After everyone left, both men still stood where they were in silence, until Nichs finally decided to lower his ego and invited Lnd to sit together.


    "I shouldn''t have said those words," he spoke tly. His expression wasced with embarrassment. He just projected his own insecurities and shame for leaving Sophie six years ago when she needed him the most, he left with no news. Even though it was not one hundred percent his fault, he still felt so guilty and inadequate.


    That''s why, hearing that Lnd also left right before Sophie''s parents were killed, he blurted out his own frustration and med Lnd. He realized young Lnd was also not to be med for the misfortune that fell on the Hansleys. He must be still a child back then.


    He was what...? Fifteen? What could a fifteen-year-old boy do in the face of brutal lycan attackers? And he probably had his own reasons to leave the Hansleys.


    Nichs looked at Lnd and saw how the man''s eyes reminded him of his own. In Lnd''s blue and green irises he could recognize the pain and guilt that he was feeling every day after he got his memory back and realized how he had failed Sophie.


    Apparently, he and Lnd had more things inmon than not. The king smiled bitterly at that realization.


    Looking at Lnd Szar now, Nichs''s heart knew that the Alpha was a good man. Sophie was lucky he found her and kept her by his side all this time.


    "I am sorry." Nichs was surprised by how easily those words came out of his lips. Lnd''s brows twitched when he heard the other man apologize.


    The king added, his expression was somber, "I got carried away. I shouldn''t have med you for what happened to Sophie''s parents."


    Lnd narrowed his eyes and looked at Nichs suspiciously. Why was he suddenly apologizing?


    Seeing his suspicion, Nichs immediately waved his hand and said, "Hey, don''t get me wrong. I still don''t like you. I just want to be fair and own up to my mistakes. I will always apologize when I did something wrong. That''s how I was raised."


    "Hm." Lnd still didn''t say anything. However, he, too, now started to see Nichs a bit differently.


    Nichs knew for the proud Alpha, hearing another man apologize unexpectedly was quite awkward. So, he didn''t hope for any response from Lnd. As long as he knew Nichs was sorry for his outburst, it was enough.


    "Wine?" Nichs sat on the chair and offered Lnd some wine. He poured wine from the jug into two cups and ced one on the table before him and took the other one for himself. He didn''t wait for Lnd to drink, he started to take a sip before he continued speaking.


    "I came here with an important mission, but before we get to that point, I need to rify several important matters with you."


    Lnd finally moved and took a seat across from Nichs. After the king apologized and humbled himself to admit his mistakes, Lnd could see that Nichs was a fair man and his heart was in the right ce.


    He also still didn''t like Nichs, solely because of his past rtionship with Sophie, but as a man-to-man, Lnd knew he could respect him.


    He took the other cup and sipped his wine slowly, waiting for Nichs to continue. The king smiled at seeing Lnd slowly lowered his animosity. This was a good thing. His mother taught him that the words ''please'', ''thank you'', and ''sorry'' could go a long way and he just proved it today.


    "First of all, I know we started off on the wrong foot and it doesn''t help that we both love the same woman," Nichs tried to control his voice not to sound bitter or jealous.


    It was so hard, but he was raised to be a king. Diplomacy and sweet-talking were part of his nature.


    With so many houses of nobility around the royal family that he needed to please in order to keep getting their loyalty and support, he was used to talking his way into the hearts of many people.


    If he was not that skilled, and he didn''t have a good heart, it would be impossible to touch the hearts of the nobles he invited to the royal pce two months ago to reveal that he had lycanthropy.


    He had won their hearts and loyalty to ept him for who he was. Now, he was using the same methods to win the hearts and loyalty of many lycan packs and their Alphas.


    The Alpha sitting before him was the one that he needed to touch the most. The man he hated but grew to respect.


    "I made a lot of mistakes when I was young, I will not make excuses for my behaviors, and I left Sophie when she needed me the most," Nichs continued his words.


    He wanted to cry whenever he imagined how hard it must be for Sophie to live alone for months while pregnant and frantically looking for him, and finally thought he was dead. How much pain and shame did she endure back then?


    For Sophie to end up in Hastings and met Lnd, she must hit rock bottom to decide to return to this town and ask her aunt for help. Nichs imagined her aunt and cousins must have used her situation to further torture her and insult her.


    Fortunately, Lnd was around and he saved her from her suffering, and by extension, he provided shelter and love for the babies in her womb.


    For this, Nichs was grateful to Lnd.


    "Thank you, for taking care of Sophie and my children when I was not in the picture," he looked at Lnd sincerely. "I have been meaning to say this but there was never a right timing. And... I can''t see you without thinking of killing you. So... yeah."


    He chuckled awkwardly, trying to lighten up the mood because Lnd still didn''t say anything.