Zodiac's POV
Zodiac watched Gray walk away, her figure moving with a hesitant grace that made his chest tighten more than he cared to admit. Every step she took away from him felt like a tiny betrayal, though he knew it wasn't intentional. She was cautious, scared even, and he couldn't blame her. He'd been a mess—Alpha instincts flaring, wolf raging, and his emotions entirely unfiltered. And she had every right to be wary.
He ran a hand through his hair, pacing back and forth in the living room. The folder she had left behind lay open on the coffee table, untouched, and he felt a strange pull to pick it up, to see her notes, her input, anything that connected them. But he resisted. He had promised himself he wouldn't push her—not yet. Not until she was ready to step closer on her own.
"Damn it," he muttered, more to himself than anyone else. The wolf inside him growled low, frustrated, impatient. His mate was out there, fragile and hesitant, and he couldn't reach her, couldn't claim her without fear of pushing too hard.
Zoey, ever the observant sister, leaned against the doorway, arms crossed, a smirk on her face. "You're acting like a teenager," she said lightly.
Zodiac's head snapped toward her, a frown forming. "I am not."
"You totally are," she said, walking closer, hands on her hips. "She's walking around in your house, doing your shopping, laughing with me, and you're pacing like a damn wolf in heat. And you think you're not acting like a teenager?"
Zodiac growled low in his throat, a deep rumble that reverberated through the floor. "This isn't the same as—"
"Stop," Zoey interrupted sharply, pointing a finger at him. "Don't even try. You're in over your head, and you know it. You've got one shot at not ruining this completely. One. And right now, you're failing spectacularly."
He clenched his jaw, glaring at her. "She's… she's fragile, Zo. She doesn't understand the bond, the heat, the… everything. I need to handle this delicately."
"Delicately?" Zoey raised a brow, clearly unconvinced. "Zodiac, your idea of delicate is growling at someone until they submit. You need to use your head, not your wolf. She's not going to bend because you snarl. She's going to run."
He ran a hand down his face, frustration flooding through him. "I don't want her to run. She's my mate. She belongs to me. Every instinct in my body knows it."
"And every instinct in hers is screaming to be careful," Zoey countered. "You can't fight her instincts with yours. You need to guide her, not force her. Understand?"
He exhaled slowly, pacing again. She was right, of course. He couldn't simply overwhelm her with his presence or his wolf. He had to let her choose him, step by step, without fear, without pressure. But the urge to claim her, to make her his in every sense, was maddening.
"I know," he admitted finally, voice low. "I just… I can't stand seeing her scared of me. Not her. Not my mate."
Zoey softened slightly, moving closer. "Then show her. Show her that you care without scaring her. You've got charm, you've got patience—use them. And trust me, she's stronger than she looks. She can handle more than you think."
Zodiac stared at her, a mixture of frustration and admiration on his face. "You make it sound easy."
"Easy?" Zoey laughed. "Nothing about this is easy. You're an Alpha, you're bonded, and she's… well, she's special. But that's what makes it worth it."
He nodded, finally taking a deep breath, centering himself. "Special," he repeated. The word felt strange coming from his mouth, but it was true. Gray was different. Unpredictable, fierce in her own way, and yet fragile. He had never met anyone who could stir his wolf and calm it at the same time.
Zoey gave him a pointed look. "Go to her. Right now. Don't wait. Don't think too much. Just go."
Zodiac's eyes narrowed. "And say what? 'Hey, mate, I'm sorry for nearly losing control in my house'?"
Zoey rolled her eyes. "No, idiot. Say what you feel. Show her you care. That's it. And don't overthink it. That's your problem."
He exhaled, frustration mingled with determination. He couldn't keep her at arm's length any longer. The bond, the heat, the pull between them—it was unbearable. He needed her to see him as more than just the Alpha, more than just the wolf. He needed her to see him as… Zodiac.
With a final nod, he strode toward the door, boots clicking against the hardwood floor. Zoey smirked, watching him go. "Oh, this is going to be interesting," she murmured to herself, shaking her head.
Outside, Gray was standing on the balcony, staring at the horizon, hands gripping the railing. She hadn't expected him to follow, and she felt her heart lurch when she saw him step onto the balcony beside her.
"Gray," he said softly, not touching her, just letting his presence fill the space between them.
She turned to face him, wary, uncertain. "Zodiac…"
He stepped a little closer, enough to feel the heat radiating off her, but not so close as to make her recoil. "I need you to know… I didn't mean to scare you. Not like that. And I… I can't take back what happened, but I want to fix it. I want to fix us."
Gray's chest tightened, her wolf stirring in response. "I… I don't know if I can just forget," she admitted, voice trembling. "It's not that simple."
"I know," he said, his voice low and steady. "I'm not asking you to forget. I'm asking you to trust me. Let me show you that I'm more than that… than the heat, than the anger, than the Alpha. Let me show you who I am when I'm with you."
Her eyes searched his, looking for any trace of deceit, any sign that he was manipulating her. But all she saw was sincerity, raw and unfiltered. Her wolf twitched, drawn to his, and she felt the pull, the undeniable connection that had been growing stronger since the day they met.
"I… I want to try," she whispered finally. "But I'm scared."
He smiled softly, a rare, gentle expression that made her heart ache. "Good," he said. "Being scared means you care. And that's fine. I'll take it slow. I'll be patient. But… I'm not letting you go."
Gray's breath caught in her throat, her wolf purring in agreement. For the first time, she felt a flicker of hope, fragile but real. Maybe… just maybe… they could navigate this together.
Zodiac reached out, just brushing a strand of hair from her face, careful not to overstep, careful not to frighten her. "You're mine, Gray. My mate. And I'm not going anywhere."
Gray felt herself melting under the intensity of his gaze, the sincerity in his words, and the undeniable pull of the bond that tethered them together. "I… I'm yours," she whispered, almost to herself.
The wind shifted, carrying the faint scent of the forest and the ocean beyond, mixing with the heat between them. It was a moment suspended in time, fragile and perfect, and for once, Zodiac didn't feel the need to roar or fight or dominate. He simply existed there, with her, letting the connection speak louder than words ever could.
And for the first time in weeks, Gray felt like she could breathe.