The Alpha's Rogue ✔️

19 | Lava Mount Ruby

2499 words

Savannah wanted to continue ignoring her infuriating mate, but he made it extremely difficult when he lifted her carefully from the car, carried her securely to his room, and placed her in the bathroom before telling her to have a long hot shower. He even produced his own comfortable shirt and sweatpants that felt so soft under her touch.

She was still cold from her spontaneous swim in icy water, and didn't have to be told twice. When she eventually came out after using all the hot water, Zion rose from his seat by the desk and motioned to the bed.

"What are doing?" she asked, bristling as he sat behind her on the clean bed covers. Her body shivered as he moved closer, his warmth wrapping around her.

"Your hair is still dripping wet. You'll catch a cold if you don't dry it straight away."

Even though nasty retorts echoed in her mind, her body instinctively submitted to his gentle commands, her head tilting back as he placed a fresh towel over it and rubbed her hair carefully. Despite still being angry at his silence and refusing to answer her questions, it was his very silence now that permeated the air with a thousand soothing words unsaid. With each motion of the towel, each brush of the comb through her short locks, he cared for her and made her feel like the most cherished woman in the world. It wasn't exactly an apology for what he did earlier, but it sure was close.

"Why are you doing this?" she breathed into the stillness, hating to break the enchantment that seemed to wrap around them.

"Shh," he hushed her and tugged her closer once her hair was dry and combed, then guided her head to his chest. Leaning back, he rested against the headboard and wrapped his arms around her waist.

She closed her eyes and soaked up his warmth and soothing scent while listening to the steady rhythm of his heart. Every so often, it would speed up and Zion would clear his throat roughly. Glancing up, Savannah noted lines between his eyebrows, and his jaw clenched in a very contemplative manner.

She finally took the moment to wonder just what his father had spoken to him about. It must have been pretty important if this was his reaction. Perhaps Zion's harsh behaviour and words from earlier were due to him processing the information. What he'd done might not have been the best way to treat her, but Savannah tried to understand it from his point of view. She was the one who'd insisted on going with him, without even knowing who the captain really was to Zion, so she couldn't be the one making demands. Zion would share with her when he was ready, so for now, she just patted his chest with her hand and let him think in silence. Her own breathing grew easier the longer she was in his arms, and soon she drifted to sleep, her body realising she was entirely safe and secure in her mate's embrace.

She awoke to muffled voices, and found herself placed under the blankets in Zion's bed, alone. Crawling out, she padded softly to the living room and found her mate seated at the work table with Chayton and Phoenix.

"So why did he summon you if he doesn't want us to go after the ruby?" Phoenix asked, clearly puzzled.

"He just wanted to bring me up to speed on the matter," Zion replied.

When his eyes flickered to hers, catching her standing silently in the shadows by the doorway, her breath caught and he shifted uneasily in his seat. She didn't have to guess that there was more than one matter his father talked about, but she did wonder just what they were. And what was this ruby that Phoenix mentioned?

"So what do we do now?" Chayton asked, pen in hand as he scribbled on a notepad. These two were clearly Zion's right-hand men, helping him make plans and discuss strategies for their next roguish mission.