When she got to the First Borderline, the warriors had found it a little strange.
Why would the Alpha send the Zeta here if they were meant to sign a deal to put an end to the bloodshed? Yet they had seen the stamped pass and they couldn't question any further. Besides, she was the Zeta, the war general, fourth in the rank of power. Too much questioning was a challenge to her authority.
While Zezi settled in the tent that they had built up for her, different thoughts kept running across her mind.
Maybe she had been wrong. Maybe he didn't know they were mates. Something about the way he looked at her made her feel like he hadn't known, like he had mistaken it to be some passing feeling.
Yet a part of her told her that was just wishful thinking and she very well knew it.
Or maybe he did know and he decided he didn't want her, an enemy just as she had decided that she didn't want him.
Something told her that was impossible but she prayed with all her heart for it to be that. She dreaded vampires and the thought of being mated to one drove a dagger right through her heart.
A message soon came for her that their was a message for her at the head quarters. She left the tent after a while, something about everything felt uneasy and what she heard when she was about to enter the headquarter's tent proved it.
"He wants her sent back with immediate effect." An agitated voice said.
"Did he say why?" Another asked.
"Not really but from some things he said, I think it has something to do with the Vampire King. I can't really tell what it is." The first one said.
Zezi's eyes flew open and her heart raced.
So he knew but of course he did. It was a mate bond after all.
"She is going to resist, you know that?" Another who hadn't spoken before said.
"She is our Zeta, she will easily overpower us."
"And that is why I told you to get the silver bullets guns."
Silver bullets guns?! What was this?!
"Are you a fool. Not a scratch, the Alpha said."
"What do you presume we do then?"
Zezi didn't wait for whatever it was they had to say. She retraced her steps and slowly disappeared into the night. She couldn't stay here, it wasn't safe here anymore. She ran into her tent, grabbed her bags that she never unpacked in the first place and fled. She didn't even know where she was going but she knew she couldn't stay. The pack was about to just hand her over to the King. The Alpha must have wrapped a favourable deal around finding her.
She chuckled humourlessly at that thought while she ran across the forest at wolf speed. She couldn't even blame him if he did. It was just her, a pack member, against the whole pack. She tried to imagine what George would be doing. Was he angry? Devastated? Or was he confused? What about her daughter? She was certain that no one would tell her what was going on.
Tears rushed down her face. She didn't even know what she was doing or how far she could even run. Where was she even running to? She didn't know anything but there was one thing she knew.
She was running away, far away. It wasn't safe here, it wasn't safe anywhere.
******************************
"There must be some mistake, she is my mate." George finally let out when he got into the Alpha's office. It was dimly lit and smelt of inks and documents. It was quiet stuffy for a large office.
It was already in the evening of the next day and they still hadn't captured Zezi yet.
"I understand how you feel about all these but we need her here to confirm everything."
"Confirm?" George chuckled darkly at that. He knew what this was all about, he was no fool. "That is not what you want to do. I have seen the scrolls prepared, you have crafted another agreement around Zezi." It was getting harder and harder for him to contain his anger now.
"How could you do that?! She is my wife and the mother of my child!" He banged his fists against the table and the Alpha leaned back in his chair.
"I am doing this for the pack."
George chuckled darkly again while he muttered to himself.
"The pack, of course the pack." Then his eyes snapped to the Alpha, his voice cold.
"Would you be doing this for the pack if it had been the Luna?"
Something ticked in Gery's jaw and he slowly clenched his fists.
"I didn't think so."
The Alpha stood up calmly.
"You are not true mates, George."
"There is no difference to me. I love her just as much as I would have if the Moon had bonded us together."
"The way I see it, there is a difference. If you had been true mates, this wouldn't have happened to begin with."
George stepped forward angrily, "You better not go further with plans of handing over my wife to that monster. Don't test me!"
"There you go again with challenging me!" It was the Alpha's turn to be angry. His eyes flashed between two colors. He took a step closer to George who firmly stood his ground as usual but for some reasons, no one took a step further. It was like they were waiting patiently for one person to be the first to lose it.
The Luna stepped and one look at them made her know that they had been at it again. She sent an angry glare their way. How could they be doing this when they had bigger trouble on their plates? Gery stepped back breaking the tension.
"I have bad news."
George immediately became worried, all the anger he felt disappeared.
"What is it? Is Zezi alright?"
"She is, it is the werewolves we sent after her that aren't."
Admist everything, George found himself smiling with a sense of pride.
