Claws

Chapter Sixty

"Mae," Linda looked at the slumped girl in front of her with a stunned expression. "Are you dating Zale?"

"It's complicated," Mae immediately replied, clasping her hands together. "A lot has happened recently. Believe it or not, I want it to turn out that way, but I feel like he's still drawing a line between us."

Linda knew this day would come the moment that she heard about them being fated pairs. She just didn't expect it to be so soon. "The thing about Zale is he has such a big heart that when he decides to love someone, it's all or nothing for him. He's very possessive and protective over the people he loves and has an extremely loyal nature, but he can also shut himself off just as easily. He usually chooses the latter. I think that habit began after his father's death."

Linda could barely form her last sentence. She hated lying to Mae more than anyone else. Linda loved Mae like her own daughter, but just like her sons, she knew it would be even harder to tell them the shameful truth about her past mistakes and lies. 

"He was eight or nine when Arc left, right?" Mae quietly spoke. "It must've been hard for him to go through that when he was so young."

"Yeah. Although Zale was young when his father was killed, he still distinctly remembers him. My husband was an unusual man. He was kind and loving one moment, then distant and absent the next. It may sound silly, but I don't even think I noticed it because I was so in love with him, especially after we had Zale. Arc was overjoyed when I had him. He was like Arc's prized possession, you could say. He spent a lot of time training Zale and teaching him what it was like to be an alpha. Even when Robin was born, Arc still favored Zale over his youngest. When Zale found out his father had been killed, it broke him. He went from being this happy, sweet kid to an empty shell. Zale put on a show in front of others, but at home, he would shut down. It got better as you and Robin grew up, and he seemed to enjoy being around you two. He also overexerted himself in his studies and preparations to go to the mainland way earlier than necessary, but he still wasn't the same. He'd just found a few distractions to avoid going through his grieving process."

"And what happened after he came back from the mainland?" Mae asked. She looked brokenhearted, surprising Linda. This girl really did care about her son, didn't she? "Robin said he went downhill about a year or two after he came back. What do you think changed?"

"After he came back, he had to study and work overtime to get the chief of security's job, especially when he was assigned to help rebuild the pack's security with your dad. That occupied him for about a year and a half until he got the job, and that's when everything settled down. I think after that, he had nothing to distract himself with, so he fell into drinking and partying and distanced himself from Robin and me. That's when the Zale you saw when you came back was born," Linda grabbed Mae's hand and gave her a gentle smile. "That was until he saved you from those Southerners. There was a slight difference at first, but as time went on and you two became closer, he began to change for the better. He began coming over more often to catch up with me, stopped drinking and partying, and his mood seemed to improve. He even talked to me about you. He really does adore you. I've never seen him so happy talking about someone else before. I'm grateful that you're in his life, whether it's just as a friend or as his partner. You make Zale happy."

"I am, too," Mae quickly admitted with a small smile. "I have no idea how I could have made Zale happy in the past, though. I haven't exactly been the nicest towards him." Mae laughed, awkwardly rubbing the back of her neck. "I just...I was wondering if you've noticed anything strange going on with him. I mean, even now."

"I want to say no," Linda sighed. Mae was very intuitive. "Although he's happier, there are still some things I know he's keeping from us, and I don't think it's just emotional this time. I have a feeling it's something else."

"Have you ever asked him about it?" Mae sat up in her seat. She looked anxious. It made Linda wonder if she knew something.

Linda looked down, feeling a bit ashamed. "No. I've wanted to, but I had a feeling that if I did, he'd just pull away from me again like before. I know it's selfish, but--"

"No, it's not," Mae interrupted, shocking Linda. "It just shows how much you care for him."

"And you?" Linda smirked, raising her eyebrows. "You seem to care a lot about him."

"I've had to say it out loud several times today, so please don't make me say it again." Mae looked away, her face filled with embarrassment. 

That made Linda laugh.

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I stayed at Linda's until a little after ten after eating dinner with her and Robin—who came back about half an hour after Linda, and I ended our conversation with one too many cookies and hot apple cider.

I was stuffed by the time I left the Ailswood residence, which was usually the case. After that, I went home and got ready to head over to Zale's house, slipping on a pair of black sweats, a navy blue tank top, and a black sweatshirt. I felt utterly ridiculous attempting to dress incognito, but I didn't want to risk being seen. 

As I cut through the woods, my conversation with Linda repeated in my head. I knew that Zale had a hard time talking about how he felt, but now that I knew what he'd been through, a deep rush of sympathy and guilt rushed through me. On top of that, there was something else he was hiding, and I had no idea how serious it could be. 

After settling down behind a bush near Zale's house, feeling like a complete creep, I closed my eyes and listened for any sign of Zale leaving the house. 

Only seconds later did I hear the sound of his front door swinging open. I quickly peeked over my bush to see Zale in his wolf form slipping into the woods. 

When he disappeared into the trees southward, I stood up and began to follow his scent. 

Here came the moment of truth.

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Hello, my lovely readers! I hope you liked this chapter! Get ready for the next one! It's going to be big! I've been waiting to write this part for A LONG time, so keep up with the latest updates and enjoy the ride!

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