Jade’s pov:Word had it that Alex wasn’t coming alone, the Alpha King was with him for some reason that was beyond me. Naturally, I was ecstatic to know my mate was safe and sound, and coming to get me too. But as to be expected, I was on pins and needles as I waited for them at the entrance of Alpha Kade’s pack house.I was praying, to whatever deity was listening, that the Alpha King’s business was solely with Alpha Kade, as one of Alex’s allies.For a moment there, I felt like I couldn’t breathe as I watched the sedan approach the pack house. I was extremely aware of the tension that seemed to make everything more vivid. The slight breeze was delightful. On the other hand, the noise the tires made was grating on my nerves. The sun was hiding behind dark gray clouds, and I was almost craving for a touch of sunlight to hit my face. I was also becoming thirsty out of nervousness.“Luna Jade,” Trevor began in a soft caring tone of voice, “Nothing is going to happen to anyone present.”
Jade’s pov:Luna Sherry and Alpha Kade led the way, with the Alpha King and his right-hand man following closely behind, and Alex and I right after them.I realized only too late that Trevor wasn’t following us, and I reasoned that he must have had some silent exchange with Alex. And while I would miss his undying support, I had Alex by my side now – my mate who made me feel like everything was possible.His highness was the first to settle down on one of the sofas of the office, his right hand man soon sitting to his left. Alex and I sat on the opposite sofa whereas Alpha Kade and Luna Sherry sat on the available chairs nearby.There was a sealed bottle of juice on the table, and also fruits, but the alpha king didn’t seem to be in any hurry to have any. Instead, he was looking at me intently, making me slightly uncomfortable… I tried to brush it off as his being curious to know about a born healer.Nobody dared to speak a word when facing the alpha king himself, and the tense atmosph
Alex’s pov: Jade was beyond shaken at the news of Tyler’s passing… which was absolutely as to be expected. Add to that the Alpha King’s decision to have her train at the palace, and she was a real mess. Somehow, however, by the time Kade and Sherry returned, she was done sobbing. Instead, she had this resigned look on her face which didn’t sit well with me. “It will be okay, love,” I told her reassuringly, my voice as sweet and soothing as ever. “How can you say that?” She retorted, her eyes spitting fire. “It will be tough on us both for a while, but it will be okay eventually,” I let out, as I brushed the last of her tears away. I was trying to play it cool myself. I just knew that if I were to show how unsettled I was by this separation period, her stubbornness would make an appearance… And while I was but an indulgent and loving mate, who could succumb to those teary eyes in a heartbeat, the Alpha King would not take no for an answer. Sherry soon sat next to Jade and tried
Jade’s pov: As we bid farewell to Tyler and Randall, I remained at the front with Alex, even though I felt like I was not worthy of my place by his side at the moment. Tyler’s last words, which Alex had relayed to me once we reached the pack house, only made me more acutely aware of my inadequacy. Although I teared up and cried, I did my best not to sob. Knowing the resonance issue might make the whole pack feel the sorrow I felt, I knew I needed to be in better control of my emotions. There was no denying the fact that Tyler’s early departure hit us all hard, and more particularly his family, as to be expected. However, when his mother approached me, and I froze under her scrutiny, wondering if she would blame me for Tyler’s tragic death – like I did – she offered me a weak watery smile, “I must thank you, Luna Jade. Tyler had explained in length a few weeks back how you saved him during the vampire attack. You gave him another shot at life, and he lived happily as a warrior. Dyi
Alex’s pov: Jade was leaving today. She had a sad smile plastered on her face, and I knew I couldn’t show her just how affected I would no doubt be by the separation. I schooled my expression into a neutral one, hoping it would convince her the way I wasn’t that everything would be okay. Her mother was sitting by her side on a bench, in the gardens of the pack house, and her presence alone seemed to be the reason why Jade still had it together. I hated that I couldn’t do anything to prevent this from happening. And I hated how powerless this made me feel. I felt unworthy of my title as alpha, of my role as the protector and provider, especially when I recalled the whole Camelia fiasco. Speaking of Camelia, she had been sent to her coven, with a letter which explained her transgression, and the leftover cookie which could explain everything. She was no longer my problem. And though it saddened me that we couldn’t be friends as we used to, her betrayal stung more than it probably sho
Jade’s pov:It was only when the car began to move, and I believed that Alex wouldn’t be able to catch my expression, that I began to sob – hard… as pathetic as that might sound. Mom patted my back a few times and told me sweet, soothing nothings, and that seemed to do the trick, for I soon quietened down a notch. Admittedly, my wolf was excited at the prospect of training, but also sad because of this forced separation, and that didn’t help. Nevertheless, she still found it in her to say, “Easy sweetheart. Don’t forget you’re pregnant, and these mood swings affect the baby.” That had the knack to make me calm down completely. I needed to see this training as nothing but a task I needed to complete, in order to stand proudly next to my beloved mate. It was the only way this whole ordeal would be more bearable. But then again, I knew that I would soon be so busy, I wouldn’t have much time to lament… and I was looking forward to it. For this wasn’t me, and I hated being a crybaby.
