Chapter 20 When Walls Fall
Alyssa's POV
The ride back to the Pack was quiet, the girls tried to cheer me up, but nothing they said worked. My phone was blowing up but I couldn't bring myself to pick it. It was Zayne, but I didn't trust myself to not cry if I heard his voice.
Tristan drove like his life depended on it, which made the drive back faster than when we came.
The moment we drove into the pack house, I saw Zayne. He was standing at the entrance, eyes scanning every car that came through, shoulders tense like he’d been pacing there for hours. The second his gaze landed on me through the windshield, his entire body stilled before he moved again.
He was running toward us before the car had even stopped, his wolf instincts taking over.
The door flew open and I barely had a second to react before his hands were on me, warm and strong, pulling me out of the car.
The dam inside me broke. Without thinking, I threw myself into his arms, burying my face in his chest. His scent hit me like a wave, and all the pain I’d been holding in came rushing out.
“I’m sorry,” he breathed into my hair, his voice shaking. “I’m so sorry, Red.”
I shook my head, it wasn't his fault. Only if I was a bit strong and didn't let her get to me.
Only when my crying reduced, did his arms loosen around me. Then he turned to Tristan, who looked like he wanted the ground to open and swallow him.
“Alpha…” he started.
Zayne glared at him, "I gave you one fucking order, take care of her and what did fucking do?” He asked, his voice coming out hoarse.
"I'm sorry, Alpha–"
“It's not his fault," I murmured, my voice barely above a whisper. “He did his part."
But Zayne was beyond angry to even hear me, his eyes fixed on Tristian, whose face was facing the ground, probably from guilt. The others just stood, watching the scene unfold, no one daring to say anything.
“Do you even understand what could’ve happened if—” Zayne started again but before he could finish, I moved.
I slipped out of his hold and stepped between them, pressing a trembling hand against his chest. “Stop it, Zayne,” I said, my voice breaking. “Please.”
He froze at the touch, his chest rising and falling against my palm, heat radiating off him. His gaze flicked down to me, softening just a little when he saw the tears gathering in my eyes again.
“It’s not his fault,” I repeated, firmer this time. “He did everything he could. I’m here, aren’t I?”
Zayne’s jaw clenched, his throat working as if he was fighting to swallow his anger. His eyes darted to Tristan again, but his voice came out lower, rougher. “If anything had happened to you…” He trailed off, shaking his head as his hand came up to cup the side of my face. “I would’ve lost my mind.”
I shouldn't be having butterflies in my stomach, but I couldn't help the warmth that filled my body.
“I'll deal with this later," he murmured, holding my hand as he led me away from the others and towards our room. Nobody said anything until we got there.
“You didn't have to go off on Tristan like that," I told him, leaning into him. “Iris just brought back a part of my life I'd rather not remember."
He nodded, tugging a strand of hair behind my ear, “it's all in the past, and I'm going to protect you."
Maybe it was seeing the way he dashed towards the car while it was still moving or the worry in his voice when he told me how scared he was of losing me, but I believed him.
“Iris is my stepsister," I started after a few minutes.
"Red, you don't have to,” Zayne quickly interrupted. "I can wait until you're ready.”
My wolf scoffed, "he's part of the problem!” She groaned. "If he says that one more time, I'm going to lose my mind.”
I chuckled softly, the ache I felt slowly disappeared. "Is that your wolf? What did she say?" He asked, and my face reddened.
“It's nothing.” I lied.
“I'll believe you, if you're not the same colour as your hair." This time, I laughed loudly.
I didn't let that make me forget what I was saying. He deserved to know the reason why I was here in the first place. He never asked, giving me the space I needed. But that was over, the least I could do was let him in. So I did exactly that, not leaving anything out
“I couldn't shift into my Wolf…I didn't know I even had one until that day.”
His arms tightened around me. I didn't have to specify which day I meant for him to understand.
“It's his loss," Zayne said, placing a kiss on my temple. “You have your wolf now…and even without it, I'll still pick you.”
I nodded, "What if even with my wolf now…I still can't shift?" I asked him, and his body froze against mine. “I don't know how to mindlink you…”
His lips on mine stopped me from finishing what I was going to say.
“I'm going to teach you…I don't care how long it takes.” I heard my wolf groan again.
"I really hope it doesn't take long, I want to be able to talk to you without carrying around that phone. And I also want to be able to feel your emotions when I'm not with you.”
He hugged me closer, "it's killing me not being able to do all of that.”
"That makes two of us.” I agreed.
"How about we start first thing after you eat lunch, your stomach hasn't stopped growling since we sat down.”
I hid my face in his shirt, "shut up, how are you sure it's me?”
He laughed softly, the sound vibrating against my cheek, “I don't know, Red," he said, “it was pretty loud." He teased, brushing his thumb along my jaw.
“You're right," I told him grinning widely. “I'm hungry."
“Me too, and it's definitely not for food." My wolf added. And I haven't been more grateful no one else could hear her
Zayne shook his head, amusement fading into something softer as he looked at me. His gaze lingered—on my lips, then my eyes—before he whispered, almost to himself, “You drive me crazy, you know that?”
“Good crazy or bad crazy?” I teased.
He smiled faintly. “The kind that makes me want to tell you things I hope won't send you running.”
My heart skipped. “Like what?”
He hesitated, eyes searching mine. The silence stretched, thick and charged, and then he exhaled, his voice barely a breath. “Like how much I love you.”
Everything inside me stilled.
For a second, I thought I’d imagined it. But he was still looking at me, unblinking, as if realizing what he’d just said at the same time I did.
And I… couldn’t move, couldn’t speak. I just sat there, frozen, while my world shifted around three quiet words.