You have to do it, though. He deserves to know the truth.
My bear was right. I couldn’t keep lying to him, not if we had any chance of being... everything.
“There’s, um, there’s something I need to tell you,” I started, my voice rougher than I’d intended.
He turned to me, his eyes wide, curious. “Okay... What is it?”
I swallowed, my throat suddenly dry. The words were right there, but every time I tried to push them out, all I could see was James—the terror in his eyes, the way he’d run, the way he’d dropped out of sight before I could get to him.
I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to block out the memory, but it was like it was burned into my mind. I couldn’t do it. Not yet. Not when the fear of losing him was so raw, so real.
“It’s... complicated,” I finally said, my voice barely above a whisper. “And I’m not sure how you’ll feel about it.”
His brow furrowed, concern filling his eyes. “Hey, whatever it is, you can tell me. I promise.”
I wanted to believe that. Great goddess, I wanted to believe it so badly. But the risk... it was too much. And unless I was ready to leave Rockmount—ready to give up everything: my family, my home—I couldn’t keep pretending forever. It wasn’t like I could stop everyone from shifting around him, not in a town full of shifters.
“It can wait,” I said, my voice cracking just a little.
He studied me for a long moment, then nodded, his expression softening. “Okay. I trust you, Holden.”
Those words did something to me—made something in my chest tighten, ache. He trusted me. Despite all the hot and cold, despite every time I’d pushed him away, he still trusted me. Even with everything he’d been through in his life. I didn’t deserve that.
But I’d do everything I could to earn it.
I leaned in, brushing my lips against his, soft at first, testing, waiting for him to pull away. He didn’t. Instead, he kissed me back, his hands finding my shoulders, pulling me closer until there was no space left between us.
The kiss deepened, and I could feel the emotion behind it—the want, the need, the hope. It was raw and real, and it made me feel like maybe, just maybe, I could have this. Have him.
I pulled him onto my lap, the water sloshing around us as he straddled me, his fingers tangling in my hair. He looked at me, his eyes searching mine, and for the first time, I saw it—the same fear, the same hope, the same longing. We were both scared, both unsure. But we had each other.
“You’re perfect,” I whispered against his lips, my hands running up his back, feeling the shiver that ran through him. “You’re everything.”
He let out a shaky breath, his forehead resting against mine. “Holden...”
I didn’t let him finish. I kissed him again, deeper, my hands roaming, wanting to feel every inch of him, to memorize the way his skin felt beneath my fingers. He was warm, so warm, and the way he moved against me—it was like he was made for me, like every part of him fit perfectly with me.
The world around us faded away until it was just him—just Mylo. His breath, his touch, his soft gasps as I kissed along his neck, his collarbone. I wanted to make him feel cherished, loved. Because that’s what he was. He was my mate—my everything.
We moved together, the water rippling around us, the steam rising, mingling with our breathless kisses. His fingers dug into my shoulders, his head falling back as he let out a soft moan, and it was the most beautiful sound I’d ever heard.
“Holden,” he whispered, his voice breaking, and I knew—I knew I’d do anything to protect him, to keep him safe, to make sure he never felt alone again.
I carried him to the bedroom, our lips never breaking, our hands never stopping. I laid him down gently, hovering over him, my eyes meeting his. He looked up at me, his gaze filled with so much trust, so much love, and it broke me.
I didn’t deserve him. But I’d spend every day trying to.
I kissed him again, slow and deep, my hands caressing his sides, his hips. He arched into me, his breath hitching, and I knew—this was it. This was everything.
And as we moved together, as our breaths mingled, as our bodies fit perfectly, I realized—maybe I could have this. Maybe I could have him, and not tell him everything just yet. Maybe I could keep this secret a little longer, keep him safe a little longer.
But deep down, I knew—if I wanted this to last, if I wanted him to be mine forever, I’d have to tell him. I’d have to trust him the way he trusted me.
But tonight, I let myself just have him. I let myself love him, cherish him. And maybe, for now, that was enough.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
MYLO
