Chapter 39 : Flashback
Zachary could not suppress the worry gnawing at him—what would happen to Amber? How would he keep her safe? By what means? Would he have to fight? Would he have to use force?
Despite the turmoil clouding his mind, only one thought burned clearly in his heart: he must protect Amber.
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Memories struck him then, sudden and vivid, pulling him back to a time long ago—a time before he knew loss, but already familiar with the cruelty of the world.
He was just young back then, he overheard his father, Marcus Artesian—one of the strongest Alphas in the Northern Region—speaking in low, deliberate tones with an Elder of the Ember Council. The conversation, shrouded in secrecy and authority, had carried a weight heavier than Zachary could comprehend at the time.
"You are chosen by the Council," the Elder had said. "All regions will answer under your leadership. North, South, East, West—everything is within your reach."
Marcus laughed then, a sound that had been warm, defiant, unbroken. "I never wished to rule them all. All I want is fairness. Each region deserves its own Alpha, its own autonomy. Let each pack decide its own fate."
"You do not understand the consequences," another voice had warned. "With a single leader, there is no rebellion, no chaos, no chance of defiance."
"All I wanted was fairness," Marcus had repeated, voice steady yet charged with emotion. "Freedom for each region to govern itself according to its own laws, to choose its own path. That is all I sought."
"But you are naïve!" snapped an Elder. "No hybrid may unite with a natural-born wolf! The bloodline would be too strong, unpredictable. Witches, Sorcerers, Magic—they would rise. You would lose control over all regions!"
"There is nothing wrong with equality!" Marcus had shot back, anger flaring. "What you seek is power. Pure control over our kind. Nothing more."
The Elders departed then, their malice clear. Zachary had not fully understood at the time, but the lesson had seared itself into his memory: the Ember Council would manipulate, divide, and crush any forbidden union, any child whose blood threatened their dominion.
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Years had passed before Zachary could fully grasp the weight of those events.
The flashback returned with sharper edges now, darker and more unforgiving. He saw it all—the chaos, the betrayal, the calculated strikes against the Northern Region. Lucian Conri, the rebel who had long harbored ambition, had seized the perfect opportunity to shatter peace and claim power. Fires had devoured homes, the screams of wolves echoed through the forests, and the Northern pack had been thrown into panic and despair.
Zachary now understood every message that had been sent in secret, every strategy quietly enacted by his father, Marcus Artesian. From hidden corners, Marcus reached out to Shawn Valeborne, the Alpha of the Western Region, seeking alliances, weaving threads of unity in a world that was fracturing. Each move was a careful calculation; they had to protect their lands, their people, and the freedom of each pack because the Ember Council—powerful and watchful—would never intervene on their behalf. It became clear to Zachary that the Council's goal had always been control, and any chance of independent resistance was a threat they would crush without hesitation.
And then the deepest tragedy struck—Eron Roghar, Alpha of the Eastern Region, had fallen. Death claimed him before any plan could save him.
Zachary remembered clearly the fate of Eron's Luna—Lilit. Even before the storm of chaos could reach them, she had been hidden. Eron had ensured her safety, shielding her from the prying eyes of the Ember Council. From the moment she carried their unborn child, every step she took was cloaked in secrecy. Zachary could hear his mother recounting the tale to his father, her voice trembling with the memory: "Lilit carried their child into hiding. The eyes of the Ember Council were everywhere, and to protect the fragile life growing within her, she moved silently through the forest, leaving the world she once knew behind."
That forbidden bloodline—the child that could not be seen, not even whispered about—was now protected by shadows and whispers alone. Every rustle of leaves, every hidden pathway, became its shield. The Council hunted relentlessly, yet for a time, at least, the child remained unseen, untouchable, and alive.
He closed his eyes, letting the memory wash over him. He could picture Lilit, moving like a ghost through the underbrush, her every step a careful dance between survival and protection. He could imagine the weight of the child she carried, a spark of hope and defiance against a council that sought to dominate all regions and all bloodlines.
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Zachary saw it all again, as though reliving it: the Northern pack under siege, flames consuming homes, wolves screaming in terror. He saw his parents bound, the fire creeping closer, his mother's voice cutting through the smoke.
"Run, Zachary! Do not stop until you reach the Southern Region. Find Luna Seraphine! Go now!"
And he had obeyed.
The forest had blurred into a corridor of shadows. Wolves under Lucian's command chased him, "Find the heir of the Northern region and kill him" their teeth and claws intent on the heir of the Northern throne. He is young back then, barely able to shift, barely able to defend himself. His mother's instructions, her faith, and his own instinct had been the only shields he had.
Tears pricked his eyes as he remembered the helplessness, the despair, the fire, the screams, every anguished glance from his parents—the pain etched into his heart for eternity.
The past and present collided in his mind—the Northern pack under siege, his parents fighting against impossible odds, and now Amber, his heart, his mate, the one he must protect with everything he had. The echoes of the past reminded him that history could repeat itself, and he could not allow it. Not again.
"No," he whispered, jaw tightening, resolve hardening like steel. "I will not allow what happened to my family to repeat. Amber will be safe. We will fight. And I will not let anyone take our future from us."
"Every nightmare from the past became fuel for action. The Northern territories, the café, the young wolves, Amber—everything he loved was under threat, and he would protect it at any cost."
The Ember Council was ruthless, patient, and powerful. But Zachary had something they could never control: a heart unwilling to yield, and a love that could defy even shadows and fire.
Tears shimmered, but his gaze hardened. "Now is not the time to falter. I will fight for those I love, for Amber, for the future, and for the balance my father believed in. This ends with me standing, not running."
He looked toward the Southern Horizon, imagining Amber laughing, tending to the café, blissfully unaware of the encroaching danger. His resolve sharpened like a blade. The full moon was near, and with it, the Council's attack would begin. But Zachary was ready. He would not fail again—not now, not ever.
The veranda cooled as shadows stretched across the garden. Zachary exhaled, the past and future pressing down in unison. Amber would be safe. The Ember Council would discover that no power, no manipulation, no fire could sever the bond they shared.
"...But that future could only be won if they were prepared to face the darkness—together, before the full moon revealed the Council's hand."
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And somewhere in the Eastern woods, Luna ran, visions of a future yet unwritten guiding her steps. But that future could only be won if they were prepared to face the darkness—together.
To be continued...