Betrayal And Redemption (Wolves of Hollow Ridge Book 1)

Chapter 14. Taking Away Her Choice!

Sophie stood in the doorway, her mouth open in shock. Her mind spinning with Zack's announcement.

She stepped back into the hallway, holding her arm which was still bleeding freely. As she looked down at the injury, she cursed the fact that her wolf was so weak that it couldn't help her heal quicker.

She turned and walked through the house, into the small bathroom and turned on the tap. As she wet a facecloth she thought about what Zack had told her. She couldn't believe the wolf council had moved so fast. And to take all the young.  That was extreme even for them. She wasn't heartless, she didn't want to see anything happen to the pups.  But she had to be strong. She couldn't let Zack suck her back into the pack.

As she awkwardly tried to wrap a bandage around her arm she heard footsteps approaching the bathroom and turned to see Zack standing in the bathroom doorway. Dressed once more thankfully.

"Let me help you with that." He said. "I want to have a look at it before its covered anyway."

"It's fine, I can manage it by myself."

"Come on Sophie you can't bandage it one handed, just let me help."

Zack ignored her protests and stepped into the bathroom. His massive shoulders and six foot three frame, made the room seem even smaller. He gently unwound the dressing she had messily applied and winced at the ragged tears running up her arm.

He looked up sharply at seeing the still bleeding wound. "Why are you still bleeding? It should have stopped by now, you should have started healing." He asked, puzzled.

Sophie sighed and looked up into Zack's bright green eyes. "I don't heal Zack!"

"What do you mean you don't heal. We are wolves. We always heal."

"Well I don't Zack! I haven't healed properly for years. My wolf is so damaged and traumatised she is of almost no help to me." 

Zack gasped and lifted his hand to her face. Sophie stepped back and found herself firmly pressed against the small wash basin. "Don't!" She said harshly. "Don't touch me."

"Sophie please I'm sorry. I had no idea your wolf had left you." He said sadly.

"She hasn't left me Zack, she is still with me, she just can't help me anymore. She tried to protect me so many times and we were beaten every time I shifted. Eventually she just stopped. She couldn't protect me from him so she just stopped trying."

Zack looked at her with pity bright in her eyes. "Oh my Goddess". He breathed

"I don't want your pity Zack! I don't want anything from you! I need you to leave now."

Zack sighed and stepped back. "I can't do that Sophie, I'm sorry. I will wait in the other room for you to finish but we are going to talk." He turned and walked away leaving Sophie staring after him, frustration at his refusal to leave mounting.

She quickly wrapped her arm as best she could and made her way into the front room. She found Zack standing in front of the window looking out over her small yard.

"Say what you have to say Zack. I'm sore and I'm tired and I need this over with."

He turned around and Sophie could see the sadness in his eyes. "I didn't want it to come to this Sophie, but the wolf council have forced my hand. In taking the pups they know I will do what ever I have to do to get them back. And if that means forcing you to come home and complete the mating with me, then that's what I will do."

"You can't force me to come back." She said angrily. "I'm no longer a member of your pack or have you forgotten that small fact. You have no authority over me anymore. You are not my alpha. What are you going to do? Throw me over your shoulder and kidnap me?" She scoffed.

"No Sophie I won't kidnap you, but if you don't come back with me where do you plan to live?"

"What do you mean, where will I live. I will stay here of course." She said in confusion.

"No Sophie you won't. This house is no longer available to rent. The owner has decided its not to be rented out anymore."

"What are you talking about Zack? I live here, of course it's available."

"Not anymore." He stated firmly. "When the previous owner sold it a week ago the new owner decided not to rent it out again."

"Jim sold this place?" Jim Owens, the owner is a lovely, friendly older human who had been very kind to her when she first moved in, with only a few second hand clothes in a rucksack to her name. She knew he had not been charging as much in rent as he could have got and he had even gave her some old furniture he had stored in his barn so she at least had something to sit and sleep on those first few months.

"He would have told me if he was planning to sell. I don't believe you!" Sophie said firmly.

"The new owner asked him not to mention anything to you."

Sophie frowned, her mind spinning. "How do you know all this?" She demanded. Zack looked back at Sophie and waited for her to put it together. He didn't have to wait long. He watched the realisation creep over her and her confusion morph into anger.  And anger to rage.

"You! You are the new owner. You managed to get Jim to sell this place to you. Why? Just so you could throw me out and force me to go back to Hollow Ridge. I do not believe you!" She shouted. "Are you really such a bastard that you would rather see me homeless than accept I don't want anything to do with you."

Zack frowned at the accusation. He knew she would not be happy with him buying her home but he had to make her understand why he had did it. "No Sophie that's not what I wanted to happen. I arranged to buy this place so you would always have a place to stay. I wanted to take care of you in some small way if you didn't come home." Zack paced back and forth in front of the window, agitation in every stride. "But everything has changed now. I need your help to save our pack. And if that means making you homeless to get you to come back with me, then that's what I will do."

Sophie was so angry she could hardly draw a breath. There was no way she could afford to rent another place on what she was earning. Her fury only grew as she thought of and discarded every idea that came to her. Tears of frustration and rage seeped form her eyes and fell unchecked down her face.

"I'm sorry Sophie, I really am. I didn't want it to come to this. But I don't know what else to do. If I thought for one minute I could convince you to come with me you would likely never have known I was the new owner."

"You are right about that Zack. I never would have come back willingly. But know this! In forcing me to come back to that place, to where I was tortured for years. To the people who allowed it to happen, I will never forgive you!"

Zack smiled sadly. He knew that in putting this plan in motion he would make her hate him more than she already did and would probably loose her for good. But he had to save his parents and his pack. He just hoped that he would be able to live with himself after.

"I would never expect your forgiveness Sophie. How can I ask you to forgive me, when I can't forgive myself."

Thanks again for taking the time to read my story.
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How do you all feel about Zack now? Love him? Hate him?
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