Chapter Nine – Zara's POV
The Arrival
The silence inside the car was suffocating, stretching between me and Alpha Hunter like an unspoken war. I had stopped asking questions after the first few times he dismissed them with a cold stare.
But it didn't stop the storm brewing inside me.
I was no longer in my father's territory. No longer part of the Nightshade Pack.
I was in the hands of a man I didn't understand. A man whose green eyes held secrets I wasn't sure I wanted to know.
And worst of all?
My wolf had called him mate.
I shook my head, trying to push the thought away, but it lingered like a haunting whisper.
Then, finally—
The car slowed.
I looked up, my breath catching in my throat.
The Shadow Fang Pack's territory stretched before me, vast and unfamiliar. But what stunned me most was the massive mansion towering at the center of it all.
I had expected a fortress—something dark and unwelcoming.
But this?
This was power.
The mansion was built from black stone, like something out of a forgotten legend. Towering pillars, intricate carvings of wolves and beasts etched into the walls—it was both beautiful and terrifying.
This was not a home.
This was a kingdom.
The car rolled to a stop in front of the entrance, and before I could fully process it, the door beside me swung open.
Hunter stepped out first.
He didn't look back as he moved, his posture rigid, his presence swallowing the space around him.
I hesitated before following, my legs still weak, my body still sore.
The moment my feet touched the ground, I felt eyes on me.
A line of guards and maids stood waiting, their heads slightly bowed in Hunter's direction. None of them spared me more than a passing glance.
They already knew who he was.
They already knew their place.
I swallowed hard, feeling out of place in a way I never had before.
I was the daughter of an Alpha, yet standing here, I felt like nothing.
Like an outsider.
Hunter walked forward, and without being told, I followed.
The maids moved in sync, one stepping forward to remove his long black coat, another taking it away without a word.
Everyone knew what to do, moving around him with practiced precision.
Like this was routine.
Like he was untouchable.
I forced myself to keep walking, ignoring the gnawing questions inside my head.
I didn't know what awaited me inside this place.
I didn't know what he truly wanted from me.
But I knew one thing for certain.
I was no longer free.
I was no longer the Luna of the nightshade pack.
Now I am a bondage to him.
---
The air inside was warm, the walls lined with torches.
The floor beneath my feet was polished black marble, reflecting the chandeliers hanging from above. Every inch of this place screamed wealth and dominance.
I barely had time to take it all in before Hunter suddenly stopped.
Two guards moved behind him, standing at attention.
I stood still, unsure of what to do, feeling smaller with every passing second.
Then—
A voice.
"Hunter."
The sound was sweet, almost melodic, but laced with something sharp beneath the surface.
A woman walked toward him, her long silver gown trailing behind her like a queen gracing her court. Dark curls framed her sharp features, and her crimson lips curled into a soft smile.
But that smile didn't reach her eyes.
And the moment she saw me, that smile disappeared altogether.
I felt her disgust before she even spoke.
She reached for Hunter, arms stretching forward to embrace him.
But before she could—
He stepped back.
His hands never touched her.
His cold rejection was instant.
Her smile faltered.
I watched her fingers twitch before she slowly let her arms drop.
Then, her dark gaze turned to me.
She studied me, head tilted, her lips curling slightly—not in a smile, but in something cruel.
"So, this is her?" she mused. "What a joke."
I felt my wolf stir inside me, reacting to the condescension in her tone.
But I didn't react.
Not yet.
I had spent too long being hated to let her words get under my skin so easily.
Still, I couldn't shake the feeling that she didn't want me here.
Hunter's expression remained unreadable.
But when the woman took a step toward me—
He moved.
He stepped between us.
And his voice was sharp when he spoke.
"Don't go near her."
She blinked, stunned for a moment.
Then—she laughed.
A soft, bitter sound.
"You're serious?" she asked, looking up at him with something unreadable in her expression.
Hunter didn't answer.
He didn't even look at her.
She clenched her jaw, her fingers curling into fists before she exhaled, regaining her composure.
"Fine," she said, her voice smooth again. "I'll let you play with your new pet for now. But don't forget you are my Alpha."
She turned on her heel and walked away.
But not before giving me one last look.
The kind that promised You aren't Welcome here.
I watched her disappear down the hall, feeling a strange unease settle inside me.
I didn't even know who she was.
But I knew she hated me.
And I had a feeling I would find out why soon enough.
-
I stood there, silent, my body still stiff.
I could still feel the weight of everyone's eyes on me.
The guards. The maids.
Even if they didn't speak, I knew what they were thinking.
Who is she?
Why is she here?
I wasn't welcome here.
And I wasn't safe here either.
My wolf stirred inside me again, pushing against my mind.
"Move," she urged.
"Do something."
But I didn't understand what she meant.
I was too tired.
Too lost.
And then—
A strange force rushed through me.
For just a second, it felt like I was slipping—
Like something inside me was taking over.
My vision blurred.
I stumbled.
Before I could hit the ground—
A hand caught me.
Strong. Steady.
I looked up, my breath catching as I found myself staring into Hunter's green eyes.
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
His grip on my arm was firm, his touch burning through the fabric of my dress.
Something flickered in his expression—something I couldn't quite understand.
But before I could say anything—
Before I could even breathe—
I heard her voice again.
A soft scoff from across the hall.
I turned my head slightly.
She was still watching.
And she wasn't happy.
---