51. Zoey
ZOEY
I slowly opened my eyes, my mind still hazy with sleep. I reached out beside me, expecting to feel Ro’s small, warm body curled up next to mine, but my hand met only cold, empty sheets.
“Ro?” I said groggily, lifting my head. But the hospital room was empty and quiet. Where was everyone?
Just then, the door opened, and a doctor in a white coat walked in, clipboard in hand.
“Good morning, Ms. Lester. How are you feeling today?”
I pushed myself into a sitting position. “Better, I think. A little groggy still.”
The doctor scanned over my chart. “That’s to be expected. The good news is, all your tests came back clear, and your breathing has improved a lot.”
“Does that mean I can go home?”
“Yes, we’ll be discharging you shortly.” The doctor smiled at me over his glasses. “I’ll have a nurse come in to go over your discharge instructions and paperwork.”
I slumped back against the pillows in relief. I didn’t like being in the hospital. The doctor listened to my lungs again, gave me a thumbs-up, then left.
I was just about to buzz for a nurse to ask where Noah and Ro were when the door swung open again. My heart leapt as Noah strode in, his handsome face lighting up when he saw me. Ro was right beside him, clutching a big bouquet of flowers in one hand and a fluffy teddy bear in the other.
“There’s my girl,” Noah said as he kissed my forehead. “Ready to bust out of this joint and go home?”
Emotion clogged my throat as I looked up at him and Ro. Seeing the two people I loved most here to take me home made my heart feel close to bursting.
“More than ready,” I said. “Let’s go home.”
The nurse arrived shortly after with my discharge papers and instructions. I barely paid attention, too eager to go home with Noah and Ro. Home . The word had taken on a new meaning now. It wasn’t just a place, but a feeling of safety, love, and belonging.
Noah’s place. Our place. It filled me with a soft, glowing warmth.
Soon, I was dressed in the clean clothes Noah had brought me. Ro insisted on pushing the wheelchair—hospital policy didn’t allow me to walk out—and when we reached the door, Noah put his arm around my waist and walked me to the car.
Ro dozed off in the backseat, still clutching his teddy bear, as we drove. I reached over to take Noah’s free hand, interlacing our fingers as I watched the streets of Boldercrest pass by.
When we stopped at the house, Noah helped me inside, and Ro stumbled along sleepily.
“Why don’t you head on up to bed, buddy,” I said softly, smoothing Ro’s hair back from his forehead. “You look beat.”
Ro yawned in response and trudged up the stairs to his room. Poor kid. This had been a lot for him to deal with.
Then, it was just me and Noah. He pulled me into his arms, burying his face in my hair. Feeling the tension thrumming through him, I pulled back to look at him.
“What is it? What’s wrong?” I asked, putting my palm against his cheek.
Noah sighed and guided me over to the couch. He braced his elbows on his knees and clasped my hands.
“Zoey, we have eyes on George. He’s hiding out with an old associate in Craigsville. In the next forty-eight hours, I’ll be leading a team to bring him in. For good,” Noah said firmly. “It’s going to be a coordinated ambush. We’ll have him surrounded, outnumbered. This ends now.”
I swallowed hard, fear and adrenaline surging through my veins. I knew this had to happen, that George needed to be stopped once and for all. But the thought of Noah going up against him, putting himself at risk...
I gripped his fingers. “Noah...”
“I know, baby. I know.” He pulled me onto his lap and wrapped his arms around me securely. “But I have to do this. I need to keep you safe and make sure he can never hurt you again. I need to do this for Ro and our future.”
Pressing my face to his chest, I breathed in his scent, trying to memorize the way his arms felt around me and the steady beat of his heart under my cheek.
Noah had the ability to pull this off. I had to believe that. I had to trust him.
I met his eyes and saw nothing but love and steely determination burning brightly there. Slowly, I nodded.
“Okay,” I whispered. “Okay. Just promise me you’ll come back to me.”
“Always.” Noah sealed the promise with a searing kiss. “I will always come back to you. You’re my home.”
Drawing back slightly, Noah stared down at me, his expression fierce yet tender.
“I want you to know that I’m not making this decision lightly.
I was going to move on George last night, but that would’ve meant sending my men into a dangerous situation without proper preparation.
As their alpha, I couldn’t put them at risk like that.
” He brushed a stray lock of hair from my face.
“My father and I came up with a plan. A carefully coordinated ambush to minimize the danger to our people. It won’t be easy, but we’re going in with a solid strategy. ”
Knowing that Noah was approaching this with a level head, that he had a plan in place, helped ease some of the fear that gripped my heart.
But still, a part of me couldn’t shake the feeling that this was my battle to fight, my demon to slay. As if sensing my thoughts, Noah cupped my face in his hands, his thumbs stroking my cheekbones.
“Zoey, listen to me. You were finished with George the moment you chose to leave him. You were finished with him when you decided to go to therapy and heal from the wounds he inflicted. You were finished with him when you opened your heart to love again.”
