27. Zahria
twenty-seven
ZAHRIA
The phone rings just past eight pm, piercing the peaceful ambiance in Nala’s nest. We returned a few hours ago, content to just exist in our little space until the others return, our bellies full, and Nala refreshed after the visit. It's later than I thought it'd be but the men can take care of themselves. My heart jumps into my throat as I reach for the phone, and when I see Montgomery’s name on the screen, a chill runs down my spine. He shouldn’t be calling.
A sudden flash of anger spreads through my bond with Xylo as I answer. “Montgomery?” I whisper, clutching the phone tightly.
“Zahria,” he says, voice tense and urgent. “Listen to me carefully. One of them is on his way to the house. He wasn’t at the meeting.”
I glance down at Nala, curled up in the nest beside me, her chest rising and falling in a peaceful rhythm. We were sharing childhood memories, the first of many genuine smiles playing on her lips before she fell asleep. I don’t want to wake her, not yet. I slip out of the room and close the door softly behind me. “Who’s coming?” I ask in a low, controlled voice, though every muscle in my body feels coiled tight with panic.
“The last Alpha, Wyatt,” Montgomery replies, his tone sharp. “We met them at the club in Canes Lake. They are after Nala, Zahria. They’ve been tracking us. And one of them,—he’s coming straight for you two.”
My hand tightens around the phone. “What did you tell them?” I ask, already pacing down the hallway, my eyes scanning the locks on the windows as I pass.
“Nothing. But they know. Somehow, they know she’s with us. I’m on my way back now, but I need you to lock everything up. Make sure she’s safe. Whatever you do, don’t let her out of your sight.”
I pause, pressing my hand against the wall to steady myself. “Everything is already locked, Montgomery. We always make sure of that.”
“Good. Just… check again, alright?” His voice is thick with tension, and I know he’s barely keeping his own anger under control. “If they think they can take her, they’re in for a hell of a surprise. But I need you to be ready. We’re going to protect her at all costs.”
“I know,” I say, forcing my voice to stay steady. “She won’t live through another nightmare. We promised her that much.” There’s a brief silence on the line, and then I ask, “Where are Bear and Xylo? Are they safe?”
“They’re still at the club.” He lets out a heavy breath. “The place is surrounded by the FBI. They won’t let anything happen to them.”
I exhale, relief mixed with the urgency of the situation. “Okay, just get here as soon as you can.”
“I’m coming, Zahria,” he says, the promise in his voice telling me that we’ll come out of this just fine on the other side.
I hang up, tucking my phone into my pocket as I move through the house. I double-check the locks on every door and window, the familiarity of a routine grounding me, but my heart pounds harder with each lock I secure. I check the back door twice, then the windows in the living room. Everything’s locked. One of the windows was propped open but I make sure to close it, checking it three times to calm my nerves.
I knew it had been too easy, that we were just biding our time before something happened. However, I didn’t think it would be something like this. All of my training has prepared me for moments like this but it feels so different when I’m protecting our Omega. Feels so much more real.
The house is silent, save for the hum of the refrigerator and the soft creak of the floorboards under my feet. I slip into the guest room, my gaze fixed on the small safe in the closet. I spin the lock, the numbers falling into place automatically, muscle memory taking over.
Since we all but moved into Montgomery’s place over the last week, I stashed everything here just in case and while this isn’t official duty, I will use deadly force if required to protect myself and Nala. I hope I won’t need it but Nala isn’t returning to the hell she escaped from.
Nala will not live through another nightmare. Not as long as I’m here.
I slide the gun into the back of my waistband, covering it with my sweater. My hand hovers there, fingers grazing the cool metal as I close the safe and push the closet door shut.
And then I hear it. The soft, hesitant footsteps against the wood, followed by a quiet voice.
“Zahria?”
I turn to see Nala standing in the doorway, her eyes wide, her brows furrowed in concern. The faintest quiver runs through her, a mirror of the worry she can probably feel radiating from me, from all of us. I curse myself internally—I forgot that she would be able to sense our emotions through the bond, that she’d feel my fear like it was her own or her other mates' anger as it rages.
