Chapter 154 154
Venessa’s POV
Jamar remained rooted to the spot, his body frozen as tears immediately filled his eyes.
Surprise warred with disbelief, happiness tangled with doubt, curiosity clashing with shock. He was a storm of emotions all at once, and I couldn’t fault him for it. It wasn’t every day your mate returned from the dead.
“Danisha… Danisha,” he whispered.
I turned to my mother and saw tears streaming freely down her face. She looked like she wanted to turn away, to flee from the moment, but Jamar forgot himself. He crossed the distance between them in a heartbeat and pulled her into his chest, holding her as if letting go would shatter him.
No words could ever be enough for something like this.
She resisted him, her tears soaking into his clothes, her hands trembling as she fought against the comfort he offered. I understood her pain. He had abandoned her for twenty years. Even if it hadn’t been his intention, the wound was still there raw and bleeding.
“I’m sorry, my love,” King Jamar said hoarsely. “I never meant for it to take this long. I searched… but you disappeared.”
Danisha continued to cry, and I could feel the contradiction inside her anger and relief twisting together. The emotions were powerful, overwhelming, but she held herself together with remarkable strength.
Denzel and I quietly stepped back, giving them the space they deserved.
That was when Rochelle stormed into the room.
“What is the meaning of this, Jamar?” she snapped, fury blazing across her face.
Despite everything, a small part of me felt pity for her. In this lifetime, she had committed the same sin.
“Jahlil,” Jamar said coldly, releasing Danisha and turning sharply toward Rochelle and the Beta, “did you hunt my mate and her daughter after I ordered that they be found and brought to me unharmed?”
Rochelle’s confidence faltered, though she tried to hide it.
“Mate?” Beta Jahlil repeated in shock before dropping to one knee.
I frowned, confused by his presence. His father had been a traitor one Atabey had wiped from existence.
“Where is your father?” I asked him.
“He died before Jahlil was born,” King Jamar replied, smiling faintly at me.
Denzel and I exchanged a knowing look. Atabey had spared Jahlil by erasing his father entirely, replacing the truth with a gentler memory. Anyone born of traitors must have been given the same mercy parents dead before birth, erased without consequence.
The memory of Atabey, clever and mischievous even while wearing my body, made me smile. She always found a way.
Jahlil remained kneeling.
“Forgive me, Your Majesty,” he said solemnly. “Queen Rochelle issued a standing order fifteen years ago. Danisha Gordon was to be hunted and killed. When I took office, the directive was already in place. I did not know she was the same woman you were secretly searching for. Please forgive me.”
Realization struck hard.
Finding and eliminating Danisha Gordon had been passed down as a royal military directive masked as the King’s will. Rochelle must have carefully selected who knew the truth, ensuring the order survived every change in command.
“That’s how you terrorized Carlton,” I said, turning sharply to Rochelle. “You forced him to send his sister away, threatening to wipe out his pack if he didn’t comply.”
Rochelle stared at me, stunned and confused. She wasn’t a general in this life she had no memories of her execution for treason in the last one.
“You dare speak of things you know nothing about, Alpha Shaw?” she hissed. “Watch your tongue.”
“Jahlil,” Jamar said darkly, “get up and arrest the Queen.”
Jahlil rose instantly.
Rochelle recoiled, her gaze snapping to Danisha with open hatred.
“Slut. Whore,” she spat. “Now that my father-in-law is gone, you crawl back to reap the rewards of your filth. I’m sure your herbs made me barren.”
She turned to Jamar, tears spilling freely now.
“How could you do this to me?”
“I warned you to leave,” Jamar growled. “I warned you before I accepted Danisha as my fated. But you schemed. You manipulated my father until I had no choice but to banish her to protect her. If I had known you were hunting her all these years, I would have beheaded you myself.”
Guards poured into the room.
“Arrest her and charge her with treason,” Beta Jahlil ordered.
Rochelle turned to him, betrayal etched into her face.
“Even you?” she asked.
“The King’s orders,” he replied, bowing his head.
She was dragged away screaming.
Once the room fell silent, Jahlil excused himself.
Jamar turned back to Danisha, who stood utterly stunned. She hadn’t spoken a word through the entire confrontation the shock too deep, too sudden.
“Venessa,” was all she managed to say.
I smiled gently.
“I think we’ll leave you two alone,” I said softly. “Daddy will explain everything. Just… keep an open mind.”
I winked at her.
Denzel and I left them there and retired to one of the palace rooms. It wasn’t officially ours but we claimed it anyway. The guards looked surprised, but none stopped us. After everything we’d walked through unhindered, no one dared question us now.