to go hungry tonight".

    Anna looked down at the hand that Jasmine had extended with a te of food.

    Anna looked as if she would gulp down the entire food immediately.

    Her entire face said hunger.

    But her pride made her withdraw and quickly conceal her expression.

    "Get out." Anna hissed. "And do not disturb me."

    She started to go back into her carriage.

    But Jasmine used her hand to hold the door, prevent Anna from shutting it.

    "I am sorry I can not do that." Jasmine stated.

    "How dare you?" Anna snapped. "If you think that the events of what happened back at the moonlight pack has changed anything then you are fucking wrong. I am still the same Jessica that you knew."

    And then Anna gave a tight smile and said. "Just that I am a new invention. Just that I am Anna now and I promise you, that I will be worse than you ever imagine."

    Jasmine nodded and said. "Then until that timees. I promised your brother that you will not go to bed hungry and that is what I will do."

    Anna looked at her and realized that she had truly no intention of leaving.

    "Will you not go?" Anna barked.

    "No." Jasmine said.

    Anna struggled with jamsine to try and shut the door, but Jasmine stood firm and held the door of the carriage tight.

    Anna red her nostrils in rage and sat down in her carriage and folded her arms.

    "Fine!" Anna hissed. "Then I will just lie down here while you waste your time."

    "Alright." Jasmine said as she adjusted her stance. "And I will stand here all night and not let you close that door. I am a servant. I have stood for hours and I can do the same. The question is, can you sit in a carriage whilst the very terrible cold deals will you?"

    Anna red at Jasmine and turned to the side.

    Jasmine remained standing without saying a word while Anna simply tossed and tossed side by side, trying her best to deal with the cold.

    She was so annoyed.

    Eventually she sighed heavily, flung the nket she had been using and turned to Jasmine.

    "Fine! Give me the bloody meal!" Anna swore and snatched the te of food from Jasmine��s arm.

    Jasmine smiled at her. "Good night."

    Anna pulled the carriage door and mmed it shut with a loud bang.

    Jasmine and turned away from the carriage knowing that she had won.

    She looked at the men and saw that most of them were asleep snoring and done with eating.

    She sighed to herself once again and made sure that she had cleared everything and put it in ce.

    She was not confident with herself as she believed that she smelled very very badly.

    So she gathered her things and went out to look for ake to take a bath .

    She slowly went past Xaden��s tent and heard him speaking to Erik .

    She overheard them speaking about traveling to the mages city.

    She crossed her brows and then turned away, and walked on down the bushy path .

    She heard some noises and then she turned to her side alert.

    None other than Kire hoped out of the bushes.

    Sheughed to herself and ced her hand on her chest a sigh of relief .

    "Oh it��s you Kire." She said with a smile and ruffled his ears. "I��m looking for ake do you know any nearby?"

    Kire wagged his tail and raced off.

    She went after him and then she finally came to a halt when she saw a dry beach and beautiful water.

    Kire was already ying around and sshing in the water.

    She stripped and then with a smile on her face walked down until she had her entire body inside.

 Chapter 324: NAKED TOGETHER IN THE LAKE

    <h4>Chapter 324: NAKED TOGETHER IN THE LAKE</h4>

    She smiled at herself as she swam in the water.

    It was so cool and satisfying to have a warm bath as theke was warm in the unusual cool weather.

    She had been working all through and finally being able to clean herself.

    Now she simply rxed in the water and it seemed the water rxed her muscles and eased the stiffness in her bones.

    Kire was sshing around by the beach and she smiled and turned to look at him.

    "You want to hop in?" She rose a brow.

    He whined.

    She swam closer to the beach and then in a blink of an eye she sshed the water on him and he hopped away.

    Sheughed. "Look at you scaredy cat."

    He hopped around and eventually ran off.

    She turned to swim back to the middle of theke.

    She sighed heavily and looked up at the moon her naked back backing Kire and the beach.

    She wondered what was next for her in her future.

    The little she had heard about her mother and father.

    She wasn��t sure if she wanted to know or not know.

    Everywhere was quiet for a while and then her instincts told her to turn.

    That someone other than Kire was here and so she quickly turned around without remembering that she was naked.

    Right before her was Xaden .

    She gasped in shock.

    "Lord Xaden".

    And then she remembered that she was naked and she hurriedly threw her hands over her breasts.

    She began to breathe heavily.

    "Easy." He said to her. "I didn��t mean to scare you."

    She said nothing looking at him .

    Unsure of what to say.

    He slowly went closer to theke.

    She stiffened and seemed to back away.

    He took off his shirt and she saw her eyes went down on his chest and the tattoos on his chest.

    She drew her eye away quickly.

    "Do you mind if I join you?" He asked.

    She went red.

    "You already made yourself wee." She said.

    He began to take off his pants and she took her eyes away again and then hermon sense told her to leave.

    She swam towards the bank of theke and attempted to walk away.

    But she felt his hand grip her wrist and she was pulled back.

    She turned and faced him, forgetting that she was naked and so was he.

    He looked into her eyes bad said. "I would like you to stay."

    She was lost for words unable to say anything.

    Her lips quivered.

    "Please." He said.

    She didn��t say a word but herposure and stance said that she had agreed.

    She had rxed and then very gently, her down towards him and back into the water.

    By the time he was done she was already having the water around her breast.

    They were both looking at each other, no one saying a word and then she realized that they were still holding hands.

    She quickly withdrew her hand and he let go.

    Then he turned around and said. "It seems you found a secretke here. Not the first time you would be finding one though. You are good at that."

    She knew that she was referring to theke in his pack.

    She shrugged. "It just happens."

    "I myself had never for once known such ake existed." He told her.

    She just stared at him.

    Kire howled and then they turned to see him, distracting themselves from the very awkward and ufortable moment.

    He went down on his fours andy by the beach as if guarding them .

    "A very peaceful night." She said as she looked up at the moon with a smile .

    He pointed at her. "That is because you are not at the camping ground. If you were there, you won��t think it��s so peaceful with all the men snoring like wild animals."

    Sheughed at his statement.

    "And you? You don��t snore like a wild animal?" She asked him.

    He rose a brow. "Snore like a wild animal? I��m offended. But you need to hear Erik snoring. I am sure that��s why Kire had to separate from him. He came wake up an entire vige."

    They bothughed.

    "I don��t think anyone beats Kire like Jessica. She snores like a hungry wolf. You won��t be able to stand her."

    And then Jasmine realized what she had just said.

    She had not only referred to his sister in a very disrespectful manner, but she had also called her Jessica.

    "I am sorry." She quickly apologized.

    He waved his hand and in a somewhat hard and calm voice said. "It��s fine. You��ve known her your entire life as someone else. I don��t expect you to see her as another in a day."

    He looked back up at her. "Did you serve her meal?"

    Jasmine nodded as she gently swam her hand on the water. "Mmmhmm. I��m pretty sure she ate tonight."

    "Thank you." He said .

    Jasmine stilled.

    She was not sure if she had, in her life ever heard him tell her thank you.

    It seemed so strange.

    "So tell me why you are in theke swimming naked?" He asked .

    She shrugged. "I was tired. And needed a bath."

    "The men could havee in and taken a look at you here." He said.

    "They didn��t." She said.

    "I don��t like people to see what belongs to me." He stated territorially.

    She swallowed hard, aware of the effect of his words on her.

    She felt her face be red and then her inner thigh get warm.

    He came closer to her and they were barely inches away from each other.

    He gently set his hands around her waist under the water and pulled her close to him.

    She could feel his hard self against her and she tried to breathe at the tension .

    "I don��t want people to have what belongs to me." He said to curve of her ear lobe and he gently bit down on it.

 Chapter 325: MAKING LOVE

    <h4>Chapter 325: MAKING LOVE</h4>

    She gasped at how soft and appealing his touch was.

    He trailed his tongue around her ear lobe and began to gently suck on it.

    She moaned and was taken aback at how much he made her feel.

    How just having his lips around her ears drove her insane.

    She gasped and wrapped her arms around him and then she felt his hands begin to swim down in between her legs .

    First they stroked her thighs massaging it and then he proceeded to trace his hand under the wave of water and found himself right in between her legs.

    He set his finger in and she gasped, throwing her head back .

    His lips still rolling on her earlobe, his left hand gripping her firmly to prevent her from falling into the water, he used his right hand to finger the curls in between her legs.

    She was shocked at how hot she was.

    They were inside theke, surrounded by water and yet she could feel her inner parts spill out with warm wetness.

    She cried and held him.

    "Oh please." She begged as her body desired more.

    She felt herself involuntarily moving up against his fingers.

    Her body rubbing and moving rhythmically against his fingers.

    And then he stopped all he was doing at once and looked her straight in the eye.

    She crashed back into reality and shame overcame her.

    She wanted to withdraw from him and started to apologize when he swore at her.

    "Don��t you fucking apologize." He said.

    And with that he carried her on his waist and she was strapped to him, then he began to wave past theke.

    She held unto him wondering where they were going until they reached the point where there was a water fall that dispersed the water in theke.

    As he took her right through the water fall, she opened her eyes and only when she no longer felt water flowing hard on her back did she open them.

    She saw that they were in a warm cove.

    There was a small hole from above the cove letting moonlighte into the cove.

    Then he gently released her from himself andy her on her back .

    All she could do was look at him .

    "Don��t apologize for feeling good." He said and then he parted her thighs and she went red as he himself went down on her.

    She gasped as she felt his tongue roll in between her deepest parts.

    "Why should you apologize when my tongue is inside you?" He asked.

    She cried in pleasure and then her body tried to move away.

    But he went back up on her and used his hands to grab her two hands and ced them over her head.

    Then he secured the hands together and held them down with one hand while his other hand parted her legs further apart.

    She felt herself begin to release more wetness from this mere act.

    He once again went down on her but this time he was more fierce.

    He licked the dress wetness she had released and she cried, her entire body vibrating.

    Demanding and wanting more from him.

    "Why would you apologize to me when you are so wet for me?" He asked her.

    And then his free hand massaged the frontal part of her inner thighs.

    She was shivering. "Please.... "

    She was unsure of what to say.

    Unsure of what to do.

    But this torture that he dealt her with had her losing her minds.

    He slowly rolled his finger tips in a seductive manner knowing that she needed more.

    But yet he was slow and steady, taking his time while she spasmed.

    Then he put one finger inside and she gasped, and then another and soon four were inside.

    He began to slowly move them in and out while she moaned, writhing and struggling .

    But his firm hand was still holding both her hands in ce.

    He then began to increase the pace of his fingers around her inner self and soon his fingers were drawing lines inside her walls.

    He put his head down in between her and licked her clean.

    He sucked on her frontal lobe and nibbled it with such expertise that it brought her pleasure and pain .

    She was crying and weeping.

    Begging him for more.

    Begging him to stop torturing her.

    But he did not stop.

    He kept on teasing her, securing her and making her on the brink of climax.

    She felt her body begin to vibrate and she felt her legs tingle and then she spammed at the explosive release.

    She breathed deep and heavy sighs and when she thought it was enough, she was wrong .

    He set her hands free and then he went over her.

    He took his lips down against hers and his tongue touched hers.

    She tasted her wetness, and realized that he had concealed it in his mouth.

    He dipped his tongue around hers and then he sucked on her bottom lips in hunger.

    She moaned wrapping her around him ready for more.

    She began to rock her body against him and she felt herself get wet again and then his rock self was hard against her.

    She cried and began to beg him to take her.

    She wept in desire for him, begging and pleading and then she finally felt him plunge into her.

    It was so swift that it seemed like a shock.

    He was so big andrge inside her.

    She barely recovered from him and then he began to move inside her.

    He bucked into her hard.

    Over and over.

    She dipped her nails into his back as she cried .

    His lips crushed hers as their body moved in perfect rhythm.

    He drove harder and harder into her, plunging into her tunnels and hitting her wall,

    She cried and he groaned with every thrust.

    Soon she felt herself begin to shake and another wary shattering climaxing an together they exploded.

    She felt his seed explode inside her and they both stopped .

    Breathing very hard together

 Chapter 326: TOGETHER IN MOONLIGHT

    <h4>Chapter 326: TOGETHER IN MOONLIGHT</h4>

    They bothy down together, arm in arm breathing very hard.

    Eventually the breathing eased and soon they were just together with her arms wrapped around her.

    He very gently traced his finger against her back and soon the only thing they could hear was the water flowing down the water fall.

    The moonlight was down on them and the cave was surprisingly very warm that they barely felt any cold at their naked bodies.

    She justy there hearing his heart beat and for a split second wondering if he heard hers.

    She never wanted to move away from this moment.

    She wanted to be here for as long as possible.

    It felt safe, it felt secure to be lying next to him and away from her troubles.

    She wasn��t sure if he was asleep, and then she felt him circling on her back again.

    She rxed and held him closer to her.

    She held his hand on her shoulder and then he rubbed her back.

    The silence was pregnant with both of them knowing each other were awake.

    And then she finally picked up the courage to speak.

    "When I was little." She said. "I used to look up at the moonlight and feel she was my salvation. My hope and my escape out of the pack."

    She looked up into the moonlight and sighed heavily.

    "Why?" He asked. "What did the moonlight offer?"

    She smiled lightly. "I was alone. I had almost no one. and I used to look at the moonlight because it reminded me that one day I would be a wolf, I would finally shift and that gave me independence. That meant I would perhaps find a mate and then he would take me away from that ce."

    "I couldn��t be more wrong." She said.

    "I have never met an unshifted." Xaden said to her.

    "That��s because we��re exiled away from everyone else." She said. "We are seen as the disgrace of the packs and so we can not be seen amongst society."

    "So why were you not exiled?" He asked.

    She gave a light shrug and seemed to think for a split second.

    It was as if it was the first time it was urring to her.

    She looked at him in surprise.

    "I actually don��t know." She said. "My father I guess, maybe he kept me for his own amusement."

    He sighed very heavily. "Maybe you��re not an unshifted."

    She looked at him a bit confused. "What?"

    He shrugged. "Maybe you��re not an unshifted. Maybe your wolf is dormant."

    "What?" She asked more confused.

    This was the first time she was ever hearing of such.

    "Yes." He said as he gently trailed her arm once again. "I��ve heard of some rare cases where people have had their wolves locked. Of their wolves refusing to shift with them."

    "And?" She prompted.

    He pulled her closer to him and they were barely an inch apart.

    His lips parted and then he very gently touched the bottom of hers with his finger.

    She felt herself get warm again.

    "And..." he went on toying with her bottom lip on a very scandalous andmandeering manner.

    "I will be going to the city of the mages." He said. "It is only mages that break such bonds. We could find out more from there."

    Her eyes lit in joy at his words.

    Her eyes glimmered with hope that she was not an unshifted.

    That she still perhaps had the chance to shift to a wolf, find a mate and be her true self.

    He lined her bottom lip and she tried her best to ignore the sensation she felt.

    "But why would anyone want to lock my wolves? She asked more to herself than to him. "Why would anyone want to keep me trapped? I have nothing to offer."

    His lips went against her neck.

    She moaned softly and tried to keep her head straight.

    "That I don��t know." He said as he nuzzled her neck. "I never said that was the option. It is also possible that your wolf is dormant."

    She tilted her neck and moaned once again her inner thighs begin to get wet again as his fingers began to roll around her nipples.

    She closed her eyes and bit down her bottom lip to fight the sensation she felt, but instead she mistakenly bit his finger.

    Instead of being upset or in pain he had a naughty grin on his face. "You��re a bad girl."

    And then she went red.

    He sucked on her neck and picked on her nipples.

    She tried to keep her head straight.

    "So we would go to mage city?" She asked him.

    He stopped short.

    She felt her heart racing fast.

    "Please I would really like to find out what is wrong with me." She said tears almost at the brink of her eyes .

    He looked down at her and gently massaged her hair, his face was stricken with worry.

    "Why would you think there is anything wrong with you?" He asked.

    The tears rolled down her eyes and then he bent down and kissed them.

    "Do not cry." He said. "I wish I could show you how perfect you are. It is well. We shall go to mage city."

    And then she smiled with glee and he went back down on her into her eager arms.

    He kissed her and she in turn returned the favor.

    She had no idea what made her feel the way she felt.

    But it was like an insatiable hunger that could never be quenched and she only wanted him more.

    It was as if what he had said he would do for her had made her so happy.

    What he had also said about wishing to show her how perfect she was had cracked something in her heart she could not figure out.

    He had her close to him and soon they made love once again .

    Once they were done, theyy intertwined with each other��s bodies and born drifted off to sleep.

 Chapter 327: DIFFERENT TERRITORY

    <h4>Chapter 327: DIFFERENT TERRITORY</h4>

    Early the next morning, Jasmine was woken up by a stream of sunlight against her eyes.

    She tried to move away from it but it simply persisted.

    She sighed heavily and turned and saw that she was backing Xaden who had his arms firmly around her.

    She smiled and remained in her position to savor this moment.

    She had no idea when next this would happen, so she wanted to take advantage of the opportunity.

    The birds sang and she heard the little animals roam about on the early morning activities.

    And then she felt himself stir and soon she began to feel kisses down her shoulder de.

    She shivered in excitement and pleasure .

    How she wished they could remain this way forever.

    She smiled at him. "Good morning my lord."

    He mumbled something and then he was over her again.

    Sheughed softly.

    His eyes glimmered at her and then he went down on her breasts and began to suckle on them .

    "I never got to do thesest night." He said with sympathy. "I have topensate."

    And then he sucked and nibbled on her lovely breasts.

    She cried in pleasure throwing her hand back and running her finger through his hair.

    She moaned aloud as his lips and face remained in between her bosom and then his fingers began to go down to darker valleys.

    He was already setting her legs apart.

    Almost ready to delve into.

    She cried in pleasure once she felt his fingers in.

    "Bad girl." He said looking up at her from her hardened nipple. "You have been thinking of me all night haven��t you?"

    She swallowed and went red .

    "You want me to fuck you again don��t you?" He asked and then the intensity of his finger against her wetness increased. "You want me to bend you over and fuck you hard."

    The thought of it terrified and excited her all at once.

    She closed her eyes as he worked on her

    She heard a bird that usually sang mid morning

    She smiled to herself and then she wondered what the time was.

    She froze.

    "What��s wrong?" He asked noticing her sudden demeanor.

    She shook her head. "Nothing. It��s just that a bird singing usually only singster in the morning and not early in the morning."

    He froze too.

    She realized she was probably over thinking things .

    "It could be nothing. We are in different territories." She said.

    "Shit!" He swore.

    And then with that, he quickly jumped up to his feet.

    "What��s wrong?" She asked seating up now confused.

    "This territory is known for different seasons and weather. You heard that bird that you heard sing? And how you think this is probably still dark? Well in this territory time is an entirely different thing. It is mid morning perhaps even afternoon. We spent hours here."

    She breathed heavily, shocked and confused.

    "We need to leave now. The men will be looking for us." He snapped. "Fuck they probably think we were taken by an enemy pack."

    He used his hand to rub his face and sighed heavily.

    "Gather yourself." He said sharply. "We need to leave right now."

    She felt a little hurt at his tone, but did as he asked.

    She realized she was naked and began to feel ufortable.

    "We need to leave this cove to find our clothes." He said.

    With no choice but to follow him, she went right behind .

    Soon they were at Bank of theke and she quickly put on her clothes

    By the time she was done he was already done and dragging her behind him.

    She was so flustered and she was an utter disarray.

    But she let him lead her on with his long strides past the forest until they came to the camping ground and saw few of the men .

    In alert, they quickly turned to their shifter eyes and they growled aggressively at him.

    "Wait wait!" Erik stopped them from attacking. "It��s Xaden."

    "Of course it��s me." Xaden said.

    "Where the fuck have you been?" Erik snapped at him. "We��ve been looking for you for thest fucking six hours."

    Jasmine saw Anna appear in the crowd.

    "Rx. No one took me anywhere." Xaden said.

    "That��s easy for you to say. You had the entire party worried. And then Jasmine. We also can��t find-

    And it was then Erik saw her.

    He looked at Jasmine who was standing with Xaden.

    "Would you look at that." Erik said. "So you two were together this entire time."

    Jasmine went red and realized that she was still holding hands with Xaden.

    He withdrew from her grasp sharply and she felt stung in her chest.

    Anna gave her a cross look as if furious for even being around her brother.

    "No. We weren��t." Xaden said.

    Erik rose a hand up and said. "Look whatever you two did is none of my business. My issue is please don��t make us looking all around like a maniac."

    She looked at him.

    His words had hurt her.

    What did he mean they weren��t?

    They had spent the entire night together and touched each other.

    Been hungry for each other .

    Why was he acting so strange all of sudden.

    Jasmine walked from his side and said. "Yes I wandered off and he found me."

    Erik looked at her suspiciously.

    "That��s all." Xaden said striding away. "We need to get moving."

    Jasmine said nothing and then walking past Anna sneared at her.

    Jasmine simply adjusted her hair and then gathered her things.

    While they were packing getting ready to leave, she walked towards her horse and began to pet him.

    Xaden came around her.

    He started to talk to her. "Jasmine I-

    "We have a journey ahead." She said. "And I think talking about anything will only waste our time. My lord."

    And then with that she climbed her horse.

    Getting the memo he frowned, turned around and eventually left.

    They resumed their journey on the road.

    Anna was in her carriage as usual while everyone else went on their horses.

    When it was mid afternoon they came to arge hill that showcased arge and beautiful city in the distance.

    "What is that?" Jasmine asked in awe.

    "Mage city." Ned said. "It��s where the mages live."

    She turned and looked onward.

    "It looks beautiful." She said.

    "Listen up." Xaden said. "The party is going to split up. Erik and I along with two other men will go up to Mage city. The rest of the party will return on their way home."

    "But you said that-?" Jasmine said unable to believe that the fact that he had omitted her.

    He turned and red at her.

 Chapter 328: JASMINE’S EPIPHANY

    <h4>Chapter 328: JASMINE��S EPIPHANY</h4>

    Jasmine closed her lips and kept her thoughts to herself.

    She wanted to demand what he meant that she was going ahead with the rest of the party.

    But it was very disrespectful for her to speak to him disrespectfully in front of his men.

    So she tried her best to keep herposure down and said nothing.

    Anna who had been inside her carriage the entire time peeped out through the window and said.

    "What? What��s happening?" She requested.

    Xaden came down from his horse and walked to his sister.

    "I need to see to some very important details at mage city." He said.

    Her face fell instantly. "We��re going to mage city? Mage city is very dangerous."

    "You will be leaving with the rest of the men." He informed. "It would only be Erik and I along with about two other men."

    "I see." She mumbled to herself.

    "Don��t worry." He pecked her cheek. "The men will take care of you just fine. And I won��t be too long."

    "Do you really have to go?" She begged.

    Jasmine turned her face away in fury and came down from her horse to find him something to eat.

    She ignored the siblings chatter and went on searching for something for her house.

    It helped her take her mind off how she felt.

    She picked up a few berries in her hand and added some more.

    She felt a presence behind her and jumped.

    It was none other than Xaden himself.

    She looked down and saw that all her berries had fallen down to the floor.

    She said nothing and bent down to pick it.

    He proceeded as if he wanted to help her and she snapped at him. "I��ll do it!"

    He stopped and she was even surprised with herself.

    She did not apologize and she simply packed them up into her palm and proceeded to rise up when he stopped her.

    "Jasmine." He said.

    She red at him. "You told me that we were going to make city. It was you who had told me that it was a possibility my wolf was dormant. You brought the entire idea and all of a sudden you tell me it is only you who would be going."

    He rubbed his face. "Look. Mage city is not what you think it is. It is unsafe and for reasons I won��t want you harmed there."

    "I can handle myself fine." Jasmine responded. And she began to plead "please just let me go."

    He shook his head. "I��m sorry I can not do that."

    Her face grew red with fury. "So why tell me about it in the first ce?!"

    She snapped so loud that they turned and looked at her around.

    At this point she was too upset to even care.

    She stormed off.

    When she reached to her horse she realized that she had spilled away all the berries except for a tiny one.

    She handed it to her horse and ignored himpletely.

    Eventually he and his small party got ready to leave.

    Kire refused to follow his Master so they gave up pursuing him and let him stay behind.

    Ned came by her side with a sulk on his face.

    "What happened to you ?" She quizzed.

    "Alpha Xaden said I couldn��te." Nedined. "Insisted that someone be there to take care of anyone in case they fell sick. Quite frankly he threatened me."

    Jasmine sighed heavily frustrated.

    This would have been the opportunity for Ned to find out about Urma��s mystery message and now they were at a crossroads.

    She knew that there was no changing his mind so she let it go.

    She was going to find another way.

    Jasmine ignored them throughout the entirety of them preparing to leave.

    Xaden said nothing either and they all went their separate ways.

    Throughout the journey, Anna was bent on frustrating Jasmine.

    "Jasmine get me some fresh fruit." Anna ordered.

    "There are no fruits anywhere." Jasmine responded.

    "I don��t care. My brother put you to take care of me so you better do as I say. Or you want me telling my brother that you disobeyed me?"

    Jasmine sighed heavily and went about to find a fruits.

    She got injured by some thorns before finally getting a fruit.

    Anna snatched it without a thank you.

    The next thing, she was hot.

    Next thing she wanted Jasmine to sing for her.

    Next she wanted a well cooked meal.

    "There is no way we can get that." Jasmine said extremely unhappy.

    "Do I look like I care?" Anna hissed.

    "If I make a meal for you. Then that means that we have to stop and that would dy the time we arrive the pack."

    "Not my business." Anna said.

    Eventually their travel party had toe to a stop.

    St this point Jasmine was boiling in fury.

    She was angrily making mushroom soup while Ned assisted.

    "I hate her." Jasmine said and then she realized what she said. "Gods I didn��t mean that."

    "Of course you did. If I were you I would hate her too." Ned said as he mixed spices together. "She is such a bitch."

    Jasmine did not deny that.

    "It��s not fair. She had a perfect life and now even after everything she still has a perfect life." Jasmine said angrily as she began to pound at the mushrooms.

    "Hey hey take it easy." Ned calmed her down.

    Jasmine stopped and took in heavy breaths. "I shouldn��t havee. I should have left when I had the chance to. Now look at me, serving people who hate me."

    Ned said nothing for a while and then. "Well I think they hate her more than they hate you. No one talks to her and Kire hates her."

    Jasmine turned and saw Kire growling aggressively at Anna who was yelling at him.

    "You horrid dog!" She snapped at him. "Stop it!"

    She grabbed her feet together in fear so he wouldn��t bite her.

    "Someone get this away from ME!" She hissed.

    Jasmine chuckled.

    "And you could always escape to Mage city one day." Ned told her to lift the mood.

    Jasmine stopped and looked at him.

    "Escape." She said and then she had an epiphany . "Why wait forter when I could sneak to Mage city right now?"

 Chapter 329: ESCAPE TO MAGE CITY

    <h4>Chapter 329: ESCAPE TO MAGE CITY</h4>

    "What?" Ned asked.

    Jasmine got up. "Yes. Why not escape to mage city right now?"

    "That��s not particrly what I meant when I said tha-

    "Thank you so much!" Jasmine said and gave him a peck on his cheek.

    Ned went red immediately.

    She started to abandon everything she was doing when he stopped her.

    "Wait!" He said. "You can��t just go like that. They would know."

    Jasmine put her hands in her waist to think heavily.

    "What if the men make camp here and continue the journey tomorrow?" She asked wisely.

    "Yes that could work. Except they were given strict rules not to make unnecessary stops and head straight for the pack." Ned said and then motioned to where they were. "I mean the only reason why we��re here is because Anna was very demanding and insisted we stop."

    Jasmine stopped to think.

    "This is a very bad idea." Ned started to tell her wisely.

    Jasmine snapped her finger.

    "That��s it. Anna. If Anna insists that we remain behind and make camp here then they would

    Obey. I could leave before evening and return just in time before anyone notices me. Mage city is only an hour away." Jasmine said .

    "All these bad ideas you��re not getting from me." Ned said as his shoulders dropped. "And Anna will never ever agree to remain here. If anything she is terrified of the high way. You could see it in her eyes when she asked her own brother about where he was going to."

    Jasmine smiled. "Leave that to me."

    And then Jasmine returned back to making the mushroom soup hastily.

    Ned hovered around trying to change her mind, but shepletely ignored him.

    Eventually he gave up and left.

    Jasmine called the men to have their soup and Jasmine went to serve ��Her royal highness Anna the arrogant��

    Jasmine went to the tent that had been made for Anna and set the soup on a stool before her.

    "What took you so long?!" Anna hissed.

    "Getting the mushrooms were a bit difficult." Jasmine exined.

    "Isn��t that what you��re supposed to do?" Anna asked. "As a ve?"

    Anna humped and red at Jasmine.

    "You don��t fool me. Whatever front you are making here and wearing much better clothes now. I know you. You are still the same ugly and dirty ve who wanted to be daddy��s girl."

    Jasmine swallowed the insult.

    She felt sting of hurt in her chest but pushed it aside.

    Her feelings didn��t matter at the moment.

    "I apologize for thete meal. It could have been much better but Kire had found some mutted animals in the forest. We were forced to use a different path." Jasmine said.

    Anna almost choked on her soup. "Mutted animals?"

    "Yes." Jasmine nodded. "It��s not relevant and I would not want to bore you with the details."

    And Jasmine started to leave.

    "Tell me this instant!" Anna demanded.

    Jasmine smiled to herself before turning around and maintaining a in face.

    "What do you mean mutted animals?" Anna asked.

    Jasmine sighed as if she was reluctant to tell her.

    "Well the thing is. The animal me were badly mutted. There were about twenty of them it was a massacre." Jasmine said .

    Anna��s face went red. "How can you tell it was a massacre? They could have fought to death."

    Jasmine shook her head. "There were w marks on them. And Kire picked the scent of rogue wolves."

    Anna squeezed her hand to hide her fear.

    "And where was this incident?" She asked.

    "Oh far ahead. About an hour away. Except.....

    Anna looked at her sharply. "Except what?!"

    Jasmine sighed. "It was about an hour away alright, but their bodies were found directly on the road that will lead us to the pack."

    Anna looked like she wanted to faint.

    "It��s almost dark now. Perhaps the rogue wolves had decided to feed on them. I heard that they eat raw flesh. That is if they don��t find actual wolves like us."

    Anna was speechless.

    And then Jasmine pretended to act like she was looking outside the pack.

    "Oh."

    "What?" Anna jumped.

    "It��s going to be a full moon tonight." Jasmine said.

    That simply meant that all wolves, good or bad would be at their most strength.

    Anna��s face was almost bursting.

    She pursed her lips together and her face fell like the food in her mouth had all of a sudden gone sour.

    Jasmine then said. "I have other things to attend to. Please enjoy your meal and I will notete again."

    She started to leave and then stopped and turned.

    "By the way, you probably will not want to mention the fact that there were dead animals in the forest to the men. If you tell them, they would eventually tell Xaden. And Alpha Xaden will bee too over protective of you. Perhaps even worse than your false parents."

    And with that, Jasmine walked away with a smile on her face.

    She met Ned who was frantically anxious.

    "What did you do?" He requested.

    "I tried my best to secure my way to mage city." She replied. "Now let us wait and see if it worked."

    After a while and when Jasmine had almost given up, Anna came out of the tent and marched straight to Alfred who was the person Xaden had left in charge and began arguing with him.

    "How certain are you that these paths are safe at night?" She demanded. "I shall not risk my life tonight!"

    Lucky enough, she did not mention the dead animals. Only the fact that she did not want to travelte.

    Because they would have gone to investigate and found out that there was no such thing.

    Eventually Alfred announced that they would be camping for the night.

    By almost evening, Jasmine had gathered some things in a bag and was ready to leave.

    "This is you a bad idea." Ned said. "Alpha Xaden will kill me."

    "I will be back before you even notice." She promised. "Urma��s letter. I will need to take it there."

    He sighed heavily when he saw that there was no changing her mind and then he pulled it out from his satchel and handed it to her.

    "There were dangerous mages Jasmine." He said.

    She nodded. "I know one. Urma always spoke highly of one named fire serpent. I will return."

    She got on her horse and rode off.

    Ned turned away and then from the shadows unknown to either of them, Anna had been watching all along.

    "Where does this whore think she is going?" She asked and then she picked a horse and followed her.

 Chapter 330: ANNA’S THREATENS JASMINE

    <h4>Chapter 330: ANNA��S THREATENS JASMINE</h4>

    Jasmine was on her horse riding down the steep hill that loooed towards mage city.

    She had been riding for a while now and she saw that she was much nearer.

    She brought her horse to a halt and sighed heavily before opening the satchel in which she had ced Urma��s letter and examined it.

    She was going to find out now.

    Whether she was a dormant wolf or if someone had locked her wolf just as Xaden had said.

    Even though thetter she doubted. Who would want to lock her wolf when she was an absolute nobody .

    Or as every one had said, she was simply unshifted wolf.

    Either ways she would find out.

    She felt some movement behind her and she knew someone was watching her.

    She had sensed it at first when she had started her journey but she had ignored it.

    She didn��t turn around because she didn��t what whoever it was scared away.

    She came down from her horse and acted like she wanted to give him some food.

    "You seem hungry." She said aloud and gently tapped his head. "I should get you something nice. I shall not be long."

    And then she went off towards the direction of the lush forest.

    She went into the forest and stood behind a tree to watch.

    She watched as a hooded figure came with their own horse.

    The stalker came down from the horse and seemed to be looking through Jasmine��s horse and items.

    Jasmine slowly removed the dagger that Erik had given her and went round so as not toe facing the person who had been following her.

    She took a shorter route and soon she was out of the forest and at the back of the individual.

    She gently went behind him, minding her steps and trying her best not to make any sounds.

    With her dagger in her hand, and when she saw certain that she was within grasp of grabbing whoever it was, she lunged.

    She put the dagger to the person��s throat and turned the person around to face her.

    "Who are you and why are you following me?" She demanded as she pushed down the hood.

    It was none other than Anna.

    "You?!" Jasmine said in surprise.

    "Gods take off the dagger from my throat Jasmine." Anna hissed. "You��re hurting me."

    Jasmine gave her an annoyed look and then took off the dagger.

    Anna grumbled to herself as she adjusted her dress.

    "Why are you even following me?" Jasmine asked. "How long have you been following me?"

    "I should be asking you why you drained out in the middle of the camp?" Anna hissed.

    Jasmine rolled her eyes further irritated. "Me leaving the camp was none of your business."

    "It was all of my business." Anna corrected. "Because you are a traitor and you are a threat to the happiness of my brother and my new family."

    "Really?" Jasmine asked sarcastically for the first time.

    "Don��t talk back at me." Anna folded her arms.

    Jasmine tried her best to keep her calm. "I am taking you back to the camp."

    Jasmine grabbed Anna��s arm and proceeded to take her back to the horse.

    Anna jerked free. "I will not be going back to the camp! Let me go!"

    Anna��s eyes zed fire and she growled at Jasmine.

    Jasmine who had no wolf was forced to obey.

    Jasmine sighed heavily frustrated that her being an unshifted wolf meant that she was forced to obey Anna.

    Jasmine sighed. "What do you want?"

    "Toe with you." Anna said.

    "Like hell you are!" Jasmine yelled shocking both her and Anna.

    "I will agree not to tell Xaden that you lied about there being rogue robbers on the road in order to escape unless Ie along with you." Anna said.

    "Are you threatening me?" Jasmine asked.

    "Yes I am." Anna admitted. "And just you wait and see. I��ve done worse when we lived together. You know me. I would tell more lies and add little stories."

    Anna smiled and pranced around. "What do you think my dear brother would do when he finds out that you lied to the camp so you could find a lover of yours."

    Jasmine��s eyes glinted. "You wouldn��t."

    "Or, I tell him that you went off to have me killed by his enemies because you��ve always hated and envied me." Anna said deviously. "I will do it Jasmine. I have done it before and I sure as hell would do it again."

    Jasmine sighed in very heavily as she debated whether the time hade to kill Anna.

    It was long overdue.

    "Fine." She said after a very long breath. "You cane along. But you will not stray far away from me. And you will ask no questions."

    "I don��t take orders from you." Anna said impudently.

    "If you��re going to follow me, then you sure as hell would." Jasmine said using more of the hell word. "We don��t know what we are going to face in mage city and if anything happens to you then Xaden would kill me."

    Anna looked at her coyly. "He is referred to as Alpha Xaden not as Xaden."

    Jasmine gave a stiff face. "Of course Alpha Xaden."

    Anna eyed her suspiciously and went on to say. "I will not be taking any instructions from you."

    "And I said like hell you would?!" Jasmine snapped.

    Anna was forced to close her lips tightly and say nothing.

    Jasmine grumbled at her use of the word hell.

    Xaden and Erik��s bad influence was rubbing off of her too much now.

    They said it a lot and she was beginning to get used to it and with the slightest opportunity she now used it.

    Whatever it was, she was not going to let Anna ruin her ns.

    "Let��s go." Jasmine said as she got on her horse.

    She didn��t bother to see if Anna was following behind she just went in ahead.

    "This is going to be a very long journey." Jasmine said to herself in annoyance.

 Chapter 331: THE SERPENT

    <h4>Chapter 331: THE SERPENT</h4>

    They got into mage city and were in awe at the colors and magic happening left right and center.

    "Buy yourself some green lizard tarts." A woman called. "I sell the best in town."

    "How about the eyes of a griffin. Three hundred centuries old and best in the city." Another man called.

    Jasmine watched as a bird flew above and then camending into a woman who walked by, a man followed past and disappeared into the thin space.

    "This is amazing." Jasmine said in absolute awe of the city that stood behind her.

    Anna didn��t seem to see it that way.

    She was hovering down right behind Jasmine as they moved through the crowds.

    "Can we just make it to wherever we are going." Anna scowled very irritated.

    It was night but the city was still very bright and vibrant.

    It was alive.

    "Just hold onto me and stay close." Jasmine said as they went through the crowd.

    Jasmine looked up at the different stores that hung from left and right to see which was more likely to direct her in the direction where she would find something that would lead her to where she was headed.

    She saw a sign that hung with a writing on it.

    She turned back to a not so pleased looking Anna and asked. "What does that sign read?"

    "I didn��t ask you to be an illiterate." Anna snapped back.

    Jasmine shook her head and wondered why she had even bothered to ask in the first ce.

    They continued to head up down the street and soon there was some noises of what seemed to be celebration.

    As they got closer they saw a procession leading up to them.

    Jasmine grabbed Anna��s hand and they steered off the main Road.

    A number of horses passed along with some carriages and the people waved and greeted.

    Cheered at them.

    Jasmine watched as the procession went further down the road.

    There was a woman beside her.

    "What��s going on please?" Jasmine asked.

    "It��s the grand Mage." The woman replied through the loud crowd.

    "What��s the grand Mage?" Jasmine asked further confused,

    The woman looked at her as if she was a stranger and ignored her.

    "Let��s go." Jasmine said pulling Anna alongside.

    Then they went past the noisy crowd and were soon down the streets once again.

    Jasmine looked around and saw a young boy passing.

    "Hey." She called out to him. "Where can I find the mages?"

    He crossed his brows together. "Which of the mages. There are so many of them."

    "The fire serpent mes." She said.

    His face went grim and he started to back out as if she had pped him.

    She gently caught his wrist and pulled him back to her.

    "Hey hey. I��m not trying to hurt you." She said "I just want to know where I can meet a mage."

    The boy looked at her warily.

    He seemed very cautious and then he pointed down the street at a store. "Go down there and ask the woman at the bar. She would tell you what you need to know."

    And then he withdrew his hands from her grip and ran away.

    "You even scared that child." Anna said.

    "Let��s go." Jasmine said ignoring her and heading to where the boy had pointed out.

    They hung at the steps of the door and Jasmine opened the door.

    It was a loud and noisy room.

    There were people drinking andughing.

    Eating and ying music.

    Jasmine looked around the entire room and saw a woman standing over a table and walked straight to her.

    "Hello." Jasmine said .

    The woman cleaned the ss cups and poured drinks in more cups .

    She barely noticed Jasmine.

    Jasmine tried to speak up. "Excuse me. We just want to know how we can find the fire serpent."

    The entire room went quiet.

    Jasmine became aware of her surroundings as she looked around and saw that everyone was looking at her and Anna.

    The woman froze immediately and turned to look at her sharply.

    "Where did you get that name from?" The woman leered at her .

    "My grandma. Urma." Jasmine replied. "She always mentioned that name in high regards."

    Jasmine was very ufortable with the way everyone was looking at her.

    The woman gave her a warning look. "No one has mentioned that name in years."

    Jasmine was uncertain what to say.

    "I just want to know where I can find this person." Jasmine.

    The bar woman with her brown hair packed to side adjusted it and tucked it again.

    She folded her arms and looked at Jasmine over.

    "Come to the back." The woman said as she led the way.

    Jasmine followed her and Anna was right behind.

    "Erica cover my shift." The woman said ti a girl who was seated opposite her, as she went further down to the back

    They walked behind her and Anna grabbed her arm and said. "We can��t just follow someone we don��t know. What are you even looking for?"

    Jasmine turned to Anna. "As long as you are with me, you would not ask any questions, until we are done here."

    Anna started to argue and bicker but Jasmine red at her. "You are going to put us into trouble worse have us killed. I am pretty sure you don��t want to die."

    Anna poured but her silence said she agreed.

    "Are youing or not?"

    Jasmine sighed heavily. "Yes we are."

    And grabbed Anna��s hand and led her down the way.

    "I wonder where my brother and Erik are." Anna said .

    "We will get back to the camp before dawn so we won��t get to run across them." Jasmine stated clearly.

    Soon they reached a room and the woman had stopped and was now standing facing them.

    The door was shut right behind them and they jumped.

    The bar woman turned around and faced them,

    There were about two other women present.

    The first had white hair and spectacr body, while the second had raven ck hair.

    "Sisters. She has requested to see the serpent fire." The bar woman said.

    The women were all now looking at them.

    "No one knows that name." The one with white hair said. "Only those worthy know."

 Chapter 332: FINDING THE MAGE

    <h4>Chapter 332: FINDING THE MAGE</h4>

    "My healer Urma had always spoken of her in high regard." Jasmine mentioned.

    The women went mute and a pregnant silence hung in the air.

    "You know Urma?" Thedy who had led them in asked.

    Jasmine nodded. "She was the healer of our pack. She raised me."

    "We haven��t heard from her in years." The other woman said to the bardy.

    "You said was? Why do you refer to her in past tense." Thedy with white hair asked.

    Jasmine sighed in heavily. "Urma died a few days ago."

    The women went quiet once again .

    No one said a word.

    And then together all three women said. "Goddess lead the departed to her way home."

    There was a heavy sigh and then. "She lived a good life."

    The one in white looked at Jasmine, her eyes glowing. "What do you want with the one called serpent?"

    Jasmine swallowed heavily and looked up at her.

    She knew that Urma had mentioned well of the serpent and obviously these women were acquaintances of the serpent.

    what she was not certain of was if they were good or bad.

    She did not want to hand the ancient text to just anyone.

    What if it had very dangerous things on it.

    She decided that she was going to hand it only to the serpent and no one else.

    She cleared her throat and told half a lie. "I heard from someone that a mage in mage city could tell if a wolf is dormant, locked down or if someone is simply just an unshifted wolf."

    The women looked at her.

    "What?" Anna who had been at the back not saying a word throughout finally said.

    "Who is this information for?" One of the women asked.

    "Me." Jasmine said as they allpletely ignored Anna. "I am an unshifted wolf. I wanted to know if maybe if my fate is different."

    "That is why you sneaked out of camp and risked our lives?" Anna hissed. "Just because you wanted to know if your sorry life of a boring non shifter was false? Oh my God what is wrong with you?"

    "We passed mage city and I decided to take advantage of the situation. I might not get this opportunity might not present itself again." Jasmine stated matter of fact.

    "In rare cases." The mage with white eyes said looking disapproving at Anna. "Wolves might be unshifted, sometimes dormant. They won��t want toe out and identify themselves."

    "There are also some wolves who can never shift and in your situation is what you are called. Unshifted."

    Then the bartender added. "In other cases there are instances where wolves are locked up. Prevented from ever being able to shift."

    "So someone could have intentionally locked someone else��s wolf?" Jasmine asked. "Why?"

    The bartender shrugged. "So many reasons. It is not allowed but it still happens."

    Anna rolled her eyes.

    "Who would want to lock up your wolf if you even had any? You are not special? What could be so interesting about you that someone would waste their precious time and hide your wolf? Face it. You are an unshifted wolf and you would never ever have a mate. You are not worth being a wolf."

    Jasmine felt the hurt and chills in her bones but refrained from saying anything.

    She had learned that showing Anna she had seeded in hurting her only made her happy.

    So she said nothing.

    Annie gave a snort. "You��re so pathetic."

    The other woman crossed eyes at Annie. "And who are you to state who is worth being a wolf and not?"

    Anna snickered. "She is my ve. I can say anything I want about her."

    The woman with the white hair red at Anna. "Who is this creature that is so insolent and does not respect anyone and I shall soon teach a lesson she would never forget."

    Anna was about to mention who she was when Jasmine stopped her by cutting her short.

    "She is right. I��m her ve." Jasmine said. "I was made to watch over her but I sneaked out to find answers for myself."

    The women crossed their brows in disapproval and said nothing for a while.

    The woman with white hair pointed at a headless doll hanging by the wall.

    "Do you see that over there?" She asked Anna.

    Anna sneered but looked at it.

    She shivered at the ugly doll.

    "Yes? What about it?" She demanded.

    "That was once a spoiled merchant��s daughter. I turned her into a doll before using needles to torment her until I cut her head off." The woman said.

    Anna��s face fell instantly.

    "Mind your tongue." The woman said dangerously. "Or I just might collect yours."

    Anna went silent.

    Jasmine was pleased.

    The other women turned to look at Jasmine andpletely ignored Anna.

    "The serpent is a very special mage." The bartender said. "She lives in the mage castle."

    "Are you all mages?" Jasmine asked.

    "Yes we are."

    "So could you just see if I was a dormant wolf?" Jasmine asked hopefully.

    "We are not that skilled enough to do such a thing. It take expertise and tank to aplish such magic especially on wolf." She said wisely.

    Jasmine nodded weakly. "I see."

    "A very high ranking mage for that matter."

    "And just no one is allowed to see her." The woman with white hair said. "But for Urma��s sake we would take you to her."

    Jasmine gave a smile. "Thank you very much. I appreciate this."

    And her face fell instantly. "But I have no money to pay you. What shall I offer for this service"

    The women smiled back. "This is free. Consider it the little payment for all the things Urma did for us. It is sad to know she is gone."

    The woman with white hair and her second with dark hair called to Jasmine.

    "We would take you to the castle." The women walked on ahead.

    Jasmine turned to follow the other women and Anna followed quietly along.

 Chapter 333: THE JOURNEY TO MAGE CASTLE

    <h4>Chapter 333: THE JOURNEY TO MAGE CASTLE</h4>

    When they got to the back of the old bar, they realized that there were three horses there waiting for them.

    "My name is Rashida." The woman with the white hair introduced.

    "And I am Caline." The other woman with brown hair stated as she walked to one of the horses. "There is a parade going on and festivity on the street. We would not be able to pass through the city. We would have to go through the woods."

    Rashida pointed at therge castle up ahead on the hill .

    "That��s where the serpent lives." Caline said as she got on her horse.

    Rashida equally climbed hers and looked at the two girls.

    "Why is there only one horse?" Anna snapped irritated. "I believe this one belongs to me then."

    Anna smirked at Jasmine nastily. "You would have to walk. I am sure it is not new to you."

    Anna proceeded to climb the horse.

    "You have to share a horse." Caline said. "Would that be a problem?"

    Anna looked at them In disbelief. "Of course it would be! How do you expect me to ride a horse with her?!"

    Rashida��s hair was blowing and the atmosphere was changing.

    The winds began to push through them.

    "Push me further. And I will teach you a lesson your pack never taught you." She swore.

    Jasmine came right in between.

    "Please no." Jasmine pleaded. "I can walk."

    "You will do no such thing!" Caline hissed. "I have no idea what the rtionship you hold as ve and master or whatever it may be. I will not tolerate it."

    Anna scowled. "She is the reason why I am here in the first ce! If she didn��te here, I wouldn��t even be here!"

    "You are a ve to this impudent girl." The woman said to Jasmine in rage. "But that does not mean you are a ve to me. And you will do as I say when I tell you that you shall ride together on that horse or SHE will walk!"

    She was now pointing at a gasping Anna.

    Jasmine smiled inwardly and tried her best to conceal it.

    "Do you have a problem with that girl?" Rashida asked. "I could make this all better and turn you to an ugly rag doll. Just like the one I had shown you earlier."

    Anna��s face went white and said nothing.

    It was clear she understood perfectly.

    Jasmine went along with Anna and climbed right behind her.

    Anna grumbled inaudible things but did not have the liver to voice her thoughts aloud.

    They began the ride with the two women leading them through the forest.

    Jasmine who had learned how to ride overtime was now riding like an expert.

    "Can you ride any better?" Anna said irritated.

    "unlike you I never had riding lessons." Jasmine retorted.

    "Then I should be the one riding the horse." Anna hissed.

    "They insisted that I ride the horse. Don��t make this anymore harder than it already is." Jasmine said.

    "After all the months of you suffering with my brother you still can��t act right." Anna said a hint of disgust in her voice.

    "What is wrong with you?" Jasmine hissed silently so that the witches didn��t hear them arguing. "Why do you always choose to fight with me?"

    "Because I hate you." Anna said. "I hate everything about you."

    "Then why did you insist oning here in the first ce?" Jasmine demanded further annoyed.

    "Because I want to prove it to my brother that you are a good for nothing and a traitor just like your parents." Anna said

    Jasmine let augh out.

    She could not believe her ears .

    "Now they are my parents?" Jasmine asked. "Now that everything has gone sour they are my parents. Have you conveniently forgotten that you enjoyed all the life luxuries. That I never had?"

    "That��s because they stole me from my family." Anna spat out.

    Jasmine looked at her ludicrously.

    She could hardly even believe it.

    Anna who was then Jessica had lived her life by the wind and on the spoils of the pack.

    Now that they were dered traitors, she had conveniently abandoned them and saw them as the bad people and now reminded Jasmine that she was their daughter.

    "So you only go where it benefits you." Jasmine remarked. "Now you��re the long lost daughter who was kidnapped by my evil pack."

    "Yes." Anna said sweetly. "And I always have everything I want. Unlike you. Don��t you ever wonder why you��re so miserable? Why no one wants you? Why it always goes so bad for you?"

    "We��re here." One of the women said, stopping Jasmine from doing something she didn��t want to do.

    Here was a dark gateway that seemed to lead through a dark tunnel.

    "What��s here?" Anna said rudely.

    The other women ignored her and came down from their horses.

    Jasmine herself came down from the horse.

    "Aren��t you going to help me don?" Anna demanded rudely but Jasmine genuinely did not listen and was already standing in front of the gateway with the women .

    Anna grunted to herself and proceeded to try ande down from her horse.

    The horse adjusted its stance and she almost fell.

    "What a useless animal?!" Anna growled at the horse.

    The horse neighed loudly and aggressive and kicked her out of its back throwing her down on the ground .

    Annanded hard on the ground and groaned in pain.

    It was then Jasmine saw.

    The other two women turned to look equally.

    Anna held her side as she cried in pain.

    "Are you okay?" Jasmine asked as she offered her her hand .

    Anna red at her and aggressively pushed it away.

    "Suit yourself." Jasmine said and walked away.

    Anna groaned in rage as she struggled on her own feet to get up and began to dust the sand from her body and hair.

    Jasmine went and stood at the gates of the entrance.

    "We continue here." Rashida said. "This leads into the castle. The serpent awaits."

 Chapter 334: BREAKING ENCHANTMENTS

    <h4>Chapter 334: BREAKING ENCHANTMENTS</h4>

    Jasmine followed right behind them while Anna who was very much skeptical followed like a scared cat.

    They went through the catbs and finally went to a door that led up to a long stairway.

    It was dark and hollow and it was also spiral.

    They walked on ahead after the two witches.

    Anna grabbed Jasmine��s arm.

    "I don��t like this." Anna said. "Let��s go back."

    "We��vee so far for us to go back." Jasmine said. "I need to know who I am."

    "To know who you are?" Anna whispered back sharply. "By the time they kill us and use us for their potions, there won��t be any need for you to know who you are will there?"

    Jasmine shook her head. "They are not doing to do that to us."

    Anna gasped annoyed. "You are so certain of them. Like you know them before. We do not know these people and we should be heading back home."

    Anna started to go back down the stairs.

    Jasmine grabbed her arm.

    "You are not going to ruin this for me Jessica." Jasmine warned.

    "It��s Anna now!" Anna hissed and she grabbed her arm away from Jasmine.

    She looked down and saw that it had a burning print. "You hurt me you stupid girl!"

    The other two women had noticed the ruckus and seen that they were not following up to them yet.

    "Is everything alright down there?" They asked.

    "Yes." Jasmine called up. "We would be up Just in a bit."

    Jasmine turned to look at Anna with rage written all over her face.

    "You want to go? Fine. Go ahead." Jasmine said and started to ascend back up the stairs.

    "I would tell my brother you dragged me here and intended on kidnapping and selling me off when I get back to the camp." Anna threatened. "This is not going to be the first or second time that I have set you up and you always get into trouble for it and I will do it again.

    Jasmine turned back to her and gave her a wry smile. "Fine. Do it. Do whatever makes you happy but today you would note in between me and my own self discovery. You were the one who sneaked up on me and insisted that youe along not me. So deal with the repercussions of your actions."

    And Jasmine turned back up the stairs and followed up.

    Anna stood at the spot very skeptical and too much of a coward to go back Alone.

    Who knew what she would face or how would she even find her way back.

    She rushed back up after Jasmine after she decided that hanging around Jasmine was going to be a much better idea.

    She said nothing once she caught up with them because her pride won��t let her.

    After about five minutes of climbing the stairs, they finally came to a doorway and stepped in.

    They were in an open space that looked like a gazebo.

    The windows were without sses and it simply formed an archways.

    Anna looked down to see how far up they had gone.

    She gasped and hurriedly took a step back.

    They were about fifty feet above the ground.

    "How did were here?" Anna gasped.

    Jasmine went down to see for herself and true enough they were very far up in the air.

    "There is absolutely no way the stairs we took got us here." Anna demanded still not trusting the witches.

    "Who said it did?" Rashida gave her a mean look knowing she was scared of them.

    "This is mage castle. What do you think that means?" Calline asked. "Who do you think built this ce?"

    "Witches?" Jasmine rose a brow.

    "Good." Calline pointed. "Witches. And if you know, witches and wolves don��t really see eye to eye. We prefer to have own space. We don��t like dogs."

    "We are not dogs." Anna growled aggressively at that statement.

    Calline rose a brow and threw a small puff ball she held in her hand.

    It had appeared from absolutely nowhere.

    "Fetch." She said as she threw it aside of the room.

    To Jasmine��s utter shock and bewilderment, she watched as Anna without even transforming to her wolf form went down on all fours and rushed after the Ball.

    Anna grabbed the ball in her mouth and raced back to them.

    She dropped it for Calline and her tongue dripped down with saliva as she panted, obviously wanting more.

    "See my point. Just like a dog" Calline said as she picked up the ball and threw it back away and Anna in her dress raced off on all fours after it.

    "How did you do that?" Jasmine asked bewildered.

    "Magic." Calline smiled as they all watched Anna drag the ball and toss it around.

    Then Calline turned back to her. "You see how i did that? But I can��t do that to you."

    Jasmine looked at her sharply. "Why?"

    And then it hit her.

    She felt a weakness in her chests. "Of course I��m not a wolf. This really confirms everything. Anna was right. I am nobody."

    "This has nothing to do with being a wolf." Calline informed her. "Nothing at all. I can do it for all creatures. Even witches depending on how strong I am. Even if you are an unshifted wolf."

    Anna used her mouth to drop the ball for rashida who picked it up and tossed it away.

    Anna raced after it.

    "Then what is wrong with me?" Jasmine asked.

    "Wrong with you?" Calline asked surprised. "Why would you think anything is wrong with you?"

    Jasmine shrugged weakly. "You just told me that magic for some reason can not work on me."

    "Yes." Calline said. "From the moment you stepped inside that tavern where you spoke to the bar. That tavern is warded against anything or anyone that is not a witch."

    "You see the stairs we used toe up here." Calline stated. "It can only be essed by a mage. If any creature other than a mage attempts toe through those very steps, then they would keep on walking up and up the stairs until they can see nothing and get tired. It��s an infinity staircase."

    "But you coulde to this room because you walked together with witches. And not just any witches. We are mages of the first order. The same level with the fire serpent you search for."

    "Am I a mage?" Jasmine asked her heart beating rapidly.

 Chapter 335: THE FIRE SERPENT

    <h4>Chapter 335: THE FIRE SERPENT</h4>

    The women looked at each other and then turned back to Jasmine.

    "No you are not a mage." Calline said.

    Jasmine sent a sickening feeling in her chest.

    She had never felt like she was a mage, never even considered it, but the prospect of it had lit a fire in her.

    A fire of hope that perhaps she was something.

    And that itself had crashed down just like everything else in her life always did.

    "Of course I am nobody." Jasmine said weakly to herself.

    "You don��t understand what we are saying do you?" Rashida asked as she threw the ball once again for Anna. "The tavern you stepped in is only allowed to mages. You and doggy here would never have gotten through it unless you broke the spell."

    "And the staircase here too." Calline said. "We also suspect that even without our help you would have still been able to ess this room."

    "When the bartender brought you to us, we made an enchantment on the both of you. It worked for doggy over here but not you and that was why we got interested. No one he ever been able to break mine or Calline��s enchantments. And when you mentioned the fire serpent. We knew that you are of the most importance."

    "What does this even mean?" Jasmine asked rather confused.

    "Do you know how old we are?" Rashida asked her.

    By now Anna was using her leg to itch her ear before going around to hop up and down, looking for her ball.

    "I heard mages live long." Jasmine replied.

    "I am Four hundred and sixty five. Calline is Four hundred and eighty. The fire serpent is six hundred years old. Our powers keep us from dying out. We live very long lives."

    "And that means we have seen so many things. So many wars. So many packs court. We have seen them. But we have never someone who can defy our magic. Never."

    "You are something Jasmine." Calline said. "Something that we didn��t even know could exist. You are not nobody you are something. And you are very special."

    Jasmine was dumbfounded. "Why can��t you just be the ones to find out if my wolf is hidden."

    "Because we can��t see it." Rashida exined. "We have astral projection which means we can see through people. Through anything. We saw nothing in you. We didn��t tell you because there was no need. The fire serpent would see you herself. She has more knowledge than most witches. Male or female."

    Jasmine��s heart was racing so quickly she felt she was going to pass out.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Inside mage city, in their courtroom, it was politics as usual.

    The male and female mages were deliberating on how they were going to take newnds.

    It was one of their festivals and she as a Mage of the first order, leader of her own pact, Miria leaned against the wall and watched.

    The Queen, the overall mage and leader of Magecity sat on her chair as she weed guests from far and wide.

    Miria and Queen Victoria had been ssmates when they were just young girls and hade to mage city over five hundred years ago.

    They had been best friends as soon as they met but once Victoria became leader of magecity, everything had ceased.

    Miria had declined to stay and work in Magecity and instead gone ahead to work as the mage leader of the Wolf kingdom.

    But she had had to leave after Queen Rose��s daughter had mysteriously disappeared.

    Miria had failed in protecting them as was her duty and had been forced back to Mage city to forcefully serve pen nance while living here.

    Miria had tried to exin over and over that the power was still alive, but due to her strain with Victoria,Victoria had refused to listen.

    She had been forced to cut off her investigation with the royal family and any ties to them.

    She watched as Alpha Xaden and few of his men came into the Courtroom.

    Everyone stopped and turned to look at them.

    "Alpha Xaden himself." The Queen��s voice was the only one that could be heard through the silent room. "The man who was once wronged and the man with thirst for revenge and the one who has finally conquered."

    Xaden walked up to her and stood directly in front of her.

    Victoria still seated on her chair rose a brow.

    And Xaden went down on his knee.

    "Your majesty." He said.

    There was a silent sigh of relief in the air from everyone else.

    She nodded at him. "You are wee. What brings you here? I hope you have no ns on exterminating us too."

    A tray of wine was brought to her side and she took a sip as he rose to his feet.

    "It depends." Xaden replied. "Did you help my family when we needed the help."

    Her face went red.

    Because it was the truth, no one had helped them.

    At least no one openly present.

    He gave a wry smile. "I thought as much. I��lle back for you another day. I am not here for you."

    "You have to state your reason for being here." Queen Victoriamanded.

    "Why are you so worried?" Xaden asked. "I am a man of my words. I am not here for you. Not today at least."

    He bowed at her and walked away.

    Victoria seemed very ufortable but said nothing.

    Miria ignored the entire charade with Victoria and walked up to him boldly.

    "My lord." She said at him.

    She gave him her finger and he received it and kissed it.

    "You are not scared of me?" He rose a brow.

    "Why should I be? You are a man of your words." Miria said and took his arm as she led him away. "You have no intentions to harm us until you are ready. How many we be of service to you?"

    "I am looking for the fire serpent." He said. "I��ve heard stories. That he is the only one who can see beyond."

    Moria��s eyes glimmered with light. "What do you want to know."

    "That is my business only with the fire serpent not youdy Miria." He said a he gave her a peck on the cheek.

    "What is the code?" Miria asked him. "To see the fire serpent."

 Chapter 336: SEARCH FOR ANSWERS

    <h4>Chapter 336: SEARCH FOR ANSWERS</h4>

    Xaden gave her a strange look.

    "To see the fire serpent there must be a code." She said. "And if the Queen finds out she is going to be very offended."

    "And I quite frankly do not care." Xaden responded.

    Miria looked at him and took his arm and forced him to walk with her.

    "Walk with me." She said.

    It wasmand and not a question.

    He started walking down with her when his men started to follow them.

    "Just you and me." She instructed.

    He turned and nodded at his men signifying they stay back.

    They walked down the hallway and towards a very open balcony that was free of poke nosers.

    She turned and looked back at him.

    "What do you want for me Xaden?" She asked.

    He rose a brow.

    "You��re the red me?" He asked.

    "Big shocker." She gave in boring sarcasm and she folded her arms.

    "Why reveal yourself to me?" He asked. "You��ve been anonymous since before I was even born."

    "Good question." She pointed out. "That is because for me to help you. I need you to help me."

    She pulled his arm and led him to the open archway across the dark night.

    "I will help you with whatever you want," she started. "If only you would help me first."

    He looked around.

    "Don��t worry." She said. "I warded this room. To anyone who is seeing us, we��re justughing and having some drinks and talking about regr wolf and mage conversations. But they can��t actually hear our conversations."

    He turned back to her and folded his arms. "What do you want?"

    "I heard rumors.... We all heard rumors of a sea monster on your ship. Is it true?" She asked intensely.

    "Yes." He answered.

    She took in a very deep breath and started to pace. "And it just came out from the ocean, on its own ord and how did you stop it."

    Xaden sighed heavily. "That is the thing. We didn��t do either of those. It came out of nowhere and attacked the ship. I��ve never seen anything like it before. We didn��t even have a chance against it. It would have destroyed the entire ship and when we finally expected it to, it simply retreated."

    "It came up and simply left." She said.

    "Yeah." He folded his arms. "Why are you interested in any of these."

    "There are things you don��t understand Xaden. Things you don��t know. Things much much bigger than just pack wars. I��m not belittling your fight with Bale, but there are things bigger than that in the grand scheme of things."

    She smiled at him. "You don��t know what this means. This changes everything that we know or thought we even knew."

    She was still deliberating when he turned back to her.

    "Now can I ask for your own help?" He asked.

    She nodded. "Yes you can go ahead."

    "I lost someone and-

    She held his hand and stopped him

    Immediately.

    "I need to go somewhere. Right now." She said. "I will return."

    And with that she disappeared into the air.

    Xaden was transfixed as he looked around for her.

    He really didn��t like mages.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Jasmine was standing and talking to the other mages when a woman from nowhere appeared.

    The other mages hurriedly bowed down.

    "Elder sister." They said.

    Jasmine who was confused quickly did the same.

    She bowed down.

    Anna was still hovering around with the ball in her mouth.

    When the other mages rose their head Jasmine did the same.

    "You sent for me." The strange woman who had appeared from thin air said.

    Jasmine stood cautiously.

    "We have someone we want you to see." Rashida said.

    They stood back aside for Jasmine to properly look at her.

    The strange woman who looked like she was in her early thirties waltzed towards Jasmine and before they could meet Anna hopped right up towards them.

    The woman rose a brow at the other mages.

    "We just took her mind to be a wolf to prove a point." They smiled back.

    Then the woman walked to Jasmine and eyed her suspiciously.

    "Why are you looking for me?" She asked.

    Jasmine started to stutter. "I.... Uhhmmm.... Well...." Jasmine started to speak but for some weird reason or the other she couldn��t speak.

    "She doesn��t speak?" The woman asked slightly annoyed.

    "No I can". Jasmine interjected quickly.

    This was her chance to figure out who she was.

    She took in a deep breath.

    "I found these." She said as she handed the old papers to the woman. "In my Urma��s walking stick."

    "Urma is dead?" The woman asked stunned showing a hint of emotion.

    "Yes." Jasmine said. "Her death is suspicious. This is what we saw and she always spoke of the high me. Hence why I came."

    The woman fingered the papers.

    When she opened it her eyes went a sh of red and she hid her emotions.

    "I also came because I wanted to know what type of wolf I was. I have never shifted. But I learned from some people that there are rare situations where a wolf can be locked down. I want to know my fate."

    "And you couldn��t find out?" The woman asked.

    Calline shook her head. "No we couldn��t. We can��t read her and for some reason or their other a hex or any sort of magic won��t work on her."

    "We suspect that even if we were not with hering into the castle she would have still found her way." Rashida expressed. "We tried everything but nothing works on her. I��ve never seen something like her in my entire life."

    The woman��s face now piqued interest.

    She went and cupped Jasmine��s face with both hands.

    Then after a few seconds she withdrew.

    "Where do youe from?" The woman asked.

    "I��m from the moonlight pack." Jasmine said unsure whether to tell the truth or a lie.

    She knew that her father had made so many enemies everywhere she couldn��t trust anyone.

    "I was a ve." She lied and she looked at Anna who was still in her animal stage.

    Thank the goddess for that. If not Anna would have blurted out who she was.

    "And who is she?" The woman pointed at Anna.

    Jasmine swallowed.

 Chapter 337: MAGE CITY FALLS

    <h4>Chapter 337: MAGE CITY FALLS</h4>

    Here was the chance Jasmine had.

    To say that Anna was the daughter of her father and finally get rid of her.

    It would be a very easy job and she would finally get rid of her once and for all.

    Anna on her own part would get what she truly deserved.

    Jasmine signed heavily. "Her name is Anna. Her parents and family were kind to take me to safety after I escaped from the war. I work for them."

    Then Jasmine cleared her throat. "So what am I? Please tell me."

    The woman reached out to Jasmine once again and touched her cheeks and held her.

    "There is nothing." The woman said. "I can��t feel or see anything. Who are your parents? What is your origin?"

    "I have never seen my mother. My father is dead." Jasmine said disappointed that once again she had no identity.

    "I can��t seem to put a hex on you." The woman said in awe. "Have you ever been under a spell."

    Jasmine remembered her incident where she had almost died.

    "Yes." Jasmine nodded. "Once. But I was cured."

    She didn��t want them asking more questions lest they pried further into her life and find out that Bale was her father.

    "That��s impossible." The woman said quickly. "Because I am the strongest mage of my sect and I can hex anyone. Including the royal family. If you once had a hex ced on your head, then I should be able to do even better."

    Jasmine had no idea what to say.

    "Something must be really wrong with me." Jasmine said to herself.

    "Nothing is wrong with you." The woman said. "I have never met anyone like you. And I have been existing for centuries. It��s like you have something blocking anyone from using magic on you. That made you imprable. Has anything happened to you recently?"

    Jasmine vaguely remembered the incident on the ship.

    "Yes there was something that happened to me."

    Just as Jasmine was about to speak.

    There was a loud rumble.

    They all stood still.

    Then it happened again.

    And it became louder and all of a sudden building began to disintegrate.

    "What��s happening?" Jasmine asked panicked.

    The woman walked to the balcony and overlooked the city before returning back

    "The city is under attack." She said. "Dark magic is here. You need to leave this very instant."

    The woman tilted her head at Rashida and Calline. "Take them away from here. I��ll go and defend the city. Thank you for bringing this to me."

    She pointed at the paper that Jasmine had given her and in a split second she had disappeared.

    Rashida and Calline rushed her and Anna who was still behaving like a little puppy out of the tower and back to where the horses were.

    "Ride gat ahead. Don��t stop until you arrive at your destination." Calline said as they put Anna on the horse and snapped her fingers.

    Annapletely went to sleep.

    "Is it going to wear off?" Jasmine asked worried.

    "Yes." Rashida said. "If you ever need us summon us."

    And then Rashida pressed a small totem on her palm.

    Before Jasmine could ask how, the horse rode off on its own.

    Jasmine held firmly to the reins of the horse and tried her best to prevent Anna from falling off.

    It was like the horse knew where it was going and kept on riding incredibly fast.

    Ana began to stir awake.

    "What��s happening?" She mumbled slightly annoyed.

    They dodged a hanging tree.

    "We��re going back to the forest." Jasmine told her.

    "Why don��t I remember anything?" Anna demanded in anger. "What did you do to me?! Once I get back I��m going to tell my brother EVERYTHING!"

    "You can��t be shouting!" Jasmine hissed at her. "We can discuss thister. There was an attack and I don��t think we should be making any noises in the forest. We��re almost close."

    "I don��t care!" Anna screamed as she snatched the reigns of the horse from Jasmine once again. "You did something to me. If you didn��t, why can��t I remember anything huh? Why can��t I remember?"

    "You were weak and-" jasmine started to

    Lie.

    "Bullshit!" Anna hissed.

    "Look we would discuss thister. This isn��t safe. It��ste anything could attack us." Jasmine warned as she collected the reigns of the horse.

    Anna grabbed the reins of the horse. "You

    Imbecile you��re going to get us killed! Who told you to ride this horse? Do you have any experience in your miserable childhood? Give it to me!"

    The horse neighed in pain and at the shock she had used to grab it.

    "Stop you��re hurting him!" Jasmine said.

    But Anna refused to pay her any heed.

    She kept on struggling with Jasmine to gain control of the horse.

    Finally the horse couldn��t take it anymore when Anna yanked him so hard to the side the horsended on the ground with a loud thud and flung them away.

    Jasmine��s head was spinning and tried to slowly get up as she watched horse run away.

    She saw Anna who was tossed to a different side of the forest and staggered to her.

    Before she could get to Anna, she heard the gallops of horses approaching them.

    She had no idea who could being and she had barely made any friends here.

    She rushed to her.

    "Anna get up get up!" Jasmine said as she finally got to her and urged her up.

    Anna remained on the floor.

    Her dress was torn and she was bloody.

    Jasmine tried to pick her up and drag away to hide behind one of therge trees at least until they passed.

    She didn��t go far.

    The horses finally came to them.

    It was dark and the moonlight struck so she could hardly see who they were.

    "Stay away from us!" Jasmine warned as she dragged Anna further back.

    One of the riders came down andnded on his feet.

    A panicked Jasmine pulled out the small dagger she had and pointed at the intruder.

    The man walked and finally came to full view of the moonlight.

    It was none other than.

    "Xaden?!"

    "Jasmine?!"

 Chapter 338: SAVIOR

    <h4>Chapter 338: SAVIOR</h4>

    Jasmine was not sure whether to be relieved or afraid that it was Xaden.

    On one hand she was d to know that it was not someone who would have taken them captive and done worse and then on the other hand she was scared of what he was going to do to her.

    She brought down her de and was breathing so hard.

    "What the hell are you doing here?" He asked as he stormed up to her and held her.

    His eyes trailed over her like he was worried for her, as if he truly cared as if he wanted to know if he was okay.

    Jasmine who had dropped Anna felt a sudden sense of relief to have him hold her.

    Her heart leaped with joy knowing that the man she loved was here and that meant no matter how angry he was going to be with her, at least it was not someone else.

    He touched her arm and his fingers were on the wet feeling of blood.

    His eyes went up to her.

    "What happened to you?" He asked.

    She shook her head. "It was only a scratch when the horse threw us."

    "The horse threw you? What horse?" He demanded. "What the hell happened?"

    And then Anna��s annoying voice interrupted it all.

    "Xaden? Is that you?" She asked.

    It was then Xaden realized Anna was there.

    "Anna." He said quickly as he rushed to his sister,pletely forgetting about Jasmine.

    He went down to her and held her.

    "Are you okay?" He asked panicked. "You��re bleeding."

    Then he turned to Jasmine. "What happened? Where are the rest of the men? Where is everyone? Were you ambushed?"

    Jasmine started to find her voice. "Xaden actually I-

    "Jasmine made us go out into the forest." Anna Quickly said.

    Xaden hardly blinked. "What?!"

    "She MADE me go along with her. Something about wanting to know who she was. I begged her." Anna began to weep tears. "She didn��t listen. And then we got kidnapped. I managed to escape and tried to save her along the way. She wanted to leave me when you came."

    Jasmine��s eyes were wide open in shock too stunned to even say a word.

    He turned to face Jasmine now and his face was clouded with rage.

    He got up and walked to Jasmine.

    "Is this true?" He asked her.

    Before she could even get a chance to respond.

    He gave her a p that send her brain spinning.

    "How could you be so stupid!" He demanded.

    Jasmine felt blood on her lip.

    And for a split second it look like he regretted when he had done but his face became hard and grim.

    "Xaden." It was Eric now stepping up from

    Behind.

    Jasmine couldn��t even defend herself.

    She had nothing to say.

    Anna was behind smiling devilishly.

    "I told you to let it go!" Xaden said. "You risked my sister��s life with your stubbornness."

    Jasmine looked up at him. "I only wanted to know who I was. You told me I was going to find out and would go to mage city but you went alone."

    "It was not your decision to make." He said.

    She smirked. "I had no choice. This was the closest I would ever be."

    "And did you find out? Was it worth almost throwing away not just your life, but my sister��s too?" He demanded.

    Jasmine regretted the fact that after everything she had done.

    The risk she had taken she had note up with anything fruitful.

    "I thought as much." He said. "If you knew you wanted to make your own decisions as a human being why didn��t you stay back when I gave you the opportunity to?"

    Jasmine��s mouth dropped and then she closed it back.

    She herself wondered why she had stayed back instead of having her own life.

    Then she found her voice and said. "If I had asked to leave would you have truly let me?"

    His face fell and shock was written all over his face.

    A few seconds passed in silence and then hepletely ignored that statement.

    Purposely refusing to answer her question.

    "You threw the ability to make yo own decision when you chose to remain with me. You belong to my pack and you belong to me." He said arrogantly. "I will deal with youter."

    And with that he picked Anna in his arms and together they walked towards the horses.

    Jasmine hugged her arms unable to say a word.

    Eric and kire came up to her side.

    "Hey." Eric said to her. "Xaden was wrong. But that was a dumb thing you did."

    She went mute and looked down at her feet.

    Kire rubbed his head against her waist and looked down at her with puppy dog eyes.

    "You can ride with him." Eric said as he walked back up to his own horse. "Hey wants to keep youpany."

    Jasmine sighed and climbed a very eager Kire.

    She ruffled his fur and said. "You��re the only one who isn��t angry and seems happy to see me."

    He wagged hisrge tail and then began to race after the rest.

    Throughout the journey, Jasmine did not utter a word to anyone.

    Xaden barely acknowledged her presence.

    All Anna did was yap like a puppy non stop on how terrible Jasmine had been.

    When they finally got to where they had left their travel party, they still had not realized that either Jasmine or Anna had gone missing.

    "Lord Xaden." One of the men said confused looking at both women.

    He started to stutter.

    "Did you even know that they had been gone the entire night?" A furious Xaden demanded.

    They went quiet

    "I left these women in your care barely hours ago and all hell broke loose." Xaden said in anger.

    His wolf was already growling.

    "Please don��t yell at them." Jasmine pleaded. "I was the one who did it. They were only doing their job."

    "DID I ASK YOU TO SPEAK?!" Xaden growled at her.

    "You��re ming them for something that is my fault. I can not watch you do that." Jasmine said.

    "It was all their fault too." Anna inputted. "If they had been watching us as you had told them to, then Jasmine would have not tried to escape the way she did."

    Eric red at Anna and turned his face away in annoyance at her bickering.

    Jasmine went quiet and walked away.

    "Let��s settle thister." Eric said wisely.

    Xaden was obviously pacing in annoyance.

    Then he turned to Eric and literally handed Anna in his arms.

    "See to it that her wounds are cleaned." He said and stalked off in anger.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    "You��re ming them for something that is my fault. I can not watch you do that." Jasmine said.

    "It was all their fault too." Anna inputted. "If they had been watching us as you had told them to, then Jasmine would have not tried to escape the way she did."

    Eric red at Anna and turned his face away in annoyance at her bickering.

    Jasmine went quiet and walked away.

    "Let��s settle thister." Eric said wisely.

    Xaden was obviously pacing in annoyance.

    Then he turned to Eric and literally handed Anna in his arms.

    "See to it that her wounds are cleaned." He said and stalked off in anger.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Eric was extremely furious to have Anna in his arms.

    He brought her to her feet and made her stand.

    "Hey!" Sheined.

    "You can walk." He said and stalked off.

    "My brother told you to take care of me." She said following him. "I don��t want to hang out with you any more than you do. But I��m bleeding!"

    He swore to himself and then abruptly stopped.

    Shended right against his lean body and then her face went red.

    "Come into my tent." He instructed and went on ahead without caring if she followed him or not.

    Anna mumbled to herself as she followed him right behind and once they were at his tent he went through his bag.

    "You won��t invite me to seat?" She asked.

    He himself took a seat and was staring at her.

    She doubted he was going to invite her to have a seat so she angrily took a seat herself.

    He ignored her grumblings as she fidgeted with her seat.

    He went on preparing the water and clothes while she stood in anger at how he was ignoring her.

    When Anna had first seen him, she thought that he was the most handsome man she had ever seen.

    He was perfect.

    Nothing like the other wolves she had met.

    There was something special about him.

    And she had given him side nces from time to time.

    Tried to talk to him and involve him in the simplest way possible.

    But for whatever reason or the other he barely acknowledged her.

    But Jasmine he was always so sweet and kind to.

    It infuriated her.

    What did she have that she didn��t have?

    That made men look after her in such a way.

    She always had to make the effort with the men.

    But for Jasmine.

    It came so naturally. They were always looking at her.

    Even when Xaden had been yelling at Jasmine Eric had stepped in to ease the tension.

    That had annoyed Anna because she wanted Jasmine in all the trouble she could get her into.

    "Bring your hand." He ordered.

    She frowned at him. "That is not how you talk to ady."

    He looked at her and without asking for her permission grabbed her arm and pulled her to him.

    "Hey!" She cried in pain.

    He began to clean the open wounds.

 Chapter 339: A NEW MATE BOND

    <h4>Chapter 339: A NEW MATE BOND</h4>

    "Hey." She repeated in anger and frustration as he rubbed off the wound on her arm.

    But he simply ignored her and kept on rubbing on her wound.

    Then all of a sudden he stopped and twisted her arm to take a closer look at her injury.

    "You��re hurting me!" She cried. And then she grabbed her arm free from his grip.

    "Why are you being so violent!"

    He eyed her, his eyes zing with fire.

    "You said you and Jasmine were kidnapped that��s how you got the injuries didn��t you?" He asked.

    She rolled her eyes. "Yes I did. So what?"

    "Those injuries are not consistent with you being captured. Those are injuries that you would have if you hit a force. They are bruises."

    Her face grew red when she realized that she had been caught.

    She started to stutter. "That��s none of your business!"

    She hurriedly covered her arm.

    He grabbed her arm and pulled her back.

    "But you see it is my business!" He hissed in anger. "It is my business when you go around telling lies to Xaden. I don��t even have a problem when you lie to him. I have a problem when you lie to put Jasmine in trouble. And that is all you do."

    She scoffed at him. "So what now? Are you in love with her? You want to sniff her unshifted pussy."

    He growled at her and she whimpered like a puppy.

    "You have a smart mouth." Eric said. "I don��t believe in beating women, but for you I would make an exception."

    "You wouldn��t." She said even though deep down she suspected that he would.

    "Watch and see." He promised her.

    Thatpletely scared her and she remained quiet.

    Then all of a sudden she heard other wolves transforming and howling.

    It was a new moon and then moon was now up in the dark sky.

    She turned and saw Erik howling and soon she too was howling.

    She felt herself turning to her wolf without even giving herself the permission to.

    It was like something was doing it to her.

    She howled and howled and went down to him.

    He had not changed to his own wolf, but she feltpelled to him.

    His scent was different and she felt possessive over him.

    He growled in his human form at her and his eyes locked with hers.

    Then she turned back to her human form.

    Immediately she knew.

    Erik was her mate and they had just bonded.

    She looked up at him wondering if he was going to say anything at all to her.

    He simply walked to his make shift bed and picked up one of his shirts before flinging it right at her face.

    She caught it, cautious of her nudity.

    He still said nothing, with his hand in his waist as he paced the room.

    She quietly wore the shirt as her other clothes had been ruined when she had involuntarily transformed.

    Never in her wildest dreams did she think that she would be his mate.

    It pleased her because she knew that she was already falling in love with Erik.

    "You��re my mate." She finally had the voice to say.

    "Fuck." He swore as he resumed pacing the room.

    She managed a smile. "This is a good thing for both us. We have a responsibility to each other and-

    He pressed his forehead and held a hand up.

    "I don��t mean to disrespect you, but I��m not ready to be anyone��s mate." He said.

    She looked confused. "You��re supposed to be happy all these years you have gone without a mate and finally we have found each other."

    "You��re not my first mate." He said.

    She felt a stab in her chest at the impact of those words.

    She had heard stories of people who had had second chance mates.

    It was rare because getting your first mate was already hard enough.

    Now finding another.

    She stared at him nkly. "I have never had a mate. You are my first."

    "And you are not mine." He said harshly.

    Anna swallowed very hard.

    He was being so mean to her.

    This was supposed to be their happy moment, discovering that they were destined for each other.

    He used his fingers to massage his foreheads.

    "I��m going to have to reject you Anna." He said.

    It was like a p right across her face.

    She felt her knees go week and her voice suddenly feel hoarse.

    Her head began to spin and she felt like she was going to be sick.

    "I am not ready for the responsibility of having a mate. I already swore that I would never amodate another mate." He said. "You are too young for me."

    Anna felt her world crumbling right before her.

    She had never in her life expected such.

    "You��re my Alpha��s little sister. New found. Enjoy the time you have with him. I am not the man for you." He said.

    "You are such an asshole." She blurted out angrily.

    "You are angry and I understand that. But trust me when I say this Anna. I am not the man for you."

    "You are indirectly telling me that I am not the woman for you." She stated.

    He paused for a short while.

    "Is that what you are trying to say to me?" She asked him hoping he would decline.

    He sighed heavily. "Yes."

    It felt like she been murdered over and over again.

    "Just say it. Say the reason why you don��t want me is because you want Jasmine." She said.

    He hardly even blinked at those words. "What?"

    "You think I don��t see how you look at her? How your eyes follow her all around?" She asked him. "You think I don��t see it?"

    "You don��t know what you��re saying?" He snapped at her.

    She turned around and started to walk out of the tent.

    He followed her and was about to grab her arm.

    "Let me go!" She spat and she ran out of the tent.

 Chapter 340: THE BLACKMAIL

    <h4>Chapter 340: THE BLACKMAIL</h4>

    Early the next morning Jasmine was up cleaning and clearing up the ce when Richard rushed up to her.

    "Hey." He said. "How was it? I couldn��te and speak to youst night because Alpha Xaden was really pissed off. I had to be careful."

    "It��s alright." She waved off. "I really hope I didn��t put you into any troublest night."

    He shrugged. "No not really. It��s all good. I��ll probably be forced to do some manual

    Labor because they know I was involved but that��s about it."

    Jasmine sighed weakly. "I am so sorry. I��ll take whatever punishment they gave you. It��s all my fault."

    "I��m notining am I?" He asked his hands on his waists. "Are you going to tell me what happened or not?"

    Then Jasmine proceeded to tell him everything that happened.

    "She lied against you?" Richard asked. "We all thought she was in her little cage and refused toe out. We were so shocked to see her together with you."

    "She followed me." Jasmine said as she put things in their ces and packed up the bags. "And cooked up a story on how I almost got us kidnapped. Of course he believes her."

    "I hate her." Richard said.

    Jasmine said nothing. "It was all a waste because I am still useless. Like hell, I don��t even know what happed to Urma that she died. So what was really the point of it all?"

    "You��re not useless. The magic didn��t work on you that a plus." He said.

    At that moment a sulky looking Anna came out of her princess carriage and stormed right past them.

    "What��s wrong with her?" Richard whispered.

    Jasmine shrug her shoulders and went on with her chores packing up as they prepared to resume the journey.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Anna marched straight into Xaden��s tent.

    Erik was with him and they were looking over maps.

    Erik��s face fell when he looked up and saw her.

    "My little sister." Xaden announced.

    He opened his arms up for her to give him a hug.

    She gave a stiff smile and went into his arms.

    From behind the hug she stared at Erik.

    "How are you?" He asked when he released her and cupped her face.

    She nodded with a smile. "I��m fine."

    "And your injuries?" Xaden asked as he looked around her arm.

    "They have already healed. Erik was such a gentle man with him." She said lying on purpose.

    "That��s Erik for you." He said. "We would soon be home now. You would love it. You are beginning to scent like our bloodline now. That hideous spell that was used to diminish your scent is almost gone."

    She smiled at him.

    She was genuinely happy and curious to be going to where was now going to be her new home.

    "I��m sorry about Jasmine." He said. "I would make sure you two don��t have to rte with each other. I��m sure she reminds you of your past. I��ll make sure she is punished and stays as faraway from you as possible. She would never harm you again. Okay?"

    She nodded and then he kissed her cheek.

    "Xaden I need to tell you something." She said

    Erik stiffened so much she even noticed it.

    "Of course anything." He said.

    Just as she was about to speak one of the men came.

    "My lord." He said. "My apologies for interrupting you. But your horse is having some issues. He isn��t being stable. Perhaps when he sees you he would calm down."

    Xaden sighed and turned to his sister.

    "I would be with you soon." He kissed her again and followed the man out, leaving her with Erik.

    She proceeded to go out when Erik caught her arm and drew her back.

    "What do you think you were trying to do?" He asked her.

    She pouted her lips and rolled her eyes at him and then continued to walk away.

    He pulled her back.

    "I am TALKING to you!" He snapped at her Jo��s nostril ring.

    "Let me go!" She hissed at him as she tried go force her arm away from his grip.

    But he was much too strong for her.

    She started to writh in pain and then he realized he was hurting her and he let her go.

    She sighed heavily and red up at him.

    "I��m sorry." He said quickly. "What were you trying to do just now."

    "Does it concern you in anyways? He is my brother and I do not need your permission to speak to him mate or not." She answered rudely.

    Erik tapped his feet on the floor.

    She was trying his patience and he had no idea how much he could take it.

    She cleared her throat and said. "Well if you must know, I was just about to tell my brother that his ve and his best friend were having a secret affair."

    Erik��s eyes opened in anger.

    "You wouldn��t dare." He said

    "Why wouldn��t I? It��s the truth." She said. "And imagine what my brother would do to the both of you once he finds out."

    "Xaden would not believe you." Erik assured her.

    "Yes he wouldn��t." She admitted which surprised him. "He would simply say I��m just seeing things. BUT it would nt a seed of suspicion in his mind. And you know what seeds can do. They grow and grow until they be a full tree and even when there is nothing, he would see something."

    Erik was angry.

    So angry you could tell from his demeanor.

    He gritted his teeth at her.

    "Why are you doing this?" He demanded.

    "Pay back for what you did to me yesterday." Anna said cleverly.

    Erik managed to suppress his anger and ask. "What do you want?"

    She smiled deviously. "Now we��re talking. You would ept me as your mate or I would tell my brother."

    "Are you ckmailing me?" He asked angrily.

    She shrugged. "I don��t know. What do you think? Make the right decision Erik. As much as I hate jasmine, it would be sad to see the two of you executed for treason."

    And with that she stalked off leaving Erik gripping his fist.

 Chapter 341: JOURNEY HOME

    <h4>Chapter 341: JOURNEY HOME</h4>

    During the journey, Jasmine noticed that Erik had been very quiet.

    He kept to himself while everyoneughed and made jokes together.

    The only good thing about the journey to Jasmine was the fact that she didn��t have to face Anna.

    Anna was still in her princess carriage which meant Jasmine didn��t have to deal with her.

    She remained on Kire��s back as the journey progressed.

    Thest time she had been at Xaden��s pack was after Eleanor��s death.

    He hadn��t even let her mourn Eleanor before he started pointing fingers that she was the culprit.

    Xaden was ahead with the rest of the pack while they continued the journey.

    Kire yawned and Jasmine leaned down at him and whispered.

    "Tired aren��t you?" She asked him.

    He made some noises and she very gently rubbed his ears and looked onward at Erik.

    She wondered if it was the fact that he was still detached from his wolf that was making him weak.

    She very gently nudged Kire to where Erik was until they were side by side.

    He didn��t notice either of them hade around him.

    His head was straight ahead on the road but his mind was very much elsewhere.

    "Hey." She said and then he turned to see her.

    "Jasmine." He said in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

    She gave a light smile. "Came to check up on you. You seem far away."

    "I was just lost in thought." He said.

    She gave a beautifulugh. "I could tell. Is it because Kire hasn��t merged back to your wolf?"

    "Huh?" Erik seemed a bit confused at first.

    "Kire not merging with you till now. That��s why you aren��t really here." She exined further.

    "Oh that." He nodded. "Yes of course. That��s what has been happening."

    She sighed. "Do you think there is a reason why he doesn��t want to merge back with you?"

    Erik shrugged. "I don��t know. He hasn��t stayed out this long. I was hoping that going to Mage city would help change everything. But we didn��t even get the chance to before the attack."

    Jasmine sighed and was silent for a while.

    "You know what you did was dangerous. Going off on your own even though you had absolutely no idea where you were. I��m not siding Xaden but he does have a point." Erik said.

    She sighed heavily.

    Usually he was on her side but she had made such a mistake that he didn��t even support her this time.

    "I know. And I��m sorry." She said. "Princess Anna is safe and sound. That is what matters."

    "How was Anna like growing up?" Erik asked her. "You both stayed in the pack together. What was she like? Xaden has this belief that she suffered."

    Jasmine gave a light shrug. "Jessica who is now Anna, Was difficult. She never had a hard life. Not for once. She never faced what I had to face. Any of it. And I was her personal servant."

    Jasmine gave a weak smile. "It��s crazy don��t you think? That even though I was a bastard child, someone who wasn��t even their child was raised better than I was. She was given the life that I was supposed to have. And now with everything falling apart. Even with all the secrets out in the open, somehow, Anna still gets away with it. And somehow I am the viin. She is now Xaden��s sister. His long lost sister and see how much he cares for her."

    Jasmine bit her bottom lip. "I don��t think anyone would ever understand how I feel."

    "Your entire life you lived under a shadow and been forced to be who you weren��t and the moment you finally be who you are, it makes no difference. It is still the same and perhaps even worst and the one person who doesn��t deserve it, gets everything while you are stuck with nothing." Erik said andbtht shut her up.

    He had said exactly how she felt.

    "Maybe I don��t know how you feel." Erik told her. "But I understand how yu feel."

    She said nothing to that and looked on to the road.

    "I don��t like Anna or Jessica or wherever she can be whenever she wants to be." Jasmine sisd for the first time with all honesty. "She is a physical reminder of what my father and entire pack did to me. And to be honest she doesn��t hesitate to remind me whenever she gets the slightest opportunity to."

    Jasmine looked at Erik.

    "Why the questions about Anna? Something happen?" She asked him.

    Erik said nothing and looked away signaling that their conversation was over .

    They resumed the journey and Anna��s carriage stopped.

    Xaden went to her window and spoke to her for a while and then Anna came out.

    She came down from the carriage and walked to a horse that was waiting for her.

    Xaden helped hoist her up on the horse and she smiled down at him.

    Jasmine just red at her.

    Anger and rage burning in her.

    Levels of jealousy she never knew she could reach.

    All because she watched someone once take her own life and now take it again without ever paying.

    Was life truly fair?

    Anna was all smiles until she turned around and saw Jasmine and Erik side by side.

    Her face fell.

    She gave Erik a sweet smile and then Jasmine a very dangerous re together with a sick and twisted smile, then she went on riding beside her brother.

    They went on the journey in silence without making stops.

    After a long while Jasmine started to feel a familiar sense of environment and she knew that she was already drawing close to the pack.

    She began to feel anxious.

    She had no idea how she was resuming to her life here.

    Was she going to resume being a ve here or be a servant.

    She had no idea.

    "Wee home." Xaden announced to no one in particr but Anna.

    And soon thevish and beautiful castle on the hills came to sight.

 Chapter 342: HOME

    <h4>Chapter 342: HOME</h4>

    Anna admired the beauty of the castle from afar.

    It was fat more beautiful than the moonlight pack.

    She was in total awe of it.

    It was the most beautiful Castle she had ever seen, before the royal castle that is.

    The royal castle was extremely beautiful, but there was something that made this castle unique and different.

    Something she could not put her finger on.

    They walked past the town before heading into the castle.

    Everyone seemed to be minding their business.

    The men that turned to see them beat their chest twice.

    The women who saw them howled and went back on.

    To all of them, Xaden nodded at them.

    "Why are they doing that?" She asked him.

    "It��s a way of them showing their respect." Xaden told her.

    "It��s so different from the moonlight pack." She said.

    Back in the moonlight pack, you were expected to be respectful to the Alpha.

    You couldn��t just go about why your business when he passed around.

    You could be beheaded.

    A frown came up on his face. "This is nothing like that ce. They are Barbaric. Life here will be different from you." He assured her.

    Anna still could not believe that Xaden was her brother.

    That her own life had been an entire lie too.

    What if Jasmine had not been given up to him? Would she have married him and had sex with him?

    Her own brother?

    She shivered at the thought of it.

    She turned back and saw Jasmine together with Erik.

    She gritted her teeth.

    Jasmine was bad luck.

    She could see the attraction between Jasmine had for her brother and it bothered her.

    Jasmine was a ve and the daughter of the man who had stolen her, Anna, from her parents.

    Even though she had lived a good life, she was furious to know that her entire life had been a lie.

    There was no one to pour her rage and frustration on except for Jasmine.

    There was no way anything could happen between Xaden and Jasmine.

    Maybe she was his sex ve but that was all she was ever going to be to him.

    "Wee home." Xaden said as they progressed through the Castle walls.

    Anna saw a very beautifulnd mass.

    There beautiful trees, a massive fountain, beautiful flowers.

    It was all so beautiful.

    She looked on in awe until they came to a halt at the doors of the castle.

    Xaden dismounted from his horse and soon everyone else started toe down.

    He walked to her horse and helped her bring her down.

    She smiled at her brother.

    Then she turned and saw Erik help bring Jasmine down from her own horse.

    Her face went aze in fury.

    "Are you alright?" He asked her.

    She nodded as she dusted her gloves.

    He took her hand and led her into the Castle.

    The beauty of the Castle refused to distract her from her growing jealousy of Erik and Jasmine together.

    His hands on her waist.

    When he was her mate!

    She burned in rage.

    Xaden was saying somethings and she barely listened to him.

    "This was our family." He said and that spurred her mind back to reality.

    She jerked and looked up at what he was talking about.

    There was a massive painting of a handsome man with dark hair and amber eyes.

    He had a perfect jawline and he looked like royalty itself.

    There was a woman to his side.

    She had beautiful blue eyes and bright blonde hair. She looked so young and heavenly.

    Her energy seemed simple and yet divine. Anna knew that this woman would speak and an entire room would fall quiet just to listen to her. She held a baby in her arms. A baby with blonde hair who was sound asleep.

    And in the middle of the couple was a young boy probably around the age of eight with dark hair and stubborn eyes.

    He was so handsome and had a mischievous look in his face.

    Anna knew already who they were.

    That was her father, her mother holding her and Xaden standing in the middle of the beautiful painting.

    Her wolf howled inward and she felt her eyes move with tears.

    She felt her heart begin to race quickly and she knew that her wolf had recognized them and was calling out to them.

    She felt the tears in her throat and the sudden weakness at the realization that this beautiful family was hers.

    That she was ripped away from her true family and stolen like a thief in the night.

    She wanted to meet them.

    She reached her hands out as if to touch the beautiful painting of her family.

    "I found this painting locked away in the ruins of the castle when I finally returned." Xaden said. "They would be happy to know that you and I are here together."

    Overwhelmed with emotions she threw her arms around him and hugged him and she began to cry.

    Honest tears, not the mischievous ones she had always done to get away with what she wanted.

    He rubbed her back and held her close to him.

    In as much as she had been a spoilt and dreadful child, she was still a girl who was coteral damage in the sins of the moonlight pack.

    She was also a victim.

    She gently let go and wiped her tears with her hankie.

    "Forgive me." She said. "Ady does not cryin front of people. It��s udy like."

    He smiled as he cupped her cheek.

    "There is nothing wrong with ady finding peace and happiness in a home that was taken away from her." He said.

    She sniffed and then he pecked her cheeks and she blushed.

    "Xaden." Someone called out.

    Anna saw someone running up to them.

    A girl around the same age with dark hair.

    The girl hugged him tight.

    When she let go, she threw a punch at Xaden��s shoulder.

    "That��s for leaving me here." The girl said.

    Anna was horrified at the udylike behavior of this girl.

    Anna cleared her throat, expecting answers.

    Xaden stepped back.

    "Anna I will like to introduce you to Fiona." Xaden said. "Fiona, Anna. You two are sisters."

    Anna��s face went red.

    "What?"

 Chapter 343: ADOPTED SISTER

    <h4>Chapter 343: ADOPTED SISTER</h4>

    "What?" Anna demanded in rage once she heard Xaden refer to the dark haired girl as her sister.

    Her mind went straight to the oil painting of their family and she had not seen any extra girl.

    What was all this joke about?

    Xaden cleared his throat. "Fiona his my adoptive sister. I took her in. She is from a distant pack and her mother was an alpha. I took her in as my sister. Hence why she is yours too."

    Anna could hardly blink.

    Just when she had believed that all the affection and love she was going to get from Xaden would only be to her, here was someone else she wS supposed to share with?

    An adoptive sister.

    She was his adoptive sister. Not hers. She didn��t have to be her sister.

    She turned and looked at the girl and aplete scan told her she did not like the girl.

    She knew the girl already didn��t like her too.

    Anna swallowed and because she was trying her best to portray an image of a well behaved girl to Xaden, she extended her gloved hand to Fiona.

    "Well, it seems that we have to get along. I am-

    "JASMINE!" Fiona screamed.

    Anna��s face turned red.

    "What?" Anna blinked.

    Fiona raced right past her and Anna turned to see that it was in fact Jasmine.

    Fiona was hugging her so tight and saying words like. "Thank the goddess you are safe. I was so worried. Worried about you!"

    Anna realized that her hand which she had given out was still hanging in the air.

    Embarrassed, she quickly pulled it away and put it by her side.

    Soon all the other people who wereing by were around Jasmine.

    Asking her if she was fine. How they missed her. If the journey was good.

    Anna was furious.

    She was the long lost daughter of this pack! This was her family. Her real family and somehow Jasmine had managed to steal the spotlight and be everyone��s worry.

    She felt forgotten and isted even in her own home.

    Xaden cleared his throat.

    "Fiona." He said and Fiona turned away from Jasmine, very reluctantly. "Would you take Anna up to her room?"

    Xaden gently reached out and squeezed his sister��s arm. "Your childhood bedroom, the room that our mother had designed for you has been made to your taste. The same way mother would have wanted it."

    Then he turned back to Fiona. "You know which of the rooms I��m speaking on. Please take her there."

    "I don��t think I can." Fiona replied. "I had promised to take Jasmine to see some new crafts I had made with my wolf. Someone else should do that."

    Anna decided there and then she hated Fiona as much as she hated Jasmine.

    "No you wouldn��t." Xaden stated. "It was not a request."

    Fiona��s face fell instantly.

    "I��ll take her." Erik��s voice announced.

    Anna was surprised.

    He was thest person she had expected would offer to do anything for her.

    Especially after her threat.

    Erik pushed through. "I��ll take her myself."

    Xaden kissed her forehead. "Erik would see you through it. I wish I could have done it myself. But I need to sort somethings out. have some servants and personal maids assigned to you. I will see youter at dinner? Is that alright?"

    She nodded with a stiff smile.

    And then he gently let go and walked away with most of the men following him.

    Fiona and Jasmine went off and then Erik red at Anna.

    He started walking ahead without inviting her to follow along.

    She did so on her own.

    "Will you go slowly?" Anna asked him when she was already tired of running after him.

    The man took very long strides that left her running after him no matter how long she ran

    He ignored her and kept on walking ahead.

    By the time they reached her room, she was bright red and breathing so quickly she believed she was going to die.

    "Are you done?" He asked her with a sarcastic tone.

    She said nothing but eventually got around breathing heavily.

    "I thought life was hard for you in the moonlight pack. A mere flight of steps should be nothing to you." He said to her.

    She went red and said nothing in response.

    He finally opened the door and then she stepped into a beautiful pink room.

    There were long and massive French windows that touched from the extensively long ceiling to the floor.

    The windows helped to radiate beautiful and natural light into the room.

    There was a massive bed in the center of the room that looked like it belonged to a princess.

    Liked with pink garments the softest looking pillows.

    The carpet was made of white fur.

    She saw arge painting of the same woman she had seen in the hallway with the same baby.

    At that moment she knew that it was her and her mother again.

    She walked up to the painting and gently touched it.

    As if she could feel her mother��s warmth simply by feeling it.

    She could sense Erik��s breathing and she came back to reality.

    She turned away from the room that her mother had made specially for her.

    "Thank you," she said told him. "I don��t need anything."

    He looked at her and she felt herself go hot.

    "Have you made your decision?" She asked him.

    He gritted his teeth in rage and growled.

    "Yes I have." He said.

    Just as he was about to speak up, there was a knock at the door and then a group of maids with boxes of clothes and new bedsheets trooped in.

    She knew that they were the women Xaden had said woulde and assist her.

    The women all curtseyed.

    Erik nodded. "I will leave you women alone."

    And with that he walked out of the room and closed the door shut behind him, leaving Anna with so many questions.

 Chapter 344: A NEW FUTURE

    <h4>Chapter 344: A NEW FUTURE</h4>

    Fiona squealed in excitement once they were out of sight and threw her arms around Jasmine once again to give her a proper hug.

    She looked all over her and could not stop smiling.

    "Look at you. It is so good to see you!" Fiona said. "I was worried you would nevere back. I was so worried that something bad would happen to you."

    "It is truly a good thing to see you again Fiona." Jasmine said with a genuine smile.

    "You have to tell me everything that happened. Every single thing." Fiona said. "I want to know it all. All of it."

    Jasmine have an awkwardugh. "There isn��t much to tell."

    They progressed down the path and found their way up the stairs as Fiona dragged her along.

    Once they got into Fiona��s room, Fiona forced her to sit down on the bed.

    "First of, what did Xaden mean by that dreadful girl downstairs is his sister?" Fiona asked.

    And then Jasmineunched the story on how Anna who had gotten away with everything once again had managed to get away with everything .

    "And now I��m the bad person. Now I am the only surviving member of my n rted to Alpha Bale. So who else can they hate if not me?" Jasmine asked weakly.

    "Is Xaden sure that she is really his sister? I mean is he really sure?" Fiona asked.

    Jasmine gave a very shakenugh. "Yes she is. She matches his scent. She has lied about a lot of things but this isn��t one of them. Xaden is her brother alright and there is no denying that. I��m certain."

    "After everything, she did to you and now she some how gets to be Xaden��s long lost sister?" A shocked Fiona asked.

    Jasmine gave a weak shrug. "I guess that��s how life goes for me."

    Fiona took in a very deep breath. "I already hate her."

    "You don��t know her yet." Jasmine said.

    "Why shouldn��t I? After everything she did to you? She took your life and now somehow despite all the terrible things she has done to you her life much more perfect than it initially was. I don��t like her at all. And I don��t care if Xaden says she is my sister or whatever. She is nothing of the sort to me." Fiona emphasized.

    And then she sighed and hugged Jasmine once again.

    "I am just so happy you are here safe and sound. You could have left but yet here you are. And I am also d to know that all that burden. Lying about who you were is gone." Fiona said. "I am happy that Bale is dead. What he did to my family. What he took from me. But you are not thing like him and that makes me truly happy."

    Jasmine gave a weak smile. "Thank you. I never knew I could have a friend in this life."

    Fionaughed a heartyughter.

    "This time this is your home. It was your choice to stay here. And I know it is going to be different this time. You can start afresh. All over again." Fiona told her.

    "Your brother is never going to let me go." Jasmine said. "He said it himself."

    Fiona snorted. "We will sort that out. For now you just need to have a bath."

    "What about lily?" Jasmine asked. "His mate. They are going to get married wouldn��t they?"

    She didn��t know why she was scared of Fiona��s response.

    Scared of what Fiona would say.

    Fiona shrugged nonchntly and yawned. "Who knows? I don��t like the girl. She is too traditional. She steered clear of my path and I did the same of hers."

    Jasmine sighed.

    Did she want Xaden to marry that girl. No.

    But she didn��t have a choice in the matter. He was nothing to her and that was the end of the matter.

    She shouldn��t even care whether he did or not.

    "I wanted to ask you something?" Fiona asked.

    Jasmine tilted her head. "Yes go on?"

    "What would think if I told you I had a crush on one of Xaden��s men. Do you think he would let it happen?"

    Jasmine could hardly blink. "You like one of his men?"

    "It��s a stupid crush." Fiona tried to downy her feelings but you could tell that she meant more. "But I��m just asking. Do you think he would have a problem with it?"

    Jasmine thought hard. "It depends really."

    Fiona sighed heavily.

    "Who is it?" Jasmine inquired.

    "None of your business." Fionaughed back and then her eyes caught Jamsine��s emerald ne.

    "So beautiful." Fiona said as she gently touched the ne. "Did you eventually find out what happened to your mother?"

    Jasmine gave a very light shrug. "No. I didn��t. That aspect of my past. I want to let go. It doesn��t matter who she was or wasn��t. I am okay with that. Like you said I want to start my life afresh. I want a do over. Would I like to know who my mother is? Yes. Would I get the answers? Most likely not. But then I��m okay with what I have now."

    Fiona smiled as she gently set back the emerald ne.

    "She must have loved you very much." Fiona frowned. "Why does it look like it��s broken?"

    Jasmine frowned and looked down at her chest.

    "Broken?"

    She took a hold of it herself and realized that it did look chipped.

    Like a bit of it had fallen out.

    She realized that it had always looked that way.

    And that she had never taken so much note to it.

    Before her and Fiona could investigate further, she heard a knock at the door and soon it swung open.

    It was a servant.

    "Lord Xaden asks for your presence in his chambers Jasmine." The maid said.

    Jasmine felt her heart beat stop and her entire being begin to tremble.

    Once again she had forgotten about the emerald ne.

 Chapter 345: YOU HAVE NO FREEDOM

    <h4>Chapter 345: YOU HAVE NO FREEDOM</h4>

    JASMINE��S POV

    "I��ll be back," Jasmine assured Fiona.

    "Do you want me toe with you?" Fiona asked.

    Jasmine gave a light smile and a weak smile. "No, there won��t be any need for that. I will be back."

    Jasmine followed the maid who hade to call her, and together, they went past the massive hallways and busy workers.

    Since she had returned, she had not had the chance to see Loren. Once she had seen Xaden, she would head straight to his quarters to find him.

    Mainly to give him the bad news of Urma��s death.

    She breathed heavily and followed the maid.

    She saw that they went past Xaden��s throne room.

    Jasmine got confused.

    "Aren��t we supposed to see Alpha Xaden?" Jasmine asked, very confused.

    "Yes, we are." The maid replied.

    "We just went past his throne room." Jasmine pointed out as a matter of fact.

    She had not been to the pack in a while, but that did not mean she had forgotten her way around the castle.

    "He wants to see you in his chamber." The maid informed and continued walking ahead.

    Jasmine felt her heart stop.

    His bedroom.

    Thest time she had been in it, she had been naked.

    She swallowed and followed right behind the maid.

    They approached the massive doors, and the maid abruptly stopped, forcing Jasmine to stop quickly.

    "I��m sorry." The maid said. "But I wanted to thank you..."

    That was thest thing Jasmine had expected from any maid��s mouth.

    She blinked in disbelief. "Why are you telling me thank you? What did I do?"

    The maid heaved a profound sigh of relief. "Some of us. I wanted to thank and apologize for saving us. Alpha Xaden would have had us executed for almost lynching you when, in fact, all you wanted to do was help. But you still saved us."

    Jasmine watched as the maid spoke with fear and, perhaps, guilt.

    "The others are filled with shame. So, I had toe to use this opportunity to tell you thank you." She spoke.

    Jasmine gave a weak smile. "It��s okay. I only did what I could to help."

    The maid nodded and started to head back to the doors when Jasmine stopped her.

    "Also, please tell them not to be scared of me. I also owe everyone an apology for what my father did." Jasmine said.

    The maid seemed shocked.

    As if she had expected a much harsher response from Jasmine.

    The maid nodded and said a silent thank you.

    She headed to the chamber doors and opened them.

    "Your majesty." The maid said, looking down at the floor. "Here she is."

    Jasmine stepped inside the massive room, and the maid, still looking down at the ground, retreated behind her and closed the door.

    Jasmine saw Xaden standing in his breeches, overlooking the entire city.

    She remained standing, not sure what he wanted her to do.

    After a few minutes, he turned around and showed his handsome face.

    Jasmine felt her heart leap.

    Despite everything that had happened. He still had the power to make her weak.

    To make her flustered and feel like a little girl.

    She was in love with him. She loved him.

    She had told him thest time they were here when the truth of her identity had finallye to light.

    But he had insulted her, barked at her in rage at the weight of her words.

    I called her a liar and swore to punish her.

    Of course, he wouldn��t have believed her.

    Not after he had discovered that she had deceived him and been a spy to her family.

    He looked her all over and leaned against the French windows.

    "You sent for me, my lord." She said in a tiny and quiet voice.

    "My investigations into the death of..."

    It took him a minute to blurt out her name.

    "Eleanor." He said.

    She could see the hurt on his face and wanted to hold him and tell him it was okay.

    "Proved to be fruitful. It was your father that had her killed. He did it as a way of making weaker. Everything that had happened down to Aurora��s death. It was all him." Xaden said.

    She swallowed.

    And now she was the only surviving bloodline of the moonlight pack.

    She had never expected her father to do that much. But after all, he had been an evil man.

    What had he not done to Xaden?

    "I am sorry." Jasmine apologized truthfully.

    He ignored her. "He is dead. But does it take away what your family has done to me?"

    He gave a bitterugh before saying a weak "no."

    "I should kill you. Punish you for what your family has done to mine." Xaden said. "I want you in my pack to keep an eye on you before you threaten me. And if you do. If you think that you can revolt against me."

    He gave off an evilugh.

    "I would end you." He promised. "You do not have the right to make a decision. For what your family has done to my sister and me, you will serve us until you die. That Is your punishment."

    Jasmine felt her heart stop. "But back in the moonlight pack. You said I had a choice. I chose to stay because I had nowhere to go. I chose to stay because I wanted to build a life here."

    "You should have thought about that before you stupidly put my sister��s life in danger, looking for an answer to an already dead wolf." He spat harshly.

    Jasmine felt like she had been pped on her face.

    Jasmine took an intense breath. "Xaden, your sister, had a beautiful life. She was treated well in the pack. I was the one who suffered. I suffered my entire life. And today, I am still suffering. She hase back home to you. I have no one. Nothing. And yet, I am still suffering. When does it end?!"

 Chapter 346: INTERRUPTED PASSION R-18

    <h4>Chapter 346: INTERRUPTED PASSION R-18</h4>

    Xaden red down at her and Jasmine realize what she had just said and she sighed in.

    "Anna has her life and I am very very happy for her now that she is back with you." Jasmine said. "It was unfair that she was stolen. But Xaden She lived my life. She never for once suffered. You saw it yourself. Because they gave me out to you. They rather kept her than sent her away back to you. If they had not sent me to you. You would have done what you did to me with your sis-

    "ENOUGH!" Xaden dered unwilling to hear the rest of the conversation.

    They both knew where she as headed and it was nothing but the in truth.

    If the moonlight pack had treated Anna with such disdain they would have never hesitated to give her out to Xaden.

    It would have been incest.

    "You have seen my back. You have seen the scars. You have seen what I faced and you know deep down that my life was hell." She said.

    "Does not change the fact that you lied to me!" He barked aggressively. "You lied to me! From day one. You could have told me nothing but truth, but instead you chose to deceive me and bring murder and death to my home!"

    "I should have told you the truth yes. And I am sorry. You have no idea how sorry i am. I should have never deceived you and made you believe that I was their daughter. But I didn��t know you. Here I was being taken prisoner from a cruel life that I lived all my life to face another. How was I to know if I was going to receive any different? Would you have even believed the words of a stranger if I told you it was a lie?"

    He went dead quiet with those words and the silence was an answer.

    "If I can take it all back, I would without even thinking of it. But I can��t." Jasmine said. "It��s not fair to me that I suffered in my own home, came here to suffer for a crime I was innocent of and still lost everything." Jasmine face a weak smile. "Anna might have been stolen but at the end of the day, she still has you. She would always have you. I have nobody."

    He looked down at her and very gently walked up to her.

    Her face flustered and went red in color.

    What was he trying to do.

    She took a step back and then he caught her hand and drew her to him.

    Then he caught her chin and forced her to look up at him.

    "Life isn��t fair." He said in the most cruel and yet alluring way ever.

    And then he went down to her neck and bit at the nape.

    She gasped at the pleasure she felt .

    Her body had been craving his touch for so long, it set fire on her.

    His tongue danced on her neck and she started to breathe heavily, her body began to shake and she could feel her insides begin to go moist.

    He tore at her dress.

    "Life isn��t fucking fair." He said as he drowned his face in her neck.

    He grabbed a handful of her hair and squeezed as he nibbled her neck, bit and sucked on them.

    She wanted to throw her head back and moan in pleasure but his hand which held her hair kept her in ce.

    Then finally he forced her to look right at him and she did.

    His eyes were ring over her hungrily like a man who had not had a meal in weeks.

    He was starved and hungry.

    "That is why you will never be free. You belong to me. Whatever I desire of you is what you shall do. Your body is mine and you will never belong to another."

    He hungrily kissed her and she tasted his warm saliva as he bit down on her bottom lip.

    The sheer ecstasy of it all.

    The desire as he hungrily rolled his tongue over hers and she moaned tasting him.

    She felt his manhood hard and against her.

    He aggressively picked her up and in a split second she was on his bed.

    He tore open her dress and his face went down on her hard nipples.

    He sucked hard on them and drew at it.

    She cried as she squeezed the bedsheets, while his hands went under her dress and in between her legs.

    His fingers spread open her legs as he began work his way fingering her.

    She felt herself moist and slippery under his touch and all she could do was cry and beg for more.

    He started to rub his manhood that was still in his pants against her and she felt her body involuntarily opening up for her.

    Her body began to spread its legs on its own.

    Ready for his entrance, baiting for it.

    And then he dipped his fingers inside her tight and moist pussy.

    She cried and began to shake as his fingers yed with her walls while her body rxed more and more liquid telling him she was ready for their mating.

    And then he went back on her neck and began kissing her all over.

    She was crying and begging for more.

    Begging him to enter and delve into her deepest parts.

    She put her fingers through his hair as she moaned in pleasure.

    Jasmine didn��t hear the door open, but she heard the male voice.

    "Xaden I was hoping that we could- I am so sorry for the interruption!"

    They both turned around and saw that it was his uncle Uther.

    Jasmine was lucky that Xaden was over her and he therefore concealed her nackedness.

    She grew red and found herself begin to cover up.

    Xaden got up and put the covers over to hide her nudity.

    He himself got up and began to adjust his clothes.

    "Uncle." Xaden said as he walked towards him at the door.

    "I am so sorry I had no idea you hadpany." Uther apologized.

    Jasmine wanted to hide further inside the bed.

 Chapter 347: HIS PERSONAL SLAVE

    <h4>Chapter 347: HIS PERSONAL SLAVE</h4>

    "Forgive me Xaden." Uther said. "I really had no idea that you hadpany. I wouldn��t havee in at all."

    "It��s alright." Xaden nodded as he folded his arms. "What��s the issue?"

    Uther shrugged. "It is nothing so serious. Just some matters that arose after you left. Not of much importance, but I wanted to give you foresight especially since I once lived here and knew how yourter father- goddess rest his soul- ruled."

    Jasmine did not like his uncle uther.

    From the moment she had met him, she did not trust him and it was very unlike her to judge a book by its cover.

    And it wasn��t just because he hade along with Xaden��s first mate.

    Where had they been when his family had massacred?

    Why had they conveniently shown up in the pack?

    She didn��t buy his story that they had been hiding and waiting for them to be called out.

    He was like all the men she had grown to see.

    Men like him had something devious and were not genuine with their intentions.

    She was an unshifted, but sometimes it shocked her that she sensed when someone was bad news over even those who were already wolves.

    She ducked further inside the bedsheets so that he wouldn��t see her.

    Xaden took in such a deep breath the entire room heard it.

    "That��s alright." He eventually gave in. "I��ll see you in my throne room in about a few minutes."

    Uther grinned ear to ear. "That would be wonderful."

    Then Uther started to bow at Xaden and then Xaden proceeded to stop him.

    "None of those are needed from you." Xaden said.

    Uther smiled and then took a Quick Look at Jasmine.

    They were quite far away but their eyes locked and Jasmine gave him a re.

    Uther smiled on his way out and Xaden shut the door.

    She heaved una sigh of relief once he was gone and managed to sit up and use the bed cover to hide her nakedness.

    Xaden walked over to the bed and she went red once again.

    She found herself sliding back.

    It was something she had noticed she did out of habit.

    Not that she didn��t want it or that her body didn��t, but she had had men try to touch her.

    So she always recoiled from anyone��s touch no matter who they were until their intentions were known.

    He simply picked up her torn dress and sighed.

    Then he walked to where his massive chest of drawers were and brought out arge shirt for her.

    "Wear this." He offered.

    She swallowed and shook her head. "I can��t."

    "You cant or you won��t?" He asked a brow raised in disapproval at her rejection of his offer.

    She swallowed again. "I can��t. The others would see me and have thoughts and might assume."

    He rolled his eyes. "Jasmine this is my pack. I am the Alpha, and I own it. You should be more afraid of me than you are afraid of them."

    He tossed the clothes at her. "You cant wears whatever is left of the dress. Wear this and then find something better when you are in your room."

    She started to go red again. "B.... But people would assume."

    He pressed his hand on his forehead in disbelief. "Assume that what? I fucked you."

    If she could turn to the color red itself she would have.

    She was so red and felt her body go warm at the choice of his words.

    She nodded.

    "For your information, everyone knows that I fuck you when I want to. I��m sure that the servants and guards along the hallway could practically hear the way you were screaming and begging for me to put my cock inside you and fuck your brains out."

    She should be revolted and disgusted by his words.

    But out of shame she went red and she felt her thighs get moist and wet.

    It was then she realized that his words no matter how brutal and cruel they sounded, only made her desire him even more.

    He gave a wry smile. "And I��m sure that if I put my finger in between that honey pot of yours they would be spilling wet."

    She gasped.

    And out of shame closed her mouth unable to say a word, she buried her face in the covers because he was saying the truth.

    "Or we should try it?" He asked.

    And then because she was sitting up with her knees together, he drew close and started to part her legs apart.

    She started to shiver in sheer pleasure and the found herself begin to resist and soon her legs were being spread apart.

    He set his fingers under the covers and set his hand and soon he touched her wetness.

    She closed her eye es and threw her head back at the familiar feeling of him touching her.

    She found herself pushing up against his hands just so he could touch her more.

    Her body was hungry for him.

    She felt herself drip even more as he began to run his fingers gently in between her.

    She bit her bottom lip.

    She was going insane and just when she thought he was going to do more than just touch her deepest parts, he withdrew, shocking her.

    "You just proved my point." He said cruel.

    She realized how stupid she looked and she was very much angry with herself.

    He closed her legs and angrily got up from the bed and tried to get away.

    But he caugh her waist and pulled her back to him.

    "I��m going to tell you this now Jasmine and you will listen to me. You are mine and you belong to me. You would always belong to me. No matter where you go. And I will kill you or anyone you think you can leave me for. You are mine."

    She became terrified of him at those words and then he let go.

    He tossed the shirt at her. "You will be my personal servant. That is your job in this pack. My meals, my clothes, cleaning my throne room and my bed chamber. Even if I am fucking other she wolves you would clean the ce up. Belinda would assign you to your new duties."

 Chapter 348: THE KEY TO YOUR IDENTITY

    <h4>Chapter 348: THE KEY TO YOUR IDENTITY</h4>

    Jasmine breathed in heavily at his words.

    Without saying a word she started to leave the room.

    "One more thing." He said stopping her right in her tracks. "If you ever for once think that you can kill me. Or you try to kill me. You wouldn��t like what I would do to you."

    Jasmine turned back facing him and boldly said. "You are wrong about me. You perception about me is wrong. And I think deep down you know. But your pride won��t just let you."

    "You don��t say." He said as he folded his arms.

    She swallowed hard and then walked to her almost torn dress and wore it instead of his shirt .

    It was a way of her showing her defiance.

    A way of her showing that he could not control her and she was her own person too.

    And with that she went out of the room.

    As she closed the door behind her, she took in a deep breath because she was trembling. She had zero idea where the confidence to speak to him that way hade from.

    She had been more shocked when she had not gotten a reaction from him.

    She adjusted the handle of her dress and gathered the torn part together as she walked down the hallway.

    The guards were standing attention and then she went red when she remembered what she had said about everyone hearing her moaning.

    She went on her way quickly.

    Soon she was at Loren��s door.

    Before she could open it, she felt a wave of nausea and dizziness.

    She managed to stand firm .

    She had been feeling sick for a while now.

    She waved it off and opened the door.

    She saw the old man working on his medicine and she ran and hugged him.

    "I missed you so much!" She said tears at the brim of her eyes.

    He hugged her back. "It��s good to see you back safe and sound."

    She reluctantly let him go and then he took her to a seat.

    "Now sit. Tell me everything." He requested and she told him all of it.

    He was unhappy about Urma��s dead, and surprised to find out that Anna was still alive.

    "You mean to tell me that they stole her from this pack and raised her as their own?" He gasped.

    "Yes and if I were not sent away to marry Xaden, then it would have been his own sister he would have done those awful things too." Jasmine said with a shiver.

    Loren took in a very deep sigh. "Eel you have been vindicated now."

    Jasmine shook her head. "No perhaps if anything I believe the situation is much worse. Xaden believes that I made her suffer. Jessica has always hated me from the beginning. My beatings are because of her, my punishment because other wolves looked at me and not her. And somehow she still emerges as the prodigal daughter. No, my life had been unfair and unjust. This is just worse. She is here to punish me I know it."

    Loren sighed and looked at her through his sses. "Well if it��s one thing for sure, Xaden would spoil her. He most likely believes that she suffered the same fate as him and he is going topensate by pampering her."

    "Exactly!" She said. "It��s like everything happening all over again except this time not under my family."

    "Did Xaden eventually discover who killed Eleanor?"

    Jasmine sighed and rubbed her forehead. "He ims to. Said it was my father. He said he did some investigations and it proved that he was the one responsible for all the attacks. Including Aurora and what she did to me."

    Loren shook his head. "I don��t think that your father had anything to do with it."

    Jasmine rose a brow.

    "Why?"

    Loren sighed and got up from his chair and went through his shelves and pulled open a hiddenpartment and returned back to her with a piece of cloth in his hands.

    He set the cloth on the table and opened it.

    It seemed to be dust in it.

    "What��s that?" She asked him.

    "This is a special type of dust or residue that is left after magic is done. Let��s say it is a signature. I saw this in aurora��s room , I also saw it beside Eleanor��s head. It proved that it��s the same person that killed her that hexed Aurora. I made some further reading. This is magic that is very very old. I don��t even think that your father would have been able to find someone to do this. It��s rare. Very rare. I think Xaden is wrong. And if my calctions prove that, then it could prove my biggest fear right."

    "What?" She asked.

    "We have a traitor amongst our midst." He dropped the bombshell. "Someone isn��t loyal to us and they have a very good way of covering their tracks."

    She didn��t know how to take that down so she told him about her visit to mage city and the witch she had met.

    Then she told him about the strange encounter she had had with her father.

    "When he was about to die. It was like he was self destructing. Seemed like he was battling with himself at the same time. He would be kind and wicked to me. Tried to kill himself. He made it seem like he isn��t my father. I asked him about my mother. Perhaps he went mad towards the end. But my whole life is a mystery." Jasmine informed him.

    "There are loopholes in my life. Questions that I want answered but I don��t know if they every would. Urma was the only one who knew my mother. I found some old papers with the old religionnguage on them."

    "Where are they?" That caught Loren��s attention.

    "I gave them to the witch." Jasmine said.

    He leaned back and sigh in defeat.

    She put her hands deep in her pocket and brough out a small piece of paper.

    "But I saved this." She said with a smile as she opened it and gave it to him.

    Loren excitedly collected it and looked through it. "This is over a thousand years old."

    "Can you read it?" She asked.

    "No." He said honestly and her heart fell. "But we can learn and we will unravel what this means. This might be the key to your identity Jasmine."

 Chapter 349: LADY OF THE PACK

    <h4>Chapter 349: LADY OF THE PACK</h4>

    Anna was furious at Etik for just leaving her standing that way.

    And there was no way she could go after him.

    Not in front of the servants.

    He mmed the door so hard she jumped and then sheposed herself.

    "Hello," she said to the woman.

    "Mydy." They all choruses as they curtseyed.

    "My brother sent you to me." Anna stated as she folded her arms .

    There was a knock at the door and it was opened.

    Arge woman with a full chest who seemed to be in her mid forties stepped in.

    "Lady Anna is it?" The woman asked withmand.

    "Yes." Anna said crossing her brows.

    Who was this woman to talk to her in such a manner.

    "My name is Belinda. I am the head of the house. I oversee most of the work. Your brother insisted that I see you and introduced you to the pce and everything about it." The woman said.

    "I see." Anna said. "And do you know who I am?"

    "Yes you are Alpha Xaden��s sister." The woman said.

    "Good." Anna said. And she walked back to the picture of her and her mother.

    She tapped at the baby in the painting aggressively. "To be more precise I am that baby. Which means I am a daughter of this pack."

    "I see.." Belinda said even though it didn��t seem she understood where she was going with this.

    "As daughter of this pack and sister of the Alpha of this pack. I would like to be the one managing the castle."

    Anna really didn��t care about doing any work.

    She preferred not to even do any at all, but she had given her brother the image of her being a very good and hardworking girl.

    She needed to keep up the image to him.

    No matter what.

    "If you don��t know, but where I lived I did a lot of handy work and I am able enough to see the entire doings of the castle." Anna said.

    Belinda gave her a boring look. "That must have been lovey can I see your hands?"

    Anna frowned. "Why?"

    But before Anna could even give her permission to or not, Belinda walked up to her and grabbed her hand.

    She started to feel her palms .

    "You said you did a lot of handy work in the pack you lived in didn��t you?" Belinda asked her.

    "Yes I did." Anna said as she snatched her hand away. "What are you? Some sort of witch?"

    "Your hands are too soft for someone who did manualbor." Belinda said. "You don��t even have a single cut on any part of your body."

    Anna went red. "It��s private."

    Belinda nodded. "I see."

    "Anyways." Anna said trying to faun her the topics before she was caught in her lie, even though she doubted Belinda believed a word she said. "I would order you on how I want the castle done. How foods are to be prepared, how the furniture is to be made."

    Belinda sighed dryly. "I��m just the Castle keeper. That Job belonged to thetedy Aurora and your brother has given it to someone else."

    "Who?" Anna asked shocked .

    "Jasmine." Belinda stated matter of fact.

    Anna��s face went ame. "That��s impossible. She is the daughter of a traitor and a murderer."

    "That��s funny, considering you were one until a few days ago." Belinda said and the other maids chucked to Anna��s horror. "Forgive me mydy. Rumors tend to fly around her quite fast."

    Anna wanted to order a beating!

    For all of them!

    She wanted them flogged so much that their skin bled and their flesh ripped apart.

    She gave a cruel and twisted smile.

    "You seem to think that I am tolerant of bad behaviors." Anna asked. "You should ask Jasmine. She will tell you. Or rather, you should see her body. They will tell you what I can do. You do not want to cross me. Get OUT!"

    Lady Belinda curtseyed in obedience and respect. "Yes your majesty."

    And with that she left the room.

    Anna began to pace burning in fury.

    She hated that stupid harlot.

    And why would her brother assign Jasmine to be the one to oversee the castle.

    This was her family��s castle!

    It was her right to do with it as she deemed fit!

    Jasmine did not belong here and so she had no right absolutely none to take on such a role.

    Everyone knew that the role of manning the pack belonged to the wife of daughter of the pack.

    Not some outsider!

    The other girls still had their head bent down waiting for her to give an order.

    "What are you all still doing here? After youughed at me? Get out!" She barked at them.

    And with that the girls all took to their heels and went out of her room.

    Anna was so furious she paced around her room for a while and then eventually gave in to a bath.

    She went to wash room and saw that the buckets of steaming water were not yet turned into the bath.

    She was so angry she proceeded to do it herself but the water sshed on her, burning her.

    She screamed and began to cry as she touched her body.

    She saw her flesh peeling off and then she closed her eyes to use her wolf abilities to heal.

    Once she was healed, her body was left weak and exhausted.

    She didn��t know when someone came into the room until she saw a girl around her same age inside her wash room .

    Anna panicked and then growled shing out her teeth.

    "Who are you?" Anna demanded.

    The girl picked up a robe and opened it up for Anna.

    "My name is Lisa." The girl said. "I��m a maid in the pack."

    Anna was suspicious of her. But then she snatched the robe from her

    "Why are you helping me?" She demanded. "How dare you enter my room without my permission."

    "I know you hate Jasmine. I hate her too. And I��ve been in the pack from the vest first she moved here." Lisa said. "I offer myself to be your personal maid. I know we will get along very well."

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Jasmine was in Loren��s quarters when they heard a knock at the door.

    Loren looked down from his sses and then quickly whispered to Jasmine. "Hide them".

    And she quickly hid the dust and the multiple books they were using to research on the oldnguage.

    Loren cleared his throat and walked to the door, once he opened it, Belinda came in.

    "Loren." she greeted.

    "What brings you to my door?" He asked her. "I don��t have any more green leaf cloves."

    "I am not here for those. Well not now." Belinda said. "I��m here for Jamsine. I know she is here."

    Loren opened the door wide enough for Belinda to peek in.

    "Jasmine." Belinda called out.

    Jasmine got up from where she was seated and went to the door.

    "Hello Belinda." She smiled.

    Jasmine didn��t think Belinda liked anyone in the pack at all.

    She was hard and straight on everyone, but if there was anything Jasmine had noticed, she was just and fair.

    In a way she respected her.

    "Lord Xaden has given me instructions for you new chores." Belinda said. "If you wille along with me and let��s be over with this."

    "Alpha Xaden has already told me. He said that I was going to be his personal maid." Jasmine said. "And I would do all his personal work."

    Belinda sighed. "You have been assigned to be thedy manning this castle."

    "What?" Loren and Jasmine chorused in belief.

    "I believe that I had the same reaction myself and to be honest doing all the work myself since Aurora��s death has been the death of me." Belinda said .

    Jasmine shook her head in disbelief. "That��s not possible. Taking care of the pack is the job of the mate or sister or wife of the Alpha. Not a ve like me. And alpha Xaden hates me." Jasmine assured. "I am sure you heard wrong."

    "Don��t worry I asked him the same question myself." Belinda said. "Lets go."

    Was this a joke?

    Jasmine could hardly believe her ears.

    If he had wanted to give her this task, then why didn��t he tell her then and then?

    Belinda was already down the hallway.

    "Dont waist my time Jasmine. There is going to be a feast tonight and everything needs to be perfect." Belinda said.

    Jasmine looked at Loren innutyer disbelief.

    He prodded her out and she finally followed after Belinda.

    When she finally caught up with her.

    "Since Aurora died, the job has been quite tedious and for some reason or the other Alpha Xaddn believes you can handle the job." Belinda said.

    "Why would he think that?" Jasmine asked herself.

    Belinda shrugged. "I have no idea. Now this is his sister��s first night in the pack. He wants it perfect. Also the royal family will being too."

    "What?!" Jasmine almost fainted

 Chapter 350: OBEY OR LEAVE

    <h4>Chapter 350: OBEY OR LEAVE</h4>

    "You heard me well." Belinda said as she walked ahead.

    Jasmine felt her head begin to spin.

    Why was the royal familying again?

    Was it to finish what Xaden had started?

    And maybe kill her because they feared she would revolt and attempt to revenge her pack?

    She wondered about Queen Rose who had been ill and her terrible grand daughter along with her own daughter and sisters

    It was a whole family mess Jasmine didn��t want to get involved with.

    And then Jasmine remembered seeing the King and Queen��s sister having sex.

    She gasped to herself.

    She had pushed that so far down her mind with so many things happening, and now she was forced to remember.

    It angered her that the King would cheat on her such a wonderful and beautiful man with someone who was nothing like her.

    She wanted to stay out of all of this.

    Everything!

    "Jasmine!"

    And she was brought back crashing down to reality.

    "Yesdy Belinda." Jasmine said.

    "Are you even listening to me?" She demanded.

    "Yes, I��m sorry." Jasmine said massaging her forehead. "I think this is a bit all too much for me. I don��t think I want this task."

    "There is nothing that can be done." Belinda said as they headed for the kitchen. "We have till midnight before the feasts and preparations need to be made."

    Jasmine sulked as she finally went into the massive kitchen.

    The workers all stood at attention once they came in.

    Jasmine felt strange.

    These were women who had barely even looked at her when she had first arrived here, and now all of sudden she was being made tomand them.

    She felt sick to her stomach.

    "In the passing of Lady Aurora and my difficulty to man the pack." Lady Belinda said. "Alpha Xaden has made it the task of Jasmine here to give instructions on how meals are to be prepared, the castle is to be cleared and if there are any other further work. So you would all be answering to her. As you all know, there is going to be a feast tonight. You are all to obey her, as disobeying her would be seen as disobeying Alpha Xaden."

    There was a murmuring amongst the crowd, but no one really opposed .

    Jasmine knew that as much as some of them liked her, like the maid who hade to fetch her earlier, there were still some who harbored hatred for her.

    "I will not be answering to that slut." A familiar voice said.

    Jasmine turned and saw it was none other than Lisa.

    Lisa who had been such a huge problem her entire in the pack .

    The very same Lisa who had been the ringleader in her gang beating.

    And of course Jasmine didn��t expect her to obey her.

    "Why you little whore." Belinda snapped at her. "Do you think I would be standing here giving instructions if Alpha Xaden himself had not asked me to himself?"

    "I don��t care if he did. If you just know. Alpha Xaden would soon give me a title in the pack because I was the one who exposed her lies to him. The bitch isn��t even on my level. There is no reason why I would obey her."

    Lady Belinda was about to say something in response but Jasmine stepped up and very gently touching her arm.

    In a way to say, don��t worry I��ll handle this.

    Jasmine turned back to the small crowd of people.

    "You can refer to me in whatever name you want. Bastard,tent, bitch, slut. Whatever suits you best. I don��t have a problem. But I have a problem with someone who wouldn��t take an instruction. To be honest I don��t want to do this job. Came as a surprise. Why don��t I simply reject it? Because it��s no use. Alpha Xaden always gets what he wants we all know that now. If you don��t feelfortable with me following his orders so we can all go past this sooner thanter, then I suggest we work together. If you don��t agree then...."

    Jasmine stepped to the side away from the door and motioned at therge ck door.

    "Then by all means you are free to leave." Jasmine said.

    There was an absolute silence in the room. No one stood up to leave, no one opposed.

    She looked back at Lisa who had her face screwed up in an ugly way.

    "This won��t be the end of me!" Lisa snapped at Jasmine as she marched up the small steps that led to the door .

    She groaned in rage and opened the wide door before mming it down hard that the ss shook against the walls.

    Jasmine sighed. "Now that that is done with, can I please see Aurora��s rooster?"

    One of the maids brought it to her.

    Jasmine remembered her.

    She was the only girl who had tried to stop the other maids from beating her that night.

    Jasmine looked down at the illegible words before her.

    She still could not read.

    "What��s your name?" She asked the girl.

    "Mya." The girl responded softly.

    "Can you read?" Jasmine asked her.

    She nodded and then Jasmine handed her back the paper. "If you would be kind enough to read it out for me. I can��t read."

    The girl looked surprised and everyone else seemed too.

    Even Lady Belinda.

    But the girl read the paper aloud and Jasmine had an idea of what she wanted to fix.

    She had seen her own pack host feasts and she knew what was expected.

    She had seen some things done andbhar even wished she would one day be in the position to do it herself.

    And now here it was.

    She was not stupid.

    She knew whwy Xaden had offered her this particr responsibility.

    Feasts were made to be nned ahead for weeks and not in a day.

    He wanted her to fail and prove his ego right.

    She maintained her head well on her shoulders.

    She was going to prove him wrong.

    This was going to be the best feast he had ever had.

 Chapter 351: AURORA

    <h4>Chapter 351: AURORA</h4>

    JASMINE��S POV

    Jasmine first decided that the kitchen needed a massive cleaning.

    It was dirty with so many leaking pots and quite unstable.

    "Why is it like this?" Jasmine asked genuinely confused.

    The state of the kitchen was something else.

    "Thetedy Aurora had always said a renovations was going to be made." Mya said. "But we never witnessed in anything."

    Jasmine frowned.

    From what she knew, packs had budgets.

    Budgets for the training room, kitchen, the castle grounds and the lot.

    There was also a ledger that was used to do the calctions and record every money that was supposed to be put in the pack.

    It had to be somewhere.

    "Is there an ountant?" Jasmine asked.

    "Yes, Lycan Louise. He is an old man and has been managing the ounts for years."

    "I��ll like to see him." Jasmine said. "But first I think I would like to see Aurora��s ledger. She should have a copy."

    "It should be in her room." Mya suggested.

    And then Jasmine instructed he rest of the staff to finish the cleaning before she returned.

    She took a look around the kitchen and saw that the bakery was outside.

    She turned to the head chef. "How do you do it in the winter?"

    He managed a shrug. "I wear my sweaters. The old bakery was inside the kitchen but there had been an incident so we moved outside. It was supposed to be temporary. Thedy Aurora had said that she was going to sort it out."

    The old man shrugged hisrge shoulders. "Well she never got around sorting it out so we just managed with what we have."

    She couldn��t believe that.

    It had to be extremely freezing for them to work in such terrible conditions.

    "Did you not report?" Jasmine asked. "Did you not tell Alpha Xaden at least?"

    The baker shook his head. "Lady Aurora said she had it all under control."

    Jasmine didn��t like what she was seeing at all.

    It was inhumane.

    There were traces of irregrities.

    Aurora was supposedly given the responsibility to look after the staff, but for whatever reason she never did.

    "I will be back." Jasmine promised and turned to Mya. "Can youe along please?"

    Mya nodded and then together they stepped out of the kitchen.

    Jasmine knew walked down the hallway heading straight for Aurora��s old room.

    She had never been it, neither did she even know where it was, but she suspected that it would be on the right wing.

    That was where most of Xaden��s high ranking wolves were.

    The Kitchen was on the ground floor do she had to run up the long flight of stairs.

    When she was finally on the right wing floor she took in a very deep breath because she was exhausted.

    When she caught her breath, she resumed walking the hallway and made a sharp corner.

    She rammed right into Fiona.

    "Oh my Goddess Jasmine." Fiona said as she apologized and held her nose.

    Jasmine touched her forehead.

    It hurt like hell.

    "I��m sorry. So sorry." Fiona apologized.

    "No I��m the one who is supposed to be sorry." Jasmine responded as she massaged her head to prevent any headacheing.

    If she were a wolf she would have simply used her abilities to herself.

    The headache emerged and refused to go even after the slight massage.

    She sighed and just gave up.

    Her body had been extremely fragile and weaktely .

    "Where are you going to?" Fiona asked. "And what is this I heard about Xaden given you the duty to look over the keep ahead of the feast?"

    Jasmine sighed. "It��s A long story. I had thought that I could do some work in the kitchen, but everything is falling apart. It��s all like the money if there was ever any money being sent into the renovations was going into thin air."

    "Do you need me toe along?" Fiona asked. "I��m not doing anything right now. I��m never doing anything. Xaden won��t let me train with the male wolves. I can��t help it. Training with the female wolves is a waist of time. I want more blood and action."

    Sometimes Jasmine wondered if Fiona would prefer living in civilization with everyone else or in the forest with wild animals.

    She suspected thetter.

    "I won��t mind thepany." Jasmine said and then turned to introduce Mya. "This is Mya she is assisting me in the work."

    "Hello." Fiona waved at Mya.

    Mya curstseyed.

    And then together they all went down the hallway.

    As they followed one more flight of steps, Jasmine saw that some parts of the castle was old and dpidated and needed to be renovated.

    She touched one of the male workers.

    "Sorry I wanted to ask." She started. "How long has this been old and falling apart?"

    The man stood at attention. "For a year now."

    A year?

    "And who is in charge of it?" She asked. "Lady Aurora." He responded. "She was going to do it but she didn��t have the time to.

    Jasmine was going to run insane soon if she heard someone say that something was to be done but Aurora had not yet approved or given the go ahead.

    Jasmine turned to Fiona ."you see what I am talking about. In the pack. Most of the things are old and outdated. And when I ask them they all tell me the same thing. Aurora was supposed to do it but she didn��t get around it eventually."

    "Do you think she was spending the money then?" Fiona asked.

    Jasmine shrugged. "I have no idea. That��s why I want to find her ledger."

    Soon Mya led them to Aurora��s door.

    They opened it and stepped into therge and beautiful room.

    It was beautiful but it seemed to hold a level of dark energy that Jasmine did not understand.

    Even just being in the room she felt a rush of dark energy.

    All of a sudden thest thing anyone expected happened.

    Jasmine rushed to find the wash room and threw up.

 Chapter 352: THE FALSE LEDGERS

    <h4>Chapter 352: THE FALSE LEDGERS</h4>

    "Are you okay?" a very startled Fiona standing behind Jamsine asked.

    Jasmine cleaned her mouth and tried topose herself.

    "Yeah I��m fine." Jasmine slowly nodded as she rose up to her feet.

    But then she felt her tummy make dreadful noises and soon she felt it rejecting any bit of food that was ever there.

    She hurriedly closed her mouth to prevent it spilling on the other women and then rushed back down on the chamber pot.

    She threw up again.

    Over and over.

    She kept on fetching over the chamber pot until there was absolutely nothing left in her stomach.

    She remained on the ground, her hand by the side if the chamber pot as she began to manage her dizziness.

    The smell was awful but Jasmine was oblvious to the smell.

    Mostly because it came from her.

    "Are you alright?" Fiona asked through a blocked nostril.

    "I think I��m okay now." Jasmine said.,

    She proceeded to try getting up but she almost fell down again and the girls quickly went to her side.

    "Help me lead her to the window." Fiona instructed and together they carried her to the massive windows and sat her down on one of the soft andrge chairs.

    Fiona hurriedly opens the windows, to let aire in.

    She grabbed some fans hanging in the dresser and handed one to Mya.

    They began to fan her.

    Jasmine slowly sat up.

    "I think I��m okay now." Jasmine said.

    Fiona gave her a puzzled look. "You don��t look okay. At all. If anything, you look like you just went to hell and came back."

    Jasmine gave a mild smile. "I don��t know maybe it��s something I ate. But I��m fine. I can��t rest. I need to set up this entire feasting up."

    "You need to rest." Fiona insisted as she put her hand on Jasmine��s shoulders to stop her from going anywhere.

    Jasmine leaned back in the chair reluctantly.

    "You are trying to prove a point to Xaden by killing yourself?" Fiona demanded.

    "I have done more tedious works than this Fiona. You know what my life was like UJ the moonlight pack." Jasmine said and then pointed at her back. "I mean you can even take a look at my back. I would be beaten and still do chores for hours under the sun. I��ve seen worse than this."

    She tried to get up again when Fiona stopped her. "You just need to take a bit of a rest. Your face is white as hell. You literally emptied your stomach. Tell her Mya."

    "You do look very weak." Mya honestly said.

    Jasmine sighed and just leaned back in the chair and gave up.

    "Alright." She said.

    "Since when have you been feeling this way?" Fiona asked.

    Jasmine shrugged.

    She herself wasn��t so sure how long she had been feeling so sick.

    "I don��t know. But I know think I��ve been feeling weak for a while." Jasmine said. "Its nothing."

    Fiona gave her look.

    Jasmine sighed. "Alright I will go to meet Loren..."

    Fiona started to smile.

    "ONCE we are done from here." Jasmine said. "Once we are done from here then I will go to see Loren."

    Fiona sighed. "Fine. Do you feel much better now? And by much better I mean nit feeling like throwing up on me."

    "Yeah." Jasmine nodded weakly.

    Then she got up and they turned to look at the room.

    "I don��t really think anyone has sheen here since she died." Mya stated.

    Jasmine went to one of the furnitureand traced the long line of dust.

    She remembered thest time that she had seen Aurora.

    Ramming right through her with her sword.

    It was as if once she had stabbed her, Aurora had regained her senses.

    Like she had been ced under a sort of hex and for a split second Jasmine hsd seen shock on her face.

    As if Aurora herself had been shocked that she had done that.

    Jasmine tried to remove her from her mind and focus at the matter at hand.

    "So what are we looking for?" Fiona asked aloud.

    "A ledger. She would have filled it with the listings and ount if all money that wa supposed to be spent in the pack." Jasmine said.

    She didn��t know how to read but she knew what most ledgers looked like.

    She started to rummage through arge shelf while the other girls ventured through other things.

    They coughed as they looked through everything and spent over an hour.

    "Wait!" Mya announced. "I think I found it."

    Mya walked up to Jasmine with arge brown book, simr to the type of ledgers she had seen.

    Mya opened it and then soon her and Fiona started to read through it.

    "Yes this is it." Fiona nodded in agreement.

    Jasmine regretted and hated the fact that she still could not read.

    " exactly what are we looking for in the books?" Fiona asked.

    "Irregrities." Jasmine said. "Missing money. Funds that were supposed to be out into things but somehow went missing. And to know if Xaden was actually giving any money at all."

    "Why didn��t we just ask him that in the first ce?" Fiona asked.

    Jasmine shook her head. "He would simply dismiss with a yes or no. And when I returned with my new found discovery he is going to ignore me. If I��m going to meet him, then I want to meet him with everything."

    Mya and Fiona read through while Jasmine waited in anxiety.

    She hated the fact that she could not read.

    "From what I can see here." Fiona said. "Xaden was giving money to Aurora. I��m seeing that the money was going from the ountant to her. But it just stopped there. There was no other reports after she registered the money."

    "Just like that?" Jasmine asked in disbelief.

    "Just like that." Mya nodded in agreement. "She probably knew that he wouldnt have asked for ounts. From what else I can see here, she started with full reports but then she eventually stopped."

    "Maybe when he became too trusting." Jasmine said as she paced the room. "What was she spending all that money on. The castle is literally falling apart."

    "Xaden was rarely in the pack. And when he came he went to the training grounds and maybe going around to see the people. If he noticed anything Aurora would tell him she was about to have it fixed and then he would simply forget about it."

    Jasmine could not believe her ears.

    "And the ountant." Jasmine said. "There is no way he didn��t know that she was stealing money."

    "Thats if he he wasn��t stealing it too." Fiona added.

    "Wait look at this." Mya said calling their attention to another book. Exactly the same as the first they were holding.

    "Another ledger?" Jasmine asked.

    "Yes, but this one is different. She has ounts for every money she received unlike the other one." Mya stated. "Look this is a record for the chimney at the fire grounds. She says the money was allocated to it and she had had it fixed."

    "The chimney on the fire grounds is horrible." Fiona said. "I am still new to the pack and I know never to go there. The smoke it emmits. There is no way she had that fixed."

    "Exactly." Jasmine said. "This must be records for the real money spent on the park and she falsified it on another ledger."

    "The things that she mentioned she fixed here." Mya shook her head. "None of them."

    Jasmine sighed deeply and folded her arms.

    "She has been stealing all this money. For what?" Jasmine asked.

    "I guess we might never know. Unless you want to meet her in the underworld." Fiona cracked drlyly.

    "So what are you going to do now?" mya asked. "Report to Alpha Xaden?"

    "No, I��m going to meet the ountant himself and he would exin to me what has been going on." Jasmine said.

    "Do you think that��s a good idea?" Fiona asked. "Maybe you should go meet him first. If you confront him first before telling Xaden he could know you��reing on to me and cover his tracks. And then again Xaden won��t take you seriously."

    "Also he isn��t so kind." Mya said. "He has been for years and maybe he was more clever than Aurora. Unless you dug into Aurora��s ns, I don��t think anyone would have ever known something like this was happening."

    "Fair and valid." Jasmine said. "We have hard enough proof to show him that something was off."

    Jasmine scooped the books in her arms.

    "Maybe you��re right. We should tell Xaden first."

    She started to walk out of the room when she felt a wave of nausea in her stomach.

    She suppressed it and went on her way out.

    Mya and Fiona escorted her as they trooped out of the room.

    Unaware, a figure stepped out of hiding in the room.

    It was Lisa and she had overhead the entire conversation.

 Chapter 353: THE THEFT

    <h4>Chapter 353: THE THEFT</h4>

    Jasmine gathered hertest findings and was already on her way match to Xaden��s office when one of the maids rushed up to her.

    "We are done with the Kitchen. We were wondering if you could do an inspection." The girl said .

    Jasmine sighed. "Alright."

    Then Jasmine turned back to face Fiona. "I need to go. I��ll be right back."

    "Do you want me to go with you to see Xaden?" Fiona asked. "You know he can get a bit cranky sometimes."

    Jasmine shook her head. "No I think I��ll handle it myself. I��ve already put you in so much trouble before. I don��t want that happening again. I��ll go with Mya instead."

    "Alright." Fiona gave in. "But make sure you meet Loren to give you something for this wave of sickness you had."

    "I will." Jasmine assured her.

    And then Jasmine collected the ledger from her.

    Together with Mya they headed down the path to the kitchen.

    It was clean and much more habitable than thest time she had been in it.

    She turned and saw the chef himself was beaming with excitement.

    "I can��t remember whenst this ce looked this good." He said. "Now I can happily prepare food and in a much better condition. Thank you."

    Jasmine was touched even though she hadn��t even really done anything yet.

    She smiled back. "Of course."

    And then she asked for the meal time table.

    The chef called out the list of foods that were usually served.

    Jasmine didn��t like them .

    They were stale and old food.

    Most of the food that had been called out she knew that they tended to be waste.

    "I think I would like to change the food menu." Jasmine said after deep thought. "This is your kitchen, and I am not taking it for you. But I would like to try something different now. Would you agree?"

    He seemed skeptical at first and then he shrugged his shoulder and eventually gave in. "I think it is about time this pack sees some new changes."

    Jasmine beamed at him.

    Then she mentioned a number of new meals while Mya wrote them down one after the other .

    Once she was done, a new menu had been made.

    Jasmine looked up at the chef. "Now what do you think of this?"

    His eyes beamed with Joy as he read through it.

    "I think it��s perfect. We have been cooking the same old boring meal." He said.

    "This is just for starters when the royal family finallyes in a few days and we host the feast, the meal would be even better." She assured him. "I need to see Alpha Xaden first, once I am through with him, then I wille and assist with the cooking."

    And with that she gathered her dress and her and Mya went off tho his throne room where she expected him to be.

    The guards opened the door and sure enough, there he was with his uncle and a number of his men.

    They were discussing over arge map and making pack and territory decisions.

    The very moment she came into the room, they turned and saw her they all went silent.

    Jasmine simply stood in the middle of the room unsure of what to say all eyes on her.

    She looked at Xaden for help to rescue her out of the situation.

    He looked at her and crossed his legs refusing to say a word.

    She cleared her throat. "I didn��t mean to interrupt. I was just looking for Alpha Xaden."

    Xaden still didn��t say a word and then eventually he beckoned her to walk up to him.

    She felt like a pet and was so ashamed to actually obey him.

    The ledger under her arm and then Mya came right behind her.

    She stood in front of him.

    "What do you want?" He asked her. "You don��t like the job I gave you?"

    "I do." Jasmine said. "But I need to speak to you urgently on some of the issues that I saw in the castle."

    All the other wolves were looking at them.

    "Would you men mind excusing us?" Xaden asked.

    The men who were all overhearing the conversation now started to pretend like they weren��t.

    "Of course."

    "Why not."

    "We can discuss itter."

    Jasmine watched as the men all quickly dispersed, all except for Uther who was still hanging around.

    Xaden turned to look at him.

    "Uncle?"

    "Xaden. I still have some more important things to discuss with you." Uther said.

    Xaden sighed and said. "That��s alright. I will discuss it with you after I��m done with her."

    Uther seemed to be disappointed like he was annoyed and shocked that Xaden was hiding having a conversation with me.

    Uther noticed that Xaden wasn��t changed his stance so he gave a very fake smile that Jasmine saw him through.

    "Of course. I will be waiting for you." Uther said and with that he walked out of the room.

    "Why is she here?" Xaden asked pointing out to Mya who was still standing by her side.

    "I can��t read." Jasmine said. "As you know. She has read everything for me and knows everything regarding what I am about to discuss with you."

    "Go out." He said to Mya without caring what Jasmine had to say.

    Mya dropped the ledger and quickly hurried out of the room .

    She was angry that he was treating her like a child.

    She turned back to him.

    "Now what did you want to speak to me about." He asked her.

    "Why did you appoint me as keeper of the pack? You said I was going to be your ve." Jasmine said.

    Xaden tilted his head and disyed a very boyish grin.

    "True and that still remains on the ground. But you said you wanted to prove me wrong. This is an opportunity. Let��s see what you can do." He said as he took a piece of a cherry from a cherry bowl.

    Jasmine shivered.

    Since she had met the Queen Sister cherry she had an absolute distaste for the fruit itself.

    Jasmine sighed. "I found out somethings about the pack. Things that I don��t think you are aware of things that I think you should know of."

    And with that she turned back to the ledger and picked up one copy and handed it to him.

    He collected it and slowly opened it. "What should I be looking at?"

    "This is the ledger of ounts of everything that Aurora received or spent money on. It��s very irregr."

    "Why do you even have ledger?" Xaden asked now very confused.

    "You said that I should take care of the things she was handling and that involved this. I noticed that a lot of the things in the fatale had been falling apart. The kitchen is in very bad state. Some of the steps are old and dpidated. The state of things are a mess and when I asked the servants working there they all said that Aurora assured them she would have it fixed. She never did."

    "That��s not possible." Xaden stated. "Aurora asked for payments and she was given them. The ountant himself told me this." Xaden said. "And I have seen the ledger itself. She had them submitted to me."

    "That could be it but she never ever for once made a changes or actually did the things she said she was going to." Jasmine stated.

    She turned around backing him and then picked up the second ledger. "Now look at this one. This one ispletely filled with things she imed to have done. But it��s empty. The one you have is a replica of the fake one she made. If you go down to the kitchens or the chimneys you would see that nothing had ever been done. The people have just been working in very difficult conditions."

    "You said you couldn��t read." Xaden pointed that out suspiciously.

    "If you think that I am lying." She said. "Then you are very much free to go downstairs and see the ce for yourself. The standards are low and the people have been suffering for a very long time. Money has been given but hasn��t been going into the allocated ces".

    Xaden was absolutely quiet now unable to say a word.

    He looked at Jasmine.

    "How did you evene around all of this?" He asked.

    "I asked Fiona and Mya to help." Jasmine said.

    He sighed and looked through the papers of the book once again to be sure that why she was saying was true .

    She simply stood there waiting for his verdict .

    After a while he looked back up at her.

    "So what do you want?" He asked her.

    She had not expected that response maybe she had not even expected him to believe her.

    She seemed to stutter. "I don��t know."

    She managed to squeak out.

    "I will make a full investigation into what you have discovered."

 Chapter 354: THE NEW MENU

    <h4>Chapter 354: THE NEW MENU</h4>

    Jasmine shifted unsure of what to say.

    While Xaden still flipped through the pages of the ledger.

    "Why can��t you read?" He asked randomly.

    That took her by surprise and she fidgeted with her dress.

    "I wasn��t raised like a daughter of the Alpha." She said. " I worked and did chores. I took the identity of the daughter of a ve and I never had the opportunity to be taught how to read or write. Or they didn��t think it relevant for me to know how to."

    He sighed and shut the book close.

    "I will look into the matter you brought before me and investigate it." He said.

    She still looked at him, her eyes with question.

    "Is that not what you wanted? For me to investigate your findings?" He asked.

    "Yes. But I need some money to make some changes in the pack." Jasmine said. "The pack isn��t in good condition. The workers are finding it very hard toplete tasks."

    He folded his arms and looked down at her. "So you want me to look into the same ount and give away more money for projects that have been promised but weren��t eventually executed."

    "Would you want the royal familyining about the pack when theye." She asked him.

    His face went hard and Jasmine instantly regretted her words.

    But he didn��tsh at her. Instead he simply said. "I��ll discuss with Belinda and she will speak to you by the end of today."

    "Thank you." She said and with that she turned around about to leave when he grabbed her arm and stopped her from leaving the room.

    "You know that you are still going to do my chores." He stated. "Just because you now man the pack, doesn��t mean you would forget mine. I am a priority. Keep that in mind."

    She felt small and dominated by him .

    Then she nodded and hurried out of the room.

    As she went out of the doors, she bumped into Uther.

    "I��m sorry." She apologized.

    He looked down at her with his dark eyes and stopped her. "Wait."

    She froze and then slowly turned around .

    "I had been meaning to ask you." He said. "Xaden said that your journey here had been difficult. He mentioned it all to me."

    And then he reached her shoulder to gently touch in a way to pacify her.

    She shivered and withdrew.

    It felt like he had ulterior motives.

    She managed a stiff smile. "I��m fine."

    He gave a stiff smile himself and then said. "Your father was a dreadful man. Killed my sister and her husband and changed my life for the worse. But I don��t think you should pay for those crimes."

    Coming from anyone it would have sounded honest and genuine.

    Buting from him she had her mind ring with warning signs.

    She didn��t trust anything he said.

    She managed a smile. "Thank you."

    He was looking down over her with the same hungry gaze most men did.

    She felt as if he could see through her clothes and into her nakedness.

    "If you would excuse me". She said. "I have some work to do."

    "Of course." He said stepping to the side and letting her pass through.

    She tried her best not toe in contact with him as she passed him and then she felt his arm on her shoulder.

    She hurriedly walked away.

    Mya was waiting for her down the hallway.

    "Let��s go." Jasmine said.

    "Is everything alright?" Mya questioned. "You look flustered and red."

    Jasmine quickly shook her head. "Yes everything is fine. I��m just a bit tired."

    They went off and Jasmine tried her best not to look back at Uther even though she was fully aware that he was still looking back at her.

    Together they went back to the Kitchen where she started her work.

    She assisted the chef in making the dinner .

    She added new recipe and tasted the soup.

    She went around checking to see how everyone was handling it.

    By the time the food was done and ready for dinner, it smelled and looked delicious.

    This was better than any food she had seen or even had in the pack.

    The chef himself was so excited to have a change of meals.

    He kept on thanking and praising her so much she felt ashamed of his excessive gratitude.

    Then it was time to serve the meals and when she looked out she saw that it was already dark .

    Time had gone so fast she had barely even noticed.

    As they prepared the meals into trays, Lady Belinda came in.

    She looked very surprised at the meals.

    "You set up this meal?" she asked Jasmine.

    "It wasn��t just me." Jasmine gave a slight shrug. "The others were here working so hard. It was a joint work."

    Lady Belinda walked to where the food was kept.

    She tasted from it and her eyes widened in surprise.

    "You actually out did yourself." Lady Belinda apuded Jasmine. "We haven��t had food this good in a while."

    Jasmine beamed in gratitude and then she turned to the maids. "You can please begin taking the food into the dinner hall and setting them up."

    Then Lady Belinda turned back to Jasmine. "Alpha Xaden spoke to me regarding your investigation into the missing funds."

    Jasmine swallowed.

    "I wish you had met me before you met him." She said.

    "He doesn��t believe me?" Jasmine asked her heart racing.

    "He does. it��s just that the ountant has covered his footprints and left dead Aurora to bear the brunt of it all. When Xaden called us all, he confronted him and the ountant quickly revealed paper work that he had from the funds he had given to Aurora. In his own ounts, she was the one who solely spent the money." Lady Belinda said.

    "Isn��t that a good thing?" Jasmine asked now confused as she watched a maid pick up the te of steak.

    "No. Because the ountant too is in on everything and it��s not just her. This has been going for a very long time you see."dy Belinda said. "If you had met em we would have found a way to go around it rather than meeting the Alpha himself."

    "Im sorry. I really had no idea. I Didn��t know who to trust." Jasmine exined.

    "Thats perfectly okay." Lady Belinda said. "I apud your boldness though. Even I didn��t the have the mind to go meet him."

    Jasmine felt pleased at her approval.

    "Thank you very much." Jasmine said with all honesty.

    Lady Belinda smiled at her.

    "How did you know that he was involved in it with her?" Jasmine had to ask.

    She intended on getting to the bottom root of thister because even if Xadenpletely believed that it was only Aurora involved, the ountant would always hater her and probably even get away with more things.

    "Because when I figured that Aurora was not doing the things she was meant to," Lady Belinda started. "I went to meet him. He imed to be innocent about it and gave a reason. I had someone follow him for a while until they caught him going to secretly report to Aurora that I was on to him. That was how I knew. I could not report the matter because it was going to be he say she say. And that would have only made the matters worse. So what she did was, to keep me out of poking into her business, she instructed the ountant to give me my own funding so I didn��t have to go through her. That way she got to do what she wanted to do without me finding any loopholes. And that is how it has been for the longest time."

    "You could have tried to tell him at least." Jasmine emphasized unhappily.

    Lady Belinda gave a weakugh. "You didn��t meet the rest Alpha Xaden. He was barely ever present and few people even had ess to him. We were at the mercy of Aurora. And whenever he returned to the pack he was always training."

    That was the exact thing that Mya had said.

    "He cares about the back alright. But he was driven onplishing his own goal, he really didn��t put much thought to the pack. Things have just been much better now. He evenughs. He never used."

    Jasmine bit her lip and then sighed. "Thank you."

    "One more thing." Lady Belinda said. "Even if it ends up that Alpha Xaden believes the ountant is clean you should remain vignt. You should be very careful with him."

    Jasmine nodded.

    She had not seen this man yet before, but from the few she had picked up, he was as bad as Aurora.

    She made a mental note that when she went back to Loren��s quarters she would ask about him.

    She felt a sudden wave of dizziness hit her again.

    She waved it away and then a maid came to her. "Lady Jessica has required your presence in the dinner hall."

 Chapter 355: A DINNER TO REMEMBER

    <h4>Chapter 355: A DINNER TO REMEMBER</h4>

    Jasmine found herself going down the hallway towards the dinner hall wondering why Jessica was sending for her.

    The doors were opened and then she stepped into the full dinning room.

    They were all seated feasting and drinking together.

    She saw Jessica was seated by Xaden��s right handed side on the table and across them was his mate Lily and his uncle Uther.

    Erik was at the end of the table with the other men.

    There were some people ying music and it was noisy.

    Jasmine swallowed and went down to where Jessica was seated.

    Xaden frowned when he saw Jasmine progressing towards them on the table.

    He was taking a sip of his goblet when she stood beside Jessica.

    "You sent for me." Jasmine asked.

    Jessica turned and looked back at her. "Yes I did. I was told you were the one that took on the role of taking care of the park. The woman��s duties."

    Jasmine looked up at Xaden and nodded. "Yes I did. Alpha Xaden asked me to."

    Jessica sighed and then turned to now face Xaden.

    "Xaden Is this true?" She asked.

    Her eyes were all puppy dog and pleading.

    Xaden set his goblet aside and nodded. "Yes I asked her to."

    Jessica sighed and pushed away her te. "I can��t eat something that she had a hand in preparing. I��m sorry. I just can��t."

    "Why what��s wrong?" Xaden asked worried.

    She shook her head refusing to say a word and turned her face away to sniff.

    Jasmine was irritated at the drama.

    She knew what Jessica was doing .

    It was something she did back home in the pack all the time to get away with what she wanted.

    It infuriated her.

    She would pretend to be hurt and then everyone would run to her feet to ask what the issue was.

    And somehow Jasmine or another unfortunate maid or worker in the pack was victim to her fake tantrums.

    Anna looked back up at Xaden with teary eyes and then started to speak.

    But her throat was clouded and she excused herself. "Please excuse me."

    And then she hurriedly picked up her hankies and wiped off her tears and then took in a very deep breath.

    "When we were living in the moonlight pack." Anna started. "Jasmine wasn��t kind to me. She had tried to poison me so many times. I know you said this is a new start but I can��t trust her. Not after what her family did to me. To us."

    And when she said that, she grabbed Xaden��s hand on the table and held it firmly.

    Jasmine looked up at Xaden. "I would never poison her. And I never tried to poison her in the pack."

    Jasmine didn��t need to ask why she was telling all these lies.

    She knew already.

    She was just looking for more ways to torture and punish her.

    Just as she had always done.

    Xaden gently massaged Anna��s hands. "She would do no such thing. I promise you. She won��t even attempt it. You are safe here."

    "The chef made the meals." Jasmine finally said. "You can call him here and ask him. I only assisted."

    "I don��t trust her Xaden." Anna said. "I am so sorry. I will never ever feel safe with her here. Or her handling my meals."

    Anna sniffed and wiped more fake tears. "I would have liked to be the one taking care of the Castle. But Jasmine...."

    She cried some more.

    Somewhere on the other end of the table Erik snorted and rolled his eyes in disgust at her behavior.

    "There would be no need for you to handle the matters of the pack." Xaden said. "Once you are more acquainted with the pack then I would not hesitate in giving you your duties. You are still new here. Let Jasmine handle them for now."

    Anna��s eyes gathered in tears.

    "Xaden I think your sister is right." Uther said. "It is her duty after all and for you to hand them over to the daughter of the people who took her away from you."

    Uther shook his head in disapproval.

    Xaden cleared his throat. "For now, Jasmine would handle them matters of the pack until you are well ustomed to the pack."

    And then Xaden picked up Anna��a hand and kissed it.

    She knew when not to over push and decided that this was enough.

    She managed a stiff smile. "Alright."

    She saw Fiona roll her eyes and Anna squeezed her face.

    Anna did not like Fiona.

    "I have a little announcement to make." Xaden said at the table.

    Everyone stopped and stared at him.

    "The Royal family will be joining us in a few days." Xaden said.

    There was a murmur amongs the crowd and then he sighed and said. "I want everyone to prepare for it and be on their best behavior when the timees. We don��t know who is

    And then Xaden rose to his feet and lifted his goblet.

    "To everyone who stood by me in defeating the moonlight pack, stood by me in the entire warfare. And to everyone who has ever in any way or the other head to suffer the consequences of Bale, this is your redemption."

    And then with that he rose his cup up in the air.

    "My family is moreplete than I ever thought it would be. We lost some. But the enemy is gone."

    And then he drank to that and everyone cheered for him.

    Jasmine felt sick.

    It felt like allw eyes were on her because they were directly talking about her family.

    She shifted ufortably.

    Once the chantings and cheerings were done with, Jasmine started to leave the room when Anna got up to her feet.

    "I have an announcement to make." She said to the crowd.

    Jasmine stopped.

    And then she looked around the room.

    "All my life." Anna said. "I always felt like I didn��t belong where I was. Maybe it was because I was treated differently? I don��t know."

    Jasmine tried her best not to roll her eyes.

    She folded her arms and sighed.

    "Buting here. Finding out that everything I went through...." And then she wiped a tear, cleared her throat and continued. "I��m sorry."

    And then she fumbled for a hankie.

    "You don��t need to do this." Xaden said gently touching her am.

    She shook her head as she wiped her tears andposed herself. "No I need to."

 Chapter 356: A NEW MATE

    <h4>Chapter 356: A NEW MATE</h4>

    Anna cleared her throat and looked up at everyone.

    "No one can know how happy I am to be here." Anna said. "To be where I feel wanted."

    She shook her head and sighed heavily. "After all the traumas I had to sea with the Crescent pack. What Bale and his family did to me. What they all did to me."

    When she said that, she turned to face Jasmine.

    Jasmine looked away.

    "But all that doesn��t matter here. Because never in my wildest dreams did I think that I would have a loving brother, an uncle, a future sister inw." Anna said and then turned to Lily with a smile.

    Jasmine burned in anger.

    "And a beautiful pack. A ce I can call home. And as the goddess would have it. A ce where I find my mate."

    The entire room went quiet.

    Heads turned to look at each other and people began to whisper.

    Jasmine was confused.

    What did she mean find her mate?

    When has she even had the time to find her mate?

    Where?

    There were a lot of whispers in the room.

    "Mate?" someone mumbled.

    "What is she talking about?" someone else asked.

    Jasmine saw Xaden look up to Anna confused.

    "What do you mean you found your mate?" Xaden asked. "Here?"

    She nodded wiping of a false tear.

    She sniffed. "Yes here. In this very same pack."

    At this point Jasmine as well as everyone else wanted to know who this new found mate of hers was.

    "I didn��t mean to hide it from you." Anna stated. "We both didn��t. We were going to do it in a much better space and time. But I am just overwhelmed with Joy. I had to say it."

    "Who is it?" Xaden��s stern voice demanded.

    "Its me." A familiar voice at the end of the table said.

    Jasmine turned around, the same time all heads turned to see where the direction of the voice wasing from.

    It was Erik.

    "It is me. I am her mate." Erik repeated louder this time.

    There was a sudden silence in the room.

    No one uttered a single word.

    A pin could drop in the room and they would all hear it drop.

    Jasmine was shocked.

    When had all this happened? From where?

    She had been with Anna almost the entire time so when has there been a moment where her and Erik has discovered they were mates.

    When had they even transformed? Especially with Kire still separated from him.

    "What?" Xaden asked in utter disbelief.

    Fiona dropped her fork and that brought back the noise in the room.

    Jasmine turned to look at her and then Fiona quickly hid her emotions.

    What was that about?

    Then everyone turned to Xaden waiting to hear his judgment.

    "I... a..m, surprised." Xaden said.

    "Please don��t be angry with me or him. I know he is your gamma. He had wanted to tell you as soon as we found out but I insisted that we didn��t. I didn��t want to put any pressure on you. Especially since I just found you."

    Xaden barely blinked, still unable to say a word.

    "Are you happy with this?" Xaden said turning to Anna.

    She wiped her tears again. "Yes brother I am. I have my family and I also have my mate. What more could a girl who has suffered a cruel life ask?"

    No one said a word.

    Xaden didn��t look at Erik, but he managed a smile at his sister.

    "Whatever makes you happy, makes me happy." Xaden said.

    And then Anna threw her arms around him and hugged him firmly.

    "Thank you so much."

    Jasmine could hardly even believe or understand what was happening.

    Soon a few people pped and then the whole dining room erupted in a round of apuse.

    Jasmine found herself being forced to p too.

    "Let the music continue." Uther announced and then the musicians started ying their instruments.

    Jasmine decided that she had had enough drama and secrets for the night.

    She walked up to Xaden.

    She still had to take permission before she left.

    "May I leave my lord?" Jasmine asked.

    Xaden seemed to have his mind far away.

    He nodded numbly. "Yes you can leave."

    She started to leave when she made eye contact with Anna who was chattering excitedly with everyone.

    There was a sneer, a look that Jasmine knew too well.

    A look that said "I always win"

    Jasmine ignored her and headed towards the door.

    She saw Erik.

    She wanted to ask him what the heavens was going on, but she didn��t have the chance.

    Fiona on her own had her food untouched and seemed to be solemn.

    Jasmine wondered if she was missing anything of if she was even in this pack at all.

    She shrugged and felt so much relief when she left the dining room.

    As she walked down the hallway, she felt a wave of nausea hit her once again.

    She set her hands against her head to stabilize herself.

    She leaned by a dark corner and tried to ease her mind to avoid herself from puking.

    Then she found her way up to Loren��s chambers.

    "You look like you fell off a cliff." Loren said taking off his sses.

    "I feel like I fell of a cliff." Jasmine said.

    She started to walk in and almost fell but he assisted her.

    He helped her in her bed.

    "You��re burning up." he said as he touched her fore head. "How long have you been feeling this way?"

    Jasmine shrugged. "A while. I just need some potions to feel better. I assure you it is nothing serious."

    Loren looked at her suspiciously and then sighed. "Alright. I will give you some medicine. It will knock you out. if its nothing as you insist then you should be better in the morning. If not, then you are going to have to rest."

    He gave her the medicine and In no time she was sound asleep.

 Chapter 357: REPERCUSSIONS

    <h4>Chapter 357: REPERCUSSIONS</h4>

    FIONA��S POV

    "She is my mate." Fioma heard Erik say.

    She almost choked on her food.

    She slowly turned to look at him, but he refused to make eye contact.

    What did he mean Anna was his mate?

    Where was any of thising from?

    She had watched Anna be dramatic and tearfully speak on how happy she was to be a member of this pack, and prayed that she would finally shut up.

    Thest thing she had expected was to hear her mention she had found a mate.

    She had not really cared much about it until Erik had been the one to say he was her mate.

    She hoped it was all in her head, until he confirmed it again.

    This time loud enough for everyone to hear.

    She had no idea when she dropped her fork.

    It was then Erik looked at her. This time she refused to look at him.

    She felt betrayed, she felt insulted and humiliated.

    She felt stupid and most of, she felt like a fool.

    She managed to control herself throughout the rest of the dinner.

    She wanted to leave as quick as possible, but she knew storming out of the dinning hall would raise questions and eyes, so she remained.

    She could feel his eyes on her but she concentrated on the food she could no longer eat.

    Once the men had started to leave, she joined the small crowd and hurried out of the dining hall.

    She hurried away, anxious to leave the suffocated space and go to the sanctuary of her bedroom.

    "Fiona!" She heard him call.

    She turned and saw him pushing through the crowd and she increased her steps so that he won��t catch up with her.

    But in barely a few seconds she felt him touch her arm.

    She flinched and withdrew still walking up ahead.

    He caught her arm again and forced her to turn and face him.

    "Fiona." He pleaded.

    "Don��t touch me!" She snapped at him jerking her hand free and pointed at him. "Don��t you dare touch me!"

    "I can exin." He promised.

    Fiona wanted tough. "Exin? What do you have to exin? That you lied to me? That you made me look like a fool in front of everyone."

    "I didn��t mean to hide any of this from you." He swore.

    She bit her bottom lip and nodded. "How long?"

    He went quiet and she rolled her eyes. "Fuck you."

    And she stormed off but he caught up with her again.

    This time he was right in her path.

    "Okay. When we were returning back. A few nights ago during the full moon, I discovered she was my mate." He said.

    Fiona felt the tears burning behind her eyes, but she maintained a strong face.

    "I was going to reject her." He started to exin and then a few servants went past and he was forced to keep quiet.

    When he was certain they were out of hearing, he resumed. "I needed to have some time to think about it."

    "And dropping it out there just like that was the best way for you to handle it?" She demanded. "Do you know what having her randomly say you are her mate and how much it��s destined by the gods meant? How it made me feel? You said it was me and you. I kept us secret because you were too much of a coward to even tell Xaden."

    He said nothing and she shook her head at him in disgust.

    "I was wrong about you." Fiona said. "You were not who I thought you were. Have a perfect life with your destined mate. Unfortunately I won��t be at the wedding."

    She walked away and he tried to go after her again, but this time she screamed at him.

    This time the tears spilling down her cheeks.

    "Don��t touch me! Don��t you ever speak to me. I want nothing to ever do with you! Ever again!" She snapped and then she hurried off leaving him standing alone.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Erik watched as Fiona stormed off.

    He hated the fact that he was unable to do a single thing.

    He swore and kicked a statue breaking it.

    Something to unleash his anger and rage, he raked his hands through his hair in anguish and frustration.

    He and Fiona had connected in a way he had only connected with histe wife.

    He had promised himself that it would be he and his daughter.

    No one else, but Fiona.

    Fiona had taken his breath from the very first day he had met her.

    She had felt the same way and soon they were all over each other��s body the slightest chance they had.

    It had remained a secret between them, mainly because he was scared.

    She was right.

    He was a coward.

    She had wanted to step out in the open about their rtionship, but he had hesitated saying he wanted things private for now.

    He wanted to strangle Anna.

    She was a conniving and deceitful witch.

    She had shocked him the same way she had shocked everyone.

    He had in no way agreed to be her mate, he had still been deciding.

    He stormed off to her room and waited for her.

    He waited in the dark for over two hours until he heard the door creak open.

    He could perceive her scent after all, she was his mate.

    He watched as she closed the door and went to where her dressing room.

    She took off her clothes and changed into her night chemise.

    When she returned to the room and wakes up to the bed, he came after her.

    He caught her wrist and roughly pulled her.

    "What the hell was that stunt you pulled?" He demanded. "Huh? What the hell was that about?"

    "You��re hurting me." She yelled trying to free her arm.

    "You haven��t even seen hurt yet!" He swore and then he looked at her arm and saw that he was in fact hurting her.

    He released her arm and she rubbed where his finger had dug in.

    She was bleeding.

    "I asked you a question what was the meaning of that stunt you pulled out there?" He demanded.

    She rolled her eyes and sat on her bed.

    "You were sluggish in making a decision so I decided to make it for you. What wrong did I do? Or did you want me to tell my brother that you are fucking his whore?"

    Erik rose his hand to give her a p.

 Chapter 358: SELFISH BITCH

    <h4>Chapter 358: SELFISH BITCH</h4>

    Anna closed her eyes, waiting for the impact of the p.

    But it never came.

    She opened her eyes and saw that he had withdrawn.

    She took a step back.

    He turned around, and began to pace the room.

    He rubbed his forehead to ease his tension.

    "What were you thinking?" He asked her finally after a few seconds of deliberation.

    "What the hell were you thinking pulling a stunt like that?"

    She swallowed.

    "I told you I was going to decide and get back to you." He said.

    "You were slow to make a decision so I made one for you instead." Anna said stubbornly.

    Erik raked his hands through his head. "For your fucking information. I have nothing to do with Jasmine. That stunt you pulled had effects on.....

    He was about to say Fiona when he quickly stopped himself.

    He had already learned how vindictive Anna was, he did not want to risk her knowing that he and Anna were involved.

    Who knew what she would do?

    After all just by her merely believing that he and Jasmine had a rtionship together, she had threatened him.

    He was not scared of her.

    But he was scared of what she could do.

    "Effects on what? Or on who?" Anna asked her eye brows piquing with interest.

    "No one." Erik answered covering his tracks.

    "I don��t want to be with you." Erik said.

    "But you are my mate. Do you think that is coincidence?" Anna asked.

    "I don��t care if it is or not." Erik said. "I will reject you. And you will tell Xaden you decided to reject me because you wanted to save yourself the stress of dealing with me. Because you are not ready."

    "I have never had a mate." Anna said. "I am not throwing that away because you are too much of a coward to see me."

    Erik sighed annoyed. "That is none of my business."

    "Because you already had a mate and that didn��t end well, doesn��t mean I should suffer for whatever happened in your past." Anna said rudely.

    That stopped Erik right there and then.

    He could hardly believe the words she had used.

    How dare she.

    How did she even know?

    He must have looked surprised, because she shrugged and said.

    "I asked questions."

    He bit his bottom lip.

    Bringing back the memories of histe wife and mate had been a line she had made the mistake of crossing.

    He wanted to react, but tried his best to control himself.

    He shook his head and walked towards the door.

    "If you reject me, I will tell Xaden about you and Jasmine." Anna stated matter of fact. "I will make instances and I will create images even where there aren��t and my brother loves me so much he would believe me."

    "You only ever think of yourself." Erik said in disgust. "You are a selfish bitch."

    Those words hit Anna hard.

    She wanted to make him love her, not hate her.

    She wanted her mate by all means and he was the one making it difficult for her.

    She hardened her heart and toughened up.

    "I don��t care. If you don��t want Jasmine in trouble." She stated. "You would stick by me. She is a second away from being kicked out of here."

    "How could you live with yourself?" He asked. "Jasmine suffered in the moonlight pack."

    She opened her mouth to deny it but her cut her off abruptly.

    "Don��t even think of saying anything you want to." He warned her. "I made thorough investigations into your life in the pack and you were treated well, while Jasmine was the one made to suffer, contrary to the lies you said."

    She swallowed hard.

    "How can you?" Erik asked. "You made her suffer. You had her beaten and flogged times without number. Yet you have been given the opportunity to redeem all the wrong you have done by the goddess, but you still choose to be so evil. Even after everything?!"

    "You don��t know anything about me!" She spat. "You don��t know anything about Jasmine either."

    He folded his arms and asked. "So what if you seed and tell Xaden these lies, he believes and has her killed, he would demote me because he can��t kill me. And I would leave this pack and you would never see me again."

    Her face went tight .

    "Scenario number two. What if you seed making me your mate? Being bonded to me. Do you think that I would ever ever love you? After everything you have done?"

    Her face became pale.

    "Because I wouldn��t. Every moment that I spend with you, wake up beside you. Ever reminder that you forced me into being with you, and I will hate you. I will hate your hair, your eyes, you smell, your voice. I would hate you. Is that what you want?"

    She swallowed and adjusted her head on her shoulders.

    "Having you is better than nothing."

    He red at her and stormed out of the room, mming it shut.

    Anna felt her body shiver and she slowly went down to her bed.

    This was really not how she wanted it to be.

    She wanted a shot at love and a true mate.

    This was her chance. The goddess would not have given her if she didn��t deserve it.

    She told herself that it was only a matter time before he came around.

    Eventually he would see her for who she is and fall in love with her.

    Everything was going to be okay.

    She closed her eyes and went to bed telling herself that it was all going to work out.

    But she had one question?

    Why did she feel so empty and hallow inside?

    His words had bitten deep into her chore and she had confronted herself that having him would be better than nothing.

    So why did she feel so empty?

    And for the first time in her selfish life, Anna feltpletely alone in the world.

 Chapter 359: A LONELY FATHER

    <h4>Chapter 359: A LONELY FATHER</h4>

    Erik slowly walked out of Anna��s room. Managing his feet as he felt the weight of his emotions on his physical body.

    He was trapped and there was no way in or out.

    He considered meeting Xaden and speaking to him about it all, but decided against it.

    In as much as Xaden was his best friend, Anna was his sister.

    His only real family for all he knew and the one he had assumed dead.

    Of course he would take her side and he didn��t want to break Xaden��s heart by letting him know how much of a monster his perfect sister.

    He also didn��t want to ruin Jasmine��s life.

    Her staying in the pack was just mere grace.

    She was hanging by a thread and if they were not careful she would be sent out.

    Jasmine��s father still had enemies.

    He could not let them do that to her.

    Exposing her to live a life alone for the first time and unprotected, she would definitely be taken captive or worse wind up dead.

    He could not do that to her.

    There was no way out of this.

    He went uo the stairs and headed down the faimr hall way until he was at his daughter��s door.

    He gently opened it to prevent her from waking up.

    She was sound asleep in her princes bed and tucked in with her favorite toy.

    He walked to her side and sat down and gently put his fingers through her mass of kinky curly hair.

    She looked like an angel.

    Just like her mother.

    Jade was in every way, physically, mentally, like her mother.

    Although her mother had said times without number that she had taken his attitude and was extremely stubborn.

    As he gently touched her hair, Jade gently opened her eyes.

    "Daddy?" She asked and then she sat up and threw her arms around him. "I missed you daddy."

    He breathed into her sweet babyish scent and for a split moment he was at peace.

    "I missed you too monkey." He said and then he reluctantly let go.

    He pushed back her curls to look at her beautiful brown skin. "How have you been?"

    "I have been okay." She said.

    "Have you been a good girl?" He asked. "Hope you haven��t been giving nanny Alice any trouble."

    She shook her head. "I have been very good daddy. You can ask her. I don��t fight anymore."

    "That��s my girl." He said as he kissed her forehead. "You are always waking up monkey. You should be sound asleep."

    She smiled and showed off her missing front teeth. "I had been waiting for you toe. I wanted to see you when you returned, but nanny Alice said I had to stay put because you were busy."

    He nodded. "And you did good by listening to her."

    "Whoa." He said. "Did we lose another teeth?"

    She nodded. "Uh-huh. Very soon I am going to have my ferocious wolf fangs and I would be the most feared wolf in the entire realm."

    "I thought you wanted to be a princess living in a castle thest time I was here?" He asked her.

    She shook her head. "Times change daddy. Princesses are losers. I want to terrorize the enemies."

    Erik could not help holding back himughter.

    He threw his head back andughed uncontrobly.

    She folded her arms and rolled her eyes, annoyed.

    "You areughing at me." She whined. "But you terrorize the enemies too. They are scared of you."

    "Yes they do. But sometimes respect is better than fear. When youmand respect, they are loyal to you. But when they fear you, given the slightest opportunity to betray you, they would take it."

    She was quiet for a few seconds and then said. "I want them to respect me!"

    "Thats my girl." He said and kissed her forehead once again. "You should be going back to bed. Your nanny would be cross with you if you wake upte. I would see you tomorrow."

    He started to leave her bed when she held his hand.

    "Can you please spend the night with me?" She asked him.

    Her big bright eyes pleaded and his heart softened.

    Could he ever say no to his daughter?

    He went back down on the bed.

    "Of course monkey."

    And then he took off his shoes and opened the bed covers and held her as she nestledfortably beside him.

    "Sometimes I miss mummy." She said. "Sometimes the other pups have their mothers with them and I remember that I don��t have her anymore. And I feel lonely."

    Erik felt a tense pain in his chest.

    Jade had never really gotten to know her mother.

    She had been only two when she died.

    But being a wolf the memories from when they were one year old remained with them up till they were old.

    Hence why she could remember her mother.

    "I miss mummy too." Erik said in all honesty.

    He missed his wife so much that it burned him.

    He was still grieving and he knew how hard it had been for the both of them when she had been killed.

    He had hoped for some sort of relief seeing Bale dead.

    But he still felt empty.

    It had not brought back his mate and it hurt him.

    He wondered what sort of mother Anna would be to Jade if he agreed to mate with her for life.

    He doubted that she would be an ideal mother for Jade.

    Especially with all the traits she was exhibiting.

    Why had the goddess chosen Anna of all people to be his mate?

    Why was he being punished in such a way.

    Even if anyone why had it not been Fiona?

    He doubted she had any good in her at all.

    She waspletely selfish and he didn��t want her anywhere around his daughter.

    Did she even know he had a daughter?

    He kissed Jade and said. "Don��t worry monkey. You are never alone. Your mummy is always with you."

 Chapter 360: NEW ORDERS

    <h4>Chapter 360: NEW ORDERS</h4>

    Jasmine woke up the next morning feeling much better from the previous day.

    She got up and stretched.

    Lucky enough she did not feel nauseous anymore and she felt extremely good.

    She remembered that she was now assigned a new role in the pack.

    She came out of the room and found Loren as usually working on his potions.

    "Good morning Loren." She greeted.

    "Good morning." He eyed her. "You are looking better than the previous night."

    "I feel better." Jasmine said as she sat down. "Last night was something else."

    "Erik and Anna bing mates?" Loren asked as he read through his books.

    "How did you know?" Jasmine asked surprised.

    For all she knew, Loren was always locked up in this room and barely ever came out.

    "The walls have ears. It��s quite ironic that she made you suffer and now she doesn��t just live a life of luxury, but she now has the perfect mate."

    "Gods I hate her." Jasmine finally said. And then she sighed and rubbed her eyes. "Am I a bad person for hating her?"

    "Anyone would hate her." Loren said.

    Jasmine sighed. "Anna does not like working. Hell she has never done any work in her entire life and now all of a sudden she is telling Xaden that she wants to take my new responsibility?"

    "It��s to be on his good side." Loren said. "Anyone can see through that."

    "Any one but Xaden." Jasmine said exhausted. "He sees her and thinks that she is the greatest gift from the gods and she can never do any wrong in his eyes. I never expected that her and Erik would be mates. You should have seen his face when she said it. Like he didn��t even know about it himself."

    Loren shrugged. "If Erik knows who she is, then he wouldn��t want to be mates with her."

    "Yeah." Jasmine said absentmindedly. "I have to be on my way. Duty calls. Xaden would use me as a scape goat if I don��t take care of the pack well enough for the arrival of the royal family."

    She started to pack her things and leave when he stopped her.

    "I heard you were investigating into Louise." Loren said looking through his sses.

    "How did you know?" She asked surprised.

    "The walls have ears have ears." He replied.

    She nodded.

    "That bastard is as corrupt as you would expect him to be. Been trying to turn him to Xaden, but he is very smart. Be very careful." Loren warned.

    Jasmine nodded. "I will."

    And then she hurried out of the room and went down the hallway.

    She was hurrying down the hallway when she bumped into Fiona.

    "Hey." Jasmine said looking up at her.

    "Hey." Fiona mumbled and started to walk away.

    Jasmine caught her and held both her arms.

    Fiona��s face was red and puffy and all swollen.

    As if she had cried the entire night.

    "What happened to you?" Jasmine asked worried and confused.

    "Nothing." Fiona said. "It��s the season. I have been having some really bad allergiestely."

    Jasmine looked at her suspiciously. "But you were fine when I saw you yesterday."

    "Yes. But it just grew on me andst night was so awful. I didn��t have a chance."

    Jasmine didn��t believe her.

    "I am fine." Fiona gave augh. "I was just about to meet Loren and get some medications to feel better."

    Jasmine decided that there was no reason why Fiona would even lie to her so she pushed it aside.

    "Anyways I have to go down to Xaden��s room. I need the authorization and money to do work on the pack." Jasmine said.

    And then at that very moment, Anna came down the hallway with Lisa right behind her.

    "Is it any surprise that Lisa has found herself attached to Anna?" Jasmine asked.

    Fiona simply sighed

    "Jasmine." Anna said when she finally caught up with them.

    Jasmine looked at her. "You wouldn��t greet?"

    Jasmine then curtseyed.

    Fiona remained standing.

    "And what are you waiting for?" Anna demanded harshly.

    Fiona red at her and turned to Jasmine. "I would be on my way now. Something rotten just came past. I don��t want to fall ill."

    And Fiona stormed off.

    Anna��s face was screwed up in disgust. "Harlot. Anyways who even cares about her."

    And then Anna turned to face Jasmine.

    "I told you I was going to make your life miserable. Now that I have what you want, how does it feel?"

    Jasmine was lost. "What are you even talking about?"

    "Don��t pretend with me!" Anna snapped in disgust. "I would always be two steps ahead of you. Keep that in mind."

    And with that Anna stormed off with Lisa.

    Jasmine found went to Xaden��s room and bumped into him and Erik discussing in a heated argument.

    "I am so sorry." She apologized as she started to head out of the room.

    "We are done." Xaden said. "Come in."

    She saw that he and Erik were locked in an intense staringpetition.

    She felt very ufortable hanging between both men .

    "Yes we are done." Erik said storming out of the room and mming the door hard.

    She looked back at him but he was already seated on his bed putting on his boots.

    He tucked his long hair behind his ear.

    "How can I help you?" He asked.

    She curtsied and greeted him. "I came to ask for permission to work on the repairs in the pack."

    "There won��t be any need for that." He said.

    She frowned. "What do you mean?"

    "The royal family will no longer being here." He stated.

    "Why?"

    "Because we are going there." Xaden said. "We have been invited to grace our presence to the ridiculous castle."

    "I see." Jasmine nodded. "But at least I would still like to make the repairs. The workers are finding it difficult to work."

    "Leave that fordy Belinda." He stated.

    "Why?"

    "Because you areing with me." He said.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    She could hardly believe his words.

    "What? Why? I mean I understand you. But why me?" She asked panicking.

    She wondered if they wanted to finish her off and wipe her entire bloodline.

    After all her father had been a tyrant.

    Maybe this was her end.

    She swallowed. "They are going to kill me."

    He looked at her like she as if she were insane.

    "Where the devil do you get your ideas from?" He asked. "The Queen wants to see you." He said.

    That was thest thing she had expected to hear from his lips.

    "She wants to see me?" She asked lost. "What for?"

    "I don��t know." He said. "I would have preferred to have you locked up here, but she insisted. She wants to see Anna too. So we would be going together."

    Jasmine was startled.

    The Queen herself wanted to see her? What for??

    She thought about thest time she hsd seen the Queen.

    She was locked up in the dungeon for Alexander��e death and it was the Queen who had ensure she was released.

    The very same Queen whose husband she had caught sleeping with her sister.

    Her body shivered in disgust when she remembered.

    She was so kind, that Jasmine always has an overwhelmed feeling to be with her.

    "When do we go?" Jasmine asked him.

    He shrugged. "Maybe by the next month. I have something��s toplete in the pack. Once we are done we would leave for the Castle."

    She nodded and then went to ask what had brought her here in the first ce.

    "Can I still finish the chores for the pack?" Jasmine asked him:

    "Yes you can." He said. "If you needs funds, then I would speak to Louise and you have to make a ledger."

    She nodded. "Thank you."

    "What about Erik? Is heing?" She asked him.

    "Why are you asking me that?" He asked.

    She shrugged. "I don��t know. I just wanted to know".

    "Erik would be remaining in the pack until we return." He said. "If that would be all then you can leave."

    She curtsied again and turned to go when she stopped.

    "I am sorry." She said and he looked up at her. "I know that you are upset with Erik for not telling you about Anna being his mate. This is not my ce to say, but for the short time that I have known Erik, he would never keep anything from you. Without good reason."

    Xaden said nothing for a while and looked up at her, his eyes dark and dangerous. "You are right."

    She breathed a sigh of relief.

    And then he added. "It is not your ce to say."

    And he went on about his business ignoring her.

    She turned around and left the room.

    It seemed Anna��s announcement had caused a dark cloud to fall on the engine pack, because everyone seemed gloomy.

    Everyone except Anna of course, who now had her own mate.

    Jasmine STILL could not believe how she had so much Ill luck.

 Chapter 361: SEVERE PUNISHMENTS

    <h4>Chapter 361: SEVERE PUNISHMENTS</h4>

    ERIK��S POV

    Erik woke up to his daughter��s mass of curly hair in his face.

    He turned and looked at the windows and saw that it was almost day break

    He very gently peeled himself from her and looked down to see her.

    She was well sound asleep and fervently clutching her teddy bear.

    He very gently got up, kissed her forehead and calmly said. "Love you monkey."

    He was surprised to hear her say. "Love you too."

    He looked back at her and saw she was sound asleep.

    He knew she had spoken in her sleep.

    He got up from her bed and quietly walked out of the room and shut the door.

    He stretched and then headed to the one ce he dreaded going to.

    He had slept on the decision to make and now he had finally decided one within himself.

    He walked towards the left wing and went further the steps until he was at Xaden��s door.

    He knocked at the door and then he opened it and found Xaden awake sitting by his window sill.

    Xaden turned and saw Erik, and then he turned back and faced his front.

    Erik closed the door behind him and walked up to Xaden.

    He sat by the window sill and for about five minutes they both quietly looked out at the horizon.

    Finally Erik spoke up. "I always loved looking at the rising sun. It was so damn. beautiful."

    Xaden managed a weak smile. "When I was four years, I used to sit down by this very window sill with my mother and together we would look at the sun rise or look at it set."

    "We used to do that every Saturday and I always longed for those." Xaden expressed. "And even when she had Anna, she would put her in herp and together we would all sit and watch it. It was my favorite moment of every Saturday. Now I can sit down here and do the same with my sister."

    Erik said nothing to that and then Xaden turned to face him.

    "Even though she now belongs to you." Xaden said.

    "Xaden I was going to tell you-

    "Tell me what?" Xaden demanded. "That my sister became your mate? My own best friend and gamma wouldn��t even tell me that my own sister who I never even knew existed until now is your mate."

    "You know that I told myself I was not going to have a mate ever again. It was a shock to me." Erik said. "I was going to tell you eventually."

    Xaden sighed. "Why is fate so cruel. I wanted to have her experience sometime with me. And now you two have decided to be mates."

    Erik considered taking advantage with father fact that Xaden did not want Anna mated.

    But he knew what that would do to Anna.

    She wanted him to be her mate and she would be vengeful if she didn��t get what she wanted.

    "You made me look like a fool." Xaden said. "Discovering about you two just like everyone else on the table for the first time."

    Erik sighed. "I am sorry about that. If I could take it back I would."

    "So what are your intentions now?" Xaden asked. "I want to hear you say it."

    Erik took in a deep breath. "Yes, we want to be mates and we would bond together."

    Xaden was quiet at first and nodded. "Alright. I give you my blessings. I might not be happy that Anna is already being mated. But I don��t know wh I would have trusted more with the life of my sister other than you."

    Erik managed a stiff smile.

    "I also know that you had said you were never going to be mated again. But maybe this is a good thing. For you and Jade. Anna is a good girl. I can��t even believe how she ended up turning up the way she did after all she had gone through them. Imagine she ended up like Jasmine."

    Erik could not understand how Xaden didn��t see Anna for who she really was.

    If Anna was a bit like Jasmine she would not be a monster.

    And for Xaden to tnink that Anna was good for Jade drove him insane.

    He was going to have to find a way to have her stay far away from his daughter.

    He was being forced into a mating bond he wanted nothing to do with and he hated himself for it.

    Erik gave him a stiff smile.

    "Thanks." Erik acknowledged.

    "I am happy with you and for you." Xaden said."but that does not change the fact that you lied and kept such a secret from me. The royal family will no longer being here, but rather we would be going over to their castle in a few weeks."

    "And this means that I would be stripping you off your duty as gamma of this pack." Xaden informed. "You would also not travel with us to the castle and you would not be inmand when I leave. That would be left to my uncle Uther. These restrictions would be lifted until I can trust you again. And so will I be halting giving my sister��s hand in marriage to you."

    Erik was taken aback by Xaden��s words.

    He has not expected him to give such severe punishments because of Anna��s stupid announcements.

    Hearing Xaden say he did not trust him after all their years together felt like a pang to his chest.

    The only thing that he was really pleased with, was the fact that he was putting a halt to their mating.

    "You cant do that." Erik said.

    "I can and I would." Xaden said.

    And Erik realized how bad this was.

    Xaden already didn��t trust him anymore which meant that if Anna slipped any unkind words to his ears, he would believe them.

    Erik could not let that happen.

    At that moment Jasmine came into the room and Erik stormed out of the room.

 Chapter 362: AN OFFER NOT TO BE MISSED

    <h4>Chapter 362: AN OFFER NOT TO BE MISSED</h4>

    Jasmine felt the terrible wave of nausea once again as she walked past the hallways and found herself in the kitchen .

    She ced her hand against the wall and tried to fight the dizzy spells that overwhelmed her.

    Why did she still feel this way?

    Mya was already making pastries and assisting the other kitchen staff when she saw her.

    "Jasmine are you okay?" Mya asked.

    Jasmine nodded as she gave herself a minute to tone down her dizziness.

    "Yes I��m fine." She managed with a weak smile.

    Then she stood tall and cleared her throat.

    "Good morning everyone." Jasmine greeted pleasantly. "I have spoken to Alpha Xaden and there is going to be an extensive work put into the rearrangement of this kitchen."

    The workers murmured amongst themselves while some beamed with happiness.

    "I would appreciate it if everyone came to me with theirints or things they want changed to make woke more conducive for them." She further expressed.

    "Does this mean you are really heading us?" A mad asked.

    "Yes for the mean time." Jasmine answered honestly.

    One of the kitchen staff, spat as Jasmine said those words and then turned her face away.

    There were a few others she could see that were not delighted with her new role.

    "If anyone is notfortable with me heading them, then they are very free to leave on their own ord." Jasmine informed.

    The women said some words under their breaths but refused to voice it out.

    No one said anything aloud.

    Jasmine cleared her throat and said. "Since no one has any objections then I woulde byter in the evening when you all have gathered yourints and interview you."

    And then Jasmine turned away from the kitchen.

    She knew that most of them still hated her because of who her father was and what he had done to them.

    She told herself that it was only a matter of time and she didn��t really me them.

    She informed Mya that she would returnedter and then as she headed down the other hallway, she came across none other than uther.

    She felt her skin go cold and she increased her pace so she could how her head and go past him.

    But when they were at each other��s elbows he stopped her.

    "Jasmine." He said.

    "Yes my lord." She said breathing heavily.

    She could feel his eyes in her full bosom and she was disgusted.

    She wanted to throw her hands over them and conceal them but her dresses wouldn��t let her.

    He licked his lips and she knew that he was just as bad as the other wolves she had met.

    All seeking her body.

    "Your meal was delicious." He said. "Different from what we have been eating here."

    "Thank you." She replied and then started to leave.

    "But that does not mean that I trust you." He stated clearly. "I still hate you and your family for what you did to me."

    Jasmine swallowed. "I believe my father has paid for his sin death."

    Uther��s face went cold, but he very gently caught her chin and looked down at her.

    "You have a very smart mouth and it I were you, I would control it."

    A few maids came past and then he quickly let her go.

    "I would like to make an offer to you." He said. "If youe to by bed chamberter at night for us to speak in somethings, then I would give you a permanent slot in this pack".

    Jasmine��s mouth dropped in shock.

    "Surely you don��t expect Xaden to keep you." Uther said.

    "I am your nephew��s bonded. Even though it was not by the right means, I am still his bonded." Jasmine said.

    "You are his whore." Uther spat viciously. "I am offering you an opportunity of a lifetime. Take it or deal with the repercussions of your actions. I have a very soft side in my nephew��s heart. What do you think he would say when I tell him that you have been fraternizing with me. Trying to seduce me."

    Jasmine tried her best to regain control of the situation. "I will not take such an offer. I belong to Alpha Xaden and no one else."

    She started to leave when he grabbed her arm and pulled her to him.

    "You slut." He spat and held her so tightly that his finger nails dug into her arm. "You tnink you are smart and special don��t you. You think the world revolves around you don��t you? Let me tell you now. You are nothing! Nothing! Xaden is going to marry his mate Lily and then Erik would marry Anna. Everyone is going to be happy and soon you would be discarded, forgotten. If you don��t want that for yourself then you better take my offer wisely."

    She gripped her arm free from his grip.

    "I have told you already. You better choose wisely." Uther said and with that he walked away.

    She was disgusted by him.

    Xaden had so much people around him but few were genuine.

    He would never believe her if she told him that his uncle has just tried to make her his whore.

    The same way Xaden would never believe it if she told him about who Anna truly was.

    She looked at her arm and felt sick seeing her blood.

    She started to feel dizzy once again .

    She shook it away and took in a deep breath before going around to resume her work.

    She went to the servants and began instructing them on their new chores.

    Sheid out better ways she believed work would be easier for them.

    All of a sudden she started to feel herself go dizzy again.

    She stumbled and ced her head on her forehead .

    "Are you okay?" She heard someone ask.

    She nodded, but she began to feel dizzy again.

    She felt herself burn up and the voices began to fade.

    Soon everything went nk.

 Chapter 363: NO MORE MATING CEREMONY

    <h4>Chapter 363: NO MORE MATING CEREMONY</h4>

    Erik walked into Anna��s room.

    "Who is that?" She replied nastily as she turned from her make up table to re at her intruder.

    When she saw him, she had a sweet smile on his face.

    "Erik." She said. "I know we are mates but I had no idea that you could not stay away from me."

    She bit her bottom lip in excitement as she brushed her bright blonde hair.

    He stood by the wood of the bed and said. "Xaden has called off our mating ceremony."

    Her face fell instantly.

    She turned so fast from her chair and wound have twisted her waist If she were not a wolf.

    "WHAT?!" She demanded.

    Her eyes were blood shot and he could see her veins go red.

    "He called of our mating ceremony this morning." Erik said.

    "What did you do?" She asked in anger.

    He shrugged. "Nothing."

    "That��s a lie! You did something! I know it was you! You must have told him something that made him change his mind. Becausest night, he was okay with it. And my brother loves me too much to turn down something I want. So it must have been something you said."

    Erik shrugged. "In as much as I would have liked to tell him something that would have prompted him to call off this sham of a mating bond, I didn��t."

    "So then what happened?" She demanded at the verge of tears.

    She had already made ns in her head on how her life was going to be with him and how happy she would be.

    Now all of a sudden he was telling her that her own brother who she knew would give her the world had said no?!

    "I met him this morning and told him that I was fine with being your mate. But because of the way he found out, the way you had ratted our business out in front of everyone like that. He no longer trusts me. And so ording to his own words if I can keep something as important as you being my mate, then he can��t trust me with his only sister."

    Anna��s eyes widened in shock.

    "What?" She said in utter disbelief.

    He gave a light shrug. "It is what you wanted isn��t it? Your brother to love you unconditionally and since you could not keep your big mouth shut your brother no longer trusts me and there is no way he would leave us to be mated. So yeah it is your fault."

    Anna clenched her fists together in anger.

    How could Xaden do this to her?

    Who even told him that she needed protecting?

    She had been through hell when his pack had taken over the moonlight pack and she had been forced to work as a ve.

    If she could deal with that, then she could handle everything.

    "He can��t do that!" Anna snapped in rage. "This isn��t prehistoric times where women were not allowed to make their own decisions. I am being mated to you and that��s what matters."

    "But he does have a say in the matter because he is yourwful guardian." Erik said further angering her. "So until Xaden trusts me, there would be no future with me."

    He turned around and started to leave.

    She started. "I can still-

    "Don��t even try it." He said. "What? You want to tell him that you saw me and Jasmine together? Further manipte everything? It��s not going to work. Rather it��s going to make things worse. Because you telling him those would make him not trust me. And the more he does not trust me, the less likely he is to ever give or approve of our mating bond."

    Anna��s face fell.

    She hated to admit it, but he was right.

    It would only make matters worse.

    "So what do I do now?" She demanded tearfully.

    He shrugged his shoulders. "You started this mess. Figure it out."

    "You BASTARD!" She screamed. "You are happy about this aren��t you."

    He grinned. "What do you think?

    And then he walked up so close to her. "One day. Maybe not now. But one day. Your brother is going to see through you. He is going to see how you are such a sick and evil woman you are. And when he does. He is going to turn his back on you. But till then, I��ll take advantage of the mess you made."

    And with that he left the room.

    Anna put her hands through her well brushed hair and began to breathe so hard she thought she would explode.

    She screamed and howled and began breaking things in anger.

    Just when she had finally gotten what she wanted! Her brother had gone ahead to ruin it!

    Who told him that she needed protecting.

    She started to pace the room wondering what her next move would be.

    How did she make her brother see that Erik was safe with her.

    And then it hit her.

    She didn��t think he had separated them because he didn��t think she was safe with Erik.

    He just didn��t trust Erik because Erik had hidden it from him.

    She raked her hair and realized that she had really messed up the entire situation.

    She took in deep breaths wondering her next move.

    The best bet she has at the moment was going to meet Xaden and talking it out with him.

    After all she was his little long lost sister!

    He wouldn��t say no to her.

    She had learned that already.

    She hurriedly got dressed and found her way to his throne room where she knew he would be.

    "I want to see my brother." She ordered the guards.

    The guards stood aside and opened the doors for her.

    She walked down the throne room to where her brother was seated going through maps and different scrolls.

    "Xaden."

    "Hello little sister." He said as he kissed her forehead. "How are you? Did you sleep well?"

    She nodded with a smile. "I did. I wanted to apologize to you aboutst night. The way I made that announcement. I was just too excited to contain it."

    "It��s alright." He said with a light shrug.

    He seemed fine with everything.

    Maybe Erik had been lying just to scare her off.

    She sighed in deeply. "So we would be having our mating ceremony soon right?"

    "That won��t be happening anytime soon." Xaden shocked her.

 Chapter 364: THE MANIPULATION

    <h4>Chapter 364: THE MANIPULATION</h4>

    Anna wanted to scream and bark in his face but she was forced to swallow her true reaction.

    "What do you mean?" She asked in the calmest way possible.

    She had to be very gentle and sweet and maintain the face that she was the good little sister he saw.

    "Erik did not tell me about the fact that you two were bonded." Xaden said. "He is not just anyone in my pack. He is my Gamma. My second inmand. He has no right keeping that from me. He knew since we were away from the pack and I would have never known until you said it. I can��t trust him. Not right now."

    She felt herself go red In anger.

    But she suppressed her emotions.

    "But it wasn��t just Erik��s fault though." Anna exined. "I also didn��t tell you. You should be angry with me too."

    He shook his head. "How can I ever be angry with you? You are still new in the pack and only the gods know the awful things you have endured in that godforsaken ce. So yes I would understand if you did not went to tell me about the two of you. You could never do wrong in my eyes."

    "But Erik." He said darkly. "Erik should have know better. If he could keep such a thing from me then what else could he hide? Who knows? I have known him for over a decade now. He knows better."

    She could not further antagonize Erik. It would only push Xaden farther away.

    So manipting Erik was out.

    Xaden had said that she could never do any wrong in his eyes.

    Perhaps she could antagonize herself and then he would pity her and forgive Erik.

    So Anna began to cry. "Please don��t punish him for my sins. He wanted to tell you as soon as he found out but I told him I didn��t want to yet. I told him that I wanted to spend sometime knowing my brother more and to give me some time to think about it. He wanted to let you know because he respects you. It was I who begged him to keep it from you. If you are going to punish anyone please punish me and not him."

    And then the tears came flowing like a tap.

    She wept and wept.

    Xaden got up from his seat and held her.

    She cried some more and then he gently rubbed her back and wiped her tears.

    "I don��t want to ever see you cry." He told her.

    She sniffed. "Please don��t punish Erik. Punish me."

    He looked down at her and sighed weakly. "I wish I never had to do this. I never want to hurt you."

    She smiled softly knowing that he was going to change his mind for her.

    But he shocked her when instead he said. "That is why I can not give my blessing to you and Erik."

    "What?" She said her body shaking again.

    "You are my only sister. I would want to give you to someone whom I trust. Someone I am with no doubt unsure of. Erik kept such a thing from me. I can not forgive that. Not right now at least. He would have to prove himself right."

    "But it is me you are hurting." Anna wept in utter disbelief.

    "And it hurts me to see that, but I have no choice. This is my final say on this matter." She felt her body go cold at his words.

    Why was he so stubborn?

    Why was he so shrewd and difficult.

    "Moreover you said you wanted to spend more time with me and that was the reason why you refrained him from telling me isn��t it?" He asked. "So now we can use this time to spend with each other. I want to experience my sister more before she gets married and leaves my pack."

    Anna wanted to scream and yell at him and tell him that she did not give two fucks about spending time with him.

    She cared about her brother yes.

    But her mating was more important.

    Her entire time in the pack she had lived with the fear that she would never have the chance to find her mate.

    Feared that she would never experience the joy of finding her own mate.

    And now the goddess had given her one despite how much do a horrid person she was.

    And better still to someone like Erik who was kind and gentle.

    She had to take advantage of it and make good use to it.

    "It was not his fault." Anna pleaded. "I just told you that he disobeyed because of me can��t yoy understand that?"

    He shook his head. "No I can��t. You, yes. But definitely not him. He made the mistake not you. You have to believe me when I tell you that I am choosing what��s best for you."

    Anna jerked free from his hold.

    Since soft maniption didn��t work, she decided to resort to a vicious maniption.

    "You hate me." She said.

    "What?" He asked startled.

    "You hate me. Because I remind you of the moonlight pack." She said.

    "That is not true." He said reaching out to her again but she jerked her arm free.

    "Don��t touch me." She said.

    "I can see it in your eyes. You hate me." She said crying. "You are just like them."

    "I am nothing like those bastards." He said.

    "But you are. You are refusing to have me mated to Erik because you want to sell me off to another pack. You want to marry me into a prestigious family to strengthen ties."

    "I would never do that you." He swore.

    She shook her head and began to cry.

    Xaden was about to speak when the door was flung open and Erik himself came in.

    "Xaden. Jasmine just copsed." Erik said.

    And to Anna��s shock she could literally see the hair on his neck stand at attention the moment he heard those words.

 Chapter 365: SEEKING HELP

    <h4>Chapter 365: SEEKING HELP</h4>

    GENERAL POV

    "Xaden. Jasmine just copsed." were the words that came from Erik��s lips and Xaden went instantly alert.

    Anna was horrified to see how those simple words had changed her brother��s mood.

    The hair on his body stood and his entire demeanor changed.

    "What do you mean she copsed?" He asked.

    "We don��t know what happened." Erik said. "The maids said she just fell down whom she was in the hallway. She is up in Loren��s quarters. She isn��t waking up."

    Xaden��s eyes went dark and in a split second he had stormed out of his throne room.

    Anna could not believe it!

    He hadpletely forgotten about her, acted like she didn��t exist and gone straight in search of Jasmine.

    Anna made eye contact with Erik. Erik ignored her and went out of the room.

    She angrily stomped her feet.

    Why did Jasmine have to ruin her moment? Maybe if she had spent some more time with him, she would have convinced him and he would have agreed.

    She was extremely unhappy and decided that she didn��t want to be left out.

    So she went out after then.

    She didn��t know where Loren��s room was so she had to race to keep up with Erik.

    "What happened to her?" Anna asked.

    Erik hesitated at first and then eventually spoke.

    "I don��t know. She just copsed."

    Anna didn��t know what was going on, but she hoped that Jasmine never woke up again.

    Hoped that she had slumped and died at least one of her problems would end once and for all.

    Finally they reached Loren��s room and Xaden was already standing over her.

    Jasminey on a bed and her face was as white as snow.

    Fiona was seated by her bedside watching over her.

    "What happened?" Xaden demanded.

    Anna frowned.

    Her brother had said that there was nothing going on between he and Jasmine so why did he care so much about her?

    She could see how visibly upset he was about the entire situation.

    "Some maids brought her in." Loren answered. "She is weak and been unconscious for a while now."

    "You don��t know what the issue is?" Xaden demanded.

    "If I did I would already be offering a solution." Loren said. "So the answer is no. But she had beenining of dizzy spells and nausea. I her insisted on further treatments, but she had been against it."

    "That��s not all." Fiona said. "When we were trying to read the ledgers, she had been dizzy and threw up everything in her tummy."

    "When was this?" He snapped.

    "Yesterday. We thought she would be better. Even assured me that she would let Loren know how she was feeling before I let her go." Fiona said.

    Anna took a close look at Fiona.

    Her eyes seemed weak and face puffy as though she had been crying the entire night.

    "What��s wrong with you?" Xaden said taking note of Fiona��s face.

    "What? Oh. I have an allergic reaction." Fiona said.

    How did Xaden notice and care about anyone but her, his own sister!

    It infuriated her.

    Xaden looked at her closely and then returned back to Jasmine��s matter.

    "You all knew she wasn��t well and you let her go just like that?" Xaden barked. "She was sick for crying out loud. No one even thought to inform me?"

    "She is an adult Xaden." Loren chipped in. "Not a child."

    "Well it bes a problem if she dies under my roof." Xaden said angrily.

    He furiously put his finger through his hair to ease his anger.

    And then he set his hands on his waist and red at Loren.

    "Fine. So what is the way forward." Xaden demanded.

    "I think this is beyond my powers. Perhaps someone with powers wlhms have better understanding." Loren exined.

    "But you are the pack healer. What use are you if you can��t even treat someone as simple as Jasmine." Xaden asked perplexed.

    "If you must know Jasmine is an unshifted wolf. They are rare and difficult to understand. I have tried everything I can. Searched for the best ways to heal her but none is working." Loren said. And then his face went grim. "This is myst resort and you should know how dire the situation is, for me to say this. But I think you need to see Marie. She delves in dark magic, but she might know a thing or too."

    Xaden put his hands on his waist and gena to think hard.

    He had not seen Marie since Eleanor��s death.

    And now Loren expected him to find her.

    "I think that is the only way we can help her right now." Loren said. "I have done all I can."

    Xaden paced the room frantically.

    Anna was delighted to know that Jasmine was in a life and death situation.

    Hopefully she died and then finally she would have Erik all to her self without any interruption.

    Xaden sighed. "Alright. I will take her to Marie."

    He turned to Fiona. "Put a proper dress on her fit for riding."

    "Yes Xaden." Fiona curtseyed.

    Anna caught her brother��s arm.

    "What are you doing?" She asked. "The old man just said that the woman delves in dark magic. It is too risky for you to take."

    He shook his head. "Don��t be worried. I��ll be back soon."

    But she caught the sleeve of his tunic.

    "You can send the guards. Send someone else. You don��t need to take her yourself. She is just a ve. Remember how she made me suffer? She does not need any special treatment from you. Especially not after what she had always done to me in the moonlight pack."

    "What if it��s a trap?" Anna asked. "I don��t trust you. I can��t let anything happen to you at all."

    He pecked her cheek. "I will be fine. Jasmine needs my help and as the Alpha I need to be an example to my pack."

    Anna felt like she had been punched in the stomach.

 Chapter 366: SEEKING HELP 2

    <h4>Chapter 366: SEEKING HELP 2</h4>

    Anna started to stutter and discourage him. "Look.... I.. I ca... cant let anything happen to you. I will never forgive myself and I can not lose you. Not now that I just found you. I will never forgive myself."

    Xaden bent down and kissed her forehead.

    "Nothing is going to happen to me. I know the witch and I will return soon."

    And then Fiona called to him. "Xaden she is decent."

    And then Xaden went to pick Jasmine.

    He scooped her in his arms and carried her limp body away.

    Anna followed him all the way down the stairs to where his horse awaited.

    He climbed it and they handed her to him.

    He gently set her head up against his warm chest and held the reins of the horse.

    "I will be back." Xaden said and with that he rode off leaving everyone at the pack gates.

    Anna was beyond words frustrated and angry.

    She turned around and noticed that Erik had tried to talk to Fiona, but Fiona quickly withdrew from his touch.

    What was that all about?

    She pushed it away from her mind as she began to make prayers to the goddess so that Jasmine would never wake up again.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Xaden rode his horse down the steely part as Jasmine��s cold body remained on his chest.

    He held her firmly against him to prevent her from falling as he raced down the rode.

    He was terrified that she was so cold and still.

    It made no sense to him!

    She had just been in his bedroom a few hours after day break and now here she was half dead in his arms.

    He began to me himself as to why he had never noticed her being sick.

    And then it urred to him.

    She had looked pale and had even seemed to have her mind elsewhere.

    He had seen her almost stumble once but he had barely taken any notice.

    Now it was all his fault.

    He felt her breathing go lower and her body began to be colder.

    "Jasmine don��t you dare die on me." He said anxiously as he held unto her body.

    But she remained limp.

    As they rode on, she almost fell to the side and he grabbed the reins of the horse with his right hand while he secured her by his left.

    He pressed her firmly on his chest and increased his pace

    Why would have taken them an hour together to their destination, due to his elerated racing, they got there in thirty minutes.

    He came down from his horse and helped Jasminey back down in his arms.

    "Marie!" He yelled as he kicked the door down open.

    The dread locked which looked came out from one of her rooms.

    He set Jasmine on the bed in the small living room.

    "Help me." He said.

    Marie looked at him, said nothing and hovered over Jasmine��s body.

    She bent down over her and seemed to be listening.

    "What happened?" Marie asked.

    "I don��t know. The men said she copsed in the hallway and has refused to wake up ever since. It was Loren who advised that Ie to you. We did everything we could but she didn��t seem to be getting any better."

    Marie sighed as she went to her boiling cauldron and made some incantations and then gathered some of the steam and hurled it on Jasmine��s face.

    Then she picked out a ck feather and waved it over Jasmine.

    And then she began to speak over Jasmine��s body.

    Then she went down to Jasmine��s stomach.

    She froze and then she put her head over it.

    She became still and then after a while she went back down to the other parts of her body.

    She made more incantations and then gathered some water and began spraying over Jasmine��s face.

    All Xaden could do was stand and watch hopefully.

    Very slowly he saw the color in Jasmine��s skin begin to rise.

    She was not pale white anymore, her skin now looked fresh and when he saw her breathing ease, he took in a sigh of relief.

    Marie continued for about five minutes before she finally stopped.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Marie��s POV

    Marie hovered over Jasmine��s body as he made incantations after incantations.

    Jasmine was the heir to the throne and also an unshifted wolf, which made treating her be difficult.

    Her powers were still padlocked in her and it made it much more difficult for Marie to work her way around it.

    Her body seemed to be okay, but it seemed that something was causing the sudden weakness.

    Like a foreign object.

    Like something that was unusual and did not belong.

    She went over to Jasmine��s stomach and then she froze when she felt it.

    The presence was almost as powerful and as alluring.

    How was this possible?

    She could feel the mixture of both bloodlines and she knew that it was Xaden.

    But this made no sense.

    She had personally taken away his ability when he had firste seeking for her help.

    She finished making her incantations and she saw Jasmine��s body begin to return to normal.

    Once she was done she faced Xaden.

    "She is fine now." Marie said.

    Xaden sighed in relief.

    "Thank you very much Marie." He said as he went over Jasmine and very gently brushed the red curls on her face.

    She had never seen him do soft and caring with any woman at all.

    The fear in his eyes when he had entered the room.

    The fear of losing Jasmine.

    It was written all over his face.

    Was he falling in love?

    No that was not possible.

    He had given his heart and ability to ever create children when he hade for her help.

    But she was not so sure.

    Especially now that thetter had now be possible.

    "What was wrong with her?" Xaden asked as he looked down at Jasmine.

    "Nothing is wrong." Marie said. "But she is pregnant."

 Chapter 367: PREGNANT

    <h4>Chapter 367: PREGNANT</h4>

    "What?" Xaden asked shocked .

    His face had gone as white as snow.

    Was he hearing clearly. He was definitely not hearing clearly.

    "What did you just say?" He asked.

    "I said she is pregnant."

    Marie repeated as she blew one of her candles and then burned the feather she had used over Jasmine.

    It burned to purple mes and became ash.

    "P..p..pregnant?" He asked stunned. "How. That��s not possible. It can��t be...

    And then he stopped.

    He could not have children. He could never get anyone pregnant.

    And he was the only one who had been sleeping with Jasmine.

    Unless....

    Unless she was sleeping with someone else.

    His face became a mask of thunder and rage.

    His blood began to boil and in a fit of his rage his ws began toe out.

    "She has been fucking someone else." He demanded in anger. "I can��t have kids!"

    Marie rolled her eyes at him and said. "Rx. It��s yours."

    That stopped him immediately.

    "H...h- how?" Xaden was back to stuttering.

    His wolf was now lost and confused.

    His previous anger had stilled and was reced with confusion andck ofprehension.

    "What do you mean it��s mine." He asked trying to call himself. "I can��t have children. I gave away that ability to you along with my heart. I can��t love and I can��t have children. I have slept with thousands of women. Jasmine is not the first and I doubt that she would be thest. None of them have ever gotten pregnant."

    "I am as shocked as you are." Marie said. "But it is the truth. The child in her belly is your blood mixed with hers. There is no denying that."

    Xaden started to frantically rake his hands through his hair, trying to decipher this new found situation.

    It made no sense. None at all!

    "You said you took it away. I specifically told you! That I never wanted to have children. You assured me that I would never have children. I made it clear to you from the beginning. I told you what happened to my family. I paid the price and now you didn��t?"

    "My spells are never wrong!" Marie snapped at him. "I have been using magic for years before your great grand parents were born. I never ever make mistakes."

    And then she returned back to her work snooping through her antiques.

    "So how did this happen?" Xaden asked.

    "Its because of her heritage and lineage to the-

    She stopped immediately.

    "Heritage? Lineage to what?" Xaden asked. Why had she stopped talking halfway in the conversation.

    What was she hiding.

    "Because she is an unshifted wolf okay?" Marie responded. "She is an unshifted and it makes it more difficult. You are an alpha and already shifted. But she isn��t and that furtherplicates things. Her body is adapting to the foetus. That��s why she fell ill."

    "There still hasn��t been much discovery on the body of an unshifted wolf. They are a rare and minority bunch which is more reason why anyone really bothered to know more about them. They are treated like infidels and dirt. So of course who would care about them." Marie said looking down at Jasmine.

    Xaden swallowed heavily.

    He still could not wrap his head around the fact that Jasmine was pregnant and for him at that.

    "Perhaps that��s why she is with child. Maybe there is something in the body of the unshifted wolves that makes them surpass even magic as powerful as mine." Marie pointed out.

    Xaden paced the room back and forth.

    "So what do we do?" He asked.

    "What do you want to do?" She asked him.

    Xaden sure as hell didn��t know.

    He had never really imagined children but now that one was in the picture, he slowly began to.

    He began to wonder if it was a little girl just like Jasmine with bouncy red curls or a little boy that looked like his parents or even him.

    He wanted to faint.

    "Do you know what sex?" Xaden asked.

    She gave a light shrug. "No it��s too early for that and like I said she is an unshifted wolf. Child bearing would be difficult for her."

    Xaden blinked. "Child bearing. How many months far gone is she?"

    "About two months." Marie said.

    "If she is so weak just by being pregnant and even almost died then what would the rest of the pregnancy be like?" He asked.

    "Want to hear the truth?" Marie asked him cautiously.

    "Yes."

    "I expect it to be difficult honestly." She said. "Dangerous in fact. It coulde withplications and it could lead to death of both mother and child. Or perhaps only one."

    Xaden felt a chill. The thought of her dying scared him.

    But why did it?

    He should be delighted.

    It meant that he would get rid of her once and for all.

    "Can the pregnancy be terminated?" Xaden asked.

    She eyed him cautiously. "We could try that. But I would have to do it with her consent."

    Xaden shook his head. "I am not going to take any risks. I don��t want a child and if it��s mine, I have every right to abort it."

    Marie folded her arms and red at him.

    "Are you asking for an abortion because you don��t want to have a child or because you are scared of losing her to death."

    Xaden��s face fell instantly, then he became his hard and arrogant self again. "I don��t care about her. I only care about the fact that I don��t want a child. I never wanted one and you know it."

    Marie looked at him closely. "Fine. But I will not let that happen. She has every right to choose too. It is her baby as much as it yours. Moreover it��s her body."

    "Soyou want me to tell her? Or you would do it?" Xaden demanded.

    "Tell me what?"

    He turned around and saw Jasmine seated up on the bed and awake.

 Chapter 368: A NEW LIFE MADE

    <h4>Chapter 368: A NEW LIFE MADE</h4>

    Jasmine gently fluttered her eyes open and she looked around.

    Her eye sight still blurry slowly came to a clearer vision.

    Then she saw Xaden backing her, talking to a woman.

    She viewed closely at the woman. Why did she seem so familiar. She had seen her before.

    Both Xaden and the women were in a heated conversation and she could barely hear them.

    It felt like her sensors were weak and she was slowly understanding her surroundings.

    She looked around and saw that she was somewhere she did not recall.

    It was a small cabin and it smelled funny.

    There were all sorts of things that creeped her out.

    How had she gotten here?

    Thest thing she could remember was feeling dizzy in the hallway and then everything went ck.

    Had she fainted?

    Had Xaden brought her here.

    She slowly started to hear their words and then.

    "So you want me to tell Jasmine? Or you would do it?" She heard Xaden say.

    "Tell me what?" She asked confused.

    And all two of them turned back to look at her.

    They made eye contact and no one said a word.

    Jasmine felt her head ache and then she groaned in pain as she set her fingers against her head.

    "Are you alright?" Xaden asked.

    He was already by her side in a split second.

    She nodded numbly. "Yes I think so. Just a slight headache."

    The woman walked to her. "Excuse me."

    And then Xaden stepped back even though Jasmine wished he didn��t.

    The woman began to touch Jasmine all over.

    "Do you have pain anywhere in your body?" The strange woman asked, her dark eyes scary and her dread locks thick and full hanging over her face.

    Jasmine was terrified for a second.

    She looked up at Xaden who nodded. "It is fine."

    She felt safer and turned back to the woman. "Just my head. And then my tummy. I feel nauseous."

    The woman made eye contact with Xaden and it was as if they waremunicating, but not verbally.

    "Have we met before?" Jasmine asked unable to help herself from asking.

    The woman did not respond.

    She rose to her feet.

    "I would give you somethings to take and you must strictly adhere to them." The woman said. "You would feel better if you do if you are told."

    And then the woman got up to her feet.

    Jasmine looked up at Xaden.

    "How did I get here?" She asked him confused.

    "What was thest thing you remember?" He asked.

    She raked through her mind. "I was walking down the hallway to get the report of all theints from the servants and then I was feeling dizzy and I think I cked out."

    "How long have you been feeling this way?" He requested.

    She started to lie and then he interrupted.

    "Do not lie to me Jasmine." He warned her.

    She stopped and sighed heavily.

    "For two weeks now." She said quietly.

    "Two weeks?!" He exploded. "And you didn��t tell me?!"

    She was confused.

    Why did he care so much? Since when did he even care about her?

    He had subjected her to all sorts of suffering and ridicule.

    So why was he caring now.

    "I didn��t know I was to tell you when I was ill." She said honestly. "And it wasn��t serious. I thought it was going to pass."

    "You thought it was going to pass. I sure as hell bet you didn��t think you would pass out on the hallway. It could have been worse."

    She sighed to herself.

    "Why do you care so much?" She asked him .

    He went silent.

    And then she turned to look at the woman who was seemingly familiar.

    "What happened to me? Why did I faint?" She asked and then she turned to Xaden. "Why did you bring me here? What are we even doing here?"

    She perceived an odd smell and sniffed her body.

    "And why do I smell like that?" She asked feeling nauseous again.

    They went quiet.

    She began to breathe heavily and panic.

    They were scaring her.

    Everything was scaring her.

    She felt her heart begin to race faster and then the dizzy spells began .

    She had to grip something to prevent herself from falling.

    "Woah." Xaden said holding her. "Take it easy."

    She was forced to sit down.

    "What are you not telling me?" She asked.

    Xaden looked at the woman and then back at Jasmine.

    The woman nodded and Jasmine began to fear even more.

    What was so terrible that they frequently maintained eye contact and were so worried to tell her.

    He sighed in heavily.

    "Jasmine you��re pregnant." He stated.

    She froze.

    Was she hearing correctly.

    "What?" She managed. "I..I��m what?"

    "You are pregnant." The woman repeated for Xaden.

    Jasmine felt her head begin to spin.

    She was pregnant for Xaden?

    How?

    It made no sense to her.

    When she had first moved to the pack, she had heard the girls in the talk about how he had never been able to get anyone pregnant.

    There had been rumors that he took medications to prevent pregnancy.

    Maybe she was naive but she had never really thought much about ever getting pregnant.

    And then it hit her.

    If he had never gotten anyone pregnant. Why was she the only one who had gotten pregnant?

    And then it urred to her.

    He believed that she had slept with someone else.

    He had brought her here to kill her because he believed that she had being with someone other than him.

    Once again, he would never believe her if she told him the truth.

    She thought of this new information.

    That she had a little one in her and her motherly instincts activated.

    She slowly got up and began to take steps backward

    She said targeting the door with her side eyes.

    "What are you doing?" He asked.

    And then she proceeded to run to the door, but he was faster than her.

    He mmed it shut and she was propelled against him.

    "Don��t kill me." She begged him her eyes filled with tears.

    This chapter is updated by freew(e)bnovel.(c)om

 Chapter 369: BEST DECISION TO MAKE

    <h4>Chapter 369: BEST DECISION TO MAKE</h4>

    "What?" He asked lost for words.

    She swallowed hard.

    "Please don��t kill me." She begged him.

    "I��m not going to kill you." He said as he firmly held her arms.

    He looked genuinely confused. "Why the hell do you think I would kill you?"

    Her lips quivered as she mustered the courage to say the words to him.

    "Y... y... you think it isn��t yours." She said. "I haven��t slept with anyone else other than you. I heard the rumors. You have never gotten anyone pregnant. You won��t believe me if I tell you that it is really yours."

    By now the tears were already flowing down her eyes.

    He seemed taken aback by her words.

    He gently touched her cheeks and wiped away the tears.

    "Jasmine I know the baby is mine." He said shocking her.

    Her mouth dropped open, stunned.

    Trying so hard to decipher what he had just said.

    "Huh?" She said now her turn to be lost.

    He sighed heavily. "Jasmine I know that the baby is mine. I don��t think you slept with someone else."

    She swallowed. "So you aren��t going to kill me?"

    He shook his head as he gently cupped her cheeks. "No Jasmine."

    She waspletely confused.

    Xaden who never believed any words from her lips all of a sudden took in the fact that the baby was his and without question too!

    Now Jasmine was really scared.

    Or maybe t he things she had heard about him had all been false.

    She felt utterly stupid now.

    Then he rose a brow. "So the girls in the pack spread rumors about me and your job is to sit and listen to it."

    Her mouth dropped.

    "I didn��t mean it like that." She said.

    He shook his head. "No you meant it like that."

    "How sweet." The woman said.

    "I��m really pregnant?" Jasmine asked the woman.

    The woman nodded. "Yes you are."

    Jasmine smiled to herself and she gently sat her hands to her stomach.

    She had created life inside her.

    Her and Xaden had both created life within her.

    She had rarely thought about the concept of children since she moved here.

    When she was younger, she had prayed that when her Prince Charming would arrive and save her from the moonlight pack, he would take her to his pack and live happily ever after with their little pups.

    This wasn��t what she had prayed for, but she couldpromise.

    She smiled to herself and then she met the dark faces of Xaden and the woman.

    She felt something was wrong.

    Like her happiness was about to be short lived.

    "What��s wrong?" She asked sending the tension.

    She held her stomach protectively.

    This time it was the woman who spoke up.

    "Those dizzy spells you had." She said. "You feeling nauseous and the pain?"

    Jasmine nodded. "Yes I understand. Pregnant women go through some of these. I had been around a number of pregnant women back in the moonlight pack and even assisted during childbirth with Urma."

    The woman shook her head. "Yes it. But in your case it isn��t. In your own case things are more extreme. You didn��t just pass out. You could have died."

    Jasmine felt the blood drain from her face.

    "You are an unshifted wolf, Xaden is an Alpha. There are going to beplications and what you just went through was the tip of the iceberg. It could get worse."

    Jasmine became stiff.

    "That��s not all. Breeding between Unshifted wolves and shifted wolves talk less of Alphas hasn��t really been.... Investigated. We don��t know much about it." The woman further exined. "If this is just two months of your eleven months, then we don��t know what else might await us. We don��t know how you might handle it, how the pregnancy could progress and we also do not know how the child birth would be."

    Jasmine didn��t want to believe the words she was hearing.

    She wanted to convince herself that it was all a lie. That it was all a mistake.

    That she was wrong but her brain told her otherwise.

    Hermon sense told her that it was true and yet her intuition had a string conviction that she would make it.

    That she would scale through and survive.

    Defy all odds and her and her baby would survive.

    "But you aren��t certain right?" Jasmine said reasonably. "This is all on an if basis."

    The woman and Xaden made eye contact and then the woman nodded. "Yes. We aren��t sure."

    "It��s a risk that we can not afford to take." Xaden told her.

    "So what are you suggesting?" She asked him.

    He sighed heavily and said. "I��m suggesting that we terminate the pregnancy."

    Jasmine felt her tongue go sour and her entire being go pale.

    And then he began to exin. "It is too risky. We don��t know how it will end. The safest way is to end it now while we have the time."

    Why was fate so cruel to her?

    Just now that she had received the most beautiful news, she was being forced to choose to take away this blessing?

    She shook her head fervently.

    "No.... No... no," she said softly.

    Xaden sighed and shook his head.

    He gently went to her and held her arms. "Jasmine there is not two ways about this. This is the best decision for both of us." He expressed.

    She jerked free if his gasp

    "You mean the best decision for you!" She snapped at him.

    He shook his head. "Goddamn it! You could die Jasmine! You could die! Can��t you see that??!"

    She shook her head stubbornly. "Stop acting like you care about me. You don��t, so stop pretending like I mean something to you. You��ve always wanted me dead. This is the best decision for you and not me."

    He looked like he wanted to explode. "Goddess!"

    "You don��t want a child and I know you have never wanted one. So I��ll leave right now and you would never hear from me ever again. You would never have to care about me or bother about me. I would be out of your hair forever."

    "Never." He said.

 Chapter 370: THE DECISION IS YOURS TO MAKE

    <h4>Chapter 370: THE DECISION IS YOURS TO MAKE</h4>

    She felt a sudden chill in her chest at the mention of the word never.

    "You are never going to not be a problem in my life. As long as you are alive you would always be here." He stated.

    She swallowed.

    "In as much as it��s your baby." She told him. "It��s mine too. And I want to keep it."

    And then she gripped his tunic.

    "You would never ever hear from me again. I promise you. I would leave this ce far far away. We would never cross paths. I will nevere back for revenge, and you would never have to deal with a child. Please."

    He was silence and then she knew what his decision meant.

    Then he became very cold and his entire demeanor changed.

    "You know what?" He asked. "You are right. I don��t care about you and I don��t care whether you live or die. Neither do I care whether about that.... That...."

    He couldn��t even sa the words.

    "That THING! Inside you. If you are wise then you would take this offer and move on with life." He announced.

    "Thing?" She mumbled to herself stunned but not surprised by his words.

    To even think that this same man had once been a child too was beyond her.

    And then something strange urred to her.

    Xaden always did and got away with what he wanted.

    If he wanted something done he did it or found a way to go around it, but for whatever reason now, he was asking for her opinion.

    Giving her the option to choose?

    Why?

    Why couldn��t he just kill her and get it over with? Why didn��t he even kill the child when she was unconscious.

    And it urred to her.

    "You can��t decide for me." Jasmine said finally putting two and two together. "If you could, then it won��t even be an open option for me to consider."

    His face went grim and she turned to look at the dread loc woman.

    "Smart girl." She said with a coy smile. "I underestimated you. Yes, he can not do it himself because I told him you had to consent.

    "So without his consent, I can still keep my baby?" Jasmine asked hopefully.

    "Yes you can." Marie nodded. "It is solely up to you. It is when you want to take away the child that I would carry it out."

    Jasmine was quiet. "Taking out my baby, would I even survive?"

    "To be honest with you? You might not." The woman said. "You could die too the same you could die in childbirth. But whatever way it is. You are at risk."

    Jasmine red at Xaden and put her hands over her belly protectively. "It��s a risk I am willing to take."

    "And if I don��t wee you back to the pack?" He asked her threateningly.

    She stuck her chin up in the air and with an air of stubbornness, said. "I will figure out myself. I don��t need you to survive and I don��t think my baby would too."

    Xaden raked his hands through his hair as he swore and then stormed out of the room.

    Jasmine as left standing and holding her tummy protectively.

    And then she began to worry about him wandering off.

    She started to follow him when the woman stopped her.

    "Don��t worry about him he woulde around." The woman said.

    "Where do you think he went to?" Jasmine asked her voice filled with worry.

    "Just to burn off some steam and take air. He wound be back." The woman said and then offered. "Here, take a seat

    Still filled with skepticism, she eventually epted and was doing sitting by the fire.

    "Are you sure you want to keep this baby?" The woman asked. "You could go back home and think well over it and stille back next week."

    Jasmine shook her head. "There is nothing to think about. I know what I want and I want this baby to live."

    She smiled down at her belly still in shock and disbelief at the fact that she had life inside her.

    "This baby proves to me that I could have something good in my life." Jasmine said with a weak smile. "That I��m not just here living an empty life, but I have something worth living for. I have meaning to my life."

    And then she chuckled to herself.

    She was still not sure whether tough or cry.

    "Can you really survive the outside world without Xaden��s protection?" The woman asked.

    Jasmine didn��t want to admit that she didn��t tnink so, but said. "It might be difficult, but I��ll make something out of it. Start afresh and do things differently."

    The woman nodded.

    "Do you know what gender hit might can be?" Jasmine asked as she smiled down at her tummy once again.

    She simply could not stop herself from delighting in the thought of this child .

    "No not now, but eventually we would." The woman said and then went through her cupboards looking for somethings.

    And then after a few minutes of fishing through her cupboard, she returned with some bottles.

    She instructed jasmine on how to take it to prevent her dizzy spells from emerging again.

    "You are to make sure you strict yo these instructions. If you don��t then I can��t tell you what will happen." The woman said. "Even if it make the decision to no longer have the child I would still be here waiting."

    Jasmine was quite certain that she would not be changing her mind.

    "Thank you." Jasmine said in all earnest. "For helping me. For everything and for giving me the chance to choose my baby."

    The woman gave a light shrug and gently patted Jasmine��s knee.

    "Of course. It��s a woman��s world thanks to the goddess and not a man��s. They just refused to admit it." She said sand Jasmine smiled.

    At that very moment, the door was swung opened and Xaden came in.

    He looked like he had just fought with wild animals.

 Chapter 371: IF YOU EVER CHANGE YOUR MIND

    <h4>Chapter 371: IF YOU EVER CHANGE YOUR MIND</h4>

    "What happened to you?" Jasmine asked him, terribly confused and worried .

    "I��m fine." He did coldly and ignored her.

    He turned to the woman. "Is she done here?"

    "Yes she is." She replied. "But she needs to be careful and well taken care of. No stress. All that extra work she had been on, it needs to stop. It sound only make matters worse."

    "I don��t care." Xaden said. "She is so fucking stubborn that I regret the day I ever met her. It��s my pack whether she is going to be scrubbing and cleaning floors heavily pregnant is none of my fault. She wants the baby and so she has to handle it. Work or no work. I owe you for her treatment."

    "No you don��t." The woman said. "For theing baby. It��s free."

    He started to leave and then the woman pulled him aside and began to speak to him in undertones.

    Jasmine rubbed her arms unsure of what to do.

    Unsure of whether she was going to be leaving his pack and finding her way on her own or he still intended on keeping her.

    The woman turned to Jasmine. "I wille by, by the end of next week to check up on you and see how well you are faring. Remember if you eventually don��t want to keep the pregnancy it��s not toote."

    Jasmine started to say she doubted she would change her mind and the woman stopped.

    "I��m not saying you would. I am just saying in case you do." She said. "And just make sure it��s before it gets to three months. Three is thetest. Okay?"

    Jasmine nodded clutching the small bag where her medications were and nodded. "Okay. Thank you."

    Jasmine started to leave.

    "You asked where you had seen me before?" The woman asked. "I am Marie. We had seen a couple of times during the halo festival."

    And it instantly hit Jasmine.

    So THAT was where she had known her from.

    She was the one who had been looking at her in an odd way .

    "I am also the one who saved you and kept you alive when you were almost dead." Marie exined.

    "I never had the opportunity to thank you for that." Jasmine stated. "Thank you."

    Marie nodded and the waved her hand at the door, stating they could leave.

    Xaden walked to the door and opened it for Jasmine shocking her.

    She mumbled an uncertain thank you and went out of the door.

    He followed her out of the room and she reduced her steps.

    She saw that there was only one horse and she swallowed heavily.

    "We only have one horse?" She asked him.

    "Yes." He said barely ncing her way as he fixed up the saddle.

    When he was done, he put his arms around her waist and gently hoisted her on the back of the horse.

    In a split second he had joined her and she could feel his groin against her.

    She tried to remove her mind from the thought and then he wrapped his arms around her as he held the reins of the horse.

    The horse began to gallop and she started to feel herself be nauseous again.

    She was too scared to tell him that she suspected she was about to puke so she kept her mouth shut and forced herself to control her body.

    She still could not believe it.

    A little pup?

    She started to wonder if it was a girl or a boy.

    She knew that some wolves preferred male pups to retain their name and keep the pack stronger.

    But she didn��t care.

    Whichever one came she would love with everything in her.

    Xaden remained quiet refusing to say a word.

    She said nothing either, too scared to speak and too worried to hear the words he would say.

    He didn��t want her baby,

    He had made it clear.

    If not for the woman, he would have used her of betraying him and sleeping with another wolf.

    And for whatever reason he obeyed the words of the woman.

    He was always ready to point out that she was a liar.

    She sighed to herself and wrapped her arms around her tummy.

    She felt a wave of nausea and knew instantly that she was about to throw up.

    She felt ite up her throat and she hurriedly motioned to him.

    "What?" He asked.

    She pointed her full mouth and then he swore.

    He hurriedly brought her down to her feet and she raced to the nearest bush and hurled everything out of her system.

    She kept on throwing up until she didn��t feel the need to.

    When she was done she felt so weak and leaned against the bark of a tree.

    She breathed heavily and then he handed her his water gorge.

    "Here." He offered.

    She quietly said. "Thank you."

    And used the water to wash her mouth clean.

    Then she poured some on her face before drinking it down.

    "How do you feel now?" He asked.

