CHAPTER 3: THE DISTANCE BETWEEN US

Zara’s POV

“Come to my office, princess,” Dy mindlinked, and I was there in seconds, my vampire speed slicing through the corridors.

“Dy!” I beamed, throwing myself into his arms. My Alpha-daddy was always warm and reassuring when he wasn't in Alpha mode. Dad teased him constantly, and I adored their banter—it made me yearn for something that felt just as safe and true. A real mate bond. A love like theirs.

“I’ve got a mission for you,” Dy said, voice serious now. “Tomorrow night. Northern frontier.”

My smile faltered. “That’s rogue territory, isn’t it?”

“Worse,” he said grimly. “Illegal activity. Arms, wolfsbane, drugs. Possibly a trap. The cave behind the waterfall is a suspected hideout. But the lack of movement has me uneasy.”

“So… shoot at sight?” I asked, my tone sharpening.

He nodded. “Eliminate anything that endangers innocents.”

We walked to the dining hall, but I froze when I saw him.

Jax.

He sat at the far end, laughing with Ty and Kai, looking devastatingly good—and then his whole demeanor changed the moment he sensed me. His eyes snapped to mine, unreadable as ever. Then he stood and walked away.

Coward.

I was at his door before he could shut it, slipping through the gap with a whisper of air and slamming it behind me. I caged him with my arms, his back to the wood.

“What the hell, Zara?” he growled. “Get out of my room.”

“What’s your problem, huh? With all due respect, Uncle Jax—why do you hate me so much? What the hell are you hiding?” I demanded, staring straight into his eyes.

For a moment, there was silence. Just the sound of our breathing, ragged, strained. His body was tense. So was mine. Something unspoken hung in the air between us.

Then he snapped.

“Did I not make it clear enough that your existence means nothing to me? I couldn’t care less where you go or what you do,” he bit out coldly. “Stay away from me.”

“You say that, but your eyes tell a different story,” I challenged, stepping closer, refusing to back down.

“It’s Uncle Jax, and stop this nonsense before I throw you out myself.”

“Tch tch. The mighty Alpha is flustered,” I teased darkly, then leaned in and whispered, “Then make me leave.”

His eyes darkened.

“Is that how you tempted that football captain while spreading your legs for others?” he sneered.

I blinked. Then I slapped him—hard.

“Jealous, are we?” I spat, shaking with fury.

“You wish, baby girl,” he smirked and tried to sidestep me. I shoved him hard onto the bed and straddled him before he could blink.

He looked up at me, that familiar flicker of something—longing? fury?—crossing his face. I leaned in.

“I wish you weren’t such a jerk,” I whispered against his ear, my voice trembling. “Maybe then I could’ve truly loved you without all this pain.”

“Once a whore, always a whore,” he hissed, turning his face away.

“Once a jerk, always a jerk!” I shouted back and slammed my fists against his chest. “I HATE YOU! I wish you’d just disappear. Or maybe I should. Because I don’t deserve to be treated like this!”

“Finally. Something we agree on,” he said bitterly and suddenly flipped us, pinning me beneath him.

His weight, his scent, his nearness—it all ignited something inside me. Something I couldn’t smother even if I tried.

“You think you’ve broken me, Jax?” I laughed humorlessly, pushing back tears. “I’ll move on. I’ll find my mate in five days and forget your name. You’ll mean nothing.”

He stilled. His body trembled slightly.

I watched his hands curl into fists beside me.

Suddenly, he jerked back.

“KAI!” Jax’s voice cracked, primal and ragged. “HELP ME!”

The door exploded open and in the same instant, Jax shifted into his massive silver wolf—too fast, too violently. He growled, low and feral, eyes glowing with a maddening rage.

Dy shifted instantly, launching across the room as his black wolf collided with Jax’s. They tumbled in a blur of fur and snarls, fighting for control.

“GET OUT, PRINCESS!” Dy’s voice tore through my mind in a hard Alpha-command, and I obeyed. No questions. No hesitation. That’s how I was raised.

As I sprinted away, Ty’s footsteps thundered up the stairs. Behind me, Jax’s wolf released a bone-chilling howl that echoed through the halls—and then… silence.

I slammed my door shut behind me and collapsed against it, chest heaving, eyes burning.

What have I done?

Now everyone would know.

Know that I was in love with the one man I couldn’t have. That he didn’t want me. That he was disgusted by me.

I pressed my hands against my mouth, trying to stop the sobs, but they broke through anyway. Loud, aching sobs that wracked my body.

Why am I so weak?

I hated this pain. Hated him. Hated myself.

But I was done breaking.

My parents raised me to be fierce. To fight. To never settle for less than what I deserved.

I swear, I will give my mate every ounce of the love I have.

And Jax Stone?

You made me bitter. You turned me cold. And if you ever come crawling back…

I’ll remind you just how replaceable you really are.