Page 26 of Daddy Wolf’s Secret Baby (Fated To The Wolf #10)

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Zahra

E lias turned around in the front seat to look at Zahra. He reached out and gently caressed her face. She jerked away.

“You know, any woman would be happy to have me as a mate. The Luna is a very important position. You should be glad that I want you.”

Zahra refused to say anything. She didn’t want to make him angry. Besides, he knew exactly how she felt and he didn’t care.

“If you were smart, you would realize that by going through the mating ceremony with me, you are merging two wolf shifter packs. Your brother and I can be allies. We’ll be very powerful.”

My brother would never be your ally, she thought, and then banished it in case he was trying to use telepathy to read her mind. She still refused to speak.

It was clear that Elias was getting frustrated with her. He wanted her to argue because he needed to demonstrate his dominance over her.

“You’re excited, aren’t you, boy? You’re going to have all the privileges of being an Alpha’s son, except that you won’t be my heir.”

“My Dad will come and get us,” Jace said defiantly.

Zahra squeezed his hand, warning him not to say anything. Jace squirmed. His shoulders went back and his head went up.

Elias laughed. “I hope he does come after you so I can show him what a real man is.”

“A real man doesn’t have to kidnap a family. He can make his own, protect them, and love them.”

“Well, now, it seems that your daddy didn’t do a good enough job of protecting you because here you are.”

“You just wait,” Jace snarled.

Elias slapped his face, not hard, but more like a warning. Jace smacked his hand away, and Elias reared back as though he was going to punch him. Rage exploded inside of Zahra.

“Don’t you touch my son. I will fucking kill you while you sleep. I swear I will split your gut open and rip out your intestines.”

“Ooh, now there’s the fire I’ve been waiting to see. I love it. I can’t wait to break you. You’ll be a mouse, submissive to me and my every whim.”

Zahra growled in the back of her throat.

The truck with Elias’ other three goons was right behind them. Eventually, they would have to stop to get gas, but Zahra was positive they wouldn’t be able to escape. One of them would be with Jace the entire time, even when he was using the restroom in order to make sure that neither of them tried to break free.

She leaned back, closed her eyes, and focused on Josiah, telling him over and over again that they needed help and he should hurry.

Jace eventually fell asleep with his head in her lap. Zahra realized that she must have dozed off, as well, but it didn’t take them any time at all to get to St. Theresa.

They got to the ceremonial hall, and Elias jerked open the truck door and pulled her out while his goon grabbed Jace.

He escorted her to a small cell with iron bars for a door and said, “I’ll inform the elder that the ceremony will take place in two hours. You have that long to get ready. Your good friend, Emma, has been here waiting for you. She’ll help you put the tunic on – or I will. I really don’t care which.”

“Where’s Jace?”

“He’ll be fine.”

Emma looked rough. She was very pale and it looked like she had a hint of a black eye. Zahra rushed over to her and hugged her.

“What happened to you?”

“I refused to tell him where you were. He didn’t appreciate what he called my insubordination and put me in here.”

“Oh, my lord. I’m so sorry. What about Ruthie?”

“I think she’s okay. I haven’t talked to anyone since I’ve been in here. One of his guys brings me meals, but he doesn’t speak to me.”

“I swear to you, that my brothers, father, and Josiah are on their way. We’ll get out of this.”

Emma slumped down on the concrete bench that also served as a bed. “I don’t know how. You will be mated in a couple of hours, and he can do whatever he wants to you after that.”

“Have faith.”

I just hope they get here in time.

Zahra reluctantly put on the white tunic, knowing full well that Elias meant what he said. She didn’t want him touching her. Although she had no plan yet, she was going to make sure that he never got a chance to consummate their mating ceremony.

In exactly two hours, four of Elias’ goons appeared at the cell and unlocked the door.

One of them motioned to Emma. “This is your lucky day. You get to watch the ceremony and since he’s in such a good mood, the Alpha has decided to pardon you.”

They were marched out of the cell into the large ceremonial hall. Elias stood at the front, waiting for her. He looked very regal and would have been a very handsome man if evil didn’t radiate from him. Zahra imagined that she could almost smell the sulfur associated with demons.

“Get your fucking dirty hands off of me,” Zahra snarled, jerking her arms out of their grasps.

“Wow, that’s some pretty nasty language for a Luna.”

“Just trying to speak a language you’ll understand,” she said sweetly.

They reached the front. Jace was sitting in one of the chairs, looking tiny. One of the men pushed Emma into the seat next to him.

Emma grabbed his hand and whispered, “It’ll be okay. I promise.”

He nodded. “My dad is coming.”

“I know he is.”

Elias looked at the elder. “We’re ready to begin the ceremony.”

“Alpha, with all due respect, this isn’t right. The two parties being joined should be willing, and she clearly isn’t.”

Elias’ eyes narrowed and he snarled, showing his teeth. “When I want your opinion, I will give it to you. I have given you an order.

Gentry stood up. “Elias, this isn’t a good idea.”

The Alpha glared at his father. “You no longer wanted the role of Alpha so you handed over the reins. I suggest you sit down and shut your mouth.”

