I wasn't really going to post a bonus chapter but so many of you voted last time that I couldn't help it. The voting pattern for the following chapters, which I forgot to inform you guys in the last update, is given at the end. Its important and so is this chapter. I am revealing a lot about Zachary in this.
Enjoy!
Dedication to- SharniLaycock. You are one stunning girl! Thank you for being there for That's Amore.
Chapter 17 [Bonus]
Zola's Pov.
I gasped and covered my mouth with my hand as I saw the body of Kate. My mind became numb and the thought of her pregnancy dawned on me.
'Was the baby alright?' I pondered.
'Great Zola, you are worried about your mate's mistress' baby!' My conscience snorted at me.
With quick steps, I walked towards Kate's motionless body. My mind was in a daze with everything that had happening. Sure, I had imagined her body this way an uncountable number of times but usually it was because I had beaten the sh*t out of her in my dreams. I was sure, however, that this wasn't the case. It made me feel more like Don Quixote than anything else.
"Zola?" Ian exclaimed upon my arrival.
I paid no heed to him and examined Kate's body. There were gnashes on her limbs, torn clothes hung loosely on her limp body, her hair stuck to her face while her body continued to bleed profusely.
"What the hell happened to her?" I questioned incredulously.
"She was found that way..." The guy with an unusual accent spoke up.
"Why isn't anyone helping her? Take her to a doctor! Something, anything!" I shrieked at the men before me although all of them had their eyes downcast; I wondered if it was out of respect or because they felt ashamed.
"She's a werewolf, darling. We heal fast." Zachary said simply from the corner of the room.
"Are you effin' kidding me? She is pregnant! She has a baby in her womb.Your baby" I pressed on.
"Her baby is alright." Another buff guy sneered from somewhere behind Zachary.
I recognized him as the one who had so carelessly carried her and tossed her to the side.
"What is the Holy Oreos are you guys on about? Just get her on the couch safely you morons." I said.
"Zola, let's go." Ian walked forward clutching my arm and dragging me towards the door.
"Who hurt her? Did Zachary do this?" I blared a question after the other as soon as we were out of the room.
"Calm down Zola, please. Look, there is something you should know it is extremely important but not here. We'll have to walk a little." said Ian as he tugged my arm, pulling me forward.
Confused but still intrigued, I let Ian drag me towards god knows where.
We walked for a few minutes, leaving the majestic house of Zachary behind and trudging forward. Not a word was spoken between us, I didn't like it one bit. All the tranquility was causing me to question everything. Everything that I had no answers to, haunting and taunting me in my mind.
"Where are we going?" I asked, breaking the thick silence for once.
"We'll go to the beach area." He replied rather curtly.
"You have a freaking beach here?" I blurted.
"Yes. Now keep quiet and walk, please." Ian looked away while he spoke to me.
He shook his head dismissively and slipped his hands in his jean pockets. I stopped walking instantly and shot him a sour from my place. After a few steps Ian turned again and raised his eyebrows at me as if in question.
"Hey! I don't take this attitude from anyone, okay? What the hell is wrong with you?" I frowned at his behaviour and tugged at the hem of my shirt with annoyance.
"Just walk Zola. I beg you. I swear I'll explain everything, please just come with me right now." Ian pleaded as he walked over to my side again.
I breathed out in an attempt to calm myself down and resumed my hike to the said place. Ian was better this time around, smiling and showing me the area around.
I hardly saw anything though, the deep dark night blocked most of the surroundings but the lights that lit up the streets, made the walk look fantastical. We carried on this way for quite some time, Ian trying to make conversation but I was too absolved in my thoughts to give him a proper reply.
"We have to take a right from here and then we'll reach the beach." Ian pointed out, the road looked so rocky, dark and formidable that I regretted this trip.
Darkness and me did not mix well with each other. A lot of this was because of a heinous prank that Rico played on me when I was six.
Stupid brothers.
"Its okay to be scared, you know. There is light down there and it'll be beautiful and bright. I promise." Ian held my hand tightly in his and pulled me along towards the rough terrain.
I rubbed my slightly sweaty palm on the front of my jeans nervously and nodded my head trying to assure Ian or myself, I didn't know.As I strolled in its direction, each second I moved closer to Ian.
