Chapter 168 Concern & Understanding

Estelle’s POV

“Zayne?” I called out, blinking in surprise.

He turned around at the sound of my voice, his electric blue eyes meeting mine. A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

“There you are,” he said, walking toward me. “I was starting to wonder if you’d gotten lost.”

“What are you doing here in Blackmoon?” I asked, still processing his unexpected presence. “Shouldn’t you be in lycan territory right now?”

Zayne stopped in front of me, his expression growing slightly concerned. “I tried contacting you earlier, but you didn’t pick up. When I couldn’t reach you, I checked with Caleb. He mentioned you went to Moonveil.”

My eyebrows furrowed. I pulled out my phone and scrolled through the call log. Sure enough, Zayne’s name appeared several times throughout the day. How had I missed all of these?

“I’m sorry,” I said, feeling genuinely bad. “I was dealing with some personal matters and didn’t notice the calls.”

“I was going to head to Moonveil to find you,” Zayne continued, “but I figured it might be better to wait here while you handled whatever you needed to handle.”

I looked up at him, expecting to see irritation or frustration on his face. Instead, I found only concern and understanding. It caught me off guard.

“You’re not angry?” I asked before I could stop myself.

Zayne frowned. “Why would I be angry?”

“Because I ignored you,” I said, feeling foolish even as the words left my mouth.

His expression grew serious. “Estelle, just because you’re too busy to answer your phone doesn’t give me the right to be mad at you.”

Those words hit me like a lightning bolt. I stood there, staring at him as the realization washed over me.

All those years with Asher and his family, I had been trained to be available at every moment. If I missed a call or didn’t respond immediately, there would be consequences that came in the form of angry voices, disappointed looks, and lectures about being inconsiderate.

But here was Zayne, simply waiting patiently and understanding that I had my own life to manage.

A warmth spread through my chest. For the first time in years, I felt truly seen and understood. Someone was giving me the space to handle my own affairs while knowing they would still be there, ready to support me when I returned.

“It’s getting late,” I said, shaking off the emotional moment. “Would you like to stay the night?”

“I was hoping you’d ask,” he replied with that small smile again.

As we walked toward the main staircase, I noticed several pack members in the common area. Edmund noticed us almost immediately.

“Ah, Luna Estelle, there you are!” he said. He looked like he was about to approach us, probably with some work-related matter, but Juliet quickly grabbed his arm.

“Not now,” she whispered to her mate, pulling him in the opposite direction.

“Wait, Juliet, what are you doing—”

I couldn’t help but laugh softly at her quick thinking. Juliet had always been good at reading situations.

“Come on,” I said to Zayne, leading him toward my office. “We can talk properly there.”

Once we were inside with the door closed, Zayne settled into one of the chairs across from my desk. “Just so you know, I’m not here on business,” he said casually. “I hope you understand that.”

I nodded, warmth spreading through me again. “I understand.”

I walked over to my desk and quickly stored the DNA samples in one of the locked drawers. Zayne didn’t ask what they were, which I appreciated. Then I moved to the small drinks cabinet I kept in the corner.

“I didn’t take you for a drinker,” Zayne commented, raising an eyebrow at the rows of colorful bottles I had on display.

I laughed, selecting a few bottles of lighter, fruitier beverages. “I can handle my liquor just fine. It’s just that at social events, I tend to go over my limit without realizing it. These are safer options.”

I gathered the drinks and turned back to him. “Actually, let’s go somewhere more comfortable. Follow me.”

I led him out of the office and down a different hallway, toward the private wing of the pack house. This section was reserved exclusively for the Alpha’s family. Even Benedict and Helena weren’t allowed in here without permission, now that I had taken over.

“Private wing?” Zayne asked, looking around as we walked.

I felt heat rise to my cheeks, but I kept my voice factual. “As my fiancé, you’ll soon be part of the family. You have every right to be here.”