The Alpha’s Rejected Bride
Chapter 51

As we run to the border, am anxious about what I'll find, could it be something bad has happened? But what? We already caught the rogues working with Josh and Crystal.

My heart is pounding loudly. We stop running once we approach the border. Rayan grabs my waist and pulls me to him.

"Relax," he says

I give him a half-hearted smile.

Guards are patrolling the border, they bow in

acknowledgment of us and we proceed. I see Derek and my aunt talking to a woman whose back is turned to us.

My wolf immediately begins to stir in my heart.

The scent is familiar. I clear my throat once I'm in an earshot.

"What's going on here?" I ask softly, not recognizing my voice. I hear ragged breaths and the woman turns slowly towards us. I stumble back, unable to comprehend what I'm seeing in front of me.

"

'My beautiful, baby," My mom whispers, she has tears in her eyes. My heart is racing, how is it possible that I'm seeing the mother who died years ago. She is approaching me but I instinctively close my eyes. Maybe I'm dreaming or she's a ghost. She'll go away in a few seconds. I feel fingers trailing on my cheek

It's warm and beautiful, like my mother's. I remember her touch-up to this day.

"

Open your eyes," she whispers. Her voice is still soft as ever. I oblige, trying to speak but no words come out.

"mère?" Is all I manage to say.

"Yes," she responds. " I'm alive, baby," she wraps her arms around me but I don't reciprocate. Too shocked. How is she alive. They told me she died, we mourned her for so long.

"We should go to the packhouse," Rayan says. I only nod. He greets my mother who instead hugs him.

As we walk back, mom is asking questions about the royal city and everyone. I'm stealing glances at her as we walk. She is still as beautiful as ever, her fair skin is flawless and ageless. Her hair is done nicely in a neat bun and her dress fits her perfectly. I almost laugh at the fact that she is wearing heels. My mother has always been a fashionista.

In a few minutes, we reach the packhouse, it's quiet now. As we go to the main area, a few servants we meet gasps at the sight of their luna and rush to her. Others crying, others smiling. She tells them that she will explain everything later however, she hugs them and holds their hands. She is acting so normal and chilled about all of this.

We go to the main area and we take seats. Rayan is very close to me while aunt and Derek sit opposite my mother.

"You are not as ecstatic as I thought you'd be to see me," she says, crossing her legs... I'm affronted now that I think about it

"Maybe I don't understand what's happening?" I retort. Does she know the kind of pain she made me go through when she faked her death?

"You think I was happy to cause my family pain?"

"You tell me, Mom," I look her straight in the eyes. She sighs and gets to her feet. Rayan stands up, I look at him confused as my mother takes his place next to me.

My mother holds hands and says

"I'm so sorry, my Lucille,"

Hearing my name from her mouth feels good. I smile a little, forgetting my anger

"Why did you do it, Mom? Dad and I suffered so much," I croak. Trying to fight back my tears.

"Mom," she repeats sweetly." It feels good hearing you say that again,"

"Mom," I repeat. She chuckles, still as beautiful.

"I run away to protect you. The demons were after me as you know now, I'm a dragon," she informs me

"But you suppressed that part of yourself, sister-in-law. How did they sense you?" My auntie asks. Yep. So she knew.

"I was just delaying the inevitable. When the royal city was under attack by vampires, I shifted and used my power to burn them, Yadiel tried to lock my dragon away but it was hard and the cloaking spell wore off," she explains.

"I used to fight Demon every other week, and I was afraid they might launch a huge attack to get me, so with the help of the Queen and king. I managed to convince everyone that I died in that fire,"

I can't believe this, so my godparents knew?! I don't know how I feel about that. But I do understand their reasons.

"Of course, they knew," Rayan murmurs, shaking his head.

"So what happens now?"

"I was captured by demons a week ago but I managed to escape and gather other dragon clans to free those captured over the years. We destroyed everything they had," she smiles in triumph as she finishes to explain. I sigh and pull her in for a long hug. I missed her so much. I allow a few tears to flow down my cheeks as we hold each other.

She suddenly pulls away and her face lits up.

"Did you receive my little gift?" She asks then looks at my mate.

"Gift? What gift?"

"The baby dragon," she is confusing me now.

"I didn't receive any dragon," I say. My mother laughs

"Ahyan," Rayan says, smiling. Oh my god. Is Ahyan is a dragon! No wonder I felt connected to him. Realization dawns at what she did.

