Page 48 of Healed in the Alpha's Embrace
I had the support of my pack behind me. No mob connections or high-and-mighty attitude would change the fact that this was my town, my turf. And George James was nothing more than a bully trying to play a game bigger than he could ever hope to win.
“Then we have a problem,” George said.
“Looks like it.” My chest was a barrel of coiled springs, my wolf bristling beneath my skin, but I wouldn’t let this asshole see me flinch.
He tossed a last venomous glare my way before climbing into the sleek black car that screamed his brand of arrogance. As hedrove off, his tires spat out gravel, sending it in all directions. The more distance he put between us, the better.
I pulled out my phone and unlocked it, navigating to my contacts. I scrolled down until I reached the number I was looking for. It wasn’t one I’d ever thought I’d have to dial for help, but I needed it.
“Hey, Dad,” I said when he answered. “We’ve got trouble.”
“Trouble?” he queried. “What kind of trouble?”
“George James,” I said. “He’s here, and he’s making threats.”
A deep sigh echoed through the speaker. “It’s not anything we didn’t expect. Why don’t you come over so we can figure out ways to safeguard Zoey Lester and the boy? I’d do it, anyway, but she’s your mate. I want you to be involved.”
“Yeah.” The prospect of working alongside my father didn’t bother me as much as I thought it might.
“Okay, son. We’ll handle this. Together.” There was a noticeable shift in his tone, a warmth that hadn’t been there before, and something that sounded like pride.
“Thanks, Dad,” I said, ending the call. As I looked out over the empty parking lot, I knew that whatever came next, I wouldn’t be facing it alone.
12
ZOEY
Sunlight spilled through the curtains, grazing my face with the gentle warmth of a new day. I stretched languidly and smiled. But as the remnants of sleep dissipated, so did the blissful ignorance of dreams, and I remembered why that smile had found its way onto my face. With a low groan, I pressed my palms into my eyes and tried to rub away the memory of last night.
“Stupid,” I muttered, chastising the flutter in my chest at the thought of Noah Alexander. He was nothing like George, thank God.George’s identity was built on his ability to flaunt his wealth and use it as a tool to define himself and his social standing. He’d seduced me with a life so completely different from the one I’d grown up in.
George had showered me with affection and lavished me with what he claimed was love, but it was just another of his manipulative tactics. He’d blinded me with gifts, shiny trinkets meant to impress, but they concealed a more sinister meaning. A delicate bracelet concealed the oppressive shackle that lay beneath its shimmering exterior. A heavy chain was disguised as a glittering necklace.
He’d promised me the world, then pulled the rug out from under me. And I’d become a hollow shell of the person I used to be.
I felt the echo of that emptiness for a fleeting second before the image of sandy blond hair and understanding blue eyes pushed it away. Noah. Even thinking his name loosened the knot in my stomach. It was strange, that feeling of comfort when I was with him. Unfamiliar. Foreign, yet... welcoming.
The pillow muffled my groan as I pressed my face deeper into it. It felt silly to even entertain the thought that I had a crush on Noah. It was ridiculous, wasn’t it? Everything with George had been so dark and so recent, and here I was, getting fluttery over a man who’d simply shown me kindness.
He didn’t try to impress me or shower me with things I didn’t want. There were no pretenses, no false promises. Just laughter, honest conversation, and moments of quiet companionship that spoke volumes without uttering a word. The ease I felt when I was around him was a complete departure from the icy animosity that George had always created.
“Stupid,” I muttered again, throwing the covers aside with more force than necessary. I needed to clear my head. “Get a grip,” I told myself as I got out of bed.
I needed to focus, not get lost in the dangerous territory of feelings and what-ifs. Noah was a good man, sure, but good men couldn’t fix broken pasts. They didn’t erase scars that ran deeper than the skin. He carried his own burdens, which I could empathize with all too well.
While the hot water in the shower cascaded over me, I tried to wash away the lingering thoughts of Noah, but my efforts were in vain. His amiable smile and gentle concern were persistent intruders in my mind.
I had to snap out of it. As I watched the water spiral down the drain, I wished my feelings could be washed away as effortlessly.
As I dressed, I heard Heather’s phone ring and her muffled voice as she answered. When I ventured downstairs to the kitchen, Heather was staring at nothing, her forehead creased with worry.
“Heather?” Nothing. “Heather!” Still no response. It took one more “Heather, earth to Heather!” for her to finally jump, her eyes snapping to mine.
“Sorry, what?” she asked, blinking rapidly.
“I heard the phone. Is everything okay?” I asked, leaning against the counter.
“Yeah, just... a patient at work. You know,” she said, lacking conviction with more than a hint of hesitation.
