Chapter 91

• HAERA
• Nothing has changed! The damn situation was draining me but it still hasn't changed for weeks now. To be sincere, I had lost track of days. I hardly have a few minutes to myself these days. Most of the time it would be grown-ass-but-baby-mind Zachary creating problems for me and whenever I finally got saved from him by sleep, the pack matters arose to strangle me. Somehow, I missed my days of being a chef. It has been ages since I created a new dish. Argh! Who was going to save me? No one! But I was starting to hate cooking because of "my son's" constant requests. I could only pray to the goddess that she should restore Alpha Zachary's memories because I was losing my mind. Different things come up everyday! My mate must have decided to punish me for leaving him before and his mind chose the perfect way to deal with me by making me his mom. I already accepted my fate but like I said, Zachary always brings new requests to my table every damn day but what happened today was unexpected...I was caught off guard. I was taking my time to cool my head and stretch my bones in the bathtub, humming to myself with my eyes closed. My ears and senses failed to perceive his presence before me until it was too late to cover my nudity from his scrutinizing but innocent look. "Mum, can I bathe with you?" At first, I thought it was in my head and even when I opened my eyes, I still didn't believe my mate was actually in the bathroom with me and I focused on getting rid of what I assumed to be a mental image of him while in reality, Alpha Zachary was truly there with me. "Mum, I want you to help me clean up today...it's been so long since the last time you bathed me." My mate asked but yet, I chose to believe my head was messing with me because Zachary had become a huge chunk of bone in my neck. He stood quietly beside the bathtub I was in obviously waiting for my answer but I just gazed at him absentmindedly until he nodded his head, smiling like he had won another medal. "I'll join you then!" Alpha Zachary declared, finally clearing the fog in my head as he swiftly pulled off his sleeping robe. I would have had time to prepare myself for the shock if my mate wasn't completely naked underneath his bathing robe. I did the only thing a lady would do if her bath time was intruded on by a naked man with erect manhood. I screamed... An ear piercing scream that almost destroyed my eardrums. Yes, I had seen him where the sun doesn't shine when he was unconscious but this was different. It was huge and erected and manly and...oh dear goddess!!!! I guessed it was only his mind that had returned to being ten years old because trust me, his pickle looked nothing like a child's own, and nor was the darkness that loomed in his eyes when he stared at my exposed chest. My exposed chest? I followed Alpha Zachary's line of sight to see that my breasts were already out of the lukewarm water that the maids had filled the bathtub with which probably occurred when I raised my hands earlier. Yet again, I screamed but this time I scurried to get myself covered as I pulled a towel to my chest. I would have preferred my dress but they were further away from me and I didn't want to expose my lower body which was still hidden under the foamy water. "W-hen d-id you ge-t he-re?" I asked gullibly despite knowing when he arrived beside me. It was my brain that failed to register his presence. Zachary shifted his gaze to my face when my voice ed reached his ears and even though I didn't appreciate his dilated orbs when they stared at my breast earlier, I missed them when I saw that his innocence had returned as he smiled at me like a fucking child...after shoving his penis in my face!! "I missed your hands on me so I want you to bathe me. I know I'm old enough to take care of myself but I'm still allowed to be a child with you, mum." Alpha Zachary tried to give me a toothy grin and puppy dog eyes but he ended up smirking and looking like a sex-staved man to me. Imagine seeing a grown man trying to act cute while his erection was jiggling right in front of your eyes. It was doing crazy things to me down there. Thank goddess for the warm water that could be blamed for my blush. "Can you please put your robes back on?" I requested, trying not to sound harsh. "But mum-" "Please Zachary!" He was shocked to see my reaction but he took his robe not without pouting though. I was boiling with anger, frustration, and perhaps need. Any sane woman would have broken down ages ago due to watching their mate treating them like his mother. I couldn't take it anymore. I wanted some time to myself. "Get this straight, Zach. I won't be able to bathe you because I've other things to do and before you go all whiny and cute with me, know that it won't work on me...not today." Zachary didn't hide his shock when I said those words to him with all the kindness I could mutter at that period. "I thought you loved me, mum. Why are you being mean for no reason?" He asked with the same whiny voice that I had asked him not to use. I bit my inner cheek to avoid lashing out at Zachary with the harsh words that were threatening to force themselves out of my mouth. Leaving the bathtub with zero care about how my mate's eyes would see me naked, I passed by him to pick up my dress. It was better to turn a deaf ear to him whenever he began to throw tantrums like the ten-year-old he had turned into. Arguing with him would only worsen the situation. He thought I loved him? Hilarious! I never even had the chance to fall in love with him, not as his mum and definitely not as his fated mate. I left Zachary in the bathroom after dressing myself and my thoughts were focused on how I would handle the rest of the day in this mood. For some reason, I just wanted to crawl into a safe shell and have some me-time. Some time away from ten years old Zachary, The imperial pack, and the world at large. It was a simple wish but even that was too much for me to ask anyone, even myself. It was clear to me when Alan announced his presence outside Zachary's chambers. I looked towards to adjoining bathroom to check if Zachary wouldn't be out soon because as much as I didn't want to care about him, I also didn't want others to see his private parts. He might not be himself right now but that doesn't change the fact that Alpha Zachary's private part was created for me and me alone. "But someone else already had a taste of it and you're yet to be considered as his mate. He sees you as his mum, remember?" A voice chipped in my head. It wasn't Dezra. It was a taunting voice that had become part of my mind. I permitted Alan to come inside as a way of saving myself from me... No doubt, I was going insane. "Good morning, Princess Haera." Alan greeted me. "There's nothing good about the morning, Alan, and I know you're about to ruin it further." I responded. Alan simply ignored my complaint as his eyes scanned the room to search for his Alpha. Alan's lips parted and I presumed he wanted to ask me about his Alpha's whereabouts