Chapter 53
生冷麵
“I’m so sorry,” I choked out between sobs. “I didn’t mean to hurt him like this. I didn’t mean to hurt either
of you.”
“Shh, it’s okay,” Tristan soothed, pulling me against his chest. “It’s not your fault that monster couldn’t keep his hands to himself.”
He paused, and I could practically hear the thoughts running through his mind. I knew exactly what he was thinking, and it made me sick.
“He didn’t force himself on you, did he?” he breathed out with freight.
“No,” I said quietly, my voice barely above a whisper. “He didn’t have to force me. I went along with it
willingly.”
The admission felt like swallowing glass, but it was the truth. I’d been so desperate for love, so hungry for someone to want me, that I’d ignored every red flag.
* Tristan pulled me tighter against him and stroked my hair. “It’s okay. You don’t have to keep blaming
yourself for his choices.”
He tilted my face up and gently wiped away my tears. “Now, go to your brother. Go hug him and calm him down before he punches through that wall and leaves Sarah without a mate. We already have enough mateless wolves in this house.” 1
Despite everything, I laughed through my tears. “That’s horrible, Tristan.”
“Dark humor helps sometimes,” he said with a sad smile. “Go on.”
–
When I got to the backyard, Orion was still delivering punches to the wall. Blood was everywhere on the bricks, on the ground, coating his knuckles in crimson streaks. Tristan was right – if I didn’t stop him soon, he might seriously hurt himself.
I approached him carefully and wrapped my arms around him from behind. I wasn’t scared – I knew he would never hurt me, even in this state.
The moment he felt me holding him, his fist froze in midair. For a second, I thought he might continue, but then I spoke.
“I’m sorry for hurting you,” I cried against his back, the tears dropped uncontrollably. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t
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Chapter 53
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mean to cause you this much pain. Please stop hurting yourself, because when you hurt yourself, you’re
hurting me too.”
His hand remained suspended in the air for a long moment, then slowly lowered without delivering
another punch.
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I felt his shoulders sag with defeat. We stood there in the quiet backyard, both of us crying in our own way. I could feel him breathing heavily, trying to regain control.
“I couldn’t protect you, Ath,” he said, his voice broken and raw. “I was supposed to protect you, but I failed. I failed you, I failed our parents, I failed everyone who counted on me.”
“It wasn’t your fault,” I said firmly. “You had no idea what was happening. How were you supposed to
away right when you needed me most?” protect me when I left you? When I ra
“Why didn’t you call me?” he asked, his words breaking apart. “Why didn’t you call me or Tristan when things got bad? Why didn’t you come home? Did I do something to make you feel unwelcome? Did I make you feel like a burden? Is that why you left?”
. I was crying so hard now that I could barely breathe. How could I tell him the real reason I’d run away?
How could I explain that I’d left because Tristan had rejected me, because I’d let his best friend touch me in ways he shouldn’t have, and when Tristan told me it could never happen again, I’d run straight into Daxon’s waiting arms?
I couldn’t form the words. The silence stretched between us, and I could feel him interpreting my lack of response as confirmation of his worst fears.
“It was my fault, wasn’t it?” he whispered, pain dripping from his words.
“No!” I said quickly. “No, of course not. It wasn’t your fault at all. It was….”
“It was my fault,” came Tristan’s voice from behind us.
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
