SWNOVELS Chapter The Alternate
Ch 20
Jessara pov
We decided to keep moving quickly back to the royal grounds. Once there we can try and find any info we can. We are continuously reassured that Hades has Matecor, but something tells me it’s not right. Wesley says he has seen him with his own eyes. We know what we are seeing and it has to be him! I sit in the car with Killian while James and Jasmine sit between us. Their parents are sitting behind us sleeping. No doubt this has been beyond life altering for them. We quickly got them all cleaned up with the guards at our pit stop and some moms gave us clothes for all of them to wear. We mind linked Rikar that we are headed back early and he is livid with us.
He has heard about what happened and how dare we not inform him of the situation. Yeah yeah yeah. Little does he know we are bringing a human family back with us during this process. This poor family! Never did I think that they or their parents would or could have gotten caught up in this. While we have been driving we were informed that the scene was cleaned up. This is our responsibility now and we will make it right for the hotel. I just sit and stare out the window when I feel a tap on my shoulder.
“You know this isn’t your fault. We have no clue who this person is or where they come from!”
“It’s Matecor Killian! I don’t know how he is doing it but unless it’s him it’s his twin. Last time I checked he didn’t have one. There is a way that he’s doing it. I want to go see him myself.”
“Jessara I don’t think you can, but we can ask Wesley.”
I mind link Mila to have Wesley meet us at the palace. She agrees and the car is quiet once again while we drive. After a couple hours we arrive at the palace and Rikar is standing outside fuming. The moment the car stops Killian jumps out when Rikar and him start arguing back and forth. They are loud enough that the kids and their parents wake up. I decided to get us all unloaded and bring them to a guest room for them to relax. When I open the door Rikar sees me get out and goes to say something but stops when he sees two sets of small feet jump down after me followed by two more sets of feet.
They cling to me for dear life looking around at all the warriors standing around. When I shut the door he sees the two children and their parents staring wide eyed. I hand the bag with all their old clothes over to a warrior telling them to go burn them. I look down at the kids smiling and walk with them and their parents over to Rikar. He looks at me with a ‘what the hell happened’ look when I smile mouthing later.
He looks over at his dad who shakes his head no. So he kneels down looking at the kids. He can tell that they are scared by the way they keep looking around.
“My name is Rikar, and I’m the new King of the shifters. I know this place can be kind of scary and overwhelming, but no one here will hurt you or your parents. You see us in our human forms, but maybe when you guys feel ready we can go out running with you guys in our animal forms. Since you guys will probably be here for a while. We have bears, cheetahs, wolves, and much more roaming around. My mate here Queen Cora and she can show you all around the palace, and you guys can choose a guest room to stay in.”
They got excited grabbing Cora’s hand looking back at me for approval.
“It’s ok you guys, you will be fine!”
They go walking off, with their parents in tow, and the moment they are out of ear shot Rikar turns to us.
“Someone want to explain to be what the fuck is going on and why I now have a human family here? I know about the incident at the hotel with the breech and the attackers.”
“They attacked their parents and they barely made it out. Our guards grabbed the family and ran.”
We see him pinch the bridge of his nose letting out a sigh. Right when he goes to talk Wesley walks up.
“Why is it that you wanted to see me?”
“I want to see Matecor for myself!”
“Queen Jessara I assure you just like Hades has assured me he is locked up behind clear walls so he cannot get free.”
“Listen here Wesley and you listen well. Both Killian and I know what we have seen with our own fucking eyes! We have seen him follow me around at the beach, and stare at us while he gives the command to breach the hotel! So don’t for one fucking second say everything is ok! I have a human family that’s been attacked on my hands and now two kids that are now traumatized. They are my responsibility until we figure this out! I want to see him for myself! Take me and Killian there now!”
He nods when he grabs our hands, and in the blink of an eye we are down in the realm of Hades.
“Wesley I have told you that, oh you have brought the King and Queen.”
“Where is he!”
“My Queen, I have assured Wesley that he is locked up! He has been in my special cells this whole time. Come follow me.”
We follow him down through cell after cell seeing that some are filled with their residents and others empty when we come to Matecors. I see a body laying in there and it looks like him. Except I can’t smell anything.
“Why can’t I smell anything? His scent or blood?”
“My Queen I have a lot of that down here, but I don’t want to smell it day after day. So they are in sealed cells so no smells get out.”
“Open it!”
“My Queen, the stench that will come out won’t be pleasant!”
“I don’t fucking care! Open the damn cell!”
I see Hades nod at me and walk over to a keypad. He places his finger print and enters a code when the doors opens. The smell of the body rotting is putrid enough but when I take a deep breath in my face pales. I start to tremble when a loud growl erupts through the realm from behind me. I see Killian grab Hades pinning him to the wall screaming. Wesley tries to get him off trying to figure out what is going on. He gives up running over to me and turns me to look at him.
“Jessara, It’s not matecor is it! Holy shit how they hell did this happen?”
“It’s not his scent! It’s one of his guards.”
Wesley releases me and steps back looking over at Hades.
“I swear Wesley I didn’t know! I took Matecor’s body and put it here then took his three guards over to the other set of cells.”
“There were four guards! You don’t remember how many you fucking brought up and then brought back! Where are the other 3?”
He locks up the cell and we follow him to where the three are. They are in cells in shackles and when they see us they instantly pale. I see Jake and point to his cell. Hades opens it and I quickly run in grabbing his shackles dragging him from the cell. I walk him over to the next two cells and ask him who’s missing?
“Where’s Justin?”
I then drag him over to the locked cell when Hades opens it, and he takes a deep breath looking directly at me.
“That’s not Matecor! That’s Justin!”
“You idiot! You run this realm and don’t even know who you fucking lock up! You better fix this and fast! Matecor is out there with an army from Goddess knows where coming for me! I have a plan though! I swear on everything that if you don’t fix this we will be looking for a replacement! Justin seems a little lonely since he got screwed over!”
I watch Hades visibly gulp when I pull Jake with me and walk over to the other two guards. Before I can say anything Jake opens his mouth.
“The fucker Matecor left us here to rot while he replaced himself with Justin to get back to the surface.”
These three are fuming and the two in the cells start growling pacing around.
“I have an offer for you three! Even though I despise you and would like to kill you myself I have a plan. You three work for us to trap him and maybe, just maybe I will look at having you serve your time on the surface. Here in hell or on the surface it’s your choice.”
“Anything to get out of this hell hole! No offense Hades”
“Perfect! How about we all head up to the surface and set up a date!”