Dedicated to: 

"Fate knows best." Zachariah Grimwore~

Sitting comfortably in the lounge of the most prestigious club in New York Zachariah Grimwore's mind was miles away. All around him his Pack Members spoke and drank, yet for what had to be the first time in his life, his external senses were off. Even his wolf Ezekiel was silent.

The events of last week play in his mind on repeat. He had come to America for a simple conference but ended up fighting Taintbloods, finding out that his long awaited mate is a human only to be rejected by her and witness the turn of a Golden Wolf who happened to be his mate's son. To say that he had a crazy week was an understatement.

He raised a now warm glass of bourbon to his lip and reveled in the burn as the liquid traveled down his throat. 'Marks' as she called herself was her last name. A quick call to the restaurant she worked at confirmed that, but somehow he was sure that it wasn't her real name. She was the last person he would imagine with a name like Suzie Marks.

Ever since that encounter they had the night they fought the Taintbloods, she remained a constant topic of his thoughts. Even now she could remember her green eyes had flashed in contempt when he tried to forcefully take her back with him. He had lost his temper that day and made the most short sighted mistake of his life. Of course she wasn't an average helpless human female! She had stood back to back with him and fought off the vampires killing each with vicious and and accurate strikes. Her martial arts was unlike that which had ever seen, every move was done without waste and over exertion. No fancy footwork, just the goal to kill and maim quickly in any way.

Zachary palmed his forehead squeezing his eyes shut in annoyance at his own foolishness. He was never one to allow his pride to rule his actions, and yet when she challenged him he had lost all control and logic in effort to place fear in those taunting eyes. In the end she almost killed him. The memory flashed in Zachariah's mind. Had Katarina never intervened, he didn't doubt that he would've gone to meet the ancestors.

Another thing that struck him strange was the boy. She called him her son and treated him as so.

I hate all wolves except my son, she had said

How could a human woman, birth a wolf? The thought was bewildering. Zachariah shifted uncomfortably at the thought of the wolf who must have impregnated her and his fist balled. A bitter feeling in his heart rose before swallowing it down.

Being impregnated by a wolf was still impossible he thought. Humans lack the dark matter with in their genetics to copulate with a Dark Creature.

"There are stories of this happening," Ezekiel's feral voice suddenly rumbled deeply in Zachariah's mind.

Startled Zachariah asked, "When?"

Back in the memories of ancestor Sulkin there was mention of King Blaken of Wolves was mated to Queen Sera who was of human origins. Years ago it was also rumored that a Beta of one of the Seven American Packs was mated to a human."

"Misha," Zachariah inhaled deeply drawing upon a memory of the past. He remembered faintly looking up to a smiling woman when he was a kid. His father had welcomed her to the Clan with open arms. She gave him a charm he had lost but inked it on his body in remembrance. The Green Leaf of serenity, an old Elven symbol. She had told him that a leader must be of serene mind and heart to lead clearly as she placed the charm in his palm. Zachariah placed his hand over his heart as he remembered that she went missing soon after that.

"She was unlike any She-wolf I've ever known," Ezekiel reminisce, "I remember that her mate was human. The Clans and packs were sure that a powerful wolf such as hers would reject the weakness of her mate but last we heard, she accepted him. A shame, a powerful wolf like her would have given birth to powerful pups." Ezekiel tisked with pity.

"It could be our fate as well," Zachariah scoffed at his wolf's tone.

"That's the irony of it all," he sighed.

Silence ensued between them as they each pondered over their respective thoughts. Neither of them expected to be in such an unfavorable position. With this human as their mate, everything from their status to their seat on the throne would be questioned. They weren't just Alphas, they were Princes and heirs of the Grimwore Clan's throne. A measly pack could handle such a disaster, but for an ancient wolf clan of pure blood that relied on powerful Kings and Queens to lead and protect the Clan and extend its traditions and powerful linage, bringing in a small human female would be of great embarrassment and weakness.

A Wolf Queen of Grimwore would have to go through a grueling series of mental and physical test before she is acknowledged by the ancestors and the Clan. Zachariah as the only son had practiced all his life for his Test of Kings, the evidence was each battle tattoo that was etched with silver and black iron ink into his back. Even Though he didn't know the extent of her strength, his chosen mate was human and couldn't possibly pass the Queen's trials.

