Mate. The word had clanged through him the moment her scent of jasmine had reached his nostrils, cleaving right through the grief and anger that had been eating away at him.
The witch’s daughter was his mate. And she didn’t know or suspect anything. It brought a lot of things into question. What was a wolf doing in a horde of witches? Did she really know nothing of it or was she as deceitful as the other witches?
He had seen her bright eyes of turquoise blue. She had not known what she was, or who he was to her. He had seen her confusion and he had known the moment she dismissed it, choosing instead to speak to him.
He couldn’t tell if it was a blessing or a curse, but he knew one thing for sure. He would never be with her. He would reject her the moment he got out of this cage. But he needed her now. She was the daughter of the Head Witch.
If anyone could help him escape from this miserable place, it would be her. He had seen the wildeness in her gaze last night. She would not fall for his tricks so easily. She seemed bright enough and strong-willed.
Convincing himself that it was all for the greater good, he made a decision. He would use the mate bond to his advantage and coax her into setting him free, as well as his men. He would do whatever was necessary to get back to his pack. He would do whatever it took to give Lucien a fitting burial, even if it meant spinning lies and deceiving her.
And she would believe him because he was her mate. She would never understand it, but she would succumb easily to his lies. Zachary didn’t care what that made him. A monster, one might call him. Good. For Lucien, for the men he had led to death, for the pack he had to get back to, he would be the monster.
*****************
“What’s it like outside the mountains? I have never left the enclave,” Zoey said, toying with her braids. For three nights, she had snuck out of her room to meet him. She had no idea why she couldn’t stay away from him. Perhaps, it was his eyes.
He didn’t look at her like everyone else. He didn’t look at her like she was an outcast. He didn’t look at her like she didn’t belong.
When their eyes met, she felt like she finally understood the word ‘home’. He gazed at her as if he knew her like he could see through her exterior, down to rock bottom where she had shoved her most painful thoughts and experiences. He had listened through her deepest, darkest thoughts, and he had smiled, utterly amused.
She marveled at his musical laughter that bounced off the walls whenever she spoke. He found her amusing. He liked her company, she could tell by his rare smiles and the way his eyes lit up when she beamed at him.
“Perhaps, I will take you with me when I leave here,” he said and Zoey’s smile faltered at the sadness that flickered in his eyes. She wanted to help him reunite with his pack and family. She didn’t know much about him yet, but she really wanted to help.
Her lips pursed and she surged forward, holding the bars of his cell. “Perhaps, I could help you speak to mother. She will listen. But you must promise to apologize for what you have done and—“
She paused when she noticed the hardening of his eyes and the clenching of his jaw. He would never apologize to her mother. He would never plead his case. She understood that. He had lost too much in that battle to let it go.
But she knew Anastasia. The only reason why she had left the man in the cage was that she wanted him to understand the gravity of what he had done. Her mother would set him free only after he had apologized to the community of witches and swore an oath never to attack them again.
She needed to get through to him to make him understand. She reached for his hand that was a few inches away from her and she jerked at the impact of their skins touching. It was like touching an electric eel. It zapped her, straight to her core and she backed away from him, eyes wide with confusion.
“Did you feel that?” she whispered, eyes searching his.
Rather than respond to her, he straightened, rising to his full length. Instinctively, she rose too, tipping her head back to truly look at him. He was several feet taller and more imposing. He stopped shy of the barricade and when his eyes dropped to her lips, her tongue darted out instinctively to moisten it.
His eyes followed the movement, and she could swear it began to glow with iridescent light. “Dia,” he muttered softly, reaching through the bars to cup her cheek. His touch sent delicious tingles through her and she held her breath when he leaned closer.
She wished the useless barricades were gone. She wished to touch him and understand what the texts said about being loved by a man. She was untouched. He was the first man who had touched her this way, and the only one who made her breath catch.
