ristan’s POV
The moment I saw Mia in the restaurant, everything around me blurred.
It was as if the world had stopped, leaving just the two of us in that small
space. My chest felt tight, and I wasn’t sure if it was from the shock or
the sheer relief of seeing her alive. Without thinking, I crossed the room
in a few long strides and pulled her into my arms.
“Mia,” I breathed, my voice shaky. “I thought I’d never see you again.”
She stiffened for a moment, caught off guard, but then her body relaxed,
and I felt her melt into the embrace. Her familiar warmth grounded me,
and for the first time in years, the restless ache in my chest eased.
“It’s me,” she whispered, her voice trembling slightly. “I’m here.”
I pulled back slightly to look at her, my hands still holding her arms as if
she might disappear if I let go. “Where have you been?” I asked, my voice
filled with disbelief and relief. “What happened to you? I-”
Her lips pressed into a small, forced smile, and she shook her head.
“It’s… a long story.”
I could see the hesitation in her eyes, the way she glanced away like she
didn’t want to delve into it. I didn’t push, though my mind raced with a
thousand questions. She was alive, and that was enough for now.
As we sat down at the table, I couldn’t take my eyes off her. She had
changed so much, yet she was still the same Mia I remembered. Her
posture was more confident, her gaze sharper, but there was a quiet
vulnerability in her eyes that made my heart ache.
She broke the silence first, her voice steady but curious. “So, Daisy is
your mate?”
I blinked, caught off guard by the question. “Yes,” I admitted, nodding
slowly. “I found her a few weeks ago. The bond… it’s strong. She’s
amazing, Mia.”
Her expression softened, though I could see something flicker in her
eyes. “She is,” she agreed quietly.
I hesitated, running a hand through my hair. “When I met her, she
insisted on getting to know me, but… I wasn’t ready. I accepted the bond
because of what it is, but I wasn’t expecting…” I paused, letting out a
small laugh. “I wasn’t expecting her to have a cousin named Mia.”
Her head tilted slightly, her brows furrowing. “What do you mean?”
“I came here because of that name,” I admitted, leaning forward. “When
she mentioned you, I… I hoped that my Mia and her cousin would be
same. And I wasn’t disappointed.”
Her lips parted slightly, and she looked away, her fingers fidgeting with
the edge of the tablecloth. “You didn’t know it was me, though.”
“No,” I said softly, my voice dipping. “But seeing you here now… I’m
glad I came.”
Tristan’s POV
I couldn’t stop staring at her as we sat across from each other. Mia
looked different-stronger, more composed-but beneath that exterior,
I could see glimpses of the girl I had once known. The same girl I had
searched for tirelessly but never found.
I leaned forward, resting my elbows on the table. “Mia, there’s
something I need to tell you,” I began, my voice low. “That day… the day
you disappeared… I came to see you.”
Her gaze flickered with surprise, but she didn’t interrupt, letting me
continue.
“I looked everywhere,” I said, my throat tightening at the memory. “I
searched the woods, questioned everyone I could think of, but there was
no trace of you. It was like you vanished into thin air.”
Mia’s expression softened, and she tilted her head slightly. “You did?”
I nodded, my hands tightening into fists. “I felt like I failed you, Mia. I
should have protected you. I’m sorry for not finding you sooner.”
She gave me a faint smile, her voice calm. “It’s okay, Tristan. Really. I’m
here now, and that’s what matters.”
Her forgiveness should have eased the guilt weighing on my chest, but it
didn’t. There was so much I still didn’t understand, so much I wanted to
ask her. But instead, I found myself asking the question that had been
nagging at me since I learned the truth.
“How are you… Daisy’s family?” I asked, my brow furrowing in
confusion. “She never mentioned you before.”
Mia leaned back in her chair, her expression unreadable. “It’s a long
story,” she said after a pause. “Daisy’s father is my uncle. My mother
was exiled from the Blood Moon pack years ago when she got pregnant
with me. I didn’t know any of this until I was brought here after…”
She trailed off, her gaze dropping to the table.
“After what?” I prompted gently.
She shook her head, her lips pressing into a thin line. “It doesn’t
matter,” she said quietly. “What matters is that they found me and gave
me a place to belong.”
I wanted to push further, to understand everything she had gone
through, but the way she avoided my gaze told me she wasn’t ready to
share.
The conversation shifted, and I tried to focus on the present, but I
couldn’t shake the unease settling in my chest. Knowing that Mia was
now part of Daisy’s family made everything infinitely more complicated.
Though I love Mia, I can’t shake that Daisy is my mate. The mate bond
are mostly more stronger than love.
“I need you to understand,” I said after a moment, my voice earnest. “I
never expected to find you here. I didn’t even know Daisy had a cousin
until she mentioned your name. And even then…”
“Tristan,” Mia cut me off, her tone firm but not unkind. “You don’t have
to explain.”
I looked at her, confused. “But I-”
She held up a hand, stopping me. “Listen to me,” she said, her gaze
locking with mine. “Daisy is your mate. She’s kind, beautiful, and
everything you deserve. You should focus on her, not me.”
Her words hit me like a punch to the gut. I opened my mouth to argue, to
tell her that it wasn’t that simple, but the look in her eyes stopped me.
She was serious.
“You don’t mean that,” I said finally, my voice barely above a whisper.
“I do,” she insisted, her tone unwavering. “Whatever connection we had
before… it doesn’t matter anymore. You have Daisy now, and she
deserves all of your attention.”
My chest tightened, and I looked away, unable to meet her gaze. This
can’t be happening; the only girl I fell for was her.
“Mia…”
“Please, Tristan,” she said softly. “Don’t make this harder than it needs
to be.”
I wanted to say her that I can’t do but I can’t make her away from her the
family she got after so many years of living alone.
When she has a sister, and a family. I can’t be selfish.
“Okay, as you say. I only want you be happy,” I assured her, with my
broken heart.