43 Chapter 43: Tough decisions

Zack's POV

"What do you mean that he is gone?" Zack asked, his voice rising in rage.

He couldn't believe that the man escaped. He had the wolves scour the entire Island since last night. Zack felt stupid for letting him go in the clearing. But he had no other choice. Elize was not in a position to be left alone. But how could they let him go like that? This was unacceptable!

"I'm sorry Alpha." Mikail replied. His head was bent low with guilt.

"You-"

"Zack." Elize's weak voice interrupted him at the same time that her cold hands grabbed him. Her face was scrunched in protest, making her look like a sulking doll. Zack shifted on the bed turning to face her, the anger on his face disappeared instantly, replaced by a worried look. He had forgotten for a moment that she was sensitive to loud noises since the last few hours.

"I'm sorry baby. I won't shout." He cooed, taking hold of her hand.

With one hand, he gently massaged the insides of her palm and with the other, he brushed away the tiny hairs that fell on her face. He could feel her relaxing under his touch.

"Better?" He asked, lowering his voice to make it sound as appealing as possible.

"Hmm." Elize said with a small smile on her face.

His heart skipped a beat seeing her smile. What was it about her that made him feel like a teenager blindly in love? Zack thought fondly.

"Alpha-" Mikail interrupted once again.

"Yes Mikail?" Zack asked with a sigh.

"What are your orders?" He asked awkwardly.

Zack thought for a while. He had to take control of the situation. He wasn't going to let this minor set back hold him back. Alpha Li was not a man who easily gave up on things. If what Aileen said was true, then there was something on this Island that he desired. He was sure that his grandfather would return for it. And when the old man did, he wanted to be prepared. Zack turned towards his subordinate with a determined look.

"Do not let any of his men escape. And make sure that Li Jun's cell is heavily guarded." He said in a stern voice.

"Yes Alpha." Mikail said with a smile. He turned to leave, when Zack called him once more.

"And Mikail?"

"Hmm?" He asked, stopping near the door.

"Please get some rest. Let Nina handle this." Zack said, with the ghost of a smile on his face.

"But I-"

"That is an order." He said sternly. Stubborn man, why can't he take an advice when he is given one? Zack thought, shaking his head.

"Yes Alpha." Mikail replied awkwardly. Taking one last glance at the figure on the bed, the man bowed slightly and disappeared from the room.

Zack smiled. He was glad that his pack treated Elize with much more respect now. It would save him from having to give out punishments left and right to the wolves for offending their Luna. He thought, warmth filling his heart. He looked down at his mate whose head was still turned towards the door with a slight smile on her face. His brows arched in worry. Why was she smiling like that looking at the door? Should he be jealous?

As if sensing his emotions, Elize turned towards him. "Why are you staring at me?"

"I am not." Zack lied. He felt embarrassed at being caught staring. He didn't want her to know what ridiculous thoughts were running through his mind.

"Huh." Elize huffed. Her gaze turned away from him and landed on someone else.

That reminded him of the other person in the room. He turned towards the well groomed figure standing behind him.

"Do you have anything at all to say mother?" Zack asked, his eyebrows raised arrogantly. He hoped that she was not involved in the incident. But his instincts screamed otherwise. He couldn't let things slide. He couldn't make the same mistakes his father did.

Meiling stammered, "Son I-I-"

"Fine. Since you aren't willing to talk, I have no other choice." Zack said with a heavy heart. He turned towards the door and shouted, "Men!"

Within seconds, four people appeared inside the room. All of them had huge muscled bodies, including the brunette woman who was the leader of the group. They were among his most efficient soldiers, trained to protect him in the absence of Nina and Mikail. Above all, they were people who would lay down their lives for him. There was no one better than them to handle the task.

"Zack! Son! Please don't do this!" Meiling pleaded, tears streaming down her face.

Zack felt sad, seeing her like that. It was the first time that he saw her crying after his father's death. But there was no room for sentiments right now. He was the Alpha, and protecting his pack came first. If this was the only way to make her talk, then so be it. He thought with determination.

