Chapter Three

~ Zora

Hailey stared at me in disbelief and disappointment and that look alone intensified my anguish. Hailey and I had promised each other we would stay abstinent until we got married so we wouldn't be like the girls in the pack whoring themselves around.

We would be special. Different like diamonds in a ruff but now, I had broken our vow and it had all been for nothing.

"I'm sorry, Hailey." My voice wobbled. "I did it to keep him."

"That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard." Hailey said before turning around on our mother. "Mom, how could you?! How could you tell her to do this!! She was supposed to lose her virginity after marriage!"

"Be careful how you talk to your mother!" I heard my father say. My mother chose to keep mute looking resolute in her features.

"So you knew too?" Hailey asked. "How could you both do this to her? Not only has she lost her mate but now she has lost the only thing that could have given her dignity!"

"We did what we thought was best." My mother said calmly.

"What if she had gotten pregnant?!"

"That was the plan but Tyler used protection." My mother replied.

"OH MY GODDESS!" Hailey shouted, getting to her feet. "You whored your daughter out?! For what? For a piece of title! You both are disgusting!" I heard movement and a smack before Hailey fell at my feet.

"You will not speak to us like that again!" My father shouted and I couldn't take it anymore. The chaos. The arguments. Hailey being hit by my father.

My wolf that has been silent ever since Tyler rejected us, suddenly got restless within me, wanting to get out.

So I ran out. Grabbing my phone, I quickly left the house.

“Come back here Zora!” My father’s voice sounded like thunder somewhere behind me but I didn’t stop and neither did I look back.

I had to do this. I have to find a way to make things right.

When I had gotten a good distance, I sent a text to Tyler.

“Can we please meet at our favorite spot? There’s something important I have to tell you.”

I nervously waited as I saw my message get delivered. A few minutes pass by before I got a text back.

“What do you have to tell me? If you’re going to beg again, I am really not interested. I’ve made up my mind.”

“I know, Tyler.” I text back. “But there’s something you don’t know about the girl you chose as your mate.”

“Oh yeah? Humor me then.”

“Only if you come.”

“I won’t until you tell me what it is.”

Knowing Tyler to be stubborn, I sighed and texted him. "Earlier today after cleaning the pack house, I caught Emilia sleeping with her Beta in the broom closet."

“Wow. I get you're not happy I chose her but come on! Making up stories about Emilia is a very serious crime."

"I swear it Tyler. I'm speaking the truth."

"Then why didn't you say anything at my father's office?"

"Because she threatened me Tyler! She said I should keep it to myself or there would be dire consequences."

"And why are you telling me now?" He replied and I almost lose my patience.

"Because, I can't afford to lose you! You're my mate. Doesn't that hold any weight with you?"

For a moment, Tyler doesn't text back. Just when I thought he wasn't going to reply again, I got his text.

“Fine. Meet me there in the next ten minutes.”

I let out a breath of relief.

______________________________________

Our favorite place was a spot at the top of a cliff on the outskirts of the woods. Tyler and I used to come here after shifting into our wolves and taking a run together. It was our favorite way to pass the time and when we were done running, we’d come to the cliff, lay down and watch the stars or listen to the rush of a raging river down below.

This place used to be my safe place, now all I felt here was intense anxiety. My heart kept beating a mile a minute anticipating Tyler’s arrival.

I wondered what would happen next now that he knew Emilia was cheating on him. Would it be enough to stop him from marrying her? As I paced around the clearing, I suddenly heard movement. Someone was here.

“Tyler?” I called.

I saw a figure move between the trees and before I could ask who that was, it stepped out into the Moonlight and my heart sunk as I stared into the smug face of Emilia Lorenzo.

Did Tyler tell her what I said?

“Hello Zora.” Emilia said in an accented voice. “You must be wondering why I am here and not your beloved mate.”

Of course, I was wondering that but I didn’t answer.

She continued. “You see, the moment I discovered you were his mate, I had to start taking precautions to protect my interests.” Emilia said, beginning to walk circles around me. “I knew you would try to tell him about my affair, so I borrowed his phone and just as I predicted, you reached out.” She deadpanned.

“So what do you want?” I asked, unsure where this confrontation was going. “If you think you can bully me into silence, you’ve got another thing coming because there’s no way in hell, I will stop fighting to get my mate back!”

Emilia’s smirk grew into a full grin. “I was hoping you’d say that."

Before I could understand the meaning behind her words, a hand wrapped around my mouth and body and that familiar scent of flowers enveloped me. I channeled my wolf's strength and tried to break free but he was too strong!

"You know I promised you there'll be consequences if you didn't keep your mouth shut!" Emilia said.

Panic rose within me as my captor dragged me towards the cliff. I tried to scream but my captor’s hands were tight against my mouth and nose making it even hard to breathe.

Emilia came close to me. Her eyes lit up with malice. "So goodbye Zora. I'll be sure to give your love to Tyler.” And with that, Emilia’s lover flipped me to the edge of the cliff and with a kick, he sent me spiraling down into a river of darkness.