"This again?" Mara huffed, then took Zoe's hand and led her to a long couch, sitting beside her. The bear shifter gave Zoe distinct warm, momma vibes, and rather than be irritated, Zoe found it endearing.
She'd only had her mother for ten years. Mara was bringing back some happy memories.
"Listen, honey," Mara said, cracking Zoe up. The wolf shifter held her laugh inside so that Mara could continue. "It's been a while since this clan has had to stand up for someone, but we're ready to get back into the swing of things. Stay and let us help you."
"Yeah," Brooke piped up. "You're an innocent and Giselle's friend. We all know she doesn't have too many of those. Not in the platonic sense."
Snickers and snorts filled the room as Giselle glared at everyone. "You guys need to stop focusing on my love life."
"But it's so damn active," Jade piped up. "It's kind of hard to ignore."
"Jade," Mara said in a warning voice.
Jade pursed her lips and stared at the ground.
Zoe found it interesting that while Rowan was the Alpha, it seemed that Mara was the real power here. Albeit a loving, caring, power with a gentle southern twang.
Mara cleared her throat. "Anyway, the point is that we're ready to stand up to your father and anyone else that might come after you."
Rowan nodded. "We did it before. We may not have the surprise factor of our house in the mountains, but it still makes for a great tactical position."
Zoe shook her head. "No. There won't be any need for that. I'm leaving. You don't understand my father's rage."
"Is he really that horrible?" Emma asked, her brows furrowed. "I may be human and not from here, but he is your father. Surely, he wouldn't come after you like that."
Zoe took a deep breath. "My father killed his brother because he met with the Alpha of another clan."
Hisses and gasps filled the room, but Zoe pushed on.
"Uncle Azemar was only meeting with his lover. My father heard about it, dragged my uncle out to the center of our land and beat him senseless. Then he called for a meeting and interrogated him for no more than five minutes before passing judgment.
"My father beat my uncle over and over again. Uncle Azemar tried to fight back, but he was half the size my father was. He died, and after he did, my father got a sword and chopped his head off."
Zoe drew a shaky breath. "I wasn't there that day, but there’s no one in our clan who doesn't know the details of those events. My father had grown up with his brother, yet he felt no remorse killing him. That's the kind of monster he is. What do you think he's going to do to me?"
"Nothing," Giselle said, her voice low and gravelly. "Your father isn't going to do a thing to you because he doesn't know where you are, and even if he did, we wouldn't let him hurt you."
Rowan nodded. "Your uncle's story only gave us even more of a reason to protect you. Men like your father cannot be allowed to roam free. One day, he'll get what's coming to him, but until then, you'll stay with us."
Zoe shook her head. "I can't just let you do that. It wouldn't be right."
Rowan scooted forward in her seat. "What isn't right is the way you've been living. The way your people have been living. We can't save them all, but we can and will help you. You've been standing up to your father. You know better than anyone why that was necessary. Now, it's our turn. Let us make our stand for you."
Zoe's eyes misted, and she stared at the ground determined not to fight. She'd been so damn lucky that Giselle had found her that night. Then, she'd been lucky again when Giselle had volunteered to help her.
Now, Giselle and her clan were ready to face her father and her former clan down to protect Zoe.
And who's going to protect Chase and Jax?
Mara wrapped an arm around Zoe. "I know it’s hard to accept help when you've always been the one giving it, but this time you have to. I promise you we'll fight for you as if you were one of us. Besides, Giselle really does have very few platonic friends. We kind of need you to stick around and keep her out from that cesspool of thirsty women she likes to dip in."
"Hey!" Giselle said, glaring at Mara. "You're supposed to be the mama bear here. How can you say that?"
"Just calling it as I see it." Mara squeezed Zoe's shoulder then got up. "I've gotta head into work. I expect to see you here when I return."
Zoe's head jerked back at the force of Mara's words, but then the bear shifter winked. Everyone chuckled and said their goodbyes. Within a couple of minutes, everyone but Giselle and Brooke had gone into work.
