Rise of the Dark Alpha

Chapter 342 Together

~ SASHA ~

Sasha gave Ernie a look—she needed to focus on something other than Nick—and he sank back into the trees. But she had a feeling he wasn't going to be far away.

It was a small pleasure in a much wider pain.

Zev held her hand as they walked, but his face was tense and she knew he was thinking about what she'd said. What she'd faced.

A part of her wanted to push it aside and pretend it hadn't happened. She knew he hadn't wanted those females. But… she also knew it would fester in her heart if she didn't talk to him about it.

She gave a little groan and shook her head. Why couldn't things ever be easy for them? Why couldn't they ever just… be?

Her mind tripped back to Yhet's cave and those days before his infection. Her heart thudded for very different reasons, and her stomach fluttered. She wanted that time back. She wanted to do it again.

Zev cleared his throat and looked back over his shoulder at Nick, following them, his eyes darting and hunted, obviously terrified about seeing Ernie again.

Frankly, Sasha couldn't blame him. She'd always been far more afraid when she saw a spider, then it disappeared and she didn't know where it was, than when she could follow its progress up the wall…

"So," Zev said carefully, with another dark glance back at Nick. He walked so close their arms brushed, even though they were holding hands.

Sasha's skin prickled where they touched, but she tried to ignore it. She had to focus.

"I'm thinking that everyone's settling down. The sun's up. Kyelle can lead them to the Village… I need to run ahead and warn the males to stay out of their way for now. I'll make sure Lhars got that fire going so they've got somewhere to settle and rest, and then we can figure out if they should carry on to the City right away."

Sasha nodded her head sadly. She had just come back to him, she didn't to be separated again!

Zev squeezed her hand. "I'm thinking you should come with me, so the males know you're back, and—"

"Zev, I can't run fast enough. I'll barely beat them."

"Not if I shift and you… ride me."

Sasha held back a smile, her stomach tingling at the slightly breathless tone he'd given to those words.

"I mean…" she said, biting her lip, "if it's for the good of the people."

Zev huffed a little snort. "Definitely. I mean, you'll need to get there first and figure out how you want to prepare for those that can't travel further—and for those that do. Do we bring males to guard them?"

"No!" Sasha said quickly, all flirtation gone from her tone. "No, we definitely need to just… let them have some space until they get their bearings."

"Well, I think the males should hear that from their Alpha," Zev said quietly.

Sasha was pretty sure he was just making excuses for her to go with him and she wanted to say yes. But she felt guilty.

Then she looked ahead and saw the females, all walking in small clusters, peering at the forest, only a few of them moving freely as if they were happy to be there. Most seemed overwhelmed and afraid.

She was going to have so much to do in the coming days, so many problems and obstacles to navigate—not to mention Nick.

She'd just been through one of the most frightening experiences of her life. And she needed a break.

A little time with her mate might help her to help the other females better, she told herself. Right?

She swallowed. "Okay. I think that's a good idea. But Zev… we can't… disappear."

He nodded. "I know," he said, gripping her hand tighter. "Like I said, tonight." He turned to meet her eyes and his were ablaze with need. Desire coiled in her stomach and she immediately doubted her resolve to wait.

But Zev didn't give her a chance to think. He turned to tell Nick that they were going ahead.

Nick got very jittery, but Zev just growled at him. "If you're going to be here, you're going to have to find your balls," he snapped. "I have enough to do here, I'm not playing bodyguard for you."

Sasha wanted to laugh when Nick blinked, his head snapping back. His face went tight, but he nodded once. "Fine," he said, though his voice was shaky.

Zev tipped his head towards the females. "You give them space. They're struggling. You leave them alone."

Sasha nodded to back him up—the last thing the females needed was interference from Nick. But Nick put up his hands. "I told you, I'm here to help. I'm not trying to—"

"Whatever, Nick," Sasha said, shaking her head. "The point is, we're going ahead and you're staying here and if you don't make trouble you'll be fine. But if you do…" she let her eyes stray to the forest behind him. Nick tensed and turned his head, looking over his shoulder for Ernie.

A soft chuckle rose from the underbrush, but Sasha couldn't see him.

Then Zev shifted and got down on his stomach. Sasha nervously climbed onto his back, burying her hands in the thick fur of his ruff. She wobbled when he stood, but he walked slowly at first, to give her a feel for it, then when he began to lope and she found the rhythm of his gait, she dropped her face into that thick fur and just breathed him in.

She didn't want to see the forest flashing by.

She didn't want to think about everything she had to do.

She just wanted to be close to him.

She plastered herself to his back, touching him with every part of her body that she could, soaking in his warmth and strength and reminding herself that they couldn't disappear.

Zev's breathing became labored while they were running—was she that heavy? He was so fit! She decided if it was that bad, she just wouldn't ride him again. But when they broke through the trees at the edge of the village and he slowed to a halt, the moment she climbed off his back, he shifted back and took her in his arms, his breath rasping as he clutched the back of her head, and her waist and pulled her into a deep kiss.