22. Zoey
ZOEY
I ’d made a decision about my future and decided to act on it. Strike while the iron is hot, so to speak. I was a jumble of nerves and excitement as I walked into the tech store.
I went straight to the computing aisle, scanning the shelves for something that would suit my needs and my budget.
My fingers danced across the sleek surfaces of the various computers on display.
I weighed the pros and cons of each machine.
A delighted smile spread across my face as I found one that appeared to be the perfect fit for my coding and programming needs.
It was more than just a computer; it was a tool, a weapon in my arsenal.
It was an investment in a future I was eager to build, brick by digital brick.
“Can I help you with anything?” the salesperson asked.
I pointed to the laptop I’d set my sights on. “I’ll take this one.”
“Great choice,” he said. “Let me get you one from the stockroom. I’ll be right back.”
I waited, tapping my foot impatiently. When he returned, I swiped my card, eager to get home and dive into the world of coding. After so many years out of the loop, I had a lot to catch up on.
“Are you a student or...?” the salesperson tried to make conversation as he handed me the receipt.
“Sort of,” I answered. “I’m signing up for certification courses.”
“Good luck with that,” he said with a smile as I turned away, clutching the boxed laptop like a lifeline.
“Thanks,” I muttered, heading for the exit, already thinking about the courses I’d applied for and the future I was determined to build.
I went straight back to Noah’s and set up in his kitchen. He’d asked that Ro and I stay here until he was sure George wasn’t a threat anymore, and that suited me fine. Heather’s house had begun to feel a bit cramped, but I’d be eternally grateful that she’d given us the refuge we needed.
It was strange to be online again. I hadn’t done any work of any kind on a computer since graduating from college nearly thirteen years ago.
George hadn’t wanted me working, not even working remotely.
He’d kept me isolated, caged in his fancy home where I could never relax or feel fully comfortable.
It was astonishing how quickly things progressed in the computing field.
It saddened me to think about all the progress I had missed out on.
The AI available now would have been every coder’s dream when I was in college.
It was an incredible technological achievement.
I lost a few hours playing with chatbots and asking them outrageous questions.
Who knew the best way to get cheese to stay on a pizza was glue?
The internet, apparently. It was mindless fun, and I looked forward to sinking my teeth into it.
I was leaning against the island in Noah’s kitchen, scrolling through my emails, when one subject line caught my eye. I opened it, holding my breath. Congratulations, Zoey Lester... My face lit up as I read the details. It was a reply from one of the programs I’d applied for. They’d accepted me.
This was big. It was the turning point I’d been hoping for—a way to educate myself and ease my way into the job market. It was another step towards securing a future for me and Ro. I was over the moon and did a little happy dance.
“Hey, what’s got you dancing in my kitchen like that?” Noah said, pulling me out of my solo tango. I looked up to see him standing in the doorway, a curious lift of his brow.
“I got in!” I squealed. “The coding and programming refresher course I applied to. They accepted me!”
He stepped closer, his blue eyes lighting up. “That’s amazing. I’m really happy for you.”
“Thanks. It means a lot.” I knew his words weren’t empty, which made it all the more meaningful to share good news with him.
His hand brushed mine as he tilted the screen to see for himself.
His touch on my hand was warm, but it wasn’t consistent with his body language.
I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was amiss.
Sure, I wasn’t a shifter who could scent emotions or sense energy, but I could still read people.
Noah’s smile was distant and devoid of enthusiasm, as if his thoughts were somewhere else.
“Is everything okay?” I asked, my heart thudding a little harder in my chest. “You seem... off.”
He paused, his gaze drifting past me before settling back on my face with a forced lightness. “It’s nothing, really. Just tired.”
I knew Noah well enough now to know when he was holding back. “Noah, if there’s something wrong, you can tell me.”
My mind raced, piecing together the tension in his shoulders and the somber set of his mouth. He’d gone to see his father today, and this wasn’t the look of a man who had good news to share.
“Zoey, believe me, it’s not worth your concern.” He tried to brush it off, but I wasn’t convinced.
“Was your meeting with your father about me?” Negative thoughts began bombarding my mind. Was it because Mike got hurt when he was looking out for me? Or did his parents not approve of him being with someone like me—a single mother with a past who was now bringing trouble to their town?
