CHAPTER 47— NOT THAT QUINN ANYMORE
She twisted around with wide eyes. “How did you find me?!”
“What? Did you think it’d be hard?” Zayd sighed, tightening his grip around her wrist, “I’d been watching
you suffer for hours, forcing yourself to run as though your life depended on it. I considered letting you
go, Quinn…I really did. I mean, you tried so hard to get this far, but I can’t, not when you’re like this.”
He stepped closer to her, cing his hand against her forehead. “You’re burning up…I figured you
were.”
“No I…”
“I only got tricked once by your little diversions, after that, I followed the scent that kept getting weaker
and not the ones that remained stagnant. It was a sensible trick that might’ve worked if you could move
a little faster. But in this form, you’re not fast enough, Quinn. Your struggle humbled me, I kept
reminding myself that you’re the same girl who killed four rogues in one night and left with just a single
scratch, tried telling myself that you’re strong and you could survive without me…that you’d be happier
without me. But I-I can’t let you go like this, Quinn.”
His forehead fell against her shoulder as he sucked in a shaky breath. “Stay with me for as long as it
takes you to heal. You can leave when you’re better, I’ll search for and find the courage to let you go
then…please…”
Quinn stood speechless in her spot, even when she felt his tears wetting her shoulder. His words
weren’tforting at all, they made her helplessness even more tant. The fact that he had to
remind himself that she was strong and the fact that he felt like she couldn’t live without him strained
her pride.
She wanted to delude herself into thinking she’s still that girl, but in truth, she wasn’t the girl who could
kill more than just four rogues in one night…and she wasn’t strong, at least not anymore.
The thought of giving up had caged her mind, but she did not give it a proper wee. That was
because she wanted to be that girl again; the Quinn known by men far and wide, the Quinn who could
steal the night before it even started. She wanted to be her again; that Quinn who could protect not
only herself, but everyone else, the Quinn who never had to f*cking cry!
Quinn’s lips trembled as tears dripped down her cheeks, her hands tensing by her side as she tried to
hold them back. This Quinn; Quinn didn’t know this Quinn…
So weak and frail, so stupid and na?ve…this Quinn that was hurt and broken, this Quinn…this Quinn
that Quinn didn’t want to be.
“I know you might say no…I know you might not want my help…but please Quinn, I’m begging you…let
me be there for you in this period of your life. I don’t want you to endure all of this alone.” He slid down
onto his knees in front of her, his head against her thigh. “I’ve never felt this way before, never been so
vulnerable to someone else’s pain, and I’ve never gotten down on my knees and begged anyone for
anything…not even my own mother. However, I don’t care how low it makes me look, I would do
anything for you…for as long as I can, and right now, I want to help you. I’m begging you to let me help
you.”
Quinn’s hand trembled as she reached down to pat his bare back. “Stop crying and get up.”
“But you’re crying too.”
She wiped beneath her eyes. “I’m not…not anymore, so stop. I’ll…I’lle with you, I’ll allow you to
help me…just this once.”
Zayd’s lips twitched at the corners as he stood to his feet, smiling so faintly. “Thank you.”
“No, I should be the one thanking you…I’m burning up, and was about to fall unconscious.”
“It must be a fever and to top it off, you haven’t eaten anything since this morning. We need to hurry
back, your fever will only heighten without medicine, and you’re probably suffering from dehydration
too. Can you walk?”
“I-I can…”
“Don’t lie to me, Quinn.”
Quinn looked down at her feet, sighing. “Well, I might feel a bit dizzy while walking.”
“Then that means it’ll only get worse if we run, especially if I’m in my wolf form. Get on my back, we’ll
walk until you feel better.”
“No, you don’t have t—”
“Come on, Quinn.” He turned his back to her, giving her no room to argue, and Quinn hesitantly got on,
her hands caging his neck and her legs crossing around his thighs. “Tell me if it gets worse. I’ll stop…”
Quinn didn’t want to acknowledge the way her heart kept palpitating at the care and concern in his
words.
This was the second time the alpha king had gotten down on his knees in front of her and both times, it
felt the same. It made her feel like she was his equal, like he was barely a rank above her, and the fact
N?velDrama.Org owns this.
that he was not begging for help, but begging to help her…it was…astounding.
His words had always been a surprise to her…they always made her speechless.
“You know…” Quinn started. “You don’t have to be so nice to me, especially if it’s because of pity.”
Zayd’s hands closed beneath her bum, a harmless act to keep her from falling. “It’s not pity, Quinn…it’s
love.”
Again, his straight to the point words caught her off guard, leaving her speechless.
But the silence got too loud and ufortable that she had to break it. “Back on the meeting grounds,
why did you allow them to tie you up like that? I’ve heard the tales of how you became alpha king, so
seeing you like that was surprising.”
“I allowed them to do so because I didn’t want to destroy your home. At least I thought so while I stood
on that podiumst night, but now, I regret not ripping Jeovanni’s head off, I regret not murdering at
least half of the people who stood there that night.”
“I’m d you didn’t…regardless of everything, they are still my family.”
Silence settled between them again, but it wasn’t dense, and it wasn''t ufortable or awkward. It
was alright.
As Quinn looked forward at the woods, she dived back into her thoughts. She wasn’t the Quinn she
used to be, but she’d work towards that Quinn.
She’d fix her broken self and be who she wanted to be. She’d find herself because right now, she was
too lost and helpless…and too dependent.
She needed her strength back…only that way she could again be able to depend solely on herself.
..And to do that, she really needed his help.
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