Chapter 7

• Chapter 7
• Zoey Malik
• ~•~
• “Are you sure you’re making the right decision?” Selena asked, her eyes teary. “You barely know this man, I don’t think you should go with him.” She added, the concern in her voice unmistakable.
• I let out a wistful sigh. “I don’t have any other option. It’s either I leave with him or get thrown into the dungeon.” I replied, my voice trembling slightly.
• Selena pulled me into a warm embrace. “I don’t want you to leave with him. I’m scared.” She continued, her voice barely above a whisper.
• Before I could respond, Sean’s voice echoed from behind us. “Wrap it up, I don’t have all the time in the world.” He said without a care in the world.
• Was I making the right decision by leaving with him?
• If only I had a third option, I wouldn’t be going with a total stranger.
• “I’ll keep in touch. I’m sure I’ll be okay.” I whispered in her ear.
• “Call me when you get there.”
• I nodded, wiping off the tears that were flowing down my face. He made me lie to my best friend. I couldn’t tell her the entire truth because he wanted it to be a secret.
• “I’ll see you soon.”
• Sean scoffed as I replied.
• What did his scoff mean? Wasn’t I allowed to see my best friend again? My mind raced with different questions but I didn’t utter a word to him.
• I just focused on saying goodbye to Selena.
• Soon enough, I was in the back seat of Sean’s car and on the way to my new home. A wave of different emotions washed over me — confusion, uncertainty, fear, and heartbreak.
• I still felt pain whenever it dawned on me that my true mate had just rejected me. I loved Conrad even if I barely felt the same way.
• It would take a while before I would completely move past his heartbreak and betrayal. It still hurt knowing that he was ready to throw me into the dungeon.
• For a moment, I thought my life was over.
• Sean was my savior, but I would have preferred if I was saved by someone else — who didn’t require me to be their pretend mate for a year.
• The uncertainty of what I was getting myself into was scary. Sean looked like he was ruthless and even worse than Conrad.
• I shifted uncomfortably in the back seat as I looked through the window. Every mile we drove felt like I was being pulled farther away from everything I had ever known.
• My pack.
• Selena.
• The version of me that once loved Conrad. I still loved him.
• But it felt like everything was being taken away from me.
• At the same time, I had nothing left in the Crescent moon pack. I mean, apart from Selena, everyone pretty much wanted me dead.
• They wanted me to pay for a crime that I didn’t commit.
• “And how do you plan on finding the real murderer?” I asked, breaking the silence that stretched between us. I didn’t think about it and had no idea when the question left my mouth.
• Sean didn’t turn around to look at me.
• “Did I tell you that you ask too many questions already?”
• I shrugged my shoulders, clearing my throat. “I just want to know. I want to know that you weren’t bluffing when you said you’ll find the real killer in two weeks.”
• Sean promised everyone that he would prove my innocence in two weeks. And if he fails to do it, I’ll be thrown into the dungeon.
• I still remember how my stomach churned when I thought I was going to die. It was a scary experience and I didn’t want to go through it for a second time.
• He let out a deep sigh. “Do I look like I was bluffing?” He asked, his voice hoarse. “As long as you’re innocent, I’ll be able to prove it.”
• His words made something twist inside me.
• “I thought you believed that I was innocent already? Why do you sound …. doubtful?”
• There was a beat of silence.
• Then he said something that made me terrified,
• “Because I have been wrong before.”
• What? What did he mean by that?
• How could I trust him to prove my innocence if he had doubts? What if he doesn’t keep to his words and I end up in the dungeon?
• Maybe leaving with him was a mistake after all.
• “I always keep to my word.” He continued, as though he could read my mind.
• “Did I say that out loud?” I asked, my eyebrows etched in confusion.
• “No,” he muttered, finally glancing at me through the rearview mirror. “You didn’t need to say it out loud. Your scared face said it all.”
• I didn’t even know if I was meant to be relieved or not. I didn’t want to rely on him fully. I wanted to be prepared for all the possible outcomes.
• How could someone from a different pack be able to find the real killer? How would he go about it? I was hoping for the best but expecting the worst.
• I didn’t want to get too comfortable and end up getting my hopes shattered. I just needed to pray to the moon goddess every day, hoping she would do another miracle.
• “How long is the ride?” I asked as I turned my gaze back to the window. We had been moving for a while I was getting exhausted.
• Sean didn’t give me a straight answer. “We will be there soon.”
• I didn’t bother asking for clarity.
• I leaned back on the seat and closed my eyes.
• The car went silent.
• His voice kept replaying in my head over and over again. ‘Because I have been wrong before.’
• Wrong about what? Someone else’s innocence? About trusting someone else? Had he helped the wrong person before and paid for it?
• I didn’t ask because I knew he wouldn’t tell me the answer.
• I had no idea when I drifted off to sleep, but the next time I opened my eyes, I found myself in a strange city. The engine had stopped humming and Sean was already outside the car.
• A few moments later, he pulled the back door open for me.
• “Welcome to the Moonbeam family.” He announced with a proud smile as I stepped out of the car.
• I blinked a few times, trying to adjust to the sunlight. The compound was massive, far larger than anything I had seen before.
• As I glanced around, I saw dozens of eyes on me.
• Their expressions ranged from curiosity to suspicion.
• I could see their mouths moving but I couldn’t hear what they were talking about. I felt a little bit nervous. Not a little bit, I felt really nervous.
• Sean saw how I reacted to their stares. But he didn’t say anything, he just slid an arm around my waist and pulled me close.
• Before I could even breathe, his lips crashed against mine.
• For a moment, it felt like the world was frozen.