Nicolas POVNow that I have resolved my inner conflict about staying away from Zara, I am going to see her.I could already taste her soft lips on mine and hear her sweet moans beneath my touch. I was dying to be with her and eager to taste her once more."It is done," Ronan said, getting in the car.I gave Levi instructions to meet me at their cave this afternoon."Did he say anything?" I asked."No," he answered. "Beta Levi accepted the note without indicating that something was up. Luna Zara will be very surprised to find you there."As Ronan started the black SUV and drove away, my mind raced back.In the few minutes we waited for Zara to clean herself up in the restroom, Levi and I struck up a very interesting conversation—one that would benefit me in seeing Zara anytime I wanted."Just to be clear, Alpha," stated Levi seriously. "Luna Zara and I are not formally mated nor marked."It appeared that Levi was a little nervous to get that off his chest."I have noticed that," I repl
Zara's POVLevi flew through the forest like a bat out of hell. He was obviously excited, but he also seemed rushed, and I could not help but be curious as to what was causing him such excitement.I trailed after him, playfully nipping at his wolf's tail."I am still faster than you, Beta," I mused over the mind-linked as Kaya ran past him. She hasn't even reached her full speeding potential, giving Louis a run for his money.I smiled as I imagined what an observer would see if they witnessed us playing and running in this manner.Would all they see go past them be a silver line?"I am not trying to win," Levi mind-linked me."So, what are you doing?" I asked, coming to a stop."You will see," he said, running past me.A few yards away, I could hear the roar of the water, and the edge of the forest was marked by sunlight peeping through the dense canopy of trees. We were close.I caught up with Levi when I reached the end of the forest. He was patiently waiting for me, looking a bit m
Zara's POV"Alpha Nicholas, is there a reason you came to see me?" I inquired when I had recovered from my shock.I took a deep breath, feeling my heart thump against my chest."Call me Nic," he grinned.I felt my heart skip a beat when I saw his stunning yet commanding smile. When he smiled sincerely, he appeared considerably younger."Very well," I said, trying again. "Alpha Nic, what made you...?""For the love of the goddess," he growled, irritated, and wrinkled his nose as though he could smell something foul. "Ignore the formalities; we are not with other pack members; we are in a cave. I do not see why you and your beta have to refer to me by my Alpha title while here."I rolled my eyes and sighed.I was brought up to address an Alpha by his title when we were in the company of other people.Was he trying to sidetrack the conversation?Nic fixed me with his gaze, and for a few moments, I felt forced to follow his instructions."All right," I muttered, lowering my head in surren
Zara's POVNicolas stayed with us just before dusk, promising to see me soon. He went back through the tunnels in the same way he came. Our farewell was tearful, and as I watched him go, I felt both heartbroken and cold."Cheer up, old girl," Levi linked, as we made our way back to the pack house.It was time for us to get ready for dinner."It is really difficult," I said sadly. "It feels as though my heart would burst into two pieces at any moment. I am starting to miss him already. And Kaya's adding to the pain. All she wants to do is follow Nic back to his pack.""I think I understand," Levi said. "The bond is making it unbearable to be apart.""Yes," I replied. "And it is even more difficult to accept the fact that he visited me in these conditions. It would have been just as simple for him to ignore and reject me."Nic and I have not formally accepted each other as mates yet, but based on our behavior, it appeared that he was interested and would make the move shortly."He is a
Nicolas POV"You are running late!" Ronan lashed out when he saw Ray come out of the tunnel and into the cave. "Someone seems really nervous," Ray remarked, as I shifted back to being human.I looked back at Ronan and watched him briskly as he paced up and down.Has anything occurred during my absence?"Your father is furious at you," Ronan hissed. "He is waiting on you in his office,"I cocked my head to one side and squinted. It has been a while since I have seen Ronan behave like this."Tell him I will be there shortly," I said composedly as I picked up my pants off the ground."He is itching to see you now," Ronan growled. "He is so angry that he is threatening to take control of the pack.""Your father rocked Ronan's boat again," Ray chirped. "No wonder he isn't a happy camper."My father had the ability to get under Ronan's skin and rattle his little world. I never understood why he took everything my father said personally. I was given the Alpha position by the old wolf eight
Nicolas POV"Concentrate harder!" Ray snarled, getting angry at me. "I have faith in your ability to succeed!""Oh my goddess," I let out a growl. "I am doing the best I can!"Zara's face kept appearing in front of my eyes, and I could not even begin to imagine anything else."You are not!" he exclaimed. "Avoid thinking about Zara! Concentrate!""It is useless!" I sighed, frustrated. "The bond is keeping me from thinking of anything else!""Well you better do something," Ray remarked. "You can't leave your room... not in your current situation!"I still had my cock hard and raised like a warrior heading into combat.I kept my eyes closed, clamped down on my jaw, and visualized myself in the forest."Let me try and help you," Ray said, bringing a forest picture to mind. "Do you see the forest?""Yes," I answered. "How are you doing that?""I am just playing with some old memories from your subconscious," he answered. "You will have to provide the remaining portion.""Like what?" I inqu
