"Mr.Darcy, please.You needn't—you needn't do this.I won't force your hand."
His brows drew together, genuine confusion flickering across his exhausted features.
"Force my—what?"
Elizabeth kept her voice steady through sheer will, each word measured and careful as steps across thin ice."You helped me when I was in desperate need.My gratitude is boundless—for my family, for Lydia, and now for myself.You are discreet, honorable, and everything good."She forced herself to meet his gaze, though it hurt like staring into the sun."I won't repay that kindness by trapping you into marriage."
He stared at her, mouth slightly open, as if she'd spoken in tongues.
"Trapping me?"
She couldn't look at him as her lips passed thoughts she had kept to herself for so long."Every aspersion you cast upon my family was true.We're beneath you in every way.Iacted abominably, threw myself at you, begged for things no proper woman would even think."Heat climbed her cheeks, but she pressed on."I can't—I won't force you into a connection unworthy of you."
"You think I don't want to marry you?"The words came out strangled, as if someone had wrapped hands around his throat.
Elizabeth met his eyes directly, though it cost her."I think you're in rut, Mr.Darcy.I think my heat triggered something in you—an alpha response you can't control."The truth of it sat bitter on her tongue."And I think you're honorable enough to offer marriage because of what happened."Her voice dropped to barely above a whisper."But I won't hold you to an offer made under such circumstances."
Darcy closed his eyes, his jaw working as if he fought some internal battle.When he opened them again, something raw and desperate blazed there, stripping away every layer of propriety he'd ever worn.
"You think—Elizabeth, you think I'm only offering because of biology?Because of obligation?"His voice pulled tight as a bowstring."I told you to leave because I was falling apart.Because every night with you was torture, touching you but not being able to tell you—"
He stopped.Drew in a breath that shook.
"Tell me what?"The words escaped before she could catch them, soft as snowfall.
Darcy stepped closer, close enough that she could see the exhaustion etched into every line of his face, the desperation burning in his eyes.
"That I love you.That I've never stopped.If I had any suspicion that your feelings for me had changed… but I dared not hope.Not until recently."His voice broke on the last word."I helped you through your heat because I couldn't bear to see you suffer, but also because I'm selfish.Because having you in my arms, even briefly, was better than not having you at all."
Tears started falling, hot against her cold cheeks.
"You—you still love me?You told me to leave, though."
Darcy's hand came up to cup her face, his palm warm against her frozen skin.
"Desperately.Completely.I told you to leave because I knew if you stayed, if you came to me one more night, I would claim you.Bite you, bond you, without your true consent.I couldn't do that to you.I couldn't trap you."His thumb stroked her cheek with infinite gentleness."But I'm asking now, when you're in your right mind.Marry me.Please."
"I thought you regretted it," Elizabeth said through tears that wouldn't stop falling, hot trails down her frozen cheeks."Regretted helping me.You looked so angry that last night.I thought—I thought you resented being forced to help me."
Darcy made a sound like she'd struck him.
"Elizabeth, no.My dear, no."His other hand came up to frame her face, holding her like something precious and breakable."The only thing I regretted was not being able to claim you properly.Not being able to tell you I loved you while I touched you, while you were in my arms."His forehead dropped to rest against hers, his breath warm against her lips."Do you have any idea what it cost me?To have you begging for my bite, calling me alpha, and knowing you didn't truly wantme?Just the biological imperative?"
His hands trembled against her skin.
"Elizabeth, I've been going mad these past days.Couldn't eat, couldn't sleep.Bingley finally threw me out of Netherfield because I kept pacing the corridors like some gothic specter."A broken laugh escaped her and his lips twitched upwards."I am here to beg you to marry me.To throw myself at your feet if necessary.Pride be damned."
Elizabeth laughed wetly, the sound half-sob, half-joy.
"I love you."The words tumbled out, unstoppable now."I've loved you—I don't even know when it started.Your letter, perhaps, when I saw how wrong I'd been.Or Pemberley, seeing you as you truly are.Learning what you did for Lydia without thought of credit or reward."
"I didn't know you knew of that."
"My sister cannot keep a secret—but I have not yet informed my family."
"I wish you would not," he said quietly."But you should do what you wish."
Smiling, her hands came up to cover his where they cradled her face."These past nights with you, even through the haze of heat, I knew.I love you so much it terrifies me."
