CHAPTER FIFTY FIVEGRAHAMThe room was quiet, but my mind wasn’t. I stood by the large window in my office, staring outside, but I wasn’t seeing anything. My sight was blurry, my thoughts were too loud, and I clenched my jaw so tightly that it hurt.The bastard, Viktor, had left a dead body in my territory as a message, not just any message, it was a loud and clear warning.The more I thought about it, the angrier I became. I clenched my fists so tightly that it hurt. He had come into my pack, slaughtered one of my people, and left him bleeding into the earth like his life meant nothing. That was something I couldn’t ignore. That wasn’t something I could let slide.And yet, this entire mess was about her. A silly damn vampire in my pack. An enemy that I should have thrown out the moment she stepped foot here, but for some reason, I hadn’t. It wasn’t for a reason, it was because of my mother.Now, a war was brewing, and it had nothing to do with my pack or my people. It was about her,
CHAPTER FIFTY SIXZOEYI still couldn’t stop thinking about the dead body and the note which was obviously written by Lord Viktor. It terrified me more than anything else because it was obvious that he had his eyes on me even though I was in Alpha Graham’s pack.How he managed to infiltrate the pack even with the strong security and also kill a warrior made me question just how powerful he really was.“Earth to Zoey!” I jerked backwards when I saw fingers snap in my face and I turned, only to see Lily.“Lily!” I gasped in surprise, “What are you doing here? I didn’t hear you come in”“How would you hear when you’re deep in thoughts,” she said with her hands on her waist. “I was asking you if you heard about the dead warrior with a note on his chest?” She looked both worried and curious.“Yeah,” I muttered and lowered my head. How wouldn’t I hear of it, when I was directly involved.Lily noticed my sunken mood, making her sigh and take a seat beside me on the bed, then she said in a mu
CHAPTER FIFTY SEVENZOEY“I was scared, okay?” I finally said it out loud, “And that’s why I hid it from you.”Lily’s expression immediately softened and she stepped closer to me, “Oh, Zoey. I perfectly understand you. I know how it feels to be scared, but you can’t overcome your fears if you don’t face them.”She was saying the truth. I sighed and led her to the bed where we sat down in silence. Fortunately, she didn’t rush me, she just let me open up on my own pace, “My mate cheated on me.” I finally said.“What?” Her shock was obvious on her face, then it was replaced by anger like she wanted to spank Kelvin, it made me want to laugh. “Tell me more about it,” she urged me.“I’m originally from Moonstone pack,” I paused for her response or reaction.“I know some things about that pack. It’s really messed up. Their Alpha is a sick man.” She said.Her words made me question just how evil Kelvin was, “What do you know about their Alpha?” I asked, unable to hold back my curiosity.“Well
CHAPTER FIFTY EIGHTGRAHAM“The elders are getting on my nerves, Graham. I don’t think I can handle them anymore. You need to get them to behave.” Ronald said with a frown. It was supposed to be funny seeing Ronald complain since he doesn’t do it as often but I wasn’t in the mood for that. My mind was a mess, especially after that note. I had two main problems. One was the fact that that bastard, Viktor had his eyes on my pack and managed to kill a member and the second one was Zoey. This was all her fault, but for some weird, sick reason, I didn’t regret touching her. I even felt like doing it again.“Are you even listening to me?” Ronald’s frown deepened as he glared at me.“The elders are getting on your nerves. Tell them to behave.” I repeated exactly what he said to me.Ronald sighed and leaned back in his seat, “You’re spacing out, Graham. I know you so well.”“What do you want to hear from me?” I leaned back and turned my face away from him. I knew that Ronald was doing all o
CHAPTER FIFTY NINEZOEY “The Alpha is calling for you.” A guard came to call me and without wasting time, I followed him. Ever since the day in Alpha Graham’s office, I had moved into his quarters and served him like his personal assistant. I had no idea how long it’d last but a part of me was happy about it. Not because I liked serving him, but because since I moved in, the notes had stopped coming.Yes, he made my life hell but I tried to ignore him as much as I could because I had a goal in mind, but that seemed to annoy him even more.I met Graham in the hallway, “You called for me, Alpha.” I said quietly and lowered my head in mock submission simply because I knew how much it annoyed him.I felt his hard glare on my head, followed by an annoyed sigh, “Go to the wine cellar, get a good wine and bring it to the living room.” He said and without waiting for my response, he turned on his heel and walked away.I let out an exasperated sigh. The thing about serving Graham was that he
