Chapter 3

"Be strong, be fearless, be beautiful. And believe that anything is possible when you have the right people there to support you."

Zaraphine's POV

"Zaraphine? My child is that you?" A voice sounds through the darkness. "Umm hello? How do you know my name? Where am I?" I call back trying to look around. Everything around me is pitch black. Even my werewolf eyes can't see anything around us. "Is it really you my child? Please tell me where you are. I will bring you home. Where you belong, standing beside Atticus as his mate. Please Zaraphine we all miss you." The voice calls back after a few short minutes. "Atticus? NO! NO! NO! Get out of my head! I do not want to go back to him! He did not want me! He chose that she-wolf! I will not go back! I can not go back! I have found my place!" I scream into the nothingness around me until slowly my eyes close on their own accord and in a few short seconds I'm falling.

I shoot straight up with a gasp, grabbing at my constricted chest. I look around frantically trying to decipher where I am when I finally spot a sleeping Lane laying next to me. I place my hand on his cheek while silently laughing at the puddle of drool on my pillow. "Lane." I say softly causing him to stir slightly but never open his eyes. I try again a little louder and still nothing, so I do the next best thing. I lean in close to his ear and let out the most girliest squeal I could muster causing in to jump right out of bed into a defensive stance. I can't help but burst out into laughter as he slowly turns to face with the most deadliest face I have ever seen on him. "Zaraphine! What is wrong with you? I thought someone was trying to kill you! Why would you scream like that in a sleeping mans ear!?" He questions with a slight growl. My lip lifts into a smirk as I grab the pillow his head once laid and threw it at him hitting him right in the face causing me to laugh again.. "You.. w-were… d-drooling on… my p-pillow." I said in between gasps. He gave me a scowl before he turned around and stormed out of the bedroom while I tried to catch my breath.

After finally catching my breath, I climb out of bed and head outside to see all of my people already awake and moving around. As they see me they give a slight bow of their heads which I return with a smile. "Good morning everyone!" I call out. "Alpha breakfast is almost ready if you would like to eat with us." Marcus tells me with a smile. "Thank you. I will eat with you just after I find Jaime and Lane." I tell him with a smile of my own. "Lane ran out of your hut about 30 minutes ago. It looked like he was headed towards the lake. I haven't seen Jaime all morning. I believe she woke before all of us. She could be in the cells, Alpha." He tells me. "Thank you Marcus. I will be to breakfast shortly. You all can begin without me." I say before turning and walking towards the cells.

It only took about 10 minutes to get to the cells and immediately I smell Jaime so I walk through the metal door and almost gag at the strong smell of iron. I quickly walk to the end of the hallway before turning into the last room and see Jaime covered in blood. "JAIME!" I growl. "Alpha, it needed to be done. He would've caused an uproar. After last night, it was too risky to keep him alive. We almost lost you to your wolf again Zara! It is too dangerous to keep people who know who you really are around." She tries to reason without even turning to face me. "That makes us no better than the wolves killing packs, Jaime! I will not stand for this kind of disobedience from anyone! Including you! You will be punished for this Jaime." I say before leaving the cells and heading after Lane. 'I can not believe she would kill him just for knowing who my mate is. We are not like that! We protect people from that! What has gotten into her?' I think to myself.

I see Lane standing at the edge of the lake staring ahead as if in deep thought. I slow down and try to keep from making any noise. "Zar I know you're there. I heard you about a mile back." He says as he turns around with a smirk. "You are no fun Lane. You could've at least pretended that you didn't know so I could've scared you." I fake pout. "You always try the same thing. You know it will never work. Why don't you just change tactics. You could get a little further before I know you're coming." He laughs out."What are you doing out here anyway?" I question raising a brow. He lowers his head just barely but I caught it making me begin to worry. "Lane? What's wrong?" I ask as I walk closer to him. "We almost lost you last night. It would've been my fault. I thought you could handle it. I heard what he was saying and I believed that you could just brush it off and fight your wolf for control and I was wrong. I made a decision that could've cost us everything, cost you everything. I was appointed as your guard to protect you, not only from threats but also from your wolf and I failed." He whispers as a single tear rolls down his cheek causing my heart to ache at the sight. I reach up and place my hand on his cheek as I whisper, "Lane, listen to me. You believed in me. Thats all I could ever ask from you. Yeah you almost lost me but that's all it was. You didn't, I'm still here okay. You did what you knew I would've wanted. I appreciate that more than anything, Lane." He gives a short nod before resting his forehead against mine letting out a long sigh. "Come on. Let's go eat. Breakfast is ready." I say breaking the silence.