<h4>Chapter 37: Keeping Secrets</h4>


    <strong>Natalie~ </strong>


    "Who the hell are you?" Marcus hissed, his voice edged with both fury and caution. His dark eyes were fixed on Jacob, no longer dismissive but filled with a new, wary curiosity.


    Jacob, standing with an air of effortless confidence, simply tilted his head and smirked. "That’s none of your business," he said smoothly. "Now take your men and get the hell out of here before things get ugly."


    Marcus let out a sharp, humorlessugh. "You don’t scare me, pretty boy," he sneered, rolling his shoulders as if preparing for a fight. "You think a little parlor trick is enough to make me run?" He turned to his men. "Take him down."


    Another one of the brutes lunged.


    But Jacob didn’t move.


    He didn’t need to.


    The moment the man’s hand reached for him, Jacob raised a single finger and touched the attacker’s arm.


    The effect was instant.


    A gut-wrenching scream tore through the air as the man’s body trembled violently. His flesh cracked like dried earth under a merciless sun, crumbling into dust before my very eyes. One moment he was there—solid, breathing, alive. The next, he was a pile of fine sand on the ground.


    Gasps filled the space around us—mine included. My heart lurched as I stared at Jacob, my mind barely processing what I had just witnessed.


    Who the hell was he?


    The remaining men staggered back, their bravado vanishing like smoke in the wind. Even Marcus, who moments ago exuded nothing but arrogance, took an instinctive step away from Jacob.


    "You..." Marcus swallowed, his bravado cracking. "You’re not normal."


    Jacob flicked some imaginary dust off his shirt, his expression calm, almost amused. "And yet you keeping at me like a bunch of idiots," he mused. "You’re either incredibly brave or incredibly stupid. I’m betting on thetter."


    Marcus clenched his fists, his entire body trembling with rage. But before he could issue anothermand, a blur of movement appeared behind one of his men.


    Rnd.


    Silent as a shadow, he wrapped his arms around the man’s neck from behind and squeezed. The man’s eyes bulged as he wed at Rnd’s arms, gasping for air.


    That was when everyone finally noticed him.


    Marcus’s eyes widened in disbelief. "You’ve got to be kidding me," he muttered.


    Rnd’s grip tightened. "Tell them to back off, Marcus," he growled, his voice low and menacing. "Unless you want another one of your men on the ground."


    Marcus’s jaw tightened, his mind undoubtedly calcting his options. He hade here expecting an easy victory. Instead, he had lost two men in the blink of an eye and was now outnumbered.


    With a re full of venom, he finally barked, "Retreat!"


    The remaining men didn’t hesitate. They turned on their heels and sprinted away, disappearing into the shadows of the trees.


    Marcus lingered, his gaze locking onto mine with pure hatred. "This isn’t over, Natalie," he spat. "Alpha Darius will make sure you regret ever crossing him."


    The moment those words left his mouth, Rnd surged forward with a snarl. Marcus didn’t wait—he bolted after his men, vanishing into the shadows of the trees as well.


    A heavy silence followed.


    Rnd exhaled sharply and turned to Jacob and me. "Get in the car," he ordered. His face was set in stone, his body tense with barely restrained anger. For the past few months I have gotten to know him, I knew him well enough to recognize that he was deep in thought, processing the situation and weighing the consequences.


    I swallowed hard, knowing that this was just the beginning of something far worse.


    The drive back to Zane’s estate was suffocatingly quiet. Rnd’s grip on the wheel was tight, his knuckles turning white as he navigated the road with the precision of a man lost in thought. Jacob, on the other hand, was unnervingly rxed, humming under his breath like he hadn’t just turned a fully grown werewolf man into a pile of fine sand moments ago.


    I, however, couldn’t stop shaking.


    Not just from fear—but from disbelief.


    Who was Jacob? How did he do what he did? And more importantly... why did he risk getting into a fight that wasn’t his, to save me?


    I clenched my hands in myp, my mind spiraling with too many unanswered questions.


