The anger in me boils. So he kills Zero and then brings back his mark mate with his potion. I pace back and forth in the forest. Grinding my teeth like a deranged lunatic.
I march up to Ajay, who was drinking a can of soda at the campfire. His beautiful Nora is at his side, smiling with excitement.
I slap the soda out of his hands. The shock takes over his face.
"What the hell Zare?" He rubs the drink off his chest.
"How dare you kill Zero and then use his potion to bring back your mate?" I yell, stepping in his face.
"Back up," hiss Nora, putting her hand between us.
"Shut up!" I point at her.
Ajay grabs my face with his hand and rubs my cheek gently. "I know that seems shity and unfair."
"No kidding, taking a favor from the monster you killed." I raise an eyebrow.
He takes a deep breath. "You have to let this go?"
"And what if I don't want to?"
He brings his lips to my forehead. "Then I will remind you every day he was betraying us, it had to be done."
I look away.
"And I will tell you how much I care about you, and you'll never have permission to leave this pack again," he smirks at me.
I narrow my eyes. "Whatever."
"You should be kicking her out of the pack, you're too soft on Zare, she gets away with everything," remarks Smoke.
Alpha walks over to Smoke, lifting him up by the shirt, he throws him to the ground. "Don't you ever question how I handle my pack or any of my cubs again?"
Smoke clenches his ribs, not saying a word.
Ajay moves over towards me, he wraps his arms around me, pulling me in for a hug. "I know you're hurting about Zero and I am sorry, if you ever need to talk with me, I am right here." He squeezed me tighter.
I nod. I am so mad. I know having Nora back was a bad idea, but I'm not going to bring that up now.
Breaking away from Ajay I sit with Dev. He passes me his can of chew, and I put some in my mouth with Chetan glaring at me.
I see Nora and Ajay walk away, just behind me I can still hear their conversation.
"What's the deal with the girl?" Nora asks.
"Zare, she is in pain because I killed her friend, also she is a pain in my butt." Ajay answers.
I smile to myself.
"Is that why she gets kisses on the forehead and Smoke gets tossed around?" she asks in a huff.
"Nora, you've been here for an hour, don't question me on things that took months to develop. Smoke is an ass. And really not my responsibility. Cricket is his alpha. Zare is upset with me. I would be too."
"You love her?" I hear the disappointment in her voice.
Ajay lets out a deep breath. "I do, I love her very much. I am trying to respect her and Chetan's relationship."
"Oh." She sounds sad.
"Just like I cared for Aanya," he says, holding the necklace.
"What happened?"
"She killed herself," Ajay says sadly.
"Oh how sad," Nora says.
"Yeah,'' says Ajay, kissing the necklace.
"I see the way you look at Zare," she remarks.
"It's nothing, I don't love her as much as I love my mark mate?"
Nora giggles, and I look over to see Ajay wrap her up in a hug, swinging her around in a circle. They start kissing.
Getting up from my spot, I make my way to the den. I know it appears that I'm jealous, but honestly I know I had that vision for a reason. I have a bad feeling about Nora being back. Dixon is a part of this, I am sure.
Changing into one of Chetan's baggy sweaters, I lay down. Rolling over to his side of the bed, I take in the smell of him. I see him laughing with Dev and Ash. I decide to go talk to him.
"I wish Ajay would have kept the beer, I need one right now,' I hear Chetan say as I approach.
Chetan looks at me and then looks away. Apparently trying to ignore me. I feel heartbroken.
I reach my hand to him. "I want to snuggle with you.
"I am not in the mood, Zare." He brings one hand to his forehead.
"Please", I pout out my lower lip.
He looks at me for a moment. "Go ask Ajay."
Dev stands up. "Do you want me to hold you until you fall asleep?"
"I think Riya was looking for you earlier." Chetan says.
Dev grabs his junk, "She can wait, she only wants all this for herself."
The boys laugh.
I roll my eyes. "I am going to the Cave for a bit."
"Zare, Dixon is still out there," Chetan says standing up.
"I will be fine."
I try to walk past Dev, and he reaches out his hand to stop me. I feel his strong touch. "You're staying here sweetheart."
"You too?" I glare at him through my eyes.
"I don't feel like going to anyone's rescue tonight," he tells me.
