His Unidentified & Untouchable Mate

What is Done, Undone

Zahraa POV

I staggered back in my shock. Surprise gave way to fury. “What did I do to you?” I repeated, hands clenching. “What do you mean what did I do to you? You left me! He had me by the hand dragging me through a crowd and you left me! And you dare ask that?!”

She didn’t respond, clutching her hair, her nails scratching her scalp, undoing all the work she’d already put into her hair. “My head it’s-”

She was in pain.

I looked at my hands and took another step back. “Did I…?”

She shivered, covering her face. “Zahraa…” she whimpered, “Zahraa… my mind – it’s – it’s…” she shook her head, as if she could shake free whatever horror was gripping her.

I stepped forward hesitantly. “Did I…” it felt selfish in the moment to ask her anything, so I silenced myself, grasping her hands in mine and kneeling in front of her. “Ingrid, I’m so sorry.”

She stared into space, and I dropped my head, pressing my forehead to her knuckles, feeling tears welling in my eyes.

I was a freak.

I’d always be a freak.

“It wasn’t you,” she said, after I don’t know how long. “It was him. He… he did something to my head.” I met her eye and was relieved to find clarity there. “I was following you. I was going to say something – and then I just… forgot you were there. But I never would have. I could never forget you – you’re my best friend – but he did something to me.” Her eyes searched mine, as though she’d find her answers there.

Then: “You undid it.”

I pulled my hands free and shook my head. “I don’t know how…”

She grabbed me and pulled me into a hug. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

“No, I’m…”

A strange sense of pride washed over me – from that deep dark place that emotions seemed to keep leaking from.

Was I truly sorry? What did I have to apologize for?

“It’s okay,” I decided. Then, realized that I’d forgotten a key detail – no, not forgotten. Withheld. Because I was sure the girls would be too wound up when they heard it, and they wouldn’t give Jacob the chance to say his peace at that point. “He touched me,” I added quietly, hoping that telling them separately might make it more manageable.

“Yeah, I know – he never should’ve put his hand on a stranger like that.” She picked up the hairbrush and started fixing what she’d destroyed. I knew she was trying to brush past things, but I could see the tremble in her fingers as she worked. “The audacity.”

“When he led me upstairs, just before Jacob stepped in…” I swallowed, sitting on the edge of the bed. “I resisted. My glove slipped off.”

She stilled, turning slowly to look at me with concerned eyes.

“He took my hand in his,” I looked down at my open palm, remembering the way he’d gently cradled the back of my hand while pressing the glove into my palm. “And put the glove in my open hand. He touched me skin on skin Ingrid,” my gaze rose to meet hers. “And nothing happened.”

* * *

“What?!” Alanis drug the word out, yelling it at a decibel that could probably shatter glass. “No way.”

“That’s what I said,” Ingrid huffed, taking her to-go cup from the counter and taking that first appreciative sip. We made our way out of the shop, all with our own specialty creations, and slid back into her car. “I’m absolutely thrilled. You’re calling him today, right? You’ll have to call us this evening with all the details.”

Their smiles slowly faded when I didn’t lift my head to meet their eyes. I was thankfully situated in the back seat, or they would’ve tackled me, bench seats be damned. “You’re not excited?”

“I guess I should be,” I said, which was clearly not the answer they expected. “Jacob and I think that he is…” I swallowed. “whatever I am.” The chill ran up my spine again. “But whatever he is, he gives me the creeps. Big time.”

Alanis exhaled. “That’s rough.” Since she was driving, she had to focus her eyes on the road, but I could see her frown from where I’d perched in the middle of her back seat. “You have to do it though, don’t you? I mean, you have your big bad not-so-alpha boyfriend to back you up, don’t you?”

“He said he’ll be there when we meet him,” I confirmed. “I’m just… I mean, this guy altered Ingrid’s memory. Couldn’t he do the same to Jacob?”

“I don’t know,” Ingrid replied. “I mean, why didn’t he when Jacob intervened?”

That’s a good point – he’d let Jacob rescue me. I tried to remember the transcript of the conversation:

I’d recommend you leave my mate alone.

Fine.

There had been a pause between. Zain had hesitated before ultimately retreating. Had he tried to do something, then?

I would know if I were able to see his eyes at the time, but I’d been cowering. And why? Because of some creepy feeling I got when I looked at him?

No. It was more than that.

Premonition? Instinct?

Call it what you will, but there was something about him that I just couldn’t stomach. Something that I would have to get over in order to meet again and get the information I needed from him.

You and I are the same, no?

What clan are you from, Zahraa?

You don’t know.

He hadn’t said anything untoward. His behavior had been rude sure, but the more I thought past that stupid, creeping feeling, the more I thought that maybe it was all in my head. And either way, I couldn’t risk overlooking this lead.

The silence was broken by Alanis humming, then shrugging. “I mean, if I were you, I would try anything I could.” She peeked up into the rear-view mirror, and our eyes met. “I mean, you know you can always call on us if you need us.”

“Of course,” I replied, sighing. I could always count on Alanis.

Ingrid’s expression turned to a tight frown. “What about you, Alani?”

Alanis turned her attention to the road. I could tell her grip tightened by the creaking of the steering wheel under her supernatural strength. “What about me?” she asked, tone trying to make light of a topic she’d been dodging all morning.”

“You know. You and Tanis?” Ingrid pressed.

Alanis and Tanis had broken up and gotten together more times than I could count on both hands. But they loved each other, and no matter how bad the break up, they were always back together before a month’s time.

But I still felt that little tug on my heart when she said, “We’re taking a break.”