Shane's POV
I'm currently in my headquarters and getting ready to go to dinner. A light knock on the door catches my attention.
After putting on my pants I head for the door with my shirt on my hand. Opening the door I am met with Lydia.
I start scanning her from her head to toe. She had her ginger hair pushed and straightened to her back. Her petite body hugged by the dress that showed her long legs with high heels. What was the occasion?
"Going somewhere?" I ask her.
"More like we are going somewhere. Did you forget?" Forget what?
"I'm not sure what you're referring to." I say crossing my arms.
"We have a meeting with the Alpha of the neighboring pack? Alpha Kage?" Shit!
"Fuck I forgot about that. How did I forget? Damn."
"Oh it's not a surprise since you've met Zhavi." She says wiggling her eyes at me.
"I have a lot of things in my mind Lydia. " I retreat to my room. Back to my wardrobe, now I have to be formal so I can get this thing over with.
Lydia follows heading for my bed and lies on her stomach. "You say that a lot." She watches me as I enter my closet looking for something to wear. "So Zhavi left today. She said something about her dad's friend's kids. She's living with them."
What? Great now I can't keep an eye on her. I can't exactly send bodyguards to make sure she was okay. I thought I was lucky after finding out she and Raven were roommates. Now I need a new strategy.
"Great, another problem. When did she leave because I was with her this morning?" I finally get out in some formal shoes and pants and a dress shirt with my sleeves rolled up to my elbows. I'm not suffocating myself in a suit for Kage.
"After school. Relax, I have a thing that says your mate isn't the most friendly. I doubt she might befriend an enemy."
"She may not talk to them but once they find out who she is t-" Lydia didn't let me finish before she came to my back to fix the collar of my shirt.
"Hey, you worry too much, no one will know trust me." She wraps her hands around my torso in a hug. I guess I needed that.
I turn around and come face to face with her green eyes. For a moment I forget a lot of things. She has that effect on me, we've known each other for a long time and we've grown to trust each other.
Something in me suddenly remembered that this was going to be my wife. She was going to be my Queen. My hands worked up to brush her cheeks.
I remembered the days we used to be together, we were separated by the elders being cautious about us finding mates. Which is frustrating considering they are the ones that thought it was suitable enough for us to marry if we don't find mates. We both were frustrated and our childish minds couldn't separate and we'd meet in secret.
I was so lost in my own thoughts that I didn't realise my eyes were closed and my lips were brushing against Lydia's until someone at the door cleared their throat. Raven stood at the doorway all puzzled. What the fuck just happened?
"Alpha, Lydia, I apologize for the bad timing but Beta Christian was wondering what was taking so long." She said not daring to look me in the eye.
Raven is different from Christian and Lydia and I guess Melissa too. Christian, Lydia and I come a long way along with the vampire King Holden. So they are not as afraid of me as the others. Raven is very close with Lydia and is the youngest among us. With her being a hybrid, she is one of the most powerful beings but her wolf side is on the average wolf rank so she fears me even though I have grown fond of her.
She and her mother were moved from a pack in New York after finding out she was strong and our enemies could use her against us. She never dares to annoy me like the others, she mostly keeps to herself which is the best quality she has. Though I see her as my little sister as much as Greyson, she fears me and sees the need to bow even though she doesn't have to. She is quiet and I can't believe she just caught me kissing her friend when her roommate, her former roommate of course, is my mate.
You dingus, you just cheated on mate.
My wolf said at the back of my mind. It wasn't exactly intentional. As I am walking outside I keep thinking what the heck am I going to do now? Do I have feeli-
"What where are you going? Ruth and I just made you kids a good meal!" My thoughts interrupted by the woman in an apron with a pink face showing growing anger. My mother.
"I have a meeting and I forgot and Lydia came to inform me." I say to her trying to ease her anger. She can see me trying to run. I know when she's like this she can make me stay.
"And apparently taking care of some unfinished business."
I hear someone behind me say. Turning my head I see Lydia looking down and noticed Raven's annoyance. She notices I was looking at her and she also looked down and heads toward my mother.
"I'll make it quick. We'll be back before 20:00 mother, I promise." I continue.
"I'll stay with you Mommy Verlice, need help in the kitchen?" Raven says.
