Chapter 33

When I got to the river, I sat at the bank and simply listened to the calming sounds of the water flowing past. It reminded me of the day I met Dominic for the first time.
Oh, how my heart had thrilled with joy when I felt that mate bond with him as soon as he came close to me. It was by far the most memorable day of my life.
Meeting him had felt like the end of my struggles in Apex Woods. I could still remember how I had looked forward to the rest of my life with him.
But today, that same Dominic was hellbent on dragging me to the same palace where I suffered for years, to be killed by his brothers. What went wrong? What possessed them to turn against me like that?
And what was this business about me having multiple mates? Why? Why me?
I had to shake off my sadness and remind myself why I came to the river. I finally grabbed the fishing net and tossed it into the river.
I didn’t know much about fishing and Sasha knows. She would totally understand if I returned to the cabin without a fish.
I wasn’t sure how much time had passed since I came here, but if I were to guess, I would say about an hour or so.
The end of the net that was in my hand vibrated, letting me know that I had caught some fish. I smiled happily and dragged my loot with joy. I had caught almost a dozen freshwater fishes and they wiggled in my net as I carried them.
Sasha would be surprised. I had never caught any fish before each time we went fishing, so this would surely knock her socks off.
When I reached the cabin, I went to the back so that I could enter through the kitchen. I didn’t want to disturb Hazim if he was sleeping and I also did not want to drip fish water all over the floor as well.
As I passed the kitchen window, I heard a rattling sound followed by deep moans. I paused to listen and realized that the moans were coming from Sasha and Hazim.
The fishnet dropped from my hands and landed on the ground with a muffled thud. What the hell were they up to?
I stepped up to the kitchen window and my jaw dropped when I saw what was going on inside. Sasha was on her kitchen cabinet with her legs spread wide apart, while Hazim stood in front of her butt naked and fucking her like a possessed ram.
The rattling sounds were coming from the utensils inside the cabinet as she rocked back and forth to Hazim’s thrusts.
I was amazed. Wasn’t this the same Sasha that couldn’t stand the sight of Hazim just a few hours ago? Didn’t she say she was over him? Hadn’t she claimed that she was never in love with him? I thought she said she was done with male werewolves in general.
Jealousy rose inside me like bile. Its bitterness twisted my insides into tight knots. Why didn’t I see this coming? Why did I always have to lose my man to another woman?
Wait. Hazim was never mine, was he?
I sighed and walked away from the window. The lovers were so absorbed in their lovemaking that they didn’t hear me or noticed that they were being watched.
I didn’t know where I was going but I just kept walking. Maybe I was doomed to be unhappy forever. My mates hated me, I kept getting replaced and I have nowhere to go.
Tears flowed from my eyes, drenching my face. What did I ever do to deserve such a miserable life? What was my offence?
I saw the river stretched out in front of me and a horrible thought occurred to me. Perhaps I should drown myself and end this nightmare I called my life.
Yes, that’s what I’ll do. I kill myself and end this stupid story!
I threw myself into the river and closed my eyes. It welcomed me with cold arms and sucked me under within seconds. Ah… finally. Peace at last.

*******************

“Hey, wake up.”
My eyes fluttered open. I blinked but I saw nothing. Then suddenly, light!
“Ouch!” I groaned and closed my eyes again.
“I’m glad you finally woke up,” said the elderly man holding a lantern close to my face. “I was almost about to toss you back into the river.”
I knew he didn’t mean that because I could hear the smile in his voice. I was on a boat and I was soaking wet. When I shivered from the cold, he grabbed a smelly wool blanket and covered me with it.
He was probably expecting me to thank him for rescuing me from the river but I didn’t feel grateful. I was angry. Very angry.
“Why did you bring me out of the river?” I asked him testily.
The old man grinned. “And here I was, thinking I had done a good deed today.”
He held the edge of his raggedy wool cap and said, “I apologize, my lady. I thought I was helping you.”
“No, you weren’t,” I snapped at him. “I wanted to die. I don’t want to be in this world anymore. I have never been lucky and I can’t even be allowed to die in peace!”
“Oh, well. Let me have my blanket back, then,” he said and reached for the blanket.
I held onto it when he pulled it and a small tug of war began. He pulled and I pulled too until the weak fabric gave way and ripped into two equal pieces.
“What is wrong with you?” He asked me. “Didn’t you say you want to die?”
“That was before you fished me out of the river without my permission!”
“Well, then allow me to toss you right back in,” he said and grabbed one of my legs. “Goodbye, Miss Smartypants.”
“Leave me alone!” I yelled at him.
He let me go immediately. “That’s what I thought,” he said smugly and spread the other half of the blanket on my body.
“I thought I had caught the biggest fish in my entire career of fishing, but it turned out to be a wet woman in an ugly dress with the most confusing haircut I’ve ever seen.”
I chuckled. His comment about my hair was funny and I couldn’t hold in my laughter.
“That’s more like it,” he said, smiling at me. “You have got the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen. They match your necklace pendant perfectly.”
“I should probably toss it in the river,” I said, rolling my eyes. “It has brought nothing to me but bad luck.”
“I don’t believe in such things,” he said. “We make our own luck.”
“Whatever…” I said dismissively. “Life sucks.”
The man smiled kindly. “Maybe. I just don’t understand what a young woman like you could have endured making you see life this way. You are barely three decades old, if at all.”
“A lot of horrors can happen in three decades,” I said.
“I agree,” he replied. “I haven’t had a perfect life myself, but I have learned to make lemonade at of the lemons life throws at me.”
I yawned. “I am not in the mood for motivational speeches.”
“You’re such a charming lady,” he said sarcastically.
I giggled. “I try.”
We continued our journey in silence for a while. The boat cruised slowly across the water and the swaying motion made me feel sleepy.
“Where are we going?” I asked drowsily.
“To the village,” he replied. “If you don’t mind, I would like to take you to my home.”
I gave him a suspicious look. Was this the same man that imprisoned Dominic for two years? No, Dominic killed him, didn’t he?
“Have no fear, child,” he said when he saw my expression. “I will not hurt you. My wife and I will care for you today and you can continue your journey tomorrow. The evening is already drawing near as you can see.”
“Did you once have a stranger living with you?”
He frowned with confusion. “No. My wife and I live alone. We don’t have children either. Trust me, you’ll be safe with us.”
It wasn’t like I had a choice. It was either I went home with him or I threw myself back into the river and drowned for real this time. But… I was no longer in the mood to die. That moment had passed.
“Fine,” I said. “Let’s go, but I must warn you, I will not hesitate to defend myself in any way possible if I suspect foul play from you and your wife.”
He grinned. “I wouldn’t expect anything less.”
Something about his fatherly nature warmed my heart. Maybe he was truly harmless, after all. I drifted off to sleep and when I woke up, it was late evening and the old man was tying up his boat at the dock.
“Arise and shine,” he said jovially. “It’s time to get on your feet and follow me home. My name is Albert, by the way.”
“Hello, Albert By-the-way,” I replied. “I’m Jade.”
He laughed. “So, you do have a sense of humour after all. Is that your real name?”
“Yes,” I said.
“It suits you perfectly.”
“So everyone says.”
“Come on, let’s get off this tired boat.”
He gave me a hand and helped me climb out of the boat. He carried a small basket of fish with him and we walked side-by-side on the dock.