Chapter 10
The two Alphas looked like they are mere seconds away from
lunging at each other when I hesitantly set my hand on Zayn’s
bare chest. His heart thumps beneath my palm calmly when his
eyes fall on me.
“Please,” I mouth to him, needing him to back off. I know my
father’s temper, and if Zayn doesn’t back off, I know this will
turn into a bloodbath. Zayn’s brows furrow briefly, and he grips
my hand, moving it off his chest. But he doesn’t let go like I
expected he would, even after I turn to my father.
“Can we go, please? It’s cold, and Linda and Lydia are probably
worried,” I tell my father, knowing his mate is most likely the
only person to distract him or stop him from causing a scene.
My father pauses briefly, considering my words at the mention
of his mate. “Fine, but I will deal with you when I get home.
What is wrong with you? How could you allow him to be all
over you like that?!” he snaps angrily, grabbing my arm. Great! I
hoped to use his mate to distract his attention away from Zayn,
only to get it pointed right at me.
I glance at Zayn, who presses his lips in a line but nods to me,
but he doesn’t look impressed about letting my father walk
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away with his life. He squeezes my hand and lets me go just as
my father yanks me toward the exit, where the debris has been
cleared away, not that there is much left of the place. And I see
the source of the explosion: the huge gas tanks for hot water
and kitchens.
“We’re leaving,” my father snaps as I limp along behind him. My
leg burns violently as I try to keep up with my father.
As I’m led out, I spot Lydia standing next to Alpha Samuel’s car.
She’s in the company of Samuel and two of his men. Samuel is
her biological father. He’s on the phone, and I catch the tail end
of the conversation.
“Yes, Linda, Lydia is fine and so is Joseph. Oh, and Cleo is safe,
but you should come right away.”
Dad doesn’t even look at Samuel as he pushes me toward the
car. “Get in,” he orders.
“But Dad-”
“Get in!” His voice is a snarl, his eyes still flashing from the
argument with Zayn. He then turns back to Samuel and Lydia.
You’d think those two would hate each other since Linda left
Samuel for my father when they met at an Alpha meeting a few
years back. Samuel seemed to accept it almost immediately. My
mother, however, wasn’t so inviting to Linda but eventually,
Chapter 10
she came to terms with it, it is not like she had a choice. Linda
and my father are fated mates. Yes, it is true that you can also
reject your mates and take chosen ones. Some take chosen
mates then ditch them for their true mates when they come
along, true mates will always be stronger than chosen and will
override a chosen mate bond, if the true mate marks them,
which is what happened to my mother. When my mother
caught my father cheating it was because Linda marked him, it
severed her bond to him instantly.
I glance back at the building and see Zayn emerge from the
wreckage, immediately taking charge. He’s barking orders at
various members of his pack, directing them to tend to those
who are injured. The man is fully in Alpha mode, but something
in his eyes tells me that the confrontation with my father isn’t
over.
My stepmother Linda shows up, rushing past me to embrace.
Lydia.
“Oh, my poor baby! Are you okay?” she gushes, and I roll my
eyes.
The words turn my stomach. “Poor baby?” I mutter under my
breath. Linda always worried about her daughter and never
anybody else.
Chapter 10
What about the people who are actually hurt?
Ignoring the scene, I walk over to Dad’s car, pulling on the door
handle, only to find it locked. Dad and Samuel are in a heated.
discussion a few yards away. And I try to listen.
“Wait, what happened?” Linda demands, looking at Samuel. But
my father is the one that answers her.
“Samuel isn’t providing the pack protection we pay for each
month, it’s provided by Alpha Zayn!” my father snarls at her.
Samuel shrugs, trying to explain himself to his ex–wife and his
friend. “My hands are tied. I am short of men for my own border
patrols with all the recent attacks, and I wasn’t going to leave.
my daughter unprotected, Joseph!”
“But him! No, I won’t allow it… I don’t want him anywhere near
my pack.”
I turn my attention away, rubbing my arms, trying to warm
them.
The cold is starting to seep back into my bones, making me
regret the loss of Zayn’s warmth. But before I can dwell on that
thought, someone drapes a blanket over my shoulders.
I turn around to find Zayn standing there, now wearing a pair
Chapter 10
of shorts.
“You looked cold,” he says gruffly.
“Thank you,” I whisper, pulling the blanket tighter around me.
“Doesn’t your father ever get sick of yelling at people?” he
mutters, and I chuckle.
“Apparently not,” I sigh, knowing I will have to listen to him.
rant all the way home.
“Are you really going to leave my pack defenseless?” I ask,
chewing my lip, and he scratches his chin. “I will work out
something with your father. Don’t you worry about it,” he says,
and I am about to ask another question when I hear my name
being called.
“Cleo!” Another voice calls out, and I look over to see Deacon
rushing toward me from the club next door. The relief on his
face is evident as he wraps me in a hug, nearly squeezing the life
out of me.
“Thank God, you’re okay! I’ve been trying to reach you. Why
weren’t you answering your phone?”
I glance back at Zayn, remembering he took my phone. Before I
can ask him, I catch him glaring at Deacon. I clear my throat,
Chapter
wondering what has gotten into him. He looks at me and then
seems to come to his senses, but then snaps at me.
“Oh, I’m sorry. I left your phone in my pants, which was
destroyed while I was saving you!”
I blink at him, not expecting such a harsh reply.
Honestly, I wasn’t going to ask him at all because I knew there
was no way he had my phone now. Not after the constant
shifting and fighting.
“Oh, you must be Alpha, Zayn. I’ve heard about you. I’m Deacon,
Cleo’s mate,” Deacon says, holding out his hand to Zayn. Zayn,
however, growls at his gesture.
“I highly doubt that she isn’t even old enough to recognize her
mate yet,” Zayn snarls, but Deacon is oblivious to his anger.