"Of course Raven honey, come on I want to make desert before they come back." With that we were given a chance to escape. Thank you Raven. Also I don't miss the part where me and Lydia are in trouble.
_______________
Raven's POV
Mama Verlice aka the Queen mother leads me to the kitchen. I call her Mama Verlice because I guess I'm used to it since she told me to call her that when I was 6, the first time we met. She was my mother's friend before my mother died a year ago. She has been my mother too.
Greyson and I are very close but his brother intimidates me. It's unfortunate that I met him when he was less friendly after the former King died so I never got to know him on a deeper level like the other three. Well for Melissa she knows him on an even deeper, deeper level.
"What should we make them?" Mama Verlice asked me. "Mmhh well everyone likes ice cream?"
"No not Shane, mhhhh," She starts thinking until she jerks up. "Ohhh I know now. Pie! They all love pie." She's not wrong Mama Verlice makes the best pies.
Shane is picky with a lot of things. He's the reason it's hard for cooks and every other staff especially designers for his tuxedos.
Speaking of him. I am more than traumatized and beyond disappointed with him and Lydia. I know she still had feelings for him and was hurt that he had found his mate but I didn't expect her to kiss him or him kiss her. Either way they were both wrong. How can the mighty Alpha King cheat on his own mate. The same person that took away his words? And my best friend knows better than to do that to someone that has a mate. How could they?
I have lived over a week with Zhavi to know that she is not a person who would do such. She hardly talks and so do I which is what I loved about her. She doesn't push anything but let's it flow. I tried approaching her with Lydia's energy but she just gave me an answer that told me to turn it down a bit. Since then I really liked her. Not more than Lydia of course she's my best friend and only best friend that I would go through lengths for.
Zhavi always wakes up a few hours before school and goes for a run. Comes back and wakes me up if I'm late. At school she just attends classes and sits at the park with headphones on and starts reading her novels. She has a tone of those. After school she would leave around 15:00-16:00 to go for her evening run. She never comes back after 19:00. Very punctual like she's used to a curfew.
She told me that she really liked Lydia today since Lydia did not have school today. We both had a mathematics test which was the only module we shared. I noticed how much she's a nerd because she loves challenging herself. She told me she doesn't mind someone who pushes her into doing things she would never do. Imagine knowing she kissed her mate? Another worst part is that we got along with Zhavi's other friends from England, imagine how real shit will be now.
I still remember yesterday when Lydia told me about her heart being broken knowing one of her Royal friends who happens to be the one she likes found his mate. It's the reason why we got so drunk.
Flashback#*^
We entered the club and suddenly Christian disappeared on us. We were here because he wanted to let off some steam so he decided to get a girl to do that for him. Typical Christian. It's why he doesn't want a mate.
I noticed Lydia was playing with her drink. That's weird, she loves cocktails.
"Trouble in paradise?" I asked and she quickly jerked up.
"Oh sorry, no I was just... thinking."
Thinking? That's not her forte, that's a Alpha Shane thing.
"I know you, come on tell me what has you drowsy cause the cocktail sure hasn't."
"I- it's stupid and you'll probably think I'm being selfish." She tries to brush it off.
"Come on spill. I'll never judge you, you know that." She looks at me warily before she takes in a deep breath and exhales.
"Okay, so it's about Shane." She looks at me for any reactions and once she sees I'm just waiting for her to finish, she continues. "I kind of feel... jealous that he has a mate I mean I feel it's unfair."
That's what's bothering her?
"Sweetie we all get jealous when someone gets a mate we want that too." I say thinking about my misfortune. I don't even know hybrids get to have mates.
"Not that, it's Shane. I have feelings for him and I don't get how I've been with him most of my life and some British girl comes in and takes his heart without trying. I'm not trying to say Zhavi doesn't deserve him. I'm just simply saying that I have so much feelings for him and it hurts to know he has a mate. I don't!" She starts to ramble.
"Lydia, there is a reason you weren't paired with him, the Moon Goddess chose him for her and not you." Sadness flashes through her features.
"I know, I know, I just wish my mate would be here so I can forget Shane. Just like he forgot about me. But I'm not going to sabotage this for Zhavi, she doesn't deserve it. At least it's not Melissa." She says in annoyance. She and Melissa really don't like one another.
