Sitting back in my seat, I remind myself that four more hours and the annual Alpha meeting would finally be over, and I can go home. Well, as long as Dad doesn't force me to go to the ball and babysit Lydia. Dad loves to drag me to these silly meetings, even though I find them boring. Mostly, they just argue or boast about their latest business affairs.

The meeting is held in the main part of Nightshade City, which is neutral territory. All the packs are on the outskirts, surrounding the city. So, it makes sense for the city to be a neutral ground because otherwise, movement within the city limits would be restricted. All five packs rely on it not only for business to thrive, but also to keep supplies coming in.

I've spent all my school holidays in these sorts of meetings. Despite literally nothing important happening in them, my father has still insisted I attend even though my stepmother volunteered to go in my place. Dad, however, wasn't having it, lecturing that I needed to learn the ropes of running a pack and how these meetings are a big part of it.

I guess I am an accessory, and I'm one step away from becoming his fanny pack at this point. I'm already his notetaker, calculator, mediator, and coffee maker. He might as well just hand the pack over already.

A few of the other Alphas have brought their sons and daughters. It is strategic on their parents' part, a way to strengthen alliances through marriages.

However, I had no such interest, and it is clear I wasn't the only one who wasn't interested in parental antics. The only person I will marry one day is my mate, if I find him or her, that is.

I often wonder what my mate will be like... who my wolf will choose... if I find my mate before Deacon marks me, that is. One part of me is conflicted if I should wait a year to see if I find my mate. Deacon wants to mark me once I get my wolf, we've been together two years but occasionally, I am not so sure. Finding my mate, that person who was made for me, sounds so exciting and enticing.

I am brought out of my thoughts by Dad's irritated voice.

"This is ridiculous. Where is he?" he growls, smacking the table with his fist. Alpha Zayn is notoriously late, and as Dad had explained earlier, he doesn't seem to care much for these meetings. Well, that is one thing we have in common, I guess. But that explains why I've never met the man, since he's apparently too busy to attend.

Maybe now's my chance to slip out to the bathroom and not come back. Dad seems preoccupied enough with Alpha Zayn's tardiness. I peer around the room, only to find the young man across from me staring. He smirks, and I bite back the urge to ask him to stop staring when he leans over the table.

"Have you heard the good news?" Boyd asks. My brows furrow when his father elbows him harshly, giving him a look that seems to tell him to shut his mouth. Boyd leans back in his seat and folds his arms across his chest, looking rather smug like he knows something important I don't. Confusion washes over me, we don't have much to do with their pack. My father never really liked Alpha Dane, who is Boyd's father. I glance at my father, who is suddenly stiff as a board beside me.

"Dad?" I elbow him.

"Well, discuss it later," he whispers back before diverting his attention back to the conference room door. "For frig sake, where is he?" my father snaps angrily, glancing at his watch.

"Hush, Joseph, I would prefer no bloodshed at this meeting," Alpha Samuel states, glancing at the other Alphas nervously.

Rumors have spread that Alpha Zayn's father met an untimely death, and the circumstances surrounding it remain quite murky. Yet, Alpha Zayn looks guilty as sin. His father goes missing, and he is suddenly ruling over the largest pack in the country. Yeah, that doesn't sound shady at all.

Dad groans at his words, drumming his fingers on the oval table. We are one of the smaller packs surrounding the city, and we rely heavily on alliances, especially when it comes to rogues and hunters. Without alliances, we would never have won the last rogue attack. It was sheer luck that Alpha Samuel's pack was visiting at the time because otherwise, we would have been completely destroyed.

That's the subject of today's pack meeting. Rogue numbers have grown out of control, and packs are constantly under threat or being attacked. Even the city has been targeted a few times.

If something does go down at this meeting after my dad warned against it, I'm blaming the alphas who refused to listen.

The double doors swing open as if summoned, and Alpha Zayn stalks in. The room stills, all eyes turning to him. He exudes power and confidence with every step, those piercing gray eyes taking in everything and the energy in the room, waltzing in like he owns the place. My breath catches as I drink him in. Messy dark hair, stubble accentuating a sharp jawline, and tattoos peeking out from his open collar. He looks like sin personified. Maybe this meeting won't be boring after all.

"Is there an issue, Joseph?" Alpha Zayn demands. Only then do I glance at my father, who is shooting a look of daggers in his direction. I kick him under the table, and my father sits back in his chair, folding his arms across his chest while shooting me a glare.

"Behave!" I mouth to my father. Gee, now I need to tell him how to act!

