Chapter 15

Zane’s POV

It was just past two in the morning when sleep finally slipped through my fingers.

I turned over in my bed, eyes staring blankly at the ceiling. The moonlight filtered through the thin curtains, casting eerie shadows that twisted in the silence. My thoughts were a mess, and I couldn’t ignore the restlessness gnawing at me.

I needed to move.

Without thinking, I threw off the covers and slid out of bed, bare feet pressing against the cool floor. The house was quiet, still, as if everyone had long since fallen into their own world of sleep. The sounds of the night outside beckoned me — the wind rustling through the trees, the faint chirping of crickets. It would be good to get a run in, clear my mind.

I almost shifted, but the thought of being seen as a threat by this pack was enough to keep me grounded. I couldn’t risk it. Not yet. Not until I figured out what Alpha Gregory was really up to.

So, I walked.

The stairwell creaked under my weight, and I winced, hoping not to wake anyone. As I reached the main floor, I found myself drifting toward the back door, the garden calling to me, but something stopped me.

A scent.

A sweet, citrusy fragrance. Freesia. Light and delicate, but sharp enough to catch my attention. It wasn’t until my feet were already moving in the direction of it that I realized I had no idea where I was going. The hallway opened up into the kitchen, and I froze.

There, in the glow of the open fridge, stood a figure. Small. Fragile. She didn’t notice me at first, her attention fully absorbed in the shelves before her. She couldn’t have been much older than fifteen, sixteen at most.

I stalked forward, the tension in my chest building with every step. Something about her — her scent, her presence — called to me, pulled me in.

I was just a breath away when she turned suddenly, and her eyes locked with mine. They widened, and her body went rigid.

Her reaction was instantaneous, a mix of surprise and fear. She recognized me.

Great.

Her name was Mabel, I remembered. The girl who had interrupted my time with Lydia earlier. That little scene hadn’t gone unnoticed.

She cursed under her breath, but I barely heard her over the thudding of my pulse. I could feel the heat of her body from where I stood, but my eyes were fixed on the bruise beneath her left eye, the cut on her lip. There was something about her that didn’t sit right.

I stepped forward, closing the distance between us.

Her breath hitched. “I’m sorry...” she muttered, voice shaking, but I wasn’t sure if she was talking to me or to herself.

I didn’t know what was worse — the fact that she was trying to apologize, or that I could sense she was terrified of me. And that wasn’t even the worst of it. It wasn’t just fear; it was the desperation in her eyes that caught me off guard.

“Sorry for what?” I asked, the words coming out sharper than I intended. Why was she avoiding me?

She took a small step back, but I didn’t let her. I blocked her path instinctively, my gaze sharpening as I studied her.

“I was just... looking for something to eat,” she stammered, avoiding eye contact, her voice barely a whisper. “I’ll leave now. Please, excuse me.”

My gaze flicked over her again, my eyes narrowing as I took in the dark marks on her neck. Finger-shaped bruises. It was a detail that didn’t slip by unnoticed.

My blood boiled.

I grabbed her chin gently, but even the softest touch set my senses on fire. The spark of recognition hit me in a rush. Mate.

I forced myself to look past the rush of adrenaline, to focus. She wasn’t just any girl. She was mine.

But there was more.

I could feel her pulse racing under my fingers, and I didn’t need to be a wolf to understand the panic in her. Her bruises. The marks on her neck.

“Who did this to you?” I demanded, my voice low, dangerous.

Mabel flinched. She wouldn’t answer me. I could see it in her eyes — the hesitation, the fear that if she told me, it would only make things worse. I’d seen it before. She was used to people turning a blind eye. She had no reason to trust me.

“Nothing happened. Please. I can leave,” she whispered, her shoulders slumping as she tried to pull away.

I wasn’t having it.

“No.” I gripped her shoulder, my other hand now cupping her chin, forcing her to meet my gaze.

I wasn’t going to let it go. Not when she looked like this. Not when I could feel the pull of my wolf fighting to break free. I needed answers.

“Tell me,” I pressed again, my voice harder. The rage in me was growing, but so was the overwhelming need to protect her.

Mabel’s lips trembled. She opened her mouth, but no words came out.

I softened, if only just a little. I didn’t want to scare her.

She shook her head, tears welling up in her eyes. “I fell.”

I didn’t buy it. I could see the lies written in the tremble of her voice.

It wasn’t a fall. And she knew I wasn’t buying it either.

But she wouldn’t speak. She couldn’t.

“Don’t lie to me,” I growled softly, but the moment the words left my lips, I saw her flinch.

I closed my eyes for a moment, gathering myself. My wolf wanted to rip apart the pack that had hurt her, but I couldn’t do that. Not yet. Not without knowing the truth.

She was mine. And I’d do whatever it took to keep her safe.

“Why won’t you trust me?” I asked, voice much softer this time.

“I’m not like the others,” I added quietly, trying to assure her. But even I knew it was a hard promise to keep.

She said nothing.

With a resigned sigh, I released her. She took a step back, her body trembling, and in that instant, I realized I’d lost her.

She turned and walked away, disappearing into the dark corners of the kitchen before I could say another word.

I stared after her, frustration building within me. My wolf was agitated, but I couldn’t let my emotions control me.

I didn’t notice how long I stood there before I finally shook myself out of the daze.

She was gone.

But the scent of freesia lingered, drawing me like a magnet. I followed the trail outside, toward the garden, needing to find her. I had to know if she was okay. If she was really okay.

My instincts told me something was wrong.

And I wasn’t going to stop until I figured out what it was.