Zion

“Just because he is the fucking King doesn’t mean I have to respect him when he calls upon rogues,” a familiar voice shouts throughout the walls of the West Wing.

I pull my feet into my stomach, leaning my head back against the chair as I sit silently.

“You’d be wise to hold your tongue,” another man snaps as the voices get closer to where I am. “He could easily have your head for that disrespect.”

“He needs my troops, this he needs me,” Sebastian growls, and from what I can hear, he’s shoved the warning Alpha away as he tries to unlock the door. I place my feet down, crossing my legs as I await him in the dark room. “Stupid damn lock.”

The door clicks open and he enters, his wolf surfacing as I can sense the anger rolling off of him in waves. Just as the lights turn on, illuminating the room with me in it, Sebastian’s eyes land on me briefly before he grabs his phone off of a stand. “What do you want?”

I purse my lips together, thinking of what to say next. Arriving her two hours ago, I wondered the whole time what to do, why I was here, and how to talk to Sebastian. Only five hours ago did I do something I do not know if I regret or feel no guilt for. “Sybil?”

Sighing, I get to my feet. “I asked about my parents the other day and you tried to deny me any answers. So here I am, Sebastian, I want word on my parents,” I inform, watching as he looks up from his phone, his eyes turning an even paler green that I ever thought could happen. “I want to know.”

“You don’t want to know, Sybil,” Sebastian whispers, hurt filling his voice as I realize what he means, how his tone of voice and the atmosphere change of the room indicates something is wrong. Sebastian sets down his phone, pinching the bridge of his nose as my heart feels pain. Although we rejected one another, the pain the other feels (if at a close enough distance), you also feel. My hands move up to cover my mouth, my body feeling weak as Sebastian takes in a deep breath.

“Sybil, I do not want to tell you.”

Sebastian is soon beside me, pulling me in for a hug as I forget all that he has done to me. What he is feeling right now, it is true, it is real. The pain he feels that has triggered inside of me is also real. “I want to know, Sebastian, I want to know so damn much,” I cry, feeling my eyes water as he shakes his head.

“Your mother and father went looking for you after you were not responding.” A sob escapes my lips and Sebastian holds me tighter, his arms squeezing me enough to let me know he is here for me. I know him, that as an Alpha, when something goes wrong to a pack member, he will mourn. Only to me is he really an asshole, and to others as well. “When they could not find you...” He pauses, pulling away from me as I suck in a deep breath of air, trying to calm myself down.

“What happened? What happened when they could not find me?” I ask, my hands moving up to grasp his shirt, pulling him close enough for my head to rest upon his chest. “What happened to them?”

“I’m sorry.”

“What happened?” I scream, pushing on the Alpha as he stumbles back a step or two, his eyes growing puffy as I wipe my tears away.

“I cannot.”

“Damn it, tell me!” I scream, slapping the Alpha out of rage, watching his eyes turn pitch black.

“Rogues got ahold of them and killed them,” Sebastian replies in a growl. “Rogues killed them without blinking an eye.”

My heart almost stops for a full five seconds, my body growing weak as ai take in the news. The news of my dead parents. But I cannot believe that rogues would kill them. Hell, both of my parents were pack warriors and damn good ones too. It makes no sense. I can’t be. They can’t be dead.

“We buried them next to each other in the pack cemetery.”

I muffle a sob with my hands, shaking my head as I fall back onto a chair, my head spinning as Sebastian kneels down in front of me. “They died because of me,” I whisper, looking up to the Alpha and the man who rejected me and banished me. It’s as if all is lost as my parents are all that matter to me now. “I’m to blame.”

“No you’re not, they died because you went missing.”

He’s right, they died because they could not contact me. They died because I was unable to tell them what had happened. But Zion had no idea that his actions would cause this. Because he took me my parents looked for me only to find death, but it is not his fault. Zion had no idea my parents would die because of some stupid action of taking me and calling me his.

“I need to go,” I whisper, getting to my feet as Sebastian nods, a sudden coldness once again surrounding him as we are back to before. “Thank you.”

He nods, opening the door for me as I exit, knowing damn well not to return to him for quite some time now. Maybe I’ll return before the Senate is over and ask about their will, their last wishes to be done upon the earth.

I exit the West Wing, drying off my face with my hands as I try and think of what to do now. My parents were one of the main reasons I wanted to return home, and now that they are gone, what other motives do I have left that drive me enough to order I be released?

My parents were my true only reason. By now my apartment is empty or probably holds another person. My resume is probably at the bottom of a dumpster, and my purse with all my items? My purse is probably within some little compartment Zion set up. Maybe in his room, maybe within the walls, maybe at the bottom of the lake. Wherever it is, it holds the last bits of who I am legally, how it holds my license, my passport, my phone, and little things that I now only have left to define me.

