Rise of the Dark Alpha

Chapter 340 Need for You

~ SASHA ~

Kyelle led the females down the trail. Sasha watched closely from the back, but was relieved to see the little-Alphas finding their balance again and doing what they'd done back at the compound, keeping their groups in check, ensuring every Chimera had someone to watch over, down to the weakest in their group.

It was easy to see how many of the females—including the alphas—were shaky, and she understood. Her own blood pumped mercilessly, nerves trilling in her stomach. Her hands wanted to tremble, but she kept them gripped.

It had come so close. She'd come so close to not making it back—

At her side, Zev grunted, then spoke into her head.

You stink of fear, Sasha, but not of weakness. What's going on? Tell me what's wrong. How do I help?

She looked up at him to find his eyes, bright and piercing, fixed on her. She put a hand to his arm.

You don't need to do anything except be here. With me. I need you close, Zev. This whole thing… it's been a nightmare and I'm just… I need you.

She felt how those words hit him. Felt him tense and stop breathing. Through the bond she felt the rush of conflicting emotions—fear, heat, anger, joy…

"Sash…" he breathed, those flames flaring in his eyes that made her stomach twist deliciously. Then he looked over his shoulder to where Nick was struggling through the snow behind them. His face went tight, but without a quick finger to his lips, he turned her quickly and pressed her off the trail and into the trees and undergrowth off to their right.

Sasha bit her lip, torn. She knew she couldn't leave the females for long, needed to be there in case anything went wrong. But now that she was there and Zev was there and…

She needed him. Her own fear and stress from everything that had happened in the past few days was rearing its ugly head. She'd been successful! She'd done it! And she was so happy.

And totally walking a knife-edge, like she might actually fall apart.

So when he nudged her through the undergrowth and into the trunk of a tree, she let him, her eyes on his face as he checked around, making sure they couldn't be seen.

Then he turned back to her and stared at her for a long moment, his thumb stroking her cheek.

"I was terrified," he whispered.

Sasha nodded. "Me too."

He tore his eyes away, scanning her body, his hands following his gaze, sweeping down her sides, trailing back up, his gaze soft and hot in the same breath. And always, underlining it all, the thrum of the bond between them, pulsing, humming.

Swallowing tears because she couldn't let herself break, Sasha put the flat of her hand to his chest and felt his heartbeat hammering under her palm.

They both stood there, breathing, as their hearts slowly shifted until they beat in time. Then Sasha closed her eyes to fight the tears, because it was so… beautiful. And yet…

Her mind flashed on those females that were caged there, waiting for him. On the cry of pain when they'd understood that she was his mate and they would never…

"Sasha, what? What just happened?"

She opened her eyes and for a single, hot breath, she wanted to slap him. To scream, to claw at his handsome face, to demand that he should have said no! He should have refused! That their manipulation shouldn't have worked!

That he hadn't been protecting her at all, that he'd been betraying her!

But when she opened her eyes with those words climbing her throat, she met his bright blue gaze, the worry lines on his forehead and cheeks. The warm hum of the bond and…

He loved her. She couldn't deny it. He loved her as much as she loved him.

Maybe more.

Yanking her eyes away from his, she forced herself to recalibrate. She squeezed his upper arms and kneaded his shoulders, watching her own hands.

"Sasha, you're scaring me."

"Don't be scared, Zev. I'm just…" she swallowed convulsively. "I'm just trying to put everything together in my head."

"Everything… what? What has to be put together?" he asked, leaning into her. "Tell me."

"We can't do this now, Zev."

"But just tell me what you're facing. Let me in, please, Sasha. I've been so—"

"I met the females, Zev," she said, the words breathless and desperate in all the wrongs ways. "I met the females the team… mated with you and… and they're broken. They're dying. They… their hearts bonded to you, even if yours didn't to them and they're ruined now." She looked up at him then, seeing the shock and dismay in his face. "They're destroyed, Zev. And all I could think was… that I was glad I was me and not them. And that's so ugly—"

"No. No, Sash, it's right, it has to be right," he rushed to say, to reassure her. "You did nothing wrong. You just loved me. It was me who was wrong. And I'm sorry… I'm so sorry—"

"Don't. Not right now," she said, her voice quavering, looking left and right. "I have to keep it together for them. We have to get them back. We can talk about this later."

But Zev shook his head and put his hand to her face, making her look at him. He held her gaze, searching her eyes and pressing her back into that tree.

"You know I love you, right?"

"Yes." And she did. No question.

"I'll never go back, Sash. I'll die first. I mean it. I'll never let them take me back to that. I'll never do that to another female. I understand it now. I understand what it did and… fuck, if I could change anything that would be it. But not you," he said fiercely. "You're… necessary."

She nodded, biting her lip, trying to keep the tears in. "I know. Me too."

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