Chapter 35 Chapter 35
ELLA
When we entered the packhouse a few days later, all I could think about was going upstairs and sleeping in my bed.
That hospital bed was horrible, hard, and lumpy. I’d barely gotten any good sleep on it. My wounds were healed completely, and I was glad to be home.
I made my way to the stairs and was about to head up when my feet were swept out from under me, and I was in the strong, muscular arms of my mate.
“Zane, I am perfectly capable of walking!” I hollered as I rolled my eyes.
“Yes, but what fun would that be?” Zane teased as he took me upstairs.
I watched as he walked past my room and entered his.
“Hey, wait! What are you—”
I was interrupted when he dropped me on the bed.
“Zane! I’m not going to just—”
“Nope!” Zane held a hand to my mouth.
“No argument. You’re staying in here from now on. I already took the liberty of having your things moved in here.”
I looked around to see my belongings placed around the room and what I assumed were my clothes in the closet.
I scowled at my mate.
“Zane Davis, just because you are an alpha doesn’t mean you get to just decide I’m staying with you.”
“True, but Ella, I want you near me. I’m not letting you out of my sight again.”
I rolled my eyes.
“Fine.”
Zane smiled and crawled onto the bed, his movements acting as though he was stalking his prey.
I gave him a sarcastic glare.
“What are you doing?”
Zane pounced on me, and I squealed as he wrapped his arms around me and entangled our limbs.
He kissed me on the forehead, on the cheeks, and on the nose, before finally resting his lips on mine. I inhaled his scent and leaned into his kiss.
It started gentle, then quickened with more passion, as though he was making up for the last week. He rolled on top of me, his body pressed to mine as his hands wandered my skin.
“My mate,” he whispered as he kissed me deeply.
I smiled, feeling loved and wanted by my mate. But at the back of my mind, Mariah’s words still rang in my head.
...you are weak... you should have left him alone... you are no luna... little omega...
I spent the night wrapped in Zane’s arms, enjoying his warmth.
I woke in the morning to find myself alone. I got out of bed and took a long, hot shower, hoping to clean off the last two weeks of chaos.
I dressed in leggings and a loose T-shirt and made my way downstairs. As I entered the kitchen, I was embraced by my mom.
“I’m still so glad you’re okay,” my mom said as she released me. I sat down at the island and watched the cooks work on breakfast.
When they were done, my mom walked over, wiping her hands on her apron.
“So, how are you?”
I shrugged.
“I’m okay.”
Sophie wrinkled her brow.
“Ella Marie Matthews, I’ve known you long enough to know when you’re not okay. Spill it.”
I let out a sigh.
“It’s just something Mariah said to me. It bothered me, that’s all.”
“What did she say?” Sophie asked as she sat down beside me.
I lowered my head.
“She…she said I was weak, that I shouldn’t be with him, that I’m not good enough to be luna.”
I heard my mom exhale slowly.
“Do you believe her?”
“Well, look what she did to me! I couldn’t even defend myself.”
Sophie shook her head.
“But you were never trained like she was. You can’t use that excuse.”
She had a point.
“That’s true. Do you think I’ll be an okay luna?”
My mother smiled.
“Sweetheart, I think you’re going to make an amazing luna. You are strong and kind and good-hearted. Plus, you can hold your ground against Zane and keep him in line.”
I laughed.
“Sure! Don’t let Zane hear you say that!”
“Hear you say what?” He walked up from behind us and wrapped his arms around me.
We both laughed.
“Nothing.”
Zane gave me a peck on the cheek and stood beside me.
“I need you to stay near me today.”
I narrowed my eyes at him.
“Why?”
“What do you mean why? Don’t you want to spend time with me?” Zane teased.
“You know what I mean, Zane.” I rolled my eyes at him, but I knew he had a reason.
“We can’t find Mariah.” Zane shook his head, anger flashing through his eyes.
“It seems that when she heard you had survived, she took off. We don’t know where, so until then, you’re stuck with me.”
I felt fear creep up on me again.
“Okay…”
Zane cupped my face.
“Don’t worry, Ells, we’ll catch her. She will face the consequences of her actions.”
Sophie interrupted.
“What exactly are the consequences?”
“Well…” Zane hesitated, not knowing how to respond.
Suddenly, Alpha Daniel appeared next to us.
“The best-case scenario is she will be exiled from the pack. But usually, the punishment for killing a member of your own pack is execution. Seeing as she was only able to commit attempted murder, it might be less. But Ella is luna-to-be. So I don’t know, it’s complicated.
We’ll probably have to hold a pack council. ”
Zane nodded at his father, and I gulped. I hated Mariah. I hated her for the years of emotional abuse, I hated her for belittling me, for treating me like a slave.
I hated her for taking Zane away and convincing him to reject me, and I hated her for attacking me. But I wasn’t sure I thought Mariah should die.