Breaking barriers
1071 Words
(Greyson)
I stood just inside the woods, leaning against a tree as I let the cool night air settle around me.
My chest felt tight, my thoughts going back to Christian. I couldn’t get him out of my head—the way he’d been lately, the sadness in his eyes, the distance he tried to put between us.
He’s struggling, I thought, trying to steady myself.
'You need to do something, we can’t keep letting him push us away.' Mylo growled.
'I know,' I murmured under my breath, my hands balling into fists.
'You’re his mate. Jaxon and Mason are too. We’re supposed to protect him, to make him feel safe,' Mylo reminded me, his tone firm but concerned.
'I get it, Mylo. But he’s going to college soon. He’s doing what he thinks he needs to do, and we can’t stop him.'
'It doesn’t mean we have to like it,' Mylo muttered.
'I don’t, but it’s what he wants. We can’t stand in his way.' I admitted, sighing.
'Then make him see that we’re here for him. All of us, he’s ours. He needs to know that.' Mylo urged.
'I know.' The truth was, I hated the idea of Christian leaving. But it wasn’t about me.
It was about him—his happiness, his future. I just didn’t want him to think we wouldn’t be there for him no matter what.
I pushed off the tree, determined to find him. He hadn’t come back to the pack house, and I needed to know he was okay.
Landon’s earlier conversation with Micah had given me a clue, even though I wasn’t supposed to overhear it.
“He might not come back tonight,” Landon had said.
“We fought. He just needs space.” That was all I needed to hear. I tracked Christian’s scent through the woods until I found the cabin.
It was old, dusty, and barely standing, but it was enough to give him the space he craved.
I stepped inside quietly, my eyes adjusting to the light. Christian was curled up on the lumpy cot, staring at the ceiling.
His face was pale, and his eyes were rimmed red. My chest ached at the sight of him.
“How’d you find me?” He asked, his voice soft but laced with exhaustion. I leaned against the doorframe.
“Landon mentioned you might not come back tonight. I tracked you here. I had to make sure you were okay.” Christian sat up, rubbing his face.
“I didn’t mean to make you worry.” I stepped closer, lowering myself to sit on the edge of the cot.
“You don’t have to explain. I just… I know things have been rough for you.” His lips trembled, and for a moment, I thought he wouldn’t say anything. Then, the words came spilling out.
“I feel like I’m letting everyone down. You, Jaxon, Mason… my dad. I don’t even have my wolf yet. How can I be enough for any of you?” The pain in his voice hit me like a punch to the gut. I reached out, placing a hand on his shoulder.
“Christian, you don’t have to prove anything to us. You’re enough just the way you are.”
“But what if my wolf never comes?” He whispered, his eyes filling with tears.
“Then it doesn’t matter,” I said firmly.
“We don’t love you because of your wolf. We love you because you’re you. Jaxon, Mason, and I just want you to feel safe with us. That’s all.” He looked at me, doubt flashing in his eyes.
“I don’t know if I can. It’s hard… trusting all of you.” I nodded slowly.
“I get it. But we’re not going anywhere, Christian. We’ll wait as long as you need.” The room fell silent for a moment before I glanced at the cot beneath us.
“This bed doesn’t look like it could hold the weight of both of us.” Christian raised an eyebrow.
“You think it’ll break?” He asked.
“Only one way to find out,” I said, smirking.
We both lay back cautiously, testing the creaking mattress. It groaned under our combined weight before giving way with a loud c***k.
We hit the floor in a heap, and for the first time in what felt like forever, Christian laughed. The sound was warm and genuine, and it made my heart swell.
“I told you,” I said, chuckling as I reached over to tickle his sides.
“Stop!” he squealed, squirming away from me. But his laughter continued, and for a moment, the tension between us melted away.
When we finally settled down, lying side by side on the cabin floor, I turned to him.
“Christian, I know this hasn’t been easy. But you’re our mate—mine, Jaxon’s, and Mason’s. We just want to protect you, to make you feel safe.” He looked at me, his expression softening.
“I don’t know if I can give all of you a chance. It’s a lot.” I reached for his hand, squeezing it gently.
“Take your time. We’ll be here, no matter what. You don’t have to rush. Just… let us in, little by little.” Christian stared at our joined hands for a long moment before nodding.
“Okay. I’ll try. I’ll give all of you a chance.” My heart leaped at his words.
“You mean it?” I asked.
“Yeah,” He said, a small smile tugging at his lips.
“I mean it.” Before I could stop myself, I leaned in, brushing my lips against his. I expected him to pull away, panic, or get upset, but he didn’t.
Instead, he kissed me back, his lips soft and hesitant but full of promise.
When we finally pulled apart, he looked at me with wide eyes.
“That wasn’t so bad like the first time.” I laughed, pulling him into a hug.
“You have no idea how much that means to me.” Christian rested his head against my chest, his body relaxing for the first time in days.
Maybe things weren’t perfect yet, but this was a start. And I’d do whatever it took to make sure he knew just how much he was loved.
- Writer
