Nasya's POV
"He actually stood up for you like that?! Austin never once defended you this publicly!" Matilda's voice rang through my mind with barely contained excitement, her tone dancing between shock and admiration. "I have to admit...that was unexpectedly attractive of him!"
"Was it?" I responded coolly, my fingers absently tracing the edge of my sleeve where the protective suit had left faint creases in the fabric. The memory of Zayn's commanding presence in front of his pack still sent subtle vibrations through my chest, though I refused to acknowledge them.
"Absolutely! Don't you see? This is different from before!" Matilda insisted, her mental voice taking on that particular lilt she got when imagining romantic possibilities. "Maybe he's starting to regret how he treated you. Maybe he—"
"He regrets it, all right. But not for the reason you think."
