An Unwanted Presence

Sara laughed at Raziya's puzzled face and said, "it's just that I want you to be my friend."

"Just that?" Raziya quizzed, giving her a skeptical look. Sara nodded nervously.

"I'll be your friend. I consider you a friend already since you helped save my life. Only a friend can do that, right?" Raziya felt indebted and did not hesitate when Sara told her what she wanted from her since she could not do anything more.

"Really? You will be my friend irrespective of the fact that you're a princess?"

Raziya sighed, her voice was filled with sadness, "Mhm hmm, yeah, it's just that I've never had a friend because I didn't need one, but now it's so scary to see how my life has turned out to be, and I have been doing things I never imagined I would do."

***

Jagger popped his knuckle as he watched Nailah pensively. He just could not trust her. Her face was numb, and there was no expression to know if she was going, to tell the truth.

"Are you sure you didn't send those maids after the Princess?" Jagger asked yet again, and he was losing his temper gradually.

"No, but I wonder why you are so worried about her like she means anything to you," Nailah answered, jealousy getting the best of her. Jagger drew out a knife from the side of his shoe. He toyed with the knife, observing it and Nailah gulped.

"She is my property; why wouldn't I care?" Jagger retorted.

Nailah stared at Jagger incredulously, she was pissed, and she felt betrayed that Jagger was not thinking about killing the murderer of her brother, his gamma, a trustworthy and close servant that served him well until his unfortunate death. How dare he ask her questions about the Princess incident. Even if the princess was killed, he should be throwing a feast over her death and awarding the killer, not questioning anyone.

"Your property killed my brother," Nailah said defiantly. "She killed your trustworthy servant who served you till his death. She deserved whatever that happened to her and even more."

Jagger looked at Nailah in a fury, and he stood up, charging toward her like a hungry lion after its prey. He held up the dagger by her neck and gripped her neck a little tight with his free hand while Nailah struggled to gasp for air.

"You think you can talk anyhow because she killed your brother?" Jagger roared, glaring at her.

Nailah coughed, still struggling to lose free from his assault. She was so scared.

Jagger lifted her like she was an ordinary doll. Her legs wobbled like giant worms, and he flung her to another side of the room. Nailah cried in pain as she landed on the floor. She held her neck, coughing uncontrollably, gasping for air, and massaging her neck gently.

Jagger went back to his table; visibly angry, he sniffed in the wolf's bane that was in a bottle. He laced the knife with the poison.

He crossed over to Nailah, crouching down a little. He drew imaginary lines on her body, teasing her. Nailah was visibly shaking in fear. Her worst nightmare was having any cuts on her beautiful and flawless skin.

She still wanted to win the Alpha's heart, so she didn't want any blemish on her almost perfect skin. "You know I would love to watch as you scream while I create holes and marks on your body with blood flowing out. That would be a sight to behold."

Jagga smirked devilishly.

Nailah whimpered with her hand, closing her mouth; she was frightened but did not want to get the Alpha angry with her noise.

"Don't ever dictate to me how I should run my affairs or bring your sentiments while talking to me," Jagger warned.

"Have I made myself clear?" he added with a rough nasty tone.

Nailah nodded profusely, crying.
He slit Nailah's left leg before he stood up with his knife. Nailah cried in more pain.

"Get out before I decapitate your head from your body and hang it at the entrance for all to see," Jagger said coldly.

Nailah scurried like a mouse trying to get away from a cat. Her blood was staining the polished floor, and as if on cue, a servant emerged with a bucket and mop to wipe it off.

"Alpha Jagger," the guard stationed outside said cautiously.

"What is it?" Jagger snapped.

"The leaders are here to see you," the guard said, avoiding looking directly into his eyes.

Larger returned the blade from whence he had gotten it. He started into oblivion. Nailah deserved what had happened to her. His authority would never be questioned, and the next time she or anyone else so much as coughed in objection to him, he would sever their head.

"Alpha Jagger," the guard said hesitatingly.

Jagger turned to give him a forlorn look. There was something Nailah said about her brother that caught on to him in a mushy kind of way. He missed his gamma but not for one second would anyone dictate what he does with Raziya.

"Send them in," Jagger said, and the guard nodded.

No later than the guard had disappeared, three men appeared before Alpha Jagger. Unlike the ritual time, they wore a different cloak, a black one this time around. They bowed before the mighty Jagger, who was now seated.

"Alpha Jagger," the leader in the middle spoke.

"I'm in a foul mood, so I suggest you speak wisely," Jagger said.

"Consider me warned," the man answered. "We have discovered the reason why the sacrifice was rejected."

Jagger gave him a blank stare while his companions looked at him like he was mad. They had only discovered half of why the sacrifice was rejected, so they were taken aback by the man's opening line, but they didn't say anything to counter him.

"The presence of a strong, strange, and unwanted energy was what made the sacrifice be rejected," the leader explained.

"And where did this energy you spoke of come from? What was the source?" said Jagger, glaring.