Page 76 of Bullied Mate

Bethany had sent for me a few times, but I’d refused her call. I’d refused to see anyone.

Until Xavier had walked into the gym, I wanted nothing to do with people, shifter and Elderling alike.

Xavier pulled up two chairs. He held mine and waited for me to sit, refusing to take his chair until I had settled in mine. Annoying as it was, I obediently accepted the gesture as genuine and crossed my arms over my chest.

Silence barred the space separating us. Distance grew, and feelings churned, and everything seemed like it was much worse than earlier. I should have called him, yes. That would have been better than sitting here staring at his sneakers while I pretended like our dinner hadn’t left a bad taste in my mouth.

Most things he did spoiled my taste buds. “I was going to call you to order the equipment.”

I had just said that. Why was I saying it again?

Xavier nodded. “I do know more than most about what we need.”

“Yes, that’s precisely why I was going to call you.”

“I’m glad you said something. I wouldn’t have known if you hadn’t told me.”

I sat up a little straighter. “Yes, well, that was why I was going to call.”

You have said that thrice now, Galanthia.

Strain made my throat tighten. Tears threatened to appear. No, this wasn’t the place for crying. Anybody could walk in right now. And then what? More gossip? These heathens were abominable for their rumor hunger.

I fixed my posture and played with my braids, tugging them to one side even though it probably looked funny. “Yes, well…”

“Galanthia, I’m sorry.”

Surprise stormed into my core. “About?”

“Everything.”

“You’ll have to be more specific.”

I expected disdain, perhaps a tinge of hatred. I expected him to get up in arms, to pace the room, to shove his hands into his pockets while listing off the reasons he didn’t need to provide a detailed explanation. Rebellion should have reigned—yet it didn’t.

Instead there was a blanket of humility.

He rubbed the tops of his knees vigorously. “You were right about me bullying you when we were kids. I mean, I thought I was just picking on you like I picked on everyone else, but I didn’t realize the impact.”

The universe must have collapsed into itself. “What?”

“Ambersky—that place was terrible for you. It was terrible for me too, but in a different way. You actually got physically hurt.” He gripped his knees hard enough to make the fabric squeal. “They tortured you. I should have known. I should have looked into it, I mean.”

“That wasn’t your fault, Avi.”

Distress informed his expression. “No, it wasn’t my fault. But it was something we could have changed. If I hadn’t been so mean to you, then maybe other people wouldn’t have mean to you either.”

“You can’t possibly carry that load.”

“Let me try. Won’t you let me try, Lanthie?”

Humility like that was hard to fake. The wolf man had indeed done much thinking in the past week about things I hadn’t anticipated.

“I should apologize to you,” I whispered. “I overstepped your boundaries.”

“I didn’t make them clear.”

I held up my hand to silence him. “Let me finish.”

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