Love, After Dark

Chapter 47

BRICE

I shivered as my feet touched the cold marble floor. I needed the shower. Three hours in the gym left my muscles trembling and my skin slick with sweat. My knuckles were raw. My lungs still burned faintly from the sprints. I didn’t trust myself to sit still. I braced my hands against the tile and let the water run over my head, soap sliding down my face, my chest, my arms. The hot water pounded against my skin, steam filling the glass until the world outside disappeared. I exhaled for what felt like the first time all day. I stood there longer than necessary, letting the hot water pour over me as my mind replayed everything.

But it didn’t wash anything away. Not the guilt of seeing the look in Siri’s eyes. Not Wynter’s hurt. Not Luke’s betrayal. Not Chris’s disappointment. My mind replayed it all in brutal clarity. And it was all my fault. All because I tried to balance two worlds and ended up crushing both. The heat stopped soothing and started feeding the restless energy coiling under my skin. My wolf shifted uneasily, agitated. I twisted the handle, turning the water old. The shock hit instantly. My breath punched out of me as icy water cascaded over my body. I clenched my jaw and forced myself to stay under it. My wolf stirred, uncomfortable but alert. Good. Pain was grounding. I stayed under until my skin numbed and my thoughts dulled just enough to function.

Twenty minutes later, I was sitting at the dinner table staring at a plate of food I hadn’t touched. Voices blurred around me. Hunter was talking about something at school. Mom asked about practice. Dad made a comment about patrol rotations. I didn’t hear any of it. My mind was somewhere else entirely. Dad cleared his throat. I blinked and looked up to find all three of them staring at me. Dad looked frustrated. Mom looked deeply concerned. Hunter looked … curious. “What?” I asked. Mom leaned forward slightly. “Honey… what’s wrong?” “Nothing,” I said automatically. Dad’s expression hardened. “Nonsense. Don’t lie to your mother. We can all see you’re deeply troubled about something.” Silence settled over the table. “Well?” he pressed. “Get on with it.”

Alpha Eric Westin did not entertain evasiveness. Especially not from his sons. He was strong, calculated and fiercely respected. Everything a leader should be. I had spent my whole life trying to mirror him. Where Hunter rebelled, I complied. Which meant when I said I was fine, he knew I wasn’t. I exhaled slowly. “I… found my mate.” Silence dropped like a stone. Mom blinked. Dad stilled. Hunter stopped chewing. “Your what?” Mom breathed. “Destined mate” I clarified.

Shock spread across both their faces. Dad leaned back in his chair, stunned. “Are you sure?” My dad exclaimed, a bit of doubt in his voice. “I’m sure”, I said with a nod. “My wolf confirmed it.” Mom’s eyes widened. Dad slowly leaned back. Destined mates were rare now. Most wolves went their entire lives without ever finding their true mates. My parents were chosen mates. They loved each other deeply, but their union had been a decision- a strategic one. A powerful alliance. Dad’s shock shifted into a smile. “That’s great, son.” Mom’s face lit up. “Oh my goodness. That’s wonderful! What’s her name? What does she look like? Why haven’t we met her? Is she from Redhaven?”

“She’s new in town,” I said quietly. Hunter, who had previously looked bored, suddenly straightened. “New?” he repeated. “What’s her last name?” I hesitated for half a second. “Baxter.” Hunter snapped his fingers. “Yeah! Her sister’s new at school too. Smokin’ hot babe!” He caught Mom’s look. “I mean… she’s really pretty,” he corrected. “I’d totally ask her out if she wasn’t human.”

The air shifted. Mom’s smile faltered and dad’s expression went completely still. They turned to me slowly. “Your mate,” Dad said carefully. “Is a human?” I lowered my gaze. “Yes.” Mom gasped softly, covering her mouth. Dad’s jaw tightened. They exchanged a loaded look. “Hunter,” Mom said gently, “go get ready for bed.” “What? I’m not five. I can go to bed when I want— “Hunter. Room. Now,” Dad snapped. Dad’s alpha tone cracked through the dining room like thunder. Hunter scowled. “This is so unfair,” he muttered, shoving back from the table and stomping down the hall. When his door slammed, the room felt heavier. Mom and Dad turned back to me.

For the next half hour, it was a storm of conversation. Mom paced lightly. “Brice, sweetheart, this is… complicated. A human? You’d have to keep her safe in a world she doesn’t even know exists. Our enemies—” “She’d be a target,” Dad cut in bluntly. “Whether you accept her or not.” Mom shot him a look but continued. “Maybe you should take some time. Think it through. This isn’t something to rush.” Dad shook his head. “Or he doesn’t accept it at all.” My head snapped up. “Dad—”

“You already have a chosen path in front of you,” he said firmly. “Alpha Hawthorne and I have had conversations. Wynter is strong. Capable. Raised for leadership.” I clenched my jaw. “I care about Wynter,” I admitted. “I do. She would make a strong Luna.” Mom studied me closely. “But? “But when I’m near Siri…” I trailed off, searching for words and failing. My chest tightened just thinking about her. “It’s like I can’t breathe,” I said finally. “Like everything sharpens and blurs at the same time. My wolf… he loses it. Every sound, every scent is her. I feel everything. Too much. And when she smiles—” I swallowed. “And when she cries,” I added quietly. “Both caused by me.” The room stilled.

“The image of her smile… and the image of her in tears… they’re burned into my skull. I see them every time I close my eyes.” Mom and Dad shared a concerned look. After a long silence, I exhaled. “Doesn’t matter anyway,” I muttered. “She won’t speak to me again.” Mom frowned. “What happened?” I told them about the party. About Wynter and her friends. About standing there while Siri was humiliated. I even told them about the message I sent and her blocking me.

When I finished, Mom looked disappointed. Dad looked grim. “Brice… standing there and doing nothing is still a choice,” she said quietly. “You may not have poured the punch on her, but you allowed it to happen. And for a young woman who already feels out of place in a world she doesn’t understand, that kind of silence cuts deeper than you realize.” Her voice softened, but it didn’t lose its firmness. “You cannot claim destiny when it’s convenient and then retreat into cowardice when it becomes uncomfortable. If this girl is truly your mate, then she deserved your protection, not your hesitation.”

She let that sink in before adding, “And if you care about Wynter at all, she deserves honesty. Not confusion. Not to watch you pine after another. You put both of them in a position to feel small.” Her gaze didn’t waver. “That is not how a future alpha behaves.” “Mom, I—” “I am disappointed in you. You owe both of those girls an apology. A true apology. Not excuses. Not deflection.” She stood and walked toward the kitchen, giving herself space.

Dad remained seated. He looked at me the way he did when he was addressing the pack. “Look, son,” he began evenly. “As a future alpha, you are expected to conduct yourself as a leader. That means keeping your affairs in order. You do not make promises lightly.” My stomach tightened. “You have given Alpha Hawthorne and his daughter certain expectations,” he continued. “Your personal confusion does not erase the responsibility you carry.”

He leaned forward slightly. “Our world is at war, Brice. You know that. This is no place for a human. It is not fair to put your mate in the middle of political alliances and enemies she cannot defend herself against.” His voice softened barely. “I chose your mother. And it was the best decision I’ve ever made. I chose strength. Stability. A partner who could stand beside me in blood and battle.” His eyes locked onto mine. “I trust you’ll do the right thing. He stood, placing a firm hand on my shoulder before walking off to join Mom. And just like that, I was alone. Sitting at the dinner table. Staring at untouched food. With destiny on one side, duty on the other and no idea which one would destroy me first.