Page 31 of Forever My Siren Luna

“Lira,” he groaned, raking his hands through his hair. “I wanted to tell you. From the moment I saw you walk down the aisle at our wedding and I realized you remembered everything too, I wanted to just fall at your feet and beg you to forgive me. I couldn’t. Everytime I tried, my throat would close up.”

I remember instances where it seemed like he was having trouble speaking, like the night I asked him if he knew we were mates and questioned him about knowing my father.

“Where there's a will, there's a way,” I stubbornly mumbled.

“I wish there was,” he huffed, “If I broke the contract your father was going to have you taken from me and hidden away until you turned of age.”

“Is that why he sent Cedric? To take me away if need be?”

He nodded. “I had no choice in anything concerning telling you, Lira. I always wanted to.”

It makes sense. Cedric was never his biggest fan. That seems to have changed over the time I was away. Cedric was quick to step up and take blame away from Lachlan yesterday.

“You just didn’t want your pack to suffer without their fated Luna. That’s the only reason for all this. You hated me until you knew who I was. That's why you were willing to sleep with me, to mark me and keep me here.”

“No,” Lachlan sat up straighter, inching closer to me. “I wanted to mark you so I could tell you the truth, to fulfill the conditions of the contract! I love you, and wanted to tell you everything. I never hated you. I hated myself for not hating you. I thought….” He pressed his lips together, hesitating. “I thought you were sent here to entrap me. You were already 18 and your uncle promised you were a pure Lycan alpha female. I desired you so much it scared me, because you were already 18 and I thought I knew you weren’t my mate.”

“I tried to tell you,” I hissed at him. “I tried so many times!”

“You did. I remember,” he nodded. “I even remember the look on your beautiful face the first time I saw you as you were walking towards me. I saw the infatuation there. Combined with your beauty, it stunned me, making me think instantly you were a trap. You were gripping your uncle's hand as you walked to meet me with this expectant look and he had that evil sneer. I truly thought you were bewitched. I knew no woman could be as beautiful as you and just want me like that. My pull to you was so strong even without the mate bond that it scared me. I had to stay away from you or I would have given in.”

Val grumbled, not liking his excuse.

“You didn’t always stay away. I gave up, resolved to leave after I could, but then you started to show your face just to torment me.”

“I know.” He looked down guiltily. “I was horrible to you.”

“Why?” My voice sounded like a plea; a desperate cry for answers.

His eyes looked haunted as they met mine. “You changed.”

I scoffed. “A year of betrayal will do that to a person.”

“Yeah,” he groaned, raking a hand down his face. “I didn’t know that at the time. I had just gotten back from clearing the threat from the North and…..Lira, you were all I thought about. The whole time I was fighting, I was praying the threat wouldn’t reach you and that you were okay. I came back and went to see if you were alright, only you couldn’t even bear to be in the same room as me. You openly avoided me. I wanted to check on you, but you no longer wanted an audience with me. My pride and anger grew with my frustration. It’s no excuse for what I did to you or how I treated you, but if I had known of the mate bond….”

“What? What would have changed? Even if you didn’t know I was your mate, I was still a living creature that was left in your care. No one should be treated the way I was.”

“I know,” he hung his head. Seeing how my confession and his own are affecting him; seeing the hurt on his face makes my heart pang in my chest. “I’m sorry, Lira. I am so eternally sorry for what I’ve done.”

My lip begins to quiver, but I look away, not willing to cry in front of him. The bastard has seen enough of my tears.

“Get out,” I whispered when I knew my voice wasn’t in danger of breaking.

He lifted his head to stare at me.

“I need to get ready. Get out.” I can’t sit here like this with him any longer. The mate bond is pulling me towards him, demanding I comfort him, but I know better. Val is becoming affected by it too, and we need some space to think.

“Okay,” he whispered. “I’ll send Niomi in to help you.”

I can dress on my own, but I want to see her so I don’t object.

“I’m so sorry, Lira. I truly am.” With that, he leaves me to contemplate all that has been said.

“Prove it,” Val mumbles in my head, but most of the venom is missing in her tone.

“I think he’s trying,”I admitted. “I just don’t know if I’m ready to try anymore too.”

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