The Worst Kind of Wonderful

Chapter FOUR

✖The Worst Kind of Wonderful✖

"We follow the ways of wolves, the

habits of tigers: or, rather we are

worse than they.

To them nature has assigned

that they should be thus fed,

While God has honoured us with

rational speech and a sense of equity.

And yet we are become worse than the

wild beast."

-John Chrysostom

Chapter Four~

The warriors marched in like machines. Cold, determined, fearless machines all lead by Cora Day, my best friend's mother. Oddly enough, despite the mate bond making connection with another male uncomfortable, the only thing keeping me together was Zak's warm hand around mine and the way he looked around the room as if preparing to attack anyone he saw as a threat.

Marie stood out, for the first time, a bold contrast to her husband's bored expression for the glimmer of emotion that clouded her once dead looking eyes. Her expression was one of fear that I did not understand the meaning of but didn't have enough energy left to focus on.

In the fifteen minutes of argument and near riot that had encompassed me, I let myself drift away. I let my mind go numb, locking my panicking wolf from my thoughts. I didn't want to feel. Hurting wouldn't do me any good. I simply pondered my options, keeping my face blank as I peered around the windowless room in determination.

I was not done fighting, no matter what the file clutched in Cora's hand revealed, it wasn't the end. I watched her pass Head Elder Hartley that fateful black paper but was surprised by his eyes; eyes that focused, not on the information in his scar riddled palms but on Zak and I instead.

"Zakary Winters." Atticus spoke, eyes unmoving from our clasped hands.

Zak glared menacingly at him, standing to his full stature but still holding my slim fingers firm in his grasp. "Yes sir?"

"You're in love with this girl."

"I-"

"You deny it." It wasn't a question but Zak nodded his head making mine snap up to look at him.

"So you do not love her?" Atticus asked, puzzled. I held my breath, unsure why my heart hurt so badly.

"No sir, it's not that."

"Zak?" I whispered giving his hand a comforting squeeze.

He looked almost guilty, avoiding my gaze with obvious shame. "I do. I love her," he confirmed, "but she doesn't-"

"I see. Well, you will have time to discuss this later whether from a cell or in your own time but right now we must see which. Let's hope she is innocent of Elder Worth's claim for your sake Zakary. I fear your...feelings might get in the way of you're ability to lead if assigned another beta and Luna." Though I tried to keep my calm, with the shock of Zak's forced confession and my own life's hanging in the balance it was more than difficult.

The pain was already there before anyone could say anything. The pain of anticipated loss. The pain of numbness. The pain of feeling everything and nothing at all.

"Stop-" a word broke free into the air, rescuing me from my fate. "I said, stop it Atticus!" The voice was soft but firm, filling the room with its clarity. A voice that seemed strangely familiar. The voice of Marie Hartley. "She's just a girl and no matter what that file contains, she is under my protection. You will not lay a finger on her without a proper trial, though you'd do well to pray it does not come to that."