The Alpha's Slave

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: WHO IS SHE TO HIM?

“Where are you going, Alpha?” Aurora asked worriedly, confusion evident in my eyes.

“I need to find answers… I need to know what’s behind Amelia’s attack.”

His eagerness to understand what happened to Amelia was palpable, Jaxon was truly acting like an Alpha.

“Can I come with you?” she asked, equally determined to find the truth.

“No, Aurora, it’s not safe for you.”

“But it’s not safe for me to be alone here. You know what I mean,” she utter, the events at the clinic flashing through my mind, the unsettling encounter with the familiar stranger, their strange words. Jaxon’s eyes softened, his fingers gently caressing my cheek. “Don’t worry, I’ll have some pack members stay with you.”

“But—”

“No buts, Aurora. This is for your best friend, and for you, too.” I nodded, allowing him to go.

Before he could leave, however, his mother’s voice stopped him. “Where are you going, son?” she asked, standing with another person. A woman paired with beautiful blue eyes and a seductive but bright smile. She's perfectly beautiful.

"Mother, this isn't the time." Jaxon said, his voice low and strained. He glanced at me, a flicker of worry in his eyes before returning his attention to his mother.

“I want you to meet Reychelle. She’s the daughter of Lord Valerius,” his mother said, her voice calm but firm. The woman, Reychelle, offered a dazzling smile, her blue eyes sparkling with an unnerving intensity. She was undeniably beautiful, her features flawlessly sculpted, her presence commanding. Yet, something about her felt… off. A subtle dissonance between her outward charm and an underlying coldness.

“Lord Valerius?” Jaxon’s eyebrows furrowed. The name held weight, a whisper of power and ancient lineage. Valerius was a name associated with both immense wealth and a shadowy reputation.

But his mother doesn't know that Jaxon already knew about him and Reychelle, he just acts as if he doesn't. Because she is his ex who broke his trust into pieces and left him behind after all those years they've spent together.

On the other hand, Aurora was mesmerized by the beauty that the woman has. Meanwhile, Jaxon felt a fang in his chest as he was seeing the woman that broke him.

“Long time no see Ash.” the woman muttered with a blissful aura. But, Jaxon’s aura darkened as he gazed at the woman beside his mother. While Aurora was eyeing them back and forth, confused about what she was witnessing.

“Long time no see, Ash,” Reychelle purred, a saccharine sweetness coating her words that did little to mask the steel in her eyes. Jaxon’s jaw tightened, his gaze unwavering as he met hers. The years melted away, revealing the raw, visceral pain that still lingered from their fractured past. He hadn't expected to see her here, in his own home, introduced as if she were some prized possession. The betrayal, the lies, the ghost of a love that had been cruelly shattered – it all clawed at him, a phantom limb ache in his chest.

Aurora, oblivious to the unspoken tension crackling between them, was captivated by Reychelle’s beauty. It was a breathtaking, almost ethereal beauty, the kind that stopped one's breath and stole the very air from one's lungs. Her skin held the delicate luminescence of moonlight on snow, her hair like spun gold cascading down her shoulders. But even as Aurora admired her exquisite features, a prickle of unease ran down her spine. There was something unsettling about Reychelle, a coldness that lay just beneath the surface of her dazzling smile, a predatory gleam in her eyes that hinted at something dangerous.

“Mother,” Jaxon’s voice was low, dangerously controlled, “I fail to see the relevance of this introduction. I have pressing matters to attend to.” He subtly shifted, placing himself between Reychelle and Aurora, a silent barrier against the woman who had once held a piece of his heart and then crushed it without a second thought.

His mother, seemingly oblivious to the charged atmosphere, continued, “Reychelle is here to discuss a matter of mutual interest. A… business proposition, of sorts.” Her words were carefully chosen, each syllable measured and precise, yet they carried an undercurrent of something else entirely a subtle manipulation, a veiled threat.

Jaxon remained silent, his eyes narrowed, assessing his mother and Reychelle with a keen, predatory gaze. He knew his mother’s games, her subtle manipulations, and the way she used her charm to achieve her goals. This was no mere business proposition; it was a calculated move, a chess piece placed strategically on the board. And he was determined to understand the game she was playing.

Reychelle, sensing his resistance, stepped forward, her smile widening. “Jaxon, darling,” she purred, her voice like honeyed poison, “it’s been far too long. I trust you haven’t forgotten our… unfinished business?”

The words hung in the air, heavy with unspoken implications. Unfinished business. The phrase resonated with the bitter taste of betrayal, the sting of broken promises, and the lingering resentment that had festered for years. It was a reminder of the pain she had inflicted, the trust she had shattered, the dreams she had ruthlessly destroyed.

Jaxon’s grip tightened on his fists, his knuckles white against his skin. He was a wolf, a powerful Alpha, but even he felt the tremor of a past wound being reopened. He had spent years rebuilding his life, forging a new path, but Reychelle's presence threatened to unravel everything he had painstakingly constructed.

“I believe our business is concluded,” Jaxon replied, his voice hard, cold, and utterly devoid of the warmth she once knew. The icy tone sent a shiver down Aurora's spine, a stark contrast to the gentle giant she had come to know.

“Oh, but I assure you, it’s far from over, Ash,” Reychelle countered, her voice laced with a chilling confidence. “There are things we need to discuss, things that concern… your future.”

The veiled threat hung in the air, thick and suffocating. Aurora felt a cold dread creeping into her heart. She understood now why Jaxon had been so adamant about her staying behind. This was more than just a business proposition; it was a dangerous game, and she was a pawn they were both willing to sacrifice.

Jaxon’s eyes flickered to Aurora, a silent apology in their depths. He knew he couldn't involve her in this, not yet. This was a battle he had to fight alone, a battle against a past that refused to remain buried.

“Leave, Aurora,” he commanded, his voice low and urgent. “Go to the pack house. I’ll be there soon.”

Aurora hesitated, her heart pounding in her chest. She wanted to stay, to be by his side. But it is a command that she can't do anything about.

While turning her way to pack's house, she could only think to herself, "Who is that woman in the Alpha's life?"