Chapter 17 One Week
Every sound around me disappeared instantly.
Slowly… I turned back toward him.
My voice came out shocked. “What did you say?”
Brennan studied my face carefully before answering. “I knew Cole.”
My heart skipped painfully. “You’re lying.”
“I’m not.”
I could feel my heart beat increasing.
Brennan pushed himself away from the railing slowly. “I know things about your brother nobody else here does.” His gaze sharpened slightly. “And I can help you find answers.”
I stared at him carefully now, trying to figure out if this was some kind of manipulation.
Maybe it was, but the second he mentioned Cole… I couldn’t walk away anymore.
“What do you want in return?” I focused my attention.”
His expression darkened slightly. “I want you to give Zarek a reason to live again.”
Confusion immediately crossed my face. “What?”
“You heard me.”
I shook my head slightly. “What does that even mean?”
For the first time since this conversation started, something emotional flickered briefly across his expression, like pain but it was gone almost immediately.
“Make him fall in love with you.”
I stared at him like he’d completely lost his mind. “You’re insane.”
“You have one week.”
A cold chill slowly crawled down my spine. “What happens after one week?”
His eyes met mine directly. “If you fail,” he came closer, “you’ll regret ever stepping foot inside this pack.”
I took a small step backward instinctively. “Why are you doing this?”
“Because unlike everyone else here,” he replied calmly, “I actually know what happens if Zarek loses himself completely.”
I swallowed hard. “Why me?”
“Because you’re already affecting him.”
“No, I’m not.”
“You are.” His voice sharpened slightly. “And whether you realize it or not, you may be the only thing stopping this entire pack from collapsing.”
That sounded ridiculous.
I shook my head quickly. “No. Absolutely not.”
Brennan eyes pierced directly through me like he could read me. “If you tell Zarek about this conversation,” he interrupted quietly, “You won’t like the outcome.”
My wolf growled low inside me.
I lifted my chin slightly despite the fear creeping into my chest. “What if I say no?”
His expression remained unreadable.
“I already told you what happens.”
The wind blew harder between us.
Then Brennan delivered the final blow calmly. “If I were you,” he murmured, “I’d accept the deal.”
His eyes darkened slightly. “Especially if you truly want answers about your brother… your family… and where you really came from.”
My breathing stopped for half a second.
…
By the time I made it back to the Alpha house, my head felt too heavy for my body.
Brennan’s words kept replaying inside my mind over and over again.
Make him fall in love with you.
The thought alone sounded insane and somehow… sad.
I climbed the staircase slowly. The hallway lights glowed dimly as I reached the room.
The moment I pushed open the door, I froze.
Zarek sat against the headboard of the bed, shirtless. My brain stopped functioning immediately.
His dark hair was slightly damp like he had just showered, water still glistening faintly along his shoulders and chest beneath the soft room lighting.
He looked up the moment I entered.
I cleared my throat quickly and turned my face away before he noticed my cheeks heating up.
“I can come back later.”
One corner of his mouth lifted faintly. “Why?”
Because your existence is suddenly stressful. I wanted to badly say this but I didn’t.
“I just…” I gestured vaguely toward him. “You’re… shirtless.”
His gaze dropped briefly toward himself before returning to me calmly. “That’s usually how people sleep.”
“That doesn’t make it less shocking.”
A quiet low chuckle left him.
Unfortunately, that somehow made things worse.
“Where were you?”
Something inside me tightened slightly at the question. Brennan’s warning flashed through my mind instantly.
If you tell Zarek about this conversation, you’ll regret it.
I forced myself to stay calm. “Walking.”
His eyes stayed on me carefully. “At this time?”
I shrugged lightly, trying to act casual. “I felt bored.”
Silence stretched briefly between us.
Then unexpectedly, his expression shifted slightly softer. “I’m sorry.”
That caught me off guard enough that I looked back at him properly. “For what?”
“Our last conversation.”
Oh.
I stayed quiet for a second before slowly walking farther into the room.
“It’s fine,” I murmured.
“No,” he replied immediately. “It wasn’t.”
Something about hearing Zarek apologize felt strangely unreal.
I sat carefully on the edge of the bed beside him, though not too close.
Then he spoke again. “You were right.”
I looked at him carefully. “You actually admitted that willingly?”
“I can still change my mind.”
I smiled slightly.
His gaze shifted toward me briefly. That look again. Intense enough to make me suddenly aware of how close we were sitting.
I looked away first.
“So…” I murmured quietly, trying to distract myself. “What’s really happening in this pack?”
His expression hardened slightly almost immediately.
“You wouldn’t understand.”
“That’s becoming your favorite sentence.”
“Because it’s true.”
I frowned slightly. “Then explain it to me.”
He stayed silent for a second before leaning back against the headboard.
“The race isn’t just a race.” He began.
“I figured that much.”
His eyes lifted toward the ceiling briefly before returning to me.
“Territories between packs are controlled through agreements,” he explained calmly. “Trade routes. borders. influence. Resources.”
I listened quietly.
“When direct war becomes too costly,” he continued, “packs settle disputes through competition instead.”
“The races.”
He nodded gently. “Winning strengthens authority. Losing weakens it.” His jaw tightened slightly. “And weakness attracts enemies.”
Suddenly everything made a lot more sense. “That’s why everyone’s panicking.”
“Yes.”
“And the rival pack?” I was invested in the conversation.
“They want our territory.”
I looked at him. “And if you lose?”
His eyes darkened slightly. “We won’t.”
That answer sounded less like confidence and more like a promise.
I changed the conversation. “About the job.”
A faint amusement flickered briefly across his expression. “You’re really serious about that.”
“I told you I don’t want to sit around uselessly all day.”
“You won’t.”
I folded my legs beneath me slightly while facing him more properly now. “Kieran mentioned something about race coordination?”
Zarek nodded slowly. “You’ll mostly assist with internal organization.”
“That sounds suspiciously complicated.”
“It’s not.”
“You’re lying.”
A faint smirk touched his lips again. I hated how distracting that was becoming.
“You’ll handle schedules,” he explained to me. “And some other race stuff..”
I blinked slowly. “That still sounds complicated.”
“You’ll learn.”
Then I remembered another important detail. “Lena’s going to be there too, right?”
His expression shifted slightly. “Yes.”
I sighed tiredly. “She hates me.”
“She doesn’t hate you.”
“She literally threatened to remove me from existence during breakfast.”
“That’s just Lena.”
I stared at him. “That sentence is concerning.”
He actually laughed softly this time. “She won’t bite.”
“How comforting.”
“She respects competence.”
I huffed. “Was that your way of indirectly calling me incompetent?”
“No,” he denied. “That was me giving you a heads up.”
I grabbed one of the pillows beside me and threw it at him immediately.
He caught it easily without even looking surprised.