My Rogue Queen

Chapter2

On the eve of her eighteenth birthday, a ripple of anticipation swept through Taiya's body. Not knowing that her fate was much different from what she envisioned for herself. She couldn't care less if her manifestation turned out to be an Omega, despite being descended from a long line of Betas. She was just happy to be turning 18. Then she could leave the pack and get a life for herself.

Jackson stood poised, watching the field of sunflowers. He had been mateless for two years now and couldn't inherit the throne unless he found his fated Luna. That was the condition that his father, Alpha Dare, put out for him. It was a known fact that a Luna served as the weakness of her Alpha, but despite that, they were the source of unlimited strength for them, especially in times of battle.

From the moment he could read, write, and tell right from wrong, his mother had instilled in him a deep reverence for the mate bond ordained by the Moon Goddess. His parents believed that there was a kind of holiness associated with union between mates. They taught him to believe in the unbreakable bond between mates. Tonight, there was a small party to celebrate the birth of Beta Jaze's new son.

As the moon rose high in the sky, casting its silvery light upon the pack's gathering, Taiya watched in awe as the baby was presented before the Alpha. Her eyes shone with adoration for the baby. In less than an hour, she would be 18 years old. If she found her mate, they would probably make a baby just as cute.

A few minutes past midnight, Jackson felt his heartbeat pick up. Something smelled beautiful, and this smell promised him warmth and peace. He stood up from his chair. Walking carefully, he didn't want to frighten anyone or whoever was at the end of this trail.

"Where are you going, Jackson?" Alpha Dare asked, amidst the laughter of men.

"I'll just walk around," he replied without looking back. I am afraid to disrupt this ongoing discovery. He had waited for two years so that this would happen. Two whole years of anticipation. He was beginning to get accustomed to being called mateless.

For Jackson, the notion of love was not merely a fleeting fancy. It was a sacred vow sworn in the name of the Moon Goddess herself. He believed with every fiber of his being that his mate awaited him, their destinies intertwined by the threads of fate. He burned with a fervent belief in the promise of love and companionship that the mate bond offered. With every step he took, he became sure that his mate had finally appeared.

Taiya sat in a corner, holding a small piece of chicken. She silently sobbed, thankful that she could actually eat at this feast. It was finally her birthday, and she could already hear her wolf. It was much fiercer, bolder, and braver than she could ever be. Her senses had sharpened too. She ignored the fact that there was something that smelled undescribably comforting among the numerous scents that hit her at once.

"So what's it going to be now?" She asked herself before eating the entire meat. She wanted more, but she knew better than to actually ask.

'Mate!' Her wolf howled inside. It wasn't surprising at all. That was her wish, too.

"Not that. I was talking about sating the hunger."

'Mate!'

She had decided to actually ignore her wolf when she became aware that someone was directly behind her.

"Jackson?" She was confused.

"You're my mate!" Jackson's voice was behind her.

As he laid eyes upon Taiya for the first time that night, he felt the stirring of recognition deep within his soul. The pull of the bond strengthened somehow, and he could tell that she had already accepted him even without voicing it.

Unlike his peers, Jackson never sought the shallow pursuits of pleasure that others did. He held himself to a higher standard, driven by an unwavering faith in the mate destined to stand by his side. He was glad to be staring at her now. She was beautiful. In her, he saw the embodiment of everything he had ever hoped for in a mate: strength, resilience, and a quiet grace, probably all from the treatment she was getting as a maid all this while. He realized that he didn't even know her name.

"What is your name?" He saw the hurt flash in her eyes before she looked away.

"Taiya," she said before getting up and running away.

From that moment on, Jackson's heart belonged to Taiya alone, and his faith in the mate bond was reaffirmed with every beat.

He wished he could turn back the hand of time and get to know her more before discovering that they were mates, but he was never one to associate with the maids. His Taiya was shy now, but soon enough, she would get comfortable with him and get used to her new role as his Luna. His pillar of support. He vowed to stand by her side through trials and tribulations and to protect her with every breath in his body. Love and cherish her until she grows tired of him, and keep on loving her.

"So, where'd you wander off to?" Alpha Dare asked him as soon as he returned to his seat.

"I've found my mate, Dad," Jackson said with pride. The men all bellowed at him with cheers for such a feat.

"Very wonderful." Dare said, raising a toast to his son. Luna was probably in the house with Jaze's wife.

"Who is she?" One man asked.

"That's right, son, why didn't you bring her here to say hello?" Dare asked.

"She was very shy." Jackson smiled sheepishly. Everyone at the table could tell that he was already smitten.

"At least, tell us her name."

"Yes. We need to know which family she's from and the rank of her wolf."

Jackson realized that he knew nothing about his mate. Not even the type of wolf she possessed. At least he knew her first name and how she looked. That's what mattered.

"Jackson, what is her name?" Dare finally ask after he had finished chewing a piece of meat.

"Taiya. That's her name," he replied before sipping from his cup.

Without knowing the reason, Jackson watched his father stand up and angrily leave. Jaze followed, but the other men were either drunk or very tipsy. They ignored what happened and continued to make merry.

Taiya, on the other hand, grappled with conflicting emotions. Confusion and shock warred with a ready acceptance. Where would she find her mate if Jackson hadn't approached her? She had been oblivious to the signs, for she knew nothing about mate bonds or the special characteristics of a mate.