"Not at all, Alpha Zayn," Dad denies quickly.

Looking back at the Alpha, I quickly avert my gaze when I realize that me kicking my father under the table didn't go unnoticed. Yet when I dare to look up, Alpha Zayn is still staring at me as if I am some puzzle he is trying to solve. He shakes his head and moves toward his seat. My eyes follow him to take his seat. When he does, his gaze finds mine for a heated moment before he turns his attention away, clenching his jaw. I feel my cheeks flush and quickly turn my attention to the huge board Alpha Samuel spent a good ten minutes writing on earlier.

I swallow, not liking the way he is staring so intensely, and I can once again feel his gaze on me. A shiver runs up my spine. Thankfully, Alpha Samuel clears his throat, drawing his attention away, and I let out the breath I didn't know I was holding.

My eyes wander around the room, taking in the tense expressions of the Alphas as they discuss alliance strategies and resource management. All this talk about pack politics and territory borders is exhausting. I can't wait to escape back to my life outside these walls.

"Alpha Joseph, your input on the new trade agreement would be appreciated," Alpha Samuel says, his voice cutting through my thoughts. Was I close to dozing off again? My dad straightens up in his chair, preparing to speak, but I can't bring myself to care about whatever he's going to say. Instead, I find my gaze drifting towards Alpha Zayn, who sits across the table, every bit as disinterested as I am.

"Very well," my father begins, launching into a lengthy explanation about supply chains and tariffs. I try to focus on his words, but it's hard not to get lost in my own fantasies, especially when they involve the enticingly dangerous Alpha Zayn. His dark hair and the Alpha's steely gray eyes make it difficult to concentrate on anything else when my phone vibrates on the table. I snatch my phone off to glance at the message lighting up my screen.

Leaning down, I look at it under the table to see it's from Deacon, making me grin mischievously.

'Meet me outside in ten minutes'

I quickly type a reply. 'You decided to go?' I reply back to my boyfriend. His reply is just as quick.

'Jailbreak, meet me downstairs.' I can't help the goofy smile that splits onto my face.

I quickly reply, telling him I will find an excuse when my phone is suddenly snatched from my hand. I grit my teeth, expecting it to be my father, but I am shocked to find it is Alpha Zayn. He raises an eyebrow at me.

"Is there something you'd like to share with the rest of us?" Alpha Zayn asks suddenly, his gaze piercing through me. My cheeks flush with embarrassment, but I can't deny how my heart races at his attention. I shake my head, staring at the man wide-eyed.

"Um, no," I stammer, trying to regain my composure. "Sorry for the interruption."

"I'll hang onto this until after the meeting," he tells me, and his eyes flicker to his wolf as he peers down at my phone, reading my text messages. I reach for my phone, but he pulls it away, and I glare at him.

"You can't take my daughter's phone," my father quickly growls. Alpha Zayn merely glances at him before pocketing it.

"I already did," he states, giving me a pointed look. I turn back in my chair, and my father looks like he is about to leap out of his chair, when Samuel speaks up.

"Joseph!" Samuel shakes his head, warning my father to back off, and reluctantly, he does while Alpha Zayn retakes his seat across from me.

The meeting drags on, a mind-numbing cycle of posturing and politics. A few future Alphas sneak out, using the bathroom as their excuse, and no one bats an eye. The temptation is too much. Leaning closer to my father, I murmur, "Bathroom."

He nods without looking, and I’m out of my seat in seconds. The hallway feels like a breath of freedom—until I remember Zayn still has my phone. Fantastic. I’ll have to find Deacon and sort it out later.

Heading for the stairs, I nearly collide with a tall figure. Boyd—one of the Alphas' sons, and the guy who’s been practically burning holes in me with his stare all night. His smirk says he’s been waiting for this.

"Cleo!" he calls out, and I stop, fisting my hands and turning back to face him.

"You escaped?" he laughs.

"Trying to, but you're intent on getting me caught if we are going to be lingering outside the door," I tell him. He glances back at the conference room door.

"I'm not taking over. My brother is. No purpose for me in those meetings," he says, draping his arm across my shoulders. "I heard your father is handing down the pack to you. I'm surprised it's not going to Lydia, since Samuel's pack is bigger. It would make sense if they joined packs," he tells me.

However, this time, I try to step away. I may not like having to attend these meetings, but there is no way I would let that woman take over my mother's pack. I couldn't dishonor her like that.

"Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to offend you. Come on, let's get a drink. My father wants to discuss alliances with your father anyway. It seems we'll be getting to know each other better soon anyway," he says, and I stop in my tracks at his words.

