Chapter 59: Overthinking

Chapter 59: Overthinking Zane~ The words hung in the air between us like a living breathing thing, suffocating and scary. "I think I’m in love with you." I froze. My breath caught in my throat, my brain scrambling to process what I had just heard. Had she really said that? Had those words really left her lips? Natalie’s heartbeat spiked, a frantic rhythm that I could hear loud and clear. She slowly lifted her head from my chest, her eyes hesitant, unsure. Then, as if suddenly realizing what she had done, she lowered her gaze to her hands, clasped tightly in her lap. She slid off my lap, placing distance between us, but I still couldn’t take my eyes off her. My mind raced, trying to make sense of what had just happened, trying to figure out how I was supposed to respond. Natalie sat stiffly, her body trembling slightly before she forced herself to still, as if bracing for something. She barely managed to part her lips to speak—"Sir, I..."—when I suddenly stood up, my movements jerky and uncoordinated. "Thank you," I blurted out, my voice uncharacteristically unsteady. Thank you? That was all I could say? What the hell was wrong with me? "Goodnight, Natalie," I added hurriedly before practically bolting out of the room. I didn’t dare look back. The moment I reached my bedroom, I shut the door behind me, pressing my back against it as I tried to steady my breathing. My heart was pounding. I could still feel the warmth of her against me, still hear the softness in her voice when she said those words. Panic rose within me in waves. I had suspected that Natalie might have feelings for me—it was in the way she looked at me when she thought I wasn’t paying attention, the way she blushed whenever I got too close, the way her heartbeat always picked up when I neared her. But I had never expected her to admit it. And now that she had, I had no idea what to do. Because the truth was, I felt something too. It was impossible not to. Natalie was breathtaking, kind, and strong despite everything she had been through. She was everything I didn’t know I needed. And yet, I didn’t know how to handle this. Werewolves were given mates by the Moon Goddess—one fated partner, a soul bonded by destiny. Some rejected their mates for their own reasons, but it always came with a price—an unbearable pain that never truly faded. And the goddess never granted second chances. A wolf was given only one fated mate in a lifetime. So what did that make Natalie and me? I had lost my mate. That was supposed to be the end of love for me. I had come to terms with the fact that I would never feel again. That my heart had died with Emma. But Natalie— She made me feel alive. I raked a hand through my hair, exhaling sharply as I paced the room. This wasn’t supposed to happen. I wasn’t supposed to feel like this for anyone. And yet, I couldn’t ignore it. I thought about her sitting there, waiting for a response I never gave her. Had I hurt her? I clenched my jaw. Of course, I had. I had practically run away from her confession. I paced back and forth in my room, the shadows shifting with each restless turn. Sleep had long abandoned me, leaving only the echo of Natalie’s words playing in my mind. I scrubbed a hand down my face, exhaling sharply. What the hell was I supposed to do? Was it ok to fall in love again when it wasn’t normal? Before I could spiral further, I grabbed my phone and dialed Sebastian. He picked up on the third ring, his voice dripping with sleep and sarcasm. "Zane, unless the world is ending or you finally decided to embrace fashion beyond your usual monochrome, this better be good. Even vampires need their rest." I didn’t even hesitate. "Natalie confessed that she’s in love with me." A beat of silence followed. Then another. "Wait, what?" Sebastian’s voice was instantly alert, all trace of amusement gone. "When did this happen?" I pinched the bridge of my nose. "An hour ago." "And what did you say?" A wave of shame crawled up my spine. "I said thank you. Then I left." The sound of Sebastian choking on laughter filled the phone. "Oh. My. God. You complete and utter moron. Please tell me you’re joking." "Don’t laugh at me," I snapped. "I’m confused as hell right now." Sebastian sighed dramatically. "Alright, Zane. Let’s see if I can help. Answer these questions for me, will you? One, if Natalie apologized for confessing and said she’d never bring it up again, just wanted to stay friends, would you be happy?" My stomach clenched. "No." "Okay, second question. If she stopped blushing around you, stopped looking at you like you hung the moon, would you be fine with that?" The thought made my chest tighten painfully. "Absolutely not." Sebastian chuckled, clearly enjoying this. "Last one. If she moved on, found someone else who made her happy, who she fell in love with, would you be cool with that?" A sharp, cold agony speared through me at the mere suggestion. I gritted my teeth. "No. I’d kill him." Sebastian burst out laughing. "Well, there you have it, Faceless Prince. You’re in love with her. You can’t escape it. And if you don’t do something about it soon, you might just lose your sweet, innocent Natalie to someone else. