Chapter 2
1678 Words
Zephyr's eyes fluttered open, his gaze met with the soft glow of moonlight filtering through the garden's lush foliage. The air was heavy with the sweet scent of blooming flowers.
As he lay there, struggling to clear his head, a low, startling voice whispered his name, "Zephyr... Sinclair." The voice seemed to come from all around him, echoing off the trees and tall grasses in the garden. Zephyr's heart quickened, his senses on high alert as he scrambled to his feet.
"Who's there?" Zephyr called out, his voice trembling. "Show yourself?" The voice didn't respond. Instead, the moonlight seemed to coalesce into a figure standing in the shadow, beyond the treeline. Zephyr's eyes locked onto the figure, his heart pounding in his chest.
As he stepped forward, he saw her. A woman with piercing green eyes and black-blonde hair. She wore a flowing white gown. She looked scared, her gaze fixed on Zephyr. Then, she turned and vanished into the darkness.
Zephyr stumbled forward, his heart racing with a mix of fear and curiosity. "Wait!" he called out, but she was gone. The voice, however, remained, but this time echoing in his mind. "You have been awakened, Zephyr Sinclair. You have been called to continue the legacy of the Lebonair wolf clan. Don’t fail us Zephyr. Wake up."
Zephyr's eyes snapped open, and he jerked upright, clinging to the bedsheet. His chest heaved with shallow, ragged breaths, and his pulse thundered in his ears.
He scanned the room. He was in his bedroom, lying on his bed, a place he shouldn’t be.
His last memory was of lying on the cold bathroom floor. Blood pooled beneath him after Ryker's relentless assault.
His fingers probed his arm, searching for the dislocated joint, but there was nothing, no pain, no scar. Instead, his hand stopped on the vinewood bracelet around his wrist. It was glowing faintly, with strange symbols shimmering on the surface.
“What the heck…” he muttered, running a finger over the shifting patterns. A faint warmth radiated from the bracelet, pulsing in sync with his racing heartbeat.
Before he could process what he was seeing, his phone rang out, startling him. His gaze darted to the screen and the name ‘Rowan’ popped up. Zephyr froze, memories flooding in.
Rowan. The Doctor who had seen something in him when no one else did. When the staff dismissed him as unworthy, Rowan had taken him under his wing, guided him, and given him hope. Over the past month, Rowan had become more than a mentor. He was family, a father figure in a world where Zephyr had none.
Trembling, Zephyr answered the call, his gaze shifting back to the bracelet.
“Dr. Rowan,” he said, his voice strained.
“Zephyr, I’m glad you picked up,” Rowan’s voice came through, firm and urgent. “Listen carefully. There’s been a gas attack on one of our estates. Several betas have been poisoned and if we don’t act fast, they won’t make it.”
Zephyr’s frown deepened, his thoughts drifting off the bracelet. “How can I help?”
“I need you to work on a treatment plan,” Rowan said. “The staff have promised a reward for anyone who can find a solution, and I need you to be part of this effort.”
“Me?” Zephyr’s voice wavered. “But Rowan, you've never trusted me with a treatment plan.”
“I know,” Rowan cut in. “But Zephyr, you've been preparing for this moment. You’ve made remarkable progress and this is your chance, or have you forgotten the promise I made you?”
Zephyr swallowed hard. His mind flashed back to Rowan’s promise. If he worked hard and proved himself, he could become a doctor and reclaim his place as a beta.
“No, I still remember.”
“Good,” Rowan's breath was soft. “I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t believe in you. Now, check your email. Everything you need is there. Forward the treatment plan to the staff office before the end of today.”
Zephyr straightened, his resolve hardening. “Sure, I won’t let you down.”
“I know,” Rowan said before hanging up.
For a moment, Zephyr sat in silence, the phone slipping from his fingers. He turned his attention back to the bracelet, which was still glowing faintly.
“What are you exactly?” he whispered, his voice barely audible. The symbols pulsed with a faint glow, but no answer came.
Shaking off the lingering confusion, he moved to his desk, powered on his laptop, and opened the email. The patient files loaded on the screen. As Zephyr scanned the data, a strange feeling stirred in his mind. Ideas—ones he couldn’t explain, ones that felt like they weren’t entirely his own began to form in his mind.
He sat on the chair, his focus sharpening. Whatever this was, it didn’t matter. Lives were at stake, and the least he could do was give this new idea a shot.
