Xavier's POV Spending my first night at Gramp's house was supposed to be my respite before I had to go back to my duties. But, my father's appearance had changed that. For an hour, he tried to get stuff out of me. Where was I? Why had I gone? What made me return? Who knew about my whereabouts? Who was with me? But I knew his interrogating techniques by now. He was just a man who made my existence possible. Knowing his actions against my people made it easier to see him as a threat rather than family. We hadn't been a family in a long time. When he was sure he wasn't going to get anything out of me, or maybe he just grew bored of the games, he left. I went to Gramps room and found her asleep in her rocking chair. She must've dozed off while waiting for my father to leave. Not wanting to disturb her, I decided to go back to the guest room. Since I had lost my appetite, I quickly got to making backups of all the data Luca had given me. I made physical copies to be stored in Gramp
Zoe's POVI woke up to knocking on the door. I looked around, I was still in Xavier's cabin. I grew worried. Xavier had been explicit about knocking. Both he and Jacob had keys to the cabin which meant, it wasn't them and thus shouldn't be trusted.I quickly slipped on Xavier's shirt and called on Dahlia to help if it came to that. 'I'm right here, though it would've been better if you could hand me control willingly, rather than me having to take it from you every time things get too much for you.' Dahlia yawned. She had been resting as well.I rolled my eyes, "Yes, how simple it is, isn't it?"'You don't even try,' Dahlia retorted."I am not having this conversation with you when there is possibly a hostile intruder here," I replied and got ready to defend Xavier's cabin.The door unlocked and swung open slowly. My heart was in my throat as I raised the frying pan in my hand to attack the intruder, when I got still in shock."Zoe, what are you doing?" Xavier walked in, dressed impe
Zoe's POVI ran through the woods, trying to clear my head as always. For the first time in my life, it wasn't working.The feeling of Xavier's lips on my neck, his hands on my body, his presence around me. It was all overwhelming my senses. I could still smell his cologne. When had I started to get so horny for him to start having such dreams?I ran faster and took a U-turn to return to the cabin. Jacob had been very adamant about me staying close to the cabin as much as possible. He had wanted me to stay indoors at all times, but that was not going to be an option for me. So, I was granted a few liberties. I was not going to misuse those.While returning, I decided to take one last lap around the cabin before going in to shower and getting to read my hard work from yesterday, finally.That was when I noticed something different. A certain part of the ground was covered by the bushes more thickly than the rest. If I didn't know any better I would say it looked like an attempt to hide
Zoe's POV'We should leave now, Zoe.' Dahlia said firmly.I turned to face Claire once more. She was skinnier than I remembered and had dried blood all over her body. Her nails were broken but her smirk was still there."Ask. You know you are dying to know." She said like she knew what was going on in my head.'Zoe, walk away. We cannot trust a word coming from her.' Dahlia kept telling me. If I knew how to block her, I might've."Xavier loved you. Why did you betray him?" I finally asked."She speaks," Claire mocked.'Zoe,' Dahlia warned."Answer me," I tried to ask firmly."You haven't done this before, have you? Interrogation is an art. You should learn it from your beloved. Xavier knows how to paint a body red." She mused but ended up coughing probably due to her dry throat."He wouldn't have to if you hadn't betrayed him," I replied. She didn't know how much I knew and I intended to keep it that way. But I was barely thinking straight."Oh look at the little fawn defending the hun
Zoe's POVThere was blood everywhere and I was so angry. I could see the corpse of my father lying in the pool of his blood, motionless. It was heartbreaking. But it only made me upset. I had left my home pack. I had tried to build a new life, gotten a new job, tried to make new friends, and hoped to lay low. But then, Xavier Shaw had returned and he had kidnapped me. I know he meant well by showing me what a rotten man Richard Peterson was. But, that had only gotten my father to be at the wrong place at the wrong time.And it had gotten him killed. Richard had killed my dad. Emptied his gun in my Dad's chest. I felt movement behind me and whirled around, only to see that Richard had gotten another gun and was pointing it at me.I saw him through Dahlia's vision, looking down on him. His hands were trembling. But he was ready to kill me to save himself. Just as he had killed my Dad to protect his illegal and villainous business. I took a step toward him and he shot at me in panic.The
