Chapter 4

TRISTAN’S POV

She stood in the middle of nothing. It was just her, me and the endless space between.

The world bent and twisted around her. it was all shadow and void—but she was light. Her eyes burned like stars. I didn’t know her name, but I knew her. My soul did. My wolf did.

I moved toward her. She stepped back.

“Wait.”

Her lips curved. It was not a happy smile, but the kind carved from scars. The kind that whispered, come and find me… if you dare.

I lunged forward. She slipped further away.

The space between us stretched and collapsed. My chest heaved, not from tiredness but from need. I felt a hunger so deep inside me that it carved me hollow. My wolf snarled, clawing against my skin. He was desperate. He needed her. I needed her like blood. Like air.

Her hand reached out. I reached out as well to touch her. Our fingers grazed—

And the dream shattered.

-

Sunlight came in through the curtains. My eyes opened. I was tangled in sweat and sheets. I wasn’t alone.

Two women lay beside me. One was wrapped across my chest. The other was curled into my side. I had forgotten their names. They were nothing. They didn’t matter to me one bit. Why? Because they weren’t her. Their scent wasn’t hers.

I clenched my jaw.

The auburn-haired one stirred,. Her soft voice purred, “Good morning, Alpha…”

“Get out.”

She giggled, thinking I was teasing.

“I said get out.” My voice cracked with a growl..

They got up and grabbed their clothes, stammering apologies. By the time the door shut, the silence was a relief.

I dragged a hand through my hair. I hated myself for dreaming. I hated her for haunting me. she was always so close, always gone. And gods help me… I missed her. A ghost.

How could I crave someone I’d never met? Who was she? My mate?

The shower was cold. I let it bite. Maybe it could freeze the ache. Maybe it could drown my wolf’s restless growl.

It didn’t.

By the time I toweled off, my hand had drifted to the scar across my chest. It was faint now but it was once deep. It served as a reminder of the war, of betrayal, of how close I came to dying. Since then, no woman—no goddess—had touched me deeper than flesh.

Except her. Whoever the hell she was.

I pulled on black pants and a charcoal shirt before heading outside.

Outside, the sun was high. Wolves bowed as I passed through the palace grounds. Their respect meant nothing.

I found Greeley at the archery lanes. His eyes were on two young wolves sparring. “Morning, Alpha. Rough night?”

“Just a dream.”

“The same one?”

I didn’t answer. His smirk said enough.

“The council’s restless,” he said, walking beside me. “They want to know when you’ll pick a Luna.”

“Not interested.”

“You’ll have to be. A mate strengthens bloodlines. A mate bond or Luna holds factions together. You need it especially now. The three of you can’t keep avoiding it.”

“They don’t want unity. They want power.” I grunted. “I won’t chain myself to someone just to shut them up.”

“Maybe. Still wouldn’t kill you to have someone by your side.” His eyebrow lifted. “Unless you keep dreaming about this phantom and let it drive you mad.”

I ignored him. “Where are my brothers?”

“Tyler’s probably in someone’s bed or someone’s wife’s bed. Kane? He’s probably brooding somewhere, writing poetry to his shadows.”

Sounds like them.

“Idiots,” I muttered.

“Your idiots,” he corrected with a smirk.

I left him at the training grounds and entered the war room. This place was my sanctuary. Here, I had order. Here, I had Control.

And my mosaic. It was a massive mosaic of the world—thousands of tiny pieces, carved in stone and bone. Each one had meaning. Each one was part of a bigger plan.

I was halfway to the table when I stopped.

There was a woman naked across my couch.

“Juliet,” I said flatly.

She twirled a dagger between her fingers. She smiled “You’ve been avoiding me, Alpha.”

“That was the point.”

“You’re always so tense.” She rose. She had a perfect body. Her body was like temptation itself. She was a weapon and distraction all at once. “Let me ease that.”

“No.”

She closed the distance anyway. She came closer to me and trailed her fingers down to my cock.

I didn’t move.

“You smell like lust,” she whispered. “Let me help you forget her.”

My fists clenched.

“Fine,” I muttered, grabbing her hard.

Her lips crashed into mine. My hands were on her waist. There was no tenderness, no care. She knew better.

I shoved her against the table. In a minute, my pants were gone. I buried myself inside her in one rough thrust. She moaned in pleasure, pain, I didn’t care.

I wasn’t gentle. I wasn’t kind. I was the wolf. I was dangerous and brutal. I thrusted into her with reckless abandon.

But still—she wasn’t her.

No matter how deep I went, no matter how hard I drove, it wasn’t enough.

“Stop” Juliet gasped.

I didn’t.

Her nails tore into my arms. “Tristan… please… it hurts.”

Still, I didn’t stop. My wolf was too close. He was blind with fury. Her scent wasn’t hers. Her body wasn’t hers.

“You’re killing me,” she whimpered.

And then—

“TRISTAN!”

Not her voice. Not Juliet’s.

It was hers…

The girl from the dream. The one with burning eyes.

The world snapped back.

I froze. When I looked down, I saw Juliet trembling beneath me. I saw what I was doing.

And I hated it.

I tore away from her. I could feel the disgust crawling up my skin.

I left and slammed the door behind me.

But even with shame burning in my veins, I wasn’t thinking about Juliet.

I was thinking about her.

The girl from my dreams. The one who stopped me.

Even now.