Page 15 of My Possessive Alpha

It was refreshing to see fragments of that reality even then.

The bigger picture of all the moving parts around me was still overwhelming, but in the safety and peace of his cabin, I was allowed to think and see the man sitting across from me.

I would have to be blind to not see how beautiful he still was—impossibly more so than I remembered. Of course, that was nothing new. Everyone in the pack thought he was gorgeous, and that fact alone would take him far.

But while others failed to look beyond that fact, I always tried my best to understand him. Since I was young, that longing to know more about him had been strong, yet it seemed that time had finally come.

As we sat there together, across from each other, it felt like the chance had been dropped into my lap, and his complete attention was on me.

It was somewhat nerve-wracking, given how that dormant attraction had no issue coming to the surface again, but I found myself not shying away from it. Rather, I tried to appreciate the moment despite my remaining reservations.

“I appreciate that, Sebastian,” I returned gently, still holding my knees to my chest with my arms wrapped around them. “I felt incredibly alone the moment I ran, but having someone looking out for me is…nice.”

Sebastian’s smile reached his eyes, and then he nodded. “Of course. I couldn’t leave you hanging like that. Especially not with what I know now.” As if realizing the vulnerability in those words, he continued with a slight correction, “Besides, Zoe would kick my ass if she knew I didn’t do anything to help.”

The more he said her name, the more my heart squeezed with regret and the lingering nostalgia in my chest.

I let go of a small, reminiscent chuckle and nodded. “That she would...she always made sure you stayed in line despite being the youngest.”

A fond grin took over his face as he lost himself in thought. “She still does to this day, honestly. I have her to thank for keeping me level-headed through everything.”

Thinking about all the time I missed with her, I felt more of that dread move through my system as I looked away momentarily. “Zoe…I missed her the moment I was pulled away from the pack. I didn’t understand why we had to leave, but I did know how much it hurt. We were like sisters from the beginning. It hurt even more when I started to believe what my parents told me…”

“It was hard for her, too, if I’m being honest. She didn’t understand either, and she took it to heart for a while,” Sebastian admitted, still keeping his voice gentle. “But I’m sure she’d be happy to know you’re all right. Even if things might be strained between you, she would still want the best for you. She always did.”

It was hard for me to imagine how Zoe would feel about me after we had been apart for years, but hearing his reassurance made me feel at least a little better about it. She had always been so patient and understanding with me, and I could only hope she would understand.

I nodded absently, momentarily losing myself to the regret and anger as it burned beneath my skin.

Even if I wanted to believe my parents wouldn’t mislead me, it was hard to see it any other way at that point. Sebastian had been incredibly gentle and caring ever since he found me and didn’t seem at all like that version of him they tried to sell me. He seemed so much like his younger self, aside from the addition of more maturity and life experience.

Looking at him and catching the soft gleam in his eyes was enough to tell me my parents’ stories were nothing but lies.

It was getting easier to believe his side of the story, regardless of the precarious position it put me in, left to balance between my parents and the man I always had feelings for.

Letting go of a heavy breath, I ran my fingers through my hair and felt the weight of that difficult reality rest on my shoulders. “I feel awful for ever believing them…between you and Zoe, I let my parents ruin perfectly good friendships.”

Sebastian pulled an empathetic smile for me. “It wasn’t your fault. I know it’s difficult to come to terms with, but you were groomed to think those things and to follow Jack’s questionable leadership. Be upset with your parents, yes, but don’t be angry with yourself.”

Allowing myself to find strength and reassurance in his words, I nodded slowly and met his gaze, appreciating his faith in me, even if I thought he was a monster for years. “Thanks, Sebastian.”

He nodded, maintaining eye contact as various thoughts passed through his eyes, yet I couldn’t quite decipher what he was thinking.

We settled in that silence for a moment before Sebastian chuckled, and his smile grew. “Remember that gift you made me for my birthday one year?”

Looking at him with a hint of confusion in my eyes, I furrowed my brows lightly. “Which one?”

Visibly amused, he got up from his chair as he spoke and made his way over to the unlit fireplace, where he reached for a small box on the mantle. “It was my twenty-fifth birthday, and I was about to leave to see some friends when you ran up to me, saying that you had something to give me.”

Too curious to wait, I stood and took careful steps toward him as he uncapped the box, allowing me to see the trinkets inside. He pulled out a small bracelet made with a soft leathercord, purple and white beads, and a small wolf pendant in between them. The memory sparked in my head as it dangled around his fingers, and I immediately softened.

“No way,” I murmured, feeling my cheeks warm from the reminder and because he still had it. “I remember I made it that afternoon. Zoe laughed at me, but…I wanted to give you something.”

Sebastian chuckled as his dimples showed while he smiled. “You were just a kid, but it was one of the nicest gifts I’ve ever received.”

Blinking through the slight haze of tenderness as it filled my mind, I met his eyes and couldn’t help but appreciate their joy and amusement as he looked back at me.

“And you kept it all this time…”

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