"And I bet she's more frustrated than you would ever be". We start to laugh together.
"I didn't miss the look he was giving her when we entered the shop. She looked to indifferent like she didn't feel anything for him at all." She's right. Zhavi looked normal just she was distracted so I guessed it was the mate bond. How can a person be so..... emotionless. She was just staring at him as if she was trying to figure something out.
"Yeah, I guess she has a hard time expressing her feelings. All I saw was her being observant of the the situation, maybe she didn't expect to meet new people. She doesn't look like a people person." I say.
"Well she is soon to be Queen and honestly ,I'm glad I don't have that pressure. I just can't help feeling hurt, I was hurt when I lost Holden and now, Shane." I really feel bad for my friend. She loses all her love interests.
"How about we make a toast? To staying away from boys?" She laughs before raising her glass too.
"To staying away from boys." She giggles sipping her drink. "That's my favourite song!" She pulls me to the dance floor.
After that we drank the whole night until Christian took away our glasses. He's such a bore!
End of flashback#*^
It was a wild night and I'm not having that again.
After my quick flashback I felt a peng of guilt in my chest. I can't keep secrets, why would I be in this situation? Oh Moon Goddess help me.
"Honey is everything alright? Your mind seems afar." Aunt Ruth brings me back to reality.
"Can I-" I pause for a moment to think. "Aunt Ruth and Mama Verlice can I ask advice from two beautiful wise women?"
Aunt Ruth nods while Mama Verlice gives me a "Sure sweetheart."
"So a friend of mine's best friend who also happens to be a Beta, grew up being close to her Alpha that they had a romantic relationship as children, right?" They nod to show they were listening.
"So now the Alpha recently found his mate who happens to be a human and well decided to accept her. She doesn't know about him yet and he is just taking it slow." They give me 'mhmh's and nods.
"The problem now is that my friend says she found them kissing. Her best friend and their Alpha. She doesn't know what to do now because she is very bad at keeping a secret. The worst part is that she and her Alpha's mate happen to be roommates and are now friends and her best friend is close to her Alpha's mate too. She asked what to do and I'm confused also." I found myself mumbling everything in my head.
"Wooow." Mama Verlice says. Wow is the right word.
"That is a lot hon but my advice would be to stay away from the situation. She saw something she wasn't exactly supposed to see and yes the two were wrong but she doesn't want to go against her best friend and Alpha now does she." Aunt Ruth says.
"As much as I am very disgusted by the Alpha who is not worthy of his title and the Beta that cannot control her feelings. Ruth is right, your friend needs to remove herself from a situation like this. It will hurt her new friend, yes but it also may ruin her friendship and trust from her Alpha and Beta." She's right. I wouldn't want to lose Lydia or get on the wrong side of Alpha Shane.
"Well I guess you're right, her superiors need to be put first."
We continue in our making of pie until I see Shane's car coming through the gate and I informed the cooks and Mama Verlice.
_____________
Holden's POV
I have been having rogues try me for weeks and if it's not rogues it's hunters. I haven't seen Zhavi for 3 days and I'm completely annoyed. I remember the last time we met, I smelt my beloved on her, it was pretty feint but I'm sure she had contact with her.
I've never been happier to know that my beloved is close. I just need a way to get close to her but I can't do that because apparently Zhavi has befriended wolves.
My phone buzzes on top of my papers. It's a text, from Zhavi. Speak of the Devil and she texts you.
Zhavi; Hey, I'm on my way to the airport, my annoying father just sent his friend's kids to ' keep me company'. I'm super excited yaaayy
I chuckle at her sarcasm. She must be utterly irritated.
Holden; I'm pretty sure you kids will have the greatest of fun;-)
Zhavi; Don't tease me Holden. I'm at the airport now and waiting for my fat boys to arrive
Fat boys?
Holden; Fat boys? Why would you call them that? Stop shaming!
Zhavi; I'm not shaming, they fight like the fat boys from Alice in Wonderland, besides one of them is a girl and she's as annoying as Alice is to that Queen with the big head.
What is wrong with this girl? She's insane.
Holden; You're sick🤣
Zhavi; Anyways, I want to meet tomorrow noon, I have someone I need advice with.
