Chapter 172: Deal
Zack’s POV
The bar’s dim lights flickered as I tossed the drunken lady over my shoulder, her limp body heavy with the weight of too much whiskey, her breath shallow, her dark hair spilling across my arm.
Her drunken ramble - something about a festival, taking power -had cut off when she’d fainted, her eyes rolling back, as her body slumped against the counter.
My wolf stirred, uneasy, sensing the faint pulse of magic in her, a spark that didn’t belong in a dive bar on the edge of town.
The air was thick with stale beer, sweat and stares, but I ignored it, my boots heavy on the sticky floor as I carried her out.
Ethan’s war with Landon, Nelson’s alliance, the Lunar Eclipse Festival - they weighed on me, but this woman, this stranger, was a new puzzle, her words a warning I couldn’t ignore.
I drove to my apartment, the city lights blurring, she's slumped in the passenger seat, her breathing uneven, her scent - rich,hot and spicy -mixed with the reek of alcohol.
My wolf growled, sensing danger, but I couldn’t leave her in that bar, vulnerable, a magnet for trouble.
My place was a fortress, sparse and functional, a safe haven from the chaos of pack wars and Landon’s rogues.
I carried her inside, laid her on the couch, her black dress clinging to her curves, her face pale but striking, even in her drunken stupor.
She was trouble, no doubt, but my instincts told me to keep her close, at least until I understood her game.
Morning light streamed through the apartment’s windows, the city waking below, and I was in the kitchen brewing tea when I heard a rustle from the living room.
I turned, mug in hand, and saw she was awake, sitting bolt upright on the couch, my oversized shirt swallowing her frame, her eyes wide with panic.
Her hands flew to her bag, frantically checking its contents, her breath hitching as she patted down the leather, her face mixed with fear and confusion.
I leaned against the doorway, watching ,my wolf alert, her sudden movement stirring the tension I’d carried since yesterday.
She froze when she saw me, her eyes narrowing, her voice sharp despite the tremor. “Where the hell am I?” she demanded, clutching the shirt’s hem, her gaze darting around the room, taking in the sparse furniture, the city view beyond the glass. “What did you do with my clothes? Where’s my stuff?”
I raised a hand, the mug steaming, my voice calm but firm.
“You’re up,” I said, stepping closer, my eyes meeting hers, holding her gaze to ease her panic. “You’re in my apartment. You passed out at the bar, reeking of whiskey. I had a maid change you - don’t worry, I didn’t touch you. Your bag’s fine, nothing’s taken. Check it.”
Her hands slowed, her fingers probing her bag, finding her phone, her keys, her strange bundle of cash, and she exhaled, relief flickering, but her suspicion lingered, her body tense.
“You expect me to believe that?” she snapped, her voice hoarse, a headache creasing her brow as she pressed a hand to her temple, wincing. “Who are you? Why’d you bring me here?”
I set the mug on the table, my movements deliberate, my wolf sensing the magic in her, faint but potent, a threat I couldn’t name.
“Name’s Zack,” I said, my voice low, steady, my eyes never leaving hers. “You were drunk, talking crazy about power and festivals, then you fainted. I wasn’t about to leave you for some rogue to pick you off. You’re safe here, but you’ve got questions to answer.”
She stood, swaying slightly, the shirt slipping to reveal a glimpse of her shoulder, her legs unsteady but her eyes blazing with defiance. “I don’t owe you anything,” she said, her voice sharp, her hand gripping her bag as she moved toward the door, her boots in hand. “Thanks for… whatever this is, but I’m out.”
I stepped into her path, my frame blocking the door, my voice firm but not threatening. “Not so fast,” I said, my eyes narrowing, my wolf growling softly. “You were ranting about taking power, about a festival - sounds like the Lunar Eclipse Festival, where my pack’s fighting for survival. You’re involved, and I need to know how. Shower, eat, then we talk.”
Her jaw tightened, her magic flaring faintly, a spark in the air that set my wolf on edge. “You don’t get to order me around,” she said, her voice low, a growl of her own, but her eyes flickered, panicked and exhaustion betraying her bravado. “I don’t even know you.”
I held her gaze, my voice softening,calmness masking the tension in my gut. “You don’t, but I know trouble when I see it. You’re mixed up in something big - Landon, Nelson, maybe worse. Shower’s down the hall, food’s waiting. Clean up, clear your head, then we figure this out. You’re not walking around looking half-cocked and hungover.”
She hesitated, her hand on the doorframe, her eyes searching mine, suspicion warring.
My apartment was quiet, the city’s hum a distant pulse, but the festival’s shadow loomed, Landon’s rogues, Ethan’s war, and now this woman, her magic a wildcard I couldn’t ignore. I stepped back, giving her space, my wolf alert, ready for whatever she was hiding.
She sighed, her shoulders slumping, her voice a whisper, low and unsteady. “Fine,” she said, her eyes flicking to the mug, then back to me, a spark of curiosity breaking through her defenses. “I’ll shower, eat. But don’t think this means I trust you, Zack. I’m not here to spill my secrets.”
I nodded, my lips twitching, a faint smile despite the tension.
“Fair enough,” I said, my voice low, my eyes holding hers, the air charged with unspoken questions. “But you’re not running from this. Not from me, not from whatever you’re tangled in. Shower, eat, then we talk - deal?”
She smirked, a flicker of her fire returning, her voice slurred but sharp, her body swaying as she gripped the doorframe.
“Deal, big guy,” she said, her eyes glinting, a challenge in her tone. “But don’t get comfortable. I’m not your damsel, and I’m not staying long.”