51
“Zander!” as soon as his eyes unlatched, he saw his mother and father’s worried facade.
There was a wave of relief bursting on their cheeks as they curiously erected their backs and looked at him while Zander tried to focus on his surroundings, "Mom... Dad," He whispered in his dry voice that hardly hit their ear drums.
Zander tried to sit straight but failed when his mother threw her arms around him and wept, "Zane, I am glad you woke up, darling. I thought... I thought," She choked on her words and paused, taking Zane by surprise.
What the fuck was wrong?
He wondered, looking at his father's face that only conveyed one emotion— relief.
He tried to stay put. He difficultly wrapped his hands around his mum while on her back, he attempted to look at his surroundings. He was in a hospital room, in a blue patient's gown. There was
52Zander stared at the closed door of his ward without a blink. Whatever Ryley was saying went straight from the top of his head just because now his attention was at something else. Precisely at someone else!He smelled the same smell that he termed as unwanted and unworthy, invading in his nostrils. A sudden power rushed through his muscles and Zack squealed inside of him, 'MATE'It was relaxing. Her presence relaxed his body and mind like she was some drug he was in need of.He wanted to avoid her who was probably standing by the side of the door against the wall but failed. He knew it was somewhere because of her why he woke up. He cannot neglect that her face was the cause why he got up that night and fought that bastard."And there are still a lot of things you need to know but before that," Ryley fixated his gaze at his friend's face while his eyebrows creased.&
53"He is fine. And as you had said earlier, he is mad at Reyne." Ryley shared the words about their conversation with Valen over the call.He had just come out that his phone buzzed, flashing her name on his phone."I told you so. Anyways, I need to go, dadda is calling me. You take care of him. If possible then I will come to see Zander today." Valen sent virtual kisses over the phone to Ryley before she ultimately hung up."This girl, I love her so much." A dreamy grin appeared on Ryley's face, he stared at the screen of his phone at Valen's picture that was saved as his wallpaper.After a minute of admiring his mate, he decided to go back to Zander. It was injurious to leave him alone as this guy was known for running out of the hospital.When Ryley came back to his room, he was stunned to see the bed. "Zander?" The bed was empty.He ro
54Zander's POVOur car halted in front of my house. Various emotions hit me as I opened the door and came out. It looked beautiful as ever.My father has a great taste. He made us a house that was indeed worth living in, and admiring it from outside."Welcome home, Zany." I flashed a toothy smile because my sister was waiting to welcome me with a beautiful rose in her tiny hand.She was made to change in a pair of pajamas and a t-shirt that read, 'Welcome home, best brother'"Milly, my baby." I picked her up in my arms and trailed a line of kisses on her forehead and cheeks.She reciprocated my actions and kissed me on my cheeks. It filled my heart with contentment and gratefulness.I didn't cry but my eyes were invariably wet. These were unshed tears of acknowledgement and felicity. I was lucky enough to have come home back, safe
55A week later,"Freak, I am so gone!" Looking at the clock on the wall behind his back through the mirror, Zander buttoned the sleeves of his ironed white shirt.He was running late on time. Today was an official conference in the pack for the important members. From the members of board of various ministries to the three significant authorities in command (The alpha, beta and Gamma), all were called because a crucial announcement was going to be made today.Though it was like yet another normal day in the Dark Shine pack, Zander still grumbled annoyingly since nothing was going good for him.The day was supposed to mark a new enthusiastic morning filled with new adventures and excitement for him, instead it surprised him with vulnerable delay and what not.He woke up late, ruined the suit his mother had removed for him by spilling coffee on
