Zara

With my eyes closed, I was enjoying the scent of roses from the bouquet when someone snuck up on me. He started asking personal questions about my relationship with Alpha.

The words hurt; they were poisonous and deep. Pain flashed across my face, and I opened my eyes abruptly and automatically looked at the man sitting across from me, the one responsible for this heartache.

Alpha’s expression instantly changed from calm to furious, and he cast a murderous glare at the reporter who had snuck into the restaurant to get a scoop for Christmas.

"Is there nothing better you do than sneak up on people in their free time?" Alpha asked, glaring at the man, his fists clenched. I knew he was barely holding back.

The man smiled shamelessly. "Just a few questions. I won’t take up much of your time and will take a few photos." The phone in his hand turned toward me as he pressed the button, and I realized he’d taken the picture without my permission.

Horrified by his actions, I was furious. Before I could stand up and tell him what I thought, Alpha moved like a flash of light. He snatched the phone from the man and threw it to the ground, kicking the screen in blinding rage.

The man gasped and tried to move, but Alpha grabbed him by the collar, yanking him forward as if he weighed nothing.

Rage, rage, and madness mingled on the wolf’s face.

"How dare you invade our privacy?" The blow was lightning fast, and the sound of breaking bones echoed around us. Blood began to flow from his nose, and the man screamed in pain.

Luna watched silently with smug satisfaction as I tried to approach Alpha. The restaurant security and waiters also gathered, trying to pry the man from the wolf’s iron grip, but he refused to let go.

There was such fury on his face and in his eyes that I barely recognized him.

"Get him out of my sight." Alpha finally pushed him away after the staff pleaded and begged. The man was covered in blood when he was quickly escorted out, and I knew this would come back to haunt us.

Luna sat confidently, one hand elegantly crossed over the other, observing the proceedings. She merely said, "The bastard got what he deserved." 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

I covered my mouth, watching Alpha struggle to regain his lost control. His obsidian eyes fixed on me, seething with anger. "We’re leaving."

I nodded as he helped Luna up from her seat.

The manager arrived, panic written all over his face, struggling to force a smile amid the crisis.

"My apologies, Mr. Sterling. We didn’t know he was a reporter and that he would disturb your family."

Alpha shot him a sharp, worried look as Luna took his hand.

"I valued your establishment because it respected my need for privacy, but such an intrusion when I was here with my family. I don’t think I can dine here anymore. We’re leaving." He began to move quickly, and Luna, smugly holding her son’s hand and looking at the manager, looked at him.

"Your security has disappointed us," she said, shaking her head.

The manager tried to intercede for him, but no one would listen. Angry and hungry, we left the restaurant. But to our surprise, several more reporters were waiting outside, having witnessed another journalist being led out with a broken nose.

Like vultures, they unleashed a barrage of questions on us, shoving microphones in our faces.

"Olfi, take Mom," Alpha ordered sternly.

Olfi and the restaurant security guards protected Luna and us from the onslaught of reporters.

At that moment, Alpha’s arm wrapped around my waist, shielding me with his body and arms. The hand holding the microphone thrust into my face, narrowly missing my cheek, and he pushed it away with a snarl.

He held me close, safe, like a comfort. My cunning eyes lifted to look at him. Darkness and anger clouded his face as he helped me into the car.

They were asked question after question, while camera flashes tried to take our personal photos. I swear, those media types were the most annoying assholes in the entire entertainment industry.

I was furious at his blatant disregard for privacy.

"Are you okay?" he asked, his voice tinged with concern, and I merely nodded.

As soon as we were settled in the car, Olfi drove us away before they could cause any more damage.

"I should have torn them all," Alpha growled, and I could feel the anger in his voice.

"Idiots and bastards," Luna spat, and I realized she’d had her share of bad press.

"They’re a pain in the ass. They almost ruined my parents’ lives once," I sighed heavily, and she turned her head to look at me.

"I see," she said simply, and any smile or slight warmth she’d begun to display vanished in that moment. She turned her head to look out the window, and her reaction struck me as odd.

I remembered Alpha’s cousin’s words when she asked him: "Does she know the whole truth about you?"

