Chapter 335 Here  

~ ZEV ~

Zev's heart wanted to shatter into a thousand pieces, shards that would tinkle to the floor and stick in his skin when he was forced to walk over them.

He cleared his throat and forced himself to calm down.

"I would never ask you to return to the human world," Zev said with quiet authority to the female that was staring at him, her eyes pleading. "This is your home. You're here and we're going to protect you. Please, rest. We won't send you back. Ever."

The female began to cry, but she smiled and thanked him. Zev shook his head.

The females thought he'd made them go to the human world? Was that how the team had convinced them?

Suddenly all the things he'd considered that had driven those days three years ago looked different. Was it possible the team had truly convinced the females that he'd called for them to be taken?

The thought turned his stomach.

Rage simmered in his chest, but Zev forced himself to focus. He couldn't solve those problems right now. Right now they needed to get all the females to safety. As far from the Gateway as possible. If this female was able to travel she needed to be out with the others. If she wasn't, they needed to send someone for a litter and transport her to the medical building. He wasn't sure how quickly any healers would get out there.

He spent a few more minutes organizing the trembling guards—the realization hitting him that the females really were returning to Thana!—and headed back out to start his search for Sasha in a more methodical way. He had to be certain.

But fifteen minutes later, having woven his way through the entire crowd gathering outside under Kyelle's eyes—and noting the tension between her and Lhars—and scanning the few that were still milling around near the opening of the cave, he had to accept that she wasn't there.

He needed to lead. He needed to get these females moving back to the City. But his head just kept screaming for Sasha, that gap in his chest hollow and aching as if a cold wind blew through it.

"Anyone else?" he asked the guards at the Gateway again.

They all shook their heads. "No one for the last five minutes."

Which was apparently three minutes longer than they'd had for the past hour or more. He thanked the male and was about to turn back, to force himself to find a way to help the females start moving towards the village when the gateway flashed in his peripheral vision—the sign of someone moving out of it.

Zev whirled, Sasha's name on his lips. But the bond didn't light up.

Instead, Zev found Nick, trembling and staring at the guards, a bag slung over his shoulder. When his gaze caught on Zev, his face lit up, eyes wide and smile beaming.

"Zev!"

He dropped the bag to the ground and rushed forward, throwing his arms around Zev, the black suit he wore that matched Zev's making his blue eyes look even brighter.

"Zev! I can't believe it! You're safe! Thank God!"

Zev stood frozen as the man he'd thought of as a father for most of his life squeezed him in an embrace, rubbing his back and laughing. "It's so good to see you! Did the females all make it? There should be fifty-eight in total, plus Patty and Sasha—"

"What are you doing here?" Zev growled, stepping out of Nick's arms.

Nick blinked and went still. "I'm here to help you guys… didn't Sasha tell you?"

Zev felt his entire body go rigid with a wave of rage and disgust. Then he grabbed Nick by the front of his suit, twisting it in his fist and pulling the man to his tiptoes. "Where the fuck is she, Nick?"

"I—who? Sasha? She's here. She has to be. She came through before I did—she was dying to get back to you!"

"LIAR!" Zev roared and shoved Nick back, hard against the wall just to the right of the Gateway.

Nick's hands came up in defense. "Zev, no, I'm not lying, she's coming—"

Zev growled at Nick, reminding himself that this man was no longer the one in control. No longer held the upper hand. He shook Nick, desperate to beat him senseless, but aware of the already shaken females all around. Then again, maybe they'd see Nick's murder as a plus?

"Zev! Stop! Listen!"

"You fucking coward—"

"No! Please—she's coming, she must be behind me—"

"I'm going to kill you, you motherfucking liar. What did you do to her?!"

"Zev, I'm serious—fuck!" He ducked as Zev feinted right, then swung an uppercut to his jaw that Nick only just managed to dodge so it glanced off his ear. "You can't hurt me, Zev! If I disappear the team will come through and take her!"

"THEY ALREADY HAVE HER YOU FUCKER—" Zev grabbed Nick's arms that the man held up to defend his face and chest, yanking him forward, then throwing him back into the wall.

Nick groaned as his head bounced off the rock. "No…" he mumbled, covering his head in his hands and arms and curling forward, bringing a leg up to guard against Zev's right kick. "No, I'm not lying, Zev, please—"

Zev was holding Nick in place so he couldn't escape and was about to bring his knee up to the asshole's face when that space at the center of his chest suddenly bloomed to life, as if the sun had just risen inside the cave.

He sucked in a breath and whirled, to find Sasha stepping out of the Gateway, pale and panting, looking like she might cry. But her face lit up when she saw him.

"Zev?! Zev!" She threw herself across the few feet between them.

Nick muttered, "See, I told you."

Zev gaped. "Sasha?" The words were barely a whisper on his lips.

"Oh, Zev, thank God." She rushed forward, but Zev was faster, practically tackling her, taking her off her feet, and pulling her into his chest. His chest that throbbed with the aching, fizzing bond, now overflowing with warmth and thrill.

Thank you, God. She was back.

Thank you, God.

Thank you.