Third POV

Zayne remained frozen in place, his heart hammering against his ribs. Estelle’s arms were still wrapped around his neck, her grip firm despite her intoxicated state. Her warm breath tickled his skin, sending shivers down his spine.

He had faced countless enemies and political schemes without breaking a sweat. But this—having Estelle hold him like this—left him completely defenseless.

“Estelle,” he called softly, his voice barely above a whisper.

She didn’t respond. Her head remained buried against his shoulder, her body completely relaxed against his. Zayne could feel the steady rise and fall of her breathing, and for a moment, he wondered if she had fallen back asleep in this position.

He raised his hand slowly, intending to carefully peel her arms away and tuck her back into bed properly. She needed rest, and he needed to maintain some distance before he did something he would regret.

But just as his fingers touched her wrist, Estelle spoke.

“Zayne...” Her voice was soft and drowsy, her breath warm against his neck.

Zayne felt his heart skip a beat. The way she said his name, so quietly and intimately, made something tighten in his chest.

“Mmm,” he hummed in response, not trusting his voice to remain steady. “Are you finally awake?”

Estelle shook her head slightly, the movement causing her hair to brush against his jaw. “Didn’t fall asleep.”

Zayne almost smiled despite himself. She was cute when she lied. Even now, with her voice slurred from alcohol and exhaustion, she was trying to maintain her composure.

“You should lie back down,” he said gently, his hand moving to her back. “Rest properly.”

She nodded against his shoulder but made no move to let go. If anything, her arms seemed to tighten around his neck.

“Was just tired,” she mumbled, her words barely coherent. “Can rest now. Silverclaw is temporarily settled.”

Zayne’s brow furrowed slightly. “Temporarily?”

“Short-term contract,” Estelle replied, her voice getting quieter. “Benedict won’t make it easy. He’ll sabotage me later.”

The casual way she mentioned Benedict’s future interference made Zayne’s jaw clench. She was already anticipating betrayal from her own adopted brother, yet she spoke about it as if it were just another business obstacle to navigate.

“What kind of sabotage?” Zayne pressed, wanting to understand the full scope of what she was dealing with.

But Estelle didn’t really reply. Her words became even more incoherent, trailing off into soft mumbles that he couldn’t make out. He could tell she was still drunk and half asleep, caught somewhere between consciousness and dreams.

“Estelle,” he called again, his voice gentle.

This time, there was no response. Her grip on his neck was loosening, her body becoming heavier as she relaxed completely.

Zayne waited another moment before carefully placing her back down on the bed. She moved with him willingly, like a sleepy child being tucked in by a parent. Her arms finally released their hold around his neck as her head settled into the pillows.

As she shifted to get comfortable, her shirt slipped down slightly, revealing more of her neck and shoulder. Zayne’s eyes immediately fixed on the mark there—the inactive mark that should have bound her to her mate but never had.

His finger moved almost without conscious thought, trailing down the edge of the mark with feather-light pressure. Estelle shivered at the touch but didn’t wake, her breathing remaining deep and even.

Zayne’s eyes darkened as he stared at the mark. Flashbacks of memories that had haunted him years ago resurfaced.

A sharp notification sound from his phone broke through his thoughts. Zayne straightened up and pulled the device from his pocket, glancing at the screen.

Mason had already found the information he requested and sent it over via email. His beta was nothing if not efficient.

Zayne opened the message and quickly scanned through the basic details.

Benedict and Helena were indeed causing problems for Estelle, just as she had mentioned. She had one week to lock down trade agreements with several packs, with the Silverclaw Pack agreement being the most critical due to its size and profitability.

She had managed to secure that deal, but the circumstances were troubling. Originally, she had planned to meet with Alpha Hugo directly. Instead, Gamma Hayden had shown up in his place—the same Hayden who wanted revenge against Estelle for some perceived slight against his sister.

Zayne’s expression grew colder as he continued reading.

Mason had even managed to pull video recordings from the club’s private room. The footage clearly showed Hayden and his friends forcing Estelle to drink, preventing Caleb from intervening by threatening the deal she desperately needed.

They had deliberately gotten her drunk and put her in a vulnerable position. The only reason nothing worse had happened was because Caleb and Estelle outsmarted them before the situation escalated further.

Zayne’s hands clenched into fists as he processed this information. These men had targeted his mate and deliberately put her in danger for their own petty revenge. They had used her desperation against her, thinking she couldn’t afford to walk away from the deal.

He looked back at Estelle, who was sleeping peacefully now, completely unaware of the fury building in his chest. She had handled the situation with her usual grace and intelligence, but she shouldn’t have had to deal with it alone.

Zayne closed his phone and reached out through the pack mind link, connecting with his beta. 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

‘Mason.’

‘Yes, Your Majesty?’ came the immediate response.

‘I want you to teach Gamma Hayden and his friends a small lesson.’