Chapter 78

“Oh, you’re not Sasha,” she said and stepped away from me. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to bother you.”
“It’s ok, Lynda. What are you doing out here?”
She gasped. “How did you know my name? Who are you?”
I did my best not to roll my eyes. How many more times would I have to explain myself in this life?
“Just a lucky guess,” I said with a smile. “Where did Sasha go and why are you not in the palace?”
“I don’t know where she went. Alpha Jaxon ordered me to look for her or we’d all be in trouble. He’s obsessed with her.”
“Oh, that’s… new. Why did she leave?”
“Well, after Luna Elena died, Alpha Jaxon took a special liking to her. He never asks to be with any of us but her. Even at that, he’s cruel to her. She managed to escape from the palace and now he wants her back by any means.”
“There she is, Sasha!”
Lynda and I looked back and we saw Tarik and Banjo, followed by a few palace guards, coming our way.
“Where the hell have you been?” Tarik shouted at me. “We’ve been looking all over for you!”
“Are you blind? I’m not Sasha,” I retorted.
“I don’t care what you’re called but you’ll do just fine. Take her!”
“What? Wait!”
The guards ignored my protests and carried me like a log of wood. No matter how hard I struggled, I couldn’t free myself from their grip.
“Lynda, say something! Tell them I’m not Sasha!”
She shook her head in denial while wringing her fingers nervously. “I can’t say that. You have to be Sasha for us. You have to be.”
“No!” I screamed and struggled but it was useless.
I was carted away like cargo to the palace. Once we got there, Lynda was ordered to take me to the concubines’ quarters and get me ready to meet Alpha Jaxon.
“Lynda, what is wrong with you? Why wouldn’t you tell them that I’m not Sasha?”
“Listen, it’s all for the best. Once Alpha Jaxon is in a good mood again, everything will be all right. Trust me.”
“But he’s going to see that I’m not Sasha. What happens then?”
“The truth is, you do look like Sasha. You have her hair colour and similar features. With the right makeup, you’ll look just like her.”
“No. I didn’t come to the Highlands to be passed off as a runaway concubine. I came here to find a Moon Pack seer.”
“Why? What for?”
I brought out the wolf head necklace and showed it to her. “Because of this thing. I need to destroy it.”
Lynda was intrigued by it. “It’s beautiful.”
“And cursed. If I don’t destroy it, I’ll keep running for my life. Where will I find the seer?”
“You know what, I’ll keep this for you. After you’ve seen Alpha Jaxon, I’ll take you into the town and find the seer.”
“For real?”
“For real. Now, let’s get you ready. We mustn’t keep Alpha Jaxon waiting.”

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

“Here she is, my lord,” Tarik announced as he led me into Alpha Jaxon’s lair.
“Leave us,” he growled and Tarik promptly disappeared.
Alpha Jaxon watched me warily like a predator. He was sitting on a wingbacked chair, nursing a goblet of wine. His beard was overgrown and his bloodshot eyes told me that he was piss drunk.
“Where have you been?” He asked me. His deep voice rumbled like thunder.
“I – I…”
“Answer me!” He barked and I nearly peed on myself.
Why the hell did I agree to this? Why did I let Lynda talk me into this nonsense? I wasn’t even Sasha, so why should I receive her punishment?
“I’m not Sasha,” I blurted out fearfully.
“That’s not the answer to my question,” he rumbled again. “I will ask you one more time only.”
I swallowed hard. My heart was pounding wildly in my chest.
“Where… have… you… been?”
I began to shiver with fear. “I am not Sasha,” I repeated stubbornly.
He was out of his chair like a shot and was standing in front of me within a second. He grabbed my throat and lifted me off the floor.
“Where did you fucking go?” He shouted.
His window shattered and Dominic jumped in through it. “Found you!” He said gleefully.
Alpha Jaxon dropped me on the floor and faced the intruder with a stormy frown.
“Who the hell are you?” He asked angrily.
“I have no business with you,” replied Dominic. “Step out of the way and let me avenge my brothers.”
“I don’t give a shit about you and your damned brothers. Get the fuck out of my room. Now!”
“Have it your way then,” said Dominic and he lunged at Alpha Jaxon.
Even in his drunken state, he was a brutal fighter. He didn’t even bother to shift into his wolf form for this fight. His fists were pummelling Dominic like a baker punching dough.
I took the opportunity to run out of the room. I had to find my way to the harem and get the necklace from Lynda. As I ran across the palace halls, a familiar scent hit my nostrils.
“Rowan!” I gasped. I followed the scent and it led me to the back stairs near the kitchen. Within seconds, I was on the balcony where I’d first met him.
He was standing there like he did that day but this time, he was staring off into the distance. He seemed to catch a whiff of my scent because he turned and looked right at me.
“Jade,” he whispered.
“What? You recognize me?”
He smiled. “Of course, I recognize you. Why wouldn’t I?”
I was confused. “But… nobody recognizes me. How did you –?”
“I would recognize you in any lifetime, Jade. You’re my true mate. You’re the other half of me.”
I heard commotions coming from downstairs and I remembered what I was looking for. “Wait for me here. I have to go to the harem and get the mate necklace from Lynda.”
“Who is Lynda?”
“Are you kidding me?” I groaned impatiently. “You recognize me but you don’t know who Lynda is?”
“I would if you told me,” he said with a charming smile.
I wanted to run to him and hug him tightly but there was no time for that. If Alpha Jaxon didn’t succeed in killing Dominic, he would come after me again.
“Just wait here, ok? I’ll be back in a – “
The rest of my statement was knocked out of me when Dominic dove at me. Well fell over the balcony and landed downstairs on a bed of flowers.
Before Dominic could get back on his feet and come for me again, Rowan jumped downstairs, transforming into his wolf self as he did. He landed between me and my enemy.
“How dare you,” he growled at Dominic. “How dare you attack my mate like that?”
“I don’t care if she’s your mother. She owes me and she must pay!”
“The only person paying here is you. With your life!”
Dominic bared his fangs menacingly. “I can still taste your father’s blood on my tongue. I wonder what yours tastes like.”
“You bastard!” Rowan snarled and lunged at Dominic.
The Alphas began to fight like sworn enemies and it wasn’t a pretty sight. I got on my feet and ran back into the palace. I needed to find Lynda quickly.
When I got to the harem, the place was empty. Neither concubines nor furniture was to be found there. The place had been stripped bare!
“What the hell!” I yelled in frustration. The only response I got was the echo of my voice. I ran outside and met Tarik walking with his head bowed.
“Tarik, where’s everyone?” I asked him.
“How should I know?” He replied dismissively. “Alpha Jaxon is dead. Nothing else matters.”
I sighed impatiently and ran downstairs. Maybe Lynda was in the kitchen. Maybe she was –
“Why are you always running?” Someone asked.
I stopped in my tracks and looked at who had spoken. It was Lunaria.