Whatever, I throw my hands in the air. Walking back towards the den, I smell Dixon's scent. I stop walking, creeping inside the den. Fear overtakes me, and I fight back the lump in my throat.
As soon as I step, I feel a hand around my mouth. "Scream and I gut you."
I nod.
Soon the fear escapes me, Dixon's scent claiming the wolf inside me. He places a kiss on my neck.
He uncovers my mouth. "How did you get in here unseen?"
"Think I'm going to reveal my secrets?" He laughs.
"Dixon, if Chetan finds you, he'll."
'He'll what?" He laughs, turning invisible.
"How did you do that?" I look around.
"Zare, are you okay?" I hear Dev say, approaching.
"Lie," Dixon's voice whispers in my ear. His scent blew in my face.
I feel the fire burning in my throat. "Fine."
Dev looks at me up and down. My eyes pleading with him. He looks at me funny and walks out of the den.
"Leave the pack and join me, you know you want to."
I shake my head.
He strokes my cheek. "Be my queen baby." He nibbles at my ear.
I want to scream for Chetan, but my mouth won't open."
"Join me," he repeats.
I shake my head.
"Then suffer the consequences, oh how I hate to punish you." He strokes my cheek.
Visions enter my mind, or should I say horrible nightmares. I see invisible people ripping the pack apart. They were people that were transparent, like me when I was a ghost. I see Chetan ripped up in small pieces, his limbs apart from his body. Blood soaks the ground, and I lose track of whose limbs are whose. The ghost makes a horrible, awful wail. I see them rub my friends' blood on their faces.
I scream, dropping to the ground, I put my hands over my face. Sitting on the ground, I rock back and forth crying.
I can feel the burning of the fire and smell smoke from my vision as the forest is set on fire. I see the fairies burning alive and the redcaps hanging from nooses.
"Dixon, just make it stop." I cry.
I hear feet bust into the den. "Zare", I feel Chetan's hands on my face.
I hear Dixon scream in my ears loudly, I cover my ears.
Chetan sits down next to me and pulls me into his lap. I bury my face into his chest. He rubs my back.
"What happened?" I hear Dev's voice behind me.
He kneels down beside us, also rubbing my back.
"I have seen you guys slaughtered, ripped apart, the fairies burnt, and the red cap hanging from the tree," I cry, not uncovering my face.
"You had a bad dream," Chetan asks, holding me tighter.
I shake my head. "Pictures Dixon placed there, to punish me for not joining him."
"He was there, I didn't see anyone." I hear the disappointment in Dev's voice.
"Zare, is Dixon incapable of invisibility?" I hear Ajay ask. I already know the whole pack has gathered around the den now.
"Yeah."
"Then I am sure," he is the Ghost King."
"Are those visions true, like the future's coming?" Kiara asks.
"I don't know what Dixon is capable of, but it would be my guess that he made images to torture Zare, probably trying to manipulate her to join him," Ajay says.
I feel Chetan lift me up, carrying me and gently laying me in the spot where we sleep. He puts the blanket over me, and he turns to leave.
I sit up quickly. " Don't leave me please," I beg with tears streaming.
Chetan studies me for a moment.
"Dev, can you sit with her for a second? I need to speak with Ajay." He calls.
"Yeah sure," soon I smell the scent of tobacco.
Dev sits next to me gently, rubbing my back. He lays down and pulls me into his body, but I turn to face him.
He rubs my cheek. "I hate seeing them puffy red eyes, it breaks my heart."
"Do I cause problems for you and Riya?"
He shakes his head. "No, she understands this is a friendly thing, she knows that I feel protective over you because you are my best friend."
"I thought Chetan was your best friend?"
He chuckles. "He's my best friend's boyfriend, so I put up with him." He kisses my forehead.
"Whatever." I laugh too.
" Thanks, dude," I hear Chetan say, entering the den.
"Maybe I'm feeling a little frisky, maybe I want to stay," Dev says, pulling me closer.
Chetan laughs. "Dev, get out."
He kisses the top of my head before getting up. "What did you ask Ajay about?"
"To go after Dixon tomorrow with the sword."
"Wow and?" Dev responds.
"He wants to wait until we know a little more about the sword, he's not sure who has to use it, like who has to kill him," Chetan says.
"It's just plain evil what he did to Zare," Dev remarks.
"Yeah, he's not getting another chance again," Chetan says, laying down next to me.