Chapter 4

Joel's Pov

I don't babysit ever but when the Alpha of the Crescent Moon Pack told me to look after his son, I had no choice but to say yes.

I concluded the meeting with my men and dismissed them. We still hadn't found Caesar and it's been 48 hours already. Alpha Roman was already on my neck about inviting Caesar and his fiance over for dinner and we hadn't found him.

“Where the hell is he?!” I slammed my fist against my desk and hissed.

“Sir?” Someone knocked on my door and I let them in. It was Kerry, the receptionist at the station but secretly, she works for me.

“Sir, a young lady just walked in with Alpha Roman’s son.” She said.

My ears perked up. “Who?”

She passed me her iPad and I scrutinized the image she showed me.

A brunette who didn't look older than 19 walked into the station with a tall figure following behind her. She went to the front desk and lingered for a few seconds before she left. I froze the image and zoomed in on her face.

“Fucking hell!” I grabbed my coat. It's the girl from last night.

“Where are you going, sir?” Kerry asked.

“To find Caesar!” I called back. “And when the Alpha calls back, tell him Caesar is in class. He can't know his heir has lost his memory.”

*****

The university was another world of its own.

Students, young boys and girls, sat on benches talking. Some of them were kissing while the others took selfies. I grimaced at the ones kissing as I walked by. You won't dare do this in our pack.

I took out my phone and looked at the nursing department building in front of me. She was here and by she, I meant Jennifer Washington or simply Jenna. She wasn't at home when I checked so I figured she would be here in school. If she was a spy, she was a good one because I couldn't find the tracker I put on Caesar.

I grabbed a passerby dressed in just singlets and shorts and asked him where she was. He didn't know. I showed him her picture and he pointed at the department building.

“She's probably in the Dalton Hall. I swear to God. That's all I know.” He stiffened.

“Good.” I let go of him. “Now, go take a shower. You stink.”

He nodded frantically and ran off.

Just then, I turned to the direction of the building and entered. I reached Dalton Hall in no time.

I wasn't one for theatrics but I pushed the door in and entered.

A tall blonde gasped when he saw me but it wasn't him I was looking at. It was her.

Jenna's eyes widened when they met mine and she stepped in front of Caesar.

“Stay back!” She yelled.

“Jenna, who's this guy?” The blonde asked.

“Run along, boy.” I told him but he didn't move. He was shaking too much.

“Get the fuck out!” I growled at him and that did the trick. He scurried out of the room like a rat.

Caesar took Jenna's hand and held her close to him. “Don't touch her! I'm warning you!”

“I won't guarantee her safety when she threatens your life, my Lord,” I hissed at the way Caesar was holding her. Since when was he this possessive about anything not to talk of a woman?!

He bit out. “She saved me. She didn't put my life in danger!”

My eyes narrowed on Jenna who felt so small in Caesar's arms. “Is that true?”

She nodded. “Yes. I … I found him in my bathtub last night. He must've hidden in the trunk of my car. He was hurt. Badly hurt. I didn't know who hurt him but I helped him. I had to.”

“Is this true, my lord?” I asked Caesar to be sure. For all I know this girl could be working for the RedMoon pack, our sworn enemy.

“Yes,” Caesar nodded. “And who are you?”

I froze. “Sorry?”

“Who are you and what do you want with us?” He asked.

“Explain yourself.” I told Jenna.

She fiddled with her fingers. “Um… I think he lost his memories.”

My left eye twitched. “He what?”

“I'm just as surprised as you are. He doesn't even know his name.” I whispered.

“Jesus.” I dragged my hand through my hair.

“Jenna, who is he?” Caesar asked Jenna who shook her head.

I cleared my throat and answered. “My name is Nathan Sharp but my undercover name is Joel Harper. I'm Caesar's shadow and his father's beta.”

Jenna didn't look like she bought my story. I managed to change her mind after I showed her pictures of me and Caesar back in the Crescent Moon Pack.

“How did he get hurt?” She asked.

“It's a long story.” I couldn't bother her with the details. An ordinary civilian like her couldn't know.

“I have to take him home, Jenna. Thank you for your help.” I gave her a brief nod before reaching for Caesar. Before I could reach him, he grabbed my elbow and shoved me to the floor.

A gasp tore through my lips and I winced. I expected nothing less from the strongest Alpha in the pack.

“Oh my God.” Jenna screamed.

“Jenna,” Caesar said, startled. “What's wrong?”

She rushed to my side and helped me up. “Are you alright?”

Caesar's eyes darkened. “Why are you with him, Jenna?”