His words washed over me, settling deep in my soul. The truth of what he was saying sank in.
“You don’t have to deal with him anymore, baby. He’s not your problem, not your responsibility. Let me do this for you. Let me protect you, as your mate, as the man who loves you more than life itself.”
A sob tore from my throat as I threw my arms around him, clinging to him with all my strength. “I love you,” I whispered fiercely. “I love you so much.”
Noah held me close, stroking my hair. “I love you, too. Always and forever. And I promise you, I’m going to make sure George never hurts you or anyone else ever again. You have my word.”
In his embrace, surrounded by his strength and his love, I allowed myself to believe—in him, in us, in the future we would build together. No matter what challenges lay ahead, with Noah by my side, I could face anything.
When my mother and Sam arrived later that day, I was surprised to find out my mom had decided to stay for a while. As she bustled around the kitchen, putting away the food they’d brought, I couldn’t help but wonder if her reasons had as much to do with Sam as they did with me.
When she announced she was going to pick up lunch with Angie, I seized the opportunity to talk to Sam alone. We sat together on the couch, an awkward silence stretching between us.
“Uh, how are you doing with Mom being back in town?”
Sam’s nostrils flared, his gaze fixed on the floor. “It’s… well, it’s difficult, very difficult. Seeing her again brings up a lot of old feelings. Painful feelings.”
My heart ached for him. “You loved her. That kind of bond doesn’t just go away.”
He swallowed hard. “My wolf chose her. And even though she left, that connection is still there after all these years. It makes it hard to move on and form a bond with anyone else.”
Tears stung my eyes as I listened to him, understanding dawning. “Mating bonds are that strong?”
His mouth twisted to the side. “They really are.”
I sighed. Sam deserved to find happiness with a new partner. Putting my hand on his knee, I looked into his eyes. “Sam, you should be able to find love again. You’re an amazing person, and any woman would be lucky to have you.”
He patted my hand. “I appreciate that. But honestly, having you, your sister, and Ro in my life makes me happy. I have great friends, a good life. Maybe love just wasn’t in the cards for me, and I’m okay with that.”
I bit my lower lip, then asked, “Would you ever consider giving Mom another chance?”
Sighing, Sam shook his head. “I don’t think so. She hasn’t healed from the things that made her run in the first place. Until she does, I don’t see how it could work between us.”
“I’m going to take her with me to my next therapy session. If there’s even a chance that you still love her, I want to help her get to a place where she can love you the way you deserve.”
Sam’s face softened, and gratitude shone in his eyes. “You don’t have to do that.”
“I want to. You’ve been there for me through so much. Let me do this for you.”
As the day went on, pack members stopped by the house, bearing enough food to feed a small army. Casseroles, lasagnas, and pies filled the fridge and stood on every available surface in the kitchen. I blinked back tears as I stood in the center of it, overwhelmed by their generosity.
Noah wrapped an arm around my waist. “They care about you, you know. Not just me and Ro, but you, too. You’re part of this pack now.”
Warmth bloomed in my chest, and I rested my head against his chest. I had the love and support of the pack. I had Noah’s love and support. Despite the uncertainty of the future, I was happy.
By the time evening rolled around, exhaustion had seeped into my bones. Noah took one look at me and led me upstairs to the bathroom. “I’m going to run you a bath.” He turned on the faucet and adjusted the temperature.
Steam began to rise from the water, the scent of lavender bath salts wafting through the air. Noah helped me undress, then those gentle hands of his guided me into the tub. The hot water enveloped me, soothing my aching muscles and frayed nerves.
“Join me?” I asked, looking up at him with heavy-lidded eyes.
Noah pressed a kiss to my forehead. “As much as I’d love to, you look like you’re about to fall asleep any second. I don’t want you drowning on my watch.”
I chuckled, but he was right. My eyelids were already drooping, the warmth of the bath lulling me into a drowsy state. Noah knelt beside the tub, his fingers trailing through the water and skimming over my skin.
When the water began to cool, I sat up and let Noah wash my hair. After I’d scrubbed my skin, he helped me out of the tub and wrapped me in a fluffy towel. He dried me off with a tenderness that made my heart ache, and I leaned against him, my legs unsteady beneath me.
Noah scooped me into his arms and carried me to the bedroom. He tugged one of his T-shirts over my head, and the soft material swallowed me up. He slid in beside me, and I curled into his warmth, my eyelids drifting closed as he traced circles on my back.
I’d never felt more loved or cherished. Noah’s steady heartbeat beneath my ear was a soothing lullaby, and as I drifted off to sleep, I prayed I wouldn’t lose this.
That I wouldn’t lose him.
Please let me keep this. Let me keep him. I had found someone who loved me unconditionally, who made me feel safe and whole. The thought of losing Noah, of losing this newfound happiness, was too much to bear.
But as sleep claimed me, wrapped securely in Noah’s embrace, I allowed myself to hope that maybe the universe would be kind. That, after all the pain and heartache, I had finally found my home, my forever, in Noah’s arms.