"I'll see you when you're ready to talk mother."Zack said, without taking another glance at her. Turning towards his subordinates, he said,"Take her away to her room. She is not allowed to leave the room without my permission. No visitors allowed. If she attempts to leave, then show no mercy."

The brunette woman nodded with a serious face. Stepping forward, she put a stern hand on his mother. Meiling struggled, without any result. She turned towards his mate, pulling her body forward with much effort. Zack could see that this was hurting her.

"Elize please talk some sense into him! Please! You know that I wouldn't hurt you."She screamed, struggling in the firm grip of the woman.

Elize looked towards him with a sad face. "Zack-" She began but was cut off quickly.

"I'm sorry Elize." Zack said, shaking his head at her sympathetically. He nodded towards the brunette woman, who bowed to him in reply. In the blink of an eye, the four disappeared out of the room along with Meiling.

"Son! Zack!" His moher's screams echoed in the corridor.

Zack sighed. A heaviness weighed down on his heart. Memories of his childhood flashed before his eyes. They were a happy family. Although his parents were not mates, they treated each other with utmost respect and care. They were more like best friends. Or was it all in his head? He thought sadly.

"You didn't have to do that." Aileen said, bringing his consciousness back to the room. He looked at the old woman. She had a sympathetic look on her face.

"I can't take risks." Zack murmured. He looked at the head witch with a determined expression. "Now, please tell me how to find the cure for Elize. I will do anything." He said, squeezing his mate's hand gently. Her cold hands squeezed his hands back in reply.

The old woman's eyebrows scrunched in thought at his remark. "Hmm. I have some doubts about this." She said, shifting uncomfortably in the chair.

"What do you mean?" Zack asked.

Leaning forward, she said, "The Tohar Sehlah is not a normal stone. It contains an immense amount of magic in it. For all I know, that is what is sustaining the barrier on the Island. But no one has really seen it and lived to tell its tale. Hence that's all it is- a legend. According to the stories our parents used to tell us as children, anyone who comes in contact with it would be killed instantaneously. The stone would destroy the person's mortal shell and release their spirit from its shackles, freeing the spirit to join the universe in is purest form. That is why it is called as a purification stone."

"But Elize did not-"

The old woman said, "Exactly. Not only did she not die, but the stone also seems to have destroyed her magic. That is impossible. Unless-" She paused, narrowing her eyes.

"What is it?" Zack asked confusedly.

"Unless it was not the Tohar Sehlah." Aileen said, her eyes landing on Elize's weak figure on the bed.

"But I clearly heard him say that it was." Elize interrupted in a feeble voice.

"Yes. Why would he lie about it?" Zack said, supporting the stance of his mate.

Aileen's face took on a more serious expression as she asked, "Elize, when you saw the rock, did you feel any magic from it?"

Elize nodded weakly. "Yes. It was rather scary. The rock was glowing red like-"

"Did you say red?" Aileen asked, suddenly standing up from the chair.

"Yes. It was a red rock. And the more closer I got to it, the more heavily a strange kind of magic weighed down on me. Like something was wrong with the magic. It was mixed with fear. Someone's fear."

"My child. Are you sure about this? Why didn't you say this earlier?"

"Yes and you didn't ask me. You two sat here discussing about things as if I had nothing to do with it." Elize replied, pursing her lips at the old woman.

Aileen chuckled at the cheeky remark. Shaking her head, she turned towards Zack.

"Alpha, we have no time to waste. Where is the stone?" She asked.

"Uhh it's in the clearing. But the entry to the place is banned to outsiders." Zack replied awkwardly. He didn't understand why the witch was suddenly asking about seeing the stone.

"Well, we'll just have to make an exception. I need to see it in order to make sure of something."

Aileen replied, turning towards the door.

"Fine. I'll ask someone to accompany you." Zack said, standing up. He couldn't risk the woman's life on anything. If something happened to her, Elize would definitely feel sad.

"As you wish." Aileen said with a tight smile.