Chapter 25
Zachary’s POV
The sight of her after so many days knocked the air out of my lungs.
Amara stood there, radiant and breathtaking in her midnight blue gown.
The fabric hugged her in all the right places, flowing elegantly around her as if the Moon Goddess herself had crafted it.
The intricate silver work shimmered under the lights, making her glow like the queen she was born to be.
Her hair cascaded in soft waves, framing her face perfectly and her rosy lips were slightly parted as she spoke to a guest. My wolf, purred in admiration.
“Tell her” Aiden urged in my mind. “Tell her she’s the most stunning woman we’ve ever seen. No, the most stunning woman anyone has ever seen!”
I clenched my fists, fighting the urge to do just that. But the moment I tried to explain myself to her, to tell her the truth about Michelle, her walls came up again. She wasn’t ready to believe me yet. Even Ethan’s support, which I silently thanked the Moon Goddess for, didn’t fully sway her.
Still, there was a sliver of hope. When she said she needed time to think, I held onto it like a lifeline. It wasn’t a flat-out rejection.
After stepping away to give her space, I headed toward Mason, who was stationed near the drinks counter with his usual composed demeanor. He raised an eyebrow at me.
“She said she needs time” I muttered, running a hand through my hair.
Mason raised an eyebrow as he took a sip of his drink. “That’s a hell of a lot better than a ‘get lost,’ given your past screw-ups. Progress, my friend”
Aiden scoffed. “As if Mason knows what we’re going through. Still, he’s not wrong. You are a fuck up”
I shot Mason a glare, but he just smirked. “You should be happy, Zach. She didn’t banish you from her sight entirely”
“I know, but” My words trailed off as my eyes instinctively found her again.
Amara was standing gracefully in the middle of the room, talking to a group of people. Every time she smiled or laughed softly, I felt my chest tighten. She was captivating and I wasn’t the only one who thought so. I noticed the lingering gazes of several unmated males in the room.
A low growl rumbled in my throat before I could stop it.
“Relax” Mason said, gripping my shoulder. “It’s a party and she’s just talking. You can’t go Alpha-wolf crazy on every guy who looks at her”
I glared at him. “As if you wouldn’t do the same if it were your mate”
Mason shrugged, unfazed. “Fair point, brother. But it’s a ball. She’s allowed to talk to people. You don’t own her, Zach. She is the host here”
“Yes, we do!” Aiden snarled in my head. “She’s ours. Why are those idiots even looking at her?”
Things got worse when the Alpha of Shadow Ridge, a smug young pup named Nathan, approached Amara. He was dressed sharply in a navy tuxedo, but his confident smile irked me.
He said something that made Amara laugh and my blood began to boil.
When he extended his hand for a dance, I held my breath. For a fleeting moment, Amara glanced in my direction. I met her eyes, silently begging her to say no. But then she took his hand.
The world tilted on its axis.
Aiden roared in my head. “She’s ours! Go get her, Zachary! Don’t let that brat put his filthy hands on her!”
Mason saw the tension radiating off me and placed a whiskey on the rocks in my hand. “Calm down, man”
I took the glass and downed it in one go, the burn doing little to soothe the fire in my chest. Mason raised an eyebrow, signaling the bartender for another.
“Slow down” he warned.
“Right” I snapped, though I could feel my control slipping. My eyes remained glued to Amara and Nathan as they twirled across the dance floor.
Nathan leaned in close, whispering something to her. She smiled, unaware of his hand sliding to her waist.
The glass in my hand shattered, shards cutting into my palm. The music screeched to a halt and everyone turned to stare at me.
Including Amara. Damn wolf hearing.
Her wide eyes held a mix of shock and concern, but I couldn’t bear to see it. Without a word, I turned on my heel and stormed out of the hall, the cool night air hitting my face as I stepped outside.
Mason followed close behind apologising to guests, catching up to me just as I leaned against a nearby pillar.
“Zach, you need to get it together” he said, his voice firm but calm.
I turned to him, my jaw tight. “That rat touched what’s mine, Masy. What the hell was I supposed to do? Stand there and con gradulate?”
“Yes” Mason replied bluntly. “If you want to win her back, you need to show her that you trust her. She’s not going to be impressed by you losing your shit, every time another guy talks to her”
“He made a move on her” I growled, my fists clenching. “You saw it too right?”
Mason clapped a hand on my shoulder. “You’re an Alpha, Zachary. You’ve faced worse than this. Keep your cool. She’s your true mate, she’ll come back to you. But not if you scare her off with this possessive nonsense”
I sighed, the weight of his words sinking in. “I need her, Mason. She’s mine. She’s my everything”
“Then act like it and believe in her” he said simply and left me with my own thoughts.
Zachary’s POV
After calming myself and Aden, I went back into the ballroom, trying to act calm and relaxed, just like Mason suggested. The rest of the night, I kept my eyes on Amara, hoping that she would glance at me.
Thank the Moon Goddess, she didn’t dance with anyone else again, though many men were trying to make small talk with her. I focused on her, keeping my temper in check.
I noticed Amara’s father, Alpha Greg, observing me for a long while.
I assumed it was because of the broken glass incident earlier.
Shaking off my doubts, I turned my attention back to Mason and Ethan, who were discussing some human football match.
I didn’t care much for it, but I appreciated the distraction from my spiraling thoughts.
The night dragged on. Everyone was enjoying themselves and I tried my best to ignore the nagging doubts swirling inside me. I just couldn’t stop watching her.
When the night finally ended, Mason and I bid farewell to Alpha William and Luna Rebecca before making our way to our assigned sleeping quarters.
They were on the same floor as Amara’s room, just a floor down.
As much as I wanted to stay close to her, I knew I had to give her space.
I only hoped that she would come around soon and realize how deep my feelings for her ran.
I said a silent prayer to the Moon Goddess as I got ready for bed, hoping she would guide me to fix things with Amara. My mind began to wander and before I knew it, I was drifting off to sleep.
In my dream, I saw Amara sitting on my lap, her body pressed against mine.
I held her waist, the sensation of her closeness making my heart race.
I cupped her face gently in my hands, my thumb grazing her soft skin.
She looked up at me with those beautiful green eyes and I couldn’t help but lose myself in her gaze.
I leaned in slowly, my lips brushing against hers.
The kiss was sweet, tender and it set every nerve in my body alight.
I deepened the kiss and she moaned softly, making me shiver.
My hands moved to her neck, then to the delicate curve of her shoulder, my lips trailing down her jaw.
I could feel the heat between us, the undeniable connection.
I moved lower, kissing the spot where her neck met her shoulder, the place where I would mark her, claiming her as mine forever. The sensation made me want more, but just as I was about to mark her, I heard someone calling my name.
“Zach, wake up”
I groggily opened my eyes, only to be met with Mason standing beside my bed, grinning like an idiot.
“What is it, Mason?” I groaned, my face hot with embarrassment.
“You were calling Amara’s name... and umm.. moaning” Mason said with a teasing smirk. “It was pretty loud and I thought I’d wake you up before someone else heard it here. They might think you are some kind of pervert”
I buried my face in my hands, feeling the heat spread across my skin.
“Was the dream that good, Alpha?” Mason teased.
I growled, my embarrassment turning to frustration.
“Get out, Mason. I’ll be out in ten minutes,” I muttered, before heading to the bathroom to freshen up.
As I stood under the cold water, I could still feel the dream lingering, the sensation of Amara’s lips on mine, her touch driving me wild. Aiden hummed in the back of my mind, wishing the dream would come true. I agreed with him. I wished it too.
After a few minutes, I returned to the room. Later Mason and I made our way downstairs for breakfast.