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Chapter 242
~Zara’s POV~
The pounding in my head felt like a relentless drumbeat, each throb echoing behind my eyes as I blinked them open.
The dim light in the room made it hard to see, but I forced myself to sit up, gritting my teeth against the soreness in my body.
Thanks to my wolf’s abilities, most of the smaller bruises had already faded, and the deeper wounds felt closed, though tender. But something was wrong.
"Astrid?" I called in my mind, desperate to feel her presence.
No response.
I tried again, this time more urgently, "Astrid, please!"
Silence.
Panic began to creep in at the empty void in my mind. Astrid had always been there, even in my darkest moments.
I shifted, the cold clink of metal chains rattling around me. Glancing down, I noticed the heavy silver shackles wrapped around my wrists and ankles, burning into my skin and attached to thick chains bolted to the wall.
My heart sank further when I saw my attire—a loose white t-shirt and black shorts, both unfamiliar.
"What the hell..." I muttered, trying to piece together what had happened.
And then it hit me.
"Ivan."
The memory of his face, his mocking smirk, flashed in my mind. The fight. The rogues. The ambush.
Before I could process more, a smooth, almost casual voice cut through the dimness.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, beautiful, hold on. Let’s not get too worked up."
The voice sent a chill down my spine. As familiar and off as it sounded, I couldn’t quite place it.
I squinted into the shadows, trying to pinpoint its source. As I strained my eyes, a sharp, piercing ache coursed through my skull. I winced, raising a trembling hand to my head.
"Astrid?" I tried again, whispering now, as dread tightened around me. Still nothing.
I knew then it was useless. The silver was hurting her, us. And she had to focus her remaining strength on me.
A figure emerged from the shadows, stepping into the weak light of the room. My heart leapt into my throat, my breath hitching as I recognised that person.
"Marcus Devereaux," I whispered.
The man who had haunted Snow’s every waking thought stood there, towering over me. But something was... off.
I scanned him from head to toe, searching for anything—any detail that could betray him as an imposter. My eyes darted over his features: the strong jawline, the piercing eyes, the confident stance.
It was all the same.
But his smirk—it was different.
More devilish. Crueller.
"It’s not him," I murmured to myself, shaking my head. "It can’t be."
He chuckled darkly, folding his arms as he leaned casually against the wall. "You won’t find what you’re looking for. I’m cut from the same tree, darling."
I eyed him carefully. "What does that even mean?" I demanded, though my voice trembled.
He tilted his head, the smirk widening as he straightened and stepped closer. The closer he got, the more I noticed the subtle differences. His energy felt darker, his presence more malevolent.
"M-Mar—Marcus, is that really... you?" I asked softly.
He scoffed, his smirk deepening into something almost predatory. "What do you think?"
I tried to reason it out while my mind scrambled to make sense of this impossible situation. But before I could voice my thoughts, his next words shattered my concentration.
"Hello, Zia Gold."
My blood ran cold.
His casual use of my full name felt invasive, like he had peeled back a layer of my identity I hadn’t willingly shared.
How did he know about it?
I shook that thought away. It was no news considering during the alpha ball, I had been introduced out.
My gaze darted to his neck, and that’s when I saw it—a black Godmark etched into his skin.
"You’re not Marcus Devereaux," I whispered, trying to hide the trembling in my voice. "You’re..."
His grin widened, cutting me off. "His twin."
My heart skipped a beat as horror settled over me. His twin? Marcus had a fucking twin brother and never mentioned it. Even Snow didn’t know.
"I must thank your husband," he said, his voice oozing venom. "I didn’t think I’d ever return to the Sun City. But when Snow killed my brother—brutally, I might add—I couldn’t just let that slide, could I?"
His words sent a fresh wave of fear and rage coursing through me. "You’re lying," I snapped, my voice shaking.
"Am I?" he taunted, spreading his arms as if inviting me to challenge him.
"Then tell me," I said, forcing myself to meet his gaze despite the terror clawing at my insides. "What’s your name?"
His smirk grew even more wicked, and he bowed slightly, as though mocking me.
"I am Melvin Maverick Devereaux," he declared, his voice dripping with malice.
I stared at him, my chest tightening. Snow’s battle with Marcus had been a nightmare, and now, here stood his twin—a shadow darker than the man we had thought was our greatest enemy.
"What do you want with me?" I asked firmly, despite my trembling hands.
Melvin chuckled, his eyes gleaming with something sinister. "Revenge, my dear. And you? You’re the perfect pawn to start with."
As he stepped closer, his words replayed in my mind, chilling me to the bone.
"I need to get out of here. And I need to do it fast."
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~Snow’s POV~
The tires screeched as I sped down the highway. My fingers gripped the steering wheel tightly, my knuckles turning white. My mind raced as fast as the car, replaying Zara’s face from the photo—the helplessness, the chains.
"I’m coming for you, love. Hold on."
The shrill ring of my phone jolted me, pulling me momentarily from my thoughts. I glanced at the caller ID—Zade.
With a growl, I answered, hitting the button on the steering wheel to activate speaker mode. "What?"
"Where’s my sister, Snow?" Zade’s voice was sharp. My jaw clenched. "I’m going to get her back."
"How do you know where she is?" Zade demanded, his voice laced with suspicion and urgency.
"Dare Devil called you, didn’t he?" I bit out, already piecing together the source of Zade’s sudden interrogation.
"Yes, and for good reason," Zade snapped. "You’re charging into danger alone with Zara’s life at stake? Are you insane? What are you thinking?"