“I can’t just abandon them, Zayn.” The weight of responsibility is closing in on me.
“And you won’t have to,” he reassures me, his strong hands coming up to cradle my face. His eyes bore into mine. “I will do everything in my power to protect them, Cleo. They’re your pack, which means they’re mine, too.”
I don’t say anything, just lean into his touch and let his warmth soothe my nerves. I know in my heart Zayn will do everything he can to protect my pack. That thought alone gives me a sense of peace when there’s still so much uncertainty looming over us. We remain in the bath until the water becomes too cold.
Zayn helps me out of the tub, his hand securely gripping mine as he leads us back into our room. Once we are both dry, he pulls me against him, dragging me back to bed. We don’t bother putting clothes back on and I let my head rest on his chest whenwe climb into bed, listening to the steady rhythm of his heart. I feel safe here, in the circle of his arms, yet that just makes everything outside that circle seem more terrifying.
Eventually, sleep claims me, wrapping its comforting arms around my weary mind. Even in sleep, there is no escape from my worries, as they transform into nightmares that torment my dreams. Dreams of Zayn leaving me and being forced to marry Boyd, of my pack being slaughtered by Alpha Dane.
I’m jerked awake by Zayn’s arms tightening around me. I can feel his chest rumbling against my back as he purrs lowly. It takes me a moment to realize it’s my own muffled whimpers that have woken him.
“Ssh,” he whispers, pulling me closer to him. “I’ve got you, Cleo.”
Opening my eyes, I blink away the remnants of the dream and wriggle closer into Zayn’s warmth. His hands roam over my skin soothingly. “Just a nightmare,” he murmurs against my hair. “You’re safe.”
However the fear lingers, wrapping around my heart like a cold vice. It takes a long time for it to fade enough for me to fall back asleep.
The next morning, I wake to Zayn moving around the room. His movements are graceful, predatory—every action is thoughtful and calculated as he gets ready. He returns from the closet with a pair of jeans and track pants. He hands me a pair of his track pants and I slip them on before he pulls one of his sweaters over my head. I sniff it, loving the way it engulfs me in his scent. He finishes getting dressed. “I’ll grab your clothes from your house today.” he tells me.
As he finishes getting ready, I study him. Alpha Zayn is the kind of man my mother used to tell stories about—fierce, protective, loyal to his pack. And now, he is just as fiercelydevoted to me, something I still can’t wrap my head around fully.
“Done,” he announces abruptly, pulling on the black sweater over his toned torso. The fabric stretches across his muscles, it does nothing to hide the bulk of strength beneath. His eyes remain locked with mine and there’s an intensity there that sends a shiver down my spine. He steps closer, reducing the space between us until our bodies almost touch as he stands between my legs staring down at me where I sit on the edge of the bed.
He tucks a loose strand of hair behind my ear. His touch is gentle; a contrast to the strength that lies within him.
“I’ll take care of everything okay?” he says, and I nod in response as I meet his gaze. Before I can process the moment further, Zayn leans toward me, pressing a soft kiss against my forehead.
“Stay here while I speak with Vance.”
“I want to come with you.” I protest
He shakes his head. “It’s better if I go alone, Cleo, I’ll be going to see your father afterward,” he tells me, leaving no room for argument. “I need you to trust I will handle this and not do anything stupid or try to leave the house while I am gone.”
I hold his gaze for a moment before nodding. “Alright, I won’t leave… but.”
“But what?”
I chew my lip. “Please don’t attack my father or hurt him.”
He arches a brow at me. “I am only going there to speak to him and get your things, if he tries to attack me, Cleo, I won’t stand there and just let him.”
“I’m not asking you to. I’m just asking you not to provoke him, please, he’ll already be angry I never returned home.”
He sighs heavily. “I will try not to start a fight with your father,” he tells me. With a final squeeze of my hand, Zayn leaves the room, leaving me alone with my thoughts.
As I wait for Zayn to return, my mind races with unspoken fears and unanswered questions. Like how my father will react when he shows up there, what this secret is he’s keeping. And most importantly, how will we protect our packs?
I am snapped out of my thoughts by the sound of my phone ringing. I blink, recognizing the ringtone to be my father’s. Grabbing it off the bedside table, it is my father, like I thought, when the mindlink opens.“Answer your phone, I am with your father. He wants to ensure I am not holding you hostage.”Zayn growls through the mindlink. Shit! I quickly answer the phone.
“Hey, Dad,” I answer, cringing at how overly cheery I sound.
“Where are you? Why is Zayn saying you’re at his place? What about Boyd!” he demands, not even bothering to say hello, and I hear Zayn’s thunderous growl in the background.
Chapter 28
• Zayn •
I pull up to the gates of Alpha Joseph’s territory, unable to focus on a conversation with Vance until this is settled. The guards stiffen at the sound, their posture betraying them, ready for a fight they hope to avoid when they recognize my car. They know who I am, what I’m capable of, and the power that thrums within me, knowing they are no match.
