Chapter 49 Chapter 49

Chapter 49 Chapter 49
  Isabella’s POV
  “You won’t get away with this,” Sean growled, his voice strained as he fought to lift himself off the ground. But it wasn’t just him. One by one, I watched everyone struggle—my sister, my mother, even the guards. Their limbs trembled, locked in place as if invisible chains held them down. Everyone, except me.
  Zachary’s hand clamped tightly around my wrist, his grip so strong it cut off my circulation. He pulled me closer to him, that same twisted smirk playing on his lips.
  “I already am,” he sneered, letting out a dark, cruel laugh. As if on cue, Sean’s voice cut off completely—silence spreading like a disease. My heart dropped as I turned to look at my mother and sister. Their eyes were open, terrified, but their bodies didn’t move an inch.
  “What are you doing to them, Zachary?” I cried, my voice cracking under the weight of my panic. “Please, let them go! They haven’t done anything to you!”
  But he only dragged me closer, until I could feel his breath against my skin. I recoiled, but he wouldn’t let go.
  “I can’t let them go, Isabella,” he said, a manic glint in his eyes. “They’re obstacles. Each one of them. Obstacles between me and you.” He chuckled like he’d just made the cleverest joke in the world. “You are mine now, Isabella. And I will never let you leave me again.”
  “No,” I snapped, my voice firmer this time despite the tremor in my chest. “You’re wrong. I belong to Asher. Only him.”
  His smile died instantly, replaced by a cold, deadly frown. For a moment, he stared at me, as if he couldn’t comprehend what I had just said.
  “He’ll come back,” I said, my voice gaining strength. “He’ll save all of us.”
  Zachary barked out a laugh so bitter it chilled me to the bone.
  “You still don’t get it, do you?” he snarled. “There is no Asher anymore. He’s gone. For good. You’ll never see him again.”
  I felt as if the floor had opened beneath me.
  “You’re lying,” I whispered, my knees weak. “He promised he’d never leave me. He promised, Zachary!”
  “Fine,” he said, tilting his head mockingly. “Then we can continue this conversation… at our house.”
  He began dragging me toward the exit, but I fought back, jerking my wrist. “No! I will never go with you. I’d rather die than be with someone like you!”
  His hand flew across my face before I could register what was happening. Pain exploded in my cheek, and I crashed to the cold, hard floor. My ears rang, the metallic taste of blood flooding my mouth.
  Zachary stood above me, chest heaving, eyes wild. “What the hell is wrong with you?” he roared. “I apologized! I tried to change—for you! I’ve done everything! So why—WHY—am I still being treated like a monster?!”
  His voice cracked with fury. “I am better than Asher could ever be! He called himself powerful, but I destroyed him without even breaking a sweat!”
  He laughed again, that same unhinged cackle.
  “You’re mine, Isabella. Mine. Alone.”
  And then—
  A voice, cool and sharp, sliced through the chaos like lightning:
  “My Isabella can never be yours.”
  Everything stopped. Zachary froze. My breath caught in my throat as I turned, hope rising like a flame in my chest.
  “Asher,” I breathed out, voice quivering, eyes filling with tears. He was here. He was here. My heart squeezed painfully in my chest as my knees threatened to give way. I knew it. I knew he wouldn’t leave me.
  Zachary’s head whipped around to the sound of Asher’s voice, his expression twisting into one of disbelief and rage.
  “How are you still alive?” he spat, voice laced with fury.
  Asher stepped forward, his stride calm but powerful, every inch of him radiating strength. His voice came low and confident.
  “You know, Zachary… there’s something you should’ve figured out by now.”
  He paused, tilting his head mockingly. “You’re not as smart as you think you are. Then again… maybe deep down, you do know that.”
  Then his eyes shifted—landing on me. His entire expression shifted. The moment he saw the blood on my lip, the bruises on my face, something inside him snapped. His amused smirk vanished, replaced by a storm of fury.
  In a blur, he moved faster than my eyes could follow, and within a second, his hand was wrapped tightly around Zachary’s neck, lifting him effortlessly off the ground.
  “How dare you touch her.” Asher’s voice was deep, deadly, trembling with restrained rage. I scrambled to my feet, my heart racing.
  Zachary gasped, kicking violently. “L-let go of me, Asher!” he choked out, but Asher’s grip only tightened.
  Zachary’s feet dangled inches above the floor, his face turning red as he struggled. Then, his pack began to move—one by one they rushed forward to stop Asher. But with his free hand, Asher knocked them away like rag dolls, all without loosening his grip on Zachary.
  It should’ve frightened me, but it didn’t. He was protecting me.
  I watched with frozen awe. This was the side of Asher I had never seen before—the full force of his Alpha power. He was a warrior. A protector. My mate.
  But more of Zachary’s men poured into the room, and even Asher couldn’t fight off the growing number. Finally, they swarmed him in a combined effort, dragging him back. Zachary tumbled to the floor, coughing violently, barely able to breathe.
  “Asher!” I called, seeing the blood at his lip as he pushed off the attackers. But he wasn’t backing down.
  He turned on them with a vengeance. Fists. Claws. Speed. Every blow was precise, devastating. No one stood a chance. And as the room erupted in chaos, I saw my chance.
  I rushed to my mother and sister, dropping to my knees beside them. Their eyes stared up at me—wide, frightened—but paralyzed. My chest tightened.
  “I promise I’ll get you out of this,” I whispered, tears streaming freely down my cheeks. “Just hold on. Please…”
  Then I heard a snarl—Asher’s—and turned. Zachary’s pack was overwhelming him again. He was strong, but they were relentless. I scanned the room, desperate for something, anything, to help.
  My eyes landed on a rusty iron rod near the broken furniture. Without thinking, I grabbed it and charged toward the nearest attacker lunging at Asher. I raised the rod and swung—but the man caught it mid-air. His eyes gleamed, and he growled.
  I staggered back, heart pounding. But just before he could strike, something shifted behind me. The air grew colder.
  Then—
  “Alpha Zachary!” a loud voice rang out. We all froze.
  I turned slowly, my breath catching.
  Michael.
  And not just him. Behind him stood a line of fierce, determined warriors—Asher’s pack. They filled the room like a rising tide, and Zachary’s men suddenly looked much less confident.
  “I hope we’re not too late for the party,” Michael said, a cocky grin on his face.
  Zachary’s face paled. “How… how is this happening?” he stammered. “This—this is impossible!”
  “I made it possible,” came a new, chilling voice.
  A woman stepped forward from behind Asher’s pack. I froze.
  She was… ethereal. Her eyes glowed a haunting white, and her skin was pale as snow. Long white hair flowed around her like mist. Every instinct inside me screamed—this woman was not normal.
  “Who… who are you?” Zachary demanded, taking an uncertain step back.
  Before she could answer, Asher struck.
  Without warning, he launched a brutal punch into Zachary’s side, sending him crashing into the wall. Dust exploded on impact.
  “She’s Zara,” Asher said, turning back toward me with a knowing smirk. “The game’s over, Zachary.”
  My blood ran cold. Zara? That name… I had never heard it before, yet something about her presence made my skin crawl.
  I stared at her, unsettled.
  Who was she really… and how did Asher know her?
  I wasn’t sure. But one thing was clear, I don’t like her!