CHAPTER NINETEEN

LIANA’S POV

bI /bdidn’t know when the tears started. But once they did, they wouldn’t stop. It was as if my body had given up trying to hold it

all in.

Killian was breathing heavily. He wasn’t speaking. Just standing there with that strange look in his eyes.

, regret, guilt. But I didn’t care anymore.

Some mix of anger

He ran a hand through his hair, frustration pouring out of him. “Liana…” he whispered, stepping closer. “I’m

sorry.”

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I didn’t look at him. I couldn’t. I was trembling. My legs were shaking, and my arms wrapped around my body as if that

could keep me together.

“I didn’t mean to… I didn’t mean to go that far,” he said, his voice cracking. “I lost control. I didn’t want to hurt you.”

bI /bcried harder. My throat was tight. Everything inside me was screaming.

He reached for his hanger and pulled out one of his shirts. Quietly, he walked over and held it out to me. My eyes dropped to

the shirt, then to the shredded pieces of fabric that used to be my clothes.

My bra was still half undone, my blousepletely useless. My skirt was rumpled and my panties were gone. I felt disgusting. Dirty. Used.

With shaky fingers, I fixed my bra the best I could, then snatched the shirt from his hand without head, not caring that it was big enough to swallow me. I adjusted my skirt with trembling hands.

a word. I shoved it over my

“Liana-b” /b

“Don’t,” I whispered. b“/bbJust /bbdon’t/b.”

The hate bubbling in my chest felt like it would choke me. I took one step back. Then another.

“I HATE YOU!”

He flinched.

And I ran

I didn’t even wait for him to reactb. /bI just opened the door and bolted.

My vision was blurry. bMy /bchest was tight. All I could hear was the sound of my breath and the pounding of my own heart.

Just as I reached the elevator, it opened, and a man stepped out.

I didn’t look up. I didn’t dare.

He stepped aside as I rushed past him, my head bowedb, /bmy tears falling freely now. I punched the button inside the elevator with a trembling finger and the doors closed.

And in that moment, I couldn’t take it anymore. I began crying

I slid down to the floor, curled up in the corner of the elevator like a child.

He broke me

He really broke me this time.

And I didn’t know how bI /bwould evere back from it.

KILLIAN’S POV

“Fuck!” I growled, mming my fist into the wall. Hard. Again. And again. And again. My knuckles were already bloody, but I didn’t care. I couldn’t care. It was the only thing keeping me from falling apart.

I shouldn’t have done it. I shouldn’t have touched her like that. Not like that. Not when she begged me to stop. Not when she

was already crying. Fuck, what the hell is wrong with me?

I dragged a hand through my hair, pacing the room, trying to breathe, but every time I blinked, I could still see her face, her eyes filled with pain and disgust and hate. Her voice when she screamed I hate you. It was like a knife straight through my

chest.

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I punched the wall again, letting out another curse. I didn’t deserve her. I didn’t deserve a second chance. I went too far. I lost

control. I let whatever the fuck was inside me take over, and now she’ll never look at me the same again.

A knock came at the doorb. /bIt was Richard. My secretary and also a member of my pack.

“Alpha?b” /b

“What?!b” /bI snapped, even though I didn’t mean to. My voice was rough, broken.

Richard stepped in. “I saw her leaving… should I go after her? Stop her from leaving?”

I turned away from him, staring at the floor like it had answers. My fists clenched again.

“No,” I saidb. /bb“/bLeave her.b” /b

Richard was about to leave when the silence became too much. I didn’t want to be alone with this guilt. I couldn’t.

“Wait.”

He stopped. “Yes, Alphab?/bb” /b

I turned slowly to face him. I don’t know why I did it. I don’t know why the words started pouring out. Maybe I just needed to say them. Maybe I needed someoneb, /banyone, to hear me.

“I fucked up, Richard.

He blinked. He didn’t say anything.

I sat down on the edge of my desk, my shoulders slumped like the weight of the world was pressing me down.

“I fucked up,” I repeated, my voice lower now. More tired. More real. “I don’t think she’ll ever forgive me.b” /b

Richard looked at me like he wanted to help, but didn’t know how.

“I didn’t n to hurt her,” I continued, my voice breaking. “bI /bswear to God, I didn’t. I just wanted to make things right with her. I wanted to talk. I wanted to bfix /bit. But when she started saying his name again… I lost it. I don’t know what came over me. I

just I just couldn’t control myselfb./bb” /b

bI /bwas breathing hard My vision blurred for a second.

“You know what hurts the most?” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. “That I made her bcry/b. I made her look at me like bI /b

was some kind of monster and maybe I am Maybe I really am ”

bI /bdidn’t even realize I was crying until bI /bfelt it

The tears.

Sliding down my face while my chest ached like something inside me had cracked open.

“Alpha-” Richard said gently.

“I hate myself,” I cut him off. “I hate myself more than she hates me.‘

“1

T

“Then do something about it,” he said softly. “Go after her. Apologize. Show her you’re sorry. It’s not toote. It might feel like it is… but it’s not. Not if you mean it.”

I looked at him.

Really looked at him.

b“/bbYou /bthink she’ll ever forgive me?”

?????????????????

He sighed. “I don’t know. But I do know this… she’s not just anyone to you. She’s not just some woman you want. She’s your fated mate. You love her. Anyone with eyes can see that.”

I closed my eyes, holding back another set of tears threatening to fall.

“Then go prove it,” Richard said. “Let her feel it. Let her see it.”

I didn’t move.

He turned to leave, then paused at the door.

“Alpha,” he said, ncing back at me. “bYou /breally do love her. But sometimes… byour /bway of loving her is too possessive. You

need to tone that down. Before it destroys what’s left between you.”

And then he left.

I sat there, feeling like the worst man on earth.

Because the truth was, I didn’t just hurt herb. /b

I hated myself for what I’d just done.

I picked up my car keys and dashed out of my office without thinking twice.

My love. I’m so sorry.