Chapter 171: Chapter 171
Kyra’s POV
The rain drummed against the windows as Nathan and I sat on opposite ends of Emily’s couch. Five minutes of silence had stretched between us since he’d decided to stay.
"Can I ask you something?" His deep voice finally broke through the quiet.
I raised my eyes to meet his and nodded. "Yes."
"Did you ever consider telling me about Snow?" The question I’d been dreading hung in the air between us.
I bit my bottom lip and lowered my gaze. Sylvia, my wolf, stirred anxiously within me. "He deserves the truth," she urged.
"Yes," I admitted, my voice barely audible over the rain. "I thought about it constantly, but I was terrified."
"Of what?" Nathan’s eyes narrowed.
"Your anger." The words tumbled out before I could stop them.
He inhaled sharply, his jaw tightening. I squeezed my eyes shut and swallowed hard.
"You had your chance when we were together after you escaped from Kieran. You had another chance when you came back and we met again." His voice was controlled but laced with hurt. "I never sent mixed signals, Kyra. I made mistakes. I wronged you terribly, but you claimed you’d forgiven me. So why keep hiding the truth?"
I struggled to find words that wouldn’t sound like empty excuses. Apologizing again would only deepen his pain.
"Tell me honestly. Did my feelings scare you away?" The vulnerability in his question caught me off guard.
"No," I answered, my voice hoarse as I forced myself to meet his gaze.
The pain reflected in his amber eyes made my chest constrict. That’s why I couldn’t tell him,I couldn’t bear seeing him hurt. I’ve loved him for so long, falling deeper with each passing day.
"Then why were you scared? Kyra, I love you more than anything. I’d listen to a million reasons if you gave them, all because I have one reason that matters more than anything else—I love you."
Tears spilled down my cheeks as I offered him a trembling smile. "I love you too, Nathan. So much. But I won’t deny that initially I tried to hide her from you because I was wounded to my core. I was terrified of trusting again. I’m sorry my trust issues hurt you—"
"None of that matters now," he interrupted, his intense gaze boring into mine.
A heavy lump formed in my throat as I stared back. I couldn’t read his thoughts. Something lurked behind his eyes,something he wanted to say but seemed uncertain if I was ready to hear.
Was he planning to take Snow away? Or worse, end things between us? The mere thought sent a sharp pain through my chest, and before I could stop myself, I broke into uncontrollable sobs.
His lips parted in surprise.
"Don’t worry about me," I managed between sobs, attempting to wipe away the tears that wouldn’t stop flowing. "I’m fine."
But I couldn’t suppress it. My cries intensified despite my efforts to hide behind my palms, biting my lip to muffle the sound.
"Kyra..." His voice softened.
"Just ignore me," I choked out. "I’ll understand if you don’t want me anymore. I can leave and never come back—"
"Why would you leave?" The sudden coldness in his voice made me cry harder.
"Did I tell you to leave?" Alaric, his wolf, growled in unison with his words.
I shook my head, still unable to look at him. "No, but that’s what I should do if you want to break up with me."
"Break up with you?" He sounded incredulous. "I’ve waited for you for so long, Kyra. I didn’t dream about having you back every damn night just to let you go again. By the Moon Goddess, you are mine!"
My heart thundered in my chest as I finally looked up at his face. The intensity in his expression left me speechless.
He clenched his jaw and slowly stood up. My pulse quickened as he crossed the distance between us and knelt before me.
I gasped, eyes widening as he pulled out a small velvet box and opened it to reveal a stunning diamond ring.
"Nathan..." I whispered, unable to believe what was happening.
He licked his lips nervously despite his confident exterior. The rain continued its assault outside, but all I could hear was his breathing and my racing heartbeat. The world around us seemed to fade away, leaving just the two of us in our own intimate universe.
"I’m done with this chase, Kyra," he said, his voice husky with emotion. "I promised I’d wait until you were ready, but damn it, I can’t wait anymore. If I’d known you were carrying my child back then, I would have moved heaven and earth to keep you by my side."
"Are you absolutely sure about this?" I asked, hardly daring to hope.
"More certain than I’ve ever been about anything," he declared. "This isn’t like our first marriage. This time, I swear I’ll treasure you properly. I’ll love you better, harder, with everything I am."
I smiled through my tears. "Please don’t break my heart again. I don’t think I’d survive it."
He shook his head firmly. "I won’t. Breaking your heart destroys mine too. We’re bonded in ways that go beyond what even the Moon Goddess intended."
"He means it," Sylvia hummed contentedly within me.
Nathan took the ring from its velvet nest and reached for my hand. "Let’s leave the past behind us, Kyra. Let’s build a new life together—you, me, Snow, and our baby. My best friend, my mate, my ex-wife... will you be my wife again? I’ll marry you in any way you want, anywhere you want."
I couldn’t help the small laugh that bubbled up through my tears as I nodded.
He shook his head, gripping my hand tighter. "Words, Kyra. I need to hear you say it."
"Yes," I whispered, smiling through my tears. "Yes, Nathan. Let’s get married again. Let’s end this chase and start our forever."
His face broke into a breathtaking smile as he slid the ring onto my finger. A single tear escaped his eye before he pulled me into his arms, pressing his lips against my hair. Then he drew back just enough to cup my chin and claimed my lips in a deep, passionate kiss that I’d been craving for.
