Chapter 38: Chapter 38

Ashley

It's been a week since I agreed to become Jason's mate, but he is yet to bring back my baby and Oliver to me.

He has been training his men for the battle against my former pack and he has insisted that I allow him to mark me as that is the only way he can trust the fact that I won't run away once I get hold of my baby and Oliver.

I have been adamant all this while, but even I have reached my breaking point. The thought of not seeing my baby, and not knowing his whereabouts is silently killing me.

I had earlier told him to call the elders for the marking ceremony, I feel so wretched knowing that I have no other choice.

To think that I hate Jason so much is making me flinch at the thought of being marked by him, he is a con master.

He is desperate and would stop at nothing to achieve his selfish goal, but I have tried.

I can't wait to hold my baby and Oliver once again, they are the only ones that remind me of Alexander and I will do all it takes to keep them safe.

The sudden knock on the door gave me a little startled as I have been sitting on my bed lost in thoughts.

The door opened and one of Jason's servants walked in, she is an omega not more than fifteen years old.

Jason treats his servants badly and most times sleep with them at will, sometimes I can't help but imagine who and who he has slept with in the palace.

I feel so disrespected knowing that I am going to be his mate.

Mark or no mark, I plan on escaping once I get hold of my children. I can't live with him, he is a monster.

“The alpha has asked me to bring you to him as the elders are waiting,” she said bowing her head as a sign of respect.

“Tell him I will join him soon,” I said, quickly saying to dismiss her, as I wanted to be left with my thoughts.

But I noticed she wouldn't move an inch from where she stood.

I knew It was useless to scold the poor girl because I knew she was acting under Jason's instructions.

I took in a deep breath and exhaled out slowly, while once again giving myself a mental boost of why I was doing this.

I stood up and walked up to the mirror stand to have a final look at myself, I had not prepared much for the occasion.

I was in a regular knee-length dress with no makeup whatsoever and my hair unbounded, but sadly my face was looking perfect and I wished it was not.

There is nothing about this occasion that brings me any sense of joy. I rather feel helpless buying into Jason's cheap blackmail.

When I was done staring at my sad self in the mirror I gestured for the maid to lead the way.

We soon got to the sitting room and were welcomed by a mini crowd of people which majorly comprises the elders in his pack and a few unknown faces.

I couldn't help but notice some not-so-friendly faces among them, especially the faces of the women who would rather have their daughters marry the monster they call an alpha.

I walked in to see Jason eye fucking one of his servants and watched him smirk at me as soon as he notices my presence.

But I just ignored him and went ahead to stand in the middle of the sitting room so we can get the ceremony over with.

I couldn't help but reminisce on the night I had gotten alexander's mark, even though I was still getting to know him, but it felt right.

This one here feels all shades of wrong.

One of the elders stood up, he is an elderly man about fifty years old. He walked over to where I was standing and gestured for Jason to join us also which he did.

I couldn't tell his feelings about the whole marking ceremony, if he was not in support of the ceremony, then he did a good job of not letting it show.

“Before we proceed, you will have to renounce the bond between you and your ex-mate,” the elderly man said to me gently.

I gulped down hard on my saliva as the sad reality of what I was about to do hit me hard.

Unbinding my soul tie would mean that I was no longer connected to him, that I wouldn't be affected by the mere thought of him or even when I say his name.

The little butterflies that always bubble whenever I thought of him would be gone.

"She doesn't need to do that, her ex-mate is dead, so she is free from whatever bond they had, she is mine now and I can do with her whatever I please,” he said arrogantly to the old man who quickly agreed to what he was saying.

As arrogant as he may have sounded I couldn't help but find a little relief knowing that I wouldn't be rejecting my Alexander even in death.

“If that is the case let's proceed to the celebration proper, do you Ashley agree to become Jason's mate and luna of the pack, do you promise to uphold and execute all your luna duties without hatred or grudges in your heart for your mate and the people of this pack?” the old man recited.

I sighed as the words he said sank deep into my head, once upon a time I had pledged my loyalty to Alexander and his pack. But I was not allowed to carry out my responsibilities.

The sound of the old clearing his throat to get my attention brought me back from my thoughts.

“I do,” I said with my eyes fixed on the floor, not daring to look at Jason.

His mere sight irked the hell out of me.

“Do you alpha Jason take Ashley as your mate, to love and protect,” he asked directing his attention to Jason who seem to be enjoying the occasion.

“Yes I do”

“You may now make your claim on her,” he said as he step aside.

Jason walked over to where I was while grinning from ear to ear, he seem to be enjoying the whole scenario as he kept circling me for some moment.

He stopped at my front and I tilt my neck to allow him space to pierce his fangs while I prepared myself for the pain that is to come.

Slowly but surely his fangs plugged in deep into my skin, but surprisingly other than the tiny pain I was having on the spot I felt nothing else.

The shock on everyone's face matches mine as they look surprised that I was not feeling any iota of hurt.

At that very moment, Jason got off me As if I burnt him, he fell on the floor convulsing and jerking to everyone's surprise.

“What's happening?”

“She has poisoned him,”

“She is evil,”

“I never liked her since the first day she came into this pack,”

Were the murmuring from the little crowd that had come to witness the event, I stood looking confused as I stare at Jason fuming and jerking on the floor.

The Elder that was officiating the event went over Jason's body to examine him, he ordered the guards to go get him some herbs he immediately squeezed out the juice and apply on Jason's mouth.

The whole place was tense as hell and I was the most confused as to what was happening.

“Take him inside, and make sure he is not disturbed, the herbs need to circulate so they can fight out the poison in his body,” the old man said to the guards, who immediately carried Jason back to his room.

There was a gasping sound from the people seated when the old man had mentioned the word poison. As all attention returned to me, with various degrees of spiteful looks staring at me.

“She didn't poison him, but her blood is poisonous to him because she still shares her soul with her mate, as we all know, an alpha's blood is poisonous to a fellow alpha and that is what happened to our Alpha” the old man explained to those seated who by looked even more confused by the old man's explanation.

There were grumblings among the elders as they wondered what he was talking about.

“But death breaks the mate bond, or are you trying to tell us that she lied to us about her mate being dead?” one of the elders finally spoke out after moments of whispering within themselves.

“You have said what it is, apparently she lied to the alpha that her mate was dead when in reality he is alive and well and that we just confirmed by the poison she has passed down to our alpha,”

To say I was stunned to hear them say that my Alexander was alive would be an understatement.

With my eyes wide open and my jaws dropping to the floor, then I stared at the old man unbelievably.

I mean it made no sense that Alexander has been alive all this while and has never bothered to look for me.

He loved me, at least he made me believe that he did.

If he is indeed alive, why has he not tried to make contact with me all this while? Does he still love me and wants me? Or has he moved on without me?

I was so confused as many questions flooded through my mind.

“Lock her up,” one of the elders shouted, and that sort of brought back my mind to the current situation.

“I didn't do this on purpose, I didn't want to hurt him,” I pleaded while two guards came to seize my hands.

“You will rot behind bars for daring to dishonor the mate bond,” one of the women shouted at me.

While others just continued casting an evil glance at me.

“Lock her up,” the elder instructed the guards and they pulled me away.

At that point, I thought of using my powers, but when I remember I was yet to see my baby and Oliver, I just allowed them.