    She felt her stomach and gave herself a minute to breathe and said. "I��m okay now. Thank you."

    He received the water gorge and then said. "When you feel better we would resume riding."

    "Are we going to tell the others?" She asked him curiously

    She had been thinking about it for a while now.

    What would they all think when they found out that she was pregnant?

    Would that increase her enemies or would that make them finally fall in love with her?

    He was quiet at first. "I��ll make that decision by the time we get back home."

    "So what do I say when Fiona and Loren asks Can you ride now?"

    She nodded and then he gently led her to the horse, before he hoisted her on the horse.

    This time he was more gentle with the ride and frequently keeping an eye on her.

    She had never received such attention from him and it made her very ufortable.

    Soon they reached the gates of their pack and then the massive gates were pulled up.

 Chapter 372: BACK HOME

    <h4>Chapter 372: BACK HOME</h4>

    He rode inside the pack and then his men came around to assist them down from the horse.

    Xaden came down first and then helped her down from the horse.

    One of the guards took away the horse and they went on their way.

    "Jasmine!"

    It was Fiona.

    She was racing down the front steps and hurried towards where they were.

    She had a in muslin blue dress and her dark hair was left flowing down her shoulders.

    She hurried up to Jasmine and hugged her.

    "You look so much better." Fiona said touching her cheek and looking all over. "Is everything okay? Are you fine?"

    Jasmine nodded. "I��m okay.l

    "Thank the goddess you��re okay." Fiona said. "You looked like hell when I had seen you. What was wrong with you? What happened?"

    Jasmine looked uncertainly at Xaden and then Xaden said. "That��s a lot of questions. Jasmine is still weak and you bombarding her with so many questions while we are standing under the sun, I don��t think that such a good idea."

    "Of course." Fiona said stepping back. "You��re right. I am so sorry. You need to rest."

    Jasmine gave a smile. "Thank you."

    And then Jasmine started to progress towards the doors with Xaden right behind her.

    She felt the eyes around her as she walked up towards the steps in therge hall.

    Loren��s quarters was at the highest part of the castle and when she thought about how much steps she was going to be climbing, she shivered.

    As she began to climb the steps she felt herself begin to feel dizzy again.

    Was this how it was going to be throughout her entire pregnancy?

    Feeling weak and faint all the time?

    Xaden caught her waist and before she could stop him, he scooped her up in his arms.

    "What are you doing?" She asked him stunned.

    "You��re going to faint if you climb that fleet of stairs on your own." He said.

    She started to argue. "I��m fine. I can do it on my own. Plus the maids and others are watching."

    From the corner of her eye, she could see them ncing and staring as they walked past.

    "I don��t care." He stated and she knew that that was the end of their conversation.

    "He is right though." Fiona said wisely. "You look like you could faint by any minute. Let him take you."

    Jasmine nodded even though she knew that whether she liked it or not, he was still going to do what he wanted.

    So she remained quiet as he carried her up the steps and Fiona followed them behind suit.

    The reached the third floor and then instead of him to follow the west wing of the Castle, he followed the other east wing.

    She frowned, lost and confused.

    "You��re going the wrong way." She said.

    The west wing was the only side to follow leading up to Loren��s quarters.

    "Yeah she is right." Fiona said. "Loren��s quarters is that way."

    "Who said we were going to Loren��s quarters." Xaden asked as he continued the way towards the east wing.

    "That��s where I sleep." Jasmine said confused at this point.

    Before he could answer both their questions, Lily came almost bumping into them from a corner.

    There was a maid with her and she had arge book in her hand.

    They had been discussing looking through the book when she stopped short on seeing him.

    "Xaden." She said surprised.

    And then she became even more surprised when she saw Jasmine in his arm.

    "Lily." He said.

    And then she handed the book to the maid and sped her hands together.

    "I didn��t know I��ll see you back so soon." She said. And then she turned to look at Jasmine. "I heard what happened How are you feeling now? Is everything okay?"

    Jasmine smiled at her. "Yeah I��m much better."

    "That��s good to hear." Lily nodded. "What happened though? Did you find out what went wrong?"

    Jasmine found it ufortable answering the questions especially since she was hanging in his arms.

    She felt like a child.

    "I think Jasmine should rest before answering any questions now." Xaden swooped into her rescue.

    "Of course." Lily said.

    Jasmine was so ufortable she wondered how Lily felt seeing her mate carrying another woman in his arms.

    She was also aware of the fact that Xaden had not really put much attention on Lily.

    And she felt extremely guilty.

    "You should rest." Lily said and then she started to walk past when she ripped and turned back. "Actually Jasmine while you were gone the workers were stranded so I decided to help in looking over them and making a few orders here and there. I hope that��s okay?"

    "Of course it��s fine." Jasmine said. "Thank you. I appreciate it."

    Jasmine further felt guilty.

    She was not supposed to be the one working on overseeing the pack.

    It was supposed to be either Lily because she was his mate after all or Anna because she was his sister.

    Jasmine had no moral right to hold the position she upied.

    None at all and she felt like an imposter in their midst.

    She started to feel the same way she had first when she had impersonated Jessica who was now and it made her feel terrible.

    Lily nodded with a smile and went off.

    "I think you are going the wrong way." Lily said turning back to them. "Doesn��t she stay at Loren��s quarters and then the west wing leads to Loren��s quarters, not the east wing."

    Lilyughed uneasily. "I know why do I know so much? I kind of got lost one time trying to get some medicine from him."

    Fiona, Jasmine, Lily and even the maid looked up at him waiting for a response.

    Because they too had no idea where he was taking her too.

    "She won��t be staying at Loren��s quarters anymore." Xaden stated.

    "Oh?" They all mumbled in surprise.

 Chapter 373: CHANGE OF SCENERY

    <h4>Chapter 373: CHANGE OF SCENERY</h4>

    "There is only one bedroom avable in the east wing." Fiona said. "The others are the study, library and the wine cer, along with the observatory."

    "Yeah." Lily said.

    And Jasmine knew that room, she had never been allowed to even step in.

    She had passed the door a couple of times when she had earlier joined the pack.

    She would see people asionallying in to clean and then go out, but that was about it.

    No one stayed in it.

    Not even when they had the halo festival and guests needed rooms.

    No one had been assigned to that room.

    "She would be staying in the room by the east wing." He said.

    Jasmine was stunned and then Fiona and Lily looked at each other.

    Surprise was written on their face.

    What was so special about this room that it had everyone surprised.

    She could not decipher it.

    Lily gave a smile. "Alright. Jasmine I hope you feel much much better. I would be going to take care of the rest of the chores."

    And with that Lily went off.

    Jasmine liked Lily.

    She had never had any issues with her .

    She had never acted rude or mean to her. She hadn��t even been indifferent, she had been nice and casual to her.

    Definitely what she expected from Xaden��s mate.

    She had expected her to be as terrible as Anna, even worse.

    But Lily had surprised her and that was why she felt guilty seeing the look of hurt on Lily��s face.

    Xaden resumed walking up the way that led towards the east wing and then I found her up the steps.

    Finally they reached the door of the room, Xaden opened it and they stepped inside.

    It was the most beautiful room she had ever seen in her life.

    It was at the rare end of the castle and the entire walls were filled with massive French windows.

    There wererge and beautiful curtains that hung to the side and the sunlight streaked in.

    The bed in the center of the room wasrge and massive and the bedsheets were floral.

    The poster bed boasted of beautiful wood and was as high as the ceiling itself.

    There was arge mirror and a stunning vanity table and chair attached together.

    There was arge fur rug on the floor and a beautiful fire ce.

    The entire room was divine.

    He walked towards the bed and gently set her down.

    She looked around confused .

    "What��s going on? Why am I here?" Jasmine asked confused.

    "You are going to be staying here from now on." Xaden said as he walked over the firece and threw in a couple of log of woods.

    "What?" Jasmine and Fiona said in unison.

    "What what?" Xaden asked

    Fiona blinked speaking up . "I don��t mean to sound like that. I��m just surprised."

    "Jasmine is fragile and Loren��s quarters really isn��t the best bet in her state." He exined.

    "What state?" Fiona asked lost.

    "Jasmine is pregnant." Xaden said as he lit the fire ce.

    Jasmine��s face went flush red in shame.

    "What?" Fiona asked stunned looking at Jasmine. "Is this true?"

    Jasmine nodded. "Yeah. We just found out. That��s why I was ill."

    Fiona hugged her in excitement. "Oh my God Jasmine that is amazing. You are going to have a little pup in how many...."

    "I��m two months gone." Jasmine said excited to finally share her bundle of joy with someone at least.

    "That is amazing." Fiona said looking her all over. "But why fall that ill? I��ve seen a couple of wolves pregnant and it��s never been this bad. I mean not in the early stages?"

    "Technically I don��t qualify as a wolf." Jasmine said. "I��m not shifted and Xaden is an Alpha. We were told it could beplicated."

    Fiona��s face became grim. "What do you meanplicated?"

    "That��s why she needs to be asfortable as she can be." Xaden said as the fire in the fire ce erupted. "This is the mostfortable room in the pack and it��s free I decided that she can stay here."

    Jasmine shifted ufortably.

    Not even Anna��s room or even HIS own room was as good as this.

    She doubted that Lily��s room would be as good either.

    And yet here she was living like a Queen .

    Anna was going to throw a fit when she found out.

    As if on cue, the door was swung open and Anna came in.

    "Xaden." She said. "I heard you were back and I came to see you."

    She turned and saw Jasmine on the bed.

    "How are you Jasmine?" She asked.

    "I��m fine. Thank you for asking." Jasmine responded.

    Then Anna turned to Fiona. "Hey Fiona."

    Fiona��s face was turned away and refused to acknowledge Anna��s presence.

    Anna ignored her and then turned to Xaden.

    "What��s wrong? What happened?" And then she turned back to Jasmine. "When I heard you were ill I was so worried and I soon as I heard you two were back I had toe and see you for myself."

    Jasmine started to stutter unsure of how to respond and Xaden did for her.

    "Jasmine is pregnant." He said and her face went white.

    She quickly hid her expression. "Wow. That��s amazing."

    Jasmine gave a fake smile.

    She didn��t trust Anna and her show of concern or sharing excitement about the news of the baby.

    She was surprise at Xaden��s sudden change of mind.

    He had said that they would not say a word about the pregnancy, but now he was telling everyone.

    She didn��t mind him telling people in the pack that she was pregnant.

    But in face she minded him telling Anna.

    She did not trust her.

    Not one bit.

    "So you��re staying here to rest?" Anna asked and then turned to Xaden. "I heard this was mom��s room."

    This was his mum��s room? And he was letting her stay.

    "Yes. And this would be Jamsine��s new bedroom from now on." Xaden said.

 Chapter 374: CALCULATED RISK

    <h4>Chapter 374: CALCULATED RISK</h4>

    Jasmine shifted ufortably at the new information dished out.

    This was not the only nice room avable in the pack so why was he giving her this one.

    Anna gave a tight lipped smile. "I know things have been really hard between us but hearing you were ill made me realize how important you are to me. And if my brother wants you in this room it means that he must care about you."

    Jasmine wasn��t so sure on how to respond.

    "Thank you." Jasmine said.

    "If you need anything please let me know." Anna said.

    Jasmine nodded and then Anna pecked Xaden.

    "I��ll see youter at dinner." She told him. "Right?"

    He nodded and then he kissed her cheek back and she went out of the room.

    Xaden turned to Fiona.

    A look that said she needed to go too.

    "I think I need to be on my way too." Fiona said.

    Xaden stepped aside to let her pass.

    "I��ll see youter. Okay?" Fiona said as she bent and kissed Jasmine��s forehead.

    Jasmine nodded with a a smile and then Fiona looked at Xaden before going out of the room.

    When she heard the door shut, Jasmine took in an deep sigh and was now conscious of the fact that Xaden was alone with her.

    She sat up straight in bed.

    "How do you feel?" He asked her.

    She felt so ufortable and odd with him asking about her.

    He looked genuinely worried about her.

    "I��m fine." She said. "Thank you."

    She shifted ufortably and then she finally voiced her thoughts.

    "Xaden I needed to say something." She said. And then she took in a deep breath. "I am well aware of the fact that you never wanted me and you have said that. I am also aware of the fact that you don��t want this baby. You voiced your opinion that too. Which means you don��t meant the both of us. Marie said she could offer an abortion but there would be risks. Giving birth or even the process of having this child would be risky too. And I have decided that I would rather risk having this child than risk losing it."

    He said nothing.

    He was just staring down at her.

    She felt judged, but she went on regardless. "And that is why I am asking for permission before I do what I want to. I want to leave the pack and I will go far away and raise my child and you would never have to worry about either of us ever again and I-

    "No." Xaden said.

    She stopped short. "What?"

    "I said no." He said.

    "B... b... b-

    "Do you know why I never wanted to have a child?" He asked her.

    She blinked taken aback by that questions

    "N... n... no."

    He picked one of the luxurious seats and put it in front of her bed before seating down.

    "You probably heard from whispers around the pack." He started. "But when I was young my pack was attacked by my father��s best friend, your father."

    She felt the guilt creep up in her .

    "And during the ughter, the only reason why my father did not defeat him. the only reason why mother did not survive was because of Anna and I."

    He rubbed his chin. "Bale used the fact my father loved us against him. He used it as his weapon. Loving someone, having a child or a family makes you vulnerable and weak. So I decided that I didn��t want to ever have a vulnerable spot. I never wanted to give my enemies an opportunity to infiltrate me. Kidnap my loved ones and then force me into a tight position. I never want that."

    "But now you have Anna. She is your sister and your family even Fiona too." Jasmine said reasonably.

    "And I can handle them. I can manage with them." Then he said. "If you think that I will stand and watch you take my child far away to have enemies one day use he or she as leverage against me, then you must not know me."

    "I would rather have you under my roof and let you have him here than for you to be missing without a clue."

    Jasmine closed her eyes in relief. "Thank you so much I don��t how to thank you enoug-

    "Don��t." He said. "I��m not finished. I will need to make some other decisions on this matter."

    She frowned. "Decisions like what?"

    "By tonight I would already have." He said. "And I will let you know."

    Her stomach dropped.

    She had felt relieved and now here she was worried again.

    What did he mean he needed to make some decisions?

    About what exactly.

    "You are certain that you want to keep this baby." He asked.

    She nodded. "Yes."

    "Then so be it." He said.

    And she breathed a sigh of relief again.

    She had honestly not expected it to go this way.

    "I would get a personal nurse to take care of you during your entire pregnancy since we might face someplications." He said.

    "But I can handle myself." She argued.

    "Well I don��t think you were doing much handling when you were half dead this morning and threw everyone in a state of confusion."

    She bit her bottom lip.

    He was right after all.

    "You��re right." She mumbled.

    "I would inform Loren of the situation. He would frequently check on your condition." He said. "Anything you want would be brought to you."

    She looked around the room, suddenly feeling alone.

    "Am I just to remain here?" She asked him.

    "For now yes." He replied.

    "I can��t. Everyday. I would be bored. I worked my entire life. Staying in bed all day isn��t for me." She said. "At least I know that I need to move around for the baby to not getzy."

    He sighed. "Fine. But the nurse would escort you everywhere you go."

    She wasn��tfortable with that but she nodded. "Thank you."

    "I would see youter." And in a twinkle of an eye he was gone leaving Jasmine alone in the big beautiful bedroom.

    Follow current novels on freewe(b)novel.c(o)m

 Chapter 375: JASMINE OR THE BABY

    <h4>Chapter 375: JASMINE OR THE BABY</h4>

    Xaden closed the door shut and took in a very deep breath before going back on his way.

    He walked to his study and found his favorite bottle of wine.

    It was a two hundred old bottle of wine he had never opened and left for special asions.

    This case was a special one.

    He needed to clear his head because he was certain that he was about to lose his mind.

    He didn��t pour into a ss, but simply drank it from the bottle.

    He leaned back in his chair and wondered what the hell he had gotten himself into.

    He missed Eleanor.

    She always knew what to do and she had always been right.

    Remembering Eleanor brought chills to his spine and the way she had died.

    The way he had ended with her. The awful things he had told her and how their final encounter had been before she died.

    Eleanor had always had a soft spot to Jasmine.

    Guilt enveloped him and he pushed the thought of Eleanor at the back of his mind .

    He went back to his present predicament.

    How had he gotten Jasmine pregnant?

    He had slept with thousands of women, but somehow it was only Jasmine who was pregnant.

    He almost didn��t want to believe it himself because what the fuck were the odds.

    The thought that she had been fucking someone else was still heavy in his mind.

    It was possible that had happened and now she was pining it on him.

    But how did she get Marie involved in all of this?

    Marie was self centered and had only herself to think of. She only yed along when she had something worth while in return.

    He knew her well enough for that.

    So even if Jasmine had cajoled her into this little game of deception, what could Jasmine possible offer her.

    It wasn��t making any sense

    He heard a knock at the door.

    "Xaden it��s me." He hear Erik say.

    He was still pretty pissed at Erik for keeping the whole Anna affair secret, but now he needed him more than anything.

    "Come in." Xaden said.

    Erik came in and stood over the study desk.

    "What the hell is wrong with you?" Erik asked.

    "Jasmine is pregnant." He said refusing to beat around the bush.

    "What?" Erik said startled.

    "You heard right." Xaden said .

    "How is that even possible?" Erik asked. "You took that ability away. That��s why you deal with the attacks."

    "So I thought too." Xaden shrugged his shoulders. "But apparently I was wrong. Before you ask if it��s mine, Marie said it is".

    Erik was quiet for a while. "So what are you going to do?"

    "I wanted an abortion but she didn��t. Marie insisted that she wasn��t going to do it with Jasmine��s approval. She said and I quote. It��s her baby as much as is your and it is her body." Xaden smirked.

    "Since when did Marie have moral grounds for anything?" Erik asked confused.

    "You know I thought the exact same thing too." Xaden pointed out. "That bitch only cares about herself and what��s crazy? When I tried to pay or told her I owed her she said it was free and I should see it as a congrattory gift for the baby."

    "That��s new." Erik said folding his arms. "I don��t think Jasmine knows Marie. At least not personally. Marie might have her own selfish benefits in all of this but I highly doubt Jasmine is involved in this."

    "The crazy part is that I don��t think so either." Xaden said massaging his forehead.

    "And what are you going to do? About everything?" He asked him.

    Xaden tapped the edge of his study desk.

    "I��m still working on it. She wanted to leave the pack. That��s not an option. I still have enemies. Bale is gone but there are people who still hate me. They would use her and the baby against me."

    "You have to think about it." Erik said. "And do it quick."

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Anna knocked at Lily��s door.

    "Come in." Lily��s melodic tiny voice ushered in.

    Anna opened the door and saw her brother��s mate seated by a desk going through scrolls

    "Anna." Lily said looking up from all her work.

    "Hello." Anna said. "I hope I��m not intruding."

    "No of course not. You ann are always wee. Come in please." Lily offered as she rose up from her seat and sat down by a small table.

    She offered the extra chair to Anna.

    Anna took her seat as Lily rang for a maid.

    "Would you like tea?" She asked Anna as she gently set the beautiful tea set of or both of them.

    "I won��t mind." Anna said all smiles.

    "It��s good you came." Lily pointed out. "I needed some air from the work I had been doing."

    "I heard you now took over Jasmine��s roles." Anna asked coyly. "And doing a very good job at that."

    Lilyughed. "You tter me too much. Not exactly took over. Once she is much better I would hand it over to her."

    "So you heard what happened?" Anna asked.

    "Yes. I saw your brother with her along the hall way. He said she was recovering." Lily said.

    Anna could see the streak of sadness in her eyes and knew that she could prey on it.

    "Probably recovering in eleven months." Anna mumbled casually.

    Lily rose a brow. "Excuse me?"

    "I shouldn��t have." Anna said quickly faking an apology.

    "No it��s alright." Lily said. "I��ll like you to tell me what you mean. I won��t say a word."

    Anna sighed. "Well, I just discovered something. Xaden took Jasmine to the east wing."

    "I know the east wing." Lily said. "It was his mother��s favorite room."

    "Well, my brother gave it to Jasmine." Anna said. "Not even me have gotten the opportunity to stay there."

    "I��m sure he was just being kind." Lily said.

    Anna didn��t like how Lily chose not to ask too much questions.

    She wasn��t as bitter as she wanted her to.

    Anna grasped Lily��s hands and held them fervently. "I adore you and I think the gods could not have given anyone better than you to be my brother��s mate. But I have bad news. I don��t think you two could ever be together."

    "Why?" Lily asked her veins peeling from her neck.

    "You don��t know?" Anna asked in a tone of fake surprise. "Jasmine is pregnant."

 Chapter 376: CREATING A NEW VILLAIN

    <h4>Chapter 376: CREATING A NEW VILLAIN</h4>

    "What?" Lily said as she dropped the spoon she was using to fetch sugar.

    "Yes." Anna said relishing in the moment. "That was what he told me. I shouldn��t have said anything."

    "I... it��s o.. okay." Lily managed.

    But Anna could see that it was not okay.

    Lily��s face was pale and white like she had just seen a ghost.

    Anna took delight in the fact she had seeded in hurting Lily��s feelings and getting a reaction out of her.

    Xaden��s admission to Jasmine being pregnant had thrown her under the horse.

    She couldn��t believe it.

    It was the LAST thing she had expected from either of them.

    But she had been forced to put a show.

    If Xaden had our Jasmine in their mother��s room then it meant that he cared about her.

    And that was why she didn��t trust how much bad information she could give him about her or how Tudor she acted towards her.

    He might begin to suspect that she was hiding her true self from him.

    So she had been forced to act happy for the both of them when in reality she was furious.

    Lily was her best bet of Jasmine out of the pack.

    She was his mate after all.

    Anna got up from her seat and hovered over to where Lily was.

    She gently held her arms and rubbed her back.

    "I am so sorry that you had to find out like this." Anna said and her words made Lily begin shedding tears.

    Anna picked up a handkerchief and handed it to Lily.

    "Thank you." Lily said in appreciation.

    She cleaned her eyes and blew her nose and sniffed.

    "I am so sorry you had to see me like this". Lily apologized.

    "There is nothing wrong with you expressing how you feel." Anna assured her. "You are my brother��s mate. It is you who should carry his child, not some random ve. I don��t trust her. If you know the horrible things she did to me."

    And then Anna sniffed and forced herself some tears.

    "Excuse me. I am sorry." Anna said turning her face around to hide fake tears.

    She felt Lily��s hand on her shoulders.

    "I didn��t know she was this terrible." Lily said. "I only saw her as a defenseless ve."

    Anna have a funnyugh and cleaned her tears. "Defenseless ve my foot. She was such a horrible person to me back in her father��s pack."

    And then she proceeded to spin fake stories of how Jasmine had been the princess in the pack while she had been the one suffering and made to work morning and night.

    Lily took in her story, believing her every word.

    "I and so sorry that you went through that." Lily said in disbelief.

    Anna nodded wiping a tear.

    "I did."

    "Does Xaden know this?" Lily asked.

    "No. He doesn��t. A lot of people don��t." Anna sighed. "I don��t want people to know. I think she deserves a second chance. Or so I thought until she trapped my brother in this pregnancy."

    "You��re an honorable person." Lily said. "Anyone would rub it in her face but you. You choose to give her a chance."

    "It��s nothing. But now that she has done this. You can see why I don��t trust her." Anna said. "I can��t let her deceive my brother. She is dangerous and you are the only one who can save him."

    "I really underestimated her." Lily said deep in thought.

    "A lot of people do and that��s why she gets away with everything she does." Anna said. "I care about my brother and you are the only one who can save him."

    Lily was quiet for a while before saying. "What can I do?"

    And Anna smiled knowing she finally had a big breakthrough.

    It was only a matter of time before she got rid of Jasmine once and for all.

    "I know just the thing." Anna said with a coy devilish smile.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    After Anna had left the room, Lily gathered her things to resume her duties in the pack .

    She bumped into Uther.

    "Uther." She said curtseying. "I didn��t see youing."

    " it��s alright." He said gently patting her shoulder. "You seem very busy."

    "I took over Jasmine��s work while she was unwell." Lily said.

    "Ah yes." Uther acknowledged. "The ve. Did you hear what happened to her?"

    "That she fell ill?" Lily asked. "Yes I did. That��s why I took over."

    "Xaden took her to find a doctor himself." Uther pointed out. "She has be increasingly close to him. It��s supposed to be you who should be close to him. You are his mate."

    "I know." Lily acknowledged. "She is pregnant."

    Uther��s mouth dropped open in shock.

    "Don��t tell Xaden." She said quickly. "I doubt a lot of people know. So if you confront him, then he might know it��s from me."

    Uther stuttered unable to say a word.

    "How do you know this? How sure are you?" He asked stunned.

    "Anna told me." Lily replied. "That��s why she was so sick."

    Uther gripped his fists together.

    "That whore." He said viciously. "How can Xaden mix our bloodline with that enemies��s. Now our bloodline will be together with their. An abomination."

    Uther was visibly upset.

    "Are they keeping the baby." He demanded.

    "From all indicators yes. He even took her to his mother��s bedroom gave it to her as her new bedroom." She informed him.

    Uther was dumbstruck.

    "He gave her my sister��s room?" Uther asked lost. "He gave that bitch my sister��s bedroom."

    He raked his hair and then turned to Lily.

    "Now you understand why Jasmine is a threat to you. I told you from the beginning that she was bad news." Uther pointed out. "But you didn��t listen. Now do you see that all she wants to do is that Xaden away from you?"

    Lily nodded. "I see now. And I know how to handle her. I��ll see youter Uther."

    And with that she left him standing in the hallway.

 Chapter 377: CREATING A NEW VILLAIN 2

    <h4>Chapter 377: CREATING A NEW VILLAIN 2</h4>

    Once Lily had left him, Uther rushed to his bedroom.

    He ran up the fleet of stairs until he was inside his room.

    He shut the door and made sure to lock it with a key, then he put the key in his pocket.

    He walked to the curtains and closed them one after the other until there was not light prating the room.

    When he was sure that there was no way anyone would spy on him, he went on ago his dresser and pulled out a neat box.

    It had been given to him in times of emergency.

    He opened and picked out a ck candle, ced it gently on a candle holder before picking up one of the fire torch in his bedroom.

    His hand shaking, he lit the candle and set the torch aside.

    The candle turned green and ck before going aze with red and then a few minutes after, Cherry��s face was revealed in the fire.

    "You had better have a good reason why you summoned me." Cherry said.

    Uther took in a very deep breath.

    He was terrified of cherry and since she was the reason why he was alive she had a very huge leverage on him.

    Informing her of Jasmine��s pregnancy would put him in her good books.

    "I am sorry for the disturbance but this couldn��t wait." He said X

    She sighed and then waved her hand. "Fine go one."

    "The ve girl is pregnant." He informed.

    Cherry blinked. "Who?"

    "Bale��s daughter. Jasmine." He said. "She is pregnant."

    Cherry��s mood must have been attached to the candle because at that be try moment he mentioned those words,the fire went up.

    She was breathing heavily and she seemed vividly angry.

    "How the hell did that happen?" She asked him.

    He shrugged. "I don��t know. I just found out."

    "You have to be wrong." She said. "Xaden can��t have children."

    "How do you know that?" He asked stunned.

    He had heard rumors about it from the pack but he had never confirmed them.

    She waved her hand dismissively. "It��s none of your business. But he can��t have children. Ever."

    Then Cherry��s lips twisted in a wicked smile. "Maybe we can even y this to our advantage. She probably whored herself to someone and got herself pregnant. There is nothing that Xaden hates more than infidelity. He will kick out of his pack in a split second."

    "In as much as I think that would have been a good idea." Uther expressed. "I don��t think the child belongs to someone else. If it weren��t, Xaden won��t ept it. He must be sure beyond any reasonable doubt that the child she has is his. If not he won��t have said it belonged to him."

    Cherry said nothing .

    "This could be a problem. If she gives birth only the goddess knows how strong her child can be. Xaden would give her the ce as his mate and mother of his child. He would give them a ce in this pack. That bastard." Uther said.

    "Give me a minute let me think." Cherry said her fingers pressed on her forehead. "Why didn��t she just die when I sent Aurora to kill her. She is ruining my ns."

    Uther knew better than to say anything while Cherry was in one of her moods.

    "Does Xaden respect?" Cherry asked from nowhere.

    The question took him aback.

    "Uhm... er.... Yh..." Uther stuttered. "Of course he respects me."

    "Uther if you give your opinion to Xaden does he listen to it. Does he take it?" Cherry asked irritatedly.

    Uther began to stutter again. "Uhm... Yh... I guess...er..."

    She hissed irritated and shook her head. "You��re useless Uther. You were supposed to be important to him. You were supposed to be a father figure he looked up to so that when you advised him, he would listen to you. But you are just a waste. Do I have to do everything."

    Uther was embarrassed but said nothing.

    He started to speak again.

    "Shut up let me think." She snapped at him and he shut his mouth in obedience.

    Rage was quiet for a couple of minutes before she cleared her throat.

    "What about the girl. His mate. Lily." Cherry asked .

    "Lily is a bit too soft." He replied honestly. "I had expected her to be vindictive and want to take over the pack but she has been kind. I have tried everything. She is to naive." He responded.

    Cherry rolled her eyes. "You are all useless."

    Uther flushed red with shame.

    Cherry sighed deeply

    "Is there anyone that you know that hates Jasmine?" She asked him. "Someone we can use to nt against her and have a better chance than seeding."

    Uther was quiet as his brain raced through his mind.

    "I think my niece and Xaden��s sister Anna." Uther said. "I didn��t take it so seriously but from what I have seen. Anna doesn��t like her one bit. She acts like she does but there have been certain incidents that I noticed that made it obvious to me that she wants her gone."

    "Anna." Cherry said deep in thought. "The one who had lived as Alpha Bale��s daughter right until we recently discovered that she was Xaden��s stolen sister."

    "Yes the very one". Uther said. "To be honest she scares me a bit. She is nothing like my sister. Has her hair but looks like her father."

    "That insolent and spoilt brat." Cherry mumbled to herself. "I heard stories of her from when I was in exile. She was notorious and lived a life of luxury while Jasmine Bale��s real daughter suffered a tragic life fate scrubbing the floors and wearing rags. To think that she never got to face any difficult part of life."

    "Hmmm." Cherry said thinking. "We could use her. You have to be very careful."

    "Of course your majesty." Uther bowed.

    "Sow deeper seeds of deception in her mind and I would make further enquiries on this so called Child Jasmine carries. I will send for you in two days."

    "Thank you your-

    She had already shut off theirmunication and the fire from the candle was already turned off.

 Chapter 378: CHERRY’S RAGE

    <h4>Chapter 378: CHERRY��S RAGE</h4>

    Cherry burned off the candle with a snap do her finger and instantly became irritated.

    This Jasmine girl was ruining everything.

    Pregnant? How did her of all people get pregnant for Xaden?

    It made no sense.

    Few knew the urate story but there were rumors of Xaden being impotent.

    She had rified that it was Marie who had made it as such.

    She still didn��t know the details as to how it happened, but she had investigate and was hundred percent sure she was the one.

    So how had she gotten pregnant.

    Cherry prayed and hoped that Jasmine had gotten pregnant by another wolf.

    If that was the case then she could rid herself off her for good

    There was only one person she could confirm if this story was true or not.

    She had not spoken to Marie in a while, but this was of the most importance.

    Shey down on her bed, inteced her fingers together and made some incantations.

    She went on changing for about two minutes before she finally closed her eyes.

    By then time she was awake, she was in Marie��s bedroom in her small cabin.

    She had used astral projection and left her body in the castle while her wolf soul traveled.

    "What do you want?" Came Marie��s demand.

    Cherry turned and saw Marie seated on her favorite green couch ring at her.

    Marie maintained a straight face. "I needed to see you. I hadn��t sent my condolences and respect since your sister��s death. I know you two weren��t close bu-

    Marie threw her head back andughed andughed frantically.

    When she was done she wiped a tear.

    "Spare me the fake show of concern. You and I both know that you don��t care." Marie said. "In fact you might have been the one who killed my sister."

    "There are lines I would not cross and this is one of them." Cherry said. "The official investigation and report was that Bale had killed her to trigger Xaden. As you know, she was his adopted son."

    "Officially yes." Marie said as she stood up from her chair and walked to her dinner table.

    She picked up an apple and a knife and then pointed the knife at Cherry. "But you and I know that��s just for formalities. Half of the shit they say as official reports is barely true. We both know that Bale wasn��t capable of killing my sister. Didn��t have the balls to."

    And then Cherry expertly sliced the apple and put one in her mouth.

    Cherry sighed. "Yes. I am aware. Xaden has many enemies. Who knows which of them could do that."

    Marie gave a devilish smile. "You see that��s the problem. I searched. My sister and I weren��t on good terms but still she was my sister. So I searched for the people who could have murdered her and it was almost impossible to trace. It was like she had been killed with absolutely no trace. Like the person who had done it had purposely been thorough to handle it."

    Marie but at her apple again and then she slowly began to walk towards Cherry.

    Marie now stood at Cherry��s front. "Astral projection. How smart of you. It saves you from being harmed by me."

    Cherry gave a tight lipped smile.

    "My sister was not as strong as I am, but still no one could just simply kill her. Not even any witch or werewolf. She had to be killed by an equal like me or someone close to me." Marie pointed out.

    "You see. I am still very much looking for the person who murdered my sister. And if I happen to find them. I will make sure they suffer very very painfully. So painful that they will beg for death and I won��t event give them death. Do you think that is fair enough for the people response for killing my sister? Don��t you agree?"

    Cherry smiled. "Of course I do. And I will be here to execute it with you. I have your back."

    "I don��t need your back." Marie snapped sharply and then a sweet smile appeared on her face. "But thank you for offering."

    And then Marie turned away and Cherry literally breathe a sigh of relief.

    She had been the one who had killed Eleanor.

    She had done it to weaken Marie because Marie had be a weak link and she needed to sever all weak links.

    It had been very difficult but she had done it.

    Moreover Eleanor had left her no choice.

    She was going to tell Xaden about Jasmine��s true identity.

    She had found out and would have ratted out.

    She had been left with no choice but to terminate her.

    ~~~~~~~~

    A few days after Xaden had gone in search of the cup of life for Jasmine, Eleanor had discovered the truth about Jasmine.

    Jasmine was royal blood and not just royal blood she was the true heir to the wolf crown.

    She was the one they had been waiting for, for centuries.

    She had also discovered that Cherry was the one who had ordered for Alexander��s death along with using Aurora as vessel to almost murder Jasmine.

    She was the true viin and she had been waiting to report to Xaden.

    She had been in the forest gathering herbs for Jasmine��s ailing health when she had felt a presence.

    She acted like she hadn��t noticed she was alone and very gently used her magic to form an ice dagger from the snow and immediately swung it at her intruder.

    Cherry rose her hand up and it turned to instant water and fell to the ground.

    "You." Marie said.

    "In the flesh." Cherry said as she pulled down the top of her fur coat.

    "What do you want?" Marie asked.

    "I think you know." Cherry pointed out. "You know something you shouldn��t. You are a loose end and unfortunately I have no choice but to get rid of you."

    Marie made her stance and then used her magic to form an ice shield and then spear.

    There were other ice daggers handing beside her, aiming at Cherry.

    "You don��t want to go down this road with me." Eleanor warned.

    "Unfortunately I do. I couldn��t trust any of my omegas because they would fail me. I had toe in person."

 Chapter 379: Eleanor’s fate

    <h4>Chapter 379: Eleanor��s fate</h4>

    Eleanor strengthened her magical barrier and Cherry smiled as she used her magic to set a zing fire whip and used her left hand to form a circle that lit with fire.

    "Surprised at my use of fire, huh?" Cherry asked her coyly and smirked. "Fire is the crest of my family."

    "Yes, I am," Eleanor said. "Rejected family members are exempted from dabbling in wolf power. But I have heard of you. You would always be hungry for power. Not even epted by your own family and rejected by your own crown. The Queen who would never be."

    Cherry��s face flushed with rage at Eleanor��s words.

    They pierced deeper than she had expected them to

    No one had dared to say those words to her.

    She knew they whispered to each other, but no one had ever spoken to her upfront.

    Maybe because it was the truth.

    "You crossed the line," Cherry said.

    And then Cherry started the assault.

    She used her fire whip and shed at Eleanor, but Eleanor used her ice daggers to sh them into two.

    Cherry sent off balls of fire at Eleanor, and Eleanor dodged them expertly.

    She raced up to her and used her ice shield to hit Cherry.

    Cherry bounced back and felt the taste of blood in her mouth.

    She licked it and smiled before retaliating.

    They went on fighting. Until Eleanor dealt her with such a hard blow, she was knocked down to the ground and had an ice spear pointed right at Cherry��s throat.

    Cherry was breathing so heavily.

    She felt the tip of the spear pierce through her neck, and she knew that it was only a matter of time before she was killed.

    "I told you to leave. I warned you to walk away while you still could." Eleanor said. "But you refused to listen."

    "Please wait," Cherry begged her even though with every word she spoke, the spear dug further into her neck and deepened the cut. "You aren��t going to kill me, are you? You aren��t like that."

    Eleanor looked at her. "You have no idea what I am like."

    As Eleanor spoke, she had no idea Cherry was gathering her strength from under her.

    "Yes, you are right. I have no idea what you are like." Cherry said.

    She took Eleanor by surprise. By the time Eleanor realized what Cherry had done, it was toote.

    She used a burst of energy to hit Eleanor, whonded on the floor with a hard thud.

    Cherry was on her in a split second and used her magic to create chains that tied her down.

    Eleanor tried to free herself but to no avail.

    Cherry pulled out a dagger from her coat.

    "I think you know what this is," Cherry said. "It��s the only thing that can put you to a deep slumber. I can��t kill you. You don��t belong in this realm, but I can put you into a very deep slumber. At least until I can find something to do to you."

    "You think this is the end?" Eleanor said. "Jasmine is the heir. I know what you did to her mother. You thought you killed her, didn��t you? But Jasmine is proof that your ns will fail."

    "That weak Jasmine who doesn��t even think for herself. She is almost dead with the poison. There is no way she is going to survive it." Cherry countered.

    "If you really thought she was going to die, then why did you bothering after me to stop me from telling Xaden the truth?" Eleanor asked her.

    Cherry��s face became a mask of anger.

    "Because deep down you know that the poison will not kill he. Because deep down you are scared of the truth. You are scared she is threat and I can testify to that. You underestimate her too much and she may be weak now, but She is going toe strong. And she will be the one to destroy you."

    Cherry stabbed Eleanor��s heart and her body became aplete white.

    She then sent for Uther and some of his most trusted men to put her body in a coffin and bury her.

    She used her magic to fabricate a body exactly like Eleanor so they would believe she was dead and she used her magic to wipe anything that might trace it back to her.

    But above everything, she was terrified.

    Terrified because things were getting out of hand and especially because Eleanor was right.

    She was scared of Jasmine.

    And she had never been scared of anyone in her entire life

    ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

    "Now that we are past all formalities and all fake show of care." Marie said. "You can straight down to why you came here."

    "I��m not so cold as you think me to be Marie. After everything we have been through you should know that." Cherry said with a hint if sarcasm.

    "Please wolf don��t wear sheep clothing." Marie said and the put her hands on her waist. "Now what do you want?"

    "A little bird told me that Xaden��s little ve is pregnant." Cherry asked.

    "By ve you mean Jasmine." Marie said. "Your grandniece and the one true heir to the crown right? Yes she is. Why do you ask?"

    Cherry Ignored the sidements. "Because Xaden believes it. Xaden can��t have children. How is she of all people capable of getting pregnant for him?"

    Marie shrugged. "I don��t know. I guess you can��t just stop fate from happening don��t you think?"

    "Please no one can interrupt your magic. It��s not possible."

    "I thought so too. But Jasmine proved me wrong." Marie pointed out.

    "And he strongly believes that it belongs to him. He would never have believed unless someone gave him no room for doubt." Cherry said.

    "Go ask the little birdy that told you." Marie asked. "You already know the answers to your questions."

    And in that split second Marie flung the knife she had been holding in her hand at Cherry��s astral projection and cut her off

 Chapter 380: THE PROMISE

    <h4>Chapter 380: THE PROMISE</h4>

    Jasmine was restless in the room.

    She had nothing to do throughout the day.

    She tried to sleep, but sleep refused toe.

    Was she expected to do this for the rest of her eleven months?

    She was going to go insane.

    She was now seated by therge French windows of her bedroom and looking down at the pack as everyone went about with their life.

    She felt trapped and suffocated.

    She sighed to herself as she gently touched her stomach.

    A baby.

    A little pup of her own.

    She smiled at the thought of her baby.

    For the first time in her life she had something to truly look to.

    There was a knock at the door and then Fiona came in.

    She sighed a sigh of relief.

    "Thank God you��re here." Jasmine said in delight.

    It was such a relief to now see another human being.

    "I��m sorry I took so long." Fiona apologized and about three maids came in with trays of food.

    Jasmine smiled. "As far as you are here, that��s all that matters. All these food?"

    "Xaden sent down the entire kitchen to see to your needs."

    Jasmine felt her tummy flip.

    "I don��t need this much." Jasmine admitted.

    "Well you are pregnant now." Fiona said. "This changes everything and I don��t want you being modest about it."

    Jasmine looked at the delicacies before her.

    Roast pork, chicken, bread, cheese, eggs,mb even cake, sweetened wine and fruits.

    "This is a bit too much." Jasmine said honestly. "I can��t finish it."

    "That��s why I am here." Fiona sat down on the bed. "To eat it with you."

    And then Fiona started to get down on the food.

    The maids curtseyed and left.

    "Come in eat!" Fiona said. "I was sent here by Xaden to make sure you ate. Plus I would get into trouble if he discovers that I ate up the food and you didn��t. Here try the roast pork. It tastes like heaven."

    Jasmine eventually gave in and true to Fiona��s words, it did taste like heaven.

    She closed her eyes and savored the taste in her mouth.

    "It��s really good right?" Fiona asked .

    "It is." Jasmine nodded and that was how Fiona offered her all the meals until Jasmine had had a bit of everything.

    She ate so much she felt bloated.

    "I think I��m okay." Jasmine had to resist when Fiona offered her the chocte pudding.

    "Just one bite." Fiona insisted stubbornly.

    Her stomach grumbled terribly.

    "You see. Even the baby doesn��t want anymore food." Jasmine pointed outughing .

    "Alright fine." Fiona said.

    Jasmine sat up in the bed.

    "How does it feel to be pregnant?" Fiona asked curiously

    "Honestly? My body hurts." Jasmine said. "I feel very nauseous. But I think it��s a beautiful experience. Just the thought of me having this baby. It makes me forget how my body feels. It still feels surreal."

    "How did he take it?" Fiona asked eagerly.

    Jasmine shrugged. "He handled it much better than I had expected. We had an argument earlier. He wanted me to abort it. I declined."

    "No." Fiona gasped.

    Jasmine nodded. "Yea. I told him I wanted to leave the pack, and he would never hear from either of us again. But he insisted that he still had enemies and they were going to use me against him."

    "He isn��t wrong about that." Fiona said.

    Jasmine shrugged. "I can��t abort my baby."

    "And I know." Fiona said. "So he epted it. He didn��t say anything else?"

    "There is more." Jasmine sighed weakly. "My pregnancy isplicated. The woman we saw. She said that because I am an unshifted wolf and Xaden is an Alpha. Unshifted wolves are ignored by society so people don��t really know much about us. She said I could die giving birth."

    "Jasmine." Fiona said sadly.

    "I could die aborting the child too." Jasmine said. "She said the pregnancy is going to be difficult and I could lose it even before going into childbirth. Whichever choice I choose, it��s going to be risky. I��ll rather take the risk of giving birth than losing my baby."

    Fiona hugged her once again. "I am so sorry."

    "It��s fine." Jasmine smiled weakly. "So I chose my baby. And I��m praying to the gods. Nothing will happen. But I want you to promise me Fiona."

    "Of course anything." Fiona nodded.

    "If I die and I leave my baby I want you to take care of-

    "Goddess Jasmine!" Fiona said in horror. "Don��t say such a thing."

    "Anything could happen." Jasmine said. "I don��t want to risk it."

    "You are going to have a normal pregnancy and you would give birth and raise your child on your own. You aren��t going to die." Fiona expressed.

    "But what if I do?" Jasmine said. "There are so muchplications involved in this pregnancy. I don��t want to take any chances. I know how I was raised in the moonlight pack. My mother died giving birth to me I barely had anyone to protect me from the horrors I witnessed except Urma. I would rather die than let my child be subjected to the fate I faced. I have enemies. People who still hate me. Anna hates me with every fiber of her being. Do you think if left with the opportunity to harm me she wouldn��t?"

    Fiona sighed. "But Xaden would never let anyone hurt his child. He might be cold and difficult, but he would never let his own flesh and blood suffer."

    Jasmine gave a bitterugh. "My father was my own flesh and blood. And look how I suffered. Look how he treated me. I don��t care. My child would never be subjected to such a cruel fate. People change. That is why here and now. I want you to promise me that my child would be safe. That if I die, you will make sure he is raised it he way he should be."

    Fiona smiled. "He? You know already?

    "Something tells me it��s going to be a boy." Jasmine smiled and then her face went back to business. "So promise me. Swear it on your wolf soul."

    Fiona sighed. "I swear on my soul that as long as I live. If anything ever happens to you, I will protect your child like he is yours. Like you gave him life."

    Jasmine sighed relieved. "Thank you."

 Chapter 381: HARMLESS KISS

    <h4>Chapter 381: HARMLESS KISS</h4>

    "So lily took up my work in the pack." Jasmine said changing the subject of her baby.

    "Yes." Fiona said. "I don��t like house hold chores as you know so when she offered I didn��t really have a problem."

    "I feel terrible." Jasmine admitted. "Xaden is her mate and here I am pregnant with his child."

    "Well we can��t all have what we want can we?" Fiona rose a brow as she stuffed a spoon of chocte pudding in her mouth.

    "I guess we can��t. But she has been kind to me." Jasmine said. "And I was surprised. I expected her to be vindictive and hateful towards me. Nothing like Anna."

    "Gods no." Fiona shook her head. "Anna is a monster. I��m surprised she was all smiles. I know it��s just for show but still surprised."

    "I still can��t believe that he brought me to this room." Jasmine pointed out. "This is his mother��s bedroom and he chose to bring me here. There are so many other rooms in this pack. Why here?"

    "Maybe because he knows that people won��t be stupid enough to harm you in this room." Fiona exined. "From what I heard this room since it had been renovated had been untouched. No one was allowed to stay here. Well now except for you. It��s at the further side of the east wing. You would have to pass through the guards both at the east and west wing to get here. There is no way anyone cane in just like that."

    "Anna didn��t seem happy to know that I was staying in her mother��s bedroom." Jasmine pointed out.

    "She should get over it. There are so list she can do isin. Xaden isn��t going to kick you out." Fiona waved her hand dismissively.

    Jasmine held her stomach protectively.

    "I know what she is capable of." Jasmine exined. "And I won��t let her anywhere my child. I don��t want you to either."

    "You would think someone would be kind to their own niece." Fiona snorted irritated. "Not Anna. Never Anna. I still can��t believe that she is going to be mated with Erik. After everything she has done, she still somehow gets away with it." Jasmine said as she yawned .

    Fiona��s face went pale white and her body went cold .

    Jasmine frowned. "Fiona are you alright?"

    Fiona nodded. "Of course I��m fine".

    "I just mentioned Anna and Erik and you went white." Jasmine said. "Come to think of it, when we were at the dinning table and she made her announcement, you seemed very unhappy."

    Fiona shook her head. "Trust me it��s nothing."

    Jasmine looked closely at her friend not believing a word she had to say .

    "Are you sure? You don��t seem fine." Jasmine stubbornly argued.

    As they were conversing, Jasmine heard a knock at the door.

    "Come in." Jasmine said.

    "You can��t just let peoplee in without knowing who they are." Fiona reprimanded her.

    Jasmine shrugged. "I��ll do better next time. Don��t change the subject."

    And then Erik came into the room with Kire running far ahead.

    "Oh Erik it��s you!" Jasmine giggled and then Kire jumped on the bed.

    She hugged him and massaged his wolf fur.

    "Such a long time. I haven��t seen you in a while buddy." Jasmine remarked and he wagged his tail. "I��ve missed you. Did you miss me too Kire?"

    "I can swear to you that he did." Erik said as he walked to the chest of drawers closest to them and leaned against it. "Drove me crazy. Kept on hovering around and crying through the night." Erik said.

    Kire was panting excitedly as Jasmineughed with him.

    "Fiona was just saying how I shouldn��t just let anyone into the room next time". Jasmine said as she scratched Kire��s ears.

    "Fiona is not wrong you know. Better safe than sorry." Erik remarked .

    Jasmine smiled and continued ying with Kire.

    And then Erik turned to look at Fiona who was rigid and was intentionally not looking at him.

    "How is your health?" Erik asked. "How are you feeling now?"

    Jasmine shrugged. "I��m much better now. Thank you."

    She wasn��t sure if Erik knew that she was pregnant and she was not sure how well Xaden would take it to her telling him so she kept her mouth shut.

    And then Kire stopped ying and his nose pointed at her stomach.

    He sniffed and sniffed and then whimpered.

    His paw pointed at her tummy and he whimpered again.

    Kire knew she was pregnant.

    Smart boy.

    "Complete wolves like Kire can tell when a new pup is on its own." Erik remarked.

    "You know." Jasmine stated.

    "Yeah, Xaden told me." Erik said as he folded his arms. "And even if he didn��t, since Kire could perceive it, I would have too."

    Fiona abruptly rose to her feet.

    "Jasmine I just realized that I have something��s I need to get done." Fiona said.

    "You��re going already?" Jasmine asked.

    "Yeah. I��ll see youter." Fiona said as she walked over to where Jasminey and kissed her forehead.

    And then made sure to not make any contact with Erik as she stepped past him and headed out to the door.

    "B...but we haven��t finished... discu-

    But Jasmine��s words were silenced by the hard m of the door.

    The door was mmed so hard that even Kire shook in fear.

    "What was that all about?" Jasmine asked confused.

    Fiona had been perfectly fine before Erik had arrived.

    "I have no idea." He said.

    She frowned at him.

    "Is there something that happened?" She asked him.

    The moment Erik had stepped in, Fiona had acted cold and was out of the room immediately.

    "No." Erik said quickly and the sat down beside her on the bed." How do you feel?"

    "Sore." She smiled at him. "But Its worth it."

    "You know the risks to keeping this baby?" Erik said. "You are sure this is what you want?"

    "Erik." She said in a warning tone.

    He rose his hands up. "I��m with you on this decision. I��m with you on any decision you make. I just want to know that you are sure of what you are doing."

    She sighed. "Yes Erik. I want this baby."

    He smiled down at her and then said. "Come here."

    And then she came closer to him and he pecked her forehead.

    Erik was the brother she niece had and he made her feel safe.

    When he let go, she saw Xaden was standing at the door.

 Chapter 382: MOTHERLY INSTINCTS

    <h4>Chapter 382: MOTHERLY INSTINCTS</h4>

    Xaden stood at the door, and there was no one other than Anna behind him.

    And she was grinning from ear to ear.

    Jasmine��s heart raced so rapidly.

    Had he seen Erik kiss her forehead?

    She knew how possessive and jealous Xaden could get.

    And why was Anna here? Had she been the one to report to him?

    Jasmine wouldn��t be surprised even though she hadn��t done anything wrong.

    Erik must have seen how troubled she looked because she gently touched her shoulder and mouthed.

    "Calm down."

    And then she tried her best to.

    Erik walked up to Xaden and Anna.

    Kire remained with Jasmine.

    And then it seemed like Xaden had told Anna to give him a minute because she nodded and came towards Jasmine.

    Jasmine anxiously backed away as she saw Anna progress towards her.

    "Hi, Jasmine," Anna said sweetly. "Came back to see you."

    Anna was about to take it away on the bed when Kire growled at her so viciously that even Xaden and Erik turned to look.

    Anna backed away quickly.

    "I��m fine." She told the men, and then they returned to their discussion.

    Anna looked down at Kire in anger. "You know that I��m your mate. You can��t growl at me like that."

    Kire growled again, but this time, Jasmine reprimanded him.

    "Don��t do that, Kire." She warned. "Stay."

    He whimpered sadly, then sat beside her and put his paws on the floor before cing his head on them.

    "I��m sorry about that." Jasmine apologized. "He isn��t usually this harsh. He is quite friendly with people."

    Anna red at her. "I had it all under control. And what do you mean by people? I��m his mate. I didn��t need you to stop him from doing anything. Moreover there was no way he was going to attack me."

    Jasmine sighed .

    "Of course." Jasmine wasn��t interested in any of Anna��s taunts.

    Anna eyed her tummy. "I hope you��re taking good care of niece and nephew."

    "My baby is fine!" Jasmine snapped at Anna.

    Anna was taken aback.

    Jasmine had never really spoken back at her before.

    This was new.

    Jasmine on the other hand was surprised at how sharply she had spoke to Anna.

    It was as if from the moment she knew that she was with child, her motherly instincts hade to life.

    A threat to her baby was a threat to her and she reacted to it quickly.

    Jasmine quickly put her arms around her baby.

    "My baby is fine." Jasmine repeated.

    A mean smile sprung up on Anna��s face. "Of course she is. And I really hope you are going to relish these moments with the baby before time goes by."

    Jasmine��s eyes narrowed in suspicion.

    "What do you mean by that?" Jasmine asked her.

    "Mean by what?" Anna asked.

    But Jasmine knew that Anna knew exactly what she was talking about.

    "By me saying you should relish these moments of you with your baby before time goes by?" Anna asked. "I mean you aren��t going to protect and hold your baby in there forever. You are going to eventually be separated from your baby once you give birth to her."

    Jasmine started to panic.

    Anna wasn��t just saying anything.

    She knew well that she had inner meanings to her words.

    What did she mean by she would be separated from her baby?

    Something was wrong and she could smell it.

    "If you try to harm me and my child, I won��t take it easy with you." Jasmine warned.

    "Oh so Jasmine now has a sharp mouth." Anna giggled.

    "I��m warning you. This isn��t just about me anymore. You can hurt me and you can make fun of me the way you always have, but a threat to my child, and I would show you a part of me that you never knew existed."

    Anna��s face went white and in shock.

    Jasmine had never in her entire life spoken to her in such a manner.

    Never.

    She genuinely felt threatened.

    The men were still both discussing and barely paid any attention to what was happening.

    And then Kire growled at Anna.

    It was not a loud growl. It was low one, a warning.

    Her own mate��s wolf was choosing Jasmine��s side over hers?

    She swallowed.

    There was no way he was going to hurt her.

    He was her mate, he owed her loyalty.

    As if sensing that she didn��t think he would do any harm, Kire growled and showed his teeth while taking a step forward towards her.

    Anna felt the fear in her bones.

    He would rip her apart if he was given the chance to.

    "Kire." Jasmine gently cajole and the giant wolf slowly covered his teeth and took a step back.

    Jasmine looked back at Anna who was burning in rage.

    How dare Jasmine.

    "Stay away from me." Jasmine warned her.

    Seeing that she was outnumbered and most definitely not wee, Anna had no choice but to back out.

    She got up from the bed and looked at Jasmine .

    "For now." Anna said. "But I will be here to make sure your nightmarese true."

    And then Anna finally walked away.

    She headed to where Xaden was.

    "I offered Jasmine my assistance anytime she needed help." Jasmine heard Anna lie tantly. "But I don��t think she still wants to have anything to do with me. I only wanted to help with my little niece or nephew and she said such awful things to me."

    Jasmine heard Anna weep and Jasmine rolled her eyes in irritation at the exaggeration.

    "She even made Kire go against me." Anna said. "And he is my mate. Why does she continue to do such things to me?"

    "But Kire is your mate and he is usually gentle." Xaden said. "I don��t think Jasmine could put him against you."

    Jasmine felt her heart soften a bit.

    Xaden had just stood for her.

    "Are you calling me a liar?" Anna asked. "You��re my brother and you��re taking an outsider��s word over your own flesh and blood?"

    "Of course not." Xaden said.

    "You were also an outsider only until recently too Anna." Erik said.

 Chapter 383: FOREVER AN OUTSIDER

    <h4>Chapter 383: FOREVER AN OUTSIDER</h4>

    The entire room went hush.

    Anna, who had been weeping, was so stunned her tears froze.

    She was rendered speechless.

    Erik must have realized what he said because he began to apologize.

    "Anna, I am sorry." He said. "That��s now what I meant.

    But she jerked her hand free from her brother��s grasp and red at both of them.

    "I was never wee here. Back in the moonlight pack, I was an outsider, and now, in my own home, where I could finally call home, I am an outsider?" Anna demanded. "After everything that I witnessed in the moonlight pack. All the awful things Jasmine and her parents did to me. And now she wins? It��s not enough that she torments and makes fun of me

    "My own brother." She said she looked sharply at Xaden. "And my own mate?"

    And then she looked sharply at Erik.

    She shook her head.

    "I expected this from anyone else, but not the only ones I view as family. Now I know I would never belong here

    And before either of the two men could stop her, she raced out of the room.

    Erik sighed and turned to Xaden.

    "I��ll go after her."

    And then he went. "Anna, wait."

    Xaden stepped into the room and closed the door shut.

    Jasmine got up from her bed.

    "You shouldn��t be getting up from your bed." Xaden said. "You should be resting."

    "I��m pregnant. Not bedridden. Plus, I don��t think the baby likes staying in one ce." She said quickly, hiding the fact that she had been snappy with him

    He seemed to ignore it. "How do you know? Can you feel it?"

    Jasmine shrugged. "I don��t know. But my body. I just know what she likes and doesn��t."

    "She?" Xaden asked, surprised. "Marie said we weren��t to know the gender until it had gone far along."

    He came and stood closer to her and the setting sunlight streaked against his face and his onyx eyes were enhanced.

    She felt her heart skip.

    "Yes. But I know it��s going to be a boy."

    She quickly said.

    He nodded and hovered around one of the tables.

    "Jasmine, you are here because I want you

    here." He said. "Not because I want you to terrorize my sister-

    She started to exin. "I swear it. That was not what happened-

    He ignored her and kept on talking. "Or kiss my second in gamma."

    She went red at thest part.

    So he had seen Erik kiss her forehead.

    She swallowed. "That��s not what happened. He only kissed my forehead."

    "But it was a kiss nheless." Xaden pointed out.

    Jasmine felt herself go red again because she had just admitted it.

    "Yes... uhm.. but... er not in that way." Jasmine stuttered.

    "I don��t take well to women whoring themselves around." Xaden said. "Especially not a woman carrying my child."

    Jasmines mouth when shut.

    "I��m sorry." She apologized. "But I see Erik as just a friend. He has been kind to me?"

    "A friend to you? Erik?" He asked me. "You can��t see Erik as a friend to you. Do you know why? Because your fathered murdered Erik��s wife in cold blood while their daughter watched in a wardrobe just like I did. Your father took away Erik��s life and took a mother from a child. Erik would never forget that and that��s why Erik would never be a friend to you."

    Jasmine felt cold.

    She had heard the story of Erik��s family and the unfortunate doom that had befallen them.

    But hearing Xaden saying it all over again made her feel so guilty.

    But with Erik, she hadn��t sensed any hint of anger or resentment from him.

    Or maybe she was too blind to see.

    "And for my sister." Xaden said. "She had wanted a mate her entire life. Why would you turn Kire against her?"

    "I didn��t." Jasmine exined. "She threatened me, and Kire was upset. I told her to back off. That was all that happened."

    "But all Anna wants to do is help you. Despite the awful things you did to her in the moonlight pack. She still wants to help you." Xaden said.

    Jasmine shook her head.

    Xaden would forever take Anna��s side because he believed her lies that she had been unjustly maltreated by Jasmine.

    There was no one else to counter the lie other than Jasmine.

    It was forever going to be he said, she says matter.

    "I��m sorry." Jasmine said, just for peace to reign. "I��ll see her after, and I��ll apologize."

    Xaden stopped.

    It seemed he hadn��t expected the apology.

    He shifted ufortably and nodded.

    "I have made a decision about you and the baby." He said.

    Jasmine felt her heart begin to speed even faster.

    "First of all. What do you want?" He asked her.

    Since when had her opinion been relevant?

    "I apologize but what do you mean by what do I want?" She asked him lost.

    "For the baby, I want you to tell me what you want." He exined better.

    Jasmine sighed and thought about it thoroughly. "I want my baby to have a good life��the life he deserves and nothing less. I want him to grow up with love and happiness. That��s all I want."

    He nodded and then folded his arms.

    "After much thought and deliberation." He stated. "I have decided that our child would be born and raised in this pack as my heir."

    Jasmine gave a sigh of relief and closed her eyes to thank the goddess for her kindness and for answering her prayers.

    "And for that to happen, once you give birth you would be free of any obligations towards him. You would also be handsomely rewarded and given more than enough to start a new life."

    Jasmine froze.

    "What?"

    She felt her heart racing so fast and her head behind to spin.

    "W.... Wh.... What do y.. you mean by th.. a..t?" She stuttered.

    "You would not raise the baby." Xaden said

 Chapter 384: SURROGATE

    <h4>Chapter 384: SURROGATE</h4>

    �� You would not raise the baby�� was all that hammered into Jamsine��s head.

    It was all she heard and all she saw.

    He was calling her name, but she was barely listening to him.

    "Jasmine. Jasmine."

    And then she snapped back to reality of her own ord. "What do you mean by I would raise the baby? I don��t understand you."

    He sighed heavily and said. "You are not capable of raising this child. You have no experience or skill in raising it."

    Jasmine wanted to lose her mind.

    Was this happening?

    Was he saying this to her?

    It sounded bizarre, unbelievable!

    "What do you mean by skills?" She asked him, confused.

    What in the name of the goddess was he saying?

    "The women of highbrow packs are raised to care for their pups," Xaden exined. "It��s something they know how to do since they were little. You have no experience of that due to your kidnapping."

    And she remembered the story she had lied about.

    She had lied that she had been kidnapped by their enemy��s pack and forced to live as a ve in a bid to make him believe that she was indeed Bale��s daughter.

    At this point she wanted to lie and use Anna��s lie to her advantage.

    After all, Anna had said that Jasmine had lived a better life than her.

    But what did it matter?

    There were people from poor backgrounds grounds who had raised good children regardless of whether they were from high-brow packs or not

    "I can," Jasmine said. "I mean, before I was kidnapped from our pack, my stepmother raised me properly. I know how to do things."

    He picked up her hands and gently touched her palms. "Your hands are tough. You have had a difficult life. I would want you to suffer again."

    Her eyes widened in shock.

    What did he mean he didn��t want her to suffer again?

    "This is my child that I would carry for eleven months." Jasmine screamed. "My child. I decided to take a risk with my life to have this child. I could die."

    "And that is why I said the child would be raised here. What if you die? Who would take care of the child." He asked.

    She blinked.

    She knew he didn��t like her, but this was the worst thing he had ever said to her.

    What if she died?

    So, she never meant anything to him.

    He didn��t even care if she died.

    She was just a medium to give him a child that he had never wanted.

    She shook her head. "Xaden, please don��t do this. This is my flesh and blood."

    "It��s mine too." He stated. "I had told you to get rid of it, but you didn��t listen. I want to provide the baby with the security I can give."

    "I have enemies, Jasmine!" He snapped. "Enemies in numbers. The royal family is my enemy; they have the strongest wolf soldiers in the entire realm. They could use this against me. One wrong move, and they could end me. I can��t let them take the baby or you away. I can protect the child. I can give it everything it desires. But I can��t protect you, and I would never forgive myself if something terrible happened to yo-

    He cut himself short.

    He sighed heavily and rubbed his eyes in exhaustion.

    "If something bad happens to who?" She asked after it was apparent he would not finish his sentence.

    "Forget about it." He said more calmly now. "This is for the best. I promise you that no harm would befall this child. Once you put your birth, the child would be well taken care of, and I would reward you with riches so much that you will neverck."

    "I DON��T FUCKING CARE ABOUT YOUR RICHES!" Jasmine screamed for the first time in her entire life.

    She screamed so loud that Xaden was so shocked and taken aback.

    She was breathing heavily.

    "I don��t care about your riches." She snapped at him. "They can go and rot in hell for all I care. This baby is mine. I can raise my child. Do you have any fucking idea how much I have suffered?

    "Any idea what I have endured?!" Jasmine barked at him. "Do you????? I was born to a ve. My mother died giving birth to me. When would you ever understand that this is beyond you? It��s not just about you it��s about me. The unspeakable things that I endured in the pack. The horrors. Because I was the child of an affair, I had no one. The only person who managed to raise me was Urma. And even with Urma, there were limits to what she could do."

    He said nothing, and then she rose to her feet. "You think I��m a liar. That��s all you see me as. Isn��t it?"

    Then she turned her back to him and tore her dress and, revealed the lines and brutal scars she bore from her time in the moonlight pack.

    She heard him swear under his breath.

    "This is what I faced. These are brutalities that I was dealt with. Because I had no one to save me."

    She turned back to face him as she held the front bodice of her dress to prevent it from falling.

    "Bale was my father." She said. "The same way you are the father of this child. And he turned his back on me. He looked away from me while Luna Maria and your sister tormented me. He did nothing."

    Jasmine shook her head, and then her eyes were zing with emotions.

    "My father didn��t save me." She stated matter of fact. "He gave me up to his worst enemy. All because I was a product of an affair he had with a ve. He didn��t care about me. He didn��t care if you killed me. This goes down to the fact that I never had anyone to love me. I never did. Now, with all I have experienced, what makes you think that you would be any different?"

 Chapter 385: NO HEARTS

    <h4>Chapter 385: NO HEARTS</h4>

    Xaden started to speak. "Jasmine I-

    "What makes you even believe that I would think you would be different from my father? Different from everything that I faced? Tell me." She said, her eyes filled with tears.

    "You never even wanted the baby in the first ce. At least with my father, I don��t know if he wanted me." Jasmine stated. "But you wanted me to kill your flesh and blood."

    "It��s not like that." He said weakly. "I never wanted to have a child because of what happened to my parents. I have never told anyone this, but I told you. The reason why I don��t have a family today is because of what Bale did to us. He used us as leverage against my father. I never want to be in that situation."

    He sighed and looked up at the ceiling.

    He closed his eyes and took an intense breath before looking back down at Jasmine and saying,

    "I don��t want to be backed into a Corner. I don��t want to have my enemies take my child and use it against me because I would fall. Because I would not live with myself if anything happened. Even to you. I can��t let my enemies take you and use you as leverage against me".

    Jasmine was taken aback by his words.

    "You are throwing me away." She said. "There is no way that you are-

    "I CARE ABOUT YOU!" He snapped.

    She stopped, unable to say a word, her breathing so heavy she thought she would die.

    "I care about you." He repeated much more quietly. "In ways that I shouldn��t care about you. You shouldn��t mean anything to me".

    He dragged her hand and pulled her towards therge French windows.

    "What are you doing?" She asked him.

    "I��m showing you." He replied.

    Once they were at the French windows, he pushed the curtains open, and the moonlight showed into her bedroom.

    It was already nighttime.

    He turned to face her, and then he took off his chest.

    Under his left nipple was a mark that formed like a zig-zag.

    She looked closely and saw that it was stitched.

    She had never in her life seen it before.

    Her mouth opened in question.

    "When I told you that I never wanted to have a child. I never wanted to be backed into a corner where my enemies would use things against me; I meant business."

    He looked down at his chest. "I don��t have a heart."

    That stopped her right in her tracks.

    Her own heart beat so fast that she believed she could hear it.

    "Years ago." He said. "When I decided that I wanted to pursue Bale. When I was certain that I wanted to avenge my family and my pack, I knew that love was a weakness. Love was the one thing that made my father weak. I was never going to let myself fall into such a predicament."

    "So you took out your heart." Jasmine finished for him.

    "I took out my heart." He confirmed. "That way, I was never going to love anyone. I can care about my people, but I would never love anyone. When it boils down to being backed into a corner, I would make a decision based on the most logical not one based on my heart. I also took away the ability to have children. That��s why I have never bred with any wolf. Never."

    Jasmine was too shocked to understand the words he spoke.

    He didn��t have a heart? At all?

    And he had also taken away his ability to have children.

    "Having children would render me weak. In this part of the world. As an alpha, where I stand, children make you weak." He stated. "Look at Queen Rose; she went half insane after she lost her daughter. To this day, she has never recovered. She still feels from what happened. And it has made her vulnerable to her enemies."

    Jasmine briefly remembered seeing the mark when he had first been nude in her front, but she had assumed that it was from war.

    Perhaps a scar.

    But never in her wildest imaginations didn��t she think this was why.

    "And I have only ever cared for anyone since then." He said and a dark smile spring on his face.

    "But you, Jasmine." He pointed out. "With you, I��ve cared more. I have felt more. And I don��t understand why. My seed has grown with you, and that has never happened with anyone. Why you? An unshifted wolf. You aren��t even a wolf. I have met many women. Some had even reached the rank of Alpha. But you, you are so simple and yet so different."

    And then he very gently tucked a loose fire curl behind her ear.

    "With you, I feel more than I ever have." He said. "You broke the boundaries that I step on my soul."

    She looked up at him with her green eyes, and then he cupped her cheek, staring down.

    It felt like he could see her entire soul.

    "My enemies would use you against me." He said. "I can never let that happen."

    She went quiet for a while before finding her voice.

    "Xaden we can make this happen." She said. "You can keep me and the baby in the pack that way no one would ever use us against you. No one would harm us."

    And then he quickly withdrew.

    "Now you��re trying to use my emotions to your advantage." He said.

    "No." She swallowed. "I would never do that."

    He out on back his shirt and it seemed like the vulnerable side of him that he had shown had vanished into thin air.

    It was now reced with rigid and aloof Xaden.

    The same Xaden who never cared or showed any emotions.

    "I have decided that I would marry my mate Lily." He said.

    Jasmine felt she had been delivered a physical blow.

    "Wh...whuu... what?" She stuttered.

    "Lily is my mate." He said. "And is from a high-brow family just like mine. My uncle would fully give the rest of my father��s pack once he is confident in our mating ceremony."

    Jasmine felt her throat go sour.

    "And Lily qualifies with the skills you im Ick?" Jasmine asked him.

    "Yes." He said. "She would raise the baby well, and no harm would evere to him. We would be married, and our son would be my heir."

    Jasmine looked at him, stunned as he spoke like a man.

    "But you married me." She stated matter of fact.

    "My marriage and binding to you was under dire circumstances and it would be dissolved." He said. "We don��t belong together."

 Chapter 386: A CHANGE OF HEART

    <h4>Chapter 386: A CHANGE OF HEART</h4>

    Jasmine felt dazed.

    The very one thing that she had been running away from was ying right in her face.

    Life had a very funny way of showing itself.

    She who had been the daughter of a ve.

    Now her child was going to be the daughter of a ve.

    Her mother had been forced to abandon her child with Alpha��s wife Luna Maria.

    Jasmine was being forced to leave her child to Alpha Xaden��s mate and future wife, Lily.

    Everything she was afraid of, everything she had tried her best to prevent was happening.

    She imagined her child facing a worst fate than she ever did and she had shivers down her spine.

    No true mother would let that happen to their own child.

    "Jasmine I promise you nothing is going to happen to the child." Xaden started to speak.

    "Why?" She asked quietly.

    "I beg your pardon." He asked.

    "Why are you doing this to me?" She asked. "After everything that I have faced you still chose to do this to me."

    "I��m not doing anything to you." He said. "This is the best decision there is. After you give birth you can leave this ce. Start a new life."

    "Then let me leave with my child!" She begged. "You don��t even want the baby in the first ce so let me leave with it. I swear by the goddess who made me live you would never ever hear from me again. We would not disturb your life. We would change our names. We would change everything. Go to a ce where no one knows us. You have take everything from me. You have stripped me of every good thing that I have, leave me with my child."

    He shook his head. "I��m sorry Jasmine. This can��t happen."

    "YOU DO NOT EVEN WANT THE CHILD!" She screamed. "You never even wanted it. If you are so scared of letting the people use the child against you or even me, then why bother keeping the baby here? Why not send me away. Who not send the both of us away?"

    "Jasmine I��m doing it for your own good." He said as he touched her arm and she jerked free. He sighed. "You need to understand this. If you want the baby to have a good life, then you would see that this is the best offer. You would see that this is the best decision we can make."

    She was quiet for a while.

    "Get out." Jasmine finally said .

    He remained standing, uncertain he had heard well.

    She grabbed a ss of wine and flung it him.

    He dodged having the whole bottle hit his head but shards of the ss hit his face.

    "I said get out you bastard!" She screamed throwing more things. "Get out you monster! You are worse than my father! You are worse than anyone I have ever met! GET OUT!"

    She kept on throwing things at him, at the door everywhere.

    He had to keep on dodging.

    "Jasmine take it easy." He pleaded. "Jasmine you have to please take it easy. You��re going to hurt yourself and the baby."

    Sheughed. "Stop acting like you care. You don��t care about anything."

    And then she flung a tray at him.

    "You are as bad as everyone says you are." She said. "The rumors I heard about you, they were all true."

    And then she grabbed a pillow and threw it at him.

    He dodged it and was at her side in a split second before she could do anymore damage.

    "Jasmine you need to calm down." He said as he caught her arms and refrained her from throwing anything.

    She struggled under his grasp.

    "Don��t tell me to calm down." She snapped. "Stop telling me what to do. Let me leave. Let me and my child go somewhere far from all of this."

    And then she burst into tears, then he held her and she wept.

    She cried for so long that her body shook and then after a short while she was asleep in his arms.

    He felt her weak body and realized that she was tired.

    He gentlyy her down in the bed.

    The doors were opened and the guards along with Erik came in.

    "What the devil happened here?" Erik asked confused.

    "Shhh." Xaden stopped him.

    Jasmine turned in the bed, and for a second when Xaden thought she would return to sleep, continued sleeping.

    Erik quietly tip toed to the bed and looked around.

    "Gods. What happened here?" Erik whispered.

    "Jamsine happened." Xaden remarked as he gently put the covers over her.

    He touched her forehead to be sure that her temperature wasn��t burning.

    And when he was sure that she was fine, he very gently rose up from the bed and motioned to Erik to follow him.

    They very gently tried their best to avoid ramming into any of the broken objects she had flung at him.

    Once they were at the door, Xaden gently closed it shut behind him and turned to face the rest of the men

    "You��rete for the party." Xaden said. "All of you. Imagine I was dead by now."

    "Sorry." They apologized.

    Xaden waved his hands, dismissing them.

    Once they had gone Erik could barely blink at him.

    "Xaden did you go to war there?" Erik asked lost.

    "Jamsine threw a fit. She didn��t take leaving her baby too well." Xaden said as he itched the back of his head.

    "I told you," Erik pointed out. "Jasmine doesn��t care about those things. Money any of that. She just wants to raise her child."

    "I can tell." Xaden said calmly. And he took in a deep breath.

    "She said she didn��t want her child to be raised the way she was." Xaden said. "What does that even mean? Jasmine was raised by her parents. She kept on saying things. I know that Maria was her step mother but I don��t get it."

    "An advice?" Erik said. "Jasmine isn��t going to give up her child without a fight. It��s the only thing she has probably ever fought for her in her life and she won��t give up so easily."

    "How do you know how this well?" Xaden asked confused.

    "She isn��t hard to open up." Erik said. You just need to understand who she is more."

    "I don��t think I want to take the baby away from Jasmine." Xaden said as it hit him. "I don��t think I want to."

    Erik looked relieved. "I think that��s the best decision you can make."

 Chapter 387: AN EAVESDROPPER

    <h4>Chapter 387: AN EAVESDROPPER</h4>

    As Xaden and Erik spoke, Lisa was behind a wall overhearing their discussion.

    She took in everything she heard and once the men had left, she popped her head out of her hiding ce to peek.

    She looked left and right to be sure that there was no one and hurried out of her hiding ce.

    Then she tip toed to therge door and very gently opened it.

    True to what Alpha Xaden had said, Jasmin was sound asleep.

    She closed it shut and went on her way.

    Lisa was blessed to always know where gossip was.

    If it was gossip, she was at the spot.

    She hurried off to Anna��s room and opened the door.

    "Cant you knock?" Anna hissed irritated.

    Lisa didn��t like Anna.

    Not one bit.

    But since Aurora had died, she was her best bet to achieving her goals and schemes.

    Anna waszy, dirty and selfish.

    She had never met any she wolf as dreadful as she was!

    Lisa didn��t understand why Alpha Xaden couldn��t see how horrible his sister was.

    But Lisa had to pretend and maintain appearances.

    If Anna knew that she couldn��t bare her, or how she truly felt about her, then she could kiss her dreams goodbye.

    "My apologies your grace." Lisa apologized as she curtseyed.

    Anna scowled and then turned back to her mirror as she tried on new jewelry .

    "You cane in." Anna said. "You might be useful in helping me choose new jewelry for my trip to the Royal Pack."

    Lisa came towards the mirror and stood behind Anna .

    "I have news." Lisa said and Anna crossed her brows. "Bad news."

    "What is it?" Anna asked. "Well get on with it. Tell me."

    "I don��t think your brother intends on sending Jamsine away after the birth of the child." Lisa said

    Anna rolled her eyes and returned back to her mirror. "Is that what has you so worried? Don��t worry my brother has given Lily his word already. They would have their mating ceremony and she would take the child."

    "That��s not what I heard him telling Erik outside yourte mother��s bedroom door just now." Lisa emphasized.

    That caught Anna��s attention and she looked sharply at her. "What did you hear him say."

    Lisa sighed. "He doesn��t want to take the child away anymore. He wants to keep her after the birth and I believe he has more intentions for her in the pack."

    "That��s not possible." Anna said her face turning upside down. "Lily said he had told her he was going to make her his mate for life. He can��t do that."

    "That��s what he said I��m afraid. I am so sorry to deliver such bad news to you and-

    "LET ME THINK!" Anna hissed harshly at Lisa.

    Lisa went silent.

    She hated the bitch so much. She hated her as much as she hated Jasmine perhaps even more.

    Even Aurora had never been this bad with her.

    Oh how she couldn��t wait to get rid of her once and for all!

    Soon!

    For now all she had to do was take the insults and disrespect.

    Anna got up from her chair and began pacing the room back and forth.

    She tied her dress robe and snapped at Lisa. "Come with me now."

    And then Lisa followed her as she stormed out of her bedchamber and went past hallways before finally arriving at Lily��s bed chamber.

    Anna opened it without knocking and found Lily reading a book.

    "You frightened me." Lily said cing her hand on her chest.

    "I��m so sorry to impose on you sote but it was the most urgent." Anna said.

    Lily looked at her and then closed her book shut.

    "You have my attention." Lily said.

    "I thought you had spoken to my brother and convinced him that he was to marry you and you would take away that ve��s child."

    "Yes I did." Lily nodded.

    "You didn��t convince him enough." Anna said irritated. "From what I have gathered he is now taking back his words and wants Jasmine to stay. He isn��t giving you the child��s anymore."

    Lily��s eyes narrowed. "That��s not possible. He told me he was going to tell her tonight."

    "I thought so too." Anna said. "But she overheard them and he has changed his mind."

    Lily now seemed worried.

    "Why would he do that?" Lily said panicking.

    "Maybe that��s because Jasmine has more Witt��s and is a lot more cunning than you are." Anna snapped in annoyance and then she apologized. "I��m sorry I didn��t mean that. I��m just exhausted. She is a witch and she should be with my brother."

    Lily cleared her throat. "I understand."

    "Do you?" Anna asked. "Because I don��t think so. If Jasmine gives birth to this child and stays in the pack, she is going to win his heart. He wouldpletely forget and reject you. And that would be the end of it."

    "So what do you think we can do?" Lily asked frantically.

    "We will have toe up with something else." Anna said.

    After a while Lisa said. "Why don��t we n a kidnapping and someone could be paid to kill her? That way she would be gone for good."

    "That��s not such a bad idea." Anna acknowledged. "Why haven��t we ever thought of that. The only problem we would have is how this would happen. She knows I hate her so she would never evere anywhere with me".

    "Same with me." Lisa said.

    And then they turned and looked at Lily.

    She was the only person who had been rtively kind to Jasmine.

    "You think I should be the one?" Lily asked.

    "Yes. You would be the perfect person. Everyone likes you. If something happens and she is kidnapped while you are there then no one would think you are lying." Anna pointed out.

    Lily seemed deep in thought.

    "I don��t know about this."

    "If you want something you have to take it whether in a good way or a bad way. Now do you want to be with my brother or not?" Anna asked.

    After a while Lily nodded.

    "Okay I do."

    "Good." Anna said. "This is what is going to happen."

 Chapter 388: The Queen’s invitation

    <h4>Chapter 388: The Queen��s invitation</h4>

    <strong>THE ROYAL PALACE</strong>

    Queen Rose was in her study going through the new set or rules and orders .

    She had specifically requested for all thews that had been passed since she was out of power.

    Now that she had returned she was going through them and pin pointing what she wasfortable with and what she wasn��t.

    She massaged her brows as the fire burned hard over her papers.

    "Rose."

    She looked up and saw Hildegard, her best friend and personal hand maiden.

    Hildegard did not refer to her by her title.

    They had gotten so close and used to each other that they saw each other as equal women.

    Thest time she had called her by her title since they were children was when Rose had decided that her sister Cherrye and Join them in the castle.

    Hildegard had been so vehemently against it, but Rose was certain that she woulde around.

    And she did, but they both a maintained distance.

    "It��ste." Hildegardined. "You should be resting."

    "I haven��t been through the work of the kingdom for over twenty years now." Rose replied as she leaned back in her chair. "I have rested more than enough."

    "You can��t finish it all up this night." Hildegard remarked. "Come to bed."

    "Cherry would want to do them and she has done more than enough ever since she returned." Rose said.

    Hildegard��s facial expression changed and you could tell that she was displeased.

    "I know that you don��t like Cherry but she has doing a lot of work since she returned. Give her that credit." Rose said with a smile.

    There was something else, Rose had noticed that something was amiss with Cherry.

    She didn��t want to give Hildegard the hint yet because she wasn��t so sure and she knew that Hildegard would capitalize on it.

    Once she was certain about it, she would let in on it.

    There had been I consistencies with the things she had begun looking into.

    For instance Cherry seemed to have some dealing with a distant group of wolves that Rose had personally sent on exile.

    She didn��t want to believe it to be true.

    Cherry was her only sibling since her parents and younger brother had died in the ship wreck.

    But she had been forced to be a Queen and set her feelings aside and sent a discreet Gamma that was good at sourcing out informations.

    For now she waited to hear what he had to say.

    Hildegard sighed. "If you say so."

    Then she handed the letter she held under her arm.

    "This came this evening." Hildegard informed.

    "What is it?" Rose asked as she looked down at the seal.

    It was the crest from the Xaden��s pack.

    "It��s from Xaden��s pack." Hildegard said.

    Rose opened and read through it.

    "He has epted the invite and he would be here with his sister, mate and Jasmine." Rose said with a smile.

    She was delighted to know that Jasmine woulde.

    Thest time she had seen her, she had been in chains.

    She was such a sweet girl and she looked just like how she had expected Scarlet to be when she was around her age.

    She was as kind and as gentle as Scarlet and she gave her so much joy.

    "It still amazes me." Hildegard said. "That after everything Bale still stole Xaden��s sister. How evil could he be?"

    "I wish we did something more about it." Rose said sadly. "We could have prevented it. I just hope that him killing Bale would be retribution for everything. He has sister now and even a mate. I��m bringing him here to personally apologize for everything that happened. It can��t change anything, but I really hope it brings a better ending."

    "You��re a good queen." Hildegard said.

    At that moment the door was opened and Cherry came in.

    "Hi baby sister." Cherry greeted all excited.

    Hildegard��s face fell.

    "I would be on my way." Hildegard said and left the room immediately.

    "Why is she so rude and snotty?" Cherry asked Rose.

    "You just don��t understand her." Rose remarked.

    "Hmm." And then Cherry picked up the envelope. "What��s this?"

    She opened it without permission.

    "It��s an eptance from Alpha Xaden. He would being here." Rose said as Cherry read through the contents.

    "I see." Cherry mumbled.

    Rose wasn��t so sure.

    Cherry seemed too okay with it for her liking.

    She dismissed her thoughts and said. "Yes. And you along with I and the rest of the royal family would issue an apology to him."

    Cherry��s brows crossed. "He killed Bale. What does he want an apology for?"

    "Cherry he lost his family." Rose said irritated at her sister��s selfishness. "And if I can recall it was due to your careless that we never got word about Bale��s attack on his family. We could have saved them."

    "Are you ming me now?" Cherry asked visibly annoyed. "I exined what happened and you still me me."

    Rose sighed. "I��m not ming you. It��s been a long day. He has been through a lot and a vocal apology won��t take anything from us. That��s the least we can do for him and that is what we would do."

    Rose looked back down at her scrolls and was oblivious to her sister��s gritted teeth in anger.

    "And Jasmine." Cherry said. "Why is sheing along? She isn��t important. Shouldn��t he get rid of her?"

    "The girl has suffered more than enough Cherry." Rose said. "I read it in the Royal report. It��s all been so cruel what happened to her and how she was forced to be sold to Xaden��s pack. She deserves an apology too."

    "Over my mother��s dead body." Cherry spat bitterly.

    That took Rose by surprised.

    Why was Cherry so vehemently against this girl.

    "I��m sorry I didn��t mean it like that." Cherry apologized. "It��s just that. She is the daughter of the enemy. Whether half or fully his child. You need to understand where Ie from. What if shees for us all."

    "I understand your fear." Rose stated. "But Jasmine wouldn��t do that."

    "She is the beginning of our nightmare if she-

    Cherry shut her mouth immediately.

 Chapter 389: THE INTRUDER

    <h4>Chapter 389: THE INTRUDER</h4>

    Rose stopped working on her report.

    "What do you mean by she is the beginning of our nightmare." Rose asked.

    Cherry sighed. "Nothing. I just don��t want something going wrong. She could still hate us for what happened to her father and just like you said she has suffer a great deal. The best thing we should do I give her some money and send her far away on exile. You have to be honest she did disobey our Laws."

    Rose had this feeling that her sister was not being honest and that there was more to this story than she knew.

    "She is a sweet girl that won��t harm anyone." Rose said as she crossed her fingers together. "I know her."

    "You don��t even know anything about her!"Cherry spat viciously.

    "And do you?" Rose countered.

    Cherry blinked at her sister and red her nostrils.

    "Tell me. What is so bad that you have against this girl?" Rose asked leaning closer.

    "Nothing." Cherry smiled. "I just don��t want a repetition of our mistakes."

    Rose didn��t trust her.

    "And also she looks like Scarlett and I know how that makes you feel." Cherry chipped in.

    "Scarlett is dead." Rose said. "She isn��ting back and j have epted it. I don��t think that Jasmine is some Scarlett reborn. That would be ridiculous."

    "I know." Cherry acknowledged. "I just care for you and I don��t want anyone to hurt or lie to you. I heard the stories of the girls who came iming to be Scarlett."

    Rose bit her bottom lip at the cold memories.

    After Cherry had been exiled from the Kingdom, due to the Queen��s search of her missing daughter, there had been a number of girls who hade to the pce iming they were Scarlett.

    There had even been one who had looked so much like Scarlett she bought, and moved to the royal pack house.

    She had gone around impersonating Scarlett and the Queen had been relieved until she had discovered that the girl had used ck magic to resemble her daughter.

    Rose had been so devastated, it had affected her health.

    "I don��t want this girl toe and lie to you and I can��t watch you be hurt again." Cherry said.

    Rose managed a stiff smile. "I am fine and I can take care of myself. Thank you."

    "Of course." Cherry said. "I only wanted to check up on you. I would be on my way."

    She went around and kissed Rose��s cheeks.

    "Goodnight sister."

    "Goodnight."

    And Cherry went out the room.

    Once Rose heard the door shut, she revealed her trembling hands that she had hidden.

    She saw and felt it shake so violently and she bent down to look for her medicinal herbs.

    Her wolf had grown so weak and unable to resist the attack.

    It had happened after she had returned from the Halo festival.

    She had not had an attack in years.

    The very first time she had had one was after her parents had died and she had ascended the throne.

    She couldn��t exin it and had gotten all the best physicians to find out what was wrong but none ever did.

    It had stopped and now hade back times three more powerful.

    She still hasn��t told anyone because she knew that if they were aware, she would be forced to step down from the crown.

    She couldn��t.

    She found the herbs and quickly poured it in her mouth.

    She fell down to the floor as she struggled with the pain.

    It eventually subdued after a few minutes and she very gently helped herself up and sat down on the chair.

    She felt water at feet and she looked down under her desk and saw that tea a maid had brought in for her had crashed on the floor.

    She sighed in heavily and rose back up from the table and gasped at the woman standing before her.

    Rose growled and then her hands turned to ws as she shed at the intruder.

    The woman was gone from her front and now stood by therge chest of drawers.

    "Your majesty. I intend you no harm." The woman said.

    Rose who was still weak from the effect of the attack, struggled to control her wolf.

    Her wolf returned back in and she was left vulnerable with her intruder.

    She stumbled and stepped back on the broken Ceramic.

    It pierced into her feet and blood spilled.

    "Gods." Rose swore. And then she snapped back up at the woman. "Who are you? How did you get here?"

    "You don��t remember me?" The woman who was very young asked. "I was the mage at your court when you lost your daughter."

    And then it hit rose.

    She was the woman who had told her that her daughter was still alive and then subtly vanished into thin air never to be found again.

    "You." Rose said. "Where have you been all these years?"

    Rose stumbled and the woman was at her side.

    "You��re hurt." The woman said as she assisted her to the nearest reclining couch.

    Rose was forced to sit down and she closed her eyes as she suppressed the pain.

    "Where have you been all these years?" Rose asked.

    "I can��t tell you that." The woman asked.

    And then she used magic to very gently removed the shards of broken ceramic from her feet.

    The woman brought the shards to her hands and smelled it.

    "This." The woman said her eyes widened. "Where did you get this from?!"

    "It��s my daily tea." Rose said confused. "I take tea every morning and night. I mistakenly broke it."

    "Who gave you?" The woman emphasized this time more furious.

    Rose was lost. "The kitchen makes it. I have been taking this tea since I was a child."

    And then the woman grabbed Rose��s shaking hands.

    "I knew It." The woman said.

    Rose jerked her hand back. "What the hell is going on?"

    "You haven��t been taking any tea." The woman said. "You have been taking poison for a very long time."

 Chapter 390: THE POISON

    <h4>Chapter 390: THE POISON</h4>

    "I beg your pardon?" Queen Rose exmation in shock.

    "Yes." The woman informed her. "Your tea is a very dangerous herb made with magic. Someone with magic has meant for you to die."

    Rose was so taken aback by the news that she believed she was going to faint.

    Someone in her kingdom had been poisoning her?

    For how long she wondered.

    "How long?" Rose demanded unable to control her emotions.

    She was furious.

    "How long have you been feeling ill?" The woman asked her.

    Rose thought about it for a while .

    When she was a child she had never been sickly.

    It had been after she had ascended the throne.

    After she had her daughters .

    "After I had my girls." Rose said tears of rage burning at the far corners of her eyes. "After I gave birth I had been feeling ill. I didn��t tell anyone because I believed that it wasn��t quite serious until my daughter went missing. It got worse."

    "With the way you have consumed it." The woman said. "You should have been dead. But your powers as Queen Luna saved you and your daughters in your womb too. That��s why you didn��t die. But if you hadn��t found out and continued taking it, you would have eventually died."

    Rose��s mind was reeling.

    Spinning from the effect of the words.

    So her illness had been from poisoning.

    Someone in her own Kingdom had been poisoning her.

    "Who did this?" Rose demanded in rage.

    The woman shook her head. "I am afraid, I don��t know. You would have to trace who regrly makes your tea."

    Since her parents shipwreck, strict rules have even ced to prevent something bad from happening to Rose.

    There had been more security and her meals had been monitored.

    She had had only one meal taster all her life.

    It was one of her most trusted seven at a and she had been with her from the moment, thews had been enforced on her.

    "Your meal taster." The woman said. "If she was ever tasting your meal, then she should be dead a long time ago."

    "She is alive." Rose said. "She doesn��t look ill. She has only aged like everyone else."

    "You need to understand me." The woman said. "You are alive because you carried three powers of the royal wolf blood. Yours as you were still Queen and then you that of your daughters. That is the only reason why you are still alive to this day. If you had continued taking them for a year plus you would have been dead."

    Rose felt betrayed ultimately betrayed.

    Bernice had nned to kill her, all this while.

    But why?

    She had never done anything outright to hurt her, so why would she do this.

    "And if this servant of yours is just a mere maid." The woman said. "Then I don��t think she did this alone. The magic to make such a poison, is very difficult. Someone must have been practicing for years and very experienced."

    "Thank the gods you came." Rose said. "All these years I have been dying. And now you have saved your life".

    The woman��s face went cold.

    "What��s wrong?"

    "You aren��t really far from the danger." she expressed.

    "But you said I won��t die." Rose said weakly.

    "Not exactly." She said. "Like I said any normal wolf or even Alpha would have been well dead from that poison. You are still alive because of the powers to your crown. When the next heir ascends the throne, the powers would leave you and you would be vulnerable. This is years and and years of damage. You are just barely surviving. Once the power leaves you and finds your next heir, then you would die. You can��t survive."

    Rose felt as if she had received a massive blow to her chest.

    She was going to die?

    When her grand daughter ascended the throne.

    "There is nothing that can be done?" She asked in disbelief, her heart racing so quickly .

    The woman shook her head. "I��m sorry. Not unless you kill the next heir and make sure no one else sits on the throne."

    "The goddess forbid such a thing." Rose spat in disgust. "I can never kill my granddaughter or deny her of her right to seat on the throne because of my own selfish interest."

    "You are a Queen with honor." The woman said .

    "Please don��t tell anyone this." Queen Rose pleaded as she urgently grabbed the woman��s hands.

    "Of course your majesty." The woman promised. "Once you stop taking the tea and have more of the lyrun herb, then you won��t be ill anymore. But the damage is done."

    Rose rose to her feet from the couch.

    "Thank you for your help." Rose said. "I believe it is now time for me to find out who did this to me."

    "Wait." The woman said. "Back to why I am here. Your daughter survived."

    Rose froze, unable to move.

    She just stood there unable to speak .

    The hair on her body stood at attention.

    She felt like she was driving.

    "I believe she survived from drowning in theke." She informed her.

    Rose had been looking for her daughter this entire time, and had eventually been forced to give up.

    She had been forced to ept that her daub was dead.

    And now that she had, she was being told that she was alive?

    "If you��re here to deceive me." The frightened Queen said taking a step back. "Using my pains as a means to your satisfaction, then I promise you that you would regret it."

    "I would not lie to you." The woman said standing up to face her. "Not after what you have been through."

    "And yet you disappeared for almost twenty years." Rose said. "You disappeared from my court without a word and had made me believe that my child was alive. And here you are."

    "Your majesty I am very sorry. I know you don��t believe me." The woman said. "But I haven��t just disappeared. I have been looking for her. Searching for her all these years.l

    "And why should I believe you?" Rose snapped at her. "What do you have to gain for bringing my daughter back to me that you would search for her over twenty years.

    The woman went quiet at first and said.

    "Because Evil ising."

 Chapter 391: EVIL IS COMING

    <h4>Chapter 391: EVIL IS COMING</h4>

    "What do you mean Evil ising?" Rose��s eyes narrowed.

    "There was a prophecy that had been told thousands of years ago." The woman exined. "I believe that it ising true."

    "There are many prophecies that were told, and never came true. What made you believe that this would be any different?" Rose asked.

    "Because this is the one that all mages have spent their entire lives researching on." She exined. "It is by far the most deadly and we had researched, tried to make meaning of it for so long to the point we gave up. It became a tale, forgotten and abandoned."

    "Did you hear of the kraken that was released?" She asked. "That was in the prophecy. The fall of two of the great founding packs was foretold. Orion��s pack and Bale��s pack."

    "From the moment Orion��s pack was destroyed, I started to very gently follow the events that urred after it." She exined further. "And true to my suspicions they have beening to pass one after the other."

    "If they have, then why are you the only one who believes it? Why haven��t I heard of it?" Rose asked even though all she wanted to hear was about her daughter.

    "Because they don��t believe me. I tried to make them believe me, see things from my view, but they didn��t. Not the members of the head council at least. They think that I��m just seeing things. Only members of my sect. The fire me." She said.

    "Why does this concern you?" Rose asked.

    "Because I��m the seventy sixth leader of the fire me sect. We were created primarily to prevent this from happening."

    "Why does you think my daughter is alive?" Rose asked, her heart racing rapidly.

    "I never said your daughter is alive." She said.

    Rose wanted to kill her there and then .

    She was ying with her emotions.

    Rose growled at the woman

    "You came here to make fun of me. Okay games with my emotions didn��t you?"

    "No I didn��t." She quickly attempted to stop her from attacking her. "I never said that she is alive, I said she survived."

    Rose was very well lost at this point.

    The woman took in a very deep breath. "She survived and i believe she lived into adulthood." She said. "But somewhere along the line, she died."

    Rose felt her heart break into the tiniest pieces.

    Her wolf became emotional and then withdrew, leaving her as a vulnerable and weak she wolf.

    "I know it��s not what you wanted to hear and I am sorry." She apologized. "But she had a child. Her bloodline still flows."

    Rose��s eyes shown with spark and hope even though she didn��t want to buy anything.

    "That child is somewhere and I am still trying to track him or her down." The woman said. "The child is the one who would save us from theing evil, or be the one to bring the evil to us itself."

    "How do I know you��re lying?" Rose asked. "You don��t." The woman said wisely. "And you can��t. You only have to trust me."

    "What evil are you speaking off? Bale is dead. He was the most evil Wolf we have hard in years. There is no one else."

    The womanughed. "If what the prophecy says is true, then Bale is nothingpared to the Evil we are about to face. The Evil isn��t even in this realm. And it ising fast."

    Rose was weak and heartbroken.

    She had somewhere hoped that one day she would see her daughter, but yet here she was being told her daughter no longer lived.

    It broke her heart.

    So all this while she had been living in the Castle fine and well, and her daughter had probably been somewhere suffering?

    She felt guilt and shame overwhelm her.

    And yet the revtion that she had a grand child somewhere made her happy.

    "How can we find this grand child of mine." Rose asked.

    "I am still searching. We have a limited time. But I would do my best." The woman said. "You can��t tell anyone this. The walls have ears. Our enemies have ears. They are closer to us than we can ever imagine. If someone can poison you then imagine what they would do if they discover that your grandchild and heir to your throne is alive."

    "Heir to my throne?" Rose asked shocked.

    "Belle isn��t the heir." The woman said. "It��s Scarlett��s child. Do well with the information that I have given you. I will return when I have found something more tangible."

    And with that she was gone in the twinkle of an eye.

    Rose fell weakly to the chair and began to weep .

    She wept the loss of her daughter and realization that she truly would never see her again.

    She held the pillow and wept for over an hour.

    She wanted to vent her anger out, pour her frustration and sh.

    Once she was done, she wiped her tears and went to her mirror.

    "Queen��s do not cry." She said to herself.

    She knew what she was going to do.

    When she was sure she looked emotionless, she stepped out of the study.

    It was well past midnight and the castle was much quiet.

    She went down to the servant��s quarters.

    The servants were shocked to see her standing at the door.

    "Your majesty. Wee to our humble abode." They curtseyed.

    "Where is Bernice." Rose asked.

    They all looked at each other, taken aback by her tone.

    The Queen was known to be always gentle and calm.

    "Where is Bernice?" She demanded in a much harsher tone.

    "Y... you... your majesty she is in the Kitchens. She is onte duty." One of the servants answered.

    Rose left the room and headed to the Kitchen.

    She went past the burning chandeliers, her footsteps the only ones you could hear.

    She opened the kitchen door and found Bernice standing with a knife already ready to kill herself.

 Chapter 392: WHO SENT YOU

    <h4>Chapter 392: WHO SENT YOU</h4>

    Rose used her power and tossed the de aside quickly.

    How had she so Quickly know that she was about to be discovered.

    Had she heard their conversation?

    Something sinister was going on in her pce and she wanted to know what.

    "Your majesty." Bernice said.

    "What were you trying to do?" Rose said as she gently drew nearer to her

    Bernice was in her forties and Rose had known her for over twenty years to now realize that this very woman whom she had trusted with her life, was responsible for poisoning her for over twenty years.

    "Nothing your majesty." Bernice smiled ufortably.

    "I found out that I have been poisoned for over twenty years." Rose said as she now stood facing Bernice directly.

    "Poison?" Bernice said confused. "That��s not possible your majesty."

    "Are you calling me a liar?" Rose asked her, her eyes dangerous with wary and questions.

    She could see right through Bernice��s lying tongue and she angrily wondered how she had never seen it before.

    Bernice was sweating despite the harsh wind of cold snow.

    "Of course not mydy." Bernice said quickly.

    "Sit down!" Rose said with such force that Bernice quickly sat down at the stool behind her.

    Rose now towered over the shaking of servant.

    "Now tell me, why have I been poisoned for over twenty years. Why have you been poisoning me." Rose asked.

    Bernice started to stutter and if he the back of her hair.

    "Answer me before I burn you with mes." Rose hissed at her.

    "Y... you... your majesty." Bernice stuttered. "There is no way I could try to poison you. I��m your meal and wine taster."

    "So why have I been poisoned all this while, and you are still alive and well. You have never been sick. Tell me Bernice." Rose said.

    "I think that just shows to you that you are not being poisoned. If you say that you have been poisoned this entire time thence I should be dead." Bernice stated.

    Rose was filled with such disgust that she wanted to spit on her.

    The little harlot was ying in her face and Rose felt stupid.

    She wanted to sh and kill.

    For all the terrible things that had happened to her.

    From all she had seen, she now knew that the woman was right.

    She had been poisoned this entire time and her little daughter was dead.

    Gone forever from this world and never toe back to her.

    She looked down angrily at Bernice who shook like a leaf.

    "So you are telling me that you did not aware that I have been poisoned this entire time. Right?" Rose asked the girl.

    Bernice nodded. "Yes your majesty. I had no idea."

    Rose smiled and then used her magic to make sure Bernice remained Adamant.

    She felt her body go weak.

    She had not used her magic or even turned to her wolf in a long time.

    There had been no threat to her life and there had been no need.

    And yet tonight she has done both.

    She felt the effect of the poison draining her.

    She went to get the beautiful porcin jug that she knew was used to keep her tea.

    She poured it into a cup and returned to Bernice.

    "If you are sure that you aren��t poisoning me, then you won��t have a problem drinking it." Rose said handing her the cup.

    Bernice��s eyes grew in terror.

    "Your majesty." Bernice said.

    "DRINK it." Rose insisted and Bernice collected the cup.

    Her hands were shaking as she put it close to her lips .

    You could hear the ttering of the porcin cup as it shook in her fingers .

    She very slowly put it up to her lips and Rose watched.

    Rose hoped that Bernice wouldn��t take it down because she wanted to milk her out and find out who had done this .

    With the goddess in her side, Rose watched as Bernice dropped the cup to the floor and it shattered into a million tiny pieces.

    "I��m sorry I can��t do this." Bernice wept.

    Rose was satisfied.

    Bernice went down on her knees and began to beg her with her tears stricken face.

    "Your majesty please forgive me." Bernice begged. "I had no intentions of hurting you. Yes you are right it was me. I poisoned your tea all this years but I swear it, I had no intentions of ever harming you your majesty. Please forgive me."

    And Bernice continued to weep.

    "Save your tears for someone who would be gentle with you." Rose said. "You do not fear me and it tells. I went to war with my enemies and I killed every one of them. Every eat that I had, I led. People feared me, my name brought terror to the minds of my enemies. And yet because I decided to take a step back, I am reduced to being poisoned by my servant."

    "Your majesty please forgive me." Bernice wept as she held Rose��s feet. "I never wanted to hurt you. I never did."

    "I know that." Rose said shocking Bernice.

    "Have I ever hurt you or your family

    Bernice shook her head. "No your majesty."

    "Have I ever done something to warrant you having now fear to do this to me?" Rose demanded.

    Bernice shook her head. "No your majesty. You have been a just and loving Queen to all of us."

    This, Rose knew that Bernice was saying nothing but the truth.

    "I know that you did not do this alone. I want you to tell me who sent you. Tell me and I might be merciful to you."

    Bernice was now trembling much worse than Rose had seen her even when she had caught her.

    "Tell me who did this to you!" Rose urged.

    But Bernice began crying more.

    And it urred to Rose, the person who had ordered it, had Bernice more afraid of him or her than even she the Queen.

    Bernice fervently shook her head. "No please. No your majesty. Kill me. Kill me. I cannot say. My family."

    And then she continued to weep .

    "Tell me and I would spare you."

    Rose emphasized.

    She was now worried that she was losing her strong hold on Bernice.

    Bernice still stubbornly fervently shook her head and declined. "I would rather you kill me than for me to tell. My family would be killed. I was made to swear never to say a word about this. My children, my husband."

    And it urred to Rose that whoever had done had Bernice was more terrified of them, than even her the Queen.

 Chapter 393: THE PROMISE

    <h4>Chapter 393: THE PROMISE</h4>

    Bernice wept.

    "I will save your family and give them protection. I give you my word as Queen Luna. Nothing will happen to them. Just tell me who it is."

    Bernice continued to weep. "I swear your majesty. She is going to kill my family and everything I love. I never wanted to hurt you, but she made me do it."

    She?

    Rose felt a chill in her bones.

    It was a woman?

    Now Rose was truly troubled and wanted to know who had done this .

    Rose decided to try a different approach.

    Rose picked up Bernice��s chin with her fingertips and forced her to look at her.

    But Bernice turned her face away

    "Look at me Bernice." She said very gently and Bernice did.

    "I can understand that the person who did this has a hold on you and has made you tied to tell for whatever reason, I don��t know." Rose said very gently. "I am The Queen of this Realm. All wolves bow to me, even the King is not close to how powerful I am. No one is as powerful as I am. The mages fear me. I am not someone you or your family would want as an enemy."

    Bernice swallowed.

    "I am someone you want on your side and I would protect not just your family, but you also." Rose informed her.

    Bernice seemed skeptical. "But why would you? I poisoned you all these years and you have been nothing but good to me. You are going to kill me even after all of this."

    And Bernice continued to weep.

    "I give you my word. I will not kill you. I swear on my crown."

    Rose promised.

    "But she still will." Bernice said. "If you don��t kill me she would."

    "What does this woman have a hold on you for?" Rose questioned wondering what on earth would make Bernice forced to do such a thing.

    "My little girl." Bernice said. "Alice. She was dying about the year before you ascended the throne. I needed help, did everything I could. Sold everything I could. My husband and I have no money, we are poor wolves and so we were forced to look for. And then she came and offered to help us. She took us to a healer. A mage healer that we would never in our entire life thought we could afford. I know that it isn��t allowed for us wolves to seek counsel from wages but your majesty I swear we had no choice. We were desperate."

    "And so our little girl was healed. She survived and we were so grateful. We had no money to pay and she said it was a gift from her to us." Bernice said. "We epted, thinking she was good. But then she came to me when I was chosen to be your meal taster and gave me the task to look away and never taste your meal as I had been asked to."

    Rose was confused. "How did this woman know that you would be chosen to be my meal taster. It goes through a Very tight and strict process. How had she know any of this at all?"

    Bernice swallowed. "She is someone closer than you think. She told me she had manipted it and made me the royal meal taster. I told her that I couldn��t do it, but she told me that if I didn��t, she was going to use me of treason and disobeying thews. She was going to make sure that i and my entire family was dead. I had no choice. That was how I came to be in such a situation your majesty."

    "You could havee to me." Rose said ignorantly.

    And Bernice looked up at her, her eyes still flowing heavy tears. "You would Shevardnadze never believed the words of a mere servant to the words of your own."

    And it hit Rose that was true.

    There had been tensions between mages and wolves and a strict rule had been ced against not just mages, but also sirens.

    There had been mistrust and rule had been ced not by Rose herself but by the other high ranking members of her court.

    In some cases, she couldn��t opposews that were about to be ced.

    And she hadn��t really known how much effect it would have on the people.

    She looked at Bernice who had fallen into such a trap because of thew she had let pass without any consideration for her people.

    Guilt burned within the deepest parts of her soul.

    She had said "over the words of her own."

    This person was closer to home than she had ever expected.

    This person was in her castle.

    Rose was disgusted as to how someone could use Bernice��s plight as a poor wolf to their own gain.

    And even use their own family as leverage to make sure she did what they wanted her to.

    And then Rose picked up the knife she had discarded earlier.

    She cut through her arm and blood flowed.

    "Your majesty what are you doing?" Bernice asked terrified.

    "Once you tell me who did this to you, I will keep my word to you and I will send you and your family far away from this realm. You will start new lives, no one would ever know that you and you would be safe. I swear on my crown." Rose promise her.

    Bernice��s lips quivered in fear.

    "You have no fear. Now tell me." Rose urged her.

    Bernice wiped her tears and sniffed as she stood before the Queen.

    "It was your-

    "Rose look out!" Came a familiar voice.

    Rose turned just In time to see her sister Cherry, standing in her night wear and throwing a de at Bernice.

    To Rose��s horror the de went right past her and hit Bernice.

    "Nooooo!" Rose screamed.

    Bernice fell to the floor, the de piercing through her heart.

    Rose fell down to the floor and tried to resuscitate Bernice.

    But Bernice was barely alive.

    "Don��t do this. Tell me! Tell me who she is." Rose pleaded.

    Bernice��s lips mouthed, but before she could say anything, in a matter of seconds, she was already dead

 Chapter 394: SHE KNOWS

    <h4>Chapter 394: SHE KNOWS</h4>

    Rose dropped her head down in defeat and weakness.

    She felt dazed and her mind began to spin as she saw the blood of Bernice in her hands.

    She had JUST been about to tell her who had ordered her to poison.

    Now she would never know.

    Then she heard guardse into the room and she could feel her husband��s presence arrive.

    "Rose are you okay?" Cherry asked worried.

    "What the hell did you do?" Rose asked racing to Cherry and grabbing her arms in anger.

    Her husband pulled her away and separated her from her sister .

    "Rose calm down." Her husband said .

    "Why are you attacking me?" Cherry asked. "I just saved your life."

    "Saved my life?" Jasmine demanded in anger. "You ruined everything! I didn��t need your help! She didn��t do anything and you killed her!"

    Cherry gawked in shock at her outburst.

    "W...wh.. what is wrong with you?" Cherry asked lost for words. "She was going to kill you."

    "She wasn��t going to kill you. What gave you the idea! I was standing right in her front and she was not going to do anything!" Rose stomped her feet.

    "You need to calm down." Her husband said as he gently touched her shoulders. "You know I never back anything that Cherry does but she was only trying to help."

    Rose jerked free from his grasp.

    "Whose side are you on?!"

    "I��m on yours of course." He said. "But you have to understand that we were all worried for you and Bernice could have killed you."

    "Killed me?" Rose said spiraling. "She was a harmless servant until now."

    Then she frowned. "Why are you here?"

    And she looked at the number of Royal guards that were in the room. "Why and how are all of you here."

    "We heard the screams and we came as soon as we could." Her husband informed. "How did you even know she could kill me?" Rose asked irritated.

    "Cherry imed that there had been some investigations and suspicions into Bernice stay in the castle. It had been low-key, until tonight." He informed her.

    "And you didn��t tell me?!" Rose yelled at Cherry.

    "I was only trying for protect you." Cherry said sounding hurt.

    At this point Rose was furious and distraught.

    She wanted to b and scream all over the ce.

    She was burning in rage.

    "Protect me? I am the fucking Queen. I don��t need fucking protection!" Rose said.

    "Rose what actually happened?" He asked looking confused at her reaction.

    Rose beamed in anger and rage.

    "She is dead." The castle healer said. "Nothing can be done."

    Rose wanted to lose my mind.

    Her only way of discovering who had been trying to kill her, was gone.

    "I didn��t mean to tell you." Cherry said. "But Bernice has been in co-horts with some bad people. There are a lot of bad people in this ce. Ever since I returned all I have done is try to fish them out. We can��t have traitors in our midst. I didn��t want to tell you because it could have jeopardized everything."

    Rose shook her head unable to believe what the hell she was hearing.

    And then she looked at her husband the first time that night.

    He looks disheveled.

    He was shirtless and his hair was a mess.

    He also smelled funny. His scent was mixed with something else.

    As if he had been with a group of other wolves or someone.

    She crossed her brows.

    "Where were you?" She asked curiously. "Where are youing from? You smell different?"

    "Oh." He said and for reason or the other he was unable to reply.

    "I found him down at the gardens training with some of the guards." Cherry said. "I sensed something was wrong with you so I went to look for you. Didn��t find you in your study and either of you in the bedroom, I was headed past the balconies and found him at the gardens training."

    Jasmine looked at Cherry.

    She looked equally disheveled.

    Her hair was a mess and she seemed to have hurriedly worn something to race out of where she was.

    "He can answer for himself." Rose said looking from Cherry and majoring eye contact with her husband.

    "I was just training." He said. "You could ask the guards."

    "I will." Rose said.

    "But are you fine? Did she hurt you?" Her husband asked.

    "I have been to uncountable wars." She said. "I can handle myself."

    And then turned back to look down at Bernice.

    Bernice who had wept for her children and family.

    Whoever this person was, she was going to find out.

    If it was thest thing she did.

    She turned back to Cherry. "I want to know everything that you investigated and discovered about Bernice."

    "Of course." Cherry said with a smile.

    Bernice��s dead body was taken out of the room and Rose stepped aside to let them pass.

    And then Rose walked out of the kitchen.

    Cherry followed her out.

    "Rose." She called out.

    Rose stopped and turned to face her sister.

    "I just wanted to know if you are fine." Cherry said. "I��m sorry that you had to deal with that."

    "Thank you." Jasmine smiled sweetly.

    "I wanted to ask what did she tell you?" Cherry asked.

    "Who said she told me anything?" Rose questioned.

    Cherry shrugged with augh that tried to change the air of tension. "Maybe because she was about to kill you before I came in."

    "I told you that I had it handled." Rose said angry.

    She had been treated like a child since she had gradually fallen ill.

    Now she was fed up.

    "I know." Cherry said. "Why are you even angry with me? I��m just trying to protect you. Why pour all you anger on me?"

    "Because I DON��T NEED PROTECTING!" Rose barked.

    Cherry was taken aback.

    Rose sighed and rubbed her forehead. "I��m sorry. I didn��t mean it like that. I��ve just had a very difficult evening. I��m tired and I want to go and rest."

    "Of course I understand." Cherry said.

    "Bernice didn��t tell me anything." Rose said. "She was about to when you killed her."

    "I really didn��t mean to." Cherry said. "I only wanted to protect you."

    "Yes you said so." Rose said and then it hit her. "If you found out that she had been poisoning me, why didn��t you tell me ? Why didn��t you stop me? You let me continue taking the poison?"

    Cherry bit her bottom lip. "I��m sorry. I just wanted to find out why she was doing it. Telling you would have jeopardized everything."

    "And so you left me vulnerable to continue being poisoned?" Rose demanded.

    Before Cherry could speak it, Rose shook her head and walked away.

    She was going to find who did this.

 Chapter 395: KEEPING THE BABY

    <h4>Chapter 395: KEEPING THE BABY</h4>

    THE CRESCENT PACK

    Streaks of sunlight struggled to enter the bedroom from the tightly closed bedroom.

    Jasmine slowly turned around and tried to go back to sleep.

    Then she realized that her bed felt different.

    She sensed that where she was, was different.

    She very gently opened her eyes and saw herself in a very big bed.

    She slowly stood up.

    Her head ached and then she remembered the previous night.

    She had cried so much that she had fallen asleep.

    That was thest thing she remembered.

    The memory of Xaden telling her that he was going to take her baby away was fresh in her mind.

    Take her child and Marry his mate.

    She was never ever going to do that.

    Not over her dead body.

    She had suffered in that exact same way and she knew that if she let that happen to her child, her child would suffer the same fate.

    No one was going to love her child the way she would.

    She didn��t care how nice Lily was.

    People could change.

    And at the end of the day, Lily would always remember that the child wasn��t hers.

    This was the only thing that made Jasmine��s life worth living.

    She wasn��t going to give her baby up.

    No matter what.

    There was only one way she could have her baby, and that was running away from the pack.

    She couldn��t go out through the front doors, she knew that there would be guards stray would lock her back up.

    She jumped up from the bed and looked out through the massive French windows.

    There were few people bustling around to work.

    It was too far up from the ground.

    She went to her balcony and scouted around for a means of escape.

    She saw the second floor below her floor had a balcony that seemed to lead down the hallway.

    She could go down from there and when she got down, she could sneak through the hallways.

    She rushed back to the bedroom and snooped through cabs in search of bedsheets.

    Once she had gotten about nine of them, she began to tie their ends together one after the other.

    When she was done she saw that it was long enough and she went to the balcony and hung it over.

    Then she returned to the bedroom and tied the first end of the newly made rope to the edge of her firm bed.

    She dragged at it, to test it and it was fine.

    The bed didn��t budge.

    She smiled to herself send just as she was about to head towards the balcony, her door opened and a woman in her thirties came into the room.

    Jasmine had never seen her before

    Jasmine froze in her ce.

    "Good morning mydy." The woman greeted. "My name is udia and I am your nanny."

    That was true.

    Xaden had promised her a nanny that would be at her beck and call all through her pregnancy.

    udia looked from Jasmine to the rope in her hand .

    Her brows raised in question.

    "Thank you udia, but I don��t need a nanny." Jasmine informed her.

    "I think you do." udia said. "Are you trying to escape from this room?"

    "What do you think?" Jasmine asked irritated.

    Her pregnancy heightened her emotions and she was not proud of them.

    "I don��t think you should be doing that." udia said. "You could fall and I don��t know if your pup would survive."

    Jasmine gritted her teeth in anger.

    She was not thinking straight.

    She was overwhelmed with her emotions and simply doing anything that came to her mind.

    Jasmine put her hands protectively around her stomach.

    "Nothing is going to happen to my baby." Jasmine said.

    "Of course, but if you try to jump down from that balcony or use that rope to slowlye down, something would happen." udia warned her. "Can you sit down with me and have some tea before you think of escaping."

    "You haven��t had a breakfast yet and you along with your baby must be weak." udia remarked. "After that, you could run away."

    "Why aren��t you telling Xaden?" Jasmine asked skeptically. "You can call the guards and they would be here any moment from now."

    "You are distressed and I can understand." udia exined. "I��m not trying to do anything that would make you extremely unhappy or upset you. I was employed to take care of you and your baby. I am doing just that."

    Before Jasmine could respond, the door was opened and no one other than Xaden��s himself stepped in .

    "Jasmine don��t try to do that." He advised her. "You would hurt yourself."

    "I would rather run say from her than hand over my baby to you." She informed him.

    She tried to rush back to the balcony but he stopped her.

    "I am not taking the baby from you anymore." He said.

    That stopped her right in her tracks.

    "How do I know this is true? Why would you do this?" She asked now confused.

    Yesterday he said an entirely different thing from what he told her today.

    "Because I don��t want you hurting yourself like you are about to right now." He expressed. "Soe back."

    She looked from him to the new nanny wondering if this was a trap.

    "How do I know you aren��t just lying to me? How can you prove it?" She asked him.

    "I give you my word." He said.

    She looked down at the balcony and suddenly she began to fear

    They were right if she attempt to use the hand made rope, what if she slipped?!

    And the she bean to worry for her child.

    She felt nauseous and then she took a step back .

    He helped bring her in and then she sat on the bed where she tried to suppress the impending feeling of nausea.

    "udia could you excuse us for a moment?" He asked.

    "Of course my lord." She bowed and went away from the room.

    Once Jasmine heard the door shut, she began to feel uneasy at the thought of being alone with him.

    Especially after what had happenedst night.

    "Jasmine I won��t take your baby away from you anymore." He repeated.

    She didn��t trust him. Not one bit.

 Chapter 396: A CHANGE OF HEART

    <h4>Chapter 396: A CHANGE OF HEART</h4>

    "Why?" Jasmine asked. "Why did you change your mind."

    "I saw what it did to you yesterday." He said. "I was wrong and I had no right to do that. If you want the child then you can keep it."

    She hovered, unsure of what to say .

    He had said something entirely different and now he said another.

    It made no sense.

    She looked around uncertainly.

    "Did you bring the nanny so she can steal my baby?" Jasmine asked.

    "Of course not. How did that even cross your mind?" He asked.

    She gave a light shrug.

    "That��s low." He said. "If I was going to do something, I would tell you, not sabotage you."

    "I don��t know you." She stated matter of fact. "And I don��t trust you."

    He seemed taken aback by that statement.

    He regained hisposure. "I��m only doing what��s best for you and the baby. I won��t take him from you."

    She felt an air of relief.

    Despite the horrid things he had said, she was now able to believe him.

    She nodded. "Thank you."

    And then he turned away.

    "Wait." She stopped him. "What��s going to happen to Lily as your mate? What��s also going to happen after I give birth?"

    He was quiet for a while.

    "What would you like?" He asked, surprising her.

    He had never really asked her for her opinion on anything.

    And this very well surprised her.

    "Is this a joke?" She asked surprising herself.

    "No it isn��t." He said. "Tell me what you want."

    She thought really hard.

    What did she want? What did she actually want?

    She touched her belly and looked down on it.

    In truth, she wanted her baby to have a life where she nevercked.

    Where she had the most beautiful dresses, never had to work the way she did, never suffered, never starved.

    She wanted her child to have everything she didn��t.

    She wanted her child to have love.

    She had never experienced love from her mother or a father.

    She wanted her daughter to experience Both.

    And then she thought of Lily.

    If Lily was honestly as kind as she portrayed herself to be, then she would be a good mother.

    Together along with Xaden, if he was a good father to her child, they would have both been good parents.

    But she didn��t trust them.

    Not in the least bit.

    She didn��t trust anyone at all. Except Fiona and perhaps Erik.

    Loren too.

    But that was it.

    In truth, she wanted her child to grow up with a loving family.

    She wanted her child to have a mother and father and for all three of them to live together.

    She would have loved to raise her baby together with Xaden as both loving parents, but she knew that would never happen.

    It was a wild dream in her head.

    So if she was going to be honest to his question, that was what she truly wanted.

    But he was never ever going to give her that.

    She let in a sigh of relief.

    "I would have liked to leave the pack with my baby, but I know how much you fear us being used against you by your enemies. I wouldn��t want anything to trigger your past."

    She cleared her throat. "I didn��t know that that was why you never wanted to have children. Your past, what you had to live through. I��m sorry about it. If I had known and if there was a way I could have prevented having this baby, I would have done it."

    "But it��s here now. I won��t leave the pack either and prevent you from being in the life of this little one. I want you to experience it and I want you to be there for her." She further exined. "Which is why I would like to stay here in the pack. You can also keep an eye on the both of us. No one would defy you from within the pack and I believe we would be much safer here than outside anywhere else. I also don��t want to be a ve anymore. I��ll like to gain my freedom. I know it��s too much to ask for. But I wouldn��t want my child being raised in atmosphere where I am a ve. The way my mum gave birth to me as one. The same way you don��t want afflictions from your past to haunt you, is the same way I don��t too."

    He said nothing so she confused.

    "I would also like to withdraw from the job you gave me as head house keeper. It��s a job for Lily or your sister. Not me. If I could get something else doing so I can earn some money. I would appreciate it."

    He said nothing for a while and she began to feel shame and instant regret at being honest with him.

    "But if you can��t do this so unde-

    "Everything you have asked for would be given to you." Xaden promised.

    Jasmine felt her stomach twist in a knot.

    She hasn��t expected him to agree.

    "Thank you." She said.

    "Is that all?" He asked her.

    "Yes please. One more thing." She stated. "I��m notfortable with this room either. Can I go to something smaller."

    "This is the safest room." He said. "No one cane in unless they go past the guards."

    "I understand that. But it��s just. Different and ufortable for me. Anna doesn��t like it. And I don��t either." She expressed. "If I could please get something else?"

    "Would you thene to my bedroom?" He asked.

    She flushed red.

    "Excuse me?" She said without thinking. "W.. wh... what? I c... can��t do that."

    "It��s the only other ce I know that I will be able to keep an eye on you. No one would harm you." He stated reasonably.

    She itched the back of her hair unsure of what to say.

    "So would you be staying in my room or here?" He asked.

 Chapter 397: MY BEDROOM OR HERE

    <h4>Chapter 397: MY BEDROOM OR HERE</h4>

    "So would you be staying in my bedroom or here?" He asked.

    Before Jasmine could answer the door flung open and Xaden was at her front in a split second.

    "I think I can answer that question." The intruder said.

    "Stay behind me." Her urged.

    But it was only Marie who came in.

    "How romantic." Marie said as she sped her hands together. "The Alpha protecting the mother of his child."

    He heaved a sigh of relief and gently stepped aside.

    It was the Jasmine realized how quickly he had stood to her view to prevent something bad from happening to her.

    She felt her tummy flip with butterflies.

    "Look at you, just after informing you that you have a baby on the way, daddy instincts have already popped in."

    Xaden didn��t reply.

    If it was like before, Xaden would have stated taht he was only doing his job or he would have outright denied anything and yet now he simply said nothing.

    "Don��t worry you can step away daddy to be." Marie said.

    "I thought you were going to be hereter during the week?" Xaden asked his eyes now brows piqued with interest.

    "I decided to drop in early to see the soon to be mummy." Marie said.

    Then she turned to Jasmine and back to Xaden. "So I think I heard you ask if she would stay in your bedroom or hers. Well my candid advice as the one who would be delivering your baby. I say yours."

    Jasmine went red.

    Memories of how he had made love to her and how she had been panting and begging for his touch in his bedroom came like a sh of lighting.

    Marie beamed with joy as if she was happy to be delivering all these news.

    "I can stay here." Jasmine said quickly. "I��m fine here."

    "Oh no he has a point. After all you would both need to continue fucking." Marie said bluntly.

    Jasmine almost exploded from her flushed face while Xaden choked.

    He began to cough violently.

    "What? Why make it look like that��s not what brought us here in the first ce. The baby didn��t happen by magic." Marie pointed out reasonably.

    "I wanted her to stay in my room because it would be safer." Xaden said. "Not for anything else."

    Jasmine wondered why he was so shy all of a sudden.

    Marie shrugged. "But I��m right. He needs to keep up sleeping with you. The baby might be bigger than you anticipate and him fucking you is going to further widen your vagina. That way when it��s time for you to give birth, you won��t deal with muchplications."

    Jasmine went red.

    "Is that true or you��re just making it up?" Xaden asked.

    "Of course it��s true. You can go ahead and ask the other women who have given birth in the pack." Marie said.

    And then she went to Jasmine.

    She went over to her stomach and put her ear on it.

    "Uh-huh." Marie mumbled to herself as she hovered over Jasmine��s tummy.

    When she was done she stood up to her feet.

    "How is she?" Jasmine asked.

    "How is he?" Xaden asked.

    They asked at the same time.

    "How is the baby?" Jasmine corrected.

    Marie rose a brow. "Already conflicted on what gender it is going to be huh? Well the baby is fine. Seems to be good."

    "Do you know what it��s going to be?" Xaden questioned curiously.

    "I do. But I��m not doing to say. I don��t think it��s fun to tell either of you. I��ll prefer it to be a surprise." Marie responded.

    And then she led Jasmine to the bed and sat her down.

    "Tell me how do you feel?" She asked as she gently touched her head.

    "Fine." Jasmine admitted.

    "That��s very good." Marie said. "I brought more medications for you. Have you had anything to eat yet?"

    Jasmine shook her head. "No not yet."

    "You��re eating for two now." Marie pointed out. "You have to be aware of that now. Whatever you do is going to affect the baby."

    Then Marie turned at him. "I��m ashamed of you. You couldn��t insist that she ate before you started your banter?"

    Xaden was tight lipped.

    "Ignore him. All men are grumpy, but they would never agree." Marie said.

    And then Xaden walked to the door and a few minutester, udia her nanny came in.

    "I��ll leave you three alone." And with that he went away.

    "So you two have decided to keep the baby?" Marie asked.

    Jasmine nodded.

    Marie smiled. "That��s good to hear."

    And then udia greeted and pushed the trolley of food that had been prepared for Jasmine.

    "Now eat up." Marie urged. "So you can take your medications."

    "Alright." Jasmine agreed and went on eating her food.

    She felt herself go dizzy and nauseous but then Marie offered her a leaf to bite on.

    It waved off instant and she was able to continue eating until she was full.

    "Thank you." Jasmine said.

    "You��re wee." Marie said. "Are you her nanny? Xaden had told me he would get one for her."

    "Yes ma��am." udia greeted.

    "Good." Marie nodded. "You would have to apany and make sure she goes on frequent walks. We can��t let the baby be dormant and getzy. The birth already I might beplicated we can��t make matters worse."

    "Of course." udia nodded as she packed up the food.

    "Have you ever delivered a child before?" Jasmine asked.

    "Thousands." Marie said with a smile. "I have a way with babies."

    Jasmine swallowed.

    "Don��t worry. If you do as i tell you too, the baby should be just fine." Marie assured as she gently patted the stomach.

    "What did Xaden mean when he said he had made sure he could never have children." Jasmine asked. "And that he could never love."

    "He told you that?" Marie asked surprised at thetter.

    Jasmine nodded. "Yes he did."

    Marie sighed. "Well it is what he says. He cant love and he can��t have children. At least until you defied thetter and got pregnant."

    Marie rose up to her feet to leave

    "What��s wrong with me?" Jasmine asked with worry.

    "Why the devil do you think something is wrong with you?" Marie asked lost for words.

 Chapter 398: XADEN’S GOOD SIDE

    <h4>Chapter 398: XADEN��S GOOD SIDE</h4>

    Xaden closed the door shut behind him and went down the stairs.

    He felt a sudden air of relief around him after unburdening all that.

    He had been feeling choked while making the decision of taking the baby away and now that he had finally let Jasmine have the baby, he was relieved.

    He went past the guards who stood at attention.

    Then it urred to him and turned to them.

    "I told you not to let anyone into the bedroom without my permission." He asked.

    "We didn��t let anyone sir." The guards said confused looking at each other and then back at him.

    It finally urred to him that Marie must have entered the bedroom using magic.

    She didn��t need to walk past the guards when she could appear and disappear.

    He sighed, and then made a mental note to get magic that would ward off intruders.

    He walked towards his study and headed past the hallway.

    He felt the eyes of the members of his pack on him.

    When he was shut into the sce of his study, he was able to pour a ss of brandy.

    A child?

    He was going to be a father.

    None of it made sense to him.

    It was the wildest and most unbelievable thing he could even think of.

    He itched the back of his head.

    He wondered how babies were even given birth to .

    He had heard stories of course, but he had never found himself in a situation where he would have to witness it.

    He was going to have to witness it.

    Worse he was going to have to take care and raise the child.

    It scared him.

    It terrified him!

    Going to war, yes he could do that.

    It was easy for him. He knew how to lead andmand men.

    He knew how to rule and be a leader.

    He was not afraid to rip an enemy wolf into pieces.

    But having a child.

    A baby!

    The thought sent chills down his spine.

    And Marie had said that they would have to continue having sex.

    That aspect genuinely bothered him.

    He was very much sexually attracted to Jasmine and he desired her in ways he had never desired anyone.

    And yet the way which Marie had said it, like it was task, for the baby.

    He waved the thought away.

    She was probably just messing around.

    There was a knock at the door.

    "Come in." He ushered in and then Belinda stepped into his study.

    He leaned back in his chair.

    "My lord." She greeted.

    "What can I do for you?" He asked her.

    "The Financing for the projects Jasmine had started." Belinda said. "I haven��t been able to get a hold on her. The rest of the workers really appreciated her support and attempt at making the working and living conditions better for us."

    Xaden rose a brow.

    He had no idea that Jasmine had already begun to make such an effect on the people that hated her before.

    "Jasmine is." He said. "Pregnant."

    Once he had blurted out it, he shrugged and realized that they were all going to find out eventually.

    "Oh?" Belinda said surprise written all over her face.

    "So this would obviously mean that she would be unable to work for a very long time." Xaden said.

    "Oh." Belinda mumbled again.

    She was still seemingly shocked.

    Well so was he.

    "So would you be able to take over them?" He asked her.

    She nodded. "Of course my lord. But Lady Lily has some of the work on her fingertips."

    "How is she faring with them?" He asked as he leaned on the table and crossed his arms.

    "Alright." Belinda said. "She is very popr amongst the workers. They like her."

    "If they like her." Xaden started. "Then why bother about Jasmine resuming work."

    Belinda hesitated.

    "Say what you want to say Belinda." Xaden said. "I have been with you in this pack since we rebuilt. Over a decade. You are one of my first loyalists. I don��t expect you to hide anything from me."

    She sighed and said. "It��s nothing my lord. But just that, Jasmine has had a very hard time here. I didn��t like her myself. Especially after what her father did to my pack. Everyone in this pack has at least a story to tell about Jasmine��s terrible father. But she has done so much. She has defied the odds and her behavior in the pack is not what I expected. We all expected someone as terrible and haughty as..."

    Belinda almost blurted out Anna but shut her mouth immediately.

    "As her father." Belinda changed the direction of her words. "But she is one of kindest girls I have ever met. I judged her and a lot of the other members of the pack feel so too."

    Xaden rubbed his chin.

    "They feel bad." Belinda said. "They feel terrible for treating her the way they did. Especially with the incident that happened with little Emma and the mob that wanted to have her hung. Emma��s mother has been ashamed of herself and been meaning to apologize."

    Belinda sighed heavily. "The people want to connect with her and I wanted to give her a chance to do that. That��s why I would have preferred her to resume her work."

    Xaden sighed himself as he absorbed the weight of Belinda��s words.

    "But since she is pregnant I won��t expect her to. Lady Lily has been equally very good." Belinda said quickly as she gathered the books she hade with. "Congrattions my lord. We��re going to have a little pup running around soon."

    And then Belinda started to leave.

    "Belinda can I ask you something?" He asked.

    "Of course my lord. Anything." She said.

    His face went red with shame. "You have had about five children right?"

    "Yes my lord." Belinda said. "The oldest is already fifteen and a tyrant while Thest monster is six years old and definitely going to remain thest. I can��t carry another pup for eleven months again."

    Xaden shifted ufortably. "This was just something that I heard and you are an experienced mother so I was hoping you would know a thing or two about it. Hence why I bothered to ask."

    Now he was talking too much.

    "My lord." Belinda began. "I will not look at you a certain type of way, regardless of what question you ask of me. "

    He looked at her ufortably.

    The longer he took, the more difficult it was for him to say it.

    He closed his eyes and finally said it.

    "I wanted to ask if it��s true that both expecting parents of the pup.... Uhm... er... well if it��s required that they continue to have sex in ims that it makes the birth easier."

    Belinda blushed. "Well.... It is true my lord. The pup is usually quite big and the vagina much small. So giving birth its best that it is widened frequently in preparation of the birth toe. Also it depends on size. If it��s.... Ehmmm.... Your ehmmm.... Property is quite big then that��s a good thing. It means he can open it wider."

    Xaden was so embarrassed with the way Belinda spoke about it.

    He rubbed his face and smiled at Belinda.

    "Do you understand what I mean by this? Or you would want me to exin in further details. I can do that."

    He shook his head.

    "Gods no." He stated quickly to prevent another embarrassing conversation. "I understand."

    Belinda smiled. "If there is anything else you would need my lord. Or anything else you wish to discuss about the future pup. I am here."

    There was a knock at the door and Xaden could not be any more relieved to finally be rid of Lady Belinda.

    "Come in." He said quickly.

    And then he turned to Belinda.

    "I would definitely let you know. Thank you." Xaden said quickly dismissing her.

    It was Lily who wasing in.

    "Congrattions once again my lord." Belinda beamed with joy as she left the room.

    "Congrattions? Did I miss a certain celebration?" Lily jokingly asked.

    He waved his hand for her to seat.

    "Unfortunately there is none." He said.

    He regretted telling her his initial ns.

    Telling her that they would have a future together and that Jamsine��s child would have been hers to keep .

    Now that he thought about it, that was the most horrid thing to do.

    What had he been thinking?

    "It��s good you came here I had been meaning to tell you something important." Xaden begun.

    "Yes my lord." She said her pretty brown eyes blinking at him.

    What sort of mess had he gotten himself into?

    "Lily I had made a proposition to you earlier." He said. "About my unborn child and you being my mate."

    "Yes you had." Lily said calmly.

    He feltpletely terrible delivering her this message.

    "I��m sorry but that would no longer be possible anymore."

 Chapter 399: BABY OUT OF THE WAY

    <h4>Chapter 399: BABY OUT OF THE WAY</h4>

    Lily already expected the words that came from Xaden��s lips and yet she was still surprised by them.

    "I��m sorry but that would no longer be possible anymore."

    Anna had forewarned her.

    Jasmine was a torn in her flesh.

    Lily had been raised a sweet and call young she wolf.

    She was going to be Alpha Xaden��s mate. She was to be a proper mate and wife.

    Mother of his children so she had been raised in the ways of a proper highbrow woman.

    Everything had been thrown out of the window without any regard for someone who was not his mate.

    For someone who from what Anna had told her, had been a miserable ve.

    A nobody .

    Lily had been kind to Jasmine at first, even liked her.

    But from all that Anna had said and from all that she had seen.

    Jasmine was a monster and she was here to steal Xaden away from her.

    That was all she was.

    And Lily for the first time in her life burned in jealousy, hate and envy that this nobody had everything she had wanted.

    Despite how she was the model, the perfect mate.

    "Oh?" Lily quietly repspinded to his words.

    "I��m sorry that I led you on." Xaden apology. "I��m sorry that I sold that false story to you. If I could take it back, I would".

    She was quiet for a while.

    "Is there any specific reason why you changed your mind?" She asked him.

    "Jasmine wants to raise her child. It was either she did or she ran away with the baby." Xaden said.

    "But you could have still persuaded her not to." Lily said. "You��re the Alpha and this is your pack. You can make anyone do what you want."

    "Not Jasmine." He said. "Not anymore at least. Before? Probably. But since she got pregnant, she enabled a stubborn side of her I never even knew existed. She would run away. Trust me."

    Lily nodded.

    She had already imagined raising that baby like her own.

    She was going to love and care for it just like it was hers.

    But now hearing how Xaden had changed his mind, all she wanted to do was hurt the baby.

    She would hurt both Jasmine and the baby.

    "I understand." Lily said. "But we are still going to be performing our mating Ceremony. Right?"

    "No." He shook his head.

    It hurt Lily like a difficult blow.

    She had expected him to tell her that she wasn��t going to have the baby anymore.

    But what she had not expected was for him to tell her that they were not going to be mated anymore.

    "W.... W.. why?" She stuttered.

    "I don��t think I��m ready to be your mate Lily." He expressed. "To be honest I never wanted a mate after I lost you. Having you back in my life. I never expected it to happen."

    "Is this because of her?" Lily asked boldly.

    "Who? Jasmine? No." Xaden said. "Of course not. She isn��t going to be my mate. But I have to be present in the baby��s life. It would conflict with you and I don��t want that. Lily you deserve someone who would love you unconditionally."

    "I can never do that." Xaden dropped the bombshell. "And I know that is what you would expect of me. I can never give you that."

    Lily burned within herself.

    She was furious and in rage within herself.

    She hated Jasmine.

    The hate consumed her with such Fierceness she wanted to enact it out of her.

    Lily just sat there with her perfect smile and trying to maintain herposure.

    She was a perfect mate after all.

    she knew all the right things to say at the right time.

    "You��re right Xaden." Lily said. "I want you to love me and I would have loved to have my pups with you. Is there anything I can do? To change your mind."

    Lily still had to y the part of the good girl.

    She couldn��t let him sense that she now had ulterior motives.

    "No." He said.

    And then he got up from his desk and walked to her side.

    She stood up and he gave her a very warm and cozy hug.

    "I��m sorry about this." He said. "You deserve someone who is going to love you the way you want to be. I��m just not that person."

    "But the goddess made us mates for a reason." Lily said. "Do you want to throw that away."

    "If it��s what��s best for you then yes I can." He said.

    Lily was quiet for a while.

    She already knew that he wasn��t going to change his mind so easily.

    If she had immediately agreed, he would suspect that something was off.

    "Okay." She nodded. "But can I ask you for a favor?"

    "Of course." He nodded giving her the go ahead.

    "Since you��re going to reject me." She started. "I was wondering if you could do it after we returned from the Royal pack. My wolf would be unhappy and I don��t want to go weighed down seeing the King and Queen."

    "Of course that��s fine." He said. "We would begin the journey in a week."

    "Would Jasminee?" Lily asked.

    "I don��t think so." Xaden stated as he returned back to his seat. "The Queen wanted to see her personally. But Jasmine��s health and the baby. I don��t want anyplications and make matters worse."

    "Oh." Lily said. "Would the Queen be upset?"

    "Yes, but if it��s going to put Jasmine in harms way, then I won��t let it happen." He said.

    Lily clenched her fist in anger at the way he spoke about Jasmine with such reference.

    Now that she knew Jasmine wasn��t going to travel for the trip, she would carry out her ns without hesitation.

    "It��s because of the baby right?" Lily asked him. "It��s because she is pregnant that you are being tied down to her."

    "Of course." Xaden said.

    That was all she needed to hear and then she walked away with an evil smile stamped on her face.

    ~~~~~~~~~~

    Early the next morning, Queen Rose was already wearing her fur coat and her hair was ited into a single braid.

    She had had her bath and worn a simple but elegant green dress.

    Her coat was ck and she had her gloves on.

    Her husband turned in bed and frowned when he saw her already ready.

    "Why are you up?" Rnd asked, startling her.

    "Honey you should go to bed." She said.

    She was backing the bed so he was able to drag her by her waist and pull her towards him.

    His hands went up her breasts and she moaned in pleasure.

    He turned her to face him and then he was kissing her neck, the heap of her bosom and very gently undid thece of her dress

    "Rnd." She said as she reluctantly and very gently pushed him away.

    She kissed him on the lips quickly and went on about fixing her dress.

    "What happened to Rnd?" He asked. "Rnd just wants a few touches here and there nothing too much to ask for."

    "Go to bed honey." She urged as she scooted to the far end of the room so that she won��t have his hands on her again.

    She wasn��t sure if she would be able to resist him if he tried again.

    "I��m already awake. There is no going back. Where are you going to so early?" Rnd asked as he yawned.

    He sat up in the bed.

    "I have to do some findings on my own." Rose said. "Nothing so important."

    "This early?" He asked in disbelief.

    She didn��t respond as she wore her earrings.

    She heard him sigh and say. "If you intend on investigating more about Bernice then I really think you shouldn��t. We just found out you��ve been poisoned for a long time. Thest thing you should be doing is going about your duties."

    "I am fine." She pointed out. "I��ll live through it just as I have lived through everything else."

    She didn��t want to tell him that she wanted to personally go and see Bernice��s family.

    She had made a promise to Bernice to keep her family safe.

    Even though the promise was yet to materialize before Bernice had died.

    Which meant that even if anything happened to them, she still didn��t break the promise.

    Bernice had died before telling her who it was.

    And she also hadn��t told anyone not even her husband what she had recently discovered.

    "Rose you still need to see your healers to determine how much damage was made on you." Rndined.

    "I said I��m fine." She said.

    But she wasn��t.

    Her heads were shaking so quickly she was scared it would show.

    Someone in her very own home had ordered her to be poison for how many years she didn��t know.

    She was going to get to the bottom of it.

 Chapter 400: THE MAGE LAW

    <h4>Chapter 400: THE MAGE LAW</h4>

    "Woild you at least tell me where you��re going to?" Rnd asked.

    She finished wearing her earrings and looked at herself in the mirror.

    She sighed heavily and turned back to her husband.

    "No." She said. "Just know that I��m fine and safe."

    Rnd was her husband yes, but she wanted to limit him from knowing about the things she had recently discovered.

    She didn��t want him to jeopardize it the same way Cherry had jeopardized her knowing who had sent Bernice to poison her.

    Cherry had said she had done it for her own good, but killing Bernice had closed an easy door for her.

    Now she wanted to visit Bernice��s family.

    Hopefully she would get some rity from it.

    She remembered what Bernice had told her had led her to being ckmailed in the first ce.

    She turned to her husband.

    "The rule that was made preventing members of our pack and allies from using mage magic who made them?" She asked him.

    "Using mage magic? What?" Rnd askedpletely confused and taken aback.

    "Aw was enacted after I lost we lost Scarlett. It prevented all packs under our im from using mage magic."

    "Yeah I can remember that." Rnd mumbled to himself.

    "Good." Rose nodded to him. "Who enforced thew?"

    Rnd shrugged his shoulders. "Members of the wolf council? It was to be protections against the mages."

    "And it��s still inw ever since?" She pressed on further."

    "Yes I think so. That��s the most random question you��ve ever asked me." Rnd said. "Why are you asking me this questions out of the blue."

    "I just wanted to know." Rose said and then she put on the hood of her beautiful coat and said to her husband as she left the bedroom.

    "I��ll be back."

    And despite his arguments and disagreements of her choice of actions, she was out of the door.

    She turned to find Hildegard already waiting for her outside.

    "You found it?" Rose asked her discreetly once they were away from the guards.

    "Yes." Hildegard handed her a neat and small paper.

    Rose opened the paper and read through its contents.

    "That��s the little I could find out about Bernice and her family." Hildegard said. "The other staff in the pack have good things to say. Her behavior was out of character. Everyone is still shocked that she could try to harm you."

    Hildegard was the only person she could trust.

    Not even her sister.

    Especially after what happened the previous.

    Not her husband too because he had the habit of criticizingtely.

    Plus if he knew that she now believed that Scarlett was alive and she had resumed searching for her, then he would be furious.

    So she had to keep all her findings to herself and Hildegard.

    Together both women followed the back doors of the castle and three horses were waiting for them.

    On one of them was Omega Logan.

    He was still the lowest rank of wolves, but he was the skilled man Rose had ever seen.

    He was able bodied and she had never seen anyone fight like him.

    Despite his expertise, he had declined to rise among ranks remaining at the lowest ranks in the wolf hierarchy.

    He was a bald man about six foot five in height.

    He had an ugly scar across him eyes, and he looked terrifying and intimidating.

    He was her personal bodyguard.

    She didn��t need to tell him what she was doing.

    He always followed and kept her safe.

    She also knew that he would never say a word of anything that he followed her on.

    He rarely ever said a word moreover.

    He was loyal to her because she had found him when going to war with one of the packs and she had offered him revenge against his own enemies who happened to be hers.

    After helping her finish the pack and take over, she gave him the Alpha alive and the liberty to kill him himself.

    Since that day Logan had never left her side.

    Due to her declining health and insistent search to look for her daughter she had distanced herself away from him and everything else she did.

    This was the first time she had seen him in a long time.

    "Your majesty." He said in his deep gruff voice. And then he bowed down to her. "It��s good to be of service to you again.

    She held his arms and looked up at him, a smile on her face.

    Then she surprised him by hugging him.

    She finally let go and looked up at him.

    "It��s very good to see you." She said.

    He nodded.

    She knew he was pleased but he was the best person to hide his facial expression.

    She turned to Hildegard. "You should go."

    "I brought three horses." Hildegard said. "I will be following you."

    "I don��t want anything going wrong." Rose said.

    "You told me this was not a dangerous trip." Hildegard said. "That��s why I agreed to let you go in the first ce."

    "It isn��t." Rose said. "I just don��t want to risk anything going wrong. Moreover who would stay and cover for me if Iete and husband gets too nosey and curious. I have Logan here to take care of me."

    "If it isn��t going to be dangerous. Then there is no reason why I shouldn��t follow you." Hildegard pointed out. "And if you are worried about your husband being overly curious, then just know that I have it covered."

    Rose sighed heavily. "You aren��t going to give up are you?"

    Hildegard shook her head. "No."

    "Alright. Get on the horse before you make us gette." Rose said finally giving in.

    Logan tried to help Rose get on the horse but she imed easily in a split second.

    "I��m not the one you should be bothered about." She said and pointed at Hildegard who was still struggling to climb hers.

    Logan went over to her and assisted her up on the horse.

    Soon they were all now riding off into the forest.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    A few hours into the morning, Rnd was having his breakfast in the dinner room when Cherry came in.

    He grimaced.

    She walked to his side of the table.

    "Hello brother inw." She said.

    He ignored her and continued eating his food.

    "I actually didn��te to find you." She said. "I��ve been looking for my sister and I hoped she would be here."

    He ignored her once again.

    She looked around the room. "But I can��t seem to find her here so are you going to tell me where she is or not?"

    Rnd drank his wine and put some bread in his mouth.

    "Ignoring me isn��t such a good thing to do Rnd. Especially to me." Cherry said as she leaned on her arm.

    She picked up his goblet from his hands and put it to her lips.

    She drunk it down.

    "Satisfying." She said and then she ce sit back beside him .

    By now Rnd had stopped eating.

    He was disgusted with her presence and he pushed back his chair and started to get up.

    She ced her hand on his chest and forced him down to sit.

    "You��re not going anywhere." She said. "You don��t want to cross me Rnd not with what little secret we have."

    He panicked and looked at the guards hoping they had not overhead to hat she had just said.

    "What the hell are you doing?" He whispered harshly.

    She smiled. "Now see? I have your attention. Why do you always make me do things like this?"

    Rnd was angry.

    He breathed so heavily he tried to calm himself down.

    "What do you want?" He asked her through gritted teeth.

    "I told you already." She said. "I want to see my sister."

    "She isn��t here." He said angry that he had to even speak to her.

    "Well I can see that Rnd." She said. "That��s why I am asking you. So where is my sister."

    Rnd leaned back in his seat and sighed in frustration.

    "She stepped out this morning said she needed to search for some findings." He finally gave in.

    "Findings?" Chery asked rmed. "What sort of findings. What does she meaning findings?"

    Rnd shrugged. "I don��t know."

    "You don��t know?" Cherry asked shocked. "What do you mean you don��t know."

    "It means I don��t know. What��s so hard for you understand from there?" Rnd asked annoyed

    Cherry fumed. "My sister who recently survived an attack on her life went off to deal with some findings on her own and you chose to let her go just like that?"

    "." Rndughed. "Talking as if you actually care about your sister. You��re such a good liar. Well not to me."

    Cherry red her nostrils. "Did she say anything else? Can you be more useful?"

    Rnd wanted her off his back and he knew she woulde around.

    "Nothing. Just asking about thews we set against the mages and sirens." He said.

    Cherry went quiet.

    "Thank you for nothing."

    And with that she stormed out of the room.

 Chapter 401: HUNT FOR ANSWERS

    <h4>Chapter 401: HUNT FOR ANSWERS</h4>

    Queen Rose, Hildegard and Logan rode on down the forest path.

    Lucky enough for Queen Rose, she had her good on, her hair was in a very simple braid and she had taken off the jewelry she had worn back in her bedroom.

    She looked like a simple woman.

    She now wore a brown fur coat that was not as sophisticated as her initial one had been.

    All this was an effort to disguise herself.

    And it worked because she looked very simple and young.

    Nothing like a Queen, just a simple woman riding about.

    Once they reached Bernice��s small hamlet she came to a stop.

    "Why does she live so far away from the pack?" Rose asked confused. "How does she handle being so far away from her family?"

    They had rode for over three hours now.

    "She doesn��t." Hildegard said. "She goes andes from here to the castle everyday."

    "What?! Everyday?" Rose asked in utter disbelief as she took off her gloves. "Why would she need to do that? We have servants quarters that can allow her stay in the castle. And she could also move her family to stay within the pack?"

    Hildegard shook her head. "It��s almost impossible to get a room in the castle. Laws were made that restricted servants froming to stay in. I tried to do my best but nothing was done."

    Rose felt utterly weak.

    How did Bernice even handle all of that? And she knew for certain that as an Omega as she was, she didn��t have a horse to ride home.

    So she probably used travel carts that dragged people to and fro.

    Every day and night?

    What about the days when she closed from workte?

    Rose felt so horrible.

    No wonder Bernice had been drawn to poison Rose.

    Logan led them to a barn where they paid to have their horses kept.

    "Why can��t we just continue the journey?" Rose asked as they handed off the horses.

    "It could draw suspicions. Most of the people here are poor." Hildegard nodded at them. "We don��t want to attract the wrong attention so we blend in."

    And then they followed the crowd of people moving around.

    Rose had her hoodie well secured over her head.

    Men and women called out for people to buy their merchandise as they passed by the markets.

    Little pups chased each other in the dirt while their mothers in worn out dresses reprimanded them.

    The ce was filled with poverty and Rose was so overwhelmed with guilt and shame.

    "Who is in charge of this ce?" Rose asked.

    Hildegard shrugged. "I don��t know for sure. There was a Beta that ran this ce. I don��t know if he still does."

    They walked for minutes until they finally reached a small and run down cottage.

    There were no animals out front or livestock like some of the houses they had passed.

    The garden itself seemed to be dying.

    The windows were broken and clothes were forced into them to prevent an open space.

    The building itself was falling apart and it creaked as if it was going to copse any minute.

    "This is her house?" Rose asked wondering how anyone could live in such a condition.

    "It would seem." Hildegard said.

    Logan was the one leading them and he hardly ever spoke so Rose shrugged and went along.

    Logan put his hands up at Rose telling her to wait and then he very calmly went to the front door.

    He knocked.

    When no one answered, he was about to break in but the door opened and a little girl about the age of five stood .

    She had freckles all over her face and ck hair in two pigtails.

    She looked like a much younger version of Bernice.

    The girl saw Logan and must have been scared because she began to shake so much it visibly showed.

    Logan turned to look at Rose and Hildegard.

    Rose didn��t me the little girl for being afraid.

    "Hey." Rose said stepping up front and Logan stepped aside. "How are you? We��re friends of your mummy. We aren��t here to hurt you okay?"

    The girl seemed much calmer now.

    "What��s your name?" Rose asked.

    Before the girl responded a male��s voice said. "Adeline is that your mother at the do-

    A man with a two year old boy clinging to his arm appeared by the door .

    Rose saw the resemnce and immediately knew it was the little girl��s father.

    The man quickly pulled Adeline to the side so that he blocked her from seeing them.

    "Who are you and what do you want?" He demanded.

    "I��m not here for any trouble." Rose said raising up her hand very gently. "I just wanted to ask if this is Bernice��s home?"

    The man��s face crossed.

    "Yes it is. What do you want?" He asked suspiciously.

    "Nothing much. I only wanted to ask some questions about her." Rose said.

    Sensing trouble, the man stepped back about to close the door when Rose set her foot in preventing him from keeping her off.

    It hurt her feet in the process.

    "Your majesty." Hildegard said in panic.

    It was then the man��s eyes widened in fear and he handed the little boy to a much older sibling who had emerged from behind him, probably around the age of seventeen.

    "God and stay in the bedroom all of you! And don��te out unless I say so." He snapped and the children did immediately as he told them.

    Rose put her hand up against the door and very gently pushed it back.

    "You know who I am now." Rose said. "I��m not here to hurt you. Just like I said. I just want to speak to you. That��s all."

    "You��re here." He said his chest heaving heavily. "Where is my wife? She was supposed toe by yesterday night as usual where is she?"

    Rose bit her bottom lip.

    "If something happened please tell me." He begged.

    Rose was unsure of what to say.

    How did she tell this man that his wife was dead and that she had poisoned her this entire while .

    Rose looked at Hildegard for support and Hildegard nodded .

    "There was an ident." Rose started.

 Chapter 402: HUNT FOR ANSWERS II

    <h4>Chapter 402: HUNT FOR ANSWERS II</h4>

    His eyes widened and then he knew what she meant.

    He shook his head and his eyes filled with tears.

    "No nooo noo noo." He cried.

    "I��m so sorry." Rose apologized.

    Bernice had tried to kill her yes, but she felt pity for this man and the rest of his family.

    Now he had be a widower, his children had lost their mother and head going to be forced to break the news to them.

    By the time he looked back at her, his eyes were red.

    "I know this is inconvenient for you right now." Rose said. "But I wanted to ask you some questions."

    "How did she die?" He asked ignoring her questions.

    Rose went silent.

    "How did she DIE?!" He barked in rage.

    Logan started to bare his ws.

    Rose quickly spoke up to prevent things escting. "She slipped she hit her head. We found her dead this morning."

    His face went red and then he covered his face as he tried to suppress the theirs.

    "I knew something went wrong." He said. "I knew something went wrong. My Bernice would never not toe home to see her children no matter howte. Despite how much I told her that it would be better if she stayed at the castle thane homete. Never."

    "I am so sorry. I truly am." She said.

    The man sniffed and then Rose took in a breath before resuming her questions.l

    "I wanted to ask you some questions so if you would please let me." Rose pleaded .

    His rose his face up to her.

    "How dare you?!" He demanded in anger. "My wife just died and you are here asking me questions?"

    From the corner of her eyes, she saw Logan��s w begin to steep out.

    The man stepped back and pushed the door once again in attempt to m it in her face.

    But Rose quickly stopped him by using her hand to push it back.

    "Please. I want you to know that I don��t have any intentions to interrupt your grieving. But I wouldn��t ask you if this were not important." She pleaded.

    She wanted to prevent the situation from escting with Logan.

    She truly didn��t want this man to be hurt.

    He had gone through more than enough already.

    "Please." She said.

    He looked at her for about a minute through the small opening at the side of the door that she held.

    Eventually he sighed and took a step back.

    He didn��t tell her toe in, rather he walked into the house leaving the door open.

    Rose took the hint and then she very gently stepped into the house.

    What she saw broke her heart.

    It was a very tiny room and the furniture seemed to be all worn out.

    There were wood patched on the wall to probably close openings.

    In a corner she saw a set up with pots and suspected that that was where the kitchen was.

    She could tell they were very under privileged wolves.

    But one thing she noticed and took delight in, was the fact that despite how poor they were, everything was clean.

    You could easily tell they struggled, but their worn out furniture had reced and down with different materials.

    Their table that had broken was reced with the leg of an entirely different wood.

    What was broken or missing had been reced by with something else.

    She also noticed that there were only two doors in the house.

    He stood by the firece.

    "What do you want?" He asked.

    He didn��t offer them any seats, just rather went straight to the point.

    Logan gruffed seemingly annoyed and took a step forward, but Rose put her hand gently on him.

    "I am not here to insult you or fight you. I want you to believe that. I mean no harm." Rose said. "I could have done things in a much harsher way if I intended to harm you."

    "Ah I see. I should be grateful to the Queen for being gracious to the poor wolves." He said sarcastically.

    "No." Rose responded. "I never said that. But I am letting you know what I can do. Ie here in peace, but that does not mean I will not react if you push your boundaries."

    He said nothing for a while .

    When Rose was sure her message had been sent clearly, she cleared her throat.

    "Your wife, Bernice." She began. "How did she get to work as my m taster?"

    The husband rose a brow.

    "I asked a question." Rose said.

    He sighed and said. "She went through due process like everyone else and got the job. She worked very hard to get a job in the pack castle. And she earned it."

    Rose nodded. "Of course. After she got the Job, what happened to your daughter who got sick?"

    His face instantly went pale.

    He seemed ready to flee in any minute.

    "I have told you, I will not have you unless you give me a reason to and believe me when I tell you I have no intentions on doing that. I can��t have children watch their father being hurt or taken away. Whatever you say here would end here."

    He swallowed and then he adjusted his stance.

    "Now tell me." She said her hands sped together. "What happened when your daughter got sick."

    He swallowed and then finally found his voice.

    "Her illness was rare." He started. "A rare wolf generic illness in my family. After the child transforms back from pup to human after the original transformation, instead of the bones to revert back to normal, the bones of the wolf remains in the bone of the human flesh."

    "I��ve heard of it." Hildegard said. "The bones can��t survive in the human body so the bones begin to suck the energy off the child. The child cant revert back to a wolf because of how weak they are and they end up dying."

    "And if you know that, you would know that no medicinal of wolf treatment can save the child." He said. "We did everything we could. We even went to the Royal physician board for help. They turned us down. We had no money, we were desperate and our baby was dying."

    He began crying this time .

    "Eventually my wife came one day and told me that she had met someone who would help us." He sniffed. "She said it was with magic. I told her we couldn��t because of how dangerous and strict thew was. She assured me that no one would ever find out. We took her to a little hut and she was healed. She became well again. The magic that had been so banned healed our daughter."

    Rose felt a chill in our bones.

    "Do you know who this person was?" Rod asked.

    He shook his head. "No. I never met the woman."

    "Woman." Rose said to herself as he confirmed what his wife had said before she died.

    "Yes a woman." He said. "She helped us without ever receiving anything. We were so grateful. Something the royal family couldn��t even do for its people."

    When he said this, he looked Rose dead in the eye.

    He was speaking directly to her.

 Chapter 403: THE DEATH

    <h4>Chapter 403: THE DEATH</h4>

    "A stranger did." He replied looking boldly at her.

    "You just took help from a woman you don��t even know?" Rose asked in disbelief.

    "Yes and at least she helped us!" He snapped back at Rose. "We came to the Royal physicians. They turned us down. We pay taxes even though we have nothing and we couldn��t be helped!"

    Rose was taken aback and still in disbelief that the Royal Physicians didn��t help them.

    "We pay taxes and our own leaders won��t help us." He eximed in a fit of rage. "What did you expect us to do? Watch our little girl die in pain?"

    Rose nodded and sighed to herself.

    "I am sorry that you went through what you did." She exined. "Truly I am. I wasn��t aware that things were this bad."

    "Did you see this vige we in when you wereing in?" He asked. "Did you see how poor we are? We have nothing. Absolutely nothing."

    Rose bit her bottom lip. "And when someonees ready to help us, why sounds we ept. She never asked for anything. She healed my little girl and let us go."

    Rose felt weak to her bones.

    She wanted to ask how someone would have helped him out of nowhere without collecting payment.

    But she knew what having children meant.

    It meant being blind to the obvious and doing anything for them.

    She had been blinded when she lost Scarlett.

    Refusing to see or believe anything else.

    Doing any and everything to find her daughter.

    So in a way she understood.

    "And i know what thew so for disobeying the rule against wolves using magic." He said and then he showed her his wrists. "You can as well take me away. My children don��t have a mother and I don��t expect you to feel any different if they don��t have a father."

    He was a very bold man.

    She gave him credit for that.

    And that was something she never really experienced.

    "I��m not going to take you away." She said. "Thatw is old and outdated. You did it in good fate to save your daughter and I don��t see anything wrong in that."

    He said nothing.

    "I would appreciate it if you could at least, find a way to know who this woman is and tell me." She said .

    He stiffened. "So you can kill her for helping us?"

    Rose sighed.

    "You might not believe this." She started. "But I am sorry for what you went through. No patents should go through that. I had been away from power for a very long time. But I have returned and I would address these matters properly. I know what it��s like to do anything for a child and so I understand why you did what you did."

    He said nothing at first.

    "I don��t know who the woman is. Even if I did. I still wouldn��t tell you." He stated. "She was an angel."

    Rose shook her head.

    If only he knew that this very woman had turned out to be his wife��s worst nightmare.

    He simply had his face facing the wall, refusing to look at her.

    "I am sorry for your loss." She said. "I will give you employment in my home and I will provide a much better living condition for you and your children. If you remember anything about the woman who helped you, then please I would appreciate it."

    And then she turned around and started to leave when he stopped her.

    "She slipped and died?" He asked. "She just slipped and died? Or you killed her?"

    This time Logan took a step forward to attack him and Rose intervened almost immediately.

    "Logan don��t." She warned.

    She looked at the grieving husband and sympathized.

    He was angry. She could understand.

    The irony that it was his wife who had tried to kill her rather.

    She would never tell him what happened and she would make sure no one did.

    The official story was that she slipped and died.

    "Because if she simply slipped and died, then why are you here? You didn��t just one day care." He said. "You came for a reason."

    She sighed. "I came because I am making new changes in thew. And she was one of our workers. She told me about what happened to your daughter and I wanted to sympathize."

    He didn��t look like he believed her

    "I still don��t want your help." He said in arrogance.

    She shrugged her shoulders. "That��s okay. But if you ever change your mind and need help. The offer would still stand and so would my door always be open to you."

    He folded his arms and looked away .

    She turned away from the room and walked out of the door.

    Logan and Hildegard were right behind her.

    "That man has gone through a lot." Rose stated matter of fact. "I can��t believe that is what these people go through."

    Hildegard sighed weakly. "There had been rules set in ce since you stayed away from the crown."

    "Is it really true that the royal physicians turned him down?" Rose asked lost.

    "Do you think it��s possible?"

    Hildegard shrugged. "Yes I do. I know that it��s true."

    Rose��s eyes opened.

    "Some of the workers hadined that they were unable to take care of their children and forced to borrow money and furthernd into debt because of the inability of the physicians to provide longsting treatments for them."

    Rose scoffed. "That��s impossible."

    "It��s what has been going on." Hildegard pointed out.

    "Who made thesews?" Rose demanded in anger.

    "The members of the wolf council." Hildegard said .

    Rose was furious.

    To prevent any issues of having a dictorial leader, the wolf council had been made with different members of the founding packs.

    So that they could pass judgement into the people.

    But now Rose was seeing that they were abusing it and exploiting the people.

    "What do they even gain from stopping the people from being treated by the physicians. They pay taxes hence why they should be allowed to in the first ce."

    "Taxes." Hildegard pointed out. "The physicians came out saying they weren��t getting enough money anymore and that treatments were getting expensive so they drastically reduced the people from being allowed to gain treatment."

    "But this wasn��t true was it?" Rose asked brewing in rage.

    Hildegard shook her head. "No it wasn��t. I found out underground thatMembers of the wolf council had been stealing money from so many ventures. The royal physicians amongst them too. They are all scheming and gaining from it while the people suffer."

    Rose was in utter disbelief.

    "Does my husband know this?" Rose asked .

    Hildegard shook her head. "I don��t think so."

    "Why didn��t you ever tell me?" Rose asked lost for words.

    "You were in a very delicate state." Hildegard said. "And you were frequently sick. Now we know that it was the effect of the poison. But then you were seen to be recovering from losing your daughter. I couldn��t tell you."

    "Why didn��t you tell my husband?" Rose asked. "He is the King himself."

    "I tried to." Hildegard exined weakly. "The one time I did, someone found out and threatened my family so I stayed back. It��s a well arranged scheme. Hence why it��s hard for anyone to know."

    "These people are paying taxes." Rose said angry. "They deserve to be held responsible."

    The entire system was rigged.

    She was so angry she wanted to storm into the castle and fire everyone.

    It was their fault she had been poisoned in the first ce!

    If they had not selfishly sabotaged treatment, Bernice would have never been ckmailed to poisoning her and she would still be alive.

    If they could do this then what else could they do!

    They started their way back to the outskirts of the vige when Rose stopped.

    "What happened?" Hildegard asked. "What��s wrong?"

    "I forgot my gloves." Rose said .

    "We could Galway��s get another." Hildegard said.

    "They belonged to my mother." Rose said. "I can��t let that go."

    "I can go get it for you your majesty." Logan offered.

    She shook her head.

    "Don��t worry. It��s just here. I��ll go get it myself." She said.

    And before listening to their disapproval, she was off to the cottage.

    She was already at the door in seconds.

    She was about to knock when she felt something off.

    She shrugged it off and knocked.

    There was no response.

    She knocked again and yet no response.

    She sensed something was wrong.

    She very gently opened the door and stepped into the room.

    The entrance of the house was the same as she had just left it except the man was no longer in it.

    She saw the saw her gloves on a stool and then she picked them up.

    When she turned to go, she saw him seated in his chair, his chest opened out and blood all over him.

    She gasped and dropped the gloves.

    She hadn��t witnessed something so grotesque in such a long time.

 Chapter 404: A GRUESOME DISCOVERY

    <h4>Chapter 404: A GRUESOME DISCOVERY</h4>

    Rose had fought was, killed wolves in their human and wolf forms.

    She had ripped people into pieces and their blood had sshed on her face.

    She had been drenched in blood before. From head to toe.

    But this was different.

    She hadn��t seen such amount of blood in a long time.

    And the fact that she had just left the man alive a few minutes ago.

    How had someone so quicklye into the house just as they left, just as they hadn��t even gone far,e in and killed him.

    Without making a single sound.

    She felt instant chills.

    She didn��t know how long she had just been standing there because the door was swung open behind her and she heard Hildegarde in.

    "Goddess you had us worried." Hildegard said as soon as she stepped into the house.

    She could feel Logan��s presence too.

    "My goddess Selene!" Hildegard gasped in shock and utter disbelief. "How did this happen?"

    Rose just stood there unable to say a word.

    Logan went over the dead body to check.

    First the mother was dead, and now the father was dead.

    How were the children going to live?

    And then it urred to her.

    She remembered that he had children.

    "The children!" She gasped.

    And then Rose rushed to one of the two doors avable in the house.

    "Rose wait!" Hildegard tried to stop her.

    But she was already opening the door.

    She was toote.

    Inside the bedroom were the bodies and spilled guts of the three children.

    Their blood spattered on the wall.

    They looked horrified as if they had just been scared.

    She began to shake.

    Logan was the first to step in behind her before Hildegard.

    Hildegard gasped. "Oh goddess."

    Rose just stood there her eyes unable to look away from the dead children.

    Logan went down over them one after the other to see if they were alive.

    Rose knew they weren��t and it was a waste of time.

    The eldest whom she hadn��t met was in her teen years.

    She must have been in the room all throughout the time she had firste in.

    She had had her stomach open and her eyes were wide open.

    There was no way she was alive.

    The second girl who had been the one to open the door was on the floor at her sister��s feet , her entire body was trampled on.

    As if she had been stepped on by a huge giant.

    There was barely much left of her but blood and bones.

    Rose knew she was the little girl because her head was still partly intact.

    Thest was the youngest. The one who was probably not more than three and the one the father had held in his arms when he hade to open the door.

    She was the most tragic.

    She was not in her human form but her wolf form.

    She must have changed out of fear and she was hurled in a corner.

    Her little pup ears standing out and her lifeless body hung limp.

    Rose suspected that she had been hit against the wall because she seemed to look as if all her bones had been broken.

    Though she was dead, her eyes were filled with tears.

    Rose felt herself go dizzy and faint.

    She had never witnessed anything like this in her life.

    She felt limp and then Logan came to her side to hold her.

    "Rose are you okay?" Hildegard asked. "You shouldn��t be here. You��re not strong enough."

    Rose shook her head as she tried to wave the dizziness.

    "It��s okay I��m fine." Rose urged and freed herself from their firm grasp.

    She adjusted her dress and tried to look away from the dead bodies of the children

    "Who could do such a terrible thing?" Hildegard asked. "I can understand adults fighting but who could kill children? Who could do such a thing? Innocent children?"

    Who?

    Did the question really matter anymore?

    She, Rose was the one who had killed the children.

    She had brought death to their doorstep.

    She had indirectly killed them all.

    Because if she had nevere here they would still be alive.

    She had promised their mother that nothing bad was going to happen to her family and yet here they ally dead.

    All because of her.

    Who could be so heartless to kill children.

    In all her years as Queen Luna she had never killed any child.

    Ever!

    And yet someone had murdered this children in cold blood without a thought.

    And then Rose was out of the room,

    She stormed past their dead father and when she was outside she sat on a rock in front of the house.

    "This is all my fault." Rose said to herself.

    She repeated it over and over again.

    The guilt burned within her.

    She heard Hildegard��s footsteps behind her.

    "Don��t say that." Hildegard said.

    "But it��s my fault." Rose said. "I��m the reason their mother fell into such a trap. I��m the reason there are no physicians treating the poor wolves even though they pay taxes and I am the reason why the person who had tried to kill me, killed them all."

    Rose held her arms together as she sat on the rock.

    "Could you have done things better?" Hildegard asked. "Yes. But if you had known. You didn��t know and that your fault."

    "Ignorance is not an excuse." Rose said matter of fact.

    Hildegard went quiet. "Even if you didn��te here. Bernice had already signed her death warrant. They would have died whether we came or not. This is not your fault."

    "I should have insisted." Rose said weakly. "I should have stayed and made theme with me to the castle. Than rather leave them here."

    Hildegard sighed knowing that there was nothing sheas going to tell Rose that would make her feel differently.

    Rose turned her face away and looked at the other side towards a forest.

    A short whileter, Rose heard horses.

    She looked up and saw none other than her husband Rnd.

 Chapter 405: AN IGNORANT KING

    <h4>Chapter 405: AN IGNORANT KING</h4>

    Rnd was leading his men as they rode towards Rose.

    He saw his wife seated on a rock in front of an almost dead cottage and he came down.

    She looked shocked to see him. "What are you doing here? How did you know I was here?"

    "Because I sent for him." Hildegard said.

    Rose looked at her, a face of betrayal written all over.

    "Why would you?" Rose asked unhappily.

    "Well I believed that he would handle things better." Hildegard admitted. "So I told Logan to send a messenger owl to inform him."

    "You don��t think I��m capable of handling matters?" Rose asked.

    "There are dead bodies in that house." Hildegard stated matter of fact. "This shouldn��t be something that just three of us could handle on our own. We needed help. And you husband has been in power more recently. He would know what to do."

    "Don��t get angry at her." He said. "I am the one who is supposed to be angry with you."

    Rose narrowed her eyes at him. "What?! You��re supposed to be angry with me?"

    "Yes. Goddamn it Rose." He swore. "How could youe here all on your own without telling me?"

    "You don��t police me." She said. "If you remember I am Queen. You are King Consort. You are thest person to give me orders."

    He rubbed the back of his head and groaned. "This has nothing to do with who is king consort or not. This has to do with the fact that you put your life in danger."

    "You are part of the reason why these people are dead!" Rose said.

    He sighed and turned behind to some of his men.

    "Come with me."

    And then he walked into the cottage.

    He saw the dead body of the man on the chair.

    And then he went to the other door in the house.

    There he found the dead bodies of the children.

    He had seen a lot things in his years. But this was something else.

    "Good goddess." Markus, one of his top Lycans said. "Who could have done such a thing?"

    Rnd himself was equally confused. This was a whole different matter entirely.

    How stupid could rose have been?

    What if she had been caught in the mix of all this and would have died?

    "What does it look like?" He asked his hands on his waist.

    "I��ve never seen anything like this." Devon, his chief investigator said. "Not in my thirty years of investigating murders. There isn��t any foreign scent in the house. Except the Queen��s, her hand maiden and her body guard. If it was a wolf he or she would have used magic to hide their scent. Or it could just be someone doing magic. There aren��t w marks to indicate a wolf. And their death happened very fast and very painfully."

    Rnd rubbed his face and then went back out to find his wife.

    He looked up at Hildegard and Logan.

    Hildegard took the hint and went away.

    Logan remained standing behind her.

    "I want to speak to my wife you can leave." He said.

    But Logan remained standing.

    She waved her hand off at him.

    "It��s fine. Go." She said.

    It was only then Logan turned away.

    Xaden shook his head.

    He had never really liked Logan because Logan tended to only obey Rose.

    Not anyone else, not even him.

    "Why did youe here?" He asked once Logan was out of sight.

    Rose sighed heavily.

    "I came to find more about Bernice." She said knowing that she couldn��t lie anymore.

    "So this was what you wanted to do this morning?" He asked in disbelief. "This was really what you wanted to do? And you couldn��t tell me."

    "I don��t need to tell you everything." She said annoyed. "I��m the Queen I can handle things myself."

    He put his hands on his waist and looked at her. "No one is disputing that. No one has ever said you weren��t. But you have been away from the seat for a long time. This is what happens when you choose to do things on your own. What did you think was going to happen."

    "Someone put Bernice up to kill me." Rose said. "I wanted to find out."

    "And you chose to do it all on your own?" He aske don uther disbelief.

    "I have been poisoned for decades now. Did you know? Until I found out?" She stood up to her feet in anger. "Someone who hates me, had ckmailed Bernice to poison this entire time. I came here to ask her husband about it and he confessed. But he didn��t know who it had been."

    "Do you realize that you cause their deaths?" He asked. "You didn��t mean to, directly but you did."

    "Do you think I don��t already don��t know?!" She snapped at him. "You��re one to talk. What is going on amongst the royal physicians."

    He frowned. "Nothing is going on amongst the Royal physicians."

    "You see why I say you don��t even know anything. There has been looting. The people have been taking the money appropriated for the poor wolves for themselves. It��s why Bernice and her husband asked to have her sick daughter treated and they turned her away. She was forced to disobey thew and use magic. That��s why she was ckmailed. That��s why all of this could even happen."

    Rnd blinked in disbelief.

    "I didn��t know." He said honestly.

    "Of course you didn��t. Just the same way you didn��t know that the people have been hungry and starving. They are paying taxes and nothing is working for them. If I have a hand in their deaths so do you. Your ignorance killed them."

    "I went to see him. Just to talk. I offered him and his daughters toe live in the pack and get better treatment." Rose said. "But he didn��t. I left them alive, I forgot my gloves in the house and by the time I returned they w were already dead. Whoever wanted to kill me, killed them and you��re right I led them straight to their deaths."

 Chapter 406: PASSAGE

    <h4>Chapter 406: PASSAGE</h4>

    He sighed and rubbed the sides of his arms .

    "We would deal with this." He said. "Next time I want you to let me know before you do anything like this again."

    And then he started to leave when she stopped him. "How did this even happen? The people that knew about it were few. It was just me, you and the guards and my sister. And when I told you I was leaving this morning, I only told you. The only other people that knew were Hildegard and Logan. And they would never betray me."

    Rnd felt stiff.

    When Cherry hade to meet him. He had casually told her that Rose had left just to get her off him.

    Had she had a hand in this?

    He knew she was dangerous and would do anything but this was extreme.

    He thought about it, and it began to make sense.

    If it was Cherry that had arranged for Rose to be poisoned, she would have ordered for Bernice��s family to be killed to cover her tracks.

    He was going to have to confront her head on.

    "Rnd did you have any thing to do with this?" She asked him.

    That took him aback.

    "Gods no." He said. "Why would you even think that?"

    "Because you are the only one that I told when I was leaving this morning and somehow they wind up dead. Somehow you are already here at the murder." She said.

    He felt insulted that she would even think him capable of doing such a thing to her.

    "How can you say such a thing? Didn��t it ur to you that it��s possible from the moment she died, whoever sent her could have known? I came here to fix this mess you made. I��m your husband for crying out loud!" He said annoyed.

    "Lately all you have done is antagonize me. I have tried my best. Since you came back to the throne, you have seen me as weak along with everything that I have done for the past twenty decades you were away from the crown."

    "You have a line of corrupt people stealing from the poor. All these happened because you didn��t care. It would have never happened under me." She said.

    "You think I wanted this in the first ce?" He asked angrily. "Then fine! Handle it! I��m done!"

    And he started to storm off.

    "Don��t walk out on me I am your Queen!" She said going after him.

    "You were my wife first before you became my Queen." He said. "I look at you and I wonder what happened? I wonder if losing Scarlett made you lose everything."

    "Stop." She said.

    "You make it seem like she was only your child?" He asked angrily. "You make it seem like only you cared. I am an Alpha. A male wolf. I am expected to ignore my feelings. I was never allowed to grieve my own child because the rest of the pack would see me as weak. Do you know how that made me feel? Because my daughter died and worse when my own wife won��t ept it so much she abandoned not just me or her surviving daughter, but the entire wolf Kingdom?"

    "Scarlett isn��t dead." She said before she could close her mouth.

    "Not this again." He said rubbing his eyes in frustration.

    She went quiet for a few seconds and then he looked at her.

    "Go on say what you started." He said. You promised! You promised to let this end! You promised to let this die! And this is what you are back on?!"

    He shook his head. "I should have know that this was what you were up to. I should have known that you were never going to change."

    She took in a deep breath.

    "Look Rnd." She started. "She isn��t alive."

    "Oh now she isn��t alive?" He rose his brow. "You just said she is alive."

    She shook her head and began to stutter. "No that��s not what I meant."

    He looked at her, waiting for her response.

    "Scarlett is dead." She said. "But... she had a child. And that child is somewhere alive."

    Rnd looked at his wife and he bust out into uncontrobleughter.

    She looked at him shocked.

    Heughed so much he saved tears.

    The other wolves around looked at them, confused as to what was going on.

    "Why are youughing?" She asked in utter disbelief.

    He went onughing until he was done.

    Rose just stared at him .

    "What is funny?" She demanded.

    "You." He pointed out. "You are so funny."

    Rose blinked.

    "First Scarlett was alive, now she is dead and then somehow we have a supposed grandchild from our daughter who was dead somewhere?" He asked.

    "I know it doesn��t make any sense." Rose said. "But the mage told me-

    "A mage?" He asked in disbelief. "You are consulting with a mage?! What the hell has gotten into you?!"

    "NOTHING!" She snapped at him. "She was the one who came to me and she was the one who even told me about Bernice poisoning me."

    Rnd looked disgusted. "A mage? Came to you. To discuss about our grandchild we never even knew existed."

    "Yes." Rose said. "I know it sounds crazy. But that��s what happened. You have to believe me!"

    "Has it urred to you, that it��s possible this very mage who told you such lies, is the person who might have been poisoning you and might also be the one who killed this family? Because how did everything go downhill till you met this supposed mage?"

    "She had nothing to do with it. She was just trying to protect me." Rose said as she followed him.

    Rnd walked away.

    She tried to hold his arm but he jerked free.

    "I am going to find my grandchild. I won��t make the mistake I made with Scarlett." Rose said adamantly.

    "I should have know that you would never change." He said and with that he walked away.

    ~~~~~~~

    Unknown to them, a Royal Beta under Cherry��s payroll was listening to their entire conversation and would report everything he had heard back to her.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Jasmine woke up in a break of sweat.

    She protectively held her slight bulge on her stomach and looked around.

    She was in her new bedroom and it had just been a bad dream.

    She had dreamt that she had given birth to her baby girl and before they even let her hold it, Anna and the Queen��s sister, Princess Cherry hade and snatched the baby.

    She had cried and begged for her baby.

    Xaden had just stood there refusing to do anything rather than just watch.

    Eventually her tears and rapid heart beat had woken her up from the dreadful nightmare.

    She touched her neck and throat as she cleaned off the beads of sweat.

    She took in a very deep breath and looked at the beautiful open windows.

    It was night and the moonlight stricken into her bedroom.

    It was a full moon.

    If she was a wolf, her wolf would have been calling to the moon but unfortunately she didn��t.

    If her baby was an unshifted wolf like her, she would protect her from all the terrible things she had suffered from her fate.

    How she wished that she would be able to see the moon much better.

    She gently told up from the bed and paced the room.

    She had had her dinner in her bedroom refusing to have dinner in the main dining hall.

    She still didn��t know how Lily or Anna would perceive her.

    So she intended to maintain her distance for as long as she could .

    She rubbed her tummy and hummed a melody that Urma had sung for her as a child.

    She went back to bed and tried to sleep, but she couldn��t.

    Eventually she went over to therge bookshelf to pick up a book to read.

    She was picking through them one after the other when she noticed something unusual.

    From behind the bookshelf there seemed to be a streak of lighting in.

    She thought it was her imagination at first and so she casually waved her hand at it and then it flicked on and off.

    She was taken aback.

    She looked through the hole that it came from and couldn��t see anything in particr.

    She took a step back and then she saw that even down from the massive bookshelf a small pin point of line emitted.

    It was as if something was behind the shelf.

    She walked to the side and measured it closely.

    Could she try pushing it?

    She hesitated and then pushed it.

    It didn��t budge.

    She tried again, this time a little harder and to her amazement, she felt it begin to move back.

    She tried it once again using all her might.

    The shelf began to move and then finally it waspletely gone.

    She stepped back and saw an open passageway.

    She looked through it.

    It was dark and cold.

    She stepped back to pick up one of the lights and returned back to the door of the passage way.

    She very gently began to go through it.

 Chapter 407: ASTRONOMY

    <h4>Chapter 407: ASTRONOMY</h4>

    She heard a creek behind her and turned around, only to find a rat run past.

    She jumped in fright and the fire torch she held dropped to the floor.

    She took in a deep breath and picked up the torch and resumed her way up.

    As she walked further she saw light begin to radiate into the hallway.

    She kept on walking and saw that there was a spiraling steps that led above.

    She looked up at the steps and looked for where to drop the torch before cing it on a torch holder.

    She then began to ascend the steps and soon she was in a breathtaking room.

    "Wow." Jasmine gasped.

    The room had no walls and everywhere seemed to have sses.

    The moonlight streaked into the beautiful sses making the entire room filled with light.

    There were so many unusuallyrge objects in the room.

    What room was this?

    She had never seen anything like this before.

    The room wasn��t filled with cobwebs and seemed to be very clean.

    Which meant that someone had been here very recently.

    She walked to one of therge objects and touched it.

    It moved and she panicked.

    Or was this a ploy or a way for Xaden to test her?

    Maybe she shouldn��t be here.

    Whatever room this was.

    It was beautiful but she knew better than to snoop around ces she didn��t belong.

    She was already taking a step to leave when she heard a very deep and familiar voice.

    "What are you doing here?"

    It was Xaden and he was seated in a corner of the darkness.

    She jumped in fear and crashed down one of the objects.

    It came crashing with such a loud noise.

    Jasminended on her back.

    "Ouch." She mumbled to herself.

    "Jasmine!" He said and in a second he was already at her side.

    He swore as he gently helped her up.

    "Are you alright?" He asked as he looked all over her, visibly worried. "Is the baby okay?! Did you hurt yourself somewhere?"

    She blushed at the manner which he was fussing over her.

    "Why are you smiling?" He asked confused.

    "Nothing." She said quickly. "I��m alright."

    And then he helped her up.

    "You need to be more careful with yourself." He reprimanded. Then he seemed to remember she was in the room. "What are you doing here? How did you even get here?"

    "Through my room." She said looking down at her feet.

    "There is an entrance to this ce through my mother��s bedroom?" He asked surprised. Then he shrugged. "I��m not surprised. The astronomy room belongs to her. Makes sense that she would have made an entrance through her bedroom ."

    "Is that what this ce is called?" Jasmine asked. "An astronomy room?"

    "Yes." He said.

    "I see."

    But she didn��t see. She didn��t know am astronomy room was.

    She wanted to ask him more questions but then she remembered that she had intruded.

    "I��ll be going." She said.

    "Would you like me to show you?" He asked surprising her. "You are already here so you might as well just see it."

    She lit up and nodded eagerly.

    Then he walked to the object that had fallen and picked it up.

    "Do you know what this is?" He asked her.

    She shook her head. "No.

    "This is a telescope." He said and made some adjustments to it.

    Jasmine watched to her amusement as he made it longer and longer.

    By the time he was done, it was different from how she had initially seen it.

    "Come." He said ushering her to the ��telescope��

    She obeyed and very carefully walked to him.

    He was peeking through it and then he stepped aside.

    "Put your eye in there and take a look." He said.

    She did as she was told and then she very gently held the tip of the telescope.

    She put her eye in and gasped in amusement when she saw the moon at such a close range.

    She looked away.

    "The moon! It��s so close!" She gasped. "How did you do that?"

    Heughed. "It��s what the instrument is for.

    It makes things from afar appear closer."

    "My mother was an astronomer." He said. "She used to study the stars and celestial bodies. So my father made this room specially for her. This was her favorite ce in the entire pack."

    Jasmine looked through it once again.

    She had alwaysid on the grass outside at night back in her home pack to look at the moon and stars.

    "It��s beautiful." She said aloud.

    "Come let me show you other things."

    He ushered and soon he was pointing out everything in the room to her along with what they were meant for.

    "Come." He said beckoning her to another inatrumed that stood at the center of the room. "If you thought the telescope was good, this is even better."

    The instrument was much bigger and wider than the telescope.

    "With this you can see the shapes that the stars make. Ursr minor and major." He informed her.

    She has no idea what he meant but she followed him regardless.

    He was so excited like a happy child.

    It was a different side of him she had never seen.

    "You know what the constetion are don��t you?" He asked her.

    "No." She admitted embarrassed.

    "We��ll have you seen the stars seem to make lines in the sky at night?" He asked her.

    "Yes." She admitted. "That��s what they are called? Constetions?"

    "Yes." He said. "Come let me show you."

    And then he put her to stand in front of him.

    "This is a different type of the telescope. It��s quite rare and my mother was one of the few people who had it. With this one." He said as he pulled the instruments towards them. "We can see the constetions perfectly and together."

    They looked through it at the same time and she gasped.

    He gently moved the telescope around as he pointed out the different constetions.

    She felt him hard behind her and she felt her insides go wet.

    Just the mere touch of him behind her made her heart race.

    She was ashamed because she was certain that he didn��t feel any type of way.

    "There is one constetion." He said. "My mother said it appears once every full moon."

    "It��s a full moon tonight." Jasmine acknowledged.

    "Yes, let��s see if we can look for it." He said and then they began to look through all the constetions.

    Eventually they found it.

    "There she is." He said with a smile

    But Jasmine only saw a cluster of stars.

    "I can��t see a formation." Jasmine said. "It isn��t like the others."

    "Exactly." He said. "It��s called the unknown wolf. No one has ever been able to pin point the other stars to know what shape it��s supposed to make. And it��s been that way for centuries. It was the one thing my mother was obsessed with. She tried to solve it when she was alive."

    Then he withdrew from holding her, bringing her back to reality.

    There was arge desk and chair at the far corner of the room.

    He went to it and pulled open one of the drawers.

    He emerged with a book.

    "This was my mother��s journal on all the celestial bodies she had studied." He said as he opened the book.

    There were writing on it and drawings filled all over.

    Jasmine couldn��t understand what they meant but she found herself intrigued.

    "Every star that exists my mother made record of them." He said. "The unknown wolf was her favorite. She tried her best to investigate andplete it."

    Jasmine looked at the paper and saw some writings that seemed different from his mother��s.

    She didn��t know how to read and write but she knew that the handwriting he had been showing her was entirely different.

    "Did your mother write this too?" Jasmine asked curiously.

    "No." He said as he tapped over the paper. "It wasn��t."

    His face went grim and she was back to be his cold self once again.

    "Do you know that your father had an elder brother?" He asked.

    That question threw her off bnce.

    Where did thise from and what did this have to do with the writing on the book.

    She swallowed.

    This was the second time she had heard of

    This.

    The first time was from Urma who had casually mentioned it a few moments before she had died.

    "Uhm... er... I have heard about him." Jasmine said. "I don��t know anything about him just that he was his elder brother."

    Xaden looked back down on the journal. "He was my mother��s close friend. While my father was close to your father, he was close to my mother. They both were fascinated in astronomy so they bonded over it."

    He tapped on the writing. "This was his writing and contribution to her work on astronomy."

    Jasmine didn��t know what to say.

    "Have you heard of the other side?" He asked.

 Chapter 408: JASMINE’S UNCLE

    <h4>Chapter 408: JASMINE��S UNCLE</h4>

    "The other side?" Jasmine asked.

    She had never heard of that before.

    "Yes." He continued. "The other side."

    He left his mother��s journal on the table, walked to the bookshelf, and returned to her with another book.

    He opened it, and it was filled with an entirely different handwriting and drawings.

    This one was more well-written and also had some drawings attached.

    "This isn��t my mother��s work. Over the years, she gathered work from various astronomers like her on the other side." He said.

    Jasmine watched, intrigued, as he flipped the pages and showed pictures.

    "What��s the other side?" She asked him.

    "There are stories that after the goddess Selene made the wolves, there was a pack different from the others." He stated. "They were at that time the most powerful pack. But it was not enough. They wanted more. They used some very old and dangerous magic. The goddess cursed them."

    "The way they cursed the Lycans. Erik��s family?" She asked.

    He shook his head. "No, not like that. Worse. The power they had searched was itself cursed. And the goddess cursed it again. They were exiled from our world and made far away from the rest of us on what is called the other side."

    "I never heard of this." Jasmine admitted.

    "A lot of people haven��t heard of them, even if they had, they just think it��s a myth or some sort of story to tell naughty children." He said.

    "And what about you?" She asked.

    "What about me what?" He asked.

    "Do you think it��s just a story? Or it��s more."

    He sighed and seemed to think for a while. "I don��t know. It��s just something my mother loved to do and I do it in return because it reminds me of her. It keeps her memories fresh in my head. I know. It doesn��t make sense. Doing something you obviously do not believe in."

    She gently set her hand on his arm.

    He looked at her. "It makes a lot of sense to me."

    If it were her too, and she knew who her mother was, she would do everything within her power to remember her.

    There was a silent and tenses moment between them for a split second before he went back to his books.

    "My mother along with your uncle were both obsessed with the other side. From what I have gathered though their works, he was the one who started the search. She joined him. They had been looking for it for a while. There are some clues she found." He said and then he gently touched the pages. "They stopped. They seemed to be getting close to

    Something and then they just stopped. No more records of anything."

    "What happened to this uncle of mine?" Jasmine asked.

    Xaden shrugged. "I don��t know. He just disappeared. No one knows what happened to him."

    This was the second time she had heard about the uncle she had never known existed.

    And for the fact that he was the elder brother to her father.

    First born sons were supposed to be the Alpha.

    So why had her father be Alpha?

    Or had he had something to do with his disappearance?

    She wouldn��t it put it past him.

    There was so much about her family that she was yet to know.

    He handed her one of the books for her to read and she blushed in shame.

    "What��s wrong?" He asked.

    "I can��t read." She opened up.

    He rose a brow. "You��re joking."

    She went silent in shame and then he seemed to regret his choice of words.

    "You��re not." He finally realized.

    The air was now ufortable and awkward.

    He was going to see her as fool for not knowing how to read or right.

    "Would you like to learn how to?" He asked her.

    That was thest thing she had expected him to say.

    In fact she hadn��t even expected him to say anything like that.

    "Uh... er..." she stuttered and the she cleared her throat to finally find her voice. "Yes. I��ll like that."

    He nodded. "You can being here. Who would you like to help teach you how to read and write?"

    She wanted to say him, but she looked down at her feet and said. "Anyone would

    Be fine."

    "The nanny I brought to take care of you." He said. "Do you like her?"

    "She is fine. I appreciate it." She responded.

    "I��m d you like her." He nodded. "She is one of the best avable. She is skilled in taking care of children and women. She has also taken care of the children of high ranking pack families. She can teach you how to read and write."

    "Thank you. I appreciate this." She said.

    He nodded. "If you would like to also keep oning here. You are free to. Research on astronomy if you be interested."

    If these books held answers about her uncle, perhaps there was a way she could find more about her mother and where she truly came from.

    Perhaps if she could find her uncle alive, he would know more.

    Deep down she hoped that he was nothing like her father.

    And most of all she hoped that he was alive.

    "How is the baby?" He asked.

    She reached down to feel her belly.

    "Alright." She said. "I can��t feel it yet. Marie says in two more months. It��s too early."

    "Of course we can-

    She gasped.

    At the moment he had spoken, she had felt a strong sensation.

    "What��s wrong?" He asked already at her side.

    She held her tummy. "Nothing I just felt strange."

    Nothing happened again.

    "Maybe you should-

    And she felt it again.

    "Ouuuuf." She eximed as she held her tummy.

    "I think we need to take you to-

    She felt it again.

    She put her finger on her lips and urged him to shush.

    He went quiet.

    Nothing happened.

    "It��s not painful." She said. "I know what those earlier pains felt like. It just feels foreign. Not in a bad way. It��s just there."

    "What does it feel like?" He asked ignoring hermand to be silent.

    She felt it again the moment he spoke.

    It felt like a kick..!

    "I think it��s a kick." She said with a smile.

    The irony that they were just talking about her feeling the baby��s movements in two months and all of a sudden she could feel a kick!

    He started to speak again and then she felt it again.

    "Don��t say anything." She urged him.

    He didn��t.

    She felt nothing and then she waved her hand in motion. "Say something."

    "Like what?"

    And she felt the kick again.

    "The baby. It knows you and it kicks. When you speak it moves." She said at the realization. "She knows her father."

    Xaden��s face was white unable to say a word.

    "Come." She urged him.

    When he refused to move, to her, she walked up to him herself.

    She picked up his hand and put it on her tummy.

    He didn��t need to speak.

    The baby kicked.

    His eyes widened and then a smile sprang on his face.

    "She knows her father." Jasmine repeated looking at him.

    His hand remained there with a smile stuck on his face.

    Then something snapped at him and he withdrew.

    "We still need to check with Marie." He said. "If it��s too early for the baby to have theseplications."

    She felt the change of his mood.

    Was it something she had said?

    "Of course." She nodded.

    "You should go to bed." He said.

    It wasn��t a statement.

    It was amand and she knew well enough to know when her time was over.

    "Of course." Jasmine said.

    She started to head back down the way she came.

    "Not through there." He instructed. "My mother must have created that passway for easy ess away from her bedroom to this room. But it would be old and shaky."

    He went down to look at the stairs she had used to ascend.

    "You are lucky that one of the nks didn��t break." He remarked. "You take so many risks for the conditions you��re in."

    He was scolding her she knew and the worst part was, he was right!

    She could have fallen and what if he wasn��t there?

    She would have been lying down on the floor calling for help.

    "I would get some of the working guards toe fix it up tomorrow." He said. "That way you would be able to ess the astronomy room when you like."

    He was really giving her ess to this room.

    Then he led her to a door and soon she was down some stairs and at her bedroom door.

    She opened the door and just as she was about to step inside the room, she turned and faced him.

    "Thank you Xaden." She said.

    He didn��t say a word.

    She turned and walked into the room and shut the door behind her.

    Thanks to her baby, her future was looking bright.

 Chapter 409: HIS DEPARTURE

    <h4>Chapter 409: HIS DEPARTURE</h4>

    Early the next morning, Jasmine woke up in her bedroom.

    She stretched as she gently got up and memories of the previous night came flooding in.

    She smiled to herself.

    He had been very gentle with her and had even indulged her in his love for astronomy.

    It was a side of him she hadn��t expected or even seening.

    Then she remembered how the baby had kicked at her stomach.

    She rubbed her tummy and spoke to it. "You helped your father get close to us." Jasmine said. "Thank you."

    There was no response kick.

    "So it��s only your father��s voice you like to hear and not mine." Jasmine queried.

    It was at this moment that she felt the kick.

    Jasmine smiled.

    Her child was very intelligent and already a mischievous little daddy��s girl.

    There was a knock at her door.

    "Come in." Jasmine ushered.

    The nanny and Marie came in together.

    "Good morning ma��am." The nanny greeted as soon as she stepped into the room.

    Jasmine smiled back at her. "Good morning ma."

    "Out of my way." Marie said as she pushed the nanny out of her way.

    She sat down on the bed and held Jasmine��s hands.

    "What are you doing here?" Jasmine asked confused. "You were here only a few days ago."

    "Xaden sent me to you." Marie said a she mused over her hands and then she went down on Jasmine stomach.

    She put both hands on it.

    Jasmine flinched in reflex.

    "I��m sorry." Jasmine apologized. "I��m not reallyfortable with people touching my baby."

    "That��s alright." Marie said ignoring her and still touching her stomach.

    When Jasmine tried to put her hands again, Marie pushed it away.

    She put her ear to the stomach and listened.

    "Most new mother��s do things like that." Marie said. "Being overly protective of their babies. It��s normal."

    "But why are you here?" Jasmine asked.

    "You have such a sharp mouth." Marie rose a brow. "When I first met you, you were a scared little ve trying so hard to not walk in her father��s footsteps and please her master."

    Jasmine blushed and went red.

    "Now you have be thedy of the pack and you can do whatever you want to. Even talking back at me." Marie said. "For your information I am here because Xaden sent me toe see you. Apparently your baby is already kicking."

    "Yes." Jasmine admitted, forgetting her hostility towards Marie. "Is anything wrong? Is she okay?"

    Marie withdrew. "Your baby is fine. Just that it is growing rapidly fast. I��ll out you on a new dosage. Just to be sure we don��t have any future problems."

    "Of course." Jasmine mumbled to herself.

    Marie rose up to her feet and started handing out new medicine.

    "You are to take these religiously." Marie said.

    The nanny looked horrified. "What in the name of the goddess is that concoction?"

    "It��s my spit and bath water and so what?" Marie replied nastily.

    "I am here as her nanny and it is my job to take care of her." Nanny said. "I will not allow such a thing. The baby and the mother are supposed to be well take care of."

    "That��s your business." Marie replied her hands on her waist. "I came here because Xaden asked me. So I don��t answer to you."

    "And I am here because he employed me and saw me fit to be her nanny." Nanny said.

    "That��s too bad." Marie said. "I like to eat Nanny��s for dinner."

    Nanny scowled.

    "There would be no need to be eating anyone." Jasmine intervened between both women. "I can take the medicine and you can be here nanny to take care of me."

    Nanny humped and rolled her eyes but mumbled a. "Fine."

    Marie folded her arms and mumbled a "fine." Too

    Jasmine sighed in relief.

    "Where is Xaden" Jasmine asked.

    She hoped that she didn��t sound too curious.

    "He is gathering his horses to leave." Marie said absent mindedly.

    "To leave?!" Jasmine gasped. "To where?"

    "And I thought you two were the perfect lovers?" Marie rose a mischievous brow.

    "He didn��t tell me anything about traveling." Jasmine expressed.

    "Since when he did start telling him anything about himself?" Marie snorted as she dropped a disgusting looking green liquid on the table.

    Jasmine went to her window and saw that indeed horses were being gathered.

    She started to fear.

    He has made her feel safe,fortable and at home and now he was leaving without even telling her?

    "Did he say where?" Jasmine asked worried.

    "That was none of my business so of course not." Marie stated.

    "You should have your breakfast." The nanny said as she opened the door for

    Two maids bringing in full yers of food.

    "I��ll be back." Jasmine said as she hurried past the maids.

    She didn��t know where the courage or confidence wasing from, but she wanted to see him before he left.

    She ignored her nanny and Marie calling out to her.

    "Pregnant women shouldn��t run like that!" The nanny shouted after her.

    But Jasmine ignored.

    She almost bumped into the kitchen staff and the girls cleaning.

    "Sorry." She apologized. "I am so sorry."

    And then she went past them.

    Finally she made it to the ground floors of the castle.

    At that very moment Xaden was about to climb his horse.

    "Xaden!" She didn��t know when she called out his name.

    He stopped and saw hering down the

    Stairs.

    It was only when she was standing in front of him she had realized what she had just done.

    She missed a step and would have fallen straight to the ground if he hadn��t caught her in that exact moment.

    "Careful." He said.

    He caught her arms and very gently pier to a standing position.

    Jasmine blushed and tucked her hair behind her ear.

    "Thank you."

    He looked all over her confused and seemingly worried.

    "You look like you ran miles." He said with a frown as he waved a strand of loose red curls from her face.

    She was unable to say a word and her face felt red.

    "What are you even doing here?" He asked. "And without help?"

    She looked back up at the top of the pack castle.

    Her bedroom was on the fifth floor.

    Had she really just run all that way to him?

    If he found out he would have been furious.

    "I was just taking a stroll." Jasmine lied .

    He looked at her suspiciously and sighed. "Your nanny shouldn��t leave you alone. What if I wasn��t here to catch you.

    That��s what she is being paid for."

    "It��s not her fault." Jasmine added quickly.

    She was the one who had fled.

    She didn��t want to get anyone into trouble

    For her terrible decisions.

    And nanny had been making so much effort.

    If Xaden fired her, she would never stop feeling guilty.

    "She tried to stop me." Jasmine lied. Well taht wasn��t technically a lie. "I just needed to take some fresh hair on my own."

    He sighed. "You shouldn��t walk off on your own."

    Then the baby who had done nothing but show preferential treatment to its father did the same thing again and kicked her tummy again.

    "Ooof." Jasmine mumbled.

    "What��s wrong?" Xaden asked as he held her waist.

    Jasmine was aware of the stares from his men and she blushed shyly.

    "Is it the baby." Xaden asked curiously.

    She nodded. "He kicked."

    And then he smiled.

    A very genuine and honest smile. "So the baby does know me."

    He held her tummy very gently as he spoke.

    He wasn��t really talking to her but the baby.

    The men were all looking at them.

    She went red with embarrassment.

    Her baby had saved her from the first embarrassment of her lie, to the second.

    Then he finally looked up at her.

    "Where are you going to?" She managed to ask.

    From the corner of her eyes she saw Marie and the nanny stand at the pack doors.

    They were going to both strangle her if they had the chance.

    "I didn��t want to disturb you." He said. "I would have told you before I left."

    He gently touched her cheeks.

    She closed her eyes and felt his warmth hand.

    "Im going to see some rival packs." He said. "We have been having some troubles and I needed to face it myself."

    She swallowed. "Is it dangerous?"

    "They a few always dangerous." He said. "But don��t worry I��ll Be back."

    "For how long do you think you would be gone?" She asked him.

    He gave a sling shrug. "A week or two perhaps. But I would be back in time for us to see the Queen."

    Jasmine hadpletely forgotten about that.

    "I will be back." He said. "Take care of yourself. Erik and the others would be here for you. If you need anything then you can go to him. My sister too."

    Jasmine��s face fell but she reced it quickly.

    She didn��t trust Anna with her baby one bit!

    But she didn��t want him to go.

    She wanted him to stay.

    "

 Chapter 410: THE AMBUSH

    <h4>Chapter 410: THE AMBUSH</h4>

    The moon was a thin sliver in the ink-ck sky, offering little light as Xaden sat by the fire, sharpening his de with slow, deliberate strokes.

    He had his men had decided that it was time for them to make camp after traveling non stop for hours.

    He cleaned his sword absent mindedly as he thought of Jasmine and their unborn baby.

    He had hated to see how she looked at him when it was time for him to leave.

    Like she felt something was wrong.

    He shook his head off it.

    He wanted to talk to Erik about it and then relieved Erik was not with him but rather back home in the pack.

    So Xaden sighed and sat back down.

    His men who had apanied him sat in a loose circle around the fire, they wereughing together and discussing their days and times they had had together.

    Then they felt a chill and they went quiet.

    The night was too quiet. No distant howls, no rustling of small creatures in the underbrush. It was unnatural.

    Owen who was always making jokes about everyone became quiet.

    Something wasing.

    Xaden felt it in his bones.

    He lifted his gaze to the forest beyond their camp, watching as the wind stirred the trees. The rival pack had been a thorn in his side for too long, striking from the shadows, stealing, killing.

    But this time, it would end. He had ridden out to break them, to crush them so they would never threaten his pack again.

    And yet, something about tonight felt wrong.

    "Alpha Xaden."

    Caleb��s low voice broke the silence. He was one of Xaden��s most trusted warriors, a seasoned fighter with more scars than men twice his age.

    He crouched beside Xaden, his sharp eyes scanning the darkness.

    "We should double the watch," he murmured. "The air is thick with something... off."

    Xaden nodded. "Do it."

    Caleb rose and moved off to wake the other guards. Xaden continued sharpening his sword, but his grip had tightened. He trusted his instincts, and right now, they screamed at him.

    Then it hit.

    A faint scent on the wind.

    Blood.

    Not fresh��old, but strong.

    Xaden froze. His pulse thundered in his ears as he stood, gripping his weapon. A momentter, the first arrow sliced through the night.

    It struck one of his men in the throat.

    The warrior jerked, his mouth opening in shock as he clutched at the shaft protruding from his neck. A strangled sound escaped his lips before he copsed, unmoving.

    Silence.

    Then chaos.

    Another arrow. Then another. The air was alive with the sharp whistle of death.

    Xaden��s men scrambled to their feet, shouting warnings, drawing weapons. The forest erupted as figures burst from the shadows��warriors from the rival pack, their faces painted with ash and blood.

    Xaden moved like lightning. He dodged an iing strike and shed his de across the attacker��s chest. Blood sprayed as the man crumpled, but another was already lunging at him.

    ng.

    Xaden blocked the strike, twisting to drive his dagger into the enemy��s ribs. A wet gasp. The man sagged. Xaden shoved him away and turned, searching for his warriors.

    They were falling.

    One by one, cut down by overwhelming numbers. The night rang with the sh of steel, the screams of dying men.

    Caleb fought like a demon, his axe carving through enemies with brutal efficiency. Another warrior, barely twenty, was skewered from behind.

    Xaden��s heart pounded as he saw them dying around him. His men. His pack.

    Then, pain.

    A sharp agonynced through his side. He staggered, ncing down to see the deep gash left by a curved de.

    A second blow��a club to the back of his head.

    His vision exploded in white-hot pain. He hit the ground hard, his breath leaving him in a rush. The world blurred, tilting as darkness crept at the edges of his sight.

    Around him, the battle raged.

    His warriors��were gone.

    Dead.

    The rival pack closed in, searching for survivors.

    Xaden forced himself to move. His fingers dug into the dirt as he dragged himself toward the tree line. His limbs felt heavy, his body sluggish from blood loss, but he clenched his jaw and pushed forward.

    A voice��deep, triumphant��cut through the night.

    "Find him."

    Xaden gritted his teeth. He would not die tonight.

    Not here.

    Not like this.

    He staggered into the trees, biting back a groan as painnced through his ribs. He had to keep going. If they found him, he was dead.

    The forest was his only salvation.

    Branches whipped against his skin as he stumbled forward, his breath ragged. The enemy��s voices faded, but he didn��t stop. He couldn��t.

    Blood dripped from his wounds, soaking his tunic, staining the ground behind him. He pressed a shaking hand to his side, feeling the sticky warmth seeping through his fingers.

    His men were dead. His mission had failed.

    But he was still alive.

    And as long as he lived, he would return.

    To his pack.

    To Jasmine.

    To the child he never thought he��d have.

    Xaden pushed forward into the darkness.

    This wasn��t the end.

    Not yet.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    The rain came in heavy sheets, hammering against the wooden walls of the hut. Thunder rumbled across the sky, shaking the ground beneath Jasmine��s feet as she paced the length of her chamber.

    Her hands rested on the small curve of her belly, her heart pounding. Something was wrong.

    She could feel it.

    A sense of unease had been gnawing at her since sunset, growing stronger with every passing hour. Now, as the storm raged outside, it twisted into something unbearable.

    "Jasmine, please," came the gentle voice of Nanny said "You must rest. It isn��t good for the baby."

    Jasmine turned, her dark eyes glistening in the dim candlelight. "I can��t," she whispered. "He��s in trouble. I know it."

    Nanny sighed, wrapping a warm shawl around her shoulders. "You are exhausted. The mind ys tricks when the body is weary."

    Jasmine shook her head. "No. It��s different this time."

    She pressed a hand to her heart, as if trying to steady its wild rhythm. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw shes of something terrible��Xaden, bloodied, alone, his golden eyes dim with pain.

    She didn��t know how, but she knew.

    Something had happened.

    Lightning shed outside, casting long shadows across the room. Jasmine clenched her fists.

    "I should have gone with him," she muttered.

    Nanny��s eyes widened. "Don��t say such things. The Alpha would have never allowed it."

    "I know."

    She wrapped her arms around herself, as if trying to hold in the ache that had settled deep in her bones. The baby shifted inside her, a small flutter of life, and her resolve hardened.

    Xaden was alive.

    He had to be.

    And if he wasn��t...

    She refused to think of that.

    Instead, she whispered a prayer to the gods, begging them to bring him back.

    She would not sleep.

    Not until he returned to her

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Xaden crouched low behind a fallen tree, pressing a shaking hand against his wound. The night had grown colder, the wind cutting through the trees like a de. The scent of blood was thick in the air��his own, his men��s, and the enemy��s.

    Torches flickered in the distance, moving through the darkness.

    "Find him!" a voice snarled.

    The rival warriors were close. He could hear the crunch of their boots against the damp earth, the rustling of leaves as they searched the area.

    Xaden held his breath. He couldn��t fight them now. Not like this.

    He waited, muscles coiled, as two warriors passed dangerously close.

    "Are you sure he��s still alive?" one of them muttered. "We left him bleeding in the dirt."

    "He��s alive," the other snapped. "And if we don��t bring back his head, the Alpha will have ours."

    Xaden��s jaw tightened. They wanted his head?

    They��d have to try harder than that.

    The moment they moved on, he forced himself to his feet and ran.

    Pain screamed through his side, his vision blurring. He staggered forward, his breathing in ragged gasps. The rain started as a soft drizzle, then quickly turned into a downpour, soaking his clothes, making the ground slick beneath his boots.

    Thunder rumbled in the distance.

    He pushed forward, his legs burning with exhaustion. The enemy��s voices grew fainter, but he knew they wouldn��t give up. They were wolves, like him. They would track his scent.

    The rain would help mask it, but it also made running nearly impossible.

    His foot slipped on the wet ground, and he crashed to his knees. A sharp cry escaped him as his wounded side mmed against the cold earth. He clenched his teeth, forcing himself back up.

    He needed shelter.

    Somewhere to hide, to tend his wounds before he copsedpletely.

    His vision swam, and the world tilted. He stumbled forward blindly, barely able to see through the sheets of rain. Then, through the darkness, he spotted it��

    A cave.

    It was small, barely more than a jagged opening in the rock, but it was enough.

    Gritting his teeth, he forced himself inside, dragging his aching body across the rough stone. He copsed against the wall, chest heaving, blood dripping onto the dirt floor.

    Safe.

    For now.

 Chapter 411: WEIGHT OF WORRY

    <h4>Chapter 411: WEIGHT OF WORRY</h4>

    Jasmine woke with a start, her body tense before her mind could catch up. The dim morning light filtered through the animal-hide curtains, casting soft shadows across the stone walls of her room. The fire in the hearth had burned low, leaving only a bed of glowing embers, but she still felt cold. A deep, aching unease gnawed at her stomach, the same one that had gued her the night before.

    She turned onto her side, pressing a hand against her belly, feeling the faint flutter of life inside her. The baby was still. Sleeping, perhaps. Unbothered by the storm that had raged through the night or the fear that now curled around Jasmine��s heart.

    Xaden should have been back by now.

    The thought pressed heavy against her chest. He had left days ago, leading his warriors to handle the threat of the rival pack. He was strong��unmatched in battle��but something inside her whispered that something had gone terribly wrong.

    Jasmine sat up slowly, swinging her legs over the side of the bed. Her body ached, not from exertion but from the tension that had settled into her bones.

    A soft knock on the door made her lift her head. Before she could answer, the door creaked open, and Nia stepped inside. The older woman��s gray-streaked hair was pulled back into a thick braid, and her expression was unreadable, though her sharp eyes missed nothing.

    "You should eat," Nia said simply, setting down a wooden tray on the small table near the hearth. Steam rose from a bowl of thick stew, but the sight of food only tightened the knot in Jasmine��s stomach.

    "I��m not hungry," Jasmine murmured.

    Nia sighed. "That doesn��t matter. You need to eat for the baby."

    Jasmine exhaled sharply. That was the only argument that ever worked on her. She stood, draping a shawl over her shoulders before crossing the room. She dipped a spoon into the stew, taking a slow bite, even as her thoughts churned.

    "I need to speak to Erik," she said after a moment.

    Nia gave her a knowing look. "Worrying will not change anything."

    Jasmine met her gaze. "But doing nothing will drive me mad."

    Nia said nothing more, but the older woman��s silence held a quiet approval.

    A Second��s Reassurance

    Erik was standing near the pack��s main gathering area, speaking with a group of warriors when Jasmine found him. His dark hair was tied back, and his face was lined with exhaustion, but his stance was firm. He was the kind of man who carried his duties like armor��unshakable, steady.

    Jasmine quickened her pace as she approached, her heart hammering.

    "Erik."

    He turned, his brows lifting in surprise before his expression softened. "Jasmine," he greeted. "You should be resting."

    She ignored that. "Have you heard from Xaden?"

    Erik��s jaw tightened, just slightly, before he forced a reassuring smile. "Not yet, but we knew the journey might take longer than expected. The stormst night would have slowed them down."

    Jasmine studied his face. He was trying to soothe her, but she could see the faint flicker of concern in his eyes. He was worried too, even if he wouldn��t say it.

    "What if something happened to him?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

    "Xaden is the strongest warrior I know," Erik said firmly. "He has survived worse. If there was a fight, he would have won."

    Jasmine wanted to believe that. Needed to believe that. But the feeling of dread that had clung to her sincest night refused to ease.

    "I just... I can��t shake the feeling that something is wrong," she admitted.

    Erik exhaled through his nose, crossing his arms. "Your instincts are sharp, Jasmine. But until we have reason to believe otherwise, we must trust that Xaden will return."

    Jasmine swallowed, nodding, even though it did little to ease the weight pressing against her chest.

    A few of the warriors had begun to nce her way, their curiosity evident. A pregnant woman, speaking so freely to the Alpha��s second-inmand, was enough to draw attention.

    Erik must have noticed too because he gave her a small nod. "Go inside, Jasmine. Get some rest."

    She knew there would be no answers here. No reassurance strong enough to quell the storm inside her. But still, she forced herself to step away.

    The Afternoon Lessons

    By the time midday arrived, Jasmine had exhausted herself with worry. Her pacing had driven Nia to the edge of patience, and when the older woman finally turned to her with a firm look, Jasmine knew what wasing.

    "Enough," Nia said. "If you are going to be restless, at least put that energy to use."

    Jasmine arched a brow. "And how do you suggest I do that?"

    Nia pointed to the wooden writing board set near the hearth. "Your lessons."

    Jasmine sighed, running a hand through her hair. Learning to read and write had never been something she imagined for herself. As a ve, she had never been allowed such knowledge. But now, under Xaden��s rule, Nia had insisted she learn.

    Jasmine hesitated before finally moving to sit on the cushioned bench near the writing board. Nia ced a small piece of charcoal in her hand.

    "Write your name," the older woman instructed.

    Jasmine inhaled deeply, pressing the charcoal to the surface. Her strokes were careful, deliberate. J-A-S-M-I-N-E. The letters were still uneven, but the sight of them stirred something warm in her chest.

    "Good," Nia said approvingly. "Again."

    Jasmine repeated the motion, the act forcing her to focus on something other than her gnawing fear. The quiet scratch of charcoal against the board was soothing in its own way.

    For a while, Nia continued guiding her, instructing her to write simple words, correcting her when necessary. The afternoon stretched on, the tension in Jasmine��s chest easing just slightly as she lost herself in the rhythm of learning.

    At one point, she paused, ncing up at Nia. "Why do you care so much about me learning this?"

    Nia met her gaze, her expression unreadable for a moment. Then she said, "Because knowledge is power. And power is something no one can take from you."

    Jasmine swallowed, looking back down at her work.

    Power.

    She had spent her life being powerless. A woman, a former ve, a mate to a man who still saw the world in terms of dominance and strength. And yet, here she was, shaping words with her own hands, carving out something that belonged to her alone.

    For the first time that day, the weight of worry lifted just slightly.

    Xaden was still out there. She still didn��t know if he was safe.

    But here, in this moment, she had something to hold on to.

    And sometimes, that had to be enough.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~

    The afternoon sun hung lower in the sky as Jasmine stretched her fingers, flexing away the ache from gripping the charcoal. Her writing lessons had been long, but they had given her something to focus on, a brief escape from the gnawing worry about Xaden.

    As she gathered her things and made her way back toward her room, a familiar voice called out to her.

    "Jasmine!"

    She turned to see Lily approaching, her long auburn hair braided over one shoulder. Dressed in a simple, elegant tunic, she moved with effortless grace, her green eyes warm as they settled on Jasmine.

    Jasmine stiffened instinctively. Lily was Xaden��s first mate, the woman who had once held his full attention before Jasmine entered his life. Yet, despite the situation, Lily had never treated her cruelly. In fact, she had always been... kind.

    Still, Jasmine remained wary.

    Lily stopped a few steps away, tilting her head slightly. "Would you care for a walk?"

    Jasmine hesitated. There was no hostility in Lily��s voice, only quiet sincerity. And though she had little reason to distrust her, she still felt the need to guard herself.

    Before she could respond, Nia stepped forward. "She��s tired," the older woman said, her tone firm. "She needs to rest."

    Jasmine nced at her nanny, exhaling softly. She knew Nia only wanted to protect her, but Lily had never given her a reason to be cautious.

    "It��s alright, Nia," Jasmine said gently. "I��d like some fresh air."

    Nia��s lips pressed into a thin line. "You shouldn��t be alone."

    "I won��t be," Jasmine reassured her. "Lily is good."

    The older woman didn��t look convinced, but after a moment of hesitation, she let out a reluctant sigh. "Fine. But don��t be long." With onest pointed nce at Lily, she turned and walked away.

    Jasmine shifted her attention back to Lily. "Alright. Let��s walk."

    Lily��s lips curled into a small smile as she gestured for Jasmine to follow.

    As they strolled past the pack��s gathering areas, a breeze swept through the trees, rustling the leaves overhead. For a while, they walked in silence, the only sounds being the distant chatter of warriors and the rhythmic crunch of their footsteps against the dirt path.

    Jasmine finally spoke. "Why did you ask me to walk with you?"

    Lily nced at her, amusement flickering in her expression. "Do I need a reason?"

    Jasmine lifted a brow. "People don��t usually go out of their way to befriend the woman who took their mate."

    Lilyughed softly. "You didn��t take Xaden from me, Jasmine. He made his own choices."

    Jasmine looked at her closely. There was no resentment in Lily��s voice��just calm eptance.

    "Still," Jasmine murmured, "I wasn��t expecting this."

    Lily offered a small shrug. "There��s no point in hostility. You and I are part of the same pack. That makes us family."

    Family.

    Jasmine had never had that before. Not really. And though she wasn��t sure she believed in the word as easily as Lily did, she appreciated the gesture.

    They continued their walk, the air between them lighter than Jasmine had expected.

    And for the first time that day, she found herself rxing��just a little.

 Chapter 412: FIRED

    <h4>Chapter 412: FIRED</h4>

    Cherry walked down the hallway to where her sister��s bedroom was.

    She had her head held up high as she went past the guards, her pride as royalty evolving around her.

    She was going to grieve and pacify her sister on the murder of Bernice��s family.

    But she was not alone.

    She had Belle by her side to apany because she had slowly began to trace a pattern of distance from her sister.

    Her sister knew something and was holding it back.

    She suspected that she also didn��t trust her as much anymore.

    She wasn��t yet close enough to take over the Werewolf realm but she was getting close and if her sister��s sudden show of strength had been underestimated, she needed to do something.

    And she needed to do it fast.

    She had been the one to Kill Bernice��s family.

    It was all her.

    She had set the trap to make Bernice poison Rose after Rose had lost Scarlett.

    Cherry had taken advantage of the fact that Rose was already in a weak state and used it against her.

    Cherry had already been banished from the Kingdom after Scarlett��s drowning for refusing to assist Xaden��s family when they had been attacked.

    So she pulled her strings from afar.

    It had even been much better because she didn��t have anyone��s suspicious eyes watching over her.

    Bernice had initially resisted but Cherry had promised to have her entire family beheaded if she didn��t obey her.

    And so Bernice had seeded in poisoning Rose for decades.

    It was only a matter of time before Rose died.

    And now somehow Rose had found out about the poison.

    Someone had told her.

    It wasn��t Bernice she as certain of it.

    But someone else knew and she had to tie up all loose ends.

    The moment Rose had left the cottage, Cherry had used magic to wipe the entire family.

    She had felt nothing killing the man or his children.

    She had stopped feeling anything a long time ago and after all they were a means to an end.

    Once they were at the door of Rose��s room, Cherry turned to face her grand niece.

    "I want you to be very gentle with your grandma." Cherry coached her.

    "Of course." Belle nodded.

    Coral had an almost non existent rtionship with her mother so Belle was the next best thing.

    The doors were opened for them and once Cherry took sight of Hildegard seated near Rose, Hildegard��s face fell.

    Rose was seated by the window overlooking the castle.

    "The Queen doesn��t want any disturbance." Hildegard said once she standing face to face with Cherry.

    "Get out of my way you dirty ve." Cherry said.

    "Let her." Rose said.

    "Grandma." Belle said as she went straight to sit by Rose.

    Cherry turned and smiled down at Hildegard. "You better watch your back. Things are going to change very soon?

    "Until then." Hildegard responded. Then she whispered into Cherry��s ears. "I know you had a hand in the murders. It��s only a matter of time before you��re exposed."

    Cherry smiled back at her and repeated Hildegard��s exact same words.

    "Until them."

    And with that Cherry brushedst Hildegard, purposely hitting her shoulder.

    "Sister I heard what happened and I came as quickly as I could." Cherry said standing over Rose.

    "I��ll be out if you need me." Hildegard said and left the room.

    Rose said nothing in repose to what Cherry said.

    She simply stroked Belle��s full red hair.

    "Thank you foring to see me." Rose said. "It means the world to me."

    Belle smiled.

    "Could you give me and your grand aunt a minute?" Rose asked as she held Belle��s hand. "I��ll like to speak to her on something important."

    "But I can stay to here." Belle said stubbornly. "I��m going to be Queen one day."

    "Of course you would. And nothing would ever be kept secret from you." Rose said with a beautiful smile. "But I want to speak to your aunt. Alone."

    Cherry red at Belle who immediately took the hint.

    "Of course grand ma." And then Belle kissed Rose��s cheek before leaving the room.

    Once the door was shut, Rose red up at Cherry.

    "All of this is your fault." Rose said her gaze piercing through Cherry.

    Cherryughed ufortably.

    Had she been caught?

    Did Rose know about everything?

    Was this the end?

    "I don��t know what you��re talking about. What is my fault?" Cherry asked.

    "I left you in charge." Rose said in rage. "Even before I fell ill. Well not ill anymore, but poisoned. Bernice was ckmailed because of the poor system and chain ofmand. The poor are being overtaxed. She was a worker here and yet she wasn��t allowed to have proper healthcare. If she did none of this would have happened."

    Cherry silently breathed a sigh of relief.

    So that was what her sister meant.

    She was so relieved.

    For a second she had thought that Rose now knew she was the culprit.

    "I��m sorry." Was all Cherry could say. "I would handle things better."

    "You��re fired." Rose said.

    "What?!" Cherry asked in disbelief.

    "I said you��re fired." Rose repeated. "You��re fired from any official duty that you once had in the pack. It was your job to see and cater to the people. But you let it go corrupt. You made money while the poor suffered."

    "It was not my fault I-

    "Save it." Rose said raising her hand.

    Cherry clenched her fist together.

    Her baby sister was firing her from her own right, and even talking down on her.

    "You will hand over any and everything you have been working on to Hildegard." Rose said.

    Cherry felt like she had received a p on her face. "To that ve girl?"

    "Hildegard is a sister to me." Rose said.

    Cherry smirked. "And what am I to you? Your enemy? Everything I have done was for you. All for you! You have no idea what I did even searching for Scarlett how I am still actively searching for-

    "Scarlett is dead." Rose said shutting Cherry up.

    Cherry��s mouth dropped.

    How did Rose know that?

    Something was off.

    Rose who has always believed that her miserable daughter was somewhere alive now all of a sudden believed she was dead?

    How did she know?

    Was it the exact same person who had told her about Bernice.

    Rose turned her face away.

    Cherry clenched her fists tightly.

    "You��ve thrown away the only person who ever cared about you." Cherry said and with that she stormed out of the room.

 Chapter 413: WE ARE ALL GOING DOWN

    <h4>Chapter 413: WE ARE ALL GOING DOWN</h4>

    Cherry��s heels echoed loudly against the floor as she stormed down the corridor, rage building in her chest like wildfire.

    The nerve.

    The sheer audacity of Rose. Dismissing her like some lowly servant?

    She was her sister.

    She was her elder sister!

    She was the one who was supposed to be the Queen.

    She was the one who had kept the kingdom functioning in her absence. And now? She was being tossed aside in favor of a ve girl with a bleeding heart and too much mouth.

    This was the least of her problems moreover.

    What she truly needed now was to find out what exactly Rose knew and how.

    Rose who had never epted her daughter��s death now all of sudden believed it?

    Something was off.

    Someone knew something and that someone had told Rose.

    She suspected the same person was the one who had told Rose about Bernice in the first ce.

    Because how had she conveniently know that Bernice had been poisoned.

    Good goddess!

    That means someone might also know she was the one who had done everything.

    Once Cherry got into her room, she found Coral seated reading a book.

    "We��re in trouble!" Cherry said.

    "What��s wrong?" Coral asked having her aunt��s attention.

    "Your mother knows something." Cherry said biting her bottom lip and pacing the room. "She fired me because of the murders."

    "She fired you?" Coral asked in disbelief.

    "Yes. But that��s bedsides the point." Cherry hissed. "Your mother somehow knows that Scarlett is dead."

    Coral rose a brow in confusion. "Isn��t that a good thing?"

    "No." Cherry snapped in horror.

    "It isn��t?" Coral asked still very confused.

    "Of course not!" Cherry said. "I mean it is. But in this situation it isn��t."

    Cherry massaged her forehead.

    "Your mother has never epted Scarlett��s death. Not even when she promised you that she was over it. She never ever did. She always believed the fact that she was somewhere alive. But what she said to me today."

    Cherry shook her head. "She said Scarlett is dead. She told me Scarlett is dead. And her eyes, her eyes said she knew Scarlett is dead."

    Cherry stopped pacing and set her hand to firmly hold the bed post.

    "It��s only you, Belle and I that know Scarlett is dead. And Marie too but that��s about it." Cherry stated. "No one else."

    "I didn��t tell her if that��s what you��re thinking." Coral said.

    Cherry didn��t think it was her either.

    Neither did she think it was Belle.

    Belle was too selfish to let anythinge in between her path to the throne.

    And she knew that Marie had no business telling the Queen so who could it be.

    "She knows more than she is letting on." Cherry said.

    "Why don��t you just ask her?" Coral asked.

    "Did you even hear me?!" Cherry snapped, irritated at the question. "She fired me! Your mother doesn��t trust me anymore and so she won��t tell me anything ever again."

    Coral went hush.

    "What about me?" Coral offered after a short silence. "What if I ask her?"

    Cherry rolled her eyes andughed.

    Sheughed so hard tears came out of her eyes.

    Then she saw Coral was notughing.

    "You aren��t joking?" Cherry asked.

    "She is my mother." Coral pointed out.

    Cherry rolled her eyes at Coral��s stupidity. "The mother who abandoned you. Your mother doesn��t like you, moreover what makes you think that if she can��t tell me something, it��s you she is going to tell?"

    Coral went hush.

    "Sometimes you need to be real." Cherry said irritated. "Belle too is useless because she has a big mouth. Your mother won��t tell her anything. We��ll have to find out on our own."

    Cherry tore through her drawers, yanking out parchment, vials, and old charms.

    She needed a new n. Now. She couldn��t rely on her connections anymore, not when half of them were probablypromised.

    There was only one solution.

    "What did you say happened that mother fired you from your duties?" Coral asked as Cherry searched through her things.

    "It��s not relevant." Cherry said with a passive wave of her hand.

    "You need to tell me." Coral pushed. "We��re in this together. You can��t just put me in the dark."

    When Cherry still didn��t answer her, Coral hissed in a very low voice behind her.

    "I even killed my own sister for you."

    That caught Cherry��s attention.

    "You owe me transparency." Coral said.

    Cherry sighed and then turned around to face her niece.

    "You really want to hear why she fired me?" Cherry asked.

    "Yes I do." Coral nodded.

    Cherry gave a tight smile. "Fine. She fired me because she says it��s my fault for letting the entire wolf system go corrupt."

    "Well? Was it your fault?" Coral asked.

    "Of course it is." Cherry said irritated. "And you know what else? She doesn��t know who to me but I��m the one who sent

    Bernice. I��m the one who has been poisoning your mother for decades now."

    Coral��s face fell.

    "Why do you look surprised?" Cherry asked turning back to search through 3 things.

    "That family. Those children. Was it your fault?" Coral stuttered the blood draining from her voice.

    "Of course it was me. Why are you acting surprised?" Cherry asked. "Everything I have done was for your own good"

    "But they were just babies." Coral said her face white.

    "Might I remind you, that you killed a young girl too." Cherry pointed out. "She was just a baby too."

    Coral��s face went even whiter.

    "I have been poisoning your mother because she needs to go." Cherry said. "What��s the end game here? It��s you eventually sitting on the throne. You bing the Queen Luna that you have always wanted to be. Everything I did was for you and you know it."

    Coral remained silent.

    Cherry stopped what she was doing and faced Coral herself.

    "Do you want me to remind you of all the things your mother did to you?" Cherry asked her. "How she abandoned you as a child? How even after your sister was gone she still preferred her over you? After everything I did for you. Even the things I know you don��t like to remember."

    Coral turned her face away.

    Cherry smiled wickedly to herself.

    She had her well trapped.

    "I thought so too." Cherry said. "Now if you know what��s good for you, you help me as I try to find out what your mother knows because if she finds anything. The tiniest loophole, we are all going down."

 Chapter 414: SHE KNOWS

    <h4>Chapter 414: SHE KNOWS</h4>

    "So are you doing to help me or not?" Cherry asked Coral.

    Coral stood there and eventually came back to reality.

    "I��m going to help." Coral said.

    "Wise decision." Cherry said as she returned back to searching through her things.

    She pulled out different drawers and rummaged through them.

    Where had she put it?

    Then she looked beneath her desk and saw it.

    She pushed a panel in the wall, revealing an open.

    She put her hand in and pulled out a small bottle.

    It was a vial.

    Bound in blood.

    Something she had kept for rainy days and meant for summoning.

    She hadn��t used it in years��had sworn she never would again. But if she was going down, she wasn��t going alone.

    "I gave everything for this kingdom," she whispered, slicing her palm open and letting the blood drip onto the vial. "And if they want war... I��ll give them one."

    The candles in her chamber flickered.

    And somewhere far away, something ancient stirred.

    Coral gasped as she wrapped her arms around her.

    "Aunt what��s that?" Coral asked but Cherry ignored her as she began making incantations.

    Her pupils dpidated and the air became cold.

    There was a harsh wind blowing through the room.

    Coral stood in anxiety as Cherry continued making the incantations.

    Then everywhere became still and soon a dark figure appeared before them.

    Coral gasped and clutched her pearls.

    The aura was so dark and evil.

    Cherry stood up to her feet and faced the figure.

    "You summoned me." The figure said in a deep voice.

    The figure had no visible face or body.

    It was simple dark shadows in the shape of a wolf and had red fiery eyes.

    Coral was terrified.

    "Yes." Cherry said. "I need you to shadow someone. I need you to shadow my sister. There is something my sister knows. That she isn��t telling me. I don��t know how, but I want to know everything."

    "Of course." The figure said. "But ites at a price. You know what it costs."

    "And I will pay up once you have delivered." Cherry assured.

    The figure turned around and ran to the door and disappeared in a puff of dark cloud.

    "What was that?" Coral asked her hand on her chest, still very much terrified.

    "That is our ticket to get out of this mess." Cherry said.

    "It said something about costing you." Coral asked after a while. "What did it mean."

    "It doesn��t matter." Cherry said and walked away, leaving Coral standing in the room.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    It was already night time and Rose was in her room about to sleep.

    She tossed in her bed as she thought of all that had transpired today.

    She couldn��t shake away the memory of seeing those children dead.

    The guilt that she had led them to their death and that whoever had done it was still hanging around the castle.

    Was still within her home.

    The only thing she looked forward to, was finding her granddaughter.

    Scarlett was alive, she was going to eventually find out how.

    But for now she wanted her granddaughter that was all that mattered.

    She wondered how the poor girl was even living.

    Without her mother.

    She held the small fragments of the ne to her chest and prayed to the gods.

    She had lost her daughter and yet she had been blessed with another.

    A grand child.

    She went to sleep with the prayer that all was going to be well.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Unknown to Rose the figure was waiting for her to fall into a deep slumber.

    Once she was sound asleep, it emerged from the walls.

    It seeped through the cracks of the windowpane, flowing like smoke across the floor��inky and silent.

    It slithered upward, hovering just above Rose, its red eyes flickering to life.

    It wasn��t in its wolf form but simply as a dark cloud.

    Rose didn��t stir.

    The shadow hovered lower, inches above her face.

    Then it made sure she would not wake up before delving into her soul.

    And soon the shadow began to look through her mind.

    A low hum filled the air, barely audible, as the shadow began scanning.

    Images flickered in her mind��memories, thoughts, secrets wrapped in memory.

    Then it found it.

    It found the memory of the stranger from the previous night ago.

    It saw everything.

    The shadow continued to search for more when the door opened.

    "Rose I needed to check on you-

    It was Hildegard as she came in.

    But she didn��t see the shadow.

    It had already disappeared before she came in.

    She stopped and looked around, suspicious.

    She felt as though something was amiss.

    She went to Rose��s side who was still sound asleep.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Cherry paced impatiently, hands sped behind her back. She turned the moment the smoke thickened��and then the shadow reappeared before her, silent and swirling.

    Coral stood up alert once she saw the figure again.

    "Well?" she asked. "What does she know?"

    The shadow��s voice rasped, deep and hollow. "She knows more than you feared."

    Cherry narrowed her eyes. "How much?"

    "She knew about the poisoning and then she knows that her daughter is dead. She also knows that her daughter left a grand daughter for her. She is looking for her as we speak."

    Coral gasped in shock.

    Cherry��s jaw clenched. "How did she know this?"

    "There was a mage." The shadow went on further. "The mage found her. The mage had been in the pack over twenty years ago but disappeared after the disappearance of Scarlett."

    Cherry couldn��t remember any such person.

    "What does she even have to do with any of this?"

    "She had been searching for her this entire time." The shadow said. "And now your sister knows that her grand daughter is somewhere and she would do everything to find her."

    "Oh goddess." Coral said as she put her hands in her face.

    "She doesn��t trust you." The shadow told Cherry. "Not anymore."

    "Is that all?" Cherry asked angrily.

    "Yes." The shadow bowed.

    "You know where to find your payment." Cherry said.

    And then the shadow disappeared out of the room.

    "What are we going to do?" Coral wept. "If mother finds out about everything? Worse that Jasmine is her grand daughter. It��s going to be the end for us."

    "She wouldn��t." Cherry said.

    She knew just what to do.

    This chapter is updated by freew(e)bnovel.(c)om

 Chapter 415: COMPLICATIONS

    <h4>Chapter 415: COMPLICATIONS</h4>

    It was now well over two weeks since Jasmine hadst seen Xaden and she was terribly worried.

    She was seated with Nanny Nia at the open library overlooking the gardens when Marie came in.

    Jasmine had now progressed with her learning and to her and Nanny nia��s shock, she was excelling quite fast.

    At the fastest rate Nanny Nia imed she had ever seen.

    "How many people have you taught to teach?" Jasmine asked.

    Knowing that she was the only one her nanny had ever taught.

    Nanny nia frowned at her question and Jasmine secretly smirked.

    "Back to studying." Nanny nia warned.

    Jasmine sighed.

    She was worried for Xaden.

    Ever since she hade to this pack, she had barely stayed away from him this long.

    He would stay far away from her, but that was about it.

    In her bones she felt as though something was wrong, but Erik kept on telling her it wasn��t unusual for Xaden to stay this long.

    Marie came into the room and Jasmine became alert.

    "Rx." Maria��s smiled.

    Jasmine cautiously eased back down on the chair.

    "I��m here for my weekly check up."

    Marie said.

    She pushed Nanny nia aside who rolled her eyes, irritated.

    They still didn��t like each other.

    "You��re getting really big." Marie rose a brow. "This looks like you are already four months gone."

    "What?" Jasmine asked shocked.

    This washer first pregnancy and she barely noticed the she wolves in her pack when they got pregnant so she still didn��t know much about pregnancy.

    Is that a bad thing?" Jasmine asked looking from her nanny to Marie.

    "No." Nanny Nia said at the same time Marie said. "Yes."

    Nanny Nia red at Marie. "Of course it isn��t. It��s just unusual."

    "You knew this entire time that my pregnancy was going wrong and you didn��t tell me?" Jasmine asked Nia shocked.

    "It��s not going wrong." Nanny Nia said. "It��s just....."

    Nanny Nia paused for a second.

    "It��s just what?" Jasmine asked tensed.

    "I didn��t want you to overthink it. I didn��t want you to worry because it��s only going to put you and your baby in a tended state like you are right now. That��s why I didn��t tell you because I didn��t want you to worry."

    "What if something bad happened?" Jasmine asked unhappily.

    "That��s why I called Marie." Nanny Nia said reluctantly.

    "Yes." Marie admitted. "She doesn��t like me but she sent for me toe see you."

    Marie sat down beside Jasmine. "You have to take off your dress. I need to feel the baby without any form of interruptions."

    Jasmine was helped out of her simple

    Blue dress and left in her chemise.

    Marie unbuttoned it from her breasts till under her stomach.

    "Now I want you to take in a deep breath." Marie said.

    Jasmine closed her eyes and did as she had been told then Marie proceeded to put her hands around the tummy and feel the baby.

    She loved her hands rhythmically and it seemed the baby was following her movements as well because Jasmine felt it move around.

    After about three minutes Marie gently removed her hands. "You can button your dress now."

    "What��s wrong with my pup?" Jasmine asked ignoring the fact that she was still

    Half naked.

    "There isn��t anything wrong with it actually." Marie pointed out leaning back in her chair and tossing a loc of her dreads away from her face. "Have you had any pains? Anyplications or difort since Ist came?"

    "No." Jasmine said dumbfounded.

    "That��s a good sign. The baby is just growing at an extremely fast rate. This is supposed to be your what? Second month? That baby is already on its fourth about to enter its fifth."

    Jasmine��s face went bleak.

    "You��re going to have the baby very soon." Marie stated.

    "What!?" Jasmine gasped.

    "Yes." Marie nodded.

    "Can you tell when?" Jasmine asked.

    Marie shrugged. "I really have no idea about that. Maybe a month?"

    Jasmine felt the blood drain from her face.

    "I��ve never witnessed anything as extraordinary as this." Marie said. "So I genuinely can not say how fast this baby wille. But what I do know is that it��s not going to reach that eleven month term. Definitely not."

    Jasmine was shocked.

    Unsure of what to say.

    She looked down at her bulge. Her baby.

    "B... but her stomach doesn��t look so big yet." Nanny Nia asked Marie.

    "Oh it��s going to get big." Marie assured. "Just a matter of time."

    "Is my baby going to be deformed? Affected like me?" Jasmine asked.

    Marie sighed. "I don��t know. I won��t lie to you. The baby might be affected by the extremely fast growth. Or it could be born perfectly fine. I won��t know till we��re close to you giving birth. I don��t even know if that��s such a big issuepared to what I��m actually worried about."

    Jasmine��s heart skipped.

    "What?"

    "She wolves who have mated with Alphas usually give birth to their pups in their wolf form. Because the pup in the tummy isn��t in human form but in its original form as a wolf. Then after the baby is born they shift to human babies and then remain that way until they hit age eighteen, when they finally shift." Marie exined. Jasmine was clueless so Marie had to chip in. "You know this don��t you?"

    Jasmine looked at Nanny Nia and then back to Marie.

    "Not really." Jasmine said honestly.

    She had been so shunned by the pack and isted because she was an unshifted she barely knew much about being a wolf.

    Marie took in a deep breath.

    "Ok. But that��s what happens. In your case you��re an unshifted. But your baby might be a pup." Marie said.

    "My baby isn��t a pup?" Jasmine asked rmed.

    This now meant that her child might be an unshifted just like her and go through the exact same thing she had faced.

    "No. We don��t know that yet." Marie pointed out. "We can��t be too sure of anything."

    Jasmine took in a deep breath. "So what if the baby is unshifted."

    "Then that��s a good thing." Marie said.

    "Good thing?!" Jasmine gasped.

    "Because you would be able to give birth in your human form."

    And then it hit Jasmine.

    Marie read her thoughts aloud. "But if your baby is a pup you would have to give birth to it as a pup. And you can��t change into a wolf. And it won��t be possible for you to push out a wolf. Your pelvis is too small for you to do that. You might die."

 Chapter 416: YOU MIGHT DIE

    <h4>Chapter 416: YOU MIGHT DIE</h4>

    "You might die."

    Was all that Jasmine was hearing in her brain.

    It kept spiralling in her mind.

    The facts.

    Her being an unshifted. Her never being able to transform and never being able to give birth the way normal wolves do.

    She started to feel dizzy and faint.

    She got up from her seat and walked to the window and ced her hands against the rail to take fresh air.

    "Jasmine." Nanny Nia said gently behind her.

    But her mind wasn��t there.

    She wasn��t listening.

    Nanny Nia turned to Marie.

    "We don��t know that yet." Nanny said ring at Marie. "Right? Tell her the truth and that we don��t know any of that yet."

    Marie massaged her brows. "Yes we don��t know. But it��s a possibility. Jasmine needs to know. That baby mighte out unshifted and she would have a normal birth. But the father is an Alpha. We can��t change that. The baby might also be a pup andplicate the birth. It��s one of those things."

    "Can we know? Is there a way for us to know in all of that your weird and creepy voodoo if the baby she is carrying is a pup or unshifted." Nanny asked Marie.

    "I��m not a goddess." Marie answered slightly annoyed.

    "Says the woman who brought snow in the heat." Nanny mumbled.

    "What did you just say?" Marie demanded.

    "You heard me. I heard the stories." Nanny fired back, a streak of her grey hair across her face. "How can someone bring snow and not conveniently know what type of baby a mother is carrying. You��re hiding it."

    "Now you watch it-

    "Stop!" Jasmine screamed at both women.

    They stopped bickering immediately and faced her.

    Jasmine held her slight bulge and sighed heavily.

