Little witch

Guilt

Adeline

It had been a week since I returned to the pack house, and things were finally starting to feel normal again. Titus and Blaze had slowly softened, their intensity ebbing into something more familiar. Their constant need to keep me close, to hold me, had calmed, but the bond between us still had a scar.

Standing under the hot stream of water in the shower, I tried to relax, letting the warmth soothe the tension in my body. But as I washed my hair, a wave of guilt crashed over me, so intense it nearly knocked the breath from my lungs. The memory of leaving Titus, of abandoning Blaze, flooded my mind, and I could feel the sharp pain in my chest again, the physical ache of separation.

How could I have done this to them? They had given me everything—love, protection, a home—and I shattered it. I broke their trust, and no matter how much they reassured me that I was forgiven, I couldn't forgive myself. The weight of my actions felt unbearable. I sank to the bottom of the shower, pulling my knees to my chest as the tears started to fall.

The sobs wracked my body, and no matter how much I tried to keep quiet, they escaped in gasping, broken sounds. It felt like my heart was breaking all over again.

Suddenly, I heard the bathroom door fly open. I didn't have to look up to know it was Blaze. His presence was electric, filled with urgency. I could hear the snarl in his voice, the growl that rumbled deep in his chest.

"Adeline!" he barked, storming into the bathroom. I felt his strong hands on my shoulders, pulling me up from the floor and out of the shower, his eyes blazing with a mix of worry and anger.

"What's wrong? Why are you crying?" Blaze demanded, his voice rough with concern as he quickly wrapped me in a towel.

I tried to turn away from him, ashamed of my breakdown. "I—I'm a horrible mate," I choked out between sobs. "I ruined everything. I left you both, I hurt you... I'll never forgive myself."

Blaze growled low, his grip on my arms tightening as he forced me to look at him. His golden eyes were fierce, but behind the anger was something deeper, something softer.

"Stop," he ordered, his voice like a growl. "Stop talking like that." He lifted me into his arms, the towel wrapped around me, and carried me into our bedroom. His movements were careful, almost gentle, but there was a determined set to his jaw, an intensity that made it clear he wasn't going to let me wallow in self-blame.

Blaze laid me down on the bed and began to dry me off with the towel, his touch tender despite the urgency in his actions. He dressed me slowly, taking care to pull one of Titus's oversized shirts over my head before wrapping me in the blankets. His eyes never left mine, and the entire time, he kept talking, his voice a mix of command and reassurance.

"You're perfect for me. For us. You're our mate, Adeline, and nothing changes that," Blaze said, his voice firm but soothing. He sat beside me, running his hands through my hair as he continued. "You think leaving makes you a bad mate? It doesn't. You came back. You're here, and that's all that matters. I love how strong you are, how smart you are. I love your stubbornness, and how you make Titus and me feel like the most important people in the world."

Tears still slipped down my cheeks, but Blaze wiped them away with his thumb, his gaze never wavering. "You're not allowed to talk like that again, you hear me? You're everything we've ever wanted, Adeline."

I hiccuped, trying to calm my breathing as his words began to sink in. He wasn't angry with me. He didn't blame me. He still loved me, even after everything I'd done.

Blaze wrapped his arms around me, pulling me close to his chest. "You're my mate. You're perfect. Stop punishing yourself. It hurts us when you do that." His voice was raw, and I could feel his heart pounding against my ear. "Just let us take care of you little witch."

The tears slowed, and I sank into his embrace, letting the warmth of his body and the strength of his words soothe the ache in my chest. I wasn't sure I'd ever forgive myself completely, but Blaze's words planted the seed of hope that maybe, just maybe, I didn't need to be perfect to be loved by them.

Blaze tilted my chin up, his eyes softer now, the anger gone. "We love you, Adeline. No more of this, okay?"

I nodded, my voice barely above a whisper. "Okay."