LOGINZara's POVI growled in annoyance, the sound rumbling low in my throat, only to immediately wince as a sharp, vicious thud slammed through my skull. The pain radiated from the spot where Kora had hit me, pulsing like a living heartbeat that refused to be ignored. I pressed my fingers against my temple, breathing through the wave of dizziness that followed. That treacherous bitch. She had dragged me into the water like I was nothing, left me to drown, and now I was paying for it with every movement."Fucking Kora," I cursed under my breath, the words venomous and raw. Once all this was over, I will make sure she pays dearly for this.But I couldn’t waste time wallowing. I decided right then that I didn’t even need Kali’s help to leave this room. I wasn’t a prisoner here. I was Zara — the woman who had survived Ike leaving me, who had built a bakery from nothing, who had almost bound herself to a liar like Isaac. If anyone tried to stop me from walking out of here, I would put them in
**Kali's POV**I woke up that morning to the gentle tweeting of birds outside my window and the soft, golden light filtering through the curtains. For a brief, peaceful moment, everything felt almost normal. I smiled to myself, stretching lazily beneath the warm blankets, my body still humming with the memories of the past few nights. Emmett hadn’t come to bed last night, something about the chaos with Zara, but every other night he had been here, he had shown me pleasures I hadn’t even known existed. I closed my eyes briefly, letting one particularly vivid memory wash over me. His hands on my skin, rough yet careful. The way his mouth had traced paths that left me trembling and gasping. The deep, commanding way he had taken control, making me feel wanted, desired, and safe all at once. My skin tingled deliciously just thinking about it, heat pooling low in my belly. I pressed my thighs together, savoring the sensation for a few more seconds before reality crept back in.I hadn’t wan
**Zara's POV**Isaac’s words hit like a slap. “How hypocritical of you, Zara, don’t you think?”The breakfast tray trembled in his hands, the single flower in the vase looking ridiculous now — a cheap prop in the middle of this nightmare. I was still holding Ike, his body heavy against mine after the pain had wracked through him. My heart pounded so hard I could hear it in my ears. The room felt too small, the air thick with rage and betrayal.I gently eased Ike back, but he didn’t let go of my hand. His grip was iron.I lifted my chin and looked Isaac dead in the eye. “I broke things off with you last night,” I said, my voice shaking at first but growing stronger with every word. “In the woods. I saw you, Isaac. I saw everything. You and Ben. The way you kissed him like you’d been starving for it. The way you told me I could keep fucking Ike on the side as long as I went through with the mating so you could get your precious company. You were using me this whole time. I was never you
Zara's POVI opened my eyes slowly, the soft morning light filtering through the heavy curtains of the guest room. My body felt like it had been pulled apart and stitched back together with rough thread — every breath ached, and my head throbbed with a dull, persistent pain. But the first thing I noticed wasn’t the discomfort. It was him.Ike was slumped in the armchair beside my bed, his upper body leaning forward so that his head rested on the edge of the mattress near my hand. His face was turned toward me, brows furrowed even in sleep, dark circles carved deep beneath his eyes. His breathing was shallow, uneven. My heart squeezed painfully inside my chest, a sharp, bittersweet ache that stole the air from my lungs.When I had been sinking beneath those dark, freezing waves last night, certain that death had finally claimed me, the only thought that had replayed in my head like a broken prayer was that I was never going to see Ike again. Not his crooked smile, not the intensity in
Ike’s POVThe door clicked shut behind Kora, but the tension in the room didn’t ease. If anything, it thickened. I turned back to Zara, who was lying in the bed looking far too pale and fragile for my liking. Her red hair was still damp, spread across the pillow like spilled blood. I pulled a chair closer to the bedside and sat down, leaning forward with my elbows on my knees.“What actually happened out there?” I asked quietly, studying her face. I didn’t believe the vague story she’d given the healer earlier. Not for a second.Zara shrugged weakly, avoiding my eyes. “I already told you. I went out to the ocean to clear my head. Then I felt dizzy and fainted. I woke up here.”I watched her closely. The way her fingers twisted in the blanket, the slight tension in her jaw. She was lying. I could feel it in my bones.“The doctor said you were hit over the head with something heavy,” I said, keeping my voice steady even though anger and fear were battling inside me. “That doesn’t sound
Kora’s POVThe sound of my name on Zara’s lips hit me like ice water down my spine.“Kora…” she muttered again, her voice hoarse and weak, barely more than a rasp. Her eyes, still glassy from near-death, slowly focused on me. There was recognition there. Confusion. And something far more dangerous — accusation.I stood frozen, the pillow now lying innocently on the floor where Ike had thrown it. My mind raced for an escape, for the perfect lie, but for the first time in a long while, words failed me. Ike’s gaze burned into the side of my face, sharp and unforgiving.“What the hell were you doing with that pillow?” Ike demanded, stepping between me and the bed like a snarling guard dog. His voice was low, lethal, even though he looked like he could collapse at any moment. “Answer me, Kora.”I forced a soft, concerned laugh, raising my hands slightly. “Ike, please. You’re overreacting. I told you — I was only trying to make her comfortable. The healer said she might have trouble breathi
Emmett's POV I dragged Kora out of the study by her upper arm, fingers tight enough to bruise but not break skin. Not yet. Her heels clicked unevenly against the hardwood as she tried to keep up, but I didn’t slow down. The smug confidence she had worn seconds ago had cracked —just a hairline fra
Zara's POV My breath caught in my throat. His finger traced the seam of my shorts, slow and deliberate, pressing just enough to make my hips jerk forward involuntarily. A soft, traitorous whimper escaped before I could trap it. Ike’s lips curved—barely a smile, more a predator’s satisfaction.
Zara's POV I padded barefoot to the kitchen cabinet, the tiles cold beneath my feet, the silence in my house suddenly feeling too loud. My chest felt tight. Heavy. Like something had wedged itself between my ribs and refused to move.I pulled out a bottle of wine and grabbed a glass. I needed som
Emmett's POV. I felt like a volcano that was about to erupt. Hot, angry, seething. Like something wanted to explode in me and I wanted to see someone hurt. That person being Maduro. Ever since I was fifteen that had been my wish, to make him suffer like how he made me and my sister. I w







