>I stirred in my sleep and found the hammock empty. My eyes snapped wide open.I was sure I had Zoe’s warm little form snuggled up in my side when I fell asleep. Where was she now?I cranked my neck to check if there was a light coming from the bathroom. Nope!I sat up and checked the time on my phone. It was around dawn. It was too early for anything. Especially considering how late we had fallen asleep.I felt a sudden tightening in my chest. ‘She left us.’ Spike whispered in despair and I scolded him, ‘Why would she do that?’She wouldn’t do that to me. I thought to myself. I had given her no reason to abandon me in the middle of the night like a thief.‘Then where is she?’ Spike asked sarcastically.‘How would I know? I woke up with you.’ I retorted, getting up and finding my slippers.‘She is so far from her home.’ Spike mused sadly.‘You were the one gushing about how she is our mate.’ I rolled my eyes, looking for signs of her presence or absence.‘So?” He rep
>When the sudden sound came, I instinctively clutched at Xavier. Somehow he had made his place in my subconscious as my safe space and when in need, my body reacted without my permission.We turned to see it was only a huge bird that had perched itself on one of the snow-covered branches around us.We shared a glance and almost laughed at our over-dramatic reactions. But he was looking at me with so much intensity. One look in his stormy grey eyes at such closeness always had this effect on me.I couldn’t keep the contact and looked away. Neither of us stepped away from each other.“It is so beautiful here. Like a winter wonderland.” I whispered. The moment felt too delicate.“It is even better in the Summer. I’ll show you when the lake unfreezes.” He offered.“I’d love that.” I smiled up at him.“The water is so clear, you can see the lake bed. It is a lot deeper than it looks. That’s when the swans migrate here from the Northern winter.” He told softly as if reminiscing
>I coughed and went straight to pour myself some water. I gasped at the cough, gulped the glass down, and then breathed heavily, trying to catch my breath.I felt eyes on me and looked at Claire who was staring strangely at me. Feeling uncomfortable due to her gaze, I looked around and saw that the kitchen was in disarray. Several pots and pans littered the whole place. Many vegetables and different types of meat were spread. “So, how did you say, you know Xavier?” Claire asked, walking around the kitchen table. Only then, did I realize the apron tied neatly around her thin waist. She was the one cooking.“Xavier is working on a case for me.” I decided to tell it like that.“Oh, so, you are his client?” She asked.“You can say that.” I did not like to be only his client but that kind of was the reality of us. I felt a pang in my heart and the green goblin of jealousy nudged at me. Why would I be jealous? Xavier had not promised me anything. “Are you looking for someth
> “Oh my God, Zoe, what happened?!” Maisie was so concerned as she picked up the call. I couldn’t stop crying, and I didn’t even know why I was so upset. I couldn’t speak. “Please say something.” She urged, “Did something happen to Mr. Simmons?!” She exclaimed worried. “No, I.” I swallowed. I couldn’t form words due to sniffing. “Are you at home? I’m coming over!” She said decisively. I nodded before realizing she couldn’t see me and mustered, “Yes.” That was all I could manage. “Stay with me, okay? I’m getting in my car.” She said. I could hear her breathlessly opening and closing doors. I was sorry that I had made her worry. But she was the only one I had closest to a sister. “Zoe, sweetie, are you alright?” Aunt Julie knocked on the door. She must’ve heard me rush in and lock myself in my room. I sniffled harder, and she got worried, “Baby, what happened? You said you were going to stay at a friend’s. Who was it? What did they do?” She hit the nail on the head,
>Maisie hugged me as I emptied my eyes.“You wanna talk about it?” She asked as she rubbed my back.I blew my nose in a tissue and shook my head. I knew I looked pathetic. I didn’t care.I had spent an hour crying over a guy who had reunited with his ex like she was his oxygen and he had been suffocating before.The worst feeling was due to the fact that Xavier and I were not exclusive. Technically, he wasn’t mine. He wasn’t cheating on me. He hadn’t betrayed me because he hadn’t promised me anything. I felt miserable for expecting too much.Maisie must’ve felt what was going on in my head because she proposed, “Alright, we are done mopping around for a guy. Let’s go out.”“MJ!” I exclaimed in disbelief. I just had my heart broken by a man who had no idea that he had broken it and here my best friend wanted us to go party.“Don’t look at me like that!” She replied, “If you stay in this room, you are going to keep crying and that will swell your eyes and give you bags und
>I was on cloud nine before I got Jacob’s call and it had electrified me.He said that he had found a piece of solid information that could be used to bring down John once and for all. I had to free my sister and I needed to make sure Zoe was safe from him too, forever.I went to the office determined to get things done and over with as soon as possible so I could give the good news to Zoe myself. So, we wouldn’t need the excuse of the case to see each other.As I walked into my office, Jacob was ready to work. He was excited to show me the evidence he had connected. I was thrilled at what he had found.“Have you backed it up? This is too important. We can’t lose this information.” I asked Jacob.“You took the backup to the loft.” Jacob reminded.“Then go get it.” I replied annoyed.“You know what? I’ll get it. You run the program. I need the results by tonight.” I ordered and left quickly.I exited the elevator on my floor and was shocked to find the door to my loft a