Zoe's POVAll I wanted since I was a little girl, was to have my wolf. I just wanted to be included at school and be treated like normal werewolf cubs.But the more I waited the worse it felt when I didn't receive my wolf. I became more and more desperate and impatient. I started losing friends until there was none but Maisie.And when I had accepted the fact that even though I was a beta's daughter, I was a wolfless omega but social hierarchy, Dad died. That triggered my dormant animal whom I found out to be more than a regular wolf. I had a hybrid of a Lycan and a werewolf.After having accepted that I would spend my life alone because wolfless meant mateless as well, I was finally complete. I had an animal and she was powerful and magnificent. Yes, I struggled with her. I was unable to transform at will. I was also finding it impossible to create a mental barrier between our shared mental space to give each other some much-needed privacy from each other. Because even though we shar
Zoe's POVI woke up to silence.It was an unfamiliar and unwelcome feeling. In recent months, I had gotten used to having Dahlia in my head and commenting on most of my thoughts. I liked her companionship even though we didn't always get along. But I guess that is how most shifters are with their animals.I tried to call out to her once more before giving up and getting ready for my morning run. My mother's letter was still swirling in my head. What could it all mean? Everything felt mysteriously important.As I stepped into the woods, the thought of the dehydrated Claire, starving in the cabin's basement made me stop. I glanced toward the hatch. She had been an awful person even before I knew what she was capable of. But was I the person who lets people get punished worse than animals? But then, I had my hands red with the compound mass-massacre. I had the blood of so many innocents on my hands. I wasn't any better.Just like that the pit in the bottom of my stomach returned. I sprint
Zoe's POV"Speculum magicae plenum excantatum, ostende mihi unum ex altera parte," I chanted after I had dropped a droplet of my blood on the back of the silver embossed hand mirror.Instantly the mirror started moving as if I had poured water on it and started rippling in circles. While it did its magic, I had a thought, "Dahlia?"'Uhuh,' She called out watching the mirror with more attention than me."How did the barrier break? I thought I'd feel something like that but I didn't. I mean I felt the silence when it was created." I mused.'Yes, you did. You were just so preoccupied that you didn't realize it immediately.' She confirmed and I was confused."How? When?"'When you were by the lake.' She answered as if it was obvious and then explained, 'Agitation creates barriers, tranquility breaks them down.'I realized then that when I had felt the wind blow through me, it was more in my head than in real life. My mind space was whole again."Wait a minute," I said to her, "If you were
Zoe's POV"This is good," I complimented, taking another bite of the lobster sandwich."Mr. Malarkey is among the best chefs in this hemisphere. He comes from a long line of chefs loyal to Blood Crescent for generations." The way Xavier spoke about the chef made me feel like he was the kind of Alpha
Zoe's POVXavier and I spent the rest of the day packing up and getting ready to leave the cabin. We took a quick lunch break and then loaded up Xavier's car.The hours we spent on the road going to the pack center where the Shaw Mansion stood in all its glory, felt nostalgic. It hadn't been very lo
Zoe's POVXavier was looking at me expectantly. He was waiting for an answer. And at that moment, I loved him so much that I would follow him anywhere if he held my hands the way he was holding them. He had so many problems and wasn't afraid to make me his knowing how many problems were on my tail.
Xavier's POVI knew I should've told Zone about not keeping Claire in the dungeons. It had been a momentary decision because she was still dear to me and I was so shocked at her betrayal. And then, everything else happened and I couldn't move her or expose her yet. It was not like I was hiding the
Zoe's POVBy the time we reached the cabin, a light sprinkle had started. I liked this light summer rain. It made everything look cleaner and fresher as if breathing new life into nature. I loved the smell of wet soil. I also liked how pleasant the weather became after the rain. It was the thunders
Zoe's POVAfter yesterday's activities, Xavier and I slept in each other's arms. For the first time in a long time, I didn't have any nightmares. I slept like a log and woke up with a smile on my face. And it was all thanks to my mate, my Alpha. Xavier's face was tranquil. I had missed seeing this
Xavier's POVI have no idea how I survived without Zoe's touch for as long as did. Was it possible to die due to starvation of mate's touch? I didn't know and I wasn't going to test it either because I had no intention of ever letting her go.It didn't matter how much I tried to worship her body. It
Zoe's POVNow that it was just me and Xavier in the cabin, neither of us knew what to say. I kept thinking of how to start the conversation. We had a lot to talk about, but where to begin?"How have you been?" Xavier asked, tentatively stepping forward.After being with him for months, I wanted to t
Zoe's POVThe more Xavier talked the more I tried not to panic. I knew things were bad, I hadn't realized they were this bad. A part of me felt guilty because all of it could've been avoided if Xavier hadn't left to support me. As much as I appreciated his presence after Dad's death, I never wanted