And she just wanted to go home.
Thankfully, Victor was in the car outside the café, waiting despite her telling him to go, and she got in, telling him to take her back. It was a weekday and she was supposed to be at Trident, but she felt off. Victor gave her a questioning glance in the rearview mirror but she ignored it. In half an hour, despite the traffic, she saw the familiar trellis come into sight. She left the car and walked around the hill to the back where the elevator was, greeting members of the staff on the way. The simple elevator took her up, the bark of Bear and Bandit greeting her before she even cleared the level, putting an automatic smile on her face. They greeted her with licks and wagging tails, happy to see her back, and even Baron gave her an 'oh you're back' bark before lying down on the deck. This late, the house was already empty.
Zephyr quickly took a shower and had dinner alone for the first time in weeks, breaking their routine of eating together. Then, even though it was dark, she went for a walk on the track around the perimeter, taking Bear with her to clear her head. Though she didn't walk the path a lot, the trail was familiar enough for her to be comfortable with the green. It also helped that there were patrolling security guards every twenty feet or so.
Getting back to the house after a while, she opened the door, letting Bear off the leash, only to be met with her husband’s thunderous gaze.
And for the first time since their meeting, she ignored him, turning toward the stairs.
His hand gripped her arm as she passed, turning her to face him.
“Where were you?” he grit out, and Zephyr stared at his chest.
His fingers gripped her chin, after such a long time that she’d almost forgotten what his touch had felt like. How fucking sad was that?
He tilted her face up, his golden eye taking her in. She let him. She stayed silent, which was unlike her, and let him see whatever he wanted to see.
“Where were you?” he asked, quieter now.
She shrugged. “Just went for a walk.”
His thumb traced her chin. “You didn’t come to the tower today.”
Hope. Stupid, idiotic hope.
“Were you waiting?” she asked, hating the way her voice didn’t hide the hope in it.
He didn’t reply, and she sighed. What had she expected? That he would hold her and tell her he’d been waiting for her, that he’d been worried, that he’d come home early to see what was wrong? He might have done all those things, but he’d never admit to them, not when he was intent on denying anything serious between them.
Swallowing, she pulled out of his hold. “Goodnight, Alpha.”
She heard his sharp intake behind her.
Yeah, she never called him Alpha either.
Guess there was a first time for everything.