The Mating Rights

Chapter 32

Taya's POV

   I see some of Jesse's men guarding the prison from the outside. I walk over to them with the basket of food. 

   "Good Evening Luna, what could we do for you", one of the men asks me. 

   "Please let me into the holding cells, I need to speak with a prisoner", I tell them. "And don't mind link Jesse or else I'll tell him you hit me". 

   They look scared and the other man says, "he won't believe you".  

   I make tears well up in my eyes, "Jesse, I was walking around the pack territory and these two men grabbed me and smacked me demanding to know why a rouge dared to step foot on their territory", I say pretending to be actually upset. 

   "Shit, fine. Just don't tell him it was us", the first man says. He does the same code then weird oral activation thing that Caleb and Nick did and the doors open for me. 

   "Thank you men. I promise I won't say a word", I wink at them and make my way down to Jasmine's cell. 

   When I get there I am almost shocked. She is not nearly as thin as I thought she'd be but she is definitely smaller. She is again huddled in the corner of her cell. She can obviously hear but she refuses to look up. 

   I open the basket and unwrap a sandwich. She immediately looks up. "What, come here to tease me", she asks.

   "No, I didn't. I think what is happening to you is wrong and I wanted to help", I tell her honestly. 

   "Don't lie to me. I know that Jesse has only put this food block on me because of you", she says staring at the sandwich in my hand. 

   "He did but I never asked him to nor did I want him to. No one has a lot of faith in me beating you so they are trying to make you as weak as possible", I tell her. 

   She smirks a little bit, "I bet".

   "Why can't you just call this whole thing off? You know, you have a mate out there. A real one that will love you and take care of you and worship your every last breath. Why won't you wait for him", I ask her. 

   "I've given everything to Jesse, my love, my heart, my body, my skills and time. He is rightfully mine and I intend to fight for him until he realizes that. Hell, I even gave up my womb for him", she says. "Are you just going to sit there with that sandwich in your hand or are you gonna give it to me"?

   I give her the sandwich slightly confused and scared, "womb, what do you mean your womb. You're not pregnant are you", I ask panicking a little. 

   "Oh god, I forgot you aren't a wolf. If you were you'd be able to hear that there are only two heartbeats here, yours and mine. I'm not pregnant", she tells me. 

   I listen for three heartbeats and only hear two. I breath a sigh of relief, "so what do you mean by you gave up your womb for him", I continue questioning.

   She takes a bite of the sandwich and swallows, "you know nothing of our world, but yet he wants you in it. It makes no sense to me. To get the potion that made Jesse think I was you, I had to give the witch my womb". 

   I look at her awestruck. Every time I talk to her she manages to make me feel so much empathy towards her. 

   She looks at me with tears welling in her eyes slightly, "so you see no man will ever want me. I can't wait for my mate. What shall I tell him when he wants to have kids? So sorry, I gave my womb up for another man that I have loved for years" she scoffs. 

   I'm at a loss for words. I have no idea what to even tell her. 

   "Anyways, I don't want another man", she steels herself again. "Jesse is mine and I will have him or I will die. I welcome either because life without him is meaningless", she tells me. 

   "You haven't experienced what it's like to have a mate though", I tell her. "Your mate will mean the world to you and you won't remember life before him". 

   "Don't you dare lecture me on the meaning of a mate. You've just learned about them, what? three or four months ago? Not all mates are like Jesse. Some are evil, like my father. Just stop it child. We are fighting in six days whether you like it or not", she shouts at me. 

   I know that she is set in her decision and I still feel sorry for her. "Here", I tell her handing her the food I have in the basket one by one through the bar, "save these and don't let anyone know that you have them. They will take this food and you will starve again". 

   She takes the food and puts it in the corner. She looks at me weirdly and comes back to stand closer to me again. 

   "You seem different. It's strange but you've changed", she tells me. 

   "I've been training. I've gotten much stronger", I tell her scared that she's caught on to my new werewolf capabilities. 

   "I'm sure you have, I look forward to fighting with you", she tells me. 

   I nod my head at her and then walk away without saying anything else. I'm dreading this fight and I know that it's going to be tough. The guards let me out of the prison and I'm met with the guards that I threatened.

   "I'm sorry for threatening you. I promise to hold up my end of the bargain should he ever find out", I tell them. Then I'm on my way back to the pack house. I need some Jess and Taya cuddle time.