JADE“W-what?” I stuttered when I was finally able to move my mouth.The tears trailed down Mr. Harrison’s face and he nodded slowly. He pulled out the handkerchief tucked into his suit coat and wiped his face with it. He paused until he got his bearing right before attempting to speak again.“I went to Atlas’s office this morning to confirm some things about you.”He explained how he had suspected it since he saw the locket. But his wolf had taken over before we could talk and after that. He didn’t feel it was the right time to bring that up. Also, he was scared to let himself hope for that.He had been looking for more than twenty years but came up empty. It had felt too good to be true when he saw me.“Though he wasn't much help, as you can see. He doesn’t like me.” He let out a mirthless chuckle. “But once I told him why I was asking. He was more keen on talking to me.”Mr. Harrison’s red rimmed eyes stared into mine and my heart tugged. Wanting to take away that pain I was seeing
ATLASThe sound of glass breaking makes me sit up sharply. I blinked and looked around the room before my memories slowly came back. I was in the office.I’ve been stuck in one place since Harrison left. I couldn’t tell if it was from the shock of what he had said or the reality of what will soon happen.“Earth to Atlas.” Andrew picked pieces of the tumbler that must have fallen. “Where are you disappearing off to?” He questioned, standing over me and watching me with obvious confusion.“What do you want?” I asked, clearing my throat and sitting up straight.I brush my hair back and shake my head. None of it clears my thoughts though.“You forgot we had a meeting with the alpha of SideCrest pack?”“Shit.” I cursed and got to my feet. Wearing my suit jacket and nodding toward the door.I turned to find Andrew holding a hand up for me to stop.“Didn’t you say we were running late? Let’s go!”“I already called and told him to reschedule.” I glared at him.“And why would you do that? I di
JADEI don’t think I’ll ever get used to this and we haven’t even spoken about it at length.Ford, or rather, dad, now, said he’s giving me the space I think about this deeply.He explained how he and my mum got separated and how she ended up with the blood rhinestone.Just to confirm that he really was my father. We took a DNA test which came almost identical. Though to be honest, I didn’t have any more doubts after seeing the picture inside the locket. The fact that he had the key, when I didn’t even know what it looked like said enough.My grandmother had also said it would help me find the truth out. Part of that truth was finding my father.How ironic I literally came to his company.Should I mention this wouldn’t have happened if I didn't make the choice to put myself first and divorce Atlas. Speaking of which. I haven’t seen him since the incident at the house with Annie. Not physically at least.Last night, I’d decided to watch the local news channel. They were showing an eve
ATLAS“How do I look?” Annie’s voice pulls me from my distracted thoughts. She was looking at me expectantly as she re-applied her lipstick.A bold red color that almost made her look like she was doing too much. It was a total contrast to the soft pink lip gloss Jade always wore. The former seemed to be begging for attention. While the latter acted like she was doing her best to remain hidden.I couldn’t tell her all that of course, I was already late for the meeting and she would want to go and change. So I smiled and told her what I know will hurry her along.“You look perfect.”She grinned, her perfect teeth shining.She leaned into me from her chair and placed a hand on my chest. Her eyes softened when she spoke.“I want to give the right impression as your partner,” she inhaled slowly. “I know people think I can’t be half of the luna Jade was, but I want to try.”Something heavy settled in my heart at the mention of Jade. I told myself it was because of what she said and how she
JADEI was still in shock and disbelief when we left the restaurant. I couldn't believe Atlas acted that way.The man barely looked at me twice in the four years we were married. And now he was going crazy thinking I was with someone? What exactly did he want? What did it all mean?“Don’t worry yourself with thoughts about Atlas. He’ll stop once he realises it is for nothing.” Dad said, placing his hand in mine and giving it a comforting squeeze.I rolled my tongue over my bottom teeth. Thinking of the right thing to say. Was there even a right thing to say in this situation?What even is the situation?Ex husband realises his wife that he has ignored for four years is actually useful after trying it out with his not too bright mistress and seeing life isn’t really all that good?Not only was it a mouthful. It didn't make much sense.Atlas wasn’t regretting treating me the way he had all these years. I can just tell he is pissed that it seems like I’m moving on.He didn’t want me. But
ATLAS“Why are you here?” I ask my beta, rounding the car to get into the passenger side.He opens the door on the side and gets into the back beside me. Not the front like he did the other day when he was feeling petty. I wanted to call him out on it just so I wouldn’t be the only one in a shitty mood. But he already had the upper hand over me.“We always go to work together.” He replies with a nonchalant shrug that made me want to dislocate his shoulder.“We don’t.” I left no room for argument.“Well, since you became a bachelor like me and stopped riding with a wife. I thought it would be good to keep you company so you don’t, you know….” He slid his finger over his neck, in the universal slaughter sign and I rolled my eyes.He is really stupid.“Do yourself a favor and stop visiting me.” He chuckles.“No can do, brother. I’m your suicide prevention hotline.”“If you’re not careful. You’ll be calling the cops next and reporting me for murder hotline.”“How would I do that if I am d
