Chapter 97

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• Scarred by fate    Chapter 140

  Zahra's POVThe morning is a blur. I’m exhausted. Between my bad night’s sleep and the brutal training session, my body feels like it’s made of lead. My eyelids keep threatening to close, and my emotions are all over the place. I don’t absorb a single thing in my lessons, but thankfully, I’m ahead on everything. If I weren’t, I’d probably be in deep shit.When the bell finally rings for lunch, I drag myself to my locker. The last thing I want is to run into Seb, or anyone else for that matter. I don’t have the energy to answer questions or pretend everything’s fine.As I empty my bag, I spot Abby by her locker. Grabbing my things for the afternoon, I head over, hoping for a distraction.“Hey, Abs,” I say, forcing a smile.“Hey, Z. How are you? You ready for lunch?” she asks, glancing up from the textbook she’s been shoving into her bag.“Uh, yeah, about that,” I say, hesitating. “I don’t want to go to the cafeteria today.” Something in my voice makes her stop what she’s doing and look

• Scarred by fate    Chapter 139

  Zahra's POVArriving at school, the three of us climb out of Seb’s truck and head toward the front doors. Seb drapes his arm over my shoulder like he always does, and Max strides beside us, exuding that unbothered confidence that makes people move out of his way without him saying a word. Me? I’m just the pint-sized hanger-on, trying not to get trampled by the human stampede that always seems to form around these two.As we walk to our lockers, I notice her. A girl. She’s headed straight for us like she owns the place. She’s tall—well, taller than me, which isn’t exactly an achievement—but she’s got to be around 5’7” with a figure that screams gym membership and good genetics. She’s got boobs, hips, and a slim waist, all perfectly proportioned. Meanwhile, I’m stuck with my twelve-year-old-boy build and a hope that maybe one day I’ll grow up too. Her long chocolate-brown hair falls in perfect waves down her back, and her face? Flawless. Slim nose, high cheekbones, deep brown eyes that

• Scarred by fate    Chapter 138

  Lucas's POVAs we’re packing up, there’s a knock on the door.“Come in,” I call.The door opens to reveal James, Tobias, and Beta Nicholas. James steps in with his usual commanding presence.“Sorry to disturb your meeting, Lucas,” he says as he strides in.“Nonsense,” I reply, waving toward the table. “We’ve just finished. What can I do for you?”James glances at his son briefly before turning back to me. “Nothing urgent. I’ve decided to extend our visit for another day. If you don’t mind putting up with us for one more night, we’ll plan to depart after breakfast tomorrow.”“Of course. You’re all welcome to stay as long as you like,” I say, giv

• Scarred by fate    Chapter 137

  Lucas's POWatching Xander leave now, I realize just how much I’ve damaged our relationship in my attempts to protect it. In trying to avoid hurting him, I hurt him anyway. I sigh heavily, rubbing my forehead and wiping at my eyes as the memories of that day nearly eight years ago come flooding back.A knock at the door breaks me out of my thoughts. "Come in," I bark, my voice still rough with emotion. The scent of Greg and Austin reaches me, with Hugo just behind them.The three enter, nodding respectfully before taking seats around the small conference table at the far end of my office. I follow them, settling into my chair as they arrange their notes and devices.“What’s on the agenda for today, gentlemen?” I ask, my tone brisk as I shift into Alpha mode.Greg leans forward, his posture confide

• Scarred by fate    Chapter 136

  Lucas's POVI watch Xander leave the office on his way to school and feel a pang of emotion well up in my chest. I lean back in my chair, staring out of the window. The truth is, I’ve struggled to feel truly connected to him in recent years. My own father was cold, authoritarian, and demanding of Drew and me. He never played with us, hugged us, or told us he was proud of us. Love was something he showed through expectations, not affection. I swore to myself I’d be different. I would be a better father to my children.But life has a way of testing promises like that.Alison and I went years without conceiving. Her first several heats passed without success. Every cycle brought more disappointment, but then, finally, we got the news we had longed for; she was pregnant. I was ecstatic, but the excitement was quickly joined by nerves. What kind of father would I be? Could I liv

• Scarred by fate    Chapter 135

  Xander's POVWhen we step into the pack office building, I head straight up to mine and Dad’s office. He’s behind his desk, focused on something on his laptop. As I walk in, he looks up, his eyes bright and the corner of his mouth quirking up slightly. “How was training this morning?” He asks a hint of amusement in his voice, He knows exactly how bad this morning was... bastard.“It was horrendous!” I declare, dropping into the chair across from him. “But my group and I finished fairly well, well, except Sebastian. He dropped back to the next group. It was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do.”Dad’s grin spreads, and I know he’s enjoying this way too much.“Well, we’re kicking things up a notch this summer. We need to bring the overall fitness levels up,” he says casually before his tone softens. “How did Zahra do? I was a little worried about the lake swim this early in the season.”The mention of Zahra makes my jaw clench. His words spark an instant anger that boils over before I