Third person POV
“Was that really necessary, Donovan?” Zara asked.
“ Yes, they had too many questions and I was losing patience. I have come too far now and you didn’t help,” Donovan said.
“ how will you gain their trust now that you abducted them? I was trying to buy them a little more time before you threw their whole world out of balance.” Zara said.
“ Well, now it’s time for them to step into the real world, and as far as trust goes, I don’t care if they do or don’t. All they have to do is listen,” Donovan said, and walked over to the little window in his office.
After Crystal and Zanian passed out, he had them carried all the way back to his little house. He didn’t harm the pack but he did leave them a warning. “ If anyone tries to find them or follow them they will all be killed.” To make sure they understood, he left two rogues with the pack to keep an eye on things.
“ They are awake, Donovan,” Tracy said as she came to stand next to him.
Donovan looked at Tracy and said, “ Give them food and water. I will be right there just having to take care of something.” And he left the room.
Zara stood there because she didn’t trust Tracy. Not that anything is wrong with her, but she hasn’t been the easiest to work with and certainly not the easiest to trust.
“ Do you need some help, Tracy?” Zara asked.
“yes, sure.”
Crystal POV
I have never before had a headache but now I have one and I don’t wish this kind of pain for anyone. The last thing I remember is being shot with something and then I opened my eyes fully and realized that Zanian has been shot as well. I jumped up and looked around. The room we are in is small, but livable. Two single beds with a small window and two closets.
I spotted Zanian on the other bed and walked over to make sure he was still okay.
I shook him until he groaned, and when he opened his eyes my whole plan fell apart. I rejected him to try and protect him and yet here he is.
“Zanian, please you have got to get up. I have no idea where we are or how long we have been out.”
The door opened and a woman stepped inside. She was carrying a tray of food and water. I watched as she stepped in and just behind her another woman came in carrying another tray, but when she looked at me I felt some kind of betrayal, but betrayal for what?
“I know you.” I said and got up from the bed.
“ It’s good to see you again Crystal.” She said and looked at Zanian. “ You too, and I’m happy that you healed.”
“who are you?”
“ My name is Zara, and yes, I am the one that helped you and Zanian when you were both broken and lost. I am also the one that healed Zanian.”
“Zara, leave them. They must eat. Donovan said he would see them when he is done.”
Tracy said and left the room with Zara following on her heels.
Zanian and Crystal sat staring at each other for a while.
“ Why did you leave us?” Zanian asked and he looked really heartbroken.
“because I needed some time and I thought I was keeping you safe.”
“Blaze hasn’t spoken to me since you left.”
“I know, Raven blocked me out too. But why aren’t we trying to get out of here?” I asked, looking around.
Zanian groaned and got up from the bed and made his way over to me with a glass of water.
I took the water from him and looked up. “ Well, whoever this guy is, he isn’t trying to kill us or we would have been dead by now.”
“ You know who he is Zanian, so why don’t you just say it?” I said and got up from the bed.
Zanian sighted and said, “why would your father go through all this trouble trying to find you, and what do I have to do with this whole thing? I didn’t even know you until you showed up at my pack.”
I don’t know if I should feel sad, mad or happy that he actually acknowledged me.
“I know as much as you do, Zanian, it is not like I came with a manual.”
Before Zanian could say anything, the door opened and a man stepped inside. I never really looked at him, but now that I am, he has the same eyes as me and the same nose. And that is about where the resemblance stopped. And for a guy his age, he really looks buff, and he isn’t even that grey, only a few hair’s here and there.
“ Good you are awake. My name is Donovan and I am not here to hurt you. Trust me or don’t. I don’t care, but I just need you to listen.”
“really? That is all you are going to say, after killing so many wolves and tranquilizing us?”
“like I said, I ran out of patience and you were really hard to track down. But after I told my story, Crystal can run back to the king and Queen and verify it.”
Zanian looked at me with a raised brow and then he said, “what the hell is going on here? And run to them again?” I looked at him and he was staring at me like he was accusing me of something. I opened and closed my mouth and then Donovan said, “ For mates, you really do have a lot of secrets, and you almost know nothing about each other.” I looked at him and said, “I’m sorry but you don’t know anything and if you did then you will know that I rejected him.”
Donovan looked at me like I had grown two heads and then he walked out without saying a word.
Zanian POV
I have no idea what happened or what is going to happen, but I just know that I don’t belong here. I am mad at Crystal and I know that it is not her fault. Nothing about this situation is her fault, but she left only to come back and now we are in a strange place because her father has letting go issues.
Blaze blocked me out when Donovan showed up, and the last thing I heard was something about Odin or, more specifically, their surname, Cork.
And then I woke up in a strange room seeing the same woman that helped me and finding out that she helped Crystal and then I just realized I really didn’t know anything about her.
I looked at crystal and tried to figure out what the hell Donovan meant by “running to the king and Queen again.” She never went there, well not that I know of.
I tried asking but was basically ignored and then she said the one thing that I have been trying to forget or get over with, but it has been impossible, and I don’t think I will ever be able to forget. Not with the mark that has been burning like hell for the last couple of weeks. Wait the mark.
