>I needed air.I didn't care about the job. I was about to suffocate if I didn't take a breather.I managed to slip past the manager and the rest of the employees without being asked why I was headed in the opposite way from the party.The moment I was out in the open, the doors to the backroom closed, I sighed.It was so calm and peaceful outside. The evening had overtaken the daylight and the whole mansion looked ethereal with light, shadows, and light music wafting from inside.Why was it so impossible to ask for a simple job? All I wanted was to earn some money, pay for Dad's case, get him out, and leave these damned packs.I walked away.What was the worst that could happen if I did not go back inside at all? Apart from getting fired? I doubted anyone would miss me. I was sure that the staff now hated me because it looked like I had been taking favors from high up. How wrong they were? To be jealous of my plight.I heard someone shouting profanities and walked closer
>The moment I was out, I contemplated returning to the kitchen but decided I was ruined anyway. I was so angry.I heard footsteps after me and I turned enraged, "You promised the platform wouldn't rotate!" But stopped short when I saw that it was not only the blonde guy I had chosen to trust earlier but also my manager fuming at me."So, this is what you have been up to? Ditching service and playing piano? You over-reaching slut!" A vein in his forehead was about to pop as his eyes turned yellow. His wolf was about to tear me to shreds for ruining such a huge event for his company."Tell him! You made me do it!" I glared at the blonde guy who mouthed, 'Sorrry.' And he was gone before I knew it.'Fuck.'"I don't know whom you had to spread your legs for but you are messing up with my company." The manager took a step towards me and I looked around hoping to find a way to either defend myself or a chance to run."Sir, there has been an accident in the kitchen, we are tryin
>Xavier pulled Zoe after her and got her in his car, intent to drive her home, back in her pack.He took off his coat and wrapped her in it before opening the passeger seat of his car and letting her in. She got in without hesitation even though she had no idea how much trouble had been attracted her way that night.Xavier got in and extended his hand. She sighed but didn't place hers in his which infuriated him and he took the bleeding hand despite her resistence. He took out a handkerchief, she recognised it as the one he often carried with him and he wrapped it around her cut knowing that it was not going to heal quick like a full werewolf.And without a word he started driving.They stayed thay way for about half an hour before the silence was too much for him and he started, "Are you going to tell me what you were doing in my party tonight?" She did not respond."Zoe, I said-""I heard you." She snapped."Then answer the damned question." He had had awful few days an
>As the two waited for their food, Zoe's phone started ringing. She saw it was Maisie and attended the call,"Girl, please tell me what I heard happened tonight at Blood Cresent didn't happen." Maisie sounded worried."Depends on what you heard." Zoe replied in a tired tone. "Z. Where are you? I'm coming to get you." Zoe could hear shuffling coming from Maisie's side."Please don't. I'm fine. I'll come over in the morning." Zoe closed her eyes and sighed."Are you back at Silver Moon?" Maisie asked."Yes. But don't come over. I'll see you tomorrow. And Mj, don't worry." Zoe didn't wait for an answer and cut the call."How is your phone not blowing up after the stunt you just pulled?" Zoe asked Xavier casually."I threw it away." He replied in the same nonchalant tone."What?" "I said, -""I heard.""Then?""Then, why would you do that? It's your phone. The Alpha Councilor's phone. Excluding the recent events, which you might need to explain to a few people. That phone mu
>By the time, their food was over, Xavier and Zoe had been laughing so hard that their cheeks hurt."I can't believe he would do that." Zoe wiped a tear from her eye and tried to stop laughing."You bet he did and then he had the audacity to blame it on me." Xavier smiled back freely."No!" She widened her eyes and leaned in, "Then, what did the Dean do?""Nothing. What could he do to the Alpha's son?" Xavier was proud of his carefree college days before he took on Alphadom.Suddenly soft music sounded through the diner. The couple turned to look at the source and found Martha tweaking a large old-fashioned jukebox. She winked at the couple and mouthed, 'Enjoy' before going back to cleaning up the kitchen and leaving them alone."What do you say?" Xavier suddenly asked holding out his hand. His coat and waistcoat had been discarded while eating and laughing earlier. His tie was loose and his sleeves were folded to elbows. The top button of his shirt was undone. Zoe looked
>I had contemplated going straight to my loft or cabin to allow things to blow over before returning. But with Father back, it was better to face the consequences of my actions than to let him stew in it and for things to get worse. The whole ride back, I had been imagining every possible scenario and method to protect Zoe, while also making sure that my Alpha title did not get questioned. I had never been the impulsive one. But now that I had taken that road with Zoe, there was no going back. I did not regret standing up for her. But in hindsight, I could have done it differently.I had barely parked my car when the butler rushed to my car and spoke in urgency, "Master Shaw ordered to send you to his study the moment you returned. He has been in there since you left.""Thanks, Alfred." I nodded in gratitude. I could see how the poor guy was shaking in his boots. My Father's anger had that effect. I had been on the receiving end of it far too many times. So, I knew
>Jacob and Luca, my secretary and my Beta were already in my office when I entered.I locked the door and went straight to my desk as they awaited what I had called them for."Jake, remember the camera I asked you to install in Father's study before he came?" I asked.He nodded."It's working, yes?" I asked.He nodded again."Where is its feed?" I asked."At my tab, Alpha." He replied."It's set to automatically save, yes?" I asked."As ordered. Yes, Alpha." He clicked at the tab in his hands and showed the live video from my Father's study room where he had wrecked the room after I had left and then made a call that could clearly be heard through the camera's microphone."Take everything that can be used against him and save it to at least three backups. I know my Father did not return of his own accord. He hated this house. He hated most of us. He has a plan. Find his reason for coming back and make sure he doesn't sense you sniffing." I ordered."Yes, Alpha." Jacob
>I knocked on the door and Claire opened the door. Her face lit up when she noticed who had knocked on her door."I have been waiting for you." She softly said and let me in."Claire, you know what you mean to me, right?" I wanted to get straight to the point but I knew that she would never take it well. So, I started with what I knew she loved to hear."Of course, Xavier. And you mean so much more to me, too." She stepped closer and looked up at me."You know you are one of the most important people in my life, yes?" I held her hand in mine despite Spike's growls in my head. He and I were going to have a conversation later because he needed to accept my decisions or we would live the rest of our super-long lives at odds with each other.She nodded as her smile widened and I resumed, "And you know that you have always been irreplaceable in my life. From the moment we met to our years in school and college. ""I know, love. And you are the most important person in my li
>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