XANDERI exhaled, and Rose raised her gaze.âAnd you know what's worse?â Rose continued, her voice growing more and more agitated. âSince she doesn't have you, she's going after your brother!âAt that moment, my temper flared and I snapped, âEnough! Just stop it.âRose's jaw dropped and she blinked in shock. âWait, what? Why should I stop?âShe let out a gasp, âDonât tell me you are blindly supporting her... Oh, wait.â She glanced up, and stared at me with suspicion in her eyes, âHave you both been intimate?!âMy eyebrows shot up in disbelief. I couldn't believe that she would even think such a thing, let alone say it out loud. âWhat? No, of course not! That's ridiculous! What kind of person do you think I am?â I sputtered.Rose hesitated, looking slightly abashed. âI'm sorry. I just... I don't know. I'm just worried about you and me, and I don't want you to be with another woman. I just... I'm not sure about her.âWith that, she sprang to her feet and walked away. Meanwhile, I took
ZIVAObviously, it's fake! I was a fool. Now, how do I return this without being caught or termed as a thief?I paced around the room, thinking of what to do. Perhaps I should confess to Alpha Xander?No, no, the humiliation is too much to bear. Or... I should cook up a lie... No, he won't believe me. Goodness, I will be regarded as a thief forever!I heard a creak from the door. I turned and saw Anji at the doorway. Hastily, I approached her and let her in before trembling like a jellyfish.âAnji,â I sobbed, âIâm doomed.âI cried in her arms and caught her rolling her eyes. She huffed, âIs this still about Alpha Xanderâs mate?ââNo, it's something awful,â I cried and moved away from the embrace. I glanced at my arms with teary eyes, as I continued, âI committed a crime. Now, I will be beheaded.ââBeheaded by who? Will you stop beating around the bush?â Anji scolded, like a mother would do to her child.I had no other option than to confess because I innocently needed a solution.âI
ZIVAMy phone beeped loudly. I gazed at it and I saw a message, a message with the title;~FROM ROSE~The message had a video attached to it. I played it and realized that it was a video recording of Rose and Alpha Xander.She showed him the fake Crystal Moon and lied, âI saw a bag filled with these last night. So, I took it, and decided to hand it over.âAlpha Xander kissed her cheeks and spoke calmly, âYou are such a darling. I assumed that it was stolen.âHe exhaled, blindly believing his mate, Rose. âI guess the thief was right about dropping it.â Then, the video paused and it got deleted. I could not view the video anymore and Rose sent a smiley sticker.âYour first mission starts tonight.â I read aloud from Roseâs new messages.âAn Omega will be before your door within a minute. Grab the box she gives and text me.ââIs this some kind of game?â I messaged her.âNo questions, just do as I say!âJust then, a knock echoed on the door. I reached for it and opened the door. Surprisin
ZIVARose rushed towards me with her hand raised in the air. As she swung her arm towards my face, I ducked and turned my head, bracing myself for the sting of her palm against my cheek. But the pain never came. Instead, I felt a rush of air and heard a sharp gasp from Rose.I glanced up and noticed that Rose stood before me with her hand frozen in the air. Also, Alpha Xander grabbed her wrist, as he stepped between us.âWhat are you doing? Let go of me!â Rose's voice rose to a shriek as she struggled against Alpha Xander's grip.Meanwhile, Alpha Xander spoke to me with a firm tone, âYou need to leave.âI didn't hesitate to listen. I moved away and rushed out of the room since that was the only option I had. As soon as I reached my room, I locked the door and heaved a sigh of relief. If I stayed there earlier than I did, Rose would have attacked me even though I had no idea about how I and Alpha Xander got involved in this. Everything seemed so messed up. XANDERâLet go of my hand!
