The Newbreeder

Chapter 23

Amaya

The drive back to the barrier was like a breath of fresh air. There wasn't any chaos, no one to tell us what we were meant to be doing; just us alone. Sadly, we didn't get to stay in the hotel as long as I had hoped, but being with Jasper was all I had wanted.

When we pulled up to the barrier entrance, it seemed different than when we had come. Once we passed through I could tell something was wrong, we had gotten into the pack's territory. The border patrol was gone, Jasper looked around to see if anyone was there. We finally got to the palace to find everyone in one of the meeting rooms with a round table in the center and couches along the side, yelling back and forth. Micheal, Jacob, Woods, Princess Erica, and Prince Brandon were all yelling around the table.

"What is going on?" Jasper asked once we entered the room. Everyone turned their heads and let out a sigh of relief.

"Jasper, I'm so glad you're safe," his oldest sister said, coming to give him a hug. Brandon and Erica came over to me asking if I was alright.

"Why wouldn't I be safe?" Jasper asked, still not getting answers. Everyone looked away from us and looked at each other.

"There was another rogue attack. This time they attacked our pack members and took some captive." Micheal said, breaking the silence that had come over the room.

"How many?" Jasper asked.

"We don't know yet. We are still counting" his other sister said.

I could feel the mixed feeling in the room wrapping around us like a blanket. The worry that everyone held, the fear of what will happen next, and the anger of not knowing what to do. I looked at Jasper to see his face hardened, I knew he loved his pack very much and that he wanted to do all that he could to be a good leader.

Someone rushed through the door which made everybody turn their heads. He looked like one of the guards, he was out of breath and had blood all over his body.

"Alpha, I have an update on the numbers," he said. Micheal nodded his head telling him to continue.

"Ten dead, fifteen taken. Including-" he started but caught himself. Everyone stared at him waiting for him to finish

"Including who?" Jasper asked, annoyed.

"Including Mason. Your cousin," he said.

"Is that all?" Micheal asked, letting out a breath that he was holding for too long.

"Yes," the guard said quickly.

"Double up on patrol, help those who have been attacked, and get a description and photo of those who had been taken," Jasper said professionally, the guard nodded and left.

"I think everyone should get some sleep. It's going to be a roller coaster for the next few days." Micheal said, taking Marie's hand and walking away, with their daughters behind them. Jasper's sisters both gave him a hug before leaving with their parents.

Jasper stood still for a moment and then started to pace the room. Dragging his hand on his face and in his hair, rolling his sleeves that had fallen, and finally leaning both hands on the table and dropping his head. Brandon and Erica who were by my side gave me a worried look, I turned and slowly walked toward him.

"He was to let us be mated," he finally said. He was looking straight but you could tell he was somewhere else.

"What?" I asked.

"My father. He has to let us be mated so we can be at our strongest, the pack is in trouble," he said frantically.

"Jasper. You know as well as I do that, there is no chance of us being mates," I said getting closer to him.

'No. There is no one who can help us but us," he said, getting closer to me.

"Don't you see?" His eyes were so sad. This is not how I wanted this night to go, I want to sneak back in the morning, then go out with his friends, and have one last night together that we would hold onto forever. But clearly, that wasn't in our cards, it was like being sucked back into the storm of this world.

"Jasper, I think you're tired. You should get some sleep, tomorrow is a big day." I said as low as I could.

"Why would I want to rest for one of the worst days of my life? Not only is it my birthday but my father had made the worst decision for me," he said looking like he was on the verge of tears. I knew I had to comfort him but I didn't know if he wanted to be comforted.

"I can't do this. I'm going for a run," he said, walking past me and leaving the room.

"What decision did his father make for him?" Brandon asked from behind me, I had forgotten that they were there. I turned to them knowing I couldn't hold this in any longer.

"Micheal- has decided who will be Jasper's mate and Luna. He is going to make Chole Luna," I answered.

"How long have you known that he was going to choose her?" Erica asked, she looked hurt for me but Brandon looked as if I had hurt him myself.

"Since the first rogue attack," I told her, I could see that Brandon was starting to become angry. He didn't want to trust me when we first met and after he started to trust me, I'm afraid that it is gone. He rolled his eyes and took a deep breath turning away from Erica and me.

"Do you still fear your wolf spirit?" He asked, clearly annoyed by me.

"Yes, but less and less every time," I answered, it had been weeks since I had spoken to my wolf spirit.

"Good, tell us if it stops responding," Brandon said walking away.

I let out a sigh and turned to Erica who looked at me apologetically as if saying sorry for how Brandon acted toward me.

"Let's get some sleep," Erica said, walking to me and rubbing up and down my arm. We walked to my room and I walked into my room.

I took off my clothes and got into the shower, I finally took time to breathe and let everything hit me. Today would be the last day I am here, the last day I will be Jasper's mate. I knew that I wasn't going to be chosen but the reality was that I would never get to go out with him like we did tonight, never get to grow old, never rule by his side, or be held by him. I never thought I would get sucked into a world I knew nothing about and have a life that was planned around me.

I pushed my thoughts away and finished my shower, I got out and got dressed. I would just sleep my worries away.

****

After twisting and turning in my sleep, at some point in the night, I went to sleep. Instead of getting ready for a day that I know would be filled with people telling me where to go, what to wear, and how to act.

The door opened but no one spoke. I didn't care to look up, I had felt myself fall into a weird depression. It is as if my wolf spirit feels the rejection that we have not yet gotten.

"You know it is mandatory to come to the ceremony," Erica said finally speaking.

"Yes, but that doesn't mean that I can't wish I didn't have to," I said to her. She walked to the side of the bed and pulled off the sheet that covered me. I took a deep breath before turning to her looking unaffected.

"Come on. You will not stay in bed, you may mourn, you may be upset but you will not stay in bed. You are a princess meaning hiding your emotions and keeping other people's emotions in mind and not yours" she said with a serious look on her face.

"Okay, I have something to do," I said, sitting up and looking at her. She pulled me up and brought me to the closest to pick out an outfit. I knew that I would need to get ready professionally, Erica offered to take me and tell me what to expect when they take me to the capital.