"Excuse me?"

"Your father hasn’t told you?" Boyd’s voice is low, laced with intrigue.

I take a step back, my heart picking up pace. Lydia’s earlier taunt echoes in my mind—could this be what she meant?

Before I can press him, Boyd’s gaze sharpens, his posture stiffening. I bump into someone behind me. Warm fingers grip my hip, the touch electric, igniting a shiver that races up my spine.

Turning, I meet the intense gaze of Alpha Zayn, his dark eyes locking onto mine.

I try to step away, but Zayn’s grip tightens, pulling me closer until every inch of his body aligns with mine. His fingers brush under the hem of my blouse, igniting a trail of heat on my skin.

"Shouldn’t you be in the Alpha meeting?" Zayn’s voice cuts through the tension, calm yet razor-sharp. Boyd freezes, his confidence draining as he meets Zayn’s piercing gaze.

"My father… he said I could leave," Boyd stutters, sounding anything but convincing.

I stay still, caught between wanting to thank Zayn for intervening and cursing him for ruining my escape. But then his hand moves again, firmer, sending a shiver down my spine.

"Good," Zayn growls, his tone dripping with authority. "Then leave."

Boyd’s eyes flick to Zayn’s hand on my hip, his expression darkening. He steps closer, his hand reaching toward me in a weak attempt to assert control.

"Cleo, let’s go," Boyd says.

My heart pounds as I glance between them. Boyd’s outstretched hand feels hollow. Zayn’s presence, on the other hand, feels like a storm, dangerous and impossible to ignore.

Zayn leans down, his breath warm against my ear. "Do you really want to go with him?"

I shake my head slightly, unable to form words, and that’s all the permission Zayn needs. His grip tightens possessively.

Boyd falters, his confidence crumbling under Zayn’s gaze. He steps back, muttering something under his breath before turning and retreating down the hall.

As the sound of Boyd’s footsteps fades, Zayn's hand doesn’t move, his body still pressed against mine as if daring me to protest. My pulse races, and for a fleeting moment, I wonder if I’ve stepped out of the meeting and into something far more dangerous.

"Cleo is using the bathroom. She is required to attend since she'll be Alpha. Isn't that right, Cleo?" his fingers dig into my hip harder. No Alpha has ever... disciplined me like this. I glance up at him and swallow when I find his eyes glaring daggers at Boyd.

"I guess I'll see you later, Cleo, if you come down to the ball," Boyd quickly states before rushing off down the stairs.

I gulp, peering up at Alpha Zayn, who leans down and points behind me. .

"Bathrooms are right there," he tells me, and I glance back toward the conference room door, which the bathroom for both genders' door is next to the conference room.

I give him a nervous look.

"You weren't sneaking off now, were you?" he asks.

"Just using the bathroom, but then I ran into Boyd," I say, awkwardly turning for the bathroom when I stop. "May I get my phone back, please?" I ask him. He raises an eyebrow at me.

"Why, so you can message Boyd?" he asks, and my face falls.

"What, no? It's my phone." Why is he so concerned with who I'm messaging?

"Until the end of the meeting, it is mine. Now, hurry, your father was worried about you," he snaps.

"So, what? You’re running errands for my father now?" I sneer, crossing my arms and rolling my eyes. Who does this guy think he is? My babysitter?

If Alpha Zayn expects me to fall in line just because he's an Alpha, he’s got another thing coming. I’m an Alpha too, and I don’t bow to anyone.

His expression darkens, his voice dropping to a lethal growl. "I’m waiting for my Beta. But go ahead, take your time in the bathroom. Or should I let Alpha Dane know how thrilled you are to become Boyd’s Luna and join the Claymore pack?"

The blood drains from my face. "I am not taking him as my mate!" I snap.

Zayn’s lips curl into a wicked smile, his eyes glinting with satisfaction. He’s enjoying this way too much.

"Then you better get back to the meeting to say that, I heard Alpha Dane ask to speak with your father after the meeting about an alliance proposal."

"What did my father say?" I ask him, slightly worriedly. This is common within packs, my father married my mother as part of a pack alliance, he then took over her pack only to find his true mate in my stepmother. It made things complicated, but at first, my mother had accepted it, though Linda wasn't as accepting as my mother. This is one thing that constantly worries me, even if we take a chosen mate, we will still recognize our true destined mate.

"I didn't hear. My Beta mindlinked me," he says as he steps closer and leans down.

"But he can't marry you off without your consent. So make sure you don't give it," he tells me.

