“Do you think any of them will be willing to help you? You know as well as I do that they’re not actually the most generous people.”

I kept my eyes focused on the ducks as they swam with the current. It was still a fascination to see them here—living amongst us as if we didn’t posses the ability to shred them to pieces if we felt like it.

“Zee, the fact of the matter is that unless they agree to help us, we’ll all end up dying. We can’t fight this thing by ourselves.”

I turned my head, taking in Zees features in the moonlight. This was routine for us. Since our friendship had formed, we had spent at least an hour out here, talking about the things that rested heavily on our hearts. Today our hearts were exceptionally heavy.

“But do you really think that Alpha Isaac would be willing to provide them protection? Your father wouldn’t even accept them into this pack.”

I sighed, my shoulders sagging as I saw the truth in Zees’ words. Under normal circumstances, wolves like them would be shunned from a pack, despised for the abomination that they are.

But that begged me to question, weren’t we all abominations?

“I run this pack until Alpha Isaac decides to release my father back into our custody.”

“And what if he doesn’t? What if he kills your father, just like he planned?”

A pang went through my chest as I envisioned Isaac killing my father. It wasn’t something pleasant to think of. The man I was meant to love killing the man I loved? It just didn’t sound possible.

I turned around, looking at the pack house behind us. The building looked just as dark as it did on a normal day, despite the fact that it actually had inhabitants now.

“I believe that my father will be safe.”

Zee scoffed, clearly unimpressed with my trust in Isaac—or maybe it was something else?

“And what exactly makes you think that he’ll spare your father, Luciana? He’s literally the stupidest Alpha I’ve ever come across.”

My eyes snapped to Zee once more, something odd stirring within me when he insulted Isaac like that. I didn’t like it. Not one bit. But even despite this, I had to admit that Zee was speaking some truth. But that didn’t mean I had to like it.

“He’s my mate.”

I would have had to be deaf not to hear the sharp intake of breath beside me. I’m response, my heart started hammering wildly against my rib cage as I anticipated the worst reaction possible.

“You’re joking right? You have to be joking.”

Zee shook his head, barely giving me enough time to say formulate another sentence, before he pushed himself off of the ground. Thinking that he was about to run away from me, I followed suit, ready to follow him, but instead, he started pacing the area around me.

“You’re not supposed to be his mate.”

Zee turned towards me, his eyes flashing gold in the darkness of the night. It came as no surprise when Dev lifted his head from the porch, his eyes focusing on us, clearly wondering why his human was feeling the way that he was.

“The moon goddess doesn’t make mistakes.”

My voice was final, despite the fact that I was sharing every emotion that Zee was now feeling. I knew what he was thinking without him having to say it. After all, I had spent years thinking the very same thing.

“Well, this time she did. You’re supposed to be my mate. Mine! But instead, she mates you to some idiot who probably can’t even tie his own bloody shoes!”

He kicked at the ground, sending the soft soil flying through the air. My eyes returned to Dev, catching his movements through the corners of my eyes. He was now standing, in the process of shaking out his coat. It came as no surprise when he started walking to us, his eyes mirroring the gold in Zees’.

I looked at Zee once more. He was no longer pacing. Instead, he was watching me. Darkness started to surround us, and I looked up to see that a cloud was now moving in front of the moon.

I turned my attention back to Zee, trying to keep my eyes focused on Dev in the process too.

My heart started to beat impossibly faster, warning me against the possibility of everything that could come. If Zee decided to let his anger get the best of him, then I was done for. I knew I’d be able to run, but how do I run from something I can’t see.

A growl ripples through the air, followed by the slamming of the door. Zees’ eyes darted that way, and so did Devs’. Had someone heard the commotion?

“Zee, please. Just let it go. The moon goddess does not and will never make a mistake.”

The golden eyes flashed back to me, and they seemed to be coming closer. I took an involuntary step back, my body bumping against something. Something bigger than I was.

“And what makes you so sure of that, huh? No one ever knows when she’s made a mistake because they’re all so blinded by love, that they don’t even realize it!”

It felt as if I was having a heart attack... At least that was what I would describe this feeling as. A threat before me and another behind me. I didn’t know how to react.

I reached backwards, hoping to get a feel of who or what was behind me, and a shockwave of butterflies hit my stomach as I ran my hand along the fur behind me.

Isaac?

No. It couldn’t be. It was impossible. My mind had to be playing tricks on me. We hadn’t heard a shift take place. And Zee wasn’t reacting to me in a manner that suggested we weren’t alone...

So, then why did he feel so real?