Fated To My Lycan Stepbrothers
Chapter 41

Naya Cod's POV

"I am your loyal subject," I replied, trying to hide the nervousness in my voice. I couldn't let Zeke know how much he affected me, how my heart raced every time he was near. But avoiding him had become a coping mechanism to protect my emotions. Zeke raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying my response. "Loyal subject, huh? You know, loyalty doesn't mean avoiding your Alpha." His voice was laced with annoyance. Of course he would be annoyed. I have been behaving strangely lately. Kyle was the cause of that. To be honest at first, I wanted everything to do with the brothers. But now? I don't think I want to get entangled in their fights. Kyle was angry at Zeke for some reason and he was taking it out on me. I knew he didn't mean to, but he was hurting me in every way possible.

I could feel his presence watching me and Zeke from afar.

"I-I didn't mean to avoid you. It's just that... I thought you needed some space after the fight," I stammered, trying to come up with a reasonable explanation. No matter how I tried to hide my feelings, he kept forcing me to open up. He needed space with his brother. Perhaps am I the hole that needed to be filled? Would my presence bring the two brothers together or drift them after? I was almost taken aback by his sudden movement. Zeke leaned closer to me, his piercing gaze locking with mine. "Space? You think I need space from you?" His voice was low and dangerous, sending shivers down my spine. Well, I thought he needed space to mourn his father and watch over his reckless brother. He was the reasonable one here while Kyle and I were miserable. I, in love with him...? It was crazy.

I looked away, unable to hold his intense gaze. "I don't know... I mean, after the fight, you seemed upset, and I thought you needed some time alone."

He let out a frustrated sigh, running his hand through his hair. "Naya, you can't just decide what I need without talking to me." He narrowed his eyes at my response. "Don't play games with me, Naya. I can smell the deceit on you." His eyes flickered with something I couldn't read, but he quickly regained composure. I rolled my eyes, wondering why I was playing hard to get. The bullying got to me and seriously, I was tired of it all. He hasn't said the real reason why he was here. "You are doing it again."

"I don't know what you're talking about, Zeke. I've been busy with my own duties as a pack member." I repeated again, trying to hide the tremors in my voice. How could I ever concentrate with him so close to me? His breath was amazing! I wanted to hold my tongue, deciding against it, I released my tongue. "It's not just you, Zeke. I've been avoiding everyone, including Kyle. I needed some space to think and sort things out."

"What things?" He pressed, my curiosity piqued. "The mate thing?"

I glanced at the calm waters, nearly giving myself away. Zeke was no fool. He knew I was bothered by the thought of him replaceing a mate and the words he had probably said behind my back. We had something special, but we were both afraid to take a step. "It's... complicated," I mumbled. Speaking of which... he has said a lot of words in a few seconds. I raised an eyebrow to remind him. "You have said a lot of things in a minute." He kept quiet again.

I sighed. "We have been going back and forth over this discussion... I don't even know what we are talking about. The question is... Zeke, you are the Alpha of this pack. What are you doing here?" I looked back at him, my eyes locking with his. "Tell me, what do you want from me?" I urged, my concern growing. He was here acting like we have been friends, forgetting the times he bullied me, slapped me and humiliated me. Did he think as an omega, I was probably invincible to his actions and would forgive him instantly for the pain he caused me?

He was quiet again. I think I may have struck a chord. "To have a last quiet moment with you before work takes me away." He hasn't been eating nor attending to his usual activities. Poor Zeke. He needed to take his mind off the things that would envelop him in a second. Things like me.

"I think I might have feelings for someone," I quickly said, regretting my words immediately. Unfortunately, I couldn't take it back. He needed the space. Enough with the complicated emotions. I expected anger or something else...but, he was trying to hide the surprise on his face.

"Oh? And who might that be?"

"I'd rather not say," I said, blushing slightly. s**t! It would give me away. "It's complicated, and I don't want to cause any issues within the pack. You are right, this is our last meeting together."

He chuckled in amusement. "Naya, you can't keep this to yourself. If there's something bothering you, you need to share it," he insisted gently. "As the Alpha, it's my responsibility to make sure you are happy. Who is the lucky guy?" There was something in his tone that scared me a bit. I felt sorry for whoever name I was going to mention. I dared not mention that person's name. It was him and Kyle. I was sure he would replace it weird when I said I loved the both of them.

I took a deep breath to gather my thoughts. They were all over the place. "It's between two people, alright? I think I might have feelings for them, but I don't want to come between the two. It could create tensions. I care about both of them, and I don't want to ruin their relationship." I was speaking in f*****g parables. I dared not give anything away.

My revelation must have caught him off guard because I saw something I have never seen before. Zeke was the master of poker expressions and unpredictability. But this time around, I swear I saw a mix of emotions on his face - surprise, jealousy, and concern all at once. But above all, they disappeared just as they came.

"Okay, this is weird." He muttered.

"I am sorry for leading you all along. I am an omega and my scent must have probed you to do crazy things to me." My voice trembled slightly. Crazy things I loved. I want him to do more crazy things to me. s**t, Naya, you are just afraid of the Alpha. You have always been a coward and look what it's getting you. Away from Zeke and Kyle. However it was better than accepting his friendship after getting bullied.

"We can't control our feelings, Naya," He simply said. "But we can continue what we were doing before..."

"I'm sorry," I mumbled again, feeling guilty for misreading his feelings. "I didn't mean to overstep my boundaries." If I didn't say it again, we might probably f**k. My senses were in an overdrive. It was as if the Scentless spray converted my scent into his. He shook his head, his expression hardening. "No, I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have assumed you were avoiding me intentionally." He stood up, dusting the back of his trouser. His voice was hard. s**t. Monday would be crazy. I should get ready to be bullied all over again.

"It's alright," I said, finally meeting his eyes again. "We all have our moments. But I want you to know that I'm here for you, Zeke. As your loyal subject." Loyal subject? Gosh, that was as pathetic as hell. I could feel the tension between us increasing. This was our last meeting together. It broke my heart to see him leaving this way before being dragged into Alphaly duties. I would cry my heart out after this. His gaze softened, and for a moment, I saw a vulnerability in his eyes that he rarely showed to anyone else. I couldn't help but feel a surge of guilt. Despite his tough exterior, there was a part of Zeke that was hurting, that needed someone to lean on. I wanted to be that person for him, to offer him comfort and support.

"You don't have to be alone, Zeke," I wanted to say. "You have friends here who care about you, including me." It never left my lips. I got up, dusting the back of my gown. This place has been polluted, I would never come back to this serene place again. We stared at the calm water, watching a bird dive in and catch a fish before soaring high into the sky. The silence was suffocating and I wanted nothing more than to leave. However, my feet were glued to the floor. I wanted to tell him how much he meant to me. I couldn't.