Chapter 105
Athena’s POV
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Over the next few days, I threw myself into the mission of creating a home from nothing.
It was harder than I’d expected. I’d never realized how many little things went into making a place livable until I was standing in an empty apartment with a notepad, trying to remember if I needed a can opener or already had one. The truth was, I had nothing. Daxon had made sure of that when I left.
Sarah and Leah both volunteered to help, and I couldn’t bring myself to say no. Having their company made the overwhelming task feel more manageable, and their excitement about my independence was infectious.
We spent hours wandering through furniture stores and home goods shops, debating the merits of different coffee makers and whether I really needed matching dish towels.
“You absolutely need matching towels, Leah insisted, holding up a set in sage green. “It’s the little touches that make a place feel like
home.”
Sarah laughed, shifting her purse to her other shoulder. ‘Leah, she’s starting fresh, not staging a magazine shoot.”
“There’s nothing wrong with wanting things to look nice, Leah shot back, but she was grinning.
I found myself smiling too, something that had been happening more often lately. These women had become such unexpected blessings in my life, filling spaces I hadn’t even realized were empty.
Tristan and Orion helped when they could, though their idea of assistance usually involved carrying heavy things and arguing about
the best way to arrange furniture.
I couldn’t get everything I wanted because of the short timeline, but I managed to gather the essentials. A bed, a small couch, a
kitchen table, basic cookware, and enough clothes and toiletries to get by.
Everything was delivered to Orion’s house to wait until I got my keys, creating a small mountain of boxes in his garage that made Lily
ask if we they moving too.
The whole process made me realize just how much I’d lost. Not just material things, but the simple freedom to choose what color my coffee mug would be or whether I wanted blackout curtains or sheer ones. I was starting completely over, and while that was terrifying, it
was also oddly liberating.
I even realized I needed a car. I’d been relying on Tristan for transportation for so long that I’d forgotten what it felt like to be able to go somewhere on my own schedule. But I pushed that worry to the back of my mind. One major life change at a time.
Friday morning arrived with a mixture of clouds and nervous energy coursing through my veins. When the landlord handed me the keys, they felt heavier than they should have, weighted with possibility and responsibility.
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“This is really happening,” I whispered to myself as I stood in the doorway of my empty apartment.
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Within an hour, the place was bustling with activity. Leah, Sarah, and I worked on unpacking and arranging while the men handled
the heavier furniture. I tried to help them as much as possible, but they kept insisting I direct rather than lift.
“Just tell us where you want things, Orion said, easily carrying a bookshelf that had taken three of us to get out of the delivery truck.
“This is your space. You’re in charge.”
That phrase kept echoing in my head. I was in charge. Of my space, my choices, my life. It was a foreign concept that I was still
learning to embrace.
The boys had also insisted on covering the first few months of rent and utilities, despite my protests.
“Think of it as a housewarming gift, Tristan had said when I tried to argue. “You’ve already taken the big step of getting your own
place. Let us help with this part.”
I wanted to be completely independent, but I also had to be practical. I didn’t have enough saved to cover everything yet, and accepting their help didn’t negate the progress I was making. I was still moving forward, just with a safety net.
Tristan and I had been carefully cordial over the past few days, like we’d made an unspoken agreement to pretend that night had never happened. We were polite, functional, and completely surface–level in all our interactions.
I told myself I didn’t care. I was too busy figuring out who I was as an individual to worry about complicated feelings or relationships
with the opposite sex.
But sometimes I caught him watching me when he thought I wasn’t looking, and something in his expression made my chest tight in
a way I couldn’t quite ignore.
“I saw a total hunk when I was coming in earlier, Leah announced, breaking me out of my thoughts. She was arranging books on the shelf with more enthusiasm than the task really required. “Is he your neighbor?”
I raised an eyebrow, confused. ‘What do you mean?”
“When I was carrying in that box of kitchen stuff, I saw this incredibly handsome guy in the hallway. If I wasn’t about to have my mating ceremony, I would have made him my second chance mate,” she said, practically swooning.
“I haven’t seen anyone yet,” I replied with a shrug. ‘Maybe he lives nearby.”
Honestly, I didn’t have time for men, especially not handsome ones. In my experience, the more attractive they were, the more dangerous they tended to be. Daxon had been handsome too, in the beginning.
“You’re really lucky,” Leah continued, her voice taking on a dreamy quality. “What I wouldn’t give to have a man like that as my next-
door neighbor.”
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The way she said it made me laugh despite myself. “I thought your mating ceremony was in a few weeks?”
“It is,” Sarah chimed in with a smile. “Shouldn’t you be focused on your own mate?”
“Yes, but this guy is…” Leah gave us a look that was pure feminine appreciation, making Sarah and me exchange glances and shake
our heads.
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“Let her fantasize,” Sarah said with a grin. “I’m sure my Athena doesn’t have eyes or space for anyone else right now anyway.”
I looked at her, surprised by the comment. What did she mean by that? Did she suspect something about my feelings for Tristan? No,
that was impossible.
There was nothing to suspect because I didn’t have feelings for Tristan anymore. I’d moved past that.
“Is there someone you like?‘ Leah asked with a teasing voice.
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