"You left my son alone in the woods?" I ask and stand up. I'm tugging my hair. How could she do that? What if I didn't go to the border market. Those demons would have gotten my baby.

"Mom, that was very reckless and dangerous you know, how could you?" I scold gently. She gets up and walk to the mini bar, pouring herself a glass of red wine.

"Son?" She asks after gulping her wine. She is eyeing me.

"I adopted him," I inform her. She smiles widely at me and comes to hug me.

"How about his parents?" It's Rayan who asks

Mom sighs sadly

"They were king and Queen of dragons. Unfortunately, they died defending the clans from Demons. I

rescued the baby and kept him but I couldn't lose the demons so I decided to leave him in the royal city. Demons are scared to enter there and I had a feeling he will call unto a fellow Dragon," I sigh so Ahyan is a prince.

My mom is still drinking and has offered Rayan and my aunt too.

"What about me?" I pout. She shakes her head

"You are too young to drink,"

I gasp, " I turned twenty-one," I say sharply and cross my arms against my chest.

"I know but you're still my baby,"

While my mom and I bicker, they are all watching us with smiles. Derek gets up and gives me a drink. I almost choke on it as it was too strong.

"Can we get back to talking about Ahyan?"

"Who's Ahyan?" Mom ask.

"My son,"

"Ahyan is a nice name," she smiles

"So Prince Ahyan is a powerful dragon from a pure bloodline just like me that's why demons are after us,"

My heart sinks, demons have been after Dragons for a long time, wanting to get their power and now that my son is a pure blood Prince, they might come for him if they know he's alive.

"We won't let them anywhere close to him, we will protect him," Rayan says firmly.

"We did enough damage to the demons and will take decades to regroup,"

Relief washes over me when I hear that.

The rest of the night we talk about the packs and go to sleep.

The following morning, we didn't go back to the Royal city because I wanted to spend more time with my mother and Rayan has refused to leave without me, so he's working in my father's study and attending meetings via zoom. The council wants the coronation next week and so they are preparing for it.

I'm lying in her bed and Mom cuddles me while we wait for it to stop drizzling outside. We talk about Dad and how much his death affected her.

We cry, laugh and hug. It's a blissful feeling and I'm happy that she is here with me.

When it stops raining, I go back to my room and change into my black skinny jeans, crop top, and boots. I put my hair into a bun and go outside to meet mom in the training field.

She is talking to a few members and warriors. She waves at me and approaches me

"Hi, love,"

We look for a perfect spot to practice. I'm sitting in front of her in a mediation position.

She tells me how to control my breathing and fire.

"Fire is alive," Mom says, and suddenly flames appear on her arms.

"I was having a horrible dream and woke up in a bed of fire, it was scary," I inform her. She gives me a sad smile.

"Don't worry, you'll learn how to control it. I'm here now," she strokes my hair gently.

The whole day we spent together having fun and going to our favorite places, I even rode on her back and we soared through the air. Mom said I will shift not just now because my body is still adjusting.

Hours later after dinner, I facetime Meredith to check on Ahyan. He's a happy kid.

He's playing with a bunch of toys and when he sees we are on the screen, he squeals and grabs the phone from Meredith's hand

"Ahyan!" I hear the nanny's voice.

"Hi, baby!" I wave. He is smiling at us.

"Mama! Dada!"

We talk a while with our son. I can hear some of the things he says but not all.

He's learning how to talk. When we hung up. Rayan pulls me into an embrace and kisses my hair.

"I have to go tomorrow,"

I frown. Mom can't join us yet because she needs to find other Dragons.

"You can stay a few days and spend time with your mother," I shake my head. We've stayed longer than we were supposed to and I'm missing Ahyan. We get into bed.

"Jasper found his mate," Rayan tells me. I smile.

The second prince has always wanted his soulmate. I'm happy for him

"Where?" I ask.

"

At the hospital, she's undergoing treatment as she was in an accident," he informs me. I frown.

"I hope she gets better,"

"They'll discharge her tomorrow and take her to the castle, they don't have any information on her and she is suffering from temporal memory loss," he informs me "So she's like a blank page?" I joke.

"Hmm, not really, she remembers her name,"

I only nod and wrap my arms around his torso. I'm too tired after today's events with mother. I suddenly look up to him and ask.

"What's her name?"

"Xena,"