Chapter 269: Lead the Way
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Chapter 267
~Tempest’s POV~
My mother’s eyes widened slightly, though she remained silent, letting me continue.
"It wasn’t supposed to happen," I began, my voice cracking. "He confessed his love for me again, told me he was sorry for burdening me with his feelings. He even said he’d stay away if that’s what it took to make me happy. And then—"
I pressed my palms against my face, trying to push away the memory of his lips on mine, the raw emotion in his eyes as we pulled apart.
"And then I kissed him," I finished in a whisper.
The silence between us was deafening. Mum finally spoke after a minute or two, her tone calm and controlled. "Do you love him, Tempest?"
I dropped my hands, meeting her gaze. "I don’t know," I admitted. "I know I’m supposed to love Koda—he’s my mate. And I do care for him deeply. But with Ryland, it’s different. It’s like he sees parts of me I didn’t even know existed. And I... I’ve fallen for him, Mum."
Her expression softened, and she reached across the table to take my hand in hers. "Love is never simple, Tempest. And sometimes, it doesn’t follow the rules we think it should. But you have to make a choice. You can’t keep holding on to both of them—it isn’t fair to you or them."
Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes. "I don’t want to hurt either of them."