Tainted Romance

by Simone Elise

  Chapter Seventy-two

  ALLIE

  The festival was joyful. For the first time ever, Zane and I spent time together and just chilled. We got to know each other better, and the more I knew about him, the harder I was falling in love with him which is what brought me to the pack house tonight and I was extremely nervous.

  I hadn’t seen Zane in over a week, and I needed that full week to make the decision. Tomorrow, well, now, today was the date I was released from the pack, which meant I should be flying out tomorrow and leaving the pack behind like I always wanted.

  So, turning up to the pack house tonight wasn’t really expected by anyone, but I had decided it was time to face Zane and tell him my decision face to face. I knew it was going to be hard. I knew it was going to change my life. I knew what I was about to do would change Zane and me forever.

  Yet, here I was about to do it.

  I knocked softly on Zane’s door. It was late. One in the morning late, but I couldn’t sleep. As soon as I made the decision, I had to tell him. I had to face the music. I couldn’t keep the decision to myself one minute longer.

  His bedroom door opened, and then my heart pumped faster seeing him. It wasn’t just the fact he was topless, looking one hundred percent sexier than ever. It was just seeing him. A whole week without seeing him. Well, let’s just say, I missed him. A hell of a lot.

  Zane was about to snap at me, I’m guessing for waking him up, but then he realized it was me. I saw his expression tighten and immediately I saw pain.

  “So, today’s the day, right?” He opened the door wider. “Didn’t think you would even say goodbye to be honest.”

  I smiled dimly. “I wanted to tell you my decision. I think you deserve that.”

  “I think I would have got the picture when you left the country.”

  “That’s what I wanted to talk to you about.” I glanced around the hall, knowing some people could still be awake and hear this conversation. “Um, can I come in?” I asked, softly. I didn’t want to push my limits with him. If I had to tell him my decision standing in the doorway, I would.

  He opened the door wider, and I stepped in, walking into the overly large room. “Sorry for waking you too,” I added, although when I saw the made bed, I frowned. “Or were you not asleep?” I turned around to face him.

  He had a neutral expression on his face. “Been thinking.”

  Well, he and I had that in common. “I thought it was best we had some space, while I…” God, this was going to get hard to say. I looked him in the eye. “Decide.”

  He scoffed, “Come on, Allie, don’t feed me that line. We both know your decision. You made it the day you were released from the pack which happens to be today, right?” He picked up a lit cigarette from the ashtray. “I can put two and two together. You show up the day your commitment is over with your decision. I know what your decision is.”

  I opened my mouth, but he put a hand up.

  “I should let you know I have come to a decision as well. About us and our future.” He took a step towards me. “You’ve always planned on leaving, you never wanted to be in a pack, and you never wanted to stay in this town.” His eyes dropped for a second and then they were back locked on me. “I don’t expect you to change your mind on that.”

  I opened my mouth to get a word in again, but he put his hand back up.

  “I love you, Allie. I love you enough to let you go and travel on one condition.”

  One condition? He was letting me go? He had all this time to think, and he decided to let me go? I knew right then his love for me was stronger than I had thought. He was willing to let me go because he wanted me to be happy, and that brought a tear to my eye.

  “I love you, Zane.” I couldn’t stop myself from saying it.

  A faint smile traced his lips. “And I love you.” He was speaking from his heart, as I could hear it in his tone. He loved me. He truly loved me - for me and everything that came with me. I knew my love for him was strong, but right now, I realized his love for me was just as strong.

  The tears started to fall quicker, and I opened my mouth. It was time to tell him my decision.

  He cut me off again. “Stop, Allie. Like I said, I have one condition to you leaving,”

  Right, one condition. I nodded my head for him to continue.

  He then gestured his head behind me. Turning around, my eyes widened. Packed bags. Why the hell would he have packed bags? My head snapped back to him. I had never been so confused.

  “I’m coming with you,” he said, and this time determination covered his face. “I love you, Allie, and I’m leaving the pack. Giving up being Alpha. I just want you. Nothing and no-one comes close to you so, my one condition is, I’m coming with you.”

  He was willing to leave his family? The town he loved? The pack that wanted to follow him, just to be with me?

  I remained stunned. I didn’t know what to say. What he was suggesting. What he was giving up. It was a heavy price. Too heavy.

  “Zane, I can’t meet your one condition.”

  Then the pain covered his face, and he opened his mouth, but this time it was my turn to cut him off.

