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
Zara's POVThe Golden Gate Hotel was among the priciest and most opulent establishments I have ever visited.Thick, pricey off-white curtains draped the tall windows, and the reception desk, walls, and floors were all constructed and covered in expensive white marble. Signature paintings by well-known painters lined the walls, and a massive fountain screamed wealth and prestige in the middle of the reception area."I am a little surprised, but that seems like a picture of a famous football player," Kaya gasped."And it is signed," I remarked, looking over the various objects hanging on the walls in astonishment. "What is the reason behind Nic showcasing such a costly item throughout the reception area?""Maybe Nicholas does not really care about expensive things," Kaya remarked. "Or he keeps excellent security," I said, heading toward the reception desk.I was hoping that someone at the front desk would be able to assist me and let me know where in this enormous hotel I could find Ni
Zara's POV"Come," Nic said, pushing open the wooden door. "Business before pleasure. We have a great deal to talk about."I froze in shock as I followed him inside, my eyes going wide with surprise."Amazing!" I let out a gasp. "This is incredible!"The space appeared more like a sizable apartment than a hotel room. It was furnished with exquisite detail, featuring vast white walls and an open area in front of us."I was hoping that you would like it," he said, and he took my hand before shutting the door behind them."It is definitely something," I replied, looking from side to side. "It is the presidential suite," he explained, a soft smile following on his lips. "This hotel's one and only. I typically hold my private meetings in this suite.""I wonder how many private meetings he has conducted here," Kaya mused."And how many attractive women have ever been here?" I commented, feeling a bit self-conscious and jealous. "Do you believe Nic would have shared his bed with them?" Kay
Nicolas POV "Do not push her," Ray warned. "Give her some time to respond to you!"I held my breath, anxiously awaiting Zara's response. She appeared reluctant to accept me as her mate, even though a moment ago I mustered all my courage and threw my heart and soul at her.Where did I go wrong?What did I do wrong?Did I wait too long to claim her as my mate?Should I have stopped the mating ceremony and claimed her then?I released Zara's face and took a step back, hope shattering my heart and sending the fragments flying across my chest like glass, leaving me in searing agony.How could I have been so foolish as to think that after I had hurt her, she would still accept me?This was entirely my own fault!"Zara?" I spoke up in an attempt to get her attention, my voice breaking as I revealed the thoughts running through my head. "You do not have to express anything. I-I-I get it."Zara gave a wild shake of her head, her large, storm-gray eyes brimming with unshed tears."Do not worry
Zara's POV"Slow down!" Kaya let out a panicked cry as I stepped across the river with such force that I almost lost my balance and slipped off the rocks."Why should I?" I whimpered in sorrow.I could not stop thinking about Nic's insensitive comments. It hurt. I should have known that the offer was too good to be true. I should have never fallen for his charms!"He still considers me to be a child!" I responded with a deep, hearty growl. "Why is the pain so great?""Zara, listen to me," Kaya cried out in concern. "You must slow down right now!""How come?" My bottom lip quivered as I asked stubbornly."Because you are going in the wrong direction!" She yelled, fighting for control."What do you mean we are going in the wrong direction?" I stopped and started sobbing.I knew how to get back home from the hotel. All I had to do was sprint through the forest to reach the lake beyond. A few miles further
Zara's POV "Oh, that's nice," Luna Mary sneered when she saw me coming down the hallway with Luke. She is Luke and his brothers' mother, as well as Alpha Jack's mate.Luke's expression twisted with rage; he froze in place, not exactly thrilled to see her."You are being rude, mom," he said, before she could continue and say anything more.I have never received much affection from Luna Mary, and when she found out that Luke and I had dated for a while, her demeanor only became more icy."I am not being impolite," Luna Mary became enraged and threw her long blond hair over her shoulder, her eyes turning emerald green. "A she-wolf should not come around at this hour, especially if they are—""What time is it?" I interrupted her by asking."After 2 am," Derek answered."Gosh," I muttered. No wonder Luna Mary appeared annoyed that I was here at this hour. "My apologies, Luna; I have lost track of time.""Looks like you have lost more than just your sense of time," she barked. "Look at you
