Page 15 of Healed in the Alpha's Embrace
“Nice to meet you,” I managed, keeping my tone even, my stance non-threatening.The connection that had formed in the depths of my soul responded to her vulnerability, and I knew, without understanding how or why, that I would make her feel safe again, no matter what it took.
Heather and I exchanged a meaningful look. The sadness etched on her face reflected the melancholy building up inside me.
I gave her an imperceptible nod, acknowledging the unspoken conversation that had passed between us. Zoey’s tense posture and hesitant movements ignited a fiery anger within me, a burning desire to seek out the person responsible for her suffering and make them pay for it.
“Listen.” Heather’s voice pulled me back from the edge of my brewing storm. “I really hope these classes can help.”
“Me too,” I replied, my tone matching hers. My attention remained fixed on Zoey. The idea of someone else leading her through the motions of self-defense, someone who might not understand the depths of her scars, didn’t sit right with me.
“Actually, Heather,” I said, “I’ll be teaching the class myself.”
“Really?” Her eyebrows shot up in surprise. “I thought you said you were waiting for instructors.”
“I’ve changed my mind. I’ll be doing it.” I sounded more confident than I felt, but there was no turning back now.
The pull in my soul moved as Zoey retreated from us. My gaze shifted to follow her to the doorway.
“Zoey?” I walked closer to her, my voice steady and warm despite the chaos ricocheting through me. “It’ll be great to have you in the self-defense class. I’ll be instructing it.”
Zoey flinched, revealing her unease. My wolf growled softly, eager to close the distance between us, but I kept him leashed, focusing instead on projecting calm and safety.
“We’re just waiting for a few more sign-ups before we kick things off,” I continued, meeting Zoey’s gaze with a smile that I hoped was both comforting and sincere. “I’ll make sure to send out a text when we’ve got the dates set.”
“Thank you,” Zoey murmured.
I didn’t want to push much and have her not return, so I backed away. “Sure thing,” I said, nodding toward the reception desk. “Shelly can help you two with the membership forms.”
As they turned to leave, I watched Zoey’s retreating form. She moved with an unsettling blend of grace and caution. She was unlike anyone I’d ever met, her vulnerability wrapped in a shroud of strength that only those who had been through hell and back could possess. And though she was unaware, I couldn’t deny the gravity of what stood before me.
She was my fated mate. My future.
“Zoey,” I whispered under my breath, her name a vow. I wasn’t looking for this, for her. But fate had a funny way of laughing at plans, and there was no turning away from the truth that pulsed between us, invisible yet undeniable.
Over the coming days,word had gotten out that I would be the one instructing the women’s self-defense classes, and we’d been inundated with applications. Shelly was constantly calling me over to the reception desk.
When another bunch of hopefuls arrived, Kyler snickered, amused that I had the patience to keep answering their ridiculous questions.
“Are you sure you can teach me moves that’ll take down a guy your size?” one of the new women asked, batting her eyelashes at me with a smile that was more come-hither than curious about self-defense techniques.
“Absolutely,” I said, keeping my tone professional. “Leverage is key, not brute strength.”
Another chimed in, leaning over the sign-up sheet. If I tripped, I was fairly sure I’d get lost in her cleavage. “Maybe after class, you could give me some private lessons?” she asked in a husky whisper that sounded more like she smoked forty a day rather than the sexy breathlessness she was going for.
Were these women for real? I didn’t think they had any real inclination to learn self-defense. They were all dressed fora night on the town. I was impressed with the length of their eyelashes, though. I never thought about the workout needed for that particular muscle group, but as I observed the flutter of one girl’s two-inch lashes, it made me question my assumptions.
“Group classes will cover plenty of ground to keep everyone safe,” I said, handing her a pen. “Best way to learn is with others.”
Their smiles faltered, but most of them signed up all the same.
I went back to my desk, sinking into the chair and running my hands through my hair, making it stick up in every direction.
“Something’s off with you, man,” Ky said as he tossed me a bottle of water. “You’ve had that look all day. Like you’re standing at a cliff’s edge and can’t take a step backwards.”
I caught the bottle and took a long drink before I could answer. The cool liquid did nothing to soothe the tension coiling inside me. “It’s... complicated.”
His eyebrows bunched together in concern. “Complicated how?”
“I think I met my fated mate,” I blurted out, the truth slipping past my lips before I could think better of it.
