Chapter 47 47
Scarlett’s POV
I had woken up this morning, hoping to get something done. I had cried myself to bed yesterday, but right now, my thoughts are spinning wildly. Ever since I had seen Zane in Rhylie’s room, my emotions were tangled in a mess I couldn’t seem to untangle. I didn’t want to care. I told myself repeatedly that I shouldn’t. The mate bond, whatever was pulling me toward Zane, wasn’t real. At least, it wasn’t meant to last. Maybe it might disappear after the whole deal thing.
You’re stronger than this, Scarlett. I muttered to myself, but the pounding in my chest disagreed. Every time I thought of Zane with Rhylie, I don't know, but I felt anger, hurt, and confusion.
Like as if I got betrayed for the second time.
"Forget about it," I whispered, shaking my head as if that would clear the thoughts from my mind. "You have bigger things to worry about. The curse, your revenge Zane doesn’t matter."
But he did. No matter how much I fought it, the bond between us was there, pulling at me, drawing me back to him even when I didn’t want to care.
I needed to focus on the curse. To get my revenge, I should get over the curse; this was the reason why The witches saved me, and this is why I was here in the first place. I was supposed to help him break the curse in exchange for my revenge. I’d deal with that, and then I’d leave.
I needed answers, not to get wrapped up or tangled in this mess of emotions.
Taking a deep breath, I decided to face Zane directly. We hadn’t talked since I saw him with Rhylie in her chambers, and it felt like we were avoiding each other; rather, he was avoiding me, and the kiss we shared still played in my mind. His lips against mine, the way our lips were in sync. But this wasn't the right time to be thinking about some kisses Because I couldn’t afford to let it affect me.
It was just a kiss. Nothing more.
Resolving to keep things strictly professional, I made my way to his study. There was no room for emotions or confusion anymore. I would get the information I needed about the curse, and that would be the end of it, or maybe not, I said with a scoff.
When I approached the door to his study, I hesitated. My hand moved over the doorknob, my heart racing with an anxious feeling I couldn’t quite pin down. I didn’t know why, but something told me not to open the door, fuck my conscience; I was probably scared, ew that's not right.
I should have listened to that instinct.
Pushing the door open, I froze at the sight before me. Rhylie was Seated on Zane’s lap, her arms wrapped around his neck as their lips were locked in a deep, heated kiss. The sight was enough to knock the breath out of me.
They didn’t even notice me standing there. Zane’s hands gripped Rhylie’s waist as she leaned into him, her fingers tangled in his hair, As he grabbed her breasts, she threw her head back and moaned. The feeling was suffocating, and for a moment, I couldn’t move. I couldn’t speak. The knot in my chest tightened, and I hated the feeling, the feeling was choking.
This isn’t your business after she's his first mate. I reminded myself, but the ache in my chest said otherwise.
Finally, I found my voice. "Zane."
His body jerked, his lips pulling away from Rhylie’s as his gaze snapped toward me, his waist still holding her firm on his lap; for a second, I saw something in his eyes, guilt? Maybe but then it vanished, replaced by something cold and distant. I must have seen wrong then
"Scarlett," he said, his voice normal
He didn’t move Rhylie off his lap. Didn’t apologize. Just stared at me like I was interrupting something.
"I didn’t mean to" I started, my voice betraying the emotions I was trying to hide.
Rhylie smiled a smug look on her face and a smirk playing on her lips as she stayed comfortably on Zane’s lap, her arms still draped around him. "Oh, don’t worry about it, Scarlett," she said, her voice dripping with satisfaction. "We were just catching up, having fun; what can I say? My Alpha missed me.”
Catching up? Having fun? That’s what they called it. I clenched my fists, forcing myself to keep my composure. I had come here to talk about the curse, but seeing them like this, twisted something inside me. I hated it.
"Right," I muttered, trying to focus on why I was there. "I came to discuss the curse. We need to make a plan."
Zane’s eyes rolled his eyes slightly, but he didn’t push Rhylie off. "Later," he said, his tone dismissive. "I’m busy right now."
Busy. Right. Because making out with Rhylie was more important than breaking the curse that was destroying his pack. The anger bubbling inside me was getting harder to control, but I swallowed it down. I couldn’t afford to let him see how much this bothered me.
"If we don’t handle this now, the curse will get worse," I insisted, keeping my voice steady. "We don’t have time to waste, Zane. And I need to get my revenge”.
But he didn’t respond right away. Instead, he looked at Rhylie, something unspoken passing between them. It was as if I wasn’t even in the room anymore.
"Zane, please," I said, my voice sharper now. "We made a deal."
He finally turned his gaze back to me, but his eyes were cold, distant as if the Zane I had known was gone. "I said later, Scarlett. Go.” He said using the Alpha dominance tone on me.
Go. He was sending me away. Like I was nothing.
My chest tightened, the hurt and betrayal; yes, yes, I didn't know why, but I couldn't help but feel betrayed, the betrayal cutting deeper than I wanted to admit. I nodded, forcing myself to keep my expression neutral. "Fine. But remember the deal, Zane."
With that, I turned on my heel and left the office, my heart pounding in my chest. The moment the door closed behind me, I let out a shaky breath, my hands trembling.
I didn’t care. I didn’t care about Zane, or Rhylie, or any of this. I was here for one reason, and one reason only: to break the curse and get my revenge.
Nothing else mattered.
Then why does it hurt so much?
Zane's POV
As soon as the door went shut behind Scarlett, I exhaled, the tension I hadn't realized I was holding, the tension that had built in my chest finally easing. My head felt heavy and clouded, and for some reason, I couldn’t even bring myself to care that I had just sent Scarlett away.
Good riddance, I thought, my mind surprisingly calm.
Rhylie shifted on my lap, turning to face me, her lips curving into a soft smile. "You did the right thing, Zane," she murmured, her fingers tracing patterns on my chest. "She’s just a distraction. You need to focus on us. On what we have” Rhylie said as she kissed my earlobe
I nodded, the haze in my mind making everything feel distant like I was watching someone else’s life play out. The kiss with Scarlett had meant something to me but now, sitting here with Rhylie, it felt like it was fading. Fading into nothing. The connection with Rhylie felt stronger and more important. It made sense, didn’t it? She was my first mate. The bond between us had always been there.
Rhylie’s fingers trailed up to my jaw, tilting my head toward hers. "It’s just us, Zane," she whispered, her lips brushing against mine again. "We don’t need anyone else, don't you think it's high time It's been a while since we mated and you were yet to mark me and finally made the Luna of this pack”
Dalton growled in the back of my mind, but his presence felt weaker now, more distant. I didn’t understand why I couldn’t hear him anymore, why his voice was fading, it seemed like. Oh wait, I was the one who blocked him out, tired of useless tantrums.
What’s wrong with me?
But as Rhylie’s lips found mine again, all the confusion and all the doubts disappeared. I kissed her back, my body moving on instinct, the pull between us too strong to resist. It felt right. It felt easy.
“Zane, did you hear what I said?” Rhylie asked again.
“Uh?. yeah something about mating and marking,” I said
“And Luna” Rhylie said as she moved herself on my lap, trying to rub her clit against my cock which was still inside my clothes, that triggered something in me, “Fuck” I groaned
But deep down, I felt the bond between me and Rhylie had always felt forced, but now it was like I couldn’t escape it. Like it was taking over every part of me.
This isn’t right.
But I couldn’t fight it. Not anymore.