Morning broke through the trees, sunlight filtering into the tent in thin, golden rays. Bella—still cloaked in her Ben disguise—blinked awake, heart pounding from the vivid dream that still lingered like an imprint on her skin. It had felt so real, every detail seared into her mind. Ethan and Asher had seen her, truly seen her, and knew exactly who she was beneath the facade.
But it was just a dream… wasn’t it?
She glanced at the others, expecting them to still be asleep. To her surprise, Ethan and Asher were awake, both sitting up and staring at her with unreadable expressions, their eyes stormy and intense. There was a tension in the air that hadn’t been there before, a palpable weight that made Bella swallow hard.
The silence stretched, and Bella knew, instinctively, that something had changed.
“Care to explain, Ben?” Ethan’s voice cut through the air, sharp as a blade, his usual easy-going tone replaced by a dark intensity.
Bella froze, her mind racing as she scrambled for words. How could she explain what even she barely understood? How could she justify the layers of deception that had become her entire reality?
Asher’s gaze was equally fierce, a cold anger simmering beneath the surface. “You’ve been lying to us,” he said, his voice low but controlled. “Hiding… everything.”
“I…” Bella’s voice was barely a whisper, unable to meet their piercing stares. “I didn’t think you would understand. I didn’t think I’d be safe if you knew.”
“Safe?” Ethan scoffed, his eyes narrowing. “Do you think we’d have harmed you if we’d known the truth? Or did you think we’d just accept this disguise while you ran around, hiding who you are?”
“It’s not like that,” she stammered, feeling the walls close in on her. “I didn’t know how you’d react. I thought—”
“You thought wrong,” Asher interrupted, his tone like ice. “You thought you could lie to us, deceive us, even after knowing…” His jaw clenched, and for a moment, the glint of pain crossed his features. “After knowing we’re mates.”
Bella’s heart stilled at his words, the weight of them crashing down. “I was trying to protect myself.”
Ethan’s laughter was humorless, almost bitter. “Protect yourself by lying? By acting like none of this mattered? You should have trusted us, trusted that we would have been there for you.” His eyes softened, a flicker of hurt in them, but it was quickly buried beneath his anger. “But you didn’t.”
Asher’s gaze sharpened. “Did you ever plan on telling us, Bella? Or were you just going to keep us in the dark forever?”
The use of her real name stung, and Bella flinched, feeling as if her heart had been laid bare. The honesty in their accusations was like a mirror she couldn’t turn away from.
“I didn’t want to deceive you,” she said, voice trembling. “But I had no choice. It’s… it’s complicated. My past, my fears… the danger it could bring. I didn’t want to risk your lives.”
Ethan’s expression softened for a moment, but he quickly masked it. “And what about us? Did you think about what we would feel, being kept from our mate? Forced to chase shadows, feeling something off, but never knowing why?”
Bella looked away, shame filling her. “I never wanted this. I never wanted to drag anyone into my problems.”
“It’s not about that anymore,” Asher said, his voice losing some of its bite but remaining firm. “This is about trust, Bella. You’re our mate. Whether or not you have a wolf, whether or not you feel what we do—it doesn’t matter. The bond goes deeper than that, and we would have done anything to protect you.”
“But now, you’ve put us in a position where we have to protect you without trust,” Ethan added. His expression shifted, a fierce protectiveness mingling with his anger. “Because, like it or not, we won’t let anyone harm you. Even if you tried to keep yourself hidden from us, you’re ours to protect.”
Bella’s throat tightened as she took in their words, the reality of the situation sinking in. Despite their anger, despite the betrayal they felt, their instincts—wolves and human alike—were driven by a need to keep her safe.
“But why?” she whispered, her voice barely audible. “Why would you still want to protect me after everything?”
Asher leaned closer, his gaze unwavering. “Because you’re our mate, Bella. Nothing can change that, not even the lies you thought could shield us.”
“And whether you feel the bond or not,” Ethan continued, his voice gentler than before, “we feel it. It’s not something we can turn off, no matter how much you try to keep us at a distance.”
A painful silence settled as Bella absorbed their words. She could see the hurt, the anger, but also the depth of their loyalty. They weren’t just angry; they felt betrayed, vulnerable, and yet their commitment to her was unshakeable.
Finally, Asher’s voice cut through the silence. “From now on, we protect you—no more lies, no more running.”
Ethan’s voice softened as he reached out, brushing her shoulder, the warmth of his touch grounding her. “You may not have a wolf, Bella, but you have us. Let us help you. Let us protect you… even if we’re still furious with you.”
Bella nodded, a mixture of relief and guilt settling in her chest. She had underestimated them, underestimated the strength of their bond. She realized, finally, that no amount of disguise or distance could change the connection that tied them together.
“I’ll try,” she whispered. “I’ll try to let you in.”
Asher nodded, his intense gaze unwavering. “We’ll hold you to that, Bella. No more secrets. You’re ours, and we’re yours. And nothing—absolutely nothing—will harm you as long as we’re by your side.”
The tension slowly eased, but the weight of her choices lingered, a reminder of the trust she needed to rebuild. But as Ethan and Asher sat beside her, their protectiveness stronger than any anger they held, Bella felt a flicker of hope. She wasn’t alone anymore, and perhaps, despite her fears, she never had been.
