All Chapters of Marked by fate: Chapter 641 - Chapter 650

Max's POVWhat the fuck does Medus expect me to think about?Actually, on second thoughts, I probably know the answer to that.Zahra.And he's right. She should be at the forefront of my thoughts, especially after what I overheard earlier.That doesn't make the memories disappear, though.Fuck, how did we get here?Xander's hand remains perfectly still, waiting for an answer, and I realise I've been staring at him for far too long. There's something guarded in his expression now, almost as though he's worried he's overstepped.That hurts in a way I wasn't expecting.There was a time when neither of us had to think twice about touching the other.Now he can't even help me out of a bloodstained hospital top without having to ask whether I'm comfortable with it.“Yeah,” I say, my voice coming out quieter than I intended. “It's fine.”He holds my gaze for another second, and I wonder whether he can see how awkward this is for me.Probably.He's always been far too fucking good at reading

Max's POVWhen he finally speaks again, his voice is considerably quieter.“I knew it was bad, but seeing it like this?”The unfinished question hangs between us.I watch him swallow, his throat working as he looks back at my injuries.And something unpleasant twists inside my chest.He's not asking about the wounds any more, not really.He's trying to make sense of how close I came to dying.I can see it in the way he keeps looking from the bandages to my face, as though he's trying to reconcile the man sitting in front of him with whatever he'd been told about my condition.And I have no fucking idea how to reassure him when I can barely make sense of it myself.His voice had almost disappeared towards the end, and I grimace because I can hear how upset he is beneath his words.The worst part is that I know him well enough to recognise what he's trying to hide.Xander doesn't frighten easily.He gets angry. He gets frustrated. Occasionally, he gets so fucking stubborn that I want to

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

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

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