Captured

{8} Old Enemies, New Anger

Zach's POV:

I'm seething and so is Hunter. I can barely keep him under control as I watch my nemesis, Alpha Adam Walker of the River Ridge pack blatantly flirting with her. He and I have been each other's competition for years. He also knows of my deep-rooted hatred for humans, which will make him very suspicious and curious as to how I now have a human living within my pack.

He walks toward me with a glowing smirk on his face as if he knows something I don't. This only heightens my emotions.

I want to smack that smug look off his face. Hunter growls inside my head. I see Scott behind him and he has a death glare on Adam's back as he walks away. He hates him as much as we do. At least we still see eye to eye on this point.

"Alpha Zach Turner, what a pleasure running into you again! What's it been a year or two since we crossed paths at Alpha training?" his words dripping with disdain and sarcasm as he reaches out his hand to shake mine. I reluctantly accept as too many on-lookers prevent me from reacting the way I really want to. I must keep up appearances of peace while on neutral ground. He knows this, too.

"Yes, it's been far too long, Adam. What brings you here?" As we squeeze our handshake, battling for dominance. Finally, we release our grip on one another and stare, never breaking eye contact.

"Well, aside from supporting our monthly Farmer's Market, rumor has spread that the big, bad human-hating Alpha has accepted not one, but two humans into his pack. Now, I'm not one to put faith into rumors, buuuttt, it did warrant further investigation. Seems they are, in fact, true." Adam looks back at her with a dashing smile which makes her blush as she begins to fidget with her table set up. I see Scott and Leah jump in to distract her from Adam's charms.

"Not that it's any of your business, but my father hired her father. They aren't staying." I smirk slyly at him, but I'm not sure if my lie is believable.

"Hhhmmm, well, I suppose I will have to move quickly then. I would hate for a beautiful and talented woman like Sara Beth to be so dismissed. She's a catch that deserves to be captured." As my smirk falls, his rises.

"Stay away from her." I grit out through clenched teeth.

"Why? It's not like she's your mate. Or is she?" He's fishing for information. His eyebrow c***s as he awaits my response.

"She's not my mate, but she is a member of my pack for the time being and she's off limits to you and your slimy clutches." He laughs deeply at my insult.

"If I didn't know better, I'd say she might be your mate. Your possessiveness is stifling the air around you. Oh, the Moon Goddess is hilariously clever. I assume you won't be able to accept her and will reject her quickly. I'll just have to be there to pick up the pieces, if I don't snatch her up before you even make a move. Anyway, I've got to find a wall to put my future Luna's artwork for all of my pack to see. They will be so proud. I'll see you around, Zach." His laughter fills the air around me, taunting me.

I look back at the table only to see her watching me. I scowl and she rolls her eyes. I need to go for a run before I do something stupid. I turn to leave and feel her stare on me. What am I going to do if she is my mate? Can she accept me and my world? Will it send her screaming? Will I reject her? Will she reject me?

We will NOT reject her! Get over what happened in the past! She is a gift and will help us grow this pack! Hunter screams inside my head.

I've hated humans for as long as I can remember. As I walk to my truck, my mind drifts back to when I was in high school.

Run Zach! Run! It was my best friend, Nick, screaming at me to run. As a future Alpha, I was not one for taking orders even at the age of 14. However, his panic rolled off of him in waves. I see movement behind him and then, I see the smoke at the end of a barrel. Nick falls to ground. I hesitate for a moment before dropping to the ground. I crawl toward his unmoving body. Before I can reach him, I hear the blood-curdling scream of my mother. Her shadow looms over me, protecting me from the hunters.

My breathing is heavy as she wraps my body to shield me from them. We were surrounded until I felt the ground rumble with paws on earth. The ferocious growls filled the air, but I remained cocooned in my mother's arms. I tried to see if she was hurt and to check on Nick, but I couldn't release her hold on me.

After what felt like an eternity, my father pulled me from my mother's arms and folded my face into his chest. I knew then she was gone, as was my best friend. For the first and last time, I felt and heard my father cry. The seed of hatred sprouted in my heart immediately. Humans were evil and dangerous. And they would pay!

"You okay?" I feel Scott's hand on my shoulder which breaks me out of my memory.