Nicolas POV"I think you should reconsider," my father said, bringing up the main topic of our meeting.I was surprised by his words.I never thought he would counsel me against forming an alliance with a silver-blessed pack. Among the blessed packs, the Silverado Pack is one of the most reputable. It would be certain that we would defeat the Red Howl Pack if we signed a treaty and joined forces."Why should I?" I asked, shifting my head to the side. "The meeting is already scheduled, and Ronan has already begun working on the paperwork.""Cease the scheduled meeting immediately!" My father roared."I refuse to withdraw my proposal!" I said, surprised by his sudden outburst. "I will do everything in my power to help them, as they require our support!""You have no idea what you are doing, boy!" He hissed through his teeth."And you are not offering me any convincing reason as to why I should not sign a treaty with them!" I shot back with a growl. "Any issues you may have with Alpha Ri
Zara's POV"Ah, Zara," my father's voice chimed in my ears, and my gaze turned to where he and Beta John came closer. "Have you finished eating?" "I have, thanks," I replied as I stood up from the dinner table. Levi got up from his chair beside me, holding my hand in his.Beta John stopped my father, and he turned to face him."I will talk about the specifics right now," my dad answered the silent question."And that other problem?" Beta John inquired with a worried tone."It is not up to you to decide," my father replied. "I will talk about it when the time is appropriate."Beta John attempted to countermand, but my father stopped him with a raised hand."Beta, we already have enough problems on our hands," my dad remarked. "I can't add more. Furthermore, how would it alter our lives right now?"Beta John let out a sigh."I honor your desires, Alpha," he said, glancing sideways at me before moving away from my father's side."What the heck was that about?" Kaya yapped from the back
Nicolas POV"I am so glad you waited," Terra said with the sweetest voice. "I wanted to come and give you a personal thank you."Terra tilted her head sideways, observing the quiet Ray. He did not move. He was staring at Terra with disgust.Yet she misread the hostility as something else, which made me nauseous."Do you like what you see?" she asked. "I have ensured that every aspect of me is flawless just for you!"The dark bruises on Terra's slender body had vanished, and the cuts on her face had healed—her wolf had done her magic.Terra grinned, tossed her hair over her shoulder, and placed her hands on her hips. She was not embarrassed by her appearance; instead, she began to parade before me as though she were at a fashion show.She spun around quickly, flaunting all of her assets."This is all yours," she said, pointing to her body. "You can have a taste of me now; I would not mind, and it could be our little secret. I want to express my gratitude to you for saving me."Ray shoo
Nicolas POV"What do you mean that she is not there?" I screamed at Levi on the phone.Ronan's face turned to ash a few seconds ago, and I could see the fear in his eyes. He had given the phone to me.Levi choked, "I-I-we can find her," over the receiver. "I have searched all over for her.""When was the last time you saw her?" I paced my office as I asked."The last time I saw her, she went to her room to calm down.""And then?" My fingers around the phone went white as I snarled. The fact that I had not broken the phone while I was holding it surprised me. "Has anyone visited her? Taken her?"Was Noah responsible for this?Has he abducted her?"Her bedroom was locked from the inside," Levi clarified. "It is likely that she jumped from her window.""Remember Levi's statement that Zara would not dare do that?" Ray chipped in."If she did that, how the hell did no one notice?" I asked, disregarding what Ray had said. "Is there any other scent in her room?""No!" Levi's voice broke as h
Nicolas POVIt was well past noon, and I rubbed my eyes, exhausted from not getting a single minute of sleep.I crinkled my nose in disgust. Everywhere I went, I could still smell the stench of rogues, as if it followed me everywhere.I was so exhausted, both mentally and physically, and I was struggling to keep my eyes open. I needed some desperate sleep after last night.Yet, every time I closed my eyes, even for a moment, the awful assault continued to flash behind my eyes.With a sigh, I dashed to my office, not having the patience to wait for the elevator to arrive. Ray helped me accelerate to the top floor in no time. He, too, wanted to get some rest.Ronan sat in the lobby, waiting patiently. He knew me all too well. He knew I would come here first before returning to my quarters to get some sleep.Ronan gave me a tired nod, which I returned, and he stood up to follow me silently to my office.After pausing at my office door and letting out a long breath, I exhaustedly extended
