Mylo grinned, and something in his face softened, like he was holding back a laugh. “Yeah, Noah said your family and his are like the Capulets and Montagues or something. I figured you were just trying to avoid a Shakespearean disaster.”
A laugh escaped me before I could stop it, the tension loosening in my chest just a little. Leave it to Noah to make a feud between bear shifters and wolves sound like a literary battle. “Yeah, something like that,” I muttered, shaking my head.
His smile widened, and I could see that curious glint in his eyes again. I could see him searching, trying to figure me out. And for a split second, I thought about telling him everything. About the feud. About the risks. About why I was so terrified of getting too close to him.
But I couldn’t. Not yet. Until I knew it was safe.
“Just... don’t go near that land again,” I said, keeping my voice firm but less harsh than before. “It’s dangerous.”
His brow furrowed, and I could see the wheels turning in his head. “Dangerous how? I mean, Noah’s family can’t be that bad, right? What’s the worst that could happen?”
I clenched my jaw, forcing myself to stay calm. “Just trust me on this, okay?”
He held my gaze for a long moment, searching for answers I wasn’t giving. Finally, he nodded, though I could see the frustration in his eyes. “Fine. But you’re not off the hook.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Off the hook?”
He smirked, crossing his arms. “Yeah. I want to know what’s really going on. And why you keep looking at me like... like I’m some kind of puzzle you’re afraid to solve.”
I stiffened, the weight of his words hitting harder than I expected. “I’m not?—”
“You are,” he said, cutting me off. “But it’s fine. We can play this game for a little while longer. Just don’t expect me to ignore it forever.”
I swallowed hard, not sure how to respond. He wasn’t just stubborn. He was relentless. And that scared the hell out of me.
“See you around, boss,” he added with a wink, turning back to his pot.
I stood there for a moment, frozen, watching him stir the contents of the pot like we hadn’t just had a conversation that shook me to my core.
Yeah, I was in trouble.
The apology didn’t go exactly how I’d planned. But at least he wasn’t pissed. Now, I just had to figure out how to keep my distance without pushing him away entirely. Because no matter how much I tried to convince myself I was doing this for him, the truth was, I wasn’t sure how much longer I could keep this up.
If my family was right, ifAdalberntruly did bring us together for a reason... then why did I feel like running in the other direction every time I looked at Mylo?
And worse... why did I feel like I couldn’t?
I stood there for a moment, watching him stir the pot like nothing had just happened. I knew I should walk away, get back to business, put this whole conversation behind me like everything else, but something kept me rooted in place. My chest felt tight, my bear restless, like I’d missed something important.
I cleared my throat, trying to ignore the way his presence made it hard to think straight. “Look,” I started, and his eyes flicked back up to mine, curious. “I wasn’t thinking clearly the other day. I—” I paused, feeling the words get stuck in my throat. Apologizing wasn’t exactly my strong suit. “I was worried about you. About what could’ve happened if you’d gone too far into that territory.”
His brow furrowed slightly, and for a second, I thought he might laugh at me. Instead, he surprised me. “You were that worried about me?”
I nodded, swallowing the lump in my throat. “Yeah,” I admitted, not sure how much to reveal. “I didn’t handle it well. I panicked. But... I’m glad you’re okay.”
His face softened, and I could see something shift in his expression—something warmer, like he appreciated that I’d admitted it. “Thanks, Holden,” he said quietly. “I didn’t realize you were that freaked out. But I guess... it’s kinda nice knowing someone was looking out for me.”
My chest tightened at that, and I forced myself to look away before I let the moment linger too long. The last thing I needed was for him to start thinking I was someone who had a soft spot for him, because that would only make this harder.
“Anyway,” I said, clearing my throat again. “I wanted to make it up to you.”
His eyebrows shot up, his lips twitching with amusement. “Make it up to me?”
I nodded, already regretting what I was about to say. “There’s a bourbon tasting tonight at the resort. High-end stuff. It’s... not exactly my thing, but I thought you might like it. If you’re free.”
His eyes lit up, and a smile tugged at his lips. “Wait, you’re inviting me?”
I shifted, feeling the weight of his gaze on me. “Yeah. I mean, it’s just a tasting. It’s not like... a big deal or anything.”
