53: Trust him.
**Kala pov**
The tent smelled like herbs and smoke from the small fire outside, a comforting scent I hadn’t realized I craved until now. I shifted on the blanket carefully, feeling Zion’s warmth beside me and reaching out my hand to check, yet again, that he really was right here beside me.
“You know,” I began, gently poking him wherever I could reach. “I keep thinking about Bane.”
Zion’s head turned toward me immediately, eyes squinting as if trying to read whether my statement was praise, concern, or yet another complaint. “Do I want to know why?” He asked, his tone still rough since he woke up from his nap just minutes ago, but somehow still soft with amusement.
I shrugged, unsure if I was supposed to move my body at all when conversations like these happened. And this time, it wasn’t like I could say anything too snarky since I brought him up, not Zion.
“Because he’s complicated. It’s so hard to explain.. First, he was the Alpha of the pack and your best friend, but now, he’s completely different than he used to be. Dangerous, oddly terrifying and somehow, both you and Aife still love him just the same.” I admitted.
Zion snorted out a laugh so raw and sudden that it made me smile. “Do I have a choice?” He asked and rolled on his side to face me, his hand cupping my cheek like it always did. “I mean, after watching him save you, the camp and himself, it’s kind of hard not to.”
I rolled my eyes. “You say that like I don’t know. I see the way you watch him - the Beta in you admires strength, but the man in you-” I hesitated for a moment as I tried to collect my thoughts and make them make more sense. “The man in you worries about the boy inside that monster. The boy you know, but he hasn’t let anyone see for years.”
Zion’s gaze softened. “You’ve got him figured out, huh? One of the reasons why I love you so much is that you’re the only one who can see past the claw marks and the monster without flinching, despite your reluctance and suspicious nature at times.”
“Not the only one,” I corrected him, leaning closer so that we didn’t have an excuse to avoid each other’s gazes. “But I’m also probably the last person he trusts enough to let me see it. I noticed only because I watched from afar and there were moments, when he was with you, when that hidden secret shone through. Does that make sense at all or am I rambling again?”
Zion pulled his hand away and closed his eyes. “It does, Goddess, it really does. I just.. worry for all of us. For you, for the baby, for Aife, for him and their unborn too.”
This time, I was the one to reach out and cup his cheek, carefully and gently, still mindful of his ongoing healing. “And that’s exactly why I’m going to need you to trust me too. Bane is trying, Zion, I can see that much. Every day, he’s trying, and if we help him, guide him, maybe even push him a little, he can be the Alpha we need him to be.”
He opened one eye and smirked at me. “Guide him, huh? And how exactly do you plan to do that without accidentally getting yourself killed in the process?”
I flashed him a mischievous grin, “I have tactics, of course. Strategy, patience and occasionally, passive-aggressive manipulation.”
Zion laughed, the sound that left his throat was raspy and raw, but still warm and so very comforting. I guided my hand to trace the shape of his nose, then booped it playfully.
“You’re terrifyingly clever,” he said when he finally turned his head to look at me again. “I don’t know if I should be proud or terrified.”
“Both,” I whispered, leaning my forehead against his. “Always both.”
We stayed like that for a while, silent except for the faint crackle of the fire outside and the soft rustle of the tent fabric as the wind caught it. I let my hand drift down to my belly, feeling the tiny kicks and rolls that had started earlier in the day.
“You feel that?” I asked, smiling despite the seriousness of the conversation and brought Zion’s hand right next to where mine rested.
His eyes followed the movement and an impossibly wide grin spread across his lips. Somehow, every time Zion felt the movements of our baby, he always acted like it was his first time. “Our little boy,” he muttered and I swear, I saw tears pool up in his eyes.
“Yes,” I hummed and traced my fingers in gentle circles over my belly. “Our little one, growing, thriving and healthy. Can you imagine that, Zion? It’s not just the two of us anymore, now there’s three.” I muttered, then looked up to meet his gaze again. “I want to protect this child, just like I protect you. And just like I know you’ll protect us.”
Zion covered my hand with his own and whispered, “I will, I promise. No matter what comes, I’ll protect both of you. Even from Bane, if he ever goes too far.”
Although his voice was barely above a whisper, the words still hit me hard. They meant everything and more.
“Zion, he’s terrifying sometimes, yes, but I think we can trust him a little more now that he’s managed to get the monster under control. I don’t think he’ll snap. I might be wrong, but still.”
Zion hummed in agreement. “I’ll admit it - he’s a handful. A giant, terrifying, impossible handful at times, but he’s still our Alpha and our friend.”
After that, the conversation drifted in a different direction. We didn’t talk about Bane anymore, and instead, focused on our child to what our future might look like.
“Have you thought about names yet?” I asked him.
Zion rolled his eyes, but still flashed me a gentle smile. “Already? We haven’t even celebrated surviving the venom yet, and you’re talking baby names.”
“Well,” I said with a grin, “I like to be prepared. And besides, the baby might start kicking me in protest if we wait too long.”
Zion laughed loudly, so much that the smile lines appeared around his eyes. “Alright, alright. Any ideas? Something heroic? Something meaningful?”
I tapped my chin thoughtfully. “Heroic, yes. Meaningful, yes. Slightly ridiculous, also yes. Why aim for boring when we can aim for unforgettable?”
Zion grinned. “I like that a lot. And I like the way your brain works, even when it’s utterly terrifying.”
We brainstormed names in whispers and soft laughter, going through too many options although deep down, I already knew the name of our baby. I made the decision the time Zion first mentioned it, I just didn’t want to share that yet.
Eventually, after laughter and some playful banter, the conversation shifted back to Bane again.
“Do you think he’ll ever” I hesitated, searching for words. “completely control the monster?”
Zion’s expression hardened and I noticed the concern flicker across his features. “I hope so. He has to. For right now, the fact that he’s trying, holding it back and keeping Aife safe while carrying that thing is more than we can ask for.”
I nodded in agreement. “I know, I just worry too much. I try to trust him and remind you that we need to do it, but at the same time, deep down, I’m scared something will go wrong again.”
Zion’s arms enveloped me and he pulled me tightly against his chest. “Nothing will go wrong, baby,” he said firmly. “We will help him as much as we can. Right now, he’s holding himself together and I’m sure that one day, we’ll figure out how to break the curse for good.”
I nuzzled against his chest and sighed. “You’re right.”
“Mhmm,” Zion hummed and pressed his lips to the top of my head. “Don’t forget that fear often controls people, but love is what keeps us strong and united. The monster has nothing against the people who truly care for Bane and his well being, there’s too many of us who care.”
“You make it sound so simple.” I grumbled quietly.
“It’s not simple,” Zion replied and traced his hands over my back. “But believing in something good is better than living in fear in my opinion.”
Tucked against him, surrounded by warmth, I almost fell asleep, but a new, nagging thought kept me awake and alert until I couldn’t keep it in for any longer. “I wonder what life will be like when the baby is here. Will we be ready?”
Zion hesitated for a moment before answering, “I’m pretty sure we’ll never be fully ready,” he admitted.
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