Zara's POV"Perhaps we should have taken a map before trying the tunnels," I muttered to myself, lost in thought. We were running for what seemed like an eternity, and I was fairly certain that we were lost."I am sure we are on the right track," Kaya said as she heard what I was thinking. "I am still following Nic's scent.""Are you certain?" I inquired. "It seems like Nic did not take this long to get to us.""Perhaps he simply ran more quickly than we do," she said, refusing to back down. It appeared that she was confident we were headed in the right direction. "Remember that I am a little slower because of the backpack I am wearing on my back.""Should we ditch the bag?" I asked. "We can tie my clothes around your leg."Kaya grimaced with disgust. She did not like that idea, and there was no guarantee that my clothes would not get torn in the process."No need," she uttered, reducing her speed. "I believe we have discovered something."I felt a chill go down my spine as I turned t
Zara's POV"Try Beta Ronan again!" I said to Levi as I paced our living room."Zara, this was already the eleventh call," he remarked. "He is not picking up his phone.""Try Nic's number again," I said, growing increasingly agitated.Levi sighed, but he followed my instructions. A moment later, he shook his head in frustration."The call goes straight to voice mail," he said in response.What the hell happened? Why did nobody pick up our calls? Not even Nic's secretary was answering the calls.I gasped as another surge of heat swept through my body. It was getting worse. Was it the mate bond warning me that Nic was in trouble?"Zara, you do not look so good," Levi said, setting his phone down on the table. "Perhaps you need to go get some rest. I will keep on trying.""I just can't understand it," I said, feeling as if all the life was slowly being drained out of me. "You had a conversation with Beta Ronan this morning. He forwarded a copy of the contract to you. Why is he not picking
Zara's POVIt was the longest breakfast meeting of my life. It seemed like my father was purposefully playing for time.When my father revealed the attack on the Midnight Moon Pack, I instantly lost my appetite, and what little I did eat tasted bitter. Except for the surge of heat that was circulating through my body, I felt upset, queasy, and nervous.Was I about to get the flu? I was not feeling well.Can we just put an end to this meeting?I really needed to get out of there. I wanted to check in on Nic."Will you please just end this meeting?" I balled my fists and let out an inward cry of frustration.At this point, my mother had joined my father in talking about the charity event that was approaching. Her discussion about which stalls we were hosting this year prolonged the event, which made it worse."Calm down," Levi mind-linked. "Your parents are going to see that you are nervous. They will inquire as to what is bothering you. I am sure Alpha Nic is fine. If he wasn't, Beta R
Zara's POVIt was still fairly quiet in the packhouse when Levi and I went downstairs to my parents' quarters.My father wanted us to meet in his chambers for privacy's sake."What is the reason behind your father's intense desire to see us?" Levi asked. "It is not even quite dawn yet.""Your guess is as good as mine," I said, as my heart began to race.Has he found out I have not mated with Levi?Does he know about my relationship with Nic?Has anyone told him about Levi and Kyle?"You are making assumptions too quickly," Kaya said. "Slow down.""Something feels a bit off," Levi said as we arrived at the hallway leading to my father's room."Off how?" I asked, turning to face him."I do not know," he answered. "It feels like the wind is changing.""From here, it is impossible to smell or feel the wind," I said, rolling my eyes. "We are not outside, Levi.""That is not what I mean," Levi stated. "I feel a little nervous about this sudden meeting this morning.""Why?" I paused in my tr
Zara's POV"I am just playing with you!" Levi said abruptly and started laughing. "I understand that you are just making fun of me."With a sigh of relief, I shut off the shower and stepped outside."You are an asshole!" I snarled and attempted to strike Levi's arm, but he grabbed my hand and gave me a wink. "You have got me worried!""What were you worried about? Hmm?" His eyes were full of mischief as he asked. "That both of us understand that when our mates spend time with other attractive people, we will feel jealous and..."Levi's eyes gazed over, interrupting his thoughts.That was unexpected and rude!"What kind of person would mind-link at this hour?" I hissed in frustration.I let out a sigh as I noticed Levi standing motionless. It looked like a very serious conversation. In an instant, his face hardened, and his jaw muscles began to tense up. He did not like whatever they were talking about.After waiting patiently for him to finish the conversation, I finally gave up.I sh
Zara's POVLevi shuddered and turned green; he appeared on the verge of becoming sick."I am mated to his son, Kyle," Levi declared as he stood up and paced my room. "He is my second chance mate.""Alpha Wesley has a son?" I gasped in surprise. I cannot recall ever hearing of or meeting Kyle.Did he attend the mating ritual?"Yes, he does! How could you possibly believe that I was mated with that old fart?" Levi asked, his voice tinged with disappointment and rage."Because you have been acting suspiciously, and I was unaware of Kyle's existence until now," I answered. "When did the White Moon Pack accept a new Alpha? No announcement was made to the packs.""Technically, they haven't accepted Kyle as the new Alpha yet," Levi answered."Oh? How come?"Levi sighed and shot me an annoyed glance."Kyle has spent the past few years living and studying medicine overseas," Levi said, a dreamy smile forming on the corner of his lips. He seemed proud and in love with his mate. "His father made