Chapter 5 Zaccai pov

I'd been angry... No, it was more than that.

I'd been lethal; hearing my pack had been attacked made me feral. My mind zeroed in on nobody as I looked at the smoke in the air; a loud growl elicited from my lips.

I wasn't going to spare that rogue leader who tried to turn my pack into nothing. I heard about the captive of Alpha Derek; he was second strongest after me, but hearing that made me anxious. It made me feel like I had belittled those rogues, and the trespass was aggravating.

All I saw was red!

I wanted to spill blood and make them feel pain.

I'd turn my back to carry the little wolf that had stumbled on the floor. I picked her up and dropped her on the ground, which was safer. There was no time to clean up her tears or tell her things were going to be fine; I needed to tear off their limbs. Seeing my people slumping to the ground like they are nothing-that is-soul crushing.

I scanned around to see if there was an intruder nearby when I heard Aiden's words, "Alpha, I've caught the intruder who caused the flames."

Turning around, my lethargic aura dimmer as the emerald green eyes came into contact with mine. My lungs froze, and I could not inhale oxygen or even exhale it. Under the dimly lit moonlight, she held her head up; she was something else altogether.

My eyes swept over her; she looked stronger, exuding a darker aura that aligned with her beauty. Even under the mask she wore, those eyes could not deceive me. I took a step closer and tore the mask off her face with my claws.

I shuddered; my breath became unsteady.

She was-ethereal!

She still has the effect on me, but this time it was stronger. The bond was pulling, tugging, and I just couldn't take my eyes off her.

Black.

She was clothed in it from head to toe, blending with the darkness around her, a specter of night itself. Even in the shadows, I could sense the lethargic grace without her moving an inch. It struck me to the core to realize how much she had changed since they'd last seen each other.

Our farewell wasn't something that I could be proud of.

It broke not only her but me.

She was no longer the quiet omega with cute fluffy eyes, but right here she stood as the rogue queen.

No one had to tell me she was leading the rogues; just by looking at her, I already knew it was her. That was my instinct kicking in.

'Aurora!' Zade growled in my ears. He was calling her wolf; I think he is trying to connect with her.

"Zara," I said, my voice barely audible but loud enough for the three of us to hear. My defense was already crumbling; I didn't know what else to say apart from calling her name.

I wanted to touch her. The urge to do so tore me apart, and that because I knew I couldn't do it.

I had no right to touch her; she was formidable.

"Hi Alpha," She drawled, having a sly smirk on; it was evident that she wasn't the woman I was used to.

Zara was cold-colder than anyone I've ever been with.

She has some calculated look in her eyes; all this was planned and detailed by her.

"What do you want?" I inquired, hoping all she wanted was my head like the other pack. I would gladly let her have it; I do not mind.

She deserves to cut off my head.

"You know why I'm here, don't you?" She taunted, and I nodded my head and broke off the chain that bound her hands. I know I shouldn't do this; I should probably bargain, but I couldn't just fight it.

The guilt is eating me up... Never in my entire life would I know that we would meet, but seeing her give me a chance, a chance to seek forgiveness and pay for my sins.

She chuckled, her eyes hinting with malice, "Aren't you going to fight? Why are you so boring, Alpha? I had seen you already become feral, and now you are acting all weak. Why?" She mocked, and I bent my head.

She could taunt me all she wants.

"All I ask is to give them the antidote for whatever it is you added to the flames," I requested while raising my head up. There was a flash of shock on her face; if I wasn't looking at her, I would have missed it.

"Hmmm..." she hummed

"Killing you is no fun, Alpha. I want more than that; I would have asked for a duel, but now I think I want more than that," she declared and paused her words.

Zara took steps closer, close enough for me to inhale her sweet lavender scent mixed with honey. She stared into my eyes for a while, as if contemplating what to do next.

"I want her head and every one of the elders' heads in here," she requested, and my eyes widened at her outrageous request. In a blink of an eye, Zara already held out the young wolf that I had saved, her claws now on her neck. One single misstep could lead to the Omega's death.

"Zara!" I growled, silently pleading while trying to hold in my rage.

"What Alpha? Can't give me what I want?" She mocked me, and I grated my teeth.

"It's me you have a problem with; it's me okay." I tried to reason with her, but she laughed at me like a maniac.

"Do I look like I care? I'm sure you know who I am, Alpha, and you've heard tales of what I and my people did, so why then didn't you do what you ought to have done?" She stated, her claws getting close. I could sense the Omega's fear; even though I am indecisive, I could not help but be afraid too.

"Fine, why don't we do it like this, release the omega and become part of the pack?" I proposed. "With authority! I know you are a rogue queen and you can have all the powers you want, but why don't you rule over the person who caused you pain? Watch me be so vulnerable and under your command like how you've been before."

Her eyes flickered; I could see the struggle in her eyes.

"You could avoid spilling blood and have me under your mercy, how's that?" she looked at me, her gaze piercing and unyielding.