Chapter 6

Calix woke up with a sharp pain in his chest, barely able to move. When he opened his eyes, there she was—Zara. The scent of her was enough for him to know it was her. She looked scared, her hand hovering near his wound, unsure of what to do. Fear streamed down her face, like she was lost.

He couldn't help but smile a little, despite the pain. He knew she was scared, but he also knew she would come through.

He reached up and grabbed her hand, placing it on his wound. Confusion flashed in her eyes. What was he doing?

"Go ahead. Heal me," he told her.

Zara looked at him, shocked. How did she not know? The bond between them should have been clear.

After a moment, she seemed to get herself together. He could see her focus, trying to make it work. He knew she was doing it because she was scared—scared of being blamed for hitting a rogue.

He felt her energy flow into him, and the pain started to ease. Just when he thought she might be able to heal him fully, she collapsed next to him, completely drained.

Was she really that weak?

He picked her up gently and carried her to his car. She needed rest, and he wasn't going to leave her behind.

******

Zara finally woke up, but it was already morning. She'd been out for hours. The moment she moved, her face was right there, close to his. "Are you okay? Are you fine?" Her voice was full of worry. Calix couldn’t help but be surprised by how much she cared, and he found her face so cute in that moment. He really hoped her concern was real and not just out of fear.

But just as he was lost in the moment, she switched again. "Why were you standing there? Why in the middle of the road? Do you want to get yourself killed? If you want to die, do it somewhere else, not in my way!"

Her sudden outburst caught him off guard. Was she crazy? But he decided not to react. He moved a little closer, and their faces were almost touching. He could see her panicking, thinking he was about to kiss her. Her lips were trembling.

She started to talk but stumbled over her words, lost in her own thoughts. He quickly pulled out the seatbelt and strapped it across her, then kicked the car into gear. "Where’s your house? I'll take you home."

She was stunned, clearly thrown off by his actions. He could feel her swallowing hard, probably thinking he was going to kiss her. But that wasn’t it—not yet, anyway.

******

When they finally arrived at her home, Zara insisted multiple times that he drop her off halfway, but he wasn’t having it. He knew the risk of any pack members finding out he was a rogue, but he wanted to make sure she was safe. She wasn’t in any condition to be alone just yet.

They both stepped out of the car, and he held her hand as they walked toward the door. He casually asked, "Your husband?" But she immediately shot it down, telling him to leave instead, not allowing him to finish his words.

Her words felt off, and he could sense her distress, the pain beneath her tough exterior. She wasn’t fine—something was wrong.

The door swung open, and standing in front of him was someone who looked exactly like Zara—her twin sister, he thought. But what shocked him even more was her outfit—or lack of one. She was dressed in nothing but a bra and pants.

Zara rushed forward, her face flushed with embarrassment. She pushed him aside, ready to head back to the car, but just as he turned, a voice boomed from behind him. "Who the hell is this?" A man’s voice. He sounded furious.

Calix turned to face him, wondering who he was.

Before he could react, the voice echoed again, sharper this time, "Who the hell are you?" Calix turned, ready to introduce himself, but Zara stepped in, her tone cutting.

“I don’t think you’re in any position to ask who this is,” she said smoothly. “Let me introduce him to you. This is my boyfriend.”

He barely had time to process her words before the man burst into laughter, clearly not buying it. "Boyfriend? Are you serious?"

Without missing a beat, Zara looked up at Calix, her eyes glinting with determination, and then—she kissed him. Her lips met his, soft but assertive, and he could tell she intended to keep up the act. But he decided to take the lead, deepening the kiss, pulling her closer as if they'd done this a thousand times before.

He felt Zara’s initial shock melt into something else, her surprise flickering in her eyes as she let herself lean into it. The man’s breathing grew louder, a mix of frustration and jealousy, but Calix didn’t stop. Instead, he held her there, letting him see every second of it.

Then the man’s hand shot up, ready to throw a punch, but he didn’t realize who he was dealing with. Calix caught his fist mid-air, holding it in place, his other arm still wrapped firmly around Zara’s waist. She tried to pull back from the kiss, but he didn’t let her—keeping her close, making sure he saw the message in every second of it. Eventually, she broke free, eyes wide with surprise, but she quickly put on a brave face, playing along.

Fury twisted across the man’s face as he turned on her, his voice rising. “How dare you?” he yelled, raising his hand as if to strike her.

Before he could move, Zara’s twin sister stepped in, calm but firm. “Why are you overreacting?”

The man turned on her, shouting even louder, but Calix stepped between them. “She’s right. You’re overreacting,” he said, keeping his tone steady. “I assume she’s your wife,” he pointed at Zara’s twin sister. “So why all the anger over this?” He motioned to Zara, pulling her close again.

“You have no idea what’s going on here,” the man growled, yanking Zara toward him.

Calix didn’t let go. Instead, he held his grip on her, locking eyes with him.

"I'm going," he said, and Zara nodded. He took a step back, then returned to peck her forehead before leaving. He couldn’t stop laughing throughout the day, thinking about what had just happened.

But something didn’t add up. Zara's marriage seemed troubled. Was she unhappy, or was she unable to share her feelings?

As Zara reached out to him again, he expected anger, but instead, she was grateful for his support. He tried to pry into her marital issues, but she evaded his questions, covering up her concerns.

That evening, Zara suggested a date to repay him for his kindness. Over dinner, she finally opened up.

“I have an open marriage,” she revealed, her voice trembling. “But not with just anyone—with my twin sister.” He couldn’t believe it.

In that moment, Calix realized he still had a chance to win Zara’s heart. Their secret dates became frequent, and their connection grew stronger. He wanted more than friendship, but Zara hesitated.

One day, at a restaurant, Zara’s demeanor changed. “What’s wrong?” he asked.

Tears streamed down her face. “I’m pregnant,” she whispered, her voice cracking.