Zara's POV
"I will mark you once you shift on your 19th birthday," Losif said.
His fingers tangled gently in my blonde hair, making my heart flutter. I smiled, leaning on his shoulder. This bench seemed too small for us now.
Losif is the future Alpha of our pack. He's always distant and cold with others, but with me, it's different. He's always gentle.
I'm the Beta's daughter, so we've played together since childhood. Our friendship slowly turned into love. But things weren't always this way — not until Losif shifted on his 19th birthday two years ago.
After that, he changed. He began taking the lead, getting closer to me. He became someone different — someone whose eyes now watched me like a hungry beast.
And now, whenever we meet, he can't sit still without touching me.
I looked up. He was still staring at me with those same eyes.
"What?" I asked, turning my face away. His stare made my heart flutter. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
His hand touched my chin and gently turned my face back to him.
"Beautiful," he uttered. "I can't wait to make you mine," he finished.
My eyes locked with his grey ones. His lips curled into a faint smile, and his gaze wandered around the quiet surroundings — and then back to me.
His fingers trailed slowly along my neck. His touch was dry and cold, giving me goosebumps.
"You both are here," it was a familiar voice. "What are you doing without me?"
I quickly put some distance between me and Losif—because Lyra was here. She was my one and only friend.
"Oh, Lyra!" I stood up from the bench we were sitting on. "How come you're here? I heard you were going back to your pack?"
Lyra was from the Nightbane Pack, the biggest pack there was. She was the daughter of the Alpha. But she only came here for me. Since we were friends, I introduced her to Losif too, and the two of them became friends as well.
But I never expected that things would flip on me so badly.
A few years later, when I was finally able to shift, the first person I searched for was Losif—but he was gone. I looked for him everywhere, but I couldn't find him.
"Where did he go?" I mumbled to myself, desperate to find him. "It's my important day, after all..."
The sound of leaves crunching reached my ears. I turned toward it. It was coming from the place where Losif and I used to meet all the time. I hurried over.
What I saw made my eyes widen. I froze.
Lyra was in Losif's arms.
They were sharing a passionate kiss.
My heart ached at the sight. My steps faltered, and I leaned against a tree for support, covering my mouth.
Tears flowed like a river from my eyes.
While kissing, Losif's eyes suddenly met mine. He pulled away from her lips.
"Zara?" he called out my name.
Lyra turned too, her expression panicked.
"Zara, wait—it's not what it looks like!"
I held my tears back and stood up straight.
"Lyra and Losif… what were you doing here?"
I asked—not really for them, but for myself.
To confirm that what I saw… was real.
"Losif, I shifted today. Leaving everything behind, I came to find you—and you're here making out with my best friend?"
As I spoke, my eyes fell on Lyra's dress.
It was the same one as mine.
I had bought it with her. I'd told her I would wear it on the day I shifted—on the day I would finally be with Losif.
No, no, no... this can't be true.
What I'm thinking—it can't be.
Lyra can't steal my love from me. Not when she knows how much I loved him.
But I can't deny what I saw either.
"What are you saying, Zara?" Lyra suddenly snarled, snapping me out of my thoughts.
When I looked at her, she was glaring at me with a hard stare—something completely unlike her.
"You and Losif were never meant to be together," she purred. "Right, Losif?"
I took a step forward, standing right in front of him.
"Losif… is this a prank? Please tell me it is. Because I—I can't bear to see you with someone else."
"Zara, I don't understand why you're overreacting!" he snapped, his voice sharp enough to cut.
My whole world fell apart. My best friend and the boy I loved… had been in a relationship for the past two years—ever since I introduced her to him.
I never expected that she would snatch him away from me. And now, they're both standing there… acting like it's my fault.
Their eyes only look down on me, filled with something I don't recognize anymore.
I can't take it. My heart feels shattered—broken into pieces too many to count.
He was my hope.I knew that bonds and fated mates were rare… hard to find. That's why I just wanted to build a small, happy world with him.
But now—My dreams, my love, my trust—All of it has collapsed, leaving me bleeding with betrayal.
I turned and dashed away from there.
I cried for two whole days, locked inside my room, not coming out even once.
My parents asked me what was wrong, but I didn't tell them anything.
But the truth never stays hidden forever.
They eventually found out why I was in that condition—when they heard the news of Losif's marriage to Lyra.
We were even specially invited to the wedding.
And as the Beta family of the pack, we didn't have a choice. We had to go.
But ever since I arrived at the wedding ceremony, my parents have been nowhere to be found.
I looked around and spotted Losif and Lyra. They were sitting together. The wedding was over. They were tied to each other now—as mates, as husband and wife.
And me? I was left behind. Alone.
Still swallowing all the bitterness in my chest, I took a step toward them.
But just then, something reached my ears—a scoff.
"Pfft, did you see her face? How shameless can she be—showing up even after getting a reality check?"
I quickly turned around and spotted a group of omega girls.
They were nothing compared to me—yet they were still running their mouths.
I was about to respond when something else caught my attention.
A sudden noise made me look back—
And what I saw made my blood run cold.
Bodyguards were dragging my parents in.
Then, without hesitation, they threw them onto the ground.
My heart sank.
My body trembled at the sight.
I rushed toward them, forgetting everything else.
"How dare you treat my parents like this!" I barked, glaring at the bodyguards.
"Zara, please… run away now," my father begged, folding both his hands together.
I didn't understand. But for the first time, I saw tears and helplessness in his eyes. It made my heart ache.
Before I could fully process what was happening, one of the bodyguards shoved me down onto my knees.
"F*ck! How dare you—" I shouted, but then I caught my father's gaze.
He was silently pleading with me— Telling me to suppress my anger. To be quiet.
The sound of footsteps reached my ears.
I glanced up—The Alpha was standing right in front of us.
Suddenly, without warning, he punched my father. I gasped, startled by the sight.
"Alpha, what are you doing?! My father is one of your most trusted soldiers! We've served you for generations!" I cried out.
But the Alpha's eyes held nothing but disgust as he looked at me.
"Kiyan," he growled, "you dared to betray me and sell our secrets to the enemy—the Black Panther Shifter Clan."
My eyes widened in shock. No, My father would never do something like that.Never.
"Alpha, let me explain—" my father pleaded desperately.
But before he could say another word— A gunshot rang out. Blood splattered across my face.
My eyes widened in horror. My father had been shot. He collapsed to the ground.
I touched the blood on my cheek with trembling fingers—And then I saw who had pulled the trigger.
It was Losif.