THE BIKER ALPHA WHO BECAME MY SECOND CHANCE MATE

Chapter 47 Fincs i was alons in the quirt homer , the reality of what had just happened hit me like a physical blow to the chest . Fd completely fallen apart at His mers possibility that Basun had found me . All my training with Marens and Sarah , all my progress toward feeding stronger and more confident , all my determination to never he A victim again . It had all crumbled the moment I thought I saw his familiar silhouette , What dot that say slant me ? About how far I'd really come ?

Maybe I was just fooling myself , playing dress - up in someone else's idea of strength white remaining the amme terrified girl I'd always been underneath I wandered through the house aimlessly , turning on lights and checking locks even though I knew rationally that I was safe here , Tristan's presence anally made the space feel warm and welcoming , but without him , it fell too big , too empty , too full of shadows where Threats could hide . I waited for Tristan to come home , checking the clock every few minutes as the hours crawled by with agonizing slowness .

Ten o'clock came and went with no sign of him . Then eleven . Then midnight struck on the old clock in the hallway , each chime echoing through the silent house like a countdown to something terrible , Maybe he wasn't coming back tonight . Maybe Seraphine needed him more than I did , and he'd decided to stay at the hospital to keep vigil by her bedside , Alaybe he'd finally realised that taking on of his best friend's broken sister was more of a burden than he'd signed up for when he offered me a place to stay .

The thought shouldn't have hurt as much as it did , but it felt like another rejection , another confirmation that I was too damaged to be worth nyone's sustained Contion I couldn't sleep . Every time I closed my eyes , I saw Daxon's face not the stranger's kind features , but the real face that still haunted my nightmares .

I thought I heard his voice calling my name from somewhere in the darkness outside , that cruel tone he used to use when he was hunting for me our apartment after I'd tried to hide from one of his rages , My hands wouldn't stop shaking , and my heart kept racing like I'd been running for miles . The panic was building again , that familiar crushing weight on my chest that made it hard to breathe . I needed to calm down . I needed to sleep so I could function tomorrow , so I could pretend to be okay when Tristan eventually came home and asked how my evening went .

I couldn't let him see me like this- falling apart over what turned out to be absolutely nothing . My bag was sitting on the dresser where I'd dropped it earlier , and I stared at it for a long time before finally walking over and unzipping the front pocket with trembling fingers . The pill bottle was exactly where I'd left it , despite my solemn promises to myself that I'd never touch it again .

1/3 18:37 Fri , Jan 2 d Chapter 47 46 The pills had been my escape during the worst months with Daxon , the only thing that could quiet the constant fear and anxiety enough for me to sleep through the night without waking up screaming . I'd been clean for months now , had been so proud of myself for learning to cope without chemical assistance . But tonight felt different . Tonight felt like an emergency , like a situation where my usual coping mechanisms weren't going to be enough . My hands were shaking so badly I could barely get the child - proof cap off the bottle .

A few pills spilled onto the dresser , and I stared at them for a moment , tears already starting to fall down my cheeks . " I'm safe , " I whispered to myself as I picked up the pills with trembling fingers . " Daxon can't find me here . I'm thousands of miles away from him . I'm safe . " But even as I said the words , they felt hollow , meaningless . Safety felt like something that existed for other people , not for girls like me who'd made such terrible choices and trusted the wrong person so completely .

" I'm safe , " I repeated , forcing the pills into my mouth before I could change my mind and throw them away like I should have . " Daxon is far away . He doesn't even know where I am . I'm safe . " The bitter taste made me gag , but I swallowed them down with water from the glass by my bed . Within minutes , I could feel the familiar fog starting to settle over my thoughts , the sharp edges of my panic beginning to soften and blur . I was already feeling drowsy , my eyelids growing heavy , when I heard the front door open downstairs .

Footsteps on the stairs , quick and urgent , taking them two at a time . " Athena ? " Tristan's voice , calling my name with what sounded like genuine worry and maybe a hint of panic . I tried to answer , to call out that I was okay , but my tongue felt thick and clumsy in my mouth . The room was starting to spin gently , and I could feel myself sliding sideways on the bed , my body no longer responding to my commands . Maybe I'd taken too many . Maybe my tolerance wasn't what it used to be after months of being clean .

The thought should have scared me , should have sent me into full panic mode , but the pills were making everything feel far away and unimportant , like it was happening to someone else . The last thing I remembered was Tristan bursting through my bedroom door , his face white with panic as he rushed toward me , his hands reaching out to catch me before I could fall completely . " Stay with me , " I heard him saying , though his voice sounded like it was coming from very far away , echoing down a long tunnel . " I'm sorry I left you . I'm so sorry . Just stay with me , Athena .

" But the darkness was already pulling me under , and I couldn't fight it anymore . 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.