Chapter 4 Patience Running Thin

(Chloe's POV)

Chloe's heart was beating so violently she could barely hear Ethan's voice through the door.

"Baby? Are you okay? " Ethan continued to knock.

The room felt suffocating.

Tristan was still standing directly in front of her, his scent surrounding her from every direction, even the silver ring he had forced back onto her finger felt unbearably heavy now.

Another knock sounded and  Chloe had to think fast.

"If Ethan comes inside, everything will be ruined."

She quickly grabbed Tristan's wrist on impulse.

"Hide."

Tristan did not move, instead he looked down at where she touched him.

"Hide?" he repeated quietly.

"Please." Chloe pleaded with urgency in her voice. Her heart was still beating fast.

Another knock interrupted them.

"Baby?"

Chloe flinched and looked toward the door before turning back to Tristan.

"Please. I beg you, just this once."

For a long moment, Tristan simply stared at her. Then the corner of his mouth curved into a bitter smile.

"So you're more afraid of hurting him than me."

The words landed heavily between them but before Chloe could answer, Tristan walked toward the wardrobe.

He opened the door and stepped inside. Just before closing it, he stopped and fixed his gaze on Chloe.

"You only have a few minutes before my patience runs out."

Then he left a narrow gap in the wardrobe door so he would be able to see everything that's happening without being noticed.

Chloe barely had time to breathe before she hurried toward the bedroom door and opened it immediately.

Ethan stood outside holding a glass of warm milk and his expression softened the moment he saw her.

"There you are."

"Uh...hey Ethan." Chloe started, trying her best to stay composed and steady her voice.

Relief washed across his face.

"You made me worried."

Chloe forced a smile. "I'm sorry about that."

Ethan studied her carefully and his smile faded from his face almost immediately.

"Are you fine?"

Chloe looked at him. "Yes I am."

His brows pulled together. "No, you're not.You've looked nervous all night."

Without waiting for permission, he stepped inside the room.

Chloe's stomach dropped. She quickly moved aside and closed the door behind him.

Ethan placed the glass of milk on the bedside table.

"Drink this."

Chloe nodded absentmindedly. Every nerve in her body remained focused on the wardrobe.

Fortunately, Ethan seemed distracted.

His wolf had been restless ever since dinner and the closer he moved toward Chloe, the stronger it became.

A faint frown appeared on his face.

Then he inhaled slowly twice and his eyes narrowed.

Chloe's pulse skipped swallowing the lump in her throat.

Ethan could smell Tristan, maybe not strongly but faintly because his scent still lingered on Chloe's skin.

Especially around her neck.

Ethan stepped closer.

"That's strange."

Chloe forced herself to remain calm.

"What is that?"

He hesitated.

For a moment, confusion flashed across his face but then it disappeared.

"Nothing."

Even as he said it, his wolf remained uneasy.

Before Ethan could think further, his gaze suddenly dropped straight to Chloe's left hand and he froze.

The room became dangerously quiet.

Chloe followed his stare and her blood instantly turned cold.

The ring.

She had completely forgotten about it.

Ethan slowly reached for her hand.

"Baby."

His voice sounded strangely careful.

"Where did you get that?"

Chloe's heart nearly stopped.

For one terrible second, she forgot how to speak.

Then she forced herself to answer.

"I-I found it."

Ethan blinked.

"Found it?"

She nodded quickly.

"It was inside the room."

His expression became thoughtful then he gently turned her hand over.

The moment his fingers touched the ring, something changed and recognition flashed through his eyes.

"That's impossible."

Chloe's heart jumped.

"What?"

Ethan looked up to meet her eyes.

"This belongs to Tristan."

The room suddenly felt smaller.

Inside the wardrobe, Tristan remained completely silent.

Chloe could  feel his gaze through the narrow opening.

"Oh really...I-I didn't know," she said carefully.

Ethan stared at the ring for several seconds.

Then he sighed.

"You should take it off."

Chloe swallowed.

"Oh...why?"

Ethan released her hand and sat down beside her on the edge of the bed.

"Because this isn't just a ring."

His tone had become unusually serious now.

"Among old pureblood families, wolves don't treat things like this casually."

Chloe remained silent.

Ethan leaned back slightly.

"My brother especially."

A small laugh escaped him, though there was no humor in it.

"Honestly, sometimes I think Tristan's wolf hates every woman on earth."

Chloe's fingers curled unconsciously as Ethan continued.

"The elders have introduced countless women to him over the years but he never accepts any of them."

Ethan looked at Chloe who stood still there.

A strange expression crossed his face like that of admiration and confusion too.

"Most wolves eventually choose someone." Ethan continued. "But Tristan..."

He shook his head.

"He's different."

Chloe's throat tightened.

"Ethan..." She started.

"It's true."

He laughed softly.

"His resistance to women is practically famous throughout the pack."

Chloe lowered her eyes. The ring suddenly felt colder against her skin.

"Seven years." Ethan's voice grew quieter. "He hasn't touched anyone in seven years."

The air left Chloe's lungs.

Inside the wardrobe, absolute silence remained.

Ethan stood up again.

"That's why you shouldn't wear that ring."

He reached down and squeezed her shoulder gently.

"Just throw it away tomorrow."

The words struck Chloe and she felt her heartbeat stumble.

For a second, she almost looked toward the wardrobe.

Fortunately, she stopped herself.