“Nala…” I say softly, my voice wavering. “I didn’t mean to wake you.”
She steps closer, her gaze shifting from me to the hallway beyond, as if searching for whatever threat might be lurking there. “What’s going on?” she asks, her voice barely above a whisper.
I walk over to her, gently pulling her into my chest and placing a soft kiss to her lips. She shudders as I brush across my bite before she meets my gaze. “Nothing you need to worry about, alright? We’re just taking extra precautions, just in case.”
Her eyes flicker with unease, and I know my answer isn’t enough to reassure her. “You’re afraid. Everyone’s afraid. What’s going on?”
I bite my lip, wrestling with how much to tell her but there’s no hiding it now. “Montgomery called. He said one of the men who wants to take you back might be headed this way.”
Her face pales, and she grips my arm, her fingers trembling slightly. “One of the Alphas?”
I nod, feeling my stomach twist at the fear in her eyes. “But we’re not going to let him take you, Nala. You’re safe here. We’ve locked everything up, and Montgomery is on his way home. Bear and Xylo are safe, too, and the police are watching them.”
She takes a shaky breath, her fingers loosening slightly on my arm. “What if he gets here before Montgomery?”
“Then he’ll have to go through me first,” I say, my voice harder than I intended.
Her eyes widen, a hint of surprise mingling with the fear, and I realize she’s never seen this side of me before. I’ve always been the one to comfort her, to keep her calm and grounded. But right now, there’s no room for softness. Not when her safety is on the line.
I take her hand gently, guiding her back toward the nest where she was resting before. “Stay here,” I say. “I’ll be right outside, alright? I’ll be watching everything.”
Nala nods, but she doesn’t let go of my hand. “Zahria, please… don’t let them take me back. I can’t… I can’t go back there.”
My heart clenches, and while I know we don’t have the time, reassuring her is a priority. I take her face in my hands, waiting until she meets my eyes. The tears glazing there pain me but until this nightmare is over, all I can hope for is that she stays safe. “No one is going to take you. Not while we’re here. We promised you that, Nala, and I’m not about to break that promise.”
She looks at me, a faint spark of hope in her gaze, but the fear is still there. “I believe you,” she whispers. “But I’m still scared.”
“I know. But you’re stronger than they think. And you’re not alone. You have us now.”
She manages a small, shaky smile, and I give her hand one last squeeze before slipping out of the room, my senses on high alert as I move back down the hallway. Hoping to see her smile, I rush to the kitchen and grab a pan before darting back to the nest and handing it to her. Nala pushes out a laugh, gripping the handle of the ironcast skillet. I hope she doesn’t have to use it but maybe the memory of her strength when she swung it the first time will give her a little more confidence that we’ll come out of this alright.
I close the door and then station myself by the house's entrance. My hand hovers near the gun at my waistband, fingers twitching slightly as I scan the darkness beyond the windows.
The minutes tick by slowly, each one dragging on longer than the last. I replay Montgomery’s words in my mind, knowing he’s on his way and won’t let us face this threat alone.
But the silence stretches on, every sound, every faint rustle outside, making my heart race. Nala’s fear pulses through the bond, mingling with my own, a shared current of dread and determination.
She’s counting on us. Counting on me. And I won’t let her down.
A noise outside snaps me to attention. I press myself against the wall, my breath held as I strain to listen. The sound is faint, but it’s enough to send a jolt of fear through me. I reach for my phone, my hand shaking slightly as I text Montgomery, my fingers tapping out a quick, urgent message:
He might be here.
A few seconds later, his reply flashes across the screen: Stay put. I’m almost there.
Just a few more minutes, I tell myself. I just need to hold on a little longer.
Another noise, closer this time, like a faint scraping against the side of the house. My hand tightens around the gun, a surge of cold determination settling over me.
As the silence stretches on, I remind myself of one thing: Nala is ours to protect. And I will do whatever it takes to keep her safe.