Zoya’s P.O.V
"Cam, you need to see this," I called out to her urgently. My heart raced, and I felt a sense of unease settling in once again.
Cam hurried over, her expression shifting from curiosity to concern as she took in the scene.
"What is that?" he asks, his brow furrowing.
"I don't know," I replied, trying to keep my voice steady despite the unease gnawing at me. "But it's—"
As I was about to continue my thoughts, Cam's urgent voice broke through, interrupting me mid-sentence. "Zoya, we need to leave. Now," she said. "Ezra just realized we're not at the pack house, and he's coming to find us. He contacted me just now through our mental link."
I nodded, not wanting to stay a moment longer in this eerie atmosphere.
Cam's words jolted me into action, and without a second thought, we rushed out of the house, leaving the disturbing scene behind.
My heart skipped a beat, and a rush of concern flooded over me. "What did you tell Ezra, Cam?" I asked, feeling a pang of guilt.
Cam quickly explained, "I didn't want to worry him unnecessarily, so I told him we were at my house. I thought we could handle whatever you wanted to do here without involving him, but now he's worried about you. He must have felt your panic earlier through your mating bond."
Shit! I had almost forgotten that Ezra could feel my emotions!
As we hurriedly exited Ezra's old house, the strange lampshade was now forgotten in my mind as we focused on getting back to Cam's house.
The sun was beginning to travel south, casting a golden glow over the surroundings as we rushed through the forest in Cam's car. The woods, once filled with a sense of tranquility, now seemed to conceal more secrets than I could fathom.
As we reached Cam's house, we found that Ezra hadn't gotten there yet, so Cam quickly ushered me to get in to get settled in and act like I've been there the whole day.
My heart pounded in my chest, and I couldn't help but feel guilty for not telling Ezra about my little excursion. I knew he would be concerned for my safety, but I didn't want to disturb his work. Moreover, I feared that it would cause him to lose trust in me, because I was basically prying into his private life.
Entering the warm and cozy cabin, I found myself relieved to be back in familiar surroundings. Cam's house felt like a refuge, a place where I could feel safe, at least for now.
Moments later, I heard the distinct sound of a car approaching the driveway, the engine turning off, and footsteps approaching, and my heart skipped another beat.
Ezra's tall, strong figure appeared in the doorway, his eyes scanning the room until they found me.
"Zoya, are you alright?" he asked, his voice laced with concern as he rushed over to me.
"I'm fine, Ezra," I replied, trying to sound reassuring despite my lingering anxiety. "Cam and I just decided to hang out here. She took a break from work to keep me company, and we lost track of time."
His brow furrowed, but he seemed to accept my explanation. "I was worried when I couldn't find you at home," he admitted, his fingers gently brushing my cheek. "I also felt your panic."
"I'm sorry about that," I said, feeling a pang of guilt for causing him worry. “I…it was an accident. I nearly dropped a glass and I was worried the glass would shatter.”
"It's alright," he said, pulling me into a comforting embrace. "I'm just glad you're safe."
I glanced at Cam, who gave me a reassuring smile.
As Ezra held me close, I couldn't help but feel grateful for his presence. But also, my guilt only intensified.
I kept replaying the events at Ezra's old house in my mind, realizing how impulsive and foolish I had been to go there without telling him.
The fear of breaking his trust weighed heavily on me, knowing that he would have wanted to be there with me if something was amiss.
The golden glow of the sun bathed the surroundings in a warm light. The forest seemed to hold its breath, anticipating the night's arrival.
When we broke apart, I kept stealing glances at Ezra, wondering if he had noticed anything strange about my behavior. At this point, Cam and Gustav had shifted to the kitchen to prepare dinner, leaving us alone in the living area.
"Are you alright?" Ezra finally asked, his voice gentle as he noticed my troubled expression.
I forced a smile, trying to hide the turmoil inside me. "Yeah, I'm fine," I replied, hoping that he wouldn't press further. “It’s nothing.”
But Ezra was perceptive, and he placed a comforting hand on my shoulder. "You seem distant. Is there something on your mind?"
I hesitated, not wanting to lie to him, but also not wanting to burden him with my concerns. "It's just been a long day," I said, trying to dismiss his worries. “I just want to go back to the pack house and rest."
Ezra seemed to understand, and he didn't push the matter any further. Instead, he wrapped his arm around my shoulders protectively, and he guided me out Cam's house and into his car.
"Thanks for today, Cam!" I managed to call out. "I… I had fun today!"
"No problem!" she replied. "I'd love to have you over again soon!"
As he drove us back to the house, my mind wandered off to the events of today. Was I doing the right thing of keeping this a secret?
He would’ve told me when he was ready, but I had to go off on my own, impatient and curious. It was my fault for having gone to investigate on my own without him.
There was also the matter of the shadow that I saw, but in all honesty, I was starting to think that all this paranoia about Silas and the war looming on the horizon was making me see things, so I didn’t bother explain it to him.
Maybe one day in the future, I would recall that story and we would share a laugh together.
But for now, I wanted to cherish this moment with him, to find solace in his arms and enjoy the beginning of our life together in the pack house.
I'll tell him when the time was right and hope that he forgives me for breaking his trust.