Zane's POV
I threw a glance down at myself and--- yeah, I was naked! I’d shifted and it had destroyed my clothes, but werewolves weren’t uncomfortable with nudity. I’d almost forgotten that humans tended to be shy about stuff like that. I hadn’t counted her as one of those people since---
“You kissed me!” I exclaimed, wondering if that was something she did for kicks a lot. And why the hell that pissed me AND my wolf off…
“To shut you up, because you were being an annoying prick,” she exclaimed, her back still turned. “Which only reaffirmed why I don’t want to see your dick!”
Oh…?
I was an annoying prick now, was I?
I had no idea where the urge came from, but I just wanted to mess with this female. Hell, if I got to piss her off as badly as she’d pissed me off, I would count it as a win!
And I knew exac
Zane’s POVA little more careful this time, I forced myself back up, keeping the weight off my foot. Damn it! Either my wolf wasn’t healing it at all, or I’d been more seriously injured than I’d originally thought. Which meant I was stuck here – for now…A problem for another day!For now, the scent of dinner was calling my name. Carefully, I hopped/wabbled over to a chair and leaned on it for support. However, when my dick made contact with the cold wood, I was once again made aware of my nakedness. Personally, I didn’t care, but I had a feeling that if Arella came back and saw my junk out in the open, she’d beat me with that infuriating spatula of hers.Sighing, I reached for the blanket she’d put around me before and, with a few ties and knots, I had it wrapped around me like a freaking loincloth.“Great,” I huffed--- and silently thanked the goddess tha
Zane's POV“This is amazing,” I exclaimed, not sure if I breathed between the next several scoops. Because not only did it taste divine, but the meat was cooked to perfection! And the grilled vegetables? I’d never in my life before wished there were more greens on my plate, but today was that day!Arella let out a soft chuckle and I looked up, catching a genuine smile on her lips. Not one of her sarcastic ones, but a real one. One that reached her eyes and her cheeks blushed once again.One that made my heart skip a beat…“Is that a compliment, or am I hearing things?” she asked, not meeting my gaze but instead focused on putting an invisible strand of hair behind her ear.And that’s when I realized---Oh, my goddess!I could yell and roar at her, subjugate her to the full force of my alpha aura---But a COMPLIMENT got to her?!A part
Zane’s POV She HAD to be human! Because only humans would ever tolerate music that loud. Seriously?! Who listened to metal rock music from back when it was still being made? And WHY did she have to listen to it with the volume all the way to 100? Hell, I had extremely good hearing and I still couldn’t make out that growling noise the guy was making. Or woman, because I refused to believe that any man could go that high. Suddenly, the room was rendered into silence and the ringing in my ear had me reaching up to try and get rid of the vacuum. “Sorry,” I heard Arella say somewhere far away. “I’m alone most of the time, so---” “What?” I questioned, my ears still ringing so loudly, I could barely hear myself. “Sorry, I think my eardrums have erupted.” And for once, I wasn’t trying to be an ass. I just
Zane's POV“Do you believe in that stuff?” I asked cautiously, trying to look relaxed and not imposing. “Aliens being real and stuff like that?”She looked up, her eyes scanning mine for a moment. The sofa was placed right next to the fireplace and the chair was just on the other side, making us almost sit across from each other. And I knew what she was looking for. Seeing if I was just trying to make fun of her or if I was interested in her answer. Which was why I was trying to seem relaxed. Because a part of me wanted to know HOW rational she was. A part of me was wondering what else she might be able to believe in. To see if she was open to the possibility…“I don’t know,” she replied in the end, shrugging, and returning her gaze to the pages. “I guess there's an equal likelihood of it being real as it’s not.”“What do you mean?” I asked – and yeah, I
Zane's POV“Wh-what?!” I found myself spluttering, my wolf instantly growling at the book as if it just offended him. “You’re--- You’re into tentacle---things?!”Please, goddess, no!I wasn’t sure why the idea appalled me so much. But just thinking about her in that way – not being able to---“No,” she exclaimed and actually had the nerve to laugh at me. “I’m not. But a big, bulky alien with a matching cock and multiple orgasms.” She smiled and winked. “What girl wouldn’t love that?”Well---“If you want multiple orgasms,” I replied with a cocky grin. “I could give you that!” I didn’t know why, but I found that I wanted to rattle her somehow. To have the woman I knew she was, come apart before me. To see her and not the ranger persona she portrayed. I wanted her smiles and laughter.