I wondered if that was why he was so afraid of finding love and getting married.

***

Kane

Anger boiled through my veins like a hot iron. I should never have taken Mother and Zara out without fully observing safety protocol. It was a mistake I wasn’t going to repeat.

They were taking pictures of her without her consent and almost touching her. The mere thought of it infuriated me.

The car pulled up to the house. Keysir and Asbela quickly arrived to meet us.

"Take Zara and Mother inside and make us dinner," I told them as I left. Seeing my grim expression, no one questioned me. Olfi and Hunter stayed by my side as I calmly watched Zara head inside.

She was safe; that was all that mattered at the moment.

"I want all those reporters found, and their companies served with notices of prosecution," I told my Beta in a fit of rage.

"I’ve memorized the names of the media outlets from some of their badges and microphones. Don’t worry, Alpha, they’ll pay for what they did," Beta assured me. We discussed further plans to prevent similar incidents.

Nodding in satisfaction, I told him to put all the presents inside and get the Christmas tree ready for tomorrow. I didn’t celebrate Christmas, but Mom was very particular about it.

I walked inside and found Mom and Zara already seated at the dinner table.

"Kane! Let’s go have dinner," Mom called, looking completely serious for some reason.

My gaze slid to Zara, and she looked agitated. The incident must have shaken her greatly, as she refused to look me in the eye.

We had a quiet dinner; neither of us spoke. But before we could leave the table, I addressed both ladies. "I’m so sorry this happened under my watch. It won’t happen again."

My mother’s stern face turned to me, and I felt a hint of pain in her eyes.

"It’s not your fault, Kane. I know you’ll always protect what’s yours. Zara and I. Take care of her." She stood up wearily, her expression serious, her expression growing more expressive. It was the first time she’d spoken about Zara like that.

Was she accepting it, or was this some kind of game?

I wasn’t sure.

Then she turned to Zara and said in the most serious tone I’d ever heard her use: "If he bothers you in any way, come to me, and I’ll teach him a lesson." Her index finger pointed at me.

What? What’s going on here?

A sly smile spread across Zara’s serious face at my mother’s words.

"I’ll definitely do it, Luna." Her sharp, mischievous eyes slid towards me, like a challenge.

"Good night." Mom left us alone and headed to her room, and Zara stared at me.

"Is it worth it?" she asked defiantly, once Mom had walked a good distance away.

Knowing Zara, I knew she’d never be afraid to tell the truth, but that would seriously damage my case.

"You’re bound by contract, don’t forget that," I reminded her, putting down my fork and giving her a bold look.

She merely snorted and looked away, focusing on her food. She barely ate a few spoonfuls.

I didn’t know how else to emphasize the fact that she was neglecting her health. She retreated to our room, and I held back, wanting to smoke.

I haven’t heard from Zara on that profile since our relationship soured.

Maybe posting a new video will rekindle her interest. I knew she couldn’t talk to me anymore, but I’d rather she pour out her heart.

After a little editing, I uploaded it and waited to see if Zara liked it.

Likes and comments started coming in one after another, but not a single one from her. Perhaps she fell asleep after the traumatic event she’d experienced today.

Tossing my phone aside, I got up and changed my clothes. I lit a cigarette and smoked briefly before turning everything off and returning to my room.

My phone beeped... And I saw it was a weather alert/notification. A snowstorm was approaching and was expected to last for several days.

This meant all flights would be canceled. According to news sources, the storm would begin on December 23rd. This meant we would be stuck in our homes.

The holidays needed to start early so people could travel to their holiday destinations.

Entering the room, I saw Zara sitting up in bed in her nightgown. The ruby ribbons of her dress cascaded down her graceful shoulders.

Damn! She looked like the heroine of my erotic dreams, and after that video, I was already aroused.

Seeing me, she said without any emotion: "I want to visit my family for Christmas. I need two weeks off."

Two weeks? It seemed like an eternity to me, but I couldn’t stop her from being with her family. She’d been through so much, and it would do her good to be with them.

"It’s going to snow in about three days. So it would be wise to leave tomorrow so you can get there safely," I told her gloomily before heading to the dressing room to change.