ZIVA
The car slowly made its way through the driveway, while my jaw dropped at the lush lawn and the perfectly manicured gardens that I could see from the car window. Without wasting any time, the car pulled up to a magnificent building, and I took a moment to take in its splendor.It seems luxurious... I stepped out of the car, my heels clicking against the cobblestone driveway, as it made a satisfying clip-clop sound. I scanned the size of the mansion. It was beautiful, and it was two times larger than the Omega’s quarter at Granelma Pack. Some ladies rushed out of the mansion in an orderly manner. They wore the same uniform, causing me to sense that they were the Crescent Moon Pack’s Omegas. Rushing towards me, the ladies ushered me into the opulent mansion, which had high ceilings, ornate designs, lavish furnishings, and gleaming chandeliers hanging in the middle.I took enough time I needed to scan the mansion, but an Omega tapped me, and she led me into a bedroom.Goodness, the bedroom is splendid!It is a hundred times better than my room in the Omega’s quarter. It has two sofas next to the king-sized bed, and there were two-night lamps at the sides of the bed.“Should I prepare your bath, Lady Ziva?” A female voice echoed, jolting me out of my admiration. I turned my gaze away from the bed and turned to the owner of its voice. “Anji?” I called out as soon as I spotted her. She was dressed in a simple blouse and trousers, and her hair was packed into a ponytail.“How did you get here?” I questioned, with furrowed brows as my voice was tinged with curiosity. Alpha Darwin does not care about me, so giving me an assistant is an impossible task. But why is Anji here?“Alpha Darwin sent me here because he wanted me to help you,” Anji replied swiftly, causing me to gasp in shock. I scanned her expression. She had a serious expression on her face, and I could not detect if she was lying or telling the truth. “I need to be very careful now. Her arrival is not simply for my sake. Obviously, it is for Alpha Darwin’s selfish gain,” I muttered to myself.“Please, prepare the bath,” I replied. Pausing, something struck my mind. I didn't bring any of my belongings, which meant that I didn't have any clothes to change into.“We bought some new clothes, and they are already arranged in your closet,” Anji uttered, like she read my mind, with her lips moving quickly. She moved towards a large, wooden door with a beautiful knob.Opening it wide, she gestured inside it and spoke, “Here is your closet.”Staring at what she referred to as my closet, my jaw dropped.The closet... I mean my closet had a granite floor, with mirrored walls and crystal chandeliers. Also, the clothes inside are designer brands that are made of high-quality fabrics, just like Tania’s clothes.“I will start preparing the bath now,” Anji muttered, and she bowed her head.Afterward, she closed the closet door and moved towards another door that was next to the closet. That must be the bathroom.The way she bowed caused questions to rise in my mind. Why is she respecting me? Is this another cunning plan by Alpha Darwin?Gosh, I should ask her.“Anji,” I called out, glancing around to make sure no one else was nearby. When I was certain that no one was nearby, I leaned in close to Anji and lowered my voice to a whisper. “Do you think Alpha Xander is rich? I mean, filthy rich? Like, balling out of control rich?”“He is,” Anji replied, rolling her eyes. “I've seen plenty of mansions, and all of them are better than this.”Her voice sounded insincere. I could tell that she was trying to hide her awe, and she was genuinely impressed by the splendor of this place.Ignoring the conversation, Anji walked into the master bathroom. After she completed the bath preparation, I had my bath. Then I changed into a night dress.Strangely, all the night dresses in the closet were very short. The hem stopped at my upper hip, exposing my legs, and they were sleeveless with a tiny strip of fabric serving as the sleeve. Everything exposed my cleavage and legs, except one, which stopped at my knee.I changed into that specific dress as I prepared to sleep. My heart was at peace upon realizing that Alpha Xander was not in the room. I can sleep in peace for today.Although I waited for a few hours to make sure that the Alpha won't arrive. The time ticked past midnight, yet the Alpha didn't arrive. So, Anji turned off the night lamps, and she left. Meanwhile, I locked my room door for security’s sake and comfortably laid on the bed to sleep.Creak!My ears pricked up at the sound of a creak on the door. The silence of the mansion was broken by the same sound and I froze, listening for any other sign of movement, but there was none.After mustering up a little courage, I turned to the door, hoping that it wasn’t who I thought