Miles Sherman didnât deny it. "Yeah."
Erin Xavier was stunned for a moment by the answer, then deliberately raised his voice. "Zoe, did you hear that? Iâve fallen out of favor. Youâre Milesâs favorite now."
How could Zoe Pierce not hear it? That "yeah" from Miles Sherman wasnât his usual breathy murmur; it was firm and resonant, impossible to ignore.
It was like a declaration.
And Erin Xavierâs words only emphasized it.
Zoe Pierce felt a surge of embarrassed anger. She turned around and snapped, "Shut up, you."
âAs if his own teasing wasnât enough, now he had to drag someone else into it.â
âThe Erin Xavier of this moment was nothing like the well-behaved boy he was when we were alone.â
Erin Xavier felt a little helpless. Zoe Pierce hadnât picked up on the subtext of his words at all.
Miles Sherman was so obviously protective of her. He had clearly calculated the timing and understood something.
After so many relationships, heâd thought Zoe Pierce would have learned by now that Alphas only have one thing on their mind when it comes to Omegas.
They all wanted to sink their teeth into her glands, crush her lips, and possess her delicate body.
He had thought Miles Sherman might be an exception, but now it seemed no one could escape it.
Fortunately, it was cold enough outside that Erin Xavier didnât make any more shocking statements, and the flush on Zoe Pierceâs face gradually subsided.
This kind of tacit handover between Alphas began and ended in silence.
Zoe Pierce soon noticed that Miles Sherman, who had been walking up ahead with Nathan Lockwood, was now beside her.
The distance between them had suddenly closed, more so than ever before.
His presence was stronger than sheâd imagined. Even though they werenât touching, she could feel a wave of heat coming from behind her.
Miles Sherman seemed to notice Zoe Pierceâs tension and discreetly put a little more distance between them.
When Zoe Pierce noticed and glanced back, she saw a faint smile in his eyes.
âHeâs always like this,â she thought. âQuietly kind, never causing trouble for anyone.â
Her heart felt like it had been squeezed. Her earlier embarrassment gave way to a slight pang of sorrow.
âI shouldnât treat him like this.â
All the way until they boarded their Mechas, Miles Sherman showed no outward reaction, unlike Erin Xavier.
When they reached the Glacier Zone, just as they had arranged, Zoe Pierce boarded Miles Shermanâs Mecha.
It wasnât her first time riding in Miles Shermanâs Mecha, but it was the first time under such official-seeming circumstances.
She watched as Miles Sherman switched off several communication systems, then turned to her. "Zoe, are you afraid of me?"
"Huh?" Zoe Pierce was taken aback by the question and quickly shook her head. "No, of course not."
"Why would you ask that?"
He had turned off the comms system, so Zoe Pierce felt bold enough to ask freely.
âHow could I ever be afraid of Miles Sherman?â
âHeâs the last person I should be afraid of.â
Miles Shermanâs expression relaxed. He started up the Mecha and said at a leisurely pace, "I saw you avoiding me earlier."
âSo he did notice.â
Zoe Pierce quickly explained, "No, itâs just... what Erin Xavier said earlier... I felt a little embarrassed..."
Miles Sherman said softly, "As long as thatâs all it was."
"I was worried I had caused you trouble."
"After all, my feelings for you are one-sided. I know it might bother you, but I still donât want to give up."
These were things Miles Sherman had long wanted to say.
Without a doubt, this was the perfect moment.
After her experiences with the three men, Zoe Pierce could now accept the fact that they all liked her.
But Miles Sherman was usually the most reserved of them all. For him to say something like this left Zoe Pierce speechless; he was expressing his feelings with utter seriousness.
Zoe Pierce let out a breath and leaned back in her seat next to the pilotâs. "You all say Iâm wonderful, but sometimes, I donât know whatâs so wonderful about me that youâre all willing to swallow your pride like this."
They were all top-tier Alphas. They could have any Omega they wanted.
And yet, they were all trying every trick in the book to get her to agree to one relationship after another.
A glimpse of her initial intimacy with Nathan Lockwood had been seen; her heated night with Chase Shaw had been witnessed by Erin Xavier; and thatâs not even mentioning what had happened between her and Erin Xavier at her house.
She didnât believe they couldnât see or understand what was happening.
But even after all that, they all still chose to stay.
Even Miles Sherman, right now, showed no signs of being bothered by her intimacy with the others.
âIt shouldnât be this way, should it?â
She lowered her head slightly, exposing her slender neck.
Miles Sherman reached out and cupped the back of her head. "Zoe, itâs because we all know youâre a soft-hearted person. Weâre the ones who should be sorry. Weâre the ones forcing the issue."
"Forcing you to love us."
"But now, itâs my time. So Iâm the one being demanding, begging you to love me."
He soothed her as if petting a cat, but his words made Zoe Pierce bite her lip.
Everyone was desperate for her love.
And it just so happened that she truly seemed to have fallen for each of them. Miles Shermanâs confession and tenderness were like a spring breezeâgentle, unhurried, and placing no burden on her.
"Zoe, okay?"
A gentle, yet firm, question.
How could anyone have the heart to refuse?
Zoe Pierce looked up at him, her voice just as gentle. "Okay."
The Glacier Zone truly lived up to its reputation as a specially chosen location. Just a few minutes after the Mecha took off, a blizzard descended, filling the air with swirling snow. Everything in sight was a blanket of white.
In just a few moments, Miles Sherman determined that it was impossible to fly the Mecha here.
"The snowfall is too dense. The mountain ahead wonât take much to trigger an avalanche," he said over the comms.
If all four Mechas were to fly, the immense disturbance would trigger an avalanche directly.
Besides, the snow was now so heavy that visibility was less than five meters, making it difficult to even move forward.
"Miles, I suggest we wait for the storm to pass before proceeding," Nathan Lockwood said.
Miles Sherman looked up. "Copy that. I agree with the suggestion."
"Find a leeward spot to take shelter."
Amidst the vast expanse of white, the four towering Mechas advanced slowly. They finally found two adjacent rock formations and leaned against them.
Suddenly, there was nothing to do but watch the snow swirl.
Just as Zoe Pierce was about to say something, she saw Miles Sherman turn off the comms again.
Then he looked at her. "Zoe, want to give it a try? You can pilot next."
"There are no cameras inside the Mecha. No one will know itâs you."
His words were like Adam tempting Eve with the apple.
Zoe Pierce was shamefully tempted.
Her heart began to race. She looked at him uneasily, as if to ask, âIs this really okay?â
But Miles Sherman was even more direct. He disconnected his link to the Mecha, then rose from the pilotâs seat, bending over to make room for Zoe Pierce.
Zoe Pierce bit her lip and grabbed him. "Donât move."
Miles Sherman sat back down, but his brow furrowed.
But then Zoe Pierce pursed her lips, as if sheâd figured something out. She stood up from her seat, steadied herself with his hand, and slipped into his embrace, landing squarely on his lap.
"This way, if something unexpected happens, I can get back quickly..."
Zoe Pierce knew the position was intimate, but what she said was also a genuine concern. Swapping seats was too much trouble; if she had to scramble back to her own seat, it would take less than ten seconds from here.
With the slender, long-dreamed-of Omega suddenly in his arms, Miles Sherman inevitably lost his focus for a moment.
Her explanation didnât register. He just subconsciously reached out and grasped her waist.