Zara

I sit up on my bed with a small scream. It's like I can't get enough air as I breathe deeply through my nose.

Whispers of pain still run across my whole body, as though I'm still getting stabbed by that witch. I clutch my duvet tightly. The nightmare felt so real. I felt every stab, every hit, and every emotion so vividly.

Was that all a nightmare? I have never had one so terrible before. The look that was on Jared's face in that nightmare is one that will haunt me for days. It was so cold, and so distant. And the fact that he seemed to care deeply for Sharon.

And that belly rub . . .

I groan as a pounding ache starts in my head. I take it as a sign that I shouldn't dwell too much on what that nightmare could mean for now.

I need to find Jared.

On leaving my room, I almost bump into Sharon, but quickly move out of her way. She has a penchant for blaming me for the littlest of things. If I so much as touch her, she'll most likely say that I hit her on purpose.

She wrinkles her nose as she regards me, and while I want nothing more than to leave her standing there, I want to know what she has to say.

"So you finally decided to wake up. Do you know how annoying it was to hear your stupid whimpering all night?"

I sigh. "Good morning to you as well, Sharon," I say and start to walk away.

"People like you shouldn't even be allowed to walk amongst us pure bloods. You taint this place with your presence," she says out of the blue.

I stop in my tracks. The tone of her voice reminds me of the malice she had in my nightmare. My head suddenly begins to ache again, and my vision blurs. I gently lean on the wall beside me for support.

Sharon comes to my side. "You know what everyone thinks?" She moves closer until her breath brushes my ear. "That you should have just died like your mother."

I'm still for a few seconds after she finishes speaking. She turns around and starts to walk away, but never makes it far because I grab her by the arm.

Whirl her around to face me.

And backhand her across the face.

She lets out a surprised gasp and stares at me in shock.

"Never in your life speak about my mother ever again," I hiss into her face. I push her aside and storm out of the cottage. I don't think I want to speak to anyone in this state.

I walk as quickly as I can down the path I usually take to Jared's cottage, not stopping to greet anyone I see along the way.

I bump shoulders with a man, but I quickly mutter an apology and continue on my way. But the feeling of where we touched shoulders lingers for an unusual amount of time.

I turn around to get a glimpse of him, but all I catch is an incredibly attractive scent and the view of a tense muscular back. He's stopped as well, and starts to turn around—

Jared. I have to go and see him.

I pivot on my heel and continue on my way, ignoring the strong internal pull to turn and look at the man behind me.

The Moonstone pack consists of numerous cabins and cottages deep within the woods, and away from the prying eyes of city humans.

We live with our cabins situated close together, so that in the case of danger, it'll be easy to reach one another.

I find him chopping up some wood with an ax outside his home.

"Hey." I wave at him, suddenly feeling out of place.

"Hey babe." He drops the ax on the floor and walks over to me with his arms spread wide for a hug.

I place a hand on his chest, stopping him. I don't want him to touch me. "You're all sweaty," I lie.

He laughs. "You're right. Um . . . Yeah, you actually came at the right time. Once I was done here I wanted to come over to your place."

"Why? Is something wrong?"

"Not at all. It's just that with the Alpha Selection Ceremony coming up I wanted to be sure everything is in order. Have you spoken with the members of your mother's clan?"

Of course. He won't stop talking about the ceremony. It's been on his mind for weeks. It's a little hurtful that he's more interested in that than actually getting to know why I came to see him.

"Are you even listening?" He says, voice tinged with a bit of irritation. "This is very important, Zara. You know how much this means to me."

"Do I mean anything to you, Jared?" I ask, pulling his hand off my shoulder. "Do you even love me?"

"What are you even talking about? How can you ask me such a question?" His face twists into an expression of hurt. "Why are you doubting me all of a sudden?"

His countenance almost makes me feel guilty, but then memories of his cold and hateful voice in my nightmare fill me.

He sighs. "You know what, this isn't going anywhere. I'll just come over to your place after all, your father and I have some things to talk about." He goes into the cottage before I can say anything else and emerges minutes later, all cleaned up.

He walks past me without saying anything.

On getting home, we're met with the scene of a bawling Sharon and her mother. They both look up when we enter.

Sharon looks at Jared.

My stepmother looks at me.

Sharon gets up from the couch she was seated on and rushes to Jared's side. "Your girlfriend is crazy!" She shows him the side of her face where I hit her, although there's no mark left to see. "Look at what she did to me."

"Are you mad, girl? What on earth possessed you to lay a hand on my daughter?" asks my stepmother, Florence, as she steps over to me and grabs me by the arm, digging her nails into my skin so hard that I whimper.

"I don't even know why she hit me. I was just trying to talk to her, and she . . . she . . ." Sharon trails off and bursts into tears again, pressing her body against Jared. He wraps his hand around her and glares at me.

"What is going on here?" My father's voice booms as he steps into the living room where we are all gathered.

Sharon shakily gives him her own version of what happened.

He points at me, red in the face. "You become even more wild each day. Your cursed blood must finally be messing with your head!" He looks to Florence. "You deal with her, I have other matters to attend to. Jared, let's walk."

Jared nods and follows after my father, taking Sharon with him.

My stomach churns at the scene, and I wonder why I'm so passive. All I do is watch, without saying anything.

When I'm left alone with Florence, she places her hands on her hips and stares at me with disgust. "Are you still here, you filthy half-breed? Those dirty dishes in the sink won't clean themselves." She starts to leave as well, but then pauses. "Maybe you'll become clean as well, but I doubt. Some things can never ever become pure."

I go into the kitchen like a robot, stifling a sob, and prepare to start working.

Now that I have my wits about, it strikes me how little I'm unaware of. Like what Jared and my father are always talking about in private.

I wince when a scene from my nightmare plays behind my eyes. It's like something is telling me that I shouldn't be here.

I succumb to the calling, and quietly leave the kitchen.

I walk over to the back door, listening for a moment in case my father and Jared are still discussing. But I hear nothing, and slowly open the door.

When I step into the backyard fully, I hear a moan that is quickly cut off.

My eyes dart in the direction of the sound, expecting the worst.

Sharon is draped over Jared's thighs as he sits at the foot of the apple tree in our backyard. She sighs again as he runs his hands up and down her sides beneath her shirt.

Then, she arches her back and pulls him close to her . . .

And kisses him with a satisfied hum in her throat.

Jared doesn't resist.

The two continue to kiss, running hands all over each other and oblivious to the fact that they have been caught.