had arrived. Then, the door moved slowly as it opened and a tall silhouette stood before it. It had a bit of weight as the light from outside my room shone.Instantly, I reached for the night lamp, assuming that it could be an assassin since I'd heard rumors of rogues attacking an Alpha’s bride on their wedding night.I heard that the rogues behaved that way as a thirst for revenge or so. But I do not want to be involved in such.Silently, I crept away from the bed, trying to turn on the night lamp, but I could not.That should be because I'm addicted to using a lantern or the reflection of the moonlight to see at night in Granelma Pack, and this night lamp of a thing felt like a totally new tool. I gazed back at the tall silhouette, noting how it walked steadily into the room. How did it even open the locked door?Then, my mind snapped to the socket that I spotted on the wall. It should be able to turn the lights on!Hastily, I grabbed the night lamp as a shield, as I touched the wall to reach the socket. As soon as my hand touched the plastic material, I jumped and tapped it. I had to jump because of my height. I was a bit short, so... It's pretty annoying to jump, just to reach a socket. But the room was brightened in an instant. The tall silhouette, on the other hand, had male clothing on himself. He must be a man then!Strangely, he covered his face with his hand, like he didn't want me to see his face.“Spegnere la luce!” I heard him yell, but I didn't even bother to listen to him. I'm only concerned about myself. With that, I took the opportunity I had. I raced towards the tall man with the night lamp. As soon as he moved his hand, I jumped and slammed the night lamp against his head, slamming it like a slap against the two sides of his face. Meanwhile, my breath quickened as I inhaled and exhaled.Within a minute, the night lamp froze and my gaze fell on it, glancing at the man’s muscular hand which gripped it. My heart thumped at the sight of his quick, hard grip as sweat dripped down my forehead. Suddenly, the night lamp was pushed aside by the man, falling to the floor as it crashed into pieces.Then, I could analyze the man’s face since he dropped his hands.“Alpha Xand-er,” I stammered upon seeing his face, which I immediately recognized from the photograph Alpha Darwin shoved at me. Instantly, I bowed my head in respect, just as Anji told me before she left. She mentioned that Alpha Xander could actually spare me from his bloody hands if I showed him respect.“Turn off the light!” He growled, and I didn't hesitate to obey him instantly. I strode towards the same socket to turn off the light, and when I tried to tap it, I had to jump. But this time, I could not reach it.“It will be done in a sec,” I spoke loudly, faking a chuckle to not make him annoyed to the extent of murdering me. I spotted a small stool, and I dragged it to my side. Successfully, I stood on it, then I turned off the light, just like he wanted. “Done!” I exclaimed, turning to his side to realize that the room was now dark as the room door was shut. My gaze scanned my surroundings and the room, but I could not see the Alpha anymore. Unfortunately, the window blind covered the window, blocking the moonlight from penetrating the room.Silently, I got down from the stool, moving towards my bed, then the window. When I reached my bedside, I tried to move quickly, colliding with a thick thing that fell on the floor with a loud thud. Also, a loud clatter followed.Goodness, did I break something?A light flickered, and it became stable as it brightened the room.Finally, I could see the room and Alpha Xander whose tall figure lay on the bed as the night lamp at his side was turned on.ZAREK The hall had emptied, leaving behind a quiet that felt almost sacred. The day had been full of energy and celebration, but now, with everyone gone, it was just Tania and me. The air was calm, and I could feel the weight of the moment settling in. I turned to her, my heart steady. This wasn’t going to be a surprise—after all, her mother had practically announced my intentions earlier. But that didn’t matter. What mattered was what I had to say, and how much I wanted to share this with her.“Let’s take a walk,” I suggested, squeezing her hand gently.She looked at me, her eyes warm and trusting, and nodded. We made our way up the grand staircase to the top floor, where the large windows offered a clear view of the night sky. The moon hung low, casting its soft light across the polished floors, creating an intimate, almost magical atmosphere.Tania turned to me, curiosity in her gaze. “What are you up to, Zarek?”I chuckled softly. “I know your mother already spilt the beans
