Page 78 of Their Knotty Pack
They all have varying looks of discomfort on their faces, but they leave the room, Kieran saying something about checking on Miles. Then, it's just Bethany and I.
She looks to me as I stand and cross the room, crouching in front of her so we're eye level.
"Why did you send them away?" She asks quietly, not meeting my eyes.
"I have something to say that's for your ears alone."
That does make her look up at me, and my breath nearly catches in my throat at the sight of her beauty. Her tongue darts out to wet her bottom lip. "What is it?"
"I'm sorry."
"I…what?"
"I'm sorry, bluebell." The nickname slips out, but she doesn't seem upset. "If I had been here more, if I had made an effort to get to know you better before all this…maybe you would have felt comfortable talking to me about it. I can't…I can't believe you've been sitting with this, alone all this time." Just the thought that she was left to deal with Pack Hansen on her own for that long makes the rage boil under my skin again, and my carefully guarded control starts to slip, my fingers tightening on the cushions on either side of her.
"You don't have to feel bad—"
"Feel bad? Oh bluebell, I am so past 'feeling bad'. I'm livid. Pissed at this entire fucked up situation and at myself, because I failed you."
“Hunter, it’snota big deal. I lived with them for three years, I know how to handle it.”
“I’m not sure why you’re saying that like it will calm me down. Do you know howinfuriatingit is to know that you were being treated like shit by a pack for three damn years while I was in the same city,obliviousto your existence?"
“You couldn’t have-“
“It doesn’t matter, bluebell. I should haveknown.”
"Really?" she asks, a smile tilting at her lips, "You're mad at yourself because you didn't somehow magically know that I was having a hard time, when one, you didn't know me, and two, evenIdidn't realize it?"
"Yes." Gods, I'm so dead serious, but she just lets out this little sigh.
"I guess we both have some things to work on, Detective Hunter Song." Her hand reaches up tentatively, and I don't stop her as she runs it through the side of my hair. Fuck, that feels good.
Myeyes close, and in the next instant, a kiss is being pressed to my cheek. I can feel her eyelashes brush against my cheek bone, and a little sigh leaves me.
"I promise I'll work on asking for help, but you need to work on not blaming yourself for things out of your control."
My eyes open, and her face is mere inches from mine. It's a tall order, but I find myself wanting to try. For her. "Deal."
Chapter 32
Bethany
The nest is dark when I open the door, an unmoving lump under the blankets as the blueberry-dark chocolate swirling around tinges the room with sadness.
"Miles?" I call out quietly, but he doesn't stir as I pad across the room and climb onto the mattress. I hear a sniffle when I slide under the covers, the two of us completely enveloped by the coziness of the nest. My hand reaches out, and when my fingers touch his cheek, they're met with tears. "Oh, Miles." My voice chokes.
I don't know how to handle this. We've never had a real argument or fight before. Debating who would win in a battle among our favorite characters? Yep. Wrestled for the corner spot on the couch? Done that.
But actually be upset with each other? Or hurt? This is new territory.
"Why didn't you trust me enough to tell me what was happening?" His voice is thick. "Did you…did you think I wasn't strong enough to handle it?"
"Babe, no," my vision has adjusted, and I can make out the vague outline of his face, "I didn't tell anyone about it, and not on purpose—"
"You told Brody," he mutters, wiping away his tears like he's offended by them.
"I didn'ttellhim, but he was right there when they called me on Friday, and it's not like I tried to hide it. But…you're right. I should have been more forthright about it. I'm just…" I sigh. "When I was with them—Pack Hansen—my problems, my concerns, my issues…everything that was related to me was considered silly and unimportant. I guess at a certain point, I subconsciously adopted that mindset as well."