  “I can’t meet your one condition because I’m not leaving. I love you, and I will learn to love what comes with you.” I was suddenly nervous, as this was the part I wasn’t looking forward to. “I know the pack doesn’t respect me. I know you taking me as your mate, and for me to lead beside you is going to be one bloody hard task.”

  I had disrespected the pack my whole life. I never pitched in. I never participated, and I never tried with other members. I just counted down the time until I could leave and now I was standing here, going against everything I had wanted.

  Because I didn’t want to escape anymore. I wanted Zane, and that was it.

  “It’s not going to be easy to get the pack to respect me. I know it is putting you in a hard situation and yeah, your family doesn’t like me either, but love is meant to be strong enough to face everything, right?”

  And now I was hoping he was about to say everything will be fine. His lips twitched up.

  “You were a born leader, Allie. You just never wanted to be. Are you sure you want this?” His voice held back from showing his emotions.

  “Zane Harris. I love you so yes, I want this. I want the pack. I want everything that comes with you.” I closed the gap between us. “I never want to leave your side.”

  He ran a hand through his hair. “It’s not going to be easy you know?”

  “I’m a tough cookie. I can take whatever they serve at me.”

  The emotions he was holding back spread across his face, and his hands cupped my face. “I love you, Allie, and I never expected you to step up beside me.”

  I kissed his lips quickly. “You can’t talk me out of this, Zane. I love you, and I will take on everything that comes with you.” And I was going to because I loved him and, as he stared into my eyes, I knew his love for me was just as strong.

  So, if we had strength on our side and unconditional love, I knew no matter what, somehow, someway, we would do this because Zane was born to be Alpha and it turned out I was born to be the leader by his side. Who would have guessed, my biggest fear was now something I was looking forward to?

  And when Zane’s lips touched mine, I knew then; our lives would be forever entwined. Every bad moment, every good moment, taking over from his father, possible marriage and kids - we would face each of those things together.

  Epilogue

  Eight Years Later

  “Zane!” I stormed up the hall heading for his office. I didn’t knock on his door, I stormed in. “Zane, your son is being impossible!”

  Zane’s eyes flashed up from whatever had his attention with a smug smile on his face. “So, he is taking after you again.”

  I crossed my arms, narrowing my eyes at Zane. “He is not taking after me. He is completely and totally like you.” Our son Dylan took af
ter his father. Forever pushing my limits. “He is refusing to clean his room because, according to his father,” my eyes still locked with Zane’s, “You gave him Alpha orders, stopping him from doing it.”

  Zane laughed and got up. “How does he always outsmart you?”

  “Like I said, he’s just like his father.”

  “Isn’t he meant to be having a play date with Phoebe?”

  Phoebe was Blake and Ebony’s daughter. “Yes, and the two of them have taken over the main lounge room.”

  “Clubhouse again?”

  “Yes, and he has every pack member wrapped around his finger.” I was still pouting.

  “Now, that he gets from you.”

  I laughed. “We both knew it took years for the pack to warm to me.” And that was an understatement. I had their respect now, but it took time, and I had earned it. “So, are you going to be the one to tell your son that he has to clean his room?”

  I frowned seeing the mischievous look on his face. “Did you know I got a new desk?”

  I was still frowning. Why did that make a difference to anything, and how did that relate to Zane telling our ‘do no wrong child’ to clean his room?

  Zane was now standing in front of me, his hands going to my hips. “Dylan and Phoebe are busy, right?”

  Now I knew which angle he was getting at, and I shook my head. “Seriously?” I should have known he would want something in return for pulling Dylan in line. My arms linked around his neck. “So, do you want to christen this desk of yours?”

  His mouth went to my ear. “I think it is the perfect opportunity to start trying for a second child.”

  I smiled. We had talked about it and I nodded my head. “Well then, husband, let’s see if you still have it in ya.” A squeal left my lips when he lifted me up suddenly. As if we were still teenagers and not married parents, Zane wiped his desk, he really wanted a second child, and I had a feeling, it wouldn’t take many tries for it to happen. After all, Dylan was a result of our honeymoon.

  When his lips were on mine, it was like our first kiss. I still got the same sparks, and excitement filled my body.

  Zane pulled back, a smile on his face as if I was the most beautiful woman on the planet and he was the luckiest guy. That was how he always looked at me, and, every time I saw it, it made my heart pump faster and reminded me how much he loved me.

  Our beginning might have been tainted, but our romance; that was forever.