𝕄𝕪 𝔸𝕟𝕘𝕖𝕝// 𝔹𝕖𝕝𝕝𝕒 𝕊𝕨𝕒𝕟 𝕩 ℂ𝕒𝕦𝕚𝕤 𝕍𝕠𝕝𝕥𝕦𝕣𝕚

My Angel: Chapter 11

Bella jumped when the door of her room was thrown violently open and banged soundly against the wall behind it.

"Take care to not aggravate your injuries please, Isabella." Marcus requested as he shot Caius a reproachful glance. "I will check in on you later," he murmured as he dropped a kiss on her forehead, taking care to avoid a healing scrape. The next thing she knew he had gone,leaving her alone with her...mate.

Bella peered at Caius from underneath damp eyelashes. She was ashamed of her earlier overreaction and the trouble it had caused. She thought she'd grown and matured in the years since the Cullens left her to die. But at the first test she balked. Caius had accidentally provided information that would change her life irrevocably, and she ran like a skittish colt. And had nearly been eaten.

The vampire in her doorway had not moved. He hovered there uneasily, his body barely within the room. His expression was...complicated. He hadn't spoken a word to her either.

'Please come here.' She requested, then motioned for him to sit beside her. 'I'm so sorry.' She tried fervently to show her sincerity in her eyes.

Caius drew in a pained breath. She'd apologised. Her eyes begged him to understand.

She's just refused me.

He'd known on some level this was coming, but that knowledge didn't make this confirmation any easier. His eyes closed as the pain of rejection washed through him. How would he manage to living in the castle with her and not be with her. Would she still be changed? Could he avoid her for eternity?

He was so consumed by his grief that he nearly jumped from the bed the moment her warm soft lips touched his cheek. His eyes snapped open, and his heart clenched at the concern painted on her lovely face. His mind strained to find the connection between her words and her actions, but all logic eluded him at the moment.

"You're sorry."

She registered the hard hoarseness of his voice. She knew her apology would likely not be enough. Why would this gorgeous king want a flighty, insecure and irrational mate for all eternity? She hung her head, realizing that she had thoroughly ruined her chance at happiness.

Why did she kiss me? Perhaps she meant it to be a pathetic sort of consolation for having to spend eternity alone and loveless? He thought spitefully to himself. His ire piqued, he snapped out his next words. "It is I who must apologize, for failing to meet your standards. Allow me to remove myself, before you resort to harming yourself further in your next attempt to escape my presence."

Her mouth dropped open from shock upon hearing the scathing bite in his words. He sounded as if SHE didn't want HIM. But she'd only told him she was sorry... Suddenly, it occurred to her that her words could be taken more than one way and she grabbed for him as fast as she was able, barely snatching Caius' pinkie before he was completely beyond her reach. Thankfully he stilled at her touch, or she would never have been able to stop him. Hard emotionless eyes watched her silently but she thought she saw a flicker when he began digesting her next communication.

'Me! I'm sorry about me! I acted like an idiot. I hope you can forgive me. Please say you can.' She signed sloppily in her haste.

Caius suddenly felt as though he could weep with relief. As it was, he knelt his shaking frame beside her bed, tiredly laying his head on the mattress. He was more weary than he could remember being since his change. "You'll give me a chance then?" He mumbled into the coverlet, afraid to allow hope to take hold until he had definite confirmation. Her soft hands grasped the sides of his face and lifted it, gently sweeping wayward blonde locks from blocking his hesitant eyes. She gifted him with a radiant smile and when she pulled lightly, he followed the pressure willingly, climbing onto the bed to settle beside her.