Zoey's POV
"Next one."
An impatient call came from the office, interrupting my deep thoughts.
The girl who had been waiting in front of the office door for a long time joyfully raised her hand and walked in.
It was only then, as I had been crouching in the corner, that I realized — damn it, it had started to rain!
Boom—
The thunder outside rings in my ears like those horrible trombones and bassoons. They make my soul fill with horror.
I looked up as raindrops fell from the eaves to the ground in front of my feet, my brows furrowing involuntarily. I muttered under my breath, "What bad luck!"
This horrible rain that when it starts seems like it will never end.
I hate rain. I have never been able to understand why people love it.
From my experience, only terrible things happen on rainy days.
"Yes, the heavens are hinting at us, we should hurry and leave!" Tilly, my wolf, almost whispers.
Ever since I resolved to attend the surrogate interview, she has been against it.
She has a heap of reasons, each very sensible; I can't argue with her, so I choose silence because I have no other option.
Because I need the money. I need to save my Godmother. She's the only family I have left, and I can't lose her. If possible, I would die for her.
Sadly, my life is worth much, the only slightly useful thing I have is my womb, and that little secret...
Truthfully, I never thought I'd come to a point where I'd need to use it...
A week ago, Alpha Tristan Mayer made the big announcement that he will pay 500K to any virgin women who will be worthy to carry his pup.
This was tantamount to declaring that he would never have a mate. Even just bearing a child for someone as noble as him was considered the utmost honor by many women.
Huh, what an absurd world.
Every single woman in this pack and from neighboring packs are coming on a pilgrimage to the pious him, hoping that his dick will approve them to be his surrogate.
I have no right to criticize other women for being too subservient, as I too stand in the line, the only difference being...
I konw that I AM the best choice for him. As long as I show up, he has no reason to choose anyone else.
"Zoey!" Tilly, still unwilling to give up, tried to persuade me.
Bang—
But the room door was forcefully pushed open, and a loud noise interrupted her.
I looked up to see the girl who had just been happily smiling, the daughter of the Gamma family from a neighboring pack, walking outside while wiping away her tears. In just those few short minutes, she went from heaven to hell.
But this was within my expectations; those people are no less devilish than Satan himself.
When she saw me glance at her, she immediately wiped the tears from her face and glared viciously at me and said through clenched teeth, "Why are you here, you murderer? Don't you dream!"
After saying that, she flung her head away as if she loathed the smell of my body.
Murderer.
That's the tag I've heard the most in the past few years, almost replacing Zoey as my name.
And because of these rumors, I, as beta, have been forced to live on the borders of the pack, treated as a rogue, and everyone hates me...
Anyone who sees me can spit on me, even other pack people.
" Look! Everyone knows this is a fucking stupid plan!" Tilly was still begging me, "HE HATES US! He'll kill us, Zoey!"
Yeah, he may do it or he may not and continue to ignore me like I'm a plague in his life.
Like he's been doing all these years.
"I..." I'm about to re-emphasize how much I need the money when I can hear his Gamma, Nicholas, yelling from the office.
"NEXT!"
"Don't go inside!" Tilly cries. "ZOEY!"
No! I must go! Even if it means death!
I ignored a ranting Tilly and straightened my back, look up noble and ready to fight with this jerk and his friends.
The door opens in front of me and I step inside but as soon as my eyes meet their eyes. I can see the shock on Tristan's face to see me here, as if he just saw a horror movie that scared the shit out of him.
"DEAM!"
Before I could react his Beta, Mason, is grabbing me by my arms and pushing me into the wall, while Nicholas blocks in his tracks.
"What the FUCK are you doing here?! You murderer!" and grabbing my throat he lifts me in the air, holding me there.
"I,ugh..." My survival instincts kept me struggling, trying to dislodge his hand, but it didn't help at all before the absolute strength advantage!
His strength was immense, all the air was squeezed out of my airway and very soon I felt instantly suffocated like I was drowning.
Shit, I'm not really going to die like this!
UntilI hear Nicholas's voice from behind, "Man! What the hell are you doing? Let her go! Do you really want to kill her?!" but Mason doesn't even flinch.
