My Rogue Queen

Chapter4

As the break of dawn stretched across the sky, painting the world in hues of soft lavender, Taiya stirred from her fitful sleep. With a weary sigh, she pushed herself upright, the chill of the morning air sending shivers down her spine. The blankets she had were already worn out and needed to be replaced, but that would mean waiting for someone to throw out the one they had at home.

Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, Taiya rolled out of her small bed, her mind still foggy with the remnants of dreams long forgotten. As she rose to her feet, a sense of foreboding washed over her. With hesitant movements, she made her way to the door of her modest chamber, her senses on alert for sign of the danger she could feel. But as she reached out to grasp the handle, a sudden movement caught her eye, causing her to startle with a gasp of surprise.

"Jackson?" His presence sent a jolt of fear coursing through her. Her heart pounded with a mixture of happiness and uncertainty. Was he already getting attached to her that he would want to see her face so early in the morning?

"Jackson," she breathed again, her voice barely above a whisper as she struggled to regain her composure. "What are you doing here?"

For a moment, Jackson said nothing, his gaze fixed upon Taiya with an intensity that made her feel exposed and vulnerable.

With a sigh, he stepped forward, his expression unreadable as he regarded her with a mixture of pain and determination.

"I had to see you, Taiya," he said at last, his voice rough with emotion.

Those words from him sent the butterflies in her belly which she never knew existed, spiraling into a frenzy.

"What for?" She asked. Maybe he really missed her and planned to finally do something about their mate bond.

"We need to talk."

Taiya's brow furrowed with confusion as she studied Jackson's face, searching for answers in the depths of his stormy gaze.

"What is it?" she asked, her voice tinged with apprehension. Something wasn't right. She knew it and her wolf knew it too.

Before Jackson could respond, the distant toll of the pack's morning bell echoed through the air, signaling the start of another day of toil and servitude for his lovely mate. If not because of her father, she would have been marked by now. Her life of suffering would have ended too.

With a heavy sigh, he glanced over his shoulder, his expression clouded with regret.

"I cannot explain now, Taiya," he said, his voice tinged with sorrow as he turned to walk away.

"Please, meet me in the forest at dusk. We must talk."

And with that, Jackson turned on his heel and disappeared into the predawn shadows, leaving Taiya standing alone in the doorway, her heart heavy with unanswered questions and a sense of foreboding that refused to be ignored.

The day carried on with unease for her. She paid no heed to her work and even forgot to do some chores because she was preoccupied. What could Jackson possibly have to tell her by dusk?

As soon as Taiya saw him walking towards the forest, she followed Jackson through the winding paths of the forest. She still couldn't shake the feeling that lingered in the air, a sense that their meeting held grave consequences of her understanding. Following him along a path she wasn't used to, thoughts of what he would say plagued her.

Eventually, they emerged in a vast field bathed in the golden light of the setting sun. Taiya stopped in her tracks, awestruck by the breathtaking beauty that surrounded them, the vibrant blooms stretching as far as the eye could see. It was a wide field of sunflowers. Taiya ran to the front and took a deep breath.

"It's beautiful!" She turned to face Jackson and caught sight of the haunted expression on his face. That's right, they had come here to talk. He was lost in his own thoughts.

"Jackson," Taiya began, her voice soft with concern. As his mate, was it okay to touch him and offer comfort?

"What's wrong? Why did you bring me here?" She asked again, finally having the courage to touch his arm.

Jackson couldn't bring himself to talk. He savored the feeling of her calloused palm on his arm before shifting away. Then he finally faced her.

"Taiya," he said, his voice trembling with suppressed anguish. "I need to tell you something."

Taiya's heart skipped a beat as she watched the turmoil playing out across Jackson's face.

"What is it?" The anxiety was catching up with her as she waited for him to spill the beans.

"He threatened your life, Taiya," Jackson confessed, his voice thick with emotion. He wished that he hadn't made this decision, but he knew just how powerless he was currently. He wouldn't be able to protect her.

"Who did?" She was confused now.

"I'm really sorry, Taiya. I can't act on our mate bond," his voice was filled with pain. Taiya's breath caught in her throat at the revelation, her mind reeling with the magnitude of Jackson's words. She reached out to grasp his hand, her fingers trembling.

Taiya burst into tears. She had been a fool to expect anything out of finding her mate. She didn't even want to know who was threatening her life at that point. She just wanted to know why he couldn't choose her.

"Ah!" She sobbed. The cool breeze blew the fragrance of the surrounding sunflowers. It only made her pain look beautiful.

"I, Jackson of the Saltyside Pack, reject you, Taiya, as my mate."

Taiya's eyes widened in disbelief, her breath catching in her throat as the reality of his words sank in. She let go of him as she felt the pain ripple through her in waves. It was excruciating, almost like she was being divided from within.

Jackson watched in silence as she writhed in pain, her body contorting with the agony of their connection breaking. She was the one who had been rejected. He only felt a quarter of the pain she was feeling currently.

Every instinct screamed at him to comfort her, to ease her suffering, but he knew that to do so would only prolong the pain. With a heavy heart, he made the decision to walk away, to leave Taiya to face the torment alone. Every step he took away from her felt like a piece of his soul was being left behind.

An hour after he had left, Taiya remained on the ground, her body wrecked with the aftershocks of pain from the shattered bond. Tears streamed down her cheeks, feeling the weight of betrayal crushing her spirit. She felt empty.

Time seemed to stand still as Taiya lay in the sunflower field, lost in her despair. Each passing moment felt like an eternity as she grappled with the reality of Jackson's rejection.

With a heavy sigh, she pushed herself upright, her gaze fixed on the forest beyond the sunflower field. She knew what she had to do. If staying with her mate wasn't working after she turned 18, it was time to resort to her second option.

With determination, she rose to her feet and dusted her dress. Then, she began to run, her feet pounding against the soft earth as she fled from the Saltyside pack and the shattered dreams that lay in ruins behind her. With each step she took, she knew that she would never return.