One Bite

Chapter 4-10

Over the next two days, my life resembled the masked imprisonment I lived within my father's island packhouse. Confined to my guest room, I was placed on a regulated schedule and never left my room without Western pack security guards. Even if Rose or Elena visited me in my room, guards stood outside my door twenty-four seven.

After what happened in the lab, I didn't see much of Rose. She put in extra hours volunteering and shadowing Dr. Edwards. Under watchful eyes of her own security detail, she worked under the same urgency that led Elena to pack up our belongings and store them in her closet.

Elena wasn't restrained to her bedroom but she wasn't allowed out of it without escorts. She collected her meals, ate them in her room, and coordinated with Cole on an exit strategy. Because we all were under constant watch, she kept the plans to herself.

I was permitted to train but, with Raina and Cole gone, I spent my time at the gun range with Ethan. He was an odd personality but refused to allow the security guys inside the shooting range area, offering me peace and solitude there. I shot round after round with the Silencer, until a large hand lowered my aim.

"Zara." Ethan's brown eyes studied mine closely, like he guarded a secret and wasn't sure if he trusted me with it. "Why are you here?"

I slipped off my noise canceling headphones and lowered the gun. "Ethan, I want to ask you something."

"It's not for sale." His eyes darted down to the Silencer I laid down on the table. "At least not for how much you think."

"How much?" Unsure of what he referred to, I knew everyone had a price.

His weighted gaze locked on mine and held it for what felt like hours. "I'll give you that." He broke off our silent staring contest and looked down at the gun again, whose outline my fingertips now traced. "And a full clip."

"How much," I repeated.

Ethan's low voice held no hesitation, "You put one of those bullets between your father's eyes, then it's yours."

With a brush over cool metal, my index finger snaked around the safety and locked it. Without a blink, I grasped the handle of my new treasured possession. "Deal."

I didn't know why Ethan made that request and didn't care. Selfishly, all I knew was that without Lumi's form, I felt defenseless. That gun in my hands brought me both security and peace of mind. And once Ethan fitted me for a lightweight holster, he offered me nothing more than a nod.

My meals were eaten with Alpha Fenris and his family. I sat stone silent and their conversations were quiet and strained at best. Meredith and Tobias glanced at me but the most sounds were our silverware clinks against the plates.

The hatred I felt for Alpha Fenris, sitting passive and acting as if he'd done no wrong rose bile up the back of my throat. My teeth clamped, I never ate my food. Instead, I glared down at my food and pushed it around my plate. Once excused, I retreated to my room and ate leftovers of what Elena brought me after her meals.

Luna Diana attempted to fill the empty air space with updates on the upcoming outdoor ceremony. Apparently, it was a dedication to the silver mining operations but it was nothing more than a dog and pony show. The silver miners themselves were not included.

Since Lumi was still nonexistent and I was left unable to shift into her form, my options were pretty limited. Fortunately, I was still able to mindlink Elena, but the hasty travel arrangements fell on her in Cole's absence. By the end of each day, she brought me food and crashed into sleep.

For once, I didn't mind how she kept the details from me. At this point, I knew that the less I knew, the less Alpha Fenris could find out and inevitably shared with my father.