Alpha Alec's Redemption by Kathy M

Chapter 265

"It's what a mate does," he says simply, his voice steady. "And it's what I wanted to do."

I meet his gaze, and the sincerity there steals my breath. For a moment, neither of us speaks. The air feels heavy, weighted with words neither of us seems ready to say.

I can't even begin to express how I am feeling or how I have felt these past few days. He has been there, both Knox and him. They helped us in ways I can't be able to understand. They didn't run. They didn't force their need on us. Instead they were patient and stayed by our side. That is something I can't get over.

Finally, Alec breaks the silence. "You slept for a while," he says, picking up his coffee and taking a slow sip. "How are you really feeling?"

I exhale, pressing my palm to my forehead. "Like I was hit by a truck. But... I don't feel like my insides are burning anymore, so that's a plus."

He nods, his jaw tightening. "I hated seeing you like that," he admits, his voice rough. “Knowing you were in pain and not being able to do anything about it..." He drags a hand through his hair, the tension returning to his shoulders. He didn't finish the sentence, but I got what he was saying.

Seeing your mate suffer and not being able to do anything about it must be a

different kind of torture. Especially for an Alpha male like Alec.

I stare at him, something heavy pressing down on my chest. There's a

I haven't seen before, and it

about you?" I ask, my voice

leans back in his

my head, studying

me off. But then he sighs, running a hand over his face. "Honestly? It was... hard. Harder than

I just took all the strength from him without wondering how this was for him. Now, it made me feel like a complete

you say anything? Why would you let yourself suffer

forward,

of the table. "Because

on

you. You were the one in pain. You were the one hurting. I

hurting too," I say, my voice barely above a

the way you were," he says,

light with his last statement, but there's something raw in his eyes, something that makes me feel like I'm standing on the edge of a cliff. Before I can say anything, Alec gives me

you in my shirt