"You know it's not that easy," I tell him, noticing how good he smells as he leans in closer, making me want to lean closer so i can soak up his scent. I almost follow that instinct when I snap out of the weird hair I'm under before embarrassing myself.

"Isn't it?" he says, and my brows furrow.

"It could cause pack wars," I remind him.

"You'll have strong alliances," he tells me.

"I highly doubt Alpha Samuel will go up against Alpha Dane, given they're best friends, and he is the only alpha my father currently has an alliance with." My eyes suddenly burn at the thought as tears spring to my eyes.

"The only thing that would stop that going ahead," he begins to say, then smirks, and I want to slap him for hurting me possibly being married off.

"A mate, I know!" I snap at him, and his brows pinch. It's alright for him; he isn't being forced to marry someone he doesn't like. I gulp, a horrible lump in my throat. How will I explain this to Deacon? We have plans. Plans that don't involve political alliances.

"Are you seriously not going to..." his words cut off when someone in the distance calls his name.

"Alpha?" mutters a voice. Peering around him, I see his Beta standing on the stairs.

Using his momentary distraction, I turn to the bathroom, push the door open, and quickly move inside. I wash my hands, not actually needing to use the bathroom, just trying to buy time. Now the urge to escape extends beyond avoiding an annoying meeting. I need to speak to Boyd and try to get him to talk his father out of that idea. Deacon will be my mate if my wolf doesn't find her own. He's insisted. We've already discussed it. Walking back out, Alpha Zayn is still talking to his Beta, and I internally groan. So much for escaping.

"I should go back into the meeting," he tells the man he is speaking with, and I know I won't be sneaking off anywhere with the Alpha around to alert my father. He turns and moves toward me. I quickly rush back into the meeting and retake my seat.

Alpha Zayn follows me a second later. My father once again looks furious about having to wait for Alpha Zayn.

"Sorry, my Beta needed to speak with me," Alpha Zayn states, and the other Alphas don't seem to mind. However, my father does.

"That's what the mindlink is for," my father snarls.

"Really? I wouldn't have known, Joseph. Last I checked, the mindlink provides me with access to his thoughts, not his eyes. He had something to show me. Now, can we continue?"

My father's lip tugs in the corners, and I know he is biting back what he wants to say.

I lean back in my seat, sulking that I can't escape to see Deacon. Yet, one part of me is grateful to Boyd for the heads up about my dad's master plan. If he thinks I'm marrying Boyd, he is severely mistaken.

The meeting drags on, tensions rising as Alpha Zayn continues to shut down my father's every argument. I can see Dad's temper boiling, his hands clenching into fists on the table. They spoke about the threat of the rogues and new treaty deals. But the longer the meeting goes on, the angrier my father becomes, each of his points shot down without mercy.

None of the other Alphas dare to interfere, and I wonder what my father did to infuriate this Zayn so badly.

Surely it can’t just be that look he shot him when he entered. Eventually, my father finally snaps. His outburst rips through the room like thunder, making me jump in my seat.

"Screw this. If you are just going to hand him control of the city, then I am done here," my father snarls abruptly, making me jump.

"Sit down, Joseph, my men on your borders are the only thing keeping the rogues off your land. So sit down and shut up!" Alpha Zayn growls, and his fist comes down on the table with a loud thud: the wood creaks and groans, a crack slivering right up the middle of it makes my eyes widen.

My father laughs and shakes his head. "I have no alliance with your pack!"

"Regardless, if you bothered to go out to your borders for once, you would see my patrols. Every pack here is under my pack's protection, and I will revoke it if you don't sit down!"

"Samuel's men help patrol my pack borders, not yours," my father snaps, gripping my arm and yanking me to my feet.

I curse, hitting my knee on the table. Great, why am I involved? Flinching, I'm nearly tossed to the ground, at the force of which my father grabs me and pulls me up beside him. My chair tips over, and I stumble over the top of it. A menacing snarl leaves Alpha Zayn's lips.

"Samuel, would you enlighten this old fool," Alpha Zayn growls murderously, and my father stops, his grip on my arm becoming crushing.

Now I wish I paid attention. My father never puts his hands on me, but something has really got under his skin for him to grab me like this.

Alpha Samuel shrinks in his seat as my father's gaze turns to him.

"What he says is true. I haven't had the numbers after the last attack, so I asked Alpha Zayn to patrol the pack's borders," he explains, looking somewhat embarrassed.

Alpha Samuel's pack is the second largest and usually runs the city's protection and the border patrols. That is what my father pays him for: his protection.

"Excuse me? I pay you every month," my father spits at him, but it is Alpha Zayn that answers.