Zane’s POV“Where are you going?” I asked with a frown early the next morning. The sun had barely been up when I had woken up to the smell of something extremely delicious. Arella was in the kitchen and she’d made some kind of omelet. And while it seemed simple enough, it tasted divine!Seriously!If my tastebuds could, they’d build her a shrine and worship her like a goddess!And what was even more surprising was that I’d actually slept! All night. And felt refreshed this morning. I mean the sofa wasn’t made for someone my size and I had kinks and clicks in places I didn’t even know I had places, but other than that…I’d slept!No nightmare.No waking up in the middle of the night, fighting my wolf for control.No screaming at memories that haunted me…I’d just rested!I realized that it was because my wol
Zane's POVI shook out my fur, loving the feeling of being in my wolf form without feeling like every fiber in my brain was being ripped apart.And perhaps…Perhaps my prayers were being heard? Perhaps I was going to be able to stick around until Cain could take the throne. Until he understood that love was a weakness, that having a mate would only kill him in the end. Perhaps I’d be able to stick around until Eva was mated to someone who could protect her.Perhaps---I took one last look around, wondering if there was something about this place that made my wolf this calm. Or if it was its occupant that had somehow managed to tame my wild wolf. Or if there was some magical component involved.Either way, I wasn’t coming back!I had to go back and do what the king needed to do. I’d just been Zane for a couple of days, and while it had been frustrating at times, I&rsq
Zane's POVMy gaze slowly went around the table. There were my parents, the previous king and queen. Usually, they’d try and make ideal chatter – chatter that my wolf would usually crush with his overwhelming presence that I couldn’t suppress anymore. My twin sister, Serena, and her mate, Bali, were sitting on my left. And no, I didn’t miss the nervous glances they shared.My brother and Beta, Noah, and my two children sat to my right. The clatter of utensils on glass plates was the only sound filling the room. Everyone ate in tense silence. And never before had I felt more suffocated than I did right at that moment. And it wasn’t just my pacing wolf that felt different. He wasn’t just lashing out at everyone, hell he even growled at our Mom, who only glanced in our direction. Worry and fear filled her beautiful green eyes and the weak part of me wanted to reach out and comfort her. But my wolf wouldn’t let me.
Arella’s POVZane looked like I’d just slapped him, the information making his brain melt. He lowered his eyes, staring at the floor’s reflection as if it replayed the past. His hands were clutching his knees as though they were the only things holding him together. His anguish filled the space between us, thick and suffocating, and my heart ached at the sight of him unraveling. When he finally looked up, the pain in his eyes was raw, almost unbearable.“No,” he started, his voice barely above a whisper, as he shook his head. “It’s my fault. I should have---”“I know you think that,” I interrupted gently, leaning forward. “It’s called survivor’s guilt, Zane, and it’s a bitch to deal with. But in the end, it’s all in your head.”“How can you say that?” He snapped, his brow furrowed and confusion flickering across his face. “Hel
Arella's POV“I don’t know if I can!” I replied, desperately grasping onto the pain that had kept me safe for all these years. “You hurt me, Zane! Badly! And repeatedly!”“I’m sorry,” he spoke softly, his fingers brushing against my skin and making sweet sparks erupt up my arm. “I thought I was protecting you.”“And fucking that Omega?” I hissed, hating how it hurt getting those words over my lips. “Just driving the point home?”“I haven’t touched anyone since I met you,” he replied, sounding confused--- and then realization dawned on him. I braced for the inevitable pain of more betrayal and hurt. What I got, however... “One of the Omegas did offer herself to me, but I declined.”I scoffed.“Does that happen a lot?” I asked sarcastically, not believing for a second that nothing happened. He was a man
Arella’s POV“Wh-what?!”Was all I managed to stutter at the mind-blowing confession Zane had just made. A part of me didn’t even believe him. Yeah, it had to be some sort of ploy to get near me again. His wolf needed it so as not to go mad, or something!Still, I couldn’t stop the way my heart fluttered in my chest…“I love you,” he repeated--- and my damn heart skipped another beat! “I’ve been falling in love with you for a long time. That’s why I’ve been acting like a fucking asshole. I’ve been trying to protect you. Trying to convince everyone that you don’t matter to me, because I didn’t want your death on my hands! But apparently, I’ve been doing a crap job of it because people are making bet pools on when I’m going to mate you.”That--- was a lot of information to process!“You’re unbelievable,” I sna
