𝐓𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐅𝐚𝐭𝐞 ⸙

2.30༊*·˚

Zayn's palms were sweaty, his throat was dry, and his heart was trying its hardest to dig through his chest. Yet his face remained as still as the furniture around him. He sat alone in his office, with the door shut and the blinds pulled all the way up to fill the small box room with sunlight.

Zayn smelt wolves waiting in the corridor outside. He exhaled slowly and neatened the stack of notes in front of him. He hadn't expected to be so nervous about apologising, but he was about to be emotional in front of wolves who thought he wasn't capable. Zayn was nervous to show them more of his softer side.

Apologising is a strength, he reminded himself before shouting that the wolves could enter. Five chairs sat in a line in front of his desk, and five wolves filled them. Baela shut the door behind the wolves and stood in the corner, just in case Zayn needed her help.

Lynx was one of the five wolves, and Bethan, who Zayn had tried to stop fighting yesterday. Two men and three women sat before him. They were in the running club, so Zayn was less uneasy to be around them because he had been with them that morning. Though he wasn't very talkative and ran silently behind Liam the whole time.

"Good afternoon," Zayn said, linking fingers over his notes to stop himself from fidgeting. He wished he opened the window before he started, but he didn't want to look like he was nervously distracting himself. "Do you know why you're being called into my office in groups of five today?"

The wolves glanced at each other and shook their heads to say no.

Zayn stripped back any pride that still clung to his shoulders and said, "I've brought you in here to apologise." Zayn then looked to his notes and continued.

"I know it was hard on the pack when my father died, and I replaced him immediately. You went from having everything you could ever want in an Alpha to getting Someone who, in all honesty, couldn't care less about any of you. I'm surprised that nobody walked away during the past year and eight months. This has not been easy on any of you, and it's my fault."

It was clear by the shocked expressions that the werewolves hadn't expected this. Zayn glanced to Baela who nodded with a small smile to encourage him to keep going.

"I've not been there for any of you when you needed me. I pushed my roles onto Niall and Baela, ignoring how I should've bonded with you all when it mattered to be a close pack. Even though I spent all my time with Liam, I still haven't felt fully present in his life or yours. I've been selfish, cruel, and cold, and it cost us Niall's life. It cost us my dad's life, and many more."

The silence rung out for a moment as Zayn shifted on his seat. "I say us because whatever mistakes I make dents the entire pack. I've been thinking for myself and seeing only my image for years. That stops now, today. It's horrifying to think that it cost so many deaths to make me realise that the world doesn't revolve around me. We are a pack. We're family, and I've been so unfair to you."

A few of the werewolves looked down to their laps while some watched Zayn in silent adoration, Lynx being one of them.

"I'm your Alpha, and I'm a stranger to you. I'm so sorry for that. I'm sorry for thinking I could do this without all of you. I thought I could do it all on my own and my pack would just watch me. But actually, I've been tearing myself and this pack apart. We are now more disconnected than ever. Some of you still don't like Liam being here, some of you are fighting with each other, some of you are grieving hard, and all of you put up with me because you have to, not because you want to. I've made things so difficult for the wolves I'm supposed to call my family." Zayn cleared his throat and shifted on his seat again. He hadn't once glanced at his notes.