Chapter 2: UNMASKED

Chapter 2— UNMASKED

-Zoya-

Sunlight, there's a lot of it. It pours straight through my window. I shut my eyes tighter. In my head, I'm running through a thicket. The farther I run, the closer the trees are pressed together, until my skin scrapes against the thorns and I stumble over a ledge, out of breath. The smell of earth suffocates me, but not nearly as much as the anxiety and demons I'm running from. I catch myself just before I hit the floor. I keep running.

And suddenly, a tall hooded figure is chasing me, walking slowly, counting his every step and swinging a scythe in his free hand.

"Are you still alive, omega?"

I jolt up straight, my eyes snapping open. Cold beads of sweat line my forehead. The sunlight wasn't part of the nightmare. I shield myself from the bright light, feeling a dull tingling between my eyes.

My neck aches. I realize the position I'm in. I fell asleep on the chair next to my bed, laptop shut on the table after another fruitless attempt to track down the unknown number.

"Breathe," I whisper.

Omega. The word brings back a thousand bad memories. And I haven't heard it in years.

No one knows of my identity. It has to be a mistake. But I recall every detail of the hooded stranger with a scythe.

He knew.

Breathe… that doesn't work this time.

Xander! I needed to find him.

I scramble to my feet, the urgency burning like adrenaline in my veins as I grab a faded jacket and rush out.

I don't bother to use the bathroom. Actually, I don't remember. I race all the way to the pack house, knowing that I have to get to Xander no matter what.

By the time I get there, I'm completely out of breath, my faded black tee now sweaty and sticking to my body. I slow down, pushing through the metal gates. Guards turn to face me from every corner, but no one tries to stop me.

I've been in the villa long enough to know the layout. "Where is Alpha Xander?" I ask the moment I'm inside.

Some men exchange conflicted gazes before one replies. "In the meeting hall."

The meeting hall? Where the group of elders from powerful families that didn't like me met to talk about important... stuff.

I shake my head. "No need to panic, you haven't done anything wrong."

The meeting hall is on the far end of the villa, past a long corridor adorned with tapestries depicting the Shadow Pack's history. I arrive at the solid oak doors. Harsh raised voices greet me from inside even before I push them open.

Xander stands at the head of the long table, his face contorted in rage. "Our wolves are allying themselves to our enemies, people are being kidnapped, trespassers are invading the pack, and all you can worry about is my future Luna not being from your families?"

He stopped mid-sentence as he saw me.

I stand at the doorway, feeling a bit stupid. I have no reason for interrupting an important meeting. What was I going to say? That I had another nightmare and panicked?

"Zoya?" Xander's face shifted from anger to confusion. He didn't need to ask the question.

"Well, well," Castellan Blackthorn stood up, a smirk forming on his lips.

Two curled snakes are inked to the side of his neck, the samurai tattoo reminding me that he was the representative of the Blackthorn family.

I glanced across the grim faces in the room. Gezhi of the Woodvane family, Jason who was Xander's beta, the elders, and three other families I couldn't recall.

"Bad time," I fumbled for an excuse, all the bravado I felt in the rings going on a long vacation.

"Actually, it's not." Elder Luke said. "Forgive us for talking about you behind your back. Why don't you join us and clarify some very disturbing questions?"

I gulped. Elder Luke didn't hate me. He was one of the men that kept their emotions out of their work. His face was carefully neutral as he rubbed his mustache, an eyebrow raised, daring me to deflect.

"This is ridiculous!" Xander snaps, his anger returning.

"I got an anonymous tip, young wolf, that you have been deceiving the Shadow pack. A spy for our enemies, buying your way into the alpha's heart," Elder Luke continues.

I stagger backwards, feeling trapped. No, no... That wasn't true! But the words didn't come out of my mouth.

"We conducted a search on your apartment," Castellan Blackthorn says, his smirk growing wider.

"That's it! I've had enough of this. You go too far with your hate and jealousy. I won't have you harassing my future Luna." Xander steps forward, crossing the room to get to me.

His fingers find mine, and he pulls me closer to himself, making his stance clear.

"And what did we find?" Castellan narrows his eyes, folding his hands behind him, each word laced with malice. "Suppressants. Omega suppressants." He said slowly.

Xander's grip on my hand falters for a brief moment.

"No, Xander... It's not what you think." I clutch his arm desperately. My heart was beating fast. Suddenly it felt like the walls were closing in.

"That's not all," Jason stands up, looking at Xander with pity. "We conducted a thorough investigation on her background. The results weren't too flattering. Zoya Vasily of the Redfang pack, daughter of Sergei, the traitor."

"It's clear that she's a spy!" Another man cries.

Xander drops my hand, the light going out of his eyes.

The ground might as well open beneath my feet. "Xander... Xander, look at me," my voice shook as I spoke.

"It's Alpha Xander to you." He says coldly.

I step back like I had been shot.

"You told me your name was Zoya Ironwood." He clenches his fist. "What else are you hiding from me?"

"You're not to blame, Alpha," Castellan places a hand on his shoulder, a gesture that could be mistaken as comforting, but his voice was smug and triumphant as he says, "the girl deceived us all."

"They're lying! It's not like that," I whisper.

"It's not?" Xander scoffed.

If he really loved me, surely he would see... See what? A voice in my head taunted.

"...Are you still alive, omega?"

"Your secret is no longer a secret..."

The voices haunt me, I felt a sharp sting of pain as Xander speaks.

"I fought, I defended you, refused to listen to my council, and you can't even defend yourself." He lets out a bitter laugh.

I dare to look up at him, blue eyes that once softened when he saw me now frozen cold, shutting me out.

"I fell blindly. You made a fool out of me and you'll pay dearly."

"Can't you see, Xander! This is exactly what they want." I fight to get close to him, but he moves away, snapping his fingers and suddenly, two guards grabbed my arms roughly, restraining me.

"Lock her up," Xander says. "And gather, announce a pack meeting at dusk."

No... no... Everything I struggled to build.