38. Henry

Istep out of the room, pulling the door shut behind me, feeling like I'm walking on a tightrope with no safety net below. Liam's words ring in my ears, ‘shit or get off the pot.' Charming. But he isn't wrong.

As I head slowly to the kitchen, each step feels heavier than the last. It's like I'm carrying the weight of this whole mess on my shoulders. What am I going to say to Zara without scaring her away?

Hesitating when I reach the open doorway, my heart pounds so hard I can practically hear it in my ears. This isn't just about sex or heats or ruts; this is about something more, something deeper, and it scares the living daylights out of me because it's so sudden. But I don't just want her for now—I want her for all the times to come, good and bad.

Taking a deep breath, I finally step through the door.

Zara's sitting on a stool staring out of the window, a mug of tea in her hands. She looks up at me with those big eyes of hers, and for a moment, we just stare at each other.

"Hey," I manage to choke out.

"Hey yourself," she replies with a bright smile as she puts down her tea on the island. "What's up?"

Right, straight to the point, then. I shuffle awkwardly from one foot to the other. "We need to talk. It's about... well, it's about us."

Her smile fades a little as she stares at me. "Yeah, I've been thinking a lot about us, too."

Diving in at the deep end, I need to hear it from Zara. "Liam mentioned you had the blanket I bought you in your nest."

Zara nods slowly. "I wanted—no, needed—your scent close. It hit me hard when you were across the landing, and I just… it's hard to explain."

"Try?" I croak.

She smiles again. "I was already in an early pre-heat. I think being so close to Liam and maybe Ben, I don't know. Then you came in, and it pushed me over the edge. But it's receded a bit now. It's still there, but it reverted back to a pre-heat as opposed to an active one. It's odd, and I don't really understand it."

I nod slowly, taking all that in. My scent drove her into her heat. Sure, the other alphas were involved as well, but it was me being here that pushed her.

Exhaling slowly, I feel like we're dancing around the edges of what we really need to discuss. "Look, Zara. I care about you a lot. More than I thought possible in such a short amount of time. But I guess that means something."

There's something raw and vulnerable in her gaze when she searches my eyes. "I care about you too," she whispers.

"So what do we do?" I ask. The question hangs between us like a challenge.

Zara shifts on the stool, and I'm close enough to catch her subtle scent, which is intoxicating.

"We try," she says simply. "We talk, we communicate, and we take this one day at a time. Because I want to explore this. It does mean something. This – whatever this is – with you, with Liam, maybe Ben, it means something."

We're all in this tangled mess together, and for some reason, that thought brings a wave of relief crashing over me.

Reaching over the island that separates us, I grasp her fingers lightly. "Yeah," I agree. "One day at a time."

She squeezes my hand gently, as if sealing our new pact. "So, did you get settled in?"

Chuckling at the change of topic, I nod. "Yeah. There is still a lot to get from my place. It has to be cleared out for the renters, obviously. I'll have to put a bunch of stuff in storage."

She nods. "Did you get the washing in?"

I glance outside. "Yeah, folded and put away."

"You are handy, aren't you?"

"I cook as well." I can't resist the brag.

Her eyebrows go up. "Oh, that was a bad move, Henry. You just sealed your fate."

Snorting, I glance at the clock. It's late now, but I don't think anyone has eaten yet. "I'll get some soup on. I saw some tins in the cupboard earlier."

"You're a rockstar."

"It's tinned soup. I can do better given half the chance," I snicker, giving her a look.

She giggles. "Still, saves me doing it."

We're both laughing as I turn to the cupboard and take out some tins. The simple domesticity of the moment isn't lost on me. It feels natural, like we've been doing this for years rather than minutes. I grab a pot and get to work, finding comfort in the routine of preparing a meal.

The door opens again, and Liam walks in with Mia in his arms, looking a little frazzled but managing a smile. "She finally decided that sleep was for losers," he says, rocking her gently.

"Hey, you." Zara gets up to coo at the baby, and I watch them, this strange family we're becoming. The warmth that swells in my chest is unexpected, but not unwelcome.

"Soup's on," I announce after a few minutes, setting bowls on the island. "Where's Ben?"

"Sleeping on the couch. It's been a rough day. I think the bond breaking has done him in emotionally as well as physically."

"His bond broke?" I ask as I stir.

"Yeah. Zara's heat was the thing that did it."

Zara's small gasp alerts me that she didn't know that. I turn to her, but her eyes are locked on Liam, and his on her.

"Oh," she murmurs and automatically reaches for Mia as she lets out a soft cry. "I'll go and settle her in the cot."

She flees, leaving me and Liam to stare at each other.

"Talk go okay?" Liam asks.

"I think so. One day at a time."

"Best way."

Nodding, I turn around and keep stirring, feeling like the soup is a metaphor for our lives.