“I’m sorry,” I mouthed at Anna as I started toback away.
I wanted to go to her, to comfort her and tell her everything was fine, that she was safe now. But I couldn’t. Despite the signs of her body, I couldn’t be near her at all just then.
Because I could see the other reaction in her eyes.
Fear.
Fear of me. Of who I was and what I had just done.
I’m sorry.
Then I turned and fled. I told myself it was because I was on the verge of shifting, of my monster escaping its cage, but that wasn’t true at all.
I ran because deep down, I knew I was never going to be good enough for her. I could never shed who I was. And seeing my mate scared of me was the most crippling thing I had ever been through. I had to run from her, to get away.
Because if the monsterdidget out, I would never see her again.
Twenty-One
Anna
I’m sorry.
The pain on his face as he ran was heartbreaking. He didn’t have to be ashamed. Whatever had happened wasn’t his fault, of that I was sure. But my eyes never left his back as he ran, and I couldn’t stop my emotions from overflowing, conflicting with one another.
I had been wrong earlier. So horribly wrong. What I had thought I had seen curling over his shoulders and sides in the shower wasn’t a tattoo at all.
It was scars. Lots of them. A latticework of lines crisscrossing his back in all directions.
How had one of the most powerful dragons in Hollow Earth allowed that to happen?
“Ma’am.”
Dirk coughed as I spitted him with a glare at the formality.
“You know my name, Dirk.”
He grimaced, looking down the same hallway after his brother. “I know. But Casimir is on edge right now. His dragon is riding him hard. I don’twant to come across overly comfortable with you. He might take it as a challenge.”
“Caz is gone,” I pointed out.
He had disappeared around the corner, heading in a different direction. Wherever he was going, it wasn’t back to his quarters, which is where he had ordered me sent.
“I’m not risking it,” Dirk said, shaking his head. “Caz’s dragon is …”
“The scars,” I whispered in understanding. There was no way such pain wouldn’t have affected his dragon too. “What happened to him?”
Dirk shook his head.
“What?”
“That’s not my story to tell, Anna. He’ll tell you when he’s ready. Or when you ask.”
“Hard to ask him when he’s running away from me.” I stared at the empty hallway. “Where is he going anyway?”
“The Lookout.”
I glanced at Dirk. “The what?”
