Page 61 of The Wolf King's Mate

He had still attacked Silas without knowing any part of the story.

When I didn’t lean in, his free hand found my waist and pulled me across the countertop until my chest met his. He wrapped me in his arms, hugging me against him so firmly that I couldn’t stop myself from wrapping my arms around him too and squeezing.

“You were kids, Princess. What happened was fucking horrible, but it wasn’t anyone’s fault.”

With his words, something inside me seemed to crack open.

Tears tracked down my cheeks, and my body trembled with the effort of holding my emotions back.

His hand slid into my hair, his fingers tangling with the tied strands as he held me closer.

Tears dripped down my face, and I clutched the Alpha like a lifeline. I loved Fletcher, but we never talked emotions. Surviving had always been our focus. Getting through the next week, the next month, the next year.

What would it be like to focus on something else? Something like… a mate?

I didn’t know.

I shouldn’t let myself think about it, either.

Enzo was saying the right things, but everything was still a mess. He had still hurt the people who mattered to me, and he had still been an asshole.

Saying sweet things and holding me while I cried didn’t change that. Not really.

He probably had an ulterior motive of some kind.

It was just hard to believe that when he was wiping tears off my face with his thumb while he held me.

His other hand moved in a slow, soothing motion over my back until my tears stopped falling, my emotions becoming manageable again.

His grip on me didn’t ease until mine on him loosened. Then, he released me and wiped away the last of my tears.

He pulled my phone from his pocket and set it on the countertop, next to me, then disappeared into the other room.

My forehead creased.

He was just going to leave, after holding me like that?

I listened for the sound of the door opening, but it didn’t come. Instead, he walked back into the kitchen with my boot in his hand.

I sighed. “Really, Enzo?”

“Until you have the doctor’s approval, yes.”

“Putting weight on it doesn’t hurt anymore.”

He buckled it on anyway.

“I need a shower.”

“I told you I’d help you in the bath.”

“I don’t want help.”

“Does it seem like I care whether or not you want my help, Princess?”

I scowled at him.

He ruffled my already-messed-up bun. “You look perfectly fuckable. Stop worrying about your hair. We’ll leave tonight.”

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