Remember Me, Mate

Chapter 4

CIRCE

I couldn’t believe my eyes as I watched a ghost make its way through the garden - except it wasn’t a ghost. No, it was a living, breathing man. A man who, after disappearing without a trace for almost three years, we considered dead. A man whose loss we had mourned. A man whose return, despite the bizarre, inexplicable circumstances under which it was happening, filled me with joy and relief.

However, as he rushed toward us, part of me seemed to remember that, although I knew and missed him, he had been completely forgotten by someone else. Someone very dear to me, and whose life would be completely changed by his sudden presence.

The image of my best friend weak and sick-looking as she attempted to take her own life immediately came to my mind. My heart ached at the memory. When her eyes searched for mine, filled with fear and confusion, I was reminded of my priorities. Above all else, I needed to make sure Zahra would never go back to the deplorable state she had been in when he left.

But before I could think of a way to explain to both of them what was going on, a voice I hadn’t heard in an eternity sounded for the second time today.

“I missed you so much. I thought I would never see you again,” the man uttered painfully, diving his nose into the crook of my best friend’s neck. At first, he was unaware of her bewilderment, until she tried pushing him away. He yielded at her pressure, backing off with a look of utter confusion that matched hers perfectly.

“You’re not Tyrone,” she stated blankly.

“What? Of course not.” He placed both hands on her shoulders, wincing as he noticed her stiffen. I watched his expression change as he seemed to slowly come to the conclusion that something was off. “Zahra, it’s me.” He raised his voice, staring deeply into her eyes. “Tristan.”

“Tristan? As in Tyrone’s twin brother?” my friend repeated, blinking a few times. The man’s eyes glistened with hope, right before they lost their shine yet again. “It can’t be. Tristan Wolfgang died three years ago.”

Oh, s**t!

“No, Zahra, I didn’t die. But just barely.” Conscious of how uncomfortable the woman was, the former Alpha gently took her hand, brushing it with his thumb in an attempt to soothe her. “I’ve been fighting all this time. Every second was a new challenge, and it was hard for me to stay strong. At times, I thought I was actually going to die. The only thing that kept me alive was thinking about this very moment; the day I would get to hold you in my arms again. I knew I had to come back home to you.”

“Why would you come back…to me?” Zahra furrowed her brows, and he mimicked her gesture.

“Because I’m your-”

“Tyrone’s brother is alive! It’s a miracle!” I finally chimed in, realizing I had run out of time to come up with a plan. I’d just have to make it up as I went. Tristan’s eyes darted to me, a hint of anger burning in them. It didn’t phase me; no, instead I stared right back at him. “He’ll be so…happy to hear the news.”

“Circe, what’s going on?” Zahra called, putting an end to our staring contest as I forced myself to turn to her with a smile.

“Wait here. I’ll take Tristan to Tyrone. I’m sure these twins have some catching up to do.”

Without breaking eye-contact with her, I wrapped my fist tightly around the man’s wrist. I could tell he wanted to pull away, but maybe because of his confusion, he didn’t. I was ready to separate them before either of them could ask more questions. Oblivious to the truth, however, Zahra leaned into my ear.

“Are you sure that’s safe? What if he’s just pretending to be Tristan? I mean, how could he even be alive?” Honestly, I was asking myself the same question.

“I don’t know. Maybe it’s magic. I’ve learned that nothing is as simple as it seems in the supernatural world…” or at least I should have. “Anyway, I have no doubt Tristan will explain everything…” I shot him a death glare. “After I take him to Tyrone.”

Once again, the not-so-dead twin furrowed his brows. “Circe, what the-”

“Just wait here!” I shouted to my best friend, hurriedly dragging Tristan out of the garden - and more importantly, away from her.

I didn’t manage to go very far though.

As soon as we made it to the second floor, the man stopped abruptly, breaking free from my grasp. “What the hell, Circe?!” His aura expanded as his rage took over, probably fueled by having to leave his fated partner right after their reunion. He might not have his official title anymore, but he was still a born Alpha, and it showed in the way he tried to intimidate me. “Why the f**k does it seem like my mate doesn’t know who I am?”

“First of all, she’s not your mate anymore. You rejected her, remember?” His tough façade cracked at my harsh words, pain evident in his expression. It was a low blow, I knew that, but at least I managed to get his attention. “And you’ve been gone for three f*****g years, Tristan!”

“s**t. Has it really been that long?” he muttered thoughtfully. It was my turn to be confused, but I quickly shook it off.

“The point is, a lot has changed.” I sighed.

There it was - the frustrated look on his face again. “Care to fill me in?”

“f**k! Tristan?” A third voice echoed in the hall, interrupting us.

At the end of the corridor, Tyrone stood frozen in his spot. The expression he was wearing was a mix of horror and disbelief, as if he had seen a ghost. Since he was alone, I imagined his meeting was probably over, and the visiting Alpha must have already left, which was good; we didn’t need outsiders to make the situation even more complicated.

The almost identical men kept staring at each other for a full minute until Tyrone finally gave in to his emotions. He rushed over to his brother, immediately wrapping him in a hug. Tristan momentarily let go of his anger to enjoy their reunion.

“I thought you were dead.” The Alpha’s words were filled with hurt.

“You’re not the only one,” his brother spat as they broke their embrace.

Tyrone’s gaze shifted to me before landing back on Tristan. For the first time, he seemed to realize what his sudden return would mean. Still, he shook his head, taking a deep breath.

“Hold on. Let’s go to the office. I’ll pour you a drink and then we can-”

“I’m not drinking until someone explains what the f**k is wrong with my mate,” Tristan demanded.

For the second time, the Alpha and I exchanged glances before he sighed, gesturing with his head towards the stairs. “Come on. I’ll tell you everything.”