Chapter 106
The twin’s parents contacted us nearly an entire dayter. While they had the address for the
safehouse, there was no way for us to contact anyone in the outside world. There were no telephones
in the entire house, and our own cellphones were lost or broken during the chaos.
“They won’te here.” Kade reassured me, ” Marcus’s men could be anywhere. Coming here would
only bring trouble.”
Even though I cherished these hours with the twin’s, they were wrought with anxiety. I couldn’t help but
feel like the world was holding its breath, waiting for the next move to be made. Marcus had clearly
made the first move, ordering my capture along with Tori and the twins. It was our turn, but we were in
no position to do anything.
Both Tori and Zayne stayed in their rooms for most of the day, managing toe downstairs at
different intervals. While it might’ve been chance, I had the distinct feeling they werepletely
avoiding each other. I thought back tost night and the interaction between the two of them,
wondering if something more might’ve happened once, she shut the door behind them.
Ava had actually stayed in the living room all night. The twin’s and I hade downstairs to her
wrapped in a cocoon of nkets, with various snacks littered around her body. While she didn’t go any
further into detail, Ava mentioned herrge family and the closeness between them all.
The day passed slowly, but the twins had their ways of distracting me. In truth, I think they needed the
distraction as well. I knew that not only were they worried about the countless white wolves within
Marcus’s walls, but they were worrying about their own pack. Actual war, it’s not something an
eighteen-year-old ever thinks they might experience. Where the concept was once concrete in my
mind, I now couldn’t wrap my head around it. Even with the confusion and guilt, I knew I’d remain
strong. It wasn’t just about me and my freedom anymore, it was about the freedom of thousands.
I was finding it hard to sleep that night, even after hours spent in their embrace. I listened to the ringing
in my ears when the silence became to deafening, staring up into the darkness that cloaked the ceiling.
The twins had both fallen asleep already, even though I knew both would wake from little more than a
whisper.
I was the first to hear the feather-light knock on the door. Both Alec and Kade woke up, awareness
already forming in their eyes.
You could have easily convinced me I was dreaming when Kade opened the door to reveal a pale
looking Zayne leaning against the frame. The three of us were silent long enough for Zayne to roll his
eyes ande walking in. I could feel how he forced himself to stand upright, to shove and bottle his
pain until his entire body throbbed.
“Look, Tori’s the one who knows all of the medical stuff.” I told him, crossing my arms over my chest.
“You’re going to have to get over being around her so she can fix your wounds. I’ll only end up doing
more damage, the twin’s even worse.”
“I am not here for medical attention.” He said through clenched teeth, his eyes hardened into sheets of
ice. “I am here because this is the only way to speak with you without her overhearing. As you’re well
aware, she’s–difficult to get along with. I don’t need her interfering in these ns, not when they can tip
the scales in this war.”
“We’ll go back to the part where Tori is the difficult er, but exin this n.” I toned my snarl
down into a venomous whisper. “Staying in the shadows only works for so long Zayne, especially with
something this big. This isn’t just about rescuing a few white wolves; it doesn’t just end with that. Not
anymore.”
“I understand clearly what’s going on, more than you know. I’m all but signing my f*****g d***h warrant.”
He grunted, walking slow and stiff to the couch across the room. There was pain in his stiff movements,
even if they looked formal and polite. Shadows hung in the depths of his eyes, and his emotions were
just as blocked as they had been when he was sober. “I fully intend oning out of the shadows, at
the right moment. When you take my father’s head, I will be the one to bring him to his knees.”
As much as I despised Zayne, and only tolerated him for the sake of this war and Tori, this was what
we needed. We needed the upper hand, an advantage against the most powerful person in our world.
“What’s your n?” Alec was the first to ask, his once carefree face now hardened from equal parts
loathing and determination.
“First, I need you to tell me something.” Zayne said, his eyes directly on me. “How is it that my father
found out about our involvement with rescuing your mate here?”
I figured Jaspar hadn’t the time to tell Zayne with him getting dragged off and tortured, but the two
actively worked together, which meant I trusted him with the truth.
“A white wolf that Marcus brought, she saw the memory in my mind when she touched me. ” I
exined as best I could, recounting the woman that had bumped into me.
“Cleo. She works for my father willingly. You’ll find that not all white wolves are unhappy with their
positions. They thrive just as much on cruelty as my father.” Zayne said darkly, “The only good thing out
of this, Cleo can only see a single memory at a time, and she has to know what to look for. My father
must have fed her the information about your missing mate, and she followed the path in your head.”
“This is a good thing, how?” Kade asked, sitting beside me on the couch. I sat between my twin’s,
thankful that I wasn’t still tossing and turning in bed. Hopefully discussing war ns would help calm
my mind. “Marcus has no reason to trust you knowing that you helped us.”
“Cleo’s abilities are like watching a recap of a television show. She can’t hear your thoughts or most of
the conversation. The longer she keeps contact with you, the more details she can get. She must’ve
seen just enough for my father to assume guilt.” He exined, his eyes peering out the window, to the
darkness that peeked between the c******s. “Which means he’s still clueless about my involvement with
the white wolves. He also has no knowledge of our agreement or the reasons behind my helping you.”
