CHAPTER 34

ZAYN CARTER

I leaned against a tree, arms crossed, watching her like she was some kind of illusion.

Ari, standing there in the middle of the forest, hair loose and wild, her body still from whatever the hell she had just pulled off.

The same damn moves I'd just watched in the Goddess's highlight reel.

My mind refused to piece it together, but my gut? My gut was screaming that this wasn't a coincidence.

She exhaled sharply, pushing a few strands of hair from her face before fixing me with an unimpressed look. "Are you seriously stalking me now?"

I didn't say anything. Just kept watching her.

Ari groaned, rubbing her temples. "Okay, what?"

I took a slow step forward, eyes narrowing. "Where'd you learn to move like that?"

She blinked, her expression giving away nothing. "Like what?"

I let out a dry chuckle. "Oh, don't play dumb, Ari. Those were her moves." I jerked my chin toward the phone in my pocket. "The exact ones. You think I wouldn't notice?"

She rolled her eyes. "Zayn, I think you need some sleep. You're hallucinating."

"Bullshit."

She sighed, looking up at the night sky like she was this close to losing her patience. "I saw the fight earlier, okay? I was bored, so I tried copying some moves. That's all."

I stared at her. "Copying?"

"Yeah." She shrugged. "Is that a crime?"

I clenched my jaw. That explanation made sense. *Too much sense.* But still, the way she had executed it... there was no hesitation, no awkwardness. Just precision.

"You did it exactly like her."

"I'm just good at picking things up."

I didn't buy it.

But at the same time, what the hell was I supposed to do? Call her bluff with no actual proof?

Ari held my gaze, calm and unwavering, like she knew I was fighting with myself. Then, after a few more beats of silence, she scoffed and muttered, "You really think I'm Goddess? Me?"

I stayed quiet.

She snorted, shaking her head. "Yeah, right. You've seen her fights. She's strong as hell. Built like she was made for this." She gestured at herself. "Do I look like that to you?"

My gaze flicked over her before I could stop myself. Slim, but toned. Strong, but not in a way that was obvious. It was deceptive strength, the kind that didn't need to be flashy to be deadly.

I clenched my jaw again.

She was good. At lying, at making me second-guess what I had just seen.

But I wasn't completely convinced.

Ari smirked. "Come on, Zayn. You really think I've been running off at night fighting underground battles and nobody found out?"

I exhaled through my nose, shaking my head. "You're annoying."

She grinned. "And you're paranoid."

I didn't respond. Just turned away, heading back toward the camp.

I could let it go for now.

But something told me this wasn't over.