"She didn't kill them, did she?" He heard the Alpha asked.
"No, she ensured she left them alive but that isn't the problem."
All eyes were on the Luna now. If that wasn't the problem, then what was it?
"The King thinks we are intentionally keeping her away from him. If he does anything, we are doomed, Gery." The Luna threw her hands in the air dramatically.
"I tried to speak to her through the pack link. She blocked it off."
"I know, I tried to."
"We are doomed, Gery."
"Don't say that."
"If we don't get a hold of her soon, he will go after her himself. You know what that means? If he gets her first, we have nothing to use to our advantage." She said the last part in a hushed tone, like as if she was embarrassed to think of Zezi like that. George snarled at the last statement and she mouthed to him an apology.
Everyone became silent then, each turning in their minds different thoughts.
"I will go. I will find her." George broke the silence.
The Alpha scoffed.
"How? You can't use the mates' mind link, you are not true..."
"I know that but I am that one person she can't hurt when I find her. I know how she thinks too. I am your best bet."
As much as the Alpha didn't want to admit it, he knew he was right. Zezi was a powerful and calculative Zeta. She wasn't made the War General for nothing and who else he the power to bring her in other than the mate she had gone through heaven and hell with.
"How do you I trust that you will do as you've said?"
"That is up to you, Alpha Gery. It is already tough on me that I am bringing my wife in. Think whatever you will." He flopped down into the nearest chair.
While different thoughts ran across his mind, the Luna and Alpha stood at a corner of the office speaking through the mind link they had.
He stared at the ceiling and he sighed. His eyes became glassy as he thought of what he had to do. The Luna was right, if they don't bring Zezi in soon then the Vampires would consider them as enemies. They would never see them as subjects ever again neither would they ever sign that deal for peace to reign.
The Vampires had one rule when it came to enemies too. They never leave them alive just as they had done for years. He and Zezi had a first hand experience of what the rule was like. Wasn't that how they became rouges in the first place?
"Alright then. Find her." The Alpha's voice rang through his mind, interrupting his thoughts and leaving him startled for only a while. He had spoken to him through the pack's link, something he hadn't done for a long time. George knew what it meant. It was a subtle reminder that he had control over him.
George stood up and he almost swayed on his feet. His legs felt weak. He nodded, he knew at that moment that he had made a decision.
"Before that, I need to see my daughter and speak to Aunt Alice. She needs to know that I will be gone for a while."
Zezi hid behind another tree, her senses alert. She was listening attentively for any movement. It had been two days or maybe even more she couldn't really tell. She was running out of supplies and she had left behind her weapons at the tent when she fled. Her eyes ached from lack of sleep and she was sure she must stink. It had been a while since she had a bath and she hadn't come across any river yet, neither had it rained. She couldn't waste the water she had with her on her body, she was reserving that for her thirst. She ran to the next tree and laid her back flatly against it. She bit her lips to stop herself from crying. She felt so cold and alone. She missed her daughter and her husband, yet she knew she couldn't go back. If she did, she wouldn't be able to stay. He would take her away, she would be forced to leave with the enemy. She was certain that with the Alpha, knowing everything now, would have drawn up another bargain that involved her. But could she blame him? It
"How is Mira?""She is fine. Aunt Alice is doing a great job.""I--I had no choice. I had to leave."It was quiet, like he wouldn't say anything in return. It got to a point that she was starting to doubt if he had even heard her."You should have told me.""I just...""I know we are not true mates but we love each other, don't we?"Zezi furrowed her eyebrows at that question, "Where is this coming from? This thing about not being true mates? We chose each other, George. Of course, we love each other."He stood up then, pacing in front of her before he stopped abruptly."Is it true? I have to hear it from you. I don't care how it must seem to everyone else, if you just say it isn't, then I will discard all the thoughts I have been coming up with. We will go back there right now and tell them that the Vampire King is nuts."His eyes looked like they carried weights of sadness. The way his shoulders slumped showed how hard it was for him to keep up with all of these. He pushed his hair
"He stopped Alice when she was about to leave the pack and seized your daughter."George didn't respond, he didn't know what to say."There is more.""More?!""Like I said, it isn't the pack against you anymore. He has sent the rest of his kind back to his Empire. He is giving us a day to give Zezi to him. If we don't, he will kill Mira and every single one of us."George heart raced at that thought. Fear wasn't always something he entertained but even his wolf that was full of ego and pride about his abilities knew when there was a challenge that they couldn't take down. His wolf was shouting at him for being stupid. Zezi wasn't even his mate. Why must he risk his life like this for her? He was shouting back in his mind that she was his, just like he was hers and being true mates didn't matter.When it came to Zezi, there were many things that he and his wolf never agreed on. Like what she truly meant to him.Alpha Gery's voice snapped him out of his internal battle."I know you co