    "What are the tendencies that the baby is going to be a pup?" Jasmine asked Marie. "Don��t lie to me please."

    Marie swallowed. "Xaden is an Alpha. So I��ll have to say pretty high. His genes are more dominant than yours."

    Jasmine held back the tears at the back of

    Her throat.

    "And how possible is it that I will survive this pregnancy if it��s a pup?" Jasmine asked.

    "It��s low." Marie said.

    Jasmine bit her bottom lip and wiped the tear that was at the corner of her eyes.

    "We could abort it. Now that it��s not toote. Now that you still have time." Marie offered. "Just ask Xaden had asked."

    Jasmine shook her head. "I��m not killing my child."

    The room went quiet.

    Marie tried to make her feel better. "But we still don��t know if it��s going to be a pup or-

    "Whatever happens to this baby." Jasmine said. "Happens. If I die giving birth to my child then so be it. I��ve heard of practices where they open up the mother."

    "No!" Nanny gasped.

    But Jasmine went on. "Where in rare instances duringbor they open the mother and take out the child and seal her back."

    "Yes." Marie nodded. "It��s called a cesarean procedure. But I don��t think I would advise you to undergo it. She wolves have it because their blood and body heals on their own after the cut. In some rare cases they don��t even survive."

    "It��s not for me I��m asking." Jasmine stated shocking both women.

    "If the baby can��te out after I��ve pushed, then I want you to cut me open." She said. "That way my baby doesn��t die."

    "What about your own life?" Nanny gasped walking up to her very gently

    She held Jasmine��s arm. "What you are saying. What you are asking for is a death warrant."

    "I know." Jasmine said softly.

    "If this is what you want then so be it." Marie said after a long silence. "But I have to tell Xaden."

    "NO!" Jasmine stopped her right in her tracks. "You can��t tell him this."

    "Jasmine I have to. He is the father and he deserves to know." Marie said reasonably. "When he asked for you to have the pup terminated, I told him that you had to agree first. He made that baby just the same way you made it too."

    "And I understand." Jasmine agreed nodding her head. "But I also want you to understand that Xaden would ask me to terminate the baby. You know how hard it was for me to convince him to keep it."

    "Bu-

    "It��s my life on the line here. Not his. I��m the one who would die and I have epted it." Jasmine said. "So please do not tell him."

    Marie looked at Jasmine, long and hard before she eventually sighed.

    "Alright. I won��t tell him." Marie said.

    Jasmine put her hand on her chest and closed her eyes.

    "Thank you." She said softly.

    Marie didn��t acknowledge the gratitude and pulled out more herbs for her.

    "You would have to add these." Marie said handing to her. "Substitute the others I have you with these for when the pains start."

    "But i haven��t been in any pain since the first time." Jasmine said.

    "Trust me, you would be." Marie assured her. "Since you��ve progressed to this stage of pregnancy this fast. Most she wolves are faced with hallucinations, fatigue and nausea. You need to cut down on some foods and this is a very fragile time in your body."

    Nanny collected them.

    "You shouldn��t have told her all these in such a way. Now she is going to be out under duress." Nanny snapped in a hush voice at Marie.

    "What did you expect me to do? Lie the way you did?" Marie fired back.

    "Calling you here was a waste of my time. I won��t have if there were anyone better." Nanny grumbled.

    "You should call Loren then." Marie said with a hint of meanness.

    "Hw traveled. But I��ll rather eat the ground than deal with either of you." Nanny swore as she snatched up the herbs from Marie.

    "Take care Jasmine. I would see you soon." Marie said and with that left the room.

    The eavesdropper who had been standing by the door and listening to everything hurriedly ran to hide behind a pole.

    Marie went out of the room and down the stairs.

    The eavesdropper believed that they had not been caught but Marie knew someone had been there the entire time.

 Chapter 417: THE SECRET BOOK

    <h4>Chapter 417: THE SECRET BOOK</h4>

    The next morning, Jasmine was in the astronomy room reading through Xaden��s mother��s journals and her uncle��s.

    She had learned quite fast how to read and even knew how to write.

    Nanny Nia had been shocked and did she had never seen anyone learn so well.

    Jasmine wasn��t that good, but at least she could try.

    Jasmine couldn��t deny the fact that learning how to read and write hade in very easy for her.

    Perhaps it was her talent and the only thing she would ever be good at.

    After all it was something that took her focus and put her mind off Xaden not having returned home and the news of her unborn baby.

    First of all, quite early in the morning, she had run after Erik who was overseeing some projects.

    "Erik I need to speak to you." She said catching up to him.

    He smiled at her.

    His perfect little grin. "My favorite she wolf in this pack. How is the little pup?"

    "Uh... fine." She said with a smile. "I just wanted to ask if you have heard any news from Xaden yet. I��m worried."

    Erik cocked a brow. "I thought I had told you to let it be Jasmine."

    She sighed and fidgeted with her hands. "Yes I know. But I just... I��m worried about him. Isn��t this unusual? I feel like something is wrong. It��s been two weeks."

    "Xaden can handle himself." Erik said. "I think you underestimate him."

    "I know he can." Jasmine stressed and put her hand on her forehead and very gently massaged her brows. "Look. I know he can, but this feels different."

    "You��re worrying." Erik has pointed out. "Xaden won��t like that. You are stressing yourself and the baby."

    "Well Xaden nor the baby is here isn��t it?" Jasmine asked stubbornly.

    "Since you won��t let me breathe, Look I��ve already sent out a search party two nights ago." Erik astonished her. "Why do you look that way? Isn��t it what you wanted me to do?"

    "Uhm.... Er... huh... yes. I��m just.. why didn��t you tell me?" She questioned as she gently ced her hand on the bump.

    "Because the next thing you are going fine on my neck asking for more information." Erik said. "Like now."

    "Why didn��t you go?" Jasmine asked.

    Erik gave her a look that seemed to ask her if she was insane.

    "So that Erik would hang me by leaving the soon to be mother of his child alone?" Erik asked. "No thank you."

    "He doesn��t care about me." Jasmine pointed out as she looked at the wolves training on the training ground. "Or the baby."

    Erik scoffed. "You have no idea what you��re saying. And He will be fine. So let it be."

    Jasmine rubbed her arms and then she saw Uthering towards them.

    Ever since the day Uther had made side remakes of sexual advances towards her, she had steered clear of his path.

    She didn��t like him. One bit.

    "But you��ll tell me if you get any updates on him?" She asked hurriedly.

    "Yes." Erik nodded and then Jasmine hastily left his presence the moment Uther would have joined in their conversation.

    So she was up in the astronomy room reading through the journals.

    Trying not to think of Xaden and trying hard not to tnink of the fact that just like her mother, she might not live to take care of her child.

    She shook the thoughts and focused on the books before her.

    She was slowly understanding what Xaden��s mother was writing about.

    She was fixated on finding this other side, it seemed to have taken most of her time.

    Jasmine went through the shelves trying to find a quill to use and write when she found something.

    She had picked up the ink te and it fell from her hand and knocked down a painting.

    The painting didn��t fall but only move a small angle.

    Jasmine picked up the ink te and then hit her head on the painting that she had mistakenly moved.

    "Ouch." Jasmine mumbled in pain.

    She put the ink te on the table before going back to adjust the painting but something fell from under it.

    It was a medium sized book and had gathered so much dust.

    Jasmine picked it up and examined it closely.

    She tried to open it, but it seemed lodged.

    She set her fingers around the book and looked closely only to find that there was a slot for a key.

    Jasmine picked up the painting and set it on the floor, but there was nothing else behind it.

    Why had someone hidden this book here?

    And why was it locked?

    Where could the key even be?

    She made a mental note to ask Xaden when he returned as she very gently put the painting back in ce.

    "Jasmine!" Nanny Nia��s voice called down from her bedroom. "It��s time for your tea."

    "I��ll be right down." Jasmine said as she put everything back in ce before arranging the book in a bookshelf.

    She woulde back for it.

    She followed the stairs that Xaden has had the workers change for herfort and was down in her room.

    "I��m sorry." Jasmine started. "I know you told me that you want me to let you know when I am about to go up but I just had somethi-

    Jasmine Stopped when she realized that Lily was standing together with Nanny Nia.

    "Lily." Jasmine managed a smile.

    "Jasmine." Lily said gently. "How are you doing? I needed to check up on you."

    Jasmine dusted her dress. "I��m fine thank you."

    "I was hoping that I would take you for a small chat in the gardens. You are always holed up in this room." Lily said. "I don��t think that would be good for the baby."

    Jasmine managed a weakugh. "I step out sometimes."

    "But not as often as you should." Lily said. "And don��t worry about nanny Nia here. I��m only stealing you for an hour."

    Nanny nia sighed with a shrug. "Alright. But I��ll bring your tea for you to have by the gardens in that one hour."

    "Thank you." Jasmine said graciously.

    Lily offered her arm and together they stepped out of thefort of her room.

 Chapter 418: THE TEA

    <h4>Chapter 418: THE TEA</h4>

    Nanny Nia watched in annoyance as Jasmine left with Lily.

    Since she had arrived the pack, she wasn��t fond of Lily.

    Lily seemed to be sweet but Nanny Nia had been with a ll sorts of women and children for so many years now, she knew when someone.

    And from all the stories she had heard about Jasmine and the things she had seen with her very own two eyes.

    She knew better than to trust anyone.

    Even Aloha Xaden who had employed her, after the stories she heard and now knowing Jasmine, she was wary of him.

    She had been appalled when she had been told to take care of Jasmine.

    She had trained and raised high brow children and women of wolf families for over forty years.

    Jasmine was not her first and yet Jasmine was her most different.

    She had heard enough rumors already.

    She was a young girl who despite being a nobody somehow had men cutting their heads in her favor.

    So simple and innocent but yet dangerous.

    After so much persuasion she had taken the Job as a favor she owed one of Xaden allies.

    She had told herself that she would do

    her job and steer clear of Jasmine.

    Make sure she had no emotional connection with her.

    As soon as Jasmine had given birth, Jasmine would be on her own.

    But she hade to see a side of Jasmine she never expected.

    Gentle, calm and loving.

    She had met rude and unruly children of high brow wolf families.

    She had expected Jasmine to be a nuisance and as badly behaved as they

    Usually were but Jasmine was nothing of the sort.

    And so she had be attached to Jasmine.

    She had grown to understand and love her.

    And most of all she had grown to see that quite a number of women despised her.

    So she as almost always ready to defend and protect Jasmine.

    Especially now that her pregnancy was moreplicated and Xaden was still not yet back to the pack.

    Nanny Nia didn��t usually clean the rooms.

    She left that for the servants.

    But she felt a motherly sense of urge to handle Jasmine personally.

    A maid came into change the sheets while she sat reading a book.

    "Excuse me." The maid said. "I��m here to change the sheets."

    Nanny Nia waved her hand to the girl.

    Indicating she coulde in.

    The girl did and Nanny Nia found herself irritated at how the girl was going on about her duties.

    She kept on correcting her over and over until Nanny Nia snatched the bedsheets from her hands and red at her.

    "Just get out!" Nanny Nia ordered the girl who stood confused.

    "I said get out!" Nanny Nia insisted and the girl fled out of the room.

    "Can��t one woman just have something done right?" She grumbled to herself as she changed the sheets.

    She made the mental note to do everything concerning Jasmine by herself.

    Once she was done with the beddings, she knew that sufficient time had passed for her to make Jasmine��s pregnancy tea.

    She gathered the mid morning herbs that Marie had prescribed for Jasmine and headed out of the room.

    She locked it behind her and nodded at the guards who stood at the door.

    She went down the stairs and by the time she reached the kitchen on the ground floor she was tired.

    She sat down on a high chair in the kitchen and breathed heavily against the wall.

    "Nanny Nia." The head chef said stepping into the kitchen. "You��re here."

    "Yes I��m just taking a breath." Nanny Nia said fanning her face with a hand.

    "Here for Jasmine��s tea?" The chef asked as he checked the fire.

    "Yes." Nanny Nia said as she massaged her forehead.

    "The hot water is almost ready." Chef responded.

    Nanny Nia nodded.

    "Where is Jasmine? Haven��t seen her in a while? And her pregnancy?" Chef asked.

    "She is fine. I think taking a stroll withdy Lily." Nanny Nia said callously.

    "Ah..... our Alpha��s mate." Chef nodded with a whistle.

    Nanny Nia frowned. "What��s that supposed to mean?"

    Chef chucked with a slight shrug of his shoulders. "Nothing. It��s just that it��s strange howfortable she is with Jasmine. Thest person that tried toe between Jasmine and Xaden hated her so much she almost killed Jasmine for it. Talk less of a mate epting to be rejected."

    Nanny Nia crossed her brows. "How do you even know that."

    "Words fly around here. And fast." Chef said. "Moreover that can be the only reason why."

    "So you��re saying Lily is a threat?" nanny Nia asked closely.

    "I never said that." Chef said. "Just voicing my own opinion and what I hear people around say."

    Nanny Nia made a mental note of that.

    "The water is hot enough." Chef said extracting hot water and putting it into a kettle.

    Nanny Nia slid off her high chair and went to therge Ind in the kitchen as she began to arrange the tray and tea set for Jasmine��s medicine.

    She put in the exact amount she normally went for and added the boiling hot water.

    She then very gently mixed it and set the spoon aside.

    She started to pick it up when she heard some shouts from outside.

    "What��s that noise?" Nanny Nia questioned peeking through the open door.

    The noise because louder and chef frowned and went outside.

    Nanny Nia considered ignoring but then her mind went straight to Jasmine.

    She tried her best to gently put the tray back in the Ind and hurry outside to see what themotion was about.

    "What��s going on?" Nanny Nia asked as she went of the door.

    Once the kitchen was empty, Lisa slid from the darkness of the hallway and peeped in to be sure that no one was in.

    Once she was sure that the coast was clear she gently went in.

    She hurried to the ind and stood over the brewing tea and gently opened its cover.

    She let her fingers fish through her pockets and then brought out a small vile.

 Chapter 419: GREAT POISON

    <h4>Chapter 419: GREAT POISON</h4>

    Lisa looked at the clear liquid inside the very tiny vial.

    It was crystal clear and looked as harmless as water.

    It also had no taste and was going to be hard for anyone to detect any abnormalities but it was in fact dangerous.

    A very dangerous poison that would do what needed to be done.

    She had no idea where Lily and Anna had gotten it from, but she had been given the task to make sure it got into Jasmine��s morning tea while Lily tried her best to distract her.

    One drop, Lily had specifically said was going to be enough. Two and the tea would smell and give away its impurities.

    So she had to do it in the most careful way possible.

    It had surprised her that she was getting this instruction from Lily and not Anna.

    She had always seen Lily to be docile and a good enough Luna material, never to dabble in anything but.

    But lo and behold, she had been wrong for the first time in a long time.

    And how perfect it would be for Jasmine to drink the tea, at night she would scream and bleed as she lost the baby.

    And not just her baby, but her life to and Jasmine would be no more.

    She opened the Vial and hesitated for a moment.

    She hated Jasmine. Despised her and wanted her gone.

    A nobody who had been a torn in her flesh for such a goddamn long time it way overdue and yet Lisa considered it.

    If Jasmine died she would have to get rid of Lily too.

    Only then and there would she be able to im her rightful ce as future Luna of the pack.

    But Jasmine needed to go.

    It was the first step to her n Falling into ce.

    Lisa took in a deep breath and looked around there was still some noise outside.

    She herself had no idea what was going on, but she had taken advantage of themotion.

    Lisa tipped over the vial and gently put in precisely one drop inside the tea.

    The moment the drop went into the tea, a sh of darkness erupted from the tea, startling Lisa and then diving back into the tea.

    Her hand was on her chest as she breathed and her heart race terrified.

    She looked back down at the tea to see that it was perfectly normal.

    There was no sign that it had been tampered with.

    She picked up the spoon that was beside the beautiful tea cup and stirred to make sure that there was no stone unturned.

    Then she gently set it back aside.

    She put the vial back inside her pockets and stepped away from the tray, breathing fast.

    She had done much worse things but why was she also tensed for something as simple as just poisoning a tea.

    When she was certain that everything she had met was in ce, she turned to leave the room and heard footsteps approach along with chatter.

    Lisa froze for half a second before darting to the pantry door, easing it open and slipping behind the shelves of flour and dried roots just as the kitchen door creaked open again.

    Nanny Nia reentered, huffing and muttering, "They can��t ever keep their mouths shut. Just rumors. That��s all."

    Chef came inughing.

    "Wee to the crescent pack." He said. "You��re still new here so you would get used to it

    She walked straight to the tea tray, her hands still slightly damp from wiping them on her apron.

    "You know I was hoping that all those screams weren��t just stupid Lycans fighting each other in a dual but news of Apha Xaden or better still, Alpha Xaden himself arriving back to the pack. Jasmine has been so worried."

    As she picked up the delicate teacup and sniffed the steam rising from it, her eyes narrowed.

    Something felt off.

    The aroma was right. The color too. But Nia had prepared Jasmine��s tea every day for a while now.

    Something felt faintly wrong.

    She set the cup down slowly.

    "About Alpha Xaden?" Chef asked as he kneaded dough. "I��m sure he is fine. This is even better. One time we didn��t even see him for almost two months."

    Nanny Nia��s eyes scanned the kitchen, no one was there.

    But she couldn��t shake the instinct crawling up her spine like cold fingers. She reached for her tasting spoon and dipped it into the tea.

    She was about to taste it when Chef interrupted.

    "What the devil are you doing?" Chef asked. "Are you all of a sudden pregnant?"

    "Goddess no." Nanny Nia argued.

    "Well if you aren��t why are you taking Jasmine��s tea?" He rose a brow.

    "I was just...." Nanny Nia started to exin and became annoyed at the fact that she was even exining. "Mind your business chef."

    And then she put the spoon aside and picked up her tray.

    With that she went out of the kitchen,pletely forgetting about her earlier suspicions.

    Chefughed and shook his head.

    He went on with his duties for about ten minutes with some maids and other kitchen staffing in and out.

    Lisa, still in the pantry, had to press a hand to her chest to stop the panicked rhythm of her heart. She hadn��t expected Nanny Nia to be so... suspicious. But it was fine.

    Thank the stars that she had taken it.

    Eventually Lisa heard the final footstep leave the kitchen.

    She remained standing for about two more minutes until she was certain that there was no one at all in the room.

    Once she was out of the pantry, she hurried to the Ind and picked up the spoon Nanny Nia had set aside and threw it away.

    She couldn��t have anyone tasting the spoon. It would somehow find its way of pointing back to her.

    And then Lisa hurried out of the kitchen and once again she had seeded in carrying out one of her evil ns.

 Chapter 420: KIRE’S INSTINCTS

    <h4>Chapter 420: KIRE��S INSTINCTS</h4>

    Jasmine stood at the edge of the garden, her arms gently cradling her belly as she stared at the distant mountains.

    Lily was speaking beside her, something about embroidery or dress fabrics, Nia wasn��t sure. But Jasmine wasn��t listening either.

    Her face was pale, eyes unfocused, the same expression she��d had all morning. Like something was tugging on her soul from far, far away.

    "Jasmine!" Nanny Nia called out, trying to keep her voice even.

    Both women turned. Jasmine blinked rapidly and walked toward her, but Lily stayed still, arms crossed like a sculpture.

    "I��ve made your tea," Nanny Nia said, not giving Lily a second nce. "You need to take it now. How are you feeling?"

    "Much better." Jasmine nodded. "What had happened? We had heard some shootings but Lily had insisted we stay here for safety."

    "Oh that." Nanny Nia shrugged her shoulders. "Just the Lycan boys having their duals and screaming like little children. It was good that Lily made you stay put."

    And then Nanny Nia turned to Lily. "Thank you."

    Lily smiled. "Please it was nothing. I barely did anything."

    "Come dear." Nanny Nia offered nodding to the gazebo. "Come and have your tea."

    Jasmine nodded and obediently followed her back toward the gazebo, but Nia could feel the tension crackling behind them. Lily��s gaze followed, sharp and unreadable.

    Once inside, Jasmine sat at the small breakfast table in the parlor, hands trembling slightly as she epted the cup.

    "Thank you." Jasmine said.

    Just as Jasmine was about to put the cup of tea to her lips, none other than Kire came running in.

    Therge fury wolf that had still refused to merge back with Erik, came galloping with his tongue dangling out in excitement.

    "Kire." Jasmine said excitedly.

    As she gently put the cup back on the tray, Kire lunged on her almost knocking her off her feet.

    "Bad wolf." Nanny Nia reprimanded.

    But Kire didn��t care. He was simply licking Jasmine all over her face while she rubbed his body.

    "Forgive him Nanny Nia." Jasmineughed as she rubbed his fur while he panted. "He hasn��t seen me in a long time hence why he is so excited."

    "I��ve missed you too my love." Jasmineughed as she yed with his ears.

    He licked her face.

    Nanny Nia wasn��t quite fond of pets and Kire wasn��t even a pet.

    Jasmine yed with him for a while before he went to attack Nanny Nia in y.

    "Stop.... Stop..." Nanny Niained as as he tried to jump on her too. "Stop it I say."

    "Bad wolf. Bad wolf." She said but it seemed her rebuking only made him want to y with her even more.

    Jasmineughed and then Kire turned back to look at her excited.

    Jasmine picked up her tea and put the rim of the cup to her lips and was about to take a sip again when Kire from nowhere lunged at her and knocked it off her hand.

    The beautiful tea cup fell to the and shattered into a thousand pieces while its contents spilled to the floor.

    "Kire...." Jasmine said in a soft tone that indicated she wasn��t happy with him.

    But Kire instead growled at the broken cup on the floor.

    "Why is he behaving that way?" Lily asked perplexed.

    And it was as if it was only in that moment Kire had heard her voice and even noticed that she was among them.

    He growled at her and began to how at her.

    He growled angrily as if he was about to rip her into pieces.

    Lily honestly looked terrified.

    "Kire stop that!" Jasmine warned him.

    But Kire wasn��t listening to anyone.

    He growled as he slowly went towards Lily.

    Lily gathered her feet from the floor to her chair as he slowly progressed.

    Jasmine came off her chair and tried to grab him.

    But he kept on struggling viciously as he growled, his saliva dangling from his mouth like he was a mad wolf.

    He howled and growled so loudly that everyone was confused.

    "Jasmine keep him away from me!" Lily wept in fear.

    "Kire! Stop that!" Jasmine said as she pulled him away.

    But Kire was being adamant and insisted on still framing nearer and nearer to Lily.

    Jasmine pulled him and Nanny Nia tried to hold Jasmine too, but they were no match for Kire��s wolf.

    He was only a few inches of a terrified Lily and was about to attack when a figure came into the gazebo.

    "KIRE!"

    And the wolf froze almost instantly.

    Of course it was none other than Erik.

    Erik walked up to them and gave Kire a very hard and heavy p.

    Kire howled in pain and whimpered.

    And then Erik grabbed him by his fur.

    "I��m so sorry about this." Erik apologized.

    Lily looked like she was about to run mad.

    She was sweating all over, her dress was wrinkled and a mess because of how much she had gathered it to prevent Kire from attacking her.

    "I am so sorry." Erik apologized.

    "I am so sorry." Jasmine said. "He doesn��t usually act this way. He is most sweet and yful. I don��t know what happened."

    "Can you just get him out of here?" A still panicked Lily asked.

    "Of course." Erik said.

    And he grabbed Kire��s golden paw and dragged him out of the gazebo while the massive wolf whimpered and howled unhappily.

    It was only them Lily gently put her feet to the ground and tucked her hair behind her ears.

    Her hands were visibly shaking.

    "Lily again I am so sorry." Jasmine apologized.

    "I need a minute." Lily said and then hurried out of the gazebo leaving Nanny Nia and Jasmine confused.

    "What just happened?" A confused Jasmine asked as she gently set a hand to her tummy.

    "Maybe his separation from his master is beginning to affect him." Nanny Hia stated as she gathered the tray and then signaled for a maid. "You theree in and clean this up."

    Jasmine sighed. "He was growling at only Lily nor you or me."

    "Yes. He was." Nanny Nia said and silently added to herself that he was growling at tea too.

 Chapter 421: NO LONGER A FRIEND

    <h4>Chapter 421: NO LONGER A FRIEND</h4>

    Once the maid had cleaned up the spilled tea, Jasmine still in thought.

    "Do you think I should go and offer her my apologies now?" Jasmine asked. "She looked terribly upset."

    "No." Nanny Nia waved it up. "You already apologized so just let her take some air. Thenter you could still check on her."

    Jasmine sighed deeply.

    She troubled about Kire behaving so erratically.

    It was nothing like him.

    "You need to take your medications." Nanny Nia urged Jasmine. "It��s gettingte."

    At that moment Fiona came by.

    "What happened here?" Fiona questioned as she saw the maid finally gathering the broken pieces of the cup away.

    "I was about to take my tea and Kire kept growling at Lily." Jasmine said massaging her forehead. "He looked like he was ready to rip her into pieces if we left him."

    "Which Kire?" Fiona asked in disbelief.

    Nanny Nia sighed

    "Running around making trouble Kire? The same one?" Fiona asked. "I find that hard to believe."

    "Maybe something happened." Jasmine shrugged.

    "Something did happen." Fiona said. "He doesn��t like Lily. End of story."

    Jasmine shook her head.

    "Do you want your tea here or inside?" Nanny Nia asked.

    "I��ll have it here please." Jasmine said. "Maybe after I��m done from here on my way back to the room, I could stop by at Lily��s."

    Nanny Nia nodded. "I��ll go get the tea now."

    And with that she went in the direction of the kitchen leaving Jasmine with Fiona.

    "I still can��t believe that Kire growled at Lily." Fiona pointed. "You need to see him chasing and tormenting the little pups. Coupled with the fact that he is an adult wolf. He handles them with care when ying."

    "I don��t think he would just attack her like that too." Jasmine said reasonably. "To be honest? If there is anyone I had expected him to attack it��s Anna."

    Fiona giggled.

    "It��s true." Jasmineughed. "I know Animals can sense these things. Anna is the worst. Lily has been kind to me

    From the moment Xaden left. Not what I expected. She always tries to take me out of my room. She has been kind to me."

    Fiona sighed. "You know my problem with you? You��re too trusting."

    "She isn��t bad." Jasmine said.

    "Jasmine for someone who has witnessed so much betrayal and horrible treatments from people even worse than I have." Fiona pointed out. "One would think that you would be wary of people and how you let them in."

    "I am." Jasmine argued as she gently felt a kick in her tummy.

    She rubbed her tummy and took in a deep breath.

    She looked at the smallke beside the gazebo and watched as baby ducks swam with their mother.

    Jasmine sighed in heavily. "Everything seems to be going fine now. No one is particrly out to kill me anymore. I can start something new here. Once Xaden returns."

    She felt a shadow of asked overwhelm her.

    She still had heard no news about him.

    She was trying her best not to worry too much about it.

    Everyone told her not to because it would affect the baby but she couldn��t help herself.

    "Have you heard anything?" Jasmine asked Fiona.

    Fiona shook her head. "You would be the first to know if I heard anything."

    Jasmine shook her head and turned away.

    "Something is wrong." Jasmine said. "I can feel it in my bones. Something is wrong."

    "You are pregnant." Fiona reminded her and Jasmine got up from her seat annoyed. "You can��t afford to be thinking about such things. Your pregnancy is delicate."

    Jasmine paced the room and folded her arms.

    "I might die." Jasmine broke to Fiona.

    "What?" Fiona asked astonished.

    "I might die." Jasmine repeated. "My chances of surviving this pregnancy is low.

    "What do you mean by that?" Fiona asked.

    Jasmine still hadn��t told Fiona what Marie had said.

    Just her and Nanny Nia. She hadn��t even told Loren too because he had traveled with Ned for some work.

    "If I give birth to an unshifted wolf like me then mybor might not be asplicated." Jasmine said. "But if I give birth to a pup. I might not be able to push out the baby. A c section would be performed and the chances of me sieving that is low."

    Fiona��s face was white as chalk.

    "How low?" Fiona asked.

    "In a possibility of 50, three." Jasmine said.

    "You can��t keep that baby." Fiona said. "You need to tell Xaden."

    Jasmine gasped. "How can you say such a thing? You were the one who promised me that if anything happened to my baby you would look after it."

    "Yes I did." Fiona said. "But that was before you told me this! We all knew about the risks to your pregnancy but this is whole new thing. You might actually die."

    "This isn��t the support I expected from you." Jasmine said well disappointed.

    Fiona sighed and walked up to Jasmine and gently put her hands on her shoulders.

    "I��m sorry." Fiona started. "But I��m just trying to-

    Jasmine pulled away from her.

    "Jasmine this is serious." Fiona said.

    "WELL IT��S TOO FUCKING LATE FORAN ABORTION!" Jasmine snapped at Fiona shocking both of them.

    There was a pregnant silence between both women for a while before Jasmine spoke up.

    "If you must know. My pregnancy is progressing faster than normal. It��s too ate for an abortion." Jasmine said. "I��m tired of everyone telling me what to do with my body. Whether I live or die."

    "Jasmine I am sorr-." Fiona said but Jasmine ignored the apology as she cut in.

    "You can��t amd you will not tell Xaden." Jasmine said. "What I just told you."

    "He had a right to know." Fiona argued.

    "From what you said a few minutes ago, I already don��t trust you anymore." Jasmine stated matter of fact. "But if you go and tell him what I just confided in you. I will never be friends with you ever again."

    And with that Jasmine stormed out of the gazebo.

    She brushed past a Nanny Nia who was now standing with the tea in a tray and went to the pack house.

 Chapter 422: LILY’S RAGE

    <h4>Chapter 422: LILY��S RAGE</h4>

    Once Lily was sure she was out of sight from Jasmine and Nanny Nia, she leaned against a wall and took a minute to breathe.

    She touched her forehead and felt beads of sweat.

    She hurriedly pulled out a hankie from one of her pockets and began to very gently tap on her forehead.

    Once she was sure she wasn��t sweating anymore, she returned it back to her pockets and resumed her way.

    She stormed down the corridor, still well furious, her heels against the stone floor.

    The servants who saw her tried to greet.

    "Lady Lily." They greeted.

    "Are you alright?" They asked.

    But Lily ignored them and so they didn��t need to be told twice before steering clear of her path.

    She turned towards the steps and began to match on her way up.

    She was filled with undiluted fury and rage.

    Lily who had always been the figure of a true luna, a true mate.

    She had yed her role to perfection. Sweet,posed, the ever-patient Luna-to-be.

    The one who would never tell Alpha Xaden no. The perfect she wolf.

    But now, everything was unraveling.

    She had tried her best to maintain that presence even though her true intentions that she would never let Xaden go was hidden deep in her chest.

    But this once, just because of today everything might have gone into the wind.

    All her hard work.

    All gone because of that damn wolf.

    She gritted her teeth in rage as she finally reached the massive doors of the bedroom chamber and shoved them open.

    She saw Lily and Anna already there together.

    Good, she would kill all three birds with one stone.

    "Lily." Anna said once she saw her.

    She turned around and mmed the door shut.

    Both Anna and Lisa shook at the tremor of the mmed doors.

    "What��s the matter with you?" Anna asked confused.

    Lily wanted to burst.

    "Never mind that." Anna said casually said with a Wave of her hand and then she walked up to Lily, gleaming from excitement and the anticipation of the news she was about to hear.

    "Did she get to take the tea? I know it is supposed to take effectter at night. But I��m just excited to hear the news. How did it happen? What was her face like?"

    "She didn��t take the tea!" Lily snapped in rage at the questions being flung at her.

    Anna blinked at her,pletely astonished.

    "W... wh... what do you mean she didn��t get to take it?" Anna asked in disbelief.

    Lily ignored her and turned sharply at Lisa.

    "How did you put the poison?" Lily demanded in rage.

    "Mydy?" Lily asked confused.

    Lily walked up to her, stood at her front before giving her such a dirty p that Lisa��s face turned to the other side.

    Anna gasped and then Lisa��s eyes, widened, turned to look at Lily, her bottom lip bleeding.

    Anna had her mouth over her hands.

    "Maybe that p would remind you of how to asked that question." Lisa spat in fury. "I asked you. How did you put the poison? Do not make me ask again."

    Lisa swallowed still unable to respond.

    Lily was now forced to speak up in anger. "You had said one drop would do the trick. One clean drop, no smell, no magic aura. You had promised it would be undetectable."

    Lisa��s jaw tightened. "And I followed the instructions exactly. One drop."

    "What is going on?" Anna asked finallying in between them. "Lily what is all this about?"

    "Then exin to me why Jasmine didn��t drink it!" Lily hissed, advancing on her as shepletely ignored Anna.

    "Jasmine didn��t take the poison?" Anna asked in disbelief.

    Lily��s eyes narrowed irritated as she finally noticed Anna. "No she didn��t."

    And then she turned back to face Lisa "Exin why that mutt knocked it out of her hands like it wasced with death! Exin why he tried to rip me apart!"

    Anna was now well lost in a maze.

    "Whoa whoa whoa." Anna said making Lily face mad talk to her. "Mutt? What mutt? You need to exin more clearly and slowly."

    "That fucking wolf!" Lily spat out. "He ran right through Jasmine��s hand and purposely brought down the cup from her hands to the ground before he finally turned on me and almost ripped me into shreds."

    "Wolf?" Anna said still confused as hell. And then she paused. "Wait Kire? Kire growled and attacked you?"

    "He ALMOST attacked me. He would have ripped me into pieces." Lily eximed angrily.

    "But Kire is literally harmless." Anna said. "I��ve only ever seen him growl."

    "So what now? I��m being delusional and lying about what happened to me?" Lily snapped.

    "I didn��t say that." Anna said trying to ease the tension.

    "So how the fuck did the dog know?" Lily snapped back at Lisa.

    "I did what I was asked to do." Lisa exined.

    Lily gave a bitter and venomousugh. "Don��t insult me Lisa."

    "I swear it." Lisa swore. "I did exactly as I was asked to. I was even almost caught."

    "That��s none of my business." Lily said in rage. "Who even cares if you get caught. You are a stupid and useless servant that no one cares about. I am Xaden��s mate.

    If they somehow managed to find out that I tried to poison Jasmine, my future would be ruined. Xaden would never forgive me."

    "Maybe that��s what you need." Lisa mumbled to herself.

    "What did you say?" Lily asked growing in anger.

    "Nothing." Lisa said.

    "Who gave you the stupid poison in the first ce?" Lily demanded In anger.

    "I did." Anna said finallying in once again.

    Lily��s face twisted. "And where did you get it from?"

    Anna was quiet.

    Lily��s face twisted even harder making her look ugly as she turned her Anger to Anna.

    "Now is not the time to y games. Who gave you the stupid poison?"

    Anna took in a deep breath. "My uncle Uther. I got it from my uncle Uther."

 Chapter 423: THE POISON

    <h4>Chapter 423: THE POISON</h4>

    There was a pregnant silence in the room.

    "What?" Lily said finally breaking the silence.

    "Yes." Anna sighed massaging her temple.

    Lily couldn��t believe this.

    Uther was in on this too?

    She knew that Uther very badly wanted her to be Luna and Xaden��s crowned mate.

    But she had never thought that he would be involved in trying to kill Jasmine.

    "How did this even happen?" Lily asked once she finally found the words to put together.

    Anna shrugged. "He just came to me one day. He knows that I never liked Jasmine and he knows that I don��t want her here. So he sort of spoke to me about it. He was the only one I could ask to help get me poison. Who else could I have gone to?"

    "Gods." Lily said raking her hair with her fingers and she began to pace the room.

    But Anna wasn��t telling the exact truth.

    ~~~~~~~~

    A FEW DAYS AGO

    Anna had just finished discussing with Lily on how they were going terminate Jasmine and was still finding a way for her to get rid of her.

    It was almost a week now and yet she still hadn��te up with something.

    If she was back in the moonlight pack, she would have something to use against Jasmine.

    She would have someone that she could send to get a poison or try to kill her.

    But all to no avail.

    The crescent pack was different and she had to be careful who she told what.

    She wanted to maintain the image of the long most daughter who had suffered a miserable life but was still good and loving.

    No one could know who she truly was, she doubted Xaden would forgive her.

    She didn��t trust Lisa to get a potent enough poison so that was out of the n.

    As Anna started to think hard of ways she could kill Jasmine, she heard a knock at the door.

    She rolled her eyes in disgust.

    "WHO IS IT?!" she asked in the most singsong perfect voice ever.

    "It��s your uncle Uther." She heard.

    She groaned irritated.

    Now what did he want?

    She fixed a very fake and convincing smile,pletely hiding her initially displeased face.

    "You cane in uncle." She called from her desk.

    The door opened and he came in.

    She smiled at him.

    "Ahhh.... My only niece." He said with a smile.

    He walked up to her and kissed her forehead.

    "I came by to check up on you." Uther said. "Since your brother isn��t around and left you in my care."

    She smiled sweetly. "Uncle that is really sweet of you. I��m fine. Just trying to have sometime alone."

    "Of course I understand that." He said. "I hope no one is disturbing you."

    Sheughed. "Of course not."

    He smiled at her and then she saw it fade. "You know Anna you can tell me anything."

    She felt her stomach squeeze uneasily.

    Where was this headed.

    "Of course uncle." She said.

    "Your mother my younger sister. She loved you very much and she wanted me to protect you. If I had known that you were going to be stolen or that she didn��t survive. I would have taken you away. It��s my duty to fix those mistakes. To correct my wrong amd my past inability to have saved you. That��s why I��m here for you." He expressed further.

    Anna smiled as she reached out to touch his hand in a show of emotion. "I appreciate that uncle and-

    "That��s why I know that Jasmine is a threat to you in the pack." He stated quickly cutting her short.

    Anna gasped unable to conceal her shock.

    How did he know?

    And then she realized she had broken character she quickly tried to mask her expression.

    But it was toote.

    "Uncle that��s not true. Jasmine might have been the daughter of my captors but I don��t harbor any ill feelings towards her." Anna tried to deter him.

    "I know you don��t like Jasmine." He said. "I know you hate her in fact. You always have. And with good reason too. Jasmine is the daughter of your captors as you have said. The people who stole you from your family."

    Anna shook her head and let out a fake chuckle. "Uncle you are confused. If anything I��ve forgiven Jasmine and treat her with respect."

    "Does your brother know that you never suffered?" Uther dropped the bombshell.

    That shut her up there and theme

    Where had he heard all this information from.

    "Mmh?" Uther asked. "Your brother believes that you suffered in the moonlight pack. That you were maltreated. But rather he doesn��t know that Jasmine was the one who was treated like a ve."

    Jasmine��s face was red.

    Red with shame and fear.

    How did hee to know any of this?

    "Don��t ask how I know." He said as if reading her thoughts. "Just know that I know."

    "Does my brother know?" Anna stuttered.

    "No of course not. I never told him." Uther expressed. "It would have broken his heart and ruined his image of who you thinks you are. So I��m not going to tell him. Not unless you give me a reason to."

    Her eyes narrowed.

    Was that ckmail?

    Was he indirectly ckmailing her?

    "You detest her and now here she is, pregnant for your brother. Also having an affair with his second inmand."

    Where did he get this information?

    So it was true Jasmine was really having an affair with Erik.

    "I am not here to fight you. I am by your side. Right behind you." He expressed as he gently held her hands together in solitude. "I am here to fight this evil. Jasmine does not belong here. This is your home and she shouldn��t corrupt it."

    Anna��s breathing began to heave difficultly.

    Her wolf was angry.

    Furious and Jealous.

    Erik and Jasmine.

    At first It had just been a conspiracy but now she was hearing from someone else��s lips about it.

 Chapter 424: UTHER’S BLACKMAIL

    <h4>Chapter 424: UTHER��S BLACKMAIL</h4>

    Anna��s chest rose and fell rapidly as the emotions flooded her all at once, shame, rage, jealousy, and a strange, icy fear.

    Her wolf was wing beneath her skin, snarling, demanding answers, vengeance, blood.

    Blood for the one who now wanted to im her own mate.

    How dare that bitch?!

    Erik... Jasmine...?

    Initially she had guessed it as just a figment of her imagination.

    Even when she hadter confronted Erik and Jasmine they had both denied it.

    She had had no proof that they were having a rtionship.

    But now her uncle��s words gave them weight.

    She but the bottom of her lip in anxiety so hard she tasted blood and then dug her nails into the curve of her arm.

    This was different.

    Now here her entire being was crashing.

    All because of Jasmine.

    Jasmine once again was ruining her life.

    She tried to force herself to believe that it was a lie.

    She turned to the one who had just turned her life upside down with this story.

    "You��re mistaken," she said coldly, her eyes meeting Uther��s with a simmering fire. "Erik would never... betray my brother like that."

    Uther only smiled, the kind of smile that knew too much. "You forget I was in the Crescent Pack long before you were taken. I still have contacts, ears in ces you wouldn��t imagine. I��m am an old man. I can tell when a wolf lusts after another she wolf."

    Anna turned her face away hoping to not hear all the things he had to say.

    Trying to shut him out.

    "Jasmine has been keeping secrets, very dangerous ones. I��m not here to argue with you, Anna. I��m here to remind you who the enemy is. I am here to remind you who you are. Who you were born to be."

    She turned her head away, jaw clenched. "And what��s that?"

    He stepped closer, lowering his voice until it was nothing more than a whisper brushing against her ear. "The Luna of the Crescent Pack. His blood. His equal. Not some outsider with tainted lineage and a bastard in her womb."

    "But I��m his sister." She said helplessly. "I can��t be Luna while he is Alpha."

    "Of course you can." Uther said. "Being a Luna doesn��t simply mean you have to be his mate no my dear. Even a sister can be Luna."

    Anna��s blood went cold at those words.

    All Anna had wanted growing up was to be married into a wealthy pack, preferably royal family.

    Where all she could do was throw parties and have anyone and everyone at her beck and call.

    She never really cared about power as long as she had everything that made herfortable.

    But after the moonlight pack had been taken captive, Anna realized there and then she wanted more than to be a pretty wife.

    She wanted more and what was better than discovering that the brother amd family you never one existed was from a powerful wolf n.

    She had fantasized about it, being Luna, ruling beside her brother.

    Jasmine had always been the obstacle, the one person Xaden protected even when he imed not to care.

    But this... this was different.

    Her uncle was proposing something bigger than jealousy or spite.

    "How sure are we that the bastard she carries isn��t for my brother but for Erik?" Anna asked as soon as the thought came up to her mind.

    Uther shrugged. "We don��t. And even if she gives birth, and the child is a male, that child would threaten your right to rule. Jasmine can be Luna. And you will

    be all but forgotten."

    "I could tell Xaden." Anna said stupidly. "You know that she is having an affair. He would kill her and the child and feed her body to the wolves."

    "There is no proof." Uther said leering down at her. "Xaden won��t believe. She has charmed him with magic. And even if he does believe, he would kill Erik too. Do you want your mate to die?"

    "No." Anna said sharply.

    She was furious with Erik for betraying her, but she would rather die than have him killed.

    She still believed that he would love her day.

    It was just left for Jasmine to be kicked out of the picture once and for all.

    "So what are you proposing?" She asked him.

    "I��m proposing that you don��t do this alone." He said. "I just want what��s best for you. Watching that whore try to take your ce?"

    He shivered in disgust. "I would never allow it. I want to let you know that no matter what. I am here for you. To see you in your rightful ce not a usurper who isn��t loyal to anyone."

    Anna was wary.

    "That��s all I wanted to let you know." He said and then turned to leave.

    Thoughts raced through her mind and then she stopped him just as he was about to leave.

    "Wait!" She said.

    And he did.

    "I need your help." She said and then looked around cautiously as if to see if anyone was watching.

    And then she said in a whisper. "To get rid of Jasmine."

    He smiled at her. "What are your options?"

    Anna itched her arm in anxiety. "I was thinking poison."

    "Good." He said. "I like how you think. I know just the person. I would return tomorrow with instructions on how you can do it."

    She nodded hastily.

    And then he turned around.

    "What is your gain in all this?" She asked him. "What do you profit in this?"

    He smiled at her. "Seeing my niece on the throne. Jasmine��s family have been nothing but ruthless to mine. Her bloodline is the reason my sister is dead. Your mother is dead. To see her be Luna, would be a disappointment to my sister. I want to set things right."

    Anna wasn��t sure if she believed him, but he had a point.

    The next day he came back to her with a vial containing a poison and instructed that only one drop be used.

    It was enough to kill Jasmine and her child.

    This chapter is updated by freew(e)bnovel.(c)om

 Chapter 425: THE INTERVENTION

    <h4>Chapter 425: THE INTERVENTION</h4>

    "Why would you involve Uther in any of this?" Lily asked as she grabbed Anna by her the front bodice of her dress. "He is loyal to Xaden. He could tell Xaden and then that would be the end."

    Anna pried Lily��s hands free from her grip.

    "Take it easy." Anna said. "I know what I m doing."

    "Really?" Lily chuckled. "You know what you��re doing? By going to meet young uncle the very same man who raised me and would do anything for this pack that we are trying to kill Jasmine."

    "He hated Jasmine." Anna pointed out.

    "I know he hates Jasmine! But you don��t go around telling him these things. They don��t work that way." A frustrated Lily expressed.

    And then she shook her head.

    "No I��m not doing this anymore. You were the one who assured me that working with you was going to be the best thing. Now I need to take a step away."

    Lily turned around to leave and then Anna caught her arm and held it.

    "You can��t leave." Anna said.

    "Of course I can." Lily said jerking her hand free. "And it��s much easier for you to say because you weren��t almost eaten alive by a stupid wolf."

    Anna sighed in. "That��s not what I��m trying to say. You are already in this. Even if there is a trace that you are involved walking away won��t just solve the problem."

    Lily eyes Anna but realized what she was saying was true.

    "So what do you suggest?" Lily asked folding her arms.

    "I think. We should trust him." Anna said. "He hates Jasmine more than any of us do. Her family is the reason why his family

    Was wiped out. He wants her gone and I think that��s enough for us to believe him."

    Lily let out a slow breath, thinking. "What did he say about Erik?"

    Anna��s jaw clenched, just for a moment. "Nothing useful. Just rumors."

    "Rumors you believe?" Lily asked sharply.

    Anna hesitated, then shook her head. "It doesn��t matter. Erik is loyal to Xaden. He��ll fall in line when the timees. If he doesn��t... we��ll deal with him too."

    Lily studied her for a long moment. "You��re slipping, Anna."

    "What?"

    "You��re letting this get personal," Lily said coolly. "This isn��t about Erik. Or your fantasies. This is about Jasmine, and removing her before Xaden returns. If you can��t focus, I��ll go to Uther myself."

    Anna��s lips curled into a dangerous smile. "Try it, and I��ll make sure he knows who botched the first attempt."

    The two women stared at each other, the air between them thick with hostility.

    Then, slowly, Lily smiled.

    "Fine," she said. "We stay the course. But next time, I��m choosing the poison."

    Anna nodded. "And I��ll choose the timing."

    "Good." Lily moved to the mirror and adjusted her hair. "Because Jasmine��s starting to suspect. We can��t afford another mistake."

    "What actually happened?" Anna asked.

    "It��s that ugly wolf." Lily expressed as she massaged her forehead. "I don��t know, but he knew something was wrong. He just knew and right after he had knocked down the tea? He turned on me."

    "We have to be more careful." Lisa chirped in. "We can��t make any moves now. She might suspect something is wrong, and if we attempt anything anytime soon, they might point a finger at us. So let��s take a two days to think about it straight. We have toe up with something better next time."

    They all nodded in silent agreement.

    "But we have to be quick about this decision." Lily said. "Xaden should be back before the next full moon."

    "She won��t make it to the next full moon," Anna whispered, more to herself than anyone else.

    There was a knock at the door and all the women were thrown into panic.

    No one said a word.

    The knock came again.

    "Anna it��s me. Jasmine." Came Jasmine��s voice and all the women were thrown into a state of chaos and confusion.

    Lily��s heart was beating so fast it seemed it was about to jump out of her chest.

    "I��m so sorry to disturb but I have been looking for Lily." Jasmine said and Lily froze instantly. "The guards say she came up the way to your bedroom so I followed to find her."

    All the other two women Instinctively turned to look at Lily.

    There was a strained silence and thoughts were running through Lily��s mind.

    There was a knock again.

    Did Jasmine now know what Lily had done? Was she merely suspecting her?

    Was this a trap?

    And then she walked up to the door and very gently creaked it open as it seemed Jasmine had turned her back to leave.

    "Lily." Jasmine said delighted.

    Lily stepped out of the room and closed the door shut.

    "I��m so sorry for disturbing you. I had been looking for you everywhere and then I was told you hade to see Anna." Jasmine said fidgeting with her hands.

    "It��s alright." Lily smiled. "She wasn��t feeling fine so I came to see her."

    "Oh?" Jasmine rose a surprised brow. "Anna sick? I truly had no idea."

    Lily managed a tight smile. "She didn��t tell much people. You don��t think it was wrong for me seeing her do you?"

    "What? No. No of course not." Jasmine said. "My condolences. If you could pass them on to her for me."

    "Of course I would." Lily said.

    "Lily I came to see you because I had to apologize for what Kire did to you this

    Morning ." Jasmine apologized.

    Lily breathed a sigh of relief.

    "You came to keep mepany and rather Kire acted out." Jasmine stated. "I don��t know why he did that. But he has usually been a good wolf. I��ll makes sure that he steers clear of you."

    "It��s fine." Lily smiled relieved that Jasmine didn��t suspect her. "These things happen. And I��m grateful for youing to meet me."

    Jasmine smiled. "Thank you. You��re a good she wolf."

    Lily smiled back and then Jasmine turned around and went on her way back.

    Lily watched her leave and the hatred she had for Jasmine grew much deeper within.

    Nanny Nia found Jasmine in her room her feet gathered together as shey on her bed deep in thought.

    Nanny Nia sighed as she used her behind to close the door.

    She set the tray down on the bedside table and sat down beside Jasmine.

    She gently touched her shoulder.

    "Jasmine." Nanny Nia said

    Jasmine was quiet at first and then she sat up and turned to face Nanny Nia.

    "Your tea is ready." She informed.

    Jasmine numbly nodded. "Thank you."

    Nanny Nia handed Jasmine the brewing cup of tea and watched as she sipped it.

    Jasmine paused for a few minutes before resuming until she was done and then she handed the cup to Nanny Nia.

    "Am I wrong?" Jasmine asked. "Not telling Xaden about the baby?"

    "No of course not." Nanny Nia said. And then she sighed and gently set the tea cup on the bedside table before resuming to face Jasmine.

    She adjusted her feet on the bed and said.

    "It goes two ways." Nanny Nia assured her. "Xaden does have a right to know. He is the father of the baby. But if you believe telling him would make him terminate the baby, and decide to keep it to yourself then it��s up to you."

    "But it��s your duty for you to tell him." Jasmine pointed out. "If he ever finds out that you kept this from him....."

    Jasmine bit her lips.

    She had no idea what Xaden would do but she knew it wouldn��t end up good.

    Nanny Nia gave her a gentle patch. "Not to worry. I won��t tell him. Not until you are ready to. And for Fiona. I��m sure she doesn��t mean to hurt you. She is just trying to protect you." Nanny Nia said wisely.

    Jasmine said nothing and then Nanny Nia got up from the bed.

    "Now, I��ll leave you alone." Nanny Nia said as she picked up the tray and headed out of the room.

    Nanny Jia went past the steps and headed towards corridors until she was at the door of the kitchen.

    One of the maids opened it for her.

    She smiled and set the tray on the Ind.

    The cook was busy over the fire.

    "Cook." Nanny Nia announced her presence.

    The head cook looked up, startled. "Nanny Nia! You gave me a fright."

    Nia smiled. "Oh, don��t be so jumpy, dear. I just came to bring down the tray I used for Jasmine��s tea."

    "Of course." Cook nodded. "The girls would clean it up. They are busy cutting up the pork for roasting. Been a while since I did that."

    Nia smiled and then turned to pick up the spoon that she had left in the initial tray she had prepared for Jasmine.

    Was it just her imagination?

    Didn��t she use a stirring spoon to turn the tea and then dropped it aside?

    She wanted to dismiss it but decided against it, so she turned to the cook.

    "This might be the most random question." Nia said. "But I had to ask this."

    "Of course go ahead." The cook nodded.

    Nia sighed in. "When we returned back to the kitchen after the noises that were made outside, did anyonee in? Along with us?"

    Cook frowned. "No. It was just you and I."

    Nia nodded. "And what about after I came did anyonee into the kitchen."

    "Yes." Cool nodded without hesitation as he cut through arge loaf of bread. "The girls working in the kitchen had to do some cleaning and prepare some of the dishes."

    "How many of them?" Nia asked holding her breath.

    "Twenty four." Cook said as he arranged the well split bread slices.

    Nia wanted to lose her mind.

    Twenty four?

    How could she tell or any of them had tampered with the tea.

    Nia had seen how aggressively Kire had behaved.

    She didn��t really like the wolf, and he usually did his best not to get on her bad side.

    But she had never seen him react aggressive and towards the tea that he just coincidentally knocked down.

    And then to move on and almost violently attack Lily.

    She didn��t understand that.

    If anyone she expected him to attack and

    get vicious at Anna or even Lisa.

    Lisa was a slutty tramp who went around like she was the queen of the pack in the most illicit dressing Nia had ever seen.

    Lily was rude and incredibly rude.

    Nia tried her best to ignore her and was hoping and waiting on the day where she would hang her high on a tree.

    But it was quiet and calm Lily that Kire has aggressively attacked.

    Made no sense. Something was off.

    and she was going to do her best to protect Jasmine

 Chapter 426: NANNY NIA’s INVESTIGATION

    <h4>Chapter 426: NANNY NIA��s INVESTIGATION</h4>

    Nanny Nia nodded. She said a thanks to the cook and turned around to leave the kitchen.

    She was already at the door when the Cook��s voice stopped her.

    "Why are you asking all these questions?" He asked.

    Nia turned back to face him.

    What was the point telling him if he had said twenty four girls came in?

    There was no way he would have seen who had tampered with tea and taken the spoon.

    But then her intuition kicked in and she shrugged and let out a heavy sigh.

    "There was a soon next to the tea." She pointed out. I can��t find it anymore. I know it sounds utterly ridiculous. But it was dear and important to me."

    "Oh the spoon you has used to stir the tea when you were making it?" He asked.

    Hope lit in her chest.

    "Yes!" She eximed.

    She was absolutely stunned that he even remembered.

    "We left it here before we stepped out to see themotions outside and did not find it." Nia exined.

    "Well I might not know who picked it up." He said and Nia felt her heart shattering. "But I know none of the girls that came in after took it."

    Nia frowned. "How? You just said you didn��t see it anymore."

    "Yes I did." Cook answered as he out his big hand on his waist. He set his knife aside. "Because when I came in, it was already gone. I figured you had carried it out."

    Nia blinked. "Are you sure?"

    "I��m never wrong about my kitchen." He said. "I can tell when someone has take from my sack of flour or stolen into cheese or eaten into my bread."

    Nia wasn��t really interested in hearing if he could tell whether a rat had stolen his soup or a staff had eaten his food.

    She wanted to understand what he was saying clearly.

    "You are sure that the spoon went missing only after we stepped out and that it was not on the table when we returned or even when the twenty kitchen staff came in." She asked him.

    "That��s what I said. I can never be so sure about anything other than the ountability of my kitchen. I know when something has been moved." He pointed

    He gave a slight shrug of his shoulders. ��I had just assumed that you had been the one to take it when it was no longer there so I didn��t ask about it.

    Nia took in a very deep breath.

    This meant that someone hade into the kitchen and conveniently carried the spoon when they went out.

    Which is why it was possible someone had tampered with the tea.

    But why did they carry the spoon?

    This changed everything and if her suspicions were right.

    Someone was trying to kill Jasmine.

    Someone within the pack.

    Nanny Nia felt weak to the bones.

    Who?

    There were so many people in the pack. It could have been anyone.

    Who could she tell this to?

    And then it hit her

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Nanny Nia opened the door to Alpha Xaden��s study and found Erik inside reading through scrolls and working with his quill.

    Kire was right by his side but on the floor and had a chain around him.

    The hug wolf was lying down looking sad and then Nanny Nia figured he was being punished for his antics a few hours ago.

    Once she had opened the door Erik had looked up at her.

    "Nanny Nia." He said and then returning back to hia scrolls. "What do I owe this visit."

    She closed the door shut and walked up to him.

    "I need to discuss something of the most importance with you." She informed him once she was standing over the desk.

    He frowned and looked up at her.

    Kire whimpered and then sighed before looking back down at the floor.

    "Is he being punished?" She asked.

    "For terrorizing Lady Lily!" Erik asked and then looked back down at Kire disapprovingly. "Yes he has been a very bad body refusing to merge with me and terrorizing youngdies in the pack."

    Kire sighed and looked down at the floor.

    "If this is about Kire." He stated. "Then he would soon be out of your hair. He is no longer allowed anywhere near the pack grounds. And I��ll make sure he steers clear of everyone. Until he merges back with me. I don��t know when that is going to be. He has refused to. I have done everything I can."

    Erik have a light shrug. "But I am guessing he just wants to do what he wants to do."

    "I actually want him around the pack grounds and around everyone." Nanny Nia said.

    Erik rose a brow confused at her words.

    "What?" He asked. "Aren��t you here because of what he did."

    "Yes I am." Nanny Nia said. "I want him to be around Jasmine."

    He frowned. "What?"

    "Erik I have reason to believe that Jasmine was the target of a poisoning." She exined.

    "Poisoning?" Erik said lost.

    "Yes." Nanny Nia said. "And Jasmine may have lost her baby or even worse if she took that tea. But Kire somehow. I think he knew."

    And then Nanny Nia bent down to where Kire was and very gently rubbed hisrge head.

    "You knew didn��t you?" Nanny Nia asked.

    Kire howled in response.

    "Shouldn��t you be able to know what he thinks?" Nanny Nia asked him.

    Erik shook his head. "Kire has been away from me for so long that it��s really hard to figure or know what he is thinking anymore. I can only sense him."

    Nanny Nia sighed. "Hmmm. well that��s at a loss to us now. We could have asked him what he knew."

    Erik shook his head in disbelief. "Poison. Who made that tea?"

    "It was me." Nanny Nia said and Erik��s eyes widened in shock.

    "I didn��t mean I did it." She said stopping him right in his thought tracks. "I served her tea as usual and only stepped out when I heard some noise. By the time

    I returned back I took it to Jasmine. It was

    Then Kire went straight for the tea and pushed it down. After that he was growling at Lily."

    At the mention of her name, Kire began to growl aggressively.

 Chapter 427: THE SECRET

    <h4>Chapter 427: THE SECRET</h4>

    "There is our answer." Nanny Nia said.

    Erik��s hand slowly clenched into a fist atop the scroll he��d been reading. "So you believe Lily was the one who tampered with the tea?"

    "I don��t know for sure," Nanny Nia replied, her voice low but firm. "But Kire��s reaction was too specific to ignore. And I spoke to the Cook. The spoon I used to stir Jasmine��s tea went missing while we were outside. The Cook swears no kitchen staff touched it after we left. Which means someone came in during themotion and took it."

    Erik��s face darkened. "And if it had?"

    "I don��t know what kind of poison it was," Nia said, straightening. "But I know the signs of something sinister. Jasmine hadn��t shown any symptoms yet. That was the first cup. If she��d taken more, it might��ve been toote. This was the first attempt��but I doubt it��ll be thest. Perhaps the person used the spoon to stir the tea."

    He stood, pacing behind his desk. "Why target Jasmine? Why now?"

    "Because she��s vulnerable," Nia said. "Xaden��s gone. No one knows where he is. Jasmine is alone, pregnant, and the bond she has with him is fraying by the hour. If someone wanted to strike, now would be the time."

    Erik frowned deeply. "And you��re sure Kire wasn��t just being difficult?"

    Nanny Nia shot him a sharp look. "Erik, Jasmine knows Kire is your wolf. She may not know every detail about your bond, but she��s not blind. She trusts him. And so do I. He knocked that cup from her hand the second she reached for it. And when Lily moved, he growled. That wasn��t defiance. That was protection."

    Kire let out a soft grunt, pacing restlessly near the door.

    "I want him with her," Nia said. "From now on. I don��t care if he��s still separate from you. I don��t care if the rest of the pack thinks he��s dangerous. I trust him to keep her safe."

    Erik studied Kire for a long moment before nodding slowly. "He��s always been good at sensing what I miss. Even now, apart from me, he follows his instincts."

    "He knew," Nia whispered, reaching down and stroking the wolf��s fur. "Somehow, he knew what they were trying to do."

    "I just..." Erik ran a hand through his hair. "I wish I couldmunicate with him better. Ever since he separated, I can��t hear him the way I used to. I only feel what he feels, and even that is dull most days."

    "Well, we��ll have to work with what we��ve got," Nia said. "Let him do what he does best. Watch."

    Erik hesitated. "What about Jasmine? Should we warn her?

    Nanny Nia stood, her tone resolute. "No. Not yet. If she finds out someone tried to poison her, while carrying a child and with Xaden still missing, it could break her. I��ve seen women lose their babies from less."

    Erik��s face turned grim. "You��re right."

    "And speaking of Xaden," Nanny Nia said softly, "there��s still no word?"

    Erik exhaled slowly and sat back down. "Nothing. I��ve sent out three search parties. North, west, and into the Stone Ridge bordends. No sign. Not a drop of blood, not a scent trail. It��s like he vanished.

    Nia��s heart clenched. "He wouldn��t stay away this long willingly."

    "I know," Erik said. "Which is why I haven��t told Jasmine. She keeps herself distracted, but I see her listening... hoping. Every time someone knocks, she turns to the door like he might walk through it."

    Nia was quiet a moment. "She still believes in him."

    "So do I," Erik said. "But the longer this goes on..."

    He trailed off.

    Nia ced a hand gently on his desk. "Then we protect what he left behind. We keep her safe. Until he returns, or until we know why he hasn��t."

    Erik nodded. "Kire stays with her. I��ll send word to the guards to leave him be."

    Nia turned toward the door.

    Kire trotted after her, eager and alert.

    "And Nia?" Erik��s voice stopped her. She turned back.

    "Be careful. If this was the first attempt... there will be another."

    Nanny Nia nodded solemnly. "And next time, we��ll be ready."

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~

    XADEN��S POV

    Xaden stirred at the sound of snapping twigs, too light to be a soldier, too cautious to be a beast. Rain soaked the forest floor, making every movement louder than it should��ve been. Beneath the tangle of roots where he��d been hiding for days, his breath caught in his throat.

    Then he saw him.

    A boy.

    Thin, mud-streaked, and no older than ten. His eyes went wide at the sight of Xaden��s bloodied figure. His hand clutched a stick like it could protect him, but his trembling arms betrayed him.

    Xaden tried to speak, but his throat scraped dryly. His voice came out hoarse and harsh. "Leave."

    The boy froze.

    "I said, go," Xaden growled, struggling to lift his head.

    The boy dropped the stick and bolted into the woods, vanishing behind the curtain of leaves and mist.

    Xaden closed his eyes, chest rising and falling in sharp, painful gasps.

    He didn��t me the boy. He looked like death, half-wolf, half-man, soaked in blood and rain. Anyone would run.

    But less than an hourter, the boy returned.

    This time, he came slower, deliberate.

    Xaden��s eyes opened with effort. "You again."

    "I brought food," the boy said, ignoring the warning in his tone. "And water."

    He dropped to his knees beside the roots and ced down a bundle��a torn cloth with a crust of bread, half an apple, and a sk made from an old wineskin.

    "I told you to leave," Xaden said, his voice like gravel. "It��s dangerous."

    "I don��t care," the boy said simply. "You need help."

    Xaden stared at him. "You don��t even know who I am."

    "You��re not one of the rogues. You smell different. You smell... tired." He hesitated, then added, "And sad.

    That caught Xaden off guard.

    "I don��t want you to die," the boy whispered. "Everyone says to stay away from the forest, but I found you. Maybe the forest wanted me to."

    Xaden tried to suppress the pang in his chest. "You��ll get in trouble."

    The boy shrugged. "I get in trouble all the time."

    "You could be killed."

    "I��ll be careful. I can run fast."

    Xaden stared at him for a long moment before finally epting the food, hand shaking as he lifted the sk.

 Chapter 428: XADEN’S NEW FOUND FRIEND

    <h4>Chapter 428: XADEN��S NEW FOUND FRIEND</h4>

    "What��s your name?" he asked, voice softer.

    "Marro," the boy said with a small smile.

    "Marro..." Xaden rasped, memorizing it. "You��re braver than most grown wolves I know."

    Marro beamed.

    Xaden swallowed thest of the water and reached down to his wrist. With effort, he tugged free the thick leather band he wore, marked with his family crest and rank.

    It was weathered, stained, but unmistakable.

    He pressed it into Marro��s hand.

    "There��s a pack not far from here, by the Brown River. Find the outer province. Show this to the guards. They��ll know who I am and send help."

    Marro clutched the band tightly.

    "I��ll go right away," he said.

    "No shortcuts," Xaden warned. "Avoid the main trail. Don��t let anyone see that."

    Marro nodded, face serious now. "I��ll be careful. I promise."

    And just like that, he turned and disappeared into the forest, running with purpose.

    Xaden leaned back against the roots, heart heavy but flickering with hope. He��d done what he could. Maybe help woulde.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Marro ran down the forest, Xaden��s band tucked in his pockets as he eagerly hurried to aplish his quest.

    His mother was going to give him a serious beating if she found out that he had been running around the forests especially now that they had been having issues with Alpha Hunter and his rogue pack.

    They were all wary and scared ofing out of their homes.

    He was a big scary man, Marro had heard but he wanted to see him.

    He wasn��t afraid of him.

    He felt that if he was given the chance to fight him, he would defeat him.

    Once he was of age and able to shift yo his wolf, he would easily defeat him.

    The man in the woods.

    Once he had seen him and seen the trail of blood, he should have run off.

    But something had told him to follow and find him and he did.

    The man had been almost dead.

    He should have run the moment he head seen him lying down like that.

    It was what his mother would have expected him to. But something told Marro that he was a good man and he needed to

    Help him.

    And sure enough the man had turned out to be injured.

    He didn��t know why, but he had to help him now.

    As Marro hurried down towards the market where he knew he would find his

    Way to the brown River park, he felt an arm grab him and haul him up.

    It was none other than his mother.

    "You little devil!" She shrieked. "Where have you been?"

    His lips trembled in fear. He started to lie.

    "I was ying with f and Gabby."

    "That��s a bloody lie." She said. "I just came back from Gabby and f��s house and they haven��t seen you in well over an hour so where have you been?"

    Marro swallowed.

    "Do you have any idea why I prevent you from going fat?!" She hissed at him.

    She started to speak when she stopped herself.

    "You would be the death of me one day." She expressed in anguish.

    Then she caught his ear and pulled him along. "Come on. Get your behind into that house."

    "But mama I need to go somewhere!" He cried.

    Her eyes widened in fury. "Do you even know what the time is? It��s almost six and you want to wander off and make me motherless?"

    "You still have Fabian." Marro��s sharp mouth said.

    She gave him a smack across his face.

    "You better close that smart mouth of yours before I do it for you." She said.

    And with that she dragged him all the way down past the small vige and finally into their small cabin.

    "For someone like you who has caused so much trouble. You have the nerve." She said as he shoved him inside the cabin.

    Marro sulked as he went and sat down on the small couch in their home.

    It was already dark now and there was no way he could deliver the dying man��s news.

    His mother didn��t know what she had just done.

    What if he died?

    What if someone got to him and killed him?

    That was all he could think of.

    "You won��t be allowed out of this house for a week for what you have done." His mother reprimanded as she went to her pot of food and stirred.

    He scowled. "You can do that!"

    "Yes I can and I most certainly will!" She said in agony. And then her voice went down to whispers. "Do you know what Alpha Hunter��s pack does to little boys alone? They recruit them into their pack and make them monsters! Do you want that?"

    "When I get older I am going to defeat him." Marro promised his mother and she shook her head in horror.

    "Oh goddess help give my son some sense before he became the deaths of us all."

    At that moment the door was open and then Marro��s father and brother stepped in.

    Marro watched as his father handed a bundle of sack to Fabian.

    He went over to their mother and kissed her.

    Marro sulked at their show of affection.

    "What��s that?" Marro asked his older brother who was around the age of fourteen.

    "None of your business. You��re still a baby." Fabian said meanly and stuck his tongue out as he headed towards the rooms.

    Marro was furious with his family.

    They all treated him like he was a baby.

    He was sick of it.

    Once it was time for dinner, they were all seated at the old dinning table eating their meals.

    Marro��s mind was too faraway thinking of his friend he had left in the forest.

    He had thought that he would return back with good news and give him some food.

    But he would be hungry now and he would think that Marro had refused toe back.

    That he had gone back on his promise.

    Follow current novels on freewe(b)novel.c(o)m

 Chapter 429: PROTECTING THE FAMILY

    <h4>Chapter 429: PROTECTING THE FAMILY</h4>

    "Marro!" His mother snapped bringing his attention back to the table.

    Marro sulked as he pushed around his te.

    His mother shook her head.

    "I don��t know what��s wrong with him." She said aloud.

    "If you don��t want to eat dork I��ll have your food." Fabian said punching his arms.

    "Leave me alone." Marro hissed.

    "You��re a baby." Fabian teased meanly. "What do you need the food for? Only real wolves like me have to eat to work hard."

    "Fabian stop bullying your brother!" Their mother snapped. And then she turned to their father. "Would you believe that I caught Marro not so far from the forest again."

    Marro��s eyes went red with annoyance.

    "You promised you wouldn��t tell." Marro said unhappily.

    "You did what?" His dad asked angrily. "You promised you weren��t going to go anywhere near the forest anymore."

    His mother sighed.

    "I got lost trying to hunt a rabbit." Marro lied.

    "That��s not an excuse young man." He said. "You had said that if you didn��t do anything naughty again you would finally be able to join the pack."

    Marrow��s eyes widened and his heart raced quickly.

    "No dad." Marrow said quickly. "I mean it.

    I didn��t mean to get lost. I went after a rabbit to bring back home. You would have been proud of me."

    It was not technically a lie.

    "No excuses Marro." His father stopped him right in his tracks. "You��ve gotten away with so much for a very long time now. You need to learn."

    Marro could tell when his father had made up his mind and there was going to no turning back.

    He looked back at his mother and was filled with rage.

    His mother tried to avoid his gaze and looked down at her te and said. "Marro

    This is for the best."

    Marro got up from his dear and was about to run away from the table when his father

    Stopped him ultimately.

    "Don��t even try leaving this table!" He snapped at him. "You would seat down and eat your meal that your mother made like everyone else would and leave when you are done."

    Marro had no choice but to sit back down on the table as his entire being brewed with anger.

    His father shook his head and turned back to his food.

    "You don��t know what we protect you from. The lengths we go to, to protect this family and the dangers of what��s outside." His father said and shook his head.

    His mother looked worried at their father. "You look more disturbed than usual. What��s wrong?" She asked him.

    He shook his head and took in a very deep breath.

    Then he looked around the windows to see if they well shut before he began to speak.

    "That wolf came with a new request." His father stated.

    And Marro instantly knew who his father was talking about.

    It was alpha hunter.

    His father despised him so much and refused to refer to him as his rank Alpha.

    "Shhh. They mustn��t hear you." His mother rebuked.

    His father scoffed. "It��s the truth. He is not my Alpha and most of the men already agree. He just came and killed our own alpha and is imposing his rules on us. A rogue andwless wolf like him."

    And then his father spat.

    His mother touched his arm and said. "Maybe the children shouldn��t hear this."

    "They need to." His father shook his head adamantly. "So that they know the consequences of their actions. Especially Marro."

    The table went quiet.

    And then his father resumed speaking. "He said in the meeting this evening that he is looking for someone. Some wolf."

    "We don��t know who he is. But he insists that if any stranger wandered into this pack we need to submit him."

    Marro became tensed instantly.

    He was now certain that it was his friend that he had found in the forest.

    Now he also was certain that his friend was a good man.

    Because an enemy of Alpha Hunter had to be a good man.

    "What man?" His mother asked.

    His father shrugged. "Who knows? Maybe the man is just being senile. But he warned that anyone who amodates him will be severely punished."

    Marro swallowed.

    He knew what the punishment was going to be.

    Death.

    He started to speak to tell his father that he knew this man but he decided against it.

    His father would be furious and tell him that he had put the entire family in trouble.

    He wouldn��t help the man.

    Rather he might betray and take Alpha hunter to the man.

    So Marro shut his mouth.

    "But we haven��t heard of any stranger in the pack have we?" His mother asked helplessly.

    His father shrugged. "We haven��t. But he is a mad man. He can kill the slightest person if he thinks he is being lied to. So for now we have to just go along with him."

    "That is why you have to stay indoors until this matter is resolved." His father told marro.

    Marro thought it was actually stupid that they had to obey whatever Alpha hunter said even though they hated him.

    If he was the one who would oppose him and win.

    Maybe this was the chance he now had.

    He could save the entire small pack by helping his friend.

    His friend looked like someone who was powerful and strong.

    When everyone found out that he had saved them, they would respect him and no longer look down at him.

    This was his opportunity.

    "You boys can go to bed now." His mother said waking Marro from his thoughts.

    Marro took his te from the table, went to wash it before heading for his room.

    He shared a room with his brother but they slept on separate beds because of how much they fought.

    Marro put his hands in his pockets and felt the hard leather of the wrist band his new found friend had given him.

    He was going to be the one to save the pack.

 Chapter 430: HORSE RIDING

    <h4>Chapter 430: HORSE RIDING</h4>

    The next day, Jasmine was in the astronomy room reading through Xaden��s mother��s journals and the new book she had found.

    From what she could read, his mother and her uncle had begun very close and inseparable.

    In some notes, she discussed their progress on what they had learned about the other side.

    She also detailed how the map was written in the stars and was yet to be deciphered.

    Jasmine went around usingpasses and bearings on how to draw the map, the exact same way his mother did.

    But she just couldn��t.

    Just like Xaden��s mother had been stuck at a particr point between the stars, she too was.

    Jasmine sighed in frustration.

    She had be so fascinated with the other side and astronomy.

    It was also the only thing she could do to keep her mind from Xaden.

    She shook her head when he sprang up to her mind again.

    No, she was not going to think of him.

    She was just overreacting, and she was most certain that he was safe and sound.

    Even though he had been gone this long.

    He was in safe hands.

    She was sure of it.

    Moreover, they were all supposed to visit the royal family.

    She went down to the small ckboard and used her chalk to draw another point to make her bearings.

    She heard the door open.

    It was Nanny Nia.

    "Jasmine." Nanny Nia greeted. "Good

    Morning. I tried to look for you in your bedroom."

    "It��s almost midday," Jasmine said. "I��ve never had this much free time in my life before. I always used to work from morning to night. And now here I am pregnant, with no chores and nothing to do."

    "Well, if you think about it." Nanny Nia said as she walked to where the board was and stared. "Being pregnant is still a job on its own. Carrying a little wolf isn��t just something simple. Pregnancies and wolf births have be so normalized that we forget how difficult and stressful they can be. So if you can look at it from one angle, you would see that it��s still a job."

    Jasmine gave a light smile, and then she faced Nanny Nia. "Any news about Xaden?"

    Nanny Nia managed a tight smile. "No, not yet. But I am sure that we will soon hear. Erik is on his toes. We should hear word soon."

    "I understand that. But it��s been over two weeks, and yet I can��t hear anything about it." Jasmine expressed. She picked up a quill and twined it between her fingers. "I don��t think you know this, but well, you probably heard from the members of the pack, Xaden and I were bonded, and then when he was hurt, I could feel it. When I was hurt, so could he feel it too."

    "I never actually heard that from anyone." Nanny Nia said. "This is the first time."

    Jasmine slightly shrugged. "That��s a surprise, I am usually the center of their conversations. But yes, we could feel each other until I fell Ill. I was poisoned and healing me, which severed our bond. So I stopped feeling him, and he stopped feeling me, too. I regret being poisoned because by now, I would know if Xaden was fine. Something in my gut tells me that something is wrong. I feel useless."

    "Jasmine, you should not worry yourself." Nanny Nia said as she reached out to ce her hand on Jasmine��s shoulder. "You are pregnant, and worrying can disturb the baby. So you need to take it easy. I will speak to Erik and get back to you, okay? Does that make you feel better?"

    Jasmine smiled and touched Nanny Nia��s hand on her shoulder with a nod in response.

    "Good girl." Nanny Nia said. "It��s time for your afternoon riding. The baby needs movement. It��s the one thing I agree with Marie."

    "Alright."

    And together, along with Nanny Nia, they went back down to the room.

    Jasmine changed into her riding breeches.

    Her slightly protruding stomach was now easily concealed thanks to her gear.

    Together with Nanny Nia, they went down the stairs, and when they reached the ground floor, Jasmine was already breathing heavily.

    "If this is how tired I get, then I can��t even imagine what it will be like when the baby is almost due," Jasmine said, fanning her red face with her hand.

    "When Alpha Xaden returns, I will speak to him about changing your bedroom." Nanny Nia said as she helped Jasmine get ready.

    She adjusted her gear and attached the necessary straps.

    Then she put on the hat for her and styled it neatly.

    "There, much better." Nanny Nia said.

    Jasmine watched as Ned arrived with the horse.

    She gasped as she saw him with Loren.

    She squealed excitedly and ran up to him.

    She pulled both of them together and hugged.

    "Ah ah ah." Loren said gently easing her back. "You don��t want to disturb the baby."

    She finally let go.

    "Look at the two of you." Jasmine said excited.

    "Look at you!" Ned said staring down at her tummy. "Pregnant and beautiful."

    Jasmine blushed.

    "I��ve missed you two." She said excitedly. "How was the trip?"

    "Tiring." Loren said his face grim.

    "Exciting." Ned said with a grin.

    "Of course it��s exciting for him." Loren said a little annoyed. "He is the reason why we stayed so long there. Wouldn��t even let me take some air he kept on trying to learn some new potions everyday."

    Jasmineughed.

    "How is the baby." Loren asked sternly.

    Jasmine looked down at her concealed tummy and then she remembered what Marie had told her about the difficulties she could face during birth.

    Loren was the only other person apart from Erik who had had her back when she had newlye to the pack.

    He still had her back she knew.

    She wasn��t sure if she wanted to tell him.

    He might kick against her still insisting on having the baby.

 Chapter 431: NEAR DEATH

    <h4>Chapter 431: NEAR DEATH</h4>

    Ned handed her the reins of the horse and then Eli, the omega who frequently escorted her on her horse ride, came towards them as he was on his own horse.

    "Where is Xaden?" Loren asked amidst the small crowd.

    If there was one person who didn��t refer to Xaden by his title it was Loren.

    Jasmine��s face went grim once she remembered him.

    "He hasn��t been home in two weeks. He went to settle some disputes with rival packs." She expressed bitterly.

    "I see." Loren said.

    "Has he ever stayed this long before?" Jasmine asked.

    Remembering that Xaden still hadn��t returned, put her in panic and anxiety.

    Nanny Nia sensing what was wrong quickly intervened.

    "Jasmine." Nanny Nia said sweetly. "You need to start your ride and finish in time for your herbal medicine."

    Jasmine��s face was solemn.

    "Well I need to go for my daily horse riding." Jasmine said sadly as she was helped unto her horse. "Marie insists that it��s important for me and going to help the baby."

    "Well we would be waiting for you inside the pack." Loren informed her as he dragged a reluctant Ned away.

    "Go on off boy." Nanny Nia said to Kire who had approached her side.

    "I thought Kire was going to be punished." Jasmine said in delight as Kire wagged his massive tail once he was at her side.

    "Erik changed his mind." Nanny Nia said

    Jasmine smiled and waved at them before riding off with Kire following right after.

    Nanny Nia stood with her hands on her waist as she looked at Loren disapprovingly.

    "What?" Loren asked slightly annoyed.

    She shook her head. "Jasmine is heavily pregnant you shouldn��t have asked her about him."

    Loren frowned. "I had no idea that he was even gone from the pack."

    Nanny Nia rubbed her arms and stood with him. "He has been gone for a very long time now."

    "Jasmine said he left two weeks ago?" Loren asked stunned.

    "Yes." Nanny Nia admitted.

    "And just for a rival pack dispute?" He asked. "That��s too long."

    "Erik thinks so too." Nanny Nia whispered as though Jasmine could hear them. "He sent out search parties, but they haven��t found anything. We haven��t been able to tell Jasmine that part because she would start to panic. And it will affect her baby. Loren you��re the pack healer and the only person I��ve heard is like a father to her. Jasmine��s pregnancy is dangerous. She might die."

    "Her pregnancy is alreadyplicated as it is. Hearing bad news about Xaden might put her into jeopardy."

    "Is that why you had the wolf follow her?" Loren asked confused.

    "No." Nanny Nia shook her head and then she leaned in closer to him and whispered. "I have good reason to think that some people want to poison her. Kire is the only one person I can ever leave her with alone when I��m not there."

    "I��m gone just for a few days and the pack is already in shambles?" Loren said dryly.

    "Don��t worry." Nanny Nia winked. "I don��t think you are that important."

    Lorenughed dryly.

    They started to head back towards the pack doors when they heard a shrill scream.

    Nanny Nia became alert instantly.

    "Jasmine!" She cried out.

    And when she turned to see where the scream wasing from, sure enough, it was Jasmine.

    And Jasmine had been thrown off a horse right before her eyes.

    Nanny Nia gathered her skirts and raced to where Jasmine was.

    "Jasmine! Jasmine!"

    Her heart was racing so fast she could feel it ready to pump out of her chest.

    She didn��t care if Jasmine��s fellow rider was already rushing to her side or the gasps of people who had seen what had happened, or those who were also running to assist or spectate.

    All she wanted to rush to Jasmine.

    When she finally saw Jasmine she saw that her bodyy under Kire.

    Nanny Nia was ready on the floor pulling her up to her.

    "Jasmine! Jasmine!" She said as her body trembled in fear.

    She put her head to her chest. There was a heart beat, but Jasmine was not breathing.

    In fact it seemed like the heart beat was getting slower than usual.

    She looked down on her but Jasminey motionless.

    Loren gently pushed Nanny Nia aside.

    And then poured some liquid over Jasmine��s face.

    But Jasmine was unmoving.

    Nanny Nia was biting her bottom lip and when she heard the loud gasp from Jasmine, she finally let go.

    Nanny Nia wept as she engulfed her in a hug.

    "Give her air! Move!" Eli said as he pushed the crowd that had now gathered.

    Nanny Nia adjusted Jasmine��s fire curls away from her face as she cupped her cheeks.

    "Thank the gods you��re okay." Nanny Nia said tears already flowing down her eyes.

    Nanny Nia had never been so close to any of the people she had cared for.

    She had raised elite pack families, royalty. Jasmine was the least of all.

    A ve girl.

    And yet she was the one who had worn her heart.

    "Are you okay?" She asked Jasmine.

    Jasmine seemed dazed.

    "What happened?" Jasmine asked as she gently ced her hand on her head.

    "You fell off your horse." Nanny Nia said.

    Richard started to speak. "Fell of her horse? The horse practically thr-

    Nanny Nia gave him a cold hard re and her went hush.

    Nanny Nia knew what had really happened.

    Jasmine didn��t fall off the horse.

    She was FLUNG.

    Like a rag doll.

    Telling Jasmine that she had been flung would scare her.

    Loren put two fingers up.

    "How many fingers can you see?" He asked.

    She looked closely and said. "Four?"

    Loren looked at Nanny Nia. "She might have suffered a slight head concussion. I don��t think it��s quite serious. Bring her up to my quarters."

    Then Jasmine��s eyes widened as though she had just remembered something. " My baby!"

    She reached for her bulge.

    "What happened to my baby! Is my baby fine?" Jasmine screamed in terror.

 Chapter 432: ANOTHER ATTEMPT

    <h4>Chapter 432: ANOTHER ATTEMPT</h4>

    Nanny Nia wanted to tell her the baby was fine, but she didn��t know if it was true.

    She looked up to Loren who seemed to not know either.

    Jasmine sensed the fact that they didn��t know the answer to her question and she began to panic.

    "My baby!" Jasmine��s voice cracked as she writhed in the arms of those holding her as she clutched her belly. "Is my baby okay?"

    "Jasmine please take it easy." Loren said as he gently descended down to the floor.

    "IS MY BABY FINE?!" She screamed in rage and that took everyone at back.

    Loren bent down and reached out his hand to touch her stomach.

    He closed his eyes to very closely feel the stomach.

    Nanny Nia��s heart was racing rapidly in fear.

    She closed her eyes and bit her bottom lip in fear hoping that all was well.

    Jasmine would go mad if anything happened to that baby.

    Coupled with the fact Xaden still had not returned to the pack.

    Things were already difficult as it was.

    "You��ll be fine. The baby��s fine," Loren said finally, his hands working gently as he examined her injuries. "You just need rest. The impact didn��t breach anything serious, but your body��s under stress. Any more strain and��"

    "She��s going to her room now," Nanny Nia interrupted firmly, eyes locked on Loren, daring him to say anything that might worsen Jasmine��s panic. "Come, child. You��ve done enough."

    Loren stepped away understanding Nanny Nia.

    Jasmine allowed herself to be carried, exhaustion dragging her down like a heavy tide.

    She was ced in the arms of one of the strong Omega��s and her head rested against the omega��s shoulder.

    The moment she was picked up, Kire who had acted as shield for her got up alert.

    The wolf was not hurt. Perhaps he had been but whatever injuries were healed instantly.

    He followed them right behind, watchful with a very close eye.

    Within moments, she was tucked into her bed, a soft nket drawn over her.

    Nanny Nia sat at her side, humming softly under her breath, stroking her hair with love.

    Until Jasmine was asleep.

    Nanny Nia gently eased Jasmine away from her and tiptoed towards the door.

    The moment Nanny Nia stood up, Kire was already walking beside Jasmine��s bed and he sat down on the floor.

    Watching and waiting for anyone who would dare harm her.

    ~~~~~~~~

    Downstairs, Ned lingered nervously near the staircase, wringing his hands.

    "Ned," Nanny Nia called. Her voice was even, but her eyes were sharp. "Come with me."

    He followed without protest, but his steps were slow.

    He looked like a boy caught with his hand in the cookie jar, and he knew Nanny Nia would not tolerate lies.

    He hadn��t known her for long, but her grimly yet calm old face screamed to demand of respect.

    In fact he was afraid of her.

    They stopped at the edge of the hallway, away from listening ears. "Speak. Where did the horsee from?" she asked.

    Ned swallowed.

    "I don��t know. The ranch boy just handed him to me and said to give Jasmine when we were keeping our own horses from the

    Journey. I��m justing back today from the journey and I��m as confused as you are."

    "Which of the boys?" She asked closely and narrowly.

    "The smaller one." Ned said. "The one with red hair."

    "Rudy?" She asked closely.

    "Yes Rudy!" Ned said snapping his finger.

    "I didn��t check the saddle again before she got on," he confessed. "I didn��t even think much into it. I was mainly wondering why Jasmine was even riding a horse in the first ce. I had nothing to do with this. Jasmine is my friend. I would never hurt her."

    Nanny Nia stared at him for a long beat. Then, without a word, she turned and strode toward the paddock, her face tight with fury.

    She had nearly reached the edge of the stables when Erik rounded the corner, breathless and almost crashed into her.

    His eyes found hers instantly. "Where is she?"

    "Safe, in bed. But shaken."

    "I came the moment I heard��"

    Nanny Nia didn��t let him finish. "Come with me."

    They reached the horse barn and found different horses.

    The horse that had flung Jasmine away stood by the rarest end of the room, chained up and isted from

    The others.

    There was no sign of distress or spooked behavior.

    It seemed to be a simple horse.

    Nanny Nia moved to her, hand resting on her nk. She inhaled deeply.

    "I can��t smell anything." She said.

    "Were we supposed to?" He asked puzzled.

    Nanny Nia inspected the saddle still hanging over the mare��s back.

    Her fingers moved along the girth strap and under the cinch.

    She tugged.

    The entire saddle shifted.

    "Loose," she said coldly. "It wasn��t even secured properly."

    "But I heard them say she was flung off the horse like he was mad." Erik added.

    "Exactly." Nanny Nia stated. "A loose saddle? How convenient is it that this horse Jasmine always rides with simply went insane?"

    "No." She shook her head. "Someone did something to the horse to make it act that way."

    "And you think it��s ned? He just came back from a healing trip with Loren." Erik said baffled.

    "He didn��t," Nanny Nia replied. "Someone else did."

    Erik��s eyes darkened. "Rudy ."

    "That��s where I��d start," she said. "But even if it was him, he��s just a ranch boy. Someone might have given the order."

    "You��re saying��"

    "I��m saying this was no ident," Nanny Nia snapped. "This is the second attempt on her life. The first was subtle, poison. Easily denied. But this? It was meant to look like a tragic fall. A broken neck. A dead Luna and unborn heir. And no one would��ve questioned it. If Kire wasn��t there to for her tond on his back, only the goddess knows what could have happened."

    Erik clenched his jaw. "I��ll find Rudy."

    "Quietly," Nanny Nia warned. "We don��t want to alert whoever��s behind this. Not yet. Kire is with Jasmine. She won��t be leaving her room without him," Nanny Nia said.

    Their eyes met, a silent understanding between them.

    Jasmine wasn��t safe, even within the walls of the pack . And the enemy was inside the gates.

 Chapter 433: SUICIDE

    <h4>Chapter 433: SUICIDE</h4>

    Jasmine stirred, waking to the soft creak of the window as the breeze swept in.

    Her body ached, her ribs sore and her wrists tender. But the pain in her chest, an invisible bruise of fear and confusion, was worse.

    As she slept, she had shes of the horse and how it had neighed and how she hade crashing on the floor.

    And she looked down at her legs and saw blood.

    Her eyes were immediately opened and then she was set free from the terrible dream.

    Nanny Nia was seated by the hearth, quietly knitting something in herp.

    "How long have I been asleep?" Jasmine whispered.

    Nanny Nia looked up. "Just a few hours, sweetheart. You needed the rest."

    Jasmine��s hand went to her belly. "My baby?"

    "Still strong," Nanny Nia said softly, setting her knitting aside anding to her side. "Your heart might��ve skipped, but your little wolf didn��t miss a beat."

    Jasmine closed her eyes in relief. "I thought I was..." She didn��t finish the sentence. She didn��t have to.

    She didn��t want to

    Nanny Nia sat beside her on the bed, brushing her curls gently from her forehead.

    "You had a scare, that��s all. A rough fall. But you��re lucky, and the gods are still watching over you."

    Jasmine opened her eyes again, searching Nanny Nia��s face. "What happened? I remember riding, and then... nothing."

    "There was a slip," Nanny Nia said calmly. "The saddle might��ve been a bit loose. That happens sometimes, especially when the weather shifts and leather stretches."

    Jasmine frowned faintly. "But Kire was there. I remember him rushing to me..."

    "He was the first to reach you," Nanny Nia said, offering a smile. "He stayed by your side the whole time. This wolf would throw himself into fire for you."

    The moment Kire heard his name and instinctively knew they were talking about him, he looked up at them and wagged his tail.

    A small, shaky smile tugged at Jasmine��s lips. "He��s the only one who doesn��t scold me for needing help."

    Nanny Nia chuckled, then reached for the bowl of tea she��d set aside. "Here, sip this. It��ll help with the pain."

    Jasmine obeyed, cradling the cup in her hands. "Where��s Erik? Loren? Ned?"

    "He��s handling things," Nanny Nia replied carefully. "Everyone was shaken when you fainted. But Loren says with rest and time, you��ll be just fine. Marie would be here soon too. I sent for her."

    Jasmine took another sip of the warm tea, the liquid settling in her chest.

    She nced toward the window, where the clouds had returned to their slow dance. "Everything��s been strangetely," she murmured. "It��s like I��m waiting for something, and I don��t know what it is."

    Nanny Nia didn��t answer immediately.

    She reached out, smoothing the nket over Jasmine��s stomach. "Then let the waiting be gentle. For now, you heal. You rest."

    Jasmine hesitated. "Do you think Xaden��s alright?"

    Nanny Nia gave a warm, steady smile. "I believe he��s fighting toe home to you with every breath. And when he does, he��ll see just how brave the mother of his soon to be child has been."

    A silence settled between them,fortable and safe.

    Jasmine leaned back into the pillows, the ache in her limbs still present but dulled by Nanny Nia��s calm and finally slept

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Erik strode across the yard, the barn looming in the distance.

    The evening air clung low to the ground, muffling the usual sounds of the pack��s territory.

    He hadn��t slept. His thoughts were knotted, Jasmine��s fall still weighing heavy in his chest.

    He needed answers, and Rudy, the ranch boy who��d brought the horse to Ned, was the only lead he had.

    If Xaden was around.....

    Gods! Where the FUCK was he?!

    He didn��t want to admit the fact that he was also worried about Xaden.

    He shook the thought away from him and continued his journey.

    His boots crunched against the gravel path as he turned the corner, nearly colliding with someone.

    "Fiona," he breathed.

    She froze, her brte braid swinging over her shoulder.

    Her eyes widened at the sight of him, but then her face shuttered, lips pressed into a tight line as she tried to walk past.

    "Wait," he said, stepping in front of her.

    "I don��t have time, Erik," she said tly, gaze fixed beyond him.

    "Fiona, please."

    She paused, but didn��t look at him. "I heard about Jasmine. Is she alright?"

    He nodded. "She will be. A few bruises, but the baby��s strong. She��s resting now."

    Fiona��s shoulders rxed, only a little, but her arms remained crossed tightly across her chest.

    "Good," she said, voice barely above a whisper. "She doesn��t deserve what��s happening."

    "No, she doesn��t." Erik studied her face, memorizing the curve of her jaw.

    He hadn��t seen her in days. Not really. Not since....

    "Fiona, I never wanted Anna," he said quietly.

    Her body tensed, but she didn��t move.

    "She imed me in front of everyone. I didn��t ask her to. I didn��t ept her."

    "You didn��t deny her either," she snapped, finally meeting his eyes. "You just stood there, Erik. You let her say it. You let them believe it."

    "I was in shock. And I....i couldn��t humiliate her like that. Not in front of the pack."

    Fiona gave a bitterugh. "So you protected her pride. What about mine?"

    "I love you," he said simply. "That hasn��t changed."

    She blinked, eyes shining now, though she tried to turn away again. "Love isn��t always enough."

    "It could be," he murmured. "If you��d let it."

    But Fiona shook her head. "You made your choice."

    Before he could answer, a low sound caught their attention��a groaning creak, like wood under strain. They both turned toward the barn. Erik��s heart clenched.

    "Rudy," he said under his breath, already moving.

    Fiona followed, close behind. As they neared the barn doors, Erik felt it, an unnatural stillness.

    The scent of hay and horse sweat should have been familiar, grounding. But something was wrong. The air was too still. Too quiet.

    He pushed open the door.

    Rudy hung from the rafters, a coarse rope tight around his neck, his feet dangling inches above the floor.

 Chapter 434: THE BODY

    <h4>Chapter 434: THE BODY</h4>

    Erik froze.

    For a moment, it felt like the world narrowed into that one image, Rudy��s lifeless body, swaying gently from the rafter like a hanging toy.

    The rope hung and the atmosphere was stagnant with the small of deaths

    Fiona gasped behind him. "Gods..."

    Erik took a shaky step forward, instinct kicking in even as dread shook his entire being.

    He reached out and grasped Rudy��s ankles, trying to steady the body as his other hand fumbled to cut the rope. It took longer than it should have.

    His fingers trembled. His mind raced.

    And as he did it, he thought about how he didn��t want to be here.

    How he wished he was anywhere but here even if it meant being in the same space as Anna.

    Why was it now Xaden wasn��t here that everything was going intoplete chaos.

    How would Xaden handle such atrocitiesmitted in the pack?

    The boy��s body fell into his arms with a thud that knocked the breath from his lungs.

    He lowered Rudy to the floor, cradling him as if that could still make a difference.

    But Rudy was cold. Limp. His mouth hung open in a silent scream. His eyes still wide with something Erik recognized.

    Terror.

    He didn��t look like someone who expected suicide.

    He had seen enough eyes of death to know.

    He looked like someone who truly feared.

    Fiona knelt beside him, one hand covering her mouth. "Oh noo... oh, Gods..."

    "He��s gone," Erik said, barely recognizing his own voice. It was hoarse. Hollow.

    He barely knew Rudy.

    Just the few things that he has moved to the pack four years ago and was so good at the horses, he had preferred to be a ranch boy than pursue a rank in wolf hierarchy.

    "But why?" Fiona whispered, eyes darting around the barn. "Why would he? Oh my Goddess he was just a boy."

    Erik scanned the shadows, his wolf sharp and restless under his skin. "I don��t think he did this."

    Fiona��s gaze snapped to him. "You think someone... murdered him?"

    "I think someone wanted him quiet." Erik gently shut Rudy��s eyes, but it didn��t help. The image would be burned into him forever.

    He stood, wiping his hands on his trousers like it would somehow rid him of the weight settling on his shoulders. "He was supposed to answer questions. About the horse. About who gave it to him. How convenient is it that just when I was about to ask he wound up in a supposed suicide."

    Fiona slowly rose to her feet. "But if someone knew you were going to him...."

    "They moved faster." Erik��s jaw tightened. "They��re covering their tracks."

    "Oh my Goddess. Oh my Goddess." Fiona said as she raked her fingers through her hair in anguish.

    Then she turned back to Erik and took a shaky breath. "What do we do?"

    Erik looked at her then, really looked.

    Her cheeks were pale, hershes wet, but she stood there, unwavering.

    Her hair was wild and unbraided, loose strands hung from her front head.

    Despite everything.

    She looked beautiful

    "We will tell Nia and Loren." He said trying to take his mind off her. "But we can��t tell Jasmine."

    Fiona nodded, but her eyes remained fixed on Rudy��s body. "Do you think she knows? Whoever��s doing this?"

    Erik shook his head. "Not yet. But they��re getting bolder."

    The barn door creaked in the wind, the sound making both of them flinch.

    Erik turned toward it, nostrils ring as he tried to scent anything... anyone. But the trail was muddled smoke, hay, fear.

    And beneath it... something metallic.

    "Blood," he murmured.

    Fiona blinked. "What?"

    He moved to the side wall where the hay had been disturbed.

    Pushing it aside, he found a smear of dark red on the wood. Not much, but enough to make his heart stutter.

    "There was a struggle," Erik said. "He didn��t just climb up there. Someone helped him."

    Fiona looked back at Rudy again, and her expression crumpled. "Gods, Erik, how deep does this go?"

    He met her eyes. "Deep enough that even the stables aren��t safe anymore."

    A silence stretched between them. Fiona��s shoulders trembled. "This has to stop. Before someone else dies."

    Erik stepped closer, his hand brushing her arm. "I��m not going to let anything happen to you."

    Fiona looked at him, eyes ssy but sharp. "Don��t make promises you can��t keep."

    And then he knew.

    He knew what she meant by that statement.

    "I never wanted to hurt you, Fi."

    Her lips trembled, but she shook her head. "Not now."

    And then she got up to her feet.

    A show that she had no intentions on having that conversation with him.

    He didn��t push her.

    Instead, he crouched again beside Rudy��s body, lifting him carefully.

    "We��re not leaving him here."

    Fiona hesitated, then moved to help, wrapping Rudy��s cloak around his shoulders as Erik carried him out of the barn.

    And as the sun dipped lower behind the trees, casting the yard in golden shadow, they both knew something had shifted.

    This wasn��t just a threat anymore.

    It was war. Quiet. Shadowed. Lethal.

    And someone inside the pack was ying gods with lives.

    Erik adjusted Rudy��s weight in his arms as they stepped out of the barn, the boy��s limbs hanging lifelessly, his head lolling against Erik��s chest. The sunlight hit them in jagged streaks through the trees, but none of it felt warm.

    Fiona walked beside him in silence, her fists clenched and jaw tight. She kept looking around, like the forest itself might lurch forward and swallow them whole.

    They didn��t speak again until Erik veered off the path, toward the grove behind the stables��a quiet, shaded ce that hadn��t been tended in years.

    "Where are we going?" Fiona asked, her voice low.

    He didn��t answer until they reached the edge of the grove. Heid Rudy��s body down gently on a patch of soft moss, brushing the boy��s hair from his forehead before standing again. "We��re burying him."

    Fiona froze. "What?"

 Chapter 435: CULPRIT

    <h4>Chapter 435: CULPRIT</h4>

    The door mmed shut behind Lily as she burst into Anna��s chamber, her breathing in shallow, frantic gasps. Her hair was loose, cheeks flushed red, and her eyes wild with something between disbelief and fear.

    Anna, who had been reclined on a chaise with a cup of rose tea in hand, barely looked up.

    "You better have a damn good reason for storming in like that."

    "She��s not dead," Lily hissed, gripping the edge of the dresser like her legs might give out beneath her. "Jasmine��she��s alive. She��s awake. Nanny Nia��s with her."

    Anna��s cup paused mid-air. "What?"

    "I saw her through the window. She��s talking. Smiling. That wolf is still at her feet, and Nanny Nia hasn��t left her side."

    Anna slowly set the cup down with a clink, her eyes narrowing. "I told you to watch her. Not to get caught like a little brat peeping in windows."

    "You said she wouldn��t survive that fall," Lily whispered, eyes darting. "You said��"

    "She wasn��t meant to," Anna snapped. She stood, her voice low and sharp. "You gave the herbs to Ned like I told you?"

    Lily nodded quickly. "Yes. I put it in his satchel and told him the ranch boy gave the horse. I followed everything. The herbs made the horse restless, just like you said."

    "Then what went wrong?"

    "I��I don��t know. Maybe not enough?" Lily��s voice trembled now, her fingers twisting in the hem of her tunic. "She should��ve hit her head harder. She was bleeding��I saw it��"

    "Clearly not enough," Anna muttered, pacing now. "And now she��s alive. Which means we have a problem."

    The room had grown still. But the moment hung like thin ss, ready to shatter.

    From the corner, Lisa, who had been seated quietly near the hearth, finally spoke.

    "You think that��s the problem?" Her voice was cold, detached.

    Anna and Lily both turned.

    Lisa rose slowly, smoothing down her skirts. "The real problem is gone. I took care of him."

    Anna blinked. "What are you talking about?"

    "Rudy." Lisa��s eyes were t, almost bored. "He��s dead."

    Lily gasped. "What��what do you mean dead? What happened?"

    "I hung him," Lisa said, her tone matter-of-fact, like she was recounting a chore. "In the barn. He was getting nervous. I saw it in his eyes after Jasmine fell."

    Lily backed away a step. "You��you killed him?"

    Lisa looked at her. "You��re the one who said he saw us at the stables."

    Anna��s mouth parted, but no words came for a moment. "You��re sure?"

    Lisa gave a slight tilt of her head. "He was panicking. Would��ve cracked the moment anyone questioned him. He��s not like us."

    "He could��ve kept quiet," Lily whispered, but even she didn��t sound convinced.

    Lisa��s gaze snapped to her. "No, he wouldn��t have. I saw how he looked at you, Lily. Like you were poison. He hated what we did to her. He just didn��t have the spine to stop it. And once she survived, he knew it��de back to him."

    Anna��s expression hardened, calcting. "So now we have a fucking whore who won��t die, and a body hanging in our stables like a warning."

    "Not a warning," Lisa murmured. "A message. One we didn��t mean to send."

    Anna exhaled slowly, pressing her fingers to her temple. "We��re not amateurs. This was supposed to be quiet. Clean."

    "Nothing about this has been clean," Lisa replied. "Ever since that girl stepped into this pack, everything��s unraveled."

    There was a pause.

    Then Lily whispered, "What if they find out? What if they trace it back to us?"

    "They won��t," Anna said sharply. "They can��t. You followed what I said exactly?"

    Lily nodded. "Yes. Ned thinks the ranch boy gave him the horse. I nted the herbs where you said. No one saw us in the stables, except Rudy."

    Lisa looked at Anna. "And now Rudy��s not a threat."

    "But Jasmine is," Anna said bitterly. "And if she starts talking about that saddle... if Erik finds out it was tampered with..."

    "He won��t," Lisa interrupted. "Nanny Nia might suspect something, but she won��t say anything without proof. They��ll call it an ident."

    "Until Jasmine remembers something," Anna snapped. "She��s too close to too much. And once Xadenes back, it��s over. We won��t be able to touch her."

    Lisa crossed her arms. "Then we act fast. Finish what we started. This time, no herbs. No slipping saddles. No ranch boys. Just us."

    Lily hesitated. "You mean...."

    Lisa looked at her with something unreadable. "You��vee this far. You can��t be soft now."

    Anna walked back to the table, slowly picking up her cup again.

    "She��s right," she said, voice quiet. "We finish it. Before Xaden returns. Before she remembers. Before the wolves start sniffing around too closely."

    Outside, thunder grumbled faintly, the clouds beginning to gather again like they had the night Jasmine fell.

    Lily looked between the two of them, Anna with her perfect lips and poison smile, Lisa with her deadpan calm, and knew there was no way back now.

    "Fine. But we have to do something first." Anna said.

    The others rose a brow waiting for her response. "We need to take away Rudy��s body."

    "What?!" Both girls said in disbelief.

    "Yes." Anna nodded. "We need to because if something gives it away. The slightest mistake made...

    "I don��t make mistakes." Lisa said.

    "My servant doesn��t talk back at me!" Anna hissed in warning.

    Lisa went quiet.

    "Think about it. Yes you covered our tracks by staging a suicide and that��s great. But what if you left something out." Anna asked. "You can never be too sure because the smallest thing that you think

    Is insignificant can lead to you and of they suspect you, then we might all be going down for it."

    Lisa swallowed.

    Lily said nothing.

    "So what are you saying?"

    "I say we take the body and hide it somewhere. Throw in a river I don��t know, get rid of it. But do it before anyone finds it." Anna said.

 Chapter 436: THE MISSING BODY

    <h4>Chapter 436: THE MISSING BODY</h4>

    "He deserves more than hanging in a barn like a warning sign." Erik��s voice was hard, but something in it trembled. "And we can��t let anyone else find him. Not yet."

    She stepped forward, her expression confused. "Erik, if we don��t say anything, if we hide him, aren��t we helping them?"

    He met her eyes. "No. We��re setting a trap."

    She blinked.

    Erik knelt, running his hand over the earth. "If they think we never found the body, they��ll panic. If Rudy just disappears, they��ll get reckless. Maybe even make a mistake."

    Fiona stared at him, breath catching. "You want them to think they��re safe."

    "Exactly," he said. "Let them wonder if someone��s hiding Rudy, if he ran away, if he told someone something before he vanished. They won��t know what we know. And in that chaos... we get answers."

    Fiona stepped back slowly, her eyes still locked on the boy��s body. "It feels wrong."

    "It is wrong," Erik said. "But it is necessary. For Jasmine. For the baby. For Rudy, too. We won��t let his death be for nothing."

    Silence stretched. The wind rustled through the tall grass, whispering secrets in a tongue older than the pack itself.

    Then, with quiet resolve, Fiona moved to his side. "Alright. Let��s do it."

    Erik looked at her for a long moment. Then he nodded.

    They worked in silence, digging into the earth with bare hands and old tools from a nearby shed. The soil was damp, heavy. Fiona��s fingers bled. Erik��s shoulders ached. But neither of them stopped. Not once.

    When the grave was ready, Erik wrapped Rudy in his cloak once more. He lowered the boy into the ground with the reverence of a brotherying another to rest. Fiona stood beside him, her hand pressed to her heart.

    "I��m sorry," she whispered. "You deserved better."

    Erik covered the grave slowly, every movement deliberate, every scrape of dirt a vow.

    When it was done, they stood over the mound, breathless and dirty. Erik ced a t stone at the head, unmarked.

    "Now," he said quietly, "we wait."

    Fiona looked at him. "And what if they never slip?"

    His eyes darkened. "They will. People like that always do."

    And with that, they turned and left the grove behind.

    ~~~~~~~~~

    The room had gone quiet after Anna��s final words. No one spoke for several moments, the weight of what they were about to do settling thick in the air.

    Lisa finally broke the silence with a scoff. "You want me to drag a corpse across the pack ? By myself?"

    Anna looked at her coolly. "You killed him alone and you are the servant. Next time you won��t make a decision without the rest of us."

    "If I didn��t kill him." Lisa started. "Then everyone would already know what we had done. He would have gone to tells do you even have any idea how heavy it was for me to n the fake suicide?"

    "Watch your tone with me!" Anna shot in anger. "Because you now rub shoulders with me doesn��t mean you are like me. Know your ce."

    "Enough you two fighting isn��t going to get us anywhere." Lily, seated stiffly on the edge of the bed, shifted. "And Lisa is right. She has a point. It would be slower and more dangerous if she does this alone."

    Lisa narrowed her eyes at both of them. "And if I get caught? You think I won��t say a word? You think they won��t figure it out? If I go down, you��re both going with me."

    The threat hung there, thinly veiled and sharp.

    "How dare you threaten me!" Anna shot.

    "Hey take it easy." Lily said. "Fighting won��t do anything."

    Anna��s jaw tensed, but she waved a hand. "Fine. We��ll all go. But quietly. If anyone sees us near that barn, we don��t know each other."

    Lily swallowed hard. "Do we... do we have a n? I mean, where are we going to take him?"

    "There��s the creek near the back pasture," Anna said. "It feeds into the river. Deep enough to carry a body out of sight. If we weigh him down."

    "How do you know this?" Lily asked closely. "Didn��t you just move to this pack newly?"

    Anna shrugged. "Are we going to do this of you want to ask more questions?"

    Lisa rubbed at her arms as if she could shake off the cold dread that had begun to settle in her bones. "Let��s just get it done with.

    The three of them dressed in darker clothes and cloaks, silent now. Theughter and flicker of torches in the main hall echoed faintly as they slipped through the servant passages and out into the night.

    The wind had picked up again, and the sky was bruised with clouds. A storm was threatening.

    Perfect cover.

    They crossed the yard quickly, skirts lifted above the muddy ground, cloaks pping behind them. Not a soul in sight. The barn loomed ahead like a ghost, quiet and still under the half-moon��s dull light.

    Lisa reached for the door first, her fingers hesitant. She pulled it open, the hinges creaking softly.

    They stepped inside, and the chill that met them had nothing to do with the weather.

    Anna took the lead, walking toward the loft where they had left the boy��s body hanging. Her steps slowed as her eyes adjusted to the darkness.

    Then she stopped.

    Lisa bumped into her, then froze when she saw what Anna was staring at.

    The rope still swung gently from the rafter.

    But Rudy��s body was gone.

    "What the hell?" Anna whispered.

    "Where��?" Lisa��s voice cracked. "Where is he? He was here! He was right here!"

    "Did you set a trap?" Anna leered at Lisa.

    "Did you lie and try to set us up?"

    "Of course not." Lisa answered her mind still unable to believe that the Body she had hung herself, was missing.

    Lily rushed forward, eyes wide and frantic as she searched the shadows. "Maybe someone moved him, maybe a guard, maybe they just assumed....."

    "No." Anna��s eyes were sharp. "If they had found him, everyone would be talking by now. The pack would be in chaos."

    And it was true. The pack still carried on like there was nothing unusual.

    No sounding of rms to indicate if something bad had happened.

    Lisa looked sick. "I tied the rope myself. I staged it just like a hanging. I even dislocated the damn shoulder to make it look real..."

    "And you��re sure it looked real?" Anna demanded, her voice low and angry.

    "It did." Lisa replied.

    "So you see." Lily said heaving a sigh of relief. "She made it look like a suicide and that��s all that matters. Even if someone found him dead, there is no reason to think anything else. Plus it could just mean that he is guilty. Cause why else would he kill himself if it didn��t mean that he had a hand in Jasmine��s ident? Suicide right?"

    Lisa hesitated.

    Lily red at her. "Suicide right?"

    Lisa sighed. "I was sure before, But now....I don��t know."

    Lily looked back and forth between them. "You don��t think he was still alive when you left him, do you?"

    "No," Lisa said. "He was cold. His neck was bent wrong. He was dead."

    Anna turned, her voice ice. "Then who took him?"

    No one answered.

    The barn suddenly felt darker, the air heavier. The rope creaked overhead again, and it sounded like a warning.

    Lily backed away slowly. "Maybe it��s fine. Maybe someone else found him and just hasn��t said anything yet. We should... we should wait. See what happens."

    "Wait?" Anna snapped. "What if someone already knows what we did?"

    "You said we��d look guilty if we acted nervous, right?" Lily said quickly. "So let��s not act nervous. Let��s just go back to our rooms and pretend nothing happened. If he��s really gone, if someone took him, then maybe they won��t suspect us unless we panic."

    Lisa clenched her jaw. "We��re past panic."

    Anna paced a few steps, hands in her hair. "This wasn��t supposed to happen. We were supposed to control this."

    Lily approached her cautiously, cing a trembling hand on Anna��s arm. "Let��s sleep. Please. Just until morning. Maybe this will make sense then."

    Anna looked ready to spit venom, but she held back. Her lips pressed into a thin line. "Fine. But if one word gets out..."

    "It won��t," Lisa said tightly. "If we keep our mouth shuts."

    All three of the girls went silent, keeping further thoughts to themselves.

    "For now we just act calm." Anna emphasized. "See how tomorrow ys out if someone took him or if....

    "If he got up and escaped?" Lily said speaking everyone��s thoughts.

    "I think I��m going to be sick." Lisa admitted .

    "I think I would prefer if someone found his body and tooo it rather than the alternative that he might be alive."

    They all agreed to that.

    They turned to leave the barn, each with a hundred questions swirling behind their eyes.

    Who had moved the body?

    Why hadn��t there been an rm in the pack?

    And more importantly, what would Rudy��s disappearance cost them now?

    As they slipped back toward the estate under the cover of night, none of them noticed the figure in the woods just beyond the barn. Watching.

    Waiting.

    The game had changed.

    And someone else had just made their move.

 Chapter 437: A VISIT

    <h4>Chapter 437: A VISIT</h4>

    Sunlight spilled through the velvet curtains of Anna��s chamber, gilding the floor with golden light that didn��t match the unease in her chest.

    She hadn��t slept.

    Not a moment of peace. She��d spent the hours between midnight and dawn staring at the canopy above her bed, counting heartbeats like they might drown out the question that burned at the back of her skull:

    Where is Rudy��s body?

    It had been there. Hung perfectly. A neat, tidy little suicide.

    Now it was gone.

    A sharp knock sounded at the door.

    "Enter," Anna said, keeping her voice asposed as ever.

    Two of her chambermaids entered cautiously��S, the older one with graying braids and sharp eyes, and Mirra, the skittish younger girl who always looked one apology away from tears. They carried a silver tray and the pale blue day gown she��d worn only once before.

    She watched them in silence as they entered. They expected coldness. Barked orders. Not conversation.

    Anna sat up straighter, folding her hands in herp. "How are things in the pack this morning?"

    They froze.

    S blinked. Mirra nced at her as if waiting for confirmation that she��d heard correctly.

    Anna smiled ever so slightly. "Well?"

    S cleared her throat. "Quiet, mydy. Peaceful. The warriors have returned from patrol without incident. Nothing unusual to report."

    "And Jasmine?" Anna asked, smoothing a wrinkle in her sheets with one long, pale finger.

    "She��s awake," S replied. "The healer says the baby��s unharmed. She��s been with Nanny Nia all morning."

    Anna allowed her brows to pull together delicately, lips parting in faux dismay. "That poor girl," she murmured. "What a dreadful fall. I really must find the time to visit her."

    Neither of the maids responded.

    Anna didn��t expect them to.

    "That��s all?" she asked lightly, ncing at them.

    "Yes, mydy," Mirra said quickly, bowing her head.

    "Good. I��ll be riding this morning. The stables, please. I��d like something fast."

    The maids nodded and set about preparing her gown.

    Anna rose from bed like a ghost shedding silk, letting their hands dress her while her mind wandered. She kept her faceposed, elegant. Distant.

    But inside, something twisted and thrashed.

    If no one had mentioned Rudy... if no one had even noticed his body hanging like a rotted fruit in the barn... then someone had gotten there first.

    Someone had moved him.

    She wasn��t sure what terrified her more: that someone had found the body and covered it up��or that whoever had done it hadn��t said a word.

    The stables bustled that morning with the usual rhythm��grooms brushing down horses, saddles being adjusted, metal bits clinking softly. The scent of hay, old wood, and sweat hung in the air.

    Anna stepped down from her carriage, her skirts brushing the dirt.

    She smiled at the nearest stable hand��a boy no older than sixteen. "Tell me," she said sweetly, "is the ranch master here?"

    He blinked, clearly stunned she was speaking directly to him, and pointed toward the main barn. "Just there, Lady Anna."

    She made her way through the paddock, letting her expression stay carefully warm. Controlled. But her eyes flicked over every shadow, every corner of the stable. She caught sight of the head rancher��Gavin, a broad-shouldered man with straw-colored hair and a sun-weathered face��mending a saddle.

    "Morning, Gavin," Anna called lightly.

    He straightened with a grunt. "Lady Anna," he said, nodding.

    She offered a pleasant smile. "I was hoping to ride today. I usually ask for Rudy. Is he about?"

    Gavin wiped his hands on his apron. "Haven��t seen him."

    Anna tilted her head just slightly. "Oh? He��s usually quite punctual."

    Gavin shrugged. "Maybe he��s ill. Boy��s been acting strange since yesterday. Quiet. Nervous."

    Anna��s spine prickled.

    "Strange?" she echoed, trying to keep the curiosity out of her tone.

    "Wouldn��t say a word to anyone after lunch," Gavin continued. "Kept looking over his shoulder like he thought something was after him."

    He snorted. "Could be a hangover, could be guilt. Don��t know what for."

    Anna forced a chuckle. "Well, let me know if he shows. I hope it��s nothing serious."

    Gavin nodded. "I��ll send for him if hees in."

    She chose her mare��a sleek, silver-gray creature with fast legs and an easy gait��and rode toward the forest trails with only one thought banging in her skull like thunder.

    Someone else knows.

    Rudy��s disappearance wasn��t a coincidence. It wasn��t the quiet sess of a perfect crime.

    It was unfinished business.

    And if someone had moved that body... it meant they��d done it before dawn.

    Before she could.

    Anna clutched the reins tighter, the wind tugging at her hair.

    She needed to know who got there first. Before the truth surfaced and dragged her down with it.

    Before Jasmine remembered.

    Before the wolves began sniffing again.

    Before Lisa snapped.

    And gods forbid, before Lily talked.

    ~~~~~~~~~~

    Anna moved through the corridor like a shadow in satin.

    Every step toward Jasmine��s quarters echoed with practiced grace, but inside her chest, a dull thrum of impatience and calction kept rhythm. She��d nned the visit carefully, justte enough in the morning that Jasmine would be alert, but early enough to seem thoughtful. Caring. Like a friend. Like someone who gave a damn.

    She turned the final corner and was greeted by the heavy scent of herbs and candle smoke. Of course, Marie was here. The witch��s presence always clung to the air like damp mist. Anna kept her faceposed as she knocked once, then pushed the door open without waiting for permission.

    Inside, the chamber was dimly lit, the curtains half-drawn. A cluster of flickering candles danced along the dresser, illuminating the edge of the bed where Jasminey propped up by pillows. Her face was pale, her hands cradling her swollen belly as though bracing against the weight of more than just the child inside.

    Marie was seated in the corner, grinding something into a bowl with her usual eerie calm.

    And Nanny Nia stood protectively beside Jasmine��s bed like a soldier on watch.

    All three women turned at once.

    "Oh," Anna said, stepping inside with her softest smile. "I hope I��m not interrupting."

    "You are," Nia said tly, arms crossed. "But you��re already here."

    Anna��s smile barely wavered. She looked past the woman like she didn��t exist. "Jasmine," she cooed. "I was so worried when I heard. I came as soon as I could."

    Jasmine blinked slowly, her dark eyes unreadable. "I��m fine," she said, her voice even. "The baby��s fine too."

    "That��s a blessing," Anna said, moving toward the bed with delicate steps. "Truly."

    She nced at Marie, who was watching her like a crow perched above a battlefield. "Marie," Anna said with a nod.

    Marie didn��t respond. She went back to grinding whatever pungent root she had in the bowl, her silence saying everything.

    Anna turned to Nanny Nia, who still hadn��t moved. "May I sit?"

    "That depends," Nia said. "Are you here to actually help, or just sniff around?"

    A flicker of annoyance danced behind Anna��s eyes. She smiled wider to hide it. "I��m here to check on Jasmine. Nothing more."

    "You weren��t at the stables yesterday, were you?" Nia asked, voice like a de half-drawn from its sheath

    Anna let out a soft, airyugh. "I go to the stables often, Nanny. I like to ride. It clears the mind."

    "Must be a lot to clear," Nia muttered.

    Jasmine cleared her throat. "Nia, it��s alright."

    Reluctantly, the older woman stepped aside.

    Anna took the offered seat by the bed and folded her hands neatly in herp. "You look tired, Jasmine. But beautiful as always."

    "Thank you," Jasmine said, her voice tight. "I��ve had better days."

    "I can imagine," Anna said. "Falling like that, it must have been terrifying. And now with everything else going on in the pack..." she trailed off, letting the bait hang in the air.

    But Jasmine didn��t take it. She just stared at her, one hand resting protectively over her belly.

    Anna leaned forward just slightly. "I��ve been thinking of you. Truly. I know we��ve... had our differences. But I��d never wish harm on you. Or your child."

    Nia scoffed under her breath.

    Jasmine blinked slowly. "That��s generous of you."

    There was silence, thick and strained.

    Anna let her eyes drift to the hearth, to the flickering mes. "A strange energy in the airtely, don��t you think?" she murmured. "Restlessness. Secrets. People acting... oddly."

    Marie looked up from her bowl. "Yes," she said softly. "There is something stirring. But it isn��t new. It��s just getting harder to hide."

    Anna��s eyes slid toward her. "Do you mean the storm that passed? Or something else?"

    Marie smiled, but it didn��t reach her eyes. "Storms pass. But rot... that stays buried in the roots."

    Anna��s spine prickled.

    "I didn��t realize we were being poetic," she said coolly.

    Marie went back to her work without answering.

    Anna turned back to Jasmine. "If you need anything... truly. I��m here."

    "I��m sure you are," Jasmine said.

    Anna stood slowly, brushing imaginary dust from her skirts. "Well. I won��t overstay. You need rest. The baby needs calm."

    "We do," Nia said sharply. "And the less drama at our door, the better."

    Anna didn��t respond. She gave Jasmine onest, lingering nce, part pity, part warning, and turned toward the door.

    As she stepped out into the hall, her smile dropped like a mask from her face. Her eyes burned with quiet fury.

    They were watching her. All of them.

    But she��d watch back. Closer. Sharper.

    Because something was unraveling. And if Jasmine or that damn witch or that old crone of a nanny tried to get in her way.

    They��d wish they��d stayed in the dark.

 Chapter 438: A SNAKE

    <h4>Chapter 438: A SNAKE</h4>

    The door had barely clicked shut before Nanny Nia released a low, irritated growl from deep in her throat.

    "She hates you," Nia muttered as she paced the edge of the room. "And I don��t care how sweet she tries to sound, or how often she wearsce and perfume to mask it��she hates you."

    Jasmine sat back against her pillows, eyes closed, hands resting over the soft swell of her stomach.

    "Nia," she murmured. "Please."

    "I mean it," Nia continued, her boots tapping softly against the wooden floor. "You saw the way she looked around the room like she was casing the ce. Like she was just waiting to find a crack. Something to poke at."

    Jasmine opened her eyes slowly. "She always looks like that."

    "And that��s the problem," Nia snapped. "Why is she even here? After everything, after all the whispers and the way she hovers around Erik like she��s staking her im. What reason does she have to suddenly care how you or the baby are doing?"

    "I said I don��t want to talk about it," Jasmine said, her voice firmer this time.

    Nia went quiet, but her arms remained folded tightly over her chest. The silence between them was thick,ced with things unsaid.

    Marie, who had remained still by the corner shelf while organizing bundles of dried herbs and talismans, finally turned toward the bed.

    "Her presence reeks," she said softly, as if speaking to no one and everyone at once. "But rot always rises to the surface before it��s swept away."

    "Nanny Nia has a point," she added as she walked toward Jasmine with a quiet grace. "Some wolves wear silk to disguise their ws."

    "I don��t need protecting," Jasmine whispered. "Not from her. Not anymore."

    Marie smiled faintly. "You don��t need protecting. But you do need truth."

    Jasmine looked at her, brows faintly furrowed.

    Marie slowly sat at the edge of the bed andid a hand gently across Jasmine��s stomach. Her fingers, warm and still, seemed to pulse with something unseen��some quiet current Jasmine couldn��t name.

    "The child is strong," Marie murmured, her voice changing, as if something older had taken hold of it. "Healthier than most. The heart beats clean. Steady. The soul..." Her brows twitched faintly. "The soul is... intact. Untouched by the curse."

    Jasmine blinked. "What curse?"

    Marie didn��t answer immediately.

    Instead, she smiled and tilted her head. "Would you like to know?" she asked, eyes glowing faintly in the candlelight. "Whether the baby will shift... or remain unshifted like you?"

    The room stilled.

    Jasmine hesitated, then gently ran her palm over her stomach. She thought of all the nights shey awake wondering if her child would suffer the same fears, the same istion. If they��d cry under the moon, unable to answer the howl rising in their blood.

    "I��ll ept the baby either way," she said finally, her voice soft but sure. "Shifted or not. It��s mine."

    Marie nodded, the edges of her mouth curving into something close to approval. "Good. You��ll need that resolve."

    She stood then and gathered her things into a pouch. "We��ll step outside for a moment. Let you rest."

    Without asking, Nia followed her, shooting onest look at Jasmine before the door closed behind them.

    ?

    Outside the Door

    Marie leaned against the stone wall, arms folded, her gaze distant as she listened to the wind brushing past the hallway. Nia stood beside her, still tense, still bristling with quiet rage.

    "She��s too calm about it," Nia muttered. "Like she doesn��t realize she��s standing in a pit of snakes."

    "She realizes," Marie said. "But she��s trying not to see it."

    "She��s had too many close callstely," Nia whispered, her jaw tight. "First the tea that nearly made her copse a moon ago. Then the strange fever. And now the saddle slipping?" She shook her head. "That wasn��t just bad luck."

    Marie turned to look at her, sharp and quiet. "You think it��s all connected?"

    "I know it is," Nia hissed. "She never got sick like that before Anna started hovering around. Never had dizzy spells. And that saddle��someone tampered with it, I know they did. Jasmine��s no fool on a horse."

    Marie��s eyes darkened.

    "I asked Erik to keep Kire close," Nia added. "But even he��s been distracted. And now with what happened."

    "What exactly happened?" Marie interrupted, her voice low.

    "I don��t have proof yet," Nia said. "But he was jumpy. Nervous the day Jasmine fell. I think he knew something."

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~

    The corridor was quiet, the distant sounds of horses and wind whispering through the wooden beams of the estate as Erik strode with purpose toward Nanny Nia��s quarters. His jaw was set, hands clenched by his sides. The image of Rudy��s lifeless body haunted him��eyes wide, mouth open, blood congealed beneath the boy��s nails. There was no peace to be found in the silence.

    And then, as if summoned by the very worst timing, she appeared.

    "Erik," Anna called, stepping into his path like a perfectly ced snare.

    He stopped short, his expression darkening the moment he saw her. "Move."

    But Anna didn��t budge. Draped in a flowing pale-blue gown, her hair coiled with gold pins and flowers, she wore the look of someone who had never had dirt under her nails a day in her life. "You��ve been avoiding me."

    He scoffed, shaking his head. "Maybe I don��t like liars."

    Her lips curled in that familiar, practiced smile. "I��ve only ever tried to help you."

    "You called me your mate in front of the pack," he snapped, his voice low butced with fury. "Do you know what kind of chaos that caused?"

    "You didn��t deny it," she said, trying to keep her voice even, but he could hear the strain in it.

    "Because I didn��t want to humiliate you in front of everyone. But don��t confuse mercy for consent."

    Anna tilted her head, her eyes softening, trying to y a part she had long since lost the script for. "You used to care about me."

    "I used to think you were different," Erik growled. "I was wrong."

    There was a pause.

    Then, softly, she asked, "How is Jasmine?"

    He stared at her, unreadable, then gave a dryugh and shook his head. "Don��t. I know you, Anna. Better than anyone. You don��t care about her."

    "I do," she whispered.

    "No, you don��t," he said, stepping closer now. "You see her as an obstacle. You always have. So if you��re looking for someone to y the fool for your lies, pick another wolf."

    She opened her mouth again, but Erik was already walking past her, jaw clenched. The weight in his chest threatened to choke him. There wasn��t time for her games anymore. Not when people were dying.

    He found Nanny Nia and Marie outside near the garden steps, seated on the stone bench beneath the curling vines. Marie was sipping a strange tea, her eyes glowing faintly with magic, while Nanny Nia worked at a basket of dried roots.

    They looked up as he approached.

    "Erik," Nia said immediately, concern already knitting into her brow. "What is it?"

    He didn��t waste time. "It��s Rudy."

    Marie straightened, her interest piqued. "What about the stable boy?"

    "He��s dead," Erik said tly. "We found himst night. Hanging in the barn."

    Nanny Nia dropped the root she had been holding. "What?"

    "Fiona and I found him. His body was strung up like a suicide, but..." Erik nced away for a moment, trying to steady his voice. "There was blood. A note by his hand. ��She knows everything.��"

    Marie leaned forward. "You��re certain it wasn��t suicide?"

    "No chance," Erik said. "He was scared. He knew something, and someone made sure he wouldn��t talk."

    Nanny Nia��s face turned to stone. "Did Jasmine know him well?"

    "He worked in the stables. Quiet. But I think he saw something. Maybe the night Jasmine fell."

    Marie exchanged a nce with Nia. "This is connected. It must be."

    "I buried the body," Erik admitted, running a hand through his hair. "I didn��t know who I could trust. I figured if the killer believed we hadn��t found him yet, they��d start to slip."

    Nanny Nia nodded slowly. "Smart."

    "I want to find out who did this," Erik said. "I want to protect Jasmine. And I think you already have suspicions."

    Nanny Nia looked off toward the distant ridge, her eyes heavy. "I��ve had suspicions for weeks. idents piling up. Jasmine��s saddle breaking. The way the food always made her sick. The fall."

    "You think she was poisoned?" Marie asked.

    "Yes," Nia said grimly. "And I believe whoever��s behind it is still watching. Waiting."

    Erik��s fists clenched. "Anna��s involved. I��m sure of it. I just can��t prove it yet."

    Nia nodded. "Then we watch. Carefully. We don��t let Jasmine out of our sight."

    Marie looked thoughtful. "She��s carrying more than just a child. If someone��s trying to eliminate her, it��s because that child poses a threat to someone."

    "She doesn��t even know who to be afraid of," Erik said softly. "That��s what makes this worse."

    There was a silence then��heavy and shared.

    "We��ll protect her," Nanny Nia said, voice like iron. "No matter what."

    Erik nodded once. "Good. Because something tells me this won��t stop until we make it stop."

 Chapter 439: THE MISSING SOLDIER

    <h4>Chapter 439: THE MISSING SOLDIER</h4>

    The fire crackled softly in the hearth, but Jasmine barely felt its warmth.

    She sat at the long dining table, surrounded by murmurs and clinking silverware, but her focus was a thousand miles away. Her hand rested on her stomach, thumb brushing a slow circle over the curve. A quiet reassurance to herself as much as to the life within her.

    Still no word. No news. No sign of Xaden. Her chest ached with a quiet, persistent dread.

    The chair beside her scraped. Anna sat down with a flourish of her long sleeves, as if she were thedy of the house.

    Jasmine didn��t look at her.

    "My, you look pale," Anna said sweetly, reaching for a ss of wine. "How are you feeling, Jasmine? And the baby?"

    "The baby��s fine," Jasmine replied tly, not bothering to meet her gaze.

    "Oh, that��s good to hear," Anna said, with that insincere smile she wore like perfume �� suffocating and fake. "We were all so worried after your... ident."

    Nanny Nia, seated to Jasmine��s other side, let out a small snort.

    Anna turned her head sharply. "Was something funny, servant?"

    Nanny Nia leaned back, folding her arms across her chest. "It was Alpha Xaden who gave me this seat. And as long as that chair stays empty, I��ll speak how I please."

    A few people further down the table went silent. Jasmine felt the tension ripple like a crack in the ss.

    Anna��s smile tightened, her fingers twitching slightly around the stem of her cup. "Well, someone should remind you to mind your tongue."

    Nanny Nia raised a brow. "And someone should remind you not to pretend concern when you��ve never meant it."

    Jasmine stared down at her te, heart racing �� not from the argument, but from the creeping fear that had been growing all day. She forced herself to breathe.

    Lily, seated across the table, cut in with a soft voice. "Jasmine, you��re quiet. How are you feeling?"

    Jasmine looked up and managed a strained smile. "I��m alright."

    But she wasn��t.

    Every passing hour that brought no word from the patrols carved another notch of fear into her bones. Xaden should��ve returned days ago. Even if wounded, even if dyed, someone should have sent word.

    She turned to Erik, who had barely touched his food. "Have you heard anything?" she asked, voice low. "About Xaden?"

    Erik nced at her, then quickly away.

    "There��ll be news soon," he said. "He��s a warrior. He��ll be back before you know it."

    His words were too smooth, too practiced. And worst of all �� they didn��t sound like truth.

    Jasmine��s stomach twisted.

    She said nothing more after that. She picked at her food but didn��t eat. The room��s noise faded into a distant hum.

    Then came the interruption.

    "Erik." Uther��s deep voice from behind.

    Erik stiffened slightly before standing. "Excuse me."

    Jasmine��s gaze followed him as he walked away with Xaden��s uncle �� the man who had been circling power like a vulture for weeks. Every time she saw Uther, her skin crawled. There was something dark behind his eyes, a shadow she couldn��t name but could feel.

    "I think I��ll go rest," she said, rising carefully.

    "I��ll walk with you," Nanny Nia offered.

    Jasmine shook her head. "No. I... I just want a moment alone."

    She left the hall quietly, head down, hands trembling. But she didn��t turn toward her rooms.

    She followed.

    The stone corridors whispered with cold air as she moved down the side hall, trailing after Erik and Uther at a distance. She heard their voices before she saw them �� arguing, sharp, like wolves growling over a carcass.

    "...you haven��t brought back a single shred of proof that he��s alive," Uther snapped. "And the pack is growing nervous."

    "You want his seat," Erik snarled. "That��s all this is."

    "I want stability," Uther retorted. "And your empty reassurances aren��t enough. You told the girl at dinner there��d be news. But you don��t know anything, do you?"

    Jasmine stopped cold behind the pir.

    "You don��t even know where he is."

    The silence that followed was deafening.

    Then Erik, voice low and angry, said, "He��s not dead. I��d know. We all would."

    "You keep telling yourself that," Uther replied. "But your lies are going to unravel. And when they do, it won��t just be the girl who loses her mind. It��ll be the entire pack."

    Their footsteps retreated, and Jasmine remained frozen behind the stone. Her pulse pounded in her ears.

    Erik had lied to her.

    He didn��t know. No one knew.

    And now, the one person she trusted was gone, and the people left were tearing each other apart.

    Tears stung her eyes, but she blinked them away. She ced a hand over her stomach again and took a deep breath.

    "I��ll find you," she whispered to the child. "No matter what happens... I��ll find him."

    ~~~~~~~~~

    The moon hung high and pale above the trees, casting long silver streaks across the ground. The manor was quiet now, cloaked in the kind of stillness that only came after midnight �� when most had surrendered to sleep or secrets.

    Anna slipped through the side door in her night cloak, her movements silent and purposeful. The cold bit at her skin as she crept through the garden path toward the old storage house near the western stables �� the meeting ce. A sliver ofntern light glowed through the cracked door. She opened it to find Lisa already inside, pacing.

    Lily sat on a crate, wringing her hands, her pale face made paler in the dim light.

    "Well?" Anna asked, shutting the door behind her. "Any sign of him?"

    Lisa��s expression was sharp, her jaw tight. "Nothing. Not a whisper. It��s like the body disappeared."

    Lily let out a shuddering breath. "No one��s said anything. Not even the guards. You��d think someone would��ve noticed by now..."

    Anna crossed her arms. "That��s what��s bothering me."

    Lisa gave her a look. "You think I don��t know that? I staged everything. I watched him hang. I made sure his neck snapped just right. And now��" she stopped, chest rising and falling fast, "��now there��s nothing."

    Anna studied her. "You��re sure he was dead?"

    Lisa��s face twisted. "Yes. I��m not an idiot."

    Silence fell again, thick and tense. Outside, an owl hooted somewhere in the trees.

    "So what does it mean?" Lily asked, her voice barely above a whisper. "That someone moved him? That someone saw?"

    Lisa sat down heavily on a barrel. "If someone saw us, they would��ve said something by now. Unless..."

    Anna��s eyes narrowed. "Unless they��re waiting."

    Lily looked up, rmed. "Waiting for what?"

    Anna didn��t answer. She was already thinking two steps ahead. The situation had gone from risky to vtile. They��d killed Rudy. Lisa had ensured it was quiet, that it would look like suicide �� a sad, tragic end for a man who drank too much and kept too many secrets. It should��ve passed without more than a ripple.

    Instead, it was a ck hole swallowing their ns whole.

    Lisa stood again, her tone growing colder. "We should��ve dumped the body ourselves. I knew it."

    "You killed him alone," Lily snapped, surprising both of them. "You didn��t ask us first."

    Lisa turned to her, eyes zing. "And if I had? You would��ve stood there wringing your hands the way you are now. I did what had to be done. He saw us. He was going to tell."

    Anna raised a hand. "Enough."

    They fell silent at once.

    Anna paced to the far end of the room and leaned against the wall, eyes distant. "No one��s asked about him. No searches. No mention at dinner. Nothing."

    "That��s good, right?" Lily asked. "Maybe they haven��t noticed yet."

    Anna shook her head slowly. "Or maybe someone already knows. And they��re watching."

    Lisa crossed her arms. "You think Jasmine��"

    "No," Anna said tly. "She��s too distracted. She��s worried sick about Xaden, and she��s barely keeping herself together. But Erik..."

    She trailed off, frowning.

    Lily swallowed. "You think he knows?"

    "If he doesn��t yet, he will soon. He and Rudy were close," Anna muttered. "Closer than we realized."

    Lisa scoffed. "He was still a stablehand."

    "Yes," Anna said, turning to face them. "But a loyal one. Rudy was asking questions before he died. About the horse. About the day Jasmine fell."

    Lily covered her mouth. "Do you think he figured it out?"

    Anna met her gaze, dark eyes steady. "I think he was very close. That��s why Lisa killed him."

    Lisa didn��t deny it.

    There was a moment of stillness again. Then Lily asked, "What do we do if someone finds the body?"

    "We hope it still looks like suicide," Lisa muttered.

    Anna exhaled slowly. "No. If they find it now �� dayster, hidden �� it��ll raise more suspicion. And if there��s even one mark that doesn��t line up with a hanging..."

    She let the sentence hang, unfinished.

    Lisa started pacing again. "Then we��re done for."

    Anna stepped into her path. "We��re not done. We just have to stay calm. Say nothing. Act normal."

    "Act normal?" Lisa hissed. "There��s a dead man missing, and we don��t know where the hell he is!"

    "Keep your voice down!" Anna snapped.

    Lily trembled where she sat. "I can��t sleep. I keep thinking he��s going to show up at my door."

    Anna��s voice turned cutting. "Then grow a spine. We can��t afford to fall apart now."

    Lisa red. "Easy for you to say. You didn��t wrap the rope. You didn��t feel his weight drop."

    "And you were supposed to make sure it looked clean," Anna hissed. "You promised."

    "I did," Lisa barked. "But maybe someone got to him before us. Or maybe someone moved the body. Or��"

    "Or maybe he didn��t die," Lily whispered, her eyes wide and ssy.

    Both women turned to her sharply.

    "He��s dead," Lisa said. "Don��t be stupid."

    "But... what if he wasn��t? What if he��"

    "Enough!" Anna said. "It doesn��t matter how or why the body is missing. All that matters is what we do now."

    Lisa stepped forward. "So? What��s your n, oh wise leader?"

    Anna��s lips curved into a tight, practiced smile. "We wait. We listen. We watch."

    She turned toward the door, her cloak rustling softly. "And if anyone starts asking questions �� especially Erik �� we make sure they find the answers we want them to find."

 Chapter 440: JOURNEY

    <h4>Chapter 440: JOURNEY</h4>

    The fire in the council chamber crackled low, casting long, flickering shadows across the stone walls.

    It waste, toote for a formal meeting, but Uther hadn��t summoned them for official business.

    The three older guards who sat around the table had once served Xaden��s father. They were loyal to the pack, but loyalty could bend when fed enough fear, uncertainty, and ambition.

    Uther poured himself a drink from the ss decanter and then gestured at the others. "Drink, brothers. The night is long and heavy."

    One of the elders, Bryn, took a cautious sip. He was gray-bearded and slow-moving these days, but still sharp when it counted.

    "You said this wasn��t official business, Uther. So, why the secrecy?"

    Uther leaned back in his chair, swirling the amber liquid. "Because these are uncertain times, old friend. Our Alpha is missing. His blood on the trail, no word for days. The people are beginning to ask questions."

    The men shifted, uneasy.

    Merek, the broad-shouldered warrior with a scar running down his cheek, frowned. "We don��t give up on our Alpha so quickly. Search parties are still out-"

    "And yet they return empty handed," Uther interrupted smoothly. "And in the meantime, the pack grows restless.The Luna-to-be is isted, frightened. A pregnant whore threatens to take her ce. The inner circle is scattered. And the question no one wants to ask lingers in every shadow, what happens if Xaden does not return?"

    A cold silence settled over the table.

    The third elder, Callen, rubbed a hand over his mouth.

    "He��s a strong wolf. He��s survived worse."

    Uther nodded solemnly. "I pray that you��re right. But leadership demands we n for every oue. We cannot let this pack fall into chaos. The rivals circling our borders will smell weakness like blood."

    Bryn narrowed his eyes. "What are you suggesting?"

    Uther set his ss down with a gentle clink. "A temporary council. Only until Xaden returns, if he returns. The people need visible strength. We give them that. Reassurance. Order."

    Merek��s jaw tightened. "And who would lead this council, Uther?"

    He gave a modest shrug. "I would not presume. But I am of Alpha blood. I��ve led men. I��ve kept our borders intact while the young Alpha ran wild through forests."

    Callen looked unconvinced. "The pack never questioned Xaden��s leadership. Until now."

    "Not openly," Uther said quietly. "But don��t mistake silence for loyalty. People are scared. Especially now with Jasmine here, the rumors swirling... about idents, curses, her blood line..."

    His words trailed off like smoke, deliberately leaving space for suspicion to take root.

    Merek mmed his palm on the table. "That girl carries the Alpha��s heir!"

    "And what if the Alpha is dead?" Uther asked, almost gently. "What future does this pack have under a frightened, unshifted girl who doesn��t even know ourws? We are protectors of legacy. We are not led by sentiment."

    Bryn stared at Uther for a long moment. "You��ve thought about this for a while." Uther didn��t deny it. "I��ve only thought about what��s best for the pack. Xaden is my blood, and I would die before I betrayed him. But if he��s truly gone, someone has to be ready to carry the weight."

    Silence stretched thin again.

    Callen finally spoke, voice low. "Let��s hope it doesn��te to that."

    Uther stood and adjusted his dark coat, the firelight catching in his eyes like twin embers. "Hope is a poor n, Callen. But you��re right. Let��s hope."

    He left them there, unsure, divided, but thinking.

    That was enough.

    Later that night, Uther walked slowly through the hallway of the Alpha��s pack, his boots echoing softly on the stone.

    The torchlight made his profile appear carved from shadow and pride.

    He passed the locked door of the council records and paused briefly, fingertips grazing the cold handle.

    Soon, the doors would open for him without question.

    He continued on, nodding at a young guard who snapped to attention.

    The man was barely of age, eager-eyed and green with ambition.

    Uther��s kind of recruit.

    Easy to shape.

    Back in his quarters, Uther poured himself another drink and sat at his writing desk. He scribbled a few notes onto parchment��names, positions, loyalties.

    He circled one:Erik.

    The warrior was a problem. Too close to Jasmine.

    Too vocal. Too bold.

    Andtely, far too curious.

    Uther leaned back and stared at the flickering me of the candle.

    If Jasmine started asking the right questions, and Erik started giving her the right answers, it could unravel everything before he was ready.

    That couldn��t happen.

    He would need to distract them both. Divide them, if possible.

    And if Xaden returned... well, ns could change.

    But if he didn��t...Uther took another sip, smiled to himself, and whispered, "Then the pack will have a new Alpha."

    ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

    The packhouse had grown quieter in recent days, a hush of tension nesting in every corridor, every whispered conversation.

    But that silence was shattered just past noon when the heavy wooden doors to the hall burst open.

    One of the scouts stood there, panting and mud-streaked, his eyes wide and bloodshot.

    "Alpha Erik," he gasped, bowing hastily. "We��ve found something."

    Erik was already on his feet, his hand clenched around the back of his chair. Jasmine, seated across the table beside Nanny Nia, froze.

    She caught the tremble in the scout��s voice, the wildness in his scent.

    Something was wrong. Terribly wrong.

    The man stepped further in, producing a piece of torn cloth from his belt.

    The once-ck fabric was shredded and soaked in dried blood.

    It clung to his fingers like something alive.

    "We found this in the forest. About four miles north, past the ridge near the river bend," he said.

    "It��s part of Alpha Xaden��s cloak."

    Jasmine��s heart mmed against her ribs. Her stomach churned. The room spun. A ringing filled her ears like the world itself had cracked open.

    The air around her seemed to copse, every breath suddenly too thick to take in.

    "There��s more," the scout continued grimly. "Three of the warriors who were with him... we found their bodies."

    A sound escaped Jasmine��half gasp, half sob��and her hands instinctively went to her belly. Her breath hitched like it might nevere again.

    Nanny Nia reached for her, but Jasmine had already stood up, eyes ssy with panic and disbelief.

    "No," she whispered. "No, he can��t be..."

    "They were dead?" Erik asked, stepping forward, voice sharp with urgency.

    The scout nodded grimly.

    "Yes. ughtered. Their throats were torn out. No sign of Xaden himself."

    Erik��s expression hardened like stone. "Gather your unit again. I want to see the site myself. We��ll leave within the hour."

    Jasmine took a shaky breath, then said, "I��ming with you."

    Erik turned sharply. "No. Jasmine��"

    "I said I��ming," she snapped, though her voice wavered. "He��s the father of my child."

    Her voice cracked at thest word, but her spine stayed straight. The room held its breath.

    Erik looked to Nanny Nia for support. "She can��t, not in her condition. It��s dangerous."

    But Nanny Nia hesitated, seeing the fire behind Jasmine��s eyes, the fierce, maternal fear that no reason could extinguish.

    Still, she tried. "My sweet girl, listen to me... if something is out there capable of killing warriors, it coulde for you next. You must think of the baby."

    "I am thinking of the baby," Jasmine said, her voice trembling but strong. "That child will grow up knowing I didn��t stand by and do nothing while his father bled alone in the forest."

    There was something in her voice��a breaking point. A vow carved out of desperation.

    "Gods, Jasmine, this has nothing to do with mindset or what anyone says." Erik sounded more desperate than angry. His hand ran through his hair in frustration.

    "I��ve made up my mind, Erik." Jasmine stated clearly, each word pronounced like steel striking flint.

    The words left a heavy silence hanging in the room.

    Nanny Nia stood then, slowly, watching Jasmine not as a child to protect but as a woman who had chosen her pain. Her purpose.

    "You won��t listen," she murmured. "So I��ll say only this��don��t let your grief make you reckless."

    Jasmine blinked back tears. "I��m not grieving. Not yet."

    Erik let out a long, slow breath, then looked Jasmine over as if measuring how much of her fire he could contain.

    "If youe, you stay close to me. One step out of line and I��m dragging you back myself."

    "Do you understand? Do you agree that if you insist oning with me, you have to stay by my word and do everything I ask you to?" Erik asked again, more urgently this time.

    Jasmine nodded. "Yes. I promise."

    He studied her face for a long moment, as ifmitting the resolve in her eyes to memory. Finally, he sighed.

    "Then we leave first thing by dawn."

    With that, he turned and headed out, the door shutting behind him like a verdict.

    Jasmine didn��t move. The bloodstained cloth stilly on the table, heavy as death.

    And all she could hear, over the pounding of her heart, was the forest calling her name.

 Chapter 441: BLOOD STAINED CLOTHES

    <h4>Chapter 441: BLOOD STAINED CLOTHES</h4>

    Through the entire night, Jasmine could hardly sleep.

    Xaden.

    Seeing the blood stained cloth that the guards had brought had made her sick instantly.

    She had had a slight panic attack and was scared that he was dead.

    But the scent wasn��t his and that had eased the fear a bit.

    But still didn��t keep away the fact that he was in trouble.

    Now all she could think of was getting him to safety.

    Knowing he was fine.

    Her baby seemed to be aware of her anxiety because she kept on tossing and turning.

    The baby kicked constantly as if it was aware of what she had on her mind.

    Jasmine rubbed her stomach.

    She couldn��t wait for dawn toe she knew that she had to act on her own.

    She turned around and watched to be sure that Nanny Nia was well asleep.

    Every since the ident on the horse, Nanny Nia had made sure she slept in the same room and was sure to watch Jasmine even though Jasmine had told her times without number she was fine.

    Jasmine turned and looked down at the floor of right side of the bed where Nanny Nia slept.

    Once she heard the soft snore from Nanny Nia she knew she was asleep.

    Jasmine very gently turned to the left side of the bed and set her feet with all ease and quietness on the floor.

    Kire who was sleeping at the foot of the bed raised his head up.

    "Shhhh." She very gently motioned to him as she pressed her fingers in her lips .

    He remained quiet.

    She went down to where the dresser was and picked out a loose chemise dress and then a dark hood she used to hide her face and conceal her bulging tummy.

    She picked up a bag and very gently packed in things she felt she would need.

    There was a water gourd, the dagger that Erik had given her, some coins that she had saved up during her times as a working ve in case she needed money.

    She shipped through the cupboards and got the most necessary of her herbs in case anything happened to her baby.

    Once she had gathered everything she felt she needed she looked back at Nanny Nia who gently stirred.

    Jasmine froze instantly and watched as Nanny Nia rubbed her face and then yawned before going back to sleep.

    She breathed a sigh of relief and then very gently stepped away.

    She headed towards the door and Kire exams alert.

    "Stay." She said.

    She knew he understood but yet he still followed her right behind.

    She tried to make him stay behind but yet he kept on following.

    He was ever so silent because he knew he was to be quiet.

    She sighed.

    She had no choice so she beckoned to him.

    "Alrighte. But you have to be quiet." She said.

    Together they went down the path leading down the stairs.

    She knew the guards would be standing guard so she simply had found a route down past the stairs leading to the astronomy room.

    A way she had found to bypass Xaden��s guards.

    By the time she reached the floor of the pack, she very gently sneaked past the dark and into the hallways of the corridors.

    The servants were few as it was barely past the middle of the night.

    Jasmine had to wait and hide around.

    Kire was smart enough to hide without anyone even finding him.

    Eventually Jasmine found her way to the Erik��s study where she knew he had kept it.

    There were no guards hanging around the door so she made Kire wait for her while hiding.

    "You can still stay watch for me." She said, knowing he would never leave her side. "I would be back."

    He resumed following her, but she warned him. "If you continue to follow me Kire, I will take you back to Erik and never see you again."

    Kire seemed to understand that she was not joking and so he hid and stayed put.

    Jasmine hurriedly rushed into the study room.

    She knew that was the one ce where she could find the piece of bloodstained cloth that the scouts had brought.

    She rummaged through his drawers and shelves.

    She couldn��t find it anywhere.

    She started to panic and then she heard Erik��s voice.

    Jasmine panicked and hurriedly rushed to hide.

    She hid behind one of the shelves just in time for Erik toe in with Damian.

    "You really don��t intend on having her tag along do you?" Damian asked.

    "Of course not." Erik said. "Xaden would have my head. And she is pregnant and still very fragile. We can��t let anything bad happen to her."

    Jasmine closed her eyes in disbelief.

    She knew it. She knew that Erik would never let her go along with him.

    He had only lied to make her feel at ease.

    "Before dawn we would go searching for him." Erik said. "By the time she wakes up we would be gone."

    Damian put his arms on his waist. "I still don��t trust her."

    Erik said nothing to that remark.

    Jasmine was not surprised.

    A lot of the pack members still hated her and only now tolerated her because Xaden had made her live in better conditions and due to the pregnancy.

    For some like Anna. She knew that was more reason why she was hated.

    Erik went to his desk and seemed to go through it.

    Then he pulled out the blood stained cloth she had been looking for.

    "Still can��t believe Xaden has been ambushed." Erik said. "I would have preferred we went the moment we found out but gnat would throw the rest of the pack into panic."

    "Doesn��t even make any sense." Damian Said. "It was supposed to be a simple dispute. Nothing this bad."

    Erik returned the cloth back to the desk and shrugged lightly.

    "Erik there is something else." Damian said. "There are rumors of Uther trying to take over the pack now that Xaden is gone."

    "That bastard." Erik swore. "His nephew isn��t even dead yet."

    "Someone told me he is rallying the other high ranked wolves to his cause." Damian said.

    "I knew he wasn��t good from the start." Erik bit his bottom lip.

    "We can��t leave this pack undefended. What if we leave and then he runs a coup ." Damian expressed.

    "We won��t that��s why you would stay behind." Erik said. "I will and the rest of the men going will find Xaden. You remain here in case he tries anything."

    The men went out of the room as they discussed in whispers.

    So now Uther wanted to take over the pack?

 Chapter 442: RUNAWAY

    <h4>Chapter 442: RUNAWAY</h4>

    Jasmine was disgusted.

    He didn��t even care what happened to his nephew.

    She knew he was no good but this was a stretch.

    Even for him.

    Once she was sure they had left she came out of her hiding ce and snooped through his desk and pulled out the blood stained cloth that he had hidden.

    Thank the gods that she had not found it before he came in.

    He would have discovered it and she doubted that she would have even made it anywhere before he caught her.

    And for the first time in her life, she was happy to be an unshifted, because if she wasn��t, he would have sniffed her scent the moment he stepped in.

    But unshifted had no scents.

    She was going to use this to her advantage.

    She took out the de from her bag and caught through the cloth to get a piece of it.

    She would use it as leverage to find Xaden.

    She quickly returned it to its ce once she was done and then hurried to where Kire was waiting.

    Kire was at his full length, way taller than her and probably 10 feet tall.

    He went down on his belly indicating for her to sit on him.

    She was d to have him with her especially since she had had her incident with the horse.

    She was terrified of them and had been battling on how she was going to even go.

    She gently climbed on his back and then eased her fingers into his thick fur.

    Kire stood at his full height and then jumped off into the dark.

    Jasmine felt a presence, like someone was looking down at her.

    Someone was watching.

    She very gently turned around and didn��t see anyone.

    And yet she still felt like someone was watching her.

    And so she looked up and was taken aback when she saw Anna was looking down at her from the balcony of her bedroom on the fifth floor.

    She froze instantly and they both made eye contact.

    Jasmine��s heart began to race.

    Anna hated her, she knew.

    Was she going to expose her now?

    Jasmine expected her any minute from now to scream and inform everyone in the pack.

    Jasmine closed her eyes in terror waiting for for it.

    But then nothing came .

    She gently opened her eyes and looked back up.

    Only to see that Anna had turned her face away and was looking the opposite direction.

    Jasmine was stunned.

    Anna ignored her as if she hadn��t seen her, and yet still standing at the balcony, she looked the other side.

    Jasmine decided not to put too much thought into it and gently patted Kire��s fur.

    The huge wolf turned away and headed into the dark of the night.

    He was able to bypass the guards until they were out of the pack

    It was then and only then Jasmine breathed a sigh of relief.

    She pulled out the blood stained cloth from her bag and put it to Kire��s nose.

    "I need you to trace this." She instructed him. "Can you do that?"

    He howled very gently.

    She rubbed his ears.

    "Good boy." She said.

    She knew that Xaden would be furious with her.

    She also knew that by the time Nanny Nia found out she would be in so much trouble.

    But she was tired hanging around, wondering where he would be.

    She was stronger than people thought she was.

    She was going to find him herself.

    "Nanny Nia, Erik, please forgive me." Jasmine said to herself silently.

    ~~~~~~~~~

    Anna watched as she and Jasmine made eye contact.

    And she knew exactly what the slimy bitch was doing.

    She wanted to run off and find Xaden.

    At first when Anna had seen Jasmine she had misinterpreted that she was perhaps trying to hide the body of the ranch boy or something.

    But then it was just her and she seemed to be headed towards the path out of the pack and it hit her.

    She contemted raising rm, but stopped herself right in her tracks.

    No, that wasn��t wise.

    If she did, the most was she would be in trouble with Erik and forced back in.

    But if she kept her mouth shut, then Jasmine would go.

    Anna was truly worried about her brother, and hoped he would return home.

    But she also wanted Jasmine gone from the pack.

    What better than to let the pregnant conniving bitch into the woods without any protection?

    If the goddess was on her side, Jasmine just might die and she would finally get rid of her without having to do anything.

    She hoped she and the child died in the forest.

    And so she turned her face away.

    It was then after a few minutes she turned back and saw that Jasmine was fine as though she had never been there in the first ce.

    She hoped that no one found out until she was way gone.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    When it was almost dawn, Nanny Nia turned in her sleep and felt her throat parched.

    She slowly woke up from her slumber and rose to her feet to go get some water.

    There was water already on the tea table in the bedroom.

    She fetched some and poured in a cup before drinking to her satisfaction.

    Move she was done, she groggily went back to bed, her eyes filled with sleep.

    She checked on Jasmine and saw she was still well asleep with the nket over.

    Nanny Nia sleepily reached out to be sure she was fine and was stunned when she felt a pillow.

    Her eyes seemed to be clearer in confusion and then she opened the nket revealing piles of pillows.

    But no Jasmine.

    The sleep instantly evaporated from her eyes and she began flinging nkets and pillows to be sure she was seeing clearly.

    But Jasmine wasn��t there, she looked down on the floor at it hit her Kire too wasn��t there.

    Nanny Nia screamed in terrror.

 Chapter 443: THE FOREST

    <h4>Chapter 443: THE FOREST</h4>

    Through the forest, Jasmine clung on Kire��s back as they rode through.

    He kept on going through thick woods and she couldn��t deny the fact that she was beyond words terrified.

    Her heart raced in fear and for a split second she realized what she had done was utterly stupid!

    Why did she think that her going to find him was going to be any different from the guards finding?

    What made her think her own case was going to be different?

    And she felt the ick against her throat as she realized how dangerous the outside world could be.

    All her life she had been sheltered and protected by her packs.

    Even when she had suffered terribly in the moonlight pack, she had still been shielded from the terrors of kidnapping and pack wars.

    Worse for an unshifter like her.

    And if Xaden knew what she had done, he was going to have her neck.

    But she had only done it because she had been tired of waiting around for the men toe around.

    If Erik had listened to her from the beginning things won��t have been this bad.

    They would have gone in search of Xaden and found him earlier on.

    It would have never been as bad as this.

    She closed her eyes and told herself that she had already done this and there was no going back.

    All she needed to do was follow Xaden��s trail and avoid confrontation from any of the other packs.

    Kire seemed to know what he was doing so she gently rubbed the fur of his hair in appreciation.

    Kire was quite fast.

    She had never been on his back before but she knew that he was time five faster than a regr horse.

    He took loops in the air before he raced every five minutes covering much distance.

    Throughout the night they raced and when it was almost dawn, he eased his riding and for a split second Jasmine thought perhaps he was tired.

    "Kire what is it?" She asked him. "Are you tired?"

    He very gently slowed down.

    Made turns here and then for a second he stood still before making a turn on his left and then racing the other way.

    Eventually he came to a stop and set down on his stomach.

    Jasmine understood he wanted her toe down so she gently did.

    She rubbed his ears. "Thank you Kire. You must be very tired."

    The wolf nudged her ahead and then she seemed confused at first.

    He gently used his head to nudge her ahead.

    She turned around to see what he was leading her to.

    She walked ahead very slowly.

    By then the dawn was breaking very little.

    She walked aware that Kire was right behind her and ready to protect her at any given moment.

    And then she stopped when she found what Kire wanted to show her.

    He was not tired.

    He was simply leading her to find what he sensed.

    And there were piles of distorted bodies.

    She gasped in terror at the sight.

    She knew well enough to know that these were men of their pack.

    She saw the face of one of the men who had watched as she waved Xaden off before they left.

    Except it didn��t have smiles anymore neither did it have a body attached.

    He had been decapitated and other body parts half man half wolf spread well apart the forest.

    She felt herself begin to feel sick.

    She turned around and threw up,pletely emptying everything in her stomach.

    Kire looked at her and then she fetched the water gourd from her bag and used some water to wipe her mouth clean.

    She told herself that she needed to be careful with water she didn��t know where next she might get spring water.

    Once she was sure that she could stand again without throwing up, she turned to face the pile of scattered body parts. What could have done such a thing to them?

    Who?

    The men that had followed Xaden were well and able bodied wolves who could tear five men apart at once.

    And yet they had been scattered like pieces of meat.

    Her heart feared for Xaden.

    She told herself that he was going to be fine and no harm was going to befall him

    She took in a deep breath and started scouring around to see if anything belonged to Xaden.

    She picked out a small piece of handkerchief he had given her a while back.

    It was a prized possession to her and then she handed it to Kire to sniff.

    The n had been to find where the blood stained clothes hade from and then o find Xaden.

    So Xaden began to sniff around and they both searched for him.

    She looked through the bodies and felt dread overwhelm her as she lifted through pieces of human and wolf flesh.

    There were also wolves that she saw did not belong to the pack.

    What?

    Did this mean that the bodies also killed belonged to the pack who had attacked them?

    After search for almost one hour and the sun now began to rise slowly in the horizon, she still found no traces of him.

    Which was a good and bad thing.

    At least now she knew he was not among the pile of dead bodies.

    But she also didn��t know where he truly was.

    If he was even still alive.

    She shook the thought away from her mind.

    No Xaden was alive.

    And she was going to find him.

    That was the truth.

    She set her hand against her stomach and began to gently feel her baby.

    There was no kick but deep down she knew that the baby was okay.

    She paused to quickly take her herbs.

    She couldn��t risk having aplication out here in the forest all alone.

    Kire stood with her all through it and when she was done she took in another deep breath.

    She couldn��t find Xaden or any trace of his scent and something came to her mind.

    If she couldn��t find Xaden, she could find the people who attacked him.

    She went through the piles of dead bodies and picked up one of the pieces of clothes that she was sure, belonged to the rival packs and handed it to Kire to sniff.

    Kire sniffed and then turned to a different direction.

    "Good boy." Jasmine smiled as she mounted him and he rode off.

 Chapter 444: MARRO’S MISTAKE

    <h4>Chapter 444: MARRO��S MISTAKE</h4>

    Marro had been kept in the house for twenty fours and his mum had ced a watchful eye on him, making sure he never strayed far.

    Marro had been so distraught and all he could think of was his dying friend in the forest.

    What if he was now dead? Or they had found him?

    He had tried his best to get away from home but his mother had monitored every single move he made, making it impossible for him to even do anything.

    He had been so frustrated his skin was beginning to crawl.

    Now his mother made him do chores while his father and brother went off with the pack.

    It was either he washing clothes or mopping the floors or washing the dishes.

    Whatever his mother told him to.

    He was still very much upset with her because she was the reason why he wasn��t allowed out of the house.

    She had told him that she won��t tell his father and yet she had.

    He barely spoke to her.

    When she told him to do something he did it without evenining or looking at her.

    And he knew she was unhappy about it.

    But he didn��t care.

    Because if she didn��t report him to his father he would have saved the pack.

    He would have been the one to save the man that was dying in the vige.

    He is the key to their salvation and freedom from the tyrant Rogue Alpha hunter.

    It would also give Marro the chance to have his family see him as a proper wolf and not just some pup.

    His parents looked down on him and treated him like a baby when he was much more than that.

    As he picked up the clothes from the back of the line, his mother looked up at him.

    "Marro!" She said. "Come inside."

    He finished picking up the clothes and then went to find her in the kitchen.

    "Are you done with your chores?" She asked him.

    "Yes ma." He nodded even though he refused to look at her.

    She sighed weakly.

    "Marro I didn��t report you to your father because I hate you or anything." She expressed. "I was worried for you. And look at what he came in saying about the rival pack that has overtaken our pack. I just want to protect you."

    He nodded numbly and yet refused to say a words.

    She sighed heavily looking around then she put her hands on her waist.

    "The goddess knows I��m making the biggest mistake of my life." She sighed heavily and then cleared her throat.

    "You can go out." She said and his face lit up. But Only for an hour. I know you like hunting rabbits so don��t go far beyond the line of hunting. And you hear me one hour."

    He nodded excitedly and then hugged her.

    He rushed into his room and grabbed the wrist band bearing the golden mark that he had been given by his friend before putting it in his hunting bag.

    He gathered everything he needed and raced out of the room.

    "One hour!" His mother screamed behind him.

    "Yes ma." He said waving as he went on his way.

    Once he was out of sight of his parent��s house, he looked left and right wondering where he would go.

    Should he go and find his friend?

    He was worried that he was dead or on the brink of it.

    He had some stored cheese and bread in his bag enough to feed him.

    But he calcted his time.

    He had only one hour.

    By the time he went to the forest to find his friend it would be well past one hour. But if he went to the outskirts of the pack to the neighboring pack and handed the wrist band, it would take well past four hours.

    He didn��t have that time.

    He raked his brain wondering what to do

    Then it urred to him that people paid for birds to deliver messages.

    He could go to the market and have that done. That way he would be able to pay and send it off to the neighboring pack and stille back in time to see his friend.

    He checked his bag and found a small pouch of coins he had saved his entire life.

    Then he headed straight for the market.

    He went on his way and in fifteen minutes he was already at the busy market.

    People were buying and selling, calling for their goods.

    He looked through the stalls as he made sure to be careful.

    If someone who knew his family recognized him, he would be in very big trouble.

    His mother would be in trouble with his father for letting him out.

    He walked past the stalls with his head well bent until he found a woman in her forties with birds.

    "I��ll like to send a message." He said.

    She looked at him. "Aren��t you a little too young for that?"

    "It��s for my aunt." He said. "My mother is sending it to my aunt."

    "Of course." She said. "What pack?"

    "Coal pack?" He said.

    "That would be twenty wolfangs." She said.

    His eyes widened in shock.

    "Twenty wolfangs?" He said in disbelief. "That��s a lot of money."

    "That the price child." She said as she pushed her face. "You either take it or leave it. Things are hard."

    He looked through his bag and counted through.

    He virtually had twenty two Wolfangs. That was his life savings.

    All he had in his possession.

    He sighed and counted twenty before handing it to the woman.

    "Now we can n do business." The woman said once she had counted the money and pocketed it.

    He pulled out a paper and asked for a quill.

    Then he wrote down a message telling the people of Coal pack that the man who owned the leather wrist band needed help.

    Once he was done, he folded it neatly and then handed the wrist band to the woman.

    Her eyes widened.

    "This is quite lovely." The woman said. "Where did you get it from?"

    "It��s for my mother to her sister." He said tensed and his heart racing.

    "Of course." the woman said.

    He saw her use her side eye to look at some scary look guards.

    And Marro instantly knew.

    He was in trouble.

 Chapter 445: COLLATERAL DAMAGE

    <h4>Chapter 445: COLLATERAL DAMAGE</h4>

    "You know what?" He said as he very gently snatched the weird band from the woman.

    She gasped.

    "I think I��ll just take that back." He said.

    She was startled.

    "Why do you want to do that?" She asked.

    "I don��t think I��m interested anymore. You��re too Expensive for me." He said.

    She gasped at his words. "Wel... uhm... what..... fine. You can give me for fifteen wolfang."

    And there it was.

    He was a little boy, but he knew adults well enough.

    She simply wanted to make him stay.

    She opened her palm for him to give the wrist band.

    He shook his head. "No don��t worry. I really am not interested anymore."

    She gasped at him in disbelief.

    "Alright ten." She said.

    "No I don��t want it anymore." He said and then quickly added. "Thank you."

    Look we don��t do refunds. Once you pay I cannot give you your money back."

    He felt the eyes on him and he further began to panic.

    "That��s fine keep the money." He said as he saw two guards discussing and looking at him.

    From the corner of his eyes he saw another set of guards slowly walking around.

    Marro��s heart pounded in his ears as he gripped the wrist band tightly. From the corner of his eye, the guards were starting to move toward him, their hands resting on the hilts of their weapons, suspicion written all over their faces.

    "Hey, you!" one of them barked, pointing in his direction.

    Marro didn��t wait to hear more.

    He spun on his heels and darted away from the stall, shoving past people in the crowded market. The woman screamed something after him, but her voice was drowned in the suddenmotion.

    "Stop him!" a guard roared.

    Marro��s breath hitched as he pushed harder, weaving through startled vigers. Fruits tumbled from baskets, curses rang out, and the guards thundered after him.

    He didn��t look back.

    He couldn��t.

    His legs burned and his lungs screamed, but the fear driving him was greater. He shot down an alley between two stone buildings, vaulted over a cart, and took a sharp turn into a narrow path that led to the forest��s edge.

    "Get him!" another voice yelled behind him.

    He bolted into the trees, heart racing as branches whipped across his face and arms. The forest weed him like an old friend, but he didn��t slow down. He could hear the guards crashing through the underbrush, yelling to each other, but he knew the terrain better.

    His friend had once taught him how to move in the wild without being seen.

    Now, that lesson was his only hope.

    Marro dropped low, ducking behind a thick tree trunk, forcing his breathing to slow. He crawled through ferns, scooting into a hollow beneath a fallen log. The guards rushed past, their boots pounding against the damp soil, shouting to one another in frustration.

    He pressed his body t to the ground and waited, counting every breath until the sounds of pursuit faded into silence.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Back at home, his mother stood at the window, nervously ncing out every few seconds. She had a bad feeling in her chest, one she couldn��t shake. The hour was nearly up.

    The front door burst open.

    Her heart leapt as her mate stormed inside, his face etched with fury.

    "Where is he?" he demanded.

    She blinked. "Who?"

    "Marro!" he snapped. "Where is our son?"

    She froze, then lowered her eyes. "I... I let him go out to y. Just for an hour. He, he wanted to hunt rabbits."

    His voice turned cold. "You did what?"

    She tried to defend herself. "He��s been locked up for days. He was miserable. I thought...."

    "You thought wrong!" he bellowed, mming a fist into the wall hard enough to crack the ster. "There are rumors! Word in the vige is that Alpha Hunter��s men are looking for a boy who was seen in the forest ,our forest with a possession stolen from the enemy pack."

    Her blood ran cold.

    "No... it can��t be," she whispered. "That��s not possible."

    He stepped toward her, towering and angry. "Did he have anything with him? Something strange? Something he shouldn��t have?"

    She hesitated, then gasped. "A wrist band he took it with him. He kept hiding it from me. I thought it was nothing."

    "Foolish woman!" he roared. "Do you realize what you��ve done? If they find him? if they catch him, we��ll all be executed. Do you understand? The Alpha Hunter shows no mercy."

    Tears welled in her eyes. "Then we must find him, bring him home!"

    "We can��t," he said. "It��s toote. They��ve already reached the outskirts of the vige."

    She stiffened. "No..."

    He looked past her, out the window, and cursed. "They��re here."

    Outside, dark figures were approaching three, maybe four men in armor, and they were moving fast.

    "Go," he said, already moving toward the back. "Take Fabian. Get out through the back entrance. Head to the river. I��ll hold them off."

    She shook her head, panicking. "No! You can��t fight them alone-

    He turned and grabbed her shoulders firmly. "Listen to me. Protect our sons. Run, and don��t stop. Do you hear me?"

    Her lips trembled. "But"

    He kissed her. Fiercely. Desperately.

    Then he shoved open the back door and yelled, "Fabian! With your mother, now!"

    Their older son, barely fourteen, rushed in from the side of the house. He was already trembling. "What��s happening?"

    "Go with her. Protect her," their father said before running toward the front door.

    "No! Please-" she sobbed, but he was already gone.

    She pulled Fabian close, and they ran.

    At the front of the house, Marro��s father shifted mid-run, fur exploding from his skin, bones cracking as he transformed into arge, dark wolf. He burst from the house with a thunderous snarl and leapt into the oing enemies.

    The Alpha Hunter��s men were caught off guard by the force of the attack. One of them went down with a scream, his throat torn out. Another was knocked backward into the mud, but more came, des gleaming.

    Marro��s father fought like a wild storm. He took down two more before one of them drove a silver spear into his side.

    He howled in pain, staggering.

    Thest strike came fast �� a de across the throat.

    He copsed with a growl that faded into silence.

    In the forest beyond the back path, Marro��s mother stumbled through brambles, clutching Fabian��s hand, tears streaming down her face.

    "We��re almost there," she whispered. "Just a little further��"

    Growls surrounded them.

    She froze.

    From the trees emerged a group of enemy wolves, their eyes cold and merciless.

    "No," she breathed. "Please��no��"

    Fabian pushed in front of her, trembling but defiant. "Stay away from her!"

    One of the wolves lunged.

    He shifted too slowly.

    His scream tore through the forest as ws shed across his chest.

    Marro��s mother wailed as Fabian fell, and in that moment, she too shifted, but it was no use. She was outnumbered.

    Thest thing she saw was the sky above, spinning as she hit the ground.

    Blood soaked into the earth.

 Chapter 446: DEAD FAMILY/ BETRAYAL FAMILY

    <h4>Chapter 446: DEAD FAMILY/ BETRAYAL FAMILY</h4>

    The sun had gone down beyond the lush trees when Marro finally dared to move. He had remained tucked under the hollow for hours, frozen in fear and desperation. His small body ached, muscles cramped from stillness, but worse was the heavy silence pressing against his ears, the kind that told him something had gone horribly wrong.

    No more voices. No more footsteps. No more searching.

    Just... silence.

    Slowly, cautiously, he emerged, brushing off dried leaves and dirt. His palms were scraped, and the wrist band he had fought so hard to protect now felt cold and heavy in his pocket. His legs shook as he stood.

    He needed to see his almost dead friend but then he needed to go home.

    He needed to see them.

    Maybe they were hiding too. Maybe they were waiting for him.

    The path back to the pack��s vige was deserted.

    Not a single howl echoed in the night air. Only the rustling of wind in the trees and the far-off caw of a bird.

    He stuck to the shadows, moving low and silent, just like his father had taught him during those nighttime hunts.

    As he crept closer to the outskirts of the vige, the air turned strange.

    Thick. Smoky.

    His nose twitched with the scent of blood.

    But there were no guards. No patrols. No torches.

    That��s what made it worse.

    He darted behind thest house, his heart pounding in his chest like a war drum. Then, finally, his eyes found their home��the crooked roof, the broken fence his mother always begged his father to fix, the singlentern still flickering in the front window.

    But it felt wrong.

    Too quiet. Too still.

    He approached slowly, eyes scanning everything. The front yard looked untouched. No blood, no mess, no sign of struggle.

    And then he saw him.

    His father��s bodyy sprawled at the front door, a dried pool of red staining the earth around him.

    His head was tilted unnaturally, eyes ssy and open, lips parted as though still trying to speak.

    Marro stopped breathing.

    His knees buckled and he staggered forward, lips trembling. "P�CPapa?"

    No answer.

    "Papa...?"

    He dropped beside him, grabbing his arm with shaking hands. It was cold.

    Gone.

    Marro��s breath came in shallow gasps. Tears blurred his vision as he clutched the stiff, unmoving hand, sobbing now. "Papa, no... no, please..."

    He cried until the stars appeared above.

    Then something broke inside him.

    Mama.

    Fabian.

    He scrambled up and pushed through the open front door, yelling, "Mama? Fabian?!" His voice cracked, raw and high. "It��s me! I��m home!"

    No answer.

    He tore through the house like a storm, throwing open doors, looking under beds, behind furniture.

    Nothing.

    No signs of life. No warmth.

    "Mama!!" he screamed again, frantic, tears falling unchecked. "Fabian?!"

    The silence screamed louder.

    Then he turned to the back door. It was barely closed, a smear of blood along the handle.

    His hands shook as he reached for it, and the moment it creaked open, he stumbled back with a choked cry.

    His mothery in the grass behind the house, her body bent forward like she had been trying to crawl away. Her hair was soaked with blood. Her arms limp.

    Beside her, Fabian.

    His big brother.

    Slumped over. Eyes closed.

    Marro copsed onto his knees and crawled to her, sobbing as he threw himself into her arms. "Mama, wake up... please wake up... I��m sorry... I should��vee sooner��"

    She didn��t move.

    Her skin was pale. Her body already cooling.

    He clung to her, howling, the sound piercing the stillness of the night.

    "Please..."

    He didn��t know how long he wept, minutes, hours, forever, but then he felt it.

    Someone wasing.

    He lifted his head, sniffling, ears sharp like his father��s had been. He was ready to run, ready to fight, but then...

    "Marro?" came a soft voice.

    He turned and saw her. A woman, cloaked and breathless, stood at the back gate. Her eyes locked with his, and her hand flew to her mouth in horror as she spotted the bodies.

    "Aunt Lydia..." he whispered.

    She rushed to him.

    "Oh gods," she breathed, kneeling beside him. "Marro, sweet boy..."

    He threw himself into her arms, sobbing again, his voice raw and broken. "They killed them... they killed them all..."

    She held him tightly. "I��m so sorry, love. I��m so sorry..."

    Her hands trembled as she rocked him. "We need to go. We can��t stay here."

    He clung to her, too broken to speak.

    ~~~~~~~~~

    Lydia took him to her small cottage, nestled just beyond the riverbank on the edge of the woods.

    Her husband, Delek, barely said a word when they arrived, only nodded and stepped aside.

    She fed Marro warm broth with bits of bread, whispering gentle things and stroking his hair until he drifted off into a restless sleep on a cot in her guest room.

    The night crept forward.

    But Marro was not as asleep as he seemed.

    He stirred as voices drifted through the wall.

    "I told the guards," Delek said, his voice gruff and hushed.

    "What?" Lydia gasped.

    "You said we needed coin! We needed safety. The bounty on that brat��s head is worth a fortune."

    "You told them? After what happened to her? Delek, they ughtered my sister..."

    "And? Why are you crying over that stupid girl and her pathetic mate? They were nothing. They never had anything. Now we finally do."

    Lydia��s voice broke. "I just... I didn��t think it would go this far."

    Delek scoffed. "Don��t get soft. You should be thanking me. You always said your sister thought she was better than you. Well now she��s dead and we��re rich."

    A pause.

    "I need to check on the boy," Lydia said suddenly.

    "No," Delek said. "Let him sleep."

    "I just want to make sure he��s okay..."

    "Fine. But don��t wake him."

    She opened the door to the guest room slowly.

    But the bed was empty.

    The nket thrown aside.

    Curtain fluttering.

    Gone.

    ?

    Marro ran through the dark woods with bare feet and tear-streaked cheeks. The ache in his chest pulsed with every step, but he didn��t stop. Couldn��t stop.

    Not now.

    Not after hearing that.

    His aunt��his mother��s sister��had betrayed them. Let them die.

    He stumbled but caught himself, breath ragged.

    They had sold him for gold.

    His entire family was gone, and it was because of him.

    Because of a stupid wrist band.

    He didn��t know where he was running. He didn��t care.

    All he knew was that he couldn��t trust anyone anymore.

    And he would never stop running.

    Not until he found the truth.

    Not until someone paid.

 Chapter 447: MISSING PRINCESS

    <h4>Chapter 447: MISSING PRINCESS</h4>

    Marro ran through the trees like a shadow unchained. His heart beat fast��not out of fear, but from the pulsing urgency in his chest.

    The early dawn was barely stretching itself over the sky, and the first lines of light sliced through the trees like thin des of silver. His bare feet kicked up cold earth and leaves, and the wind whispered memories he��d been trying to silence for days.

    He didn��t know the man��s name.

    Not truly.

    To him, he was just the strange-eyed wolf who��d been dragged into the clearing, bloody and broken, but still alive.

    Still breathing.

    Still fighting.

    Marro didn��t know why he had helped him.

    He had lost his family for him.

    Everyone was out to get him

    But he��d seen the look in that man��s eyes, the haunting glimmer of someone who had lost everything and yet refused to die.

    He couldn��t let him die. Not then.

    And because of that single choice... his world burned.

    He had seen his father��s pieced body lying on the floor of their little cottage.

    His mother and brother��s dead body on the floor at the back door.

    They had been running away and yet they had still killed them.

    He hasn��t even been given the chance to mourn.

    He was only eleven years and yet the horrors he had witnessed, even alphas would be horrified.

    His feet didn��t stop running.

    His body didn��t stop moving.

    Even as his ribs ached, even as his lungs burned, he kept running.

    He thought about going to see the man again, the stranger who was no stranger. Somewhere in his bones, he knew the truth.

    That man had to be someone important, someone dangerous.

    Why else would the guards go so far?

    But going back... that would be selfish.

    If they followed his trail, if they sniffed him out, they��d find the injured wolf.

    They��d kill him.

    And then everything, everything Marro had lost, would mean nothing.

    So he didn��t go back.

    He just ran, mouth dry, eyes burning, the guilt like a second skin around his heart.

    If he could find help, real help, someone with power, someone who would listen��maybe, just maybe, the man he��d saved would have a chance to survive.

    The trees blurred past him. He didn��t look back.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Nanny Nia��s scream still echoed through the corridor as she burst through the east wing, skirts flying around her ankles, breath hitching from panic.

    The pack��s guards looked up in rm, but she ignored them all.

    Her feet knew where to go.

    "Erik!" she shouted, bursting into his quarters. "Erik��!"

    She opened doors and screamed out his name frantically searching for him.

    Erik was well asleep in his bedroom when he heard the screams.

    He jumped up alert and before he knew it, his bedroom door was flung open and Nanny Nia came running in.

    "What happened?" He asked bewildered

    "She��s gone!" Nanny Nia cried, hand on her chest, eyes wide with dread.

    "Who is gone?" He asked still confused.

    "Jasmine! She��s gone!" She cried.

    "What?"

    "I... I thought she was sleeping. I mean I left her sleeping. There were pillows under the nket. Kire is gone too!"

    Erik��s face changed immediately color drained, jaw clenched, fury building in his chest like a rising tide.

    That damn wolf!

    How could Kire have done that?!

    His own wolf was now disobeying him and rather obeying Jasmine.

    Above all, Kire should have known better!

    When he got his hands on him, he was merging his body back with him whether he liked it or not!

    But even as he said it, his body was moving.

    He crossed the room in long strides and threw open the drawer where he had hidden the blood, stained cloth from Xaden��sst known location.

    It was folded just as he had left it, but smaller.

    His heart dropped.

    There was a straight cut through the fabric.

    A missing piece.

    She had it.

    "Damn it, Jasmine!" he muttered, running a hand through his hair. "Why would you do this?"

    "Erik?" Nanny Nia��s voice cracked.

    "She went after him," he said darkly. "She��s trying to find Xaden on her own."

    Nanny Nia gasped. "She could be anywhere by now! She��s unshifted, she��s pregnant! What if something happens to her?"

    "She took Kire," Erik said trying to convince himself. "That wolf won��t let anything harm her."

    "Still..." Nanny Nia shook her head, near tears. "She��s out there, alone."

    Erik moved swiftly now, yanking open his wardrobe to strap on his gear.

    He threw on his chestte, knives, and a cloak for speed. Then he turned to Nanny Nia. "Rally the scouts. I��m going after her."

    "But the pack��"

    "I��m not leaving it unguarded." He swept past her and down the hallway where several warriors had already gathered, drawn by themotion.

    At the corridor that led to the pack��s war hall, he found Uther waiting, arms folded, expression unreadable.

    Erik��s face became grim in disgust.

    Uther��s voice came smooth and curious. "Where are you rushing off to in such a storm, Gamma?"

    Erik didn��t stop moving, only called over his shoulder. "Private pack matters. None of your concern."

    "None of my concern?" Uther asked a scowl on his ugly face. "I am the uncle to the Alpha."

    "I don��t give a fuck." Erik said not breaking his stride.

    Uther followed. "You seem tense. If there��s danger, perhaps I should know."

    Erik stopped then, just long enough to turn fully toward Uther. His eyes were steel.

    "Don��t mistake my silence for ignorance, Uther. You may fool the others, but I see through you." His tone was low and firm. "This pack still follows mymand. Don��t forget it."

    Uther��s smile faltered. "I meant no offense."

    Erik turned and walked toward the center of the hall where Damian stood beside two guards.

    Without ceremony, Erik spoke clearly, "Damian, until I return, you��re in charge."

    Uther��s face stiffened. "You��re handing over the pack to a mere wolf?"

    Erik didn��t dignify it with a response. He nodded to Damian and added, "Keep eyes on Uther."

    Damian gave a short, crisp nod. "Understood."

    With that, Erik stormed past the gathered men, making for the stables.

    The cold wind hit his face as he emerged into the open yard, but he didn��t feel it. All he saw was Jasmine, fragile and stubborn, out in the forest with danger lurking on every side.

    "Erik!"

    He turned.

    Nanny Nia stood at the steps, face pale, hands clenched at her sides.

    "Please," she begged, voice cracking. "Find her. Bring her home."

    Erik met her eyes, the soft pain in them reflecting his own.

    "I will."

 Chapter 448: THE ENCOUNTER

    <h4>Chapter 448: THE ENCOUNTER</h4>

    Marro��s breath came in short, sharp bursts as he darted through the underbrush, scratches painting his arms and legs like war marks.

    The midday sun filtered through the canopy above, warm and golden, but it offered nofort. Not to him. Not to a boy who had no home, no family, and no future left to run to.

    He stumbled over a root, caught himself, and kept running.

    He didn��t know where he was going, just that he had to keep moving.

    If he stopped, the memories would catch up. And they would drown him.

    He had seen his entire family dead.

    He regretted the fact that he would never have a normal family again.

    It was all his fault.

    Alpha Hunter hade like a shadow with fangs.

    A monster dressed as a wolf. He��d torn through their home, through their pack, through everything.

    And Marro, just eleven, had understood what it meant.

    Now that he had lost everything he understood better.

    Now he was just a ghost in the trees.

    Alone.

    Hungry.

    Terrified.

    But still moving.

    Because somewhere out there, someone had to help.

    Someone had to care.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    The forest had thickened by the time Jasmine paused to rest. She slid off Kire��s back, her boots sinking into the loamy ground as she rubbed her swollen belly. The baby had started kicking again. She whispered a soft apology.

    "I know," she murmured, brushing her palm over the curve of her stomach. "This is reckless. But I have to find him."

    Kire let out a quiet rumble of agreement, nudging her side with his nose. Jasmine looked up at the canopy.

    The sun had passed its peak, and time was slipping through her fingers.

    Every minute Xaden remained missing felt like a knife in her chest.

    They hadn��t been able to track his scent. It was as though the forest had swallowed him whole.

    But the attackers... their scent had lingered. And Jasmine, stubborn as ever, had decided to follow it.

    She climbed back on Kire��s back, clinging tightly as the wolf sprinted through the trees.

    They followed the fading trail, faint, but still there. Still real.

    Then, out of nowhere, Kire skidded to a violent stop, ws digging into the dirt.

    A small figure had stumbled into their path.

    Jasmine gasped and pulled on Kire��s fur to steady herself.

    The boy, thin and filthy, no more than ten or eleven, froze like a deer caught in a glow.

    His wild brown eyes locked on hers. Then he turned and bolted.

    "Wait!" Jasmine called. "It��s okay, we��re not going to hurt you!"

    The boy didn��t stop. His limbs were trembling, legs pumping with panic.

    But he was slow from hunger, and Jasmine could see the way his knees buckled slightly with each step.

    Kire didn��t chase. Jasmine slid down and slowly approached, careful not to startle him further.

    "Hey," she said softly, crouching and opening the leather pouch at her waist. "Are you hungry?"

    The boy hesitated, his eyes narrowing. He looked like he might bolt again.

    "I have food," she said, pulling out a strip of dried meat. "You can have it. I��m not asking anything from you."

    He hesitated a moment longer. Then, cautiously, he approached.

    He snatched the meat from her hand, eyes still wary, and took a small bite.

    "Thank you," he muttered, chewing like someone who hadn��t eaten in days.

    "You��re wee," Jasmine said gently. "You don��t have to be afraid of me."

    The boy looked up at her, chewing slower now. "You��re not one of them?"

    Jasmine frowned. "One of who?"

    He didn��t answer.

    She didn��t push. She nodded toward the path. "You can be on your way. Stay safe."

    He gave a small nod and turned.

    But just as he did, Kire��s ears perked, and he let out a low, focused growl.

    Jasmine��s eyes snapped toward the wolf as he moved forward with purpose, nose low to the ground, following something.

    "Kire?" she called. "What is it?"

    The boy turned, confused, as the great wolf suddenly sprinted toward him.

    "No!" Jasmine shouted. "Wait... Kire!"

    The boy screamed and tried to run, but his legs gave out. He copsed to the ground, covering his head as Kire lunged forward.

    And stopped.

    There was no attack. No bite.

    No blood.

    Instead, Kire nosed at the boy��s shirt, sniffed intently, and then reached into the boy��s tattered pouch with a practiced nudge.

    He pulled out something small and leather-bound.

    A wristband.

    Jasmine gasped.

    She rushed forward, kneeling beside Kire and taking the object with shaking hands. Her eyes widened.

    The material was wolf leather, marked with a carved insignia she knew too well, Xaden��s mark.

    Torn slightly at the edge, stained with something dark. Blood, maybe.

    She gently touched the marked insignia and she had shes of memory.

    She put it to her lips and closed her eyes.

    She looked at the boy, her voice breathless. "Where did you get this?"

    The boy mmed up instantly, eyes darting around, panicked.

    "I��m not going to hurt you," Jasmine said again.

    She ced a hand over her belly, her voice trembling. "Please. I swear on my unborn baby. I��m only trying to help. I need to find the man who owns this."

    The boy��s eyes fell to her stomach, and he blinked slowly.

    "He��s in danger," Jasmine whispered. "Please. You could help me save him."

    For a moment, nothing.

    Then, in a quiet voice, the boy said, "My friend gave it to me."

    Jasmine��s breath caught. "Your friend?"

    The boy looked down at his feet. "He was hurt. Really bad. I helped him."

    Tears stung Jasmine��s eyes. "Is he... is he alive?"

    The boy nodded, slowly. "He was when I left him."

    Relief almost buckled her knees. She reached forward and gently touched the boy��s shoulder.

    "What��s your name?"

    "...Marro."

    "Marro," she whispered. "Can you take me to him?"

    He looked away. "I don��t know if he��s still there. I didn��t want them to follow me. If they do, they��ll kill him too. Like the way they killed my family."

    Jasmine stared at him? Her heart braking into pieces.

    This boy had lost everything, she could see it in his eyes, but he had still protected Xaden.

    Still cared.

    "Marro," she said, voice thick. "You are the bravest boy I��ve ever met."

    He didn��t smile, but something in his eyes softened.

    Jasmine looked to the sky. The sun was beginning to dip. Time was slipping again.

    But now... now she had hope.

    And she wasn��t letting go.

 Chapter 449: FINDING XADEN

    <h4>Chapter 449: FINDING XADEN</h4>

    For a long time, Marro didn��t speak.

    He stood silently in the clearing, his small chest rising and falling with shallow breaths as he stared at the wristband in Jasmine��s hands. It was stained and frayed, the leather softened by time, but it pulsed with memory. With grief. With thest flicker of hope.

    Jasmine said nothing. She let the boy have his silence, her hand resting gently over the curve of her belly. Kire sat beside them, his tail twitching, his golden eyes sharp and scanning the trees. The forest around them was hushed, as if even the birds dared not interrupt.

    Finally, Marro looked up. His voice, when it came, was quiet and yet steady.

    "I��ll take you." He said

    Jasmine��s breath caught. "Are you sure?"

    He nodded. "If he dies... and I could��ve helped... then it��s like they all died for nothing. My entire family and I won��t be able to live with that guilt."

    Jasmine could hardly believe it.

    Such a little boy had faced such a terrible thing and yet he was so strong

    Jasmine didn��t argue.

    She just knelt, holding his hand in both of hers, small, dirt-smudged, and trembling, and helped him onto Kire��s back behind her.

    "Hold on," she whispered, and he did.

    They rode.

    The forest thickened around them, turning dense and shadowed. Jasmine felt as though they were descending into the belly of the world. The trees rose like sentinels, their limbs bare and whispering, their roots gnarled and swollen with secrets.

    Marro guided them with careful murmurs. "Left at the broken pine... then straight past the hollow log."

    His voice was thin but certain. Jasmine never questioned him.

    The further they went, the more the world seemed to hold its breath.

    "How long ago was it?" she asked, when the silence stretched too long.

    "Two nights," Marro murmured. "They attacked during moonrise. I couldn��t leave home because I as being punished for being in the forest, I would have left earlier."

    Jasmine felt him tighten his grip on her waist. A silent tremor passed through him.

    "I hid in a pit near the trees," he said, voice cracking. "After they had chased me down the market. I��m really small so they didn��t find me and I haven��t done my adult shifting so they couldn��t scent me. Alpha hunter and his men."

    "Hunter," Jasmine muttered. The name tasted like metal on her tongue.

    Marro nodded faintly. "I had found your friend At the river bend. He was bleeding so much I thought he was already gone."

    A wave of nausea twisted through her. The idea of Xaden lying there��wounded, discarded, forgotten��nearly unmoored her.

    "While he was still asleep I dragged him to a cave," Marro whispered. "It��s not far. I gave him so water and cheese when he woke up."

    "You did everything right," Jasmine said fiercely, ncing back at him. "You saved him, Marro. Don��t ever forget that."

    He didn��t answer, but his grip on her waist loosened just a little.

    They rode in silence after that, Kire weaving like a shadow between trees and over moss-slick roots. The sun was beginning to lower behind the western ridge, casting long shadows across the forest floor.

    Then, Kire stopped.

    The air changed��sharp, heavy, metallic.

    Kire growled low��not in threat, but in warning.

    Jasmine tensed. She slid off his back and helped Marro down.

    "Stay close to me," she said, eyes scanning the trees. There was something in the air. A sour tang. Faint, but unmistakable.

    Blood.

    The scent grew stronger as they walked.

    They reached a ridge of mossy rock, its face cracked with time. Between two stone outcrops was a narrow cave mouth, low and unassuming.

    "This is it," Marro said, pointing. "I left him here."

    Jasmine��s heart pounded as she ducked inside. The air was damp and stale, the stone walls slick with condensation. Her eyes adjusted slowly to the dimness��and then they caught the dark stain on the ground.

    Blood.

    Lots of it.

    There were drag marks, smeared across the stone floor. A scrap of fabric was half-tucked beneath a fallen rock. Jasmine reached out with trembling hands and pulled it free.

    Part of a shirt.

    Xaden��s shirt.

    Behind her, Marro stepped into the cave. "He was right there," he said, pointing to the spot. "I... I left him right there."

    Jasmine stared at the blood, the fabric, the faint indentations of where a body oncey.

    But there were footprints too. Large ones. Several of them, headed out of the cave and into the forest.

    They��d taken him.

    Her stomach churned. "Someone found him," she said through clenched teeth. "They took him."

    "But he couldn��t walk. He was barely breathing."

    Jasmine��s eyes burned. She gripped the shirt scrap tightly in her fist. "Then they carried him. Because they didn��t want him dead."

    Kire waited outside, pacing. Jasmine emerged from the cave, her skin mmy, her heart thundering. Kire sniffed the air and began tracking, nose low to the ground.

    "Can you follow them?" she asked.

    But after only a few steps, Kire froze. He let out a frustrated huff and circled back. He sniffed again, deeper, more intently. Then he snorted and growled softly.

    The trail was gone.

    "What is it?" Jasmine asked, though she knew.

    Someone had masked the trail. Covered it with herbs, false scents, mud, clever. Calcted. Ruthless.

    It was the monster��s called hunter��s. Her senses told her.

    "We��re toote," she muttered. "They��ve covered their tracks."

    Marro came to stand beside her. His face was pale and drawn, his mouth trembling.

    "What do we do now?"

    Jasmine looked down at him, this child who had lost everything, and yet still stood tall.

    "We find them," she said. "We keep going until we do."

    His lip wobbled, but he nodded. "Okay."

    Kire sniffed the wind again, then let out a low chuff and turned westward, toward a new path. He hadn��t found a scent��but something had caught his instinct.

    Jasmine helped Marro onto his back, then climbed on behind. She clutched the bloodied cloth in one hand and wrapped her other arm around Marro, steadying him.

    The forest darkened as they rode.

    But Jasmine��s resolve burned brighter.

    She would not stop.

    Not until she found him.

    Not until she brought him home.

 Chapter 450: ANNA’S SHOCK

    <h4>Chapter 450: ANNA��S SHOCK</h4>

    The sun had barely passed its peak when the sweet hum of wine-soakedughter spilled out from the pack house courtyard. Anna, draped in a crimson shawl too fine for the asion, lounged beneath the awning like a queen disced from her throne, nked by Lily, Lisa, and two other girls whose smiles were far too sharp to be friendly and far too eager to please.

    "I say we raise a toast," Anna purred, her voice thick with venomous honey as she lifted her ss. "To Jasmine finally being gone��and hopefully for good this time."

    The girls erupted in delighted giggles, their bracelets clinking like wind chimes as they raised their sses. The wine in their cups was deep and red, glinting in the light like spilled secrets.

    "Do you think she actually ran after him?" Lily asked, her nose wrinkling as she tried��and failed��to stifle a snort. "How desperate can you be?"

    "Desperate and stupid," Anna said with a dramatic sigh, brushing imaginary dust from her sleeve. "Honestly, I��m surprised she didn��t throw herself at his feet sooner. She always did cling like a leech."

    "She��s pregnant," one of the girls whispered, voice uncertain.

    Anna scoffed. "Probably faked that too. Wouldn��t be the first time a girl tried to trap an Alpha with a story and a swollen belly."

    Lisa raised an eyebrow. "Well, he did choose her��"

    Anna rolled her eyes and cut her off with a sharp wave. "Only because he was bewitched. Love spell, charm��call it whatever you want. It was never real. And now? He��s gone, she��s gone. Maybe the Goddess finally answered our prayers."

    Theirughter rose again��cruel, shrill,ced with wine and bitterness. They didn��t notice the way their words carried beyond the hedges, or how their joy curdled the air like spoiled milk.

    Just around the corner, Nanny Nia and Fiona were walking by, heading toward the healer��s den with an offering bowl in Nia��s hands. She had been whispering fervent prayers to the Moon Goddess, pleading for Jasmine��s safety, for strength to be sent to the girl who had already lost too much.

    But then theughter hit her.

    It cut through her quiet prayers like a knife.

    She stopped.

    Her fingers clenched around the offering bowl, knuckles whitening. The breath in her chest caught like thorns.

    Beside her, Fiona stiffened. Her expression darkened.

    Nanny Nia turned slowly toward the courtyard, her steps measured, each one burning with purpose.

    "Did I just hear what I think I heard?" Her voice was soft��but it cracked like thunder.

    The girls froze, mid-sip and mid-smirk, their faces shing with surprise and a flicker of unease.

    Anna, ever bold, turned with a bored expression. "And what if we are?"

    "You��re celebrating Jasmine being gone?" Nia asked, stepping forward. Her tone was calm, but her eyes zed like wildfire. "Celebrating a woman who might be dead, who is carrying the Alpha��s child?"

    "She was never one of us," Anna said coldly. "You know it. She never belonged here. She came into our pack like a stray, tail tucked, acting like the Moon herself had chosen her."

    "You vile child," Nanny Nia spat, her voice trembling with fury. "She gave everything for this pack. She gave her heart, her strength, her loyalty��and she is carrying the future of this bloodline. And you, Xaden��s own sister, dare speak like this?"

    Anna stood, wine ss dangling from her fingers. "Oh, I have a heart," she said, voice sharp as a de. "Just not one that bleeds for traitors."

    "You should watch your words," Fiona cut in, stepping forward, her voice like a de sliding from its sheath.

    Anna smirked. "Careful, Fiona. You��re starting to sound like you cared about her."

    Fiona��s gaze was steady. "I do care. And I care more about the truth than the venom you spit just to feel important."

    Anna bristled, jaw clenching. "You think you know everything��"

    "But I do know this," Fiona said, voice low, dangerous. "You��re not just jealous of Jasmine. You��re obsessed with tearing her down because you know, deep down, you��ll never be her."

    Gasps echoed around the courtyard, the wordsnding like punches.

    Anna��s face twisted. "She��s gone. And she��s noting back. Xaden won��te back for her. He��lle back and see her for what she really is��"

    Fiona��sugh cut her off. It was soft, pitying. "Do you really think Jasmine��s absence makes you any more worthy in his eyes?"

    "She��s nothing," Anna snapped. "Nothing but a mistake."

    Fiona tilted her head. "Then why are you still so desperate to erase her?"

    Silence.

    Then, Fiona took a step closer, her voice softening to something almost tender��almost cruel in its rity. "Do you want to know why Erik will never be your mate, Anna?"

    Anna blinked.

    Fiona leaned in, her voice barely above a whisper. "Because Erik is in love with me."

    The ss slipped from Anna��s fingers.

    It shattered, a perfect echo of herposure cracking. Crimson wine spilled across the tiles, creeping like blood across the stone.

    The courtyard fell into stunned stillness.

    Lisa��s mouth parted in shock. Lily paled. The two nameless girls stepped back, suddenly very interested in anything but the confrontation unraveling before them.

    Anna��s voice, when it came, was fragile and thin. "You��re lying."

    "I��m not," Fiona said simply. "He loves me. And you can keep telling yourself he doesn��t. But the truth won��t change. There will never be an Erik and Anna. Not as long as I��m breathing."

    Anna��s lips parted to reply, but no words came.

    And Fiona didn��t wait.

    She turned, took Nanny Nia��s hand in hers, and walked away with the grace of a storm just passing. Nia looked over her shoulder once��just once��and the fire in her eyes promised that the Goddess heard everything.

    The girls were left standing in the wreckage of their own cruelty, ss glittering like broken promises at their feet.

    Anna didn��t speak.

    Couldn��t.

    Because for the first time, she realized she wasn��t feared. She wasn��t envied.

    She was alone.

    And Jasmine... Jasmine still held power.

 Chapter 451: ANNA’S SPIRAL

    <h4>Chapter 451: ANNA��S SPIRAL</h4>

    The shattered wine ss stilly on the stone tiles, its crimson contents drying like spilled blood in the afternoon sun. The other girls had scattered not long after Fiona and Nanny Nia��s dramatic departure, theirughter swallowed by a stunned silence. Now only Anna remained, standing amid the wreckage like a toppled queen.

    She didn��t move. Couldn��t.

    Erik is in love with me.

    The words echoed relentlessly, stabbing through the walls of arrogance she��d built around her pride. Her fingers trembled as she clenched the edge of the table for support. No one had ever spoken to her like that before��not Fiona, not anyone. And certainly not in front of others.

    Lisa had tried to speak to her before leaving, offering a half-hearted, "Are you okay?" but Anna had waved her off with a stiff shake of her head.

    Now, alone with the wreckage of her illusion, Anna felt it��the cracks in her armor. The vulnerability she had refused to acknowledge.

    Fiona��s face swam before her mind��s eye. So calm. So confident. So certain.

    She had no right. No right to steal Erik. No right to humiliate her.

    Anna stormed back into the house, footsteps heavy and uneven. She mmed the door of her room behind her and stood in the middle of the floor, breathing hard, fists balled at her sides.

    The mirror above her vanity caught her reflection.

    Tears burned in her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. Instead, she gritted her teeth and stared herself down.

    "She��s lying," she whispered. "She has to be."

    But the winess hadn��t shattered on a lie. Fiona��s voice hadn��t trembled with uncertainty.

    And Erik... he��d been distant. Cold even. Ever since Jasmine arrived, ever since everything began unraveling, Anna had felt her grip loosening. First her brother, then Erik. Now even the girls who once followed herughter were starting to doubt her.

    She kicked the vanity stool with a snarl. It skidded across the room and mmed into the wall.

    Jasmine. This was all Jasmine��s fault.

    The girl had slithered her way into Xaden��s life, into his heart. She had bewitched him, distracted him, weakened him. And now, he was missing, bleeding in some ditch or dead in some forest��and Anna was left behind, powerless.

    It had always been that way. No matter what she did, someone else got what she wanted.

    She was the Alpha��s sister, and yet no one listened to her. She had warned them about Jasmine from the beginning, but everyone thought she was jealous.

    Jealous. As though that flimsy girl was worth envying.

    "I��m not jealous," Anna growled at the mirror. "I��m not."

    But the reflection staring back at her said otherwise��messy hair, red-rimmed eyes, lips trembling.

    She backed away, shaking her head, and sat down heavily on the bed.

    The silence was deafening.

    Memories began to stir. Erik helping Fiona down from her horse after training. The quiet looks they shared when they thought no one was watching. The way Erik always went still whenever Fiona entered a room, as though he couldn��t help it.

    It had always been there, she realized.

    She had just refused to see it.

    A sob wed up her throat and escaped before she could choke it down.

    This wasn��t how it was supposed to be. She was supposed to be the one everyone looked up to. She was supposed to be the one Erik admired. The one her brother trusted. The one who stood tall at his side when he returned to the pack in glory.

    But now Jasmine had vanished into the woods with Kire, Erik was off ying hero, and Fiona��the soft-spoken, doe-eyed Fiona��had exposed her for all to see.

    And the worst part?

    No one hade to her defense.

    Not Lisa. Not Lily. Not even her own brother, because he was gone.

    She dug her nails into her palms, squeezing until it hurt, as if pain could anchor her. Her chest heaved, fury and shame a wildfire beneath her skin. She had always been proud, always calcted��but today, Fiona had unraveled her in one sentence.

    "I won��t be cast aside," she whispered. "I won��t."

    Her mind raced, wing for a n, something��anything��that would put her back on top.

    Then a seed of thought rooted itself in the chaos.

    If Jasmine didn��t return...

    If Xaden never made it back...

    What then?

    She could be something more. If her brother never returned, the pack would need leadership. They would need someone strong. Someone who understood power. Someone with blood ties.

    She would be that someone.

    And Erik��he woulde around. He had to. Fiona was a distraction. A passing weakness. Once Jasmine was truly gone, and Fiona was dealt with...

    Anna��s face twisted into a cruel smile as she stood again.

    The pain hadn��t passed, but something had settled over her heart��a bitter frost, cold and clear.

    She walked to the vanity, fixing her hair slowly, methodically. Her hands still trembled, but she forced herself to calm. To breathe. She painted her lips in the same crimson as her shawl and looked herself in the mirror once more.

    The woman staring back wasn��t crying anymore.

    Anna turned and opened the drawer beside her bed. Hidden beneath a folded cloak was a thin, silver chain��delicate and sharp.

    A memory clung to it. A whisper from Uther, her uncle, when he had first shown it to her. "If you ever need to remind them who you are."

    She slid it into her pocket, just in case.

    Outside, the sun dipped lower, casting long shadows across the pack house. A chill crept into the halls.

    Anna stepped out of her room, her gaze sharp and cold.

    Let them whisper. Let them doubt.

    She would remind them all why the blood of Alphas ran in her veins.

    And even if that bitch Jasmine dared return to this pack?

    She��d make sure the girl regretted ever stepping foot into this pack.

    Dying outside would be better than what she would have to face.

 Chapter 452: COHORTS

    <h4>Chapter 452: COHORTS</h4>

    The air inside the healer��s hut was thick with the scent of crushed herbs and old magic. Flickering candlelight danced across the wooden walls, casting soft shadows as Nanny Nia stood over the altar, her fingers tracing the lines of an ancient symbol etched into the wood. Fiona sat nearby, clutching a steaming mug between her palms, her face drawn and tense.

    "She��s not safe," Nanny Nia murmured, more to herself than to Fiona. "Not out there. Not with Xaden missing and that wretched Alpha Hunter involved."

    Fiona leaned forward. "We have to do something. We can��t just sit here hoping Erik finds her in time."

    Nia turned sharply. "I��m not sitting. I��m thinking. There��s more at y than just Jasmine being gone. The energy in the air, the way Anna and her friends were celebrating��as if they knew something."

    Fiona nodded grimly. "They��re up to something. Lisa and Lily have been sneaking around, whispering at odd hours. I wouldn��t be surprised if they knew more about what happened to Rudy than they let on."

    Nia��s lips tightened. "Then we need to act before they get another chance. Jasmine��s already risked everything to go after Xaden. We must ensure there��s a pack for her to return to."

    Fiona stood. "What��s your n?"

    The old woman turned to her, eyes burning with quiet fire. "Expose them. Not just Anna, but all of them. Whatever they��re hiding, we bring it into the light. Anna thinks she��s clever, but she��s reckless. If we press the right ces, she��ll unravel."

    Fiona stepped closer, her voice low. "I can do it. Get close. Pretend to forgive her. She already let her guard down once."

    Nia gave her a sharp look. "You sure about that?"

    "I can stomach it if it means protecting Jasmine. She��s my sister in every way that matters."

    Nia��s expression softened. "Good. Then we��ll start tonight."

    That evening, the pack house buzzed with quiet tension. With Erik gone, the energy had shifted. Damian, now acting Alpha, kept a watchful eye, but whispers flowed like poison through the halls.

    Fiona reentered the courtyard where Anna was once again lounging, her ss refilled and her smirk returned. Lisa sat beside her, quieter than usual, while Lily kept ncing over her shoulder.

    "Anna," Fiona called smoothly, catching the girl mid-sip.

    Anna stiffened, clearly unsure of Fiona��s intentions. "Come to gloat?"

    Fiona shook her head, wearing a carefully constructed mask of peace. "No. I came to talk."

    Anna narrowed her eyes. "About what? How Erik��s madly in love with you?"

    Fiona ignored the jab and stepped closer. "Look. We��ve both said things we regret. I don��t want bad blood between us��especially not now. The pack needs unity."

    Lisa and Lily exchanged surprised nces. Anna didn��t respond, her face hard to read.

    Fiona pressed on. "We��re stronger together. And honestly, I could use your help."

    Anna blinked. "My help?"

    "I want to make sure Jasmine doesn��t return and cause more problems. You and I... we both know she��s a threat to the pack."

    Nia had taught her well. Learn theirnguage. Feed their delusions.

    Anna��s mouth curved. "Now you��re talking sense."

    Back in the healer��s den, Nia watched the moon rise through the open shutters. Beside her, she��d arranged several talismans��each one representing a piece of the pack��s spiritual strength.

    She whispered a blessing over them, fingers dancing with precision.

    "Let the truth surface," she said to the stars, "let the Goddess reveal what shadows hide."

    By morning, Fiona had what she needed.

    Anna had spoken freely over more wine��careless, overconfident.

    "She��s noting back," she hadughed, swirling her ss. "Even if she does, it won��t matter. Not after what we��ve done."

    Fiona had kept her face neutral, heart pounding.

    She returned to Nia with a whisper of triumph. "They did something. I don��t know what yet. But it��s serious."

    Nia didn��t smile. She only nodded. "Then it��s time to watch them closer."

    The next step came in whispers. Nanny Nia called on old allies��those in the pack loyal to truth and bnce. Quietly, she asked them to report on Anna��sings and goings. To watch the kitchens, the stables, the woods. To listen.

    Then came the harder part.

    Confronting Uther.

    Nanny Nia found him in the training yard, overseeing drills. The sun caught his graying hair and the shine of his sword hilt. He looked every bit the warrior he once was��but there was rot beneath that surface, and Nia could smell it.

    "Uther," she said, her tone polite but firm.

    He turned, eyes narrowing slightly. "Nia. What is it?"

    "I need a word."

    He nodded, dismissing the warriors and following her to the shadow of the sparring pavilion.

    She didn��t waste time. "You��ve been whispering with strangers in the woods. You��ve been meeting with people Erik doesn��t know."

    Uther��s expression didn��t change. "I don��t answer to you, Nanny."

    "No," she agreed. "But you will answer to the Goddess. If your hands are dirty in whatever coup ising, She will not be kind."

    His jaw twitched. "You��re meddling in things you don��t understand."

    "I understand treason," she snapped. "And I understand fear. Jasmine��s gone, Xaden��s missing, and you��who should be helping��are plotting."

    His silence was answer enough.

    "I suggest you tread lightly, Uther," she finished. "Because when Jasmine returns, and she will, she��ll bring fire with her."

    That night, Fiona crept into the eastern wing of the pack house. Lisa had gone into the storage room earlier, and hadn��te out for some time. Fiona waited until the hallway was quiet before slipping through the door.

    Inside, the room smelled of dust and dried roots. But something else, too��something metallic.

    She moved toward arge trunk and opened it.

    Inside was a bundle wrapped in cloth. When she peeled it back, she saw bloodstained leather��clothing. Not Jasmine��s. Not Erik��s. Someone else��s.

    She recognized it.

    It was Rudy��s.

    Heart hammering, she stepped back.

    They��d hidden the evidence. Why?

    Fiona didn��t stop to ask. She rewrapped the bundle and carried it straight to Nia.

    By dawn, they had the beginnings of a case. Rudy��s death wasn��t a suicide. It was a cover-up.

    And now they had a link to Anna��s circle.

    Nia ced the bundle on her altar and whispered an oath.

    "The Goddess sees you, child. May Her light guide us to justice."

    Fiona stood beside her, eyes zing.

    "We��re not stopping."

    "No," Nia said, voice fierce. "We��re just beginning."

 Chapter 453: DISGUISE

    <h4>Chapter 453: DISGUISE</h4>

    Jasmine gently touched Marro��s hair as he slept on Kire��s body.

    It had taken a while for Kire to allow Marro sleep on him but eventually he had agreed.

    Kire has caught a rabbit and Jasmine had been able to roast it and they had eaten it for dinner

    She sighed weakly.

    She still couldn��t believe this little boy had lost his entire family just because he had wanted to save Xaden.

    His mother, father, brother... she bit her bottom lip.

    He was all alone.

    At least she had not grown up with love.

    He had seen a family who she could tell loved him and watched it snatched away from him.

    Once this was over, she was going to speak to Xaden and they would take him along.

    There was no way they could abandon him after everything he had gone through for their sake.

    Jasmine heard a loud howl and she felt a kick in her tummy.

    Her baby knew that Xaden was still alive.

    If he was dead she would know.

    Her baby too would know.

    She knew what to do tomorrow.

    Very early the next morning she was up before Marro was up, she was already ready to leave.

    She had her coat and hood on.

    She turned and saw Marro wide eyed looking at her.

    "Where are you going?" He asked.

    "Goddess." She gasped. "I thought you were asleep."

    She took in a deep breath.

    "I��m going back to your pack." She said.

    His face fell instantly.

    "No you can��t do that." He expressed. "They will kill you."

    "They don��t know who I am." Jasmine said wisely. "And I don��t have a scent. I can tell them that I��m a pregnant traveler who is visiting my mother in the next pack. You said that Xaden told you to send them word and they were his allies right?"

    Marro still seemed skeptical but he nodded his head.

    "Good. Once they let me go, I��ll find my way there and get help. Perhaps before I do I might have heard a few gossips whether this Alpha hunter has taken captive."

    "I��ll go with you." Marro said after much thought.

    "No you can��t." She expressed. "If they catch you we are both dead. I can��t let anything happen to you."

    Then she turned to Kire who was already progressing towards her. "You too."

    Kire looked taken aback.

    "You need to stay behind and watch him." Jasmine advised. "You have to make sure nothing happens to him. And if I don��te back by dusk, then you take him and run back to our pack."

    Kire howled in protest.

    "Shhh." She chastised him gently. "You��re going to get us all killed."

    He looked very offended, so she squatted and cupped his face. "I know you want to protect me. But I promise you this is how you protect me."

    "I can protect myself." Marro said.

    "No you can��t." Jasmine argued back. "If anything happens to you I won��t forgive myself."

    "I don��t want you to die." Marro said tears filled with his eyes.

    Jasmine was touched.

    She had just met him and yet he had be attached and was worried for her safety.

    She went to him and kissed his head.

    "I won��t die." She assured him.

    Even though she didn��t know how true that was.

    "You are a very strong boy. I��ve never met anyone like you." She said. "Keep your strength and I want you to hide with Kire. He will protect you with his life. If I don��te to me by dusk then he will take you back to my pack where you can tell them what happened."

    "If." Marro said widely.

    Jasmineughed a heartyugh.

    How could someone who had witnessed such horrors still be so positive.

    "Yes if." She said.

    And then she rose up to her feet and gently rubbed his neat scalp.

    "Make sure you both remain hiding. Don��t try anything. I would be back before you know it." She said. "Just point me the way to the pack."

    He did and then she waved them goodbye before heading off on her journey.

    She walked on for a good one hour and was grateful that Nanny Nia had insisted she take walks and exercises during her pregnancy.

    She would have probably fainted by now.

    She was drinking from her water gourd for thest time and realized that water had finished.

    She looked up and saw that the market was already in view.

    Excited, she hurried her way in.

    It was filled with different people and she could feel the tension in the air.

    There were guards all over.

    She went past the fruit sellers and blended as if she was used to the busy schedule.

    She picked at some apples as if she was observing which was best.

    Then she cunningly asked thedy standing by the fruits. "What��s happening?"

    Thedy who was probably in her early thirties, lucky enough for Jasmine, was a gossip.

    "You didn��t hear?" The woman asked. "Beta Rodrick and his entire family were killed because they were harboring enemies of alpha hunter."

    "That��s....." jasmine didn��t know if it to support or oppose the killings in case the woman was a supporter.

    But the woman hadn��t noticed and she continued gossiping in low tones. "So horrible. But they said the youngest one Marro is missing you can imagine how scared he is."

    "This enemy that they were harboring did they find him?" Jasmine coyly asked as she looked at an unripe mango and picked up a coconut.

    "I don��t know." The woman shrugged. "But Alpha hunter now seemsid back. He isn��t looking for him anymore so I think maybe they have."

    Jasmine felt her throat go sour.

    That meant Xaden had been captured.

    "And where does Alpha hunter stay?" Jasmine asked.

    "In the pack house where else." The woman said and put her hands on her waist. "Are you new here? Why are you asking all these questions."

    "Nothing." Jasmine said a bit too quickly. "I was just traveling by. On my way to see my mother in the next pack."

    The woman looked at her, her eyes narrowed.

    Jasmine took that as her hint to leave.

    "Thank you." She said quickly.

    She hastily turned around to leave and bumped into a very hard surface.

    She looked up and saw that it was a giant man with the meanest face looking down at her.

    "Where do you think you are going?" He asked her.

 Chapter 454: TAKEN TO ALPHA HUNTER

    <h4>Chapter 454: TAKEN TO ALPHA HUNTER</h4>

    Jasmine tried to go around the man but then she bumped into another guard and then she took a step back.

    She looked behind and saw that there were other guards approaching.

    She turned to her left and right.

    The same and then she knew she was trapped.

    Her entire being trembled.

    A man much smaller than the others but tall nheless approached her.

    He had an ugly scar oh his face.

    And before he was even inches away from her, she could perceive Xaden��s scent on him.

    He hade in contact with Xaden

    She gritted her teeth and tried her best topose herself.

    He shined his brown teeth, walked up to her before cupping her jaw with his hand and forcing her to look up at him.

    "Hello pretty." He said eyeing her and then gently using his finger to trail her neckline.

    Jasmine tried to drag her face away but he caught her back and dug his nails inside her jaw.

    She tried to suppress the pain.

    "What a fine and feisty thing." He salivated. "You��re a new face here. Haven��t seen you before."

    Jasmine said nothing in response.

    He pushed her face away.

    Then he turned to the woman Jasmine had been discussing with.

    He pointed a knife at her. "Have you seen her other than here before?"

    The woman rose her hands up and hastily shook her head.

    He turned to see a man standing in his stall.

    "Have you seen her before?" He asked, now pointing his dagger at the man.

    The man shook his head in terror.

    "There you see, no one has seen you before." The terrible said now looking back at Jasmine.

    "I��m from the West Bank pack." Jasmine said. "I��m traveling down to see my mother in the next pack."

    "A beauty like you? Simply traveling? On your own?" He asked. "I find that hard to believe."

    "Well you better do." She said. "I have no reason to lie."

    "Of course you don��t." He smiled. "And yet unfortunately, I don��t believe you. I��ll like a piece of you. It isn��t right for such a beautiful woman like you to be traveling alone."

    And then he put his finger through her fire curls and twirled it in between his fingers.

    "Such beauty." He whispered.

    She swallowed hard and in disgust.

    His hands were about to touch her bosom when she heard footsteps.

    The gathering crowd departed and about Five men appeared.

    "Leviathan." A young man with brown hair said distracting the ugly man before me who I now knew as Leviathan.

    "Go away I��m busy." Leviathan said refusing to take his eyes off me.

    "Let her go Leviathan." The man said once he stopped short. "Alpha Hunter wants to see her."

    Jasmine felt her heart stop.

    Alpha hunter wanted to see her? Why?

    "And you don��t want to answer to him personally. You know what he can do to you for disobeying." The man said folding his arms.

    Leviathan pulled a frown and then withdrew.

    Jasmine breathed a sigh of relief.

    "I��ll take her to him myself." Leviathan said as he grabbed Jasmine��s arm. "Can��t let you have all the fun and take my credit. I��ll take this bonus."

    "Then by all means be my guest. But I will escort you." The man said stepping aside to let him pass.

    Leviathan dragged my arm along, forcing me to walking with him.

    She had no choice but to follow.

    After a ten minutes walk, we were at the doors of what looked like a massive house with four floors.

    It wasn��t as grand as Xaden��s pack house or the one in my home pack, but she could easily tell it belonged to the Alpha.

    As they passed she could feel the various eyes staring at me, trying to catch a glimpse.

    The massive doors were opened and she was nudged ahead.

    She tried her best not to stumble because my feet burned and she was also extremely thirsty.

    We walked down arge hallway and there were more people inside.

    There was an absolute silence the moment she stepped in.

    As she walked down the hallway, my mind went to Xaden and she began to worry if he was fine.

    Wondering what conditions they were keeping in.

    She was so deep in thought that she had no idea when she had reached my stop.

    She was forced to a stop and pushed down to the floor on her knees.

    "Kneel before the Alpha." Leviathan said with such aggressiveness.

    Jasmine remained on her knees and looked up to see the man who was seated in the Alpha seat.

    He was a buff man, and surprisingly not ugly.

    He had ginger hair and he looked friendly.

    Not the terrorist that she had expected.

    "Don��t look at him and great your master you whore!" Leviathan said as he pped her.

    Jasmine gasped and her face turned to the left cheeks.

    She tasted blood her mouth.

    "Leviathan is that how we treat our guests?" The man said.

    "My apologies I was only trying to teach her manners my lord." Leviathan said.

    The man rose up from his chair, she knew because she heard the way his shoe bnced on the floorboards even though she was looking down.

    "We are not savages." The man said. "And we can��t handle she wolves in such a manner. You would have to apologize."

    Leviathan sounded like he was going to faint.

    Jasmine didn��t understand.

    Was this the Alpha hunter?

    Wasn��t he a monster?

    Why was he acting this way?

    What was e be n happening?

    She heard his steps progress towards her and she trembled.

    Then she felt his hands touch her chin and gently pull her face up.

    She was forced to look at him and she saw that he was truly not bad looking.

    And yet there was something about him that warned her off.

    Told her he was dangerous.

    "Especially since this one is with child." He said shocking everyone, Jasmine Included.

 Chapter 455: PREGNANT WITH PUP

    <h4>Chapter 455: PREGNANT WITH PUP</h4>

    The silence in the room stretched long and sharp, like the edge of a de.

    Jasmine��s breath caught in her throat. Her heart thudded so loud it echoed in her ears. Every muscle in her body clenched at his words.

    He knew.

    He knew she was pregnant.

    How did he even know?

    Her stomach was still well concealed in her cloak and even if you took off her cloak you still wouldn��t easily see it from her dress.

    The Alpha��s hand still held her chin, gently, almost reverently, but the look in his eyes was anything but soft.

    It was sharp. Calcting. Like he had just unearthed something far more valuable than he had expected.

    "Yes a child," he repeated in a quiet voice, though everyone could hear. "Not many would��ve noticed. But I��ve been around enough wolves and carried enough secrets to recognize one when I see it.

    Jasmine swallowed the rising lump in her throat. She was exposed.

    Vulnerable. Cornered in a stranger��s den, surrounded by guards, with no one to protect her.

    And worse, now she was no longer just a potential threat, she was leverage.

    "If you had taken your time to be more gently Leviathan, you would have known." He said.

    Leviathan stepped forward, stammering. "I... I didn��t know, my lord. She never said anything."

    The Alpha��s eyes never left hers. "Of course she didn��t. She is smarter than that." He turned slightly, still crouched in front of Jasmine, and said without even ncing back. "Leave us. All of you."

    A pause.

    No one moved.

    "Now."

    Chairs scraped back. Footsteps shuffled. Leviathan lingered for a breath too long until the Alpha shot him a look that made even that brute flinch and retreat like a scolded pup.

    Then it was just the two of them.

    And the silence.

    Jasmine felt a tremor in her fingers. Her body wanted to run, but there was nowhere to go.

    Why did he want to be alone with her?

    What did he want from her?

    So many scenarios why was racing through her mind.

    He finally let go of her chin and stood, giving her space, but not freedom.

    He walked back towards his seat and said. "You may rise."

    Before he sat down.

    Jasmine was still dumbfounded and unsure how to ask.

    Then he gently motioned his hand for her rise and she finally did.

    "My men said you are from the West Bank Pack. It was a lie." he said inly.

    Jasmine stared up at him, forcing steel into her voice. "I never said I was."

    "You did," he smiled faintly. "Just not directly. You said you were traveling through. Seeing your mother. You gave just enough detail to sound usible, but not enough to be true. What are you traveling through this woods for?"

    "My pregnancy." She said. "I��m staying with my mother to give birth."

    He rose a brow. "And your mate?"

    "I don��t have a mate." She said. That part was not a lie. Then she chipped in. "Not anymore. He died a few months back in a raid. My motor is the only family I have."

    "How sad." He said with a shake of his head. "I can��t imagine the agony yoy must be going through."

    Jasmine rubbed her arms in anxiety.

    "I don��t know who you are," he said. "Not yet. But I can smell loyalty on you. Something about the way you moved through the market, the way your eyes watched the guards. We are having issues here and there so you would have to forgive me for how my wolves reacted to you."

    "I��ll send you off on your way." He said. Jasmine couldn��t believe her luck until he added. "If you tell me who the Alpha of the West Bank pack is."

    Jasmine froze.

    "Your mother lives there." He said wisely. "There is no way you don��t know who the Alpha is. So tell me."

    Jasmine felt her chest tighten.

    She had no idea who he was.

    The silence hung in the air and Jasmine knew she was made.

    He walked to a nearby table and poured himself a drink. "You��re here for Xaden aren��t you?"

    Jasmine felt a stab in her throat.

    She said nothing.

    He didn��t press. "Doesn��t matter," he said after a sip. "I can see it in your eyes. You came for him."

    She knew there was no point in arguing.

    No point in lying anymore.

    He was too smart for that.

    Jasmine��s hands clenched into fists by her sides. "Where is he?"

    The Alpha turned to face her. "Alive. For now."

    That "for now" sat heavy in her chest.

    "I didn��t have him killed," he added with a lift of his brow. "Not because I��m merciful. But because I��ve been waiting for you."

    Her blood ran cold.

    "What?"

    "I thought maybe I��d catch a spy. Or a traitor. But instead, I got you." He tilted his head. "And you... you are something else entirely."

    He approached again, slower this time, more careful. Like a hunter circling prey he wasn��t sure how dangerous it was yet.

    "There��s power in you," he said, studying her face. "Old power. I haven��t felt it in years. And now you show up here, carrying a child... right when everything begins to fall apart."

    Jasmine��s breath was shallow.

    She had no idea what the devil he meant by old power.

    He definitely had her mistaken for someone else.

    "You want Xaden?" he asked.

    She nodded once, despite the dread coiling in her gut.

    "Then here��s the deal." He stepped so close she could feel the heat from his body. "You will stay here. You will be my guest. You will rest, eat, bathe. And you will not try to escape. In return, I will not harm you or your child. And maybe, just maybe, I will let you see him."

    Jasmine stared at him in disbelief. "And if I refuse?"

    He smiled, but it didn��t reach his eyes. "Then I��ll send your pretty head back to your pack in a basket. After I make sure you give birth."

    Her stomach twisted.

    "You think you��re brave, and you might be," he said softly. "But you��re in my territory now. You��ll learn quickly that nothing happens here without my permission."

    Then he stepped back and pped twice. The doors opened instantly.

    "Take her to the south wing," he ordered. "Make sure she��sfortable. And watched."

    Jasmine didn��t move.

    "Oh," he added, ncing over his shoulder. "And Jasmine... if you try to run... I��ll find that boy you��re hiding."

    Her heart stopped.

    He knew.

    She turned pale as the guards approached. She didn��t resist, couldn��t. Her legs moved on their own as they led her away.

    Because now, she wasn��t just trying to save Xaden.

    She was trying to protect everyone.

 Chapter 456: ENEMY WITHIN

    <h4>Chapter 456: ENEMY WITHIN</h4>

    Leviathan stood at the edge of the clearing, his jaw clenched tight as he watched Jasmine being escorted away by Alpha Hunter��s men.

    She moved slowly, cautiously, wrapped in her cloak like a ghost drifting between guards. No chains. No bruises. No rough hands.

    He scoffed.

    What a joke.

    She was supposed to be a prisoner, not a guest. And yet there she was, treated like some precious relic. Not even a p across the face. Not even a damn cor.

    He wanted to spit.

    What made her so special?

    He��d seen better wolves chained and dragged for less. He��d brought her in, after all. He��d tracked her scent. It should��ve been his glory. His prize.

    And yet the Alpha barely acknowledged him. Spoke to him like a nuisance.

    The stupid whore was supposed to be shared amongst the men.

    He was supposed to have his fill before he was done and handed her out to others.

    Not that she would be treated like a Queen.

    A low growl rumbled in his throat.

    Fine.

    If they wanted to treat her like royalty, then let them.

    But he wasn��t going to sit and watch it happen.

    From the shadowed edge of the treeline, Leviathan whistled low and sharp. Momentster, arge owl swooped down from a nearby perch, its eyes shining gold in the fading light.

    Leviathan tied a message to its leg with practiced hands, sealing it with his own crimson wax.

    "Fly fast."

    The owl took off silently, disappearing into the darkening sky.

    Let them coddle their precious little princess. He would make sure she was dealt with the proper way��through betrayal, lies, and blood.

    He watched until the owl vanished into the horizon, his expression darkening.

    "You��ll wish you were chained when I��m through with you," he muttered under his breath. "You��re not walking out of this, girl. Not this time."

    ~~~~~~~

    Deep beneath the marble halls of the North Citadel, a fire roared in a hearth carved with ancient runes.

    Uther stood by the mes, the scroll from Leviathan in his hand. He read it twice. Then a third time.

    He smiled.

    "Perfect," he murmured.

    Who could have known that goddess would be by his side?

    Why was fate so good?

    Jasmine captured?

    This was too rich!

    He was grateful that he had retained his ties with the savages now look how it hade to his advantage.

    And Xaden....

    Well the bastard was still missing and nowhere to be found.

    That was what the letter said.

    He walked to the far wall and knocked once��hard.

    A panel slid open, revealing a secret corridor lit with violetnterns.

    He entered without hesitation and descended the spiral steps until he reached a small, circr chamber filled with sweet smoke and serpent symbols.

    A woman stood at the center, cloaked in crimson, her dark hair pinned in a crown of ss.

    Princess Cherry

    And thest woman in the realm one would ever wish to disturb.

    Her eyes snapped to him as he stepped forward.

    "Do you value your tongue, Uther?" she asked in a voice that was all sugar and des. "Because disturbing me without cause is how men lose it. I have so much dealing with for you to add to any nonsense."

    She wasn��t really here as usual.

    Just a sort of spirit of hers that she used to travel across.

    Uther bowed slightly. "I bring good news. Of Jasmine."

    At that, her interest piqued.

    Her fingers paused mid-incantation, and she turned fully to him. "Jasmine? That little whore and my favorite grand niece."

    "More than that," Uther said. "She��s been captured."

    Princess Chery smiled, wicked and slow. "Oh... well done....."

    And then she chucked.

    A soft chuckle that said she was delighted. "By Who?"

    "Alpha Hunter," Uther replied. "He has her in his pack."

    "Well, it��s about damn time someone did something useful." Chery stepped closer, her heels clicking against the stone floor. "I assume she��s been... handled?"

    Uther��s lips twitched. "Not quite."

    She narrowed her eyes. "Exin."

    "She��s not harmed," he said carefully. "Not even chained. Apparently... she��s pregnant."

    The smile died.

    "What?????"

    Uther held up the letter, letting her see it for herself. "With Xaden��s child."

    Chery��s expression twisted into revulsion. "You mean to tell me that slut managed to wrap her legs around him before we could end her?"

    "It appears so."

    "And you didn��t fucking know this?" She demanded of him.

    Of course he knew.

    But he had been so busy pursuing his interests that he hadn��t told her.

    "I didn��t." He lied.

    Cherry would kill him if she knew he had known.

    Chery turned away, her cloak sweeping behind her like blood on the floor. "Disgusting. That girl was always more trouble than she was worth."

    "And it seems that Alpha hunter knows a thing or two about her. My source told me that he was keen on some power."

    "Power?" Chery sneered. "Please. Her power��s a stain��something buried and broken. But bloodlines... bloodlinesplicate things."

    She paced for a moment, her fingers curling and uncurling. "Killing that girl has been so fucking difficult. I��ve killed monsters. But a stupid unshifted imposter. She keeps escaping."

    "I thought the same," Uther said. "So I was thinking why don��t we try something else."

    Chery��s brow lifted. "What do you have in mind?"

    For the first time she was interested in heading his opinion.

    Uther leaned in slightly. "We frame her. Make it look like she orchestrated the kidnapping of Xaden. Turn the wolves against her. If she��s seen as a traitor... Turn Xaden against her. Since we can��t kill her. We can get rid of her."

    "They��ll kill her themselves or perhaps worse." Cherry finished, her voice purring with delight. "Much cleaner than our hands ever being caught."

    "Exactly."

    Chery tapped her long nails against her chin. "And what about Leviathan?"

    "Give him gold. Tell him Anna will pay him directly."

    At the name, Chery stilled. "Anna."

    "My niece and Xaden��s sister. Loyal. Vicious. Angry. And easily manipted. She wants Jasmine gone, perhaps more than either of us do."

    Cherry was quiet for while.

    "You��re much smarter than I thought you are Uther." Cherry said. "I stand corrected."

    "So how will you get Anna to know about all of these?" She asked him.

    "I��ll find a way." He assured her.

    "This just might work." Cherry said. "If you seed. I would make giving you this pack seamless and smooth. You would have everything you��ve ever wanted."

    Uther bowed. "You��re too kind your majesty."

    And in a puff of smoke she was gone

 Chapter 457: DINNER WITH THE DEVIL

    <h4>Chapter 457: DINNER WITH THE DEVIL</h4>

    The bedroom door shut with a final, echoing click, and Jasmine stood frozen in ce.

    The room wasvish, almost deceptively so rich velvet drapes, gold-framed mirrors, and a carved four-poster bed dressed in silks. But none of that mattered. Not the gleaming chandelier, not the scent of fresh roses wafting from a crystal vase.

    She didn��t care.

    All she saw were bars. A gilded cage was still a cage.

    She whirled around and ran to the windows, yanking the curtains open. The forest beyond glowed under the amber wash of the setting sun, but the windows wouldn��t budge.

    She pressed her hands to the cold ss, searching for locks or hinges. Nothing. It was sealed.

    Her heartbeat picked up.

    She turned back to the room and began scouring every inch. Behind the armoire, under the bed, inside the wardrobe. Nothing. No secret passage, no hidden doors.

    Only a single oak door, the one she��d been forced through, and it was locked tight from the outside.

    She clenched her fists, her breathing fast. "Think, Jasmine. Think."

    Her eyes darted to the shadows gathering outside the windows, to the wilderness beyond the ss. And then her heart dropped.

    Marro.

    She hadn��t even gotten the chance to warn him. She��d left him, left him in the forest with kire, the wolf that had followed them loyally.

    What if Alpha Hunter��s wolves found him? What if Kire couldn��t protect him alone?

    "No," she whispered, her knees buckling as she slid down to the floor. Her hands clutched her stomach. "I left him. I left him out there."

    Tears stung her eyes, and she gasped, trying to control her panic. It spiraled anyway.

    What if Marro had tried to follow her?

    What if they caught him?

    She was in such a lovely room and then she wondered how Marro was.

    She wondered what Xaden was going through, what condition he was even in.

    She felt her tummy twist.

    She wept and was so overwhelmed with exhaustion that she slept off.

    She heard a knock at the door that jolted her awake. She scrambled to her feet just as the lock clicked and the door opened. Two maids stepped inside.

    Their eyes were downcast, their expressions nk. Between them, they carried a dress. Long, emerald green silk. Fitted bodice. Embroidered in gold thread. Beautiful. And threatening.

    "Alpha Hunter requests your presence at dinner," one said softly, offering the gown forward.

    "I��m not hungry," Jasmine muttered.

    "He said to dress you regardless," the other replied. "He will not like it if you��rete."

    Jasmine stared at the gown. The way it shimmered under the candlelight made her stomach twist. She didn��t want to wear it. She didn��t want to look like one of them.

    But then her thoughts drifted to Xaden .

    She was here for him.

    Who knew what hunter would do to him.

    If she refused to cooperate, would Hunter harm him?

    One wrong misstep could ruin everything.

    She took the dress without a word.

    The maids helped her change. They brushed her hair, tightened the bodice, slipped gold bangles around her wrists. When they finished, they stepped back, silent as shadows, and opened the door for her to leave.

    The halls beyond were colder than she remembered. Long corridors with smooth stone walls and heavy tapestries muffled every footstep.

    Two guards followed her down every step of the winding staircase.

    When she reached the dining hall, she stopped in the doorway.

    There was only one long table.

    And only two chairs.

    Alpha Hunter sat at the far end, already halfway through his meal. The room was dimly lit with candles, casting flickering shadows over the dark wood and glittering silverware.

    He looked up when he saw her, a slow, assessing smile curving his lips.

    "Ah," he said. "You look... eptable. Sit."

    She didn��t move.

    "I said sit."

    Reluctantly, Jasmine stepped forward and took the seat opposite him. Her chair creaked under her slight weight.

    A te had already been set in front of her; roastedmb, potatoes zed with herbs, buttered greens. She stared at it, unmoving.

    "Something wrong?" Alpha Hunter asked, slicing into his meat with calm precision. "You should eat. For the baby."

    She was appalled at how he made such reference to the baby callously.

    She felt the need to throw him off the

    Her eyes lifted to his. "Why did you attack Xaden ?"

    There was no softness in her voice. No warmth. Just fury, held together by sheer force of will.

    Hunter didn��t pause in his meal. "Ah. Straight to the point, then."

    "I want an answer."

    "Of course you do," he said, leaning back in his chair and dabbing his mouth with a cloth napkin. "Let me exin something to you, Jasmine. I��m not the kind of Alpha who waits for opportunity. I take it. And Xaden was in my way."

    "He��s not your enemy."

    "No," Hunter said, smiling faintly. "But he has been a silent adversary for a very long time. So once I knew he was going toe around to resolve simplend disputes I had to take advantage of it."

    She clenched her jaw. "You didn��t just attack. You almost killed him."

    "That��s a matter of perspective."

    She pushed her te away. "I won��t eat."

    "Is that your final decision?" he asked, casually sipping his wine.

    "I��m not going to pretend to enjoy a meal with the man who destroyed everything."

    His eyes darkened. "You should reconsider. You��re with child. My patience only extends so far."

    "I don��t care about your patience."

    He stood then, slowly, and walked around the table to her side.

    Jasmine remained still, refusing to flinch even when he leaned close, his voice a whisper at her ear.

    "I was going to wait," he said. "But perhaps you should know, Xaden��s life hangs in the bnce. If you refuse to cooperate... he dies."

    Jasmine��s breath hitched.

    "How do I know he is alive?" She demanded.

    "You don��t." He stated matter of fact. "Whether he stays that way is solely up to you."

    She stared at her te. Her hand trembled as she picked up the fork.

    Every bite tasted like ash.

 Chapter 458: PRISONER

    <h4>Chapter 458: PRISONER</h4>

    Xaden woke up, his eyes heavy and his back ned exhausted.

    He felt his open wound already smelling with infection.

    He gently touched hiss side and felt very dark blood slowly slipping out.

    He wasn��t bleeding as bad as he had in the beginning.

    But he could tell how dangerous it was getting.

    He had been bleeding for almost two weeks now and if he didn��t take care of himself, he might die.

    He groaned andid his head back against the wall.

    And then it urred to him that he had nowhere he was.

    He looked around and saw that it was a dark musty room with no lights.

    There weee bars before him and he knew it was a cage.

    How had he even gotten here in the first ce.

    Thest thing that he remembered was being dizzy and finally passing out.

    When and how had he gotten here.

    He reached for the bars and it burned him, he immediately flinched.

    Then he heard footsteps approach.

    Refusing to look defeated and still very much defiant, Xaden looked up to see who his kidnapper was.

    He perceived the familiar scent and he knew that this must be one of the people who were present at the gruesome attack that night.

    A man probably in histe twenties appeared before Xaden.

    He had a smile stuck on his face, and a fur coat that made him seem to look on top of the world.

    "Hello Xaden." The man said. "It��s an honor to finally meet you."

    "Alpha Xaden." Xaden corrected.

    "My apologies, we have seen before. The night I attacked you and your men. Can you remember that?"

    Xaden said nothing.

    Simply red at the man before him.

    "My name is Hunter. Alpha hunter." He said as he offered his hand out for Xaden to shake.

    "Oh sorry you��re in a cell." Hunterughed and withdrew his hand.

    Then Hunter folded his arms and looked at him.

    "How quickly the mighty have fallen." He said. "I used to hear stories of you. Great Alpha Xaden. The one who died and came back to life. Lost his family and entire pack and yet created a new ones. Defeated his enemies. Defeated the great Moonlight pack. I have heard so many tales about you. I was so excited to actually encounter you."

    Hunter sighed. "But unfortunately you disappointed me. Look at you now. I took your party in a few minutes. Look at where you are now. Look at yourself. Just a mess. A disappointment to your name. You could have done much better. You could have been better."

    "Well too bad. You must be a ghost because I��ve never heard of you." Xaden said with sarcasm.

    Hunter��s face twitched. "Don��t worry soon, everyone will know me."

    "What do you want?" Xaden asked.

    "To take over." Hunter said. "I want everything. I don��t just want your pack. I want everything. I want the royal family to submit to my knees."

    Xaden was quiet at first and then he threw his head back and roared inughter.

    Heughed so much that he wept a single tear from the far corner of his eyes.

    When Xaden was finally doneughing m, he wiped the tears away.

    "You want to bring down everyone. Even I have tried to and I didn��t. What makes you think you would?" Xaden asked him.

    "Just shows how ipetent you are." Hunter said. "Now that I have you, I��ll march off to im your pack as mine."

    "I have just fifty thousand men ranked as omegas, talk less of the rest of the ranks." Xaden said. "You caught me because you got lucky."

    "The royal family is mine." Hunter said.

    "What do you have against them?" Xaden asked curiously, because there was no way Hunter was just bent on going after the royal family unless he had his own personal vendetta.

    "None of your concern." Hunter said. "But I��ll have it."

    "What? are you going to marry the heir? Ig those are your ns then let me give you a heads up. She said is a spoiled and overly clingy girl who is obsessed with me. And I still don��t want to marry her. So good luck convincing her for yourself."

    "Who says she is the only one?" Hunter answered back.

    Xaden was stunned.

    What did he mean by that?

    "Offer your pack to me." Hunter said. "And I won��t kill everyone in it. I would also offer you a very swift death."

    And at that moment Xaden spat at Hunter through the bars of the cell.

    "You killed my men. If you think that I��m going to let you have anything then yoy are sick in your head."

    Hunter very gently cleaned the saliva off his face and then used a hankie to clean his hands.

    "You want to y the hard way." Hunter said. "So be it. But when they all die the same way your little friend��s family did don��t me me."

    Xaden rose a brow.

    Hunter must have read his expression because he chuckled. "Your little errand boy? Marro? The one that you put in trouble. His whole family is dead."

    Xaden clenched his jaw in rage.

    "His mother, father, brother, dead. All because of you. And who is to me? Only you. Their bloods are on your head. And when I find your little friend he is going to be skinned alive and hung in the pack square."

    Xaden tried his best to not show emotion.

    But he was burning as he worried for Marro.

    He should have known to never have him involved in all of this.

    "Anyone who dies? It��s all on you Xaden. Remember that. Perhaps if youe crawling to me, then I would consider." Hunter said. "I have to go now. I have a very very important guest who is waiting for me. The chat was nice."

