I force myself to step back, to put the distance between us that should’ve been there from the start. I can’t let this happen.
I can’t give in to the pull of the bond.
Not again.
Later, I watch Siena from the shadows as she works with her veterans. Her movements are fluid but purposeful, her instructions clear and steady. They respect her–follow her without question. She’s built something here. Something real. And I hate how much I admire it.
How much I admire her.
She didn’t need me.
Despite my rejection, despite everything. Siena didn’t crumble. She didn’t let my choices define her. She rose from the ashes of what we were and built something stronger.
And it guts me.
Horace growls in frustration, but I push him back, clenching my jaw as I force my gaze away.
“You can’t have it both ways.”
Zion’s words echo in my mind, sharp and unforgiving. And he’s right.
I’ve been living in denial, pretending I can ignore her, keep her at arm’s length, and still somehow expect her to stay the same. But Siena isn’t the woman I left behind. She’s stronger now.
She’s not waiting for me to come back.
And that realization hits harder than I’m prepared for.
Lila approaches me after training, her presence as calculated as ever. I feel her before I see her–her scent laced with lavender and something else, something manufactured to draw me in.
It used to work
Now, it just irritates me.
“Raiden,” she murmurs, slipping into the space beside me with practiced ease. “We need to talk”
I already know where this is going
“We should leverage your influence with the council,” she says softly, her nails lightly grazing my arm. “Secure certain advantages for Silverfang in the next phase.”
I don’t answer immediately. I should agree. It’s the smart play. The logical move
But the idea of winning like that–manipulating the odds–makes something inside me recoil
2/4
16:27 Mon, 21 Apr
Chapter 31
“We’ll win fairly.” I say, my tone flat, leaving no room for argument. “Or not at all”
Lila’s fingers still against my arm, and I feel the tension ripple through her. She wasn’t expecting that
“Raiden,” she tries again, her voice taking on a sharper edge, frustration creeping into her carefully composed tone. “You’re being too-
“I said no, Lila.”
The words come out harder than I intended, but I don’t take them back.
Her eyes narrow, and for a brief moment, I see the real Lila beneath the surface–the one she hides so well. But then she masks it, her expression softening as she leans in closer.
“I’m only trying to help you, she murmurs, her voice a silk–covered dagger. “We’re stronger together, Raiden. You know
that
But her words ring hollow.
I used to believe them. I used to think choosing her was the right decision–the safe decision. But now, all I can think about Is Siena.
Siena and I were the strongest together.
The days pass in a blur, and the weight of everything presses down on me harder than ever. I try to focus on the challenge, on maintaining the illusion of control, but Siena is always there–just out of reach.
I can’t escape her, no matter how hard I try.
Every time I see her, I’m reminded of what I lost.
And it the.
Horace is restless, pacing beneath my skin, pushing against the walls I’ve built to keep him contained. He wants Siena He doesn’t understand why I keep denying what we both feel–what’s still there, lingering like a phantom pain.
But I can’t give in.
I won’L
Siena’s moved on. She’s thriving without me. She doesn’t need me, and I can’t afford to let my feelings–my weakness- cloud my judgment.
The unity challenge approaches faster than I expect, and the tension in the air is thick enough to choke on. I watch Siena from across the training grounds as she coordinates with her team, her confidence.
She has been reborn; a force to reckon with. Formidable, with a strength so profound I will never know,
She’s ready.
And for the first time, I realize… I’m not.
I’m not ready to face what happens after this challenge.
Because once it’s over, there will be no reason to keep Siena close. No reason to see her.
And that
That might destroy me.
3/4
16:27 Mon, 21 Apr
Chapter 51
But maybe maybe that’s what I deserve.
Because Siena deserves better than a man who couldn’t see her worth until it was too late
And I’m not sure I’ll ever forgive myself for that.
