Zone Zero: Vengeance (Book 3 of 3)

Chapter 36

The crackle of the open fireplace rings in my ears as I flutter on the edge of consciousness.

Soft pillows lie underneath my body while thick blankets lie on top of me.

I slowly open my eyes and see just how close I am to the roaring fireplace. No doubt, I was placed this close to the fire and covered in blankets to raise my core temperature back to where it should be. Only a few degrees lower than that of a humans.

I breathe deeply and try to stretch out my frozen legs but my feet knock something hard. I look down and see the last thing I expected to in this moment.

Alex is sitting at my feet with his back against the couch behind him, propping him up as his eyes remain closed off to the world.

I blink multiple times until my mind fully understands what it is seeing.

Alex is here.

I try to sit up but the mass of blankets make it a bit of a struggle. This in turn, wakes Alex up.

As his eyes open they flicker to the flames and then to me before the shock of seeing me awake fills his features.

He is at my side, unraveling me from the tight blankets in the blink of an eye. As soon as my arms are free I wrap them around his neck and hold him close to my body. He wraps his arms around me just as tight until worry sets in and I pull myself away from him.

"Wheres Annerly? Is she ok?" I speak so fast that it comes out slurred but Alex understands anyway.

"She is ok. She is having a nap in her room as we speak. Leif and Odin are both in there asleep on the floor next to her crib."

I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding on to.

"Odin? Is he ok?"

"He will be fine. He is a bit battered and bruised but that white wolf has a lot more life still left in him."

I stop my eyes from surveying the house and finally just look at him. It really is Alex. He is here in front of me. For real this time.

I have woken up so many times over the past few weeks and thought he would be next to me in bed or standing in the kitchen when I would round the corner but he never was. I know it was my fault for leaving him but I always hoped that we could find our way back to each other soon enough.

Finally that time has come.

"Youre here. You're actually here." I state still a little shell shocked to see him in the flesh.

He places a strong hand on my cheek and rubs my cheekbone with his thumb just as a smile grows on his lips.

"I'm really here."

"I-I didn't know w-when i would ever see y-you again." I stutter as tears fill my eyes and emotion coats my throat heavily.

His eyes look at me with sadness filling them. In that moment, I curse myself. How could i ever leave him? How could i walk away from the only man that I have ever loved? Even though it wasn't an easy decision it was still one that i made. How could I do that to him?

"Im so sorry, Alex." I whisper as a tear flows down my cheek.

He leans in closer and wipes it away with his thumb.

"Hey, don't cry. Its ok."

"No. Its not ok. I left you. I told you I would never leave your side and I did. You needed me and I up and left you." I cry out to him.

"You did what you had to do to keep Annerly safe. I could never be angry at you for that."

Just hearing his voice sends instant shivers down my spine. How can he be so understanding and forgiving of me so easily?

"I didn't want to leave you-" I begin but he cuts me off.

"You had no choice Evie. Deep down I knew you were going to run and I didn't try to stop you. I knew that was what was best for Annerly. That child means the world to you and I know you would give up your life for her. Hell, you almost did today. I don't want to think what would have happened if I got here two minutes later."

I narrow my eyes as he speaks trying to understand what he means.

"What do you mean if you didn't get here in time? What happened?"

Alex smiles softly at me and strokes my cheek softly once more.

"I got here to find Leif injured and holding Annerly, Odin unconscious in the snow and you stuck underneath the ice of a frozen lake. I couldn't see where you were underneath the ice but then this flash of lightning happened in the water and it led me to you. I broke the ice and pulled you out. I thought I had lost you for good. You were so cold. A human would have already been dead by the time I found you."

I look down again towards the blankets and recall being submerged in the subzero water after falling through the ice with Sabina.

"Did you find Sabina as well?" I ask, averting his eyes.

"No. She is still under there somewhere. I don't think you will ever have to worry about her ever again."

Relief washes over me at the thought of that crazed monster finally gone. God knows she deserves it after all she put me through today.

"I didn't hurt Annerly did I?" I whisper. "When I threw her I mean. I had no other choice."

"She is fine. Not a scratch on her. Leif is an excellent catch who managed to keep her safe and warm until I could get you out of the water."

I sit up fully and begin to unravel myself from the blankets when i realise that i am wearing absolutely nothing underneath the mass of blankets. I look down at my bare skin and smirk at Alex.

"If you wanted to get me naked all you had to do was ask."

He smiles and then let's out a soft laugh.

"Only your mind would go to that place right after you have woken up from almost drowning." He laughs. "Your clothes were soaked and I needed to get you warmed up."

I nod simply and let my hand find its way to his cheek. I stoke it softly before leaning closer towards him.

My breath hitches the closer I get until I am less than 2 centimetres from his face. My lips twitch and I hesitate for a moment. Maybe this isn't a good idea right now.

I go to pull away from him but he grasps my hair at the back of my head lightly to hold me still before pressing his lips to mine forcefully.

Our kiss is instantly intense and continues on for a good two minutes until we finally move away from each other. We let out foreheads touch as we both regain control of our breathing.

"God I've missed you so much." He says lowly and it causes my entire body to tingle all over.

"Ive missed you as well. You have no idea."

We press our lips together once more but this time a lot softer than before. We continue this way until a soft cry sounds from Annerly's bedroom.

The little angel must be awake from her nap.

A/N - Sorry for the delay in uploading this chapter. I have had a busy few days with absolutely no time to myself. But I'm back in the swing of normality now.

Hope you liked this chapter. Don't forget to vote and comment!!

Xoxo