Everyone gasped and Zahra’s jaw dropped with shock. Zac was the Alpha because John had retired, but Zac would never dare speak to his father like that. Zac often sought John’s counsel.

The elder looked at Zahra and mouthed, “I’m sorry.”

She nodded.

“Members of the Dark Claw Wolf Shifter Pack, we are gathered here today to witness our Alpha, Elias Nicholson make Zahra Curry his mate and our Luna.”

“Get on with it,” Elias ordered. “This doesn’t have to be anything fancy.”

The elder looked at Zahra again, but before he could speak, there was a loud noise coming from the entrance. Josiah, Conner, Zac, John, Sebastian, and Sean strolled into the ceremonial hall.

“Get away from my mate,” Josiah bellowed.

“There’s no mark on her, and I’ve claimed her as mine. You were too stupid to when you had the chance.” Elias’s eyes landed on Zac. “This is a great opportunity to forge a bond between your pack and mine. We will be more powerful.”

“I’m not interested in joining with the likes of you. If you are smart, you will release my sister and nephew, and we’ll leave.”

“As far as I can see, there are six of you. My entire pack is here,” Elias said, gesturing to the crowded ceremonial hall.

“We’ve brought friends. Callie. Julian.”

Two large dragons strolled into the hall. Zahra was amused to see Dwayne shrink back into a corner.

“They are here with the authority of their clan Alpha,” Zac said.

“Two dragons. Dragons are overrated,” he snarled. “Pack. I order you to attack them.”

Chaos erupted. Zahra head-butted one of the men holding her arms and kicked the other in his balls. When he bent over, she kneed him in the face. She rushed over to Jace, and she, Emma, and Jace backed into a corner, away from turmoil. Ruthie rushed over and joined them.

Gentry and the other elders rushed over to them, determined to protect them from the fighting. Other pack members soon joined them. They had wanted no part of Elias and the way he had been running the pack.

Zahra couldn’t see much of the battle. She heard the unmistakable sound of fire streaming out of the dragon and a loud scream. Judging by the sounds, the dragons were having fun.

Wolves were growling and snarling. Wounded wolves yelped.

More and more of the pack members had crowded around Jace, Zahra, Emma, and Ruthie.

A dragon roared and suddenly there was silence.

“Do you yield, Elias?” Josiah yelled.

Zahra pushed her way through the crowd to see Josiah holding by the him by the throat. They both had shifted into their human forms, and Elias was bloody and had obviously taken quite a beating. Josiah stood strong. He had a few bite marks as far as Zahra could see, but he didn’t seem to be hurt too badly.

Shifters from Elias’ group were strewn around on the floor like garbage. A couple of them were smoldering and had been burned or steamed by the dragons. Several of them weren’t moving, and Zahra was certain they never would again.

Elias spat in Josiah’s face. “I will never yield to the likes of you.”

“So be it. You’ve made your choice.”

Josiah started to squeeze his throat, but Gentry stepped forward.

“Please wait. I am Gentry, Elias’ father and former Alpha. We can send him to Charred Cove Island, and I will resume my position as the Alpha of this pack until I can find a suitable replacement.”

Charred Cove Island was a remote island in the Arctic Ocean. The only way on or off the island was by plane or helicopter. Living conditions were harsh. Supplies were dropped off monthly and those on the island were forced to work hard labor.

“How can I trust you? You created this monster.”

“I did and that’s why I ask you to spare his life. Plus, enough life has been lost here today. We will have him and his cohorts dispatched there within the next two hours.”

Zahra stepped forward. “I vouch for Gentry. If he promises that Elias will be banished, that he will.”

“I’d rather you kill me,” Elias said. “You don’t have the nerve.”

“Please,” Gentry said.

Josiah sucked in a huge breath, trying to calm his nerves. He wanted to shred the sniveling man who was on his knees in front of him. Then, he saw Jace push through the crowd and grab his mother’s hand.

Nodding, Josiah pushed Elias away from him.

“Take him to the cell until he can be transported,” Gentry ordered. Several people rushed forward to obey his orders.

Gentry walked forward and offered Josiah his hand. “Thank you.”

Josiah nodded.

Gentry looked at Jace and said, “You’ve become a fine young man and it has been an honor watching you grow up. I hope you’ll come back and visit me sometime.”

Jace hugged him and said, “Thank you, Sir.”

Zahra hugged him and kissed his cheek. Then, she grabbed Josiah’s hand they walked outside.

Emma and Ruthie rushed after them.

“You’ll have to come to Angel’s Creek to visit,” Zahra said.

“We will. You know I think of Jace as my baby, too,” Ruthie said.

The women hugged and promised to keep in touch. Then, Zahara climbed into the backseat of the truck with Josiah. John and Conner were squashed together in the front seat with Zac driving.

“How come I’m stuck in the middle with the gear shift between my legs?” Conner complained.

“You were the rodeo hero. You’re used to riding broncs. Pretend the gear shift is just an onery horse,” John said. “Plus, I’m old and I pull seniority.”

“Are we going home, now?” Jace asked.

Zahra kissed the top of his head. “Yes, Baby, we are.”