Chapter 44 44
Scarlett’s POV
The morning after Zane kissed me, I woke up with a tightness in my chest. The kiss had been unexpected, intense, and now… awkward. It wasn’t that I hadn’t felt the pull, I did. But after everything I’d been through, the last thing I wanted was to fall for another Alpha, especially one like Zane.
I rolled out of bed, trying not to have the feeling that I was drowning in my thoughts. We both should pretend nothing happened, I told myself. The deal between us was clear: break the curse, and in return, I get my revenge. That was all.
“Yeah right,” my wolf Luisa Said with a bored voice
Yet, as I stepped into the corridor, I couldn’t help but wonder if he felt the same. Maybe he was regretting it too. Zane was ruthless, focused on his pack and the curse. He didn’t have time for feelings, or maybe I was the one who didn't have time for feelings, not after everything that had happened, but still… there had been something in his kiss, something I couldn’t understand
“Shut up you do,” Luisa said with the same bored voice
“Take a nap Lui,” I said to her
I found myself walking towards his chambers, heart racing for reasons I didn’t want to admit. But as I reached the door, I hesitated. What was I expecting? Should I apologize? A conversation about how we kissed? Maybe we should just let it go and focus on the task at hand.
Taking a deep breath, I raised my hand to knock, but the door swung open before my knuckles could make contact. Zane stood there, his face expressionless, eyes colder than I remembered.
"Scarlett," He greeted, his voice flat.
For a moment, I was taken aback by how distant he seemed. This wasn’t the Zane I’d kissed last night. His warmth, the fire that had been in his eyes, was gone. He was closed off, like a stranger.
“Morning,” I managed, trying to sound casual. “I was just—”
“Did you need something?” Zane interrupted, his tone curt.
The way he cut me off stung more than I cared to admit. He’s probably just pretending nothing happened, I thought. That’s fine. I can play along too.
“No,” I answered, forcing a shrug. “I just wanted to check on the curse. Thought we could go over the next steps. You know, keep things professional.” The words sounded weird even to me.
Zane gave a sharp nod. “We’ll handle it later.” Without another word, he turned away, leaving me standing in the doorway, feeling both rejected and frustrated. The kiss was one thing, but the coldness in his voice? That was new.
Fine, I thought. It’s better this way.
“Just let me know when you are ready to talk about the curse issue,” I said not knowing what else to say
“Okay,” he said his voice cold
I nodded and left, I decided to go to the training ground hoping to find Kent, to keep myself busy and distracted
“Kent doesn't have a mate, it's dangerous to get close to him” Luisa Said
“Chill, Lui, it's not bad to have at least a friend in this pack, even if it's still hard to trust anyone,” I said, waving her off as I made my way to the training ground.
Zane's pov
Dalton growled in my mind. "You’re letting this happen," he growled. "You’re letting her slip away."
I clenched my fists, trying to shut him out. But it wasn’t just Dalton’s voice in my head anymore. It was something else. Something I couldn't understand, I was longing for someone but who, Rhylie?
Ever since I saw her in the hallway, I knew I was harsh to her. Is this the bond between us pulling me to her, but the bond between us, the one I’d questioned so many times before, felt stronger. But yeah in a good way. It was as if her presence was calling me, pulling me back to her with every step I took.
The curse, I reminded myself. It had to be the curse messing with my head. Scarlett had nothing to do with this. But still, every time I thought of Rhylie, it was as if I craved something, I suddenly felt like making love to Rhylie. I didn't feel like talking to Scarlett
I closed my study after I had watched Scarlett leave the door behind me, trying to clear my thoughts. But the second I closed my eyes, I saw her, Rhylie. Her eyes, her touch, the way she whispered about our bond being “fated.”
What the hell was wrong with me?
Dalton growled again in the back of my mind, his presence restless and agitated.
“You’re pushing her away, Zane. What the hell are you doing?”
“I don’t know,” I replied, my chest tightening with frustration. I don’t know what’s happening.
I wanted to go after her, to take back the words I’d just said. But something held me back. Something... Fuck I don't know
The bond with Scarlett felt off, distant. But that didn’t make sense. I had felt the pull between us growing stronger last night. The kiss... the way I couldn’t get her out of my head... it had all felt so real. So powerful. But now, it felt like it was slipping through my fingers.
I clenched my fists, my mind racing. It’s the curse. It has to be the curse.
Without thinking, my feet carried me through the corridors, my thoughts a tangled mess. I needed answers. I needed to know what the hell was happening between me and Scarlett.
But as I walked, I found myself standing outside Rhylie’s chambers.
My heart raced, confusion ringing in my chest. “What the hell am I doing here?”
I hadn’t intended to come here. But something had drawn me to her. A pull I couldn’t explain.
Dalton growled again, his fury increasing. “This is wrong, Zane. You know it’s wrong,”
I clenched my fists, my jaw tightening. I knew he was right. This felt wrong on every level. But I couldn’t move. Something was holding me here, keeping me from walking away.
Before I could stop myself, my hand reached for the door.