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Dillon’s POV My leg bounced nervously in my seat as the plane touched down in Ashmouth. Despite the fact that I was a Gamma, a fierce warrior, butterflies fluttered in my stomach as I considered what I was about to do. Zoe didn’t know I was coming and I knew there was a chance she would refuse to see me. I never asked for time off so the Alphas were a little surprised when I’d told them I needed to leave town for a few days. They didn’t hesitate to agree though. Under my leadership, security was a well-oiled machine, And Derek, my second-in-command, had everything well in hand. So here I was, about to lay my heart on the line for the girl who’d already stomped on it more times than I could count. If that made me a fool, oh well. I would be a fool for her any damn day of the week. I grabbed my carry-on from the overhead bin as soon as the plane doors were open. I had no idea if I would be here for a few hours or a few days but I always traveled light. It made it easy to head str
Dillon’s POV “What is this place anyway?” I asked, risking the wrath of a clearly still fuming Zoe. “It’s where we keep our research samples.” She answered bluntly, the scowl never leaving her face. “Ooh-kay. Then why do they have it locked down tighter than Fort Knox?” I ventured another question. Zoe huffed, exasperation a mild term for her current attitude. She ran her fingers through her hair a few times while she contemplated even bothering to answer me. I slumped down on the floor beside her, stuffing my hands in my pockets to ward off the urge to touch her silky locks myself. “Medical research is tightly regulated. Any loss, damage, or mix-up with samples could set a study back years. That’s a lot of time and money lost, not to mention the consequences for patients whose lives might depend on the treatments being developed.” “Makes sense when you put it that way.” I acknowledged. “I was fortunate to even be allowed back here. It was a privilege Dr. Knolls trusted m
Zoe’s POV It was happening again. No matter how hard I tried to maintain a safe distance between us, to keep the stone walls solidly in place around my heart, he always managed to find a way through. And fuck was this ever worth it! I moaned as Dillon’s tongue found mine, massaging it softly as his hands gently roamed over my curves. But Dillon wasn’t gentle. He’d proven that several times over the night he’d fucked me into the next week, driving my body to heights I didn’t know were possible to reach. So no, Dillon wasn’t gentle and if it wasn’t the real him, then I didn’t want it. I wove my fingers through his soft, dark curls and yanked hard. Dillon groaned in pleasure as I pulled his head back and grazed my teeth down his neck. “I love it when you’re feisty, baby doll.” He murmured in that deep, sexy tone that made my toes curl. “And I love it when you don't treat me like a fragile doll. Fuck me like you mean it Dillon or not at all.” I chided, pulling back to meet his gorg
Zoe’s POV Mattias stepped aside to let Dillon and I out of the sample storage room then closed the door behind us. Silence enveloped us, none of us willing to address the elephant in the room, or should I say “in the air” in the form of Dillon’s scent all over me. I decided it was up to me to end the awkward stalemate. “What made you come to the lab this late, Matti?” I wondered. “I was looking for you! You were supposed to come back to study after work, remember?” I nodded at the reminder. “Then this guy came around asking for you, claiming to be some long lost boyfriend you never mentioned. I was worried about you.” I narrowed my eyes, sending Dillon a death glare but he just shrugged it off, looking utterly pleased with himself. “Like I said, boyfriend, “ He pointed at himself smugly, “not your job to be worried about her. It’s mine!” “Dillon! Be nice!” I scolded. “If it weren’t for Matti, we’d still be stuck in there. “I didn’t mind. I was actually enjoying myself.” He lean
Dillon’s POV I couldn’t drag my eyes away from the sleeping angel next to me. Every rational bone in my body screamed that she shouldn’t be here with me right now. It wasn’t safe. But love wasn’t rational, and fuck if I wasn’t stoked to have her close to me. Loving Zoe had been a constant pastime for two years before our bond snapped in. And for me. that love never wavered, despite our contentious relationship and my questionable choices. But as deeply profound as those emotions were, they paled in comparison to what I felt for her now. Back then, her addictive scent was nothing more than a faint trace in the wind compared to the irresistible floral bouquet that taunted me now. Back then, I hadn’t known what she tasted like, all peaches and cream with a hint of brown sugar. I hadn’t known what it felt like to touch her, her soft skin gliding like silk under my hand. I knew all those things now, and there was no going back. “Mmm, Dillon.” Zoe’s breathy voice purred in her sleep
Zoe’s POV “Stay in the car, Zoe!” Cinna warned as I reached for the door handle. “Mate said to stay in the car!” “I never was very good at following orders. Just ask my brother.” I mouthed back, stepping out onto the curb and closing the door as quietly as possible. Dillon and I weren’t marked so I couldn’t tell if he was hurt or not. But I still had my woman’s intuition and it was practically screaming that something wasn’t right. If Dillon was in trouble, I couldn’t sit back and do nothing. I would just have to deal with his mantrum later. I followed the path he’d taken around the building, creeping slowly. Looking around for a makeshift weapon, I picked up a jagged piece of wood I found lying around. It would have to do because even I wasn’t foolhardy enough to go in there empty-handed. A melted door hung open a few feet away, telling me that’s how Dillon must have entered. But as soon as I reached it, voices drifted my way. “Since you obviously know nothing of value, your on
Dillon’s POV The months flew by. Week after week of chasing dead ends across the country. Every time I thought I might sneak away to spend time with my mate, another lead would pop up out of nowhere and I would have to take off again. It would be worth it if said leads actually produced something useful, but they never did. Zoe and I texted occasionally and managed to squeeze in a rare phone call but our contact was few and far between. We had no idea what the Dark Fae might know about us or the technology they possessed so staying off the radar was paramount if we ever hoped to find them. A task that seemed more and more hopeless as time passed. I wanted to believe Zoe understood my need for radio silence and the reason I couldn’t contact her. But more and more it felt like she was pulling away. And who could blame her? I hadn’t exactly been the model mate from the beginning. And now I was barely a mate at all. “What is that sour, brooding look for?” Derek jibed, breaking the sp
Zoe’s POV I cried the day Dillon took me back to university and drove away from me. I had cried the day I walked away from him without a word, boarding a plane to Ashmouth, and I cried the day he left me there again. I finally let myself feel the horror of seeing my mate almost murdered before my eyes. I also took the time to let the reality of my near death experience sink in. And again, more tears. But mostly, I cried because something about the way he left felt so final. When Dillon and I first recognized our bond, I rebelled against the idea of being his mate with every fiber of my being. I couldn’t fathom a day would come when I would actually trust him with my heart again. But now? Now I was beginning to suspect there might never be anything in life I wanted more. That thought terrified me. Because just as I was starting to believe we might have a future together, one filled with sizzling kisses, soft caresses, and the comfort of my mate’s arms, a future where Dillon looked