“I didn’t mean for any of this to happen.” He pushes his inky hair back from his now scruffy, handsome face. “I came here to explain, no excuses, no made up stories. Just the truth, and to apologize. When you didn’t answer the door, I freaked out.” His hands are at his narrow hips while his head hangs down. “My heads so fucked up right now. If I would have just paid attention, I would have heard you singing in the shower, I would have been able to smell your bath. Shit, I can tell you shaved your legs. But, everything keeps going offline. You’re all I see, you’re all I feel. I’m having a hard time dealing with you being so close but still so far away.” He looks up and meets my eyes. “I want to Mark you! I don’t want any man near you. My wolf is making me crazy. I’m afraid if I shift he’ll mark you whether you’re ready or not.” He pulls a hand full of his hair. “I’m not telling you this to rush you, I would never rush you. If you need a month, six months, you can have it. It’ll be a struggle, but I want you to want me. I want you to want us,” he implores. I can hear the honesty in his worn-out voice. He’s just as screwed up as I am. It’s kind of a relief.

I walk over and tuck my arm into his elbow the way he likes and lead him to the kitchen to sit while I make us some dinner. “I’m gonna make us dinner, and we can talk, alright?” He sits and lets out a long sigh. “I need an explanation for earlier Masen. I know there’s a lot happening for both of us, but above all, I need honesty.” I start gathering ingredients for dinner, and he starts talking.

“I guess it started yesterday when I got up to get you water. I heard Cass yelling at Roxanne so I went to find out why she was still at the house.” He stands and moves closer to me as I start making dough for biscuits. “I found out she had been standing in the hallway, listening to me explain our situation to Cass. How you were only fourteen when we met.” He’s running his fingers through the spare flour on the board. “I didn’t, don’t want her telling anyone, and I’ll tell you why in a bit.”

Oh so there’s more to it than he led me to believe this morning. He continues, “So to placate her, I let her believe she still had a chance, that I might still choose her. I’ve never heard of one Mate rejecting the other. She is just too self-absorbed to see that.” He tilts my chin with his fingers so I’m looking right at him. “I let her believe that, I encouraged her to believe that. I’m sorry, Little One. I should have told you from the beginning I was trying to keep her quiet. I won’t keep things from you in the future.” He leans down and presses a lingering kiss to my temple. I sigh.