    And then Hunter flung the hankie at him and turned his back on him before heading out of the cell.

    Once he was gone, Xaden leaned his back hard against the wall.

    Defeated.

 Chapter 459: GOODBYE JASMINE

    <h4>Chapter 459: GOODBYE JASMINE</h4>

    The moon had long risen, casting slivers of silver light between the trees, but Jasmine had not returned.

    Marro��s small fingers were twisted into Kire��s thick fur, clutching tightly. The young boy had refused to eat, refused to rest.

    His face was streaked with dirt, tears crusted in the corners of his eyes.

    Kirey beside him, his ears twitching, his muzzle pointed toward the direction Jasmine had gone.

    He hadn��t moved in hours.

    And then, finally, Kire gave a low, broken whimper.

    Maru turned his head slowly. "No," he whispered, voice hoarse, "we should wait a little longer..."

    But Kire stood.

    The great white wolf paced once in a circle, nose in the air.

    He sniffed again, low growls rolling from his throat.

    He could smell the danger. The scent of strange wolves, iron, smoke��and something darker.

    Still, Jasmine��s scent had vanished long ago.

    Kire whined louder this time, her body shaking.

    His eyes met Maru��s, glowing faintly in the dark, filled with a sorrow that no animal should understand.

    It was at that moment that Marro knew what this meant.

    He had been hanging by a thread of anxiety and tension.

    Dreading that it might have toe to this.

    Jasmine had said if she didn��t return by dark, Kire should talk him and run off with him.

    Marro burst into tears. "No... no, please... she said she��de back..."

    But Kire didn��t wait.

    He dipped his head low and nudged him forward��firmly, almost angrily.

    And when he stumbled toward him, he lowered himself , letting the boy mber onto his back.

    Then the wolf took off into the night.

    Through the trees, dodging roots and slipping between narrow paths.

    Marro clung to her fur, sobbing against her neck. "I��m sorry, Jasmine," he cried. "I should��ve done something. I should��ve stopped them..."

    He was crushed.

    First he had lost his family, been betrayed by his extended family and now he didn��t know if Jasmine was dead or alive.

    Kire didn��t slow down

    His paws pounded against the forest floor, each step a rhythm of desperation and regret.

    He didn��t look back.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Erik rode at the head of the pack, his jaw clenched, every nerve in his body fraying with unease.

    Behind him, fifty warriors moved quietly, their wolves darting in and out of the trees.

    They had gone in search of Xaden.

    But after hearing of Jasmine��s escape, Erik��s heart had sunk.

    He was beyond words furious.

    How could she have done something so stupid.

    Did she even know the dangers of the real world?

    Wolves had been killed and from what evidence they had gathered Xaden was probably injured somewhere.

    Still struggling to be alive.

    And she,heavily pregnant, a woman and all alone with Kire.

    Oh Kire, when he got a hold of that foolish wolf he would strangle him.

    Strangle and force him to merge back with him.

    As they went past they found the first sign.

    A clearing soaked in blood.

    The grass was matted and red. Strips of torn fabric littered the scene. A broken sword. And deep w marks etched into the soil.

    One of the men dismounted and crouched beside the blood. "Erik," he said gravely.

    Erik went to find what they were calling him to.

    It was a coat.

    One that he knew so well.

    It had the mark of Xaden��s pack crest on it.

    And it was well stained with blood.

    The blood was faint and it had been here for a very time.

    His chest tightened.

    "He was ambushed here," Erik muttered. "He fought hard. And he bled a lot."

    "Do you think he��s alive?" one of the others asked.

    Erik��s eyes scanned the area. "He��s not the type to die easily," he said. "But we��re running out of time."

    He rose, the de still in hand. "We keep moving east. Whatever took him... they didn��t do it alone. And Jasmine we need to find traces of her. Retain her scent. If we can find the both of them together. Better. But we might need to split up soon ig we don��t see either."

    They rode again��faster this time. Wolves howled in the distance.

    The scent of unfamiliar packs grew stronger. But then, just as they rounded the bend of a hill, a sound broke the forest��s stillness.

    A sharp, youthful cry.

    Then��howls. Not threatening ones. Familiar ones.

    Erik yanked his reins and held up his hand. "Stop."

    The warriors froze.

    Another cry came. Closer this time.

    He knew that goddamn howl anywhere.

    Erik��s eyes widened. "Kire," he whispered.

    A momentter, a sh of white fur burst through the trees, a child clinging desperately to her back.

    "Kire !"

    The great wolf skidded to a halt, panting heavily, and immediately dropped to her knees.

    The little strange boy tumbled off her back and copsed on the forest floor, sobbing uncontrobly.

    Erik jumped from his horse and rushed to them.

    He looked at the boy with alert and then quickly grabbed his cor before raising his ws at him.

    "Who the fuck are you and why are you with Kire?"

    Kire howled at Erik.

    "My name is Marro." The boy said quickly in agonizing fear. "Jasmine left me with Kire and I met Alpha Xaden."

    Erik narrowed his eyes.

    "What the hell do you mean?" Erik demanded.

    Marro swallowed. "I found Alpha Xaden in the forest. He was almost dead and I wanted to help him. But the Alpha who almost killed him found out and killed my family. I found Jasmine when I tried escaping. She went ahead to find Alpha Xaden and told Kire that if she didn��te back he should take me away."

    Xaden looked at him closely.

    "How do I know you are not lying." Erik asked.

    "Kire never wanted to leave her." Marro said. "She was the one who made him stay with me."

    Erik looked from Marro to Kire and then finally let him go.

    Now Jasmine was all alone in goddess knew where?

    He had taken it easier because he had known she was Kire.

    But finding out she was now missing, pregnant and alone.

    He wanted to go insane.

    "Do you have any idea where Jasmine or Xaden is?" Erik asked the terrified little boy.

    "They will be in Alpha hunter��s pack house." Marro said.

    "Then we��re going." Erik said through gritted teeth.

 Chapter 460: ESCAPE

    <h4>Chapter 460: ESCAPE</h4>

    The stone beneath Xaden��s back had long gone from cold to numb. Pain wasn��t sharp anymore.

    it pulsed like a dull drumbeat in the marrow of his bones. Each breath scraped his lungs, his body on the verge of surrender. He knew he didn��t have much time left.

    Days. Maybe hours.

    His ribs were cracked, his lips split and bleeding. Hunger gnawed at his insides like a beast with teeth. He had faded into something thin and almost ghost-like, but not gone. Not yet.

    Not until he tried.

    Tonight, something was different. He had known it the moment the guards changed shifts earlier than usual.

    One had grumbled about the Alpha being summoned for some urgent meeting beyond the eastern watch. Fewer patrols. Fewer eyes.

    He wasn��t strong. But strength wasn��t what kept him alive.

    It was something else.

    A thread pulled taut beneath his chest. Something invisible. Familiar. Real.

    Zayden opened his eyes to ckness. The air was thick with mildew and iron, the scent of dried blood crusted into the stones. He pushed himself upright slowly, biting down on a groan that wed its way up his throat.

    He reached toward the wall where he��d hidden it��a rusted shard of iron from the broken bench they��d once chained him to. The metal bit into his palm as he gripped it, his knuckles whitening.

    One breath.

    Two.

    He dragged himself to the cell door and jammed the shard into the lock, trembling hands slick with sweat. It wasn��t finesse��it was desperation.

    Click.

    The door creaked open. Every sound echoed down the corridor like a shout. But no guards came.

    He stepped into the hall, hugging the shadows, each step agony. He limped through the dungeons like a ghost, pressing against the stone to avoid the orange glow of torches. He ducked behind broken barrels, darted through arches like a whisper.

    He passed rooms with chains. ces where others had screamed. And then...

    That feeling again.

    It mmed into his chest like a jolt of heat. He stopped mid-step, gasping for air.

    It wasn��t just a pull��it was Jasmine.

    A flicker of warmth. The memory of her scent. Her voice in the corner of his mind, whispering his name.

    He clutched his chest.

    No. No, it couldn��t be. Jasmine was safe. Far away. She was back home. The pack would have hidden her by now. Protected her. This ce��this hell��she could never be here.

    He closed his eyes and gritted his teeth.

    This was a hallucination. His dying mind teasing him withfort it could no longer provide.

    And yet...

    He couldn��t stop the tears that welled in hisshes.

    "Keep moving," he hissed.

    Up two flights of stone steps. His legs shook, but adrenaline powered him forward. Every breath burned, but freedom��freedom was close.

    He reached the east courtyard gate. It was unlocked. Left open.

    Someone had been careless.

    He limped through, and for the first time in weeks��fresh, biting air hit his face. Trees rustled in the distance. The howl of a wolf echoed far off, and Zayden felt the sting of it in his bones.

    But something made him stop.

    A whisper of movement. A glimmer of light from the tower above.

    He looked up.

    And saw her.

    A silhouette in the window. A woman with her hands pressed to the ss, dark hair spilling over her shoulders. The moonlight caught her face for just a second.

    It was her. It was��

    "Jasmine?" he whispered, stunned.

    His heart lurched painfully in his chest. For one glorious, horrible moment, he believed it.

    She was here.

    She hade.

    But then...

    Reality wed back. He blinked, and the image wavered.

    No. He was delirious. Dying men saw what they loved most.

    That wasn��t her.

    It couldn��t be.

    He forced himself to turn, even as every fiber of his being screamed not to. He turned and ran, limping into the woods, into the dark.

    Into the unknown.

    He didn��t look back again.

    ?

    Far above, behind the thick, barred ss of her bedroom window, Jasmine stood frozen in the dark.

    She had felt it before she��d seen anything.

    A sharp kick. Then another. Her baby squirmed violently inside her, unlike anything she had felt before��urgent, panicked.

    She pressed a hand to her stomach. "What��s wrong, baby?"

    Then came the pull. That unmistakable, invisible thread yanking at her chest. Her breath hitched. Her skin prickled.

    Xaden.

    She stumbled toward the window, heart pounding wildly. The room around her blurred.

    She yanked the heavy curtains open.

    The courtyard was drenched in moonlight. Still. Silent.

    But then��movement.

    A man limping across the open ground. Bloody, broken... familiar.

    Her knees buckled.

    "Xaden..." she whispered, her voice caught in her throat.

    He stopped, just for a moment, turning his face toward her.

    And there he was.

    Pale, drawn... but it was him. It was him. Her heart shattered all over again.

    She pressed both palms to the ss.

    "Xaden!"

    But her voice didn��t carry. The ss was too thick. Her voice, too hoarse.

    His eyes found her window��just briefly. But he didn��t move. Didn��t react.

    His gaze was distant. Disbelieving. And then... he turned away.

    "No..." she breathed. "Please... look at me. Just look..."

    She mmed her hands against the windowpane, tears spilling down her cheeks.

    He was walking away.

    "Xaden!"

    She didn��t care who heard her anymore. Let them drag her back to the bed. Let them punish her. She screamed until her throat burned.

    But he was already gone.

    Gone into the trees.

    Gone like he had never been there.

    Her knees gave out. She crumpled to the floor beneath the window, her body wracked with sobs. Her baby kicked again, and she curled protectively around her belly, as if that would protect the child from the grief radiating from her like a storm.

    He was here.

    He had been here.

    And now he was gone.

    She stayed there, whispering his name like a prayer into the silence of her gilded cage, the moon the only witness to her heartbreak.

    And then Jasmine woke up with a jolt and looked around her surroundings.

    There was no Xaden.

    It had just been a dream.

    She felt her bones weak and then she stepped out of her bed.

    She walked to therge windows facing the forest and gently clutched her stomach.

    And then she saw a figure headed towards the forest.

    She rubbed her eyes.

    But there was no one.

    She was just imagining.

    Jasmine had no idea Xaden had escaped.

 Chapter 461: HIS RETURN

    <h4>Chapter 461: HIS RETURN</h4>

    The cold wind bit at Xaden��s skin as he staggered through the underbrush, every breath he took shallow and ragged. His shirt was torn, caked with dried blood, and his side throbbed violently with every movement.

    Each step was a battle, and each breath reminded him how close he was to the edge.

    He didn��t know how long he��d been running.

    Branches wed at his arms. Stones dug into his feet. His legs trembled beneath him like they no longer remembered how to carry his weight. But he couldn��t stop��not now. Not with freedom within reach. Somewhere beyond this forest, beyond the darkness,y his people.

    He had to reach them.

    He didn��t remember exactly how he escaped. One moment he was lying on the cold floor of the dungeon, slipping in and out of unconsciousness, and the next he was lunging at a careless guard with thest burst of adrenaline in his veins. He remembered biting down��hard��and grabbing a set of keys as the man screamed. Then came the frantic dash through corridors, the chaos of rm bells, the growling of wolves chasing his scent.

    And then he was in the forest, running.

    Running until the trees blurred, and his lungs burned.

    A low growl echoed behind him. He spun around, swaying. Nothing. Just shadows dancing between trunks. The wind was no friend tonight. It whispered illusions and threats with every gust.

    He pressed forward.

    The pain in his side grew sharper. He could feel the blood again��fresh, warm, soaking through his shirt. His wound had reopened. He gritted his teeth and kept going.

    Just a little more.

    His thoughts were scattered fragments of survival. Jasmine��s face. The pack��s gates. His warriors. Jasmine��again and again.

    Her voice in his head, soft and fierce.

    He blinked against the blood trickling into his eye. Something glimmered ahead.

    A light.

    Antern?

    The pack.

    Xaden stumbled, his foot catching a root. He fell hard, scraping his palms against the dirt. But when he lifted his head, he saw it clearly this time��torches. A wall. A shape in the distance that could only be the towering gates of the northern entrance to his territory.

    A sob broke from his throat.

    He was home.

    He used thest of his strength to crawl. His knees bled. His hands left smears on the gravel path. But still he crawled��until he reached the gate and mmed his fist against the wood with a weak thud.

    And then the world tilted.

    Shouts. Footsteps.

    Someone was screaming his name.

    Then, nothing.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Torches were lit. Guards rushed down the ramparts, leaping the stairs two at a time. Beta Ronan, one of the head guards who watched the outskirts of the

    "Hold formation!" he barked. "Stay alert!"

    But as they neared the copsed body, the air shifted��something primal, something known. Ronan slowed. The other warriors fell into a stunned silence as the flickering light of their torches fell on the man before them.

    Blood. Dirt. Torn flesh. The scent of iron and fire.

    But beneath it... that unmistakable aura.

    "Spirits," one of the warriors whispered. "Is that..."

    Ronan dropped to his knees.

    "Alpha Xaden?"

    There was no reply. The man didn��t move. His body was a ruin of bruises, deep shes, and dried blood.

    His once-regal dark hair was matted and tangled with leaves and ash. His chest rose��barely. But it rose.

    "He��s alive!" Ronan shouted, his voice breaking. "He��s alive! Get the healers now!"

    The gates burst open as more guards poured through, some falling to their knees in shock, others frozen in disbelief.

    Two warriors gently turned Xaden over, revealing the torn mess of his torso, and the festering wound on his side.

    "Don��t touch the wound!" someone barked. "We don��t know how deep it is."

    Ronan was already stripping off his cloak and pressing it against the worst of the bleeding, holding it with steady, practiced hands.

    "Where��s Erik?" one of the guards asked breathlessly.

    "He��s still in the forest," Ronan snapped. "We have no time to wait. Lift him. Now."

    The warriors moved quickly but reverently, like they were lifting something sacred. One at the head, one at the legs, the others clearing a path. They carried him inside the walls, the torches guiding them like stars in the night.

    The main hall burst into life. Healers rushed from their quarters, gathering bowls of warm water, cloth, and thest of their precious healing salves.

    News of Xaden��s return spread like wildfire, and even the oldest pack members, those who had not left their rooms in weeks, stood outside, silently watching as their Alpha was brought home.

    When the doors to the infirmary mmed open, a hush fell over the crowd.

    Loren pushed through with Ned.

    "What happened to him?"

    "No idea," Ronan said, his voice hoarse. "We found him just outside the gates."

    He didn��t say that for a moment, he��d believed it was Xaden��s ghost.

    He didn��t say that part of him still wasn��t sure.

    "Get me those herbs, now!" Loren said to Ned. "And the fever cloths. Move!"

    They ced him on the bed, and immediately Loren began to cut away the tattered remains of his shirt and clean his wounds.

    Every inch of him was covered in bruises, abrasions, and cuts.

    One of the wounds near his ribs had begun to turn dark with infection.

    "He should be dead," Loren murmured under his breath. "But Xaden��s too stubborn to die."

    Ronan stood back, his fists clenched.

    "Will he make it?" he asked.

    Loren didn��t look at him. "We don��t know."

    "He has to," Ronan said. "He��s our Alpha."

    Outside the infirmary, the courtyard was now filled with wolves in human form, young, old, warriors and civilians alike. They stood in clusters, murmuring, whispering prayers.

    Xaden was back.

    After weeks of silence, grief, and unanswered questions, the impossible had happened. But no one could celebrate. Not yet.

    Inside, Loren worked tirelessly, directing the other healers with sharpmands. They applied salves, stitched wounds, and fed him drops of water mixed with crushed roots.

    Xaden flinched only once during the entire procedure, a testament to how close to unconsciousness he was.

    Hours passed.

    Eventually, Ronan was left standing alone in the hallway, bloodied cloak in his hand, watching through the ss window as the healer wrapped Xaden��s body in clean bandages.

    "He needs time," Loren said quietly as he stepped out. "And strength. He��s hanging by a thread."

    Ronan nodded.

    "That means all of you leave and stand watch." Loren said before chasing everyone out of the room.

    And then Loren looked around, before it finally urred to him.

    "Where the hell is Jasmine?

 Chapter 462: ATTEMPTED COUP

    <h4>Chapter 462: ATTEMPTED COUP</h4>

    The door to the Alpha��s office groaned open as Uther stepped inside without knocking, a gesture that was as intentional as the smug smile on his lips.

    Behind him trailed a few men��older wolves, once loyal to Xaden��ste father, now pulled into Uther��s orbit with whispered promises and the convenient lie of session.

    He had been waiting for this for a very long time.

    Time was running out.

    Xaden was gone, Jasmine was gone, and that stupid Erik he never liked was gone too.

    It was the perfect time for him to take over.

    Anna was still around but she was a woman and simply a puppet in the grand scheme of things.

    The members of the pack were beginning to get worried.

    Whispers around on what was the future of the pack now that their leader was gone.

    He had gotten support from her and rallied from the men he had already spun words of doubt and confusion in their heads.

    He was here to take over and there was no one that was going to stop him

    They finally stepped into Xaden��s office.

    Damian looked up from the desk, calm but cold, like ice settling over fire. He didn��t stand. Not yet.

    "Uther," he said evenly. "I didn��t summon you."

    "No, you didn��t," Uther replied, sweeping the room with his eyes like it already belonged to him. "And yet, here I am. Funny how that works when there��s no Alpha in his seat."

    "I��m holding that seat for him," Damian replied. "Until he returns."

    Uther��s grin twisted. "Returns? Damian... he��s been gone for weeks. No signs. No word. Just blood in the dirt and ghosts on the wind. You and I both know what that means. Given you should respect me more. I am Xaden��s uncle."

    "I��ll respect who deserves respect." Damian said tartly.

    Uther decided that once hebhsf became Alpha, he was going to teach this little rat a lesson.

    Uther smiled tightly. "Xaden isn��t here. Missing."

    "I know exactly what it means," Damian said, rising now, shoulders squared. "It means we don��t give up on our Alpha. We don��t start tearing down the pack from inside while the scars are still fresh."

    Uther��s voice dropped into a calcted hush. "What��s dangerous is pretending that hope will feed and protect this pack. We��re vulnerable, and the others will smell it soon. They��ll circle. You know that. The longer we hesitate, the worse it gets."

    He stepped closer, ignoring the men nking the walls like statues. "And like it or not, I��m thest living male of Alpha Darius��s bloodline. Xaden was my nephew. If he��s gone, I am the rightful heir."

    "You��re not his heir," Damian snapped.

    "Anna is his sister and she is right behind me." He said. "She approved my session. I am of this bloodline."

    "You were never part of the session line. The only reason you weren��t exiled with the rest of the traitors during the rebellion is because Xaden showed you mercy."

    Uther��s smile fell for a second, reced by a sh of something darker. "You dare speak to me about traitors? When you, an outsider, were handed rank because not even Xaden, but his stupid gamma Erik, trusted you? Tell me, what would he say now if he saw what you��ve done to his pack?"

    "I��ve kept it from falling apart."

    "No," Uther hissed, stepping into his face. "You��ve kept it clinging to a ghost."

    A silence settled like frost. The other men in the room exchanged uncertain nces. Tension wound around them, coiling tighter and tighter.

    "I will not let you steal this pack," Damian said, voice low, deadly. "You��re here because you think I��ll bow to your name. But you forget something."

    "What��s that?" Uther sneered.

    "I don��t answer to you. I answer to the Alpha."

    Uther��s jaw twitched. "There is no Alpha."

    For a heartbeat, they stood face to face��two dominant wolves on the brink of violence.

    Uther��s eyes shimmered gold at the edges, his power rising just beneath the surface. Damian didn��t flinch. His own aura, quieter but more lethal, answered in kind.

    Then Uther reached for the desk.

    "I��ll make this easy," he said. "Step down. Hand the seat to me. And I��ll allow you to keep your rank. You��ll still be part of the council. A respected one. You just won��t be sitting in a chair too big for you."

    Damian raised his chin, watching the hand that dared rest on the desk Xaden once ruled from.

    "Touch that seat again," Damian said slowly, "and I will rip your arm from its socket."

    The threat hung in the air, heavy and sharp.

    Uther��s lips curled, power crackling around him. "You think you can stop me?"

    "I won��t need to," Damian said, his voice calm, as if he already knew the fight was over.

    And just as Uther��s hand twitched with the first spark of aggression��

    Bang!

    The door burst open.

    A scout, panting and red-faced, stumbled into the room.

    "Sir! Beta Damian!"

    Damian and Uther both turned, stiff and poised, like arrows pulled back but not loosed.

    "What is it?" Damian demanded, not turning his back on Uther.

    His eyes were still hot on Uther.

    The scout��s eyes were wide. His voice cracked with disbelief.

    "It��s Xaden. He��s returned. He��s... he��s at the infirmary."

    The silence that followed was electric.

    Uther blinked, his expression frozen. "What?"

    "He...he��s alive, sir. Barely, but he made it back to the gates. Ronan and the others brought him in."

    The room erupted into stunned gasps, one of Uther��s men actually taking a step back.

    Damian��s lips lifted��not into a smile of amusement, but something sharper, prouder. He looked Uther dead in the eyes.

    "Well," he said quietly, "it seems the Alpha isn��t dead after all."

    Uther��s mouth opened, but no words came out. His eyes searched Damian��s face for confirmation, for weakness, for doubt. But there was none.

    "I suggest you remove your hand from his desk," Damian added coolly. "And leave before he wakes up and finds a snake sitting in his chair."

    The scout stepped aside as Damian brushed past him, calm but pulsing with barely concealed fury.

    His strides were long, unhurried��but his whole body burned with purpose.

    Behind him, Uther stood silent, fists clenched at his sides.

    And the office, that sacred space ofmand, was left behind, still and full of shame.

    Outside, the corridor buzzed with the news.

    Xaden was alive.

    The pack��s Alpha had returned.

    And though broken and bloodied, his presence had shattered the first true threat from within the walls, before it could even begin.

 Chapter 463: ERIK’ S RETURN

    <h4>Chapter 463: ERIK�� S RETURN</h4>

    The moon hung low in the sky, cloaked in thin veils of mist that made everything below shimmer and blur.

    The forest was still, too still. Even the leaves dared not whisper as the search party moved cautiously through the underbrush.

    Erik and his group of men were still in the forest, now

    Erik paused, crouching near the base of a nted tree, fingers pressed to the damp earth. Kire paced beside him, his silver-gray coat bristling with unease, his nose twitching.

    Nothing.

    No sounds. No tracks. Just the same maddening quiet that had haunted them for the past day.

    Erik rose slowly, running a hand through his hair, jaw tight.

    Behind him, the group of wolves��seven in total��stood in a loose semicircle. Eyes weary. Boots muddied. All of them worn to the bone, and it showed.

    "We��ve swept every inch of the ravine," Marro said, stepping up beside him. His face was pale, but his voice was determined. "No signs. Not even blood. Are you sure this is where the battle ended?"

    "This was where we lost them," Erik murmured. "There was blood, drag marks, signs of wolves... then nothing. Whoever took them knew how to cover a trail."

    "I say we split up again," muttered Ronan, one of the warriors. "Go northwest and sweep along the ridge. If we wait too long��"

    "No," Erik snapped. "No more splitting. That��s how we miss them again. That��s how they stay lost."

    Kire gave a low growl, stepping forward suddenly, head jerking to the left. Then��he froze.

    Erik followed his gaze.

    A breeze had just drifted through, soft but clear. And on it��faint, buried under days of weather and forest��was a scent.

    Familiar.

    Musky. Warm. Metallic.

    Xaden.

    Erik inhaled sharply, turning in the direction of the wind. His heart clenched.

    He wasn��t alone in sensing it. One by one, the others began sniffing, their expressions shifting from exhaustion to sharp focus.

    "Wait," whispered Marro, stepping forward. "That��s not just him."

    His eyes widened.

    "That��s Jasmine."

    Everyone stilled.

    The scent was faint, aged��perhaps a day old��but it was unmistakable. Jasmine��s floral undertoneced with Xaden��s deeper musk, both trailing in the same direction.

    Erik felt a strange thrum in his chest. Not just hope��but confusion.

    "They were here?" Ronan asked. "Then why didn��t we find them?"

    Erik narrowed his eyes. "No. They passed through here, but they were moving. Not staying."

    He dropped to his knees, examining the ground again. This time, something else appeared to him. Footprints��bare, faint. One heavier than the other. Dragging.

    "He was injured," Erik muttered. "Probably barely walking."

    "And Jasmine?" Marro asked quietly, his voice a knot of guilt and fear.

    "Not carried," Erik said. "But she was close. And moving slowly too."

    Kire gave a short, sharp bark and took off down the path, tail high.

    "They��re headed back," Erik said. "To the pack."

    A pause.

    Then Erik turned to his team, eyes sharp. "Move. Now."

    They didn��t question him. The tension broke into motion, everyone shifting seamlessly into formation. Kire led the way, nose to the earth, his pace urgent but steady. Erik ran just behind him, heart pounding.

    As they moved, Erik��s thoughts raced.

    If they had escaped... why hadn��t there been any signal?

    Why hadn��t Jasmine sent someone?

    And what if the scent was a trap��some cruel gameid by whoever had taken them?

    But none of that mattered now. The scent was real. And it led home.

    ?

    The forest blurred past them as they ran. Erik��s lungs burned, but he didn��t stop. The farther they went, the stronger the scent became. Jasmine��s was older��perhaps fading��but Xaden��s was fresher. There were streaks of blood on the trees now, and Erik knew.

    He wasn��t well.

    "He��s bleeding," Marro said, panting beside him. "We��re close."

    "Faster," Erik growled. "We��re not stopping until we see him."

    The trees began to thin. The dirt path beneath them turned into gravel. They were near the eastern border now��just beyond the rise of the southern hills that framed the back of the packhouse grounds.

    Erik picked up speed, leaping over fallen logs, eyes scanning the distance��

    And then he saw it.

    A smear of blood.

    Then another.

    And then��

    The gates.

    High iron spires stood tall against the horizon, and at their base, the distant form of a pack warrior stood with a torch, waving frantically.

    "He��s here!" the man shouted. "He��s here! The Alpha has returned!"

    Erik skidded to a halt, chest heaving. The rest of the group stumbled to a stop behind him, panting in disbelief.

    Kire howled, long and high, the sound piercing the still night like a call to the moon itself.

    Erik stepped forward, blinking hard.

    The scent was stronger now. Raw. Bloody. Alive.

    "He made it," Marro whispered, dropping to his knees in exhaustion. "He actually made it."

    They rushed the pack house in haste and then Erik was surrounded by the men.

    "Is Xaden back?" Erik asked. "We traced his blood all the way here."

    Damian came through the crowd and then was facing Erik now.

    "Gods Erik you look like hell. What happened to you?" Damian asked as he looked at Erik��s party.

    "Is Xaden here?" Erik asked cutting in.

    "Yes He is here." Damian finally stated and then looked down over Marro sitting down on Kire��s back. "Erik I don��t remember you leaving with a little boy."

    "Take me to him." Erik said ignoring Erik��s statement and heading up the stairs.

    Damian followed after and led him towards his bedroom.

    As they were a few inches away from the door, someone shut the door right behind him as he stepped out amidst the small crowd of people.

    It was Loren.

    "Erik." Loren said raising a brow. "It seems everyone is back home."

    "How is he?" Erik asked peeping over Loren��s shoulder to try to get into the rooms

    "Tired and asleep. No one is getting into that room until he is better." Loren said.

    Erik sighed.

    Loren looked around. "Where is Jasmine?

    Erik frowned. "Jasmine? Isn��t she with you? Didn��t shee with Xaden."

    "No she didn��t." Damian said with his arms folded and there was cold silence.

    Jasmine was missing.

 Chapter 464: THE DECEIT

    <h4>Chapter 464: THE DECEIT</h4>

    A FEW HOURS BEFORE

    The wind outside Alpha Hunter��s stronghold had stilled, the night sinking into a graveyard silence.

    Shadows coiled around the iron-stone towers like serpents, and even the wolves who usually patrolled the grounds walked with unease, their instincts whispering of something... wrong.

    In the highest chamber of the eastern wing, the one barred from inside, the one cloaked from the outside world .

    It was here Jasmine had finally managed to sleep.

    Her hair sprawled in waves across the pillow, dark curls damp with sweat.

    One arm cradled her slightly swollen belly, the other curled over her chest like a shield.

    Her child kicked lightly under her palm, a quiet thump-thump-thump as though sensing the air had changed.

    And it had.

    For the shadows had bent.

    And someone was already in the room.

    Princess Chery stood by the window, her tall figure cloaked in night-ck silk that shimmered faintly even in the dim moonlight.

    Her eyes glinted violet, serpentine, as she studied Jasmine �� the pregnant traitor, the half-blood stain her family should have erased years ago.

    But this time... she would be thorough.

    She was not here physically, just her spilt away from her body in astral projection.

    Appearing physically would be too risky.

    She crossed into the room with the ease of a ghost and then she stopped by the edge of the bed, lips curling into a cold smile.

    Jasmine stirred, her brow furrowing. She whimpered softly, clutching her stomach tighter.

    Cherry sprinkled a few dust over Jasmine and twirled her finger until Jasmine had absorbed it.

    Chery tilted her head, studying the girl.

    "So fragile," she whispered. "Yet so stubborn."

    Jasmine stirred to her side and shifted on her pillow.

    And then hershes fluttered open.

    And then she jolted upright �� eyes wild, breath caught �� staring straight at the woman before her.

    "Who��" her voice cracked. "What... Princess Cherry! Wh.. how... how are you here? What are you doing here?"

    Chery gave a liltingugh. "Now, now, no need for theatrics. You��ve met ghosts before, haven��t you, sweet Jasmine? Consider me... the echo of a bad dream. Or better yet��your reckoning."

    Jasmine��s hand immediately flew to her stomach as if to shield her child from whatever this woman was.

    "Don��t worry I don��t care about your baby." Cherry said waving her hand. "Not yet at least."

    Jasmine recoiled.

    "You shouldn��t be here," she hissed, voice trembling. "You can��t be here."

    "And yet," Chery said softly, stepping closer, "here I am."

    The wind outside shifted again, rattling the windowpanes.

    Jasmine was shaking now, as if her child could tell of her difort.

    As if it knew that something was wrong.

    She felt the kick.

    "What do you want?" she demanded.

    Chery��s smile widened. "You should be asking what I��ve already taken."

    She reached out, her hand surprisingly gentle as she swept a stray curl behind Jasmine��s ear.

    "You��re quite the messiah now, aren��t you? Pregnant. Hidden away like some cherished treasure. It��s pathetic." Cherry said.

    "I don��t care what you think of me."

    "Oh, but you should," Chery whispered.

    "What do you even want from me?" Jasmine asked. "I��m a nobody. If Toh hate me because of what my father did to you, then you��re toote to the party. He is dead."

    Cherry��s face twitched. "You��re right. You are nobody."

    Cherry��s hand moved again , but this time, with a sh of cold steel, she slipped a small ceremonial de from her sleeve. Jasmine gasped and jerked back, but it was toote.

    Snip.

    A thick lock of her ginger curls fell into Chery��s palm.

    "You��!" Jasmine tried to lunge forward, but her body failed her. The pressure of the magic in the room was suffocating.

    Chery held the hair up, inspecting it like silk.

    "Such a rich scent," she purred. "Blood. Moonlight. Betrayal."

    Jasmine��s breath caught. Her heart pounded so hard she thought the baby might feel it.

    "What are you doing?"

    "Leaving you behind," Chery whispered. "Where you belong."

    She reached into a pouch tied to her belt �� ck leather, etched with runes only the oldest witches remembered �� and ced the curl into a crystal vial.

    With a flick of her fingers, she drew a rune in the air, and it lit with fire.

    "Your lover has returned," Chery said casually. "He wed his way back to that precious pack of his. And now... I will make sure they think you followed him."

    Jasmine��s eyes widened in horror.

    "No," she whispered. "No, don��t do this��"

    Chery turned from her, already walking toward the window, where the breeze had picked up.

    "You see, my darling," she said, ncing over her shoulder, "if they think you��re free... they won��te looking. You��ll rot here, right under their noses. Forgotten."

    "HE��LL COME FOR ME!"

    That was a scream now �� hoarse, broken, pure grief.

    Chery paused at the windowsill.

    "I hope he does," she said coldly. "So I can kill him myself."

    And with that �� she stepped into the wind.

    Jasmine rushed forward on unsteady legs, reaching the window just as the air shimmered, and Chery was gone.

    Gone with her scent.

    Gone with her hope.

    Gone with her chance.

    Jasmine copsed to her knees, sobbing into her hands as her baby kicked again, frantic and afraid.

    In that instant Jasmine jumped up from sleep.

    She was gasping and breathing so heavily she felt her heart was going to explode.

    She hurriedly looked around but her new prison looked just the same.

    There was no Cherry.

    She hurriedly touched her stomach and hair.

    Her baby was fine.

    Her hair was okay.

    She heaved a sigh of relief and told herself that it was just a nightmare.

    ~~~~~~~~~

    Somewhere beyond the eastern woods...

    Chery walked through the forest, her bare feet untouched by thorns or blood.

    She stopped only once , by the river Xaden had copsed.

    She dripped the strands of Jasmine��s hair across the bark of a broken tree, smearing it carefully in the bloodstained moss Xaden had left behind.

    "Perfect," she whispered.

    Then she drew her dagger and whispered three ancient words. The hair shimmered, fusing into the trail, spreading its essence.

    The forest breathed.

    Now, anyone who followed the trail would smell Jasmine.

    Now, Erik and his wolves would turn back.

    Now... Jasmine would be alone.

    Chery smiled to herself, satisfied, then vanished into the night once more.

 Chapter 465: XADEN’S AWAKENING

    <h4>Chapter 465: XADEN��S AWAKENING</h4>

    Xaden very slowly regained consciousness and his eyes gently fluttered open.

    He felt his entire body ache like hell.

    It was as thing he had been stabbed a thousand times and left to be fed to a group of vultures.

    He groaned and then suddenly his consciousness hit him and he recollected his surroundings.

    Where the hell was he?

    Why was hefortable?

    Why didn��t he feel worse than he usually felt.

    And then it finally hit him, his environment.

    He looked around.

    He was in his own bedroom.

    How had he gotten here?

    His mind was a bit hazy and blurry.

    And slowly it started toe to him.

    He got shes of how he had staggered and then finally crashed down unable to move.

    And then he had passed out.

    So he had actually made it back home.

    He took in a deep breath.

    He tried to move in his bed and he felt his entire body on fire.

    He still hadn��t healed.

    He gently sat up and looked at the bandages on his chest.

    He was shirtless, but had loose breeches on.

    He pushed away the nket and gently set his feet down to the floor.

    He took in a very deep breath.

    He actually missed home.

    He missed the relief of being back home, he was almost so gone that he had begun to even hallucinate Jasmine.

    And then he remembered her.

    How he had been so gone that he had even hallucinated seeing her in when he was escaping.

    She was here in the pack .

    She was definitely here with him.

    And she was with his child.

    They were safe that was all that mattered.

    Once he was done dealing that godforsaken rogue bastard.

    He walked to the window and opened it slightly to see what time of the day it was.

    It was slightly towards evening.

    Gods how long had he been knocked out.

    His door was opened and then he felt his heart leap.

    "Jasmine?" He called out

    He quickly turned around but it was none other than Loren.

    "No, just me my lord." Loren said.

    Xaden sighed.

    Of course it was Loren.

    Who would open his door without asking for permission.

    "Seems you��re much better. Now that you��re up and awake." Loren said as he walked towards the bed with his bag.

    Loren walked up to him and began checking up on him.

    "It��s good to see you aren��t dead." Loren said.

    "Wha... uh... how did I even get here?" Xaden had to ask.

    "You don��t remember?" Loren rose a brow disapprovingly.

    "No I don��t." Xaden asked snappingly.

    "Hey don��t get smart mouthed with me." Loren warned as he poked Xaden��s forehead. "I��m not the reason why you ended up half dead at the gates of the outskirts of the pack."

    "Ow." Xaden scowled.

    Loren went on as he checked his bandages.

    "They found you outside." Loren said as he pulled open the bandage on his chest. "You were almost dead. But because I��m a magician I brought you back to life. Any hour past the moment we found you, you would have been dead."

    Xaden felt his bones tense up.

    "How long have i been past out?" Xaden asked.

    "Two weeks." Loren shrugged his shoulders.

    "TWO WEEKS?!" Xaden screamed in shock.

    "Yes two weeks." Loren said. "Now stay put."

    And then Xaden was forced to freeze while Xaden undid the bandages on his chest.

    "The wound isn��t rotting anymore." Loren said as he began to clean up the wound.

    Xaden pressed his eyes at the pain.

    He barely ever felt pain, but this was entirely different and gruesome.

    "The blood is now fresh. So that��s a good sign." Loren said as he poured herbs and oils unto the festering wound.

    There was a knock at the door.

    "Don��t disturb me I��m busy." Loren said.

    But the door opened regardless and it was none other than Erik.

    Erik��s face was grim and then seeing Xaden awake, a grin sprung on his face.

    "It��s good to see you alive." Erik said. "Better than you always past out with no color."

    "How did you let me be unconscious for over two weeks?" Xaden asked.

    Erik gave a thumbs up and pped. "Now there is the stubborn and chivalrous Alpha I know. How the hell do you think anyone was ever going to wake you up froma."

    Xaden sent tight lipped.

    "You are alive Xaden." Erik said. "We were all worried sick. In total you have been gone for a whole month. First half we had no idea where you were and thest two. We did finally, but we had no idea if you were going to survive."

    Xaden sighed.

    Loren finished wrapping the bandages and went back to his bag of equipment.

    "What happened Xaden?" Erik asked.

    "Some lousy bastard." Xaden spat. "It was a trap. It wasn��t just some random rogue attack. He made it look that way so that he could have me drawn out."

    Xaden closed his eyes as he felt one of his bones shift.

    "Take it easy." Erik said.

    "You know I��m never going to." Xaden stated.

    The doors were bust open and none other than Nanny Nia stepped in.

    She gasped when she saw Xaden.

    Her hands covered over her mouth and her face filled with relief.

    "Oh Alpha Xaden." She said as she rushed to his side.

    She knew she could not hug him so she hovered by his side and stood alert.

    Her hand still over her mouth.

    "Alpha Xaden." She said. "It��s so good to see you."

    And then her eyes were filled with tears.

    He smiled.

    He was happy to see her.

    "Good to see you Nanny Nia." He said.

    "I would have liked to hug you but..." she stuttered.

    He nodded. "And I....

    Nanny Nia didn��t let him finish.

    She threw her arms around him and engulfed him into a warm hug.

    He was surprised.

    But then he epted the hug.

    Truly, he needed it.

    He had assumed that Jasmine would have given him such a warm hug.

    Or perhaps his sister, but getting it from Nanny Nia, a motherly figure filled the gaping hole in his heart.

    Loren was frowning from the corner of the room, disapproving the hug.

    Nanny Nia ignored him and she finally let go.

    He smiled.

    "Wee back Alpha Xaden." She weed.

    "Thank you."

    She nodded and stepped back.

    "Where is Jasmine?" He asked.

    And the room went quiet.

 Chapter 466: ANNA’S BIG MOUTH

    <h4>Chapter 466: ANNA��S BIG MOUTH</h4>

    There was an eerie silence after Xaden��s question was sharp enough to slice through bone.

    Where is Jasmine?

    No one spoke.

    No one moved.

    The air shifted, thick with something unspoken.

    Erik averted his gaze. Nanny Nia��s fingers wrung themselves in front of her.

    Even Loren, usually blunt and unbothered, suddenly found something fascinating in the herbs inside his bag.

    Xaden��s brows furrowed, confusion settling into a slow burn across his chest.

    What the hell was going on?

    But before he could press further, the doors burst open with a gust of perfume and hurried footsteps.

    "Xaden!"

    It was his sister, Anna.

    And he felt guilt wash over him that he hadpletely forgotten his own sister and only remembered Jasmine.

    She ran to him, a blur of gold curls and velvet sleeves.

    Her arms threw themselves around his neck before anyone could react.

    "Gods, you��re alive," she breathed, her voice cracking. "I thought I��d lost you��"

    Xaden hesitated, then allowed his arms to circle her slowly.

    She trembled in his embrace, her hands clinging tighter than necessary.

    He hadn��t expected to feel relief from seeing her��but he did. Just a little. The familiarity of her, the history. His sister.

    She reminded him of the past the he had barely survived.

    The family that he had only had for a few years before being snatched from him.

    Anna was his sister and his blood.

    "I��m d you��re alright too," he said softly, pulling back just enough to see her face. "You were worried."

    "Of course I was. You��re my brother and you are the only thing I care about in this world. I would die if anything ever happened to you."

    Her eyes glistened, and she smiled tightly, the kind of smile that tried to hide too many things.

    He brought her forehead towards his lips and gave her a kiss.

    "I��m here Anna." He promised.

    The room watched them. Still silent. Still stiff.

    Then came a lighter knock on the door.

    It creaked open and Fiona stepped inside, her expression gentle butposed.

    She moved carefully, respectfully, but with a kind of warmth that didn��t need words.

    "Xaden," she said, her voice quiet with concern.

    He looked toward her, and something inside him softened further.

    She stepped closer, opening her arms slightly, and��

    Anna didn��t move. Didn��t let go.

    Her grip on him tightened just enough. Her body remained pressed to his, anchoring him. Blocking the space between him and Fiona without saying a word.

    Fiona faltered.

    She hesitated, then dropped her arms, lowering her gaze like she hadn��t even tried.

    Xaden��s brows drew slightly, but he didn��tment.

    "It��s good to see that you are back." Fiona gently said. "We were all worried for you."

    "It��s good to be back Fiona. It��s good to see you." Xaden said through the hug, Anna still held unto.

    And then��

    Another sound. Smaller. Softer.

    Xaden turned to the door.

    Was that Jasmine?

    He was disappointed but yet taken aback when he saw Erik walk to the door.

    In came with Damian standing with a Kire and a small boy of the age of eleven.

    A boy that Xaden had only seen once in his life.

    And for a split second Xaden��s assumed that he was imagining see the little boy the same way he had hallucinated Jasmine.

    "Alpha?" came a timid voice.

    He whispered, "Marro...?"

    The boy nodded.

    And in that moment, Xaden��s throat closed.

    He thought he was hallucinating again. Marro had fed him in the forest... then vanished.

    He��d assumed the worst. He thought the boy had died.

    Xaden looked at everyone to be sure they were seeing what he was seeing and not hallucinating.

    They were

    "You��re alive," Xaden whispered. "You��re... you��re alright. I was worried. I never saw you again."

    Marro blinked at him. "Yes."

    Xaden took a step forward, his entire body trembling. "I... I thought... I��m so sorry, Marro. How did you even get here? What about your family? How are you even here?"

    He couldn��t help saying that.

    "They��re gone," Marro said simply, voice even. "They didn��t make it."

    Xaden stilled.

    The guilt hit him like a de to the chest. He staggered back a step, as though the words themselves knocked the wind from him.

    "I should��vee back," he said hoarsely. "I should��vee back for you."

    Marro only nodded once. "You were hurt. It��s okay."

    But it wasn��t.

    Not to Xaden.

    He reached forward and touched the little boy��s hair lightly, barely brushing his fingers through the boy��s dark curls.

    He turned then��to Kire.

    The wolf.

    Always with Jasmine.

    Why... why was he here?

    Xaden��s expression shifted from softness to wariness. "Why is Kire with you?" he asked slowly.

    Erik stepped forward too quickly. "We found them. In the forest. Marro and Kire."

    Xaden��s eyes narrowed. "You found them? What do you mean them? Why was Kire in the forest? Isn��t he always with Jasmine?"

    He looked at Erik, at Nanny Nia, at Loren... at Fiona.

    And no one... said a word.

    They all stood, stone-still, avoiding his gaze again.

    He felt it.

    That pit in his stomach.

    Growing darker. Heavier.

    Something was wrong.

    "Where is Jasmine?" he asked again.

    Silence.

    Tighter. More unbearable.

    "Where the hell is she?" His voice sharpened.

    Still no one answered.

    And then��Anna exploded.

    She stood up to her feet from her brother��sp.

    "She left!" she snapped.

    The words crashed into the room like thunder. Everyone turned to her, stunned.

    Anna��s eyes were zing now, her jaw clenched.

    Xaden��s mouth dropped.

    "She sneaked out of the forest in the middle of the night."

    Xaden froze.

    His breath caught in his throat.

    "What...?" he whispered in shock.

    Anna took a step forward, fury masked beneath sweet concern. "Can you imagine? Jasmine didn��t think of her baby. She didn��t even tell anyone. She just up and ran away from the pack."

    The room dropped intoplete silence.

    No one uttered a single word

    Xaden stared at her, and then back to each person in the room, his face nk��but his non existent heart was already spiraling.

 Chapter 467: XADEN’S RAGE

    <h4>Chapter 467: XADEN��S RAGE</h4>

    Xaden stared at Anna.

    And then... at each one of them.

    His eyes swept over Nanny Nia, who wouldn��t meet his gaze.

    She simply stood with her fists tightened by her side and ring at Anna as though she was going to strangle her in any split second.

    Fiona, whose lips were parted like she wanted to say something, but she couldn��t.

    Erik, whose fists were clenched too tightly at his sides.

    And Loren, whose usual sarcasm had gone eerily quiet.

    Anna��s words still echoed like an aftershock in his chest.

    She sneaked out of the forest.

    She didn��t even think of her baby.

    She ran away from the pack.

    Jasmine... left?

    That didn��t make sense. That wasn��t her.

    Not the Jasmine that he hade to know.

    None of these even made any sense.

    Not the one who had looked at him with such fear and fire.

    Not the woman who had cried in his arms like the world was too heavy on her shoulders, but still refused to let go.

    "No," he said quietly, his voice brittle. "She wouldn��t."

    Anna turned to him, her expression already painted with hurt, concern, and just the right amount of trembling outrage.

    "Xaden," she whispered, her voice gentle now, wrapping around his name like silk. "I didn��t want to be the one to tell you, but... it��s the truth. We all saw the signs. She left in the middle of the night. No one even knew she was gone until

    He stared at her, confused.

    No anger yet. Just a cold, numbing disbelief.

    "But why?" he murmured. "Why would she leave?"

    Anna stepped closer, reaching to take his hand.

    "I don��t know. Maybe she was scared. Maybe she didn��t want the responsibility. Maybe..." she lowered her voice, eyes darting to the others as if making sure no one interrupted, "Maybe she never really wanted to stay."

    Xaden pulled his hand back �� not harshly, but enough.

    His chest tightened.

    Something wasn��t right. He didn��t know what. But his gut was twisting, and his instincts��still bruised and tired��began to stir.

    "She didn��t say anything?" he asked, eyes moving to Nanny Nia. "Not a word to anyone?"

    Nanny Nia opened her mouth. Closed it. Looked to Erik. And that was all Xaden needed.

    He turned sharply. "Erik."

    Erik flinched like he��d been struck.

    "You were out there. You found Kire. You brought Marro. But somehow Jasmine was missing and you conveniently left her. Tell me exactly what happened."

    Erik��s jaw tensed.

    "Xaden..." he began.

    "Don��t ��Xaden�� me," he snapped. "Tell me."

    Another silence passed �� this one shorter, heavier.

    "How the hell did this even happen?" Xaden asked angrily looking at everyone.

    He was so furious that he barely felt his pain anymore.

    "A pregnant woman who doesn��t know anywhere around us. Who has never been out of this pack or even her home pack. You let get out on her own?! In the fucking night?! And you let that happen?!"

    There was a stilled silence in the room.

    "Is someone going to fucking tell me what actually happened?"

    The silence continued.

    Then finally, Erik sighed. "She didn��t run."

    Anna��s head whipped toward him. "Erik��"

    "She didn��t leave us," Erik cut her off, his voice rising with steel. "She left because she was worried for you."

    Xaden��s world slowed.

    There wasplete disapproval written all over Anna��s face.

    "What?" he whispered.

    "She had heard that you and your men had been attacked. Jasmine didn��t let anyone rest. She was searching for you everywhere and everyday. The night word of your attack had finally gotten to us, she heard." Erik took in a very deep breath. "She wanted toe after. I tried to dissuade her, but she persisted. I know wig I didn��t agree, she would have tried to leave on her own. And the stress and anxiety wasn��t good for the baby."

    "So what?" Xaden demanded enraged. "You just let her go?"

    "Goddess no." Erik shook his head. "I told her she coulde along. My ns were that she would put under house arrest by the time she woke up, I would already be gone. But Jasmine somehow knew and left in the middle of the night. It was toote before we found out."

    Xaden went white.

    "As soon as we found out we left in search of the both of you" Erik continued, eyes on the floor like the words hurt. "And that��s when we saw Kire and Marro. She had ordered Kire to take Marro if she didn��t return."

    Xaden��s blood drained from his face. "Where is she?"

    Erik finally looked up. "Alpha Hunter��s men."

    The name hit him like an axe to the spine.

    Xaden staggered back a step, one hand clutching his stomach as if he could hold his insides from falling out.

    "No," he muttered. "No, no��she was here. She was safe."

    "She was," Erik said softly. "Until she left."

    Nanny Nia stepped forward now, her eyes glistening. "We didn��t tell you because you were nearly dead. You couldn��t even breathe on your own. If we had told you then, only the goddess knows what would have happened."

    "You still should��ve told me." Xaden��s voice cracked �� not from anger, but from the way his entire soul felt like it was copsing.

    "She��s been gone... how long?" he asked.

    No one spoke.

    "FOR HOW FUCKING LONG?" he roared, and the room jumped.

    "Ten days," Fiona said quietly. "Almost eleven."

    Xaden��s mouth opened, but no sound came out

    Eleven days.

    She��d been gone, taken, possibly tortured, for eleven days.

    And he��d been unconscious. Healing. Resting.

    While she had been alone.

    While she had been carrying his child.

    He stepped back, pressing his hand to the wall for bnce.

    His chest heaved, every part of him trembling.

    Anna tried again to reach for him.

    "Xaden... I told you we should have never trusted her."

    Xaden turned away from her and hastily got up.

    His eyes were blood shot red.

    He was out for blood.

    "

 Chapter 468: XADEN’S RAGE II

    <h4>Chapter 468: XADEN��S RAGE II</h4>

    "I leave this pack." Xaden said in anger. "Not for a long time. And everything falls to pieces? You let Jasmine escape? How did she even manage to make it out of the pack? With the security. So now anyone cane in?"

    "Kire." Erik exined. "He took her out. He knows the nooks and crannies of the entire ce. I don��t think it was hard for him."

    Xaden��s red eyes darted to Kire who whimpered and looked down on the ground.

    Xaden was baffled.

    He still counts believe it .

    He still very much couldn��t understand what was going on.

    What he was being made to believe.

    "H... how did you evene back without her. If you say you found Kire and Marro, then why didn��t you look for her? You knew she was stilling and yet you came back."

    "Xaden we perceived your scent." Erik exined. "And hers too. We had assumed that the both of you had gone back together."

    "Assumed?" Xadenughed bitterly. "Did you fucking see her? Did you see me? Or are you just choosing to find a way to get out of this one."

    "You know I won��t lie." Erik said. "I care about Jasmine and I would never let her get into trouble."

    "It seems we both have different views on what it is to care for Jasmine." Xaden said angrily. "Unfortunately for you, you��re not the father of the child."

    Erik recoiled at the sharp and mean words.

    "Xaden I tried my best to make her stay." Anna said.

    And then he turned and saw tears in the eyes of his sister.

    "After everything.... I... I just tried my best. I told her not to worry. I wanted to leave and find you too." Anna expressed as she struggled between muffled tears. "But I didn��t want to make it worse. I didn��t want to scare the rest of the pack. They would have been forever to look for me while they should have been looking for you. She just didn��t listen. She didn��t care about the baby."

    Xaden wanted to hold his sister but his entire being was drained and weak.

    "Even you nanny Nia?" He asked turning to face a now alert Nanny Nia. "Your job, the sole essence of why you are even here was to stay by her. How could you let a pregnant woman escape in the dead of the night?"

    Guilt and shame was well written all over her face.

    "My lord I ept it. It was my error. I should have handled it better." Nanny Nia said apologetically tears were streaming down her face and she used her finger to wipe a tear away.

    He bit his bottom lip.

    He was disappointed in them all.

    He was mentally drained and could barely even keep his mind at ease.

    And then it finally hit him.

    He had been hallucinating her at Alpha Hunter��s pack.

    Thought it had been a dream or bare hallucinations.

    When in fact she had been there.

    She had been there this whole time and he had left her there?

    He was so furious with himself.

    He wished he could go back and take her with him as he had escaped.

    He felt like a coward.

    Like a fool.

    He had escaped while she had been left behind.

    Was he truly an Alpha if he had abandoned the mother of his child?

    "We aren��t so sure where she is." He heard Erik saying in the background. "But we assume that she was taken. We don��t know much. Marro said she had gone to make enquiries and get help from the neighboring pack. That��s all we know for now-

    "She was taken to Alpha Hunter pack house." Xaden said cutting him short.

    Erik blinked in disbelief and uncertainty.

    "Uhm... er... Xaden we aren��t exactly sure. About that and-

    "I saw her there." Xaden said.

    Everyone looked at him, their eyes filled with question.

    He didn��t bother to answer them.

    No one dared to ask how he knew.

    He let his mind wander with thoughts on what to do.

    "The men that were sent to look for her where are they now?" Xaden asked after a cooling silence.

    "Men?" This time it was Damian who spoke up.

    Xaden turned to look at the small group of people in his bedroom.

    "Yes the wolves you sent after you realized she wasn��t with me." Xaden asked.

    No one said a word.

    They simply stared at each other.

    Xaden was getting sick and tired of their silences.

    "WHEN I ASK A QUESTION ANSWER!" He screamed.

    Anna jumped in fear, Nanny Nia rubbed her elbow, Fiona looked the other way and Loren mistakenly broke one of the medicine sses.

    Erik and Damian had their faces pale.

    Marro looked terrified and Kire seemed to want to escape from the room .

    "We didn��t sent anyone." Damian said speaking up.

    Xaden blinked.

    "We wanted to. But we couldn��t risk it." Damian discussed, his eyes hovering, trying his best not to make eye contact with Xaden. "We didn��t know what was lying as a trap ahead. If the men could be led by a false scent, and the same man could do take you prisoner, who knows what next he could do. We had to strategize. We still had no idea it she was initially with you or something else. We had to wait till you hade around before we began searching."

    "You are telling me, that you found out Jasmine isn��t with me and yet you decided not to go after her. Even send men after her." Xaden said barely a whisper, but everyone could hear.

    "There have been sanctions. Raids, the path has been different. Other packs are wary, roads aren��t safe. If we did that without being sure of what we were doing. Innocent men were going to die." Erik exined.

    Xaden put his hands in his face.

    He hated it, but they were right.

    He couldn��t let men die because of Jasmine.

    They were loyal to him, but he, Xaden, Son of Orion, alpha of the great Crescent pack would die bringing her back to him.

    Xaden removed his hands from his face, and then got up.

    They seemed to stand alert with him.

    He walked past them, heading for the door, even though he limped and his ribs were still healing, he had his head straight on.

    "Where are you going?" Anna asked the question In everyone��s minds.

    Xaden stopped once he was at the door.

    "To find the mother of my child." And with that he stepped out and mmed the door so hard that everyone shook.

 Chapter 469: A MONSTER

    <h4>Chapter 469: A MONSTER</h4>

    As soon as he had stepped out of the room, they all shook at the tremble of the mmed door.

    No one said a word go a second and then Nanny Nia turned to Anna.

    She marched up to her, her finger pointing directly at her. "What is wrong with you?! How could you even speak about Jasmine that way?"

    "Like what?" Anna retorted rolling her eyes. "Did I tell a lie? Didn��t she run away from the pack in the fucking middle of the night? Heavily pregnant and selfishly not caring what happened? Am I wrong about that."

    "You know what I��m talking about you rotten spoiled girl!" Nanny Nia said enraged.

    Anna snorted and waved her hand. "Oh please."

    "Jasmine left the pack, she was wrong about it and the most stupid thing she ever did, we all ept it. But she had good intentions! You made it seem like she ran off to be with some man or had ulterior motives."

    Anna pressed her fingers against her temple to ease the irritation she felt from hearing Nanny Nia��s irritating voice.

    "You��re wrong. That��s not the most stupid thing she ever did. The most stupid thing Jasmine ever did was being alive. Coming to this pack. Even existing. And yes, Jasmine isn��t good for my brother. She is a whore. So I��ll rather have him believing she is a nuisance than ever thinking she is any good." Anna spat casually.

    "You��re a monster." Nanny Nia gasped her face white with horror.

    "But I��m not a whore." Anna spat out.

    Nanny Nia gasped

    "Don��t call her that." Erik responded annoyed. "And don��t say words like that. There is a child here."

    Anna looked down at the little boy standing beside Kire.

    She hadpletely forgotten about it.

    She whipped her hair to show she didn��t care.

    Who was he anyway?

    A miserable boy who had been in the bush and from all indications was Jamsine��s ally.

    She could care less.

    "Kire take Marro to the kitchen. Find some snacks." Erik instructed and Kire nudged the anxious boy away from the room.

    Before Kire left, he growled aggressively and snapped at Anna.

    Anna was furious!

    Erik was her mate and now because of Jasmine, Kire��s wolf who was supposed to be loyal to her was growling at her?

    "At least Jasmine made an effort." Fiona replied changing the air with her words.. "Jasmine in her condition tried to do something. She tried to find Xaden. But you. His very own blood sister, what did you do?"

    Anna��s mouth went shut.

    "Yes?" Fiona pushed further, her brte brows creased. "Did you ever ask about him? He had been gone for such a long time did you care to know if he was fine? Did you even bother to-

    "I care about my brother don��t ever tell me what you don��t know." Anna said in rage.

    There were tears now brewing behind her eyes.

    She hated what Fiona was insinuating.

    That she, Anna didn��t care about Xaden.

    Xaden was her brother.

    She had grown to adore him.

    He was everything she had ever wanted.

    "I love my brother." Anna spat.

    "You lovr your brother and yet, you didn��t care about him." Fiona sped her hands. "All you have done is cause confusion in the pack, torment Jasmine. Try to kill her-

    "HOW DARE YOU LAY SUCH FILTHY ACCUSATIONS?!" Anna said burning.

    Her wolf was furious.

    But Fiona ignored the sharp warning in her tone of demand and kept on speaking. "If there is anyone who should have left to find Xaden in the forest it should have been you."

    Anna��s fists were tightened firmly by her side.

    How dare they speak to her this way?

    "The truth is that you don��t care about anyone, you don��t love anyone but yourself. There is a hole inside you Anna. All the terrible things you have done and still continue to do, will never close that gaping hole in your heart. You��re selfish. And whatever ns you have, whatever you do. I hope your brother sees through you. Jasmine may have made a stupid mistake. But she was brave and you would never be like her."

    Anna recoiled and then she felt all eyes looking at her.

    They were all judging her.

    Even Erik.

    Their eyes feasted as she looked from one person to the other in a state of panic as though she were und.

    She hid her pain and red at them.

    "This isn��t over." And with that she stormed out of the room.

    Once she was down the hallway, the tears were holding up by the corner of her eyes.

    She rushed down the pathway towards her room.

    She didn��t want anyone to see her crying and so she kept on racing.

    Once she had gotten to her bedroom, she saw some girls knitting her new nket.

    "Mydy." The greeted upon her arrival.

    "GET THE HELL OUT OF MY ROOM!" She screamed.

    The girls jumped in fright and raced out of the room.

    Anna screamed and flung a vase after them as they ran.

    Her eyes were filled with tears now roaming down her cheek, ruining her make up.

    She stood in front of the mirror as she wept, her head bent down over the cab.

    When her eyes finally rose to look at herself, she saw how hideous she looked.

    All because of Jasmine.

    She felt herself go bitter, and her heat sour with hate.

    She hated Jasmine more than she ever did now.

    She wanted to kill her and that stupid bastard.

    She wanted her out of her life for good and never to return.

    She heard a steady knock at her door.

    "GET AWAY!" She screamed not caring who it was.

    The intruder didn��t leave, rather Anna heard the door open.

    She picked up a vase on the table and hastily flung it at the door. "I SAID GET OUT."

    It was none other than her uncle Uther.

    She scowled and turned away.

    "I��m not in the mood." She said.

    "I understand." uther nodded. "But I have a good preposition for you."

    "Not interested." She said replied tartly still backing him.

    "Not interested in finally getting rid of Jasmine?" He asked.

    That caught her attention for she paused, and her veins crawled down her arms.

    She turned around.

    "I��m listening."

 Chapter 470: SEEDS OF DESTRUCTION

    <h4>Chapter 470: SEEDS OF DESTRUCTION</h4>

    The air was thick with fury as Xaden stormed out of his room, the echo of the mmed door still reverberating through the hallway.

    His chest heaved with pain��physical and emotional��and his fists were clenched so tight his knuckles cracked.

    He didn��t get far before a voice called out behind him, smooth and familiar.

    "Xaden."

    He turned sharply.

    Uncle Uther.

    The man walked toward him with a wide grin, arms already open for an embrace.

    "By the goddess, you��re alive," Uther said, pulling him into a hug before he could react. "I thought I��d lost you, nephew."

    Xaden was stiff at first, still caught up in the whirlwind of anger, but eventually he returned the hug.

    Not because he wanted to��but because it was expected.

    He was overwhelmed with emotion and he knew that they all cared about him.

    But all he cared about at the moment was Jasmine.

    "I was worried sick," Uther continued as he pulled back to inspect him. "You��ve been gone too long. And when the news came that you were injured... gods, it tore through the entire pack like fire."

    Damian and Erik had now caught up with Xaden behind.

    Both men stood behind him now��Damian visibly tense, his jaw clenched and shoulders stiff.

    Erik said nothing, but his gaze remained locked on Uther with guarded suspicion.

    "I tried to do my best while you were away," Uther said, motioning around them with a casual sweep of his hand.

    "Kept the pack together, managed the council, gave orders. The warriors respected me. I did what had to be done."

    Xaden gave a small nod. "I��m grateful for that, Uncle."

    Uther smiled, but Damian scoffed low under his breath.

    Xaden turned to nce at him, but Damian quickly averted his eyes.

    "Now," Xaden continued, his voiceced with steel, "I��m going to bring her back."

    Uther raised a brow. "Her?"

    "Jasmine."

    Uther didn��t flinch. In fact, he smiled broader.

    "Good," he said easily. "Very good. I was hoping you��d say that. She should be brought back home. She belongs here. Especially with the child."

    Xaden��s lips pressed into a tight line. "It��s what I should have done in the first ce."

    "And you will," Uther said smoothly. "I even tried to send men out to look for her when I realized she wasn��t with you. As soon as I found out she wasn��t brought back, I gathered a group of our best warriors. I was ready to send them out immediately."

    At that, both Erik and Damian��s heads snapped toward him.

    Uther didn��t miss it.

    "But of course," he added with a heavy sigh, "Erik and Damian insisted we wait. Said it was best not to act hastily."

    Xaden asked. "You tried to send men after her?"

    "Yes. That very night." Uther ced a hand on his chest, as if offended. "You were barely breathing. She was missing. I thought, surely, we must move at once. But I was told to hold back. For your sake. I argued with them against it. I know you might not care about the girl. But the child she carries is our blood line. And even if you were dead today, I would still look out for our blood. They don��t understand that blood is thicker than water."

    Xaden turned to Erik and Damian.

    Erik��s lips were pressed thin, but it was Damian who finally snapped.

    "Really?"

    Xaden��s eyes narrowed.

    Uther raised both hands. "Now, now, let��s not argue over details. What matters is that she��s still out there. And you��re alive now. Stronger than ever. We��ll get her back, nephew."

    "Thank you for all the effort and assistance but this is on me," Xaden said tly.

    "Of course," Uther said with a polished grin. "But should you need support, you know I have your back. I always have."

    The silence that followed was suffocating. The tension was palpable.

    "I need to prepare," Xaden said abruptly, stepping away.

    Uther bowed his head slightly. "Of course. Take your time. You know where to find me."

    As Xaden walked away, Erik and Damian stood standing in their ces.

    "You conniving son of a bitch." Damian swore.

    "You really need to take things easily." Uther warned. "Cursing doesn��t do you or anyone here any good."

    Damian wanted to attack him, but Erik coughing him before he could.

    "What��s going on?" Erik asked once he had Damian standing straight. "You��re usually calm and collected. Better than him."

    Damian was breathing so hard and his wolf fangs were now baring view.

    "This bastard." Damian said sneering at Uther. "Tried to run a fucking coup. I didn��t have the time to tell you since you returned amidst the chaos going on the pack. He had gathered some members of the pack to be loyal to him. We almost shed."

    Erik stopped and turned to look all over the older man.

    "You��re really that low?" Erik asked in disbelief. "Blood is thicker than water and yet you wanted to snatch the pack from your missing nephew."

    "Damian is not blood rted to this pack, neither are you. If anyone was going to handle the pack when Xaden isn��t around then it should be me." Uther snapped back.

    Erik rubbed his eyes and shook in disgust at the man before him. "You are just like Anna. You don��t care about anyone but yourfort. Xaden was dying, hell could have been probably dead and you wanted to steal the pack. It��s what you have always wanted in the first ce. It��s why I never liked you."

    Erik grinned. "But you know what? Xaden left the pack to me, and I in turn handed it to Damian. No one cares about you. And until I remain in this pack. That seat. You would never get it."

    And with that they brushed past him, with Damian purposely hitting his shoulder on the way out.

    "We��ll see about that dog." Uther spat and then headed to Anna��s room where he was going to n seeds of destruction.

 Chapter 471: STUBBORN WHORE

    <h4>Chapter 471: STUBBORN WHORE</h4>

    The room was cold, as always.

    The kind of cold that curled into the bones, the kind that crept up the spine and whispered that this was not home �� and never would be.

    She had been here for over two weeks now and she barely hung on a thread of survival.

    It seemed Alpha Hunter had traveled and left, because he had stopped inviting her to have dinner with him.

    She was served her meal in her bedroom by the maids, given a bath once a day and left to mind her business.

    All she could do was stay away and sleep.

    It was exhausting.

    She had requested to see Xaden, but no one was listening.

    She felt her baby move, and then she gently clutched her belly.

    Jasmine sat on the edge of the bed, one hand resting on her belly, the other pressed to the polished wood of the bedpost.

    She stared at the door, tense and silent, as footsteps echoed outside.

    Then �� a knock. Soft. Hesitant.

    She didn��t answer.

    The door creaked open anyway, revealing the thin, freckled maid who had be a near-constant shadow in her prison.

    The girl bowed her head, clutching a folded cloth in her trembling hands.

    "The Alpha wishes to see you," she said softly.

    Jasmine didn��t move.

    She blinked once. Her voice, when it came, was quiet �� but full of steel.

    "I won��t see him."

    The maid flinched. "Please... don��t say that. He... he��ll be angry."

    "I don��t care," Jasmine said, her jaw tightening. "I won��t take a single step until I see Xaden. I��ve asked to see him over and over again. He agreed to let me see him, but it��s been two weeks and nothing."

    The maid hesitated, shifting nervously. "Alpha Hunter doesn��t allow dys. He��ll��he might hurt you."

    "Then let him try," Jasmine said coldly. "Unless he shows me that Xaden is alive and well, I��m not moving. Even if he throws me out of this tower himself."

    There was a flicker of fear in the maid��s eyes, but also something else �� pity.

    She bowed again and left quickly, closing the door behind her without another word.

    Jasmine exhaled, slow and deep.

    Her hands trembled against the curve of her stomach, but her eyes burned with defiance.

    She wondered for Kire and Marro.

    She wondered if they had made it away once she hadn��t returned.

    She hoped Kire had obeyed and taken him back to their pack.

    She counts imagine what would have happened if he had insisted on following her now that she had been caught here.

    She hadn��t heard any news about them in the pack so hopefully was good.

    She now assumed that he was locked away somewhere in this cursed ce. She knew how cruel they were.

    It was the only exnation that made sense.

    Why else would she feel the bond �� faint, dull �� but never see him?

    He was alive. She could feel it.

    But that wasn��t enough anymore.

    She needed proof. And she would not kneel to a monster like Alpha Hunter until she had it.

    The hours dragged on.

    She paced. Sat. Paced again.

    And then��

    The door mmed open without warning.

    She spun around, startled �� only to find herself face-to-face with Leviathan.

    He stood in the doorway, the smell of blood and arrogance thick around him, his yellow eyes gleaming with something cruel.

    "Did you think refusing him would end well?" he sneered.

    Jasmine didn��t answer. She turned away and stepped back.

    "I don��t take orders from you," she said tightly.

    "I��m not here to ask nicely." He snapped at her.

    He crossed the room in three quick strides, his hand mping around her arm.

    Jasmine cried out, struggling. "Let go of me!"

    Leviathan��s grip tightened.

    "You have been getting on my nerves little whore. When the Alpha says something you will obey him. It��s how things work now," he hissed, dragging her toward the door. "You��ll see the Alpha, whether you like it or not��"

    In one swift, wild motion, Jasmine jabbed two fingers hard into his eye.

    "AHH��! YOU STUPID FUCKING BITCH!" he screamed, staggering back and clutching his face.

    His other hand came swinging blindly, cracking across her cheek in a vicious p that sent her stumbling backward.

    Her side hit the bedpost.

    She gripped it hard, stopping herself from falling entirely.

    She felt unease in her stomach where her left hand had gone to, to protect her baby from any harm.

    The pain bloomed across her face, her ears rang, but she stayed on her feet.

    Breathing hard. Steady.

    Leviathan was seething now, his hand still over his eye, his face twisted in rage.

    "I��n going to teach you a lesson," he growled. "One you won��t forget��"

    Before he could take another step, another voice thundered from the doorway.

    "ENOUGH!"

    A tall, broad-shouldered wolf stepped into the room. Silver eyes. ck cloak. Older. Smarter. Mean-looking in a quiet, dangerous way.

    Leviathan turned to him, panting.

    "She attacked me!"

    "She��s pregnant," the older wolf snapped. "You think Alpha Hunter wants her harmed? You know how he had been with her since in the beginning."

    Leviathan clenched his fists, trembling with fury. "She��s disrespectful. She needs to learn who��s in charge."

    "Let that be a decision for Alpha Hunter. Not you." The other wolf stepped closer, growling low. "If you touch her again, I will be the one to teach you something. And it won��t be gentle. Get out, Leviathan."

    Leviathan hesitated. He looked from Jasmine, to the older wolf, then back.

    His face twisted into a snarl. "You��ll regret this," he spat at her.

    And then he stormed out, mming the door behind him.

    The room was quiet again, but the air was tight with tension.

    Jasmine turned to the older wolf. Her cheek was already swelling.

    Her breathing came in ragged bursts, but she didn��t lower her gaze.

    "I still won��t see Alpha Hunter," she said calmly.

    She was terrified in her heart.

    But she knew better.

    She could not back down.

    Not now.

    "Not until I see proof that Xaden is alive."

    The man stared at her for a long, quiet moment.

    Then, he nodded.

    And left without a word.

 Chapter 472: THE DEMOTION

    <h4>Chapter 472: THE DEMOTION</h4>

    The corridor outside Alpha Hunter��s study was still thick with silence when Rygar returned.

    His boots thudded against the stone floor as he approached.

    Inside, Hunter stood at the window, gazing down at the training fields below, his hands behind his back, posture straight as a spear.

    "She refused toe," Rygar said inly.

    Hunter didn��t turn. "Why?"

    "She says she won��t step out of that room until she sees Xaden," Rygar replied. "She wants proof that he��s alive."

    That made Hunter shift slightly. A small smirk yed at the corner of his lips. "Stubborn little girl."

    "She means it," Rygar added. "And Leviathan... tried to force her. I stopped him before things got worse, but she was hit."

    That made Hunter finally turn around.

    "She was what?" he asked, voice low, dangerous.

    "pped across the face. But she stood her ground." Rygar��s expression was t. "Alpha you want me to tell you what I think?"

    Hunter was silent for a while.

    Rygar went on, regardless of whether he was asked to or not.

    "Leviathan is beginning to be a problem. He has always been difficult with his own mind, but he is getting dangerous"

    Hunter��s jaw tightened. He grabbed the edge of the table, thoughtful. Then slowly, he let go. "I��ll see her myself."

    Rygar��s brows lifted slightly, but he said nothing. He simply stepped aside as his Alpha passed him.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Jasmine had curled into the bed after the confrontation, eyes fixed on the ceiling as the ache in her cheek throbbed dully. She didn��t cry.

    She refused to. Not when she still had no answers. Not when she had no one.

    A knock came. Soft at first.

    She didn��t move.

    The knock came again. Louder. More deliberate.

    Her jaw clenched. Normally, they didn��t knock, after one supposed decent knock, they just barged in like she was nothing more than a caged beast.

    But the knocking didn��t stop. Over and over, until irritation sparked in her gut. Gritting her teeth, she pushed off the bed and marched to the door.

    Her fingers gripped the handle hard before yanking it open.

    And there he was.

    Alpha Hunter.

    He stood tall andposed in a dark cloak embroidered with his pack��s sigil, his expression unreadable.

    "May Ie in?" he asked, as though this was her home and not her prison.

    Jasmine blinked, startled by the civility.

    Did she really have a choice?

    She hesitated, then moved aside.

    He stepped in, eyes briefly scanning the room, then settled on her again.

    "I apologize for not seeing you sooner," he said smoothly. "There��s been... business to attend to."

    "Oh?" Jasmine shot back, folding her arms. "Business over the pack you already ransacked or a new and unfortunate one?"

    Hunter chuckled. "You make it sound personal. It��s the way of the wolf world. Territory. Power. Control. Xaden��s done worse."

    Her eyes narrowed. "Don��t speak like you know him."

    He didn��t argue. Instead, he pulled something from his cloak �� a folded leather patch marked with the crest of Crescent Pack. The scent hit her before it was even close.

    Her heart stopped.

    It was Zaden��s.

    He handed it to her wordlessly.

    She took it in trembling fingers, pressing it to her chest. Her breath caught as she inhaled, tears pricking the corners of her eyes. The scent was real. Fresh. Alive.

    "He��s still healing," Hunter said, voice quieter now. "In critical condition. That is the best proof I can offer."

    "I want to see him," Jasmine whispered.

    Hunter��s expression didn��t shift. "This is the most I can allow. You��re not in a position to roam freely."

    She stared at him, wounded but resolute. "So you expect me to believe he��s here... and just ept that?"

    "Yes." His answer was simple. "But if you truly want to see him one day, you��lle to terms with what I need from you. Start with dinner."

    She looked up at him, stricken. "You��re using him as leverage."

    Hunter tilted his head. "I��m offering you incentive. Not harm."

    His eyes dropped suddenly to the side of her face. The swelling had deepened.

    "What happened?" he asked, stepping closer.

    "Nothing," she replied, quickly shifting her face away.

    "Leviathan," he said, tone bitter.

    She didn��t confirm it. She didn��t need to.

    Hunter��s jaw ticked. "I told him never to touch you."

    He turned toward the door.

    "I��ll see you at dinner," he said before exiting.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Leviathan didn��t expect to see Alpha Hunter storming toward him. The way the older Alpha moved��like a silent storm��should��ve warned him, but Leviathan stood his ground.

    "Alpha��"

    The punch came before he finished. A brutal, cracking blow to the jaw that sent Leviathan sprawling into the wall.

    "You disobedient bastard," Hunter growled, dragging him up by the front of his shirt and mming him into the nearest post.

    "She...she disrespected me!" Leviathan shouted. "That little whore..."

    Another hit. This one left blood spilling from his mouth.

    "Never use that word again," Hunter snarled. "You were warned. I told you she was not to be harmed."

    Leviathan gasped. "You��re... you��re doing this for her? She��s just a��"

    Hunter threw him to the floor.

    "You��ve disobeyed me one too many times. This is not about her. This is about you. You��re reckless. Rabid. And now... you��re no longer worthy of being in this pack."

    Leviathan froze. "What...?"

    "You��re being stripped of rank. You��re no longer Beta. No longer even warrior ss. You��re nothing. An Omega. Until I decide otherwise."

    "You can��t do that!" Leviathan shrieked, scrambling to his knees. "This is because of her��"

    "I said, don��t mention her name again," Hunter snapped, his voice like frost. "You��re lucky I don��t kill you. And you are wrong, I can do that. I can do anything because I��m Alpha."

    He turned and began to walk away, his cloak swirling behind him.

    Leviathan sat frozen on the ground, face bleeding, heart thudding in disbelief.

    Hate rose like bile in his throat. Hatred for Jasmine. For the child. For everything.

    This wasn��t over.

    Not by a long shot.

 Chapter 473: ANNA’S WAY

    <h4>Chapter 473: ANNA��S WAY</h4>

    Anna��s room was dark, lit only by the dim flicker of candlelight.

    The soft orange glow danced against the carved walls, casting long shadows that swayed like ghosts. Her reflection in the mirror was smeared and exhausted��eyeliner streaked like bruises, cheeks flushed with the sting of humiliation. The weight of the night hung on her like a second skin.

    She sat motionless, dragging a cloth across her face with slow, deliberate movements, as if scrubbing away the memory of Erik��s disgusted re... Fiona��s condescension... Nanny Nia��s veiled usations.

    But worst of all��Xaden��s silence.

    That silence had cracked something in her.

    He hadn��t defended her. Not even a nce.

    It had always been that way. Jasmine cried, Jasmine stumbled, and everyone came running. She lied, and the world believed her. She breathed, and the Alphas knelt.

    And Anna?

    Anna was always just there��smiling, perfect, and utterly invisible.

    But not anymore.

    A soft knock on the door pulled her from her thoughts.

    She didn��t turn. "Come in," she called dryly, already guessing who it was.

    The door creaked open and closed again with a gentle click. She saw his reflection before his voice.

    "Lovely evening," Uther murmured, his tone oily with familiarity as he stepped into the room.

    Anna ced the cloth down and turned slowly toward him, her lips drawn in a tight line. "You said you��ve found a way to get rid of Jasmine."

    She didn��t waste time. "I want to hear it."

    Uther��s smile was thin. "And you will. But first��I need your word. What I tell you does not leave this room. No whispers, no hints, not even to your shadows."

    She gave him a scowl, every bit the petnt, privileged brat she��d been raised to be. "You know I won��t say a word."

    "Say it anyway," he pressed, voice quiet but firm.

    She exhaled sharply and rolled her eyes, "Fine. I swear I won��t tell anyone."

    Her voice carried the impatience of someone used to getting what they wanted.

    But something about Uther��s stillness sobered her slightly. He was always calm. Always calcting. And when he was like this��she knew he had something real.

    He nodded slowly, his expression unreadable, before walking back to the door. He turned the key in the lock��a click of finality��then moved toward her again with heavy, deliberate steps.

    He poured himself a drink from the decanter on her side table and took a slow sip before finally saying, "Jasmine is still alive."

    Anna froze.

    Her brow furrowed, mouth parting. "...How do you know that?"

    He raised the ss slightly. "A little bird told me."

    "What?" Her voice sharpened, and she stood now, almost knocking over the chair behind her. "What do you mean she��s alive?"

    "She��s alive," he repeated, savoring each word like fine wine. "Being held captive in Alpha Hunter��s territory. The same Alpha who led the ambush against Xaden."

    Anna��s face drained of color, then med with rage.

    "What?! That bitch is still breathing?"

    Uther chuckled softly. "Yes, she is."

    Anna stormed toward the firece and braced her hands on the mantel, staring into the coals like they could offer answers. "Why didn��t you tell me sooner?" she demanded.

    "I just confirmed it." He said it so simply, like he hadn��t just torn her world apart. "I have someone��someone close to Hunter. They say Jasmine��s being kept in the east tower. She��s locked up, yes, but safe. He��s protecting her."

    "Protecting her?" Her voice was shrill now. "The Alpha who tried to kill my brother is now guarding her like she��s some precious thing?"

    He nodded. "He even demoted one of his own pack forying a hand on her. Stripped him of rank. Turned him into nothing."

    Anna spun around, pacing now. Her fingernails dug into her palms. "Of course. Of course she would find a way to make even him fall for her. She always does. They all do. Xaden, Erik, now this brute. What is it about her? What does she have that makes men turn into fools?"

    Uther watched her, letting her rant. Then, in a low voice, he said, "That girl is dangerous in more ways than one. But she��s also useful. You don��t kill a threat like her. You use her."

    Anna paused, breath ragged. "Use her?"

    "She��s close to Alpha Hunter," Uther exined. "Emotionally. Maybe more. That gives us an edge. I said I have someone on the inside. We can meet him, pay him, make him look the other way. With the right n... we could make it appear Jasmine was in on everything. That she orchestrated her own disappearance. That she helped n the attack on Crescent Moon."

    Anna��s eyes gleamed. "You want to frame her."

    "I want to ruin her," Uther corrected. "Not just destroy her body. Destroy her name. Her legacy. Make her untouchable."

    Annaughed��a short, sharp sound. "She��s already hated. If we do this right... the council will never let her return. The people will never forgive her. And Xaden��"

    Her expression hardened. "Xaden will never look at her the same."

    "She��ll be a traitor," Uther said simply. "Not a victim. Not a captive. A traitor."

    Anna��s heart beat like thunder in her ears.

    This was it.

    The moment she��d been waiting for.

    She turned slowly toward her uncle, her face calm again, eyes colder than ice. "I want to meet your insider."

    Uther raised a brow. "Now?"

    "Yes." She didn��t blink. "If I��m going to do this, I need details. I want to know theyout of Hunter��s grounds. I want to know who guards her. I want to know what she eats, when she sleeps, where she hides her things. I need loopholes."

    "You��re thinking like a strategist now," Uther said, pleased. "But be warned. This insider��he��s not... polite. And he��s got his own reasons for hating Jasmine."

    "Good," Anna said. "We��ll get along just fine."

    Uther studied her, then finally gave a slow nod. "I��ll arrange it."

    "Do it soon," Anna said, returning to her vanity. "I��ve waited long enough. If we��re going to strike, it has to be clean. No mistakes. No room for sympathy."

    She picked up her brush and dragged it through her hair in smooth, even strokes.

    In the mirror, her eyes met her own reflection.

    Cold. Determined. Beautiful in a way that was almost cruel.

    This wasn��t over.

    It was just the beginning.

    And this time��Jasmine would not survive it.

 Chapter 474: SECRET MEETINGS

    <h4>Chapter 474: SECRET MEETINGS</h4>

    The moon hung high and distant, veiled behind tattered clouds that glided like ghosts across the sky.

    Anna pulled the dark cloak tighter around her shoulders as she followed Uther through the dense forest trail.

    The path was old��unused and nearly forgotten��overgrown with thorns and heavy with damp leaves.

    The silence was unnerving, broken only by the asional snap of twigs underfoot.

    She heard weird noises and the trees move around.

    She felt a shiver of fear over her spine.

    "Where exactly are we going?" she asked her uncle, voice low but sharp.

    Uther nced over his shoulder. "Somewhere private. No ears. No eyes. Just you, me, and the man who might help you destroy Jasmine."

    "Why didn��t we just meet somewhere else better?" Anna hissed harshly as she looked around the forest. "Why go through any of this even?"

    "Because it��s supposed to be discreet." Uther responded a hint of irritation in his voice.

    "What does that have to do with us not riding a horse or better still shifting. And why am I wearing these ugly and dirty clothes." She asked as she perceived the filthy coat she had on.

    She was revolted by the stench.

    "We can��t ride horses because we need to mask who we are. We also can��t shift because we have to hide our scent. Looking this way can help prevent anyone from remembering us. And that��s thest thing we want." Uther said. "If that��s too much for you then I think Jasmine would enjoy your seat in the pack."

    Anna clenched her teeth.

    Just hearing her name again made her stomach knot with loathing.

    She said nothing and went on with him.

    They walked for several more minutes before reaching a small clearing.

    At the edge stood a decrepit tavern��its wooden exterior weathered and sun-bleached, windows shattered, roof sagging.

    A ce that reeked of abandonment and secrecy.

    "In there?" Anna asked, disgust curling in her voice.

    Uther didn��t answer. He merely pushed open the heavy door and stepped inside.

    Anna followed reluctantly.

    The tavern was dim, lit only by a few flickeringnterns nailed haphazardly to the walls.

    Dust hung in the air.

    The people insideughed and drank.

    There were half naked women on theps of men while they chattered.

    The noise was something else.

    "This way." Uther instructed towards a table and she followed right behind.

    He led her to a man sitting at a table in the corner.

    Uther ushered her a seat as he took his.

    She sat down and only then did the man look up at her.

    He was mean and looked hideous.

    His face looked bruised, like he had gotten beaten recently.

    She wondered what caused that.

    "Leviathan." Uther greeted.

    Leviathan smirked, leaning back in his chair. "Hello Uther, Hello Princess."

    Anna recoiled.

    "You��re the insider?" she looked between him and Uther, clearly unimpressed.

    "Was," Leviathan corrected. "Alpha Hunter tossed me down the ranks. I��m an Omega now, thanks to your little princess in chains. But I��ve still got eyes. And ears."

    Anna crossed her arms, nostrils ring. "And why should I trust a beaten dog like you?"

    Leviathan��s smile twisted. "Because no one hates Jasmine more than I do. She cost me everything. My status. My position. My pride. If there��s anyone who wants to watch her fall apart piece by piece, it��s me."

    Anna said nothing for a long beat. Then she sat across from him.

    "Talk."

    Leviathan poured himself a drink, the liquid sloshing thickly.

    "She��s kept in the east wing tower. Same room every night. Guarded, sure, but not tightly. Hunter has her watched, but it��s more... possessive than it is strategic. He��s obsessed with her. Hasn��t touched her yet��but you can see it in his eyes. He��s losing himself. That girl... she worms into people��s minds."

    "Tell me about it," Anna muttered, her fists clenching under the table.

    "She doesn��t know you��re plotting," he continued. "Doesn��t know anyone��s watching her. Doesn��t even know that her boyfriend ran of with his tail in between his legs and left her. But I��ve gotten close enough. I know her routine. I know whoes in and out. I can nt things. Start whispers. Maybe leak a letter. Something that looks like she��s been feeding Hunter information all along."

    Anna��s eyes lit with slow, wicked delight. "That��s exactly what I want. Make it look like she was working with him from the start. Like she nned everything. Her disappearance. Xaden��s ambush. Everything."

    "Frame her as a traitor," Leviathan said, nodding. "Make the Crescent Pack hate her."

    "Make Xaden hate her," Anna corrected.

    Leviathan raised a brow. "You think he still loves her?"

    "My brother doesn��t love that whore," Anna said tightly, "If he believes she betrayed him? He��ll never forgive her. And once he turns his back, everyone else will too."

    "And what do I get in return?" Leviathan asked, leaning forward now. "Because I��m risking a lot. If Hunter finds out, I��m dead. Or worse."

    Anna reached into her cloak and pulled out a small pouch. It jingled faintly. She slid it across the table.

    "Diamonds," she said. "Enough to buy loyalty. More wille if you seed."

    Leviathan eyed the pouch, then picked it up and weighed it in his hand. "Not bad."

    "And," Anna added, "if everything goes well, I��ll make sure your status is restored. I still haven��t forgiven you for what you did to my brother. Once this business is done with, I��ll still regard you as my brother."

    Leviathan��s smile returned. "Well, damn. Looks like I��m back in business."

    They sat in silence for a few moments, the weight of their n sinking in.

    Outside, the wind howled faintly through the trees.

    "What��s the first step?" Anna asked.

    "I��ll start by nting something small. A coded message. Something only a spy would carry. Maybe even have it hidden in her belongings. That��ll start suspicion. Then we build from there."

    "I want this airtight," Anna warned. "No mistakes. No mercy."

    Leviathan nodded. "Understood."

    Anna rose to her feet, brushing off her cloak. "Make it believable," she said coldly. "And make her burn."

    As she turned to leave, Uther followed her. Leviathan remained behind, the pouch of silver still clutched in his hand and a devilish grin spreading across his face.

    This was war now.

    And Jasmine had no idea it had already begun.

 Chapter 475: I WANTED YOU

    <h4>Chapter 475: I WANTED YOU</h4>

    The knock came again. She didn��t answer it.

    Jasmine sat on the edge of the bed, arms crossed tightly over her chest, her gaze sharp and unmoving on the door. She had no interest in ying dress-up for a monster. She didn��t care how fine the silverware was or how grand the tes looked. Nothing about this ce felt real. Or safe.

    But the door creaked open anyway.

    Three maids entered quietly, heads bowed as though they expected her to attack. The first one��a girl with a long braid and trembling hands��held a gown in her arms. It was a soft burgundy, with gold embroidery curling up the sleeves like mes. The kind of thing she might have loved once, when she was still free. When her body wasn��t aching and her cheek wasn��t swollen from Leviathan��s p.

    Jasmine��s lips pressed into a tight line.

    She didn��t speak. She didn��t have to.

    The girls moved quietly, efficiently. They brushed her hair, braided it in a loose crown. They dabbed something cold against her bruised cheek. Jasmine flinched, but said nothing. The dress was slid over her arms and tightened at the waist. They ced slippers on her feet.

    She didn��t thank them. She didn��t even look at them.

    Once they left, Jasmine stood and stared at herself in the mirror.

    Her reflection looked like a ghost. Hollow eyes. A face she barely recognized. She touched her belly again, the only thing grounding her to reality. To hope. The baby shifted slightly beneath her palm.

    "You are not staying here," she whispered to herself, voice low and firm. "You will not die in this ce. You will get out."

    Even if she had to tear the entire fortress down with her bare hands.

    ?

    The great hall was warm, a sharp contrast to the chill that hung in her room. The table was already set when she arrived��golden tes, tall goblets, flickering candles casting soft glows on everything. A feastid out before her like some twisted peace offering.

    She did not sit until he arrived.

    Alpha Hunter entered with the confidence of a man who believed the world bent for him. Cloaked in ck again, a dark pendant resting against his chest. His sharp eyes took her in slowly��her stiff shoulders, her tight jaw, the bruise still darkening her cheek.

    He said nothing about it.

    Instead, he gestured to the seat across from him. "Please."

    Jasmine sat. Slowly.

    She didn��t touch the food.

    He did.

    He cut into his meat without looking up, the scrape of his knife against the te breaking the silence.

    "I imagine you��re not hungry," he said finally.

    "Not particrly."

    "Pity. I ordered this especially for you."

    "Next time, order freedom."

    He chuckled. Not insulted. Not fazed. "Still so sharp. You��ll dull eventually."

    "I��d rather die."

    Hunter��s fork paused mid-air, then lowered again.

    They sat in silence for a moment, the candles between them flickering like old secrets.

    "I never intended for this to be cruel," he said.

    Jasmine looked at him like he��d grown horns. "You kidnapped me."

    "I kept you alive," he corrected. "Would you have preferred I left you for dead?"

    She said nothing.

    Hunter set down his cutlery. "I understand your hatred. But hatred clouds judgment. It limits power. I want to offer you something else. Control. A future."

    "You mean submission."

    "I mean survival. Safety. Perhaps even influence��if you��re wise enough to ept it."

    She shook her head. "None of that matters unless I know Xaden is okay."

    "You already have his crest," Hunter said calmly. "His scent. He is here. He is breathing. That��s more than you��d have gotten anywhere else."

    "You still won��t let me see him?"

    "Not yet. But... perhaps you need to understand."

    He stood.

    "Come. I want to show you something."

    Jasmine hesitated, her gut twisting. But eventually, she rose.

    She followed him out of the great hall, down a winding corridor and through a narrow gate. The path outside opened into the lower courtyard, bathed in moonlight. It was quiet. Guarded but calm.

    He led her past the walls, to a small field behind the training grounds.

    There, tied to a wooden post, stood a horse. A stunning ck mare with a white star on her forehead. Her mane shimmered like silk under the moonlight. The horse turned its head slowly, calm and proud.

    Jasmine stared, her breath catching. "She��s beautiful."

    "She��s all I have left," Hunter said softly.

    The words startled her.

    "She belonged to someone I cared about. A long time ago."

    Jasmine nced at him. There was something in his voice. A crack. Something buried deep, half-rotted and full of grief.

    "What happened to them?" she asked before she could stop herself.

    Hunter looked away. "The past is in the past."

    "But it still haunts you."

    He didn��t answer.

    Jasmine looked back at the horse. For a moment, she forgot where she was. Forgot that this was the same man who��d held her prisoner, who had men like Leviathan under hismand. In this light, under this sky, he almost looked... human.

    And then he shattered the illusion.

    "I attacked Xaden because I wanted you."

    She blinked, stunned.

    "What?" Her stomach flipped. "No. No. That��s not��"

    And then she paused feeling dazed. "What do you mean you attacked Xaden for me."

    "What do you think?" He asked.

    Jasmine stepped back. "You��re insane."

    He didn��t follow. He let her retreat.

    "I don��t want you," she hissed. "I don��t want your protection. And I sure as hell don��t want your pity."

    Hunter��s expression didn��t change. "I didn��t ask what you wanted."

    She stared at him, fire and panic battling in her chest.

    "You don��t get to rewrite fate just because you want it," she whispered. "You don��t get to ruin lives just to make yourself feel better."

    "I never said I believed in fate," he said quietly.

    Then he turned, walking back toward the castle without looking at her again.

    Jasmine stood frozen in the moonlight, her heart thundering in her chest.

    And for the first time since she had been taken, fear and confusion twisted together.

    Because some terrible part of her wasn��t sure what scared her more��

    That he wanted her.

    Or that part of her... understood why.

 Chapter 476: SEED OF DESTRUCTION (I)

    <h4>Chapter 476: SEED OF DESTRUCTION (I)</h4>

    Once Uther and Anna had returned back home discreetly, Anna could then Finy breathe.

    She had been tended all through their endeavors.

    What if somehow she had been caught.

    What would she tell her brother?

    But this was Jasmine she was talking about.

    She needed to get rid of that stupid cunt once and for all.

    At least now that she had the time to act to.

    She took off the ugly coat and handed it to her uncle.

    "We need to act fast." She said. "Now that Xaden has woken up he would want to quickly bring her back. We can��t let that happen. Not yet at least."

    Uther wrinkled his face as he collected the coat.

    "Once I have the details, I will let you know." She said as she walked towards her bed. "Make sure Leviathan sends the samples of His Alpha��s letters. Make sure I get it tonight."

    Uther wasn��t pleased to be treated like a toy but he concealed his true emotions.

    "Of course. Is there anything else you would want me to do?" He asked.

    She rolled her eyes as she sat on the bed and took off the misery boots and socks she wore.

    "No." She hissed. "Just do as I have asked.

    I can��t trust you or that ugly leviathan to do anything else. The two of you are ipetent."

    She walked towards her closet chamber where she had her privacy.

    She threw off the smelly dress and quickly wore a simple night chemise.

    She emerged and flung the smelly clothes he had made her wear at his face.

    "You can leave now." She said. "I would let you know if I need your help."

    He gave a tight smile and then headed out of the room.

    She mmed it shut in his face and rolled her eyes in disgust.

    Her uncle was a greedy little power hunger.

    She despised him and it was dreadful to know that he was her own mother��s brother.

    He was scheming and it was only a matter of time.

    She didn��t like him and she wanted him gone before he had his ws on the pack.

    But in the mean time Jasmine was their main enemy so she would have to deal with himter.

    Annay on her bed and took in a deep breath.

    This was it.

    This was the only way she could have Jasmine out of the pack .

    If she yed her cards well, well... something good coulde out of this.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Early the next morning Anna was already up and headed down to find her brother.

    "Where is my brother?" She snapped at the maids making his bed and cleaning the floors.

    "He is in his court mydy." One replied.

    Anna without a thank you marched off to find her brother.

    She went in without an invitation and sure enough her brother was discussing over a table with some men.

    He still had his broken arm bandaged, and attached to his shoulder.

    She grew in fury when she thought of the fact that Jasmine was making her brother who was still recovering trying to find her.

    Her brother who was already at the point of death when they had found him.

    If the stupid whore had stayed at home, none of this would have happened.

    Well Jasmine had made the biggest mistake of her life.

    "Xaden!" She called to him.

    Xaden turned from what he was doing and looked at her.

    "Anna." He said with a tone of surprise.

    She jogged up to him and gave him a hug.

    She saw Erik turn his face away through the hug and she burned in anger.

    She kissed Xaden��s cheek.

    "How are you doing?" She asked him. "You only woke up yesterday and you��re already mapping out new ns for the pack?"

    He gave a wry smile.

    "I��m fine." He assured. "You need not worry about me. And I��m not mapping out new ns for the pack. We��re trying to find a way to get Jasmine back and the earlier we do it, the better."

    "How do you expect me not to worry when you barely made it back alive?" Anna asked sympathetically. "I don��t know what I would have done if something happened to you. Let the others do it, but you need to rest."

    "Anna...." He started.

    She turned and red at the other wolves at the table. "So your Alpha is barely alive and in a critical condition and yet you still want him to go after her? Why can��t you do it? Is it till he is dead? Huh?!"

    "Anna." Xaden��s said gently touching her shoulder. "You need to calm down. Nothing is going to happen."

    He gently pulled her away from the circle of men.

    She red at them and turned back to face her brother. "But it��s the truth. You care about everyone but who cares about you? Jasmine should have never left the pack in the first ce! I begged her."

    Xaden sighed and massaged his temple. "I know. But she is pregnant. We can��t leave her. Only the goddess knows what happened to her."

    Her brother��s eyes looked dull and hollow.

    Like he was barely alive anymore.

    And then she took a step back to look at his disheveled appearance.

    He looked haggard and exhausted.

    This was more than just him being unwell.

    This was also because of Jasmine.

    He was exhausted and unhappy because the slut wasn��t here.

    Anna sighed and told herself that once Jasmine was hone, once he knew who she truly was, then he would move on.

    No one would have a hold on her brother like this again.

    He sighed. "Okay. I won��t be leaving this pack in two days. I was going to go today but then I��ll take it easy. We have already sent word to the bastard and he confirmed she is in the pack."

    Anna smiled at him. "Thank you."

    He gently cupped her cheek and kissed her forehead. "You��re wee. You should let me get back to mapping."

    She frowned at him once again.

    He smiled. "I��ll rest shortly after."

    And then she smiled and left the room.

    She truly cared for her brother and she was happy he had a soft spot for her.

    That was why he still didn��t know the lies she had told him when she came here.

    He still believed that Jasmine had been raised like a princess while she had suffered.

    That was why he would never believe a soul if he heard that his sweet little sister was actually a monster.

    She smiled cunningly and headed to her next step.

    The beginning of Jasmine��s downfall.

 Chapter 477: SEED OF DESTRUCTION (II)

    <h4>Chapter 477: SEED OF DESTRUCTION (II)</h4>

    Anna had taken her time to meet Xaden and ensure that he didn��t leave early to find Jasmine.

    Now that she had two days, she had to work with it.

    And very fast.

    She found a maid passing by and then grabbed her arm.

    The maid yelped.

    "Where is Nanny Nia." Anna asked.

    "N...nann... nanny Nia?" The maid asked confused.

    "Jasmine��s nanny." Anna exined.

    "Oh." The maidughed uneasily. "She is down in the kitchen doing some work."

    Anna looked around and then realized she might seem sneaky.

    She felt the tremble of the maids��s hand in her grasp and then Anna hurriedly let go.

    "I��m sorry." Anna said. "I��ve just been tensed. First worried about my brother and now Jasmine. It��s been a lot for me."

    The maid seemed confused and then softened.

    "I understand mydy. No one holds it against you." The maid said. "I��m sure if you see Nanny Niater perhaps you can speak to her on Jasmine."

    "Of course." Anna let out a fake smile of gratitude. "When do you think she will be done from the kitchen."

    The maid seemed to think for a few seconds.

    "She is assisting with the dough for pie. Perhaps twenty minutes and then she would be back." The maid said. "If you need me to call her for you I could-

    "No!" Anna said a little too hastily and then realized she had scared the maid again.

    She smiled and said a softer no.

    "I will see her afterwards. Thank you. I appreciate it." Anna said as she sped her two hands together with the maid��s hands.

    The maid smiled.

    "Of course mydy."

    And then she nodded her off and Anna watched the maid leave.

    Once she had gone Anna took off the fake smile stamped on her face.

    She sighed a sigh of relief.

    She hated having to pretend in front of miserable low life servants.

    But she didn��t want anyone to know what she was up to.

    She had to be smart and show sympathy.

    Now she knew that Nanny Nia had probably spent five minutes down in the kitchen and she had fifteen minutes to go through Jasmine��s room.

    She hurried up the stairs and then by the time she got to Jasmine��s room she was beyond words exhausted.

    Why did Xaden have to give her the highest room in the pack.

    There were no guards by the door luckily enough since Jasmine wasn��t here anymore.

    That was a relief.

    Anna stepped into the room and looked around.

    It further appalled her that Jasmine had been given her own mother��s room and she hated to admit it, but the room was much much pleasing and wider than hers.

    She groaned to herself.

    One of the reasons why she needed to get ridden of Jamsine.

    Anna looked around and then started to search through.

    She started from the cupboards and made sure to gently put them back.

    She was irritated and wondered where the hell Lily was?

    Lily was supposed to meet her Jasmine��s room. That was the agreements so that they could figure this out together.

    But Jasmine had been given some tasks to handle hence why she wasn��t here yet.

    Anna went through therge wardrobe pulling things out.

    And then she got up to check a cupboard when she saw Lily standing by the door.

    "Sweet mother!" Anna jumped in fright.

    Lily herself jumped.

    "Don��t scare me like that! Ever again!" Anna warned in rage.

    "I just stepped into the room." Lily stated.

    "Shut the door behind you and start searching." Anna hissed as she went back down on her knees.

    This time she didn��t put the things back the way she had seen them.

    "W... wh... what...." Lily asked confused.

    "What WHAT LILIAN??!" Anna red at her.

    "Why are we in Jasmine��s room and why are we going through her things?!" A perplexed and anxious Lily asked.

    "Just start searching we don��t have time!" Anna hissed in disgust at how slow Lily was.

    Lily still confused, went to the cupboards and began going through.

    "What are searching for?" Lily asked.

    "We are searching for a paper...." Anna paused as she opened a purse and found nothing. "with Jasmine��s hand writing."

    Then she threw it back.

    "Why are we looking for a proper with Jasmine��s hand writing." Lily asked as she slowly went through.

    "You��re irritating me." Anna hissed. "And make sure to put back the things I pulled out before we get caught. We don��t have time."

    Anna swallowed and pushed a loose strand of her blonde hair that kept on popping in her face.

    "While you were busy having your princess sleep, I was in the woods and in a smelly bar with a member of the pack who had my brother attacked."

    "WHAT?!" Lily gawked.

    "Shhhh!!!l" Anna shushed. "I went with Uther. We met someone who will help set Jasmine up."

    "Why would you want to set her up?" Lily asked confused as she cleaned up after Anna.

    "Do you want Jasmine here? Didn��t you want her around so that you could have my brother to yourself?!" Anna spat venomously.

    Lily stuttered. "Yes... uhm.. yes, I did. But....-

    "But Nothing! We are already too close to let this slide and get out of hand." Anna said as she moved to where the bed was and began searching. "If my brother believes that Jasmine had a hand in the kidnapping, that she is the reason why he was almost killed, why all of It happened, then he would never forgive her."

    "Why would your brother believe that? Your brother trusts Jasmine." Lily said.

    "That��s why we have to make proof." Anna stated.

    "So using her handwriting is going to make him believe?" Lily asked confused.

    "Wisdom is chasing you, but you are running faster." Anna said in annoyance. Then she stopped and took a deep breath. "Exining this to you is an absolute waste of time, but, look. Jasmine is currently with the rogue Alpha. I want to copy her handwriting and nt fake letters in her room between her and the rogue Alpha. I will steal our family heirlooms too and make proof that she intended on taking it. When Xaden mentions Alpha hunter, I��ll act shocked and tell him that I know the name. Because my brother has never told anyone who the rogue Alpha is. I��ll tell him that he had visited my old Pack before. And why would that be hard to believe? My false parents were terrible people so is it a surprise a rogue wolf was with them. Then I would tell Xaden that back when I lived in the pack Jasmine and the man had an affair."

 Chapter 478: SEED OF DESTRUCTION (III)

    <h4>Chapter 478: SEED OF DESTRUCTION (III)</h4>

    Lily��s mouth dropped open at the revtion.

    "My God." Lily said in surprise.

    "My brother believes me." Anna stated matter of fact. "Why would I have any reason to lie against Jasmine. And I am his blood. His sweet and innocent little sister can never do any wrong in his eyes. And with the evidence present before him, he would have no choice but to believe it."

    "What if he confirms from people who still live in the moonlight pack? Your previous pack?" Lily asked.

    Anna waved her hand dismissively.

    "Don��t worry, I have that sorted out too. The main thing here is that my brother would hate Jasmine. An affair? Maybe the rogue Alpha is even the father of her child."

    "But he isn��t." Lily said.

    Anna scowled. "Of course not. But it��s a set up. We have to have many advantages over her. My brother would never want to see her again. And just like that? Poor! Jasmine is gone from this our lives. Gone for good."

    Lily��s loud was wide open. "My Goddess, Anna that��s terrible brilliant."

    Anna smiled wickedly. "I know. Now we need to find those papers so that I can copy her handwriting word for word."

    They went back down to searching through.

    "But isn��t Jasmine an illiterate? I thought nanny Nia was teaching her how to dea and write?" Lily asked as she pulled through the bedside cab. "And wouldn��t thag mean that she could never have written or read any of the letters?"

    "Yes, but I��ll lie. I��ll say that she always knew how to read and write. She was always pretending. It��s my word against hers. Against the daughter of My brother��s most hated enemy. Who is he going to believe? Me or her? Plus which daughter of an Alpha wasn��t formally educated." Anna stated

    Lily nodded as they continued to search through.

    "I can��t find anything." Annained. "That stupid Nanny of hers would be here any minute from now."

    Lily leaned against the hard wall.

    They had been searching for almost an hour and their time was about to run up .

    "If I don��t find those handwritings that she used to learn with the stupid nanny then I would never be able to prove this!" A frustrated Anna said.

    Lily sighed and got up to research another cab when a small gold ornament thag had been on the table fell.

    It rolled down past the wardrobe then hit a soft creak.

    Lily got up to pick it up and when she did, she looked up at what seemed like a door.

    She frowned and then tugged at it.

    It didn��t budge.

    "Lily what the hell are you doing there?" An irritated Anna asked.

    She looked around and found a small knob.

    She held it and pulled it back.

    A door gently opened.

    "Anna I think you shoulde see this." Lily called out to her.

    Anna groaned and then got up to her feet.

    She gasped.

    "A secret door?" Anna said.

    There were beautiful steps went spiral and seemed to be brand new.

    Like they had just recently been renovated.

    "Let��s check what��s up there." Lily said.

    Together both young women went up the stairs and then soon they were in arge room with windows and different objects.

    It was beautiful.

    Anna gasped.

    "This is beautiful." Lily said.

    Anna looked around and Lily went to peek at the maps.

    "There are hundreds of books here." Lily said in awe.

    She turned around and found a grinning Anna holding a book."

    "Look what I found." Anna said.

    Lily went up to her and Anna loved the book ok the table.

    She opened it and together they examined it.

    "It��s Jasmine��s lesson book." Anna pointed out. "You can tell from the handwritings and how she is repeating the words."

    Anna flipped through it and saw much neater handwritings. It seemed Jasmine was well into writing."

    Anna tore a page out of the book.

    Lily gasped. "You should have done that."

    "They won��t notice. And it��s just a book." Anna pointed out. She held the page out. "This is it. This is what is going to send Jasmine far away from my life."

    "What about her baby?" Lily asked.

    "What about her baby?" Anna asked annoyed.

    "The baby is going to be your niece or your nephew. Your flesh and blood. Aren��t you worried about what��s going to happen to him or her?" A Lily asked biting a bottom lip.

    "I don��t care." Anna stated coldly. "The moment that child came through Jasmine, it was already tainted. I would have other nephews and nieces."

    Lily seemed to taken aback by Anna��s coldness.

    "What? Aren��t you equally as bad as I am? Don��t you want Jasmine gone? What��s the difference between you and me?" Anna threatened. "Let��s go. We already have what we want."

    And then Anna shut the book and headed back down the stairs.

    They reached the floor of the stairs and just as Lily opened the door she saw Nanny Niae in.

    Lily gasped and hurriedly shut it back, bumping into Anna

    "What?" Anna snapped.

    "Her nanny is back." Lily stated.

    Anna��s face fell. "That hold hag."

    She started to bite her finger nails.

    "Did you pack up everything we took out?" Anna asked quietly

    "I think so?" An unsure Lily relief.

    Anna groaned and pushed Lily aside.

    She gently opened the door to peep.

    "Alright Nanny Nia. I��ll let him know." A maid said.

    "Thank you." Nanny Nia said as she closed the bedroom door shut and turned to face the room.

    Anna pulled the door closer in.

    Nanny Nia walked around as she headed to bed.

    She slowly began to undo the pins in her hair.

    And Anna knew that she was about to take off her clothes and have her bath.

    She grudgingly watched as the old woman took of her clothes and saw her sagging skin.

    Anna was repulsed.

    And then she heard Nanny Nia��s footsteps and when she heard the door of Jasmine��s bathing room shut, Anna hurriedly opened the door.

    She and Lily tiptoed through the room and raced out through the door.

    By the time they were already closing the door Nanny Nia emerged, luckily they were not caught.

    Anna breathed a sigh of relief was she felt the page of Jasmine��s handwriting in her pocket.

 Chapter 479: SEED OF DESTRUCTION (IV)

    <h4>Chapter 479: SEED OF DESTRUCTION (IV)</h4>

    Anna shut the door of her bedroom with a soft click, her face flushed with excitement and the thrill of control.

    Lily followed her in, looking dazed and winded after the long climb from Jasmine��s room.

    The page of Jasmine��s handwriting was now tucked safely into Anna��s vanity drawer, alongside the torn-out letters from Hunter.

    Anna walked straight to her desk and pulled out the materials she��d prepared earlier��ink, parchment, two fountain pens, and Hunter��s personal letters.

    She ced them on the table like weapons, each one a key to Jasmine��s downfall.

    "Well," she said, turning to Lily with a smirk, "I did most of the work already. Your turn."

    Lily blinked. "My turn?"

    Anna sat on her bed, crossed her legs, and waved a dismissive hand. "Yes, dear Lily. You��re the best at mimicking handwriting, remember? You used to forge your father��s signature to skip etiquette sses. Don��t act innocent now."

    Lily hesitated, looking between the pen and the letters. "And you want me to write what, exactly?"

    Anna tilted her head as though it should be obvious. "Love letters. A full-fledged affair. From Jasmine to Hunter, and back. Make them believable. Jasmine writing about how she wishes Xaden was gone. Hunter writing back, promising her a future together and talking about Crescent Pack like she belongs there."

    Lily swallowed hard but sat down. "Fine. But I hope this doesn��t backfire on us."

    Anna scoffed. "It won��t. Trust me. Everything is falling into ce."

    Lily uncapped the pen and began working, carefully mimicking Jasmine��s clumsy, inconsistent handwriting from the copied lesson page.

    Anna watched her work, amused and strangely pleased by how natural Lily was at this.

    "Make sure you mention the baby," Anna instructed. "Say something like, ��Our child deserves to be raised in a home where no one judges us.�� Something pathetic like that."

    Lily scribbled the line, muttering it under her breath. "Our child deserves to be raised in a safe home..."

    "And in Hunter��s letters, he should mention Xaden being a threat," Anna added. "That Jasmine asked him to take care of it."

    Lily looked up. "You mean... make it sound like she told him to kill Xaden?"

    Anna nodded, her eyes glinting. "Exactly."

    They worked for nearly an hour.

    Lily wrote six full pages��three from Jasmine, three from Hunter.

    Each one designed to slowly, painfully shatter any trust Xaden still had for Jasmine.

    Anna took the finished letters carefully, drying them by the fire and folding them with a silk ribbon.

    "Thank you very much." Anna smiled wickedly.

    It was one of the rarest times in her life she used that word thank you

    Later that night, Anna dressed in soft, quiet clothes and wrapped a thin shawl around her head to obscure her features. She waited until the hallway was still��until even the guards outside were yawning��and then she slipped into Jasmine��s empty room.

    The door creaked open.

    She slid inside, ncing around quickly. Nanny Nia was nowhere to be seen. Good.

    The room smelled faintly like jasmine flowers and warm candlewax.

    Disgusting.

    Anna moved to the wardrobe and began tucking the forged letters into the inner folds of Jasmine��s things��a pouch hidden under her travel cloak, the lining of her robe, even under her pillow.

    Then she added a final touch��a letter "from Hunter," half-burned as though Jasmine had tried to destroy the evidence herself.

    When she was done, she took a moment to look around.

    Everything looked untouched.

    Perfect.

    Next, she crept down toward the family hall.

    As she turned, she bumped into someone.

    The person had been holding a candle so the wax burned her finger.

    She yelped in pain.

    "Bloody hell! Can��t you see where you are going?!" She screamed.

    Before her was none other than Nanny Nia.

    Anna remembered how she had seen her naked and became repulsed.

    Nanny Nia looked at her closely.

    "You. What are you doing walking around the pack house sote in the night?" Nanny nia asked, her eyes wide alert.

    Anna hated the bold ugly woman.

    "What am I doing here? I own this pack. It belongs to my parents. I can go wherever I want. The question here is where are youing from?" Anna asked gaslighting her.

    Nanny Nia gave a coy smile.

    "You��re up to something." Nanny Nia said.

    Anna wanted to deny and then Anna wandered why she should.

    She smiled. "And so?"

    Nanny Nia was taken aback by her audacity.

    "You��re a monster. And I��m sure it��s only a matter of time for your brother and everyone else to see through you."

    Anna threw back her head withughter. "Till then. But for now it be toote for you to save your little girl."

    Nanny Nia��s eyes widened.

    "What do you mean? What do you mean you horrid girl?" Nanny Nia snapped.

    Anna went offughing.

    It was dark, save for the moonlight spilling through the ornate windows.

    She moved quietly until she reached the locked cab that held her family��s heirlooms, items passed down for generations, protected and revered.

    She paused.

    Then, using the spare key she had stolen already when she had hugged her brother, she opened it.

    There it was.

    The ne.

    Their mother��s wedding ne��goldced with opals, said to have been crafted by the moon priestesses themselves.

    It shimmered even in the dark.

    Anna reached in, heart pounding. The cold metal slid into her palm like it belonged there.

    She closed the cab gently and returned to her room with the prize.

    The next morning, while the sun was still crawling over the mountains,

    Anna met Leviathan behind the stables, where the horses were being groomed for morning rides.

    He leaned against the fence, a bitter scowl on his bruised face.

    "You��rete," he said coldly.

    "You��re lucky I��m here at all," she replied, tossing the ne at him. "nt this in her belongings before she gets sent back. Somewhere obvious but not too easy."

    Leviathan caught it, and his eyes widened. "This is..."

    "The most valuable thing in this entire estate," she confirmed. "If it��s found with her, it��ll be the nail in her coffin. Not even Xaden can exin that away."

    He stared at the ne, then looked back at her. "You��re really going all out."

    "I don��t do anything halfway."

    A slow grin spread on Leviathan��s lips. "Well... you��re in luck. I overheard somethingst night."

    Anna��s spine straightened. "What?"

    "Alpha Hunter," Leviathan said, his voice low, "was speaking to Rygar. Said he ns to release Jasmine soon. Something about it being ��her choice now.�� He��s letting her go."

    Anna froze��and then broke into a slow, dark smile.

    "Then everything is happening faster than I expected," she whispered.

    Leviathan raised a brow. "And you��re... happy about that?"

    Anna��s grin widened. "Of course I��m happy. If shees back, I get to watch her fall. I get to see her face when she��s used of betrayal. I get to see my brother��s heart shatter. And all of it... all of it will be my doing."

    "You��re scary." Leviathan said with all honestly.

    She turned to leave, her voice calm and triumphant.

    "Let here home."

 Chapter 480: SEED OF DESTRUCTION (V)

    <h4>Chapter 480: SEED OF DESTRUCTION (V)</h4>

    The scent of roasted meats and sweetbread hung in the air of the breakfast hall.

    A gentle hum of quiet conversation echoed between the high wooden beams as the morning sun bledzily through the stained-ss windows.

    Xaden sat at the head of the table, a faint shadow under his eyes, his bandaged arm resting stiffly on the armrest beside him. His appetite was small, but he forced himself to eat.

    Jasmine wasn��t here, and her absence ached like a phantom limb.

    Anna sat beside him, delicately slicing her fruit like ady at court, hiding the feverish anticipation brewing beneath her skin.

    Fiona and Lily were quietly eating near the end of the long table.

    Tension hovered in the room��nobody spoke of it, but they all felt it. They were waiting.

    "Xaden eat." Anna insisted finally breaking the pregnant silent.

    He snapped out of his thoughts and smiled.

    "You need to eat to recover before you go out fighting again." She said. "You promised."

    "I know." He said.

    She got up from her seat, pushed back her chair and went to his side with a te of freshmb from the many delicacies on the table.

    She took away the food he had let go cold and dropped that gently before him.

    "Have this." She said picking a piece of well roastedmb and putting it to his lips.

    He obliged and swallowed.

    "You see?" She asked him. "Isn��t that much better."

    "I agree." He responded.

    Anna loved her brother.

    Since the day she found out she wasn��t alone.

    Even though it had been shocking to discover that she didn��t belong to the crescent pack, it was a delight because it meant she didn��t have to suffer.

    Still surprised her how fate had turned to her favor when she knew how wicked she was.

    The goddess must be on her good side.

    That was why she needed to get rid of Jasmine.

    Her brother deserved someone worthy of him.

    Not that tramp.

    And then the door opened.

    Erik and Damian walked in briskly, both with expressions pulled tight.

    Damian clutched a letter scroll. Erik looked like he hadn��t slept.

    Anna��s eyes gleamed and she blushed.

    Her feelings for Erik were still as fresh as spring.

    She knew he also felt the attraction, she only couldn��t fathom why he avoided her and refused to settle with her already.

    They were now by Xaden side with the papers.

    She frowned.

    "My brother needs to eat. You won��t even give him that breathing air?" She asked annoyed.

    Erik ignored her and handed him the scroll.

    Xaden looked up. "Did you find something?"

    "We did," Erik replied as Xaden opened. "We received word through one of the Crescent Pack��s outer scouts. His men contacted us."

    Sensing she wasn��t needed, she pouted and went back to her set.

    "Jasmine?" Xaden asked immediately.

    "She��s well and alive," Damian confirmed.

    Xaden exhaled, relief hitting him so hard it nearly knocked him back in his chair.

    Anna was furious at his reaction.

    "But there��s more," Erik added grimly. "Alpha Hunter-

    Before he could continue, Anna choked��a sharp, deliberate sound that echoed across the room.

    She grabbed her goblet, knocking it over. Water spilled down the tablecloth.

    She coughed again, loud and violent, drawing everyone��s attention.

    Erik blinked and reluctantly stepped forward to pat her on the back.

    "I��I��m fine," Anna gasped dramatically.

    "Are you okay?" Xaden asked a look of worry written all over his face.

    "I��m fine." She said through her red face. "It just... it surprised me... I don��t think I heard well."

    Xaden turned to her. "What did?"

    "Heard what?" Erik asked with a slightly annoyed face.

    Anna knew this was it.

    One mistake and it would be her undoing.

    Come back and bite her right in the face.

    She pressed her trembling fingers to her lips, her expression wounded and full of hesitation. "Did you say... Alpha Hunter?"

    Xaden��s eyes narrowed. "Yes. The same one. Hunter." His voice dripped with contempt. "He doesn��t deserve that title Alpha. He isn��t worthy."

    Anna paused, tilting her head, her face contorting like she was trying to decide if she should say it.

    Everyone was staring at her now.

    "I think I know a hunter." She stated.

    The room went tensed.

    "I... or I��m not.. ss... uh... I.. I��ve seen him before," she said softly, voiceced with disbelief and just the right amount of fear.

    Fiona��s fork ttered to her te.

    Xaden blinked. "You what?"

    "I��ve seen him before," she repeated, louder now. "Back when we were still in the Moonlight Pack. He came to visit my father once."

    And then she hastily added. "The man I thought was my father. Jasmine��s father, Alpha Bale. I didn��t know who or where he came from just his name then��but I never forgot his face."

    The room fellpletely still.

    "Why did he visit your old pack?" Damian asked, his brow furrowing.

    Anna took a slow breath, her eyes flicking to her brother��s.

    "Jasmine��s father would asionallye to terms of agreement with him and use his as a mercenary because he was a rogue." Anna stated matter of fact.

    Anna saw that they had mixed reactions.

    She hastily added. "But something else happened. There was more."

    she said, voice trembling now, "there was a... a scandal."

    Xaden sat straighter, his eyes dark. "What kind of scandal?"

    Anna looked down, her voice lowering just enough to draw them in. "Jasmine. Jasmine and Hunter. They had... an affair."

    Silence dropped like a de.

    Lily dropped her spoon.

    Fiona went stiff. Erik looked to Xaden in disbelief, but said nothing.

    Nanny Nia��s eyes went slightly ajar

    "You��re lying," Fiona finally whispered.

    "I��m not. Why would I even lie about such a thing?" Anna said, shaking her head fervently. "I wish I were. But Jasmine... she would sneak away at night. We thought she was just going around for some air or time alone, but then I saw him. I saw her kissing him near the grain stores one night. It was him. If this is the same man that I knew then he is the ssme who nearly killed Xaden."

    Xaden��s face was unreadable. But his jaw tightened.

    Nanny Nia stood. "No. That doesn��t make sense. Jasmine would never do such a thing-

    "I know Jasmine more than all of you." Anna snapped back. "Why would I lie? They used to send letters back and forth until she was caught and severely beaten and-

    "Ah-Ha!" Nanny Nia said in excitement. "Jasmine doesn��t know how to read or write. Everyone knows that!"

    "She pretended to. She deceived you all. What daughter or child of Alpha Bale wouldn��t know how to read or write." Anna cut in sharply. "But she��d been lying for years. She was clever��too clever. And I never said anything because I didn��t want to ruin her. I thought maybe it was a mistake. A youthful phase. But now... with everything happening... I can��t keep protecting her."

    "If you say Jasmine knew how to read or write and was the well raised daughter of Alpha Bale, how do you, who was raised as a ve know how to read or write." Nanny Nia asked point ck.

    Anna had all eyes now back on her.

    She swallowed and stated firmly.

    "I wanted better for myself so I begged the few pack members to teach me. You can go back and find out from everyone they would tell you the truth." Anna stated.

    "You��re making this up," Fiona said, shaking her head.

    "You don��t have to believe me," Anna said, folding her hands demurely on the table. "But I know what I saw. And if you don��t believe me, then perhaps... Xaden should check her room. Maybe he��ll find something."

    Everyone looked to Xaden.

    He hadn��t moved.

    His eyes were still locked on Anna, but now his face was pale. Like someone had struck him in the stomach.

    "She��s carrying my child," he said slowly.

    Anna lowered her eyes. "Then I hope��for your sake��that child is yours."

 Chapter 481: SEED OF DESTRUCTION (VI)

    <h4>Chapter 481: SEED OF DESTRUCTION (VI)</h4>

    The room stood still for a breathless moment.

    There had been a dead silence.

    "How can you say such a thing?!" Nanny Nia gasped in horror.

    Anna smirked.

    A smirk that only she and Nanny Nia understood.

    And then Nanny Nia understood what Anna had meant the previous night that it will be toote for Jasmine.

    Nanny Nia clenched her teeth. "Jasmine��s baby is Alpha Xaden��s how and where did she even meet someone else to get pregnant?"

    Anna red at her. "You��re calling me a liar? You don��t know Jasmine as much as I do. You don��t know what she is capable of."

    "This is ABSURD!" Nanny Nia said.

    Xaden said nothing for a while and then Anna chipped in.

    "I��m sorry you had to find out this way," she said gently. "I truly am."

    No one still said a word.

    Then Xaden stood up slowly, pushing his chair back with a groan.

    His eyes��darker than storm clouds��locked on Erik��s.

    "Search her room."

    Erik blinked. "Xaden��"

    "Now." His voice left no room for argument.

    Anna lowered her gaze, hiding her wicked smile behind a mask of sisterly sorrow. She had done it.

    The match was lit. Now all that was left was to let it burn.

    Erik hesitated. He turned toward Fiona, who looked ready to stand up and fight.

    "This is ridiculous," Fiona snapped. "You can��t honestly believe this? We all know Jasmine. She��"

    "I know Jasmine," Xaden cut in, voice harder than steel. "But I also know something is wrong. And if there��s even a chance��"

    Nanny Nia was already on her feet. "Then I��ming with you."

    Anna got up.

    "But I won��te with her my lord." Nanny Nia said her eyes wary of Anna.

    Anna frowned.

    "She is the one who dropped the allegations. She shouldn��te with us." Nanny Nia stated.

    "I��ll stay waiting with her." Fiona interjected.

    Anna started to speak. "But I want-

    "You should stay." Xaden said firmly and Anna knew BETTER than to disobey.

    Anna sat back down, calmly picking up her goblet as though nothing had happened.

    Lily looked pale beside her.

    Fiona remained frozen at the edge of her seat, fists clenched.

    Don��t follow them, Anna silently prayed. You��re toote.

    She hoped to herself that she had dropped the letters somewhere they will find them.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Inside Jasmine��s Room

    Xaden stepped into the room first, the scent of jasmine and rosewood washing over him like a memory.

    His chest tightened.

    Nanny Nia and Erik followed behind him. She moved straight to the wardrobe like a hawk, checking everything. Erik beganbing through the bookshelves, desk drawers, linen boxes.

    And then Xaden knelt near her bed.

    He reached beneath the pillow and pulled out a folded parchment.

    Erik walked over just as he unfolded it.

    Nanny Nia leaned closer, frowning.

    "My lord the maids change the beddings every day when Jasmine was here, I��ve never seen that before." She said.

    He ignored her and read aloud

    Xaden read the first line aloud, his voice hollow.

    "I can��t keep pretending. Every night I dream of you, not him. I never stopped missing you."

    He dropped the letter like it burned.

    "What the hell is this?" Erik asked, grabbing it and reading further. "This... this sounds like a confession. To Hunter?"

    Nanny Nia��s hands trembled. "This can��t be right. She never wrote this. I taught her letters. She wasn��t fluent."

    "Isn��t this Jasmine��s handwriting?" He asked as he held up the paper.

    Nanny Nia swallowed. "But my lord-

    "IS IT HER FUCKING HANDWRITING?!" He barked so much Nanny Nia Jumped.

    "Yes my lord." She replied hastily.

    Xaden��s face fell cold.

    He opened the drawer beneath her nightstand.

    More letters. All folded. Some sealed with wax. A few torn at the edges.

    He opened one��and there it was again. The same shaky writing. The same name at the bottom: Hunter.

    "She wrote to him..." he whispered. "Again and again."

    "No," Nanny Nia said, voice rising. "This is nted. I didn��t see any of these before��none of them. This room was clean. Jasmine didn��t write these��"

    Xaden��s hands closed tightly over one of the pages. "Then exin this."

    He pulled out the half-burned letter from beneath her cloak.

    Nanny Nia stepped forward and snatched it from his fingers, inspecting the burn marks. "Someone did this. This isn��t her. She doesn��t even have ess to fire near her bed. I��ve never seen a candle this close!"

    Erik turned to Xaden, more cautious. "I don��t know, Alpha. This feels... too clean. Too convenient."

    "I need air," Xaden muttered. He turned and walked out, shoulders tense, mind spinning.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Back in the Hall

    Anna stood by the window now, arms folded neatly across her chest. She didn��t even turn when she heard his footsteps return.

    Xaden walked in with slow, calcted movements.

    He said nothing.

    Anna turned to him slowly. "Did you find anything?"

    Xaden said nothing for a moment, then lowered himself into the chair with a heavy breath.

    His hand clenched around the burned letter.

    Erik and Nanny Nia followed. Nanny Nia��s lips were pressed into a thin, furious line.

    "We found letters," Erik said finally. "A lot of them."

    Anna sighed and looked away. "I wish it weren��t true."

    Fiona stood up. "You believe this? You think she betrayed you?"

    Xaden didn��t answer.

    Fiona moved to him. "You said she��s carrying your child."

    Xaden still made no response.

    "No," Nanny Nia snapped. "My lord I know this is not my ce but don��t you dare!"

    They all now turned to look at her and her newfound audacity. "That girl bled for you. She would have died for you. I would stake my life��my soul��on her loyalty."

    "Then someone is lying," Anna answered . "Because these letters didn��t write themselves."

    "They were nted!" Nanny Nia��s voice cracked with fury. "Don��t you see how well this was timed?!"

    Anna gently touched Xaden��s shoulder. "Don��t me yourself. She fooled all of us."

    Nanny Nia lunged forward, pointing a wrinkled finger at Anna. "You. I see you. You think no one notices, but I��ve seen your kind before. And I swear to the moon goddess, if Jasmine suffers for your lies��"

    "That��s enough," Xaden said, standing again.

    Nanny Nia stared at him, heartbroken. "You don��t even realize it yet. But they��re pulling you away from her."

    Xaden looked at the crumpled letter again. At the way her name was written. At the words.

    Was this... really Jasmine?

    Or had someone taken everything he knew and twisted it?

    He turned to Erik. " Send word to the moonlight pack and confirm what Anna said. And keep an eye on Nanny Nia Someone��s trying to hide something��and I want to know who."

    Nanny Nia gasped.

    But Xaden didn��t look at her. His eyes had already darkened again, like a man walking straight into a storm of his own making.

 Chapter 482: ULTIMATE DESTRUCTION

    <h4>Chapter 482: ULTIMATE DESTRUCTION</h4>

    Xaden sat down in his court room, all alone.

    He had been in there for over five hours since the Anna��s allegations that lead to Jasmine��s discovery.

    He was dazed and his emotions were in chaos.

    How could she do this?

    None of it made any sense and yet there was the clear evidence that it.

    That he had been taken for a fool this entire time, that Jasmine had yed her cards against him and won.

    He massaged his eyes and took in a deep breath.

    And the fucking child she carried around.

    He knew it! He couldn��t have a child.

    That was the only part that made much sense to him now .

    He was never going to be able to conceive a child and yet somehow Jasmine had paraded herself, being supposedly pregnant.

    He imagined her in the arms of the monster who had almost killed him and then he clenched the ss in his hand so much that it shattered.

    He flung the remaining ss from his hand in rage.

    That was why he didn��t have a heart.

    So that he never had to deal with such trickery.

    And yet she had seeded.

    in and stupid Jasmine had infiltrated his pack and deceived him.

    Almost killed him.

    What had she wanted?

    To have the pack for herself and her lover?

    So that they could live in pure bliss Ashik his body and all the others rotted somewhere.

    Or perhaps that they could fuck while making him watch.

    Stupid bitch, he swore under his breath.

    There was a knock at the door, but he didn��t seem to have even heard it.

    It was opened and Erik emerged.

    He walked up to him with some papers.

    "Sweet goddess Xaden." Erik gawked. "You��re bleeding."

    Xaden frowned confused at what Erik was saying at first until he looked down and saw that truth be told, his hands were bleeding.

    "It��s fine." Xaden mumbled waving it off.

    He was still recovering so it was difficult for his body to heal as quickly as it usually did.

    "What do you have for me?" He requested.

    Erik sighed seeming ufortable to deliver the news.

    "Xaden I...." Erik paused unable to piece the words together.

    "Is it word from the moonlight pack?" Xaden asked.

    Erik swallowed and then nodded. "Yes.... But Xaden I don��t know if...

    Xaden snatched the paper right out of Erik��s hands as he was too annoyed with his inconsistency and his eyes trailed through the paper.

    As Xaden read through the content of the letter the story unfolded and as if reading alongside with him, Erik began to speak.

    "It was a cotion of the words of many members in the pack." Erik said. "They all attested to the fact that Hunter indeed visited the pack frequently. They say she was friendly with him, yes, but they never stated explicitly that she had an affair with the man."

    Xaden��s flung the paper on the desk and leaned back in his chair to massage his temple with his bloodied hand.

    "Have you sent for Marie?" Xaden asked

    "We have, about four hours ago, but she turned the troops back and said that she wasn��t taking in any visitors." Erik stated.

    "Send them back again. Drag her in, if need be." Xaden said. "But make sure she gets here."

    He wanted to question her.

    She was the one who had stated that Jasmine was pregnant.

    Perhaps she too was in on this.

    After all she had never really liked him and it won��t have surprised him to know that she had been on this too.

    Erik sighed.

    "There is something else." Erik added reluctantly.

    Xaden didn��t take his hands off his temple.

    "What? Did she fuck the king too?"

    "No." Erik said. "But in one of the supposed letters between her and Hunter, she had told him she had enough jewelry that would keep them out of ever going broke."

    Xaden frowned.

    "What does that mean?" Xaden asked exhausted already.

    "We��re not sure." Erik said as he looked down at his feet. "But we suppose.... Uhm... I don��t know. I��m not certain. But it��s possible....

    "Possible that what ERIK?!" Xaden snapped annoyed .

    Erik sighed heavily. "It��s possible that it points out that she stole a jewelry from this pack and there is only one jewelry in this pack that can make someone wealthy forever."

    Xaden paused instantly.

    His veins poked through his skin and his face went a sullen white.

    "No." Xaden said.

    Erik started to speak, but Xaden was already up at his feet and storming out of the room.

    Erik followed him.

    "Xaden you need to take these things carefully." Erik stated .

    Xaden ignored him and everyone else that stood in his path.

    Those who were wise enough, steered clear of him the moment they set eyes on him.

    Anna saw him and gasped. "Xaden are you alright? Is everything alright?"

    He ignored her and marched down the stairs until he unlocked the wide doors and pushed them open.

    He stopped as he realized what now stood before him.

    He slowly walked towards it and lo and behold, was out of all the treasures in the room, the one that stood out from everyone else, the one that was in the center of the room.

    The ss that held it safely kept was opened and it was empty.

    His mother��s wedding and coronation ne.

    The one that had belonged to the first generation of his family line.

    Gone.

    Erik��s face was white.

    Anna gasped. "Who could have done such a thing?"

    Erik red at Anna and then walked up to Xaden.

    He gently touched Xaden��s shoulder.

    Xaden was stiff to the touch

    "Xaden I know this seems a lot and too much to take in, but i think it��s a little too early to conclude." He expressed. "Someone could have done this. I don��t think Jasmine is capable of any of this?"

    "Jasmine?" Anna gasped her beautiful blue eyes wide open. "Jasmine did this? Oh my Goddess."

    She closed her eyes.

    "Xaden I��m so sorry." She apologized.

    But Xaden was listening to neither of them.

    Soon there were noises and murmurs from the people outside.

    And then Xaden perceived the scent like thunder in his brain .

    Jasmine.

 Chapter 483: GOODBYE HUNTER

    <h4>Chapter 483: GOODBYE HUNTER</h4>

    Jasmine fingered the seams of her dress AA she sat on her bed and looked out through her window.

    She had tried breaking it, but the windows were heavily fortified.

    Even if she ever did seed, she would have to be able to break through the iron bars.

    There was no escape from the room.

    She heard a knock at the door and that alerted her.

    She assumed it was the maid so she mumbled a e in."

    The door creaked open.

    Jasmine looked up from the window, to find Alpha Hunter standing just inside.

    She became tensed and suddenly cautious of the fact that they shared the same space.

    She hadn��t seen him since the day he had told her he had wanted her from the beginning.

    Luckily enough, he had let her be.

    Until now that is.

    His towering frame filled the threshold, his cloak billowing slightly from the breeze.

    He didn��t speak immediately.

    Instead, he looked at her like she was a puzzle he��d solved toote.

    "May I sit?" he asked, his voice strangely soft.

    She frowned.

    Did she even have a choice?

    "And if I don��t want you to?" She found herself asking.

    He gave a cocky boyish grin that would make a young girl scream.

    But not her.

    "Then I would respect your wish and wouldn��t." He responded.

    Jasmine didn��t answer with words.

    She simply gave a small, cautious nod. Her fingers clutched the edge of her shawl tightly.

    Hunter moved slowly, lowering himself into the chair across from her with the quiet grace of a man who knew he was feared.

    "I��ve decided to let you go," he said inly.

    Jasmine blinked once. Then again.

    "Wh... w... what?" Her voice croaked.

    "I��m sending you back to the crescent pack." He said clearly.

    "You��re lying," she said, voice hoarse. "You��re ying tricks."

    "I��m not."

    Silence.

    Sheughed��dry and empty. "You expect me to believe that? After locking me up... almost killing Xaden, killing his men, terrorizing everyone and now all of a sudden you��re just letting me go?"

    He didn��t flinch. "I said what I said."

    "Why?" she asked.

    Hunter looked away for a long moment before answering. "I think it��s safer that you don��t know."

    Jasmine��s brows furrowed. "What does that mean?"

    "It means that I��m going against someone��s wishes and letting you go." He said. "I told you I wanted you. Jasmine the only reason I attacked Xaden and his men was because of you."

    Jasmine blinked confused.

    "What do you mean by that?" She said further confused.

    He sighed heavily. "I was told to get you. I was going to use Xaden as leverage for you toe. I didn��t know you woulde here yourself."

    Jasmine��s eyes widened in shock.

    "Who told you to get me?" She asked.

    "I owe a debt." He stated matter of fact. "And I had to pay it in you. They asked for you."

    "Who asked for me? Who is this person? What are you even saying? Who would want me? I��m a... a nobody." She wailed in confusion.

    He shook his head. "Jasmine, the things you don��t know about yourself. There is a lot you don��t know."

    "What are you talking about????" She asked bewildered.

    What did he mean by someone wanted her?

    "You don��t need to know." He stated.

    "Is it someone I know?" She asked confused as her mind raced through.

    He gave a bitter chuckle. "The person I��m indebted to hasn��t crossed into our world for twenty years."

    She frowned. "What do you mean hasn��t crossed into our world?"

    "There is so much you don��t know." Hunter stated.

    His jaw tightened, but he didn��t answer. Instead, he stood. "It��s better you don��t know. Trust me."

    Her heart began to race. "Tell me."

    "I said no," he growled��an edge creeping into his voice again. "What you would face....."

    "Death?" She asked worried as her hands went down to her belly.

    "What you are going to face is worse than death." He stated as he rose up from his seat.

    Jasmine stood too, shaking her head. "None of this makes sense. You tried to kill the Alpha of my pack. You kidnapped me. And now you��re just��what? Letting me walk away?"

    He said nothing. "Are you trying to act like a good man now? You killed Marro��s family. What about them? How do I know you aren��t so bad but you murdered them."

    Hunter stared at her. His eyes, dark and tired, held something sad.

    "I��m not a good man. Never imed to be one." He said. "But even I know when something��s been broken beyond repair."

    She said nothing.

    He turned, walked to the door, and opened it.

    Momentster, two men stepped in��pack guards, both of them unfamiliar but not threatening.

    "Horses are ready," Hunter said. "They��ll take you close to the Crescent border. You��ll be safe."

    Jasmine stood frozen.

    "And what about Xaden?" she asked, barely a whisper.

    Hunter paused.

    "He��s gone. Escaped days ago."

    The room tilted.

    "Gone?" she echoed. "So... he doesn��t know I was ever here?"

    Hunter shook his head. "Not unless someone told him. He left you behind."

    Pain hit her like a de.

    She said nothing.

    Just stared out the window like she could will him back.

    Hunter walked forward slowly, and to her shock, he kissed her hand��a strange, oddly formal gesture that felt older than time.

    "I hope you get the life you were dreaming of," he said.

    Jasmine didn��t answer. Couldn��t answer.

    And then��she was gone.

    As she passed by she saw cold stare down at her back.

    She turned and saw the dark eyes of Leviathan.

    There was something about his demeanor.

    Something meaner than usual.

    Something diabolical.

    She turned her face away.

    At least she was never going to see him again, even if they killed her on the way.

    She was escorted down stone corridors. Lifted onto a horse.

    Taken out of that ce where shadows whispered and wolves watched her every breath.

    She looked back, only once, to see Hunter standing by the massive balcony watching after her as she left.

 Chapter 484: TRAITOR

    <h4>Chapter 484: TRAITOR</h4>

    Jasmine was still in utter disbelief as she journeyed through the forest with the escorts she had.

    She expected any minute from now to be attacked and be killed.

    That perhaps, they were waiting f her somewhere on the road.

    She still found it hard to believe that he had simply let her go.

    It made no sense.

    The man was a monster, and she should seem him as such.

    Even though deep down in her heart she told herself that towards the end he had seemed genuinely nice.

    But she could not take away the fact that he had killed so many people.

    Marro��s family well included.

    The journey was quiet and none of the men escorting her said a word.

    There were six of them.

    Two in front of her horse, one at her left and another by her right and then two behind her.

    She took in a deep breath.

    "How much longer are we headed till we reach the crescent pack?" She asked.

    No one answered her.

    Jasmine told herself that she had not been loud enough, so she repeated what she asked.

    They still ignored her.

    She frowned at them and mumbled to herself.

    She felt her baby kick and she smiled.

    At least her baby was here to keep herpany.

    They were on the way for another four hours and she was already well enough tired.

    She felt herself begin to feel sleepy.

    "Halt." She heard.

    She jerked her head up and it was almost sun down.

    She looked up and saw that she was the borders of the crescent pack.

    It finally hit her, so Alpha Hunter had been actually true to his words.

    He had set her free and let her go.

    She felt an edged relief as she saw the familiar Oak tree that marked the beginning of where Xaden��s packy.

    Her heart leapt with joy at the thought of Xaden.

    Goddess.

    Hopefully he was home and safe.

    And same for Marro and Kire.

    Hunter had said that he had no massive recollection of them in his own pack so that most likely meant that they had escaped.

    She prayed that everything had gone the way she wanted it to .

    From the bushes of the forests came out almost hunted men forming a straight like around the borders.

    She saw the crest of the crescent pack on their shoulders.

    One man stood out

    He had ashy brown hair and a muscr build.

    She hadn��t seen him before.

    But she knew they were guards of the crescent pack��s borders.

    "Who are you and what you want?" She heard him ask the two escorts who were riding ahead.

    They came off their horses and then walked up to where he the single man stood outside from the rest of the guards.

    "We��re here from Alpha Hunter��s pack." One of Jasmine��s escorts said.

    Instantly, about fifty of the men from Xaden��s pack turned into wolves and started growling.

    "You bastards." The man in front said. "What makes you think we won��t just hear you limb from limb here?" He asked.

    "Because we have a gift here." Jasmine��s escort said as he waved his hand to the side, showing Jasmine.

    Xaden��s man looked at her and Jasmine made eye contact.

    "If you try to harm us, then we will kill her." Jasmine��s escort said.

    Xaden��s guard was quiet at first and then he looked at him saying nothing .

    The escort handed a letter and Xaden��s guard snatched it.

    "It��s a letter from ours to yours." He said.

    The guard looked down at the envelope for a short while and then stood aside.

    They cleared the way to allow one pass.

    "Only she is wee." He stated.

    "We don��t want toe into your pack." The escort said with a soft chuckle. "We only came to deliver a message and be on our way back."

    The escort walked back to where Jasmine sat on her horse and then pulled the reigns of the horse, before walking it to where Xaden��s guards stood.

    Xaden��s guards collected the horse and Jamsine felt the tension in her throat ease down.

    Hunter��s men slowly retreated back and stood still.

    "You can leave man." Xaden��s border guards said.

    "We would only leave once you leave." They said.

    Eventually Xaden��s border guards slowly began to retreat until they were finally invisible through the bushes.

    Jasmine and her horse were led through the clearing and it was on my when she had stepped on the territory, that she let out a full sigh of relief.

    Her heart was beating so fast Joe and she gently put her hand on her chest.

    "It��s so good to be back." Jasmine expressed in delight.

    But the man didn��t say a word.

    She didn��t notice it as she was too excited.

    "Is Xaden in the pack safe and sound? There was. A little boy that I had with me, is he here? And Kire?" She bbed out once. "And nanny Nia? She is my Nanny. Fiona and Erik? And Anna? How are they?"

    But then he still didn��t say a word and it was then Jasmine noticed his sudden strangeness.

    He seemed stiff and reluctant to even utter a word to her.

    He just went on with leading the horse ahead as though she were invisible.

    Perhaps he hadn��t heard her well enough .

    She cleared her throat and made her voice much louder.

    "I��ve never seen you around the pack before, but at least maybe you would know if they are fine. Or even if you don��t know these people, Xaden. How is he? Is he home? Is he fine?" She asked.

    He still didn��t say a word and this time her heart began to race with utmost speed and fear crept through her.

    Has something happened to Xaden?

    Was this all a ploy?

    Something smelled fishy and wrong.

    But then she tried her best to keep her thoughts to herself.

    She was home.

    That was all that mattered right now.

    Or so she thought.

 Chapter 485: TRAITOR (II)

    <h4>Chapter 485: TRAITOR (II)</h4>

    The main pack house itself was an hours ride, and because she was being led by the guard while she remained on the horse, the journey was slow.

    She was excited and anxiety crept through her body.

    And then she remembered.

    She hadn��t left the pack in an exactly good way.

    She had snuck off in the dead of the night without telling a single word.

    Put herself, Kire and the baby in danger.

    She felt a shiver through her spine.

    Whatever punishment she was going to receive, she didn��t mind.

    As far as Xaden was home and safe.

    They followed a different route that didn��t pass through the houses of other pack members and finally she started to see the gigantic walls of the gate leading to the pack house.

    Jasmine felt her tummy flip, or perhaps it was her baby kicking she had no idea.

    Nheless, she reached to her stomach and gently whispered. "We are home."

    As they approached, she noticed that there were numerous guards standing attention at the wall.

    No one said a word to her.

    She wondered if something happened.

    And soon she began to worry.

    As they go past the walls, she approaches the massive doors of the pack house.

    She sees three figures standing outside and her heart leaps in Joy.

    Xaden.

    He was here.

    He was safe and was at the gates to wee her.

    She got excited and became impatient with how slowly the guard was leading her.

    As she got closer to the doors, her smile very slowly fell.

    Who she thought was standing outside waiting for her arrival, was not Xaden.

    Rather it was Damian and two other wolves.

    The guard came to a stop and then walked to her horse, before assisting her down.

    She mumbled a thank you before turning to face the men before her.

    She rearranged the imaginary wrinkles on her dress to ease the tension that was building up in her throat.

    She saw how stiff they stood and how cold and unweing they were.

    There was no Nanny Nia, no Erik, no Fiona, not even Anna andstly no Xaden.

    Damian had never liked her so she didn��t really find it surprising how aloof he was.

    "The letter?" Damian asked the guard who had escorted her.

    The guard handed him the envelope one of Hunter��s men had given him at the border and Damian promptly received it.

    "Is Xaden not here?" She asked breaking the cold air.

    They were upset with her due to the manner which she had left and she truly didn��t me them.

    But for the Goddess��s sake, she was pregnant and exhausted.

    And most of all the reason why she had run away, she wanted to know that it was not in vain.

    "He has been informed." Damian responded so closely she felt a chill down her back.

    Despite how cold Damian had said it, she felt a wave of relief flood her entire being.

    Xaden had been informed which meant Xaden was safe and sound.

    Which meant he was here.

    Her heart leaped in absolute Joy.

    She started to walk up the small stairs leading to the doors of the pack house, but two swords stopped her right in her ce.

    She rubbed the fresh goosebumps on her arms in anxiety.

    She slowly looked up at them.

    "I want to see him, and everyone else. I need to know they are fine. I need to know he is fine." She emphasized.

    "We will take you to see him." Damian said.

    That surprised her

    And then she heard one of the two guards standing by his side mutter something like, "Traitors don��t get weing parties."

    Jasmine was taken aback and felt like she had been pped.

    She blinked in disbelief.

    She knew that running out in the night was a terrible thing she should have never done, but calling her a traitor?

    They still hadn��t forgiven her for the things her father had done.

    Calling her a traitor was something she hadn��t heard in a very long time.

    She had assumed that since everything that happened they would at least forget that part.

    She said nothing as Damian said. "This way."

    And then led her into the pack house.

    She felt like a prisoner as they were walking side by side and Danika leading up front.

    Everyone that saw her as she passed whispered to each other and stared right back at her.

    What was even happening?

    All this because she had run to search for Xaden?

    They hated her now?

    She protectively touched her stomach to keep her baby safe.

    Soon she found herself going down the way that led to Xaden��s court.

    She was going to see him.

    As they made a turning, she saw Erik standing outside.

    He was one person she was beyond words delighted to see.

    "Erik!" She said in excitement and rushed to hug him.

    She didn��t notice Erik��s strained hug.

    And then felt Damian and his men pull her away.

    She frowned at them.

    "There is no need for that." Erik warned them and they let her go.

    Jamsine looked up at him with her big green eyes.

    "Erik you have no idea how happy I am to see you." She said. "I know you must have been upset. I understand that. But I knew you would never have let me go along."

    He sighed weakly and shook his head. "Jasmine, I should have never let you go."

    What was that strange tone in his voice.

    "But it wasn��t your fault. I ran away. Does Xaden me you. I put you into touch ke didn��t I?" She said feeling terrible. "Don��t worry I��m going to take up any punishment Xaden dishes to me.

    "Jasmine you don��t understand." Erik started to speak.

    And then the doors open.

    "It��s time to go." Damian said.

    Jasmine swallowed as she was reluctantly pulled away from Erik��s presence and led down to Xaden��s court.

    The very first person she saw was Anna standing with her arms folded and a smirk on her face.

    And Jasmine knew that something was terribly wrong.

 Chapter 486: THE INTERROGATION

    <h4>Chapter 486: THE INTERROGATION</h4>

    Anna had a very tight and fixated smirk on her face.

    It was an expression Jasmine knew too well.

    She had seen it so many times when Anna had done something mischievous, when Anna had put her into trouble, or when she had just set a trap for Jasmine.

    It was a smile that she had seen on her face during the numerous times she got punished for something she was falsely used.

    And Jasmine now became afraid.

    She became terrified.

    Something was wrong.

    Something was terribly wrong.

    And she doubted that it was not just the fact that she had left without anyone knowing, but something more.

    She looked away from Anna and saw Nanny Nia along with Fiona standing to the left of the court room.

    Her eyes widened with hope at the sight of both women.

    She felt her heart break in tiny pieces.

    Leaving Nanny Nia was one of the worst and hardest things she had ever had to do.

    She had missed her so much and when she had been taken hostage she wondered if she would ever see her again.

    She wanted to race and hug her.

    Nanny Nia looked like she wanted to do the same.

    As if Damian knew she was going to, he gripped her arm and kept her firmly in ce.

    "Don��t try anything stupid." Damian sneered at her.

    Jasmine felt a shudder.

    Erik hadn��t noticed Damian��s sharp words, so she brushed it off and forcefully pulled her eyes from Nanny Nia mad Fiona and her gaze found Xaden seated at his throne.

    She felt a wave of pleasure and happiness over her.

    It was true.

    He was here and alive and well.

    All except for the bandage that he had attached to his arm.

    But Hunter had been right.

    Xaden was fine, home safe and sound.

    So Hunter had told the truth, didn��t lie about her getting home safe and Xaden already waiting for her.

    She instinctively put a hand on her tummy and said a silent thanks to the goddess herself.

    He was furious with her and going to punish her and she would take it whole heartedly now that she knew he was safe.

    As she approached Xaden��s chair, she noticed his demeanor was different.

    He seemed broody, dark and unassuming.

    He was rested against the throne so callously, as if he had given up hope.

    Her heart raced and she felt her pulse rising.

    Soon Damian gripped her arm putting her to a stop.

    The entire throne room was silent and not a single word was uttered.

    She looked up at him and he gazed down on her.

    She felt as though he could see right through her.

    She was about to speak when Xaden opened his hands.

    "The letter?" Xaden said coldly.

    She hadn��t heard his voice in so long.

    Erik picked out the letter from Damian and handed it to Xaden.

    Xaden opened it and read it closely.

    Then he looked back down on her.

    He leaned back down in his chair.

    "Xaden I-"

    "Search her things." Xaden instructed shocking Jamsine.

    Jasmine��s lips dropped open.

    Two of the guards who had escorted her from the gates, were holding her belongings.

    Damian turned around and began to search through.

    Erik stood aside.

    "Why are you searching my things?" Jasmine asked puzzled and confused.

    No one answered.

    She looked up at Erik with a sudden sense of urgency.

    "Why are you searching my things?" She demanded. She turned to face Erik. "Erik what is happening?? Why are you searching my things?"

    "Jasmine just take it easy." Erik said gently.

    But Jasmine was baffled and distraught.

    She looked up at Xaden.

    "I should never have left the pack. I understand that, but why are you searching my things?" She asked heartbroken. "I thought you would be happy to see me and our unborn pup."

    She saw his hands grow tight to a fist the moment she mentioned their baby.

    She felt a cold shiver.

    "My lord." Damian��s words interrupted her thoughts. "We found it."

    She turned around and lo and behold, she saw Damian hold a diamond ne glittering with rubies, emeralds, gold and so much more jewels.

    Jasmine gasped in shock.

    If she hadn��t seen him pull out the ne from her bag she would have said he had lied.

    She had never seen such in her life.

    There had been no such jewelry in her bag.

    What was going on?

    Her head began to spiral in confusion and shock.

    Then Damian handed the ne to Erik before pulling out some letters.

    Jasmine was shocked.

    She had never seen such in her bag.

    She had no idea HOW they had even gotten into her bag.

    She looked up at Xaden.

    She had no ideas whose ne that was, or even how it had gotten there.

    "I.... Uh.. uhm.... I d... don��t know what tha.. that is or where it.. came from?" Jasmine stuttered.

    No one listened to her.

    Jasmine��s eyes hovered as Erik handed the ne to Xaden.

    Xaden look over it��s his eyes trailing the glittering jewelry before sighing deep.

    Then Damian handed him the letters.

    Xaden set the ne on the arm of his throne and opened one of the letters Erik had given him.

    His hands faltered as he read through.

    "Nanny Nia." He called out.

    Nanny Nia stood now alert, "Yes my lord."

    "Isn��t this Jasmine��s hand writings?" He asked her.

    Jasmine felt her body go cold and tight.

    Her own handwriting?

    Nanny Nia cautiously went to Alpha Xaden��s throne and stood by his side.

    He handed her the letter and then she gently collected it before reading through.

    "Is it?" He asked.

    "Yes." Nanny Nia stated. "But u think-

    "Everyone leave." Xaden said quietly, his voice sounding tired.

    They all seemed hesitant to leave at first looking at one another.

    "I SAID LEAVE." Xaden��s voice boomed shocking everyone.

    Jasmine jolted too.

    And they began to disappear from the room.

    Jasmine herself turned around to leave.

    "Where do you think you��re going?" Xaden asked stopping her right in her tracks.

    Jasmine remained standing.

    Soon they were all alone, except for Anna.

    "I said everyone." Xaden said.

    Anna��s mouth dropped. "But I-

    "LEAVE!" He warned her.

    Anna knew not to push and reluctantly left the room.

    Once Jasmine heard the door shut, Xaden turned to face her.

 Chapter 487: I TRUSTED YOU

    <h4>Chapter 487: I TRUSTED YOU</h4>

    The room echoed with silence after the heavy doors mmed shut behind Anna. Jasmine stood still, her body trembling from the coldness of the moment, and from the storm swirling in Xaden��s eyes as he looked down at her from his throne.

    "I should��ve known," he muttered, almost to himself. His voice was low, dangerous. "I should have never trusted you."

    Jasmine flinched. "Xaden, I didn��t��"

    "Don��t." His voice sliced through her plea. "Don��t speak like you��re innocent."

    She stepped forward, cautiously. "You��re angry. I understand. I left, I ran... but I didn��t betray you."

    Heughed bitterly and rose from his throne. "Didn��t betray me?" he echoed. "You vanished in the middle of the night. Took off without a word, after everything��after I trusted you. And now you return carrying stolen jewels and letters that paint you like a spy. Tell me, Jasmine, is the baby even mine?"

    Her mouth dropped open, her heart stopping in her chest. "What?"

    "You heard me," he growled. "Don��t act shocked. Alpha Hunter said he wanted you. He made a deal for you. So what is it��did you go willingly? Were you his all along?"

    "No!" Jasmine stepped closer, desperate now. "Xaden, I didn��t even know I was going to be trapped by him. I simply thought I was going to find a way to save you and bring you back home."

    "You expect me to believe that?" His voice rose, raw and furious. "You show up with his men, carrying letters with your handwriting, carrying stolen Crescent property��and you still think I��ll believe you?"

    "They nted it in my bag!" she cried. "I didn��t know! I would never��"

    "You ran straight into the arms of my enemy, Jasmine," he said, voice low with venom. "And now you expect to walk back into my life, carrying another man��s pup, crying innocence?"

    The words felt like knives. "Xaden, that baby is yours," she whispered, her voice breaking. "I��ve only ever been with you. You know that."

    "I only know that you��re a slut." He spat. "Anna told me everything. How you created a scandal back in the moonlight pack. How you sent letters to him. How you even lied to me that you couldn��t read and write."

    Jasmine��s face went ashen. "Wh... Anna told you this? And you believe her? All Anna has done is lie. From the entire beginning."

    "If Anna lied then why did other members of your own home pack testify that he was your lover." Xaden spat.

    Jasmine lips faltered in shock.

    None of this made any sense.

    "I opened up to you in ways I had never with anyone." He said. "Even after everything your father had done to my family, even after your deception. I gave you a chance. Told you things I had never told anyone."

    She closed her eyes tight."

    "When all you did was see me as a FOOL!" He yelled as he flung the ss by his throne to wall and it shattered to a million pieces.

    She trembled in fear.

    "You took me for a fucking fool! You fucked my enemy just so you could get away with everything. You nned the attack." He said.

    She went down on her knees despite her pregnancy. "Goddess no. Xaden I had never seen Hunter until I was kidnapped. Never heard of him either."

    "You set me up to die you bitch." He sneered. "so you and your lover coulde and fuck on my throne didn��t you?"

    Jasmine blinked at the harshness of his words.

    "Xaden...." She shuddered.

    "I am your FUCKING ALPHA and you would refer to me by my title!" He barked.

    She recoiled. "I��m sorry."

    He scoffed. "Hunter. Even calling him by his name. If you never met Hunter before then why did a rogue Alpha let you go? Why did he let youe here safe and sound no bargaining nothing."

    Jasmine rubbed her arms and quietly said. "I don��t know."

    She herself truly didn��t know.

    Had hunter purposely sent her back to set her up?

    How had Anna evened up to the equation and how had members of the moonlight pack lied about her?"

    "I will never hurt you." She wept.

    But Xaden��s face remained unreadable. Something inside him had locked shut.

    "How could you do this to me Jasmine?" He asked.

    Then he went silent. Before speaking he went to her and held her arms pulling her to him.

    "Tell me Jasmine. Just tell me the truth. If you do, I don��t want to know the details. Just admit it to me and I will forgive you. I��m the Alpha. No one will question anything I say. Please just tell me the truth." He said and she heard a crack in his voice.

    A sign of vulnerability and his lips quivering with his words.

    She wanted to tell him it was true just so everything would be fine, but she had never told a lie before.

    And it was all false.

    Even if she admitted it, he might forgive her, but he will never forget.

    Her mind swirled with temptation on her choice of words.

    She closed her eyes and felt her heart break as she said. "I didn��t do it."

    She looked up at him and he looked as though she had struck him.

    His face went white and a part of him seemed to have been broken and then a mask of thunder.

    He was furious.

    She tried to reach out to him. "Xaden please-

    He flinched away from her touch.

    "You chose your side," he said quietly. "Now live with it."

    Jasmine��s knees buckled, but she stayed standing. "You don��t mean that."

    He turned away from her. "Guards."

    The doors opened swiftly, two sentries entering without question.

    "Take her to the south chamber. Keep her under watch. She��s not to leave without my permission."

    Jasmine��s mouth parted, confusion washing over her. "What? You��re locking me up?"

    "Xaden��please," she choked. "You know me. You know I would never, what about our baby?"

    "It��s not mine." He said and Jasmine felt as though she had been stabbed in the heart.

    And with that he turned around and back her.

    She stared at him, frozen in ce, until the guards approached. One of them took her arm.

    She couldn��t fight them. Her body moved on instinct as she was led out of the room. But her mind screamed the whole time.

    He didn��t believe her.

    He truly didn��t believe her.

    And worse, he thought the baby wasn��t his.

 Chapter 488: A WINNER OR A LOSER

    <h4>Chapter 488: A WINNER OR A LOSER</h4>

    The chamber was small, colder than it should have been, with bare stone walls and no windows.

    A single bed sat in the corner with an old wool nket folded on top. A chair and a narrow table were the only other pieces of furniture.

    All through the moment she was led to the room her mind was a blur.

    She could barely think.

    Nothing made any sense.

    She barely noticed the servants who looked at her.

    How they whispered or how they watched her with haughty res.

    The guards took her to her room and left her there without a word.

    The door clicked shut behind her, and she stood frozen in the middle of the room.

    Her knees gave out then.

    She copsed onto the floor, hands clutched around her belly, breath short and shaky.

    Her mind couldn��t process the rapid descent of the day, from hope to horror.

    He hates me.

    He thinks the baby is not his.

    He believes I chose Hunter.

    "No, no, no," she whispered, rocking slightly on the stone floor. "Please don��t let this be real..."

    Hours passed��or maybe minutes. She wasn��t sure. Time lost all meaning in that cold, suffocating silence.

    Jasminey curled up on the thin mattress, staring at the cracked ceiling above her.

    The flickering candlelight cast shadows on the walls like monsters. Her fingers absently rubbed her stomach.

    "You��re mine," she whispered to her unborn pup. "I don��t care what they say. I know whose you are."

    Her heart ached with the weight of everything. The way he looked at her. The way he ordered the search. The way he wouldn��t even listen.

    She knew for sure Anna nned this.

    She was certain.

    The very moment he had mentioned her usations.

    But the question now, was Hunter behind it?

    How did those letters get into her bag?

    And the ne she had never for once seen.

    So many questions, and no answers.

    And worse��no allies.

    Not even Erik had spoken up for her. Damian had treated her like a criminal as usual.

    The entire pack had stared at her like a ghost.

    Only Nanny Nia��s and Fiona��s eyes had held warmth.

    Maybe she would help.

    Maybe she would find a way to speak to Xaden.

    She had after all herself even abandoned Nanny Nia without a word.

    Maybe she hated her now too.

    Or maybe Erik would think back on the look in her eyes and realize she wasn��t lying.

    But even those hopes felt fragile. Like ss pressed too tight between fingers.

    Her thoughts turned dark as the candle flickered again.

    What if they never let her out? What if she gave birth in this room, like a prisoner? What if��

    No. No. She couldn��t let herself spiral.

    She got up from the bed and paced slowly around the small room. Her hands trembled, and her mouth was dry. She didn��t even have water. She went to the door and knocked once.

    Nothing.

    Twice.

    Still nothing.

    "Please," she said softly. "Can I just have water?"

    No response.

    She sat again. Minutes ticked by. Her chest tightened.

    Alone. She was alone again.

    Like she had been in Hunter��s keep.

    But this hurt more.

    Because this was supposed to be home.

    This was supposed to be love.

    She pulled the nket over her shoulders, curled up on the bed, and stared into the shadows until her eyes burned.

    She didn��t cry. She couldn��t.

    She just closed her eyes and whispered to her baby again.

    "Someone will help us," she promised. "Someone will see the truth."

    But even she wasn��t sure anymore.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~

    Jasmine had finally managed to fall asleep when she heard some hushed up voices outside her door.

    She became alert and soon she heard the door open.

    Nanny Nia had finallye to see her?

    Or Erik? Or perhaps Fiona.

    Or maybe Xaden himself.

    She sat up hopefully, but her face fell in disappointment when she saw her visitor.

    It was none other than Anna herself.

    There was that smug smile stuck on her face.

    The one she had seen earlier on when she arrived.

    The door was shut behind Anna and Anna��s smug crept up to a wider smile.

    "Hello Jasmine." Anna said nastily.

    Jasmine recoiled back against the wall and her hands instinctively went to her tummy.

    "What do you want?" Jasmine asked warily.

    "Oh don��t worry." Anna said once she noticed how Jamsine had tried to protect her baby. "I��m not here to harm your baby. How low must you think of me. We have issues not the innocent baby."

    "How could you?" Jasmine said after a while. "How could you do such a thing to me?"

    Anna smiled triumphantly as she approached her. "Oh Jasmine. Do you have any idea how happy it makes me to see you this way? How long it was for me to finally see you where you belong? Do you? I had toe see you myself and gloat."

    Jasmine red, her eyes refusing to leave Anna.

    Anna reached out to touch Jasmine fire curls and Jamsine spank her hand away.

    "Feisty." Anna said with a mean smirk. "You��re now beginning to fight for yourself. But it��s a little toote."

    "You��re a monster. I don��t know how you did it. But Xaden is going to find out the truth and see you for who you really are." Jasmine said.

    "I��ve been called worse things." Anna said as she walked where the almost dead candle was, and reced with another. "But you can��t shame me for knowing who I am."

    "I understand you hating me." Jasmine stated, "but your own niece?"

    "So it��s a girl. Too bad. The child isn��t born. And like I said, it��s not in my ce to harm babies or my own blood but it��s coteral damage." Anna said callously. "Her mummy is the cause of her never existence. Live with that."

    Jasmine was now breathing heavily in anger. "After everything I did for you. After how much I suffered! I was sent to this pack in your stead. I suffered in your ce and still epted it. But today you choose to hate me?"

    Anna began to spit venom. "Yes! And the world is cruel to stupid women like you. You have to be smart! Being good brings nothing to the table! I��ve always hated you because despite everything all the men I have wanted looked at you. You had everything even though you had nothing. I on my own hand, had everything and yet had nothing. No one liked me. Even my own father balepared you to me! My own mate cares about you than he fates about me And now my blood brother, the one thing I can have, cares about you more than he does for me. I hate you because you stole everything for me."

    Jasmine was shocked at the amount of hatred and bitterness Anna harbored.

    "So yes I ruined everything. This is your end Jasmine. Youmitted treason and you will hang for it." Anna said. "Nothing you do can save you. And that��s my happiness. I win."

    And with that Anna stormed to the door and banged for it to be open.

    A guard did and Jasmine watched as Anna left.

 Chapter 489: DEATH

    <h4>Chapter 489: DEATH</h4>

    Jasmine sat curled on the cold stone bed, arms around her knees, rocking slowly. She had barely slept since Anna��s visit the night before.

    Her mind echoed with venomous words, and her chest burned from holding in tears.

    Every sound outside her door made her flinch. Every creak in the hallway, every hushed whisper of guards, sent a bolt of anxiety through her.

    So when the door clicked open, Jasmine��s breath caught in her throat.

    She��s back.

    She pulled herself tighter into a corner, trembling.

    Anna was perhaps here to finally kill her.

    But then��

    "Nanny Nia?" her voice cracked out in disbelief.

    The older woman stood in the doorway, her eyes soft and glistening with relief. Jasmine��s shoulders instantly fell as a sob caught in her throat.

    She leapt forward and wrapped her arms around the woman.

    They held each other as both women wept.

    Jamsine needed the hug as she gripped nanny Nia��s clothes.

    "I didn��t do it," she whispered, voice broken and hoarse once she finally could speak. "I swear to the goddess, I didn��t..."

    Nanny Nia held her, one hand cradling the back of Jasmine��s head like she used to when she was a child. "I know," she whispered firmly. "I��ve always known."

    Jasmine��s knees nearly buckled.

    She��d been holding onto nothing, and now here, finally, was something, someone, to hold her back.

    "I thought you hated me," Jasmine sobbed. "I left without telling you. I just left and abandoned you."

    Nanny Nia drew back gently. "You hurt me, yes. But I never stopped loving you. And I always knew if you ran, it was for something important. I should have been more cautious and never let you go."

    "I missed you so much," Jasmine murmured.

    Nia brushed her hair gently. "I missed you too. I wanted to speak to you in the court, but Xaden had us removed. He didn��t want anyone influencing the moment. Anna made sure of that."

    "She did it." Jasmine stated. "She was the one who nned it all. I don��t know she did it, but somehow she did. She came here a while ago and said it herself."

    Nanny Nia gritted her teeth in rage. "I know that too."

    Jasmine��s brow furrowed. "How did you know?"

    "She hinted," Nia said darkly. "A few nights ago I saw her in the hallway that led from your bedroom and she told me that it was going to be toote for me to save you."

    "I feel like I��m going insane," Jasmine confessed. "No one believes me."

    "I do," Nia said. "And I will not let you face this alone. Fiona does too. Erik is conflicted. He knows you didn��t, but he is just confused. The past few weeks have been hard for us."

    "How did Xaden return to the pack?" Jasmine asked.

    Nanny Nia shrugged. "He staggered into the pack almost dead when they found him. He managed to make it alive."

    "What about Kire? And a little boy called Marro?" Jasmine asked alert.

    "They are all in the pack." Nanny Nia said.

    Jasmine breathed a sigh of relief and smiled to herself. "Thank the goddess."

    "How did you return here?" Nanny Nia asked. "Xaden didn��t bargain and yet here you are safe and sound. We thought you were kept prisoner."

    "I was." Jasmine said and then proceeded to tell Nanny Nia all that had transpired the moment she had run away.

    Jasmine wiped her face as Nanny Nia reached into a cloth basket and brought out a covered bowl.

    "Eat something," she said gently. "Please. You have to. For the baby."

    Jasmine��s stomach twisted. "I��m not hungry."

    "I know," Nanny Nia said. "But you haven��t eaten in two days. You need strength. You need to survive this."

    Eventually, Jasmine gave in. The broth was warm,ced with familiar herbs from home.

    Halfway through, her stomach stopped protesting, and she ate slowly.

    Afterward, Nia kissed her forehead and promised to return.

    "What��s going to happen?" Jasmine asked. "How would I prove my innocence. Please don��t leave me."

    Nanny Nia held into her for a bit longer.

    "We will try to find a way. If Anna did this, then she had to have had help. She couldn��t have done this without some support." Nanny Nia said.

    Jasmine felt her bones go weak. "I��m tired Nanny Nia. I��m tired. After everything. This is what I go through? When does this ever end for me."

    "Oh my pudding." Nanny Nia said. "The goddess sees you and she is not partial. Very soon. It will soon end. All things muste to an end eventually. And Anna will meet hers eventually."

    She hugged her once more and watched in anguish as nanny Nia left the room.

    Jasmine felt a flicker of warmth in the frozen cave her heart had be.

    But that light flickered out not long after Nia left.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Hours passed.

    Jasmine tossed in the bed, sleep never fullying. Her thoughts were a storm. Was the baby okay? Would Xaden ever believe her? What if she never left this room again?

    Then, like lightning slicing through that storm��pain.

    It hit low, sudden and deep. Her eyes flew open. Her hand immediately flew to her belly.

    Another sharp stab.

    She tried to sit up, but the pain was like fire wrapping around her stomach.

    Then came the warmth.

    She looked down��and saw it.

    Blood.

    A deep, thick crimson spreading across her thighs.

    "No," she gasped. "No, please..."

    She stumbled to the door, nearly slipping.

    "Help!" she cried, banging on the door. "Please! Something��s wrong!"

    Silence.

    She screamed louder. "Please! I��m bleeding!"

    Still nothing.

    She doubled over in pain, sobbing, struggling to stay upright.

    Another wave of pain knocked her to her knees. The blood was flowing faster now.

    Her heart was racing. Her breaths came in short, panicked gasps.

    "I��m sorry," she sobbed, curling into herself. "I��m so sorry..."

    Darkness crawled around the edge of her vision. Her hands smeared with blood, she whispered, "Please, don��t go... please... stay with me..."

    Then��nothing.

    ?

    When the door opened the next morning to bring her a tray of food, the guard nearly dropped it in shock.

    "Shit! Get the healer! NOW!"

    The hallway exploded with noise. Feet pounding. Shouts echoing.

    But Jasmine didn��t hear any of it.

    Shey still, surrounded by the blood of what she had lost.

    And everything else faded into silence.

 Chapter 490: THE MOMENT OF DISCOVERY

    <h4>Chapter 490: THE MOMENT OF DISCOVERY</h4>

    The guard had opened the door for the busty maid carrying the prisoner��s food.

    He has always had a close eye on her, couldn��t remember her name.

    "Anything in that meal for me?" He asked her coyly.

    She snorted at him and ignored him as she entered the room.

    Ah, his favorite type of women.

    He loved the type who said no and pretended like they didn��t like him, but deep down they always did.

    It was only a matter of time before she eventually came around.

    And when she did he wou-

    "AAAAHHHHHHH!" Came the shrill scream from the room interrupting his thoughts.

    He dropped his pipe quickly and rushed inside to see what themotion was all about.

    The girl had her hands over her mouth and the tray of food was now scattered all over the ce as she screamed

    "Sweet goddess." He mumbled in shock at the sight before him.

    There, Jasminey in a pool of bright blood.

    The blood was all over the floor and her dress was well damp with blood from her waist down.

    He was so dazed and confused.

    The girl was still screaming.

    And then he swung into action immediately.

    He rushed to Jasmine��s side.

    "Stop screaming." He snapped at the maid as he gently tried to scoop Jasmine up, supporting her head. "Get help. Inform Alpha Xaden immediately."

    The maid jumped alert and then nodded and started to pick up the spilled food items.

    Her hands were trembling and the guard was sure she was still dazed and in a state of shock.

    "Leave it! Report to Alpha Xaden or Gamma Erik, immediately!" He snapped at her.

    She jumped and the food items in her hand came tumbling to the floor as she quickly nodded, terrified and ran out of the cell.

    The guard now held Jasmine.

    Her body was cold.

    And he began to sweat in worry. How long had she been this way?

    This morning? Or worse the entire night?

    Thest time anyone had seen her was the nanny who came at night.

    He swore as he raced out of the cell.

    His head was spinning.

    She was a traitor and had coborated with the enemy to almost kill Xaden, other than that her father had been a monster.

    With her, things never seized to stop getting worse.

    But he knew that Alpha Xaden had had a soft spot for her.

    If it was regr person who hadmitted such treason then they would have been executed already.

    She had only been put into a small room different from thevish bedroom she was used to.

    She was even being fed!

    Alpha Xaden still cared about her.

    And goddess.

    If she had lost the baby or was going to die while on his watch, Alpha Xaden would have his neck hanging on the walls of the pack.

    He rushed down the hallway

    And people gasped and murmured.

    Why was no one helping???

    Probably too stunned and scared to say or get involved.

    Or maybe because they still hated her for setting up the Alpha.

    "Why are you standing there?" He snapped at them as he cradled her in his arms.

    "Get fucking help!" He screamed.

    Nanny Nia who was holding a basket and waking to the side froze when she turned around and saw them.

    "Sweet goddess Celine!" She screamed.

    She dropped the basket of vegetables and gasped with her hands over her mouth.

    She raced down to the guard who had Jasmine in his arms.

    She stuttered, her hands trembling as she reached over Jasminel.

    Her face was drained.

    "Www... wh... what happened?" Nanny Nia asked startled.

    Before the guard could respond, Loren the pack healer came rushing with his assistant Ned.

    The maid who had brought in Jasmine��s food was also with them.

    Some guards had arrived.

    "Goddess." Loren said in shock.

    "Take her up to my Alpha Xaden��s quarters right now!" Loren ordered.

    The guard was hesitant.

    "Alpha Xa.. Xaden��s bedchamber?" He stuttered.

    "Yes?" Loren asked irritated. "We don��t have any time let��s go."

    And with that Loren led the way.

    The guard began to sweat.

    "It��s just that... I... I don��t know. Wh... what.. Alpha X...Xaden would think about me letting her stay in h... his. B.. bedroom." He stuttered. "Especially with what happened."

    Nanny Nia walked up to the guard and gave him a hard p.

    "You do as he says!" She warned him. "Aren��t you ashamed??? If Jasmine dies or anything happens to her due to your negligence then Alpha Xaden would have your head."

    The guard had his swollen cheek wake him up and he hurried ahead to take Jasmine to Alpha Xaden��s bedroom.

    The guards had already opened the door before he rushed to the bed and very gentlyid her on the massive bed, supporting her head against the pillow.

    The guard stood away and realized that he had blood on his arms and it urred to him that she had truly bled a lot.

    "How did this happen?" Nanny Nia stormed up to him in rage as the healer began to look up at her. "I saw herst night and she was perfectly fine."

    The guard stuttered and tried to speak but he had no words to say.

    Nanny Nia rose her hands up at him silencing him instantly.

    "Just save whatever you had to say. If anything happens ti her, you are dead." She promised.

    He turned to look down at Jasmine

    Her face was white and she looked almost dead.

    It was then he realized how much big trouble he was.

    The healer Loren had a worried look on his face.

    "She is losing a lot of blood. I might need help. Send for Marie immediately." Loren said grimly.

    Nanny Nia red up at the guard and he knew instantly what to do.

    "I��ll gather some men and bring her back with us." The guard said hastily.

    With those words he hurried out of the room and prayed to the goddess that nothing happened to Jasmine.

    His life was now at stake.

 Chapter 491: SURGERY

    <h4>Chapter 491: SURGERY</h4>

    The door mmed shut behind and Loren went back, bent over Jasmine��s body.

    He cleared the area and looked down on her, his hands already trembling.

    "Hand me a pair of scissors," Loren said, voice clipped.

    Ned picked one from the equipment bag and handed it over without a word.

    Loren neatly, but hastily, cut open her dress, slicing through the fabric with clean precision. Ned helped him peel it off her body until the entire material was gone and discarded to the side.

    "Oh, Jasmine..." Nanny Nia whispered from behind, her hand trembling over her lips.

    Loren bent down, checked her pulse again, then leaned in to listen for breathing.

    His brows furrowed. Her breathing was shallow. Too shallow.

    "Is she fine?" Nanny Nia asked, her voice cracking.

    "I��ll do my best to keep her stable," Loren said, already moving. "But this isplicated. The child might need an operation."

    "Operation?" Nanny Nia blinked rapidly. "But she��s not��"

    "She��s bleeding," he snapped gently. "We need to do something drastic, or we might lose either the mother... or the child." He hesitated. "Or both."

    Nanny Nia��s face fell. Her knees almost buckled. She held her chest and leaned against the nearby wall as she managed to weep softly.

    "I need towels. Lots of towels and hot water," Loren barked.

    "I��ll get the maids to bring them." Nanny Nia rushed out of the room.

    He heard her voice ring down the hallway, ordering people to hurry, her tone sharp and panicked. Momentster, she returned, breathless.

    "What��s the towels and hot water for?" she asked.

    Loren walked over andid a massive healing leaf over Jasmine��s forehead. "She��s going into pretermbor��her body is rejecting the pregnancy. If I don��t help the baby out now, they��ll both die."

    "Then do something!" Nanny Nia cried. "Please, Loren..."

    "I hate to say this," he said with a heavy breath, "but magic is needed."

    His voice was quiet. "Jasmine wasn��t just carrying any baby. She was carrying an Alpha��s child. She��s unshifted... I��ve never done this before."

    His hands were visibly shaking now. Sweat formed at his temple.

    The door suddenly flung open without warning, creaking eerily on its hinges. No one stood in the entry.

    Then Marie entered, her dreadlocks swinging over her shoulders, barefoot and furious.

    She looked around quickly, eyes scanning. And then her gaze fell on Jasmine��s bloody, unmoving body.

    She didn��t waste time. She moved like wind��swift, focused, deadly.

    She rushed over to the bed and ced both hands on Jasmine��s forehead.

    "What happened?" she asked in a sharp tone.

    "A guard found her this way," Nanny Nia replied, eyes wide. "I left her fine the previous night. Please��do something to save her."

    "Where��s Xaden?" Marie asked, frowning.

    No one answered.

    "Where the fuck is he?" she said louder, jaw tight.

    "That��s not relevant right now," Nanny Nia snapped, frustrated. "Jasmine��s life is what matters. Please!"

    Marie sighed, dragged her hand from Jasmine��s forehead down to her belly, and held it there.

    Silence.

    The room tensed. Even Loren stopped breathing.

    Marie finally rose.

    "Is the baby alive?" Nanny Nia asked in a panic.

    "I can��t say," Marie said. "I��ve never understood her pregnancy. But she��s three months from full term��and yet her body��s reacting like it��s the final week. Her womb might be rejecting it... or it was never meant to carry this kind of child."

    "I thought we��d operate," Loren offered weakly. "But I don��t know if she or the baby would even survive the de."

    The maids came rushing in with bowls of steaming water and stacks of clean towels.

    "I��m going to use magic and force the baby out," Marie announced. "That��s all I can do."

    "What?!" Nanny Nia cried. "You just said she isn��t due for months!"

    "Yes. I did." Marie��s voice was firm. "But Jasmine��s pregnancy is not normal. If this is a wolf-child, and as Jasmine is an unshifted, then her womb may never survive the natural process. If I can force it out now, maybe she lives. Maybe."

    Nanny Nia pressed her hand over her chest, struggling to keep her panic down. But she nodded. There was no choice.

    "Dampen the towels with hot water," Marie instructed. "Position them in between her legs. We will do what we can."

    But before anyone could move, the door flew open violently.

    "What the hell is she doing in my brother��s bed?!"

    It was none other than Anna standing at the door.

    She stormed in, nked by her usual servant minions, her face twisted with disgust.

    Marie didn��t flinch. She kept her hand over Jasmine��s abdomen.

    Anna strode to the bed and stared down at Jasmine��s broken, blood-soaked body.

    "What the hell is this whore doing in my brother��s bed?" she hissed again.

    Marie looked her dead in the eyes. "Who the hell are you?"

    "Who am I? Who am I?" Anna snapped. "I��m the heiress of this pack. Alpha Xaden��s sister. And I won��t have that traitorous whore bleeding all over his bed!"

    "This is all your fault!" Nanny Nia screamed in rage. "How dare you? After everything you have done and-

    "Shut up, old bitch!" Anna spat back. "Once I��m done with Jasmine, you��re next. Get that whore OUT of here!"

    Marie stood.

    Her eyes went silver.

    She didn��t say a word. She raised her hand, and with a flick of her fingers, Anna began to choke.

    The heiress gasped, clutching her throat, her eyes wide with terror. Her knees buckled.

    "You��re lucky I��m busy," Marie growled. "But I enjoy teaching girls like you a lesson."

    She released her hold, and Anna copsed to the floor, coughing violently.

    "Do you want me to continue?" Marie asked coldly.

    Anna scrambled to her feet, humiliated.

    "I��ll tell my brother. He is going to know." Anna promised.

    "I��ll be waiting." Marie said.

    Terrified and disgraced, Anna ran off . Her servants chased after her, skittish and shaken.

    The room fell quiet again.

    Marie turned back to Jasmine, whose lips had parted slightly in a soundless gasp. Her skin was deathly pale.

    Marie climbed back onto the bed and ced both hands over Jasmine��s womb.

    "Back to business," she muttered grimly.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 492: SURGERY II

    <h4>Chapter 492: SURGERY II</h4>

    Marie climbed back onto the bed, her expression unreadable, jaw tight as she knelt beside Jasmine��s still, broken body. Blood soaked the sheets, the scent thick and metallic, mingling with sweat and the sharp sting of herbal salves that hadn��t even been used yet.

    She exhaled, settling both hands on Jasmine��s womb.

    "Keep the towels ready," she said without looking back. Her voice was low, grim. "This won��t be clean."

    Ned stood frozen for a moment, but Loren, flinched him back to life.

    "You have to be firm Ned." Loren reprimanded.

    He grabbed one of the steaming bowls and began soaking the fresh cloths brought by the maids, his fingers trembling.

    Marie��s lips moved, and with each word, the air around her shimmered.

    The old tongue. Ancient magic.

    Her eyes flickered silver as her hands glowed faintly blue.

    Then��Jasmine��s body arched.

    Not violently, but like something inside her stirred and jerked in protest.

    A dull pulse of light rippled beneath Marie��s hands, as if the magic itself was searching, trying to locate the root of what needed to be expelled.

    Blood poured again.

    Thicker this time. Heavier.

    Jasmine didn��t scream. She couldn��t. She was too far gone. Her lips were slightly parted, her breath shallow and ragged.

    But she wasn��t conscious.

    Marie gritted her teeth, sweat now lining her brow.

    "It��s noting out whole," she muttered. "It��s already dead."

    Nanny closed her eyes and wept heartbroken.

    "The body��s trying to reject it in pieces." Marie exined

    Loren stepped closer, his face pale, eyes stricken.

    "We��ll stop the bleeding after," he whispered. "Goddess help us..."

    The first piece emerged.

    Small. Red.

    A curled limb��no longer fully formed. It slid out slowly, coated in dark, clotted blood.

    Ned turned away, eyes wide with horror, but his hands kept working.

    He handed Marie clean towels without needing to be asked.

    Marie didn��t flinch.

    She took the towel and gently wrapped the first piece, cing it into a cloth-lined basin beside the bed.

    Another pulse.

    More blood.

    Another piece.

    A fragment of a spine. A tiny, half-formed ribcage. The umbilical cord, barely attached.

    The pieces were too small and were mainly mixed with blood and extremely tiny bone fragments.

    Nanny Nia gasped softly behind them, her breath catching in her throat.

    She had stood frozen near the foot of the bed until now, eyes locked on Jasmine��s face.

    But the sight, what was slipping from Jasmine��s womb, was too much.

    She turned away, pressing a hand to the wall to steady herself as her knees weakened.

    "She was going to name her," she whispered, barely audible. "She always wanted a girl..."

    Her voice cracked. "I should have.... This is all my fault. I should have stayed with her."

    A single sob escaped, and then another, though she fought them back with all the strength she had left.

    Marie kept going.

    Her hands were steady, her magic constant.

    She moved as though on instinct, whispering words older than time, her face nk save for the lines of exhaustion and anger.

    The basin filled slowly, horror upon horrorid in careful, reverent folds of linen. The air grew colder, denser.

    Then came thest piece.

    The skull.

    Small. Fragile. Barely fused. It slipped out with a sickening squelch, and Marie caught it with both hands.

    Her breath caught in her throat��just for a moment.

    She looked down at it with eyes that burned silver.

    "I��m sorry," she whispered��not to Nanny Nia, not to Loren, but to the broken child who��d never see the world.

    She ced it gently into the basin and murmured a preserving spell. The cloth shimmered slightly and then dulled.

    "We need to stop the bleeding," Loren said urgently, snapping out of his daze.

    He stepped in beside Marie, already pulling open his satchel of herbs and supplies.

    "Her uterus is torn. Deep," he said grimly. "Help me elevate her legs."

    Ned obeyed instantly. Together, they lifted Jasmine��s lower half with cushions and propped her legs carefully.

    Loren reached for strips of cloth already soaked in a golden salve.

    "What��s that?" Marie asked.

    "Moonroot blend," he answered quickly. "With silverweed and healing runes. It��s the strongest I have. Should encourage clotting."

    "I think I underestimated you herbal healers." Marieplemented. "You��re not as bad as I thought."

    Loren shrugged his shoulders indifferently.

    The scent filled the room, iron, bitter herbs, the sharp tang of blood.

    He pressed the cloth into Jasmine��s womb, deep enough that even Nanny Nia winced.

    Jasmine didn��t stir.

    "She��s ice cold," Loren murmured. "Her pulse is faint."

    Marie didn��t respond right away. She climbed higher on the bed and ced her hand over Jasmine��s heart.

    "Her soul��s slipping," she said.

    Nanny Nia sobbed softly into her sleeve. "Don��t say that. Please..."

    "I can stop her body from dying," Marie whispered. "But I might not bring her soul back. Not fully. Jasmine is unshifted. Using magic on her can be ....unpredictable."

    Loren looked down at Jasmine, at her pale face, her bloodless lips, her body now still save for the faintest rise and fall of her chest.

    "Goddess." he murmured.

    Silence filled the room.

    Nanny Nia moved forward finally, one hand outstretched toward the basin. Her fingers trembled.

    "Let me..." she whispered.

    Marie stepped aside.

    Nanny Nia gathered the remains into the cloth, wrapping the pieces gently, reverently, as though they might still breathe if held with enough love.

    She tucked the broken skullst, folding it into the center.

    She pressed the bundle to her chest and closed her eyes.

    "It was a girl." Marie said. "I can tell that?

    Nanny Nia whimpered more.

    "Blessed be the daughter who was never born. May the moon cradle her, may the stars sing her name."

    Tears streamed down her cheeks.

    "A girl." Nanny Nia said. she said in a broken voice. "She was always right."

    No one spoke.

    Ned had backed into the corner, his face wet, though he wasn��t crying loudly.

    Loren turned away for a moment, his hands still pressed over Jasmine��s lower belly, keeping pressure steady.

    Marie remained still, her glowing hand hovering over Jasmine��s heart.

    The glow faded, slowly.

    "She��s stabilized," Marie finally said. "But she��s not awake."

    "When will she be?" Nanny Nia asked.

    Marie hesitated.

    "I don��t know. What I want to know is how the fuck this happened?" Marie demanded through seething teeth.

 Chapter 493: MURDER

    <h4>Chapter 493: MURDER</h4>

    How did any of this happen?" Marie demanded, her voice sharp and filled with a rage that burned beneath the surface like hot coals. Her gaze swept over everyone in the room beforending on Jasmine��s pale, lifeless body.

    She sighed heavily, realizing Jasmine was still unconscious, barely clinging to life. Her magic had stopped the bleeding��for now. But the damage had been done. With a sharp flick of her wrist, she signaled for everyone to step out.

    Loren, Ned, Nanny Nia, and the wide-eyed maids all nodded wordlessly, as if pulled by some invisible force. Silently, they moved through the room, wiping down the stained floors, disposing of the used towels, and gathering the bloodied basin.

    Nanny Nia lingered the longest. Her hands shook as she gently pulled Xaden��s thickest fur nket over Jasmine��s fragile form, tucking her in like a child. Then, with trembling lips, she kissed her forehead softly. "You were supposed to be safe," she whispered.

    Once they were all outside and the door shut firmly behind them, Marie turned on the group like a storm.

    "Now," she said, her voice icy and controlled, "I want you to tell me how any of this happened to Jasmine. From the beginning. Every single detail."

    "We... we don��t know," Nanny Nia said honestly, her voice small. "Not everything."

    "I do," came a soft, hesitant voice.

    They all turned in surprise to a maid who had lingered near the back, practically invisible until now. She was one of the youngest, often overlooked and never spoken to unlessmanded.

    "I was the one who found her," the girl said, twisting her fingers together. "I��I was going to give her breakfast. When I walked in... she was already lying there. On the floor. Covered in blood. I thought she was dead."

    "I saw her the night before," Nanny Nia added quietly. "I checked in on her in the cell. She was fine. Weak, tired... but fine."

    Marie��s eyes narrowed. "Cell?"

    "Yes," Nanny Nia said. "She was ced in one."

    Marie looked sharply between them, blinking in disbelief. "Why was Jasmine in a cell? What in the name of the goddess was she doing in a damn cell?"

    Loren, now back to his usual irritated self, scoffed. "I thought you were the all-seeing witch."

    Marie turned to him slowly. "Being a seer doesn��t mean I��m omniscient, healer. Now answer me. Why was she locked up?"

    And then they told her everything��piece by piece, voice by voice. The betrayal Jasmine had supposedlymitted. The evidence. The whispers of treason. The ims she had colluded with the enemy. That she had plotted against Xaden, her mate. Her Alpha.

    Marie listened, her expression unreadable. And then she chuckled��low and cold. A dangerous sound. Everyone froze, unsure if she wasughing or preparing to curse the entire hallway.

    "That��s it?" she asked, her voice now trembling with fury. "That��s why Xaden...?"

    She didn��t finish the sentence. Her hands balled into fists. Her jaw clenched so tightly it was a wonder her teeth didn��t crack.

    "Where is Xaden?" she finally asked.

    "No one has seen him," Loren answered. "Or Erik. They��ve been gone since it happened. Most believe they��re not even in the territory."

    Marie��s gaze darkened. "Well, wherever they are, they��re about to be found. If I were any of you, I��d keep someone with Jasmine at all times. Before whoever started this... finishes it."

    She turned abruptly, her cloak sweeping behind her like a shadow.

    "Where are you going?" Nanny Nia called after her.

    "To find your so-called Alpha," Marie snapped.

    She stormed down the hallway, her presence crackling with power. The torches flickered as she passed. The walls seemed to shudder.

    She was livid. This wasn��t just betrayal��it was stupidity. She had worked too hard, protected too much, and now it had all been undone. Jasmine��s womb was empty. Her soul barely tethered to her body. And all because Xaden had believed lies whispered into his ears.

    Using her power, she reached out across the territory, searching for his energy signature.

    There.

    At the outer gate. He was just dismounting from his horse. Marie��s lips curled.

    She stepped outside, storming across the courtyard. The massive doors of the pack house opened for her as if sensing her fury. She descended the stone steps and found Xaden, tall and broad-shouldered, speaking with his men. Erik was beside him.

    Xaden turned slowly, sensing her rage. His brows drew together.

    "Where have you been?" he barked. "I sent for you for nearly two weeks! You ignored every summons��"

    Marie didn��t answer. She lifted her hand and traced a wide circle through the air. A swirling ck vortex burst into life.

    In the next blink, Xaden, Erik, and Marie vanished.

    They reappeared inside a sealed room within the pack house. A private study, empty and locked.

    "What the hell are you doing?" Xaden growled. "Why bring us here?"

    "What is wrong with you, Xaden?" Marie snapped.

    "What is wrong with me? You kidnap us, and then ask��?"

    "We��re still in your pack," Marie hissed. "So don��t tter yourself. Now tell me��how could you lock Jasmine up like that? She was pregnant. Carrying your child."

    Xaden blinked, stunned. "So that��s what this is about? You brought me here to talk about her? After everything she did?"

    "Everything she allegedly did," Marie bit out.

    "She lied to me," Xaden barked. "She tried to kill me. She worked with the man who murdered my soldiers. She tried to take my pack��"

    Marie rubbed her temples. The headache pounding behind her eyes was unbearable.

    "And who told you that?" she asked softly. "Who fed you this story?"

    "My sources don��t lie," Xaden said.

    "Your sister does," Marie snapped. "Your ego does. Your guilt does."

    She turned to Erik, her gaze sharp. "I expected blind anger from him. But not you."

    Erik looked away, his jaw tight.

    "You locked up the mother of your child," Marie hissed. "Because of what? A rumor? A lie that wouldn��t even hold up under a truth-binding spell? How long did you even think it over before throwing her into a cell?"

    "She was carrying the child of my enemy," Xaden yelled. "You think I didn��t consider everything?! You think I didn��t break inside watching her lie to me with that belly��?"

    "Your child," Marie whispered.

    The words hit like thunder. The room fell deathly silent.

    Xaden froze.

    "You murdered your own child," Marie said coldly. "That bloodline you were so sure you��d never have? The legacy you��ve spent years chasing? Died. Today. In a pool of blood. In your own bed."

    She walked up to him slowly, her voice quiet but devastating.

    "You didn��t just betray her. You destroyed her. And now? You don��t even know what you��ve lost."

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    With those words being dropped on Xaden like a bomb, Marie turned away from him and faced Erik.

    "She deserved better." Marie said facing the now guilt stricken Erik. "A devil��s advocate is worse than the devil himself."

    "I hope you��re proud of yourselves now. You went the lowest any wolf has ever done." She stated bluntly.

    And with that, she turned her beautiful locks away from them and headed out of the door.

    She finally sprung the door open and the guards who had been struggling to open it since she had disappeared with them from the steps, stood in shock.

    With that she stormed out of the pce.

    Erik turned to Xaden.

    "I told you." Erik pointed out. "I warned you."

    Xaden turned his face away reluctant to listen to Erik��s reprimands.

    "It made no sense." Erik continued. "She left because she was searching for you. Hell it was a stupid thing to do and we all agree. But was it worth losing her for? Was it?"

    "Losing her?" Xaden rose a brow.

    Erik scoffed. "What? You think she would want to be with you? You think she will stand you again? You locked her up and abandoned her. You murdered her child."

    "I didn��t." Xaden said his eyes zing a sh of hot furry.

    "Not directly. But this has happened all because of you." Erik pointed out clearly. "She was far gone. She had barely had any chance to have her usual pregnancy treatments and yet you discarded her like she was no one. The least you could have done was have Loren check on her. But look. She would have died in the process. What if Marie hadn��t made it in time? Who would have used magic? Jasmine would be dead."

    Xaden strolled to the window and Erik followed him refusing to be ignored.

    "There are consequences to actions Xaden. And you��re going to face them." Erik said. "Jasmine lost her child. A pregnant woman went out of the pack and risked her life to find you. And you paid her back by murdering her."

    "ENOUGH!" Xaden said silencing Erik instantly as he pushed down objects on a table in rage.

    Erik shook his head and walked away.

 Chapter 494: REALISATION

    <h4>Chapter 494: REALISATION</h4>

    Erik stormed down the corridor, his jaw clenched, vision tunneled with fury. The rage still simmered beneath his skin, his wolf howling inside him.

    This was all Xaden and Anna��s fault.

    If only Anna had shut her deceitful mouth.

    He knew that there was no way in the seven hells that Jasmine had done what Anna had used her off.

    He also knew that Anna was a bloody liar.

    A quality of her that her dear brother didn��t know.

    Xaden was blinded by Anna and his guilt for not raising her as his sister.

    And so he believed everything she told him.

    While Xaden on the other hand had been fooled by the false evidence.

    Erik had tried his best to make Xaden rx and see things through.

    But Xaden had insisted that she had to be punished.

    And now look at.

    Jasmine must hate him too because just as Marie had said, he had yed the devil��s advocate.

    He was as guilty as Xaden was.

    He was seething with burning rage.

    And then, like the final insult, Anna appeared around the corner.

    She was walking fast, her blonde hair popping up and down over her head, her dress swishing dramatically with every step, lips pursed and eyes smug.

    Until she nearly collided with him.

    "Watch where you��re��"

    But before her as usual nasty words were out, Erik grabbed her by the arm and yanked her hard into the shadows of a nearby alcove.

    "What the hell!"" she gasped, stunned by his strength. "You��re hurting me��"

    And then when she realized who it was she became a bit calm and her cheeks flustered red.

    "Erik!" She said giving a wry smile. "What are you doing? People can see."

    He pushed her back against the stone wall. "You think I care?"

    She had a coy devilish smile, then it urred to him what she thought he was doing and he became more furious.

    His voice was low and dangerous, filled with a venom that sent shivers down Anna��s spine. His grip was tight enough to bruise, and for the first time, Anna looked genuinely startled.

    "Why did you lie about Jasmine?" he demanded straight to point.

    Her seductive smile faltered.

    "I�� I didn��t��" she stammered.

    "Don��t lie to me , Anna!" he growled, pressing his face closer. "You toldeveryone plotting. You told us she was working with enemies. You helped put her in a cell��while she was carrying his child."

    Anna winced. "You��re hurting me," she whispered again, a little less firm this time.

    He released her abruptly, as if touching her burned.

    She stumbled forward, rubbing her arm, eyes wide with wounded pride.

    "This is what this is all about? Stupid Jasmine?" She said her bosom heaving over her chest.

    She rolled her eyes as she straightened her dress.

    "I didn��t lie," she said coldly, trying to regain her poise. "I told you what I knew."

    "You told us what you wanted to be true," Erik snapped. "Because of some stupid fantasy that you and I would be together."

    She flinched, andughed wickedly. "Why do assume everything is about you. You��re too full of yourself."

    But Erik didn��t stop.

    "You made her out to be a traitor. You manipted the pack, manipted me. And for what?"

    "I only meant well," she said tightly. "And like I said if you were listening earlier. I don��t care about you. I care about my brother. Jasmine is bad news. You don��t expect me to stay and watch while the enemy deceives the people I love."

    Heughed bitterly. "Love? Love? You don��t know the meaning of the word."

    She reached for him, but Erik pulled back fast��visibly flinching at her touch like she was something vile. "Don��t. Touch. Me."

    Anna��s face fell.

    "I want nothing to do with you," Erik said, his voice now lower, colder, final. "Whatever you dreamed up between us? It��s dead. It never existed."

    Anna��s mask slipped. "I love you��"

    "No, Anna," he said. "You obsessed over something that was never yours."

    The silence between them was sharp enough to cut.

    "You��ve done so many things. So many dreadful things. But this? This was the end. Jasmine losing her baby. Murder? This was the cliff you went over. And there is no going back."

    Then Erik stepped closer once more, his face terrifyingly calm. "And if I ever find proof of what you did to Jasmine... If I find even one solid piece of evidence��" he leaned in, his voice dropping to a whisper, "I will burn you myself."

    She gasped.

    "I��ll stand right beside your brother," he hissed. "And I��ll watch as he tears you apart."

    With that, he turned and strode away down the hall, leaving Anna shaking in the corner, breathing hard, her arms wrapped around herself as she whispered��

    "She deserved it..."

    ~~~~~~~~~

    Anna didn��t stay stunned for long.

    A cunning devil that she was, she headed on with her mission.

    Not Erik or anyone else��s words would steer her from her path of bringing Jasmine down.

    By the time she stormed into the Alpha��s war chamber, her expression had shifted again �� now painted with carefully controlled grief and wounded innocence.

    Xaden sat at the long obsidian table, papers strewn before him, his shoulders rigid. Erik��s words still rang in his ears like hammers on steel. He hadn��t said a word since Marie stormed off.

    Hadn��t touched the food. Hadn��t even shifted his seat.

    He was breaking. And the worst part? He knew he deserved it.

    Anna threw the doors open. "She��s in your bed," she said sharply.

    Xaden didn��t look up.

    "I said Jasmine is in your bed, brother. The same traitor you locked up. Why is she there?"

    "I don��t want to hear it," Xaden said, his voice low, exhausted.

    "She��s a prisoner!" Anna cried. "She shouldn��t even be in this house, much less lying in your bed like some��"

    Xaden rose so quickly, his chair screeched backward across the floor. His eyes �� bloodshot and wild �� locked on hers.

    "She lost the baby."

    The words cut through the room like a dagger. The silence that followed was deafening.

    "And?" Anna sneered.

    Xaden blinked. Like a cold bucket of water had poured over him.

    "And?" He repeated, stunned at his sister��s heartlessness. "And? My child fucking died! Jasmine could have FUCKING DIED!"

    Anna realized that somehow her brother now knew that he was the father.

    She quickly changed tactics. "Oh my Goddess. I.... Wh... huh.... I had no idea that... I thought the baby was for her lover."

    She took a reasonable step back.

    Anna blinked. "What...?"

    "You heard me," he said slowly. "She lost the child. She was bleeding out in that bed while I was here doing nothing."

    Anna��s mouth parted. "I... I didn��t know."

    Xaden walked around the table, step by step, until he stood in front of her. His face was pale, drawn tight, jaw clenched so hard it looked like it would crack.

    "She almost died, Anna," he said, voice trembling. "And now I have to live with the fact that the child she was carrying �� the child I didn��t believe in �� was mine."

    Anna��s face twisted. "You don��t know that."

    "Marie told me," he said. "She swore it. She used magic to try and save Jasmine, and she looked me in the eye and said the child was mine."

    Anna looked down, feigning disbelief. "She could��ve lied."

    Xaden leaned in, nose inches from hers. "Are you saying Marie lied to me? That she cast spells to trick me? That she risked her life �� risked everything �� to save Jasmine for nothing?"

    Anna didn��t respond.

    "I asked you once before, Anna," he said, each word deliberate, "if you if you were certain that the things you said were true."

    "Which they were." Anna interjected quickly.

    "But if Marie could say she was with my own child not anyone else��s then that means you were wrong. That means you could have been wrong about more."

    "I wasn��t," she whispered. "I only repeated what the guards were saying��"

    "Enough," Xaden snapped.

    Anna flinched.

    "I don��t want to hear another word from you about Jasmine," he said. "Youe in here again with your usations, and I will have you dragged out."

    "You��d choose her over me?" Anna gasped, stunned.

    "I��d choose the truth over poison," he replied coldly. "And right now, everything you say reeks of poison."

    "You��re my brother," she said, tears finally forming. "I did it for you��"

    "Don��t," he said, holding up a hand. "Don��t insult me with that lie."

    He turned away from her.

    "She��s in my bed because I owe her that much. I owe her more than I��ll ever be able to repay."

    Anna didn��t speak again. Not as Xaden walked back to the table. Not as the guards arrived and stood silently near the doorway, waiting for her exit.

    Her hands clenched at her sides. Her chest burned. For the first time, her tears were real �� but not from guilt.

    From hatred.

    She left the chamber, but in her heart, she made a vow.

    She would not be discarded.

    She would not lose.

    And Jasmine... Jasmine would not rise from this.

    Not again.

    ?

    Down the hallway, Xaden stood by the war table, arms braced against the cold stone, breathing hard. Everything Marie had said earlier kept echoing in his mind.

    You murdered your own child.

    That bloodline you spent years chasing? Died today.

    He wanted to scream.

    But he didn��t deserve to.

    He had let his pride blind him. He��d let rumors sink into his skin like venom. He had questioned her loyalty, her love, her child.

    And now, all that remained was blood and silence.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 495: The AWAKENING

    <h4>Chapter 495: The AWAKENING</h4>

    The morning light trickled softly so through the half-drawn curtains, casting pale gold rays across the fur nket covering Jasmine��s still form.

    The room was quiet now��too quiet. Only the gentle rustle of trees outside and the distant murmur of water filled the air.

    Nanny Nia sat by the bed, her fingers sped tightly around Jasmine��s pale hand. She hadn��t left her side since the night before.

    Her eyes were rimmed red g with exhaustion, but she couldn��t rest. Not until she was sure. Not until Jasmine came back.

    She had been awake all night.

    Barely able to sleep.

    She was worried that if she slept, then somehow harm woulde to Jasmine.

    She took in a deep breath and looked at Jasmine still unconscious.

    Even with her scar and red hair, she was ever beautiful.

    Nanny Nia thought about the fact that the dead baby was still here.

    Marie had thought to dispose of it, Nanny Nia could remember.

    Marie had packed it all up in a neat towel and started to leave the room when Nanny Nia had stopped her.

    "Where are you going?" She has asked her eyes stuck on the wrapped up foetus. "With ....it."

    Their eyes both locked down at the wrapped up towel.

    "Well. I��m going to dispose of it." Marie said.

    Nanny Nia became instantly ufortable. "I don��t think you should do that."

    "Why not?" Marie frowned. "It��s dead. What? You think it will rise from the dead?"

    "No..." Nanny Nia sighed stressed. "Of course not."

    "So do you want to be the one to do it?" Marie asked.

    "No." Nanny Nia asked a bit too quickly. She rubbed her forehead and walked Marie aside.

    As though to protect Jasmine from over hearing even though she had still been unconscious.

    They now both stood at the door.

    "I don��t think any of us have the right to be doing that." Nanny Nia expressed.

    "Even Xaden?" Marie rose a brow.

    "Especially him." Nanny Nia��s face twitched. "Not after what he has done."

    Nanny Nia sighed heavily. "It��s her child. Let her wake up and figure out what she wants to do with it. Not us."

    Marie looked down at the well concealed towel and sighed. "I still don��t understand you people and sentiments. But fine. She can dispose of it herself."

    "Thank you." Nanny Nia said.

    "For the meantime you keep it." Marie said thrusting it into Nanny Nia��s arms and forcing her to collect it.

    Nanny Nia had it on herps up till now.

    Well wrapped up in towels like a hidden load of bread.

    A faint sound escaped Jasmine��s lips... barely a breath, waking Nanny Nia up from her streams of thought.

    Nanny Nia sat up immediately, right after gently picking up the well wrapped up towel from herps.

    Her heart thudded wildly as she leaned in closer, almost afraid she had imagined it.

    Then it happened again��a soft groan, like the ghost of a voice waking from far away.

    Jasmine��sshes fluttered.

    Nanny Nia let out a choked gasp, covering her mouth. "Jasmine?" she whispered, voice trembling.

    Nanny Nia quickly, but gently dropped the towel on her seat before slowing walking up to Jasmine��s bed. "Sweetheart... can you hear me?"

    Jasmine��s brow creased slightly. Her lips parted, cracked and dry, but struggling to form something��anything. Then a hoarse whisper, barely audible:

    "...Nia?"

    Nanny Nia��s tears came all at once. She leaned forward, brushing hair from Jasmine��s mmy forehead. "Yes, child. Yes, I��m here. You��re safe."

    Jasmine blinked slowly, disoriented. Her eyes flicked around the room, zed and unfocused, until theynded on Nanny Nia��s face.

    Now Nanny Nia was knelt down beside her on the floor, tears now streaming down the old woman��s face.

    Jasmine tried to speak again but stopped. Her hand moved, barely, and brushed across her stomach.

    Nanny Nia became instantly cold at Jasmine��s sharp reflexes and the realization that she would know.

    That��s when Jasmine��s changed. Confusion twisted into dread as her roamed over a now deted tummy

    Her lips trembled. "Where...?"

    Nanny Nia��s hand squeezed hers. "Don��t rush, love. Just breathe."

    But Jasmine��s breath was already catching. Her eyes, once ssy, now sharpened with panic.

    "Where is my baby?" she asked, voice faint but terrified. "Why is my tummy t?"

    Nanny Nia couldn��t speak.

    Jasmine looked at her hungry for answer.

    And then she very gently started to sit up in bed.

    She groaned in pain ss she moved her body.

    "No take it very easy." Nanny Nia said quicklying to her aid as she gently helped her sit up.

    Jasmine massaged her temple her right hand still protectively on her stomach.

    Once she was when settled, she looked up at Nanny Nia.

    "Why is my stomach t?" Jasmine asked confused.

    Nanny Nia felt cold and terrible.

    She dreaded the fact that she had to be the one to tell her.

    "You don��t remember what happened?" Nanny Nia asked her as she gently brushed her red fire curls.

    Jasmine slightly shook her head and then paused.

    "No... not really." Jasmine stated. "I think I remember seeing you the night before and then my tummy started to hurt.... And then I saw blood and....

    And then Jasmine froze and looked in between her legs, as if to search for the blood.

    "Did I give birth already?" Jasmine asked confused. "Where is my baby."

    Nanny felt her bones get even more chill.

    How she wished Jasmine already knew.

    She hated that she had to tell her the dreadful news.

    She held Jasmine��s hand. "Jasmine, I have something to tell you."

    Jasmine frowned.

    "You had someplications..... and you bled and...." Nanny paused.

    "And what?" Jasmine asked distraught.

    Nanny Nia closed her eyes. "The baby didn��t make it."

    It was as though Jasmine��s hands went instantly cold.

    Like it dropped instantly dead.

    There was no feeling in her bones.

    None that Nanny Nia could feel anyways.

    Jasmine��s face was now white and ashen.

    She said no word, just stared into space.

    She didn��t even cry.

    Nanny Nia remained on her kneels unsure of what to say or what to do.

    "Are you okay sweetheart?" Nanny Nia asked her.

    But Jasmine said nothing.

    And the next time that Nanny Nia locked eyes with Jasmine��s they were empty.

    Soulless.

    Dead.

 Chapter 496: A DEAD BABY

    <h4>Chapter 496: A DEAD BABY</h4>

    Nanny Nia didn��t move. She stayed kneeling by the bed, her hand still loosely clutching Jasmine��s, though it felt like she was holding a ghost.

    The silence stretched between them like a thick fog.

    Jasmine didn��t blink. Didn��t flinch. Her chest rose and fell so faintly, Nanny Nia feared she might drift away again, this time for good.

    But she didn��t.

    She sat there��empty, motionless. As though her soul had gone somewhere far, far away.

    "I should have protected you," Nanny Nia whispered, more to herself than anyone else. "I should have done more. I should have known."

    Still no response.

    Nanny Nia was appalled.

    Worried that Jamsine had lost her entire being.

    Nanny Nia gently got up from her knees and walked up to the chair she had been sitting on.

    She picked up the wrapped up towel and gently walked over to Jasmine.

    Perhaps if she brought the dead child, then Jasmine would feel something at least.

    "I didn��t want to do anything with her... with it," she whispered. "I told them it was your decision. Not mine. Not Marie��s. Not even his."

    She brushed the edge of the towel, her hands trembling. "It still here, sweetheart. If you want to see ... I can��"

    "No."

    The word came out cracked and dry, but firm.

    Instantly stunning Nanny Nia.

    Jasmine didn��t look at her. Her gaze remained fixed on nothing but some invisible ce only she could see.

    "Jasmine." Nanny Nia whispered.

    But she remained unmoving.

    And for a long while, neither of them moved.

    The world outside went on, morning unfolding into a new day. But inside the room, time stood still.

    Just a broken girl and the woman who refused to leave her side.

    When Nanny Nia realized that there wasn��t going to be much difference from Jasmine, she very gently ced the wrapped up towel on herps.

    Jasmine flinched, but retracted and remained frozen.

    Nanny Nia stood hoping for change but Jasmine didn��t react.

    Nanny Nia felt perhaps she needed time alone so she stepped away from the bed.

    "I��ll give you some time alone." Nanny Nia said.

    When she was at the door about to leave, she thought she heard a smal voice.

    "What?" Nanny Nia said turning around.

    "I said what was it?" Jasmine hoarse and croaked voice asked.

    "It was a girl." Nanny Nia said responded.

    Jasmine remained unmoving for a while and then nanny Nia watched as she gently reached over the wrappings of the towel.

    And then what seemed like a tear dropped.

    And then more came and Jasmine gently pulled it to her and began to weep.

    She screamed and wept.

    Nanny Nia now relieved that she was finally letting her emotions out hurried to her side. She pulled Jasmine to her arms.

    All two of them along with the wrapped up towel being clung to her chest.

    Jasmine wept so much Nanny Nia could feel the tears sticking against her dress.

    But she didn��t mind.

    She only held unto Jasmine as she wept.

    After a while of weeping Jasmine gently let go of Nannh Nia and held unto the wrappings.

    She went quiet as she sniffed.

    And then soon she broke the silence.

    "I knew it was going to be a girl."

    Nanny Nia gave a weak smile.

    Nanny Nia brushed her hair and gave her a kiss on her forehead.

    Jasmine was quiet once again for a while.

    "Can I bury her?" Jasmine asked her.

    "Of course you can." Nanny Nia urged. "It��s your right to."

    Nanny Nia started to hear some noises at the door and she frowned.

    "Is everything alright?" Jasmine asked her face still pale.

    "Of course." Nanny Nia saiding down from the bed. "Just give me a second."

    And with that Nanny Nia rushed out of the room and once she shut the door behind she turned to face who the noisemakers were.

    "You have no right being here." Fiona snapped at Erik.

    "What��s going on?" Nanny Nia interrupted the two.

    There was tension in the air.

    "I just came to see Jasmine." Erik stated turning to Nanny Nia. "And she won��t let me."

    "Of course I won��t. What? You came to finish the job?" Fiona retorted her hands on her waist.

    "You act like I��ll ever hurt Jasmine." He stated.

    "Well you didn��t have to. Not directly at least. Always happen to be there when things go bad. Too much of a coward to say anything." Fiona snapped.

    Nanny Nia felt that there was more amiss here.

    "Hey hey hey." Nanny Nia stopped her. "The tow of you stop. Enough!"

    And then she grabbed their arms and forced them down the hallway away from the bedroom.

    When she was sure that they were all out of earshot, she red at them.

    "What is wrong with the two of you?" She demanded. "Acting like children. Jasmine is going through a hard enough time as it is without you two making her any worse."

    She turned to Fiona. "You have no right to turn him away from seeing Jasmine. He didn��t put Jasmine in the cell."

    Erik grinned and then Nanny Nia turned back to him. "You didn��t support her and that��s enough to show where you stand."

    It was now Fiona��s turn to grin at Erik.

    "Really what is wrong with the both of you?" She demanded. "Making it about yourselves. She just lost her child for the goddess��s sake. She is distraught already."

    "I just want to know she is okay." Erik stated.

    "And I understand that." Nanny Nia replied. "But I don��t think she would like to see you or anyone right now."

    Erik sighed.

    "I understand. I��m sorry." He apologized.

    "I know." Nanny Nia nodded. "But it��s not me you should tell that."

    They all went quiet.

    The door had now spring open and they turned.

    It was Jasmine standing in her blue chemise Nanny Nia had worn for her after her surgery, with the folded towel in her arms.

 Chapter 497: THALIRA

    <h4>Chapter 497: THALIRA</h4>

    Jasmine stood quietly at the doorway.

    No one could even utter a single damn word.

    Her figure looked so small beneath the soft blue chemise, her pale legs barely steady beneath her.

    The wrapped towely cradled in her arms, as if she were protecting something fragile and sacred.

    Her eyes weren��t red from crying anymore��just ssy, tired. Haunted.

    Soulless and empty.

    The hallway fell silent.

    Fiona��s mouth parted slightly, eyes widening as she took a slow step forward, but Jasmine didn��t move.

    She just looked at them, gaze flitting from Erik to Nanny Nia, then finally settling on Fiona.

    "I heard voices," she said softly, her voice still hoarse, broken like something unused for too long. "And I thought maybe..."

    Her words faded off. No one dared finish the sentence.

    Nanny Nia immediately rushed toward her. "You shouldn��t be standing..e, let me take her-"

    "No." Jasmine shook her head faintly, stopping Nanny Nia right in her tracks.. "She��s mine. She stays with me."

    Her arms tightened slightly over the towel. Fiona��s hand shot to her mouth, a choked sob slipping out.

    She held into the towel fiercely as if someone was going to take her baby away from her.

    "I just wanted some air," Jasmine added. "And... to walk. Even just for a little."

    "You should rest," Nanny Nia whispered, brushing Jasmine��s arm carefully.

    "I��ve been resting," Jasmine said. "Now I want to bury her."

    There was a much tighter silence in the room than at her arrival.

    A breath caught in Erik��s throat.

    He looked down at the floor, unable to meet her gaze. Fiona��s arms wrapped around herself.

    Nanny Nia nodded quickly, cing a hand on Jasmine��s shoulder. "Of course, then that��s what we��ll do. No one is going to stop you."

    A heavy silence followed again. Jasmine shifted slightly and nced at Erik, her voice a whisper now.

    "I know what you did."

    Erik��s breath stopped. His eyes rose slowly to meet hers.

    "You didn��t put me in the cell," she continued, "but you didn��t stop it either. You knew something was wrong. I saw it in your eyes that night. But you turned away."

    Erik opened his mouth, but no sound came out.

    "I��m not angry," Jasmine said, eyes still on him. "I��m just... tired. Disappointed. I thought you of all people would stand up for me. How wrong I was."

    He stepped forward, shame written all over his face. "Jasmine, I never meant for any of this��"

    "I know," she interrupted, her voice firm but quiet. "That��s what makes it worse."

    Her wordsnded like a p, soft but devastating.

    Fiona exhaled slowly and reached out to Jasmine.

    Thest time they had spoken, thest time the two best friends had seen, they had had a bitter argument.

    But now none of that mattered.

    Tragedy had brought them together and made them forget their differences.

    Fiona now became standing straight. "We��re with you."

    Jasmine said nothing and then resumed her way forward, already walking down the arched hallways.

    Not a single word more. Just the steady shuffle of her feet on the stone floor.

    When they were sure there was a ready enough distance away from her, but yet she was till in their sight they began walking after her.

    Erik attempted to go along and Fiona stopped him immediately.

    "She doesn��t want to see or have you around." Fiona said. "Haven��t you done enough?"

    "I just want to make things right." He said.

    "If you really wanted to, then you would leave her." She stated.

    Erik seemed like he had more to say, but Fiona��s stern re told him that he wasn��t needed.

    He reluctantly sighed and turned away headed in the opposite direction.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    The burial happened in silence.

    Under thergest willow tree in the garden, with the wind whispering through the leaves like lubies.

    Jasmine chose the spot herself. Said it was the only ce in the entire pack that had ever felt truly peaceful.

    They had walked and walked Fiona and Nanny Nia had begun to worry Jasmine would copse out of weakeness, or perhaps she was so drained that she was hallucinating wherever she was taking them to.

    But when they finally arrived, it was a ce no one knew even existed.

    A beautifulke and garden hidden in between the nestles of ugly and broken bushes.

    The willow tree singing right above theke and providing shelter as its leaves dropped one by one.

    None of them said a word.

    Jasmine walked ahead underneath the willow tree.

    Nanny Nia and Fiona stood nearby, heads bowed, while Jasmine knelt down and ced the wrapped up towel on the gently grass.

    "This was my happy ce." Jasmine said aloud even though it seemed to be more to the baby than to herpanions. "I had one just like this in the pack where I was raised."

    And then she used her nails to begin gently digging the ground.

    "Jasmine are you sure we shouldn��t help y-

    But Jasmine cut Fiona off by turning her back on them and digging.

    Nanny Nia held Fiona��s shoulder prohibiting her from reaching out to assist her.

    Jasmine resumed digging and digging with her bare hands.

    Soon she became agressive and began to weep and scream.

    Still refusing to stop as her nails dug in with soil and was pricked by rocks.

    But she continued.

    When she was satisfied with the small grace.

    She gently picked up the wrapped up towels and held it to her chest.

    She cradled it to her chest and began to sing very softly.

    A song that Urma used to sing for her when she was a little girl.

    When she was done.

    She kissed the towel.

    "This cruel world didn��t deserve you. Rest Thalira." Jasmine said as she gently put the towel in the ground.

    "Thalira." Nanny Nia whispered quietly in realization. "That was the name she chose for her baby."

    Fiona��s heart crushed. "Thalira means moonpanion."

    Nanny Nia struggled with the tears at the corner of her eyes.

    "Yes. She always spoke on how having this baby meant she finally had apanion in life." Nanny Nia managed. "Sh.... She..."

    Nanny Nia paused trying to get a hold of herself.

    Before she could continue, Fiona finished for her, the tears being sniffed away. "She is unshifted and never felt her connection to the moon. So she named the child Thalira which meant moonpanion. Thepanion she never had and her first connection to the moon as a wolf."

    The women stood in silence their hearts been burdened at how tragic it was.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 498: GOODBYE

    <h4>Chapter 498: GOODBYE</h4>

    After Jasmine had spent over an hour by her dead child��s grave she very slowly stood up from the shallow grave.

    She turned around and saw that Nanny Nia and Fiona were still waiting for her.

    She had nothing to say to them.

    She had nothing to say to any of them.

    A part of her was dead.

    Gone.

    Snapped just like that.

    She was furious.

    Angry like she had never been in her entire life.

    She was burning and she could feel the rage seeping through her skin.

    She was overwhelmed, dazed and in shock.

    She still didn��t want to believe that the baby was gone.

    The only thing apart from Xaden that she held dear to her life.

    Now gone.

    She bit her bottom lip hard.

    She said nothing to any of them and resumed the walk slowly back to the pack.

    It was the one thing she knew how to do.

    Walk.

    No one said a word.

    They followed her quietly behind.

    And as soon as she got close to the pack gates, Nanny Nia said behind her quickly.

    "Jasmine your bedroom is avable." Nanny Nia stated. "I spoke to Alpha Xaden and he said you could return back to your bedroom."

    Jasmine paused, said nothing, and then returned the slow walk.

    She didn��t want to return back to the room.

    She wanted to run away from here.

    She wanted to throw herself off a cliff and end it all.

    As she slowly walked up the steps to the Pack house she felt a familiar presence and when she looked up, she saw none other than Xaden towering over hair.

    His dark hair well ced on his hair, his beautiful blue eyes seeing through with his arms folded in a firm way that spelled of his dominance.

    Still as handsome as ever.

    But yet she was repulsed by him.

    Repulsed by the father of her dead child who had used her of sleeping around, nning his attack and also falsely punished her for a crime she did notmit.

    She said nothing as she intended to go past him as though he was never there.

    He stood right in her path blocking her from passing.

    "Jasmine." He said softly.

    She was too weak, too angry to even speak.

    She just stared at him, her eyes hollow and dead.

    He started to stutter and seemed unsure of what to say.

    It was so unlike him.

    Xaden.

    The Alpha

    Who always knew what to say.

    And for the first time he seemed to not have the right words in ce.

    "Jasmine," he said again, his voice softer than she expected.

    Her eyes lifted to his, hollow and lifeless. She didn��t answer.

    Did he want to apologize?

    In front of everyone?

    Did he want to ept that he was wrong?

    He faltered.

    For the first time in her memory, he faltered. Xaden, who always had the right words, the rightmand, seemed to stumble over his own tongue.

    He shifted his weight, lowered his arms, and then��

    "Where are youing from?" he asked.

    The question echoed between them, absurd in its simplicity.

    Jasmine��s lips parted, disbelief shing across her face. Slowly, she exhaled, her voice breaking like ss.

    She didn��t want to say a word to him.

    She wanted to walk past him like cold Ice.

    "Xaden." Fiona said in shock at his question.

    But his eyes were down on her, waiting for her to answer him.

    And so she gave him the answer he truly deserved.

    "From burying my dead child."

    The world seemed to stop. Xaden��s eyes widened a fraction, his mask cracking, but before remorse could surface, his instinct spoke first.

    "And you didn��t think to tell me?" His tone carried hurt? offense even. "You went alone?"

    Her heart froze. Of all the things he could have said, of all the ways he could have reached her, this?

    After everything that she had been through.

    His audacity struck her harder than any de.

    He still made it about himself.

    "You... you dare to ask me that?" Her voice was low, trembling, butced with fury. She took a step closer, her grief pouring out like fire. "Where were you when I needed you? When I begged you to believe me? When your usations, your punishments, your distrust shattered me piece by piece? Where were you when I was screaming for help in the cell you locked me up? When I bled? Where were you?"

    Her chest heaved, her hands curled into fists. "You left me to carry this pain alone. You buried me long before I buried our child."

    Xaden swallowed, hisposure cracking. He took a hesitant step closer, his voice softer. "Jasmine, I��"

    "No." She cut him off, her voice steel now. "Don��t speak to me of rights or what I should have told you. You forfeited that when you chose to see me as an enemy instead of the mother of your child. You murdered your own child."

    He seemed to flinch and she felt a pinch of satisfaction to see her words hurt him.

    Her eyes burned with unshed tears, but her voice did not falter. "There are so many things you have done to me and I have always forgiven you. But this? I will never forgive you. My child is gone. And so is the part of me that ever looked to you forfort."

    She turned then, her hand brushing against him briefly as she stepped past him, like he was no more than a stranger in her way.

    For the first time in his life, Xaden did not move, did notmand, did not know what to say.

    He stood frozen, his dominance useless, his power meaningless, as Jasmine walked away from him with a grief that no Alpha could control.

    And in that moment, he realized he had not only lost his child, he was on the edge of losing her forever.

    Or perhaps he already had.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 499: THE UNKNOWN

    <h4>Chapter 499: THE UNKNOWN</h4>

    When Jasmine returned to her bedroom she felt the chill and sudden overwhelming feeling of loneliness.

    She gently clutched her tummy at the memories she had had carrying her baby.

    A baby girl.

    She would have had a baby girl.

    She shakily walked down the bed and sat down.

    She picked up a pair of knitted overalls Nanny Nia had made for the baby and fingered it.

    For the child that never came.

    She wanted to hate him.

    Hate everyone.

    She was grinding her teeth so hard that she felt it would break into pieces.

    She needed to get out of this ce.

    She didn��t belong here and she wasn��t going to stay here.

    Once she found a way to get out.

    She heard a soft knock at her door.

    She felt her entire being go still.

    "Come in." She said very quietly.

    She prayed it wasn��t Xaden.

    Or worse Anna who she knew would onlye to gloat.

    The door opened and it was neither.

    It was Loren, Marro and Kire.

    She gasped in delight.

    It was the first time she had smiled since she woke up.

    Kire came running up to her.

    She expected him to pounce on her, but for some reason or the other he simply slowed down when he came close to her bed.

    He seemed to know that she was still unwell and was treating her with ease.

    "You��re a very smart boy." She said as she rubbed his fur.

    He looked at her his eyes affectionate as he whimpered.

    And then Marro came up to her very slowly.

    She was delighted to know that he had made it back to the pack.

    That Kire had obeyed her and taken Marro back to the pack.

    She was d that he was safe.

    "Hello Marro." She said with a faint smile. "It��s good to see you well."

    He looked very neat.

    Not like thest time she had seen him.

    He wore clean clothes unlike his torn and dirty clothes she had met him in.

    And his then ruffled hair filled with grass was now wellbed.

    He looked like a well fed and clean boy.

    She was delighted about.

    "Jasmine." He said, his eyes bright. "I was worried about you. I wanted to go back for you. But Kire refused."

    "Hey." Jasmine said as she gently rubbed his hair. "It��s good you didn��t. We��re here together aren��t we? We��re safe. I would never have forgiven myself if anything happened to you."

    He looked down on his shoes. "I��m sorry about what happened to you Jasmine."

    She felt a sting and managed to hold a smile.

    She said nothing in rtion to what he was talking about.

    "How do you like this pack?" She asked. "Is everyone nice to you?"

    He nodded. "They are. But I still miss my family."

    She then remembered that he had been through worse than she had.

    He had lost his mother, father and brother in a gruesome massacre.

    He had also been betrayed by his own aunt and uncle.

    The only other family that should have protected him.

    He was now all alone.

    She felt the guilt linger in her heart.

    She pulled him up close to her and hugged him firmly.

    She gently rubbed his back and felt his warmth.

    The hug wasn��t just for himself but for her too.

    For everything she was feeling.

    She finally let go and gently held up his chin to stare into his eyes.

    "I know this is hard for you but you��re going to have a beautiful start here." She said. "This pack wees enemies of their enemies. And you my dear are top of the radar important."

    He managed a small smile.

    "Alpha Xaden says I get to stay here for as long as I want. And he is going to raise me under his wing." Marro said.

    Jasmine��s face tightened at Xaden��s name.

    Of course Xaden promised to take care of him, he was the main reason why Marro��s family was dead.

    If Marro had never met Xaden in the first ce.

    The little boy would still be with his family and would have never witnessed such brutal incident.

    The least Xaden could do was take him in.

    And that was what he always did.

    Erik, Fiona, Jessica now Anna, Marro

    He all took them under his wing and treated them like his own.

    All except for her.

    She was never going to be forgiven and she had been punished in the worst ways possible.

    He knew how to take care of others.

    But never her.

    She was the daughter of his main enemy and that was what she was always going to be.

    She smiled at Marro.

    "I��m d to know that." She said.

    "Alright that��s enough." Loren said interrupting their conversation. "You two need to go and let her rest."

    Loren then proceeded to shoo therge wolf and little boy out of the room.

    Jasmine watched them go with a smile.

    Once they were gone her smile fell and the empty hollow feeling returned.

    Loren sat down on her bed.

    And together they were quiet for a while before he cleared his throat and said. "I��m sorry you went through what you did."

    Jasmine said nothing.

    "I know everything was a lie. We believe you." He told her.

    Jasmine fiddled with her dress.

    "I should never have returned." She said. "Hunter wanted me to stay back. I could have. I should have. It��s my fault...."

    She began to choke on her words as the tears filled her throat.

    "If I had stayed behind. Sh... she wo.. would have still been alive. I killed my own baby by returning here." She struggled.

    "Gods no." Loren said. "This is not your fault. Xaden is a fool. He can��t see clearly and has no one to me but himself. Don��t ever me yourself."

    "I swear I never sent any letters. I never even met Hunter before." She expressed.

    Loren nodded. "I believe you."

    Jasmine took in a deep sigh. "He said something. He said someone wanted me."

    Loren rose a brow.

    "What?"

    "I don��t know who." She said. "He just said someone I��ve never met wanted me. And it was all a ploy to get me. None of it made any sense."

    Loren went quiet before asking the question that haunted them. "Who could this be? And why do they want you?"

    No one could answer

 Chapter 500: DEATH WARRANT

    <h4>Chapter 500: DEATH WARRANT</h4>

    Hunter stood at his balcony watching over the clear grass and cold atmosphere.

    It had been almost a week since Jasmine had gone.

    He regretted letting her go.

    Just being around her.

    He felt and understood why they wanted her.

    He had grown to fall in love with her and sending her down to them would have been a death sentence to her.

    Or worse.

    Especially after the little he knew.

    He cursed under his breath as he knew that they needed to leave soon.

    Xaden woulde after he and his men soon in revenge.

    He hoped that one day he would meet Jasmine again.

    In much better circumstances.

    Even though he knew that it was most unlikely.

    Especially after the fact that he had signed his death warrant.

    Disobeying who had sent him to fetch her.

    He swallowed and gritted his teeth hard before taking in a deep breath.

    He heard some footsteps.

    He didn��t need to turn around to know that it was his most trusted wolf.

    Rygar.

    "The men have returned." Rygar told him.

    Hunter remained leaning over the balcony. "Did she return safe and sound?"

    Rygar nodded. "Yes. She did. But it��s only a matter of time before Xaden��s pack prepares to attack us."

    "We would be gone before then." Hunter said as he now leaned away from the balcony and turned to face Rygar.

    He strolled into the room and past Rygar.

    "We don��t run away from fight my lord." Rygar remarked. "We never have."

    "This isn��t running away." Hunger stated as his brown eyes glinted. "There is no need to fight Xaden and his men. That was not our intention anyway."

    Hunter took of hisrge fur coat and tossed it on the bed.

    "Will you allow me to ask you an important question?" Rygar asked him.

    "You��re free to." Hunter responded.

    "At first the n was to take siege of the crescent pack, but yet we attacked Xaden under the guise of being a rogue pack." Rygar said. "I never questioned your judgment. Your n worked and we drew her here. Why did you now let her go? Just when we now finally had her."

    "Did you notice Jasmine when you first saw her?" Hunter asked after a prolonged silence.

    He picked up a ss and poured himself wine.

    "The way she carried herself." He stated. "With no power and yet she was alluring. Never seen a woman like that. The most stupid thing I��ve ever done and yet courageous. What woman heavily with pup would risk her life to save the life of her mate. Even when she had nothing to offer."

    "I had assumed that after we had taken Xaden and used him as bait we wouldy siege to his pack before taking her ourselves. But she came here. Did something I��ve never seen any woman do." He said. "That��s why she is different."

    "But we had something to do." Rygar pointed out. "It��s not like you were in love with her."

    Hunger said nothing.

    He simply drank down his wine.

    Rygar blinked in absolute disbelief.

    "Sweet goddess. You��re in love with her." He said shocked.

    Hunter said nothing.

    "Our job was to bring her back and finally free our selves from the bond that we were trapped in. For how many years and yet yoy let her go?" Rygar asked shocked.

    "It wasn��t easy." Hunter said.

    Rygar rubbed his eyes and then his hands together before putting his hands on his waists.

    "Whatever was going to happen to her wasn��t going to be good." Hunter stated.

    "And that was truly none of our business to make. None." Rygar stated. "This was our door to freedom."

    "You can��t understand" Hunter said as he yed with his wine ss.

    "You��re right. I can��t understand." An anguished Rygar said. "I had thought maybe you had been given new instructions that��s why you let her go. But now hearing that you let her go because you had fallen in love with her. I can��t believe it."

    "Do you understand that you have signed a death warrant for you and all of us here?" Rygar said. "We could have finally paid our debt."

    "I��ll face the music alone." Hunter said. "You think I don��t know what I was doing."

    "For a woman that you just met?" Rygar said. "With all due respect as your gamma, I��m going to tell you nothing but the truth. Whatever actions you choose, is a deciding factor for the rest of us."

    Hunter sighed. "We pack our things up before night fall. Everything."

    "Where are we going to?" Rygar asked him.

    "Not we." Hunter said. "Just me. The rest of you would move and settle wherever you wish to."

    Rygar took a staggered step back.

    "Are you dismantling the pack?" Rygar asked stunned.

    "Yes." Hunter replied. "I meant every word of what I said. I will face the music alone. It was a decision I chose."

    "I��m not letting you do that." Rygar said standing in his way. "We��ve been together for years. If we are going to find a solution to this problem then we will, if we aren��t then we would face it together as a pack."

    "As your Alpha and Master, I order you and everyone else to find your way without me." Hunter said. "There is enough riches to be shared around. The pack and its people that we have ransacked would be left alone. It��s over Rygar."

    With that Hunter hugged Rygar in a friendly hug.

    And then when he let go, he walked to the side and headed out of the room.

    As he walked down the steps, he touched the ruby stone that he always held in his pocket.

    It was supposed to be his way back after he had seeded in his mission.

    He closed his eyes and tapped on it three times and disappeared.

    When he opened his eyes he found himself in an ancient court.

    A court that Haf existed for centuries.

    There were over three hundred well dressed guards.

    One fifty on the left and the other one fifty on the right while he stood in the middle of the aisle with that led to the throne.

    The massive throne that held its upant.

    He didn��t kneel as he was expected to.

    He knew that there was no point.

    He was already a dead man.

    "Where is my message?"

    He spat at the throne even though he was still far from it.

    In a split second his head that would have needed over twenty men to have pulled on before being decapitated fell tumbling to the ground in an instant.

 Chapter 501: RUMOURS

    <h4>Chapter 501: RUMOURS</h4>

    The pack was never silent for long. Wolves thrived on noise, on chatter, onughter, on the steady rhythm of lives woven together. But in the days after the burial, the noise turned into whispers.

    Low, hissing words that carried farther than they should have, slipping under doors and through cracks like smoke Jasmine couldn��t escape.

    Wherever she walked, eyes followed. Some lingered with pity, soft and heavy as chains. Others carried something colder, like fear, as if she had be a vessel of misfortune. A cursed thing. A failure.

    "She lost the Alpha��s heir."

    "Maybe the Moon Goddess rejected her."

    "It��s not natural... maybe she��s cursed."

    The words weren��t always said aloud. Sometimes they hung in the air, clear enough in the silence when conversations cut off as she entered a room.

    Jasmine kept her chin high, but inside, grief was a gnawing, hollow beast. Every whisper fed it.

    It was bad enough that she has lost her own child and she no longer had the will to live, but being taunted by the staffs about her misery?

    She couldn��t handle.

    Anna, of course, was the loudest among the quiet.

    She never confronted Jasmine directly, not yet.

    Anna was far too cunning for that. Instead, she dropped her poison where it would spread the fastest.

    Among the younger wolves in training. Among the servants who worked closest to the elders.

    "She��s weak. She couldn��t carry the heir. Tell me, what kind of Luna loses her pup before it even takes its first breath? She brings nothing but bad omens."

    The words slithered through the pack like venom.

    Jasmine tried to ignore it. She told herself not to break, not to give Anna the satisfaction. But her strength was worn thin. In the corridor outside the kitchen, she overheard two she wolves whispering.

    "The Alpha should take a mate. A stronger one."

    "Someone who can give him heirs."

    "What did he even expect?" Thedy sneered. "The daughter of our enemy? She is too useless to even do anything."

    Her chest tightened. The walls seemed to tilt, pressing in. She wanted to scream at them, to w their throats open, but she walked on instead, eyes forward, spine stiff, her nails digging into her palms until she smelled blood.

    She resumed her work and then Fiona came in.

    Jasmine smile lit up.

    Her and Fiona had had a terrible altercation thest time she had seen her before she had left the pack.

    But on returning, they had forgiven each other at once and it was good to know that Fiona didn��t believe the lies Anna had told.

    "Hey you shouldn��t be up working." Fiona said when she saw Jasmine in the kitchen.

    It had been two weeks since she lost her child.

    Jasmine managed a smile.

    "I just didn��t want to sit and be alone in the room and do nothing." Jasmine said.

    "You should still rest." Fiona pointed out. "Loren and Marie said you needed it. For once they both agree on something."

    Jasmine smiled but it was a dead one.

    Fiona sighed and then leaned against the table.

    "I need you girls to please request for more flour." Jasmine said to the girls who had been gossiping about her.

    They did as if they didn��t hear what she had said.

    Fiona��s eyes were widened.

    "Didn��t you just speak to them?" Fiona asked.

    "Girls please go down to the store keeper. We need more flour to make bread." Jasmine said in a more pleading and sympathetic tone.

    One of the girls mumbled. "We don��t work for barren women."

    Jasmine felt like a stone had been hurled at her.

    She just stood.

    Transfixed and shocked.

    "WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?!" Fiona demanded in outrage her eyes already shifting.

    The girls began to temble in fear.

    Anna walked up to them in heated rage.

    "Anna calm down." Jasmine started to say in a bid to prevent any altercation.

    But Anna gave the girls each one resounding p.

    It was so loud the entire room erupted in silence.

    Their faces were red and their lips were tightly locked.

    "You better pass this on to your other friends. Don��t think I don��t hear the rumors. Because she can��t do anything doesn��t mean I can��t." Fiona warned sternly. "The next time I so much as hear you dirty lowly servants ....

    As she spoke to them she proceeded to walk closer to them and they wisely took steps back in fear.

    "I will rip you from limb to limb." She warned. "Do you understand?"

    They nodded in fear.

    "Get the fuck out of my sight." Fiona spat and the girls ran out of the kitchen.

    By the time Fiona turned back to face Jasmine was already leaning down weakly on the table.

    Fiona hurriedly went to her side and held her.

    "Hey. I��m here." Fiona said holding her.

    Jasmine held her temple as her hands trembled.

    Jasmine unable to deal with the words hurled at her, hurried out of the kitchen.

    As she went running out and hurrying by the courtyard, she bumped into no one other than Anna.

    By the time Anna cornered her, Jasmine was brittle ss ready to shatter.

    Anna stood in the courtyard, voice raised just enough for the crowd to hear.

    Her expression was the picture of mock-sympathy, her words sharpened knives wrapped in silk.

    "Poor Jasmine," she cooed. "But then again... maybe it��s for the best. A weak Luna would only bring ruin. Bad omens don��t belong at the Alpha��s side."

    The air snapped tight. Wolves stilled, listening. Watching. Jasmine��s lips parted, but no sound came. Her grief had stolen her voice.

    She tried to go past Anna but then Anna blocked her way and pushed her back.

    "Anna I don��t have the time for this." She said finally finding her voice.

    Annaughed at her.

    "Why?" Anna asked. "Too scared to fight back?"

    "Stay away from her Anna." Fiona warned.

    Anna��s eyes red and began to change color.

    Her wolf growing furious.

    "Back off Orphaned bitch!" Anna hissed.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 502: ERIK’S TRUE LOVE

    <h4>Chapter 502: ERIK��S TRUE LOVE</h4>

    "What did you just say to me?" Fiona asked her eyes widened in rage her own eyes now shifting to its wolf color.

    "You heard me right." Anna snapped at her, her beautiful face screwing up to an ugly facial expression. "You��re just here as a pity party. Your miserable mother died and my brother had no choice but to take you in."

    The by standers now stood watching the spectacle.

    Anna was breathing hard now and seemed to be trying her best to calm her down.

    "You��re not my brother��s sister." Anna hissed with such bitter intent. "And you��re not my sister either. You never will. You will always be an outsider in my family. This is my pack. I��m a heir. My mother and father owned this pack. You��re a dirty cheap orphan so you better watch yourself. Trying to cross my path and I��ll put you in the ce you rightfully belong in."

    Jasmine for a split second thought that Fiona was going to use her ws and sh Anna into tiny pieces.

    Her fingers were now turning into her wolf ws and fur filled her hand.

    But then Fiona shocked everyone by not reacting.

    Instead they watched as her ws traced back into her hand and the fur disappeared.

    She took in a deep breath and tilted her head with a smile.

    "Exactly what I thought. Touch me and see what happens to you." Anna said satisfied at the fact she had taunted Fiona and put her into a corner.

    Then Anna turned her venom back to Jasmine. "Look at you. You want to take my ce? You want to be the Luna of this ce? And you can��t even carry my nephew. You can��t even be of any use to us. You need to hear what everyone says about you. It��s bad enough you��re the daughter of a murderer."

    Jasmine closed her eyes.

