Chapter 004

1299 Words
Chapter 004 Tristan’s Point of View I closed the bathroom door and released a deep breath. While I brushed my teeth, my thoughts repeatedly returned to the argument with Freya. Her rage had developed over numerous years of layered resentment that stacked against every frustrating incident. All around me I felt the world disintegrating at its seams. She was my sister, my family. I should have supported her, but instead I felt like I let her down. How was she unable to understand the importance Lila held in my life? The perpetual defense I issued on Lila’s behalf to Freya, my parents, and even Magnus had reached the point of complete exhaustion for me. Everyone seemed to have their own thoughts about my decisions because they believed they knew better than I did. The noise of Fenrir's growl invaded my thoughts, creating an interruption. From the beginning he expressed his true feelings about Lila. Why is it impossible for you to ever support my decisions? I scrubbed my toothbrush with unnecessary force while muttering under my breath. “You’re my wolf. You should be supporting me. Fenrir huffed in response. Your judgment would be clear if she hadn’t manipulated you. Tristan, she’s not your mate. You need to face the truth. If she were, I’d feel it too. But I don’t.” I spat into the sink and rinsed my mouth before I answered him. “You’re wrong. She demonstrates kindness and love throughout our entire shared lifetime. I’d know if she was lying.” The vibration of his growl traveled through my skull, which caused me to wince. You have chosen blindness instead of facing the truth: she isn’t our mate. She’s not our mate. The one who deserves to be our queen must still be found somewhere. “Enough, Fenrir,” I snapped. This discussion ends here. He backed away while muttering under his breath, which allowed me to think alone. The hot shower gave my nervous system some relief while leaving tension in my shoulders unaffected. I transferred my heavy thoughts into the cleansing stream by remaining submerged beyond necessity. After I put on dark jeans and a black button-down shirt, I felt slightly more composed. While I ran gel through my hair in front of the mirror, I concentrated on what awaited me later that day. Yet the morning's heaviness remained with me, giving me no doubt it would be a challenging day. Quiet grief replaced normal comfort when breakfast's aroma hit me while I went downstairs. Freya stood in the kitchen working on something while facing away from me. I had the opportunity to apologize. The current situation needed to change. I gently started with “Sophie, princess,” even though she knew it was her childhood moniker from me. “Can we talk for a second? I didn’t mean to hurt you. I’m sorry.” She didn’t even turn around. Alpha, your apology holds no value to me, she stated with icy detachment. It’s obvious from your actions which things you prioritize most. She departed from the kitchen without saying anything more while her shoulders remained rigid. I remained motionless while my chest began to constrict. I mishandled everything, and now I couldn’t see any solution. I saw her strict stance continue as she walked to the dining table without ever looking my way. Lila entered the room before I could follow her and wrapped her arms around me from behind. Her voice shook as she softly said to me, “I’m so sorry, baby.” I never intended to create this situation. I’ll talk to her. I’ll fix it. She loves you deeply—I’m certain she will forgive me. I carefully released her arms from around me before turning toward her. “Let it go, Lila. I tried staying composed while I reassured her with, “Don’t worry—I'll handle it.” Crossing her boundaries again won’t be tolerated if you agree with me. When you need help, reach out to me for assistance. I will support you, but you must stop crossing boundaries. She gave a nod while her eyes fell to the ground. “I promise I’ll do better.” I responded with approval while leading her to the table. Freya remained there silently even though her anger clearly enveloped her face. I welcomed my parents while I pulled out a chair for Lila. My parents gave me quick nods, but they refused to look at Lila. Lila's smile weakly betrayed her while tears appeared at her eyelids. My heartbeat picked up with shame when I looked at her crying but accepted their mind was made up and I was powerless. Their rejection of both her and me remained unmistakably obvious. Fenrir growled, "This isn't right," while his voice shattered my thoughts. Tristan does not share a true bond with her because she isn’t his destined mate. The bond between you and her doesn't exist because it lacks authenticity. My heart belonged to her even though I kept my feelings to myself. Why won’t everyone just accept my feelings? “Because it’s not true. One day, you’ll see it. I hope you realize the truth before it becomes too late. I paid him no attention while I concentrated on the meal before me. As my frustration mounted, I stared at the untouched breakfast of pancakes along with bacon and eggs while orange juice remained in its glass. The morning's heaviness drained all joy from everything, leaving everything tasteless. Freya stood up quickly and took her keys from the counter. In a strong voice she announced that she would be driving herself to school today. Our mother displayed a frown that showed her confusion. “Why? What’s going on, Lavi?” Despite offering a narrow smile, Freya's eyes did not reflect the feeling. I’ve reached the conclusion that now is the right moment to start looking after my personal needs. I will move out once school finishes. It’s better this way.” Dad’s expression darkened. His words came out strongly as he reminded her, “No need for you to go alone.” “We’ll all go together. The new house stands ready for us to move into this Friday. My stomach dropped. “Dad, you can’t be serious.” His eyes fixed on mine without wavering. “I am. The decisions you made revealed everything to me, Tristan. I have reached my own conclusion as well. Our family will not remain in any location where we do not receive proper appreciation. The charged atmosphere became even denser throughout the room until Lila’s quiet sobs offered a brief voice. When I held Lila close to give her comfort, her side weighed down by both my parents’ disapproval and Freya's condemnation. I reassured her with a soft whisper saying, "You're okay." “I’ll fix this. Don’t worry.” She wiped her tears while I guided her to the car. Things started off wrong today, yet I set my mind to fix it. The sight of Freya standing between Magnus and Elsa initiated a new surge of tension when we arrived at school. Carter paid Lila so much attention that I became uneasy. My chest emitted a deep growling sound as I moved toward her. I quietly instructed her to tell her brother to stop staring. His behavior makes everyone feel uneasy. After a brief pause she gave her consent with a nod. “I’ll talk to him.” I kissed her briefly before sending her inside and watched her until she vanished into the building. Everyone’s judgment regarding my actions created a barrier I found deeply suffocating. Heavy with sorrow, I went back to my car and drove off because the emotional turmoil within me showed no signs of dissipating.
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