Tristanโs POVI barely got the damn door shut before I rounded on Oliver.โSeriously?โThatโs all I said. One word. Because if I said more, Iโd probably start breaking things.Oliver, because he was Oliver, had the fucking nerve to blink at me. Like he was confused. Like I was the unreasonable one here.Then, slow as hell, he grinned.โI did warn you,โ he said, already making himself at homeโin my chair. Arms spread wide like he was lounging on a throne. Legs stretched out, like he was getting comfortable.I ran a hand over my face. โWarn me? When?โOliver hummed, inspecting his nails like this was boring him. โOh, you know. Check your messages.โI had checked my messages. There was nothing.โYou had a choice,โ I gritted out.Oliver just shrugged. โYeah. And I made the fun one.โI inhaled. Counted to three. Didnโt throw a chair at him.โWhy are you here, Oliver?โInstead of answering, he stretched againโobnoxiously. Arms overhead, making a damn show of it. Yawned, even.Then, โYou kno
Tristanโs Pov Dylan walked past my office without looking at me.But I felt it.That pull. That dumbass, invisible force that made my breath hitch, made my jaw clench, made my hand tighten around the pen like I could stab the feeling out of me if I just gripped hard enough.I didnโt look at him. I didnโt call out.But my body burned with the memory of him.I remember three months agoโฆ.Fucking three months agoโฆ..Pain had come slow. Like it was creeping through my body, crawling up my leg in dull, throbbing pulses before turning sharpโwhite-hot agony slashing through me the second I moved.Shit.My ankle.It was brokem.I leaned against the tree, pressing my palm against the bark, breathing through my nose. In. Out. Donโt panic. Donโt freak. Donโtโyouโre fine.The night pressed in around me, thick and suffocating, the trees swallowing up the sky. Nothing but darkness and the distant rustle of something unseen.My horse was gone.Little bastard had bolted the second I hit the ground.
Dylan's POV"Let's end it."The moment the words moved from my mouth, the mood of the room changed. That dead, strangling quietness when you've spoken something so final, even the world goes, "damn, you sure about that?"Yeah. That.Tristan sat behind his ridiculously expensive deskโgood grief, did he drag that abomination from the bottom of hell just to scare me even more?โhis gray eyes locked onto mine. Hunting. Conclusion. Maybe attempting to gaslight me into thinking I hadn't just spoken what I spoke.What?" His tone was low, controlled. But I saw it. The twitch in his fingers. The slight tension of his jaw. Oh, he was reaching for control all right.I swallowed the constriction in my throat. This was it. No going back."I know about Oliver."A blink. A giveaway. The slightest crack in his perfectly maintained facade before he shut it again. But it was enough.I forced myself to maintain his stare even as my stomach performed a complete Olympic gymnastics routine. "About your enga
Dylan's POVThose days after the fight crawled like a desert.I didn't know what I was thinking after walking outta Tristan's office, but I'd stupidly, foolishly hoped that maybe, somehow, it'd lessen. That one mornin', I'd wake and the pain inside my chest wouldn't be so damn suffocating.It did the opposite instead.Couldn't sleep. Ate hardly anything. The moment I closed my eyes, I could see himโhis unbreakable face, that cold voice of his telling me our circumstances wouldn't change, even after he married another. His words ran through my mind, day after day, like some pitiful broken record I couldn't turn off.It made me angry.Noโhe did.I was so goddamn sick of being the fool. Of falling for alphas who told me pretty little lies just to leave me with nothing. Mason had done it first. Now Tristan was no different.I was fucking a man who was engaged. Worst part was Tristan had no intentions of telling me, he didnโt think I was worth telling.Man did that hurt.And yetโdespite al
Dylanโs PovTristan fell onto the desk with a lifeless thud, his broad shoulders shaking once in shock. For a moment, my body protestedโI almost jumped forward, my hands at the ready, forming fists against my waist, my body betraying me in its helpless worry.Then I remembered.This was Tristan Wolfe. A man who had just kissed me like he still owned me, like I belonged to him and he could do with me and do what he wanted. A man who was standing there, silent, stoic, providing me with nothingโno comfort, no answer, no apology.Nothing.I leaned back."I've made up my mind." My tone was firm, though there was a storm raging within me. "I can't continue like thisโbeing your lover, and having no future."The words felt heavier than I'd expected, as if I was completing something that never really belonged to me to begin with.Tristan did not blink. He simply stiffened, his gray eyes boring into me like that, and my stomach dropping. His expression was blank, his body as naturally loose as
Dylan's POVI said I was finished. That I had made my choice, boxed up my feelings, and closed the lid tight.But giving up Tristan Wolfe wasn't something I could do as simply as scribbling out a resignation notice and acting like the past few months hadn't occurred.Every day, ever since, I'd watched the slow deterioration of the office around him. The strain seeping into the walls, the creases of fatigue accumulating on all our faces. Tristan was endurable on any particular dayโbut now? Impossible.And here I was, standing in the wake of it all, seeing the entire scene unfold like some moron who listened too closely.Fucking hell.I folded my arms and leaned back against the wall as the glass doors of the conference room slid open.Tristan came out first, his usually sharp gray eyes unblinking, his usual impeccable suit sleek as if the whole ordeal hadn't been a total disaster. HR followed him, appearing downright drained, and the most recent interviewee in tears.I blinked. Tears.
