>The council was adjourned again after John's representative gave a bunch of fake aliases of what a stand-up citizen he was.His engagement with Alyssa was used in his Beta position to expose my Dad's non-existent crimes against our pack. I was shocked to see our Alpha taking John's side against my Dad. They had been buddies when Dad was the Beta. I practically grew up in the pack house before everyone realized I was not getting a wolf.If I was so shocked, I couldn't imagine how hurt Dad was. Throughout the procession, he had stared at the cuffs on his wrists. I couldn't imagine how humiliated he would be feeling. 'Soon Daddy. Soon, it will all be over. Hang tight.' I thought to myself.When it was Xavier's turn, he had started providing proof after proof of my Dad's innocence. He had solid proof of John being the one who did the embezzlement and how he did it. I could see that neither John nor his representative were expecting those proofs. They must have thought they
>With just a few words, my whole world shifted.The Head Councilor had announced the decision that the council had mutually agreed upon.My Dad was released free of all charges against him. Silver Moon Pack had been ordered to pay for emotional dmamges, physical abuse, and aiding John in his crimes.Xavier had prepared such a case that the defendents stood no chance against him. I was so glad to have my dad back that it never crossed my mind that John was aware of my short-lived relationship with Xavier. But he had not used that knowledge to weaken our case, even though it could have been a serious blow to our case.We were done, Xavier was not.He had presented the final speech as such that even though our case was closed, the general accusations agaisnt John were still open. I knew Xavier was not going to let the man go so easily after he tried to use his sister for power and whatnot.I wanted to thank Xavier in the hall but he, along with John's representative were qui
>Once Dad had gone to sleep and Aunt Julie had gone to rest in Maisie's old room, I had time to think.Whatever I chose, I had to talk to Xavier first. He had put his career on the line for this case. Now that I had Dad back and no immediate worries, the realization hit me. Why hadn't John told everyone about my relationship with Xavier.He had been so jealous from the start. He had threatened me. He had told Claire all about it. Why had neither of them done anything about that. I was now sure that if they had, Xavier's pristine repuation would've been over. That wouldn't only have impacted the case negatively but his credibility to do his job as a Councilor and Alpha. I had been allowed to visit Maisie. She had been given a smaller, fortified room. But she assured me that she was fine. She had convinced me to talk to Xavier before making any decision.It was certain that I was not going to stay in the same pack that hurt Dad and me so much. But before making up my mind
> I love winters. It’s the season of hot chocolate and warm fuzzy sweaters. But most of all, it’s the time of year when I go running in the freshly fallen snow, hoping to get my wolf any day now, because nights are longer than days in winter. I am Zoe Simmons, the daughter of an ex-beta of Silver Moon Pack. My father was a well-respected and trusted Beta of the pack in his time. When I turned sixteen, I expected to meet my amazing wolf, but to everyone’s surprise, she was a no-show. Ever since my mom had left us, Goddess knows why, my dad had been my sole support, my whole world. We did everything together. Everything I knew had been taught to me by my father, and I loved him for it. That day I got up after dawn, got ready, and went for a quick run in the woods that were close since our house was at the edge of the community. On the run, I saw some wolf paw prints and I longed for the day mine would be imprinted on the fresh snow like that too one day. I returned, show
>“Is this what your business is?” I had asked, trying to hold my tears until I was alone.“John? Do you know her?” Alyssa asked placing a hand on his chest. The chest that I was rarely allowed to touch for years.“Lyssa, it’s not what you might be thinking. This girl and I, we’re just friends.” John lied blatantly on my face and I was shocked to bear witness to this side of him.“Don’t get the wrong idea by what she is wearing. She is going through some stuff. Must’ve gotten upset when I couldn’t be there to help her.” He had the audacity to twirl a stray lock of her blonde hair around his finger as I stood watching in shock.“Oh, in that case, hi. I’m Alyssa. I think I remember you from today’s meeting. You were sitting at the back right?” The man-stealing bitch smiled and it stung like a viper. She extended a hand as an offer to shake mine and I glared at it.John squirmed as I refused to shake hands with the whore he was cheating on me with and glared at him, not allow
>After my conversation with my father, I immediately went to look for John. Since he was the Beta, he was often at the Pack house’s office wing. I was hoping to find him there today as well.I entered his office without knocking and found him sitting in his big chair like he owned the world, a glass of champagne in his hands so early in the morning.“What’s the occasion for this early celebration?” I asked upset. Heartbreak was one thing, but he had also attacked my only family. This was not the man I had fallen in love with all those years ago.“Who allowed you to enter? You, like everyone else, need an appointment for a trip to the Beta’s office. You can’t just drop in like this!” John stood up, daring to act disrespectedly.“Why are you doing this?” I asked, unable to formulate anything else. My broken heart and frustration made it hard to focus on what I had wanted to say to him.“What am I doing?” He leaned on his large wooden table acting like he had no clue what
>The tag brought some unpleasant feelings in me. I felt like I needed to be angry. That there was something I needed to say to anyone who belonged to the Werewolf Council.I leaned over as if to tell a secret but found that he was already leaning toward me. One of his hands was covering mine that was holding the glass on the counter. His other hand came to tip my chin upwards for a better angle. A tingle ran down my spine.He was slow, allowing me to move away if I wanted to. But it only made me want to do it more.So, when his lips brushed mine, the spark that we felt at the touch was undeniable. He leaned in and captured my mouth as I allowed him entrance. One of my hands absentmindedly landed on his thigh that was between my legs as we sat facing each other on the bar stools.>After a hot minute of not caring what the other guests thought of their performance, and taking his time to enjoy the exquisite taste of a woman he had never had of her likes before,
>Aunt Julie came sniffling in my room with a knock. I looked at her and felt my own emotions getting the better of me.We cried together as she kept worrying, “John is so heartless, he's so cruel! Your father supported him to become the next Beta, and now he is going to send your father to the dungeons. Your honest father getting locked up for years, maybe a lifetime!”It made me feel even worse. I sat up and wiped my tears angrily but more took their place immediately, “You know what, everyone in the pack knew that John was going to get engaged to another woman and not me. But they knew she belonged to a powerful background and let everything happen. They know my Dad is innocent. They have always respected him for his values and honor. But nobody said a word as John got Dad locked up for a fraud he didn’t commit.”“There has to be a way to save your father.” Aunt Julie said as she placed a comforting hand on mine, “Maybe there is something that John wants so he would spa