Moonbound: The Rogue's Second Chance
Chapter 139: I AM SORRY

Chapter 139: I AM SORRY

Darius brows scrunched up and he tightened his hold on her. He was rightfully confused and shocked at how the conversation could crumble into this. He placed his chin atop her head and rubbed her back in soothing strokes.

"No, I do not want you to ever leave," Darius said.

Right now, his priorities were on comforting her. He wondered how long the thought had remained in her head, how long she must have bottled up the notion until she finally burst at the seams. Her brief telling of how she almost died at the East was the first time she had told him something negative from her life as a rogue.

He closed his eyes and exhaled slowly, he knew how terrible it was to live without a pack, so terrible that his imagination failed to conjure up a image of such a life. Somehow Livia was at the scene of the crime, he had no idea how much both women talked.

It must have been multiple times from how Livia was comfortable enough to come to her room, without her tools and all.He remembered the first time Serena met her, back at Blackthorn’s Keep. He had sent her there, after all, she needed formal measurements for the clothing she would wear as Ironshade’s ambassador. He’d thought nothing of it at the time. He hadn’t asked what passed between them, hadn’t cared. Not like he did now.

He never asked what words were exchanged there and then, well because at the time he did not care for Serena as he had grown to now. He chastised himself in his mind, even when they shared dinner together, he only had fractions of the conversation that might have mattered.

"I am so sorry," Darius murmured.

Serena was struggling to compose herself, she felt so shamed that she was nearly reduced to tears at these thoughts. You are not a child. Her stern words to herself had no effect, she simply closed her eyes to listen to Darius’ words. She wondered if he was a deceiver, like she was.

He must have held things back, like she did with him. How could someone be so caring to her? It was hard gaining her confidence back slowly and trying to keep her strong front but did it all matter when it would be all taken away in a matter of months.

"It will be spring soon," Serena said.

Darius stilled for a few seconds at her words, they were in the middle of fall and her mind had already gone so far as to spring. Spring, a month of new beginnings, reawakenings and rebirth, so far away yet this sweet woman in his arms was so worried about what had not yet come.

"Yes, and?" He said.

Darius gritted his teeth. It took effort, real effort for him to feel anger toward his dear cousin. Livia had always been a bosom friend, someone who knew his better and worse sides without judgment. But now she needed to stay away from Serena. He couldn’t ask Livia to bury her grief overnight because he simply wished it so.

Perhaps it was the mate bond that affected him so like this, if this was anyone other than Serena he would have not even given their words thought if it involved his cousin. He sighed and patted Serena’s back.

"Then it means I will be off to the cabin in the woods," Serena said, her voice low as she slowly pulled away from his hold.

She turned away briefly and took a deep inhale and then exhaled, she dragged her hands through her hair and turned back at him. Darius was looking at her with a pained expression and she felt a small pang in her heart.

"You do remember our deal, yes?" Serena asked.

Darius nodded stiffly, of course how could he not forget. It was on that deal that bought her time to stay in Ironshade and then later on remained chained to his side. A ’problem’ he soon welcomed with open hands.

"I do remember the deal but I have thought about breaking it," Darius answered.

Serena blinked slowly and then lifted a brow, a silent urge for him to continue.

"I’ve been thinking..." Darius exhaled and rubbed the back of his neck. "It seems wrong to let you go so soon after winter. Summer would make more sense... or perhaps not at all."

Her brows pinched slightly, her lips parting with a word on the tip of her tongue, but Darius raised his hand to stop her.

"I apologize for giving you the impression that I wanted you to leave," he said, voice quieter now.

Darius ran his hand through his hair and continued. "Please accept my apologies for how I treated you in the past, I was angry and I am a fool."

Serena watched him silently, not giving a reply just yet. She pressed her hand to her forehead. Her outburst had earned her an apology. One that felt so sincere that she did not question it. It warmed her heart.

So much so that when she looked up at Darius she smiled through her tears. She wiped at her cheeks and then laughed. "Thank you."

Darius was a bit unnerved, he had never seen that kind of reaction to any of the apologies he had given in his life. He moved closer and wiped her cheeks further. "It is my pleasure."

"If you leave, I will follow you," Darius said as a matter of fact.

Serena laughed even louder and then let her head fall. "You can not leave your duty post for me, I would not be able to live with myself."

Darius shrugged as though this were a simple day to day matter. "I am sure, this pack would sort itself out."

"And as for the matter of Dawnbreak, I am very neutral towards it, I will do all I can to make sure it is a success. And thank you for all your work."