Chapter 9

Jackson’s Pov

“Why are you following me?” I demanded, my voice low and even. “I want to be alone.”

My guards exchanged uneasy glances before one of them voiced out.

“Are you sure your-“ I cut him off with a sharp gesture.

“Get out!” I barked at them, myriad emotions washing through me.

They bowed in respect, and left immediately. I slammed my fists against the wall, the sound echoing through the empty hallway as I stomped my feet in frustration.

She was my mate... My Luna… Mine. How could she leave with Aiden for another Pack?

They had even met before now. This was all messed up.

Rose didn’t even think twice before accepting my rejection. What audacity? She was something else.

My wolf paced restlessly, its frustration and anger reflecting mine.

God Damn it.

I rejected her because she was weak and helpless. I couldn’t settle for less. And no one would ever accept a low life wolf like her, not to talk of me, the Alpha Prince. Even if I didn’t have her, no one else would, that was my satisfaction. But Aiden… he caught me unawares. He did not just fight for her, but also took her to his pack to become his citizen.

No way. Aiden crossed the line.

I wanted to tear his flesh apart and claim Rose as mine. But he was too strong for me, and way above me. Maybe I’d be dead by now if I had dared to do it.

This was all Diva’s fault. That fool…

Ah. This hurt like hell.

What baffled me the most was how he looked at her, touched her, stroked her hair, stood up for her. I almost went insane while gazing at them. My heart kept bleeding in agony. My woman in the arms of another man?

Rose even had the nerves to talk back at me, humiliating and shaming me in front of my subjects. This was definitely the worst day of my life.

Everyone now knows I was mated to Rose, what a shame. I’m sure they must have said a lot.

But I won’t deny the fact that I felt something for her.

Something genuine, strong and filled with emotions. But I couldn’t let my ego down.

The worst part of it was when that old fool, who was also my father, approved Aiden to take Rose with him to his Pack. He couldn’t even do anything. Such a coward.

If he wasn’t my father and the King, the moon goddess knows I would have taught him a huge lesson. His words kept ringing in my head.

I suddenly got interrupted in my thoughts by one of the guards, “Your-“ I almost gave him a blow until he voiced out quickly in his shaking voice, not having a breathing space,

“The King asks for your presence immediately, my Lord.”

I thumped my hand down in frustration, adjusting my clothes and stormed off.

Indeed, I needed to see him and give him a piece of my mind because I was going insane.

I barged into his office, slamming the door behind. The old man let out a sigh, stamping his hand on his forehead and shaking it.

“Dad, what was that supposed to mean?” I snapped..

He stared at me with his lips tightened. His expression unreadable. I became more infuriated at his silence, my anger boiling excessively.

“You did nothing to stop Aiden from taking Rose . You have no idea what you’ve done. How could you just dance to his tunes in your pack? Aren’t you the Alpha of this pack?”

He began to chortle forcefully, putting his hands round his belly. I stood there, seething. He was such a pain in the neck. I felt like strangling him while he kept cackling.

Trying to hold his breath, he voiced out, “How could you be this stupid son? You detested and rejected Rose because she’s a lowborn slave and now you want her back?”

“I never said that father!”

“Then what do you want? To make her your second mate? You know it’s against the werewolf council to have two mates. And anyone who does that would be banished.” He said in his hoarse voice.

“You see my son,” he paused, using his tongue to brush on his lips, “you don’t have a good sense of reasoning and this is the reason I haven’t made you king yet. Besides, I couldn’t have disobeyed his others, he’s a Lycan…way above our league. If I had, I don’t know what would have become of me now. Diva is beautiful, strong, elegant and fit to be your Luna, what do you need from Rose that Diva doesn’t have? When Diva gets released, you would mark her and we would conduct your mating ceremony.”

I balled my fingers in annoyance, taking deep breaths trying to control my annoyance.

“Now I order you to go check on Diva in the dungeon!” He blurted out, banging his fist on the table.

“And what if-“

“Don’t you dare question my authority, son..” He let out a growl, “I’ve made my decision and you’ll respect them.”

I let out a frustrated sigh, and banged the door.

If my father hadn’t ordered me to go see Diva, I wouldn’t have, I swear, not even in this state. I didn’t really feel something genuine for her. I only wanted her by my side because she was an aristocrat, presentable, strong and also my sex toy. I wasn’t even scared that she would stay in the dungeon for days.

Arriving at the dungeon, I asked the dungeon guard to take me where Diva was. There she was, laying helplessly on the floor. As soon as she sighted me, she quickly got up, a glimpse of hope flashing in her eyes.

“I- I knew you’d come for me…” She said, sobbing and stuttering on her words.

“When I get released from this dungeon,” she said with a little smile placed on her lips, “we will be together forever. Now nothing can stop us, Rose is gone for good.”

As I looked at her, I couldn’t wave off the feeling that I was settling for something less than I truly wished for.