Page 93 of Healed in the Alpha's Embrace
I stepped aside to let her pass. The air between us was charged with tension. Gone were the comfortable exchanges, replaced by fleeting glances and overly polite gestures.
“Thanks,” she said, slipping by me with a wariness that made my chest tighten.
Once she was settled on the couch, I turned toward the kitchen. “Wine?” I called over my shoulder, hoping the normalcy would ease some of the tension between us.
“Sure.”
I took my time selecting a bottle, wanting to delay the inevitable conversation. My hands were steady as I poured the dark red liquid into glasses, but inside, I was shaking. I felt like I was unraveling. I was about to become alpha, and with that title came power and responsibility. I couldn’t keep hiding the truth from her, not when it would change everything.
“Here we go,” I said, returning to the living room with the wine glasses.
“Thank you.” Zoey accepted the glass. Her fingers brushed against mine, sending a jolt of awareness through me.
I settled in next to her, close but not touching. Silence stretched between us, and I knew I had to break it. I took a deepbreath, ready to lay bare the truths that could either bind us tighter or tear us apart.
“Are you okay?” she asked. Her concern surprised me. I hadn’t expected it after everything she’d seen behind the gym.
“Yesterday wasn’t the best day I’ve had,” I admitted. “No one was seriously hurt, and George’s idiots are with the police. Adds credence to your statement with Warman, and more evidence for your protection order.”
Her fingers twisted in her lap, a sure sign of her discomfort. “I’m sorry, Noah. I can’t help thinking that if you weren’t with me, George wouldn’t know anything about you. None of this would be happening to you.”
“George is the problem, not you.”
She shook her head. “Still, I’m causing issues for you and your pack. If you want to… to end this, I’d understand.”
“End this?” My pulse quickened as my frustration surged. “You think I want to end things with you?”
“Wouldn’t it be easier?” Her question carried a hint of defeat, as if she had already come to terms with the fact that I would abandon her because of the troubles her ex was causing. It fueled a growing anger inside me.
“Nothing about this is easy,” I snapped. “I’m sick of people assumingtheyknow what’s best forme!”
My wolf let out a resounding roar, sparked by panic and the mounting pressure that had been building up throughout the day. It had been a long time since I’d unleashed the full force of my power, but the locks that kept it contained shattered. It carried the weight of resentment, desperation, and every other overwhelming emotion I had been grappling with.
Zoey flinched as the walls of the house shuddered under the force of my fury. I fought to regain control, but my wolf’s rage had been unleashed, clawing at the restraints I had so carefully put in place.
Above the sound of my own blood rushing in my ears, I heard a fearful whimper that had my anger dissipating in an instant.
“Fuck!” I gasped. My hands flew to my temples, pressing against them as if I could physically push the fierce energy back behind the walls I’d erected since my youth. The room was silent except for Zoey’s labored breathing.
“Zoey, I—” I faltered and went towards her.
She recoiled and scrambled backward on her hands, her reaction slicing through me like a sharp blade.
“Stay away,” she choked out, curling into herself.
“Zoey, please,” I begged, the desperation raw. I stopped in my tracks. She had every right to be horrified right now. I’d hoped she would never witness the true extent of my strength. God, I hated myself for giving her even an ounce of fear. “I didn’t mean to… you have to know I’d never hurt you.”
Tears spilled down her cheeks. “Whatever that was, that power... it’s terrifying.”
“Zoey, I’m so sorry,” I said, taking a hesitant step back. “You weren’t supposed to see that, or feel that.”
My heart clenched. The distance between us felt like miles now, a chasm widened by my lack of restraint. She’d seen all of me now, knew the danger I posed. Now I just had to hope she’d believe that I’d never use it against her.
I sat on the floor in front of her, yearning to touch her but restraining myself. “Take your time. I’m here, Zoey. Whenever you’re ready.”
26
ZOEY