"Now, you pay me. So sit down and unhand your-" he pauses, looking me over, having lost his train of thought.

"My daughter, Cleo," my father answers. The Alpha nods once, his eyes on my father's hand that is still locked onto me in a death grip. What is going on here?

"I know who she is."

My father growls, and I cry out as his grip crushes my arm. The other Alphas stare in shock. Alpha Zayn's eyes blaze, a snarl on his lips.

"Dad," I plead. "Let go! What's going on? What are they talking about?" I say, feeling like there's something big I'm missing out on.

"Let her go," he commands, voice holding a deadly lilt. "You're hurting her."

My father blinks, glancing down at the bruises and scratches already forming on my skin where his claws had slipped out and scratched me. Horror floods his face, and his hand falls away.

My cheeks burn a brilliant shade of scarlet. I am frightened and embarrassed as my father released his vice-like grip on my arm, the intensity of it leaving behind the clear outlines of his fingers.

"Cleo? Crap, I'm sorry, sweetie," he apologizes, the tone of his voice changing abruptly from venomous to remorseful. I can't help but feel like some sort of prize or trophy, one that he nearly damaged with his careless actions and temper.

"I'm fine. Just leave me," I whisper, trying to hide my humiliation from him and the others in the room.

Swatting his hand away, I sheepishly try to hide the bruises on my arms. The weight of their gazes bear down on me, making me acutely aware of how much attention has been placed on me at that moment, but I refuse to look at any of them. Instead, I focus on keeping my thoughts and emotions in check, remembering the countless lessons I have taken about controlling my reactions.

"Now sit down. We must finish; I haven't got time for another meeting later," Alpha Zayn snaps, my father's head whips in his direction, and he growls, not liking being spoken down to by someone younger than him.

"You are all fools, giving this lunatic control of the city and our packs," my father snarls at Alpha Samuel, then turns to glare at Alpha Zayn. "Shove your protection up your behind. I will not bow to the likes of you!" he growls, glaring at the young Alpha before tugging me from the room.

"Dad!" I hiss, still majorly confused about what's going on. He growls daringly at me, but even I know the importance of having those patrols.

"We need his help," I grit out, but he isn't hearing it. Instead, he rips me away from the meeting room and toward the stairs leading to the restaurant.

"Dad!" I snap when we reach the bottom and are out of earshot.

"No, Cleo, I am not leaving my pack in the hands of that monster," he growls, stopping so abruptly that I slam right into his back. He grips my shoulders and looks at me with a sigh, and drops his head.

"Look, one day you will understand, but for-" Sirens suddenly go off, ringing from everywhere. My dad straightens up, his eyes darting around as the sirens grow louder, signaling the city is under attack. My eyes widen, and I glance around as people panic and screams ring out from outside. My father shoves me behind him.

"Cleo, go, find somewhere to hide!" my father screams before shifting into his huge gray wolf. My heart beats like a drum in my chest, panic, and fear filling me, and I take off only to be knocked down by the stampede of panicked humans. I crawl to a nearby table, ducking under the tablecloth, when the windows all around suddenly shatter. Gunshots ring out deafeningly, and the roars and growls only get closer and louder.

"Cleo, run!" my father screams through the mindlink when a giant malt-colored wolf upturns the table. I scream, scrambling back on my hands and knees, only for my father's wolf to attack the wolf. Turning, I try to get to my feet when teeth rip into my arm, sending jarring pain through me.

My scream echoes through my skull as the beast shakes its head violently, flinging me toward the kitchens. My body flies through the air, and I crash heavily on the floor. Groaning, I scramble to get to my feet, slipping on the tiled floor that is drenched in blood. Bodies are strewn across the restaurant floor, and I run for the kitchen doors just as I am tackled to the ground-another wolf is upon me.

The wolf's teeth tear into my thigh, and this time, when I hear my father's panicked voice ring out, I know he has shifted back to find me.

"Dad!" I scream for him before hearing his strained voice.

"Samuel, get to Cleo!" I hear his gurgled cry from another room before I hear the snapping of bones again. I kick out, trying to get the wolf mauling me off while keeping my arms over my head, knowing if he gets to my neck, I am gone. Claws rake down my sides, and I scream in agony as the wolf drags me closer.

I thrash, screaming and kicking when his weight is suddenly gone from on top of me. I gasp in relief only to see a massive black wolf standing over the rogue that attacked me. The rogue now lies dead at his feet. I crawl back on my hands and feet, my leg throbbing as my blood spills onto the floor, mingling with the rest of the bright red stains. I shriek when I notice another rogue lunge at my face, only to stop midair when the black wolf mauls it. I try to escape, but I am caught beneath the black wolf.

