Page 50 of My Fated Mate

He knows exactly what I’m thinking. I growl at him for being amused at my expense.

"Just a bit distracted," I manage, my voice hoarse. Pushing myself up, I disarm him with a practiced ease, adrenaline surging through me for the first time.

"Distracted by a certain she-wolf, perhaps?" Rylan raises an eyebrow.

We spar for a few more minutes, but my movements lack the usual intensity. My mind keeps drifting back to Elowen, to the raw vulnerability in her eyes and the way she crumpled to the ground after I'd ripped our bond apart.

To the two burning golden marks on her back. One of the rejected and the second of the fated mate.

Goddess, I was so stupid.

The silence after we break apart hangs heavy. Rylan leans against the wall, watching me. "Talk to me, Thorne.”

"There's nothing to say," I lie.

Rylan snorts. "You're a terrible liar, Thorne. Always have been. Especially when it comes to matters of the heart."

He sighs, his usual bravado replaced by a rare concern. "Look, whatever happened with Elowen… you need to fix it. She's yourmate, prophesied or not. And the pack can sense the discord between you and feel the imbalance of power. You can’t have that."

His words hit a raw nerve. The pack. I need to get my shit together.

I saw the way they’d stared at Elowen in my arms last night—the way they stared at the mark of the rejected like it was venom.

They saw the shame etched on my face, the guilt that clung to me like a second skin.

They must be wondering what’s going on. They need an answer, and I have to give them one soon.

"I know," I groan, running a hand through my hair. "But how? I hurt her, Rylan. How do I even begin to ask for forgiveness after rejecting her like that?"

Rylan never offers easy answers. Instead, he claps me on the shoulder. "You start by showing her, Thorne. Not telling. Show her you regret your words and that your love for her is real. It won't be easy, and it might take time. But you have to give her a reason to trust you again."

Rylan's words offer little comfort and a whole lot of confusion.

Easy for him to say. Show her, not tell her. But how? How do you show regret to a woman you hurt so deeply? Words seem cheap.

"So, what then?" I growl. "Do I follow her around with flowers and puppy dog eyes? Because that feels about as effective as throwing myself off a cliff."

Rylan sighs, sounding weary. "Maybe not that dramatic, Thorne. But flowers aren't a bad start. …" he hesitates, searching for the right words. "Flowers and grand gestures won't erase the hurt, not on their own. You need to show her you understand what you did wrong, that you're willing to put in the work to earn back her trust."

"Work?" The word tastes bitter. But Rylan's right. Forgiveness, especially after a betrayal like mine, won't be handed to me on a silver platter.

It may not be handed to me at all.

"Look," Rylan continues, his voice softening, "I know you want a quick fix, a magic spell that'll make everything okay. But trust isn't built overnight. It's fragile, easily shattered, and takes time and effort to mend."

Frustration flares in me. "Time is a luxury we might not have," I point out, the weight of the prophecy pressing down on me. "The rogues are getting bolder. The pack needs their Alpha and Luna to be a united front."

"And what good is a united front if it's built on a foundation of lies and broken trust? The pack can sense the discord between you, Thorne. It makes them uneasy. Fix things with Elowen, notjust for your sake but for the pack's as well. You don’t have a Luna unless she agrees. You know that."

His words sting, but they ring true. I need to fix things immediately.

"Alright, alright," I concede, slumping against the wall. "So how do I… show her? Flowers feel weak—grand gestures feel hollow. What do I do, Rylan? You have a lot of females at your side, you should know.”

A flicker of empathy shows on his face. "Honestly, Thorne? I don't know." He pauses, rubbing a hand along his jaw. "Females are different creatures altogether. What might work on one might backfire on another."

My frustration boils over. "That's great. Exactly the kind of helpful advice I was looking for."

The sound of footsteps breaks the tense silence. Zane appears around the corner, frowning after he bows at me in deference. "What's going on? You two look like you could chew nails and spit tacks."

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