"So?" Brooke asked. "What do you want to do?"
Giselle's stomach grumbled loudly, and her eyes immediately lifted to Zoe's in embarrassment. Zoe chuckled.
"If I'm going to stay here, I might as well earn my keep. How does French toast and bacon sound for breakfast?"
"You can cook?" Giselle shrieked.
"Yup. I had to learn once I started taking care of my brother full time."
Brooke got up and led the way to the kitchen. She pulled out pans and bowls, while Giselle set the table eagerly.
Zoe cocked her head. "Why is my making breakfast a big deal?"
"Because Mara only cooks on the weekend, and the rest of us are hopeless in the kitchen," Brooke said, her blue eyes shining. "This is a real treat."
Zoe cracked a few eggs and whisked. "Why don't you go out to eat if it's such a big deal?"
"Everyone knows house food tastes better than takeout," Giselle said. "I think the love of the person making it makes it taste better."
Zoe smiled. "Well, I'm very grateful for you guys letting me stay here for a little bit. I promise to channel those positive vibes into the food."
"Are you seriously thinking of heading out there by yourself?" Brooke asked. "If things with your father are as bad as you say, then you definitely shouldn't do that."
Zoe sighed before she turned around to collect a few spices from the cupboard behind her. "I know I shouldn't be on my own, but I hate the idea of bringing heat on you guys."
"As you can see, I'm pretty hot. We're used to handling a bit of heat, so don't worry about that." Giselle winked as Brooke rolled her eyes.
Zoe smiled. "Is she always like this?"
"Not with us," Brooke said. "But when we first met her, yeah, it was full on. I'm glad those days are over."
Giselle stuck her tongue out, and the older woman found her childish behavior so cute.
Zoe had had to grow up very fast, and she rarely got the chance to let her hair down, let alone express her feelings. Seeing the relaxed, loving, environment that the Whiteheart clan had established, made her heart ache.
The Darksong will never know a life like this.
"Anyway," Brooke said. "Back to you, Zoe. You don't have to leave us. We can take care of ourselves, especially now that Tyler's pride has grown bigger. We still have a treaty. Your father won't just walk all over us."
Zoe wanted to sorely point out that before she got caught, she'd just made her father richer than he'd ever been. He could hire a small army and wipe them out. Instead, she nodded.
"It's not just you guys I'm worried about. I'm scared he's going to take things out on my brother and best friend. If he does that, I won't just sit by and watch."
Giselle shook her head. "Neither would I. Here's the thing, Zoe. You're my friend, and now that our friendship has come out of the closet, my clan members are your friends too. You're not alone in this."
A knock on the door made the hairs on Zoe's neck stand up. Giselle and Brooke quickly got up, placing their fingers on their lips, signaling that Zoe needed to keep quiet. The two women nodded to each other, then promptly tiptoed to the pantry only to emerge with a handgun and a rifle respectively.
Giselle took the handgun and moved slowly toward the door. Brooke followed behind with the rifle pointed to the ground.
Zoe put down her spatula and gripped the edge of the counter, her knuckles going white. Her heartbeat raced, nearly exploding, and her knees shook.
/>
How could he have found me already?
Based on Giselle and Brooke's reaction, they weren't expecting anyone. The quick way they had jumped to their feet told Zoe that their animals were on high alert too.
Shifters may be mostly human, but they still had animal instincts. Whoever was on the other side of that door was a stranger to the Whiteheart clan. Zoe knew only one reason for a stranger to grace the Whiteheart doorstep: a Darksong had found her.
Giselle peeked through the peephole and sighed, sagging against the door. "It's Chase."
Zoe's heart stuttered, and she quickly moved toward the door. "Chase? What's he doing here, and how do you know him?"
Giselle smiled as she stepped away from the door. "He was home the day I rescued you, remember?"
Zoe shook her head. "Oh, yeah."
Brooke squeezed Zoe's shoulder. "We'll just get these back to safety and give you and your brother some space to talk."
