Blood Legacy Chapter 108: 106. The truth pt.2

"I took the cowardly path. The easy way out," his head hung, those strands of jet black hair fallen over his forehead.

We were kneeling on the floor now, facing each other. My cheeks were wet from all those silent tears that I've shed, raw and tormented by his confession.

He was just a teenager at that moment. Back when he did all that. A youngling like myself, who had no idea what he wanted from life. He just wanted freedom. A choice. It wasn't his fault that he was born into the royal family. The eldest son and the rightful heir. He was still a person. A guy who wanted to have the freedom to make his own choices. I couldn't blame him for that. He was only trying to do something for himself. Help his own situation. Even though those choices turned out to have such a disastrous outcome.

It might've been selfish of him -for doing what he did- but I did understand his motives. Hell, I was even willing to bet that I would've done the same, had I been in his place.

"I hadn't expected to get a second chance though. I thought that I was to spend the rest of my eternity begging for mercy and forgiveness at the Goddess' feet but it seemed that fate had other plans for me," his black and red-rimmed eyes met my own again, peering back at me with that same desolated and pained expression plastered over his face.

"I woke up in the middle of a forest, naked and with my blood still smeared over my body but with that very same gun laying beside me, that silver bullet still in its chamber," My eyes widened with a hint of wonder at the sound of that, so curious to know what happened to him and why.

"This tiny scar I have is the only proof that it really happened. That I actually died and then came back," he gently touched the middle of his chest with his fingers, my eyes following the action.

"It felt like I was reborn. Remade from ashes and dust," he seemed to be recalling that moment as his gaze remained unfocused, pointed at a certain spot on the floor.

"And then I felt it," he softly uttered, his eyes meeting my own again.

"That spark. That ancient and mystical power unlocking within me...

Along with the strings of our mate bond," his lips timidly parted to let out a small smile, his eyes flickering with the tiniest bit of hope.

"I didn't realize exactly what it was at first because wolves aren't usually able to tell who their mates are before meeting them,"

"But then I started dreaming about you," his gaze roamed all over my features, hesitatingly reaching out to trail the back of his fingers over my cheek.

"Your face, your eyes,"

My eyelids fluttered closed for a moment, letting myself savour the sweet feeling of his addictive touch.

"Your beautiful smile and laughter,"

I opened my eyes again and gazed back at him, noticing that tender look in his.

"I immediately realized that you were mine. That you were made for me," his palm gingerly cupped my cheek and I let out a small sigh, loving the way it felt.

Now I was finally beginning to understand why. There was a connection between us. Just like the one Nathan and I had.

"And I just had to find you, so I used my magic and the tether of our bond to locate you,"

"Imagine my surprise when I discovered who you actually were,"

What? He'd actually found me? When?

"My former betrothed, and Nathan's future queen," he said, tangible pain lacing his tone and my gaze refocused back on his face, noticing that hurt in his eyes.

"I was devastated. Torn even. I'd traded my future with you, my one and only soulmate just so that I could betray fate and kill some girl on accident,"

"Never in my entire life had I ever felt so foolish and miserable,"

"So desperate and maddened by pain..."

"I wanted to take you away. I wanted to steal you and run somewhere far away, where no one would ever find us,"

"But I couldn't do this to Nate. I couldn't bear to break his heart twice. Especially after I realized that fate had paired you with him instead. It gave you a second chance at love. It made him your second chance mate. The bond must've clicked into place the very moment my heart stopped beating,"

What? There was actually such a thing as a second chance mate? How the hell was that even possible?

"So I gave up and stepped aside, letting you try to find happiness with him instead. Even though it was slowly killing me on the inside, having to feel you making love to him, develop such intense sentiments for him. It killed me. It crushed my heart and burned it alive. It made me want to kill myself all over again," I let out a small gasp at the sound of that, the mere thought of him trying to take away his life again bringing so much sorrow and agony in my heart. It made me feel so scared, the thought of him not existing into this world anymore.

"I didn't want to live. I didn't want to exist into a world where I knew that my mate was out there, being kissed and touched by another man, loved by him because I wasn't brave enough to face my destiny," he said and I had to swallow a sob, aching as I listened to him telling me how much he'd been suffering by my unknowing hand. He'd been hurting all this time, tortured by what was happening between Nathan and I.

"I never planned to take you away. I just wanted to see you, get close to you, even for only a moment. I wanted to see your face, have you see me. Even for just a moment. I wanted to at least say goodbye," he said with a saddened smile and reached out to caress my cheek again, a small tear trailing over my face as I listened to his words.

So he was planning to take his life away again, back when he came for me in that room.

I let out a tiny and mournful mewl, shuffling closer towards him as I lightly shook my head with denial.

No! I didn't want him to do that! I would die right then and there with him if he'd ever do that!

He seemed to understand what I was feeling as he allowed me to sit in between his thighs, his hands gently cupping my own as he quietly uttered,

"But then I saw that look on your face as you stared at yourself into that mirror, all dressed in white and so beautiful, and yet so...helpless and lost. I could feel your fear. You were terrified,"

"It scared you, the sight of yourself dressed into that beautiful wedding gown,"

"You didn't want it either. Any of that,"

"You were feeling trapped, just like I did all those years ago..." We were face to face now, his black eyes shifting between my own as he told me all that, unraveling exactly what I was feeling that day. He knew. One single look at me and he already knew what no one else had ever managed to discover. Not even Nathan.

"I couldn't stand to see that look on your face, to see you so unhappy and frightened,"

"So I did the only thing that my heart was telling me to at that very moment. I set you free," he softly whispered and I had to swallow, realizing that I'd forgotten even how to breathe as I peered between those dark and hypnotic eyes, slowly falling under his enchanting spell.

"Forgive me, Carina. I didn't intend for any of this to happen," he delicately caressed my cheek with his thumb, making me softly sigh as I couldn't help but notice how close his lips were to mine. I could almost feel them brushing against my own with every word he said.

"I was just..." he blew out a breath and I mildly shivered as it caressed my lips, my hand unconsciously gripping the front of his shirt.

"I just wanted you to have a choice,"

"And I still do,"

"I don't want you to suffer or be unhappy. So if you don't want to have anything to do with me, I will understand. I'm not going to force my mark on you or any of that archaic bullshit,"

"I'll leave you alone if you want me to. I don't care about the bond, I don't even care if I die all over again,"

"I just want you to be happy," he sincerely confessed and I let out a shuddering breath, so deeply affected by the power of that simple statement. Words could not describe how I felt.

So I looked into his eyes and pushed myself closer against him, conveying my emotions into three simple words,

"Kiss me...Please..."

"I'll die if you don't,"

He only hesitated for a fleeting moment, those beautiful eyes becoming hooded with passion and need.

One arm snuck around my waist, pulling me flush against him while his other hand cupped my jaw.

And after a single breath he closed the remaining distance between us and pressed his lips against my own, moving into a slow and heated kiss.