138 Chapter 137: Another Alpha

"Let her speak, Jin," Zack said, keeping his eyes fixed on Amy. "I want to know what kind of person Elize really is. Tell me, pup, what did she do? Should I be concerned?" He asked, raising his brows. 

Encouraged by his words, Amy relaxed. A slight smile formed on her lips, making him want to squeeze the life out of the girl. But he held back. Zack knew that Amy had come with evil intentions. She had even voiced it aloud to him when she suggested that he should reject his mate. Anger boiled in his blood as he waited for her to begin whatever pathetic excuse of a rumor that she wanted to put in his head.

"Thank you for believing in me, Zack," Amy said with a shy smile. Her face scrunched in distaste as she began her narrative. "That girl is nothing but a gold digger. At first, she was all sticky to the young Duke Legolas, and then she moved on to Prince Irving when she understood that he was more powerful. I know that bonds can't be helped, and it's naturally occurring. If she had stopped flirting with other guys after meeting you, it would have been fine. But she is one adamant whor-" She paused, looking at the darkening expression of Zack. Amy trembled in fear. But with a determined look, she meekly completed what she wanted to say. "Now that the Prince is away, she's found another Alpha to stick on to so that she could two-time with them."

Amy looked at Zack warily, holding her trembling hand tight, hoping to hide it. But he had spotted it. He couldn't determine whether the girl was acting on her own or if there was someone else behind her. Seeing how Eun Ae had skipped the class today, the possibility of her putting Amy up for this was less. What would Amy get by trying to put a wedge between him and Elize? His mate had looked so happy earlier when she had told him that she had made friends in her class. Why was everyone out to get her? He thought sadly. For a moment, he regretted kissing her publicly at the party. If it weren't for him, then she wouldn't have had to go through this. But Elize had looked so happy today, knowing that she could be with him all the time without worrying about anything else. And Zack had never felt better knowing that he could show off to the world, the magnificent creature that was his mate. 

Amy cleared her throat, calling for his attention. He could see that she was impatient for his response. Zack smirked as he leaned against the nearby pole. Folding his hands, he looked at the girl curiously. He knew that the girl had deliberately used the Kelpie's name, keeping in mind the rumors about Elize's relationship with him. Although Zack was insecure about it, he knew better than to dwell on it. Elize had told the prince that she had a mate. He had witnessed the moment with his very eyes. That was enough for him. And who was this mystery Alpha that Amy mentioned? He wondered.

"Another Alpha?" He asked, folding his hands over his chest. 

"You sure about this, Amy?" Zack asked with a smile. 

There was a dangerous glint in his eyes as he straightened and started walking towards the girl. Amy stood her ground, looking at him straight in the eye. She sure was a seasoned liar, he thought. But it doesn't necessarily mean that all of what she said wasn't true. What if someone planned a trap for Elize? She was innocent in such aspects. If his mate were half as suspicious as he was about the people that surrounded them, then he wouldn't have to worry so much. He was just about to reach the girl when suddenly Jin reached out to grab his hand. Zack turned towards his cousin with a puzzled expression. Jin shook his head with a desperate expression.

"Zack, don't listen to her." He pleaded. "She-"

"That's not true!" Amy shouted, interrupting Lang Jin. "I heard Sam on the phone with his sister a while ago."

Zack smiled at his cousin reassuredly. Did Jin really think that he bought it? That should only mean that the act that he had put up for Amy was convincing enough, he thought contently. Jin relaxed, getting the message. Lang Jin stepped back, letting go of his grip on his hand. 

Turning to Amy, Zack said, putting on a worried expression. "Hmm.. thank you, Amy, for telling me this."

The girl nodded her head excitedly. With a shy smile, she said, "That's alright. As Eun Ae's friends, we have to look out for you too."

Zack chuckled. "That's very thoughtful of you, pup." He said before turning away from her. 

With a smirk, he walked towards his hostel. It seemed that tonight would be quite eventful, he thought to himself. 

------

"So, is she the runaway?" Jin asked, turning back. 

Heidi hissed back at his cousin as she caught him staring at her. Zack couldn't help but laugh at the exchange. It had only been about five minutes since Mikhail had turned up in front of the academy with Heidi. Ever since he had gotten inside the car, Lang Jin had been staring at the kid like she was some strange object, to Heidi's distaste. 

"He doesn't mean it, Heidi. Ignore him." Mikhail said, patting the top of her head. 

Heidi scrunched her brows in protest, glaring at him. Mikhail quickly took his hand away with an apologetic smile. 

"So why did you run away from the Island, little one?" Zack asked, looking at her from the rearview mirror. 

Heidi shrank back into her seat, feeling his gaze on her. She looked like a kid who had been denied her candy. Zack felt sad for her. She had been through so much, and the girl had been trying so hard to fit into the pack. But it seems that she couldn't forget her past as well as he thought she would as time passed. 

"I want to go back home." She said with a frown. 

"The Island is your home." Zack said with a sigh, "You have a pack." 

"Yes.." Heidi said, gazing outside the window longingly. "But I want to go back to my old place." 

Zack turned the car to the next lane, maneuvering smoothly between other vehicles. With a sullen expression, he told her without taking his eyes off of the road, "There's nothing left for you to go back to Heidi. You know that better than anyone else."

A muffled sob escaped from her mouth as she tried her best to suppress her emotions. 

"Alpha, please." Mikhail pleaded, looking back and forth him and the girl. 

Zack nodded. His heart went out to Heidi. Hoping to stop her from crying, he said, "Poor Mikhail here will lose all his hair worrying about you. You're lucky that Nina didn't get to know about this."

Hearing that, Heidi stopped crying. With a panicked expression, she grabbed the back of his seat and leaned forward. "You won't tell her, right?" She asked with wide eyes. 

Zack chuckled. His trick had worked. 

"If you promise not to run away again." He said, turning another turn on the road.

"I'll try." She mumbled, quickly wiping away her tears.

"And Mikhail?" He called, looking towards his packmate. 

"Yes, Alpha?" He answered, leaning forward.

"Thank you for bringing my ride to me. I missed this baby." Zack replied, caressing the steering wheel of his Rover.

Mikhail laughed, patting the side of his shoulders. 

"Haha, I knew that you couldn't live without your car for long. So I had to bring it along." He said with a proud look. 

Zack nodded, shifting gears. Although running in his wolf form was exhilarating, he loved the feel of his Rover in his hands. He remembered how he had taken Elize out in the car while on the Island, the way that she turned to him and smiled innocently. Her scent had dissipated from the vehicle, and he hated that. He sighed happily, seeing the arch of the club up ahead. 

"You hungry, Heidi?" Zack asked with a mischievous smile. "Want to go dancing?"

"I don't know..." Heidi trailed off absentmindedly. Her gaze was still stuck outside the window, looking forlorn. 

"It's a nice club," Jin said, turning back with a chuckle. 

"Tch." Heidi snickered. Looking at him with a suspicious expression, she said, "I don't think I'm old enough to go to such places."