Chapter 133
Athena’s POV
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Tristan Hayes, I said through gritted teeth. “If you dare try that thing you’re about to do.”
I heard him giggle playfully, the sound so carefree and boyish that it caught me completely off guard.
‘I’ll never do anything unless you ask me to. I was just practicing,” he said with that mischievous grin that used to make my heart skip beats when we
were teenagers.
I pushed him away, not knowing whether I should be angry or amused by his behavior. “You’re not a child, Tristan. Grow up.”
I started walking away from him, needing space to think clearly, but he caught my arm and pulled me back against his chest. The contact sent electricity shooting through my entire body, and I hated how my treacherous heart responded to his touch.
‘I don’t care, Ath. I don’t mind being a child for the rest of my life, as long as you get to love me,” he said, his voice soft and sincere.
I looked at him with what I hoped was an annoyed expression, though I wasn’t sure I was pulling it off convincingly. “It’s not that easy, Tristan. You can’t just walk in here and tell me you love me and expect me to jump into your arms.”
“I know, and that’s exactly why I said I’ll make sure I win your heart properly. I don’t want you to go easy on me. Tell me you love me only when I’ve
truly earned it, Ath.”
His words should have made me happy. This was everything I’d dreamed of hearing for years. But instead of joy, I felt something else entirely.
“But I don’t love you,” I said, throwing his exact words back at him. “I only see you as a brother, as Orion’s best friend, and that’s all we can ever be.”
I watched him wince as I repeated the painful words he’d said to me so many times over the years. Part of me felt satisfied seeing him experience that
same sting of rejection.
‘I was such an terrible person who doesn’t deserve your love and forgiveness. I know that, and I’m sorry,” he said quietly.
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I wanted to tell him it was okay, that we should start over fresh, this time not as siblings but as something more. The words were right there on my tongue, begging to be spoken.
But he’d asked me not to go easy on him, and I definitely wouldn’t. Let’s see if he’d get tired and give up, or change his mind tomorrow like he had so many times before.
‘It’s okay, I’ve forgiven you, but I have someone else now,” I said, testing his resolve.
Til steal you away from him. I know Derek is my friend, but let’s be realistic here. He has nothing on me,” Tristan replied with a confidence that was both infuriating and attractive.
“Would you really do that?” I asked, raising my eyebrows. “Would you actually take your friend’s girlfriend?”
‘I need you to understand this, Ath. Ile said with a serious look and tone.
“You’re mine. You’ve always been mine. I was just too stupid and slow to realize it. So I’m not taking his girl. I’m taking my girl. My…”
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Chapter 133
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I raised my hand to stop him because I knew exactly what he was about to say, and I wasn’t sure I was ready to hear him call me that word. Not yet.
He walked toward me and took my hands, placing them flat against his chest. His heart was pounding so hard I could feel it through his shirt, and there was something else there too. Something wild and excited that could only be his wolf.
“Do you feel it?‘ he asked softly.
Yes, I could feel everything. His racing heartbeat, his wolf practically vibrating with excitement, the warmth of his skin through the thin fabric of his
shirt. But I wasn’t ready to admit that.
“Feel what?” I asked instead, playing dumb.
“Liar,” I heard him say, but his lips hadn’t moved.
I shot my eyes up to meet his, confused. “What did you just say?”
“I didn’t say that out loud,” he replied with a knowing smile.
“Say what?”
Liar.‘ I didn’t speak it, but you heard it clearly, didn’t you?”
Yes, I had heard it, loud and clear, like he was speaking directly inside my head.
‘Loud and clear,‘ he repeated, mimicking my thoughts with that same smile.
“You’re invading my privacy, Tristan,” I complained, though secretly the thought of communicating with just him through our minds felt thrilling in a way I didn’t want to examine too closely.
“Can you hear all my thoughts?” I asked, suddenly worried about what else he might be picking up from my mind.
He shook his head. “Not all of them. Only the ones meant for me.”
“Are you saying that if I think something directed at you, you’ll hear it?”
He nodded. “That’s how the mate bond works, Ath. But ours is different, and it’s terrifying at the same time. I still can’t figure out why, but I will.”
I wanted to ask why it terrified him, but before I could, a yawn escaped me. The emotional exhaustion of the evening was finally catching up with me.
“You need to leave. I’m tired. We can talk about all of this later. Right now, I just want to sleep,” I said, rubbing my eyes.
He nodded understanding and leaned down to kiss the top of my head before walking toward the door. ‘Good night, Ath.”
As I shut and locked the door behind him, I couldn’t help but replay everything that had happened. Tristan confessing his feelings, the way it had all played out.
I’d always envisioned this moment in my head, dreamed about it countless times over the years. I’d thought it would be a day filled with so much joy that I wouldn’t be able to sleep. But right now, I just felt… empty. Confused and not excited like I thought I should be.
After hearing the man I’d loved since I was a teenager finally say the words I’d dreamed of hearing, I expected to be over the moon. But here I was, feeling nothing but a strange numbness.
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Chapter 133
Don’t get me wrong, I still felt something for him. I couldn’t think straight whenever he was close to me or when he touched me. My body still responded to him in ways I couldn’t control.
But something was different. Maybe I didn’t love him as intensely as I had years ago. Maybe it had just been a crush all along. Or maybe my heart and mind had simply gotten tired of the constant back and forth between us.
I knew Claire was excited about the development. She’d been practically purring ever since he’d tried to marked us. So the problem had to be with me.
Was I falling out of love with Tristan? And if I was, would he be able to make me love him again the way I used to?
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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.
