Chapter 58

Zora POV

I opened the door and discovered a woman on top of a man's back, slamming him into the ground.

I gasped. "What on earth is going on?"

They both froze and stared at me.

"Astra?" I questioned, shaking my head.

Zelda rushed to my side. She looked just as shocked as I did.

"Dad?" she yelled.

"I knew I'd find you here," the man replied.

"Is that… that's my… those are my parents?"

Astra slammed my Dad's head into the ground and climbed off him. I haven't seen her since she visited Mr Dean in the old folk's home. She hadn't even tried to communicate with me. Did she know I had been kidnapped? Did she even give a damn?

I stepped back into the house.

"What are you doing here?" Zelda asked.

"I had to make sure Zora was alright. My sources told me she went missing, and the Alpha was looking for her."

"Now you care about her?" Astra blasted.

I wanted to ask Max Dean the same thing. Didn't he care that his Father, Nathaniel Dean, was being intimidated and was kidnapped from his retirement home? Mr Dean was safe at the Pack House, but I doubted Max cared.

Astra climbed off him. Max dusted himself off, and they both walked towards the front door. My heart jumped into my throat, and I shuffled backwards. It was like seeing two phantoms in broad daylight.

My sister looked at me with concern.

"Dad, I don't think Zora wants to talk to you. Either of you," she snapped in Astra's direction.

"Why? What did I do?" Astra frowned.

"I don't know. You abandoned her!"

I wanted to say the same thing. They hadn't wanted to be my parents when they had the chance. I don't know what Max's excuse was when he managed to be in Zelda's life entirely.

"I didn't abandon her! It wasn't even my idea!" Astra exclaimed.

"You still did it," my voice cracked.

"Oh, don't give me that, Zora. We can explain. It's complicated, and it's entirely your Dad's fault."

Astra didn't seem like a person who took responsibility often. I wanted some fresh air, but the people I wanted to avoid were outside, blocking my path to freedom.

"Zora?" Dash called. "Everything alright?"

"No, I need some air."

I turned my back and hurried into the kitchen. My stomach felt heavy, and I felt like puking. Dash was right behind me. He wrapped his arms around my middle section as I threw up in the sink. It was a brand new sink as well.

"It's okay. I'm here," Dash said lovingly in my ear. "Let it out."

"I'm not ready to see them. It's too much right now."

"You deserve to know why they gave you up. I'm sure there's a reason they decided to both show up today."

I panted. Max's eyes kept popping up in my mind. He looked so familiar. I'd seen him some place before today. When it clicked in my mind, I turned back to the sink and threw up again. My Father disguised himself as Mr Fleming. I saw him until I was sixteen. He mostly spoke to my Mother, though, but how didn't I see a resemblance back then? They made everything seem so real. They gave me vitamins and forced me to eat my greens and fruits. He's probably not even a doctor.

"I know him, Dash."

"What?"

"He was my doctor! My Mom and I visited him twice a month when I was a child."

Dash frowned. "Excuse me?"

I ran my fingers through my hair and panted. "We eventually stopped visiting my doctor. I don't know what happened to him."

"The Fishers were in contact with your Dad this entire time."

"I don't know for sure. I guess I have to talk to him, huh?"

"I'll be right here. You don't have to do it alone."

I didn't know what Max might tell me, so I'd rather Dash not be there.

"I can do this alone."

"I know you can, but you don't have to. I love you, Zora Fisher."

Before he tried to kiss my lips, I jumped to the right and slipped away from him.

"I need to freshen up before I speak to Max."

"So you won't let me kiss you?" he threw his arms in the air.

"Not this time, Dash."

He chuckled. He caught my elbow. "Gunner and Kaleb have Gabriel covered. The henchmen we captured told the betas everything. We have several properties we have to look into."

"What do you think you'll find?" I swallowed a lump in my throat.

"I'm scared I'll find a shrine dedicated to my girlfriend. I can't leave, not until this blows over. Kaleb can do it."

"You know the reason you're not with Gunner and Kaleb is because they're scared you'll kill Gabriel," I said, narrowing my eyes.

"He keeps baiting me. He won't stop talking about how sweet you are or how erotic your scent is. You don't tell another wolf, things like that about his mate."

His wolf flashed in his eyes for a moment. I rubbed his arms to calm him down.

"I only have eyes for you. I love you, Dash Olsen. The faster we get Gabriel out of our lives, the sooner we can move on. If only the Pandora wasn't so dangerous, I would have given it to him a long time ago, but he can never get it."

"I understand, mate. He's not the only one out there, and that's the major problem."

I nodded and sighed. We would have to remove a secret organization from existence.

***

"Does Mom know you're here?" Zelda questioned as I returned from freshening up.

Zelda still hadn't let Astra and Max inside.

"The same way she doesn't know you're here either," Max replied.

"I have good reasons for being here!" Zelda protested.

"So do I. I had to make sure Zora was okay, and you know why too, Zelda. You put yourself and the Pandora at risk," Max scolded.

"All this is just nonsense! Zora, honey, we have to talk. It's urgent." Astra poked her head through the door.

I nodded. "I guess we do have to talk."

I led them into the living room. Zelda was right behind them, watching them like a hawk.

"Zelda, you don't need to be here," Max said. "This is Zora's moment."

Or maybe he didn't want his daughter to know more of his secrets, like the fact he disguised himself as a doctor for years! That's a crime.

Zelda turned to me. I shrugged. "I'll be fine."

She nodded. "I'll be with Kaleb."

"Who's Kaleb?" Max asked.

Zelda bolted out of the living room before Max could ask again.

Max returned his focus to me, but it was Astra who spoke first.

"Alright, it's time we come clean."