“Why did you push him?” she asked Caesar who marched towards her and grabbed her hand.

“Don't touch him! He doesn't belong to you! I do!” Caesar said, bringing her to his side.

Jenna was just as surprised as I was because she looked at me.

Caesar buried her face in her hair as he hugged her and I fisted my hair. How hard did he hit his head?

Well, to know the answer, we took him to an old friend of mine.

A few hours after the brain scan, Allen  called me to his office while Jenna stayed with Caesar or more like Caesar refused to leave her side.

Allen sighed as he folded his hand on his desk. “Look, Nate, I'll be very direct with you. The assassination attempt caused significant trauma to his brain. He hasn't lost all his memory, but… it's been reshaped in a strange way.”

I frowned as I leaned forward. “Reshaped? What do you mean? Does he remember me?”

He shook his head slowly. “Not clearly. His brain has latched onto the very first person he saw after waking. To him, that person is not just familiar, but deeply important.”

“What do you mean?”

“What I mean is Caesar believes Jenna is his mate.”

“His mate?” I scoffed. “But that doesn't even make any sense. He doesn't even know her.”

“Not consciously, no. But you have to understand that trauma can confuse emotional memory. Sometimes, the mind fills in the gasp with what it most desperately craves or fears to lose. Tell me… did he lose anyone close to him around the time of the assassination attempt?”

I hesitated. I couldn't tell him what happened because he also works for Alpha Roman but Allen and I have known each other for years before we joined the Crescent Moon Pack. If I tell him to keep a secret, he’ll take it to his grave.

I cleared my throat and answered. “Yes. He lost his mate.”

Allen nods gently. “Then it's possible his mind is rewriting that grief. The first person he laid eyes on became the stand-in for the one he lost. To Caesar, Jenna is the embodiment of the girl he loved.”

“So now she's the only one he sees and I'm nobody?” I feared the worst as I said it.

“It doesn't mean you're forgotten forever. With therapy, there's hope he'll recover pieces of his past but for now, she's the center of his world.”

“Fucking hell!”

*****

My gaze dropped on Jenna as I walked to where she sat. She couldn't get up because Caesar was clinging to her arm.

“What did the doctor say?” Jenna asked as I sat down beside her.

I heaved a sigh and he looked at Caesar. “He lost his memory.”

“Seriously?” she gasped. “How is he going to get it back?”

I hesitated for a moment before I shook his head. “It'll take time.”

“But what about me?” Jenna asked, trying to peel Caesar's arm off me and failing.

“That's where you come in.” I held her gaze.

“I don't understand.” Her brows furrowed.

“You're the only one that can help him.” The truth was painful but I had to admit it.

Unfortunately, Jenna wasn't having it. “What?!”

“Jenna?” Caesar called out groggily. “What's wrong?”

“Nothing. Go back to sleep.” She told him softly and sat back down.

“Okay.” He said and grabbed her arm.

“What the hell do I do?” She asked with a sigh.

I thought hard for a moment before responding with the only thing on my mind. “We're going home.”

Caesar latched onto Jenna's arms as I drove to his mansion. He equally didn't let go of her when we got out of the car.

Jenna gasped in awe as I led her into the sitting room.

My heart clenched when I looked around the place. Caesar had chosen this design when he bought the mansion. The room was high-ceilinged and there were acrylic paintings of his father and his father's before him. The place gave off an aristocratic vibe even the new Caesar appreciated it.

I call him the “new” Caesar because he's not the man I know and serve.

“This place looks cool. Is it mine?” Caesar asked.

“Yes, Lord Alpha.” I nodded with a small smile.

“Cool. Jenna and I can live here.” he giggled.

A phone rang and Caesar ran upstairs. “I'll go answer it!”

“Be careful!” Jenna called behind him as she ran cheerfully.

Then she turned to me and sighed. “Don't tell me you expect me to live here.”

“I do. You're the only one Caesar will listen to and the first person he saw when he woke up,” I walked up to her. “Don't tell me you're willing to abandon him.”

She bit her bottom lip. “I'm not. I just… I have a life before this. I can't leave everything behind.”

“I'm not asking you to. Just take care of him till he gets his memory.”

“And when will that be? 2 months? 5 months? A year? Forever?! What the hell even happened to him? Why was he covered in blood when I found him?!” She screamed.

“I'm not at liberty to discuss that with you.”

“Hey, guys!”

We both turned our heads to where Caesar stood on the staircase.

“Yeah?” Jenna asked.

“There's an old dude telling me he's my father.” Caesar said, pointing at the phone.

My face blanched.

Oh no. It's Alpha Roman.