Chapter 26 - Zoe
I didn't know how long I stood there as I watched Ezra drive away, feeling like my heart was leaving with him.
I couldn't move—not while my entire body felt numb. Unable to feel in that moment, I couldn't register the pain. There was no gauging just how bad it was, not when it felt like there was ice in my veins.
As I stared at the road ahead, with Ezra's truck completely out of sight, I felt more lost than ever before.
Too many thoughts and feelings were demanding my attention at once, but I couldn't focus on any of them.
I was upset, devastated, and angry with myself for ever allowing that to happen.
After the first time, I swore I'd never fall for him again. I promised myself that I would keep my guard up and never allow myself to feel that kind of pain—not after it had done a number on me.
Regardless of the work I put into myself and the resolve I had to remain perfectly immune to him, it still failed.
Protecting myself from that harm had been my priority, but even then, he still managed to make his way back in again.
I hated it. I hated feeling helpless, like he had every control over my life as if I was at a standstill because of his inability to stand his ground and fight for what he wanted.
Our connection was clear and real, and although it seemed easier to ignore rather than deal with the issues that came with it, the opposite was true. He could try to deny it all he wanted, but we had something genuine, and for a moment, however small, I caught a glimpse of the real him.
Ezra wanted to seem aloof and indifferent, but it was far from the truth.
He cared about us—he wanted us to be together. But whatever Sebastian had said to him had obviously struck a chord.
I was angry with them both too.
Unwilling to give Sebastian the chance to come find me yet, I decided I'd go to the one place that offered me complete solace.
Sights set on the gym, I wasted no time going and hoping to clear my head. At the very least, to not spend every waking moment dwelling on what had just happened.
I knew it would be impossible to ignore that anger and pain, but I needed to keep moving. I needed to do something so I didn’t break completely, even if the tears had already stained my cheeks.
While in the facility, feeling the slightest bit of relief, knowing it was the one day of the week, I kept it closed for maintenance's sake; I could breathe for the first time since Ezra blew me off. I turned only a section of lights on and kept the open sign turned off.
Wasting no time, I got onto one of the machines and did my best to focus. To let the physical exertion carry me through.
As I forced my body to move, that numbness began to fade, and the sadness shifted into mostly anger.
I was furious with Sebastian for getting in the middle of everything when he had no right to. When it was completely out of line for him to be so hypocritical and judge us both for something that was beyond our control. He had been no better with Lydia, and while he seemed to understand that by the end of our conversation, the damage had already been done.
I was angry with myself for not only letting myself slip up but also for not realizing what was happening between my brother and Ezra—for not stepping in when I should’ve been there to defend him. Maybe then he wouldn’t be so negative about our connection and himself.
Finally, I was pissed off that Ezra didn’t have it in him to fight for us. To meet me halfway and choose us regardless of what Sebastian said. I sensed a deeper pain in him when he called things off again, and I understood why. It didn’t take much to see how he had a habit of internalizing everything, and given how rocky his relationship was with his parents, it was no wonder he was hard on himself.
Through the bond, I had felt that helplessness as it churned within him, regardless of how he tried to hide his emotions from me.
While he had been cold and cruel just like before, I knew well enough to be able to see the raw pain and devastation within him.
As I got my heart rate up and pushed through the pain of it all, I couldn’t help but wonder how everything had become so complicated. I didn’t know how our situation could be going so well just for it to all crumble again. We had so much promise, and we were connecting so well, yet it only took my brother getting in the way to bring it all crashing down.
With the numbness leaving me and the emotions guiding me through my workout, it took me some time to realize what I was doing.
I was still functioning despite essentially being broken up with all over again. I was able to carry myself through physical exertion despite the pain.
The first time around, when the mate bond was broken, I could hardly get myself out of bed. I was a pure mess, and for a while, I scared even myself.
But after the second time, I was pushing through the heartache that, in a way, seemed almost superficial.
That told me one thing—Ezra didn’t completely reject me or the bond.
When I searched within myself for it, sure enough, it was still there. Despite it suffering slightly from that distance between us and the strain he put us both through, that tether was still intact.
I had to pause then as I considered that thought.
We were both upset and hurting, and while he obviously needed space and time to sort through his anguish, he didn’t count us out completely.
I didn’t know if that had been the intention or if our bond had grown so strong that it required more pressure to break it. Whether he wanted to separate us entirely or not, it seemed that connection refused to bend.
