ZaneOrion’s arms pull me into an embrace, and I lose it all over again. I can’t stop the shaking, the sobs that wrack my body as I bury my face against his chest. I don’t deserve this. I don’t deserve him, not after everything I’ve done. But right now, feeling his arms around me, I can’t hold back the flood of emotions anymore.“I’m so sorry,” I whisper through the tears. “I’m so fucking sorry. I never wanted this... I never wanted to hurt you.”Orion stays quiet, his hand gripping the back of my neck, grounding me in a way I haven’t felt in years. I cling to him, afraid that if I let go, he’ll disappear, and I’ll wake up to find this was all some cruel dream.“I still love you,” I choke out. “I always have. I know it doesn’t change anything—Gods, I know that—but it’s true. Even after everything I did.”Orion pulls back, just enough to look at me. His hands are on my face now, cupping my jaw, and I can’t believe this is happening. He shouldn’t be looking at me like that. Not after e
OrionI stand outside the pack house, my phone in hand, staring at the screen. I’ve been pacing for ten minutes, trying to figure out how to even start this conversation. Telling Nero that Zane’s alive was one thing. That was a shock, but it was something we could deal with. But now? Now I’ve got to tell him the rest—the truth about what Zane did and why. Nero needs to know. But fuck if I know how he’s going to take it.With a deep breath, I finally hit the call button. The phone rings twice before I hear his familiar voice on the other end, clipped and direct as always.“Orion. You back at the pack house?”“Yeah,” I say, my voice rough. “I’m outside. Needed some air.”There’s a pause, and I can almost hear Nero’s brain working on the other end. He’s always been the one who sees through the bullshit, always knows when something’s off.“What’s going on?” he asks, and I can tell by his tone he’s already expecting something big. “This about Zane?”I let out a breath I didn’t realize I wa
OrionThe war room is colder than usual this morning, the tension in the air thick and almost suffocating. I stand by the door, watching as Legion glares across the table at Zane, fists clenched so tight his knuckles are white. It’s only a matter of time before he snaps.Zane, on the other hand, looks like shit. He’s pale, dark circles under his eyes, but he holds himself together, standing near the far wall, arms crossed, gaze locked on the floor. He’s bracing himself, and I can feel the weight of everything we’re about to deal with pressing down on all of us.Arkyn enters the room, his presence commanding as always, and the tension spikes. Legion shifts in his seat, and the second Zane lifts his eyes, it’s over. Legion explodes out of his chair, charging across the room, fist already cocked back.“You son of a—”“Legion!” Arkyn’s voice cuts through the room, sharp and full of authority.Legion’s fist stops inches from Zane’s face. Zane doesn’t flinch, doesn’t even try to defend hims
ZaneI’m standing in the middle of it, watching it happen like it’s some twisted movie playing out in front of me. I can’t move, can’t intervene. I’m just here, a bystander to my own life, stuck in a nightmare I can’t escape.I see myself behind the bar, wiping down glasses, trying to pretend like the life I was living wasn’t a complete mess. It’s always strange, watching it from this angle, like I’m not even a part of it. Just a ghost.That was when I first saw him—Orion.He walked in like he owned the place, his muscled frame filling the doorway. He had this powerful presence, a kind of raw energy that made everyone in the room look at him twice. But when his eyes landed on me, something clicked. It was like the whole world shifted, and I felt it—the mate bond, snapping into place like a lock clicking shut.There’s this heat, this pull that draws me toward him, and I know—know—that this is the moment I’ve been waiting for my whole life. This is my mate. The one person who’s meant f
ZaneI wake up with a jolt, my chest heaving as the remnants of that damn nightmare cling to me. The room is dim, unfamiliar, but the scent of pack is everywhere—Arkyn’s packhouse, no doubt. My body feels like I’ve been hit by a truck, and my head pounds with the aftermath of whatever the hell happened to me last night.My mind is still scrambled, the memory of Orion’s face twisted in pain flashing through my mind like a broken record. That dream… it was too real. Too close to everything I’ve tried to bury.The door creaks open, and I tense immediately, my instincts kicking in before I even realize it’s him.Orion steps into the room, his expression shifting from guarded to surprised when he sees I’m awake. “Zane,” he says, his voice softer than I expect. “Didn’t think you’d be up this soon.”I sit up slowly, my muscles protesting every movement, but I don’t take my eyes off him. There’s something in the way he looks at me; like he’s relieved but also unsure, like he’s still trying to
OrionI’m pacing in Arkyn’s war room, trying to shake off the conversation I just had with Zane. The witches have tied him up in more ways than one, and we can’t afford to lose any more ground.Arkyn stands near the window, his broad shoulders tense as he watches me. His silence speaks volumes, but I know he’s waiting for me to give him the full rundown on what the witch said.I stop pacing, turning to face him. “Zane’s got a failsafe on him—a magical lock, I guess you’d call it. He can’t talk about the witches’ final plans unless he’s speaking directly to them.”Arkyn’s eyes narrow, but he doesn’t look surprised. “Figures those witches would have a backup plan. They’re not stupid. They wouldn’t let Zane go free without some sort of leash.”“Yeah, but this means we’re stuck,” I say, running a hand through my hair in frustration. “He’s already given us a lot of intel, but we need more. The witches will know if he tries to give us the rest.”Arkyn’s gaze sharpens, and he turns toward th
OrionThe sound of heavy boots echoes through the pack house just before Creed Volkov walks in, filling the space with his sheer presence. I glance up as he strides through the door, his blond hair pulled back and his piercing blue eyes scanning the room like he’s assessing everything in one go. Built like a damn tank, Creed’s the kind of Alpha that makes people stop and stare—not just because of his size, but because of the raw power that rolls off him in waves.“Fuck,” Creed says with a grin, his deep voice booming. “Everywhere I turn, I see a Leonetti.”I can’t help but chuckle, even though the situation is anything but light. “Yeah, we’re hard to get rid of.”He steps forward and takes my hand in a firm grip, pulling me into a half-hug, his massive arm slapping me on the back. Last time I saw him, he and Nova helped us deal with the Meraloth that had possessed my sister, Morana. It wasn’t an experience any of us would forget.Nova follows in right behind Creed, her blonde hair ju
OrionZane’s eyes snap up to meet mine, surprise flickering in them, but he doesn’t say anything. His lips part like he wants to respond, but the words don’t come. Instead, he just stares at me, his expression torn.“Orion…” he starts, his voice barely a whisper. “You shouldn’t—”“Don’t,” I cut him off, stepping closer. “Don’t tell me what I should or shouldn’t feel. I’ve been through enough to know what I want, and what I don’t.”His gaze drops to the floor, his hands shaking slightly as he clenches them into fists. I can see the internal battle going on inside him, the way he’s trying to hold it together, but it’s crumbling. He’s crumbling.“I’m not worth it,” he mutters, the words barely audible, like he doesn’t want me to hear them.I let out a frustrated breath, running a hand through my hair. “You don’t get to decide that for me, Zane.”He flinches at my tone, but he still doesn’t look up. It’s like he’s afraid to face me, afraid to let me see just how broken he really is. And ho