74. A Reunion
ZAIA.
We step into the underground car park when all of a sudden, I feel an intense wave of emotions hit me, sorrow, despair… hopelessness?
What is this? I look around the dark car park. The lights above are lit, and nothing is out of place. How strange…
I look over at Sebastian. He’s the same as ever, piercing blue eyes on me, dark hair that is combed back and that sexy jaw…
I look away. Why do I feel like this?
“Get in,” Sebastian says as he stops by the first car in front of him. “Or would you like me to lift you in? I could, as long as you are willing to reward me later.”
I give him a look, but his humour somehow puts me at ease. My nerves are getting the better of me. After all these years I am finally going to be facing Sebastian’s family again.
There’s a strange feeling in the air, and I feel like there’s something coming. “Zaia?” I shake my head and look up suddenly, sucking in a sharp breath. ” Are you ok?”
He’s concerned now..
“Sorry… I just…” I run my fingers through my hair, and he walks over to me, cupping my face. Tingles from our bond course through me, eyes. and I grip his wrists, closing my I feel stronger. His touch is comforting and protective.
I shake my head, unable to explain how I feel and wrap my arms around his waist instead. He seems surprised for a moment before his muscular arms wrap around me tightly and he inhales my hair.
“Hey…”
“Please… I just…” I can’t say it. I don’t want to voice the anxiousness I’m suddenly feeling. “Don’t say anything then,” he murmurs, kissing my shoulder.
I frown, moving back slightly and looking up at him. “How do you do that?” I ask quietly. “Do what?” he asks, cocking a brow. “How do you read I my mind?”
He looks confused for a moment before he raises both eyebrows. “I wish I could, so I can know exactly what you’re thinking,” he replies huskily, combing his fingers through my locks.
I close my eyes, relishing in the feel of his touch. “No, you’ve done it a few times, like right now; I thought I couldn’t say anything, and you replied. ‘Don’t say anything then.’
He lets out a throaty chuckle, gripping my chin. “You are easy to read, Little Fox.” Am I really that easy to read? He kisses my forehead, letting go of me, and opens the car door. “Now let’s go.”
I sigh and get into the car. He shuts the door and gets into the driver’s seat, silently leaning over as he straps me in.
His eyes meet mine before driving out of the parking lot. He enters a security code, and his thumb is scanned before the wall splits open and we drive out. I look out the window. “What do you think they will say?”
“They were angrier at me than they ever were at you. I’m the one who drove away their beloved daughter-in-law. I wasn’t lying when I said that my parents wanted you back. Dad and I don’t really talk.”
I look across at him. His voice is emotionless, but his eyes are cold. He and his father have never had a close relationship, but… if things are worse… it really must be rough. “Well, whatever we face, we face it together,” I say softly.
He nods, taking my hand and kissing it softly. Why does he seem… quieter since he marked me? A wave of insecurity washes over me. Before he rejected me, he was quieter….
is all that charm just to win me over? I remain emotionless, the fear of that thought clenching at my heart. I would have thought he’d want me to mark him, but he didn’t even bring it up…
But we haven’t really had time either…
Don’t overthink it Zaia, he must be worried about facing his father and he’s probably worried as he is now responsible for our safety.
The journey passes in silence. The safe house is more in the woody part of pack territory, so it takes us a good fifteen minutes to get to my old home…
When the mansion gates that I never thought I’d see again loom before me, I feel nostalgia hit me hard. Memories of us here fill my mind and my heart squeezes. Good, bad, sad….
“Don’t let anything they say get to you, alright?” he says quietly. Reaching over, he unstraps me and forces me to look at him. “Zaia, what’s wrong?”
“I just feel uneasy,” I admit, his gaze softens slightly before he pulls me close. “Don’t. I’m going to be right beside you. Understood?”
I nod, about to turn away when he forces me to look at him again, his eyes flashing. “Zaia…” His voice is deep and husky and my stomach does a flip. “Hmm?” I ask.
“We got this…” he murmurs as he leans in, kissing me. My breath hitches as pleasure rushes through me, making my mind turn to mush.. Since marking me, his effect on me has gotten stronger.
His lips caress mine passionately. The force of his kiss pushes me back against the seat, his lips devouring mine as he deepens the kiss. I sigh softly as I grip the side of his neck. I have him…
Our hands begin roaming the other’s body, our tongues playing with each other’s. My entire body is hot and bothered. My core clenches and I’m forced to pull away, gasping for air.
He doesn’t stop, his arms now possessively caging me to himself. We break apart when I need air and he continues to kiss my neck hungrily.
“Bastien… we need to go,” I murmur. “I’d rather ravish you,” he growls, sucking on the corner of my neck that still feels tender from his marking.
“Oh fuck…” I whimper, digging my nails into his shoulders as a sting of pain and pleasure rushes through me. He releases me, but I know he’s left a mark and slowly flicks his tongue over the area.
