Alpha Tristan ✓ [Republishing]

Eikosieksi [ 26 ]

I sensed him as soon as I got back to the house.

It was silent save for the sound of the heating keeping everything warm, but I knew he was there. My mark pulsed and I could feel the ache in my heart subside slightly. The desperation I felt in my heart was immense. I was desperate to be near him again—so much so that I had run straight from the training field and didn't even look back once.

Pulling off my jacket, I draped it over the back of the sofa before kicking my shoes off and bounding up the stairs with a sense of urgency I had never felt before. With every step closer to the closed bedroom door, I was consumed by him. His scent was strong yet the grief rolled off him in waves. I got caught up in the tide, almost not able to breathe as I opened the door and stepped in.

His broad shoulders were hunched over as he placed his elbows on his thighs and gripped the silky strands of hair in between his fingers. He was still dressed in the same clothes from the day before, but he had discarded his suit jacket to be left in his white dress shirt and black trousers.

The slim black tie was loose around his neck and even though he didn't look up as I entered the room, I noticed his shoulders straightening out slightly.

It was like I would combust into a thousand particles if I didn't touch him soon. "Tristan?" I softly called out his name, falling to my knees in front of him and lightly gripping his forearms.

A sigh fell from his lips and I craned my head to try and meet his gaze. My chest tightened at his bloodshot eyes and his dark eyelashes lined heavy with tears. There was a sense of shock that filled me at the thought that his pain was strong enough to bring him to tears.

I knew at that moment, I had never seen a man so strong.

"Tristan. I'm here, okay?" I squeezed his arms gently and pulled his hands from his hair to softly kiss his knuckles. I leaned closer to him so he could feel my warmth. "I promise I won't leave your side."

The silence weighed heavy in the air and when he broke it, his voice was strained and raw. So raw that it was like his pain was still an open wound—never healing and never less painful. "Your mother visited his grave...did you go with her?" he closed his eyes and his jaw tightened.

I shook my head vehemently. "No. I swear I didn't."

"He's your father." He murmured lowly and I didn't know if he was taking it in again or stating it as a fact.

"That man isn't anything to me, Tristan." I choked up, feeling the emotion come back to me tenfold. "But I understand if y-you don't want me anymore—"