STANDING IN FRONT
of a new pack is hard enough. Standing in front of a pack that thinks you’re a fake because they smell another male on you is in a whole different realm. Everyone in this room thinks without a doubt that I’m a phony, and I can’t discourage it. They think I’m totally full of shit, and without smell, I can’t blame them. Several think that I’m some whore trying to take their Alpha for a ride.
Xavier definitely smells our bond and I do, too. I never smelled anything but distaste with Ian. It is completely different with Xavier. Maybe after we finish the actual mating, they will be able to pick up the scent of our bond. I hope so because, with the exception of Max and Thor, the way these wolves are looking at me, they want me dead and out of their space. Like yesterday.
‘You lying bitch.’
‘How does he believe her?’
‘How come he doesn’t smell the other male on her?’
‘She is so full of shit.’
‘Mate my ass. Fuck toy is more like it and another male’s mate? What’s gotten into Alpha?’
All right, the fuck toy stung, bringing back past memories. Everyone’s thoughts bombard me at once and I try hard to block them out, but it doesn’t work. Instead, they invade me like a tidal wave, crushing me harder and harder then pulling me under.
‘I should take her out right here. Save Alpha from himself.’
‘That little slut. He’s mine.’
I try to see where that voice came from, but there are so many faces and too many sounds coming from every angle. Why can’t I turn them off? I’ve always been able to turn them off. My head gets dizzy and I begin to panic. This is what I felt the night I learned of my powers. Dammit. I fall into something hard and darkness envelops me.
“Zara, wake up.” My head is moved from side to side and I crack my eyes open to find the sexiest electric blue eyes I’ve ever seen. Everything around me is hazy, though. It’s as if his eyes are all I can see. Xavier. I shake myself and sit up, resting my head in my hands. I’m on an unfamiliar couch. How’d I get here?
It all comes rushing back. The voices became too much. I’ve got to figure out how to get them all in check here. I did so well at my old pack. I never thought this would be a problem again. Shit.
“I’m fine. Just got a little lightheaded, but I’m good now,” I tell my mate, kneeling in front of me, and then lift my head and give him a soft, reassuring smile.
“You’re going to eat.” He turns around. “Rose and Marissa make her something to eat.”
‘Now I have to be at this fake bitch’s beck and call? What the fuck!’
This comes from a very attractive blonde. She’s a bit shorter than the average wolf, but it doesn’t take away from her ample curves.
“Absolutely,” the other woman singsongs in a grandmotherly tone, and I instantly like her. She doesn’t look at me with contempt. She just seems puzzled.
“Thank you, Rose,” Xavier replies, turning his back to a huffing Marissa. I’m thinking she’s the one that thinks my mate is hers. Just a wild guess. In every pack, you have one like her. One that thinks she’s the shit and struts around like she is. I had to deal with Lisa and her comments for the past couple years, I guess now it’s Marissa’s turn.
Xavier didn’t let it go unnoticed that I needed to eat. I know I’m thin, but he must see it. He must see that I haven’t eaten well in a long time. Either that or he’s way too damn good at reading me.
“Really, I’m okay. I’m not sure what happened, but I can assure you that I am just fine.” The concerned scowl on Xavier’s face is not giving me much hope that this will go over well.
“Stella, come check her.” A striking woman with ash blonde, almost brown hair steps forward. Her steps are a bit hesitant. What does she think I’m going to do, kill her? “This is one of our healers. She’s going to take a look at you.”
“I told you that I’m fine.” Something unlocks inside me and it’s the strangest sensation. It feels like the old me wants to burst through the surface, but I tread carefully. He stated he doesn’t want the Stepford version of me, and damn, I’m tired of being it. So, I lock her back up and regain myself.
“And I told you, you’re getting checked. End of story,” he commands, and my wolf snarls. Apparently, she’s not liking this either. I glare at him, the heat rising up my neck and into my face. My nostrils flare as my breathing becomes ragged. I clench my fists. “There it is.” A sexy smirk plays on his lips and I want to reach out and bite it.
“There what is?” I snap with a bit more attitude than intended.
“That spark. Seems I’m going to have to piss you off more often.” The contentment in is voice follows his posture. Me, not so much. I’m not sure he’s going to like what he unleashes.