Butterflies scattered in her belly, causing her stomach to squeeze tightly as his warm breath tickled her skin. Heavens, she could die happily like this. Being touched by him was bliss. She wanted more. Needed more. She wanted his lips in places she didn’t know existed.
She ached and hungered for this man in a way that was beyond sanity.
“Zachary ,” she whispered, rising on her toes to inch up to him.
His head lowered until their noses were touching. Zoey wasn’t sure she was breathing anymore. Her whole world was at a standstill, waiting for the touch of his lips against hers. Even the air had paused to bear witness to it.
Lower, his head dropped, avoiding the bars of the cell and her eyes shuttered as his lips drew nearer. She would have this. She could have this. She wasn’t betraying anyone by kissing him. She could—
Zachary pulled back from her so suddenly, it took a few seconds to wrap her head around it. She swallowed painfully as he said, “I shouldn’t have. I’m sorry. You should leave. I will consider what you have proposed. Thank you.”
He turned from her, dismissing her, and she stood there, aghast. When she had gathered enough sense of self, she stormed away from the dungeon without a single word.
“Do not mention this again, Zoey!” her mother yelled and Zoey winced from the high-pitched tone. Anastasia rarely raised her voice at Zoey. It was a first, and Zoey very well knew she had earned it. Even if Zachary was such an ass, she would try her best to get him out of the dungeons, and back to his home. He had said he was sure they had attacked his home in the passing, and it was why he had marched upon their enclave with his men. And she could understand that. She couldn’t imagine what she would have done had she been in the same situation. If she had a family somewhere out there—her true family—and she got wind that they were in harm’s way, she would go to the ends of the earth and back to get them back. “Mother. . .” Zoey drawled in a manner that usually worked when she needed something from Anastasia, but the hardness in Anastasia’s eyes didn’t crack a tiny bit. It remained, and Zoey feared that even she wouldn’t be able to move her mother. “He really isn’
A thunderous slap landed on Zoey's cheek immediately followed by another two stinging ones that sent her ass on the cold hard floor. The slap came again, this time harder than the last. The next one landed right between her eyes, the pain radiating from it numbing her entire face in an instant. A gasp escaped her parted lips as hot tears glistened in her eyeballs. Zoey let out a sob of anguish, unable to hold herself together any longer. Her eyes met with the stern gaze of her mother who loomed over her. She had no words to say in her defense but she was sure Zachary would prove them all wrong soon when he came back for her.He had promised to come for her and that was all that mattered. She could bear the pain so long he came back."How could you do something so scandalous? Do you have any idea how disastrous this could be for this kingdom? What were you thinking Zoey?" Her mother shouted, scanning her from head to toe in distraught. "Mother-""Don't say the word!" Her mother's lo
"Hey, Mommy's princess, your food is ready." Lorna said in a mocking voice while unlocking the doors to the prison.Rays of the golden sun poured into the prison through a small window as she walked in followed by Lily. A small smile twitched on Zoey's pale figure when she saw Lily."Eat while you still can." Lorna dropped the food tray she brought for Zoey with a thud, splashing some of the content on the table. "Lorna." Zoey reached for Lily's hand on the table but she yanked her hands away."Don't you dare touch me you traitor." Lorna eyed her with distaste and moved away."You didn't have to do that." Lily chided Lorna."I can act as I like. Who knows I might be six feet below by dusk." Lorna pranced out of the room."Hey, don't mind her nasty behavior. She'll come around soon." Lily pulled Zoey into her arms and comforted her.After a brief second, they pulled away and Zoey wiped the dry tears on her cheeks. Lily patted her slowly while waiting for her to speak."What about Moth