Ethan smiled, completely unaware of the damage he had just done.

"Trust me. It'll save you trouble."

Then his expression softened but his wolf remained restless.

The scent surrounding Chloe still bothered him. So instinctively, he stepped closer and he brushed a strand of hair behind her ear with his fingers.

"Baby."

Chloe stiffened at his touch.

Ethan's eyes darkened with possessiveness.

His wolf wanted something. Knowing that the scent on Chloe belonged to another male, his instincts demanded that he replace it.

Ethan wrapped an arm around her waist.

"I missed you."

Chloe immediately placed a hand against his chest.

"Ethan."

He paused.

"You really aren't feeling well, are you?"

Guilt twisted sharply inside her.

"No."

His face fell and he looked almost disappointed but concern returned immediately.

"You should rest."

Chloe nodded.

"I'm sorry."

Ethan smiled gently.

"You don't have to apologize."

He leaned forward and kissed her forehead warmly.

Then he stepped away.

"Get some sleep."

"I will."

He headed toward the door, but before leaving, he looked back one final time.

"Goodnight, baby."

"Goodnight."

The door closed behind him and a heavy silence returned instantly.

For several seconds, Chloe remained completely still.

Then the wardrobe door opened slowly and Tristan stepped out.

The look in his eyes was unlike anything she had ever seen before.

At first, he didn't say anything and his silence somehow made everything worse.

Chloe instinctively took a step backward.

Tristan's gaze dropped briefly to the door Ethan had just closed before returning to her face.

"You let him touch you." He said too calmly as he made a step toward Chloe.

Chloe swallowed.

"Tristan..."

"You let him hold you."

He continued walking toward her.

"You let him kiss you."

The pressure in the room seemed to increase with every word.

Chloe's back hit the wall before she even realized she had been retreating.

"Stop." she managed.

Tristan finally stopped in front of her and the distance between them was barely enough for her to breathe properly.

"Stop?" he repeated.

A humorless smile appeared on his lips.

"Do you know what I just listened to for the past few minutes?"

His eyes flickered toward the ring still resting on her finger.

"My own brother telling you to throw away the ring I spent months designing for you."

Shame and guilt crashed through Chloe all at once.

"Tristan, I didn't ask for this."

"No."

His voice became colder.

"You only accepted it."

Chloe stared at him.

"What does that mean?"

"It means you accepted him."

The restraint in Tristan's expression began cracking visibly.

"You accepted his affection, his love," he paused. "And also a place beside him."

His jaw tightened.

"And somehow, after everything, I'm the stranger standing outside the door."

The pain in his voice startled Chloe.

She caught a glimpse of the man beneath the anger.

The man who had spent seven years searching for answers.

"Tristan..."

"I searched for you."

The words came out rough and raw.

Nothing like the composed Alpha she had seen downstairs.

"I searched every territory on the eastern border."

Chloe's breath caught.

"I paid investigators. Tracked rumors and followed every lead."

His eyes never left hers.

"Do you know how many times people lied to me?"

Her chest squeezed painfully.

"Or how many times I thought I finally found you?"

The room air felt unbearably heavy.

Tristan laughed once, bitterly.

"The elders thought I was losing my mind."

Chloe looked away because she could not bear the hurt in his eyes.

"Look at me." he said in a low and commanding tone.

She looked back immediately.

"I fought them for you."

The confession landed like a physical blow.

"When they tried arranging political marriages, I refused."

"When they threatened my position, I refused."

"Even when they told me to forget you, I refused."

His eyes darkened further.

"I spent seven years refusing."

Chloe felt tears gathering despite her efforts to stop them.

"Tristan, I didn't know."

"Exactly."

His voice sharpened.

"You didn't know because you never stayed long enough to ask."

The accusation cut deep because part of it was true.

Tristan suddenly braced one hand against the wall beside her head.

The movement trapped her instantly in a possessive way.

As though some primitive part of him needed to make sure she could not disappear again.

His gaze drifted toward the fading mark on her neck that Ethan had left.

A terrifying expression appeared on his face and Chloe saw it immediately.

His pupils narrowed, breathing changed and a faint gold glow appeared in his eyes before vanishing again.

The muscles in his jaw flexed hard.

For a second, she thought he was about to lose control but he didn't.

Tristan closed his eyes and curled his fingers into a fist.

When he opened them again, the glow had barely disappeared.

It was obvious that he was struggling not to lose it.

His wolf wanted something he was desperately refusing to give it.

"You have no idea how difficult this is."

His voice had become hoarse.

Chloe's heart hammered.

"Tristan..."

"My wolf recognizes you."

The confession made her freeze.

"It recognized you the moment I touched your hand."

A strange ache spread through her chest.

Tristan laughed softly again.

"There was a time when I thought fate had made a mistake."

His eyes locked onto hers.

"Now I know it didn't."

The room became very quiet as neither of them spoke.

The storm outside continued raging against the manor windows and thunder rolled through the mountains.

Still, neither moved.

Finally, Tristan took a slow step backward and the distance felt painful.

His breathing had steadied again.

The worst of the storm inside him seemed contained but only temporarily.

His gaze settled on the ring once more before returning to her face.

"You have two choices, Chloe."

The seriousness in his voice immediately made her stomach clench.

Tristan's expression was unreadable.

"Leave Ethan."

Chloe's eyes widened.

"Tristan..."

"Or I will tell him everything."