"No need. We'll talk outside if that's okay."
Brooke shrugged. "Whatever works for you."
Zoe opened the house door and stepped right into Chase's arms. Over the last couple of years, he'd grown another six inches. Now, he more than towered over her. Nothing about his stature was imposing, though. He simply didn't give off those vibes.
"What the hell is going on?" Chase asked, his voice scared.
Zoe pulled back and led her brother to one of the patio chairs. He took a single one, while Zoe took a double seat.
"What have you heard?"
"Nothing." Chase threw his hands up in the air. "Dad called me thirty minutes ago and told me that you had left the clan and that I was the new Second. What the hell happened?"
Chase's blue eyes were filled with frustration, and Zoe's heart went out to him. The rug had been pulled from underneath him overnight.
Zoe's brother had never had to deal with loss. His uncle died before he was born, and his birth resulted in the death of his mother. Chase had never known what it felt like to have your entire life change.
"I've been stealing from Darksong for a while now. Dad got suspicious and set up a trap. I got caught last night. That's why I left the clan."
Chase ran a hand through his blonde hair and growled. "Why would you do that, Zoe?"
"Because I got tired of kidnapping women and moving drugs and weapons that were destroying lives. I've always tried to start new legal businesses, but Dad isn't interested. I had to do something."
Chase groaned. "You left me alone with him. I can't be alone with him. He's a monster, and now he's made me his Second."
Zoe wanted nothing more than to get up and pull her brother into a hug, then tell him everything was going to be okay, but she couldn't coddle him anymore. Chase was about to go toe to toe with the monster himself. He needed to learn to deal with his feelings without her help.
Lord knows I won't be there to give him advice.
"I'm sorry that things ended up like this. All I could think about was doing the right thing. Not just for you, but for others too. In the midst of that, I lost sight of the details and got caught. And now, I've made your life a lot more horrible."
Zoe scoffed. "I always comforted myself knowing that at least you were safe and far away from Dad. It seems that in doing the right thing, I ruined the one thing I was most proud of."
Chase got up and pulled Zoe to a standing position. He hugged her. "Don't blame yourself. This is all Dad's fault for being a grade A tool."
Zoe chuckled. At least Chase had shifted the blame to where it belonged. She didn't need more guilt heaped on her.
"It is his fault, but you can't ever say that to anyone but me."
Chase pulled away and folded his arms. "They'll probably run back and tell him, won't they?"
"Faster than you know." Zoe squeezed her brother's arm. "Dad is a crazy guy, and a lot of people would love to have the position of Second. The Alpha's family usually gets priority, but if they are out of the way, then others can step in."
Chase sighed. "I wish I could slip up, but I know that would only bring a bigger ton of shit down on me."
"Exactly. You just have to keep your head down and play the game. Dad's going to be rough on you. He'll try break you, but all you have to do is reach deep down and search for the strength that I know is hidden there. Keep fighting, and one day, you'll be Alpha, and you'll change it all."
Chase smiled. "That's the first time you've been wrong about everything."
Zoe cocked her head. "What do you mean?"
"First. I don't have that kind of strength inside me. I'm not stupid, Zoe. I know that you kept him away from me. I appreciate that, but it also means that I didn't have the same type of grit as you do. Heck, the last time he killed that guy that was caught selling information to another clan, I went to my room and cried."
"That's a natural reaction."
Chase shook his head. "You didn't even flinch. Right after, we had lunch, and you ate like a pig. I couldn't even keep my food down."
Zoe winced. "You'll be fine."
"I will be because I'm not going to fight to survive for you. I'm going to survive for you. Which brings me to the second thing you got wrong. I'm not going to be Alpha. The moment Dad's out of the way, I'm going to bring you back and make you Alpha. You'd be great at it, and you more than earned it."
Zoe shook her head. Chase was still only twenty years old. Of course, he had dreams that could never become a reality.
