MIA’S POV
I opened my eyes slowly, my vision blurry as the ceiling above me came into focus. The soft, familiar scent of pine and something earthy surrounded me, and it didn’t take long to realize where I was. This was the same room Tristan had brought me to before.
For a moment, I lay still, the events from earlier rushing back to me like a flood. The car teetering on the cliff. The brothers laughing as I begged for help. The way they mocked me even after pulling the car back. And then Tristan… Tristan saving me.
My heart raced as the memory of it all made my chest tighten.
The sound of the door opening startled me, and I sat up abruptly, my pulse spiking. Tristan stepped into the room, his gaze immediately locking onto mine.
“It’s just me,” Tristan said as he stepped inside.
“You’re awake,” he said, walking toward the bed.
I exhaled shakily, trying to calm the panic rising in my chest. He walked closer, his movements steady but careful, as though he didn’t want to startle me.
“You’re safe now,” he said, placing a tray on the bedside table. The scent of warm soup and bread wafted through the room, making my stomach growl despite the lingering tension in my body.
I pressed my back against the headboard, watching him. “How did you find me?”
He pulled a chair closer to the bed and sat down, his gaze meeting mine. “I knew something was wrong the moment I saw them dragging you away,” he explained. “I followed you, and I… sensed the danger.”
“Danger?” I echoed, frowning.
“It’s one of my abilities,” he said. “Sometimes, I can feel when something bad is about to happen. Call it instinct or whatever you like, but I wasn’t going to ignore it.”
I let his words sink in, my fingers gripping the blanket tightly. I thought about how hopeless I’d felt, how certain I’d been that they would let me die. But Tristan had been there, pulling me away from the edge-literally and figuratively.
“Thank you,” I said softly, the words feeling inadequate for what he’d done for me.
His lips twitched in a small smile, and he pushed the tray toward me. “You should eat. You need to regain your strength.”
I hesitated for a moment before reaching for the soup. The warmth of it spread through me with each bite, easing some of the tension in my body.
Tristan watched me, his presence both comforting and unnerving. There was something about him-something that made it hard to look away. His sharp features, his steady gaze, the way he carried himself…
I found myself staring, and when I realized it, I quickly averted my gaze, feeling heat creep up my neck.
“You’re staring,” he said, his tone neutral, but his words caught me off guard.
“I’m not,” I said quickly, focusing on the soup.
“You are,” he countered, leaning back slightly.
I bit my lip, debating whether or not to say what was on my mind. Finally, curiosity got the better of me. “Who exactly are you?”
He tilted his head slightly, as though considering how much to tell me. “I’m Tristan, Alpha of the Karveler Pack. That much you know. But what you don’t know is that my history with your stepbrothers is… complicated.”
“Complicated how?” I asked, setting the tray aside.
“We’ve been enemies for a long time. Our packs have had their share of conflicts, but it’s more than that. We’ve clashed on personal levels too. Let’s just say we don’t see eye to eye on much of anything.”
I nodded, absorbing his words. It made sense now, the tension between him and the brothers, the way they seemed to bristle in his presence.
“They’ve never cared about me,” I said after a moment, my voice quieter. “They’ve only ever hurt me.”
Tristan’s gaze sharpened, and I felt his focus shift entirely to me.
“They humiliate me,” I continued, the words spilling out before I could stop them. “They make me feel worthless. That accident wasn’t an accident at all. Nathan… he did it on purpose.”
My hands clenched into fists as anger welled up inside me, a fire I hadn’t felt in so long. “They wanted to scare me, to make me feel like I didn’t matter. And they succeeded. But I won’t forgive them. Not Nathan, not any of them. They’re all the same.”
Tristan’s expression didn’t change, but I could feel the weight of his attention, the unspoken promise in his silence.
“I’m done being their punching bag,” I added, my voice firm. “I don’t care if they’re my stepbrothers. They’ve crossed too many lines.”
Tristian jaw clenched as he heard my words.
“I won’t forgive him,” I exahled a deep breath.
“You shouldn’t,” Tristan replied simply,
Before Tristan could respond, a noise from outside the room made both of us freeze. The sound of raised voices and heavy footsteps echoed through the hallway.
Tristan stood quickly, his movements sharp and decisive. “Stay here,” he said, moving toward the door.
I stayed frozen on the bed, my pulse quickening as the sound became unmistakable. Footsteps. Heavy and purposeful, heading straight for us.
The door burst open, slamming against the wall with enough force to make me flinch.
They were here.
Nathan, Sean, Xavier, and Rolex barged into the room, their expressions a mix of anger and something far darker. They didn’t hesitate, their eyes locking onto me as they stepped inside.
My heart raced, my body trembling as I tried to push myself further into the bed. Tristan stepped in front of me, his stance protective as he blocked their view.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing here?” Tristan demanded, his words cutting through the tension like a blade.
Nathan crossed his arms, a smirk tugging at his lips. “We’re here to take back what’s ours.”
His words run a shiver down my spine.
His smirk was saying that he was yet not done with his games, and he came here to torment more with his games.
Only moon goddess could save me from my tormentors- Stepbrothers.