Chapter 57

His mother’s chamber turned out to be Luna Elena’s former suite. Rowan’s mother was one of Alpha Jaxon’s many lovers who eventually had children for him since his mate was barren.
The room had been redone and was furnished with purple and gold accessories. The place looked overdone. Sunlight poured in through the large windows and I could almost see my younger self sitting beside it, nursing Domarius.
I blinked the memory away.
“To what do I owe this sudden visit?” A middle-aged woman asked.
She was covered in a fluffy robe that was out of place for such a hot day. Her tan hair was the same as Rowan’s and it was expertly styled into a beehive.
I needed no introduction to know that she was my mate’s mother. They shared the same beautiful face and radiant smile.
“Who is this?” She asked while checking me out from head to toe.
“Mother, meet Jade. She’s my mate,” said Rowan without preamble.
Her smile faded. “Excuse me?”
“Jade, meet my mother, Ria,” Rowan continued while ignoring her question.
“Is this a joke?” She asked him.
“Am I laughing?” He retorted with a straight face.
I could sense the tension that has suddenly crept into the atmosphere and I didn’t like it. This wasn’t how I envisioned my meeting with my mate’s mother.
“I am pleased to meet you, Mother,” I said warmly.
“I am not your mother,” she said icily. “I have four children and you’re not one of them.”
“What are you angry about?” Rowan asked, cutting to the chase.
“I am not angry, I’m surprised,” she said. “Who is she?”
“Do I have to repeat myself a million times? She is my mate and her name is Jade.”
“Does she have a last name? Does she belong to a pack? What is her pedigree? Who told you she is your mate?”
He sighed. “I don’t have time for this. Come on, Jade, let’s go and meet the others.”
“Are you going to introduce an unknown she-wolf to the pack as your mate?”
“She is not an unknown she-wolf!”
“I am Jade Braveheart from Apex Woods,” I said quickly. I was tired of being talked about as if I wasn’t in the room.
“Braveheart?” Ria asked. “The last I, all the Bravehearts died after those beastly triplets took over the pack.”
“Jade wasn’t there when that happened.”
“Well, where was she?”
“Here. She was a slave here when the triplets overthrew her uncle to become the pack’s Alphas.”
Ria was speechless. She staggered to a nearby chair and sat down. Her eyes landed on me again.
Rowan exhaled impatiently and began to tell her my story, starting from the very beginning when I became orphaned as a child. When he was done speaking, his mother’s face was red with rage.
“So, after this she-wolf has wasted her life jumping from one Alpha to the next and bearing children with them, she has now set her eyes on you, eh?”
“She is my mate and I will not allow you to disrespect her like that in my presence!”
“Disrespect? Rowan, have you lost your mind? Did she cast a spell on you? How can this used woman be your mate?”
“Don’t make me kick you out of this palace,” he threatened his mother. “One more insult and you’re done here.”
Ria had more things to say but she was a wise lady. She kept her mouth shut and rearranged her facial expression.
“Fine,” she said. “Welcome to the pack, Jade.”
“That’s more like it,” said Rowan. “And don’t you dare repeat a word of what you have heard here to anyone. If you do, I will forget that you’re my mother and treat you like an enemy. Is that clear?”
“Crystal,” she replied.
“Good. My love, say goodbye to my mother and let’s leave,” he said to me.
“Goodbye, Mother,” I said obediently.
“Call me Ria,” she replied coldly.
“Goodbye, Ria,” I said.
“Will you join us for dinner tonight?” He asked her.
“Do I have a choice?” She replied.
“I’ll take that as a no.”
“I’ll be there,” she said dryly.
“Splendid,” he replied with her level of enthusiasm.
We left her room and I finally exhaled the breath I’d been holding.
“That went well,” I commented dryly.
“Don’t let her attitude bother you. My mother is a diva. She likes to blow everything out of proportion. Her room is a perfect example of that.”
I couldn’t help but giggle. “Don’t be rude. That’s your mother.”
“You don’t have to tell me,” he chuckled.
“But seriously, she doesn’t like me.”
“So?”
“So, I don’t want to clash with her all the time. I’ve been down that road before.”
He smiled slowly but the smile did not reach his icy eyes. “Listen, my love. This is my territory. I rule here, I am the law and my word is final. Nobody, and I repeat, nobody will dare hurt even a strand of hair on your head. Not even my mother.
“You are now an extension of me. Whoever disrespects you, disrespects me and I assure you, they all know the consequences of attempting that.”
I didn’t know it was possible for me to love Rowan even more but I did. Tears of joy stung my eyes and I didn’t bother to hide them. They ran down my cheeks and he swiped them away with his thumbs.
“Didn’t I say I love you?” He asked me softly. “Don’t you believe me?”
“I believe you, my love,” I replied. “I believe you.”
We kissed passionately and then we went to the dining room where lunch was already being laid out. The palace staff functioned efficiently like a perfectly oiled clock. Rowan didn’t have to yell out orders every five minutes before they knew what to do.
I noticed the curious gazes from the staff and I could guess what they were thinking. Rowan summoned Tarik to join us at the table and he almost fainted when he saw me.
He had aged even more than the last time I saw him. We told him our happy news which surprised him greatly. Rowan expressed his intention to abolish slavery in the Highlands and credited me as the brain behind the decision.
“Thank you for finding your way back here, Jade,” said Tarik. “Thanks to you, many innocent werewolves will finally regain their freedom and be united with their packs.”
I smiled. “I wish this had happened sooner, but you know what they say, better late than never.”
“I agree,” he said. “Thank you, Alpha Rowan. You have earned my respect even more.”
Rowan grinned. “I never thought I would ever see you smile. Well, I’m glad everyone is happy. Now, let’s introduce Jade to the rest of the pack, shall we?”
The news of Alpha Rowan finally finding his mate did not receive as much jubilation as the news of his decision to end slavery in the Highlands. Work was suspended throughout the territory as everyone celebrated the new era.
I was instantly the star of the moment once Rowan told them that it was all my idea. I was renamed the Luna of Freedom. Nobody cared about my pedigree or my past. They were simply overjoyed that a new season of change had come to the Highlands.
Everyone in the pack welcomed me warmly. I met Rowan’s siblings; Rayne, his younger brother, Rita and Reese, his younger sisters who were twins.
The rest of the day was spent in festivities. Some of the Gypsies came to greet me before they left the Highlands. Cherise decided to stay and be my personal maid, while Ebbie and the others decided to travel up north to join Gertrude and the rest of their pack.
I cannot remember any time in my life that I felt this fulfilled. My life finally felt meaningful. The years of suffering and being tossed about were finally worth it.
At least, one part of my quest has been sorted. The next one was still pending but it could wait. For now, let me enjoy my moment in the spotlight. I deserve it.
“Aren’t you a clever wolf?” Said Ria, coming to join me where I stood, watching the festivities.
I smiled at her. She was a wannabe Gertrude but unlike my former mother-in-law, this one didn’t stand a chance to bully me. Not when I know that Rowan would throw her out if I so much as whispered to him that she was bothering me.
“You may have successfully latched your claws into my son but don’t think you can fool me,” she said. “I see through you.”
“I’m glad you do,” I replied. “Listen, Ria. I want us to be friends, mostly for the sake of your son. But if you would rather be my enemy, I won’t stop you.”
She snorted. “Friends? Why would I want to be friends with a whore?”
“Because this whore has the power to have you kicked out of this palace,” I replied calmly. “Don’t cross me, Ria. If you do, the outcome won’t be pretty.”
I walked away from her and let her stew in her anger. It felt good to be this powerful.