    How convenient it was that Anna forgot she had been raised by the same monster and even spoiled by them.

    "Something so simple. You wanted to kill my brother and takeover the pack. Left to me, you would be dead. Your body hanging by the walls as punishment for everyone else. But my brother has a kind heart."

    And then Fiona startedughing surprising everyone.

    Sheughed so hard that all eyes were now on her.

    "You��re right about one thing though." Fiona stated with a curved smile. "I can��t hurt you. I would have loved to. I would have really loved to. And I definitely would have the chance to. But there is something you��re wrong about."

    "I know you think that Jasmine is the one with Erik. You think he is in love with her." She said. "You have been so awfully mean to Jasmine. But you��re wrong. The one Erik is in love with... is me."

    Anna��s face turned to an instant red.

    "Yo.... You��re.... You��re lying." Anna stuttered.

    "I��m a lot of things." Fionaughed. "But a liar isn��t one."

    Anna��s face was bright red, her hands were red and she was filled with rage and humiliation.

    "You wish!" Anna spat.

    "Honey it��s you who wishes." Fiona stated. "You wish he was."

    Anna was shaking, you could see her body visibly trembling. "He is mine. He is my mate."

    "Very true." Fiona agreed. "But it��s me he loves. It��s always going to be me. Never you."

    Anna stood all eyes now down on her.

    "You fucking bitch!" She screamed in anger as she rushed to attack Fiona.

    "ANNA STOP THIS!" A thunderous male voice barked in order.

    It was none other than her brother, Xaden.

    He had appeared from nowhere and stood towering over everyone.

    Anna recoiled quickly on seeing him.

    And then she began to weep.

    She rushed to him and began to cry against him.

    "You can��t believe the awful things Fiona has been saying to me." Anna lied with most likely real tears from the sudden revtion she had discovered..

    "This is not how you behavior in front of everyone." Xaden said a hint of anger in his voice.

    It was apparent that he hadn��t heard the entire thing.

    Anna looked relieved to know he hadn��t caught her and she could once again twist things to her own side.

    "Would you believe that Fiona and Erik are having an affair." Anna said quickly.

    Xaden looked up at Fiona.

    "Is this true?" He asked her.

    "Yes." Fiona admitted without beating about the bush.

    Anna��s face went red in rage still angry at Fiona��s words.

    Xaden said nothing.

    Then he turned to the by lookers.

    "What are you looking at?! Get back to work!" He barked and everyone dispersed in a second.

    Then he turned back to a tearful Anna. "I don��t care what you knew or didn��t. I wouldn��t tolerate having you behave in such a manner in public."

    Anna gasped at him reprimanding her.

    Her lips faltered.

    And then he turned to Fiona. "That goes for you too. I don��t know what��s happening here. Or what you two are doing. Fighting for a man...

    "We��re not fighting for a man." Fiona snapped back.

    "It sure looks like it." He stared back at Fiona. Meanwhile Anna fumed and red at Fiona.

    "And I don��t care what or who you��re fighting over just don��t do it in front of the servants."

    They both said nothing.

    "I��m so sorry." Anna apologized. "She was just making fun of me. I had no idea."

    Xaden simply said. "We will discuss thister."

    Anna didn��t look pleased that he hasn��t taken her side.

    She was more upset that he had yelled at her.

    She had never thought that he could do such a thing to her.

    She swallowed hard.

    "I��m sorry." She hastily apologized.

    Xaden said nothing.

    Jasmine turned around to leave with Fiona.

    "Jamsine wait." Xaden said reaching out to grab her arm.

    She flinched at his touch and withdrew quickly.

    She didn��t even look at him.

    She just hurried out of the hallway.

 Chapter 503: WHISPERS IN THE FOREST

    <h4>Chapter 503: WHISPERS IN THE FOREST</h4>

    The forest was heavy with silence. Not the natural hush of night, but a suffocating stillness that made even the leaves seem unwilling to stir.

    Uther��s boots sank into damp earth as he pushed deeper, his heart hammering despite the calm mask on his face.

    The shadows clung to him, thick as tar, until the faint silver of moonlight was swallowed whole.

    He stopped when he reached the clearing, the ce no one dared venture, not even the wolves of the pack.

    It was where the trees grew twisted, their branches bent like wed hands, and the air smelled faintly of ash though no fire had ever touched it.

    It was also a ce where only he had been assigned to venture.

    Drawing a shaky breath, he whispered her name.

    "Princess Cherry."

    There was a stilled silence for about five minutes, soon he began to worry if she had even gotten the call.

    Then the forest responded.

    First with a low, guttural groan, like wood splintering. The ground seemed to pulse beneath his boots. Then the air shimmered, and from the darkness between the trees, she appeared.

    Cherry did not walk so much as glide, her dark gown whispering against the earth, her pale face lit by an otherworldly glow. Her hair, ck as pitch, rejected by the crown, framed sharp features that seemed carved from marble.

    Her eyes caught the faintest glint of crimson, the mark of her forbidden arts.

    "You dare call me here, Uther?" she asked, her voice low, melodic, yet carrying a weight that pressed against his chest. "This had better be worth disturbing me."

    Uther bowed his head quickly, sweat dampening his brow. "Forgive me mydy. I bring news. It was of the most importance."

    Her lips curved, though not in amusement. "Speak, then. Quickly."

    Uther lifted his gaze, swallowing hard. "Jasmine... has lost the child."

    For a moment, silence. Then Cherry��s expression flickered, not satisfaction, but something darker.

    Her brows knit, her lips thinned. "The child... is gone?"

    "Yes," Uther said quickly, relief and dread tangling in his throat. "She buried it herself. The Alpha��s heir.....gone forever."

    But instead of triumph, Cherry��s face hardened.

    Then she smiled so meanly that she appeared as a monster.

    She stepped closer, and the shadows seemed to follow her, wrapping around her form like smoke. "And yet you look uneasy. There is more, isn��t there?"

    Uther��s throat worked. "Xaden did not cast her out. He chose... to forgive her."

    Cherry��s eyes snapped, a spark of red igniting in their depths. "Forgive?" she hissed, the word venom on her tongue. "How could you let this happen, Uther? You assured me, that he was going to deal with her. And you let him forgive?"

    "I tried!" Uther dropped to one knee, his voice shaking. "I whispered the right words, fed the rumors, Anna involved too. We set the whole stage that she nned his assasination. But Xaden silenced them all. He chose her still. He..." He hesitated, knowing the next words might well earn him her wrath.

    Cherry��s face twisted in cruelty.

    "There is more." He stated. "We received another letter of invitation from the Queen."

    Cherry��s face went deathly still, as though carved from ice.

    Then her hands clenched, and the air in the clearing thickened, charged with her magic. The trees groaned as if bending to her rage.

    "Yes the Queen had initially invited him to visit before the kidnapping." Uther exined.

    "I��m not stupid Uther. Of course I remember." Cherry hissed her eyes narrowing. "Why does she insist on bringing the dirt girl over!"

    Uther dared a nce up. "You fear the Queen will realize?"

    Cherry��s eyes snapped to him, and for a heartbeat he thought she might tear his heart out where he knelt. But then she turned away, pacing the clearing, her gown trailing dark threads of mist in her wake.

    "My sister..." Cherry said slowly, almost to herself. "The woman may be blind in politics, but not in blood. If she looks at Jasmine again or stays too long with her. Only the gods know what will happen. Especially now that she knows she has a grand daughter alive. If she feels it��she will know. She will know Jasmine is her granddaughter. And everything I HAVE BUILT... everything I��ve worked for..."

    Her voice broke into a sharp hiss, and the forest seemed to flinch.

    "No," she said finally, her tone iron again. "It cannot happen. I will not allow it."

    Uther licked his lips nervously. "What will you do, mydy?"

    Cherry stilled, her back to him, her pale hands lifting ever so slightly as if drawing strength from the shadows themselves. The ground trembled faintly under his knees.

    "What I must," she murmured. "If Jasmine sets foot in this ce, my sister��spassion will undo us all. I will deal with her before that dayes."

    She turned then, her faceposed once more, though her eyes burned with dark fire. "You will continue watching, Uther. Every whisper, every n Xaden makes, you will bring it to me. If she leaves the pack, if she so much as breathes near the pce, I will know. Do you understand?"

    "Yes, mydy," Uther said, bowing lower. His heart raced, knowing one slip of the tongue could cost him his life.

    Cherry leaned down, her voice silk and poison at once. "Pray, Uther, that you do not fail me again. Jasmine��s bloodline cannot be revealed. Not now. Not ever. Or the consequences will be dire for you."

    And then, as suddenly as she appeared, she was gone. The clearing darkened, the weight of her presence dissolving into the night. The forest exhaled, but Uther��s breath came shallow, his chest tight with dread.

    He remained kneeling long after she vanished, sweat cold on his back.

    Because even though she had gone, her promise lingered in the air, heavier than any threat.

    Cherry would deal with Jasmine.

    And when she moved... the world itself might tremble.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 504: A SEED OF POISON

    <h4>Chapter 504: A SEED OF POISON</h4>

    The shadows of the forest still clung to Cherry as she returned to her chambers.

    Her body dissolved from the clearing into a curl of ck smoke, reforming within the silken darkness of her royal bedroom. The moonlight poured faintly through jeweled windows, glinting against the silver embroidery of her bedding.

    She crossed the room slowly, her mind a restless storm. Jasmine��s survival gnawed at her like a festering wound. A lost child should have ended her. A scandal should have broken her. But somehow, Jasmine endured. And worse, Rose��s kindness, the Queen��s softness, was still a threat.

    If Jasmine came here... if Roseid eyes on her... everything would unravel.

    Cherry paced, long nails trailing along the velvet arm of a chair. She needed to act before her sister��s mercy destroyed the careful bnce she had built.

    She paused, tilting her head. There was one person who could decide Jasmine��s fate before it reached the pce. Rose herself. And Cherry knew exactly how to nt seeds in her sister��s heart.

    With her decision made, she swept from her chamber. The corridors were hushed, the faint glow ofnterns flickering across stone walls. Her footsteps were silent, her expressionposed, though the dark fire of her thoughts burned just beneath the surface.

    She reached the Queen��s apartments, her hand hesitating for only a moment on the gilded handle. From within, muffled voices rose, sharp and strained.

    "You waste the kingdom��s resources, Rose!" King Rnd��s deep voice thundered, raw with anger. "Years, years! And still you cling to this foolish hope. First it was our daughter and now a grand child that doesn��t exist! And still you send men, you send letters, you stir the court into whispers of weakness."

    "Scarlet is gone yes. I ept it. But she had a child!" Rose��s voice answered, steady but trembling at the edges. "He or she is out there. And as her grand mother, I will not rest until I find him or her. Do you hear me, Rnd? Never."

    Cherry smiled faintly, leaning closer to listen, her ears sharpening.

    Rnd barked augh, bitter and cold. "You shame yourself, Rose. You shame this kingdom. First it was an alive daughter and now graduated to a grandchild. Gods who ever is putting such words into you must be executed!"

    "This is our responsibility and if you won��t take it doesn��t mean I won��t!," Rose said, the words breaking but firm.

    Cherry pushed the door open lightly, arranging her features into something meek, careful. "Forgive me," she said softly, stepping into the room with a lowered head. "I did not mean to intrude. I... I heard voices."

    Both heads turned. Rose, pale and flushed from the argument, looked weary but kind as always.

    Rnd��s face hardened immediately, his jaw clenched. His piercing gaze swept across Cherry, distaste shing openly in his eyes. He said nothing.

    Instead, he stormed past her, his shoulder nearly brushing hers. Cherry lowered her head politely, murmuring, "Your Majesty," though his silence was louder than any insult.

    When the door shut behind him, the Queen sighed deeply, pressing a hand to her brow. "Do not mind him," Rose said, forcing a weary smile as she gestured toward her sister. "Come in, Cherry. Sit with me."

    Cherry glided across the room, perching elegantly on the cushioned chair opposite Rose. "I am sorry," she whispered, lowering hershes. "I did not mean to overhear. To see you two quarrel pains me. It is not my ce to intrude."

    Rose waved her hand with a tired chuckle. "Do not trouble yourself. Rnd and I rarely see eye to eye on this matter. He thinks I��m foolish, but... he has no mother��s heart. He cannot understand."

    Cherry leaned forward slightly, her eyes softening though her heart was steel. "Still, it grieves me. You do not deserve such strain."

    Rose reached for her hand, squeezing gently. "We are sisters. We share each other��s burdens. Tell me, what is it that brings you here at this hour?"

    Cherry paused delicately, as though hesitant to speak. Then she let her voice slip into curiosity. "I heard, through the court, that you had sent a letter. An invitation... to the Crescent pack."

    Rose��s face brightened, her weariness melting into something warmer. "Yes," she said, her eyes soft with hope. "It was before the attack, before the kidnappings. I had thought perhaps... if Jasmine was truly there, if fate had guided her steps to them... then maybe I might finally see her again."

    Cherry��s pulse quickened, though her expression remainedposed. "You mean to invite them here? All of them?"

    "Yes," Rose said simply. "Now that they are safe, I will renew the invitation. I want to see them all with my own eyes. Jasmine, of course... but also Xaden. And his sister, Anna. I have never met her, and it seems only right to wee them both."

    Cherry stilled. The Queen��s words revealed a truth, Rose knew nothing of the whispers in the packs. No knowledge of the growing rumors that stained Jasmine��s name.

    This was her chance.

    With a carefully measured breath, Cherry lowered her gaze, her tone hushed with concern. "Rose... forgive me, but... are you certain it is wise? To bring them all here, into the heart of the pce?"

    Rose frowned gently. "Why would it not be?"

    Cherry hesitated, drawing out the silence just enough for doubt to stir. Then she spoke, each wordced with caution, as though reluctant to even say it. "I have heard troubling things. Rumors, whispered in corridors and carried by men who im to know. They say Jasmine... may have yed a hand in the attack upon the Crescent pack. That she is not the victim, but... perhaps the cause."

    Rose��s face went pale, her lips parting in disbelief. "That is impossible," she said, though her voice trembled. "She would never��"

    "I know," Cherry cut in quickly, reaching across to sp her sister��s hand. "I know, and I pray it is not true. But whispers like these... they spread, Rose. If you bring her here... and it proves to be more than rumor... think of the danger. To you. To the throne. To the kingdom."

    Rose��s eyes clouded with doubt, pain etched across her features. She pulled her hand free slowly, pressing it to her chest. "I... I had not heard these whispers," she whispered.

    Cherry lowered her head, her expression sorrowful. "I only tell you out of love, sister. I would never see harme to you."

    Inside, however, her heart sang.

    The seed was nted.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 505: THE QUEEN’S ULTIMATE DECISION

    <h4>Chapter 505: THE QUEEN��S ULTIMATE DECISION</h4>

    "B... but Cherry are you sure about this?" Rose asked worried. "This rumor?"

    "Of course Rose." Cherry replied. "Look from the information that I have been able to gather all around? During Xaden��s kidnapping, Jasmine had a hand in it. She knew this rogue Alpha who took him hostage. He was her lover."

    Rose blinked. "Cherry that��s the most ridiculous thing I��ve heard. That girl looks like she could barely hurt a fly."

    "Looks like, doesn��t mean she can��t." Cherry imputed disliking the fact that her sister still refused to see through. "You don��t even know this girl. The one time you met her, she was put in a cell for murder. You had to pardon her. I still don��t know why you did all of this."

    Rose rubbed her temples. "I don��t know. Something just calls me to her."

    "She is the daughter of Bale. Same bale who killed Xaden��s family, stole his sister and raised as his own. Bale was a monster. A product of a monster is a monster." Cherry pointed out.

    Rose shook her head and rose up from the bed.

    She began to pace the room.

    "I find this all hard to believe." Rose shook her head. "How is it that you havee ro hear these news and I haven��t."

    Cherry��s tongue became tied instantly.

    "I was just informed about it." Cherry said. "Was going to tell you today."

    "Anything else I need to know?" Rose said with her brows furrowed together.

    "She lost her pregnancy." Cherry said regretfully.

    She wished she didn��t have to inform her sister about this piece of information but she had no choice.

    If Rose knew that she was hiding more things then she would begin to be wary of her.

    And that was thest thing she needed.

    Rose��s face fell with worry, sympathy and grief all at once.

    She covered her mouth and gasped to herself.

    She took in a deep breath and swallowed.

    "She was with child? For who?" Rose asked her voice trembling.

    "Xaden." Cherry remarked dryly.

    "How long was it?" Rose asked.

    Cherry pressed her lips. "They said the pregnancy had progressed quickly and she was only a few months left to birth."

    Rose covered her face and turned around.

    She remained silent for a while as she processed the information.

    "How did this happen?" Rose asked finally.

    Cherry shrugged. "Those details weren��t given to me."

    Oh she knew alright.

    If Rose knew that Jasmine was locked in a cell and had bled to near death, then she might demand her presence in the Royal Pack today.

    "That must have been a dreadful thing for her to go through." Rose stated. "The poor thing. I can��t even imagine what she is feeling. Xaden putting her through all that."

    Cherry said nothing.

    "It is quite a sad thing." Cherry admitted with false sympathy. "But I still think you should keep her away for a while. She has enough enemies. We don��t want to make the people angry perhaps cause an upro-

    "I am the people." Rose cut in. "As the Queen that��s who I am."

    Cherry closed her mouth.

    Rose sighed and turned her face to look out through the open window.

    "You will send word to the Crescent pack." Rose began. "Informing them that my invitation is still valid. Xaden himself, his sister Anna, his Uncle Uther, his mate Lily, his adoptive sister Fiona...."

    Cherry was relieved not to hear Jasmine��s name until she heard Rose said. "And Jasmine."

    Cherry��s face fell instantly.

    "But Rose I just-

    "And I will expect them to arrive in two weeks to visit." Rose finished cutting Cherry right through her sentence.

    Cherry sighed. "Rose I understand you perhaps have a soft spot for her. More so, since you now know she lost a child. But she is bad news. I don��t want her using your grief as a means to exploit you. What do you think members of the council will say."

    "I DON��T CARE WHAT THEY SAY!!!" Rose screamed in retaliation and the room began to shake.

    Once she calmed down it stopped.

    Cherry looked around.

    She didn��t think Rose still had her powers as Queen Luna.

    She had assumed that since her descent into madness and her poisoning, her powers would be non existent.

    But apparently she was wrong.

    Rose tooo in a deep breath but didn��t apologize.

    "I��m sick and tired of thinking of what everyone is going to say or what they are thinking." Rose stated. "It��s my decision to make. My call to make. Yes Jasmine is a bought ve, daughter to a monster. I don��t quite care. She is a lovely girl and as you have just informed me. She has gone through something quite terrible. No one deserves that."

    Cherry gave a tight smile.

    She knew her sister well enough to know that she had made up her mind.

    Her show of power was proof that no one could change it.

    Cherry nodded. "Of course I understand that. It��s your call to make."

    Cherry rose up from the bed.

    Rose remained standing with her arms folded.

    Her straight fire red hair vibrant from the show of power it had just disyed.

    Cherry did not like this new information at all.

    She had underestimated her sister.

    "I��ll do ask you have asked." Cherry said. "Is there anything else I can do for you?"

    Rose shook her head. "No that would be all."

    Cherry gave her usual tight smile. "Alright."

    And with that, Cherry walked out of the room.

    Once she stepped out of the room and shut the door behind her, she ignored the guards and walked down the hallway.

    It actually infuriated her.

    How stubborn her sister was being.

    And what shocked her the most was the revtion that her sister still had her powers.

    That stupid bitch.

    Just when she had nned to take the entire wolf kingdom, it had all gone to shit.

    As she was walking down the hallway she felt a firm hand grab her and pull her into a dark room.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 506: JASMINE? ON THEIR SIDE?

    <h4>Chapter 506: JASMINE? ON THEIR SIDE?</h4>

    Cherry was not one to be caught off guard.

    But she had been so lost in thought that when the figure looming in the dark waiting for her had grabbed and hauled her into the dark closet, she hadn��t expected it.

    The door was shut quickly and before she could attack her assant revealed his face.

    It was none other than Rnd.

    "Sweet goddess." Cherry said, relieved that she hadn��t used dark magic on him. "I could have killed you."

    Her chest was heaving up and down so rapidly she thought her heart would pop out.

    "You barely have any powers." He leered at her. "You can��t even shift so what would you have done."

    That was true.

    Ever since she had sat on the throne and been rejected by the crown and had her hair change to ck, she had lost her wolf powers too.

    She couldn��t shift anymore.

    One of the many unfortunate things that had made her a bitter woman.

    But she had learned to use dark magic from Marie and that was one thing a good number of people had no idea about.

    She intended to keep it that way.

    She gave him a coy smile.

    Rnd was always so handsome.

    Even now with the streaks of grey hair in his blond hair, he was more handsome.

    "If you wanted to see me in secret you could have just let me know." She smiled.

    His eyes shown like fire. "I have no interest in doing such with you."

    She rose a brow. "Come on Rnd. My body is much much appeasing that my sister��s."

    She reached out massage his beard and he caught her wrist before she even had the chance to.

    "You��re a filthy whore." He spat and then he pushed her hand away. "Your sister is going to find you for who you are."

    "Till then." She said rubbing the bruise he had left.

    "I��m here to warn you Cherry." He stated. "I know it can only be you spinning these story of a grandchild that never existed to my wife."

    "It was bad enough she was hallucinating ah already daughter and now you want to further push her off the bridge by spinning tales of a grandchild?" He demanded in anger.

    "I am ttered to know that yoy tnink my sister listens to me." Cherry informed. "But I��m thest person to tell her such lies."

    It was utterly ridiculous that he thought she was the one making Rose run after her missing grandchild.

    How could she do such a thing when it prevented her from taking her seat as Queen of the entire wolf world.

    If she got her hands on whoever it was telling her these stories, she would kill them.

    "All you do is lie." Rnd spat.

    "I��m a liar. But this is not one of my lies." She said truthfully.

    "I��m warning you." He said. "Stay away from my wife."

    "What wife?" She asked him. "When was thest time you were fucked good? Hmmm? Your wife doesn��t even care about you. She is off chasing ghosts, neglecting you and the entire kingdom. When will the truth reveal itself Rnd?"

    "Do you know what people are saying? Talking about how she is a mad Queen." Cherry said. "All she spoke about was her missing daughter and now somehow hee missing daughter had a baby. Ghost grandchildren. Your wife is a joke."

    Rnd said nothing.

    Simply stared away.

    "You were my mate." Cherry said. "Before you were made to reject me and take my sister as yours. I would always be the one for you."

    She tried to touch him again and he caught her so quickly his ws already revealed itself.

    "This is a warning. Stay away from my wife." He warned her.

    And then he pushed himself out of the enclosed closet and stormed off.

    Cherry took in a heavy sigh once he was gone.

    Before she stepped out of the closet and headed down the hallway.

    She got to Coral��s bedroom and found her niece working on some scrolls.

    "We need to speak." Cherry said as she shut the door instantly. Some guards who were with Coral remained and she had to add. "Alone."

    Then they left the room.

    Coral put down her quill.

    "I was just going over some mapping of the old pack territories." Coral said.

    "Your mother is inviting Jasmine here." Cherry said quickly.

    Coral frowned. "What for?"

    "I don��t bloody know? Says she hasn��t seen them since Bale was killed and the assassination. Some unreasonable things." Cherry said running her brows.

    "She has seen Jasmine before. Why is this going to be any different?" Coral shrugged.

    "How stupid can you be?" Cherry hissed in disgust. "Thest time your mother saw Jasmine, she was looking for her missing daughter. Now she is looking for her missing grand daughter. Who is supposed to be within the same age as Jasmine. What does that tell you?!"

    Coral went tight lipped. "Mother might assume Jasmine is her grand daughter."

    "Exactly." Cherry nodded. "And if she finds out. It��s the end. Everything we worked for will fall apart. It would have been for nothing. We can��t risk this."

    "So what do you think we should do?" Coral asked now fidgetting.

    "Let me think!" Cherry hissed.

    She really disliked Coral!

    Could barely think for herself!

    Once she ascended the throne she was going to do away with her once and for all.

    Cherry massaged her chin.

    "They would be here in two weeks." Cherry said more to herself than to Coral.

    "Do you think there is perhaps a way we could kill Jasmine and prevent her from finding her way here. Or kidnap her?" Coral asked.

    "We have done almost everything to get rid of that tramp. It��s almost impossible!" Cherry snapped.

    Coral itched her hair in worry.

    "If only we could turn her to our side." Coral said deep in thought. "We would have used her to our advantage and made it easier for us. But that Jasmine girl will never agree

    And it finally clicked to Cherry.

    "But what if we get her to be on our side?" Cherry said and then turned to Coral. "Coral you are a genius."

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 507: XADEN’S TURMOIL

    <h4>Chapter 507: XADEN��S TURMOIL</h4>

    Xaden sat at the desk of his study going through scrolls and territory agreements.

    He had been sleeping here since Jasmine��s miscarriage.

    He couldn��t bring himself to return to is bedroom.

    He knew it was superstitious but he felt haunted by the ghost of his dead child.

    She had lost the baby in his bedroom, in his bed.

    Also one of the many ces he and Jasmine may have conceived their child.

    He put his fingers through his hair and raked his head, the more he thought about it.

    So ording to Marie the baby was his.

    Not Hunter��s but somehow Jasmine still had had an affair with Hunter.

    None of it made any sense to him.

    Why would his sister lie?

    What would she gain by lying about Jasmine and Hunter?

    Moreover there had been backing from other members of the moonlight pack ebi had admitted that Jasmine had had a scandal with Hunter.

    Not just that, his mother��s stolen jewelry in her bag.

    The letters.

    Everything.

    It was too much for him.

    "Fuck!" He swore as he mmed his fist down on the table.

    None of this made any sense.

    He was torn between punishing her and taking it easy on her for losing their child.

    There was this gnawing feeling of guilt deep within him.

    He still didn��t know what sex it was.

    He was distraught, confused and exhausted.

    If only she told him the truth.

    If she was simply honest with him about everything.

    He would forgive her.

    He couldn��t shake the godforsaken feeling of her being trapped in that room screaming for help till she bled.

    He shivered.

    The worst parts of it?

    He was mourning and filled with grief he couldn��t express because he was a man.

    He was the Alpha.

    He was a leader and there was no open doors for him to deal with his grief.

    So he handled his pain within and shut the world out.

    Refusing to let them see that he was dying in the inside as a repercussions of his actions

    He rubbed his eyes and itched his brows.

    The gods were after his life.

    He heard a knock at the door.

    "Come in." He ushered in.

    None other than Erik appeared.

    Erik walked to Xaden��s desk and stood over him.

    Erik screwed his face up.

    "You smell terrible." He looked around. "This entire room smells dreadful."

    Xaden rubbed his face ignoring him.

    "Go straight to what you have for me on Hunter." Xaden asked.

    "We have nothing." Erik stated. "The scouts just returned and they said the pack he had seized, Marro��s pack? He and his men had absnonded it. No trace."

    "How is that even possible?" Xaden asked disturbed.

    "The people woke up and just saw that they were gone." Erik shrugged.

    "What about the neighboring packs?" Xaden frowned. "They should have something at least?"

    Erik shook his head. "No they have nothing either. They just seemed to have vanished into thin air. If we didn��t encounter them I��ll say it was like they never even existed in the first ce."

    Xaden leaned back in his chair now further disturbed.

    What was going on?

    How could an entire rogue pack just vanish into the thin air?

    He has sent scouts to discover if they were still active and report back on their tactics.

    Xaden himself was going to lead his men to attack them.

    He had also intended to take Hunter captive and skin the real story about him.

    He was the only one shot he had had to discover the truth about him and Jasmine.

    Now he was gone?

    Xaden was angry.

    He got up from his desk slowly and began to pace the room.

    When all of a sudden he threw a fit.

    He pushed off all the papers on the table and turned the table upside down and began throwing things nearest to him.

    Erik stood aside letting him vent out.

    By the time Xaden was done he was breathing hard and still ready to release more energy.

    "Feel much better?" Erik asked him.

    Unfortunately Xaden didn��t.

    And it infuriated him only further.

    Xaden rubbed his eyes and then set his hands on his waist deep in thought.

    "How the fuck does someone who causes such damage just disappear into thin air?" Xaden asked himself aloud. "He didn��t eventually kill me. He didn��t kill Jasmine so what was his mission? What was the reason for his attack?"

    "I don��t know. We can��t tell for now. We will still send omega scouts to find out more." Erik said. "See what we can find."

    Xaden said nothing.

    "And the letter from the royal family requesting your presence." Erik stated. "Are you going to ept it or not?"

    Xaden took in a very deep breath.

    "I epted." Xaden said. "Perhaps the change of environment would do us all good."

    Erik nodded. "So when are you leaving?"

    "In two weeks." Xaden stated.

    "Is Jasmine going along?" Erik asked.

    "The Queen requested specifically for her." Xaden said and then he walked to the window and stood. "Erik what happened? Why are Fiona and Anna fighting over you? What did I miss?"

    Erik��s face became grim. "I have no idea what you��re talking about."

    "Your love life is really none of my business. Do whatever you want. But keep your head straight. You can��t have Anna as your mate and have Fiona as a side piece." Xaden said nkly. "How long has this been going on?"

    Erik said nothing for a while. "About three months after Fiona first joined the pack."

    Xaden groaned in annoyance.

    "Hiding more things from me." Xaden said.

    Erik said nothing.

    "Anna is my sister and Fiona equally is. I won��t have you ying with their hearts. So you better decide on what you want. And u have no idea how you��re going to go about it. But you had better not break any of their hearts."

    And Xaden turned his back on Erik signifying that he was now done with this conversation.

    Erik sighed and left the room.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 508: A GRIEF STRICKEN MOTHER

    <h4>Chapter 508: A GRIEF STRICKEN MOTHER</h4>

    Jasmine sat by the window, her knees drawn to her chest, her chin resting against them as she stared nkly outside.

    The light from the afternoon sun spilled across her face, but her eyes did not reflect it. They were hollow, dull, lost somewhere far beyond the courtyard walls.

    She hadn��t moved for hours.

    The room was silent except for the faint rustle of curtains from the breeze slipping through the window.

    The once vibrant Jasmine was gone, reced by someone who seemed to only exist in fragments.

    The door creaked open. Marie stepped inside quietly, her footsteps muffled against the rug.

    She froze when she saw Nanny Nia standing near the bed, folding a nket with trembling hands.

    The old woman��s shoulders slumped as though she carried all the grief herself.

    "How is she?" Marie asked gently, not wanting to disturb Jasmine though she suspected Jasmine hadn��t even noticed her presence.

    Nanny Nia shook her head slowly, her eyes ssy with unshed tears. "She��s been like this since the burial. She barely eats. Barely speaks. She tried to go down to the kitchens once, said she wanted to help with the work, maybe take her mind off things..." Nanny Nia��s voice cracked. "But the servants whispered about her. Said cruel things. She came back up in tears and hasn��t left her room since."

    Marie��s jaw tightened. She took a deep breath and walked closer, her steps deliberate, until she was just a few feet away from Jasmine.

    "Jasmine," Marie said softly. "It��s me."

    Jasmine blinked slowly and turned her head, but her gaze was still distant. Her lips parted, but it took a long moment before she spoke. "Marie."

    Her voice was quiet, t, as if the word itself cost her too much effort.

    Marie forced a small smile and lowered herself onto the window seat beside her. "How are you feeling?" she asked carefully, searching her face for something, anything that showed a spark of life.

    Jasmine stared out of the window again, her hands curling against her knees. "I don��t know," she said ndly. "I don��t feel anything."

    The silence that followed was suffocating. Nanny Nia��s heart broke at the emptiness in her tone, the numbness that clung to her like a second skin.

    "I��m sorry that I wasn��t here when you woke up." Marie apologized. "I was told you have buried your child."

    Jasmine nodded mildly.

    "Yes." Jasmine stated. "It was the only thing I could do."

    "I��m sorry for your loss." Marie said.

    Jasmine nodded again and looked away.

    "Now that the baby is gone." Marie said. "You have to take certain herbs that will help clean your womb."

    Jasmine barely seemed to be listening.

    "Nanny Nia would use them on you." Marie said. "Would that be fine?"

    Jasmine nodded.

    Marie seemed to see that there was nothing much to say to the grieving mother.

    "I��ll take my leave now."

    Just as she was about to leave, Jasmine��s cold hands touched her wrists and held her back.

    "My baby. Wa.... Was... she shifted? Or unshifted like me?" Jasmine asked.

    Marie bit her bottom lip.

    "Unfortunately the bones and pieces of flea wasn��t fully formed. So it was hard to say." Marie stated matter of fact.

    Jasmine nodded numbly, let her hand gi and turned away.

    Marie then went to meet Nanny Nia.

    "She is grieving. I really hope she goes past this." Marie said.

    Nanny Nia shook her head. "She has gone through so much already. That child was the only thing she had to live for."

    Marie gave a tight lipped smile.

    "And that dreadful girl I should have strangled thest time?" Marie asked.

    "Anna?" Nanny Nia rose a brow. "She is always still trying to cause a ruckus. But I try my best to keep her clear of Jasmine."

    Then she handed out the herbs she had brought along with instructions on how to take them.

    Then she turned back to look at Jasmine.

    "It��s quite a pity. Truly."

    And then with that she headed down to the door and just as she opened it, Xaden stood waiting.

    Marie��s face became t.

    "Hello Xaden."

    His name although said in almost a whisper, Jasmine heard and her distracted lost expression became alert.

    She turned instantly to see him.

    "Marie." He nodded at her in acknowledgment. "What are you doing here?"

    "If you must know." She began. "I��m trying to take care of the mother of your dead child."

    She said it so cruelly but she knew that words barely had any much effect on him.

    Especially since she was the one who has taken his heart out.

    She knew him as much as his adoptive mother, her sister, Eleanor did.

    "Thank you for the help." He said coldly.

    "You know Xaden." She began. "I��m not morally inclined. I��ve done bad things. Very bad things. But this is a stretch. Even for me."

    He said nothing.

    "Eleanor would be so disappointed if she could see you right now." Marie said.

    Xaden��s face tightened only for a split second.

    But Marie had caught it.

    Good.

    At least that had gotten to him.

    "And make sure that you keep that terrible monster of a sister yoy have away from Jasmine." Marie said. "She is a dreadful girl and the next time she crosses my path. It would be very ugly."

    Xaden said nothing again.

    And with that She walked out of the room, stopped and said. "Don��t make this any harder for her than it already is."

    And with that she left.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Once Marie had left, Xaden walked properly into the room.

    The entire room seemed to be stiff.

    "I��ll like to speak to Jasmine. Alone." he added neatly.

    Nanny Nia looked skeptical at first

    "I assure you that she will witness no harm from me." He said.

    Nanny Nia looked at Jasmine, weighing her options of leaving even though she barely had a choice

    She took a deep breath. and finally left the two alone.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 509: PARENTS GRIEF

    <h4>Chapter 509: PARENTS GRIEF</h4>

    The silence in the room thickened once Nanny Nia closed the door.

    Jasmine��s breathing slowed, her body stiffening as if bracing for impact. She didn��t look at him this time, her eyes slipping back toward the window, toward nothingness.

    Xaden��s steps were measured, almost too careful, as though he feared startling her. He stopped a few paces away, his tall frame casting a shadow across her.

    For a long moment, he simply stared at her profile, her delicate face, her vacant eyes, her frail shoulders.

    She looked as though she could vanish at any second.

    "Jasmine." His voice was low, steady, but there was a crack beneath it she couldn��t miss.

    She didn��t answer.

    He clenched his fists at his sides, fighting the storm inside of him. "You haven��t eaten. You barely sleep. Do you n to waste away in here?"

    Her lips twitched, not in defiance, not in agreement, just a faint acknowledgment that she��d heard him. Still, her gaze stayed fixed outside.

    Frustration red in him, but grief softened it almost instantly.

    He exhaled harshly, running a hand through his hair. "Do you hate me that much?" he asked finally, his voice hoarse. "For what happened? For... the baby?"

    That word. Baby. It cut through the fog surrounding her.

    Slowly, Jasmine turned her head, her dull eyes meeting his. "You let me bleed that night till my baby died."

    Her voice was soft, brittle, yet sharp enough to pierce him.

    Xaden froze, guilt crashing into him like a tidal wave.

    He opened his mouth to exin, but the words lodged in his throat.

    The Alpha who feared no man, no war, no enemy, stood there, powerless before her grief.

    He swallowed hard. "Jasmine I was in a tight spot you can��t me me for putting you in there."

    "Of course" she replied simply, turning back to the window.

    The silence that followed was brutal, suffocating.

    Xaden stepped closer, his hand hovering as though he wanted to touch her but feared she might shatter under it. "Jasmine... I don��t know what��s true anymore. About Hunter. About you. About anything." His voice cracked, the weight of his confusion spilling out. "But I know I failed you. And I know I failed our child."

    Her body trembled faintly at his words, but she said nothing.

    For the first time in a long time, Xaden dropped his guard.

    He knelt beside her chair, his proud Alpha frame bent low before her. "Tell me what to do," he whispered. "Tell me how to fix this. Because I don��t know how."

    Xaden��s words hung heavy between them, the kind of plea that would have undone her once.

    But Jasmine only sat there, still as stone, her gaze fixed on the pale stretch of sky beyond the window.

    Silence pressed in, louder than any scream could be.

    Her hands rested in herp, limp and unmoving.

    She didn��t recoil when he knelt, but she didn��t reach for him either.

    That absence cut deeper than any rejection, she simply wasn��t there for him to touch anymore.

    Xaden��s throat worked, his chest tight. He searched her face for even the smallest flicker of what used to be there, anger, fire, love, anything.

    All he found was the hollow calm of someone who had nothing left to give.

    "Whatever it Is. Whatever you want to do. Say it. Do it. Tell me." He pleaded.

    Still, no reply. Only that endless, unbearable quiet.

    Finally, Jasmine blinked slowly, as though surfacing from some distant ce. Her voice, when it came, was t. "There��s nothing left to say."

    Xaden��s heart clenched. Nothing left to say. The words hit harder than a de.

    He rose stiffly, his body taut, jaw tight as though holding himself together by sheer force of will.

    For a moment he lingered, staring down at her, but she never looked up again.

    The Alpha left the room in silence, carrying with him the crushing realization that her indifference hurt worse than her hatred ever could.

    Xaden��s words lingered in the air. "I��d give anything to hear you curse me ."

    For a heartbeat, Jasmine stayed still, her face turned toward the pale sky.

    Then her lips trembled. Her chest rose, sharp and unsteady.

    When she turned her head, her eyes burned��not hollow this time, but zing, wet with rage and grief that refused to be swallowed.

    "You want me to curse you?" Her voice was brittle, sharp as broken ss. "Fine. I��ll curse you."

    She shot to her feet so suddenly he flinched back. "Where were you, Xaden? Where were you when I screamed in pain? When I begged for someone, anyone, to help me? Where were you when my body failed me, when I held my dead child in my arms?"

    Her voice cracked but her fury only sharpened. "You weren��t there! You were too busy with politics. What people had to say about you. Too busy to think about me for once! About us!"

    Tears streaked hot down her face, her fists clenched at her sides. "And now youe here, now, saying you��d give anything to hear me curse you? You don��t deserve my silence, you don��t deserve my curses, you don��t deserve me!"

    Xaden��s breath left him in a shudder, his face pale, eyes wide like a man struck. But she wasn��t finished.

    "I died the day I put her in the ground," she spat, her voice raw, shaking. "And you...." her chest heaved, "...you killed whatever was left of me when you chose lies over me. So don��t you daree here asking for forgiveness, or words, or anything at all. You��ve taken it all already."

    Her knees buckled then, fury crumbling into grief, and she sank back onto the chair, sobs tearing from her chest.

    She curled in on herself, trembling, broken open in a way that made even the walls seem to ache with the sound.

    Xaden reached for her, instinct warring with shame, but she shoved his hand away with such venom that it cut deeper than ws.

    "Don��t touch me," she whispered, shaking her head. "Not now. Not ever."

    And that was when Xaden understood fully: her hatred was brutal, but her rejection was fatal.

 Chapter 510: DADDY LOVES YOU

    <h4>Chapter 510: DADDY LOVES YOU</h4>

    Xaden stood there like a hanging fly as she ushered her final words of rejection.

    It wasn��t supposed to hurt this bad.

    After all he didn��t have a heart.

    After all he had grown to be a cold man.

    To put everything before his emotions.

    His job as an Alpha.

    Logic first before anything else.

    And yet here was torn.

    Confused and In anguish.

    He had no idea what to say.

    For the first time it was like he wasn��t himself anymore.

    Whether to scream and shake her to tell him that she did have an affair with Hunter and that he would forgive her.

    He would forgive her even though she had.

    Even though the evidence proved that she did.

    Even though he had been so blinded with rage and jealousy that he had locked her up in a dark room as punishment.

    He wanted to cut himself and feel physical pain rather than the ache he felt in his chest.

    Where his heart should be.

    He rubbed his face and began pacing the room.

    It was the only thing he could manage before he began spiraling into madness.

    Before descending into the chaos of theplexities of his situation.

    He rubbed his face again as he continued to pace the room.

    He looked at her as she was curled up to herself.

    He wanted to reach out to her and then he instantly remembered herst words.

    Don��t touch me. Ever.

    He recoiled from doing so.

    And then he finally found his voice.

    "Jasmine I��m sorry." He began.

    There was an eerie silence in the room. "I just want you to be honest with me. I just want you to please tell me the truth. I don��t care if you had an affair with Hunter in the past or whatever may had happened. Even if you nned to kill my and take the jewels. Just be honest with me. I will forgive you."

    He went down on his knees.

    For a woman.

    For the first time in his life but he made sure to maintain a distance from her to prevent touching her.

    She had made it clear that she didn��t want that.

    "Just tell me the truth and I would let it all go. I wouldn��t care what anyone inthe pack says. Just be honest with me. Please." He begged.

    This was important.

    Her honesty.

    She slowly looked up at him.

    Her eyes sparking in rage.

    "Get out." She spat.

    "I know you��re hurting but you��re making this more difficult for the both of us." He began. "Just tell me that you did it! And I will forgive you!"

    She was still lying to him and it infuriated him.

    It fucked with his head.

    He was willing to forgive her.

    "GET OUT!" She screamed.

    He sighed knowing that nothing was going toe out of this.

    He very slowly rose up to his feet and then took short strides to the door.

    "The Queen has requested our presence at the Royal Pack house." He stated once he hung at the door. "We would be on our way in two weeks. It��s best you begin to prepare for the journey."

    And with that he walked out of the room and shut it behind him.

    Nanny Nia had been standing in the corridor obviously waiting for his emergence.

    Once she saw him her eyes lit up.

    She bowed at him and he stood aside to let her go into the bedroom.

    "My Lord." Nanny Nia��s voice stopped him right in his tracks.

    He didn��t turn around to look at her.

    He just remained standing backing her.

    "When you first brought me to take care of Jasmine. I... I was in dismay." She began. "She was nothing like the others I had raised. But I have seen her for who she is and I have grown to love her."

    He sighed.

    "Believe me my lord when I tell you that Jasmine had no hand in your kidnapping." Nanny Nia said. "If she did then why would she return? And with the ne."

    That was what baffled him.

    Why didn��t she just run away.

    Or perhaps Hunter has sent her away?

    Or she had run away and his men forced her toe to him as punishment.

    He had no idea.

    "The child was buried in theke at the northern forest of the pack." Nanny Nia said.

    He stiffened.

    That was where he had made love to Jasmine the night of the festival.

    "And it was a girl. She would have called her Thalira." Nanny Nia informed further.

    Xaden felt his bones weaken at the revtion.

    "Thank you." He said and with that he strode off

    As he walked down the hallway he heard the door shut.

    He felt sick and heavy.

    Heavier than he had felt going in.

    He had gained nothing from his conversation with her.

    Yet he felt emptier than ever.

    He sighed to himself as he came down the stairs.

    He knew the whispers.

    He knew what the people said.

    They just never had the audacity to say it to his face.

    Jasmine was a traitor

    She had tried to kill him and he still let her leave

    She couldn��t even carry a pup. How pathetic she was!

    Alpha Xaden had be weak.

    He knew the things going on in their mind.

    He knew how angry a number of men were that there was evidence that she had nned it all and yet she still lived.

    And she herself refused to admit it.

    He was angry above all that she had buried their child without him.

    He walked away from the pack and strode towards the forest.

    When he was being followed by his men he rose his hand up to halt them.

    He walked on his own.

    He strode for over an hour until he found theke and the newly covered soil.

    It was so small.

    He squatted and ced the bunch of Jasmine flowers he had picked along the way, on the burial ground.

    "Rest Thalira. Daddy loves you."

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 511: THE GENIUS PLAN

    <h4>Chapter 511: THE GENIUS PLAN</h4>

    Cherry��s lips curled into a sly smile, the kind that always made Coral both uneasy and oddly fascinated.

    "I��m a genius?" Coral asked confused at her Aunt outburst.

    The older woman leaned back into her velvet chair, fingertips drumming lightly on the armrest as though she were savoring the weight of Coral��s words.

    "A very special genius my niece" Cherry��s voice purred, almost mocking.

    She rose gracefully, skirts whispering against the floor, and moved toward the heavy oak doors.

    Her hand lingered on the iron lock. With a deliberate click, she slid it into ce.

    Coral frowned. "Aunt, why are you locking the doors?"

    Cherry turned, her eyes glittering with a conspirator��s fire. "Because, my dear, some secrets are too precious for wandering ears. Not even the walls should hear what I am about to say."

    When Cherry seemed certain that there were no openings, she turned to face Coral.

    "Why don��t we get Jasmine on our side?" Cherry asked deviously.

    Coral straightened, curious but wary. She knew her aunt well enough to sense when a storm of schemes was brewing. "What do you mean by having Jasmine on our side. That��s never going to happen. You and I both know she is impossible. That girl is unpredictable. She would never agree to work with us. In fact she is going to go right up to mum and tell her what were up to."

    Cherry chuckled, low and sharp, as if Coral had walked straight into the heart of her trap. "Of course not. Jasmine is wild. Reckless. Ungovernable. Our main enemy. But who said anything about needing that Jasmine?"

    Coral��s brows drew together. "What do you mean?"

    Cherry stepped closer, her perfume cloying, her tone soft and serpentine. "What if... we make our own Jasmine?"

    Coral blinked. The silence stretched between them until finally, her mouth parted in confusion. "Our own....? I don��t understand."

    "Then allow me to enlighten you," Cherry whispered, her eyes narrowing with delicious malice.

    She swept across the room and stood before the fire, her silhouette sharp against the mes. "Think about it, Coral. Rose is searching desperately for her granddaughter, yes? That wretched girl has wormed her way close already. She has Rose��s attention, her affection, and worst of all, her sympathy. And we both know, if Rose ever confirms it, if she ever learns the truth, then Jasmine will have everything."

    Coral shuddered.

    The thought of her mother��s power falling into Jasmine��s hands was unbearable.

    Cherry spread her hands, her smile widening. "But what if we gave Rose exactly what she craves? Not the real girl, of course, but an imposter. A granddaughter of our choosing. Someone we can mold. Someone we can trust. Someone entirely ours."

    The realization dawned on Coral and she gasped. "An imposter..." She covered her mouth, half in shock, half in awe. "You mean, we put another girl in Jasmine��s ce? Have her y the role of mum��s lost granddaughter?"

    "Precisely," Cherry purred.

    Coral��s pulse quickened.

    The idea was bold, brilliant, even, but fraught with peril.

    She stepped forward, voice hushed though the doors were locked. "But Aunt, it��s risky. What if they discover she is not royal blood? They could use magic to test her lineage. If the truthes out..."

    Cherry��s eyes shed, full of wicked delight. "You think I haven��t considered that? I will make sure her blood sings the same as ours. With the right spell, with the right offering, the truth itself will bend to my will."

    Coral swallowed hard.

    Her aunt��s confidence always unsettled her. Yet, she could not deny the brilliance of it. "It could work..."

    "Oh, it will work." Cherry paced slowly, savoring every word. "Because even if Jasmine visits, by then Rose will already have her precious granddaughter. She will have embraced her, loved her, cherished her. The moment Jasmine arrives, Rose��s heart will already be locked away in someone else��s hands. And when that dayes, who do you think Rose will believe? A poor, broken girl with no training, no refinement, nothing but scars and sorrow? Or a granddaughter who shines with grace, who represents the perfect image of what royalty should be?"

    Coral found herself nodding despite her unease. "Yes... yes, I see it now. My mother would never doubt her, not if we present her well enough."

    Cherry leaned in close, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "And the best part, Coral? With this imposter, we will finally control Rose from within her own home. She will dote on her, adore her, trust her... never realizing that her precious granddaughter is nothing more than our puppet. A puppet we hold by the strings."

    Coral��s lips parted, both horrified and entranced with a devious smile. "Aunt... it��s diabolical."

    Cherry smiled, satisfied. "It��s genius."

    For a moment, the fire popped in the grate, filling the silence with its hungry crackle. Coral stared into the mes, imagining the downfall of Jasmine, imagining her mother unwittingly pouring all her love and loyalty into a false heir.

    The thought both thrilled and unsettled her.

    Finally, Coral��s voice broke through the quiet. "But Aunt... how do we find her? Where do we get someone who could pass as Jasmine? It cannot be just any girl."

    Cherry��s smile sharpened. She turned back toward the locked doors, as though already seeing beyond them. "Ah, now you ask the right question." Her voice was smooth as silk, yet it carried the promise of danger. "Do not trouble yourself, my dear. I think I know a way."

    Coral stepped forward. "What do you mean? Who?"

    Cherry only looked back at her with a knowing gleam in her eyes, lips curling into that same unnerving smile.

    She did not answer. She did not need to. The suspense was almost sweeter than the scheme itself.

    Coral��s heart thudded in her chest. Whatever her aunt had in mind, it would be bold. Dangerous. Wicked. And she would be part of it.

    The fire crackled once more, shadows leaping across the walls, and the room seemed to grow darker, heavier, as if the weight of their plot had already begun to shape their fates.

    Cherry finally turned away, her skirts whispering like secrets as she moved back toward her chair.

    She sat, folding her hands neatly in herp, her smile lingering. "Patience, Coral. You will see soon enough."

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 512: AMARA

    <h4>Chapter 512: AMARA</h4>

    The morning sun filtered through the high arched windows of the castle, gilding the marble floors in soft gold.

    Coral sat stiffly at the breakfast table, spoon poised in her untouched cheese, eyes fixed on her aunt.

    Cherry was radiant as always, her gown a deep crimson that shimmered as she moved.

    She spoke lightly, her words dripping with sweet conviction. "You see, sister," she said to Rose, "I was thinking, I should visit the poor viges by the river. Just for a few days. Charity should be never be neglected, and as our parents taught us,passion is the crown of nobility."

    Rose smiled faintly, touched. "Yes, Cherry. That is kind of you. But a couple of days?"

    "It won��t take longer than three." She assured.

    Rose sighed. "Alright. Take Coral along. It will do her good to see the people. I��ll inform her father when he returns."

    Coral was relieved that her father wasn��t present it could have been much difficult.

    Cherry inclined her head graciously, though her eyes flicked to Coral with a secret spark. "Of course, Rose. She wille with me."

    Coral forced a smile, her stomach twisting. She knew this was no simple charitable visit.

    An hourter, the two women descended the castle steps, cloaks drawn tightly about them, and slipped into the waiting carriage.

    The guards believed they were bound for the river viges, but once the gates closed behind them, Cherry leaned forward and rapped sharply on the wood.

    "To the town of Greystone," she ordered.

    The driver didn��t seem to hesitate, Greystone was known for its unsavory reputation, he went off

    With a lurch, the carriage veered off the main road.

    Coral clutched her cloak tighter. "Aunt... Greystone? Why there of all ces?"

    Cherry smirked, settling back against the cushions as if she were merely going to a festival. "Because, dear, when you seek shadows, you don��t search in sunlight. You search where darkness thrives. And in Greystone, darkness thrives splendidly."

    "But wouldn��t the driver report?" Coral asked with worry.

    "You worry too much child. He is my personal driver and he is loyal to only me." Cherry said leaning back into the plush velvet seat.

    The journey was long, the scenery shifting from lush forests to barren fields, until finally, the carriage rattled into the crooked streets of Greystone.

    The air smelled of smoke and stale ale, the buildings leaning like tired old men, their shutters half broken.

    Laughter and screams echoed faintly from alleyways, giving the town a restless, haunted energy.

    The carriage stopped before a sprawling, half-decayed mansion. Its windows glowed dimly, and faint music drifted from within. The iron gate stood open, as though daring visitors to step inside.

    Coral wrinkled her nose. "This ce..."

    Cherry stepped down gracefully, her cloak swirling. "Ah, home away from home." Her smile was sharp, her eyes gleaming. "Come, Coral. Let me introduce you to an old friend."

    The heavy wooden doors creaked as they entered.

    The air was thick with perfume and smoke. Women in silken gowns and men with hungry eyes lingered in the corridors,ughter mingling with whispers.

    At the end of the hall, a woman appeared, tall and striking. Her ck hair gleamed under thentern light, her lips painted a scandalous red. She wore a gown of emerald satin that clung to her curves, her presencemanding the entire space.

    "Cherry."

    Her voice was husky,den with memory and delight. She swept forward with open arms, her bangles jingling.

    Before Coral could react, she pulled Cherry into a fierce embrace, holding her close.

    When she finally pulled back, she cupped Cherry��s face, her fingers adorned with jeweled rings. "When I got your word, I nearly fainted. It has been so long. I thought I would never see you again."

    Cherry��s smile softened, for a fleeting moment almost genuine. "Candy."

    Before Coral could blink, Candy pressed her lips against Cherry��s in a kiss that lingered too long.

    Coral gasped aloud, horrified.

    Cherry merely tilted her head and allowed the kiss, then pulled back with a sly chuckle. Candy turned, catching Coral��s wide-eyed expression, and burst intoughter.

    "Oh, look at her! What is this? So proper, so scandalized. She��s sweet." Candy said. "Where did you find her."

    Cherry joined in theughter, though hers was sharper. "She��s my niece. She will learn."

    Coral��s cheeks burned crimson, her hands clenching in her skirts. "This is madness."

    "Enough," Cherry snapped lightly, though amusement glittered in her eyes. "Come. Business before pleasure."

    Candy smirked, linking her arm with Cherry��s. "Yes, yes. Follow me."

    They walked down a dim corridor lined with doors, muffled voices andughter spilling from within.

    Coral kept her gaze fixed forward, trying to ignore the sinful sounds around her. Her skin crawled, yet Cherry walked with the ease of one perfectly at home.

    Sounds of men and women having sex could be heard all over.

    Atst, Candy pushed open a door that led to avish chamber, all velvet drapes and gold-trimmed furniture.

    Beyond the chamber, ss doors opened to a small balcony where sunlight spilled over a cluster of blooming flowers.

    A girl stood there, her back to them, arranging a vase of roses.

    Her hair was a rich brte, cascading down her back in waves. She moved with a quiet grace, humming softly under her breath.

    Candy��s lips curled as she gestured toward the balcony. "There she is."

    Coral��s breath caught.

    Even from behind, the girl radiated a beauty that was disarming, her figure slender, her posture elegant.

    "Amara!" Candy called out.

    The girl turned at once, her wide hazel eyes catching the light. Her face was delicate, almost angelic, her lips soft and pink.

    She looked no older than Jasmine, yet her beauty was striking in a different way, polished, almost too perfect.

    Cherry��s smile spread slowly, her gaze devouring the sight. She stepped forward, her voice dripping with satisfaction. "Oh, Candy... she is perfect."

    Amara tilted her head, a flicker of curiosity crossing her face as she set the vase down. "You called for me?" Her voice was gentle, melodic, though it carried a faint undertone of weariness.

    Candy��s eyes glowed with pride. "Amara, meet Lady Cherry. An old... dear friend."

    Cherry stepped closer, her gaze never wavering. "Amara," she repeated softly, tasting the name. "Yes. You will do wonderfully."

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 513: THE OFFER

    <h4>Chapter 513: THE OFFER</h4>

    The girl hesitated, darkshes fluttering as her eyes darted between Candy and the elegant women seated on the balcony.

    Coral and Cherry sat with quiet authority, their presencemanding without a word being spoken.

    "Do as you��re told," Candy said with a faint edge, though her lips curved into a smile.

    Reluctantly, Amara obeyed.

    She approached, smoothing her in skirt nervously.

    Cherry watched her closely, her sharp eyes glinting in satisfaction. She exchanged a nce with Coral, who returned it with a knowing smirk.

    Yes, Cherry thought. This one has the face, the manner, and the innocence just ripe for twisting.

    "Sit down," Cherry said softly, gesturing to the low cushioned seat across from her. "We have something to discuss.

    Amara froze for a second. A servant didn��t simply sit with such women.

    She opened her mouth to refuse, but Candy leaned close to her and whispered, "Do as she says. As I have said this is a friend of mine. A long-time friend. And a very important one. She has a business offer for you. One you��d be foolish to turn down."

    The girl swallowed. Her gaze fell to the floor, but she sat, gingerly lowering herself onto the cushion.

    At that moment, servants entered bearing trays of tea and delicate porcin cups.

    They bowed quickly and began to serve the table. As they turned to leave, Cherry��s voice cut through the air, silken yet firm.

    "Pour for her too."

    The servants froze. Confused, they nced at one another, then at Amara.

    Their lips tightened; one even dared to protest. "Mydy... she is��"

    "I said," Cherry interrupted, her tone leaving no space for defiance, "pour for her too."

    <fn3261> Th? link to the orig?n of this information r?sts ?n find{n}ovel</fn3261>

    Candy��s sharp nod made the servants obey. They poured steaming amber tea into a cup and set it in front of Amara.

    She could tell how bregrudginly they did it.

    The girl stared at it, bewildered.

    A servant like her didn��t share a table with nobles, let alone drink from porcin cups meant for them. But Cherry��s gaze pinned her in ce.

    "Drink," Cherry instructed smoothly.

    Amara lifted the cup, her hands trembling slightly. She sipped, the warmth flooding her chest.

    To her surprise, it was sweet and rich, nothing like the watered-down brews servants were sometimes offered.

    Cherry watched with satisfaction, noting the girl��s posture, the way she held the cup delicately, her back straight, her handsposed.

    There was elegance here, hidden beneath the in dress.

    "You carry yourself well," Cherry remarked, leaning back in her chair. "Tell me, how is it that a servant such as yourself has learned such poise?"

    Amara looked down shyly, though there was a spark of pride in her eyes. "My father was a gamma in his pack. My mother served in the household of a high family. They both believed that even if we were not nobles, we should behave with dignity. They raised me to be respectful, to walk and speak properly."

    Cherry��s brows arched. Coral tilted her head, intrigued.

    "And where are your parents now?" Coral asked, her voice smooth but carrying a cold curiosity.

    Amara��s hands tightened on the cup. Hershes lowered to hide the flicker of pain in her eyes. "Dead. My father fell into debt. He borrowed from the wrong wolves. When he could not repay... rogues came. They ransacked our home. My parents..." Her voice faltered. "They didn��t survive."

    Silence pressed on the balcony.

    It was Candy who broke it, her toneced with sly satisfaction. "I found her in a cage, being sold off like a stray. But I knew she had potential. Didn��t I, Amara? I saw it in those eyes of yours. That you were meant for more than scrubbing floors and fetching wine."

    Amara��s lips curved in a faint, sad smile. "You saved me. For that, I will always be grateful."

    Cherry leaned forward, her eyes narrowing thoughtfully.

    Yes. There was a story here, a wound to exploit. The kind of past that bred hunger for something more.

    "Tell me, Amara," Cherry said, her voice rich and coaxing. "Do you wish to be more? To be rich... adored... treated like a princess?"

    The girl blinked at her, startled.

    For a moment, she looked as though she thought she had misheard.

    But Cherry��s eyes gleamed with intent, and the air thickened with unspoken promise.

    "Of course I would," Amara admitted atst, almost in a whisper. "Who wouldn��t?"

    Cherry smiled slowly, a predator��s smile disguised as kindness. "Good. You have foresight . I like that. You were given everything you have ever wanted....wealth, fame, health, guards to protect you, dresses finer than you can imagine. You will eat like a queen and be treated like one."

    Amara let out a nervousugh, shaking her head. "That sounds like a dream."

    "What if it wasn��t?" Cherry��s voice cut sharp through the air. "What if I told you I can make it real? That I can lift you from this life and ce you in one far beyond your imagination?"

    Amara stared at her, breath caught.

    Candy leaned over, stroking Amara��s arm as though coaxing a frightened bird. "You��d be a fool not to listen, darling. This is no ordinary woman. If she says she can give you the world, then believe her....she can."

    Cherry��s eyes never left Amara��s face. She could see the conflict there, the yearning, the disbelief, the dangerous temptation.

    "You would have everything," Cherry whispered, her voice wrapping around the girl like silk. "But all it takes is one choice. One step. Leave this life behind... and join me."

    The balcony fell silent, the weight of the offer hanging heavy in the air.

    Amara looked down at her tea, her reflection rippling in the amber surface.

    Her heart thundered in her chest. The dream dangled before her, glittering like forbidden fruit. She raised her eyes again, meeting Cherry��s gaze.

    For the first time, the faintest spark of possibility lit her expression.

    And Cherry, watching, smiled. The trap was closing.

    "What is the catch?" Amara asked disying her cunning and smart mentality.

 Chapter 514: THE OFFER II

    <h4>Chapter 514: THE OFFER II</h4>

    Cherry smiled very wickedly.

    She pped her hand at Amara��s words.

    Words she hadn��t been expecting to hear.

    Words that now told her Amara was a scheming and calctive young girl.

    Just what she really wanted.

    "That is a very important and good question Amara." Cherry nodded. "A lot of other girls would ept the offer without questions. What is the catch?"

    Cherry sipped her tea and closed her eyes in delight.

    "Candy this is wonderful tea." Cherry remarked and then she turned to Coral. "Isn��t it?"

    Coral nodded. "It actually is."

    "I have missed your tea dear." Cherry said to Candy.

    "I��ll send the dried herbs for you when you are going back." Candy replied with a warm knowing smile.

    "That can be done tomorrow." Cherry stated.

    "You��re spending the night?" Candy asked in surprise.

    "Yes I am." Cherry clicked her tongue. "And that can give our friend here, the time to make her decision. Think it through."

    She gently put the tea back on the table and crossed her legs elegantly.

    Cherry waved a hand over coral��s head and then it revealed it��s true color.

    She had used magic to hide the vibrant red along with hers.

    Coral felt the magic on her and then she touched her hair.

    She gasped. "You did something to my hair."

    "I had to hide the color." Cherry stated. "If anyone saw your red hair then they would know who we are. Had to hide mine to blonde."

    Amara��s lips dropped in shock.

    "H.. her hair is red." Amara stated.

    "Yes." Cherry smiled. "And do you know what that means?"

    "Yes." Amara nodded as she swallowed hard.

    Cherry rose a brow indicating that she was waiting for Amara to go ahead and tell her.

    Amara swallowed.

    "People don��t have red hair. Not wolves not witches or any other tribes." Amara acknowledged. "Except..."

    She paused mid sentence.

    "Except the royal family." Amara noted.

    "Very good." Cherry said. "Except the royal family. My niece here Coral is the daughter of the Queen."

    Amara��s face white at the sudden revtion.

    She fidgeted with her arms.

    She looked like she was going to flee from the table at any split second.

    But Candy gave her a warning re.

    "Don��t worry we aren��t going to hurt you." Cherry said and then added "Well. I mean, not unless we have to."

    Amara��s face went pale.

    "She is Queen Rose��s daughter." Cherry repeated.

    "Your niece." Amara finally found her voice. "That means you are her aunt. And royal family too?"

    "Yes I am." Cherry nodded.

    "But why isn��t your hair red?" Amara asked curiously.

    Cherry��s face immediately became a mask of thunder and looked ready to strike her dead.

    But all of a sudden she calmed down and her face was back into a false pleasant smile.

    "That��s a story that doesn��t concern you." Cherry remarked as she flipped her staring jet ck hair.

    Amara shut her mouth.

    "Our offer is for you toe and join us in the royal family. As one of us." Cherry said.

    "I don��t understand why? What do you mean?" She asked further.

    Cherry leaned back in her chair, her lips curving in a sly smile as she studied the girl before her.

    "What I mean, Amara," she began softly, her voice carrying the dangerous purr of a predator about to close in on its prey, "is that you have the chance of a lifetime. One that girls like you, servants, orphans, the forgotten, never get."

    Coral shifted beside her, though not in unease this time.

    She was leaning into the scheme as fully as Cherry. Her eyes glittered with shared anticipation.

    She tilted her chin, proud and assured, her fiery hair hidden but her royal arrogance shining through.

    Amara hesitated. "A chance...? To do what exactly?"

    Cherry steepled her fingers together, her nails tapping lightly as though beating out the rhythm of a spell. "To be someone greater than you are. To shed the rags of a servant and put on silks embroidered with gold. To eat feasts while others bow before you. To be admired, cherished, worshipped."

    Amara let out a small, shakyugh, almost mocking. "You speak of fantasies, mydy. Surely you jest."

    "Do I look like a woman who jests?" Cherry��s eyes sharpened. Her tone cut through the air like a de.

    The girl stilled. She dared not answer.

    Candy leaned in, patting Amara��s hand almost maternally. "My dear, you must listen. This woman has power. Real power. I��ve seen it with my own eyes."

    Cherry smiled thinly at her friend��s support, then turned back to Amara. "It isn��t fantasy, child. It��s opportunity. I want you to be someone very important. Someone powerful enough to make even the Queen herself bend."

    Amara blinked, confusion darting across her face. "But... how could I? I��m no one."

    "Not if you remain Amara," Coral said atst, her voice smooth, conspiratorial. "But if you were to be someone else..."

    Cherry nodded, delighted at her niece��s perfect timing. "Exactly. You would not be Amara anymore. You would be��" she leaned forward, her voice dropping to a whisper "��the lost granddaughter of Queen Rose."

    Amara froze. For a moment she thought she had misheard, but the looks on both women��s faces confirmed it. Her mouth opened, then closed again. "I��I beg your pardon? That��s impossible."

    "Is it?" Cherry countered smoothly. "You already have the right look. The poise. You are clever, cunning enough to know that nothinges free. You question, you weigh. That is what I need. And more importantly, you are young... the right age."

    "But... the Queen��s granddaughter?" Amara shook her head quickly. "That cannot be true. If she had one, wouldn��t she know? Wouldn��t everyone know?"

    Cherryughed, a sound that was both cruel and musical. "Oh, sweet girl. The Queen is looking for her granddaughter, even now. Desperate to find her. So desperate, in fact, that if the right girl came along... she would open her arms without question."

    "But I��m not��"

    "No," Cherry interrupted, her voice silken,manding. "You are not. That is the beauty of it. You will be what I make you to be. With a little... magic."

    Amara stared in stunned silence.

    Candy sipped her tea, as though this conversation were no more strange than discussing the weather. Coral smirked, her eyes gleaming like twin mes.

    Cherry leaned closer, her dark gaze piercing. "You asked, what is the catch? Here it is. You will leave behind your old lifepletely. You will no longer be Amara. You will belong to me, and you will do as I say. In return, you will have everything you dreamed of and more. Riches. Power. The adoration of a Queen. And you will never again sleep in a bed that smells of dust and mold."

    <fn0329> Read full story at f��?dn��vel</fn0329>

    Amara��s hands twisted in herp. Her mind raced, her heart thudded loudly in her ears. The temptation was sharp, intoxicating. But equally sharp was the fear.

    "And if I say no?" she whispered.

    Cherry tilted her head, smiling without warmth. "Then you will return to your chores. To scrubbing floors and arranging flowers for others to enjoy. After that you would join the whores I��m sure Candy already has ns for you.. You will live the rest of your life in shadows, always wondering what could have been."

    Amara swallowed hard. "And... if I fail?"

    This time, Coral leaned forward, her smile wickedly bright. "Then you will not fail. We will make certain of that. With magic, with training, with guidance. My aunt does not gamble. She chooses winners."

    Cherry��sugh was soft, but dangerous. "Indeed. And I see a winner in you." She ced her teacup down deliberately, the porcin making the faintest click against the saucer. "Think, Amara. Servitude or royalty. Obscurity or glory. It is not such a difficult choice, is it?"

    Silence stretched over the balcony, broken only by the faint rustle of leaves outside and the distant voices of Candy��s girls in the courtyard.

    Atst, Amara found her voice. "You would... truly make me a princess? The Queen��s granddaughter?"

    "Yes," Cherry purred. "But not truly. You must remember that, always. It will be an act, a mask you will wear until it bes second nature. You will be our de hidden in silk. Our way of cing a leash upon Rose, and no one will ever suspect. Not even the Queen herself."

    Amara��s lips parted as though to speak, but no words came.

    She looked between Cherry, Coral, and Candy, her eyes wide with shock and possibility.

    Cherry rose smoothly to her feet, her presence filling the balcony like a stormcloud about to break. "I do not need your answer now. In fact, I do not want it now. Decisions made too quickly are weak. I want you to think, Amara. Think of the hunger you feel every time you watch the wealthy dine while you serve them. Think of the envy you swallow when noble daughters wear gowns worth more than your life. Think of the way they look down on you as if you are dirt. And then imagine what it will feel like when those same people bow to you."

    Her voice dripped with venom and promise.

    She ced a hand on Amara��s shoulder, her grip deceptively gentle. "You have until tomorrow. Tonight, I want you to dream of what your life could be if you say yes. Dream well, my dear. For tomorrow, you must choose."

    Cherry stepped back, her smile curving into something wicked, victorious. Coral rose as well, her eyes zing with the thrill of conspiracy. Candy chuckled low, already imagining the oue.

    Amara sat frozen in her chair, the untouched tea cooling in her hands, her heart pounding with a mixture of terror and temptation.

    Cherry��s words lingered in the air, heavy and intoxicating, as the balcony doors swung shut behind them.

    The choice was hers.

    For now.

 Chapter 515: PLEASURE

    <h4>Chapter 515: PLEASURE</h4>

    Amara was still reeling from everything she had heard when Candy leaned forward, her bracelets clinking softly as she reached for the tea pot again.

    Her smile was deceptively calm, though her sharp eyes were studying the girl��s every twitch and hesitation.

    "You may leave now, Amara," Candy said with a graceful flick of her hand. "You are free to think. I expect you to return with your answer tomorrow, when our guest rises."

    Amara blinked, startled by the sudden dismissal. "O.... of course, mistress." She stood quickly, bowing her head to Cherry and Coral in turn.

    But her eyes, wide with awe and dread, lingered for a second too long on Coral��s disguised brown hair.

    Then she turned and all but fled the balcony, the folds of her simple servant��s dress brushing across the marble floor.

    Cherry watched her go with a faint smirk curling her lips. "She runs like a rabbit," she remarked lightly. "But not away from the snare. I know their type. She wille back."

    Candy raised a brow but said nothing, merely leaning back into the cushions of her seat.

    Coral shifted in her chair.

    Her hands had been folded neatly in herp through the whole exchange, but now she fidgeted slightly, her fingers tugging at the seam of her sleeve. Finally, she lifted her gaze to her aunt. "May I... step outside for a little while? Just to take the air?"

    Cherry turned her head and studied her niece with a measured look, as if weighing the request against a scale only she could see. Then she smiled faintly.

    "Of course, my darling. Fresh air will do you good."

    Coral hesitated for a moment longer, then bit her lip. "But... what if someone notices my hair? I cannot risk being recognized."

    Cherry chuckled softly and lifted her hand in a dismissive gesture. "The enchantment is already back in ce. No one will see the truth unless I wish it. What they see now is a in brown head of hair, nothing more. You are safe."

    Relief flickered across Coral��s face. She nodded once and rose gracefully. Candy, watching her closely, pped her hands sharply.

    "Liora!"

    Within moments, the heavy wooden doors of the chamber opened, and a tall young woman in a fitted guard��s coat entered. Her expression was stern but respectful, eyes sharp and alert.

    "You will escort Lady Coral," Candy instructed smoothly, her voice firm as she gestured between the two. "She is to be kept safe at all times. Do not allow her to stray from your sight."

    "Yes, mistress," the guard and maiden said together in unison, bowing low.

    "A woman?" Coral rose a brow in disbelief. "A woman escorting me as my guard?"

    "Don��t be sexist Coral." Cherry said. "I��ve personally seen Liora in action. And I frankly prefer to any male guard."

    Cherry sighed. "Fine. I��ll be leaving then

    Cherry gave it with a slight wave of her hand, her expression fond but distant.

    With that, Coral swept out of the chamber, the two attendants nking her.

    The door closed softly behind them, leaving only the two older women in the balcony chamber.

    A long silence stretched between them, broken only by the soft crackle of thenterns beginning to glow as twilight deepened.

    <fn0eb4> ???? ????s? ???????s ?? f?ndnovel</fn0eb4>

    Candy exhaled slowly and leaned forward, resting her elbows against her knees.

    Her eyes, dark and shrewd, searched Cherry��s face. "I confess, I did not think you would still be chasing the crown after all this time."

    Cherry tilted her head back slightly, as though the words were apliment rather than a criticism.

    She smiled, slow and deliberate, a smile that carried secrets. "And why not? Did you think I would so easily surrender what should have been mine?"

    Candy gave a short, softugh. "No. But I thought you would have learned peace by now. That fire has not burned out of you, has it?"

    "Peace," Cherry repeated the word as though it were foreign. Her gaze drifted out toward the horizon where the first stars were beginning to prick the violet sky. "Peace is the dream of those who have already won, Candy. I have not won. Not yet."

    Candy leaned back against the cushions again, shaking her head with a mixture of amusement and exasperation. "I missed you, you know."

    For the first time, something softened in Cherry��s expression.

    She turned her head slowly toward her oldpanion, her dark eyes suddenly luminous. She reached out, the movement gentle and deliberate, and her fingers traced along Candy��s chin.

    "And I missed you," she murmured, her voice low and rich, carrying the weight of truth.

    The words seemed to hang in the air between them, thick and charged.

    The distance that had lingered dissolved in that one gesture, in that single brush of skin against skin. Candy��s lips parted slightly, her breath quickening.

    The silence that followed was not empty... it pulsed, alive, threaded with years of memory, of shared conspiracies, of nights whispered away in shadows.

    The world outside seemed to fall still, as though the evening itself bent in reverence to the tension unfurling between them.

    Candy��s hand lifted, slowly, hesitantly, as though she feared breaking the spell. But Cherry caught it effortlessly, cradling it between her own fingers.

    She turned it, pressing her lips against the pulse of Candy��s wrist in a kiss that lingered longer than necessary.

    Thentern light shimmered across their faces, casting both in half-shadow, half-gold.

    And in that moment, the crown, the plots, the secrets, all of it seemed to blur, reced only by the raw and dangerous tether that had bound them for so long.

    Candy drew in a sharp breath. "Cherry..."

    Cherry��s lips curled faintly, knowingly. "Yes, dearest?"

    The heat in her voice, the invitation in her eyes, needed no exnation.

    And then Cherry caught Candy��s chin in her elegant fingers and pulled her towards her.

    She embraced her in a ferocious kiss that sent fire, tongues and passion in despair.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 516: PLEASURE II

    <h4>Chapter 516: PLEASURE II</h4>

    Candy moaned in pleasure as the longing touch to feel Cherry��s taste from the moment she had seen her was now quenched.

    <fnc8de> Read full story at find��novel</fnc8de>

    She flipped her tongue inside her mouth and tasted her sweet saliva.

    Cherry purred in ecstasy and pleasure at sheer excitement of it all.

    She pushed her hands through Candy��s silk and flimsy dress till she cupped a perfect shaped breast.

    Then Cherry took her lips from Candy and with their meeting for a brief second, before she went down on Candy��s breasts and began to suck.

    Candy threw her head back as Cherry tuggled at her nipples and rolled her tongue.

    Biting it yfully, savoring it in her tongue and then delving back in to suck the living day life out of it.

    Candy cried out in pleasure as Cherry went further down on her.

    Cherry��s hand went down to massage the free best and used her fingers to roll at the tip.

    Candy rubbed her fingers against Cherry��s back and then Cherry very gently rose up.

    She extended her hand out to Candy.

    And candy gave.

    Cherry led her to the edge of the balcony overseeing the entire area where she had noticedy lush pillows.

    She brought Candy down and together they went down on the pillows.

    Neither woman cared who was there or who could hear them.

    They were filled in their ecstasy and pleasures.

    Cherry went over Candy and candy blushed. "You��re still so dominant."

    "Of course I am." Cherry replied as she fully exposed Candy��s body.

    She threw away the dress that had barely nothing under and her hungry fingers began to roam over Candy.

    She went down to feast as she gently parted Candy��s legs.

    Candy closed her eyes in anticipation of the iing pleasure and the moment Cherry��s went tongue hit her warmth, Candy moaned.

    Cherry rolled her tongue in and yed with the bright pink lips and Candy shuddered.

    She ate it out and held Candy down as she began to vibrate.

    Candy cried called out her name, begged her to stop.

    She begged her for more and begged her to go quicker.

    Cherry expertly worked in between Candy��s legs as Candy��s as she gave her further pleasure.

    And when she felt Candy beginning toe, she increased the pace of her tongue using her finger inside her until Candy cried out and came pouring out.

    Once Candy had exhausted herself, Cherry took off her own clothes and used her wet lips to kiss Candy.

    Candy kissed Cherry��s nipples and yed on them hungrily.

    She kissed her tummy, her shoulder des, her cheeks and then put her fingers through Cherry��s inner thighs.

    Cherry cried back in pleasure as she felt Candy massage her slowly and then began aggressively.

    Cherry feeling herself about toe, pushed Candy��s hands away and then puushed Candy to lie back down on the pillows.

    Then she went over and climbed her in such a position that she had her warmth over Candy��s and she began to rub agasint her.

    Candy began to cry in pleasure and so did Cherry.

    Ther grabbed each other going at perfect rhythm of nostalgic lovers until they both screamed in pleasure at the expense of their release.

    Exhausted and famished, Cherry finallyy by the side and tried to breathe properly.

    Candy smiled and turned to her.

    "It had been so long." Candy said ss she gently touched Cherry��s cheek. "You haven��t lost your touch."

    "Neither have you." Cherry said with a smile.

    Now it had already gotten dark and the twinkle of stars now hung in the sky.

    "I��ve still never been able to meet someone like you." Candy said facing her. "Man or woman. It��s always been you."

    Candy had been a part of Cherry��s life before.

    One of her many lovers.

    And one she had genuinely cared about in the past during her exile.

    Cherry picked up her hands and kissed it.

    "You know ig could be just me and you." Candy said dreamily. "We could give up everything and be together. I��ll sell the whore house and disperse the girls, we could start a life together."

    Cherry sat up, not pleased.

    "Candy you know I can not do that." She stated slightly annoyed.

    "You have been after your sister for years. I had hoped that time would make you see if wasn��t worth it anymore." Candy said disappointed.

    "The crown is everything to me!" Cherry said with a harsh tone. "My sister stole it from me and after all this years, I��ll rather die than not have it. Giving up is never an option for me. It belongs to me and I will have it by all means necessary!"

    Candy says nothing to Cherry��s outburst.

    She simply sighs and after a while says. "Well it that��s the case, then Amara would serve your purpose Well."

    "I had intended on using her as my best prostitute. She is fresh, extremely beautiful young and cunning I must say. I was keeping her for the best." Candy said. "You know that I can��t just give her like that to you."

    "Of course." Cherry stated.

    "You��re going to have topensate me for my loss." Candy informed.

    "I��ll pay you more than you would ever need. Enough for you to even close down this business of yours. I wonder why you��re still doing this anyway."

    Candy��s brows creased together in annoyance. "So you won��t leave your business and now you expect me to turn down mine?"

    "You know that��s not what I meant." Cherry said.

    Candy shook her head and gathered her things hurriedly wearing back her clothes.

    "When ites to you, you never change. And worse still I never learn." Candy said in disappointment.

    And with that she gathered herself and left:

    Cherry sighed annoyed at their disagreement before putting on her own clothes and headed out of the balcony.

    Amara had been watching the entire thing.

    Except she had sent aware that Cherry had always known.

 Chapter 517: DEEP THOUGHTS

    <h4>Chapter 517: DEEP THOUGHTS</h4>

    Theughter of men still drifted faintly through the corridors below, mingling with the tter of goblets and drunken boasts, but Amara��s attention was fixed wholly on the balcony where Cherry had just disappeared. Her breath came quick and shallow, as though she herself had been part of the heated spectacle, though she had only been a witness, an intruder of sorts, but one Cherry had allowed.

    Allowed.

    That thought alone sent a shiver crawling down Amara��s spine.

    Cherry had known she was there, watching, listening, learning.

    Every moan, every deration, every re of temper between the two women, it had all been for her benefit, hadn��t it? A performance. A test.

    Amara pressed a hand to her lips, her body thrumming with something she could not name.

    Fear? Thrill? Desire? Or was it simply the intoxicating realization that she had been noticed by Cherry, not as a child, not as one of Candy��s nameless girls, but as someone worthy of a secret.

    She lingered in the shadowed corridor, where the torchlight carved deep golden pools against the wall.

    Below her bare feet, the stones felt cold and grounding, a reminder to steady herself. Cherry was dangerous, there was no questioning that.

    The way she had spoken of the crown, of her sister, of vengeance... her hunger was bottomless, a void that swallowed everything in its path.

    But Amara was not na?ve. She had seen enough of the world in her seventeen years to know that those who held power never shared it willingly.

    Candy had taught her that much, even when she thought she was hiding it behind perfume and silks.

    Amara leaned her head back against the wall, closing her eyes. She could still hear Cherry��s words echoing inside her: The crown is everything to me.

    For most, that kind of hunger would be terrifying. For Amara, it was familiar.

    Because she, too, wanted something.

    Not the crown, at least not yet. But she wanted more than to be paraded in Candy��s silken cages, more than to be auctioned off to the highest bidder or saved for Cherry��s schemes.

    She wanted her name whispered with fear and reverence, the way Cherry��s was. She wanted men and women alike to tremble at her presence, to bow their heads when she passed.

    And if Cherry thought she could use her, then Amara would use Cherry in return.

    She opened her eyes slowly, watching the ce where the curtains still swayed faintly from Cherry��s departure. A smile tugged at her lips, small but sharp.

    Cherry had underestimated her. Everyone did. That was their mistake.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    The night stretched on, and the sounds of pleasure and revelry gave way to the quiet hum of nocturnal insects. Amara returned to her quarters, though sleep never came to her. She sat by the window, staring out at the dim courtyard below, where shadows of guards shifted back and forth like restless ghosts.

    Her thoughts were fire, too bright and wild to extinguish.

    Candy had spoken of selling the whorehouse, of dispersing the girls, of running away with Cherry. Amara scoffed softly at the memory. How foolish Candy could be, even after all these years.

    Love, devotion, those were shackles disguised as ribbons.

    Candy had let herself be bound, and though she pretended to hold power over her girls, Amara knew the truth: Candy was as much a prisoner as any of them.

    But Cherry was different.

    Cherry would never bow. She would never surrender. And that made her both a threat and an opportunity.

    Amara traced a finger along the sill, drawing invisible patterns. She imagined herself beside Cherry, not as a pawn, not as a tool, but as an equal.

    Someone she could not discard so easily. Someone she needed.

    How to get there? That was the question.

    Amara bit her lower lip. The answer came quickly: prove herself. Show Cherry that she was more than beauty and youth. Show her cunning. Show her teeth.

    If Cherry wanted her as a spy, she would spy. If Cherry wanted her to betray, she would betray. But each act would not just serve Cherry, it would serve Amara, too. Information was power, and Amara would collect it piece by piece until her hands were overflowing.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    A soft knock startled her from her reverie. She stiffened, ncing toward the door.

    "Amara?" It was one of Candy��s girls, her voice hushed. "Are you awake?"

    Amara rose and cracked the door open, her face neutral. The girl��s eyes darted nervously down the hall.

    "Candy wants to see you," she whispered. "Now."

    Amara��s stomach twisted. For a heartbeat, she wondered if Candy knew she had been spying on her, watching her private entanglement with Cherry. But then she remembered Cherry��s eyes, sharp, knowing, deliberately allowing.

    If Candy knew, it was because Cherry had chosen for her to know.

    Amara followed the girl down the narrow hall, her bare feet silent against the wooden floor. They stopped at Candy��s chamber door, and the girl scurried off, leaving Amara alone.

    She entered slowly.

    Candy sat before her mirror, brushing her hair with long, measured strokes.

    Her face in the reflection looked tired, the faintest cracks of age beginning to show around her eyes despite the rouge and powder she wore.

    The room still smelled of her and Cherry, thick with perfume and sweat, almost suffocating.

    "Sit," Candy said without looking at her.

    Amara obeyed, perching on the edge of the bed.

    For a long while, the only sound was the rasp of the brush through Candy��s hair. Then Candy finally spoke, her voice low and unreadable.

    "You saw."

    Amara said nothing.

    Candy��s gaze met hers in the mirror, sharp as a de. "Don��t pretend. You were there. Cherry wanted you there."

    Amara��s pulse quickened, but she kept her face smooth. "If that is what Cherry wished."

    Candy turned then, setting the brush aside. "Cherry is dangerous, Amara. More dangerous than you realize. She will use you, and when she��s done, she will discard you."

    <fnf269> Th? link to the orig?n of this information r?sts ?n f?i?n?d?n?o?v?e?l?</fnf269>

    Amara tilted her head, feigning innocence. "And you wouldn��t?"

    Candy flinched, the corner of her mouth twitching. Then she sighed, shoulders sagging as if weighed down by invisible chains. "You��re clever," she admitted. "Clever enough to survive her. But clever girls like you are the ones who end up broken if they aren��t careful."

    Amara leaned forward, her eyes glinting. "Or the ones who end up on top."

    Silence stretched between them, thick and heavy. Candy studied her, perhaps trying to find some remnant of the girl she had once tucked into silks and jewels, the girl she had tried to protect, or perhaps to own.

    But that girl was gone, burned away by ambition.

    Finally, Candy shook her head. "If you go down this path, there��s no turning back."

    Amara smiled faintly, rising to her feet. "I never intended to turn back."

 Chapter 518: BETRAYAL

    <h4>Chapter 518: BETRAYAL</h4>

    Candy mmed the door of her chamber so hard the hinges rattled. She pressed her back against the wood, her chest heaving. Her fists were balled tight, her nails cutting crescents into her palms.

    That woman. That cursed, unchanging woman.

    For a brief second on that balcony, when Cherry��s mouth was on hers and herughter spilled against her neck, Candy had foolishly allowed herself to believe, just for one heartbeat, that Cherry had chosen her.

    That maybe the exile years and the crown obsession had dulled her hunger. That maybe she wanted a home, a partner, a chance at something other than endless schemes.

    But Cherry hadn��t changed.

    No. She never would.

    Candy stormed across the room, knocking over a vase on the low table.

    It shattered, scattering water and petals across the carpet, but she didn��t care. She wanted the destruction. She wanted something to break as easily as her heart had.

    Cherry had dismissed her, sneered at the idea of walking away. The crown mattered more than Candy��s love, more than their shared memories, more than the years Candy had been foolish enough to carry a torch for her.

    And now Cherry wanted Amara.

    The thought made Candy��s stomach turn. Amara, young, ambitious, beautiful. Fresh blood. A pawn Cherry would move across the board until she was either broken or discarded.

    Candy had once been that pawn. She had once been the "darling" that Cherry had used and abandoned for her greater goals.

    Not again.

    Candy paced back and forth, her anger rising. A dangerous thought slid into her mind like a dagger unsheathed. What if I go to the Queen?

    Rose. Regal, merciless Rose. Cherry��s sister.

    The idea sent a sharp thrill through her veins. What punishment would Rose deliver if she knew her treacherous sibling was plotting? What chains would she bind Cherry with? What exquisite suffering would she create for the woman who had mocked Candy��s devotion?

    It would be justice, Candy told herself. It would be deserved.

    But deep beneath her anger, regret twisted. Part of her still loved Cherry, perhaps always would. And that love felt like a noose tightening around her neck.

    She pressed her hands to her face and sank into the chair by the window. The moonlight spilled across her, painting her skin pale and cold. Her heart warred with her pride.

    If Cherry thought she could y with Candy��s heart and win, she was mistaken.

    A decision hardened within her. She would not sit idle. She would not let Cherry consume Amara the way she had consumed her.

    And so, Candy sent for Amara.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Amara entered with the silent grace of a predator who knew she was watched. Her eyes, wide and deceptively innocent, flickered with curiosity as she stepped into the chamber.

    "You called for me again?" Amara asked, tilting her head ever so slightly.

    "Yes," Candy said quickly, almost sharply. "Sit."

    Amara obeyed, though her lips twitched as if she half-expected another confession of love for Cherry.

    But Candy��s tone was colder now, sharper. "I have a new n. Cherry is not to be trusted. She is a betrayer. And if you tie yourself to her, she will use you and discard you when you no longer serve her."

    Amara blinked, though a faint smile ghosted over her lips. "You speak of betrayal, and yet you speak of betraying her yourself. Why?"

    Candy inhaled sharply. The girl was clever, too clever sometimes.

    "Because this is personal," Candy admitted, her voice trembling with equal parts rage and wounded pride. "Cherry yed with my heart. She promised nothing, gave me nothing, and yet she consumed me all the same. And you..." she jabbed a finger toward Amara, "you are next. She will feed on your ambition, your beauty, your cleverness, and then she will cast you aside as she has done to so many before."

    <fnd977> Content originallyes from find(?)ovel</fnd977>

    Amara��s eyes glittered with intrigue. "So what do you suggest?"

    Candy leaned forward, lowering her voice. "We betray her before she betrays us. We go to Queen Rose. If you do this with me, you will never owe Cherry loyalty. You will never be her pawn."

    Amara studied her in silence, her expression unreadable. She seemed to savor the weight of Candy��s words, rolling them on her tongue before answering.

    "And what would you gain by betraying your... lover?" Amara asked softly, her tone almost mocking.

    Candy flinched. "Do not call her that," she snapped. "She is no lover of mine. Not anymore. This is justice. And I would gain the satisfaction of watching her fall. Of knowing she could not twist me anymore."

    For the first time, Amara allowed herself a small, amused smirk. She leaned back, folding her hands in herp.

    "Very well," she said. "Perhaps you are right. Perhaps Cherry��s hunger will never end. And perhaps aligning with you would be wiser than tying myself to her."

    Relief swept through Candy like cool water. She reached out, grasping Amara��s hand tightly. "Good. Then we move tonight. I will send one of my guards ahead to Queen Rose. He will deliver word of Cherry��s plotting. When the Queen knows, Cherry will be finished."

    Amara nodded slowly, though her eyes remained sharp, calcting.

    ~~~~~~~~~

    That night, after the ns were whispered and the guard dispatched, Amara slipped quietly away from Candy��s chambers.

    Her steps, however, did not lead her back to her quarters. They led instead to the shadowed garden balcony where Cherry often lingered.

    Cherry was there, leaning against the stone rail, her eyes glinting like sharpened steel in the moonlight. She turned as Amara approached, her smile slow and knowing.

    "Well?" Cherry asked softly. "How can I help you?"

    Amara inclined her head, her dark hair falling like a curtain around her face. "She told me everything. She wants to betray you. She wants to send word to the Queen. She said it was personal, that you would use me if I stayed by your side."

    Cherry��s lips curved into a grim smile. She did not flinch at the betrayal; she seemed almost pleased by it. "Thank you," she murmured, her tone low and deliberate. "I will handle it."

    She stepped closer, her eyes burning into Amara��s with a strange, dangerous warmth. "You chose the right side tonight."

    Amara said nothing, only bowed her head. But inside, her mind raced. She had betrayed Candy before she had even finished her n.

    And Cherry... Cherry rewarded betrayal with approval.

    That alone told Amara everything she needed to know.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 519: AUBURN: THE GRANDDAUGHTER

    <h4>Chapter 519: AUBURN: THE GRANDDAUGHTER</h4>

    The following morning brokezily, the sunlight spilling golden through the sheer curtains that drifted with the faint breeze. The vi courtyard smelled faintly of oranges and roses, carried from the garden, but the heavier fragrance of wine and sweat still lingered in the air from the night��s revels.

    Amara moved quietly, her steps measured, the silver tray bnced effortlessly in her hands.

    Behind her, two other servants followed, each carrying tters stacked with roasted bread, fresh figs, goat cheese, and a steaming pot of spiced tea.

    She led them out to the open patio where Coral and Cherry were waiting.

    Cherry, already awake and looking radiant despite the decadence of the night before, lounged against a cushioned seat with her hair brushed into sleek perfection.

    A silk robe of deep burgundy wrapped around her, sliding loosely over one bare shoulder.

    By contrast, Coral sat stiffly across from her, her robe tied tightly, her dark hair messy, her expression one of perpetual irritation.

    "Good morning, my Lady," Amara murmured, bowing her head as she ced the tray down. The servants fanned out, arranging the food elegantly on the carved wooden table.

    Cherry��s lips curled in azy smile as she picked up a slice of bread and tore it delicately.

    She nced at Coral, eyes gleaming with mischief.

    "So, darling niece," Cherry drawled, "how was your night? Did you sleep as well as I did."

    Coral grumbled, shifting in her seat as though the very cushion offended her.

    "Awful," she muttered. "I heard people going at it all night long. Loud, shameless moans echoing through the walls, and the floors creaking as if they would give way. I couldn��t sleep a wink."

    Cherry chuckled, biting into the bread. "Why didn��t you join them, then? A good threesome might��ve cured your insomnia."

    Coral nearly choked on her tea, mming the cup down with a tter.

    "Aunty that is very disgusting, ! I would never, never, do such a vile thing." Her face red in terror.

    Cherry arched a brow, clearly enjoying her sister��s outrage. "Oh, you��re so terribly righteous, aren��t you? Judgmental about other people��s pleasures, and yet..." Her smile sharpened, cutting. "You still refuse to tell anyone who fathered that precious daughter of yours. What a hypocrite."

    Coral��s face darkened, her lips pressing together in a hard line.

    She said nothing, deep down, Coral wished that she could strangle her aunt at that very moment.

    But she was terrified of her aunt so she kept her mouth shut.

    Cherry, satisfied by her silence, shifted her gaze toward Amara. Her tone softened, almost purring.

    "And you, sweet one," she asked, "have you made your decision?"

    Amara��s heart thudded, but her face remained calm as she bowed her head slightly. "Yes, my Lady. I wille with you."

    Cherry��s eyes lit up, a triumphant spark dancing in them. She leaned back against her cushions, looking every inch a queen in waiting. "Wise girl. You��ve chosen the right side."

    Amara forced herself to meet her gaze, her lips curved in a polite, controlled smile. "Thank you, my Lady."

    Before the tension could thicken further, footsteps echoed from the hall.

    Candy appeared, gliding into the patio with her usual flourish. She wore emerald silk, her hair swept elegantly back, though her eyes carried the faint shadow of someone who hadn��t slept well.

    "Well, well," Candy said brightly, her tone deliberately cheerful. "What a charming little breakfast gathering." She took a seat beside Cherry without waiting for permission, reaching for a piece of cheese. "How was everyone��s night?"

    Cherry��s lips curved in a slow, sly smile. "Beautiful," she answered smoothly. She reached out to stroke Amara��s hair with unsettling familiarity. "Especially because dear Amara here has agreed to join our little... arrangement."

    Candy��s smile froze for a moment, though she recovered quickly.

    "That is good news indeed." She pped her hands twice, sharp andmanding.

    The remaining servants bowed and scurried away, leaving only Amara behind, standing uncertainly at Cherry��s side.

    The air grew heavier, quieter. Candy leaned forward, her eyes glinting as they fixed on Cherry. "Now that we are alone, perhaps you��ll share with us your n?"

    Cherry��s gaze flicked to Amara, and then back to Candy.

    She tilted her head, her smile widening into something dangerous. "It��s simple, really. Amara cannot follow me into the pce looking like this." Her hand tugged gently at Amara��s dark hair. "She must be transformed."

    Amara��s brows furrowed, but she kept still.

    Cherry continued, her tone almost yful. "With a little magic, I��ll make her hair burn the shade of fire itself. Red like a me, impossible to ignore." Her eyes gleamed with satisfaction. "And she will no longer be Amara. From this day forward, her name shall be Auburn."

    The word rolled from her tongue like a spell, carrying the weight of a rebirth.

    Amara��s breath caught.

    Auburn. It felt strange, unfamiliar, yet inevitable, as though her identity was already slipping into Cherry��s hands.

    She started to feel like this <strong><i>Auburn</i></strong>.

    With her hair and new personality along with new name.

    She was <strong><i>now </i></strong>Auburn.

    Candy smiled faintly, though her eyes flickered with something Amara couldn��t read. "Auburn," she repeated slowly, tasting the name. Then she looked at Cherry with a knowing little tilt of her head. "How very like you, my dear. Always remaking the world in your image."

    Cherry only smirked, lifting her cup of tea in mock salute. "And why shouldn��t I?"

    The patio filled with silence for a heartbeat, broken only by the chirping of distant birds and the faint rustle of leaves in the breeze. Coral stabbed another piece of fruit with unnecessary force, muttering under her breath about madness and vanity.

    Amara, standing at the center of it all, felt the weight of invisible threads tightening around her.

    Threads spun by Cherry��s ambition, Candy��s schemes, and Coral��s resentment. Whether she liked it or not, she was now "Auburn," a pawn on the board of women who would sacrifice anything for power, love, or revenge.<fn6f56> Original content can be found at find?novel</fn6f56>

 Chapter 520: THE BETRAYER

    <h4>Chapter 520: THE BETRAYER</h4>

    The mirror shimmered faintly with the light spilling in from the balcony windows. Cherry��s hand rested on Amara��s shoulder as though she were a sculptor admiring her masterpiece.

    "Come here," Cherry whispered, her tone smooth, dangerous, yet almost tender. "Look."

    Amara��s eyes widened. Her breath caught as the reflection showed not the in brown hair she had lived with all her life, but a cascade of deep, glimmering red. The color was vibrant, alive, catching in the sunlight like fire.

    "It��s... me?" she murmured, almost reaching to touch the ss instead of her own hair.

    "All of you," Cherry replied, a wicked smile curling her lips. "Every strand. Even the ones hidden away where no eyes but your lover��s might find them. You are red, Amara, through and through."

    Amara��s cheeks flushed, but curiosity won over embarrassment. "Even... there?"

    Cherry��sughter rang, low and mocking. "Of course. Do you think I do things halfway? I��ll perform this spell every two weeks, and the color will hold, no matter who examines you. Your hair between your legs down their is red."

    "Why not dye it?" Amara asked, still staring at her reflection in disbelief.

    "Because," Cherry said, leaning closer, her perfume wrapping around the girl, "the royal family will test your hair with their own magic. They will know if it��s merely dye. But my magic, my darling...." her voice dropped into a whisper, "is stronger than theirs. They will find nothing."

    Amara��s lips parted in wonder.

    For a moment she almost forgot she was only a servant, standing in a room far too grand for her.

    Now she looked like someone who belonged. Someone who could walk into the halls of power and not be turned away.

    "Why Auburn?" she asked softly. "Why the name Auburn? Why can��t I just use my name Amara?"

    Cherry��s eyes gleamed. "Because, little one, every royal must bear a name tied to red. Rose, Scarlett, Cherry, Crimson. You are now Auburn, a name that belongs to the bloodline. A shade of fire. A name with destiny written all over it."

    Amara��s heart pounded. "Auburn..." she whispered, testing the sound on her tongue.

    "And," Cherry added, her smile turning sly, "the Queen will be thrilled to hear that her belovedte daughter, Scarlett, has a daughter of her own. And knowing that your name is shade of red like the entire royal family, she would be happy. Imagine her joy, finding family where she thought there was only loss."

    Amara frowned. "But what story will I tell? How will I exin myself?"

    Cherry squeezed her shoulder. "It��s simple. After your mother drowned, she was taken captive. Scarlett ran away, lost, unable to return. She was raised by a wealthy family in secret, and when she died giving birth to you, you were raised by her adoptive grandparents. They told you the stories of your true blood, and when they died, you came here, searching for your mother��s kin."

    Amara blinked. The tale sounded almost too neat, too perfect. "Wouldn��t they want to meet these grandparents?"

    Candy, who had been lounging idly until then, leaned forward. "That��s true. The Queen��s investigators will dig into every detail."

    "I��ll find people," Cherry said firmly. "Ones loyal enough to y the part. They��ll swear their lives on it. So don��t worry they won��t expose us."

    Candy tilted her head, then smirked. "I can act as your nanny. The faithful servant who raised Auburn from birth. That way, when the Queen asks, there��s someone trusted to vouch for her."

    Cherry��s eyes narrowed ever so slightly. "Why so eager, Candy? Is it because you nned to betray me?"

    The air in the room shifted. Amara felt her stomach tighten.

    Candy��s smirk froze, faltering into confusion.

    "What are you talking about?" Candy asked, her voice tight.

    "I know," Cherry said simply, her words cutting sharper than any de. "I know you thought to run to Rose. To whisper in her ear that I had returned. That I was scheming."

    As if Candy noticed the shift and intense change of energy, she became alert.

    She looked around and called.

    Candy shot a quick nce toward Amara, suspicion shing in her eyes. "You..."

    "Yes," Cherry said calmly. "She told me."

    The silence cracked like thunder. Amara��s breath caught as Candy��s expression twisted, fury and betrayal mingling.

    "You...." Candy hissed, her hands trembling as she began to shift, bones cracking beneath her skin, fur starting to sprout. "How dare you?! After everything I have done for you!"

    "Don��t bother." Cherry��s voice was ice. She flicked her wrist casually. "Your guard won��te. She is already dead."

    Candy��s face drained of color. "W... wh.. what? How can..."

    She didn��t get to finish.

    "I��m sorry to have to do this Candy." Cherry stated in all honesty. "But you made it easier to kill you."

    The shift had barely begun when Cherry raised her hand, fingers curling as though grasping invisible strings.

    Power red, shimmering in the air like a heatwave. A sickening slice tore through the room.

    Candy��s head rolled cleanly from her shoulders. Her body copsed with a dull thud, blood spilling across the polished stone.

    Amara gasped, hands flying to her mouth. Her legs wobbled as she stumbled back, nearly losing her footing.

    Cherry didn��t flinch. She stepped forward, kicking Candy��s lifeless body aside as though it were no more than a broken doll. Her crimson gaze slid back to Amara.

    <fnb725> ???? ????s? ???????s ?? Find_Novel(.</fnb725>

    "You chose wisely," Cherry said, her tone calm, almost gentle. "Had you kept her secret, you��d be lying beside her right now."

    Amara��s chest heaved, her mind screaming with horror and yet, beneath it, something darker stirred. She looked again at the mirror, at the girl with burning red hair staring back at her. Auburn. A royal. Someone who could belong.

    Her hands lowered slowly from her mouth. She swallowed hard.

    "Yes, mydy," Amara whispered, her voice trembling. "I chose the right side."

    Cherry smiled then, a smile full of satisfaction and danger. She reached out, tilting Amara��s chin upward, forcing her to meet her eyes.

    "Remember this moment," Cherry murmured. "It is the first step. Auburn is born today, and nothing, nothing, will stand in her way."

    Behind them, Candy��s blood still pooled on the floor, but Cherry didn��t look back. Neither, after a long moment, did Amara.

 Chapter 521: THE PLAN

    <h4>Chapter 521: THE PLAN</h4>

    So what��s going to happen to her body right now?" coral asked her aunt once they stepped out of the room.

    The girls who had heard their mistress die stood wary of Cherry and her group.

    "Nothing." Cherry shrug her shoulders indifferently.

    "I mean." And then Coral shifted ufortably. "They all know that you killed her. They know us."

    Cherry sighed. "You worry too much Coral. Don��t worry it��s going to be well taken care of."

    Coral hesitated uncertain of her aunt and then followed her along.

    They got to where Cherry��s carriage awaited and her driver remained in his seat.

    As soon as they approached he came down from his seat and walked up to where the door was.

    He opened, and held it for Coral.

    Coral mumbled a "Thank the goddess." as she stepped inside the carriage.

    Cherry went in and then looked at Auburn.

    "What are you waiting for?" Cherry asked the girl. "Get in."

    Auburn hesitated and then got in.

    She sat on the opposite side of the carriage, directly facing Coral and Cherry.

    The carriage began to take off.

    "I��m so d to be done with *that* ce." A well irritated Coral said to herself as she fanned the heat off her face.

    "Now Auburn." Cherry began as she elegantly crossed her legs. "I��m going to tell you what to do. Firstly what is your name?"

    Auburn frowned. "Amara."

    Cherry gave her such a dirty p that Coral herself was stunned.

    Amara pressed her hand on her burning cheek, shocked and in disbelief.

    "You don��t make such mistakes." Cherry said. "We don��t have time to *make* mistakes. The next time you make such a mistake I will draw blood. Do you understand me girl?"

    "Yes mydy." Auburn said her hand still pressed on her now red cheek.

    "Good." Cherry nodded and then repeated her previous question. "Who are you?"

    Auburn was quiet, seemingly trying to make sure she didn��t make the same mistake again.

    "Auburn?" She finally said in question.

    "Better." Cherry said. "You are auburn. And who is Auburn?"

    "I am the grand daughter of the Queen." Auburn said.

    "What else?" Cherry rose a brow.

    Auburn swallowed and fiddled with her dress. "I was adopted by a family after my mother died giving birth. My adoptive family raised me until they told me the truth about my heritage. I came to find my roots."

    Cherry nodded in agreement. "Good. Very good. Remember that your mother had assumed all her life someone had tried to kill her, and that��s why she never returned back home."

    Auburn nodded.

    "Aunt I have to tell you the truth. This story isn��t quite believable. Just anyone cane up with tales that they were Scarlet��s daughter." Coral pointed out.

    "Yes, but not anyone with royal red hair." Cherry said as she yed with Auburn��s new hair in between her finger tips. "There is no magic that can recreate this."

    "And the blood?" Coral asked reasonably.

    "I��ll still have that done. I will use magic to mix your blood with hers so that it can be detected as Royal blood." Cherry exined.

    The carriage drove over a bump and Coralined.

    "My blood? Why mine?" Coral asked unhappily.

    "Because your blood is still royal and mine isn��t anymore." An annoyed Cherry snorted in disgusted.

    She hated being reminded that she wasn��t just striped of her right to be Queen, more was taken away from her.

    Her beautiful red hair, her Royal blood itself had been reced and be regr pleaseant blood and she couldn��t even shift.

    She was left weak and useless to fend for herself.

    Then she turned to face Auburn. "You have to y the part. I can tell you��re a well mannered girl. If we had had the time we would have spent weeks getting you ready. But the earlier you move into the castle the better it is for all of us."

    Auburn nodded numbly.

    "And what about the real grand daughter?" Auburn asked.

    "That dreadful little girl that has refused to die." Cherry poured her lips in anger. "She woulde visiting the pack. That��s about it. Nothing more."

    "What if the Queen doesn��t believe it? What if she knows that the girl is her real daughter?" Auburn asked worried. "What will happen then?"

    "Then I will dispose of you!" Cherry hissed and Auburn was filled with dread. "What use are you to me if it doesn��t work?"

    Auburn looked mortified.

    Cherry twisted her face and gave a smile. "You need to understand that this is an advantage to you and me. I need this. You want this. If you ruin this for me then my wrath.... Well.... You saw what happened to Candy."

    There was a chilling silence in the room.

    <fn8216> Discover more novels at findnovel</fn8216>

    Cherry looked at the window. "You would be found outside the castle��s walls where the guards would be. I would assign guards who are secretly loyal to me to be the ones to bring you in."

    "I can��t bring you in because my sister��s husband hates me and anything that wreaks of me, he would reject it. So he can never know that you and I have met. No one can know."

    Auburn nodded. "Yes mydy."

    "You would tell them that you are the Queen��s grand daughter. They will bring you in to the Queen."

    Then Cherry pulled out something from one of her pockets.

    Something she had made the night before.

    "Wear this." She handed her a gold ne with an emerald pendant that was partly broken.

    Auburn collected it and wore it round her neck.

    Coral��s eyes widened. "Aunt? Where did you get that from?"

    "I made it." Cherry said to the women. "The night before we traveled. Auburn, it��s a ne that Scarlett had before she drowned. It Is a very special and also a very dangerous ne that only the royal family is allowed to wear. If you remove it from your neck there will be chaos."

 Chapter 522: THE EMERALD PENDANT

    <h4>Chapter 522: THE EMERALD PENDANT</h4>

    "What do you mean by Chaos?" Auburn asked scared.

    She had thought that this was just going to be simply her impersonating a girl that barely existed.

    But now here she was, in the middle of both murder and sudden chaos.

    But her greed had gotten the best of her and she moreover she had already made it here.

    There was going to be no stopping her now.

    "The one who would be the next crowned King or Queen usually wears the emerald ne. It was a gift from the goddess herself." Cherry said. "It is also a curse. During her creation, she didn��t just make wolves she made monsters too. To seal the monsters off and protect us, she created the emerald. You can only hand the emerald in very rare instances. Usually when an heir has been born."

    "Scarlett your fake mother had it when she drowned. It would be a signifying story that you are truly her grand daughter, because your mother gave you when she was dying after child birth. And you have never taken it ever since."

    <fn4e72> The rightful source is FindN()vel</fn4e72>

    Auburn fingered the emerald ne that now hung well over her chest.

    It glistened.

    "What happens when I take it off?" Auburn asked.

    "You would never take it over." Cherry warned. "Well.... Assuming this were the real one, then chaos would unleash. Monsters would start to spring up from the ground."

    Auburn��s face was terrified and Cherryughed aloud.

    "But this isn��t the real one." Cherry said. "If it were then you would be dead if you tried taking it off."

    "What if Queen Rose takes it off?" Auburn asked.

    "She won��t. Because she knows it herself. And even if she attempts to, then you would stop her because you were told that bad things would happen to you if you ever tried to." Cherry said. "That would make her believe you more."

    Auburn nodded and for a while the ride was quiet.

    "What happened to the real Scarlet?" Auburn asked.

    "I drowned her." Coral said bluntly.

    Auburn became tight lipped and turned to face the window.

    The silence continued until they came to a halt.

    "Get down." Cherry instructed.

    Auburn did as she was told and then very gently came down from the carriage.

    Auburn looked around and saw it was an old abandoned cabin.

    "This is a town very close to the Royal Wolf castle." Cherry educated her. "You will stay here for three days and on the fourth you woulde to the royal castle."

    "Why so long?" Auburn asked as she shivered.

    "Because if you came today then my brother inw would smell something amiss." Cherry said. "Stay here and make sure you don��t leave until that fourth. There are clothes for you to wear and a good to conceal your identity as you travel. Remember what I told you? Find your way to the gates and inform them who you are. The rest would be handled."

    The driver shut the door and went back to his seat.

    "Do not fail me." Cherry said as a very strict and straightforward warning.

    And with that the carriage resumed its journey.

    Auburn watched them go until they were out of eyesight.

    She began to worry that perhaps she had made a mistake.

    But when she remembered about Candy��s body she trembled.

    Then she remembered everything she had been promised.

    The good things she was going to have.

    She smiled to herself and became filled with excitement.

    She was going to make Cherry so proud that Cherry would always want her around.

    Auburn, Princess of the entire Wolf world.

    Who would have ever known her luck?

    She gently touched the emerald ne on her neck as she went into the cabin

    ?

    Jasmine absent mindedly fingered the emerald ne that had been on her neck all her life as she sat looking into the space.

    She was in the astrology room and seated by the beautiful windows that overlooked the entire pack.

    It had be her happy ce.

    Her one ce where she could escape how deeply she felt.

    All her life, she had had no one.

    The ones she had grown to have had died along the way.

    Fate was so cruel to her.

    The goddess hated her.

    She was alone.

    She hugged her arms together.

    Very soon she was going to be in the Royal kingdom.

    The Queen herself had requested to see her.

    Perhaps fate had decided tond her another blow.

    Maybe the Queen now hated her and wanted to have her killed.

    And as usual the Queen would finally meet Anna and adore her.

    She sighed heavily to herself.

    Whatever was going to happen, it was better than being here.

    She didn��t want to remember.

    She hated this ce so much it made her skin crawl in disgust.

    She didn��t want to remember that her baby had died here.

    She didn��t want to remember that Xaden, the cat he of her child had used her of having an affair with a man who had kidnapped her.

    How she wished she had never left Alpha Hunter��s pack!

    He was a better man than Xaden ever was to her.

    It was allced with Anna��s lies.

    And to think that Xaden believed Anna.

    Jasmine shook her head.

    Whatever her fate was, she needed space from the pack.

    She slowly got up from the balcony she had been sitting on and walking to the beautiful shelves filled with books he had given her freedom to learn from.

    She picked up the one she had recently found.

    Histe mother��s journal.

    She gently touched it and when she was about to drop it, something within her told her to hold on to it.

    So she did.

    And for the first time in her life, Jasmine stole something that did not belong to her.

    A dark shadowy figure that had been watching her from outside the shut window, loomed over.

    As of satisfied with what it had seen, it turned and disappeared away.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 523: CHERRY’S RETURN

    <h4>Chapter 523: CHERRY��S RETURN</h4>

    Once Cherry had given Auburn her final instructions, she snapped her fingers at the driver and then the carriage resumed.

    They were quiet for a while and then Coral took in a deep breath and turned to face Cherry.

    "Are you sure this is going to work?" Coral asked.

    "It will." Cherry insisted. "There is no room for failure."

    "And what will happen to Belle?" Coral asked sensibly. "Belle is supposed to be Queen. Now that this imposter is here it��s going to contradict everything."

    "It doesn��t contradict anything." Cherry answered annoyed. "It��s all still going to be the same thing. Would you rather your mother finds out that Jasmine is her grand daughter and then realizes that you killed your sister?"

    "Apparently I didn��t kill her." Coral said grimly.

    "And whose fault is that?" Cherry demanded.

    Coral didn��t respond and turned to face the open window.

    "Better."

    Coral hated being reminded of her mistakes.

    She had hated Scarlett her entire life and she didn��t regret killing her.

    The one thing she regretted was the fact that she hadn��t seeded in killing her.

    Now this was a mess.

    "Don��t you wonder how she survived? Scarlett? Survived so long that she managed to wind up as a ve in the moonlight pack and even have a child?!" Coral said horrified.

    "I do. Asked everyone for information but no one has anything about her. It was like she had just appeared one day and started living there. Stupid Jasmine doesn��t even know how she got there. The only people who could tell us now, are dead." Cherry replied grimly.

    "How did she even survive that drowning? Why didn��t shee back?" A distraught Coral looked. "Ever since I found out that she lived, I have had terrible thoughts. What if she came straight home and told them I pushed her."

    "Well that didn��t happen did it? Imagining things that never happened wouldn��t do us any good don��t you think?" Cherry rose a brow as she picked out a sk of alcohol from her bag.

    And for that Coral was grateful.

    Grateful that that had never happened.

    It would have been a disaster.

    "The earlier we know how she came alive the better. You said it after all. A witch told mother that her grand daughter was alive." Coral sniffed. "That person coulde back."

    Cherry rubbed her brows seemingly annoyed by the numerous questions Coral had for her.

    "That won��t happen either. I put a warding spell around the entire kingdom. Before any witch steps inside I would be informed." Cherry replied gruffly.

    "What about Marie? The witch you took us to?" Coral asked.

    "Good goddess! You��re like yourself as an annoying child all over again. All these questions you pose." Cherry snapped irritated.

    "I can��t help it." Coral answered. "From the moment you returned things have beening to light."

    Cherry��s eyes narrowed cunningly. "Are you perhaps, ming it on me?"

    "No of course not." Coral replied hastily.

    Goddess. She hoped that the ride would be over soon!

    Staying overwhelmed with her aunt in the carriage drove her insane.

    "I��m just a little worried." Coral admitted.

    "Then find a way to stop it!" Cherry replied in disgust. "Me returning back to the kingdom was the best thing that could happen. Jasmine would still have found her way into the royal family and you would have had to deal with it all on your own. You��re so ungrateful. After everything I��ve sacrificed for you?"

    Coral started to feel small.

    <fn8312> Get full chapters from FindN0vel</fn8312>

    "I��m sorry aunt." Coral apologized.

    Cherry ignored the apology and went on. "As for Marie she won��t say anything. She has boundaries she can��t cross. I also can��t go to her for assistance because I believe she suspects us for killing her sister."

    Coral sighed in exhaustion and leaned back in her sear.

    Hourster, they began riding into the castle walls.

    Their carriage came to a halt and the doors were opened.

    Guards arrived to help them out.

    "Mother!"

    It was none other than Belle.

    Belle rushed and hugged to hug Coral.

    Coral embraced her daughter.

    She kissed her cheek.

    "How was the journey aunt?" Belle asked Cherry.

    "Tiring." Cherry drawled. "But assisting the people of this kingdom is never a bad idea."

    "Coral!"

    It was none other than King Rnd himself.

    He was standing with some of his men.

    "Father." Coral swallowed as she went to greet her father.

    "Where did you go?" He asked before she could greet him.

    "Aunt Cherry and I went to assist with some charitable work." Coral said.

    "I��m not all bad Rnd." Cherry said with a smile.

    "Fully grown snakes never shed their skin." He hissed with a tone of disgust.

    "I��m offended Rnd." Cherryughed.

    He turned to face his daughter and he had on a mask of thunder. "You left without my permission!"

    "I��m not a child father!" Coral cried. "I have a twenty year old daughter for the sake of the goddess."

    "It��s that thought process of you not being a child thatnded you with one." Rnd snapped.

    Coral��s mouth dropped in shock at her father��s harsh words.

    "Rnd how can you say such a thing!" Rose��s tiny voice barely a shout said.

    She hurried to where they stood. "How can you say such a thing to you own daughter? And in the front of the servants for heaven��s sake."

    "Am I wrong or Am I right?" He answered back at Rose.

    Rose was taken aback by his sharpness.

    "You always take her side." He spat in anger.

    Rose blinked in shock.

    "What has gotten into you?" Rose whispered sharply as she touched his arm.

    "Everything!" He shouted so loud that all the people standing going by their own business had to turn.

    He was breathing so hard, and in a split second he stormed off.

    Rose managed a weak smile. "Ignore your father he is a bad mood."

    Coral stormed off refusing to hear whatever her mother had to say.

    Belle went after her

    Rose proceeded to attempt to go after Coral but Cherry held her hand back.

    "Don��t. She won��t listen to you. She sees me more as her mother. I��ll calm her down." Cherry said.

    A sh of hurt went across Rose��s face that her sister was more her daughter��s mother than she was.

    But Rose simply took a step back and nodded in approval as Cherry went after her.

    Leaving Queen Rose neglected.

 Chapter 524: THE IMPOSTER

    <h4>Chapter 524: THE IMPOSTER</h4>

    Three dayster, in the early hours of the morning.

    Auburn was ready.

    She had spent thest three days in the lonely cabin filled with excitement.

    And now that the day hade she was filled with anxiety and tempted to run away.

    She didn��t think she even had such an option.

    Cherry had shown her what she could do and won��t take long in hunting her.

    She swallowed and put on herst outfit.

    A brown hoodie that concealed her false red hair and covered her entire dress.

    And Cherry had been right.

    Even down there was red.

    She had on a simple but elegant dress.

    Cherry had said that the king most likely would ept her more if she was graceful.

    She was said to be the opposite of the really grand daughter which was to her advantage.

    No one wanted a ve for a grand daughter.

    And now Auburn was grateful for how well Candy had raised and taken care of her.

    To be as delicate as a flower.

    Although Candy had brewing her to be her best and favorite whore.

    Thank the goddess that she was dead.

    She checked herself to be sure everything was in ce.

    She gently touched the green ne on her chest and closed her eyes.

    She could do this.

    Then she stepped out of the cabin and began her journey.

    She walked patiently to see perhaps peasant wolves in vegetable carriages going along the royal pce.

    And lucky enough one did.

    An old farmer and his children.

    "Morning sir. Can I please get a ride?" Auburn had called out.

    "Where are you going to?" He asked once he held the ropes of the horses to keep them out.

    "Good morning. I��m headed towards the royal pce. I have business there." She said.

    "We��re going to the pce itself." He said to her delight. "We can give you a ride if you squeeze yourself in between the potatoes and sand down there."

    "Thank you so much!" She said in gratitude.

    One of his teenage sons offered her a hand to assist her in climbing up the carriage.

    Once she did, she managed to find a big so dirty seat and sat.

    "What��s your name?" He asked as the horse walked.

    "Auburn." She said.

    "Such a fine." He said: "My name is Philip. Those are my kids with you."

    She nodded at the children.

    <fn369f> Th? link to the orig?n of this information r?sts ?n findnovel</fn369f>

    They were four children filled at the back with her.

    A teenage boy, two teenage girls and a boy most like around the age of twelve.

    They all waved nicely at her.

    "What are you going in for?" He asked as he dragged the rolling cart along."

    "Visiting family." She said. "Actually I��ve never been to the royal pce before."

    "Oh you haven��t?" He asked. "Well it��s your lucky day then. Usually the guards won��t let you go near the first gates talk less of the second unless you have official reason to."

    He spat the stick he had been chewing. "I deliver vegetables to the kitchens so I��m always let in."

    "It really is my lucky day." She said with a smile. "What��s the royal family like?"

    "I��ve never met them." He shrugged his shoulders. "But the Queen is a delight. Just that she went a little crazy in the head after she lost her daughter. You can��t me her can you? If I lost any of my kids probably would happen to me too."

    She nodded numbly.

    "So most of the decisions made the King handles them." He said. "She used to be a very lovely Queen. So kind and ready to help. It was in her good health and early years as Queen that I got this job opportunity."

    "I see." She nodded.

    She hadn��t expected to gather more information from anyone.

    "Heard that they wanted Alpha Xaden of crescent pack to marry her grand daughter. But that man is almost like a rogue. I don��t think he agreed."

    Alpha Xaden?

    She had heard of him.

    Who hadn��t?

    The man who had been presumed dead but came back to life to avenge his family.

    All the girls on the whore house gushed on about him.

    Then it hit her.

    "Grand daughter?" She thought aloud.

    "Yes. The Queen had twins. One of her daughter died the other survived. The one who survived had her own child." He said.

    Auburn blinked.

    Coral.

    Cherry��s niece had a daughter? So this supposed daughter was now her cousin?

    Howe they had never mentioned this aspect?

    "Her name is Princess Belle." One of his daughters said. "And you never want to be on her bad side."

    "My daughter works as a servant in the castle." He nodded.

    So Coral has a nasty daughter?

    Auburn already sighted rivalry.

    She was going to make sure the Queen loved her so that she would be indispensable.

    And who knew? She could have Alpha Xaden for herself.

    "I just hope she gets better." He said.

    "Who?" Auburn asked confused.

    "The Queen." He emphasized.

    "I hope so too." She agreed quickly.

    The journey went on and about four hourster, she found themselves approaching therge castle walls.

    The man drove further in and soon they were on a line with other carriages to enter the pce.

    Auburn saw guards at the gate and began to shake in fear.

    One by one carriages went in and some were rejected.

    When it got to their turn, Auburn shook in fear.

    "Good morning sir!" She heard Philip greet.

    She was too terrified to look up and see what was going on.

    "Wee back Philip." The guard greeted. "Sleep well?"

    "I did." Philip nodded. "Hope you did too."

    "I sure did. Free to go." The guard waves.

    "Thank you sir." Philip greeted and then the cart began rolling.

    "Stop!" The guards dered.

    Auburn��s heart instantly froze and then began to beat rapidly.

    She heard the guards footsteps approach round the carriage ande to her side where she sat.

    She felt him draw nearer to her and she knew that she had been caught.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 525: The Imposter’s arrival

    <h4>Chapter 525: The Imposter��s arrival</h4>

    "Here it fell off." The guard said.

    Huh?

    Auburn was confused.

    She looked from under the hood and saw the guard was holding out a turnip.

    She was quite confused for a split second before it finally but her.

    She hurriedly collected the turnip before he noticed anything weird from her.

    "Thank you." She smiled.

    He nodded at her, stood aside and then let them pass.

    Auburn��s heart was beating so fast she thought it would hop out of her chest.

    Thank the goddess.

    She was so scared and her hands were sweaty despite the fact that it was cold morning.

    "Are you okay?" One of the children asked.

    "Oh... I��m fine." Auburn said with a smile.

    Once they were away from therge gates, Auburn took in a deep sigh of relief.

    It was only then her heart could calm down to a better running rate.

    Still racing fast but not as fast as before.

    She heard the carriagee to a stop and then Phillip announced.

    "You cane down now girl." He said.

    She smiled happily and was assisted ining down by the children.

    Once she her feet touched the grounds, she looked around to take in the scenerey.

    It was magnificent.

    Just on the outside.

    It was a massive castle that despite how old it looked, didn��t seem to be run down.

    There was green everywhere, butterflies moving around, guards, people going by their day to day duties, fountains.

    It was like a dream.

    She had never in her life expected to find herself here.

    "So where are you headed again?" Phillip interrupted her thought process and she snapped back to reality.

    "Oh.... Uhmmm... I��ll find my family members once I ask the guards for help." She lied.

    "Are you sure? You said it��s your first time here." He stated as he and his children started to unpack the vegetables from the old cart.

    She gave a tight smile. "Thank you very much. I appreciate that. But I believe from here on I would be fine on my own."

    He nodded.

    "Thank you for the ride." She appreciated.

    "Anytime." He said and went on with his duties.

    She walked away from where they stood and walked the pce grounds.

    She saw that apart from the main gates, there was another set of gates that prevented regr people from entering.

    She saw guards standing there.

    There were two standing together on each pir and made them over a dozen.

    She remembered what Cherry had told her.

    Tell them who she was and they would help her.

    She took in a deep breath and walked to the guards standing in front of the main gates.

    "Get back!" The guards said in unison before she got any closer.

    "I want to go inside." She said.

    "What business do you have?" One asked.

    "I��m looking to see Queen Rose." She responded.

    <fneb38> Th?s chapter is updated by fin?novel</fneb38>

    "Have you any official letter informing you to visit the Queen?" He asked.

    "No. But I know the Queen would want to see me. This is important." She exined.

    "Without any information allowing you see the Queen, you cannot be allowed to see her." He said.

    "I��m the Queen��s grand daughter." She finally opened up.

    They looked at her each other first and then at her like she was insane.

    "You think this is a joke?" He asked. "Another impersonator to use the Queen��s distress for your own personal benefit?!"

    "Get out before we arrest you!" He warned.

    "I��m the Queen��s grand daughter." She repeated.

    As if theirmander knew something was amiss, he approached the growing confrontation.

    "What��s going on here?" He asked once he stood by their side.

    "One of those impersonators are here again." The first guard told him.

    "This time she isn��t the princess Scarlet, but Princess Scarlett��s daughter." The second informed him.

    Their leader looked at her.

    "Get the fuck out of here before I send you out myself." He spat in rage.

    "My mother was princess Scarlett. I have proof to show that she was my mother." She expressed.

    The leader filled with anger grabbed her and proceeded to drag her out of the gates.

    She squirmed and twisted.

    Then she pulled her hood down and pushed him away.

    Her red hair revealed itself and everyone looked at her in shock.

    She was breathing quite hard now, all eyes on her.

    The guard looked at her.

    He stood staring as if he had seen a ghost.

    She has red hair.

    Who is she?

    A royal family member.

    She could hear the whispers of the men and women around.

    He proceeded to grab her hand again. "Do you want me to haul you out myself? Feed you to the dogs?! How much do you want?!"

    She squirmed again.

    And then he grabbed her hair, holding a handful. "What? You dyed your hair? Just like everyone else."

    She pushed him away but was too weak and fell down to the floor herself.

    Then she took in a very deep breath.

    "I want to see the Queen. And even if you��re going to take me to the dungeon at least let me see the Queen first." Auburn said bravely.

    Her insides were shaking and she knew that if she touched her forehead she was going to be sweating.

    Just before he reached out to grab her arm and haul her up, someone came in.

    "Enough."

    She looked to the side and it was another guard.

    He seemed different and of a higher rank.

    He had brown hair with streaks of grey sprouting out, perhaps in his lte forties.

    "Let the girl be." He said.

    The man over her squeezed his fist together but did as he was told.

    The new wolf walked up to her.

    "I will take you to the Queen." He began. "But when we finally find out you are an imposter, I will rip you in my wolf form to pieces. Do you understand?"

    She nodded trembling and soon she found herself being led into the castle walls.

 Chapter 526: The unexpected guest

    <h4>Chapter 526: The unexpected guest</h4>

    Rose was busy in her private garden in the early hours of the morning minding her flowers.

    It was the one thing she was allowed to do that tooo her mind off her misery.

    Her life was in absolute chaos.

    Her marriage was non existent.

    Her status as Queen reduce to barely nothing.

    Her health? Still healing from being poisoned.

    Her rtionship with her daughter and sister deteriorated.

    She felt more lonely than ever.

    The witch who had told her about Jasmine was still nowhere to be found.

    It was like she had vanished into thin air.

    Now she knew that Scarlett had died.

    How that had happened she had zero idea.

    But the thought that Scarlett had had a child.

    She felt her gloved hands tremble as she worked on the soil.

    She had to find her.

    She had to make things right at least.

    "Don��t kill your self Rose."

    It was Hildegard.

    Her personal maid since she was a child and her best friend.

    Hildegard stood at the door of the ss garden.

    <fnd4ac> Get full chapters from F?nd-Novel</fnd4ac>

    Rose went back to work on the weeds around the flowers.

    "I��m just cleaning out weeds." Rose mumbled.

    "I know you too well." Hildegard said as she gently walked up to where Rose knelt.

    Rose picked up a chrysanthemum that had fallen for the stalk.

    "Coral hates me. I can��t even me her for that." Rose said. "And my sister is literally her mother. What a joke I am."

    Hildegard crossed her brows. "Don��t let that get to you. Coral is an adult. A grown woman. She can��t keep on ming you for the past."

    Rose went from kneeling by her nts to sitting on the wet soil in exhaustion.

    "I just...." She went quiet. Then she shook her head. "Look at me. I��ve be a shadow of myself. Still feel the effect of the poison."

    "Which also isn��t your fault." Hildegard said going low to the ground with her. "Yes you made mistakes. Things could have been better. But you survived. You don��t give yourself any credit."

    Rose sighed as she looked down on the crumbled chrysanthemum that remained on herps.

    Hildegard yfully pushed her. "You have something to look forward to. Jasmine ising soon.

    Rose smiled.

    "Aren��t you happy that you will get to see her?" Hildegard asked as she sat we with her on the soil.

    "I am. Truly." Rose said a smile spread across her face. "She is such a sweet girl. After everything she has gone through. That girl still has so much faith and perseverance. Never quite seen anyone like her."

    "Same." Hildegard said leaning against her shoulder.

    Rose took in a deep breath. "I��m just worried about the decision they want to make on her behalf. The council would want to punish her for these rumours of her kidnapping. I can��t let Rnd handle them, he dislikes her and would give her the death penalty if given the chance to."

    "Do you think she was capable of it?" Hildegard asked.

    "From what I��ve seen so far? No." Rose said.

    "Then there you have it." Hildegard prompted. "Make the decision yourself. You are Queen and it��s in your power to pass judgement over her. Rnd might use her as amb to the ughter to appease the angry council."

    "I hate politics." Rose said annoyed.

    "Don��t we all?" Hildegard rose a brow.

    Hildegard looked up and saw some guards gathering at the ss door.

    Hildegard got up to her feet. "I��ll be right back. Do give me a few minutes."

    Rose nodded absent mindedly as she resumed tending to her flowers and trying her best not to think of her predicament.

    Then a few minutester, Hildegard returned.

    Rose turned to look up at her.

    She saw Hildegard��s face had changed.

    Her heart raced instantly.

    She knew something was wrong.

    "What has happened?" She asked quickly sit up to her knees.

    "It��s nothing really serious." Hildegard hung between words.

    "And?" Rose prompted her to keep up speaking.

    "It��s just that." Hildegard finally continued. "There is another imposter in the castle."

    Rose��s stomach dropped.

    Since she had lost Scarlett, she had had numerous peopleing to im they were her daughter.

    None of them were.

    It had put Rose in a state of peril because with every single impersonator that came, came the hope that perhaps it was her daughter.

    And the hope was always destroyed.

    But now she knew better.

    She turned her back to Hildegard.

    "They can leave." She said grimly. My daughter isn��t alive anymore."

    "That is the problem." She heard Hildegard say. "The person didn��t say they were your daughter."

    Rose froze.

    "They said they were your grand daughter." Hildegard expressed.

    Rose��s face went red and her skin broke out with goosebumps.

    She got up to her feet.

    "What did you say?" She demanded.

    "The person said she is your grand daughter. Not your daughter." Hildegard said.

    Rose became pale.

    How many people knew that she was no longer looking for her daughter but grand daughter now?

    She felt a chill down her spine and shivered.

    Was it true? Has her grand daughter nowe to find her?

    "W... wh.... Where is this person now?" She stuttered

    "Being held by the guards." Hildegard exined. "Do you want them to send her away?"

    "No!" Rose snapped to quickly.

    And then she hurried out of the garden pushing past the guards at the ss door.

    She hurried down the hallways, anxiously taking off her gloves and flinging them to the ground as she went on barefoot.

    Her heart raced on, her wolf hungry and her body at an abnormal speed.

    "Take it easy." Hildegard said from behind along with the many other guards following her.

    But she paid them no heed.

    She went down the massive stairs until she came to the door of the stairs.

    There were guards around a small figure.

    The figure was being held hostage as though a stranger and the figure had fire red hair.

    The smal figure as if sensing her, turned around and faced her.

    Rose instantly saw her daughter.

    Scarlett

 Chapter 527: THE GRAND DAUGHTER

    <h4>Chapter 527: THE GRAND DAUGHTER</h4>

    QUEEN ROSE��S POV

    Queen rose just stood staring at the figure before.

    She was unable to move, say a word.

    The girl probably around the age of twenty had pale skin and vibrant red hair that was straight.

    Just like hers.

    Hershes were of a light color and her brows were equally a light shade of red.

    She had full pink lips, a nose that resembled herte daughter and spectacr blue eyes.

    Just like Scarlett had had.

    Rose just stood staring at the girl unable to breathe a single word.

    There had been so many imposters.

    People who hade assuring that she was herte daughter.

    Fortune hunters who hade to steal her wealth.

    Take advantage of the misery of a woman who had lost her child.

    A woman so stricken with grief that she gone through every single one of the imposters until her husband had said he had enough with them.

    But this was her first time having someonee as her grand daughter.

    Could this be true?

    She barely heard when Hildegard finally caught up with her behind

    She slowly found confidence in herself and gently walked up to the girl.

    Then the girl was forcefully grabbed by the guards and pushed down to the floor.

    "Get on you knees and pay respect to the Queen!" The ordered her as they pushed her down to her knees.

    "No don��t!" Rose finally spoke almost rushing in to stop them.

    The guards seemed surprised by her disy but wisely did as they were told.

    The girl slowly got up from her feet and rubbed her arms.

    The girl looked down at her feet.

    Rose looked at her a few inches apart as the girl rubbed her arm in hurt.

    "I��m sorry about." Rose managed to say with a weak smile. "Are you hurt?"

    The girl showed her wrists. "No your majesty."

    Rose swallowed.

    "What is your name?" Rose questioned.

    "Auburn." The girl said.

    Rose felt her heart stop.

    Auburn.

    A shade of red.

    Thest Auburn they had had, was one of her ancestors three generations ago.

    Rose swallowed. "And who gave you that name?"

    "My mother." Auburn said softly her eyes still downcast.

    Rose took a very deep breath in an attempt to calm her own self down.

    "Who are you and what do you want?" Rose finally asked the question that came through her mind.

    Usually, when the impersonators came, they would be seen in the throne room.

    But this was unlike anything.

    Rose stood there talking to Auburn in the middle of the castle, where the guards were.

    Where the servants would hear.

    She didn��t care.

    Hildegard came up to her from behind.

    "Rose maybe you want to take this inside?" Hildegard whispered to her ears.

    But Rose��s mind was set elsewhere.

    She was focused on Auburn.

    "I��ve asked you a question. Who are you and what do you want?" Rose asked.

    <fnd04a> N?w ?ovel chapt?rs are published on FindN0vel</fnd04a>

    Hildegard sighed and proceeded to whisper the guards to make sure all the servants were not eavesdropping.

    "Look at me girl!" Rose demanded in urgency.

    The girl named Auburn lifted her eyes to look at Rose and they made contact eye ball to eye ball.

    "My name is Auburn." Auburn repeated. This time a lot morefortably. "I think I��m your grand daughter."

    Rose thought she was going to faint.

    She stumbled back and then Hildegard rushed before any of the guards to hold her waist.

    Auburn rushed to assist too, but Hildegard shed her a warning look and Auburn stopped right in her tracks.

    "You need to sit." Hildegard urged as she tried to pull her aside.

    "No." Rose whispered and stubbornly tried to shake off the wave of dizziness that had enveloped her.

    Her delicate fingers massaged her temple.

    "Your husband won��t be too please if he sees this." Hildegard said. "And with good reason."

    Rose ignored her best friend as she rubbed her temples and then turned to look at the girl before.

    Frankly she didn��t care what Rnd had to say or do.

    All that mattered was this moment.

    "What proof do you have?" Rose asked her heart beating. "Or are you here to torment me just like the others have? I��m looking for my daughter not a grand daughter."

    She wanted to act as though she didn��t know she had a grand daughter somewhere.

    "M... my mother, she died a long time ago." Auburn said tears already filling her eyes. "She died giving birth to me."

    Rose swallowed.

    "I asked you what proof do you have that you are my grand daughter?" Rose asked. "Other than the fact your hair is red. You dyed it like the others have didn��t you?"

    Auburn gently touched her long straight red hair as if reflecting on herself.

    "My hair has been this way my entire life your majesty." Auburn said softly. "I��ve never dyed it."

    It was not an open secret that people with Red hair only belonged to members of the royal family.

    But there were exceptions of people like Jasmine whom she had met had red hair.

    Jasmine��s was suspected to be as a result of her being an unshifted.

    Research on unshifted wolves as they were scarce, was still very vague.

    But here before Rose, stood a girl iming she had never had her dyed before

    "We shall see." Rose said. "Is that all you have? Your hair being red?"

    Auburn looked down at her feet.

    Rose��s hopes fell instantly.

    She didn��t know how this imposter knew she was looking for a grand daughter.

    But this was thest time she was going to be fooled.

    "Take her away." Rose said turning her back on the girl.

    The guards rushed her and began dragging her away

    "Wait! Your majesty!" The girl was weeping from behind. "Your majesty please listen to me! I have the emerald ne my mother gave to me before she died! She said you had given it to her when she was just a child!"

 Chapter 528: THE EMERALD PENDANT

    <h4>Chapter 528: THE EMERALD PENDANT</h4>

    Rose who had already been leaving and was already drowning out the imposter��s screams stopped when she heard those words.

    *Emerald ne *

    That was information that only close members of the royal family knew about.

    Rose froze and goosebumps came across her body.

    Her body hairs stood alert and the she whirled around to face the girl.

    "Stop!" Rose said and hurried to them.

    She pushed the guards off the girl and they retreated.

    She began told the girl fervently as though if she let go, the girl would disappear.

    "What emerald ne?" Rose demanded.

    The girl tried to free herself from Rose��s grip and rose tightened her hold.

    "Your majesty please I only wish to show you." The girl said.

    It was only then did Rose release her and she watched in amazement as the girl reached for inside the front bodice of her dress before releasing an emerald pendant.

    Rose��s face went white.

    This was the emerald pendant.

    The one that her family had had for thousands of years.

    The one ever royal family expected to ascend the throne had worn.

    Now, trembling hands extended the pendant to Rose, who hesitated before taking it.

    Slowly, Rose��s knees buckled as she recognized the secret marks carved into the back.

    She held the pendant up to the candlelight, heart pounding so loudly she feared the guards would hear it.

    Then, her eyes darted to the girl��s, searching for any hint of deception.

    But the girl��s blue eyes brimmed only with fear, not guile.

    Rose pressed the emerald against her palm, struggling to control her trembling voice.

    "How did youe by this ne?" Her suspicion faded as memories of her long-lost daughter flickered.

    "I told you the truth your majesty." The girl expressed almost tearfully. "My mother gave it to me before she died."

    Rose was trembling.

    She wanted to copse.

    The Queen tried to pull the entire ne away and then Auburn stopped her.

    Almost acting erratic.

    "No please! Your majesty don��t! I was warned to never take it off! If I did bad things would happen!" Auburn screamed grabbing the nes back.

    Rose was stunned.

    Stunned because it was true.

    Everyone knew.

    If the Emerald was taken off a wearer or royal blood then monsters would be unleashed.

    Like the time the sea monster had appeared.

    Was that why a sea monster had unleashed itself?

    Perhaps Auburn had let go of it once and then it escaped?

    Which terrified Rose more because no one outside the Royal family knew about it.

    But she had told Scarlett when she was a child and made sure she knew it all through.

    Was this really true?!

    "How do you know this?" She asked.

    At that very moment a door opener and then Cherry came in.

    "What��s going on?" Cherry asked confused.

    Cherry froze at the girl in red. "Who is this?! Another imposter?!"

    But Rose ignored her sister and faced the girl with more questions.

    "I asked you who told you this?" Rose demanded.

    "I��ve told you my mother." Auburn repeated .

    "You said your mother died so howe you know this?!" Rose demanded almost at the verge of tears.

    "Before she died she told her adoptive parents. She informed them everything when she was dying and they in turn told me."

    "My mother died and the good people who had raised her as their own, took me in. It was them who told me everything about my mother and where she hade from." Auburn exined further. "They said she named me because I was a shade of red. Just like everyone else in her family��s."

    Rose thought she was going to lose her mind.

    Here was a bitter sweet moment.

    Her daughter was now confirmed dead, but yet had given her a grand daughter.

    Rose now gently held them girl, touched her face and her fingers trailed her beautiful long red hair.

    <fn0430> Th?s chapter is updated by F��nd��ovel</fn0430>

    The tears going down her cheeks.

    "Oh Scarlett. What did you do?" Rose said and then she gathered Auburn into her arms and hugged her tight.

    She wept so much as she embraced her, refusing to let go.

    Auburn seemed stiff and rigid from the hug at first and the eventually melted and hugged her back.

    Rose��s heart sank once she felt the eptance of her grand daughter.

    She wept uncontrobly. "After all this years. After so much has happened."

    She refused to let go until she realized she was suffocating the girl.

    Reluctantly, she let go of Auburn and touched her cheek.

    When she realized that her hands were dirty with soil she took it off quickly.

    "My apologies my hands are dirty." Rose apologized as she dusted her soil infested fingers off

    But the girl surprised her by gently picking her hand up and returning it back to gently caress her face.

    "It��s okay." Auburn said softly, the tears streaming down her own eyes. "I��ll do anything to have whether it��s clean or uncleaned hands against my face."

    Rose was touched to the core.

    "I��m sure you hate me." Rose sniffed. "Thinking I neglected you and your mother. I had been searching for her non stop. All those years I looked. I didn��t look enough. I��m sure she hated me."

    "No." Auburn said quickly. "They told me she loved you. Up until when she died. She just didn��t know how to find her way home. Her wish was for me to find my way to you."

    "Why didn��t shee back?" Rose asked lost and distraught.

    "She thought that someone had been after her life. And that perhaps they wanted to kill her so she never bothered returning." Auburn exined.

    Rose wept again and embraced her grand daughter once more.

    Cherry cleared her throat and spoke up.

    "Rose what��s happening?" Cherry asked.

    Rose let go of Auburn and then turned to face her sister.

    "Auburn I��ll like you to meet my sister, Cherry." Rose introduced.

    "Cherry I��ll like you to meet my grand daughter. Auburn." Rose said. "She finally came home to me."

 Chapter 529: THE IMPOSTER

    <h4>Chapter 529: THE IMPOSTER</h4>

    "Come home?" Cherry asked seemingly lost. "What do you mean your grand daughter has finallye back home?"

    Rose ignored her sister knowing that she was going to disapprove of her.

    "You never believed me when I told you. You thought I was crazy." Rose began. "But now see. She came to me. She came to find me."

    Cherry looked to Hildegard.

    "You don��t know this person from anywhere." Cherry said rmed.

    At that very moment therge doors barged open and none other than her husband came in.

    Everywhere went quiet.

    He looked around everyone confused.

    Then his eyes stopped at Rose fervently holding unto a strange girl he had never seen before.

    "What��s going on?" He asked lost.

    And then he noticed the red hair and he knew instantly.

    He closed his eyes in exhaustion.

    Another imposter.

    He rubbed his eyes and then snapped his fingers at the guards.

    "Take her away." He ordered.

    The guards immediately went into action.

    "Stay back!" Rose ordered, putting Auburn behind her and they froze.

    She turned to re at him.

    Her eyes spitting fire, ready to burn anything and anyone in her path.

    "How dare you try to send away your own grand daughter?" Rose demanded furiously.

    Rnd could hardly believe it.

    Of all the people thate to im to be Scarlett, Rose had always been disappointed.

    She had known that none of them were their daughter.

    But here she was all of sudden, not only saying she had a grand daughter, but saying that this stranger was her grand daughter.

    It made absolutely no sense.

    Rnd took in a deep breath. "Rose we don��t have a grand daughter. We only had a daughter and she is dead. Rose we need to let this rest."

    "Rest?!" Rose asked rmed. "This is our grand daughter and you��re turning a blind eye! Rejecting her like she is a mate?"

    "We��re not doing this here." He said aware that the guards and other people who weren��t supposed to be there were listening.

    "Look at her!" Rose said filled with hurt. "This is our grand daughter."

    Rnd rubbed his face and sighed exhausted.

    "Rose we can��t do this here." He exined.

    "Then fine." She said pulling Auburn��s hand and dragging her. "I��m taking her to the room. There is no need to do anything."

    But Rnd came right in front of Rose preventing both women froming any step further.

    "Like hell you are." He said his face a mask of thunder. Then he looked at the girl. "How dare youe in here and make such false allegations?!"

    "Your majesty." Auburn managed. "I��m not telling lies. You really are my grand parents."

    "Enough!" Rnd rose his hands up refusing to hear anymore lies.

    "Guards I said TAKE HER AWAY!" He ordered once again.

    The guards approached them and Rose turned to face them.

    "If you take one step closer I won��t kill you, but I would strip you from your wolves and leave you soul dead." She promised.

    They paused.

    The guards were now seemingly conflicted on who to obey and who not to.

    One, Rose was their rightful blood Queen and then Rnd her husband was the King Consort.

    But ever since she had slipped into her madness he had been the one to take over most affairs of the kingdom.

    They hovered confused on what to do.

    "I am your Queen and you will obey me. I am Queen before he is King." She pointed out.

    Then she turned to face him her nostrils ring.

    "I��ve found my grandchild and you won��t deny me of that." She said. "She is yours too. Because you won��t ept her doesn��t mean I won��t."

    "Grandchild?" A confused Belle came in.

    "You can not let an outsider, a strangere into our home." He said ignoring Belle. "If you epted everyone that came in impersonating our daughter, then we would have had a thousand daughters living with us."

    "But we have never had a grand daughtere." She said. "And people don��t know we have a grand daughter. It was I who told you."

    Rnd walked up to his wife and took her arm gently aside.

    She was still fervently holding unto Auburn as though if she let go, she would never see her again.

    "I need to talk to you." He said.

    She kept on holding Auburn till he added. "Alone."

    She swallowed and hesitated for a while before turning to Auburn and telling her. "I��ll be with you in a second."

    And then she finally let go and stood with him.

    <fn623a> Updates are released by f?i?n?d?n?o?v?e?l?</fn623a>

    He gently held her shoulders as he began to speak to her.

    "Rose. I understand how you feel. You��re tired and someone told you that our daughter somehow survived. Now we have a grand daughter and I know that you want this to be true. But this isn��t the way to go about it. People have tried to take advantage of her misfortune before. This is a new level of low."

    She looked up at him her eyes brewing with emotions. "This is our grand daughter. I want you to trust and believe me on this."

    He cupped her cheek. "Rose...

    "Fine. We would investigate. See if she isn��t our grand daughter. See if her red is dyed. If she isn��t carrying our blood. All the necessary things." She pleaded. "As my husband I��m begging you that I want your side on this."

    He looked at her for a while and then turned to look at the girl who was standing on her own.

    After a few minutes, he took in a deep breath and said.

    "Okay Rose. We would do the trails to see if she is really our grand daughter." He agreed.

    And then Rose hugged him the dead streaming down her eyes in relief.

    "If she isn��t. She would be given the earth penalty." He said. "I��m sick and tired of peopleing to im from our pain. She would be used as an example

 Chapter 530: The Trial

    <h4>Chapter 530: The Trial</h4>

    The bells tolled at dawn.

    Their deep, booming voices rolled across the kingdom, rattling windowpanes, waking servants, and calling the elders to assemble.

    Rnd had ordered the trial the moment Rose had agreed, and hismand had spread with ruthless efficiency.

    It was now evening and time.

    "The red-haired girl," they called her.

    Some scoffed and spat, iming she was another fraud, another fortune-huntere to y on the Queen��s grief.

    Others, hushed and fearful, said perhaps, just perhaps, she might truly be a miracle child, thest surviving bloom of Scarlett��s line.

    In the antechamber where the trial��s subject waited, Auburn sat alone, wringing her trembling hands together. The chamber was small and bare, its stone walls cold with damp.

    A single torch sputtered on the far wall, casting a wavering glow across her pale face.

    She had barely been able to call herself down from the very moment she had been brought in up till now as she heard the bells ring.

    What if it doesn��t work? she thought desperately.

    What if the magic fails? What if the blood shows nothing?

    She thought of Candy lying dead in a pool of her own blood and shivered in fright.

    She curled her fists and pressed them to her knees, her breathsing short and uneven.

    The iron door groaned and opened.

    Cherry slipped inside like a shadow, her crimson gown trailing behind her, eyes sharp and glittering.

    She shut the door softly and fixed Auburn with an impatient re.

    Auburn was delighted to see her!

    "You look like a cornered rabbit," Cherry said coldly. "So scared and worried.

    "I..." Auburn��s voice cracked. She swallowed and tried again. "I��m afraid. What if they see through me? What if the magic doesn��t work?"

    Cherry��s eyes hardened. She strode forward and grasped Auburn��s chin, forcing her face up.

    "Do you think I risked everything to bring you here only for you to cower now?" Cherry hissed. "Your hair is red because of my magic. Your blood is royal because of my magic. Do you hear me? When they test you, they will see what I want them to see. But you...". she shook Auburn��s chin lightly. "must not falter. You must look the part, act the part, breathe the part."

    Auburn��s lips parted, her breath shaky. "And if I fail?"

    Cherry��s smile was cold. "Then you��ll wish you had died with Candy."

    The threat cut like ice. Auburn shuddered and nodded quickly. "I��ll do as you say."

    "Good girl." Cherry released her with a flick of her hand. She smoothed her gown and leaned close. "Remember, child, it isn��t just your head on the block. If you fail, I fail too. And I do not take failure kindly."

    With that, Cherry swept out of the chamber, leaving Auburn alone with her thundering heart.

    ?

    Cherry��s heels clicked smartly against the stone floor as she made her way to her sister��s chambers.

    The guards bowed as she entered, and there sat Rose, pale and restless in her chair. Hildegard hovered nearby, her hands busy with embroidery though her eyes flickered constantly to her mistress.

    "Cherry," Rose breathed as soon as she saw her. "I can hardly breathe. My heart... it will burst."

    Cherry ced a hand on her sister��s shoulder, her expression carefullyposed. "You must steady yourself. This trial will prove what you already know in your heart."

    But then, lowering her voice to a whisper, she added: "Are you certain, Rose? Certain that she is truly Scarlett��s child?"

    Rose looked up, her blue eyes shimmering with fragile hope. "My gut tells me so. The ne, the hair, the eyes... everything cries of Scarlett. I would know my own blood. I feel it in my bones."

    Cherry��s lips curved into a smile, soft, sisterly. "Then where your heart is, there mine shall be also. I will stand with you. If you believe she is your grandchild, then I believe it too."

    Rose clutched her hand gratefully. "Thank you, sister."

    A sharp scoff broke the tender moment.

    "Belief is not enough," Hildegard muttered, her needle stabbing through cloth. "I��ve seen too many deceivers in this castle to count. Every one of them swore they were your daughter. What makes this girl any different. I��m worried for you Rose."

    Cherry��s head snapped toward her, eyes narrowing. "Must you always spit poison, Hildegard? Why so negative?"

    Hildegard lifted her chin. "Someone must, when the Queen herself cannot think clearly. I won��t stand by and watch her be fooled again."

    The sisters locked eyes with her, the old enmity simmering.

    Hildegard, Rose��s childhood maid, her lifelong shadow, had never trusted Cherry, and Cherry had never tolerated Hildegard��s interference.

    Rose raised a weary hand. "Enough, both of you. This is not the time for quarreling."

    Cherry leaned back, smoothing her skirts with an air of wounded dignity. Hildegard returned to her embroidery, lips tight.

    And then, the bells rang.

    The great bronze throats of the tower roared through the halls, shaking the floor beneath their feet.

    Rose stood at once, her gown spilling like blood across the floor, her hand trembling as she reached for Cherry��s.

    <fn4787> Content originallyes from FindN()vel</fn4787>

    "It��s time," she whispered.

    Cherry held her hand firmly, her smile unreadable.

    Together, with Hildegard trailing behind, they left for the hall of judgment.

    ?

    The Hall of Blood was already alive with murmurs when they arrived.

    Servants pressed at the doorways, straining to glimpse the trial. Elders stood cloaked in grey at the foot of the dais, their stern faces drawn tight with suspicion.

    Rnd himself stood tall upon the tform, his hands sped behind his back, his eyes like iron.

    At the center of the chamber rested the sacred stone basin, carved with runes that glowed faintly in the dawn light. Within it shimmered a silver liquid, enchanted water that responded only to royal blood.

    The moment Rose entered, whispers surged like waves crashing against rock.

    She ignored them all, her gaze fixed on Auburn, who was being led in by two guards.

    The girl looked small beneath the vaulted ceiling, her pale hands clenched, her red hair catching the light like fire.She faltered as she walked, but Rose rushed to her, taking her hand.

    "Do not fear, child," Rose said firmly. "I am with you."

    Auburn nodded, her eyes shimmering with fear, and just a hint of something else.

    Rnd��s voice cut through the room like a de.

    "The Trial of Blood shallmence. The girl ims to be of royal descent, the child of our lost daughter Scarlett. Today we will see the truth."

    He gestured sharply. "Step forward."

    Auburn hesitated, but Rose pressed her hand encouragingly. She walked toward the basin. The hall fell silent, every breath held.

    "Cut her hand," Rndmanded.

    A guard stepped forward with a small ceremonial de. Auburn extended her palm, trembling.

    The de nicked her skin, and a single drop of crimson welled up. It fell into the basin below.

    For one long, excruciating moment nothing happened.

    The hall stirred, whispers rising. Cherry��s face fell in utter disbelief.

    It had failed!

 Chapter 531: THE REVEAL

    <h4>Chapter 531: THE REVEAL</h4>

    Cherry was in utter disbelief.

    Absolutely nothing happened.

    For several suffocating moments, the sacred basiny still and lifeless. The runes carved into its rim glimmered only faintly before fading altogether. The thick silver liquid remained dull, t, like dead water. The chamber held its breath.

    A ripple of whispers surged through the crowd. Nobles shifted on their feet, eyes narrowing, lips twitching as they muttered to one another. Some servants gasped. A few even smirked, smug that their suspicion of the "new red-haired girl" was already proven right.

    Cherry began to panic.

    Her eyes darted to Rnd, who stood at the dais like a storm, arms folded, gaze sharp as steel. His jaw clenched tighter by the second. If he dered the test void, if he ordered Auburn seized... everything would crumble.

    Cherry��s breath caught. She turned to look at Auburn.

    The girl��s face was stricken white, her lips parted as if she��d forgotten how to breathe.

    ?

    Auburn��s heart absolutely stopped. A deafening silence roared in her ears. Her lungs squeezed shut as though invisible hands were crushing them. Sweat prickled at the nape of her neck, sliding down her spine.

    This was it. This was the end.

    She turned to Cherry, desperate, eyes wide as a cornered animal. But Cherry��s hand shot up and squeezed her face harshly, her nails digging into Auburn��s skin.

    Auburn froze.

    She knew that look. That silentmand in Cherry��s eyes.

    It meant she was alone in this.

    If she was going to die, then she was going to die alone. Cherry wouldn��t save her. Cherry would let her burn.

    A hollow pit opened in Auburn��s chest. Her body felt weightless, already half a corpse. She thought of the guards dragging her out, of the cold steel of an executioner��s de, of her head rolling as the people jeered "imposter."

    No.

    Her lips trembled, but her mind hardened.

    If she was going to go down, she wouldn��t go down quietly. She would not die as nothing. If she perished, then she would drag Cherry with her.

    Maybe they wouldn��t believe her. Maybe they would call her lies a desperate attempt. But at least she would nt the seed of doubt. At least Rose and Rnd would suspect the snake they called family.

    Her heart thudded like a drumbeat of doom. Auburn closed her eyes, waiting for the judgment to fall, for the guards to seize her arms and rip her away.

    And then��

    The runes around the basin flickered.

    At first, faint. Barely visible. Like dying embers gasping for life. Then, slowly, they pulsed brighter. A soft hum filled the air, vibrating in the bones. The silver liquid shivered, rippling as if something unseen stirred beneath it.

    The glow spread, a pale red bloom blossoming across the surface until the entire basin shimmered with crimson light.

    Gasps erupted through the hall.

    Rose fell to her knees, her hands pressed to her lips. Tears spilled down her cheeks in an unstoppable stream.

    "It��s true," she whispered, then louder, breaking into a sob. "It��s true. She is mine. She is Scarlett��s!"

    The chamber exploded in noise��shock, awe, disbelief. Some nobles fell to their knees, others clutched their chests. Servants pressed forward to see better, mouths open in astonishment.

    Cherry��s voice rang sharp and victorious above the chaos.

    "There!" she cried, her lips twisting into a triumphant smile. "The proof you demanded, Rnd. Do you still doubt your own blood?"

    The king��s expression was unreadable. The room held its breath as he remained stone-still, only his eyes burning as they fixed on the glowing basin.

    Hildegard, standing at Rose��s side, was frozen. Her face twisted with unease, her eyes darting between the faint glow and Cherry��s victorious grin. She said nothing, though Auburn could see the disbelief in her gaze.

    But Rose��Rose was beyond reason.

    She scrambled forward, reaching for Auburn with trembling hands. She gathered the girl into her arms, her sobs shaking her thin frame.

    "It��s okay," Rose wept, pressing her wrinkled cheek to Auburn��s. Her hands stroked Auburn��s face with desperate tenderness, wiping away her tears. "It��s okay, my child. You��re home. You��re wee home."

    Auburn��s chest cracked open. Relief flooded her veins, hot and dizzying. Her knees nearly buckled. Thank the goddess. Thank the goddess the spell had worked.

    If Cherry��s magic had failed, she would have been branded an imposter. Executed publicly, her body strung up as a warning. But the runes glowed, the basin shimmered, and the queen embraced her as her own.

    Auburn��s eyes stung as she buried her face into Rose��s shoulder. She let herself breathe. For the first time since this nightmare began, she truly breathed.

    King Rnd slowly descended the dais. His boots echoed against the marble floor, each step measured, heavy. Rose released Auburn and looked up at him with pleading eyes.

    "Do you believe me now?" she asked him, her voice trembling but fierce. "Do you now believe this is your granddaughter? Your flesh?"

    Rose seized Auburn��s hand, her grip firm, and led her forward. Auburn��s pulse rattled in her throat.

    She had feared Rnd from the start. His cold pronouncements, his promise of execution should she be an imposter��those words had carved terror deep into her bones. Would he ept her now? Or would suspicion linger in his heart?

    The king stopped before her, his towering form shadowing her small frame. For a brief, unbearable moment, he only stared.

    And then, without warning, he stepped forward and pulled her into his arms.

    Auburn gasped. Her body stiffened against him, her mind reeling. But then��slowly, cautiously��she allowed herself to rx into his embrace.

    He held her tightly, as though anchoring himself against the tide of grief. His broad hands gripped her shoulders firmly before he drew back, his eyes boring into hers.

    "I never expected..." His voice faltered. He shut his eyes briefly, drawing a shuddering breath. "I never expected to see this day." His lips quivered. "I��m sorry I doubted you. I just��" He stopped again, swallowing hard. "It��s been so hard. You��re really our blood?"

    Auburn��s throat tightened. She nodded gently. "It��s okay."

    Her trembling hand rose, brushing against his cheek. His skin was rough, weathered, yet warm. He didn��t flinch away. Instead, his eyes fluttered shut and, to Auburn��s astonishment, tears welled at their corners.

    The king��Rnd, the iron-fisted ruler of wolves��wept like a child before her.

    Rose��s hands reached for him. She wrapped her arms around his waist and pressed her forehead to his shoulder. "She��s ours," she whispered, her voice cracking. "She��s really ours."

    Rnd��s strong arms pulled both Rose and Auburn together. The three of them clung to one another in a fragile, trembling knot of family.

    Auburn could scarcely believe it. Just moments ago, she had been certain of her death. And now��now she had the king and queen of the wolf kingdom weeping into her shoulders.

    She had them.

    She truly had them.

    In that instant, Auburn understood the depth of Cherry��s obsession. She understood why Cherry had wed through the shadows for years in search of an imposter.

    <fn98a5> Checktest chapters at find?novel</fn98a5>

    Because this power��the power of being the miracle child returned��could bend even the strongest rulers. It could make the iron king cry. It could make the queen abandon reason and embrace a stranger.

    This power was intoxicating.

    And now it belonged to her.

    ?

    The king and queen finally released her. Rose held Rnd��s hand on one side and Auburn��s on the other. She straightened her back and lifted her chin, her tear-stained face glowing with solemn pride.

    "You have been gathered here to witness," she dered, her voice echoing through the vaulted chamber. The crowd fell into reverent silence.

    "My daughter Scarlett, whom I searched for endlessly all these years, is no longer with us. Now I know this for certain. But she did not leave me empty-handed. She left me a gift. A gift that has found its way back home. A gift that has proven itself to be true."

    Her eyes softened as they rested on Auburn.

    "My granddaughter. Princess Auburn."

    The words thundered across the chamber like the strike of a bell.

    Auburn��s chest swelled. For the first time in her life, she was being treated as someone important. Not a servant. Not a nobody. Not a girl destined for brothels. But a princess.

    She almostughed aloud in disbelief. Yesterday she had been scrubbing floors, preparing to be sold as the finest whore in her vige. Today she was raised high and named heir to the throne.

    The nobles reacted as though struck by lightning. As one, they bent the knee. The sound of rustling fabrics filled the air as every servant, every elder, every warrior lowered themselves in acknowledgment.

    They bowed to her.

    They acknowledged her as their princess.

    Her spirit soared. This was beyond a dream. This was power, honor, everything she had never dared imagine.

    But as her gaze swept across the kneeling hall, her euphoria faltered.

    Because not everyone��s eyes held warmth.

    At the edge of the crowd, Coral approached with Cherry at her side. And with them came another red-haired girl Auburn had glimpsed earlier��a girl her own age.

    The girl��s eyes red at Auburn with cold disdain.

    "Wee to the family," Cherry purred, sliding an arm through Auburn��s and drawing her in.

    The girl��Belle��embraced her stiffly, her smile brittle and false.

    "Belle, this is Auburn," Rose said warmly. "She is your cousin."

    And then Auburn understood.

    She was not simply being epted into the royal family. She was also stepping into a battlefield.

    Belle, Coral��s daughter, had been raised as next in line. But Auburn��s sudden appearance as the "true" heir of Scarlett shifted the order.

    Now Auburn was first in line. Belle second.

    No wonder Belle��s eyes burned with loathing.

    Auburn had gained a crown, but she had also gained an enemy.

 Chapter 532: Imposter’s welcome

    <h4>Chapter 532: Imposter��s wee</h4>

    After the many family gatherings and rejoicing that thete princess��s daughter had arrived, Auburn was finally freed.

    "She is overwhelmed I��m most certain." Rose informed them all as she pried them off her.

    Auburn gave a light smile grateful to the Queen for that.

    She was already feeling choked up by the overwhelming feeling of everyone all around her.

    "Auburn is still here and I know we all have questions but I��m sure she is tired." Rose said.

    "The servants can take her to her bedroom." Rnd offered.

    "Yes." Rose nodded. "But I think I��ll like to do that myself."

    And then she ced a protecting arm over Auburn��s shoulder.

    Rnd smiled. "Of course."

    And then he walked up to Rose and kissed her forehead.

    "I��ll have to meet with the elders now and discuss things on her arrival." He informed. And then he turned to Auburn and also kissed her forehead. "Wee home."

    And with that he left.

    Auburn gave a shy smile and then she let herself be led out by her grand mother.

    "Rose do you want me toe with you?" Cherry asked.

    Rose paused and gave a light smile. "Of course. But I think I want to discuss some things with Auburn first."

    "And I understand that." Cherry interrupted as they continued walking away. "But I was just thinking. Coral lost her twin sister and she would like to know what happened as well."

    Rose took in a deep breath. "I understand that and I mean no offense to anyone. I just want to spend some time on my own. No one believed me when I said she was alive. And now she is here and I want to be the one to speak to her privately."

    "I know I��m just saying that��s a bit unfair. Your daughter has feelings too." Cherry insisted.

    Rose rolled her eyes. "And I am saying that��s I need time with my own GRANDDAUGHTER!"

    Cherry seemed taken aback.

    "Rose I apologize if I offended you." Cherry said seemingly hurt. "I know that I��ve never had the chance to have children of my own and they are all yours. I was just trying to express Coral��s feelings."

    Coral gave a tight smile. "No it��s fine. I don��t care anyway."

    "Coral I didn��t mean that." Rose said exasperated.

    And with that Coral stormed off, refusing to hear whatever her mother had to say.

    Belle went right off with her mother

    "I��ll go speak to her." Cherry offered and

    "Cherry wait." Rose stopped her. She closed her eyes and hesitated. "I didn��t mean to say anything. I didn��t mean that you don��t have children. I would never say such a thing to you."

    Cherry smiled sadly. "It��s fine sister. I have epted my fate and the goddess blessed me with nieces to look at as my own."

    With that she left

    Rose took in a very deep sigh.

    Auburn could sense the troubles already.

    And where there were troubles she had an advantage.

    "Is there any problems?" Auburn asked.

    Rose gently touched her arm. "No things have just been strained since your mother left. I didn��t mean to scare you."

    Auburn shook her head. "I can never be scared of you. I��m just happy to be here with my grand mother."

    Rose seemed touched and Auburn knew how well to work on the Queen.

    "And I am so happy to be your grandmother. So grateful to the gods that you were brought to me just when I needed you the most in my life."

    "Come let me take you to your bedroom." Rose said and led Auburn out of therge hall.

    ?

    As Rose led her grand daughter down the hallways and servants bowed and curtseyed, all she could tnink of was how grateful she was.

    She was going to make some offerings to the goddess herself for bringing back such a blessing in disguise.

    She knew she wasn��t insane.

    She knew that her daughter had been alive.

    She could feel it in her bones.

    And now here she was.

    Not with her daughter.

    But her granddaughter.

    Life had a way of ying twists and she was all but eager to know what really happened to Scarlett.

    Who Auburn��s father was.

    She had to know more.

    "You��re the princess of the entire wolf world." Rose exined to Auburn as she noticed Auburn��s eyes were wide with curiosity. "You would be treated as such and respect given to you."

    Auburn nodded.

    "There is so much to teach you and so much to tell you." Rose said excited.

    Auburn looked worried at first and then Rose quickly cupped her grand daughter��s cheek.

    "Don��t be scared. No one expects you to change in a day. Step by step. I will hold your hand and teach you myself. Do you understand?" Rose asked in the gentlest way possible.

    "Yes I do." Auburn said with a smile spread across her face.

    She felt all eyes gazing down at her and Auburn as they walked past the hallway.

    Those that didn��t know yet would have gotten some gossip from those who were in the hall.

    Soon all the packs would know that she had a grand daughter from her long lost daughter.

    They ascended the beautiful marble steps until they reached arge mahogany door at the left wing.

    The left wing had belonged to Scarlett.

    <fne779> Follow current nov?ls on Find��Novel</fne779>

    It was where her room had been.

    They were supposed to go to Auburn��s new bedroom but they were not going there.

    Not now at least.

    "Come..." Rose gently ushered Auburn towards the door. "I want to show you something.

    And then Rose pushed open the door, her heart beating in fright and anxiety.

    It had been years since she herself hadst been in this room.

    The doors opened and the beautiful pink bedroom came to light filled with toys, nts, the French windows well opened just like Scarlett had liked it growing up.

    And then memories of the day she has lost her child came flooding as though it was just yesterday to her.

    "Auburn. This was your mother��s bedroom." She informed.

 Chapter 533: A FORGOTTEN MEMORY

    <h4>Chapter 533: A FORGOTTEN MEMORY</h4>

    Auburn stepped inside cautiously, her fingers trailing across a stack of faded storybooks on the desk.

    Auburn looked around the room, her eyes hovering at the beautiful carpets, the princess bedid in pink filled with teddy bears.

    There were couches that seemed so soft to the eyes you were aware you would sleep so easily on them.

    There were mirrors with beautiful dressers, Fantastic paintings, colorful wallpapers.

    Everything that spoke of a princess.

    Rose herself managed to hold back herself as she waltzed the room.

    The veryst time she had been here was the night Scarlett had disappeared.

    She had sat on her daughter��s bed, mad with grief, her crown no longer in ce and her hair in disarray as she wept.

    She slowly walked to the bed and picked up a plush wolf toy.

    Scarlett��s favorite.

    And she could remember how she had held unto the teddy bear and screamed in madness.

    She shivered at the memories.

    And then she remembered how Scarlett would hold the plush toy to her chest whenever she wanted to sleep.

    The good, the bad and the ugly.

    They all came refusing to let her rest.

    Since that night she hadn��t stepped into this room.

    But the maids and servants had been instructed to clean it and keep it just the way it had been.

    It looked like yesterday. More so it looked as though Scarlett had never left.

    As though the doors would bust open and Scarlett woulde running inside with a little preying man tub that had broken its leg begging her mother to help her fix him.

    She felt a weak smile.

    She walked towards where the old book shelves were.

    There was not a single speck of dust however, yo u could tell that they hadn��t been opened in years.

    She picked up one of the books and found Scarlett��s elegant handwriting.

    She smiled as she touched them, her fingers trailing the paper as though she could relieve the memory.

    <fn1862> This content belongs to F��nd��ovel</fn1862>

    She shut the book and ced it back inside.

    She had told herself that when she returned to this bedroom, it would be because Scarlett had returned.

    But now she was here because Scarlett��s daughter hade.

    A twist of fate.

    She walked to a reclining couch overlooking the balcony and sat.

    She gently tapped beside her for Auburn to take a seat.

    Auburn walked up to her and sat downfortably.

    "This was your mother��s room." Rose said as she looked up at the ceiling tried to hold back the tears struggling to flow down her cheeks.

    "She loved this room so much." Rose said with a smile. "Everything here she specifically chose. She was quite neat. I made sure that everything would be the same for when she...."

    She couldn��t finish up.

    Because now she knew Scarlett was never going to return.

    She turned to Auburn and gently grasped her hands.

    "I want to know what happened to your mother. What you know." Rose asked pleading.

    Auburn sighed and looked down at their hands. "What my adoptive parents told me was they found her at the banks of their river. She had no recollection of who she was and then they took her in. Slowly she began to remember herself as the years went by."

    "At first they said she didn��t want to remember and it was until the day she gave birth to me she finally told them everything." Auburn exined further.

    "She knew and didn��t want toe back?" Rose asked heartbroken.

    Auburn shrugged. "It��s still a mystery to me. She had perhaps already wanted to make a life there. And they said she was worried someone was after her."

    Rose was baffled.

    Someone after her?

    Who would want to harm her?

    This was her home?

    And moreover she had tripped inside the sea.

    It was only Coral, the guard and their nanny who had been there.

    And Rose was sure that none of the would ever harm her.

    "What was she like?" Rose asked hungry for any information on her daughter.

    Auburn smiled. "They said she was kind. Beautiful, always happy. She was nothing like anyone they had ever met."

    Rose felt a swell of pride and then a twist of pain she had never gotten to experience that.

    "And who was your father?" Rose asked. "Who was he?"

    Auburn shrugged. "I never met him. And my adoptive parents never knew him either."

    Rose was appalled.

    Scarlett had a child and no one knew who the father was?

    "I didn��t have anything belonging to her except for this." Auburn said as she gently touched the emerald pendant on her chest

    Rose nodded.

    The greatest jewel in the entire wolf kingdom.

    "It was hard for me growing up without my mother." Auburn exined.

    "What happened to your adoptive parents? Why didn��t theye with you?" Rose asked perplexed.

    "They died a few months back." Auburn exined. "It was on their dying bed they told me everything. So I came to find you on my own. I wasn��t sure how you would take me in."

    And then Auburn seemed to begin to stammer and soon she began to weep.

    "I��m so sorry... t-talking about these things... make me so sad." Auburn wept.

    And then Rose felt her face drenched in color.

    How selfish of herself.

    All because she wanted to know about Scarlett she was milking Auburn so much that she didn��t even notice how much distress it had brought her.

    Rose hugged her and gently rubbed her back. "It��s okay my child. I��m so sorry to bring back the memories. You��re here now my child. That��s all that matters."

    Rose finally let go.

    "Come I��ll like to take you to your room." Rose said suffocated by the overwhelming emotions she felt in the room.

    "Can I stay in here just for a minute?" Auburn asked.

    "Of course." Rose said and then she rose up to her feet and walked to the door.

    Before she opened the door, her fingers brushed through her pockets as she felt the small broken pieces of emerald.

    It was the one she had recovered the night Scarlett had gone missing.

    But Auburn��s was without tarnish and unbroken.

    She shook her head.

    No this was her grand daughter.

    Perhaps the emerald was just pieces from something else.

    And she smiled at Auburn and left the room.

 Chapter 534: NO MORE SUSPICIOUS

    <h4>Chapter 534: NO MORE SUSPICIOUS</h4>

    Auburn woke to the sound of bells tolling across the castle grounds. At first, she forgot where she was.

    The soft velvet beneath her palms, the embroidered sheets brushing against her skin, and the canopy above her, all of it felt like some stranger��s life.

    She had grown up on straw mats and worn nkets; this chamber was Scarlett��s, the lost princess��s room, and now it had been handed to her as though it belonged.

    But it didn��t. It never would.

    Her heart raced as she sat up, pressing a hand to her chest.

    The Trial of Blood was still vivid in her mind: the silence when nothing happened, the suffocating fear, and then the sudden flicker of Cherry��s magic.

    She had been moments from being branded an imposter and executed in front of the entire court. Her death would have been quick, merciless, forgotten.

    Instead, she had walked out alive. Not just alive? crowned by whispers, called Princess Auburn.

    The title lingered in her head, both intoxicating and suffocating.

    The door creaked open, and Cherry swept inside without knocking. Auburn stiffened instinctively. The older woman��s presence filled the room like smoke cloying, inescapable.

    "You look pale," Cherry observed, her eyes narrowing as she approached the bed. "What��s the matter? Did the silks frighten you?"

    Auburn forced a weak smile. "It still feels... unreal."

    Cherry sat on the edge of the bed, her crimson hair gleaming in the morning light. She reached out, brushing a strand of Auburn��s red hair between her fingers. "It should feel unreal. That��s because it isn��t yours. None of this is." Her voice dropped lower. "You are not Amara anymore. You are Auburn. Scarlett��s daughter. Every nce, every step, every word must drip with blood you don��t have. Do you understand?"

    Auburn��s throat tightened. She nodded quickly.

    Cherry��s grip on her hair tightened until Auburn winced. "If you falter, you die. If you betray me, you��ll wish you had died sooner."

    The words chilled Auburn��s bones. She lowered her gaze, her voice barely above a whisper. "I won��t betray you."

    "Good," Cherry said smoothly, releasing her hair. "Because Rose is already blinded by you. Rnd will take longer, but once his grief softens, you will be the golden child of this court. And when that happens, every decision they make will pass through you, through us."

    Auburn swallowed. Through us. Not her. Never her. She was just a pawn in Cherry��s game.

    By midmorning, the castle had turned restless. Word of the Trial spread like fire through dry grass. Servants whispered in corridors, guards muttered behind helmets, and courtiers debated in hushed circles. Some swore it was a miracle��that Scarlett��s child had truly returned. Others murmured that it was trickery, a desperate ploy.

    The council was summoned to the Great Hall. Auburn wasn��t invited, but Cherry went, leaving her alone to pace the length of her chamber. Her ears strained for every echo, every passing footstep. She hated the waiting��it made her feel like prey cornered in a trap.

    Meanwhile, in the council chamber, the tension was thick. Rnd stood at the head of the table, his face grim. Rose sat beside him, her eyes still swollen from weeping, her hands sped tightly as though she feared Auburn might vanish if she let go.

    "I will not hide my doubts," Rnd began. His voice rumbled low, tired butmanding. "The girl passed the Trial, yes. But the glow was faint. Weak. Not the ze we expected from a true heir."

    Rose flinched. "You saw it with your own eyes. It was there. She carries Scarlett��s blood, Rnd. I feel it in my bones."

    "Feeling is not proof," he countered. "And proof is what we owe our people. If she is truly ours, I will kneel beside you. But if she is not...."His gaze hardened. "We cannot afford another imposter."

    Hildegard spoke up, her voice sharp. "I agree with His Majesty. It was too convenient. Too sudden. And forgive me, but the girl appears on the very day Cherry returns? Is that coincidence, or collusion?"

    All eyes turned to Cherry. She feigned a wounded look, hand on her chest. "You wound me, Hildegard. You��ve never liked me, and now you poison the air with suspicion when Rose finally has something to live for. Why must you always stand in the way of her joy?"

    Hildegard��s jaw tightened. "Because joy without truth is poison in itself."

    "Enough," Rose snapped, mming her palm against the table. Her voice trembled with fury. "I will not hear another word against my granddaughter. If you cannot see Scarlett in her face, in her spirit, then your eyes are clouded with bitterness."

    The chamber fell into uneasy silence. Rnd pinched the bridge of his nose. Cherry leaned back, a faint smile curving her lips. She had yed her part well, appearing loyal, defending Rose, and making Hildegard seem like a jealous enemy.

    Elsewhere in the castle, Belle stormed into Coral��s chambers, her fists clenched. Her usually gracefulposure cracked with rage.

    "Mother!" she hissed. "Do you see what��s happening? That girl this Auburn has stolen everything. Grandmother looks at her the way she used to look at me."

    Coral set down her embroidery, her tired eyes softening. "Belle, you are still her granddaughter. Nothing changes that."

    "Don��t be na?ve!" Belle spat. "Everything changes. Do you not see it? I was next in line. Now, now I am nothing." Her voice broke, but she quickly masked it with venom. "I will not let her take what is mine. No one steals from me and lives."

    Coral reached for her, but Belle pulled away, her face hard with resolve.

    By evening, Auburn overheard whispers about Candy��s disappearance. Maids in the corridor spected in hushed tones.

    "They say she fled the castle in shame."

    "No, no..... she angered the Queen, that��s why she vanished."

    "Or worse... maybe the girl��s arrival has something to do with it."

    The words pricked Auburn��s conscience. She knew the truth. Candy hadn��t fled. Candy hadn��t angered Rose. Candy was dead, her head severed by Cherry��s magic, her blood staining the stones. Auburn had watched it happen. She had stood silent, too terrified to stop it.

    That night, Hildegard approached Rose privately. "Doesn��t it trouble you, my Queen, that Candy disappears just as this girl appears? That her story fits too perfectly, as though written by someone��s hand?"

    <fn4c0d> Newest update provided by f��?dn��vel</fn4c0d>

    Rose turned away, her expression pained. "You are cruel, Hildegard. I have longed for Scarlett��s child for years, and now she is here. Must you drag shadows into my light?"

    Hildegard��s lips thinned. She said nothing more, but her suspicion deepened.

    When Cherry returned to Auburn��s chamber, she found the girl staring into the mirror, tracing her red hair with trembling fingers.

    "They��re whispering about Candy," Auburn said hoarsely. "They��ll suspect...."

    "They will suspect nothing," Cherry cut her off. "Rose will shield you, and Rnd��s doubts will soften. But you must do your part."

    "My part?"

    Cherry leaned close, her breath brushing Auburn��s ear. "You must win them. Slowly. Sweetly. Make them see Scarlett in your smile, in your grief, in your love for Rose. You are not just Auburn, you are the future they��ve been starving for. If you stumble, you die. If you seed..." Her lips curled. "You will sit higher than anyone in this kingdom, and through you, so will I."

    Auburn closed her eyes, fear and thrill battling in her chest.

    Two dayster, Rnd announced that Auburn would be formally presented to the people. The promation spread like wildfire. Some celebrated the return of a princess. Others whispered of deceit. The city buzzed with anticipation.

    In her chamber that night, Auburn dreamt of Candy. She saw her severed head, lips moving, whispering the same word over and over: "Imposter. Imposter. Imposter." She woke drenched in sweat, her heart pounding.

    Across the castle, Belle stood at her balcony, staring into the night sky. Her voice was low, venomous. "I��ll expose her, or I��ll destroy her."

    Later that evening, Rose sat alone in her private sr, her hands folded tightly in herp. The fire crackled in the hearth, but her mind wasn��t calm. She kept reying the sharp words she had exchanged with Hildegard.

    "You are cruel, Hildegard," she had shouted. "You would rather strip me of hope than let me believe!"

    Her throat still burned with the memory. For years, Hildegard had been her rock, her confidante since childhood. But now, it felt as though a wall had been driven between them.

    The door opened softly, and Cherry entered. She walked with that careful grace, red hair gleaming, lips curved into the faintest smile.

    "You look troubled, sister," Cherry said gently.

    Rose sighed, turning toward the fire. "I quarreled with Hildegard. It was ugly. She used me again, she said Auburn isn��t Scarlett��s. She said the glow was too faint to be true. I... Ished out. Harder than I should have."

    Her voice broke, her eyes misting. "Do you think I was too harsh on her? She has been with me since we were children, Cherry. She has never spoken to me with such coldness before."

    Cherry came closer, resting her hand on Rose��s shoulder. "You weren��t too harsh. You only defended what is yours. Hildegard has always clung too tightly, always put herself between you and your heart. She doesn��t understand loss the way you do."

    Rose��s brows knitted. "Still, she has been my truestpanion."

    "Companions grow jealous when they are no longer the center of attention," Cherry murmured, her tone smooth. "And she is jealous now. She fears being reced. You were right to put her in her ce. For the best, truly. If she cannot stand beside you, then she stands against you."

    Rose looked down at her sped hands. "Do you really think so?"

    Cherry tilted her head, her smile just sharp enough to gleam. "I know so. You have your granddaughter back. That is all that matters. Don��t let Hildegard��s bitterness poison the joy you have waited for."

    Rose exhaled shakily, leaning against her sister��s arm. "Perhaps you are right. Perhaps it was for the best."

    Cherry��s hand stroked her hair like a mother soothing a child, but her eyes glittered coldly over Rose��s head.

 Chapter 535: PRETTY LITTLE BABY

    <h4>Chapter 535: PRETTY LITTLE BABY</h4>

    The Alpha��s Unwanted Bride

    Chapter

    ANNA��S POV

    Anna��s mouth was twisted in the meanest way possible as she thought of what next to do.

    It had been almost two weeks since Jasmine lost the baby and since the revtion that Fiona was in fact the one who was in love with Erik.

    How in the name of the goddess had she missed that?

    She still hadn��t found the time to confront Erik.

    She also was still in the bad books with her brother which was a mistake.

    She couldn��t let him know who she truly was.

    A spoiled rotten girl who had always gotten what she wanted.

    She had to maintain the act that she was sweet.

    And considering the fact that he had overheard her say terrible things to Jasmine-which was nothing but the truth- he had been furious.

    The only good thing out of this was the fact that they had gotten word that the Queen wanted to meet *her*

    She could barely hold her excitement as it was only two days left before she visited the Queen.

    Knowing that the Queen wanted to meet her could present to be very useful for her.

    Why that stupid Jasmine wasing along, she had no idea.

    She shrugged off her shoulders.

    It didn��t matter.

    She was going to find a way to get back in the good books with her brother and her mate.

    Erik had not rejected that was still a good sign.

    She was lying down on her bed with her servants massaging her feet.

    And then she heard some noises.

    She frowned and tried to ignore it as she continued with her rest.

    But then it got louder, like a group of some people chattering on.

    Anna fumed in annoyance as she tried to massage her head.

    But the noise went on.

    Eventually she hissed irritated at the chatter and snapped at her servants.

    "Who in the heavens is making such noise?!" She demanded in anger.

    She opened her eyes to see her servants looking at themselves.

    "What do you expect me to tell you to do everything?" She hissed in annoyance.

    She rolled her eyes. "Go tell whoever it is making such hell of a noise to shut the hell up! I��m trying to rest!"

    The girls jumped up and the fastest left the room while the other stayed in with her.

    Anna tried to go back to her thoughts as the servant massaged her feet.

    A few minutester she heard the door open and the other servant returned.

    Soon she heard the servants whispering amongst themselves.

    The noise still hadn��t gone.

    In fact it had gotten louder.

    An agitated Anna snapped up.

    She opened her eyes and cruely used her feet to kick her maid.

    "Didn��t I tell you to tell them to shut up?!" She demanded sitting up.

    The maid had her mouth closed.

    That was where Anna had hit her.

    She had hit the wrong one.

    She frankly didn��t care.

    "I went to tell them your majesty." The one who had run the errand said terrified.

    "But I��m still hearing noises." Anna hissed.

    "It was a small group. They were speaking to Damian." The maid said.

    Anna rolled her eyes in anger and went back to lie down.

    The girls continued whispering.

    "What are you girls talking about?" She demanded.

    The girls looked at each other seemingly frightened.

    "Nothing much mydy." The one massaging her feet responded. "Sara just heard them talking about the Queen��s new grand daughter."

    "Queen��s new grand daughter?" A confused Anna asked.

    The other girl nodded. "There were rumors at first but I think the news are now official. The Queen��s first daughter who had been missing... well her daughter came."

    "The missing princess returned?" Anna asked in disbelief.

    She had heard of the story.

    Who hadn��t?

    How the poor Queen had lost her daughter in the river and never found her.

    And now after all these years the Queen had found her?

    "No mydy." The girl apologized. "It��s the missing princess��s daughter that has returned."

    Anna crossed her eyes in confusion.

    "The missing princess had a daughter?" She asked.

    "So it would seem mydy." The maid informed.

    "And the princess herself? Have they found her?" Anna asked.

    Both girls looked at each other. "We don��t know."

    How odd.

    This was a very bizarre story.

    Anna decided that she wanted to hear the news better herself.

    So she dismissed the servants who seemed eager to leave and headed down the stairs.

    She found the servants whispering and talking to themselves.

    She looked around for anyone that would tell her what had happened but there was no one.

    Even Damian was not in sight.

    She saw Nanny Nia and told herself that she would rather die than ask that old croak.

    Sometimes Anna hated to admit to herself that she felt alone.

    She had no one.

    The friends she has made were because of her evil ns.

    Lily and Lisa.

    And they themselves didn��t want to have anything to do with her.

    She med Jasmine.

    They all liked Jasmine so they were bound to hate her.

    Jasmine was the main root of everything.

    The reason why no one wanted to have her around.

    Because she was too good and perfect.

    How she couldn��t wait till she was given judgement for Xaden��s assassination.

    The hang noose was for her

    She pushed her feet around as she looked for a ce to sit.

    She found a bench overlooking a garden that she had been told was her mother��s favorite.

    She wondered what her life would have been like if Jasmine��s terrible father hadn��t kidnapped her.

    If she had been simply raised with her parents along with Xaden.

    She wouldn��t feel out of ce in the world.

    She sighed to herself.

    Her hatred burning inside her.

    Then she heard a sound.

    She paused, turned around and saw no one.

    Feeling a presence, she stopped and saw no one.

    Then adjusted in her seat.

    She heard a noise again and this time she looked under the bench and found a little girl around the age six.

    ?

    The little girl had curly ck hair and her face was awash with freckles.

    She had the most beautifulshes and adorable lips ced on a perfect babyish face.

    The child looked extremely familiar.

    But Anna could not ce a finger where.

    "What are you doing there ?" Anna asked softening.

    She didn��t really like children.

    She was repulsed by them, but something made this one different.

    The little girl looked down on her feet.

    "Come out or I��ll report to your mother." Anna Warned.

    "I don��t have a mother." The girl responded.

    For the first time in a very long time.

    Anna felt a prick in a heart that she never knew existed.

    "Oh." She mumbled to herself.

    "Well.... Sorry about that." She apologized.

    She never apologized either!

    Why was she being this gentle with a child .

    Most likely the child of a lowly servant.

    She grumbled to herself.

    "My mummy died." The girl said unprovoked.

    Anna was appalled.

    Making her feel more guilty than she already did.

    <fndd5b> Readplete version only at FindN0vel</fndd5b>

    Anna pressed her lips together.

    "Well who do you have?" Anna asked.

    "My papa." The girl informed.

    "Okay little girl." Anna said. "You need to leave the under of this bench or I��ll inform your father."

    The girl hesitated at first, but eventually very slowly and reluctantly came out from under the bench.

    It was then Anna was able to take a well close up look at the girl.

    She was beautiful and Anna knew that when she grew up, all the men would be all over her.

    "What��s your name?" Anna asked the girl.

    She pouted at first reluctant to say a word.

    "I won��t tell your father that you were under the bench." Anna promised.

    The girl gave a loud sigh. "Okay. My name is Jade."

    "Okay. My name is Anna." Anna introduced.

    The more Anna looked at the little girl, the more she couldn��t shake off the fact that this girl was bearing a strong resemnce to someone.

    But who she couldn��t ce a finger on.

    "Don��t worry I won��t tell anyone." Anna said leaning back in the chair. "You just have to be careful."

    Anna could not understand why she even cared about this child.

    Anna noticed there was blood on her arm and a cut.

    She quickly got the girl��s arm and pulled her to her.

    "Look. You cut yourself." Anna said staring at therge cut of wound.

    The girl was still a child which obviously meant that she was yet to shift hence why her healing power hadn��te up.

    As Anna was observing the girl��s arm, from nowhere, Anna was shoved back away from the girl.

    Taken aback she was about to start screaming obscenities when she noticed it was none other than Erik himself.

    "What the hell do you think you��re doing with my daughter?" He demanded.

    And then Anna looked at him to the girl and understood why the girl had initially looked so familiar.

 Chapter 536: JADE

    <h4>Chapter 536: JADE</h4>

    Anna swallowed when she saw Erik towering over her with the little girl beside him.

    The resemnce was so striking she wondered how she had never known that she was his from the get go.

    And then it hit her.

    Erik had a child?

    How?

    <fn9bfd> Readplete version only at FindN0vel</fn9bfd>

    Or perhaps it was his sister and they just looked alike.

    "I ... uh... er... I didn��t know she was your sister." Anna apologized trying to reaffirm the fact that she was his sister.

    "She is my daughter." Erik said further irritated as he pulled the girl away.

    He gave a disapproving look at Anna before he squatted down beside Jade and examined her cut.

    "Uhm.. er..." she stumbled across her words. "I had no idea."

    She couldn��t believe it.

    She was actually his daughter?

    Erik had a child that she knew nothing about?

    She wanted to faint.

    She watched as he looked over the little girl and Anna brew in jealousy.

    Who was the mother?

    And then a horrifying thought came shing through her mind.

    Was it Fiona?

    How had she never known this?

    Howe he had never told her any of this.

    She felt bruised and neglected.

    As though he was purposely hiding information from her even though she was his mate.

    "How did you get this cut?" He asked. Then he shed an angry nce at Anna who was watching their encounter. "Did the woman over there have anything to do with it?"

    Anna��s mouth dropped in astonishment.

    She was horrified that he would even think that of her.

    She was low, but not that low.

    Jade shook her head hastily. "No it was me."

    "I was under the bench." Jade said after some thought.

    He looked at her disappointed. "Why? I��ve told you not to y in secluded ces.

    "I��m sorry papa." She said.

    He rubbed her cut and then but her finger so much a drop of blood came out.

    He pressed it over her cut and it began to heal.

    The would retracted and began to disappear back into her flesh until it was totally gone and all that was left was dried up blood.

    He used his shirt to clean up the blood on her arm.

    "It��s all good now." He told her and then he kissed her forehead. "Where is your nanny?"

    The little girl resumed looking down at her feet again.

    "Don��t lie to me Jade." Erik said.

    And then at that moment a young she wolf probably around the age of eighteen came running.

    She was flustered, her face red and her brown curls were a mess on her head.

    She was panting and looked exhausted.

    She came to a halt in front of Erik and Jade.

    "Sir I am so sorry." She apologized. "I had no idea when she left. I have been looking for her. I just turned around for a second and didn��t know where she had gone to."

    "You can not be running off like that." He said to his daughter as he tucked her hair behind her ear.

    "I��m sorry." She apologized once again. "I won��t do it again."

    He kissed her forehead and she gave him a hug.

    "Go with Benny." He said giving her hand to the servant girl who already stood with her hand out.

    Erik stood at his full length and watched as Jade gave her hand to the girl.

    Jade stopped and then turned to Anna and waved at her.

    "Bye." The little girl said before leaving.

    "Come Jade. Let��s go." Benny said as she took the girl along.

    "Bye." A surprised Anna mumbled.

    Once the girl was out of sight, Erik turned and red at Anna.

    Anna swallowed.

    "What are you trying to do now? Get to me through my daughter?" He hissed at her.

    "Wh... uh... no." She expressed. "She is a little girl why would I do anything to her."

    "I know you Anna. You have no limits." He warned.

    Anna folded her arms irritated. "And I had no idea she was yours. Howe you never told me?"

    "Because it��s none of your business." He snorted. "All I want you to do is stay out of my child. I��ve seen what you are capable of. Don��t cross that line with my daughter."

    And with that he started to walk away.

    But Anna went after him.

    "Who is her mother?" She demanded.

    He ignored her.

    "I deserve to know everything about you. As my mate that��s what I��m owed that. The goddess didn��t choose you for me for nothing." She said arrogantly.

    "You are owed? You deserve?" He asked in disbelief. "You self serving bitch. All you ever think of is yourself."

    "You��re the fucking reason Jasmine lost her child. Because of your lies! Have you sense of empathy?" He demanded.

    Anna pushed her lips. "I don��t know what you��re talking about."

    "You��re a monster Anna." He said.

    "I��m your mate." She insisted. "That��s what I am. You owe me."

    "Do you know why I haven��t rejected you? Your brother. You��ve put me through enough troubles with your lies rejecting you would only further sever the bond with Xaden and I. And I would never let you aplish that." He warned.

    "Well until that happens I don��t care." She pointed out. "What I care about is why you have been fucking Fiona. How could you do that to me? She humiliated in front of everyone!"

    Erik looked at her in disbelief.

    He started to walk away again until she said.

    "I don��t want you to ever see that whore again!" She warned him.

    He stopped in his tracks.

    Then he slowly turned around to face her.

    The way he looked at her, Anna didn��t like.

    "You��re delusional to think that you have a say in what I do in my life." He said. "Fiona isn��t going anywhere."

    And with that he walked away.

    Anna stood in burning fury.

    Jasmine wasn��t on the top of the list anymore.

    It was now Fiona.

    She would burn that fucking bitch!

 Chapter 537: JASMINE’S FAREWELL

    <h4>Chapter 537: JASMINE��S FAREWELL</h4>

    "Have you heard the news?" Nanny Nia asked as she folded up little of Jasmine��s belongings inside the box.

    Jasmine whose mind had been as usual far edged away, barely heard Nanny Nia.

    A few days before they went visiting the castle and yet here she was, still in anguish, mourning the loss of her child.

    She didn��t want to get over it.

    Mainly because she was worried that she would forget she ever carried the child.

    So she held unto the memory fervently.

    That way she didn��t have to let go.

    "Jasmine?" Nanny Nia said.

    Jasmine jerked, crashing back to reality.

    "Yes?" She answered quickly and tensed.

    Nannh Nia smiled weakly and then finished folding the dress she held and picked another one.

    "You��re thinking again." Nanny Nia remarked gently.

    Jasmine gave a weak smile. "I��m fine. What were you saying?"

    Nanny Nia looked at her for a while and then sighed before speaking. "I was asking if you had heard the new news?"

    Jasmine frowned. "What news?"

    "Well." Nanny Nia cleared her throat. "There were rumors at first but now is been confirmed. The Queen��s grand daughter has returned."

    "Returned? Princess Belle was missing?" Jasmine asked.

    "Gods no." Nanny Nia replied sharply. "Not that impudent little brat. I helped train her for a year and I couldn��t control her. Quit in a year. Not her. The Queen had a missing daughter."

    "Yes I heard. She told me when she came to the pack". Jasmine mumbled.

    "The Queen herself told you?" A surprised Nanny Nia asked in disbelief.

    Jasmine nodded. "Yes she did.

    "Wow. When I met her. She was closed off and for as long as I can remember she hated speaking on it. I��m surprised she opened up to you about it." Nanny Nia gave in. "Well her daughter who had been missing allegedly had a daughter. The daughter returned and now the Queen has taken her in."

    "Really?" Jasmine asked forgetting her grief and being happy for the Queen. "That��s beautiful..What about her daughter?"

    Nanny Nia shrugged. "Not much is said on that. But I think she died."

    Jasmine sighed. "That��s sad. Losing a child. After all these years."

    "Of course it is. And I��m sure you can rte." Nanny Nia said gently rubbing her shoulders.

    Jasmine said nothing.

    "Well!" Nannh Nia said returning to her folding. "There is going to be an official party announcing the princess. And it collides with when we go. How beautiful."

    Jasmine was delighted for the Queen.

    She had been so attracted to the Queen. Felt a pull to her she had never experienced and knowing she went through such sorrow made Jasmine sad.

    She was a good and kind woman.

    Not what she had expected of the Queen.

    It pleased her to know that the Queen had requested to see her.

    Whether she was going to be sentenced for the false usation of her assassinating Xaden, she had no idea.

    She simply wanted to leave the pack and note back.

    "I��m quite certain that you would love it and help you clear your mind." Nanny Nia said.

    Jasmine said nothing as she gently rubbed her hand on the partly broken emerald pendant on her neck.

    She had never taken it off and was the only gift.

    <fn51f5> Find the newest release on find[?]ovel</fn51f5>

    The one true possession she had that belonged to her mother.

    Sometimes she wondered if it was a gift from her father Bale or a gift from her mother��s family.

    Either ways it was her peace.

    The one thing she held fervently to at night when she had felt lonely all those years growing up and now that she had nightmares since she lost the baby.

    Her finger gently rubbed on the part where the emerald had broken off and then very gently put it back in her chest.

    It was well hidden inside her bosom.

    "The change of environment will do you good." Nanny Nia assured her. "You would love the Royal castle. It��s like nothing you��ve ever seen before."

    Jasmine smiled weakly.

    There was a knock at the door and Fiona came in.

    "How is the packing." Fiona asked excitedly jumping on the bed.

    "We��re almost done." Nanny Nia said.

    "Are youing along?" Jasmine asked hopefully.

    "No unfortunately I��m not." Fiona said fucking Jasmine��s red curls behind her ears. "But I would be here waiting for you when you return."

    Jasmine nodded weakly.

    She didn��t even know what her life had in shock for her.

    The truth was that she hated this pack.

    It harbored memories that she never wanted to remember.

    She was suffocated and overwhelmed by them.

    So the truth was she didn��t want to return.

    She sighed to herself as she gently nibbled at her fingertips.

    "Is Annaing along?" Jasmine asked worried.

    "Unfortunately she is." Fiona reluctantly replied. "But I know that Nanny Nia is there in case you need anything. I��m sure she would stand by you."

    "I��m tired of letting everyone fight my battles." Jasmine said quietly.

    Since her child��s death and the gruesome betrayal she had encountered, she found herself growing in anger.

    Resilience that she had never known even existed within her.

    And she wanted to fight.

    "Good for you." Fiona apuded. "I wish I would be there when that finally happens and Anna is the vessel for your frustration."

    "When were you going to tell me about you and Erik?" Jasmine asked puzzled.

    "Because there is nothing to tell." Fiona wove her hand off.

    "You told Anna that you are the one he is in love with. There is a LOT to tell there." Jasmine insisted.

    "Believe me there is none. It was a mistake. And should have never happened. Anna is his mate which is a cruel twist of fate. That bitch gets away with everything I could never understand." Fiona said irritated. "But Erik is a fool. He hid it from me. A coward. And so I closed that Chapter. It��s over Jamsine."

    Jasmine pressed her lips.

    Why was love so cruel?

 Chapter 538: GOODBYE

    <h4>Chapter 538: GOODBYE</h4>

    The night was quiet, a heavy stillness cloaking the darkened halls of the packhouse.

    Uther paced impatiently in his chamber until the mirror on the far wall shimmered faintly, glowing with the silver light of summoned magic. He straightened, forcingposure, though his stomach twisted.

    Cherry stepped through the enchanted reflection, her crimson gown brushing the floor like flowing blood. She carried herself with an ease that made Uther��s throat tighten...this was a woman who never feared, who never doubted.

    "You called me, mydy," Uther said with a shallow bow.

    Cherry��s lips curved into something close to a smile, though it never reached her eyes. "Indeed. I thought it fitting to remind you of your ce... and of mine."

    He shifted uneasily. "What is it you require of me?"

    Cherry circled the room slowly, trailing her fingers along the polished wood. "I have found a permanent solution to our little problem. Jasmine is no longer the concern she once was. Someone has already stepped into her ce. Someone who carries more use to me than that fragile girl ever could."

    Uther frowned. "Someone has taken her ce?"

    Cherry��s gaze snapped back to him, sharp and glittering. "Yes. And the court has epted her." She leaned closer, her perfume suffocating. "The Queen smiles again. That is what matters."

    He dared not press further, though his curiosity gnawed at him. "And Jasmine? Will she stille to the castle?"

    "Yes," Cherry replied, her voice silken and dangerous. "She will arrive, but her role will be different. A ghost does not need a throne. All I require from you is obedience."

    Relief flickered across Uther��s face. "And my task?"

    "You remain here." Her tone hardened, leaving no room for question. "You will not apany her to the castle. You will stay in this pack and watch. Be my eyes. Be my ears. And most importantly....be silent."

    Uther swallowed, but desperation rose in his chest. "I have done all you asked. I have risked everything. If I remain here, will you help me gain this pack? I deserve it. I have earned it."

    The temperature in the room seemed to drop. Cherry stilled, then turned, her expression freezing into disdain.

    "Careful," she warned, her voice low and venomous. "You speak as though you are owed something. Do not forget who you are, and who keeps you breathing."

    Uther opened his mouth, but she stepped closer, her shadow swallowing his.

    "Xaden would not be so forgiving," she whispered. "What do you think he would say...if he knew that his dear uncle abandoned his sister, your own blood, in her time of need? That you left her to die while you crawled into my protection? Do you imagine he would wee you, or cut you down where you stand?"

    The words hit him like ash. His jaw tightened, but he said nothing.

    "That��s what I thought," Cherry sneered. "Gratitude, Uther. Learn it. Because had it not been for me, you would already be rotting in the dirt."

    She drew herself up, her power thick in the air. "Do not test me again."

    With that, she vanished into the mirror��s surface, leaving Uther trembling in the silence, his ambition souring into bitter fear.

    ?

    Morning broke cold and pale over the pack. Jasmine stood in her chamber, her hands lingering over thest of her belongings. The air was heavy, filled with the scent of folded cloth and polished wood. Nanny Nia moved briskly around her, checking bags, muttering instructions, but Jasmine��s thoughts were far away.

    It was time.

    She nced once more around the room that had held her sorrows and her fleeting joys. She would not miss it. Her heart still felt raw, but there was a stubbornness in her chest that refused to shatter.

    Fiona entered, her arms crossed as though she were holding herself together. "So... this is really goodbye."

    "Not forever," Jasmine said softly, though her throat tightened. "Just for now."

    <fnfd02> The source of th?s content is find[?]ovel</fnfd02>

    Fiona smiled weakly, brushing back Jasmine��s red curls with a tenderness that almost undid her. "You��re stronger than you think. Don��t forget that."

    "I won��t."

    Together they walked through the corridors, where pack members gathered quietly to see Jasmine off. Some bowed their heads, others offered murmured farewells. She gave each a small smile, her chest aching with the weight of leaving behind all she had known, even if much of it was pain.

    But before stepping into the courtyard, Jasmine veered away. Fiona and Nanny Nia exchanged nces but followed without question as she walked down the narrow stone path that wound toward the hidden garden.

    The small spacey quiet and green, hidden from the world. Jasmine knelt at its heart, where soft earth cradled the memory of her daughter. She ced a cluster of wildflowers over the spot, her fingers trembling.

    "Sleep well, my little one," she whispered. "I will carry you with me, wherever I go."

    Tears blurred her vision, but she refused to wipe them away. This was her farewell, and she would not hide from it.

    Fiona knelt beside her, touching her shoulder. No words were needed; the silence was enough.

    Atst Jasmine rose, steadying herself. She pressed one hand over her chest where the broken emerald pendanty hidden. A reminder of her past, and of strength yet to be found.

    They returned to the courtyard, where a carriage waited. Its polished wood gleamed in the morning light, the horses stamping impatiently. Anna stood already near the steps, her expression unreadable, though her eyes flickered with something sharp as she watched Jasmine approach.

    Jasmine turned first to Fiona. "I��ll miss you," she said, her voice low but firm.

    Fiona��s arms wrapped around her in a tight embrace. "And I you. Remember, Jasmine, you don��t need to let anyone fight your battles anymore. You��re stronger than you know."

    Jasmine held her for a moment longer, then pulled away, climbing into the carriage. Nanny Nia followed, settling beside her with a reassuring touch.

    Anna enteredst, her perfume heavy, her eyes sliding briefly to Jasmine before she fixed her gaze out the window.

    The door shut. The driver cracked the reins, and the carriage jolted forward, rolling away from the packhouse.

    Jasmine looked out at the passing trees, her heart aching, her mind torn between grief and anticipation. She was leaving behind the ce of her deepest sorrows... but perhaps, beyond its borders, waited something more.

    Something she could not yet name.

 Chapter 539: JOURNEY FAREWELL

    <h4>Chapter 539: JOURNEY FAREWELL</h4>

    Once Jasmine was inside the carriage she reluctantly looked away from the window.

    She was going to miss them all.

    Loren, Marro, Richard, Erik and even Kire.

    Kire had been so reluctant to let her go she thought he would be in pain.

    Of course he couldn��t go with Jasmine because the more he stayed away, the weaker it made Erik.

    So it was out of question.

    Marro on the other hand was extremely unhappy.

    But she knew that the little boy was safe here.

    Xaden would never let anything happen.

    She knew that it wasn��t forever but she had a sick feeling inside her tummy that told her that it was going to.

    That she was never going to return to this pack.

    What made her sick to her stomach was the worry that she had abandoned her daughter.

    That she wasn��t going to visit her daughter��s grave everyday as she did.

    Every morning she went to out fresh flowers, she would find fresh Jasmines on the grave.

    Was it Xaden?

    She doubted.

    Perhaps Fiona.

    That gave her peace knowing that someone would always remember her child.

    She slowly pulled her face away from the window and Nanny Nia gently massaged her shoulders.

    She closed her eyes epting the older woman��s blessing.

    It was only then that Jasmine noticed who she was seated facing.

    Anna.

    Anna had a screwed up face so nasty that Jasmine was worried her face would look that way for life.

    "I hate being here with you." Anna pointed out nastily.

    Xaden along with the rest of the men were on horses, while there were carriages to carry the boxes of load.

    Lily was meant to havee but eventually it had been canceled.

    So it was just her, Nannh Nia and terrible Anna.

    "So do I." Jasmine replied calmly.

    Jasmine had no idea where that hade from.

    Anna dropped her mouth shocked at Jasmine��s response.

    Jasmine never ever responded to Anna.

    "Ugh. You have a mouth now don��t you?" Anna hissed. "I me my brother for insisting that we go together. But it��s fine either ways. At least I get to look at you before you��re beheaded by the Queen."

    "Oh shut up." Nanny Nia responded. "You don��t know anything."

    "Your lies Anna. I��ve had it." Jasmine replied gently. "Yes you managed to win this time. You seeded in helping ruin my rtionship with Xaden. I don��t want him anymore."

    "It��s Alpha Xaden you Harlot." Anna hissed rolling her eyes.

    Jasmine was going to ignore.

    She rubbed her fingers on thece of her dress and then turned away.

    It was eating her up so much and so she decided to confront it head on.

    "You know what Anna?" Jamsine rose a brow. "I understand you hating me because my father kidnapped you. Stole you as a child. I get that. But you have had it good your entire life. You got everything you always wanted."

    Jasmine scoffed in disbelief. "Do you even realize that if my own father didn��t switch us, then you would be the one in my ce? Let me make it clearer. You would have been married to your own brother."

    Anna��s face went red and looked away seemingly try her best to ignore Jasmine.

    But Jasmine had had enough.

    <fn4617> This text is hosted at find?novel</fn4617>

    She had had enough of everyone and everything.

    She was sick and tired of them all pushing her around.

    Of being prodded and manipted.

    Her innocence and will to be good being stolen from her.

    She was done.

    She had finally had the epiphany that she had been waiting for her entire life.

    "I took that. I scrubbed floors. Served you. You never worked a day in your life. You had the life I was supposed to have. My own father raised yoy as his own even when he knew you weren��t his. Even after how dreadful you were to me, the goddess still blessed you! It was revealed that Xaden was your brother and he weed you in open arms."

    Anna adjusted in her seat ufortably.

    "You never got to pay for any of the evil deeds youmitted. I suffered. I faced it all. Yet you came after me. You hate me so much that you even took away my child! How evil can you be? Your own flesh and blood."

    "Your bastard is not my bloodline!" Anna spat in disgust.

    "Lie to yourself all you want. You know it��s the truth." Jasmine said.

    Nanny Nia gently touched her arm. "You��re still healing you shouldn��t let her get to you."

    "Oh no Nanny Nia." Jasmine said her voice breaking. "It��s time for me to fight my own battles. I��ve been too much of a fool for too long."

    And then Nanny Nia let her be.

    Jasmine faced Anna with such rigor. "My child was your flesh and blood. Yet you lied. Spun tales of an affair with a man I have never met. You have blood on your hands. Your own blood. And I don��t me you."

    Jasmine shook her head.

    She truly didn��t.

    "I me your brother. I will never forgive you for what you��ve done to me." Jasmine said. "Harm me, attack me, but my child? You crossed a line Anna. You made the biggest mistake of your life."

    "And so I ask." Jasmine continue. "What is it about me, that makes you hate me so much to do such evil. Tomit such atrocities.

    Anna said nothing.

    Her arms were folded as she pretended to not hear what Jasmine had to say.

    Jasmine nodded.

    "Fine. Keep it to yourself. But Jessica. Because that��s who you are. You would never hurt me again. Not as Jessica, most definitely not as Anna."

    And with that Jasmine leaned back in her chair.

    There was something light about her finishing her speech.

    Something about her drawing the line she had been so scared to.

    And now it was all then.

    She felt Nanny Nia��s hands squeeze hers in approval.

    Anna snorted nastily and kept on looking through the window.

    "When you get to the castle I am certain you would love it." Nanny Nia assured Jasmine.

    But Jasmine couldn��t shake the feeling of perhaps, Anna being right.

    Was she going to be punished?

    What was she being called for?

    And who was the Queen��s new granddaughter?

 Chapter 540: THE ASTRONOMER

    <h4>Chapter 540: THE ASTRONOMER</h4>

    The Alpha��s Unwanted Bride

    After three days on the road, Jasmine��s body was swore and ached.

    They asionally stopped to rest from time to time.

    But because the horses were strong enough to journey up for four days non stop, the journey almost away continued.

    It was difficult for her especially since she was an unshifted wolf.

    She couldn��t exactly heal her wounds and deal with her pains like other wolves.

    Plus she had just lost her baby.

    She was still dealing with an enormous amount of pain.

    She shifted uneasily in her seat.

    Anna red at her.

    Jasmine remained in this position for a few minutes and found herself shifting.

    She shifted ever so gently to avoid disturbing Nanny Nia.

    But by the sixth movement Nanny Nia was awake.

    "Jasmine are you okay?" Nanny Nia asked reaching out to her as she gently massaged her shoulders.

    Jasmine gave a light smile. "I��m fine Nanny Nia. It��s nothing for you to worry about."

    "Tjis journey was a mistake." Nanny Nia said as she ced her hand on Jasmine��s forehead and felt her temperature. "Yoy had barely healed."

    "I couldn��t say no to the Queen." Jasmine said in all earnest.

    Nanny Nia had protested her traveling.

    When Nanny Nia hadined to Marie to tell Xaden that Jasmine was unfit to travel.

    Marie had said something strange.

    It was a day before the journey.

    Marie who hade to check on her had gently touched Jasmine��s cheek.

    "Perhaps going home would do her good." Marie had said.

    Jasmine frowned.

    Puzzled.

    "Home?" Nanny Nia said aloud.

    Marie didn��t reply.

    She watched Jasmine��s eyes and tucked her loose red curls behind her ears.

    "And maybe you would find what you��ve always needed." Marie said confusing Jasmine the more.

    Eventually Marie switched and said the change of environment was going to do Jasmine good.

    Before Marie left, Jasmine had hastily stopped her.

    "Wait I need to ask you something." Jasmine said.

    Marie nodded. "Yes? Go on?"

    Jasmine reached out from under her pillow and pulled out the leather journal.

    <fnd0b4> For original chapters go to F��nd��ovel</fnd0b4>

    "You are a mage? I was hoping you would have insight into this." Jasmine said showing the book.

    Marie picked it up.

    She had an odd facial expression on.

    Jasmine watched as Marie gently opened the book an flipped through the pages of scribbled notes.

    "Where did you get this from?" She asked.

    "It belonged to......Xaden��s mother." Jasmine said after a pause.

    She didn��t like to mention his name.

    She didn��t like to remember him.

    She didn��t want to.

    Marie rose a brow at her and then very gently set the book aside.

    "He told me that she was interested in astronomy. She and my father��s brother." Jasmine said. "They were looking for a world that doesn��t exist. I just wanted to know more about them."

    "Which?" Marie asked her fingers inteced together. "Your uncle or the missing world?"

    Jasmine gave a slight shrug. "Both?"

    Marie sighed. "What I can tell you is that the world that doesn��t exist doesn��t. It��s a myth. People have searched for these stories and ended up running mad from frustration. Because they never found anything."

    Jasmine felt her heart drop.

    She was disappointed.

    Had expected to be told more.

    "Oh I see." She mumbled to herself.

    "And for your uncle?" Marie cleared her throat. "I never met him. Barely heard anything about him."

    "I see." Jasmine said. "Thank you."

    "So you now know how to read and write." Marie remarked.

    "She is the fastest learner I have ever met in my entire life." Nanny Nia chipped in.

    Jasmine gave a light smile. "Thank you."

    She gently got up from the seat and started to head towards the steps to return the journal back to the astronomy room.

    Marie was the only lead she had.

    The only person she had any idea on this information.

    More so she didn��t know if this uncle of hers was alive.

    If he was, then that meant that he probably knew her mother.

    She was at a dead end again.

    She had hoped that she would gather more information from Marie at least.

    But there was nothing.

    Perhaps she should just drop it and move on.

    "How well are you interested in astronomy?" Marie asked.

    Jasmine paused. She slowly turned to face Marie who stood with her hands on her hips.

    Her bangles dangling on her elegant wrists.

    "Very interested." Jasmine said her eyes pleading.

    Marie sighed. "Well there is someone I know that might know better. He lives in the Castle. Almost went mad with astronomy. If you could share with him your findings then maybe he came help you."

    Jasmine couldn��t believe it.

    "Thank you." Was all she could say.

    "His name is Odin, tell him Marie sent you. He might not be very forting with someone disturbing him. But he mighte around if you have something for him."

    Jasmine was so ted she hugged Marie who stiffened.

    "Thank you so so much." Jasmine said.

    Marie stiffened at first, surprised by the show of emotion.

    Eventually she very gently tapped Jasmine��s back.

    Jasmine squeezed and let go.

    "Thank you so much."

    "Don��t thank me yet." Marie pointed out. "Sometimes it��s best what��s unknown remains unknown. We think we might want to know until we know."

    "I��ll handle whateveres my way." Jasmine said.

    Marie gave her a puzzled look. "Mh sweetheart. With the truthes consequences. You should be ready for whateveres your way."

    And with that Marie had left.

    "She is quite strange isn��t she?" Nanny Nia has asked.

    Jasmine had to admit she was.

    That was the main reason why she was headed to castle.

    She didn��t care if she were going to be punished by being banished.

    She just needed enough time to meet this Odin whoever it was.

    The pain her back made her snap back to reality as she shifted in her chair.

    "That��s it you need to rest." Nanny Nia said.

    Before Jasmine could stop her, Nanny Nia was yelling at the driver to stop.

    Jasmine knew she was going to mow have to face Xaden.

    She dreaded it.

 Chapter 541: THE STOP

    <h4>Chapter 541: THE STOP</h4>

    "STOP! STOP THE DAMN CARRIAGE!" Nanny Nia stuck her head out of the carriage and screamed at the driver.

    She banged at the body of the Carriage.

    The Carriage came to an abrupt halt immediately.

    Jasmine quickly held the side of the chair she was sitting on.

    Anna wasn��t so lucky.

    She was facing us and back the seat of the driver, so when it came to an abrupt halt it flung her straight to where Nanny Nia was supposed to have been seating.

    "Ow." She cried in pain.

    Nanny Nia ducked her head back inside the carriage and found Jasmine holding unto the chair, while Anna had been flung so terribly.

    Anna was weeping.

    "Thank the goddess you didn��tnd on me." Nannh Niained as she scowled at Anna. "If you had I would have pushed you right back against your seat."

    She looked up , her face a bright red as she red at each one of them.

    "How dare you!" Anna yelled as the spoilt brat she was. "I fell because of you and you��re telling me you would have pushed med away."

    "You know I don��t like you." Nanny Nia said. "If you think that after everything you��ve done I��ll help you, you must be out of your mind."

    Anna screwed her face as Nanny Nia walked over her trampled on the floor of the carriage and came down.

    Then she looked at Jasmine. "Aren��t you going to help me up?!"

    Jasmine looked at Anna.

    Old Jasmine would have helped her up. This was a new Jasmine.

    But Anna had crossed the line.

    She was the reason why she had lost her child and she was evil.

    Jasmine got up from her seat and came down from the carriage.

    Anna stared in shock and Jasmine was pleased to know that, Anna��s face had remained the same way when she had said a loud NO before mming the door shut.

    Jasmine felt so happy to do that.

    It felt good to her bones.

    She smiled to herself and turned to face Nanny Nia who was now exining why she had stopped the traveling party.

    "I don��t care." Nanny Nia said to the omegas escorting them. "I only care about her."

    Jasmine felt the pain in her side again but it was much better.

    It was genuinely a relief to be standing.

    Sitting in that chair for hours had been detrimental to her.

    And yet she didn��t want to put Nanny Nia in trouble.

    Jasmine walked up to Nanny Nia and gently touched her shoulder.

    "I��m fine now." Jasmine said.

    Xaden was nowhere in sight and she wanted into remain that way.

    If only she could cajole Nanny Nia to let it go and for them to return back to the carriage.

    But Nanny Nia wasn��t budging.

    "Jasmine let me handle this." Nanny Nia urged and turned back to lecture the young wolves how wrong they were.

    "Do you realize we are women? Traveling this long without stopping is hical." Nanny Niained.

    "Hey we��re all wolves aren��t we?" One said and they allughed.

    Jasmine felt a chill in her tummy.

    They were.

    She wasn��t.

    "Did you lose a child a few weeks ago?" Nanny Nia snapped at them.

    Theirughed seized and then their smiling faces came crashing down.

    "I thought as much." She said and went on with their lecture.

    Jasmine felt the pitiful nces on her.

    Pity mixed with hate.

    They hated her for everything she represented.

    A traitor��s daughter and a failed assassin.

    She didn��t want this much attention to herself and Nanny Nia was causing more harm than good.

    She walked back to Nanny Nia and touched her shoulder, trying to pull her back.

    "Please I think we should just let this go." Jasmine pleaded.

    "We��re not letting this go." Nanny Nia argued.

    "We��re going to be arriving at the castle soon." Jasmine said even though she didn��t know how long it would take."

    "And keep you in pain?" A horrified Nanny Nia asked, I don��t think so.

    "The more we spend time talking about this on the road," a beta said. "The longer it��s going to take us to get there. So if anyone is dealing with any sort of pain then I advise you hold it till we arrive."

    At that very moment, Jasmine worst fears came to reality.

    A dark musky aura started to infiltrate the energy.

    <fna634> Checktest chapters at F��ndNovel</fna634>

    She knew that scent.

    It was Xaden.

    She swallowed heavily.

    He appeared towering over everyone.

    "What��s going on?" He asked.

    Jasmine turned her face away refusing to make any eye contact with him.

    "My lord." Nanny Nia said rushing up to meet him. "I��m so sorry for the interruption. But this is a matter of life and death."

    At that very moment, Anna stumbled out of the carriage.

    She had a bump on her forehead.

    "Xaden they left me in there." She squealed.

    But he ignored her and faced Nanny Nia.

    That pleased Jasmine and as if knowing better, Anna shut up.

    "Jasmine isn��t doing quite well. She just had a terrible experience. And she isn��t like us wolves." Nanny Nia exined.

    As soon as she exined, she felt Xaden��s eyes on her.

    "She still isn��t done healing. She is very much in pain. Sitting one ce for hours it��s dangerous for her." Nanny Nia said. "So I was hoping we rest a bit."

    Jasmine felt his piercing gaze on her.

    She very stubbornly refused to acknowledge him.

    She wanted nothing to do with him.

    She expected him to instantly reject it, but she was surprised when she heard him ask Nanny Nia.

    "How long will it take for her to regain her strength?" Xaden��s dark voice boomed.

    "A nap." Nanny Nia offered.

    The entire space was quiet for a while and then soon Xaden said.

    "It��s getting dark soon. We make camp here."

    That shocked Jasmine, but that didn��t mean she had any intentions of forgiving him for what he had done.

    He was still and forever the same

 Chapter 542: LONELY ANNA

    <h4>Chapter 542: LONELY ANNA</h4>

    Eventually everyone offloaded their things off the horses and slowly began to mount down one after the other.

    Nanny Nia very quickly got afortable on the floor and forced Jasmine to take a seat.

    "Nanny Nia you��re making a big fuss." Jasmine argued. "I don��t need this."

    "Of course you do." Nannh chastised her. "Now sit."

    And with that she forced Jasmine to take a seat.

    Nanny Nia disappeared and a few momentste she appeared with a cup of brewing tea.

    "Take this." She gently urged.

    Jasmine sipped and the moment the tea went down into her system she couldn��t help breathing a sigh of relief.

    She closed her eyes as she felt the nutrients of the tea.

    "You see?" Nanny Nia nodded with a smile stered on her face. "I told you you would like it."

    "You��re always right." Jasmine said with a gentle smile.

    She was so grateful to have someone as kind and loving as Nanny Nia.

    It was the one thing Xaden had given to her that she treasured fervently.

    And then it hit her.

    The question that had been bugging her.

    "Nanny Nia you were brought to take care of me when I was pregnant." Jasmine began. "I��m not pregnant anymore."

    Nanny Nia��s face fell and became clouded.

    "I like looking after you. Moreover you��re still healing. I can��t just leave you." Nanny Nia said. "You shouldn��t tnink about these things."

    "And what happens when I get better?" Jasmine asked worried.

    As if overhearing them, Anna walked up to the.

    Her eyes still ck from the bump she had encountered when she had smashed her face into the carriage.

    Anna just stood ring.

    Jasmine wanted tough.

    She looked like a roon.

    "Why are you even here?" Anna demanded at Nanny Nia. "Wasn��t your job taking care of the pregnant mule?"

    No one answered her.

    "Well. If it��s going to do you any good." Anna stated. "I am going to speak to my brother and he will remove you. You��re not doing anything for us and your services aren��t needed."

    "Even if your brother fired me. I would still work for Jasmine." Nanny Nia said.

    "Without any money?" Anna mocked.

    "Some people don��t do things for money. They do it for love. And I��m sure it��s something you never experienced. Have you?" Nanny Nia asked her.

    Anna seemed taken aback by the response.

    She squeezed her face and her face went a bright red.

    Anna stormed off.

    "Sometimes I want to pity her." Nanny Nia said shaking her head. "I emphasize on the *want*."

    Jasmineughed.

    "Must be so sad being so bitter and envious. Never being happy for anyone." Nanny Nia shook her head.

    "I think that��s the only thing I��m grateful for." Jasmine said after some thought. "Regardless of all the hardships I��ve faced, I was never raised by father and his wife. I wonder if I would have turned out just like her."

    Jasmine watched as Anna sat down alone.

    Even Anna��s servants were gathered togetherughing.

    She was seated alone.

    With no one.

    "There is that to consider. I had heard things of her mother." Nanny Nia said. "Xaden��s mother and I��m sure she would be horrified to see how her daughter turned out. She might have turned out differently if she were raised differently. But then there are some people. People that no matter what you do or how you raise them, they always have this evil in them."

    Jasmine watched Anna and wondered if it was true or not

    ?

    Anna was seated by a tree feeling extremely lonely.

    Everyone was clustered together. Jasmine and her monster nanny. The omegas, betas even her servants were gathered together.

    And it urred to Anna that she had never really had a friend.

    She hated to admit it, but what Nanny Nia had said had gotten to her.

    Had she ever had anyone do anything for her out love?

    Growing up no one has wanted to be her friends.

    They were either friends with her for what she could offer or because they were terrified of her.

    She knew that her servants hated her.

    Her mother who was now the woman who had stolen and raised her as her own, had told her that it was better to he feared than to be loved.

    So she had always seen things that way despite the fact that it burned her.

    <fnbae3> Updates are released by find?novel</fnbae3>

    And so she envied Jasmine for everything she was not.

    How effortlessly Jasmine had everything offered to her on a tter of gold despiteing from rags.

    She had more and deserved more.

    She rubbed her arms as she felt a cold breeze.

    Then she felt a nket drop on her shoulders.

    She turned and saw her brother standing behind her.

    "Oh." She mumbled as she gathered the nket around her shoulders. "Thank you."

    He sat down beside her and together they just stared into the space saying nothing.

    Above everything.

    If there was anyone in this world she ever truly loved it was Xaden and Erik.

    She loved her brother so much it overwhelmed.

    She felt a strong bond towards him.

    Pride.

    It pleased her to know that she was of his bloodline.

    And Erik?

    He wasn��t just her mate.

    She was madly in love with him.

    To think that the goddess blessed her with someone like Erik.

    It was a miracle.

    Even she herself had never thought she would be with someone like him.

    He was kind, handsome, gentle.

    She had always thought she would end up with someone like her.

    But Erik was different.

    "What was she like?" Anna asked.

    "What was who like?" Xaden asked as he adjusted his hand against where he sat.

    "Our mother." Anna said blinking at the rising moon. "I��ve heard stories others about her. But I��ve always really wondered what she was like."

    Xaden sighed.

    "I��ve wondered if she would be proud of me and how I turned out." Anna said her voice low.

 Chapter 543: TERRIBLE SIBLINGS

    <h4>Chapter 543: TERRIBLE SIBLINGS</h4>

    The Alpha��s Unwanted Bride

    "Why do you say that?" Xaden asked puzzled.

    She shrugged.

    She couldn��t tell him that because she was a liar, maniptive, a thief, a literal murderer now.

    She couldn��t tell him the truth of what and who she truly was.

    So she shrugged. "Nothing. I��m just me perhaps."

    "If it��s because of all the terrible things you went through in the moonlight pack, it wasn��t your fault." He said.

    What she went through?

    In her entire life she had never had it hard.

    At least not until he had taken over their pack.

    He still thought that she had witnessed so many cruelties.

    That she had lived Jasmine��s life.

    If only he knew.

    "You experienced her." Anna sighed. "So you have to remember somethings about her. Right?"

    Xaden sighed. "She was everything. How she cared for the pack. How she cared for you when you were a baby."

    He gave a weak smile. "Everyone loved her. She was the light of this pack. And she loved you. She loved everyone. Father was father. She made him melt. She was his soft spot. She just made everything better. She would walk and heads would turn. You look exactly like her. That��s why they his you from me. Because if I had seen you, I would have known."

    She gave a bitterugh. "So if I had been made to marry you the way Jasmine was, then you would have known it was me? We won��t havemitted incest."

    Heughed. "Thank the Goddess that didn��t happen. But yes. I would have known it was you."

    "Even if my scent was hidden?" She asked.

    Because that was what had happened.

    She remembered them hiding her scent the day he had taken over the pack.

    She had thought that it was because they simply didn��t want him to know they had switched Jasmine in his ce.

    Apparently there had been other ulterior motives.

    "Even if your scent was hidden." He nodded.

    Anna was quiet for a while. Before asking the question that had baffled her mind for the longest time since she hade to know who she truly was.

    "How did she die?" Anna asked quietly.

    He seemed hesitant. "She was killed the night the pack was ransacked. By Alpha Bale."

    Anna felt like there was more.

    There was more to how she had died.

    But she knew when not to push.

    Xaden didn��t want to talk about it so she understood that.

    She respected that.

    And she wasn��t so sure she really wanted to know how considering how terribly wolf wars were.

    She shivered.

    And the name came through her like an epiphany.

    Alpha Bale.

    Jasmine��s father.

    The man who had stolen her and raised her as his own.

    She wished she could kill Bale and his wife herself.

    She wished she had been given the chance to.

    After all, they had taken away her life.

    Ripped her out of where she belonged.

    Turned her into this hateful person.

    It was their fault.

    And since they were not here to receive the blunt of her anger, Jasmine was.

    At least his daughter.

    Bastard daughter.

    Anna loathed her with everything in her power.

    She felt her hate for Jasmine re-emerge.

    She sighed heavily and red her nostrils.

    "And Jasmine��s father did all this to our parents? Betrayed them?" She asked.

    She didn��t say Bale or her adoptive father, rather she said Jasmine��s father because it was her way of reminding Xaden who Jasmine was.

    It was a way of her telling him that a Jasmine was and would forever be the daughter of the enemy.

    It seemed to work as his face became hardened.

    "Yes he did." Xaden nodded.

    Anna said nothing for a short while and then she looked down at her hands.

    "Why is she here Xaden?" Anna asked. "After everything her family did to us. After how she has done to me. After what she had done to even you. She is still here. Why?"

    Xaden was quiet about it for a while.

    "There are things I can��t exin to you. Not now at least." Xaden said. "But it will make senseter."

    Anna frowned.

    "You��re wondering if mother would have liked the way you turn out. It��s me who should be worried. Mother would hate to see me as who I am. I became everything she preached against." He said.

    He rubbed his muscr arms. "At least yoy don��t remember her. I do. I remember everything she ever thought me. Every song she ever sang. I remember it all. Mother would hate me if she sees what I am today."

    "You don��t mean that." Anna said.

    "You don��t know the things I have done." He said in such a cold and dangerous manner that gave Anna chills.

    She said nothing.

    It seemed brother and sister both had made terrible decisions and were headed in terrible directions.

    But Anna consoled herself that hers was for the best.

    "Are you going to marry Lily?" She asked.

    "No. I rejected her before she left. She doesn��t need aplicated man like me in her life." He said and with that he stood up, offered her his hand. "You should eat some food before you go to bed."

    "I��ve already eaten." She lied.

    She couldn��t eat because she was alone.

    Everyone was hurdled in groupsughing around fires and she eating outside alone would make her sad.

    She rose up. "I will be going to my tent."

    He escorted her to the arranged tent that had been madey in wait.

    <fnf2a9> This update is avable on find?novel</fnf2a9>

    He kissed her forehead.

    "I think it��s time we moved on." He said.

    She was absolutely confused.

    Moved on?

    From what?

    He kissed her head. "Goodnight."

    And in a split second before she could ask him, he was already gone.

    ?

    Jasmine had been seated with Nanny Nia throughout and had eventually decided it was time for her to retire.

    Nanny Nia was ordering the servants on cleaning the tes, so Jasmine simply got up and headed to her tent.

    Later Nanny Nia would join her.

    It was dark and the moonlight gave rays so she was able to see.

    She gently took off her clothes and sighed to herself.

    She turned around naked and saw Xaden.

 Chapter 544: JASMINE’S CONFRONTATIONS

    <h4>Chapter 544: JASMINE��S CONFRONTATIONS</h4>

    The Alpha��s Unwanted Bride

    JASMINE��S POV

    Jasmine froze once she saw Xaden standing before.

    Having him standing in her tent while she was naked was thest thing she had expected.

    In fact, she hadn��t expected it.

    But there he was.

    Standing a few inches away from her while she stood naked.

    With no one present.

    Her heart instantly froze and for a split second she was unable to react.

    She just stood staring at him.

    She swallowed heavily.

    It was as though she was seeing him clearer for the first time ever.

    A loc of his dark hair came across his eyes and his bright blue eyes shown like the river.

    His perfect facial structure and his neatly chipped zit.

    He was so handsome she forgot how ring he was.

    How despite how broken and trauma stricken he was, he had an aura that brought him alive.

    And then she remembered that she was naked once his eyes were roaming her body.

    Conscious of the fact that she was naked, and also by the fact that her body had changed since she had lost her baby.

    She very quickly picked up her clothes and covered her body.

    He had seen her times without number naked.

    But it had been such a while and moreover she was past him.

    "Stop looking at me!" She screamed at him.

    He quickly turned and backed her.

    "I��m sorry." He apologized.

    She frowned in surprise.

    He barely apologized.

    If there was one thing she knew about him?

    Xaden never apologized.

    He was so full of his ego that he didn��t believe in apologies.

    His apology had taken her aback, but she shook it off.

    "What are you doing here?" She asked. "I don��t want to see you."

    "I need to talk to you." He said.

    "I��m undressed." She didn��t like how she felt around him.

    Most definitely didn��t like the fact that she was still affected by his presence.

    It annoyed her and made her feel like she didn��t have control of herself.

    "I��ve seen you und before Jasmine." He said.

    She was breathless.

    <fn9525> The source of th?s content is f?i?n?d?n?o?v?e?l?</fn9525>

    Even after everything he had done to her.

    She still felt the way she felt about him.

    It made her angry.

    "Before." She emphasized. "No longer."

    "I��m your Alpha. You can��t turn me down." He said. "I just want to speak to you."

    And the mean streak came up.

    "What are you doing to do? Force me?" She asked cruelly.

    "I didn��t.... Mean...." He sighed heavily.

    There was a strange and pregnant silence between the two of them.

    And then he sighed heavily again.

    "Look jasmine. I just want to speak to you. I��m not going to ask for anything." He said.

    And thenter in a very calm and quiet way he added. "Please."

    She felt her chest ease and anger tone down.

    Soon all that rage was melting.

    By that simple please.

    She sighed and then put on her dress.

    When she was certain that she was well dressed, she went to sit on the makeshift bed.

    She didn��t want to be facing him inches away as he spoke to her.

    She didn��t want him close to her because she didn��t just trust him.

    She hated to admit that she didn��t trust herself either.

    "You can turn now." She said.

    And then he turned and saw her.

    Their eyes locked and she felt tensed.

    She quickly looked away.

    "Do you mind if I seat?" He asked motioning to the seat that had been ced in the room.

    She wanted to say she minded.

    She wanted to say he should stand because him sitting down meant that he was going to stay longer.

    And she truly didn��t want it.

    But she found herself nodding slightly instead.

    He walked over to the seat and sat down.

    "I wanted to talk to you about everything that has happened." He said.

    She felt a cold shiver down her spine.

    It wasn��t really something she wanted to speak on.

    "I don��t think I want to talk about this." She said quickly.

    "Jasmine I��m sorry." He apologized.

    Was she expecting an apology?

    No.

    Did it do much to make her feel any different?

    At all.

    She felt numb.

    "I didn��t know it was mine." He started and that irritated her.

    "You didn��t know it was yours?" She asked in disbelief. "Xaden you know you��re the only man I��ve ever been with. You know this. And even if it wasn��t you would murder a child? You believed lies. Lies about me that made no sense."

    He sighed.

    And it only made her further upset.

    "You took something I wanted." Jasmine said in anger. "At first you didn��t want it. I begged you to let us go. I pleased. And yet you refused. You made me stay and now look at. I should have never listened to you. I should have run away. I would have still had my baby."

    He seemed to be very ufortable.

    She don��t care.

    He deserved to be ufortable.

    "I went out there. I risked my life. I did something stupid. But I went searching for you. Because I loved you." She broke down her voice shaking. "Only to return and be thrown with usations. Lies."

    "Every single time you have done something to hurt me. I have forgiven. Everyone has done something to break me. All my life I have suffered. I only wanted my own happiness." She managed.

    Her voice was filled with tears she could barely speak.

    She had been holding it for a while now and she was pouring it out.

    Letting him know how she felt.

    "Your sister told you lies about me and you believed." She said. "Do you know that I was the one who suffered? You think Jessica had things tough? I was raised a bastard and what makes it worse is knowing that She was never even my father��s child, but yet he raised her as mine and I was a ve. He still sold me to you. The scars on my back! Does Anna have any scars?! Have you felt her hands. Soft! But mine! Hard like a rock! I have scrubbed floors! Been humiliated. Been beaten. All my life I have never had it good. The moment I finally have something that I can dere as my own you snatch it from me. You TAKE it away from me."

    She gave a bitterugh.

    "Deep down you know. You know that Anna isn��t genuine but because she is your sister, you have simply chosen to let it go. Because she was stolen, you believe that it��s your way of making amends-

    "Jasmine if you would let me-

    "NO!" Jasmine screamed as she rose up to her feet ring down at him, not caring if anyone heard her. "You would not tell me what and what not to do anymore."

    "I have forgiven. Been a fool. To everyone. You were supposed to be different. You were the closest thing I had to a mate. You were the only thing Iid im to." She said. "And so Alpha Xaden."

    She knew what where she was going.

    Her voice was breaking as she was about to make a decision that would sever the bond between them forever.

    "Alpha Xaden, I curse the day I met you. If I were a shifted wolf, I would have rejected you." She said.

    And it felt as though a part of her had broken.

    "I want nothing to do with you. Ever again. I would still be a ve to you. But by wolfws if someone else buys me from you. Even if it��s your worst enemy, I��ll rather go to be with them than you."

    And she felt her hands shake.

    Her entire body trembled.

    She could hardly breathe.

    She wobbled so much that she almost stumbled and had to gently sit on the bed.

    She saw him rise up and try to help her up.

    But she reacted even though he was still away.

    She withdrew. "Don��t touch me!"

    "Jasmine I just want to know if you��re-" he started to speak but she caught him short.

    "I SAID DON��T TOUCH ME!" She screamed louder as the tears flowed.

    And he paused.

    "Don��t touch me." She said more quietly, rubbing her arms.

    As if on cue, Nanny Nia rushed in.

    "Jasmine is everything okay?" She froze instantly once she saw Xaden in the room.

    "Oh." Nanny Nia mumbled. "Alpha Xaden."

    He stood for a while just looking at Jasmine and then he walked to Nanny Nia.

    "I��ll be going." He said and with that he left.

    Jasmine was still shocked by her own outbursts and Nanny Nia rushed up to her.

    "Come darling." Nanny Nia said as she gathered Jasmine in her arms and Jasmine began to weep uncontrobly. "It��s alright. I��m here."

    She wept for the man she had loved and now lost.

    She wept for the child she had never gotten to have.

 Chapter 545: A FAILED FATHER

    <h4>Chapter 545: A FAILED FATHER</h4>

    XADEN��S POV

    Xaden very slowly walked out of the tent.

    The very moment he rose his head up, he saw that everyone who hade along with him on the journey standing in front of the tent.

    He froze and came to an abrupt stop once he saw them standing.

    They were all looking at him.

    He knew that they hade because they had heard what had happened.

    He just stood there unsure of what to do.

    Then as if on cue, when they saw that no one was hurt or anything bad was happening they began to disperse.

    Anna pushed through the crowd and came to see him.

    "Are you okay?" Anna asked as she held his arm.

    "I��m fine." He said.

    She curved her almond shaped eyes to look at the tent.

    "How dare she talk to you like that?" She demanded. "I told you she was a little slut. I��ll deal with her."

    And then it hit him.

    They had all heard their arguments.

    No wonder they hade straight to the door to over hear it.

    "You heard everything inside?" He asked.

    "Not everything." She shrugged. "Just that I hated the fact that she made you beg!"

    Xaden winced.

    They had heard that part?

    "Who the devil does she think she is? Making my own brother beg! While she even yelled back at you!" Anna demanded ring her nostrils in fury. "I��ll teach that little whore a lesson."

    And then she started to march towards the inside of the tent and then Xaden very quickly grabbed her arm and pulled her away from the room.

    "What do you think you��re about to do?" He asked.

    "Teach her a lesson!" Anna hissed.

    "No you��re not going to do that." He said holding her hostage.

    "Why?" Anna demanded frustrated.

    He began to lead her away from the tent while she wrestled in disapproval.

    "She keeps on getting away with these things." She argued. "She needs to be disciplined!"

    And in anger Xaden whirled his sister to face him.

    He was getting tired of Anna��s bickering.

    "To be disciplined?" He demanded in irritation. "Anna she lost her child!"

    "She was rude to you!" She countered back and that took Xaden aback.

    Her words shocked him.

    She was equating the fact that Jasmine had lost her baby to validate to her snapping back at him.

    And it baffled him.

    Even though he didn��t have a heart.

    He was appalled by her statement.

    And then she continued. "It doesn��t change the fact that she spoke to you disrespectfully. You have no idea how long she has been getting away with so much!"

    "She lost my child!" Xaden barked at her shutting her up.

    His wolf was breathing in anger. "Doesn��t that mean anything to you? Doesn��t that affect you in any way? She lost my own pup!"

    Anna seemed very well taken aback.

    And then she began to gather her words together.

    "I mean yes.... Uhmm.... Err... of course. I��m sorry that you lost your baby." Anna apologized. "It hurts me that I lost my little nephew or niece too. And it��s all her fault. If she hadn��t put herself in such danger, none of this would have happened."

    And Xaden was terrified of her.

    She hadn��t said she was sorry that Jasmine had lost her baby.

    Rather she was only apologetic because *he* had said that he had lost his child.

    She didn��t even care.

    She had zero sympathy for Jasmine and that baffled him to the core.

    He then recollected jasmine��s words.

    When she had mentioned that Anna had told lies.

    He held Anna��s arm.

    "Anna is it true that you have been lying about who you are?" He asked his eyes closely watching at her.

    Anna dropped her lips in shock.

    He looked into her eyes searching for something.

    The only thing he could read was surprise.

    "Lying about myself?" She asked confused.

    "Anna. You told me that you were raised to suffer in the pack." He said.

    "Yes?" She nodded.

    "But Jasmine tells me that never happened." He said. "That she was the one who was raised as a ve. You were raised as a princess and you never had to suffer. Anna is this true?"

    She looked at him, her eyes widened.

    "Xaden you��re hurting me." She cried.

    And then he looked at her arm where he was holding unto and realized he was actually hurting her.

    He withdrew his fingers from the tight grip and he saw that his wolf ws had dug deep inside her arms.

    The blood came out and her skin slowly began to heal.

    "I��m sorry." He apologized.

    She said nothing for a minute as she rubbed her arm.

    "Are you fine?" He asked reaching out to her.

    She withdrew and kept on rubbing her arm where she had been hurt.

    But she mumbled a barely audible. "Fine."

    Then he straightened up and asked her. "So did you?"

    "Did I?" She asked seemingly confused.

    He took in a very deep breath. "Did you lie about everything that has happened to you?"

    "Of course not." She said bewildered. "I can��t believe you would believe me over Jasmine."

    She was ring at him her eyes zing in fury.

    "All Jasmine ever does is lie. I have never told you a lie. I have a very hard life and it breaks my heart to see that my brother would believe the daughter of the man who murdered our parents and separated us over his own blood! Over me." She said tears gathering in her eyes.

    She began to sniff but for some reason or the other Xaden barely paid her any attention.

    He wasn��t moved by her tears.

    "Well Anna if you remember, you told me that Jasmine��s baby wasn��t mine." He stated.

    She blinked at him in disbelief.

    Her lips seemed to begin to quiver.

    She wasn��t all so well kept together anymore.

    "But somehow the baby turned out to be mine."

    She dropped her mouth open.

    "You also told me that she had an affair with hunter. But Jasmine wasn��t a virgin when Iy with her." He pointed out staring her right down.

    Anna became red.

    Her face a right blush of pink.

    "So now what I want to know is where you heard all these things." He said.

    "I... uh...er.... I wasn��t so sure...." She began to stutter.

