The Beta's Salvation

Three

ZEKE POV

I stood on the porch watching Sky and Neo walk towards the packhouse. She was just as sexy and spirited as I remembered, although her beautiful brown hair was now a stunning shade of soft pink. Seeing her again was like a punch to the gut. My wolf, Payne, was instantly in awe of her, demanding I claim her and forget the past. But I knew Sky well enough to know she wasn't the sort of girl to take demands well.

I felt my lips twitch at the corners as they walked; my eyes couldn't help but follow the sway of her hips and the curve of her ass. She was going to be the firecracker the packhouse needed, that was for sure.

"Mine!" Payne growled low.

"I am not so sure about that, bud." I sighed, my eyes still glued to her ass.

"Mine." Payne, a wolf with a limited vocabulary, insisted again with a growl; this time, however, I felt the growl rip from my throat, the sound catching the attention of Sky and Neo, who turned to face me, neither looking impressed.

"Down, boy." Sky taunted, her lips plump and fu*king lovely.

"Back off, Zeke," Neo's commanding voice ripped through my head, his anger tangible. "She's off limits. You made a deal." I clenched my jaw, frustrated at the reminder of the deal that had cost me everything.

"I'm just curious, Neo." I admitted to hiding the frustration from my voice.

"Then don't be." He barked, not offering me the same courtesy.

"Neo, seriously! She looks different. Tired, exhausted even. A hell of a lot more aggressive than usual. And if you look past the stripper's outfit, she is thinner than I have ever known her; her skin looks malnourished. Has she been treated badly? Did you even ask? Or do you know who by?" I spewed my questions, unable to stop them from pouring from my mouth if I had indeed wanted to, which I didn't.

My questions were valid, and I needed to know.

"You?" Payne asked, his tone laced with the questions his words lacked.

"I meant we... like the pack, him, us, everyone." I lied unconvincingly so, given the laugh that escaped my wolf.

"That's none of your business. Remember your place." Neo shut me down with what I am sure was meant to be a stern look.

"My place." I nodded; I hated how those words stung. "Yes, Alpha." I forced out when I could still sense him hovering on the mind link.

I watched them enter the packhouse, a place that felt like a sanctuary and a prison. The interior was just as it was when she left—wooden beams, stone walls, and a rustic charm that made it feel both grand and homely. The kitchen, with its polished wood floors and stone countertops, was a perfect mix of elegance and ruggedness. It was the heart of the packhouse, a place where everyone gathered. Although now it was empty, most likely on Neo's request. He wouldn't want the pack to see Sky embarrass him by answering back.

Sky moved around the kitchen, her fingers trailing along the smooth wooden surfaces and the rough edges of the countertops until she picked up a photo from a shelf. It was of her father and mother, and for a moment, she looked happy.

"She must miss them." I mused to Payne pointlessly he wouldn't reply; he really did. I watched her, trying not to smile, but she caught my gaze in the reflection of the picture. Her expression instantly hardened, and she set the photo down with a cold shrug that I didn't buy for a second.

"Nothing's changed; it's like a time capsule." she remarked, her tone flat. "You know, now that Dad's dead, you can redecorate? I doubt he will mind now."

"I like it like this!" Neo snapped defensively.

"Daddy issues." she whispered, shaking her head while I fought back my smile. Neo sighed but ignored her like I knew he would. He would let her push and poke for now because it kept things sweet, but I suspected the real him would surface soon enough. Sky made her way over to the refrigerator once she realised she wasn't getting the rise she wanted from her brother. Only when her back was turned did I let a smile twist my lips, seeing her shorts ride up and hug that bubble butt of hers.

"Zeke." Neo warned again into my head; my eyes briefly lifted from his sister's ass to look at my Alpha and friend, but his eyes were no longer on me but on his sister and filled with disgust.

"Sky, you look like a tart." He yapped angrily.

"Maybe I am one," she retorted with a shrug of her delicate shoulders, unfazed by her brother's anger.

"Just what every brother wants to hear." He whined like a child.

"Ah, did I make you blush, princess?" She laughed, still raiding the contents of the refrigerator, yet she made no effort to remove her shorts from her ass. They bantered back and forth, Sky holding her own with ease. I admired her spirit, even if I was to guess it was masked by years of pain and bad decisions.

"I want to do a dinner tonight," Neo announced, quickly changing the subject.

"Dinner, huh? Sounds... quaint." Sky replied as she lifted a bottle of wine from the refrigerator, raising an eyebrow.

"Something like that," Neo replied, not taking the bait; it was not even midday; there was no way she would drink it, and he knew it.

As she moved around the kitchen, I couldn't help but watch her. The dark wood of the cabinets and the rugged stone countertops contrasted sharply with her light, carefree movements. The kitchen was a place of warmth and memories, and seeing her here stirred something deep inside me.

Payne growled in my mind, demanding I take action, but I pushed him back. Sky wasn't one to be claimed or controlled. She was a force of nature, and I had to find a way to fix things without making them worse with demands I had no right to make.

"Fine, dinner it is. But don't expect me to cook." Sky announced as she looked at the bottle of wine in her hand and then back at us.

"Because you're still a s**t*y cook?" I questioned, hoping to evoke some memories and soften her a little.

"Because I will be too pissed to give a sh*t if I give you food poisoning or not." She snorted, pointing the bottle to me and then to Neo. "Although, I guess that would be a welcome home to remember." She added as she brought the bottle to her lips and began to chug it like it was mere water.

"Sky!" Neo yelled, stepping into her, but it was too late. What wine was left in that bottle was now gone.

"Neo." Sky wailed back just as dramatically as he had cried her name; while she placed the bottle on the counter, her eyes met mine for a brief moment. There was a flicker of something—recognition, maybe regret—but it was gone as quickly as it had appeared. The kitchen suddenly felt tense as we stood in a battleground of unspoken words and unresolved feelings.

This dinner was going to be anything but simple.