The voice cut through the office.Dark, sharp, cold and absolutely daring. Just like that day in the hall. George gnashed his teeth, staying still while anger drummed in his head.She was his! His!No, she is not. His wolf snapped at him. He heard Zezi call him quickly, like she was afraid of what would happen if he didn't step away."George..."The King was there, still looking at them calmly but the tightness in his jaws showed just how hard he was trying to still have the reigns of control."Take your hands off her."George stood up abruptly. A sudden fear had crawled over him. He felt cold. He immediately grabbed Mira and carried her in his arms. Before Zezi could stand, she felt a cold hand tight around her wrist while she staggered to her feet. It happened so fast.She was just kneeling on the floor right there a moment ago and now, here she was by his side. He was fast, faster than they were. So fast that her sight had blurred for a moment. It was only then she noticed the
He started walking away then and she had no choice but to follow, his hand was still firm around her wrist. He turned back abruptly making her almost walk into him."You know, you should always clean up after your meal, Laura. You still act like such a child."Zezi turned quickly. She saw it then, blood just around Laura's lips. How had she missed it?She tried hard to maintain her breathing. Every moment here reminded her about how much of a monster they were.Laura's tongue slithered out to lick it away and she smiled blatantly at him. Like whatever made her terrified of him moments ago had disappeared into thin air."Well, I do that because you always look out for me. Don't you, brother?"B-brother?! They were siblings! Zezi sighed in defeat. How was she going to easily escape if there were no jealous lover(s).to aid and abet her plans?They soon resumed what was starting to seem like a journey to her room. They finally came to a door at the end of the hallway. In haste to get awa
The words jammed into her head and her throat dried up immediately. This just couldn't be happening to her.Gwen looked around, a little lost in the moment."It was supposed to be tomorrow but things happen anyway. Soon enough all these decorations will be gone."Gone?"What do you mean gone?"Gwen snapped her lips shut. It was like as if she was chastising herself in her head for saying too much. Then she started a reluctant speech to get herself out of the mess she was tangled up in."The King was supposed to get married tomorrow but you are here now so..." She shrugged and chuckled nervously.So there would indeed be a jealous lover to help her after all!"To who?"Gwen sigh uncomfortably, "will it be alright for you to know that? I mean, you won't be angry? You know this thing between mates, it can snap at...""I will be perfectly fine. Who was it?"It took Gwen a moment of internal debate before she finally answered, "Lady Delice."Zezi nodded slowly. So there was indeed someth
Just like his eyes were when they were in the car, they were flashing from red to black and those black veins hazardously lined his face, down to his neck where the robe started covering the rest.She stepped back slowly in fear.The fear she felt for him was overpowering, more than even the bond she couldn't fight.A cold hand grabbed her from behind and she turned, startled."You shouldn't be here."It was Gwen but it wasn't the sunshine Gwen. This Gwen had something dark and monstrous in her eyes as she pulled her away from the hallway."You shouldn't have come here."Zezi looked back at the man lying on the floor. He had black blood oozing out of his mouth, a sharp contrast with the sparkling clean white tile. His eyes had also been permanently rolled back, leaving a plain whiteness in its wake. His body stiff as he gave his last fight and suddenly he went limp.She looked back up at him and she immediately felt trapped because no longer could she look away. The compelling bond an
Gwen started wheeling away the empty trolley out silently before Zezi's voice stopped her."Hmm, Gwen?""Yes, my Lady," there was a determination in her eyes like she was ready to keep on her act even if it would kill her."I need a book and a pen or pencils, anyone. It is boring not doing anything in here all day.""That?" Excitement sparkled in Gwen's eyes. "I'll get it for you. Are you perhaps a writer or an artist?""Both, if stick figures are considered exquisite art and if short bedtime stories are considered powerful books.""Oh you are so funny, my Lady," Gwen chuckled uncontrollably. "I'll tell my kids and husband about this. They sure would love it.""They sure would.""Anything else?""No, that will be all."Gwen gave her another bright smile before wheeling the empty trolley out and closing the door. Immediately, Zezi saw the door closed, she sucked in a deep breath. She didn't even know that she was holding her breath all that while. The long marks she saw on Gwen's hand