Chapter 40 40
Kent’s POV
I stepped into Zane’s study. He stood by the fireplace, his back straightened as if he’d been waiting for me. The room felt colder than I remembered, despite the fire burning in the fireplace.
“Hey, Alpha,” I greeted casually, hoping to lighten up the mood because a lot of things seemed to have happened when I was away.
Zane didn't turn around. “Cut the bullshit, Kent.”
I raised an eyebrow, smirking to myself. Same old Zane always to the point, especially when things were complicated. I couldn’t blame him. He had a lot on his plate, and I’d been gone for weeks.
“Take it easy on me, man,” I said, settling into the chair across from his desk. “I’m just coming back from burying my mate in her hometown.”
Zane finally turned to face me, his eyes softening for a moment, and I could see the genuine regret there. “I’m sorry, Kent,” he said, his voice low. “I didn’t mean to ”
“It’s alright,” I cut in, waving it off. “ It’s sad, but it’s over now. She died of that damn disease. The goddess wasn’t fair to her.” I tried to shrug it off, but the pang of loss was still fresh.
“Anyway, that’s done and dusted.” I leaned forward, eager to change the subject. “ But speaking of mates... Who was that beauty earlier? The one you called your mate?”
Zane’s jaw tightened, his eyes staring at me. He ran a hand through his hair, clearly uncomfortable with the topic. “That’s Scarlett.”
“Scarlett?” I repeated, raising an eyebrow.
Zane gave a small nod, crossing his arms. “Yeah... Long story, but she’s my mate. And she has the goddess mark.”
“No way,” I said, disbelief coloring my voice. “Another mate? And the goddess mark. Fuck. You got to be kidding me.”
“I wish I were,” Zane muttered, his gaze shifting to the window as if looking for answers out there. “ But it’s real. The mate bonds with her. It’s strong, Kent. Stronger than I expected.”
I let out a low whistle. “Stronger than with Rhylie?”
Zane’s eyes stared back at me, a shadow crossing his face. “It’s... complicated. Rhylie is my first mate, and we’ve been through a lot. But the bond with Scarlett... it pulls at me. It’s like something I can’t control, even if I wanted to.”
“Didn’t look like you were fighting it when you took Scarlett’s side earlier,” I pointed out, leaning back in my chair. “I mean, you straight-up defended her in front of Rhylie. That’s not exactly ‘handling both’ in my book.”
Zane clenched his fists at his sides, his jaw tightening. “I was furious. Rhylie had no right to raise her hand against Scarlett. No matter what’s going on, that was way out of line.”
I stared at him for a moment, the pressure clear in every bit of his body. He was a man torn between the curse and now two mates, it was hard dealing with both.
Zane sighed heavily, his shoulders slumping slightly as he finally took a seat behind his desk. “Like I said, it’s complicated. I had a deal with Scarlett.”
“A deal?” I repeated, leaning forward, intrigued. “What kind of deal?”
“She was betrayed by her former mate Rand and her cousin,” Zane explained, his voice growing colder with each word. “She wants revenge, and I agreed to help her get it. In return, she helps me break the curse that’s been plaguing my pack for years.”
I sat back, Taking in the information. “So, you’re helping her with revenge, and she’s helping you with the curse. And once the deal’s done... what? You both just go your separate ways?”
Zane hesitated, his eyes dropping to the floor. For the first time, I saw real uncertainty in his eyes. “I... I don’t know. I haven’t thought that far yet. But she’ll likely reject me, or I’ll reject her once we’ve both gotten what we want.”
I raised an eyebrow, my curiosity piqued. “Reject her? After everything?”
“It doesn't look like she wants to stay, and she's the first Alpha of her pack, and I think it's best if we go our separate ways, ” Zane said, but I could still see the uncertainty in his eyes.
“Well, however, this turns out,” I said, standing up and stretching my arms, “Your best friend and beta are here to support you. No matter what.”
Zane looked up at me, a small but genuine smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “Thanks, Kent. It’s good to have you back.”
I nodded. “Glad to be back, but don’t expect me to dive into paperwork just yet,” I said with a grin as I made my way to the door.
Zane smirked. “You’ll have your grace day. Enjoy it while you can.”
I gave him a mock salute as I left the study, but as I walked down the corridor, my thoughts returned to Scarlett.
Zane’s POV
As the door closed behind Kent, I leaned back in my chair, my mind thinking of everything that had just been said. The mate bond with Scarlett, Rhylie’s outburst, and Kent’s return, I was glad to have Kent back, it has been hell working without my beta.