Mason is a beta so he won't submit in front of a Gamma, just because he commanded him to do it.
Still, Nicholas's interference caused him to relax the strength in his hands and I took the opportunity to try and fight back., using all my force.
I am a beta in the end.
Even if they don't allow me to train, there must be some strength inside.
I grab the hand that is holding me in the air and I am striking my claws in his flesh, but he continues to strangle me.
My resistance obviously angered him, and he was noticeably more forceful than he had been to begin with!
"Mason!" Nicholas says scared and I see him coming to save me, but before he could touch me, An imperious command sounded, ending the farce.
"Let her go!" it is Tristan Mayer.
Mason looks at me with hatred but he continues to keep me in the air for a few more seconds until Alpha Tristan growls at him, "I SAID, let her go, are you deaf, BETA Mason?"
Bang!
He throws me to the floor, making me slip on my back on the wooden floor until I hit a massive chair.
I quickly grew my mouth to let air into my starving lungs and coughed uncontrollably, " ahem, ahem---"
Holy crap! I almost did die!
But soon enough, my breathing calmed down, and though my body was still damn sore from the fall, I couldn't let them see it.
I witnessed Mason being forced to yield under Tristan's heavy pressure. Provocatively, I raised my middle finger at him, saying, "Loser!"
Mason attempted to advance towards me again, but Tristan's gaze compelled him to clench his fists, directed at himself.
"Tristan. murderers have no right to be here!" Mason explains to Tristan, and then looks at me again with spite, "Much less carry your child! She killed your parents! Did you forget?!"
Zoey's POVHearing Manson's roar, my breath halted.The room was left with only the echo of the bellowing; everyone was too scared to speak.I cautiously turned my head to look at Tristan not far away.The words he would say next would decide my fate and whether I had won my gamble or not.Nearly half a minute passed without him speaking or looking at any of us, as if none of this had ever happened.What does this mean?No! I can't just wait for his verdict. I must fight for myself! This is my only chance!"Why not? The only requirement on the announcement was having a normal uterus. Unfortunately, I happen to have one. Not only that, but I'm a virgin. So? Do you need a checkup?" I ask Mason using the same tone he used to address me.No woman wants to equate her value to that of her womb, but I have to.As I expected, Mason's expression darkening, and he moving in my direction with the intention to slap me.However, to my surprise, Tristan grabs his arm before he can reach me again."
Tristan's POVThe moment Zoey stepped into my office I literally died.Mason and Nico were telling me about me being too picky with women and that I need to make a decision when the door opened and that scent that it makes me damned crazy hit me directly.I knew it was her before she appeared in front of me.That precious scent of magnolia and cinnamon along with the smell of cedar wood embodies happiness for me. It evokes lust for life and lack of worry, something that I missed for years.I hated the feeling of being uncontrollably attracted to it, and it made me wonder if I was what others would call powerful or not.I almost forbid her to come near me, even keep her away from all the places I'd be because her scent is irresistible.I can't be in her presence without Viggo, my wolf, starting to kill my brain. I'm much less likely to let anyone see that she's my damn mate.I don't need Manson's warning, I know those rumors better than anyone, but only someone with a sick mind would s
Zoey's POVI had no idea how long it's been since I passed out but the next moment I open my eyes , I am on the hospital and a lot of machines are beeping around me."Tilly?" I asked a little bit scared and my heart hurts when she is not answering me."Shhht" someone whispers. "You are fine now."Fine? I don't want to be fine! I scream in my mind.I want to save Nana and now I have no chance to do it anymore.I open my eyes slowly and I blink a few times as there is so much light in the hospital's ward."Don't worry" the same voice tells me softly."You are in the hospital." and then reality hit me.I was sent to the hospital?How the hell am I going to pay for the bills? I can't pay the bills for Nana and now there are other bills to pay?I am doomed.I push the hospital sheets and try to get out of the bed, but two arms are keeping me in my place."Hey, you are still wounded." the woman says, and I lift my eyes just to see a girl staring at me.Rose Mayer?Why is she here? She doesn
