Chapter 543
The Alpha’s Unwanted Bride
Chapter 1
“Why do you say that?” Xaden asked puzzled.
She shrugged.
She couldn’t tell him that because she was a liar, manipulative, a thief, a literal murderer now.
She couldn’t tell him the truth of what and who she truly was.
So she shrugged. “Nothing. I’m just me perhaps.”
“If it’s because of all the terrible things you went through in the moonlight pack, it wasn’t your fault.” He said.
What she went through?
In her entire life she had never had it hard.
At least not until he had taken over their pack.
He still thought that she had witnessed so many cruelties.
That she had lived Jasmine’s life.
If only he knew.
“You experienced her.” Anna sighed. “So you have to remember somethings about her. Right?”
Xaden sighed. “She was everything. How she cared for the pack. How she cared for you when you were a baby.”
He gave a weak smile. “Everyone loved her. She was the light of this pack. And she loved you. She loved everyone. Father was father. She made him melt. She was his soft spot. She just made everything better. She would walk and heads would turn. You look exactly like her. That’s why they his you from me. Because if I had seen you, I would have known.”
She gave a bitter laugh. “So if I had been made to marry you the way Jasmine was, then you would have known it was me? We won’t have committed incest.”
He laughed. “Thank the Goddess that didn’t happen. But yes. I would have known it was you.”
“Even if my scent was hidden?” She asked.
Because that was what had happened.
She remembered them hiding her scent the day he had taken over the pack.
She had thought that it was because they simply didn’t want him to know they had switched Jasmine in his place.
Apparently there had been other ulterior motives.
“Even if your scent was hidden.” He nodded.
Anna was quiet for a while. Before asking the question that had baffled her mind for the longest time since she had come to know who she truly was.
“How did she die?” Anna asked quietly.
He seemed hesitant. “She was killed the night the pack was ransacked. By Alpha Bale.”
Anna felt like there was more.
There was more to how she had died.
But she knew when not to push.
Xaden didn’t want to talk about it so she understood that.
She respected that.
And she wasn’t so sure she really wanted to know how considering how terribly wolf wars were.
She shivered.
And the name came through her like an epiphany.
Alpha Bale.
Jasmine’s father.
The man who had stolen her and raised her as his own.
She wished she could kill Bale and his wife herself.
She wished she had been given the chance to.
After all, they had taken away her life.
Ripped her out of where she belonged.
Turned her into this hateful person.
It was their fault.
And since they were not here to receive the blunt of her anger, Jasmine was.
At least his daughter.
Bastard daughter.
Anna loathed her with everything in her power.
She felt her hate for Jasmine re-emerge.
She sighed heavily and flared her nostrils.
“And Jasmine’s father did all this to our parents? Betrayed them?” She asked.
She didn’t say Bale or her adoptive father, rather she said Jasmine’s father because it was her way of reminding Xaden who Jasmine was.
It was a way of her telling him that a Jasmine was and would forever be the daughter of the enemy.
It seemed to work as his face became hardened.
“Yes he did.” Xaden nodded.
Anna said nothing for a short while and then she looked down at her hands.
“Why is she here Xaden?” Anna asked. “After everything her family did to us. After how she has done to me. After what she had done to even you. She is still here. Why?”
Xaden was quiet about it for a while.
“There are things I can’t explain to you. Not now at least.” Xaden said. “But it will make sense later.”
Anna frowned.
“You’re wondering if mother would have liked the way you turn out. It’s me who should be worried. Mother would hate to see me as who I am. I became everything she preached against.” He said.
He rubbed his muscular arms. “At least yoy don’t remember her. I do. I remember everything she ever thought me. Every song she ever sang. I remember it all. Mother would hate me if she sees what I am today.”
“You don’t mean that.” Anna said.
“You don’t know the things I have done.” He said in such a cold and dangerous manner that gave Anna chills.
She said nothing.
It seemed brother and sister both had made terrible decisions and were headed in terrible directions.
But Anna consoled herself that hers was for the best.
“Are you going to marry Lily?” She asked.
“No. I rejected her before she left. She doesn’t need a complicated man like me in her life.” He said and with that he stood up, offered her his hand. “You should eat some food before you go to bed.”
“I’ve already eaten.” She lied.
She couldn’t eat because she was alone.
Everyone was hurdled in groups laughing around fires and she eating outside alone would make her sad.
She rose up. “I will be going to my tent.”
He escorted her to the arranged tent that had been made lay in wait.
He kissed her forehead.
“I think it’s time we moved on.” He said.
She was absolutely confused.
Moved on?
From what?
He kissed her head. “Goodnight.”
And in a split second before she could ask him, he was already gone.
❧
Jasmine had been seated with Nanny Nia throughout and had eventually decided it was time for her to retire.
Nanny Nia was ordering the servants on cleaning the plates, so Jasmine simply got up and headed to her tent.
Later Nanny Nia would join her.
It was dark and the moonlight gave rays so she was able to see.
She gently took off her clothes and sighed to herself.
She turned around naked and saw Xaden.