Contract Marriage With Alpha Snow - Chapter 305

Chapter 305: His Decision…

Chapter 305: His Decision…

*************** CHAPTER 305 ~Aira’s POV~ Standing by the staircase, I clenched the railing, my heart pounding as I listened to Zara and Zade’s conversation.

I hadn’t meant to eavesdrop.

I was simply returning when their voices echoed through the house, halting my steps.

And Zara’s words had cut through my heart and the haze in my mind.

“Aira still has a loose cannon of a mate running around, threatening to take her son.

And until she deals with him and confronts and rejects him, she won’t truly be free to love you the way you deserve.” My throat tightened.

She was right.

No matter how much I wanted to deny it, a part of me was still chained to Kane.

Not because I loved him-those feelings had died the moment he betrayed me-but because I had never truly broken those chains.

From the way Zade cherished me and how Kane treated me, I could see how different love and use were.

Kane used me; Zade loved me.  But why was it so hard to break free?

Autumn growled painfully within me.

Rejecting one of my mates would hurt her badly, but he was our mate, right?  I had never confronted him.

Never rejected him.

Because deep down, I was scared.

Not of him.

But of what he might do.

I closed my eyes, swallowing the lump in my throat.

Zade deserved better than to be caught in this mess.

Storm deserved better too.

If not for Snow, I would have let my son grow with a beast.

A jealous, inhumane monster.

Thanks to Snow, he had a father figure to look up to.

Furthermore, there was Zade, a man ready to own a child, not his, and treat us like we deserve.  I was stupid, still lingering this way.

And Zara was right.

However, because of me, Zade has hurt his beloved sister.

I had to end things for good if I genuinely wanted to move on.

Even if it terrified me.

Taking a deep breath, I turned and walked away.

I had a decision to make.

***************** ~Tempest’s POV~ (A few days ago…) The clock on the wall ticked loudly, filling the silence of my apartment.

I sat curled up on my couch, my fingers drumming against my knee as I stared at the door.

I had been waiting for days, unsure of what to expect.

I had given Koda and Ryland my ultimatum.

Either they accepted what I wanted, or they walked away.

It was selfish, but I could only hope.

I loved both men, and I was too scared to lose either.

And since things had come to this…

I might as well just wait it out.

Now, I was waiting to see if either of them would show up.

A part of me had expected them to ignore me completely.

To disappear from my life and leave me to pick up the pieces alone.

But another part of me had hoped.

Just then, a knock at the door shattered the silence.

My heart leapt into my throat.

I stood slowly, taking a deep breath before walking over.

My hands trembled as I reached for the doorknob and pulled it open.

Koda stood there, his forehead glistening with sweat as his expression remained unreadable.

I swallowed hard, meeting his gaze.

“Koda.” He exhaled, running a hand through his hair before stepping inside.

“Tempest.” A heavy silence filled the space between us as I stepped aside to let him in, and then he closed the door behind him.

And just like that, I knew.

He had made his choice.

“I wasn’t expecting you,” I began.

“You set the table, love; why wouldn’t you expect us?” “I wasn’t sure you’d agree to my ter€¦” “You got that right,” Koda interjected rather sharply.

I swallowed hard, the weight of Koda’s words sinking in.

When he noticed my expression, his expression softened.

Clearing his throat, he tucked his hands in his trousers pocket and looked away.

“You got that right,” he repeated, his voice softer this time.

A lump formed in my throat.

“Koda€¦” He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck as he looked at me-really looked at me.

Like he was memorizing every detail, every feature.

“I love you, Tempest,” he admitted, his voice raw.

“I always will.

But I can’t do this.” My heart clenched.

“Koda, please€¦” He shook his head.

“I’ve tried, I swear I have.

I wanted to be the man who could stand by your side, no matter what.

But I can’t share you.

I just can’t.” Tears welled in my eyes, blurring my vision.

I had known this was a possibility.

I had known one of them might walk away.

But hearing it-feeling the finality in his words-was something else entirely.

Koda’s jaw tensed, his pain mirroring mine.

“This isn’t easy for me either, love.” He reached out, cupping my face gently, his thumb brushing away a tear that had escaped.

“If things were different…

if I was stronger, maybe I could accept it.

But I can’t pretend to be okay with sharing you with another man.

I’m sorry.

I also know it was my fault.

I pushed you away right from time.

I pushed you to him.” I closed my eyes, leaning into his touch, desperate to hold on to this moment.

To him.

And then, just when I thought he would pull away, he did the one thing I didn’t expect.

He kissed me.

It wasn’t rushed.

It wasn’t desperate.

It was slow, lingering-filled with every unsaid word, every emotion neither of us could voice.

I melted into him, my hands gripping his shirt as if holding on would somehow make him stay.  Koda’s lips moved against mine, soft but firmly, pouring all the love, the regret, and the heartbreak into this one final kiss.

When he finally pulled back, he rested his forehead against mine, our breaths mingling, our hearts breaking together.

“I’m sorry, my love,” Koda whispered, his voice trembling.

My hands clutched his shirt tighter.

“Koda€¦” He inhaled deeply, then exhaled, his grip on me loosening.

“You can have him.” And just like that, my heart shattered.  Koda pulled back, flashed a sad smile at me, and then walked away.

“Goodbye, Tempest.”