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CHAPTER 86
~Zara’s POV~
My hands shook as I put my phone away, forcing myself to keep a calm front for Storm’s sake. His
innocent eyes held a curiosity that was hard to face right now.
“Alright, champ,” I said, smiling and ruffling his hair gently. “Time for me to get back inside.”
“Okay!” He gave me a wide grin, but his face held a hint of worry, his dark eyes searching mine. “Are you sure
you’re okay?”
I nodded, holding back the rush of emotions. “I promise. I’ll see you later.”
I turned away, walking quickly back to the pack house, my mind filled with Ivan’s threats and the contract document still burnt into my mind. The urgency pulsed through me—I couldn’t let Ivan get the upper hand. I needed to get back to the city and figure out
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how to stop him, for my father’s sake.
As soon as I entered the room, I grabbed my suitcase from the closet while my mind focused solely on
packing.
My heart pounded, and each item I threw into the bag felt like an effort to suppress the growing fear. Ivan was playing a dangerous game, and he knew exactly how to make me feel cornered.
Just as I was zipping my suitcase, sounds outside the window caught my attention. I looked up, freezing momentarily, before going to the window to check and I saw Snow on the driveway below.
He was talking to a few pack members, his usual confident stance evident even from a distance.
Part of me wanted to run down and tell him what was going on, to let him know why I needed to leave. But something stopped me–his dismissive attitude earlier, his constant teasing, the unresolved tension between us. I couldn’t bring myself to stay here and explain. Not
with so much at stake.
Instead, I watched as he climbed into his car and pulled out of the driveway, disappearing down the
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road.
Taking a deep breath, I swung my suitcase off the bed, threw my coat over my arm, and headed for the door.
My heart hammered as I walked briskly down the hallway and out the side door, my footsteps quickening as I moved further away from the house.
I didn’t want to see anyone; I couldn’t risk getting caught up in questions or goodbyes.
I booked a ride on my phone, glancing over my shoulder to make sure I was still alone. Within minutes, a cab pulled up at the edge of the property.
I threw my suitcase in and climbed into the backseat, telling the driver to go. As we did, my pulse pounded as we sped away from the Ivory Crescent Packhouse.
The familiar landscape of the pack territory blurred outside the window, each tree and hill passing in a haze as I fought to keep my thoughts steady.
in
As the car drove further away, Ivan’s threats replayed my mind. I had left Snow’s world behind, and as much as I hated to admit it, I was once again alone in a battle I hadn’t chosen.
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*****
The drive felt endless, the trees and city streets all blending together as I tried to call my father over and over, each attempt ringing out to voicemail.
I finally tried my mother, hoping she’d pick up. No answer. I huffed in frustration, gripping my phone as I dialed my older brother instead.
He answered on the second ring, his voice tense. “Zara, where are you?”
“I’m on my way home. I… I need to see Dad. Ivan’s threatening us again. He–he’s got something on him, and I need to know what’s going on.”
There was a pause, and I could hear the worry in my brother’s sigh. “We’ll talk when you get here, Zara. Just hurry.”
“Sure. Please handle things before my return.”
He muttered a yes and then hung the line. I placed my phone on my thigh and threw my head back against the headrest while I let my thoughts run wild.
The cab pulled up to the familiar entrance of my family’s house, and I practically jumped out, clutching
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my suitcase as I sprinted toward the door.
I fumbled with the door handle before unlocking it and stepping inside. The smell of home washed over me, but it did little to soothe the rising anxiety gnawing at
- me.
As I walked into the living room, my phone buzzed again. I glanced down, seeing Andrew Blake’s name flash across the screen. I answered quickly, trying to keep my voice steady. “Hello, Andrew?”
Before he could reply, the creak of a door made me look up. My brother stood there, his face tight with , worry. “Zara, we need to talk. Now.”
“Okay,” I muttered, ending the call and tucking the phone in my pocket. My brother walked over, his usual calm expression replaced with something darker. “Zara, it’s… it’s a mess.”
I sank onto the couch, clutching my hands together as he paced the room, his gaze focused on the floor. “What happened?”
He took a deep breath, trying to keep it measured as he spoke. “Dad met with some investors yesterday. He told us it was a business opportunity, something to
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help get the company back on its feet. He seemed optimistic. They talked, made an agreement, and at the end, they all celebrated with food and drinks.”
“Okay, so why does this sound bad?” I asked though dread had already crept up my spine.
“Because,” he said, a bitter edge to his tone, “those bastards drugged him. When he woke up, he’d signed off a huge stake in the company to them. Now, he’s left with an ultimatum: give them three hundred million dollars or hand over the company.”
My breath caught in my throat, and my fists clenched, the weight of his words crashing over me. “Three hundred million? They’re blackmailing him–this is a
setup.”
“It is,” he confirmed grimly. “And he has no way to fight it legally without risking everything. They’ve already registered the transfer.”
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