4.

Zara was our mate? How? I mean…

“Uncle Chase!” Asher’s voice cut through my thoughts. “You made it!” He added, bowing before me.

“Hello, Asher,” I nodded at him as I pushed my glasses to the bridge of my nose, my eyes still pinned on Zara, who had her head ducked down now, her shoulders slumped in a defeated way.

“Sorry. You got here at the wrong time. What a shit show,” he hissed, rubbing his forehead.

I ignored him and said nothing as my brother walked up to us, and I bowed in respect. He waved his hand at me, dismissing me like he always did, and stood before Zara.

“You are no longer a member of this pack and kingdom. Woe shall be unto you, your family, and your generation. May the wrath and curse of Lumus descend upon you forever for cheating on your mate!” he finished.

“It wasn't like I ever wanted her,” Asher grumbled, as he pulled a woman, who had been standing close to him since I arrived, to his chest. “I’ve always wanted Lina, not her.” He added. “The damn mate bond was the only reason I endured being around her. She and I were never a match.”

The fucking scumbag!

And then he leaned closer to her, bringing his mouth to her ears and whispered.

“Your sister's moans and screams were better than yours. She let me have her whichever way I wanted and was more beautiful than you were. I have always been looking for a way to get rid of you, and you handed me just the right card for that.”

I had no idea how I was able to hear all of that. Lycans and werewolves have heightened senses of hearing, but I was certain Asher used the blockage to stop anyone from hearing what he was saying to Zara, yet, somehow, I did.

“Now stand there and watch as I marry your sister and make her my mate,” he snickered, moved back and smiled at her before he turned to me, schooling his features to show the face of a man who had been cheated on.

I could feel a slice of pain pass through me as tears spilled from Zara’s eyes. She looked... emotionless. Betrayed by both her mate and sister. She had been branded a bond betrayer for doing the exact same thing Asher and her sister had been doing for only Lumus knew how long.

Whatever happened last night between Zara and I was a set up. Someone did something to her. But I will be damned if I stay and watch them tear my mate apart. It doesn't look like she knows I was now her mate, which is understandable. The law guiding the mate bond reserves three months for a rejected mate to recover from the pain before the mate bond connects to another. While I do know we are mates now, Zara wouldn't know for another three months. Which is fine by me.

“Father, I want to marry Lina,” Asher said, squeezing the woman’s shoulders. That was Lina. Zara’s sister.

“Why don't we make this more interesting?” I cut through, finally making a decision.

“What do you want, Chase?” My brother, Clinton Zapata, Asher’s father and the king of Zakori asked me.

I smiled, then shifted my attention to Zara.

“Zara,” I started as the entire hall went quiet. I reached out to take her hand in mine and she placed hers ever so gently as I sank onto one knee. “Will you marry me?”

The words hung in the air, and I had no idea what her response would be, but I knew if she were a smart woman, she’d grab this opportunity by its horns.

And so I waited in anticipation, contemplating what she would say to me and what the fuck I’d done now.