Xavier's POVOf course, I couldn't sleep. I was worried for Zoe. She had enveloped my every thought and I would've rushed to her then and there if I wasn't worried about her safety and my sanity.I looked around the room but couldn't find the only thing that would calm me down.'Whiskey won't replace our need for our mate. How long do you intend to keep everyone suffering?' I wish Spike would go back to his silence so that I could suffer alone.I padded barefoot towards the kitchen, I knew the kitchen led to a basement cellar and I needed some strong drink to drown my thoughts about Zoe.My feet halted at her sight, looking around the cabinets like a cat searching for a midnight snack.I smiled to myself and leaned against the doorframe, seeing how long it would take for her to notice that she wasn't alone.Her stomach growled and Spike snarled, 'Help her!'I finally spoke up, "Looking for the fridge?"I scared her. I would've hugged her or laughed maybe, if it wasn't for the expressi
Zoe's POVI sat on my bed, my heart about to beat out of my chest."What just happened?" I was so confused. What was all that about?I thought he broke up with me because of Claire. Then why did he kiss me? If that could even be qualified as such. I placed my muffin aside, my brain was in overdrive."Xavier!" I whined to myself. Why was he doing this? Did he get kicks out of watching me squirm for him? He wasn't that kind of man, was he? I had barely known him for a few months, but they had made me feel like I knew him for years.I sighed but suddenly got cautious when a double-knock sounded on my door. It was past midnight. Who could it be? I was sure Maisie was asleep and if she needed to see me, she'd use the joined balcony. Could it be Mr. Smith? Maybe he found out that I was sneaking around in the kitchen.I slowly walked to the door.With my hand on the handle, I stilled. What if it was John? I was ready to expect the worst from him."Who is it?" I called out, without opening the
Zoe's POVXavier stopped in front of us and looked at where Jacob was holding my hand to lead me back through the woods without tripping. His eyes went from Jacob to me and back.Jacob immediately let go of my hand and stuttered an explanation without Xavier having to word it out."Zoe needed fresh air so I offered to walk in the woods before games.""You offered to walk in the woods before games?" Xavier's look was predatory like he was about to pounce on Jaocb and tear him to shreds."Yes, and I asked him to be with me so I wouldn't slip on the mossy roots." I had to cover for the poor secretary.Xavier's eyes found mine and there was a question that I failed to understand. Before either of us could say anything else, Claire walked over in her perfect model-like gait in stilettoes. Who wears stilettoes at eleven in the morning at home? Apparently, Miss Claire Deveroux does. And damn do her legs look gorgeous because of it."Xavier, honey, there you are. Let's start the games already
Zoe's POVClaire took her time blindfolding Xavier.Then, she put me, Alyssa, Herself, and Maisie in line. I wanted to refuse but that would've been suspicious, so I stood silently as Xavier started from Maisie. It didn't take him long to recognize her. I don't know how he did it, but I was in no place to question it.Next was Claire and the moment he touched her face, her name escaped his lips. She smiled wide in triumph at being recognized so quickly. I felt another stab in my heart, along with a doubt. Maisie and Jacob wanted me to fight for Xavier but seeing him Claire, I didn't know how was I supposed to compete with their relationship. They had known each other for the most part of their lives. How could the few months that I had would compare to all those years and memories that they had? But then, why did the thought of giving him up hurt so much? Why did I feel like I couldn't breathe if I wasn't around him? Why did I feel like strangling her perfect neck every time she blink
Zoe's POVMy heart skipped a beat.Did she suspect something or did she come to know something? What was I supposed to say to that?"I don't-" I started but she grew furious."Don't lie to me! I can see through your little plan. I won't let it work." She straightened up in pride, "Maybe Xavier played with you while I was gone. But I am here now. He doesn't need his toys anymore.""It's not what you think-" She wouldn't let me speak."Oh, I don't think, I know." She stepped closer, trying to intimidate me, "You think I can't see the way you look at him? The way you touched him while blindfolded?""I didn't know who-" I tried and failed as she glared at me."I said, Don't Lie To Me!" "Claire. There has been a misunderstanding." I raised my hands in surrender. I knew no one was going to come in between us if things started to get ugly. She may be able to defeat me physically, but I wasn't going to go down without a fight. I was a beta's daughter. But I knew, Xavier wouldn't want this.D
