Running From An Alpha by Rachel Starkie
Chapter 16
In a small sitting area, Bernard watched Zoya as she sat across from him. Her back to a wall, her eyes roaming the room. “I can see my brother has taught you well.” He smirked, making Zoya raise an eyebrow at him. “You have positioned yourself perfectly so that you can see me as well as access all available exits while also leaving no room for anyone to come up behind.”
She smirked, “Never let yourself get backed into a corner, and always have an escape route.”
Bernard nodded.
“Dad said you were more….Goody, goody.”
Bernard laughed with another nod of his head. “Your father's way of saying I followed too many rules, while he preferred breaking them.”
A soft smile played at her lips for a moment before turning more serious. “Do you think Morgan has any claim to me?”
“It is clear, even as you are an Omega, that he is not your mate. Though I gather the male that was glaring and looked about ready to tear Morgan apart is, though I wonder why it is you are not yet mated.”
“Morgan has given a lot of people this… tea which makes them loyal to him. The council people with you are under the same spell. I can see it in their eyes. The same dull expressions. Sean sadly was under it as well. Morgan made him reject me and give me to him. Sean has only just got the stuff out of his system and is making it well known he wants me, but I am making him pay a little first. He did hurt me even if it was not all his doing, but still…” she shrugged.
“That is smart. Even with him under a spell, he should have to prove he is good for you. As for Morgan, I did not trust him upon meeting. There is just something…off about him.”
Bernard’s wolf was not happy with him. It wanted to hold his niece, the last of his family. The one he only knew from the very few photographs Fin had sent. “You have grown so big,” he softly added, glancing up. He could see the frown on her face. “Fin sent photos of you, he may not have really like us, but he always made sure we knew how you were doing. Sadly our parents were killed when you were eight, so there was never a chance for you to meet.” Bernard paused, “You were meant to come and see me, but for some reason, you never did.”
Zoya thought it over. “My parents were planning a trip around my tenth birthday, but sadly my mother died before it happened. Father got a lot more…clingy after that. I believe he thought my mother's death was not the accident Morgan claimed. I believe it as well. I know father was killed by a wolf or wolves, by the marks on his body.” Zoya growled at the last bit.
The pain in her voice was too much for Bernard to bear. Standing, he moved toward her, the motion put Zoya on alert, making her stand and stiffen, but as he pulled her into him, his arms around her felt so like her father that she gave, sinking into him.
“I swear I will find who killed my brother. They will pay.” He growled, gently running his hand down the back of her head protectively.
Her grip tightened. “I believe Morgan set it all in motion. Mother confronted him for looking at me and some of the others girls during a shift. Then she rejected his advances, not soon after she had her accident. It was the same with my father. Morgan came to him wanting me, but was shot down, then another deadly accident.”
Bernard growled. “We need to be smart about this. If you are right, he may have some powerful friends behind him.”
The door swung open, and Sean stormed in, making Zoya pull away. “Sean, what-” She gasped as Sean pulled her into him, his body heaving as he breathed into her neck. Not sure what to do, she held him tightly as he rumbled. Her eyes went to Bernard and then to the door as Dale came in, pulling it closed behind him.
“Morgan is about to be killed if he does not watch it,” Dale said softly, watching them.
“What is he pulling now?” Bernard stepped forward.
Dale frowned at him, but Zoya smiled. “He is good people,” she whispered.
Dale nodded. “He is telling Queen Maisy that she better hand Zoya over. That he plans to have fine heirs from her, and she will bring the pack money, and it is his right as Alpha to claim her.”
Zoya sighed. “He is really asking to be eaten. Maybe we should let her?”
A laugh followed the opening of the door once more. Behind it was Stefan. “Sadly, I think he would upset her tummy. He is a foul male, that is for certain. He is being removed. Queen Maisy has declared that if he should return, he will not enjoy a quick death. As for the members of the council, she is keeping them, hoping to break the spell or wait out its effects.”
Zoya looked to Bernard. “Do you think any of the other council members are aligned with him?” She continued to pet Sean's head, feeling his anger as it pulsed against her chest. Realizing how hard it must have been to hear that from Morgan's lips and not be able to kill him, so she let him take confront in her being there.
“Hmmm, I don’t think so. The rest of the council seem to hate him. Only Jeff, Becky, and Scott seem to speak up for him,” Bernard nodded, thinking it over, “I will make sure to call them and let them know what is going on,” he added and pulled his phone out to make the call.
Zoya pulled away. When Sean growled, she bopped him on the head, but when she sat on the sofa, he did not hesitate to put his head in her lap.
“He is being very clingy,” She smiled, looking down at him.
Dale smirked, “Well, when Morgan was being dragged out, he did declare that-” Dale paused, clearing his throat with a light blush to his cheeks, before imitating Morgan’s tone. “Zoya’s virginity will be mine. She is nothing but a bitch who needs to be shown her place.”
Zoya laughed. “I have not been a virgin for quite some time,” Sean growled. “Hey, you left me. You have no right to say anything, mister, I have fucked half the pack females,” she growled, mocking his words from back then, and Sean huffed.
“I never fucked any other female after you,” he said.
Zoya looked to Dale in a confusing question. “It is true, they tried, but he turned them all down.”
“Well, lucky for you then,” She was not ready to admit he was her first and only lover. Now was not the time. It was no one else's business. She would tell him when the time was right. For now, he could stew and imagine and feel the pain she had to endure all these years, believing she meant so little to one that she should have meant everything to.