56Zander's POVWhat the?I was shocked, would be an understatement. The emotions my heart ran through was more than just getting shocked or baffled.Paladin Alpha.Nope. He has to be joking. He could not give me the honour of a Paladin Alpha.I was crazily staring at his face that the huge round of applause bursting around me went unnoticed. I wanted Alpha Hercules to say this was a joke as I really cannot bring myself to believe his words."You look amazed?" He raised an eyebrow whilst inquiring that to me. "Get a grip on your head as well as heart, junior, you are indeed titled as the Paladin Alpha in the Dark Shine Pack." He added further, taking me more by surprise than ever.Paladin Alpha, this is not just a title but a hell lot more than that. This title was introduced in the Eighteenth century by Alpha Haggar, the kin
57Reyne's POVI was sleeping peacefully with a heart shaped pillow hugging to my chest not long before I heard the alarm beside my head, on the bedside table, disturb my sleep.I lazily undid my lashes and blinked, trying to adjust to the glowing golden sunlight, tickling my face with warmth. My bed was right across the window, and since it became too hot last night I left it open.I was admiring the blue sky dotted with clouds that occured like huge balls of cotton while stretching my body. This was a part of my daily routine. I always laid back in the bed for some minutes post getting up, and admired nature and its beauty.I was doing the same unless something struck my mind, "Shit, Zander, my hero!" automatically my body pushed out of bed, and on my knees, as I searched for my phone.Last evening, we heard the amazing news that my gorgeous mate was hono
58Reyne's POV..."Excuse me, would mind telling me where is the Princi—" Huhh, fucking sons and daughters of whore, yet again I am ignored!!!!The school is really very big and like a maze. I have been wandering from here and there but there is not even one single student who would help me find the Principal's office.I have been roaming for about ten minutes. And in these ten minutes, I came across an end number of students and none seemed to be in the mood of being a little helpful to a new student.What the fuck is wrong with everyone here?Huh, the watchman, after looking at me once I entered the school gate, told me to see the Principal. He told me that the Principal would give me my timetable and take me to my first class. Hell, no one is ready to take me to his office though.'Why not try again? You know you won't
59The meeting with the Principal was successful. Thanks to Zander he did what others couldn't and helped her arrive at the Principal's office in time.Unfortunately, she was not lucky enough to attend the first lecture as per the schedule that she shared with her mate.She loved the concept of combined classes with the seniors and how they enjoyed the liberty of sitting with whoever they wanted. It just sounded so perfect for her. But to her dismay, rather than her first class, Reyne had to pay a visit to the school's medical room.She managed to smile in front of the principal without showing any hurt on her face. But just as she came out of his cabin, she stood by the support of the wall while tears pooled in her eyes.She was in pain... So much pain that Zander once again had to sack her on his shoulder and drop her on one of the beds in the medical room.S
(Last chapter) Five days later, In the lounge of the hospital beside the reception desk, Valen stood with her phone in one of her hands and a package in the other. She stomped her foot impatiently as she glanced at a recently received message, seething in vexation. 'Stuck in the traffic!' "Oh, moon goddess! Why do you have to mate me with such a dumb f*ck bastard." She cried— like she was a wolf, with a baby face and pout she was adored for. Then another message appeared on her screen that turned her facial expressions even sour and bitter. 'A bloody red lory has blocked my way. It's not moving further, not letting me do so.' "Oh Jesus, I will kill you, Ryley Shine." Valen shrieked, this time like a human, earning amusing looks from the passers-by and the watchman who was sitting across a huge television, keeping
117 "Tell me, I am on time." He said amidst his uneven respiration as he stood with his torso bent forward and hands resting on his knees, working on stabilizing his breathing. His beta entered the room behind him, "You are, Ryan." "How long has he been dead for?" Alpha Ryan asked coming to his full height even though his breathing had not braced up. He discerned the clueless faces of Zander's kith and kin waiting for an answer. When none came, his beta stepped next to him and disclosed, "Less than twenty-four hours. We still have time— but not much!" "Great. That's enough time." Alpha Ryan expressed his delight at his beta's reply with a clap of hands as the others gawked at him. Their doubtfully teary eyes stayed affixed on his face as he, standing as an odd one out, smiled in the whole room.
