Chapter 3 : The rejection that cut deep
1350 Words
Zach's POV
The initial sensation I noticed was the refreshing morning wind touching my skin. The aroma of moist soil and the gentle flow of water permeated the atmosphere, yet something seemed… unsettling.
My body hurt in areas where it normally wouldn’t. My muscles ached, my senses numbed. My head ached, a dense mist obscuring my recollections.
Where was I located?
I sighed and stretched my arms, and that’s when I noticed it,warmth next to me. My eyes flew open, and I rotated my head.
Golden locks of hair spread out over the forest ground. A bare body pressed against me, sleek, gentle contours, tender skin.
Kendall.
The understanding struck me like a silver bullet.
What on earth occurred last night?
I shot up, the chilly air stinging my skin. My motion roused her from slumber, and as soon as her sleepy blue eyes met my gaze, fear erupted on her expression.
Kendall gasped, backing away from me, grasping her exposed chest with shaking hands. Her breaths were quick and uneven as she gazed down at herself, the realization hitting her like a tidal wave.
“We—” She choked on her words. “What did we do?”
I couldn’t answer.
Flashes of last night burned through my mind. The heat of her body against mine. Her scent wrapping around me. The desperate need, the primal hunger, the way she whispered my name—
I clenched my fists.
This shouldn’t have happened.
Kendall took a shaky step back, but as she did, her wrist brushed against mine. A jolt of electricity shot through me like lightning, searing hot, undeniable.
The mating bond.
It roared to life between us, snapping into place like a steel chain, an unbreakable force tying me to her. My wolf growled in satisfaction, but my human side recoiled in horror.
“No,” I snarled, jerking away.
Kendall’s eyes widened, and she clutched her wrist like she could undo what had just happened. “No, no, no—” she whispered.
The bond. The connection. The proof of what we had done.
I felt it as much as she did,the pull, the sudden awareness, the way our souls had latched onto each other like they had been waiting for this moment all along.
I refused it.
I wouldn’t accept this.
Not with her.
“You tricked me,” I spat, my voice like venom.
Kendall’s head snapped up. “What?”
"You accomplished something." Intoxicated me. "Utilized your wolf to control me." My breathing was rapid and intense, my nails pressing into my hands. "You desired this, right?"
Her eyes burned with fury. “Do you believe I desired this?”
"You killed your sister, Kendall!" My voice trembled, hoarse and overflowing with rage. “What's next?” Do you believe you can assume her role? "Like Kaylin?"
She recoiled as though I had hit her. "I can't recall anything," she murmured. “I promise, Zach, I don't—”
"That's a lie"
She shook her head vigorously. "I wouldn’t take this action." "I wouldn't have been able to accomplish this."
Yet the proof was evident,our exposed forms, the fragrance of our connection, the attraction between us. And I was certain of one thing.
She belonged to me now.
And I despised it.
"I reject this bond," I snarled, voice sharp as a knife.
Kendall's lips opened slightly, and for just a moment, I caught a glimpse of something glimmering in her eyes,pain, uncertainty, something nearly... damaged. However, I disregarded it.
I got to my feet, grabbing my clothes, my motions quick and intense. "Put your clothes on."
She gazed at me, motionless.
I rotated, making eye contact with her. "Join me at the assembly hall in two hours." “If you don’t, I will guarantee that you will regret your decision.”
Her throat moved up and down as she gulped forcefully. “Zach—”
"Stop," I retorted. "Don't pronounce my name that way."
Like I held significance to her.
As if she hadn’t completely shattered my whole existence.
I moved nearer, looming above her. “You're a fraud and a killer, Kendall,” I said, my tone quiet and cutting. "And I will never, ever consider you as my partner."
She inhaled deeply, eyes shimmering, yet she swiftly concealed it with a fierce look.
“Good,” she hissed, yanking her clothes over her body. “Because I wouldn’t want a mate like you anyway.”
She pushed past me, her shoulders stiff, but I caught the slight tremble in her steps.
I watched her disappear into the trees, my wolf snarling inside me.
I hated her.
I hated the bond.
But most of all, I hated that I could still feel her.
I stormed back to the packhouse, my entire body vibrating with pent-up rage. The moment I stepped inside, the familiar scent of home did nothing to calm the storm brewing inside me.
I wanted to rip something apart.
I wanted to erase the feeling of Kendall’s touch, her scent, the bond.
The moment I reached my room, I slammed the door shut and ripped off my clothes, heading straight for the shower.
The freezing water hit my skin, but it did nothing to wash away the heat from last night. I scrubbed harder, my nails digging into my skin, but no matter how much I cleaned myself, I still felt her.
The bond pulsed, a constant reminder that she was mine. That she belonged to me now.
I clenched my jaw. No. I wouldn’t accept this. I refused to be tied to Kendall—the woman who took my sister’s life.
Stepping out of the shower, I wrapped a towel around my waist and grabbed my phone.
“Call a meeting,” I barked to the sentinel on duty. “In thirty minutes. And summon Kendall’s parents. I want to speak with them immediately.”
The sentinel hesitated. “Alpha—”
“Now.”
“Yes, Alpha.”
I ended the call and threw the phone onto the dresser. My hands curled into fists. I needed to do this. I needed to make her pay.
By the time I dressed and walked into the meeting hall, Kendall’s parents were already waiting.
Her father, Alpha Derrick, sat stiffly in his chair, his hands clasped together as he stared at the table. He looked troubled, deep lines carved into his forehead.
But her mother, Luna Meredith, sat with her arms crossed, her lips pressed into a thin, unforgiving line. She didn’t look sad. She didn’t look concerned.
She looked vindictive.
I barely spared them a glance before taking my seat at the head of the table.
“I assume you know why I called you here,” I said coldly.
Derrick sighed heavily. “Because of Kendall.”
“Because she lured me into the woods,” I corrected. “She used whatever twisted power she had left to manipulate me into—” I cut myself off, my fingers curling around the armrest of my chair. “She tricked me. She took advantage of me, and she disrespected the pack. I want to punish her for what she did.”
Derrick exhaled, his gaze dropping to the table. He looked… conflicted. Hesitant.
“I don’t know,” he muttered. “Kendall has always been reckless, but this doesn’t sound like something she’d do. She—”
“Oh, for Goddess’ sake, Derrick,” Meredith snapped, rolling her eyes. “Stop trying to defend her. She murdered our daughter.”
Derrick flinched.
“I don’t care what Zach does to her,” Meredith continued, her voice sharp and cold. “She’s a disgrace to this family. If she’s finally being held accountable for something, then good.”
Her words were harsh, but the glint in her eyes sent a chill through me.
She didn’t just hate Kendall.
She wanted her gone.
I stared at the woman who had given birth to the girl I now despised, and for a moment, I wondered which of them was the real monster.
- Writer
