Lunar Temptations

Ch 43

My claws were out as I thrashed violently, but they didn't move. I was weak and powerless in front of them, dragging me back to the traumatic episode in the woods.

Suddenly, my vision blurred, replaced by the darkness of the night and the rustling trees above me. The paws were hitting the floor and advancing in on me, as I lay on the filthy ground, helplessly. Where was I? Why did it seem so familiar? All my questions got answered when I lived through my trauma once again. Fear and anxiety took over my senses entirely as I found myself trapped in a nightmare. A flash of grey fur passed through my vision, and I felt my breath hitching. It was the grey wolf who had attacked me. Moments later, fangs came into my view as the wolf toppled me down, making me relive the scene from weeks ago. Its eyes displayed their intentions as it began to close in on me. My conscience told me to back away, to snap out of it and back to the guards pinning me down now, but my limbs were in shock. I couldn't budge and felt myself lying helplessly as the wolf's fangs began to come down at me. My heart thumped against my ribcage watching it all unfold, but it was until I heard a pair of approaching footsteps followed by his scent filling my senses. It was déjà vu, and his intoxicating scent was enough to bring me out of my nightmare and back to reality.

It took just the sound of his footsteps for the air in the room to shift, and the harsh grip of those men on me, to tense. Finally, they came to a halt, and I didn't have to lift my face from the floor to know that he was standing in the doorway. Silence stretched out as everyone went quiet, except it was now filled with fear and my mate's scent. I gulped nervously because I could already sense his impending wrath. Nobody gets to mess with someone's mate without facing consequences, especially when that particular someone was the Alpha of one of the most powerful packs. And Zayden was a man who didn't want another man near me, even if it was for hand-to-hand combat training. Despite that, the grip of those assholes didn't loosen as they continued to pin me down.

"The longer you take to get your hands off her, the slower I'll kill you all," his voice boomed, and I swear I could feel the floor trembling beneath me from the effects of him. My heart raced, even though I was the one being saved by him - once again. I really needed to consider sticking by his side if I was going to get myself in trouble this often. That man was an invisible support by my side. He could be the farthest away from me, yet he wouldn't let harm come to me. Maybe I had thought of him as more of a monster than he actually was.

In a split second, I was released as those men stepped away from me hastily. That was all it took, one threat about their deaths and they were scurrying away. Esther would really need to rehire guards, but I doubted any guard in this whole damn world would be able to stand against the dominating figure in the doorway. He was like fire and ice forged into one. His tone could become cold enough to bring men to their knees, and if he wanted, he could burn the world down too without anyone daring to stand against him. It was funny how weeks ago, I would have disagreed with my own words, but he seemed to be proving me wrong with each passing day.

I scrambled to my feet and straightened my dress, which had hiked up a little. My eyes met his, and the moment paused when I saw concern etched into them, as he gave me a once-over. He shot a deadly glare at the four men standing like scared dogs in the corner. Their fangs and claws were long gone, and all they resembled now were dogs with their tails between their legs. It wasn't long before Zayden shifted his attention to his mother.

"Would you like to explain this?" he asked, and I watched the muscle in my neck twitch. He was controlling his wolf from coming out like he was doing it that night in the metal door room with me. That night, it might be an effect of lust and desire, but right now, anyone could sense the anger radiating off him.

Esther didn't seem any less surprised by her son's sudden appearance. Her face had gone slightly pale, and she had been quietly standing in the corner this whole time.

It was over for her now. - I thought, feeling the drive still wrapped inside my fist.

Before she could open her mouth to speak, I spoke up. "She's the one who stole the evidence from your office."

It took one sentence for Zayden's face to morph into a deadlier look. I slowly walked over to him and opened my fist to reveal the object inside. Recognition shone into his eyes as I explained further, "She had come over the day the drive went missing. She told me she had to grab some documents from your office, and that must have been when she took the drive." I watched his expressions unfold, closely. He was a silent volcano. His face was stoic and bare from any emotions, while I could feel him seething underneath. His eyes were distracted from my words as he took the drive from my hand. I wanted nothing more than to know what he was thinking right then.

"Did you-" He said, turning his gaze to Esther, whose scowl had suddenly vanished. My eyes narrowed in on her, waiting for her to accept her crime, but instead, her face contorted into shock.

"What is this nonsense? Why would I do such a thing?" She said, looking at Zayden as if she was the most innocent woman to exist on the face of the earth, and I controlled the urge to roll my eyes at her. Did she really think playing innocent would get her anywhere? Especially now when I finally had the evidence? But something about her confidence told me she was far from done acting innocent. Her paleness was long gone, and she looked prepared for whatever was to come.