Chapter 20

Zac’s pov

I began to walk towards her, slow and cautious as though she were some sort of spooked animal.

She flinched. Just a tiny jerk, but I saw it. I stopped right in front of her and we were close. Close enough to see the flecks of gold swimming in her brown eyes, close enough to see that small tremble on her bottom lip. Our breath danced with each other. She was scared.

Of me.

I tried to talk to calm her but no words came out. What was the point? She was scared of me. I was a monster to her.

Before I could try again to talk to her a knock came through the door.

It blasted through the room like an explosion.

Freya jumped back, her hand leaping to her throat.

“Alpha?” came a voice through the door. Must be some guard. “Sorry to bother you, but the Northern Peak ministers are here. They want an audience now. It’s… important.”

I stayed where I was and didn’t move as I had my eyes on her. The reality of everything disappeared again until he called.

“Alpha?” He called again.

“I heard you.” I kept my voice low. I still kept my eyes on her. “Tell them I’ll be there.”

He answered and then walked away as I sighed.

“I have to go for the… meeting,” I said as she nodded.

“Stay here,” I told her. “In this room. Don’t go back to the house. Don’t go anywhere. Just… stay. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

Another silent nod.

I had so much to say but what was the point?

I looked back at zara on the bed before sighing and opening the door as I walked off to see what was going on and why I was needed.

***

Freya’s pov

The moment he was gone, I breathed easily and rushed to the bed to be with my daughter.

Zara was so small in the middle of it. Her little face was pale, and her leg… oh, moon goddess, her leg looked even worse in the lamplight. All swollen and twisted. I didn’t have anything. No water, no clothes, nothing to clean it with. I felt so useless. I just brushed her hair back from her forehead with a shaky hand.

“Mama,” she looked at me with her huge eyes. “Where are we?”

“We’re… in the Alpha’s room, baby.”

Her bottom lip shook. “The big man… the one who… is he mad about the vase? What’s he gonna do to us?”

My throat closed up. What could I even say? I don’t know?

“Shhh, sweetheart, it’s gonna be…”

But I didn’t finish when a knock shattered the calm night.

We both jumped. Zara gave a small yelp and grabbed my arm, and I turned around, putting myself between her and the door, my body coiling for… for what, I wasn’t exactly sure.

“C-Come in?” I said, the sound of my voice like glass shattering. I was beyond scared.

The door swung open and in walked the pack nurse, offering me a kind yet exhausted smile of her own as she bowed her head slightly.

“Freya,” she said softly. “Alpha Zac sent me. He said the little one took a bad fall. Told me to come fix her up right away.”

I just stared.

He sent a nurse? For us?

“My name is Sarah. I’m introducing myself to be comfortable for you. I mean you no harm.”

I didn’t trust her but it wasn’t like she cared.

Sarah was already moving, setting her big leather bag on the bedside table. She clicked it open and started pulling out clean bandages, a bowl, and a water pitcher from the corner.

“Let me see, sweetheart,” her voice was soft and soothing as she spoke to Zara.

I could only stand there silently while she began washing the scrape on Zara’s leg. She was so precise in all her movements, her hands didn’t shake at all.

I watched Zara cry a little as I touched her ears and her head to calm her down.

“You’ll soon be okay,” I said to calm Zara down.

Sarah didn’t say much. Just went right about her business. While I just stood there.

Why was he doing this? After everything? It wasn’t making sense.

Then a softer knock came. Zara cringed again, and Sarah didn’t even look over at her. “Probably just the kitchen,” she said. “He said to send food too.”

Now I was in shock.

The door opened with two maids rolling in a trolley of food as I gulped. The aroma wafted up as I gulped.

They dropped the tray on the low table beside the fire and bowed.

“Alpha ordered this for you and the child,” one of them said, not meeting my eyes.

“He… he did?” I asked, stupidly.

"Yes, ma'am," the other one said, and then they both scurried out, closing the door behind them.

I looked at the food and then at Sarah. I didn’t know what to say.

It was a trick or something. Nurse first and then a meal? That’s not how it worked. You break something and you get in trouble. You don’t… not like this.

I’m sure he wanted me to drop my guard so he would destroy me as he did in the past. I wouldn’t do it. No. Never.

Sarah finished putting the bandage on and rubbed Zara’s other leg, the good one. “There we are. All better now,” she said as if to reassure herself rather than Zara. She began to put everything away. “Don’t let her walk on that leg for a few weeks. I’ll be back in the morning to check on her.”

She looked at the food and to me while she walked to the door.

“You should eat, Freya. It won’t hurt you,” she told me. “It’s only food.”

With that, she walked out as I gulped and looked at the food and then to Zara whose eyes were on the tray.

“Mama, can I have the berries?” she whispered.

I looked at the door, and then back at the food.

I started to think. What stupid game was he playing at?