41. Zoey #2
Noah hesitated. I could see the weariness in his shoulders, the grief in his eyes. But Ro was looking at him with such earnest eagerness, such pure faith, that I knew he wouldn’t refuse.
“I don’t know, buddy,” Noah said. “It’s been a long day.”
“Please?” Ro pressed, his lower lip jutting out in a pout. “Just a short one? I promise I’ll work super hard.”
I watched the indecision play across Noah’s face, the battle between his exhaustion and his desire to make Ro happy. In the end, there was no contest. He could never deny my son anything.
“All right,” he said, a ghost of a smile touching his lips. “Let’s see what we can do.”
Ro let out a whoop of joy, scrambling to collect the necessary equipment. They picked out a pair of gloves and some pads that had escaped damage. Noah knelt beside Ro, gently wrapping my son’s hands and guiding him through the process with infinite patience.
“Zoey, could you hold these for us?” Noah asked, offering me the pads.
I nodded, positioning myself opposite Ro. He squared up, his face scrunched in concentration as he raised his gloved hands.
“Remember, keep your guard up.” Noah adjusted Ro’s stance with a light touch. “And stay on your toes so you can move quickly.”
Ro threw a punch, and I felt it through the pads right into my bones. I hadn’t known Ro had such strength.
“Good,” Noah said. “But watch your elbow, buddy. Keep it up, or you’ll lose power.”
They fell into a rhythm, Noah calling out corrections and encouragement as Ro struck the pads again and again. I braced my stance to keep my footing even as I marveled at the transformation in my son. His face was set with determination, his movements sure.
And Noah... the tension had drained from him as he guided Ro. This was his element, I realized. The ring, the gym, the art of the fight.
Ro’s energy was flagging, his punches losing their crispness. But he gritted his teeth, pushing through the fatigue.
“All right, champ, that’s enough for today.” Noah caught Ro’s hands gently. “You did great. I’m proud of you.”
Ro beamed up at him, his face flushed and sweaty but alight with happiness. “Thanks, Noah. That was awesome.”
As I watched them—teacher and student, man and boy—my heart filled with love. This, right here, was what George could never touch, never taint. The bond between Noah and Ro, the love, the trust...
It was unbreakable.
We decided to treat ourselves to some ice cream after the impromptu training session. As we walked down the street, Ro between us, I couldn’t stop smiling. The simple normalcy of it all, the easy affection, filled me with a warm glow.
Noah glanced over at me. “What’s got you grinning like that?”
I shook my head, still smiling. “Nothing. Just... happy.”
He caught my hand in his and squeezed gently. “Me too.”
We got our ice cream and found a bench to sit on while we ate. Ro chattered away, hyped up on sugar and sunshine.
Noah listened intently, nodding along, asking questions. But after a moment, he turned to Ro. “Hey, buddy, I want to thank you. For what you did back there, at the gym.”
Ro blinked up at him in confusion. “What did I do?”
Noah smiled and ruffled Ro’s hair. “You cheered me up. I was feeling pretty down about the damage, but you reminded me what’s important. Thank you.”
Ro ducked his head, pleased and a little embarrassed. “You’re welcome.”
I watched the exchange, my heart so full, it felt like it might burst. My two men, the most important people in my world, building a bond that went beyond blood or obligation.
Ro’s approval, his acceptance of Noah, meant everything to me. If he had shown even the slightest hesitation, the faintest unease, I would have ended things between me and Noah in a heartbeat.
But this? This easy affection, the way they gravitated toward each other like magnets? It was more than I had ever dared hope for.
Impulsively, I leaned over and kissed Noah, just a quick peck on the lips. He blinked at me, startled but pleased.
Ro, of course, had to ruin the moment. “Eww, gross,” he complained, making exaggerated gagging noises.
But he was grinning as he said it, his eyes sparkling with mischief. He might pretend to be disgusted, but he was happy for us.
George and his threats seemed very far away. Here, now, I was safe. I was loved.