Zane's POVWalking over, I checked my wolf, knowing that the beast always reacted badly when talking about the past. And sure enough, he was snarling at the air, as if the memories haunting him were physically hurting him. Hoping to calm him just a little, I took a deep breath, filling my lungs with my angel’s scent. The snarling stopped, but he remained on edge – good enough for now...“It was a year ago,” I began, sitting across from Arella, but finding it hard to remain still. “Some--- rogues… They---they somehow managed to pass the border patrol. Helena and Eva were out in the field that day, having a picnic, when--- when they swarmed the area. They managed to take Eva.”“They kidnapped her?” Arella gasped, horrified.I nodded, remembering the day like a weird nightmare. Everything had been so wrong. The sun had been shining and Noah had cracked some lame joke. Selena and our pare
Zane’s POVI paused outside the banquet hall, taking in a deep breath to calm my nerves. I had so much shit to make up for, I knew I was up shit’s creek without a paddle. Hell, at this point I was pretty sure the whole boat was gone!My wolf made a weird sound, which sounded a lot like approval. Making an internal check, I realized that the beast was calmer now, taking in her scent that was saturated in that area. He even made a contented purr, wagging his tail like a freaking puppy. I could even let down the mental barrier between us, and he just stood there, urging me to go to her…Bizarre beast!I carefully opened the door--- and had to stifle a gasp when I saw the inside. The hall was alive with color and the soft buzz of preparation. Streamers, balloons, and floral arrangements covered every surface, their cheerful vibrancy bringing life to an otherwise old and traditional wall decor. There were tables set up with
Zane's POVMy head snapped up, and he quickly explained: “They searched, but they didn’t think of looking beyond their borders. And the second girl told her friends she was surprising her family who lives in another pack. They even got a couple of messages from her, keeping them updated on her journey. They only got suspicions when the warning had come out to the packs, since she fit the description. So they contacted her family directly. She never showed up.”More bad news...“And her phone?” I asked, scrolling through the information that I already knew by heart. “If she kept messaging the family after she was taken it’s safe to assume that it’s her kidnappers who have her phone.”Noah nodded his agreement.“We’ve been trying to track it, but the signal jumps between cell towers, making it impossible to pin down,” he sighed in frustration. “Whoever is d
Zane’s POVThe next couple of days felt like they lasted a lifetime! The days had dragged on, stretching like an eternity as I struggled to keep myself together. Every moment apart from Arella felt like a punishment, like I was carving pieces of myself away. But I had to do it.For her.This is for her own protection, damn it! I kept repeating that to myself, even as my wolf thrashed against my barriers, demanding her presence, her touch. He didn’t understand—hell, sometimes I didn’t understand—why I couldn’t go to her. But I knew. If THEY realized how fucking much she meant to me, they’d target her, she’d be next. And I wouldn’t survive that.She had called me selfish...If she only knew how fucking painful this was, she wouldn’t be calling me selfish. My wolf was howling and raging against my mental barriers, tearing me up from the inside. His intense o
Arella's POVHe hissed the words, and I felt his pain deep in my soul. He grabbed my shoulders and pushed me back until my spine hit the wall. The sparks erupted across my skin, making me shudder despite my anger. With every breath, our bodies rubbed up against each other, making me have to stifle a moan. I hated how my body reacted to him, but I couldn’t help it. He was everything I wanted, and I had to physically hold myself back not to climb him like a tree and---“I’ve tried, okay? I tried letting you go, but I always come back to you.” He loomed over me, his voice a raw growl. “I’m a selfish prick—just like you said—because I can’t let you go! Even if that means---” His voice broke off and clarity returned to his eyes. He turned away, his words crashed over me like a wave, leaving me breathless.What the---?! He stepped back, raking his hands through his hair. His
Arella’s POVI stormed down the corridor, my footsteps echoing in the stillness of the palace as guards and servants dived out of sight, not about to get caught in this drama. My chest burned with a volatile mix of rage and hurt, each pounding beat of my heart driving the insult deeper. Mistress! He had the nerve to ask me to be his mistress. The word itself made my stomach churn and a growl slipped between my clenched teeth as my wolf howled out her outrage.What in god’s name had possessed him to ask me that?!I pushed through the winding halls toward my room, my fists clenched tightly at my sides. My mind was a whirlwind of thoughts and memories. Had I seriously given him the impression that I was that kind of person? Sure, no hate to whoever made their living like that and I could make several arguments about why I thought it should be legalized. But it wasn’t for me! So what in the ever-l