Chapter 57

Zora POV

"They're still constructing the house, but I told the workers not to come in today," Dash explained.

"Terrific."

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

I nodded.

"Zora, look at me. You need to make a decision."

"I have. He killed my parents and maybe your Dad. I don't want anything to do with him."

We stayed in the car for over an hour, waiting for Gabriel to show his ugly yet gorgeous face. I wanted to get this over with. Despite the plan, a portion of me didn't want to reject Gabriel. I knew how fated mates worked, and you weren't supposed to buy the bond! It was a natural phenomenon.

"What if he's not coming? Maybe he died from his wounds," I said.

"If he died, you would have known."

"How?"

"When a wolf loses their fated mate, they get a scar on their body. It supposedly hurts like hell."

"I don't have that."

Dash popped the driver's side door open and climbed out. I followed him.

He stared at the house. There were tools all over the place. I couldn't wait until I could run this place as a bed and breakfast, but it felt like a distant dream now. As Dash took in the mansion, I came up behind him and wrapped my arms around him.

He patted my hands. "Are you sure you don't want to sell this place?"

"Of course not. This is my home."

"I want you to live with me in a house that won't collapse on you while you sleep."

I snickered. "I hope it won't collapse on my guests after the renovations are done."

"It won't. You don't have to stay here. Move in with me, please."

I held him tighter. "Sure, I have somewhere to escape to if you piss me off."

He chuckled. "I don't have a place to escape to, though."

"You're stuck with me."

"Well, isn't this adorable?"

Dash and I turned around as Gabriel adjusted the collar on his jacket. There were no signs of a battle last night. He was pissed though.

"So you decided to steal my mate and parade her in front of a decaying house?" Gabriel spat.

Dash growled. I grabbed his arm quickly.

"He didn't steal me, and you know it. I ran away."

"You humiliated me! Now I can't go back to that club because I was attacked by women!"

I rolled my eyes. "Serves you right."

Dash nudged my shoulder. We had a plan, and it was time to execute.

I cleared my throat. "I'm not your mate. I wasn't meant to be."

"That doesn't matter, Zora. You have what I want, and that's what matters."

That portion of me wanted me to shut my mouth and not reject him, but my heart belonged to Dash.

"I, Zora Fisher, reject you, Gabriel, as my mate," I said.

My bones stiffened, and a slight pain formed in my chest.

Gabriel stared at me in horror for a moment.

"I reject your rejection," Gabriel said.

I gasped. "You can't do that! I want to reject you!"

Gabriel threw his head back and laughed. "You don't control the narrative here. I do. This relationship ends when I want it to end!"

"That's what you think." Dash nudged me aside and rammed his fist into Gabriel's jaw. The force sent Gabriel to the ground while the roar of engines filled the quiet afternoon atmosphere. Kaleb and Gunner's vehicles appeared on the scene.

I stared at Dash. Of course, he told his friends! Gunner jumped out of his car first with determination and rage.

"So this is the bastard turning my Pack upside down!" Gunner blasted.

Zelda emerged from Kaleb's car and tackled me.

"I was so worried!"

"I couldn't leave her at home," Kaleb commented before joining his friends.

The guys struggled to contain Gabriel. I didn't think he was dumb enough to come alone! If he did, then someone knew his whereabouts.

"We captured some of his employees a few miles ago, and someone is looking for Rachel," Gunner explained.

Gabriel laughed. "Very smart but not smart enough."

"Shut up." Dash punched his jaw again.

"What are you going to do with him? When did you come up with this plan anyway?" I questioned.

"There's a lot you can do with a mind link," Dash smirked. "It's fast and convenient."

Somehow, they managed to tie him up with thick rope and dragged him into the house through the back door. The house smelt like sandalwood, glue and paint.

"You're not keeping him here, are you?" I asked.

"It's a pretty safe place, Zora," Kaleb replied.

Dash was just saying how this house could collapse at any moment. Gabriel's goons would take this place apart in seconds. Anyway, they dragged Gabriel down to the cellar. We discovered barrels and boxes of untouched wine.

"I didn't know your Dad was a wine collector," Gunner commented.

I was just as bewildered. "Neither did I. I never saw either of them drink."

"There has to be thousands of dollars' worth of wine down here," Dash commented.

"This will be where I start the next fire," Gabriel muttered.

I was always scared of the cellar. I could distinctively recall a time when I was twelve and Daddy told me not to go down there because he set mouse traps and he didn't want me to get hurt. I think I was more scared of the mice than the traps.

"I wonder what's in the attic then," I muttered.

"The Pandora, maybe," Gabriel chimed in.

I glared at him. He was strapped to a chair with his legs spread wide, blood dripping from the side of his face onto his clothes.

"Quiet, you. You don't get it. You're not getting out of this," Dash snapped.

Gabriel laughed. "Gentlemen, I'm always open to negotiating."

"I love negotiating, but this is going to cost you," Gunner said.

While they went at it, I felt suffocated down there.

"Zora, where are you going?" Zelda asked me.

"I'll be right back. I just need some air," I said.

The guys were too busy interrogating Gabriel to notice me slip out. My part of the plan was a major flop. I was still bonded to Gabriel, and I hated it.

I made it upstairs, and all I could smell was some sort of fluid that burned my nostrils. I made my way towards the front door when I heard a body slam on the ground. I jumped back.

"You slimy bastard! You've finally come out of your shell."

"Get off of me."

What on earth is going on out there?

My hand hovered above the doorknob.

"Zora, what are you doing?" Zelda yelled as I turned the knob.