And that was worth more than anything else in the world.
I paced around Noah’s living room, trying to ignore the unease churning in my gut. Noah had gone out with Mike to see if they could catch George’s scent, leaving me alone with Ro.
Well, not entirely alone. Lance stood guard outside, and a plainclothes officer watched from an unmarked car. But still, I couldn’t shake the feeling that George could strike at any moment.
A knock at the door made me jump. My heart raced as I peered through the peephole. Noah’s father stood on the porch, his posture stiff and awkward.
I opened the door cautiously. “Christian? Is everything okay?”
He cleared his throat. “I was hoping to speak with Noah. Is he around?”
I shook my head. “No, he’s out with Mike. Trying to track George.”
Christian’s jaw tightened. “I see.” He hesitated, then asked, “May I come in?”
I stepped aside to let him pass. As he settled onto the couch, I perched on the edge of an armchair, studying him. He looked tired. Worn down.
“Christian,” I said slowly, “I know it’s not my place, but... I think there are things you need to tell Noah.”
He stared at me, his expression guarded. “What do you mean?”
Ugh, it wasn’t my place, but I’d already started now. “Noah thinks you’re disappointed in him. That you don’t approve of his choices.”
Christian flinched as if I’d struck him. “That’s not true,” he said hoarsely. “I... I’ve always been proud of Noah. Of both my sons.”
“Then why haven’t you told him that?”
He scrubbed a hand over his face. “It’s complicated. I couldn’t always be there for his fights. My duties as alpha...”
“But you watched them, didn’t you?” I guessed. “Online, whenever you could.”
Christian’s eyes widened. “How did you know that?”
I shrugged. “Just a hunch. The way you talk about his career... you’ve been following it, even if you couldn’t be there in person.”
He nodded slowly. “I never missed a match. Even when I couldn’t watch live, I’d find a recording later.
” His voice was rough with emotion. “It was hard, seeing him get hurt. The first time I attended in person, I almost shifted right there in the stands. Wanted to tear his opponent apart for daring to lay a hand on my son.”
I reached out and covered his hand with my own. “You need to tell Noah this. He deserves to know how much you care.”
Christian’s shoulders slumped. “I’ve made so many mistakes,” he whispered. “I don’t know if he can forgive me.”
“He will,” I said with certainty. “Because underneath it all, he loves you. He just wants to make you proud.”
Tears glimmered in Christian’s eyes. He blinked them back, then straightened. “You’re right. It’s time I made things right with my son.”
The determination on his face, the glimmer of hope, told me that things were finally going to change for the better between Noah and his father.
And I couldn’t wait to see it happen.
When Noah returned, Christian had already left.
“We caught George’s scent around the park,” he said grimly. “You were right, he’s been watching you. I don’t know how I missed it while we were there.”
My stomach twisted into knots. I wrapped my arms around myself, trying to hold in the shivers. “What is he planning?” I whispered. “What’s he going to do next?”
Noah cupped my face in his large, warm hands. “Whatever it is, he won’t succeed.”
The conviction in his voice, the strength of his touch, soothed my frayed nerves. I leaned into him, resting my forehead against his chest. Noah held me close, stroking my hair.
“I’ve called in a team to scout the area,” he said. “I’m going to join them, but I wanted to make sure the house was secure first.”
I tilted my head back to look at him. “Thank you, Noah. For everything. I’ve never had anyone care about me the way you do.”
He brushed his thumb across my cheekbone in a tender caress.
The moment was shattered when Noah suddenly stiffened. At the same time, Ro came barreling out of his room, his face pale and stricken.
“There’s someone calling in my head!” Ro cried.
Noah didn’t hesitate. He charged for the door, shouting for Lance to follow. In a blur of motion, they shifted, powerful wolf forms bounding toward the distant woods.
Dread settled like a boulder in my gut. I knew with sick certainty that it was George, using his bond with Ro to lure my son straight into danger.