Page 52 of Fractured Mates
My excitement increases for only a fraction of a second until she says, “I need to tell you something.”
If she’s about to tell me that she’s been seeing someone else and doesn’t want a second chance at a mate, I’m going to lose my fucking mind.
“I killed my first mate.” The words leave her mouth with such shame and terror.
“Sophie.” I gather her into my arms, mindful of both our injuries, and hold her gently but close. “You had every right to do what you did. Do not let that piece of shit hurt you any longer.”
As soon as she tenses within my hold, I know I’ve messed up. I shouldn’t know about Thane, and she doesn’t like that I do, even if she’s just told me herself.
She pushes me back, and instead of the rage I expect to see, there’s sadness filling her eyes. “I want to leave.”
“Sophie, I’m sorry,” I start to say, but she holds her hand up, silencing the rest of my apology.
“Not now, Kyler.” There’s a brief sigh. “Not fucking now.”
She stands and goes toward the passenger side of the car, head hanging low in a way I never would have expected from her. That guts me even more.
I pick up the med kit and go back to the trunk. I left extra clothes back here as well, so I slip on a new shirt for myself and grab a sweatshirt for Sophie. She might not want my words or touch right now, but she needs to stay warm to help her healing.
The bag with snacks catches my eye before I close the trunk. A peace offering. Even if she doesn’t say a word, if she at least eats the chocolate, I’ll know I didn’t completely fuck this up.
When I get into the driver’s seat, I set two water bottles down in the cup holder and place the candy bars between them. “Those are for you if you feel like eating.”
She stares out the window but doesn’t say anything, so I drape the sweatshirt over her legs. “And in case you’re cold.”
Still, I get the silent treatment, but at least she didn’t run away. I’m considering that a sliver of hope that I’m determined not to lose.
I start the car and pull out onto the road. My hands squeeze the steering wheel tightly as I drive. Not only am I worried about Sophie, but even with the cloaking spell still working, we need to make sure we avoid being seen by pack members who might be on the roads.
My wolf healing has already kicked in, but my body is bruised deeply and there are a couple of deeper cuts on my back that I can feel sticking to my shirt. I should have bandaged them, but getting Sophie out of here is more important.
I catch her head turning toward me out of my peripheral vision, but I don’t say anything. I said what I said, and I need to wait for her to be ready to speak again.
Seconds turn to minutes, and I can tell she’s still looking at something, but without putting my eyes on her, I don’t know exactly what. It is slowly driving me mad, a punishment I’m sure she’d no doubt enjoy me going through.
Finally, her hand reaches for me. No, not me. The damned chocolate.
It takes every effort to hide my smile. She may not be ready to talk, but she took the peace offering. That’s something else to hold on to until I can apologize again.
After she eats the candy bar, she chugs the water and then throws the now-empty bottle at my head. Not hard, but with enough force for me to know that the action was intentional.
I use that as an excuse to look at her, hopefully without further pissing her off.
She’s lowering the seat back and bunching the sweatshirt up to use as a pillow. Her eyes close and I take in her face. There are no injuries on her cheeks or around her eyes, but I can still see the bruises and wounds on her shoulders and chest. Just the sight of them has my terror rising all over again.
I almost lost her. Before I’ve even had the chance to really have her.
Fuck. I don’t know that I would have survived that.
My wolf finally chimes in. We wouldn’t have.
She’s ours, I tell him in case he has any lingering doubts.
There’s a beat of silence before he finally replies, And we will do whatever it takes to earn her forgiveness.
It seems like forever since the two of us have been in agreement, but hearing those words from him has me finally smiling. Until Sophie catches me still staring.
Her glare cuts me to the quick, but her sharply spoken words manage to fuel my hope. “Keep your eyes on the damn road.”