He takes down the rogue, and I clutch his fur, wondering which Alpha it is because I haven't seen this wolf before. He doesn't snarl as I use his body to pull myself out from under him so that I can stand, but the wolf sniffs my leg and whimpers when I notice more rogues spilling in through open windows. The wolf snarls, spinning on his feet before snapping his teeth at me, his way of telling me to run without the mindlink.

I don't need to be told twice. I clamber to my feet, ignoring the pain and running toward the kitchen to find somewhere to hide and catch glimpses of rogues everywhere. They are going to kill everyone, I think, panicked. There are too many. Sliding along the floor, my leg throbs to its own beat, and my arm is gushing blood when four rogues come into the kitchen from the other end. I come to a jarring halt before spinning, only to find my exit is now blocked, and I am surrounded.

"Cleo, where are you?" my father calls through the mindlink.

"Dad, I'm..." a snarl pulls me from the mindlink.

"Hold on, Bub, I'm trying to get to you!" he calls back, but my eyes track the movement of the wolves surrounding me.

Looking around, I grab a knife off the counter, trying to watch them as they stalk toward me. The one at the exit I just came in from charges at me, and my eyes fly wide, a shriek leaving my lips when it too is suddenly mauled, mere inches away from me.

The huge black wolf from before starts ripping it to shreds and knocking me out of the way when the other four join the fray, trying to kill him. Scrambling back on my hands and feet, I turn, looking for a way to escape, when I see one wolf tear into the black wolf's hind leg. Panic ripples through me at the sight, knowing that the wolf is the only thing keeping me alive.

I stare at my hand and remember the knife. Getting my hands and knees, I scramble to my feet. I rush toward the one ripping at his rear leg while two try to get at him from the side, the other dead on the ground. I plunge the knife into the filthy gray wolf. It rears back and snarls then wheezes when I pull the knife out just as quickly.

Only it doesn't kill him. It only fuels his rage. Panic surges through me as I watch him stalk toward me, his eyes burning with fury. The other two wolves are still being torn apart by the black wolf when more rush in. My breath catches in my throat. I'm trapped. Before I can even move, the gray wolf lunges at me, its fangs sinking into my shoulder, and I scream as pain rips through me.

The wolf shakes its head violently, tearing into my flesh. Blood spills out, pooling around me as I try to scramble away, but the wolf releases me just as quickly, leaving me gasping, shivering in agony.

I roll onto my side, every movement sending waves of pain through me. Blood slicks the floor beneath me, making it harder to drag myself toward the walk-in freezer. I reach for the handle, desperate, my hands trembling, but the sound of the battle intensifies. More wolves charge in, knocking over steel benches, sending utensils flying through the air, the chaos growing by the second. The black wolf, my unexpected savior, is now surrounded, outnumbered, bloodied, and still, he fights.

With each blow, I see him slow, his body weakening, blood seeping through his fur. Yet he doesn’t retreat. His body moves with a precision that defies the odds, positioning himself between me and the wolves.

I feel completely powerless, trapped in a human body, unable to shift, unable to help. My heart aches with the weight of it. All I can do is watch as the wolf continues to protect me.

Who is he? Why hasn’t he abandoned me to save himself?

I yank on the freezer doors, trying to get them to open, but in my panic, I realize there is a button on the handle. Jamming my thumb on it, it clicks open, and I grip the frame, using it to help pull me to my feet. Turning back, the wolf is covered in blood as he takes on three rogues at once. After looking around and finding no exit for him, I call out to him, knowing the freezer would be secure if we could jam the door closed.

"Hey!" I scream out to him, and he glances back only to be attacked. He attacks back, mauling the wolf, only for another to replace it.

He retreats, backing up toward me, and I push the door open. If he doesn't hide in here, they will kill him. We can block the door and wait for help to come. Unable to shift and join the fray, it's our only hope.

Not given a choice, he turns the moment he gets a chance and barrels toward me. I shriek, darting out of his way before slamming the door shut the moment he is inside. The wolves hit the door and nearly toss it open while I push back against them.

"Help me block it!" I shout at the wolf while gripping the handle and digging my feet into the ground, trying to hold it closed. I scream as it pushes inward, my shoulder and arm protesting as the door rams back at me; my injuries threatening to make my whole body collapse. I can't lock the handle when suddenly, a body hits it. Likewise, I click the lock in place, only for it to unlock instantly, and I know one of the rogues has shifted back. Paws would struggle to manipulate the lock.