but a loud noise from the bathroom stopped him before he could voice his question. Alan looked worried by the energy he was sensing from Alpha Zachary but I didn't even think twice about it. "He's simply trying to get my attention. Don't mind him and tell me why you are here." Even though my attempts to assure him didn't work, Alan had no choice but to do as I asked. "We know you have a lot on your plate but-" "Before you continue, who are the "we"?" I cut Alan's words just to clear the confusion he had cast on me. The idea of being appreciated by many people didn't sit well with me as I had come to realize that the reward of a hardworking individual was more work which I didn't wish for. "I mean to say, the entire packs in the woodlands, the pack members of the imperial pack which includes me and the council too." Alan explained, breaking down his words, and yet, I still didn't like the sound of it. "So?" My eyebrows furrowed as I questioned. "Back to the reason I'm here, you've been invited to join the next council meeting that had been scheduled to hold in the throne room in about five minutes." Alan informed me again. I could sense his mixed feeling although it was brief before he composed himself. He has got to be kidding me... "You're trying to crack a joke right? It isn't funny if I'm the judge of that." I snorted, relaxing into the soft leather of the armchair I was sitting on. How could he not be joking? He wouldn't dare to tell me about a meeting just a few minutes before the beginning of the said meeting. "Pardon me for the inconvenience but I also didn't know about the meeting until this morning. The council members called an impromptu meeting and I don't have the power to stop them, Princess Haera." Alan explained and he didn't leave out an apology...an apology that meant nothing to me because my brain was thinking and processing a thousand motives that could be the reason for an unplanned invitation and meeting. "Can I not attend?" I murmured. "You can choose not to attend but I beseech you not to turn down the invitation. The council members must have an urgent matter to discuss with you." Alan said, strapping me in dilemma...if there was anything like that but it explained my current predicament perfectly. "Watch him for me, will you?" Signaling toward the bathroom, I told Alan and he got the message. If I was to attend a meeting, I wouldn't want a ten-year-old MAN clinging to me or disturbing me. I made sure I was presentable before I walked down to the throne room. "It's all going to be over soon..." Dezra said to be but I doubted her words. She was also unsure yet I appreciated her way of showing me that she was still with me no matter what may. I straightened my shoulders, copying the same posture I had seen my momma use a thousand times as I reached the entrance of the throne room. My nostrils inhaled the natural scents of the people behind the door I was about to push open and I prepared myself for them. By "them", I was referring to over thirty people and my eyes took them in after I entered the throne room. The eyes of both wise men and women also stared at me while I did the same. There were seven people in the front row while others stood behind them, releasing their pride into the air. "Greetings Princess Haera of the Moonstone Pack and the rightful mate of Alpha Zachary of the Imperial Pack!" One of the seven people in the front row hailed and everyone else repeated the same words after him. The man that raised the hail was standing right in the middle of six others with three people on each of his sides. "Greetings members of the wise council." I replied despite not knowing if that was the right way to respond. I didn't know if I should sit or not because of two reasons. One, there was no other seat in the throne room except the throne made for the Alpha and the crowned Luna of the pack which I wasn't. And also, the council was a respected body of wise werewolves and I didn't want to appear rude by sitting while they were all standing before me. "Thank you for honoring our impromptu invitation. We're deeply sorry for that but we had no choice but to call your attention to urgent matters that concern the pack." The same man spoke to me while others remained quiet. I couldn't even speak due to the overwhelming scent of knowledge that had taken over the throne room. "Make use of your Alpha Aura, Haera. It should help." My wolf advised which I employed. "You do not need to feel threatened by our wisdom, we're merely here to be of service to you, Princess Haera." The man voiced out, speaking my mind. I relaxed instantly but I didn't let go of my composure. "I'm Jared, the spokesman of the council. Do have a seat, Princess." The man that had been doing all the talking introduced himself and also urged me to make myself comfortable. It was hard to choose between sitting on the Alpha's throne or the Luna's but I went for the latter which was closer to me. "Why have you invited me to the gathering of your knowledgeable selves?" I finally said something to the council. No one responded for a while and I perceived a strong mind connection among them. "The council is known for putting the ideas forward through their chosen spoken and they share their thoughts through a special mindlink to avoid arguing out loud in front of nonmembers." Dezra explained to me. I was glad she was able to clear my confusion and I didn't even question her about how she managed to know such details. "Princess Haera, without beating around the bush, the council invited you to notify you of our thoughts of crowning you the Luna of the prestigious Imperial Pack." Jared answered, dropping a bombshell. "But that isn't possible. I'm unmarked and as we all know my mate, Alpha Zachary isn't fit to mark me or perform the crowning ritual." I countered. "That isn't hidden from us but as you mentioned, Alpha Zachary is unfit to lead the pack as he should according to the vows he took and the pack needs an official leader and that's where you come in." Jared said calmly. The conversation continued for minutes or maybe hours and every argument I had was rendered useless by the council. I wasn't crowned officially yet but I was already experiencing hell. What would happen to my life if I got crowned when my mate wasn't mentally fit. "What if I refuse to go through the process with Alpha Zachary." I asked, thinking the council would let sleeping dogs lie till my mate become healthy again but I was shocked by Jared's response. "Then we would have no choice but to dethrone Alpha Zachary according to traditions." "But he isn't neglecting his duties because he wishes to and besides, there is no one to take the throne except Alpha Zachary." I defended my mate, rising from the throne impatiently. "Of course, there is any although it pains the council to even think of it, we might have to call back the second son of the previous Alpha, Alpha Prince Tybalt." Jared said confidently. All I could do was scream in my head as my blood began to boil. What the....!