    <fn3f94> ?? ??? ???? ?? ???? ???? ???????s, ????s? ??s?? f?i?n?d?n?o?v?e?l?</fn3f94>

    He groaned and set his hands around his waist as he seemingly began to pace the area they stood.

    "You aren��t sure?" He asked once he came to a stop.

    "I don��t know. I think?" She said seeming unsure.

    "But when you told me. When I asked you."

    He resumed. "You said you were. You said you knew what you were talking about. You told me you understood the consequences of what happened if you were wrong."

    She went numb.

    "And yet now." He resumed. "You aren��t sure?"

    Anna began to rub her arms. "Brother I just... it was what had happened. It was what everyone had said. And it was what I knew. He dide to the pack."

    *Brother*

    she never called him brother.

    Only Xaden.

    He saw this as a subtle act to manipte and cajole him and it annoyed him.

    "But you said she was fucking him! They had an affair so scandalous that the entire pack was disgusted. That was what you told me."

    "Yes." She nodded. "That happened you have to believe me."

    "So why was she a virgin?" He asked.

    "Www..... uh... I don��t know..." she stuttered.

    She was now in a disoriented state, her usually perfect blonde hair was now a mess with her hands brushing through it time and time again.

    She seemed to be biting her nails in anxiety.

    Or was there more to it?

    "I mean.... If you knew she was a virgin when I told you why didn��t you say something?" Anna asked him.

    Xaden stared at his sister in disbelief.

    Was she now indirectly ming him for everything?

    All because he had been so blinded by the anger and rage that he had barely remembered the fact she was a virgin?

    "I didn��t mean that." Anna said quickly her eyes red when she realized what she had said.

    "Xaden you have to believe me I didn��t mean that." She said

    She reached out to him but he instinctively withdrew.

    But she was right.

    It was his fault.

    If he had sat down to think only for a second.

    Then he would have realized it.

    Anna was right it was all his fault.

    And here he was receiving the blunt of it all.

    Anna had just said ��Xaden *believe* me��

    Believe her?

    He didn��t think he believed anything she said.

    He had been so certain of her but now he realized that he most likely had been dead wrong.

    He had failed as an Alpha.

    Most of all, he had failed as a father.

    And as the realization hit him, it dawned on him that he would never forgive himself.

 Chapter 546: XADEN’S DILEMMA

    <h4>Chapter 546: XADEN��S DILEMMA</h4>

    Xaden just stood staring down at his sister as she stutter and became eerily flustered.

    He was furious with her but furious with himself over everything.

    He began to wonder if the fact that he had longed for his bloodline had clouded his judgement.

    He felt like a fool.

    And then the worst feeling of all crept in

    What if Jasmine had never had an affair with Hunter?

    What if she indeed had gone to save him.

    He felt a kick in his gut.

    His mind began to spiral.

    "Anna." He said as he rubbed his chin.

    He hated having beards so he always made sure to keep it clear.

    As his hands rubbed his perfectly hairless chin, he began. "What if Jasmine never nned to assassinate me? What if someone set this up?"

    Anna��s face became dull. "I don��t know. I mean who would want to do that? Moreover we saw our family jewelry in her bag. We also saw the letters. And moreover why would Hunter let her go if she wasn��t in on the scheme."

    "But why would he let her leave ande back? Why would she return if she wanted to be with him?" He retorted.

    Anna��s chest went up and down as she took in rapid breaths.

    "I don��t know. Maybe she betrayed him? Who knows these things?" She asked him sounding exhausted.

    There were a lot of loopholes in the story.

    Like why would she have the jewelry in her bag. The letters. And most of all, why would hunter a man who had wanted to have him dead, let the mother of his child survive.

    Nothing made any sense.

    And yet he couldn��t exin it.

    This was the first time that he was seeing the story from an entirely different perspective.

    From a clear and different view.

    And he HATED how foolish he was.

    He realized how quick he had been to decide.

    How much is jealousy had taken a toll on him.

    It had infuriated him.

    The thought of Jasmine with anyone other than him.

    Driven him to lengths of rage and bitterness he only shared with his enemies.

    Not with a woman.

    Never with a woman.

    "Maybe this is what she wants." Anna said reaching out to him and gently touching his shoulder. "To make us fight. You��re my brother. I��ll never want to hurt you. I only want what��s best for you."

    He rubbed his temples.

    "Anna I don��t think I can trust you again." He said.

    She looked at him with shock.

    "What do you mean by that?" She requested.

    "Anna you gave me information that made me make a stupid decision." He said in anger. "Do you realize that? Can you see and understand now?"

    Anna was numb. "This is what she wants. To make you hate me. Jasmine hates me. She has such a vendetta against me and you��re falling for it. Can��t you see?"

    "I��ve seen Jasmine. And I don��t think she has the soul to hate anyone." He said.

    He added a silent, except for me in it.

    Anna looked dumbfounded.

    "You don��t know her as much as I do!" She kicked against.

    "I��ve known Jasmine more than I��ve known you." He replied.

    Anna seemed about to faint.

    He tried to hold her but she flinched.

    He maintained his stance.

    "When we return home from this trip , I would make a proper investigation into everything." He dered.

    Anna seemed like she was about to woo.

    "You��re treating her better than your own blood. She is the reason why I don��t have a mother. Why I never met eight of my parents." Anna said the tears already flowing down her cheeks.

    "Anna-

    But Anna was already running away from him.

    He watched as she ran towards her tent and disappeared.

    He just stood at a crossroads.

    He had already lost Jasmine, and now he was about to lose his only season.

    ?

    Before the crack of dawn they were already woken up ready to continue the journey.

    Jasmine had been sitting in the carriage sipping hot tea from a sk that Nanny Nia had made for her.

    "Where is she?" Anna asked staring at Anna��s vacant seat.

    She had barely noticed it since they resumed the journey.

    Her mind had been elsewhere, the events of the previous night.

    When she had woken up, Xaden had ignored her and she had done the same.

    She had noticed a few odd stares from the members with them and it urred to her that they most likely had overheard her conversation.

    She had wanted to dig a grave and never emerge.

    So only hours after the journey when she was in a better state of mind, did she notice Anna��s empty seat.

    "Who?" Nanny Nia pretended not to know.

    "Her. Anna." Jasmine pointed out the empty seat.

    "Oh that girl." Nanny Nia clicked her throat and rolled her eyes as she flipped through the pages of her book. "Heard something about Alpha Xaden making her seat with the servants. Good riddance to bad rubbish."

    Jasmine wondered why but eventually decided it was none of her business.

    And nanny Nia was right.

    Good riddance to bad rubbish.

    After a few minutes, the herbs made her drowsy and she took a nap.

    "We��re here." She heard Nanny Nia.

    Jasmine woke up from her deep sleep confused.

    "We��re at the royal pack. look." Nanny Nia said as she watched through her window.

    Jasmine stretched her head to see and saw the most beautiful pack she had ever seen.

    It was already dark.

    "Did I sleep the entire day?" Jasmine asked startled.

    "Yes. The herbs knocked you out." Nanny Nia said honestly.

    Jasmine looked through the window and watched as the carriage rolled up a well paved hill.

    The streets were filled with hangingnterns.

    And in the not so far distance, she saw a gigantic castle lit up with lights.

    And something about it said de ja vu.

    Like she belonged here.

    ~

    Jasmine watched in awe as the carriage rolled on.

    She had this calling.

    This feeling as though she belonged here.

    "It feels like home." She had no idea when she said aloud.

    "Of course it��s home darling." Nanny Nia said. "This is where the goddess first descended. It��s sacred ground. It��s the first and real homes of all wolves. Shifted and unshifted."

    Jasmine smiled in response.

    But how could she exin this feeling that it felt more than that.

    Like it wasn��t just like she belonged home.

    It felt like she was part of it.

    Like this ce made her whole.

    It was quite dark but the lights illuminated the view and Jasmine tried her best to view it closer.

    It was a bit crowded and filled up.

    "Is it usually like this?" Jasmine asked puzzled.

    "God no." Nanny Nia said as she peeked from her book. "I think it��s because of the ceremony for the new princes."

    Ahhhhhhh.

    It finally clicked to Jasmine.

    The King and Queen had found their grand daughter.

    She couldn��t imagine how happy they were.

    "I still can��t believe it." Nanny Nia said. "They had been looking for their daughter and now they have a grand daughter. I really wonder what happened to the daughter."

    Jasmine smiled.

    "I��m happy for them. They at least got some answers." Jasmine said.

    She hoped that she too like them would get answers to her questions on her mother.

    She still needed to find her mother and from all indications, finding her uncle was the only way further.

    She held her arms together fervently and made a silent prayer to the goddess.

    She had been prayerful to the moon goddess despite all her misfortunes.

    Despite all the bad things that had happened to her, she knew that the goddess would never forsake her.

    They rode on and still didn��t reach the main pce until almost thirty minutes.

    The crowd of people bussing through made it even harder.

    "These are affluent wolf families." Nanny Nia. said peeking through the window. "They must have alle for the ceremony."

    Eventually the carriage came to a halt and then the door was opened.

    Nanny Nia made sure to hop out first.

    "Move aside." She pushed the omega that hade to assist.

    And then she offered her hand to Jasmine who took it all happily.

    When Jasmine was adjusting her address, she felt someone watching her and turned only to see Anna ring at her in the distance.

    "Ignore that silly whore." Nanny Nia said pulling me aside.

    They followed the precession, with Xaden leading ahead.

    Jasmine took in the beauty of the pce gawking at its elegance.

    The walls sparked of gold and silver.

    <fndb27> This update is avable on find~novel</fndb27>

    The carpets looked like you sink into its beautiful velvet material.

    The servants were well co ordinated.

    Jasmine had always thought that the crescent pack was beautiful.

    But this was something else.

    She gently touched a wall and instantly she felt like she had touched fire!

    "Ouch!" She said in rm.

 Chapter 547: DE JA VU

    <h4>Chapter 547: DE JA VU</h4>

    "Jasmine are you okay?" An rmed Nanny Nia as she came around her.

    Jasmine rubbed her hand.

    "Yes I��m fine. I just...." She looked at the wall. "Something had burned me."

    Nanny Nia frowned and walked to the wall before carefully touching it.

    Nothing happened.

    Jasmine sighed in relief that Nanny Nia hadn��t been burned.

    <fn4948> Get full chapters from find?novel</fn4948>

    But was confused why she hadn��t at the same time.

    "Nothing happened." Jasmine whispered in surprise.

    She looked at her finger as to where she had touched.

    "Yes. Nothing happened. Are you sure? It was a burn? Are you okay?" Nanny Nia asked.

    Jasmine��s brows were well furrowed together.

    She hesitated at first and then tried to reach out to the wall again.

    Nothing happened.

    She didn��t get burned again

    She could have sworn it hurt.

    Like fire.

    "Maybe you��re just tired." Nanny Nia said wisely.

    Jasmine hovered unsure and then just eventually gave in.

    "Yeah. I think you��re right." She said rubbing her brows.

    Now was she just imagining things?

    And then at that moment, Anna brushed past her, forcefully pushing her aside.

    "Hey." Jasmine said startled.

    "Get out of the way." Anna hissed in a clear warning. "Or get kicked out of the way. Dirty slut."

    And she whipped her hair and went on with her flutter of servants going right after her.

    "I��m going to give her a beating of her life." Nanny Nia said rolling up her sleeves and undoing the pins in her hair and tying her hair up in a bun.

    "Don��t." Jasmine stopped cing her hand on her arm in a bid to stop her. "Trust me. She isn��t worth it. Not right now at least. I don��t think the King and Queen would take it too kindly with us fighting on our first day."

    Nanny Nia sighed.

    "Fine. I��ll just postpone it till another time." Nanny Nia pouted as she rolled back her sleeves.

    "Thank you." Jasmine mouthed.

    Then they followed with the procession as they were led down the hallway and past corridors.

    Jasmine gasped in awe and amazement of how beautiful it was.

    The walls glistened of crystals and Jasmine wished she could reach out and touch them.

    But she remembered what had happened the first time she did and she stopped herself.

    There were so many wolves present.

    Different ranks.

    Of course she could barely see any Lycan present.

    Soon as she approached closer towards the hall, eyes began to turn and look at her.

    She swallowed ufortably and wondered whether it was because she was the daughter of a traitor, or she was rumored to have assassinated Xaden.

    Perhaps both.

    The eyes were staring down at her, refusing to look away. Jasmine swallowed heavily again and held until nanny Nia as if leaning to her forpanionship.

    "Ignore them." Nanny Nia snorted. "They have terrible manners."

    They stared and some whispered as she glided through.

    Were they also here to witness her punishment?

    How the royal family was going to use her as an example.

    A warning. A deterrent to all those who had dared to disobey theirws.

    She swallowed, suffocated at the ufort of this unknown environment.

    Soon they went past ring eyes and Jasmine sighed in relief.

    They began to walk stairs.

    And as Jasmine went on, she couldn��t shake the feeling that this was where she belonged.

    Couldn��t shake the Deja vu off, so much that it made her feel exhausted.

    But she simply told herself that maybe it was just what Nanny Nia had said.

    The ce where the goddess had ascended and there fore it must feel like home to all wolves.

    But Jasmine couldn��t just shake this feeling that there was more to it.

    Soon they were headed down an alley.

    Servants weren��t really here, but rather guards in their numbers standing alert.

    She had seen them before.

    Royal guards.

    Few of the other wolves that hade visiting were equally in the hallway.

    As expected, they stopped to stare as she walked past.

    "Why are they looking at me?" Jasmine thought aloud.

    "I think it��s because of your hair." Nanny Nia said.

    "My hair?" Jasmine asked rmed, loud.

    People turned more.

    She went mute and slowly whispered again. "My hair?"

    "You know your hair is red." Nanny Nia

    Exined. "Only members of the red family have red hair."

    Jasmine reached out and touched her vibrant curls.

    "But I have. And I��m not a member of the royal family. I��m not even an unshifted." Jasmine said.

    "I know." Nanny Nia nodded. "But that doesn��t change the fact that people are still curious. People fear what they don��t know. You should know that by now."

    Jasmine sighed. "People who came visiting my home pack always looked at me in a very weird and strange way. That��s why my father never liked me going anywhere. I was told that it was one of the effects of being an unshifted. An abomination that needed to be hidden."

    "Don��t say that." Nanny Nia chastised. "Don��t ever say that. You��re not an abomination. If you��re anything you��re special. Do you know what it means? That you out of millions of wolves, are the only one that has never shifted. It��s fascinating. Your type is rare. Almost non existent. And when something is rare. It��s unique. That makes you different from everyone. Own that Jasmine."

    Jasmine felt Nanny Nia��s words ovee her and for once, she saw herself in a different light.

    She had always seen herself as a reject.

    As a problem.

    As an abomination due to her red hair and for a fact that she was like no one.

    But for once, she considered the fact that no one was like her.

    That she was different.

    That she was as Nanny Nia said unique.

    Most wolves were like themselves.

    But she was like no one.

    And for the first time in her life, that made Jasmine proud.

    It made her self esteem rise.

    She was different.

    No one was like her.

    Soon up ahead, she saw the servants and other wolves who hade with her seem to stand outside arge mahogany door well guarded.

    Nanny Nia held her hand as she was led in.

    Damian turned to Nanny Nia.

    "You two cane in." He said disdain.

    Jasmine didn��t like him just like he didn��t like her.

    It was mutual feeling.

    Soon The doors opened and Xaden walked in with Anna by his side, before Damian along with Jasmine and Nanny Nia went.

    Jasmine thought she had seen beauty in the pce until she walked into a grand hall that on instant she knew was the throne room.

    It was filled with beautiful stones glistening in the walls.

    There were beautiful French windows that were colorful and seemed to be drawn of people.

    There were about over hundred of them, one of both sides.

    Some with a woman, some with a man.

    Beautiful chandeliers hung from the ceiling, illuminating the room.

    Guards standing at attention from left to right.

    And right in front were two massive throne.

    She could see the King seated on the right.

    His throne was grand and elegant.

    Filled with intricate designs, mahogany and diamonds.

    To the left was none other than the Queen herself.

    If Jasmine had thought that King��s throne was beautiful, the Queen��s throne was mind blowing.

    It stood shaped with silver and gold.

    The throne itself seemed to be made of crystals.

    And the designs were ruby.

    Like bright fire.

    It was stunning.

    Soon they walked to the end of the carpet where Xaden went on one knee.

    Damian did the same, Anna curtseyed, Nanny Nia and then she realized she wants only one standing.

    Jasmine gasped and very quickly went down low, her eyes downcast.

    "You may rise." Came the Queen��s soft voice.

    And so Jasmine very gently rose up to her full length and she made eye contact with the King.

    He looked at her disapproving.

    He didn��t like her and then she remembered.

    What she had so badly tied to block out of her memory.

    shes of him ramming inside the Queen��s sister and then moaning came into her mind.

    Jasmine cursed the day she had seen them.

    And soon she began to fear.

    Cherry had caught them, but the King.

    She didn��t know if he knew or not.

    But one thing was definitely for sure, he didn��t like.

    "Your majesty. It��s an honor to be in your presence." Xaden said in such respect Jasmine was surprised.

    Xaden NEVER respected anyone.

    Not even the king

    But he seemed to uphold the Queen in high regard.

    She came down from her throne.

    And very gracefully walked down the little steps.

    Jasmine wondered what she was about to do so she kept her head down.

    Her eyes downcast.

    To her dismay and absolute shock, a pair of elegant shoes appeared in front of her.

    She looked up and without warning, the Queen herself Engulfed her in a warm hug.

    "Jasmine!"

 Chapter 548: The Queen’s Judgement

    <h4>Chapter 548: The Queen��s Judgement</h4>

    Jasmine simply stop in awe and disbelief as the Queen hugged her.

    Everyone in the hall turned to look at them.

    Jasmine herself just stood freezing unable to believe what was happening.

    Eventually jasmine very gently let her arms go around the Queen.

    She closed her eyes as she breathed into the warmth of the Queen.

    It felt like home.

    She had never hugged the Queen before, only been around her.

    Only ever perceived her presence but just having her hold her.

    Especially when she had been brought to be given judgement on, but was rather weed with open arms.

    The Queen hadn��t hugged anyone.

    She hadn��t even spoken to anyone.

    She had onlye straight to her.

    Jasmine breathed into the Queen��s beautiful scent of roses and lilies.

    She smelled like nothing she had ever perceived before.

    Then the Queen finally let go and Jasmine was forced toe back crashing to the world.

    The Queen looked much younger and beautiful.

    Her long and straight hair was caught up in pins filled with precious stones and neatly arranged on her head.

    Thest time Jasmine had seen her, she had looked ailing and yet, was still beautiful.

    But now she was radiating.

    The Queen gently touched Jasmine��s cheeks.

    "It��s so good to see you." The Queen said dimples Jasmine never knew existed appeared.

    Jasmine looked down at her feet, too shy to look the Queen in the eyes.

    It was a taboo after all.

    "The same your majesty." Jasmine replied.

    The Queen surprised her again by hugging her once more.

    Once she let go, she held jasmine��s shoulders.

    "I couldn��t wait to see you." The Queen said looking all over Jasmine. "I��ve been excited for your arrival."

    The Queen was happy to see her?

    Why?

    What had she offered the Queen.

    Or what did the Queen even see in her for her to say she was excited for her arrival.

    She felt everyone��s eyes on her.

    Especially Anna.

    She could feel Anna��s piercing gaze so hard on her, Jasmine knew that if her eyes could kill, she would already be dead by now.

    "You smell like Jasmines." The Queen said her eyes seemingly surprised. "My daughter used to smell like them. She would bring them all..

    And the Queen��s words trailed off in an iplete manner and her face fell.

    Jasmine wondered what had offended her.

    And then the Queen instantly shook her and the smile that had been ced before reappeared immediately.

    "How was the journey? Did you have any trouble?" She had changed the topic so quickly Jasmine was taken aback.

    Jasmine smiled going along with her. "It was perfect. Thank you."

    The Queen gently caressed her cheeks and then she saw Nanny Nia standing by.

    "Nanny Nia! You are here?" The Queen gawked in amusement.

    Nanny Nia quickly curtseyed. "Yes your majesty. I am."

    "I haven��t seen you in ages. What are you doing here?" The Queen asked looking all over her.

    "I work for the Crescent pack. Alpha Xaden employed me to work as a nanny for Jasmine your majesty." Nanny Nia offered.

    The Queen looked from Jasmine to nanny Nia.

    "Is this true?" She asked.

    Jasmine nodded. "Yes your majesty."

    "Nanny Nia is one of the best Nannies I have ever seen. She used to take care of my grand daughter when she was young. I��m sure she took care of you."

    Jasmine nodded. "She did your majesty. She is one of the best things the goddess has ever given to me."

    "She truly is the goddess sent." Queen Rose agreed. "Thank you for taking care of her."

    "It��s a pleasure your majesty." Nanny Jia curtseyed once again.

    It seemed the Queen wanted to say more when she now turned to me.

    It was as though there was no one else.

    Just me and her.

    And then came a loud and deep clearing of throat.

    It came from the throne where the King was seated.

    We made eye contact and he looked at her disapprovingly.

    Jasmine very quickly pulled her eyes away from him.

    "What?" The Queen asked confused.

    And then it finally it urred to the Queen that there were other people standing, waiting for her.

    "Oh my!" The Queen said. "Do forgive me! My mind just went off."

    To Jasmine��s surprise the Queen unconsciously took her hand and dragged her along as she went to meet Anna.

    Anna had a fake smile stamped on her face.

    "You must be Xaden��s sister." Queen rose said.

    Anna lit her fake smile once more.

    Anna had her eyes all over Jasmine and Jasmine could tell that Anna was furious that the Queen had barely noticed her.

    "Yes I��m Anna." Anna said as she curtseyed in the most elegant way possible. "It��s an honor to meet you your majesty."

    "The honor is mine." The Queen replied.

    She didn��t hug Anna she just stood smiling at her which seemed to infuriate Anna even more.

    "You look just like your mother." Queen Rose stated. "The resemnce is striking. Did your brother tell you?"

    "Yes he did your majesty." Anna said. "I��ve seen her pictures."

    "What happened to you was very unfortunate." The Queen said as she held unto Jasmine��s hand.

    Anna��s eyes looked down at the firm grip and Jasmine knew her well enough to know that she was boiling in rage.

    "Yes Alpha Bale and his family. I don��t think I can ever forgive them for what they did to us." Anna said.

    Jasmine knew that hint of maniption.

    She was very much familiar with Anna��s games.

    She knew where she was headed and she knew that she intended to soil and drag Jasmine��s names in the midst of all of this .

    <fnb3e6> Chapters first released on f��?dn��vel</fnb3e6>

    "I was given report that Bale himself was dead along with his wife. Wasn��t it?" The Queen asked.

    "Yes your majesty." Anna curtseyed. "But they still have their bloodline."

    Jasmine choked.

    She knew where this was headed.

    Anna was about to be Anna again and make her look bad in the Queen.

    She knew this ploy and she hated to admit that she was scared.

    Here she was with someone who weed her with open arms and made her feel loved.

    Made her feel special.

    And made her feel at home.

    Yet Anna intended to ruin that for her.

    Jasmine��s heart raced.

    Was this it?

    Was this the moment that the Queen was going to punish her.

    "I don��t mean to be so difficult but it��s been very hard for my brother and I because we still have to be faced with a reminder everyday. We still have to be reminded about what happened to us." Anna said her eyes brimming with tears.

    "Anna." Xaden whispered as if in a bid to silence her.

    It was like a warning.

    So Anna went silent but still sniffed her tears.

    Xaden looked very very annoyed.

    The Queen looked at Jasmine and the Anna.

    "If I can recollect, Jasmine is Alpha Bale��s daughter isn��t she?"

    Jasmine��s heart was pounding now and her pals were sweating.

    Her entire being was sweating.

    "Yes your majesty." Anna sniffed as she used her hankie to wipe her tears. "But I don��t mean to put her in this. It��s just...."

    And then she wept some more.

    "Well. It is unfortunate what happened to you. And take my condolences. Your brother still hasn��t forgiven us for what happened to your family. I don��t expect you to either." The Queen began.

    "Oh not your majesty i don��t mean I am angry with. You I could never-

    "Would you let me speak?" The Queen very gently interjected and Anna��s face went red.

    She nodded.

    Jasmine wished the ground would open up and swallow her whole that very instant.

    "But then I don��t believe that we should pass on the sins of the child to the father do you think so?" Queen asked.

    Anna��s face went instant white.

    Jasmine��s mouth dropped in amusement.

    Her lips began to quiver in disbelief.

    Jasmine could not believe it.

    Had the Queen herself just stood up for her.

    "Your parents had made mistakes before. Your mother in particr even though she was my very good friend and served a punishment. Do you think I should have punished you for it too? Would that be a fair and just thing to do?" The Queen asked.

    Anna began to stutter and sweat.

    Jasmine began to wonder.

    Punishment?

    What punishment?

    "N... no... you.... Your majesty." Anna replied.

    "Very good." The Queen nodded. "I believe that everyone deserves a fair trial. A fair hearing. And a good beginning. I don��t think it��s Jasmine��s fault what happened. I have heard the tales of what happened to myself. Especially with her recent losing her child."

    Jasmine swallowed an her eyes went pale at the haunting memory of her dead child.

    "So as Queen of wolves with the power vested in me Jasmine, I dere you innocent of all that has been used of you. Past and present." The Queen said.

    Everyone was shocked.

    Jasmine could not believe it!

 Chapter 549: IMPOSTER VS THE REAL PRINCESS

    <h4>Chapter 549: IMPOSTER VS THE REAL PRINCESS</h4>

    Jasmine simply stood there trying to process what she had just heard from the Queen.

    She was dered innocent of all that has been used of.

    Past and present.

    Did this mean that she wasn��t going to be judged for the false usationsid against her by Anna?

    Jasmine felt her knees go weak and would have fallen if not for the fact that the Queen gently held unto her.

    "Easy." The Queen said as she gripped her arms.

    Guards rushed to assist but the Queen motioned them away.

    Jasmine was so ashamed to have almost fallen on the Queen.

    Jasmine managed a weak smile as she bit her bottom lip.

    "Thank you your majesty. I��m so sorry. I��m just so clumsy." Jasmine apologized quickly.

    "Oh that��s okay." The Queen waved her hand.

    Anna face was fallen.

    She looked disappointed and filled disbelief.

    "Don��t you think so too Anna?" The Queen asked her. "I think Jasmine has already gone through enough."

    Anna started to stutter.

    She seemed gonna thrown into a state of confusion.

    "I mean.... Eeeeerr. Unmmm. Of course." Anna nodded. "I mean your majesty. Certainly."

    Queen Rose beamed with happiness.

    "I can understand it��s hard to forgive and forget the past especially when there is a reminder in our very front. But I think it��s best we embrace the present and look up to the future don��t we?" Queen Rose.

    Anna nodded with a fake smile stered across her face.

    "You can never be wrong your majesty." Anna admitted.

    In a split moment, the King stood behind the Queen.

    Jasmine had no idea when or how he had gotten from his chair and raced straight across to them.

    "I don��t think we should be making decision so quickly my love." He said as he took her free hand and gently tried to pull aside.

    "Don��t worry Rnd. I already thought about it." She responded. "Made my decision a long time ago."

    The King looked at Jasmine and disgust was written all over his face.

    Jasmine was now hundred percent sure he did not like her.

    His gaze seemed like a warning for her to back up.

    Jasmine didn��t take it lightly.

    Especially when she remembered what she had seen between him and the Queen��s sister.

    A memory she wished she could block out of her mind forever.

    She quickly let go of the Queen��s hand

    Queen Rose didn��t seem so pleased.

    "Perhaps we should speak about this better. Just the two of us." He offered.

    But the Queen was very stubborn.

    "Don��t worry. I��ve already decided." The Queen said and then turned to face them all. "Wee to my home. Thank you Xaden for bringing your family to me. And I wee you to the three days long ceremony of the coronation of my grand daughter."

    As if on cue, a door opened and a girl with straight and long red hair just like the Queens, walked in with servants behind her.

    She looked radiant and beautiful, a perfect pose and elegant demeanor.

    She seemed to be around the same age of Jasmine herself.

    She seemed to fit into the entire kingdom.

    Jennifer watched as none other than Princess Cherry, the Queen��s elder sister followed right behind.

    Jasmine looked at the King to see his reaction.

    But there was none.

    Princess Cherry looked at Jasmine as had a very unpleasant looking smile stamped on her face.

    Jasmine trembled in terror as she remembered how Princess Cherry had pulled her aside and warned her off.

    Jasmine shivered and turned her face away.

    <fnaff1> Discover more novels at Find_Novel(.</fnaff1>

    "Grand mother." The girl said very quickly opening her arms.

    Queen Rose opened her arms, hugged the girl and then kissed her forehead.

    "Everyone I would like to introduce you to my grand daughter, Auburn." Queen Rose said as she took Auburn��s hand and showed her off. "Auburn this is Alpha Xaden of the crescent pack along with his sister Anna, his er... Jasmine and them Nanny Nia."

    They all curtseyed for Auburn.

    Including Alpha Xaden.

    Auburn gave out her hand before Xaden very gently received it and kissed it.

    "The honor is mine meeting you your majesty." He said.

    Auburn seemed smitten with Xaden.

    Like she had seen a prized possession and she never for once wanted to let go.

    Jasmine felt a twisted knot in her tummy.

    Was it jealousy?

    She had no idea.

    She had told herself that she felt nothing for Xaden anymore.

    Or she was going to try her best not to.

    So why was she feeling annoyed that Princess Auburn was so obviously well smitten with him.

    Jasmine rubbed her arm.

    "The pleasure is mine Alpha." Auburn said sweetly as she batted hershes over him. "I��ve heard so many good things about you. It��s an honor to see the great Alpha himself in person."

    Xaden gave her a pleasant smile.

    Auburn very gently recollected her fingers.

    "This is his sister Anna." The Queen ushered.

    Anna curtseyed in the most elegant way possible. "It��s an honor to meet you your majesty."

    Auburn who was still looking at Xaden, reluctantly turned to face Anna.

    "The pleasure is mine." Auburn said, that sweet and false smile written all over her ce.

    Jasmine could tell that Anna was fawning over the princess.

    "And this is Jasmine." Queen Rose said as she finally ushered Auburn to Jasmine.

    It was then Auburn first saw Jasmine and he face instantly fell once they made eye contact.

    Jasmine noticed it, but was too happy to see the beautiful princess she barely took much thought to it.

    Jasmine quickly curtseyed. "It��s an honor to meet you your majesty. I can��t imagine how happy you are here."

    Auburn gave a smile.

    Jasmine truly was happy for her and most of all, she was happy for the Queen.

    At least now the Queen could rest.

    She was glowing, looked happier than thest time she had seen her.

    That was what mattered.

    "Thank you." Princess Auburn said. "Why do you have red hair?"

 Chapter 550: CHERRY’S PLANS

    <h4>Chapter 550: CHERRY��S PLANS</h4>

    Jasmine very gently touched her fire red curls and intertwined it in her fingers.

    "Oh this?" Jasmine said with a smallugh. "No it��s nothing. It was just a weird mutation that happened to me as a result of being unstuffed."

    Auburn gave a tight smile and something told Jasmine that she was not liked.

    She felt uneasy around her even though Princess Auburn had a smile stered around her face.

    "I see." Auburn nodded.

    Princess Cherry clicked her heel behind Anna, announcing her presence once again.

    "Oh how can I forget." Queen Rose said all smiles. "This is my sister Cherry. I��m sure you have already met her haven��t you Jasmine."

    How could she ever forget?

    shes of memories of the King ramming into princes Cherry came shing through her mind like a haunting nightmare.

    Jasmine shivered.

    "Yes I have. It��s an honor to see you once again your majesty." Jasmine curtseyed.

    "The pleasure is always mine." Cherry said with a hint of sarcasm.

    Jasmine bit her bottom lip.

    "And this is Anna." The Queen said. "She is Xaden��s sister."

    Cherry rose a brow.

    "It��s an honor to meet you your majesty." Anna greeted.

    Cherry nodded.

    "Wee again to my home." Queen Rose said to everyone but holding Jasmine��s hands. "Come, I��ll like to take you to your bedroom. I got a very nice one set for you."

    Jasmine could hardly believe it.

    The Queen herself had very single handedly picked out a room for her?

    She was a nobody to the Queen.

    Why was she being so nice?

    Or was it because of how she had taken care of the Queen when she was sick?

    Was that why the Queen has always had a soft spot for her.

    Anna��s face was awash with frustration in the back.

    "Your majesty forgive me." Xaden cleared his throat. "But I was hoping that we would have the time to discuss somethings in private."

    Jasmine looked at Xaden wondering what he wanted to say.

    Did he want to tell her to change her verdict that Jasmine was now innocent.

    She bit her bottom lip wondering what was going to happen.

    She sighed. "Alright."

    <fnbdf3> Discover more novels at find~novel</fnbdf3>

    And then Queen Rose gently tapped Jasmine��s shoulders.

    "I will assign someone to you." Queen Rose said and then she signaled for one of her guards.

    "Get me Hildegard. Tell her to take Jasmine along with the rest of the guests to their bedrooms." She informed.

    "Of course your majesty." He bowed and hurried off.

    "I would see youter at dinner. Wee to my home." She said as she hugged Jasmine once again and then she went over to kiss Anna��s cheek.

    Anna gave a squeezed smile.

    And then the Queen motioned to Xaden and together they headed towards the throne.

    Some guards came and led them out of the throne room and she felt piercing gazes on her back.

    Jasmine very gently turned her back and sure enough Princess Auburn and Princess Cherry were ring at her

    ~~~~~~~

    AUBURN

    She watched as all three of them left.

    Auburn��s eyes were burning in rage.

    She didn��t need to be told twice.

    This was the real grand daughter.

    The moment she had set eyes on her, she had known.

    And the Queen.

    The Queen had been so vividly all over the girl.

    Which infuriated her further.

    She couldn��t let this cheap dirty girle between her and her ns.

    She had to be very careful.

    "Auburn darling." Queen rose said calling her back to reality.

    Auburn gave a tight smile. "Yes grandma."

    "I was hoping that you would give us some space. I��ll like to speak to Alpha Xaden alone." Queen Rose.

    Auburn shed her most seductive look at the handsome man.

    Goddess he was beautiful.

    With that scar shed across his eyes.

    He radiated perfection.

    Everything about him was alluring.

    She felt her body warm up for his touch.

    "Of course." Auburn nodded.

    Then she turned to face Xaden. "It was good to see you."

    She handed him her fingers and he dutifully kissed them.

    "The same here your majesty." He gave her a boyish grin.

    Auburn blushed.

    "Come let��s go." Cherry said as she led her out of the throne room.

    Once they were out and had walked a few distances away from the guards, they began to whisper.

    "That��s the girl." Auburn said.

    It wasn��t a question.

    "That is the girl." Cherry confirmed.

    "She has red hair." Auburn said. "She looks nothing like royalty apart from that. But the Queen. The Queen was all over her. Did you notice that?"

    "Of course I did." Cherry said as she whipped her raven ck hair. "Now why did you ask her why her hair was red?"

    Auburn shrugged. "I don��t know. It just slipped out. I didn��t meant to ask."

    "Well next time you better zip it before it slips out." Cherry warned as she rolled her eyes. "You have no idea that asking such questions in front of my sister would make her want to know more. And thest thing we want is for her to doubt who you are. It��s bad enough she is smitten with that girl."

    Auburn��s lips quivered. "I��m sorry."

    "You better be. Your life is at stake because as I have warned you. If you fall, I will not fall with you." Cherry hissed. "Do you understand?"

    Auburn swallowed.

    "Yes I do." She nodded.

    Cherry sighed. "Now all we have to do is keep her as far from your grandmother as possible until we are done with the ceremony and they leave."

    Auburn nodded. "Of course I can do that."

    "I also need you to try and form a marriage alliance with Alpha Xaden." Cherry said.

    Auburn blushed.

    "We need his pack." Cherry said. "If you be his mate, the Queen would need to hand over the throne to you. A ruling Queen can never remain on the wolf throne while her next in line is married. Once that happens and she descends, then I can finally take over."

    Auburn blushed.

    She could have Xaden for herself?

    The thought of it exhrated her.

 Chapter 551: THREE IN A BEDROOM

    <h4>Chapter 551: THREE IN A BEDROOM</h4>

    As Jasmine was led down the hallway she came and met an older my woman who was around the age of her fifties.

    Jasmine had met her before.

    "Hildegard!" Nanny Nia said ted and both women into each other��s arms.

    "It��s so good to see you." Hildegard said looking her all over. "What an honest surprise."

    "I do say so myself." Hildegard said beaming.

    "Jasmine this is Hildegard. She is the Queen��s best friend and her oldest serving hand maiden." Nanny Nia said introducing.

    "Yes we��ve met." Jasmine said pleasantly. "It��s good to see you again."

    "And it��s good to see you too dear." Hildegard beamed.

    Anna scoffed in disgust and rolled her eyes.

    "I don��t have time or care about all these servant introductions. It��ste and I want to go to my bedroom." Anna said rudely.

    "Shush. You won��t speak to like that." Nanny Nia warned.

    "I would speak however I wish to." Anna said in rage. "After all, Jasmine is still the bastard of a monster."

    Jasmine wasn��t pleased to hear those words.

    "You��re provoking me!" Nanny Nia warned.

    "Just leave her she isn��t worth it." Jasmine insisted.

    Even though she wished that she could give Anna the p herself.

    "Where the hell is my bedroom?" Anna spat.

    Hildegard motioned to some servants who were standing at the far edge of the wall toe.

    They came with their eyes downcast.

    "Do take this she wolf to her bedroom. See to it that she is given all she needs." Hildegard said.

    "Yes mydy." The servants greeted.

    "It��sdy Anna!" Anna warned at Hildegard and then red at the girls. "Start leading the way!"

    The girls went off and Anna stomped her feet as she marched after them.

    "Youzy girls better don��t make me get there before you." Anna said in the distance to her servants who were running right behind her.

    Jasmine shook her head.

    "What a monstrous and dreadful girl." Hildegard said in horror.

    "I��ve been this close to strangling her." Hildegard said. "And the worst part? He brother doesn��t see it."

    "She is the one who is Xaden��s sister isn��t she?" Hildegard asked.

    "Yes. Unfortunately." Nanny Nia said with a reluctant smile.

    "Looks like her mother. Sounds and acts nothing like her." Hildegard remarked.

    "Forget that horrid monster." Nanny Nia said. "Take us to our bedroom."

    "Ahhh.." Hildegard said. "I��m afraid that I have bad news. Due to the ceremonying up, most rooms have been taken up. Jasmine an Anna were ced in the same room."

    Jasmine felt her stomach drop almost instantly.

    She knew better than anyone that Anna would rather die than sleep in the same room with Jasmine.

    "Anna would never agree." Jasmine shook her head.

    "I would never let you sleep with that monster. Especially after what she did to you." Nanny Nia answered. "Over my wolf��s dead body."

    "Anna would never agree." Jasmine said openly.

    And Jasmine had assumed that she would have had the freedom to stay away from Anna.

    She didn��t think she could stand being in an enclosed environment with her.

    Especially after what had happened.

    "I said I would never agree to that." Nanny Nia insisted.

    "It wouldn��t hurt to try would it?" Hildegard said.

    "Why don��t I stay with the servants? There are servants quarters aren��t there?" Jasmine asked.

    "The Queen would never allow you to sleep in a servant��s quarters. She has been waiting for your return you do know?" Hildegard asked. "Especially after you took care of her when she was ill. How you look after her. And after she heard what has happened to you...."

    Hildegard trailed off.

    Then she cleared her throat and said.

    <fnf592> Th? link to the orig?n of this information r?sts ?n find?novel</fnf592>

    "The Queen just wanted you around. You��re the main reason she sent for your pack even though Xaden has arranged a meeting with her." Hildegard informed .

    That meeting again.

    She felt a twist in her tummy when she remembered how he had requested to speak to the Queen alone.

    Probably to tell her that she was evil.

    "Why don��t we go to the bedroom and see for ourselves first yes?" Hildegard asked.

    Nanny Nia seemed very skeptical but eventually she gave up.

    "Alright."

    And true enough it was a capital NO from Anna.

    "The goddess reject such a thing!" Anna gasped in disgust and horror. "Jasmine sleep in my bedroom."

    "It��s actually not yours." Hildegard said as she held her hands together. "This was a room the Queen had single handedly picked for Jasmine."

    Anna shot dagger looks at Jasmine. "No."

    "I��ll sleep on the floor if you��re okay with that Anna." Jasmine said.

    She was too tired and just wanted to rest.

    "Don��t you get?!" Anna snapped. "Even if you beg twenty million wolf years I won��t. Over my mother��s dead body."

    "If there is anyone who needs to be doing the begging. I believe it should be you." Hildegard pointed out.

    Anna��s face went a bright red.

    "No! I��m not doing such a thing." Anna said her cheeks puffy. "This is my bedroom and she is a nobody. It is I who is Xaden��s sister. She is just his slut."

    Nanny Nia marched to p Anna but Anna was too quick to race and hide behind the bed.

    Anna growled, her wolf snapping as she hid.

    "Just let it be." Jasmine said. "I��ll stay elsewhere."

    "No you��re not doing that." Nanny Nia kicked against.

    "It��s fine trust me." Jasmine assured. "And what about you? Where are you going to stay?"

    "I��m not important." Nanny Nia said selflessly.

    "I was hoping you would sleep in mine Nanny Nia." Hildegard offered. "You can too Jasmine if you won��t mind it. It��s quite small."

    "I wouldn��t mean to be of any inconvenience." Jasmine said hastily.

    "Oh don��t bother about that." She assured her. "We��ll fit right in. And by tomorrow we would have this thing sorted out."

    "That won��t be happening." Came a sale and husky masculine voice.

    Jasmine froze immediately.

    She knew who it was.

    "She will stay in mine." Xaden announced.

    ~~~~~~

    The Alpha��s Unwanted Bride

    The back of Jasmine��s hair stood in alert.

    She was frozen and couldn��t bring herself to turn back and see him.

    She could tell her wasn��t so far off from her.

    Anna��s face was white.

    Everyone made eye contact, even Anna.

    All four women.

    And there was a heavy and pregnant silence in the room.

    And then it urred to Jasmine what he had said.

    He wanted her to stay in his own bedroom.

    With him.

    Just the two of them?

    Alone.

    Jasmine��s heart was now pounding.

    "Xaden!" She said in surprise. "I didn��t see youe in."

    Hildegard looked at Nanny Nia.

    The room became very quiet.

    "Yes. I just finished discussing with the Queen." He said.

    Anna gave a tight smile.

    "I was just talking about how inconvenient it would be for Jasmine to have my bedroom." Anna said. "I mean since she just lost the baby and she would be alone."

    Jasmine felt a kick her tummy at the mention of the baby.

    Anna had purposely done that.

    Jasmine knew.

    "But that��s now I heard it from you." Xaden pointed out.

    There was a chill atmosphere in the room.

    Everywhere went silent.

    Anna began to stutter. "Oh no.... I didn��t mean it anyway. I just.... Uhmmm.... Errr... you know how she is always with Nanny Nia. I had hoped that maybe she would find herself in a much better ce. Just the two of them together."

    "If you really wanted to help her why didn��t you offer to leave?" Xaden asked.

    Anna��s face went pale again.

    As though she had seen a ghost.

    "I just.... I don��t know. Jasmine always said she didn��t like things like this." Anna said.

    "Anna she just lost her child." Xaden scolded.

    "I know that." Anna said. "That��s more reason why I had hoped she would just get some space on her own. Moreover, I didn��t think she would want me around especially after what happened."

    "It��s okay I don��t need it." Jasmine said.

    "She said she doesn��t need it." Anna stated.

    "I heard that the Queen assigned this room to her." Xaden said.

    "She is the daughter of the man who killed our parents." Anna burst out finally exposing how she felt. "It��s exhausting. It��s all about her. I am your sister. She is a nobody. Despite everything I��ve been through. She still manages to be the only one you care about."

    "Anna ENOUGH!" Xaden barked.

    And Anna froze unable to say a word.

    "We��ll deal with thister. I don��t want to hear anything!" He Warned.

    Anna squeezed her face seemingly upset.

    And then soon she burst out into tears.

    "I��ll handle youter." He said without looking at her.

    Then he turned to Nanny Nia. "She will stay in my bedroom."

    And with that he left all the women in a state of confusion.

    There was an eerie silence.

    Jasmine still wasn��t sure what happened.

    "At least he put someone in her ce." Nanny Nia said aloud.

 Chapter 552: FERAL WOLF

    <h4>Chapter 552: FERAL WOLF</h4>

    Anna��s face was all screwed up at Nanny Nia.

    Jasmine had no idea where the boldness wasing from, but she found herself walking up to Anna until she was inches away from her.

    "You��ve been hiding who you really were. Pretending to be me." Jasmine said barely breaths away. "But it��s just a matter of time. Your true self. That really Jessica inside you. Is always going to be there. And would fullye out no matter how much you hide it."

    Anna was breathing so heavily you could see her nostrils ring.

    "You��ve just started to show to your brother who you really are." Jasmine said.

    "That��s all you want." Anna said. "Toe

    Between my brother and I. But I warn you. I promise you that it��s only a matter of time for me too. I will end you."

    Jasmine gave a wry smile.

    She didn��t think she was afraid of Anna anymore.

    In all sincerity, as she looked all over Anna she saw her for who she really was.

    A girl who had been given the world and even when would have lost it, the goddess still have her.

    <fnf910> Read full story at f?i?n?d?n?o?v?e?l?</fnf910>

    And yet here she was.

    Still ungrateful.

    Still refusing to learn from the mistakes she made.

    Jasmine had had none of this.

    It had been one bad luck after the other for her.

    Yet she had remained steadfast.

    She had kept on with faith that things were going to eventually get better.

    That the goddess wasn��t going to forsake her.

    But Anna who had had it all, was still filled with hatred, bitterness and envy.

    A girl whom she had wished she could switch ces with her entire time.

    But now seeing her, Jasmine was grateful she was nothing like Anna.

    She was grateful that she was

    For the first time, Jasmine wasn��t scared of Anna.

    She now really looked at her and felt nothing but pity.

    The hate and animosity growing within her was now a part of who she was.

    "I��m not afraid of you anymore. You keep on searching for love." Jasmine stated. "But with the hate you have in your heart. No one would ever love you. Especially when you don��t love yourself."

    Anna��s breathing became hard and uneven.

    Her veins could be seen pumping across her temple.

    "You dirty bitch!" Anna screamed.

    Anna lifted her hand that had very quickly be fur and revealed hardened ws.

    "Jasmine!" Nanny Nia and Hildegard screamed in unison.

    Just as she would have struck Jasmine, Jasmine flinched but the blow never came.

    She slowly opened her eyes to look up and saw that Anna��s hand remained hanging mid air.

    It was as though she couldn��t control it.

    Anna��s eyes widened in shock as she struggled to free her hand but it remained that way.

    "Goddess." Nanny Nia gasped.

    Anna struggled to bring her hand down but it remained hanging mid air.

    All of a sudden the wildest thing happened.

    Anna��s hands reversed back to her human hand in a very rough and brutal manner.

    Her veins could be seen pumping across her skin and her ws went back in so quickly she bled through her fingers.

    She screamed at the sheer pain of it and soon she was on the floor dealing with her transformation process.

    Jasmine was confused on what to do.

    Anna��s servants screamed and ran out of the room.

    Jasmine tried to reach out to Anna. "Let me help yo-

    "Stay away from me!" Anna screamed tears flowing down her cheeks.

    Anna used her free hand to try and hold down her hand.

    Sha screamed in pain.

    It was as though she was personally fighting with her own wolf.

    Regardless of how much of a monster Anna was, she couldn��t just watch her suffer and do nothing.

    She tried to reach out again, but Anna flinched back.

    Jasmine turned to Nanny Nia and Hildegard.

    "What��s happening to her?" Jasmine asked. "She is in pain."

    "She deserves whatever she is getting." Nanny Nia said.

    "We can��t just let her suffer." Jasmine said as she turned back to Anna.

    Now it wasn��t just her hand fading from its fur, her body was beginning to fluctuate.

    Jasmine watched in horror as Anna began to writhe in pain as her body shifted from wolf and human.

    Her back arched and her spinal cord formed in ghoulish form.

    She screamed and then it reverted.

    Her feet went to ws and her bum turned to a wolf��s back and her tail wagged.

    It was as though she was shifting on and off without control.

    "What��s happening to her?" A panic stricken Jasmine asked.

    "I��ve seen this before." Hildegard said. "Her wolf is rejecting her."

    Jasmine looked back at Anna.

    Her wolf was rejecting her?

    Jasmine had never heard of a such phenomenon.

    "Can that even happen?" Jasmine asked.

    "It��s rare. But it does happen." Hildegard said.

    "Can we do something?" Jasmine asked quickly.

    As much as she didn��t like Anna seeing her in pain was beyond her.

    The doors opened and a servanting in with a tray screamed and it fell shattering into a million pieces once she stepped in.

    She covered her mouth and screamed aloud.

    Jasmine rushed to the servant and gripped her arm, jolting her out of it.

    "Listen to me!" Jasmine snapped forcing the servant to look at her. "Go quickly and ask for Alpha Xaden. Tell him his sister in trouble."

    Anna screamed again and the servant turned to look at her.

    Jasmine was forced to make her look at her.

    "Do you understand me?" Jasmine demanded.

    The girl shook her head, her eyes red wight fright.

    "Now go." Jasmine said pushing the terrified girl out of the room.

    Jasmine rushed back to where Anna was.

    "What can we do? How can we help her?" Jasmine said. "We have to do something."

    "She is feral." Nanny Nia said. "She is dangerous and can hurt you."

    Jasmine was unable to simply stand and watch Anna be in pain.

    And so she did the unthinkable.

 Chapter 553: SILENT SAVIOR

    <h4>Chapter 553: SILENT SAVIOR</h4>

    The Alpha��s Unwanted Bride

    Jasmine lurched at Anna.

    "Jasmine don��t!" Nanny Nia screamed in a bid to reach out to her.

    "Wait don��t!" Hildegard pleaded.

    But Jasmine was already down with Anna.

    She touched Anna��s feet.

    And in a split second that she had done that, Anna froze.

    All the veins disappeared, the fluctuations of her shifting from wolf to human immediately came to a halt.

    It seemed like the pain and shifting had just disappeared in a split second.

    As though it had never been there in the first ce.

    Jasmine pulled her hand away quickly.

    She was absolutely confused.

    Nanny Nia came down to where she was and gently held her shoulders.

    <fnc5c4> Th? link to the orig?n of this information r?sts ?n F��ndNovel</fnc5c4>

    "Jasmine you shouldn��t do things like this." Nanny Nia scolded.

    But Jasmine couldn��t take her eyes away from the gaze beside her.

    Anna slowly stirred.

    Her face was still very much bright red, but you could tell that the storm had past.

    It was as though the exact moment that Jasmine had touched Anna��s feet, the entire thing had vanished.

    Hildegard went over her to check.

    She touched Anna��s forehead.

    "She isn��t shifting anymore." Hildegard said as she looked up at them. "It seems to havepletely stopped."

    Jasmine was breathing hard now.

    She looked down at her hand own and turned it around.

    Was it because she had touched Anna?

    Was that why it had stopped?

    She was baffled.

    It seemed the other two women had barely noticed she had even touched Anna.

    "Thank the goddess or she could have attempted to kill us all before killing herself." Hildegard said examining her body.

    Anna was seemingly motionless.

    "I��m sure she would have pleased about the former." Nanny Nia said dryly.

    Jasmine��s mind was barely even there.

    "Is she..... dead?" Jasmine asked as she peeped.

    "No she isn��t." Hildegard said as she touched her wrist. "She still has a very firm pulse. Her wolf has been stabilized."

    At that very moment, the doors burst open and Xaden and a few guards came in.

    Xaden remained standing at the door to survey what was going on.

    The very moment that he saw Anna lying down on the floor, he sprung into action.

    He was by her side on the floor in a split second.

    Jasmine��s heart fluttered the moment she saw him especially when he was barely spaces away from her.

    "What happened to her?" He asked as he very gently cradled his sister into his arms.

    "We aren��t sure yet." Hildegard said. "But she was yelling and all of a sudden she just copsed and started vibrating. I think she was having some sort of conflicts with her wolf because they both kept shifting."

    "This was a few seconds before she was about to hit Jasmine." Nanny Nia chipped in quietly.

    Jasmine looked up at Nanny Nia.

    "What?" Nanny Nia mouthed back. "It��s the truth and you know it."

    Xaden didn��t seem to notice the interactions between Jasmine and Nanny Nia.

    He just rose to his feet and cradled his sister in his arms.

    "Is she okay?" Jasmine found herself asking.

    Thest time she had spoken to him, she had been kicking him out of her tent.

    He didn��t look at her and just when Jasmine thought he was going to ignore her, he very quietly said. "I hope so."

    And with that he walked away, his scent going with him.

    Jasmine just stood as she felt his presence disappear utterly.

    The guards went behind him and the servant who had gone to call him simply stood still shaking.

    Nanny Nia gently helped Jasmine rise to her feet.

    "Are you okay?" Nanny Nia asked she held Jasmine shoulders.

    "Umm... I��m fine. Thank you." Jasmine mumbled.

    She was still unsure what had just happened.

    "That girl must be a really really bad she wolf." Hildegard said.

    Jasmine turned to face the older woman.

    "What do you mean?"

    Hildegard shrugged. "Well for your wolf to be rejecting itself from its body, most times the wolf isn��t connecting with the soul anymore."

    "And it��s a very rare scenario. When that usually happens, it means the wolf is so fed up with its body it wants to break free. But you have to have exhausted your wolf so much that it doesn��t want to be part of you anymore." Hildegard said.

    "How many have you ever seen?" Jasmine asked.

    "Just one." Hildegard responded. "This would be the second. And she is the youngest that I��ve ever heard of. Good goddess."

    "So why did it stop?" Jasmine asked.

    "Most times it��s not supposed to." Hildegard responded. "A lot of the times they go feral and be mad. Killing any and everyone in sight."

    "You see! That��s why you should have never gone close to her." Nanny Nia scolded me annoyed.

    "Her just stopping and healing. In fact I��ve never for once heard of someone just stopping and being okay." Hildegard stated.

    Hildegard gasped as she covered her mouth in disbelief.

    Jasmine looked at her hand that she had touched Anna with.

    She shed her fingers in clear view.

    Was it because she had touched her?

    Why did she feel overwhelmed in the wolf pce.

    It was as though she felt a resurgence of power within her.

    As though this ce, did something to her.

    Made her feel stronger and powerful

    She shook it away from her mind.

    It wasn��t possible.

    She was nothing but an unshifted wolf.

    "Come we should leave this room." Nanny Nia said gently patting Jasmine��s back and looking around the room in disdain. "It feels like bad luck already."

    Jasmine nodded and then paused.

    She turned to Hildegard. "Please I need to ask. I��m looking for someone. He said to be an astronomer?"

    Hildegard rose a brow. "Do you mean Otto?"

    "YES!" Jasmine snapped.

    She had been raking through her mind on what his name was. "That��s who he is Otto."

    "Yes he is an astronomer."

    Hildegard nodded.

    "I��ll like to meet him." Jasmine said.

    "Well I hope you��re ready. Because he doesn��t like people." Hildegard replied.

 Chapter 554: THE VERY GRUMPY ASTRONOMER

    <h4>Chapter 554: THE VERY GRUMPY ASTRONOMER</h4>

    Jasmine rubbed her arms as Hildegard knocked at the door.

    They had marched up stairs and stairs ascending to the highest point of the pack pce.

    Jasmine was so breathless and exhausted.

    Why would anyone want to stay so far up.

    "Are we getting any closer?" Jasmine had asked as she was panting heavily.

    They had been marching for so long Jasmine had no idea when or if they would ever arrive.

    "A bit." Hildegard had said.

    Nanny Nia has gone not even half way up the stairs when she decided that she couldn��t continue.

    So it was just Jasmine and Hildegard who went all the way.

    By the time they had reached the door, she was breathless.

    "This is really far." Jasmine said. "Does he evere back down?"

    Hildegard shrugged. "No not really. He likes to keep to himself. He most importantly does not like being disturbed."

    Then she knocked while Jasmine waited.

    It was the only door in the entire space and the hallway was like a cubicle.

    No other rooms or doors in sight.

    Just the wooden one in front of them.

    "Do you think Anna is going to be okay?" Jasmine asked.

    Hildegard shrugged. "Who knows?"

    Jasmine looked down at her hands.

    And then it urred to her.

    She had seen how close Hildegard and the Queen had been.

    Especially when the Queen had been ill in the crescent pack.

    "I wanted to ask you, if you would let me." Jasmine begun, knowing that there might not be another chance for her to.

    Hildegard nodded. "Yes go on dear."

    "How is the Queen? Thest time I had seen her, she had been terrible ill and she had had to be using lyrrun herb." Jasmine exined. "She looks much better now."

    "It��s kind of you to remember. She still appreciates you for how you helped her then." Hildegard said and pounded at the door once again.

    Then Hildegard looked at her.

    "It was poisoning." She said.

    Jasmine��s face fell instantly at the reveal.

    "What?" Jasmine whispered. "Why? Who would have done such a thing."

    Hildegard shook her head. "It wasn��t a pleasant experience. She is past it and she is much better now."

    Jasmine was horrified.

    Someone wanted to kill the kill?

    How long had they been poisoning her for.

    It seemed Hildegard didn��t really want to talk about it.

    So Jasmine waved it off by saying. "I��m just happy for her. She looks so much better and healed. Especially now that she found her grand daughter."

    Hildegard scoffed and rolled her eyes.

    "Indeed."

    Jasmine furrowed her brows.

    Had she just imagined that?

    Or was it that Hildegard wasn��t happy that the Queen had finally found her daughter.

    Jasmine started to speak. "Wh-

    The door was flung open interrupting anything Jasmine had to say.

    To her amazement, the man at the door wasn��t who she was expecting.

    He seemed to be his early forties, with brown long brownish hair, small lips, a perfect nose and a nicely made jawline.

    He was handsome and not what she had expected.

    She had been expecting perhaps someone old and grumpy.

    Someone like Loren.

    Not someone young, attractive and grumpy.

    She was so taken aback that she has no idea she was staring.

    "Why are you banging at my door?" He demanded rudely. "Can I help you?!"

    His dude attitude snapped Jasmine back to reality.

    She turned to Hildegard for support.

    "I told you he is always in a bad mood." Hildegard said to Jasmine before turning back to step in.

    <fn6ae7> Checktest chapters at find~novel</fn6ae7>

    She pushed him aside and went into the room.

    "You can��t juste in." Heined going back in after Hildegard.

    Jasmine wisely followed them behind and the exact moment that

    She was inside the room, she understood why he had chosen to live in the highest spot in the pce regardless of how many stairs it was going to take to get there.

    It was simr to Xaden��s mother��s astronomy room.

    Except it was more narrow and yet more picturesque.

    There were no curtains just full wall to ceiling windows.

    It was like a mini loft with lots of equipments on the floor where they stood and then small steps that led to a visible higher ground.

    It was all within the open space.

    She gawked at the sheer beauty of the ce around her.

    It was nothing like she had ever expected.

    "You��re not allowed in here." The grumpy man marched after Hildegard.

    I looked around through his bookshelves as they discussed with each other.

    "You need to get a house cleaner." Hildegard said. "This ce is a mess."

    "The agreement is that I��m left alone." He snapped back.

    "Oh don��t be a grumpy wolf. It doesn��t look well on you." Jasmine heard Hildegard respond.

    Jasmine gently touched the edges of the aligned books on book shelf and gently picked up one that had fallen to the ground.

    She gently ced it back.

    They were all books on stars, the moon, the constetion.

    The wolf packs.

    Lycans.

    Alphas.

    Luna.

    Omegas.

    Mages

    Their entire existence.

    All of them.

    Well of course, except for her.

    She was an unshifted and an abomination in the entire wolf society.

    As the grumpy wolf and Hildegard argued, Jasmine busied herself touching things.

    She saw something on a scroll and came to an abrupt stop.

    She had seen thatnguage before.

    She picked up the scroll despite it being dirty and filled with dust.

    The dust engulfed her nostrils and she let out a loud sneeze.

    It caught the attention of the grump wolf.

    He quickly turned and fired her a ring look.

    "Who in the name of the goddess are you?!"

    He demanded.

    It was as though he hadn��t even seen here in with Hildegard

    Before Jasmine could exined he marched up to her snatched the scroll for her gentle hands.

    "Do you know what this is?! How dare you touch my things without my permission?" He raged on.

    Then he look a good look at Jasmine from head to top.

    He gave Hildegard an angry look.

    "I told you ! No fucking members of the royal family in my space!" He spat.

    ~~~~~~~~

    Jasmine looked around unsure of who he was speaking to.

    But then he was ring at her.

    She was the one his eyes were so directly fixated on and she couldn��t understand why.

    Jasmine made eye contact with Hildegard.

    And it urred to her.

    He was talking to her.

    "Me?" Jasmine said in surprise.

    "I don��t know is there any other fucking member of the royal family with vibrant red hair in this room?" He demanded.

    Jasmine gave a very ufortableugh as she touched her hair.

    Lately her hair had now be the center of attention.

    "Oh no. You have it wrong." She tried to exin. "The thing I��m a-

    "Are you trying to gaslight me?" He asked angrily, his eyes zing.

    She could see his wolf already stirring.

    "No I��m not." Jasmine said quickly. "I just-

    "She isn��t a member of the royal family." Hildegard said gripping his hand and squeezing it down. "So calm down before you turn into your wolf and throw tantrums everywhere. This ce is already a mess enough."

    He turned to look at Hildegard.

    "She has red hair because she is an unshifted." Hildegard said finally. "You can calm down. You know how hard it is to force your wolf back."

    There seemed to be a hint of surprise in his eyes.

    But very slowly she watched the fire in his eyes tone down and his breathing didn��t seem to be as rapid as before.

    It was only then Jasmine managed to calm down.

    "When did unshifted start having red hair?" He asked.

    Hildegard shrugged. "Jasmine is the first we know of."

    "I��ve researched her kind." He said as he rolled the scroll back. "And this feature she has is notmon with them."

    Jasmine now interested.

    He researched on unshifted?

    Like her?

    "You research on my people?" Jasmine asked hungry for answers.

    "Otto here was the lead researcher on unshifted." Hildegard said patting his back but Otto was busy rummaging through his things. "In his hay days, he wasn��t just a good astronomer, he was the best."

    "Not anymore." He grumbled under his breath. "I don��t take visitors so leave."

    Jasmine was disappointed at how she was instantly rejected.

    Hildegard turned to Otto. "She came to see you because she has something important to tell you. She traveled a long way. I believe it would be disrespectful for you to even refuse to acknowledge her."

    "I don��t care." He snapped back refusing to look at anyone.

    Then he pointed out the door. "Leave."

    Jasmine began to panic.

    This was what she hade for.

    She could allow herself be sent out.

    Then an idea sprung into her head.

    "A mage called Marie sent me to you." Jasmine said quickly.

    That made him stand still.

    He slowly turned around to face her.

    "What?!"

 Chapter 555: THE SECRET BOOK

    <h4>Chapter 555: THE SECRET BOOK</h4>

    Jasmine swallowed heavily.

    "Her name is... Mari... Marie." She finally managed.

    Otto just stared at her, which further made her nervous.

    She was terrified of this man.

    He looked like he was ready to throw a tantrum any minute.

    "Marie?" He rose a brow. "A witch?"

    Jasmine nodded in delight as his eyes lit with a faint of recognition.

    "Yes her." Jasmine said breathing a sigh of relief.

    "The same one who had a sister who was a different variant of a witch?" He asked.

    Jasmine nodded. "Yes Eleanor. The exact same one. She is the one."

    "Well that��s a bit too bad for you." He said.

    Jasmine frowned.

    "You know why?" He requested with a mean grin on his face.

    Jasmine shook her head.

    She was now very much confused.

    "Because the stupid bitch stole from ME! And she owes me a goddamn amount of money!" He explodes.

    Jasmine was taken aback so much she flinched.

    "If she sent you here, then she set you up. I don��t ever want to see that fucking cunt! And you either better fucking pay for it or get the hell out!!!" He roared.

    Jasmine was shocked.

    This was a new revtion to her.

    But Marie had said it.

    He was going to be difficult.

    But she hasn��t expected him to be this difficult.

    She cleared her throat as she began to make an attempt to clear the air. "I am so sorry. Please ept my apologies for whatever she may have done to you. If I had the money I would have paid. But I have no knowledge of this and-

    "I said GET OUT!" He screamed as he swung a porcin bowl against the wall.

    Jasmine screamed and jumped in fright.

    "Otto calm down!" Hildegard said in rm as she wisely retracted her steps away from him.

    Jasmine was now absolutely terrified.

    This was her only chance to find out about her mother.

    Her only lead.

    She couldn��t just give up.

    "The scroll in your hands I��ve seen thenguage before!"

    He came to abrupt stop and the stick that he had picked remained hanging mid air.

    Jasmine knew she had gotten his attention again.

    She quickly took advantage of it and hoped that it don��t backfire on her the same way the first time had.

    She rose her hand up in defense as she busied her free hand through the old bag that had been hanging on her shoulder.

    "Please wait." She said as she fervently searched through.

    She was scared to take her eyes off him before her flung something else at her.

    "Where is it?" She whispered to herself.

    She kept on fishing through the bag while her eyes frequently shed from his face down to view the contents of the bag.

    "If you have something show it to him now." Hildegard whispered to her an uneasy smile on her face.

    Finally she found it!

    "Yes!" She said and then she held the secret book she had found in Xaden��s mother��s astronomy room.

    She very slowly walked up to him.

    He set his hand down and the stick he had been holding came tumbling down to the ground.

    Once she was a few inches away from him, she handed him the book.

    He seemed uncertain at first, before snatching it.

    Jasmine retracted her steps as she watched him unbind the rope around the book.

    He finally opened it and his eyes gazed through it.

    Then she saw him quickly flip pages one after the other.

    "Where did you get this?" He asked.

    "Somewhere private. I won��t tell you until you agree to help me." Jasmine said boldly.

    He eyed her cautiously.

    "You should he scared of me. Do you know what I am?" He asked.

    What did he mean by did she know what he was?

    "I don��t." Jasmine replied in all honesty. "But I am scared of you. Yet that doesn��t mean I won��t make a deal with you."

    She had no idea where this boldness wasing from.

    The ability to face a man she has her insides trembling in fear.

    "I can kick you out of here and still keep the book." He said point nk.

    "And I would report to the Queen." Jasmine said cunningly. "Lady Hildegard here is proof on how much the Queen likes me."

    Jasmine had absolutely NO idea where this strain of confidence wasing from.

    But she had to keep iting.

    Hildegard quickly jumped to her defense. "She is right."

    Otto looked at Jasmine and she refused to break contact.

    She held his gaze until he let go.

    "What do you want?" He demanded.

    Jasmine knew that she had won then and there.

    "I want you to help me with any information you have on thisnguage. Interpreting it, and on the wolf world beyond." Jasmine said her head held up high.

    "What makes you think that this book would be of any importance to me?" He asked.

    "Because I��ve searched for numerous books on astronomy and only that book has thatnguage. I believe it��s notmon." Jasmine said wisely.

    "And what do I get in return for agreeing to help you?" He asked.

    "You can have the book." Jasmine offered.

    "The goddess definitely made you crazy." He mocked her. "Must be the red hair you have."

    "Then I��ll go with my book." Jasmine said as she found herself marching to where he was and about to snatch the book.

    He pulled his hand away from her grip.

    "Wait." He said.

    He seemed caught in a mouse trap.

    As though there was no where for him to run.

    After a short while, he sighed and said. "Fine."

    "Swear on your wolf." She ordered.

    She wasn��t a wolf but she knew enough to know that swearing on your wolf meant you were bound to the path.

    <fncfaa> Get full chapters from f?i?n?d?n?o?v?e?l?</fncfaa>

    Otto looked very annoyed, but eventually he swore.

    Jasmine smiled pleased with herself.

    "But you will tell me everything. Including where you got it. Do you understand me?" He demanded harshly.

    She nodded in pleasure.

    She didn��t care how mean he was anymore.

    As far as she now found a way to know about her mother.

    ~~~~~

    Otto grumbled and stalked off towards where the tables were.

    When Jasmine was sure that he was out of ears shot, she turned to Hildegard.

    But Hildegard was already speaking up.

    "It seems you two already have it figured out." Hildegard announced. "We have to be on my way now."

    Hildegard headed down towards the door and Jasmine was pulled right after her.

    "I want to speak to him." Jasmine said once they got to the door.

    Hildegard blinked in disbelief. "Jasmine it��ste and to be frank not so safe."

    Jasmine nodded. "I know and I understand that. But this is urgent."

    "You don��t know anything about him. I can��t leave him alone with you." Hildegard said. "And you��ve had a tiresome journey. The Queen would be expecting you down for dinner. Would you want to disappoint her?"

    Of course not.

    She couldn��t.

    Especially after all the Queen had done for her.

    Jasmine dreaded the idea of dinner.

    "No I wouldn��t." She replied softly.

    "Good." Hildegard nodded as she headed towards the door.

    "Wait I need to ask you something." Jasmine whispered. Then she looked around as if to be sure Otto was nowhere in sight.

    "You said something about how hard it is forcing his wolf down." Jasmine asked.

    Those words were stuck to her like glue.

    Hildegard took in a deep breath.

    She seemed uncertain to tell Jasmine.

    "Well, you see." Hildegard began and then paused.

    She looked behind Jasmine to see if Otto was arriving before she continued.

    And when she did, in a whisper.

    "You see. Otto is a Feral wolf." Hildegard exined.

    Jasmine simply blinked.

    "Have you heard of them?" Hildegard asked.

    Jasmine gasped softly.

    "Only a little." Jasmine said.

    Feral wolves were wolves who had been born and eventually shifted just like anyone else.

    Well anyone except for her.

    But along the line, their wolf had begun to run mad.

    Be rabid wolves.

    Like mad dogs.

    "Somethings happened to him and he has never been the same ever since." Hildegard exined. "It took away the essence of who he was. And made his wolf go insane. It��s better now. But you have to be gentle with him."

    Hildegard��s eyes looked left, right, up and down before continuing her speech and even going lower. "One bite from him can turn you into a rabid wolf like him. That��s why he stays up here alone."

    "I��m not a wolf." Jasmine said as it urred to her. "I��m unshifted. If he bites me, would the same thing happen to me? I mean I don��t have a wolf."

    Hildegard blinked and seemed to think for a second.

    "I never quite thought of it that way before." Hildegard replied honestly. "But either ways you need to be careful. His wolf is more stable now. Just don��t try to upset him as much. Do you understand?"

    Jasmine nodded. "Yes I do."

    Hildegard looked up and cleared her throat. "Otto we would be on our way right now. Thank you for having us."

    "I��ll return tomorrow morning is that alright?" Jasmine asked in a gentle voice now that she knew what he was going through.

    "Fine." He grumbled.

    "Come dear." Hildegard said as she gently pulled her towards the door way and shut it.

 Chapter 556: WELCOME HOME

    <h4>Chapter 556: WELCOME HOME</h4>

    As Jasmine was forced down the stairs she couldn��t help thinking about Otto and what this meant.

    She finally had someone that might help lead her to her uncle and know more about what happened to her mother.

    The entire truth and where she came from.

    Jasmine was delighted.

    Even though above it all, she was disappointed that she had to wait till the next day.

    "When youe to see him tomorrow." Hildegard pointed out. "You have to be very careful with him. He has been more stabilized though."

    "Stabilized? What do you mean?" A curious Jasmine asked.

    Hildegard sighed as they descended the flight of stairs.

    "It means that his feral wolf is more dormant now. Perhaps like sleeping. It can hardly get up. He is a bit more in control now." Hildegard shrugged. "But that doesn��t mean he can��t just wake up again."

    "Do you know what happened to him? What made his wolf go feral?" Jasmine questioned.

    She shook her head. "I��m not sorry sure. But the reason why he still lives here is because this is the only home he has ever known. And the Queen would lose her mind if he left. She has known him for a very long time."

    Jasmine nodded numbly.

    And the she remembered what Marie had said.

    How looking into the other world could make you lose your mind?

    Was that what had happened to him?

    Had he been so obsessive that he had gradually lost his mind till his wolf couldn��t handle it anymore.

    And then Jasmine thought that perhaps, being an unshifted was not such a bad thing.

    Any and everywhere she turned, something bad was happening to a wolf.

    If being a rabid wolf happened only to wolves then that meant she also couldn��t be rabid too.

    She quietly followed Hildegard down the stairs.

    Descending the stairs was much more easier than ascending.

    Once they got to the bottom Hildegard was panting.

    "Are you okay?" Jasmine asked holding Hildegard��s side.

    "Of course I am. Thank you." Hildegard smiled.

    Then a servant came running to Hildegard.

    "Lady Hildegard we��ve been looking for you everywhere." The servant said.

    The servant seemed dumbfounded staring at Jasmines hair.

    Jasmine felt ufortable so visibly being stared at.

    "Oh." Hildegard mumbled. "Well I had just gone up to see Otto. Has preparations for dinner been made?"

    The servant shook her head. "The Queen has requested that the new visitors would be served on their respective bedroom or anywhere else. She has chosen to retire to bed early ahead of tomorrow."

    "Ah I see." Hildegard nodded. "Thank you Mira."

    The servant girl curtseyed and kept on staring at Jasmine��s hair until she left.

    "Well. It seems you won��t need to have dinner with the Queen. You can retire to your room and have a good rest. I��m sure you are exhausted." Hildegard remarked.

    Jasmine was. Truly.

    "What about Nanny Nia?" Jasmine asked. "Where would she stay?"

    "She will stay in my bedroom. Alpha Xaden has agreed for you to stay in his." Hildegard reminded her and Jasmine simply wished the ground to open up and swallow her whole.

    "Is it possible for me to stay in yours?" Jasmine asked.

    "Of course not." Hildegardughed. "I��m sure Alpha Xaden would be a gentle man. Comee dear."

    Jasmine was horrified as Hildegard led her past the pce hallways.

    Her sleeping in Xaden��s room?

    She hadn��t stayed long anywhere around him for a while now.

    Now even staying with Anna didn��t seem like such a bad idea.

    In a matter of minutes, they were at arge ceiling to floor bronze door.

    Jasmine swallowed.

    Was he inside already?

    Was he already waiting for her?

    Why had he even offered to have her stay with him.

    She wanted to scratch her skin out in frustration.

    <fnb3ad> Official source is Find[?]ovel</fnb3ad>

    She was baffled.

    Hildegard knocked.

    There was no response.

    She knocked again.

    There still was none.

    Eventually she opened the door and Jasmine stepped into a very beautiful room.

    The walls were painted a dark green and nts were hanging in the room.

    There was a beautiful canopy bed in the middle of the room with white sheets draped over it and tied to sides.

    The nket was fur and cozy with massive and feather cozy looking pillows.

    There were beautiful wall paintings hanging on the walls.

    Candles lit the room in the most illuminating and yet subtle way.

    There wasn��t too much lightning

    It was perfect.

    And then the beautiful streaks of moonlight came into the room making it more picturesque.

    There was an open balcony that boasted of the moon glowing in and cool breeze enveloping the entire bedroom.

    "This is beautiful." Jasmine said gawking at the breathtaking room.

    Hildegard smiled. "It definitely is. I��ll have the servantse in and serve your meal and ce water for your bath. You must be exhausted."

    Jasmine gave a tight smile of appreciation. "Thank you. I��ll love that."

    Hildegard smiled and touched her cheeks very gently.

    "I heard what happened to you." Hildegard said and Jasmine instantly knew what she was talking about.

    It was like her body went to freeze mode.

    "No she wolf, unshifted or not should ever go through losing their child." Hildegard said:

    "In ways I can rte with how you feel. I was there when Rose lost her daughter. She understands the pain better. I am sorry for your loss." Hildegard said.

    Jasmine held back the tears burning by the sides of her eyes.

    "Thank you." Jasmine nodded as she chewed on her bottom lip.

    Hildegard smiled nodding back at Jasmine.

    "Alright." Hildegard said sping her hand together. "The servants would be here as soon as I leave. If you need anything you can ring for me. I��ll make sure your clothes and other things are brought."

    Hildegard walked to the door.

    "Thank you very much." Jasmine appreciated.

    "You��re wee my child." Hildegard said. "And one more thing Jasmine. Wee home."

    And at that very moment Hildegard closed the doors.

    ~~~~~~~~

    *Wee home*

    That was an odd way to put it.

    And yet it seemed to be the perfect phrase.

    Home.

    In a ce so foreign.

    Jasmine for once in her entire life could rte to that feeling.

    Home.

    Even more than the crescent pack.

    This was home.

    It felt like home to her.

    She shrugged off the thought as she very gently walked around the room.

    Her hand gently traced the beautiful shelves lined with books, and then her finger touched a unique wine ss.

    She slowly walked towards the balcony and sure enough it was beautiful.

    The cool breeze of the night hit her and it felt like nostalgia.

    As though she had been here.

    As though this was part of her.

    But of course it wasn��t possible.

    Her emotions were just ying with her and that was that.

    She leaned by the balcony and watched the entire city.

    It was beautiful.

    She wondered what it looked like in the day time.

    But in the night? It was exhrating.

    In her life she had never thought that she would enjoy such pleasantries.

    She remembered how she had grown up.

    How she had been raised as the bastard daughter of Alpha Bale.

    The one who was needed hidden.

    shes of how she had been beaten with whips and then a shiver came down her spine when she remembered that she still had those exact same scars on her back.

    She had never thought she would make it out of there.

    Even if she did, not alive.

    She sighed to herself and very gently went back to the bedroom.

    She walked towards therge poster bed and gently rolled her finger around the curtains before going to the bed.

    She sat on it and sure enough, it was softer than she had expected.

    Her entire body simply drowned inside the mattress.

    She swung her arms around the bed like a snow angel and closed her eyes in pleasure.

    She took in a deep breath to experience the feel of the bed.

    Her eyes still shut, she grabbed the pillow and ced it under her head.

    It was filled with feathers just as she had imagined.

    She closed her eyes and let her hands trace the silk bedsheets.

    There was a knock at the door which instantly startled her.

    She jumped in fright.

    Was it Xaden?

    Was he already here?

    Her heart began pounding.

    The knocking continued and she held the nket in fear.

    "Who is it?" She managed in anxiety.

    "We��re the servants." Came a soft feminine voice. "We��re here to deliver your meal, clothes and hot bath."

    Jasmine let out a sigh of relief and hurriedly rushed up from the bedroom to open the door and revealed six servants she wolves at the door

    "You didn��t need to open it for us-"

    The moments the servants saw her, their smile fell and their faces went pale when they saw Jasmine.

    As though they had seen a ghost.

 Chapter 557: UTHER’S FAILED DREAM

    <h4>Chapter 557: UTHER��S FAILED DREAM</h4>

    Uther paced his room like a caged wolf, his boots hitting the floor with heavy, angry steps. He had been restless since dawn, when he watched Xaden, Jasmine, Anna, and even that meddling Nanny Nia mount the royal carriages bound for the Queen��s pce.

    The bells had rung, the banners were raised, and Uther had been forced to stand among the rest of the pack and bow as though he were one of themon men.

    Him, Uther, kept behind like some forgotten shadow.

    He clenched his fists, his nails biting into his palms. Why him? Why not me?

    He had plotted, schemed, and bled for this ce, and yet they didn��t even consider him worthy enough to step into the Queen��s court.

    Instead, he was left to rot, left to watch others take the glory.

    The rage boiled inside him until he could no longer bear the confinement of his room. He stormed into the hallway, eyes shing with fury. His wolf snarled under his skin, demanding release, demanding control. He needed someone to hear him, someone to feel his frustration.

    And so his path led him to Lily.

    He pushed her door open without knocking, his chest heaving.

    The sight that met him froze his steps.

    Lily was bent over her dresser, carefully folding gowns into a small leather trunk.

    A second bagy half-packed on the bed, and her cloak, her traveling cloak, was spread across the sheets.

    He saw other female servants there helping her pack up things into massive boxes.

    Her hands trembled slightly, but her movements were steady, decisive.

    Uther��s eyes widened. "What are you doing?"

    She turned to the servants. "Leave us."

    The girls curtseyed in respect and then proceeded to leave the room.

    Before they were even gone, Uther snapped me. "What the bloody hell are you doing?!"

    Lily flinched, then stiffened. She did not turn to face him at once. "It should be obvious."

    He blinked, unable toprehend. "You��re packing."

    "Yes."

    "Packing for what?" He strode further in, his voice rising with disbelief. "Where are you going?"

    Finally, she looked up at him. Her eyes, usually filled with fire and mischief, were hollow. Her lips parted slowly, almost painfully. "I��m leaving, Uther."

    The words sliced through him. He mmed the door shut behind him, the echo rattling through the chamber. "Leaving?" His voice cracked with shock. "What madness is this? You can��t just leave!"

    "I can, and I will." She straightened, meeting his eyes with a kind of weary defiance. "There��s nothing left for me here."

    He scoffed, shaking his head violently. "Nothing left? Are you insane? Xaden is here..... your mate! This is where your future lies. You can��t just walk away from that."

    Her jaw tightened. Her hands curled into fists at her sides. "Xaden rejected me, Uther."

    The room went still. Uther stared at her, uprehending. "What did you just say?"

    "You heard me." Her voice shook, but she didn��t falter. "He rejected me before he left."

    "No." Uther��sugh was hollow, bitter. He took a step closer, searching her face for some crack, some hint that she was lying. "No, you��re lying. He wouldn��t.... he couldn��t. He��s your fated mate. Since you were children."

    Her eyes glistened. "And yet he did."

    "Are you worried about that whore?" Uther made reference to Jasmine. "She is useless and very insignificant in the grand scheme of things."

    "Apparently not." She replied as she picked up a gold hair brush from the make up table and ced it inside her bag. "We decided it was best."

    Uther staggered back a pace, his mind reeling. He had built his ns around this bond, around her ce at Xaden��s side, around her power. "No... no, this can��t be. This ruins everything."

    "This frees me," Lily countered. Her voice grew stronger now, no longer wavering. "I��ve wasted too many moons waiting for him to see me, to choose me. But he never will. It��s Jasmine he wants, Uther. Not me. Never me."

    At the mention of Jasmine��s name, Uther��s wolf snarled. He mmed a fist against the dresser, making the wood shudder. "That bastard girl! She��s the one who ruined everything!"

    "She didn��t ruin anything," Lily said, her voice low and sharp. "This was never mine to begin with. And I��m done fighting for scraps. I��m sick and tired of waiting for something that doesn��t belong to me."

    Uther turned on her, his chest heaving. "Where do you think you��ll go, Lily? What will you do without me? Without this pack? Without him?"

    She lifted her chin, her resolve glimmering like steel. "I��ve decided to find my peace in a wolf convent."

    He stared at her as though she had grown a second head. "A convent?!" His voice was a growl. "Do you even hear yourself? You would abandon everything, the power, the position, the chance to rule by his side? for silence? For prayer? For nothing?"

    "Yes," she said simply. "Because I��ve had enough. The things I��ve seen in this pack... the politics, the lies, the betrayals. Love twisted into a weapon. Murder hidden behind smiles. Violence wrapped in silk. And even made me do things that I��m not proud of. Horrible things! All because I wanted a man who would never want me back!" Her hands trembled as she lifted her cloak from the bed. "I��m done, Uther. I won��t drown in it anymore."

    "You can��t!" He moved toward her, desperation thick in his tone. His hand shot out, gripping her arm. "I raised you! I brought you here for a reason.... to help me take this pack. You are mine, Lily! You don��t get to walk away from me."

    She tore her arm free, her wolf shing briefly in her eyes. "I am not yours. And I am not a weapon for your ambition."

    Uther��s breath came ragged now, torn between rage and disbelief. "You ungrateful fucking bitch! I should have let you die along with your parents and everyone else in Bale��s raid."

    She closed her eyes shut and took in a deep breath before saying. "Sometimes I think you should have."

    "You owe me." He sneered at her.

    "I am free," she cut in. "And I owe you nothing."

    Her words struck him harder than any de.

    She fastened her cloak, snapped her fingers and then the servants appeared once again.

    One after the other, they took them out.

    And then herst trunk left.

    Then she walked toward the door.

    "Where will you go?" His voice cracked again, quieter now, almost pleading.

    "I told you," she said without looking back. "The convent. A very distant ce far from here. A ce where I can breathe again. And a ce where I would not get to see you or anyone else again."

    The door creaked open.

    "No!" Uther shouted, rushing after her. He grabbed the edge of the door, but she shoved it with all her strength, forcing him back.

    She stormed down the hallway, and then went through corridors.

    "Lily!" Uther roared, his voice echoing. Servants scattered out of the way, staring in wide-eyed confusion. "You can��t leave me! Do you hear me?! You can��t! Get back here! I demand you get back here!"

    She did not turn back.

    She simply walked on ahead and Utjer followed after her like a mad man

    Barking demands on her to return.

    <fn1025> Original content can be found at find��novel</fn1025>

    By the time he reached the gates, she was already climbing into a carriage.

    The driver looked uneasy, but Lily pressed a coin into his palm and ordered him forward.

    Uther lunged toward the steps. "Don��t you dare shut that door! You��ll regret this, Lily! You��ll regret betraying me!"

    For the first time, she met his gaze with calm, unflinching eyes. "The only betrayal," she said softly, "was ever thinking you cared for me beyond your schemes."

    The door shut with a hollow thud.

    The horses lurched forward. The wheels creaked.

    Uther��s roar followed her down the road, raw and broken, echoing long after the carriage disappeared into the trees.

    And Lily did not look back.

    Uther raked his hair in frustration.

    The servants were looking at him.

    "What the fuck are you bitches looking at?!" He screamed and then stormed back up the flight of stairs.

    His one way of taking over the pack was gone.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~

    The moment Lily was inside the carriage she took in a deep breath of relief.

    The relief to know that she was done with this ce.

    She had thought that overtime Xaden woulde to love her.

    But she had seen the love he had for the ve girl.

    It could never be removed.

    It was never going to be her and she finally had to ept it.

    Her mind shed to all the horrible thing she had done.

    She shivered in disgust.

    This was the best thing that she needed for herself.

    She closed her eyes and let her mind remember how he had approached her and how she had been rejected.

 Chapter 558: LILY’S HEARTBREAK

    <h4>Chapter 558: LILY��S HEARTBREAK</h4>

    The Alpha��s Unwanted Bride

    LILY��S FLASHBACK

    Lily had been excited to finally be leaving the pack.

    With all that has happened with Jasmine and Xaden now, this meant that he could now be hers.

    The Queen herself has requested that shee visiting.

    Lily was delighted.

    She watched the sun slowly rise and then the anticipation grew.

    She began to undo her single braids ahead of her serving girlsing in to help her with them.

    Xaden was her mate.

    This was finally destiny.

    This was her future.

    She felt a knot as she remembered how terribly Jasmine had lost her baby.

    Lily had had no idea what had happened.

    But she had confronted Anna about it.

    Anna and Lisa had been seated together chattering on like they had be best friends.

    "Did you hear what happened to Jasmine?" Lily had to ask Anna once she had gotten wind of it.

    "Who didn��t?" Anna asked with a shrug.

    "She lost her baby." Lily said.

    No matter how much she hade to dislike Jasmine, her losing her child.

    It was something terrible.

    "Good goddess." Lily said holding her tummy. "That is terrible. I can��t imagine what she is going through."

    <fn00bc> Latest content published on find~novel</fn00bc>

    Anna shot Lily a disgusted look. "How terrible? Can��t imagine what she is going through? What the devil do you mean by that?"

    Lily blinked her eyes in disbelief.

    "She lost her baby." Lily said eyes hovering.

    "And so what?" Anna spat.

    Lisa folded her arms and gave a knowing nce.

    "That��s your niece." Lily pointed out.

    Lisa scoffed and rolled her eyes.

    "Well whatever it was, it��s dead." Anna said distastefully. "And good riddance I must say."

    Lisa giggled.

    Lily couldn��t believe what she was hearing.

    What she was seeing.

    And then it hit her.

    "Anna did you have anything to do with this?" Lily said as she quickly grabbed her arms

    Anna jerked her hand free. "Don��t grab me like that ever again!"

    Anna scowled. "And I did? So what?"

    Lily was taken aback.

    "You killed an innocent child!" Lily had said blinking. "How could you do such a thing."

    "Well, look at you acting all innocent when you killed that stable boy." Lisa said in a mimicking voice.

    "Quiet you dirty slut!" Lily hissed at the nasty she wolf.

    "She is right. You got involved before and all of a sudden you want to act good? Like you can��t hurt a fly." Anna said.

    "I had no direct hand in his murder and moreover that was different." Lily said.

    "Seems like the same thing to me." Anna shrugged indifferently. "This is what you always wanted so why are you acting like it isn��t."

    "And it��s a little toote to be regret anything." Lisa said as though reading her mind.

    Lily was breathing hard and realized she had made the biggest mistake of her life.

    Meddling with these two.

    She was trapped and there was no way going out.

    "You��re a monster!" Lily said. "I should have never listened to your lies about Jasmine. I was such a fool!"

    "That��s fine. But don��t think you want out now. Don��t think you can meet my brother or anyone else. If I go down, you��re going down with me." Anna promised .

    And Anna was right, there was nothing she could have done, so she walked away like a defeated soldier.

    And that was why when she had been told she was going to see the Queen it was an escape.

    Escape from the guilt of being in the pack.

    She heard a knock at her door and her eyes beamed in delight.

    It must be one of her servants.

    "Come in!" She said as she began to brush her hair.

    Without looking up she began to speak when she heard the door open. "Where have all you been? My things need to be packed. The journey is this morning and I can��t afford to not be well organiz-

    She turned and froze mid sentence when she looked up and saw who it was at the door.

    It was Xaden.

    She cleared her throat and rose to her feet.

    "My lord." She curtseyed her eyes downcast. "I had no idea it was you."

    "It��s fine." Xaden said as he walked towards her bed where she sat.

    She felt her heart skip.

    He was such a handsome man.

    He looked around the room.

    "Can I seat?" He requested.

    She ushered to the reclining couch not so far from her.

    "Yes please."

    He took the seat and when he was rxed Lily managed a weak smile.

    Xaden had nevere to her room before.

    Why was he here?

    And then she remembered her encounter with Anna.

    She began to tremble in fright.

    Had he possibly found out what had happened?

    Before her thoughts could be any more frantic, he began to speak.

    "I came to speak to you because it was of the most importance." He said.

    She nodded in anxiety.

    "I came to reject you." He said.

    Lily abruptly froze.

    It was though her heart itself had stopped.

    She hadn��t expected to hear any of this.

    "But the goddess joined us together as mates for a reason." She said reasonably.

    "I can��t be your mate Lily. That��s not what I want right now. And I don��t feel the same way you feel for me." He exined, further crushing her heart. "I can��t keep on lying to you and leading you on. You deserve more than that."

    Lily just sat trembling unsure of what to say or how to react.

    "You��re a beautiful woman. And having you here has been a blessing. But I can��t be the man for you." He said.

    And for once Lily saw rity.

    She saw honesty.

    Xaden would never love her.

    No matter what she did.

    Even if they got mated to him, she woukd have hated him.

    It was as though the lens prohibiting her from seeing had finally fallen to the floor.

    "I��ll make sure youck nothing." He promised her.

    "Does this mean I won��t be going to the royal pack?" She asked after a while.

    "No you won��t." He said.

 Chapter 559: FAREWELL LILY

    <h4>Chapter 559: FAREWELL LILY</h4>

    Lily felt her heart fall into tiny bits.

    She had been hoping, excited that she would finally get to leave.

    So she wasn��t just being rejected, she was also being abandoned.

    She weakly sat back down on the mattress.

    "I thought about it and decideding along wouldn��t be helpful to either of us." He said.

    Lily��s throat was dry.

    She had nothing to say.

    She was too weak.

    All this while.

    All those years that she had spent being raised to be his mate.

    The Luna of the pack.

    It was all for nothing.

    She swallowed hard and could feel her wolf going week.

    "I understand that I��ve disappointed you."

    He began. "But I��ve made a lot of mistakes. Mistakes I��m not proud of. Mistakes I should have never made especially as an Alpha. I have let a lot of people down. And if I can go back, I��ll take it all back."

    Lily said nothing.

    She had nothing to say.

    She rubbed her very tensed fingers on the bedsheets.

    "Is it because of Jasmine?" She couldn��t help asking.

    Xaden seemed hesitant at first. "Not quite. It��s everything that has happened. I��m trying to do things right now."

    She felt the tears behind her eyes.

    "If you still wish to be my mate, and Luna of this pack. If that��s what��s you really want then I can��t force you. But I will never change. We will never have children and I will never love you. You would hate our mate bond and you would grow to hate yourself. Is that what you want?"

    She shivered and shook her head.

    "No."

    She couldn��t be in a loveless marriage.

    She had grown to learn that people didn��t really change in rtionships.

    Only if they wanted to and from Xaden, she could tell he was never going to.

    Not for her at least.

    Trying her best to send her mind elsewhere.

    "What��s going to happen to me then?" Lily found herself asking

    He gave a slight shrug. "What do you want? It��s all in your hands."

    "Uther wouldn��t be happy." Lily said.

    The moment those words escaped her lips, Lily instantly regretted it.

    Xaden still had no idea about his uncle��s ulterior motives.

    "Whether we are mates or not is none of my uncle��s business." Xaden said inly. "It��s yours to make."

    And then it finally hit her.

    Her entire life growing up, she had been raised to be Xaden��s mate.

    The future Luna.

    It was her destiny.

    She was the perfect she wolf for him.

    She was groomed to be his lifelong partner.

    That was all she had ever known.

    And now that she was being rejected, she was being given the opportunity to map out her own life.

    She thought about all the times that she spent growing to be his.

    Was it what she had always wanted?

    Or was it what Uther had wanted and she has grown to believe that it was the best thing for her.

    The realization finally started to hit her.

    This wasn��t what she wanted for herself.

    <fnf91d> Follow current nov?ls on Find_Novel(.</fnf91d>

    Xaden was never what she wanted for herself.

    She had been so stupid and foolish.

    Naively led to believe that this was what she wanted.

    What did she actually want for herself.

    "Forget about me. Forget about everyone. It��s you. What would you like to do with yourself?" He asked as though reading her mind.

    She was quiet for a very long time and the only thing she could think of was.

    "I think I��ll like to leave this ce."

    She found herself speaking.

    Xaden looked at her and then slowly nodded. "If that��s what you want then I��ll support and fund it. You��re free to live your life Lily. You don��t owe me or anything."

    She bit her bottom lip.

    This was the very first time she was making such a decision on her own.

    She thought of everything she had done.

    How much blood she had.

    The letters she had falsified.

    She had never intended on Jasmine losing her baby but nheless she was as responsible.

    She didn��t know if she could live with herself.

    She could never turn to anyone because Anna had her as leverage.

    She was trapped in her own mistakes.

    This was her one escape.

    "I��ve heard of a convent for she wolves. It��s simple and far from theplexities of being a wolf. I think I��ll like to go there." She finally voiced out.

    It was far from everything.

    She would be far from everyone.

    She felt her throat tighten as she thought of the guilty weighing against her.

    She had killed an innocent baby, simply because she wanted a man who was never going to want.

    A man she now that she thought about it, didn��t want her.

    "Then you can have that." He said. "I want to apologize for everything. As the Alpha of the pack, I should be able to be a better example. And I have failed you."

    She didn��t reply.

    She knew she could never tell him what had happened to the baby.

    She most certainly couldn��t warn him about the impeding evil that lived within his sister without exposing her own self.

    He rose up to his feet from the chair he sat on.

    She knew what was about to happen.

    Still shaken, she rose and he said.

    "I, Alpha Xaden of the Crescent pack, rejects you Lily, she wolf and resident of the Crescent pack."

    The moment those words were ushered she felt it like a connection had been cut instantly.

    Her wolf wept and she gasped at the pain of being severed from him.

    He held her from tumbling down to the beautiful marble floors.

    She breathed heavily and sat back down on the bed.

    "Are you fine?" He asked.

    She nodded. "Yes I am."

    "Thank you." He said to her.

    She nodded weakly trying to hold back the tears.

    He headed towards the door.

    "Xaden." She stopped him.

    He turned his handsome face to stare at her.

    She breathed heavily. "I am sorry for everything."

    He seemed confused at first but he simply nodded with a boyish grin and said. "I bid you well Lily."

    And that was thest she had ever seen of him.

    She couldn��t tell him what to be wary of, she could only apologize for something he knew nothing of.

    As the carriage rolled off, she knew that she would forever live with the guilt.

 Chapter 560: UTHER’S GREED

    <h4>Chapter 560: UTHER��S GREED</h4>

    Uther watched as Lily��s carriage left.

    The one way he had.

    His one ticket to taking over the pack.

    To taking what he had desired all those years!

    Gone!

    That ungrateful bitch!

    After all the things that he had done for her.

    He wanted to w his eyes out.

    He was so furious.

    He raged and looked around frantic before picking up a rock which he tossed at the back of the carriage.

    It didn��t hit it.

    He screamed in anger.

    It was then he discovered that the members of the pack were looking at him.

    He turned around, left and right.

    There were whispers.

    His breathing was heavy. "What are you looking at?! Huh?!"

    But they didn��t stop looking at him.

    It was though the more he had screamed at them, the more they stared.

    "What the bloody fuck are you looking at?!" He snapped at them.

    Upset at the ongoing stares and filled with his own rage, he stormed off.

    He was so furious.

    He had nothing.

    Absolutely nothing.

    He stored back into the pack and went down the hallways, groaning in rage.

    As he went past the massive rooms, he saw the throne room open.

    He looked around to see if anyone was looking.

    Usually the throne room of the pack was heavily guarded.

    But considering Xaden wasn��t around, it wasn��t.

    He made sure no one was present before he very gently cracked the door open.

    He stepped into the quiet room and shut the door behind him.

    He savored the moment as he walked down the carpet leading to the two massive thrones at the end of the room.

    The one for the Alpha and the other for the Luna.

    Once Uther was at the throne, he very gently climbed the five steps to where the throne was ced.

    He very gently traced his hand on the seat of the Alpha throne.

    He touched the head of the throne and reflected on how he had dreamt of sitting on it.

    How he had hoped that one day he would sit on it.

    It would finally be his.

    Sitting on the throne of the pack was an offense punishable by death because it was seen as treason.

    It was seen as a nned coup to take over the pack.

    But Uther couldn��t help himself.

    Simply touching the seat wasn��t enough to savor the taste of power.

    He had to take a sit himself.

    He walked round the seat and very slowly and gently, lowered his behind to the seat

    He rxed in the seat and then ced his hands at the sides of the chair before closing his eyes.

    He savored the feel of it and the power of seating on the centuries old throne as Alpha.

    He imagined himself as the Alpha, handing out orders to the members of the pack.

    Ruling the pack.

    Since his sister had married Orion he has dreamt of taking over the pack.

    That was why when he had found out Bale had nned to take over he had never disclosed the information.

    He had always envied his sister.

    Envied everything she had.

    He had kept it to himself because he had hoped that it would work to the advantage.

    He was supposed to take over when everything was over and done with.

    That they would all die and he would be the sole survivor

    But things hadn��t gone to n.

    And now here he was almost about to lose everything.

    <fnd66f> Fresh chapters posted on FindN()vel</fnd66f>

    It seemed about to slip from his fingers.

    "What the hell do you think you��re doing?" Came a familiar deep voice.

    Uther instantly jolted awake and jumped up from the seat.

    Right before him, was none other than Erik.

    He was standing right before him, his eyes zing like a hawk ready to attack.

    Uther hadn��t heard hime in.

    "I��m in the throne room." Uther said rudely. "Is there any crime in that?"

    "No, but there is a crime in sitting on the Alpha��s throne. Punishable by death." Erik said his eyes refusing to leave Uther.

    Uther hated Xaden��s second inmand.

    He was a dirty Lycan and he always felt as though he was special.

    Uther was furious that whenever Xaden was leaving the pack, he handed it to Erik.

    A nobody over him, his own flesh and blood.

    The thought of it further boiled him in rage.

    "So what? Kill me." Uther snorted. "All because I sat on the damn throne."

    Erik rose a brow. "It��s a crime because it shows intent to take over the pack. As I know you have been guilty of. Remember when you tried to raid the members of the pack against Xaden? Take over."

    Uther shifted.

    Erik made him veryfortable.

    But he wasn��t going to show it.

    "You��re the one who wants to take over. Dirty lycans like you aren��t wee anywhere." Uther said before spitting at Erik��s feet to show his disdain.

    "I��m a dirty Lycan and yet your own nephew chose to make me acting Alpha over you. Being a dirty Lycan must be very beneficial don��t you think?" Erik said.

    Uther was fuming.

    "Your one way ticket to the throne is gone." Erik stated. "It was about time. And that leaves you with nothing."

    Uther clenched his fists in anger.

    "I know who you are. What you are. And most of all I know what you��re up to." Erik said. "You��ll do anything to have this pack for yourself."

    "So fuck what? You want to run off and tell Xaden?" Uther gave a hardugh. "As if Xaden would believe you."

    "Don��t you see? He doesn��t trust you. If he did, then you wouldn��t be here ying imagine games on the throne would you?" Erik asked nastily.

    Uther felt as though he had been pped on his face.

    His wolf began to grow in rage.

    "I was an Alpha of my own pack." Erik warned. "Don��t think whatever dead wolf you shift to, can confront me. I will end you."

    Uther just stood there in anger.

    "Now get out!" Erik spat.

    "This isn��t over." Uther swore.

    The moment Erik shed his already shifting eyes, Uther ran out like a dog with its tail in between its legs.

 Chapter 561: ERIK’S LOSS

    <h4>Chapter 561: ERIK��S LOSS</h4>

    Uther stormed out of the throne room

    An irritated Erik followed him out of the room.

    He considered speaking to Xaden about Uther.

    <fn4b20> The rightful source is f?ndnovel</fn4b20>

    But he didn��t have any proof.

    Xaden might know something was off about Uther, but not enough to suspect him in anything serious.

    After all, Erik reporting to Xaden because Uther was caught in a chair?

    Sounded like a petty crime.

    He watched as Uther marched off and then from nowhere Fiona emerged and crashed right into Uther.

    "Oooof!"

    She fell to the ground alongside Uther.

    "Watch the fuck where you��re going. Whore!" Uther said disrespectfully as he angrily got up to his feet.

    "Rude much?" An annoyed Fiona responded back.

    But Uther was already up on his feet and marching off.

    Erik was by her side in a split second.

    "Are you okay?" He asked her as he offered a hand.

    She ignored him and tried to get up on her own but failed.

    She tried again and still failed.

    She looked at him to see his offered hand still looking at her.

    For a second seemed hesitant.

    Eventually she gave in.

    He helped her rise up from the floor.

    "What��s his problem?" She asked .

    "Things aren��t really going his way so he is throwing a tantrum." Erik replied.

    Fiona snorted in disgust and then looked at the floor.

    "Goddess! Look what the bastard did!" She scowled.

    Scattered on the floor were petals of white lilies Erik was just noticing for the first time.

    "Next time I��ll w your eyes out!" Fiona shouted at Uther but he was already gone.

    She hissed and bent down to the floor to pick up pieces of the flower petals.

    "Someone got you flowers?" Erik asked unable to hide the jealousy that grew within him.

    "No." Fiona mumbled in annoyance. "I got them for-

    And then she shed her eyes up at him. "And how is any of that your business?"

    He gave a slight shrug. "I was just asking."

    She gave him a re and then continued picking up the stems of the flower.

    "It doesn��t concern you." She said. "But it��s for Jasmine��s daughter��s grave. Now I have to get a new set."

    He felt a twist in his gut.

    Guilt.

    He still didn��t know where the grave was.

    "I see." He nodded. "I could help you get some new ones if you need any-

    "I don��t need your help." Fiona shot back. "Never needed it."

    Erik could tell she was still angry with him.

    Whether it was about how he had hidden the fact that Anna was his mate or that he had yed a devil��s advocate in Jasmine��s arrest.

    Or perhaps it was both.

    He had no idea.

    He nodded. "I understand."

    She started to walk away and then stopped.

    "You know what?" And then she returned back to where he stood. "You don��t understand. You don��t understand anything."

    "This changes nothing. After all the terrible things you��ve done." She began as she pointed an usatory dead flower at him.

    "I know you��re unhappy about everything that happened with Anna. I��m going to reject her." He started to exin but she cut him off right there.

    "Reject her? You think this is just because Anna was your mate?" She demanded. "It��s everything Erik. It��s everything! It��s because you hid it from me. I loved you and yet you kept something as important as this from me ."

    "She threatened me." Erik exined. "She said if I did go along with it, she was going to tell Xaden we were having an affair."

    Fiona was quiet.

    "I did it to protect Jasmine. He is crazy about Jasmine. He doesn��t like to admit it, but he is. A rumor about Jasmine and I, he would have been filled with doubts." He continued and shook his head.

    The worst part was that he knew why exactly Xaden wasn��t going to really believe him.

    The madness was slowly creeping into him.

    And it seemed Jasmine was a main trigger for him.

    So he preferred to avoid infuriating him.

    "Anna is the devil and I want nothing to do with her."

    "Well we all know Anna is the devil. We also know that she had a hand in Jasmine being set up. We know how much of a monster she is. We all do!" Fiona yelled at him.

    Then she took in a deep breath and was quiet for a few seconds before she gently spoke again.

    "The problem here is you didn��t tell me. You didn��t think to tell me. And I had to find out in the worst way ever. I had to watch her gloat about it. Have you ever considered how that makes me feel? Considering that I loved you and the goddess still gave you a monster like Anna to be your mate?"

    "Fiona I....." he started to speak.

    But he wasn��t sure of what to say.

    So many things he wished he could go back to fix.

    So many.

    "We can still fix it. I��m sorry." He apologized. "I��ll never hide anything from you again. I swear it."

    He reached out to touch her, but she moved away.

    "You love." He reaffirmed.

    "I loved you." Fiona said.

    Those words burned him.

    What did she mean.... Loved?

    "Fiona..."

    "I did love you Erik." Tears were in her eyes and she choked on her words.

    He felt his heart grow heavy.

    "I truly did. But not anymore." She wiped her tears.

    "Fiona please I��m begging you." He said going on his knees and holding her hands. "You��re the only one I want. You��re the only one I��ve ever wanted since I lost my wife. Please don��t do this."

    Fiona was now crying.

    She took in another deep breath. "I didn��t do anything Erik. You did."

    And then she pulled her hand free of his grasp and walked around him.

    "Fiona!"

    But she was already walking away.

    She didn��t look back and he knew that she was gone and nevering back.

 Chapter 562: DREAMING TO BE A ROYAL

    <h4>Chapter 562: DREAMING TO BE A ROYAL</h4>

    The corridor was silent save for the servants�� sharp intake of breath.

    Their faces nched, their smiles gone. One girl nearly dropped the tray of food she carried, her hands trembling so violently the cutlery rattled.

    They all stared at Jasmine as if her very presence unsettled the air.

    "Y-your majesty..." one of them finally stammered, bowing her head so low her hair fell across her face. The others followed suit, hurriedly curtsying in unison. "Forgive us, Your Majesty."

    Jasmine blinked in confusion, frozen where she stood. Your Majesty?

    "I��m....." She started, only to falter as their frightened gazes clung to her. "You... you must be mistaken. I��m not... a member of the royal family."

    The girls all looked at each other, confusion written on their faces and looked back at her as though she was the one insane.

    "It��s your hair," another servant whispered, clutching the jug of steaming water to her chest as though it were a shield. "The red. Only the royal family..." She cut herself off as if realizing she��d said too much.

    Jasmine��s fingers unconsciously brushed a strand of her copper-red hair that had slipped forward.

    The memory of Hildegard��s words pressed at the back of her mind, the unspoken truth she was beginning to stitch together. Only members of the royal family have red hair.

    This was getting out of hand.

    Did she have to exin to everyone that she wasn��t a member of the royal family?

    Her breath caught.

    Still, she forced a weakugh. "No. No, you��re wrong. I��m not royal," she insisted. "I��m unshifted. This....." She plucked the red strand between her fingers. "is nothing but an abnormality. A mistake of the moon."

    The servants exchanged uneasy looks, but none of them seemed convinced. Their eyes lingered on her hair as if it betrayed every word she spoke.

    "I��m an unshifted wolf." She exined uneasily. "The red hair is part of my abnormalities of being unable to shift."

    She hated mentioning the fact that she was an unshifted.

    They were going to look at her with scorn and disgust now.

    One of the younger girls, barely past adolescence, whispered, "But... you carry it. The mark. It cannot be coincidence..."

    The eldest among them hissed and grabbed her by the wrist, silencing her.

    Then, with a nervous curtsy, she stepped forward. "Your... mydy, forgive us. We should not have spoken. Please..." Her voice lowered to a desperate whisper. "Do not tell the Queen what we said. To call someone Majesty who is not of royal blood, it is treason. They could have our heads for it."

    Jasmine��s heart twisted at their fear.

    She lifted her hand gently, trying to soothe them. "No, no. I won��t tell anyone. You have nothing to fear from me."

    Relief swept across their faces, though it did little to soften the unease in their eyes.

    Quickly, as though eager to bury the mistake under routine, the two girls with the tray carried it to the table near the balcony,ying out dishes of roasted meat, fresh bread, and steaming vegetables.

    Another two hurried into the adjoining bath chamber, where the sound of pouring water and steam soon drifted out.

    Their movements were quick, careful, as if every second they lingered near Jasmine stretched their nerves thin.

    Jasmine stood in the middle of the room, her hands sped tightly in front of her, pretending not to notice how they refused to meet her eyes anymore.

    Atst, the eldest servant returned from the bath chamber. She bowed again, keeping her face low. "Your... mydy, your bath is prepared. Everything is as you need."

    Jasmine��s voice softened. "Thank you. Truly."

    They all nodded, their curtsies shallow this time, as though afraid that another word might slip from their lips and betray them again.

    One by one they filed out, their footsteps light and hurried, until the door shut quietly behind them.

    The room was silent again.

    Jasmine exhaled slowly, sinking into the feather soft bed once more.

    Her hand lifted to her hair, fiery in the glow of the moonlight. The words of the servants echoed in her mind.

    Only the royal family...

    She swallowed hard, her pulse drumming in her ears. "It��s just an abnormality," she whispered to herself, though even she no longer believed it.

    She slowly got up from the bed and strolled to the balcony where the moonlight spilled in. Her mind whirled with the words she had just heard, but she forced herself to push them away.

    She could feel the warmth of the bathwater drifting in from the adjoining chamber, beckoning her.

    Her limbs felt heavy as she crossed the room. She pushed the door open and stepped into the bath chamber.

    It was beautiful. Steam swirled like soft veils in the air, carrying the faint fragrance ofvender and rosemary.

    The tub, carved of polished stone, gleamed with the sheen of hot water. The servants hadid out oils, clean towels, and a silk robe. For a moment, Jasmine simply stood there, drinking it all in.

    She had never known such luxury.

    Even with Xaden,

    Her fingers trembled as she undid the ties of her dress. The fabric slipped from her shoulders and pooled at her feet. She hesitated, staring at her reflection in the water.

    The candlelight caught the red strands of her hair, making them shimmer like fire across the surface. Her chest tightened.

    Your majesty.

    The words refused to fade.

    Shaking her head, she stepped into the tub. The water embraced her instantly, hot and soothing.

    She sank slowly until it covered her shoulders, her head tipping back with a sigh she hadn��t realized she was holding.

    The warmth seeped into her bones, melting away the aches from the long day.

    But the peace didn��tst.

    Her eyes closed, and with the darkness came memory.

    How cold life had been.

    Lonely.

    She had lived a sheltered one.

    Never in her life did she think she would be in one of the royal bedroom, lying in a hot bath.

    Her future had been bleak for a very long time and now something meaningful was happening.

    Her throat tightened, her nails biting into her palms beneath the water.

    Why her hair? Why now?

    She opened her eyes again and found herself staring at the ceiling, steam curling against the stone carvings there. "It��s just an abnormality," she whispered again, but her voice cracked. "It has to be."

    Still, deep inside, a tiny spark whispered otherwise. A spark she couldn��t silence.

    <fndf9b> Fresh chapters posted on find?novel</fndf9b>

    Her gaze drifted back to the reflection of her hair in the water. She thought of what Hildegard had said, what Otto had said.

    She thought of the servants bowing and calling her a title she had never dared to imagine.

    A part of her wanted tough at the absurdity. Another part... was terrified.

    She submerged herself fully beneath the water, as though drowning the thought, drowning the hair, drowning the fire that set her apart.

    For a moment, the world above disappeared. There was only silence, weight, and warmth pressing down on her.

    When she surfaced, gasping softly, her wet hair clung to her cheeks like rivulets of me.

    She stared at herself, at the girl with scarred skin and red hair who was supposed to be nothing but a bastard child.

    Yet here, in this pce, in this bath carved for royals, even the servants mistook her for something greater.

    Her hand shook as she touched her reflection in the water.

    "Who am I, really?" she whispered.

    The steam swallowed her words whole.

    Jasmine leaned back against the edge of the tub, closing her eyes.

    The water cradled her, but her thoughts refused to settle. She was no closer to peace. Only deeper into questions she had no answers for.

    She imagined she was the Queen��s daughter or better still her granddaughter that she had newly found.

    She had seen how much the Queen loved her new grand daughter.

    She imagined someone loving her that same way.

    She longed for it.

    She sat up and began to wash her body.

    She cleaned off the dirt of the journey and felt her bones very slowly begin to heal from exhaustion.

    Eventually, once she felt she was squeaky clean she gently hit up from the bath tub.

    She ced her toe on the marble floor and walked to where the towels had been lined up.

    She looked at the silk robe.

    She wasn��t used to it.

    So she stayed with the towel and gently patted her wet hair.

    She stepped out of the bathroom and when she walked to the center of the bedroom, she found none other than Xaden standing by therge mahogany doors.

    "Xaden." She said as she jumped in fright.

    In that moment of fear, she let go of the towel she had been so holding fervently to her chest.

    And then it dropped to the floor, hanging at her ankles.

    She stoodpletely naked in front of Xaden.

 Chapter 563: STARVING ENCOUNTER

    <h4>Chapter 563: STARVING ENCOUNTER</h4>

    The steam rose like a veil around her, curling in soft ribbons that clung to her damp skin. Jasmine had just leaned back, closing her eyes for a moment��s peace, when the heavy creak of the door made her heart leap to her throat.

    She turned, startled, water dripping down her arms as her eyes met his.

    Xaden.

    For a heartbeat, neither of them moved. His tall frame filled the doorway, shoulders taut, jaw rigid, his gaze fixed as though he had stumbled upon a vision he wasn��t prepared for.

    Jasmine��s breath caught. She could feel the heat of the water against her body, but it was nothingpared to the ze of his eyes as they locked onto her.

    Her hands flew instinctively to cover herself. "Oh my God!" Her voice cracked, part fury, part panic.

    She was angry with herself.

    That after everything.

    After all the terrible things that he had done to her, her body still reacted to him in such a violent way.

    The more she thought of it, the more ashamed she was.

    And then she remembered all the scars she had on her body.

    And then the fact that she had recently lost her baby.

    Her body still hadn��t recovered.

    Her tummy that had grown to berge with their child and was now empty was still yet to return to its original state.

    She was very much insecure of her body.

    But Xaden didn��t move. He just stood there, frozen. His chest rose and fell sharply, like he��d been struck.

    His gaze had faltered from her face to her shoulders, down further, to the scars carved into her skin, jagged reminders of Bale��s cruelty.

    A raw silence stretched between them, louder than any shout.

    Jasmine felt her cheeks burn. Shame swallowed her whole. Not just because he had seen her bare, but because he had seen that. The marks she had spent years hiding, the proof of every beating, every humiliation.

    Then they made eye contact and he very quickly mentioned a "I��m sorry."

    Before he turned around to back her.

    She took in a deep breath as she very hurriedly adjusted the towel around her nude body.

    Once she was certain that she was well covered, she very gently cleared her throat. "You can turn."

    He slowly turned and saw her.

    She quickly walked to the dressing table and mirror, picked up her hair and tried to busy herself.

    Jasmine��s stomach twisted.

    He had already seen her naked so many times but this time she could barely even think things through.

    She felt as though she was losing her mind.

    He didn��t say a word he simply just seemed to hover around the room.

    She was instantly regretting staying in the same bedroom with him.

    "Are you okay?" He asked her.

    She stiffened and then very slowly recollected herself.

    "I��m fine." She said quietly.

    She resumed brushing her hair.

    He didn��t seem interested in saying anything.

    She felt her stomach rumble in hunger.

    She looked at the food that had been ced on the dining table.

    She knew it was getting cold, but she didn��t have the mind to even walk up to it and take a bite.

    "Are you hungry?" He asked her as though reading her mind.

    "No I��m fine." She lied through her teeth.

    And her stomach rumbled in disapproval.

    She heard him walk over towards the bed and from the shadow cast against the wall, she saw him take his shirt off.

    She stiffened once again.

    He must have heard her because he apologized again. "I��m sorry. You need privacy."

    And then he proceeded to leave the room, but she found herself going after him.

    In a matter of seconds she had taken long strides to where he stood.

    She caught his hand without thinking and pulled him back.

    "You don��t need to go." She said quickly. "It��s your bedroom. If there is anyone who needs to go it should be me."

    He looked at where her hand had caught his and then she very quickly withdrew it.

    "Sorry." She mumbled.

    Her heart was racing.

    Why was she so tensed?

    She had been around him so many times?

    They had even conceived a child together!

    So why was she so tensed about being around him?

    He gave a cocky grin. "Nanny Nia would have me hung on the gates of the pack if she finds out you slept elsewhere."

    She felt a bit disappointed.

    He didn��t want her to stay because he was worried about her wellbeing.

    But rather he was worried about what Nanny Nia would do to him.

    And then she wanted to p her head.

    Why was she so worried about what he thought of her?

    He was the reason why she lost their child.

    End of story.

    "You aren��t well either." He added.

    "I��m fine." She mumbled turning her back on him and walking back to where the dresser was.

    She sat on the chair and resumed brushing her hair.

    "You can stay." She insisted.

    She told herself that she didn��t care whether he stayed or didn��t.

    And even if he did, it won��t have any effect on her.

    He walked back to where he had been standing and then she felt a sense of guilt.

    <fn7bb3> Th? link to the orig?n of this information r?sts ?n FindN()vel</fn7bb3>

    Was she being rude?

    She shook her head.

    And then she remembered Anna.

    She hated to ask, but considering the state she had been, she had to ask.

    "How is Anna?" She asked.

    "She is more stable." She heard him say.

    His best dark voice made her tummy twist.

    She shook her head fervently.

    "What was wrong with her?" Jasmine asked trying to focus on the question she had.

    He was quiet for a while before. "The Castle healer said she was going feral."

    Jasmine blinked.

    Exactly what Hildegard and Nanny Nia had said.

    "It��s when a wolf tries to reject its own body." He exined.

    "I know what it means." Jasmine snapped. And the she took in a deep breath.

    She was feeling overwhelmed and acting nothing like her self. "Why did it happen?"

    She thought he was going to ignore her for being rude to him but he surprised her by speaking up.

    "I don��t know." He said. "It usually makes someone go insane. Lose their mind because their wolf and the unshifted body would be at each other��s throats. One wanting to stay while the other wanting to leave. It��s almost always fatal."

    Jasmine paused.

    Almost always fatal?

    "But when she was examined, it was as though nothing had happened. Like her body had stopped fighting and just epted its wolf." He said. "I��ve seen cases of feral wolves. And they have never survived. Anna..... it��s like a miracle. As though she had been touched by the goddess."

    Touched by the goddess?

    Jasmine chewed on her bottom lip.

    Did it have any connection to do with her touching her?

    The exact same moment she had touched Anna, it had stopped almost immediately.

    Jasmine looked down at her small hands.

    Was it her?

    She shook her head.

    That was absolutely ridiculous.

    Anna had always had a nack for being extremely lucky perhaps this was one of those moments.

    "Anyways." He said as she heard him seat on the bed. "She is resting now. By tomorrow she should be in much better shape."

    She heard him begin to take off his boots and then a knock came in.

    Jasmine was startled.

    "Who is it?" Xaden backed.

    "Maids my lord." Came a tiny female voice.

    "Come in." He said and then the door opened.

    The exact same girls who hade in to bring the food and water returned.

    They all curtseyed and their eyes were fixated on Xaden.

    Jasmine unfortunately knew that look.

    "We came to change the bath water my lord." The girls greeted.

    "Of course." He said with a wave of his hand dismissing them.

    They went off to the bathroom and fetched the dirty bath water she had used.

    Soon she began to heat sshing of water in the bathtub as they poured in new hot water.

    "Thank you." Jasmine said to them.

    But they barely even looked at her.

    Their eyes were stamped on Xaden.

    She felt the anger in her begin to grow.

    "Would that be all my lord?" One of the girls asked.

    "Yes." He nodded.

    They looked disappointed and the one who seemed to be their leader hurried to Xaden��s side of the bed.

    "My lord may I help you with your boots." She said.

    Jasmine watched in horror as the girl with a massive cleavage knelt down on her feet and began to undo Xaden��s boots even before she was given approval.

    The girl shed the other maids a warning sign and they reluctantly left.

    Jasmine��s face went red with fury.

    Once the serving girl was done, Xaden said a. "Thank you."

    Jasmine aware he was shirtless and only had his pair of pants on was filled with jealousy.

    The girl very seductively said. "My Lord may I give you your bath."

 Chapter 564: TENSIONS

    <h4>Chapter 564: TENSIONS</h4>

    The very moment Jasmine heard those words, the hair on her back stood.

    She instantly stopped touching her hair.

    She wasn��t sure she had heard well.

    "Pardon?" Xaden said.

    "I said my lord." The girl said in a very sweet and seductive voice. "May I offer you a bath?"

    She was well aware that in packs, servants were usually asked to offer to give Alphas a bath.

    It wasn��t umon, but Jasmine couldn��t believe what she had just overhead.

    "A bath." Xaden repeated.

    "Yes my lord." The girl said in a more coy voice.

    Jasmine tried her best to peep at them.

    Sure enough, the girl was already massaging Xaden��s feet and her humongous cleavage was in in view.

    Xaden looked up and caught her looking.

    Jasmine quickly turned her face away and resumed brushing her hair.

    "You seem so tired and exhausted. Let me take care of you my lord." The girl said.

    Jasmine brushed her hair aggressively.

    She wasn��t sure the one who had lost a baby.

    No one has asked her if she could be assisted with a bath.

    She told herself that she wasn��t angry.

    She was simply furious at the double standard.

    "That is a very good offer." She heard Xaden say.

    Jasmine felt as though her heart dropped in her stomach.

    She went red in shame and the tears began to prick her eyes.

    The humiliation.

    <fn640b> Read full story at Find1Novel</fn640b>

    She was here in the same room while this maid was going to give him a bath and obviously offer more services.

    "Would you help me check the bath and see how hot it is?" She heard Xaden say.

    Jasmine wanted to stab herself at the spot.

    He was really epting this.

    Regardless of the fact she was here.

    He still very much intended on shaming and humiliating her.

    "Yes my lord." The girl said sounding excited and Jasmine heard the girl rise to her feet before running off to the bathroom.

    She felt Xaden��s stare on her back and pretended as though she was interested.

    "I think your hair is dry enough Jasmine." She heard him say. "The way you��re brushing it won��t it cut?"

    She stopped and realized that she was so caught up in her well of emotions she was still furiously brushing her hair.

    She looked down at herps and sure enough strands of red hair sat.

    She had indeed cut her hair.

    She went red in anger.

    "It��s still wet." She mumbled to herself as she continued to brush out her hair even though it was very dry enough.

    She heard the door to the bath open and the girl re emerged looking very excited.

    "The water was steaming hot." She began. "But I mixed in some cold water so it could be perfect for you."

    "Thank you." He said.

    Jasmine pretended as though she wasn��t listening, after all they acted like she wasn��t even present.

    She heard him rise to his feet.

    "I��ll like to bath on my own." To her surprise she heard him say.

    Jasmine stopped brushing her hair.

    There was a still and unusual silence in the room.

    "Oh... uhm... err..." The girl stuttered. "Of course my lord."

    Jasmine smiled inward.

    "Would there be anything else you would want me to do for you?" The girl asked and in those words Jasmine could hear a hint of her sexual tension.

    "Yes there is." Xaden said.

    Jasmine frowned.

    "The meal must be cold by now." He said. "I��m sure thedy would be starving by now and a cold food would be unpleasant."

    "I see." The girl managed.

    Thedy.

    Xaden was referring to her.

    And when she turned to look at the tray of food by her left handed side, sure enough it no longer held steam sipping out.

    "I can do that by lord." The girl said an obvious hint of disappointment in her voice.

    "Good." He said and then Jasmine heard him walk from the bed before heading towards the bath.

    When she was sure that she heard the door close did she finally have the confidence to turn around.

    She looked at the girl who was now sulking.

    She wondered if the girl knew that she was a servant just like her, or worse, a ve.

    She also wondered if the servant was aware of her past with Xaden.

    The audacity of the girl to even offer something as ridiculous as that when she was obviously here.

    Not that Jasmine cared.

    It was just inappropriate.

    The girl grumbled to herself as she gathered the tray of food.

    "Thank you." Jasmine said with a tight smile.

    The girl didn��t return the smile and left the bedroom.

    Jasmine sighed to herself now alone.

    She made her hair into one single braid and then looked through the clothes that had been brought for her before finding a nice sleeping dress.

    She put it on before going to sit on the reclining couch.

    She gathered her feet together as she sat waiting for her meal toe.

    She instantly regretted letting the servant girl go with the food.

    She could have eaten by now and pretended to sleep by the time he came out of the bath.

    Now she had to wait for the girl and most likely eat at the same time he did

    She heard the water ssh in the bath and then soon hot shes of him naked came firing at her.

    She went red in embarrassment and shook her head.

    She wasn��t going to think of any of that.

    She heard the door of the bath open and Xaden stepped out.

    He had a towel wrapped around his waist and the rest of his body was...... naked.

    She watched as his well chiseled chest was fresh with water and his perfectly lined musclesy in perfect rhythm.

    They made eye contact and in that very instant the door was flung open.

    None other than the servant girl came in holding arge tray of food.

    ~~~~~~~~~~

    The door mmed against the wall as the servant girl shuffled in, the weight of the tray pulling at her arms. She stumbled a little, then corrected herself, cheeks flushed not with embarrassment but something far more smug.

    "I brought fresh food, my lord," she said, her voice pitched sweetly, eyes darting at Jasmine before quickly lowering.

    Xaden��s jaw flexed. His towel clung precariously to his hips, droplets of water still carving paths down the ridges of his chest. Jasmine��s throat tightened as she turned her face away, clutching the edge of her braid as though it could tether her toposure.

    "Set it down," Xaden said curtly.

    The girl obeyed, but her hands lingered longer than necessary on the dishes. When she poured wine into the goblets, her fingers brushed along the rim nearest Xaden. He did not look at her, and that stung her more deeply than a p. She faltered, then stepped back, curtsied too low, and slunk out of the chamber with onest burning nce at Jasmine.

    The silence she left behind was unbearable.

    Xaden strode past Jasmine without a word, the heat of his damp skin grazing the air as he reached for a goblet. He filled it, then poured another, sliding it across the table toward her.

    "You should eat." His tone was t, but not unkind.

    Jasmine hesitated, but the smell of roasted meat and warm bread turned her stomach with hunger.

    She shifted to the table, hands trembling slightly as she reached for a te. For a while, neither of them spoke. The only sounds were the clink of cutlery and the faint crackle of the fire in the hearth.

    But the silence said more than words.

    Jasmine forced down mouthfuls, chewing woodenly, her mind still stuck on the servant kneeling at his feet, the coyness in her voice, the way Xaden had not chased her out immediately.

    It made her feel like ss, fragile, transparent, useless.

    When she was finished, she quietly set her utensils aside, rinsed her fingers in the bowl of rosewater ced at the edge of the table, and dried them on a cloth. She didn��t look at him.

    Instead, she crossed the room and curled onto the reclining couch, her back to him.

    Xaden��s brow furrowed. "What are you doing?"

    "I��ll sleep here." Her voice was low but firm.

    His confusion deepened. "The couch?"

    "Yes." She clutched the pillow tighter to her chest. "I can��t share that bed with you. It was ordained for you, not me. I��ll not take what isn��t mine."

    Xaden��s lips parted as though to argue, but no words came. He crossed the floor, each step deliberate, until his shadow fell over her.

    "You��re being stubborn."

    "I��m being respectful." Her chin jutted, though her voice wavered. "The bed belongs to you. I��ll sleep here. Do not��"

    But she didn��t finish.

    Xaden bent suddenly, sweeping her up in his arms before she could protest. Her gasp broke into the air, her fists instinctively pressing against his chest, but he didn��t falter. His hold was steady, unyielding, as though she weighed no more than a feather.

    "Put me down!" she hissed, struggling, her braid slipping over her shoulder like a rope of fire.

    "No." His answer was quiet, but it brooked no argument. He carried her across the chamber, the heat of his skin searing into her through the thin fabric of her gown.

    With careful precision, he lowered her onto the bed, tucking the coverlet across her as though she might bolt

    Her heart raced, fury and confusion battling in her chest. "Xaden��"

    "You��ll sleep in the bed," he said firmly, meeting her re with eyes dark and unreadable. "And you will not argue with me again."

    Before she could spit out a reply, he turned from her.

    His broad hands gathered the pillows scattered along the headboard, stacking them into his arms.

    Without another word, he strode back to the couch, dropped them onto it, and lowered himself onto the cushions.

    The couch groaned under his weight.

    Hey on his back, arm folded across his chest, eyes fixed on the ceiling as though the night would pass faster if he refused to look at her.

    Jasmine stared at him from the bed, her body taut with emotions she could not name. Shame. Anger. Relief. And something else she dared not think too deeply about.

    Despite everything.

    Why did he leave her feeling this way?

 Chapter 565: GOODBYE RED

    <h4>Chapter 565: GOODBYE RED</h4>

    NANNY NIA��S POV

    Nanny Nia walked down the hallway, a tray of brewing herbal tea ced on it.

    She followed the instructions she had been given on where to find Xaden��s room.

    Eventually she came to therge mahogany door and just as she was about to knock, the door swung open.

    None other than a ravish looking Alpha Xaden stood before her.

    He had his dark hair in a very mushy way and a very loose shirt that barely covered his shirt.

    He looked like he had barely slept the entire night.

    "My lord." Nanny Nia said as she held unto the tray before its contents spilled.

    She curtseyed. "Morning my lord."

    "Nanny Nia." He nodded.

    "I was onlying to give Jasmine her tea." She exined. "But if you��re busy I cer."

    "No there won��t be any need for that." He said quickly.

    Too Quickly.

    "She is asleep inside." He said as he cocked his head to the room. "You can go see her."

    And in a bare instant he was out of sight as though someone was chasing him out of the room.

    Nanny Nia wondered what that was about.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    REVERTING TO FIRST PERSON POINT OF VIEW FROM NOW ON)

    JASMINE

    Rays of sunlight came through the window sill interrupting my sleep.

    I turned in my sleep and then all of a sudden, I heard marching footsteps barge into the room.

    And then the curtains were flung open.

    I groaned as I used my hand to block the aggressive sh of sunlighting to my face.

    "Rise and shine!" Nanny Nia said with glee.

    <fn82a9> ???? ????s? ???????s ?? find[?]ovel</fn82a9>

    The moment she saw I was hiding from the sun, she hurriedly closed it back

    "Sorry." She hastily apologized.

    Then she came to the bed and very gently touched me as I sat up.

    "Hey sweetheart." She said in the sweetest tone. "Didn��t mean to give you a fright. Only wanted to make today exciting."

    I smiled.

    I didn��t like making Nanny Nia sad.

    "No it��s fine. Was just a bit dazed." I exined as I rubbed my eyes.

    Nanny Nia left and returned back with a cup of hot herbal tea.

    "Go on take." She urged very gently. "It��s your medicine. It would make you feel better."

    I drank and the medicine just made my body feel very calm.

    I closed my eyes and savored the taste of the tea. "Thank you. It does make me feel better."

    "You see? I��m never wrong." She promised.

    I handed her the cup back and stretched.

    "It seems you had a very not so lonely night." She said as she ced the tea by the bedside stool.

    "What?" I asked confused.

    And then I saw her eyes dart to the empty side of the bed before it finally hit me on what she was talking about.

    "Oh no." I shook my head quickly. "Nothing happened."

    "So you slept in the bed with him and nothing happened?" She rose an usatory brow.

    "Nanny Nia I told you this already." I expressed. "Xaden and I are through. Nothing is ever going to happen again. That��s a door that is closed for life."

    "Moreover." I cleared my throat. "He slept on the chair and I slept on the bed."

    "He chose to sleep on the chair?" Nanny Nia asked hungry for details.

    "No." I shook my head. "I wanted to sleep on the chair but then he came in and picked me up, forcing me to sleep on the bed. He volunteered to sleep on the chair."

    Nanny Nia pressed her lips. "Well that��s barely anything. Especially after everything that has happened."

    I looked around and realized the room was empty.

    "He must have left in the middle of the night."I said with a shrug.

    He most likely couldn��t stand the sign of being in the same room with me.

    Especially with how foolishly I had behaved the previous night in front of the serving girl.

    "When I wasing in he opened the door for me. I think he was here all night." Nanny Nia said. "Looked like someone was chasing him right out of the room though."

    I closed my eyes in frustration.

    He definitely hated me.

    "Xaden and I are done." I said clearly. "There is no going back. Moreover I just want to find out about my mother and where she came from. That��s the most important thing right now."

    She gently held my hand and pressed it reassuringly.

    "There is no harm in doing that." She told me.

    As nanny Nia got up from the bed I caught her hand.

    "Nanny Nia there is something I need from you." I started.

    "Anything dear." She urged.

    "I need a dye." I started. "A ck dye to be precise."

    She frowned. "A ck dye? What for?"

    I swallowed. "My hair. I need to dye my hair ck."

    She looked at me cross. "Why in the name of the goddess would you even think of doing that?"

    I gave a slight shrug. "I��m tired of everyone asking me if I��m a member of the royal family and then having to exin why I��m not."

    "But your hair is a blessing. Unique. Anyone would die to have their red." Nanny Nia said and the chipped in a low tone. "I��m sure even the Queen��s sister and daughter. That��s what Hildegard said."

    I shook my head.

    In my own case it wasn��t a blessing but a curse.

    I didn��t want to have to tell anyone that it was abnormality from being an unshifted wolf.

    Whatever interest or genuine show of care would ultimately vanish the moment they discovered I was an unshifted wolf.

    I had thought about it through the night and made a reasonable decision that this was what I wanted.

    "Thest thing I need is attention from anyone. Especially when people know that I��m the daughter of their worst enemy." I said and then waved at my hair. "And that��s what *this* is doing to me. I don��t want anything.

    She sighed to me. "Well alright if it��s what you want. But I don��t think it��s a good idea."

    I didn��t have a choice.

 Chapter 566: HELLO BLACK

    <h4>Chapter 566: HELLO BLACK</h4>

    An hourter, I sat in the bath tub while Nanny Nia worked on my hair.

    She had ced the mixture of ck dye on my hair and massaged the paste in.

    Before we had begun, I made sure to look at myself in the mirror for a very long time.

    I gently touched my fire red curls.

    It was the way I had been for the rest of my life.

    I thought of how it was the only other thing apart for my ne to have a firm bond between myter mother and I.

    Urma had told me that my mother had had red hair in fire curls just like mine and no matter how long she had tried to tame them, they never went straight or t.

    It had be her signature.

    Wild and free.

    I hated to do this but I had no choice.

    Nanny Nia had stood with the mixed paste and asked me. "Jasmine are you sure this is what you want?"

    I touched my hair onest time and felt the texture in between my fingers.

    It was going to stop everyone from staring.

    Going to stop me from over exining.

    And most of all, it was going to stop me from being reminded of what I was.

    An abnormally.

    <fn297c> For more chapters visit Find1Novel</fn297c>

    Me dying my hair felt as though I was evolving into a new version of myself and the old Jasmine had died with her baby.

    It was going to be a new beginning for me

    I nodded. "Yes it is."

    And that was when she began to massage it into my hair.

    The paste was cool and seemed to be a rxant on my head.

    I felt Nanny Nia gather all strands of my hair and soon it was all wet.

    She kept on working on it and we were in the bathtub for almost two hours.

    "How effective is this paste going to be?" I asked Nanny Nia as she massaged my head.

    "Hildegard told me that it couldst for a whole year." Nanny Nia exined. "Apparently members of the royal family who began shedding their red would use this to dye their hair."

    "But this is ck." I pointed out.

    "Well." She continued. "This is just a coloring. There is a certain type of ingredient that is used here that makes the dyest. This same ingredient was used to mix red dye just so they could hide their hair turning ck."

    I batted my eyes in disbelief. "Really?"

    "Yes." She nodded as she swiped off dye that had trickled down my ear.

    "Surprising isn��t it. From what I know, there are two ways you can end your rule as King or Queen. The first is by death. You can be a ruler of all wolves til you die or when your time ends to rule the crown, your hair starts to be ck."

    "So a lot of them try to hide it by dying their hair red so that they can remain on the throne." She exined to me.

    The wolf culture was truly very interesting.

    I nodded. "And so what happened to them? Did they ever get away with it?"

    "I don��t think so." She said. "It always came out in the end. It��s an ironic isn��t it?"

    "What��s ironic?" I asked as I gently wrapped my wet hands around my body.

    The water had be now warm from me sitting in it for two hours.

    "You��re dying your hair from red because you don��t want to remember who you are. While Kings, Queens, princes and princesses would have died to have their hair red." She exined.

    I thought about it.

    She was right.

    What I was throwing away member of the royal family would die for.

    "All done." She said as I heard her drop the container. "Now we can rinse it off."

    "Won��t we let it stay? To be sure that it stays longer?" I asked worried.

    "That��s not what Hildegard said." Nanny Nia said. "You can step out of the tub now."

    I obeyed her and soon I was sitting on her seating in the bath room with a towel to hide my nakedness.

    She tilted my head towards the bath and began to pour warm water down my hair.

    It felt very rxing.

    She did it expertly and avoided it going into my eyes and ears.

    I took a risk and opened my eyes to see.

    In the bathtub, the water was a now a pitch ck as it flowed from my head.

    After about five minutes rinsing the water out, Nanny Nia brought a towel to me and instructed me to rise.

    She wrapped the towel around my hair and then led me out to the bedroom.

    I was made to sit in front of the dresser and the moment Nanny Nia took off the towel, my hair came down.

    I was looking right in front of the mirror and I saw myself.

    My hair was pitch ck and had beautiful curls just like my red had been.

    I gently reached out and touched it to be sure it was real.

    It was.

    I put my fingers through my hair and looked left and right.

    There was no single show or evidence that my hair had ever been red.

    It waspletely pitch ck.

    I looked like a whole new person.

    "What do you think?" Nanny Nia asked as she ced her hands on my shoulder.

    I gave a smile as I looked closely in the mirror. "It��s different."

    She gave augh. "Of course it is. You��ve been a red head your entire life."

    She sighed heavily. "If it��s any constion to you Jasmine. With or without the red hair. You��ve never been an abnormally to me."

    My eyes gathered in tears.

    First it had been Urma and then Eleanor, and now Nanny Nia.

    I had never had a mother but somehow mothers had picked me along the way.

    I got up and threw my arms around her.

    "Ohhh." She said sounding surprised.

    She very gently embraced me back.

    As I smiled through the hug, I gently opened my eyes and to my shock, none other than the Queen stood inside the room looking at me.

 Chapter 567: UNINVITED GUEST

    <h4>Chapter 567: UNINVITED GUEST</h4>

    I gasped once I saw the Queen standing in the middle of the room.

    I hurriedly let go of Nanny Nia and Nanny Nia herself turned around.

    "Jasmine what��s the problem-

    She didn��t finish her sentence.

    When she was the Queen herself she went mute.

    We both quickly curtseyed.

    "Good morning your majesty." We greeted in unison our eyes downcast.

    "Good morning." She said in her usual kind and hearty voice. "You may rise."

    We slowly rose up to look at her.

    The Queen was dressed in a peach-colored dress, the soft shade brightening her pale skin and making the red in her hair catch the light.

    The gown was simple yet elegant, fitted at the waist with a thin embroidered belt, the skirts flowing loosely around her as she moved.

    A delicate brooch pinned at her shoulder added just a touch of gold, enough to remind any one of her rank without being ostentatious.

    And most of all, her crown was dutifully on her hair.

    A very simple and yet, elegant crown with different pieces of stones over her straight red hair.

    The Queen despite her age still looked extremely beautiful.

    "My apologies your majesty." I apologized at the messy room. "We hadn��t been expected you."

    "It is I who should be sorry." The Queen said with a genuine smile. "Came without informing you. Xaden has said you would be here."

    She approached and I could tell the uncertainty and then disbelief in her eyes.

    "Good heavens Jasmine." She gasped. "Did you dye your hair?"

    I became flustered.

    "Uh... er... your majesty." I managed.

    She closed her mouth and her eyes seemed sad.

    "Your hair was unique." She said. "Anyone in the royal family would kill to have that. Why did you change your beautiful color."

    Before I could respond, my towel almost slipped.

    I blushed in shame as my hands quickly caught it in time.

    "I am so sorry." She said as she looked away. "You aren��t modest and I interrupted. I should leave you."

    "No don��t go." I found myself saying before it was toote.

    I pushed in my mother ne well into my bosom.

    She stopped and I went red unsure of what next my big mouth would say.

    "I mean. If you��re here, it must be because you needed to speak to me." I exined.

    She nodded. "Yes Jasmine I do need to speak to you."

    That terrified me.

    "Well if that��s the case then I think it would be more appropriate for me toe find you than having youe. I��m a ve." I expressed.

    "And I��m the Queen." She said. "But that doesn��t make either of us less of more before the Goddess does it?"

    I thought about it for a second.

    "Perhaps?" I said uncertainly.

    "How about we do it this way." She said. "I sit here and wait for you to get dressed, then we can talk."

    I wasn��t sure how having the Queen wait for me was a good thing.

    "Don��t worry I canceled my ns for the morning if you��re worried about me waisting my time." Queen Rose said as she found a seat and sat down.

    I blinked and snapped back to reality.

    The Queen was waiting for me.

    I was keeping the Queen herself waiting.

    "Of course your majesty." Nanny Nia spoke for me. "I would get her ready immediately."

    The Queen smiled and Nanny Nia dragged me to the bath.

    "Why is the Queen here?" I whispered once the door was shut.

    My heart was beating so fast I believed it would jump right out of my chest.

    Nanny Nia shrugged. "We don��t know yet. But we need to get you dressed."

    And with that Nanny Nia went out of the bath.

    My mind began to race through different scenarios.

    Perhaps it was because she now wanted to change her mind and take away the immunity she had granted to me.

    Or has Anna plotted one of her schemes and this time taken the Queen to her side?

    So many things went through my mind.

    Nanny Nia Returned holding a dress and hair brush.

    She helped me put on a very simple but pretty blue dress, before making me seat on a chair andpletely brushing out my hair.

    I waited in anxiety as the Nanny Nia brushed through my newly raven colored hair.

    "Take it easy Jasmine." Nanny Nia said reading my mind. "The Queen isn��t so bad. I��m sure she isn��t what you think. She is merely just here to see you."

    I didn��t buy it.

    Well not the part that she was just here to see me.

    I knew the Queen was very kind.

    Maybe too Kind for her liking.

    Once Nanny Nia was done, she braided my hair in a single braid and only then did I go out to meet the Queen.

    The Queen wasn��t sitting on the chair anymore, but rather the bed.

    "That��s much better isn��t it?" She asked me.

    "Yes your majesty." I nodded.

    "Come, Take a seat." She said as she tapped beside her.

    I did as I was instructed and soon I was sitting inches away from the Queen.

    "If you would excuse me your majesty." Nanny Nia said heading towards the door. "I have somethings I need to oversee."

    And in the blink of an eye, Nanny Nia had disappeared, leaving me with the Queen.

    I was terrified.

    "So." The Queen said after a deep sigh. "I hope I haven��t scared you with my presence."

    "No your majesty." I lied as I shook my head hastily.

    Sheughed. "For some strange reason or the other I can tell you��re lying."

    My face went red in shame.

    Could she read minds now?

    "I can��t read minds." She waved her hand very gently as though still reading my mind yet again. "Unfortunately it isn��t one of the gifts my wolf bestowed on me."

    "There was only one person whom I could always tell when she was lying." Queen Rose said. "Myte daughter Scarlett."

    ~~~~~~~~~~

    <fnfd92> Follow current nov?ls on f?ndnovel</fnfd92>

    Scarlett

    The Queen��s daughter who had gone missing in the ocean and never returned.

    "She rarely ever lied." She exined to me. "But when she did, I simply could tell."

    There was a smile on her face.

    A very sad and weak smile.

    "You remind me of her sometimes." Queen Rose said. "Well not with the new ck hair of course."

    Iughed.

    "But you do." She nodded. "So now tell me, why did you dye your beautiful red hair to ck."

    I have an uneasy smile.

    "Well, your majesty." I began to exin. "I just got tired of being asked if I was a member of the royal family and then having to exin that well.... I��m an unshifted wolf."

    The Queen looked at me sympathy written all over her face. "I am so sorry you went through that Jasmine. Please ept my apology for all the things you��ve failed."

    "Your majesty please don��t apologize." I pleaded ufortably.

    "When my subjects offend a guest in have to apologize, Queen or not." She told me.

    The Queen was so kind and gentle.

    I wished she were my mother.

    "Well if you wished to change your hair then that��s your decision to make Jasmine." She told me. "In this world no matter who we are, we have to make our own decisions."

    I bit my bottom lip and nodded in agreement.

    "You look beautiful." She said. "And I��m d you didn��t get to hide those freckles of yours."

    I blushed as I ced my hand over my face to hide my freckles.

    I had always been so insecure about them.

    She very gently pulled my hand down.

    "No my dear." She said. "There is no shame in what the goddess gave you. You��re naturally beautiful. Embrace it."

    I smiled at her kind words.

    "I��m so happy for you." I finally voiced out my thoughts. "You��ve found your grand daughter. You look better and happier now."

    The Queen smiled. "It��s a bitter sweet experience. On one hand my daughter is dead but now on the other hand she gave me a gift I never knew I had."

    The Queen had tears in her eyes. "Sometimes I wish I can go back and find her. Bring her before she died, take care of her. I wish I could have searched for her more." She said her voice breaking.

    "Please don��t cry." I said as I got her a handkerchief to wipe her tears.

    Sheughed. "Thank you. I know I seem ungrateful. I have my grand daughter and I��m still wishing for my daughter."

    I held her hand boldly. "Your majesty If there is one thing I��ve learned, is that nothing is coincidence. The goddess always looks out for us no matter what."

    "Those are very intelligent words." Queen Rose remarked.

    "You��re happy now. You deserve it your majesty." I said in all honestly.

    She held my hand tightly and sighed.

    "Jasmine I came here to speak to you because. I know what you went through. You lost your baby. The same way I lost mine too."

    I felt tensed as the memories came shing all through me.

    My ne burned my chest and I began to itch.

    "What��s that?" The Queen asked

 Chapter 568: A MISSING GRANDPARENT

    <h4>Chapter 568: A MISSING GRANDPARENT</h4>

    "Your majesty?" I said startled.

    "Your bosom." The Queen pointed out. "You seem to be very ufortable with your ne there."

    "Oh." I mumbled. "I��m sorry."

    For some odd reason or the other, the ne seemed to itch.

    Since I got into this pack, I had been ufortable with it and now it itched.

    It had never happened before, not once.

    I gently touched the ne as the pendant was settled in between my breasts.

    "It was a gift from my mother." I exined.

    The Queen rose a brow. "Your mother? I had no idea your mother was alive."

    "She uhmmm...." I began. "Yes she was. She died after giving birth to me."

    The Queen went quiet.

    "I��m sorry for your loss." She apologized.

    I gave a weak shrug. "It��s okay. I never got the chance to actually meet her so I would say it doesn��t hurt that bad."

    "What about her family?" She asked me. "Didn��t you meet your grandparents or any of them?"

    I shook my head.

    "My mother... not much was known about her in the pack. She just appeared one day in the pack with my..." I hesitated, ufortable to call him my father.

    After a deep and intense pause, I took a very deep breath. "She appeared one day with my father. She never told anyone where she came from or who her family. Neither did he tell me."

    I gave a slight shrug. "She was a ve and nothing more to him or anyone around."

    The Queen seemed very reluctant to speak at first.

    "I can��t understand all you��ve been through Jasmine." The Queen said.

    I chewed my bottom lip and was honest with her. "I��ve had a very hard life. And I.... I can��t emphasize how grateful I am to have met you. How much you have saved me by pardoning me."

    I gently held the ne and showed her, the pendant was still lodged in between my breasts. "This is the only thing I have that tied me to my mother. The only reminder I have to her. I��m happy you found your granddaughter. I also would like to find my mother."

    <fnb14a> Chapters first released on FindN()vel</fnb14a>

    "I heard that my father had a brother." I said.

    She nodded. "Yes, he did. Your father was the younger, his brother was older. We were all friends."

    "You knew him?" I asked my eyes wide open.

    "Yes I most certainly did. He was supposed to be Alpha as the packw demands but he was more of a researcher, more of a dreamer and traveler. So when he disappeared I wasn��t really surprised."

    "Do you have any idea where he went to?" I asked. "He might be the only one who knows about my mother."

    She shook her head. "Unfortunately I don��t. No one knew where he went. He just vanished. Some said he left to further his research."

    I was disappointed and get my heart drop.

    "When I was in the Crescent pack, I found out that he and Xaden��s mother were good friends." I informed her. "I was told she too was interested in researches and things like astronomy. I came here with the hope that I could meet an astronomer called Otto. Perhaps he could know more."

    The Queen rose a brow.

    She looked very impressed.

    "You have really done your homework." She said.

    I blushed.

    "Yes Otto was the best astronomer in the entire wolf kingdom. But he went a bit.... Insane. It does that sometimes. You get lost into the search for answers and you end up losing your mind." She said. "It happened to me."

    My face went white.

    I started to apologize but she shook her hand.

    "Don��t be sorry. It��s all in the past. Thanks to you I am healed and I have found my grand daughter. "

    The Queen took my hand in hers and squeezed it before reassuring me.

    "Anything you want I��ll give. Especially after you saved my life by giving me the Lyrun herb. The same way I found my granddaughter, I hope you find your answers."

    "Thank you your majesty." I said.

    And with that she rose to her feet and very elegantly gravitated towards the door.

    "You can tell Otto the Queen Herself sent you to meet him. He can be very strange." She informed me.

    I rose up to my feet and curtseyed.

    "Yes your majesty. Thank you your majesty." I appreciated.

    She smiled and the moment she was at the door I heard a shrill female voices.

    "Oh dear you��re here." The Queen said.

    "Yes I came looking for you and someone told me you were with Alpha Xaden." Came a very soft and feminine voice.

    "Actually no I- Jasmine!" The Queen said mid sentence. "Come I��ll like to informally introduce you to someone."

    I rose up to my feet and as I walked to the door, saw the Queen��s beautiful Grand daughter.

    Princes Auburn.

    I curtseyed.

    "Your majesty."

    "Auburn you already met Jasminest night." Queen Rose said as she waved at me. "Jasmine my grand daughter Auburn."

    Auburn nodded a tight smile on her face. "Yes I did. She is the ve isn��t she?"

    I felt ufortable at her words.

    "Yes but you don��t say things like that dear." The Queen whispered to Auburn but I could hear.

    The Queen turned and smiled at me, Auburn did the same.

    "It��s good to meet you." Auburn said.

    "It��s an honor to meet you your majes-

    She didn��t even acknowledge me anymore, she turned to Queen Rose. "I thought you said you came to see Alpha Xaden."

    "Oh Jasmine had to spend a night in his bedroom. It was her I came to find." Queen Rose said.

    "Ahhh I see." Auburn smiled at me.

    I felt my ne burn again and I was forced to slowly remove it.

    "What��s wrong?" Queen Rose asked me a worried look on her face.

    I shook my head as I pulled the ne from my bosom. "Nothing too serious. My ne has been hurting for a while now."

    "Your majesty!" Someone said in the hallway drawing the Queen��s attention and soon they began discussing away from the room.

    I pulled the ne out revealing the chipped emerald pendant.

    Auburn��s eyes widened as though she had seen fire

 Chapter 569: EXPOSED?

    <h4>Chapter 569: EXPOSED?</h4>

    AUBURN��S POV

    I had woken up early that morning and been ready to achieve my next set of goals.

    Seduce Alpha Xaden and make him mine.

    My life has been luxury from the moment I had been weed as the grand daughter of the Late Princess Scarlett.

    The King embraced and weed me as his grand daughter in particr because I knew that he liked how I behaved.

    I was delicate and Candy had raised me well enough on how to be proper.

    It fit everything.

    My perfectly red hair blended with the other royals and I was treated like one.

    It was a dream.

    Except the moment I hadid eyes with that hideous Jasmine, I didn��t need to be told once.

    Her fiery red hair and the aura that waves along with her.

    I knew who she was.

    She was the girl I was impersonating.

    For a split second, I had assumed everyone would realize who she was and I would be butted out of the pack.

    But that didn��t happen.

    In fact the King didn��t seem to like her one bit.

    No one did

    It was the Queen who was all over her.

    I knew that I had to be smart and just as Cheery had said, I had to y my best cards

    Despite being a dirty ve, she was a threat and I knew better than to just ignore her.

    But it baffled me that the next heir to the throne was an unshifted dirty wolf.

    Even she who was a prostitute had shifted to a beautiful brown wolf.

    Alpha Xaden was my catch, that was why when I had asked the servants where my grand mother was, I was told she was at Alpha Xaden��s bedroom.

    Dressed in a beautiful red dress that highlighted my breasts and matched with my fake red hair, I felt that now was the time to introduce myself to him.

    But on getting to the bedroom, to my utmost horror, none other than Jasmine was inside chatting with my grand mother.

    I bit my lip in fury.

    What was she doing here?

    "I thought you came to see Alpha Xaden." Auburn asked after ignoring Jasmine��s greeting.

    "Oh Jasmine had to spend a night in his bedroom." Rose said and i felt my veins pulsate. "It was her I actually came to see not Xaden."

    <fn3db3> Newest update provided by FindN0vel</fn3db3>

    Spend a night in his room?!

    I had been told that Jasmine had been his pet ve but it was over.

    At least that was what she had heard.

    Especially after Jasmine had lost his baby.

    So why the fuck was this infidel sleeping in his bedroom.

    Jealously began to spill through my veins and corrupt her entire system.

    I turned to look at a genuinely smiling Jasmine and it disgusted me even further.

    Why was the girl always smiling?

    And the worst part was that something told Auburn it was genuine.

    Even though I had been rude to her the girl was still pleasant to me.

    It only annoyed me further.

    "Ahhh I see." I managed with the fakest of all smiles on her face.

    But I didn��t see.

    I wanted to know why she was here.

    What had happened.

    If they had slept together.

    Was Alpha Xaden still inside the bedroom?

    I wanted to know everything.

    And then I noticed Jasmine watching her neck and the valley in between her breasts.

    I scowled.

    Jasmine��s dress didn��t purposely reveal her breasts like mine and yet they looked even better than mine even.

    "What��s wrong?" Rose asked.

    Jasmine shook her head with a weak smile as she still itched her neck. "Nothing too serious. My ne has been hurting for a while now."

    At that moment a servant came in and drew away the Queen��s attention by speaking on the arrangements for my wee ceremony.

    At that moment I watched as Jasmine slowly pulled at the ne and revealed an emerald pendant.

    I gasped in horror.

    This was the exact ne on my chest and I knew instantly what it was.

    The ne that Cherry had said had gone missing with Princess Scarlett.

    It was on Jasmine��s breasts and I now knew for sure that she was truly the Queen��s grand daughter.

    I quickly caught her arm and shifted her aside to prevent Queen Rose from noticing.

    Jasmine looked confused. "Why are you dragging my arm that way?"

    "Shhh." I warned her and looked quickly to see if Queen Rose had seen.

    But she was still deep in discussion with the servant.

    "Revealing a jeweled pendant in the royal family is treason and can be punished by death." I said to her the quickest excuseing to my mind.

    "What?" Jasmine said in disbelief.

    I narrowed my eyes.

    "Your majesty." She added quickly.

    "It��s a big offense especially if you are a ve." I said wisely. "You are aren��t you?"

    Jasmine��s face fell and she chewed on her bottom lip. "Yes I am."

    I swallowed in satisfaction knowing that I now had the girl cornered.

    I made sharp turns to look at my grand mother deep in conversation before I continued. "It��s treason. You should hide it immediately. Or you could get my grand daughter in trouble if she tries to cover aw for you. Especially after everything she has done for you."

    I saw how she was taking it and knew that she believed.

    "You��re right. I had no idea no intentions." She expressed apologetically. "It just hurts.

    It sort of burns ever since I��ve been here."

    "Does that usually happen?" I asked curiously.

    She innocently shook her head. "No it doesn��t. This is the first time."

    Knowing that I had her under my skin I whispered sharply. "Then if that��s the case don��t wear it anymore until you leave."

    Jasmine looked skeptical.

    "What?!" I snapped at her.

    "It was a gift from my mother. I��ve only taken it off once in my life." Jasmine informed me.

    Then I remembered what Cherry had said.

    Taking off the pendant had consequences.

    At that moment Queen Rose said walking to us. "So sorry I dyed you."

 Chapter 570: HIDING EVIDENCE

    <h4>Chapter 570: HIDING EVIDENCE</h4>

    AUBURN��S POV

    I watched in horror as my grandmother walked up to us.

    <fn65cf> ???? ????s? ???????s ?? ?ovelFind</fn65cf>

    Before if I could even halt her from getting to where we stood, she was already there.

    "Grandma wait." I said quickly as I held her arms and tried to pull her aside.

    "What��s the problem Auburn?" The Queen asked confused.

    I stuttered to find something to say but she tilted her head to look at Jasmine.

    "Jasmine I��m so sorry I dyed you." She apologized.

    I closed my eyes and chewed on my lip so violently because I knew it was toote.

    "It��s fine your majesty. You never need to apologize to me." Jasmine said.

    There was no look of recognition or surprise on my grand mother��s face.

    So I turned back around and saw that Jasmine had already put the pendant back inside her bosom.

    I breathed a heavy sigh of relief and wiped off the sweat that had already gathered on my forehead.

    "Are you alright?" Grandmother asked.

    They were both staring at me now.

    I shook my head hastily.

    "Yes, I��m perfectly fine." I said with a smile. "Was just having some difficulty breathing."

    "I don��t know if it would be okay for me to speak to Jasmine alone." I said. "Just to properly wee."

    Queen rose looked at me and then back at Jasmine.

    She shrugged.

    "Well I believe that would be fine." Queen Rose said.

    "I had just heard the terrible things that wanted to her. Heard she was looking for her mother and i would like to console her. I equally went through something simr when I was looking for you." I said my eyes sympathetic.

    Queen Rose smiled weakly and gently touched my cheeks. "That is a very beautiful thing to do. I��m blessed to have a granddaughter like you."

    I smiled.

    "Alright dear. I have some preparations to make ahead of your ceremony." The Queen kissed my cheeks and then went to Jasmine. "When you are finished with Auburn, you can go meet Otto."

    Jasmine nodded and I was filled with Jealousy the moment I saw my grand mother kiss her cheeks too.

    "Alright girls." Queen Rose said before leaving us.

    The moment she was gone, I looked left and right and pulled her inside the room.

    "I didn��t mean to break anyws." Jasmine said once I had closed the door

    And I noticed something strange.

    Her hair wasn��t red anymore.

    It was ck!

    Pitch ck.

    I furrowed my brows together.

    "Why did you change your hair color?" I asked in suspicion.

    "Well it was getting a lot of attention. And I got tired of people thinking I was a member of the royal family. I wish." Jasmine said.

    That made me snap in that instant.

    "You can never wish to be a member of the royal family! Do you understand that?!" I hissed at her sneering with rage and venom.

    Jasmine seemed taken aback. "I didn��t mean anything I was just saying that it would be a nice dream to...

    "You don��t have to wish anything!" I cut her off quickly. "Do you understand me? My grand mother has been through enough and if you don��t know, the immunity she has given you has made her red g in the wolf council. Even with her husband."

    Jasmine began to exin. "I didn��t mean for any of this hap-

    "My thoughts exactly." I clocked my tongue.

    Putting her down made me feel better and helped my insecurities drop.

    I was terrified of this ugly freckled ve.

    At least I knew now she had done something in my favor.

    The stupid girl dying her hair ck was going to cut down unnecessary attention.

    Then I went back to the matter on ground.

    Cherry had told me that the chain couldn��t be taken off except in a case of death.

    Terrible things would happen if it ever did.

    "Let me see the ne." I said as I stretched my hand out.

    Jasmine seems very hesitant at first but I frowned at her my hands indicating it be given.

    Jasmine sighed and pulled it from the valley in between her breasts before cing the pendant on my soft palm.

    I looked at it and sure enough, it was the exact same one I had.

    Mine luckily was tucked inside my breasts too.

    Except it had a chip around it as though some emeralds had been knocked out at the bottom.

    I let her have it back.

    "Does it still hurt?" I asked her.

    "Yes it does." Jasmine said. "When the pendantes in contact with my skin."

    When the pendantes in contact with my skin

    I twisted my mouth and soon an idea came to mind.

    "I��ll get you a locket that you can ce the pendant in and wear on your neck. That way it won��t hurt." I offered.

    "That should work." Jasmine said. "Why are you helping me? You don��t know me."

    "I��m doing this because I don��t want my grand mother hurt." I said.

    That was a bloody lie.

    I was doing it because I didn��t want the bitch to have me escaped.

    "Thank you your majesty." Jasmine bowed. "I appreciate it very much."

    I humped and clicked my tongue feeling proud.

    "I��ll bring it for you." I said.

    I couldn��t afford to have a servant bring it before they spilled the story to everyone.

    And then I headed out of the room towards the door and I remembered something.

    "What��s the deal with you and Xaden." I asked. "Are you in love with him?"

    Her face went an instant red.

    "No. We aren��t. I mean I��m not." She said.

    "But you gave birth to a dead child for him don��t you?" I said rudely choosing to taunt her.

    It baffled me.

    Infuriated me that this girl who was sowless and dirty and a ve was the real princess.

    Had everything I wanted.

    It made my skin crawl so I wanted to hurt her in every which way as possible.

    She didn��t answer me, except look directly into my eyes and say. "With all due respect your majesty my personal affairs is none of your business."

 Chapter 571: DECIDING FACTOR

    <h4>Chapter 571: DECIDING FACTOR</h4>

    I gasped at her in shock.

    How dare she say that to me.

    The insolent little harlot!

    I was more taken aback than upset at the words she had so casually flung at me.

    It was as though she had a different side of herself that I didn��t seem to exist.

    So the meek and submissive bitch had a tongue.

    I hated ago admit it, but the way she had spoken to me, scared me.

    I wasn��t sure whether to confront her there and then or let it go.

    I decided on thetter.

    I was going to deal with her one way or the other

    "Fine." I rolled my eyes at her. "I��ll bring you the locket. If you know what��s good for you, make sure you keep it hidden."

    "Thank you your majesty." She curstseyed.

    I couldn��t tell if she was truly appreciating or mocking me.

    With that I pushed the door open and left.

    I began to overthink as I hurried on to Cherry��s bedroom.

    My racing heart beat didn��t make it any better.

    I was horrified and in absolute dismay.

    Once I got to Cherry��s room, I didn��t find her in the bedroom.

    I heard some chatter in the bathroom and decided to march in.

    Cherry was in the bath rxing with three betas. One was kissing her hand, her feet while another washed her body.

    They all turned to merge moment I stepped in.

    They were all naked.

    I turned my face away.

    "Aunt Cherry we need to talk." I said quickly and used the corner of my eye to see her.

    Aunt Cherry sighed heavily, her eyes were still not open.

    She waved her hands at the men. "Go away."

    With that, one after they hurried out of the bath until it was just me and her.

    She slowly got out of the bath. "You had better have a good reason for interrupting my bath."

    "Jasmine. I saw her ne. The Queen almost saw it." I said quickly almost stumbling on my words.

    Cherry��s face gave a show of reaction and it was for a split second panic before it reverted to no emotion.

    From how long I had met her, she barely ever exhibited any show of fear or any sort of thing.

    But now I had seen that she wasn��t as perfect as she made it seem.

    "Hand me my robe." She said.

    I looked around and found a fur robe hanging in the bath.

    I picked it up, she turned her back to me and then I opened it up for her to wear.

    She then turned and tied it with a rope and headed on out of the room.

    I followed her right behind.

    "Did you hear me?" I asked. "The Queen almost saw the ne."

    "Loud and clear." Cherry said picking up a ss of wine and sipping. "But she didn��t."

    "No she didn��t." Cherry waved her hands. "So we just have to find our way around it. No big deal."

    "There��s more." I said not liking how Cherry was taking this so likely.

    My life was at stake here.

    All the wealth and luxuries I was now enjoying was all at stake here.

    "She told me that her ne burned." I said.

    Cherry frowned. "Burned? What do you mean?"

    I swallowed. "She had been itching the ne when talking to my Grandmother you see? And then she took it out that��s when I saw it. She said she always had it in her breasts but for some reason or the other it now burned."

    "Did she tell you when this started? Or has it always been like that?" Cherry askeding closer to me, her eyes pointed.

    "She said the moment she came into this pce." I responded.

    The moment I said those words, Cherry tightened her hands around the wine ss so hard it shattered.

    I jumped in fright.

    Her hands were bleeding and she didn��t seem to care.

    In an instant her blood went back into her skin.

    There was not a single trace of injury on her skin.

    I wanted how she could so easily heal herself if she wasn��t a wolf anymore.

    Or was it her magic powers?

    She swore to herself and then began to pace the room.

    "What��s wrong? What does this mean?" I asked gently stepping over the shattered ss.

    "It means that Jasmine is now reacting to the pack itself." Jasmine said

    I blinked in disbelief. "Wh... what?"

    What did that even mean?

    Cherry took in a very deep breath. "I had been worried that this would happen but never thought much of it because I thought I would have gotten rid of her."

    <fn79a3> The source of th?s content is FindN0vel</fn79a3>

    Cherry screamed in anger. "This torn in my flesh! I have done everything to get her dead! Everything!"

    I took a wise step back away from Cherry.

    I knew better than to hang around her in her state of fury.

    "She is royal blood. She is the heir and I don��t think I told you this but Jasmine isn��t just a regr royal blood or regr future Queen wolves, there is a wolf legend that she would either be our savior or our doom. That bitch is supposed to have powers that can shake the world." Cherry gasped.

    "B... bu... but she is an unshifted wolf." I said confused. "If she had powers won��t she be a wolf by now."

    Cherry��s hands on her waist she paced the room. "I thought about that too. That��s the only thing that doesn��t make sense. I��ve never been able to understand it. At all."

    "Well maybe she is royal blood but isn��t the one this prophecy is talking about." I said reasonably.

    It made no sense.

    How could a savior be a dirty shifted wolf?

    "We can��t take off the ne from her. Not unless she dies." Cherry said.

    "Yes I remembered when I was about to." I informed.

    Cherry��s eyes widened. "You want to kill us all?! Thank the fucking goddess you didn��t!"

    Cherry sighed heavily again.

    "I proposed getting her a locket to keep the pendant off her skin."

    Cherry smiled at me. "So you wentpletely stupid after all."

    I was offended.

    "Well.... Do that and make sure you hand it to her." Cherry said. "It��s just for a while until she gets out of here. The moment she leaves, the pendant would stop reacting."

    I nodded, relieved.

    "What was your reason for hiding the pendant?" Cherry asked.

    I shrugged. "Told her it was treason to wear such jewelry in the royal pack. The idiot believed."

    "I have to give it to you. If it were your cousin Rot Belle, then all hell would have broken loose." Cherry said. "She would be gone in a few days. Then we can carry out or n and finally kill your perfect grand mother and finally take the throne."

 Chapter 572: A REAL MONSTER

    <h4>Chapter 572: A REAL MONSTER</h4>

    JASMINE��S POV

    I watched as Auburn stormed off.

    I wondered what had just happened.

    Why was she interested in helping me and most of all why did she want to know about Xaden and me.

    It has been extremely difficult telling her it was none of her business especially since she was the princess, but I had to.

    It had taken me aback.

    I didn��t want anyone mentioning my child.

    And in the cruel manner she had said.

    I shivered at the thought of it.

    Then my burning ne interrupted my stream of thoughts.

    "Ouch." I howled in pain at it.

    First the walls burned me, now my ne was burning?

    It was getting very strange.

    I was tempted to take it off, but I had never taken it off before.

    Well at least once when Xaden had removed it from neck the night of the thunder storm on the boat.

    That was the first and only time.

    I gently touched the ne again.

    The only gift I had from my mother.

    I was tempted to take it off but something told me not to.

    So I listened to my instincts, took a deep breath and ced it back.

    To my utmost shock, the ne stopped hurting.

    I headed out of the room in search of Otto��s room.

    I was already half way down the stairs when I recalled that Anna had been ill.

    I didn��t want to see her.

    I doubted there was any point doing that.

    After all, she was always horrible to me.

    Eventually I decided it wouldn��t be any harm going to see her.

    I wanted to ask a servant where the room was when all of a sudden, I stopped.

    I usually didn��t remember ces once I had arrived.

    It would take me a while to recall a ce.

    But for this ce, it seemed like I could remember.

    I found myself walking on my own and soon I was at a very familiar door.

    Anna��s room.

    I frowned.

    Now that I thought of it.

    Then entire pack felt as though I had been here.

    As though it was a distant memory.

    It felt so strange and confusing.

    Never in my life had I experienced something like this before.

    And of all

    ces to happen it was the royal pack itself where I had never been?

    I shrugged it off as I shook my head.

    I knocked at the door.

    "Yes?" Came a feminine soft voice.

    It was most definitely not Anna.

    Before I could respond, I heard some crashing noises.

    I frowned, knocked again and this time no one answered.

    I gently opened the door only to have a shoe fly right at me.

    I quickly dodged it and looked back as it flew out of the room.

    I turned back only to see that Anna was throwing a fit.

    She was still lying in bed and I wondered why.

    "And so?" She red at the servants who were scampering around. "Get the hell out of my room!"

    "We were told to give you a bath." A servant who looked like she wouldn��t want to be here said.

    "And I said you should get the hell out of my room!" Anna snapped.

    They were the maids who had followed us on the journey and I knew that they were always regrettinging along.

    "But it was your brother who told us to make sure we stay and take care of you." The maid who hadn��t spoken said.

    "Are you fucking deaf?! Get out!" Anna screamed as she flung a bedside ornament on them.

    The girls jumped, terrified.

    I had dealt with Anna and I knew her better than anyone else.

    "Girls I think you should go." I said as I walked to the servants who had gathered in a corner.

    It was then Anna saw me and she twisted her face in disgust.

    She wasn��t happy to see me of course.

    "But her brother said we should-

    "Don��t worry." I reassured them. "I��ll speak to him."

    That didn��t seem to satisfy them and I suspected it had to do because they knew the predicament I was in with him.

    They looked at each other seemingly unconvinced.

    "Go!" I urged the girls. "Don��t worry. I��ll hand it from here."

    And then the girls finally zoomed out of the room.

    I turned to face Anna who was in bed just staring at me.

    "What happened to you?" She asked me confused.

    For a split second I didn��t know what she was talking about and then I remembered that I had dyed my hair.

    "Oh." I said as I touched my ck curls. "I decided I needed a new change."

    She eyed me suspiciously before turning away. "Get the hell out."

    "I only came to see if you were fine." I said in all honesty.

    "Now you have. Now Get out." She said.

    I shook my head. "Jessica....."

    She turned very slowly, her eyes ring at me as I called her by the name I��ve always known her as.

    "This isn��t right. You��ve been this way for so long. You must be exhausted. Unleashing anger and hate. It��s making you a monster. Your own wolf is rejecting you." I shook my head. "You do realize that if you wolf seeded in doing so you would never be with Erik. The tie you have on him as his mate. Would be broken. You would be like me..."

    Her eyes went hollow. "I would never be like you! You��re the reason why my brother is upset with me. Why he doesn��t believe me. All because of you. The nerve of you to evene to this room."

    She shifted in the bed.

    I suspect that she was still weak hence why she could do anything.

    "And my name is Anna. Don��t call me that name ever again."

    She swore and seemed to want to get out of the bed.

    "Let me help-

    She jerked her hand away. "I can get up on my own. I don��t need your help."

    I stood back and watched as she slowly turned her leg to the side of her bed before setting her hands steady on the mattress to support herself.

    Then she tried to get up but instead she came crashing to the floor.

    I rushed to help her.

    "DON��T TOUCH ME YOU FILTHY DOG!" She screamed and I instantly froze.

    I stepped back again and looked at her.

    "WHAT ARE YOU STARING AT GET OUT!" She screamed. "I SAID GET OUT!"

    And she began to pick anything she could from the floor before flinging at me.

    "Okay ok." I said as I raised my hand in surrender and headed back towards the door.

    <fnd633> Newest update provided by ?ovelFind</fnd633>

    As I was about to close it, I heard her crying alone.

 Chapter 573: BELIEVERS

    <h4>Chapter 573: BELIEVERS</h4>

    At that moment, all I felt for Anna was great pity.

    She deserved it and yet I couldn��t help simply pitying her.

    I shut the door behind me and took in a deep breath.

    I needed to do what I was supposed to.

    I felt my stomach grumble aggressively and then remembered I hadn��t eaten.

    Ever since I had joined Xaden��s pack, I was frequently hungry even though I rarely ate back home in our pack.

    I sighed heavily and began my journey to Otto��s room.

    Just like Anna��s bedroom, it hadn��t been difficult finding it.

    Once I got to the bottom of the stairs, I looked up and couldn��t help feeling discouraged.

    Those were really a lot of stairs.

    I took in a very deep breath and began the journey up the steps.

    With every single step I took I became weary and exhausted.

    I wondered how anyone could even want to live up so far up regardless of the view in the room.

    Once I reached the door of the space , I breathed a sigh of relief.

    I gave a knock.

    There was no response.

    I waited awhile and then knocked again.

    Still no response.

    I considered leaving the ce.

    Perhaps he wasn��t around.

    I turned back and looked down at the stairs descending.

    Itpletely discouraged me to go ande backter to climb back up the stairs.

    I spun back to the door and gave a hard pounding at it.

    I kept on pounding and pounding aggressively.

    I was about to smash it hard again when the door was swung open and disyed a very irritated Otto.

    He had his hair still in a messy state, perhaps messier than thest time I had seen.

    "Who the hell is it at my-

    He stopped short when he saw me standing with my handing hand at the door.

    He looked me up and down and his eyes sparkled from anger to excitement.

    I never thought a man like him would be happy to see another living person

    "Where the hell have you been?" He startled me .

    I blinked confused. "I.... Uh... eh.... I was... I didn��t know I was supposed toe?"

    I was confused.

    He hadn��t wanted me around so what was with the change of heart all of a sudden.

    He left the door wide open and walked into the room.

    I hung at the door unsure whether to step in or wait outside.

    "What are you doing?" He asked me. "Are you waiting for an invitation? Come in! Time is gold if you don��t know."

    That jumped me up.

    I quietly followed him in and shut the door behind.

    I looked around his room and it seemed the same.

    As messy as it was, it was still beautiful.

    The elegant windows that had a fantastic view of the entire pack with rays of sunshine streaming in.

    Before I knew it, Otto was marching to my very front.

    "Where did you get this?!" He demanded.

    I looked down and saw he was pointing at Xaden��s mother��s journal.

    "I got it from Alpha Xaden. It was his mother��s book I think." I exined.

    "Do you have any idea what��s in this book?" He asked me.

    I shook my head.

    "This is a book that has secrets of astronomy. Things that haven��t been found or heard from in years and years. I have been looking it for it." He said his eyes lit with excitement.

    He now pointed at pages in the book.

    "Do you have any idea what��snguage this is?"

    He asked me.

    I had no idea of course.

    So I shook my head.

    "This is thenguage of the goddess." He said. "And only I can read it."

    I rose a brow. "How did you learn how to teach thenguage of the goddess?"

    "I��m not the pack��s best astronomer for nothing!" He opened his hands out in pride. "This is what I had been looking for. The source of my hunger. I told everyone that it existed but no one believed me."

    And with that he scampered up to where his bed was.

    I moved past the piled up mess and went after him.

    He picked up a paper and handed to me. "This was the paper you saw when you first came here wasn��t it?"

    I received it and sure enough it was.

    "Yes." I nodded.

    He snapped his fingers at me. "No one can ever understand thisnguage. I��m the only one who does even your friend Marie."

    The way he sneered the friend was drawn in an irritated way.

    He didn��t like her one bit.

    "She can��t speak or read it." He said. "I learned from someone that has already dead a long time ago. Xaden��s mother. Thete Luna of crescent pack. I had heard stories of her but never knew she actually was a believer."

    Now I was just in confused.

    He itched his hair and started snooping through books.

    "What do you mean by believer?" I asked confused.

    "Aren��t you a believer?" He asked startled.

    "I do not know what that is." I said further lost.

    "If you aren��t a believer then why are you here?" He hissed at me.

    He was like a hot and cold spring.

    Switching to whichever suited him at the moment.

    "I��m trying to find my uncle." I said.

    I was about to mention my father but then I stopped.

    Only the goddess knew what my father would have done to him.

    I had wisely learned not to tell everyone who I was.

    Most times my father had wronged them.

    "Who is your uncle ?" He asked.

    I have a slight shrug. "I don��t know. But my mother. He might have known my mother and if I can find him then I can find out my mother��s people."

    "Of all things to search for." He began. "With the gift of this at your hands. With what the goddess has bestowed upon you. All you want to do is find your family?"

    I rubbed my arm ufortably. "It��s what I want."

    He looked at me like I was out of my mind.

    "You promised to help me." I said hopefully.

    The I quickly added. "The Queen told me to tell you that you have to help me."

    "That a threat?" He asked, his eyes zing.

    I took a very wise step backward.

    "No it isn��t." I stated.

    He closed his eyes and took his deep breath. "Fine. I will help you find your uncle. But you will help me too."

    I wasn��t sure what i could help him with.

    So I gave a slight shrug.

    He beckoned me toe up to him and I did.

    "What you have is old and rare." He said the moment I stood opposite him staring down at the table with the book wide open.

    "I��ve been up all night reading through." He said. "We believers are wolves who know the existence of our first real home."

    "The Isle of Lycans?" I asked.

    He red at me. "No. That isn��t our first real home. Our first real home is a side of wolf world that is invisible. The Goddess made it for us in her own image. It was stronger than the Isle of Lycans. The Goddess gave wolves everything, but we wolves got greedy and evil reigned.

    We wanted more. So she shut it down and cast us away. Severing the bond and creating two wolf worlds. The rest of the wolves think it��s a myth. But it isn��t. We know it��s true. We believe it��s true."

    I had never heard of such in-depth story.

    "What does this have to do with anything?" I asked.

    "Astronomy is the only way to find our way home." He exined. "That��s why we had so many back then. But eventually most of them either died of old age, or slowly went.... Mad."

    And the it hit me.

    That was what had made him run insane.

    His intense search into a world that didn��t exist.

    <fn5bec> For original chapters go to find?novel</fn5bec>

    "But this." He pointed at the book. "Is a break through."

    "I was told my uncle and Xaden��s mother were best friends." I said. "From what I can tell in the books they were both invested in it. But all of a sudden it just went empty. On thest page she didn��t update anything on the journal. it was like it was iplete."

    He sighed heavily. "I would trante the entire book and see what we have. It will take a while."

    "How long?" I asked panicked.

    "Weeks." He said and my face fell instantly.

    "I��m not going to be here for long." I confessed worried.

    He grumbled before saying. "How well is your reading?"

    "Good."

    He walked to a corner and picked up a high stool before pacing it in front of the table.

    "Then I suggest you assist me with the trantion." He said.

    I was surprised that he was willing to let me assist.

    He red at me still standing and I hurriedly pulled the stool and sat beside him as we began.

 Chapter 574: OTTO’S WOLF

    <h4>Chapter 574: OTTO��S WOLF</h4>

    I sat down opposite Otto as he seemingly tranted pages of the book.

    While he tranted to another book.

    The tranted version was handed to me to read and began deciphering.

    From the books I had gotten in Xaden��s astronomy room, I had grown to calcte the stars and moon.

    It hade as a natural gift the exact same way learning how to read and write hade quickly.

    I felt my ne burn again and I twisted in difort .

    I was tempted to simply take it off but Princess Auburn had offered to help me.

    I didn��t really buy her doing it for me out of the goodness of her heart.

    I didn��t trust her and something within me screamed to stay away from her.

    But then again I thought of the fact that she has said Queen Rose would be in trouble.

    What reason would she have lying to me?

    I turned to look back up at Otto.

    Or should I ask him?

    "Otto I wanted to-

    I shut up instantly.

    He looked at me irritated and obviously annoyed for being distracted.

    I mumbled a sorry and he went back to tranting.

    He was so gruff and grumpy.

    I stopped asking because I remembered Hildegard had told me he disliked members of the royal family.

    Asking him would be further testing him past his boundaries and I was already on thin ice with him.

    I watched him as he worked aggressively on the trantion.

    Despite being unclean and grumpy, I had to admit that he was very good looking.

    His muscles were prominent over his body that showed he had been inbat at one point of his life.

    Where was his family?

    Why was he here?

    And if he hated the royal family why was he still living here.

    "Why do you hate the royal family?" I asked without thinking.

    He red at me and I considered apologizing again but decided against it.

    I looked at him, my eyes with question as I obviously waited for him to reply.

    "Did youe here to interrogate me or you came here to find your family?" He asked rudely.

    I gave him a smile refusing to be intimidated.

    "I want to find my family but that doesn��t mean we can��t have some small talk." I said as I yed with the quill.

    He ignored me and I started to nudge him with the tip of the quill.

    "Go on. Tell me." I said refusing to give up.

    He rose up his head with a heavy groan and I thought he was going to send me out of the room.

    But instead he gave in a very heavy sigh.

    "I don��t hate the royal family." He said exasperated. "We just have differences."

    "Oh." I said still not understanding what he was saying.

    "Can we drop it now?" He asked me.

    I gave him a smile. "No."

    He rolled his eyes and gave in a heavy sigh.

    He tossed the quill and groaned. "I had some differences with some members of the royal family and it well affected me and it��s just been strained. Only Rose had my back."

    "Rose?" I said surprised that he wasn��t calling the Queen by her title.

    "Yes, Rose, we grew up together. Along with Hildegard but I was younger than she was." He said.

    I stared at him to look properly.

    If he said he was younger than her and yet grew up with her then that meant he was in histe thirties or early forties.

    I wondered if this differences that he had had also affected his wolf.

    As if reading my mind, he said. "Yes it��s the reason why I��m mad."

    My face went red with embarrassment.

    "I didn��t say any-

    "But Hildegard told you I know." He grumbled. "Everyone says it here. Run away from the Rabid wolf who lost his mind."

    I swallowed.

    He pointed at the book. "That��s what this does to you. You eventually lose your mind trying to make sense of it. That��s why believers are few now. They just vanish from the face of the earth."

    I felt a cold chill run down my spine.

    "You��re lucky that you��re an unshifted." He said to me with what I thought was a very small smile.

    I had never seen him smile since I had first met him.

    In face I had never known that he would even be capable of smiling.

    But it was already gone in the instant that it had arrived.

    His face went back to being solemn and then he said. "Unshifted wolves never have to face such problems. You would never have to run mad researching on astronomy."

    And then it came like a sh of lighting to my head.

    "You told me you had researched on unshifted wolves." I jumped up. "When I came in yesterday you told me you had researched on wolves."

    "Yes?" He asked uninterested as he went back to tranting.

    "I was born unshifted. I never shifted and I��ve never met anyone else like me. Neither have I found anyone who has researched on my kind." I said.

    He looked at me and then he frowned.

    "I thought you had red hair?" He asked lost.

    Iughed uneasily again. "Yes I did. I got tired of people asking me if I was a member of the royal family."

    I touched my ck curls as I was now very insecure.

    "I��ve never met an unshifted with red hair." He remarked. "Being an unshifted from my study doesn��t really have much ties to the physical attributes of a person."

    I was nowpletely lost.

    "What?" I asked.

    He got up from his seat and walked up to one of his bookshelves.

    He pulled out a book and returned to our table.

    "From what I learned about us wolves, ideally when we are born we are born as pups." He exined as he set down ten book.

    He opened it and dust engulfed us.

    I coughed aggressively while Otto went through the bookpletely immune to it.

    He went through the page and then came to an abrupt halt.

    I looked down at the page he was pointed at and a drawn picture of a wolf and a human stood side by side.

    "After birth as a wolf we revert to humans and remain that way for a very long time. There are some toddler wolves that still can shift from time to time but usually in adolescence it stops."

    I nodded in agreement.

    "Until they turn eighteen for their first shift. By then their wolves are fully mature." He exined. "Most wolves think that being a wolf simply means the shift. Turning from human to a wolf. But it��s more than that. We be one with our wolf. The wolf is like an inner voice that speaks to us. Our soul. Without the soul of your wolf you can never be a wolf."

    Then he flipped the page and disyed a picture of a regr nude human.

    "But for unshifted wolves they are never born as pups. They are born humans." He said. "They remain that way. And when that happens, there is no going back. Even when they turned eighteen they can��t shift. Do you know why?"

    I chewed on my bottom lip in anxiety.

    I suspected that if I gave a wrong answer, Otto would finally have a reason to kick me out.

    I thought really hard and said. "Because there is no shared soul."

    "EXACTLY!" He pointed out. "Unshifted wolves have only one soul. There is supposed to be two. Not more not less."

    I was now beginning to understand my kind.

    "Why don��t people know much about species like me?" I asked.

    "Because people are selfish and only care about status and ranks." He stated. "I��ve always been fascinated with unshifted wolves. They don��t have to answer the call of the Alpha. They are on their own. That extra voice in our heads? They never have to experience it. In a way it��s a blessing and a curse."

    For the first time I was viewing my self as an unshifted wolf in a very different light.

    Perhaps it wasn��t so bad to not have to answer the call of an Alpha.

    <fn8533> Follow current nov?ls on F?nd-Novel</fn8533>

    "And that��s where you fall in." He pointed at me. "Unshifted wolves are only affected on the inside and not on the outside. That��s what I��ve learned in my extensive research."

    "Did you see others like me?" I said. "I��ve never met."

    He nodded. "Yes, there is a very secludedmunity. They don��t Call it packs. Justmunities. Society abandoned them so they decided to live together."

    I began to be excited at the thought of meeting others like me.

    "And that brings me back to my question Jasmine. As an unshifted wolf." He began looking hard at me. "It should not affect your physical appearance. Only your soul. So now tell me, why is your hair red?"

 Chapter 575: RED HAIR

    <h4>Chapter 575: RED HAIR</h4>

    I blinked confused.

    "My hair red?" I said confused.

    Where was he getting at right now?

    "Yes." He nodded in agreement. "Like I said being an unshifted wolf has no effect on your physical state. Only your spiritual, only your soul. Never your physical."

    "So other unshifted wolves like me don��t have red hair like I do?" I said and then got a split second I remembered that I had no longer had red hair. "Like I did I mean."

    "Yes." He said. "They look the same just like you and me except they can��t shift. That��s the only thing that makes you different from me."

    "So my hair never had any rtion to my being unshifted." I said more to myself than to him.

    He nodded his head with a snap of fingers. Do you think I��m speaking some foreignnguage? That��s what I��ve been saying from the onset."

    I chewed on my bottom lips.

    The entire time I had assumed or rather been told that my red hair was due to my being unshifted.

    "So what��s wrong with me?" I asked how worried that it was something worse.

    Perhaps I wasn��t just an unshifted, there was now something deeply wrong with me.

    He gave a light shrug.

    "I have no idea." He said "The best thing we could have done was take a strand out of your hair and have an experiment. See if there was something we could find out."

    "I just dyed my hair today." I exined. "Can��t we still use it?"

    He shook his head. "No it has to be your actual hair color.

    In that instant I regretted dying my hair ck.

    I swallowed perplexed.

    "Can��t we at least try?" I asked.

    "No." He stated without a slip of his heart beat.

    I chewed my bottom lip.

    "Does this now mean I��ll never find out what��s wrong with me?" I asked ying with my ck curls.

    "Yes. Until your hair is fully back to its red color." He told me. "There is nothing we can do. What did you use?"

    I gave an uneasy shrug. "I��m not sure but Lady Hildegard told me it��s something members of the royal family used back then."

    He shook his head. "Avon. If you used the real and strong one? Then that color won��t be leaving your hair until a month."

    I instantly panicked. "A month? I don��t have a month. I��ll be leaving this ce in a few days if not tomorrow itself."

    <fnff00> Chapters first released on find(?)ovel</fnff00>

    He shrugged and went back to his work tranting. "Well it seems you would never find out now."

    I felt my stomach drop instantly and I wanted to rip my hair out from its roots.

    For the first time when I needed the red in my hair, I couldn��t use it?

    What could I do?

    I scanned my brain thoroughly and then a while idea popped through my mind.

    "Does it have to be my hair hair?" I asked him.

    He kept on reading through the magnifying sses. "What do you mean?"

    "Does it have to be from my head? Is it okay if it��s any type of my hair that is still red?" I questioned.

    He paused for a second and said. "I don��t think so. But where else do you want to get your ha-

    He stopped instantly and looked at me when he finally understood it.

    "No." He shook his head.

    I walked to him. "I don��t want to do it either but it can help."

    The hair around my vagina of armpits.

    He looked appalled that I could even suggest a thing.

    I myself was embarrassed but this was a way for me to find out my roots and know more about myself.

    "No bloody way." He swore.

    "It can help quicken the research about my uncle." I said reasonably.

    "No." He repeated a look of horror written on his face.

    Before I could respond there came a loud bang at the door.

    Otto stormed to the door and flung it open.

    A terrified maid stood at the entrance.

    "What?!" He demanded.

    "Sss.... Uh... sorry." She stuttered. "But Princess Auburn has been looking for her."

    Otto red at me. "Youing here is now inviting people toe over. I don��t like guests."

    I smiled at him trying to cool down his anger.

    "Don��t worry i would be back soon." I promised. "I��ll also bring the hair for you."

    "NO!" He said.

    But I was already out of the room and heading down the steep stairs.

    "Princess Auburn has been looking for you." The maid said exhausted whilst breathing heavily.

    "Sorry for making youe all the way." I apologized.

    The maid nodded as we went down the stairs.

    She seemed relieved to know that she wasn��t ascending but descending.

    After almost five minutes we finally made it to the ground floor.

    "Where is she?" I asked.

    "I��ll lead you there." She told me.

    I nodded and followed right behind her.

    As we walked past the grand walls and paintings, I couldn��t help admire how grand and beautiful this ce was.

    I knew I wouldn��t have a chance to stay long here enough to get a tour of the whole house.

    What a dream it would be to live here.

    I couldn��t help imagining how lucky Auburn was to be the Queen��s grandchild.

    How blessed she was!

    I gasped at the expensive furniture and the bustling servants going in and out as I tagged along.

    "Cecelia." A robust maid interrupted us. She grabbed the maid who had been leading me. "Where have you been? The head matron is looking for you."

    "What does she want?" Cecelia said.

    The girl shrugged. "I have no idea but I think you should find out before she throws your things out."

    Cecelia swore.

    "Okay please can you take her to the princess��s room?" Cecelia said gently nudging me to the robust maid. "Thank you."

    And before the robust maid couldin Cecelia was already running off.

    The maid sighed and led me. "Alrighte."

    And with that I was led up a flight of stairs and went down the west wing.

    She left me at a door and before I could ask, she was gone.

    I sighed heavily and knocked.

    Auburn didn��t answer.

    I knocked once again but still no response.

    I took in a deep sigh and very gently pushed the door open.

    It opened and what I saw shocked me to the bone.

 Chapter 576: A CHILD’S BEDROOM

    <h4>Chapter 576: A CHILD��S BEDROOM</h4>

    Right before me was a beautiful pink bedroom that belonged to a little girl.

    The bedroom was designed for a princess around the age of six to nine.

    There were teddy bears, stuffed animals and toys.

    There were books that belonged to children on shelves.

    The lush fur carpet was without a spec of dust.

    The amazing poster bed had a line of beautiful pink curtains that hung at the edges.

    Light radiated into the room and it looked as though someone actively slept here.

    As though someone very much lived here even though it looked like a ghost room.

    Nothing was out of ce.

    Too perfect for a child��s room.

    I felt myself being drawn into the room and I took a bold step inside.

    I walked in and found something out of ce.

    There was a little book by the floor of the bed.

    I gently picked it up from the floor.

    There were some rough writings on empty pages of the book.

    It looked like a little girl had been the one writing.

    I gently let my finger trace the pages of the book and tried to read.

    It read "Today I saved a bird that almost died. Mother was very proud of me."

    I frowned.

    What girl lived in the royal pack?

    I had not seen or heard of anyone around this age.

    Or perhaps did Cherry have a child?

    Or princess Coral?

    Did she have another child.

    It was puzzling.

    The entire room was spic and span.

    Something felt off.

    I looked up and to my amazement I found vases of what looked like dead jasmines.

    I dropped the book back to the ground before walking up to a vase.

    I reached in to the vase and picked out a single flower.

    <fn4f1a> For original chapters go to find?novel</fn4f1a>

    It was indeed a dead Jasmine.

    My name.

    What was a Jasmine doing here?

    And then I felt a pang at my chest.

    I cried in pain.

    I reached at my breasts and was burned by the ne.

    I cried out and dropped the single Jasmine I had picked.

    The ne burned and I looked at my palm.

    It was burned where I had touched it.

    The ne burned into my chest and I squirmed in pain.

    I had only taken my ne once in my life but this sudden pain and burning I felt.

    I had no choice.

    I reached back for the chain and grabbed it with my hand regardless of how much it burned.

    Just as I would have dragged it off of my chest, I heard a scream.

    "What the hell are you doing here?!"

    I turned to face the door and saw none other than Auburn standing at the door.

    Before I knew it, she was at my side and the grabbed my arm.

    She dragged me out of the room, mmed the door and faced me.

    She had a vengeful and rage filled look that said danger.

    Before I could say a word, she gave a dirty p.

    I gasped and ced my hand on my left cheek that had been hit so aggressively my face had been turned to the other side.

    "What the hell do you think you��re doing? Huh?!" Auburn demanded her face seething with rage.

    I was unsure of what to say, my face burned of her p.

    "How dare you?!" She snapped at me. "Do you know what this is? This is very private and personal to my family! It was my mother��s room and you have desecrated it with your presence! How dare you bitch?!"

    I was still in a state of shock.

    That was thete Princess Scarlet��s room?

    "I had no idea." I managed.

    "What were you doing here?!" She hissed at me.

    She was angry but there was something more in her eyes.

    Something beyond rage and anger.

    "I was looking for you. I was told you were looking for me so a maid led me here and I just thought this was your bedroom." I exined.

    She gritted her teeth together in anger.

    Then Auburn grabbed my palm.

    I flinched because I assumed she wanted to hit me again.

    But she simply opened my palm.

    "What happened to your hand?" She asked.

    I looked down at my burning hands and I withdrew quickly.

    "Nothing." I said as I folded my arms.

    And then it urred to me that my ne no longer burned.

    She twisted her face and simply dipped her hand inside her pockets before pulling out a locket.

    She opened it and then aggressively pulled me forward.

    She then pulled out my emerald ne and seemed to be looking at it.

    For a second it seemed as though she had been trapped by it and was lost in a trance.

    "Your majesty?" I said calling her back.

    She became alert and shook her head.

    She grumbled as she put the emerald and intertwined the locket pendant with my ne, before putting the emerald inside.

    When I heard it shut, I knew she was done.

    She red at me.

    "There." She said.

    I shakily reached out to the pendant with my finger and closed my eyes in fear.

    But it didn��t burn.

    I breathed a sigh of relief and ced it inside my bosom.

    "Thank you." I said relieved that the pain was finally gone.

    She ignored me and pointed an usatory finger. "I��m not doing this for you bitch. I��m doing it for my grand mother."

    I nodded.

    "Don��t you ever make the mistake ofing back here! Do you understand me?" She screamed at me.

    I nodded.

    She scowled her face. "I don��t ever want to see your face around this wing either because if I do, I��ll give you more than a dirty p. Or maybe you won��t have a face anymore. Now get out!"

    Simply grateful that the pendant didn��t burn anymore, I turned around and left.

    I went on my way, down the stairs and when I got the third floor I got lost.

    It was lonely for so I took a left where I had summed was the way out.

    But I got to a dead end.

    I was confused and just as I was about to leave I heard some intense sexual moaning.

 Chapter 577: CURIOUSITY KILLS JASMINE

    <h4>Chapter 577: CURIOUSITY KILLS JASMINE</h4>

    I blinked, confused and unsure of what I was hearing.

    Then I began to hear grunting along with the moaning.

    I told myself it wasn��t my business.

    That i should simply turn back and find the way out.

    I had already had a terrible encounter entering thete Princess��s bedroom along with having my ne burn.

    I told myself that thest thing I wanted was to get into trouble again.

    The moaning of both man and woman went on and I felt myself once again being drawn to a ce I didn��t belong in.

    Eventually my curiosity got the best of me.

    I very carefully took steps back until I was at the originating door.

    Now the sounds of passion was much louder.

    I frowned and to my surprise, they were familiar voices.

    "Yes just like that."

    "Fuck yes."

    "You��re dripping all over.

    I knew I had heard those two voices before, but I couldn��t ce a finger where .

    I gently ced my finger on the door and pushed it hoping it didn��t make noise.

    It was open and to my relief, it didn��t creak.

    The door opened only a tiny bit but enough for me to see through.

    My eyes scanned the room and it seemed to be tiny and old.

    It looked like a storage closet.

    The moaning got louder and then to my greatest horror, i saw a man with his bare bum open while he aggressively rammed into a woman against the wall.

    I couldn��t see either of them because they faced the wall and backed me, but he had dark hair and I couldn��t tell for the woman.

    They kept on going at it and I watched in disbelief.

    Eventually when I was certain that I had had enough, I started to pull the door back.

    But this time, it creaked.

    LOUDLY.

    They froze.

    I myself froze.

    And before I could run, they both turned to look at me.

    I made eye contact with the King himself and bent over was none other than Princess Cherry.

    We all just stood transfixed and unable to either move or say a word.

    And then I made the first move.

    I fled.

    "Hey!" Came the deep male voice. "I order you to get back!"

    But I didn��t stop.

    I ran and ran.

    Refusing to stop even thought it meant I was disobeying the King.

    Even though it meant I could be beheaded.

    <fnc> For original chapters go to Find1Novel</fnc>

    I ran the fastest I had ever run in my entire life without taking a break.

    The stairs were like the floor to me as I raced on.

    I kept on running until I bumped right into someone.

    "Ooof!" I mumbled as I rammed into whoever it was.

    I stayed a nasty apology and attempted to run away but firm hands grabbed me still.

    I caught a whiff of a familiar scent and was forced to look up.

    I already knew who it was.

    Xaden.

    He looked back down at me.

    "Where are you running off to?" He asked. "Who is after you?"

    I stuttered confused and unsure of what to say.

    "Nothing." I said quickly.

    He looked at me clear disbelief written in his face.

    I was right up against him and to my dismay I felt a beard bulge in his lower area.

    To my horror, my own body responded in warmth and I hastily withdrew from his grip.

    He had a frown on his face and I itched my hair.

    His face became aplete white and then he held my face and his hands were all over my hair.

    "Good goddess what did you DO JASMINE?!" He demanded. "What did you do to your beautiful red hair?!"

    I went instant red.

    Had he just called my hair beautiful?

    He simply stared at me in disbelief.

    "Why the fuck is your hair ck? What is this?!" He asked rmed.

    I withdrew from him not appreciating his criticism.

    "I wanted a change." I said unhappily. "I was tired of that me."

    He barely blinked. "But you were perfect."

    Those words felt like a punching bag in my tummy and then guilt began to linger in me.

    Guilt and finally anger that I was now second guessing why I ever changed my hair color.

    "It��s what I wanted." I said arrogantly even though I wasn��t sure it was anymore.

    He looked at me, shock still written in his eyes.

    Seeing that I was still maintaining my ground he said nothing.

    "I see." He nodded.

    But he didn��t seem to see anything.

    His eyes were filled with disappointment.

    I turned away from him in my to see the Kinging down the stairs.

    I swallowed and the first instinct that came to my mind was to run.

    The first time I had seen him and Princess Cherry together, he hadn��t seen me.

    Only her.

    But now he had.

    So he was openly sleeping with the Queen��s sister now.

    I wanted to go back and forget what I see.

    He had a cool face.

    The exact same one that didn��t show any sign of emotion.

    Just in and cold.

    I was now very terrified.

    I had no idea when I caught Xaden��s arm and held it in tension.

    Cherry was nowhere in sight.

    "Xaden." The King said and I quickly bossed my head down in respect. "I hope you��re enjoying your stay."

    "I am." Xaden replied without adding in the *majesty*

    I hade to realize the only royal member Xaden used that for, was the Queen herself.

    "My grand daughter��s debut shifting is tonight. I expect to see you before you leave tomorrow." The King said.

    I balked.

    Tomorrow?

    We were leaving tomorrow when I had found absolutely nothing on my uncle.

    "Ceremonies aren��t really my style." Xaden said.

    "I insist" The King said as he now stood on our floor.

    I tried to ignore me.

    "We shall see."

    I thought maybe for a split second he would say something.

    But he simply ignored me and walked away.

    Leaving me still clenching Xaden��s arms wondering what I had gotten myself into.

 Chapter 578: THE COMPANION

    <h4>Chapter 578: THE COMPANION</h4>

    "Jasmine?" I heard Xaden say.

    But my mind wasn��t there.

    I was still watching King Edward leave.

    "Jasmine." He said a bit louder.

    He caught my attention and then his eyes darted down to his sleeve.

    I realized I was still holding unto it fervently.

    I quickly let go "I��m sorry."

    He said nothing and looked at me with disappointed eyes.

    "Jasmine why did you dye your hair?" He asked me.

    I felt the insecurities within me burn up

    "I wanted a change." I shot back. "Since when did whatever I did concern you?"

    He shook his head. "You��re right it doesn��t."

    The way he had very quickly resigned to fate.

    Xaden never took someone snapping back at him, especially me.

    And yet here he was saying nothing.

    Everyone pointing at my hair and making remarks.

    Finding the King and his sister inw once again having sex in secret.

    It was all too much for me.

    I was overwhelmed.

    At that instant, Cherry descended the stairs, her perfect ck hair in a high ponytail.

    She no longer looked like the disorganized woman having sex with the Queen.

    In fact any show or indicator that something was out of ce was done.

    Rather she looked perfect as always.

    Not a hair out of ce and her usual cold smile stuck on her face.

    "Well well well." She said and my heart began racing ultimately. "If it isn��t the Alpha Xaden himself and his..... pet."

    I felt my stomach churn.

    "Cherry." He said coldly.

    Something told me Cherry and Xaden didn��t like each other.

    "I see you have ustomed yourself to my home." She said once she came to the final floor.

    I looked at her in disbelief.

    How could she do this to her own sister?

    Especially after everything Queen Rose had gone through.

    Men I had learned were terrible and seeing the King cheat on the Queen despite being a shock didn��t really affect me as bad as seeing her own sister do it.

    How could she?!

    She was her sister.

    And Queen Rose trusted her with everything.

    I began to fear and worry.

    If Cherry could do something as heinous as this, what couldn��t she do?

    My mind shed to what the Queen had said about being poisoned.

    I looked at Cherry with careful eyes.

    Had she been the one to do that to her?

    She smiled down at me and I became terrified.

    "New change of hair ve." She said in the nicest and yet coldest way. "Like mine."

    I said nothing and I felt a wave of protection when Xaden walked a step in front of me.

    "She isn��t a ve." He said to her.

    Cherry smiled. "Of course I forgot. I��m sorry. Instead she is the girl you married who is the daughter of the man who killed your entire family. Next time I��ll make sure to keep that in check."

    Xaden gritted his teeth.

    "I��m sure there are things I would like to discuss with Jasmine here." Cherry said. "But I don��t think it��s relevant if she would be leaving tomorrow."

    She was indirectly talking about what I had seen.

    There was no need to confront me if I was leaving.

    "And I think it��s best we let things be. We don��t want anyone hurt do we?" She said to Xaden but I knew she was speaking to me.

    "Is that a threat?" Xaden walked up to her.

    They were inches apart and I could smell Xaden��s anger.

    "Depends on how you take it my dear." She informed.

    I found myself holding Xaden��s arm and pulling him back gently.

    He looked at me and I shook my head before ring back at Cherry.

    Cherry was smiling as though testing him to make a move.

    In that moment Princess Auburn appeared.

    My face went flushed red.

    "Your majesty." I greeted with a curtsy.

    She smiled at me. "Hello."

    Then she turned to Xaden who was still inches away from Cherry.

    She gently pulled her aunt back.

    I chewed my lip at their interaction.

    Auburn was still best new to the pack and yet, she and Cherry��s bodynguage seemed to tell a different story.

    "Alpha Xaden." Auburn said. "I came to inform you that tonight is my debut as the princess."

    "I��m aware." Xaden said dryly.

    She gave an uneasyugh. "Well I had wanted to ask if you would do me the honors ofing with me. I need a malepanion. I was hoping you would do."

    My throat felt dry and I felt very out of ce in the conversation.

    Before I could leave, Xaden said a . "I appreciate the invitation but I��ll have to turn it down."

    She seemed taken aback. "Oh? Is there a specific reason?"

    He smiled. "Ceremonies aren��t really my style."

    Auburn��s face went ashen white.

    "Oh... uh... I see." She stuttered

    "Ohe on Xaden." Cherry said. "You should take the honor up.

    Xaden turned to face Cherry once again.

    "Not my style. If you would excuse me."

    He said and the he caught my arm and started to lead me away.

    But Auburn hurried back up to him. "Please. I don��t know anyone here who would be of a much better honor than you my lord."

    Xaden sighed. "Even if I do go, I already have apanion."

    I frowned.

    Auburn wasn��t pleased. "I see. Who?"

    "Jasmine." He said.

    All eyes turned to me and if my throat was once dry, it was now empty.

    "It��s her first time to such events so I offered." He said.

    I was lost for words.

    Auburn wasn��t pleased.

    In fact her eyes were angry.

    I shifted ufortably.

    Since when had this happened?

    "ves aren��t invited." Auburn said quickly.

    I felt a punch in my stomach.

    "Well If ves aren��t invited." Xaden said."Then i won��t be able to make it."

    Auburn��s mouth dropped own while Cherry red from afar

    And with that he led me out of the hall.

 Chapter 579: HORNY IN PUBLIC

    <h4>Chapter 579: HORNY IN PUBLIC</h4>

    As Xaden led me out of the hall I couldn��t Uther a single word.

    Why?

    Why had he just stood to defend me?

    It made absolutely no sense to me.

    I was led away and soon I don��t feel Auburn and Cherry��s ring at me anymore.

    The moment we made it to a private corner, I hastily withdrew from him.

    "What was that about?" I asked him.

    He blinked at me, taken aback.

    "I didn��t like the way they spoke to you." He stated point nk.

    I hadn��t expected that response either.

    Xaden who always wanted to hide me.

    The very same Xaden who despised me was for some reason or the other taking my back.

    Was it guilty?

    Was it perhaps because the guilt of losing our child lurked deep within him.

    It made me angry.

    "There is no need for that." I said adjusting the imaginary wrinkles on my dress. "I can take care of myself."

    "Jasmine you don��t understand this castle." He said and then looked around me. "I��m here with you but I won��t be here for long."

    I blinked in disbelief.

    What did that mean?

    "What do you mean you won��t be here for long?" I asked.

    He seemed hasty and upset that he had said those words.

    "It means nothing." He said. "Will youe for the event? The Queen might want to see you."

    I thought of all the people who would be there.

    Ex friends of my father who most likely wanted to kill me with secrets they believed I had.

    And I thought about how o had caught the king himself sleeping with his sister inw.

    I shuddered in horror.

    I still had no idea to go about that.

    "It��s not quite my thing." I said. "Princes Auburn deserves to have her moment. Being long lost grand daughter of the King and Queen of all wolves is worth celebrating."

    I envied Auburn for what she had.

    Finding her grand mother, her family.

    What a ludicrous dream that I, a ve andtent wolf who never shifted would be born into such powers.

    I simply wanted to find my mother��s family.

    That was all that genuinely mattered.

    "Moreover I don��t fit." I said more tho myself than to him.

    "Does anyone ever really fit anywhere?" He asked me.

    I rose a brow confused because he was right?

    I felt him step closer to me and he was barely an inch away from me.

    He was staring right down, his handsome face and the spot where he had had a scar over his eyes looking me.

    There was something written there.

    The sudden tension that erupted between us.

    I wanted to push him away from me, but my hands were weak.

    I should hate him.

    After all he had done to me.

    After all he had done to us.

    And yet here he was, his face getting closer to me while I stood.

    I could feel his breath and suddenly, the de ja vu of how hot his body pressed on mine used to be, overwhelmed me.

    There was a lingering hunger within me.

    Hunger that I had believed had been fed and killed.

    But rather it felt like it had been starved and was only holding out for what it deserved.

    He reached his hands into my newly raven hair and squeezed the curls.

    He used his free hand to catch my waist and pulled me up to him.

    It was at that moment I felt the bulge and in that instant my body became warm with memories of the hunger of our lovemaking.

    I could barely breathe when he sniffed my hair.

    "God Jasmine." He swore.

    The way he called out my name made me weak to the bones and my knees trembled.

    I moaned softly as his lips went to my ear.

    No kissing or nibbling, simply hovering as though testing me in

    The call of my Alpha.

    The call of the man who had married me and given me a child.

    His fingers traced my waist line in expertise and sent my head on fire.

    My mind screamed NO!

    And yet my body said yes.

    My body and hunger told me this was what I want.

    My inner parts throbbed in anxiety and desire to be bent in that corner and ravished.

    At that moment, just when Xaden had tilted his head to mine, one of his men interrupted us.

    "My Lord." He said.

    I jumped away from him in that instant.

    I mistakenly pushed a servant who was passing with a tray of food and everything came tumbling down.

    The stainless tray crashed and made such a loud sound that brought me back to reality.

    Scattered and a mess, I went down to the floor and began helping the servant pick the fruits before cing them on the tray.

    "It��s fine." The servant told me as she gathered it . "Thank you."

    "No it��s my fault." I stuttered as I handed her thest apple.

    She smiled and left.

    And the horror of it all was exposed.

    I looked around and saw that we were still standing in a barely closeted corner and I had wanted him to make me there and then.

    Xaden stood speaking to the Omega from our pack who had interrupted us.

    Good Goddess!

    What of the Queen had caught me?!

    What if the King himself has caught us?!

    He would use that to kick me out or revoke the immunity the Queen her ced on me and I would never be able to find my mother��s family.

    What the hell was wrong with me?

    Was I so shameless that after everything I had witnessed with him I was still nothing but a shameless girl who was always going to be at his beck and call?

    I should hate him and yet here I was, so wet it slippery warmth spilled down my thighs.

    Evidence of how hungry and shameless I was towards me.

    I turned around and fled.

    "Jasmine! Wait!" I heard him call out to me.

    But I didn��t stop.

    I ran far away.

 Chapter 580: THE SIREN

    <h4>Chapter 580: THE SIREN</h4>

    I raced out of the hall without breaking stride or even looking back.

    I was too ashamed to even stop.

    I didn��t see where I was going, I simply ran and ran.

    After almost ten minutes of running non stop I came to a forced halt.

    I was breathing so heavily I could barely breathe.

    My body hurt but not as much as I was overwhelmed with shame.

    What had I been thinking?

    I hit my head over and over again.

    "Stupid stupid stupid!" I told myself.

    I should hate him!

    I should hate Xaden for what he had done. He was the reason my baby was dead and yet here I was letting him take advantage of me.

    He was well aware that I used to be in love with him.

    He knew that I had zero shame and I was always going to be easy for him to run back to.

    My knees wobbles in sadness and sorrow.

    What was wrong with me?

    Why was I throwing away my chance to finally find a family who would love me?

    All I wanted to do was move and forget everything tha had happened to me.

    Start life afresh.

    But here I was, cheap and easy for Xaden to always run back to.

    It was humiliating!

    I wanted to weep.

    But then I stopped and looked around to see where I was.

    I was in a garden.

    I had run so much that I had run to a garden that I didn��t even know?

    It was a simple field with flowers around.

    It felt as though I had been here before even though I knew it was absolutely insane.

    But the De ja Vu.

    It hit me as though I knew this ce.

    Or was it just my mind ying tricks on me because everywhere I had been, I had always found a garden that brought me joy.

    In the moonlight pack and the crescent pack.

    From the moment I had been a child, I had been looking for a garden with water bodies.

    I never knew why, but I was always drawn to it and would find one.

    As I walked around this garden that sang of birdsongs and filled with nature, it seemed linger as something I had been looking for?

    Why was I looking for something I didn��t know.

    I made slow strides around the garden and my mind went head on.

    It felt as though no one had been here in a very long time despite how beautiful and well taken care of it was.

    I gently walked up a path, my eyes wandering until I came to overlook a blue sea.

    I gazed at its beauty.

    I had never seen such a beautiful sea.

    The sun rays over the water body made it look like diamond sparked on it.

    There was something alluring and yet, beautiful about it.

    I had this inner feeling that craved going go for a swim.

    I was an expert swimmer as it made up for my having zero shifting abilities.

    As I walked close to the bank of the sea, I wondered why no one was here?

    Why it was seemingly abandoned?

    I reached the sand and filled my toes inside.

    A little star fish was swept up the bank and I gently picked it up.

    I touched its purple skin and it seemed to rx.

    There were rocks and I found one with a tter surface.

    I sat on it and began to hum a song I had known in my brain my entire life.

    What a beautiful ce?

    I imagined my daughter being buried here and it made me smile sadly.

    All of a sudden, I heard a loud ssh.

    I turned around and saw a fish tail just in time go under.

    I should have let it go, after all it was just a fish.

    But I found myself threading closer to the sea.

    I looked underneath and to my amazement I saw a body move back.

    I gasped and it retreated.

    "Don��t go." I pleaded.

    The body remained still and seemed to hover uncertain.

    Whatever it was just remained there seemingly unsure whether to go or stay.

    "I won��t hurt you." I found myself saying.

    The body remained and then to my disbelief I saw a head very gently pop up.

    I could only see the eyes while the nose and mouth remained underneath.

    A siren?

    I had heard of them but that they barely came up or were gone so long people thought they were extinct.

    The siren��s skin was blue and had the crown of its silver hair decorated with pearls, Aquamarine gemstone, crystals and shells.

    The siren just looked at me, still refusing toe uppletely.

    I was bbergasted.

    Unsure of what to say, I tucked my hair behind my ear and said. "My name is Jasmine. Nice to meet you. What��s yours?"

    The siren looked at me with skeptical eyes.

    "Pearl." It said very gently.

    "That��s a beautiful and befitting name for yourself." I said in all earnest.

    It seemed uninterested in mypliment.

    "We don��te up anymore." It said and soon, was confident enough to shows its entire head.

    It was a she.

    She had a perfectly oval face with pale blue skin.

    Her nose was well carved and her jawline was precise and smooth with very beautiful small and pale lips.

    She looked around my age of twenty one and was breath taking beautiful.

    "Oh." I managed in response to her. "You don��te up anymore?"

    She nodded as her hands made waves in the sea. "But your song. It called me."

    "My song?" I said lost for words.

    She nodded again. "Yes. Your song. Where did you learn it?"

    "I��ve never known the words before. Only always hummed it." I exined.

    "Where did you learn it?" She insisted uninterested in my exnation.

    "Oh." I shrugged. "I don��t know. I��ve just known it since I was a child. It��s been stuck in my head for as long as I can remember."

    She frowned and started to go back into the water.

    "Wait." I called her back confused. "Why are you going?"

    Only her eyes showing now she said. "You are lying to me. All your kind ever does is lie."

 Chapter 581: THE DEATH SONG

    <h4>Chapter 581: THE DEATH SONG</h4>

    I was taken aback at the blue girl��s usation.

    All your kind does is lie

    What did that even mean?

    "My kind?" I said surprised. "I don��t understand."

    "You��re a wolf." Pearl said in an usatory tone.

    I wondered what wolves had done to them for her to re at me the way she did.

    I could tell she didn��t trust nor want to be around me.

    But I couldn��t tell why.

    "I��m actually not a wolf." I stated in all honesty.

    She furrowed her brows. "What do you mean?"

    "Well I��m supposed to be one." I saw an attempt to flee in her eyes and so I quickly added. "But I��m a reject amongst my kind. I��m atent wolf. Unshifted."

    She looked at me, her eyes prompting me to exin more.

    I sighed. "I don��t have a wolf. I can never shift. So I��m more of an abomination to my kind."

    "I see." She said inly.

    I chewed my bottom lip unsure of what to say to keep her around.

    "My people don��t trust wolves." She said. "Neither do I."

    "Oh." I said.

    "But you��re a reject so I suppose you are different from them." She said bluntly.

    Ouch?

    Okay that was a bit harsh.

    "I guess I am." I said.

    Anything to make her stay.

    "The song you hummed." She said not just her head back up, but to her waist.

    She had two sea shells covering her delicate breasts and corals in the form of beads around her waist where her navel was.

    I saw silver fins around her waist but the sea hid the rest of her lower body.

    "It��s not a song for wolves. It��s our song. A song for sirens." She said.

    That was impossible.

    I had never met a siren before so how could I have know it?

    "You don��t believe me no?" She asked.

    "I actually don��t." I said truthfully.

    She closed her eyes and began to sing.

    To my greatest shock, she was singing my song.

    Except it wasn��t a hum anymore, it was now filled with words.

    Each word formed a rhyme and tuned with what I had hummed my entire life.

    She sang it so beautifully I was amazed and everywhere seemed to be in harmony.

    By the time she was done, I was on the brink of tears.

    I pped for her.

    "That was such a beautiful song." I told her.

    She bowed so delicately you would think she was born to do it.

    When she rose her head, she had a smile stered on her face.

    It was the first time I had ever seen her smile and her smile was radiant.

    "Thank you." She said. "Do you believe me now

    Unshifted?"

    I nodded. "Yes I do. But how?"

    "I should be asking you the same thing." She told me as she made gently waves with her hand. "That song is one we sing to ourselves alone. It��s not allowed for outsiders to hear or know it because it carries magic. The only time we sing that song is to revive someone from death." She said.

    I blinked. "Death? Did you say death?"

    She nodded with a smile. "Mmmhmm."

    The song I had been humming my entire life was a siren resurrection song?

    "If you say it isn��t allowed, then why did you sing it for me?" I asked.

    "Because you have already heard that song somewhere already." She said and I saw her swim up towards me.

    I was standing by the beach so when she approached there wasn��t much distance.

    She beckoned to me toe forward.

    I wanted to run!

    What if she dragged me inside and drowned me because i knew a song I wasn��t meant to.

    "Do not worry. It��s my turn to tell you not to worry." She said with a grin. "I give you my word."

    I sighed and took closer steps to her till my the water was around my knees.

    She reached out and pressed her fingers on my forehead.

    By the time I opened my eyes she had withdrawn her hands.

    "You��ve been touched by death before." She said.

    "Excuse me?" I said startled.

    "You have died." She said looking at me closely.

    I gave an uneasyugh. "I��m alive."

    She shook her head. "No. Not now but as I said you have died before."

    I gave a very confusedugh. "If I ever died I would remember. I��ve had horrible near death experiences. A lot of them if I might add. But I��ve never died."

    I pressed my palm t over my heart, my eyes flickering.

    "You are confused. You have it all wrong. I��ve never died." I insisted.

    "The song." She said. "It��s a death song. It can only be sung when someone is dying and a siren offers to bring that person back to life."

    "But you sang the song to me." I said.

    "Because you have already heard the song before. A siren has sung it for you before." She insisted.

    "I��ve never seen a siren before." I swore.

    "You must have or you can��t remember." She said. "When a siren sings the song and brings someone back to life, the song remains stuck in their head for life."

    "Maybe that��s how I know the song." I exined. "Maybe someone sang it sometime ago and I picked it up. That��s why I can hum it."

    She smiled as she shook her head. "No Jasmine. Now you see, other creatures can hear the song. Wolves and whatever. They will hear you hum it, but they will never remember it. Never. It can only be remembered if it has been used on you. Do you understand now?"

    I tried to, but none of what she was telling me made an iota of sense.

    "Well maybe I heard someone who had it used on them sing it to me." I said reasonably. "My healer Urma was a very well experienced and-

    Pearl shook her head, that now permanent smile stuck on her face. "It hasn��t been used in over a thousand years. And even if it has, someone who has heard the song cannot hear you sing it neither can you hear them sing it."

    She looked at me with piercing eyes.

    "You had died before."

 Chapter 582: UNANSWERED QUESTIONS

    <h4>Chapter 582: UNANSWERED QUESTIONS</h4>

    Here I was standing with a creature that I didn��t even know existed tell me that I had died because I sang some loudly song stuck in my head my entire life.

    Nothing made sense.

    All I entered to do was tell her that she was confused and lying.

    That I had never died.

    "You don��t know me." I said.

    "That is true." She agreed.

    I scoffed at her. "So who are you to tell me that I died? Do you know the kind of life I��ve lived? Everyone hated me. Growing up no one loved me. If I was dead no one would want to bring me back to life. In fact everyone would rejoice! Jasmine is finally gone. That��s what they will say, not bring me back to life."

    She simply watched as I ranted on and on.

    "I��ve never even been to this sea before. I��ve only been on a ship once and it was a very horrible experience and I never met a siren. So that��s why I say you are wrong." I insisted annoyed. "And you said it yourself didn��t you? No one has brought anyone back to life in almost a thousand years. Anyone who is a thousand years would be dead and gone by now."

    "I am over a thousand years old." She told me.

    My mouth dropped.

    "I thought you were within my age?" I gasped wondering why she looked so young.

    "In my Siren years I��m within your age. But in true years I��m one thousand and twenty years old." She said simply.

    I just started unable to blink.

    "But you are right. It hasn��t happened in over a thousand years so I don��t know why you can sing that song." She told me. "But whatever reason it is, the death song does not lie. You died sometime."

    I swallowed in difort at her words.

    "That��s the one thing I can tell you is true." She said.

    "Maybe someone came here and met a siren like how I met you." I exined.

    She shook her head.

    I dreaded every moment I saw her shaking her head because it meant she was about to prove otherwise.

    "You��re the first person who has been here in thirty four years since it��s been banned." She said.

    All of a sudden I heard a loud horn blow.

    She quickly looked back at the ocean.

    "I have to go." She said turning back to the ocean. "I can��t be found here I��ll be in trouble."

    "Why?" I asked. "What happened thirty four years ago? Why is it banned."

    "Good bye Jasmine." She said.

    It was the first time she had called me by my name.

    And then I saw her dip into the ocean and her silver tail finally came to light as it went back in.

    I simply stood there unsure of what the hell had just happened.

    Was this ce banned?

    If I got caught in here would I be in trouble?

    What did she mean I had died before?

    And why did I have this sickening feeling that she wasn��t wrong?

    I took a breath of the sea air before leaving.

    It felt as though all those times I had been dining gardens withkes, this was what I want truly meant to find.

    I went back out and tried to find my way out.

    I didn��t get lost and in no time I was back at the royal pack grounds.

    It was already sunset.

    I sighed heavily as I went up the stairs that led to the castle.

    My stomach rumbled heavily and I realized I was hungry.

    I almost bumped into a frantic Nanny Nia.

    "Jasmine! Where have you been?" She demanded the very moment she caught my shoulders.

    "I went for a stroll." I managed.

    "I��ve been looking for you everywhere." Nanny Nia said worry written on her face. "I was worried something had happened to you."

    She hugged me and let me go. "Don��t ever do that again."

    I nodded.

    "Have you eaten?" She asked me as she led me along.

    I shook my head.

    "You��re still healing! You can��t do that." She said. "I had gathered your breakfast and found you nowhere in sight. Come you would eat and prepare for the ceremony. We have found the most amazing dress for you. You would love it.."

    "I don��t want to go." I said.

    Nanny Nia looked hurt. "You don��t? Why?"

    I shook my head. "I��m going to feel out of ce. I don��t belong there."

    "Nonsense!" Nanny Nia said as she led me to the room. "We have the perfect dress. Everyone is going to be there. You can��t let such a day go to waste."

    I wondered if I could tell Nanny Nia about how I had seen the King and Cherry having sex.

    When we go to the bedroom Nanny Nia forced me to have a seat.

    "Nanny Nia." I started. "What do you think of the King and Princess Cherry?"

    She poured tea in a cup and stirred.

    "What about them?" She asked me.

    "Well...." I began. "I just wondered how they interact."

    "Oh. The King absolutely abhors her." Nanny Nia said as she handed me the cup and began slicing cheese on the bread.

    "Thank you." I mumbled as I sipped the tea

    "You do know that he was supposed to marry Cherry right?" She asked me.

    I paused. "I had no idea."

    "Well he was. Cherry was supposed to be Queen and it was his turn to be betrothed and mate with the future Queen. But when the crown rejected her, he had to marry Rose." Nanny Nia exined. "And we thank the Goddess for that. She would have been a very cruel Queen."

    "So he never loved her?" I asked.

    "Gods no." Nanny Nia squeezed her face. "I don��t think anyone can love someone like her. He adores the Queen. Worships the ground she walks on. Why do you ask?

    I smiled. "Nothing."

    I couldn��t tell Nanny Nia the truth.

 Chapter 583: THE DRESS

    <h4>Chapter 583: THE DRESS</h4>

    "Well." Nanny Nia cleared her throat. "I can tell you for free that he can��t stand her. I think we would be all better without her."

    I felt the same way too.

    I sipped the tea once again as I mused over my feelings.

    It was too much for me.

    First off I had been burned by a ne I had worn my entire life with absolutely no problem.

    I had caught the King cheating on his wife with his sister inw AGAIN!

    Being told that I had once died before and brought back to life because of song I hummed my entire life by a creature that I barely knew existed!

    It was all too much for me to take in.

    There was a knock at the door and Nanny Nia went off to find who it was.

    I heard Hildegard��s chatter as she approached.

    "Jasmine where have you been?" Hildegard asked as she walked up to my side.

    She had a bundle of clothing in her arms.

    "I went for some air." I said not technically lying.

    Nanny Nia handed me the bread she had expertly prepared with cheese.

    "Well your nanny here almost went insane." Hildegard said. "Even Xaden had no idea where you were. A servant said thest time they had seen you was together with him."

    I wanted to enter the ground further.

    I wet red in embarrassment at the memory of how I had almost let him ravish me in public.

    "Well what matters is you��re here." She said with a smile and then wakes up to her and spread out the bundle of clothe she had had.

    "What��s that?" I asked peeping as I chewed the bread.

    I had no appetite but I simply did it for Nanny Nia.

    "It��s a dress that we��ve had here for a very long time." Hildegard exined as she spread it over the bed. "Nanny Nia and I made a few altercations to it. But I��m sure it would look beautiful on it."

    A dress?

    What for?

    "Come see." She indicated to me.

    I rose up from my chair, bread in one hand, tea in another.

    I walked over to the bed and to my astonishment, saw the most beautiful and radiant red dress in my entire life.

    From the outline, I could tell that it had been a in red dress, but the in material had been ripped off and reced with redce of the same color.

    It was a tube dress that came in the shape of a love at its front bodice, whilst it had traces of vibrant redce by the side.

    Nanny Nia flipped the back of the dress and what would have been a n back had a low back to the waist the in form of a V.

    In an era ofrge ball dresses, the hips came down to form a slim fitting shape that would highlight the curves.

    I gasped at beauty of the dress unable to believe what I was seeing.

    "This is the most beautiful dress I have ever seen." I said in disbelief.

    Hildegard smiled. "I��m d you think so. I used to make dresses when I was much younger. It seems the talents haven��t gone away with time."

    I let my finger trail the material of the dress and gasped at how delicate and exquisite the material was.

    "This is really beautiful." I said. "It��s looks like it belongs to royalty. Befitting of a queen."

    "Befitting of a Queen indeed." Nanny Nia agreed.

    "Whose dress? Auburn?" I asked.

    Nanny Nia and Hildegard looked at each other before looking back at me.

    I looked at both women and it hit me.

    "No." I said quickly.

    "No?" Nanny Nia and Hildegard said in unison

    "What��s wrong with it?" Hildegard asked seemingly sad.

    Oh goddess no, she thought that I didn��t like her dress or through something was wrong with it.

    "Oh Goddess no." I said quickly. "This is really the most beautiful dress I have ever seen in my entire life. There is absolutely nothing wrong with it. But it��s not for me. It��s not for someone like me."

    "So it��s for someone like who?" Nanny Nia rose a disapproving brow. "Members of the royal family? The Elite of wolf packs?"

    I sighed. "You know what I mean?"

    "Because what? You were forced to be a ve? You are unshifted? Because you had an unfair life? That��s why you think you don��t deserve this?" Nanny Nia asked.

    I chewed my bottom lip and shivered in guilt because she was right.

    All these terrible things had happened to me simply because of what I had faced and who I had was and I felt undeserving of such a beautiful dress.

    "I have told you this before. And I will tell you again. I will tell you everyday until you see it for yourself." Nanny Nia said as she ced a hand on my shoulder. "You deserve this. You deserve everything and you deserve more. Do not deny yourself good things because you feel inadequate. Never let your past define who you are."

    I felt my throat go dry and I swallowed hard.

    The corner of my eyes were burning with tears.

    "Don��t be a silly girl and cry. You��re going to make me cry." Nanny Niained as she whipped my tears.

    Iughed at that and she joined me in theughter.

    She gently touched my cheek.

    "I��ve never worked with someone as untrained as you are. Never in my entire life. But I��ve never been with anyone as loving as you are. Remember who you are. Okay?" She asked me.

    I nodded with a smile.

    "Okay."

    "Okay!" Hildegard pped. "Alright let��s try this dress on. We didn��t spend the entire day working on it for nothing. Get going."

    I was shooed into the wash room to get dressed.

    I put it on and emerged.

    "I��m not quite certain I wore this dress the right way." I said as I stepped out.

    "Wow." Nanny Nia and Hildegard gasped the moment they saw me.

 Chapter 584: A DRESS TO KILL

    <h4>Chapter 584: A DRESS TO KILL</h4>

    Their eyes were on me, filled with shock as soon as I stepped out of the wash room.

    "WOW." Both women said in unison, their hands on their mouth.

    I became a bit tensed and worried.

    I looked down at the dress and around myself.

    "Is something wrong with it?" I asked feeling insecure. "I��ve never worn something like this before and-

    "No no no no." Hildegard and Nanny Nia said quickly as they rushed up to me.

    "Wrong with it?" Nanny Nia gasped. "You look beautiful."

    "Really?" I said with a raised brow. "You always try to make me feel better. Is that what you��re trying to do right now?"

    "Hildegard tell her the truth." Nanny Nia said turning to Hildegard. "She thinks I��m only making her feel better."

    Hildegard took my hand. "I think you need to see for yourself."

    Hildegard led me to the massive golden carved full length mirror in the room.

    What I saw had me lost for words.

    "Oh my Goddess." I managed.

    In the mirror I stood with a vibrant red dress that heightened my curves in a way I had never imagined.

    She-wolves who fought would usually wear leather pants and tops during training or whenever they went for attacks.

    It was the only way to actually see a woman��s curves.

    As for dresses, dresses came full, long and flowing

    This was the first time I had ever seen anyone��s curves in such a way talk less of mine.

    The dress was smug on my body as though it were a second skin.

    The red on the fabric matched with my skinplexion and seemed to even brighten me up.

    The shape of a love at the top bodice expertly held my breasts even though I had never worn it before, even though Hildegard had never taken any measurements before hand.

    I turned around and the back was low to my waist line in the form of a perfect V.

    I had always been insecure of my curves wanting to be skinny, but seeing myself in front of the mirror, I fell in love.

    Hildegard and Nanny Nia came to stand behind me.

    "We told you." Nanny Nia said. "There is no one that looks like you."

    "This is too beautiful." I managed.

    "Nothing is too good for the most beautiful girl in the world." Hildegard said with a smile. "Jasmine there is just something about you. You seem to pull everyone to you. It��s as though.... I can��t ce a finger. But from the moment I met you, I��ve always known you to be special."

    The tears at the far corner of my eyes tickled my eyes.

    "Don��t make me cry." Iined.

    And we allughed.

    "So this is what you would wear to Auburn��s debut shifting." Hildegard said as she snooped around the tale of the dress.

    "This is beautiful. But I can��t wear this." I said quickly.

    "You are going to turn down all the hard work I poured into this?" Hildegard asked disapprovingly.

    "No." I said quickly.

    "So you don��t like it?" Hildegard asked.

    I was being ced in a very tight spot.

    "No of course not. I love it." I said as I cleaned off the imaginary wrinkles on my dress. "It��s just. This isn��t who I am. I��m not of that status."

    "And I gave you a speech already." Nanny Nia said. "You are who you want to be. Stop denying yourself any pleasure."

    "Won��t this drag attention?" I asked worried.

    Both women turned to each other and burst outughing.

    "What��s funny?"

    "Well that��s the point. To be the eyes and the most beautiful woman in that event." Nanny Nia said.

    "I second guess that." Hildegard winked at her friend.

    Dragging attention was thest thing I wanted for myself.

    Especially after what had happened with the King and Princess Cherry.

    It would make them remember how I had caught them.

    I shivered.

    "Moreover even if I don��t give you this dress, who do you think I��ll give? Belle? Coral?" Hildegard rose a brow.

    "Maybe Princess Auburn herself?" Nanny Nia whispered and both women giggled.

    "Or dare I say, Cherry the great?" Hildegard asked and the two of them burst intoughter.

    I could now tell that both older women didn��t like the women of the royal family.

    Well, except the Queen herself.

    "You know I just have this urge and belief that if Scarlett had survived, her daughters and lineage would have been entirely different from what we have now." Hildegard said with a sad sigh. "Scarlett when growing up was the sweetest and happiest child you would ever see. Her soul was just pure. It��s a pity what happened to her."

    The atmosphere went chill.

    I myself now wondered what thiste Princess everyone had something good to say about would have been like.

    "You know Jasmine was asking earlier on if Coral and the King were friends." Nanny Nia said changing the topic and shifting the atmosphere.

    "Good goddess no." Hildegard gasped her hand on her chest. "Why the devil would you even think such a thing?"

    I shrugged. "Nothing. Was just curious. So they aren��t?"

    "Sworn enemies. She was a jilted bride and he was the one who married her sister. Those two would never share the same space if it was possible." Hildegard said with a snort "Could never even stand the sight of each other."

    So why were they having an affair?

    Nothing absolutely made any sense.

    I couldn��t tell Nanny Nia or Hildegard what I knew.

    I didn��t want to put them in trouble neither did I want them to think I was insane.

    It was most likely I would carry this information to the grave myself.

    "I wanted to ask you something." I said once I remembered. "Lady Hildegard, what do you know about Sirens?"

    "Sirens?" She said confused.

    "Yes. I read a book about them wondering if they were real." I said trying to cover up my tracks.

    She sighed heavily. "Sirens are dangerous. We believe they killed Princess Scarlett."

 Chapter 585: SIRENS FORBIDDEN!

    <h4>Chapter 585: SIRENS FORBIDDEN!</h4>

    "What?" I asked in disbelief.

    Hildegard gently adjusted the bottom of the dress. "Here let me help you out of it."

    I let her finally undress me and was sad to see the beautiful red dress go.

    I was handed my dress and Nanny Nia helped to fix me up while Hildegard seemed to add some finishing touches on the dress.

    Dangerous?

    I could hardly believe it.

    I thought of pearl and nothing I had seen or felt about her made me even think she was dangerous.

    "When the princess fell inside the sea on the fishing trip, we never found her body." Hildegard began. "We searched everywhere but nothing. The Queen asked for the king of all Sirens to find her daughter. He imed that his kind had been searching for her since the very night it happened. They found nothing."

    "And that��s impossible." Nanny Nia joined. "Because the Sirens own the sea. How could a little girl just fall in and not even have her body found? No clothes, nothing."

    "Well, we did actually find something." Hildegard chipped in.

    Nanny Nia looked at her sharply. "You did?"

    "Yes." Hildegard nodded in agreement. "But it was kept private and only within members of the royal family. People outside don��t know."

    Then Hildegard turned back to me. "Only a piece of broken jewelry from her ne was found. The princess had it from the moment she was born. It��s a sort of special heirloom that can only be passed in birth and death. The Queen has it. That��s the only thing that we ever found. The Queen was furious. She saw it as betrayal because it made absolutely no sense. There were tensions for a while. She used him of having a hand in her death and he used her of trying to set him up to take over the sea. There were rumors of war. But it never came to that. Rather they cut off ties. We were banned from ever seeing or being with them. They too were banned from seeing us. It��s been like that ever since. They don��te out, we don��t go near the sea."

    "At all?" I asked surprised. "You mean since that happened not even one has had any encounter with a wolf?"

    "Yes. It��s strictly forbidden." Hildegard said as she struggled to put a thread in her needle. "Especially in the royal pack."

    "Why?"

    "Well dear, it��s because the sea here is we��re Princess Scarlett vanished." Hildegard exined.

    "But Princess Auburn has been found."

    I said further confused. "Then that must mean that the princess didn��t die. At least not in the hands of the Sirens. And everything can be back to normal."

    "You would say so. The Queen went to apologize but it only further made him angry. He now despises the rest of us and has sworn to kill anyone whoes to the sea. I don��t me him. He had been used for over thirty years." Then Hildegard muttered more to herself. "Well that��s even if Auburn is truly the princess."

    I rose a brow to that.

    Hildegard didn��t believe Auburn was the actual princess?

    Was that why she disliked her?

    And then my thoughts went back to the restrictions on the sea.

    I could hardly believe it.

    But pearl hade out to meet me.

    Even though things were seemingly worse than they had been a while ago.

    "Why are you asking?" Nanny Nia asked. "I hope you don��t have any ns on trying something silly."

    I smiled tightly. "No of course not. Was just really curious reading books. Ever since I started reading I read anything I can get my hands on and the story fascinated me."

    I hated to lie to Nanny Nia.

    But I had no choice.

    "Well if that��s the case," Hildegard said. "And it��s just for your own knowledge and nothing more, then I��ll advise you to meet Otto. He knows more about these things."

    And it hit me.

    Why didn��t I think of that?!

    "Thank you." I smiled. "I��ll do that when I see him at the debut ball."

    "Ball?"

    Hildegard looked at me like I was insane. "Otto hates things like this. The Elites, he despises them. He barelyes out of his home, what makes you think he wille out for something like this?"

    That was absolutely true.

    "Well I��ll try to see if I can find him now." I said as I adjusted my dress and headed towards the door.

    "Jasmine you can not be running around." Nanny Nia warned. "The ceremony would be happening in only a few hours. Can��t this wait tillter?"

    It could.

    But I was already overwhelmed with everything.

    The death song.

    The siren.

    The ban on the sea.

    Anxiety and excitement wouldn��t let me hold it till after.

    "Don��t worry I��ll be back as soon as I promise." I said and headed out of the room before they seeded in stopping me

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    "Make sure you get back on time." Nanny Nia shouted to Jasmine.

    But she doubted she even heard.

    Jasmine was already gone.

    Nanny Nia sighed and rolled her eyes.

    "Very stubborn sometimes." Nanny Nia said.

    Hildegard was quiet.

    "What��s wrong?" Nanny Nia asked as she went over to the bed and sat. "Is this about the dress? I��m sure she is going to wear it."

    Hildegard sighed. "No it��s not that. It��s just. I asked the Queen if she saw Auburn��s ne had a broke part as expected. But she didn��t respond. She brushed it off."

    "Oh?" Nanny Nia mumbled.

    Hildegard sighed heavily. "I��m worried she isn��t the one. That stone was supposed to be the one confirmation and yet somehow she passed the test. Something feels very off."

    Nanny Nia sighed. "You think Cherry had a hand in it?"

    "I won��t put it far from her. But Rose thinks she has changed and she is now a good person." An exhausted Hildegard said.

    And the Nanny Nia randomly remembered Jasmine had a chipped emerald pendant.

    "You said it��s chipped?" Nanny Nia asked.

    "Yes."

    "What stone is it?" Nanny Nia asked.

    "Well it��s a-

    The doors opened and a servant came in.

    "Lady Hildegard I apologize for the interruption but we need your help with the event." The servant said.

    Hildegard sighed. "I have to go. I��ll see youter. Make sure she wears the dress."

    "I will." Nanny Nia replied as Hildegard walked out of the room.

    By the time Hildegard was gone and Nanny Nia began checking the dress, shepletely forgot about the chipped emerald pendant.

 Chapter 586: THE CONSTELLATION MAP

    <h4>Chapter 586: THE CONSTELLATION MAP</h4>

    I knocked at Otto��s door and waited for his response.

    I knocked again after standing for two minutes.

    He still didn��t respond, so I took in a deep breath and pushed the door.

    It was open, and as soon as I stepped in, I saw papers scattered on the floor.

    Otto was seated on the floor surrounded by all the papers as he scribbled from one paper to another.

    He looked like a madman working.

    I walked over to where he was and stood trying to understand what he was doing.

    "Otto." I had to call out before he finally noticed me.

    "Oh, Jasmine." He said, getting up to his feet quickly. "I had no idea you were here."

    "I��ve been knocking at the door. But it was open." I pointed at the door.

    "Don��t mind that. Thank the goddess you came." He said as he picked up two pieces of paper from the floor. "It��s a map."

    "What?" I said, confused.

    He pushed the papers into my hands. "The constetion, it��s a map."

    And then he went back down on the floor to fish through more papers.

    "Look at them!" He ordered, startling me.

    I looked down and examined the papers that he had handed me.

    At first, I was confused. "I don��t know what I��m supposed to be looking at?"

    "Isn��t that the constetion of Urs minor and Selene��set?" He asked me.

    I frowned and looked back down at it.

    "No, I don��t see anything that-

    And I stopped.

    I grabbed the points he had made with a line, and to my greatest surprise, they were in fact constetions.

    "Oh, my Goddess," I said. "You��re right. They are actually the constetions."

    He approached me with another paper in his hand.

    "Look, this is the Orvan River that separates the first three packs from thest four. It��s the same mapping as Selene��set." He exined. "Look at the moonlight pack too. The great Angel Oak tree. It forms down in the constetion perfectly."

    I looked much closer, and he was, in fact, right.

    "How?" I said lost.

    "The book you gave to me, hidden in thenguage, was a perfect description of the maps. Map to the world we have heard before. Maps to the other side." He told me. "Ipared it with Xaden��s mother��s journal here, and all I can say is she was getting there. It��s all here."

    I looked at the other paper he handed me.

    He was right.

    There were monuments to special ces that I knew, and yet they were arranged in the form of a constetion.

    "So what does this mean?" I asked topare the sheets.

    He collected them from me and went back down on the floor.

    He began to rearrange them.

    "It means that I was right. I have always been right." He said. "The legend is true. Once we finish deciphering the entirenguage, then we will be able to find it."

    "Find what?" I asked, stepping over a piece of paper.

    "The piece of the moon." He said. "ording to legend, the piece of the moon is the source of power. The one piece of the moon that fell. If we find it, then we will find our way to the other side."

    "Oh," I mumbled.

    I was d Otto was finding what he was looking for.

    But I wondered how that helped me finally find my uncle and discover my mother��s lineage.

    "By the time the whole truthes out, everyone will know I wasn��t insane," Otto said excitedly as he went back to interpreting the book.

    "I��m sorry to ask you this, but does this help in finding my uncle?" I asked unhappily.

    "Your uncle?" Otto asked me as though I were insane.

    "Yes, my uncle," I said. "The one who might know where my family is? The one who went missing and was also interested in astronomy? Remember?"

    "Oh," Otto said. "Well, we��re still on it. I went through the notes Xaden��s mother made, and she mentioned him. But you know how it ended. She just stopped talking about him. I was hoping that once we were done with deciphering the entire book, then we might have a clue what happened or where he went."

    I sighed. "What do you know about Sirens, Otto?"

    That made him stop. "Sirens?"

    "Yes," I said.

    "Sirens aren��t involved in any of this mystery." He said.

    "Yes, but I...." I sighed. "I read something about a death song."

    His body went rigid.

    I could literally see the hairs on his body stand.

    He slowly turned to face me. "What do you know about the death song?"

    I shrugged. "I read it in a book."

    He seemed to be deep in his stream of thoughts.

    "The death song." He said more to himself than to me. "It��s a song that only sirens can sing. It can either bring you back to life or take your life. I haven��t heard about it in a very long time."

    "Oh," I said.

