Se connecterPartager
Chapter 683
Date de publication:
2026-10-23 06:45:08
Dernier chapitre
Marked by fate Chapter 683
Xander's POVIt doesn't excuse what he did, but at least I understand it better, and I can't help thinking how different things might have been if he'd just fucking talked to me.“You hurt her, Max. And you hurt me. You hurt all of us.”“I know.” He meets my eyes. “I told myself I needed space, but I didn't have to disappear the way I did. I didn't have to leave Zahra wondering whether she'd done something wrong, and I didn't have to shut you out either.”Hearing him acknowledge that he's hurt me takes some of the anger out of my chest, although it does nothing to ease the ache beneath it.“You didn't even call,” I say before I can stop myself. “Or text. Not once.”My voice isn't quite as steady as I'd like, and I hate that he can probably hear it. Four fucking years together, and then nothing. Not even a message to say he was all right.Max's face tightens, and he looks genuinely ashamed.“I know. I'm sorry.” He pauses, rubbing a hand over his face before continuing. “At first, I cou
Marked by fate Chapter 682
Xander's POV“Then you know a little of what you've put her through,” I say quietly.Max flinches, his eyes dropping to the towel covering his lap.“Yeah,” he murmurs. “I think I'm starting to.”I'd expected an argument, some explanation about needing time to think or how none of this was what he'd anticipated. Instead, he looks thoroughly fucking miserable.“She's frightened you're going to recover and disappear again, Max. That you came back to warn us about the rogues because you felt guilty, not because you actually want to stay.”He rubs his thumb along the edge of the towel.“I heard her say that. I just…” He swallows. “I didn't realise she thought I might reject her.”“Max, you left. You found out she was your mate and walked away without telling her whether you intended to come back. What did you expect her to think?”His jaw tightens, but he doesn't argue.“I know. And I know I've hurt her.” He looks up at me. “But I haven't rejected her, Xander. I won't lie and say the thoug
Marked by fate Chapter 681
Xander's POVBut when he speaks, it's nothing like what I was expecting.“Does she really think I'm back to reject her?”My hand freezes around the towel.For a second, I simply stare at him, trying to make sense of what he's just asked.She?Zahra. He's talking about Zahra.And the realisation sends a fresh knot of tension through my stomach.Where the fuck has that come from?We've barely mentioned her since we left the SUV, and until now Max has seemed more concerned with trying to convince me he doesn't need any help than discussing anything remotely personal.I search his face, looking for some indication of what he's thinking.He's watching me now, although there's something distinctly apprehensive in his expression. His fingers have tightened against the armrest, and I notice the small movement of his throat as he swallows.This isn't a casual question. Whatever he's about to say, it's been weighing on him.“Where's that come from?” I ask carefully.He shifts in the chair, appa
Marked by fate Chapter 680
Xander's POVI rinse the towel again, making sure the water is warm before moving around to his side.“Can you lean forwards a little?” I ask, keeping my voice gentle. “Just enough for me to get your back.”Max opens his eyes and looks at me for a moment, as though he's considering whether the effort is worth it. Then he gives a small nod.I position myself beside the chair, one hand resting against his shoulder to steady him while he carefully shifts forwards.It's barely any movement at all, but I feel him tense beneath my hand, and his breathing catches as the muscles across his stomach pull.“Easy,” I murmur, immediately tightening my support so he doesn't have to hold himself up entirely. “Don't push yourself.”“I'm all right,” he replies quietly.Of course he is. Goddess forbid Max Hunt ever admits otherwise.I glance at his face, fully prepared to point out that he looks anything but all right, but bite back the response before it reaches my mouth.He's already struggling enoug
Marked by fate Chapter 679
Xander's POVI glance at Max.He's watching me with that guarded expression he's been wearing ever since I started helping him. His shoulders are slightly hunched, and one hand rests protectively across his abdomen while the other grips the armrest.He's trying so fucking hard not to look helpless, and I know him well enough to understand just how much he hates this.I force my attention back to the dressings.Whatever else is going on, I've got a job to do. I need to get him cleaned up, make sure I haven't disturbed any of those stitches and get him safely back to the others.Everything else can fucking wait.“Right, well, I think it's best to leave the bandages alone as much as possible,” I tell him, carefully moving my hand away from the lifted edge. “We can let the nurses handle those.”Max follows my gaze towards his stomach, studying the bloodstained dressings for a moment before giving a small nod.He doesn't argue, which is a pleasant fucking surprise. Then again, judging by h
Marked by fate Chapter 678
Xander's POVI try to keep my hands from shaking as I examine the lifted edge of the bandage covering Max's stomach.Fuck, it's huge.The dressing itself is bad enough, but the glimpses of damaged skin beneath it are making my stomach turn. There's bruising spreading out from the wound in a horrible mixture of green, yellow and almost black, disappearing beneath the other dressings wrapped around his side.Goddess, I don't know what's wrong with me. I was fucking there, for Goddess's sake.I saw the state Medus was in before he collapsed. I helped carry Max into the hospital, and then I stood there with Zahra while the doctor tried to stitch him back together. I saw the blood, the injuries and the sheer amount of damage those fucking rogues had managed to inflict. I knew how serious it was.And I'm sure being thrown around in the back of the SUV hasn't helped his recovery either.But somehow, seeing him here, like this, makes everything look so much worse than it did before.Perhaps i
Vous vous intéresseriez aussi à
My Secret, My Bully, My Mates. Series
Miss L2.7M VuesAlpha Of Aberdeen
Cc Lopez977.8K VuesAlpha Jax
C.J. Primer802.7K VuesThe Forbidden Alpha
JP Sina681.0K VuesRevenge of the Betrayed Luna
Latwrite64 VuesREJECTED LUNA: CARRYING THE ENEMY'S CHILD
Pel38 VuesBanished with the Alpha’s Moonstone
Lopezwritez153 VuesThe Rise Of The Last Golden Wolf
bri bri432 Vues