“You’re going to feed him a story, something that would put you in the clear.” I pieced it together, feeling
my stomach sink for both Tori and Zayne. “You’re going to go back.”
“Yes, I am going to go back. I n on leaving tomorrow night.”‘ He answered smoothly, his eyes
betraying nothing. “I will tear his pack down from the inside, while you gather your armies.”
That small shred within me that still housed the fearful human girl–she wanted to run for the hills. It was
bing all too real for her, some magical fantasy turned dark and b****y. She had signed up for the
endless, eternal love–not the magical envement, m****r, and lies.
“How–how does war work?” I asked inly, even though the question itself wasn’t stupid in the
slightest.
“Packs always formally announce acts of war against one another. They’re recorded so we can always
remember our history.” Surprisingly, it was Zayne who exined. I liked to think that he wanted to
speak, to distract himself from whatever mess was going on inside of his head. “At times, an Alpha will
challenge another to singlebat, to save their packs the pain and loss of war.”
“I don’t suppose Marcus would be interested in singlebat?”‘ I suggested with a brittleugh that
quickly sputtered out.
“My father will not show such courtesy. He will use every ounce of power at his disposal, even if it
means sending his warriors to their deaths.” Zayne said in a gravelly voice. “Most of the warriors are
just a formality, bodies to protect the white wolves that are his most powerful.”
“What’s this story you n on giving to Marcus?” Kade asked, his dark eyes like bright orbs in the
poorly lit room. “I assume it’ll paint Aurora and I as the enemies.”
“As bad as it sounds, I think that’s the smartest thing to do.” I frowned, “That’s what Marcus is trying to
do, show the world that were the bad guys. If his own son shows up telling a story about how we held
him against his will, it’ll give Marcus even more reason to believe it.”
“Then what’s the story?” Kade grunted, some of the hardness in his eyes eroded as he looked down at
me.
“Well–we caught Zayne off guard and attacked him. We forced him to help us get Alec back and left
him in one of the hotel rooms when we were finished.” I suggested, knowing that the story had holes. It
was the best I coulde up with at three in the morning.
“He’s going to torture me regardless, so I better get my stories straight.” Zayne said evenly, without a
trace of emotion. What hurt me the most was how nonchnt he sounded, as though that kind of
punishment was normal growing up.
“Won’t he just use Cleo on you once you get back home?” I pointed out, knowing that could ruin his
ns before they even begun.
“Once I’m in my father’s pack, I have allies of my own. There are a lot of protective abilities among the
white wolves, and more than enough owe me a favor or two.” He replied without looking away from the
window, “We’re going to need more details. If you and Kade subdued me, why did I not simply mind-
link my father or his men?”
I paused for a moment, working through the steps.
“We used silver on you, enough to knock you out and cut your connection to your pack.” I said a bit
slowly, feeling the pieces click together in my mind.
“Up until we went there, you had no clue the house existed. Won’t Marcus know that?” Kade asked,
which turned out to be a very good point.
“I’ll tell him I’ve known about it the entire time.” Zayne shrugged, meeting Kade’s eyes. “I know he
purchased it nearly a year and a half ago, and who the buyer was, which will be proof enough for him.”
“Once we had Alec back, we left you in one of the hotel suites. We knew you couldn’t miss this meeting
or it would draw attention, so we injected you with just enough to knock you out for an hour. It wore off
in time for the meeting, which you then showed up for. You didn’t have the time to tell Marcus what
happened, because the meeting had already begun.” I concluded, feeling somewhat proud with myself.
“What about Ava? Won’t he know from Aurora’s memory that she was there as well?” Kade pointed
out.
“Your cynical nature is really proving handy on this one, brother.” Alec smirked from beside me.
“How long did Cleo touch you for?” Zayne asked, his voice sharp. “I need you to be as urate as
possible.”
“It couldn’t have been for more than a few seconds, but there’s no way for me to know for sure.” I
replied, refusing to balk under his gaze.
“It’s a risk we’ll have to take.” He said with finality, “She was with Kade for the first half. Let’s hope that’s
the part that Cleo viewed.”
While I wasn’t exactly happy with sending Zayne back to his father, it wasn’t a horrible n. If it
worked, it would give us that upper hand we desperately needed. In the end, it was Zayne’s choice to
make, but there was still something bothering me. I could feel it in my chest, picking and scratching as
it made itself known.
“Why can’t we tell her, Zayne?” I asked seemingly out of the blue. “She understands just as well asC0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.
anyone that you make your own choices. If this works, it could change things, but it’s your risk to take.”
“She will know nothing about it, Aurora.” He said harshly, his cool demeanor turning bitter. I could feel
next to nothing from his emotions, and the wall he had erected around them. Brick by brick, Zayne and
his father built that wall. “I don’t want her mixed in with what I am doing, and not for the sentimental
reasons I’m sure are going through your head right now. She has no ce in any of this. I might be
stuck working with you three, but she is a distraction I never asked for.”
I wasn’t sure if he noticed thatst part had slipped out, but his anger was palpable. The twin’s stiffened
on either side of me, but I quickly told them both to cool it.
