ZADE’S POV
I heard about my mother’s hospital admission before sunrise.
The call ca while I was still half asleep.
One second, I was lying in bed staring at the ceiling. The next, I was sitting upright with my phone pressed against my ear while panic rushed through my veins.
"Alpha, your mother was readmitted yesterday."
My heart dropped.
"What happened?" I demanded.
The nurse hesitated "Stress-related cardiac complications. She’s stable for now."
For now.
Those two words nearly drove insane.
I was already throwing on clothes before the call ended.
My wolf was pacing violently inside my head “Go”
I didn’t need encouragent. I was out the door within minutes.
After everything Mom had gone through after the accident, after nearly losing her, after watching her covered in blood while Sophia fought to keep her alive, the thought of sothing happening again made feel sick.
Not again. Please not again.
When I finally arrived at the hospital, I practically ran through the entrance.
The nurses at the station imdiately recognized and showed her room. Relief hit so hard my knees almost weakened.
Before the nurse left, she added sothing that made stop walking.
"Dr. Sophia stayed with her most of the night."
I blinked "What?"
The nurse nodded "She finished her shift hours ago but remained with your mother until after midnight."
My wolf imdiately lifted his head.
The nurse continued speaking "Dr. Sophia personally monitored her dication and stayed until her condition stabilized."
I stood there silently.
Sophia had worked an entire shift but she stayed anyway.
Nobody had asked her to. She simply stayed. She did it for my mother. For .
My chest tightened.
Before I could think about it too much, I headed toward Mom’s room.
When I entered, I nearly stopped in shock. Mom was sitting upright in bed.
She looked pale and tired but she looked alive.
There was a tray in front of her. She was eating breakfast.
Mom noticed .
"Zade." She said.
I walked to the bed.
"You scared ." I said.
She laughed softly "Good morning to you too."
I sat beside her bed
For several seconds, I simply stared at her, making sure she was actually okay.
My wolf finally relaxed a little.
Mom pointed toward the breakfast tray.
"Sophia ordered this." she said "She stayed with ."
I was surprised.
“She did?” I asked.
She nodded “Yes, she did”
I was stunned. Sophia did all this for my mom? She didn’t have to but she did.
Mom’s eyes softened.
"That girl sat beside my bed for hours." She said. "She adjusted my blanket when she thought I was asleep. She checked my dication three separate tis."
Mom reached over and squeezed my hand "Marry that woman, Zade."
I nearly choked "Mom."
She narrowed her eyes "I am not asking."
I groaned.
There it was. The famous Leah Sullivan stubbornness.
My wolf found the entire conversation entertaining.
“Mine” he said.
Mom continued "She’s kind, intelligent and beautiful. Marry her."
I laughed. “I would marry her right now if she let but...it’s not that simple."
Mom imdiately beca serious.
"Why?" she asked.
I looked down at my hands.
I didn’t know how to explain it. How could I explain Sophia? How could I explain a woman who had every reason to hate love? A woman who had been betrayed so many tis that trust had beco a battlefield.
I sighed heavily "She’s not ready. She’s still trying to untangle herself from Damien."
The words tasted bitter. Even though Damien had hurt her repeatedly, he was still part of her life. They shared history and a daughter.
She leaned back "There’s more."
Of course there was.
"There is another man." I said “Lance. I don’t care about him but I see it in his eyes. He loves her.”
The na alone made my wolf growl.
I hated the fact that he liked her. He genuinely cared.
"Which man scares you more?" she asked.
I froze “What? I’m not scared of anyone of them”
She smiled “So, what’s really stopping you?”
To be honest, I felt a bit intimidated by Lance. He showed up every single ti Sophia needed him. He never demanded anything from her.
Won eventually noticed n like that. Especially won who were tired of chaos.
I had to step up and claim her.
That was my plan.
-
Later that afternoon, I finally found Sophia.
She was walking through one of the hospital corridors carrying a file. Her hair was tied back.
She looked exhausted but beautiful.
My wolf imdiately stood.
“Mine”
"Sophia." I called.
She turned and those blue eyes landed on . Just like always, the rest of the world disappeared for a second.
"Zade." She said.
She looked surprised.
I stepped closer. For once, I didn’t flirt or joke. I was tired of hiding behind humor.
"I want to ask you sothing." I said.
She blinked. "What is it?"
"Will you co sowhere with tonight?" I asked.
Her expression beca cautious.
My chest hurt a little. Because she’d learned to be cautious around n, especially n who wanted sothing from her.
"Where?" she asked.
I shook my head “You’ll see. It’s sowhere I’ve never taken anyone."
Sophia stared at . I could practically see her debating.
Eventually she sighed.
"Okay." She said.
I just stood there, smiling. My wolf was probably doing cartwheels inside .
She cleared her throat "I have to finish my shift."
I nodded "I’ll wait."
She smiled as she walked away.
My heart did sothing embarrassing.
-
That evening, I drove her outside the city.
The roads beca quieter. The buildings disappeared. Streetlights gave way to trees.
Sophia spent most of the drive looking out the window.
I didn’t force conversation. The silence felt comfortable.
Eventually we reached the hillside.
I parked and opened the door for Sophia. She smiled as she stepped out.
When she ca out, she froze. She looked at the clearing I brought her.
Tall trees surrounded the area. The city lights glittered in the distance.
Above us, the sky was beautiful. Thousands of stars filled the darkness. The moon was full in the clouds
Sophia stared in awe.
"It’s beautiful." She whispered.
I smiled "Yeah. I found this place years ago."
I shoved my hands into my pockets "But I’ve never brought anyone."
Sophia looked away. Sothing about that seed to affect her.
I lifted her up and placed her on the hood of the car then I climbed up.
For several minutes we simply sat there, watching the sky and just listening to the wind.
My wolf was unusually quiet. Probably because even he understood this mont mattered.
Eventually I spoke.
"Sophia." I said.
She turned toward .
Just the sight of her made my heart pound fast.
Ridiculous.
I could negotiate million-dollar deals without blinking. I could command a whole army with a look. Yet one woman made nervous.
"I know you’re not ready." I said. "I know your life is complicated. I know you’re hurting."
The wind moved her hair. She looked even more beautiful in the moonlight.
"I know you probably don’t trust love right now." I said “But I am waiting”
I looked into her eyes "As long as it takes."
Sothing moved in her eyes. I saw so much emotion there.
"You don’t have to choose tomorrow or next month” I said "I’ll wait."
Sophia stared at for a long ti, then she smiled.
The sight nearly destroyed . goddess, she was gorgeous.
"You’re stubborn." She said.
I laughed "Very."
For several seconds we simply looked at each other.
The stars stayed above us.
In that mont, it felt like the world had disappeared.
There was only her. there was only us.
"I love you." I said.
My heart hamred.
Sophia didn’t answer imdiately. She looked away toward the sky, at the stars.
Her expression beca unreadable. She didn’t say the words back but she didn’t move away. She didn’t tell no.
Her shoulder remained close to mine. And sohow that felt like enough....at least for tonight.
I sat beside her under the night sky and listened to the wind move through the trees.
My wolf was quiet inside . For the first ti in a very long ti, neither of us felt restless.
Sophia remained beside .
And for the first ti, hope didn’t feel impossible.
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