THE ALPHA'S SECOND CHANCE MATE

I DARE YOU TO...KISS ME

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

I DARE YOU TO...KISS ME

LIAM'S POV

I was about to make my exit when Elena’s voice stopped me in my tracks.

"Leaving so soon?" Her tone was casual, but there was something beneath it, something that made me pause and turn around. My eyes met hers, and I noticed the faintest flicker of uncertainty in them. It wasn’t like her to initiate conversation when she seemed so wrapped up in her thoughts. I cleared my throat, trying to figure out what she was thinking.

"Why?" I asked, my voice coming out more unsure than I intended. Was she trying to get rid of me or...?

Elena shifted where she stood, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "I just thought... maybe you could stick around for a bit?" she asked, her eyes glancing anywhere but directly at me. "I'm kind of bored, and I was hoping you could keep me company."

Her words hit me like a freight train. I wasn’t expecting that. She wanted me to stay? With her?

"Uh... yeah," I stammered, trying to sound cool about it, though my heart was racing. "Of course. I’ve got nothing else going on." I forced a casual shrug, hoping it looked natural. "I’m free."

I wasn’t free, though. Not at all.

I had plans with Kieran. Well 'had' not anymore.

'Handle the pack’s affairs for me. I won’t be available for a while.' I quickly mindlinked him.

'Wait, what? Alpha, there’s a lot...'Kieran began to protest, but I cut him off before he could finish.

~Blocked~

I shut the link and turned my attention back to Elena, who was already walking into the living room. She didn’t wait for me to follow, which was probably a good thing since I needed a moment to breathe. I swallowed hard, trying to ease the knot forming in my chest. Why the hell was I this nervous?

I stepped into the living room, noticing how Elena sat on the couch, her posture unusually relaxed for someone who had just asked me to stay. I followed suit, sitting on the opposite end of the couch. The space between us felt vast, and the silence that followed made it worse.

We sat there, both of us avoiding each other’s eyes. The atmosphere was heavy, like the quiet before a storm. My fingers tapped on my knee, searching for something to break the awkwardness. *Say something, anything,* I mentally urged myself.

I cleared my throat, deciding to go with humor. "You know," I said, forcing a smile, "this kind of feels like an interrogation room. Maybe I should confess now."

Elena looked at me, her expression blank at first, and I panicked. Maybe that was a terrible joke.

Then, she laughed.

Or at least, she tried to.

The sound that came out of her mouth wasn’t exactly laughter—it was more of a hysterical, awkward chuckle that seemed like it was dragged out of her. It was as if she felt obligated to find the joke funny, and it only made the awkwardness between us more palpable.

My smile faltered, and I could feel my face heat up in embarrassment. I quickly swallowed hard, trying to recover from the trainwreck of a joke. "Okay, that didn’t land," I muttered under my breath.

Elena’s forced laughter died down as she shifted again, looking at anything but me. I needed to change the course before this situation became unbearable for both of us.

"So," I said, perking up. "How about we play a game?"

She turned to me, her brows raised. "A game?"

"Yeah," I replied, leaning back against the couch, trying to seem more relaxed than I felt. "You know, something fun to kill the awkward silence."

Elena’s lips curved into a small smile, one that was far less forced than before. "Okay, what game?"

I shrugged, pretending to think. "How about 'Never Have I Ever?"

She hesitated for a moment but then nodded. "Alright. That could be fun."

We adjusted our seating positions slightly, facing each other more, and I tried to ignore how close we suddenly felt. My heart raced, but I kept my cool as much as possible.

"You start," I offered, flashing her a grin.

Elena took a deep breath before leaning forward slightly. "Okay, um… Never have I ever snuck out of a house in the middle of the night."

I raised an eyebrow. "That’s what you’re starting with?"

She grinned, shrugging. "What? It’s innocent enough."

I chuckled and shook my head, raising my hand slightly. "Well, guilty," I admitted. "Being the Alpha’s son had its perks when it came to sneaking out unnoticed."

Elena let out a soft laugh. "I should have known."

"Alright, my turn," I said, sitting up straighter. "Never have I ever gotten detention in school."

She laughed again, though this time it felt genuine. "Guilty." She raised her hand, playfully wincing. "Once, in high school. I mouthed off to a teacher."

I snickered. "That doesn’t surprise me."

The mood was finally starting to lighten. Her walls were coming down, and I was beginning to relax into this easy banter. The tension from earlier felt like it was fading, and for the first time in a long while, I felt like we were just… two people. Not an Alpha and his mate. Not two people caught in a whirlwind of chaos and emotions.

Just two people, sharing a moment.

"Your turn again," I prompted, leaning forward slightly.

Elena thought for a moment, her eyes narrowing playfully as she tried to come up with something good. "Alright, Never have I ever kissed someone under the stars."

Her eyes flickered toward me for a brief second, and for some reason, my heart jumped into my throat. Was she teasing me?

I shook my head slowly. "Never done that," I said, my voice quiet. "But it sounds nice."

"Yeah," she agreed softly, the mood shifting slightly as her smile faded. She looked away, almost as if she was lost in thought. "It is."

The moment lingered, and I could feel something between us. Something I wasn’t sure how to address. But before I could dwell on it too much, I decided to switch things up.

"Let’s change the game," I suggested, my voice a little too loud as I tried to break the tension. "How about Truth or Dare?"

Elena’s eyes lit up at that. "Okay," she agreed, her smile returning. "You start."

I thought for a moment. "Alright, Truth or Dare?"

She hesitated for a second before choosing, "Truth."

I leaned back, crossing my arms. "What’s something you’ve always wanted to do but never got the chance to?"

Elena paused, her expression turning thoughtful. "Something I’ve always wanted to do…" She trailed off, biting her lip before answering. "Always wanted to hold on to something and claim total ownership to it... something I wouldn't have to share...something with my bane boldly written on it"

I nodded, not wanting to prolong her reply. The sadness when she said it was enough to break a soul. There was so much more to her than I ever let myself acknowledge.

"Your turn," I said, eager to keep the game going.

"Truth or Dare?" she asked, her eyes gleaming with mischief.

"Dare," I said immediately, needing something to break the tension that was beginning to creep back in.

Elena’s smile turned playful. "I dare you to… do 20 push-ups. Right now."

I groaned dramatically but stood up, stretching my arms before dropping to the floor. "Alright, alright. Just watch and be amazed."

She laughed, watching as I powered through the push-ups. By the time I finished, I couldn’t help but grin at the amused look on her face. "Impressed?"

"Maybe," she teased, her eyes twinkling. "But that was just the warm-up."

I sat back down, still catching my breath. "Alright, your turn. Truth or Dare?"

She seemed to hesitate, but then she smiled mischievously. "Dare."

I thought for a moment, my heart pounding in my chest as I considered my next move. I didn’t want to make things awkward again, but there was something I needed to know—something I couldn’t get out of my head.

"I dare you…" I started, my voice dropping slightly as I leaned in closer. "…to kiss me."

Elena’s eyes widened, and for a moment, I thought I had pushed too far. My pulse raced as I waited for her reaction, my heart pounding against my ribcage.

Would she do it?