Chapter 92

Zach’s POV

There had been a line that was immediately crossed, and I could see was fucking red. I wanted to rip Harley’s throat out for crossing that line, but I was completely glued to my spot, staring at them like they had both just struck me at the same time.

I’m not an idiot, I knew Anila didn’t trust me and I also knew that she blamed me for what happened with Xaden. I knew she would even if it wasn’t my fault. I was the easiest one to blame. My vendetta against Xaden wasn’t a secret and his vendetta against me wasn’t one either. Xaden and I talked a lot during this battle though and we came together with a mutual respect.

He made me promise that if anything were to happen to him, I would take care of Anila. He told me to mark her and keep her protected. I didn’t think Harley would swoop in and take her for himself though, especially without speaking to me about it first. He was so hurt and upset that Xaden went ahead and marked Anila without talking to us about it and then he went and did it to me.

I clenched my fists at my side as I glared at that traitor. He didn’t look the least bit sorry as he kept his protective arm around Anila’s shoulders. She looked a little remorseful though, but I knew the tears in her eyes weren’t for me. She was too busy mourning my brother; I didn’t blame her for that. I knew she was heartbroken. That was why I came to her and brought her to the pack.

The silence, the entire drive though made me realize that Anila was never going to see me as anything more than the enemy. I was the playboy flirt who couldn’t settle down to save his life. I shouldn’t be surprised when she looked at me as if I was the one who personally scratched him with the dragon tail.

I told Xaden not to go after that dragon after we found out it was actually Edmond, the new Alpha King. Neither of us saw it coming; how could an Alpha King turn into a dragon so easily like that? He was a wolf and typically wolves didn’t have a dragon within them. But Edmond was able to shift back into his dragon form before Xaden reached him and his tail whipped around quickly, slicing the side of Xaden’s body. He flew off before I could reach them, and I singlehandedly brought Xaden up the mountainside from which we had fallen and to the clinic.

Thankfully, the battle didn’t last much longer after that. I’m not sure what stopped the battle, but I was grateful for it.

Father only stopped by once to check on Xaden, but I had been by his side the entire time until Harley showed up. Once Harley got there, I showered and ate something. I even got a little bit of sleep before I went to get Anila.

I didn’t want the recognition for any of this, but the fact that Anila looked at me like I was the villain wounded me more than any stab or dragon scratch.

I should have known during the hour's drive that Anila had Harley’s scent all over her. I should have seen the mark when she pulled her hair into a ponytail and the mark was evident.

Without a single word to either of them, I turned and stormed out.

…

Anila’s POV

“Just let him cool down,” Harley said, putting his hand on my hip and willing me to stay by his side. I wanted to go after Zach and from Harley’s tensed body, he knew it too. Having Zach walk away from me like that was like a slap in the face.

My wolf was in distress from our mate being upset and she wanted desperately to go after him. She didn’t want him to be upset with us and I couldn’t blame her. But at the same time, she also didn’t want to leave Xaden and neither did I.

I looked up at Harley.

“I’m just going to make sure he’s okay,” I finally decided, hating leaving, but I knew I couldn’t let things go with Zach like this. We needed to stick together during this time and I wasn’t going to feel better until I knew that Zach was okay.

He sighed, but he didn’t argue. He just nodded and I quickly ran from the clinic and in the direction of Zach. It was easy to find him because I was already in tune with his scent. He had gone toward the woods, and I knew that he was already in his wolf form, most likely going for a run. I looked around and saw that I had some wandering eyes; I forced a small smile before running in the direction of Zach’s scent.

My heart was pounding as I reached the woods and once I was completely alone, I stripped off my clothes and shifted. I allowed my wolf full control so she could find our mate easily. It took her no time at all to track him down. He was near a river creek, and he was just sitting there, howling up at the sky. His howl was heartbreaking, and I could hear the pain within it. I could also see the anger pouring off him in waves and even in my wolf form, I shivered.

My wolf slowly walked towards him; if he had noticed me approaching, he didn’t make any movements indicating such. He sat and stared at the flowing water, as another howl escaped his lips. My wolf immediately responded with a howl of her own and this time Zach’s large wolf turned his eyes and his eyes met mine.

“I know you are angry,” I spoke through our animal link. “I wasn’t trying to hurt you.”

“Shouldn’t you be with your mates right now,” Zach said bitterly, making me flinch.

“You are my mate too,” I told him, my voice barely coming out as a whisper.

“It doesn’t feel like it. You blame me for this. I know you do. You think I somehow forced Xaden to go after that dragon and get himself scratched? You think I planned this. I’m not an idiot, Anila.”

“I don’t blame you,” I blurted. Then I sighed and stared down at the ground. “And I don’t think you’re an idiot, Zach.”

“Just leave!” Zach ordered. “Go back to the clinic. I don’t want to see you right now.”

His words hurt, but I wasn’t going to back down and leave him when he was like this. My wolf cocked her head at Zach as we sat beside him. His large blonde wolf kept his piercing yellow eyes fixed on the water in front of him, completely ignoring my existence.

I sighed and shifted my form until I was back in my skin. I was completely naked because I left my clothes at the beginning of the forest, but I really didn’t care. I was starting to realize that nudity really didn’t matter between shifters. I wrapped my arms around my chest as I peeked over at him.

“I’m sorry for upsetting you,” I whispered, drawing his attention back to me.

His wolf eyes narrowed and to my surprise, he shifted forms and sat beside me, naked as the day he was born.

“You didn’t hurt me,” he muttered as he stood to his feet and started to walk away.

“Zach, please,” I said, quickly standing up as well. “Can’t we just talk about this?”

He whipped around to face me and I could truly see how angry he was.

“What’s Xaden going to say when he finds out his best friend marked you?” Zach said through his teeth. “Did you even think that through??”

I swallowed hard.

“Since when do you care what Xaden thinks?” I asked, raising my brows. “You almost marked me the first day we met, remember?”

“I was just trying to get a rise out of him,” he growled. “I wouldn’t have ever done it.”

I’m not sure why his words hurt me so much, but I lowered my gaze, not sure what else to say.

“For you to let that bear put his teeth in you while my brother is in a coma,” Zach said, shaking his head in disgust at me. “Were you even thinking?”

“No,” I admitted. “I wasn’t. But I don’t regret it. Xaden will understand. He pushed Harley and me together and—”

“He did what?” Zach asked, his eyes shining yellow as he fought control to keep his wolf at bay.

I opened my mouth to say something, but Zach stomped toward me. I quickly backed up until my back hit a tree and I couldn’t go any further.

“Zach, I…”

“I’m not going to let my brother and his friend be the only ones to leave their marks on you,” he said through his teeth.

He pressed his lips against mine and I knew I should have pushed him away, but everything in me didn’t want to. I found myself leaning against him and deepening the kiss as his tongue invaded my mouth. All thoughts I previously had vanished, and my heart thudded rapidly against my chest. Heat coursed through my entire body as his lips conquered mine. His naked body pressed against mine and my back digging into the bark of the tree. But I didn’t care; I welcomed the pain that came with it.

My head was swirling when he broke the kiss from my lips and trailed his mouth down the nape of my neck until he reached the spot where my neckline meets my shoulder blade. A shiver went down my body at the sensation and a small moan escaped my lips. His words stung, but I believed him. I nodded my big wolf’s head and then I shifted forms,

Soon, I felt his sharp teeth dig into my flesh, and blood trail down my shoulder.