Hey readers,

Well here is the next chapter, its slightly longer so read and enjoy. Thank you to everyone who took the time to give me support in both votes and comments since I loved to read them all.

Lots of Love

XXX

Zoe’s Pov

I could tell that as soon as the words spilled from my lips that I had everybody’s attention, including that of the two adults sitting in front of me who I was ashamed and disgusted to call my parents. I hated them with a passion; they were revolting people who didn’t deserve the right to even breathe the same air as everyone else did. Call me extreme, but it was how I felt.

Looking around the room I saw that I was indeed correct, I was in fact everyone’s sole focus as they stared at me with confusion and shock. I doubted they even realised just how much the people they had considered pack, people that they had considered family were so sick in the head that they were constantly making mistakes that would make others pale with just the thought of it.

“Zoe?”

It was my gorgeous and very confused mate who spoke up first, his husky tone sending shivers down my spine as I looked up into those amazing eyes of his. I didn’t know how this whole thing was going to turn out, but I had a feeling that it wasn’t going to be good.

“Hunter” I replied flatly, reluctantly removing my hands from his body which seemed to draw a frown from him. I couldn’t help but flush slightly, but chose to try and ignore it since there were more pressing matters at hand. Like the fact I was about to drop my parents in a whole load of shit that not even they would be able to dig themselves out of.

I could tell that he was aware that I was trying to stall, it wasn’t because I didn’t want to tell him what had happened but rather I was having trouble putting it into the correct words. I had to be careful with how I worded it; I didn’t need my so-called parents picking holes in my confession like I knew they would try to if they could. They were sneaky little bastards after all.

“What do you mean, what are you hiding from me?” he asked with a frown. I hated seeing it on his prefect features, hating it even more that I was the reason it was there in the first place. But I knew that he wouldn’t only frown deeper when I spoke up, unfortunately it would be my fault yet again.

“Do you want to take this, father?” I asked in a bitter tone, looking in the old man’s direction as he swallowed audibly.

“Now Zoe-“ he started but was cut off by my mate, my very protective mate that is.

“Don’t, don’t you dare try and talk yourself out of this. I will give you one chance to come clean, now” Hunter started in his alpha voice, it sending shivers of delight down my spine while it sent fear down everyone else’s. Hey, you can’t blame a girl for finding their mate hot, especially when you take a look at the handsome piece of arse in front of me looking all scrumptious without a shirt on. Can I get a yum?

“I don’t know-“ my father started but he was quickly cut off by a very pissed off alpha whose mood wasn’t getting any better.

“Let me make one thing clear, you lie to me and you will be punished” Hunter snapped, his own parents then having to get involved instead of stepping by and letting him do what needs to be done. I stifled the urge to roll my eyes, though couldn’t help the flash of jealously that hit me with surprise. I couldn’t help it, how many times have I dreamed of having a family that loved me like that, how a family should? But do I get that, no; I don’t because I have to have the selfish idiots in front of me who care about nothing but themselves.

“Son, I don’t think-“ Tom started, his father clearly not thinking this was the right way to go. I understood why of course, both him and Stella were close to my parents and I hated to think of how betrayed they would feel when they found out that their closest friends were such selfish and greedy people.

“Dad, don’t get involved” Hunter said tensely, clearly having a lot of respect for his parents and not wanting to raise his voice to them. The jealousy hit me again in a flash; I hated feeling it but there was nothing I could do about it.

“I know you’re the alpha son, but this isn’t right” Tom continued. I could tell that my mate was losing his patience with them all so I quickly wrapped my arms around his waist, hearing him sigh out in comfort before relaxing against me. I smiled; I couldn’t help it since I loved the fact that I could affect him as much as he could affect me.

“Dad, stay out of this” Hunter warned, but I could tell he was trying to keep a reign on the alpha tone. To be honest he was doing a good job at it, I could tell how much effort and control it was taking out of him to do so.

“Honey, perhaps your fathers right” oh god, now mummy’s involved. I know I shouldn’t want to sigh out in annoyance since she was a nice woman but I couldn’t help it, it was late not to mention dark outside so I wanted nothing more than to either head home or hopefully stay the night. Though I knew that if my parents were staying here then it was out of the question, I would just have to head back to my crappy apartment where the fridge was utterly empty. I frowned, I really needed that job.

“Mother” Hunter said tensely, I could tell it was getting to him.

“Just listen honey, it is clear that Zoe has some unloving feelings for her parents and we have to do this fairly” she continued, my own brows raising as I couldn’t help but be slightly offended that she was implying that I was lying. I hadn’t even said anything yet and I was being labelled a liar, and as I looked around the room at the pack I now consider family I could tell that they seemed stunned as well.

“Are you calling my mate a liar?” Hunter spat, my eyes widening as my grip on him tightened.

“Oh course not, but…“ she started but it was clear she didn’t know how to finish, because that was exactly what she was insinuating.

“My mate does not lie!” was his firm reply as my mate snapped at her, my face pressing against his bare back as I tried to hide my smile from everyone. It was times like this you had to love my mate, he was such a protective wolf and I loved it.

“I’m not saying that-“

“Yes you are, and I don’t like it!” he continued when she continued to dig her grave deeper, her sigh telling us all present that she had given up. It was obvious to everyone that I wasn’t the only one who was relieved.