“You’re thinking about rejecting her,” Dalton growled in the back of my mind, his presence in my head was beginning to annoy me these days, especially with his ‘Scarlett this, Scarlett that’ “Don’t even consider it.”
I clenched my jaw, shutting him out. I wasn’t ready to deal with Dalton’s nagging today. The bond with Scarlett was already messing with my head, pulling me in directions I wasn’t sure I wanted to go.
But Dalton wasn’t wrong. The idea of rejecting her, of severing the bond after everything. It didn’t sit well with me.
But I couldn’t afford to think about that right now. There were too many other things at play: the curse, Rhylie, the pack. And Scarlett.
I rubbed my temples, the pressure building behind my eyes. For now, I had to focus on what was in front of me. The curse needed to be broken, and Scarlett was the key to that. No matter what else happened, that had to be my priority.
Kent’s POV
I made my way down the corridor, heading back to my quarters, my thoughts were a tangled mess. Scarlett. She was beautiful, yes. But there was more to it than that.
There was a strength in her, a fire that had shone the moment I saw her standing up to Rhylie. She wasn’t like the others. She was... different.
I shook my head, trying to push the thoughts away. It didn’t matter. Scarlett was Zane’s mate. I caught sight of her up ahead, standing by the window, staring out into the night.
‘She’s indeed beautiful, I thought to myself, my heart pounding faster than I wanted to admit. Wouldn’t be a bad idea to make her mine.
“You wish,” Lucas, my wolf scoffed in the back of my mind, his voice filled with sarcasm. “She's Zane’s mate,”
“I know,” I muttered, pushing Lucas’s voice aside. But as I watched Scarlett from a distance, I decided to approach her.
Now was as good a time as any, I thought, making my way over.
“I don't believe we’ve been properly introduced,” I said as I approached, my voice calm.
She turned toward me, her eyes looking at mine, sharp and full of curiosity. “ I’m Kent, Zane’s beta.”
Her lips curled into a faint smile, though her posture didn't change “Scarlett. I’ve heard a lot about you…” She frowned. “To be honest, actually nothing about you”
I raised an eyebrow, leaning casually against the stone wall beside her. “Well seems like Zane forgot about me”
“Seems like,” She replied, her voice light, but there was a spark behind her eyes. “You don’t strike me as someone who cares what people say.”
I chuckled softly. “You’re not wrong there. I’ve always been more interested in what people do”
Her gaze looked back to the window for a moment before staring back at me again. “I haven’t seen you around before.”
“Just got back,” I said, my voice softening. “I was away... taking care of personal matters.”
Scarlett arched an eyebrow, intrigued. “Personal matters?”
I hesitated for a moment, the memory of my mate’s burial still fresh in my mind. “I was burying my mate in her hometown. She passed away recently.”
Her eyes softened, and I saw the expected reaction of understanding there. “ I’m sorry for your loss.”
I nodded, grateful for her words. “Thank you. It wasn’t easy, but it’s done now. Life has to move forward.”
There was a moment of silence between us.
“The goddess works in mysterious ways,” Scarlett said, her voice thoughtful, almost distant. “It seems we’re both caught in her web.”
“Seems like it,” I agreed, studying her more closely.
“So,” I began, breaking the silence, “Zane told me about the whole revenge and curse stuff, the goddess mark you have, and all that.” I said, “Seems like you’ve got a lot on your plate.”
She let out a soft laugh, though there was a hint of bitterness in it. “Revenge has a way of making everything else seem… insignificant.”
I raised an eyebrow, leaning in just a bit. “Insignificant, huh? I don’t know. You don’t strike me as the type to let anything slip by unnoticed.”
Her eyes met mine again, sharp. “You’re pretty bold, aren’t you?”
“I’ve been told that,” I replied with a grin. “But I’d say you’re bold yourself”
Scarlett’s smile was faint, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “Bold or foolish depends on who you ask.”
“Well,” I said, straightening up, “If you ever need someone to talk to who’s not caught up in the mate bond, revenge, and curse whatever I’m around.”
Her gaze softened just a little, though the sadness never fully left her voice. “I think I can handle myself, Kent.”
“I don’t doubt that,” I replied, my smile never leaving my face “But it doesn’t hurt to have allies.”
Scarlett stared at me for a long time, her smile returning. “We’ll see.”
I nodded, sensing the conversation was nearing its end. I had said what I wanted to say, but I couldn’t deny that I was intrigued by her. There was a lot more to Scarlett than just a woman seeking revenge, and I intended to figure out exactly what that was.
I turned to leave, I threw one last glance over my shoulder. “By the way, welcome to the pack.”
She didn’t respond immediately, but I saw the faintest smile as I walked away.