Page 54 of Heatwaves

I would do anything to get her to forgive me. I’d prostrate myself at her feet and beg for forgiveness, if she would just let me.

The rest of my pod feels the same way, but since we arrived back in Quion, we haven’t been able to get her to speak to us.

How are we meant to explain why we left her if she doesn’t want to hear a word coming from our mouths?

The flame of hope that’s been building in my chest suddenly extinguished.

Sure, she said she wanted to hear us out, but what if she’s changed her mind again? What if she’s just going to crush us once more?

I wouldn’t even blame her if she did…I just don’t think I can survive another rejection from her.

On one hand, I’d give anything to go back in time to change our fates, but on the other, there’s a chance Quion wouldn’t have survived.

“Breathe, Ty,” Aidan murmurs, reaching for my hand. “Don’t lose yourself inside your head. We’re going to take this one step at a time. We finally have the chance to tell her why we left. We might not be able to dictate how she’ll respond to the truth, but we’ll have done everything we can.”

I suck in a deep, shaky breath while I keep my eyes locked on Lila. “What if that’s not enough? What if she can’t forgive us?”

No one answers me because none of us want to think about her never forgiving us—me, least of all.

You don’t deserve her.

Of course, she’s not going to forgive you.

You’ll never know true happiness without your other mate by your side.

The others will leave you when she sends you away.

You’re too much for them—all of them.

You’ll be alone.

Squeezing my eyes shut, I shake my head as if I can shake my thoughts away, but it’s not that easy—it’s never that easy.

We might have helped save the worlds—all of them—but I lost a piece of myself when I was forced to leave Lila behind, and I’m not sure I can get it back.

“Are we planning to have this conversation outside?” Wyatt asks, amusement in his voice. “Because you’re supposed to stay off your leg as much as you can and give it time to heal. Even shifter healing has its limitations.”

My eyes snap open, immediately seeking Lila. She’s blushing, her eyes on the ground as she leans against Wyatt.

“Why aren’t you using a crutch?” I ask, already hurrying down the stairs toward her.

”I…uhhh…“ Lila stutters, eyes turning to Wyatt with a frown.

Wyatt snorts. “I was planning to carry her up the stairs.”

“No need,” I tell him, sweeping her up into my arms and heading straight back up the stairs.

Lila is tense in my arms, and I turn to meet her gaze.

“What are you doing, Ty?” she asks quietly, her hand hovering in the air as if she wants to touch me but doesn’t know how.

“You didn’t look comfortable hobbling along, and your incubus said you needed to be off your leg,” I tell her simply. Because, to me, it really is that simple.

I would do anything for the woman in my arms, including carrying her around while she’s injured.

Who am I kidding?

I’d carry her all the time if that’s what she wanted.

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