Zara

"No." The girl shook her head, a strange light burning in her eyes. "He was too fast."

"Beta Hunter, change your clothes and take Ethan to one of the cells." The guy carrying me barked at the red wolf.

He turned to the short-haired girl. "Why is she still so confused?"

"She was the same way last time." The girl frowned at me. "It will take time for his influence to leave her mind."

"We’ll have to wait and see what she learned." Alpha Kane snorted, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"They said this was just the beginning." Sofia frowned, a hint of fear flickering in her eyes. "She’s had me in a mind link this whole time."

"So you were helping her with that suicidal plan?" Alpha Kane pierced her and the gray wolf with a piercing gaze. I felt sorry for them. It felt like I really was to blame for all of this.

"Yes." Sofia nodded, frowning. "She was going to do it anyway. We couldn’t just let her go there unprotected."

"She shouldn’t have come out here in the first place," Alpha Kane growled, forcing Sofia to retreat.

"You know Zara can’t be stopped once she’s decided to do something." Sofia’s brows were furrowed, her eyes wide as she looked at Alpha Kane.

"Is that all?" Alpha Kane sighed, looking slightly less angry. "Is this just the beginning?"

"No," Sofia shook her head.

The boy carrying me chuckled, his eyes shining, revealing a golden glint playing within them. He looked down at me, and a strange feeling flickered in his eyes.

"You have beautiful eyes," I blurted out, covering my mouth with my hand, realizing what I’d said.

"Flattery won’t save you, Zara." The guy sighed sharply, closing his eyes for a moment.

"I think you saved me." I frowned.

I tried to find answers, trying to remember why I was here in the first place. A sharp pain pierced my head, making me wince. I still couldn’t remember why I’d come here, but my attempt wasn’t entirely futile. I remembered who I was and who the people around me were.

"You shouldn’t have needed saving," Alpha Kane snapped, looking down at me. "Why couldn’t you just stay in the apartment?"

"I have no idea." I frowned, and frankly, I didn’t know. Alpha Kane seemed very upset, upset by what I’d done. I’m definitely in trouble when my mind is back to normal.

The Beta Hunter transformed into his human form and pulled on sweatpants identical to Alpha Kane’s. He walked up to Ethan and delivered a punch that sent him crashing to the ground.

Ethan didn’t even try to resist; he already knew what would happen when Marcus fled the scene. The cracking of his knuckles made me cringe. The Beta Hunter slung Ethan’s unconscious body over his shoulder and approached us.

"I’ll get Zara back safe and sound," Alpha Kane nodded to Sophia and the gray wolf. "Tell her family what happened."

Sophia and the silver wolf nodded, darting back into the forest. The Beta Hunter followed them, Ethan hanging lifelessly over his shoulder.

I leaned my head against Alpha Kane’s chest, feeling a migraine starting to build.

"You’re in trouble." Alpha Kane shook his head.

His footsteps echoed loudly in the silence of the forest. I could hear Alpha Kane’s steady heartbeat, combined with the crunch of leaves and twigs.

"How can I get into trouble if I don’t remember what I did?" I muttered, rubbing my temples with my fingers.

"You’ll remember eventually." Alpha Kane looked down at me, his eyes pitch black. "And once you do, you’ll be lucky if I let you go again."

My head throbbed to the beat of one of the songs Sofia always listened to.

It took me a few minutes to finally open my eyes, the pounding in my head subsiding slightly. I was overcome with surprise when I saw the bedroom. Memories flashed through my mind, filled with both pleasure and pain. It was the bed where I’d received my hours-long punishment, from which I still hadn’t recovered. The sensitive spot between my legs throbbed, reminding me of the pleasure I’d experienced.

I sat up in bed, wincing as I looked at my clothes. Someone had changed me.

Before tucking me into Alpha Kane’s bed.

I groaned softly, rising from the bed, unsteady on my feet.

"I demand an answer for your behavior." Alpha Kane’s growl was sharp, almost making me fall.

His voice startled me, causing me to clutch the thin fabric of the T-shirt I was wearing, clutching at my chest. The T-shirt smelled of Alpha Kane, and my heart pounded as I realized who it belonged to.

"Stop staring at me and answer," Alpha Kane barked, rolling his eyes.

He sat across the room, leaning back in a large chair. He held a glass of liqueur in his hand. Judging by the sun shining through the window, it was still too early for drinking.

"I’m not yawning," I snapped, blurting out the first thing that came to mind. I needed a moment to think about last night, to process what had happened. I was ready to leave with Marcus.

Damn, I wanted to leave with Marcus. His skin against mine, it somehow felt right. The part of me that wanted Marcus grew stronger, yearning for him more and more.

This part didn’t diminish my feelings for Alpha Kane. The intoxicating feeling lingered, confusing me even more. I was sure one of them would be my mate, but who?

I couldn’t imagine myself with either of them. I wasn’t like Luna, and I wasn’t sure I was paired with my ex. Both options seemed strange to me, and yet I felt a connection to both of them.

"You’re an idiot," Nova’s voice growled in my head. "Sorry, Nova," I frowned. "I didn’t expect to be caught so off guard."

My blood ran cold; Marcus’s words, the ones that had driven me over the edge, still rang loudly in my ears. I felt hatred mingle with desire for him. This idiot was somehow connected to my brother, I was sure of it.

"That’s not what I asked, Zara," Alpha Kane growled, rising from his chair.