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Knox
“Hunt called,” Noah said as he stepped into the kitchen, then stopped dead at the sight of me.
I knew how I looked. Like absolute shit, probably. The bottle of whisky sat in front of me on the counter, one glass poured and barely touched. I’d taken maybe two sips. But between my bloodshot eyes, my rumpled clothes, and the general aura of misery radiating off me, I probably looked like I’d downed the entire thing.
Dramatic asshole. That’s what Noah’s expression said.
“I’m fine,” I grunted.
Noah raised an eyebrow and pulled out the stool next to me, settling onto it. His hand reached out and grabbed the whiskybottle, sliding it away from me and setting it on the far end of the counter where I couldn’t easily reach it.
“What happened?” he asked.
“Fucking Isabella happened.” I stared at the amber liquid in my glass, watching the light refract through it. “She found out about Mary and came to rub it in Lina’s face.”
Noah went very still beside me. “So Lina knows now?”
“Oh, yeah. She knows.”
The silence stretched between us. I could feel Noah’s gaze on the side of my face, could sense him trying to figure out how bad the damage was.
“And?” he finally asked. “What did she say?”
“I’m sleeping on the fucking couch for goddess knows how long.”
Noah snorted, the sound escaping before he could stop it. It died quickly though when he saw my expression.
“I told you,” he said quietly. “You should’ve-”
“I know.” I cut him off because I couldn’t handle hearing it right now. Couldn’t handle the I told you so that I absolutely deserved. “I fucking know now. She feels-”
I had to stop. Had to take a breath and push down the emotion threatening to choke me. Through the bond I could feel everything Lina was going through. The betrayal. The sadness. The overwhelming sense of being alone even though she was surrounded by people who loved her.
I’d done that to her. Me. Her mate. The one person who was supposed to protect her from pain, and instead I’d caused it.
“I don’t know how to even start asking for forgiveness, man.” My voice came out rough, broken. “She feels so betrayed and sad. She trusted me and I fucked it up. I fucked it all up.”
Tears gathered in my eyes and I didn’t bother trying to hide them. Noah had seen me at my worst before. After Blake died. After I thought I’d lost Lina forever. He’d held me together when I wanted to fall apart, and he’d never judged me for being weak.
My wolf was cursing me inside my head. Calling me every name in the book and then some. Stupid. Selfish. Arrogant. I’d thought I knew better than my mate. Thought I could protect her by keeping her in the dark. And now I was paying the price.
I deserved it. I deserved every second of the agony I was feeling right now.
“Start by letting her out,” Noah said, his voice serious. “She’s been trapped in this house for weeks. Give her some freedom. Some control over her own life.”
“And then?”
“Never leave her side. Forced proximity. Be there every time she turns around. Not in a creepy stalker way, but in a supportive, attentive way. Show her that you’re not going anywhere, no matter how angry she is.” He paused, considering. “Annoy her to the point where she forgives you just to make you shut up. And probably get on your knees and beg for it. Literally. On your knees. With flowers and chocolate and possibly some jewelry. Actually, definitely jewelry. Go big or go home.”
“You think that’ll work?”
“I think Lina loves you and you love her, and that means you’ll figure it out eventually. But you need to put in the work, Knox. You need to show her that you understand what you did wrong and that you’ll never do it again.”
Noah was right, and the thought of groveling didn’t bother me one bit. I’d get on my knees and beg for as long as it took, forever if necessary, because my mate’s forgiveness was worth anything. I’d do whatever Lina needed to feel safe with me again.
“Thanks,” I said quietly.