"He suspects her to be my mate. He's going to try and take her. He's going to use her against me." I say without facing him.

"That son of b***h! He was drooling all over her. It took everything in my power to not break his neck. She is in the dark, Zach, about everything." I feel his anguish. I'm torn between my past and my future. Even if she's not my mate, I would never want her to fall for a conniving snake like Adam.

"How can I choose her over my mother? Over Nick? You were there, too. You saw the savage hunters rip families apart. Rip my family apart. How can you forgive them?" I question softly, finally looking him in the eye.

"It's true. I was there. I saw the damage they caused. I felt the pain, the loss, the devastation. I also saw our community eradicate those bastards into extinction. But, I've also seen the damage our own kind has done to one another. Take you and Adam, for instance, enemies for years. What makes us any more or less dangerous than humans? Do we not have wars over our differences? Do some weres not kill innocents? She's not a hunter. She's an innocent who only wants to bring happiness to the world through her art." Scott speaks so highly of her, but I also know he is speaking the truth.

Werewolves used to run wild before the pack structure was developed by the werewolf council and the accepted societal rules were set. We avoid human cities when possible, we remain unnoticed and in the dark, we don't bother them, they don't bother us. We have thrived this way for centuries. Very few humans know about us, they either find out the hard way or they find out through the love of a mate bond.

"I need time to wrap my head around this. It's a difficult thing to change, to let go of all the hurt and pain. The loss. What if she's my mate?" I whisper the last part.

"If she were a wolf, would rejection even be on the table? Would you disrespect the Moon Goddess' choice for you?"

"Of course not! But this complicates things." I let out a frustrated sigh.

"No...you, you complicate things. You put all this pressure on yourself and refuse to let go of the past, to heal from the pain and move forward. You're not disrespecting your mom or Nick by being happy. If anything, your mom would have already kicked your ass for treating her so poorly." Again, he is right. I need to get my head together whether she's my mate or not, I've got to get past this undeserved hatred towards her. Hell, I don't even disrespect her father like I do her. I'm such a d**k. I've got to find a way to make amends, not only with her, but myself.

Sunday morning rolls around and the pack house is quiet. I decide to take a walk around the territory to clear my head. I'm at a crossroads. My brain and heart are at odds, not to mention Hunter's emotions thrown in the mix. I head to the pond hoping to get a grip on things, but quickly realize it's already occupied.

I approach her quietly while she's sunbathing and taking random pictures. She doesn't notice me at first until she turns to snap a photo, only to see me through her lens.

"What are you doing here? What do you think you're doing?" I ask as if I don't already know the answer.

"Sunbathing and taking pictures, what does it look like?" She rolls her eyes and responds as if it's so obvious. She ignores me by continuing to snap pictures.

"I don't think you should be lying here half naked in the middle of the woods. It's not safe. And this area doesn't belong to you." I scoff at her indifference.

"I don't remember asking you what you thought. You act as if you own the place." She continues to lay on her stomach and snap pictures of different aspects of the surrounding landscape. Then, she pauses. "Oh! Let me guess, it belongs to you?!" she says angrily. I feel her annoyance rising.

"Why yes, as a matter of fact, it does!" I say smugly, crossing my arms over my chest. She begins to stand up and pack her things, huffing.

"All you had to say is you want me to leave." She brushes herself off and stands allowing me see her body for the first time in a bikini. She quickly shimmies on her cover up and begins walking back to her house without another word. I stand there frozen a moment before calling out.

"You just walked from your house like that? Does your father know you're dressed like this?" I call to her retreating figure.

"Yep" she responds, popping the p.

"Where everyone can see you?" I'm suddenly very aware that anyone could have seen her and my possessiveness kicks in. What the f**k is wrong with me? She's not mine. She stops walking and without fully turning around, but turning her head. I can see the side of her face. There's a look I don't fully understand.

"People never see me." her voice sounding sad and distant and...broken. She continues walking without another word spoken. I'm stuck in place without a word to respond with, yet, I want to respond. I see you. I've seen you since day one.

I want to follow her, argue with her more, but realize there's no point. She's sexy as hell, but there's something more to her than just her outward appearance. I sigh, rubbing my hands over my face and through my hair. I quickly run into the forest and shift allowing Hunter to run and hunt. I've had all I can take for the weekend.