"It is time for you to leave." One of the guards said.
Fiona rose up to her feet quickly and was very obviously distraught.
"So soon?" She demanded. "But she has barely even had the time to get herself together."
"That is not for you or anyone else to decide." The guard replied to Fiona.
The guards started to progress towards her in an attempt to take her willingly or forcefully.
"There will be no need for that," Jasmine stated rising to her feet.
She hugged Fiona hard.
She felt the tears at the brim of her eyes and then could soon feel it go down her cheek.
"Swear that we will see again," Fiona said. "Nothing will happen to you, and you shall return back to this pack."
Jasmine swallowed. "I wished I could make such promises, but I cannot tell the future."
She finally withdrew from her and Fiona cleaned her own eyes, then she put her hands on Jasmine’s shoulder and said to her. "I will speak to Xaden and make sure he does not harm you. It is better for you to return back here than to go and live in that godforsaken place where you are not wanted. They do not deserve you."
Jasmine, touched by her words, hugged her tightly again.
When she finally withdrew she said. "Do not get yourself involved in all of this. I have already put you in so much trouble for having you keep those secrets. I will not want you in any more trouble."
"I will speak for him, and nothing you say will change that," Fiona said stubbornly.
"We need to leave." The guards said.
Fiona glared at him. "Can you not see that she is speaking to me. For the sake of the goddess have some heart and understand we are saying goodbye".
"Do not fight with anyone Fiona," Jasmine said. "Do not fight. And this is not goodbye. Since you have said that I will return them let it be so. We shall see again. Let this be see you later. Okay?"
Fiona nodded more appeased by the new idea.
She hugged her once again and then she went out with the guards.
She did not bother carrying anything because she wanted to believe that she would come back.
A few items of clothing and property that she would have remained here because she hoped that she would return.
She thought about her talent for painting and wondered how she had never been able to exploit it.
It was the Queen who had told Xaden to make sure she started painting.
But she had never gotten the time to.
She was led down the halls and walked on with the guards by her side.
People whispered as she passed by and sneered at her.
But she kept her head up high as she went on an ahead.
When she got outside of the castle she saw that there were horses already waiting.
About a hundred of them which meant that over a hundred wolves were going to be going along with them to the crescent pack.
She watched as everywhere was buzzing with the pack wolves going back and forth securing their things and stashing them to their horses.
Jasmine began to wonder why he was only going with a small fraction of people.
"He already has a number of wolves stationed at the moonlight pack." A voice behind her said.
She turned around and saw Loren.
She gasped, excited to see him, and then when she remembered all the things she had been found guilty of along with her public humiliation, her self-esteem dropped.
"Loren." She said in a low voice. "You must hate me."
"Of course not." He said. "I had always known that you were not the daughter that Xaden wanted. It was too evident. Everyone should have been able to see that from the beginning."
"What do you mean?" She asked.
"Alpha Bale’s precious daughter was rumored to be spoiled rotten, lazy, and insolent. You came as neither. In fact, I can say that I have never seen any servant in this pack work the way you did. Your injuries and your hands were rough and hard from years of hard labor. Spoiled girls do not have that." He stated matter of fact.
"If you knew why did you not tell Alpha Xaden?" She asked. "Why keep it a secret?"
"Because I liked someone for the first time in a very long time". Loren said honestly. "I will never say that again just so you know. I had no idea where you were coming from, but I knew you were better off here. You sing when you work. Even as a slave, you would be willing to work. Mere servants slouch doing their work but not you. And you seemed happy here. No spoiled daughter of Alpha Bale would be able to find out how to mix herb or farm that is for sure."
She sighed with a heavy heart. "You should have told Xaden. It was no good use. If he finds out that you always knew something was amiss, he will punish you, and I can not bear to see that."
He touched her shoulder. "The weight you carry is too much for you. If you keep on carrying for everyone then how will you carry yours?"
That made her go quiet.
He hugged her for the first time and said. "I know that everything you said was true, and I believe you. No more secrets."
He finally let go of her.
"And make sure you reveal everything those monsters did to you." He said to her. "They deserve to be slaughtered the lot of them. And make sure you come back."
"How do you know I will even be alive?" She asked.
"Because I know. And do greet Urma for me. It has been a while. Ask if she has forgiven me." He said.
And with that he stood back away from her, waiting to watch her leave.