By the time we reached the edge I was hiding behind Ian for protection, my face was flattened against his back tightly with my eyes clasped shut. I loved the fact that I could see absolutely nothing, it made the horror a lot less frightening for me.
"Open your eyes, Zoe. You have to see this." Ian murmured, turning a little and lifted my head off his shoulder.
Peeking through one eye and then through the other I gaped at the sight before me. For a second I forgot to breathe, the beach had to be one of the most gorgeous things I'd ever seen. A huge ivory moon hung low in the sky, just touching the horizon and shining the sea water below it.
The actual water was still a little farther away from where we stood, that is on what seemed to be a paved footpath. The bewitching, awe-inspiring location was lit up by what I guessed were tiki torches; each a little further apart than the other but was still able to light up the entire place in the most mesmerizing fashion. I spotted a few lamps around the area as well, although most of them seemed to be switched off that moment.
"I-This is- I have no words!" I said.
"I know. Its the same reaction everyone has the first time they see this place." Ian let out a breathless chuckle and began to trudge forward with me closely by his side.
"Will you finally tell me what in the universe is going on?" I quizzed, my curiosity eating me whole.
"Yes. It will come as a shock Zola and I know I am not the right person to tell you this but it is something you should be aware of." Ian spoke firmly as his face turning business-y.
I simply nodded my head and politely asked him to continue. All the doubts, uncertainty and questions rushed to my mind, I began to dread and wonder what this huge secret was.
"Zachary is not really an Alpha of this pack..." Ian began.
I felt the ground below me shatter, a deep frown etched in my face I began to mull what Ian said but nothing made sense to me.
"Wha-what are you trying to say? He-he's not the Alpha? But that is impossible!" I blurted.
"Let me finish please. Zachary's father was the Alpha of another Pack. Yes, he does have those genes in him but Dark Rose was never really his. You see long ago, Zachary's parents were mated together in what seemed to be a perfect marriage. Both his parents were human but they somehow 'zinged' and declared each other as their true mates. Their two Packs were so delighted about this matrimony, its said that their festivities continued for a week! A week!" Ian spoke slowly, letting each word sink in and leaving no details out.
We walked away from the paved road and started to wander on the beach. The warm sand felt so good under my feet, I could feel the grains lightly caressing my toes and the space in between them.
It was flabbergasting to hear all this. Especially, from someone who was not him. It felt like I was betraying Zachary and gossiping behind his back or something.
"Shall we sit here?" Ian proposed sitting Indian style on the ground.
I followed suit, tucking my knees under my chin and staring right at the ever so silent and pale moon.
"Continue please." I whispered to Ian.
"Well, his Father was a very wise man. Very wise indeed. Even after not being a werewolf, he was still capable to rule over the Pack. But to hold that kind of power makes one do terrible things. Slowly but surely his Father began to lose his sanity; declaring wars suddenly, killing people and exiling wolves for no reason at all. All this behaviour of his, all this madness had such a gigantic effect on Zachary and his future." Ian fired one fact after the other, a far away look on his face now.
I waited for him to continue, to say something but Ian just rubbed his face with his palms and then fell back on the sand, lying there s if he didn't have a care in the world.
"Zachary wasn't conceived, his mother loved her drinks. She'd go out partying every night, wh*ring around. I heard it was quite a scandal about Zachary's birth father, some say it was one Alpha of the Dark Mountain Pack some say differently. That is how Zachary got his wolf."
"Why didn't Zachary say something? Anything! I had no idea-" My light rambling was cut by Ian's rather loud sigh.
"What was he to do, Zola? You wouldn't hear him out, he has enough trouble as it is with you piling on." Ian stated, oblivious to the angry look I shot him.
"I have been piling on him? What about the fact that your Alpha can't keep it in his pants? Before you point on my mistakes, see that the other four fingers point at you." I snapped and got up from the sand.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings but I just wanted to let you know that our Pack needs a Luna. Without it, you our Pack will fall apart; an Alpha is broken without his Luna." Ian smiled up at me then pulled me down gently next to him once again.
"Chill Zoe, I'm always at your side. Remember that." Ian added.
"Thank you." I smiled softly and looked down at my lap.
