Bound To The Broken Alpha (Amy and Daniel) novel Chapter 88

Chapter 88 Feelings For Her

Brian POV

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200

5 Pearls

I had been putting it off for days. Every time I saw Daniel, I told myself it wasn’t the right moment. But the truth was, there would never be a right moment for what I had to say. The air between us had changed since I and Amy got close.

That evening, we were alone in the small room behind the main house. The light from the window was dim, and the sound of the wind outside filled the silence. Daniel was sitting by the table, going through some papers. I stood by the door, unsure of how to begin.

He looked up when I didn’t speak. “You’ve been quiet,” he said. “Something on your mind?”

I nodded. “Yeah. There’s something I need to tell you.”

He leaned back in his chair, eyes narrowing slightly. “Go ahead.”

I moved closer, resting my hands on the back of the chair opposite him. My voice came out lower than I expected. “It’s about Amy.”

He stilled. “What about her?”

I took a slow breath. “I care about her. More than I should.”

Daniel’s expression didn’t change at first. He just stared at me, as if waiting for me to say I was joking. When I didn’t, he set the papers aside and sat straighter.

“You’re saying you have feelings for her?”

“Yes,” I said. “But I’m not going to act on them.”

He let out a slow exhale, his eyes dropping to the table. “You’re serious.”

“I am.”

The silence that followed felt tense, but I forced myself to keep talking. “I’ve tried to ignore it. I thought it would fade, but it hasn’t. I don’t want this to come between us, or between you and her. That’s why I’m telling you now.”

Daniel rubbed a hand over his jaw, thinking. “You didn’t have to tell me,” he said after a moment. “You could’ve just… kept it to yourself.”

“I tried,” I said. “But it didn’t feel right. You deserve to know.”

He looked up at me again, his eyes sharper now. “And what do you expect me to do with that?”

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Chapter 88 Feelings For Her

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“Nothing.” I said quickly. “I’m not asking for anything. I just needed to be honest. I’ll keep my distance. She won’t know. And I won’t cross any lines.”

Daniel’s lips pressed into a thin line. “You’re sure about that?”

“Yes.”

He leaned forward, elbows on the table. “Why tell me then? To ease your conscience?”

I shook my head. “Because you’re my alpha. Because I respect you.”

He didn’t answer right away. The only sound was the ticking of the old clock on the wall. I could see the conflict in his face.

I couldn’t tell if it was gratitude, suspicion, maybe a bit of anger. I didn’t blame him. If our positions were reversed, I’d probably feel the same.

Finally, he started talking, “You said you care about her. How much?”

“Enough to wish I didn’t,” I said quietly.

His gaze softened just slightly. “You know she’s been through a lot. I don’t want her caught in the middle of anything.”

“She won’t be,” I said. “That’s my promise.”

Daniel nodded slowly. “I believe you.”

That simple statement meant more than I expected. Still, the air between us had changed.

He stood up and walked to the window, looking out. “You’ve got restraint, Brian. I’ll give you that.”

“It’s not easy,” I said.

“I imagine not.” He turned around, leaning against the windowsill. “You could have kept quiet. You didn’t have to put this on me.”

“I thought about that too,” I said. “But I didn’t want lies between us. Not about something like this.”

He gave a short nod, eyes on the floor. “I appreciate your honesty. Really. It’s just… hard to

hear.”

“I know,” I said. “And I’m sorry.”

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Chapter 88 Feelings For Her

He let out a small laugh, though there was no humor in it. “You’re sorry for liking her?”

“I’m sorry for what it means. For how it complicates things.”

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Daniel crossed his arms. “You’ve always been straightforward. That’s one thing I’ve admired about you.”

“I’d rather face the truth than pretend it isn’t there.”

“Yeah,” he said quietly. “I guess I can respect that.”

We both stood there, not quite looking at each other, both aware that nothing would ever be exactly the same. But at the same time.

Maybe it wasn’t friendship as it used to be, but it was something that came from understanding where the other stood.

After a while, Daniel said, “You know, she talks about you sometimes.”

“I figured,” I said. “She’s kind to everyone.”

“She trusts you,” he said, his tone neutral.

“I’d never do anything to break that.”

“I know

you wouldn’t.” He paused, then added, “I guess that’s what makes this harder.”

I looked at him, trying to read what he meant. He didn’t explain, but I understood enough. They were put into an arranged marriage and he couldn’t force her to love him.

“I’ll stay out of the way when I can,” I said. “Give you both space.”

“You don’t have to disappear,” he said quickly. “That would only make things awkward.”

“I don’t mind awkwardness,” I said. “I mind tension.”

He almost smiled. “We’ll figure it out.”

I nodded. “Yeah.”

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