Page 21 of Pack to the Wall

"You know," she said, her voice breaking the quiet, "this place is kind of incredible. I can see why you'd want to escape here."

Zev glanced back at her, his smirk lingering. "It's not just the cave. It's the freedom. Out there, I'm the Alpha—always on and always in control. But in here, I'm just me."

Chrissy's chest tightened again, and she forced herself to look away. "Sounds wonderful. I haven't just been me in… I don't even know how long."

Zev stepped closer to Chrissy, his expression softer now. "Then maybe it's time you found your own cave."

She met his gaze, her heart skipping a beat as she felt herself being pulled closer to him. The intensity of his voice wrapped around her like a warm embrace, making her feel alive in a way she never had. At this moment, she allowed herself to believe that maybe she could find that freedom again.

And as they continued deeper into the cave, she couldn't shake the feeling that her own personal escape might just be standing right in front of her.

EIGHT

ZEV

Zev's fingers brushed against the damp cave wall as they moved deeper into the lava tube, the rough stone cool beneath his touch. The memory of Chrissy's face on the beach—her lips parted and her green eyes wide with anticipation—flashed through his mind like lightning. His wolf snarled in frustration at the interruption.So close.

The way she'd looked at him when he said he wantedher—not the pop star, not the polished persona—had nearly undone him. That flicker of vulnerability in her gaze, and the way her breath hitched when he stepped closer. And when she admitted shewantedto be ready for whatever this was between them? His pulse had roared in his ears like the sea during a storm.

Now, in the cave's dim glow, he stole a glance back at her. The emerald sundress clung to her curves, the fabric shifting with each step, teasing glimpses of her toned legs. Her sandals scuffed against the stone, her bare toes peeking out.Fuck.Even in a crisis, his body reacted to her like she was the only thing that mattered.

"Jonah!" Chrissy's voice echoed, melodic even in urgency.

Zev's muscles tightened reflexively. He should've insisted she stay behind. But that defiant lift of her chin back on thebeach—no one challenged him like that. Not his pack, not even his enemies. And yet, when she did, his wolf had practicallypreened. His mate had fire.

A low chuckle escaped him. "You do realize you're the first person who's ever argued with me about safety and lived to tell the tale, right?"

Chrissy let out a soft laugh. "Guess I'm special."

You have no idea.

The cave narrowed, forcing them sideways. Chrissy's shoulder grazed his, the contact sending heat spiraling down his spine. Her intoxicating scent—jasmine and honeysuckle and salt air—wrapped around him.

"You really came here as a kid, huh?" She trailed fingers along the stone. "It's... beautiful. In a strange, 'might get eaten by a cave monster' way."

Zev smirked. "No monsters here. Just silence." He hesitated, then added, "I still come here sometimes when I need some space to think. To bemewithout the Alpha bullshit."

Chrissy slowed, studying him. "Sounds like heaven to me." Her voice dropped, suddenly raw. "I haven't had that in over a year. I don't even remember what it feels like to be me anymore. To have peace."

His chest tightened. The urge to pull her against him and to promise she'd never feel trapped again burned through him. Instead, he brushed a knuckle down her arm—light and testing. "Maybe you'll find it here."

She shivered, but didn't pull away. "With you?"

The words hung between them, charged with possibility. Zev stepped closer, caging her against the cave wall without touching. Her breath hitched and her lips parted.Fuck taking it slow.

"Zev?"

A faint whimper cut through the electric tension.

Both froze. Zev's head snapped toward the sound, his instincts sharpening. "Jonah!"

Twenty feet ahead, a small figure huddled in a crevice. The boy's eyes widened—relief, then guilt.

"Alpha, I—I didn't mean to?—"

Zev was moving before Jonah finished, Chrissy right behind. He crouched, gripping the boy's shoulders firm but gentle. "You're okay. That's all that matters."

Jonah's lower lip trembled. "I just wanted to see the crystals. But then I got lost, and?—"

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