He worked for hours with a pen, a note, and some books, testing this new solution, until finally he was sure of the answer.
His mind reeled at the sight of the treatment plan he'd created. “It’s correct,” he muttered in disbelief. He leaned away from the table. His eyebrows furrowed as he shifted his gaze from the write-up to the glowing bracelet.
There were questions, a lot Zephyr wanted to confirm with his mother when she finally returned from her trip. The bracelet was a gift from his mother to him, and she would definitely have answers.
Zephyr held the bracelet, keenly observing it. “I don't know what you are. But you helped me today, and for that, I will keep you safe,” he whispered. Frowning, he made a soft copy of the treatment plan and forwarded it to the hospital.
The next morning, Zephyr woke up to the sound of his phone ringing. He whined, turning away from the sunlight streaming into his bedroom as he reached for his phone on the nightstand.
Grabbing it, he tossed it to his left ear. “Hello,” he groaned, rubbing his eyes as he sat up slowly. “Who's this?”
“Zephyr, it's Rowan,” he replied over the phone. “You are being accused of stealing Ryker's work. Get to the hospital now. You will find me at the staff’s office. Hurry,” Rowan said and hung up.
Zephyr frowned. “What the…” he stopped his lips. “Framing Ryker?... me?” Groaning, he forced himself off the bed and hurried out of the room. He took a shower and, after dressing, he left for the hospital.
Minutes later, Zephyr arrived at the staff's office on the tenth floor. He pushed the door open and walked in. The five staff members sat around a spherical table. They were conversing with Rowan. Ryker was also present. He stood beside Tanner Dillion, the alpha's right-hand man who had the highest rank.
Zephyr’s eyes locked onto Ryker. Heat surged through his chest, his fists curling at his sides. “You,” he growled under his breath, but before he could take a step forward, a sharp voice cut through the air.
“There he is!” one of the staff barked.
Zephyr halted mid-step, but the anger burning in his chest didn’t fade. He turned his gaze to Rowan. His eyes were hot with tears. “Rowan…”
“Zephyr, don’t you dare,” Rowan cut in, his tone laced with grief. He reached for a file and thrust it in Zephyr’s direction. “Plagiarism, Zephyr? Have you really sunk this low?”
“What?” Zephyr whispered, his voice barely audible. His stomach churned as he looked into Rowan’s eyes, searching for even a flicker of doubt. Instead, he found disappointment, a crushing weight that settled in his chest.
“You know the rules,” Rowan continued, his voice rising. “Integrity is everything here! And yet, you passed off Ryker’s work as your own? Is this what I’ve taught you?”
The words hit like a hammer. Zephyr’s breath hitched as he recalled how many hours he had spent trying to create the treatment plan. “That’s not true!”
“Don’t lie to me!” Rowan scolded. His countenance flustered, as he avoided Zephyr’s stare. “You’re a disgrace to this profession and to me. Now, apologise to Ryker,” Rowan said. His voice was soft this time, a hint suggesting he was holding something back. But the fleeting impression only added to Zephyr's confusion and anger.
Zephyr’s gaze snapped to Ryker, who stood with a mask of feigned indignation. But behind the façade, Zephyr saw the triumph glinting in Ryker’s eyes.
Ryker had stolen his mate and now stripped him of his one chance to earn the beta title. And yet, here he was, forced to apologize.
Zephyr's claws pierced his palms, pooling blood between his fingers. He forced the words out, his voice low. “I'm… sorry.”
The room fell deathly silent for a moment, and then Tanner leaned forward, his cold gaze pinning on Zephyr.
“An apology isn’t enough,” he said, his voice low and deliberate. “This is a serious offence. Zephyr Sinclair, from today, you’re barred from handling patients or sensitive documents. Your new task is to clean up used medical equipment and maintain the environment.”
Zephyr’s heart sank. His entire body felt numb as the words settled in.
He looked at Rowan, hoping for some sign of disbelief or protest. But Rowan stared blankly, his silence more damning than any accusation.
Zephyr’s gaze shifted to Ryker, whose smirk now stretched into a full grin.
This wasn’t just Ryker’s doing. It was a collective effort to destroy him. But he wouldn’t let it end here.
I’ll find the truth. He vowed, his claws digging deeper into his palms. And when I do, they’ll regret it, everyone involved.
- Writer