JADEWhen I woke up, I told myself I was going to start afresh. With no thoughts of Atlas, or Annie, or anything and anyone related to my old pack.They may have been the only family I had apart from my grandmother, but if they didn’t want me. Then I’ll give them what they want and remove myself from anywhere they’ll probably be.It may be a little hard, seeing as Brandon is Atlas’s uncle. But oh well. I rarely saw him when I was in the pack. And Atlas sure as hell has never visited him.After my shower, I stood in front of the mirror. I couldn’t help but feel slightly different. I couldn’t pinpoint my finger on what exactly was different about me.Did my eyes seem lighter? Was my skin glowing?I almost laughed at the incredulous question. I’ve lost my mind.My eyes really were glowing though. It is weird that I was noticing something like that about myself. Probably because I rarely looked in the mirror on a normal day.Or maybe, it is the sign of a new start. You could pretend you w
JADEThe work day was going normal. I received compliments from the moment I stepped out of the car. And while I tried to downplay it when people asked if I did anything new to my hair or my makeup. It made me feel giddy inside.The best was Jaiya who walked into my office with a smile I couldn’t place on her lips.“I don’t think HR are supposed to be up here this often.” She chuckled at my comment as she settled into the chair in front of me.I cocked a brow but she ignored me.“Are you sending me out?” She teased right back. I laughed and shook my head.“Oh, no. You’re always welcome.”“Thank you.” She dipped down like she was bowing after a great performance on stage. “Did you do something to your hair? Your face maybe?”“Why?” I touched my hair and the side of my mouth, trying to hold myself back from grinning.“Don’t know. You just look like you came out of many men’s wet dreams.”“What?” I choked on my spit as I laughed. Completely shocked because out of all the things I thought
JADE“i needed to come see him.”“Why?” He collected the baby from me “I told you that there's no need to. Why do you feel the need to come here even after I told you not to?!”“Because it's not just your victory! It's not just your life that he was after! It's mine too! And it's Ray's too! So yes, I needed to come down here to get closure.”He needed to understand that this meant something to me too, just as it did him.“Closure? Is that why you put the baby at risk? How much more closure do you need?”What on earth was he talking about?“Risk? Incase you didn't notice, I was there with him! I was at risk too! I needed him to look me in the eye and tell me why he did what he did to my family.”“Or maybe it's because you're too hung up on the past and you just can't let go. Incase you havent noticed, you're so stuck in the past and you are obsessing over it. Move on!”Well, I'm glad he finally got to say what he wanted to. Now I know how he feels about me trying to find answers. I w
JADEI didn't think it was worth it at first. Going to see the man that had made me grow up without parents and without the concept of what a true family felt like.But after much thought, he needed to know that all his plans failed and I was going to rub it in his face..I'd gotten all three pieces of the stone together and wore it around my locket.It would hurt him so bad to see that in the end, I won.Iniko decided that that was the right moment to start crying and everytime I dropped him back in his cot, he cried even louder.“Young man, what is it that you want? You've been fed and burped and I just changed your diaper so there's no way you could have soiled it again -”I stopped and remembered what happened yesterday so I took a peak for myself. There was nothing im his diaper.“So what exactly do you want?”I wish babies could talk.I guess I didn't have any other choice than to take him with me then. Atlas would blow a fuse if he found out that I took his son to see Ford.Whe
ATLAS“By wasting any more time, we are not doing ourselves any good! Sixth Circle pack is vacant. We have their leader in our custody and I've taken down every opposition in our way, do you think it would be long before we get more interests?”Sometimes, having a cabinet infuriates me so much. It was like I was speaking to brick walls. I didn't see any reason why they couldn't just agree to me taking over the Sixth Circle.It would even be better for us because it would improve our army base, it would make our pack bigger and in general, it would be a plus for us.But they weren't seeing it that way. All they were seeing was the fact that Ford had committed something against the pack and they weren't going to take it.I mean, what better way to teach him a lesson by taking over his pack?“Alpha, we're not disputing the fact that you've gone a long way-”“But you're diminishing my efforts. What's the whole point of defeating him and taking him into custody when I can't even go ahead a