When Zayne had first showed up at the door of the twin’s cabin, I felt absolutely nothing from him. The
wall around him was of thick granite, imprable and solid. After meeting Tori, the rock began to chip
and erode; seared by her intensity and passion. That wall around him was going to shatter, and I only
hoped Tori was free from the explosion when it did.
Against my better judgement, I pushed again. He was finally doing the right thing, standing up to
Marcus in the one way that mattered. He was stepping into the light and epting his role in creating
this new future, but I still couldn’t fathom why Tori couldn’t be a part of this new future with him. One
where Marcus wasn’t there to exact control over him, one where he was free to choose Tori.
“What you’re doing doesn’t make any sense, Zayne. Did Marcus mess you up that badly that you can’t
see what you’re giving up? She’s literally meant for you, in all of your ignorant, stubborn, a*****e ways.”
I scoffed, hardening my face as anger shed in his eyes. “We’re trying to change things for everyone,
to create something new and better. There is no reason for you to be doing this to her. She deserves
better, and yet she’s saddled with you.”
Anger sizzled and burned through the cracks in his wall, though the emotion wasn’t scalding like Tori’s
was. Zayne’s anger was throughshes of ice and spiderwebs of bitter frost.
“I don’t have to exin anything to you, not a single f*****g thing.” He snapped, his voice dripping with
rage.
He stood from the couch, his hands trembling as he clenched them at his sides. He never even
bothered looking at the twin’s as he turned and walked stiffly from the room.
Just as he opened the door, I spoke loud enough for him to hear.
“Your emotionse out when your drunk, Zayne. You can’t hide that.”
The door clicked shut, sending the room spiraling into silence for the second time.
Zayne’s n was a good one, but it was one full of danger. In my mind, Tori had a right to know. She
was a part of this mess, hunted by Marcus for simply being important to me. While I supported Zayne’s
choice–I knew I couldn’t lie to her.
My hope about war meetings and sleep hade true. Wedged between Alec and Kade, with nothing
more than their body heat and a thin sheet to keep me warm, I floated in that blissful space between
sleep and awareness.
My eyes were torn open by sunlight covered daggers that shed in my brain as they collided. Aware
of nothing more than the pain and the sheet tangled around my legs, I groaned and heaved myself into
a sitting position.
“Get dressed, sweetheart.” Kade grunted, walking past me with a lot more speed than usual.
A shirt and a pair of jeans was tossed on the bed in front of me, but I was still having trouble
processing. Instead of asking questions, I stood and took a few minutes to get dressed. I must’ve been
moving too slowly because Alec strolled over to help me.
“You’re a very heavy sleeper.” He smirked, slipping my arms through the shirt holes.
“Did something happen?” I asked, fighting to keep the grogginess from my voice.
“Yeah, something happened.” Alec grunted; his rxed demeanor reced with one of frustration.
“Zayne leftst night.”
Like a bucket of water sshed against the side of my head, I was fully awake from that point onward.
Alec and I came downstairs to a furious Tori, and Kade who took the brunt of it.
“Were you going to tell me that he nned on leaving?” Tori snapped, her narrowed eyes on Kade.
When she noticed Alec and I standing in the doorway, her emerald eyes fall on us.” Were any of you
going to tell me?”
“I was going to tell you, I swear.” I promised her, leaving Alec’s side to step forward. I could feel the
anger and betrayal radiating from her, sinking into my skin like razor sharp daggers. “He said he wasn’t
leaving until tomorrow night. I figured it could’ve waited until the morning. I had no clue he was going to
leave a few hourster.”
She looked skeptical, and the thought of her doubting me made my chest throb and ache. I masked the
pain and hoped she could see the truth, that I wouldn’t keep something like this from her, not about her
own mate.
“The moment Zayne told us what he nned; Aurora made the decision in her mind to tell you.” Kade
spoke up for me, meeting Tori’s gaze head on. His voice was strong and sure when he spoke, “On
mine and my brother’s honor as Alpha’s, Aurora had every intention on telling you before Zayne left.”
Little by little, the suspicion in her eyes dissolved, taking the pain in my chest along with it.
The rest of the day was wrought with tension, as that looming sensation of the world holding its breath
grew stronger. After a few hours of mindlessly watching television or exploring the house, I was ready
to break free from this ce. What I hated worse than the violence and betrayal was the waiting,
waiting for something to happen.
As the clock on the far wall hit ten o’clock, the tablet on the table erupted in a shrill ring around.
Where it was first annoying in volume, it ratcheted up when the sound connected to the speakers on
the television.
Alec came running into the room, a te of forgotten food in his hand. There was nothing on the
screen, nothing but darkness. The shrill sound continued for a few more seconds, when a click
sounded from the television mounted on the wall.
The television blinked on, bringing bright light and the erged image of Jaspar Fox’s face. He was
standing a few feet away from the camera, his onyx hair an untidy mess on his head. The leather jacket
he wore was ripped in a few ces, and the patches were peeling off. He looked at the camera, and
began speaking.
“Hello, Aurora. If you’re getting this message, it means I am d**d.”