"Are you going to reject her?" his wolf asked wearily sensing the direction of his thoughts.

Zachariah stiffened at his words. His mind was telling him that it was the logical thing to do. She had made it clear that she wanted nothing to do with him. Perhaps it was best if they went their own separate ways and he did find a more suitable mate.

Polishing off the rest of his drink, he then remembered the silly grin his father often gave to his mother alone. The current King of Grimwore was the most ruthless unforgiving person he knew and yet he always showed a quite vulnerability with his mother. He was obedient towards her every command and soft towards her anger and happiness. When he asked him his father replied saying,

"We are a gift to each other and a she is precious soul to treasure. If not with her then with who will I be like that with?"

Zachariah doubted any other She-wolf would grant him the relief of a close life companion like his mate would.

With a thousand thoughts raging through his head, Zachariah was in turmoil. This decision wouldn't just impact him alone, but he couldn't for some foreign reason stomach the thought of severing their bond. It made him sick to his stomach.

No. he should put aside all foolish thoughts. His Clan was his life and he would inform the twins to return, make his way to where the conference is taking place and put her in his past. When he reached home, he would call a Clan Queen's Trials to select his Queen from the available she-wolves. He nodded sharply to assure himself. As for 'Marks', he wished her the best of luck.

"Alpha!" the sound of Sasha's voice doused him like cold water shocking him out of his thoughts.

"Yes?" He turned around with a brow arched in question.

"The twins think they've found her."

Zachariah stared at his beta blankly.

The silence stretched around them.

"Alpha?" Sasha questioned staring back with a look bewilderment. "They think they've found her," he repeated. 

Images of swift knives, an arrogant glare and the soft kind eyes that looked at her son flashed through his mind in rapid succession.

After a moment of contemplation he decided,

"Let's go find her." 

Fate knows best, was his final thought.  

  Ezekiel hummed quietly in agreement.  

The building Zachariah and his Guardians was a far cry away from the luxurious Club they had come from. The Twins stood in front shaking their heads.

"She's in there?" Magen the Gamma scrunched up her nose in disgust.

The whistling wind blew an empty box rolling across the front of what looked like and abandoned apartment building seemed to answer her question.

It was made of faded brick that looked a dirty grayish color under the moonlight. Obscene graffiti art smeared the walls and a rusted, decaying staircase crept across the face of it stopping at every glass-less window. Menacing bars crossed the windows and the front door.

Katrina moved closer to her mate Sasha and placed her hand in his.

"What's wrong?" he asked softly in Russian.

"There is something dark in that place."

Katarina was the Delta in Zachariah's Guardians which meant that she was born to be Tselitel when he ruled just as her father is to his father, the current king. The Tselitel were those who studied The Memories of the Ancestors and had the power of healing and sight. They were the protectors of Traditions and Clan Relics. Soft oceanic rune tattoos marked their strength as the ones that covered Katarina's arms did.

With their powers and knowledge, whenever they spoke they were listened to and trusted and Zachariah did trust Katarina explicitly.

"Be on guard," he warned receiving a tense nod from the rest as they advanced forward.

Zachariah didn't know how, but inside was worse than the outside.

The reception area as it could generously be called was a small room with an old counter. Old and decaying wallpaper peeled from the yellowing walls like flaked skin.

Zachariah's nose twitched at the powerful smell of mold.

Raising his eyes, he found the source. On the ceiling, mold of various shades seeped into places where the plaster had cracked and fallen casting a sour smell into the room.

Magen shuddered and Zachariah peeled his eyes from the ceiling with a deep frown.

"This place isn't fit for the living," Ezekiel's voice vibrated in his mind.

"I know." Zachariah replied his face carrying a more unpleasant expression.

She must have been desperate to hide here, he thought. Desperate but clear headed. Because even though this place was an abomination, it was located in the center of three Witch Clans borders who wouldn't let much get past their perimeters. Zachariah thought deeply about this fact. It could be a coincidence. If it was, then he praised her luck. But If it wasn't... then who was she? She was proving to be even more unusual.

"I don't know about the rest of you, but I don't want to stay in here any longer than necessary," Gavan, one of the twins declared.

