Alethea (Zoe)
No, no, no-this cannot be happening. She doesn’t know it’s me. I need to think of a lie, something convincing enough to save me from the trap Alpha Asher is setting for me.
Why did he invite me to breakfast with this she-devil, this woman who knows nothing but cruelty and manipulation?
I lift my head slowly, forcing myself to look at Maya. My gaze is steady, unyielding, as I stare at her without flinching. I know showing weakness right now would be a mistake, especially when she’s starting to suspect something.
“Me?” I ask, feigning innocence as if she might be talking about someone else in the room.
“Yes, you,” she snaps, pointing her fork directly at my face.
For a moment, all I can think about is how much I wish I had some kind of power-something to make that fork turn back on her, to silence her arrogance.
And then, as if my wish carries weight, the fork moves but then it turns, pointing back at her. My breath hitches in my throat as I watch it twist, like it has a mind of its own, aligning perfectly with the vengeful thought I had moments ago.
‘Stop!’ I scream in my mind, panic flooding me as I gasp in horror. The fork freezes mid-air, dangling unnaturally, suspended as if caught in an invisible force.
Maya stares at it, her eyes wide with fear. I can feel the tension in the room. What just happened? Did I do this?
Maya’s eyes widen in shock as she stares at the fork suspended in front of her. Alpha Asher stands and grabs the fork mid-air before anyone can question what’s happening. He brings it down swiftly, placing it on the table.
‘What the hell just happened?’ My mind races. I thought about something, and it manifested right before my eyes.
“What was that?” I blurted out, pointing at the fork with feigned confusion. Inside, I knew full well what just happened, but I couldn’t let them suspect me.
Maya is visibly shaking, fear etched into every corner of her face. Asher leans in and places a firm hand on her shoulder. He whispers something softly, but his eyes don’t leave mine.
My heart pounds violently in my chest, tightening like a vice, as if the air around me is suffocating. Tears threaten to spill, but I refuse to let them fall. I hold it all in, swallowing the lump in my throat but I force myself to remain composed.
After what feels like an eternity, the tension finally eases. We settle back into our seats, Maya is too rattled to say anything, and for that, I’m grateful.
I pick at my food, I silently curse Maya. ‘Stupid Maya.’ Always stirring up trouble. But for now, I’ve managed to dodge her suspicions. At least, I hope I have.
After finishing my meal, I force myself to remain seated. I don’t want to be rude and leave before Alpha Asher, but my patience is wearing thin. I have so much work to do, and the sooner I start the app the faster I can leave this pack.
I can’t sit here any longer, enduring the silent torture of Alpha Asher’s stares and Maya’s smug presence. No, I refuse to let them get to me.
Now that I’ve discovered this strange new ability, this terrifying connection between my thoughts and reality, I need time to practice and control it. I can’t risk my emotions manifesting into something dangerous again.
Suddenly, Alpha Asher’s posture changes. His entire body stiffens, and the sharp sound of his chair scraping against the floor. His eyes are alert, scanning the room like a predator sensing danger.
“What is it, Alpha?” I ask, startled by the intensity of his reaction.
But then something even more shocking hits me. I can feel his emotions.
‘What the hell is happening?’ This has never happened before. Just being near him is making me feel things I shouldn’t.
“We’re under attack,” he says, his tone calm and soft, as if he’s discussing the weather.
My eyes widen in shock as his words sink in. “Oh my god,” I whisper, shooting up from my seat. ‘Under attack? Here?’
I glance around in fear trying to understand the danger. The tense breakfast now feels like a distant memory of the situation before me.
“Zoe, go to the safe house. I can’t imagine a human like you dying in my pack,” Alpha Asher commands.
‘Excuse you?’ I almost blurt out, but I hold my tongue. ‘How dare he call me human!’ I’m no human-I’m a werewolf. But the bitter truth is I’ve never shifted, not even at twenty-two, which makes me feel like a fraud.
“Where is the safe house?” I ask.
“It’s that way,” he says, nodding toward a direction. Then, turning to Maya, he barks, “Maya, you too. Go now.”
But even as he gives the order, I can feel his piercing eyes on me. He rushes to Maya, pulling her into a hug, but his gaze doesn’t leave mine.
I want to look away, to break the connection, but I feel trapped in his eyes. There’s something there, a message he’s trying to convey without words. It’s maddening. Why does it feel like he’s holding Maya but reaching for me?
I shake my head slowly, trying to break free from the pull of his stare. My resolve screams at me to look away, but it feels like I’m drowning in an unspoken emotion I can’t define.
“Alpha!” a voice shattering the moment. The call echoes through the hall, snapping both of us back to reality.
Alpha Asher turns his focus now elsewhere. Before leaving, he places a lingering kiss on Maya’s forehead, but the gesture feels as if it’s for show.
“Asher’s voice cuts through the air. “Liam, take Maya and Zoe to the safe house.” With that, he hurries out of the room.
But before I can process the order, a sickening sound fills the air-loud, vicious growls echoing through the walls. My heart races as I see Asher shift into his wolf, his form morphing into something primal, something terrifying.
I snap out of my daze, suddenly aware of Liam standing beside me.
“Come with me,” he says, snapping me back to the present.
‘Hell no,’ I thought instantly. I can’t be in the same safe house as Maya. The very thought of it makes my blood boil. My mind is filled with dark thoughts and angry desires for revenge. I want to make her pay for everything she put me through at BloodMoon Pack. The mere idea of being around her again makes my skin crawl.
“No,” I say firmly, my voice steady. “I’ll be back in a second.” I turn away from Liam, heading toward the door. I need space, need time to think, to get away from everything and everyone for a moment.
As I walk away, I hear the sickening sounds of wolves fighting, their growls just outside the wall. But I can’t let that distract me now. I need control. I need to figure out my next move.
For some strange reason, I feel no fear, no hesitation as I think about charging onto the battlefield to fight alongside them. I can’t just stand by and watch everything crumble.
“Zoe!” Liam’s voice calls out, but it’s too late.
“Protect your Luna!” I shout back at him, as I run, though I don’t even know where I’m headed.
‘Who could be responsible for this attack? Why would anyone target Redwood Pack? They’re a mysterious force, a pack with secrets, and if anyone has inside information, it would have to be someone close, someone feeding them details from within.
As much as I hate Asher there’s this undeniable urge to protect him, to protect his pack, to protect the pups. My instincts scream at me to act, to help, even though my mind is still caught up.
Without another thought, I veer into the bush, heading straight for the sounds of battle. The warriors are fighting valiantly, defending the pack against the unknown attackers.
And then, I caught it. That familiar scent. The one I know so well, yet it’s shrouded in something darker now, tainted by the chaos of the situation.
I follow the scent, my breath hitching in my throat, dread settling deep in my chest. My eyes scan the area until I spot him.
The person standing at the edge of the chaos, giving instructions to one of the warriors…
No.
It can’t be. But there he is.