THE BIKER ALPHA WHO BECAME MY SECOND CHANCE MATE

Daxon ? Right beside me ? 46 My heart feels like it stops completely . The world around me seems to tilt , and for a moment , I can't think straight . How did he find me ? I thought I was safe down here , hidden away from everything that haunts me . But somehow , he's followed me . He always finds me , doesn't he ? No matter how far I run , no matter how well I hide , Daxon always finds me . My hands start trembling first , then my whole body follows . The familiar taste of copper fills my mouth as I bite down on my tongue to keep from screaming .

The crowded marketplace that had felt so warm and welcoming just moments ago now feels like a trap , with too many people , too many sounds , too many places for him to hide . " Athena ? " Tristan's voice cuts through my panic , but it sounds like it's coming from underwater . I can barely hear him over the roaring in my ears , over the sound of my own heartbeat thundering so loud I'm sure everyone can hear it . He keeps calling my name , getting louder each time , more worried , but I can't focus on anything except the terror clawing at my chest . " Athena ! Ath !

" Finally , his voice breaks through the fog in my head . I turn toward him , my movements jerky and unnatural , like a marionette with tangled strings . I try to put on a normal expression , try to act like nothing is wrong , but I can feel my face twitching with the effort . Then I hear it again . " Daxon . " This time , the name comes from across the store . A woman's voice , exasperated and slightly amused . " Daxon , come back here this instant ! You can't just run off like that !

" I spin around so fast I nearly lose my balance , my wolf instincts screaming at me to run , to hide , to do anything except stand there like prey waiting to be caught . My eyes dart frantically through the crowd , searching for that familiar silhouette , those cold eyes that have haunted my nightmares for months . There , by the candy aisle , is a little boy , maybe five years old , with dark hair and mischievous eyes . He's giggling as his mother chases after him , his small sneakers squeaking against the floor .

18:25 Fri , Jan 2 d Chapter 12 Daxon , I mean I the woman calls again , but she's smiling now , clearly not angry . The boy . It's just a little boy named Dazon . Not him . Not my Daxon . The relief that floods through me is so intense I think I might collapse right there in the middle of the market . I let out a shaky breath , my knees going weak . I press my hand against my chest , trying to slow my racing heart , whispering to myself over and over like a mantra , ' It's not him . It's not him . He's not here , You're safe .

You're safe , " But even as I say the words , I don't believe them . I will never be safe , not really . Daxon has made sure of that . " Ath . " Tristan's voice is gentler now , filled with concern . I can feel his eyes studying my face , probably seeing right through whatever pathetic mask I'm trying to put on . He knows me too well , has seen me at my worst too many times . I wait for the questions , for the probing , for him to demand answers I'm not ready to give . But instead , he just says , " Can we leave now ? " I nod quickly , not trusting my voice .

The simple kindness in his tone , the way he doesn't push , makes my throat tighten with unshed tears . He watches me for a long moment , his dark eyes searching mine , before turning away . I follow behind him on unsteady legs , grateful for his broad shoulders blocking out the world ahead of me . He keeps glancing back at me as we walk , like he's afraid I might bolt or collapse or simply disappear . Each time our eyes meet , I try to smile , try to reassure him that I'm fine , but I can see in his expression that he's not buying it .

Still , he doesn't say anything , just keeps walking at a pace that accommodates my shaky steps . The ride home is torture . My hands shake so badly I can barely hold onto him , and every time he leans into a turn , I'm convinced we're going to crash . My wolf is a mess of anxiety and leftover terror , making it impossible to find any peace . Safe , I try to tell her . We're safe now . But she doesn't believe me . Neither do I , really . When we reach the house , I'm exhausted from the constant state of panic . I practically leap off the bike before it's fully stopped . I need space .

I need air . I need to get away from his concerned eyes and worried questions . I just want to disappear into my room and pretend this whole day never happened . I want to crawl under my blankets and hide until the world makes sense again . But of course , Tristan won't let me escape that easily . ' Athena . " 18:25 Fri , Jan 2 d Chapter 12 His voice is soft but firm , I stop with my hand on the door handle , my whole body tensing . I don't turn around because I already know what he wants to ask , and I'm not ready to face the concern In his eyes . " Are you okay ? What happened back there ?

" The questions hang in the air between us . I take a deep breath , trying to pull myself together , trying to find the strength to lie convincingly . I've gotten good at lying over the years , good at pretending everything is fine when my world is falling apart . 46 I force my face into what I hope looks like a normal expression and turn around with a smile that feels like it might crack my face in half . It's the same smile I've perfected during my time with Daxon , the one that says ' everything is wonderful ' even when I'm dying inside . " Nothing happened .

I just thought I saw someone I hadn't seen in years , but it wasn't who I thought it was . " The lie rolls off my tongue easily enough . I've had plenty of practice . " You know how it is when you think you recognize someone from a distance , but then you get closer and realize it's a complete stranger ? " He doesn't say anything for a moment , just studies my face with those perceptive eyes of his . I can tell he doesn't believe me , Tristan has always been able to see through my pretenses , but I'm grateful when he just nods instead of pushing for more details . " Okay , " he says simply .

" But you know you can talk to me , right ? About anything ? " The kindness in his voice almost undoes me . I nod quickly and flee to my room before I can break down completely . Once I'm safely behind my closed door , I collapse onto my bed and let the tremors take over . My whole body shakes as the adrenaline finally wears off , leaving me feeling hollow and exhausted . I can't even think about making dinner . Food is the last thing on my mind when my stomach is still churning with anxiety . 1 Comments > Comments RVisitor poor athena ...

she should confide to someone so as to release the pentup emotions to be 7 days ago Sara Lili Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland's breathtaking cold.