Zoe's POVIt took me a few minutes to gather my bearings and decide that Claire Devereux was indeed right. It hurt but it was the truth. It had been glaring at me from the start. Xavier and I didn't belong with each other, not like Claire and he did. It was better if I just focused on getting my Dad free and making sure that John paid for everything. I marked the spot where I had to reach on the map to find a road that could hopefully provide me with a hitchhiking possibility."I will call Maisie later. She'll apologize to Jacob on my behalf." I told myself as I walked through the winding non-existent paths in the woods. 'Should've brought some water.' I told myself as I panted due to my human-like weaknesses. I loathed how weak I was without a wolf. Why did I not deserve a wolf? Maybe if I had one, I would try and be worthy of Xavier. Be a true Beta.I hated how pathetic I was to love and give up on it. But I never stood a chance in front of Claire Devereux. I sighed and kept going
Xavier's POV"Maybe it's better if we split up. We can cover more ground." Maisie suggested and I agreed."You take left, I'll take right." I nodded and we both rushed in opposite directions.I was hoping to find them before Claire said or did something irreversible. I knew she was prone to overreactions when it came to things that mattered to her.I still remember what she had done to the poor kid in school who had found her misplaced favorite pen and had refused to return it. Poor girl never spoke or did anything else in school except sit obediently in class and do classwork. Even as a young teen, even without her wolf. She had always been vicious like that.The same had been repeated when we went to college. Only it was worse because she had her wolf. Not that she needed her wolf to ruin someone psychologically. It was something that I had once admired in her. How cold she was towards her enemies. Dad had called her an asset to the pack. He was proud when I had wished to choose her
Zoe's POVAfter the way he blamed me for almost being murdered, I refused to say another word to him as we trekked back to the Hill House.I wanted to tell him why I was there in the first place. I wanted to show him how unfair his trust in Claire was. I wanted him to know that he won and I had given up on us. But the way he defended her while blaming me, made everything pointless. Why did he save me if I was such a liability? Or maybe he would've done the same for anyone in that situation. I guess we would never know. I imagined what my wolf would say to me in this situation if I had one. I had heard that the wolves share a part of our psyche, are versions of ourselves, and are our only friends in tough times. Would my wolf blame me for letting myself cornered too?As we exited the woods, I was behind Xavier and nobody saw me at first.Claire rushed to him and hugged him tightly, "Xavy, where were you? I won! I found the treasure. Wanna know what it is?"But as they parted she notice
Zoe's POVI sighed and sat down on the bench beside her. I went there for a reason, I was going to see it through."You say that when you know that not only we weren't aware of the Blood Contract, we were a little busy not knowing you even existed. Excuse us for wanting to accept our fated mates and
Zoe's POVI was braiding the hair on the edge of my shaved scalp when Olivia rang the intercom. Xavier walked out of the wardrobe with a spring in his step and let Olivia in, who rolled in a trolley of steaming breakfast.It was Xavier's idea to have breakfast in the bedroom. He said he wanted to sp
Zoe's POVWhen I woke up next, my head felt like I had been hit by a truck. Xavier's arm rested on my belly as he lay deeply asleep beside me. It was strange to wake up to him after spending weeks of him coming and going while I slept. I took the time to cherish his touch and light breath. He looke
Zoe's POVMy head was pounding. It was like someone had cracked open my skull and was performing brain surgery without anesthesia. It was torture. I wanted to yell,' Stop it,' and I think I said something, but different words were coming out.I tried to yell. I knew Xavier was holding me, but every
Xavier's POVMy head was fuzzy. I was trying so hard to focus on the conversations around me. It was like I had been underwater and just resurfaced. The light, the sounds, the colors, everything felt weird. I blinked as I tried to focus on the fork in my hand. I whispered to Zoe, "Please get ready
Zoe's POVThat night, I stayed up and waited for Xavier. He took his time coming to the bedroom. He must've thought that I was asleep, and that's exactly what I pretended. But, I had a theory and I was about to test it out.I stayed still, kept my heartbeat calm, and eyes closed. Until Xavier went t
Zoe's POVWhen Xavier and I walked in hand in hand, every jaw in the dining hall dropped, but no one was as shocked as Blondie, who entered after us. She must've been waiting for him when he was walking me to the dining hall. She swallowed her shock and forced herself to sit on the opposite end of t
Zoe's POVFinding friendship with Alyssa was one of the strangest things that happened to me that week. Since then, I saw less and less of Xavier. He came to the room when I was already asleep and often left before I had woken up. We missed that one meal we used to share before the coronation.He sp
Zoe's POVThe conversation with Xavier was the hardest I've ever had with anyone. He was acting like I was just another wolf in his pack that he was responsible for. The only emotion I got from him was regarding the baby but even that was fleeting. I was so bewildered that I ended up asking, "Are y