I head towards the front doors of the palace, the guards standing there as their spears form an X across the door, guarding to make sure I do not leave without Zion’s wish. And I know very well he will not wish me gone for a while. Something tells me the way he kissed me was only the beginning, and because I chose to kiss him back, I have only provoked him onward in whatever game he is playing.

Maids clear the way for me in the main entrance as I walk to the doors, examining the small crack not even big enough for a feather, a small one that not even the sun can get through. “When do the doors open for me?” I ask the guards.

One looks to me, his eyes filled with what seems to be pity. “When the King orders it.”

“How long will that be?” I question, cocking my head to the side as I can sense something lurking around the corner.

“I believe you know that answer.”

I leave, turning around as I quickly leave the grand entrance and the throne room, not bothering to spare the man upon the throne one glance as his crown shines in the candlelight. “Leaving so soon?”

Looking over my shoulder, I meet his stare, those golden eyes upon me, making my legs feel weak. “Heading to bed.”

“The sun is still out,” Zion states, his tone telling me he is annoyed. He gets up from the throne, stalking towards me as my shoulders tense, my heart skipping a beat.

As Zion gets a foot from me, he tilts his head to the side sharply. “Want to go for a run?”

I could use one.

Nodding my head, I follow the King down the familiar halls and archways. “I hear you were in the West Wing today.” I remain silent, walking closely behind as the King leads me to doorway. He opens the door, letting me go first as the cool air of the tunnel hits my face. “I believe the ex-mate.” I scoff.

“Remember, ex-mate, your Majesty. I accepted the rejection.”

“He banished you.”

“So you want revenge for something you have no ties to?” I mumble.

I’m pressed against the cool wall, my face pressed up against it as Zion’s lips brush my ear. “I want justice for your pain.”

“It makes no sense,” I whisper, feeling his lips move from my ear and towards my neck, sliding down the jugular vein. “It is my battle to fight, not your’s.” He chuckles, my skin growing pale.

Fingers wrap around my chin gently, my head being brought back to rest against his shoulder, my body now relying upon my tip toes not to fall. “I hate it when you say I have no right.”

“Because you do not,” I reply softly, feeling the cold air flow through the tunnel. “Once you accept a rejection it is over, finished.”

“It does not seem finished. How you sneak into his room.” I scoff, only to remember the news I received today, news that has made me feel pain to every inch of my body. “Sybil?”

I swallow the lump in my throat, trying to get my body to relax. “Am I only here to gain the trust of the rogues because I am one?”

My body is let go of, the atmosphere growing tense as I stare at the King, his wolf surfacing. “You dare think I am using you?”

“That’s what everyone is thinking!” I growl, watching as his chest rises and falls fast. “That’s what I feel like is going on.”

“Well it’s not!” Zion shouts, my wolf whimpering as he approaches me, grabbing my arm as I’m dragged the rest of the way towards the small house in the woods. Once up the stairs and in the room, I’m shoved onto the couch, Zion pacing back and forth. “I told you that you are my mate.”

“Second chance mates don’t happen anymore,” I snap. “And if they do happen, it’s on the night of a full moon. We met on a crescent moon. I’m not foolish.” Zion approaches me, caging me in with his arms as his lips brush mine. “You have a mate, you have the mark.”

“You. Are. Mine.”

Lips crash onto mine as I’m caged in, hands landing on my face as I’m held there. My eyes begin to close as my hands reach up, pulling him closer as what was once just a random action turns passion-filled. The heat of his lips is beginning to kill me as he takes it further.

Just as we pull apart for air, those pale green eyes flash through my mind. I push Zion away, my eyes widening at what I just did, what I just committed. It’s the second time I’ve let him get to me, that I’ve let him in and push my boundaries. Hell, I don’t even know what I feel for this man other than that he is holding me captive basically.

“Let’s go.”

I nod, following him into the woods, going behind a tree to change and soon, I’ve shifted, not caring to look for the King as I take off.

The wind flowing through my mane feels like heaven as I let my wolf take over, her desire to burn off all of the stress and confusion very high. My paws hit the forest floor, the leaves crunching from under my paws, my howl throwing her head up in the wind.

For another hour I run around, enjoying my solitude. My mind goes back to the King, how everything tells me there is nothing there, yet I allow him to come closer and into my personal affairs. Well, not allow, he more like pushes through. As for Sebastian, for me wanting to save his life rather than watch him die, I do not know why. I think it’s because what is done is done.

In ten minutes I shift back, putting on my clothes as the King is no where in sight. I grab the handle of the door, entering as I am ready to head back to the palace. Entering back into the tunnel, I march through the tunnel, feeling a presence behind me.

No doubt Zion.

Just as I’m halfway through, I feel the presence near. Zion steps on the back of my shoe, making me groan. I ignore him, taking another step, only for him to do the same thing. “Why so childish?” I snap.

“Why so foolish?”

I stop in my tracks, turning around right away as fear strikes me deep. Looking around, I meet a pair of eyes.

Lavender eyes.