    "And the funniest part is, ording to myth, when they sing the song, people say you can hear it for life, but no one would remember you sang it if you ever did. And the only way to know the song is to be brought back to life. Fascinating, isn��t it?" He said.

    I felt my tummy twist in a knot.

    So Pearl had, in fact, been right.

    "When we were still on good terms with the sirens." He said. "I would beg, plead for any of them to sing the song. Of course, they didn��t agree. Especially now that we are at war with them, I��m sure none of them ever would again."

    I swallowed.

    I was certain that I had never died.

    So why could I hear this song?

    I had to find Pearl and understand more of what she had to say.

    I heard a howl, and I remembered it was time for the debut ceremony.

    "You need toe for the shifting Ceremony." I invited.

    "Not my style." He snorted as he worked on the pages. "This is more important than.

    I heard the howl again.

    "Well, in my honest opinion," I said. "You should. Maybe a bit of fresh air would help you see things differently."

    With that, I smiled and left the room.

 Chapter 587: DRESS TO KILL

    <h4>Chapter 587: DRESS TO KILL</h4>

    "Good goddess Selene!" Nanny Nia rushed to me the moment I opened the door.

    She, along with Hildegard, looked as though they had walked through hell and back.

    "What happened to you two ?" I asked as I was dragged across the room.

    "Looking for you, that��s what!" Hildegard said, annoyed. "Where have you been? We��ve been searching everywhere."

    "I was with Otto," I said. "I mentioned it before I left."

    "I would never climb those stairs again," Hildegard swore.

    "The moment I saw them, I was discouraged." Nanny Nia admitted as she hurried me out of my simple dress.

    "I invited him to the shifting ceremony," I said. "He turned it down."

    "That��s Otto for you," Hildegard said and quickly changed the topic. "You are already extremelyte. You need to make a statement, but not ate one."

    Nanny Nia pulled out the dress for me, and this time I was made to wear it in front of them.

    I turned around and let them work on fitting the dress. By the time they were done, I turned back around.

    "Looking like an angel." Nanny Nia said excitedly. "Come, sit down while we dress your hair."

    I took a seat on a chair, and Nanny Nia began working on my hair with expert skill.

    All I could think of was what had been revealed to me.

    There was never a time I had died, so how did I know this supposed song?

    And the revtion that Sirens were forbidden to see wolves fueled my questions.

    Why and how had Pearle to find me?

    I intended to look for her tomorrow.

    Finding the King and his sister inw having sex had made matters worse for me.

    I was trapped in a hole I had no intention of falling in.

    I began to bite my bottom lip in anxiety.

    All I truly wanted right now was to find my uncle, then my mother��s people.

    I would have answers then.

    "Now I��m going to do a little makeup for you." Nanny Nia said.

    "I��ve never done that before," I said, terrified.

    I had seen elite she-wolves who woulde

    Into the moonlight pack with their faces baked.

    It had always appalled me, and I would wonder if they genuinely thought they looked beautiful.

    "It��s part of the training we get as Nannies." Nanny Nia exined. "Hair, makeup, all on how to be the perfect governess. Trust me on this."

    I took in a hefty sigh and told myself I could trust her.

    She began applying things to my face, and I was made to stay still.

    About ten minutester, after I felt her rub something on my lips, she said. "There. Now you can look."

    I turned to face the mirror behind me, and I was stunned.

    I looked absolutely stunning!

    Never in my entire life had I expected to look this beautiful.

    I had a shade of red eye shadow on my eyelids and what seemed like glitter by the corners of my eyes.

    My cheekbones were highlighted, my face well contoured, and my lips painted a vibrant red to match my dress.

    My ck curly hair was made up in beautiful ringlets, and I saw that Nanny Nia had used ruby pins to hold them in ce.

    I could hardly believe that the girl staring at me in the mirror was me.

    "Oh, my goddess," I said in disbelief.

    I felt Nanny Nia��s hand on my shoulder, and she peered into the mirror with me.

    We were both staring at me.

    "And that��s why I��ll always tell you, Jasmine. You, on your own, can choose your path in this wolf world." Nanny Nia said. "They��ve already hurt your past, don��t let them take away your present and future."

    I gasped at my beauty.

    I still couldn��t believe this was me.

    "And now for finishing touches," Hildegard said excitedly.

    She rushed to the drawers and returned with a box.

    She opened it, and a ne emerged.

    I gasped!

    "Where did you get that from?" I asked in disbelief.

    It was the ne that I had been used of stealing from Xaden.

    The very same ne that had somehow been found among my belongings.

    I became triggered as memories of how I had been falsely used and maltreated came like a sh of lightning.

    "It was Xaden." Nanny Nia said.

    I looked at her in disbelief.

    She, too, knew what had happened.

    What did she mean by ��it was Xaden��?

    "I don��t understand," I said, lost.

    "He wanted you to wear it." Nanny Nia exined. "I was in disapproval at first. Especially after what had happened. But he said it was going to look perfect on you."

    I went quiet, unsure how to respond.

    On one hand, it was terrific, and on the other hand, it reminded me of my trauma.

    Losing my child.

    "You don��t need to wear it if you don��t want to." Nanny Nia told me. "I��ll always have your back."

    I sighed heavily.

    How long was I going to let my past affect me?

    How long was I going to be cautious of fingers being pointed at me?

    I had done no wrong.

    People resented me for no just cause, and I had always lived in fear.

    I told myself, not anymore.

    "I��ll wear it," I said. "But I��ll not take off my mother��s ne."

    Hildegard smiled. "That��s absolutely perfect. We can do it however you want it. Moreover, your ne isn��t even visible. We can make do with it."

    Hildegard came around and ced the ne, consisting of every piece of jewelry that existed, on my neck.

    She was right, it was perfect.

    I wondered why Xaden would even give me the ne to wear in the first instance.

    I rose to my feet.

    "You look so beautiful!" Nanny Nia pped. "Tonight is your night."

    "Thank you. Both of you." I said in genuine appreciation.

    "Wait, wait, wait, before you go," Hildegard said quickly as she ran off and returned.

    "Here." She said.

    She handed me a beautiful, perfectly made red-eye mask.

    "It��s also a masked ceremony." She told me.

    I gently ced it on my face, and Nanny Nia helped me put it on at the back whilst Hildegard helped me put on a pair of red heels.

    When they stood up, they squealed like excited girls and stepped back to give each other a high five.

    "Make them jealous!" They said to me.

 Chapter 588: WHO IS THAT?!

    <h4>Chapter 588: WHO IS THAT?!</h4>

    Anna hovered around the ballroom in her pink dress.

    She pushed through the crowd of people and found Princess Auburn standing with a sea of other Elite she-wolves.

    She knew the she-wolves.

    They were all daughters of other pack Alphas.

    Anna recognized them and used to be friends with a few of them when she was in the moonlight pack.

    Of course, she hadn��t seen them again since her pack was attacked.

    She smiled excitedly and rushed up to Auburn.

    Auburn, she was aware, liked her brother.

    Anna was good at reading people, so when she saw Auburn look at Xaden the way she had the day they had first arrived, she knew she had an advantage.

    And more so, Auburn had sent her flowers.

    Before she could meet Auburn, a red-haired girl came blocking her view.

    "Hello." The girl said.

    Anna looked at her for a split second, confused about who she was.

    She had the same vibrant red hair as the royal family members, and it was pulled back in a neat ponytail.

    She wore a crystal dress, and her crystal mask was in her hand.

    She seemed to be around the same age as her.

    And then it dawned on her.

    This was Princess <strong><i>Rot</i></strong><strong><i>Belle</i></strong>, Princess Coral��s daughter and the one who would have been the heir to the throne.

    Well, if not for Auburn��s reappearance.

    "Your majesty," Anna said quickly, curtseying. "It��s an honor to meet you."

    "Rise," Belle said. "It��s good to meet Xaden��s long-lost sister finally."

    Anna smiled, but she wasn��t interested in this princess.

    She wanted the one who was going to rule the entire wolf kingdom one day.

    "It��s good to meet you, too," Anna said as she watched Auburnugh with the other she-wolves.

    "I know how happy Xaden must be to have you around," Belle said.

    That caught Anna��s attention.

    "He said that?"

    Belleughed. "Your brother and I are very close. He always spoke about how much it hurt that he had lost his sister. And now that you��re here, I��m sure he feelspletely."

    And then Anna saw it.

    She was malicious enough to know someone who also was.

    Belle didn��t care about her or think Xaden missed her, nor did she believe that she and Xaden were indeed close friends.

    She knew it was because Belle wanted Xaden for herself.

    She knew that longing in her eyes.

    She had seen it in so many women when they mentioned Xaden��s name.

    Too bad.

    Anna only cared about the princess with more power.

    "I��m sure he is," Anna said quickly. "Excuse me, your majesty."

    And with that, she zoomed off away from Belle and went straight to where Princess Auburn stood.

    "Your majesty." Anna curtseyed.

    Auburn turned and set her wine ss aside.

    "Anna!" Auburn said and hugged her. "It��s so good to see you fine and well."

    Anna smiled.

    "Did you get the flowers I sent to you?" Auburn asked once she let her go.

    "Yes, I did. I truly appreciate it." Anna said.

    Auburn gently took hold of Anna��s arms and turned her to face the other girls.

    "Girls, this is Anna." Auburn introduced.

    "We already know her." Rachel, the second daughter to the Alpha of the still-water pack, said.

    "Yes, but we knew her as Jessica then." Abigail, granddaughter of the Alpha of the ckwood pack, said.

    She felt a twist in her tummy at the very obvious malicious remark.

    All four girls used to be her closest friends, and not one of them has cared what happened to her.

    "Well, I think that what Anna went through was terrible," Auburn spoke up for her, surprising her. "Don��t you all think so?"

    And their reactions immediately changed.

    "Yes, we think so."

    "It was terrible."

    "She didn��t deserve that."

    There were no longer hidden malicious tones in their words.

    Support.

    They had immediately changed sides once they noticed Anna didn��t support them.

    "When we heard what happened to your father and the pack. It was so sad." Leah, who was now a Luna and married the Alpha of the Infinity pack. "I tried to get my husband to help you. But we were newlyweds, and you know, pack politics. The elders didn��t want him interfering."

    She smiled tightly, knowing that was not true.

    "Thank you, but Bale wasn��t my father. Alpha Orion was, and Xaden is my brother." She said with pride.

    "We HEARD THAT!" Lilian said in excitement. "Xaden is the most attractive and sought-after Alpha in the entire pack. You must be so lucky to have him as your brother."

    "Even I would give up my husband for him," Leah said.

    "My brother isn��t going to settle with just anyone." She said with honor.

    "But we heard he has a child with that dirty ve girl," Abigail said.

    "The child wasn��t his, and all she wanted to do was trap him," Anna said sharply.

    The girl went quiet, even as Auburn rose a brow.

    Anna took in a deep breath.

    She hated the thought of being reminded that Jasmine existed.

    "Moreover, once we return home, he would be sending her out," Anna said. "And my brother listens to me about people he believes would be good enough."

    Anna felt Princess Auburn��s arm around her.

    "I��d like to meet your brother properly," Auburn said, and Anna smiled to herself.

    She could imagine it all.

    The future Queen of the Wolf World is her sister inw, while her brother became king!

    "Who is that!" Leah said, pointing at someone.

    All the girls and everyone else in the room had their eyes fixed on something.

    So Anna turned around to see what themotion was.

    She saw a beautiful woman in a dress that she had never seen anyone wear.

    It was a red dress that hugged her curves.

    The front of the dress was shaped in a heart, and her bosom sat beautifully over it.

    She wore a red mask and saw that her hair was vibrant red.

    She wondered who this mystery woman was.

    There were gasps in the crowd.

    Anna��s eyes went down to her neck, where she saw the ne.

    It was the same ne she had used to use Jasmine falsely.

    Jasmine.

    It wasn��t possible.

    Jasmine wasn��t this beautiful, and her hair wasn��t dyed red; it was ck.

    But as she drew closer and went past her, Anna knew she was one.

    Looking beautiful and like royalty, wearing her own mother��s ne.

    "That filthy bitch!" She hissed.

 Chapter 589: THE LADY IN RED

    <h4>Chapter 589: THE LADY IN RED</h4>

    I walked into the ball, my tummy filled with twisted knots and my heart beating rapidly.

    From the moment I had walked the steps leading up to the ball, my body felt on fire.

    The stairs were quiet and lit by beautiful candbras that helped illuminate the way up.

    I took in a deep breath and gently walked up ahead.

    There weren��t servants on the left and right sides of the stairs, but instead well-dressed omegas on guard.

    They didn��t say a word to me, their face remaining motionless while I ascended the stairs.

    Unknown to me, the moment I went past them, they would turn their eyes to stare at me.

    I ascended the stairs, anxiety building up as there was no one else.

    Howte was I?

    I considered turning back to leave, but told myself that Nanny Nia and Hildegard would have me strangled if I had never gone in the first ce.

    After all, I couldn��t turn this down.

    It would seem as though I was ungrateful.

    Especially after all the effort they had put into making me look this beautiful.

    Once I reached the massive mahogany doors of the ball, guards stood.

    They gawked at me so much that their mouth were open.

    Then they snapped up and quickly returned to their positions.

    They opened the doors wide open, and I saw the ball filled with different people.

    Everyone wore masks of different styles, beautiful dresses, and Surcoats.

    No one had a dress like mine.

    And, significantly, no one wore red.

    I slowly walked down the red carpet, and soon everyone started turning to look at me.

    In a matter of seconds, the noise chatter in the ball died down, and only the music from violins and other instruments could be heard.

    It now urred to me that I had be the center of attention.

    I swallowed hard and tried to maintain myposure.

    I didn��t see anyone I knew; just men and women in their respective attire.

    I finally walked away from the red carpet and found myself a quiet and calm space beside a table filled with drinks.

    The other guests tried to stare away, but I could feel their eyes ring down at me.

    A servant offered me a drink, and I collected it shaken.

    "Thank you," I said as I sipped whatever it was.

    By the time I was halfway through the drink, I was beginning to regret it.

    I refrained from spitting it out.

    It wasn��t enjoyable.

    Was this the wine that Elite Wolf went crazy all the time?

    "There are other better wines than those." A male voice from behind me said.

    I turned around and saw a young wolf, most likely in histe twenties, though I wasn��t sure, who wore a bronze mask and brown hair.

    I managed a smile. "Oh, I see."

    He handed me a wine in his hand. "Here have this."

    "No, thank you, I��m fine," I said.

    I didn��t think I would want to collect wine from an absolute stranger.

    "You are the most beautiful woman I��ve ever seen." He said.

    I choked and then graduated to coughing so violently.

    He hovered around me in an attempt to help, but I shook my head.

    "Thank you."

    I picked up the bitter wine instead of his to ease my throat.

    "Fine?" He asked me.

    "Yes," I said.

    "You��re Princess Auburn?" He asked me.

    I was startled. "Goddess no, why would you think that?"

    Before he could respond, I felt a tap on my arm.

    Turned around and saw none other than Anna.

    She wasn��t wearing her mask, and her face was screwed up unpleasantly.

    Whenever Anna frowned, she wouldn��t look so pretty anymore.

    "Jasmine?" She said, unsure.

    I said nothing, and her eyes went red in recognition.

    "I knew it was you, Jasmine." She hissed with venom.

    "Who are you?" The man behind asked Anna. "I��m speaking to her."

    "She is my ve." She said humiliating me. "And I��m speaking to her, so get lost."

    The man seemed appalled but eventually left.

    I turned to re at her, not appreciating her calling me her ve.

    "I��m not your ve, Anna," I warned.

    "You��ve always been a ve to me, and even if the King and Queen forgive you, even if my brother sets you free," Anna stated. "You would still always be my ve."

    I felt a cold chill, and soon the anger in my tummy boiled over.

    "You��re a dirty slut." She hissed at me. "Who gave you that dress? No one can ever give you that, so better tell me who you stole it from before I disgrace you."

    Before I could reply, her eyes went wide. "And my mother��s ne! So after you stole it from us, you still had the nerve to wear it here! Had the nerve to take what didn��t belong to you."

    And then Anna set her hand on the ne.

    "Give me that!" She hissed.

    I caught her hand and flung it away.

    She gasped softly.

    Luckily, people weren��t paying us any attention, but at this point, I didn��t care.

    "How dare you?" I hissed at her.

    I took a step forward, and she unconsciously took one back.

    "We both know that I don��t steal this ne. You know all my life I��ve never been capable of so cut it." I warned. "This ne? That you��re so desperate to im as yours? I don��t steal it. I didn��t need to anyway. Do you know why? Because your brother gave it to me."

    She blinked in absolute disbelief. "You��re lying."

    I cockles my head. "I��m lying? Go find him and ask him yourself if he gave me the ne or not."

    She stood ring at me, her breathing extremely ufortable.

    "Excuse me, I��d like to have this dance?" Another wolf came behind Anna.

    "I��m not in the mood to!" Anna spat angrily.

    "I wasn��t speaking to you." He said, shocking Anna. Then he turned to me. "I was speaking to you."

    "Would you have this dance?" He said, brushing past her anding to me, as the music changed.

    "Yes, I will," I said with the sweetest smile to spite Anna as I let him take my hand.

    Anna��s face went ashen white.

    I felt a little bit of wicked triumph as I was led to the floor while Anna remained standing there.

 Chapter 590: A JEALOUS EX

    <h4>Chapter 590: A JEALOUS EX</h4>

    XADEN��S POV

    From the moment she walked into the room, I knew it was her.

    I had been in the middle of a boring discussion with a group of Alphas.

    They were all apuding my status as Alpha and my survival from the attack.

    I was terribly bored and irritated with their conversation.

    Mostly because I knew they were only kissing ass.

    No one wanted to be on my bad side, especially since I had gone head-to-head with two Alphas and survived.

    It was fake and unnecessary.

    This was thest ce I wanted to be.

    Had it not been for the Queen forcing me to attend, I would never have set foot.

    And then she came.

    Wearing a vibrant red dress that no one would have ever worn.

    A dress that held her curves and was unlike all therge ball dresses most women wore.

    It wasn��t because of the ne on her neck or her vibrant red hair.

    It was her scent.

    She was an unshifted wolf, which meant she shouldn��t have a distinctive scent, yet Jasmine did.

    One that from miles away I would always perceive.

    One that made me hungry and made me desire her.

    The red mask in ce, she walked past the crowd, and heads turned.

    Wolf and she wolf.

    They all looked.

    Even the Alphas beside me went quiet, and that made me furious.

    I didn��t want others looking at her.

    She was supposed to belong to me and only me.

    I swallowed hard as she went past me without sparing a nce.

    She went off to a corner and hovered over a drinks table.

    Sweet Goddess of all wolves!

    Just when I had assumed that she couldn��t be any more beautiful, she proved me wrong.

    She proved me damn wrong!

    I watched a young Beta approach her, and soon my teeth were grinding hard.

    "Who is that?" I heard one of the Alphas beside me say

    "I have no idea." Another responded in a lust-filled voice. "But I��ve never seen anyone so beautiful."

    "I didn��t know there was another member of the royal family." The third said quickly. "Must be another niece to the Queen."

    I grew jealous with every single word they seemed to share.

    As I watched her smile back at the Beta, the fiery curve of her lips sending a jolt of possessive anger through my chest, the urge to intervene grew almost unbearable.

    I clenched my fists, debating whether to disrupt the gathering to separate them.

    And then, before I could make a decision, Anna appeared by her side, and both of them began discussing after the young Beta left.

    I breathed a sigh of relief and tried to calm myself down.

    I was getting jealous over nothing.

    The other wolves began to discuss Jasmine��s beauty again.

    This time, I couldn��t take it anymore.

    "Excuse me," I said, and without waiting for their approval, I walked away.

    I stood by the grand piano and began to sip my wine.

    I watched as she and Anna resumed their discussion, even though they looked more like arguments.

    "Jealous are we?"

    I turned around and saw none other than Queen Rose herself peering behind me.

    "Your majesty," I bowed.

    She came and stood beside me, a mischievous gleam on her face.

    "Jealous?" I said, raising a brow.

    She nodded. "Yes, jealous. Jealous of everyone having eyes on Jasmine."

    "I couldn��t care less." I scoffed.

    "Oh, Xaden." Queen Rose said in a sing-song voice as she shook her head. "You can lie to anyone as long as you want. Even lie to yourself. But not me. I know when you��re lying."

    I said nothing.

    Perhaps if I kept my mouth shut and ignored her, she would keep whatever she had to say to herself.

    But Queen Rose wasn��t giving up so seriously.

    "That ne." The Queen nodded at Jasmine��s chest. "If I can recall correctly, it��s your family heirloom."

    I knew where this was going.

    "I wonder how she managed to get it?" She asked with her hands folded.

    I sighed.

    She giggled. "Oh,e on, Xaden. There is nothing wrong with caring about Jasmine. I don��t know why you always deny it. She is a lovely girl."

    I repeated nothing.

    And then, to my greatest horror, a twenty-two-year-old Alpha named ude, who had recently be an Alpha after his father��s death, walked up to Jasmine.

    He offered his hand, and Jasmine gave hers with a smile.

    Xaden watched in horror as Jasmine was led away from Anna and down to the dance floor.

    The music changed, and soon they joined the dancing group.

    The moment he saw ude put his hand on Jasmine��s waist, Xaden winced.

    "Good goddess Xaden." The Queen gasped. "I thought you said you couldn��t care less. You look like you��re ready to pounce on the poor boy anymore."

    I watched as they began dancing.

    I clenched my fists and tried to control my boiling jealousy.

    I watched themugh together over something, and it made me even more furious.

    What the devil were they evenughing about?

    "You love her, Xaden." I heard Queen Rose. "The sooner you realize that for yourself, the better."

    I didn��t have a heart.

    I couldn��t love.

    If only the Queen knew.

    And yet there was something that pulled me to Jasmine.

    A hunger that refused to quench.

    A hunger that made me want to tear the little brat away from her.

    "I don��t love her," I said as I drank the entire winess.

    I set the ss aside on the table and hungered for more to control my burning rage.

    "If you say so," Rose said with a sigh. "But it isn��t only you, Xaden. I think she has that effect on everyone. You have a beautiful girl right before you, and yet you refuse to see. I wonder what happens when she finally discovers the decision you made."

    I felt my stomach twist into an ufortable knot, and dread instantly overwhelmed me.

 Chapter 591: JEALOUSY

    <h4>Chapter 591: JEALOUSY</h4>

    JASMINE��S POV

    The moment I gave the young wolf my hand, I was led away to the dance hall.

    I could feel Anna ring at me, and never had I felt such satisfaction in my entire life.

    We stopped at the center of the fall, and I could feel everyone��s eyes on me.

    I breathed heavily, realizing what I had done.

    My sheer arrogance had led me to the middle of something I had absolutely no intention of doing.

    "I��m not sure I know how to dance," I said, terrified.

    He smiled, and even though I couldn��t see his whole face, I knew he was handsome.

    His mask sat perfectly on the bridge of his nose.

    "Don��t worry." He assured me. "I��ll guide you."

    He set his hands on my waist, and my tummy fluttered as though there were butterflies in them.

    Then he ced his spare hand in mine and raised it gently at the same space where my head was.

    The music began, and he then danced.

    He led me on the floor as he walked back and forth, his hand steady on my waist as he guided me.

    We danced for about two minutes, and then he smiled at me. "You said you couldn��t dance, and yet I haven��t felt one step on my foot."

    Iughed.

    "I guess I��m just a fast learner," I told him, feeling extremelyfortable.

    The truth was, I had always adored people dancing in the moonlight pack back in the days of the balls.

    I would go back to my room and dance by myself.

    Reimagining the steps I had seen them disy, and believe I was on a dance floor.

    This was the first time in my entire life that I had ever danced with anyone.

    He smiled. "Well, I don��t believe that a princess would be able to dance."

    "Princess," I said, alert. "Why would you think that?"

    Heughed. "Now you��re trying to y games on me."

    Then he leaned and whispered in my ear.

    "Don��t worry, two can y."

    And he twirled me on the dance floor and caught me back in his arms.

    "My name is Bill." He said. "I��m the future Alpha of the Fang pack."

    "It��s an honor to meet you," I said politely.

    "And yours?" He asked.

    "Jasmine," I responded.

    "That��s a beautiful name." He said. "Do you have a mate?"

    I thought of Xaden the moment I heard those words.

    He wasn��t my mate, but we were stillwfully married under the moonlight.

    "No," I said honestly.

    "Neither am I." He said for himself. "I��d like to do the honor of telling you I��m interested in you. Before anyone here says that."

    My mouth wavered. "Anyone here?"

    He leaned toward my ear as we danced. "If you look around, you would see that every man here has his eyes on you."

    I turned, and to my utmost shock, he was right.

    In a split second, my eyes shed, and I made contact with Xaden standing beside the Queen.

    He did not look pleased.

    At all.

    Other couples started joining the dance floor, and the tensions of being the center of attention died down.

    Xaden was still ring in the distance while we danced.

    I tried my best to avoid him.

    I didn��t have much time to enjoy it.

    I didn��t want him to interrupt me at any time.

    Moreover, I thought Bill was nice.

    "I had no idea," I responded.

    "You��re the most beautiful woman any man here has ever seen." He said. "You shouldn��t be surprised."

    I smiled at hispliment.

    "If you would let me." He began. "I��d like to take you this very minute and ask the goddess to make you mine."

    I blushed at his bluntness.

    A man like Bill, who was seemingly so kind to me and genuinely interested, warmed my heart.

    If it were the same me he had met when I had been in the moonlight pack, I would have taken his offer up without the thought of a heartbeat.

    But I was different.

    She was dead and gone.

    This Jasmine had a purpose to her life.

    And that was finding my family and understanding everything there was to be about me.

    Maybe when I had figured it all out, I would be ready to settle down.

    And most of all, someone like Bill.

    Shouldn��t be with someone like me.

    I had so much baggage, he needed someone who didn��t bear the scars and traumas I did.

    Soon, the music changed, and all of a sudden, the dance steps changed too.

    "This dance is different." He said. "We switch partners."

    Before I knew it, he was gone, and someone else was dancing with me.

    We faced for about a minute, and Bill returned.

    Iughed, and when I looked up, I saw that Xaden wasn��t standing where he had been.

    I told myself he had most likely gone, but just as I turned to see my next partner, I found Xaden staring at me.

    I jumped, but he caught me in his arms before I could fall.

    His hands were steady on my waist, and he spun me before pulling my body back to his.

    Wepleted each other perfectly.

    "Why are you surprised to see me?" He asked strangely. "Thought you were excited to dance with the young wolf."

    I knew the look in his eyes and now understood his voice perfectly well.

    He was JEALOUS.

    I felt my tummy flip and, to my own horror, discovered that I was pleased he was jealous.

    I said nothing to him because I knew that in a matter of seconds, he would change from being my partner.

    I turned around, did the switch, and found Bill again.

    I smiled.

    Only for me to see Xaden push Bill away.

    "Hey," Billined, looking up. "I��m here with her."

    But Xaden��s towering height discouraged him.

    "Oh," Bill mumbled the moment he saw who it was.

    "Get out." Xaden spat.

 Chapter 592: VULNERABLE JEALOUSY

    <h4>Chapter 592: VULNERABLE JEALOUSY</h4>

    Bill seemed terrified the moment he saw Xaden.

    "A.... Aa.. Alpha X... Xaa... Xaden." Bull stuttered.

    From his quivering lips, I could tell he was scared out of his wits.

    Xaden wore a menacing stare that could frighten anyone.

    Well, anyone except me.

    That facial expression no longer worked on me.

    I had seen it long enough to be already used to it.

    But Bill wasn��t.

    I grabbed Bill��s arms and held him back to prevent him from leaving.

    "Don��t go anywhere," I said to Bill. "You were here first."

    And then I red up at Xaden, my eyes spitting fire. "If there is anyone who is supposed to, then it would be him."

    Bill began to sweat, but I didn��t care

    In fact, I was disappointed that he was acting like a wuss and refused to stand up to this big bully.

    Xaden gave a very cunning smile.

    "I don��t know you, Bill," Xaden said, walking closer to him. "And that just shows how insignificant you are. You aren��t an Alpha. Still a Beta, a soon-to-be Alpha. I can perceive it."

    Bill swallowed heavily.

    "And if you are next in line, you must have heard about me from your family." Xaden grinned. "Haven��t you?"

    "Y.... Yes, I have...". Bill managed.

    "And you should know the things I��m capable of. You should know that I don��t take enemies lightly. Don��t you?"

    "Yes, I do." Bill managed.

    Xaden continued. "And imagine your first week as ascension, having me as your enemy. Well..."

    And heughed.

    Xadenughed with a fierce, meanugh, revealing his handsome dimples.

    "I can tell you for free now that it would be thest thing you would want," Xaden said.

    As I held onto Bill��s hand, I felt it tremble like a terrified child caught in the act of stealing.

    "Do you understand me now?" Xaden asked as the tension grew.

    The atmosphere was so tense that I could almost taste it.

    Bill nodded hastily. "I do Alpha."

    "Good." Xaden smiled. "Now you know what to do."

    The cowering Bill pulled his hand away from my grip and disappeared.

    I gasped in horror.

    Xaden stood grinning at me.

    Before I could react to what had just happened, Xaden took my hand in his and grabbed my waist firmly.

    In an instant, he had me held firmly against his groin.

    He was hard, and my body instantly reacted in hunger.

    My nipples became hard, my tummy flipped, and I felt the sudden warmth between my legs.

    He began dancing with him.

    I began to struggle with him, but I was too weak.

    My body wouldn��t let me.

    Not when his hand was on my waist, and I was held up against him firmly.

    "Let me go," I said aloud, even though my body wanted me to stay.

    "You��re not going anywhere." He whispered into my hair.

    "Do you want me to cause a scene?" I threatened. "What would happen when everyone sees that the great Alpha can��t behave himself?"

    Xaden smiled at me, and I instantly knew he didn��t care.

    "Wouldn��t be the first time I��ll be misbehaving. With you especially." He said, and I frowned, confused. "Considering what happened in the corridor."

    My face went red with shame.

    He was truly shameless.

    Here I was arguing with a man who had no limits on how low he would stoop.

    Go to the floor, Xaden would go underground.

    "You��re a bully, you know," I said as I looked back to see where Bill had followed.

    There was absolutely no sight of him anywhere.

    It was as though he had vanished, leaving no air.

    "He didn��t do anything wrong to you." I confronted as we swayed with the music.

    He cocked his brows. "Aren��t you happy I saved you from him?"

    "What?" I said lost.

    "Jasmine." Xaden began. "Did you want to be with a man who would run away in the face of danger? At the mere sight of his opposition? I did you a Favour if you think of it."

    I hated to admit it, but he was right.

    Bill had been intimidated at the first warning Xaden had given him.

    Not much of a fighter.

    And I hated to admit it, but seeing Xaden so obviously annoyed, so seemingly jealous, had done things to me I never thought I would experience.

    "Bill was dancing. No one ever said anything wrong about anyone dancing." I said.

    He twirled me around and then pulled me back to him.

    "He was doing something wrong." He said to my hair.

    "What?"

    "He was dancing with you," Xaden said.

    I felt a sudden chill evaporate in my spine.

    "He had his hand on your waist," Xaden whispered. "I don��t ever want to see his or anyone else��s around your waist. I couldn��t stand seeing him make youugh."

    I blinked, unable to believe what Xaden was saying.

    Being so vulnerable?

    Openly jealous.

    Expressing his feelings?

    This was not the Xaden I had grown to know.

    This was an entirely different man.

    I swallowed and quickly changed the topic because I didn��t want to go down this path.

    It was too dangerous, and I was wise enough to know it.

    "Who taught you how to dance?" I asked him.

    "My mother." He said, his finger reaffirming their position on my waist.

    I felt him smile even though I couldn��t see him.

    "Whenever there was a ceremony, she woulde to me and dance with me." He said.

    "How old were you?" I asked.

    "Eight." He said.

    I felt a cold sweating.

    He had just been eight before everything had been taken away from him in the most cruel way.

    "How did you know it was me?" I asked him.

    Heughed. "No one with fire-red hair could look this beautiful."

    I smiled at hispliment.

    It hit me.

    "Did you say fire red hair?" I asked, lost.

    "Of course." He said as he gently touched my hair. "Your hair is red."

    "But it��s ck," Iined. "I dyed it ck."

    He shook his head as he yed with the strands in his fingers.

    "Not anymore." He said. "Perhaps your hair doesn��t want to be hidden. Don��t you think so?"

 Chapter 593: A STOLEN GIFT

    <h4>Chapter 593: A STOLEN GIFT</h4>

    I was stunned beyond words.

    I looked at Xaden��s fingertips intertwining with my hair, and he was right!

    My hair was red again.

    I gasped and grabbed the hair.

    "No no no." Iined as I touched my hair, trying to see if any parts still retained ck.

    There wasn��t any.

    At least none that I could see, and I began to panic.

    The jewelry that Hildegard and Nanny Nia had used to style my hair fell, crumbling down to the floor.

    I continued fussing over my hair.

    But Xaden caught my hand in a firm and yet gentle manner.

    "No," Xaden said to me. "You need to stop."

    He brought my hand back down.

    "You��re ruining your beautiful hair, do." He told me.

    I went red.

    I looked down and saw that most of the jewelry had fallen to the floor.

    All the hard work both women had thrown in, just for me to make an absolute mess of it.

    Xaden was right.

    I needed to stop.

    I sighed and let my hand down.

    I couldn��t even understand it.

    How had my hair reverted from ck to red?

    Especially so quickly without me even noticing.

    It was baffling.

    If Nanny Nia and Hildegard had seen it, they would have mentioned it.

    And Nanny Nia had said that the ingredient was potent enough to even hide royalty��s hair color from fading.

    And yet in barely a day, my hair had reverted to its color.

    Was this a sort of curse?

    Now I understood why Bill had called me royalty.

    He had seen my hair and assumed I was a member of the royal family.

    I was trying to get off of the King��s radar and anyone else��s.

    Impersonating a member of the royal family wasn��t a good idea.

    "It��s okay, Jasmine," Xaden said very softly.

    I looked up at him, and I felt peace.

    I felt so safe.

    The way he said my name.

    The way he assured me.

    I gave a weak sigh and epted it.

    He held my hand again and continued to dance with me.

    "Why did you give me the ne?" I asked.

    It had been on my mind for so long now.

    He gave a slight shrug. "I assumed it would be perfect on you."

    I didn��t want to bring the past back.

    I really hated to.

    But if I wanted my peace of mind and rity, it was going to be necessary in this conversation.

    "Xaden, this is the ne that you..." I choked on my own words, unable to speak.

    I sighed and closed my eyes.

    "This is the ne you used me of stealing." I finally managed. "I��m sorry if I might seem ungrateful to you right now, but."

    I sighed again.

    "It gives me bad memories," I told him.

    He went quiet, still dancing with me.

    "Say something," I said quietly.

    But he said none.

    In fact, he seemed to be terrified of even using his own words.

    I closed my eyes in exhaustion.

    "Moreover, it��s Anna��s," I exined.

    "It��s my mother." He finally spoke.

    "But it��s a family heirloom," I informed him. "It��s supposed to be for the women in your family. That��s more reason why it should belong to her.

    "So you don��t like it as a gift?" He asked me.

    "I don��t want it," I stated inly.

    He winced.

    I chewed my bottom lip. "I didn��t mean it like that, Xaden. I just... I don��t.... I��ll hand it over to you after tonight."

    "Keep it, it��s yours." He said.

    I raised a brow.

    This jewelry could buy an entire pack, if not two.

    It was a family heirloom, and yet he wanted to give it to me?

    When he obviously had a sister to whom it belonged.

    "So you believe me now?" I asked him. "You believe that I never lied to you? That I never tried to hurt you."

    Xaden said nothing.

    My knees felt weak.

    I was disappointed.

    Who was I kidding?

    Xaden was ALWAYS going to be Xaden.

    Never going to believe me.

    Even after what we had gone through.

    "I��ll hand it to you after tonight," I said.

    "I said it��s yours." He growled.

    It hurt me.

    That he wouldn��t speak on things I wished to talk about.

    Only things that struck or defeated his ego.

    "Even if you don��t ept it, I��ll give Anna," I told him. "I will not take what doesn��t belong to me, Xaden. You still see me as a thief and a liar. That��s confirmation enough."

    "Jasmine." He sighed, exhausted. "That��s not what I mean."

    I attempted to pull myself away from his grasp, but he held onto me.

    This time, I didn��t mind screaming.

    Before I did, the music slowly died down.

    I paused, and the King and Queen themselves came down from their thrones.

    The couples on the dance floor began to move back.

    Xaden caught my waist and led me down to the sides.

    "Thank you, everyone." The Queen began. "Foring to witness my granddaughter��s first shifting ceremony."

    "Years ago." Queen Rose began. "I lost my daughter. It was the worst thing that ever happened to my husband and me. The whole wolf world mourned. It broke me as a Queen. A few weeks ago, we discovered that my daughter had survived for years. Those years I had never experienced with her. Unfortunately, she died without us ever seeing her."

    There was a collective gasp of sadness in the crowd.

    The Queen smiled even though I could tell there were tears in her eyes.

    She cleared her throat. "But she left something for us. Something for us to remember her by. She left us with her daughter, my granddaughter. I give you Princess Auburn."

    The crowd erupted into apuse.

    Princess Auburn appeared, all smiles, as she headed to where her grandparents stood.

    Auburn curtseyed in front of everyone.

    "She would perform her first official shifting as a wolf before everyone." Queen Rose said.

    Auburn stepped forward, and soon all the lights in the room went dark.

    The light of the moon appeared over Auburn.

    I looked up and saw it was an opening in the windows, directly reflecting on her.

    And then she began to shift.

 Chapter 594: AUBURN’S TRANSFORMATION

    <h4>Chapter 594: AUBURN��S TRANSFORMATION</h4>

    The gasps that filled the grand hall rose like a tide, breaking into stunned silence.

    For a heartbeat, no one moved. The moonlight pooled over Auburn as her body convulsed, reshaping and trembling under the spell of the first shift.

    Her cries, half-human and half-beast, echoed through the ballroom.

    Then it happened.

    Fur burst through skin, not the dull brown or silver many had expected, but the deep, burnished glow of red.

    A collective murmur rippled through the crowd, disbelief spreading like fire.

    The Queen sped her hands together, her eyes brimming with pride and tears.

    "A red wolf," she whispered, loud enough for those nearest to hear. "Just like her Scarlett would have been."

    Jasmine stood still. Her breath caught in her throat as she stared at the scene unfolding beneath the pale shafts of moonlight.

    The wolf that now stood where Auburn had been shimmered like rubies under me, each strand of fur catching the light in a mesmerizing hue. Auburn��s new form lifted its head, and the golden eyes that gleamed under the crown of red fur met the Queen��s.

    The hall erupted into cheers.

    "SHE IS THE TRUE HEIR!" Someone shouted.

    "Long live the Princess!" someone else cried.

    "The blood of the true line returns!" shouted another.

    The wolves howled in unison, a haunting melody of reverence and celebration.

    My fingers twitched where they hung by my side.

    Something inside my chest pulsed, slow at first, then sharper, almost painful.

    It wasn��t envy. It wasn��t fear. It was something far more profound, as if the air had grown too heavy for my lungs to carry.

    My heartbeat thudded strangely.

    Xaden, standing close behind me, noticed my sudden stillness. "Jasmine?" he said quietly, leaning toward me. "Are you alright?"

    I blinked, realizing my hands were trembling.

    I forced a small smile and nodded. "I��m fine," I murmured, even though her throat felt dry.

    But I wasn��t fine.

    The moment Auburn shifted, I felt a flicker of warmth ripple through my entire body, as though my blood had ignited.

    For a brief second, the air had shimmered around my vision, like heat waves rising off desert sand.

    I had thought it a trick of the light, but the feeling remained, lingering beneath my skin.

    This was different from thest time when I had been burned and stung the moment I had stepped into the pack.

    It was different from my ne, burning me too.

    I pressed a hand subtly against my abdomen, willing my body to calm.

    What was happening to me?

    My gaze returned to Auburn, who now stood in the center of the marble floor, panting but radiant.

    The Queen approached her, extending her hand with grace andmand.

    Auburn lowered her head, and the Queen��s fingers brushed over the wolf��s fur.

    A faint golden light shimmered where their skin met, ancient royal magic marking the bloodline��s blessing.

    The crowd watched in reverence.

    When the light faded, Auburn shifted back. Her body trembled, naked beneath a silken cloth, and a servant quickly wrapped it around her.

    Her cheeks were flushed, her lips trembling with the effort it had taken, but her smile was bright and victorious.

    The Queen turned to the guests. "This is the proof," she said, her voice echoing through the chamber. "The blood of the royal family runs pure. My granddaughter, Princess Auburn, bears the mark of her mother and of her lineage, the Red Wolf of the Crown."

    Cheers erupted again, but I could hardly hear them.

    My vision blurred for a moment. The pulse under my skin grew heavier.

    "Breathe," Xaden whispered beside me. His hand brushed my arm gently.

    I hadn��t realized I had been holding my breath.

    "I��m fine," I repeated, though the words came out barely above a whisper.

    He didn��t seem convinced.

    His gaze lingered on my face. He leaned closer, lowering his voice. "You��ve gone pale. Do you want to sit down?"

    I shook her head quickly, forcing a smallugh. "I said I��m fine. It��s just... warm in here."

    But it wasn��t warmth I felt.

    It was energy, faint but alive, crawling beneath my skin as if responding to something only I could sense.

    The Queen descended the dais, Auburn at her side, both radiant under the chandeliers. "We are blessed tonight," the Queen continued, "for the moon herself has confirmed what our hearts already knew. The Red Wolf has returned."

    The crowd cheered once more.

    Xaden and I were still standing near the outer ring of guests. He nced toward the royals, then back at me.

    You should sit," he said again, quietly but firmly this time. Don��t you dare say no."

    This time, I didn��t argue.

    My legs were trembling too much anyway.

    He guided me gently to one of the side seats, his hand steadying my lower back.

    When I sat, I realized how dizzy I had be.

    My pulse thundered in my ears.

    I nced toward Auburn again, the new Princess now surrounded by nobles, each bowing low, offering congrattions and blessings. Auburn��sughter echoed faintly across the room.

    And yet, beneath thatughter, Jasmine felt something strange, a low hum, like the air vibrating just enough for her body to vibrate.

    I had never shifted in my life, and yet it seemed like a part of me was waking up.

    I tried to breathe through it. Tried to focus on anything else.

    But then Auburn��s gaze swept across the room. Just for a second, our eyes met.

    It was brief, so brief I thought I imagined it, but in that instant, something like heat shot through my veins.

    Auburn��s smile didn��t falter.

    I flinched.

    The pounding in my ears grew louder.

    I looked away quickly, pretending to fix my gown.

    "How do you feel now?" Xaden asked me, his voice low and edged with concern.

    "Just... dizzy. I think I stood too long."

    He leaned closer, studying me. "Your eyes, they��re glowing."

    Her head snapped up. "What?"

    He blinked and then shook his head. "Never mind. Maybe it was the light," he said slowly, though his brows furrowed as if unsure.

    I looked away, forcing a calm smile. "You��re seeing things."

    But I knew I wasn��t the only one who felt something shift.

    The hum in my chest wouldn��t stop. It was faint, rhythmic, like a second heartbeat echoing from somewhere outside my body.

    Every time I nced toward Auburn, the pulse seemed to grow stronger.

    After a while, Queen Rose raised her hand, signaling for silence. The celebration quieted. "Tonight marks not only Auburn��s birth into her wolf," she announced, "but the restoration of bnce to our family. To our kingdom."

    A cheer of loyalty rippled through the guests. Servants moved around with trays of wine, music began again, softer this time, ceremonial.

    Xaden��s attention returned to me.

    "Jasmine, look, I will take you inside." He said.

    "No Xaden." I said. "I��m fine. Really. I want to enjoy myst night here. Please."

    He didn��t look convinced, but he let it go. He stayed beside me as the hall erupted once again into celebration.

    I looked up onest time. Auburn stood between the King and Queen, her red hair gleaming, her body wrapped in gold silk, her face aglow with triumph.

    I hade here simply as a guest.

    A survivor. Not as someone tied to the crown.

    A servant passed by with a tray of wine, and I quickly called out to him.

    The servant handed me the tray of wine, and I called for two sses.

    Xaden��s eyes widened in shock.

    "Jasmine, those are-

    But it was toote.

    I had drunk the two sses of wine in the blink of an eye.

 Chapter 595: THE DESTRUCTION!

    <h4>Chapter 595: THE DESTRUCTION!</h4>

    The moment I received the two sses of wine, I downed the first in a matter of seconds and did the same for the other.

    I managed to breathe, and the wine hit me.

    Xaden stared at me in absolute horror.

    "Gods Jasmine." He said.

    I dropped the empty sses of wine on the tter with the awaiting servant.

    I felt my head throb as I tried to wave the feeling in my entire body.

    I had hoped that whatever was in the ss would ease my pain and help me feel better.

    But instead, I felt parched.

    Thirsty for more, I reached out to the already leaving waiter for another.

    Xaden snatched the wine sses out of my hands and gave me a very disapproving look, letting me know he wasn��t pleased.

    Then he handed it over to the waiter, who disappeared in almost an instant.

    "Gods Jasmine," Xaden said. "What the devil did you do that for?"

    "I just feel a bit thirsty and weak," I exined. "I was hoping the wine would help."

    "That��s not wine." He blinked at me. "That��s rum! Do you know how intoxicated rum can make you? And I doubt you��ve ever had rum in your entire life."

    My lips dropped.

    I had honestly never had it before.

    I looked up at Auburn, and it was as though every time I stared at where she stood, I was affected.

    I felt the hum in my chest, and my breathing began to waver once again.

    My ears kept on pounding, and it felt as though they only got louder by the second.

    Auburn turned to look at me, and I hastily looked away.

    "I didn��t know," I said in response to Xaden.

    I ced my fingertips on my forehead and began to feel the weight of the rum hitting me.

    The room began to spin.

    "Jasmine, are you okay?" I heard him ask me.

    But I nodded as I slowly stood up. "Y... ye.... Yes. I��m fine."

    He tried to reach out for me, but I staggered and declined his assistance.

    "I��m fine." I lied.

    But I wasn��t.

    As I staggered amidst the crowd, I looked up at Auburn again.

    And then I felt the pain in my head vibrate.

    But for some reason, it didn��t seem like she was the cause of my pain.

    It was though there was something else.

    I struggled to look at what was closest to Auburn.

    What felt like a ma of pain.

    And my eyes went up to the great throne for the ruler of all wolves.

    I used both hands to press the left and right sides of my head.

    The pain was more than anything I had ever experienced, and yet I couldn��t take myself from looking away.

    I was forced to stare at the throne, which kept vibrating and making my body feel like it was on fire.

    I could hardly breathe and felt my nose get damp.

    I began to see shes.

    shes of a woman with vibrant red hair.

    I didn��t see her face at first

    Just saw a blurry vision.

    She stood behind me, then turned to face me.

    I screamed as I saw her begin to fade and yet appear better.

    It was so quick I believed I was hallucinating.

    The crowd was so filled with people dancing and celebrating that no one seemed to notice me in my agony.

    I also didn��t hear Xaden calling out my name.

    The only thing I could hear and understand was the young woman with carrot-red hair and green eyes, smiling.

    She was speaking to me, but I couldn��t hear her, and the more I focused on her, the more dizzy I got.

    I instantly copsed.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    <strong><i>XADEN��S POV</i></strong>

    The moment she gently pushed me away and walked off, I instantly regretted it.

    Jasmine was already lost in the crowd.

    I swore to myself.

    I couldn��t understand what was happening to her.

    She had be pale and seemed unstable.

    I should have ignored her difort and held her safe.

    Nowo couldn��t even find her.

    "Jasmine!" I called out to her as I went through the crowd.

    But my call for attention was drowned out by the music.

    And then I saw her.

    She had her hands pressed up against her head as though she was in intense pain.

    "Jasmine!"

    Barely inches away from her, the sses began to shatter, and people gasped.

    All the candles and lights in the entire hall went poof!

    The hall went into pitch darkness.

    In that instant, the hall was thrown into chaos.

    What the hell had just happened?

    I turned around just in time to see Jasmine copse.

    I caught her in my arms before shended on the ground.

    "Jasmine." I shook her gently. "It��s okay. I��m here now."

    But she was motionless.

    My wolf could hear her heart beating, and her pulse raced in perfect rhythm.

    She was alive, and yet she was unconscious.

    I looked at the dark spot at the bottom of her nose before setting my finger on it.

    It was blood.

    My face went grim.

    I cradled her against me and then picked her up correctly.

    I held her in my arms as I turned away from the crowd, while her head remained safely nestled in the nook of my arm.

    I walked through the confused group of people scrambling around and headed to my bedroom.

    Someone tried to run into me in their haste to reach safety.

    I growled so harshly that they ran back.

    The moment we got into the bedroom, the lights went out too, and it was only then that it urred to me that something had made all the lights in the royal pack go dark.

    When I gently set her on the bed.

    I closed my eyes to.

    I saw nothing wrong anymore.

    She was out of danger, and so I sighed a sigh of relief.

    I looked up and saw shattered ss by the bedside table.

    Gods!

    What had caused this?!

 Chapter 596: FEAR TO LOSE YOU

    <h4>Chapter 596: FEAR TO LOSE YOU</h4>

    I stood in the barley field with butterflies flying around while I awaited.

    The sun shined on me but it didn��t burn.

    Instead, it felt as though it drowned me with strength and happiness.

    I had no idea what I was waiting for.

    What had brought me here.

    Or why, I was here.

    "Jasmine!" I heard someone call out my name.

    A soft feminine voice.

    "Come on." I heard the same feminine voice call out to me.

    I turned around and walked towards where the voice was calling from.

    "Be careful not to trip darling." The gentlest and yet most radiant feminine voice.

    A voice that seemed to sound like a melody.

    A voice that seemed to have the power to calm down your nerves.

    I hadn��t seen the owner of this voice, and yet, Ig seemed familiar.

    I was filled with de ja vu.

    A familiarity so strong I couldn��t ce my finger where it came from.

    I walked on the grass until I came to the bank of a littleke.

    There a woman sat on the beach, backing me from seeing her.

    She had fire red hair and a in blue dress.

    "Come dear." The woman said.

    I was about to take a step closer but was forced to stop when I saw a little girl with bouncy red curls running to her.

    "Mummy look what I found!" The girl, a plump and well nourished child of perhaps the age 5 said.

    The little girl handed a flower that she held fiercely to the woman.

    "A Jasmine." The woman said as she collected the flower and ced it in her ear. "For the perfect Jasmine."

    The little girl giggled and then the woman gently assisted her to sit on herp.

    The girl leaned her head on the woman��s shoulder while the woman rocked her in her arms.

    The woman very gently and slowly began to sing a soft song.

    A song so alluring and powerful, I myself was enchanted and trapped in the web of its melodies.

    She sang and the little girl hung unto her peaceful.

    As she sang the song, I started to feel the overwhelming sensation of De Ja vu.

    I had never heard the song before in my entire life.

    But that tune.

    That tune seemed so familiar.

    Seemed to be something I knew somewhere.

    I found myself begin to hum in perfect harmony with the woman and it hit me.

    I knew this song.

    I knew it my entire life!

    Except never as a song, but as a hum.

    The woman stiffened and stopped singing the song.

    For a woman who had been so oblivious of my presence, she seemed to be aware that they were not alone.

    She slowly turned around and for the first time I saw her clearly for who she was.

    A beautiful youngdy with a perfect oval face, almond shaped eyes with emerald irises.

    Her lips were perfectly pink while her cheek bones highlighted her features.

    Her long, violent and untamed red curls framed her face in uniqueness.

    She looked nothing above someone who had seen twenty one new moon years.

    Her beauty was so stunning I was taken aback.

    She looked at me with confusion, recognition and then finally shock.

    "Jasmine?" She said confused.

    I instantly Jolted awake in a break of sweat.

    I gasped as I breathed heavily, trying to understand myself.

    "Jasmine!"

    It was Xaden.

    And he was seated in a couch by my side but was now up and alert.

    I breathed heavily lost and confused as he approached me.

    "What am I doing here?" I asked lost as I looked around. "How did I get here?"

    "Take it easy." Xaden said as he gently tried to help me sit up to the prodded pillows behind my back.

    He arranged it, while my brain scanned what the hell was actually going in.

    I was back in his bedroom.

    How did I even get here?

    The entire room was dark except for a single bright candle that illuminated the entire room.

    "How did I get here?" I asked.

    "I brought you." He stated. "How do you feel now?"

    I gave a light shrug. "I��m fine. How did I get here?"

    "You don��t remember anything?" He asked startled.

    I started to think through my head.

    What I could remember was my dream.

    The dream that seemed so real.

    The woman with red hair who called me by my name.

    A little girl who carried my name and called the woman with red hair her "mummy"

    And then I remembered the song she had sung for the little girl.

    The exact same song I had hummed.

    The one pearl had sung.

    The girl.

    Was that my mother?

    Was that why I knew how to hum the song?

    But my mother had never seen me grow up.

    She had died giving birth to me so what was happening?

    My whole thought process began to race.

    It was all too much for me to grasp.

    What did this all mean?

    I wished I could go find pearl now and tell her what I had seen.

    I had NEVER dreamt of my mother.

    Not when I had hoped to imagine what she looked like before I went to bed so she would appear to my dreams.

    It had never happened.

    And now yet, today, there was ady whom I had never seen in my entire life talking to a girl who carried my name?

    I wanted to think the girl was a younger version of myself but I had no childhood paintings of myself to remember what I looked like.

    I was stuck in a paradox I didn��t understand.

    "You don��t remember anything?" Xaden asked.

    I closed my eyes and tried to remember what I knew before my dream.

    "I was in the hall." I exined. "Felt blurry but that��s all I can recall."

    His face went grim. "You fainted."

    "What?"

    "The lights in the hall all went off. For Goddess only know reason why. So I brought you here." He said.

    I blinked and before I could ask any questions, he brought me a ss.

    "Drink this." He instructed.

    He handed it to me and before I couldin it was shoved down my throat.

    I drank the bitter liquid.

    "Next time you won��t take two sses of rum." He said as he collected the empty sses and set them aside.

    I became pale.

    "Was I drunk?" I asked horrified.

    "Fortunately not. Now that you��re fine I can tell you this.." He said as he rose to his feet.

    And then his face became a mask of thundercloud.

    "That was a stupid thing to do. Drinking two sses of rum? Something terrible could have happened to you. I would never forgive myself if I let anything happen to you again." He blurted out.

 Chapter 597: A COMPANION

    <h4>Chapter 597: A COMPANION</h4>

    I rose a brow at his words.

    Xaden was worried about me?

    Xaden who barely noticed me?

    And then it slowly hit me.

    Lately Xaden had been showing a lot of attention towards me.

    His jealousy streak in the ball room had been so evident and despite being umon, I found it very appealing.

    In fact it seemed to make me even want him more.

    Seeing him angry over me dancing with someone other than him.

    And now Xaden was furious with me over drinking alcohol.

    "I was just a bit thirsty." I said in all honesty. "I truly had no idea it was heavy rum. I thought a little bit of wine."

    Xaden had an annoyed mixed with a worried expression boldly written on his face.

    I looked down at my hands.

    "I��m sorry." I managed.

    I was unable to even stare into his eyes.

    He sighed exasperated before he left the bedside.

    I began to feel terrible.

    Just when he was showing me that he cared, he didn��t anymore.

    I chewed my bottom lip as the weight of the iing loneliness enveloped me.

    But to my surprise Xaden didn��t leave, rather he went to the far end of the bedroom and returned with a ss.

    He sat on the bed and gently handed it to me.

    "Drink." He said.

    I epted without question and began to sip.

    "Careful." He cautioned.

    I did and it tasted like a ginger and lemon juice mixed with other herbs.

    It instantly cured my throbbing headache and the wave of nausea I felt, started to fade off.

    "How do you feel now?" He asked me closely. "Better?"

    I nodded. "Yes I do. It tastes like magic."

    He collected the empty ss and set it on a table.

    "It��s a concoction Eleanor used to make for me whenever I got intoxicated." He said.

    Eleanor.

    I knew that her death had taken a toll on him and I couldn��t imagine what he went through carrying all that pain.

    Then I thought of myself who had lost my own baby and carried that pain every minute of the day.

    I heard a loud gush of wind blow before thunder struck.

    I jumped in fright, but his hand swiftly touched my shoulder.

    In that instant I became calm.

    "It��s just a thunder." He assured me.

    I nodded and soon I could hear the heavy dropping of rain.

    "Well, it seems the goddess is angry with us tonight." He said absentmindedly as he rose up to his feet.

    I watched him walk up to the balcony and close the flinging windows shut.

    "What really happenedst night?" I said as I massaged my temple. "Why did the lights just go off as you said?"

    "All the sses shattered too. See?" He said pointing to the windows.

    To my greatest surprise I saw that the sses were actually broken.

    He shut the window close before using the curtains to prevent the rain from spilling inside.

    "What happened? All of them?" I said in disbelief as I sat up properly.

    "Yes all of them." He said. "I don��t think there was a ss that was exempted from the massacre."

    "Has that ever happened before?" I asked him.

    "Not that I know of." He exined. "The thing is magic is banned in the royal pack. Queen Rose believed that the witches and mages either refused to help her find her daughter or were involved in her missing. So magic has been banned here ever since."

    I bit my bottom lip. "A lot has happened because of the missing princess."

    He shrugged.

    My mind was racing.

    Did the ss shattering and blown out candles have anything to do with my feeling dizzy.

    I had been more than just dizzy.

    I had believed I was going to die.

    The pain was so intense and indescribable yet the throne had kept on calling to me.

    As I imagined the throne in my mind I felt the wavering pain in my head.

    I gasped and pressed my head.

    "Don��t think about anything." Xaden told me.

    He was already by my side in a matter of seconds. "You need to rest."

    I took in a deep breath.

    He was right.

    A lot was going on with me and perhaps the best thing at the moment was resting.

    As the rain fell heavier, I adjusted in the bed and realized that I had a simple chemise on.

    I looked closely and realized that it was slightly transparent.

    Under the right light you would see the entire me.

    I gasped and gathered the nket to my chest.

    My face flushed in shame.

    "Did Urma change my clothes?" I asked uncertainly.

    "No." He said as he began to pick up pillows. "I did. By the time she had arrived I had already dressed you up."

    I nodded and tried to tell myself he had seen me so many times naked before.

    What made this time any different.

    He turned to leave with the pillow and I couldn��t help admiring the dark v that hung beneath his tummy.

    His sleeping pants were loose and I was left to salivate for what I had seen before.

    I closed my eyes quickly.

    I would not think of such things.

    "Where are you going?" I asked lost.

    "You need space." He said as he headed to the reclining couch. "So I��ll sleep here."

    Thunder struck so loud and terribly I jumped.

    My heart racing and my entire being filled with fear, I blurted out. "PLEASE STAY WITH ME IN THE BED!"

    By the time I had spoken those words they were already toote.

    He stopped and slowly turned to face me.

    I swallowed.

    What was the point of pretending?

    So I confidently said in a calm voice. "I don��t want to sleep alone. Please."

    He looked at me for a while as if contemting on rejecting me.

    Relief rushed over me the moment he came to the bed and set the pillows by the headboard.

    He climbed inside the bed with me and I moved for him to have way.

    I turned my back on him and closed my eyes.

    With his presence, the terrors washed away and I could finally sleep.

    "Thank you." I mumbled half asleep.

 Chapter 598: A NIGHT OF PASSION

    <h4>Chapter 598: A NIGHT OF PASSION</h4>

    The rain dropped heavily over the windows and spilled onto the balcony before going through the holes.

    The cool air gushed, and the rainy weather made me cozy.

    I was sound asleep when I heard a thunderstorm so loud and terrifying that I was jolted out of my sleep.

    I gasped, alert, and felt a firm hand on my arm.

    I opened my eyes and saw that I was in the arms of none other than Xaden.

    He held me in such a firm foetal position.

    He didn��t suffocate me; instead, he held me in such a position that I was safe.

    I looked at him and admired his beauty.

    His perfect, long, darkshes that women would kill to have.

    His full brows that were so well carved, you would think it had been done by a stylist, when I knew better than anyone else that it was natural.

    His dark hair framed his head.

    Everything about him radiated beauty and perfection.

    As he slept peacefully, he looked like a child, and all I wanted to do was hold him and protect him from the imperfect world outside.

    I wanted to hate him with everything in me, and yet I couldn��t.

    Yet all I could think of was how he carried as much trauma as I did.

    Remembering what Eleanor had told me about him had made me see him in a different light.

    To everyone else, he was the greatest Alpha who ever lived.

    He had done better than his ancestors ever had, and yet on the inside, he was a sad and lonely man.

    I reached out to touch his hair gently.

    He smelled masculine, and yet a mix of feminine aura enveloped him.

    He smelled like Xaden.

    As the rain poured heavily, I slowly touched his hair and cupped his cheek.

    How could I exin that looking at him made parts of myself melt?

    Made me fall in love with him even more.

    He grumbled in his sleep and held me firmly.

    I paused for a while until he was calm.

    The creases on his forehead disappeared, reced by a rxed expression.

    I wondered if he had held me in his sleep or if he had done it before he slept off.

    Regardless of how it was, I wanted it tost forever.

    I wanted to stay with him here.

    He turned his head very gently, and I let my fingers trace his cheeks.

    He began to mumble in his sleep.

    At first, it was a soft and light mumbling, but soon his body began to tremble.

    He began to growl hostilely, and so I pulled back.

    This was like De Ja vu.

    The very first night I had spent in his bedroom, when I had copsed from being poisoned, he had behaved just like this.

    I could see the fur on his chest begin to appear, and his tattoos slowly fade away.

    I didn��t need to look down to know that his ws had started to sprout.

    He started howling, still in his sleep, during this transformation, and then he began to whimper.

    Like a wounded wolf.

    He whimpered amidst howling, and so without thinking, I caught him in my arms and whispered into his ears.

    "It��s okay," I informed him. "I��m here. Nothing is going to happen to you. It��s okay."

    He kept on struggling before I kissed his forehead gently.

    His body instantly went stiff.

    He ultimately stopped shaking.

    I saw the fur begin to disappear, and the ws began to recede.

    He was transforming back.

    I rubbed his hair and held him close to me:

    "It��s okay," I whispered. "It��s only a nightmare. I��m here."

    His breathing stabilized, and soon he was back to normal.

    I breathed a sigh of relief.

    This was the second time this had happened.

    Was it nightmares from his attack as a child?

    We had never spoken about it before.

    I felt his groin harden against me, and I paused.

    My body shamelessly reacted with my nipples getting hard.

    Soon, his hands that were supposed to be asleep, slowly traced my body and found my arms.

    I couldn��t tell whether he was asleep or awake.

    My inner parts began to tingle with desire for his touch.

    He mumbled softly as he began to use his fingers to trace my thighs.

    I moaned in pleasure as I shamelessly parted my thighs so he could have better ess.

    His fingers soon went in, and I closed my eyes as I chewed my bottom lip.

    He ran his spare finger over my nipples and began to rub them, stimting me further.

    I gasped in pleasure as his fingers slowly worked in between my legs.

    I was so wet and moist that I could hear the friction between his finger and my juices.

    In an instant, he was over me and his eyes wide open stared down at me.

    Thunder struck, and for a split second, I saw his face clearly.

    His eyes were filled with hunger and passion.

    He went down on me, and when I believed he was going to kiss my lips, he went down on my neck.

    I gasped as he began sucking on me.

    While sucking on my neck, he rubbed in between my legs in a gentle, yet up-and-down motion.

    I could feel myself spilling more.

    "Gods Jasmine." He gasped.

    I parted my legs wider for me.

    I was so shameless in my hunger and passion for him.

    I needed him so much.

    I desired to feel him enter me.

    "Xaden, please," I begged him. "I need you."

    "I don��t want to hurt you." He told me with fear in his eyes.

    I shook my head as I cupped his cheek. "You��re not going to. Please."

    It seemed that was all the confirmation he needed.

    In a matter of seconds, his pants were gone, and I could now feel his manhood sorge and hard rubbing against me.

    I began to weep.

    "Please, Xaden, please," I begged.

    He rubbed himself against my wetness, denying me the pleasure of filling him.

    Unable to take it anymore, I grabbed his manhood and guided it inside.

    With my help, he drove inside me.

    I screamed the moment he went in.

    He didn��t waste time.

    He began to move back and forth inside me.

    I screamed while he groaned in pleasure.

    He called my name and groaned every time he plunged back in.

    I gasped, moaning my ears off.

    I grabbed the bedsheets, the pillows, and his back.

    ANYTHING!

    We both acted like feral beasts, dying to quench our thirst.

    The cold weather and heavy raindrops only intensified our passion.

    I screamed as I felt myself begin toe, and as though he knew I was reaching my heights, he quickened his pace and started to ram himself

    In and out of me.

    I could hear the water in between my legs sshing with friction.

    In a matter of seconds, he exploded inside me, and I came, my entire body vibrating.

 Chapter 599: FORGIVENESS

    <h4>Chapter 599: FORGIVENESS</h4>

    The moment he came inside me, I felt it.

    We both took deep and heavy breaths, trying to catch our breath.

    It had been so intense and mind-blowing that I still couldn��t believe we had just done that.

    He took in an intense breath, and our eyes made contact.

    He rolled off of me, and I felt disappointed that our connection was over.

    Only for me to be surprised when he caught me in his arms and pulled me up to him.

    I stiffened, surprised at his willingness to hold me so close to him.

    I slowly eased into thefort of his arms and rxed.

    For a while, none of us said anything.

    The only thing that could be heard was our breathing, the heavy raindrops, shes of light, and the thunder strikes.

    He gently yed with my hair and said. "Are you okay?"

    I nodded. "Yes."

    He fastened his hold around me and continued ying with my hair.

    "I prefer your red to the ck." He said. "You should never dye your hair ck again."

    I blushed at hispliment.

    I had my reasons for doing so.

    "Can I ask you something?" I asked.

    "Yes." He said as I felt him dangle a strand of my hair in between his fingertips.

    "Do you frequently have nightmares?" I asked.

    I felt him stiffen instantly.

    He said nothing for a while, and I regretted asking the question because I had ruined the mood between the two of us.

    "Sometimes I do." He said quietly. "How do you know?"

    "I heard you in your sleep," I exined. "And then the other time, when I first spent the night in your bedroom. You were having nightmares, too."

    As my heady on his chest, I could hear his heartbeat.

    I wanted to stay like this forever.

    "I��m used to it now. I��m sorry if it was a bother to you." He apologized softly.

    "No, it didn��t," I said quickly. "I was just worried about you."

    I saw him swallow, and then he rubbed my back with his arms.

    "Thank you." He said.

    I went quiet too.

    Together we justy there unable to say a word.

    "Jasmine." He began. "I��m sorry. I��m sorry for everything I ever put you through."

    My fingers froze.

    I froze.

    I had no idea how to react to what he had to say.

    "You don��t deserve it." He said into the night. "My apologies are the least you deserve. It won��t make up for the things I��ve done. Or the mistakes I��ve made. Neither will it bring back our daughter."

    I felt the tears begin to well up in my eyes.

    "But I need to say it." He said. "I��m sorry. So sorry."

    I burst into uncontroble tears and began to weep.

    I wept so much, and he cradled my body, speaking soothing words into my ear

    I wept like a baby, releasing all my frustration and anger.

    It felt like the rain was washing down everything I had built up in me.

    The years and years of my pain I had choked in.

    Neither my father nor my stepmother ever apologized to me, nor did Jessica.

    No one ever did.

    But hearing him say it healed a part of me I never knew was broken from the start.

    He cradled me and spoke gentle words into my ears as I wept.

    When I was fine, I went down to whimpers.

    He held me so protectively, and I knew I was safe.

    Soon, I was quiet, the tears gone, and only my eyes were weak and tired from crying.

    "I��m going to make amends. I promise you." He said.

    I looked up at him.

    Did this mean everything would be different when we moved back to the Crescent Pack tomorrow?

    That I had a brighter future?

    Are things between the two of us going to change for life?

    This promise my Alpha had made.

    He kissed my forehead softly and whispered. "I promise you."

    I looked up at him and found myself reaching my lips to his.

    We kissed, and soon it became passionate again.

    Except this time, it was slow and mature.

    With every touch, he explored, we were slow and passionate.

    With every stroke he pulled in and out of me, from the moment he sent me down on my belly and had me on my knees.

    It was filled with maturity and passion.

    Every second he plunged in and out, our pain became our pleasure.

    We spent the entire night making love until we fell asleep.

    When I was asleep, he whispered in my ear. "I hope you forgive me."

    ?

    The next morning, I slowly woke up to light rays of the sun streaking into the bedroom.

    I smiled and turned around to feel Xaden, but he wasn��t beside me in bed.

    I rushed my hands all over the space where he was supposed to be sound asleep.

    But it felt empty.

    I slowly opened my eyes and gasped, sitting up.

    Xaden wasn��t there.

    Had I just imagined the previous night on my own?

    I looked down at myself and saw that I was naked under the bed covers, and my thighs were weak, evidence of what had happened the previous night.

    I rubbed my eyes and leaned back into the pillows.

    I smiled to myself when I remembered the events of the previous night.

    We were going to the Crescent Pack today, which meant we would finally start something new.

    The door opened and Hildegard emerged.

    I happily got up from my bed in excitement.

    "Oh, Hildegard!" I said as I held the bedcovers to cover my nudity.

    As I raced to her, I noticed that she didn��t have a smile on her face.

    I stopped.

    "What��s wrong?" I asked her. "Is everything okay?"

    She managed a weak smile. "Yes. But I have something to tell you."

    I furrowed my brows, fear beginning to creep in.

    "What��s wrong? What��s happened?!" I demanded. "Where is Xaden?"

    "Xaden is fine." She told me.

    I breathed a sigh of relief.

    "And Nanny Nia?" I asked.

    "Nanny Nia is fine." She said.

    I closed my eyes, relieved. "So what��s wrong?"

    "They are gone." She dropped the bombshell.

 Chapter 600: ABANDONED

    <h4>Chapter 600: ABANDONED</h4>

    I blinked at Hildegard.

    "Gone, what do you mean? Gone?" I said lost.

    She took in a deep breath. "Jasmine I-

    I scoffed at Hildegard.

    "Please, is Nanny Nia putting you up to one of her many boring tricks?" I said andughed.

    I walked to the bed to find my dress.

    "I��m sorry tough, Hildegard, but I��ve told her times without number those tricks never work. And quite frankly, don��t ever believe her when she tells me." I said as I shook my head.

    I giggled and searched for my dress.

    "There it is," I said and picked it up. "I just remembered Hildegard. The dress was amazing. It made the night so beautiful. Felt like a fairy tale."

    Hildegard nodded with a tight-lipped smile as she approached me. "And you��re wee for that. I��m d you did. But Jasmine, this isn��t a joke."

    She��s standing before me now, her face written with worry and difort.

    "They are gone." She insisted.

    I looked around, trying to understand the point of this game. "Gone? Okay, gone to where exactly?"

    She shook her head. "They went back to the Crescent pack."

    I stared at her while the pregnant silence enveloped the room.

    Hildegard looked so serious.

    I burst intoughter.

    "Oh, please, Hildegard." I said. "This is actually a good one."

    I set the chemise against my body.

    It was see-through.

    So I neatly folded it and set it aside before walking to the closet to find one of the dresses Nanny Nia had packed up for me.

    I found a cream dress and put it over my head.

    Hildegard was still following after me.

    "Jasmine, this isn��t a joke. Why would I joke about something like this?" She asked me.

    "Because there is no way in hell Nanny Nia would leave me," I said as I pulled my hair from the back of my dress. "Not possible."

    I adjusted the dress down my body till it was close to my toes.

    "Will you help me, please?" I asked Hildegard.

    She zipped up my dress for me with a sigh.

    "Thank you!" I winked. "Now I��ll have to go find Nanny Nia myself. Moreover, we��re supposed to be leaving the royal pack today."

    I had no idea what silly joke Nanny Nia had going on, but at least it was a trial.

    She was always guilty of pulling the most ridiculous pranks.

    And they never seemed to work on me or even anyone.

    "Search for Xaden��s clothes!" Hildegard said.

    I stopped right in my tracks, just as I was about to open the door and head out.

    "What?" I asked, slowly turning around.

    "Yes, Jasmine." She nodded. "If you think this is all some joke, then check the closet and see if you can find any of Xaden��s clothes."

    I stared at Hildegard.

    I became tense.

    What was she getting at?

    "Check Jasmine." She invited.

    I slowly walked to the closet and told myself this was all a joke.

    I opened the drawers and doors in search of his clothes.

    But I found nothing.

    I had expected to find something hanging.

    However, there was no indication that Xaden had ever been here before.

    Panicked, I started pulling the drawers out.

    Frantically searching for any trace of him.

    I pulled out the dresses that were unfortunately mine and searched through them.

    I started to panic.

    "Jasmine, calm down." I heard her plead.

    I ignored her and went to the other side of the room.

    I went under the bed to find perhaps one of his pairs of shoes.

    There was none.

    I searched.

    But there was nothing that indicated he had ever even been in the room.

    My eyes welled up with tears, and I began to shiver.

    "No, no, no." I said to myself as I searched.

    "Please, Jasmine." I heard Hildegard plead with me behind.

    But I refused to calm down.

    I marched out of the room and headed for Jessica��s bedroom, which was supposed to have been mine.

    I raced down the halls and went downstairs in search of the left wing.

    I finally found Jessica��s room.

    I didn��t care if she had gone or was still here.

    I only wanted to confirm the crazy story Hildegard was telling me.

    I wanted to see Jessica in the room and tell Hildegard to never prank me like that again.

    But to my horror, the moment I opened the door, no Jessica was brooding around.

    In her stead, about three maids were cleaning the room and rearranging.

    I slowly walked in.

    "Where is She?" I asked.

    The girls looked at each other in confusion.

    "Where is Jessica?!" I snapped.

    The girls jumped. "She is gone. We��re only cleaning the room."

    I felt a chill run down my spine, and my throat went instantly dry.

    I walked to the closet, hoping to find Jessica��s luxurious clothes.

    I didn��t find a single one.

    My heart began to race so fast, and I felt a wave of dizziness hit me.

    I couldn��t believe what was happening.

    I tried to control myself.

    This couldn��t be true.

    I swallowed hard and managed to ask the girls. "Where has she gone? Did she follow the princess somewhere?"

    They looked at me as if I were crazy. "No, she went with her brother and the other members of the Crescent pack. They all left."

    And it hit me like a bomb.

    Felt like an arrow that had pierced my heart.

    Dazed and in disbelief, I slowly turned around and walked out of the room.

    I had no idea where I was going, what I was even thinking, until I felt Hildegard catch my arms and jerk me back to reality.

    "Jasmine, are you okay?" She asked to check my face and looked at me with a worried expression stamped on hers.

    I slowly looked up at hers, and then the tears began to stream from my cheeks.

    "No. I��m not okay." I shook my head. "They left me."

    And I wept in the hallway as Hildegard held onto me.

 Chapter 601: HIS DECISION

    <h4>Chapter 601: HIS DECISION</h4>

    XADEN��S POV.

    I woke up that morning ahead of time.

    It must have still been dusk because everywhere was extremely quiet and dark.

    I looked down and saw Jasmine was cuddled in my arms.

    I sat up a bit with the assistance of my elbow to watch her sleep.

    She looked like an angel.

    I gently touched her curls and admired the freckles at the bridge of her nose.

    I rememberedst night, and shes of the things we had done came flooding to me in a matter of seconds.

    I tucked a loose curl behind her ear before very gently kissing her forehead.

    Reluctantly, I eased her grip on me and covered the duvet well over her body.

    When I was sure she was sound asleep, I finally got up from the bed.

    I put on my pants from the floor and wore my boots.

    I quietly picked up a shirt and headed out of the bedroom.

    I made sure to close the bedroom door as quietly as possible.

    The moment I got into the hallway, it wasn��t dark anymore.

    They had been lit with candles once again.

    Whatever reason they had gone off and the sses had shattered was yet to be exined.

    I heard the raindrops pouring as I walked by.

    I went straight to the Queen��s private study, where I knew I would find her.

    She was inside reading a book and marking out a map with apass.

    "Xaden." She said a smile spread across her beautiful, wrinkled face. "You��re up already."

    "Good morning, your majesty." I bowed.

    She set aside herpass.

    "Good morning, Xaden." She said and then took off her reading sses. "I��m sure you��re wondering what happenedst night. We believe it was the weight of Auburn��s transformation. She has so much power and proof of being the next heir to this pack."

    "I see." I nodded uninterested.

    Are you ready to go?" She asked.

    I sighed heavily. "The earlier we leave here, the better."

    The Queen said nothing at first.

    She stared at me as she tapped her fingers on the desk.

    "Thank you foring to my home, Xaden. I had to see you." She expressed. "It��s good that I did. I know that you hate us here. And for that, I don��t me you. After all, if we had been more active, your parents would still be alive."

    I said nothing, and she smiled at me. "I��m sorry about what happened to your child, too."

    I winced at her words.

    "Jasmine lost the baby, yes. A mother��s pain can never be understood. But you aren��t heartless. I know you feel pain for the loss, too." She said to me.

    She was wrong about it.

    I was heartless.

    I didn��t have a heart.

    But she was right too.

    I felt pain for the loss.

    Regret.

    Shame.

    "You know, Xaden, when you told me you wished to speak to me the very first day you came here." She cleared her throat. "I would never have expected it to be on Jasmine��s behalf. Are you sure you��re making the right decision?"

    "Is her royal majesty ufortable with Jasmine��s stay here?" I asked directly.

    "The Goddess Selene! No! Of course not! I adore that girl as if she were my own. Sometimes I wish she were mine." Rose exined. "But I want to be sure."

    "She has suffered enough. I found out everything. My own sister Anna. She was the one who was raised right. Never Jasmine. Jasmine was raised like a beggar. She was raised with hate. And I hated her. The same hate she didn��t deserve, I gave it to her." I said in choked words. "Now I don��t know for sure if Anna lied about the assassination attempt on my life. But I��m still investigating and I won��t be surprised to. This entire time she has lied to me, and I stupidly believed her!"

    It burned me to know that my own sister.

    My own flesh and blood had deceived me from day one.

    She had never suffered a day in her life until the day I had ransacked the pack.

    And yet she had painted it as though she had been raised to suffer for being our parents�� daughter.

    The news hade to me the day before we left the pack, and I had managed to hold back my anger.

    The betrayal of it all!

    Having to pretend this entire time that I didn��t know what she had done!

    All this time, it had been Jasmine, Bale��s own flesh and blood, who had seen hell.

    "Who else knows what other lies she has said to me?" I said. "No. Anna ising with me, where I will deal with her. She is going to be given her rightful punishment, and the Goddess help her, I find out she lied about Jasmine��s affair. I��ll banish her."

    I sighed heavily before setting my hands on my waist and pacing the room.

    I rubbed my chin, restless.

    "I don��t want Jasmine to remember what she went through. The trauma of it all. She needs to start afresh. She needs to choose her own path. She won��t if she keeps remembering what happened there." I said.

    I had almost lost my mind making this decision.

    I didn��t want to let her go.

    I wanted to keep her with me, especially when I had discovered she had been innocent all along.

    She had been genuine, and yet I had punished her for her kindness.

    Holding her back was still going to be me being selfish

    She deserved peace.

    "I know she is looking for her Uncle and her mother��s people," I said. "She will find that here. And I trust you will protect her."

    "I will, Xaden. I��ve paid my debt to you." Queen Rose said, rising to her feet. "You��ve given her free will. She might not understand it now, but she wouldter."

    I nodded.

    "Why can��t I stay with her?" Nanny Nia demanded. "Leave Jasmine?! Never!"

    Under the heavy rain as it slowly began to be the crack of dawn, Nanny Nia marched back towards the hall.

    I caught her back.

    "Because you can��t," I said. "The King agreed for Jasmine to stay. He insisted that only she would stay. That was his condition. The Queen tried everything, but it was that or nothing."

    "I��ll pay to stay." Nanny Nia pleaded. "I��ll work for them again."

    I held her arms as the rain beat us heavily. "I��m sorry. You can��t."

    "But I have to say goodbye. I can��t leave her alone." She said.

    And then the older woman burst into tears, and I hugged her in my arms.

    She wept over and over.

    "She is in safe hands. I assure you." I said to her, and I managed to keep myposure.

    As the rain poured down heavily on us, I began to feel warmth on my face.

    Were these tears?

    Was I crying too?

    The first andst time I had cried was when we had been attacked and I had watched my parents being killed.

    Never again.

    Yet here I was.

    I led Nanny Nia to her carriage and shut the door.

    I could still hear her crying.

    I looked at the bedroom we had spent the night in and forced myself to climb on my horse and lead the procession out of the royal pack.

 Chapter 602: CHOOSE YOUR PATH JASMINE!

    <h4>Chapter 602: CHOOSE YOUR PATH JASMINE!</h4>

    JASMINE��S POV

    Hildegard hugged me and rubbed my back while I wept like a baby.

    The pain of the betrayal was unbearable.

    How could they all leave me just like that?

    Xaden. Nanny Nia?

    The only home I hade to know was the Crescent pack.

    Despite all the awful things I had grown to face, it had still been my home.

    This meant I would never go to my daughter��s grave.

    I was abandoned here in the midst of strangers.

    It broke me.

    "Even Nanny Nia." I wept. "I thought she cared about me. I thought she really did. So it was all a pretense."

    Hildegard quickly let me go and caught my cheeks in her hands.

    "No!" She said. "Don��t ever say that. Nia loved you like you were her own. I��ve never seen her love or care for anyone like you."

    I turned my cheeks away and cried, unable to believe anything Hildegard had to say.

    "If she did, then why didn��t she stay?" I said. "I understand Xaden is going. But her? She became my family. She took care of me when I had no one to turn to. And now she left me?"

    I coughed violently and shook my head, refusing to believe this.

    I withdrew from Hildegard��s grip and began to walk in the direction of my room.

    "No, Jasmine," Hildegard said, going after me. "She wanted to stay. She didn��t even want to leave you. She had wanted to stay even though she wasn��t being paid. She didn��t mind working for the royal family to stay near you. Nia would never leave you. Not by her own free will."

    I sniffed as I coughed into my arm and staggered down the hall.

    I don��t care if anyone was looking at me; I just wanted to get out of here.

    I pushed the bedroom door open and went in.

    Hildegard caught my hand and forced me to look at her.

    "LOOK AT ME, JASMINE!" She snapped aloud.

    I jerked at the force of her words.

    She caught my arms and shook me.

    In a much calmer voice, he said, "Look at me, Jasmine. I want you to look at me."

    "Nia, that I know, would never have left you alone unless she was made to," Hildegard said. "I want you to understand that. Don��t let this change anything about how you feel about her. Okay?"

    I managed to nod my head, but in all earnest, I was weak.

    Then she pulled me into a hug again.

    This time, I didn��t cry anymore.

    I just rested my head on her shoulder while she rocked back and forth.

    Did this mean I��ll never go back to the Crescent pack?

    I thought of my conversation with Xaden aboutshes.

    Was this what he meant by a fresh start?

    Leaving me here all alone.

    "Excuse me." A small female voice said.

    Hildegard let go of me, and we turned to find a petite maid peeking at us.

    "I��m sorry to interrupt you." The girl said. "But Her Majesty has sent for....her."

    She was referring to me.

    Hildegard nodded. "Thank you."

    The girl curtseyed and left.

    "Do you want to rest first?" She asked me, worry written all over her face. "I can tell Rose that you��ve had a stressful night and-

    I shook my head as I wiped my tears. "No, I can��t do that. She is the Queen. If she wants to see me, then she has to. Moreover, I��m fine. You don��t need to worry about that."

    Hildegard looked at me all over and then pulled out a hankie from one of her pockets.

    She handed it to me, and I mumbled a thank you before wiping my face clean.

    "Come." She said and led me towards where I would find the Queen.

    Once we got to the tall mahogany doors, she gently cupped my cheeks and looked at me.

    "And you��re not alone, Jasmine," Hildegard said. "I��m here for you. If you��d like, you could spend the night with me if you��re feeling lonely. Okay?"

    I nodded. "Thank you."

    She nodded at the guards who opened the door for us.

    I walked in.

    "I��ll be waiting here for you." She told me before they shut the door.

    I turned to look inside where I was.

    This wasn��t the throne room; it was more of a private room.

    There were shelves of books, paintings, a few rxing chairs, and a reading table.

    But there was no bed.

    "Jasmine." Queen Rose said from behind her desk.

    I walked up to her and curtseyed. "Your majesty."

    "I��m so sorry for what happened to you." She said as she got up from her seat.

    I said nothing because I had no idea how to respond.

    "Would you like to sit?" She offered me.

    I shook my head. "No, thank you, your majesty."

    "Xaden left you here because he wanted you to have a fresh start." She said with a sigh. "He wanted you to choose something different this time."

    "My apologies, your majesty. But how would I choose when he decided for me?" I said through gritted teeth.

    She sighed and looked around as she sat back in her seat.

    "Well, you aren��t wrong about that." Queen Rose said. "Xaden, like any and every other man, isplicated. They often make the worst decisions and believe they are making the right ones. I��ve experienced that myself."

    I said nothing.

    "I��m aware you are still looking for your family?" She asked me as she examined some scrolls before her.

    "Yes, your majesty." I nodded.

    She wrapped up one of the scrolls and handed it to me.

    I received it.

    "This is an official seal letting you stay here of your own free ord to search for your family. with Otto until you have found them." She told me as I slowly opened it. "That is what you want, isn��t it?"

    She was right.

    I had chosen to search for my uncle and my mother��s people, but time was running out.

    If I had left the royal pack today, then I would probably never have discovered them.

    "Yes, your majesty," I said.

    "Sometimes Jasmine." She began by opening her hand and showing a me appear. "Life throws us different paths. We have to find our way. Would we fuel that path..."

    And then she increased the fire, and it became as big as her palm.

    "Or we quench it." And then she reduced the fire until there was nothing there.

    I looked in amazement.

    She smiled. "Perks of being the Red me Wolf Queen, isn��t it?"

    I nodded in amusement.

    "Create your own path, Jasmine." She said as she leaned back in her chair. "And you might be surprised to hear this, but Jasmine, having you here makes me the happiest I��ve ever been in a very long time."

    I smiled at her. "Thank you, your majesty."

    And with that, I left the room with one mission.

    I was going to find my Uncle and my mother��s people.

 Chapter 603: FIRE!

    <h4>Chapter 603: FIRE!</h4>

    JASMINE��S POV

    The moment I left the Queen��s study, I took in an intense breath.

    I was overwhelmed by the sheer betrayal of it all.

    He had imed he would let me choose, but he had decided for me.

    Just when I had assumed everything was getting better.

    When I assumed things were finally going to be fine.

    I took in a deep breath.

    I wanted nothing to do with him anymore.

    I was going to find my uncle and my mother��s family and leave all these people.

    I would finally find my family.

    That was what mattered.

    Firstly, I was going to find the siren, Pearl.

    From the little information I had gathered from her, I needed to know more.

    Especially since I had seen that woman in my dream.

    She came shing to me.

    The way she had sung the song.

    The way she had called me by my name.

    Was that my mother?

    It had to be.

    Who else had red hair?

    From there, I would find Otto and begin trying to fix all the puzzles on the map he had so badly looked for.

    I turned around and remembered that Hildegard was supposed to be waiting for me.

    "Where is Lady Hildegard?" I asked.

    "She was called aside." One of the guards replied. "But I��m sure she would return."

    I swallowed and nodded before heading out on my way.

    It was good, I didn��t even get to meet her.

    How was I going to exin my whereabouts?

    I went down the hallway and followed the narrow steps down to the gardens.

    I almost crashed into someone at a bend.

    "I��m so sorry." I apologized.

    To my horror, it was none other than the King himself.

    I subconsciously took two steps back.

    "Your majesty," I said, looking down at my feet.

    I could feel his energy.

    I hadn��t been in this much proximity since I had caught him cheating on the Queen.

    "Look at me!" He ordered.

    I did as I was asked, and I stared into the eyes of the man who lied to his wife.

    Who betrayed her by sleeping with his sister-inw?

    It was terrible.

    "I would have never wanted you here." He began. "If it weren��t for my wife."

    His green eyes disgustingly red at me.

    Like I wasn��t worth even looking at.

    "You��re mannerless." He began. "And you��re atent wolf. Everywhere you go, you attract something bad. Your parents, your pack."

    I was nothing to his harsh usations.

    "You will not bring your ill luck to my family." He pointed a warning finger at me. "Do you understand me?!"

    I nodded. "Yes, your majesty."

    I wondered when he was going to bring up what I had seen.

    "You will have to earn your ce here. Nothing is free. The moment I get oneint about your behavior, you are out. Do you understand me?" He hissed.

    "Yes, your majesty," I replied dutifully.

    At that moment, none other than Princess Auburn came.

    She had a nasty and mischievous smile on her face.

    "Grandpa." She said in a false tone as she held his arm. "You shouldn��t be mad at her. She is a less fortunate wolf. I mean..... unshifted."

    He looked at me. "I��m telling you this, girl. Suppose it weren��t for my family. You would have never been epted here!"

    "Oneint! Just one!" He warned me. "Now get out!"

    I curtseyed and hurried out of his way.

    I was relieved to be away from him.

    He terrified me.

    And I wondered why he never mentioned what I had seen.

    He had acted like it never happened.

    I knew Auburn��s defense wasn��t genuine.

    I knew she didn��t like me, and I wanted to avoid her.

    I didn��t want another Anna situation.

    She was the least of my problems.

    I had to find my way home.

    I went out to the gardens and made sure no one was following me.

    The moment I saw the coast was precise, I went on my way.

    In about ten minutes, I had found theke.

    "Pearl!" I called out. "Pearl."

    But there was no answer.

    Theke was still, with not a single ripple in sight.

    "Pearl, pleasee out!" I begged. "I need to speak to you. It��s Jasmine."

    But she didn��t.

    I chewed on my bottom lip, wondering if I had put her in trouble.

    Or perhaps she didn��t want to see me anymore.

    I picked up a rock and flung it into the water.

    There was no response.

    I itched the back of my hair and angrily left.

    I was frustrated!

    As I stormed back towards the castle in a state of anger, I saw Auburn re at me.

    "Good goddess." She gasped.

    "How dirty and mannerless you are." She said to me, and a giggle erupted amongst her ring of friends. "Chewing your fingers. So dirty. Some people should never rub their shoulders around others."

    I stopped short, and my eyes filled with venomous anger. I looked at her.

    "What do you want to do?" She taunted. "Hit me?"

    I was brewing with so much anger when all of a sudden, Auburn started to sniff.

    She and the other girls joined.

    "What is that?" Auburn asked.

    "Fire!" A she-wolf screamed.

    To my surprise, the tail of her dress was on fire.

    Auburn screamed and bounced around while her girls tried to put it off.

    "Put it off! Do something! You idiots! Someone do something!" She screamed.

    Some guards came running towards them.

    One of her minions snatched a jar from a servant and poured the liquid on Auburn.

    It did the work, except she was now drenched in purple liquid.

    There was a still silence.

    Auburn screamed.

    The girl started apologizing.

    I startedughing.

    Auburn red at me, her eyshes wet with purple liquid.

    "You STUPID girl!" She screamed at me. "You did this!"

    I raised a brow. "How?"

    She stomped her feet and ran off, crying, with her girls trooping right behind her.

    Iughed so well and I shed a tear.

    It was the first time I hadughed today.

 Chapter 604: THE RETURN

    <h4>Chapter 604: THE RETURN</h4>

    By the time we arrived back at the Crescent Pack, the sun had long risen, but it did nothing to warm me.

    The ride had been silent; no one dared speak.

    The rain that had followed us halfway home had soaked through my cloak and chilled me to the bone, yet the cold wasn��t what bit the hardest. It was the emptiness.

    We had spent four days on the road, and it had been one of the most exhausting journeys I had ever encountered

    Nanny Nia was quiet.

    Had refused to say an entire word to me or anyone else.

    To show her defiance, she didn��t cook for anyone.

    The rest of the men and maids had to scramble to prepare meals.

    Nanny Nia kept to herself.

    Anna had thrown tantrums ande crying to me.

    "Xaden." Anna puckered her lips. "Nia has REFUSED to cook any meals. I��m hungry and exhausted! I need to have my bath with warm water. The water from theke is COLD!"

    She looked like an absolute mess.

    Her beautiful blonde curls weren��t perfect-looking anymore.

    Her dress was shabby, and her eyes were red.

    She looked like aplete wreck!

    "I thought you could do menial work?" I asked her with folded arms.

    She blinked at me in shock.

    She shivered terribly. "Wh.... Wh... what?"

    "You told me," I said, sizing her up and down. "That you were maltreated terribly in the moonlight pack. Weren��t you?"

    "Yes, I was. That��s what I said." Anna said quickly.

    "Good." I nodded. "So now tell me if you were raised badly, while Jasmine was treated as a princess, then at least you should be able to know how to cook, fetch water, and serve your needs. After all, it��s what servants do."

    She blinked at me, and her eyes went red in shock.

    Her face flustered, and I could see the deceit in her eyes.

    "Yes." She said, and then she began to find ways to cover her tracks. "I mean. I can do that. It��s just that. I��ve been used to the good life you gave me. I didn��t think you would want me suffering after everything I��ve been through."

    I gritted my teeth at the deception.

    I couldn��t believe it.

    She was now trying to manipte and gaslight me!

    Howe I had never seen this side of her?

    Had I been so blinded by the fact that I wanted my sister to be alive?

    That I wanted to make up for the things I had believed she had lost, I hadpletely shut my eyes to her true nature.

    "Well, Jasmine was appropriately raised, and yet she still got used to being a ve, didn��t she? So why would it be hard for you to do something that you have done your entire life?" I asked her with a cocked brow.

    Her face was white as snow, and I could tell I had made her very ufortable.

    She mumbled something inaudibly and left.

    I let out a sigh of relief.

    Goddess!

    I was still going to have to deal with her.

    I now needed to get confirmation that she didn��t purposely lie about Jasmine having an affair.

    That was going to be the final icing on the cake.

    Jasmine.

    As I looked back up at our beautiful pack.

    At home, I felt a sudden loneliness overwhelm me.

    It didn��t feel like home anymore.

    Felt more like a house.

    The weight of her absence hit me like a p on the face as I looked at the massive walls of the castle.

    She wasn��t going to be here.

    How was I going to cope?

    How was I going to adjust?

    And for a split second, I began to wonder how the hell I had lived my entire life without her.

    Every h on the cobblestones echoed the same thought in my mind: She��s gone.

    When I dismounted, Erik was already there to meet me, his eyes searching my face.

    Fiona stood beside him, her hands sped tightly in front of her as though bracing for bad news.

    Behind them, the warriors waited for mymand, but I had none to give.

    They were all waiting for me.

    "Wee back," Erik said to me with a nod as he received the reins of my horse.

    "Everything in order at the pack?" I asked.

    Before I could respond, my uncle Uther appeared.

    I had evenpletely forgotten he even existed.

    "My nephew," Uther said, his voice high in delight as he opened his arms up to me, pushing Erik away.

    I was taken into the embrace, and then he let go, still holding my shoulder.

    "How was the journey? And the royal family? Hope everything went well?" He asked me.

    I nodded. "Yes, it did. Thank you."

    Uther smiled.

    I withdrew from his hold.

    "Where��s Jasmine?" Fiona finally asked softly, looking around.

    I didn��t answer. I walked past them, stripping my gloves off and tossing them aside.

    My boots thudded heavily against the wet floor as I entered the main hall.

    The fire was out. The ce felt hollow, like a carcass of what it once had been.

    Erik followed me inside. "Xaden."

    Still, I said nothing. I poured myself a ss of water, downed it, and then poured another one to keep my hands busy.

    "She��s not with you, is she?" he asked, his tone now lower, cautious.

    "What?!" Fiona asked, rmed. "Xaden, where is my friend?"

    "She doesn��t belong to this pack anymore," I said weakly.

    Fiona��s voice cracked. "You left her there?"

    I ignored her and said nothing.

    "With who?!" Fiona barked. "Tell me with WHO?!"

    The servants quickly disappeared.

    "Who the fuck does she even know there, Xaden?!" Fiona said her eyes were seething with venom and rage.

    "With the royal pack," I replied. "Under Queen Rose��s protection."

    "You actually left her?" Fiona whispered, disbelief and something sharper��anger��slipping through her tone. "After everything she��s been through? After all she��s lost? She lost her child, and you fucking abandoned her?! SELENE!"

    Erik put a hand on her arm to quiet her, but I could see the same disappointment in his eyes.

    "I don��t want to talk about this," I said, dismissing the conversation and walking away.

    Fiona��s voice trembled. "That��s it, Xaden��great Alpha of the Crescent pack. Walk away. Walk away just like you walk away from everything else."

    I snapped back at her, my eyes burning in rage. I clenched my jaw. "I gave her freedom," I said through my teeth.

    "Something no one ever gave her. She��s not my prisoner. Not any longer."

    "Freedom?" Fiona scoffed. "Or guilt?"

    That hit harder than I expected.

    I clenched my fists as so many emotions overwhelmed me.

    I looked away, unable to meet her eyes.

    Before the silence could thicken any further, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed down the hall.

    "Xaden!" Anna called out to me, but I was already gone, refusing to hear what anyone else had to say.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Fiona shook her head.

    Her mind was racing, and her heart was pounding violently.

    She chewed on her lip so hard it bled.

    Her mind raced with so many thoughts she could barely keep them in ce.

    "Good goddess." She said to herself as she massaged her temple.

    Anna turned to look at her, her eyes red like hot iron.

    "You had to be a bitch didn��t you?!" Anna spat.

    Fiona turned to look at the rotten spoiled brat before her.

    Fiona took in a deep breath and told herself Anna wasn��t worth the trouble.

    "Jasmine is gone," Anna said. "The sooner you ept that, the better. You are next in line if you��re not careful."

    Fiona closed her eyes and begged the goddess to control her rage before she shifted and ripped Anna into pieces.

    Anna smiled triumphantly at Erik.

    "My mate." She said excitedly as she went to hug him.

    Fiona rolled her eyes in disgust.

    Erik pushed her away.

    Anna squeezed her face and turned to Uther.

    "Hello, uncle." She said.

    Uther kissed her forehead. "You look better than you did when you left."

    Anna beamed.

    "And if you ask me, I think it��s best for everyone. Good riddance to bad rubbish." Uther said, his eyes narrowing at everyone.

    Anna showed her teeth.

    "I knew you would feel the same, uncle," Anna said.

    He gave her his arms, and together they walked away.

    Fiona breathed a sigh of relief that she hadn��t murdered Anna on the spot.

    The moment they left, Nanny Nia slowly walked up the stairs, and Fiona, along with Erik, rushed up to her side.

    Nanny Nia looked like her world had fallen apart.

    "Nanny Nia, what happened?" Fiona asked as she held the older woman��s arms.

    Nanny Nia��s eyes were hollow.

    "I begged." She shook her head. "They wouldn��t even let me stay with her."

    And she burst into tears.

    Fiona hugged the older woman and rubbed her back.

    Her and Erik��s eyes made contact.

    Erik sighed and left.

    Fiona wondered what the fuck had just happened.

 Chapter 605: GODDESS GIVE HER MERCY

    <h4>Chapter 605: GODDESS GIVE HER MERCY</h4>

    XADEN��S POV

    The moment I stepped into my bedroom, I felt an overwhelming sense of loneliness.

    My bedroom looked the same.

    The room was clean and didn��t look like I had been away for almost two weeks.

    The beautiful dark curtains, the wall paintings.

    The bed, the mattress, the beautiful antiques on the dress ��everything.

    It was the same, and yet it felt different.

    I couldn��t shake this overbearing feeling of loneliness.

    I took in an intense breath and took off my shirt.

    I picked up one of the hangers and hung it.

    The moment I stepped away from the dresses, I perceived her.

    She hadn��t been here for a while, and yet it felt like she had spent every day with me.

    I looked at the bed and shes of watching her sleep the night before I left the Royal pack came shing to me.

    The door was opened without invitation.

    None other than Erik stepped into the room.

    "Xaden," Erik said, marching up to where I stood. "What the hell happened?"

    I sat down on my bed and took off my boots one by one.

    "Did you know that Anna lied about how she was raised in the moonlight pack?" I asked him.

    Erik stopped and stiffened.

    I knew that face.

    And more so, I knew what it meant.

    "Sweet Goddess," I said, exasperated. "You knew? You didn��t think to tell me?!"

    "I didn��t exactly know for sure," Erik said. "I mean, I knew. But I didn��t have proof."

    "Goddess," I swore.

    I couldn��t believe it.

    This entire time, Erik had known and kept it from me.

    Kept me, his best friend and Alpha, hidden in the dark from the truth?

    "My sister has been living a lie from the moment she walked through that door. You knew and you don��t think to tell me?" I spat in rage as I rose to my feet.

    "Don��t put this on me, Xaden," Erik warned.

    I blinked, taken aback.

    Did everyone now have a knack for gaslighting me?

    Did they now all see me as a fool to lie to?

    "Are you being fucking serious right now?" I asked.

    "Yes! Xaden! Ugh!" Erik pressed his fingers to his temple angrily and walked away from me.

    He paced the room before speaking angrily. "Have you seen yourselftely? Your decisionstely? The moment someone goes against you, they be your enemy. I could tell you, but you would never have believed me. All you have ever done is take Anna��s side. Things were obvious to you, but your hate for Bale blinded you. Deep down, you had questions too, but you chose to ignore them, and now you��re suddenly surprised."

    I clenched my fists, angry at Erik��s words.

    Mainly because I hated to admit he was right.

    Whenever I considered any of Anna��s lies, I shut them down.

    My refusal to see my innocent sister as anything but a cunning she-wolf had led me to make so many mistakes.

    "This is your mistake, Xaden." Erik spat as his chest was now heaving heavily. "The sooner you realize it and OWN up to it? The better for everyone else."

    There was now a sharp and suffocating silence in the air.

    It stiffened me, and I knew Erik could feel it as well.

    I said nothing and sat back on my bed.

    "How did you know?" Erik asked me.

    "Won��t tell me, but now you��re interested?" I asked dryly as Iy on my bed and set my hands behind my head on the pillow.

    I looked up at the ceiling and stared nkly into space.

    "I had sent out word long before we left. Completely forgot about it until it came to the royal pack. Found out she was raised as their daughter, while Jasmine, for being his bastard, was raised like a ve." I said.

    The guilt burned within the depths of my soul

    She had been treated poorly and yet still came to my own pack as a sacrificialmb.

    She had been met with a much worse fate than what she had been used to.

    Every minute I thought about it, I shivered in disgust.

    I didn��t even deserve to be called an Alpha, not after everything I had done to her.

    "I��ll be going to the moonlight pack tomorrow," I said as I turned in my bed to avoid facing Erik.

    I was too proud to let him see the guilt in my face.

    "Why?" I heard Erik ask from behind.

    "Because I want to confirm everything personally," I said. "I don��t want to get information from anyone else. I also want to know if she had a hand in..."

    I stiffened.

    "In what happened to Jasmine," I mumbled

    I didn��t want to believe that Anna could set Jasmine up in such a way.

    I prayed to the goddess, but it wasn��t true.

    And I never prayed.

    But the revtion that she had lied about her upbringing had now prompted me to seek out more lies.

    The loophole in Jasmine��s affair with Hunter.

    And if she had, then that means she had been the one to set up Jasmine.

    Frame her with the diamonds.

    "And Jasmine?" Erik asked. "Why did you send her away?"

    "She is safer there. Moreover, she intends to find her mother��s family. I��ve been a hindrance to the life she deserves long enough." I exined. "She is free now. Doesn��t need to be attached to this pack anymore."

    I heard Erik sigh heavily.

    "Are you sure that was the right decision?" Erik asked me. "Jasmine hade to love people here. Loren, Fiona, Marro, Kire, Nanny Nia, and the servants. She was finally getting happy. Did you ask her if it was what she wanted, or you didn��t want her around because you couldn��t forgive yourself for what you had done?"

    I felt the guilt burning within my wolf.

    It ached so deeply I felt intense pain.

    I said nothing about what he said.

    Eventually, a loud, exhausted sigh was heard, and Erik began to walk to the door.

    He stopped short and said.

    "What happens if you find out Anna was the one Xaden?"

    "Then may the goddess give her mercy, because I wouldn��t," I swore.

 Chapter 606: THE LOCKED WOLF

    <h4>Chapter 606: THE LOCKED WOLF</h4>

    AUBURN��S POV

    Auburn stormed up the stairs, her entire veins filled with rage.

    The girls rallied around her, trying to help her clean the purple juice from her hair.

    "Auburn, we are so sorry." The girls apologized.

    But she ignored them as she stomped her feet up the stairs.

    "Your majesty." Servants gasped as Auburn and the girls went up the stairs.

    Auburn was humiliated.

    Her dress was heavily coated with the liquid, and she smelled terrible.

    Her fake, vibrant red hair was a mess, smeared with purple liquid that was spilling down hershes and the front bodice of her dress.

    She could smell the little pieces of her now charred dress.

    She had no idea where the fire hade from, and she still smelled like smoke.

    It drove her insane.

    She made a turn that led her to Princess Cherry��s bedroom.

    "Aunty Cherry," Auburn said unhappily as she stepped into the room.

    The girls tried to help her clean her face.

    One of the girls attempted to use a napkin to clean her face.

    "Get away from me!" Auburn screamed as she pped her hand off, sending the hankie meters away. "All of you just go!"

    The girls scurried out of the room in a matter of seconds.

    Auburn groaned in frustration as she snatched up the hankie from the floor.

    "That girl," Auburn said in anger. "She did this. It��s all her fault. Just look at me. And what��s worse? The bottom of my dress caught fire. Fire," A frustrated Auburn said as she angrily cleaned her eyshes.

    She watched her makeup being smeared.

    She groaned as she rushed to find water to clean her face.

    "And what doesn��t make any sense is that there was no fire around. Absolutely not. She just stared at me, and fire burned my dress." Auburn eximed. "Look at it."

    Cherry, who had been quiet through her entire rant, turned to look at the dress.

    It was burned.

    Cherry waved her hand. "Wha is that smell?"

    Auburn looked down in shame. "It��s the smoke from the fire."

    Cherry sighed heavily. "Jasmine is here to stay."

    "I can��t believe it," Auburn said. "I thought you said she was going to leave along with them. She is staying here, only making things worse."

    "Shut up, girl!" Cherry snapped at Auburn��s mouth, and it went zip.

    Auburn��s mouth couldn��t open for whatever reason; she had no idea.

    "I��m trying to think," Cherry said as she very gently paced the room.

    "Jasmine is bing difficult," Cherry said after a while. "I think her powers are beginning to manifest."

    "Manifest?!" Auburn gasped in disbelief. "You said that she was atent wolf. An unshifted and her powers would never materialize ever!"

    "Let me think!" Cherry snapped, massaging her temples.

    Cherry was furious.

    First, she had finally hoped that Jasmine would leave and never return.

    But to her greatest horror, Xaden and the rest of the pack had left without her.

    She had tried to ask her sister why Jasmine was staying.

    But Rose had insisted that it was simply because Jasmine needed a change of scenery after the loss of her child.

    Cherry wasn��t stupid; she knew her sister was hiding the story and that there was more to it.

    The night of Auburn��s shifting, Cherry had manipted powers, used almost her entire strength to perform the ritual that would transform Auburn into the great red wolf.

    The great symbol of the next true heir.

    Luckily enough, they had seeded.

    And yet, during the shifting, all the sses in her little hut in the forest where she had been performing the incantations shattered.

    The candle lights went poof, and she was rendered in darkness.

    She knew well enough that wasn��t her powers manifesting.

    It was something else, and today had cemented what she suspected.

    Jasmine was not an unshifted wolf.

    Because her powers were beginning to manifest, and if they didn��t get rid of her soon, the truth woulde to light.

    All that Cherry had worked for would be for nothing.

    She couldn��t let that happen.

    "Jasmine needs to leave this pack soon," Cherry said as she paced the room

    "We were wrong. Her powers seem to be locked by someone else." Cherry said. "She isn��t as unshifted as we thought she was."

    "Are you saying she can one day shift?!" Auburn demanded in disbelief.

    "Yes. That��s what I��m saying." Cherry pointed at the charred bottom of the dress. "You see that little fire that burned your dress? Well, that��s the manifestation of the true wolf��the true heir. Only a ruling wolf can use fire. And Jasmine��s power is beginning to pop up. That��s why the ne burned her neck. Everything is unraveling, and we can not let that happen."

    Auburn��s face fell as she went to the ground.

    "This is it." She wept. "They are going to kill me when they find out I��m not their daughter."

    She wept as she leaned against the wall.

    Cherry kicked Auburn��s side. "Get up, you stupid girl! Crying isn��t going to do us any good. The earlier we figure it out, the better. Get up!"

    Auburn sniffed as she sluggishly stood up from the ground.

    "So who should have locked her wolf?" Auburn sniffed. "It had to be someone who knew who she was. And why would they"

    Cherry closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

    "I think I know," Cherry said. "It must have been Scarlet."

    "Scarlet? My mother?" Auburn asked.

    Cherry looked at the make-believe princess and scrunched her face in disgust.

    "Are you so stuck in your delusions that you believe that scarlet is your mother and you are truly royal blood?"

    Auburn swallowed heavily.

    "You��d better snap. Back to reality." Cherry hissed.

    Auburn looked down at her feet, her eyes red with shame.

    "I had been thinking about it for a long time now." Cherry went on. "But yes, Jasmine��s, mother did it. She definitely locked Jasmine��s wolf. Now I want to know why."

 Chapter 607: DE JA VU

    <h4>Chapter 607: DE JA VU</h4>

    OTTO��S POV

    As I worked with Jasmine on tranting and deciphering the map, I noticed she was quiet.

    I looked from where I was seated, drawing out the maps while continuing with the trantions.

    Unlike the other times she hade visiting, she had been excited and all chatty.

    She had wanted to know everything, and it had taken the will of my wolf not to explode.

    And yet today, she was quiet.

    Refused to say a word and seemed to be solely focused on her work.

    I should be happy she wasn��t disturbing my work, yet I couldn��t work.

    After all, I needed peace to work.

    But I knew something was wrong.

    It should be none of my business if something had happened, and yet I had this sickening feeling.

    This guilt to know if she was okay.

    I went back to work and tried to focus on my quill.

    I was so burdened by the overwhelming guilt that I snapped and noisily set the quill down on the table.

    "Alright. That��s it." I said, turning to face her.

    She jumped instantly.

    "What happened?"

    She blinked at me. Her emerald eyes lost. "What do you mean?"

    "I mean, what happened?" I said, my fingers intertwined as I pressed for information. "You are usually a noisy chatterbox while I am the one who begs you to keep shut, but now all of a sudden you��re quiet."

    "Isn��t that what you want?" She asked me with a frown on her face.

    "Yes, it is silly, girl." I rolled my eyes in annoyance. "And I should mind my business, but the goddess isn��t on my side today, and I don��t want to feel bad. So better speak right now." I told her.

    She paused from her work and looked at her hands.

    "I don��t think I want to talk about it." She said.

    This was my cue to mind my business.

    So I turned back to the piece of paper, continued drawing the constetion, and resumed my work.

    There was a strained silence for a minute, and I snapped back.

    "You��re ruining the mood of the work!" I said in frustration. "You either tell me what has happened, or I will not be helping you find your family."

    She repeated nothing until I heard a heavy sigh.

    "I was left behind." She exined. "I thought I was going back to the crescent pack, but they had other ns for me."

    Alpha Xaden.

    When she hade to see me, I had done a little digging and didn��t take me long to know she was under his roof.

    I got the confirmed story.

    It was sad, but I had heard more than enough tragic stories in my lifetime.

    "I thought you wanted to know who your mother��s family was?" I asked her.

    "Yes, I do." She said, covering her face and sighing.

    "And then if you do." I continued. "Why are you worried about him leaving you?"

    "Because that was the only home I had!" She said in agony.

    She shook her head unhappily.

    "That was the only home I hade to love."

    She exined. "He didn��t give me a choice. Just like he never has, and now I��m here alone."

    I was pretty unsure of what to say.

    After a while, I said. "Well, if it��s any constion, home is anywhere you want it to be."

    I was stunned that something as intelligent as that hade out of my lips.

    She seemed surprised to.

    I turned back to the paper and quickly continued my work.

    For some reason, I felt light and quietly smiled to myself.

    Hourster, we were still deciphering the map.

    We seemed to have made a route, but the following trantion was difficult!

    What if this was just a dead end!

    I needed to prove to everyone that I was right.

    That I had always been right.

    I groaned to myself as I raked my hair.

    "What��s wrong?" She asked, getting up from the floor.

    "We��re stuck," I exined. "We��ve gone past a series ofndmarks."

    "This is the dark forest." I pointed out on the drawing, and from the den of the Wigna, it just seems toe to a halt."

    "What is a Wigna?" She asked me.

    "A beast that you never want to meet," I said. "From there it��s a dead end. The other routes lead back to the wolf world. And the next trantion doesn��t make any sense."

    "What does it say?" She asked me.

    "Do you think if I couldn��t know, you would?" I scoffed in disbelief.

    "Can I just try?" She asked me.

    I sighed and pushed the book to her.

    She collected it before examining it closely.

    I rolled my eyes because I sure as hell knew there was no way I had missed anything.

    She tried to examine it.

    After a few minutes of watching closely, she resigned with a heavy sigh.

    "I told you you weren��t going to find anything," I said, annoyed. "I��ve looked through everything. There is nothing."

    We heard the bells ring.

    "You should go." I waved her off. "It��s getting dark."

    She didn��t protest as she usually would.

    She slowly got up to her feet.

    I felt terrible for her; she looked sad and drained.

    "Here," I said, handing her the journal. "Maybe some reading would do you good."

    She looked at me and at first seemed uninterested in collecting it, but eventually did.

    As she turned to leave, I realized her hair was now back to being red

    "What happened to your hair?" I said, blinking at her fire-red hair.

    I had been baffled as to why she had changed her hair from red to ck, but I didn��t ask.

    Didn��t see it as necessary, and now I��m seeing it as ck.

    She shrugged.

    "I don��t know. It just happenedst night when I got into the hall." She said.

    That piqued my interest. "Your hair went back to red on its own?"

    She nodded. "Yes."

    In my entire life, I had never heard of anything like this.

    Before I could ask any more questions, she whispered very quietly. "Goodnight."

    And she was gone.

    I had been so fixated on finding the other side. It didn��t tell me that I had never met someone like Jasmine.

    This girl, despite being an unshifted wolf, had red hair.

    Red hair that only belonged in the royal family bloodline.

    I had never once heard of anything unshifted having red hair.

    What��s more, she had dyed her hair ck, and yet the hair had magically gone red on its own.

    It was either that she was a terrible liar or that she took me for an absolute fool.

    Or

    There was something else about her.

    Then I looked up at my windows and saw the shattered ss fromst night.

    The candles had gone out, too.

    Was this all a coincidence?

    My head began to spin as theories raced through it.

    This Jasmine girl.

    What in the name of all wolves was she?!

    I answered by abandoning the maps and looking through all my research on unshifted wolves and anything that could exin her kind.

    ?

    JASMINE��S POV

    I smiled as I ran through the forest, my red hair bouncing up and down.

    "You can never run as fast as I can!" I said in excitement.

    I could feel my pulse quickening.

    My wolf was ted as I ran, fighting to be free and to shift.

    The beautiful trees in the forest gave me protection from the sun and helped me race across the path.

    I could hear his voice from behind, but I was too far ahead.

    I jumped on a rock and sprinted to a tree, where I climbed expertly, as I had since I was a child.

    I looked down at the ground once I was seated at the top of the tree branch.

    "Still a little too slow?" I mocked.

    All of a sudden, I felt a change of energy, and I knew he was shifting.

    He climbed the tree until he got close to me.

    I still couldn��t see him, just his blond head.

    "You��re cheating!" I said, pointing at his shifted ws. "I didn��t shift, so you should have!"

    I knew he was smiling, and just as he was about to climb to my own branch, the moment I expected to see his handsome face.

    GASP!!!!!

    I jolted up in bed and sat upright immediately.

    I looked around, confused about where I was.

    Hildegard was by my side, snoring so loudly I knew she hadn��t heard me wake up.

    I held the bedsheets and swallowed.

    What was that?

    Didn��t feel like a dream.

    Like De ja vu.

    Felt like a memory.

    A memory I had never had.

    Thest time something like this happened was when I saw the girl with red hair.

    Felt exactly the same.

    I told myself it was just a dream and turned back to sleep.

    I felt something in my hand.

    I opened my palm and discovered that I had a golden brown leaf in my hand.

    The leaf of the tree I had climbed in the dream

 Chapter 608: FALSIFIED INFORMATION

    <h4>Chapter 608: FALSIFIED INFORMATION</h4>

    XADEN��S POV

    The doors of the moonlight pack were opened, and I waltzed in.

    The air was thick and smelled of soil dampened with rain.

    The environment was quieter and less dark and gloomypared to when I hadste.

    I hadn��t been here since I had taken over.

    Since Bale had been sessfully executed by none other than his own daughter��s hand.

    The pack was cold and scarce.

    As I walked through the pack, I looked at what has now be mine by default.

    I didn��t want to have anything that belonged to Bale.

    But this was a show that I had defeated my lifelong enemy.

    "Alpha Xaden." Greeted Ss.

    Ss was one of my top Betas.

    He was a buff and extremely tall man with wild golden hair and a full beard.

    He had been trained and stayed with me in the crescent pack for almost ten years.

    I had left the moonlight pack in his hands to manage.

    "Ss." I nodded at him.

    All the men and women who were in sight hurriedly bowed to greet me.

    "Rise," I said.

    They slowly got up, and I waved my hand to signify they could go on their way.

    "I didn��t expect you. You didn��t send a message that you wereing." Ss said his face obviously panted with surprise.

    "Is it a crime to see one of my properties?" I asked.

    Ssughed heartily.

    He was my friend.

    He opened his arms and we hugged. "The goddess herself protected you. When I heard you had gone missing, I couldn��t believe it! If you hadn��t put me here, I would have rescued you personally, my lord."

    Iughed at S��smitment, and heughed with me.

    "You��ve always been a good friend, Ss," I said with a smile. "I do hope my visit wouldn��t interrupt your work here."

    "Of course not. I was just surprised, especially since you never wanted toe here again." Ss exined.

    I took in a deep, heavy breath.

    Ss was right. I had said I would never return to the moonlight pack the day I left.

    And yet here I was.

    Standing in thest ce I would ever want to find myself in.

    "It��s good to see you, my friend," Ss said with a smile spread across his face.

    I nodded. "I can say the same.

    I walked, and Ss went side by side with me.

    "I came to find out some things myself," I said. "How is the pack and its members faring?"

    Ss shrugged his shoulders. "It��s been fine. We haven��t met any rebellions. Just once, it seemed the wolves hated Bale and his family. They��ve been quite happy that they are gone."

    I listened to the news even though anxiety and eagerness filled my entire mind.

    I wanted to know about my sister Anna.

    Or as she had been called here, Jessica.

    "Everything is fine," Ss said as we walked up the steps.

    I had wasted no time ining here.

    The very day after I arrived home in the Crescent Pack, I personally traveled to find information.

    Ss led me to the Alpha��s throne room.

    Thest time I was here was when I married Jasmine.

    I winced at the memory of how cruel I had been to her.

    My entire being was suffocated with guilt.

    I sat down on the throne and looked around.

    I felt nothing for this ce.

    I wanted to get out as quickly as I hade.

    "I had requested information about the moonlight pack Alpha Hunter?" I said.

    "Is that why you came here?" Ss blinked at me in disbelief. "All the way? To know about Hunter?"

    Ss nodded with his fingers inteced together. "Yes, and I sent you a response from what I had gathered. You got it, didn��t you?"

    "I did," I said, rubbing the back of my head.

    Ss looked very interested to hear what I had to say.

    "I thought the bastard was dead," Ss stated.

    I gave a slight shrug.

    Didn��t know how to exin that Hunter and his men had just vanished from the face of the earth.

    "Goddess Selene. Xaden." Ss said, looking at me closely. "You want to see how you can find him now, don��t you? That sonofabitch! I��ll be damned if I can��t join you, find him, and tear his fur into pieces."

    I smiled. "Something like that. But I really wanted to exin what Hunter came to do in the pack when Bale was alive."

    Ss looked at me nkly.

    Then he rubbed his face and seemed to think for a split second.

    "Well, I won��t lie to you, I have no idea," Ss said. "Tried my best to get information from them. But nothing."

    I felt my shoulders drop

    "But there were rumors." Ss pointed out after a seemingly deep thought. "Word flew around in the pack that a serving girl called Alice knew more than anyone else about the situation."

    "But I tried to confront her." Ss shrugged. "She didn��te up with anything, so we simply let it go."

    I leaned back into my newly acquired seat as Alpha and thought deeply.

    "And Jasmine having an affair with him? Did she mention anything about that?" I requested.

    Ss looked at me and blinked.

    "What the hell are you talking about?" Ss asked, lost.

    I frowned.

    "In the letter. You told me she had an affair with Hunter." I stated clearly as I pulled out the letter I had gotten from my fur coat.

    Ss looked at me like I was insane. "Xaden, I have no idea what you��re talking about. I never heard of any affair between those two."

    I handed him the letter, and he received it.

    He sized it up and down before shaking his head. "Xaden, this is not the letter I sent to you."

    My entire body froze.

    What the hell was Ss getting at?

    I snatched the letter back and turned it back to me.

    "That��s your seal." I pointed out the paper.

    "Yes, but that is not the letter I had sent to you." He said.

 Chapter 609: THE LEAD!

    <h4>Chapter 609: THE LEAD!</h4>

    I looked down at the paper and looked back up at Ss.

    I took in a deep breath.

    "If you didn��t send this letter, then how did I get it?" I asked, holding up the letter to Ss��s view.

    Ss shrugged and cleared his throat.

    "I have no idea." Ss shook his head.

    My entire body froze.

    What the hell was Ss getting at?

    "That��s your seal." I pointed out the paper.

    "Yes, but that is not the letter I had sent to you." He said.

    I closed my eyes, unable to believe what I was hearing.

    "How would a letter bearing your own seal be fake?" I asked as I rose to the floor. "And how did it somehow get to me if it wasn��t yours?"

    "Whoa," Ss said, raising his hand at my growing tension. "Calm down, Xaden. We��ve been friends for too long for me even to lie or betray you."

    The tension in the room was so thick I could taste it.

    I closed my eyes and tried to calm myself.

    I didn��t want to believe that Ss had somehow set Jasmine up.

    What did he even have to gain?

    Considering how much Anna had lied about her upbringing in the pack and how much I had been deceived.

    I wasn��t sure I could trust anyone so easily anymore.

    So who had done this?

    "What are we going to do..." Ss said. "Is find the wolves whom had been instructed to send out the letter to you. Let��s start from there?"

    I nodded as I massaged my temple.

    Ss started to leave, but I went right behind him.

    "I��lle along," I said, refusing to be left behind.

    I was already sick and tired of being ragged in a game out of my own foolish ignorance.

    Ss nodded, and together we left the pack house and headed down the pack grounds.

    "David!" Ss called out from the men training.

    David, who seemed to be their trainer ��a buff man who was short yet well equipped in the arts of training ��turned to us.

    I had never seen him before.

    "Come." Ss beckoned with his hands.

    David turned to the young boys training. "Continue with hand-to-handbat. Don��t shift!"

    And with that, he walked away from the barricaded training grounds and stood before us in a matter of seconds.

    "Alpha." David quickly bowed.

    His wolf whimpered in obedience, and I nodded.

    It was only then that David slowly rose to his feet and met my eyes.

    He had white hair and white brows; his eyes were equally white, and I instantly knew his species.

    "David," Ss said. "I��ll officially introduce you to Alpha Xaden. Alpha of this pack."

    I winced at being called Alpha of the moonlight pack.

    David bowed again

    "Xaden, this is David," Ss exined. "He is a well-skilled snow wolf."

    Snow wolves

    I knew their kind.

    They stayed far away from other packs, such as the Desert wolves, and were adapted to the icy weather back home.

    "You��re far away from home," I said.

    David smiled. "Where a jobes, I go."

    "David was one of Bale��s prisoners," Ss exined. "When we had taken over after Garrick��s death, we discovered that there were wolves like David who had been hidden in secret cells. When we saw how skilled David was, we asked him to be the trainer. Fights better than me."

    "I��ve been here for over twenty years," David said. "I don��t think I have a home to return to."

    I wondered just how cruel Bale had been to have snatched this man from his home and locked him up in a ce where the humidity wasn��t so favorable.

    "You��ve been in a cell for twenty years?" I asked in disbelief.

    He nodded, his would-have-been pale skin now having a light tan.

    "It was... well, bad business," David said. "And he attacked my pack. I was one of the few prisoners he had brought in. I am the only one who ever survived it today."

    Just when I assumed I couldn��t get more disgusted by Bale��s past transgressions, he proved me wrong.

    Even in death, he still chose to torment.

    I wondered how many more secrets were still hidden from us.

    "As far as the weather isn��t a problem. You��re wee here." I said with a nod.

    He looked like someone who could take on ten wolves at once without even needing to shift.

    He smiled at me. "It��s an honor, my lord."

    "David, I wanted to ask. The letters that were delivered to the moonlight pack about a month ago." Ss began, and David nodded. "It was one of your boys, wasn��t it? Heard he works in the courier system."

    David seemed to think for a minute.

    "Shouldn��t a wolf be leading the couriers that you ask?" I asked, lost in the disorderliness.

    "That��s Dean," Ss replied. "His mate gave birth a few days ago, so he has been away from the main pack for a while. David takes over when he isn��t in."

    "Usher!" David said with a snap. "Should be Usher and his buddy can��t remember his name. But they must have handled it. Usher is here. I��ll send for him right away."

    David walked back to the training ground.

    "Usher!" David called out. "Ss wants to see you."

    A boy, probably around the age of eighteen, looked up from wrestling with another.

    He had curly dark hair, and the moment he saw me, something in his eye fell.

    I knew what was going to happen already.

    Usher made a run for it.

    "Whoa! Wait!"

    All three of us ran after him.

    But Usher was gaining more speed than we had expected.

    Soon, we were getting close to the running boy.

    In the moment I would have grabbed his shoulder, I saw a sh of de, and in a matter of seconds, blood sshed on my face.

    I came to an abrupt stop.

    In my hand was the boy��s limp body.

    He had slit his own throat.

 Chapter 610: A CONFIRMED DEATH

    <h4>Chapter 610: A CONFIRMED DEATH</h4>

    "Sweet goddess!" Ss gasped the moment he caught up with me.

    I simply looked down at the body of the boy who had, all of a sudden, for no reason, killed himself.

    The boy��s body was limp in my arms, and for a moment, no one around me moved.

    Neither did I.

    The potent smell of blood stung in the air and suffocated the entire atmosphere

    My fingers trembled as I looked down at the boy in my arms.

    His throat had been expertly slit with such precision that you would think he was skilled in slitting throats.

    A fatal cut.

    When he had pulled out his knife, I had expected him to attempt to kill me.

    His wolf, I could sense, had been dead on impact with the de.

    Why had he just killed himself?

    The moment he had seen me, he had taken to his heels.

    I looked into his eyes, which were still wide open and yet dead.

    Something was definitely wrong.

    "Sweet goddess," Ss repeated behind me.

    I heard David finally catch up with me behind, and he came to an abrupt stop.

    I gently set the boy��s body down on the floor.

    "He killed himself," David said in disbelief.

    "Doesn��t make any sense that he would do that."

    "Unless," I said, slowly rising to my feet. "He knew that I had caught him. The moment he saw me, he took to his feet and fled."

    Some wolves gathered, and Ss nodded the go-ahead for them to take his body.

    As they lifted his body to go, I distinctly smelled.

    Something was off.

    "Hold on," I instructed, stopping the men from taking the boy.

    My eyes caught his elbow, where there was an almost invisible patch.

    "Look at this," I said to David and Ss.

    They approached closer, and soon we were all looking down at his little arms.

    "Can you perceive that?" I asked, hoping I wasn��t the only one imagining it.

    "Magic," David said.

    I let go of his arm, and they took his body away while the three of us remained standing.

    How was it that just when I could have gotten information, he had killed himself?

    The exact moment.

    "I guess we know who sent the false letter now, don��t we?" Ss said as he folded his arms

    But David didn��t seem to support the entire conversation.

    He shook his head.

    "I��ve known him for a while now." Davis cleared his throat. "He was one of my best students. No, something is wrong."

    My own anger was that my path to finding out who had sent the falsified letter was now gone.

    And most likely, any leads to who had sent him were gone as well.

    I swore as I set my hands on my waist and paced around.

    "Don��t worry," Ss said, touching my shoulder. "We would find out soon enough. Nothing can remain hidden for long. Especially not when I head this pack."

    "But this happened under your own nose," I said, exasperating my nostril ring. "A letter that you sent to me was switched and falsified. And because of that letter, I made a terrible judgment that I��ll never forgive myself for!"

    The entire space was quiet.

    I massaged my temples and tried to control my rage.

    In all earnest, the realization that Jasmine had been set up hit me harder than I expected it to.

    I felt myself being overwhelmed and suffocated by the guilt.

    Anna had a hand in all of this!

    I just wanted to have the hard proof.

    I wanted to get to the bottom of the entire scandal once and for all.

    "Xaden, I have no way to even apologize to you for what has happened," Ss said, bowing down to the ground. "It��s all my fault, and you can find whatever punishment you believe I deserve. I will take it with respect and regret."

    I knew that it wasn��t directly Ss��s fault, but I wanted to pour my anger on someone.

    The guilt that something like this had happened in the first ce was eating me up.

    Seeing Ss readily take the mistake even though it wasn��t really his fault made me feel guilty.

    Again.

    Here, he was ready to take the me, even when I was trying to shift my own guilt onto someone else.

    "It��s fine, Ss. Moreover, it��s possible they changed it after you sent the letter. How were you to even know?" I asked.

    Ss nodded even though I could still see the guilt lingering in his eyes.

    David snapped his fingers instantly.

    "That��s it!" David said, jolting us back to reality. "I wondered what that mark was. Tried so hard to think where I had seen it before." He began. "Back home. We had had small experiences with these. They were rare, but it happened. That patch is a fealty bond."

    "A fealty bond?" Ss asked with a cocked brow. "I thought things like that don��t exist anymore."

    "Apparently not," I mumbled.

    A fealty bond was a bond that a wolf could make with another.

    They were tied to never expose a particr secret.

    If they did attempt to or were close being caught, then the one who swore to the bond would kill himself.

    That made so much sense why he had killed himself.

    "If he made a bond then it kickstarted the moment he saw Alpha Xaden." David said. "He didn��t have a chance he would have alway died one way or the other."

    Rain from nowhere began to pour heavily on us.

    There was a loud thunder strike and I became drenched.

    "We should go." Ss said.

    We headed back toward the training grounds where Usher��s co trainee��s still stood under the heavy rain.

    "All of you! Go back to your rooms!" David snapped at the boys.

    But they remained put refusing to move a muscle.

    "They are mourning their friend." Ss exined and we left the group of teenage boys huddled together in solidarity.

 Chapter 611: ALICE

    <h4>Chapter 611: ALICE</h4>

    XADEN��S POV

    We got back into the pack and an omega helped me take off my Jacket.

    "My lord." He said as he brushed the jacket off.

    I went straight to where the burning furnace was and warmed myself.

    As I stretched my hand towards the burning log of wood, all I could think of was how I didn��t deserve to be an Alpha anymore.

    How I had been so driven to hunger and vengeance I had lost myself.

    Lost any sense of my purpose.

    I gently touched my chest to feel where my heart would have been.

    I had taken away my heart just for strength and power.

    Taken away my ability to have children in trade for a bigger future.

    And yet a miracle had happened.

    Jasmine had done the one thing no one had ever done.

    I had slept with thousands of women and yet somehow I had gotten Jasmine pregnant.

    Our little Thalira would have been our miracle baby.

    I had never really cared about children in the pack.

    They were my responsibility to protect as members of the pack.

    So I only saw them as that.

    But the idea of the babying.

    A child of my own bloodlineing to me had slowly made me happy.

    And it wound have been a baby girl.

    And yet I killed her!

    I had locked Jasmine up.

    Left her abandoned while she bled and lost our child.

    I wanted to hit myself over and over till I couldn��t breathe.

    My ego, pride and hate had driven me to lengths I never knew existed.

    I was slowly bing the man I had grown to hate my entire life.

    "I summoned all the couriers." Ss said from behind.

    I remained looking at the fire ce.

    "How does it look?" I asked.

    "Not so good." Ss said after a deep sigh. "I��ve rounded them up. We are about to start a proper investigation into the whole situation but so far it doesn��t seem like any of them are even aware of what he did."

    I chewed my bottom lip.

    "We��re still trying to gather more information." He said trying to sound hopeful. "He most definitely could not have acted alone. We will get to the bottom of this Xaden I can assure you."

    I sighed heavily.

    Anna had told me with all certainty that Jasmine had had an affair with Hunter.

    If Anna was here, then how had she been able to manipte a letter I had requested meters away from home.

    But now I knew that she had lied about how she had been raised.

    The possibility that she still had ties to the people here made the whole story seem not so impossible anymore.

    Anna had no idea I hade here neither did anyone else.

    I sat down on a seat and took of my shift as I leg the warm fire embrace my cold body.

    I was quiet for a while, my minding still racing for a solution.

    And then I remembered something Ss said.

    "What about the girl?" I asked.

    "What girl?"

    "Alice. The one you said knew more about Alpha Hunter." I asked.

    Ss shrugged. "She is just there. But I don��t think she would amount to anything to be very honest."

    "Try me." I said leaning back in the chair. "Bring her in."

    Ss nodded and left.

    I quietly observed the room I was in and to a split second I imagined what Jasmine��s life had been like here.

    The idea of her suffering made me grit my teeth in rage.

    In all sincerity I hoped that this would be thest time I��ll ever have to visit this pack.

    A few minutester, a small girl with strawberry blonde hair came into the room.

    Her eyes were downcast.

    "Your sent for me my lord." She said quietly.

    I looked at smallish girl in her simple maid uniform.

    "Yes. Alice." I said. "Take a seat."

    I offered her the seat opposite me.

    She didn��t decline.

    When she was seated, I cleared my throat. "I heard you know something about Alpha Hunter."

    She went quiet first before nodding in agreement.

    That took me aback.

    Ss had said she wasn��t forting with anything.

    "What do you know about him?" I asked.

    "He came to see Alpha Bale." She said looking down at her hands.

    "So I heard." I replied duly. "What I want to know is why."

    "That��s the wrong question my lord." She said.

    I rose a brow. "What?"

    "I can only give you answers to the right or wrong questions." She said quietly.

    Was this some sort of sick joke.

    I considered calling Ss but I didn��t want to look like a fool so I remained put.

    I thought of a question to ask her.

    "My lord." She began in a very small and quiet voice.

    So small it felt like it would go high pitched and shatter sses.

    "I was assigned to only give you three answers by Alpha Hunter." She said. "You ask and I will answer. Anything more. I will be terminated."

    Terminated?

    What the hell did she mean?

    And what did she mean assigned.

    I was beginning toe to the conclusion that members of this pack were insane.

    I decided to y along with her game.

    "Did Hunter and Jasmine have an affair." I asked.

    "No." She said coldly. And then her voice softened. "But he loved her. She never returned it."

    I was taken aback by that answer.

    "Time is running out." She said.

    Lost in her sick game, I carried on.

    "Was my sister involved in the set up again Jasmine?" I asked her.

    "Yes. She was." Alice replied.

    She started to fidget and move ufortably in her chair as though she sat on hot fire.

    I tried hard to think of thest question.

    "WHO sent Hunter?" I asked.

    "He was sent by Jasmine��s fa-

    She didn��t finish her sentence

    Her eyes went red and her wolf howled.

    She pulled out a sword from her skirt and spilled her own throat.

 Chapter 612: THE TRUTH

    <h4>Chapter 612: THE TRUTH</h4>

    XADEN��S POV

    I blinked at the fresh blood that had been sshed on my face, and once I opened my eyes, I saw her drop to her knees beforending on the floor.

    I was seated transfixed, unable to believe what had just happened.

    Ss came into the room. "Xaden, I just-

    Ss abruptly stopped and looked down at the body lying before my feet.

    "What in the bloody goddess," Ss said as he walked over to where I sat.

    He went down on his knees and turned her body.

    Shey on her back, her eyes wide open and her throat slit.

    "Sweet Goddess." Ss gasped in shock, immediately stepping back.

    Then he looked back up at me, the blood still stered on my face.

    "You look a mess." He said and handed me a hankie from his pocket.

    I caught it in my hand and wiped the blood off.

    I cleaned my face properly as I rose from the seat and paced the bedroom.

    "Her throat is slit," Ss remarked as he examined her body further. "And from the way I��m looking at it, it was self-inflicted. Or perhaps did you-

    "No, of course not," I answered, exasperated.

    He gave a slight shrug of his shoulders.

    "I was only asking. Just wanted to be sure. This is the second suicide we have had today."

    "All tracing to my question about Hunter and my sister," I said, and covered my mouth as I tried to think.

    "She was fine when I brought her. And most of all, we tried everything but torture to get her to speak. But she never did." Ss said.

    I shook my head. "No, this was different. It was as though she had the message meant for me."

    "What?" Ss said, " I��m lost.

    I walked to the window and looked at the dark clouds.

    It was already night, and the rain was still pouring heavily.

    "She said something about her only being able to give three questions. It didn��t make any sense." I shook my head. "It was just like the other boy. The moment he saw me, he ran. But in her own case, the moment I mentioned Hunter, she went into survival mode. Like it was only a matter of time."

    "Sweet Selene," Ss said.

    "Kept on telling me she didn��t have any time. Before she could even answer thest question, she got up and slit her throat." I said.

    The room went quiet.

    Ss sighed heavily. "Did you at least get answers?"

    "Yes, I did," I said, gritting my teeth.

    At least now I knew that my sister had a clean hand in Jasmine��s setup.

    My body raged in turmoil as I remembered the consequences of my questions.

    How had I been so blinded not to see who she truly was?

    Had no sympathy whatsoever to even watch Jasmine lose the child.

    Her own nephew.

    My daughter.

    My wolf was furious.

    I was breathing so heavily as my mind raced in full blooded rage.

    I had been taken for a fool!

    By none other than my own flesh and blood.

    "There is magic here." Ss pointed around. "Someone is using magic to destroy any traces of the truth."

    Anna had to have had a hand in this!

    She was going to pay!

    Dearly!

    In ordance with the rules of the pack.

    "I��ll get someone to take her body," Ss said.

    I said nothing.

    Stood at the window watching the stars spark.

    Mending my broken heart that had never in the first ce even existed.

    "I want to ask you something," I said to Ss.

    "Anything, my lord." Ss nodded.

    "In response to the letter I had sent. What was your answer to the question I had asked?" I demanded.

    Ss was quiet. "Well, Xaden, we��ve been friends for a very long time. I don��t think you would want to hear me tell you this face-to-face."

    "Tell me, Ss," I said with my eyes pressed.

    I wasn��t a child who was supposed to have the truth hidden from him.

    "In the letter." Ss began. "I wrote what I had gathered. Jessica was not raised as an enved person. It was the reverse with both women. For whatever reason, most likely because she was an ..."

    Ss chose his words very carefully. "Illegitimate child. Well, that must have been the reason why they hated her."

    "And her mother?" I asked.

    He shook his head. "No one knows where she came from. She appeared one day, heavily pregnant, that��s what they remember. And he was in love with her."

    I couldn��t understand it.

    If Bale was Jasmine��s father, despite being a bastard, then why did he hate her?

    Hate her so much to treat her so terribly.

    Especially when he allegedly loved her mother.

    It made no sense.

    "And Jessica?" I raised a brow.

    He shook his head. "They don��t like her here. They said she was spoiled rotten. No one could tolerate her."

    I felt weak to my bones despite being Alpha.

    "In fact...." Ss said and then paused

    "In fact, what?" I turned around.

    "Are you sure you want to hear this?" He asked me. "There would be no going back if you do."

    "Speak," I said, wondering what other mess I had to hear.

    He was very hesitant.

    I could tell from his bodynguage.

    He walked up to me, and once he was standing before me, he said. "She must have changed. Perhaps she has."

    "Who has changed?" I frowned.

    "Your sister." He told me. "They said she was a bit of.......uhmmm.... Er...."

    "Spit it out, Ss," I demanded.

    "A whore." He said quickly.

    I blinked at him in disbelief.

    "She was frequently sleeping around." He told me.

    I leaned my back against the wall.

    "But from what I��ve gathered, I doubt Jasmine ever met Hunter." He said.

    "Why?" I managed.

    "They said Bale himself was scared of him and never let anyone see him," Ss said.

    I red my nostrils.

    I had heard enough.

    I was going to handle Anna myself.

 Chapter 613: EXPOSED!

    <h4>Chapter 613: EXPOSED!</h4>

    ANNA��S POV

    I was lying on my bed, bored to death.

    Finally, Jasmine was out of the house.

    That filthy whore.

    But now she lives in the royal pack.

    I had no idea what deal Xaden had made to keep her there, but I really hoped that when Xaden finally married Princess Auburn, she would be far away.

    The servants massaging my feet and trimming my toenails chipped my toenails.

    "Ouch!" I hissed as I kicked her in the face.

    The ugly peasant gasped and covered her face.

    "I��m sorry, mydy." She apologized quickly.

    I looked down at my toe and saw it was bleeding.

    "How stupid of you!" I hissed cruelly.

    I picked up my hand fan and gave her a dirt p with it.

    She turned her cheek to the other side.

    I was breathing so heaving out of spite and anger.

    I knew she had done it to me on purpose.

    By the time she rose, her face and her nose were bleeding.

    I took little satisfaction in that.

    Blood for blood.

    "Next time, be careful with that, or you will be punished with a terrific beating," I warned her.

    She had tears in her eyes, which only made me more disgusted.

    "Yes, your majesty." I rolled my eyes andy back down on the bed.

    The girl continued to work on my nails as I heard her sniff.

    "You had better not be crying," I warned her. "Or I��ll give you something to cry about!"

    She finally stopped sniffing.

    I heard a knock at my door.

    One of the servant girls went to open it.

    It was Lisa.

    "Anna," She nodded at me

    I rolled my eyes in disgust.

    What did she want?

    I hadn��t seen her since I had returned.

    "Anna, Anna, Anna." She said with a solidified smile. "It��s so good to see you."

    I red at her.

    "You don��t have any right to call me by my name." I hissed.

    "Oh,e on now, Anna." She said, as she sat on the chair beside my dressing mirror without permission, flipping her single blonde braid. "We��re already past that. You and I have too good a history to be referring to each other formally."

    I could feel my face flushing up.

    I knew what she was insinuating.

    It was a vague warning.

    "Leave!" I snapped at the servants.

    They looked relieved.

    They were gone in a matter of seconds.

    As soon as I heard the door shut, I turned to Lisa.

    "How dare you think you can talk to me that way?" I demanded, enraged.

    She giggled and looked back at me before turning to face the mirror.

    She started adjusting her eyebrows and patting powder on her face.

    "You and I are too close for you to abandon me or for us to be enemies." She said.

    Then she set aside the powder puff and turned to face me.

    A smile was stered on her face.

    A smile that I knew didn��t mean well.

    "Now, Anna." She began. "I don��t like the fact that you returned and you don��t send for me."

    I folded my arms at her.

    "Since when did I answer to you?" I hissed.

    "Since we became allies." She pointed out. "You came back with no Jasmine, which is what we have always wanted. The sissy of a previous mate, whatever her name was.... Ahhhh... Lily. Is gone. Poof!"

    Sheughed.

    "Finally, everything is in ce." She said eagerly. "You��re finally going to get Erik, your mate. You win. Everything you��ve wanted is at your feet this very moment."

    I watched her closely.

    "Except." She continued in a menacing tone. "It��s not everything I wanted. What about me? What do I get?"

    "Your life?" I said it stupidly. And then I quickly said. "Now that Jasmine is gone and we no longer have any obstructions, I��ll pay you diamonds and gold. You��ll be rich enough to start a new life and-

    "SILENCE!" She screamed at me and immediately turned to her wolf.

    I jumped in fright at the snarling and rage-baiting blonde wolf before me.

    My heart was beating so fast I thought it was going to jump out of my chest.

    She seemed to draw nearer, and I turned to the other side, trembling in fear.

    Instead of an attack, she withdrew.

    I heard her wolfugh, and she reverted to her human form.

    She was stillughing. "Oh, Anna. What makes you think I want any of that? I��m a skilled thief. If I wanted that, I would have taken it a long, long time ago and left."

    I tried to slow the racing of my heart.

    "I want Xaden." She said.

    I blinked at her.

    Then I scoffed.

    "Xaden?" I said in disbelief.

    "No not Xaden. Your hideous uncle Uther. Of

    Course XADEN!"

    Wh... uh... well, I can��t give you Xaden. The man has a mind of his own."

    "But you got Jasmine out, didn��t you?" She asked me.

    "I doubt I even had anything to do with that decision, to be honest," I said in all sincerity with a shrug.

    "Well, you are about to have everything." She told me. "I can��t let that happen. Not if you give me what I want."

    "How do I make Xaden have you? Have you seen him? He is like a madman sometimes! And he is my brother." I said.

    "Exactly, he is your brother." She said. "You have to sort it out. Make it happen. Because if you don��t, then I��ll tell him everything. I��ll tell him about the stable boy we killed. The lies about how you were raised."

    I opened my eyes in rm. "No!"

    "How we nned Jasmine��s miscarriage so many times until you went behind his back to n with his enemy and have her set up." She continued.

    "I doubt he will forgive you for that. Murder of his pack member? Xaden is loyal to his pack, if you don��t know. He will die for his pack, and to find out his own little sister killed a little boy to cover her tracks? Or that his sister lied about her life? Or..." she giggled. "My favorite. That his sister is responsible for the murder of his own child!"

    I jumped from my bed and covered her mouth.

    "Enough!" I whispered sharply. "It��s enough. I��ll do as you ask."

    She flung my hand from her mouth.

    "Good." She said.

    We heard the bells ring.

    "Oh, look who has returned. Your brother. My future husband." She said with an evil smile.

    She headed towards the door. "Don��t waste time, Anna. Time is ticking. And if you think I can��t do this. You don��t know me. I��ll drag you down to the pits of hell with me."

    And with that, she mmed the door.

    I was so fucked!

 Chapter 614: OUT FOR BLOOD!

    <h4>Chapter 614: OUT FOR BLOOD!</h4>

    The bells chimed loudly.

    I looked down at the window and sure enough, there were about two horses.

    I couldn��t see who was on the other end, but I knew my brother rode one.

    Xaden had been gone without a word to anyone, which had shocked me.

    It was unusual for him to go anywhere without me.

    Ever since Jasmine had left the pack, he had been acting strange and moody.

    At first, I had been worried he had caught me in my web of thousands of lies, but then I waved it off.

    Jasmine was gone.

    If he had known anything, he would have confronted me from the outset.

    I turned my back on the window and closed my eyes.

    Lisa was a filthy bitch!

    One I ultimately regretted having anything to do with.

    The more I thought of her and how she had tantlye to threaten me, the angrier I became.

    She had even dared to shift and scare me with her wolf!

    Angrily, I walked to my dresser and began to scatter the table.

    I screamed and sent the mirror spiraling to the floor.

    It shattered into a million pieces, and I flung anything and everything I could find.

    I breathed heavily once I was calm and dropped to the floor.

    My hand was bleeding from the mirror cut, but I didn��t care.

    I wanted that bitch gone!

    I had hoped that once I used her, it would be easy to get rid of her.

    At least some Gold and jewelry would have her on her way.

    But she had proven to be difficult.

    She had proven to be ambitious and greedy!

    She wouldn��t take jewelry or any wealth!

    She now wanted Xaden.

    How stupid.

    Although it was very clever.

    If she could take Xaden and make him hers, then she could be the Luna of the pack.

    That meant she would be my sister-inw.

    That meant war.

    Lisa would ruin my life and use her threats against me.

    Being the Luna of the most excellent pack in the entire world was bigger than any wealth I had to offer her.

    She knew that.

    We both knew that.

    The only chance I had was eliminating her.

    I would have to have her killed.

    No one.

    Absolutely no one would miss her.

    As I started thinking of ways to have her erased, a knock came at the door, interrupting me from my thoughts.

    "What?!" I hissed.

    "Mydy, your brother has sent for you." A small, tiny voice.

    I paused my calctions.

    Perhaps Xaden had finallye to his senses and wanted to apologize for his erratic behavior.

    "I��ll be down," I said.

    I smiled to myself.

    To appease me, I would demand my mother��s ne.

    Our family heirloom, he had given to that whore.

    I set Lisa and her scheming threats aside.

    I was going to handle herter.

    I rose to the floor, cleaned up the blood that dripped from my arm, and made sure I looked pleasant.

    My life was finally about to start.

    Ever since Xaden had left, I had noticed that Fiona and Erik barely spoke to each other.

    She always looked at him with contempt.

    That was if she even looked at him.

    While he pretended she didn��t exist.

    It was safe to say that whatever silly ideas they had had vanished.

    I was his mate.

    His perfect Luna.

    And mother to his daughter.

    As I walked out of my bedroom and down the hall, I began to think of Jade.

    I adored her.

    The only child I actually ever cared about.

    Usually, I hissed at children and wanted them far, far away from my sight.

    But there was something about this beautiful girl with her raven curls and perfect ebony skin that just drew me to her.

    I had gathered that her mother had died in an attack orchestrated by none other than Jasmine��s father.

    The man who had stolen me.

    So I understood her, and I intended to raise her as my own.

    As I imagined Erik and me happy in our own pack, living as one family with Jade, I noticed the energy was off.

    Something was wrong.

    I went to Xaden��s throne room, where I suspected he would be.

    He was.

    Backing the throne stood my brother.

    Other top-ranking members of our pack stood.

    Erik, Fiona, even Nanny Nia.

    What was that witch still doing here?

    Jasmine wasn��t here any longer and her service were no longer required.

    There were eyes all around; I felt their piercing gaze on me.

    I swallowed heavily as my feet suddenly felt reluctant to move.

    Was there a sort of announcement that I had missed?

    The room was almost full of people.

    I walked to where the throne was, but stopped at the steps leading to the seat.

    I looked to my right and I saw a strange man.

    He had pale white skin, white hair, eyebrows, and eyes.

    I furrowed my brow, wondering where exactly I had seen him before.

    And it hit me.

    Once it did, I reacted so badly it was as though I had been pped.

    He was a snow wolf who had been in the moonlight pack!

    One of Father��s ves.

    And then I looked sharply at Xaden.

    Was this whom he had brought?

    And then my mind went to the man on the second horse I hadn��t clearly seen.

    Was it him?

    And the realization hit me like lightning.

    Xaden had gone to the moonlight pack.

    My heart began to race and I felt my body tremble.

    "Xaden." I managed in a quiet voice.

    My elder brother slowly turned around, his eyes spitting fire.

    Fire that seemed ready to burn down the entire pack, with himself included.

    Soon beads of sweat gathered at my forehead and my tummy ached terribly.

    I subconsciously took a step back.

    But my brother, his long dark hair loose, his aura vibrating through his body, progressed towards me.

    He was out for blood.

    And something told me it was <i>my</i> own blood.

 Chapter 615: JUDGEMENT DAY

    <h4>Chapter 615: JUDGEMENT DAY</h4>

    Xaden red at me, his nostrils ring, and I swallowed hard.

    The atmosphere was tense, and all of a sudden, I felt like a target.

    Everyone was looking at me, and I was the center of judgment.

    I shifted where I stood in difort and wary.

    He just stared at me.

    "You��re back." I managed with a weak smile even though I could feel the goosebumps on my shoulder rise. "You left, and I had no idea where you went. I was worried."

    Uther stood down beside the other pack members.

    He wasn��t looking at me.

    What was going on?

    I looked at the snow wolf and wanted to know what the hell he was even doing here?

    I managed a smile. "So you sent for me?"

    My brother stood a few inches away from me, and yet I could taste the anger.

    The rage.

    "Anna." He said slowly.

    He batted his beautifulshes, and his onyx eyes glowed. "I went to the moonlight pack."

    I swallowed heavily.

    It was confirmation now.

    Now I was certain he had been there.

    I swallowed and tried to control my growing anxiety.

    Everyone stared at us.

    But not really at him, mainly at me.

    "Oh." I managed. "What for? I thought you didn��t want to go there anymore."

    And he had said that.

    When he picked me up, he knew it was a Chapter of our lives that would forever be closed.

    Hence why I had always known that I would get away with my lies.

    Xaden was too traumatized to ever want to return there.

    And yet, for whatever reason, I wasn��t sure of, he had gone.

    "I did." He said. "You remember. I was never going to return there, no matter what happened. And yet I was forced to. Do you have any idea of what it means for me to do that?"

    "For me to return to the home of the man who killed our parents. Took my baby sister as his own??" He demanded in a more hurt voice.

    "I understand," I said in a lovely and cajoling voice. "I wish you had never gone. If you had told me, I wouldn��t have let you. I don��t want you having nightmares like I do."

    I tried to appeal to him, to be the sweet Anna he always knew.

    He scoffed.

    "I went because suspicions of what happened to Jasmine arose." He said.

    You could hear a pin drop in the entire room.

    Everywhere went mute.

    My heart skipped a beat.

    I began to sweat.

    "Remember the whole ordeal with Jasmine when we found out she was having an affair with Hunter?" He asked me.

    I shivered.

    And nodded slowly.

    "Good." He replied. "You remember. I didn��t want to have to remind you."

    He stayed pacing around me.

    "See, things came to light. Things that didn��t sit right. Jasmine stealing the ne." He said. "Her nning the attack. It never sat right with me, but I chose to ignore it because it came from you."

    I quickly tried to shift my stand.

    "Uhmmm.... Er, but Xaden, I wasn��t so sure if she had anything to

    He raised a hand, instantly telling me to go silent.

    My lips went mute and shut.

    No words escaped.

    "I trusted you because you, more than anyone here, knew Jasmine." He said. "You lived with her. She was treated as a princess, while you were treated like a ve."

    My knees went wobbly, and I fell faint, almost ready to copse.

    "Isn��t that what you told me?" He asked.

    I was hesitant at first, but his sharp words quickly set me back in my ce.

    "Yes." I nodded.

    "This is David." He said, pointing at the snow wolf.

    He was so palepared to the rest of the wolves in the pack, and his white hair made him stand out even more.

    "Don��t recognize him?" He asked me.

    I considered telling a lie.

    I swallowed. "Not really."

    "He is one of the many prisoners of Bale," Xaden said.

    The moment he called Bale��s name, he reacted as though he had spat venom.

    "He here says that you were not raised as a ve," Xaden said.

    My heart stopped.

    My world began to vibrate, and my entire being trembled.

    I managed a weakugh and my. Eyes became watery.

    "That��s a lie," I said.

    I could see the nces.

    Whispers.

    They were all judging me.

    "That��s not true," I said. "Xaden, I am your sister. I��ll never lie to you. We should do this inside, somewhere private."

    I was being humiliated in front of everyone, and I couldn��t stand it.

    "No, Anna. You��re on trail and you would be judged in front of the pack, as is ourw." He said so sternly that he didn��t sound like my brother anymore.

    He sounded like the Alpha.

    "You forged letters from the moonlight pack." He said. "And set a magic bond to hide anyone from ever exposing your secrets."

    That hadn��t been my idea.

    Rather Uther��s.

    I gave a sharp nce at his side, but he wasn��t looking at me.

    That bastard!

    I had told him it would be dangerous, and we could have killed the people we used instead of letting them live!

    "You lied that you were raised poorly when your entire life you were raised as a princess, while Jasmine suffered." He said.

    I struggled to breathe.

    "You set everything up." He said to me. "You set up the letters, the ne! You lied. You framed Jasmine! You made her lose my daughter!"

    His eyes were as hot as fire

    "Xaden." I managed. "This isn��t true. These are lies. I swear to the goddess I-

    I felt a dirty pnd right across my face.

    It came so hard, and without any hesitation, I was sent to the floor.

    I looked up and saw Xaden standing over me.

    I couldn��t believe it.

    The one person who I had believed would always be by my side.

    Had hit me.

    "You��re still LYING!" He barked at me.

    The entire room went hush.

    I held my bruised cheek and whimpered.

    "YOU MURDERED MY CHILD!" He said, and then his voice went soft, filled with hurt. "I loved you. How could you?"

    For a split second, I saw his eyes go teary.

    I wanted to get up and beg him.

    Tell him I was sorry.

    How much I loved him because I genuinely did.

    He was the only one who had genuinely loved me.

    I gently touched his boot, and he stared at me, his face written in disgust.

    It was then that I knew I had lost my brother.

 Chapter 616: A TRIAL!

    <h4>Chapter 616: A TRIAL!</h4>

    I swallowed hard and tried to make the most of what love I believed he had for me.

    At least had.

    I looked around at everyone.

    He hadn��t even questioned me in private.

    But right in front of everyone.

    Not given me the opportunity to exin in private.

    Everyone watched me while I was humiliated.

    I considered denying everything.

    But the stare he bestowed on me made me think twice about it.

    It was at that moment that Uther hurriedly went up to Xaden and began whispering.

    Uther was my bloodline.

    He wasn��t like Xaden, who was an Alpha.

    I could understand and hear whenever he whispered.

    No one else would.

    But because I was his niece, I was able to.

    "Xaden, if you would please," Uther said to his ears, and then his eyes wandered to stare at everyone in the room.

    Perhaps he assumed they would respect him and turn away.

    But they all remained staring at him.

    He leaned back to Xaden. "Uhmmm.... Er... Xaden. I was hoping you would.....If you could perhaps spare her the embarrassment and discuss this in private."

    My heart skipped a beat.

    Uther was trying to speak to Xaden on my behalf.

    Was it out of care or fear that I��ll expose him?

    I didn��t care.

    I just wanted him to help me get out of this situation.

    Being in public made it difficult for me even to attempt to manipte Xaden again

    "People shouldn��t know about the things going on between your family," Uther whispered. "You need to hide our stains. Until we can figure something out and-

    "No!" Xaden said it so loudly that I jumped.

    Uther himself seemed to jump.

    "I will not do that," Xaden said, ring at Uther. Then Xaden looked back at the crowd. "My dear uncle wants me to hide my family��s stain. He wants me to protect our honor."

    Uther��s face went red in disbelief.

    He seemed shocked that Xaden had ousted him so abruptly.

    Uther reasonably took a step back and hid in the shadows.

    "Everything about you has been exposed ." He said. "You must be wondering why everyone is here, why I didn��t confront you in private, why my uncle here is telling me to keep it private. As my sister, you are an example to all the she-wolves in this pack. The same way our mother was."

    I swallowed hard.

    The sweat was no longer hanging on my forehead but was now dripping down my neck.

    I tried to breathe hard.

    I tried to use our sibling connection to beg him.

    So he could pity me and cover my shame.

    But Xaden ignored my wolf so much that she whimpered in pain at the rejection.

    He looked around the pack. "Who am I to be your Alpha if I hide the sins of my own family from my pack?"

    The room went chill.

    "What makes me worthy of being an Alpha if I hide the sins my own blood hasmitted when I would openly persecute a pack member whomits a crime?" He asked in a loud and territorial voice.

    He turned to look at Uther, and his voice went chilly. "My father, when I grew up, never hesitated to punish anyone who did wrong. Whether it was a friend or foe, my uncle here, out of anyone in this pack, should know this."

    Uther remained hidden in his corner.

    "What was the reason why you lied?" He asked me. "Why didn��t you just tell me you were raised like a princess? Why?"

    I looked down at his feet.

    I was going to admit to one lie and deny the others.

    "Yes, brother." Iy down at his feet. "I lied. I should never have lied to you. I was raised privileged my entire life. Just when I found out what they did to me, to you, to our parents, all I wanted to do was hate them."

    "But that I set Jasmine up? I would never."

    I began to weep profusely.

    "Was that why you would frequently order Jasmine to be caned?" He asked me.

    My eyes went red.

    Just when I thought it wouldn��t get any worse.

    It did.

    "Everyone told me what you did." He said. "I know everything. You��ve been so sadistic. My own sister. Being happy seeing people get hurt? They all hate you back there."

    "And here?" He raised a brow. "I knew that if you could do something like this there, then there must have been evidence of you doing the same thing. And it was true."

    He continued. "You��ve been horrible to the servants. Controlling. Abusive! How could you do such a thing?!"

    So those stupid servants had betrayed me.

    Told him everything.

    I gritted my teeth in anger.

    "You also coborated with my enemies. Coborated with the men who almost killed me!" He spat.

    My eyes went red.

    "No! I never did that." I said. "I have no hand in that."

    I knew there had been no hard proof to show I hadmitted such.

    "You��re sure you didn��t?" He asked me.

    "I lied about my background!" I nodded. "Yes, I admit it. I have been terrible to my servants. But these ims that I lied about Jasmine and coborated with your own enemy? It��s all false. I would never do such a thing! You��re my brother!"

    "I see." Xaden nodded.

    "Lisa," Xaden called out.

    My ears went dull, and my vision became unstable.

    Had I heard well?

    "Come up here."

    To my greatest horror and disbelief.

    There was a murmur amongst the crowd.

    I turned back around to see the crowd open up.

    None other than Lisa slowly stepped out from their midst.

    My heart began to race, and I wanted to faint

    I watched her progress to the front of the Alpha��s throne.

    In her simple servant dress and her blonde hair ited to her back, she walked maically to him.

    As she stood beside me, I could barely think.

    "Lisa tells everyone what you told me," Xaden said.

    This fucking bitch!

 Chapter 617: BETRAYAL

    <h4>Chapter 617: BETRAYAL</h4>

    Lisa slowly turned around and faced the ground.

    I wanted to scream and rip the bitch into shreds.

    Tear her from limb to limb until there was nothing left of her.

    Feed her body to the dogs.

    I wanted to punish her mercilessly and torture her soul until she begged for death.

    Her eyes downcast, she began to speak in a small and innocent voice.

    "Lady Anna forced me to forge letters to Leviathan," Lisa said quietly.

    There was a murmur in the crowd.

    My eyes went blood red, and my wolf felt like she was disintegrating at that very moment.

    "She has always hated Jasmine," Lisa said in a weak voice. "No one could understand why. Whenever we tried to defy her, she would threaten us."

    Lisa faked her tears.

    "She is a liar!" I screamed in disbelief and rage.

    There was no way anyone was going to buy this.

    It was nothing but absolute bullshit.

    "She set a meeting with the men, and just so she could have Jasmine out of the pack?" Lisa said. "Forged the letters, stole the ne because she knew how important it was to you and your family. And then she nted it in her bag. It was all a setup."

    All eyes were on me.

    From the far corner, I could see Jasmine��s nanny, Nanny Nia, ring at me with hate and anger.

    "Xaden, you can��t believe this," I said. "She is lying. Nothing she says is true!"

    "She already gave us enough proof," Xaden told me.

    I chewed so hard on my bottom lip that it bled.

    I continued to chew hard on it regardless of how deep the cut went.

    My heart was beating so fast that I tried breathing exercises to calm it down.

    I couldn��t afford to be scared.

    I could act without thinking, and that was thest thing I needed.

    I looked to anyone to turn to.

    Anyone who would be on my side.

    But there was no one.

    Not Erik, who was my mate, not even my brother.

    I was on trial and I had no one to support me.

    It was that moment I realized I had never made a friend.

    Just enemies.

    I looked to Uther, who was now hidden in the crowd.

    "And why didn��t you report to anyone in the pack?" Xaden asked.

    Lisa sniffed, spilling false tears.

    "She threatened us. She had everyone against each other." She said. "She threatened to kill any one of us who tried to oppose her. We were too scared."

    Oh, this stupid bitch!

    I fumed in anger.

    I looked at Lisa, then back at my brother, who was too stupid to see that Lisa was lying.

    "She is lying," I screamed. "She was the one who assisted me. She set everything up. She has been scheming with Aurora, your former mistress, before I even came to the pack. It��s all her."

    "Do you have any proof?" Xaden asked in a calm voice.

    My mind went racing. "No. I mean, not yet. But any servant can testify. They all know."

    He shrugged. "If they can, call on one to step out. I order anyone who is aware of Lisa��s usations to step out."

    I looked back sharply at the crowd.

    To my horror, no one stepped out.

    Not a single soul.

    Even though I knew that she had enemies.

    The maids hated her.

    And yet no one did.

    He looked back at the crowd.

    "If anyone has been witness to any of the usations dered against my sister, step out," Xaden said.

    I looked back once again, and this time?

    Well, this time, I saw female servants stepping out from the crowd one by one.

    They could step out against me!

    Sister to the Alpha!

    Daughter of the pack!

    But to Lisa, who was a monster, they stood in solidarity with her.

    I couldn��t believe it

    "In ordance with thews of the Crescent pack." Xaden began. "With all the crimes that you havemitted. You have been sentenced to-

    I realized I was doomed, so I screamed.

    "Uther is also an architect of these crimes I havemitted!" I screamed.

    Xaden stiffened.

    If I couldn��t drag Lisa down the hole with me, I was going to drag my uncle.

    I was definitely not going down alone.

    Xaden went quiet.

    The crowd went silent.

    "Yes! Don��t you wonder how I was able to set the ne in Jasmine��s bag?" I asked.

    "It was him!" I screamed, pointing at his corner. "He was the one who set everything up. Leviathan is a member of Hunter��s pack. It was he who set everything up! He wants to take over the entire pack."

    All eyes stopped staring down at me.

    Instead, they were now looking at the newest user.

    Uther slowly stepped out of the crowd.

    Heughed. "Xaden... what? This isn��t true. You know it can��t be true?"

    Uther turned to look at me. "Anna, all these things you��re doing. Trying to point a finger. I even tried to help you."

    I spat at the floor.

    "I can take you to where Leviathan is!" I said to Xaden. "He would tell you himself it was Uther he works for."

    Xaden slowly turned to our uncle. "Uncle. Is this true?" Uther gave a weakugh."

    "Of course not, nephew. I would never do such a thing." Uther said with a weak smile. "It��s me. Your uncle. Your own blood. I could never hurt you."

    "But Anna is my own blood, and she couldmit such crimes," Xaden said, ncing at me.

    "He was the one. I never wanted to do it. But he spun lies in my head." I cried. "It��s all him. I will take you to where you can find Leviathan. He works with someone who used dark magic. He has powers."

    Uther looked around.

    Within the blink of an eye, he attempted to flee.

    He turned into a wolf and jumped across the crowd.

    Kire, Erik��s wolf, was at the door and ripped his leg from the rest of his body.

 Chapter 618: THE FALL OF THE FAMILY OF THE CRESCENT PACK

    <h4>Chapter 618: THE FALL OF THE FAMILY OF THE CRESCENT PACK</h4>

    The sound was deafening.

    A single, wet gasp. Then silence.

    For a long moment, no one moved. I just stared, frozen, at the blood running in thin streams down my fingers, hot and slick, pooling at my boots.

    It had all happened too fast.

    Uther had raced out of the throne room in a matter of seconds.

    Fled as fast as lighting without breaking a stride.

    Before anyone could even make a single move, all that could be heard outside was screaming, growling and tearing.

    We could hear Uther��s screams in terror begging to stop.

    And what sounded like bone being severed from the flesh rang through the hallway.

    Kire, Erik��s departed wolf that had refused to return to his body, majestically walked into the throne room.

    His height, times two of a regr wolf.

    He tossed the severed limb and I knew it was Uther��s

    The crowd gasped.

    Men got up to perhaps bring in Uther but I rose my hand.

    I knew what Kire was going to do.

    "Kire." I nodded in approval .

    I watched as the brave wolf left the throne room and returned a few minutester, dragging Uther in.

    Uther was screaming. "No please! Stay away from me! Stay away from me."

    Everyone cleared the path letting them walk past.

    His blood spilled on the red carpet where his leg had been served.

    Once Kire reached the steps of my throne he left his body.

    Uther finally stopped screaming and slowly looked up to me.

    My bones went chilly cold with hate and betrayal.

    This was the only other bloodline I had.

    The only tie I had other than Anna who had also betrayed me.

    My family.

    Now the root cause of my misery.

    He looked up at me sharply and began to plead. "Xaden I��m your uncle. I would never do such a thing. You know me. I care about you my boy. Have mercy!"

    I gritted my teeth and spat in his face.

    Uther withdrew as though he had been pped.

    What I had in mind for him was nothingpared to this.

    "Xaden at least my leg hurts." Uther pleaded. "I��m in pains. Let me get treated and we will discuss this. I lost my wolf years ago I would die if I don��t treat it now. Please."

    I looked at him in disgust.

    Appalled that he even shared the same blood with my mother.

    Disgusted that he was my mother��s brother.

    That he was even my uncle.

    He and Anna were the same.

    All the same.

    Monsters who had disgraced my entire family pack.

    I sighed heavily and looked up at the ceiling of the throne room.

    Hundreds of my generation had been here and I wandered if they had ever been in my own ce.

    Having to judge my sister, my uncle for murdering my own child!

    For murdering innocent people!

    Just for their own selfish gains.

    I looked back down at the wolves in the room.

    The people who looked up to me as their Alpha.

    Alpha who they expected to give justice for them.

    "My lord ," Uther began, his voice cracked, his knees hitting the cold floor. "Please... please, I beg for your forgiveness."

    I said nothing. The murmurs that rippled through the court died down immediately at the sound of my silence.

    "I was wrong," Uther continued, clutching his chest as though his heart were copsing under his words. "But it was not my will. You must believe me, it wasn��t me who plotted against you. It wasn��t me who did it." His breath hitched. "Anna, she used dark magic on me. She bound my mind. I couldn��t think, couldn��t resist. Every act, every word, she controlled it all."

    My eyes flicked to Anna.

    She stood , her golden hair perfectly arranged, her dress too calm for the storm unfolding.

    "He��s lying!" she hissed. "He��s always been the one pulling the strings! He wanted your throne, Xaden! He wanted Father��s empire. Don��t you see what he��s doing? He��s turning you against me again!"

    Watching them turn on each other disgusted me!

    "Enough," I said.

    The word echoed through the hall like thunder.

    Both Anna and Uther flinched. The air grew still again.

    I descended the steps, each footfall measured, deliberate. My wolf stirred beneath my skin, restless, waiting.

    "Uther," I said, standing before him, my shadow stretching long across the floor. "You im Anna used dark magic on you?"

    "Yes, my Alpha," he said quickly, eyes darting between me and my sister. "You must have felt it, her deceit, her influence. You know what she��s capable of!"

    Anna��s jaw clenched. "How dare you��"

    "Silence," I ordered.

    She froze. Even now, she feared my voice more than the gods.

    I turned my gaze back to Uther. "Tell me something, uncle. When you ordered the guard to stand down during the siege at the northern borders, was that her doing too?"

    He hesitated. His lips trembled. "...I err....yes."

    "And when you sent scouts to the southern territory without my knowledge? When you plotted with others to dere me unfit to rule?" My tone was low now, dangerous.

    "That��That was her influence, I swear it!"

    A bitter smile curved at the corner of my lips. "No," I said softly, almost kindly. "That was you."

    His face nched. The hall stirred with uneasy murmurs.

    I stepped closer until I could see the flicker of fear in his eyes, the first honest emotion he��d shown all morning.

    "I know what you��ve been nning, Uther," I said. "I know about your little council meetings in the shadows. I know about your attempt to stage a coup and take the pack. You wanted my pack, mynds, my people." I leaned closer. "But you made one mistake, you thought I was blind."

    The blood drained from his facepletely. "That��s not true��"

    "Oh, but it is." My voice sliced through his plea. "Did you think no one would notice your whispers? The gold that vanished from the treasury? The letters smuggled out through the border guards?"

    I straightened, my tone cold as winter. "You underestimated me.

    The shock in his expression was almost pitiful.

    For a brief moment, the man looked older than time itself, broken, hollowed, caught in his own web. But I had no sympathy left to spare.

    "Erik," I called.

    A ripple spread through the room. From the crowd, Erik stepped forward,

    He walked to me, his expression hard and unreadable. From within his coat, he withdrew a sealed scroll and ced it into my hand.

    I looked down at it for a moment, the crimson wax still unbroken, marked with the faded symbol of a crescent lily.

    "This," I said, raising the scroll, "is a letter I received three moons ago."

    Uther��s brow furrowed. Anna stiffened.

    "It came from Lily," I continued. "My former mate."

    The words were met with a murmur of surprise from the crowd.

    "She had gone to live in a convent before I went to the royal pack," I said slowly. "But she sent a message."

    The hall was deathly still.

    "��To Xaden,��" I read, my voice carrying across the marble expanse. "��I do not deserve forgiveness. I was weak, and my weakness became the weapon others used to destroy you. Anna promised me redemption. Uther promised me safety. I believed them both. I helped them forge lies, spread fear, poison Jasmine��s trust. I helped them stage her fall, her pain... even her miscarriage.��"

    The words felt like ash in my mouth.

    A gasp tore through the crowd. Even the guards exchanged nces, their hands tightening on their hilts.

    I continued, my voice steady though my blood boiled beneath my skin.

    "�� we nned Rudy��s death. I was there when they decided Jasmine would be med for treason. I cannot undo what I��ve done, but I can tell the truth before I go to meet the goddess. If there is mercy left for me, it lies in confession. Forgive me, or don��t, but know that Anna and Uther were never victims. They were the architects. And I hope that the goddess forgives me."

    I let the scroll fall shut.

    Silence.

    Anna��s face was white as bone. Uther stared at the ground, his lips moving soundlessly. The weight of the words hung heavy over everyone present.

    "She ended her life," I said quietly. "Threw herself from the convent bell tower. Perhaps she thought death would cleanse her sins. She was lucky because the goddess might give her mercy but I would NEVER have!"

    I

    Anna shook her head violently, her voice trembling. "That letter! it��s a lie! It��s all a lie. Xaden please! Would never do much a thing to you or anyone! You need to believe me!"

    She no longer looked well kept.

    She looks like a mess!

    Her hair was now scattered, not in it��s usual arranged golden curls.

    Her face was a mask of terror and desperation.

    I looked down at my uncle who was half dead.

    His blood still spilling from where his leg had been severed from his body.

    Was this who my family had be?

    What I now had to call a family?

    "Enough!" I roared, the sound rumbling with the edge of my wolf��s fury.

    I growled so cruelly and my mind zing in rage.

    The room went silent and my blood boiled in rage.

    I tasted anger and hate!

    "Anna and Uther, ording to thews of the crescent pack, standing for over five hundred centuries, you have both been sentenced to death!" I dered

 Chapter 619: The Cave of Chaos

    <h4>Chapter 619: The Cave of Chaos</h4>

    Fiona��s heart stopped once she heard the deration.

    She closed her eyes and breathed a word of thanks to the goddess for the judgement being exacted out on Anna.

    Finally!

    Finally, Anna was going to leave and never return.

    Nanny Nia who looked so real and shaken seemed about to faint in an instant.

    Fiona hurriedly caught the old woman on her arm.

    Nanny Nia smiled weakly as she looked up at Fiona.

    "Finally." Nanny Nia nodded. "Jasmine would get justice. Everyone who has witnessed any evil in their hands would finally get justice."

    "Yes." Fiona nodded with delight. "We finally have justice."

    Fiona looked back at the state of the room.

    Anna was kneeling on the floor, looking like aplete mess.

    She was no longer well put together as she usually was.

    She seemed in aplete disarray.

    Uther remained on the floor, his leg still spilling with the blood from which Kire had severed.

    He had no ce to go.

    None.

    Neither did any of them.

    Fiona looked at Anna who had been so horrible.

    The revtion of all her crimes was brutal.

    The most shocking of all, was knowing that Lily had been among.

    Lisa and Anna she well expected, but Lily?

    Lily who had been so kind and sweet.

    She had been so distraught by her crimes that she had willing confessed before taking her own life.

    For the longest time, it had seemed like Anna would never be caught.

    As though she was going to forever go unpunished for her crimes.

    But Xaden had shown that he still had a heart.

    He had exposed her in front of everyone and even dered the death sentence.

    "How I wish Jasmine was here to see this." Fiona said through gritted teeth in anger as she watched the scene before her. "After everything she had been through. There is no one other than her who deserved to witness this."

    Nanny Nia shook her head. "Witness justice being served? Yes. But you know how Jasmine was. She was too kind and loving. She would have never wanted Xaden to execute his ow sister."

    Fiona rolled her eyes annoyed by a Jasmine��s too soft heart.

    she was always being taken for granted.

    "Well if that��s the case, then we thank the goddess that she wasn��t here. She would have done something silly like trying to stop the death sentence." Fiona replied as she crossed her arms and watched.

    "I second that." Nanny Nia nodded in agreement.

    Fiona sighed and turned to see Xaden seemingly bold and his face expressionless but Fiona knew him better than anyone else.

    She knew that he was bleeding.

    Having to lose his entire bloodline to such betrayal .

    The very same bloodline that he had wished to have and yet today he was being forced to dere the dead.

    "However." Xaden said into the throne room and all the hoarded voices went hush instantly.

    Fiona quickly turned to look at Xaden wondering what he had to say.

    He sighed in heavily.

    "As your Alpha." Xaden continued. "It burdens me to do this. It burdens me to have such an example. My family was supposed to be an example to this pack. We were supposed to give hope when there wasn��t. We were supposed to hand good when there was bad. It is with shame, and disgrace that I openly admit that my own sister and uncle have ruined our bloodlines."

    The room was so quiet Fiona was a pin would drop and you would hear it the moment itnds.

    "And for this, with the power vested in me as an Alpha, I hear-by reject the daughter of my father and my mother, niece to my uncle and sister of mine, Anna of the Crescent pack."

    There was an eerie silence that went through the room.

    "I reject Uther of the Crescent pack, uncle of mine. These two are no longer of our bloodlines and no longer belong to the pack." Xaden said.

    Fiona breathed heavily.

    Erik walked up to Xaden, this time with another scroll in his hand.

    Xaden nodded at him and Erik took the front stage.

    "In ordance with thews of the crescent pack, the sixteen amendment forbids the Alpha or Luna of the crescent pack execution of a bloodline." Erik said.

    The crowd gasped, Fiona��s heart stopped.

    "What?" Fiona mumbled as she gently ced her hand on her chest.

    She could not believe it!

    What stupidw was this?

    Xaden had dered them to death, but yet there was aw that somehow prevented that from happening?

    Regardless of whatever crime they made?

    "This is bullshit." Nanny Nia swore behind her/

    "How can they say such a thing! After everything that has happened! After the truth!"

    There was a murmur of disapproval amongst the crowd.

    "However!" Erik continued with a loud voice the room went hush.

    "In the case of a judgement that demands death sentence." Erik continued. "They shall be sentenced to the caves of Chaos."

    It felt as though evil hade into the room.

    Evil so powerful that everyone became scared.

    Even Fiona herself was terrified.

    "NO! PLEASE!" Uther screamed pathetically. "PLEASE I BEG YOU! Just kill me! Just kill me!"

    Despite his leg being severed he crawled to Xaden. "Don��t let me go there. Please I beg you! Please! Kill me!"

    Fiona had heard stories about the Caves of Chaos.

    Her mother would sit her on herp and tell her such tales.

    From what she knew, the Caves of Chaos was a ce where the goddess.

    Before the creation of all wolves, the goddess Selene had gone to war with her sibling.

    After the hundred moon battle, she emerged victorious.

    The siblings who had survived, she had made a very special type of hell for.

    The cave of Chaos.

    It was worse than death.

    No one had ever made it out alive.

    There said to be a thousand years of torture while you begged to be alive.

    It was a ce so terrible and scary no one ever wanted to venture in.

    I felt chills down my arms.

    Anna being tortured nonstop without even having the opportunity to pause for a second.

    She would cry and beg but she would be tortured so much she begged for death.

    And death would nevere.

    At least, not until the cave was satisfied.

    Anna didn��t really know about it because she looked relieved.

    Stupidly thinking that she had been spared.

    Not knowing that Uther��s frantic screams were for a reason.

    Because he unlike her knew what would face them.

    "For the Alpha��s bloodline tomit a crime so worthy of death shall never be enough in the eye of the pack for they are lessons to all. He or she who has befallen such judgement would suffer worse for death shalle to easy in an execution."

    And it finally hit Fiona.

    The point of the amendment was to make it worse.

    It was to make the offenders beg for death and watch it nevere.

    She thought about how cruel it was and nodded in agreement.

    Yes!

    This was what Anna needed.

    A punishment so painful and dire that she would forget think of all the things she had done.

    They were right.

    Death woulde to easy.

    "Take them away!" Xaden snapped.

    Ten wolf guards came in and swooped them

    Up.

    Anna began to scream.

    "Xaden please!" She wept. "Don��t let them take me! I��m your sister. I am your only sister! I am innocent! Please! You would be extinct! Our bloodline and name would die! Please don��t do this!"

    Xaden turned around and rose a hand.

    The guards stopped.

    Xaden slowly came down from his throne and walked to Anna.

    He looked her all over, her entire being in a disarray.

    She was now a beggar, desperate to do anything to escape her predicament.

    "You are wrong." He said aloud

    Then to my amazement pointed at her.

    All eyes fell on her

    "THAT is my sister." He said without taking his eyes off Anna.

    She swallowed hard.

    "Everyone here in this pack is my real family. By blood you were. But blood doesn��t define family. Even if our bloodline ends with me I have other family, my real family here to continue my legacy." Xaden said. "You are dead to me! Know this and know peace."

    And Anna was dragged out of the hall room.

    Fiona heard her shrill screams and she was dragged away.

    She took in a deep breath unable to believe that it was over.

    That Anna was finally gone!

    In the far corner of the room<i></i>, she saw Erik looking at her.

    She swallowed heavily.

    Now that Anna was no longer an obstacle in their lives, this now meant they could pursue a future together.

    Or did it?

    She didn��t think so.

    She knew that was what he thought.

    That they were fine now and everything would go back to normal.

    But he was wrong.

 Chapter 620: BIG MOUTH!

    <h4>Chapter 620: BIG MOUTH!</h4>

    The throne room emptied slowly, voices drifting out like ghosts, whispers still trembling with the weight of Xaden��s judgement.

    But Fiona barely heard any of it. Her heart was beating too loudly, too painfully. Everything inside her felt raw, from the horror of Anna��s crimes to the dizzying relief of seeing her and Uther dragged away.

    It was over.

    Anna was gone.

    Truly gone.

    Yet the moment her eyes found Erik standing near the far pir, staring at her like she was thest thing anchoring him...she felt it, the sharp twist of dread in Fiona��s chest.

    No.

    No, this wasn��t over.

    Not for her.

    Erik moved first.

    He pushed off the pir and started toward her slowly, each step heavy, deliberate, almost fearful.

    Fiona looked away quickly, pretending to adjust Nanny Nia��s shawl even though the old woman was already steady on her feet.

    "Thank you, dear," Nanny Nia murmured. "I think my work here is done."

    And then Nanny Nia seemed to be looking in a different direction.

    Fiona closed her eyes knowing what wasing.

    "Well. I have to leave for other matters. You deserve privacy." Nanny Nia said with a wink knowingly.

    Before Fiona could say a word, she patted her hand before quietly excusing herself.

    Leaving Fiona alone.

    And Erik standing a few meters away, breathing unevenly.

    "Fi..." Erik said softly.

    The sound of his voice nearly shattered her. It held relief, hope, longing, and something else she couldn��t bear to name.

    She stiffened. "Hello."

    He walked closer as he nodded. "How are you?"

    "Fine." She replied as she itched the side of her arms.

    He came and stood beside her as they both looked at Xaden.

    Xaden was seated on his throne, his mind far away.

    Fiona wondered how he felt.

    His entire family gone.

    Disgraced his family name and now he was alone.

    She wanted to walk up to him and hug him.

    Hold him and tell him that it was okay.

    He had turned down Anna and called her-Fiona- his family.

    She wasn��t blood, but she was now his family.

    His only sister.

    And it was so cruel that he had been forced to make those decisions.

    Forced to sentence his sister to death.

    "Don��t." Erik said softly.

    She rose a brow.

    "Let him heal his wounds on his own first." Erik advised. "No one can ever fathom what he is facing. But he needs to nurse his own wounds. Then, you canfort him. But for now ?"

    Erik turned to look at Xaden who was still seated at his throne, staring into nothingness before saying. "You should let him be."

    Fiona silently agreed.

    She very quietly left the throne room, and didn��t need to hear his footsteps to know Erik was following her.

    She could feel him.

    Whenever he was around her body lost control of itself.

    The hair on her back stood and she would feel herself drowning.

    It amazed her that despite not being her mate, she was so terribly affected by him.

    She wondered if this was how he and Anna had felt for each other and it made her further angry.

    Even though Anna was now dead.

    "Fiona please wait-

    He caught her arm behind.

    She jerked her arm and twirled to face him.

    She was breathing so heavily she thought her face would explode.

    She was now staring at his handsome face, streaks of blonde hair loose from its hold.

    He paused but didn��t stoping closer. "We need to talk."

    "There��s nothing to talk about." She replied quickly.

    "There is." His voice cracked, the control slipping. "Anna is gone. Everything she did, everything she forced between us, it doesn��t have to hold us hostage anymore."

    Fiona felt her throat close.

    She lifted her chin, icy. "Is that what you think this was? Hostage?"

    Erik flinched. Actually flinched.

    His shoulders fell as he stood in front of her, looking ruined.

    Truly ruined. She had never seen Erik this undone, not even during the investigation, not even after she had severed their rtionship.

    She found herself beginning to feel guilty but she swallowed her emotions.

    "Fiona..." He reached for her hand.

    She stepped back again.

    And his face broke.

    "You��re pulling away." His voice was barely a whisper. "Why?"

    Sheughed bitterly. "Erik, do you really need me to tell you? After everything we��ve been through? After everything you let happen?"

    "I didn��t let��"

    "You did." Her voice cracked, despite trying to keep it steady. "You let Anna publicly im you as her mate. You let her cling to you, walk beside you, speak for you. You didn��t correct her. You didn��t deny her. You didn��t even try to reassure me while I stood there looking like a fool."

    His jaw tightened. He swallowed hard. "Fiona, I didn��t have a choice. It was politics. She was Xaden sister. The Alpha��s sister. My best friend��s sister and ��"

    "And I was what?" Fiona snapped. "A secret? A convenience? Something to hide so you wouldn��t upset the princess of the pack?"

    Erik closed his eyes as if the words physically hurt him. "I only ever loved you. You know that."

    "Do I?" she whispered.

    He opened his eyes again, blue and desperate, raw.

    "I thought once she was exposed... once she was gone..." His breath hitched. "We could go back to us."

    Fiona shook her head slowly, painfully. "There is no ��back�� to go to."

    Silence settled between them. A heavy, suffocating silence that tasted like heartbreak.

    "You deserve better than what I gave you," she whispered. "Better than being attached to someone who let another woman parade around as his Luna."

    "I didn��t let her!"

    "You didn��t stop her either!" Fiona snapped in burning rage.

    The echo of her voice rang against the stone walls.

    The servants who were passing froze.

    But Fiona didn��t care.

    She was breathing so hard she thought she would die at the spot.

    Erik has a sharp re and growl.

    In a matter of seconds they were rushing off.

    He took in a deep breath

    Erik pressed a hand to his neck. "Fiona, please... sweetheart, don��t do this."

    "I have to," she said. "Because if I stay, I will always wonder when the next time will be. The next lie. The next political stunt. The next woman you have to pretend with."

    "She is gone." Erik pointed out. "She is dead. She was my mate but you need to understand that she is dead. Dead with the evil she has evermitted. I never loved her."

    Fiona remembered how jealous she was of their connection and she bitterly said.

    "But yet you were connected to her in more ways than I ever would to you wasn��t she?"

    Erik blinked.

    His silence gave her the answers she already and it further burned her.

    She was angry with herself.

    Angry that she was jealous over a woman who despite being pronounced dead, still held so much power in their lives.

    It was proof that she was forever going to hinder their rtionship and that was something she couldn��t lose herself to .

    No matter how much she loved him.

    Erik stepped forward quickly and caught her arm, not forcefully, but desperately, like a drowning man clinging to driftwood.

    "I will fight for you," he whispered fiercely. "I swear it. I will prove myself. I��ll fix everything. Just don��t walk away from me now."

    She looked at his hand on her arm... then at the man she loved standing in front of her with tears in his eyes.

    And she gently removed his fingers from her skin.

    "I��m not walking away," she said. "I��m stepping back. For myself."

    Erik��s breath left him. Completely.

    His knees nearly buckled.

    "Fiona..."

    "Please," she whispered. "Don��t say anything else. Not tonight. Not again."

    And she turned away from him.

    She didn��t look back.

    But she heard it.

    The sound of something mming, the wall, his fist, maybe both.

    A raw, animal sound leaving his throat.

    Erik was breaking.

    And Fiona walked away with her heart splitting in two.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~

    As Fiona walked down the hallways struggling to hold back her tears, she made a bend and came crashing right into none other than Lisa herself.

    She became grim instantly.

    Lisa attempted to walk past but Fiona grabbed her arm and pulled her back, forcing her to look at her.

    "Let go." Lisa hissed. "I��m the pack��s star witness and I��m sure Alpha Xaden wouldn��t take too well if anything happened to me."

    "I know what you did." Fiona said. "I know you had hand in everything the exact same way they all did. You think I can forget the night you beat Jasmine up."

    Lisa smiled wickedly. "Oh yes that. When you used to be our roommate. Except we didn��t know you were only pretending. I bet you didn��t know that I was Aurora��s right hand man. You see everyone has been caught, but me?"

    Lisaughed.

    "I am the real architect. Everything that happened. I knew before beyond who Jasmine truly was. I set her up. I nned Rudy��s death. You name it. It was all me. And there is nothing you can ever do about it." Lisa said.

    Fiona took in a deep breath. "I can��t. But he can."

    "Huh?" Lisa mumbled.

    She turned around and saw Xaden standing right behind her.

 Chapter 621: LISA’S DOWNFALL

    <h4>Chapter 621: LISA��S DOWNFALL</h4>

    The throne room doors shut behind her with a heavy boom, but Lisa didn��t flinch.

    If anything, she smiled.

    A small, sharp, victorious smile, the kind that lived only in the corners of her mouth, the kind she never let anyone else notice. Not

    even Anna.

    Especially not Anna.

    The corridor ahead was nearly empty, sunlight spilling through tall windows, dust floating like soft glitter in the beams. It looked peaceful. Quiet. Safe.

    And that alone made her want tough.

    Everyone else had left the throne room shattered crying, panicking, whispering, trembling.

    But Lisa? She walked out with her head high, her back straight, and not a single drop of worry in her blood.

    Because unlike them, she knew the truth.

    She was untouchable.

    Thest surviving thread of Aurora��swork. The only one clever enough to erase her tracks. The only one who had always stayed five steps ahead.

    And now that Anna and Uther had fallen like the foolish pawns they were, there was no one left who could expose her.

    Lisa lifted a hand and fixed her hair, smoothing a strand behind her ear.

    Poor Anna. Poor, stupid Anna.

    She had always thought she was the mastermind, the center of the web, the one spinning all the strings.

    And Lisa had let her believe it, feeding her ego, whispering ideas in her ear... ideas Anna believed were her own.

    But Anna had never realized she was merely the weapon.

    And Lisa had been the one aiming her.

    Now Anna was dead. Uther disgraced, dead too. Aurora in chains. Lily had taken her own life.

    The moment she had discovered Lily was leaving, she had used dark magic she had bought from a ck market to poison Lily .

    Dark magic so potent enough to make her be unable to expose her if something happened.

    And it had worked.

    She was ten times ahead of everyone.

    Every pawn removed from the board.

    Except her.

    Lisa inhaled deeply through her nose, breathing in victory.

    She had done it. She truly had.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~

    She walked briskly down the corridor, her boots clicking softly.

    A pair of servants stepped aside with nervous bows.

    Lisa resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

    Such fragile little things these people were.

    Another corner, another hallway, and she would reach the guest wing.

    She needed to retrieve the satchel under her bed, the one only she knew about, the one packed with a forged pass, money, and a single sealed letter written in Aurora��s handwriting.

    Insurance.

    Lisa��s lips curled again. She could already imagine the delicious chaos she would unleash once she slipped away.

    She stepped forward and collided with someone turning the corner.

    Hard.

    Lisa��s shoulder mmed into theirs, and she let out a hiss. Her immediate instinct was to snap!

    But then she saw who it was.

    Fiona.

    Of all people.

    The irritating, self-righteous little puppet who thought she could y spy.

    The girl who used to sleep two beds away. The girl Lisa had always suspected, always watched, always found unbearably predictable.

    Lisa��s annoyance spiked. "Watch where��"

    But Fiona��s eyes were already narrowed. And Lisa realized in a single breath that Fiona was not simply walking.

    She was storming. Her face streaked with emotion, her jaw trembling as if she had just fought a war inside herself.

    Ah.

    Erik.

    Perfect.

    Lisa shifted to move past her.

    But Fiona��s hand shot out faster than she expected.

    She grabbed Lisa��s arm and jerked her back.

    Hard.

    Lisa stumbled, herposure cracking for the first time.

    "Let go," Lisa snapped, yanking her arm. "I��m the pack��s star witness and I��m sure Alpha Xaden wouldn��t appreciate youying your filthy hands on me��"

    "I know what you did."

    Fiona��s voice was low, steady, and cold, far colder than Lisa expected.

    Lisa blinked.

    Then she smiled.

    A slow, wicked smile.

    "Oh? Which part?" she mocked. "The part where Jasmine got what she deserved? Or the part where Rudy realized toote that curiosity gets people killed?"

    Fiona didn��t flinch.

    Lisa stepped closer, lowering her voice.

    "I know you like to pretend you were so clever, living with us, watching us, thinking you understood anything. But you never did." Lisa leaned in, savoring the shrinking space. "You never even knew that I was Aurora��s right hand. That I built every lie Anna ever believed. That every n, every whisper, every disaster that touched Jasmine came from me."

    Her smile widened.

    "I��m untouchable."

    Fiona��s jaw tightened. "Not anymore."

    Lisaughed. "You don��t have proof��"

    "I don��t need proof," Fiona said quietly.

    "Because he heard you."

    Lisa frowned.

    "Heard what?"

    Fiona didn��t answer.

    But a voice behind her did.

    "I heard everything."

    Lisa��s blood froze.

    Every limb. Every breath. Every thought.

    She turned.

    Slowly.

    Turning took too long. Her body felt heavy, cold, thick with dread she hadn��t tasted in years. She already knew who stood there.

    But knowing didn��t stop the fear that punched through her ribs when she finally saw him.

    Xaden.

    Standing just a few steps away.

    Not furious.

    Not shouting.

    Not storming forward.

    Just standing there.

    Still.

    Silent.

    Eyes dark.

    Expression unreadable.

    And that, for the first time in Lisa��s life, terrified her more than any Alpha roar.

    "Alpha��" Lisa swallowed, forcing a smile, forcing breath back into her lungs. "This is just a misunderstanding. Fiona misheard��"

    "I heard you," Xaden said again.

    Calm.

    Too calm.

    He took one step forward.

    "Enough to have you executed ten times over."

    Lisa felt her heartbeat m into her throat.

    Think.

    Think.

    Think.

    "Alpha, with all due respect," she said, forcing her voice to soften, forcing her eyes to water practiced tricks. "I am your witness. Without me, you have no case against Uther. No confirmation against thework. I helped bring justice��"

    "You helped nothing," Xaden said coldly.

    Another step.

    His eyes burned, not with rage, but something far worse.

    Disgust.

    "You lied under oath," he said. "You

    You manipted testimony. Youmitted conspiracy with the traitors you pretended to expose."

    Lisa��s breath quickened.

    "Alpha, I-"

    "You hurt the mother of my child ."

    Lisa stiffened.

 Chapter 622: LEVERAGE

    <h4>Chapter 622: LEVERAGE</h4>

    His Xaden��s jaw clicked and she found herself being more terrified than ever

    "You hurt the woman I vowed to protect," he said, voice dropping to something terrifyingly quiet. "You touched her. Beat her. Tormented her. You killed my own child. And you dared tough about it.

    Lisa stepped back instinctively.

    "Alpha, I... I can exin��"

    "Exin?" Xaden repeated, raising a brow.

    He looked almost amused.

    Almost.

    And then he did the scariest thing.

    Heughed.

    Laughed so hard she became worried.

    No one said a word.

    By the time he was doneughing, he looked at her with cold hard eyes.

    He leaned slightly, as if observing a fascinating insect.

    "Exin how you orchestrated my child death?"

    Lisa��s breath shattered.

    "I-I didn��t. I swear. I didn��t mean those things I-

    "Exin how you set up Jasmine again and again?"

    Lisa��s palms began to sweat.

    "Alpha, I-

    "Exin how you thought you were untouchable."

    That stopped her heart entirely.

    Her breath stuttered.

    Xaden��s voice had no heat, only a deadly certainty.

    "You��re not."

    Lisa opened her mouth

    but nothing came out.

    No excuses.

    No lies.

    No charm.

    She didn��t have anything to use or say again.

    She was alone.

    It terrified and baffled her how she had worked so hard for everything and yet it had alle crashing down by the slip of a tongue.

    She wanted to take her life this very instant.

    Her mind raced in circles, copsing.

    She tried again. "My Alpha, please-

    "Guards."

    The word cut through the hall like a de.

    She couldn��t believe it.

    She had yed every card in the game!

    She had manipted everyone to the point she had be indispensable.

    And now she had spoken without thinking.

    She had been too excited about her victory she had exposed herself.

    Two omegas appeared instantly, stepping from behind pirs she hadn��t even noticed. Their shadows swallowed her.

    "No.... wait please?

    Lisa jerked backward. "Xaden, listen to me-"

    "Don��t you DARE call me by my name!" He warned sternly his finger pointed at her in warning. "You have no right."

    She swallowed.

    "Take her," Xaden said, not even looking at her. "Restrain her. She will be interrogated immediately."

    "No!" Lisa screamed as hands mped around her arms.

    He paused and his eyes went dark. "In fact, you will take her to the cell Jasmine lost my child. Let her feel the ghost of my child before she heads to the caves of chaos."

    She twisted, kicking, thrashing. "You can��t do this! I helped you! I saved this pack! I-

    "You destroyed it," Xaden said and then gave a wry smile. "Almost. But you would never seed."

    He seemed to hover for a split second as if unsure of what to say until he breathed. "You see, I never had a heart to begin with. But I��m now a man who has lost everything. I��m the worst kind to make an enemy."

    His voice finally shifted... just slightly.

    Not with anger.

    With hate.

    And that broke her.

    The man she had dreamed one day would make her his Luna.

    The one she had seen herself beside his throne one day.

    "Mercy," Lisa whispered, desperate, shaking. "Please... please, Alpha, don��t do this. I can give you information. I know everything. I know about Jasmine. About the jewels. About you. About-

    Xaden��s eyes flicked to her.

    Dangerously.

    "You��ve said nothing new." Xaden said and then he turned to the guards. "Take her away."

    Lisa froze.

    She began to panic.

    Her mind racing in frantic.

    What could she do?

    What could she say?

    He already knew about everything.

    Aurora, Anna, Jasmine, Uther.

    Who?!

    Who could she expose that would save her skin.

    Her mind started to race as they approached to her.

    She stepped back and bumped into Fiona who pushed her back to the path of the guards.

    And then it hit her!

    The very moment the guards grabbed her, she screamed. "I KNOW ABOUT PRINCESS CHERRY!"

    Xaden froze.

    The aura became tensed.

    She knew that she had caught his attention.

    He turned back to her and red his eyes spitting fire.

    "What?" He asked.

    She was breathing heavily now.

    "Yes. Princess Cherry is involved. I can tell you everything." She managed through the grasp of the guards.

    He marched up to her and caught her face in his hands.

    "Tell me now!" He hissed.

    She knew she had caught him hook like and sinker.

    "I��ll only tell you if you promise to let me live." She said.

    He squeezed her cheek, his ws digging inside so hard she bled.

    "I��ll rip the skin off of your Face if you don��t speak." He promised.

    Already bloodied and in pain, she managed to say. "Well if you do, you��ll never know the truth? Especially considering she is the reason your parents are dead."

    "You��re lying." Xaden said with rage.

    Fiona gently touched Xaden��s shoulder. "She is just trying to get to you with lies. You shouldn��t believe her."

    To Lisa��s horror, she saw Xaden begin to change his mind.

    No no no.

    He was starting to not believe her anymore.

    Her mind began to race again for something to hold again.

    "Take her away." He spat. "All she does is lie."

    The guard started to drag her away.

    She kicked and kicked again.

    And then she remembered what Uther had said one night.

    How she had overheard him.

    "She also killed your adoptive mother Eleanor!" She screamed.

    He paused.

    "Yes! She did! If you think I��m lying you can ask the witch Marie, she knows everything. And I know all the ns about Jasmine. I know who she truly is and why Princes Cherry wants her dead!" Lisa said.

    She had heard from a discussion between Uther and a hollowed shadow of Princess Cherry that Jasmine was a princess.

    She had believed it to be absurd and ridiculous.

    But slowly she had started to see the truth in it.

    And now she realized it made sense.

    "If you let me live. I��ll tell you EVERYTHING!" She promised

 Chapter 623: A COVER UP

    <h4>Chapter 623: A COVER UP</h4>

    XADEN��S POV

    I looked all over her.

    Her sudden ims of Princess Cherry.

    I found that had to believe.

    There was barely any ever connection Uther had to Cherry.

    Especially since Uther was now headed for the cave of chaos.

    I still had to be present when they were taken down into the Cave of Chaos.

    As Alpha of the pack, it was expected that I had to be present when the sentence is being handed out.

    I sighed heavily.

    I was going to have to be present for the opening of Cave of Chaos.

    I considered having Lisa wait till I got back.

    But I changed my mind.

    I wanted to have it done once and for all.

    "Take her to the room Jasmine had been locked in." I said. "If she can give us something, then her death would be merciful."

    Lisa screamed and began to plead but I ignored her.

    The guards dragged Lisa down the corridor, her shrill protests ricocheting off the stone walls like knives. I didn��t bother to look at her.

    Not yet. If I did, I wasn��t sure what part of me would react,

    the part that had lost a child, or the part that had just lost thest shred of patience I had left.

    Behind me, Fiona swallowed hard.

    She��d seen me angry before.

    She��d never seen me like this.

    "I��lle with you." Fiona said silently behind my back.

    I nodded.

    She followed silently as we cut through the castle corridors, the torches flickering as if afraid. I could feel her eyes on my back, worried, confused, but stronger than most. She didn��t speak.

    She knew better than to speak right now.

    I was overwhelmed by everything.

    My heart was broken into pieces.

    My sister had lied and betrayed me.

    I was forced to execute her.

    Torn between being a brother, father and an Alpha.

    And I had also lost my uncle.

    Now I was facing a servant of mine who had been the architect of it all.

    We were led to the room Jasmine had been kept in and the moment I stepped in, I was hit by a sickening feeling.

    It was cold and sad room.

    Had only a bed by the wall, there was no light to tell what time it was, just cold and dark.

    I closed my eyes, ashamed and hurt that I had made her go through this.

    I wondered how she had spent her nights here.

    How she had lost the baby here.

    My throat became clouded and I felt like I could barely breathe.

    Tears gathered in my eyes as I took in the surroundings.

    "Xaden" Fiona��s gentle hand touched my shoulder, snapping me back to reality.

    I blinked quickly to hide back the tears and turned around with a tight jaw.

    "Are you okay?" She asked softly.

    I looked back and saw that Lisa and the guards were now waiting for me.

    She had been forced down on the floor while the guards stood behind her hostilely.

    "Alpha, please-"

    "Shut up."

    She went still.

    Her eyes darted to Fiona, then to me. She realized she no longer had the leverage she thought she had.

    She knelt straighter, forcing a calm she didn��t feel.

    "I won��t speak unless I��m given a deal," Lisa said, her voice trembling only at the edges. "If I tell you what I know, I want protections. Amnesty. A new identity. I-

    Was she mad?

    I wanted tough.

    I stepped closer.

    Her words died.

    "You think," I said quietly, "that you are in any position to negotiate?"

    She swallowed.

    "You need what I know," she whispered. "Without me-

    "I don��t need anything from you." I stated clearly.

    My voice was too calm. Fiona tensed behind me.

    Lisa flinched.

    "You will talk," I continued. "Not because I offered a deal but because you understand exactly what I will do if you don��t."

    I snapped my finger at her, bringing her to look at me.

    And then I traced my finger around the room and then down to the floor.

    "Do you see where we are?" I asked her. "Don��t know where we are?"

    She was trembling.

    She didn��t say a word.

    "This is where Jasmine lost our child." I said explicitly. "A child that I believe I would never be able to conceive and yet it happened."

    Her eyes trembled in terror.

    "The very floor you��re kneeling on." I exined as I pointed to the ground. "That��s most likely where she bled and lost her. And it all makes me more furious. This ce also makes me feel guilty. Guilty for all the things I could have done to save her. How I could have handled it better. And I��ll like to pour that frustration on you. I would like to rip you into shreds, limb from limb. So you see the level of my rage now?"

    She opened her mouth, probably to lie, or bargain, or cry.

    I mmed my hand on the metal bed beside her.

    She jumped so violently the chair rattled.

    "Start. Talking."

    Herposure cracked.

    She tried again, her breath shaking. "Princess Cherry-

    Fiona��s head snapped up.

    I froze.

    Lisa felt the shift. She smiled, weakly, but with desperation.

    "Yes," she said quickly. "Princess Chery is involved. She was involved from the beginning. Aurora wasn��t the one leading thework. Anna wasn��t either. They were all just... tools. Every single one."

    She leaned forward, her chains clinking.

    "Chery was the one whispering orders from the shadows. She was the one funding everything. Controlling everything. Every plot. Every attack. Every ��ident�� that Jasmine faced. Even the one in your pack years ago."

    My jaw clenched.

    Years ago.

    Bale��s massacre of my parents

    Lisa watched my reaction, like a snake tasting blood.

    "She��s been doing this for years, Alpha," Lisa rasped. "She used so many people as her de, Aurora, Anna as her puppet, Uther as her pawn, Lily as her errand girl. They thought they had power. They thought they were important. But they were just pieces on her board."

    She sat back, breathing harder. "While she stayed hidden, untouchable."

    Fiona stepped forward, voice trembling. "Why Jasmine? What does she want with her? She is lying Xaden! None of this makes any sense! She is only saying this to get out of this!"

    "Lying! Why would I lie? Especially when I have my head to lose?!" Lisa spat with venom.

    Lisa��s eyes flicked to her, then back to me.

    She smiled.

    Because fear wasn��t enough for her. She needed to feel powerful again, if only for one more minute.

    "Jasmine isn��t just a pregnant unshifted wolf-" Lisa whispered.

    The room seemed to shrink.

    We waited in anticipation for what she had to say.

    "Her mother wasn��t just a ve." Lisa continued.

    I frowned.

    "She is actually-

    At that moment before Lisa could say a word, the cell became dark.

    It felt as though a shadow of darkness had enveloped the room.

    And I perceived something in it.

    Dark magic.

    The burning touch that lit up to the room went poof.

    "What just happened?" Fiona asked.

    It felt as though a shadow was passing through us, and yet the atmosphere was still.

    I cursed under my breath.

    "Walter." I snapped my finger at the guard. "On a new torch."

    "I��m trying." Walt said sounding agitated. "But it��s not working.

    The other guards, I could hear them trying to make a fire to light the torch .

    "Fuck." I swore.

    And then as if in that very instant, the light came on.

    I looked around to see if any of the men had turned it on themselves.

    But they equally looked confused.

    Their eyes were darting around from one person to the other.

    The torches that hung by the wall had been lit on their own.

    I frowned.

    "Xaden". Fiona gasped behind me.

    I turned around and to my greatest horror, Lisa was kneeling down, her eyes seemingly burned out and where her heart was supposed to be, gorged out.

    A guard threw up.

    "She is dead!" Fiona gasped in horror.

    I instantly went to check her body.

    Fiona was indeed right.

    She was dead.

    "How the hell did this happen?" I barked.

    It made no sense.

    She had been okay for a split second and now shey dead?

    The exact same moment the light had gone off on its own and returned back without any support.

    Fiona who was now seemingly frightened looked back at me.

    "Xaden." She started, her eyes red with fear . "Someone doesn��t want us to know something about Jasmine."

    My heart was racing.

    I hated to admit it, but she was right.

    My pack that was supposedly fortified with powers strong enough to resist dark magic however had it walking in my midst.

    And the very same moment Lisa was supposed to speak, something had killed her.

    Princes Cherry she had said.

    I rose up to my feet.

    I was going to find out.

 Chapter 624: Into the Caves of Chaso

    <h4>Chapter 624: Into the Caves of Chaso</h4>

    <strong><i>XADEN��S POV</i></strong>

    Lisa��s body was still warm when I forced myself to look away.

    Her eyes, burned out to hollow darkness.

    Her chest, gorged open where her heart should have been.

    Her lips were still parted in the shape of the tale she never got to say.

    I didn��t let myself feel anything.

    Not shock.

    Not fear.

    But Rage? Oh I felt rage and fury.

    The anger that just when the bitch would have confessed about everything she ever did, she had been cut short.

    Dead, but not at my hand

    "Keep her body in Loren��s quarters," I said quietly. My voice came out colder than steel.

    "Lock the door. Don��t touch her. Don��t speak about her. I��ll deal with it when I return."

    The guards�� faces paled.

    They bowed so fast their armor ttered

    "Yes, Alpha."

    I turned.

    The smell of the room still stuck to me.

    The memory that I didn��t recall hung to me.

    The memory of Jasmine writhing in pain on this exact floor I stood on while she lost our baby.

    I was haunted but it.

    I shook it off of my head and walked out of the room.

    Fiona hurried after me.

    "Xaden," she breathed, anxiety sharp in her voice, "wait....where are you going?"

    I didn��t slow down.

    My boots echoed down the stone corridor, steady and firm.

    "I have to be present for the descent," I said.

    "Anna and Uther are being taken to the Cave of Chaos tonight. As the Alpha, I must witness the sentence. It��s what thews of the pack entails."

    I heard Fiona gasp and then swallow hard.

    I felt her trembling before I saw it.

    "Xaden..."

    Her voice cracked softly. "I know Anna did horrible things. She deserved punishment. I know that. But you shouldn��t be there watching her die. I��m worried the effect it��s going to have on you. You��ve lost too many already. I hate her, but I can��t deny the fact that.... she was your sister."

    I stiffened.

    Fiona stepped in front of me, blocking my path gently.

    "She was your blood," she whispered. "Watching her die... sending her to that ce, it must hurt you. You don��t have to pretend it doesn��t."

    Her eyes searched mine, deep and sincere and terrified for me.

    I closed mine for a moment.

    It did hurt.

    But not the way she thought.

    When I opened them again, my voice came out low, tired, and old.

    "I want to me Bale," I said. "I want to me him for stealing her as a newborn. For raising her as his own weapon. For poisoning her. Warping her. Shaping her into something wicked. So evil that she didn��t care of have the heart for anyone."

    I raked a hand through my hair.

    "I want to tell myself she had no chance to be anything else."

    "But..." Fiona encouraged gently.

    "But then I remember Jasmine."

    Saying her name felt like a fist around my throat.

    "Jasmine was raised in cruelty. In beatings. In darkness. Abused. Starved. Isted. She was his daughter and yet she faced such brutality. And still... still she grew into a gentle soul."

    Fiona looked down, eyes misting.

    "She could have been evil. She <i>should </i>have turned out evil. Ready to kill all those who hurt her, but she didn��t. If Jasmine could survive her childhood with a heart like hers," I whispered, "then Anna... Anna. I want to tell myself, that if my mother was alive, Anna would have been raised good. That things would have been different. She would be kind and love the people."

    A sharp breath. Another.

    My chest ached.

    The heart I didn��t have burned.

    "But today," I said, voice steeling, "when I looked at her... all I saw was evil. Even if my mother raised her, she would still have been evil."

    Fiona ced a hand on my arm, warm and reassuring..

    She didn��t argue.

    Didn��t offer falsefort.

    Didn��t say Anna was secretly good.

    She simply nodded.

    She understood and I knew she too was grieving all the troubles Anna had brought.

    "And Lisa?" she asked finally. "What do you want us to do? Should we announce her death? Should we...?"

    "No," I said instantly.

    "Her confession stays between us. You and the guards were the only witnesses. No one else must know she spoke of Princess Chery."

    Fiona tensed at the name.

    I continued, "Keep her body hidden in Loren��s chambers. Lock the door. When I return, I��ll bring the information we need."

    She hesitated for a long moment.

    "Fiona," I said, narrowing my eyes, "say your mind."

    She bit her lip.

    "It��s probably nothing," she whispered. "But what Lisa said... about Princess Chery being involved. I can��t shake it off. Why would she care about our pack? About Jasmine? What could she possibly gain?"

    I exhaled slowly.

    "I don��t know. But Lisa died the moment she tried to speak her name and that says Cherry didn��t want us knowing something."

    We both remembered the darkness.

    The torches dying.

    The shadow passing like a whisper of death.

    The way the room itself seemed to hold its breath.

    Fiona stepped closer, lowering her voice.

    "You remember during the Halo Festival?" she murmured. "Every time Princess Chery was near, Jasmine would get tense. She��d flinch. She��d avoid her. She was... scared of her. So fucking much".

    My blood ran cold.

    Jasmine.

    Afraid of Cherry.

    From the beginning.

    "I��ll keep it in mind," I said quietly.

    Fiona nodded.

    I leaned down and ced a soft kiss on her forehead, just a brief touch, but enough to steady us both.

    "Stay safe."

    Then I turned and walked toward the courtyard.

    ~~~~~~

    The night air was sharp, almost metallic.

    The courtyard was filled with soldiers and torches, their mes flickering like warning signs.

    The dark carriage stood at the center with onlyrge barred window for air to let them breathe.

    Anna and Uther were chained inside.

    Anna��s hair hung wild around her face.

    Her wrists were raw from struggling.

    Her screams never stopped.

    "XADEN! BROTHER!" she shrieked, mming herself against the bars.

    "PLEASE! PLEASE. I��M SORRY! I��LL CHANGE! DON��T DO THIS!"

    I didn��t look at her.

    Uther gripped the bars with trembling hands, his severed leg strapped tightly.

    "Xaden," he croaked, "I am

    Your uncle you. I protected you. Please mercy,"

    I walked past them like they were ghosts.

    "Let��s move," I told Erik.

    He nodded grimly and mounted his horse.

    The entourage rode into the thick Forest.

    Anna screamed the entire way.

    She screamed when the carriage wheels hit rocks.

    She screamed when the horses sped up.

    She screamed until her voice cracked and bled.

    "XADEN! XADEN PLEASE! I��M YOUR SISTER! I��M ALL YOU HAVE LEFT!"

    "LET ME OUT! PLEASE! PLEASE!"

    "I��LL DO ANYTHING. JUST DON��T SEND ME THERE!"

    Her voice filled the night.

    Echoed between the trees.

    Uther cried quietly, whispering prayers between sobs.

    I heard every word.

    And blocked every one.

    After the first hour, the screams became background noise.

    After the second, they were a roar.

    After the third, they were nothing.

    By the time the moon reached its peak, her voice had broken into ragged whimpers.

    We reached the cave when the forest fellpletely silent.

    Even the wind had stopped.

    The entrance loomed like a mouth carved into the mountainside, dripping with shadows.

    A low, guttural snarl vibrated from deep within.

    The kind of sound that made even seasoned warriors freeze.

    No one spoke.

    The guards opened the carriage.

    Anna jerked awake instantly, her head snapping up, tears streaking her face like cracked paint.

    "X�CXaden!" she sobbed. "Please don��t do this! Please! I��ll confess everything! I��ll confess. I��ll never hurt Jasmine again! I��ll be better! Brother, please!"

    She reached out toward me, fingers trembling, desperate.

    I stepped back.

    Uther copsed onto the floor of the carriage, dragging himself forward.

    "Please, Alpha," he begged, voice shaking. "We served your family. Have mercy-"

    The guards seized them both.

    Anna kicked and thrashed.

    Uther begged openly.

    And then something urred to me.

    I grabbed his arm and leaned into his ear so no one would hear.

    "What do you know about Cherry?" I asked.

    He looked at me, his eyes hollow with horror.

    He tried to speak but it seemed his mouth became shut and tight lipped.

    I shook my head and pushed him to a guard.

    Their chains clinked with every movement, loud and final.

    "Alpha... Alpha, please..." Anna whispered, her voice so small it was almost a child��s.

    I stared straight ahead.

    No mercy.

    No forgiveness.

    No regret.

    The guards dragged them to the glowing red fissure inside the cave into the opening where the monsters lurked.

    Anna��s screams rose into a frenzy.

    "NO! NO! XADEN! BROTHER, PLEASE! ERIK I AM YOUR MATE! DON��T DO THIS....DON��T....DON��T-"

    The guards pushed.

    Anna fell first, her scream slicing the night open.

    Uther followed, sobbing as he disappeared into the darkness, still unable to speak.

    Her screams echoed

    higher

    louder

    then drowned in a deep, monstrous snarl.

    And then:

    Silence.

    The cave swallowed them whole.

    I turned away, my face unreadable.

    "Let��s go,"

 Chapter 625: HEARTBROKEN

    <h4>Chapter 625: HEARTBROKEN</h4>

    Fiona��s POV

    The halls felt too quiet without Xaden and Erik.

    Too still.

    The kind of stillness that made your skin crawl, like the walls themselves were waiting for something to happen.

    Especially after what had happened.

    I pushed the feeling away as I opened the small wooden door to Jade��s room.

    Warm candlelight painted the walls golden, and the little girl sat cross-legged on her bed, hugging her faded brown teddy bear to her chest.

    Her curly hair was a soft cloud around her face, her eyes droopy with sleep.

    "Time for bed, little wolf," I whispered gently.

    She looked up at me, blinking slowly. "Aunty Fiona?"

    "Yes, sweetheart?"

    She lifted her arms wordlessly, asking to be carried.

    I smiled and scooped her up, feeling her tiny fingers curl around my dress. Her weight was small,forting.

    Her mother, a ck omega from the southern pack, murdered years ago by Bale.

    Erik had never recovered.

    I tucked Jade beneath her nket, smoothing the covers around her small frame. She clutched her teddy tighter.

    "Is Daddy back?" she asked, voice little and sleepy.

    My chest tightened.

    "Not yet, Jade," I whispered gently. "He went on an errand with Alpha Xaden. He��ll return soon."

    She nodded slowly, epting it.

    I stroked her curls, running my fingers over her warm scalp.

    "Aunty Fiona?" she mumbled again.

    "Yes, darling?"

    She hesitated, then whispered.

    "Can Anna sing for me tonight?"

    My hand froze mid-stroke.

    My heart stopped.

    But my face didn��t show it.

    I forced a soft smile. "Why Anna, sweetie? Why are you asking for her?"

    Jade blinked,pletely unaware of the way she had just stabbed a de clean through my chest.

    "Because..." She twisted the teddy��s ear shyly. "She��s Daddy��s mate."

    I felt the room tilt.

    Every breath left me.

    But still... I smiled.

    I kept my voice even.

    Calm. Soft. Pretending the words didn��t slice me in half.

    "Oh?" I asked quietly, brushing a curl behind her small ear. "How do you know that?"

    I swallowed. "Did Anna tell you something?"

    "No." Jade shook her head, curls bouncing.

    "Then how do you know?" I whispered.

    She smiled, bright, innocent, sure. "Because she smells like Daddy."

    My heart cracked.

    Jade hugged her teddy tighter. "Daddy is my real daddy, so we share the same scent. And Anna smells like him too. That means she��s his mate. Right?"

    Her baby voice, so full of certainty... it nearly destroyed me.

    I swallowed hard around the lump in my throat.

    "Right," I said softly. Though the word nearly choked me.

    Jade yawned. "I like Anna. She always promised she would give me sisters and brothers. Lots of them."

    The tears stung my eyes instantly.

    Hot.

    Sharp.

    I blinked them away quickly before she could see.

    "That��s... good," I managed, though my voice barely came out. "Now sleep, sweetheart. Close your eyes."

    She snuggled deeper.

    Her little hand found mine, gripping my fingers tightly.

    "I love you, Aunty Fiona," she whispered.

    My heart broke in a different way, softer, sweeter.

    "I love you too," I whispered, kissing her forehead.

    She smiled with her eyes closed. "Please send Anna in when shees back. She promised to read to me."

    A knife twisted deeper inside me.

    I forced a smile even though she couldn��t see it.

    "Anna... she traveled, Jade," I whispered. "She��ll be gone for a while."

    Jade��s eyes flew open, wet with disappointment. "Oh."

    I brushed her cheek. "I��m sure she��ll return someday."

    She nodded, slow and sad, then curled into her nket.

    "Goodnight, sweetheart."

    "Goodnight, Aunty Fiona..."

    I slipped out quietly and closed the door.

    The moment it clicked shut-

    My back hit the wood.

    And I broke.

    Silent, shaking sobs tore through me, my hand mped over my mouth so Jade wouldn��t hear.

    Tears streamed in hot rivers down my cheeks, dripping onto my hands, my dress, the floor.

    Anna.

    Her lies.

    Her cruelty.

    Her games.

    And sweet little Jade, innocent and believing every word.

    My chest ached so painfully I pressed a palm over my heart, trying to hold myself together.

    Why did everything hurt like this?

    Why did my heart choose the man whose daughter saw another woman as her mother?

    I squeezed my eyes shut.

    I would not cry like this forever.

    I would not let Anna��s poison linger even in death.

    I stayed there for a long moment, trembling, breathing, trying to steady myself.

    Then, slowly... I pushed myself away from the door.

    I wiped my tears.

    Straightened my dress.

    And prepared to face whatever the night had waiting for me.

    Because something was wrong.

    Dangerously wrong.

    And Jade needed protecting.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    I stepped away from the door, ready to return to my room, when a sharp tter echoed from downstairs.

    A guard shouting.

    Boots scrambling.

    Something thudding against the walls.

    My heart jumped straight into my throat.

    Before I could move, a door farther down the hall swung open.

    Nanny Nia stepped out, wrapped tightly in her night robe, hair messy and eyes wide.

    "What��s happening?" she whispered sharply. "I heard shouting."

    Her presence alone steadied me a little.

    "Nia-" I started, swallowing, "I don��t know. Something��s wrong. The guards sound frantic."

    She grabbed her shawl and tied it around her shoulders with shaky hands.

    "Let��s go," she said.

    We hurried down the corridor together, our footsteps echoing too loudly in the silence.

    The torches flickered violently as we passed, shadows jerking along the walls like something was running beside us.

    I hated how much that made me speed up.

    As we reached the main staircase, two guards rushed past, faces pale, eyes wild.

    "What happened?" I demanded, grabbing one by the arm.

    The guard flinched.

    Hard.

    "We saw shadows. Moving. Fast. Faster than wolves. Along the outer walls."

    I nced at Nia. She looked like she already knew.

    Dark magic.

    My stomach twisted.

    "What else?" Nia asked.

    The guard swallowed, throat bobbing like he was trying not to vomit.

    "There was... a noise... near Loren��s quarters. Like metal scratching. Scraping." He shivered violently. "We thought it was an animal... but when we got there..."

    His voice cracked.

    "What?" I snapped.

    "...the door was wed open."

    wed.

    Not broken.

    Nia stiffened. "Show us."

    We marched quickly through the stone halls, the guard leading the way.

    The closer we got to Loren��s quarters, the colder the air became, until every breath I took came out like mist.

    And then we turned the corner.

    The sight punched the air out of my lungs.

    Loren��s door was shredded.

    But the worst part.

    The w marks were too long.Too wide.

    Too uneven.

    No wolf made those.

    No creature from ournd made those.

    "Holy goddess..." I whispered, stepping closer despite the dread wing up my throat.

    Nia reached out and touched one of the marks.

    Her fingers trembled.

    "This isn��t wolf," she murmured. "This is something else.."

    The guards exchanged horrified looks.

    "What happened inside?" I asked.

    They hesitated.

    "Answer her," Nia snapped.

    One guard swallowed.

    "When we arrived, the door was already like this," he whispered. "The torches went out. All at once. Something moved through the hallway, we felt it pass us, cold as smoke."

    My skin crawled.

    "And when the torches came back on," he added, "Loren was screaming."

    Loren.

    I rushed inside immediately, Nia close behind.

    Loren sat in the corner of the room, wrapped in a nket, shivering violently. A cup of cold teay spilled beside him.

    His face was chalk white.

    His eyes stared at the center of the room-

    At the ce where Lisa��s body had been.

    But it was empty.

    Gone.

    "Loren," I said gently, crouching beside him. "What happened?"

    He blinked. Slowly. Like someone waking from a nightmare that hadn��t ended.

    "Sh�Cshe..." he whispered. His lips trembled. "She moved."

    My blood ran cold.

    "Who?" Nia asked quietly.

    Loren��s stare shifted slow, jerky toward me.

    "Lisa."

    The name alone made my fingers go numb.

    "She was dead," Loren whispered. "I�CI knew she was dead. But when the torches died, I heard something like a breath. Like air being sucked in."

    His own breath hitched.

    "Then I saw her hand move. Just a little. Her fingers twitched. Like something... was pulling her."

    "Lisa? Dead? Didn��t we just see her not long ago?" Nia said lost.

    "I promise to put you up to speedter." I assured her.

    "Before I knew it? She was gone." He said.

    I looked around the room.

    The floor where her blood had pooled was... clean.

    Too clean.

    As if someone had wiped it away.

    Or eaten it.

    My stomach heaved.

    Nia stood slowly, her face pale and tight.

    "Everyone out," she said. "Now."

    The guards stumbled out of the room, too eager to obey.

    Loren stayed curled at the corner, trembling.

    I pulled Nia aside.

    "This isn��t normal," I whispered. "This is feels like the same magic that killed her."

    Nia blinked. "What?"

    "Princess Chery," I said quietly.

    Nia��s eyes snapped to mine.

    "You think she��s behind this?" she whispered. "This deep inside the pack��s borders?"

    "I don��t know." I swallowed. "But Lisa died the moment she tried to say her name. That was how it happened. Xaden told the guards who saw what happened to keep her here and now she is just gone.And now her body is... gone."

    Nia closed her eyes.

    When she opened them again, fear shone through every wrinkle of her face.

    A chill ran down my back.

    "Where is Xaden?" she asked.

    "On his way back," I murmured. "I hope."

    "Pray he gets here fast," Nia said, voice trembling, "because whatever killed Lisa... it can still be here."

    The thought that whatever hade was stillhere terrified me.

    Or had ite to finish its job.

    Finish off the rest of us?

    How did i even exin to Xaden that Lisa��s body had just disappeared with no trace?

    A cold gust swept through the corridor behind us.

    The torches flickered violently.

    Nia and I turned-

    And every shadow along the wall shifted at once, as if something had just moved through them.

 Chapter 626: SOUL SEARCHING

    <h4>Chapter 626: SOUL SEARCHING</h4>

    I and the rest of my men went on their horses ahead.

    It was currently dark and I was clouded by the fact I had forced my sister to her own death.

    I was torn between being a brother and being an Alpha.

    Torn between serving justice and loving his bloodline.

    But I knew what was right.

    What i had to do.

    Still couldn��t shake away the fact that Anna had been so terrible to so many people.

    I wanted to know why she had done all the things she had done.

    But I knew I would never get a solid answer.

    Even if she did give me one, I would never be satisfied.

    Because how the hell could she be capable of such things?

    It baffled me!

    Mother was NEVER like this.

    So how was my very own sister molded to be this way?

    To hate and despise.

    As the cold night breeze went past my body, I wondered if my parents would be proud of me for the decision I made.

    I was angry and hurt that Anna had taken away my own child.

    I felt betrayed!

    She had betrayed her own blood.

    For the first time in my life since I had watched my mother die, I felt the tears at the corner of my eyes.

    I was an Alpha.

    I wasn��t supposed to show such emotion.

    So I quickly swallowed and bat my eyshes over and over just to make the tears disappear.

    I turned and looked at Erik wondering how he felt.

    He was Anna��s destined mate.

    How did he feel that she had now been sent on a death table.

    Because she wasn��t going to be killed.

    She was going to be kept immortal for a thousand years of torture until she was finally killed.

    That meant for the rest of Erik��s life, he would still be mated to her.

    Never be able to find another mate until she died.

    And Erik was going to die before her.

    I started to think of the times Erik had been avoiding Anna.

    And the memory of how she had announced that they were mates.

    Later discovering that Fiona and Erik was in love.

    When the entire time I had thought that Erik was in love with Jasmine.

    I shivered at the thought of Erik and Jasmine together.

    And I was filled with shame.

    To think that I had imagined wrong.

    In fact most of my assumptions were always wrong.

    I wanted to bury my head in shame.

    Erik looked at me and our eyes made contact.

    I quickly turned away.

    He sighed at me and then drew his horse closer to mine.

    He gently nudged my shoulders. "Hey. How are you holding up?"

    I gave a light nod. "Fine."

    He gave a weak smile.

    "I should be asking you that." I pointed out.

    He gave a light shrug and said nothing.

    We hadn��t said a word to each other throughout the journey back.

    I heard an owl hoot in the night sky and looked back up at the full moon.

    "You��re never going to have a mate again." I pointed out to him.

    He held the reins to his horse firmly.

    "I��ve made peace with that." He said. "It��s better not having a mate than ever being with Anna."

    I felt as though I had been stabbed.

    I had sentenced her to death but she was still my sister.

    "Sorry about that." Erik added silently.

    I rose a brow to acknowledge it was fine.

    "But you know something?" Erik asked me. "Anna. I knew all the things that she had done. Things she was capable to do. And I wonder sometimes if she could have ever changed. If she could have been different. Was it because of how she was raised? Or was it a w to her system? I don��t know. But I��ll like to believe that she could have changed."

    I looked down at my hands.

    The few months we had had together.

    She had shattered it.

    Destroyed it.

    Everything she had shown.

    Everything she had done to me, was all a lie.

    She had murdered not just members of my pack. But hers too. Our parents. She desecrated everything our parents had built.

    Her and that godforsaken Uther who had tried to take over my pack.

    All under the guise of being a helpful person.

    When this entire time he wanted my name for himself.

    My fists clenched in rage. "No. There was no changing. She was a monster. And she would die a monster."

    And then after that I gripped the reigns of my horse and rode off.

    Once we were hours away from the pack, I halted at ake I was familiar with.

    The encourage stopped.

    I came down from the horse and Erik did.

    It was only Erik who had evere out here with me before.

    "Stay here." i said to my men. "I would return."

    I started to head towards theke when my men grumbled.

    "We can��t let you go just like that." They argued.

    "I��m fine." I said. "I just need to see someone in private."

    "No Alpha. Considering all the terrible things that have happened we can��t trust you to go off on your own." One Beta said.

    I was about shout an order and when I looked into under eyes I instantly knew what they were thinking.

    They believed I was going to take my life.

    They didn��t trust that after what I had went through I would still want to stay alive.

    And to be fair they did have a point.

    I had considered it but suicide was a coward��s way out.

    They only cared about me and there was no harm in doing that

    I sighed heavily.

    "Fine." I said and grabbed Erik��s arm. "Erik here wille with me."

    They whispered amongst themselves.

    "If anything happens. If after two hours I don��t return then you cane looking for us agreed?" I asked.

    They seemed reluctant but eventually nodded their heads.

 Chapter 627: ANSWERS

    <h4>Chapter 627: ANSWERS</h4>

    Xaden led the horses along the narrow trail toward theke, Erik riding in silence beside him.

    Neither of the spoke for the mean time as they progressed through theke.

    Anna��s screams still echoed in the back of Xaden��s mind.

    Every cry.

    Every plea.

    Every desperate "brother."

    It had carved itself into the spaces between his bones.

    Yet he rode forward.

    Because justice didn��t wait for grief.

    He adjusted his reins, trying to steady himself, but the weight in his chest only grew.

    When the shimmeringke finally appeared through the trees, Erik slowed his horse and frowned.

    "We��re going to her?" Erik said in disbelief.

    "Yes," Xaden said simply, dismounting. "I need answers. And Marie is the only one who might give them."

    Erik exhaled sharply. "She gives answers nobody wants."

    Xaden nudged him lightly in the arm. "Come on. Look at the bright side. If this goes well, Fiona might finally stop ring holes into your head."

    Erik stiffened.

    Xaden immediately regretted trying to lighten the mood.

    "Fiona is gone from my life for good," Erik said tly. "There will be no rtionship."

    Xaden paused, hand resting on the saddle. "Why?"

    "It��s best that way," Erik muttered.

    Xaden studied him for a moment. Decided not to push. He only nodded once, silently.

    They stepped into theke.

    The cold water reached their boots, then their ankles, then their waists. Erik hissed at the temperature, but Xaden kept moving with a tense determination.

    "You know," Erik muttered, "every time Ie out here, I wonder why Marie couldn��t just live onnd like a normal witch."

    "She��s not normal," Xaden murmured.

    "You don��t say," Erik scoffed. "Last time I visited, she ripped your heart out."

    Xaden lifted a brow. "It was a price I paid wasn��t it? The heartless Alpha."

    "Barely."

    They kept walking until theke shimmered around their torsos.

    Then, through the fog, Marie��s small hut appeared, wooden, crooked, slightly glowing at the edges like a house that didn��t obey physicalws.

    They climbed onto the tform and stepped toward the door.

    Erik hesitated. "I hate it here."

    Xaden didn��t.

    Not tonight.

    Tonight he was too angry to fear anything.

    He knocked twice.

    Silence.

    Then, The chimney roared to life inside the hut.

    A bright, unnatural blue me.

    Both men exchanged a look.

    Xaden pushed the door open.

    The room was dark, smelling of herbs, old paper, andke water. Shelves covered every wall, filled with jars holding things Xaden didn��t want to know. A cat��s tail flicked behind the shadow of a table.

    He wondered which wolf she had changed to a cat this time.

    Then the firelight brightened fully.

    Marie sat in a rocking chair beside the hearth,zily stroking her fat grey cat.

    Her long locs spilled down her back like a river of shadows. Her gold eyes were half-lidded, smiling in amusement.

    "Took you long enough," she said smoothly. "I��ve been expecting you."

    Xaden stepped forward, jaw tight. "Do you know what happened?"

    Marie didn��t look up. "Oh, yes. You marched your poor sister straight to the Cave of Chaos."

    She tsked her tongue, still ying with her cat. "Tragic, really. But justice is justice, I suppose."

    Xaden��s hands curled into fists.

    "That��s not what I��m talking about."

    Marie lifted her eyes at that, slowly, deliberately.

    "Then what is it you want, Alpha?"

    Xaden��s voice dropped dangerously low.

    "I want the truth behind Lisa��s ims. Regarding Eleanor."

    Marie��s cat stopped purring.

    Marie��s fingers froze.

    Her expression didn��t change at first, but her eyes did. A flicker of something raw. Something old. Something wounded.

    She said nothing.

    So Xaden pressed, voice full of controlled fire.

    "You owed Eleanor. You two were close. Don��t pretend otherwise."

    Marie inhaled sharply through her nose, a bitter sound.

    "You dare," she whispered, "talk about her like that?"

    "Then say something ," Xaden snapped. "You remain silent. You hide the truth . You do nothing, always nothing. Did you even care for her? Or were you too selfish, too consumed by your own secrets to lift a-

    Marie��s voice broke on a snarl.

    "ELEANOR WAS MY SISTER!"

    The silence that followed the shout was thick and violent.

    Xaden��s entire body went cold.

    Erik froze beside him, mouth falling open.

    Marie smiled then, a cruel, twisted smile as she leaned back in her chair.

    "Surprised?" she asked sweetly. "Don��t be. You always suspected there was something more about her, didn��t you?"

    Xaden couldn��t speak.

    Marie continued, voice dripping with venom.

    "Eleanor was my elder sister. My blood. My protector. My heart. And she is the reason I am trapped in this wretched ce."

    Her cat hissed, sensing her rage.

    Xaden swallowed. "Then why didn��t you ever tell me?"

    Marie��s eyes flickered with pain.

    "Because you don��t need to fucking know?."

    He stepped forward. "Then exin. What does Princess Chery have to do with my mother? With my sister? With Jasmine?"

    At the mention of Chery, Marie��s entire demeanor changed.

    Her spine straightened.

    Her jaw tensed.

    Her eyes went dark.

    Xaden knew then, Marie was terrified.

    He repeated, voice sharp as a de:

    "What does Princess Chery want? Why did she try to kill Jasmine?"

    Marie stared into the fire.

    Her hands trembled slightly as she stroked her cat.

    Finally, she spoke.

    "I suspected this would happen," she whispered. "I suspected she was still watching. Still waiting. Still meddling."

    "Why," Xaden repeated, "is she after Jasmine?"

    Marie closed her eyes.

    She still said nothing.

    Xaden became agitated.

    "Tell me something for Goddess sake!" He screamed. "I��ve paid so many prices to you! You owe me! If you won��t help your sister then tell me so I can help her! She was my mother."

    Marie walked away.

    "Why does Cherry want Jasmine?!" He screamed.

    "Get out." She said softly.

    He was taken aback.

    She screamed. "I said get out! Get out!"

    And with that she used her magic to blow them out of the hut.

    They were dragged out with such force and flung meters outside the grass under the moonlight.

    They heard a loud bang that told them never to intervene again.

 Chapter 628: THE GREAT EPIPHANY

    <h4>Chapter 628: THE GREAT EPIPHANY</h4>

    The next morning, I was seated up, my knees drawn up to my chest as I gently touched the golden leaf on the bed.

    It was still hard for me to believe.

    I had had a dream.

    Well, what felt more than a dream.

    Felt like a memory from a life I couldn��t recall.

    Running through forestsughing with a man who seemed so familiar.

    A man I couldn��t see, yet somehow knew I had a romantic connection to.

    I woke up before I could see his face and was stunned to find the golden leaf of the same tree I had climbed in my dream.

    What was this?

    Proof that I hadn��t just been dreaming?

    That something was happening to me

    I was getting memories of things I couldn��t recall.

    A life I knew I had never lived.

    All through the night, I had remained awake, staring at the leaf.

    It was almost in the shape of an apple and had veins protruding through its body.

    Golden, just like the leaf itself.

    Except it was firmer than the body of the leaf.

    I looked at it, bored, until it began to get weary.

    Why in the name of the goddess did I wake up with a golden leaf in my hand when I had never been around anyone my entire life?

    Xaden��s mother��s journal, which Otto had given me the night before, was beside the leaf.

    I had spent the entire night reading through it.

    Trying to find anything.

    Something to make sense of the constetion and the newly found map.

    Still baffled me that she had known my father��s brother.

    And that he, too, had been interested in astrology.

    I signed to myself as I flipped through pages.

    Trying to see if I had missed anything.

    Thest mention she had made of him was when she stated. "His interest in astronomy has assisted in the questions I have asked and-

    It just ended there by the end of the page.

    The next page of the book began a different day entirely.

    It was though she had forgotten what she was speaking on and just moved on.

    Made no sense.

    I was stuck in my thoughts, and I had no idea when Hildegard woke up.

    "Jasmine!" She said aloud, and I jumped in fright.

    I gasped, my hand already clutching my chest.

    "Good heavens, I didn��t mean to scare you." Hildegard apologized sympathetically. "It��s just that I had been calling your name for a while now. And you seemed lost in thought."

    She had been calling my name? I had barely even heard.

    I rubbed my forehead and apologized.

    "I��m so sorry," I said. "I had no idea."

    "It��s already daybreak." She said.

    I looked back at the curtains that had traces of sunlight demanding to be let in.

    I had no idea when that had even happened.

    I rubbed my eyes and yawned whilst stretching my already bent body.

    "Jasmine, darling," Hildegard said as she tied her hair into a ponytail. "If you keep your back bent that way, you��re going to get older than me."

    I chuckled at her joke, and the older woman joined in.

    For some reason, I was getting much closer to women older than I was.

    After all, I rarely even had friends who were my age.

    From Urma, to Eleanor, to Nanny Nia, and now to Hildegard.

    From the four women, I had lost two.

    One to death and the other to a cruel fate orchestrated by someone else.

    I was d not to have ever seen Eleanor��s head decapitated and kept on a spike.

    I doubt I would have ever recovered from it.

    Either way, I was grateful for the wisdom and friendship they shared with me.

    "I had no idea it was already daybreak," I mumbled as I leaned my back against the headboard of the bed.

    She got out of bed and stretched. "We get that a lot from guests here."

    "What do you mean?" I raised a brow.

    "Well, it��s a different Time zone here." She pointed out. "The sun hits differently here. We are two hours ahead of everyone else. So the moon and constetions are even different here."

    I paused at that phrase.

    The hair on my back instantly rose as I stiffened. "What did you say?"

    She looked at me, confused as she was now checking through her wardrobe for a new cloth to wear.

    "About?" She said as she turned back to her clothes. "Now, which color do I wear today? Green or brown."

    She sighed as she held the two dresses, trying to decide which was better.

    I jumped out of bed and raced to her.

    Trying to grasp and understand the gravity of what she was saying.

    My brain was working faster than my mind was.

    "Hildegard, could you please rephrase what you said?" I pleaded.

    My heart was beating fast, and I felt as though I was about to have an epiphany.

    "About the dress?" She asked. "Was wondering which color would suit me more?"

    "No, not that." I shook my head quickly. "I mean, your dress is essential, but you said something about how we are in different time zones."

    She nodded. "Yes, I did. The royal pack is situated farther from everyone else than usual. It��s usually still dark in other ces while it��s daytime here."

    I chewed my bottom lip.

    "And you said it affects the moon, sun, and even constetions, right?" I asked her.

    She nodded absent-mindedly. "Yes, that��s what I said."

    "You��re sure of that?" I pressed.

    "Of course I am." She clocked her tongue. "I grew up here, and whenever I used to visit my grandparents in the Hebron pack, at night, while we shifted and ran underneath the moonlight, I would always notice how the constetions were shaped differently here. Asked my grandma about it, and she gave a reason, but I can��t remember what it was. But I know that the way they are lined here isn��t the same as the way it is elsewhere. I mean, it��s the same thing. But then. Well, it��s just drawn in an entirely different way."

    And it HIT me!

    The way the constetion was lined here wasn��t the same as the way it was elsewhere.

    What I had been suspecting for a while now finally made sense from that one statement Hildegard had made.

    I kissed her on her cheek, a deafening and firm one.

    She was startled.

    She instantly went red and blinked in disbelief.

    She seemed dazed.

    "You��re a genius!" I said in ecstasy as I went back to the bed.

    I closed the journal and started dressing.

    "I am?" She said in confusion.

    She looked as though I had left her in the middle of a forest and told her to find her way back home.

    When I was very sure that I was okay and good to go, I grabbed the journal under my arm and headed towards the door.

    Then I remembered the gold leaf and picked it up before putting it inside a page of my journal.

    "Yes, you are," I said, walking up to her.

    I grabbed her cheeks with both hands and gave her cheeks all over her face.

    "The most intelligent and beautiful woman ever!" I said happily. "Don��t tell Nanny Nia I said that."

    And then I raced out towards the door.

    "But Jasmine, you haven��t eaten." Sheined. "Nia would strangle me if I didn��t give you your herbs and take care of you. I made her a promise!"

    "Also you haven��t even had your bath!" sheined.

    "And I promise you that I��ll be back. This can��t wait!" I said as I went out the door.

    I paused and went back into the room.

    Hildegard was still standing, dazed, holding the two dresses.

    "And oh, it��s the green," I said, pointing at the beautiful green satin dress in her left hand. "You would look absolutely splendid in it. It will match your color."

    Without waiting to hear a response from

    Her, I ran back out of the room.

    I raced through the hallway and went past the servants.

    A group of servants came by, blocking the way with a spilled bag of flour.

    I jumped over them and raced on my way out.

    I was wondering why the hell I didn��t think of this in the first ce?

    I raced up the stairs, and what would have taken me a good fifteen minutes to reach the door took me five.

    I was banging at Otto��s door once I got there.

    "OTTO! OTTO!" I screamed.

    I banged over and over.

    Seconds after, a disgruntled-looking Otto flung the door open.

    "What the fuck do you want?" He hissed.

    I ignored him and went right under his armpit into the room.

    "I KNOW why we have been stuck in the map, unable to move," I said. "We��re in different time zones."

    He blinked at me. "What?"

 Chapter 629: A CLOSED DOOR

    <h4>Chapter 629: A CLOSED DOOR</h4>

    I ignored him, set the journal down on one of the messy tables, and hurriedly went down the floor.

    I looked through the different pages he had used to create the map and picked one.

    I snatched it and jumped back on my feet, riding to him.

    "Look at this!" I pointed at the paper.

    He raised a brow. "What am I looking at?"

    I looked back at the paper and realized I was holding it from behind.

    "Sorry," I said quickly as I flipped it back to show the drawing of the map. "Look at this now."

    "I still have no idea what I��m supposed to be looking at." He shook his head. "I drew the map, remember?"

    "Look! You��ve been saying you��re stuck and unable to move, drawing any more maps, didn��t you?" I asked him. "Even though you��ve deciphered thenguages already, right?"