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have important vampire things to attend to." He laughed again and ended the call. I stared at my phone, my heart pounding. This wasn’t a weird phase. I was in love with Natalie. I had been in love with her all these while. But goddess how could this be possible? What about Emma? Later that morning at breakfast, I made my way downstairs, my nerves frayed from lack of sleep. breakfast at the dining table was as loud and lively as ever. The usual mix of banter, laughter, and friendly teasing filled the air, yet something felt different. Off. Natalie sat at the table, her head down, toying with the food on her plate. Alex was the first to notice me. "Daddy! Sit next to Mummy Natalie!" I hesitated, but the hopeful look in Alex’s eyes left me no choice. I slid into the chair beside Natalie, inhaling her soft vanilla scent. "Morning," I murmured. She nodded, not meeting my eyes. "Morning." That was it. No warmth, no soft curve of her lips, no playful spark in her eyes. Just a polite, distant acknowledgment. It irked me more than it should have. Fox, of course, noticed. He smirked knowingly as he popped a grape into his mouth, leaning toward me. "Ouch, that was cold. What did you do to our sweet Natalie?" Before I could glare at him, Tiger chimed in with a teasing grin. "Let me guess. You said something stupid?" I clenched my jaw. "Do you all enjoy ganging up on me?" Eagle, who had been unusually silent, finally spoke. "Yes." Bubble burst into laughter while Natalie chuckled softly along with them. Luckily, Jacob didn’t say anything. My chest tightened. Natalie looked so effortlessly beautiful when she laughed, yet she still wouldn’t meet my eyes. I had to fix this. But how? Breakfast continued with the usual chaos, but I barely touched my food. My mind was stuck on last night, on her words, on my pathetic response. I said ’thank you.’ Like an idiot. By the time breakfast was over, I grabbed the car keys, determined to drive Natalie to school. As we stepped outside, the air was crisp, but the silence between us was heavier than the morning fog. The car ride was painfully quiet. I kept glancing at her, hoping she’d say something—anything—to break the tension, but she stared out the window, lost in her thoughts. My fingers drummed against the steering wheel, my mind a chaotic mess of frustration and guilt. When we finally pulled up in front of the school, I exhaled deeply. "We’re here." Natalie let out a small breath before turning toward me. "Sir, about last night—" Panic shot through me. I could hear Sebastian’s voice in my head: What if she apologized? What if she regretted telling you she loved you? No. I wouldn’t let her take it back. I couldn’t bear it. I cut her off before she could finish. "I’m busy today. We’ll talk later at home." She blinked, taken aback. "But—" Before she could protest, I leaned in and pressed a quick kiss to her cheek. "Hurry to class," I murmured against her skin, ignoring the way my heart pounded. She froze, her breath hitching. When I pulled back, I caught the faintest blush coloring her cheeks, but there was something else in her expression—confusion and sadness. For a second, I thought she might argue, insist on finishing what she was going to say. Instead, she bit her lip and nodded. Without another word, she grabbed her bag and stepped out of the car. I watched her walk away, her shoulders slightly slumped, and something inside me ached. Had I made things worse? As soon as she disappeared through the school doors, I slammed my forehead against the steering wheel and groaned. You’re a coward, Zane. Sighing, I stepped on the acceleration and drove straight back home. The late morning air was crisp against my skin as I drove through the city, exhaling a long breath. I had no desire to check in on my new company today—I had enough stress without worrying about Cole Lucky’s business affairs. As I drove home, my phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out and stared at the screen. Nora. For eight months, I had avoided telling Nora and Charlie where I