Zara

"I need to work," Alpha Kane muttered. "Don’t be late for the office tomorrow."

Alpha Kane retreated to the bathroom, and I went to his closet. I grabbed a simple black T-shirt, inhaling his scent deeply. I pulled it on over my naked body and walked out of the bedroom, bumping into Beta Hunter.

"Oh, Zara." Beta cleared his throat, his eyes widening when he saw my outfit. "Is Alpha Kane in the room?"

My face flushed, and my jaw nearly dropped.

"I... uh, Beta," I mumbled. "He’s in the bathroom."

"Thank you, Zara." Beta nodded, his lips twitching. "I think I’ll be back later."

"Beta, it’s not what it seems." I shook my head, fiddling with the shirt that reached my knees. Beta grinned, "I never would have guessed that."

I rushed to the bedroom, hearing Beta’s booming laughter in the hallway. Embarrassment gripped me, hoping Beta would keep another secret for me.

I quickly showered, washing away last night’s liquid. I had nothing much to do today. I pulled on jeans and a blouse, grabbed my empty bag, and at that moment, my phone pinged. I opened the message.

I looked at the photo with interest. The red flashing lights gave my hair a shiny chestnut hue. Marcus looked down at me, his gaze fixed on my neck. My lips were parted, a dreamy smile frozen on my face as I looked at him.

Someone had seen Marcus and me at the club, watching him lull me into a false sense of security. I didn’t even notice someone standing next to me with a camera in hand. In fact, I couldn’t remember anyone else from that night. I only remembered Marcus and Sophia.

The note was typed in the same elegant script, but the threat was clearly written on the paper.

"Busy night?

I’ll give you one last chance.

Meet me tonight, at the same place, at midnight.

Come alone.

If you don’t come, another life will be taken, one I hold dear."

***

Alpha Kane

After leaving Zara, I headed to my pack to make a few calls.

Alphas from other packs had come to us, ready to help us fight Marcus. Many didn’t believe me, but they soon would. As the largest pack in the world, I had the right to call such meetings. Packs obeyed if they wanted to remain independent. Killing the alpha and absorbing his pack was too easy.

My calls continued into the evening, and finally, an agreement was reached between the pesky alphas.

Alpha Julian had just been with his mate. The woman had just given birth to triplets, just two years after the birth of their son. I dismissed them from the meeting, wishing them luck.

I asked the nearest packs to attend, and also summoned more of my warriors.

Alpha Zeke, Alpha Bran, and Luna Freya were scheduled to leave tomorrow.

Alpha Zeke was a longtime friend of mine, and I often helped him when he asked. Alpha Bran was an insufferable asshole even at the best of times. Luna Freya had been managing her husband’s pack since his death, waiting for their son to grow up.

We needed to make room for new faces. The pack house would be full of people, which I couldn’t stand. Sacrifices were being made to accommodate all the warriors coming to our aid.

I returned to my apartment late at night, feeling a headache starting to form in my temples. Working with other Alphas was a nightmare. They often thought they were stronger, challenging me until my patience snapped.

I watched Zara enter her room; she hadn’t noticed my arrival.

It wasn’t easy being in my bedroom. I wanted to break down her door and drag her back, demand that she stay in my room from now on. I couldn’t give in to these urges, not yet. Not until she was completely mine.

The night was quiet. After a couple of drinks and reading a couple of security reports, I went to bed.

Sleep is hard when you have an entire pack on your shoulders. After a couple of hours, the bedroom began to fade around me.

"Alpha Kane!" a voice hissed in my head, alarm in its voice. "Alpha Kane!"

I jumped out of bed. My head was a mess, full of sleep. Sleep clouded my vision, but the voice in my head was clear.

Sophia, Zara’s friend.

"Alpha Kane, they’ve got her! Marcus Zara." Sofia hissed, as if she needed to remain silent. "The pool, they’re at the pool!"

***

Zara

I returned to the apartment around ten o’clock, slipping down the hallway to my bedroom.

I undressed, throwing on leggings and a long-sleeved T-shirt. After a while, I heard shuffling from Alpha Kane’s bedroom.

I wanted to cross the hallway and knock, so Alpha Kane wouldn’t let him drag me into his bedroom. The pain between my legs was like a glove. We wanted more from him.

This time, Nova reminded me.

"You can’t mess with him now." Nova shook her head, but I could still sense her longing. "If this plan works..., we need you at your best."

"Alpha Kane isn’t holding me back, Nova." I rolled my eyes.

"He’s distracting you." Nova remarked, "He’s distracting me, too. We don’t need distractions tonight."

"You’re right." I frowned, casting a last longing glance at the bedroom door.

The minutes dragged on. It was slow, and I was literally shaking with excitement.

I sat motionless on the edge of the bed, breathing deeply to calm my nerves. Thirty minutes before midnight, Sofia’s voice filled my head.

"Are you ready, Zara?" Sofia’s voice sounded tired but determined.

"As ready as I can be." I nodded, trying my best not to show my nervousness.

"You can handle it, Zara," Sofia interjected, her usual cheerful tone betraying tension and worry.

"Everything will be fine." I wasn’t sure if I was reassuring myself or them. "If Marcus is still that interested in me, he won’t let anyone harm me."

Slipping out of the apartment was easier than I expected. My steps were light and measured as I crept down the hallway. I even held my breath, inhaling only once I was outside Alpha Kane’s bedroom.

I slipped through the sliding glass door, remembering how the front door had creaked terribly.