Return of the Alpha

Chapter Two

As Zakai rounded the corner to the front of the house, the intruders came into view. His former pack mates. His former best friends, Tamar and Xoan stood in front of his home.

"Leave now," Zakai ordered making it clear that they were not welcome.

"Bro, the pack needs you. Your father is..." Tamar started to say, but Zakai threw his hand up in a gesture signaling him to stop. Anything that involved the pack Alpha he wanted nothing to do with.

"I'm not your bro. I'm not a part of the pack anymore. Now leave," Zakai growled menacingly. Without giving either one of them the chance to argue , he turned on his heels and headed towards his front door. Their sighs of defeat resonated through the air.

"Come on guys. I told you this was a mistake," a familiar female voice stated. She sounded neither disappointed nor angry.

The sound of her voice caused Zakai to pause before he could take another step. As if in slow motion, he hesitantly turned to face the familiar woman. The woman who haunted his dreams. He searched her face for any sign of a reaction, but it was as void of emotion as her words had been.

His attention landed on the right side of her neck. An involuntary sigh of relief slipped out as Zakai saw that it lay bare. There was no mark of a bond. Jaya had not chosen a mate. The thought caused an unwanted stir of emotion to flicker within him. Jaya's hand swiftly flew up to cover her neck as her eyes sent daggers in his direction.

This time it was Jaya who turned on her heels and walked away. She motioned with her hands for Tamar and Xoan to follow. The two of them looked at Zakai one last time with pleading eyes as they followed Jaya.

For the first time since Zakai left the pack the loneliness truly set in. When he first left, his anger had fueled his resolve to stay away. Now only sorrow was left to accompany him in his solitude.

Frustrated Zakai finally entered his home. He walked right past the kitchen and into the bathroom. Even after a long day and his run, the thought of food was anything but appealing.

The water was so hot it could have burned his skin as he climbed in to the shower. Yet, the blistering water kept his attention on something other than the look on Jaya's face. As much as he hated to admit it. Even to himself. Zakai knew he deserved her disdain.

After cutting the water off, Zakai yanked his gray towel off the hanger with more force than necessary. Wrapping the towel around his waist, he stepped out of the shower and in front of the sink. The man staring back at him in the mirror looked pitiful with his angry red skin and tortured eyes. He refrained from punching the reflection in the mirror.

As he aggressively brushed his canines, his irritation continued to flare. Who were they to show up on his door step? To ignite these emotions within him?

Zakai entered the bedroom and tossed the towel off to the side. Still too annoyed to care that he wasn't completely dry, Zakai threw himself onto the bed.The pillow case quickly absorbed the water from his wet hair as he slipped under the covers. Drifting off into the abyss was a welcomed escape from reality.

The pack's sacred standing stones stood tall towering over Zakai.This place of great power had always been slightly intimidating. A place he had not been since the last full moon in which he had been a part of the pack.

As Zakai reached out to touch one of the sacred stones, a brush of cold air whipped around him eliciting a shiver. Kneeling down in front of the stones, he bowed his head. A sign of respect to the moon goddess. The stones of unity, honor, and respect stood as place to worship their holy mother.

"My child, you are lost," a powerful feminine voice captured Zakai's attention. As he looked up at the celestial being in front of him, he was awe struck by her mere presence. The goddess' long wavy black hair flowed down framing her angelic face. The holy white gown she wore looked as though it was woven by pure magic itself.

"How so Mother Wolf?" Zakai finally addressed Selene, The Moon Goddess. He bowed his head once again as he waited for her response.

" Go home child. You're the only one who can save them from what is to come," Selene warned. The goddess left as quickly as she appeared leaving him with more questions than answers.

Zakai sat straight up in his bed. The covers sliding down the front of his body. Did the Moon Goddess really come to him in a dream? Or was it the guilt for turning his former pack mates away? For turning Jaya away?