ZARA (ON HOLD)

Chapter 27

Sewell's P.O.V
After being convinced by Zane, my wolf, I sprinted towards the door of the bathroom, filled with a sense of urgency to check up on my mate. I swung the door open widely, my heart pounding in my chest, but I wasn't prepared for what I saw.

There in the bathroom, underneath the cascading water of the shower head, stood my breathtakingly beautiful mate. The warm water ran down her naked form, and my eyes couldn't help but wander from her head to her enticing breasts, down to her perfectly flat stomach, and further to her hips, thighs, and legs. I had always known she was beautiful, and I had seen her naked once before, but this was different.

In that moment, as she bathed herself and used her hands to tenderly and sensually massage her figure, I was completely and utterly seduced. Every fiber of my being screamed for me to give in to my desires, but I fought to maintain the last shred of sanity that remained. I closed the door, willing myself to leave the room before I did something I would regret later. The fact that she was still a virgin only added to my internal struggle.

I descended the stairs, one hand tugging at the end of my hair tightly. No matter how hard I tried to think of something else, the images from earlier refused to leave my memory. Zane laughed heartily, seemingly unaffected by the turmoil of my emotions.

"I think I need a drink," I murmured to myself, my mind in disarray. I accidentally crashed into something hard, and as I looked up, I realized it was my dad, wearing an amused smirk on his face.

"What happened, son?" my dad asked, leaning forward slightly with his eyes flashing in thought, intentionally allowing me to see his curiosity.

"Nothing, just going to grab a shot," I replied, fidgeting with my fingers and tapping my foot on the floor in agitation.

"He's lying," came a voice followed by a deep throaty chuckle. Steve. I sighed helplessly, feeling a sense of impending doom wash over me.

"So what happened?" my dad persisted, his stubbornness unwavering.

"Nothing happened. I promise," I said, trying to sound firm but knowing that I sounded foolish instead. The giggles and laughter from behind me only confirmed it.

"Let me guess, you ran away from your mate," Dave chimed in, coming to a stop beside our smirking Alpha father.

"That... it... I'm... no... urrghhh..." I stammered in frustration, unable to muster up even a small lie.

"I guess you saw her naked and bolted, afraid of doing something you might regret while still being tormented by your desires," Crystal said, chuckling. Her words elicited laughter from everyone present. I let out another defeated sigh as I ran a hand through my hair.

"Serves you right. You used to do that to me when you were eight," my father replied with a chuckle, causing even more laughter to erupt.

"What's going on?" a voice so familiar called out from the entrance of the elevator. Oh goodness, no.

"Sewell, are you okay?" she asked, her soft footsteps approaching me. My body stiffened in her presence, and the others fought back their laughter as she stood in front of me. I shut my eyes tightly, silently commanding myself not to open them. But that wasn't the only thing I held back. The next moment, her soft, smooth palms and fingertips brushed against my cheek, caressing them tenderly. Sparks shot through me, causing my arousal to become painfully evident. Not now. I couldn't allow myself to succumb to this temptation. "Don't open your eyes. Don't open your eyes. Don't, don't, don't," I chanted in my head, my voice trembling.

"It's okay, it's just me. Open your eyes," she said softly, her words melting my heart and causing it to skip a beat. Defying my will, my traitorous eyes fluttered open, unable to resist her command. I looked at her nervously, noticing that she had dried her hair and let it down in gentle waves.

She wore one of my shirts and a pair of jeans shorts that smelled new. I assumed her dad had ordered them for her. Her slender legs looked incredibly appealing in that moment. Oh my goodness, I was truly losing my mind here. I yearned to kiss her slightly parted lips, but I knew better than to act on those thoughts.

"Are you okay?" her concerned voice broke through my internal turmoil. I cleared my throat uncomfortably before nodding in response.

"I'm good. Just wanted to go get a bottle of water," I said, attempting to sound convincing. Thankfully, she nodded in understanding.

"I'll just go see my dad. I need to talk to him," she said, giving me a smile before walking away. But not before leaving a tender peck on my cheek.

As soon as Zara was out of earshot, my companions burst into fits of laughter. Dave and my dad automatically embraced, and Steven and Celeste collapsed onto the floor, holding their stomachs as they laughed until they couldn't breathe.

I resisted the urge to stomp my foot on the floor, knowing that it wouldn't bring me any peace and would only exacerbate their teasing. Instead, I huffed helplessly as I sat on the stairs. I needed patience and self-control. The fact that I had buried my face in her wet folds not long ago only made my thoughts more chaotic. I felt like I was going crazy, literally. How was I supposed to have self-control when her intoxicating scent permeated the entire pack house?

"Damn, you're so whipped, bro," Dave managed to say between fits of laughter. I was surprised by how he addressed me. Dave was my brother, and even though he hadn't known us from childhood, he had accepted us wholeheartedly.

"Imagine having a taste of the awful medicine you fed someone in the past," my dad added, slapping his thighs as he held onto my brother as if his life depended on it. The others continued to laugh uncontrollably.

"You're going to sleep in the same bed with her, you know. Makes me wonder how you're going to handle yourself," Steven chimed in, his words punctuated by his laughter. He and my sister were still on the floor, shaking with laughter as they loosely hugged each other. I heaved another sigh, feeling utterly helpless as I ran my fingers through my hair.

"Guys, you should stop," I pleaded with them, my voice sounding feeble even to my own ears. This situation was tough.

"Okay... okay," they chorused between bouts of laughter, wiping away their tears. This mate bond was truly a challenge. Now I understood why Damien couldn't ignore his mate.

"I think you should do something about it. You've already marked her. I mean, she deserves the best, and you should give her your best," Dave advised, causing the others to murmur in agreement.

"I know, but I want everything to be peaceful before I make any moves. She deserves more than just a mark, and I don't want any conflicts to arise from my actions. I'll hold on for as long as I can because she's worth it," I replied with a smile, prompting wide grins from the others. Now that they knew I would be suffering for a while, they wouldn't leave me alone.

"That's why I like you," Damien's proud voice sounded from behind us. We all turned to look at him in surprise. Did I just earn his respect? I wasn't complaining, but I was certainly shocked.

PS; I will continue this same chap later so make sure you read it. Love you all😘