Page 32 of Forbidden Virgin Mate

Resolved, I glance at Zack as he turns over the engine. He's so handsome when he turns to smile at me. I feel a rush of electricity between us, and my wolf is both calmed and excited by his presence. I feel the familiar pangs of guilt but push them down. I can enjoy tonight, for tonight's sake. I can dance the fine line between my parents, my hunger for revenge, and my feelings for Zack one last time.

We drive along the town's smaller roads, the stereo turned up to drown out the occasional roar of the crowd in the valley below. I love these smaller mountain roads—the scenery is spectacular up here. The snow has settled more here, given the higher ground, and I'm glad we’re driving in Zack's truck when I notice the roads becoming more perilous.

"Will we get snowed in?" I ask.

Zack turns to me, a mischievous glint in his eye as he winks at me. "Only if we're lucky."

I laugh, but deep down, I think I'd take getting snowed in if it meant not having to face reality again for a while.

The light is starting to dim as we drop a bit into the next valley and take a smaller track off the main road. It's easy to forget how vast these ranges are, and we've been driving for a couple of hours. I'm about to ask Zack how much longer when I see a cabin in the distance. We drive between two enormous cedars that stand like centurions guarding a gate, pulling up in front of a one-story timber cabin with a wraparound porch.

"This is like a picture!" I exclaim, jumping down from the truck. The cabin sits in a clearing overlooking the valley. Everything is carpeted in a dusting of snow, with more flakes falling like we're in our own little snow globe.

Zack chuckles, coming around with our bags. "It sure is something, isn't it? Diego and I used to come out here hunting all the time when we were younger, then I ended up doing it up because Saffy loved it so much. I promise it's a lot warmer inside."

He's not kidding. When we walk in, he fires up the heating system, and by the time we've put our bags down and made some warm drinks, it's warm enough to take off our jackets. The cabin is secured with electric shutters and a high-tech security system to keep things safe when not in use.

Zack presses some buttons, and the shutters at the front of the property go up at the same time, revealing a large picture window overlooking the valley. The snow is falling heavily now, and the view is simply stunning.

I wander over to the window, holding my hot chocolate. "You're very lucky to have this, you and Saffy. Was it your parents? Did they leave it to you?" I should leave it alone, but I can't help myself. Maybe I want to hear about how lucky he's been so I don't feel as guilty.

I wait for him to confirm the property belonged to his parents, but he simply laughs. "God, no. They'd have torched something like this before ever letting me have it."

I can't keep the shock from my face, and he must notice because he continues. "I know you've had a rough time with your folks. I'm glad they loved you, though. Mine couldn't even say that much."

"I-I…I don't understand," I splutter. "I know your parents passed away. I just assumed, you know, you got along with them. Didn't you?"

My mind is reeling, but I try to keep my face neutral, hoping he'll explain. I need to know what happened.

He sighs. "I don’t want to put a downer on our night. God knows I've got enough to worry about.” But then he says, "Let's just say my parents were not very nice people, and I'm not sorry they're gone. In fact, I'm only sorry it took me a while to get Saffy away from them, too. Everyone in town hated them, but no one more than me."

"But they left you the forestry business? Right?" I ask, desperately wanting to hang onto what I’ve been told by my parents.

"Nah. I moved out. Or rather, I was thrown out long before my dad died and my mom sold the forestry business to some out-of-town corporation.” I can hear the sadness in his voice. "It took me another five years to build up the capital and bring on enough local investors to buy it back. I would never have achieved it without Diego’s help. Still, I'm glad I did it before my mother died, too, if only to see the look on her miserable face when she realized Saffy and I had made it. I was giving her the life they denied us."

I can't believe what I'm hearing. I hadn't researched anything beyond the fact that Zack owned his family’s forestry business, which still owned the land bought out from my parents after they were banished. I didn't look into any timelines or Zack's relationship with his parents; there didn't seem to be any need. Families in wolf packs are usually very close. It’s extremely rare for a family to disown a son who remains at the heart of the pack, as Zack has done.

"I'm so sorry, Zack," I say quietly, still trying to process how this information has upended my entire worldview of Zack and Saffy.

They're not the enemy. They never were.

The only villain left standing is me.

Chapter 16 - Zack

I take another sip of the sweet hot chocolate, trying to stuff down the emotions that always surge whenever I talk about my parents.

Tanya looks genuinely distressed to hear about my relationship with my parents, and I almost regret telling her. I hate when people pity me. I had enough of that when I was younger. Having been finally thrown out by my father after years of physical and mental abuse, Diego and his family took me in. Everyone in town knew what my parents were like. The alpha at the time had sanctioned them before for various scams and how they treated people in general.

When it came to family, it was a different time then. Other adults didn't like to interfere too much in how parents raised or treated their children. The older I got, though, and the more bruises appeared on me, the harder it was for people in town to ignore what was happening. When I couldn't even compete in my college football final because my dad had broken my leg over some perceived misdemeanor, the alpha couldn't ignore it anymore. I remember him coming to the house, tearing into my dad. He probably thought that would scare my father straight, but it only made things worse. I spent two nights in the hospital before Diego showed up with his parents, and they took me back to their house.

I appreciate every single member of our pack who stood by me, gave me my first job, refused to believe the lies my parents told about me, helped me when I first bought my land and was living in a freezing trailer, and, most crucially, gave me a fresh slate by not thinking Saffy or I were anything like our parents.

It took a hell of a lot of people siding with me and providing testimony to finally get custody of Saffy. She’d already suffered a lot by then, and I’m so proud of who she’s become.

I think that’s what makes this whole situation even worse. The one thing I always had was my good character and standing within the pack. I can stand losing almost anything but that.

For the first time in my life, I feel like the pack truly thinks I’m like my parents.

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