Oops! Still Your Mate

Chapter Twenty Five

Zeke wakes with a new resolve in his heart. Avoiding Ivy Hale. Continued contact with her had caused more damage than good and only complete avoidance could solve his problem. He wasn't ready yet for her to know about his sickness, he wasn't exactly sure what she would do with the information.

Lucas arrived early that morning, the files in his hands. “How have you been holding up?” He asked, falling into the couch. Zeke stayed silent, skimming through the documents. Lucas raised his eyebrows in confusion, before his eyes twinkled and he leaned in. “And how's your training with Ivy?” he asked. That did it, Zeke's eyes whipped towards him immediately, wide and predatory, taking Lucas unaware.

“What did you see?” Zeke shot at him.

“What do you mean?” Lucas was grinning now, he could feel it in his bones that something had happened and he was about to get to the root of it.

“What do you mean by that question?” Zeke asked again.

“I don't know, what do you think I mean?” Lucas chuckled.

“Now, let me make this clear to you, anything you think you know remains in your heart. No one is to hear about it, not even your new girl.” Lucas frowned at the mention of that. “Tessa,” Zeke added. “Or don't think I don't see how you look at her.”

“Chill, man. What would I know and why are you acting suspiciously. Are you really threatening a girl because you think I know something? What's wrong?” Lucas's face turned cold, taking a U-turn from his playful self.

“I…” Zeke stuttered. He couldn't believe he had been wrong and had threatened… It was all Ivy's fault.

“No, it's fine, man.” Lucas shook his head and stood up.

“Hey, I'm sorry, okay. I thought…” he trailed off.

“You thought what? What have I ever known about you and went around sharing it? You think the oath I took that day was just a joke?” He scoffed.

“Lucas!” Zeke roared in his alpha's voice when Lucas attempted to walk out. “You won't walk out on your alpha.” He commanded.

Lucas turned towards him, a little smirk on his face. When Zeke caught sight of his expression, his own expression changed to guilt. He had never used his alpha's voice on Lucas before, they had been friends since childhood and understood each other very well so there was no need controlling him.

Lucas dropped on one knee before him and bowed his head. “Command me, Alpha.” He replied.

“No, that's not what I mean, you can stand up.” Zeke shook his head aggressively. He couldn't lose a friend because of… Ivy. “Lucas, you know I didn't mean to…. I…”

“Is there anything I can do for you, alpha?” Lucas asked, his face expressionless.

“Lucas, just stop, okay?” Zeke was at the verge of pleading, something he had never done before.

“If there's nothing the Alpha would want me to do, I should take my leave.” He gave a bow and walked out, slamming the door against him.

Zeke fell back on his chair and sighed. “What have I done?” Ivy. The name rang in his head. She was the cause of this. He pressed the button on his table and a guard walked in the next minute.

“Alpha, what can I do for you?” He asked.

“Inform Ivy Hale that the night training had been shifted forward by two hours.”

When Ivy received the news, she smirked to herself, knowing she had a huge effect on Zeke.

Zeke, on the other hand stayed away from her throughout the day. He made his evening visit during the night, when everyone was asleep, after the training with Ivy. Guards became frequent visitors at the training ground when they both trained. Ivy knew why but she didn't say a word. She kept her distance but noticed that she hadn't seen Lucas with Zeke throughout the day.

The next day, she asked Tessa who said she didn't know what was happening. Meanwhile, Zeke was troubled about his relationship with Lucas.

It continued the next day and the day after, days turning into weeks. Lucas only entered his chambers when he wanted to drop the daily reports and would send guards when he could and when there was nothing confidential in the reports. The doctor still visited on Lucas's orders but he was never there.

Immediately he dropped the reports, he leaves that moment. He sends guards to Zeke when sent for and addresses Zeke as Alpha. A new development.

Tessa couldn't bring any words out of him as he insisted the topic was off bounds. Ivy couldn't get Zeke to talk because their relationship was degenerating following the rain incident.

Zeke's wolf fever was getting stronger and his wolf had tried multiple times to mark Ivy. When she's within his reach, he finds it almost impossible to stay rational with his wolf growling and struggling underneath his skin.

His wolf constantly reminded him that his Luna still existed and it was never going to change. The children's sickness was reducing by the day. He goes to the clinic at dawn and checks on them, when no one is awake and he's free to wander. He's free to let the thoughts in his head free.

It was on one of those occasions, he was coming back from his usual visits to the clinic before dawn when he met Mika. She was tending to the plants. Her wrinkled and old hands, still knowing how to check on them, the exact amount of water they needed.

After checking on Kena and Remi, he was on his way back when he walked past her, she didn't look up, didn't offer a greeting. He shrugged and made to walk pass when…

“She knows.” Her voice stopped his steps and he went still. “She knows you come visiting. The Luna always knows, no matter how you deny it. “ She adds, still not looking up.

Zeke allowed the words settle on him before picking up his steps again, more faster this time, as if running from something. His wolf growled inside him as a reminder.