Jade’s pov: The servants looked at us with something akin to puzzlement, as mom and I walked behind the man who had brought us here. The driver followed us with our luggages trailing behind him. We might not be real guests, but they were treating us rather well. The man, who was just as impossible to read as the building was austere, turned out to be the gamma, for he had been greeted with great respect a couple of times already – Gamma Spencer, they called him. He led us to what appeared to be the dining room, where the one I recognized as the beta was sitting at a big table, a laptop in front of him. It was eerily silent, and one could almost hear a needle drop. He focused his gaze on us after a beat, his expression still that of a bored man who couldn’t care less about us. I couldn’t help but find him a tad bit haughty, and I hated overly confident people with a passion that had for only equal my hatred for liars. “Beta Marc,” the gamma let out in greetings, “As per his high
Jade’s pov:My call with Alex was brief because I told him I was tired. My beloved mate didn’t hesitate to tell me to lay down and get some rest. Truth be told, I was more worried I would break down crying on the phone, because of how I missed him already.I wrung my hands together, almost painfully so, the longing almost too much to bear. From the day we found out about Jessica’s betrayal, we barely had time to ourselves.I sighed as I remembered my dad’s passing, and had a hard time keeping a positive outlook on everything going on.There was a knock on the door just as I was about to step into the bathroom for a quick shower. I sensed a werewolf, and my sense of smell told me it was mom.I didn’t think twice of it and went to get the door.“How’s the room?” She asked in a sweet albeit curious tone of voice. “Are you well settled?”“See for yourself,” was my answer as I let her in.She closed the door behind her, and soon sat on the edge of the bed, typing on her phone, before showi
Alex’s pov:Soon, I was holding Jade in my arms, bridal style, while following a servant to the hallway where her room was located. Paulina had said she would probably come to on her own, and there was therefore no need to panic. Lucille, Jade’s mother, was led to the clinic, almost against her will, but I naturally sent Cole with her. I couldn’t bring myself to relax around them now that I knew they tried to hurt my mate.Paulina’s little replica, whose name I believed to be Anna, was adamant about staying with Jade, and Paulina had trouble convincing her to go to their room.“It’s okay,” I soon told Paulina. “She’s just a kid.”“Are you sure?” She asked, tilting her head to the side.“Positive.” I assured her with a small smile.“I will be in the room across from this one then,” she declared with a nod.I placed Jade on the bed softly, and seeing the sereine look on her face, I reasoned that she wasn’t in any pain.Anna stayed by the end of the bed, her eyes locked onto Jade’s face,
Alex’s pov:My worry became my fuel as I fought off the guards with barely contained anger. I couldn’t allow myself to be consumed with fury, as I feared I would lose control, which would prove lethal.My wolf could tell that the danger was real, and recognized the witch and her daughter as people who needed our protection, in addition to Jade and Lucille – Jade’s mother – naturally.There was no doubt in my mind that there would be consequences to today’s chaos, but chances were that the Alpha King would not condemn his mother. The queen had naturally retreated along with her servants, and I was left to fend off the attackers.The guards were strong, almost as strong as Trevor, and they knew how to fight in a group, their movements in sync… But I was an Alpha, one of the strongest of the country, and this was my family they were threatening to harm.Even though the territory was foreign, I got the upper hand before long, and they laid wounded and passed out on the soil of the forest.