116A storm of grief, they never anticipated, knocked their senses down.Anyone and everyone, who walked inside the ward Zander's corpse was placed in, returned with an expressionless face. He was just too young to die. Nobody believed their eyes when they walked in, but when they returned, they realized it was indeed true.His parents and friends stayed lined up by the side of the wall adjacent to his ward's door, weeping.His father had awoken with a smile, hoping to see the others safe within the boundaries of their pack- back in their sweet home. But the news he was dawned with, trembled his very core, muting him for several times before his wife broke into his ward.They held each other in a forlorn embrace and shared their pain. Their first child, their son... Was gone.The doctors warned him not to leave the bed yet Mr. Brown overstepped thei
115"Noooooo! Zander, my son.. He Can't... He can't die!" Mrs. Brown melted to the ground, her body loosely flattened, wailing deeply on top of her voice."C-control yourself, Mrs. Brown. You..." Ryley, who had been attempting to handle her, himself felt his throat choke as tears blurred his vision.The news that they received was itself so shaking and bewildering that none of them was ready to believe it. Zander was dead. He died whilst saving his mate. The Paladin Alpha sacrificed his life to save the others.When in the morning the Gamma hastily rushed to woods land after receiving a call of trepidation, all of them prayed for the well-being of all the Alphas and betas who've gone on the rescue mission with Zander.Although the Gamma left in his car, he returned with five ambulances behind him that paused across the hospital gate. It was Ryley who was given a call by doctor Jason to come ov
114“Zane!” his father shrieked, perceiving him wail in discomfort.A big chunk of glass stayed stabbed in his stomach. Blood slipped at his temple given that his head hit against a sharp rock, making the world around him spin.He did not get a second to steady himself as the ifrit galloped near him. He lifted Zander by his neck, his hold tightening around it. The wisp sound of his slow squeezing at zander’s neck had his father roar manically while he plunged at the demon, turning into his wolf.His canines pierced through the shoulder of the arm that was clasping Zander in his hold, and caused him to loosen his grip. Zander plummeted at the ifrit’s feet coughing and gasping for air.“He was dead, wasn’t he?” there was a faint tremor in alpha Hercules’ tone.Nobody had any answer except for shocking gasps and he
113Satisfaction. It was a kind of satisfaction he never derived before. Not from bullying or hurting people. It can only be derived through killing... Killing the enemy.His chest swelled in pleasure and eyes brightened. The scent of Reyne stayed in his breaths. The air held her fragrance, which his lungs gladly sucked in.Those alphas waiting out there said that they would leave as soon as they found Reyne— without creating any scene, but he couldn't stop. He had to kill him. Kill them all. They tortured his Reyne. They threatened their kind. And hunters... He killed him half right when he mentioned them.But it was over. Zane killed them here and the doppelgangers killed his psycho wife there.He smiled to himself as he rushed ahead. He just wanted to get to his Reyne and hold her tight. His crawl was quick. Zane was moving further steadily until— he witn
112She was threatened to not cry as it would ruin her make-up. Reyne couldn't keep up with their threats though. With the grief of her father's death weighing down on her chest, she sat in the cage wearing nothing but a flimsy tight one piece suit that covered her from knuckle to neck.She was told they would come to take her out on the stage. She was supposed to end the show, using her shape-shifting technique as the show stopping demonstration. Earlier she tried to refuse and what they did was whip her in the back. They scared her to do even worse that she easily gave up.Worse was that they put her in a cage. A real freaking cage as though she was an animal. She was not an animal. Damn it. She was an extraordinary creation. That's all. Who was going to explain it to the humans notwithstanding.Now Reyne could apprehend the meaning of her father's words, that he used to say all this while. Thi
111With his mouth pressing at hers, Zander looked around the room with his peripheral vision. It was a vast area. As far as he can see, there were doors and huge corridors.He assumed he would note the region in his mind during the kiss, and go away after knocking her down. But surprisingly, he didn't know what to do.His inside curled. The thought of Reyne made a wild current of dissatisfaction run down his spine. Still, he continued moving his mouth on her as he guided his hands around her waist.Just as heat of pleasure wormed within her, she eased down. The heat helped loosen her tight muscles and seize her trembling. Finally when Zander recognized she would not backfire his plan of occupying her sexually, he parted and stared in her eyes with a fake smirk."I've been wanting to do that since I saw you outside the theatre. You are hot!" She tilted her head back and
110A physical flash and burn shocked Zander to the core with its all-encompassing depth and strength and power as he hissed in exasperation at the view across from him.They were in the theatre where the Mad Magician's magic show was flaring in full swing. All the werewolves including himself were astonished observing the crowd that had gathered to see his show. Oh no, it was not because he was showing anything extraordinary as for now, but because of the slogan he had used in the advertisement regarding shape-shifting demonstration which was going to happen toward the end of the show, as a show stopping magic demonstration.In that instant, every other thought and emotion had ceased to exist except for a cascade of urgent directives to kill that bastard of a man he watched standing in the middle of the stage, showing some magic trick of fire through a woman."That's Phoebe Augusti