Shaking his head, Gavain seemed to agree before pausing and looking at the two ominous doors behind the rickety desk. "Although if it means going up on that thing, I'll pass." he pointed to the ancient looking elevator.

As if answering when called, the doors of the elevator opened with the screech of unoiled metal letting the eerie flicker of a mercury bulb shine into the reception.

The Guardians stood in shock with parted lips before swiftly truing as one to the small door on the right labeled 'Stairs'.

Zachariah took the lead and the Guardians followed the brief ascent two steps at a time. Zachariah's eyes glowed an electric blue as he followed the dark aura to the fifth floor.

They then walked down the dark hallway to the last apartment.

The door was ajar leading into a bare room that seemed to serve as both a living room and a kitchen. A long counter top might have marred their sight, but the black energy that could be seen above it told them that what they were looking for was behind it.

The twins quickly split off to the adjacent rooms at a nod from Magen while Zachariah and Sasha advanced behind the counter.

A soft gasp escaped Katarina's lips as the all saw what was behind the counter.

"The area is clear Alpha we-" the cut off as soon as they saw what the rest were staring at.

Laying in a pool of black blood was a demonic looking creature dressed in a black suit. Its pale skin was marked by two claw prints in circling it's broken neck.

"W-what is it?" Magen asked.

Placing his hands in his pocket with a stormy look on his face, Zachariah answered.

"It is a familiar. But unlike those animals controlled by witches, it is- was human."

Zachariah's stomach twisted and his anger surfaced. Those around him recognized the abnormally expressionless face and shifted uncomfortably.

"Use your sight to see what happens Katarina," he ordered.

Katarina nodded and closed her eyes. The seconds ticked by as the runes on her arm began to emit a faint glow. She began chanting as she had been taught as a child. Suddenly her eyes snapped open and her gray pupils faded into white. Her body shook and the air became colder. Sasha gritted his teeth. Zachariah's eyes flashed towards him before looking down at Katarina again. They all knew she couldn't be disturbed.

Five minutes passed by before she returned to normal. The others waited as Katarina looked back at them with a troubled frown.

"What did you see?" The base of his voice deepened as wolf came forward. A fleeting look of anxiousness crossed his eyes before retaining their stoic expression.

Katarina relayed everything she had seen in detail. The room felt several degrees colder when she mentioned how the familiar attacked 'Marks'. Zachariah remained deathly silent when she finished with the Vampire saving their Luna.

This was bad, the expressions of the Guardians ranged from worry to fear. The air grew so cold that their breath released in clouds of smoke whenever they exhaled. Both Ezekiel and Zachariah were angry.

"She was saved Alpha. Whoever that vampire was, she saved her from the familiar," Sasha smiled awkwardly in attempt to reassure him.

Zachariah sent him a withering glare that froze him. Beads of liquid prickled his forehead as he broke out into a cold sweat. He lowered his eyes and dropped to one knee and knelt. Seeing their Beta lowering himself and their Alpha's anger, the quickly followed suit.

"Forgiveness Alpha," they plead in union.

He stood as if he hadn't heard a word while his eyes glowed a terrifying blue. The Guardians shivered, but none of them attempted to relieve themselves from the cold. They stood still as stone awaiting their Alpha's judgement.

"You call her being taken by a Vampire being saved?" he voice, neither loud nor soft showed not a hint of anger, and yet his words sent a spear of fear piercing through their hearts.

"We've lost track of her and yet you are all here speaking nonsense, how is that supposed to help?" no one breathed at his inquiry.

Quicker than one can blink, the lone, tall figure of Zachariah Grimwore was the only one in the room. One after the other, the Guardians jumped out the window into the night to tear the city apart.

......................................................................................................................

Now Fam! Yes I'm alive and well. I took a long break and came back so I can hopefully finish this book. I've been through some Sh!t this last past years but the light at the end of the tunnel is looking brighter everyday.

Please tell me what you think about the character development. Do you thin Zachariah is a good character? Do you feel the slight shift of attitude?

And last but never least, if you like or hate, comment why and please leave a vote if I've knocked your socks off.

P.S this chapter is dedicated to one of my favorite Wattpad Authors who through reading her books has inspired me to dig deeper and be more thoughtful in considering my plots. Thanks Rose!