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Lahat ng Kabanata ng MIDWINTER MATE: Kabanata 21 - Kabanata 30

36 Kabanata

21

Kol managed to keep Diego at a distance for several days. Valeria had pushed him to kill his phone the night after their blow-up, so they spent the evening inhaling salted caramel gelato and mocking cooking competitions until they passed out in the living room of the Riverside Duplex. By the next morning, however, the digital dam had burst.Kol, can we talk? I'm sorry about the cafe.When can I see you?Can I come over tonight? We need a real conversation. I need to apologize to your face.Please don't shut me out.Guilt settled in Kol’s gut like lead. Diego wanted to make amends, and Kol had been weaponizing silence as if he hadn't been the one to storm out. He realized he probably owed an apology for the exit, too. Still, he didn't feel steady enough to reply on Sunday. He held out two more days—long enough to ensure the star captain was genuinely remorseful. It felt bizarre not having that quiet intensity at his side between lectures, and the Austin State Library felt hollow. He co

22

DIEGOThe heavy silence of the Alvarez Residence usually feels like a fortress, but tonight, it’s a cage. It is well past midnight. Sleep should have claimed me hours ago, especially with a morning skate on the horizon, but instead, I’m paralyzed, anchored by the rhythmic, soft breathing of Kol beside me. I’m staring at him, tracing the way his mouth settles into a slight, stubborn pout even in rest. He looks remarkably peaceful—untouched by the jagged edges of the world I inhabit. He looks vulnerable.Hell. Am I actually falling for him?The thought is a physical blow to my gut. I can't allow that. I know I can't. Our entire connection is a hollow construction, a cruel architecture designed by my twin sister. But the heat spreading through my chest—the protective instinct that has been clawing at me for weeks—it feels undeniably authentic. The hours buried in the stacks of the Austin State Library, the shared silence in the car, the way he challenges my cynicism... none of that was s

23

KOLAfter our explosion, the thought of letting Diego back into the Riverside Duplex felt like a breach of my own borders. His words had been jagged, cutting into places I thought were safe, and it felt far too risky to let that quiet intensity back into my sanctuary where he could draw blood again. I was forced to sit in the quiet and dissect what I actually wanted from this tether between us.Initially, the transition into "dating" felt like a mechanical requirement—the logical next step when you’re tangled in someone’s sheets every other night. It hadn't threatened my focus on the Austin State Library sessions or my standing in the biochemical engineering track. But the balance had tipped. I was logging more hours in his arms than in my textbooks, our arguments were becoming a second language, and the physical heat between us was the only thing that hadn't turned cold. I had been so distracted I nearly missed the deadline for my advanced research placement.Yet, the ache of his abs

24

DIEGO"I’m not entirely sure what’s gotten into him, but Kol’s been so relentless lately he’s practically draining my battery," I boast to Ethan while we navigate the lunch rush at the university cafeteria. It’s a cheap thrill, marking my territory with words, but the sheer physical intensity of the last few weeks is a high I can't quit.Ethan pulls a skeptical face, his eyebrows hitting his hairline. "Rough life you lead, man," he mutters with a dry, noncommittal shrug. I can smell the envy on him; he’s been in a dry spell longer than the summer heatwave in Austin.We claim a corner table, dropping our heavy trays with a metallic clang. I notice a few underclassmen tracking our movement across the room. A group of girls whispers as they pass, and I see Ethan instinctively start to check his reflection in the curve of his spoon, smoothing his hair. I swat the back of his head. "Don’t even start. They look like they still have a curfew.""Legal is legal, Alvarez," Ethan grunts, finishi

25

Following the explosive departure from the library, Kol retreated to the Riverside Duplex, bolting the door to his room as if he could lock out the humiliation. Despite knowing it was a masochistic impulse, his fingers moved of their own accord, opening Instagram to hunt down the digital ghost haunting his relationship.PaigeTurner02. The handle felt like a brand on his psyche. A wave of nausea rolled over him as he scrolled. There she was, radiating a polished, effortless perfection in a neon bikini that left nothing to the imagination. In the next shot, she was surrounded by sorority sisters, her bronzed, endless legs the center of attention. Then, the gut punch: a photo of her at the Austin Ice Arena, blonde hair spilling over a vintage hockey jersey. She was the archetype of everything Diego was supposed to want—slender, golden, and obsessed with the ice. Her captions were surgical strikes of casual wit and inside jokes, each post garnering a sea of validation.And she was current

