Zoya woke up alert and ready to go because today was the day she had her date with River. Abigail had prepared her gown last night, which took them hours to pick. At the end, Zoya went with the gown that she designed for this year's winter collection. It was her favourite dress and she needed perfection tonight. She already booked the table at Golden Pier for eight o'clock. Everything was prepared. All that was left was River. She wasn't sure if he'd show up tonight or not.

Zoya turned on her side and lying beside her was the fluffy ball of sunshine. River laid asleep on the empty side of the bed. Unlike other dogs, this pup wasn't a morning fellow, it was adorable.

Zoya rolled closer to him and woke him up when she put her head close to his own. She kissed his head and then his ear that flopped around.

"Good morning," she said between kisses. He stretched under her and tried to move back. But she was relentless. "You can't run away from my kisses. You know the routine, River. I need a hundred kisses before I'm done." She did as she promised every morning. She gave this pup all the love she could conjure and made sure he knew that she loved him.

After River went back to sleep under the sun, Zoya got to her feet and took a long pampering shower. She shaved and exfoliated, then lounged in the jacuzzi with wisteria oil in the water. Zoya wasn't going to work early today, so she could get her nails done and her hair too. She was wondering if she should get her makeup done as well, but she didn't like people touching her face, so she decided to do it herself.

When the water in the tub cooled, she got out and put on a simple dress so she could get all the chores completed. She first grabbed River who needed his bath too. She filled up the jacuzzi with water again and scrubbed the pup down until he smelt of lemons and fresh morning breeze. She expected him to be furious with her, but surprisingly, throughout the bath he calmly sat in her arms and let her clean his paws and ears. He didn't flinch at the blow-dryer either. Instead, Zoya needed a break here and there because she was exhausted from the task.

Zoya was fast to take them downstairs for breakfast. She prepared a bowl of cereal for herself and fed River as well. Both of them were stuffed within the hour.

As Zoya drank a cup of coffee and scrolled through her emails, she watched the small pup curl up near the window and watch the birds fly by. She quickly turned off her phone and opened the back door to go outside. The sky was a clear blue, snow was piled around the garden but it was fairly warm today. Zoya wore a thick wool cardigan and it kept her snuggled up from the cool air. River followed her outside, and as she took a seat on the chair with her legs nuzzled up in front of her, he roamed around sniffing the grass.

"I have a date tonight, buddy," she told him, although it was clear that he was more interested about the large tree branch. "This isn't like the other dates I've been on. This one is special and it's with River." The man who was chosen to be her mate. This was a big deal for her and she didn't want to waste another moment away from him. She hoped he felt the same way and was excited to come tonight too.

"Do you think River will come?" she asked River who was sniffing the bushes now. "I think he will come today."

Zoya leaned her head on her knees and lost herself in her imagination, which created a thousand different scenarios of what could happen tonight. All of them made her stomach flutter and her heart hammer rapidly. However, the one that overwhelmed her was the possibility that River wouldn't come to her tonight.

"Let's not think negatively, Zoya," she mumbled to herself. "River will come tonight. He has too..." her heart slowed and everything around her did too.

Suddenly, the doorbell rang. Zoya got up right away because she knew it was Abby. She quickly opened the door and Abby came inside with the long dress wrapped up under a protectant shield.

"You got it steamed, right?" Zoya asked as she grabbed the gown.

"Steamed and altered like you asked," Abigail replied. "Did you want me to escort you to Reyna?" Reyna was Zoya's hairdresser who was booked to help her today.

Zoya looked at the clock. "I have my nail appointment first," she told her. "We can start there."

"I'll wait in the car," said Abby and she left closing the door behind her.

Zoya ran up the stairs with her dress and draped it over the large counter in her dressing room. She didn't want any creases on the gown after she had it altered and steamed. Since she was planning all night, she was quick to take out the golden necklace and matching earrings. She grabbed the glittery gold heels and put them on the counter with her clutch on the side.

"Perfect," she stated as she assessed her work.

Zoya was quick to put on a comfortable jacket and scarf with boots before she grabbed her bag and headed out. She was putting on her socks when she saw River lying beside the fireplace with his head tucked away. He was usually beside her and ready to go, but this time he didn't move from his spot.

"River, come on," she said. "I'm heading out. Aren't you coming?" The pup made no response to her call. Zoya went over to him and sat on the ground. "Don't you want to come with me?" she asked. His blue eyes looked at her and he licked her palm before he laid back down. "Okay. You stay home. I'll be back soon." She kissed his head over and over before he rolled over on his side, which was his way of telling her to leave already.

Zoya grabbed her key off the counter and locked the door before leaving the house. She quickly got in the car with Abigail. Zoya pulled on the belt and clicked it into place.

The drive took a while as traffic grew in the city.

