Zander’s POV.
The next morning came far too quickly. The events of the previous night replayed in my head on an endless loop, filling me with a mix of anger, regret, and something I couldn’t quite name.
I had barely slept, and when I finally dragged myself to my office, my head was pounding. I had just settled into my chair, trying to focus on the stack of paperwork in front of me, when Liam walked in.
His expression was cautious, the kind of look that told me he had bad news and wasn’t sure how I was going to take it.
“You should know,” he began hesitantly, standing just inside the door like he wasn’t sure if he wanted to fully step into the room, “Aria’s furious.”
I leaned back in my chair, letting out a slow breath as I closed my eyes. Of course, she would be furious. I had stormed into her life, taken her dog without explanation, and left without a single word. I didn’t blame her for being angry. “What did she say?” I asked finally, my voice low and tired.
“She called the packhouse this morning,” Liam said, stepping closer. His tone was careful, like he was trying to gauge my reaction. “She demanded to know why you took the dog. She sounded… confused.” He hesitated for a moment before continuing, “She kept asking if you wanted her back or if you were just trying to ruin her life.”
The words hit me like a punch to the gut, and my chest tightened painfully. I clenched my jaw, trying to push down the emotions threatening to rise to the surface. “What did you tell her?” I asked, my voice sharper than I intended.
“Nothing,” Liam said quickly, holding up his hands as if to show he wasn’t a threat. “I figured it wasn’t my place to explain your… decisions.”
I nodded, running a hand over my face as I tried to think. “Good,” I muttered, though the truth was, I had no idea what I would have wanted him to say.
Liam shifted awkwardly, and I could tell he wanted to say more. “Zander,” he began carefully, “she sounded really upset. She doesn’t understand why you’re doing this. Honestly… I don’t think *I* understand why you’re doing this.”
I shot him a sharp look, and he immediately closed his mouth, but the damage was done. His words stirred something in me-guilt, regret, frustration. I waved a hand dismissively, signaling for him to leave. “You’re dismissed, Liam,” I said coldly.
He hesitated for a moment, like he wanted to argue, but then he nodded and left, closing the door quietly behind him.
Even as the room fell silent, the guilt gnawed at me like a predator circling its prey. I had acted on impulse, driven by jealousy and rage, and now I had left Aria with more questions than answers. She was angry, and she had every right to be. I had stormed into her space, disrupted her life, and taken something that made her happy, all because I couldn’t handle the thought of her moving on.
I stared at the stack of papers in front of me, but the words blurred together. My thoughts kept drifting back to her-her confused expression when I had barged into her room, her angry shouts as I took the dog, the way her voice had cracked when she called out after me.
I didn’t know how to fix this. I didn’t even know if I *could* fix this.
But one thing was painfully clear: I couldn’t stay away from her, no matter how hard I tried.
The phone on my desk buzzed, pulling me out of my thoughts. I glanced at the caller ID and saw Liam’s name. Grumbling, I picked up the phone. “What is it now?” I asked, my tone sharper than intended.
“She called again,” Liam said, his voice calm but firm. “She wants to talk to you, Zander. She’s demanding answers.”
I clenched my jaw, gripping the phone tightly. “Did you tell her I’m busy?”
“I did,” Liam replied, “but she doesn’t care. She said if you don’t call her back, she’s coming here to confront you herself.”
I paused, the weight of his words sinking in. The thought of her showing up here, marching into the packhouse, was both thrilling and terrifying. I didn’t want her here, but at the same time, the idea of seeing her again made my wolf stir restlessly.
“Fine,” I said finally, my voice low. “I’ll call her.”
“You sure about that?” Liam asked, his tone laced with doubt.
“I said I’ll handle it,” I snapped before hanging up the phone.
I stared at the receiver for a long moment, debating whether or not I should actually go through with it. Finally, I grabbed my phone, scrolling to her number. My thumb hovered over the call button, my chest tightening with hesitation.
What would I even say?
Before I could overthink it, I pressed the button and held the phone to my ear. It rang once, twice, three times, and then her voice came through the line, sharp and angry.
“Took you long enough,” she said, not bothering with pleasantries. “What the hell, Zander? What are you doing? Why did you take Max?”
Her words came out in a rush, each one sharper than the last, and I could picture her pacing as she spoke, her hands gesturing wildly even though I couldn’t see her.
“I didn’t think you needed him,” I said finally, my voice colder than I intended.
“Didn’t *need* him?” she repeated, her voice rising with anger. “Who the hell are you to decide what I need? You don’t get to just barge into my life and take things from me, Zander!”
“I was protecting you,” I said, though the words felt hollow even as I said them.
“Protecting me?” she snapped, her tone dripping with disbelief. “From what? From a dog? Or are you just trying to punish me for moving on?”
Her words hit a nerve, and I felt my temper flare. “You think this is about punishment?” I growled. “You don’t understand, Aria. You don’t-”
“You’re right,” she interrupted, her voice cutting through mine like a blade. “I don’t understand. I don’t understand why you’re doing this, why you can’t just leave me alone. What do you even want from me, Zander?”
I opened my mouth to respond, but no words came out. What *did* I want from her? Did I want her to come back to me? Did I want her to feel the same pain I did? I didn’t know.
“Exactly,” she said after a moment of silence. “You don’t even know, do you?”
The line went dead, and I lowered the phone slowly, her words echoing in my mind. She was right. I didn’t know what I wanted.
But I knew one thing: I wasn’t ready to let her go.