“Sorry… I got a little carried away,” he says, gripping my jaw and kissing my lips roughly. I moan against his lips, kissing him back sensually before we force ourselves back.
We both don’t want to do this, but we need to. “Right, let’s get this over with,” he says, now serious once again.
I take a deep breath, fixing my top and hair as Sebastian gets out, walking around to open my door for me. I close my eyes for a moment and take a deep slow breath. Here we go…
I remain calm when the door to the mansion is pulled open by a member of staff, one I do not recognise. “Alpha Sebastian.” He bows low.
“Your Luna, Zaia,” Sebastian responds coldly. The man looks surprised before he quickly masks his emotions and bows deeply to me. “Luna, welcome home.”
“Thank you,” ,” I respond politely. Sebastian places a hand on my lower back, guiding me to the living room.
I pick up his parents’ scents before I reach the room, feeling a little nervous as we step inside. “Mother, Father, I’m home,” Sebastian says.
His mother, Agatha, who is sitting on the sofa with her legs up and a magazine in hand, freezes, staring wide -eyed at us. His father, who was on his laptop in the armchair opposite, doesn’t even bother to look up.
“Sebastian, you are ok! Oh my! Zaia! You are back, you are finally back!” She jumps up and rushes to us, flinging her arms around me tightly. “My Zaia! My daughter-in-law is back!”
“Mom, calm down,” Sebastian says, for the first time since this morning, I see a proper smirk on his face.
“Don’t tell me to calm down! She’s the only one who cared for me around here!” She scolds him as she cups my face, smiling happily. Her hazel eyes are full of happiness before she lets go and pulls Sebastian’s face down, kissing his cheeks and forehead.
“I was so scared when I heard you were injured, but you are in far better shape than I imagined! I am so happy you are back, Sebastian, but where are the children? I want to meet my grandchildren.”
“You will, just not right now,” Sebastian says. “There’s a lot we need to discuss prior, and I wonder if you might have any more insight into certain things.”
I look at his father, who simply continues working on his laptop, wondering if I should go over or not…
I decide to do so and cross the room. Mr. King, it’s good to see you after so long. I apologies for upsetting you and for any pain I have caused you.” I say, offering him my hand.
He pauses, his sharp blue eyes that are duller than Sebastian’s flick to mine, and he cocks a brow, reminding me at lot of his son. “You will need to earn my acceptance. You are the reason this family was torn apart-”
“That’s not true. I’m the one who cheated on her. I’m the one who hurt her and rejected her. You know that. She had nothing to do with that.” Sebastian says sharply.
I look over at him mouthing ‘I can handle it’, but he’s not having it. His eyes are flashing silver as he glares at his father. Aran scoffs as he snaps his laptop shut and stands to his full height, glaring at his son with anger or… is that hatred?
My stomach sinks as I look between them. Both men are staring at one another with contempt and hostility….
things hadn’t just gotten ‘bad’ this was far worse than I could have imagined. How? How could things have gotten so bad? Is this my fault? “Ok, let’s all sit down, Look we are happy that Zaia is here, right Aran? She’s home. Our grandchildren are home.”
“A little too late… What’s the point of your return now when it is already too late,” he mutters the end part, and I almost don’t hear it as Agatha begins fussing over Sebastian and me, but I just about caught it.
“Too late? Why is it too late, Mr. King?” I ask quietly, making Agatha and Sebastian look at us sharply.
His eyes snap up to me and I see him clench his jaw, but he refuses to reply by simply turning his gaze away.
“I will go tell the cook to prepare a feast!” Agatha says, trying to diffuse the tension. “The journey must have made you hungry! I can’t wait to hear everything about my grandchildren!” She’s almost at the door when Sebastian stops her.
“No, Mom, there are things we need to discuss first.” She huffs, planting her hands on her hips. “And what, pray tell, do we need to discuss?”
Sebastian sits down on the sofa opposite his father, spreading his arms across the back of the sofa, he rests his left ankle on his right knee as he looks between his parents, before settling on his father.
I’m expecting him to say The Blood Borns, wondering if they’ll know anything, but what he says surprises me.
“I want to know exactly what the issue between Hugh Toussaint and you is, and this time, you will not deny me the answers,” Sebastian says, his voice is cold and then I feel it; the wave of power that fills the room and I realise he’s commanded his father to answer him.
I look across at the older man, whose face is pale, but he looks absolutely angry at the insult. “So now you think you can command me?” He sneers. “Aran…” Agatha whispers, but the older man is not having it.
“NO! He needs to know his place!”
“Ara-”
“Let him say what he wants to.” Sebastian says coldly.
“Plea-”
“I think I came at the wrong time.” A deep voice says making us all turn to the open door. A tall muscular man in a dark suit stands there, his dark hair flops over his forehead and his piercing eyes scream power and intelligence.
Piercing blue eyes… just like Sebastian’s…..
