𝚂𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚐𝚒𝚛𝚕(𝙰𝙲𝙾𝚃𝙰𝚁)

𝔠𝔥𝔞𝔭𝔱𝔢𝔯 𝔣𝔬𝔯𝔱𝔶-𝔱𝔥𝔯𝔢𝔢

͙⁺˚*･༓☾　　☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙

͙⁺˚*･༓☾　　☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙

"What?" was all I could utter.

"The bond snapped," he repeated. "That's what changed."

"The bond . . . " I trailed off, eyes wide. "You avoided me and told me that us being together wouldn't be a good idea . . . because the bond snapped?"

"I didn't think you would want to be tied to me," he said quietly. "I didn't want you to feel like you had to choose me because of a mating bond. You just got out of a marriage where you had no freedom. Part of me felt like this bond was like a shackle for you. And you just got your freedom. I couldn't do that to you." 

"Az, being mated to you would be nothing like my marriage," I insisted. "If you had just told me--"

"I couldn't bring myself to," he admitted. "I didn't want you to feel obligated to be with me."

"You can't keep something like that from me," I scolded. "I'm a grown female. I can make my own decisions, even with a mating bond."

"You're right," he sighed. "I'm sorry."

      He was still knelt in front of me, looking apologetic and regretful. But I needed to know more.

"When did it snap?" I dared to ask.

"When I rescued you from that cell," he confessed, not able to meet my eyes as he said the words.

     I nearly gasped at just how long it had been. Three weeks, to be exact. My nostrils flared as I sat all the way up.

"The bond snapped for you while I was covered in my own blood, piss, and vomit?" I shrilled. "You couldn't have waited for something more romantic?"

"I can't control when the bond snaps," he pointed out, an amused smile tugging on his lips. "Besides, you had been down there for three days. I didn't care what state you were in; I just cared that you were alive."

     That didn't make me feel any less embarrassed about the state I'd been in when he found me. When the bond had snapped, no less. 

"Azzy, I've loved you from the moment I met you," I expressed. "But . . . I can't do this right now. I can't believe you hid this from me. You made me think you didn't have any interest in me anymore. All because of this stupid secret?"

"I wanted you to enjoy your freedom," he insisted, getting to his feet.

"I wanted to enjoy my freedom with you," I said quietly. "If you had just told me that night--the night after I got home, when you slept in the infirmary bed with me--I would've accepted the bond in a second."

      I sighed, hiding my face in my hands as I thought over the last three weeks. We'd had good moments together. But knowing he had been hiding such an important secret from me, even during those moments . . . That hurt.

"You hid this from me, and you lied," I stated, getting to my feet. He took a step back. "I can't accept the bond right now. I need time."

     I saw hurt flash in his eyes, and I had to admit, it was difficult not to comfort him. But he nodded, blinking the hurt away.

"Take your time," he said.

͙⁺˚*･༓☾　　☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙

     I decided to go to the town house, so I would be less likely to run into Azriel. The truth was, I knew I would accept the bond eventually. Because I knew--had always known--that he loved me. And I loved him, too. I just still wasn't sure when I would accept.