ZIVAAnji continued, âBut you shouldn't be annoyed because of that. It was just a night, and I had no idea what to do. You know, if he wasn't with you, I may have been caught stealing. Duh, I'm not prepared to die.â I narrowed my eyes, glancing back at the car window as the memories of what happened last night flashed in my head.Iâm certain that Rose was planning to create a rumor about me and Alexei to ruin my reputation. She is definitely more than I thought she was.âNo worries,â Anji smiled playfully as she drove, âYou can get some birth control pills while you are here.âI rolled my eyes. âHow can you be more annoying?ââTsk, I'm just stating the truth,â She replied.Anji sped off. Within a minute, we reached Alpha Darwinâs mansion.I stepped out of the car with my lips fixed tightly, as I became very attentive. I had to be careful with Alpha Darwin, in case he had other plans.I clutched the bag with the Crystal Moon tightly, as a cold breeze hit my jacket. Luckily, I listened
ZIVADeal with that later? I clenched my fists angrily, almost piercing my palms with my nails.âHey!â I yelled at the top of my lungs. âYou can't just walk away. I did as you instructed!âMy voice echoed throughout the mansion, but Alpha Darwin did not glance at me. He continued to walk away.That animal!Intending to follow him and snatch the Crystal Moon from him, some muscular, hefty guards stood before me. Obviously, they were blocking my path and attempting to protect their Alpha.I snorted and retreated from the guards. A warm feeling enveloped my hand. I glanced down and noticed Mumâs hand on mine.She gazed at me with concern and worry in her eyes and spoke slowly, âYour fingers are swollen and you look pale. Just rest today.ââNo, mum. You don't understand-âShe cut in, âDo it for me... For my sake.âI looked away, letting out a sigh, âAlright.âThen, the guards escorted us to the guest room. The room was small, and I assisted Mum to step inside.Quietly sitting next to her
ZIVAMum furrowed her brows, and questioned, âWhat are you talking about?âI exhaled loudly, âI found out about everything. I know that I'm not Alpha Darwin's biological daughter. Even Alpha Darwin told me himself.âThen, Mum clenched her fists and looked away, with her eyes welling up in tears.I quickly voice out, not wanting to make her feel awful about what happened in the past.âItâs fine if you don't want to talk about it. I know Dad abandoned you because you were pregnant. Iâm to be blamed, so just rest.ââI didn't want to tell you this, but I guess I have to tell you now,â Mum's voice became shaky. She turned to me with a worried expression and muttered, âYour biological father didn't abandon us, he will never... That, I know.âInwardly, I huffed. She is just hoping or believing that he didn't abandon us, but he did.I didn't speak about it, since I didn't want her to feel annoyed or pressurized. So, I stepped out of the bathroom without saying a word.Mum snapped her fingers,
ZIVAâNo one is safe?â I looked at her with a puzzled expression. âWhat do you mean?ââThe Crystal Moon is a powerful object. If it is in Darwin's hands, it will be used for his selfish reasons. Hold on...â Mumâs voice trailed off like she was thinking, âHe is with the Crystal Moon, then he will... Never release me. I'm the Crystal Moon Guardian... He will only use me too.âI almost choked at her statement. âYou are the Guardian?â I stammered, my throat dry. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. How could this be true?That reminds me... The collar, the lie detector detected that I was lying to Alpha Xander when I mentioned that I didn't know the location of the Guardian.âOh no...â I exclaimed, with fear evident in my voice, âWhat do we do now?âMum's face grew pale as she glanced around the room, her eyes darting from corner to corner. âThere are eyes everywhere. We need to go somewhere private,â Mum suggested quickly. She darted towards the staircase and I followed. With my hea
ZAREK The hall had emptied, leaving behind a quiet that felt almost sacred. The day had been full of energy and celebration, but now, with everyone gone, it was just Tania and me. The air was calm, and I could feel the weight of the moment settling in. I turned to her, my heart steady. This wasnât going to be a surpriseâafter all, her mother had practically announced my intentions earlier. But that didnât matter. What mattered was what I had to say, and how much I wanted to share this with her.âLetâs take a walk,â I suggested, squeezing her hand gently.She looked at me, her eyes warm and trusting, and nodded. We made our way up the grand staircase to the top floor, where the large windows offered a clear view of the night sky. The moon hung low, casting its soft light across the polished floors, creating an intimate, almost magical atmosphere.Tania turned to me, curiosity in her gaze. âWhat are you up to, Zarek?âI chuckled softly. âI know your mother already spilt the beans
ZAREK âMum, whatâs going on here?â Tania asked, her brows furrowing in concern.Taniaâs mother looked up, a touch of defensiveness in her tone. âI was just discussing your engagement plans with Zarek. Donât I have the right to know?âTania opened her mouth to protest, but I stepped in to diffuse the situation. âItâs fine, Tania. Thereâs nothing wrong with discussing it. And yes, I do have plans to propose.âTaniaâs eyes widened slightly with surprise, then softened as she looked at me. Her mother let out a sigh of relief. âAlright then,â she said, giving a small nod before walking away, leaving us in the midst of the bustling crowd.Tania tugged gently at my hand, guiding me towards the photo op area. As we walked, I couldnât help but ask, âYouâre not worried about the delay in the proposal, are you?âShe shook her head, a light smile on her lips. âNo, not at all. A normal relationship takes about two years before a proposal is made, so this is pretty standard. Besides, youâve been