>My brain didn’t immediately register what she had said. So, I waited for her to repeat or resume. She didn’t.“Alpha King’s court?” I repeated. For some reason, I was finding it hard to accept the information that she had shared.The Alpha King of werewolves was something of a myth. We knew he existed but had no idea where he was and how he governed the werewolves. It was said that he had the strongest connection to the Moon Goddess. Nobody knew, but it was said, that he had special powers that no werewolf possessed. It was genetic.Even the most powerful of Alphas, myself included, had been searching for the Alpha King for centuries. How did Claire, an ordinary she-wolf from an ordinary pack, reach the Alpha King’s court?My confusion was clear, which is why she explained, “You know the research I was doing before everything?”I nodded. Claire has studied to be a genetic researcher. She had always been interested in unlocking the secrets of werewolf DNA and finding
>I drove to the Silver Moon Pack as fast as I could without crashing.My foot was on the pedal but my thoughts were running faster.Claire had chosen her career over me and Zoe was getting drunk because she was jealous. I couldn’t stop the smile that snuck on my lips.Had Zoe been that jealous about the return of Claire?‘Don’t you dare hurt our mate!’ Spike growled.“Shut up!” I was confused as is. I didn’t need him to mess me up further.Claire and I had a lot more to discuss. Her story about being invited to work for the Alpha King was credible. Despite my concerns about her unorthodox methods, I knew of her research's importance to her. She had been working with some of the most talented scientists because of her father’s status and money. She had been doing ground-breaking research. The council was funding her work. I didn’t know what it exactly was because it was not under my jurisdiction, but I had often heard the praises of her audacity to step into the unchar
>It took an hour and a lot of emotional blackmail on behalf of Aunt Julie to convince Zoe to let Xavier go with her to Kansas City. And that too only on the condition that nothing would be expected of her and it was only a test for Xavier to see if he can keep to his word.After a lot of persuasion and tales of mates, second chances, belief in the Moon Goddess, and the fact that technically Xavier was the only one left in the world who was hers and on her side for good, Aunt Julie smiled and patted Zoe's back, "I'll go up and tell him that you need to talk. Be nice, okay?"Zoe didn't dare roll her eyes at Aunt Julie, she respected her way too much for that. But she did shake her head slightly knowing how Aunt Julie managed to convince her but she let her do it. If anyone had any right to Zoe, it was Aunt Julie after everything she had done for the Simmons family and how she had been so much more than just a distinct cousin of her Dad and their housekeeper. She was family a
>Zoe climbed up the stairs decisively while Xavier stayed in the garage trying to calm down and make peace with the fact that his forgiveness was going to take some time. He was hopeful that it would come eventually, just a bit late.He wanted to tell Zoe about Claire so she would stop worrying about him going back to her. But, Zoe already had so much on her plate, that she didn't need to be pulled into everything Claire was a part of. Xavier felt like it was pointless to make his worries hers when she hadn't even forgiven him yet.The more important thing was staying by her side. Which meant, he had to persuade her to let him come with her. The world was a much darker place than she knew and he wanted to protect her from it even though physically she didn't need protecting.Plus, he had no idea how idea what awaited them at those coordinates. Since it had been more than a decade since those numbers had been put down on that letter, there was a possibility that they would f
>"Zoe, I cannot relate to your pain or anything you are going through. So, I will not even try to say that I understand. I don't. And I know how many times I have let you down," He started the speech he had been working for hours as they drove to Silver Moon two days ago."Don't, please," Zoe tried to turn away. She wanted the apology. She had spent nights dreaming of the moment Xavier realized what a huge mistake he had made to let her go. But, that was not the moment for it. She was already an emotional mess."Let me, please. You need to hear this and I need to say this." He cautiously stepped closer and held her arms gently to ensure she didn't leave without hearing but could if she wanted to."Why? You didn't care about saying or being heard a few months ago." Zoe looked up at him bitterly, his touch igniting sensations stronger than she had ever felt because of her heightened senses."Believe me or not but I really thought that letting you go to have a new life was th
