***Jackson's POV***

It's been days since Clarissa left. I can't find it in my heart to forgive her. I tried contacting her, against my own judgement. She hasn't even bothered to try to see anyone else's perspective.

I know she's my mate. I want her and I need her. I just can't put a bandaid over this issue. Even Viribus is angry with her.

She ruined everything. After claiming your mate with your mark, you should be celebrating. Unfortunately, that is impossible.

I have tried to see things from her angle. However, she really just has no just cause.

"Good morning Alpha, Good morning Luna." I greeted from the breakfast bar.

"Good morning Jax." They both greeted.

"Any luck with Clarissa?" Darius probed.

"Nope" I gritted popping the P.

"Maybe Persephone can help." Aubrey offered.

"Maybe" I jeered dejectedly.

"It's worth a try." Darius agreed.

"Yeah, I guess it couldn't hurt." I accepted.

After breakfast I contacted Persephone and we discussed the problem with Claire. She agreed to help and told me to let her handle it.

I don't care what she has to do. I'm not afraid to ask for help. I just hope whatever Persephone does, sets things on a right path.

***Persephone's POV***

Jackson asked me to intervene.

I don't usually get between mates.

But, desperate times call for desperate measures.

I asked for permission to bring Clarissa to the Chamber of Judgement.

It's time she got a reality check.

***Clarissa's POV***

The Moon Goddess requested my appearance in her realm. So here I am. I don't know what she thinks she can tell me that would change my mind.

I'm not wrong about Aubrey.

I know I'm not wrong.

But, The Moon Goddess can waste her time if she chooses.

"Moon Goddess." I greeted.

"Hello, Clarissa, it is nice to meet you." The Moon Goddess welcomed.

"Can we get this over with?" I asked without trying to be disrespectful.

"First, I would like to talk. I'm Persephone, Moon Goddess." She introduced.

"Okay, Persephone. What do you want to know?" I asked honestly.

She didn't seem like someone to be rude to. Therefore, I wouldn't be.

"Tell me what's bothering you." Persephone probed.

"Aubrey!" I admitted.

"We will get to Aubrey later. Right now I want to know about you. What has your journey been like?" Persephone requested.

"It could have been better. I mean I'm thankful to have found my mate, but my family isn't exactly thrilled for me." I confessed.

"Why wouldn't they be happy that you are to be a Royal Beta? That is a very prestigious title." Persephone questioned with curiosity.

"I'm not an Alpha, so I guess I don't matter." I shrugged.

"You do matter sweetheart. I would not have paired you with Jackson had you not." Persephone confirmed.

"Yeah, but my parents only care for my brother. He will be my pack's Alpha. He is the golden child." I explained.

"I'm sorry you have been made to feel that way. No one should feel as though they are not enough. Come here child." Persephone called for me.

She came to stand in front of me. Then she shocked me, by wrapping her arms around me and kissing my head.

I couldn't help it, I have not been showed a motherly affection in so long. I melted into her arms. Tears started to fall.

"You can cry, Clarissa. It's ok to feel hurt." Persephone cooed.

"Tell me more about you. Tell me about your friends, your dreams. Tell me who you are." Persephone interrogated.

"I'm just average. I can fight pretty well. I am strong in my wolf form. I take care of my body. I'm pretty smart I guess. I don't know. I'm just nothing special. I have some friends, if you can call them that. They are more like acquaintances. We just hang out when they have nothing better to do. My dream has always been my mate. And, thanks to you I have found Jackson. Thank you for that, even though it's ruined now." I confessed.

"Oh dear, nothing is ruined. We will work on that. But, first, we need to work on you." Persephone declared.

"I don't know how to work on me." I stated.

"You have allowed how other's treat you to dictate your life." Persephone announced.

It felt like a condemnation.

"I just don't want to get hurt." I whimpered.

"What do you want?" Persephone asked.

That's not something I am often asked. To be honest, it felt good to hear someone request that of me.

"My mate. A family. True friends. To not be so distrustful. I want Jackson. I want him to want me. I want him to be proud of who I am. I want him to look at me, the way he looks at Aubrey. I'm jealous of her." I whispered.

I can't believe that just came out of my mouth.

I can't believe I feel that way.

I hate Aubrey.

"I didn't mean that. I'm not jealous of Aubrey." I spat.

"Unfortunately, I think you are telling the truth. So, let's get to Jackson. Then we will get to Aubrey." Persephone ordered.

"Jackson loves Aubrey. She came into his life when she was four. He has watched her grow up. Aubrey is very special to all of the Royals. She is going to be Queen. Jackson is a very loyal wolf. He would never betray his Kingdom. He would never betray his friends. He would never betray his Mate. He would not betray you." Persephone started.

I stood there listening. A smile formed on my lips. Jackson is a good man. He truly is. I am blessed.

"Let me show what Aubrey's life was like as a human." Persephone offered.

"She was human?" I gasped.

"She is only a new wolf." Persephone confirmed.

Wow. I had never met anyone outside of Royals  who had been human first. I guess that makes sense.

Persephone brought me to the center of the room that we were standing in. There was a very large and dominating fountain before us.

The waters swayed and circled creating small waves. I watched the waters, entranced. Suddenly, they produced scenes. I watched intently.

