Chapter 48 I'm Scared of Losing You
Hayden
"Zion, you in there?"
I knocked on Zion’s door, leaning against the wall. It was late, and I was sure he was getting ready to sleep. But my head was a mess, and my chest felt tight. I needed fresh air—or maybe, I just needed someone to listen.
The door opened a few seconds later, revealing Zion in just his boxers, his hair a mess, and his face groggy. He blinked at me lazily, clearly annoyed at being disturbed in the middle of the night.
"Dude, what do you want?" he asked, voice raspy.
I swallowed hard, suddenly hesitating. "Never mind."
I had just bothered him, and now I was backing out. But before I could turn around, Zion huffed in irritation. "Are you fucking kidding me? You interrupt my ‘personal time,’ and now you’re saying never mind? What the hell, man?"
I let out a sigh. "I wanna go out. I feel suffocated in the dorm."
Zion frowned, studying me for a long moment before groaning and disappearing back into his room. A few minutes later, he emerged in a black hoodie and jeans, locking his door behind him.
"Alright, let's go," he said flatly.
I had no idea where to go, so I let Zion take the wheel.
The car moved smoothly through the now-quiet streets. Cool night air blew in from the slightly open window. Zion glanced at me briefly before asking, "So, where are we heading?"
I shrugged. "Your call."
He muttered something under his breath and focused back on the road. "Didn’t expect you to want a midnight drive. This about Adonis?"
I didn’t answer right away. I just stared at the flickering streetlights outside, trying to sort out my thoughts. Finally, I exhaled and gave a small nod.
"I'm worried about Phoebe. I'm afraid Adonis might hurt her," I admitted.
Zion let out a short laugh, like I’d just said the dumbest thing. "Hayden, man, you overthink too much. Trust me, if there’s one person who can handle Adonis, it’s Phoebe."
I frowned. "What do you mean?"
Zion smirked. "She’s not just his mate—she’s the only one who can tame him. Call it instinct, but I know I’m right."
I stayed quiet, letting his words sink in. Zion might not act like it, but he had Alpha blood. And despite his laid-back attitude, his instincts were razor-sharp when it came to reading people.
"I get why you're worried," he continued. "But just look at everything that’s happened so far. Phoebe’s changed a lot of things—even us. We were distant, remember? But now, thanks to her, we’re back to how we used to be."
I couldn’t argue with that. Phoebe’s presence had changed a lot, including the way Zion and I interacted.
When the car pulled up in front of a 24-hour convenience store, Zion hopped out without a word. I followed, watching as he grabbed a few cans from the fridge. A moment later, he returned, holding several beers in his hands.
I eyed him suspiciously. "Seriously? You wanna get drunk?"
Zion chuckled. "Not drunk. Just a little buzzed to loosen up. You need to chill, Hayden. One can won’t kill you."
I hesitated before finally taking one from him. I popped it open and took a sip. It was bitter, but cold and refreshing.
What I didn’t expect was how fast it would hit me.
Thirty minutes later, I was leaning against the hood of the car, an empty can in my hand. My head felt light, my body warm, and I was laughing for no reason.
Zion, still sitting in the driver’s seat with his arms crossed, looked at me in amusement. "I said one can, not five."
I blinked at him. "I only drank one…"
"No, dumbass, you drank five."
I shrugged, laughing again. Zion shook his head before pulling out his phone and aiming it at me.
"Hey!" I reached out to grab it, but my coordination was shit, and I almost fell over.
Zion burst out laughing. "Dude, you have to see yourself right now. This is gold!"
I cursed at him, but before I could do anything, two strangers approached. They looked sketchy as hell, and for some reason, my instincts immediately went on high alert.
One of them started talking, but my booze-clouded brain struggled to process what he was saying. All I knew was, there was something in their eyes that rubbed me the wrong way.
Then, one of them reached for my jacket. And something inside me snapped.
A low growl rumbled in my chest as primal rage surged through me. My body tensed, claws threatening to emerge, and I was this close to shifting on the spot.
But Zion was faster.
With one brutal punch, he knocked the first guy to the ground. The second dude backed up instantly, eyes wide with fear.
"Get the fuck out of here before I break your skull," Zion growled.
They didn’t need to be told twice. Within seconds, they bolted.
Zion turned to me, clearly pissed. "Fuck, Hayden. You almost shifted in the middle of the street!"
I was still breathing heavily, trying to get myself under control. Zion grabbed my arm and hauled me back toward the car. "Let’s get you home before you cause more problems."
By the time we got back to the dorms, I was still very much wasted. Zion sighed heavily before making a decision.
"Phoebe can deal with you," he muttered before dragging me toward the girls’ dorm.
After a few knocks, the door finally opened to reveal a very sleepy Phoebe in pajamas, her hair a mess. She squinted at us.
"Are you kidding me? Hayden’s drunk?"
Zion just shrugged. "Take care of him. I’m done babysitting this idiot."
Phoebe let out an exasperated sigh but helped me inside.
I flopped onto her bed, staring at her through half-lidded eyes. She sighed before brushing my messy hair back.
"What happened?" she asked softly.
I stared at her for a long moment before mumbling, "I feel dizzy… but Zion said I drank five cans. Looked like one to me."
Phoebe just blinked, clearly thrown off.
I lifted my hand, my fingers trembling slightly as they brushed against her cheek. "You make me jealous. I’m scared of losing you…"
Her expression softened as she took my hand, squeezing it gently. "I’m right here, Hayden."
I wanted to say more, but sleep pulled me under before I could.
The last thing I felt was the warmth of her touch.