"Stop with the knee, it's distracting," reprimanded Abby.

Zoya hadn't noticed that she was bouncing her knee up and down, she couldn't help it. A lot of nerves were firing through her body right now. She was on edge. She held her knee down forcefully.

"You remember that Sabrina and her family are visiting tomorrow to get their dresses, right?" Abigail asked her.

"Of course," said Zoya. "All of the dresses are prepared for them tomorrow?"

"Yes, ma'am," answered Abigail.

"I also had Ryder's suit put in for tailoring, I want you to make sure that is complete for tomorrow as well," Zoya said.

"I will," said Abby. They stopped at a red-light. "Are you that nervous for tonight?" she asked tentatively.

"Nervous, excited, scared out of my wits, you name it," Zoya chuckled.

Abby pressed on the race then and took a left turn onto the next street. "Why?" she sounded surprised. "It's not like you haven't been on a date before."

"It's because it's with River," Zoya told her. "He makes me-" her voice fell because she couldn't put it into words how he made her feet. Like a storm consumed everything in its path, River did that to her. She was enthralled by him. The way he protected the people he loved and even the glowering frown he always had; it all charmed her.

He was unlike anyone she had ever met. And that alone, scared her because she was undeserving of him. He was special, a person who had a precious family and bonds that she never experienced before. What if she hurt him or them? She didn't want them seeing that ugly side of her that her parents scarred into her. That thought alone terrified her. She had to try her best to make sure she could be a part of the Centauri pack.

They arrived at the salon and Zoya got out of the car to get her nails done. Abby had suggested the light pink colour and Zoya agreed too because she couldn't make any decision right now. As her nails were being prepped, Abby had her phone out showing Zoya all the different hairstyles she could do. The took a bunch of photos as reference to take later to Reyna.

Zoya didn't say anything to Abby about it, but as the clock ticked away, she couldn't help the sickening pain twisting inside her gut. Something wasn't right and Zoya was petrified...

A while later, her nails were done and Zoya went with Abby to eat some lunch around one o'clock before her appointment at three o'clock. They stopped by a local sandwich pub and grabbed a bite to eat. Sitting at the round table, they had lunch and discussed whether or not Zoya needed new lingerie.

"You need new lingerie," Abby claimed with her mouth full on a turkey sandwich.

"I don't know what type of date you think this is," remarked Zoya as she hid her blush behind her drink.

Abby wiped her mouth. "What do you mean?" she frowned. "Aren't you going to fuck him until he drops after this?"

Zoya choked on her drink. "Abby!" she coughed and her eyes watered.

Abby shrugged. "What?"

Zoya covered her face. "This isn't that type of dinner," she told her.

"I still think you should get hot lingerie," she suggested. "What if this does lead to you taking your clothes off?"

Zoya laughed in disbelief. "I doubt River's the type," she admitted.

"True," she agreed. "I think you'll be the one ripping his clothes-" Zoya covered her friend's mouth making her laugh.

Zoya threw out the garbage and walked out. Abby laughed as she followed her out too.

Both of them ended up in the small boutique to buy Zoya new lingerie, even though she claimed many times that this wasn't this type of date. She was just getting new (very sexy) lingerie for fun and no other reason at all.

With her shopping bags in hand, Zoya walked into the hair salon. Reyna was ready for her already and another hour passed here alone. She wanted to let her hair be open for the night, but she remembered how River opened her hair that night in her driveway when he came over. Maybe, it was wishful thinking, but she hoped he would do that again tonight. Reyna did a beautiful job creating a gorgeous chignon on Zoya's head. All the black curls weaved into a large flower and she put small diamond flowers into the heavy mass.

Zoya paid Reyna and walked out of the salon. She quickly took out her phone and pulled up the camera feed of her house. She checked-up with River and the pup was playing with his favourite chew-toy.

Abby appeared frantically. "We have a problem," she said.

Zoya frowned. "What's wrong?" She was afraid to ask.

"It's your mom," said Abby, "she's at the company demanding to see you."

Zoya's blood turned hot and it started to boil. "Tell security to escort her to the sub-level office," she gritted out. "I don't want that woman causing a ruckus at my company."

Abigail put her phone back to her ear. "Yes, ma'am."

Zoya got in the car with Abigail and she drove them to the company. Despite having the day off, Zoya was always prepared for emergencies. She just didn't like this emergence in particular. She never would have thought that her mother would dare to step inside White Knight. A company that Zoya built from the ground up and all by herself. How dare that woman step foot on Zoya's territory.

Zoya's wolf stepped forth and a vile hatred clouded her heart. She was about to transform right here and now, but she swallowed the urgency to spill blood, since her manicure, pedicure and hair would get ruined.

