**************
Chapter 227
~Ivan’s POV~
My grip on the phone tightened, my pulse quickening. "Marcus," I repeated, the na rolling off my tongue like a curse. "What do you want?"
"Not what I want, Ivan," Marcus replied, his tone carrying a hint of amusent. "What we want. And I think it’s ti we had a little... chat."
The line clicked, leaving staring at the phone in silence.
Lucas leaned forward, his smirk replaced with genuine curiosity. "Who was that?"
"Marcus," I said, setting the phone down slowly.
Lucas’s eyes widened slightly. "The Marcus? The dead Marcus?" His voice rose and I imdiately glared at him to keep from shouting it loud.
"Damn, Ivan. What... what are you going to do?" Dude, this is fucked up. It must be so kind of joke, right?"
"This just got a lot more complicated," I muttered, my mind racing. Whatever Marcus had planned, I had a feeling it was going to change everything.
And I wasn’t sure if that was a good thing—or a disaster waiting to happen.
But when had soone returning from the dead ever been a good thing?
"Fuck!"
*****************
~Zara’s POV~
The night settled over the Ivory Crescent Pack lands, the cool breeze whispering through the open window of my room.
The day had been long but fulfilling, the first round of the pageant wrapping up with more success than I’d expected. Still, exhaustion tugged at my limbs as I settled onto the bed, phone in hand.
I dialled Snow’s number, my thumb hovering over the screen for a mont before pressing the call button. The line connected after a few rings, and his deep, familiar voice greeted .
"Zara," he said, warmth evident in his tone. "I’ve been waiting to hear from you. How did it go?"
A smile tugged at my lips, his voice instantly easing the tension in my body. "Better than I thought it would. The girls were amazing, and everything ca together in a way I didn’t expect. But..." I hesitated, glancing at the clock. "It ran later than I planned."
Snow’s chuckle was soft, like the sound of a gentle storm. "You’re always pushing yourself too hard. Are you on your way back?"
"Not tonight," I admitted. "Luna Star, I an your mother, insisted I stay here. She said it wasn’t safe to travel this late, and she reminded that the pack is still my ho too."
There was a brief pause on his end, and I could almost picture him sitting at his desk, his brow furrowing as he processed my words. "She’s right," he said finally. "I don’t like the idea of you driving back so late. Stay there and rest."
I sighed, leaning back against the headboard. "I figured you’d say that. But I wanted to let you know so you wouldn’t worry."
"I always worry," Snow said softly, his voice carrying a weight of emotion that made my chest tighten. "Especially when it cos to you."
With a skip in my heartbeat, I closed my eyes and allowed the warmth of his words to envelop . "Snow..."
"Yes?"
"I miss you," I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper.
His laughter was low and deep, sending a shiver down my spine. "I miss you too, Zara. It’s only been a day, and it already feels like too long."
I smiled, my fingers tracing idle patterns on the quilt. "What are you doing right now?"
"Thinking about you," Snow replied without hesitation, his tone turning playful. "And how much better my night would be if you were here."
I laughed softly, a blush creeping into my cheeks. "Flatterer."
"Just being honest," he stated, his voice dipping into sothing softer, more intimate. "Are you comfortable there? Is everything okay?"
"It is," I assured him. "Our room’s lovely, and the pack’s hospitality hasn’t changed a bit. But... it’s not the sa as being ho with you."
There was a silence on the line, but it wasn’t empty—it was filled with the weight of everything unspoken between us. Finally, Snow broke it, his voice low and full of longing. "If I were there right now, I’d make sure you didn’t feel so alone."
A warmth spread through at his words, and I bit my lip, my cheeks heating. "You have no idea how much I’d love that."
"I think I do," he voiced, his voice taking on a teasing edge. "But since I can’t be there, you’ll have to settle for hearing my voice."
I laughed softly, shaking my head even though he couldn’t see . "You always know how to make feel better."
"It’s because I know you," he said simply. "Every thought, every worry, every little thing that makes you who you are—I know it all, Zara. And I love every part of it."
My breath hitched, his words wrapping around like a warm embrace. "Snow..."
"Don’t get too emotional on now," he teased, though his voice carried a tenderness that betrayed his own feelings. "You need to rest, rember? Big day tomorrow."
"I know," I said softly. "But promise sothing?"
"Anything."
"Don’t let this Marcus situation weigh you down too much. I know you’re handling a lot, but you’re not alone in this. You have ."
There was a pause, and when he spoke again, his voice was filled with gratitude. "I know, Zara. And that’s the only reason I can face it all. Because I have you."
The warmth in his words sent a flutter through my chest, and I couldn’t help but smile. "Goodnight, honey."
"Goodnight, my love," he replied, the endearnt sending a pleasant shiver through .
As the call ended, I set my phone on the nightstand and leaned back against the pillows, the warmth of his voice still lingering in my mind.
I glanced around the room and suddenly the mory of our first intimate night together ca flooding in.
The sound of our laughter, my laughter, our kisses as we discarded our clothes and went for the bed while our hands worked on our bodies made my blush deepen.
"Oh yeah, that’s what I’m talking about, Zara, feel him. Feel Snow."
Updat𝓮d from freew𝒆bnov𝒆l.co(m)
Reviews
All reviews (0)