ZORA
"What about the children?" I heard someone ask.
My eyes flew open, I sat up, looking at my surroundings.
The car was pulling into the Alpha's garage.
"Oh, you're awake. Good." Ryker said icily. "Let's go."
"Please, I'm begging you. Don't kill me." I went on my knees again the instant we got down from car. "Did you go all through the trouble just to bring me back to kill?"
He stopped and gave me a once-over, "Why would I kill you when I finally have use of you?"
"What are you planning to do with me?" I asked as his Beta pulled me up to my feet, dragging me along with them.
"I need your healing abilities to save my mother. Prove yourself, and you can go."
"R... really?" I doubted if my ears were really working.
"Yes." He said curtly, "You can go back when you're done. I didn't need you then, and I don't need you now."
His words stung. He came to disrupt my life again after seven years and he still hates me just like before.
I'd better do whatever he wants of me and get the heck out of here fast, back to my children.
"What do you mean about healing abilities?" I asked.
He didn't answer.
His Beta dragged me till we entered a room.
I recognized the woman on the bed instantly as his mother, the former Luna.
I scanned my surroundings, safe for a few servants, his mate wasn't here. I didn't see her on the way here either.
"What am I supposed to do?" I asked.
I was lost, confused.
"You are witch, do what witches are supposed to do."
I frowned at him and turned to his Beta, "I really don't know what to do."
"We didn't check her body for the mark." Beta Wesley said, turning to Ryker.
He nodded a maid came closer, tearing the upper part of my cloth without warning, exposing my bare chest.
The mark that had magically appeared with my eye colour changes glowed.
"Need more proof?" Ryker spat out on disgust and closed the distance between us, "You are going to heal my mother or I will kill you."
I swallowed and turned to his mother on the bed, I waved my hand above her, "Abracadabra?"
Beta Wesley snickered.
Ryker grabbed my upper arm, and growled, "Is this some kind of joke to you?!"
"I am not a witch," I tell him calmly even though, I was anything but calm, I just want to go back to my children and Courtney.
"That mark and your new eye color obviously doesn't agree with you."
I closed my eyes briefly and stared into his eyes, "Even if I am a witch, which I am not, my powers would be in dormancy and it's not going to pop out just because you're asking it to."
"I see the human world has messed up with your brain and you don't know when to keep quiet anymore especially in front of your Alpha. "
"Please let me go." My lips quivered, "I didn't mean to disrespect you, I am just letting you know my mind."
"I didn't ask for your opinion." He snapped, "You are here to follow my orders."
He gripped my hand and opened my palm, without warning, his sharp claws dug into my palm.
Blood was everywhere instantly, he placed my bleeding palm over his mother.
My blood stained her lips, hair, face, body. Still, nothing worked.
He threw my hand like it burned him ,snarled in my face, "What exactly are you not doing right?"
I closed my eyes in fear, my body shook visibly, "I swear, I don't know."
I clutched my open wound tightly, applying pressure on it like Courtney had taught me.
I cut of the piece of cloth hanging from my chest and tightened it around the wound.
I opened my eyes slowly to found Ryker staring at me weirdly.
I swallowed and returned my gaze to the floor. Even after seven years, he was still the same, only with more muscles and a feral look in his particularly green eyes that seems to search deep into one's soul, just like how it is currently drilling a hole in head.
"I... I think we should give her time Alpha. Her powers may indeed be on dormancy." A new voice said.
I turned to the corner of the room where the voice came from and found an healer standing there.
Ryker narrowed his eyes into slits and answered the healer, "Get out. "
The healer bowed quickly and bolted out.
I stared at the entrance wistfully, then back at the Alpha, can I get some help?"
"The only help you will get is staying beside my mother and figuring out how get your powers working. It would be bad for either of us if your powers are just as useless."
"Bu-" I tried arguing, but was cut off.
"I didn't cross countries only for me to accept no from me."
"What happens if my supposed powers remain dormant and your mother dies?"
His eyes darkened as he replied, "Your friend and her children will die first, followed by any other person you care about, then I kill you. It's as simple as that."
I gulped down loudly as his eyes drilled into mine, he meant every word he said, just like how he whispered promises into my ear that night and went back on all this promises the next day.
"Do you remember me?" I blurted out.
He frowned at me, "Are you important for me 5o remember?"
"Asidess from the rejection, do you remember me before then?"
"Why?" He asked back, his voice icily cold.
I should have taken that as my warning,
"Do you really not remember?" I prodded, my cheeks burning as the events of that night played in my head.
"No, I don't." He said in a dangerously calm voice, "Am I supposed to remember that?"
"Vida Club, seven years ago. A day before the annual ceremony, ring any bells?"
He furrowed his eyebrows, "Doesn't even ring an alarm."
My heart plummeted down to the bottom of my stomach, was I that easy for him to forget?
I blinked back the tears that threatened to fall. I shouldn't be bothered by him, he ruined my life and isn't worth my tears.
I glanced at my hands, blood was seeping through the cloth already.
Ever since my wolf disappearance, my wounds heal very slowly which is why Courtney does most of the cutting work at home.
"Wesley, get that healer to call his witch. I need to know if mistake has been made." Ryker ordered, his eyes not leaving mine.
"I need your promise that you won't touch my friends." I tell him.
"Oh wait, I forgot. Your promise means nothing. Why do I even bother" I added in my mind.
The next second, my back hit against the wall and Ryker had his hands on my neck, pinning me to the wall, "What did you just say?!" He roared
Did I seriously just say that out loud?!
"No, Zora. You didn't." He snarled in my face, "For some crazy reason, I can suddenly hear your thoughts. Did you do it just say I can hear that? That my promise means nothing?!"
White danced in my vision.
"I... can't breathe." I choked out.
He released me and I fell to the floor. "The next time you pull this trick on me will be your last." He threatened, his voice dripping with hatred and disgust.
I scrambled up to my feet and nodded.
"Good." He moved back, creating some distance between us.
"When can I leave?" I questioned, eyeing hin discreetly.
"Oh dear," He smiled, "You are not leaving this pack unless you heal my mother."
My eyes widened,
I am as good as dead.
He closed the distance between us again and pressed a soft kiss to my forehead, "Exactly, you are as good as dead."
He grinned wickedly, "There is one more thing darling, you would be punished every week by the amount of times you fail at your attempts."
"Y- you mean torture?"
"Of course not," He smiled, "There are way more fun punishments then torture."
He turned on his heels and went to the door. "Agatha," he called to the servant by the door, "please do make sure our guest is comfortable and well fed. It's going to be a long stay for her."
He left, Agatha following suit instantly, excusing herself to prepare my room.
I sat near his mother's body and stared out the window,
Will I ever get to see my children?
Suddenly, frail fingers gripped my wrist in a tight grip.
I jumped and turned to find his mother staring at me curiously.
"You're awake." I breathed out relief, who would have thought all it I needed to do was stay with her, alone and quietly.
"Let me call the Alpha." I told her.
She shook her head quickly, "Please heal my son instead," she pleaded in a soft voice, "Help me save him from himself, please."
I didn't say anything.
"Promise me." She demanded.
"I promise." I whispered softly and watched her smile her last, the light fading from her eyes as she breathed her last.
Ryker's mother was dead.