Chapter 178 – Lie
-LIA’S POV–
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Zane pulled up in front of my house like normal, engine quiet, windows dark. He didn’t honk or anything, just sat there like he always did, waiting.
I grabbed my bag and rushed out the front door before either of my parents could yell something about breakfast or remind me that I was grounded.
“Morning.” I said as I slid into the car.
“Morning, love,” he said, leaning over to kiss my cheek.
I smiled, but something felt off.
He looked tense. His jaw was tight, blue eyes dull as he stared at
- me.
“You okay?” I asked.
“Yeah, why?” he replied, pulling into the street.
“You seem tense.”
He shook his head. “I’m tired.”
“Why?” I frowned. “I thought you slept early.”
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Chapter 178 – Lie
He just shrugged, not using his words.
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We didn’t talk much after that. I just looked out the window, trying not to overthink, until I noticed we’d missed the turn for school.
I blinked. “Uh, Zane? You missed it.”
“I know,” he replied calmly.
I turned to him. “So… where are we go
we going?”
He didn’t answer.
I frowned.
“Zane.”
“To the pack house,” he finally said.
“What? Why?” I asked.
“We need to talk.”
My whole body tensed.
“You’re not about to break up with me, right?”
He looked at me like I’d gone nuts. “Why would you even come
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Chapter 178 – Lie
up with that?”
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“I don’t know.” I muttered, staring at him. “You… I thought after I defeated you that day, maybe the pack wants me gone?”
“Goddess, no,” Zane chuckled, reaching over and ruffling my hair. “I would never break up with you.”
I released a slow breath. “Then what is this about?”
“The Order,” he said simply. “You were complaining that I don’t keep you in the loop. So I’m taking you where the loop is.”
“Oh. Okay,” I nodded, relaxing a little.
We got there a few minutes later. He parked, got out, and I followed before he’d open the door for me.
“My room,” he said, taking my hand and leading me inside.
He didn’t say a word the whole way up to his door. And when we reached it, he just walked in, leaving the door open for me,
I stepped inside, getting an odd feeling.
“Zane, what is going on?” I asked, dropping my bag near the door.
He turned and motioned for me to sit on the edge of his bed. “Come sit. I need to tell you something.”
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I hesitated, but obliged. “You’re kinda scaring me.”
He sighed and crouched in front of me. “Honestly, it is something to be scared of,” he whispered.
My heart raced.
“The Blood Moon, Lia. It’s in three days.”
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I blinked. “Wait—what? I thought there was a week still left.”
“Three days, Lia. It shifted. It’s happening early.”
I stared at him like he was joking, but his face was dead serious.
I stood up. “And you’re telling me this now? You drove me here without warning and just—what? You were gonna keep this from
me?”
“I wasn’t trying to lie to you,” he said quickly. “I just needed to get you here first. Somewhere safe.”
“Safe?” I asked. “You mean locked away? Like a safe house. Like house arrest?”
He stood up slowly. “Those are two very different things, love.”
“All the same,” I muttered. “Why didn’t you tell me first? Were you afraid? That I would freak out and do something?”
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“It’s not like that. I just…” he gently took my arms. “I didn’t know if you’d agree.”
“Agree to what?”
He pursed his lips.
My mouth fell open.
“Oh my god,” I muttered. “You’re planning to keep me here until it passes.”
“I think it’s the safest option.”
“I’m grounded, Zane! My parents are gonna lose their minds. when they find out I didn’t show up to school. You didn’t even give me a heads up. You just decided for me?”
“It’s not like that.”
“Then what is it like?”
“I’m trying to protect you,” he said. “You don’t understand what might happen. You’re changing, Lia. The Order is planning to attack. I cannot risk you being away from me.”
“You should’ve told me, Zane, before bringing me here. You don’t get to just kidnap me.”
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“I wasn’t kidnapping you.”
“You literally tricked me!”
His mouth pressed into a thin line.
“You think this is okay?” I asked. “Dragging me to the pack house and hiding everything until it’s too late to argue?”
“It wasn’t up for debate.” he said firmly. “You’re staying here. It’s the safest option, and I won’t risk you getting hurt. Or you hurting
others.”
“Zane–”
“No.”
My eyes burned. Something hot pulsed under my skin, rising fast. 1 felt my heartbeat in my throat, in my fingertips. The air shifted
around me.
