A promise to try
1090 Words
(Christian)
I lay on the cabin floor next to Greyson, my chest still rising and falling from laughing so hard. It felt good—better than I’d felt in a long time.
The tension in my shoulders eased, and for the first time, I didn’t feel like I had to carry the burden of everything alone.
I glanced at Greyson, his face still lit up with that teasing grin he always had. He made things feel lighter like maybe the world wasn’t as heavy as I thought it was.
“You ready to head back?” He asked after a moment, sitting up and brushing the dust off his pants.
I hesitated. The thought of going back to the pack house made my stomach churn. Everyone would be there—Jaxon, Mason, my dad. I wasn’t sure if I could face them after how I’d been acting.
“Hey,” Greyson said softly, pulling me from my thoughts.
“We’ll go together, okay? You don’t have to do it alone.” I nodded, my throat tightening as I stood.
The walk back was quiet for the most part, except for Greyson humming some tune under his breath. I didn’t ask what it was, and he didn’t offer, but it was comforting like having him beside me made things less scary.
As we neared the edge of the woods, I saw someone waiting near the path. It was Logan.
He stepped forward, his expression unreadable.
“Christian,” He said, his voice calm.
“You okay?” I stiffened, remembering the rumors I’d heard. They said Logan was in love with my pop—my dad’s mate. The thought made my blood boil a little, even if I didn’t know if it was true. I crossed my arms, narrowing my eyes at him.
“I’m fine,” I said shortly, my tone sharper than I meant it to be.
Logan’s eyes flicked to Greyson, then back to me.
“If you ever need to talk—” He started to say.
“I won’t,” I cut him off, my scowl deepening.
Greyson snorted beside me, clearly amused.
“Play nice,” he said, nudging my shoulder.
I glared at him, but he just laughed harder. Logan raised an eyebrow but didn’t say anything else, stepping aside to let us pass.
As we walked on, Greyson leaned closer, still chuckling.
“You should’ve seen your face. You looked like you were about to fight him.” Greyson teased.
“I don’t trust him,” I muttered.
“Yeah, I can tell,” Greyson said, smirking.
We reached the pack house, and my stomach knotted again. I stopped at the front steps, staring at the door. Greyson waited, not saying anything, just giving me time to work up the courage.
Finally, I pushed the door open and stepped inside. The familiar scent of a home hit me immediately—wood, pine, and something warm that reminded me of safety.
I found my dad in the living room, sitting on the couch with a book in his hands. He looked up when he saw me, his eyes softening.
“Christian,” He said, setting the book down.
I hesitated, my heart pounding.
“Dad, can we talk?” He nodded, patting the spot on the couch beside him. I sat down, fiddling with the hem of my shirt.
“I’m sorry,” I blurted out before I could lose my nerve.
“For everything—for how I’ve been acting, for pushing you away, for yelling at you.” Dad didn’t say anything right away, just reached over and placed a hand on mine.
“You don’t have to apologize, son I know you’ve been going through a lot.” he said softly.
“But I was wrong,” I insisted, my voice breaking.
“I shouldn’t have taken it out on you. You’ve only ever tried to help me, and I’ve been so awful.” His grip on my hand tightened.
“You’re not awful, Christian. You’re my son, and I love you, no matter what. You don’t have to be perfect for me to love you.” The tears I’d been holding back spilled over, and I leaned into him, letting him wrap his arms around me. For the first time in weeks, I let myself cry without holding back.
“I’m scared,” I admitted through the sobs.
“What if my wolf never comes? What if I’m not enough?” Dad pulled back, looking me in the eyes.
“You are enough, with or without a wolf. You always have been, and you always will be. Don’t let anyone, not even yourself, tell you otherwise.”
I nodded, wiping my face. It didn’t fix everything, but it helped. Knowing he didn’t see me as a failure eased some of the weight on my chest.
Greyson leaned against the doorway, watching quietly. When our eyes met, he gave me a small smile, and I knew he was proud of me for taking this step.
Dad glanced at him, then back at me.
“You’ve got good people in your corner, Christian. Don’t forget that.” He said.
“I know,” I said, my voice calmer now.
After a while, Dad suggested I get some rest, and I agreed. As Greyson and I headed up the stairs, I couldn’t help but feel better like a part of the burden I’d been carrying was gone.
“See?” Greyson said as we reached my room.
“That wasn’t so bad, was it?” I rolled my eyes, but a small smile tugged at my lips.
“Shut up.” He grinned, ruffling my hair.
“Get some sleep, okay? You’ve earned it.” As he turned to leave, I grabbed his wrist, stopping him.
“Greyson?”
“Yeah?”
“Thank you,” I said quietly. His smile softened.
“Anytime, Christian. Anytime.” When he left, I lay on my bed, staring at the ceiling. Things weren’t perfect, and I still had a long way to go. But for the first time in a long time, I felt like I wasn’t alone.
I had my dad, my mates, and people who cared about me. And maybe—just maybe—I could find a way to believe in myself, too. I just have to start somewhere.
For now, I was worried about not getting my wolf, but the goddess had plans for me. I just have to be patient.
- Writer
