Page 10 of True Wolf

“Well it’s not. I love you. We’ll see each other soon, but right now, the best thing I can do is get away from here before I make things far worse than they already are.”

I lifted from the sofa, collected my things out the closet, and hugged my cousin.

“I’m worried about you.”

“Don’t be, I’ll be fine. I just need to get away from here.”

She released a defeated sigh. “Well at least unblock me so I know you’re okay.”

Unblocking her meant giving others access to my thoughts and if I slipped up…

“I can’t…”

“Just until I know you’re away from here and safe.”

Safe.

Would I ever be safe knowing I was fated to a Bennett Alpha?

“Okay.”

I reached for the door and she grabbed my arm to stop me. Her expression was serious and concerned. “I mean it, Nessah.”

“I won’t, I promise.”

Once I was out of her apartment, I took the stairs to the first level, grateful that she was only on the second floor. As soon as I stepped into the elevator that would take me to the garage I relaxed and slumped against the cool metal framing.

I wished I knew what I had done to deserve such a lonely and tragic fate. Life shouldn’t be this complicated. At some point I needed to catch a break.

In the garage, I hurried to my car, tossed my duffel in the backseat, and dropped into the driver’s side, releasing a sigh of relief. Once again I was on my own and as much as my heart hurt, I had to be thankful that I was making a clean break because things would end tragically if I stayed. However, my thoughts drifted to Zion. As much as I wanted to pretend he didn’t matter, the lie was hard to swallow.

He’s my mate…

And you’ll be his disappointment.

Zion will be much better off without you. If you stay, he’ll hate you and you’ll hate yourself for ruining his life.

“I have to get out of here,” I murmured before I pressed the button to start my car but before I could make my quick escape,I realized that break I was praying for most certainly wouldn’t be happening.

My door was yanked open and a pair of angry, glowing eyes that belonged to one of the last people I wanted to see locked in on me.

“Why would my brother hate you and why do you think you’ll ruin his life…” Lazar growled in a low, threatening tone.

My mouth dropped open to respond but he quickly cut me off with a deadly warning.

“And before you answer, please understand that a threat against my brother is a threat against me and this entire pack…”

I slammed my mouth shut and decided silence was the best play for now, even if it cost me more than I was willing to pay.

CHAPTER FIVE

ZION

The heavy glass doors of the building slid open with a soft swoosh before I stepped inside the building. The familiar scent of amber and citrus washed over me like a warm tide. It was a stark contrast to the wild, untamed forests I had roamed for the past few months, but there was something unsettling about it today. I paused, letting the sensation of the place settle around me. Xander walked ahead, his long strides echoed softly against the marble floor as he glanced back at me.

“You good, Zi?” he called, his tone a mixture of impatience and concern.

I nodded, forcing myself to move. Unease tightened in my gut. It was more than just the reminder of the last time I moved through this same lobby. A feeling, primal and undeniable, thrummed beneath my skin. As I stepped further inside, the sensation intensified, wrapping around me. My heart raced and my wolf came to the surface.

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