Zarek's POV

When I woke up, the first thing I noticed was warmth—real, comforting warmth. My body ached, but it wasn’t the unbearable fire I’d grown used to. For a moment, I dared to think my heat had passed. Then I felt it—a heavy arm draped over me. My heart skipped a beat, and I froze, every muscle in my body stiffening.

I didn’t need to look to know who it was. His scent was everywhere, filling my lungs and calming my nerves in a way that only made me angrier. Cedar and rain, rich and grounding—Kaidon’s scent. It wrapped around me, sinking into my skin, and I hated how much my body craved it.

Carefully, I turned my head. There he was, lying beside me, his golden eyes hidden behind closed lids, his breathing steady. His grip on me was firm, like even in sleep, he refused to let me go.

My chest tightened. My wolf, Aegis, stirred weakly in the back of my mind, purring at the sight of our mate. I wanted to feel the same pull, the same instinctual comfort. But all I felt was suffocated. Trapped.

*Get out of here,* I told myself. Slowly, I tried to wiggle out of Kaidon’s hold, but his arm tightened around me, pulling me closer.

“Let me go,” I muttered under my breath, tugging at his arm.

*“Don’t push him away,”* Aegis whispered. His voice was faint, almost pleading.

“I don’t need him,” I snapped back in my mind, sharper than I intended. Aegis whimpered and went quiet, the bond between us dimming.

“Zarek?” Kaidon’s deep, groggy voice made me jump. His arm shifted, loosening just enough for me to slip out from under him. I shot out of bed before he could stop me and made a beeline for the bathroom, slamming the door shut behind me.

As soon as I was alone, I slid down to the floor, pressing my back against the door. My breathing came in short, shallow bursts, my heart racing like I’d just run a marathon. The weight of everything hit me all at once—my heat, my wolf, Kaidon, the mate bond I didn’t ask for.

*Why now?* I thought bitterly. *Why him?*

A soft knock on the door startled me.

“Zarek?” Kaidon’s voice was closer now, more awake, and laced with concern. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” I lied, my voice breaking. “Just... leave me alone.”

“Zarek,” he said again, his tone softer. “Talk to me.”

I buried my face in my knees, trying to block him out. I didn’t want to talk. I didn’t want to explain. How could I tell him what I didn’t even fully understand myself?

Minutes passed in silence, and for a moment, I thought he’d given up. But then I heard the faintest sound of retreating footsteps. Relief and guilt warred within me as I leaned my head back against the door.

*Why can’t they all just leave me alone?*

But peace didn’t last long.

Another knock came—softer, gentler.

“Zarek?” a familiar female voice called. “It’s Akiri. Can I come in?”

I growled low in my throat. “What do you want?”

“To help,” she said simply.

I let out a harsh laugh. “You’ve done enough. I don’t need your help.”

“You may not want it,” she said calmly, “but you need it.”

Her words struck a nerve. Before I could think better of it, I got up and unlocked the door, pulling it open just enough to glare at her.

“You have two minutes,” I said flatly.

Akiri didn’t flinch at my tone. She stepped inside, carefully avoiding the bed and seating herself in the chair by the desk. Always calculated. Always calm.

“What’s going on with you?” she asked, her gaze piercing.

I crossed my arms, leaning against the wall. “My heat. What else?”

Akiri’s lips quirked, like she wasn’t buying it. “This isn’t just about your heat, Zarek. You’ve been on edge for weeks—long before Kaidon arrived. What’s really bothering you?”

Her words struck too close to home, and I lashed out. “If you already think you know me so well, why are you even asking?”

For the first time, her calm faltered. “Because I care about you, Zarek. More than you realize.”

I looked away, my jaw tightening.

She sighed, standing and crossing the room until she was just a few feet away. “Aegis reached out to Kaidon, you know. Before you even knew he was your mate.”

That got my attention. My head snapped up, confusion and anger warring inside me. “What?”

“Your wolf,” Akiri explained gently. “He sent out a distress call. Kaidon answered.”

I stared at her, my mind spinning. “Why wouldn’t Aegis tell me?”

“Because he knew you wouldn’t listen,” she said softly. “You’ve been blocking him out for so long, Zarek. He’s just trying to protect you the only way he knows how.”

Her words felt like a slap in the face. My wolf, my instincts, had gone behind my back? To Kaidon? My hands curled into fists at my sides.

“I don’t need protection,” I said through gritted teeth.

Akiri tilted her head, her gaze steady. “Don’t you?”

The question hung in the air, heavy and unanswerable.

Without another word, I shoved past her, storming out of the room. I didn’t stop when she called my name or when Axel tried to ask me what was wrong. The walls of the house felt like they were closing in on me, suffocating me.

Outside, the forest loomed like a dark, inviting sanctuary. I bolted into the trees, running until my legs burned and my chest ached. Only then did I stop, collapsing against a tree trunk and sinking to the ground.

My thoughts were a tangled mess. Aegis was silent. Akiri’s words echoed in my head. Kaidon was too close, too much.

I just needed space. Time.

But the universe had other plans.

A scream pierced the night, sharp and terrified, sending a chill down my spine.

And just like that, everything else faded away.