Zara's POV "I am sorry for taking so long," Alpha Jack said, settling into his desk chair. "And for the way Luna Mary behaved."I stood up and nodded, but Luke motioned for me to remain where I was."We will be over to sit with you shortly," Alpha Jack remarked.Andrew hurried to answer a knock that was rather softly coming from the office door."Who would bother us in the middle of the night?" With a growl, Luke cast his gaze downward at his watch."An omega," Andrew retorted, oblivious to his sibling's rage."What does she want?" Luke growled, clenching his teeth and putting his hands across his chest."She is bringing food," Andrew replied as he pulled open the door."What for?" Luke asked."So that your precious Zara can stuff her face." Luke's eyes darted to me as Andrew sarcastically answered. "She did not eat, and her hunger sounds apparent.""When was the last time you had any food?" Luke asked."Yesterday at ten o'clock," I answered."In the evening?" he inquired."No, morni
Zara's POVHuge green trees stretched far and wide around me, and a sense of calmness had formed around my heart.The forest has always been my happy place.I closed my eyes, and I inhaled deeply, taking in the earthy scent.A sad smile formed on my lips; I felt the wind softly tug on my hair, and the sunrays lightly kissed my face. I haven't been in the woods for some time, and maybe it will help me clear my head.I opened my eyes and scanned my surroundings."Where are we?" I muttered to myself as I scanned for any kind of clue. I wasn't sure where I was, but I felt kind of excited and scared at the same time.Kaya quietly observed me. Her eyes were dull, and her ears were hanging. She seems to be a bit depressed about leaving Nicolas like that, and I had a suspicious feeling that she wanted me to go back and confront him about the photo.But even she knew I wasn't emotionally strong enough to do tha
Nicolas POV"You better get dressed," my father ordered when he entered my quarters. With his gray hair combed back and already dressed in a black penguin suit and blue bow tie, he looked dashing."The opening of the carnival starts in less than an hour!" He continued, closing the door behind him.I rolled my eyes at him and released a breath I didn't know I was holding.I have locked myself in my quarters after our search. Zara was nowhere in sight. I have been moping and drinking here for most of the day. I couldn't believe that Zara could just disappear like that."She didn't just disappear," Ray growled. "She ran away from you!""How?" I snapped. "She can't just disappear in thin air! Someone must have taken her.""I refuse to believe that!" he hissed. "She must have discovered Isabella's photo and embraced the worst! She must have run away! She could have used her magic….""You can't be so
Zara's POVBig, blue-green eyes kept staring back at me; they looked so full of life and love that it was hard for me to turn my gaze away.Who is she?Why did Nic keep a photo of her in his pocket?Is his heart longing for her?Am I just a destraction?My mind kept reminding me of the girl's features in the photo. Her long, flawless golden hair looked so soft and beautiful. Her full pink lips would mold around Nic's easily, and her perfect straight nose and high cheekbones made her look like a sun goddess compared to me. Everyone she met must have loved her.Love her.A sob escaped my lips.Nic must love her if he kept a photo in his pocket of her.I gasped as if all the air was knocked out of my lungs and stumbled backward as the realization hit me.Nic must be in love with her.How else could I explain the photo?My whole world crumbled around me. Was our relations
Nicolas POV"Morning, Alpha," Mariana called from the kitchen as I entered the dining room. "Did you sleep well?""You should rather ask if he slept at all," Ronan chirped teasingly. He was casually sitting at the breakfast table reading the daily newspaper.Ronan's words left me stunned. There was no way that Ronan could have heard us this morning, or did he?Ronan slid the newspaper aside, a wide grin painted on his lips as he slowly raised a taunting eyebrow at me, waiting for my response."I slept fine," I quickly said. "Thanks for asking."Ronan rolled his eyes, chuckled, and straightened the newspaper to continue reading.I took my seat at the table, and Mariana's granddaughter, Amelia, quickly came closer with a pot of coffee."Did Luna enjoy the outing to the waterfall yesterday?" Mariana made small talk as she entered the dining room with our breakfast."She did," I replied, taking a sip of my c
