92 Questioned
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CHAPTER 92
-Zara’s POV-
The sound of my phone buzzing pulled me from a hazy sleep. I glanced at the screen, seeing Snow’s name lighting up the display. My heart thudded, but I ignored the call, shutting my eyes again as I let the silence settle back into the room.
There was nothing I could say to him right now, nothing that wouldn’t make me feel trapped between my family’s burdens and the life I’d tried so hard to build independently.
Snow wouldn’t understand. He couldn’t know the
stakes.
And the thought of him trying to fix everything, charging into my family’s problems like they were his own, left me feeling too vulnerable to stomach.
I didn’t want it and so, I wasn’t going to tell him.
The tension still clung to my chest as I drifted back to
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sleep, trying to let the peace of the early morning calm my mind.
But it wasn’t long before a loud, insistent banging jolted me awake. I sat up, blinking against the harsh daylight streaming through the curtains. The sharp knocking continued, unyielding until I dragged myself
out of bed and went to the door.
I pulled it open, muttering curses, and looked up only to find Snow staring down at me–his gaze a mix of anger and something else–something unreadable. I held the door, squinting at him, my mind still struggling to process his sudden appearance.
“Morning,” I mumbled, voice thick with sleep. “What are you doing here?”
His brow arched as he crossed his arms, leaning against the doorframe with that signature smirk that
was er
parts maddening and alluring.
Astrid awoke as soon as she saw him. Tsk, my wolf was becoming a traitor to me and a personal favourite of
Snow.
“Nice to see you too, Zara,” he said, his tone light. “Mind explaining why you slipped out like a thief in the
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night?”
I swallowed, quickly pushing down the swirl of emotions. “I told you I’d be back today. I just… decided to leave a little early.”
“Right.” He eyed me closely, clearly unsatisfied with my answer. “And that couldn’t have waited until morning? You didn’t think maybe a goodbye was in order?”
I felt a twinge of guilt but shoved it aside, hoping to keep my expression neutral. “You were busy with your sisters, and I didn’t want to disrupt anything. It’s not a big deal.”
a
*“Not big deal, huh?” His gaze hardened, and a flicker
of hurt flashed across his face, though he hid it quickly. “So, there’s nothing you’re not telling me? Just felt like going home early, all by yourself?”
“Exactly,” I replied firmly. The last thing I needed was for Snow to start digging into my reasons for leaving. Ivan’s threats, my father’s mistakes–all of it.was my problem to fix, not his. And I refused to drag him into the mess my family was entangled in.
“Hmm.” Snow’s gaze lingered on me with an
unreadable expression. Then he took a step forward
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and into my room. I shut the door behind him and waited. “Well, if that’s the case, why do you look like you haven’t slept in a week?”
I forced a casual shrug, brushing past him to put some space between us. “Long day. And besides, I’m here now, so there’s nothing for you to worry about.”
He watched me intently, his eyes narrowing. “No need to act like I’m overreacting, Zara. You left in the evening without saying a word. Not even to my parents or my sisters. Anyone would find that suspicious.”
“Well, you shouldn’t worry so much. I’m fine.” I held my voice steady, though I felt a pang of regret. Snow didn’t deserve this, but I couldn’t risk letting him in on what I was dealing with.
He regarded me for a long moment, and I could see the frustration in his gaze, but he didn’t push. Instead, his smirk returned, though there was a mischievous glint in his eyes. “Alright, I’ll let you off the hook… for
now.”
Before I could respond, he leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a murmur that made the hairs on the back
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of my neck stand up.
“But you owe me an explanation for this little vanishing act. I’m not letting you off that easily.”
My heart skipped a beat as I stepped back, unable to ignore the intensity in his gaze. “I don’t owe you
anything, Snow,” I replied, trying to sound more confident than I felt.
“Oh, I think you do.” His smirk widened as he
that straightened, his gaze drifting over me in a way left me feeling oddly exposed. “But I’ll give you some time to figure out just what that explanation might be.” ‘I rolled my eyes, grateful for the distraction from the tension hanging between us moments before. “You’re impossible,” I muttered, crossing my arms and looking
away.
He chuckled, clearly enjoying my discomfort. “Admit it. You’d miss me if I weren’t.”
I shook my head, forcing a small smile. “Don’t flatter yourself, Snow.”
“Too late.” He flashed me a grin that somehow managed to be both charming and exasperating. “I know you missed me.”
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I scoffed and when I replied, my tone dripped with sarcasm. “In your dreams, Snow.”
His eyes sparkled with amusement as he stepped back, gesturing toward the kitchen. “Speaking of dreams, how about breakfast? Consider it my way of making sure you’re not planning another great escape.”
I hesitated but finally nodded, realising there was no point in resisting.
Snow was relentless when he wanted answers, and for now, at least, he was letting the subject slide, which was a good thing for me.
“Fine,” I conceded, following him down the hallway. “But don’t expect any grand confession over coffee.”
He laughed, keeping his voice low, a rich sound that sent a shiver down my spine. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”
We settled in the kitchen, the morning sun streaming through the windows as Snow busied himself making
coffee.
I leaned against the counter, watching him,
experiencing a weird combination of relief and
nervousness.
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For now, he didn’t know the details of my family’s situation, and I intended to keep it that way.
But as he placed a steaming mug in front of me, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was walking a thin line, one that could easily snap if I wasn’t careful.
“So,” he began, his tone deceptively casual as he took a sip of his coffee, “any other plans today besides ignoring me?”
I gave him a wry smile, my guard still firmly in place. “Actually, I have some work to catch up on. And maybe a few errands to run. Nothing too thrilling.”
“Errands, huh?” He raised a brow, clearly not buying it, but he didn’t press. “I’ll keep my schedule open, just in case you decide to vanish again.”
I rolled my eyes, hiding my amusement. “I’ll keep that in mind. Oh and I’ll be meeting with Andrew Blake today to sort and finalise things.”
Snow fell silent briefly before nodding. Taking that as a brief truce, I did not say anything and enjoyed my
coffee.
As we fell into a comfortable silence, I couldn’t help
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everything hanging over my head, being here with Snow–teasing each other over coffee and pretending that life was simple–was grounding.
It reminded me that, no matter how complicated things got, there were still moments of peace to hold
onto.
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