Page 123 of Quarterback Sneak
He freezes. “Sweetheart, I’m not going to hurt you. Ever.” I can feel his feelings shift from worry to something deeper.Fear? The fear combines with the concern and the love and it’s all just too much. I let out a sound and put my hands over my ears, trying to find a way to make sense of all this.
“Evie.” I hear his deep voice even through my hands over my ears. When he touches me, I flinch away. I close my eyes and try to find my equilibrium. I feel so overcome with emotion, I want to scream. I need it to turn off. I feel like crying in anguish, while also screaming in frustration. All I know is that this tidal wave of emotion is going to carry me away with it. I sink to the ground with my hands over my ears. I’m not sure how long I sit there. It may be a minute or two, or it may be an hour. Finally, blessedly, the rush stops. It takes me a moment to realize the flood of emotion has faded. But it’s not only faded, it’s gone.Completelygone.I feel like I can take a deep breath for the first time in a while. I finally get my breathing under control, and then I lift my head and freeze. Zane’s dad stands a few feet away from me. Next to him is a rough-looking guy I’ve seen before with Zane’s dad. My eyes fall on Zane next. His eyes are on me, but they’re not normal. They’re much brighter than usual, and there’s an eeriness to them. I can only surmise that it’s his wolf’s presence I’m seeing. Add to that, Zane is standing unnaturally still, his eyes trained on me.
“Evie,” Zane’s father’s deep voice fills the air. “Are you okay?” He doesn’t move any closer to me, and I find myself grateful for that. I nod, unsure what to say. “Can you tell me what happened?” he asks in such a gentle voice, my eyes tear up.
I glance at Zane, who still hasn’t moved...not even to blink. “Is he okay?” I whisper.
Zane’s father nods definitively. “He is. I’m keeping him under my control right now, so he doesn’t come to you.” I watch as Zane flinches and takes a small step forward.
“Are you sure?” I can’t help but ask.
Zane’s father nods. “Well, he’s a little strong.” I only then notice the drop of sweat that drips down his face, and I wonder at how much work it takes to contain Zane.
My voice is soft when I respond. “You don’t have to keep him away from me.”
“Are you sure?” he asks. I’m certain he would keep Zane that way all day if he had to, and that means the world to me.
“Yes. I’m not afraid of him; Zane would never hurt me.”
Zane’s father’s face softens. “No, he wouldn’t, Honey. He would rather die first; his wolf too.”
I know the exact moment Zane’s dad releases his hold on him. Zane jerks and glares at his father before his eyes snap to mine. He takes a step forward but doesn’t come any closer. I want him to hold me, but I’m also scared what happened earlierwill happen again. I meet Zane’s intense green eyes. “What happened?”
Chapter 51
Evie
“That’s what I was going to ask you?” he says in a gruff voice, that I’m beginning to realize has something to do with his wolf.
“Evie,” Zane’s dad begins. “Were you overwhelmed with emotion? Too much to handle?”
My eyes widen, even as I nod. “Y-yes.”
He nods, unsurprised. “I thought maybe that’s what happened.” Zane turns to him in confusion. Zane’s father reaches out and clasps Zane on the shoulder. “She accepted you. It opened the bond between you two, but she doesn’t know how to shield against it. It was too much too fast, and it overwhelmed her and basically shut her brain down.” Zane looks at me with what looks like hope before it dissolves instantly.
“What did you do?” he growls at his dad.
“Calm yourself, Son. I only put a temporary pause on the flow, so that she wasn’t in pain. If she searches deep enough, she’ll still find the connection. It’s just much less. Once she learns how to handle it, we can let it flow again.”
I take in his words and search inside myself for that feeling I felt only minutes ago that was so debilitating. I’m scared of finding it, but I only find a trickle this time. I close my eyes as I feel that trickle of Zane’s love for me flow through me. I meet his eyes. “I feel it. I feel your...love.” My voice breaks on the last word. His eyes meet mine, and I see the desperation in his.
“Can I hold you?” he asks.
I nod, feeling much more in control now. He covers the distance between us in two strides and takes me into his arms.His hold is so gentle, it brings tears to my eyes. “I’m sorry,” he says so softly. “I never want to hurt you. I’ll help you; we’ll figure it out. I don’t want to ever see you in pain like that again.” His large hand strokes up and down my spine, grounding me.
“We’re going to leave, Son,” Zane’s father calls out.
I’d kind of forgotten they were there. Zane nods, and his father approaches us. He puts a hand on Zane’s shoulder. “Just keep a tight hold on your emotions until you train her how to shield against them. Eventually, she will accept it, and it will simply become part of her. For now, train her how to let it flow into her without overwhelming her.”
Zane nods. “I will. Thanks, Dad.” His dad pats him on the shoulder again before looking at me.
“Zane will teach you how to handle it. You’ll be okay, Honey.”
“Thank you,” I say softly. He smiles at me and pats my shoulder.
“Don’t be a stranger,” he says to Zane. Then he and the other guy walk away, leaving Zane and I alone. After a few more minutes of Zane holding me, he pulls back.
“How are you feeling?”