We fell into a comfortable silence this time around. From the corner of my eye I saw a bonfire, it was significantly farther away from us but closer to what seemed like a stage placed near it. The rest of the area was dissolved, hidden by the small hill that blacked my view ahead. A small group of people stood there, arranging something and placing things here and there.
I wondered how I missed this before. Soon enough, loud booming music began to play from that area and gradually, more people began to pour in.
"What is happening there? Are those humans?" I pointed out.
Ian grinned like a Cheshire cat.
"Oh no my dear. That, is where the best parties happen. Its usually every Saturday and mostly attended by the young wolves of our Pack. Today is one of those days." Ian said and got up from his seat on the sandy beach.
"I don't want to go back!" I whined and pouted like a little kid.
"We have to Zola. Do you know how it will look when people see me with their Luna on a very romantic looking beach? It'll be the scandal of the year!" He laughed breathlessly but I could still detect the underlying warning in his tone.
"Oh, I hadn't thought of that." I muttered in a small voice.
Ian offered me his hand, I looked up at him with my 'innocent' face. With great force, I pulled Ian down towards the sand. He squealed like a girl and face-planted on the floor beside me.
I laughed at his expense, holding my stomach and hit his head gently. Ian turned around and grunted, still lying on the floor he wiped a little dry sand off his face and joined my laughter in good humour.
"Remind me not to help you get up the next time around."
"Let's go Clumsy. Its late, Alpha Hitler will be freaking out." I teased and got up, dusting my jeans off the sand sticking to it.
Ian sat up, shook his hair like a dog and stood up in a span of a second. Or two.
We began the dreaded journey back to Zachary's place. Ian was humming some tune of a song I had never heard, kicking small stones and shells that were lying all around the drop dead gorgeous location.
"How did you know all this?" I quizzed Ian as the house came into our line of sight.
"One hears things Zola." Ian smiled, pushing a stray lock of his hair behind.
"What do you mean?"
"There are rumours, myths! There is one that has surrounded Zachary for ages now." Ian inhaled sharply.
"Really? What was this 'rumour'?" We ambled around, his house stood grandly a few feet away from us.
"I told you how he didn't inherit this Pack right?" Ian questioned.
"You might have mentioned something along those lines." I nodded my head and waited for him to continue.
"Well, there was this Alpha who ruled before him. He was really good, his people loved him, other Alphas loved how he handled things but he suffered an untimely death. That Alpha's heir stepped in, his oldest son. People expected great things off him. Great things. But he wasn't able to live up to that level." Ian choked a little at the end yet continued.
"Zachary stepped in then. He challenged the successor and won. He was kind enough to let him live with his Pack and live an honourable life." Ian let out an exasperated sigh.
"He is here? Oh God! I heard a few murmurs here and there back at home but I never really knew much about it! Would you mind making taking me to him? He seems to have a very interesting personality." I giddily chirped, a slight bounce in my step.
"He's standing in front of you." Ian looked away from me.
I stopped in my tracks, my brain went numb for a minute. Wait, what?
"You-you! You're an Alpha? You are the Alpha! Oh my God, I am extremely sorry Ian. I didn't-" I began to ramble, stumbling on my words whereas Ian just had a sad smile on his face.
"ZOLA! HELP ME! PLEASE I BEG YOU!"
I turned my head around towards where the sound seemed to echo from. The door by the side of the ridiculously large house banged open. A figure stumbled out, griping itself and making a bee line for me.
I watched with fright as a very raggedy, bleeding Kate clung on to me for dear life. He once beautiful red hair were now knotted and limp. Her clothes were ripped more than what I had remembered them to be. I was completely and utterly speechless.
"What happened? What's wrong?" Ian asked panic stricken.
"Its Zachary!" Kate cried, "He wants to have me killed!"
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So, what did you all think? I know. Evil, eh? I revealed a lot in this one about Zachary's past but there is more to be out! Who would've thought Ian is the real Alpha of The Dark Rose Pack!?
Well, the next vote goal is 40. For a bonus chapter I need 45 or more! It isn't that big of a goal really!
From now on, to get a bonus update, you'll need to have 5 extra votes added to the vote goal. It'll really mean a lot if you did vote or followed. You'll make a teenage girl very happy! xD
Also, check out my other works and do let me know what you thought of this one ;)