Chapter 13: Under the Moonlight
964 Words
Tristan's POV
The drive back to my apartment felt too long. I could still feel the weight of Olivia’s kiss lingering on my lips, like a fire that hadn’t yet burned out. Her taste, her warmth—it was everything I didn’t know I needed, yet everything I couldn’t walk away from now that I had experienced it.
I had kept my distance from her for so long, telling myself I wasn’t ready, that she wasn’t ready, that there was too much at stake. But the truth was, the pull toward her was impossible to ignore.
She was mine. She had always been mine, even if neither of us had known it yet.
The thought of claiming her, of finally allowing myself to embrace the mate bond that had been pulling us together, was intoxicating. But I was trying to give her space, to let her come to terms with everything that was happening without overwhelming her.
But tonight… tonight had felt different.
The look in her eyes when she pulled away from the kiss, that soft, hesitant smile she gave me—it told me everything I needed to know. Olivia might not understand the full extent of what we were, what we could be, but I saw it in her: she was starting to feel it too. The connection. The chemistry.
I could already tell that she was more than just a passing attraction. She was my future.
When I reached my apartment, I barely took a moment to breathe before I was reaching for my phone, dialing a number I’d memorized by heart.
"Yeah?" my beta, James, answered on the second ring.
"Have the pack ready for the meeting tomorrow. We’re discussing Olivia," I said, my voice low, steady. "I want them prepared."
I could practically hear his smirk through the phone. "Understood, Alpha. You’ve got it."
I hung up, knowing I couldn’t delay this any longer. Olivia was my mate. It was time to make sure she knew that, in every way possible.
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Olivia's POV
I couldn’t sleep.
The kiss. The way Tristan’s hands had held me like I was something precious to him. The way he made me feel like I was the only woman in the world in that moment. It had shaken me to my core.
But I still didn’t understand it. I didn’t understand us. The connection between us was undeniable, yes. But the idea of us being mates—what did that even mean?
I had tried to push those thoughts away as I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, but they kept coming back.
I had been so lost in my own life, my own world, that the concept of something supernatural—of werewolves—seemed completely foreign to me. But when I thought about Tristan, about how my heart raced in his presence, about the way his touch set my skin on fire, I realized that maybe it wasn’t so impossible after all.
But was I ready for this? Was I ready to let go of the life I knew, the world I understood, and step into something entirely new? Something dangerous?
I had no answers, just questions. And the more I thought about it, the more I realized that Tristan might be the only one who could answer them.
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The Next Day: Tristan’s POV
The pack meeting was set, but it wasn’t just business as usual. This was different. This was about Olivia, and I could already feel the weight of it bearing down on me.
I stood at the head of the table in the large, rustic room that served as the Silverwood Pack's headquarters. My pack was gathered around me—my beta, James, and a few of the other trusted members. All of them were focused, waiting for me to speak.
"Listen up," I began, my voice commanding attention. "We’ve got a lot on our plates, but right now, I need to focus on something important."
The room fell silent, and I could see their curiosity piqued. They all knew I was protective of my personal life. The fact that I was even addressing them about this was unprecedented.
"The woman I’m claiming as my mate—Olivia—is human. I need you all to understand the gravity of that. Our world, our way of life, isn’t easy for outsiders to grasp. I’m going to need your support in helping her adjust, and I won’t have any of you jeopardizing her safety or comfort."
There was a long pause. James, who had always been my second-in-command and a voice of reason, leaned forward.
"Of course, Alpha. We’re with you," he said, his tone respectful, but a flicker of something unreadable passed through his eyes. He was protective of me, but also of Olivia. He understood how much was at stake. "You’ve been with her since the moment she stepped into our world, and we won’t stand by while she’s in danger."
I nodded, grateful for the unwavering support. But I could still feel the tension—tension I hadn’t anticipated.
"I’ll be taking her with me tonight. We’ll talk more, explain things to her," I said, keeping my gaze steady on each of them. "But I expect you all to be patient with her. Don’t pressure her."
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Olivia’s POV
The evening arrived sooner than I had expected. Tristan had invited me to meet him after I had left work, and the thought of being in his presence again sent a flutter of anticipation through me. There was something about him, a quiet strength that I hadn’t fully understood until now.
When I met him at the park where we had agreed to meet, my breath hitched. He was standing by a fountain, looking
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