    As we neared the estate, I saw Zane standing outside. It was clear that Rnd had already told him, probably through their mind link. I sighed defeated. I couldn’t believe my problems were now affecting everyone around me when I was just starting to enjoy life a little bit.


    The moment Rnd pulled to a stop, Zane was at my door in an instant. His hands reached for me, his movements frantic as he checked me over for injuries. His usually icy outward behavior was gone, reced by something that looked strangely like... fear.


    "Did they hurt you?" he demanded, his voice tight. His blue eyes, normally cold and unreachable, were burning with barely contained emotion.


    "I—I’m fine," I stammered.


    But before I could say more, Zane pulled me into his arms.


    The breath left my lungs.


    He held me so tightly against his chest that I could feel the frantic beat of his heart. His grip was desperate, as though he had feared the worst and was only now allowing himself to believe I was safe.


    "Thank the goddess," he murmured, his voice filled with relief.


    I was so stunned that I stiffened, my entire body locking up. Zane was <i>hugging me? </i>The same man who kept his emotions locked away, who never let anyone close—was now holding onto me like he never wanted to let go.


    It was overwhelming.


    When he finally pulled back, he cupped my face, his fingers lingering as if reassuring himself that I was real. "Come inside," he said, his voice softer now.


    I barely had time to process everything before he took my hand in his and led me into the house. Jacob and Rnd followed close behind.


    Zane guided me to the couch and disappeared for a moment, returning with a ss of water. "Drink," he ordered gently.


    I obeyed, my throat dry.


    Once I finished, Zane’s gaze sharpened as he looked at me. His voice was steady but firm. "Tell me everything. Don’t leave anything out."


    I swallowed hard and gave a small nod. "Jacob and I were lying on the grass, waiting for Rnd toe back with ice cream," I began, my fingers curling into the hem of my shirt. "Then... six of Alpha Darius’s men came out of the bushes and surrounded us. And then—" I was about to tell him what Jacob did to save me when a voice, smooth and familiar, slipped effortlessly into my mind.


    <strong><i>"Don’t tell him what I did."</i></strong>


    I froze, my breath catching in my throat.


    <strong><i>"I promise when the time is right, I’ll exin everything. But for now... let this be a secret between us."</i></strong>


    My heart mmed against my ribs.


    What the hell?


    I darted a nce at Jacob, who lookedpletely rxed as if he hadn’t just spoken directly into my mind like it was the most normal thing that usually happened between us.


    How was he doing this? Why was he doing this?


    Zane’s eyes narrowed. "Natalie?"


    I forced myself to keep my expression neutral. "Jacob tried his best to block them from getting to me," I said carefully. "And then, thankfully, Rnd came back and fought them off."


    Zane’s gaze flickered to Jacob, something unreadable passing through his eyes before he gave a small nod. "Thank you." His voice was quieter now, more sincere. "For standing your ground. I bet you were just as scared as Natalie." If this was a different situation, I would have bursted outughing.


    Jacob smirked. "Not a problem. I live for dramatic entrances."


    Zane exhaled, rubbing his temple. "Were you hurt?"


    Jacob ced a hand over his heart, mock-wounded. "Only my feelings."


    Zane rolled his eyes, but the tension in his shoulders eased a fraction. Then, before I could react, he turned to me and pulled me into another hug.


    This time, I didn’t stiffen.


    I let myself sink into his warmth, the steady rise and fall of his chest, the way his arms felt so certain around me. My heart thundered against my ribs.


    "I swear to you," he murmured against my hair, his voice rough, "this will never happen again."


    I barely breathed.


    He sounded... shaken. Vulnerable. As if something about today had rattled him.


    I didn’t know what to say.


    So I just hugged him back.


    "Thank you," I whispered.


    After a moment, he pulled away, his expression hardening. That cold, calcted look slid back into ce like armor.


    "Excuse me," he said, turning to Rnd. His voice was sharp now, all business. "Come with me to my office. Now."


    Rnd nodded without a word and followed him, his jaw set.


    The doors closed behind them with a quiet click.


    I let out a shaky breath.


    Something told me this was just the beginning.