I watch as her face changes from surprise to realisation to devastation. Her heart is thumping wildly as she stares at me, her gorgeous violet eyes wide.
She didn’t know, just as I presumed, and I wish I had somehow found a way to let her know that Valerie needed her. Well, no surprise there, fucking up is my forte and I keep doing that.
She used to be the voice of logic and reason in my life, and why my father truly approved of her. Although he never liked her father, he had always held Zaia in high regard. That is a relationship that is still not the way it used to be before I divorced her.
Looking at her, I know that she deserves that position as CEO. I won’t ever say it, but I’m proud of her.
“I… How?” she asks softly. “We never caught the attacker. It’s a long story and… I shouldn’t be seen here with you. Can we meet somewhere else, maybe tomorrow?” I ask, swallowing as I try not to look at her tempting, glossy lips.
“Meet? You want to meet now? No. Tell me what happened to Valerie. I need to meet her. I need to, I’m an awful friend,” she whispers the end part as she turns her head away.
“No. I should have tried harder to get the message through to you. Look, here’s Jai’s number. He moved to Valerie’s mother’s original pack with the Scotts’ after it happened. Call him, and he’ll tell you the rest of the details and give you the full address,” I say, taking out my own business. card and adding Jai’s number to the bottom. I can’t risk being seen with her, just in case.
She reaches for the card, her fingertips brushing my finger as she takes it. There’s no mate bond, but the tingles of her touch rush through me, strong. My eyes flicker silver for a second before she turns away from me.
“Thank you,” she says, turning her back to me and reaching for the door handle. I hate that she has to leave. Why can’t this moment last longer?
“Zaia,”
She pauses but doesn’t turn back to me, waiting for me to speak. “How are my pups?” I ask quietly. Her heart thuds, but instead of replying, she pulls open the door and steps out.
My own heart squeezes but I don’t fight it. I can’t risk us being seen together. Even if I’m getting closer to learning who they are, I can’t ruin it all when I’ve come so far…
longer, Zaia… Then
“Zaia?”
you?” Zaia asks, her voice sounding far warmer than it was when she spoke to me. “It has been! Wow… babe, you look… gorgeous. I see you’re doing well. Not
stay hidden. Dad had asked me to bring her to the meeting, but right now I wish
I’m happy. Truly. How are you?”
trails off and I narrow my eyes. No part
hearing the sound of heels. ” Oh, Zaia! You haven’t
“No.” Zaia’s reply comes.
him. He left the
we will… I’m sorry.” Cara mumbles. I cock
is not worth crying over. I’ve moved on.” Zaia’s words sting but I can’t blame her when I’m just standing
“Congratulations.”
Send Annalise
before I hear her walk off. “Where has he gone…” I hear Cara mutter as she walks down the corridor
I walk down the hall, returning to our
delay. Now where were we…”
had felt pissed off about coming here, I’m now relieved that I did. And no matter how hard I try, I’m unable to remove her image
sign… meeting her again after all these years has
finally done, and the deal is sealed. We part ways
break!” Cara says, about to hold on to my arm when I move it away, giving her
overstep, remember I am your Alpha, nothing more,” I say quietly. She blushes, clearly humiliated, and nods, tucking a strand of her black
Umm… You know I saw Zaia earlier…” she mutters, fiddling with her sleeve. “I don’t
lawn of the hotel. It’s mainly empty, considering the time, though it’s understandable. The gushing sound of the large stone fountain is the only thing
my car keys and we get in and I put
to reply, telling her the car has air conditioning
lawn. Her voice is full of surprise and amusement.
gone to her father’s pack, I didn’t expect Atticus to still be a part of her life. Especially to
now and I can’t help but silently turn to look in that direction. What I see is not something I was expecting. Atticus is
but I want to ask you…
me and I turn my gaze
So she’s moved on….
knew the risk of it happening was there,
Cara tries to make small talk, I’m not interested. I drop her off at home before I drive
Zaia looking down at Atticus fucking replaying in my mind. My eyes flash with
steering wheel, my eyes flashing, and I get out. No, I’m not losing her. Fuck, not
tie and head up
“Sebastian!”
She’s awake…
“Hmm?”
“Come here!”
the lounge instead, where she and Dad are cuddled on the sofa. Mom has
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
The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!