Page 36 of Healed in the Alpha's Embrace
My father’s eyes lifted from the papers, locking on mine with a sharpness that made clear he missed nothing. “Yes, Sam told me about the girl and her situation. She’s under our protection now.”
Surprised, I felt the tension in my clenched jaw begin to release. “Oh, you’re informed, then. Good.”
He fixed me with a knowing look, one I remembered all too well from my youth, and I realized I’d unintentionally exposed my interest in her.
“And how have you become aware of Zoey Lester and her situation?” His gaze narrowed slightly. “What’s your interest in her, Noah?”
“Zoey’s been taking self-defense classes at my gym,” I said. “She’s... she has a son. Roland. I’ve been helping them both.”
“Is that so?” The leather creaked as he leaned back in his chair. There was a new calculation in his demeanor, an unasked question hanging in the air.
I shifted uneasily under the scrutiny of his unwavering gaze. “Roland’s a strong kid. The other day, I was out running in the park and felt this massive amount of alpha energy. I didn’t think we had any kids here capable of showing that much power, so I checked it out. Roland had lost control after being teased. It sounded like he’d been protecting his mom. His alpha aura is already strong, and he hasn’t even had his first shift yet.”
I glanced at my father to gauge his reaction and found him sitting forward, his fingers steepled in front of him, his face schooled into a carefully neutral expression.
“I convinced Zoey to let me take him under my wing,” I continued. “To teach him some discipline for when it’s time for him to shift.”
To my surprise, my father chuckled warmly, a sound I hadn’t heard in two years. I hadn’t realized how much I’d missed it.
“Is that right?”
I nodded, taken aback by the unusual softening of his demeanor, which gave me the courage to carry on. “He’s curious, always asking questions. He’s not afraid to push boundaries, but needs to learn when it’s appropriate.”
“Sounds like someone I used to know.” He smiled a true smile that made his eyes crinkle. This momentary peace between us was disarming.
“Yeah, I can see that,” I admitted.
But peace never lasted long. In an instant, his expression turned sharp, tearing apart the brief sense of camaraderie that had been building. “Noah, is it really just about helping Roland?”
“Of course. Why else?” I tried to keep my temper even, but there was an edge to his question that put me on alert.
“Because when you talk about Zoey, your heart beats faster. I can hear it.” He tapped his finger against the armrest. “And your wolf, Noah. He’s practically clawing at the surface.”
I opened my mouth, then closed it, unsure how much to reveal. My father always had a way of seeing through me.
A low growl vibrated in my chest. My wolf’s restlessness only added to the unease. Zoey’s image kept playing in my mind, the scent of her fear, how her hands trembled over her admission about the threat her ex posed.
She carried fear like a shroud, and because she was my fated mate, every instinct in me—and my wolf—screamed to tear it away and claim her, protect her.
“Allow me to guess,” my father said. “Zoey’s not just some woman you’re helping, is she?”
I looked up at him. Silence stretched, taut as a wire, before I gave the smallest of nods. His gaze held mine, understanding flickering in his eyes. Or was it acceptance?
“She’s my fated mate,” I admitted, acknowledging the bond that tied me irrevocably to Zoey, the woman who had unwittingly become the center of my world.
I braced myself for the reprimand that never came. Instead, my father exhaled deeply, the tension in his expression easing.
“Son, I feel for you,” he began, his voice carrying an unexpected note of empathy. “This situation... it’s not an easy one to take on.”
I blinked at him. It wasn’t like my father to acknowledge difficulty, especially not mine. His usual stance was to push through adversity, not pause in its presence.
“I’m tough on you, I know that. But don’t mistake that for heartlessness.” He paused, his gaze piercing. “From what Samexplained, Zoey’s been through a lot. She’s going to need care and understanding.”
Those simple words hit me harder than any lecture could have. I hadn’t expected my father to recognize the fragility of another person and acknowledge my ability to handle it with sensitivity. For a moment, I caught a glimpse of the man who had comforted me when I skinned my knees as a child, not the alpha always pushing for strength.
“Your mother…” he began, and I saw a contemplative look cross his face. “Like Zoey, Angie’s human. More fragile than a shifter.”
I raised an eyebrow, not knowing where this was going.