Dylan's POVNothing says "stress relief" quite like sitting back and observing your co-workers getting sloppy on beers while trying not to think about your bossโthe same boss who kissed you shitless. Yep, just what I needed. An emotional purge.And icing on the cake, I got to sit here and watch the front-row performance of all the people pretending like they didn't spend most of their workweeks hating their lives. What a magical night.I should have remained home. Worn sweatpants. Binge-watched a show where men and women had mundane, utilitarian relationships. Anything but this.But no. I did come. Like an idiot.And, of course, Tristan wasn't where he was meant to be. He never came to these thingsโtoo cold, too somber. Which was just fine by me, because I'd already wasted more than enough time mooning over him.Daydreaming over the touch of his hands on my skin. The way he kissed me like he couldn't live without air if I wasn't there. The way I somehow managed to delude myself, for a
Dylan's POVI should have left an hour ago.The bar was too loud, the atmosphere too much with the smell of sweat and bad booze, and my goodwill? Gone. Whatever goodwill HR had attempted to create with this company party had dissipated the second Tristan stepped through those glass doors.He wasn't supposed to be here. He never came to these functions. Much better than that, too busy pouting in his ivory tower, finding company functions a waste of time.And yet he was hereโsitting alone in a black booth, consuming whiskey andโฆbeer? Like water.I didn't glance at him. I swear I didnโtโฆ more than twice.Besides him I could feel his eyes crawling up and down my body, even when I wasn't technically staring at him.And for fuck sake, I was trying not to care.I adjusted my weight and attempted to focus on the omega next to meโIt hadn't been hours yet I couldn't recall her name to save my life. She was pleasant enough, chatty and relaxed, and at the moment, I'd take any distraction I could
Dylanโs POV I barely have time to catch my breath before Tristanโs hands are on me again, pulling me closer, his grip firm and unyielding. I donโt even have a chance to process the shift before he pushes me back onto the bed, his body following mine down. The mattress creaks under our combined weight, and I barely manage to brace myself before Tristan is straddling my waist, pinning me down. His eyes are dark, heavy-lidded, and wildโlike heโs barely holding himself together. My pulse races, heart thundering in my chest, and I can feel the heat rolling off him in waves. His hands are on either side of my head, caging me in, and he leans down, our noses brushing, his breath hot and uneven against my lips. I canโt think straight. Everythingโs spinning out of control, and I know I should push him backโshould remind him that heโs still feverish and not in his right mind. But fuck, the way heโs looking at meโlike Iโm the only thing anchoring him to realityโitโs got me trapped. โTristan
Dylanโs POV My body buzzing from the way his hands had moved over me, the way his lips had claimed mine like he was staking his territory. Tristanโs hands are still trembling, but now theyโre softer, almost hesitant as he pushes me back gently onto the bed. He straddles me, his fingers tracing my collarbone and drifting down to my chest, his eyes still dark with desire but tempered now with something softerโsomething almost tender. He swallows hard, his throat bobbing, and I can feel his pulse racing under my hands as I rest them on his hips. Thereโs something unspoken hanging in the air, and I know heโs fighting to keep himself composed. โAre you okay?โ I ask quietly, brushing his hair back from his face. He nods, but his hands are still shaking, his breath uneven. I can see the tension in his shoulders, the way heโs trying to ground himself. I reach up, cupping his face, and he leans into the touch, his eyes fluttering shut for a moment. โTalk to me,โ I murmur, my thumb strokin
Dylanโs POV Iโm losing it. Tristanโs hands are moving with more purpose now, slipping under my shirt, fingertips tracing the lines of my ribs. His touch is scorching, leaving trails of fire on my skin. I canโt help the way my breath hitches, the way my body instinctively responds to his touch. I know I should be pulling back, telling him to calm down, but fuck, itโs impossible when heโs looking at me like thisโeyes dark, lips parted, and his hands sliding up my sides. He leans in, his mouth finding the hollow of my collarbone, and his lips are hot, pressing open-mouthed kisses that make my head spin. I grip his hips, trying to steady both of us, but he just presses closer, his chest flush against mine, his mouth dragging up to my neck. โTristanโฆโ I whisper, trying to sound firm, but it comes out like a rasp. He doesnโt answerโjust nips at my collarbone, sucking the skin gently before kissing it again, as if apologizing for the bite. I canโt think straight. My hands slide up to h
Dylanโs POVIโm trying to keep my mind straightโkeep my focus on soothing Tristan and not on how his hands wonโt stop wandering. His fingers are tracing the line of my neck, light and teasing, and I canโt ignore how his touch makes my skin tingle. I know heโs still battling the remnants of his heat, but his movements are slower now, more purposeful, as if heโs caught in some trance of his own making.โHey,โ I murmur, trying to ground him. โTell me more about your momโs piano songs. What was your favorite?โTristanโs fingers slide from my neck to my collarbone, his eyes still half-lidded, that feverish glow lingering in his gaze. โShe used to play this old waltzโฆ I canโt remember the name. I just know it was sad. Bittersweet. Sheโd play it when she thought no one was listening.โHe moves closer, his lips brushing against my jaw before I can react, and I stiffen, swallowing hard. โTristan, focus,โ I say, voice low. โWhat did you want to be when you were a kid?โHe pauses, his hands slid
