Chapter Ten: Broken Trust

Lucas

I sat by the edge of the bed, my heart in turmoil, as I watched Ava's unconscious form. The weight of the truth I had revealed earlier still hung heavy in the air, mingling with the tension that had been building between us over the last few days.

I had hoped that telling Ava the truth would take away, or at least reduce, the strain in our relationship, but seeing Ava like this made me realize just how much she hated to hear that I had already met my mate, and it also made me realize that I needed to think of a way to reassure her of our relationship so she wouldn't jump to the conclusion that she was getting replaced because that would never happen.

Gently, I reached out and brushed a lock of hair away from Ava's face, my fingers lingering against her skin. She looked so vulnerable at that moment, and guilt gnawed at my insides because I knew how fragile Ava was, and yet I still made the mistake of hurting her in the worst way possible.

I hadn't meant for any of this to happe