"Who attacked us? Why? Is Mother okay?" Zoey's eyes widened in shock as she popped out different questions while following Lily toward the dungeon's entrance"Stay here." "No, I can't. What would I do here?" Zoey wondered."Your mother will have my head if I dare go against her instructions. Remain here, Zoey. I'll try to come back for you." Lily told her before exiting the dungeon.Zoey's heartbeats thumped hard against her ribcage as she paced the dungeon lost in thought. Why did she have such a strange dream about Zach just when they were attacked? What exactly was going on? Unable to find answers, she sat back on her bed to wait for Lily after all she had no choice but to wait. ***************************"Are those potions ready?" Zach turned to address Lucifer, his right-hand man who stood aside waiting for his orders."Yes, Alpha. Everything is ready. We await your orders." Lucifer replied. "Good." Zach nodded.He couldn't wait to avenge the missing girls,
Zoey roved her eyes around the exit to the dungeon as she tightened her grip on the iron bars. Her heartbeats thumped so hard she could hear them. She inched her ears closer so she could pick up the slightest sound but it was all in vain. The exit was as quiet as the graveyard. Letting out a frustrated groan, she cursed inwardly and repeated the same action. It was the same.The dungeon was so far beneath the coven. It was made to prevent the groans of prisoners from disturbing their peace. Never had she imagined that she would grace it someday."Hello!" She screamed as loud as she could, straining her vocal cords but her voice bounced back reminding her that she was all in the dungeon alone."Anyone there?" Zoey shook the iron bars with every strength she could summon but no one replied to her. This wasn't looking good. Lily hadn't come back for over thirty minutes and with each passing second, a pang of deep fear hit her. What if something happened to them?They had powers and mag
Suppressing a low gasp, Zoey's hands flew to her mouth and her eyes widened in shock. She couldn't stop it, a small cry of dismay escaped through her trembling lips as she felt tears stinging at the corners of her eyes. "Zach, why? Why are you doing this to us?" She moaned. "I told you, Zoey! I warned you." Her mother muttered behind her. Approaching them in evident anger, Zach flung his sheath to a corner, ignoring Zoey's questions as he was ready to take them captive. Goosebumps arose on Zoey's skin as deep fear filled her up to the brim. The intensity of his hateful gaze felt like a knife twisting her guts. Someone wake me up from this dream. Her heart pounded so fast she thought it would leap out of her chest any moment now, and all she could do was stare in shock as the man who vowed to love her now regarded her with dark eyes that burned with hatred and malice. Zoey’s stomach roiled in revulsion. The man before her was nothing more than a monster and his very presence ma
Anger reeled in her body, and she began to advance backward slowly but the men advanced towards her, giving her a lustful look that made her blood boil. She doesn't know how to explain it but the thought of men disgusts her, at the moment she wishes to slay all those men that had killed some of the witches. She steps back slowly till her back hits the wall, the men kept advancing until the first one that spoke raised his hand to halt all movements. "If you come near me, I swear to the goddess I serve, you'll regret it." She swore venomously, her breath becoming heavy and unsteady.The men looked at each other and another peel of laughter escaped their mouths. The one in the front began to advance towards her, covering a few inches.Zoey didn't move, she stayed there, her back seemingly glued to the wall... She waited for him to come to her, eyes burning with fury. "You're such a spitfire, let's see how good you are." He muttered, his voice husky and filled with hatred. He grabbed
The jaded feelings that rushed through Zoey's being when she heard his voice was inexplicable. The pain that crushed every cell in her body when she laid eyes on the monster that destroyed her family is greater than the physical pain her body is feeling. Lucifer's claw stopped right on her breast swell when he heard his Alpha's order. Confusion spread across his face and he began to wonder why the Alpha would ask him to stop. He wants to kill her and the urge to give her a miserable death was high in him. "Drop her." Another sharp order came from him and Lucifer dropped him despite the look of confusion laden on his face. Zoey whined in pain as her body made rough contact with the hard floor, she cussed angrily when she noticed one of her breasts was barely covered. She was quick to repair her torn cloth while still cussing Lucifer. Zachary observed the scene before him and the anger he didn't wish to feel overcame him, when he saw her in pain, his body boiled to such an extent th