Dylanโs POV I barely have time to react before Tristan steps closer, his hands gripping the hem of his shirt. He pulls it over his head in one fluid motion, letting it fall to the floor. The heat coming off his bare skin is suffocating, and my brain stalls, caught between instinct and reason. Heโs standing there, chest heaving, sweat glistening on his torso, eyes locked on mine with a wild, feverish intensity. My mouth goes dry. His muscles tense and relax under his flushed skin, and itโs impossible not to notice every line, every defined plane of his body. He takes another step forward, and I instinctively take one back, my back hitting the wall. His lips curl into a half-smile, and thereโs something feral about the way heโs looking at me. โWeโre just stalling, you know,โ he says, voice rough and low. โYouโre just trying to delay the inevitable.โ My heart is pounding so loud I can barely hear him. โTristanโฆ youโre not thinking straight. You donโt want this.โ His eyes narrow, a g
Dylanโs POV Iโm holding onto my sanity by a thread. Tristanโs body is pressed up against mine, his head still resting on my chest, and Iโm trying to keep my breathing steady, my hands moving gently through his hair. His fever hasnโt broken, but his shaking has eased a little, and for a moment, I think he might finally be calming down. Then his hands shift, moving up from my waist to cup my face, his fingers tracing my jawline with a featherlight touch. My heart stutters, and I swallow hard, fighting to keep my reaction under control. Heโs looking at me through half-lidded eyes, pupils blown wide and glistening with something raw and unfiltered. His thumb brushes over my cheek, and I can feel the tremor in his touch, the way heโs barely holding himself together. โPrettyboyโฆโ he whispers, voice shaky and soft. โMake it stop.โ I know what heโs asking forโrelief, comfort, something to pull him out of this feverish haze. I can feel his desperation like a physical force, wrapping around
Dylanโs POV I know Iโm in trouble the second Tristanโs mouth brushes against my neck. Itโs just a fleeting touchโbarely thereโbut it sets every nerve on fire. My breath hitches, and I force myself to stay still, my fingers tangled in his hair, gently massaging his scalp to keep him calm. Heโs too hotโfeverish and restless, his body shifting against mine, making me acutely aware of every inch of him pressed up against me. I tell myself to focus, to breathe through it, but itโs fucking impossible when heโs nuzzling into me, his lips grazing my skin again, this time more deliberate. โTristan,โ I murmur, trying to sound steady. โYou need to rest.โ He doesnโt answerโjust sighs against my collarbone, his hands slipping from my shirt to trace along my sides. The touch is slow, almost absentminded, but itโs sending shocks straight through me. I swallow hard, reminding myself that heโs not in his right mind, that the heat is making him like this. But then he does it againโhis lips ghost ov
Dylanโs POV Tristanโs breathing has calmed some, but his skin still feels too hot, his pulse too rapid. I know I need to do something to help him cool down, but his hands are gripping my shirt with a kind of desperate strength, like heโs terrified Iโll slip away if he lets go. โTristan,โ I whisper softly, brushing his hair out of his face. โI need to get something to help you cool down, okay?โ His grip tightens, his fingers curling into the fabric. โDonโtโฆ go,โ he mumbles, voice hoarse and laced with lingering need. I swallow the knot in my throat, forcing a smile. โIโm not leaving. Just let me get a cloth to help, alright?โ His eyes are barely open, but I can feel his body tense as if the idea of me moving even a few feet away is unbearable. I donโt blame him; the synthetic heat drugs are making his instincts go haywire. โIโm not leaving,โ I repeat gently, squeezing his hand. After a moment, he lets me pull away just enough to reach the bathroom. I grab a small towel, soaking it
Dylanโs POVIt feels like the room is collapsing in on itself, engulfed by the bloated scent of heat that Tristanโs body is emitting. Heโs barely coherent, his head lolling against my shoulder, his breaths coming out in ragged, shallow gasps. I can feel his pulse racing under my fingertips, his skin feverishly hot.I know he canโt stay here like this. The paramedics have done all they can, and the suppressants arenโt working. I donโt trust anyone else to handle him right nowโnot when heโs this vulnerable, this raw. I take a deep breath, steadying myself before carefully pulling him up from the chair.โTristan,โ I murmur softly, brushing his damp hair out of his face. โWe need to move you somewhere safer. Can you stand?โHe mumbles something, too low for me to catch, but when I pull him to his feet, his legs give out almost immediately. I catch him before he hits the ground, wrapping my arm firmly around his waist. His body slumps against mine, and I can feel every tremor that runs thr