was. Every day, one of them would call, demanding to know if I was okay, when I was coming back, and why I had disappeared for so long. And every time, I gave them one excuse or another. The phone continued to ring. I clenched my jaw, staring at the screen. I wasn’t in the mood for another argument. With a sigh, I let the call go to voicemail and shoved the phone back into my pocket. As I drove into my villa, a groan escaped me. Bubble was at it again. This time, he had somehow convinced Fox, Eagle, and even the usually stoic Tiger to help him install a massive, elaborate fountain in the middle of my front yard—a fountain shaped like a giant swan spewing rainbow-colored water from its beak. It was ridiculous. Fox was standing on the edge, shirtless, balancing a bucket of red paint in one hand. "This swan needs more drama," he declared, dipping his fingers into the paint and smearing it across the stone like a crazed artist. Eagle floated lazily above them, arms crossed. "This is unnecessary." "You’re unnecessary," Bubble shot back. "Art is everything." Tiger, standing with his arms crossed, sighed. "This is stupid." Bubble huffed. "You have no appreciation for my genius." Normally, I would have yelled at them to stop ruining my house, but tonight, I had bigger problems. I rubbed a hand down my face and walked past them without a word, heading straight for my office. I barely had time to sink into my chair before Jacob burst in without knocking. He threw himself onto the couch, grinning like he owned the place. "Okay, spill. What’s with the brooding? You have been this way since breakfast. You look like you’ve been forced to eat soup with a fork." I pinched the bridge of my nose. "Ever heard of knocking?" Jacob smirked. "Yeah, but I ignore things that inconvenience me." I sighed. "You already know." Jacob arched an eyebrow. "Know what?" I glared at him. "You’re an ethereal being. You’re connected to the universe or whatever. Don’t play dumb." Jacob laughed. "Zane, I don’t go around eavesdropping on people’s emotions like a nosy spirit guide except when it’s necessary. If you want me to know something, you’re gonna have to say it." I leaned forward, bracing my elbows on my knees. "I have feelings for Natalie." Jacob’s grin widened. "What’s new?" I ignored him. "The problem is... I had a mate before. Werewolves don’t love more than once. We can’t. Our wolves aren’t wired for it. But now, Red—my wolf—wants her. He’s never wanted anyone but our mate before. I don’t know what to make of it. I feel for Natalie just as much as I felt for Emma, or even more. It’s scary, Jacob." For the first time, Jacob’s playful expression softened. "And you think something’s wrong with you?" I exhaled sharply. "Yes." Jacob tilted his head. "Do you want my real answer, or do you want me to tell you that you’re broken and should probably go live in a cave?" I scowled. "The real answer." Jacob leaned back, propping his hands behind his head. "Don’t overthink it. Some things aren’t meant to be explained. If you love her, go for it. Screw fate. Screw whatever rules you think exist. The heart knows what it wants. Just trust it." His words settled in my chest like a slow-burning ember. Jacob smiled knowingly and stood. "Anyway, I’m leaving to handle some business. Try not to self-sabotage before you get to speak with Natalie." He shot me a wink and walked out. **’******* Later that night, dinner had been a disaster. Natalie and I sat at opposite ends of the table, avoiding eye contact while Fox and Bubble bickered over the proper way to season steak. Alex happily chattered between bites, completely oblivious to the tension. The moment the meal was over, everyone disappeared into their rooms, leaving me alone in the hallway. I clenched my fists. Enough. I couldn’t keep pretending this didn’t exist. I had to talk to her. Before I could talk myself out of it, I strode to Natalie’s room and knocked. A few moments later, the door creaked open, and she stood there in a loose T-shirt and pajama shorts, her long red hair falling over her shoulders. Her blue eyes widened in surprise. "Sir?" I stepped inside, gently pushing her back into the room and shut the door behind me. Natalie blinked, hugging her arms across her chest. "What—" I took a deep breath, my heart pounding. This was it. I stepped closer, my voice low. "Natalie, I need to talk to you." She shifted uncomfortably, her heart spiked but she didn’t say anything. I hesitated for only a second before reaching out and tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. She stilled beneath my touch, her breath catching. My voice was quieter this time. "About us."