Triantapente [ 35 ]

The letter was worn and rough at the edges.

The envelope had simple writing on it with just 'To Dahliah' written in dark blue ink. I glanced up at Tristan who was standing in front of me, staring at the letter he had just given me. 

"He really wrote this?"

Tristan's jaw muscles tightened as he nodded once. "Every word."

Lifting the flap of the envelope, I pulled the piece of paper out and began reading with a heavy sense of discomfort. 

'To Dahliah'

The war must end. And I must be the one to end it. Dozens of my people have died and it's all because of Tristan. 

He has this sense of bloodlust that I believe will never be sated. He's stronger than Møller and I anticipated, and quite frankly, he's a monster. 

He paints the snow red and his anger is relentless. It's why Møller had to bring him up the way he did. Alone. Because no one should have that much power if they're unworthy and incapable. 

The lands belong to me, not him. 

I can't wait to see the life fade in his eyes. I can't wait to hear his lungs exhale his last breath. I need him to die, Dahliah. People have suffered enough. 

He has made people suffer for too long, and I shall be their saviour. 

When this is all over, I'd like to see you. Ivaana has died. I can't find my son anywhere but I fear he is dead too. I need family, Dahlia. Without my mate, everything seems dark. I want to see if you are enough for me now. 

I'll write to you again once Tristan dies by my hand. I miss you. 

Samuel.'

My heart constricted in anger and the heartbreak took me at a stronghold. Carew seemed to think the world revolved around him, and the way he wrote about ending Tristan's life brought tears to my eyes. I couldn't believe that this man was my father.

I glanced up at him, placing the paper down on the counter before standing up and wrapping my arms around his shoulders. I pulled him into a warm embrace as my voice shook. 

"You're twice the man he was, Tristan. More than that." I dug my face into his shoulder as he wrapped his arms around my waist. The anger simmered in his chest. "He's the monster."

I pulled back and felt my eyes water at everything that was in the letter. Not only did Carew demonise Tristan to my mother, he made it seem like she didn't deserve him. Like she wasn't enough for him. She never would have been since she wasn't his mate but I found myself overjoyed that she wasn't. 

His mind seemed sick and twisted, and I felt ashamed to have his blood running through my veins. He practically deified himself when in reality, he was nothing but a cowardly tyrant who would never be the great man he thought himself to be. 

"I can't believe he believed in the poison he spouted." I glanced back down at the letter and my blood began to boil. "I can't believe my mother ever truly fell in love with such a man."

He was manipulative, delusional and quite frankly, a loose cannon. 

"He was right about one thing though." Tristan's face was darkened by a shadow of untameable anger. At that moment he looked like deadly with eyes filled with icy hatred. "My bloodlust will never be sated, Kara. I would kill the two alphas ten times over." His fingers curled into fists and the growl vibrated deep in his chest. "I've killed a lot of people. And I never felt satisfaction afterwards because they were victims of misplaced loyalty. But when I killed Carew and Møller, I felt free…happy even. I knocked Carew's head clean off his shoulders and I didn't even flinch."

His nails elongated into claws and I knew he was seriously angry when his eyes lost all colour and appeared black. There was no fleck of blue in his irises and I quickly gripped his hand in mine. He seemed on the verge of shifting in anger and that wouldn't have been good for anyone. 

"Tristan. Hey, look at me." I waited a few moments before lightly gripping his chin and turning his head. My fingers gently caressed his jaw and I stepped closer to him. "You did what you had to do to survive. They would've killed you, it doesn't matter whether or not you feel remorse. You shouldn't."

His hand relaxed in mine and his eyes fell shut as he gently knocked his forehead on mine. He took deep breaths and only opened his eyes when the anger in his heart dwindled. I smiled softly and he cupped the back of my head to bring me into a rough kiss. 

I took the letter into my hands and stared down at it. It was silent between us and Tristan lifted his hands to cover mine. His gaze levelled with mine and he inhaled deeply as he slowly tore the paper. It laid on the countertop in small shreds and I cupped the side of his neck as I stepped closer. 

The pain was deep in his heart and wrapped around it like vines, gripping tightly like he couldn't really let go of what happened. I could tell the memories were crippling—we all felt it on the anniversary of his parents' death. The thorns dug into his heart and while people were led to believe it bled back, he was the purest soul I knew. 

