Chapter 35 Vivid Moment
Phoebe
“Don’t you miss me?”
“Shit! You startled me, Zion,” I snapped, glaring at the tall guy standing before me.
Zion smirked, as he always did, and in one swift move, he pulled me into a room I recognized as Coach Cooper’s office. Before I could protest or resist, he locked the door and let the room sink into darkness. Only the faint glow of neon lights from the corridor slipped through the ventilation, giving us just enough light to see.
I glanced around. Coach Cooper’s office was surprisingly tidy for PE. Two large cabinets lined the walls, and a long couch with a pillow sat in the corner, probably where he took short breaks. But I couldn’t focus on the details of the room. My attention shifted back to Zion, trying to figure out why he had dragged me here.
Before I could say a word, his hand reached for my neck, right where Finley’s marking was. His expression shifted briefly, his lips turning down at the corners before his smirk returned.
“I didn’t expect Finley to beat me to it,” he muttered, his tone low.
I scoffed, trying to suppress the irritation bubbling inside me. “You dragged me here just to say that?”
Zion stepped closer, the space between us disappearing entirely. “Do you want me to do something to you, Mathews? I wouldn’t mind trying. Maybe I could leave my own mark somewhere else on your body.”
His hand slid down, grazing my neck with a deliberate slowness that sent my nerves tingling. I couldn’t deny how my body instinctively reacted to his touch. His hand continued downward until it rested on my chest, his fingers softly squeezing. The sensation was foreign, but it ignited something in me that left me wanting more.
“You like that?” he asked, his voice husky.
I nodded silently, a small gasp escaping my lips. I shut my eyes, letting Zion continue for a few moments. The pleasure overwhelmed me until my rational mind finally broke through.
“Are you letting me, Mathews?” he asked again, this time more seriously.
“Yes. Damn it!” I muttered without thinking. But then, I took a deep breath and stopped him. “Wait! You’re overwhelming me. We’re in Coach’s office—are you insane?”
Zion chuckled softly. “You could say that. You’re the one driving me insane, Phoebe. I’ve given you time, but you haven’t thought about me at all.”
His words stung. “So this is your way of venting your frustration?” I shot back, my tone sharp even as guilt tugged at my chest.
“I wouldn’t act this recklessly without a plan,” he replied casually. “Listen, Phoebe. Coach Cooper is in his pack for the next two days. Hayden told me earlier.”
I furrowed my brows, trying to recall the conversation during practice. Someone had mentioned someone leaving for their pack, but I’d been too preoccupied with thoughts of Finley to pay attention.
“Say you missed me,” Zion urged, his voice low and compelling.
I froze, grappling with my emotions. Zion was the boldest werewolf I’d ever met, always hiding his intentions behind teasing and sarcasm. A wave of guilt washed over me for how I’d ignored him lately.
“I… I’m sorry, Zion. I’ve been so wrapped up in my issues with Finley and Adonis that I didn’t think about you. I’m sorry,” I finally said.
Zion’s gaze softened. “I just want to know if I matter to you, Phoebe. I’ve been holding this in for too long.”
I nodded slowly. “You do matter, Zion. I’ve just been too much of a mess to see it.”
A faint smile curved his lips. “Alright, then. Let’s make a deal. I’ll stop keeping things from you, but you have to be honest with me too. Deal?”
“Deal,” I agreed without hesitation.
He exhaled deeply before speaking. “I’ve known you were Phoebe, Phoenix’s twin sister, since last month.”
His words made my eyes widen. “How did you figure it out?”
“My mom,” he said softly. “She’s blind because of an accident. I’ve been taking her to therapy at the same hospital where Phoenix was treated. That’s when I saw you. The guy who bumped into you—honestly, you looked like a wreck at the time.”
I remember that moment vividly. I’d been frantic, colliding with someone I didn’t even glance at after hearing the doctor’s prognosis that Phoenix was in a coma.
“At first, I wasn’t sure. But then I started paying attention to how you spoke, your gestures… and I knew it was you, Phoebe. I knew you were pretending to be Phoenix. But I didn’t want to scare you, so I have kept quiet until now,” Zion continued.
I didn’t know what to say. The fact that he’d known my secret all this time both shocked and relieved me. No wonder our first meeting at Livingstone had felt so odd.
“Why didn’t you say anything?” I finally asked.
“Because I don’t care about other people’s problems. I have just started thinking about you. That day, Kirk told me you were my mate. Does that make you feel better?”
I nodded, feeling a weight lift from my shoulders. “So, all of this… doesn’t that make you sound like some obsessive stalker?”
He smiled again, this time with genuine warmth. “At first, I tried to push the thought away. I’ve never been this hung up on a skinny girl like you. You know my reputation, don’t you? But then you came along, and I just couldn’t stop thinking about you.”
The room suddenly felt warmer, even in the dim lighting. I stared at Zion, and for the first time, I saw him as more than a friend or an annoyance. He was someone who cared for me, someone who saw me for who I was.
“I missed you, Zion,” I admitted, finally voicing what I’d been holding back. “Thank you for always being there.”
His smile widened, and for a moment, all my worries about Finley and Adonis seemed so far away.
“And I’ll always be here, Phoebe,” he whispered, pulling me into a warm embrace.
“By the Moon Goddess, why does this keep getting more complicated?”
“Let me tell you something,” Zion said. “We Alphas’ descendants are sharp. Especially Adonis, being a true Lycan. He’s insane, sure, but he wouldn’t dare hurt you.”
“So, what happened on the rooftop…”
“I think it was his way of showing how he feels about you. But I’m pretty sure you’ve already tamed Adonis.”
My eyes widened. I wanted to believe Zion’s words, but it was hard to imagine. Adonis’s dual personality was a constant challenge.
Did I really tame him?