I ignored them and went searching for a mirror and found a small one. I pulled my shirt away and looked at my mark. ‘it’s still there, but it is not hurting and it doesn’t look faded anymore.’
I walked over to Crystal and didn’t say anything. I just moved her shirt away from her neck and there it was, our marks looked the same, two wolves howling at the moon with what looked like vines binding us together.
She pulled away from me and asked me, “what the hell do you think you are doing?”
“ Why are our marks still in place even after you rejected me? They were fading but now, they are back and it is even clearer now. What have you done?”
She looked at me and just shook her head at me. “and what did he mean by running to the King and Queen again?”
This time I was in for it. Her eyes were spitting fire at me and her whole aura changed power rolling off her, but not as strong as mine.
“ You were too busy fu*king whores, so why would I have told you anything? I tried to tell you, Zanian, so many things I have tried to tell you, but if you are not cheating on me, humiliating me, or hurting me, you never spoke to me or even looked at me. So why the interest now?”
If only she knew how many times I have looked at her and pictured her perfect body colliding with mine, how many times I have dreamed about kissing those pouty lips and ruining that big mouth of hers, claiming her and mating her in every way possibly known to wolves.
I snapped out of my thoughts when I heard Crystal laughing and looking at me with a raised brow, “typical men. Getting hard just by a single thought. Anyway, you will be able to go back soon. I will clear this out with Donovan and set a few things straight.”
And I just snapped at her, I grabbed her around the waist and pulled her body close against mine, using a bit more force than needed, and I kissed her. I didn’t even wait for permission. I just kissed her. She tried protesting, but I grabbed her ass and squeezed, making her gasp. I took the opportunity and pushed my tongue into her mouth. I explored her mouth, taking my time with it and soon she was a moaning mess in my arms. Just as she started giving in, I let her go, breathing heavily. I looked into her lust-filled eyes and whispered into her ear, “ Do not ever tell me I never looked at you, because believe me I have and not in the way you would like to hear. And just because I get hard… ask yourself what I was thinking about and maybe then you can accuse me again.
She looked at me and I swear I saw steam coming out of her ears. She turned around to walk away from me and I smacked her ass.
“ You are an as*hole, Zanian.”
“ One you will come to see very soon my dear.” I winked at her and walked out of the room. I left her there and walked down a short hallway and then took a left and landed in the kitchen.
“ Glad that you finally realized that you can walk around.” Donovan said. I turned and saw him sitting on a small step by the sliding door. “ What have you done with my pack?” I asked, as if only just realizing that they were alone.
“ Nothing, they are safe, for now at least. And they will stay that way if you listen to what I have to say and don’t try and do anything stupid.”
“ What do you want from me? I don’t even know you.”
“ True, you don’t, but I knew your father and I know your grandparents and your mother. Your biological family that is. And if you are interested I can tell you all about them, but I’m afraid your wolf has to go night-night for a couple of hours.”
I stood frozen in my spot, “what do you mean Biological? My parents kicked me out of my pack and they were my parents.” I said, but somehow it felt like a lie, one I have been telling myself for so many years and saying it out loud, it sounds foreign and made up.
Donovan stood up and looked at me, “why don’t you ask your mate? She has known who you are for quite some time.”
And then he left again, “ Oh and by the way, I will see you both tomorrow. Don’t try running because you will hear what I have to say.”
‘jeez, what a friendly guy.’
Donovan POV
I didn’t know that looking at Crystal close up would remind me of her mother so much. I know she died and changed and now she looks almost just like her, except her skin is more tanned and she has my eyes. Seeing her just reminded me of the love that was taken from me and my unborn child.
When she told me she rejected her mate, I got mad instantly because why would she do that and let alone the one true future king? Then I had a look at him and the way he was staring at her. He doesn’t know a thing about her and I have no right to interfere in her life, but she has to be told about what is going to happen if she rejects her mate who has already placed his mark on her.
I have waited a long time for this moment and I will have it no matter the cost. What they do from there is not my business. I just want someone to know the truth and I want them to make their own decisions.
“ What the hell happened to you, Donovan? You used to be so kind and loving and now you are angry all the time and you are out for vengeance and that will leave a blood trail.” Zara asked as she just walked into my study. I looked at her but didn’t really see her. That is the exact same thing my mate Marina would have said.
I sat down and put my head in my hands before looking up again. “I have to do the right thing Zara, so many have lost their lives because of knowing the truth and I am not going to be the only one knowing, besides they have a right to know and Crystal has a right to know what really happened to her mother and why she was taken away. I am done being the bad guy in this story, all I want is to find peace and go be with my mate.”
“ What do you mean, Donovan?”
“I’m dying Zara, And I have been for years now. That is why I was so adamant about finding them and telling them before I die, because the truth will not die with me?”
Zara looked at me and stepped closer. “ Why haven’t you said anything? Is there something we can do, maybe something I can do?”
“ Unless you can bring my mate back, then no, there is nothing you can do. Loving a fox comes with a price and I didn’t know of that price until after she died.”
“ What are you talking about? What price? Please start talking sense because I don’t understand what you are saying.”
“ You will understand in due time. I will talk to them tomorrow and from there on forward it is up to them.”