My heart clenched at the thought, unsure if I should embrace that hope or throw it away completely.
One part of me still wanted him, while the other couldn’t help but wish to be freed from that constant back and forth.
Just as lost as before, yet offered the slightest hope for a less depressing outcome, I found my anger lessening slightly. At least, who it was directed at seemed to shift somewhat.
I didn’t know if I’d be able to forgive Sebastian so easily for his interference, and I wasn’t sure if I should even be open to forgiving Ezra if he ever tried to make amends. While it was tempting to think about, I had the feeling Ezra would rather suffer in silence and avoid it all than confront it head-on.
It was something about him that drove me insane, but again, I understood why.
Time seemed to move in a complete blur as I continued working out alone. I didn’t know how long I had been there, but when I heard the door open in the distance, I noticed the sun was slightly lowered as I glanced over.
As my eyes focused on the two figures walking in, my brows furrowed with immediate surprise. I didn’t expect anyone to enter in the first place, given how it clearly wasn’t open.
“The gym’s closed today—”
But as my eyes focused and the recognition hit me, my stomach turned. Given everything that had happened, these were the last people I wanted to see.
Ezra’s dad, Dane, and his beta, Rory, came in. They glanced around for a moment before setting their eyes on me, looking determined about something.
Immediately, with a rush of concern, I turned the machine off and stepped down.
Both confusion and that startled feeling moved through me at once as I glanced between them, not knowing what to expect. Seeing them there and taking in their determined strides made my stomach fill with dread, and at once, I knew nothing good would come of it.
“What’s going on?” I asked them, throwing my guard up.
Dane seemed to ripple with anger then as it gleamed in his eyes. “I’m here to fix everything.”
My brows furrowed. “Fix what—how?”
A hint of smugness entered his tone as he spoke. “My son was good and obedient once. He did everything I asked of him because he knew that he’d have to face the consequences if he didn't. But ever since he ran away from home, it seems that everything has changed. He gained a sense of authority of his own, and I can only imagine how the likes of you have emboldened him even more so. Even if he changed before meeting you, you are still very much in the way.”
I was speechless then as I looked between them, feeling as if my stomach was only sinking more.
Dane’s eyes narrowed at me. “If it weren’t for that deal with Kody Arron, I would’ve let Ezra run off and play leader all he wanted. I would’ve had no qualms about letting him go, given how he would rather throw everything we gave him away. But with him denying Nora, I stand to lose everything, but I won’t let that happen.”
“What does that have to do with me?”
He gritted his teeth and pointed a finger at me, closing in around me. “You are the very reason why he won’t even consider following through with the deal. Even if I made it on his behalf, as my son, he has a duty to carry out what I ask of him, independent or not. Yet, he won’t forget about this bullshit engagement between you two…if it’s even real. We tried to make him see how this will never work, but he just wouldn’t listen.”
Trying to put distance between us, I took several steps back, looking between them wearily. “That isn’t my problem…and you accepting that deal with Kody isn’t his either. He’ll never agree to it.”
“No? But with you out of the equation, I’m sure we could manage to change that,” Dane said, tone more menacing and unstable than the other times I had seen him. “My son has strayed far from where he once was, but no matter. I just need to bring him to his senses, and you’ll help with that.”
Afraid of what that meant, I tried to think of how I could get away—how I could save myself and get help before he had the time to act out whatever he had planned.
But after a brief moment of hesitation, filling the air with anticipation, like the seconds leading up to a predator's killing strike, both Dane and Rory reached for me.
Teeth grit, their hands were on me with an impossibly tight grip, closing around my arms and pinning them against my sides.
Immediate panic shot through me, and I fought my hardest to pull away from them. I squirmed and kicked, aware that if they managed to get me away from there, then my life would be entirely in their hands.
Clenching my jaw and trying to focus on my anger rather than my fear, I wriggled an arm free and reeled back, sending my fist into Rory’s jaw, causing him to stumble for a moment.
At the faint loosening of his grip on me, I tried taking advantage of it by thrashing and kicking more.
But as that window of opportunity closed, pain cracked through my head as Dane’s fist collided with my left cheek and sent stars whirling across my vision.
Stunned, I lost my bearings as Rory immediately moved in and covered my mouth and nose.
Through that disorienting haze, my awareness slipped, and everything else melted away.