“You really sure you want to do that?” I challenge, finding it a bit odd to tease him. It’s been so damn long since I’ve even flirted with a male, but he has no idea who I used to be. He doesn’t know dick about me other than what I’ve told him regarding the last two years. Maybe this really can be a new beginning, a new start. There it is again, hope.
‘Shit. I hope she doesn’t hurt me.’
Stella thinks as she approaches. Am I that big of a threat? I guess since she can’t smell the right things, I am. ‘
There’s something around her. What is it?’
the woman continues. What in the hell is around me that would cause a wolf to shy away from me. I look to my arms but see nothing.
Since my little pass-out stint, the voices in the room have halted, maybe I need to tune them back in to find out more.
“H-hi, I’m Stella,” she stutters out and I feel bad for her. I’m not going to hurt her. I’d never.
“Hi, Stella, I’m Zara. It’s nice to meet you and thank you for checking me out.” My Nana O always said that you could feed more flies with honey than lemon juice…or something like that. She always had these weird sayings and I’d screw them up every time I tried to repeat them, which she laughed at excessively. Damn, I miss her. I haven’t seen my grandmother since before I was put in the cage. She and my brother are the only two I miss from that place.
‘Oh, she’s nice.’
A smile graces Stella’s face and her body relaxes a bit, though she remains cautious. “Alpha, can you have everyone please leave the room for a minute?” she asks kindly.
“Leave,” he commands and everyone listens, leaving us the huge living room all to ourselves, but the clash of pots and pans in the kitchen echoes through. Apparently, Marissa is taking her aggression out on the cookware.
“Thank you, Alpha.” She doesn’t sound like she’s trying to make him happy. She sounds like she actually means it. Nice.
He doesn’t reply, only nods to me, giving his silent direction. Is he like this with everyone? We need to chat about that.
Stella’s body shakes a bit. “Zara, I’m not sure if you know this but there is some type of aura or light around you.”
“What does that mean?” Xavier cuts in, asking my question before I can. My eyes narrow at him and he smirks.
“I’m not sure. I want to say it’s a protection spell, but I’m just not sure.” A what?
“Like a witch put a spell on me?” It’s not totally unheard of, but how, when, and why me?
“A witch or a wizard would be my guess.”
“I don’t see it. What does it look like?” Xavier interrupts, again.
“It’s shimmery, like silver glitter dancing around her entire body and radiating out from her.” I check my arms and legs, not seeing anything different from what I normally do. Everything seems exactly as it should. I look to Xavier who shakes his head.
“Do the others see it?”
“I’m thinking no or there would have been more of a freak out.” She looks down sheepishly. “Sorry.”
“Do you know who could have put this on you?” Xavier’s words turn my attention back to him. Heavens he is gorgeous. The seriousness coming off of him is even more tempting and inviting. Yum. “Zara?” he questions, pulling me out of my stupor.
“The only one that could be a possibility would be Nana O, my grandmother. She’s always had more powers than just being a wolf, but has never come out and said so. But if that were true why didn’t it protect me against my father?” When Xavier addressed the group, he told them of my father and his treatment toward me, much to my dismay. But it didn’t change any of their views of me. He did not tell them of my power though. That he said would only be between me, him, Max and Thor, for now.
“I have no idea, but we’re going to have to find some answers.” Xavier answers his phone as it buzzes. “Yeah. No shit?” He looks at me. ‘
Your father’s here.’
I gasp, eyes popping out of my head. Fear paralyzes me to the couch.
“I will, but only him.” ‘
He wants to meet with me,’
he thinks to me.
“No!” I screech, making Stella jump.
‘Yes,’
he thinks firmly, his eyes telling me that it is not up for any discussion. I don’t think so. He’s not going out there with him. He can’t. He can’t die.
Stella’s eyes dart back and forth between us and I shut my mouth, already saying one word too much, but my eyes plead with him.
“Only him or nothing at all.” Shit. Shit. Shit.
“Be there in ten.” He swipes his phone off. “I’m going down to talk to your father. You are going to stay here with Stella and Thor.”