JADERay and I weren't speaking for now.How could she hide something like that from me?“Where is she?”“I have no idea. All I know is that she ran away when we were little. She knew that he would come after her and she didn't want to put you in danger. So she ran away and left your nanny to take care of you. I don't know where she is.”How could she do this?“Before I lost my memory, did I know?”“No, you never knew.”I couldn't believe this. I lost my appetite for the rest of that day and I just stayed in Iniko's room because I couldn't even speak to anyone right now.I'd spent my life thinking my mother was dead only to hear that she was alive and she ran away because of that beast.“It’s not her fault, you know. Your mother ran away to protect you and Ray didn't tell you because she wanted to keep you safe. You have to forgive her.”I didn't blame her. It wasn't her fault things turned out like this. I was just hurt that I didn't know.Later that day, I took Iniko on a walk so h
JADEI was just realizing that this baby has Atlas's eyes and hair and everything!“This baby is rigged.”He turned around in shock.“What are you talking about?”“You did something to make the baby look like you.”He laughed and shook his head.“No, I didn't. It's just a coincidence.”“Coincidence? Look at this baby and look at you. It seems like I didn't even have anything to do with his birth.”“Don’t worry, you can have the second baby.”I scoffed.“You think I'm going to let you have another chance to have photocopies? Big joke.”Iniko was so small and he seemed so fragile.Ray brought my food and she took him while I ate.“I wish my grandmother was here to see him.”She gave me a sad smile.“Me too. She would be so proud of you.I'm proud of you.”I'm so happy my sister was here with me. She was the one who had been by my side throughout and if the child had been a girl, I would have named her after Raya.“Thank you for everything you did. If not for you, I don't know how I would
JADE“I'm going to need your blood as well. Atlas, I promise it won't hurt her. Just a little nick.”He nodded and she dragged the knife across my finger.“Place your finger over the stone and let the blood cover it entirely. Do not take your hand away from the fire.”It was a simple instruction but it seemed so intense.It was almost over. My legs were beginning to feel well and it was getting harder to quiet my screams.“What do we have here?”That voice. He was here.“What are you doing here?”All I had to do was keep my hand over the fire until the stone bled.Ray helped me stand up straight while Atlas and Andrew faced my uncle.“So this was why I came here. How did you do that? How did you call the other stones?”I eventually removed my hand from the fire since we had found them.“I always knew it was with one of you. That stupid old hag told me she couldn't find the other piece but I guess she gave it to you. “Why were all the worst things happening tonight?I was in labor and
JADEAtlas returned later that evening.I was right with what I'd thought.“What have you been up to?”I knew he knew I'd been eating because of the smirk on his face.“You know you don't have to hide from me when you eat right?”Oh, I did.“If you see how much I eat and the way I eat, I don't think you'd want to be married to me anymore.”He burst out laughing.“What makes you think I care about the way you eat? As long as you're healthy and our baby is fine, I don't care.”“But then, what if I get fat? I'll be so big that I won't be able to eat. I don't know why I eat so much.”This was actually a worry of mine. Normally, I ate but my appetite was not this big.“Blame it on the baby. I figure when you give birth, the cravings will stop and even though you do get fat, you're still my wife. It doesn't change anything.”I was really married to the best man ever, wasn't I?“You’re the best.”“I know. Ray says that we have to get there before midnight so that she can prepare everything.
JADEAt this point, I was realizing that the earlier we did things, the better.“I’ll arrange for the sacrifice to happen tomorrow. We need to move as fast as we can before he gets Intel that were here.”I didn't want to have to run with this big belly of mine.“What are you going to need?”“Don’t worry, I'll take care of it. Just bring the stone.”We went to bed that night because we were all completely exhausted.“Hey, are you okay?” Atlas asked when we were in bed.“Yes, I am. Why do you ask?”“You didn't cry when you found out that he killed your father. You didn't cry when you found out that she was not your grandmother. I'm worried.”Now that I think about it, it's true. But it was because I didn't feel like crying.“I don't know. Maybe my body just hasn't proceses it yet. Maybe its because I hate him so I'm not bothered that he's not my father and I never really knew my father so i can't cry for him. I've already mourned for my grandmother.”I just didn't feel the need to cry b
JADE“Jade, step away from that.”I walked back towards them and stared at the pile.“What kind of animal would do this?”I had no idea but I think I was beginning to understand why she wanted us to find this place.This place held secrets.I went back to the wall to look at the drawings and try to understand them.I used my fingers to trace them again and this time around, I heard the voice clearer.“Look at the bigger picture.”I stepped away from the wall so I could see the entire thing. There were more drawings to the side and when I walked up, I noticed that there was a sign at the bottom of it.That sign…looked all too familiar but I couldn't just place my finger.“Ray, come see this. I've seen this before but I don't know where it's from.”She crouched beside me and stared at it for a moment.“I know it's familiar but I don't know where it's from, either.”Andrew and Atlas joined us and just within seconds, they knew.“We know.”They shared a look and it made me scared.“Jade,