New Road, Old Partner

RECAP of Book 1:

Alpha Xavier's Relentless Pursuit of his mate

Zoe Simmons was the daughter of the pack Beta and used to believe that she was wolfless because she didn't get her wolf at puberty like everyone else in her pack. But when her boyfriend succeeded in her father's position in the pack, she found him nothing more than a cheating douchebag who wanted to have his cake and eat it too.

When her boyfriend decided to imprison her father for an embezzlement case that he was responsible for, Zoe turned to take help from a powerful stranger with whom she felt a new connection. 

Alpha Councilor Xavier Shaw was still not over the disappearance of his chosen mate five years ago when the alluring omega from the neighboring pack sought his help. He agreed to a contract but ended up having his buried feelings awoken by Zoe.

Before either of them could name their budding relationship, Claire, the one Xavier had been waiting for returned to reconcile and resume her relationship. Xavier feeling indecisive chose Claire, especially after overhearing her planning to harm Zoe if she came between her and Xavier. 

Breaking her heart, freeing her father, and putting her conniving ex to face his crimes, Xavier sent Zoe far away to protect her. Only, to realize that Claire was nothing more than a conspiring spy with dark secrets. Regretful of his choice and fearful for Zoe, Xavier went after her, only to find her receiving attention from the Alpha of her new pack, Richard.

After finding out the dark truths about Richard and meaning to show them to Zoe, Xavier kidnapped her but accidentally brought her in the middle of an active encounter. Zoe's father, on the verge of starting a new life with his daughter, got caught in the crossfire and died. The pain of the loss of the only family she had awoke her sleeping beast within.

Xavier was shocked to find that Zoe was not just a werewolf, but a hybrid between Werewolf and Lycan, the latter being a species considered extinct. Dahlia, Zoe's hybrid beast, showed immense power and Xavier had to take Zoe and run from the pack because she had just killed Alpha Richard and would be punished. 

Back home, Zoe is informed by a distant relative and housekeeper, Aunt Julie about the mysterious origins of Zoe's mother. Aunt Julie convinces Zoe to take Xavier with her as Zoe decides to pursue the last lead her mother had left her. Zo reluctantly agreed, despite not forgiving Xavier for all the hurt he put her through.

<<Zoe's POV>>

Do you know what they say about life? 

They say it's like a journey. Twisting and turning, never stopping until the final destination is reached. And despite everything that I've been through, I feel like my journey has a lot to show me before my final destination.

Many thoughts ran through my head as I drove through the American landscapes silently. My beast, Dahlia hadn't talked to me since I started on this road trip. Not that I minded the silence. I won't deny that while once I had been dying to get my animal, having someone hear and judge my every thought became a little annoying, especially because I was going through so much stuff as well.

'You are not as entertaining as you think you are either,' I resisted the jumpscare as Dahlia finally decided to let me know that she had indeed been listening to my every thought for the past many hours.

'Yes, I have been listening because you still haven't learned to build the mental wall to allow each of us some much-needed privacy,' I could feel her roll her eyes, being just as annoyed with me as I felt with her,

"I am new at all this. Cut me some slack, okay?" I rolled my eyes as well before asking curiously, "And what do you need privacy for? It's not like you can do anything while stuck in my head."

'We have a gorgeous mate perfectly capable of conversation through mind-link sitting right beside us. And instead of conversing with Spike and getting to know our mate, I am stuck listening to you overthink things that don't even matter.' She huffed.

If could glare at her I would but I hadn't been able to get into our shared mind space just as well as I hadn't been able to transform into her animal form. I didn't know what was wrong but it was very frustrating.

"How can you even say that?! You are supposed to be on my side!" I exclaimed, "You will not attempt to converse with either of them. You know exactly how I feel about him right now?"

'Oh, yes, I know exactly how hot he is making you feel simply by existing silently in the passenger seat,' She mocked and I stifled a groan because I didn't want Xavier to find another excuse to talk to me and ask if I was okay, or if I needed a break. And I would have to remind him of the third rule of this road trip:

<Only I get to drive. If I need rest, we stop. He will not be getting the steering wheel under any condition.>

I was surprised and a little suspicious of how easily Xavier had accepted all my terms and conditions just so he could come along. Of course, it was Aunt Julie who was the only reason I had even considered letting him join me.

However, I was still extremely confused as to why Miss Chosen Mate hadn't texted or called him back yet and why hadn't he gone back to her. He had nearly gotten engaged to her while he was still working on John's case. Then, where did everything go? It was baffling how at ease he seemed by my side. 

I hoped he wasn't thinking of having two mates, with Claire as the chosen one and me as the fated one. No, despite everything, he didn't seem like that kind of man. But then, why was he choosing to travel across America by my side instead of going back to his pack and mate? Come to think of it, he had been at Golden Eclipse before everything turned to ashes and since then he had stayed by my side. Who was in charge of one of the strongest packs in America in his absence?

I discreetly glanced at him from the corner of my eye and saw him focused on playing the same game on his phone that he had been playing for hours since we started the journey. 

Who would've thought that the great Alpha Councilor Xavier Shaw enjoyed playing kid games in his phone? I felt something clench in my heart and as expected Dahlia commented, "You know if you weren't so mad at him, you'd still be madly in love with him, just saying." She shrugged and I had to stifle a frustrated groan again.

'Come on, you like everything about him. You are so curious about him. And you've thought more about him than anyone else since I woke up.' Dahlia argued almost as frustrated as me but I was not going to give her the satisfaction of relenting so soon. I had suffered and cried a lot due to this man. If I was ever going to forgive him, it wouldn't be until he was on his knees.

'Kinky,' Dahlia teased, and the groan I had been stifling finally found sound, "I swear, one of these days, I am going to learn to build that stupid mind wall!"

"Are you okay? Should we stop? We can take a break. Let's take a lunch break." Xavier instantly offered in a single breath quickly turning off his phone.

"I'm fine and we are not stopping until I feel like it. Play your damn game." I said feeling exasperated at Dahlia who I could feel sitting smugly in my head.

I knew he wanted to say something, but decided otherwise. I felt bad for shutting him down like that but he had been like that since we started the road trip and just like Dahlia, Xavier's new-found behavior was becoming annoying. Like I get it, he wanted forgiveness but annoying me wasn't going to get him that.

'You are so mean you know that?' Dahlia noted and this time, I did not provide her with a response.

But Xavier had made me realize that it was almost past dinner time and I was starting to feel hungry. I could almost feel Dahlia and Xavier's smirk when I took the route off the highway that led to a rest stop. I wanted to explain that the car needed to be refueled but we knew he was right. It was time to take a lunch break.