Chapter 11 Alpha's Restraint
Chapter 11
Zayne's POV
I looked away when she asked that, debating whether or not I should tell her that my Beta was nursing a broken bone all in the name of training because I couldn't control my anger seeing her all broken and guilt ridden when it wasn't her fault.
And I wasn't lying when I told her that if Leon had survived his fight with her, I'd have ripped him apart myself for trying to touch her.
Ever since she mentioned something about having a mate before me, I couldn't stop thinking about it, so I had Xavier look into it and it turned out her mate was very much alive but was an idiot for letting her go. And to make it worse, it was the same pack I'd gone to for the Alpha’s mating ceremony. It made sense now why Kael had been so persistent that he could smell our mate.
“Hmm…why don't we find you something to eat first.” I told her instead, and a pleased smile appeared on her perfect face.
All she had to do was breathe and I'd still think she was perfect.
She nodded, "I could use some food." She replied.
“We can satisfy her in a better way." My Lycan, Kael suggested and I rolled my eyes before blocking him out.
Taking her hand which was perfect in mine, I led her to the dining room reserved for me and I didn't miss how her eyes widened at every turn we took and it made all the effort I put into building the pack worth it.
“I think I'm going to need a map for this place, it's huge!"
"I can tell you what else is huge.” Kael said and my brows furrowed, "what the fuck is wrong with you? Do you just not think of anything apart from sex?”
"Not when she looks the way she does.” He grumbled before retreating to the back of my mind.
The table was set with everything I thought she would like. Since she was slowly letting me in, I wanted to show that she could trust me. Aria also advised taking things slow if I wanted her to actually open up to me…even though it was easier said than done.
“Where’s Aria?” Red asked, "I thought she was going to eat with us.”
I shook my head, "umm, she had an emergency to deal with. It's going to be just us today." I told her. She did have an emergency but even without it, the only person I would eat with was my first mate but she didn't need to know that…at least, not yet.
She nodded, before sitting down in the chair I pulled for her.
I watched her as she ate, wondering how the fuck I got lucky. I had been so convinced that the moon goddess allowing Nyra to die was an act of punishment for something I probably did. But that changed the moment I saw her. I first thought I wouldn't be able to let go of the past but as much as I hated to admit it, she was the only thing I could think about.
“Zayne,” Red called, my name rolling off her lips smoothly. "You're staring.”
I blinked, snapping out of whatever trance I’d fallen into. “Am I?” I asked, leaning back in my chair, trying to look casual but failing miserably.
She nodded, her fork pausing mid-air. “You’ve barely touched your food.”
I shrugged. “Maybe I’m full.”
“From what? You’ve had two bites,” she said, raising an eyebrow. There was that spark again, the one that always made me want to smile, even when I tried not to.
I smirked instead. “Maybe I’m just enjoying the view.” And I watched as her cheeks turned a bright shade of red…fuck!
“Just eat." She murmured, trying to cover her face, causing a smile to play on my lips.
Once we…she was done eating, I took her back to the room where I prepared a bath for her despite her persistence that she could do it herself. But I wasn't going to pass up an opportunity to see her face all red.
“I'll leave you to it…except you change your mind.”
She just stared at me like she was actually thinking about it, and for a split second, hope surged on my inside but it was quickly snuffed out when she shook her head and dashed into the bathroom.
“I'm going to be here just in case you need help…with anything.” I called after her.
"I know how to handle a bath." She replied and I let out a chuckle before telling her I was going to return once she was done.
And against my wish, I returned to the office where Xavier was waiting for me with a frown on his face. Kael snorted at that but didn't say anything.
“Did you enjoy your dinner?" He asked, as I sat down.
“It was the best I've had in a while." I admitted truthfully, even though I knew he was being sarcastic seeing how his hand was still tied up. “Sorry about that, I just lost control." I apologized and he nodded.
“How is she now?" He asked.
"Better,” I replied. "Shocked that she killed someone, but since she barely remembers that, it makes it easy to forget.”
He nodded, "I can't believe she took Leon down though, he's one of the strongest warriors we have.”
I agreed, it was one the conversations I still have with Kael. Leon was stronger than most wolves because he trained alongside Xavier and I but the state of what remained of his body when I found him, told me the fight was over before it even started.
“I have a lot of theories, but I'll just wait until she's ready to talk about it."
"I can't say I'm not curious about it though.”
He wasn't as curious as I was…not even close. I poured my attention into the report laying around on my desk. I've barely touched any of them since I found Red and the more I left them, they piled up.
My mind drifted back to Red, I couldn't wait for her to let me in and I hoped it was soon because I was so close to losing my mind from not holding her the way I desperately wanted to.
I tried focusing on the endless stack of reports, but every word blurred into her. The scent of her, the sound of her voice, it all filled my head until I couldn’t breathe.
When I couldn’t take it anymore, I shoved my chair back and stood up.
She was sitting on the bed, damp hair falling over her shoulders, wearing one of my shirts that looked far too big on her but somehow managed to steal the air right out of my lungs.
“I-I uhmm, I took your shirt. Sorry.” She said, when she caught me staring.
I didn’t respond. Instead, I stepped closer, my hand finding her jaw, tilting her face up until those soft eyes met mine.
“Tell me to stop,” I murmured, my thumb brushing her cheek, “and I will.”
But she didn’t.