“I get that you don’t want to have anything to do with me. I was an asshole, but I’m trying to make it up to you. I’ve given you three years. I didn’t push for this before then and I gave you time and space. This is all on you, Mabel.” He slammed his hand on the table.

“I don’t want to fight with you.”

“Well, maybe I want to fight with you. Have you ever thought about that?” He stood up and started to pace the length of the dining room. “I get it. I fucked up. I was the big fucking bully back in high school. I’m the one to stick my hand in the air and admit I was a giant prick to you. So much so, I don’t deserve your forgiveness, but here’s the thing… I can’t let you go. I don’t want to let you go. You’re my mate. The woman who above everyone else has been destined to me, and I can’t turn my back on that no matter how much I want to.”

“You don’t want to be mated to me.”

“Yes. No, I mean … fuck! Now I’m just getting confused. I’m not the same guy, okay? The dick who was mean to you, he wasn’t taking his role as an Alpha seriously. He was a bastard. He’s the one who would have bit you to get what he wanted. I don’t know what happened to me. All I know is that I’ll do anything for you. I’d never hurt you. I’d never lie to you, and I won’t bite you without your fucking permission.” He ran fingers through his hair, feeling his anger start to abate. “You know, you pretty much accused me of almost raping you.”

“No, I didn’t.” Her voice was so small.

“Even when you want me, crave me, you’re going to fight it, aren’t you?”

She lifted her head and looked at him. “I … this is hard.”

“Yeah, tell me about it.” He dropped down into his chair. All of his appetite was gone. He didn’t want to argue, not really. “I need to go out for a walk.” Getting to his feet, he pushed away from the table and walked toward the doorway.

“Have you ever thought that it’s because of our mating that you’ve changed?” she asked.

He stopped and turned to look at her. “Yes, I do.”

“If you hadn’t gone through the transition, you’d probably still find me fat and ugly.”

“For fuck’s sake, Mabel. I didn’t think you were fat and ugly back then.”

She snorted. “Yeah, right.”

“I said bad shit because … you were always a stuck-up little bitch.”

“Excuse me? You didn’t even know me.”

“You had your nose up in the sky.”