My Rogue Queen

Chapter3

As the name of Jackson's unexpected mate got to the ears of the Alpha of Saltyside Pack, he stood up from his chair and retired for the night. Amongst the laughter of excitement and congratulations from other pack members, there lurked an undercurrent of disapproval, a sentiment that did not escape the notice of Alpha Dare. Taiya, his son's mate, was the stain on their pack.

The next morning, he left his pretty Luna, who was still asleep on the bed, with a kiss to her forehead and went to his office, where Jaze waited for him.

From his window perch in the Alpha's office, Dare surveyed the bustling pack below with a steely gaze. His brow furrowed with concern when he saw an omega slap the Taiya in question. His mind became plagued with doubts and fears for the future of his bloodline. Such a meager existence that she couldn't stand up for herself couldn't stand proud beside her only son.

Jaze, his trusted beta, stood at a corner, watching the different expressions on Dare's face. He knew it was only a matter of minutes before he received an order on what to do.

"It cannot be!" Dare growled, his voice low and rumbling like distant thunder. Jaze only shook his head briefly because this was the expected outburst.

"What cannot be?" Jaze asked with indifference. He wanted to go home and carry his baby again.

"My son, the Alpha Heir, bound to a mere maid?"

Jaze nodded his head in silent agreement, his expression mirroring the Alpha's frown.

"It is indeed a most unexpected turn of events, Alpha Dare. But that's not the worst scenario. She happens to be the daughter of the previous shamed Beta, 18 years ago." Jaze informed. He watched as the frown turned into a scowl.

Dare's jaw clenched with frustration, his fists tightening at his sides as he began to pace up and down the room.

"No way. The prestige of our pack is at stake. We cannot afford to have our next Alpha mated to a lowly servant. It is unacceptable. She's even lower than a servant." He finally sat down.

"What would you have me do, Alpha?" Jaze stepped forward, his voice calm but firm.

"Summon my son to my office at once. We must address this matter with the urgency it deserves." Dare turned to his beta with a determined glint in his eyes.

Jackson had to know the consequences of such a bond and how it would affect the pack as a whole.

Jaze walked silently to Jackson's room. He was in no position to voice his opinion on the matter, but he believed there was a reason why the children of two enemies were friends.

As he got to Jackson's room, he watched the bashful exchange of pleasantries between the new couple.

"Good morning, Taiya!" Jackson greeted her. He fought the urge to pull her close and hug her. He was already in love from the moment he discovered that they were mated.

"Good morning, Jackson." Taiya blushed. Her face could compete with a tomato and win.

"Did you sleep well?" He would have asked about her night, but they were all up, even hours past midnight. And she was a maid.

"I..." She couldn't finish her reply because a knock sounded on the door.

Jaze had stood for some time before knocking to signal his presence. How shy they both were with each other. It reminded him of when he had found his mate too.

"Your father wants to speak with you." He informed me and left. A few seconds later, Jackson was following behind him. The boy was a bundle of good manners and respect.

As Jackson entered his father's office, the weight of expectation hung heavy in the air, suffocating him with its oppressive presence. His gaze met Alpha Dare's stern countenance, and he could sense the gravity of whatever his father called him for.

"Father," Jackson began, his voice tinged with uncertainty. "You wish to see me?"

"Yes, Jackson," he replied, his tone clipped and authoritative. "Please, have a seat."

Jackson wondered if the pack was under attack or threatened in any way. He took his seat while waiting for his father to talk.

Alpha Dare regarded his Beta with a gaze in search of what to say, but he got nothing in return.

As Jaze excused himself from the room, leaving father and son alone to face the tumultuous conversation that lay ahead, Dare turned his attention fully to Jackson, his expression unreadable.

"Jackson," he began, his voice low and measured. "I fear that we must discuss a matter of great importance, one that concerns the future of our pack."

Jackson's heart sank at the solemnity in his father's voice, his stomach twisting with unease.

"What matters, Father?" he inquired, though he feared he already knew the answer. His father hadn't really said anything about his mate since last night, after he'd stormed out.

Alpha Dare's gaze bore into Jackson's with an intensity that left no room for doubt.

"It is about your mate, Jackson," he said, his words heavy with weight. "Taiya."

Jackson's breath caught in his throat at the mention of Taiya's name, his mind racing with a torrent of conflicting emotions. What was wrong with her?

"What about her, Father?" he asked, though he feared he already knew the answer. Actually, he didn't know, but he wanted to believe that he did.

"Are you going to follow through with the bond and mark her?" His father asked.

"Of course. I've waited for so long," Jackson's brows furrowed. Alpha Dare's jaw clenched with frustration, his features hardening.

"Jackson, you must understand the implications of your choice," he said, his voice unyielding. "To be mated to a mere maid?"

"Is it just because she is a mere maid?" Jackson asked. It couldn't be. His parents didn't care about those things. They had been ready to accept anyone as his mate, even if she were an omega without a wolf.

"An alpha with the lowest of maids is unheard of and unacceptable. It threatens our pack's prestige and honor." Dare shook his head in disbelief.

Jackson's heart pounded in his chest as he absorbed his father's words.

"But Father," he began, his voice tinged with desperation. "I cannot simply reject the bond that the Moon Goddess herself has ordained. To do so would be to deny my very soul. You and my mother taught me that."

Alpha Dare's gaze softened with a tinge of sorrow, his resolve unyielding in the face of his son's defiance.

"Jackson, listen to me," he said, his voice tinged with a note of urgency. "You must make a choice. Either you reject your bond with Taiya and uphold the honor of our pack, or you forsake your birthright as Alpha Heir. The decision rests with you."

"There's no way that all this is related to her maid title." Jackson frowned. "What are you not telling me?"

"She is the only daughter of Beta, the previous alpha. She would plan her revenge, and staying with you gives her the resources to do that." Dare sigh. His son was as stubborn as he was, but the difference was that he didn't have as much good manners as the boy.

"I don't think there would be room for revenge in her heart if we got together, Dad." Jackson tried his best to let his father see reason with him. Taiya was the best mate he could ever wish for himself.

"You have heard me. Choose from either option that I have given you, or the mutt dies. She should have remained worthless after all," the alpha said before leaving his office. His fury was clear.

As the weight of his father's ultimatum settled upon him, Jackson knew that he had to make a decision because the man never made empty threats. At least he needed his mate alive, even if she wasn't with him.