Zane pov
I lie on my back staring at the ceiling, one arm thrown over my eyes like that might block out the pull yet sleep refuses to come.
I have been awake for hours. The compound is dead quiet, but my body hums like I swallowed lightning.
"She is three rooms away," my wolf screams in my head. "Three damn rooms and it feels like she is under my skin."
The mate bond is not gentle. It tugs low in my chest, steady and insistent. In frustration, I roll onto my side and punch the pillow, then flop back again.
Humor has always been my shield. A quick joke, a lazy smirk, and people keep their distance. Easy charm keeps things light. But tonight that armor feels paper-thin. Every time I try to laugh it off, the sound dies in my throat.
"Why her?" I mutter to the empty room. "Of all th