CHAPTER SIXTYZOEY“Why are you denying me? You’re my mate, Zoey!” Kelvin finally dropped the bombshell, making my heart sink. What the hell was wrong with this man? Why wouldn’t he just let me be. I turned to Graham who was already staring at me like he was waiting for an explanation of some sort. I swallowed hard, clenched my fists to stop my hands from trembling and then faced him head on, “I don’t know him, Alpha Graham. I’ve never seen in my life.”“Zoey, come on. You don’t have to deny me in front of everyone because of a little misunderstanding between us.” He sighed and reached for me, so casually like it was a normal thing to do, “Let’s go back home, okay. I’ve missed you so much.”“Chipmunk, what is going on here?” I heard Ronald say. I had been so distracted and scared that I hadn’t even heard him come in.I felt a little bit relieved because Ronald was like my savior. “I’m confused too,” I said, forcing myself to look pitiful, “I came to serve drinks and this strange man
CHAPTER SIXTY ONEZOEY“Where the hell do you think you’re going to?” His voice made me halt on my tracks.“Uhm,” I turned to face him, awkwardly rubbing the back of my neck, “The meeting is over, so I figured my job here is done.” It was a stupid excuse but I hoped it’d be enough to convince him.But Graham wasn’t impressed, “You have some explaining to do, Zoey.” The way he said it. Smooth and velvety, made my stomach flutter but I didn’t have time to dwell on the feeling due to the fear that had settle in my chest.He then sat up, and his imposing presence filled the room, “What was Kelvin talking about, Zoey?”Why did he keep using my name? What happened to vampire?I shook my head and cleared my throat, “I have no idea,” I tried to sound and look as natural as possible, so I casually shrugged my shoulders. “I really don’t know him personally, plus his mate said that’s what he’s always wanted. Maybe he’s part of the sick community of werewolf men who have weird fantasies about va
CHAPTER SIXTY TWOGRAHAMThe room was quiet except for the faint sound of the fire burning in the fireplace. I lazily swirled the wine in my glass, and watched the red liquid stain the sides before I took another sip. My mind, however, was far from relaxed.Ronald walked back in, his footsteps light but firm. He didn’t say anything at first, he just dusted his hands like he was brushing off the invisible dirt before he made his way to the couch across from me.“It’s done,” he finally said, settling in. “I threw the asshole out and made sure he won’t be stepping foot in this pack again.”I nodded but didn’t respond right away. My thoughts were still in a mess after everything that had happened. Zoey’s denial and Kelvin’s accusations that sounded like he was so sure of what he was saying. None of it sat right with me.“You’re quiet,” Ronald observed. “What’s on your mind?”I let out a quiet sigh and leaned back. “What do you think about all this?” I asked him. I wanted to hear his thoug
GRAHAMShe told me to let her go.The words echoed through my mind like a broken record that I couldn’t fix. I stood in the empty space long after she had disappeared, the scent of her still lingering in the air and mocking me with everything I couldn’t have.Let her go?How the hell was I supposed to do that?I walked back to the packhouse in silence, not even noticing the people who passed me or the curious glances that they threw my way. I went straight to my room and locked the door behind me. The walls felt too tight, and the air felt too still. My wolf paced restlessly inside me, growling low and angry, but I couldn’t calm him. I couldn’t even calm myself.I dropped onto the edge of the bed and ran both hands through my hair in frustration and gripped it like it would bring me some kind of restraint or peace. My chest burned. My mind screamed and all I could see were her eyes, Frankie’s glowing and calm eyes as she shattered every piece of me.“It was a mistake.”She said that a
ZOEYI stormed out of the woods and into my room and I could feel my heart racing, and I clenched my fists so tightly that it felt numb. I didn’t care how calm Frankie looked or acted, all I knew was that I was done being quiet.“You had no right!” I yelled, feeling my anger boil underneath my skin. “You told him to let me go! Why would you do that? Are you okay?”I could feel Frankie standing straight, instead of backing down and explaining things to me. It felt like I was staring straight at her and she was openly challenging me. Her glowing eyes were calm, like always and it infuriated the shit out of me. “He needed to hear it.”“No, he didn’t,” I snapped. “He needed me, he needed us. And what did you do in return? you broke his heart and made me seem like the bad person. Like there’s something wrong with me!”“He was already breaking,” she said quietly. “Don’t put all the blame on me!”I paced around the room, trembling with anger. “I felt it. I felt his pain, Frankie. His anger.
