>I didn't see Zoe again after that dance.But I knew that the image of her in that gorgeous gown twirling in the arms of another man was going to haunt me for long. It didn't help that the man was none other than Alpha Richard Peterson, only son of the Councilor Peterson who was notorious for his suspicious behaviors. Not to mention, the way he defended John even after all of John's atrocities were brought to light.I was still confused how did Zoe get to this pack of all the packs in North America. I had wanted her to be safe and then I had handed her the papers to the one pack that was probably going to be worse than her original one. How had that happened? My mistake was not checking the papers, but who made the original mistake of making those papers?Eva had returned later and the look on her face told nothing if she had found anything or not. I had ordered everyone not to mind-link at the party. So, that no one could be any more suspicious of our reason to accept
>It had been a busy few days. Rory had been indirectly punishing Zoe for the stunt pulled at the reception event, with more work.Xavier's team had no success finding a way to the rooms again or to get through the retinal scanners.Zoe and Xavier couldn't get each other out of their heads oblivious to the plight of the other.Xavier wanted to go see Joe Simmons but didn't want to let it known to his hosts that he knew Simmons. During a couple of events that happened after the reception, like Miranda Peterson's bridal shower and her groom's roast party. Since the events were gender-specific, Xavier couldn't even catch a glimpse of Zoe. Not that it would help. He had no idea what she felt. In his mind, she was probably better off without him. After all, she had moved on so quickly to dance with her new Alpha.He wanted to save her from this pack but he needed sold proof before he got to her. He felt like she wouldn't even want to talk to him after the way they parted. He of
>After the disaster that the bachelor and bachelorette parties had been, I was sure that the wedding was canceled.So, when Misha called grumbling and panicking at once about how he was traumatized and still being called in to work, I was shocked.But I got ready and reached the meeting where Rory was leading with Richard and the to-be-wedded couple. The venue had changed but since so many important people had taken time out of their busy schedules to attend the wedding. The wedding was going to happen.Miranda looked like she had been crying. Her groom was more interested in his phone than literally anything around him. Rory just wanted to make Richard happy, who was in a very sour mood. Fair enough, if my house caught fire during a party, I'd be worried too. Misha was sipping his coffee like it was medicine. Laura was the only one actually taking notes and providing input when asked.I had a new problem. Last night at the hotel, I was in charge of junior staff, making s
>When we wre dropped back to the hotel last night, we did what we had been doing for the last few days. We got ready to meet at the warehouse for mission debriefing.My guy was gone. The plan had not worked the way we had imagined it to. But that was a part of the job. We were all aware of the risks before we got into it, especially without my cloaking ring which Eva had lost on Peterson's pack house grounds.Lawrence showed the phone and flash drive that our guy had given him before running. We spent the rest of the night working out what the numbers and lists in the photoes meant. Trying to decrypt the flash drive without our guy was hard. Peterson knew how to keep secrets. I'd give him that.But I was going to keep no stone unturned from finding out what he was hiding.Lawrence had to return to his undercover job. I ordered most of my entourage to get back to the hotel undetected and cover for the ones staying behind to keep researching. We needed to have found so
>It had been a few weeks since the grand wedding.I had joined the office team and was introduced to the rest of the people on my floor. The work was great. Misha and I were paired up for most tasks since we already had some fieldwork practice together. I rarely saw Rory since she was busy with higher-ups and had moved to the next great project with another team.I made Dad start a few hobbies since he was usually home alone till I got back from work. I hadn't seen Angelina much either. She had left for New York to find herself a college of choice for further studies. I couldn't get Xavier out of my head. No matter what I was doing, his words, his touch, and the way he was looking at me were burned in my brain. Why did he have to say all those things? Why did he suddenly care? Hadn't he given up on me? On us? And what did he mean that Richard was dangerous? No, I don't know why he said that. But as far as I had known Richard, he couldn't be that bad, could he? Why coul
>"Where is Xavier?" I asked. If it truly was his operation, where was he?"Where do you think?" Lawrence raised a brow at me sarcastically.Before I could retort in annoyance, Eva answered calmly, "He is on the other side of this compound, with another team.""Why?" I asked."Stop asking that and be patient. We are waiting for a signal." Lawrence said annoyed.I was the one who had been kidnapped, why was he annoyed?Eva made me change my shoes. She gave me a pair of sneakers because my stilettoes were going to be noisy. I had no idea what that even meant. But I did as I was told. Not like I had much of a choice.I remembered Eva's ring and asked, "Where's my bag? I had the ring that you dropped when we met at the guest reception."Her eyes lit up and she grabbed something from under her seat. She handed me my bag and I took out the ring. She visibly relaxed at the sight of it, "Thank you for keeping it safe. Alpha was so mad that I had lost it.""Did Xavier give this to
>Eva was freaking out.One moment, she was listening to Richard's conversation with the traffickers, and the next, Zoe was gone from her side.She noticed Zoe turn the corner on the far side of the compound and instantly tried to mind-link her. But like the last few times she had tried, Zoe's mind-link was closed. It was unreachable. But Eva didn't have time to stay confused.She rushed after Zoe. She had no idea what the young girl had in mind but Eva mind-linked Xavier."What do you mean she was gone? What were you doing?" Xavier thundered. His anger made Eva wince.'I was listening. And I thought she was too.' Eva tried to explain as she noticed Zoe hiding behind a few large crates."Where is she now?" Xavier asked.'Inside the compound, Alpha. She's got your cloaking ring. But if I get any closer I'll be found.' Eva felt guilty but there was no time to point fingers yet."Make sure Zoe doesn't get seen. And don't get yourself caught either." Xavier ordered and motioned
>"Zoe?" A familiar voice echoed through the silence that had settled in the compound hall as everyone was waiting for the other to make the first move.We looked at the troubled newcomer."Dad?" I asked in disbelief. Who called him? Why was he here? No! He was not supposed to be here."Sweetie, what is going on here? You didn't come home and your phone's GPS said you were here," Dad looked worried but I was more concerned for him."Well, well. What an unexpected turn of events." Richard smirked, getting more and more confident with each passing second."He had nothing to do with anything. Keep him out of this!" I growled while on my knees and then shouted to Dad, "Dad, please leave!"A swift sharp slap cut my cheek, "Nobody asked for your opinion, you wolfless Omega!"My eyes widened. He knew. How long had he known?"You will pay for that!" Xavier started walking towards us determined and in a flash, I had been pulled up to my feet, my back to Richard's chest as he held a
>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