Chapter 18 Eighteen

It has been a week since the attack happened and I still couldn't get over the thought of his huge black wolf standing beside me, growling at anyone who got close to me.

His protective aura that day was possessive and unexpected.

Did he care about me or was he only trying to be himself?

Arrogant and ruthless.

Doubt surged through my chest but a huge part of me wished he truly cared. That he really cared about me. But recalling what happened the day we met, I couldn't bring myself to believe that.

He fought my enemies right beside me like a true mate would.

The thought of it brought something into my chest. Softness that forced me to rethink what happened on our first meetup.

I didn't know what I wanted to do, but I obviously wasn't thinking of giving him a chance or letting him get any closer than he already had.

"Calista." The sound of the door opening caught my attention.

Ray stepped in after knocking.

He and the other injured warriors had healed, and my uncle had gone missing all of a sudden and I prayed he never showed up in front of me again because I would personally put him in his place.

We couldn't find traces of him, especially after one of the attackers had confessed to being paid to kill me.

Zane was right, they weren't rogues, but they weren't pack wolves either because their alpha was of no bloodline.

He didn't have the blood of any of the seventy-nine elders.

He was just a wolf trying to gain power by gathering rogues to form a team he called a pack.

"He has disappeared," Ray informed me and I swallowed. Isla growled in my head angrily.

The man who wanted our head was still out there.

Twenty-seven years ago he disappeared after my father took over the pack, and when he finally did, my father was already gone.

He wanted me dead so he could be alpha.

He wanted the pack, and based on what I knew of him, Darius wasn't the type to let go. It was safe to say he was responsible for my father's death and I would find evidence sooner or later.

I would make sure he paid for what he had done.

To my father and to Ray's father.

"He is a dangerous man," Ray said and I whispered, "I know."

"Keep searching for him," I ordered and Ray nodded.

"Are you okay?" He asked after a few seconds of silence.

"Go back to your duties, Ray," I said quietly.

I missed my father.

I had always known Darius was a manipulative man, but finding out he sent wolves after me pierced my chest.

I didn't trust him. Not after knowing he was Darius Rukers, but his plotting against me somehow hurt me more than I wanted it to.

Not like I expected less from him.

"Talk to me, Calista." Ray pulled a chair and sat opposite me.

"What are you thinking?" He asked, his voice low and caring.

"He proved me right, but it hurt," I whispered. My voice low and my eyes filled with pain.

One I couldn't bring myself to swallow.

"He killed my dad, his brother," I added. The moonlight casting on the side of his face as he stared at me in silence.

"Do you have evidence?" Ray finally asked and I swallowed.

"I will find one," I said. My eyes switching from pain to anger.

The image of my father lying weakly on his bed with no strength to talk or walk made my chest tighten.

His own brother did that to him for his inheritance.

"We will," Ray said, meeting my eyes.

The night passed quickly.

The pack regained its peacefulness.

I buried myself in work, looking for who to form an alliance with.

I looked up as the door to the office opened.

"Calista dear." My grandma walked in and the aroma of food rushed into my nostrils, forcing me to look up.

She was holding a tray of food and a glass of my favorite juice sitting beside the white plate.

"You didn't eat breakfast." She placed the tray down on the table with a warm smile lingering on her face.

"You have to eat," she added, taking the plate of food out of the tray to place it beside me since I had files scattered in front of me.

"I'm fine, Grandma," I told her, my eyes buried in the files before me.

I didn't expect her to leave nor did I expect her to sit.

She pulled a chair and sat down. Curious, I raised my eyes to look at her.

"How do you know Alpha Zane?" She asked but I didn't speak a word.

Where did this come from?

I asked myself.

"He seems to care about you," she added like she meant it.

"No," I said in a stern tone, going back to my work.

"What do you mean by no?" I didn't answer immediately but did after a few seconds.

"Grandma, you are mistaken," I told her.

Zane didn't care about me.

He was only here for whatever reason, but I was certain it had nothing to do with me.

"I think you should consider having him as your mate," she said and I looked up at her with a shocked expression.

What did she mean by consider having him as my mate?

"Grandma..." I started but she got up from her seat at that instant.

"You are not getting younger and with your ability you need someone to stand beside you," she added with a serious expression.

"And you think that someone is Zane?"

This felt like a sick joke coming from my grandma, the most important person in my life.

The only family I had left.

"He is more than the right person." I let out a shaky breath as the image of our first time clouded my vision.

I would have agreed with her if I hadn't heard him say what he said that day.

He rejected me after having my first time.

He ridiculed me. He didn't care that I was lying on the bed in the room close to the balcony.

I swallowed, feeling the pain rising in my chest.

"And you think Zane likes me?" I asked in a small tone. My throat felt tight as I recalled his brutal rejection.

"He does," she said and I shook my head.

"He doesn't," I said in a stern tone, hoping she would drop it.

"Then find a mate. It's only a matter of time before the world discovers who you are," she advised before walking out of my office.