“You can’t.” Dread washes over me. He’ll be dead before we even get the full bonding together. He can’t do this. I stand on wobbly knees, moving closer to him. “He’ll try to kill you.” I try to listen into my father, but hear nothing.
“Zara, he can try, but it won’t happen.” Confidence oozes off of him and though one half of me believes him, the other is scared shitless. I wish I could drink it up so I didn’t feel this dread. “Enough. I have to go.” ‘
I know you’ll be listening, but whatever you hear, you do not come down. Do you understand?’
I slowly nod my head. ‘
Good. I’ll back before you know it.’
He kisses my forehead and then dashes off.
Thor comes around the corner and sits next to me on the couch. He grabs the remote and flicks on the television, as if it’s an everyday occurrence for my father to be outside ready to kill my mate. Shouldn’t he be out there with him?
“Let me check you while he’s gone. It’ll give you something else to focus on,” Stella consoles, but I don’t want to. I’m too jittery and heat rises through my body along with a pounding headache, but this needs to be done.
“Okay,” I reply and lie back on the couch, but continue listening to the thoughts of the males downstairs.
“Give me your hands.” I follow her instructions impatiently, wanting this over with since my focus is on Xavier and not my hands.
A gush of strong air knocks things from the walls and shelves onto the floor, smashing all around us. The curtains swing up, flopping all around, knocking the remaining items to the floor. My hair pulls tight along with my skin, following the movement of the air around us.
Stella releases my hand as she goes flying to the other side of the room a good thirty feet, crashing into the wall with a thud. The moment of her disconnect, the wind ceases. What the hell was that? My body feels new and invigorated, headache now gone, but I don’t dwell. “Stella!” I call out, rushing over to her lying on the floor. She hit so damn hard that there is an imprint of her body on the wall clean through to the drywall. “Are you okay?”
She gives her head a good shake like the hit knocked the wind out of her. “I’m fine. Just a little jolt,” she jokes, but I’m not feeling the joke. Thor stands to the side of me, assessing Stella.
“What was that?” Thor asks my unsaid question.
She looks into my eyes. “Power.” I’m completely dumbfounded. Maybe she hit her head a smidge too hard on the wall and knocked some screws loose.
“What kind of power?” I ask tentatively, wanting the answer, but not.
“I’m not sure, child, but we are going to figure it out.” I want to help her off the floor, but I’m a bit nervous about touching her and having whatever the hell that was happen again.
“Thor, can you help her up?” I ask kindly. He doesn’t answer. Instead, he picks Stella up in a bridal hold then walks over and places her on the couch so she’s lying down. He’s a good man. I already like him.
“I’ll go get you some water and see if the rest of the house is still intact.” Thor lumbers off.
The room is a pit. Broken glass, mirror shards, along with some type of pottery, all smashed to dust. I cannot believe I just did that. Never in all the time that I’ve been alive have I ever had light come out of me. It’s crazy.
‘What do you want?’
Xavier’s voice comes through loud and clear, interrupting my musings over the destruction of the room. I take in each thought.
‘My daughter. You stole her.’
Father.
‘I did not. She’s my mate.’
‘She’s already mated.’
‘That was not a mating. That was coercion.’
‘What else did she lie to you about? She’s always been really good at making up stories.’
The hell I have!
‘She told me everything. Is there a reason you’re here? Because you obviously know I’m not giving her to you.’
‘I want a real meeting. With a member of the Council.’
Did he not hear that I told Xavier everything?
‘Why? So you can get my men there, promise us an alliance then trap us, and try to slaughter us.’
‘You fucking little bitch.’
My father thinks, allowing me to hear his thoughts. ‘
I will get my hands on you and once I do, I’ll fucking destroy you.’
A cold shiver snakes up my spine, leaving me trembling in its wake.
“Sugar, are you okay?” Stella asks, breaking me away from the altercation.
The cold shivers continue. “Yes. Just give me a sec.” I focus again on their conversation.
‘You will give me my property. I own her. She is not yours.’
‘After you kill all my comrades and me.’
Oh Heavens, Xavier, don’t threaten. It’ll only make it worse.
‘You must not know the size of my army.’
‘I don’t give a shit.’
‘Let’s make a deal.’
Father, always the shyster. Always willing to make a deal to get what he wants.