The Biker Alpha Who Became My Second Chance Mate Chapter 79

Tristan POV

"Then make me understand, Tristan." She'd watched me pace like a mother watching a child have a tantrum. "We're all family here. I'm your cousin, yes, but I'm also your sister in every way that matters. Even though we're not blood siblings, and we didn't grow up together. That has to count for something, right?"

I'd wanted to tell her that she was my sister, that I didn't care about the technicalities of our relationship. I saw her as family the same way I should see Athena.

"Don't start with that look," she'd scolded before I could speak.

"What look?"

"That look where you're comparing me to Athena. I am not Athena, and Athena is not me. I know you literally grew up together, but she isn't your sister."

"She's my younger sister," I'd growled, the words coming out harsher than I'd intended. "She's supposed to be my younger sister."

"Okay, fine. She's your younger sister, and so am I." Sarah had leaned forward, fixing me with that penetrating stare that made me feel like she could see straight through to my soul. "Let me ask you something. How many times have you ever thought about pushing me to the wall and kissing me?"

The suggestion had been so revolting that I'd actually made a face. Never. Not once in my entire life had that thought ever crossed my mind.

"Good," Sarah had nodded, clearly reading my disgusted expression as the answer she'd expected. "Now let me ask you this: How many times have you thought about pinning Athena against a wall and making love to her?"

I couldn't answer. The number was too high to count, too shameful to admit out loud.

A knowing smile had spread across her face, but she hadn't been done with her interrogation. "How many times have you felt jealous seeing Athena with another man? Has the thought of her loving someone else, spending her life with someone who isn't you, made you want to commit murder?"

Just thinking about it had made my hands clench into fists. The idea of Athena in another man's arms, looking at someone else the way she used to look at me, loving someone else... it made me want to tear the world apart.

"You love me, Tristan. But not the same way you love Athena." Sarah's voice had been gentle now, like she was explaining something obvious to a confused child.

"You, my stubborn brother, are madly and completely in love with Athena Slade, and there's nothing you can do about it."

I'd stared at her, my mind reeling. Love? Was that what this crushing weight in my chest was? This desperate need to see her, to touch her, to know she was safe and happy?

"And you can't run away from it, no matter how hard you try," Sarah had continued. "You've been in love with her for years, and you'll never stop. No matter what you tell yourself, no matter how guilty you feel about Jess, you will never stop loving Athena."

"It's not possible," I'd whispered, but even as I said it, I knew it wasn't true.

Sarah had looked at me like she wanted to slap some sense into me. "It is possible, and you know what else? You're going to lose her. You're going to lose that amazing girl who loves you back."

My head had snapped up. "What?"

"Yes, she loves you. But you know what's going to happen if you keep being an idiot?" Sarah had walked closer, invading my personal space in a way that should have triggered every protective instinct I had.

But I'd just stood there, frozen by her words. "You're going to watch someone else treat her the way you couldn't. You think you're in pain now? Wait until you watch her kiss someone else. Then you'll know what real pain feels like."

The image she'd painted had been like a knife to the heart. Athena in another man's arms, smiling at someone else, building a life with someone who wasn't me...

"I already lost her," I'd said, my voice barely above a whisper.

Sarah had looked confused. "What?"

"I said I already lost her." The admission had felt like bleeding out on the floor.

"What did you do, Tristan?" The way she'd said my name, with disappointment and growing anger, had made me flinch.

Shame had washed over me in waves. I couldn't say it, but I needed to. I needed her help to make this right, to fix whatever I'd broken.

Because she was right. I did love Athena. Every fiber of my being yearned for her, and I didn't think I could survive watching her be with someone else.

"I called her Jess," I'd finally admitted.

"You did what?" Sarah's eyes had actually changed color, shifting from brown to gold as her wolf rose to the surface. I'd never seen her this angry, this protective of someone who wasn't her direct family.

She'd stood there glaring at me with the kind of fearless fury that would have made most werewolves back down immediately.

But I'd just stood there drowning in shame, not caring that I was an Alpha, not caring about anything except the fact that I'd destroyed the best thing in my life.

"When?" she'd demanded.

"I got drunk one night and ended up at her place. One thing led to another, and we ended up in bed. I told her I loved her, but I called her Jess instead." The words had tasted like poison in my mouth.

Sarah had looked at me like I was the most disgusting creature she'd ever encountered. She'd walked to where she'd left her purse and started heading for the door.

The sight of her leaving had snapped me out of my shame-induced paralysis. I'd run after her, catching her arm before she could walk out.

"Sarah, please," I'd begged.

"Let me go, Tristan. Let me go before I do something I shouldn't do to an Alpha." The way she'd spat out my title had made it clear she didn't think I deserved it.

"Please, I need your help. I'm sorry, I swear I didn't know how..." I'd run my hands through my hair in frustration. "I was drunk, and I felt like I was betraying Jess. I don't know, I just..."

For the first time, Sarah had looked at me with something like pity, and I'd hated it. I didn't want pity.

"I pity you, Tristan," she'd said, confirming my worst fears. "You know why?"

I'd waited, dreading whatever she was going to say next.

"Because you're going to lose everything you're afraid of losing if you keep this up. You think Orion will stay your friend if he finds out you've been hurting his sister like this? You'll lose your friendship, your love, and the only people you have left who are like family. And I won't be able to help you because I won't even be on your side."

The thought of losing her too had been like a punch to the gut. "You'd leave me?"

She'd nodded without hesitation. "Yes. I can't support evil, Tristan. Those two people let you into their hearts and loved you with everything they had. And this is how you repay them?"

"What should I do? What can I do? I don't know what to do anymore." And then I'd said something I'd never said in my entire life: "I'm scared, Sarah."

The admission had hung between us like a confession. I was scared - terrified of losing Athena forever, terrified of being alone, terrified of admitting the truth about my feelings.

Sarah's expression had softened immediately. She'd walked back to me and wrapped me in a hug that felt like forgiveness and tough love all rolled into one.

"You don't have to be scared," she'd whispered. "You just need to correct your mistakes and tell yourself the truth. You can deceive everyone else, but you can't deceive yourself forever."

When she'd pulled back, she'd looked at me with the kind of steady determination that had made me believe, for the first time in weeks, that this might actually be fixable.

"I'm going to ask you some questions, and I need you to answer me honestly. Can you do that?"

I'd nodded, ready to do whatever it took.

"Do you love Athena?"