A Break

Tristan’s. POV 

“We are being invited to the pack games?” I said, not bothering to hide my disinterestedness. 

Isaac nodded, lowering himself into a seat across me. “Yes, Lycan. The same one that happens every ten years. The Lycan King has sent out invitations. He’s hosting the games this season.”

I shrugged. “He just wants to show off his army again. We all know that’s what it’s about.” I had better things to do that stoke up that man’s already puffed-up ego. 

As if reading my thought, Isaac said. “We need to be there. You know what it means to turn down the Lycan King’s invitation.”

I glanced at him. “Do I look like I care?” I retorted. “Besides, I never said we are not going. There was no specific order telling me to be there in person. You can go and represent me there; I have better things to do with my time.”

He stood to his feet. “That’s not happening, Lycan Tristan.”

I hated it whenever he addressed me with my title and name and wasn’t it his duty to represent me as my beta?

I glared at him. “What did you say to me?”

He dropped his gaze to the ground. “I said, it’s not happening, Lycan Tristan.”

It’s not like I didn’t hear you the first time, I wanted to say to him. “Are you disobeying a direct order from your Alpha?” I gritted out instead, clenching me fist till the veins in my neck popped. 

He peeked up at me. “If I have to. You’ve been cooped up in here for the past five years. This is an opportunity for you to show yourself again and prove all the rumors spreading about you being weak, wrong.”

‘Listen to him,’ my wolf, Liam reasoned although he sounded more hostile than anything. ‘Looks like he has more sense than you.’

“The other Alphas might start to attack us soon.” Isaac continued, cutting off my chance to respond to my wolf. “We have to show them that despite what happened five years ago, we are still one of the strongest packs in the community and that they can’t mess –”

“Almost six,” I corrected.

His brows furrowed. “What?”

“It’s been almost six years since that twerp rejected and made a fool out of me.” I snarled, balling my fist tight. “Not five.”

Although it’s been almost six years and Reya should be dead to me, I still couldn’t get her out of my head. Memories of her were still fresh in my head and as annoying as it was, I couldn’t seem to let them go. 

“She’s dead, Tristan.” Isaac said, interrupting my thoughts. “You have to let her go and besides, Chloe is here just like you’ve always wanted. I still don’t understand why you haven’t officially made her Luna meanwhile she has taken on that role for the past five years.”

Isaac was wrong. Reya wasn’t dead, but I wasn’t about to convince him otherwise. I could still feel part of our broken bond beaming with life. 

I turned away, trying to keep my expression hidden from my friend when my office door shot open and Chloe walked in with a radiant smile. 

“I prepared dinner, Tris,” She announced, wrapping her hands around my neck and drawing me in for a wet kiss. “Will you come down for a bit?”

I bit hard on my bottom lip as I thought about going through another round of torture in the name of eating dinner. I didn’t know why she didn’t just leave the cooking to the omegas like I convinced her many times to do. 

“Isaac,” she called, turning around to glance at my beta. “You should join us.”

Isaac’s eyes darted to my face. He knew what kind of disaster Chloe’s meals always turned out to be and was looking for a way to escape.

“Isaac and I still have a few things to go over,” I said quickly. “Right, Isaac?”

I glanced over at my beta expectantly. “Attend the games the Lycan King invited us to and I might save you from dinner.” He said through the mind link we shared. 

I gritted my teeth. 

“Come on, babe,” Chloe drawled out. “The food will be cold by the time you’re done.”

My eyes darted to Isaac again he now had an amused expression on his face. “What will it be, Lycan Tristan?” 

I scowled at him. “Fine,” I answered. “But just know I’ll get back at you for this.”

He closed the mind link immediately, turning to face Chloe. “Lycan Tristan and I will be down as soon as we finish,” he promised. “Lately, we have a lot of work. There’s been news of unrest at the south borders and we were just about to go check it out.”

Chloe’s shoulders sagged and her pout faded. I perked her on the cheek, and then hugged her. “I’ll come back soon; I promise. I’ll treat you.”

That put back her radiant smile on her beautiful face and she grinned. “Promise?”

Well, I got myself into this mess now, didn’t I? 

Kissing her again, I nodded. 

‘Pathetic.’ Liam whined. ‘This is what you chose above our mate? Get her out of my eyes before I bite her annoying face off.’

Isaac cleared his throat, unintentionally saving Chloe’s face. “We should go.”

I nodded at my beta, swooping down to give Chloe another kiss, this time on the lips. Once I left, I was convinced this trip to the Lycan King’s territory was going to give me some time away from Chloe.

Something I desperately needed, since for the past almost six years, all she did was swam and suffocate me and I couldn’t bring myself to complain. 

‘Admit that you don’t love her.’ Liam said. ‘You know deep down inside you that you stopped loving her a long time ago.’

I pushed him out of my head, putting up a wall between us. Even my wolf, Liam was becoming very annoying. His only problem was that he loved to call me out, throwing all the truth I never wanted to see in my face. 

I loved Chloe, I told myself. 

Both of us have sacrificed so much to be together. I needed to put myself together, if not for anyone else, I should do it for Chloe.

I made that my main aim of attending the games. Once I returned, I was going to be a better man for Chloe who deserved better than the dish I was serving her. 

I almost laughed at my irony. I was running away from her food.