CHAPTER 7

 

I pushed the door of Gwen’s apartment open with a force I didn't intend, feeling the anger and frustration build up like a storm inside me. The apartment smelled like her signature lavender-scented candles, the ones I had always teased her for using too much. It was comforting, but it didn’t ease the tension swirling in my chest.

Gwen, who had been sitting on the couch, jumped at the sound of the door slamming behind me. Her eyes widened, and she immediately stood up, concern etched across her features.

“Cassie? Oh my God, where have you been? I’ve been trying to call you for hours. You didn’t pick up any of my calls!” she exclaimed, rushing over to me with her arms outstretched, as if she wanted to pull me into a hug. But I stepped back, needing space to breathe.

“I’m fine, Gwen,” I muttered, my voice rougher than I intended. “Just… a lot happened.”

Her eyes searched mine, narrowing as she took in my disheveled appearance. My hair was a tangled mess, and I could feel the remnants of the adrenaline crash from everything that had happened earlier. She looked at me like she could see right through me, as though she knew I was holding something back.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” she asked, her voice soft now, careful not to push too much. “You look like you’ve been through hell.”

I took a deep breath and sank onto the couch, running my fingers through my hair as I tried to steady myself. I couldn't keep the details from her. Not when she'd been there for me through everything. But telling her felt like opening a floodgate. I wasn’t sure I could handle that yet, but I knew I couldn’t lie to her either.

“I ran into some trouble,” I began, my voice shaking just slightly. “I… I met someone from that ‘Finder’ app you recommended. He was supposed to meet me, but I think he ditched me.” I paused, feeling the familiar sting of embarrassment creep up my spine. “But it wasn’t just him. I ran into… someone else. Someone I didn’t expect.”

Gwen’s brow furrowed as she sat beside me, her hand gently resting on my shoulder. “What do you mean, Cassie? Someone else? Who?”

I swallowed hard, unsure how to even explain it. “This guy—Zero—he… saved me. I was about to get jumped by these guys, the gammas sent by my former mate, and Zero stepped in. But Gwen, something about him doesn’t seem right... he was too calm. Too lenient. Like he was concern about me. And then, after everything, he kept talking like we were going to cross paths again.”

She looked at me, her eyes wide with concern. “Wait, wait. You ran into that notorious rogue—Zero Diabros? Are you serious, Cassie? That’s not a joke. That guy is dangerous!”

“I know!” I exclaimed, pushing a hand through my hair in frustration. “But it didn’t matter. Zero saved me instead, he beat all those gammas with no problem. And it was like nothing phased him. He’s not the kind of guy you’d want to run into. But for some reason… I don’t know. It’s like I can’t shake the feeling that he’s still out there, watching me.”

Gwen let out a sharp breath, her face a mix of worry and exasperation. “Cassie, I can’t believe you went out there alone in the first place. You’ve got to stop doing this! What if you’d gotten hurt? What if those guys—”

“I didn’t think I needed protection!” I snapped, the weight of my emotions rising again. “I’m not some helpless damsel in distress, Gwen. I can take care of myself. I’ve done it before.”

Gwen flinched, but she didn’t back down. “I know you’re strong, Cassie. But you need to be careful. And you need to stop going out alone. If you’re going to use that stupid app, I’ll come with you next time. I swear, I don’t care what kind of trouble you’re in, but I won’t let you put yourself in harm’s way again.”

I bit my lip, nodding slowly. “I guess I’m not so good at taking care of myself when things get out of hand.”

“You’re not supposed to be handling things like this alone,” Gwen said firmly, her voice full of concern. “I never should have told you about that ‘Finder’ app. I shouldn’t have let you go off like that. It was stupid of me.”

I shook my head, reaching for her hand. “Don’t blame yourself, Gwen. I chose to go. I wanted to find Licht. He’s the one I wanted to meet, not that... that Zero guy.”

I said his name like it was venom, but even as I spoke, a strange unease crawled up my spine. Zero’s face, his voice, his words—they lingered in my mind in a way I couldn’t explain. It wasn’t just that he had saved me. There was something else. A certain something that gnawed at me every time I thought about him.

Gwen squeezed my hand gently, pulling me out of my spiraling thoughts. “But it wasn’t Licht who showed up, was it?” she said with a small, wry smile, trying to lighten the mood. “You got Zero instead.”

I couldn’t help the bitter laugh that escaped my lips. “Yeah. I got that notorious guy which I think was just by coincidence. And you know what? I’m glad I didn’t get stuck with that Licht guy either. He wasn’t exactly who he said he was, and honestly? I don’t need any more games right now.”

Gwen studied me for a moment before sighing. “I’m just glad you’re okay. After everything that happened, you need to be more careful, Cassie. I know you think you can handle it, but there are people out there who—”

“I know,” I interrupted quietly. “I know I need to be more careful.”

There was a long silence between us as we sat together. Gwen’s eyes never left mine, as though she was waiting for me to say more. But I couldn’t bring myself to explain the overwhelming unease I felt about Zero. Or the way his final words echoed in my mind.

“I have a feeling this isn’t the last time I’ll see you in my house,” 

Zero’s voice replayed in my head. The calm certainty in his words made my heart skip a beat, and I couldn’t figure out why. Why did he say that? Why did it feel like he knew something I didn’t?

“What’s on your mind, Cassie?” Gwen’s voice pulled me back to reality. “You look like you’re a million miles away.”

I stared down at my hands, the weight of everything heavy on my chest. “I don’t know, Gwen. I can’t explain it. I just keep thinking about that Zero. I shouldn’t be, but I am. And I don’t like it. I want to forget him, but it’s like I can’t.”

She leaned forward, her expression softening. “You don’t have to figure everything out right now, Cassie. But maybe you need to let go of whatever’s pulling you toward him. And focus on the things that matter—the ones who care about you.”

I nodded, trying to believe her, but my mind kept drifting back to Zero. The way he had looked at me, the calmness he exuded even in the face of danger—it was unsettling. And yet, there was a strange pull there, one that I couldn’t deny.

I just hoped that I wouldn’t have to encounter him again. Even as I told myself that, a part of me couldn’t shake the feeling that it wasn’t the last time our paths would cross.

And I couldn’t figure out why that made me feel both terrified and strangely… intrigued.