26

DIEGODiego slammed the heavy front door of the Alvarez Residence, the sound echoing like a gunshot through the foyer. “Isabella!” he roared. His pulse was a frantic staccato, the predator in him pacing beneath his skin. He scanned the open-plan living area, but it was empty. Of course, the one time he actually needed to confront his twin, she was playing ghost. “Isabella! Get out here!”“What is your problem?” her voice drifted down, sharp with irritation. A moment later, the door to her suite clicked shut, and she appeared at the top of the stairs, swaddled in a plush designer throw. She looked down at him with narrowed eyes. “It’s far too early for this level of auditory assault, Diego.”Diego didn't even bother checking his watch. “You’re the one who’s usually at the Austin Wolves Training Center hitting the weights before the sun is even up.”“Yeah, so I can dominate the equipment before the mediocre crowd crawls out of bed,” she replied, her tone dripping with a casual, practice

27

DIEGOEngaging with Paige had been a catastrophic lapse in judgment, a mindless regression into the habits of a man he no longer recognized. Diego wasn't prepared to confess the sheer magnitude of his feelings for Kol, but the internal shift was undeniable. The realization that Isabella was still intent on dismantling Kol’s peace—even if it meant collateral damage to her own brother—forced him to see his twin in a chillingly sharp light."You're talking in circles," Diego snapped at Isabella. "Just because I don't provide you with a play-by-play of my internal state—"Isabella’s laugh was a jagged, mocking sound. "Diego, you wouldn't be able to identify a genuine emotion if it stood in front of you center-ice, wearing a neon jersey and waving a penalty flag."His phone vibrated in his palm, and he seized the distraction from his sister’s toxic presence. A message from Kol illuminated the screen, the words carrying a weight that made his chest tighten.Get over here immediately. There

28

The air in the Riverside Duplex was thick with the scent of rain and the metallic tang of Diego’s shocked adrenaline. Kol stepped toward the massive hockey star, sinking onto the edge of the cushion and resting a steadying palm on Diego’s trembling shoulder. At first, the werewolf flinched, his muscles coiling as if to bolt, but as Kol maintained the contact, Diego finally slumped, allowing the touch."Diego..." Kol’s voice was a low, grounding hum. "Talk to me. I’m begging you, just explain what’s happening in your head."The athlete shook his head, his knuckles white as he gripped his hair. "I can't. It’s too dark.""You have to," Kol insisted, his resolve hardening. "You claimed I wouldn't understand, so make me. Map it out for me, because right now, I’m drowning in the confusion of your reaction."Diego finally lifted his gaze, and the sheer agony etched into his features hit Kol like a cross-check to the ribs. The quiet intensity that usually defined the man had shattered into so

29

DIEGO“Down it! Down it! Down it!” the circle of teammates surrounding him roared. Diego tipped his head back, draining the final amber drops of the brew before crushing the aluminum in his grip. The Austin Wolves let out a collective howl of approval. He offered a jagged grin, suppressing the bile rising in his throat.This was the anesthetic he required. After fleeing the Riverside Duplex, his internal monologue had been a chaotic cacophony. He had messaged Ethan Brooks to scout for any diversions, and since it was Saturday in Austin, the options were limitless. Ethan was a brother in every sense; he hadn't pried when Diego confessed a desperate need to black out. He simply rounded up the pack and the supplies.“Who’s down for the Lone Star Bar?” Javier Morales yelled over the rhythmic thumping of the bass. “This house is becoming a total wall-to-wall bromance.”Scanning the room, Diego saw the truth in Javier’s assessment. The space was packed with hockey players—wolves in human sk

30

He bankrolled a round of shots for the group and grabbed a heavy stout to nurse while he dominated the pool table. Lucas and Ethan challenged him, but even as his coordination began to fray at the edges, Diego’s predatory focus remained sharp; he cleared the table twice without breaking a sweat. Eventually, Lucas tapped out and retreated to the booths with the others. Ethan remained a silent shadow at his side.Javier was a constant revolving door of tequila shots, which Diego accepted with grim gratitude. As grating as the man was, he was an expert at facilitating a downward spiral, and that was the exact frequency Diego wanted to vibrate on. Eventually, the pool cues were put away, and he joined Javier, Ethan, and Daniel Torres at a corner table. They were embroiled in a heated debate about a series Daniel was obsessed with.“You’re missing the point,” Daniel was arguing. “Just because it’s a graphic novel adaptation doesn't mean it’s for toddlers. The kill count alone makes it an R

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