Forsaken (Book 3 of the Zara's Wolf Trilogy) BWWM - ON HOLD

22. Lucky Charms

Zara's POV

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When Evan returns, his shoulders are sagging. His light brown hair is ruffled and sticking up from him running sweaty palms through it.

He looks beat.

He brings a blanket and pillow with him and we settle down for the night. I don't pry. Clearly, something is on his mind that he needs to mull over for a bit.

I can't sleep. And I'm not the only one.

Evan holds me against him, a protectiveness I never felt before. An hour passes before he finally says something to me.

"Your father's going to kill him."

"Ryan?"

He makes an affirmative noise in his throat.

It doesn't surprise me, but I can understand how hard this must be for him.

"Couldn't we just lock him up in one of these cells instead of killing him?" I ask.

"Kairo won't get the justice he wants. Besides, what kind of a life would that be for Ryan? He's killed not just one, but many. How many, we don't know. Can he be corrected? I don't know. Would he want to live without his mate, knowing that he killed her? I can't imagine..."

His arms tighten around me. His nose brushes against my neck and sends shivers up my spine.

"If someone killed you or one of our pups, I'd want to kill him too," he murmurs. "I don't blame Kairo. I understand him. I wish Ryan wasn't my brother so this could be easier."

I can't imagine what he must be going through, or his parents. They surely know that Ryan's fate is not expected to be good.

"You're okay with this?" I ask. "Him killing your brother?"

"Ryan would have killed us both if he got the chance."

I have no doubts about that. I wish it wasn't true.

He sighs as silence falls once more.

"I'm just glad you're okay," he says. "Kairo's not all bad. I may not agree with him on everything, but he seems to care about his kids."

"Wait, are the others here?"

"No, I saw your sister. Eyrica, I think her name is."

"Yeah. Is she okay?"

"Yeah. Kairo was kind of sweet on her."

I huff. Kairo? Sweet? What games is he playing now?

"I love you so much," he whispers, interrupting my thoughts.

How long as it been since he uttered those words?

"I love you too," I tell him.

He kisses my neck before he heaves a sigh and I close my eyes, letting the warmth and safety of his arms carry me to dreamland.

***

"Hey, wake up."

A toe taps against the sole of my foot.

Startled, I shake awake, waking Evan with me.

Squinting up into the bright fluorescent lights, Muse stands over us in a pair of jeans with a rip in the knee.

"Father's inviting you both up for breakfast."

I groan and turn away, pulling the blanket over my head.