Page 64 of Unbreakable Bond
“I know that.” Sheconceded.
“I was just tryingto…”
“Finish that sentence withprotect meand I might actually hit you, Alpha ornot.”
Michael snorted at her idle threat and gave his older brother a big pat on the shoulder, “She’s all yours now, bro. Goodluck.”
She glared at her oldest friend in the world as he smirked and walked away. She stuck her tongue out at him behind his back and even though he couldn’t see it, Darius could. To her utter amazement, she thought she saw a flicker of a smile cross the Enforcer’s face before he too lowered his gaze. She turned back to her mate, the true source of her irritation, and he was smart enough not to besmiling.
She studied him for a moment and some of her anger lost its steam. Yes, he was here and he seemed unhurt but he wasn’t okay. His eyes were dark and haunted and her heart ached. All she wanted was to hug him close and never let him go again but she knew she couldn’t cuddle this problemaway.
“We need totalk.”
“Actually,” Rafe glanced up from beneath his dark lashes, “I need to talk, to you. Could you maybe just… hear meout?”
“I’m waiting.” Shenodded.
Rafe shifted from one foot to another. He twisted his hands together and then dropped them to his sides. When he glanced back up at her, he looked absolutely stricken and it took her a moment to realize what the emotion on his handsome facewas.
Guilt.
“Rafe?”
“I uh… there’s something I need to tell you.” Rafe took a deep breath and didn’t meet her eyes when he spoke again, “Last night, when I turned with you… Zo. Baby. That was the first time I’ve fully turned since I lost Gabe and myparents.”
Zoey sucked in a gulp of air as his admission hit her right in the gut. It had been… years and years. Months and months of full moons and Rafe was a full-blooded, born Alpha wolf. Yet he hadn’t changed? He was telling her that he hadn’t shifted, that he’d somehow resisted his wolf’s urges and needs all thistime.
No wonder his wolf had freakedout.
“Are you kidding me?” She gaped athim.
“Zo…”
“You haven’t shifted in years and you didn’t think that was pertinent information that I should haveknown?”
“I know. I should have told you. I’msorry.”
“How? Why? I mean… that’s why you were so worried about letting him near me, right? That’s why you were scared of claiming me? Marking me? You should have told mewhy.”
“I know. I just thought…” Rafe ran a hand through his hair, “I didn’t want you toworry.”
Zoey pinched the bridge of her nose and closed her eyes. She took a deep breath and then let it out slowly. She knew that admitting this to her was hard for him. She didn’t want to make it harder. She didn’t want to push him away. But this was all so new to her. She’d been around the pack her entire life and she’d thought she had a place in it but until Rafe came back, she hadn’t been a wolf and there was still so much she had to learn. Rafe keeping things from her, even if it was in a bid to protect her, wasn’t the way for her to find her new place within thispack.
She opened her eyes again and stared up at a devastated looking Rafe when she shook her head, “I can’t dothis.”
“Zoey, no, please…” He reached for her and shesighed.
“I’m not walking away from you, Rafe.” She stepped closer to him again to reinforce her words, “I can’t. I wouldn’t even know how. You’re my mate. You’re my other half. I don’t want to leave you but I don’t want to lose youeither.”
“Youwon’t.”
“I could have and all because you thought you were protecting me by keeping me in the dark.” She argued. “Last night, you disappeared. You let your wolf take over and he bolted.” She held her hand up when he started to speak again, “I get that he was scared. I know you were scared. I was scared too though. It was my first full moon. My first shift. And my mate abandoned me in the middle of a war zone. Do you have any idea how terrified Iwas?”
Rafewinced.
“I didn’t even know how to shift back. You were supposed to help me with that, remember? You weren’t there and my wolf was scared to death. I couldn’t control my emotions enough to shift back on my own. Did Michael tell you that?” She tilted her head when he didn’t meet her eyes, “Did he tell you that he had to force me to shiftback?”
“Fuck. Zoey.” Rafe’s voice was hoarse with emotions, “I’m so sorry. I fucked up. I know. I know sorry doesn’t cover it, not even close, but I can promise you that it will never happenagain.”