    He gave a light shrug. "I guess? Perhaps"

    "And the map is drawn following the constetion, isn��t it?" I pressed.

    He grumbled. "Yes. Jasmine, what does this have to do with anything?"

    He rubbed his still red eyes.

    "From what Hildegard had just told me." I continued. "We live in different time zones. Predominantly, the royal pack, at least yes?"

    He rolled his eyes, trying to understand where I was getting at.

    "Yes." He folded his arms.

    "Good." I nodded my head. "And I was also told that the constetion armed shaped differently. I mean, they are the same thing. But when someone is looking at Selene��s star in the Fire pack, they won��t be looking at it here."

    He rubbed his back, bored.

    "You don��t see it?!" I demanded excitedly. "We��ve been drawing it wrong this entire time! Whoever wrote thenguages to be deciphered didn��t do it here. I mean, the books were with Xaden��s mother, and that��s far away in the crescent pack."

    He snapped his finger.

    "Do you now understand what I��m saying?" I asked.

    He smacked his hand on his forehead. "Goddess! Why didn��t I think of that?"

    And he went back down to the floor and began to scamper through the pieces of paper.

    He picked up a half-drawn map and came to me.

    "So this means we have done it wrong the entire time." He said after looking through the paper.

    I gave a slight shrug and swallowed hard.

    "I think so." I managed.

    He started to swear in anger.

    He threw swear words that I doubted I wanted to know what they meant.

    After a few minutes of his tantrum, he calmed down.

    He was breathing hard, still frantic.

    "So now we have to start again," I said quietly, discussing the elephant in the room.

    All our hard work for the past days had gone to waste.

    I personally wanted to lose my mind because we had hoped that finishing the map would somehow lead us to finding my uncle.

    Now I didn��t know much about that anymore.

    I dropped onto a chair weakly, my shoulders giving up in defeat.

    I heaved a heavy sigh and looked back at an angry-looking Otto.

    "Well." I tried to give a smile that wavered. "On the bright side. We know where to start and how to end. Regardless of how long it��s going to take."

    "We don��t!" He snapped at me.

    I was taken aback by how sharp he had been.

    He saw my reaction, and his face pulled with sympathy.

    "I��m sorry." He said, rubbing his temples. "I��m just..... It��s just that I��ve been doing these so much, I finally put in full hope that we��re going to do something about it. I was going to finally prove my theory that the other side actually does exist and isn��t just a legend or some boring story."

    In a way, I did understand what he was saying.

    Having everyone look at you from a specific perspective.

    You try so much that you give up.

    In his own case, everyone saw him as the madman whose wolf had gone rabid.

    This was his chance to prove that he was always right, and now, all of a sudden, he was back to square one.

    I got up from my feet. "Hey, don��t worry. I know how it feels. And I understand you want to prove everyone wrong. But it won��t change anything if you��re so beat up about yourself. Trust me, I��ve learned the hard way. We made a mistake, didn��t we? But we found the solution."

    He ruffled his messy hair. "That��s the thing, Jasmine. We don��t have a solution."

    I blinked.

    Hadn��t he heard a word I had said about the different constetions?

    "The constetions here are different, yes. But it��s also different from every other pack." He said. "We have about nine different constetions. Some packs within the same proximity see the same constetions. Others don��t."

    I wanted to lose my mind.

    If this were true, would that mean we had to trante and map all nine constetions?

    I put her fingers through my hair and began to rake in frustration.

    "If we use our books and draw up the constetion for the nine different packs." I began.

    "Eight." He said quietly. "We just started with the Royal pack, and we know it��s not the right one."

    "Eight." I agreed numbly. "We can��t do. If we try it, it could take-

    "Forever." Otto and I sat together.

    We both moaned in exhaustion.

    I wanted to pull out my eyes in frustration.

    "And is there any way we can know which pack the trantions came from?" I asked, hopeful.

    Otto knew everything.

    He had to know something about this.

    He shook his head. "That book is thousands of years old. Somehow got into the hands of Xaden��s mother. The odds that it came from the crescent pack? Very, very slim."

    I had nothing more to say.

    "I��ll try to figure some things out." He assured me, as he walked over to the table, that I had dropped the journal and handed it back to me.

    I collected it weakly.

    I didn��t know if we had a way out of this.

    The moment I turned to leave, the golden leaf from Xaden��s mother��s journal fell on the ground.

    I picked it up and was about to leave when he stopped me.

    "Woah woah." Otto said putting his hand.

    I paused and turned around.

    He brought his finger tips towards mine and I handed it to him absentmindedly.

    "What��s that?" He asked me.

    I looked down at the golden leaf in my hand. "Oh this?"

    I wondered if I should even tell him about it.

    Or maybe he would think I��m crazy.

    He snatched it from my fingers before I even handed it over.

    "Okay? Yeah just take it." I mumbled to myself.

    He looked at the leaf and examined it closely.

    He began to sniff it and he did the weirdest thing I expected him to.

    He licked it and seemed to process the taste.

    My face grew inplete horror.

    "Where the hell did you get this?" He asked me once he was done processing the leaf.

    I looked at him still bewildered.

    "Jasmine. Where did you get this from?" He asked waving the golden leaf before me.

    "To be honest." I said my hands on my waist. "I have no idea."

    "What do you mean you have no idea?" He asked as he headed back to one of his filled desks.

    He pushed everything that upied the table and sat down on a chair right in front.

    He used a magnifying ss to examine the golden leaf.

    I started to speak and he shushed me as he continued to look at the golden leaf.

    After a minute of him checking everywhere he turned back to me and said.

    "This is from the Drasil tree." He pointed out.

    "The what?" I said lost.

    "The Drasil tree." He repeated. "It��s the distant rtive of the Yggdrasil. You know what that is don��t you?"

    "I have no idea what you��re speaking on." I stated bluntly.

    He sighed heavily. "In the many stories of creation the Yggdrasil tree was the source of our life a gift from the goddess. There is only one of it. No one knows where it is. But the Drasil tree is a distant rtive of it. The closest to what we know it would ever look like."

    He showed me the golden leaf and said. "The Drasil tree does not grow in these parts. They��ve tried it. But it has never seeded. So where did you get this from?"

    I itched the back of my hair.

    "I woke up from sleep and found it in my hand." I said.

    He looked at me like I was crazy.

    Uh-huh.

    I knew that was going to happen.

    "I swear that��s how I saw it." I exined. "Maybe it started growing here. Or something. But I woke upst night and found it in my palm."

    He shook his head. "You��re lying to me because that can never happen."

    "I swear it! I was having a dream that I was in a tree with golden leaves and then when I woke up I saw it." I stated.

    He blinked at me. "You��re dream-walking."

 Chapter 630: A TEMPORARY SOLUTION

    <h4>Chapter 630: A TEMPORARY SOLUTION</h4>

    Jasmine��s POV

    For a moment, all I could do was stare at Otto.

    Dream walking?

    As if I needed anything else in my life to beplicated.

    I folded my arms. "Dream walking?Otto, I��m not..... whatever that is. I had a dream. That��s it."

    He gave me a hard look. "Only extremely rare bloodlines can dream walk."

    I snorted. "Well, then it��s not me. I��m a regr miserable unshifted woman ."

    Otto waved the golden leaf between us. "This proves it is you."

    I looked at the leaf in his hand, glowing faintly under the candlelight. My stomach twisted.

    I swallowed slowly.

    "It was just a dream," I insisted weakly.

    His eyes narrowed. "Tell me exactly what you saw."

    I shrugged, trying to ignore the panic stirring under my ribs. "Nothing special. I was in a tree. Climbing it. The leaves were gold, same color as that one." I pointed at the leaf. "It felt real but... also like a memory I didn��t have. Felt like me but it wasn��t me. It was like a particr part of me and yet not me. J can��t exin it. And then I woke up holding that."

    Otto stared at me like he was trying to solve me like another puzzle.

    "Jasmine," he said carefully, "the Drasil tree grows at the farthest edge of the wolf world. No one just ��dreams�� of it. Your dream walked there."

    I blinked. "Meaning what?"

    He took a deep breath. "From what people have gathered over the length years, Dream walking is a doorway. A passage. For the past, the present, and the future to bleed into each other. It��s extremely rare. Only powerful wolves very powerful ones can do it. Even witches don��t have the strength to."

    I let out a shortugh. "Did you hit your head on something? I��m unshifted, Otto. I��m the least powerful person in any room."

    He raised a brow and pointed at my hair.

    "Your hair turned back to red on its own after being dyed ck. Does that sound normal to you?"

    I froze.

    I opened my mouth. Closed it.

    Nanny Nia had helped me dye my hair ck with strong dye. Permanent dye. And yet...

    Otto lifted the leaf again. "Your dream caused this leaf to appear in your hand in reality."

    I felt the room tilt. "So you��re saying... things that happen in dreams can happen outside?"

    "Yes," he said without hesitation.

    My voice cracked a little. "So... if I get hurt in my dream... can I get hurt in reality?"

    Otto didn��t answer immediately.

    My heart dropped.

    When he finally spoke, his voice was low. Serious.

    "I have no intentions of scaring you Jasmine. But If you brought a leaf back from a dream you saw. Saw it in your hand when you woke up, then yes. You can get hurt."

    "I.... I can really get hurt," I whispered, barely breathing. "Inside a dream."

    "Inside another realm," he corrected. "Dream walkers don��t just dream, Jasmine. They step into somece real."

    The fear hit me like ice.

    My hands started to shake.

    Otto saw it and raised both palms toward me, panic on his face. "But it��s okay! I can help. I can give you something so you don��t slip into that realm again... not until we find out why this is happening."

    It was hard to believe that annoyed, grumbling Otto wanted to even help me.

    I had seen myself as too insignificant to him and yet here he was offering a solution.

    I swallowed. Hard. "A potion?"

    "Yes," he nodded quickly. "Something to block the dream doorway. It��s temporary, but it��ll keep you safe for now."

    I nodded, grateful and terrified. "Thank you."

    He rushed to one of his shelves, tossing scrolls and herbs aside until he found a tiny ss vial filled with a shimmering blue liquid.

    "Take this before bed," he said, cing it gently in my palm. "It will keep whatever dream or realm you went to from pulling you in."

    I stared at it. It felt too light for something meant to hold back danger.

    "Will this really work?" I asked softly.

    Otto chewed his lip. "It should. At least until I find something stronger. Something permanent. Or better still we know why this is happening to you."

    I nodded again, clutching the vial tighter.

    I was so numb I barely had anything to say.

    "Has this happened to you before Jasmine?" He asked me.

    I shook my head. "No never. In fact from the moment I stepped into this ce strange things have been happening to me."

    I sighed frustrated.

    Being burned by the walls, my ne burning me, my hair turning back to red, seeing a siren tell me I had died.

    Now this!

    Now I could possibly die?

    It was all too much for me to take in.

    "What things?" He asked me with a cocked brow.

    I considered telling him but I didn��t want to put him in trouble.

    Or think I was crazy.

    He already had enough on his te of being called the crazy wolf who had gone rabid.

    I shook my head.

    He didn��t know.

    "Nothing I��m just overwhelmed." I said.

    Before he could ask any further questions, I changed the topic

    "Thank you," I whispered. "For everything."

    He looked exhausted, worried, but relieved that I believed him.

    He ran a hand through his messy hair. "Just... be careful, Jasmine. Dream walking is no joke. And if someone or something is calling you into those dreams..."

    His voice faded.

    I didn��t ask what he meant.

    I didn��t want to know.

    I turned away, tucking the leaf and the potion into my journal.

    As I reached the doorway, Otto called out again.

    "And Jasmine?"

    I paused, looking back.

    His face was deadly serious.

    "Don��t fall asleep without drinking that potion."

    That warning followed me all the way out the door and into the night air.

    And even then...

    I wasn��t sure it would save me.

 Chapter 631: THE PAGE WITHIN

    <h4>Chapter 631: THE PAGE WITHIN</h4>

    Jasmine��s POV

    The sun was already crashing behind the pce walls when I finally left Otto��s chaotic study.

    My head throbbed with too many thoughts dream walking, Drasil trees, prophecies, danger I didn��t understand.

    All I wanted was air.

    Fresh air.

    I stepped into the courtyard, letting the cool evening breeze brush my face. The roses swayed gently, their scent calming my racing heart.

    Then I saw her.

    Queen Rose.

    She stood near the fountain, sunlight touching her vibrant red hair and making her look almost ethereal. Her gown shimmered like water. She looked peaceful.

    But my heartbeat spiked.

    Auburn.

    Yesterday.

    Burned by the fire.

    And I hadughed.

    For a split second, panic held me.

    She��s going to punish me.

    My feet stalled.

    The Queen looked up and smiled.

    "Jasmine, my love," Queen Rose called warmly. "Come here, child."

    Relief washed over me so fast my knees nearly buckled.

    I walked forward slowly, uncertain, but she opened her arms and wrapped me in a soft hug.

    Her scent was warm, likevender and something faintly magical.

    My chest loosened.

    "Your Majesty..." I whispered, unable to hide the happiness rising inside me.

    "How do you find the royal pack?" she asked, brushing my cheek gently as she pulled back.

    "It��s... beautiful," I answered truthfully. "And warm. I��m learning a lot every day."

    She nodded approvingly. "And your search for your mother��s family? Any progress, dear?"

    I swallowed, thinking of Otto��s frustrated curse filled tantrum and the leaf that proved I might not even know what species of wolf I was.

    "Yes," I lied softly. "A little each day."

    Rose studied me with kind eyes. Eyes that saw more than most but never judged.

    "Good," she said. "And Jasmine..."

    Her voice lowered, softer, almost conspiratorial.

    "Don��t worry about what people say regarding Otto. He is a strange one, yes �� but he has a good heart."

    I smiled faintly. "I��ll remember that."

    She gave a pleased hum.

    Her gaze drifted toward the distant mountains before returning to me.

    "Do you... miss the Crescent pack?"

    The question hit deeper than I expected.

    My throat tightened.

    I didn��t say a word.

    But Queen Rose nodded as if I had.

    "It��s alright if you do," she said gently. "It was your home. And I know leaving it couldn��t have been easy."

    My eyes stung unexpectedly.

    I looked down.

    Rose ced a warm hand on mine.

    "I��m d you��re here, Jasmine," she whispered. "Your extended family... they were unfortunate. To abandon your mother? Cruel. Foolish. They didn��t deserve either of you."

    Heat flushed up my neck.

    "I... I don��t know what to say."

    She cupped my face, smiling softly.

    "It would be a privilege to have you as a daughter."

    I froze, heart thudding painfully, beautifully.

    But before I could respond, two guards hurried over and bowed.

    "Your Majesty, your presence is required."

    She sighed softly. "Duty never sleeps."

    She leaned in and kissed my forehead.

    "I must go, but I��ll see youter, little one. I have a gift for you."

    A gift?

    My heart warmed.

    "Thank you," I whispered finally finding words to put two and two together.

    She squeezed my hand onest time before floating away like a queen carved from moonlight.

    The courtyard felt emptier without her.

    How I wished she were my own family!

    ~~~~~~~~~

    I wandered toward theke.

    The siren didn��t appear.

    Not today.

    Not even a ripple.

    "Where are you?" I whispered into the still water.

    No answer.

    Only silence.

    I waited a long time.

    "Pleasee out!" I begged. "We need to talk."

    Silence.

    "I won��t be going anywhere until youe out okay?" I said as I found my way to a rock and took my seat.

    There was utter silence.

    I sat and held my body as the cold wind blew.

    I stayed there for long.

    Until the sky turned deep purple.

    I knew she wasn��ting out.

    For a split second I started to wonder if pearl has ever been a figment of my imagine.

    I wondered if everything that had happened to me was a mere figment of my imagination.

    Sad, I returned to my room.

    The walls felt close, butforting.

    Safe.

    Hildegard hadn��t joined me in the bed yet so I busied myself before she returned.

    I carefully set the potion Otto had given me.

    I was scared to even go to bed but I didn��t want to sleep without taking it.

    I sat on my bed and pulled out Xaden��s mother��s journal again.

    The pages were so delicate I barely dared touch them.

    I lit my candle and flipped to thest entry I had read, the one where she spoke about my uncle.

    I brought the candle closer.

    The light flickered.

    And something strange happened.

    A shape, no, a shadow appeared inside the paper.

    Not on top.

    Inside.

    I frowned, lowering the candle, then raising it again.

    The shadow returned.

    What...?

    I turned the page over.

    Nothing.

    Turned it back.

    There it was again.

    A faint, blurred reflection like something trapped between twoyers.

    My heart thudded.

    I tilted the page, watching as the candlelight made the inside shimmer faintly.

    "What is this...?" I whispered.

    I hesitated only one heartbeat before grabbing the butter knife from my te.

    My hands trembled as I slid the tip along the edge of the page.

    The edge shifted.

    My breath caught.

    It wasn��t one page.

    It was two.

    Glued together.

    My pulse roared in my ears.

    Carefully, slowly, terrified of tearing something sacred, I wedged the knife between theyers.

    A soft rip.

    A whisper of old glue giving way.

    And then...

    The hidden page separated.

    Revealing ink.

    Words.

    Bright intact words.

    Two full pages filled with words that went concurrently.

    I couldn��t believe it.

    I quickly delved into it and began to read the new source of information.

    The page ended with His mother��s words.

    "I��m worried about Aiden, worried about what he desires to use it for when he finally finds it."

    Aiden was my Uncle��s name.

 Chapter 632: THE LETTER OWL

    <h4>Chapter 632: THE LETTER OWL</h4>

    Queen Rose��s POV

    Queen Rose stood before her vanity, slowly removing the jeweled pins from her hair.

    The candles in her chamber flickered gently, casting warm gold across the silk curtains and marble floor.

    Her shoulders ached with the exhaustion of another long day.

    She reached for the night cream on her dresser when a soft knock came at her door.

    "Come in," she said.

    Hildegard slipped inside, bowing her head with a familiar, gentle smile.

    Rose brightened immediately.

    "Hildegard. You came."

    "Of course, Your Majesty," she said. "You asked to see me?"

    "Yes." Rose gestured her closer and sat on the edge of her bed, patting the spot beside her.

    Hildegard stiffened at first and Rose��s face fell, displeased clearly written on her face.

    "I believe I would just remaining standing your majesty if you don��t mind." Hildegard stated.

    "No please don��t do that." Rose said unhappily. "We��ve been friends for so long. Please just take a seat. I just needed to see you."

    Hildegard was hesitant at first but she eventually gave in.

    Hildegard joined her, straight backed and poised as always.

    Rose looking at her with her almond eyes as if wanting to say something and then changed her mind instantly.

    "And one more thing." Rose said. "I know you are unhappy with me. I understand that. But please, do not call me by my title. You have never done such since we were children ."

    Hildegard said nothing and gave a slight nod.

    "How is Jasmine?" Rose asked softly. "She��s been staying with you these days."

    Hildegard��s expression softened. "She is fine, My Queen. Troubled, but fine. She��s adjusting."

    Rose let out a quiet sigh of relief. "Good. Good... I worry about her more than I should."

    She paused, staring down at her hands.

    "Truth be told, Hildegard... I don��t know why but I feel drawn to her." Her voice shook with confusion. "As if shees from a ce in my heart I can��t quite understand."

    Hildegard smiled knowingly. "Jasmine has that effect on people."

    Rose nodded slowly. "Yes... yes, she does."

    She hesitated before continuing. "I remember seeing her painting once. She was quite good. I know she came here with almost nothing left her pack, from what she said."

    Her eyes warmed.

    "I want to gift her att. A real one. With materials. A ce she can escape to."

    Hildegard��s eyes softened. "She would love that, My Queen."

    Rose looked as though she had been pped, Hildegard calling her her Queen.

    Rose seemingly managed a smile, touched by the beautiful imagines all over the room.

    But Hildegard exhaled deeply, her face shifting, gentle concern recing her smile.

    "Uhmmm I was wondering" she began softly, "may I speak freely?"

    Rose sighed heavily again, but it seemed she got the memo, Hildegard wouldn��t be calling her by her name anymore.

    Rose stiffened slightly. "About what?"

    "Auburn."

    The air grew heavy.

    Rose��s eyes narrowed. "Hildegard... we have discussed this."

    "Not properly," Hildegard insisted. "Not since her coronation. We haven��t been... aligned since that day."

    Indeed.

    A quiet divide had formed between them, one neither dared to name.

    Hildegard straightened. "I only want to protect you. But I must ask... are you certain about Auburn?"

    Rose��s jaw tightened.

    "She is my granddaughter," she said quietly.

    "My Queen..." Hildegard pressed gently, "she looks older than she should. Far older. And something about her feels... off."

    Rose bristled. "Perhaps she suffered. We do not know what she went through."

    "Or perhaps," Hildegard said softly, "she is not who she ims to be and is taking advantage of it.

    Rose inhaled sharply.

    Hildegard continued, voice steady, respectful, butced with urgency.

    "And another thing, her closeness with Princess Chery. That woman has never cared for anyone. She dislikes everyone. And yet she has taken Auburn under her wing?"

    Rose��s brows knit with difort.

    "Cherry is family," she said. "She has changed. I know that she may have done terrible things in the past. But she has apologized and is now serving the spoke whom she hurt."

    "She is dangerous," Hildegard countered, eyes darkening in disbelief . "And she has never shown loyalty to this pack. Why show it now? Why with Auburn of all people?"

    Rose shook her head firmly. "Hildegard... let it go. The family is finally finding peace. I will not question that blessing."

    There it was, Rose would forever be her Queen and she would always be underneath her.

    She was not a member of their family.

    Hildegard opened her mouth to speak in harsh tones but then-

    TAP. TAP. TAP.

    Both women froze.

    A soft tapping came from the tall window by the balcony.

    Rose��s hand flew to her chest. "Good heavens what was that?"

    The tapping came again, sharper this time.

    Hildegard stood quickly. "Stay behind me."

    They approached slowly, hearts pounding.

    An owl perched on the balcony rail, its amber eyes glowing in the moonlight.

    A small scroll was tied to its leg.

    Rose exhaled shakily. "It��s just an owl..."

    She opened the window gently.

    The owl hopped forward, offered its leg, and flew off into the night.

    Rose untied the letter, frowning. "I wasn��t expecting anything."

    "Who is it from?" Hildegard asked, stepping beside her.

    Rose broke the seal and unrolled the parchment.

    Her breath hitched.

    "It��s from the mage," she whispered.

    Hildegard��s brows shot up. "The one who told you Scarlett��s child survived?"

    "Yes." Rose��s hands shook slightly. "The one who revealed Auburn was alive."

    Hildegard��s eyes narrowed. "What does she say?"

    Rose read aloud softly:

    "Queen Rose,

    I bring good news about your granddaughter.

    I will visit within the week to inform you of everything.

    Prepare yourself, for truth ising."

    Rose smiled with sudden joy. "The mage doesn��t know I��ve already found her. How wonderful she must have more news!"

    Hildegard said nothing.

    Her face remained calm, but inside, her thoughts swirled like a silent storm.

    We shall see, she thought grimly.

    We shall see if the mage calls Auburn the true princess.

 Chapter 633: ANNIHILATION

    <h4>Chapter 633: ANNIHILATION</h4>

    AUBURN��S POV

    Auburn paced the room, her gown trailing behind her like spilled wine.

    Her nerves were already bad enough Jasmine was alive. Xaden had left the pce.

    Everything she had nned for.

    Everything she had dreamed of, it wasing down at her knees.

    Her dress being burned?

    Jasmine��s powers that she had never known existed was now forcefullying out.

    She loved this life!

    She couldn��t go back to where she hade from now matter what.

    He turned to Cherry who had been sitting on a chair wiiey.

    "Do you think we should poison her?" Auburn whispered sharply. "Or maybe set her up? Setting her up might be just the best option and then-

    She turned to Cherry.

    Cherry didn��t answer.

    She was sitting at her vanity, her raven ck hair pinned in silverbs, staring straight ahead.

    "Cherry?" Auburn stepped closer. "Did you hear me?"

    No reaction.

    Cherry��s spine was rigid.

    Her breath...pletely still.

    "Hello?" A puzzled Auburn asked

    Nothing.

    Auburn reached out hesitantly and touched Cherry��s shoulder-

    Cherry��s eyes rolled white.

    Fully.

    Completely.

    Like pearls with no pupils.

    Auburn��s scream strangled in her throat.

    "Cherry?" she whispered.

    "Cherry? Can you hear me?"

    Cherry did not blink.

    Her face was frozen, carved in cold marble.

    Auburn��s panic spiked.

    She grabbed Cherry��s shoulders, shaking her violently.

    "CHERRY! Wake up! What��s happening to you?!"

    No response.

    Cherry��s body stayed upright, stiff, eyes locked into the void.

    Auburn stumbled back in terror.

    "CHERRY!"

    But Princess Chery was already gone.

    Her body was here.

    Her mind was elsewhere.

    Dragged... violently... into another realm.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~

    CHERY��S ASTRAL POV

    The Cave of Chaos

    Chery��s eyes snapped open.

    The stench of sulfur choked her.

    Fire crackled in the endless tunnels.

    Metallic screams echoed off the stone walls.

    Her nostrils red.

    "No."

    She knew this ce.

    The Cave of Chaos.

    The realm of eternal judgement.

    A prison of torture for traitors and monsters.

    A ce she would have been sentenced to if she hadn��t been cunning.

    She hissed under her breath.

    "Who dares��"

    A voice rasped from the shadows.

    "My Princess... my savior... finally... I reached you..."

    Cherry spun.

    Uther was there.

    Or what remained of him.

    His flesh was charred, bits hanging from bone. Chains wrapped around him, dragging him across the burning rocks.

    His left leg was gone, severed above the knee. His skin blistered, fresh wounds ripping open and healing, only to rip again.

    The first stage of eternal torture.

    His thousand years had begun.

    Cherry curled her lip in disgust.

    "Uther," she spat. "What are you doing here?"

    He sobbed and there actual relief in his tortured voice.

    "I called for you. I.... I needed you."

    She stepped closer, fury in her eyes.

    "You��re in the cave of chaos. Why?"

    He screamed as fire burst across his back.

    "They.... Xaden.... he found out everything! He sentenced me. He sentenced Anna too. He sent us here!"

    Cherry froze.

    "He sentenced his own sister?"

    Her voice sliced like ss.

    Uther coughed blood that evaporated before it hit the ground.

    "Yes... he knows... he knows you were behind everything..."

    Cherry��s jaw tightened.

    "How."

    "I don��t know," Uther cried. "I couldn��t say your name. The binding spell my tongue burned anytime I tried to speak."

    "Good." Cherry hissed. "If you said my name, I would have burned your soul myself."

    He cried harder, the torture mes biting into him again.

    His screams echoed.

    "Princess Cherry ?"

    Cherry turned.

    A figure writhed deeper inside the cave.

    Anna.

    Her body hung suspended by chains of white fire. Every few seconds, mes roared beneath her skin, burning but never killing.

    Her voice was shredded from screaming.

    "Cherry!" Anna begged.

    "Please! Please help me! I��ll be good! I��ll do anything AUNT PLEASE!"

    Cherry rolled her eyes.

    Pathetic.

    She stepped towards her slowly, savoring Anna��s terror.

    Anna trembled.

    "Save me... please... they they��re burning me alive"

    Cherry smirked.

    "If your very own brother with whom you shared blood with didn��t have mercy on you what makes you think I would?"

    Anna��s face crumpled with agony. "Please-

    Cherry raised her hand.

    Anna��s chains tightened around her throat.

    She choked, body convulsing.

    Then Cherry lowered her hand slowly.

    "No," she purred.

    "You don��t die today. You have a century of suffering left before the me stage ends."

    Anna sobbed as Cherry leaned in, voice dripping venom.

    "And when the hundred years are done... I��ll visit again."

    Anna screamed as the mes roared back to life.

    Uther crawled closer, desperate. "Princess... save me... please..."

    Cherry turned, eyes colder than the deepest abyss.

    "Did you involve me?"

    "No!" he cried. "The spell wouldn��t let me speak your name! I swear��"

    Cherry smiled.

    "Good."

    His face twisted with relief.

    "Then you understand," she whispered, raising her hand...

    "That I don��t need you alive."

    Fire erupted across Uther��s chest

    not the torture fire,

    not the judgment me.

    Her fire.

    ck fire.

    Soul fire.

    He didn��t even have time to scream.

    He disintegrated.

    His ashes blew apart in the cave��s eternal wind.

    Anna shrieked in terror, watching him crumble into dust.

    "You YOU KILLED HIM!" she wailed in horror

    Cherry turned to her slowly.

    A smile ghosted her lips.

    "And you��re next.

    Just... not yet."

    Anna cried, voice raw and echoing through the pit as Cherry��s body blurred

    And vanished.

    ~~~~~~~~~

    AUBURN��S POV

    Cherry mmed back into her body with a violent gasp.

    Auburn jolted.

    "CHERRY! Oh my goddess you scared��"

    Cherry��s hand shot out and grabbed Auburn��s wrist.

    Hard.

    Her eyes were burning with rage.

    "We change the n."

    Auburn swallowed. "W... why? What happened?"

    "Xaden knows." Cherry snarled.

    "He knows somethings at least.."

    Auburn paled. "H-how?"

    "Doesn��t matter." Cherry paced the room like a storm, her gown snapping behind her.

    "Uther is dead. Anna is burning in eternal fire."

    Auburn staggered back.

    "W-What?!"

    Cherry whipped around, eyes zing with red fury.

    "If we don��t move now," she hissed, "Xaden will destroy everything I��ve built."

    Auburn shook. "W-what do we do?"

    Cherry��s smile was slow... wicked... murderous.

    "We bring down the royal pack.

    All of them.

    Immediately."

    Auburn��s breath froze.

    "And Jasmine?" she whispered.

    Cherry leaned close, her voice a deadly whisper.

    "She dies first."

 Chapter 634: A TIRED BODY

    <h4>Chapter 634: A TIRED BODY</h4>

    A month of staying in the royal pack and i was getting fed up with anxiety on the progress.

    I had handed Otto the concealed pages that held Xaden��s mother��s conversation about my uncle Elton.

    Eventually Otto had found out that the book had been written in the distantnds.

    A section of wolf world where the wolves didn��t really have an Alpha.

    I had been shocked to discover that it was a Territory of the Moonlight pack.

    "What?" I said the moment Otto was looking through the spare page

    "Distantnds." He nodded in agreement. "It��s quite far away. On the edge of wolf world ever heard of it."

    I shook my head.

    I didn��t know much about anything until I started reading and writing.

    "Well it��s a side of wolf world." He exined as he sat back down on a nk space of paper. "They don��t like to owe allegiance to the royal pack. They��ve been independent for the longest time. Until your father��s ancestors conquered and took them."

    I became grim.

    Was every Alpha of the moonlight pack born to be a monster terrorizing everyone.

    "Surely there are rules that prevent things like this from happening." I itched my arms.

    Otto grunted. "You could say that. Wolf pack politics is messy. I don��t like to get into it. But what I can tell you is eventually it because a territory of the moonlight pack."

    "And the natives of thend?" I asked worried about them being massacred.

    "The locals didn��t have much of a choice." Otto shrugged. "It was either stay and ept of risk losing your lives. They took the smarter options. Didn��t help that the King then was having an affair with the daughter of the Alpha moonlight pack."

    I grew my face in absolute disgust. "So because he was sleeping with her he turned a blind eye to them taking over the distantnds. By the time the council got wind of what had happened was toote. They had secured thend in blood and no one could take it away from them. Here and there they have some crisis between the natives but doesn��t get bigger than that."

    "Ah-hah!" Otto said before I could process the information.

    "The map is urate. Whoever wrote this trantions made it the distantnds." He jumped and hugged me in excitement.

    I remained stiff and after a while he hurriedly let go.

    He grumbled and went back to his work.

    "At least now we know where to derive our information from. If your uncle deciphered this map, then the odds of us finding him are very high." He said.

    My heart leapt in excitement.

    This was it.

    My doorway to happiness. I could finally find my extended family.

    He frowned as he paused from the trantion. "Jasmine the golden leaf from the Drasil tree is from the distantnds. Is it a coincidence that that��s the same ce the map was written?"

    I paused.

    I remembered the golden leaf.

    It was stuck in a drawer in my dresser.

    Ever since Otto had gotten me the potion I took at night, I didn��t have any more of those dreams and I was happy.

    The thought of me being attacked in the dream and being attacked in really life was terrifying.

    "Jasmine I must say." Otto cleared his throat. "You fascinate me."

    He leaned back and set the magnifying ss he had been using to examine the map.

    "There is something about you I have never understood." He pointed out. "You��re an unshifted wolf and yet you have royal red hair that refuses to remain ck even after dyed. You have dream walked and travelled far away to the distantnds, you were the maiden for the halo festival. All you Jasmine. You��re a wonder and I don��t think you��re just a wolf. I think something happened to you. Something that I can not ce a finger on."

    I became tensed.

    Otto��s gaze on me was forcing me to face a reality I didn��t want to believe.

    If I had told him about the siren or how I had been burned not just by the pack but by my ne.

    Or how I had copsed the night of Auburn��s shifting.

    Things were happening to me that I just couldn��t understand.

    I felt the wave of nausea that I had been feeling for the past few days flush my face.

    He blinked at me.

    "Are you okay Jasmine?" He asked me.

    I paused and tried to swallow heavily.

    I tried to breathe hard and set my hand against my back.

    My body felt inmed and I waved my hand to fan myself.

    I could hear him rise up to his feet.

    In a matter of seconds I could feel him by myself.

    His hands went gently on my shoulder and tried to blink hard and shake off the wave of nausea.

    "Jasmine." He said.

    Very slowly it began to fade and then I could feel my head slowly pull back to normal.

    In a matter of seconds I squeezed my eyes together and was okay.

    I looked up at Otto.

    "Sweet goddess Jasmine." He said in horror. "Are you fine? You look as white as a ghost."

    I managed a smile and rubbed my temple. "Yes I think I��m just tired."

    Now that I thought about it, climbing the steps had be seemingly more difficult and exhausting.

    I shook my head. "I��m fine. I should be going."

    "Yes you should Jasmine." He nodded. "If anything happens to you here Xaden would have my head the Queen would also cut off my balls. I still like them even though they don��t have any use."

    I managed a weak smile as he escorted me out to the door.

    "You know what?" He asked me. "I��ll move my office downstairs just so thating up to meet me will he morefortable for you okay?"

    I wanted to argue but he shushed me and in a matter of seconds I was out the door.

 Chapter 635: A TRAP

    <h4>Chapter 635: A TRAP</h4>

    The encounter I had with Otto was now a month ago and I seemed to be getting more weary and tired.

    My body all of sudden seemed exhausted.

    Hildegard had noticed it when I woke up from bed and she had looked at me it��s cunning and suspicious eyes.

    "You look tired." She had remarked.

    I sighed as I sat up in the bed one early morning.

    My feet hurt and my whole body felt like I had been tossed all around by wolves in a game.

    "I think it��s just the weather." I said as I touched my neck.

    "Perhaps." She said as she looked at me. "But then you seem to be glowing too. I can not exin the whole business but you seem to be doing good and well a bit bad at the same time."

    I rose up from my bed and walked up to a mirror to look at myself.

    She was right.

    I did look tired.

    And as for the glow I didn��t see any of it.

    "Well you should rest." Hildegard told me her hand gently on my shoulder.

    "I��ll like to paint today." I said with a smile.

    Queen Rose had given me the opportunity to be an artist in the pack.

    I had never known how talented I was and yet I had been able to paint so much artworks.

    It was the one thing that kept me happy while i anxiously waited to hear from Otto.

    "I also need to clean Auburn��s room today." I said.

    Ever since I hade to stay in the pack.

    The King himself had told me I would earn staying in the pack.

    I had taken up doing servants jobs.

    Hildegard had kicked against it, but it was the only way I could be on his good side.

    And for the King to have told me, the Queen must know too.

    Hildegard��s face immediately twisted at the mention of Auburn��s name.

    "Can��t wait for the mage to arrive." She mumbled to herself in annoyance.

    "What?" I asked.

    She smiled at me and said a quick.

    "Nothing."

    "Then you can do thatter." She told me. "But for not just stay. Okay?"

    I was reluctant at first, but eventually I gave in.

    She patted my head and got up to leave.

    I sat back down on the bed and dreamed of meeting my mother��s family soon.

    I knew that my mind had been sad from being away from the crescent pack and that most likely was why body was reacting in such a manner.

    Nothing more nothing less.

    After about an hour of resting, I very gently got up from the bed and got ready to clean up Auburn��s room.

    Once I was done, I would go to paint.

    As I walked down the halls, my feet hurt so much but I kept on walking.

    When I got to her bedroom, I didn��t find her.

    The princess��s chamber was just as I remembered: a soft scent of roses, curtains pulled halfway open to let the morning light spill across the floors, and fabrics in rich purples and golds draped everywhere

    . It always felt like stepping into a world meant for someone far grander than me.

    I tied the small apron around my waist and began cleaning.

    I dusted every surface, swept the floors, fluffed the pillows arranged on her bed twelve in total, which I always found a bit excessive and folded the thin shawl tossed carelessly over the chair.

    I made sure everything was neat, perfect, sparkling. It was the kind of room that made me smile despite myself.

    How lucky she is, I thought, smoothing my palm over the polished vanity table.

    A princess... she has everything.

    As I turned to leave, something glittered on the table, so bright it caught the corner of my eye.

    A ne.

    Not just any ne.

    A glowing string of diamonds so pure, so cold, so impossibly perfect that it looked like stars woven into silver.

    I froze.

    I had never seen it before.

    Why would Auburn leave something like this out in the open? Even I knew this was far too valuable to be sitting on a vanity, untouched.

    My fingers hovered over it.

    I should put it inside the drawer... right?

    But the moment my fingertips brushed the cool metal, something inside me tightened an instinct, a warning I couldn��t exin. I pulled my hand back.

    "No," I whispered to myself. "Let her handle it."

    I gave the ne onest curious look, then turned and walked out.

    By afternoon, the sun hung hot and bright, and I had lost myself in my paints again deep blues and spreading across the canvas like they were alive.

    Hours passed without me noticing. It was only when a sudden burst of noise echoed down the hallway that my brush stilled in mid-air.

    Voices.

    Many voices.

    Raised, frantic.

    I wiped my hands on a cloth, confused, and walked to the door.

    Outside, several maids huddled together in tight clusters, whispering in fierce little breaths. Their eyes were wide. Some looked scared. Others looked... eager.

    "What happened?" I asked, stepping toward them.

    One of the maids nced at me, then at the others, before swallowing hard.

    "It��s... Princess Auburn��s room," she whispered. "Something happened in there."

    My heart lurched painfully.

    Auburn��s room.

    And I had been there earlier.

    Without thinking, I hurried down the hall, pushing past the growing crowd gathering at her door. The murmurs, the gasps, the frantic whispers my pulse rose with each one.

    When I reached the entrance, I had to stand on my toes to see inside.

    Auburn was in the middle of the room, her golden hair wild around her shoulders, pointing at the vanity table her voice cracking in fury.

    "It was right here! It was here and now it��s gone! Do you understand? Gone!"

    Princess Cherry and Princess Coral were both beside her Cherry tall and cold, Coral gentler but clearly shaken.

    "What is wrong?" Coral asked, trying to ce a calming hand on Auburn��s arm.

    "The royal ne!" Auburn screamed. "The diamond ne! It��s not here!"

    My breath caught in my chest.

    The ne.

    The same ne I had seen hours ago.

    I stared at the empty ce where it had been, shock rippling through me.

    But how? No one else should have.

    Auburn whirled around, breathing hard. "I haven��t stepped inside since this morning! So whoever cleaned this roomst... they must have taken it."

    The crowd gasped. My stomach twisted sharply.

    Before anyone could respond, the Queen swept into the room her presencemanding presence.

    "What is all this noise?" she demanded, her voice slicing through the chaos.

    Auburn turned to her, frantic. "Grandma, the royal ne someone stole it! It was on my vanity and now it��s gone!"

    The Queen��s eyes narrowed, scanning the room. "Stolen? By whom?"

    Auburn lifted her chin. "I don��t know... but thest person in here must have been the cleaner."

    A heavy silence fell over the room.

    Then Princess Cherry��s gaze slid to the crowd by the door. "And who," she asked slowly, "cleaned this room today?"

    My throat tightened. My palms began to sweat.

    My voice barely came out.

    "I... I did," I whispered.

    And every head in the room turned toward me.

 Chapter 636: THE ACCUSED!

    <h4>Chapter 636: THE ACCUSED!</h4>

    For a moment, no one breathed.

    Not the maids.

    Not the guards.

    Not even Auburn whose face slowly shifted into something far more dangerous than panic.

    Recognition.

    Triumph.

    usation.

    "There," she said, pointing at me with a trembling finger as if she��d spotted a rat. "Her. She cleaned my room this morning."

    And then Auburn��s face squeezed up.

    "Why was she even here in the first ce?" Auburn demanded looking around. "She is not amongst any of my maids so why was she even here?"

    Whispers rippled through the crowd like a wave crashing against stone. I

    felt heat rise up my neck. Every pair of eyes pressed into my skin like needles.

    How could I exin that due to the way the king had spoken to me about paying for every minute I stayed here, I was working as a maid.

    Doing the one and only thing to do.

    Queen Rose turned toward me, her expression unreadable too calm, too controlled, too quietly sharp.

    "Jasmine," she said, her voice low. "Step inside."

    My legs felt heavy, but they moved anyway obedient, slow, utterly exposed.

    I stepped past the wall of bodies, past the murmuring maids who now watched me like I was some unfolding spectacle.

    Cherry��s cold eyes tracked me.

    Coral looked worried.

    Auburn looked... satisfied.

    "Tell us," Queen Rose said. "Were you in this room today?"

    "Yes, Your Majesty," I answered softly. "I cleaned it in the morning."

    There were more whispers amongst the crowd of women in the room.

    Auburn folded her arms. "And the ne was here. Right here." She tapped the spot where it had sparkled earlier. "I distinctly remember cing it therest night."

    "I saw it too," I admitted, my voice trembling despite my attempt to steady it.

    More whispers.

    Auburn��s eyebrows shot up in mock surprise. "Oh? You saw it?"

    I nodded. "Yes. But I didn��t touch it. I didn��t move it. I didn��t-

    "Then where is it?" she snapped at me her eyes spitting vicious venom.

    It all felt like De ja vu.

    Happening over and over again.

    Like how when I had lived in the moonlight pack, I had been used times and times without number of stealing Auburn��s things.

    Same in the crescent pack and now here again?

    The worst part?

    No one was going to believe me over the princess of the pack

    I closed my eyes as I weakly whispered the truth that would still hold me guilt. "I... I don��t know."

    Auburn scoffed loudly. "You don��t know? You were thest and only person who came to this very room and you tell me you don��t know? How convenient!"

    Cherry stepped forward, her gown whispering over the marble floor. "Jasmine," she said, voice smooth as poisoned honey. "You say you saw the ne, yet you left it on the table?"

    "Yes," I whispered.

    "And why," Cherry asked, tilting her head, "did you not ce it in the drawer? Or inform a guard? Or alert anyone?"

    My breath stilled.

    How could I exin something I barely understood myself? That strange tug in my chest, that internal warning, that soft voice telling me to leave it alone. How could I say that without sounding suspicious?

    "I... I just didn��t think it was my ce, Princess. I didn��t think it was any of my concern I just came to do my work and go." I said.

    "Your ce," Auburnughed bitterly, "was to keep your hands to yourself."

    Coral frowned at her. "Auburn-

    "No," Auburn snapped back. "This is theft. A royal ne doesn��t simply disappear."

    Queen Rose lifted a hand. Silence fell instantly.

    Her eyes moved from the empty vanity... to Auburn... to me.

    "Jasmine," she said slowly, "are you iming you had no involvement in the disappearance of the ne?"

    "Yes, Your Majesty," I whispered. "I swear on my life, I didn��t take it."

    Auburn let out a sharp, cruelugh. "Who else would? No one else stepped inside. The guards would never my sister would never and yet you..." she pointed at me again, her voice cracking, "you��re the only outsider here. You��re not even from our pack."

    My heart thudded painfully. The floor beneath me felt like it was tilting.

    "I didn��t steal anything," I whispered.

    But Auburn��s voice rose higher, trembling with outrage or the performance of it.

    "Auburn." Queen Rose said her eyes closed gently in warning.

    "I always knew there was something about you!" Auburn hissed in rage. "I always knew! You��re nothing but a conniving thief!"

    "Auburn." The Queen said a bit louder now.

    And yet Auburn barely paid any heed to the silent warning.

    "GUARDS!" Auburn screamed in rage.

    Two guards stepped forward immediately.

    At that very moment the most shocking thing happened in the room.

    Queen Rose whirled around and dealt Auburn a dirty p.

    It happened so fast if you didn��t see it, you most definitely would hear it.

    The room went chill and just like everyone else, I felt a cold breeze down my back.

    Even the guards who had been ordered in, froze in the ce.

    Cherry who barely showed any emotion had shock written on her face.

    Coral looked like she was in disbelief.

    Belle smirked in delight.

    Auburn had her hand ced on her cheek.

    "When I speak to you." Queen Rose said in a very dangerous tone. "You will heed me. Grandmother I may be, but Queen? I am."

    Auburn��s face was red, you could tell how much she was shaking.

    "Do you understand me?!" The Queen snapped further scaring everyone in the room.

    I jumped and rubbed my arm.

    "Y... y.... Yes grandm-

    Auburn was about to say grandmother and wisely rephrased her words.

    "Yes your majesty." Auburn said.

    Queen Rose took in a deep breath and turned away to face me.

    I took a subconscious step back now ferried of the king.

    All this while, she wasn��t as weak as everyone believed her to.

    The soft and sweet spoken Queen now looked like a fierce Goddess, her bosom rising with every breath she took.

    The Queen was dangerous.

 Chapter 637: A JUST QUEEN LUNA

    <h4>Chapter 637: A JUST QUEEN LUNA</h4>

    The room stayed frozen even after the echo of the p had died.

    No one moved.

    No one breathed.

    Everyone waited for the Queen��s nextmand, terrified of making even the slightest sound.

    Queen Rose didn��t look at any of them.

    She kept her eyes on me sharp, unreadable, silently measuring every breath I took. Then, slowly, she turned her head to the guards.

    "Remove the onlookers," she said quietly.

    It wasn��t a request.

    It was a decree.

    Instantly, the guards snapped out of their stunned trance and began ushering everyone out of the chamber.

    The maids didn��t need to even be shooed out of the room.

    With what the Queen had just disyed they were ready to disappear out of the room.

    Maids scattered like startled birds.

    Cherry walked out stiffly, still recovering from the shock.

    Coral hesitated, she looked at me as if she wanted to speak, but the Queen��s eyes cut to her and she obeyed.

    Belle leftst, grinning at Auburn��s misery before slipping out.

    Within moments, it was only three of us:

    The Queen.

    Auburn.

    And me.

    But then the Queen looked at me and said, without raising her voice.

    "I��ll like to ask you a very important question." She asked me.

    I swallowed hard.

    All of a sudden my throat was itching.

    "Why were you even cleaning Auburn��s room?" She asked me more confusion than anger written in her eyes.

    Now that Question baffled me.

    "I don��t understand your majesty." I said lost for words.

    Her brows creased and she shook her head. "Jasmine. You are a guest in this ce. I don��t care whatever you were in your previous pack. I don��t care about whatever happened to you. But here you are a guest."

    I swallowed again.

    I wished I could deep my hand into my throat and itch it.

    I felt very sick and nauseous.

    "So I��ll ask you again." She went on. "Why were you even cleaning Auburn��s room."

    Auburn folded her arms and her eyes glowed in anger at me as though I was the reason the Queen had hit her.

    "Because of the King." I said after a short pause.

    Queen Rose blinked at me.

    "What?" She asked me:

    "The King." I continued. "He told me that if I wanted to continue staying here I would have to pay for it. I had no money so cleaning and doing chores were the only things I could do. It��s only life I��ve known and I didn��t want to seem ungrateful to you for all you��ve done for me."

    Queen Rose looked like she had thunder written right across her face.

    I had never seen her this furious.

    For a split second I thought she was going to hit me too.

    But she closed her eyes and took in a very deep breath.

    "And I will ask you this Jasmine." She said in a gentle and yet firm tone. "Did you steal Auburn��s ne?"

    I looked up into her beautiful green eyes that were almost identical to mine and said.

    "No your majesty. I do not."

    She took in a deep breath and said. "We will hold investigation but for now, you may go. Do not leave the pce walls."

    It didn��t sound likefort.

    It sounded like a warning.

    I bowed my head and quietly backed away, slipping through the door as the guards shut it behind me.

    But before it closedpletely, I heard the Queen��s voice shift low, icy, dangerous.

    "Auburn. To the window. Now."

    The door sealed.

    And whatever happened inside that belonged only to Auburn and the Queen.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~

    Inside the locked chamber, Auburn moved stiffly to the window, still clutching her cheek where the p hadnded. Her eyes were red, but she didn��t dare cry. Queen Rose stood behind her, the soft glow of the sun outlining her as if she were carved from gold and steel.

    For a long moment, the Queen said nothing.

    Auburn fidgeted beneath the weight of that silence.

    Finally she began.

    "Auburn," the Queen said, her voice too calm to be safe, "look at the gardens below."

    Auburn swallowed and obeyed, peering out the high window. The garden spread beneath them like a tapestry guards patrolling, maids washing linens, wolves shifting in the training yard.

    "Tell me," the Queen murmured, stepping beside her, "how many people are beneath us?"

    Auburn blinked. "I-I don��t know. Dozens?"

    "Yes." The Queen��s voice hardened. "Dozens. All of whom heard you use an innocent girl."

    Auburn��s jaw tightened. "She��s not innocent and I don��t think you can see that she is being very maniptive and-

    "Do not interrupt me when I speak!" Rose barked in order.

    Auburn��s breath caught.

    Rose sighed and took in a deep breath.

    Queen Rose reached out and gently almost tenderly lifted Auburn��s chin so their eyes met regardless of the fact Auburn trembled from her touch.

    "You are my grand daughter and heir to the throne," she whispered, "you will not shame this family. And you will not allow yourself to be turned into a fool."

    Auburn��s lips trembled. "Grandma... I��m not lying."

    The Queen��s eyes narrowed.

    "No? Then tell me the truth."

    Her fingers tightened just slightly. "What makes you have so much conviction that Jasmine stole the ne."

    Auburn seemed to be in thought for a while.

    "She was thest person in the room." Auburn stated.

    "And so does that mean no one else came in?" Rose asked.

    Auburn went quiet.

    Rose sighed as she looked at Auburn.

    Sometimes she wondered if the girl had taken any of Scarlett��s traits.

    In more ways than she could imagine, she was beginning to sense some cruelty from Auburn.

    It baffled her because it was nothing like Scarlett had been as a child.

    So where was thising from?

    "We do not use anyone until they have been proved guilty do you understand me?" Rose asked.

    Auburn nodded.

    "Go." Rose instructed.

    When the door shut, Rose clenched her fist.

    Her Husband.

    How dare he make Jasmine a ve again after all she had been through!

    She twirled on her heels and marched to find him for herself.

 Chapter 638: THE QUEEN’S JUDGEMENT

    <h4>Chapter 638: THE QUEEN��S JUDGEMENT</h4>

    QUEEN ROSE��S POV

    I marched down the corridor, MY gown sweeping behind her like a moving storm.

    Every servant I passed pressed themselves t to the wall, heads bowed low, eyes avoiding my gaze.

    Even the guards stepped aside too quickly, as if frightened the marble beneath them might crack under the weight of my fury.

    I could taste it.

    The rage and anger that I dispelled with every single step I took

    I ignored all of them.

    My mind was burning.

    How dare he...?

    After everything that child had suffered...?

    To make her serve again? To scrub floors? To pay a debt she never owed?

    My fury built with every step until it was almost a living thing wrapped around her ribs.

    The more I thought about it, the further I was enraged.

    The sinking quest to relinquish my rage unto him made me further upset.

    When I reached the throne corridor, two royal guards stood stiffly at the double doors. They bowed deeply.

    I could hear theughter between him and his friends.

    I clenched my fists in rage.

    "Your Majesty," one began, "the King is-

    She didn��t let him finish.

    "Open the doors."

    They hesitated for only half a breath.

    I looked at them, my eyes sharply crossed. "This is my Kingdom. When I demand something you obey me without question!"

    They hurried bowed in apology and the great doors swung open with a heavy echo.

    Inside, the King sat with his council three Alphas and two Lycans reviewing scrolls on the long table.

    His voice carried a practiced, easy authority as theyughed but he they silent the moment the doors closed behind Rose.

    No one uttered a goddamn word.

    When he saw my face, his own expression shifted.

    "Rose?" He began gently as he sat up from his seat, wine still in his hand. "What happen-

    I hand mmed onto the table.

    Everyone jolted.

    "Leave," i said.

    That single word froze the room.

    The King raised a brow. "Rose-

    "I SAID LEAVE!."

    My voice cracked across the chamber like a whip and the walls of the room shook.

    The lit fires were now burning at an uncontroble force.

    The council members scrambled to their feet and hurried out so fast I didn��t even have to look at them.

    The doors shut.

    Silence swallowed the room.

    I could feel my palm burning with fire.

    My husband slowly walked up to me as he lowed his hand. "Take it easy Rose. Take it easy."

    I closed my eyes and despite how angry I was, I calmed myself down.

    My burning hands that were clenched in a fist were very slowly released.

    The fires in the room calmed and the walls stopped shaking.

    The King exhaled. "You frightened them."

    "They should be frightened," i snapped, my voice trembling from pure, controlled rage. "You my husband should also be frightened."

    He blinked. "Rose... what has happened?"

    I stepped closer. Too close.

    My small frame was nothingpared to his tall, battle-trained body but the fury in my eyes dwarfed him.

    "I just found out," I whispered, "that you enved that child."

    The King stiffened. "What?"

    My voice rose like thunder.

    "You made her CLEAN ROOMS to earn her stay in our home? In my pce? A girl who has lived through nightmares you cannot even imagine?"

    He opened his mouth, but I cut him off.

    "Do not lie to me."

    My eyes shone with a dangerous glint.

    "I asked her myself. And she told me the truth. She thought she had to work to be worthy. To stay here. Because of YOU."

    The King rubbed his temples in frustration. "I told her she needed to contribute. All our guests do-

    "CONTRIBUTE?" Rose hissed. "Sweet goddess Selene. She is not a guest. She is family."

    His jaw tightened. "She is not of our pack neither is she family! Rose."

    "I see her as my family!" Rose fired back. "I have seen her as my own! Must you be bound by blood to be family? Are members of our pack bond by blood? Yet they are still family?! How can you say such a thing!"

    The King looked away.

    He knew I was right. I knew him too well.

    I stepped closer again, my voice low and trembling.

    "Do you know what she told me?"

    My breath rose slightly.

    "She didn��t want to seem ungrateful. To me. Because she believes every kindness given to her must be repaid withbor."

    The King��s shoulders sank slightly.

    My eyes softened not with gentleness but with heartbreak.

    "That child is alone, frightened, exhausted, and still healing from the Crescent pack and everything that has happened to her. And your answer was to hand her a broom? To make her scrub Auburn��s floors?"

    The King swallowed. "Still doesn��t change anything."

    I turned around, my mind feeling as though it were going spiral.

    Then I turned to him and viciously said.

    "That girl lost her child! She lost a child!"

    He remained mute.

    "I lost a child! And you know what that did to me! I feel what she feels! I understand how she feels so how dare you be so cruel to her?! Being cruel to her is being cruel to me!" I screamed.

    Silence settled between them, heavy and using.

    The King stepped closer, lowering his voice.

    "Rose... what happened in Auburn��s room?"

    Her eyes hardened again. "Auburn��s ne is believed to be stolen and thest person

    Supposedly in the room was Jasmine ."

    The King��s brows drew together. "Do you believe she stole it?"

    Rose��s answer came instantly.

    "No."

    He nodded slowly. "I knew that girl was nothing but trouble."

    I could hardly believe my ears.

    After everything I said this was what he chose to still say?

    He cleared his throat. "I��ll investigate and-

    I rose my hand instantly silencing him. "No. I will investigate. Because I cannot embrace such cruelty and I will never let her be judged unjustly."

    Her voice dropped to a deadly hush.

    "And I know exactly how to deal with this!"

    I said.

    "Are you insinuating Auburn is lying?" He hissed.

    I ignored him.

    The King pinched the bridge of his nose. "This will tear the family apart. How dare you say such a thing?!"

    I lifted her chin.

    "Good," she said coldly. "Perhaps it is time."

    Then my voice softened not with tenderness, but with the weight of a thousand unspoken pains.

    "And Jasmine... she will not lift another broom in this pce. Is that understood?"

    He simply mumbled to himself.

    "And you will apologize to her."

    He blinked at me. "I have never-

    "And you will!" I finished for him.

    Giving him a warning re, I left the room.

 Chapter 639: CONDEMNATION

    <h4>Chapter 639: CONDEMNATION</h4>

    Queen Rose wasted no time.

    She began her investigation that same afternoon, summoning maids, guards, stable boys, anyone who might have seen even the strange thing.

    She intended to do it on her own or just because she didn��t want a wrong judgement, but because she held Jasmine close to her heart.

    She saw so close in ways she would never understand.

    More than she saw her own Niece Auburn, the crowned princess.

    The mage wasing tonight and she felt as thought everything wanted to fall apart.

    Her voice was firm, sharp, but beneath it all there was an exhaustion she tried to hide.

    She dreaded how overwhelmed she felt.

    She questioned the staff one by one in the great hall, sitting with her back straight and her hands sped tightly in herp.

    Auburn stood in the corner of the room, pale and restless.

    Cherry watched with that smooth unreadable face.

    Coral lingered nearby, twisting her fingers anxiously.

    Belle was nowhere to be found.

    Belle she had noticed, wasn��t fond of Auburn.

    She knew it was due to the rivalry for the throne.

    It filled Rose with dread and horror to admit that she didn��t think either girls were deserving of the throne.

    They were both reckless and a growing cruelty that shocked her to the core.

    She sighed and told herself that the Mageing together would set her mind at ease.

    Tonight.

    I waited inside the throne room, my stomach twisting with sickness and a dread so thick it felt like I was breathing Ice.

    My knees trembled weakly and I couldn��t shake the feeling that this was my downfall.

    I had been called in by the Queen a few hourster after going back to my room.

    She seemed furious although something told me it had nothing to do with me.

    Regardless, I couldn��t help being bothered about the fact she was the one handling the investigations.

    It baffled me that someone had even taken Auburn��s ne.

    I knew for certain I had seen it on the dresser and not touched it.

    What could I have even done?

    Hours passed.

    Names were called.

    Servants filed in and out.

    No one had answers.

    Until one trembling maid stepped forward.

    Her voice was small, terrified darting around like a trapped rabbit.

    "I...I saw her," she whispered.

    I paused in disbelief.

    The whole room froze.

    "Who did you see?" Rose asked quietly.

    The maid swallowed hard, tears gathering in her eyes.

    "J... Jasmine, Your Majesty."

    My heart dropped through the floor.

    Rose��s brows creased. "You saw her where?"

    "T.... this morning. In Princess Auburn��s chambers. I saw when she was leaving. She hid it in her pockets quickly but I saw it."

    My mind began to spiral

    Auburn��s lips curled into a triumphant smirk.

    Cherry��s eyes shone with something darker.

    "I said it." Cherry shook her head. "She is the devil and-

    "SILENCE!" Rose hissed and the room went hush.

    She slowly turned to the girl.

    Her eyes were glowing in anger.

    "Girl. Do you know what you��re saying? Are you sure of what you��re saying?" Rose asked the girl. "Do you know the punishment for false usations?"

    The girl shook.

    "Your tongue would be cut." She informed. "And you shall be forced to eat it."

    I shivered.

    The girl shook, but nodded.

    My heart was beating so rapidly I felt as though it would leap out of my chest.

    "What proof do you have to this ims?" The Queen demanded.

    "I know where she kept it." The girl lied.

    ~~~~~~~~

    Soon we were heading down the hallway and I found myself on the path that led to I and Hildegard��s bedroom.

    I was too ferried to say a word.

    They wouldn��t find anything.

    I knew for sure.

    Whoever had told this girl to set me up?

    Queen Rose stepped into the room and we saw Hildegard smoking some pipe.

    Hildegard rose a brow and set it aside.

    "What��s going on?" She asked.

    It was obvious Hildegard had not heard.

    Before she could reply the girl went to our dresser and opened my ownpartment.

    The Queen walked to it and her breath paused.

    She closed her eyes in sadness.

    I rushed to where she stood and I found it lying amongst my clothes.

    The ne.

    The diamond still sparkled.

    Still beautiful.

    Still cold.

    I stared at it in shock, my chest tightening so painfully I thought my ribs would crack.

    "No..." I whispered, shaking my head.

    "No, no, no I didn��t... I didn��t put that there. I didn��t touch it. I didn��t do anything."

    Hildegard rose to her feet. "What the fuck is going on?"

    The tears were flowing down my eyes as I was now terrified.

    Hildegard pulled me behind her and she set her menacing eyes on the Queen.

    But Auburn was already speaking.

    "There! What did I say? I told you!""

    Cherry simply smiled.

    A small, satisfied curl of the lips.

    The Queen stepped forward, very slowly, like someone approaching a grave.

    She looked at the ne.

    Then at me.

    Then back at the ne again.

    Her face remained calm...

    But her eyes��

    Her eyes shattered.

    "Jasmine," she whispered, her voice breaking in a way I had never heard.

    "Tell me the truth."

    "I am telling the truth!" I choked out, tears burning my eyes. "I never touched it. I never stole anything. I swear on my life, Your Majesty. I swear-

    Rose turned away from me.

    Cherry walked up to her and I heard her sneer. "If you let her get away then you would be unjust to everyone that looks up to you."

    Queen Rose��s throat moved slowly as she swallowed

    And then, with a voice shaking from sorrow rather than anger, she gave the order I feared most.

    "...Take her," she whispered.

    My knees buckled.

    "No please Your Majesty, please I didn��t. I swear I would never do anything like this to you. Please-

    She looked away and what I suspected were tears.

    She couldn��t even look at me.

    And that hurt more than the guards�� hands gripping my arms.

    As they dragged me out of the room.

 Chapter 640: THE FINAL INVESTIGATION!

    <h4>Chapter 640: THE FINAL INVESTIGATION!</h4>

    Otto was seated at his desk reading through the forgottennguage and drawing back on his map.

    He hummed as he worked.

    He very gently ced his inked quill on the paper with everyndmark he came across.

    "Old wolves Cemetery." He mumbled to himself as he read the trantion and drew small grave stones on where the constetion had led it to.

    He sighed to himself as he leaned back.

    Was this a mere coincidence that Jasmine had dreamt about the Drasil tree, seen the leaf in her palm and somehow, the book had been written by someone in the distantnds.

    He had never been to the distantnds.

    The one ce he had truly wished to go.

    He shook his head as he leaned back in his seat.

    He was stuck on one more part of the book toplete the trantion of the map.

    But he couldn��t simply figure it out.

    He swore to himself as he rubbed his eyes.

    Now he dreadfully wished Jasmine was here to assist.

    He frowned looking around.

    Now that he thought about it, she wasn��t here yet.

    He sniffed around the untidy room.

    She was supposed to be here by now.

    Otto considered going back down to the pack but changed his mind.

    He wasn��t really friendly with other members of the pack.

    He liked to mind his business and he wanted everyone to.

    He looked at Xaden��s mother��s Journal, Luna Kristy, sitting at the far edge of the hall dead book shelf.

    Otto sighed to himself and rose up from his seat to head to the bookshelf.

    He picked open the book and began to slowly unravel the bindings around it.

    Soon, he was flipping pages after pages going through it.

    He leaned against one full pile of scrolls and books and read through the pages.

    He was missing something!

    There was something he couldn��t ce a finger on and whatever it was he needed to find something in it.

    He read through thest pages of the journal.

    "I��m worried about Aiden, worried about what he desires to use it for when he finally finds it"

    Otto read through the pages gradually.

    He had heard about Aiden during his travels.

    Unfortunately his name had been drowned out by his younger brother Bale.

    The first son of the Moonlight pack.

    He was supposed to be Alpha and yet somehow Bale had ended up being Alpha.

    Aiden had been a prominent name amongst all the other Astronomers.

    He had been one of the few who had decided to walk away from power and be a full astronomer.

    A name looked down in disappointment amongst Alphas but amongst learned men like Otto and the rest, he was someone they could look up to.

    But Aiden had simply up and vanished without a trace.

    Thest known sighting of him was returning back to the Crescent pack.

    After that there was absolutely nothing.

    Otto didn��t trust the story.

    IN fact nothing made any sense.

    Why connected to Jasmine?

    What did she have to do with any of this?

    A red wolf?

    Unshifted and somehow found herself in the middle of everything.

    It was too blizzare for him toprehend.

    He kept on trying to read through over and over but still nothing.

    He became frustrated and yelped annoyed.

    He flung the book with it any intention to and itnded on the floor.

    He leaned back against the desk breathing hard as he ran his fingers through his hair.

    He sighed to himself and looked up in the air.

    This was the one thing that could prove he wasn��t insane.

    This map was a door to the other side.

    The one thing all astronomers dreamt of finding any yet nothing.

    He red at Kristy��s journal and frowned when he saw a paper piquing out.

    He walked up to where the book was and flipped it over.

    A paper fell off.

    A paper he had not sent from the first day he had read It.

    Was this book filled with mysteries?

    This was the second hidden excerpt he had now seen.

    Except this wasn��t a hidden page.

    It was a ripped out paper.

    Folded and hidden so well inside the book that you would never have noticed unless it had been violently mishandled.

    He set the book under his armpit as he began to open the page.

    His fingers trembled as he opened it.

    His heart racing.

    And sweat drenched on his forehead.

    He sighed heavily wondering why this was making him anxious.

    He opened the page and the same handwriting filled in Kristy��s journal reflected on the paper.

    He read aloud.

    "Aiden would be leaving for the Moonlight pack. It makes me sad to see him go. Orion is delighted because he is worried we have something when he is simply a friend. Perhaps I would be delighted if he was simply retiring back home but he would be headed for the distantnds with his brother to handle new crisis. Who shall be my enthusiastic friend in astronomy now? Selene protect him. Perhaps little Xaden would be when he grows."

    Otto froze, his fingers vibrating in adrenaline.

    "FUCK!" He swore.

    That was it!

    Aiden and Bale had gone to the distantnds!

    Howe no one knew anything about that?

    And then it hit him.

    It all led to the distantnds!

    Perhaps Aiden still lived in the distantnds.

    This was what Jasmine needed!

    Finding her family!

    He was her uncle and would lead her to her mother��s family at least.

    And Bale could help himplete the map it was what would solve their problems

    And he Otto?

    He would finally find his way to the other side.

    He would prove to everyone that he had never been crazy.

    Prove to them that his wolf had not gone rabid for now damn reason.

    From day one he had always been right.

    It was what they both needed!

    For the first time, he rushed out of his room down the stars in search of Jasmine.

 Chapter 641: THE PLAN!

    <h4>Chapter 641: THE PLAN!</h4>

    Otto took the stairs so quickly he almost stumbled over himself.

    His boots ttered against stone, echoing through the thick castle walls.

    For the first time in five years.

    five whole years

    he was inside the pack.

    Inside the home he had refused to step foot in.

    Inside the ce his wolf had nearly destroyed.

    He paused only for a second at the bottom of the stairwell, breath shaking, eyes adjusting to the brightness.

    The world downstairs felt different.

    The air smelled different from the hostile air in his room high up in the tower.

    It was so different from what he remembered it to be and then he frowned.

    Did he even want to remember?

    What difference did it make?

    Servants rushed through the hallways with baskets and linens.

    Guards walked in pairs. The lingering smell of pastries drifted from the kitchens. A maidughed softly somewhere around the corner.

    Otto blinked.

    He hated it.

    But he kept going.

    His wolf growled under his skin, restless, pacing, sensing danger where there shouldn��t be any.

    He tried to calm him down.

    A small mistake and it could lose its mind again.

    Some people in the hall stopped to stare, others took steps back, sensing something off about him something feral.

    He ignored all of them.

    He stopped the first maid he saw again.

    It was a tiny young girl with braided hair and a basket of folded towels.

    "Where is Jasmine?" Otto demanded.

    The girl shrieked and stumbled backward, dropping half the towels on the floor.

    Her eyes widened in terror.

    "S... sir who who?"

    He snapped, "I��M NOT ASKING WHO I AM! WHERE IS JASMINE?!"

    The maid whimpered, trembling so hard the towels fluttered in her shaking hands.

    Her wolf shrank back inside her, terrified

    because she could sense what Otto was.

    A wolf who had once gone rabid.

    A wolf who still carried the scent of danger under his skin.

    "T.. they..." she whispered, "t... they t... took her. The guards took her."

    Otto��s breath froze.

    "Took her where?"

    "I I don��t know... I wasn��t there, sir, I didn��t please don��t don��t hurt me..."

    He clenched his teeth in frustration and let her go so suddenly she flinched.

    He didn��t bother apologizing.

    He didn��t care.

    He pushed past her and stormed into the main hall, trying to remember which hallway led where.

    It had been so long... five years of istion, of avoiding everyone after his wolf snapped.

    He got lost twice.

    Turned left when he should��ve gone right.

    Knocked into a pir.

    Nearly walked into the kitchen.

    "Damn this stupid ce," he hissed under his breath.

    Then all of sudden he saw her!

    "Hildegard!"

    His voice echoed loudly, bouncing against the carved pirs.

    Hildegard turned sharply.

    She stood in the middle of a heated argument with a gamma he could scent, her arms waving, her voice tight with tension. The Gamma looked frustrated; Hildegard looked furious.

    But when she saw Otto.

    Her jaw dropped.

    "Otto?" she breathed, stunned. "What what are you doing down here?"

    Even Gamma Rowan blinked in disbelief. Otto avoided eye contact with himpletely.

    "I need to see Jasmine," Otto said, marching toward her.

    Gamma Rowan opened his mouth, but Hildegard raised a hand sharply.

    "Go, Rowan. Now. We��ll talkter."

    The Gamma hesitated a moment, then left with onest confused look at Otto.

    Hildegard turned back to Otto, her expression half shock, half worry.

    "It��s been five years," she whispered. "What in the world pushed you to leave your room?"

    Otto��s chest tightened.

    "Jasmine," he said. "I needed her. And she wasn��t there."

    Hildegard��s expression softened in understanding but then clouded with dread.

    "Otto..." she said carefully. "Something happened."

    The fear in her voice made him tense instantly.

    "What happened?" he demanded, voice rough.

    She sighed and rubbed her forehead. "Jasmine was used of stealing."

    Otto froze. His wolf snarled inside him.

    "That��s a lie," he said instantly, anger vibrating through every syble.

    "I know," Hildegard said quickly. "I know, Otto. I know she didn��t. But Auburn swears it. And a maid said she saw Jasmine enter the room."

    Otto scoffed harshly. "Of course she was in the room! She was cleaning because of that idiot King!"

    Hildegard winced. "Yes... and unfortunately that made her the perfect target."

    Otto paced in a tight circle, his breathing out sharp.

    "This is madness," he growled. "Utter madness."

    "I agree," Hildegard whispered. "Which is why I��m trying to rally people to investigate properly."

    Otto stopped pacing and stared at her.

    "What about Rose?" he asked. "What does the Queen say?"

    Hildegard��s face fell.

    "Rose has her hands tied," she said sadly. "She found the ne inside the room. Jasmine swore she didn��t do it, but..."

    She swallowed.

    "...it looked bad."

    Otto��s eyes widened. "Rose believes she��s guilty?"

    Hildegard shook her head. "No. But she��s forced to act like she might be."

    "And the King?" Otto spat.

    Hildegard��s jaw clenched. "The King refuses to think otherwise."

    Otto��s rage exploded.

    "That man. Fuck!"

    he snarled, "I��ll go find him right now and tell him exactly what I think about his bastard-

    Hildegard grabbed his arm. Hard.

    "Otto. Stop."

    He red at her, chest heaving.

    "It��s no use right now," she said firmly. "Let me work from my side. Let me gather people. Let me talk to the Beta and the elders."

    Otto bit back a growl.

    "You," Hildegard said, looking into his wild eyes, "go see Jasmine first.

    She needs someone.

    She needs YOU."

    His anger drained into something sharper.

    Fear.

    Hildegard touched his shoulder gently.

    "She��s in the cells, Otto. Go to her. I��ll do everything I can from up here."

    Otto looked at her, then toward the staircase leading underground.

    His throat tightened.

    "Cells," he whispered. "Jasmine in the cells..."

    His wolf whimpered inside him something that hadn��t happened in years.

    Hildegard nodded softly. "Go."

    Otto didn��t wait another second.

    He ran.

    Down the hallway.

    Down the steps.

    Down into the cold dark.

    Toward Jasmine.

 Chapter 642: THE CELLS

    <h4>Chapter 642: THE CELLS</h4>

    Otto found himself going down the hallway and past arched corridors.

    He didn��t care about the stares; all he wanted to do was get to Jasmine.

    He couldn��t believe it!

    Jasmine used of stealing?!

    It made no absolute sense.

    She was the sweetest girl he had ever met, anding from him, that was telling.

    Otto rarely liked people.

    He would snort, grumble, and ignore anyone.

    Even when he was out studying astronomy, he hadn��t really cared about his colleagues.

    Well, all except for one.

    For one who somehow insisted on being his friend.

    The fact was the same way Jasmine was.

    Kind, gentle, and loving.

    It was hard even to think she had stolen something.

    He could sell the foul y from afar.

    How did Rose even let this happen?

    Especially from this supposed daughter of Scarlett.

    It was too much for him.

    His face squeezed as he headed down the cells.

    He hadn��t been here in five years, but he knew any pack would have its cells underground.

    The exact opposite of him staying upstairs.

    All packs were strict on their cells until their prisoners had been shipped into the main prison facilities.

    The dreaded <i>Wolf</i><i>Abide</i> prison.

    Otto shivered at the mere mention of the name.

    It was the worst ce to be, and with good reason.

    He also knew that severing one��s eyes and having them eat it, before they were finally shipped off to Wolf Abide, was the punishment for stealing in the royal pack.

    The eyes because they had to take away the eyes that made you greedy.

    The hands because they had to take away what made you finally pick up and steal.

    It was a cruel fate that didn��t care whether you were a she wolf, he wolf, mage or whatever.

    Everyone had to face it.

    And the worst part was getting to the prison where fate was so cruel no one ever came out alive to tell the tale.

    He shook his head as he headed down the prison hallways.

    As he descended into the now dark tunnels he finally came across the guards

    A guard stepped forward instantly blocking his path.

    "State your purpose-

    "Move," Otto growled.

    The guard stiffened, his wolf instinctively bowing to the madness that lingered inside Otto like a dormant storm.

    Otto knew that the guard could sniff his own rabid wolf and was now whimpering in fear.

    In a way it was a blessing and curse.

    His wolf could easily go out of control and run insane.

    No one wanted toe around him.

    But sometimes, especially in situations like these, his wolf would prevent people from messing with him.

    They feared him and in this case, Otto liked it.

    Took it to his advantage, so he prodded his wolf a bit and his energy became overwhelming.

    The guard knew better not wanting to be beaten and made to turn rapid.

    "You know what I am." Otto said getting closer to the guard and growling. "And you know what I can do to you."

    The guard who was buff and muscr should have not been intimidated.

    But there was no cure for a rapid wolf.

    Even if it was teeny tiny bite.

    He took a step back and said. "You can��te in."

    Otto growled and took another step when another guard came in.

    "Woah what��s going on here." The guard growled.

    Otto turned around and saw it was his friend, Beta Kemp.

    "Otto!" He said his eyes lighting up in excitement.

    Otto himself was pleased to see him.

    Kemp walked up to him and gave him a sophisticated hug.

    "Sweet Goddess." Kemp said once he let go and looked all over Otto. "You decided toe down ? Why? Did the goddess personallye down to beg you?"

    Otto a gave a heartyugh. "Even she wishes that could happen."

    Kemp put his hands on his waist. "I don��t see you for five years and boom you��re standing here before me. Sweeet Goddess!"

    "I thought you would have moved on from this ce." Otto said with surprise.

    Thest time he had seen Kemp, Kemp said he wanted greener grass.

    "And I thought you had probably abandoned us here." Kemp said sarcastically.

    Otto gave a light shrug. "Well I guess life doesn��t go the same way we expect it to huh?"

    Kemp looked down at his feet. "Yeah I guess i can say the exact same thing too."

    And then Kemp turned to the second guard and pointed at Otto. "Hey. This is Otto. The best Astronomer that ever lived. We have a celebrity in our midst."

    The other guard was ring at him , big shading the same enthusiasm with Kemp. "I don��t like mad dogs."

    He didn��t flinch as the guard spat venomously at his feet.

    It wasn��t the first and it most definitely wouldn��t be thest time someone threw such insults at him.

    "Hey hey hey." Kemp said raising his hands and standing in between the both of them. "You will take that back and apologize to him."

    The guard��s eyes turned sharply to him and red with detest. "I would never do such a thing."

    Kemp started to growl at him but he rose up my hand and intervened.

    "Hey it��s fine." Otto said to both men and then he turned to Kemp. "I��m used to it."

    Kemp red at the guard before turning to Otto. "What can I do for you?"

    Otto took in a very dee breath.

    "There is someone I need to see." Otto stated. "She came in a few hours ago. Her name is Jasmine."

    Kemp rose a brow. "The Queen��s prisoner?"

    Otto nodded.

    Kemp didn��t see certain. "I don��t know how that��s going to work Otto."

    Otto closed his eyes and managed to say. "Please."

    He never used that word.

    Hated to.

    Made him feel vulnerable and wrong.

    Then he continued. "Just a few minutes. I had no idea she had been brought in here and it��s just a lot to handle right now."

    Kemp seemed deep in thought.

    "You owe me." Otto reminded and it was true.

    Kemp did owe him.

    Kemp sighed and straightened up. "See this as my debt being paid."

    He opened the door that led to the cell.

    "You can��t be letting him." The other guard said in disbelief.

    "Yes I am." Kemp snapped. "And you might as well tell me if the Queen instructed her to not have visitors."

    The guard said nothing and then Kemp snorted. "So I thought."

    He turned to Otto with a nod. "Go in."

 Chapter 643: AN AUGUST VISITOR

    <h4>Chapter 643: AN AUGUST VISITOR</h4>

    Otto didn��t need to be told twice.

    The moment Kemp nodded, he slipped past him and entered the narrow stone corridor that led deeper into the prison wing.

    The temperature dropped immediately.

    His breath fogged in the cold.

    The Damp stinking air clung to his skin.

    The scent of old iron and stale misery of the past inhabitants filled the tunnels.

    His boots echoed as he walked.

    Each step pierced through him like a reminder of where he was....

    where she was.

    Jasmine.

    In a ce like this.

    His fists clenched involuntarily.

    He couldn��t believe any of it.

    She, gentle Jasmine, who smiled at stars, who painted sunsets like they were alive.

    Was now locked away in a cell like a criminal.

    He swallowed hard and walked faster.

    He passed the first row of empty cells.

    Then a second row.

    Then a third.

    Lights flickered overhead.

    His heartbeat picked up speed.

    And then.....

    He saw her.

    ~~~~~~~~

    She was sitting against the far wall of her cell, knees drawn up, head bowed.

    Her thin shoulders rose and fell in tiny movements as if she was trying and failing to hold herself together.

    Her hair had fallen over her face.

    Her fingers were curled against her chest.

    Her breaths came out shallow and uneven.

    There was no nket.

    No chair.

    No warmth.

    Only a cold stone floor.

    And fear.

    And when Otto saw her like that...

    His entire world shattered.

    Jasmine."

    At the sound of his voice, she lifted her head sharply, her breath catching in shock.

    Her eyes widened.

    "...Otto?" she whispered, in disbelief.

    Her mouth parted slightly and for a second she seemed to look like she was imagining a hallucination.

    "You��re... you��re here?" she breathed. "You��re actually here?"

    Otto managed a crooked smile as he dropped to one knee in front of the bars.

    "Yeah," he said. "Hard to believe, right?"

    She blinked again, still stunned.

    "You haven��te downstairs in five years," she said softly. "I thought the Goddess herself would have to drag you out."

    Otto snorted. "Funny, Kemp asked me the same thing."

    "Who?" Jasmine asked lost.

    He shook his head. "Doesn��t matter."

    Despite everything, she gave a weak chuckle

    Hearing it loosened something tight in Otto��s chest.

    He smiled.

    He leaned closer, his fingers brushing the bars.

    "What happened?" he asked quietly.

    Jasmine swallowed hard. "They think I stole Auburn��s ne." Her voice cracked. "Otto, I swear... I swear on everything I didn��t do it."

    "I know," he said immediately with no hesitation. "I know you didn��t."

    She exhaled shakily, her shoulders dropping as if a small weight had been lifted.

    As though just him believing was enough.

    But it wasn��t

    "Rose believed me," she whispered. "And then... they found the ne on in my closet. I don��t know how it got there. I don��t understand it."

    Otto��s jaw tightened in anger.

    "You were set up," he said simply.

    Jasmine looked down. "But why?"

    "Because someone is afraid of you," Otto muttered under his breath. "And someone wants you gone."

    She looked up at him, eyes shining with confused fear.

    Otto softened his voice.

    "I promise I��ll find out who," he said. "But listen, I came down here to tell you something important."

    Jasmine leaned in a little, curiosity flickering in her expression. "What is it?"

    Otto took in a steady breath.

    "I finished the trantion," he said.

    Her eyes widened. "You did?"

    "Yes... and Jasmine, the symbols, the map... everything leads to the distantnds."

    She frowned slightly, trying to process. "The distantnds... again? Why everything there?"

    He shook his head. "Not everything. But the key is there."

    "The key to what?" she asked quietly.

    "To your family first of all," Otto replied. "To all the missing pieces."

    She stared at him, her breath pausing.

    "How do you know?"

    Otto hesitated only a second, then said:

    "Kristy��s journal."

    Jasmine��s head jerked up. "Xaden��s mother?"

    Otto nodded and leaned even closer to the bars, lowering his voice.

    "There was a paper hidden inside the journal," he exined. "Folded so tight it must have been tucked away for years. I don��t know how we both missed it."

    "What did it say?" Jasmine whispered.

    Otto��s expression softened.

    "It said your father, Bale, and your uncle Aiden returned briefly... but then they left again. Together. To handle a new crisis in the distantnds."

    Jasmine��s eyes widened until they glistened with disbelief.

    "And if you remember." He pointed out. "I told you the distantnds were a territory of the-

    "Moonlight pack." She finished for him.

    He nodded. "Exactly."

    "They went together?" she breathed after a thought.

    "Yes," Otto said. "Which means..."

    He lifted his gaze, meeting hers fully.

    "...your uncle might still be there."

    Her breath hitched. Her fingers trembled where they held the bars.

    "And that��s not all," Otto continued, his voice deepening. "If Bale is there... he��s the only one who can help us trante thest part of the map. And-

    He swallowed, letting the moment settle.

    "��he might be the only person left alive who knew your mother��s family."

    Jasmine brought a hand to her mouth, her eyes filling with something between hope and heartbreak.

    "I have family..." she whispered. "Alive..."

    Otto nodded slowly.

    "Why are discovering all of this today of all days?" Jasmine wept.

    "We will find a way out of this mess. I assure you and free you from all of this and then we can go home together." He said

    Jasmine stared at him, her eyes glistening, her voice barely a breath.

    "Otto... thank you."

    He looked at her, small, shaking, trapped behind iron bars and something inside him tightened painfully.

    "Jasmine," he said quietly, "you��re not alone. You��ll never be alone again."

    Before she could answer, the sound of footsteps echoed through the dungeon.

    "Otto times up!" Came Kemp��s voice.

    Otto looked back at Jasmine whose face was now stricken with sadness and worry.

    "Don��t leave me." She pleaded.

    He held her hands through the bars. "I��ll be back I promise. Just hold on for me okay?"

    Tears were streaming down her face.

    But she nodded quickly and whispered a soft "ok"

    He smiled and nodded at her. "I��ll be back."

    And with that he reluctantly left her in the cell.

 Chapter 644: A QUEEN’S CONFRONTATION

    <h4>Chapter 644: A QUEEN��S CONFRONTATION</h4>

    Hildegard did not knock.

    She stormed into the royal antechamber with a fury that made servants scatter like frightened mice.

    "Hey hey hey you can��t just go in." The guards said as the ran after her.

    She ignored them and marched in.

    Her steps were sharp, her jaw tight, her eyes burning.

    She came to a halt in front of the seat were Rose sat.

    "Your majesty," she said stiffly, "I need a word. Privately."

    The guards came up beside Hildegard and attempted to take her arm.

    She growled at them and snapped.

    "Don��t you dare set your filthy hands on me." Hildegard snapped.

    They became tensed, quickly withdrew and looked to the Queen for support.

    Queen Rose looked up from the stack of parchments she was reviewing.

    Her face was tired, drawn, older than usual the kind of tiredness that came from guilt, not age.

    "Forgive your majesty." The guards apologized. "She insisted and when we didn��t allow her, she barged in. We tried to exin to her you had asked not be disturbed."

    But she still nodded.

    "It��s fine you may go."

    "Everyone leave us," shemanded quietly.

    Her attendants bowed and hurried out.

    The guards were thest to leave as you could hear them pulling the heavy doors shut behind them. The silence that followed was tense and heavy.

    Hildegard turned to face the Queen immediately.

    Rose sighed. "Hildegard... I know you and I are not on good terms. But then this isn��t the way for us to-

    But Hildegard cut her off sharply.

    "How could you do this?"

    Rose blinked, taken aback.

    "How," Hildegard repeated, voice trembling with anger, "could you allow them to arrest her?"

    Rose closed her eyes briefly. "Hildegard, I understand your frustration and how you feel the same way and-

    "THEN WHY," Hildegard snapped, "WHY DID YOU LET THEM TAKE HER?! IF YOU CLAIM TO FEEL THE SAME WAY WHY THE FUCK WOULD YOU LET THEM TAKE HER AWAY?!"

    Her voice cracked across the room like a whip.

    Rose��s face tightened with pain. "My hands are tied Hildegard. It isn��t as easy as you think it to be. The evidence is damning and I-

    "You are the Queen," Hildegard spat. "You knowing she is innocent should be enough."

    "It is NOT enough!" Rose��s voice finally rose. "Do you think I like what I am doing? Do you think I enjoy watching that child suffer? Especially after everything she has been through?!"

    Hildegard scoffed. "If you didn��t, then you would stop it."

    Rose stiffened, eyes glowing.

    "I am doing everything I can," she whispered.

    Hildegard stepped closer, face twisted with rage. "You adore Jasmine, yet you let them drag her away like a criminal!"

    "The ne was found in her wardrobe," Rose said quietly, as if that alone was a chain around her throat. "You were there. You saw with your very own eyes when J myself picked it up. Not a guard or a maid or anyone. But me."

    "And isn��t it OBVIOUS someone nted it?" Hildegard demanded.

    Rose looked away. "I considered that. But we are still investigating and it��s going to-

    "Oh please," Hildegard hissed, rolling her eyes.

    Rose turned back to her, stunned. "Do you think being Queen is easy? You think making decisions like thises without consequences?"

    "Of course ites easy," Hildegard shot back, "when it��s YOUR OWN FAMILY setting Jasmine up."

    That struck Rose like a physical blow.

    Her face drained of color. "What... what did you say?"

    Hildegard didn��t hesitate.

    "It��s obvious, Rose. Auburn is not your granddaughter and deep down you KNOW it. You doubt it. But because of your cowardice, you refuse to confront it."

    Rose staggered back a step. "I... I have no idea what you��re talking about."

    There was a tense silence that felt like a sharp knife edging between both their hearts.

    Hildegard felt terrible for what she said and considered apologizing but soon when she thought about Rose let them get away with so much, she once again became infuriated.

    "Then arrest me," Hildegard snapped as she offered her hands up . "Go on. Do it."

    Rose stared at her, horrified. "Hildegard what are you saying?"

    Hildegard lifted her chin, voice hard. "I am the one who stole the jewelry. Isn��t that what it means if it was found in the wardrobe? Jasmine and I share it."

    Rose shook her head violently. "No. I cannot do that."

    Hildegard stepped closer, eyes zing. "Then I will tell everyone that I stole it."

    "You��re lying," Rose whispered, voice cracking. "Everyone will know it."

    "Let them," Hildegard hissed. "At least then Jasmine will not lose her eyes and hands for a crime she nevermitted. You need a sacrificialmb don��t you? Then use me!"

    Rose��s breath hitched. Her throat moved as she swallowed hard.

    "I can never do such a thing," she whispered, tears forming finally. "Hildegard... no..."

    But Hildegard wasn��t finished.

    "Jasmine," she said, voice low, shaking, "will have her eyes plucked out. HER HANDS CUT before she is finally served her body as a meal to eat. And then be sent to Wolf Abide Prison. Those are thews given in the pack. Do you understand what that means, Rose?"

    Rose covered her mouth as if she couldn��t breathe.

    "She will die," Hildegard whispered fiercely. "She cannot survive what yourws demand. And YOU KNOW THIS. You. Know. It."

    Rose��s tears finally spilled.

    "I know," she whispered brokenly.

    "And yet you allow it?" Hildegard choked out.

    Rose opened her mouth to speak-

    But the doors mmed open.

    King Rnd strode inside, looking between both women, brows furrowed.

    "What is going on?" he demanded as goes hovered from both women.

    Hildegard turned to him slowly.

    Her eyes were zing.

    Her breath was shaking.

    Her rage was barely contained.

    She didn��t bow.

    She didn��t greet him.

    She red.

    Then she hissed, actually hissed, with pure disgust.

    And stormed out of the room without a second nce, leaving a stunned Queen and a confused King behind.

 Chapter 645: A DEATH SENTENCE

    <h4>Chapter 645: A DEATH SENTENCE</h4>

    The doors mmed behind Hildegard so hard the walls trembled.

    Rose and King Rnd both flinched.

    Rnd raised a brow, letting out a low whistle. "Well... someone must be very angry."

    Rose didn��t answer.

    She only let out a long, exhausted sigh and sank back into her seat. Her bones felt heavier than usual. Her heart felt heavier still.

    She reached for her quill with shaking fingers and resumed scribbling on the scrolls before her, pretending to focus.

    Rnd walked up to her desk. "Rose. What is wrong?"

    She didn��t look up. Not at first.

    The ink quivered at the end of her quill as she forced herself to continue writing.

    "Rose." He repeated in a much more gentle voice that made her calm down.

    Finally, she muttered with a slight irritation, "It��s about Jasmine," and dipped the quill again.

    Rnd scoffed lightly. "I truly don��t understand why Hildegard is making such a fuss about that girl. She is guilty."

    Rose froze.

    "Isn��t it convenient that you say she is guilty, that you are so sure of it regardless of the fact you weren��t there to witness it?" Rose said with a sharp twist of words.

    "I don��t need to be there to witness it for myself." He said. "The words of my Queen is enough."

    And Rose felt ufortable.

    He was right.

    She had carried the words about Jasmine��s crime.

    She had witnessed it and what she said became conviction.

    Slowly... very slowly... she lifted her gaze to him.

    "Isn��t it convenient?" she asked, voice dripping with annoyance.

    He blinked, confused. "What?"

    "That thest recorded theft in this pce was over a decade ago," she said, her eyes narrowing sharply, "and now suddenly Jasmine is a thief."

    Rnd nodded,pletely missing the point. "Exactly. My point too. We��ve not had a thief in years and suddenly Jasmine arrived and poof Auburn��s ne disappears."

    Rose stared at him in disbelief.

    "Rnd," she said slowly, "that is not what I meant."

    He frowned, clueless.

    Rose set her quill aside and leaned back, looking at him fully. "Why do you hate her? Truly? Tell me."

    Rnd crossed his arms and looked away. "Because she is an outsider. Mannerless. And a bringer of misfortune."

    Rose��s mouth dropped open slightly.

    He continued, unfazed.

    "She brought bad luck to the Moonlight pack. Then the Crescent pack. And now here? Everywhere she goes, chaos follows. Shouldn��t that be convenient too?."

    Rose massaged her temples with both hands, disbelief and disappointment crashing through her like waves.

    "How can you say such a thing?" she whispered.

    "Because it is true," Rnd said. "She must be tried. I��ve already sent people to investigate every angle. And guess what they discovered? She was the only one who entered Auburn��s room."

    Rose clenched her teeth.

    "And the servant who saw her with the ne what would she gain from lying?" Rnd added.

    Rose shot to her feet.

    Her nerves felt stretched thin, trembling under her skin. She began pacing the room, her gown swishing behind her like a storm cloud.

    "Something is wrong." She mumbles to herself.

    After a few minutes of pacing she looks up at him.

    "My intuition tells me this is a setup," she said fiercely. "Every bone in my body feels it."

    Rnd raised an eyebrow. "A setup? Come on Rose. For what? Who would even bother? Jasmine is a nobody."

    Rose spun to him, eyes zing. "I have no idea! Nothing makes sense to me anymore!"

    "I��ll tell you what makes sense." He chipped in. "That girl is a good for nothing and I��ve known her true behavior from the start."

    Silence crackled between them.

    She steadied her breath and walked back to her chair, resting her palm on the table as she looked at him seriously.

    "Rnd," she whispered. "I want to ask you something. And I��ve been meaning to ask it for a while."

    He tilted his head. "Go on."

    Her fingers trembled where they touched the wood.

    "How do you feel about Auburn?"

    His brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"

    "I... don��t know," Rose admitted. "But something about her feels... off. I don��t feel like she is truly our grandchild."

    Rnd burst intoughter.

    Actualughter.

    He waved his hand dismissively. "Rose, that is insane."

    Her eyes hardened.

    "Auburn is the perfect example of a princess," Rnd continued confidently. "Behaved. Beautiful. Proper. Everything she should be. It��s in her DNA no matter where she was raised. A princess would always be a princess."

    Rose swallowed.

    "I don��t trust it," she whispered.

    Rnd shook his head. "You worry too much. Auburn is perfect. And thank the Goddess she is nothing like that Jasmine."

    Rose��s jaw clenched.

    "The way Jasmine was abandoned and left to suffer," she said quietly, "is the same fate Auburn could have faced."

    Rnd spat, horrified. "Goddess forbid! Jasmine is an abomination, Rose. She can never be of our bloodline even if the Goddess herself descended."

    Rose closed her eyes tightly.

    He stepped closer.

    "And I hope you know," Rnd said firmly, "the word has spread. Everyone knows. You cannot let your emotions interfere with your judgment. If you do, the people will be furious."

    He leaned over her chair.

    "Jasmine must be sentenced." He dered. "The sooner you realize that, the better for all of us."

    Rose felt her breath leave her chest.

    Rnd turned toward the door.

    "I��ll leave you to think," he said, and walked out casually, as if he hadn��t just condemned an innocent girl.

    The door clicked shut.

    Rose��s heart splintered.

    She pressed both hands to her face and trembled truly trembled under the weight of helplessness.

    Because for the first time since she had recovered from her illness, she felt helpless...

    Queen Rose felt powerless.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Once Hildegard heard his footsteps begin to approach, she lifted her ear from the door and rushed to hide by a pir whilst the guards stood on guard.

    He opened the door and walked away without sparing them a nce.

    Once she was sure he was gone, she very gently stepped out from where she had stood.

    So he did in fact have ever intention of sentencing Jasmine to death.

    That bastard.

    She looked at the guards.

    "We��re even now" They said for letting her overhear the gossip.

    She had threatened to have Otto turn them rabid after they had been nasty to her in the throne room.

    She nodded as she left.

    She had to do something.

    Fast!

 Chapter 646: A PAWN MIGHTIER THAN THE CROWN

    <h4>Chapter 646: A PAWN MIGHTIER THAN THE CROWN</h4>

    Hildegard did not slow her steps.

    She marched through the corridors like a storm wrapped in silk and fury, her cloak snapping behind her.

    Every servant who caught sight of her instantly stepped aside.

    Her face was too tight, too urgent, too dangerous for questions.

    As she rounded a corner, she almost bumped right into none other than Cherry.

    Cherry screwed her face up nastily the moment she set eyes on Hildegard.

    "Well... well well." Cherry said with a nasty tone. "If it��s isn��t my sister��s ything."

    Hildegard looked at Cherry with the most dangerous form of a hate.

    "And if it isn��t the girl who never got over her younger sister sitting on her throne." Hildegard snapped back in a sing sing sarcastic voice.

    Cherry��s face fell and Hildegard took delight in seeing that happen.

    Cherry quickly hid back her emotions and pointed her stiletto nails at Hildegard.

    "Now look here. Your attempt to set that girl free. Will never work. ept defeat. The true Queen would be ascending soon."

    Cherry motioned to Auburn with her left hand.

    Hildegard hadn��t even seen the stupid girl since.

    "Didn��t take note of you." She said. "That��s how insignificant you are."

    Auburn��s face went red.

    Hildegard looked back at Cherry and aggressively pushed back her finger. "You can take away those dirty filthy sausages from me."

    Cherry hissed.

    "You should know me by now Cherry." Hildegard sneered like a snake. "I��m not scared of you. Never have and never will. U know what you��re about. Your sister doesn��t and I know this thing here is an imposter."

    "How dare you say-

    "Shut up!" Cherry snapped at Auburn who went silent instantly and then turned to face her oppressor. "You��re right. In the grand scheme of things, nothing you say or do would make a difference. You��re just a pawn in the game."

    Hildegard smiled, a wicked smile. "And soon you shall understand how the simple move of a pawn can make to kick the Crown off the chess board."

    Cherry looked bbergasted and Hildegard stalked off in victory.

    After she had ascended stairs to the first floor, collided straight into Otto.

    He gasped. "There you are! I��ve been searching everywhere for you."

    "Good," she said sharply. She seized him by the wrist. "Come. Now."

    Before he could question her she dragged him upstairs, down a long hall, and into her room. She shut the door, locked it, then crossed the room swiftly to close every window.

    Only when she ensured they werepletely sealed in did she turn to face him.

    Her chest was rising fast.

    His, too.

    "How is she?" Hildegard asked immediately.

    Otto��s features softened and sharpened with heartbreak.

    "Not well," he said quietly. "She looks... defeated."

    Hildegard closed her eyes, swearing under her breath. "Those bastards..."

    Otto stepped closer. "What about you? Did you see Rose? How did it go?"

    Hildegardughed a bitter, sharp, humorless. "Not well."

    Otto sighed heavily. "Of course."

    She snapped, "The King and everyone else is putting pressure on Rose to have Jasmine sentenced. They��re cornering her. She��s slipping."

    Otto��s jaw clenched. "She��s the Queen. She has veto power."

    Hildegard scoffed. "You don��t know who Rose bes when she��s tangled in pce politics. She��s terrified of making the wrong move."

    "I��ll go talk to her myself," Otto growled. "I don��t care what anyone says I��ll-

    "No." Hildegard grabbed his arm. Hard. "Otto, it will do nothing. I already tried. I begged. I argued. It didn��t change a thing."

    Otto��s shoulders sagged.

    "This is madness," he muttered. "I finally figured everything out and now

    ..... now this?"

    Hildegard frowned. "What do you mean?"

    Otto took a deep breath. "The map. The trantion. Bale. Aiden. Jasmine��s family."

    Hildegard blinked. "You found something?"

    "Yes." His voice trembled. "Her uncle. He might be alive in the distantnds."

    A slow, shaky smile appeared on Hildegard��s lips. "Then that��s it. That��s why Jasmine came here in the first ce. To find her family."

    Otto nodded. "Exactly. And we would need to go there together. But with all of this happening?" He shook his head. "We��re stuck."

    He paused.

    Then his eyes widened bright with sudden realization.

    "Unless..."

    Hildegard narrowed her eyes. "What?"

    Otto stepped closer, his voice lowering urgently. "What if we sneak her out?"

    Hildegard blinked at him. "Sneak... her out?"

    "Yes." He nodded vigorously. "It��s not even a bad idea. Think about it: We n it well down to thest guard rotation, the tunnels, the northern gate we can get her out of the royal pack without anyone noticing. By the time they realize she��s gone, she��ll be too far."

    Hildegard stared at him, stunned.

    "Otto, Jasmine running away would only convince everyone she��s a thief."

    "Maybe," Otto said. "But isn��t it better to be a wanted thief than a mutted corpse?"

    His voice cracked. "Hildegard, she��ll lose her hands. Her eyes. Then they��ll send her to Wolf Abide. You know what that means."

    Hildegard exhaled sharply, trembling.

    She knew.

    She knew too well.

    She paced the room once, twice.

    "It��s a good n," she admitted finally. "It��s actually a very good n."

    "But...?" Otto asked carefully.

    She stopped pacing.

    Then she looked at him with something like dread.

    "But there is one problem."

    "What?" Otto asked quickly.

    Hildegard swallowed. "Jasmine is pregnant."

    Otto blinked.

    Then blinked again.

    "What?"

    Hildegard nodded slowly. "I know it sounds insane. But I��ve suspected it for a week now." She took a breath. "And this morning... I confirmed it."

    Otto��s jaw dropped open. "She��s... She��s WHAT?"

    "Pregnant," Hildegard repeated quietly. "With child."

    He stared at her for a long, stunned moment.

    "Who is the father?" he finally managed.

    Hildegard shrugged. "My only guess is Xaden. They must have... done something before he left."

    Otto swore loudly, hand flying to his waist. "What why didn��t she tell me?"

    "Because she doesn��t know." Hildegard sighed. "She has no idea she��s pregnant."

    Otto stared at her, horrified. "Jasmine doesn��t know?"

    "No," Hildegard said. "And I don��t think she even suspects it."

    Otto swore again louder.

    Hildegard continued, her voice heavy. "And if she is pregnant... sneaking her out bes dangerous. We don��t know how far along she is. We don��t know how stable the child is."

    She rubbed her forehead. "Herst pregnancy was difficult. Extremely difficult. It progressed too quickly."

    Otto stiffened.

    "And if it��s the same this time," Hildegard whispered, "and Xaden is the father... then Jasmine might already be in danger, right now."

    Otto went very, very still.

    For the first time since she met him

    Hildegard saw real fear in Otto��s eyes.

 Chapter 647: PREGNANT

    <h4>Chapter 647: PREGNANT</h4>

    Otto stared at Hildegard for a long, stunned moment, still reeling from the revtion.

    Pregnant.

    Jasmine.

    Pregnant.

    That was all he could hear in his head.

    His breath trembled, but he forced himself to speak.

    "What happened?" he whispered. "How... what.... When.... What?"

    Hildegard closed her eyes, her jaw tightening with an old pain. "She... lost her first baby."

    Otto��s face fell. "What? She never told me.... why wasn��t I told?"

    The more he got informed the darker turn it took.

    Hildegard opened her eyes, tired and sharp. "Because you never asked."

    Otto clenched his fists, swallowing hard. "Damn it..."

    Silence fell between them.

    A heavy kind.

    The kind that carried ghosts.

    And now he wished that he had been kinder to her.

    To know that she had been through that?

    As he imagined her seated in the cell guilt began to wash over him.

    Finally Otto whispered, "How many weeks is she?"

    "I don��t know," Hildegard admitted. "Herst pregnancy went very fast."

    Otto frowned. "Fast? What, like she carried nine or ten months instead of eleven?"

    Hildegard shook her head. "No. It was... four months."

    Otto stared at her as if she��d grown two heads.

    "Four... months?" he repeated. "What the hell? That��s impossible!"

    "It happened," Hildegard said quietly. "Because Jasmine is an unshifted. And Xaden was an Alpha. The baby came too fast. Too strong. Too developed."

    Otto shook his head sharply. "No. That doesn��t exin it. I��ve studied dozens of unshifted pregnancies. The worstplication they have is the difficulty pushing the baby out because their pelvis can��t shift." His eyes narrowed. "But four months? No. That��s not an unshifted issue."

    Hildegard looked at him uncertainly. "Then what is it?"

    Otto exhaled shakily, pacing the room. "I don��t think Jasmine is unshifted. Not fully. Something about her, her instincts, her personality, her hair!, her wolf that doesn��t show none of it adds up."

    His voice lowered to a near whisper.

    "Until I figure out what she is... I don��t know how her body will handle childbirth."

    Hildegard��s stomach twisted. "How many unshifted women and their babies have survived childbirth?"

    Otto paused as he dreaded the words he was about to say.

    "None."

    Hildegard��s breath hitched.

    Otto turned to her, eyes sharp. "That��s why we don��t have time. If we reach the distantnds, we might find her uncle Aiden. Someone who knows her lineage. Someone who can help. If we don��t leave... Jasmine could die."

    Hildegard sank into a chair, her whole face tight with dread. "The thought of sneaking her out while pregnant..."

    "She doesn��t know she��s pregnant," Otto interrupted gently. "And we shouldn��t tell her. Not yet."

    Hildegard red at him. "You want us to keep that from her?"

    "Yes," Otto said firmly. "At least until the journey begins. The travel will take a month. She won��t be inbor by then. And when she starts to show... I��ll tell her myself."

    Hildegard rubbed her forehead. "I don��t like hiding this."

    "It��s the only way," Otto insisted. "If we tell her now, she��ll panic. And panic will kill her faster than any guard. Have you even met Jasmine?"

    Hildegard breathed heavily, weighing every risk.

    Eventually she nodded. "Fine. But someone needs to go with you. A woman. Someone who can help her. Not me."

    "Why not?" Otto demanded.

    "Because I need to stay here," Hildegard said. "Someone has to buy time. Create distractions. Dy the inevitable. I can send for Nanny Nia. She was there during thest one."

    Otto shook his head. "There isn��t time to bring anyone else. And even if we could, I know a witch along the way. She can help Jasmine when the timees."

    Hildegard hesitated... then nodded reluctantly. "Fine."

    She stood.

    "Then we n. Now."

    Otto took a deep breath. "There��s only one way this works, we use magic."

    Hildegard blinked. "Magic? How in the Goddess��s name did you smuggle magic through these walls? It��s banned."

    Otto grinned faintly. "I have my ways."

    She rolled her eyes.

    "Of course you do."

    "The problem," Otto continued, "is that someone has to stay in Jasmine��s ce once she leaves the cell. Otherwise they��ll notice too quickly."

    The room went quiet.

    Too quiet.

    Hildegard inhaled.

    Exhaled.

    Then lifted her chin.

    "I��ll do it."

    Otto paled. "Hildegard no. You��ll be caught. They��ll sentence you instead."

    "I don��t care," she said fiercely. "I could never live with myself knowing Jasmine and her unborn baby died while I watched from the sidelines."

    Otto��s throat tightened. "I don��t want you to die. I understand dying for her might seem like being a great Martyr but sweet Selene."

    "I��ll kill myself if anything happens to that girl. If stupid Cherry and that imposter seeds." Hildegard stated.

    "You hate her don��t you." He said with a cocky grin.

    "I hate that bitch!" She said and turned to him. "Will you let me do this or not?"

    Otto swallowed hard, then nodded. "Fine."

    "When you enter the cell," Otto exined, "I have a magical clone that will hide you from being detected. It will let you walk through the bars as long as they��re not lined with silver. Which fortunately for us, they aren��t."

    Hildegard traced the edge of the cape. "And Jasmine?"

    "She��ll wear it after you switch clothes," Otto said. "Then she will slip out."

    Hildegard frowned. "There��s no way out of the pce. Every exit is guarded. Every forest path watched. And the main gate? Impossible."

    Otto leaned on the table. "We��ll find something."

    Hildegard paced.

    Then suddenly it hit her!

    She had an epiphany.

    She froze.

    Her eyes widened.

    "The sea."

    Otto blinked. "What?"

    "The forest that leads to the sea," Hildegard said quickly. "It��s barely guarded. The wolves refuse to go near siren waters. And sirens refuse to cross wolfnd."

    Otto��s eyes widened. "A neutral dead zone."

    Hildegard nodded fiercely. "Exactly.

    No guards.

    No eyes.

    No patrols."

    "The sea path," Otto whispered. "Of course."

    Hildegard leaned in.

    "That," she said, "is the way you two will escape."

 Chapter 648: EXECUTING THE PLAN

    <h4>Chapter 648: EXECUTING THE PLAN</h4>

    The dangerous n had been drawn, everything was set in motion ahead of itsmencing.

    Hildegard and Otto moved through the castle separately for the rest of the afternoon, careful not to look at each other too long, careful not to draw unwanted attention.

    Every servant who passed them seemed louder, every guard more watchful, every footstep heavier with threat.

    It seemed as though for a split second they could read their minds but sessfully, they went past the day without any confrontations.

    Finally the sun bled into the horizon and disappeared bringing darkness.

    Soon the pce torches flickered to life.

    It was time.

    Nine O��clock.

    The hour the pce grew quiet, but not asleep.

    The hour where conversation dimmed to whispers and shadows stretched long across the walls.

    The hour when the guards would be too busy with their meals to make much notice of anytime.

    The perfect time.

    Hildegard slipped into her room first and shut the door with a soft click.

    She changed into darker clothing, something less noticeable, and tightened her hair back. Her heart raced with every movement, but her hands stayed steady.

    Across the castle, Otto did the same.

    He stood over his table, lit only by a single candle, andid out the items they would need.

    The enchanted cape.

    A small de.

    A folded map of the forest path leading to the sea.

    The journals and books he needed for the journals ahead.

    He put them all in a satchel, his wolf pacing restlessly under his skin.

    He already had taken two horse to the forest where he was expected to wait for Jasmine.

    There he had kept more supplies for their journey.

    Tonight was going to be risky as hell.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    They met in the hidden corridor.

    Hildegard was already there, waiting, hood pulled low, breath steady.

    Otto joined her silently.

    "Any guards?" he whispered.

    "Two at the main stairs," she said. "None near the back corridor."

    "Good." Otto pulled out the cape and pressed it into her hands. "Once you put this on, no one will see you unless they��re looking directly for magic. Which fortunately, no one here is smart enough to do."

    Hildegard managed a tight snort. "Let��s hope so."

    He took out the stardust, letting it shimmer between his fingers. "I��ll use this when I reach the outer gate. It��ll mask Jasmine long enough to pass under the torches."

    "And if someone stops you?" she asked.

    Otto smiled, sharp, feral. "They won��t."

    She nodded, though her stomach twisted.

    Then her eyes softened. "Otto... are you sure you can get her to the sea?"

    "Yes," he said without hesitation. "I��ll get her there. Even if I have to tear through the forest myself."

    Hildegard swallowed and pulled the cape around her shoulders.

    For a moment, the world shimmered and then her body blurred and faded into the shadows of the cape

    "Can you see me?" she whispered.

    Otto narrowed his eyes. "At all. Perfect."

    She exhaled shakily.

    "All right," she whispered. "Let��s begin."

    ~~~~~~~~~~~

    They moved as shadows.

    Otto headed toward the dungeon staircase, keeping to the less lit routes, avoiding the main hall.

    Every time a guard passed, he melted into the darkness. His wolf helped the instincts, the silence, the predatory patience.

    Hildegard followed behind him unseen, her footsteps slowed by the effect of the enchanted cape. Her heart raced each time she passed a guard, her breath held tight.

    But none of them saw her.

    None of them even sensed her.

    The magic worked.

    When they reached the stairs to the cells, Otto paused.

    Two guards stood at the bottom one yawning, one bored.

    His friend wasn��t here again. Must have changed shifts.

    Otto was delighted in case something went wrong.

    He didn��t want to hurt his friend.

    He didn��t dare confront them now. He couldn��t risk alerting anyone.

    He turned slightly.

    "Hildegard," he whispered. "Go. Straight through. They won��t see you."

    She inhaled deeply.

    Then she stepped forward.

    The guards didn��t blink.

    Didn��t shift.

    Didn��t sense a thing.

    She passed between them like mist and disappeared into the hallway beyond.

    Otto watched, his heart racing in tension until she had disappeared into the darkness.

    Then he stepped away from the stairs and took the side passage to the lower exit.

    He would wait for Jasmine there, hidden in the shadows, ready to take her the moment she emerged.

    He hoped nothing went wrong.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Jasmine sat curled against the wall, her arms around her knees, her breath thin.

    The night was colder.

    Her head hurt from crying. Her chest ached. She couldn��t stop shaking.

    She saw a massive rate by her.

    She yelled and jumped away.

    But the rat who seemed to be the size of a grass cutter was used to people and was unfazed.

    So Jasmine wisely went to the farthest corner of the cell.

    Then she heard the faintest whisper of cloth behind her, she jumped.

    The damn rat again!

    "Hush," came a soft voice. "It��s me."

    Jasmine blinked through the darkness.

    She knew that voice.

    "Hildegard?"

    A shimmer moved forward. And then Hildegard emerged from the shadows as though materializing from the air.

    Jasmine stared, stunned. "How...? How did you...

    "No time to exin," Hildegard said, pushing her hood back. "Stand up, Jasmine. We��re getting you out."

    Jasmine��s breath hitched in her throat.

    "Out?" she whispered. "Hildegard... I don��t... the prison... the guards..."

    Hildegard reached forward and gently touched her cheek.

    "Otto is waiting," she whispered.

    Jasmine��s eyes filled with tears. "Otto? He��s here?"

    "Yes," Hildegard said. "And you��re leaving with him tonight."

    Jasmine rose weakly, her legs trembling.

    "What? What��s going on?" Jasmine asked lost. "This is ... I can��t just-

    "Do you want to live?" Hildegard hissed at her, making her jump.

    Jasmine paused and took a beat.

    Hildegard��s eyes were fierce and no nonsense.

    She nodded.

    "Good." Hildegard said as she took off the cloak and handed it to her. "Then put this on and don��t ask me any more questions.

    Hildegard helped her switch clothes quickly, pulling the prison rags over her own body.

    As Jasmine slid the enchanted cloak around her shoulders, the air shimmered again.

    And she vanished.

    Now it was Hildegard who looked like the prisoner, sitting on the cold stone floor, wrapped in rags.

    She took Jasmine��s hands onest time.

    "Go. No one would be able to see you. Just go as carefully as you can. Don��t breathe until you��ve past the guards okay?" Hildegard informed.

    Jasmine nodded still not sure what was even going on.

    "Now go Before someonees." Hildegard nudged her.

    Jasmine threw her hands around her and said. "Hildegard... thank you."

    Hildegard smiled sadly. "Go, sweetheart. Live."

    And then she let her hands fall away.

    Jasmine turned and didn��t look back.

 Chapter 649: THE SACRIFICE

    <h4>Chapter 649: THE SACRIFICE</h4>

    The moment Jasmine turned her back in Hildegard, she didn��t look back.

    She was worried that if she did, she would be ovee with the feeling of guilt.

    Hildegard was staying in the prison cell dresses in her own clothes..

    Jasmine didn��t know what was going on, but she wasn��t stupid enough to know that Hildegard staying behind was a death sentence.

    She very gently and quietly walked up the steps that led out of the cell and went straight ahead.

    Her heart was beating so fast she felt it would pump out of her chest.

    She remembered how she had taken off her shoes and handed it to Hildegard.

    "No." Hildegard had whispered sharply. "You shouldn��t wear any shoes."

    She had looked down at Hildegard��s feet and saw that sure enough, Hildegard had no shoes on.

    "I didn��t wear to prevent any of the guards hearing my footsteps." Hildegard exined as she collected Jasmine��s shoes and wore it herself. "And you have to do the same. Thread carefully."

    And so Jasmine was walking barefoot, literally in her tip toes.

    When she finally got to where the guards were, she paused and froze.

    They were seated a few inches away from her.

    They were facing directly opposite each other ying cards on a deck.

    "What the bloody hell?" One swore. "I��ve got two kings that��s not enough."

    "Well you didn��t say anything did you?" The otherughed.

    They were a new set of guards different from the ones she had seen when she had been brought in.

    She held her breath and slowly proceeded to walk past them.

    She was grateful for being an unshifted wolf, they could have sniffed her.

    As she passed by, one of them froze and said. "Wait."

    He paused his game of guards and rose his hand stiffly.

    Jasmine froze.

    "What?" The other asked annoyed. "You��re trying to cheat aren��t you?"

    The first guard waved his hand at the other one in a motion to pause. "I can smell something. Like someone else is here with us."

    The other guard rolled his eyes.

    The first guards sniffed around, his eyes trailing and pausing at where she stood.

    He closed his eyes as he began to sniff closer.

    Jasmine paused, her heart skipping a beat as she wondered what she was going to do.

    He slowly rose up to his feet and carefully progressed towards her.

    She leaned backwards as he was inches away from setting his fingers against her.

    And then the moment where if he had just pushed his finger a bit further and touched her, he turned back sharply.

    He caught his colleague switching his cards and he swore.

    "You bloody thief." He swore as he snatched back his card.

    The second guardughed. "Hey you didn��t seem to want it anymore. You can��t me me."

    The first guard rolled his eyes and poked the head of his colleague.

    Jasmine used the opportunity to hurry out of sight.

    "I��m not the one imagining or sensing things." She heard the second guard say.

    "I��m telling you I smelled something. Except it gave off the scent of a member of the royal family." The first guard who had almost caught her swore.

    "Sweet goddess. You need to get that wolf checked. What the devil would any royal scent be doing here....

    And sook their words faded into the darkness as she ran far up ahead.

    She went on her tiptoes as she knew that a slight mistake would get her caught.

    She didn��t breathe, sweat streaming down her forehead, she hurried noiselessly.

    She used the cloak to go through the bars that separated the tunnels from the main floor.

    Once she was out, she finally breathed a sigh of relief.

    She looked back down at the dark tunnel as she stepped away.

    She leaned against a dark corner of a wall and breathed heavy breaths.

    She watched as servants went back and forth.

    Hildegard had said she should head towards the forest that led to theke.

    She would meet Otto there.

    She closed her eyes and took in a very deep breath before shemenced her journey.

    She walked along walls, careful to avoid bumping into any of them.

    After almost a few minutes of hovering around, she finally came towards the archway that led out of the pack castle itself.

    Just as Jasmine was about to head out, she came face to face with Auburn and her series of minions.

    She paused instantly and anger flooded her.

    Auburn had lied against her.

    For whatever reason? She had no idea why.

    She had never done anything and yet, Auburn had lied against her.

    Pointed a finger at her.

    Been dreadfully mean to her all for nothing.

    Now she was on the run.

    Sneaking away from the people who had given her a home.

    The Queen who had made her feel loved.

    All because Auburn had an imaginary vendetta against her.

    The more she thought about it, the more infuriated her.

    In a heat of anger and rage, Jasmine went a behind and pushed Auburn with so much force she fell to the ground.

    Auburn cried as her head hit the wall.

    Jasmine quickly went and hid behind a tree.

    "Who pushed me!" Auburn screamed at her minions who wereing to her aid.

    They looked at each other shaking their heads in confusion.

    Auburn looked at the vacant space where Jasmine hid.

    s she couldn��t see her.

    Jasmine saw a deep gash on her head and a bloodied injury at the spot.

    In it, she took wicked glory before leaving.

    She hurried towards the forest where she saw Otto waiting for her with two horses.

    "Otto."

    Jasmine?" he whispered.

    She reached up slowly and pulled the magical cape down.

    Otto exhaled sharply.

    "You made it," he whispered, stepping forward.

    "What��s going on?" Jasmine asked confused. "Hildegard didn��t exin anything to me and what if-

    "Jasmine!" He snapped. "I will exin everything to you. We have to leave NOW!"

    And then he set Jasmine on the horse and together they rode down the lonely beach.

 Chapter 650: THE DISCOVERY

    <h4>Chapter 650: THE DISCOVERY</h4>

    Auburn��s head still throbbed where it had struck the wall.

    Her maids fluttered around her like startled hens, fussing over her hair, her dress, her wound.

    "Princess, are you hurt?" The first asked.

    "Do you need water?" Another asked in a pleading voice.

    "Should we call for a healer?" A third questioned sympathetically.

    "LEAVE ME!" Auburn shrieked, pping their hands away. "All of you, OUT!"

    They scattered instantly.

    Auburn clutched the side of her head, breathing hard.

    She didn��t understand what happened.

    One moment she was walking through the hallway proudly with her girls, the next she was on the ground, her skull ringing, blood in her hair, and a gust of force pushing her forward like a ghost had shoved her.

    But it wasn��t the fall that unsettled her.

    It was the feeling.

    Something cold had passed through her.

    Something familiar.

    Something she hated more than anything.

    She looked back at the empty space and felt the cool breeze against her.

    She felt her back and massaged it with her spare hand.

    It had felt as though a hand had imprinted against her back.

    "Who the hell pushed me?" She demanded in rage.

    The maids looked at each other, their breathing uneven.

    She red back up at them.

    "Are you fucking deaf?" She demanded in further rage. "I asked a question who hit me?!"

    "There was no one there your majesty." One of them said in a small quiet voice.

    "Are you telling me I��m imagining what I felt?!" She hissed at the girls.

    "No no no." Your majesty they chorused.

    Auburn rolled her eyes.

    "Bunch of pussies." She swore as she slowly rose to her feet.

    Her hand was girly held against her wound.

    She took off her hand and felt the sticky wound.

    She looked down at it.

    Blood.

    She looked back at the vacant space and she felt a sickening feeling in her tummy.

    Jasmine.

    Auburn swallowed thickly.

    No.

    That was impossible.

    But there something within her told her no.

    She decided to check for herself.

    To see Jasmine for herself.

    She bnced herself well and another maid offered her help.

    "Your majesty." The maid said kindly. "Your wound needs to be clean-

    "SHUT UP!" Auburn stormed off and in a matter of seconds, she was headed down the cells.

    Her footsteps echoed angrily through the tunnels.

    She ignored the guards�� confused looks, ignored their bows, ignored the wary way they stepped aside.

    Her wolf was pacing in her chest.

    Agitated.

    Uneasy.

    She stopped directly in front of Jasmine��s cell.

    The girl sat on the floor.

    Huddled.

    Silent.

    Back turned to her.

    Auburn sneered.

    "Well, well, well," she hissed, folding her arms. "The little rat finally looks like what she is. A criminal in a cage."

    No response.

    Auburn��s eye twitched.

    She stepped closer to the bars. "Are you deaf? I��m talking to you."

    Still nothing.

    Auburn��s irritation sharpened into anger.

    Into rage.

    "JAS-MINE!" she shouted, her voice mming off the walls.

    Jasmine didn��t move.

    Didn��t flinch.

    Didn��t turn.

    Just kept her back to her, head bowed.

    Auburn��s stomach twisted.

    A strange dread seeped into her.

    Her wolf whined and Auburn��s irritation briefly faltered into a flicker of fear.

    Something was wrong.

    Something was terribly wrong and she didn��t need to be told before she knew.

    She stormed away.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Cherry was brushing her hair when Auburn shoved the doors open.

    Cherry turned sharply. "This better be important."

    And then the moment Cherry saw Auburn��s forehead she rose a brow.

    "Did your fake wolf lose her mind and bash her head?" Cherry asked

    "Something pushed me." Auburn managed. "I mean I....."

    She took in a deep breath and proceeded again. "I... I don��t feel right. Something is wrong."

    Cherry frowned. "Wrong how?"

    Auburn swallowed hard and pressed the clothe she had snatched from a maid on her head. "I went to see Jasmine. In the cells."

    Cherry��s eyes widened with fury.

    In a matter of seconds he was up on her feet and had pped Auburn across the cheek hard.

    Auburn gasped and held her face in disbelief.

    "You stupid girl!" Cherry hissed. "Do you want your idiocy to ruin everything?! Going down there could expose us!"

    Auburn��s voice cracked. "I just wanted to make sure she was there!"

    "And?"

    Auburn swallowed. "She... she didn��t look at me. Not once. I shouted at her. She didn��t turn around." Her voice trembled. "She didn��t even answer."

    Cherry��s face stiffened.

    "She didn��t speak at all?"

    Auburn shook her head. "Nothing."

    Cherry blinked once.

    Twice.

    Her breathing changed.

    Her hands curled.

    "Auburn," she said slowly, "are you absolutely certain?"

    "Yes!" Auburn snapped. "Why would I lie? She sat there like a doll. Like she wasn��t even alive. Just... sitting."

    Cherry��s heartbeat pounded visibly in her throat.

    "Come," she whispered. "Now."

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~|~

    The guards stiffened when they saw Cherry approaching with Auburn behind her.

    "Princess you��re not allowed to-

    "MOVE," Cherry snarled.

    The guards immediately backed away.

    Cherry marched to the bars and red inside.

    "Jasmine," she called sharply. "Turn around."

    No answer.

    Her jaw tightened.

    "Jasmine."

    Still nothing.

    Auburn stepped closer, whispering shakily, "See? I told you."

    Cherry lunged for the nearest guard and snatched the ring of keys right off his belt.

    "Princess please we don��t want to-

    She ignored him and mmed the key into the lock.

    The cell door creaked open.

    Cherry stormed inside, grabbed Jasmine��s arm before she yanked her around.

    The girl��s hair fell back.

    And it wasn��t Jasmine.

    Hildegard lifted her head slowly...

    And smiled.

    A calm, wicked, knowing smile.

    Cherry��s blood boiled over before it finally turned to ice

    Auburn stumbled back, a strangled gasp ripping from her throat.

    The guard dropped his torch.

    And Hildegard raised her chin, eyes glinting with satisfaction.

    "Looking for someone?" she asked. "I told you. Just one powerful move from the pawn could send the crown off the chess board."

    Cherry gritted teeth and at that moment she heard the bells ring.

    What the hell was going on now?

 Chapter 651: THE CRUEL TRUTH

    <h4>Chapter 651: THE CRUEL TRUTH</h4>

    Cherry did not walk up the dungeon stairs.

    She stormed.

    Her footsteps echoed like thunder, her fury sharp and consuming. The guards scrambled out of her way, terrified. Servants pressed themselves t against the walls.

    The guards ran in chaos as the bells rang.

    Everyone knew better than to stop Princess Cherry when her wolf was this close to breaking through her skin.

    By the time she reached the throne room, she didn��t bother knocking.

    She kicked the doors open so hard they mmed against the stone walls.

    King Rnd and Queen Rose both jerked up from their heated argument, their voices dying instantly.

    "CHERRY!" Rnd barked. "What insolence? You have no right to

    "JASMINE IS GONE!" Cherry screamed.

    Silence.

    Rose��s face paled instantly.

    Rnd blinked, stunned. "What did you just say?"

    "I said..."

    Cherry snarled as she marched forward, hair wild, eyes glowing, "That Jasmine is GONE!"

    Rose stood abruptly from her seat. "What happened? Cherry, what are you talking about?!"

    Cherry didn��t answer.

    Not with words.

    She marched back to the entrance and snapped her fingers at the guards waiting outside.

    "Bring her," she hissed.

    Two guards dragged Hildegard into the throne room, wrists bound, ankles chained, head held high despite the bruises blooming along her neck.

    She heard Rose gasp, but why give a fuck?

    They shoved her forward.

    She didn��t stumble.

    She didn��t bow.

    She didn��t even look at Cherry.

    She just stood there... in Jasmine��s stolen prison clothes... silent.

    Cherry jabbed a finger at her. "ASK. HER."

    Rose turned to Hildegard, confusion flooding her expression. "Hildegard... what is going on?"

    Hildegard said nothing.

    She stared straight ahead, jaw set, eyes cold as winter stone.

    "Hildegard?" Rose tried again, voice cracking. "Please say something."

    Hildegard didn��t blink.

    Didn��t breathe.

    Didn��t acknowledge her.

    Cherry matched up to her, jacked up her hair, and squeezed most cruelly. "Your Queen is speaking to you, so better answer!"

    "Cherry, don��t you dare do that!" Rose said, rising to her feet in rage.

    Cherry pushed her head away.

    "Hildegard, talk to me." Rose pleased.

    Hildegard still said nothing.

    This game they were ying only further irritated her.

    Why the bloody hell was she still coddling Hildegard?

    Cherry rolled her eyes dramatically. "Oh, PLEASE. Won��t she talk? Fine. Then I will."

    Rose tore her gaze from Hildegard.

    "I had a feeling something was wrong," Cherry spat, pacing in front of them. "So I went down to the cell to check on the little thief."

    She red at Hildegard.

    "And instead of finding Jasmine where she BELONGED, I found her pretending to be the prisoner."

    Rose covered her mouth.

    Rnd cursed under his breath.

    Cherry continued, voice rising. "They switched ces. She wore Jasmine��s clothes. They let the girl escape under our noses! I don��t know how they did it, but she isn��t in the guards."

    "And the guards? They didn��t see anything?" Rnd asked.

    Cherry gave a wry smile.

    Rnd hated her, and yet he was so upset that he spoke to her directly.

    She knew she disliked Jasmine, but not this much.

    Rnd groaned in fury and pped his hand on the armrest. "Enough. I will deal with this myself."

    He stood and marched out of the room.

    "GUARDS!" he roared into the hallway. "SEARCH EVERYWHERE! LOCK DOWN THE PACK! IF SHE IS WITHIN THESE WALLS, FIND HER!"

    His orders echoed as he stormed away.

    An omega rushed into the throne room, breathless.

    "Your Majesty!" he cried.

    Rose turned sharply. "What is it?"

    "It��s... It��s Otto," the omega stammered. "He��s gone too. His chambers are empty. He left the castle."

    Cherry��s jaw dropped.

    Her whole body trembled with rage.

    She turned on Rose.

    "I told you," she hissed. "I warned you! I told you this girl was trouble, now see what has happened! A criminal is running free, and YOU let this happen!"

    Rose lifted her chin slowly, eyes darkening.

    Her voice turned quiet.

    Too quiet.

    "Cherry. Know your ce. I am still the Queen."

    Cherry gave a bitter, mockingugh.

    "Queen," she repeated with a snort. "Queen indeed."

    Her tone dripped with contempt as she paced the room.

    "Excuse me?" Rose demanded.

    Cherry rolled her eyes at the subtle warning in her sister��s voice.

    Rose scoffed, her face fallen.

    "Sister or not." Rose sneered with a pointed finger at Cherry. "If I were you, I would be careful not to test me. I��m your Queen before anything, and I expect that you-

    "Expect that I what?" Cherry hissed at Rose, shutting her up. "Kiss your ass? Kiss your royal, cleaned feet because oh Hail the Queen of all wolves?"

    Rose was fuming and breathing so hard.

    "You��re crossing lines that you should never think of crossing." Rose warned.

    "You��re one to talk." Cherry said. "You��re warning and using the crown to the threaten me? The exact same crown that was meant for me."

    Rose blinked.

    "That very same crown that you sit on that belonged to me is what you��re using against me?"

    "Cherry I have done any and everything for you. Made excuses for the stupid things you did in the past." Rose spat in burning rage. "For you to stand and say these words to me and-

    "I would have been a better Queen than you ever would have been." Cherry spat.

    Rose just paused, her fingers wringing as she stared at her sister.

    Cherry realized she had misspoken but then she didn��t care anymore.

    She had already done it.

    "The crown rejected you." Rose said as she descended the steps of the throne. "Your hair was turned to the very ck thatys on your head. Your evaluation that you would have ever been a better Queen is false because the crown itself rejected you."

    Cherry was breathing so hard as she tried to contain her emotion.

    She rarely ever got affected emotionally, but now Rose��s words hit like a dagger.

    She shook as she blinked the tears away.

    She turned her face away arrogantly.

    "You don��t need to gaslight yourself." She said to her. "Your hair tells you the truth already."

 Chapter 652: THE FLAME ARRIVES

    <h4>Chapter 652: THE FLAME ARRIVES</h4>

    "You stand here." Rose spat at Cherry. "And speak about me, when all I��ve done is clean up your own mess!"

    Cherry was breathing very hard.

    "And yet you dare im to be a better Queen?" Rose hissed in venom, her entire body shaking. "Do you think I ever wanted to be Queen? For once that I wanted to? Do you know how terrible I felt because the crown rejected you even when it was your right to take it and gave me instead and-

    Then Rose paused and took a breath. "I forgot. The crown was never meant to be yours in the first ce. It belonged to Cardinal, our brother, he was the first and he was supposed to be King until his along with mother and father��s untimely death."

    "Get out of here." Cherry hissed at Hildegard.

    She could not stand her sister��s stupid servant listening and watching her being ridiculed.

    "She is going nowhere." Rose said. "She is a member of this family and she shall stay."

    Cherry sneered at Hildegard who still remained standing in Jasmine��s clothes.

    "I climbed that throne young. I never wanted it in the first ce. I had no one to turn to. You were supposed to be there for me rather you stood afar and watched me sink. You despised me all those years for everything. Even Rnd . You hated me because he married me. You both still hate each other to this day."

    Cherry swallowed hard the tears struggling to stay hidden.

    "I knew all of this. The crown, the kingdom, the man they were all meant for you but the goddess gave me." Rose said pointing her chest. "You resented me. You set me up for chaos when you let Bale attack Xaden��s family and I still pleaded for you to be forgiven. And this is how you pay me back?"

    Cherry gritted her teeth together in rage and said. "I might have had no one and you may have taken everything away from me, but the one daughter you had, became my own and you abandoned her."

    Rose looked as though she had been pped.

    She paused, Cherry county predict what she wanted to do.

    She chewed her bottom lip, enraged and watched her sister who had stolen everything she owned, burn in anger.

    Cherry saw the fire flicker and she knew that Rose��s power was taking form.

    Before anything could happen, the door was flung open.

    The sses in the hall shattered into a million pieces, a sh of very cold air flew in and things came tumbling.

    The items were flung aside with such mystical force that even Cherry��s power was attacked.

    She felt a power drain and she knew instantly that someone with magic was here.

    It shocked her because she had drawn a barrier preventing anyone with magic from stepping into the pack.

    How the hell did someone break this barrier.

    Cherry put her hand up trying to block the air.

    "Your majesty." The guards said rushing past her and heading for Rose.

    Rose became furious but swallowed her anger.

    There was now apparently bigger fish to fry.

    Soon a dark figure appeared in the doorway and Cherry squinted her eyes.

    "Stay back!" The guards shifted and rushed at the dark figure.

    But in a matter of seconds they were whimpering on the floor before even getting close to the dark figure.

    They went still and Cherry was now tensed, wondering who this was.

    She was tempered to use her power but then Rose would know she was using magic all this while.

    And magic was banned in the pack.

    Rose came down from the steps of the thronepletely and moved Cherry added.

    Rose used fire in her palm and was in a position that showed she was ready to attack.

    Her eyes were a zing red and her red hair was now lit with fire.

    "Stay behind me." She said to Hildegard who hovered behind her.

    Cherry rolled eyes in annoyance that her sister was now taking the spotlight.

    She could use magic stronger than her wolf powers.

    The dark figure progressed until soon there was a woman standing in front of them.

    She was young and beautiful with perfectly wavy ck hair, she had a definite cheek bones and perfectly curved lips.

    Her eyes were an unusual color and from her olive skin, she looked twenty four.

    Much too young.

    "Your majesty." The girl said with a smile at Rose.

    Cherry blinked.

    Did Rose know this mage?

    Rose seemed to squint to be sure who she was seeing.

    The girl smiled. "Didn��t you get my message? i told you I wasing tonight."

    Cherry was now looking at Rose to the girl trying to understand what the devil was going on.

    And then recognition crept on her face. "me?"

    Cherry became chilled.

    The girl smiled and nodded. "Yes your majesty."

    She had heard of the me.

    A mage who was notorious of being very powerful and so dangerous that others with magic feared her.

    But no one knew what she was looking at.

    Rose leveled her hand and soon the fire from her palm, her zing fire eyes and her hair on fire all went back to normal.

    "What is she doing here?!" Cherry demanded. "Magic isn��t allowed."

    "I allowed her in." Rose said with a hint of warning and Cherry took a step back.

    "I��m sorry about the disturbances." The me said as she looked behind to see the wolves. "They will be fine. Just made them sedated. And sorry about the mess. There is a barrier blocking magic I had to break it."

    Cherry froze.

    "What barrier?" Rose asked.

    "A magical barrier." The me exined. "It prevents other magic from getting in."

    Rose didn��t say a word and then cleared her throat. "I never put a magical barrier in my Kingdom."

    There was eerie silence in the room.

    One that had Cherry on her tip toes.

    "Well if you didn��t then who did?" The me asked.

 Chapter 653: THE ULTIMATE REVELATION

    <h4>Chapter 653: THE ULTIMATE REVELATION</h4>

    (Cherry��s POV)

    For a moment, no one breathed.

    The throne room held a tension so sharp it could have sliced skin.

    The me stood there shoulders rxed, expression soft but dangerously aware and the air around her vibrated with raw magic.

    The broken ss on the floor glittered at her feet like fallen stars.

    Her strange eyes drifted... andnded squarely on Cherry.

    Cherry felt the look like a p.

    The mage tilted her head slowly, knowingly as if she could smell the magic leaking from Cherry��s very bones.

    Damn it.

    Cherry forced her mind inward, shoving every trace of magic deep, deep, deeper into the recesses of her core.

    She sealed it behind mental walls, tightening them until her temples pulsed from the strain.

    Just a little more for her to contain it from any foreign attack.

    The me opened her mouth as if about to say something.

    But Cherry cut her off immediately.

    "What I want to know," Cherry snapped, stepping forward, "is why Rose would allow someone with magic into the pack when we banned it long ago."

    She was not going to give this mysterious woman the space to speak.

    Rose opened her mouth. "Well Cherry thisdy here is-

    But The me spoke first.

    "Oh I��m not just someone with magic," she said sweetly. "I was the presiding mage of this royal pack. Many years ago. In the era when mages were still allowed to work in packs."

    Cherry stiffened.

    "I was here the day the royal princess went missing," The me continued, eyes flickering with memory and disdain. "I worked beside your mother. I watched the tragedy unfold. I searched for answers when everyone else cowered."

    Cherry felt heat crawl up her neck.

    "And I," The me added lightly, "was the one who found evidence that Princess Scarlett had survived her disappearance. That she bore a daughter."

    Cherry��s throat closed.

    She��s the one.

    She��s the mage who made Rose abandon the search for Scarlett... and start searching for the child instead.

    The mage who pointed Rose in the right direction.

    The mage who could ruin everything.

    The me��s smile sharpened as she watched realization flood Cherry��s face.

    "I received word," the mage said, turning to Rose, "that you found the Princess. So of course I came to see her for myself."

    Cherry��s blood ran cold.

    She can��t see Auburn.

    She must never see Auburn.

    Cherry forced a smile that trembled at the edges. "That is good to hear but, I should go check something outside and-

    But before she could take a step, the throne room doors flung open.

    Auburn. Belle. Coral.

    All rushing in.

    Auburn hurried to Rose with forced concern, her acting so overdone Cherry wanted to w her face off.

    "Grandmother!" Auburn said breathlessly, hugging Rose. "The sses in the pce shattered. I grew scared are you alright?"

    Coral��s eyes widened immediately.

    She knew.

    Cherry saw it on her face the realization, the dread.

    Coral looked at Cherry with a silent usation that made Cherry��s stomach twist.

    Rose hugged Auburn tightly. "I��m fine, darling."

    The me��s gaze slid to Auburn.

    Slow. Sharp. Studying.

    "So," The me said softly, "who is this?"

    Auburn flipped her curls proudly. "I am the heir to the throne, of course."

    Cherry subtly tried to push a ripple of magic through the floor anything to create a distraction.

    Nothing.

    Nothing stirred.

    Nothing twitched.

    Nothing moved.

    Her magic was dead.

    As if the mage��s very presence suffocated it.

    Cherry��s heart hammered. Damn her. Damn her magic.

    The me turned slowly to Rose. "Your Majesty... I have seen your granddaughter before."

    Auburn��s smile faltered.

    "This," The me said, gesturing at Auburn, "is not her."

    Auburn went paper-pale.

    Belle actually covered herugh.

    Rose snapped in confusion, "What do you mean? This is my granddaughter! We saw her shift her power was so strong that she shattered the ss in the castle."

    The me reached into her cloak.

    Cherry��s heart dropped into her stomach.

    "Stop." Cherry whispered, toote.

    The me unraveled a scroll.

    A sketch unfurled.

    A face.

    A girl with longshes. Soft eyes. Violent curly hair. A gentle face that carried the blood of Scarlett like a mirror.

    It was none other than Jasmine.

    Coral gasped.

    Belle grinned in triumph.

    Auburn choked on her breath.

    Cherry felt the world tilt.

    The me lifted the scroll higher.

    "This is the true daughter of thete Princess Scarlett," she announced. "This is your heir."

    Rose��s hand flew to her chest.

    "No..." Rose breathed. "But Auburn her power she..."

    The me swung her gaze to Auburn.

    "And that...." she said coldly, pointing.

    The moment her fingernded on Auburn, Cherry��s magic drained from her like water from a shattered bowl.

    Auburn��s body jerked.

    Her wolf whimpered.

    Her pulse spiked.

    And in the blink of an eye

    Her vibrant red hair lost all color

    It faded, drained, copsed until all that brown strands fell over her shoulders.

    The room went silent.

    Auburn reached up, grabbed a fistful of hair, and stared at it in horror.

    "No," she whispered. "No no no NO!"

    Cherry stumbled backward, breath trembling.

    She couldn��t help her.

    Not now.

    Because The me had exposed everything.

    Auburn was no princess.

    Auburn was an impostor.

    And Cherry��s entire world was slowly falling apart.

    And then Rose turned to look at the scroll again, she pushed Auburn away and walked to the scroll the me held up high.

    She slowly collected the scroll from the me and her finger traced the pages.

    Tears filled her eyes.

    "This is...." She sniffed again. "This is Jasmine".

    The mes eyes shown. "Yes! That��s her name Jasmine."

    Rose��s eyes went white.

    "You know her?" The me asked.

    Rose began to vibrate.

    "She came to me looking for her family and her wolf." The me expressed. "It was after a while and research I added two and two together."

    The me paused and the looked at Rose. "How did you ept this imposter? Jasmine has the emerald ne what does this imposter wear?"

    Rose turned to Auburn and gave her a dirty p her eyes zing red.

 Chapter 654: ANSWER TO THE THRONE

    <h4>Chapter 654: ANSWER TO THE THRONE</h4>

    (OKAY, MY READERS, I MADE AN ERROR. XADEN DOESN��T COME IN YET, SO PLEASE CARRY ON FROM HERE)

    Rose trembled and seemed to be in a deteriorating state of mind.

    Cherry considered using the chaos to take Auburn away.

    Her eyes darted from left to right before she mistakenly made eye contact with The me, who was ring at her like a hawk watching its prey.

    She gritted her teeth.

    The bitch!

    Rose��s hands trembled as she set her hand against her temple, trying to get a hold of her breath.

    Cherry could tell her sister was overwhelmed.

    "Just give me a GODDAMN minute!" Rose screamed in anger, and no one uttered a word.

    She took in a deep breath as she fidgeted with her hankie before slowly turning to face the wall and backing away.

    No one said a word.

    After a few minutes of tense silence, Rose slowly turned back to face everyone.

    She sniffed, and her face had be puffy.

    "How did you meet Jasmine?" Rose asked.

    The me paused before speaking. "I told you. She came to me. She was looking for her lineage, and I discovered only after she had gone. I traced Scarlett and found out she was her daughter."

    Rose was trembling.

    Rose turned to the me, her eyes puffy and her sniffs constant.

    The me walked up to Auburn.

    Auburn tried to retract her steps and move back, but the me caught her and dragged the ne on her bosom.

    The emerald ne glistened, and then, to everyone��s shock, she snatched it off her neck.

    Rose, Cherry, and Coral screamed at her not to.

    But it was toote, the emerald ne was in her palm.

    Rose looked around. Everyone looked at each other, but nothing happened.

    Everywhere was as still and quiet as it had been.

    Cherry knew the deal was up.

    "If she were the true princess, she would have the real emerald, but this is a fake. The pack would have shaken; monsters would have slowly begun to emerge. But nothing." She said, and the silence began to eat into everyone��s soul.

    Now all eyes were on Auburn.

    She took a step back and retracted, aware that she was in enemy territory.

    She looked at Cherry, and Cherry shed her eyes, warning her to stay silent.

    Rose turned to Auburn. "How could you? You monster! You took advantage of a grieving mother and took me to your own advantage?!"

    Auburn was shaking so violently, and soon the tears began to flow.

    She stuttered, trying to find a word to speak

    Cherry wished she could use magic to seal her lips, but using magic could get her into trouble.

    The mage could sense it and expose her, so she was forced to look at Auburn with eyes of warning.

    Then Auburn fell to her knees and began to weep and beg Rose.

    "Please forgive me. I beg you." She wept. "I didn��t mean to. I only needed a family. This wasn��t me."

    Rose kicked her with her perfect shoes, and Auburn��s lips soon bled.

    "How did you know I was looking for my granddaughter?" Rose demanded. "Only members of the royal family were aware. SO how did you know?"

    Auburn��s busted lip was now hovering violently in fear.

    She looked from one person to the other. "Er.... I... uh...."

    "This entire time, you set Jasmine up! You lied about her stealing the ne. You-

    And Rose paused.

    She looked at Auburn, her eyes warning with rage. "You KNEW! YOU KNEW THAT JASMINE WAS MY GRANDDAUGHTER! YOU KNEW! THAT WAS WHY YOU SET HER UP!"

    Now Rose��s skin had be fire.

    Every single flesh came in fire.

    Her eyes were raging red, and her voice became small.

    The fire on her body wasn��t burning as much.

    "This entire time you knew." Rose blinked in disbelief in a bare whisper. "You knew about my bay girl, and you used that against me."

    Auburn was shaking, her entire body trembling.

    The fire slowly rose to new heights, and she grabbed Auburn��s arms, burning them by mere impact.

    "You want to be Queen, don��t you? You want to be Queen so much?" She demanded.

    Auburn cried as she tried to push Rose��s hands, but she was only met with more fire.

    Rose dragged Auburn to the throne that had been in the royal pack for centuries.

    Auburns screamed and wailed for forgiveness.

    Her arm that Rose held was visibly ck and burned.

    Her skin was burning from being so close to Rose.

    Rose grabbed her other arm and held her up.

    Auburn screamed.

    "HERE. I WILL MAKE YOU QUEEN!" Rose said, looking into Auburn��s eyes.

    Cherry didn��t object.

    She knew what was about to happen.

    The others in the room screamed in a frenzy.

    Rose pushed her into the seat of the Royal monarch.

    Auburn took a breath, trying to get herself together.

    She sat up, but the seat pulled her back, and then all of a sudden, the seat caught zing an unusual red, and Auburn burned.

    She screamed in terror, begging for the pain to stop.

    But she couldn��t leave because it was as though the seat held her firmly.

    Soon her body started to disintegrate, and the flesh was tearing up.

    In a matter of seconds, Auburn��s screams died down, and her skeleton began to be visible.

    But the inferno wasn��t over.

    It continued to burn until all that was left were ashes.

    The royal throne didn��t just reject royal lines; it burned off wolves or anyone who was not of royal line who tried to take the seat.

    Burned them until there was nothing in sight.

    Rose was breathing so hard, and she turned back to face everyone.

    "WHERE THE FUCK IS MY GRAND DAUGHTER?" Rose demanded.

    There was an eerie silence, and none other than the King came into the room.

    His footsteps slowed down once he saw the bits of ash on the floor beside the throne.

    "Wh.... What just.... What.... Happened?" He asked, lost.

 Chapter 655: THE FINAL TRUTH!

    <h4>Chapter 655: THE FINAL TRUTH!</h4>

    The ash still drifted in the air, like burnt snow, as the doors creaked open.

    King Rnd stepped in and stopped so suddenly that his boots scraped against the marble.

    His eyes swept the room.

    The shattered ss.

    The burn marks licking up the pirs.

    The throne still glowed red-hot beneath its ancient symbols.

    And beside it was a pile of soft, grey ash.

    Rose stood before it like a statue carved from fire and grief.

    Her hair still glowed faintly, ember-red at the tips, her breathing ragged and feral. Everyone else: Coral shaking, Belle smirking; even Cherry was trembling. Hildegard was pale.

    The guards, lying half-conscious, looked like they had survived the end of the world.

    Rnd��s throat bobbed once, hard.

    "Wh... what just..."

    His voice cracked.

    "What happened?"

    No one answered.

    It was as if even the air feared Rose.

    She slowly turned. Her eyes were still tinted with mes, glowing like two dying suns.

    She stared at him, silent, shaking, her entire body trembling with suppressed rage and devastation.

    And then, the fire began to fade, and she slowly moved towards him.

    She looked as though she wereing to attack him, and he skipped a heartbeat.

    But instead of receiving a blow, she fell into his arms.

    Even though he could feel the heat of the fire that had now extinguished from her body, he held her close.

    Despite it hurting.

    She looked up at him, tears in her eyes. "We locked up our granddaughter."

    And she began to weep on his shoulders.

    He was confused as he looked around.

    "What?" He asked as he gently held her hands to look into her eyes. "You��re mistaken. All our granddaughters are here and-

    The eyes he saw haunted him.

    "Auburn was an imposter." She said with venom.

    He blinked in disbelief.

    "What?" He asked again.

    Rose regained herposure as she sniffed her nose.

    "All this time. She was never our granddaughter. She was an imposter." She told him.

    He blinked at her, lost for words. "Wh..... what are you saying?"

    He scoffed at the eyes of everyone present.

    Their silence told him something that terrified him.

    "Auburn shifted. We saw it. We felt it." He said and turned to the guards he hade with, "Where is she? Let here to our presence. Guards get Auburn."

    No one said a word.

    The eerie silence terrified him, and he looked up at the throne where

    Rnd swallowed again, staring at the ash.

    "Is that... Auburn?"

    The silence that followed was suffocating.

    Rose inhaled sharply, her chest rising and falling as though keeping her wolf caged by sheer force of will.

    She didn��t need to speak; he knew instantly.

    He was shocked as he pushed her off.

    He looked at her, his eyes trying to understand what she had just done.

    Had she lost her mind again, that she had killed our own granddaughter?

    "She was an imposter." A female voice that he didn��t know said.

    He turned and saw a young woman with wavy dark hair approaching him.

    He hadn��t even noticed her in the first ce.

    He blinked at her. "Who are you?"

    "A mage." She said.

    He became tense. "Users of magic aren��t allowed."

    His ss began to take form.

    "Hmmmm, considering you already have magic in this ce. How ironic." She said, startling him. "That girl was nothing but an imposter."

    And the woman handed Auburn��s emerald ne to Rose.

    "Your royal Throne rejects false bearers, doesn��t it?" She asked him with a cocked brow. "The Queen put her on it, and it rejected her."

    Ronald froze, and as he looked at the throne with the ashes beside it, he realized that she was right.

    He fell weak to his bones.

    Felt stupid that he had been fooled for so long.

    Felt stupid that he had even been fooled at all.

    He rubbed his face in shame.

    Rose rummaged her hand over the emerald ne and then tossed it aside in rage.

    It shattered into a million pieces.

    "I knew all along. All along I knew it!" Rose said, closing her eyes. "I knew that something was off about her, and instead, my hunger to find her blinded me. Now look what has happened to me."

    She stared down at the fake pieces of emerald and shook her head. "From the moment I saw the emerald ne wasplete and not chipped, I should have known."

    Hildegard looked sharply at Rose. "Jasmine..... nanny Nia said something about her having a chipped ne."

    Rose went white.

    "She said something about how she had had it her entire life. From the moment she was born. It had been a gift from her mother before she died." Hildegard exined.

    "Jasmine?" Rnd said, lost, trying to make sense of what they were saying. "What does that harlot have to do with this?"

    Rose turned to him sharply. "You��re calling your own flesh and blood a harlot?"

    He blinked as he looked at Rose.

    "Flesh and blood, what are you talking about?" He snapped.

    "Jasmine is our granddaughter. She was Scarlett��s daughter," Rose said.

    He scoffed. "Haven��t we had one enough imposter? You want to bring in another? Sweet goddess Selene. You don��t learn, do you, Rose?"

    Rose shook her head at him. "That��s why you would never change. That��s why we would always suffer. Because you refuse to see things differently."

    Rose turned to the mage. "She was the one who discovered Scarlett had given us a child. She is the reason why we know we have a granddaughter."

    He rubbed his eyes. "Goddess Rose. Do you ever learn? We keep getting robbed by these fortune hunters. You��re so desperate that someone came here ready to tell you Jasmine of all people. The mannerless and biggest harlot of the moonlight pack is our granddaughter? How original."

    Rose��s eyes widened in hurt.

    He hated to break it to her, but it was the truth.

    The fact that Auburn had been an impersonator hurt his feelings.

    And now to hear that someone as untrained and retard as Jasmine was his own granddaughter.

    He could never believe it.

    Rose matched up to him and gave him a dirty p.

    The p came with an imprint of burns.

    She had used her red mes to burn his face.

    "You sick bastard!" She screamed. "After everything! And you still won��t see the truth."

    And she paused.

    She grabbed his arms. "Where is Jasmine! You went to look for her! Where is she?!"

    He shook his head. "We��ve searched the grounds, but it is nowhere to be found. The omegas will find her."

    Rose fell to her knees, crumbling. "I had her. We had her. And we sent her away. We locked her up."

    The doors opened.

    Thest person Rnd expected to see came in.

    Xaden.

    Alpha Xaden

 Chapter 656: THE FINAL TRUTH! II

    <h4>Chapter 656: THE FINAL TRUTH! II</h4>

    The moment Xaden entered the room, the entire atmosphere shifted violently.

    The temperature plummeted so quickly that the torch mes flickered out.

    A cold wind cut through the hall, sliding down every spine, stealing every breath.

    Xaden looked like a man who had run across kingdoms, across blood-stained earth, across nightmares.

    His dark hair was wild.

    His clothes were hanging loosely on his body.

    His aura was feral and dangerous.

    Completely unrestrained.

    Belle blinked at him in shock. "Xaden... what are you doing here?"

    He didn��t answer her.

    He didn��t even look at her.

    His eyes, pure onyx, glowing with murderous intent, were locked instantly on Cherry.

    And he moved.

    Not walked.

    Not strode.

    He marched straight toward her, like a weapon unleashed.

    "You," he hissed, voice a low, lethal growl. "You fucking bitch."

    Cherry��s breath caught.

    Xaden��s ws burst from his fingertips. His jaw cracked with the threat of shifting.

    His wolf pressed against his skin, trying to tear free.

    Two omegasunched forward and grabbed him by the arms.

    "Alpha Xaden, calm down! Alpha!"

    He snarled at them a sound so vicious even the guards stepped back.

    Cherry felt her heart m against her ribs, but her pride red hotter than her fear. She snapped

    "Don��t you FUCKING dare touch me, you dog!"

    She lifted her chin, ring at him, even though her hands trembled behind her robe.

    She didn��t understand what he was doing here.

    Why was he charging at her like a possessed beast?

    He looked ready to tear her throat out.

    Xaden had left the royal pack a month ago.

    What did he want?

    Rose tore herself away from Rnd and stepped forward.

    "Xaden," she whispered, voice unsteady. "What are you doing here?"

    He turned to her, chest rising and falling as he had sprinted through hell itself.

    Rose stared at him, her face and expression demanding answers.

    Then his gaze snapped back to Cherry.

    "Your sister," he snarled. "She is the one."

    Cherry froze.

    "What?" Rose breathed.

    Xaden shook with rage, his ws digging into the floor as the omegas struggled to restrain him.

    "She is the reason," he growled, "why my parents are DEAD!"

    The room inhaled sharply.

    He stepped forward again, dragging the omegas with him like they weighed nothing.

    "She sent Bale," he roared, every word dripping with hatred. "She gave him the power and themand to kill them!"

    Cherry��s heart hammered so loudly she was sure the whole kingdom could hear it.

    Rose��s face crumpled. "Xaden, stop. Please. This isn��t the time nor the ce to

    He whipped his head toward her.

    "NOT THE TIME?" he shouted, voice cracking with grief and fury. "She murdered my parents!"

    Rose blinked, confused. "Xaden, listen to me. Cherry made a terrible mistake by failing to inform us about the nned attack. She was negligent. She didn��t warn-

    "What the FUCK are you talking about?" Xaden bellowed, lunging against the omegas�� grip.

    "She didn��t forget anything!"

    His voice dropped lower.

    Colder.

    Deadlier.

    "She told Bale to kill them."

    Cherry��s blood went cold.

    The room spun.

    Her knees weakened.

    Because she knew what wasing next

    and she had no way to stop it.

    Xaden leaned forward, eyes burning ck.

    "It was all her."

    All eyes turned to look at her, and Cherry gave a weak scoff.

    "You don��t necessarily believe this loser, do you? He is a barbarian remember? Grew up in the forest and was raised by a witch. He is practically unstable, and you think he cane here to use words against me?" She hissed as she chuckled.

    "Eleanor." He spat. "You killed my mother."

    Cherry��s eyes glistened at him.

    He looked ferocious, ready to tear her into a million pieces.

    Cherry rolled her eyes at him. "You��re insane. Must be the days of living in the wild that did something to your brain."

    At that very moment, it happened.

    It happened so fast that no one could stop it.

    Xaden sprang free from the grasp of the ten omegas holding him down.

    He cut them with their arms, and he pounced on Cherry.

    Cherry acted on her reflexes.

    She uses her magic to send him spiraling back.

    By the time his wolf hadnded on the floor, he was on his steady feet in perfect bnce.

    Cherry was breathing hard now, her hand up in the air.

    The very same hand that had wielded magic to send Xaden back.

    All eyes were on her.

    Even Xaden paused.

    She could feel the look of shock.

    The me closed her eyes, then opened them again. "She was the one. I can smell it all over her now. It was her magic that created the boundaries all over the royal pack."

    Now Rose��s eyes were transfixed on her.

    Cherry retracted her hand and looked at everyone, trying to figure out how to concoct something.

    A lie at least.

    The same way she had managed to get out of so much.

    Her smile wavered.

    "It��s the same magic that I can smell on Auburn." The me said. "Every type of magic has its own signature. Just like you, wolves have their scents. It��s the same for magic. And this is her scent. She was the one who brought the imposter."

    Cherry��s heart was beating so fast as she knew there was no getting out of this one.

    She wisely took a step back.

    "You brought this imposter to my home?" Rose asked, her voice shaking. "I TRUSTED YOU!"

    Realizing that the game was up and there was no going back, Cherry unleashed.

    "Oh SHUT UP!" She hissed in rage.

    Rose froze, appalled.

    "You��re a fool, Sister. You��ve always been a fool." Cherry spat the hate, finally revealing itself. "You��re Queen, but you��re so stupid that all you��ve done is let me use you."

    "Do you know Scarlett didn��t just drown?" Cherry smiled.

    Corral��s face went red.

    Her eyes pleaded with her not to say a word.

    But Cherry was a bitch.

    If she was going down.

    EVERYONE WAS GOING DOWN WITH HER.

    She was going to spill ALL the secrets.

 Chapter 657: THE FINAL TRUTH! III

    <h4>Chapter 657: THE FINAL TRUTH! III</h4>

    Rose was breathing so heavily now, unable to understand the gravity of what she was being told.

    What she was hearing.

    What she even saw with her two good eyes.

    So all this while Cherry has been using magic.

    Not just any magic ording to The me, but dark magic.

    She was appalled.

    Disgusted and horrified.

    Her own sister had done this to her.

    The one she had looked out for despite she being older.

    Betrayed her in such a cruel and brutal manner?

    It disturbed her.

    Broke her heart and made her question herself.

    As she watched Cherry bring her hand down after disying magic, her body trembled and her wolf senses shifted.

    Cherry red at her and said in the most cruel manner when she had confronted her.

    "Do you know Scarlett didn��t just drown?

    Rose was perplexed.

    Scarlett.

    She blinked.

    Lost for words.

    "Wh... uh...." She whispered unable to even form the words what.

    Cherry gave a cruel smile as she stood by therge windows far from everyone now.

    "Scarlett didn��t drown." Cherry repeated. And then a menacing smile sprung on her face. "She was pushed with the intention to be killed."

    Rose felt as though her mind was going spiral

    As though the earth beneath her feet began to crumble.

    Her vision blurred and she struggled topose herself.

    "What?" She whispered.

    It wasn��t possible.

    "What are you saying." Hildegard hissed. "I was there. It was I and Rashford, the Beta who were there with the children. No one pushed anyone. She fell. You��re lying."

    Cherry shook her head. "Maybe you should ask Coral what happened."

    All eyes turned to Coral immediately.

    Rose looked at her only surviving twin daughter, standing with a cream dress and her raven ck hair spread across her shoulders.

    Coral stood, her eyes hovering while she fidgeted.

    Coral didn��t say a word.

    She simply shook in fear and looked down at her feet.

    "If she wouldn��t tell you," Cherry said. "Then I will. Coral pushed her sister into the water."

    Rose froze.

    The entire room went chill as though death had walked in.

    Coral said nothing.

    She didn��t deny it.

    She simply looked down at her feet.

    And Rose knew it.

    She knew it was true.

    Rose wanted to rip the strands of hair from her head.

    Her own daughter had attempted to kill her own twin sister.

    Rnd walked to where Coral stood and grabbed her arms. "Say something! Say the fucking truth! You didn��t do this! She is making up stories!"

    But Coral said nothing despite how much her father shook her.

    What rose noticed was Coral vehemently refused to look at her.

    Rose bit so hard on her bottom lip it bled and she kept on biting hard.

    She dug her fingers into her arm so much blood sprouted as she tried to deal with the realization of what this meant.

    "How could you do this?" Rose asked Coral. "You were only a child. How could you do such a thing to your own FLESH AND BLOOD! YOU OWN TWIN SISTER! HOW EVIL COULD YOU BE?"

    "Evil?" Coral said quietly. "I am evil? Mother have you looked at yourself into the mirror recently? Do you think you��re any better than I am? Because you pose as monarch you think you��re wless."

    Rose blinked, taken aback by Coral��s words.

    Instead of repentance and guilt, she fired back with rage.

    Rose felt weak to her knees and wondered where she had gone wrong.

    "You had twins! You had the both of us and yet you preferred Scarlett over me! You loved her more than I." She screamed in anger. "I hated her. Hated her so much! All those little idents she had from time to time. The cuts, the times she would slip and fall. When you assumed she was simply being clumsy! It was me! I hated her with the core of my unshifted wolf! And I did everything to get rid of her!"

    Rose wanted to mp down on her ears and shut out everything she was hearing but she couldn��t.

    She was too horrified to.

    She stood transfixed her finger nails digging into her palm as she coped with the revtion.

    "And you know what? I don��t regret it! My only mistake is not killing her there on spot!" Coral spat. "I regret not getting rid of her for good. Not killing her enough. But she even went on to live and has a child and-

    A dirty p shut her.

    It wasn��t just a p.

    It was a w mark on her face so vividly you could see the red lines on her face.

    It hase from none other than Rnd.

    He was staring down at her with so much emotion that Coral recoiled.

    "You did all that to get rid of your sister." Rose said. "When I loved you the same way. I loved you like I loved your sister. But the truth why Scarlett was around me more? I was cared of you. You were a cruel child. You wanted blood. You chose to see people, animals in pain. There was something about you. And after everything you��ve done did I eventually love you the way you expected or did I find my real daughter who has a good heart."

    Coral��s face went pale.

    "Guards." The King snapped. "Get her out of my sight."

    A group of Lycans came in and dragged out Belle.

    "Don��t touch me! Don��t ever touch me!" She screamed at them. "You would never be my real mother! I hate you! That is why I chose Cherry over you! That is why Daddy fucks Cherry behind your back!"

    Rose paused.

    Her eyes hovered.

    She thought she had heard the worst but apparently not.

    "What?" She asked.

    "Ask them. Ask your perfect husband who goes behind your back to fuck your own sister! What do you think of that?" Coral spat.

    Rose turned and looked at Rnd.

    His face was white.

    "Rnd what is she talking about?" Rose asked him.

 Chapter 658: THE RECKONING

    <h4>Chapter 658: THE RECKONING</h4>

    Rnd��s lips parted, but no sound came out.

    His face drained of all color

    as if Coral had ripped the bones out from under his skin

    and left him standing on nothing.

    "Rnd," Rose repeated, voice breaking. "What... is she talking about?"

    Coral, dragged by the guards,ughed.

    A brittle, manic sound.

    Theugh of someone who had nothing left to lose.

    "Oh, tell her!" Coral yelled as the guards dragged her across the marble.

    "Tell her how you��ve been sneaking into Cherry��s chambers ever since she returned! Tell her how almost all the servants have seen you two kicking it in alleys so public that it��s so easy to-

    "ENOUGH!" Rnd roared so loudly the walls shook.

    Even the guards froze.

    Cherry, still panting from her exposed magic, stood at the throne, a mean and cruel smile stered on her face.

    She didn��t deny it.

    She didn��t even look up.

    Rose stared at Rnd, her heartbeat echoing in her ears.

    Her voice came out small.

    Thin.

    A ghost of the woman she was.

    "Rnd... please."

    Her eyes shimmered. "Tell me she��s lying."

    Rnd swallowed. "Rose, I swear. I assure you. I didn��t do it. I swear. But then I don��t understand it. It��s like-

    He paused and swallowed hard again.

    "I never did any of this. I can swear it to you. But it��s like just hearing these usations. It��s like a memory that I never had.... Uh.... It��s like....

    And Rose knew.

    Before he even opened his mouth again, before he even lifted his head

    She knew.

    "Oh Goddess..." Rose whispered, the breath leaving her lungs in a violent shudder.

    "Oh Goddess no..."

    Rnd finally spoke.

    "Rose, I swear to you I didn��t do this! None of what she is saying makes any sense, but then....

    Rose stumbled backward as if he had stabbed her.

    "But then WHAT?" she whispered.

    He squeezed his eyes shut. "I��m having some memories."

    "Memories?" She gasped, her chest heaving.

    Her voice cracked with disbelief so sharp it could have shattered stone.

    "Rose, I swear to you I have never done anything to understand. But it��s just that. I don��t want to lie to you." He said with pleading eyes. "I have NEVER done anything with cherry. Everyone knows I hate her!"

    "You were with my sister, and now you��re telling me you��ve been having some memories? That you don��t understand?"

    Cherry turned to look at Rose with a devious smile, and Rose knew her sister was reveling in it.

    She wondered how she had never noticed how much her sister hated her

    Rnd tried to reach for her, but Rose pped his hand away with a snarl.

    Her eyes flickered red, and the fire in her blood rose again.

    "You cheated?" Rose whispered in devastation. "With her?"

    Rnd lifted both hands, pleading.

    "Rose, listen��"

    "NO!" Rose cried out, stepping back from him as if he burned.

    "Don��t you dare say my name! Don��t you dare speak to me!"

    Her chest rose and fell violently, her wolf thrashing inside her, power surging up her spine like moltenva.

    Cherry backed away.

    Even she knew this was about to turn deadly.

    Rose took one trembling step closer to Rnd.

    "I gave you everything," she whispered.

    Her voice didn��t rise.

    It didn��t need to.

    It was the softest tone she had ever used and the most terrifying.

    "I loved you even when you made me feel like nothing.

    I defended you when my people doubted you.

    I held this kingdom together for you.

    For us."

    Her breath shook.

    "And you betrayed me with my sister?"

    Rnd��s jaw clenched. "Rose, please. This is a vast misunderstanding, I swear it and-

    But his words were more than enough.

    A scream tore through her, and a sound so raw and violent that the mes burst across the tiles, crawling up the walls like living serpents of red.

    "I HAVE BEEN LIVING IN A HOME OF VIPERS!" Rose roared.

    "My daughter tried to kill my daughter!

    My sister conspired to kill my niece!

    And the man I loved, my husband, betrayed me with my own blood!"

    Her entire body zed with her hair a crown of fire, her eyes twin infernos.

    Xaden didn��t move.

    He knew better.

    The me watched quietly, respectfully, as if witnessing a goddess unbound.

    Rose pointed at Rnd.

    "You."

    Her voice shook the foundations of the kingdom.

    "You will not speak another word. Not one more."

    Rnd��s mouth snapped shut.

    Then Rose turned to Cherry.

    "You," she said coldly.

    Cherry swallowed.

    Hard.

    "You destroyed everything I had left. You ruined my lineage. You brought an imposter into my home. You lied to me. Used me.Trapped my real granddaughter in a cell."

    Her breath hitched.

    "You betrayed us all."

    Cherry exhaled, without the slightest hint of remorse written on her face.

    "He was mine first before he became yours." Cherry spat. "He belonged to me. I was supposed to marry him. He was going to my mate. Everything you have today was meant for me. Even your children. They were supposed to be mine."

    "Yes! I let Bale attack Xaden��s family. I was the one who saved Uther and made him stay as a spy in my pack. Yes, I knew Jasmine was your granddaughter, and I couldn��t let her sit on the throne because I wanted it for myself. Because it belongs to me! And the bitch is the Luna reincarnated if you recall the legend."

    There was a chilly silence in the room. "And if we all recall, the Luna is either going to be our messiah or our doom. Either way. I didn��t need that slut in my way. I poisoned you, Rose! You were so stupid. I have been poisoning you from afar. Everything that has happened has been by my hand. You have been so stupid. And if you think this is the end of the road for me, well, sister, you must be insane."

    At that moment, Cherry turned to leave and would have disappeared if she hadn��t frozen.

    She looked at everyone, and then ck dust started to fall from her lips.

    Her eyes turned to dust, and her body began to disintegrate into more ck dust.

    Standing behind her was none other than Eleanor.

 Chapter 659: ELEANOR’S RETURN

    <h4>Chapter 659: ELEANOR��S RETURN</h4>

    Eleanor stood behind, her arms and body in stitches, her wavy dark hair messed up along her face.

    Her skin was dark and dirty.

    She looked a mess.

    Like someone who had been under the ground for over a hundred years.

    If you didn��t know her, you would believe she was the one.

    At first, Xaden had been in disbelief.

    He knew that face, the arms, the hand, the body.

    He knew everything about her.

    She was the one who had raised him.

    His very own mother.

    But he had seen her head decapitated.

    Hanging by the spikes of the pack walls.

    He had done her funeral rites for her.

    So why was she now standing in front of him, looking as though she had been through the valley of death and returned?

    She was holding a silver dagger in her hand.

    The very same thing that he could tell, she had used to stab Cherry.

    "I told you your day of reckoning was finally going toe bitch." She spat at the dust on the floor.

    Everyone just froze, unable to say a word.

    Xaden knew that voice anywhere.

    "Eleanor?" He asked, his voice barely a whisper.

    She slowly turned around from the heap of dust she had been looking at and saw him.

    She paused as she watched him.

    For a minute, it looked like she couldn��t believe it was him.

    As though she was seeing double.

    "Xaden?" She said, in response, in the softest voice one could wish for.

    He shifted back to his human form almost as immediately as he had transformed into his wolf.

    He walked past everyone, still dazed and transfixed by the incident that had just urred.

    He walked up to where she stood by the throne, and he very slowly touched her dirt-stained face.

    "Mum?" He said, his eyes filling with tears.

    He cupped her cheek, and she closed those beautiful brown eyes.

    She was the one.

    He was so stunned for a second that he didn��t know what to do.

    There, he threw his arms around her and gave her a tight hug, even though she smelled and was, in fact, dirty.

    He held onto her so fervently it was as though he was dreaming.

    Even if he were, he didn��t want to wake up.

    She rubbed the back of his hair and softly said in his ear.

    "My boy." She said.

    She kissed the side of his cheek and held him closer again.

    "You haven��t called me mum since you left me to go build your pack." She whispered into his ear.

    And then guilt overcame him.

    He remembered how cruel he had been to her when he said he had wanted to avenge his family.

    Even thest few days before she had died.

    The God awful things he had told her.

    How nasty and hurtful he had been.

    How terribly guilty he had been when he found out she was dead, wishing he could take back all the terrible things he had said and done.

    Xaden wept.

    The tears flowed down his face.

    "I��m sorry for all the things I said." He apologized amidst the hug. "I thought I was never going to see you again."

    She rubbed his back as her warmth coddled him.

    He didn��t want to let go.

    He was scared that if he did, she would vanish and he would see that it was simply a figment of his imagination.

    "Are you real?" He asked, his voice breaking.

    The mask that he usually held to protect his feelings was gone.

    He no longer needed to hide under the facade of being the incredible Alpha.

    It was though he had broken free and was now back to being the little boy she had raised.

    "Are you real?" He asked through the hug.

    He felt her smile, and then she let go. "Is this real?"

    And she pinched his cheek.

    He made a soft ouch, and sheughed.

    If I weren��t real, you wouldn��t feel that.

    "How... how... di... how?" He managed.

    She gave a tight smile. "I can��t die, Xaden. Not in the sense you understand. I can only have my body parts severed from limb to limb and be buried."

    Then she looked back down at the heap of dust thaty a few inches from their feathers.

    "That bitch did that to me. I would have stayed hidden if I didn��t feel the tremors." She said. "I found out about Jasmine. She must havee to the royal pack because the entire earth shook a month ago."

    And then Xaden remembered the night she had been so dazed.

    The night that she had literally fainted, the walls had shaken, the windows had shattered, and all fire had be dark.

    "It woke me up." She exined. "That was why I was able to get up and stitch my body back together. I couldn��t stop by because I had to find Jasmine. If she were in the royal pack and Cherry were here. They were going to kill her. I had to stop her."

    And Eleanor turned to look at everyone in the room.

    She bowed to the King and Queen and looked around the mess. "What the hell happened here?"

    Rose rubbed her face with her palm and seemed restless.

    "What are you doing here?" She asked him, her eyes lost.

    "I came to avenge you and take Jasmine away." He announced.

    There was an eerie silence.

    He turned to the Queen.

    "Where is she?" He asked. "I��m here to take her away from this godforsaken ce."

    "You have no right. She is my granddaughter." Rose warned him.

    "And I��m married to her." He said.

    "Jasmine is gone," Hildegard said. "Have you all forgotten. She is gone and noting back."

    Xaden paused.

    The hair on the back of his neck stood.

    "What?"

    "She ran away from the cells," Hildegard exined. "You can hold me hostage for as long as you can, but those memories were wiped off. I don��t know where she is anymore."

 Chapter 660: RUNNING BY THE SEA

    <h4>Chapter 660: RUNNING BY THE SEA</h4>

    Otto didn��t stop riding until the castle lights disappeared behind the thick wall of trees.

    Fog curled low around the forest floor, swallowing their path with cold, ghostly fingers. Branches snapped beneath the horses�� hooves, each sound too loud, too sharp, too dangerous.

    Jasmine clung to the reins, her bare feet tucked tightly beneath her, toes numb from the freezing wind.

    She kept looking back over her shoulder.

    Even though she had followed this path so many times to see the Siren, she still felt scared and isted.

    She had never been here thiste.

    Even though she knew Hildegard was gone.

    Even though she knew she couldn��t return.

    Even though her heart hurt so much she could barely breathe.

    "Jasmine," Otto said finally, his voice tight. "Stop looking back."

    "I can��t help it," she whispered. "She��s in there. Alone. Because of me."

    Otto��s jaw clenched.

    He felt sick too.

    He felt like vomiting from guilt.

    But he forced himself to stay focused.

    He had to.

    If they fell apart out here, there would be no saving anyone.

    "We��re almost at the clearing," he muttered. "Just hold on."

    Jasmine nodded weakly, though she was shivering so badly her teeth clicked.

    The cold wasn��t the worst part.

    It was the silence.

    The fear.

    About thirty minutester, the forest eventually spat them out onto a long stretch of moonlit sand, the sea roaring beside them like an angry beast.

    The night wind sliced straight through Jasmine��s bones.

    Otto kept ncing sideways at her as they rode, guilt flickering across his features over and over like a me in a storm.

    He hated this.

    He hated that she was freezing.

    He hated that she was barefoot.

    He hated that she kept wiping tears away with trembling hands.

    He hated that Hildegard was sitting in a cell waiting to die.

    Now he wondered what she was going through.

    Had they finally caught her?

    He hated that Jasmine kept looking at him like she wanted answers and he didn��t know how to give her all of them.

    After a long stretch of silence, Jasmine whispered,

    "Otto... now can you tell me what��s going on?" She asked him.

    He flinched.

    He tightened his grip on the reins and spoke carefully.

    "You were set up," he began, voice thick. "Someone nted the ne. Someone told a maid to lie. And from what we��ve seen it was definitely Auburn. We think Cherry helped her."

    Jasmine swallowed hard, staring at the dark horizon.

    "The Queen..." Otto continued quietly, "was manipted from all sides. It got out of hand."

    Jasmine��s breath hitched.

    Jasmine��s shoulders weakened.

    She waited for him to go on.

    He didn��t.

    Because everything else he knew would crush her.

    He didn��t tell her the one thing that she needed to.

    That she was pregnant.

    Hildegard telling him at thest moment still felt like a burned in his shoulders.

    He said only what she could handle.

    "Jasmine..." he whispered.

    But Jasmine only stared ahead, the wind blowing through her dark curls, her expression tightening with something Otto couldn��t read.

    "Otto," she whispered, her voice barely a breath. "You��re not telling me something I can feel it."

    His throat closed.

    Before he could speak, Jasmine��s voice cracked

    And then she broke.

    Not weakly.

    Not like someone copsing.

    But like someone whose world had been ripped apart one too many times.

    Her tears weren��t soft.

    They were violent.

    Raw.

    Years of pain, betrayal, near-death, abandonment, and loss pouring out at once.

    She sobbed until her body shook, clutching the horse��s mane to stay upright.

    Otto reached out instinctively, steadying her arm.

    "Jasmine-

    "No!" she snapped through her tears. "Don��t touch me. Don��t... please don��t."

    Her voice was small.

    Shattered.

    She wiped her face hard with her hands, her breath shaking.

    "I trusted them," Jasmine whispered, staring at the waves with burning eyes. "I trusted Rose. I trusted that pack. I trusted everyone."

    Her voice gained strength.

    "And for what? To get thrown in a cell? To be framed? To be used like I��m nothing? Like I��m dirt?"

    Otto stayed silent.

    She wasn��t done.

    "My wolf is useless," she cried. "I can��t even shift. I can��t hear her. I can��t feel her. I��m tired of being helpless. I��m tired of being hunted. I��m tired of being pushed aside like I don��t belong anywhere!"

    Her hands shook violently.

    Her breath turned sharp.

    "Take it easy Jasmine." Otto tried to pacify her as he hand his hands on her shoulder.

    "If you know that it was all a set up then why can��t we tell the Queen?" She asked. "I mean if you and Hildegard understand then why can��t you just take me back and exin everything."

    Otto rubbed his temples and tried to massage his throbbing headache.

    He sighed heavily. "Jasmine is not as easy as you think. Jasmine you were going to be sentenced."

    Jasmine��s face became pale.

    Her small face shown under the moonlight.

    "Wh.... What?" Jasmine blinked.

    He sighed heavily.

    Their horses were no longer moving.

    All that they could hear was the sweep sound of the riverside and cool breeze.

    "They were going to have you sentenced. Have your eyes plucked and your hands cut before sanding you to the worst prison for criminals. The entire package. You won��t have made a day alive in there."

    Her lips were quivering in fright.

    "And so we had to act. If we hadn��t, then you would have received your sentence today." He told her.

    Jasmine remained seated.

    "The Queen... sh... sh.... I mean... uh... I understand the King doesn��t like me. B... but at least she would believe me." Jasmine stuttered.

    He shook his head. "She does know something is wrong. But wolf politics is a bastard."

    Jasmine went mute and was quiet.

    So quiet he was worried she had gone dead and dumb.

    "And I trusted her." Jasmine shook her head as she covered her face. "She told me to trust her. Told me she saw me like her own grand daughter. She used me."

    Otto sighed.

    "Where are we going to go now?"

    Before he responded, he heard a ssh in the sea.

 Chapter 661: ATTACK

    <h4>Chapter 661: ATTACK</h4>

    Otto quickly turned around the moment he heard the ssh.

    It had cut him short of whatever he had to say.

    He looked into the blue sea that sparked like diamond with the reflection of the moon.

    "What was that?" He asked seemingly tensed.

    Jasmine who was still seated in the horse and in tears froze.

    She had heard the ssh too.

    She took her hands away from her face to look at what was going on.

    Her heart was racing so fast and she was filled with so much emotions she could barely grasp anything together.

    Otto held her hand quickly as his eyes searched through the sea.

    The sea was still and there was no ssh or movement.

    "Do you think someone followed us?" Jasmine asked as her eyes traced where his went.

    He ced a hand on his finger to silence her.

    He looked around like a hawk and sniffed.

    As if trying to catch the scent of the intruder.

    Then came another ssh.

    Jasmine was sure this time it was real and she suspected she knew what made the ssh.

    Otto grabbed her arm and whispered. "Someone is here! Someone is after us! You need to run ahead." He urged. "I��ll follow you behind."

    Before Jasmine could even say a word, he spanked the bum of the horse and neighed loudly.

    The horse began to gallop hastily.

    Jasmine looked back and saw Ottoing down from his horse before shifting to his wolf.

    She had never seen his wolf before.

    It looked different from others she had seen.

    More vicious, of average height, but there was something about it that deterred it from other people.

    She heard the ssh again and soon she began to see movement inside the sea.

    It was headed for Otto while he braced for impact at the end of the beach.

    Jasmine shook her head.

    No!

    She wasn��t going to leave him!

    She wasn��t going to let him be a sacrifice like Hildegard had been.

    She caught the reigns of the horse and pulled it back with all her might.

    The horse was breathing hard now.

    And then she gave a loud "Hiah!"

    As she fiercely rode back towards Otto, her horses hood galloping dangerous on the ground.

    The cold wind blew against her face as she journeyed aggressively towards him.

    She didn��t dare break a stride.

    She kept on riding.

    "Good girl." She said to the horse.

    She rode with the exact speed, trying to follow the dashing movement of what was in the water.

    She looked back towards Otto who still hadn��t noticed she hade back for him.

    She watched and then to her amazed, she saw glittery scales and then pearly in the speed of entity inside the sea.

    And then it hit her.

    Wasn��t that pearl?

    She gasped as she rushed closer.

    Pearl had said she wasn��t allowed toe up sea.

    She wasn��t allowed to interact with non natives of the sea.

    She had onlye up because she heard Jasmine hum the song.

    She feared now what Pearl would do to Otto once she finally came across.

    "Pearl! Pearl!" Jasmine screamed.

    But the ssh and waves of the sea prevented her from listening.

    And in a matter of seconds, Pearl appeared from the sea, a trident in her had as she went right for Otto.

    Jasmine screamed as she saw blood spring up.

    Otto whimpered and Jasmine saw his arm was weak.

    Pearl who was by the jurisdiction of the sea, hung with the waves by her tail and readily charged at Otto.

    Her beautiful blue skin radiating under the moon.

    Otto aggressive attacked her while Pearl fought back.

    Jasmine got closer a few meters away and jumped down from her horse.

    She rushed towards them.

    "PEARL STOP! OTTO STOP!" She screamed as she ran towards the fight.

    And the just as Pearl would have stabbed Otto with her trident, Jasmine came right in the middle.

    She spread her arms apart as she stood blocking the attack.

    Peal��s facial features that were creased with rage and fierceness was reced with surprise.

    "Jasmine?" She said as she came to an abrupt halt.

    Jasmine was breathing so hard now.

    "Yes it��s me." Jasmine said.

    Pearl remained surprised.

    "He is with me." Jasmine said quickly.

    "He is a mad dog." Pearl said in horror.

    "He is my friend." Jasmine pleaded.

    Pearl looked at her and then looked at the growling Otto before she closed her eyes and set her trident aside.

    Jasmine breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you."

    And she quickly turned back to Otto.

    He reverted to his human form immediately.

    "Sweet Goddess." He gasped as he tried to sit up.

    "Be careful." Jasmine chastised him as she helped him lean back against the rock.

    "A siren." He said his eyes blinking in surprise.

    Pearl looked at Otto with disgust. "A mad wolf."

    He gave a cocky smile. "You have toe to more with more insults love. I��ve heard that even from my mother."

    Pearl rolled her eyes.

    "Why aren��t you healing?" Jasmine asked him as she sighted his cut.

    "Because I��m a rabid wolf." He said as he breathed hard, the blood oozing from his cut. He looked at Peal. "And I got cut by a Siren��s trident. Those can��t be healed. It��s like a poison that just prevents your cuts from ever healing until the blood is drained out of you."

    She turned back to look at Pearl .

    "Is that true?" Jasmine asked worried.

    "Your wolf is right." Pearl said with her nose in the air. "Mad, but at least has some knowledge."

    "Please." Jasmine begged. "Save him. He is my only hope. I know we��re trespassing. But he is my friend and I can��t let him die."

    Pearl looked at Jasmine for a while and then sighed.

    She approached Otto and used her hand to wave the air in a circr motion.

    A small drop of water emerged and then she turned to him and waved it over his cut.

    The drop touched his cut and the bleeding stopped.

    In a matter of seconds, the cut disappeared

 Chapter 662: PEARL A SAVIOR

    <h4>Chapter 662: PEARL A SAVIOR</h4>

    JASMINE��S POV

    We watched in amusement as the garish cut that had been inflicted by Pearl��s trident slowly vanished.

    Sucking up the open wound and gently closing it up.

    In a matter of seconds, it had disappeared.

    His arm was as good as new.

    The only thing was that he still had the dark blood that hade pouring from his body, but it remained on his body.

    "It��s as good as new," Otto remarked after he rubbed his arm to be certain the cut was truly gone.

    It was!

    "What did you do?" Otto asked with curious eyes. "Magic?"

    Pearl rolled her eyes and ignored him.

    I looked up at Pearl. "Thank you so much. You��ve saved his life."

    "If you had given me the chance, I wouldn��t have," Peale remarked dryly.

    I swallowed hard, and then I looked up at her.

    "I came here. I have been here every night for the past few weeks." I exined to her. "But you never came out. Why?"

    "Wait, you know her?" Otto asked with a hint of surprise in his voice.

    "Yes, I do," I said calmly.

    He looked from me to Pearl and then back to me. "Wait, is this why you were asking about..."

    And then he paused and looked back at Pearl.

    He sighed heavily, his eyes blinking in disbelief.

    "Sweet Goddess. I have never seen a siren." He admitted. "I mean, I knew they existed, but from the existing ban and terrible diplomatic rtions between them and us. I just.... Well... I just assumed that they weren��t real. Just stories."

    "We are real," Pearl said harshly. "Realer than you could ever be."

    I noticed that Pearl had been offended by Otto��s words, so I hastily apologized.

    "We didn��t mean to be rude," I said and gave Otto a sharp nce that warned him to shut his mouth.

    "I��ve been looking for you," I told her.

    "I told you." She emphasized. "We are not supposed to meet. Even right now, if they find out that I let you live, talk less of saving his life."

    She pointed at Otto.

    "I used my powers to resuscitate him." She said and shook her head. "You two need to leave if they find you here. They can sense when we use our powers on foreigners."

    I swallowed and looked down at Otto, who tried to stand up.

    But he fell back down in a matter of seconds.

    I assisted him from having a terrible fall.

    "Careful," I said, and then looked all over him. "Are you okay?"

    He nudged his arm a bit. "I should be okay. I don��t understand why I feel weak."

    Pearl rolled her eyes and sighed in exhaustion.

    "It��s my powers. It saved his life, but because he is a mad wolf, it weakened him. He won��t be able to use his legs well for about fifteen minutes. By then, he would have renewed strength more than he has ever gotten."

    "Fuck." Otto swore.

    "Please, can we wait?" I pleaded. "Just till he gets better. Please."

    Pearl didn��t look pleased.

    And I, quite frankly, didn��t like the fact that I was putting her in trouble.

    She sighed and then shrugged. "Fine. I won��t be missed for about 20 minutes. So you can stay."

    I sighed in relief. "Thank you so much, Pearl."

    "How do you even know her?" Otto asked me as he looked at Pearl. "You just came to the royal pack barely a month ago. No one has been in contact with a siren since the princess went missing."

    I sat down beside Otto weakly.

    I had been getting more and more exhausted.

    I couldn��t tell why.

    I shrugged off the feeling of tiredness that had ovee me and said. "I came from a stroll and had no idea this ce wasn��t allowed. It was when I met her that I knew. She is the most beautiful woman I have ever seen."

    I said with all honesty, not in an attempt to appease her.

    She had blue skin and a slender figure, with her beautiful white hair ited into a single braid.

    There was none like her.

    She seemed to blush as I noticed her face had be pale.

    And it was as gone as quickly as it hade.

    "I have to agree too," Otto said, which was shocking,ing from him.

    Pearl said nothing.

    She looked at me with a frown, as if noticing me for the first time since we had met, and said. "Why do you like this way?"

    I looked down at myself and realized I was still dressed in Hildegard��s clothes.

    All of a sudden, the events of the previous hours came flooding back to me.

    I remembered all that Otto had told me.

    How I was sentenced and would have been killed if he hadn��t set me free, and how now I was on the run.

    Nothing but a fugitive who had nowhere to go.

    "It��s a long story." I sighed.

    "On the run?" She asked me.

    I nodded.

    "It��s written all over your face." She said, waving her hand.

    "Betrayed by the people I thought cared about me," I said through gritted teeth.

    "Common with your kind." She remarked dryly. "Where will you go?"

    And my shoulders went weak.

    Otto himself hadn��t told me where we were going.

    I turned to look at him.

    "Where are we going, Otto?" I asked him, my heart breaking into pieces.

    I had nowhere to run.

    I wasn��t going to go back to the Crescent pack, and I had no intentions of going back to the royal pack.

    Especially after what they had done to me.

    "That��s what I wanted to tell you." He said as he adjusted in this seat. "Jasmine, I think your uncle is alive."

    I blinked at him.

    "What?" I asked, my heart racing.

    "Yes, Jasmine." He nodded. "Your uncle wasst heard in the distantnds. And the map, it��s almost finished, and was created in the distantnds. We might find your mother��s family, Jasmine."

 Chapter 663: PEARL’S GOODBYE

    <h4>Chapter 663: PEARL��S GOODBYE</h4>

    "What?" I said, "Unable to believe a word of what he said."

    "That��s why we had to sneak you out." He told me. "If we didn��t, then you would probably never have had the chance to leave."

    My heart was beating so rapidly as I touched my chest and looked around, trying to think.

    Looking for my family had been a sort of dream.

    A dream that I had only prayed about, but never really assumed I was going to seee to pass.

    I looked up at the sky and watched the full moon.

    Somewhere, I knew a wolf was howling, but we had gone so far away from the pack that I couldn��t hear any noise.

    I turned to look back at Otto.

    "And Hildegard?" I asked him

    He turned and looked away. "She chose her fate, Jasmine. The same way I have."

    What if she died?

    Wasn��t my leaving cowardice?

    Letting someone take the fall for something I had done.

    "Don��t think of going back." He told me. "There is nothing for you back there. If you do, Hildegard��s sacrifice would be in vain, and I would be killed."

    My knees wobbled weakly despite my sitting down, and my leg stretched out.

    "Perhaps it��s time, Jasmine." He told me. "That you start afresh elsewhere. Have a new life. You deserve it. After everything you��ve been through."

    I sighed heavily and leaned against the rock.

    The cool night breeze blew against my face, and I wondered what was going on in the pack.

    Are you sure they won��te here?" I asked.

    "I doubt it." He told me as he rubbed his arm. "No one has been here in years, and they won��t suspect we would follow here. No one would reasonablye here."

    I looked at him with a funny look.

    He chuckled. "Except for you."

    And then I gave a light chuckle.

    I sighed heavily again and looked at Pearl.

    She was backing us and looking towards the sea.

    "It��s still amazing." He mumbled more to himself than anyone. "Seeing a siren in real life. Amazing."

    Pearl ignored him and kept on staring at the sea.

    I remembered what she said about the death song.

    About how I must have died because I knew the tune of the song.

    None of it still made sense

    And it made me wonder.

    If a siren could have unanswered questions about her own kind, then what hope did I, an unshifted half?

    "It��s fifteen minutes now." She told me as she slowly turned to face us.

    "Is it?" I asked, worried for Otto. "I don��t know

    If he can stand."

    "Stand up," Pearlmanded.

    Otto sighed and tried to get up with my assistance.

    There was no sign of difort.

    He stretched and gently let go of my arm that he had been holding on to.

    "I feel fine." He remarked as he juggled his arm. "I feel better than before."

    He seemed extremely giddy and excited.

    Which was so unlike Otto.

    I wondered if it was one of the side effects of the magic Pearl had used.

    "We should be going." He remarked. "They might be forced to follow this path if they can��t trace my scent."

    "Can they do that?" I asked him, worried.

    He nodded. "Yes, but I used some magic to camouge it. So it will take a while before they do. I wiped Hildegard��s memories, too. Just the ones about our whereabouts. So they won��t be able to get it out of her."

    I went silent, unsure of how to respond to that.

    "I��m going to get the horses." He said, a smile sprang across his face.

    He skipped, literally SKIPPED to where the horses were.

    I raised a brow and turned to Pearl.

    "The treatment can cause some type of euphoria in wolves." She said dryly. "It would wear off eventually."

    I nodded. "Pearl, I know you��ve done more than enough for me, and I appreciate it. Probably gotten into your trouble. But I want to ask you one more thing."

    She paused, waiting to hear what I said.

    "Pearl." I began. "I never died. I assure you. I have never been to this ce either. So I don��t understand how I know your song."

    She gave a tight smile and gently touched my red hair.

    "My mother." She said. "Used to be the guard of the northern sea region. I��ve taken her ce. She always spoke about a girl with vibrant red hair just like yours. Perhaps it��s someone in your ancestry. Who knows the answers, really? But Jasmine, something tells me that you will find out. When you do, I hope you can tell me. I��d like to know."

    A girl with red hair like mine?

    It puzzled me.

    She was speaking in riddles.

    She gently touched the tips of my curly red hair. "If you��re on the run." She began slowly. "Then you should do something about your hair. Anyone can pick you out in a crowd."

    I frowned as I touched my hair. "I tried to change it once. But then the other night of Princess Auburn��s shifting ceremony, it turned back to red."

    "Then your destiny doesn��t want to change."

    She told me.

    Before I could say a word, she picked up one of the corals by her waist and waved her hands over it.

    The Coral, as tiny as a pebble, suddenly has a string attached to it in a small circle.

    Her blue hands took mine, and she put them around my left wrists.

    I felt something like a wave wash over me, and yet there was no water.

    She moved towards the water and directed me. "Take a look."

    I followed her and looked down.

    To my disbelief, my hair wasn��t red anymore. It was vibrant blonde.

    I gasped, and my fingers hurriedly raced through it.

    It was real.

    "Wh... how... wha....

    She gave a smile. "You were doing it wrong. You can��t just dye your hair any color. The best you can do is turn it into one of your parents�� hairs. And from this blonde? One of yours was a blonde."

    I frowned.

    But my father Bale wasn��t Blonde.

    Otto appeared, holding the two horses. "Whoa. A new look. That��s surprising."

    "It will remain as long as you keep the bracelet on." She told me.

    "Thank you so much," I said, my eyes teary.

    She nodded, and then as we held hands, she frowned.

    "You should be careful, Jasmine. In your condition."

    I was lost.

    "What condition?"

    Before she could reply, there was a loud sound from a horn.

    Her blue skin, eyes, and scales seemed to reflect.

    "I need to go. And you need to LEAVE NOW! I��ll hold them off for a while. But GO!"

    And with that, she jumped into the river

 Chapter 664: ESCAPE

    <h4>Chapter 664: ESCAPE</h4>

    Pearl vanished beneath the ck water with a violent ssh, and the entire sea shifted.

    The waves stilled.

    Then all of a sudden it trembled.

    Before I could even process what she��d said

    In your condition -which I instantly shoved out of my mind because everything was copsing too fast-

    Otto grabbed my wrist.

    "Jasmine. Now. On the horse, let��s go!"

    His voice cracked with urgency and a hint of terror.

    I scrambled onto my horse, my bare feet slipping on the sand, and Otto practically threw himself onto his.

    The night air bit through my skin like knives.

    Before he could respond, he was interrupted.

    The horn that had blown the first time that Pearl had reacted to, blew again

    WOOOOOOOOM.

    It was scarier than the first.

    The kind of sound that vibrated in your bones.

    The kind that felt like it could summon nightmares.

    Otto��s face drained of color.

    "Jasmine," he rasped, "we have to get out of here faster!"

    "You��re scaring me, Otto," I said in fear as I chewed my bottom lip.

    "If what I know about Sirens is true. The first horn signals a foreign presence. The second is that they are aware of the foreign presence, and they are ready to attack."

    My mind began to race in terror.

    Pearl had said her people and ours were at war.

    I knew that Pearl even speaking to us was forbidden.

    Talk less of the fact that she had saved Otto with her powers.

    He turned his horse sharply toward the forest.

    My stomach sank.

    We kicked our horses forward, hooves pounding sand as we broke into a full gallop.

    But before we made it five feet, the sea erupted.

    A surge of water exploded upward, and then I saw them.

    Hundreds.

    Hundreds of blue figures slicing through the water with violent speed.

    Their glowing white hair streaming behind them like ghost fire.

    Their tails cut the waves like des.

    They swam so fast the ocean churned into a spiral.

    Otto swore under his breath, voice shaking.

    "They��reing."

    Cold panic mmed into me.

    The sirens were closing in fast.

    Too fast.

    The horn sted AGAIN, deeper this time

    WOOOOOOOOM

    And the sea split open where they moved.

    "JASMINE, GO!" Otto roared.

    I didn��t think.

    I just kicked the horse with every ounce of fear inside me.

    The beast surged forward, hooves tearing across the wet sand.

    Otto stayed behind me by only a few inches.

    The sirens were so close now that I could hear the

    A high-pitched humming sound that vibrated like a swarm of bees.

    Their bodies glimmered beneath the moonlight, a wave of scales and fury.

    I risked one look back.

    I shouldn��t have.

    "OTTO!" I screamed.

    They were racing, not swimming.

    Racing.

    A mass of blue bodies slicing the sea surface, closing the distance in seconds.

    Otto shouted, "KEEP YOUR EYES AHEAD!"

    But I couldn��t

    Because the closer they came, the more the humming grew into something sharper, more dangerous.

    Like a song that wanted to crawl into your skull and rip you apart.

    My horse stumbled for a second, and I nearly fell.

    "JASMINE!" Otto yelled, panic cracking his voice.

    "DON��T LISTEN TO THEM, FOCUS!"

    I forced myself to tear my gaze away from the sea.

    The forest line wasn��t far.

    Just a few more seconds.

    A few more seconds.

    But the sirens were almost parallel with us now, swimming so fast the waves pped the shore hard enough to sting.

    One leapt out of the water.

    It was a man.

    I saw his face.

    Sharp jaw.

    White eyes.

    Blue-scaled skin.

    His mouth opened as if preparing to scream, and he held his trident ready to attack.

    Otto��s voice cracked beside me

    "FASTER! FASTER, JASMINE!"

    I didn��t know I could go faster.

    But I did.

    My horse lunged forward with a desperate burst of energy, and Otto��s followed beside me.

    We hit the forest line just as the humming reached a pitch so sharp I thought my skull would split.

    And then Silence.

    Complete silence.

    We crossed the boundary.

    The humming halted abruptly.

    No more water mming.

    No more horns.

    No sirens breaching the waves.

    We made it out.

    I didn��t realize I had been holding my breath until my lungs screamed.

    I pulled the horse to a stop and clutched its mane, shaking violently.

    Otto stopped beside me, chest heaving.

    His face was drenched with sweat.

    "I thought..."

    He breathed, voice thin, "We weren��t going to make it."

    I nodded slowly, unable to speak.

    I finally found my voice. "Why did they stop?"

    He looked back toward the sea.

    "They won��t cross onto wolfnd," he said softly. "Their magic... it stops at the forest line. It��s the boundary that separates them from us. We��re no longer on the beach."

    I felt a tremble in my shoulders.

    It had been a very terrifying experience.

    How they could have mauled us to death.

    And then I thought of Pearl.

    I swallowed hard, throat tightening.

    "Oh my God, Pearl." I gasped in terror. "Do you think she��s okay?"

    Otto didn��t smile.

    "Let��s hope so." He said weakly.

    If they found out that Pearl had saved us, I wondered what would be done to her.

    Especially for saving Otto.

    Surely Pearl couldn��t have let us pass without her knowledge.

    I started to feel like I might truly be bad luck.

    Bringing down misfortune on everyone I hade across.

    I looked down at my trembling hands.

    Then at the bracelet.

    Then I touched my new blonde hair.

    Everything felt unreal.

    The escape.

    The betrayal.

    The fear.

    The chase.

    My life was shattered entirely within hours.

    It was all too much for me.

    I shocked myself when I began to weep.

    It was like I was releasing all the frustration that welled up in me.

    My shoulders trembled as the tears spilled.

    Otto turned to me, his voice gentler now, and then he handed me a hankie.

    "Hankie?" He offered generously.

    I quietly collected it and used it to wipe my tears.

    Once I was done crying, he turned to me. "Do you feel better now?"

    I nodded numbly.

    "Yes, I do," I responded.

    He gave me a light smile. "Sometimes it��s good just to let it all out. You��ll feel better."

    I said nothing.

    "Jasmine... we need to keep moving. We aren��t safe yet."

    I nodded.

    And slowly... we started deeper into the forest.

    Leaving the sea, the sirens, and everything I once knew behind.

 Chapter 665: THE SURPRISE GUEST

    <h4>Chapter 665: THE SURPRISE GUEST</h4>

    Morning light did not warm the castle.

    It felt cold.

    Hollow.

    Like every wall had learned the truthst night and was silently judging her for it.

    Rose sat alone in the throne room, still wearing the same gown from the night before.

    Her hair was loose around her shoulders, her eyes swollen from crying.

    In front of her, the ruby carpet blurred as she stared at it, unblinking.

    Auburn.

    An impostor.

    Jasmine.

    Her real granddaughter.

    Cherry.

    Her betrayer.

    Her sister.

    Coral

    Her own daughter

    The child she had birthed and raised... had pushed her own sister off the both with the intentions to have her killed.

    And Rnd.

    Her very own Husband.

    Rose closed her eyes, breath shaking.

    Her husband had been sleeping with Cherry.

    Her bitch of a sister.

    The truth was muddy, poisoned, confusing but it didn��t matter.

    It hurt all the same.

    She touched the crown on her head.

    For the first time in her life, it felt like a burden.

    A weight she didn��t deserve.

    A reminder of every failure she had made.

    "You should step down," a dark whisper in her mind said.

    "You don��t deserve this crown."

    Royals who ascended the throne were meant to stay on the throne for life.

    Stepping down meant only one thing.

    Killing your self.

    Her fingers trembled against the cold gold.

    She didn��t know how long she stayed frozen like that, but eventually, footsteps echoed through the hall.

    "Hildegard," Rose whispered without lifting her head.

    Her best friend.

    Her one and only true sister approached with careful steps and bowed.

    "Rose may I speak with you?"

    Rose let out a short, humorlessugh.

    "Of course. Go on. Tell me you told me so. You��ve wanted to since the day Cherry and Auburn walked into this castle."

    Hildegard blinked... then actually smiled softly.

    "This is not the time for who was right and who was wrong," she said gently. "This isn��t a victory."

    Rose let out a shuddering breath.

    Her throat tightened painfully.

    "I had her... here," Rose whispered. "My granddaughter. Under my roof. And I didn��t see it."

    Her eyes overflowed, tears sliding down her cheeks again.

    "Everything I said about her family abandoning her and how terrible her family were. How stupid they were to have left her and-

    Her voice cracked like old ss.

    "I was talking about myself."

    Hildegard stepped closer and took Rose��s trembling hand.

    "Rose in as much as I would like to say so. Jasmine came to you because fate brought her here. You didn��t know. And you were sick. You were poisoned for years. Cherry did everything she could to blind you."

    Rose covered her eyes with her free hand.

    "I failed her. I failed Scarlett. And she has been suffering her whole life because of me. All the monstrous things Bale did. All the things I let him get away with and my own grand child had to face. I wish I could bring him back from the dead and kill him myself."

    Hildegard squeezed her hand.

    "But now you know. And now what matters is finding her. We can fix what remains. We can save what we still have."

    Rose nodded, swallowing hard.

    Hildegard looked around the room.

    "Where... is the Rnd?"

    Rose��s expression shifted instantly.

    She rolled her eyes so hard her head tilted with it.

    "To hell with him."

    Hildegard smiled. "Well that��s a fair statement

    "I don��t care about him anymore," Rose snapped. "He was fucking my sister my sister, and now he wants to im he can��t remember any of it? Nonsense."

    Hildegard��s lips parted, unsure what to say.

    Rose paced, fury returning like fire beneath her skin.

    "I threw all his things out of our chambers," she hissed.

    Hildegard smiled. "We ll He��s probably in a guest room. Hopefully freezing."

    "I��d prefer he slept in the deepest pit of hell." Rose snarled. "I would drag him there myself, but unfortunately, I have more important things to handle."

    Hildegard cleared her throat lightly.

    "I heard Xaden went out with the search party looking for Jasmine. And he... still hasn��t returned."

    Rose froze.

    Her stomach twisted.

    Her wolf stirred.

    "Oh, Goddess," she whispered. "I know he hates me so much now! And I hate him too! All the terrible things he did to her! And myself! Locking my own flesh and blood in a cell for a crime she nevermitted."

    Before she could finish, a Lycan sprinted inside, panting heavily.

    "Your Majesty!" he yelled. "There is a problem!"

    Rose straightened instantly.

    "What happened?"

    The Lycan swallowed, his entire body tense.

    "T�CThe King of Sirens is here."

    The throne room went cold.

    Rose felt her heartbeat stop then m back into rhythm.

    "What?" her voice shook, "swore never to cross into each other��snds."

    "I know, Your Majesty," the Lycan said, trembling, "but he is waiting outside. At the pce fountain."

    Rose exchanged a sharp look with Hildegard.

    "Come," she said, her voice suddenlymanding again.

    Together, they rushed through the corridors.

    When they stepped outside onto the castle grounds, they didn��t need to go far.

    Rose froze.

    Standing by the main fountain was the handsome Corallos.

    His skin shimmered like deep ocean sapphire.

    His beautiful grey eyes glowed faintly.

    His presence rippled the air itself.

    Behind him, the water of the fountain churned unnaturally, rising and falling like a living beast.

    Rose swallowed and stepped forward.

    "Your Majesty," she began carefully, "I greet you and-

    "Save your greetings," he snapped, his voice like crashing waves.

    Rose stiffened.

    He stepped closer, the water behind him rising in response.

    "How dare you," he hissed, "send a trespasser into my waters?"

    Rose��s heart dropped.

    Her blood ran cold.

    She didn��t know who.

    She didn��t know how.

    Didn��t understand what he was on about.

    "What are you talking about?" She asked.

    The King of Sirens raised his hand, and the fountain burst upward behind him like a rising storm.

    He red at her with eyes full of sea-fire.

    "Speak one more word," he warned, "and I will bring down the entire ocean upon your kingdom."

    "Corallos." She began in a cool warning voice. "You��re a king as much as I am Queen. I do not take threats lightly."

 Chapter 666: SURPIRSE GIFT

    <h4>Chapter 666: SURPIRSE GIFT</h4>

    His face became firm and grim.

    His beautiful blue skin glimmering in the sun and his perfectly muscled chest.

    As a siren, he had no shirt on, his tail wasn��t blue but as gold as his trident but his right hand.

    His hair was fire blonde as it had always been and he had the most beautiful blondeshes.

    His beautiful onyx eye glowed in the most beautiful way ever.

    He still looked the same as ever.

    They had been friends.

    Very good friends, but unfortunately she had ruined everything when she had pointed a finger using the of stealing her daughter.

    Only to find out yearster that was never the case.

    "And I will care to remind you that neither do I." He said grimly. "Moreover, between us, you were the one who began hurling threats."

    Rose took in a very deep breath as she shut her eyes.

    By the time she had opened them, she had gathered enough strength to talk to him.

    "I��m sorry Corallos." She apologized in a quiet and submissive way. "I didn��t mean to insult you. If you could-

    "To hell with the pleasantries." He growled sternly. "You are the one who caused the rift between our kingdoms andst night you dared break it."

    Rose didn��t know how to get out of this one.

    He was right.

    It had been her fault!

    He had been her friend and she had been so blinded by grief that she used him and his people of taking her daughter.

    Only to find out yearster her own daughter had pushed her twin sister off board in a bid to kill her.

    Now she had gone back to him begging.

    To appease him, even offer him her territory.

    He wanted nothing.

    She could remember the message he had sent to his subordinates.

    "His Majesty has demanded that all ties shall remain severed and this is a warning to you and your people that if you ever attempt to cross into our territory, six deaths would befall you." They had told her.

    Then he hadn��t even given her the grace to see him.

    He had sent his minions to her .

    And now he hade here himself.

    Alone.

    He was so furious with her that he had personallye to warn her and hopefully not do more.

    Did she me him?

    No.

    She was the one who had ruined their friendship and now she was paying dearly for it.

    And then it hit her.

    He had saidst night.

    "Did you sayst night?" She blinked in disbelief.

    "Now you��re feigning surprise?" He stamped his trident on the ground.

    The ground shook and Rose looked at his angry face.

    "All of a sudden you��ve forgotten!" He snarled.

    She shook her head. "Corallos, look you��re-

    "Your majesty ." He corrected her.

    She blinked in disbelief.

    But he didn��t seem to be joking.

    She sighed and said. "Your majesty. I assure you that we have no one going past your boundaries. No one has gone that way ever since we went our separate ways."

    "So the two trespassers you sent down there magically came from where?" He cocked his head to the direction of where the sea was. "No one camee or pass through those boundaries unlessing from your pack. And it can not be an outsider because your ce is heavily guarded. Am I wrong?"

    And the Rose��s brain slowly processed.

    Two trespassers?

    Her heart leaped.

    "Did you see them?" She asked him. "Did your people at least happen to see who they are."

    His face was ovee with disgust at her own sudden interest. "That does not concern you."

    And then fear gripped her heart.

    Had he taken them hostage? And killed them as retribution for crossing his own territory?

    Her shoulders trembled in terror.

    "Please it��s my grand daughter." She begged aloud.

    He ignored her and she fell to his tail andy her hands on the floor.

    "Your majesty." She heard her wolves say in rm.

    She ignored them. "I was wrong. Please. I beg of you. I should have never used you falsely. She is all I have right now. That��s my grand daughter. Take me instead of her please just let her go."

    She was looking down at the grass unable to raise her head up as she begged him for mercy.

    "You remember the agreement we made?" He asked in a stoke cold voice.

    It was only then Rose slowly rose her head up.

    She looked at him and he didn��t seem to be moved or care the slightest about her show of submission.

    "If someone trespassed into another��s territory, then six of their people would die?" He asked her.

    Rose looked at him in horror.

    And then in the manner of seconds, she heard a thud.

    She looked back and saw that some people had dropped to the floor dead.

    The wolves around hurried to help them up.

    When one��s body was lifted up, she saw that he looked like he didn��t have a single bit of blood.

    And it hit her.

    Corallos, had sucked all the water out of their system until they had be emancipated and dropped dead.

    She looked back up at him.

    He looked terrifying.

    "Stay away from my people." He warned her.

    "Or the consequences next time would be more dire."

    And in a matter of seconds a wave of water came around him.

    The guards helped her up to her feet and tried to avoid the water.

    They shifted into their wolves but he had already vanished.

    The wave of water that had enveloped him was left behind and sshed down on the floor.

    Rose was breathing hard now.

    The wolves came to her assistance.

    "Your majesty are you okay?" They asked .

    Her hair was damp wet from the water that had sshed on her.

    She looked at the dead bodies that were being carried.

    Her castle was on fire.

    Her mind was on fire.

    She was definitely not okay.

 Chapter 667: THE KING’S DECISION

    <h4>Chapter 667: THE KING��S DECISION</h4>

    Hildegard rushed up to meet her best friend and now sister.

    "Rose." she whispered as she bent down, slipping an arm around her trembling Queen.

    Rose was soaked, shaking, and staring nkly at the corpses being lifted from the ground.

    Hildegard helped her up carefully. "Rose... take it easy."

    Rose jerked her arm away.

    "Take it easy?" She said through a broken breath. "My pack is falling apart, Hildegard. Everything around me is burning, dying, copsing and it is because of me."

    Hildegard said nothing.

    There was nothing she could say.

    Rose inhaled sharply, dragging a shaking hand across her wet face.

    Then she straightened her spine.

    The Queen resurfaced through the grief.

    "Gather their bodies," she ordered the wolves. Her voice trembled, but it carried. "Prepare them for a proper funeral. And alert their families... tell them I will speak to them myself."

    The Lycans bowed immediately and carried out hermand.

    "I can��t believe he did this." Rose shook her head in disbelief. "I truly can��t believe this. He was never like this. I changed a good person. I changed him the moment I used him now look what I have brought on us."

    Hildegard stepped closer. "Rose you can not me yourself."

    "But I have to." Rose said sadly. "Moreover you warned me. Warned me against using him. But I was so drunk with rage and anger that I did. Listened to Cherry and now well.... And now look where it has brought me."

    "Well I can tell you for free that Jasmine isn��t dead." Hildegard said. "I don��t think he has her either. If he did, then he wouldn��t have even bothered killing the wolves would he?"

    Rose had to admit that was true.

    "I just truly hope you are-

    But before she could finish, the guards suddenly parted.

    A figure walked into the courtyard.

    His steps were heavy.

    His eyes red.

    His aura violent.

    Xaden.

    XADEN��S POV

    He had returned.

    Xaden had been with the search parties looking for Jasmine fromst night.

    He has searched for her non stop.

    Lucky enough for him, Erik had let Kirke along.

    Kire was the only one who had seemed to have Jasmine��s scent.

    Jasmine being an unshifted, Xaden couldn��t catch her scent but for Kire.

    He could smell her out anywhere.

    Kire had followed them everywhere and unfortunately nothing hade up.

    He was angry.

    Angry to discover that Jasmine was the grand daughter to the Queen.

    The true heir to the throne.

    If this was true then that meant Bale��s servant had been Jasmine��s mother and the missing princess.

    And then Cherry being evil.

    The King sleeping with his sister inw.

    Coral being the one who pushed Scarlett.

    It was a messy situation.

    And he knew that he didn��t want Jasmine here.

    He wanted to find her and take her home.

    He loved her.

    She was the air he breathed and she was his world.

    He couldn��t imagine her staying here.

    He had searched and searched but not finding her, broke him.

    He looked at the bodies, at the water on the stones, at Rose standing drenched and hollow eyed.

    His jaw tightened.

    "What happened?" he demanded, voice strained. "Who killed them?"

    One of the wolves exined briefly.

    The trespass.

    The siren king.

    The deaths.

    Xaden��s nostrils red so fiercely his wolf nearly broke free.

    He turned to Rose, eyes glowing ck.

    "Any good news?" he asked.

    Rose swallowed hard and shook her head.

    "No."

    For a moment he was motionless.

    Then...

    "WHEN," Xaden snapped, "were you going to tell me there were two trespassers?!"

    Rose flinched.

    "Xaden look at me do you think I am even stable enough to think?" she whispered. "Everything is copsing I am trying to-

    "So you��re telling me," he cut her off in a cold, violent tone, "that Jasmine might be in the custody of the king of the fucking sea?"

    Rose��s eyes widened. "No. If she was, Corallos would not have killed wolves. He would have bargained with me. He would have taken pleasure in telling me she is alive in his hands. He-

    Xaden stepped toward her.

    "THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT."

    Rose froze, breath shattering.

    "If you hadn��t locked Jasmine up if you hadn��t treated her like a criminal she would be alive. She would be safe."

    The courtyard went silent.

    Xaden pointed at her usingly, shaking with rage.

    "I brought her to you," he hissed, "to save her. To protect her. To give her something better than what she had. And you... you DESTROYED THAT."

    Rose closed her eyes, broken.

    "I regret bringing her here," he said harshly. "Do you think Jasmine will evere back to a ce where the woman she thought loved her locked her in a cell?"

    "H-How dare you say that to me," Rose whispered. "I loved her. I...

    "Stop." Xaden snapped. "I should never have trusted you."

    The words cut deeper than any de.

    Hildegard stepped forward, "Xaden enough-

    But Rose suddenly stiffened.

    Her grief turned sharp.

    "You think I am the only one who failed her?" she snapped back. "What about you, Xaden?"

    Xaden��s wolf nearly lunged.

    "You treated her terribly," Rose said, voice shaking with pain and truth. "You locked her up. You screamed at her. You made her lose her child."

    Xaden froze.

    Everything in him stilled.

    He swallowed hard.

    He looked sick.

    Haunted.

    Rose regretted saying it the moment it left her mouth... but it was toote.

    Xaden��s eyes darkened, his jaw clenched in anguish.

    And then his voice dropped to something colder than winter:

    "If anything happens to Jasmine..." he said softly, deadly, "I will kill you myself."

    And he turned sharply

    Storming away.

    One of the guards rushed toward him.

    "Alpha wait!"

    Xaden didn��t slow.

    The guard shoved a parchment into his hands.

    A wanted poster.

    A sketch.

    Jasmine��s face.

    Her curly red hair.

    Under it:

    WANTED/ MISSING

    5,000,000 GOLDEN COINS

    Xaden stared at it.

    His hands shook.

    His wolf howled violently inside him.

    The reality that she was truly missing, hit him.

 Chapter 668: GOOD NIGHT REST

    <h4>Chapter 668: GOOD NIGHT REST</h4>

    The forest swallowed us whole.

    Moonlight dripped through the branches in trembling silver streams, barely enough to see where the horses were stepping.

    The air was damp and cold, thick with the scent of moss and night.

    Otto rode slightly ahead of me, silent, alert... every muscle of his body firm like a spring.

    The events of thest few hours still pounding in my head.

    The screams of the sirens and the moment they could have attacked us.

    How terrifying it had been still haunted me.

    And now i tried my very best to stay awake.

    I tried.

    But exhaustion weighed on my eyelids like heavy stones.

    My body felt bruised inside and out.

    My mind kept reying everything at once, Pearl disappearing into the ck water, the sirens racing after us, being thrown into the cell, the Queen sentencing me, Hildegard��s sacrifice.

    It was too much and my body was overwhelmed by what it had faced.

    My eyes closed without my permission.

    Just one second.

    Just one blink.

    The next moment, darkness enveloped me and I slowly dozed off

    My horse lurched right.

    My body swayed sharply as the air became faster

    I felt myself slipping and then hand mped around the reins.

    "Jasmine!" Otto��s voice cracked, sharp with panic.

    I jerked awake as he pulled my horse to a rough stop.

    My heart hammered violently.

    I blinked at him, dazed and ashamed.

    "I Otto, I��m so sorry," I whispered. "It won��t happen again, I promise, I....

    "Woah woah woah. You��re exhausted," he cut in, stern but gentle. "You nearly fell off. We��re stopping."

    "No, no, we can��t." I rubbed my eyes. "What if the sirens have let the royal wolves through and are about to find us? What if they search and then they-

    "They won��te here, not tonight," Otto said firmly. "The royal wolves have to go around the siren boundaries because I know a fact they won��t let them. I��m sure the King of sirens won��t be pleased at having enemies at his territory. That��ll take days. The sirens won��t cross the forest either. And we��re far from the castle."

    His voice softened a little.

    "For now... it��s safe."

    A strange, fragile relief washed over me, and I found myself nodding weakly.

    He hopped off his horse, tied both reins to a thick low branch, then began gathering sticks like he had done it a thousand times. Soon, orange mes crackled between us, chasing the cold away.

    I curled my legs under me, hugging my cloak tightly. My blonde hair, still so strange, fell over my face.

    Otto rummaged through his bag until he produced bush rabbit wrapped in cloth.

    "I��ll cook," he said.

    "I can do it." I offered rising to my feet.

    "No," he said simply. "Sit."

    Something about his tone made my throat tighten. I sat quietly as he built the small spit over the fire while I watched him prepare the meal.

    He seasoned it with herbs I didn��t know he even carried.

    He was quiet.

    Focused as it were on e of his many projects.

    When the food was ready, he handed me a wooden te.

    I murmured a thank you and ate slowly. Warm food felt unreal after the night we had.

    And to be honest the food was actually better than I imagined.

    I noticed him flipping through his notebook as he ate, his brow furrowed.

    Then suddenly, he looked up at me and then he froze.

    His head snapped up so fast I thought he��d strained something. His eyes widened, staring at me like I had sprouted wings.

    "Jasmine," he breathed, "your hair..."

    I blinked. "Hmm?"

    "Your hair is blonde!" he said louder, almost offended. "When did.... how did....

    what the hell?"

    A smallugh escaped me. "Otto, you��re only noticing now?"

    The firstugh I had let out in a while.

    "If you recall, I was trying to save our lives," he grumbled. "So excuse me if I was too busy doing that."

    I lifted my wrist, showing him the tiny coral bracelet Pearl had formed with magic.

    "When Pearl put this on me," I exined, "my hair changed."

    He leaned forward, squinting at the bracelet. "That��s... powerful magic."

    "She said we were dying my hair the wrong way," I said with a soft shrug. "She said the best is that my hair color would shift from the parents whose I collected to the other I didn��t."

    Otto frowned.

    "I��ve seen Bale��s pictures," he said. "He wasn��t blonde."

    I swallowed.

    "No," I whispered. "He wasn��t."

    I stared into the fire, feeling an old pain open in my chest.

    "When I was in the Moonlight Pack," I said slowly, "Bale attacked me once... he said things that didn��t make sense. He was losing his mind. But right before Xaden killed him... Bale said he wasn��t my father."

    Otto��s expression softened.

    "I didn��t believe him," I whispered. "I thought he was... rambling. Or trying to hurt me. But now..."

    I looked at my blonde hair.

    "...now I know he was telling the truth."

    A cold breeze swept between us.

    Otto reached and ced a warm hand on my back.

    "Maybe you��ll get answers in the distantnds," he said gently. "Maybe the map leads to the truth. Maybe your mother��s family knows everything."

    "I loved Bale," I whispered, voice cracking, surprising myself. "I wanted him to love me. I wanted us to be a family even if it was broken. But after everything he did... I resented him."

    I shook my head, firelight flickering across my face.

    "And he wasn��t even my father."

    Otto didn��t try to correct me.

    Didn��t tell me to stop.

    He simply said:

    "You��re allowed to feel whatever you feel."

    I closed my eyes.

    For the first time in hours... I felt the edges of sleep tug at me.

    "Otto," I whispered, "I think... I think I want to sleep now."

    He nodded immediately.

    "Give me your te," he said, holding out his hand. "I��ll clean up. You rest. I��m taking the first watch."

    "Thank you," I murmured, my chest warm and heavy.

    Iid down beside the fire, curled into my cloak, and listened to the soft sounds of Otto packing things away.

    The forest hummed quietly around us.

    The fire crackled softly.

    And with my blonde hair fanned across the grass...

    I drifted into sleep.

 Chapter 669: THE PREGNANCY

    <h4>Chapter 669: THE PREGNANCY</h4>

    I heard augh.

    A woman��sugh.

    Warm. Soft. Familiar in a way that sent a shiver down my spine.

    I turned, looking around, but the forest around me was different.

    Lighter , greener, as if touched by another world.

    Sunlight spilled through the leaves in gold beams, and everything smelled of flowers and fresh water.

    Theugh echoed again.

    I knew thatugh.

    I shouldn��t have, but I did.

    My feet moved before my mind did, carrying me deeper into the forest. The sound pulled me like a thread, tugging me forward.

    There were voices now.

    A woman��s voice, light and musical.

    A man��s voice, deeper, warm,ughing along with her.

    I froze behind a tree.

    They were close.

    So close that if I breathed too loudly, they would hear me. I peeked out carefully, heart thundering.

    The woman was sitting by ake, water so still it looked like ss, her feet dangling above the surface. Her hair was the first thing I noticed.

    Curly.

    Wild.

    Vibrant red.

    Exactly like mine.

    Or rather like it used to until I had be blonde.

    A many with his head in herp, his own hair a soft, bright blonde. He looked up at her like she had caught the sun itself.

    I couldn��t see his face.

    Just his blonde hair.

    They wereughing, whispering things I couldn��t quite hear.

    But the moment I saw her face properly

    My breath left me.

    It was her.

    The girl in my dreams running andughing.

    The one who had called me my name.

    Here I was once again with her.

    Only this time... she wasn��t a blur.

    She wasn��t distant.

    I could see the curve of her jaw.

    The shape of hershes.

    The faint freckles across her nose.

    She was beautiful.

    And she looked exactly like me, only older, softer, happier.

    A wave of d��j�� vu crashed over me so hard my knees trembled. This didn��t feel like a dream.

    This felt like a memory.

    Someone��s memory.

    Maybe... mine?

    Thedy suddenly stiffened.

    Her head turned in my direction.

    I gasped and ducked behind the tree so fast I scraped my elbow. My heart felt like it might burst out of my chest.

    "What��s wrong?" I heard the man ask gently.

    "I... I thought I felt something," the girl whispered.

    His voice shifted as if he were sitting up. "Where?"

    "Over there," she said. So close. Too close.

    I pressed my hand over my mouth. My body wouldn��t move. The air felt thick, heavy.

    I heard him stand and take a few steps.

    Branches shifted.

    Leaves rustled.

    He was looking for me.

    I held my breath until my lungs burned.

    After a long silence, he spoke again.

    "There��s no one here," he said finally, softer this time. "Come, love."

    Their voices quieted again, falling back into their soft conversation.

    Slowly, terrified, I peeked around the tree.

    The man was back in herp.

    Her fingers were threaded through his blond hair, brushing it back gently.

    They both looked so peaceful, so perfect, as though the world outside didn��t exist.

    Then the girl began to hum.

    No.

    Not hum.

    Sing.

    The song.

    The siren song.

    The exact same one I had hummed without knowing where it came from.

    The one Pearl had recognized instantly.

    I froze, blood turning to ice.

    Why was she singing that?

    How could she know it?

    Her voice carried softly over the water, and every hair on my body rose.

    Then slowly, the woman lifted her head and looked up.

    Looked right where I stood.

    Looked at me.

    Her eyes widened in shock.

    Her lips parted.

    Emotion flooded her features so quickly it broke something inside me.

    "Jasmine?" she whispered.

    The forest seemed to stop breathing.

    And somehow by some impossible way the word left my lips without my permission.

    "Mum?"

    In the blink of an eye, she was no longer by theke.

    She was in front of me.

    Right in front of me.

    Her hands cupped my face. Her curls brushed against my cheeks. Her tears fell warm on my skin before I even realized she was crying.

    "My Jasmine," she whispered, voice trembling with joy and heartbreak. "My beautiful girl."

    Her arms wrapped around me, and the moment she held me.

    I broke.

    I didn��t even try to fight it.

    I melted into her embrace, the warmth, the familiarity, the rightness of her touch.

    She smelled like flowers and saltwater, sunlight and home.

    I wanted to stay there forever.

    "I have waited... my entire life..." she sobbed softly, "to do this."

    I cried harder.

    She pulled back just a little, her hands still on my cheeks. She studied me as if memorizing every feature.

    Then she paused.

    Her expression changed.

    Her eyes dropped to my stomach.

    Her breath caught.

    "You..." She swallowed, voice cracking. "You��re with child."

    My heart lurched.

    I opened my mouth.

    Mind raced with what?

    But I couldn��t find a voice.

    And the world shattered.

    Darkness swallowed her.

    The forest tore apart.

    I gasped awake, screaming choking on air as the fire beside me crackled quietly, the dawn light peeking through the trees.

    "Jasmine!" Otto rushed to my side.

    He came by and held me while I tried to breathe.

    "Are you okay?" He asked me. "Did something happen to you?"

    I could barely find my voice.

    Then I turned and said. "I think I saw my mother."

    He stared at me nkly.

    I swallowed hard, trying to decipher my dream as I pressed my fingers to my temples in anxiety.

    "I thought your mum died while giving birth to you?" He asked me.

    I nodded. "Exactly. But when I saw her. Something just..... I don��t know. I called her my mother without even thinking twice. I��ve been dreaming about her for a while now."

    He went quiet.

    And then I remembered thest thing.

    I wrapped my hands around my tummy and looked up at him.

    "She told me I��m pregnant." I said with a choked whisper.

    He looked at me, his eyes not surprised and then I knew instantly.

    Knew that he knew.

 Chapter 670: A NEW FUTURE

    <h4>Chapter 670: A NEW FUTURE</h4>

    The morning light was pale.

    Soft enough to look harmless, yet somehow it made everything feel raw.

    As if daylight could expose every bruise on my soul.

    Otto was still staring at me.

    And he wasn��t denying it.

    I kept waiting for him to say something, anything, but he didn��t.

    He just stared, guilt tightening every line of his face.

    And then he looked away.

    The guilt waspletely written all over his face.

    There was no hiding it.

    I touched my stomach again.

    My hands were shaking.

    "You knew," I whispered.

    He was quiet.

    In a louder and usatory voice I said. "You knew."

    He inhaled sharply through his nose, like the words hurt him.

    "Jasmine... I didn��t mean to-

    "YOU KNEW!," I repeated, this time louder, shakier, as my voice wavered between heartbreak and fury.

    Otto opened his mouth again, then closed it.

    He looked away.

    That hurt more than anything.

    "You knew," I said a final time.

    My brain grasping the weight of what he was saying by not saying a word.

    He knew I was pregnant this entire and he didn��t say a word!

    It felt like betrayal slipping off my tongue.

    "I didn��t want to break you," he finally said softly. "You were escaping a death sentence, running barefoot, hunted by wolves and sirens. You��d just left Hildegard behind. You were exhausted, terrified and Jasmine, you were barely holding yourself together."

    My lips parted, but no sound came out.

    And then soon the words came out. "You had no fucking right!"

    He went quiet

    "I couldn��t add this on top of everything," he said quietly. "I couldn��t risk it."

    I swallowed, my throat burning.

    He was right.

    He was absolutely right.

    But it still hurt.

    "So you decided for me," I whispered.

    "You kept something this big from me because you thought I was too weak to hear it?"

    His face crumpled. "No Jasmine, that��s not-

    "It is what you thought."

    My voice came out small, wounded. "Everyone decides for me. Everyone chooses for me. Everyone hides things from me ��for my own good.�� Rose. Coral. Xaden. Bale. The royal pack. The moonlight pack. And now you."

    My chest tightened until I couldn��t breathe.

    "I��m tired," I whispered. "I��m so tired, Otto. I��m tired of being told nothing. Of everyone treating me like a child. Like I need to be protected from the truth. Like my life is some game they can pick and choose pieces from."

    Otto moved closer, lowering himself to his knees in front of me.

    "Jasmine..." His voice cracked, fragile. "I��m sorry. I really am. I didn��t want to hurt you. I just-

    "I know," I said, surprising myself.

    His eyes lifted to mine.

    "I know," I repeated softly. "You had no bad intentions but you still did! How could you keep something as bogus as this from me."

    The moment I said it, everything I had been shoving down came rushing back at once.

    The cell.

    Rose��s betrayal.

    Auburn��s cruelty.

    The sirens chasing us.

    Hildegard staying behind.

    The forest.

    The fear.

    The horse stumbling.

    My mother in my dream.

    Her hands on my face.

    Her voice.

    Her song.

    Her tears.

    Her whisper....You��re with child.

    The mother I had never known had protected me more than the people alive in this world.

    A sob tore its way out of my chest before I could swallow it back.

    Otto immediately reached out, but I pushed my hands against my face, gasping.

    "I can��t-" I choked. "Otto, I can��t.... too much... everything.... everything hurts."

    He moved closer again, but slower this time, carefully, like approaching a wounded animal.

    "Jasmine," he murmured, his voice softer than I��d ever heard it. "You��ve been through more in one night than most wolves survive in a lifetime. You don��t have to pretend to be strong."

    But I wasn��t pretending.

    I was breaking.

    "I don��t know what to do," I whispered.

    My breath trembled.

    "My mother... she touched me. She held me. She knew my name. How is that possible? She��s dead she��s supposed to be dead. But I felt her. I felt her."

    Otto��s eyes widened slightly, but he didn��t interrupt.

    "And then she said��"

    My voice cracked so badly I barely recognized it. "She said I��m pregnant."

    A shudder crawled through my entire body.

    "I��m pregnant, Otto. I��m pregnant and I��m alone and I��m hunted and I don��t even know who I am anymore."

    I pressed both hands to my stomach.

    "I don��t even know if this is real," I whispered. "What if it��s just another nightmare? What if everything is just��"

    My voice broke. "What if I��m losing my mind like Bale?"

    Otto reached out slowly, cing his hand over mine.

    "You��re not losing your mind," he said quietly.

    But when he touched me��

    Something pulsed under my skin.

    A warm thrum.

    Like a heartbeat.

    But not mine.

    Otto jerked slightly, startled.

    "Jasmine... what was that?"

    I blinked, tears blurring my vision. "What do you mean?"

    "There was��" He swallowed hard. "There was something. A... glow. Inside your skin. Just for a second."

    My breath froze.

    I felt something shift inside me, slow, old, ancient, like an awakening creature stretching in its sleep.

    Otto��s eyes widened.

    "Something is happening to you," he whispered.

    I didn��t answer.

    Couldn��t answer.

    Because deep down, I knew he was right.

    My mother��s song.

    My mother��s touch.

    The dream.

    The glow.

    The wolf I couldn��t shift.

    The child inside me.

    Something was changing.

    And it terrified me.

    I looked up at him with watery eyes. "Otto... I��m scared."

    He didn��t hesitate.

    He wrapped a cloak around my shoulders and pulled me close, careful but steady.

    "I know," he said softly.

    "I know, Jasmine. But you��re not alone. I swear to the Goddess whatever happens, I��m here."

    For a moment, just a moment, I let myself lean into him.

    Just long enough to breathe and then I slowly let my hands go round my tummy.

    My child.

    Another gift since I lost Thalira.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 671: SIRA’S OAK

    <h4>Chapter 671: SIRA��S OAK</h4>

    The sky was only beginning to peel from ck to grey when Otto shook me awake.

    The fire had died out, reduced to a smudge of ash and a faint orange barely holding on.

    The ashes blew by the morning air.

    A thin breath of morning fog curled between the trees, cold enough to sting my nose.

    We packed quietly.

    The kind of quiet only two people holding too many unspoken things inside them could make.

    By the time we mounted the horses and began riding through the forest, the sun was barely a pale disc above the horizon.

    The air was crisp, the grass wet, and my clothes still smelled faintly ofst night��s smoke.

    We rode like that for a few minutes, nothing but the crunch of leaves and the soft breaths of the horses.

    Then Otto cleared his throat.

    "Jasmine... about earlier..." he began carefully. "I just want to apologize again."

    I stared ahead, jaw tightening.

    I was still angry.

    Not the screaming kind of angry but the kind that sits heavy in your chest and flickers ready to burn out.

    "Otto," I said slowly, my voice edged and cold,

    "In the future, anything involving me... my life, my body, my choices... you will tell me. Immediately. I don��t care if I��m near death, half-conscious, or running for my life. You tell me. Not Hildegard, not Rose, not anyone else. Me. Do you understand?"

    His shoulders fell.

    He nodded quietly.

    "Yes. I understand. I��ll tell you next time."

    "Good," I said, eyes fixed on the rising sun, "because I��m done with people choosing for me. And I can��t imagine what could have happened. I could have done something stupid without knowing I had a baby."

    He swallowed, then after a moment I asked, "How did you know? About the baby, I mean."

    He kept his eyes forward.

    "Hildegard knew."

    A dull ache hit my chest.

    Of course she did.

    I said nothing, letting silence fall between us again.

    The forest wind brushed against my cheeks, soft but cold enough to wake every thought I had been trying to avoid.

    I looked down, my hand naturally drifting to my stomach.

    My baby.

    My child.

    There was a time that sentence had filled my world with light and then a time it drowned me in darkness.

    After losing Thalira I had assumed I would never have another.

    Moreso I told myself Xaden and I were done and would never happen again.

    The both urred.

    "I suppose you��ve heard," I said quietly, "that I lost my first baby."

    Otto stiffened, clearly unsure whether to respond.

    He tried to act surprised.

    I let out a humorless breath.

    "It��s fine. I��m sure everyone knows."

    "...yes," he admitted finally. "I knew."

    I nodded once, more to myself than to him.

    Then he asked cautiously, "Who��s the father?"

    I hesitated only for a second.

    "Xaden."

    His eyes widened slightly, but I kept speaking.

    "And honestly... this is for the best. What happened thest time..."

    My throat tightened.

    "I don��t want to be around him. I don��t want him to know. I don��t want anything tying me back to that ce. This is my chance to start over."

    Otto nodded slowly.

    But then he frowned.

    "Jasmine... how will you deliver the baby? You��re human. The child is going to be a wolf. It could be dangerous-

    "The Goddess will make a way," I said stubbornly.

    "Jasmine...."

    "I said she will."

    My voice trembled, but I held on. "Thest pregnancy grew so fast. Three months and the baby was already fully formed. This one... I don��t know what will happen."

    Otto tried to calm me.

    "We��ll find a way. I won��t let anything happen to you."

    I nodded but said nothing more.

    We continued riding until the sun climbed fully into the sky, warming the dew off the leaves.

    Eventually, around early afternoon, the trees opened into a small clearing and beyond it was a town..

    A small wolf town.

    Buildings formed from old timber and colorful cloth stood in uneven rows, pups running between the stalls, music drifting on the air, merchants shouting over each other, and smoke rising from cooking fires.

    It looked nothing like the royal pack.

    Nothing like the moonlight pack.

    Nothing like anywhere I had ever known.

    "Wee to Sira��s Oak," Otto announced as we rode in. "One of the furthest towns in the wolf world. Past here... everything stretches toward the distantnds. The sea boundary is far behind us now. The closer we get, the fewer rules there are."

    I looked around, absorbing it all.

    "Who lives here?" I asked.

    He lowered his voice. "Gypsy wolves. They don��t have an Alpha. They stay on their own here. No pack hierarchy. No strictws."

    He gave me a pointed look.

    "Meaning: be careful. Watch your pockets."

    As if on cue, two pups ran past us fighting over a stolen apple, nearly colliding with our horses.

    I pulled my reins tighter.

    We rode deeper into the town, passing colorful fabrics, mismatched jewelry, herbs, weapons, and things I didn��t even recognize. People nced at us with suspicion��

    then quickly looked away.

    "Otto," I said suddenly, pointing ahead.

    He followed my line of sight.

    A wall.

    Covered in flyers.

    Wanted posters.

    We dismounted quickly and approached.

    My heart mmed into my ribs as Otto ripped the nearest flyer off.

    A sketch of a girl.

    With long, curly red hair.

    My face beneath it though exaggerated, harshened.

    Underneath it:

    WANTED �� ALIVE ONLY

    BY ORDER OF THE QUEEN

    REWARD: 5,000,000 GOLDEN COINS

    Right beside it was

    Otto��s face.

    He snatched his own poster and scoffed loudly, "I look nothing like this! My nose isn��t that big!"

    But I couldn��t even breathe.

    "She��s already sent word here," I whispered. "The Queen��s men... they could be around."

    Otto quickly rolled the posters into his bag and hissed, "Don��t worry. It��s a good thing you have blonde hair now, isn��t it? Even if they were right in front of us, Jasmine, they wouldn��t know you."

    I touched my hair and the blonde strands glinting like sunlight in my fingers.

    For the first time since I��d dyed it,

    I felt grateful.

    We stood there, in the heart of a wolf town filled with strangers, danger, and eyes watching us from every direction.

    And I realized something.

    My life as Jasmine the orphan...

    Jasmine the servant...

    Jasmine the girl who was alwaysst... was gone.

    I was no longer running from one pack.

    I was being hunted by the entire world.

    And despite the fear wing at my throat

    I wasn��t turning back.

    Not this time.

    "I think it��s time <strong><i>I </i></strong> get a new look don��t you think?" Otto winked at me

 Chapter 672: A NEW LOOK!

    <h4>Chapter 672: A NEW LOOK!</h4>

    "I think it��s time I get a new look, don��t you think?" Otto winked at me.

    I stared at him nkly.

    Then at the absurd sketch of him on the poster.

    Then back at him again.

    Despite the tension sitting heavy in my chest, a small, unwillingugh escaped me.

    Otto frowned at me. "What is so funny."

    But I went onughing.

    He grumbled to himself something inaudibly until I wiped the tears off my eyes.

    And the he smiled as though delighted I was happy and I could now forget my ordeal

    It didn��t.

    But still...

    for a moment, it felt good to breathe.

    He crumpled the posters and shoved them deep into his bag, ncing around the busy square with narrowed eyes.

    "Jasmine," he murmured under his breath, "we shouldn��t linger here. Not with these posters out in the open."

    I nodded, clutching my cloak tighter around myself.

    We pushed back into the crowd, letting the press of people swallow us.

    Merchants shouted prices. Wolves argued. Children darted between legs. Smoke curled from a nearby food stall, smelling of roasted herbs.

    It felt chaotic.

    Messy.

    Alive.

    Dangerous.

    And yet I was drawn to it.

    This was the very time had been allowed to such a market square.

    Usually I was stuck in the moonlight pack or crescent pack and even in the royal pack.

    But here I felt like I could live like anyone else.

    Despite my excitement of a new ce, my gaze kept drifting to faces in the crowd, searching, paranoid, bracing for someone to recognize me.

    Every wolf that looked at me made my stomach clench, even if they turned away.

    "Take it easy Jasmine." Otto whispered. "If you look too worried it mighte off as suspicious."

    I swallowed and tried my best to blend in

    We walked for a few minutes before Otto suddenly stopped in front of a worn-out shack wedged between tworger buildings.

    Above the entrance was a crooked sign that read:

    "Thorn��s Alterations & Illusions �� Quick Changes, No Questions."

    He gave a smug smirk.

    "Perfect."

    I raised a brow.

    "Are you seriously trying to get a makeover right now?"

    He shrugged.

    "You got one. It��s only fair."

    "Mine wasn��t a makeover. Mine was a life-saving disguise."

    "And mine will be too," he argued, tapping the sketch of himself for emphasis. "Jasmine, look at this. If someone thinks I look like this horse-faced criminal, I��m dead."

    I tried my best to hold down a giggle.

    He wasn��t wrong.

    But I still hesitated, scanning the busy street behind us.

    "Do you trust this ce?" I asked.

    Otto nced at me, then at the crooked sign, then back at me.

    "No," he said honestly. "But I trust us."

    Before I could protest, he gently nudged me inside.

    ?

    INSIDE THE SHOP

    The interior smelled like dust, old leather, and some kind of metallic magic that made my skin tingle.

    Clothes hung from every corner

    travel cloaks, masks, scarves, enchanted trinkets, things I couldn��t name.

    A short man with white eyebrows and no hair at all shuffled out from behind a beaded curtain.

    He squinted at us suspiciously.

    "What do you want?" he grumbled.

    "A change," Otto said, crossing his arms. "Something quick. Something no one will recognize."

    The man studied Otto��s face.

    The man ignored himpletely and flicked his fingers.

    A chest opened behind him, glowing faintly as strands of magic swirled around.

    "What��ll it be?" the man asked. "Hair color? Scars? Change of scent? Different jawline? I can transform your whole face if you��ve got the coin."

    Otto grinned over his shoulder at me.

    "Well, Jasmine? Since we��re wanted ouws now... should I go blonde too?"

    I sighed but couldn��t stop a small smile.

    "You wouldn��t look good blonde."

    He clutched his chest dramatically. "Ouch."

    "What about brte?" I teased.

    He gasped. "Even worse!"

    The shopkeeper smiled. "Just give me the idea and then I��ll make wonders for you!"

    Otto turned decisive.

    "Cut my hair shorter, darken it, roughen up my jawline, and... maybe make me look a bit older?"

    The man snapped his fingers.

    "Done."

    A golden shimmer passed over Otto��s body brief, warm, and blinding.

    When it faded, i stared and blinked.

    And stared again.

    "Otto..." I whispered.

    He looked nothing like himself.

    His hair was now dark and slightly wavy, cut just above his shoulders.

    His jaw looked sharper, his cheekbones more pronounced, and a faint scar ran across one eyebrow.

    He looked like a rogue.

    A wanderer.

    Someone the old Otto could never pretend to be.

    "Well?" he asked, spinning around. "Do I look dangerous?"

    I shrugged, trying to hide my smile.

    "You look like you get into bar fights often."

    He smirked proudly. "Good."

    And then he looked at a mirror before he nodded in confirmation.

    ~~~~~~

    We paid the man, stepped back onto the street, and immediately felt the difference.

    No one looked at us twice.

    We were simply two more strangers in a town full of them.

    But just as I let myself breathe, a gust of wind blew one of the wanted posters across our path.

    My face.

    My red hair.

    My eyes.

    I was truly wanted

    Otto noticed my silence and nudged me gently.

    "You okay?"

    "No," I whispered honestly. "But I��m learning to live with it."

    He exhaled slowly, then said, "Come on. Let��s find a ce to rest before we continue. We still have a long journey."

    "How long?" I asked again.

    "Two months," he repeated.

    My heart dropped all over again.

    Two months of running.

    Two months of hiding.

    Two months of searching for a family I wasn��t even sure existed.

    Two months while carrying a child I hadn��t even processed yet.

    But as terrifying as it was, For the first time in my life, the path ahead belonged to me.

    "I can do it," I whispered, mostly to myself.

    Otto gave a small smile.

    "Yes. You can."

    And we continued deeper into Sira��s Oak

    two fugitives, a growing secret, and a future waiting to unfold.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!