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“Are you sure—” I cut Zayn’s question off with a growl, my eyes narrowing on the brother I still haven’t come to terms with.
“There’s no way in hell I’m going to let you finish that sentence,” I snap, turning on him. “My mate doesn’t need any protection from you, especially not against me.”
“I can handle myself, Zayn,” Skylar says, frowning at him. “You should go.”
Zayn’s shoulders slump at her dismissal, and he turns to leave. I’d almost feel bad for him if he wasn’t trying to insert himself into every aspect of my life. He hasn’t left since we brought him back after the fight with the bears. Now I feel like an idiot for giving him a place to stay since he’s refused to leave, especially now that he’s acting as though he needs to chaperone us.
I sigh in relief at the click of the door closing.
“Skylar.” I step around the desk.
She stiffens at the sound of her name on my lips, sending a bolt of pain straight to my heart. I stop a foot from her, so close I could reach out and smooth the stray wisps of hair away from her cheek. Just days before, she melted into my touch, and now she seems as though she can’t bear the thought of having my arms wrapped around her.
“What can I do?” I ask, swallowing the feeling of hopelessness that bubbles up my throat. “What can I do to take this burden away? How can I help shoulder some of the pain my past has caused you?”
“You aren’t hiding the ability to turn back time, are you?” she asks with a pained half-hearted chuckle. I suppress the urge to tilt a finger under her chin when she glances down at the floor. “I wish there was something you could do, something to take away the loss, the hurt, the memory of your face on that grainy video.”
“Give me it. Give me everything you’ve been feeling,” I plead. “Let me take that strain from you so we can weather the storm together.”
Skylar sucks in a ragged breath, her golden eyes sparkling with unshed tears as she meets my gaze. Her walls come tumbling down with that, her emotions slamming into me as a tear rolls down her cheek.
I nearly buckle over as the soul-wrenching pain of loss barrels into the center of my chest, the sharp slice of betrayal cutting me to my core. I brace myself on my knees as I catch my breath, coping with the turmoil my mate has been drowning in for days.
“Zeke,” she murmurs, closing the distance between us. Her hands clasp my cheeks, tipping my face up to meet hers. Despite the pain, despite the gut-wrenching guilt that churns in my center, I can’t help but smile as my eyes lock with hers. My strong, beautiful warrior of a mate.
“I hate this. I hate that I spent the last few days wrapped in my own self-pity. I hate that I let my grief cloud my vision for so long,” she breathes, and I sense there’s a double meaning to her words. “I hate being weak.”
“Real strength comes from mental fortitude,” I say, wrapping my arms around her and cradling her into my chest. My heart skips a beat as she nestles her head against me, the warm flame of hope flickering with a renewed blast. “It comes from going through hell and coming out the other side without letting it change you. It doesn’t mean hiding the pain. It means embracing it and not letting it harden you. I can see your heart, and beneath all this hurt and betrayal, I know your real strength is shining through. This will pass. I know it.”
Her arms band around my waist, squeezing me to her like she never wants to let go. The pain eases—both mine and hers. I want to make sure that wall never comes up between us again, that I never give her a reason to do so or ever doubt my intentions or actions again.
“A friend told me something along those lines not too long ago,” she chuckles.
“It must be true then,” I whisper, placing a chaste kiss on the top of her head. “I can’t even imagine the hell you’ve been through the last few days, but I promise I’ll do anything in my power to see that sparkle in your eyes, to see that beaming smile breaking through the darkness. I’m in this for the long haul, Draven. It’s me, you, and the rest of your merry band of mates from now until the end of time—even if you do uncover a long-lost triplet.”
She huffs out a breath of amusement, the pain lessening a fraction as she relaxes into me. Her warm breath seeps into my black button-up shirt, sending warmth blooming through my chest.
“I hope not. Four mates are more than enough for this alpha,” she groans half-heartedly. “I take it you haven’t spoken to him yet.”
“How did you guess?”
“I’m here for you too … when you do.” Her throat bobs slightly, her eyes shining brightly as she looks up at me. “I know it must be hard to even think about what happened with your mom.”
I trail my finger over the mate bite, and my wolf rumbles in delight at the sound of contentment that slips from her lips at the small touch. My mother—this is the first time that someone mentioning her hasn’t brought a stab of pain and guilt. I hadn’t noticed it, but that burden has been easing every day since I spilled my soul to Skylar.
“I know, babe.” I brush her hair back from her face, the rough pads of my fingers soothing over her soft skin. She leans into the touch, making every ounce of tension flee my body. I would spend every day of my life like this if I could. Holding the woman I love, feeling her heartbeat near mine, reminding my wolf that she’s here, she’s alive, and she’s mine just as much as I’m hers. No matter how long it takes, I’ll chase away the memories that video left her.
“But first, let’s find the son of a bitch that killed your father and make him pay.”
A smile breaks across her lips, and although it’s still clearly muted with the pain of her loss, her eyes gleaming with barely caged anticipation and excitement. “You stole the words right out of my mouth, asshole.”
Chapter Five
Skylar
Themorningsunfiltersin through the thin embroidered drapes of the meeting room, creating rainbows on the mainly empty chairs, and I wonder what it would’ve been like to sit here across from my father. He always had a large inner circle, but me, I can only trust a few people it seems, and two are sitting across from me.
“Can I ask you a favor, Alpha?” Silas asks from across the large boardroom style table. He smooths a hand over his head and Seline chews on her bottom lip beside him.
