I gave him a mock salute as I left the study, but as I walked down the corridor, my thoughts returned to Scarlett.
Zane's POV
As the door closed behind Kent, I leaned back in my chair, my mind thinking of everything that had just been said. The mate bond with Scarlett, Rhylie's outburst, and Kent's return, I was glad to have Kent back, it has been hell working without my beta
"You're thinking about rejecting her, "
Dalton growled in the back of my mind, his presence in my head was beginning to annoy me these days, Scarlett this, Scarlett that, "Don't even consider it. "
I clenched my jaw, shutting him out. I wasn't ready to deal with Dalton's nagging today. The bond with Scarlett was already messing with my head, pulling me in directions I wasn't sure I wanted to go. But Dalton wasn't wrong. The idea of rejecting her, of severing the bond after everything... It didn't sit well with me.
But I couldn't afford to think about that right now. There were too many other things at play: the curse, Rhylie, the pack. And Scarlett...
I rubbed my temples, the pressure building behind my eyes. For now, I had to focus on what was in front of me. The curse needed to be broken, and Scarlett was the key to that. No matter what else happened, that had to be my priority.
Kent's POV
I made my way down the corridor, heading back to my quarters, my thoughts were a tangled mess. Scarlett. She was beautiful, yes. But there was more to it than that.
There was a strength in her, a fire that had shone the moment I saw her standing up to Rhylie. She wasn't like the others. She was... different. I shook my head, trying to push the thoughts away. It didn't matter.
Scarlett was Zane's mate. And yet...I caught sight of her up ahead, standing by the window,
staring out into the night. .She's indeed beautiful, I thought to myself, my heart pounding faster than I wanted to admit. Wouldn't be a bad idea to make her mine.
" You wish, Lucas, my wolf" scoffed in the back of my mind, his voice filled with sarcasm. She's Zane's mate. I know, I muttered, pushing Lucas's voice aside. But as I watched Scarlett from a distance, I decided to approach her
Now's as good a time as any, I thought, making my way over.
" I don'tbelieve we've been properly introduced," I said as I approached, my voice calm
She turned toward me, her eyes looking at mine, sharp and full of curiosity. " I'm Kent, Zane's beta."
Her lips curled into a faint smile, though her posture didn't change "Scarlett. I've heard a lot about you, actually nothing about you"
I raised an eyebrow, leaning casually against the stone wall beside her. "well seems like Zane forgot about me"
"seems like," she replied, her voice light, but there was a spark behind her eyes. "You don't strike me as someone who cares what people say."
I chuckled softly. "You're not wrong there. I've always been more interested in what people "do"
Her gaze looked back to the window for a moment before staring back at me again. " I haven't seen you around before."
"Just got back," I said, my voice softening. " I was away... taking care of personal matters."
Scarlett arched an eyebrow, intrigued. " Personal matters?"
I hesitated for a moment, the memory of my mate's burial still fresh in my mind. " I was burying my mate in her hometown. She passed away recently."
Her eyes softened, and I saw the expected reaction of understanding there. " I'm sorry for your loss."
I nodded, grateful for her words. "Thank you. It wasn't easy, but it's done now. Life has to move forward."
There was a moment of silence between us
"The goddess works in mysterious ways," Scarlett said, her voice thoughtful, almost distant. " It seems we're both caught in her web."
"Seems like it," I agreed, studying her more closely.
"So," I began, breaking the silence, "Zane told me about the whole revenge and curse stuff, the goddess mark you have, and all that." I said, "Seems like you've got a lot on your plate."
She let out a soft laugh, though there was a hint of bitterness in it. " Revenge has a way of making everything else seem... insignificant."
I raised an eyebrow, leaning in just a bit. " Insignificant, huh? I don't know. You don't strike me as the type to let anything slip by unnoticed."
Her eyes met mine again, sharp. "You're pretty bold, aren't you?"
" I've been told that," I replied with a grin. " But I'd say you're bold yourself"
Scarlett's smile was faint, but it didn't reach her eyes. " Bold or foolish depends on who you ask."
"Well," I said, straightening up, "if you ever need someone to talk to who's not caught up in the mate bond … , revenge and curse whatever I'm around."
Her gaze softened just a little, though the sadness never fully left her voice. " I think I can handle myself, Kent."
" I don't doubt that," I replied, my smile never leaving my face " But it doesn't hurt to have allies."
Scarlett stared at me for a long time, her smile returning. "We'll see."
I nodded, sensing the conversation was nearing its end. I had said what I wanted to say, but I couldn't deny that I was intrigued by her. There was a lot more to Scarlett than just a woman seeking revenge, and I intended to figure out exactly what that was.
I turned to leave, I threw one last glance over my shoulder. " By the way, welcome to the pack."
She didn't respond immediately, but I saw the faintest smile as I walked away.