Zara's POVIt never occurred to me that a mating ritual could be so demanding.My head spun, my dress felt like it had gained some extra weight every time we met someone new, and my shoes were now genuinely hurting my feet.After tonight, I doubted that I would remember half of these wolves' names or even their faces. Levi and I have been meeting and greeting so many ranks that their faces have begun to blend.I sighed as a lone wolf, maybe 6'7", with green eyes, dark brown hair, and a sharp nose, came from the back of the hall and grinned broadly. He appeared determined to come over and introduce himself."Evening," he said when he got to us, his deep voice chiming in my ears. "My name is Beta Ronan Dangers. I am from the Midnight Moon Pack. My Alpha, Alpha Nicolas Dalton, and I would like to wish you two a very happy and fulfilled life."Levi reached out and shook the wolf's hand. I returned the favor with a modest but genuine smile."Nice to meet you, beta," Levi replied. "It pleas
Zara's POVMy gaze swept over the beautiful wolf. He was the largest wolf I had ever seen; his silver chest seemed to glow in the moonlight, his black fur glittering; he was surrounded by waves of immense power; and his aura made me shudder in my shoes.His golden eyes pierced my soul as he turned to face me."Oh, my goddess," I exclaimed.His golden eyes hypnotized me, and I felt willing to submit to his will and become his willing prisoner."He is so dreamy," Kaya purred. "I think he likes me.""What?" I scowled at Kaya with a huff. "The wolf has not even seen you yet!""He does not need to see me to be able to want me," she mused, drooling everywhere as she f*cked him with her eyes and purred like a love-sick puppy."Heavens!" I hissed. "Restrain yourself! "They are fighting right now."I could not help but feel embarrassed by my wolf's naughty thoughts. She was shameless! "Calm down," Kaya said. "It's an easy win. Just look at how big he is! He can bring Alpha Noah to his knees w
Nicolas POVFor what seemed like the hundredth time this morning, Zara's cute face kept popping into my mind."Something feels off," I murmured to myself. "I should not be affected by the bond anymore. By now, it ought to have been severed. The mating ritual happened nearly a week ago."I sighed with annoyance, set the pen down on my desk, and peered out the window.The memory of meeting Zara held my thoughts captive all the time. Her beauty was even more striking up close. Her perfect skin revealed a subtle glow on her cheeks under the moonlight. Her raven hair shone brilliantly. Her silver eyes looked like mercury flowing around her pupils.I found myself thinking about that evening again."Take the Alpha's hand, Zara," her beta whispered, gesturing to my hand.Zara hesitated, unsure of what to do.I couldn't help but find Zara's expression adorable. Almost like a deer in headlights, she hesitated a great deal to take my hand.Did she feel afraid?Was she afraid of me?A few minutes
Zara's POV"Do you suppose they know?" Levi mind-linked me nervously as we walked into the council meeting room.I was not sure what the urgent meeting was about, and my father did not give me any details when we were told we needed to attend.My eyes swept across the well-known room. I have accompanied my father to a few council meetings before, but this was the first time an urgent meeting was called.The room itself appeared like a courtroom, but it was somewhat scarier due to the lingering scents of strong wolves who had all gathered together.There were forty-five chairs on the panel, arranged in four rows of ten, with a row of five chairs at the top designated for each of the selected Silver Blessed Wolf pack elders.The elders would constantly cast you indignant looks, as though they were trying to figure out if you were lying to them.Even though two Silver Blessed packs had merged years ago, all five seats at the top were always occupied.The fact that one pack had two head s
Nicolas POVThis was big—very big. However, I could not comprehend Alpha Noah's motivation for going to such great lengths to mate with Zara."On what grounds?" Beta Ronan growled loudly beside me, filling the room with silence."He claims to be the rightful next-in-line Alpha of the Silverado Pack," the Elder said. "He will take matters into his own hands if the future Luna does not submit to him by the next moon.""That will be the day!" Ray roared from the back of my mind. "Let me have him! I'll show him where he can shove those threats of his!"Zara tensed up beside me, and I could hear her heart thumping like a bouncing ball against her rib cage.She found that idea offensive. So did I."But Luna Zara is mated," Ronan stated. "Just a few days ago, my Alpha and I attended the ceremony. The majority of the wolves present here today saw the ceremony firsthand.""That is correct," the Elder replied, appearing a little uneasy. "However, Alpha Noah claims that he is her fated mate; th
Zara's POV"Could things possibly get any worse today?" I growled under my breath as I observed my image in the bathroom mirror. To my relief, the room was empty, and I released the breath I had been holding."Zara, what the hell are you thinking?" I questioned myself aloud. "You are going to destroy everything your father and ancestors have worked so hard to achieve."I just could not stand the idea of being mated to Alpha Noah. I did some research on Alpha Noah in the days following Levi's rejection.I did not find anything pleasant at all. I was right when I said he was after my pack purely for power. I could not tell how much of a jerk he was, but it was enough to send me running."You will need to be honest with your dad," Kaya remarked. "He will offer you guidance and support.""But when he finds out we lied about all of this, he is going to lose his sh*t," I shot back, terrified at the thought.The idea of disappointing my father was too much for me to handle. He will be in exc
Nicolas POVZana trembled beneath my touch as tiny electric sparks danced between us.She looked up at me, her silver eyes pleading with me to let her go."I am sorry," I said, sensing that I had trespassed into her personal space. "However, I must know."Zara let out a surrendering sigh and lowered her gaze.My heart pounded hard inside my chest as I reached out to take off her beautiful scarf."You know, you could just tie her up with the scarf," Ray suggested."Maybe someday I will," I replied, feeling my cock twitch, having already considered that option.I waved off the naughty notion and carefully moved Zara's dress to one side. But I will have to release her left arm to obtain the information I need."Will you behave?" I asked, knowing she had a temper and would not hesitate to defend herself.Without moving, she slowly nodded.I gave her left hand up and started to slide the fabric off Zara's shoulder while holding her right wrist firmly in my own. But before I could see the m
Zara's POVAlpha Nicolas gave me a cheeky wink, his desire and lust evident in his blue eyes. He moved in closer, licking his lips sensually.His warm breath trailed down the side of my neck and stopped at my ear, making my breath hitch."I cannot wait to be inside you," he purred, and I shuddered, my knees giving way beneath my weight. "I am going to see to it that you repeatedly call my name. I will make sure you never forget my delicious attack on your little, juicy p*ssy. You will always be reminded to whom you belong."My body betrayed my desires, and my face turned scarlet as I whimpered helplessly. My core clenched, and my sweet juices spilled out of my p*ssy, running down the side of my leg. Alpha Nicholas had me hot and bothered once more.I closed my eyes, took a deep breath of his sweet vanilla and honey scent, and felt lustful and intoxicated by this attractive wolf.I really wanted Alpha Nicholas to f*ck me, really, really badly, right now. I wanted to feel his cock slide
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