Chapter Two: What Changed?

Jackson's POV

The Previous Day.

I stormed to my room angrily, slamming the door behind me. I breathed heavily with my back resting on the door, and my eyes closed. 

The image of her crying, walking towards the entrance of the dungeon flashed through my mind. I fought with my heart and mind to stop thinking about her.

I fvcking hate this bond!

Being a mixed-breed of werewolf and vampire, I never expected this mate bond to be this effective and strong.

My werewolf side has dominated my vampire side ever since Emily came into my life. The mate bond has always tried to make me go soft around her. She has betrayed me in the past, and I would never fall for it again.

I didn't pay attention to the rumored prophecies around me. Some said that I was cursed because of my mistakes before I became an immortal. And my mate will be the end of me. 

Even though I was an immortal, someone must bring me to my actual death and the immortality will move to another body.

Not that I'm scared of death, but scared of loving her again. Or maybe I've developed philophobia over the past centuries I've lived.

The pain still hurts, even though it happened a very long time ago. Sighing deeply, I slumped on the bed and closed my eyes. 

Many centuries of anticipating my death, lonely with no one to rely on or someone to care for me and know the real me. Just for my mate, Annabelle to come back into my life as Emily. 

I was stunned and shocked to see her. At that moment, I was reminded of our last moment before her death. 

Back as Emily, no matter how hard I tried to push her away, she had always been persistent, insisting that she was here to protect me. My vampire side began to fluctuate and my werewolf side dominated my body entirely.

Why I punished her for the crimes she never committed was because I wanted to discard her. She had been a huge distraction to me since her arrival. And that made me not to even chase after who the real culprit might be. 

Her crying face flashed through my mind again but I was quick to push those thoughts at the farthest corner of my mind.

I tried to keep my head blank and rest, maybe my werewolf side will stop distracting my head with his whining. 

After a few hours of trying to sleep but I couldn't, I stood up and changed into my hunting outfit. It was dark already and I walked out of the palace, allowing no guards to follow me.

I walked alone in a dimly lit alley, surrounded by towering buildings that seem to close in on me. Weirdly, I noticed that the air was thick with an eerie fog that chills my bones. Suddenly, footsteps echo behind you, growing louder with each passing second. 

For some reason, I was scared. Even though I know that I can't die, I was still scared. 

How? Why?

I quickened my pace consciously, but the other footsteps kept pace with mine. I tried to control my racing heart but it was difficult.

As I turn a corner, a figure emerges from the shadows. Tall, imposing, and faceless, it looms over me. I froze, stretching my neck up to see the figure.

My white hair stood on my neck, my hands trembling which was weird. About to growl and charge the figure.

The figure begins to close in, its presence suffocating. A shadowy hand gently touches my face. For unknown reasons, I liked it.

As I opened my eyes, the figure's face began to take shape. It's... Annabelle! I was startled, staggering backward a little before her height changed to her usual height.

Her radiant smile seems so assuring that it calms all my nerves. Her warm, loving eyes lock onto mine, and she whispers:

“Mate.”

I furrowed my brows when I heard her, about to respond. A distant noise distracted me.

Knock-knock-knock

I jolted up from my sleep, covered in sweat. My heart was beating crazily like never before. It was morning already.

The knock on the door didn't stop. I reached out to the bedside table and gulped down the glass of water. Stabilizing my breath, I permitted the person to come in.

Mason, my beta and Madison, the pack witch walked in. They bowed slightly before arching their brows in concern at me. But my stern expression demanded the reason for their presence.

“What is it?”

“I came to remind you about Lady Emily’s sentence when I found out that Madison was back,” I nodded at Mason, gesturing with my chin for him to leave us.

Madison had been away from the pack for a few months, under my command. I wanted to be sure if there was a way that I could make Kiara my Luna instead of my mate. Also, about the constant nightmares I've been having.

But what stunned me was that the figure had finally revealed its face. And that face was Annabelle.

“Is there a way?” I asked Madison, referring to if I could make Kiara my Luna.

“I'm afraid not, your Majesty. But I've brought you a bigger news,” she stated and that caught my attention.

She began saying those words and my eyes grew intent. I sat upright and listened to her.

“..... she's your guardian angel, your majesty,” she concluded, guilt and remorse washed over me. I had told her to dig into my past and this revelation shocked me.

Annabelle didn't betray me, I was a fool to believe that fake news. She was actually protecting me but I was too dumb to see it. And now, when she's back as Emily, she was still trying to protect me but I had always been cruel towards me.

“She's the nicest thing the moon goddess could ever give to you even after your mistakes,” Madison added. Making me feel more guilty. But then, the moon goddess cursed upon me rang in my head.

‘My mate,’ I whispered in my head, recalling those moments she was deadpanned to be by my side. Ten years have past, but she was still adamant to be by my side.

‘Was she here to carry out the moon goddess task to execute me?’ I pondered, furrowing my brows. From the corner of my eyes, Madison was looking at me weirdly.

Clearing my throat and adjusting my expression, “Leave,” I said abruptly as I stood up. She bowed deeply before walking out but I stopped her.

“Prepare for the Queen's coronation. Inform Zaza and Mason to make sure to find the culprit behind the poison,” I instructed her. Zaza was my gamma. She was confused when I mentioned poison. I totally forgot that she wasn't around.

“They will understand. Just do as I say!” My voice grew more cold before she scurried out of my room. I stood up from the bed and picked up my robe. Just for it to slip off my shoulders.

Anger coursed through my veins and I stepped on it. My head was in a mess.

“Argh!” I punched the wall furiously, breathing haggardly.

The culprit was found within an hour and everyone was called to the court. Fast forward to when she tried to reject me.

All these while, I've never forgotten her. Wondering how old she must have been. How her jet-black hair would have turned gray.

Her fruity scent and soft skin were still the same. What changed was just her name and her hair color.

Our love was pure, but circumstances drew us apart. When she came back to my life, I never asked her where she came from. How she survived before finding me, why did she come to me, or does she remember anything about her past life?

I did none of that and only showed her my cruel side. Rejecting me wasn't an option, because I wanted to know what the moon goddess had in store for me.

Also, my life has been boring, repeating the same routine for many years. Accepting her into my life would be a new beginning for me, most importantly, for us.

“P-Please,” I mumbled stupidly, allowing myself to get lost in her sapphire blue eyes. The bond also made me look more miserable. 

My hands cupped her face and fury flashed in her blue eyes. Suddenly slapping my hands away from her face.

“I reject you as my mate, Jack…..”