"Move!" a man's voice growls, and I jump back as he slams his body against it. Hearing the lock click back in place, and then the handle drops to the ground with a loud clang. I try to catch my breath, relieved he got it locked, just as my legs give out from under me.

I clamp my hand over my bleeding thigh, internally cringing at the way it is ripped open. My consciousness fades and I feel like I am going to faint as I stare down at my blood-drenched blouse

"Show me," the man's deep voice comes as he swats my hands away, and I look up to see who is the man behind the mysterious black wolf who saved me. I gasp when I recognize him to be Alpha Zayn. Looking very handsome but absolutely exhausted. Plus, he is bare in the flesh with his hands holding my leg together.

"Why didn't you shift?" he snaps at me, angrily pulling me from my shock.

"I haven't shifted yet," I blurt out, and his head snaps up to look at me.

"You're under twenty?" he stammers.

I nod, and he appears shocked, pressing his lips in a line. He nods once before he growls.

"Avert your gaze, while I find something to cover myself with."

"Excuse me? I'm nineteen and an adult!" I retort, outraged that he would call me such a name.

"Yes, exactly. You're unshifted. Unmated wolves aren't supposed to be bare around the unshifted she-wolves. You won't get your wolf until you're twenty. Therefore, you're still a pup!" he retorts.

"Shut up!" I growl at him.

"Was that a purr?" he mocks. I glare at him, but he holds my gaze.

"Look away so that I can stand."

I roll my eyes but look away. His logic makes no sense. I am the legal age to drink, an adult according to the law. Just technically not according to werewolf society, apparently.

"Wouldn't be the first man I have seen without clothes on," I mutter.

"You're not pure?" he growls menacingly, responding quickly.

My face heats. "I mean, I have seen men bare when they shift before." I'm certainly not going to be discussing my barely there intimate life with an Alpha I hardly know. Especially one who knows my father.

"Good, so you are pure," he snarls.

Why does he care? I think bitterly.

"I never said that either," I quip, and he growls. Not that he needed to know that I am, in fact, still pure. It just irritates me that he is so nosey and prying into my life.

"Well, are you or not?" he demands, and I look at him to find him covering himself with a meat bag. Seems fitting, I chuckle, staring at it.

"Aren't there more important things to discuss?" I taunt. "Like for example my bleeding leg." I grunt, remembering the pain.

"Answer me!" He glares at me.

"Why does it matter?" I shoot back. He looks away, and I watch as he clenches his teeth. "Are you pure?" I ask in a mocking tone.

"That's none of your business!"

"Yet my first time is yours?" I retort, raising an eyebrow.

"Do I look like pure?" he snaps. My eyes roam over him. The man is sheer muscle and flesh, each part of him sculpted perfectly, right down to his...

"You look like a man who has his meat in a sausage bag," I snicker, trying to keep the mood light and the pain away. He doesn't find my joke funny. Instead, he stares blankly at me.

"Fine, no, you don't look like pure, although I wouldn't be surprised if you were with your attitude," I snap at him.

"Do you have a boyfriend?" he asks, and I sigh, rubbing my temples. I can already feel a headache coming on.

"What's with the millions of questions? We may die in a freezer together, but that doesn't mean I need to reveal my entire life to you?" I remind him, and he sighs.

"Just answer the question," he growls.

"Kinda," I tell him. No! Why would I tell him that? What if he tells my father? "But, please don't tell my father. He'll bloody kill me! I told him Deacon is just a friend," I blurt like an idiot. The last thing I want is for Deacon to get in trouble because we fooled around.

The Alpha growls but says nothing else on the matter and instead tries to stem the bleeding on my leg when I suddenly hear a loud crack. The Alpha looks up at the ceiling, and so do I. Seconds later, we hear a crash, and the freezer we are hiding in shakes.

"Please tell me that wasn't the roof caving in," I mutter.

"That wasn't the roof," he says in a low voice, "That's the ground."

"What!?" I exclaim, shock overtaking me.

He rolls his eyes, clearly unimpressed. As the truth sinks in, I smack his shoulder, irritation flaring. He chuckles.

"So, have you got a girlfriend then?" I ask. I'm here and who knows what's going on outside, might as well pass the time.

"Not anymore; I broke up with her today," he states matter-of-factly.

"Today? No wonder you were in such a bad mood at the Alpha meeting if she dumped you," I mutter.

"I broke up with her!" he protests, sounding less like a suave, imposing Alpha and more like a teenage boy.

