?


    THANE''S POV


    I hurried back to the cabin hoping I got there in time for her heat. Her scent was faint. I went to the room we shared and checked the wardrobe but her stuff was gone.


    I figured she must have left the cabin but I was worried. She didn''t know the area or the way back to the castle.


    I mind linked Noir and he confirmed that Jairus had brought her back. meddlesome pup. I shifted into my beast and ran back to the capital.


    I sent Carlyn back to the castle while I went to the cabin. I went up straight to our room. When I opened the door, Carlyn and Esme were sitting together and didn''t seem to notice.


    "I''m sorry I kept Thane with me all through yesterday" Esme nodded but didn''t say anything.


    "It''s just that yesterday was Catalina''s birthday. goddess bless her soul. She loved to celebrate it and so even after her death, Thane still celebrated her"


    Carlyn continued speaking. "You know, nothing is more important to him on that day. And she''s still the most important person to him even in death" the malice in Carlyn''s voice was enough to rile my beast.


    "THAT''S ENOUGH CARLYN" They both turned to see me standing at the door. Esme looked like she wanted to cry but was holding it in.


    "I will be going then" she walked past me and stopped for a while before the door closed.


    "Why" she stood up, facing me. "Why did you leave me there"


    "We weren''t expecting it that day. I just needed to do it. I was going toe back immediately"


    "You know. I was so fucking mad that you left me by myself but I kept giving excuses for you. I kept telling myself you had something very important to do and I was ready to forget you left me by myself. But you were with her while I was going through pain"


    "Baby......."


    "I asked you if you were going to be there. You said you were. But you left me in pains" she wiped her eyes. The tears in her eyes made me angry but what could I do when I''m the one who caused it.


    "I''m not asking you to pick between two of us but you can''t keep doing this. You know firsthand how painful the heat was going to be and you still left me. When I needed you the most you weren''t there " I wanted to talk but she held up her hands.


    "Sooner orter, you''ll have to choose" she walked out angrily, mming the door on her way out.


    Fucking hell. I didn''t n for things to go this way. I sat on the bed running my hands through my hair. This celebration was supposed to be thest. I loved Catalina but I also felt for Esme.


    I went to my office for a drink. I was pouring scotch when the door opened. Jairus charged at me like an enraged bull, mming his fist into my face. "You fucking bastard"


    Yeah, I deserved that. When his fist came for the second time, I let him hit me.


    "I asked you to stay away from her if you were going to hurt her but you fucking refused. You''re picking a dead person over her"


    "That dead person is your fucking mother"


    "You think I don''t know that? I fucking miss mother" he pushed his hands through his hair. "You''re hurting Esme. You make her feel unimportant when she fucking cares about you"


    "I''m trying my best. You don''t know shit"


    "Don''t I? Do you love her"


    "That''s not your fucking business"


    "How would you feel if she had a dead mate who had all her attention" my beast roared loudly.


    "That''s exactly how she feels" I sighed and slumped in my chair.


    "This was supposed to be thest time you know. I just wanted to do this onest time"


    "Talk to her" I already nned to do that. He went to the door. "And about the....." He pointed to my face.


    I shrugged. "It''s fine" he nodded and


    closed door. I knew he''d


    verbally apologize to me after all, he was


    his father''s son. Copy everet


    belongs to


    I made a call to the kitchen to get me the sweetest desserts they could make and I went to the garden to pick flowers.


    I took the desserts and flowers to her room and knocked on the door. I heard some shuffling and the door opened.


    "Can Ie in?" She nodded and left the door so I could enter. I closed the door and walked to the bed where she sat.


    "I... I got this for you"


    "You don''t like when I take sugary things"


    "I thought...you might um like it"


    "Giving me flowers and sweets won''t make me forgive you easily or forget what happened"


    "I know. I just want you to have it" she took them and dropped it on the bed.


    "Let''s seat she walked away without waiting for me to speak. I looked at her ass sway as she walked sexily to the balcony. My beast rose and Inovelbin


    wanted to grab her in my arms and


    ravish her.


    I shook my head to clear my thoughts. Concentrate. I internally scolded myself. I joined her on the terrace and sat opposite her.


    "I''m listening" she threw her face away. I wanted tough at her attitude but I admit it was a turn on.


    To see her angry and sassy made my pants tighten in excitement and I wanted nothing more than to fuck her. Wildly.


    But I had to concentrate on this conversation if I wanted that.


    "I''m sorry about yesterday and about hurting you. I shouldn''t have left you to perform a ceremony for my dead mate"


    "Do you still love her" I still loved her


    et


    but I loved Esme too. She has grown on me. I loved hearing her talk, seeing her smile, watching her do things waking up next to her. I


    wanted to be her whole world and I


    was ready to be hers.


    I wanted to spend the rest of my immortal life with her. I wanted to be her protector, the one she''ll run to in times of need.


    I was obsessed with her very being.