Chapter 162
Zara
“I need information,” I told the shadows, watching them writhe at the sound of my voice. Trails of smoke and shadow slid toward me, wrapping themselves around my legs like a gentle dog.
“Ask away, princess. Let’s drink,” they whispered, their voices like icy silk sliding across my cheek.
“Why hasn’t Marcus’s mark left my skin?” I lowered my voice, afraid they would hear me. “I was just marked by my mate, but his mark is still there p>
“They whispered; their silky voices sent a chill down my spine. “A pair for each side. One by fate, one by choice p>
“I’m not you. I took Marcus,” I hissed, watching the shadows wrap around my legs.
“Part of you is drawn to the choice,” they purred. “Part of you that craves blood p>
I want his mark to disappear from my skin.” I winced. “What is your price p>
“Bond for bond.” They replied, “Our price is your bond with the Alpha Kane Sterling p>
“No,” I muttered, wincing as pain shot through my body. Alpha was the man I wanted, the one I chose, and was made for. Breaking our bond meant breaking a part of my soul, breaking a part of his. “I don’t accept p>
I tasted the shadows’ disappointment on my tongue, sharp and cold, like a shard of ice. I pushed the shadows away with willpower, forcing them back into the depths from which they had emerged.
One by one, they slipped into the darkest corners of the room. The shadows writhing along the walls froze, dispelling the chill.
“The shadows were wrong, it was meant to be,” I muttered to Nova, who gave vent to her indignation at the information I had just received. “I don’t want Marcus, and I certainly don’t choose him p>
“I know,” Nova sighed. “I know how you feel about Alpha, but I can’t say how you feel about Marcus. There’s a whole side of you I can’t access p>
“Marcus is attractive and can be seductive when he wants to be, but he doesn’t appeal to my soul. He doesn’t make me feel like I’ve been asleep my whole life and then finally woken up by his touch. He doesn’t make me feel a fraction of what Alpha does p>
“And yet, there’s a bloodthirsty side to you that he appeals to.” Nova frowned. “No matter what happens, don’t lose what Alpha and I have p>
“I won’t.” I shook my head. “I promise p>
I ran downstairs, gave my dad a quick hug, and rushed out the door. I grabbed the set of car keys from the hallway table and unlocked one of Alpha’s many cars.
It had only been a few minutes since I’d spoken to the shadows, and I hoped I wasn’t too late. “Zara, are you taking that long to get here?” Alpha’s voice echoed in my head.
“Am I really that predictable?” I snorted, putting the car in reverse and turning onto the road.
“Predictable isn’t the word I’d use for you, my dear,” Alpha purred, somehow managing to sound seductive even though he was fighting his own kind. “By the way, Ryan’s safe. Zeke’s with him p>
“I’ll be there in a couple of minutes,” I promised. “We’re mates, you can’t get rid of me that easily p>
“What car are you taking?” Alpha asked, making me chuckle. Even in this situation, he treasured his car.
“I grabbed the first key I came across.” I shrugged. “It’s a Mercedes, if that helps p>
“Okay, it’s Zeke’s car.” Alpha snorted.
I severed the mental connection just as Alpha appeared. He transformed into his wolf, a huge black beast that crushed humans, Demons, and werewolves alike. Despite his enormous size, he moved with incredible speed and precision.
Blood covered the pelts of some of the other wolves, but none stopped fighting. It seemed Marcus had only deployed a small portion of his men in this attack, using the remaining Luna Freya men as the main force.
Houses in this part of town had become sparse, as most people lived closer to the center of the Sterling Empire. My heart pounded as the house where Govinda was staying came into view. It was a nondescript house with blue panels and an old white porch.
Sophia’s car was parked outside, resting against the curb. I parked Zeke’s car on the side of the road, watching as one of the many fighting wolves slammed into Sophia’s car. The car door buckled easily under the wolf’s weight, and the glass shattered on impact.
“Sophia will be furious,” Nova muttered.
“Furious, but alive,” I remarked. Alpha and the rest of his men seemed to fight for control. I stayed on the edge of the fray, slowly making my way toward the house. While I… As I approached the porch, my stomach clenched.
The door had been kicked in, and debris littered the living room floor. I reached the house just in time: one of the wolves had crashed into the porch, destroying a quarter of it. The boards creaked and screamed as they broke, but the wolf seemed largely unharmed.
The growling and clanking of the wolves could be heard outside, and inside the house, there was a heartbreaking silence.
“Sophia!” I shouted, running up the stairs and peering into two small bedrooms. One of them held a huge double bed, the blankets piled high, as if someone had slept on them. Her scent wafted throughout the house, strongest on the large bed.
Her scent mingled with something else, something earthy and tinged with sweetness. I knew it was Govinda’s, but the aroma in the bedroom was already beginning to fade.
As I walked down the stairs, I noticed something shiny on the floor, reflecting the dim light from the kitchen. I walked through the kitchen to the sliding glass doors, which offered a beautiful view of the forest.
The glass was shattered; tiny drops of blood were visible on some of the shards. A chill went through me.
An icy chill, though this time it wasn’t caused by the presence of shadows. Pinned to the wall was a note, held in place by an ornate silver dagger. I’d seen that dagger before, when Marcus and Govinda fought to the death.
We need a half-breed. One wrong move, and the traitor and his bitch will die. You have 48 hours.