Lily’s hands trembled at the memory of Zayn’s last transformation. The way he’d looked at her with those wild amber eyes, caught between man and beast. She quickly scribbled down on paper again, before pushing it to Zayn.
“My wolf... becomes harder to control. Last time was barely manageable,” He explained carefully, uncertain what else to say. His fingers drummed against the table as he considered his response.
“Your presence,” he finally admitted, the words appearing to cost him. “When you were there last time, I could... regain control. I’m hoping it will be the same.”
Lily nodded without hesitation, she was willing to help.
Something flickered in Zayn’s eyes. Was it relief? Perhaps it was something deeper, something he didn’t dare acknowledge.
“Thank you,” he said quietly, the words felt foreign on his tongue.
After dinner, they walked back to their rooms in silence. The hallway felt narrower than usual, their shoulders occasionally brushing. When they reached Lily’s door, she paused. Zayn stood behind her, unnervingly close.
Lily turned, finding his towering frame mere inches away. His scent—pine and something unique to him—wrapped around her. She swallowed hard. She pointed at the door and then at him, asking if he wanted to go in with her.
Zayn’s eyes darkened. He hesitated, one hand against the doorframe. “I don’t think that’s wise.”
Lily bit her lip, memories of their previous ‘sessions’ flooded back into her mind. The pain, yes, but also moments when something else had sparked between them. Something that scared her more than his cruelty ever had.
She pushed open her door and stepped inside. She only turned back to face him when she reached the bed. Zayn remained frozen at the doorway, as if crossing it would break some invisible barrier he’d built between them.
“There’s something we need to discuss,” he said, his voice low. He didn’t step forward, maintaining his position at the doorway. “About our arrangement.”
Lily tilted her head questioningly.
Zayn’s knuckles turned white as he gripped the doorframe. “As Alpha and Luna, we have... duties. Responsibilities to the pack.”
Understanding dawned on Lily’s face. Her heart raced.
“We need an heir. To secure your position in the pack and my position as Alpha,” he continued stiffly. “I’ve spoken with Talia about finding someone who could help us both through the process. Make it less... difficult.”
Lily’s cheeks burned as she realized what he meant.
“One male heir is all we need,” Zayn added quickly. “After that, I’ll never touch you again. You have my promise.”
Lily’s fingers moved to respond, but faltered.
What could she say? That part of her dreaded the thought of being intimate with him again? Or that another part, the part that felt strangely disappointed to hear he wouldn’t touch her again after she produced him a male heir?
Zayn mistook her silence for reluctance. “It’s not up for negotiation,” he said, his tone hardening. “But I won’t force you, we don’t have to do it now either. We can discuss the details another time.”
Before Lily could gather her thoughts, Zayn turned and left.
He returned to his own room, slamming the door behind him. His wolf clawed beneath his skin, demanding release. The full moon was still days away, but already he felt its pull, amplifying every emotion.
Zayn stripped off his shirt and paced the room like a caged animal. Lily’s scent lingered, driving him to insanity. His wolf wanted her, not just physically, but in every way that mattered. It was him who resisted, who remembered the torture and pain.
A sudden voice pierced his thoughts. Ezra was mind-linking with him.
‘Zayn! Border breach, eastern sector. Mutated beasts. We need backup!’
Adrenaline surged through him. Without hesitation, Zayn leapt from his balcony, shifting mid-air into his massive black and silver wolf form. He hit the ground running, speeding toward the eastern border.
The scent of blood and mutated beasts hit him before he arrived. Through the trees, he saw Ezra and six warriors locked in combat with grotesque beasts—wolves mutated, their forms twisted and unnatural.
Zayn didn’t hesitate. With a bone-chilling howl, he launched himself into the fray. His jaws clamped around the throat of the nearest beast, ripping through muscle and sinew. Blood sprayed across his muzzle as the creature fell.
Another mutant lunged at him, claws extended. Zayn dodged and countered, tearing into its flank. The beast howled in pain but didn’t retreat.
These weren’t normal werewolves. They fought with unnatural strength and showed no fear. Two more approached from different sides, trying to flank him.
Zayn’s wolf reveled in the violence, in the primal simplicity of battle. He spun and slashed, teeth and claws finding vulnerable flesh. One by one, the mutants fell before him.
The thrill of the hunt fueled his bloodlust. The adrenaline pumping through his veins kept him in a state of frenzy.
He barely registered the young warrior who’d stumbled too close. Zayn whirled around, jaws snapping inches from the man’s throat, before Ezra’s voice cut through his bloodlust rampage.
“ZAYN! He’s one of us!”
Zayn froze, amber eyes focusing on the terrified face of the young warrior. He was one of his new recruits. The young man had fallen backward, trembling in fear.
Zayn pulled back, shaking his massive head to clear it. His wolf raged internally. Around them, the rest of the mutated beasts retreated into the forest, howling as they disappeared into the darkness.
‘Secure the perimeter.’ Zayn commanded through the mind-link with Ezra and the other warriors. ‘Search for any remaining threats.’
The warriors spread out, checking the area. Ezra approached in his wolf form—dark brown with white markings—and nudged Zayn’s shoulder.
‘You okay?’ Ezra asked through their private mind-link.
‘Fine,’ Zayn replied curtly, though they both knew it was a lie. He’d come dangerously close to attacking his own man.
They patrolled for another hour before determining the threat had retreated without a trace. Seeing as the threat was resolved, Zayn gathered everyone. fre eweb\(n)ovel(.)co(m)
“Let’s call it a night, you’re all dismissed. We will patrol the perimeters again tomorrow at first light.”
One by one, the warriors shifted back and headed towards the main packgrounds. The wounded were immediately taken to the infirmary. Zayn remained in wolf form, finding it easier to maintain control of his raging emotions this way.
“You should get some rest,” Ezra suggested. “I’ll take the final patrol for tonight.”
Zayn nodded before turning back towards the packhouse. The forest blurred around him as he ran, letting instinct guide him back. .com
As soon as he reached the entrance, a familiar comforting scent caught his attention, pulling him like a magnet.
Following the scent, he was pleasantly surprised to find that it came from his room. Zayn nudged it open with his nose. He stepped in cautiously, careful not to make any noise.
Inside, curled up on his bed, was Lily. She was sound asleep, eyes closed. Her small form barely made an impression on his massive bed. She wore a simple nightgown, her long hair spread across his pillow.
Something primal and possessive surged within him. His wolf howled in triumph at finding their mate in their bed, where she belonged.
Zayn shifted back to his human form, naked and still spattered with blood from the battle. He approached the bed slowly, drawn by a force he couldn’t name.
He crawled into bed beside her, his large body curving around her smaller one. He buried his nose in her hair, breathing in her scent like a man starved for oxygen.
In her sleep, Lily stirred, unconsciously shifting closer to his warmth.