Chapter 71:
“Too much on my mind.”
Dante nodded, his posture relaxing slightly.
“You’re carrying a lot. More than most Alphas have to deal with.”
I turned to him, narrowing my eyes.
“Is that supposed to be a compliment?”
A faint smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
“It’s an observation. But if you want it to be a compliment, take it as one.”
I rolled my eyes but didn’t respond, letting the quiet stretch between us. For a moment, it was almost comfortable, like the silence we used to share before everything fell apart.
“You’ve done well, you know,” he said after a while, his voice low but sincere.
“The pack might not say it enough, but they’re starting to trust you. To believe in you.”
I blinked, caught off guard by his words.
“That’s… unexpected, coming from you.”
He shrugged, his gaze still on the stars.
“Just because I’ve questioned you doesn’t mean I don’t see what you’ve done. You’re stronger than they realize. Than I realized.”
There was a flicker of vulnerability in his voice, a rare crack in the armor he wore so well. It made my chest tighten, and I found myself studying him, trying to read the emotions he so carefully kept hidden.
“Why did you come back, Dante?” I asked softly, the question slipping out before I could stop it.
He stiffened slightly, his jaw tightening, but he didn’t look away.
“Because I couldn’t stay away.”
“That’s not an answer.”
“It’s the truth,” he said, his voice sharper now.
“I told myself I didn’t need this pack, that I didn’t need you. But no matter how far I went, I couldn’t let go. This place… it’s in my blood. And so are you.”
The words hung between us, heavy and unspoken for too long. My breath caught in my throat, and I looked away, staring at the ground as my thoughts raced. The bond we’d shared before his exile had been more than just friendship, more than loyalty. But it had been broken, or so I’d thought.
“Dante…” I began, but he cut me off.
“I’m not saying this to complicate things,” he said quickly, his tone firm.
“I know where I stand now, and I’m here for you. For the pack. Nothing more.”
I swallowed hard, trying to steady the emotions swirling inside me.
“You don’t have to carry this alone,” I said finally, my voice quieter.
“I know the pack sees me as Alpha, but sometimes it feels like I’m barely holding them together.”
“You are holding them together,” he said, stepping closer.
“And if you ever feel like you can’t, I’m here. Not to lead, but to support you. To make sure you succeed.”
I looked up at him, searching his eyes for any trace of doubt or hidden motives. But all I saw was sincerity, a loyalty that ran deeper than I’d expected.
He broke the silence, his voice softer now.
“Do you remember that night, before it all fell apart? The river, the stars—how we thought the world couldn’t touch us?”
I nodded, my chest tightening.
“I remember.”
“I think about it sometimes,” he admitted.
“Not to live in the past, but to remind myself what we’re fighting for. What you’re fighting for. That peace, even if it’s just a glimpse of it, is worth every battle.”
