SHIFT [H.S.]

FORTY-SIX || PAYNE

Harry

Early the next morning, after dividing who will find allies and who will lead the assault on the Payne Province, the mansion goes from eased... to outright ballistic.

All thanks to Zachariah Victor's decision making.

"What does he mean I can't go?!" Amethyst fumes at me from the other side of the bedroom. "I need to be out there! With you! With my family!"

I feel for my girl, I do, but I agree with Zach. Amethyst cannot be part of our first move against the Payne clan.

"You need to stay here!" I yell back, knowing she won't calm down unless our intensities match and cancel each other out. "I'm not going to lose you, baby... I can't. You're too valuable!"

She scoffs, sinisterly clicking her tongue as she turns away from me. "Valuable? If that's what I am, I should be heading out with everyone else!"

"You heard what Zach said," I respond, ignoring her tone. "He recognized you as alpha when he was presumed dead... that means that you are now in line to be alpha if anything goes wrong!"

"I don't care about that right now, Harry!" She shouts, still facing away from me. "After everything that has happened to me, I deserve to be out there in the fight!"

"Grayson will be here with you!" I exclaim. She needs to care.

"How nostalgic," She sneers under her breath. "Remember what happened the last time both of us were left here at the mansion alone?"

I roll my eyes, storming towards her tense figure hovering by my bedroom window. I've come to notice it's her go-to spot when thoughts are all-consuming.

"Baby, please..." I beg Amethyst, my hands fast to rub her shoulders. Luckily, she doesn't shove them off. "You need to trust me. Trust Zach, your alpha and cousin, if I might add."

"Trust you and my alpha?" She spits out, her muscles tensing up under my touch. "Do you hear yourself? You should want me by your side!"

That statement is enough for me to spin her around, forcing her to look nowhere else but my gaze.

"You are both leopard and wolf, Amethyst," I state, the gravity of my words now weighing on both of us. "The Payne clan doesn't know that, and I intend to keep it that way. I am not going to fight a fellow alpha over something we both agree on. Do you understand?"

Amethyst is fast to counter. "But Harry, I-"

"Do you understand?!" I snap more harshly, making her flinch back within my grasp.

Fuck. Too much alpha.

My composure drops with the sight of her alarm and I let go of her shoulders, allowing our breathing to calm down. Our eyes are locked on each other, unwavering in the heat of the conversation.

I pull her to my chest, burying my face into the crook of her neck.

"I'm sorry. Just promise me you'll stay here," I beg her, my voice muffled against her warm skin. "Promise me."

Moments pass before she releases a long exhale, nodding against my chest.

I hold her close for another minute longer before breaking apart, kissing her forehead before heading into the closet. From inside the walk-in, I hear the shower start.

Curious, I step out and see pieces of clothes leading into the bathroom doorway, up until the very last undergarment. Amethyst is out of sight, but her actions speak volumes.

My feet follow her trail of breadcrumbs to peek my head past the door frame of the bathroom.

The silhouette of Amethyst's body is fogged up by steam, illuminated by the skylight in the ceiling. Her back is to me, which makes my mind wander to dangerous, seductive places.