Chapter 13

Selene

After returning home, Phoenix doesn't do anything else to me. With our parents not home, I expected him to fuck me or ask to pleasure him, but he only kisses me on the forehead and says he's going to bed.

I'm so fucking confused and still aroused from last night. Was it some kind of goodbye or something? Did he only touch me because he plans on leaving?

After returning from a run in my wolf form, I shift back and grab some clothes from behind a tree. Living in a primarily-werewolf town, there are clothes hidden all over the forest floor so we don't just walk around naked.

Once dressed, I head to the house to confront Phoenix. I know he's still home; I can smell him. He can't just give me the best orgasm I've ever had and go back to avoiding me. I'm going to demand some type of explanation.

Suddenly, a police car pulls up on the side of the curb. A man steps out, one that looks familiar but isn't at the same time. In the five years since we last saw each other, he's changed. He's handsomer, more mature-looking. His green eyes hold wisdom that wasn't there when he rejected me as his mate.

He grins at me. "Hey, Selene. Long time, no see."

I press my lips tightly together as he approaches. "Zack," I mutter.

He brushes a hand over his short, brown hair. "Wow, I didn't think it was possible for you to be more beautiful. How are you doing?"

"Good, I guess," I respond, failing miserably at hiding the bitter edge of my words.

Unlike when we were mates, I don't feel anything when I look at him. Nothing but hurt, anger, and betrayal. The memory of his rejection flashes in my mind, reopening my barely-healed wounds. But I hold my head up high, meeting his gaze.

"What are you doing here?" I ask casually, as if he isn't the man who tore my heart out of my chest and stomped on it.

He tilts his head, his gaze scanning me from head to toe. "Here to talk to Alpha Philip. You didn't hear that Alpha King Derek was found deceased?"

"It's impossible not to hear about it. That's all everyone's been talking about," I mutter.

"Yeah, nothing like this has ever happened before. It's unnerving actually. But I heard the Council are picking another Alpha King and Alpha Philip is a candidate. It's really cool to think you'll be related to him."

"Yeah," I reply, resisting the urge to roll my eyes. I don't like discussing politics, especially after what he did to me. "Well, it was nice speaking to you, Zack."

I don't have anything else to say to him anyway. Our history is just that: history. There's no point in wasting anymore of my time dwelling on it. I'm sure he hasn't thought of me at all since he rejected me and left me on the steps of my house crying.

"Wait!" he says as I turn to leave.

"What?" I snap, glancing back at him.

He tugs his hand through his hair, as he does every time he's nervous. "Uh, I just wanted to apologize for how things ended with us. I let my friends get into my head. They convinced me that you weren't fix to be my mate 'cause you couldn't be Alpha. I was immature as fuck, and I'm so sorry for hurting you." He looks at me with sincerity in his eyes.

I swallow hard. "Thank you for that," I respond softly.

It doesn't fix everything that happened between us, but it does somewhat make me feel better that he's man enough to apologize. I had accepted a long ago that we would never see each other again in life, but here we are.

Zack's expression softens. "I-Is it possible that I can take you out to dinner together sometime?" he asks nervously. "You know, unless you're seeing anyone."

My thoughts immediately go to Phoenix, but we're not seeing each other. I was just his little plaything last night, and now he's gone back to pretending I don't exist.

I will never let that happen again.

Stepbrother or not, I deserve better treatment than that from any man.

I smile at my ex. "Sure, that sounds nice."

Phoenix

Seeing my stepsister climax on my fingers and begging me last night was a high I didn't expect. I wanted to take her right then, but I refuse to treat her like a random piece of ass. She means more to me than that, even if I can't fully understand why yet.

Plus, she was drunk when I touched her. Maybe not entirely, but still. I don't know if she only let me touch her because of the alcohol or because she truly wanted it. But next time, I want her completely sober when she accepts me.

I hope her feelings aren't too hurt that I went to bed instead of finishing what we started.

After spending the entire morning guarding my father, I head home to take a nap and recharge. I didn't sleep at all last night, knowing she just in the room beside me, needy for my cock. My wolf wouldn't calm down either.

After an hour of staring at the ceiling, frustratingly tossing back and forth, I decide to go to the club. Maybe a drink will calm my nerves. And get me out of the house away from her scent.

As I throw on my leather jacket and step outside to head to my bike, a familiar voice stops me in my tracks.

Selene.

She's standing near the curb beside a police cruiser, talking to some cop. More like fucking flirting with him.

A jealous rage surges through me. My wolf growls loudly in my head, but I bite back a physical reaction. I should march over there right now and pull her away, but instead, I watch them from the side of the house.

Two questions burn in my mind. Who the fuck is he? And why does she look so happy talking to him?