Chapter Fifteen

Ada helped me return to my room in the servant's quarters. We had to walk past the courtyard and I could feel the hatred emanating from the rest of the servants as Ada led me back.

“Ignore them,” Ada whispered. “They're just angry about Marcellus but they'll get over it.”

“It wasn't my intention,” I wheezed. “It's unfair because I didn't even do anything.”

Ada shrugged. “They need someone to blame and you are right there, Scarlett. Don't take it to heart, it's all Marcellus’s fault, he should never hit you to start with and then he proceeded to take it too far.” her voice fell to a whisper. “Between me and you, I’m glad he’s dead, he’s a horrible man who used to make some of the other servant girls come into his room at night.”

I turned to Ada in shock but she twitched her eyes telling me to be quiet and we remained silent until we were safely back in my room and she’d shut the door behind us.

“‘He is so despicable!” I screeched.

Ada chuckled quietly, folding her hands across her thighs. “It's why you shouldn't feel bad about his death. It's a good thing the Alpha has killed him, he took advantage of his position and inflicted fear on the other girls. It's hypocritical of them to hate you and blame you for his death, I shouldn't be shocked but I am.”

I nodded thoughtfully. “It is because their hate for me is stronger than their hate for him and like you said; they all need someone to blame.”

She gave me a sad smile. “Don't worry, it'll all fade away after a while and you'll see how amazing the people of the Nightshade pack are. I was terrified when I first got here but they took me in with open arms and treated me well. It is what the Alpha does, he takes in people who have nowhere to go, he brings in strangers and reforms them.”

She chucked. “It's why they call him the Alpha of the Rogue pack but he doesn't mind, we are his rogues and he's sworn to protect us all as long as we remain under his rule.”

I felt a part of me soften toward Rowan due to the love in Ada’s tone as she spoke about him. I've heard him say those words to me, someone whom he detested and even though I knew my stay here was for selfish reasons I had no idea of yet, it was still telling of the kind of person Rowan was. He was a great leader and it wasn't hard to realize how much his subjects revered him but despite it all, he was still an enigma and I doubted if any one of them truly knew who he was.

“What’s his story?” I asked Ada in a soft voice. “I don't think I know anything about him other than the fact that he's the Alpha and that he hates me.”

Ada’s face fell and I got the impression my joke didn't meet her well. “They say Alpha Rowan has gone through so much hardship in life, he was born a bastard to the previous Alpha at the time and his mother was killed shortly after his birth to silence her because it would be a disgrace to the Alpha’s lineage. The Alpha took him in secretly and he was raised in this estate as a lowlife servant.”

I felt shock flash through me at her words and I could only pause and watch as she wiped the tears off her eyes.

“He was hated by the Luna because she knew he was a threat to her son’s position as the heir and so he suffered her endless torture, constant disgrace, and continuous false accusations until she finally sent him away to somewhere unknown but whatever it was, it destroyed him. The rest of the story is a blur but your father and the Moonlake pack did something so horrific that Alpha Rowan himself gets very emotional about it. From what I know, very few people know about it and they would rather lose their life than speak on it. The rest of us know its gravity hence the hate.” She explained.

I sat in silence with my thoughts. The weight of Ada’s words laid heavy between us. I was stunned to hear that they didn’t know what exactly my crime or my father’s was but that all members of the pack loved Rowan so much that they’d stick with him regardless and even take it further by refusing to associate with me.

I was certain Asher knew what it was and whatever it was, he must have gone through it himself. I couldn’t recall the story surrounding his exile because it was a closed affair but one day, he was dethroned from his position as the heir and Caspian took over and Asher was gone, never to be seen again and presumed dead by the rest of us because we didn’t think he’d survive outside the Northwest region on his own.

I wondered what his story with Rowan was and how they’d become so close. I wondered about Kara and the last man who was always with them, the one who’d taken Asher away on my first day here. I recalled now his left arm was withered —arm shrunken with a pale complexion, the veins and tendons were visible under the skin with his hand curled into a claw and his fingers seemingly frozen in place. I hadn’t put much attention into it that day but now I wondered what had happened to him.

Had it occurred due to whatever they’d gone through with my father and the Moonlake pack or was it something else and also, why had that been the last time I saw him?

“You should rest now,” Ada said, standing up. I heard you have a long day ahead of you tomorrow with the Alpha and Matilda said you’d still have to do your servant duties at dinner time.”

I had one last question for her. “Can you tell me about mates, Ada,” I asked. “Is it possible mates can read each other’s thoughts?”

She paused, seeming to think over it. “I know mates can feel when the other is in danger and to some extent, tell the other person’s emotions completely but hearing the other’s thoughts is something beyond me but I'll ask Master Gideon. He is the pack librarian, perhaps he might have a book from the past and we’ll see a mention of something like it,” she paused. “Why do you ask?”

I quickly racked my head for an excuse but came up blank. “Nothing, I… I was just intrigued.”

“Don't let things like that cloud your mind.” she chided softly. “Take some rest, okay? You've been through a lot.”

I thanked her and watched her leave the room, her words haunting me. So it was uncommon for mates to tell each other thoughts, if so, then what has happened with Rowan and me? Or had he been lying? I shook my head, no, Rowan didn't seem like someone who’d play games.

But the one thing that bugged me about it was that if truly Rowan could read my mind and tell my thoughts because he was my mate, it meant one thing; I, too could do the same with him.

I too could invade Rowan’s mind and travel through his head and find the answers I seek. I just had to find out how.