I raise an eyebrow at him. "Really? Is that why you're so bottom hurt?" I tease.

"I'm not hurt. I dumped her during the meeting, and I was in a bad mood because your father is a prick," he states.

"Wow, you broke up with your girlfriend via text. You really are bad!" I tell him, and he shrugs.

"She'll find her mate eventually. It wouldn't have lasted anyway," he tells me.

"Wait, you just dumped her for no reason?"

"I have my reasons, none that you need to know about," he tells me. I roll my eyes at him.

"Did she cheat?" I ask.

"What? No, of course not," he growls. Alpha Zayn gets up, wanders to the door, and unlocks it. When he yanks on the door, it doesn't budge.

"Great, now I am locked in here with you," I curse as he examines the door. He swears, looking up, and I see that the door frame has been bent, locking the door in place. The Alpha peers over his shoulder and glares at me.

"Sure, say it like it's my fault, you're not the only one trapped in here!" he growls.

"Yes, but you can adapt to the cold, I can't!" I retort, and he turns to look at me.

He curses, turning back to try to find a way out.

My breath fogs the freezing air as I shiver, glaring at Alpha Zayn's back. It is impossible not to notice how his muscles flex beneath his taut skin, but I refuse to let myself be swayed by lust in this very not ideal situation.

"It's no use; we're literally stuck in here," I state the obvious, my teeth chattering as I huddle against the wall. Whether it's the cold or the blood loss, my leg feels numb.

He turns, casting me a scathing glare that sends shivers down my spine for an entirely different reason. "Thanks for stating the obvious, I know."

As my heart pounds in my chest, I can't help but think how unfair it is that I might die here with this arrogant Alpha. I want to scream at the injustice of it all, but there is no time for that. I briefly think about Deacon, hoping he didn't get caught up in the fight as he stood outside, waiting for me. And what about the people at the ball? What of Lydia and my father? My thoughts are cut off when I hear a chilling crack echo through the room, and my stomach tightens with fear.

"Get down!" Zayn barks, his voice tense with urgency.

Before I can even react, Zayn throws his body over mine, shielding me from the teeth-grating screech of metal collapsing above us. His muscular form presses against me, making it difficult to breathe.

"Are you okay?" Zayn asks, his breath hot against my ear as he lifts himself off me just enough to look into my eyes. I nod, my heart still racing from the close call, when I notice the side of the freezer is bent in, and the roof is now lower.

"Thanks," I whisper, feeling a strange mix of gratitude and annoyance towards him while he moves to try the door again.

"Maybe if we're lucky, the power source has been cut, and we won't freeze to death," I offer, trying to ignore the incessant chattering of my teeth.

Zayn tilts his head, raising an eyebrow as he assesses me. "I originally wasn't so sure if you were a natural blonde. This just puts my doubt to rest."

He did not just mock me for being blonde! Anger blazes within me, momentarily eclipsing the cold.

"Hey, I'm actually pretty smart; I at least think with my brain and not my temper," I snap, realizing that I can still hear the faint sound of the motors running. Just great! The room is still powered.

"Ouch, princess," Zayn smirks, but there is a hint of annoyance in his voice. "You sure know how to hit me where it hurts."

"Good," I mutter, pulling my arms tighter around myself, trying to fight the cold that’s creeping under my skin. I refuse to let him see how much it affects me. Instead, I focus on the anger running through me, letting it shield me from the cold, especially when his gaze drops to my exposed shoulder and collarbone. His fingers hover near my shirt, panic flickering in his eyes.

I glance down, immediately regretting it when I spot the flap of skin hanging loose. In an instant, my blouse is ripped open, buttons flying across the room, and I can’t stop the groan that escapes as the fabric falls open. I clutch at the skin, trying to hold it together, but then I hear the unmistakable crack of bones.

Before I can react, a massive tongue sweeps over my wound, sending a shockwave of sensation through me.

I gasp, my body tensing as I instinctively push against the wolf’s head, but he snarls, his sharp teeth sinking into my wrist with vicious precision. A cry slips from my lips, but instead of pulling away, he only returns to licking my open wound with a strange, possessive urgency.

"You can’t—" My voice is a panicked whisper. This is wrong. My father is going to kill me when he finds out Alpha Zayn healed me.

Zayn shifts back, his eyes dark with frustration. "Would you rather die?" he snaps, reaching for my hand. He glances at the bite mark and without waiting for me to respond, he leans down, his breath hot against my skin. His fingers hover over my wound, the heat of his touch searing into me. And before I can stop myself, I let out a soft moan.