ZAREK “Mum, what’s going on here?” Tania asked, her brows furrowing in concern.Tania’s mother looked up, a touch of defensiveness in her tone. “I was just discussing your engagement plans with Zarek. Don’t I have the right to know?”Tania opened her mouth to protest, but I stepped in to diffuse the situation. “It’s fine, Tania. There’s nothing wrong with discussing it. And yes, I do have plans to propose.”Tania’s eyes widened slightly with surprise, then softened as she looked at me. Her mother let out a sigh of relief. “Alright then,” she said, giving a small nod before walking away, leaving us in the midst of the bustling crowd.Tania tugged gently at my hand, guiding me towards the photo op area. As we walked, I couldn’t help but ask, “You’re not worried about the delay in the proposal, are you?”She shook her head, a light smile on her lips. “No, not at all. A normal relationship takes about two years before a proposal is made, so this is pretty standard. Besides, you’ve been
ZAREKTime passed, and the weight of justice finally settled.With Boss and Alpha Barral behind bars, the world felt a little safer, a little lighter.Then, a loud, booming voice echoed through the hall: “Alpha Zarek!”The words reverberated off the high ceilings and marble floors, sending a shiver down my spine.In an instant, the hall erupted into thunderous applause, a sound filled with appreciation and respect. I let the waves of applause wash over me, taking a moment to soak it all in.This moment felt surreal, almost like a dream, yet the warmth of the applause and the shining eyes of Xander and his Luna, Ziva, reassured me that it was real. The pride that radiated from them confirmed everything I had fought for.I took a deep breath, savouring the moment, then began my walk to the stage.The crowd parted, clearing a path for me, their eyes full of admiration and respect. As I climbed the steps, the weight of responsibility settled on my shoulders, but it was a burden I was re
ZAREK I held my breath. Alpha Rowan? I had heard of him—a powerful Alpha who was supposed to have been killed along with his wife. But this? It didn’t make any sense.“That’s impossible. He and his wife were killed,” I said, my voice barely audible.“They were,” Lizzy confirmed, her eyes darkening with the weight of the truth. “Nikolas’s father and boss conspired to kill Alpha Rowan and his wife as part of a twisted plan to seize power. When the plan went south and Boss was discarded, he hid the truth from you to protect his own agenda.”The room felt like it was spinning, with the walls closing in as the reality of her words sank in. I felt like I was falling, unable to grasp anything solid. The man who raised me, who trained me, who I trusted—he’d kept this from me my entire life. I had lived in the shadow of a lie. “So, everything I thought I knew... was a lie?”Lizzy nodded; her expression pained. “He kept you in the dark because he didn’t want you to know where you really
ZAREK Tania’s breath hitched, her eyes searching mine for any hint of a joke. But this was no time for jokes, no room for lies.“Assassins?” she whispered, her voice trembling with disbelief.“Yes,” I confirmed, leaning in closer, my tone even. “We’re trained, skilled, and we do whatever it takes—robbing, stealing, destroying.”“The man Lizzy killed was sent to take us out. He murdered Ramirez and Bruce, and he wouldn’t have stopped until he succeeded.”As I spoke, I watched as Tania’s expression shift—a collision of shock and confusion. I could see her trying to piece it all together with the revelation I had just dropped. “What? This whole time?” She asked.I nodded, feeling the weight of my own words. I never wanted her to find out like this. Not like this. But there was no going back now. “I never wanted you to find out this way, but it’s the truth. There’s more, though, Tania.” I paused, grappling with the right words. How do you explain the darkest parts of yourself to so
ZAREK We stood there for a long moment, wrapped in each other's arms, the tension and fear melting away.The tremble in Tania's shoulders stilled, and when she finally pulled back, her eyes, once clouded with tears, had cleared.“I met Lizzy recently,” she whispered. The words startled me, and I felt my pulse quicken.“Lizzy? Is she alright?” I asked, searching her face for answers.The thought of anything happening to Lizzy sent a jolt of panic through me. I needed to know if she was okay.Tania nodded, “Yes, she came here with me.”As she spoke, the tightness in my chest eased, replaced by a wave of relief. If Lizzy was with Tania, then she had to be safe.Afterwards, I noticed that she shifted her gaze to what was behind me. Her expression shifted to a mix of relief and something else.Concerned, I followed her line of sight, and turned to see Lizzy.She stood in the doorway, her eyes locked on me. She didn't seem hurt or weary. She seemed rather strong. Stronger than I remembered