Sitting in Nan’s apartment, Zoe picked up her phone, and scrolled through Jack’s texts, before powering it off completely. Let him worry. She didn’t care anymore. At least that was what she was going to tell herself until it became the truth.

She gave a weary sigh and curled up on Nan’s bed, afraid to close her eyes. What if she had another nightmare? She wasn’t just a risk to herself, but to everyone around her. Numb to everything except the constant pounding in her skull, she stared up at the ceiling.

A small noise came from the kitchen. She froze. Another creak, and a shadow crossed the hallway wall.

Someone was in Nan’s apartment.

The hard rush of adrenaline rushed through her system. She conjured a small vortex of fire and let it hover in front of her. Carefully, she followed the sounds out towards the living room. She tried to adjust the intensity of the vortex so it was strong but not lethal. Taking a deep breath, she blindly threw the energy into the room.

The shadow dropped to the ground, panting.

She conjured more energy and was about to fire it when Jack’s voice echoed through the darkness. “Zoe, stop.”

Her fingers curled to extinguish the energy, but after a second thought, she let the vortex fly, hitting its target square in the chest.

Jack buckled over and groaned.

“What the hell are you doing here, Fialko?” She flicked the light switch.

He caught his breath and grinned. “Sucking in your essence.”

“I want you to leave.” Zoe clenched her hands into fists, ready for another blow. It had felt good to blast him.

Jack raised his eyebrows and held up a hand in supplication.

“Why are you here?”

He stood, shook off the effects of her blast, and crossed the room. “Diane called me.”

“That’s supposed to make me feel better?” She hissed in a breath when a fresh bout of anger gripped her throat.

“I’m sorry.” He reached for her hand.

 “Sorry?” She shook off his grip with a sharp motion, which caused a frigid breeze to blow through the small kitchen.

“What do you want me to say?”

“I don’t know Jack. Figure it out for yourself. I got enough problems of my own without adding yours to the list.”

“Diane said you were pretty upset.”

She gave a small, tight laugh, and tried to stay calm, but all she could see was Jack hooking up with the picture-perfect doctor. His hands slipping through her perfect, platinum hair.

“Did she mention how she was the one who broke down in tears?”

“No.” He winced. “She didn’t.”

“Did you even think about how finding out about us might hurt her? Hurt me?” Zoe’s eyes began to water and she squished them shut. Not going to cry.

“Hurt her? No. I didn’t.” Jack eyes went hard, his voice clipped and tight. “She was the one that left me. Did she tell you that? I loved her. I was ready to stop searching for a mate that matched me, and marry her. Damn it, I was going to give up my clan’s hope for the future for her. She dropped me like a bad habit during the last solstice and fucked herself silly with some other guy.” His eyes sparked with fire and glowed briefly. “Why the hell would she care that I found a solstice mate?”

His words hit her like a blow to the gut. She sunk onto the couch, physically and emotionally numb, unable to breathe. 

Jack had loved the ice princess doctor and he didn’t love her. She gripped her queasy stomach and gave up hope of ever finding peace with her mate.

“You need to leave.” Zoe couldn’t even look at him.

“We’ve already had this discussion. You’re my mate, carrying my child. I don’t care how fucking angry you are, you come home with me. Now.”

She glanced up at him. A hysterical laugh played on her lips. She finally understood what it was all about.

“You wanted revenge.” She was such an idiot. Tears burned at the back of her eyes, but she refused to give him the satisfaction of seeing them. “You wanted to show her you had found a mate.”

“That’s ridiculous.” Jack’s face darkened with anger. “You needed a therapist and she’s a good one. I was trying to take care of you.”

“Bullshit.” She stood and wrapped her arms protectively around her chest. “You had to know what was going to happen when the two of us met. When you said you found me a therapist, I really thought you understood, that you cared, but all you were doing was getting a bit of revenge on an ex. It’s always all about you, isn’t it? Do you even know how to care about someone else?”

“I do care about you,” he said icily.

“No, you lust after me.” She swallowed tightly, and gathered the strength for what she had to do. “Get out. I’ve had enough.”

“I’m not leaving you. You’re the mother of my baby”– he swiped his hands through his hair– “I have a right to be here.”

“I swear I’ll make you.” Zoe raised an arm and the electrons in the room rushed into her.

“Bring it on.” He was no doubt waiting for her to give him a burst of her energy so they could end up in bed.

“No, not that way.” She lowered her hand and picked up the phone. “I’ll call Olivia, Josh, get your whole family involved if I have to. I’ll tell them how you’ve treated me. I’ll tell them all how you sent me to Diane.”

He scowled, his face dark with anger. “You wouldn’t dare.”

“I would and you know they’d take my side.” Zoe knew she had finally hit home. “If you want any part in this child’s life then I suggest you leave now. We’re through.”

“I see it as a draw, angel…it’s a fucking draw.” Tiny red orbs glowed in the center of his eyes. “I’ve waited my whole life to find you, and you refuse to cut me any slack. Damn it. I’m not perfect. I was trying to do the right thing. I heard your dreams. You flamed my dresser. I was worried about you. You could’ve burned down the apartment with us in it. I thought you needed help. That’s what’s wrong with you. You won’t take anything from me except my cock.”

Her pulse roared in her ears. “Get out.”

He stormed out and slammed the door behind him.

“Don’t ever come back,” she shouted, and then crumpled to the floor in tears. How had he turned everything around? It was always about him and his needs. She didn’t need that in her life right now. How could the most powerful witch on the whole East Coast be so intolerably needy?