Abby was fast to drive them to the company, and when Zoya arrived, she noticed all the apprehensive expressions of her employees. It was obvious that they witnessed the dramatic skit Ellen Knightley must have performed here.

Jonas- the company's security guard approached Zoya. "We have taken the woman to the office," he informed. "She was unwilling at first-"

"Did you use force on her?" Abby asked and Jonas frowned.

Zoya straightened as she crossed the massive foyer to the elevator. "It's fine if you used force," she actually approved of it. "That woman wouldn't have listened to any other method."

They all got in the elevator and reached the last level of the company building. There was nothing on the sub-level except a bunker with one office. She hadn't remodelled this floor yet, but who would have thought that this would have turned into an interrogation room.

They approached the single door in the dull, grey hallway, when Zoya put her hand up stopping Jonas and Abby to enter with her. She'd do this alone because anyone else wouldn't understand the facade Ellen easily mesmerized people under.

Zoya closed the door behind her and faced the same strict woman in white. She was sitting cross-legged with her shoulders held back proudly. She tapped her long-manicured fingernail on the table and released a heavy breath. She was staring down at her wristwatch and mumbled something under her breath.

Zoya stepped inside closer and her mother looked up surprised. "Oh, you're here," she sounded her usual cold self. "You need to have a word with your staff. They treated me with such disrespect-" she scoffed, like nothing in this world was above her- "your father would've fired that man on the spot for what they did to me. People really don't understand their place in society. That lowlife-" she continued to bit out curses and fumed on the chair. "Zoya, that man dared to-"

Zoya slammed her palm on the counter startling Ellen. "Do not come down to my company and patronize me," she growled.

Ellen lifted her chin. "I'm your mother," she retorted.

"You are not my mother. You are just a woman who got horny and utilized the basic function of her vagina. That's all," Zoya seethed out each word with poison dripping off her tongue.

Ellen's soulless black eyes glared at Zoya. "How dare you," her tone was the exact same as the one Zoya heard countless times before she was locked away in the dark for days.

However, Zoya wasn't afraid of that voice anymore. She was her own woman and Ellen couldn't harm her.

"Who do you think you are?" Zoya seethed. "And drop the act of being my mother. You never were. Tell those lies to people who don't know the truth about what you are capable of."

Ellen looked away and rubbed the temple of her forehead. She took a deep breath and released it while later. "Alright, I'm sorry," she said. "Can we please start over?"

Zoya crossed her arms and towered over her mother from across the table. "You have two minutes to explain why you thought you had the right to walk through my company doors?" she gritted out.

"I wanted to see you," admitted Ellen with a smile. "I made reservations for lunch and thought we could catch up."

Zoya's blood turned cold and like ice had replaced the warmth inside her heart. Her wolf bared her fangs at Ellen. "Unlike you, I have responsibilities to manage," she told her. "I won't join you-"

"I can always come another time," she offered.

"Why are you doing this?" Zoya asked. "After all these years, what's your motive?"

Ellen sighed like she was the one exhausted from the years of abuse. "You're clearly not ready to hear me out," she said as she got to her heeled feet.

"You will use the back-entrance door," Zoya said.

Ellen's eyes widened as she clenched her teeth together. "You are resembling your father more and more," she said bitterly.

Zoya glared back at her mother. "I wonder why?" her voice oozed with sarcasm. She turned and opened the door. "Jonas, escort her out the back. Make sure she leaves."

"Yes, boss," said Jonas before he took Ellen outside through the hidden gate of this floor towards the underground parking level.

Zoya got in the elevator separating from that putrid fragrance her mother used always. Her throat tightened and a weight fell on her chest like she was being suffocated alive. She slumped back against the wall and didn't realize how heavy her breath had gotten.

"Zoya! Zoya!" Abby called out desperately, but Zoya couldn't hear clearly; it was all fuzzy.

Zoya's eyes blurred and she fell in the darkness of her past. Alone and trapped in that massive mansion, the walls caved in on her and whispered the words of her mother all night long. In a house where there was no warmth or love, only hatred and evil it consumed all the warmth inside Zoya leaving her blind and empty. She died in that house. Her childhood lost and her smile was taken by the hands of her parents. That was a house where two people used every chance they had to make her feel as if her existence was a bane. She was worse than a plague to them despite having no control over anything. Zoya had never bloomed into anything there. She was all alone with no one to help her or fight for her. She was all alone, even now. No one knew about her past and no one held her hand either. She was her own strength... she was her own protector.

"Zoya!" Abby shook her shoulders and Zoya came back.

The elevator had reached the top floor to her office by the time Zoya realized what had happened.

"Sorry," she muttered. "I didn't mean to scare you."

Abby held onto Zoya as she took her to her office. She placed her on the couch and quickly prepared a glass of water.