Advice? Better not be dating advice.
Holden; It better not be dating advice, I don't want to corrupt kids...
"King Black, you have a visitor." Argh why now?
I leave my phone to attend whoever just disturbed my peace.
"Who is this?" I ask Rose, my maid as she guides me to the anonymous person.
"I'm not sure sir but she doesn't smell like a vampire or a werewolf and definitely not human either. She has a very powerful aura around her." Who could that be?
"Does she at least smell like something you are familiar of? You didn't mention a witch." She shakes her head in response.
"No... I'm not familiar with what she is." This is weird.
As I descend the stairs, I smell something familiar. Hell no this is not something I'm in the mood for.
"Zaralena..." Zaralena Renandez, one of the most powerful fae to live. The daughter of the mighty Snow Queen. She's here in front of me and I'm pretty sure she wants something that will end up with my kingdom being in trouble.
"Ah, Holden! It has been such a long time and you have grown to be a handsome young man." She says looking at me up and down.
"What do you want Zara?" I know her from back when she worked with my father. I remember that she discussed that her husband was treating her better than he used to ever since she gave him a daughter.
Her daughter holds her part of her mother's spirit apperantly, she holds the Snow Queen's power but she doesn't know yet.
"Well I need your help as I have noticed that you are very close to what is mine." What?
"What are you talking about?" I ask in confusion.
"My daughter..."
"What do I have to do with your daughter? I don't even know what she looks like?" I say crossing my arms.
I think I would notice when I encounter her daughter. She would be as sick as her.
"Oh but you do. You met her in the Forrest, you met her when she was younger. She's the only hunter you are able to talk to."
No way....
"The only hunter I speak to is Zhavi..."
She can never be her daughter. Zhavi may be broken from her childhood trauma. The trauma of her mother and her brother's death. So she can never be her mother.
She gives me a malicious smile. No fucking way she is her mother. She doesn't have the Snow Queen's gifts.
"That's not true. Zhavi's mother was killed by wolves. You could never be her mother."
I say with distaste laced in my voice.
"I know that, but I'm not actually dead. It's what she thinks, it's what her father thinks."
Illusion...
"You have the power to control minds?"
"Not quite. I have the power to create illusions. That Alpha was desperate to make my darling Mikhaal feel pain that he made a deal with a Fae. Stupid really."
He made a deal with wolves?
Making a deal with a fae is close to making a deal with the devil. They only care about their benefit and are very manipulative.
"What about your son?" Her face scrunched up in disgust at the mention of the boy.
"He was never my son. That hunter was full of lies. He used me but I outsmarted him." She says with a smile. I'm confused, "He knew who I was and knew I could only bare a daughter that may or may not have my mother's power and if not her then my granddaughter. When she was born with hair as white as the snow, I thought she was destined for greatness," She says more to herself.
"Zhavi has brown hair. She has brown hair and brown eyes, nothing of hers is like you." I know my Zhavi and nothing of hers shows she could be the most dangerous being. Okay that may not be completely true but she's not like her.
"Let me finish, her eyes are brown because she wants them to be, she can change them if she set her mind to it." She says
I don't know how to feel about this, hell I don't even know how Zhavi will feel about this. Could this be true?
"How did you play her father then?"
"Oh my darling Mikhaal fell in love. He loves his children more than anything. His son was his most prized possession until he saw my little Zhavi's eyes. He swore to protect her, he swore to protect me." She looks at a distance. If he did that then what happened?
"Why would you hurt him if he did that?"
"Oh please, I am a descendant of the Snow Queen and my darling daughter belongs to me. His love for me started when I gave birth to his child. Besides I can help her before my mother's power consumes her." Why would I trust her?
"What do you mean by that?"
"Zhavi has gone through a traumatic experience, her father treated her as if she were nothing after the death of his wife and son." So she watched her own daughter's misfortune? "My mother's power changes pain to evil. She can turn evil any day if I don't take her power away from her. Now that my mother was killed by that darn awful Alpha King, Zhavi holds both her fae power and the former Queen's, I can't help her control it but I can remove it. This is where you come in. Convince her to give me her power. Convince her that her mother still lives." This sounds a little shaky.