Jade’s pov: To say the queen was livid, as she saw the guards’ futile attempts at getting through to us, would be the understatement of the century. But truth be told, I couldn’t be bothered with her at the moment. She was just a deranged woman among many, and though there would be no helping her, I knew my time here was up. The guards were stopped by the barrier. Despite all their efforts to get to us, they couldn’t… But I wasn’t sure how long said barrier would last. Paulina was already beginning to pale, as it seemed to drain her of energy. They kept urging us to drop the barrier so we could talk, but we weren’t stupid enough to do as they said. Before long, Anna grabbed my hand and said in a timid voice, “Repeat after me.” I trusted the little girl enough to do as she said, and repeated the Latin words she chanted. And just as Paulina’s barrier was about to give way, another one sprung up. “You put a barrier in place?” Paulina let out in an incredulous tone of voice. She wa
Jade’s pov:The old hag was approaching us on steady steps, unmistakable greed and murder in her eyes, followed by two servants whom I had seen around before. There was no denying that she knew what Anna had told me earlier… If not, why would she be here in the forest, a place she had not stepped into ever since I began training here? She stopped at a distance from us and offered us a yellow, toothy smile, which was predatory at best, and which had the knack to send shivers running down my spine. The woman was dangerous, and I knew that from day 1. “Hello, Judy,” she greeted me in her mellow voice which always grated on my nerves. “It’s Jade, your highness,” I corrected her without batting an eye, knowing full well she was doing it on purpose. “I heard the news,” she let out without so much as a preamble, a devious glint appearing in her eyes. “Congratulations are in order, I guess.” I let out a crisp “Thank you” in response, because I was brought up well, and couldn’t be inso
Jade’s pov:2 weeks into the training, and I started having a good grasp of the concept, which up till now had been totally foreign to me. Annabelle’s diaries definitely hadn’t covered much… but then again, she must have only jotted down what she knew of, what she experienced. “Your wolf is here to guide you,” Paulina never failed to remind me. “Trust her but don’t let your instincts take over. Remember that you have witch blood in your veins. And witchcraft is all about giving something, in return for something else.” According to her – and I could only trust her since the Alpha King himself trusted her – being a born healer meant I was a wolf but also a witch. Having grown up in a pack, it was only natural that the wolf manifested first. Sometimes, the witch side of a healer could stay dormant for years. Mine was triggered because of my emotions. I didn’t understand the specifics of how this gene was passed down to me, but Paulina told me I was a light witch – all born healers we
Jade’s pov:My call with Alex was brief because I told him I was tired. My beloved mate didn’t hesitate to tell me to lay down and get some rest. Truth be told, I was more worried I would break down crying on the phone, because of how I missed him already.I wrung my hands together, almost painfully so, the longing almost too much to bear. From the day we found out about Jessica’s betrayal, we barely had time to ourselves.I sighed as I remembered my dad’s passing, and had a hard time keeping a positive outlook on everything going on.There was a knock on the door just as I was about to step into the bathroom for a quick shower. I sensed a werewolf, and my sense of smell told me it was mom.I didn’t think twice of it and went to get the door.“How’s the room?” She asked in a sweet albeit curious tone of voice. “Are you well settled?”“See for yourself,” was my answer as I let her in.She closed the door behind her, and soon sat on the edge of the bed, typing on her phone, before showi
Jade’s pov: The servants looked at us with something akin to puzzlement, as mom and I walked behind the man who had brought us here. The driver followed us with our luggages trailing behind him. We might not be real guests, but they were treating us rather well. The man, who was just as impossible to read as the building was austere, turned out to be the gamma, for he had been greeted with great respect a couple of times already – Gamma Spencer, they called him. He led us to what appeared to be the dining room, where the one I recognized as the beta was sitting at a big table, a laptop in front of him. It was eerily silent, and one could almost hear a needle drop. He focused his gaze on us after a beat, his expression still that of a bored man who couldn’t care less about us. I couldn’t help but find him a tad bit haughty, and I hated overly confident people with a passion that had for only equal my hatred for liars. “Beta Marc,” the gamma let out in greetings, “As per his high
Jade’s pov:It was only when the car began to move, and I believed that Alex wouldn’t be able to catch my expression, that I began to sob – hard… as pathetic as that might sound. Mom patted my back a few times and told me sweet, soothing nothings, and that seemed to do the trick, for I soon quietened down a notch. Admittedly, my wolf was excited at the prospect of training, but also sad because of this forced separation, and that didn’t help. Nevertheless, she still found it in her to say, “Easy sweetheart. Don’t forget you’re pregnant, and these mood swings affect the baby.” That had the knack to make me calm down completely. I needed to see this training as nothing but a task I needed to complete, in order to stand proudly next to my beloved mate. It was the only way this whole ordeal would be more bearable. But then again, I knew that I would soon be so busy, I wouldn’t have much time to lament… and I was looking forward to it. For this wasn’t me, and I hated being a crybaby.
Alex’s pov: Jade was leaving today. She had a sad smile plastered on her face, and I knew I couldn’t show her just how affected I would no doubt be by the separation. I schooled my expression into a neutral one, hoping it would convince her the way I wasn’t that everything would be okay. Her mother was sitting by her side on a bench, in the gardens of the pack house, and her presence alone seemed to be the reason why Jade still had it together. I hated that I couldn’t do anything to prevent this from happening. And I hated how powerless this made me feel. I felt unworthy of my title as alpha, of my role as the protector and provider, especially when I recalled the whole Camelia fiasco. Speaking of Camelia, she had been sent to her coven, with a letter which explained her transgression, and the leftover cookie which could explain everything. She was no longer my problem. And though it saddened me that we couldn’t be friends as we used to, her betrayal stung more than it probably sho