Zoe Dagiel was now a pariah. Her father hadn't called her in for the official announcement that would kick her out of the clan, but she knew it was as good as done. No one would allow her to waltz back in, decades from now and take the Alpha title.
"Do me a favor, will you?" Zoe cupped Chase's cheek. "Focus on surviving. The future will bring whatever it will bring."
Chase sneered. "You don't believe me. You still see a little kid when you look at me."
"That not true."
"It's okay. I am a little kid, but now I'm about to become a man, in every sense of the word. You did a great job raising me, Zoe. Now, it's my turn to make you proud."
Zoe's eyes filled, and she buried her head in her brother's chest. This wasn't how things were supposed to end up. She was supposed to take all her father's wrath and pressure. Chase was supposed to have a normal life.
Now, the script had been flipped. If Zoe somehow managed to survive the onslaught she knew was coming, then she'd have a normal life. Probably filled with friends and maybe even a girlfriend.
"This wasn't how it was supposed to go."
Chase pulled back and wiped his sister's tears. He'd never done that in his life. The thoughtful action only made Zoe's chest tighten more.
She stepped away and calmed herself down. "How did you know I'd be here anyway?"
"I remembered Giselle from the night she brought you home You don't have any non-Darksong friends, so I figured you'd be here. I'm glad I was right."
"Me too."
Chase cleared his throat. "Look, I've got to get going. Dad doesn't know where you are, so let's keep it that way until I find out more of what his plans are. In the meantime, stay indoors and take the vacation you've been promising me you'll take for years."
Chase took a giant step forward and kissed Zoe's forehead. "I love you, sis."
"Love you too," Zoe mumbled.
She watched Chase walk down the long driveway to his car before waving back at him.
"Mom, I hope you're watching over him. He's going to need you."
I am too.
If there was one thing Zoe knew, it was that her father was planning something right at that moment. She just hoped he wasn't stupid enough to clue Chase in on it. The last thing she needed was for Chase to get roughed up trying to stop the monster.
8
Giselle stepped in front of the mirror in Jade's old bedroom. She rolled the cuffs of the black shirt she wore until they were the perfect length. She wanted to communicate a nonchalance but stylishness with her all-blac
k ensemble.
The black shirt had white piping along its collar, giving her a put-together vibe. The black skinny jeans and converse she wore gave her the casual vibe she was going for.
Giselle sighed and dropped her arms. "Why do I feel like I'm about to walk into detention?"
On a typical day, Giselle looked forward to going into work. Her job as a bartender at the Titanrun served her in so many ways. First, it gave her a sense of purpose. While Giselle loved to flirt, she did take her work seriously. Customer satisfaction was her number one goal.
The second thing her job provided her with was a sense of accomplishment. Gisele was the main attraction of the majority lesbian crowd that frequented the bar. She took great pride in that fact.
I doubt Mom and Dad would see my job as an accomplishment.
Giselle shook her head and walked out of her room. In about fifteen minutes, she'd have to leave to be on time for her shift. That meant she had to make a quick sandwich, then scoff it down.
"Hey," Brooke called from the living room couch.
"Hey." Giselle walked into the kitchen and opened the fridge. "What are you watching?"
"Just another housewife show. I know it's not real, but I can't help but get sucked in."
Giselle frowned. "Hey, did you eat the last of my baloney?"
Silence answered her. Giselle straightened and folded her arms when she faced a sheepish Brooke.
"Sorry. I thought you had more."
"Come on, B. You know that's my go-to snack when I'm in a rush."
Brooke got up and walked to the fridge. After peering inside, she pulled out her phone. "I'll make it up to you. How does pizza sound? I was thinking of ordering some for Zoe anyway. She looks like she needs a pick me up."
Giselle's mild irritation faded, and her ears perked up. "Did she say anything to you?"
"No. She's been holed up in her room all day. I think you should go talk to her."
Giselle's nostrils flared. "Why me?"
"Because you're friends." Brooke rolled her eyes. "You've known her the longest. We just met her today. If anyone's gonna do it, it's you."
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