Caged Between the beta and alpha novel Chapter 44

A Reluctant Decision
ZACK
I glared at her. Goddess! She was so damn stubborn. That got her to shut up. She blinked at me as if I had just spoken a foreign language.
Taylor’s sister–in–law? She‘s like thirty–three…’ She looked confused.
Don‘t I know it?
I was just a few months younger than Raven, I knew she was doing the math.
But… She‘s been mated for like twelve years…’ She replied, I could hear the realisation settle into her voice.
Guilt flitted through me as she turned her blazing eyes on me.
‘Look I‘m not proud of it, but it happened just before I found out he was my mate. I was eighteen and an older woman hitting on you… It wasn‘t that hard to fall for it. It was just sex. ‘I sighed in frustration. “So just… stay out of it.
‘No… I don‘t get it. She cheated on her mate? Goddess! Her mate is such a good person too… Channing has always been so nice, he was injured…
Although Kiara was able to save his life, there wasn‘t much she could do about something that had been completely
destroyed.
‘Yeah, he lost his legs in the battle of Hecate‘s Betrayal, so his mate just–‘
She suddenly slapped me across the face, leaving a stinging pain behind.
‘So, you became her fucking whore! I hate people who cheat o n their mates! And I hate when those they cheat with know they have a partner!‘ She growled.
‘I know… She was just fucking hot.?
Men really do stick their dicks in every damn hole they see!She stood there; her lips pursed, fists clenched, and I knew if someone saw us, they‘d be fucking confused as to what the hell we were doing standing here silently glaring at each other.
‘I ended it when I found my mate… When I told her that we were done, she got angry and said she‘d tell my mate and the damn pack I assaulted her. I wouldn‘t have cared if it was anyone else, but the fact that she‘s Taylor‘s brother‘s mate could have destroyed him. I don‘t know… His family would never have accepted me.‘
She stared at me as if I had grown two heads, but she had visibly calmed down a little.
‘I thought you didn‘t want to admit you‘re gay.‘ She mumbled sheepishly.
I cocked a brow.
‘I‘ve known I‘m bi for years and I have no issue with that.‘ I glared at her. ‘Don‘t be so nosy.‘
‘Hey, I‘m not nosy! If I was nosy, I would have peeped around the tree that night to see what you two were doing!‘ She protested, blushing Fuck.
I felt my cheeks burn and she grinned in triumph.
‘Look Zack, you can‘t let that stop you from coming clean to Taylor. You‘re hurting him more by not telling him. He probably feels like he isn‘t enough.‘ She said softly.
Taylor’s brother is like his fucking hero… If I told him… I don‘t know what he‘d think of me.‘
‘You won‘t know until you do Zack… Continuing on like this isn‘t helping anyone either.‘
I fucking know.
‘Now you know my issue… So why don‘t you tell me what crap‘s going on between you, Liam and Damon.‘
It was only fair she shared.
She looked down, before looking up at me after a moment.
“They are both mated to me.’ She said quietly.
I almost fucking gasped like a damn woman.
Whoa…
‘Mated to you, or each other too?‘
‘Me!‘ She said, glaring at me, blushing again.
‘Where‘s your mind going?‘ I narrowed my eyes at her.
‘Nowhere kid!’ She shot back huffing.
I cocked a brow.
“Whatever, midget.‘
“You didn‘t just call me that!”

“I think I just did.” I replied.
She glared at me before staring at her hands.
‘You know Zack, don‘t make the same mistake I did… You never know what might be if you give it a shot, rather than living unhappily with a ‘what if he rejects me‘Her words were true, I was scared of him rejecting me, or me hurting him.
Her situation was more fucked up than mine and if I kept this u p, I might just lose my mate to someone else before even giving it a shot. Maybe I did need to talk to Taylor about this.
It was evening and I had actually taken the damn plunge and asked Taylor to meet me outside the pack grounds. Tonight was my night off and I thought if we were going to talk, we needed to do it away from the pack. Maybe I was reckless and jumped the gun, but apart from Raven‘s slap, she hadn‘t acted as appalled as I thought she might. ‘
It was getting fucking hard without Taylor, but the fear of rejection overrode that need. I strummed my fingers on the steering wheel until I saw him walk out in his puffer jacket, fitted jeans that hugged those legs perfectly, and those damn fucking gorgeous eyes. He was fucking hot.
He opened the door, getting in, and I swallowed, keeping my gaze ahead.
“Hey, Zack.”
Even the way he said my name was a fucking turn on in itself.
“Hey, Tay.” Our eyes met, and when he fucking looked at my lips, I licked them, looking away quickly. We needed to fucking talk.
Twenty minutes later, I parked up outside a restaurant and Taylor cocked a brow.
“Never knew this was a date.” He said, smiling.
“It‘s not a date.” I replied, frowning.
I doubt he‘ll stick around when he knows my fucking truth.
We entered and I gave my name, having made a reservation in one of the private rooms.
Taylor whistled.
“You sure this isn‘t a date?”
“Yeah, I‘m sure.” I said frowning.
“Damn, someone‘s pretty uptight. You need to loosen up.” He whispered, his hot breath brushing my ear, sending blood to m y dick.
“You‘ll be the one loosening up, not me.” I shot back, smirking when I saw his neck redden.
Yeah, thought so.
The waitress showed us to our room and gave us both a smile.
“I‘ll leave you with the menu and I‘ll bring.”
“Just give us two of your premium grill share platters and make sure the meat is well done.” I said. “And two bottles of coke.“,
The waitress nodded and left us to it.
“At least you could have asked me what I wanted.” Taylor said when we both sat down.
I cocked a brow.
“You would have ordered exactly that.” I said, stretching my
arm across the back of the booth.
He smiled and nodded.
“Yeah, true.” Our eyes met, and that same fucking sexual tension between us settled in again. I looked away.
I needed to tell him…
“Tay… There‘s a reason I brought you here…“,
His eyes softened and worry filled them.
“It seemed too good to be true.” He muttered, looking away.
Fuck, I didn‘t mean it like that.
Reaching over, I took his hand in mine, not missing the way his heart raced or the tingles that coursed through me at our contact.
“After I tell you, you may not even want to see my face again.” I said quietly.
He gave me that smile that made my heart feel funny and shook his head.
“I don‘t think anything you do could ever make me not want t o see you again.” He replied softly.
I don‘t fucking deserve you, Tay… I blew out a breath.
Alright, I was ready to tell him…