Zara's POVI woke up with the sound of the shower door closing and the shower tap opening, and I lazily stretched my body over the bed.The bed was still warm where Nic lay moments ago, and my gaze shifted to the empty pillow next to me. I could still smell his intoxicating scent on them.A lazy smile crept onto my lips.Last night will be one of the most memorable nights of my life.As anticipated, Nic and I found ourselves engulfed in the midst of the storm. We arrived home completely drenched.My mind strayed, recalling how I trailed Nic during the storm."That was the last thing I hoped would happen," Nic muttered as we reached the porch. "I hate it when we get these unexpected storms."I didn't say anything; I couldn't; my teeth were chattering together, and I was shivering from the cold. My hands were tingling and turning blue, and the rest of my body had lost most of its sensation."Oh, G
Zara's POVAfter spending all day in the gardens, Nic and I headed to the waterfall.At first Nicolas seemed to be a bit tense, but later on he started to relax.I guess he was now certain that the dark figure had disappeared, and I wasn't in danger anymore."Did you enjoy the gardens?" Ronan asked as we stopped on the porch to pick up our lunch. "Not many had the privilege to wander the Alpha's personal garden.""Yes, thank you," I chirped happily. "The garden is spectacular. I especially loved the rose garden. The roses smell so heavenly."Ronan nodded, a grin forming on his lips."Ronan helped me lay out the gardens," Nic interrupted. "He planted most of the rose bushes.""Oh? That's interesting," I replied. "Do you love gardening?""Only for special reasons," Ronan stated, his face turning sad.His statement surprised me, but Ronan quickly recovered."Will you be showing Luna t
Nicolas POVThe soft kiss of the early morning sun on my cheek woke me up."Urgh," I moaned, feeling my back hurt. I must have fallen asleep during the early morning of the night, laying my head on top of the bed.I blinked a couple of times against the bright light, rubbing the spit from my mouth as I tried to get my eyes focused."Morning, Alpha," Ronan said, his lips twisted in a mocking smile. "Did you sleep well?""As well as any other," I lied, compressing a yawn as I shifted my attention to where Zara was lying.I quickly furrowed my brows—she was not there.Did he manage to take her while I was sleeping?I jump to my feet, adrenaline pumping through my veins."Slow down, Alpha," Ronan said, his hands in a defensive motion. "Luna is in the bathroom. She didn't want to wake you."Zara wasn't taken?I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding and sank back into the chair.
Zara's POVA deep and lengthy breath escaped Nic's lips, and my attention quickly shifted toward him.If he couldn't see me, how could I possibly calm him down? He was ready to obliterate everything in his path like a hurricane.Nicolas's body suddenly relaxed a bit, and the wind abruptly calmed down a bit.My gaze fixed on the window—the storm was still there, but it seemed to be preparing to destroy.How was Nicolas controlling the weather?Was it because of me—or was it because he knew there was danger roaming around?I placed my hand on top of Nic's, hoping he would be able to feel me, or just maybe he would sense that I was next to him.That's when the strangest thing I have ever seen happened.While Nicolas held my hand, a soft glow appeared between our hands, and I could feel how a warm current—his magic—moved between us.Nicolas stiffened next to me, yet he didn't l
Zara's POV"It's nothing to be too concerned about," the now-familiar husky voice chimed in my ears. The voice belonged to the infirmary doctor, and he was explaining to Nicolas what was wrong with me.I was having some kind of out-of-body experience, standing next to Nicolas, and I wasn't sure how. I was able to observe everything that was going on around me and still feel, smell, and hear everything—as if I were awake. I scrunched my nose in disgust; the distinctive smell of hospital chemicals was burning my sensitive nose, making Kaya whimper.Kaya sounded in distress; it must be because we were inside the infirmary—she hated hospitals."Alpha, I can assure you that Luna Zara will wake up soon," the nurse chirped next to my bed. Her soft flower scent was all over me; she had checked my vitals earlier, and her soft, warm hands were skillful and precise. Now she was fiddling with the annoying beeping heart monitor ne