Chapter Fifty-two

Jace was sitting in the lounge room reading. I was sitting in the opposite armchair. Jace's face was serious, and it still amazed me a girl hadn't put a claim on him yet. Sure, he had admirers, but he never followed up on it. I wondered if he was waiting for his mate. I frowned. That was something I had found.

I remember the teacher coming in and telling Zane and me off for being in the classroom by ourselves. Zane had disappeared down the hallway by the time I walked out. Not that I knew what to say to him. Could I honestly tell him I didn't want a relationship with him when everything in my body tells me otherwise?

I loved him. It wasn't the hormones telling me that or the fact he was drop dead good looking. He could have his pick of the girls, but somehow fate had put us together.

"Stop staring."

I blinked, Jace breaking my thoughts. "Um, sorry," I muttered and redirected my glance at the open fire.

"Come on, out with it, what's up with you?" Jace closed his book and gave me a serious glance. "You have been on another planet since you came here."

"I'm not on another planet."

"Tell me what you're thinking about then."

"Zane." I sighed and rubbed my temples. "I think…well… I know it wasn't the plan, but I'm…"

"In love with him?" Jace said smugly. "Dad and I expected as much."

"What?"

"Come on, Allie, your first change. The thing we have been working on for months, only happened when your mate was threatened. You might be a free wolf, but your wolf has decided she wants her mate. Now you just have to come to terms with it."

"It's not that easy."

"Yes, it is. You love him. He loves you. End of romance story."

"Jace."

"Allie."

"I can't be an Alpha's wife. I don't know anything about leading, and I hated the pack life. How can I just forget all that and seal my fate with the man that won't only be Alpha, but will always have power over me."

"Yes, but you're forgetting something." Jace leaned forward his eyebrows arching. "You will have that power over him too."

I scoffed and crossed my legs. "I doubt his love for me will blind him from his pack."

"No, but it will frame how he leads them. You're everything to him so, Allie, I think it's time you faced the music."

"I don't think I can."

"Dad's already accepted the fact you will go to them. The only person stopping you is you."

"And the past," I pressed. "It's not as easy to just forget he let them wipe my memories. He didn't protect me then."

"I'm guessing there wasn't much he could do."

I narrowed my eyes at him. "Since when have you been on his side?"

Jace shrugged his shoulders and picked up his book. "I'm on the side that is going to win. Fact is you love the guy, and he loves you. It's only a matter of time until you end up together. Now shouldn't you be getting home?"

I glanced at the time. "Yeah, mom will be wondering where I am."

I sighed and got up. Jace was right about a lot of things, and I would love to say he was wrong about this, but like always he was right.

I loved Zane. Now I just didn't know what to do.

***

I felt incredibly stupid. Standing here on the porch. I was going to turn and run when the front door opened.

Right. Looks like I'm not getting out of it.

"Who are you?" A girl I had never seen before, eyed me down. "If this is about the street parking, we already put in a permit."

The pack house was always filled with strangers. It must be weird for Zane to live with them.

"Um, no. I'm, um, am here to see Zane. Zane Harris."

"Oh." She frowned. "I'll just be a minute."

She closed the door in my face, and I heard her walk off. I took this time to lean against the porch pole and watch the rain and lightning. The storm that was predicted was incredibly beautiful. It was calming to watch, and I was so wrapped up in watching it and hadn't heard the front door open or close.

"Allie."

I spun around. My hair damp from the rain, wearing just jeans and a hoodie. I wasn't dressed to impress, and I wasn't even wearing make-up. Instead, I had come here straight from dad's. Jace's words, ‘you will end up together’ just rang in my head. He said I had to 'face the music,' well, this was me facing the music, and boy it was loud.

"Hey." I smiled.

Zane was standing there, dressed in jeans and a t-shirt. Even in this cold, I could bet he was warm. The white t-shirt was so tight, it clung to his muscles, defining each one.

"What are you doing here?" He tilted his head to the side watching me, trying to figure me out.

"Facing the music." I smirked and leaned back against the pole. "Someone close told me something that made me think I should talk to you."

"Well, you are the last person I expected to see tonight." He put his hands in his pockets. "So, what are you here to talk to me about?"

I took a deep breath in. I could do this. "Um, well, it's…not easy to say."

"Try me."

"I'm in love with you." I exhaled quickly and then inhaled just as quick. "I know I'm not going to make the perfect Alpha Wife. I know I don't lead with steps to follow in. I basically will suck at this, but if fate thinks that you and I are the perfect fit, I'm not going to fight it anymore. That's what I came here to tell you. I'm not fighting it anymore."

I wasn't going to fight the longing or the wanting. I wasn't going to turn down opportunities to be with him. I wasn't fighting the process anymore.

Zane just stood there. Not making a sound. Not moving. Not replying to me.

I sighed. "I guess I'll let you think about it." I took a step closer to him and planted a small kiss on his cheek. My lips were on fire, just from the small touch. "Night, Zane."

I turned and took the steps. I guess I had stunned him. I ran through the rain until I was at my car and when I pulled away, I glanced and saw Zane still standing there. Just watching me. I guess after this morning, he would never expect me to do a 360, but I had, and as I drove away, I didn't regret it.