The Alpha’s Bullied Mate (Bluebell Valley Wolves #1)

Chapter 34 - Hayden

Hayden stood at the edge of his mind, a spectator of his own body. The sensations around him filtered red through Zealuv’s perceptions. That feeling of cold pervaded every inch of Hayden’s body, but when he tried to actually feel his body, there was nothing. It was enough to drive him mad. Losing his wolf was one thing, but this?

It had only been a single day since Mica told him she’d leave. She hadn’t, even though he utterly ignored her every time he saw her.

Now? Now Zealuv had his body and was slowly cutting him off from even knowing what was going around them.

You should be proud of yourself, Zealuv hissed at him as he paced around the open pit behind the Alpha’s house. Most men would have gone mad by this time.

Hayden had no response. Even Zealuv’s thoughts seemed louder and more complete than his own. Was this how the rest of his life would play out? Being caught in this hellish limbo, unable to do anything but watch through a demon’s eyes?

If you think this is bad, wait until you get to hell itself. This is a vacation compared to what you’ll be faced with there.

Am I going to hell? Hayden wondered. Has all the good I tried to do not enough to wipe out the bad?

For once, Zealuv didn’t give him a mocking reply. Hayden pushed through the haze invading his mind and saw Maverick standing in front of him through Zealuv's eyes. Maverick’s forehead was creased as he spoke.

“I don’t know what it is. Some giant rock,” Maverick was saying. “It’s got pictographs or some sort of old writing system carved into it? I don’t know. It looks badly degraded. I think it might have something to do with the demons in the area.”

Excitement buzzed through Zealuv, but he kept his expression neutral. “I’ll come take a look at it. The last update I had about Finn is that he’s still in a coma. If this stone is connected to the demons, we don’t have his abilities to show us.”

Understanding trickled into Hayden’s mind. He could almost see what happened over five thousand years ago.

Standing in a circle of salt with dozens of wolf shifters at every side as the Alpha of the pack read out the words of the ritual. Zealuv had been locked in the stele, hoping that a strong stone would stand the test of time and keep the archdemon locked forever.

And now it was unearthed, and Zealuv had a physical form he could use. He was still blocked from the majority of his powers, but when he broke the stele, he’d be free.

Hayden growled. You can’t do this. You don’t know what the effects will be. It’s better to give me back my body and—

Are you trying to bargain with me? It’s too late for that.

The haze closed in around Hayden again. He struggled against it, pushing back with his mind. It cleared for him to find himself on the outskirts of the Alpha’s house. Maverick was still there… but so was Ryder. His throat was still bandaged, but he was standing on his own strength. His hands balled into fists as he glared at Zealuv.

“What the hell, Hayden?”

What does he want? Zealuv asked, annoyed.

Maybe you should ask? Hayden snarked back.

“Ryder. I’m glad to see you’re on your feet again,” Zealuv said. His tone was flat. “The last report I got was that you were still in rough shape. But the doctors discharged you, did they?”’

“Never mind the bullshit, Hayden. What the hell are you doing to Mica? I went to see her, and she was packing her things and sobbing. She said you’re kicking her out of the pack!” Ryder’s hands clenched into fists. “So I ask again. What the hell? She’s your mate!”

Zealuv attempted to pull a sad face and shook his head. “I never said I was kicking her out. She’s the one leaving. She’s trying to paint me as the bad guy here to get everyone on her side. She’s stealing my baby and running off now. I don’t know why. She asked me how I truly felt for her, and I was honest. Apparently, she wanted lies.”

Ryder’s jaw dropped. “The fuck?”

“Fucking isn’t enough for her, I guess.” Zealuv shrugged. He didn’t care about Mica leaving; he didn’t think it made a difference in his position as Alpha.

If anything, he thought it would excuse how he acted, that anything that was off about his behavior would be put down to his traitor human mate leaving him.

Hayden would have laughed if he had a voice.

Zealuv had been in Monroe’s head so much that he didn’t understand a wolf shifter’s true nature.

And certainly not about a big brother's devotion to his little sister. Ryder’s eyes filled with pure fury, and his fist shot out, slamming into Zealuv’s jaw. Zealuv stumbled back as Ryder came forward again, swinging his other fist.

“How. Fucking. Dare. You?” Ryder seethed. “ How fucking dare you! She loves you!”

Zealuv caught his wrist and snarled back. He yanked Ryder off balance and hissed at him, “Love is for idiots.”

Something shifted in Ryder’s eyes. His mouth opened, and then he let out a sharp gasp. “Who are you?”

Did he just figure this out? Zealuv wondered. Is he part demon, too?

Hayden could have laughed. It was a stupid question. Anyone who knew Hayden would know that he’d never say something like that. Anyone who knew him would know he’d never treat his mate the way he had since the challenge battle.

Fuck you , Zealuv snarled, then yelled aloud, “Maverick! Ryder’s eyes are red.”

“What? No!” Ryder jumped away from him.

But it was too late. Maverick dove onto him, knocking him to the ground. Derek and Kai appeared from somewhere, tense and ready to jump into the fray.

“He’s been possessed,” Zealuv said. He even put emotion into his voice. “Get him to the prison and run to tell Mica. There might be a chance to save him yet.”

“I’m not possessed,” Ryder yelled. He didn’t fight Maverick as he was wrestled to his feet. “Hayden is! He said—”

“You’ll say anything to be free, won’t you, demon?” Zealuv interrupted. “Move quickly. I need to check out this stele. Maybe if we destroy it, we can free all the wolves who’ve been possessed.”

The team didn’t challenge him.

No! Hayden roared. Listen to Ryder! Kill me if you have to; don’t let him do this!

They will never believe their Beta over their Alpha, boy, Zealuv said as he strode through the Alpha’s house. You’ve trained them far too well.

His laughter echoed around Hayden as he exited the house and stood on the lip of the excavation. The old stele stood upright in the center of the pit, worn and pitted with time. It would be thousands more years before Zealuv could escape it if he hadn’t conveniently found a host to make a bargain with. If Monroe hadn’t been such a bastard, maybe his mate wouldn’t have died. Maybe none of this would have happened.

Or maybe I’d have found someone else, Zealuv said. It no longer matters. And your Beta gave me a good diversion. Look around, boy. None of your team is here. Nobody is left to challenge me.

The haze thinned; Hayden saw it was true. There was nobody around to witness as Zealuv lifted his hands to his sides. He started to draw on his power, reaching through the earth to the seas of lava that shifted beneath their feet. Hayden fought, but it was useless. He had nobody but his strength of mind to fight with.

And even that wasn’t enough to reroute his neural pathways away from the demon’s control. Zealuv chuckled aloud, amused by his attempts to fight against him. He allowed the haze to clear a little more, so Hayden had an even better view as he started to chant an ancient language.

There was nothing he could do.

Zealuv had too much power. He had done what he needed to get to this point, and now Hayden was a prisoner in his own mind. Worse, he understood now that there was nowhere anyone could run. Even if Mica had left the pack by this point, she could never go far enough to escape the archdemon.

Would others be able to trap him in the stone again?

“Hey, you!” Mica’s voice rang out from behind him.

Zealuv turned, annoyed. “What do you want?”

She clutched a long rope in her hands. Her red hair was pulled into a braid down her back, and she wore a skin-tight jumper that showed off every curve. Hayden would have drooled at the sight of her if he wasn’t so worried for her.

“I want you,” Mica snarled, “to get the hell of out my mate!”