For Me,There Is Only You |18+|

75. The Confrontation II

"What's the matter? Scared if I die, your powers will be locked forever?"

His face shifted, expression freezing, then hardening.

"What do you mean, amina?" Ansel's voice rang in my mind, low and tense.

But what could I say?

How was I supposed to explain it to him?

I pushed myself up slowly, my limbs heavy and shaking. I slid the knife back into the holster on my thigh, feeling Zev's gaze follow every movement.

I felt dizzy. My head spun, and a dull ache throbbed in my lower back and belly.

Maybe the adrenaline was finally fading, and now everything was catching up all at once.

Zev stood up too.

"Since when?" I asked, voice low, sharp. "Since when did you know I was the key... a tool made to unlock your powers?"

There was a jolt through the bond, shock, disbelief, fear.

Ansel.

But Zev?

He just stood there.

Still. Silent. Staring.

No flicker of guilt. No anger. No defense. Not even a lie.

Nothing.

My chest tightened painfully.

"You're not even going to deny it?" I whispered. "Not even going to pretend?"

His golden eyes stayed on mine, calm and cold.

"Say something," I demanded, louder now. My voice cracked. "Deny it. Explain it. Lie, Zev! Just... say something!"

"Since the beginning."

Three words.

That's all it took.

And even though I had an idea, hearing those words from him still ripped the ground beneath my feet.

Because I had hoped I was wrong.

I had wanted to be wrong.

"Since the beginning..." I repeated, the words bitter as ash. "What beginning? After you marked me? Or..." I hesitated, dreading the answer. "Did you know even four years ago?"

His silence was worse than any confirmation.

"Answer me!" I screamed.

"Since the beginning," he repeated again.

Same voice. Emotionless. Empty.

I sucked in a shaky breath, my lungs burning.

So, he'd known. From the first moment we met.

But if he knew back then... if he knew what I was, that I could unlock his powers—

Why? Why didn't he use me right away? Why wait?

"I was wary of you."

My fists clenched. "Stop reading my thoughts!"

He ignored that.

"From the moment I first saw you, I knew that you were nothing but a cruel joke—a twisted trick from that wretched old hag. You weren't a blessing. You were a leash. A beautiful, convenient tether wrapped in soft skin. And in that moment, all I wanted was to snap your neck like a twig."

He let the words hang in the air, making my heart drop even further.

"But credit where it's due—that old hag knew what she was doing. Because fake or not, that mate bond sank in deep. Did its job. Hooked me." His gaze darkened. "And that day, you, gazing at the rain...offering this insect the coffee with that soft smile—" he sneered, "—all I could think about was ripping that dress off and fucking you against the porch rail until you screamed."