88 – Anger & Bitterness
Mar 20, 2025
Zara’s POV
“It’s nothing to be too concerned about,” the now-familiar husky voice chimed in my ears. The voice belonged to the infirmary doctor, and he was explaining to Nicolas what was wrong with me.
I was having some kind of out-of-body experience, standing next to Nicolas, and I wasn’t sure how. I was able to observe everything that was going on around me and still feel, smell, and hear everything—as if I were awake. I scrunched my nose in disgust; the distinctive smell of hospital chemicals was burning my sensitive nose, making Kaya whimper.
Kaya sounded in distress; it must be because we were inside the infirmary—she hated hospitals.
“Alpha, I can assure you that Luna Zara will wake up soon,” the nurse chirped next to my bed. Her soft flower scent was all over me; she had checked my vitals earlier, and her soft, warm hands were skillful and precise. Now she was fiddling with the annoying beeping heart monitor next to the bed.
“What caused her to suddenly faint?” Nicolas asked. “Is there something wrong with her? Is she sick?”
He appears to be becoming more tense by the moment.
Nic was standing next to my hospital bed and was holding my hand. I could feel the tiny sparks moving between us everywhere our skin touched.
A small smile crept onto my lips. I was still in awe of how incredibly fast my mate was.
I sighed in wonder as my thoughts drifted to earlier that night.
Nicolas quickly shifted back to human form, catching me just before my head hit the slick, wet, hard, rocky surface.
I could feel his tense body wrap protectively around me, sparks erupting everywhere he touched mine.
Nic lifted me in his strong arms; his warm honey and vanilla scent enveloped me, and it wrapped me in a lovely warm cocoon.
I felt so safe and comfortable in his arms.
It was only then that I realized I was standing right next to Nic, watching him cradle me in his arms.
I suddenly panicked.
What happened to me? Was I dead? Did my magic kill me when I helped Mariana?
I was in shock; I felt scared. Afraid.
I tried to get Nic’s attention by touching his arm, but Nicolas’s focus was on my limp body.
He was staring down at me, his serious blue eyes searching for anything out of order.
Without a single word, Nic got to his feet and rushed me off to the infirmary.
Mariana shifted, and her wolf ran past me—without even noticing me—and she followed behind her Alpha.
The world around me abruptly shifted.
I sank to my knees, a scream escaping my lips as the most excruciating pain rippled through my body. Something was sucking my magic from me.
I managed to lift my head, seeing a dark figure standing a couple of feet away from me. A black cloak covered most of his face. I could see his red eyes and a sinister smile playing at the corners of his lips.
A cold, unholy feeling ran down my back, making me shiver.
Was he here to hurt me or even kill me?
I tried to move, but it was as if he had an invisible hold on me. His smile grew wider as if he had hoped I would try and run.
“No need to fight against my hold,” he sneered. “I have already won… you are mine!”
“No!” I growled with everything inside me. “I will not let you take me!”
It was as if there was a sudden shift in the weather. A bolt of lightning struck between us, and thunder roared around us, waiting for a command.
The dark figure’s smile faded, and anger flashed in his eyes.
“This isn’t over!” He yelled as a fierce growl snapped his hold on me and pulled me away.
I found myself standing beside Nic in the infirmary, adjacent to my hospital bed.
I was shocked. I looked around, and my gaze caught a glimpse of the storm brewing outside.
I shivered.
Was all that a dream?
How the hell did I get here?
Lightning lit the sky, revealing thick gray and black clouds rolling closer.
The wind had picked up and was uprooting trees, and debris was flying everywhere.
I could hear the thunder roaring close by—we must be in the eye of the storm.
My gaze moved toward Nic. He was holding my hand. He looked pissed and ready to claw someone.
Was Nic creating the storm?
“I am not going to ask you again,” Nic roared. He was losing his temper, and lightning struck outside, making every hair on my body rise. “Get the doctor here right now!”
“But the nurse…” the young she-wolf stuttered nervously.
Nic’s face twisted in anger, and his eyes flashed black.
“I don’t f*cking care about the nurse!” Nicolas roared. The young she-wolf shivered and whimpered in fear. She quickly dropped her gaze to her hands, submitting. “Get the doctor, or so help me Goddess, I will throw you to the wolves….”
This was odd, I thought.
What did Nic mean by that? Was that code for something?
The young she-wolf nodded and muttered, “As you wish, Alpha,” and quickly rushed off.
I watched Nicolas with interest.
He had set me on the hospital bed but was holding my head against his chest. He was tenderly brushing his index finger over my cheek.
“Everything is going to be okay,” he whispered. “I will not let anything happen to you…”
I stepped closer and I put my hand on his shoulder, hoping he would notice me. Yet, my hopes were crushed, and another round of worry filled my veins.
What if I am dead?
But dead people can’t feel and hear…
“You are not dead, Zara,” the familiar voice of the Moon Goddess rang in my ears.
My gaze snapped in the direction of the voice, noticing her sitting on a visitor chair, watching me.
“Mother Moon,” I gasped in surprise and quickly went to her. “What are you doing here?”
“I came to see if you are alright, my dear child,” she said, as I got down on my knees next to the chair.
Mother Moon’s gaze searched mine, and a smile followed on the corners of her lips.
“What?” I asked, feeling her eyes on me.
“You were spectacular,” she said. “A born natural.”
“I don’t understand what you mean,” I said.
“You, helping Mariana,” she said.
“Yeah, but look at me now,” I exclaimed, getting to my feet. “Now Nic had to rush me to the infirmary and…”
“Shhh!” She whispered, gently pressing her index finger against my lips to calm me. “Your body is just exhausted from breaking the curse on her whole family. Besides, this is a defense mechanism while your body gets the necessary rest.”
That was interesting.
“Wait, what?” I mumbled against her finger as the Goddess’s words sank in. “I broke the curse on Mariana?”
“All of them,” she said, nodding with pride. “Every member of the family will now have the ability to shift. They are all free. Her family will forever serve you as their queen and remain indebted to you.”
“I… Wow! I didn’t expect that,” I stated. “I was just trying to help. I didn’t expect to do so much!”
“Your veins are filled with a powerful magic. It will do as you wish,” she said. “But remember what I told you.”
I nodded.
The Moon Goddess told me that my magic descended from moonlight. It will defeat the dark forces, but it won’t be easy. I needed to keep in mind that her ex-mate was looking for me and that he had involved himself with dark magic.
The dark magic changed him into the greedy, power-hungry beast he is today. He could easily find a way to trick and overpower me.
“Now,” the Goddess got to her feet and moved toward the window. “You need to become familiar with your magic… I want you to play around with it and learn how to use it.”
The goddess suddenly stopped talking and hesitated to continue.
“What’s the matter, Your Highness?” I asked.
“Beware, my fated mate is not giving up; he is still coming for you,” she said; the worry in her eyes was palpable.
I nodded, yet a surge of anger and bitterness coursed through my veins.
“And please,” she said, taking my hands. “You need to teach your mate to control his temper. He will destroy everything he loves…”
I narrowed my eyes at her, confused at what she was saying.
“Are you referring to the outside weather?” I asked.
The Goddess looked at me, a smile following on her lips, before she vanished before my eyes.
Oh, Goddess, will Nic destroy everything around us, or will I be able to stop him?