ZAREKTime passed, and the weight of justice finally settled.With Boss and Alpha Barral behind bars, the world felt a little safer, a little lighter.Then, a loud, booming voice echoed through the hall: âAlpha Zarek!âThe words reverberated off the high ceilings and marble floors, sending a shiver down my spine.In an instant, the hall erupted into thunderous applause, a sound filled with appreciation and respect. I let the waves of applause wash over me, taking a moment to soak it all in.This moment felt surreal, almost like a dream, yet the warmth of the applause and the shining eyes of Xander and his Luna, Ziva, reassured me that it was real. The pride that radiated from them confirmed everything I had fought for.I took a deep breath, savouring the moment, then began my walk to the stage.The crowd parted, clearing a path for me, their eyes full of admiration and respect. As I climbed the steps, the weight of responsibility settled on my shoulders, but it was a burden I was re
ZAREK I held my breath. Alpha Rowan? I had heard of himâa powerful Alpha who was supposed to have been killed along with his wife. But this? It didnât make any sense.âThatâs impossible. He and his wife were killed,â I said, my voice barely audible.âThey were,â Lizzy confirmed, her eyes darkening with the weight of the truth. âNikolasâs father and boss conspired to kill Alpha Rowan and his wife as part of a twisted plan to seize power. When the plan went south and Boss was discarded, he hid the truth from you to protect his own agenda.âThe room felt like it was spinning, with the walls closing in as the reality of her words sank in. I felt like I was falling, unable to grasp anything solid. The man who raised me, who trained me, who I trustedâheâd kept this from me my entire life. I had lived in the shadow of a lie. âSo, everything I thought I knew... was a lie?âLizzy nodded; her expression pained. âHe kept you in the dark because he didnât want you to know where you really
ZAREK Taniaâs breath hitched, her eyes searching mine for any hint of a joke. But this was no time for jokes, no room for lies.âAssassins?â she whispered, her voice trembling with disbelief.âYes,â I confirmed, leaning in closer, my tone even. âWeâre trained, skilled, and we do whatever it takesârobbing, stealing, destroying.ââThe man Lizzy killed was sent to take us out. He murdered Ramirez and Bruce, and he wouldnât have stopped until he succeeded.âAs I spoke, I watched as Taniaâs expression shiftâa collision of shock and confusion. I could see her trying to piece it all together with the revelation I had just dropped. âWhat? This whole time?â She asked.I nodded, feeling the weight of my own words. I never wanted her to find out like this. Not like this. But there was no going back now. âI never wanted you to find out this way, but itâs the truth. Thereâs more, though, Tania.â I paused, grappling with the right words. How do you explain the darkest parts of yourself to so
ZAREK We stood there for a long moment, wrapped in each other's arms, the tension and fear melting away.The tremble in Tania's shoulders stilled, and when she finally pulled back, her eyes, once clouded with tears, had cleared.âI met Lizzy recently,â she whispered. The words startled me, and I felt my pulse quicken.âLizzy? Is she alright?â I asked, searching her face for answers.The thought of anything happening to Lizzy sent a jolt of panic through me. I needed to know if she was okay.Tania nodded, âYes, she came here with me.âAs she spoke, the tightness in my chest eased, replaced by a wave of relief. If Lizzy was with Tania, then she had to be safe.Afterwards, I noticed that she shifted her gaze to what was behind me. Her expression shifted to a mix of relief and something else.Concerned, I followed her line of sight, and turned to see Lizzy.She stood in the doorway, her eyes locked on me. She didn't seem hurt or weary. She seemed rather strong. Stronger than I remembered
ZAREK The memory of the man on the phone lingered. Whoever he was, he felt more like a conspirator.And then there was Dr. Everett, standing before me with that unnerving calm, as if everything was perfectly under control.Something didnât add up.âAre you even a specialist?â The question slipped out before I could stop myself.Dr. Everettâs expression turned mocking. âThatâs a good question.â He leaned in, his eyes glinting with amusement. âIs the Medical Arts Building even real? Am I the real Dr. Everett?âMy mind raced. The Medical Arts Building isnât real?Confusion clouded my thoughts. âWhat are you talking about?ââThis is all just a game,â he said with a casual shrug.âWhat?â I said, bewildered.Dr. Everettâs back was now turned to me as he moved towards a distant table.âWait a minute,â I said slowly, dread creeping in. âYouâre not Dr. Everett, are you?âHe didnât respond; his focus absorbed in whatever he was searching for. The metallic clinks filled the silence.Then, his l
ZAREK The pungent smell of blood jolted me awake, making my stomach turn. I immediately started coughing uncontrollably, and blood spilt out of my mouth with each rasp.Even when I tried to push myself up, my arms barely responded, quivering under the strain.I felt weakâfar weaker than usual. Had I injured myself during the transformation?I shook my head slightly, trying to recall. But the memories were hazy, blurred by pain.The only clear memory was how I had hurt Taniaâor, worse, maybe even killed her.The thought hit me like a sledgehammer: my claws slicing through the air... her lifeless form.I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to block out the images, but they burned behind my eyelids, searing into my mind.I forced myself to focus, to push past the rising wave of guilt. I had to find out where I was and what had happened. But as I shifted, pain flared in my wrists, snapping me back to the present.I looked down and saw silver cuffs clamped tightly around them.Why am I cuff
TANIA I slowly opened my eyes, only to be stabbed by a bright light that made me wince. For a moment, I lay there, trying to let my senses adjust.Taking a deep breath, I raised my head and attempted to sit up, but the effort sent the room into a dizzying swirl of colours and shapes. My strength faltered, and I fell back against the pillow, my head sinking into its softness.As I lay there, my hand instinctively moved to my cheek, where a dull ache pulsed beneath the surface. I traced the tender skin, feeling the faint ridges where claws had raked across it.The memory of that searing pain was still vivid, as was the look on Zarek's faceâhis eyes wild and uncontrolled, filled with a terror I had never seen before.A shudder ran through me at the thought, and my heart began to race. Despite the dizziness, I forced myself to sit up again, driven by my concern for Zarek.I needed to see him.I sat up, and slowly, the room gradually came into focus. I took in the sterile white walls