Chapter 38
Xavier
I leaned back in my chair, the weight of Zara's words still lingering in the air. She had asked me—of all people—if she was part of those I cared about. The nerve. I exhaled sharply, frustration rising in my chest. Of course, I denied it. I couldn't let her think she held any kind of sway over me, any personal attachment. That would be a mistake. I cared for every member of my pack, and that was the end of it. No one was special, least of all her.
Her response, though—it crushed my nerves more than I cared to admit. She had the audacity to tell me not to make cruel decisions because of her, as if she was in any position to give me orders or question my choices. I could still see the flash of concern in her eyes, mingled with something else—something I couldn't quite place.
