“Hey, you shouldn’t be up.” Tate pressed a hand to my shoulder, urging me to sit back down.
I gave in because it hurt to breathe, not because he was making me. “How’d I get here?”
“Kyren called me.” Tate frowned, busying himself getting the drinks and fast food bag.
Suddenly I knew what was coming. The fact that I was here and not in Julian’s bed made me wonder if Tate had told him yet.
“Does Julian know?” I asked, not even pretending that Kyren hadn't ratted me out to our boyfriend.
“Yes.” Tate sat back down on the edge of the bed and handed me one of the to go cups of coffee. “I called him after I made sure you were safe.”
“You called him?” I arched a brow. “When did you get his number?”
Tate held his cup in both hands, leaning on his elbows. “He found me when you didn’t text that you’d made it home, hoping maybe you’d changed your mind and was with me.”
“When I told him you weren’t with me, we exchanged information while we searched for you.” He stared hard at theground before turning his glare onto me. “We searched for you for hours, Jack. Do you have any idea how we felt not being able to find you? No idea where you were?”
“Tate, I—” I reached for him, but he pulled away.
“No.” He stood up beside the bed, his hand squeezing his cup until it squished, the hot liquid spilling out onto his hand.
“Tate,” I gasped, trying once more to reach for him.
Tate shook his hand off, wiping it on his pants. “You know, Jack. I love you. Julian loves you. Your family loves. Fuck, even Kyren loves you. And you still lie. You still keep going at it alone.”
I swallowed hard, staring down at my hands in my lap.
I couldn’t argue with him. He was right. I kept doing this. Taking all the responsibility onto myself instead of asking for help. It was just like Julian said. I had been reckless and almost died because of it.
Tate sighed and sank back onto the bed's edge. “Just tell me why, princess? What are you trying to prove? That you’re indestructible? Because you’re not.”
My head snapped up. “I know that.”
“Then stop acting like it, damn it.” He cupped my face between his hands, his eyes full of despair. “There are so many people who don’t want to lose you. Don’t make us lose you, Jack.”
“I...” I tried to swallow down the emotion that had risen in my throat. “I’m sorry.”
Tate leaned forward and placed his head on my lap, wrapping his arms around my waist. “I can’t lose you.”
“You won't,” I told him, smoothing my hand over his back. “I promise. No more going it alone.”
We were quiet for a long moment before Tate sat up.
“Is Julian pissed?” I asked.
Tate sighed. “He was upset and worried. Just like I was. You have no idea the thoughts that ran through our mind, even after Kyren called me.”
“He didn’t hurt me, if that’s what you’re thinking.”
“I know. Kyren told me what happened. How he found you on his doorstep and he healed you with his blood.”
My skin warmed. The memories were murky mixed with the blood loss, but I remembered a lot of what happened between me and Kyren. Not all of it had to do with healing.
“Julian was here earlier,” Tate continued, opening up the fast food bag. He offered me a burger, and I took it, even though I couldn’t think about eating right now.
“Is he coming back?” I found myself wanting to see him. I needed to explain myself. As someone who always had my back, even before this mission, I owed him the biggest apology.
Tate bobbed his head. “Yeah. He had to go to the headmaster's office.”
