Second Chance for the Barren Luna (Talia and Jason) novel Chapter 18

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Jason’s POV

I never thought Talia could be so cold.

She used to be so agreeable and soft–spoken. Now, she stared at Viki like she was nothing. Her voice had no tremor. It was just cold as she gave her terms: a public confession or let Viki rot in that cell.

“Talia, you can’t be serious. Our reputation will be ruined. The other packs will no longer take us seriously,” I said.

“Sorry. What happens to your pack has nothing to do with me,” Talia countered.

Viki curled against the cell wall as she began to cry again. “I didn’t mean to hurt her,” she sobbed, snot and tears running down her face. “I thought she was gone. I didn’t know she was… that she was someone so important. I was scared, Jason. Please, tell her. I didn’t mean it.”

“I’m standing right here, Viki. Your apology doesn’t mean anything unless it is public,” Talia reiterated.

Viki clutched her stomach and pleaded again, “Please, please Talia. I’m carrying the heir.”

My gaze went to Talia. She had a stern expression. Talia meant what she said. It was either apologize publicly or rot in the cell. I couldn’t leave Viki here.

I turned back to Viki and sighed. “You’ll apologize publicly, Viki. That’s the only way.”

Viki’s head jerked up. “Jason-”

“No.” I hardened my voice. “As your Alpha, you will do what I say. You will publicly apologize for spreading rumors about Talia. Do you understand?”

“Yes,” Viki sniffed.

I looked at Talia again. “That’s what you want, right?”

She gave a single nod. “Let her out.”

The guards opened the door without hesitation. I stepped into the cell and bent to lift Viki in my arms. She whimpered and clung to me, but my focus wasn’t on her. It was on Talia.

She stood next to Solon, poised like a princess. That damned necklace still glowed at her throat. Her violet eyes didn’t hold any warmth for me when I met them.

My wolf paced within me. He was angry, desperate even to get Talia back. ‘She’s our mate. She’s ours. You need to bring her back home,‘ he growled.

As the guards were escorting us to the exit that led out into the parking lot, I paused. “Talia, you don’t have to do this. You don’t have to stay here. If you come home with me, I’ll forget everything. We can start over. You’re my fated mate. You can’t stay here with him.”

“No.”

The word hit me as if Talia rejected me all over again.

“No?” I repeated, giving her the option to change her mind. “What do you mean no?”

“And neither is she yours,” he replied. “Please leave, Alpha Jason, it is getting very late.”

I bit back a snarl. How dare he dismiss me like that! Talia was my mate, not his. I wanted to hit something. My wolf was howling inside me, pushing against my resolve to take control.

‘Fix this! Bring her home! She’s slipping away,‘ my wolf howled.

‘Don’t you see I’m trying! She won’t listen to reason!‘ I snapped.

Talia used to be so gentle and understanding. But now she was cold. She was a completely different person.

‘It’s the Prince. He made her like this. We have to get her away from him,‘ my wolf snarled.

It would be easy to grab her by the wrist and drag her home, but she was now under the protection of Prince Solon. There was nothing I could do. Challenging him was a death sentence for myself and the entire pack.

Viki stirred in my arms, her voice pitiful. “Jason… let’s go home.”

I gritted my teeth. I wanted to yell at Viki for being so impulsive, but there was no point. I took a steadying breath before saying, “Sure, Viki.”

I turned one last time to Talia. “Mark my words, Talia. You’ll regret this. You’ll miss me and beg me to come back.”