GRAHAMThe fire in the fireplace had burned low, leaving the office in a soft atmosphere. I leaned back in my chair, fingers under my chin, staring at the dying fire. The taste of Zoey still lingered on my lips—sweet, warm, intoxicating. I shouldn’t have kissed her. No. That wasn’t the problem. The problem was that I wanted to do it again. A growl tore from my throat, raw and frustrated. My wolf snarled in my chest, restless, torn between two instincts—one that howled for my mate, Frankie, and another that burned for Zoey’s fire, her defiance, the way she looked at me like I was both the storm and the shelter. This is wrong. But it didn’t feel wrong. And that terrified me. I squeezed my eyes shut, dragging a hand down my face. The bond between mates was sacred. Unbreakable. So why did my pulse race for someone else? Why did my blood heat at the memory of Zoey’s fingers tangled in my shirt, pulling me closer like she never wanted to let go? A whisper of presence brush
GRAHAMThe Pack House was in its usual state of controlled chaos when we arrived. Warriors lounged in the common area, some sparring, others nursing drinks. A few pups darted between legs, yipping excitedly, while the elders watched from their usual spots near the fireplace, shaking their heads at the younger generation’s antics. And then there was Roland. Leaning against the doorway like he’d been waiting for us (which, knowing him, he had), my Beta raised a brow as Zoey stepped inside behind me. His gaze flicked to the bruise on her temple, the hospital bracelet still stubbornly clinging to her wrist. “Zoey,” he said, voice carefully neutral. “You okay?” Zoey’s eyes narrowed. “Oh, now you care?” Roland blinked. “What?” “Don’t play dumb,” she snapped, jabbing a finger at him. “You snitched.” I crossed my arms, watching the exchange with mild amusement. Roland had always been terrible at lying under pressure. “I didn’t—” “You told him,” Zoey accused, jerking a thumb
GRAHAMThe scent of pine and wildflowers still clung to the air inside my Jeep, even after she’d vanished into the trees. Frankie. My mate. My wolf had been restless for weeks, aching for even a glimpse of her, and today—today she’d been *close.* Not close enough to touch, not close enough to speak to, but close enough that my lungs burned with the memory of her. I exhaled, leaning back against the seat, my fingers tapping against the leather seat. The pack warriors were spread out nearby, waiting for my signal to move. But for now, I just wanted to savor this—the quiet, the lingering trace of her, the way my pulse had finally slowed for the first time in months. Then— Knock. Knock. Knock. I turned my head, and my breath caught. Zoey. Her hair was piled messily on top of her head, loose strands framing her face. A hospital bracelet dangled from her wrist, and there was a faint bruise blooming along her temple. She looked exhausted. She looked alive.I rolled down the window
ZOEYI stepped out of the café, the door swinging shut behind me with a satisfying click. The air outside was crisp, fresh—unlike the suffocating, latte-scented tension I’d just left behind. Charlie’s words still prickled under my skin, but for once, I didn’t care. I’d won that round. Hannah and Lily were waiting for me across the street, their faces etched with a mixture of curiosity and nervousness. Why were they nervous? Hannah waved enthusiastically, nearly smacking a passerby in the face. Classic. Time to go back to the pack, I thought, grinning. Back to Graham—BAM. Something hit me. Hard. One second, I was mid-step, feeling victorious. The next, the world spun, tilted, and then— Black.--- Beep. Beep. Beep.My eyelids felt like they’d been glued shut. I groaned, trying to lift my arm, but something tugged at my hand. What the—? I forced my eyes open, blinking against the blinding white light. Sterile walls. A weird plastic tube sticking out of my arm. A machine b
**GRAHAM**He nodded sagely. "Yep. Left a while ago." My grip on the pen tightened. "And where, exactly, did they go?" Rowand shrugged. "Human world, apparently. Something about Hannah’s friend having a baby." The pen snapped in my hand. Ink splattered across the desk. Rowand blinked. "Uh. You good?" I stood up so fast my chair nearly toppled over. "They what?" Rowand leaned back, holding his hands up. "Hey, don’t shoot the messenger! I just thought you’d want to know—" "Who let them leave?" My voice was dangerously low. Rowand swallowed. "Uh. Ronald?" I stormed out of the office, Rowand scrambling after me. "Graham, wait—" I didn’t wait. The packhouse was bustling as usual—warriors chatting, kids running around, the usual chaos. But right now, all I could focus on was the fact that my mate—well, technically my mate’s human form, who I was still trying to figure out how to handle—had waltzed into the human world without so much as a by your leave. I found Ron
**GRAHAM** The pack council chamber smelled like old leather and older wolves. The elders sat around the massive oak table, their faces carved from generations of bad decisions and worse tempers. And right in the middle of it all, like a peacock in a den of wolves, stood Kelvin Walker—Alpha of Moonstone, cheater of mates, and current pain in my ass. He’d stormed in unannounced, demanded an audience after accusing me of stealing his mate, and now here we were. "Alpha Graham," Kelvin began, his voice dripping with false diplomacy, "I come before your council to address a grave injustice." I leaned back in my chair, arms crossed. "Get to the point, Kelvin. Some of us have actual work to do." His eye twitched. "You stole my mate." The room went dead silent. Then Elder Fergus, who was roughly as old as dirt and twice as dusty, coughed into his fist. "That’s a serious accusation, Alpha Kelvin. Best tread carefully." Kelvin ignored him, jabbing a finger in my direction. "Zoey
CHAPTER EIGTHYZOEYThe moment I collided with Charlie in the supermarket, my blood ran cold. Her smile was all teeth—sharp, practiced, and utterly fake. “Zoey,” she cooed, like we were long-lost sisters instead of bitter enemies. “What a surprise.” I forced my fingers to unclench from the bag of chips I was holding. “Charlie.” She tilted her head, eyes flicking over me with that familiar, calculating gleam. “You look… different.” A pause. “Alive. I honestly thought Silvercrest would’ve killed you by now.” I matched her smile, just as hollow. “Disappointed?” She laughed, light and airy, like we were sharing a joke. “Oh, Zoey. Always so dramatic.” Then, without missing a beat, she looped her arm through mine like we were best friends. “Come on. Let’s catch up. There’s a café next door.” I wanted to rip my arm away. I wanted to scream. But Hannah and Lily were already watching us with wide eyes, and the last thing I needed was a scene. So I let her drag me out of the store