Chapter 60 A Love, That Shouldn't Exist

Chapter 60 A Love, That Shouldn't Exist
Zane~

I frowned. You know you can discuss anything with me, Ember. What’s it?

But she shook her head, smiling softly. “It’s fine, Zane. I just wanted to ask...how you knew I was here? I thought you were annoyed with me.”

“Annoyed? I wasn’t annoyed, Ember.”
“But your expression showed that you were… something.”

I sighed quietly, running a hand through my hair. “You read too much into things.”

I shrugged and stood up, unfreezing the door just as Colt and the doctor walked in. Colt gave me this deadly look, the kind that carried warning behind it.

“What’s wrong, Doc?” I asked, ignoring Colt’s expression.

“It’s stress. Her body is changing as she grows, that’s why. No big deal..just make sure she eats well and takes the medications that will be prescribed to her.”

I nodded slowly. “But she could still be discharged today, right? Or she’s not strong enough?”

“She’s Alpha. She just doesn’t have to stress much, since her new body system doesn’t call for stress.”

I nodded again, but I could feel Colt’s intense gaze burning into me. It was suffocating, like he was trying to read through me, pull something out.

The doctor left the three of us in the room, and the silence that followed wasn’t normal...it was thick, heavy, filled with something ugly.

“Prez, can I see you for a sec?”
“Sure,” I nodded, turning briefly to Ember, but she avoided my eyes.

We stepped into another room. I shut the door slowly behind me, the soft click echoing louder than it should.

“Zane, what relationship do you have with my sister?”

“What do you mean?” I frowned, already irritated. “Stop trying to cage the fact that fishy things have been happening behind my nose.

How did you know my sister was here?”
“What do you mean how I knew? It’s on the news...that a girl collapsed on the road, and I noticed the figure was Ember.”He scoffed.

“You just have to cut the crap, bro.” I felt my patience thinning. “Your overprotectiveness is getting crazy and stupid.

You heard what the doctor said...she needs a lot of rest. Give her peace of mind, Colt. Not everyone you see her with, you need to question.”

He didn’t speak, but his jaw tightened.
“At least let her breathe,” I continued. “She’s still young. Help her find her mate, help her regain her powers...that’s what you should be stressing over, not something that’ll drain her completely. You need to let her have her own peace.”

His eyes darkened instantly.
“And who told you that I need her to get her powers… or have a mate?”

I stilled. “Wait, Colt… what did you just say?”
“You heard me right, Zane.” His voice dropped, cold and firm.

“She doesn’t need powers. Nor a mate. All she needs is me...and me alone.”

For a second, I thought I misheard him.
I let out a dry chuckle. “I don’t get it, bro. You want to marry your sister?”

He grinned...and there was nothing sane in it.
“Let’s say yes. I want to marry her. I want her to be my mate. And she’s not my sister.”

The words slammed into me.
“So whatever you two both have,” he added, stepping closer, “end it, Zane. Else… old feud will come up.”

I stood there, half alive, half frozen. My mind refused to process it, but my body already had. Shock crawled under my skin, sharp and cold.

He gave me one last hard glare before storming out, banging the door so hard the walls shook.

“Fuck,” I muttered, ruffling my hair aggressively.
I expected something… but not this.
His actions...everything...were completely off. He gives her no space. No freedom. Nothing. And now this?

So it’s still the same… even in this second life.
I let out a shaky breath. “Jeez, Moon Goddess…look at your mess.”

I already found my love. Someone I loved to the core. Someone I wasn’t ready to lose again.
What if something bad happens?
What if Ember ends up like the mate in my past life…?

What if she kills herself… just like my mate did in my first life? The thought alone made my chest tighten painfully.

No matter how things change, Colt and I never have anything in common. Our paths always clash. Always.

And the end… is never good.
I didn’t wait any longer. I teleported straight to my room in the palace.

The moment I appeared, I lost it.
I swept everything off my wine counter, glass crashing loudly against the floor.

I grabbed a whiskey bottle and drank straight from it, the burn doing nothing to calm me.
I loosened my shirt and drank again.

At this point, I was slipping.
“What the hell is wrong with me…” I muttered under my breath. I was never good with love.
Never.

It has always been Colt. Why, Goddess… why?
My powers began surging violently through me. I tried to steady myself, but pain shot through my body and I yelped, dropping to one knee.
Something was changing..My wolf… it was coming out. Slowly, but Painfully.

My first shift in a thousand years.
The first time I’d physically see my wolf.
“Zane.”

The voice thundered, deep and commanding.
I looked up...and froze.

A half-wolf, half-man stood before me. Upper body human, lower form wolf. Powerful. Intimidating.

“Zar…?” I whispered..This was him? The one I’ve been hearing all my life?

The voice wasn’t this husky before..I staggered to my feet.

“You’re wasted already, man.”
“I’m not…” I muttered. “Just a little bit.”
He sat on the edge of my bed, sniffing lightly. “Wow. Is this her smell?”

I looked away quickly. “I don’t want to think about that right now.”

“You don’t have a choice,” he snapped. “You have to fight for her. Stop being this stupid boy.”

He tapped his foot, and the ground beneath me shook slightly. “What am I supposed to do, Zar?” I snapped back. “I don’t want to push harder.

You know how it ended last life.” My voice dropped. “She killed herself… because she couldn’t choose.” Silence followed.

“What if Ember chooses him?” I continued, my voice rough. “What if she chooses her brother? What if...”

“Man,” he cut in, shaking his head, “I never thought you’d be this weak. The way we talk, in each others mind, you sound commanding. But right now? You look completely broken.”

He walked to the counter and poured himself a drink. “You drink too?”

He scoffed. “You addicted fool. Haven’t you been the one feeding me all these?”

He gulped it down in one go. “You’re her mate, Zane. Stop acting foolish. She already loves you. There’s no space for that bastard.”

He turned to face me fully. “Remember when I told you something was going to come up again between you two? But you didn’t listen.

You said he changed. You trusted him. You even made him your vice president.” My chest tightened.

He nodded slowly. “Be prepared for war.”
My breath stilled. “Because trust me… he has a hand in Ember’s missing powers.”

“What?!” I shouted, the word exploding in my head. For a second, everything went blank.
Maybe I didn’t hear him well. Maybe it was the alcohol.

“Say that again,” I said slowly. “Who do you think has a hand in Ember’s power?”

He looked at me, a slow smirk forming on his face. “Her brother.”