Freeing Starr✔️

Chapter 14 ~ Bond

Zion stiffened up as if what I had just said sent a huge shock throughout his system and his eyes finally swirled with an emotion I could point out.

Shock, astonishment and for a brief second there, I thought I saw something akin to guilt.

I turned my head and refused to meet his eyes, shame washing over me as I thought of my father's hands gliding across my body.

My entire body erupted in goosebumps as my blood ran cold and my body lightly trembled. I suddenly had a strong urge to scratch my skin until I bled, to rub myself clean of my father's filth despite the many showers I've taken over the years. However, no matter how many showers I took, or how many times I rubbed my skin, the feeling of disgust and dirt never left my system.

"Sorry," I whispered brokenly, "I'm not as pure as you thought I was."

Zion said nothing and I was afraid to glance across at him and see the disgusted look across his face.

After what felt like forever but was probably only just a few minutes of silence, Zion spoke up.

"I'm sorry."

My head snapped up in surprise as my mouth slightly opened in astonishment. I stared at the man sitting across from me with wide eyes as I tried to register his words.

"What?" I asked incredulously.

Zion's lips tilted into a frown as he cleared his throat and explained further, "without knowing what you've suffered through, I went and did the same. For that, I am sorry. However, I don't regret it. As my and this pack's Luna, you have a duty to provide an heir. Consummating our bond was necessary to solidify our place as the leaders of this pack."

I glanced back down at the table and nodded, "I know. That's why I never resisted after the first time."

Zion sighed and ran a hand down his face, "I... I'll try to be gentler next time."

My face heated as I glanced across at him bashfully, "thank you."

He cleared his throat in response, "Next question."

I nodded my head and thought about it for a while before asking, "what's your ultimate goal? Your future plans for this pack?"

"I plan to become the most strongest pack on the continent."

I raised a brow in surprise, "What about the Divine Alpha Kingdom?"

Zion stated firmly, "I plan to surpass even the Alpha King."

Ambitious

I muttered mentally as my heart shook at the resolve in his eyes.

Too ambitious

I didn't want to take him seriously. Not sure that I could. A rogue pack like this could never become strong enough to surpass such a strong force as the main kingdom. Zion was being idealistic, which didn't suit his character. If it continued like this, I might just get myself mixed in with high treason. Something that had never crossed my mind before.

It was too dangerous.

"Were you a virgin when we mated?"

I blinked my eyes in surprise as my face flushed. I nodded and lowered my head in shame, "Yes. My father only took the back gates but never the front. I guess he knew that he'd one day sell me off to someone else."

"Do you regret it?"

"Regret what exactly?"

"Mating with me."

I frowned and shrugged my shoulders, "It's like you said before. I didn't have much of a choice. Although I don't agree with most the traditions within this pack and the foundation it was built on, there's nowhere else for me to go so I might as well accept it. So to answer your question, I have nothing to regret because I've never chosen anything for myself. My actions are not my own and the words I said up until now was not my own. I have nothing to regret because I've lived a life where everything was decided for me."