>"What are you so happy about?" I asked Aunt Julie whose excitement was confusing me.Instead of answering me straight away she sat me down on a couch with a nostalgic look and held my hands motherly before finally speaking."Did your Dad ever tell you that you have your mother's eyes?" She asked with a soft sad smile.She didn't wait for me to answer, probably because she knew the answer to her question. She resumed, "Of course not. He did his best to remove any mention of her from his life. That was his way of dealing with his grief."What about my grief? I wanted to ask but I chose to listen.She was right, no one was allowed to talk about Mom in our house. I was never allowed to ask any questions. Aunt Julie tried her best to fill that hole in my life but for a ten-year-old girl, no one could replace her mother. I barely had any memories of her either. The psychiatrist had told Dad that it was a form of PTSD. I don't remember what the trauma exactly was, but apparentl
>Zoe ran to her room and gathered the contents of the box. She got her old laptop and searched up the location. She rushed back down and went outside to the broken car.Xavier and Aunt Julie followed her as Zoe opened the backseat door."You can't go in that. I doubt it's even going to start." Xavier commented."It better. The coordinates are a two-day drive away." Zoe replied without looking at him. Then, she suddenly turned to him, "Key?" She brought her hand forward expectantly."Zoe," He started but she was getting impatient, "Key, now."He sighed, fetched the key from his pants pocket, and placed it on her open palm. She grabbed it and turned without a thank you. Aunt Julie tried to protest, "You can't let her go alone,""I'm not. Don't worry, " he said and waited for Zoe to try starting the car. He crossed his arms and waited as she turned the key in the ignition, but the car didn't start. Zoe stubbornly tried to keep trying instead of admitting that he was right. T
>"What are these?" Zoe put the envelope on the coffee table between herself and Xavier.Glad that she was finally talking to him, he leaned, his brows furrowed in confusion and concentration, "Letter to you?" He said."The number, what are those?" Zoe resisted the urge to roll her eyes or go over and kiss his confused expression. She knew he was trying not to upset her further. She didn't know why he suddenly cared but a small part of her was relieved that he hadn't mentioned his chosen mate yet or gone back to her. By the looks of it, he was only worried about Zoe. She didn't want to let him in her heart and get it broken again but she wasn't sure if he had left entirely the first time either."Looks like coordinates." He thought out loud."I knew it." Zoe snatched the envelope back, their fingers brushing for a moment and both tried to not show how the touch affected them."I can get the location checked. That is, if you want.." Xavier offered softly.Zoe didn't answer b
>"Weren't you informed not to call? The lines can be intercepted!" I whisper-yelled into the phone as soon as I was sure neither Aunt Julie nor Zoe could overhear."This one's fine, Sir. I made sure. And this is urgent." Jacob spoke in a hushed tone like he was afraid."Well?" I said expectantly, urging Jacob to resume."We were found. Some of our men work for your father and call him Alpha. I don't know how they found out." Jacob informed."Did they take Claire?" I asked expecting the worst."No. They tripped off an alarm I had planted around the area and I got a fifteen-minute headstart. I drugged Claire and took her before they could get us. They knew about the underground room." He told."Where are you now?""At the Shaw Safehouse. I cleaned up any evidence of the underground room being in use before we left. They won't know Claire was there." Jacob reassured me and then said, "But the bad news is, the cleanup team at Golden Eclipse didn't do as great of a job.""W
>The next morning, Zoe was up and out of the house just as the dawn broke through the sky.She had a restless night, the same nightmare burning her mind whenever she closed her eyes. She had waited for her wolf for so long. And then, she had taken even longer to accept that, unlike her fellows, she would never be able to transform into one because she was wolfless.Now, she had a beast. Granted it was not a regular wolf but an animal nonetheless and she wanted to transform. Her mind focused on her need to feel herself shift consciously just to be sure that it had actually happened. Also, this newfound focus helped distract her from the grief of her father.She called out to Dahlia and fell to her knees, trying to force her bones to move, for her skin to get covered with thin grey fur and for her canines to elongate and sharpen. Nothing happened.Dahlia did her best to aid her human but it proved futile as no matter how hard either of them tried, Zoe's body refused to trans
[WARNING: This chapter contains details of gore and death. Proceed with caution.]>That night Zoe slept in her old bed. Apparently, no one had known about their departure from Golden Ecplise or their arrival at the Silver Moon.Xavier chose to stay and Aunt Julie asked him to stay in Joe Simmons room but he refused knowing that when Zoe found out, she would be furious. She blamed Xavier for her father's death, and truthfully, so did he.Aunt Julie wanted to ask about Xavier about his pack but he had been so quiet that she decided otherwise.Zoe sat on her bed looking at the contents of the wooden box. She stared at the pictures. This time with more attention to detail than she had earlier in the day. She read the notes behind each. Some were normal comments about the picture while some were in the same language as the bundle of paper and needed to be decipered. It was just all too much information to be digested at once. The only good thing that came out of opening that