The Alpha's Weakness

Chapter 3

---Zayla

I was returning from a walk with Tiberius when I saw a car at the ranch.  I saw Owen and a woman and they were embracing like they were madly in-love.  Owen pulled away from her and saw me.  "Zayla."  he said.

Once inside the fenced in area I dropped Tiberius's leash and went inside ignoring Owen's attempts at talking to me.  I went into the room I was staying in and started throwing my stuff in a bag.  "What's wrong honey?"  Owen's mom asked.

"I need to go.  Something came up.  I need to go."  I said.

"Zayla, let me explain."  Owen said.

"I don't want to hear it from you."  I grabbed my bag and my keys.  I left the house and sped off with Owen in my rearview mirror.  I should have known it was too good to be true.

I arrived at my parents' house and knocked on the door.  The door opened and there stood my mom.  "Zayla."  she said surprised.

"Hi."  I said.

"What on earth happened to you?  Where's Justin?"  she asked.

"He's the one that did this."  I said.

"Come in."  she said letting me in and hugging me.  "I haven't seen you since the wedding.  You were either working or something."

"Justin wouldn't let me and I'm so sorry."  I said.

"You're here now.  That's all that matters.  Where were you staying at?  You did leave Justin right?"

"Yes.  Someone helped me and we hit it off really well, but he didn't tell me he was with someone else."  I said.

"Well, you can of course stay here."  she said.

"Where's dad?"

"He moved in with that bimbo he was cheating on me with."

"I'm sorry mom."

"Oh well.  I've been talking to this new guy.  He's really nice.  He asked me to dinner tonight.  I can cancel."

"Don't.  It's fine.  I'll just go to a movie or something."  I said.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah.  Don't let me stop you from your fun."

I was sitting at the pool hall with my friend Savannah, Tyler, Kristan, and Jamie.  Savannah and Tyler are married with two kids.  Kristan and Jamie are married with three fur babies.  "So you finally left Justin huh?"

"He's been cheating for a long time now.  He beat me when I told him I'd leave."

"Where's that guy at that you told me about?"  Savannah asked.

"Don't know.  Don't really care."

"Why?"  just then I saw Owen walk in.  He spotted me and walked over.

"I need to talk to you."  he said.  Savannah gave me a look that said, 'That's him?'  she gave me a thumbs up for approval.

"I don't want to talk to you."  I said.

"I need to explain.  Please."

"Why do you care now?"

"Please just talk to me."

"Dude, she said no."  Tyler grabbed his shoulder and Owen grabbed his hand bending it backwards.  "Fuck."  he said.

"Owen let go!"  I shoved him and he let go.

"Don't touch me man."

"The lady said no so leave her alone."  Tyler said shaking his hand trying to rid the pain.

"Zayla please."  he said.

"Fine.  You have two minutes."  he followed me over to another table.  "Where's your girlfriend?"

"Gone."  he said.  "I should have told you before and I'm sorry.  I didn't want to hurt you."

"You did which is stupid because I've only known you for a week."

"I'm really sorry.  Things have gone all wrong for me my whole life.  My PTSD was so much worse whenever I was around her.  Once I started getting help when she wasn't around I was better.  She was over in Afghanistan with me.  She put me through hell and what you saw was her hugging me because she was leaving and she was getting married.  She hasn't been my girlfriend in a long time.  I don't want her or anyone else.  I only want you.  With you I feel like I can be myself and everything is almost normal.  I'm very sorry that I made you think something completely different.  I hope you can give me a chance."

"I just don't want to get hurt."

"I know and I understand.  Where are you staying at now?"

"My mom's 24th and Lockwood."

"Can I come see you?"  he asked looking up from the table.  "Please.  I want things to work out between us."

"Okay."

"We can go as slow as you want.  I just want to see you."  he said.  I nodded.  "I still like the making out part."  he said with a smile which made me laugh.  He walked with me back over to my friends.  "Sorry about your hand."

"At least it's not broken."  Tyler said.

"Seriously though, is it okay?"  Owen asked.

"Yeah.  It's fine."  he said.  "You two cool now?"

"Yeah."  I said.

"Good.  Don't hurt her.  She's like my sister."

"I won't hurt her."  Owen said.

"So are you an ex-Marine?"

"Yeah.  I didn't return to duty because I have bad PTSD."  he said.  "I don't like to talk about it."

"Understand."  Jamie said.  "I have Marine duties to attend to as well.  I go in a month."  he said.  "Currently training our dogs to protect the house and currently working on impregnating wifey."  he said putting his arm around Kristan.  She rolled her eyes.

"Well, good luck."  Owen said.  "I owe you a horseback ride.  Do you want to go?"  he asked.

"Yeah."  I said.

"Stay safe you two."  Tyler said.

Back at the ranch, after a horseback ride, I was sitting with Owen up in the hayloft watching the meteor shower.  "I have a few things that you need to know.  Boundaries I guess."

"What?"  I asked.

"Don't sneak up on me.  If you are going to come see me, make sure I can see you.  If you sneak up behind me or alongside me, you will get hurt.  I won't know it's you until it's too late.  Don't come up behind me and hit me, playful or not.  Again you'll get hurt.  Don't let me scare you.  I'm getting better.  I just need time."  he said.  "I really want this to work between us.  That's why I'm telling you now so you can decide whether or not I'm worth being with."

"Tell that to someone who hasn't spent so much time trying to make someone happy only to end up getting beat.  I think we can make this work."  I said.  He gave me a soft kiss and brushed his fingertips over my jaw.

"Your wolf is calling mine."  he said.  "She needs to wait."  he said with a smile.