The door clicked shut behind Nate, and the air shifted immediately.
Max stepped in front of me–not possessively, not aggressively, just instinctively. His body moved like it had done it a thousand times before, as if shielding me from Nate was as natural as breathing. I reached out, lightly touching his wrist silently telling him I was okay. His shoulders tensed beneath my fingers.
Nate stood there gaze steady, lips pressed into a tight line. He didn’t speak, not right away. He didn’t need to. The tension between them was already louder than any words could’ve been.
my voice
stepped around Max before things could get worse. “Nate,” I said softly, but even I could hear how strained my
He didn’t look at me.
His eyes stayed locked on Max
7 was wondering where you disappeared to this morning,” he said finally, the corners of his lips twitching like he was trying -and falling–to keep his tone neutral. “Guess I have my answer.”
Max’s hands flexed at his sides. “I don’t owe you an explanation.
“No.” Nate said, finally turning his eyes to me. “But she does.”
My stomach twisted. I hadn’t prepared for this. For both of them in the same room. For Max after everything I’d said. For Nate after everything I hadn’t
I opened my mouth, but the words refused to come. My throat was dry. My thoughts jumbled.
Max turned slightly toward me, still standing close, and I could feel his eyes on me even before he spoke.
“Did you call him?” he asked quietly. Not accusing Just asking
It felt like a punch to the gut.
“No.” I breathed “I didn’t. I was on my way to find him when you found me.”
Max nodded once, his expression unreadable again.
“Great” Nate muttered under his breath, stepping farther into the room like he couldn’t take standing still any longer. “So I was just the backup plan. Good to know.”
this is
“Nate, stop,” I said, forcing myself to meet his gaze. “That’s not what this is.”
“Then tell me what it is, Jiselle.” His voice cracked slightly, “Because right now it looks like you’re giving the man who tried to rip me in half a second chance.”
“Don’t tempt me” Max muttered under his breath, and Nate laughed–a bitter, sharp sound.
“Try me, Laker. I dare you.”
“Both of you stop!” I snapped, stepping between them again. My palms were shaking, heart beating like it was trying to escape my chest. “This isn’t about either of you.”
Nate arched a brow. “Isn’t it?”
“No” I snapped again, louder this time. “This is about me. It’s always been about me. The mate bond. The lies. The secrets The fucking school. I’m the one stuck in the middle of something I don’t understand. And all either of you can do is act like I’m a prize to be won or a possession to protect.”
Mar’s eyes flinched at that, and Nate looked away completely.
I swallowed, forcing the tears back.
I was wrong for getting mad at Max, not after all I put him through. “I’m sorry.” I sighed. “I don’t want to seem ungrateful for a second chance but please don’t fight with Nate”
“Tell him not to fight with me” Max growled, his eyes now t trained on Nate. “He’s the one who barged in here like it’s his
“I know and I’m sorry to be putting you through this I didn’t ask for any of this, I continued, quieter now. “I didn’t ask to be mated to someone who didn’t want me I didn‘ some ancient prophecy or power structure or Successfully unlocked! in this school
then I wasn’t ready. I didn’t ask to be part of
The Silence that followed was suffocating
Mar looked down at the floor, his jaw clenched Nate looked like he wanted to say something, but couldn’t. “Look” I said after a moment, “I don’t know what I’m supposed to do. I don’t know how to fix this. But I’m trying
Chapter45
Nate moved first. He stepped forward slowly, every inch of him still tense. But when he spoke, his voice w was softer. “I didn’t come here to fight you, Jiselle. I came here because I heard what happened about the note you got. I was on my way to find you and your scent was all over the damn hallway–it has been days since that happened and I just knew where you were. I lost it.”
“How did you hear about the note?” I asked, and his jaw tensed but said nothing.
Right.
“Out of everything I said…”
Max tensed beside me, his body going rigid again.
Nate glanced at him. “And because I knew he’s still obsessed with you… My wolf
“For once don’t blame Ethan or your wolf, Nathaniel, I huffed, “Please.”
He sighed. “Fine… I moved out of instinct. I wanted to be the one you chose.”
“Too late,” Max growled, then smirked. There was a distinct look in his eyes that I couldn’t quite place or recognize either. It scared me a bit. “Again.”
“Again,” Nate echoed, shaking his head. That’s the thing, isn’t it? You never really chose a side. You just tethered on the edge.”
“That’s not fair,” I snapped.
“Isn’t it? Think about it.” Nate’s eyes met mine again, and this time they weren’t angry. Just tired. “You had me. You chose to train with me, even when I knew you went to him every night–even when I lost hope and believed that you’d never be mine, you never really chose because you never stopped seeing me. You had him. Then you kept secrets. Now we’re all here–bleeding for you, hurting for you–and you still can’t decide what you want.”
His words weren’t harsh but true, and kind of pissed me off too. He had some nerve–acting like he was the most willing participant from the start.
How dare he do this now?
Yet, I felt like I couldn’t breathe.
“You told me you couldn’t accept me because of some stupid promise to my brother. You pushed me away. You, Nathaniel. Not me.”
Max’s hand brushed mine again, grounding me. And I hated that I needed it.
“Just reject him and be done with it, Jiselle,” Max said, sounding frustrated. “We don’t need this right now.”
Fear flashed in his eyes for a quick moment before he quickly masked it
“She won’t,” he said confidently.
“Won’t you?” Max asked with a certain edge to his tone that made my heart break. “I… I-
“Jiselle,” Max growled with a warning in his tone.
“I didn’t know-
“Yes, I pushed you away and I was an ass even when you came back to me. But I was afraid and stupid,” “Jizelle
Max growled again. “Reject him.”
I stepped back bit, until I was far away enough from both of them not to do anything I would regret.
“I’m not trying to hurt either of you, I whispered
“But you will have to,” Nate said.
“I know” I turned to Max. “And I’m sorry.”
He didn’t say anything
I turned back to Nate. “And I’m sorry to you, too”
He nodded once, a sharp movement. “Good. Then maybe it’s tim
My heart stopped.
“What?”
He looked at Max I’m not going to fight you for her”
Max’s eyes narrowed. “Good. Because you’d lose ”
it’s time you made a choice.”
Nate ignored him. I’m not going to compete. I’ve already done that once in my life, and I lost.”
I frowned. “Nate-”
“No” he said. “It’s okay. I know what I feel. I know what you feel. But you’re not ready to face it, and that’s on me for no
Chapter 45
giving you what you needed. And I’m sorry.”
He turned to the door, paused, then glanced over his shoulder.
“But I already know your choice. So do you. You just have to tell him.”
And then he left.
I stood there, frozen, staring at the empty space where he’d been.
Max didn’t move either.
That arrogant, self–serving, audacious son of a-
“Well.” Max sighed.
I turned to him, my voice small. “I don’t know what to say.”
“Then don’t,” he said, and something in his tone softened. “You already said enough.”
I closed the distance between us slowly. “Do you believe me? That I love you?”
He nodded. “Yeah. I just don’t know if that’s going to be enough.” He sighed as if he was in pain. “Because you love him too. A lump formed in my throat.
“But we can try.” I didn’t deny it. He told me to stop lying to him.
He hesitated.
Then nodded again. “We can try.”
I leaned into him, resting my forehead against his chest, and he wrapped his arms around me slowly. Carefully. But he didn‘ t embrace me fully
“But you have to reject him, Jiselle. It’s my only condition.”
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