Chapter 75 – Moment–2
–LIA’S POV–
The skin was already red and slightly swollen.
“What’s Zane going to do to Blake?” I asked quietly.
“He’s not going to kill him,” Ajax said. “Yet.”
I frowned. “Yet?”
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“He means no,” Sheila said quickly, shooting Ajax a look. “Zane’s going to beat him into the ground, not kill him.”
I sniffed. “Honestly? Blake deserves it.”
Sheila squeezed my hand. “Yeah. He does.”
“What would have happened if Blake had actually bitten me?” I whispered, dreading the answer.
“If he’d succeeded, the bond would’ve strengthened,” she said. gravely. “You’d feel him all the time. His emotions, his thoughts. Whenever he thought about you hard enough, the mark would throb. It would be like a constant, unbreakable chain. A physical
connection.”
I swallowed thickly, my stomach twisting. “That sounds horrifying.”
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–
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“It is,” Sheila said. “But only when it’s with the wrong person. With the right one, with your true mate… it’s beautiful.”
She offered me a small smile, and I tried to return it.
Taking a deep breath, I fought to calm the racing thoughts in my mind.
“Lia.”
I looked up at the sound of Zane’s voice. He was hurrying towards me, Aaron and Warner flanking him protectively.
I stood so fast my chair scraped loudly against the floor.
Without hesitation, I ran straight into Zane’s arms.
He caught me effortlessly, lifting me off the ground and cradling me against his chest. His hand rubbed my back in circles, and he pressed a lingering kiss to my hair.
“You okay?” he asked softly.
“Yes,” I whispered, tears filling my eyes again, “thanks to you. I’m sorry, Zane. I should’ve stayed by your side. I shouldn’t have trusted Blake.”
“Hey,” he murmured, pulling back slightly to look into my eyes, “none of this is your fault. None of it. Blake Walker is the only
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Chapter 75 Moment–2
one to blame.”
–
His gaze was fierce with protectiveness.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” he asked again.
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I nodded, sniffling. “I’m fine, I promise. You got there just in lime.”
“And I always will, Lia. No matter what.”
I clung to him tighter, burying my face in his chest. Zane leaned his chin atop my head, holding me like he never wanted to let go.
“You knew I’d come for you, right?” he asked. “Tell me you didn’t doubt it for a second.”
I swallowed hard and looked up at him. “I knew you’d come. But I was so scared… I wasn’t sure if it would be in time.”
Zane leaned in and kissed my forehead tenderly, and the familiar tingles danced across my skin, comforting and warm.
“I’m sorry I didn’t get there sooner, my love,” he whispered.
“Please don’t apologize,” I said, shaking my head. “It’s not your fault.”
Zane led me back to the table and pulled up a chair beside me, sitting close enough that our knees touched.
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He still held my hand, his thumb gently stroking circles over my skin.
“I should’ve seen this coming,” he said quietly. “Two Alpha mates for one human… it’s unheard of. Blake’s spiraling. And I should have predicted he’d do something reckless like this. I am the only one who could’ve understood his situation. I should have given this more thought. I should have expected something like this after Lia spent a night with me.”
“But how would you know?” Ajax chimed in. “You got the girl. Blake’s the one losing it.”
“He doesn’t have her yet, not fully,” Warner added seriously.
Zane gave a small smile but said nothing.
I turned to him. “It’s not your fault. Ajax is right. You couldn’t have known because I spend almost all my time with you.”
“Because I force it,” Zane teased lightly. “I barge into your room. whenever I miss you.”
“It’s Blake’s fault that he doesn’t. Not yours.”
Zane grinned. “Oh.”
“Shut up,” I muttered playfully, rolling my eyes.
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He chuckled, and I found myself smiling too.
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“Anyway,” he said, squeezing my hand, “I promise you, he won’t ever lay a hand on you again.”
“What did you do to him?” I asked in a small voice. “He’s still breathing… right?”
“Barely,” Warner replied dryly.
I exhaled shakily. “Do you think he’ll try to apologise?”
“He will,” Zane said. “But you shouldn’t forgive him.”
“I won’t,” I promised.
“Good girl,” he said, his voice full of warmth.
I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear and pressed my fingers lightly to my neck, shivering.
“God,” I whispered. “If he’d succeeded–
“I wouldn’t have let him,” Zane interrupted firmly.
I bit my lip, feeling overwhelmed.
“I don’t understand,” I admitted. “Why this is happening to me.”
Zane’s brows furrowed. “He made you doubt everything again,
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didn’t he?”
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“No,” I said quickly. “Not everything. I just… if I had one mate, I’d understand. But two? Two Alphas? It’s so much pressure. Why do I have to choose? Why couldn’t the Goddess just have given me one like everyone else?”
The Hounds glanced at each other, but from the looks on their faces, it seemed like they were as clueless as I was.
“We don’t know,” Zane said honestly. “We’ve been looking into it. We’ll tell you the second we find anything of substance.”
I hesitated. “Do you think… do you think I’m somehow. connected to the werewolf world?”
“You have two mates.”
“No, I mean, other than you and Blake.”
Zane stared at me. “How do you mean?”
“I don’t know exactly,” I said slowly. “But… I think it’s time I told my parents. I can’t keep hiding this. Eventually, they’ll notice something. How long will I be able to keep them in the dark?”
Zane took both of my hands in his and squeezed them gently.
“That is completely your decision, Lia. If you want to tell them,
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you should. If you need my help, I’m here. I will go with you, or stand outside your house, or be in your bedroom for moral support. Whatever you need.”
I smiled at him. “Thank you, Zane. Moral support in my room works.”
“Great.” He smiled back. Then he stood up, and offered me his hand again. “Let’s get you to class now, shall we? We cannot let you miss another class. Your grades are going down.”
placed my hand in his, the tingles making me smile. “Thanks for showing concern.”
“I care about everything you care about, love.”
“Zane is a nerd,” Ajax said, making retching sounds.
Sheila, Aaron and I chuckled, while Warner was nice enough to allow the ghost of a smile onto his lips.
“I’m not a nerd,” Zane said, rolling his eyes.
“Why? Is being a nerd so bad?” I asked, raising my eyebrows.
Zane opened his mouth to respond, then caught himself. “There is no right answer to that one,” he said, making us all laugh again.
“Actually, there is. You can just say, ‘no, being a nerd is cool. It
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shows that you’re putting in an effort.“”
“I’m sorry, love, it just sounds wrong and boring.”
I gasped. “You are so mean. You think I’m boring?”
“Not you. Other nerds. Who aren’t as cute and funny.”
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“Of course,” I laughed. “You mean those who aren’t your mates.”
“That too.”
I narrowed my eyes at him. “Let’s just go to class, please. Before I start regretting every soft moment we have spent together.”
Zane scowled. “You can’t just regret moments whenever you want.”
“Watch me. I regret speaking to you sixty seconds ago.”
Zane narrowed his eyes. “To class. Right now.”
“After you.”
“No, after you. Gotta be sure no new werewolf is trying to attack you.”
I laughed, shaking my head. Zane took my hand and laced our fingers, giving it a gentle squeeze.
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I guessed I’d be alright… for the moment.
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