“Do they not want you seeing me?” I hadn’t realized how much his parents’ opinion mattered to me until now.
Surprise flitted across his features before he rushed to reassure me. “What? No, that’s not it at all.” He shook his head slowly. “My parents... they have no issue with you.”
He wasn’t telling me everything, and I hated it. George had enjoyed keeping things from me. He’d made a game out of it, even. Called me his little mushroom, because he liked to keep me in the dark and feed me shit.
I didn’t want to be pushy with Noah, but I needed reassurance right now. I’d been through too much to sit comfortably with uncertainty ever again.
“Then what is it? Is it because I’m human and not a shifter?” I pressed. “Is the pack giving you a hard time?”
“No, Zoey, you’re way off. Honestly, my parents and the pack have no issue with you,” Noah said. But his tone immediately set off alarm bells in my head.
“Okay.” I bit my lip, trying to steady my breathing and ignore the wretched anxiety. “Then, what’s going on? You know I can’t do the guessing game, Noah. Not after?—”
He cut me off with a sigh, running his hands through his sandy hair. His brow furrowed, causing the scar above his left eyebrow to become more pronounced. “I promise, Zoey, my parents love you. You are not the issue.”
“Then what is it?” I asked, needing to anchor myself to something concrete, to some sliver of truth that would prevent the walls from closing in on me like they used to.
“Are you aware of what it means for me to become alpha?” His probing gaze searched me for an understanding I wasn’t certain I could give him.
“Heather mentioned something about it,” I confirmed. “She compared it to a monarchy. That the title of alpha is passed from father to the eldest child. When your dad steps down, you’ll be the next in line.”
“Next in line...” he echoed, drifting into silence before looking at me with a resigned expression.
“Nate was next in line. My brother… my twin.” He choked on the last word, and I could tell he was fighting to keep it together.
“He was older than me by eight whole minutes. While he was raised to be the next alpha, I relished the freedom to pursue my own desires. We’d discussed it.
Hell, a few times, I even asked him if he really wanted to be alpha.
He’d laugh and tell me to stop overthinking things.
Nate had a sincere passion—he loved the pack and everything to do with being alpha.
I wholeheartedly believe he was looking forward to it.
Two years ago...” Noah cleared his throat.
“Two years ago, he was in a car accident. Drunk driver. He was too badly injured to shift safely. Even if he’d made it to the hospital, they couldn’t have done anything for him. He died at the scene.”
Noah scrubbed at his face. A single tear escaped his eye before he quickly wiped it away.
“It should be Nate. But it’s not. It’s me. So I’m here taking on responsibilities that were never meant to be mine.”
My throat tightened. Heather and Sam had mentioned Nate’s passing with a glossed-over sadness that didn’t even begin to capture the gravity now etched into Noah’s features.
The loss of a sibling, a twin. I glanced at Ro, his laughter echoing from the other room.
My heart constricted at the mere thought.
“Ro is everything to me,” I said softly. “I can’t... I can’t even imagine what you went through. What they—” I gestured vaguely, indicating his parents without needing to say their names.
Noah watched me, an unreadable expression on his face. “It wasn’t just losing Nate—and that was hard,” he said. “It’s everything that came after. This role. The responsibilities and expectations.”
I took his hand. The calluses on his palms from his years in the ring were rough against my skin. “You never wanted this,” I said in realization. “You never wanted to be alpha.”
His eyes met mine, surprise flickering across them. “Most people just assume I should be grateful for the honor.”
“Is that what your father thinks?” I asked.
He clenched his jaw. “My father is old-school. It’s always about duty with him, about the pack,” Noah said, a slight edge to his words. “He’s served his time. Done his duty. And he didn’t expect... he never thought Nate would...” He trailed off, his voice thick with emotion.
“You can’t blame your father for not foreseeing it,” I said gently. “None of us can predict how life will twist and turn. He’s done his time. He’s ready to step down.”
Noah’s brows knitted together. “You’re taking his side?”
“No,” I assured him quickly. “I’m on your side. But I understand why he’s pushing you. He trusts you, Noah. Maybe more than anyone else. If he didn’t, do you think he’d be willing to just hand it over?”