Fated Wolves

**Zane's POV**

The day of the Alpha Mate Meet and Greet arrived sooner than Zane would have liked. He had tried to prepare himself for the worst. He had expected Ember to fight him, to distance herself. And yet, when the morning came and the preparations for the event began, he was surprised to find that she had agreed to be there.

She had chosen to stand beside him.

But Zane could feel it—the tension between them. She was here, but not truly here. She stood by his side as they greeted guests, her gaze averted, her body tense. It was as if she was trying to convince herself she belonged there, trying to convince herself she belonged *with him*.

Zane could see the war within her. Her wolf was restless, responding to the heat, the bond, but Ember was fighting it. Fighting him. And that made his heart ache in ways he couldn’t explain.

At the gathering, other alphas eyed Ember, and Zane could feel the jealousy surging within him. The possessiveness was almost overwhelming. He hated seeing other wolves look at her like she was something to be claimed, something to be won. But what could he do? Ember wasn’t ready to claim him fully, and until she did, he had no right to stand in their way.

But what if she never would?

The thought gnawed at him, but he pushed it aside. He couldn’t give up now. He had come this far, and he was not going to lose her to anyone else.

He couldn’t lose her at all.

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**Ember’s POV**

As the night wore on, Ember felt like she was drowning in the attention. It wasn’t the attention she feared. It was the fact that it was all for show. Zane stood beside her, his presence solid and comforting, but the bond between them felt like a tightening noose. Every time their hands brushed, every time their eyes met, she could feel the weight of the expectations pressing down on her.

And yet, despite the tension, despite the ache in her chest, she felt something else—something she had been too afraid to admit. The heat in her body wasn’t just the bond. It was *him*. She wanted him. She had always wanted him.

And the realization hit her like a wave—if she was going to embrace this bond, if she was going to stand by his side, she had to let go of the fear. She had to choose him.

Zane wasn’t perfect. He had hurt her. He had made mistakes. But he had *chosen* her. And now it was her turn to choose him.

The question wasn’t whether she could trust him anymore—it was whether she could trust herself.

And for the first time, Ember felt ready.

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