He had emotion and I knew he thought he felt too much. 

"I don't know if I'll ever get over it all." He lowered his eyes and blew out a sigh. "I'm meant to be strong and powerful but I don't think I am?" There was a sense of hopelessness in his eyes and the frown dimmed the brightness on his face that I had come to love. "I had nightmares every night since my mother died. They got worse after the war and they don't stop unless you're in my arms."

I knew that was why he always looked so tired. In the beginning, he didn't sleep at all and I hated myself for not being more compassionate. Sleeping in the same bed as him would have helped both of us. 

It did help both of us. Tristan looked peaceful in his sleep now and he wouldn't fall asleep unless I was in his arms. He wouldn't let go all night too but I soon adjusted to his hold because his arms were my favourite place to be. 

"Don't ever think you're not strong, Tristan—or that you're weak." I lifted my hand to press against his heart in his chest. "You have a heart. I told you this would always ensure that you're never like them. If you were weak, you wouldn't have been able to pick yourself up again and be the greatest alpha I've ever known. You would have hatred in your heart and you're not a man of hatred, Tristan. If you were, there would have been no way for us to fall in love with each other—your love is strong and powerful and you love me."

He sighed and his arms wrapped me in a warm embrace. "I'll never stop loving you, Kara. I'll never stop being the man you fell in love with."

I hugged him tighter. "The man I'm in love with is strong and powerful."

He tugged gently on my curls to pull my head back and lowered his lips to mine. The kiss was slow, soft and deep. His mouth moved against mine delicately and everything Tristan encapsulated me. It made me dizzy with love and I gripped onto his shirt when he wanted to commit the taste of me to his memory. He was gentle with the languid movements of his tongue and I stepped onto my tiptoes to return his passion. 

I wrapped my arm around his neck and pulled him closer in to me, feeling him sigh softly into my mouth. He pulled back after he pecked my lips a few times and the smile replaced the once dark look on his face. 

"You're amazing, Kara." His eyes scanned my face and his smile widened. "I don't know what I would do without you."

I pressed my lips to his cheek and his hand slid to the small of my back. "You'll never have to know." I returned his smile and pulled back slightly. I knew I wanted to be with Tristan forever—I wouldn't have asked him to mark me if I didn't. The best thing about him was when he loved, he loved hard. I could tell from the way he put his pack before himself, and most importantly, the way he never let one day pass without letting me know just how much he loved me. 

It made me wonder what our lives would be like a few years down the line. Would we have a baby together? Would we be even more in love?

Tristan answered the thoughts in my head. "The one thing I want more than anything is a family with you. I fall in love with you more and more every day."

I slowly grinned up at him as he reached down to lift me in his arms. While I thought he was going to take me straight upstairs, he placed me down on the sofa. "That's a lot of love." I stared up at him and he nodded, leaning down to peck my lips. 

"We're soulmates for a reason, αγάπη μου."

I gripped onto his hand and sat up properly. "Teach me how to say something like that in Greek." I pulled him down onto the sofa and climbed into his lap. His embrace was warm and I settled my head on his chest, hearing the steady beat of his heart. It sped up when I brushed my thumb over his knuckles and brought it to my lips.

"You want to call me αγάπη μου?" he peered down at me and a soft smile graced his face.

I shook my head and lined our fingers up together. His hands were larger than mine and his palms had a slight roughness to them. His touch, however, was soft as he linked our fingers and squeezed my hand. "That's your thing. I love when you call me that."

He pressed a firm kiss to my forehead. "Tell me you love me in Greek." Slipping into my mind, he spoke in Greek and pulled back to meet my gaze. 

I settled my other hand on his chest and pushed up slightly to look at him more comfortably. His eyes looked like the calm seas. They were a cool blue that expelled deep emotion like a flowing wave. "Se agapó."

A soft sigh fell from his lips and the tip of his nose pressed against mine. "είσαι ο κόσμος μου." 

I brushed my lips against his and smiled softly. "What does that mean?"

He kissed me slowly and tenderly. At that moment, my heart leaped out of my chest and found its home in his hands. He had me in his palms and I knew that he would have my heart forever. "You are my world."