The Fall

Chapter 19

Zoe- Present Day

Walking into the Smith’s house is a whole different kind of walk of shame. My knees and arms are smeared with dirt, my hair is tangled beyond recognition, and I'm pretty sure I don't smell too great either.

Kari is the first person I encounter when I step onto the back porch. She gives me an understanding smile and guides me upstairs to the bathroom. There, she's thoughtfully laid out a shirt and some leggings for me. This woman is an absolute saint. After I've freshened up and changed, I ask Kari if Kamden is still around. She informs me that he's downstairs. I expressed my gratitude for their hospitality and explained that I needed to leave to catch my plane.

Porter gives me a warm hug, and both he and Kari encourage me to stay in touch. It's clear that they genuinely care, and it warms my heart. I thought they would be disappointed, I could tell they were rooting for Kamden and me to get together, so I am genuinely surprised that their warmth and acceptance haven’t faltered.

Heading downstairs, I'm met with the resonating snores of what I can only assume is a very hungover Kamden. It's not surprising that he ended up drinking heavily after I left with Eero. What does catch me off guard, however, is finding a blonde woman wrapped around his waist. Instead of waking him up and turning it into an awkward situation, I decided to leave a note.

I grab a piece of paper and quickly scribble a message:

I have to leave, I didn’t want to wake you with a girl naked in your bed and have it be a whole awkward thing. I will message you when I get home. It was fun, thank you for inviting me. - Z

I place the note where I'm sure he'll find it, quietly slip out of the house, and make my way to my car. As soon as I am in the car, I call Jenna; Easton is still asleep. I tell her I am heading to the airport and will see them soon. Which is exactly what I do. I head to Knoxville. There is no meeting at Grace’s, there is no Eero.

Last night when recognition slammed into me, that Eero was there, that Eero was our mate, panic surged through me. Desire coursed through our veins due to the mate bond, but all I wanted was to run, run far away. My fear was overpowering, drowning out the biological and s****l pull that should have drawn us closer. It was as if all the alarms, bells, and warming sirens within me were blaring at once. My wolf, however, held a different perspective, though she understood my trepidation. She wanted her mate, she needed her mate.

Feeling safe with this man was an impossibility, given his history and what he represented. The moment he tossed me over his shoulder, my panic reached levels dangerously close to shutting me down entirely.

In that harrowing moment, my wolf and I devised a plan. A compromise really. She could have this night, and indulge in this time with our mate, but afterward, she would serve as my protector. We both acknowledged that there was no immediate escape from him. However, by morning, she would guide us away from him. She understood that we had to reject him, as a drug dealer, a criminal, someone who had taken advantage of us. Someone who likely had a hand in my parent's death, possibly even had the means to prevent it. Such a man was unfit for us. My wolf could sense my terror, my overwhelming fear for Easton, as we were both equally protective of him. What would a man like Eero do, if he found out I had been keeping his son from him?

After returning the rental car, getting through security, and finally letting out a breath that felt like it had been held since last night, I found myself sitting in the airport terminal. My mind raced with thoughts of what had transpired. What I needed to do to protect myself, my whereabouts. I immediately deleted the f*******: account I had created, but I couldn't do anything about Kamden having my number. It nagged at me, wondering if I had put Kamden at risk by not saying anything to Eero, and that thought filled me with panic. Of course, Eero would go back there, back to the packhouse, of course, he would look for me. He would start there when I failed to show up at Grace’s. Damn it.

As cautious as I had been, I couldn't help but question why I hadn't thought about that. I had booked the hotel under a fake name and paid for it with a prepaid card to maintain anonymity. However, there was nothing I could do to conceal my identity when it came to the flight. I just hoped that my name change, coupled with people thinking DC was my hometown, would be enough to keep anyone from easily tracking me down.

The message from Kamden couldn't have come at a more coincidental time. Just as I was stewing over the potential complications of Eero showing up in search of me, my phone pinged with his message.

Kamden: Eero was just here. I gave him your number.

Zoe: I am so sorry, I just realized he’d probably show up there when I ghosted him.

Kamden: It was fine, I showed him the note you left. He took down your number and left.

Before I could fully digest Kamden's response, an incoming unknown call flashed across my screen, and I knew, without a doubt, it was Eero.

"Hello?" I answered hesitantly, my voice quivering despite my best efforts.

"Mate," he purred, and the deep resonance of his voice vibrated in my belly. It was a voice that could coax, command, and seduce all at once.

"Eero?" I stammered, feeling foolish. "Sorry, I didn’t mean to stand you up. I had a flight out this morning, and when I realized the time after my shower, I only had so much time to make it to Knoxville. I didn’t have your number, but I figured you would track me down."

“Is that so?” He doesn’t have to say much but the implication is there, he doesn’t believe me.

"Yup, sorry about breakfast. My plane is about to board, though. Can I text or call after I’ve landed?" I tried to regain my composure, though my voice wavered.

"Do you understand that you can’t hide from me? No matter the distance you run, I will catch you," Eero warned. My breath hitches and although that sounds like a threat my body reacts like he just ran his tongue up my spine.

"I’m not running," I countered, though my uneven voice betrayed my anxiety. "I had a flight home. I have a job to go back to tomorrow. Sorry, the time got away from me. Talk to you after I land." Without waiting for his response, I hung up the phone and powered it off.

My heart is hammering so hard in my chest, I can feel it in my ears.