Chapter 104: A Throuple
Riven hesitated as the question hung in the air like a weight pressing down on his chest. His gaze flickered between the two men—Soren, standing behind him with his usual confident smirk, and Ronan, kneeling beside his chair with an expression so vulnerable it almost hurt to look at.
What could he say? There wasn’t an easy answer to give, and every word felt like it would slice through the fragile tension in the room. He took a slow breath, trying to collect his thoughts, but the truth remained elusive. It wasn’t that he didn’t know what he wanted—he knew perfectly well. But saying it out loud was another thing entirely.
Riven swallowed, his lips parting to speak, but the words refused to come. Soren’s gaze never wavered, intense and possessive, while Ronan’s face remained etched with a desperation that made Riven’s heart ache.
Ronan took a hesitant step closer, dropping to one knee and looking up at him with those striking blue eyes that were so full of remorse. "Riven... I-I know that you’re still disappointed in me—"
"Just stop," Riven cut him off, his voice sharper than intended. Ronan froze, and Riven softened his tone, taking a moment to steady himself. "Let me talk first."
He glanced at Soren briefly, who seemed mildly surprised at Riven’s sudden assertiveness but made no move to interrupt. Then, he looked back at Ronan and exhaled slowly. "I don’t know how this works. I didn’t exactly prepare for... This." He motioned between the three of them, his hand trembling slightly. "It’s not a common situation one prepares for."
Soren scoffed lightly, folding his arms tighter against his chest. "You’re right about that," he muttered under his breath, though his tone wasn’t as biting as usual. The man he loved had a fated mate, and as much as his instinct told him to kill his rival, he could not.
As that would destroy a part of Riven.
Riven chose to ignore him, focusing on Ronan, who hadn’t moved from his position on the floor. "It’s true that you broke my heart," Riven admitted, and he saw the way Ronan’s shoulders slumped at those words. "You hurt me more than I thought possible... But I believe that you will make it up to me."
Ronan opened his mouth to speak, but Riven held up a hand to silence him. "But... It’s also true that I like Soren now. And that’s not something that’s just going to go away."
Soren’s smirk widened, but Riven shot him a glare, which made him instantly dial it back. Riven shifted in his seat, feeling the weight of his words settle over the room. "At the same time, I can’t deny that you and I are mates, Ronan. That’s a bond that’s... Will always keep us connected."
He looked down at his hands, knotting his fingers together. "So, I guess what I’m trying to say is that we’re a throuple. I refuse to leave Soren, and I cannot leave you. That’s where we stand."