A beautiful child appeared before me. She was so adorable. She had sun kissed blonde hair, a cherub face and stunning bright green eyes. I wanted to kiss her on her small freckled nose. She was captivating.

The waters shimmied and scenes played out before my eyes.

Four children huddled into a very small room. They were crying. Their bodies were covered in bruises. What has happened to them? Then I recognized the previous baby from the first scene. My stomach started twisting and turning.

Another scene.

The beautiful child was singing to the birds. Then she was dragged away, with tears streaking down her face.

I was confused. What had the child done? She was just playing with the trees.

Another vision appeared, an older child, maybe six or seven, came into view. She was definitely the beautiful little girl from the other pictures. But, she was thinner and her eyes didn't shine so much.

A man took her from her room. What did he do with her? When he brought her back, she looked like she had been crying. The man looked scary, like a demon. He had a disgusting smirk on his face. He was the same man that had dragged her. It made chills cover my body.

More scenes appeared.

The 9 year old version of the blonde hair green eyed cherub was crying outside her school, then it flickered to her at her home, at a hospital and back to her home. She was all alone in a room. The man that had been appearing in all the visions was screaming at her. There was a small woman standing with the man. She was just letting the demon scream and hit the little child. I wanted to look away. But, I needed to know what happened.

The whole scene morphed, it wasn't the same city from previous ones. There was a thick forest and a shabby house in the middle of a valley. The girl from all the visions, she looked sick. Her body was misshapen. She was frail. She was cleaning and appeared to be singing. Suddenly, the demon appeared and threw her. He was on a rampage. Where is her mother? Why is no one protecting her? I started feeling rage bubbling inside me.

She ran out of the house, chasing something or someone. I watched her run towards a tree that sat outside the window of the shack. She was cutting a rope from a small boys neck. Oh my goddess, was he doing what I think? Tears were steadily pouring down my face. This can't be real.

I turned to my side and emptied the contents of my stomach before wiping my mouth and turning back to the fountain.

This has to get better. But, even if it does, it doesn't change the way the girl will remember.

Another environment appeared. The girl looked almost a teen. She was a little healthier. She was beautiful. She smiled and played, talking to the boy from the last scene. He was older now. They entered their home and the demon and the lady were screaming and yelling.

Then I could here the teenage cherub yelling back.

"No, Mom" she shouted condescendingly.

"You shut up and you listen to me." The cherub screamed.

"He beats us, he molested me and you took his side. I waited and I prayed that you would wake up. But, you just sat there and crawled back every time the man that abused your kids cried. Why didn't you hear our cries, Mom? Why didn't you come crawling to us asking us for our forgiveness. I'm done. I hate you. Either you choose your kids or you choose him. Don't push me mom! I'm tired of the shit. He will never lay his filthy hands on anyone of us again. Make your choice mom. You have until the morning." The courageous teen declared.

Oh this child. I was so proud of this dream child. She took charge. She stood up for every one of the other kids. I was smiling with delight at her outburst.

Scenes came and went and the cherub child grew into a young lady. I watched as she made sacrifices that I could not believe she was forced to choose.

I watched as she mourned the loss of the demon. That didn't seem right. Why was she sad?

Again, she appeared to be taking care of an older lady. Then she was crying over the woman's dying form.

I watched as she took care of a very frail rendition of the lady she had yelled at. Then I really looked at the cherub young lady. It was Aubrey. They had all been Aubrey. I inhaled sharply as awareness flooded my mind. It couldn't be. But, it was.

Aubrey was taking care of her mother. The mom was sick. Aubrey doted on her with smiles and love. How could she love her after what had happened?

I watched as Aubrey found her mother, and screamed violently, thrashing in grief. I wanted to hug Aubrey. I wanted to rock her and love her. I wanted to whisper I'm sorry and console her.

Then the forest appeared before me. Aubrey was sleeping against a tree, then running towards the woods before she appeared to be attacking a man. A young girl fled as Aubrey whacked the man with a thick tree limb. Suddenly, Aubrey was laying against a different tree with no bottoms on.

"Please tell me this did not happen? Please tell me I am not seeing this?" I begged.

Persephone held me in her arms as the scene changed again.

Aubrey was in a delivery room. Darius was standing beside her. That's weird. They weren't even marked yet. Wait, Aubrey looks different. Then it appeared to me that this was before Aubrey became wolf.

A baby was born. A little girl. She wasn't crying. The nurses stole the child and ran away with her.

Aubrey was sitting up in a bed and doctor's were checking her over.

"Aubrey, she didn't make it. The cord was tightly wound around her neck. I'm so sorry for your loss." The doctor cried.

"Oh Goddess. No!" I screamed.

I fell to my knees as pain ripped thru my heart.

"Why? Why? How could she live thru this? Why did she go thru this?" I screamed in anger and sorrow.

"What happened? How did you save her?"

"I had enchanted her at the very first scene you witnessed. Her heart was too pure to be a human any longer." Persephone confessed.

I hugged Persephone tightly.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Please forgive me. Thank you for showing me." I pleaded.

"Thank you! For saving Aubrey." I gushed.

"You will be alright, my child. You are going to be alright." Persephone cooed.