How will I do that? I don't want to make an enemy out of Zhavi, in so many ways but I don't want her to turn evil. She might kill wolves and vampires from time to time but only because its what she grew up knowing.
"I can't do that even if I wanted to. Zhavi will think it's stupid." She stands up getting ready to leave.
"Well if you value her life, you will find a way." With that she heads for the door.
I watch as leaves moments later she disappeared before she could even reach the door. I guess that's how she got here.
How am I going to tell Zhavi that she is more of a danger to herself than she is to wolves?
I need help.
___________
Zhavi's POV
Today's test wasn't as bad as I thought, I enjoyed hanging out with Raven. I also missed Lydia too. Lydia is that type of person that make their absence known. I never thought I'd miss her loud voice.
I arrived in this damn airport 15 minutes ago and my fat boys haven't arrived. It was good when Holden kept me company but now I was alone. Guess he had some stuff to take care of. I kept checking the time on my phone. Still nothing.
"What did you even need that for, we were in there forever it's just a bracelet!" I hear a familiar voice that made me look up.
"Well they shouldn't have lost it! This bracelet cost me a lot of money!" Jane shouts at her big brother.
Finally my fat boys have arrived.
"What took you so long?" I say leaning with my back on my car.
"Jane here lost her stupid bracelet."
"I didn't lose it, they did!" Great. My fat boys are finally here. This is going to be fun. *Note the sarcasm*
The whole drive to the house had my ears in pure pain.
When we arrived after that awful drive filled with fighting. These two may not be twins but they definitely are. With Ginger having brown hair with highlights that is a middle class length and blue eyes, his buff body shows the love he has for the gym.
While Jane has blonde to white hair that reached her shoulders, she has heterochromic eyes. One eye is just like his brothers whilst the other is a hazel yellow.
I remember she was bullied for that, that's why her brother is always at her tail. To protect her.
They argue a lot but are also very close. They really are like the fat boys.
"You are really annoying you know that?" Jane says to her brother.
"Oh but you love my a-"
"Quiet!" My anger is at its peak and it is pretty rare for me to ever shout.
"I have been listening to you two fat boys argue all the the way from the airport! Sit down, I'm going to set on some rules." I say getting a drink from the fridge.
I bought a few things before coming here and I will be buying more groceries tomorrow.
"Did you just call us fat boys?" I hear one of them say but ignore it.
"Look, I had a simple plan before you two arrived so what is going to happen now is that you two will stay out of my way. I am targeting a near by pack and I have already befriended the Alpha and a few of his friends. Firstly keep the wolfsbane off of you. Hide it in a place that no one can smell it, like the basement since it's already a weapons room. No killing until I say so, got it?" They gave me puzzled looks.
"How did you get close to an Alpha and his friends in just two weeks?" Ginger asks.
"Well firstly I don't go around smelling like wolfsbane, besides my former roommate is one of his friends. I met him a few days ago and he wants me to go on a date with him." As I dropped that bomb they gave loud gasps.
"You are going to date a wolf?!" Jane exclaimed.
"Relax it's not real. I'm just undercover and I need your cooperation not to act until I find where they live. Our parents will be happy once we tell them we've located a pack to take it down, don't you want to be part of that?"
Technically I just need them to not ruin my original plan but I'm just hoping they are gullible enough to follow this one.
"I'm in!" I knew Jane would make this easy. "I don't know... I mean this is an Alpha, what if you got it all wrong and he hurts you instead? What if he is the one playing you?" Oh come on.
"Ginger..." I say getting closer to him. I know Ginger is a smart ass and I don't need that right now. "We both know I can murder anything and anyone with my blades."
He gulps and I see his Adam's apple move from the action. "And I don't want to have your pretty boy face in my way of victory. You wouldn't want that now would you?" He gives me a nod and I change my exterior after that.
"I know you two love to hunt so... If they are not a rogue, don't kill them. Trust me I'm not looking forward to this date. And no hunting before 7 pm."
I decide to take my fat boys to meet my other friends. I told them they were wolves and as much as I want to lie more, they'll just bring some wolfsbane and do some shit to get me in trouble. Ruining everything.
I arrived by Raven's and I see Lydia's car already Parked out. I promised her that I'll be back later after I dropped my twins.
