SORRY?

He was here to mark her.

His hands were in his pockets and three buttons at the top were undone, just like last time.

His eyes were like an attractive furnace she wanted to put her hands into, maybe to check if she’d get burned to know if they were flames or just water meant to drown her instead. He seemed more visibly relaxed than the night before although he looked a bit hesitant like he was about to take an action he wasn’t sure of.

His gaze was steady but yet he seemed to be on his toes as he stood, shoulders tense and eyes never leaving hers.

“Good morning,” He finally broke what Anna didn’t realize was an awkward silence until after he spoke.

He wore a grey dress shirt and black jeans, the sleeves were rolled up and the shirt was left untucked. He looked relaxed but tense, was that a good thing? Anna couldn’t understand the man, she honestly wished she did.

He brought his hands out from his pants and crossed his fingers in front of him, his lips thinned and his brows furrowed even deeper than usual.

“I…about last night Anna,”

Anna was even more surprised by the fact that he was still meeting her eyes while he spoke in such a manner.

His voice was low, almost like a whisper and he looked and sounded hesitant to utter every word he did.

“I’m sorry…”

What?

“Yesterday was a really shitty day and I ended up putting all of my frustrations on you…Tony was right, I shouldn’t have said those words and since last night I’ve been feeling…”

“ Guilty?”

Anna was skeptical, her eyes narrowed and lips tightened as she looked into his green orbs.

The corners of his lips twitched as his fingers came up to his head and scratched rather sheepishly, something she didn’t expect from the scary Alpha she’d known in the past few days.

“We got off on the wrong foot,” He said. His tone was sincere but that only made Anna doubt him more.

“I don’t know how to make this work…considering the facts that we’re…” The words seemed so heavy on his tongue that Anna couldn’t help the small smile that appeared on her face.

“Mates?” She said in a dramatic whisper.

Kane blew out a breath, looking like a man who had just gotten a weight off his shoulders.

“Yes,” He nodded, “This…us, it wasn’t planned, I already have a woman I love and soon we will get married and I also planned to make this experience as painless as possible for you,”

Was he being genuine?

Anna couldn’t help the pang she felt when he mentioned being in love with May, they were going to get married and Anna sincerely hoped she would be out of there before she would witness it.

“These past few days, shit has been crazy at the Pack’s borders,”

Anna’s brows furrowed deeper, trying to figure out where he was getting at. This was a side to him that she never thought existed.

Kane inhaled, “What I’m trying to say is that I’m not an asshole,”

Anna chuckled.

“At least not all the time,”

He blinked continuously, probably trying to get his thoughts and words back on track.

“I’m sorry,” He said again, this time more sincere and less hesitant than the last.

“I wish for us to not be on bad terms, considering our circumstances,”

Anna nodded in understanding. She didn’t want them to be on bad terms either, the same way she wanted him to come closer so she could inhale his addicting scent but of course, that didn’t need to be said out loud.

Her fist clutched her dress tightly, she didn’t realize when she had reached for the dress amidst the myriad of emotions she felt at that moment.

“Of course, I understand,” Anna said with a faint smile, hating the way her eyes took in every detail on his face and committed it to mind.

She hated that she could see how the small smile on his lips created a small dent in his cheeks, the makings of a dimpled smile.

Anna wanted to stop.

She had to stop.

“I still—”

“—I know,” Anna could see it in his eyes, she could see exactly what he wanted to say.

“You don’t want anyone to know we’re mates, I’ll keep my mouth shut because I don’t want anyone to know either,” Anna said. Her tone was firm and her resolve even firmer. People in the pack would only make things harder for her. May would have her head and the rest of the pack well…they’ll still see her as shit.

Kane seemed to be taken aback by her words but she only saw a glimpse of that emotion for a few seconds, then it faded like it was never there.

“Okay,” Kane said. It shouldn’t have hurt her that much that he agreed so easily but it did.

This was for the best.

She gritted her teeth to stop herself from saying anything emotional or embarrassing.

The only thing that was left between them was an official rejection.

It is said that it feels like ripping out one’s limbs when a fated mate is officially rejected, they say the pain is unbearable and leaves one feeling inexplicably empty.

They were both hesitating.

Was it because he didn’t want to feel such pain?

Was that why he wasn’t rejecting her right there and then?

Or was it because he was just as afraid as her?

Anna had prayed for a mate for so long, one strong enough to protect and keep her safe from everything that wanted to drain her.

Anna was so scared that if she rejected him there and then…that last shred of innocence she held on to from her childhood, that kept her from going insane, would finally die.

She was so fucking afraid!

“I didn’t just come here to apologize,”

Anna forced a smile, hoping the tears she felt behind her lids didn’t show in her eyes.

“You’ve also come to mark me, make me a member of your pack,”

She was ready.

It wouldn’t change anything! She promised herself.

Becoming a pack member won’t change anything, her plans would remain the same.

And once she knows every route and every loophole in GreyThorn, she will leave this place and this life behind.

She will decide her fate.

Without Kane.