Chapter 49

When we arrived at Apex Woods, my heart quivered with fear. The place had become a shadow of its old self. Everyone looked gloomy and jumpy.
“They’re probably mourning Alpha Darius’ death,” Jon explained to me. “Alpha Dominic brought him back home to bury.”
“A pity,” I said but I felt no remorse. I could have been dead too if it hadn’t been for Hycinth who gave up his life to save mine.
The guards at the palace gates let us in without a question. I walked into the courtyard with my head held high. I wasn’t a criminal and I would not act like one.
People stared and whispered as we passed but I ignored them all. Let them talk. It didn’t make any difference to me.
Jon announced our arrival to one of the Alphas’ Beta and he hurried inside to notify them. When he returned, he told us to go to the throne room to wait for them.
A few seconds later, Dominic strode in. He looked dishevelled and his eyes were bloodshot.
“Well done, Beta Jon,” he said gruffly. “You have made me proud today.”
“I am happy to hear that, my lord,” said Jon meekly.
“You may leave now. Go and be with your family.”
“Thank you, my lord,” said Jon with relief. He looked at me with sadness in his eyes before he left. He hadn’t spoken a word to me but I saw his apology in his eyes.
“So, we meet again, Jade,” Dominic said to me with a sinister grin.
“What now?” I asked him fearlessly.
“Oh, you’ll see,” he said gleefully. “When we are done with you, you will beg for death but you will not get it. That promise you.”
“What you’re doing to me is unfair,” I complained.
“Save it!” He snapped at me. “What do you know about fairness? Do you think it is fair that we are bound to you when we don’t want to be anymore? Do you think it is fair that I want you near me as much as I want you dead?”
“That isn’t my fault is it?” I asked. “I never asked for any of this!”
“No, it’s not your fault,” he said and dug his hand into his pants pocket. He brought out the necklace that has now become the symbol of my suffering.
“It is the fault of this cursed thing that our mother left with us,” he said. “Take it. It will be around your neck when you die and we shall bury you with it.”
He threw the necklace at me and the pendant hit my forehead before it landed on the floor.
“Pick it up and wear it!” He ordered me.
I didn’t want to obey him but there was murder in his eyes. I don’t want to tempt fate and see if he would kill me or not, so I bent down and picked up the necklace.
When I wore it around my neck, the pendant began to glow. That hadn’t happened in a very long time.
“Well, I can see the evil thing remembers you,” said Dominic with disgust.
“I know someone who can destroy this thing and break whatever is inside of it that keeps us bound to each other,” I said eagerly. I hoped that he would agree with my suggestion.
“Destroy it? Why would I destroy it and miss out on the chance to finally torture you to death?”
I was confused. “But you said – “
“Hush!” He snapped. “We have talked enough. Guards, take her to the underground chambers. We must not keep Damian waiting any longer.”
“What? What underground chambers?” I asked anxiously.
Dominic replied with an evil smile. “I know you grew up in this palace, but there are so many things you don’t know about it.”
Before I could speak again, two heavy-built Betas grabbed my arms and began to drag me roughly out of the throne room.
“No! Dominic, don’t do this!” I protested. I struggled with all of my strength but it was useless. The guys had me in a tight grip.
“Don’t worry, Jade. You’re going to be reunited with your dead son very soon,” said Dominic. “I’m sure he’s waiting to see you too.”
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I lost my temper when Dominic mentioned my son. How dare he? How dare he disrespect the memory of my son like that?
Without even thinking about it, I shifted into my wolf form so swiftly that I caught the Betas by surprise. I was instantly free from their grip and they were staring at me in awe.
I did a quick U-turn and headed in Dominic’s direction. My fangs were bared and I was ready to tear him apart limb by limb!
He didn’t move. He just stood there waiting for me to come at him. Waiting for me to make my move. He wanted to see what I got.
I jumped at him, aiming for his throat but he caught me before I could pounce on him. He grabbed me by my neck and hauled me off. I crashed into the seats on the left side of the room.
The Betas rushed towards me but he called them off immediately.
“Leave her alone,” he said to them. “She’s mine. Let her come to me.”
His confidence pissed me off. I ran toward him again and when I jumped at him, he tried to throw me away with the same move but I was ready this time.
I swiped my paws downward and slashed his forearm before he could push me away. He yelped when my sharp claws connected with his skin, drawing blood.
“You bitch!” He shouted at me. “Now, you’re going to get it!”
He came to me where I was lying on the ground after he had flung me away for the second time. He reached down to drag me but I bit his hands. He kicked my belly in response and dragged me by the fur on my back.
“I can see you’ve learned some new tricks while you were away,” he said.
“Would you like to see more?” I asked him through clenched teeth.
“Don’t make me kill you here,” he growled. “You’re probably trying to bait me into killing you, but you don’t deserve an easy death. You will die slowly and painfully.”
“Why? What did I ever do to you and your brothers?”
“The question is, what did we ever do to you besides love and care for you?” He fired back at me. “But how did you repay our love and care? With a betrayal!”
“I never betrayed you!” I shouted at him. “You were fed so many lies by Brianna and you couldn’t see through the holes in her story even after I came back and told you the truth.”
“Do not insult Brianna’s memory!”
“But you can insult our son’s memory? You’re going so hard for her even though she was never your mate. I was!”
“She was more of a mate to us than you can ever hope to be,” he retorted. “She was obedient and dependable. Unlike you who ran away at the first sign of trouble.”
I couldn’t believe my ears. Brianna was obedient and dependable? How? Are we talking about the same Brianna?s
We had reached the stairwell that led to the basement of the palace. It was a part of the building that I had never been to or wished to be in. It was the section where my uncle tortured his enemies and disobedient servants.
“Where are you taking me?” I asked Dominic as he continued to drag me along with him.
“To the place where you will spend the rest of your miserable life,” he responded harshly.
“Don’t do this,” I pleaded with him. “You know I don’t deserve any of this harsh treatment from you or your brothers.”
“Tell that to Damian when you see him,” he replied curtly. “If it wasn’t for you, Darius would still be alive.”
His words reminded me of Gertrude. She too had blamed me for Hycinth’s death. Now, who should I blame for my misfortunes?
We finally reached the basement which smelled like rusty metals. It was dark but as soon as my eyes adjusted to it, I could see Damian sitting quietly on a bench. His legs had been cut off from the knees downward.
I know he had been mean to me in the past like his brothers, but seeing him like that made me feel sorry for him. He was watching my entrance with cold eyes.
“So, she finally returns,” he said.
“I promised you that I would bring her back, didn’t I?” Dominic replied.
“But you didn’t. Was it Jon that brought her or did she return by herself?” Damian asked.
“Does it matter? She’s here, isn’t she?” Dominic snapped.
Damian pinned me with a hard look. “I don’t know what our mother did with that stupid necklace on your neck. But whatever it was, it destroyed our lives by linking us with an unfortunate she-wolf like you.”
“That’s an unkind thing to say,” I answered.
“Shut up!” He shouted at me. “First of all, why the hell did she bind us to one mate? And second, why do we hate you but want you at the same time? It’s driving me nuts.”
“None of that is my doing,” I replied. “I am just a victim like you guys.”
“I am not a victim!” Damian shouted. “Maybe when you die, we will finally be free of you.”
“I agree,” said Dominic.
“No, it’s not me. I’m not the problem. It’s the necklace,” I said desperately. “I met Nana’s daughter on my way to the east and she told me that she could destroy the necklace if I give it to her.”
“Freya is just as clueless as her mother,” said Dominic. “I wouldn’t trust a word that comes out of her mouth.”
“Enough of the talking now,” said Damian. “Tie her up.”