***Zara's POV***

I was frozen in astonishment. Hearing him say my mother's name was the last thing I expected him to say. My mother lived in and around ET her whole life, and I'm pretty sure I'd remember a name as unusual as Conlan. Alpha Patrick and a few of his pack members entered the hall doorway behind me. Their shadows from the fireplace drew long dancing lines on the wooden planks and up the white walls.

After a few seconds of staring at each other in the hall I had to ask, "How do you know that name?"

"Are you Ingrid Thorne's daughter?" Conlan countered with a question. He stepped closer. His wolf eyes shining brightly in the low light from the fire leaking into the dim hallway. James' face was now visible. Uncertain on what to do he looked between his Beta and myself.

"Answer my question first. How do you know that name?" I repeated. I've gone past surprised and now I'm getting angry. Conlan was there at the time of Grandma's death. He's the one that called Alpha Patrick about having a dead witch that needed taking care of. Questions started popping up into my head like, 'Did he let her die? Where did he find her? How come she wasn't taken to a hospital? Why was she taken? Did he kill her?'

"No. You'll answer mine." He growled.

"Beta Conlan," Alpha Patrick called, trying to calm the situation. "Right now is not the time-"

"Alpha Patrick. I demand that this rogue be taken into custody. She is a person of interest and she needs to be questioned properly." Conlan's voice was full of his Alpha dominance as it rolled off of him in waves. A heavy silence fell over the house as my blood was boiling.

"How dare you barge into my home. Uninvited. And then demand that my niece be taken away like some criminal!" Auntie's voice got louder the closer she got to Conlan. She had been one of the shadows from the living room.

"Don't you dare raise your voice to me witch." Conlan spat. "And now that I'm on this path." He turned to look past me to Alpha Patrick. "Take this witch too."

"But Al-" The Alpha corrected himself, "Beta-"

"DID I STUTTER?!" Everyone flinched from Conlan's roar. "BY THE AUTHORITY OF KING ZACHARIAH, I ORDER THE VEILED MOON PACK TO TAKE THIS ROGUE AND THIS WITCH INTO CUSTODY."

All the wolves in the room had to force shift from his command, including Alpha Patrick. Conlan's Alpha command was so clear and so strong that all the pack members and even James could not stop the shift.

During the chaos Conlan lunged for my aunt and I intercepted.

"RUN!" I screamed as I was grappling with Conlan in the narrow hall. We were slamming each other into the furniture and walls. For a second I managed to kick him off of me and I made a run for it to protect Auntie. Wolves jumped to get us from every direction. A wolf scratched my back as I ran through the screen door with Auntie. More wolves outside greeted us with snarls and snapping jaws. The front door was jammed with too many wolves trying to get out at once. Their claws cut deep grooves into the porch and along the door frame in an effort to squeeze past each other.

"YOU'RE BLEEDING!" Auntie screeched in alarm. Her words were almost drowned out by all the loud barks and growls from the now feral like wolves.

There was no time to answer her as one of the two wolves outside tried to pounce on me. I quickly shoved the violent mass away. My breath was getting more ragged and I could feel my strength leaving me more quickly than in a normal sparring session. The second wolf was on me and I barely had time to move my head away before the brown wolf's jaws could trap me to the ground. In a second I rolled us over so I was on top and launched myself off of the wolf's belly in a somersault dive. Crouching low to the ground I saw that the traffic jam in the doorway was now clear and five wolves were closing in. With my heart thumping loudly in my ears and with heat washing over me, I ran into the wolves. I managed to catch a few by surprise. A few punch-grab-twist-knee kicks I was clearing a line to Auntie. She had been pushed down by a grey wolf.

"I'M COMING AUNTIE!" I yelled to her as the wolf held her down with his jaws around her neck. The look of fright on her face urged me to shake off the blurry vision and stars from my eyes. So close, I almost could touch her until Conlan ripped the wolf off of her. His action stunned me for a second too long.

"AAAAAHHHHH!" I screamed in pain. One of the wolves bit down on my shoulder and clawed at my backside. Pain shot up from my legs all the way to my shoulder. The wolf was biting down hard as it continued to scrape at anything it could dig its claws into. Next thing I know the grassy gravel greeted me. On reflex, I caught my fall with my arms. My head was too heavy to hold up.

"GET OFF OF HER!" Conlan thundered.

A series of savage snarls followed his command that came out so wolf like I wondered if Conlan was half shifted himself. The wolf immediately released my shoulder and huffed begrudgingly as it scurried away. I felt strong hands turn me over as I laid helplessly on the ground. Fuzzy stars in the black night sky twinkled into my vision. Conlan titled my head beneath his arm. He looked so distressed. His eyebrows furrowed and he anxiously looked me over.

"Why aren't you healing?" He whispered, running a hand over my forehead to clear away the stray hairs.

The familiar sound of bones snapping and popping back into place started to join a chorus. Darkness looked better and better as the seconds ticked by. My eyes are threatening to close.

"Sweetheart." Auntie's voice floated over me. Her sobs echoed into the night.

"Why isn't she healing?" Conlan asked, still looking at my face. His throat bobbed and I swear I could hear his wolf whine.

She sobbed harder.

"Zara!" Alpha Patrick exclaimed. "Why isn't she healing already?!" He asked.

"Can we take her to your pack doctor?" Conlan asked.

"Yes, but." The Alpha turned to my aunt. "Can't you heal her?" Auntie's eyes filled with fresh tears and they split down her aged cheeks. She looked at me for a second. A determined look flashed across her face before she broke down again. Her head shook in shame.

"She can't." I croaked out and offered her a slight smile. All of my strength is gone now.

"But Hazel, you've healed many pack members. We used to come to you when we fought during the rogue and witch attacks and you'd heal the ones our doctor's couldn't save." Alpha Patrick's face fell and a frightened look marred his face.

Conlan picked me up and started walking over to a truck. I whimpered a little as my wounds unstuck from the ground.

"Shhhh, Zara." Conlan whispered tenderly into my ear. "We're going to get you some help." He tightened his hold a hair.

"And I'm sorry." I'm sure I heard in a dream because I could barely make out the words as they ghosted into the cool night.

The motion of him carrying me was so warm and comforting that I was unable to protest. I didn't want to. Everything in me wanted to be in his arms. For some reason I liked being held by him even though he has already rejected me as his mate. Before I closed my eyes I glimpsed a naked James. He started up the diesel engine while I was being cradled in the back seat. From inside the truck I could hear muffled shouts from Auntie above the engine noise as I was lulled to sleep.

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Hello readers!

I'm so happy! Thank you so much for all of your support! 282 reads and 19 votes! Truly feels like a blessing. :D

I'll try to update weekly for all of my loyal followers!

-Lynne