MasukZAYNEJust where could she be?That question kept drilling holes into my head as I paced the length of my room like a caged beast. Lisa had no sense of direction when she panicked, and right now, panic was exactly what she was drowning in. She could not survive out there for long, not in that state, with the Neon virus already eating at her sanity.“How did I miss this?” I growled, slamming my fist against the wall.The impact was brutal enough to make my wolf whimper inside me. He rarely spoke or interfered, but real pain always got his attention. The virus was progressing faster than expected, and one of its cruelest tricks was this, making its host see things that weren’t real, hear voices that fed on fear.I picked up the folded paper she had left behind, my fingers tightening around it. Before I could even process my next move, something sharp pierced through my blinds.An arrow. I yanked the note tied to it and read the message, my fist clenching with every word.She was roamin
LISAI had exhausted all the silent prayers I could muster in my heart. Every single one of them.At this point, I knew it was her word against mine, and Bee had always carried more weight where Zayne was concerned. She always did.“She used foxglove leaves instead of lettuce in the sandwich,” Bee said calmly, her voice steady. “It was a mistake. I only fault her for being careless.”My ears rang.“You know, when I saw Lisa in the garden harvesting the leaves, I thought she had an injury and wanted to apply them to it,” she continued. “But I was wrong.”My head felt like it was splitting into two. Yes, I went to the garden. I went there to pick fresh lettuce because Emily always preferred it that way, fresh, straight from the soil. I remembered it clearly.I remembered tasting the lettuce I picked. I remembered chewing on it and being absolutely convinced that I had picked the right vegetable.Bee wasn’t done.She clapped her hands once, sharply, and a maid walked in, holding a transp
BEEI waited in silence while Lucas worked on the charm, my fingers digging into my palms. The blood droplet I brought him sat in a small vial on the table, glowing faintly under the candlelight.Emily’s blood hadn’t been easy to get. Her wolf was strong, stronger than I expected, and if I weren’t a black witch, I would have been exposed the moment I pricked her skin. I told myself it was worth the risk. Everything I had done was for one purpose.Lucas finally lifted the vial, sniffed it once, then frowned.“I was clear,” he said calmly. “I said the blood of a powerful Alpha’s clan. This scent is faint.”“You’re wrong,” I snapped, stepping forward. “That blood is from Zee’s unborn grandchild. Name one Alpha stronger than him.”He laughed. Not loud, just a low, amused sound that made my skin crawl.I stared at him, confused, angry, and panicked.“You think strength passes so simply?” he asked. “The child carried more of the father’s line. Weak lineage. Potential, yes, but not dominance
ZAYNEMy glass was filled again, and I slowly brought it to my lips, sipping the wine without tasting it. My wolf was restless, moving aggressively beneath my skin, but I kept my face calm. I couldn’t afford to show emotion. Not here. I had deliberately avoided looking at Lisa all evening, but when my eyes finally drifted in her direction, I cursed inwardly.Alpha Rok was staring at her.Not just staring, he was openly admiring her, his gaze lingering far too long. The way his eyes followed her movements made something dark twist in my chest. My fingers tightened around the glass.“Ask for another thing, Rok,” I said evenly, my voice was calm despite the storm inside me. “She isn’t of this clan. You heard my daughter clearly. Lisa is her best friend.”I sounded calm, composed, like this meant nothing to me. But inside, I wanted to drag him out of this room and remind him exactly whose territory he was standing on.Rok leaned back in his chair, unimpressed. “Is the Alpha of all Alphas
LISAShit!Did I scream that out loud?The question echoed in my head the moment Zayne asked me about the dream. My heart skipped, and for a split second, panic crawled up my spine. I knew immediately that I had to pretend; pretend I had no idea what he was talking about. I couldn’t afford for him to think I was losing my mind.“Wolf?” I said lightly, forcing out a small laugh. “Why would I dream about something like that? That’s strange.”I tried to sound casual, convincing, and normal.Thankfully, he seemed to accept it immediately.“Okay,” he said. “You’ve been sleeping for a long time. I just wanted to check on you. I’ll be going now.”He turned to leave.“Wait.”He stopped mid-step and looked back at me.The words slipped out before I could stop them. “I’m scared of staying alone.”The silence that followed was thick and awkward. I instantly regretted saying it. My face burned with embarrassment as I closed my eyes, my head bowed, fingers fumbling together nervously.I expected h
ZAYNEThere was something deeply sinister about the afternoon.I felt it long before anything happened. My wolf was restless, pacing endlessly beneath my skin, and then I heard it, my daughter’s telepathic cry, loud and panicked, echoing from miles away. That same familiar sensation followed immediately after. The one I always felt whenever Lisa was in danger.I shut my screen instantly and shoved the book aside when something flew past my window. The glass didn’t shatter, but the object embedded itself firmly into the wall beside me.It was an arrow. I strode closer and pulled it out. A small folded note was attached to it. Only one person would dare send something like this without fear of retaliation, Lucas. I unfolded the paper and read the message, ‘Not a minute’s delay, son. I will feed on their bones and heart and ask for pardon later.’Rage exploded inside me.My grip tightened around the arrow until the tip pierced through my palm. Pain flared briefly; the idiot had laced it







