Zara

All that inspiring courage evaporated as I closed the door and locked it. Quickly grabbing a chair, I placed it under the doorknob.

I knew I was the only one with the keycard to my apartment, but knowing his true face, I wouldn’t be surprised if he’d somehow made a spare.

’The trust between us had sunk so deep that it would never see the light of day again.’ Nova was worried.

Ignoring Nova, Taking out my cell phone, which I’d hidden to record video in case he attacked me or took me hostage, I paused the recording.

I needed to send this to Sophia and Ryan later, along with the summary and all the other evidence I’d collected.

’If anything happened to us, she’d make sure his face appeared in all the wolves.’ Nova rolled her eyes.

’Another night. We are leaving tomorrow morning.’ I said to Nova.

I’ll call a taxi and leave; I just needed to get through this night. My thoughts raced like a rabbit chased by wild dogs. A multitude of thoughts swarmed through my head as I took out my suitcase and began haphazardly stuffing it with whatever came to hand.

Alpha seemed genuinely upset when I told him the truth. He even winced, showing what a good actor he is. No wonder I believed his performance.

He came running here to sleep with me, to satisfy his lustful desires. That expression on his face when I removed his mask was exactly what I wanted to see.

’This is what it means to be exposed, to have your deepest, darkest secrets spilled out.’ Nova yelled.

’It was a crazy move. He could have overpowered me, but I wanted to tell that bastard I wasn’t afraid.’ I yelled, too.

’Even though I was afraid... I was shaking, my heart wouldn’t calm down.’ Nova said.

’My heart was pounding, too.’ I replied to my wolf.

I was sweating. Panic was about to hit me.

He even sent someone to kidnap me, the same one who hurt me, and then Alpha started acting so protective and possessive. He told me, in his own way, that he beat that man bloody.

That should have been another clue for me, because my kidnapper had disappeared so conveniently. I wondered if the blood was real or fake.

I could bet that Marcus knew something and would help me, knowing I was leaving, as he’d hinted in a few words. He’d told me this many times.

That I was an innocent girl who knew right from wrong. He knew about Alpha’s suspicions. He was the one who could give me more evidence against Alpha.

I had Marcus’s number, but we’d never spoken. Grabbing my phone, I quickly wrote him a message.

{Hi! It’s Zara. Can we meet and talk? It’s urgent.} I typed and hit send.

After waiting a few minutes, I received his reply.

{Hi! Zara! Are you okay? Where are you?}

{I’m in my apartment. Can you come? It’s because of Alpha. I found something unsettling about him.} I replied with trembling hands. No matter how hard I tried, they wouldn’t stay still.

{Ah! I was afraid this would happen. I’m already on my way. Send me the address and come. I need to show you something.} His reply arrived, and I knew he would bring some kind of evidence.

Besides, it would be better to meet him in a neutral location; I didn’t want to disturb him.

After sending him my address, I took off my nightgown and put on a fleece shirt, a thick wool sweater, and black flannel pants.

Whatever came to mind, I simply threw it into the suitcase and zipped it up. As soon as I talk to Marcus and gather more evidence, I’ll give it to Sophia.

For the second time... Okay, I connected my phone to the laptop and saved all the evidence to the portable device. I hid it in a cereal box and sent her a message with its location, but no details.

I also sent the same message to Ryan. None of them saw the message, so I assumed they must be busy or already asleep.

My phone beeped, and I saw Marcus coming downstairs. Zipping my purse, I placed it on top of my suitcase. I’d had enough of this space.

Quietly, I left the apartment and walked down the stairs to meet him. The security guard held the door for me as I stepped out into the cold air and hugged myself tightly.

My eyes darted from side to side in fear, hoping Alpha wasn’t hiding anywhere, but I didn’t see him. It was just normal traffic.

I continued walking as Marcus parked further away from the building, not in the parking lot, as it was full.

Turning around, I saw Marcus leaning against a huge SUV with tinted windows and huge wheels. It looked like it belonged to some experienced hunter or nature lover.

The matte gray-green bodywork was captivating, but it wasn’t the car I’d imagined Marcus would own. He looked more like a sports car or BMW enthusiast.

So that’s what he drove to Christmas dinner. If only I hadn’t been so stressed out that my brain couldn’t handle it anymore.

I sighed heavily as he pulled into the coffee shop’s parking lot and turned off the engine. I had yet to answer his question, but I suggested we could talk over coffee.

"What will you drink? Give me coffee, and we’ll discuss Alpha’s crimes. Don’t worry, I know more than you think." He winked again, but I couldn’t relax.

Instead, I nodded weakly and said, "Cappuccino with full cream."

"I’ll get it right away." Opening the door, Marcus got out of his jeep and headed toward the coffee shop.

I glanced at my phone and saw a message from Alpha pop up. Unable to talk to him, I ignored it. Starting tomorrow, I won’t have to deal with him.

It was just one night. My heart pounding, I sat clutching the phone to my chest, pondering my life choices.

Luckily, Marcus arrived soon afterward with two coffee cups in a cardboard box. As he reached inside, he handed me mine. "Here, this will warm you up."

"Thank you!" I accepted the cup with trembling hands. I couldn’t shake the feeling of unease.

Marcus sat down and began drinking his coffee, his worried gaze fixed on me.

"So, just let it all out. I know it’s hurting you, and that’s exactly what I warned you about." He took another small sip. "Rest assured, I’ll keep your secret safe." The corner of his lips twitched.

I pressed my hands to the Styrofoam cup, and the heaviness in my chest increased, as if someone had crushed my heart with a boulder.

I had to be careful with Marcus, too. If Alpha taught me anything, it’s to never trust men outside the family again.

"Was he involved in our breakup? Be honest, Marcus. I know you should know," I asked, not taking my eyes off my coffee, which was drenched in cream.

Marcus shook his head. "Uh! You figured it out yourself." He paused, as if collecting his thoughts and considering what to say to me. I took another sip of warm coffee, but for some reason my head felt heavier.

Marcus blinked, his expression serious. "Sorry, but Alpha Kane is a monster, and I only tolerate him because he’s a threat to me too."

My head started to hurt, and Marcus’s face twisted. Suddenly, my eyelids felt so heavy, as if I’d tied iron balls to them.

Sweat poured out of my body, as if I’d been thrown into a furnace.

It wasn’t just Marcus’s words, which revealed even more truth about Alpha, dispelling all my doubts about his involvement.

Something was happening to my body; my hand was shaking so badly that I almost dropped the coffee cup.

"Let me take it." He reached out and took the cup from me while I struggled to keep my eyes open.

I realized I’d been tricked. Those stupid ruby ​​earrings Alpha had given me were still in my ears, and I don’t know why I suddenly remembered them. Tilting my head slightly, I let my shoulder brush against the earring, hoping it would fall off without Marcus noticing.

His Grinch-like grin was the last thing I saw before my eyes closed completely and the phone fell from my hand.

"W-what are you..." I couldn’t even finish my sentence.

"Sleep, Zara, you’re so tired." His threatening voice was the last sound I heard before I passed out.

I wasn’t sure how long I’d been unconscious, but when I came to, my head was aching terribly.

When I tried to open my eyes, I discovered I was blindfolded and couldn’t see anything. My arms weren’t moving, tied to something like a chair. The ropes dug into my skin.

Panic washed over me like a tsunami; I couldn’t move. Even my mouth was gagged.

Did he take me to Alpha?

Were they planning to kill me together?

Were they accomplices? Partners in crime?

Question after question pounded my overactive brain. I struggled with the blinds and ropes that held me.