Chapter 42 His obsession.
Zoe's POV
I was at the inn. In my room. Getting ready for the day..
When a loud knock came at my door.
Hard. Angry. Urgent.
"Lady Margaret! Open this door!"
Mia's voice.
I smiled to myself. Finally.
I'd been waiting for this.
"Coming!" I called out sweetly.
I looked into the mirror to see if my disguise was intact. Then opened the door. Put on my best confused face.
"Mia! What a surprise. Is everything..."
"Don't." She pushed past me. Into my room. "Don't play innocent with me."
I closed the door. Turned to face her.
"I don't understand. What's wrong?"
"What's wrong?" She laughed. Sharp. Bitter.
"You're what's wrong."
"Me?"
"Yes, you!" She moved closer. Her face red. Angry. "What do you really want, Margaret? Why are you here?"
"I told you. Alliance. Trade..."
"Stop lying!" She shouted. "I know what you're doing. I see it."
"See what?"
"You moved close to me." She pointed at me. Accusing. "Became my friend. Gave me gifts. All to get close to my man."
"Your man?"
"Jeremy! Alpha Jeremy!" Tears filled her eyes. "You're trying to steal him from me."
"Mia, that's not..."
"Don't deny it!" She stepped closer. "I've been seeing you two together. Laughing. Walking. Talking. Without me."
"We're just friends..."
"Friends?" She laughed again. "Friends don't look at each other the way you two do. Friends don't touch the way you two touch."
I kept my face calm. Innocent. Confused.
"I don't know what you think you saw..."
"I saw his face light up when you're near. I saw him smile for the first time in months. I saw him forget I even exist when you walk into a room!" Her voice cracked. "And I found your earring on his desk."
Ah. The earring. I'd left it there on purpose. During one of our talks in his office.
"My earring?"
"Don't play dumb."
"I don't know about any earrings."
"I saw your earring in his office... Do you want to lie you were not in his office?"
"Of course I was, but my earring did no
t drop."
"You were alone in his office?" Her eyes widened. "Why? What were you doing there?"
She changed the topic on me suddenly.
"Talking. About the South. About potential trade routes." I shrugged. "Nothing inappropriate."
"Nothing inappropriate?" She moved even closer. Right in my face. "You're trying to buy him, aren't you? With your gold. Your gifts. Your Southern charm."
"Buy him?"
"Yes! You think you can buy my lover with gold?" She grabbed my arm. Hard. "That's what you're doing, isn't it? Bribing him. Seducing him with expensive things."
I pulled my arm away. Gently but firmly.
"Mia, you're upset. I understand. But you're wrong."
"I'm not wrong!" Tears fell down her face. "I know what I see. I know what's happening."
"What's happening is you're jealous," I said it softly. Carefully. "And I understand why. But I'm not trying to steal Jeremy from you."
"Then what are you trying to do?"
"I'm just being friendly." I touched her shoulder. She flinched. "You're my friend, Mia. I care about you. I would never hurt you."
"Liar." She whispered. "You're a liar."
"I'm not..."
"You are!" She pushed my hand away. "Everything about you feels wrong. Your story. Your timing. The way Jeremy reacts to you."
She stepped back. Wiped her tears.
"I don't know who you really are. But I'm going to find out." Her eyes were hard now. Cold. "And when I do... when I prove you're lying... Jeremy will see the truth."
"There's no truth to find. I'm exactly who I say I am."
"We'll see." She walked to the door. Stopped. Turned back. "Stay away from him. Stay away from my fiancé."
"Mia..."
"I mean it." Her voice was ice. "Or I'll make you regret ever coming to Lakewood."
She left. Slammed the door behind her.
I stood there. Staring at the closed door.
Then I smiled.
Perfect. Everything was going perfectly.
Mia was spiraling. Suspicious. Desperate.
Jeremy was falling deeper. Getting more attached. More obsessed.
And I... I was pulling all the strings
.
"Let her investigate," I said to the empty room. "She won't find anything."
Rain's work was too good. The disguise was perfect. The documents were flawless.
There was nothing to find.
Nothing except what I wanted them to find.
...
That evening, the pack held a celebration.
Some seasonal festival. Harvest or moon or something.
Everyone was there. Music. Dancing. Food. Drinks.
I wore a purple dress tonight. Simple but elegant. My mask in place.
I walked through the crowd. Smiling. Nodding.
Playing my part.
Then I felt him.
Jeremy.
His presence. His eyes. His wolf reaching for mine.
I turned.
He was across the courtyard. Watching me.
When our eyes met, he started walking toward me.
Fast. Determined. Like nothing else mattered.
People moved out of his way. Bowed. Greeted him.
But he didn't see them. Didn't acknowledge them.
Only looked at me.
He reached me. Stopped inches away.
"Margaret." His voice was breathless. "You came."
"Of course. It's a pack celebration. I wouldn't miss it."
"Dance with me." Not a question. A demand. A plea.
"I don't know..."
"Please." He reached for my hand. "One dance."
I looked around. People were watching. Whispering. But this man was just acting too obsessed, like a little boy scared of losing his candy.
And there... across the courtyard... Mia stood. Staring at us. Her face broken.
Good.
"Alright," I said. "One dance."
He pulled me to the dance floor. Not gently. Eagerly. Like a child with a new toy.
The music played. Slow. Romantic.
His hands went to my waist. Pulled me close. Too close.
We started moving. Swaying. Dancing.
But he wasn't just dancing. He was... clinging.
His body pressed against mine. His face in my hair. His hands holding tight.
Like he was afraid I'd disappear if he let go.
"I missed you," he whispered. "I've not seen you today. And I missed you."
A day. It had been just a day and he was acting like it had been years.
The mate bond. It was making him desperate. Clingy. Obsessed.
"Jeremy..." I started.
"I can't stop thinking about you." His lips were close to my ear. "Every moment. Every breath. You're all I think about."
His arms tightened. Trying to pull me even closer.
Into his embrace. Into his space. Into his world.
Like a little clingy boy who found his favorite toy and wouldn't let go.
And I realized... this was too much. Too fast.
He was falling too hard. Getting too attached.
I needed to pull back. Create distance. Not to drag unnecessary attention to my mission.
"Jeremy, people are watching..." I said.
"I don't care." He held me tighter.
"Jeremy..."
"Let them watch. Let them see. You're my mate. You're mine."
Mine. The word sent chills through me.
Not because of the bond. But because of the control.
He was getting possessive. Obsessive.
I needed to stop this. Now.
I pushed against his chest. Gently at first.
"Jeremy, please..."
But he didn't let go. Didn't pull back.
Just held tighter. Like he couldn't hear me.
So I pushed harder.
Hard enough to make him stumble back a step.
"Stop," I said firmly, making sure only my lips moved to avoid people from hearing.
He looked shocked. Hurt. Confused.
"Margaret?"
"You're being too forward, Alpha." I kept my voice polite but distant. "We're just friends. Remember?"
"But..."
"Just friends," I repeated. "Nothing more."
I turned and walked away.
Leaving him standing there on the dance floor.
Looking lost. Broken. Desperate.
Exactly where I wanted him.