Page 28 of Pack to the Wall

Zev cleared his throat, ruffling the boy's hair. "I'm fine, pup."

The truth was far from fine. He was completely enraptured. When Chrissy had first spotted his grandfather's guitar tucked away in the corner, Zev had felt a moment of hesitation that almost stopped him from sharing it. That guitar was sacred – a relic from the man who'd shaped him into the Alpha he'd become.

No one had played it since his grandfather passed fifteen years ago, except when Zev occasionally dusted it off to tune thestrings. He remembered those afternoons spent learning basic chords, his grandfather's weathered hands guiding his own.

But today, something had compelled Zev to place it in her hands. And when her fingers had strummed those first notes, it was as if his grandfather's spirit had filled the room again.

"You've got a special gift," he said to Chrissy as Emma scampered off with the other children. "Those kids won't forget this moment."

"It's nothing special," she shrugged, though her eyes sparkled with happiness. "I just remember what it felt like to be that age, loving music but afraid to share it."

"It is special," Zev insisted, his voice deepening to a rumble that seemed to affect her. Her cheeks flushed pink as he stepped closer. "You brought something back to life today."

His wolf paced eagerly under his skin, urging him to claim her now – to announce to everyone that this remarkable woman was their Luna. But Zev held back, determined to do this right.

"The way you played..." He gestured to the guitar she still held. "It was like my grandfather was in the room again."

"I felt something," she admitted, running her fingers along the worn wood. "Like the guitar was showing me how it wanted to be played."

"My grandfather would have loved you." The words escaped before he could filter them. "He always said music was magic. That it could heal what medicine couldn't reach."

Chrissy's eyes widened at his intensity. "Sounds like a wise man."

"He was." Zev moved forward, unable to keep distance between them any longer. "Sometimes I think he had a hand in bringing you here, when we both needed it most."

"You believe in that kind of thing?" Her voice was soft and curious. "Divine timing?"

"I believe in fate." Zev reached out, tucking her hair behind her ear "And in the woman standing in front of me." What he really wanted to tell her was that he believed she truly was his fated mate. But he knew she might not be ready for that knowledge yet.

The spark between them ignited again as his fingers brushed her cheek. The same electricity that had surged when they'd kissed in the cave the night before.

"I think the kids have finally run off to brag about meeting you," he said, nodding toward the now-empty doorway. "We have the room to ourselves."

Her green eyes darkened with realization. "Is that your subtle Alpha way of saying you want to kiss me again?"

A predatory smile spread across his face, the wolf within him rising to the surface. "There's nothing subtle about what I want, Chrissy."

Zev took the guitar from her hands and gently set it down on the stool next to him, his movements deliberate and controlled. The precious instrument deserved care, but his focus had already shifted entirely to the woman before him. Her scent—jasmine with hints of honeysuckle—invaded his senses, clouding his judgment in the most delicious way.

He grabbed her by the waist and pulled her flush against his chest, savoring the feel of her soft curves against his hard planes. Her skin felt impossibly warm beneath her thin white tank top, and her cutoff shorts revealed miles of tanned, toned legs that tested his restraint.

He then leaned in and kissed her with a hunger that surprised even him—a raw, primal need that had been building since their moment in the cave. Her mouth opened beneath his, inviting him deeper, and he growled low in his throat at her eager response.

"You have no idea what you do to me," he murmured against her lips, his voice a rough caress.

Chrissy's fingers threaded through his hair. "Then show me," she challenged.

The Alpha in him couldn't resist. He lifted her effortlessly off the ground, her weight nothing in his arms, and kicked the door shut behind them. With one arm still supporting her, he flicked the lock closed, ensuring no interruptions.

She wrapped her legs around his waist, pressing herself against him in a way that made his blood burn hot. Zev turned and pressed her back against the door, his lips leaving hers to explore the column of her throat. Her pulse raced beneath his mouth, and his wolf howled with satisfaction at her response.

"Zev," she breathed, her head falling back to give him better access.

His teeth grazed the sensitive spot where her neck met her shoulder, and she shuddered in his arms. The primal part of him knew exactly what it wanted—to mark her, claim her, and make her irrevocably his. His canines lengthened slightly, the wolf so close to the surface he could barely contain it.

The realization of what he was about to do hit him like a bucket of cold water. This wasn't how he wanted their first time to be—rushed against a door in a music room where anyone might hear them. She deserved better. She deserved everything.

With more willpower than he thought he possessed, Zev set her gently back on her feet, though he kept his hands at her waist, unwilling to break contact completely.

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