Zoey's POVEarly the next morning.I open my eyes slowly and I literally melt when I feel two arms hugging me and a warm forehead resting on mine.This is what makes me continue to move forward.The fact that in this cruel world someone still cares about me.I smile and kiss Nana's temple as I leave her arms.She was waiting for me in the living room when I got back yesterday, and my emotions, which had calmed down, broke down the moment I saw her, and tears came to my eyes.She asked me again and again if I am fine, what really happened but I continued to cry as for the first time since my life went upside down I collapsed.Just like that, she held me all night long on our little sofa in the living room.I take a thick blanket and wrap it around my Nana so she will not suffer from the cold and I move in the kitchen where I start to prepare breakfast.Tea and toast with jam and peanut butter. That's all we've got for today as I didn't find anything to work during the last week.I need
Tristan 's POV"Alpha, you... the person you sent yesterday has already left."I knew it. I shouldn't have listened to Viggo, rushing to the hospital first thing in the morning without even having breakfast, making it seem as if I cared about her.I quickly clarified, "No, I'm not here for her. My sister Rosie wasn't home early this morning, and I came to see if she was here."The nurse then had a realization and said, "I see, we haven't seen her this morning; maybe you could give her a call.""Right," I said and turned to leave when a voice stopped me."Alpha," I turned to see it was the doctor who treated her yesterday.What does he want? He doesn't think I'm here to check on Zoey, does he?The doctor smiled and said, "Alpha, Zoey still owes our hospital a significant debt. She just left yesterday, and we..."I was confused and asked, "Debt? Didn't I already pay for yesterday's medical expenses?"And even if I hadn't, my meddlesome sister would surely not let it go. How could she ha
Zoey's POVEven if my heart hurts like hell I forced myself to act as if nothing happened."Rosie is a beautiful grown up woman now" Nana says coming into the kitchen , where I prepare the lunch for us. A simple boiled pasta with tomato juice, but at least we won't starve. I really need to get out of this pack and find a job."I wonder how Tristan is." Nana says again and I stop from mixing the pasta and look at her.He is a jerk, that's what came directly into my mind, but I suppress that impulse and smiling at Nana, I say, "He is very busy ,Nana. I suppose that the Alpha ‘s duties are way too difficult."But Nana waves her hand in the air, suggesting that that's bullshit."I don't know why he changed so much. I raised him to be a brave young man and yet he became arrogant. I failed as his nanny."No, Nana. He is cruel. You don't become cruel in an instant. That evil was placed in his heart from the beginning, waiting for him to let it out.But I can't tell her that, so I place the p
Zoey's POV"The lightning?" Nana asks and looks at me in horror as she just figured it out that yesterday I faced Tristan and that's why I was looking like crap."Zoey, look at me" she said in a commanding voice, even though her voice was calm and full of love, I knew that she won't let me escape without being sincere with her."Did I say the lightning?" I asked back, trying to change the subject but she stared at me with that serious face , giving me no chance to escape."What is going on between you and Tristan Mayer, Zoey. And I want the truth." she says visibly affected.What truth ,Nana? You already know what is going on between us. You have a sixth sense. I was never able to hide anything from you."Zoey Carter! Do you recognize me as your godmother?" Nana says almost growling at me."Tell me the truth!" and my poor Nana starts to shiver.Oh my goddess, I am going to put her in a grave sooner at this pace!"Nana, please, calm down" I say with teary eyes."I am sorry, I didn't in
I went to the pack's shop where I bought something new to wear. I am going to do as Nana said but I don't want to make her more sad than I already did because of my scoundrel mate.So I have no other option but to listen to her.Sincerely, I have no idea why Tristan asked me to come to the packhouse.Maybe he wants to punish me for telling Nicholas and Mason that we are mates, but difficult times call for extraordinary solutions.The only goal in this life is to save Nana. Nothing else counts.Now that she doesn't want to leave the Crescent Moon Pack, I need to follow her wish and make Tristan come around so he could choose me as his surrogate."Tilly!" I growl at my wolf. "Stop wagging your fucking tail! I can sense your stupid happiness. This is not going to end well.""It doesn't matter," Tilly tells me with a sick excitement. "At least , until the baby appears he will not push us away."And holy shit, I just died!If I will be his surrogate, I hope that he will not force me to sta