"Okay, so in there are two powerful wolves, one being the Gamma of that Alpha so you know her fighting skills are good. The other.. well being her friend I'm sure she's good at something." I say.
They nod as I leave to go see Lydia and Raven. "Knock, knock?" I say with a small knock. "Zhavi! I haven't seen you all day." Lydia says giving me a big bear hug.
"How was your day Lydia?" I try removing myself from her. I'm not a hugger.
"Better now that you're here. Did you leave your fat boys to be with us?" She pouts.
"No, they are here with me, we are headed to the mall to buy a few things, you guys wanna tag along?"
They agreed and soon followed me to the car. When leaving the house I see Ginger and Jane get out of the car.
"So well I guess I have to introduce you. Guys this is Lydia and Raven my new friends. Lydia and Raven this is Ginger and Jane."
"A pleasure to meet you beautiful ladies." Ginger is like your typical asskissing pretty boy that flirts his way through anything. Although he is very dangerous and is good with manipulation.
"Ooh a gentle man." Says Lydia.
"Not even close." Jane rolls her eyes. "I love your skirt." She says refering to Raven.
"Right? She thinks she looks silly but I love it too. She doesn't like skirts." Lydia comments. Oh no.
"Why not you look beautiful. I want to show you guys a picture, let me go get my phone."
She says before she and Lydia get inside the car looking for her phone.
"Did she just steal my best friend?" Raven says following them.
"I guess I'm calling shotgun?" Ginger turns to me.
"Not unless you want to talk about fashion too. Although I was hoping someone else would drive."
"Don't worry I got you." Oh thank God.
I hate driving with a passion plus I get distracted from time to time and forget my surroundings just thinking about many things. One includes the man who roams in my mind rent free. Stupid bloody wolf!
*********
It is currently 9 pm and shit, I'm still thinking about him. My head fucking hurts. My phone suddenly buzzes relieving me of my thoughts. Who's this?
Unknown; Hello. Shane here...
What the what?! Oh?
Zhavi; Hi, I didn't know you could text,
Shane; Should I be hurt?
Zhavi; No. Sensitive and hot don't mix.
Wait what did I just type? I'm so stupid.
Shane; Yet you and I do.
Zhavi; Did you just call me hot? Cause I know you weren't talking about sensitivity.
Shane; I did and I'm fully owning it. What are you doing tomorrow?
Zhavi; Thinking of cancelling our date?
I hope not..
Shane; Not quite. I want to get to know you Zhavi, I can't do that with my annoying friends around.
Zhavi; Did you just call my new friends cockblockers?
Shane; Aren't they though? I had fun talking to you this morning.
Right I forgot about that. He is the easiest person to trust and talk to. I wish I didn't have to talk to him this morning.
Zhavi; What are you suggesting? I have no classes tomorrow but I'll be busy. But Sunday I'm free.
Shane; As much as I'd love to spend the whole day with you mea lux, I have meetings and interviews waiting for me Sunday the whole day except sunset. How about a picnic, at my favourite spot. I want to show you the sunset there. It always clears my mind...
Zhavi; Romantic, I'd love to.
Shane; Then I'll see you Sunday mea lux.
Zhavi; Mea lux? What happened to freckles? That's not Spanish.
Shane; You know Spanish? You're full of surprises you know..
Ah tell me when I had forgotten. I know.
Zhavi; Well Captain obvious, I'll see you Sunday...
I turn my phone off and lie down on my bed. Tomorrow is intense training with my fat boys. I realized Ginger and Jane are not that bad, well Jane is isn't. Speaking of which, I've been realising a lot of people aren't bad. From no friends to a whole group, I don't know how to feel about this at all, and a date. Oh my God what has become of Zhavi?!
~
Hey again, here's another chapter to make your day. I decided to draw up some questions to see how much we're enjoying the story.more chapters coming your way😉
1. What do you think of Shane and Lydia's little "accident"?
2. Do you think Raven should tell Zhavi in the long run?
3. What do you think about Mama Verlice and aunt Ruth's advice? Would you stay away too?
4. What do you think about Raven?
5. What do you think about our fat boys?
6. Thoughts on Zaralena?
Not to be a mega spoiler buy expect more new characters coming 😉