Bad Love an Alpha’s Regret by Elise Sinclair

Chapter 345

I can’t bring myself to name what I’m feeling.

If I do, it’s putting too much power behind the emotion.

“Axel, why did you break the bond?”

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I didn’t mean to blurt that out, but once the words are out there, I

watch him flinch.

But he keeps walking.

Axel?” I try again.

He doesn’t answer right away, and I swallow down the lump in

my throat. But I don’t turn back. I follow him into the annex. To the

far end, pushing into the bathroom after him and not caring if he

wants his privacy or not.

He washes himself in the sink. The blood sluicing off his arms and

chest.

I wait as he cleanses away the remnants of the fighting. I want to

help him. To take the towel from his hand and care for him myself,

but I know it’s not what he wants right now.

“Why, Axel?” I repeat. “Is it because of what happened to me?

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Because you knew I would be some broken, fragile mess?”

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He hurls the last of the rags aside and steps forward. He catches. my upper arms, his expression fierce.

“I don’t think that about you at all, Emily,” he says in an intense tone. “I think you’re strong and resilient. I think you’re amazing. Instead of being broken by what you went through, you let it make

you stronger. Not many people can claim that.”

I let a wan smile tug at my lips.

Not many people have been through what I went through, and I

trouble agreeing with Axel’s assessment of me.

I whisper this time, looking

for the

second and I think maybe he’s not going

after

here if he can’t be truthful with

to give in to

his

at all, Emily,” he says gently, pulling me closer still, holding me properly now, his touch tender. “Well, it was, just not in the way

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me,” I say, daring to lift my hands and

I’m in his embrace in a way I never imagined I would be.

enters his gaze, one that’s sad and haunted. “I’m centuries old, and in all the time, the Moon Goddess never once granted me a mate. I understood why. I live a dangerous existence. And I’m immortal. What good would it do to have

realize I’ve never

perspective.

makes total sense

of us from

a quiet voice, and a hint

that wasn’t all,” he continues. “I’ve

will no

mate, any of them could easily threaten or use her

in countless terrible ways.”

him as I realize that all

been selfish, that

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simply didn’t want to be with

like I am.

he was trying to protect

rejecting me were the

come up with.

say, and I realize it hurts that

in such a terrible position, and there’s nothing I can

him.

he can’t quite believe it, or doesn’t

to do

I nod emphatically.

is make your life

these

wasn’t your fault, Emily,” Axel replies. “I played my

well.”

for a

can feel the new trust and depth of our relationship

between us.

won’t be in my

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