“Don’t speak to your mother like that Hunter, you may be the alpha but you are our son” oh god…

The bantering continued for a few more minutes until I had heard enough, and by judging everyone else’s expressions it was clear that they had had enough as well. They wanted to get back to bed, spend some quality time with their mates before getting a good night’s rest before tomorrow. It may be the weekend but that didn’t mean everyone wanted to stay up late, to be honest with myself I wanted a night in as well.

“Look we’re getting off topic” Collin interrupted before I could, the beta being on the receiving end of a number of thankful looks including mine.

“I agree, now Peter I will give you the opportunity to come forward with whatever my mate clearly knows you are hiding before we hear it from her” Hunter stated, being his usual generous self. It was clear from my father’s expression though that he wasn’t going to cave as easier as we were all hoping. Me though, I knew that he wouldn’t have opened his mouth since the consequences would most likely ruin both him and the dreadful woman he married.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about” was his confession, how honest of him I thought sarcastically.

With his answer Hunter turned around to face me, his eyes swarming with confusion and interest over what I knew. I also saw hurt though, hurt that I had hide it from him when to be honest it was simply because I didn’t have the opportunity or time to bring it up.

“Zoe?” he asked softly, the amount of trust in his tone making me want to tear up.

“I can’t believe you would stoop so low” I told my parents as I stared at them, watching as fear flickered through their gaze when they realised that I was about to spill the beans on their plan. I snorted; as if I would cover for people like them.

“Zoe” they warned but I was already on a roll and I was not stopping now.

“I told you that I wasn’t going anywhere, but yet you wouldn’t let it go you power hungry gits!” I snapped at them, seeing them flinch and loving it. Call me sadistic but I simply didn’t have it in me to care.

“Zoe-“ they tried again but I didn’t stop, I wasn’t going to. Who did stop me though was surprisingly my brother of all people, what he said next having a whole other effect on me.

“Will you just get on with it Zoe, nobody cares what your feelings are ok! My mate was attacked today and to be honest I wish it had been you!” he snapped, his anger getting the better of him and while I knew he didn’t mean it the words hit me hard.

The entire room was silent as I simply stared at my brother, no one knowing what to say as I found myself frozen in place. His unwavering glare in my direction had my heart clenching in pain but I hid it well, feeling myself closing up and rapidly trying to re-build my inner walls as to try and block out the sudden emotional pain I was feeling over his words. I could tell Hunter saw me doing this, his anger filling the room to an almost suffocating level that had every shunning back away from him. Everyone but me, but I was too stunned to move.

“What?” was all I could get out, my tongue suddenly feeling too big for my mouth as my nails dug into the palms of my hands in an attempt to restraint from smashing something like I wanted to. I couldn’t help it; I needed to get out all of this emotion I was feeling one way or another.

“I said-“ he started but Hunter cut him off, his powerful form appearing in front of me in a flash, effectively blocking my view.

“I heard what said and how dare you! She saved your mate when none of us could, and this is the thanks you give your own sister!” Hunter snarled, it hitting home for Jack but the damage was already done. Never would I have ever thought that the last of my family would turn on me like he was doing now. I felt sick, used and broken all over again.

With that on my mind I knew I needed to get out of here, I needed space. But before I ran with my tail between my legs I snapped my head in my parents amused direction, not wanting them to be in the clear when they were a hundred miles away from being innocent. It was almost amusing to see the fear replace the humour when they saw my narrowed eyes, that’s right, I may be wounded but that didn’t mean I was going to be the only one crumbling down.

“Why don’t you tell them, tell them all how you planned this happening, how you wanted to drive me away? I dare you!” I snarled before turning on my heel and running, leaving them all frozen into place as my comment seemed to stun them all. I didn’t know why, I mean was it really that much of a surprise of what my parents were capable of?

My bare feet hit the softness of the grass before anyone knew what was happening, my toes digging into the slightly damp ground as I legged it into the forest. I wasn’t crying, I didn’t want to cry anymore but my hands clenched at my sides as I tried to control my anger. I would take anger over hurt any time of the day. Just the thought that my brother, the only person I considered my family would so willingly prefer me to be attacked cut me deeply. I knew that he was only protecting his mate, but to freely admit that the thought had crossed his mind made me want to do nothing more than disappear into the night and never come back here again. I wouldn’t of course, if it wasn’t for Hunter none of them would ever be seeing me again and that was the honest truth.

I felt my body shimmer and vibrate before my large white paws hit the ground with a gentle thud as I took off running, my legs burning with the sudden strain of it but I didn’t let up. The pull in my chest was almost painful as I ran from my mate, it wasn’t his doing but I needed to get away to think. All I knew was that it hurt, it hurt so much that my brother had verbally attacked me for no other reason than to make himself feel better about Chloe having been in danger. It was the sort of thing my parents would have done was the only thing on my mind as I disappeared into the trees, knowing that it wouldn’t be long until Hunter would start tracking me down. I could only hope that he sorted out my parents first; karmas a really bitch when she wants to be.

(Well what do you think? Sorry for the wait but I hope you enjoy, vote and comment to show your support. Lots of love.x)